to perswade men that we are not of the same body and to own a sinful dishonourable separation 17. And by all these means these Over-doers do greatly increase Atheism and Infidelity and prophaneness among us while their zeal against Truth and reproaches of sound doctrine do make men think that our Religion is nothing but proud humour and self-conceit and while they see us so boldly condemn almost all the world except our selves they will think that so few as we deserve not to be excepted 18. By this injurious extremity against the Papists we do but kindle in them a bitterer enmity to us and hatred of them breedeth hatred in them of us and so we set them on plotting revenge against us as implacable injurious enemies when we should deal soberly and righteously with all men and seek to win them by truth and gentleness 19. I And such dealings with them do draw Persecution on the Protestants that live under their Dominions and if we refuse to use them here as Christians no wonder if abroad they use not the Protestants as Men. 20. And by such great abuses of Reformation men hinder Reformation for the time to come and do their part to make it hopeless while they discourage such attempts by dishonouring the Reformation which is past Even as David George and Muntâ—er and the Munster Doâ—ages and Rebellions do hinder the â—eviving of Anabaptistry in the world and the shame of their old practices and successes is as a Grave stone upon the Sepuleher of their Cause so do these men do their part to make it with the whole Reformation that none hereafter may date to own or meddle with such work These that I have opened briefly to you are the real fruits of false injurious and ignorant zeal and over-doing against the Papists And if Popery revive it 's like to be by such men S. But Popery is an heinous evil and corrupt nature is so prone to evil thaâ— you need not thus disswade men from going too far from it or from over-doing against it no more than from being overmuch religious P. You may say the same as truly of the errors on the contrary extream All of them are evil and men are prone to evil But 1. Little know you how common it is in the world to spend mens zeal against the real or supposed evil of other mens Opinions and thereby to strengthen the mortal evil of their own carnal affections and passions and worldly lives and to take a zeal for Truth and Orthodoxness for real Holiness while usually such miss of Truth it self 2. And you know not the wiles of Satan how ordinarily he betrayeth a good Cause by the ill management of its most zealous friends and doth undo by over-doing When he will play the Devil indeed with Eve he will seem to be more than God himself for Knowledge of Good and Evil and for the advancement of mankind to be like God and God shall be accused by him as if he were untrue and envyed our perfection When he will play the Devil indeed with Christ he will seem to be more for valiantness and trusting God than Christ was and pleadeth Scripture for tempting God When he will play the Devil indeed in the Pharisees he will be stricter for the â—abbath and for Discipline in avoiding the company of the Publicans and sinners and stricter in fastings and dyet and other observations than Christ himself And he will be a zealous enemy to Blasphemy and a zealous Royalist for Caesar and a zealous honourer of the Temple and the Law when Christ or Paul or other Apostles are to be destroyed by it And when he will play the Devil in the Nicolaitans Simonians and Gnostick Hereticks he will seem to be for higher knowledge and greater liberty than the Apostles were And so when he would sow discord among Christians and would kill their Love and divide Christs Church and set them in a mental and oral War against each other he will aggravate the errors and faults of others and he will seem a more zealous friend of Truth and enemy to Popery Heresie Error Superstition false Worship or other faults than Christ is But he knoweth why S. But God telleth us himself that he is jealous about his Worship and hath in Scripture more severely executed his Justice upon the corrupters of his Worship than almost any other crime P. No doubt but God is jealous against Idolatry He that knoweth not the true God from Idols cannot honour him And he that worshippeth him not as a most Great and Holy God dishonoureth or blasphemeth him on pretence of worshipping him And to worship him by an Image is to perswade men that God is like that which that Image doth represent which is to deny him to be God And no doubt but the Jews great temptations to Idolatry from the Nations about them were to be oppugned by great severities of God And no doubt but Moses Law was to be honoured by Gods severe executions on the breakers of it But when you come to Christs preaching you find how oft he teacheth the Pharisees to go learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice When he conferreth with the Woman of Samaria John 4. she presently turneth from the doctrine of faith as Sectaries do among us to the Controversies of the times Our Fathers say In this Mountain and you say At Jerusalem men ought to worship But Christ calleth her off such low discourse and teacheth her to worship God as a Spirit in spirit and truth if ever she would be accepted of him S. But it is a time now when Popery is striving to rise again and how unseasonably would you abate mens zeal against it P. No more than he was against his Lawyers Zeal who grew hoarse with senseless bawling for him saying I am glad he hath lost his voice or else I might have lost my Cause I am so much against Popery that I wish it wiser and abler adversaries than self-conceited unstudied Zealots who will honour Popery by entitling it to the Truths of God and the Consent of the Antient or Universal Church or would make people believe that it consisteth in some good or indifferent things as in some Doctrines Forms or Government which others can see no harm in And so teach men to say If this be Popery we will rather be Papists than of them that rave as in their sleep against they know not what Could these men be perswaded to lay out their Zeal and diligence in propagating the practical knowledge of Christianity it self and let things alone which they understand not and SUSPEND TILL THEY HAVE THROUGHLY STUDIED or at least to forbear hindering wiser men and calumniating and backbiting those that would by wisdom defend that truth which by folly and rashness they go about to betray they might be meet for their share of that honour which now they forfeit S. You strive against Gods Judgements by which he
RICHARD BAXTER'S Catholick Theologie PLAIN PURE PEACEABLE FOR PACIFICATION Of the DOGMATICAL WORD-WARRIOURS Who 1. By contending about things unrevealed or not understood 2. And by taking VERBAL differences for REAL and their arbitrary Notions for necessary Sacred Truths deceived and deceiving by Ambiguous unexplained WORDS have long been the Shame of the Christian Religion a Scandal and hardning to unbelievers the Incendiaries Dividers and Distracters of the Church the occasion of State Discords and Wars the Corrupters of the Christian Faith and the Subverters of their own Souls and their followers calling them to a blind Zeal and Wrathful Warfare against true Piety Love and Peace and teaching them to censure backbite slander and prate against each other for things which they never understood In Three BOOKS I. PACIFYING PRINCIPLES about Gods Decrees Fore-Knowledge Providence Operations Redemption Grace Mans Power Free-will Justification Merits Certainty of Salvation Perseverance c. II. A PACIFYING PRAXIS or Dialogue about the Five Articles Justification c. Proving that men here contend almost only about Ambiguous words and unrevealed things III. PACIFYING DISPUTATIONS against some Real Errors which hinder Reconciliation viz. About Physical Predetermination Original Sin the extent of Redemption Sufficient Grace Imputation of Righteousness c. Written chiefly for Posterity when sad Experience hath taught men to hate Theological Logical Wars and to love and seek and call for Peace Ex Bello Pax. LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons at the Princes Arms in S t. Pauls Church-yard MDCLXXV I intreat the WRATHFUL CONTENTIOUS ZEALOUS DOGMATISTS conscientiously to study these Texts of Scripture MATTH 28. 19 20. Go Teach all Nations Baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were called Christians 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you which also you have received and wherein ye stand by which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached to you unless ye have believed in vain That Christ dyed for our sins and that he was buryed and that he rose again the third day 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the FORM of sound words which thou hast heard of me in FAITH and LOVE which is in Christ Jesus 1 John 4. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy Heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth confession is made to salvation Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou maist be baptized And he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Rom. 14. 1. 17 18 19. Him that is weak in the Faith receive but not to doubtful disputations For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another Rom. 15. 5 6 7. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another or mind the same thing one with another according to Christ Jesus That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Wherefore Receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God 1 Tim. 1. 3 4 5. Charge some that they teach NO OTHER doctrine nor give heed to fables and endless Genealogies which minister Questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith Now the End of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned From which some having swerved have turned aside to vain janglings 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5 6. If any man teach OTHERWISE and consent not to wholsome words the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness he is PROUD KNOWING NOTHING but DOTING about Questions and STRIFES of WORDS whereof cometh envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness or thinking that godliness is advantage from such turn away 2 Tim. 2. 22 23 24. Follow righteousness saith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart But foolish and unlearned Questions avoid knowing that they do gender strifes and the servant of the Lord must not strive V. 15 16 17. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth But shun profane and vain bablings for they will increase to more ungodliness and their word will eat as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2. 14. Charging them before the Lord that they STRIVE not about WORDS to no profit to the subverting of the hearers 1 Cor. 8. 2 3. If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know But if any man LOVE GOD the same is KNOWN OF HIM Jam. 3. 1 13 c. My Brethren Be not Many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge among you Let him shew out of a good conversation his WORKS with meekness of wisdom But if ye have bitter zeal or envying and strife in your hearts Glory not and Lye not against the truth This WISDOM descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work But the wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie And the fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us But not to Church-Tyrants Dogmatists or superstitious ones to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things Phil. 3. 15 16 17. Let us as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise or diversly or contrarily minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 2. 1 2 3 4. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
them that which they are deprived of So that this Language is not unfit while we speak of Moral Subjects and of God after our manner But in strict speech it cannot be proved that any Nothing is the proper object of a Volition of God 309. The opinion of Scotus and his followers is known this way And subtile Albertine To. 1. princ 4. qu. 4. p. 297. saith that Congruentius dicitur Deum non actu Positivo velle negationes Resp Deum non See after the Additions of Divine Nolitions habere actum positivum non concurrendi sed negationem actus Volendi dare concursum efficacem â—uxta hunc modum melius intelligitur quomodo se habet Voluntas Dei circa peccatum Nam Deus non vult peccatum actu positivo sed tantum negative se habet circa concursum efficacem dandi remedia illa per quae efficaciter impediretur peccatum Vid. caet 310. III. The third distinction is between Gods Love and Hatred his Volitions and Nolitions And this must be used But Hatred and Nolition in man have more of imperfection than Love and Volition importing some-what contrary to us and either hurtful troublesome feared or that possibly may be so Therefore we must confess here that we speak of God with greater impropriety and must disclaim the imperfection in the sense 311. But if you would not be abused into many errors swallow not the name Love and Hatred without distinction Lest the fore-cited reason of Pennottus cheat you viz. God Loveth a man converted whom he Hated while wicked Ergo he can decree or predestinate a man to salvation whom before he decreed and reprobated to damnation And all rose from this falshood that Love is nothing but the Willing of salvation to us and so the same with Decree Whereas Love is also yea most properly a Complacency in Good as Good and Hatred a Displicency in Evil as Evil. Benevolence is sometime Antecedent and sometime an effect of this in man 312. IV. The Immanent and Transient acts I need say no more of 313. V. But Divines use to omit the next distinction of Transient D'Orbellis in 1. d. 4. Quando quaeritur utrum Electio vel Reprobatio rationem Meritoriam habeant hoc non intelligitur quantum ad Voluntatem divinam auâ—â—jus actum qui est Deus sed quantum ad transitum ejus super obâ—ectum seu quantum ad ordinationem ad ipsam Voluntatem acts so much that few of them let you know whether that which is but Objectively Transient be numbred by them with Immanent or with Transient acts Briefly 1. As Gods Will is the first efficient and with his Wisdom and Executive Power doth effect ad extra it is effectively Transient though Essentially Immanent in it self 2. But as Gods Will is as aforesaid the Final Cause or End of all things and willeth things only Complacentially supposing all that is Complacent to be Existent in esse reali vel in esse cognito so is it only Objectively Transient and not effectively and therefore by many is numbred with Immanent acts And as God may be said to know and will the creature in himself and to Love the Idea of it in himself the phrase is not to be blamed But as the Creature in it self considered by fore-knowledge or present knowledge if we may so distinguish is the object it seemeth unfit to call the act Immanent though it do nihil ponere vel efficere in objecto 314. But Gods Will as it effecteth Relations ad extra is even effectively Transient as well as that which altereth qualities e. g. his Pardoning Justifying Adopting acts of Will 315. VI. * * * How far Gods Volitions of creatures are free the subtilest confess to be unsearchable Vasquez ut supra in 1. Thom. q. 19. disp 80. p. 504. Licet assignemus in Deo libertatem comparatione facta cum objectis rebus creatis tamen non assignamus sufficientem rationem ex parte Dei cur nunc actu libero efficaci reseratur ad has potius quam ad illas Siquidem Idem omnino manens in sâ— poterat eas non velle quas vult Quare cum rem exactius enodare contendimus difficultatem praedi â—am eâ—adere nâ—â— possumus See more of him before Gods Natural Volitions are those which ex natura rei could not be otherwise that is All his Volitions of his own being and perfections To which some number natural necessary objects in the creatures As his Volition that Contradictions shall not be true that two and two shall be four or two more than one c. His Free Volitions are those which might have been otherwise as to the nature of the thing and as to the power of the Divine will Such is the Volition of the being of all the Creatures 316. The Schoolmens contention whether the Son be freely begotten and the Holy Ghost freely proceed ariseth from the ambiguity of the word free which I will not trouble you with 317. Yet all agree that Gods Volitions are all eternall and therefore eternally necessary necessitate existentiae 318. And some think it best to say that they are respectively to be called both Necessary and Free Because Gods will chose that which his wisdom saw was Best and he must necessarily choose the Best But we must not be here too bold in our Conclusions 319. VII The distinction of an efficient and permissive Will is no better nor other than that of a Volition and no Volition But to distinguish the Efficient and Permissive Act implyeth a falshood That Permission as such is an Act. 320. Yet Gods Law may be said to have a permissive Act that is He may declare This I permit you to do or leave indifferent as to political permission And as to Physical permission I have shewed before that some positive removal of Impediments are sometimes called non impedire or permission But permission it self as such is no act 321. VIII The distinction of Vol. Beneplaciti signi is old and common But not a distinguishing the Acts of Gods will but rather his Volitions from the signs of them For it is his Voluntas beneplaciti that there shall be such signs 322. The five signs commonly named by the Schoolmen are Praecipit ac prohibet permittit consulit implet And the older Schoolmen say that these are called Gods Will Metaphorically only yea by a remote sort of Metaphor they being not mans will properly but metaphorically Aqu. 1. q. 19. art 11 12. Pet. de Alliaco 1. q. 14. A. Voluntas Dei sumitur Proprie tunc signat divinum beneplacitum quod non est aliud quam ipse Deus volens 2. Impropriè metaphorice pro aliquo signo ejus c. only when applyed to man and accordingly called Gods will But some of the latter say that they are proper signs of Gods real will The truth is they that first used this distinction
* * * Such as are most of the sober Heathens in the world For the most religious and sober of them are Pythagorears to this day Lege Varenium de divers Relig. post Hist Japâ—n Bless Lord thy own reconciling Truths to the healing of thy Churches or at least of some dis-joynted minds And teach me with patience to bear the Obloquy and Reproach of mistaken zealous Consurers And forgive them that know not what they say or do And wherein I err forgive and rectifie me and better inform both the Reader and me The Third Part OF God's Gracious Operations ON MANS SOUL Their DIFFERENCE and the OPERATIONS OF MANS WILL. For the fuller Decision of the Controversies about EFFECTUAL and DIFFERENCING GRACE By RICHARD BAXTER LONDON Printed by Robert VVhite for Nevill Simmons at the Princes Arms in S t. Pauls Church-yard MDCLXXV THE CONTENTS THE Preface Pag. 1. Sect. 1. The Presupposed Principles briefly repeated p. 7 Sect. 2. The Order of Divine Operations p. 9. Sect. 3. Of the Operations and Principles as compared p. 12. Sect. 4. How far God useth Means p. 16. Sect. 5. Of the Causes of the different Effects of Grace and Means p. 18. Sect. 6. Of the Limitations of Gods Operations on the Soul p. 20. Sect. 7. Of the Resistibility of Grace p. 21. Sect. 8. What is that Operation of God on the Soul enquired of in many following Questions And whether searchable by man p. 22. Sect. 9. Whether Gods Operation be equal on all p. 31. Sect. 10. Whether it be Physical or Moral p. 32. Sect. 11. What Free-will man hath to Spiritual Good p. 35. Sect. 12. More of Predetermination by Physical Premotion p. 37. Sect. 13. More of Mans Power Natural and Moral p. 43. Sect. 14. Whether the giving of Faith be an act of Omnipotency and a Creation and a Miracle p. 46. Sect. 15. Of the Sufficiency and Efficacy of Grace p. 48. Sect. 16. Of Infused Habits and the Holy Ghost even special Grace p. 53. Sect. 17. Whether Man be meerly Passive as to the first Grace p. 55. Sect. 18. Whether the first Grace and the New and Soft Heart or Faith it self be Promised or Given absolutely or on any Condition to be performed by man ibid. Sect. 19. How God may be said to Cause the Acts of Sin p. 57. Sect. 20. How far God and how far man himself is the Cause of Hell and other punishments p. 62. The Conclusion § 1. The Concessions of the Synod of Dort specially the Brittish Divines More of Divine Motion or Impress p. 67. § 2. The Epitome of Alvarez de Auxil drawn up by himself in Epilogo in Twenty Conclusions considered p. 70. § 3. A Censure of the other three wayes described by him viz. 1. The Jesuits de Scientia Media p. 75. § 4. 2. Durandus's Way p. 76. § 5. 3. That of the Scotists and Nominals Of Gods partial Caâ—sality p. 79. § 6. The true face and Scheme of the Dominican Predeterminant way in the Sense and Consequents in Fifty Propositions and the Reasons of my preferring any before this p. 80. A Summary of all to satisfie sober minds p. 100. Additional Animadversions on Mr. Peter Sterrey's Book of Free-will making God the Author of Good and Evil as he is of Light and Darkness p. 106. The Third Part OF GOD'S GRACIOUS OPERATIONS ON MANS SOUL AND THE SUB-OPERATIONS OF MANS WILL. For the Ending the Contentions about Sufficient and Effectual Common and Special Grace and Free-VVill The Preface THE first Part of this Treatise though largest and fullest of mens contentious Questions and opinions is furthest from the true point of the difference and difficulty which troubleth the Church And is made large by accident by way of disquisition and detection of the many ensâ—aring questions and vain or hurtful wranglings of the Schoolmen The Second Part cometh nearer our chief Controversies and resolveth many other on the by and containeth the summ of that part of Theologie which is most clear and sure and necessary This Third Part which cometh up to the main Controversie is short and troubleth you less with other mens opinions and Schoolmens Wranglings about Grace and Free-will Partly because you had enough of them by the way before And chiefly because I would not by tediousness and recitation of Contentions obscure that which I most desire to make plain nor discourage the Reader by the length I think if I can manifest that there is no real or considerable difference among the Learned and Moderate on each side such as are the Synod of Dort on one side and even Bellarmine Suarez Ruiz c. on the other besides the moderate Lutherans and Arminians who may be ashamed if they go farther from us than the Jesuites besides abundance of Schoolmen that are of a middle strain between the Dominicans and Jesuites few understanding Divines would then think that there were any considerable difference remaining about Predestination or the universality of Redemption Those differences being but respective unto this But about Perseverance I confess that there doth a real difference remain But that it is of less moment than most on both sides say and such as is no way fit to quench Christian Love or alienate Christians from each other or hinder their liberties or peaceable communion I have fully proved in the Second Part and formerly in a peculiar Treatise entituled My Thoughts of Perseverance If therefore I can truly disprove our pretended difference about the â—â—â—rations of Grace or at least prove it to be but as it is no greater not more intolerable than that of Perseverance I shall think that all is done that is thus necessary The main difference seeming or real is about the Power of Mans Will Of which I have spoken much in the First Part and purposely leave much to the Reconciling Praxis in the Second Book which shall dissipate the cloud of ambiguous words Till then it shall here suffice to manifest 1. That we are agreed with them whose conciliation I endeavour that â—â— is not the natural Powers essential to a man which we are deprived of 2. But that these Powers have by our common corruption a sinful Disposition unfitting them for a due exercise for God and against sin 3. And that all men at least at age are not depraved in the same degree 4. That this Ill disposition is called a Moral Impotency when it is such as while it remaineth the sinful Act is ever done or the commanded act is never done There is then no Moral Power 5. That the vitious sinful impotency of the will and its Habitual or dispositive unwillingness to good and proneness to things forbidden is all one 6. That he is Morally Able who without any other grace than he hath can do the thing commanded or forbear the thing forbidden 7. That there is no Power but of God 8. That Nature common grace and special grace give several powers or dispositions 9. That a moral power
they were made less Receptive and more disposed as to the universal means and Influx And by his secession from the holy seed he was deprived of much outward means And having forfeited the Spirit he had less also of its helping Influx And thus he and his posterity made themselves to differ as if a Generation of Sinners should be born blâ—nd while the Sun shineth as it did before 8. The Holy seed that 's not yet Apostate have great subjective and objective Grace 9. The seed of Cain are still under the same Law of Grace and universal conditional promise that If they will believe and repent they shall be saved And they have some Means and some Help of Grace yet left them which have an aptitude by degrees to bring them back again to God And if they will not use that lower degree of Grace by returning as they can they forfeit that and further help 10. But yet God hath besides this Universal Grace some special and extraordinary ways and degrees of Grace for some according to his Good pleasure But this with the answer to your other two questions will come in better anon under the next head C. Having spoke to the matter now speak of the sense of the Text 1 Cor. 4. 7. and Rom. 12. 6. For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it B. It is most evident that Paul speaketh of the Gifts or Excellencies themselves primarily and of Differing from others but as a resultancy from those Gifts And he medleth not here with the question why others have not those Gifts as well as they and so why others differ from them q. d. Are not all those things of which you glory the free gifts of God And is it not by those free gifts that you differ as more excellent than others And should you boast of that which is Gods free Gift of which you are but Receivers To pass by the common answer that Paul speaketh of Ministerial Gifts and not of special Grace what Arminian can deny any of this about the Grace of faith it self 1. He must confess that we have no Grace to cause faith but what we have received For the Act which we performed is no otherwise to be said to be received but as we receive the gracious operation which causeth it 2. He cannot deny that by this Received Grace and Faith the believer in excellency differeth from unbelievers 3. Nor that such a Receiver hath no cause of boasting as if he had not received it Who will deny this C. But they leave him to boast that by his better preparation and disposition he was a fitter Recipient than another And so all boasting is not excluded B. 1. In Paul's Case of extraordinary Ministerial gifts there is less room for that much because they are not given so much according to preparations as saving Grace is For even ungodly men may have them 2. The boasting which is excluded is a boasting of our selves as against or without the glory of Grace as if we had some excellency which we had not received But our very Receptive disposition was received by Gods Grace even from his common preparing Grace And that common Grace was freely given 3. If by boasting you would mean an acknowledgment of Gods grace then all thanksgiving is boasting Or if a Rejoycing in the effects of that Grace as Received and improved by us then Paul so boasted often yea and to the death rejoyced in this testimony of his Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity and not in fleshly wisdom he had had his conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. And that he tamed his body and that he suffered for Christ and that he had fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. If praising Gods grace in his Servants and that holy use of it in wisdom faith love obedience and patience be boasting God so boasteth of them and praiseth them even at judgment Math. 25. Well done good and faithful Servant And Scripture throughout so boasteth of them And we that must honour those that fear the Lord Psal 15. 4. must so boast of them also But this is not the forbidden boasting And as to Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 1. 6 7 8. and such like its past question that God freely diversifyeth Offices and such Gifts as he pleaseth and we know of no praedisposition to which even ordinarily he tyeth himself as to many of them But saving Grace is given more under a Law and stablished course of means in the use of which we must be fit Recipients The ninth Crimination C. They make the Grace of God to be Effectual not from the Will of the Giver nor from the proper force of the Grace it self so much as from the will of man concurring For they think that Gods Grace is but universal and indifferent and leaveth it to mans will whether it shall produce the act of faith or not so that the posse Credere velle is of God but the actu credere velle is of our selves This is the grand difference which I have reserved to the last and as Dr. Twisse oft noâ—eth the question Unde Gratia fit Efficax is it which they are loath to be brought to answer B. I know that this is cryed up as the great difference And where-ever things are mysterious and hard there will be variety of Conceptions and words from whence it will be easie to pretend real differences and make them seem great But because order befriendeth Truth we must be agreed first of the subject of the question what Grace is it whose Efficacy you dispute of I take it for granted that it is such as is to work in genere Causae Efficientis But tell me first whether you Arminius confesseth Gods infallible operation thus Nihil mali caveri posse nist Deo impediente certum est Sed de modo impediendi disputatur an ille sit ex Omnipotentâ— Dei actione in voluntatem hominis agente secundum modum naturae unde impeditionis existit Necessitas an vero ex tali actione quae agâ—t in Voluntatem secundum modum voluntatis quâ— liberâ— est unde impeditionis infallibilitas Armin. Exam Perkins pag 501. Note by Necessity Arminius doth mean Necessity consequentis vel effecti and confesseth necessity Consequentiâ— which here he calleth â—nfallibility And Dr. Twisse professeth that he and all the Schoolmen hold no other And note the unde that he maketh the Infallibility to result from the operation of God and not from his fore-knoâ—ledge only confess or not that there is such a thing as Universal Grace or Help of the Spirit fixedly or ordinarily accompanying or working by the means of Grace which operateth as the Sun ad modum recipientis and will not produce the same effect on one receiver as on another C. I
that we are commanded not only Thankfully to Accept but Thankfully to obey our Lord Redeemer and Saviour Lib. No. P. Quest 3. Date you deny that life or death eternal dependeth on this as a Condition or Moral means and that we shall be judged according to it Lib. No. I deny it not P. Quest 4. Is it not a Law that thus commandeth us and by which we must be judged Lib. Yes If it were no Law there were no duty and sin in belief and unbelief P. Quest 5. Is not a man so far just and justifyable by that Law as he keepeth it and justifyable against the charge of being one that must be Damned by producing the Condition of pardon and life performed Lib. Yes I deny it not P. Quest 6. And doth not the same Law virtually justifie the performer now whom it will justifie as the Rule of Judgement at last Lib. Yes no doubt P. Quest 7. And is not the Name of Righteousness many score times given in Scripture to our own actions done by Grace and measured by the New Covenant Lib. Yes I cannot deny it P. Why then while you deny neither Name nor Thing what wrangle you about And let me plainly tell you that such men as you by indiscreet ever-doing are not the least of Satans instruments to bring the Gospel under scandal and harden the world in Infidelity and the scorn of Christ while you would so describe the Christian Religion as if this were the very heart and summ of it Believe that all the Elect have fulfilled perfectly all Gods Law by another and that Christ did it as personating each of them and therefore no crime of their own is imputable to them nor any kind or degree of Goodness or Righteousness in and of themselves is at least required of God as any means or condition of their present or future justification by their Judge or as having any hand therein As if God were become indifferent what we all are so that Christ be but Righteous for us when as it was Christs grand design to restore lapsed man to God which he doth not only by Relative benefits but by Renewing them to his Image in love and holy obedience Lib. Have you not lately and oft been told that holiness and obedience are necessary now but it is to other Ends than to justifie us as for Cratitude c. P. 1. We easily grant it is for other Ends than Christs Merits were and not to justifie us as they do nor in that Causality They are not to purchase for us a free gift of pardon and life nor the Holy Ghost c. as Christ did 2. But again tell me Hath not Christ a Law that commandeth our obedience to those ends as Gratitude which you mention And is not the keeping that Law a thing that the same Law will so far justifie us for Yea a Condition that life dependeth on And if the Cause in Judgement be Have you kept it or not must you not in that be accordingly Justified or Condemned Give over cavilling against plain necessary truth Lib. By this you will fall in with the Papists who take Justification to be partly by Christs Righteousness and partly by our own and partly in pardon and partly in faith and holiness P. Tell not me of the Names of Papists or any to frighten me from plain Scripture truth 1. Why may not I rather say Why go you from all the antient Writers and Churches even Augustine himself by your new and contrary opinion Was true Justification unknown for so many hundred years after the Apostles 2. The most zealous Antipapists do confess that some Texts of Scripture do so take the word Justification And multitudes of Texts so take the words Righteous and Righteousness And he that will impartially consider them may find that more Texts than are by us so confessed do by Justifying mean Making us Just and so Accounting us on all these causes conjunct 1. As being Redeemed by Christs Merits 2. And freely pardoned 3. And having Right to life 4. And renewed to Gods love and Image 5. And so justifyable at the Bar of Grace by the Law of faith and liberty 3. And the reality of all the Matter of this Doctrine is past doubt if the Controversie de nomine Justificationis were not so decided CHAP. IV. Whether the Gospel be a Law of Christ Lib. III. YOu bring in your doctrine of personal Righteousness to Justification by feigning Christ to have made a new Law whereas the Gospel is but a Doctrine History and Promise and not a Law and so no Rule of Righteousness and Judgement And this many Protestants have asserted P. I have read some such sayings in some men And some I think meant no more but that Christ did only expound and not add to the Law of Nature called by them the Moral Law And these I have excused for their unhappy kind of expression But for the rest that mean as the words sound universally they subvert Christianity and as the Arrians denyed Christs Godhead so do they his Office and Government and are somewhat worse than the Quakers who say that the Spirit within us is the Law and Rule of Christ which is better than none I pray answer me Quest 1. Is Christ the King and Ruler of the Church Lib. Yes P. Quest 2. Is not Legislation the first and principal part of Government Lib. Yes P. Quest 3. Do not they then that deny Christs Legislation deny his Government Lib. Yes P. Quest 4. Is it not essential to Christ as Christ the name signifying Relatively his Office to be King Lib. Yes P. Quest 5. Do they not then by this deny Christ to be Christ Lib. No for they confess that he hath a Law but not that he made any since his birth P. We grant 1. That the Law of Nature now is His Law 2. And that the first Edition of the Law of Grace to Adam after the fall was his Law 3. And Moses Law was partly his But you will not say that we are under this last nor I hope that he hath no other than the two first Lib. Why what other can you prove P. It is the Name or the Thing that you deny for you use to confound the cases 1. Whether the name be fit judge by these Texts Gal. 6. 2. Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ James 1. 25. The perfect Law of Liberty Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 3. 27. Boasting is excluded By what Law Of Works Nay but by the Law of faith Mic. 4. 2. For the Law shall go out of Zion c. So Isa 2. 3. 8. 16 20. 42. 41. The Isles shall wait for his Law 1 Cor. 9. 21. We are under the Law to Christ Heb. 8. 10 16. I will put my Laws into their minds and hearts James 4. 12. There is one Law-giver c. Isa 33.
me of my error 6. Is not unrighteousness a sin in your judging and reports as it is in publick Judgements Should not a man be heard before he be condemned especially a Minister of Christ 7. What a sin is it to receive false reports from others and encourage backbites whom you should rebuke and frown away 8. What a heinous sin is it thus to destroy the Hearers souls and as those that have the Plague to carry your infection from house to house and kill mens Love and breed in them false conceits and bitter injurious thoughts of others 9. What a sin is it with such unthankfulness to requite Christs servants that spend their dayes and strength and estates in labouring for mens good When I take none of your money when I have these twelve years preached as I had liberty freely without hire when I had been put on to plead the Non-conformists Cause in the costliesâ— circumstances and to bear the greatest odium for it when I was I think the first that was silenced on such accounts when I have been twelve or fourteen years deprived of all Ecclesiastical maintenance when I refused a Bishoprick when I have laboured in Writings and other duties to the consuming of my flesh in daily and hourly pain and weakness and now look every Sermon for my last and am ready to appear before my Judge to be to the very last thus calumniated and reviled by pievish Sectaries would be a sad reward were your favour my reward But is this just or grateful or shall the unrighteous and unthankful be accounted the best men I know I could have been one of the highest in your favour and applause if I would have humoured and followed you But I had rather that God should keep me from your honour than buy it at so dear a rate 10. And is it no sin thus to hinder the success of our labours by making us odious or suspected by them that should profit by us 11. Is it not hypocrisie to cry out of the Bishops for silencing us when you shew that you would fain do it your selves Would not you silence me now if it were in your power Yea I doubt not but when I die some of you will rejoyce and say that God did it in judgement on me 12. And thus to make divisions among Christians that should hold the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace will one day be known to be a sin 13. And so it is hereby to harden the enemies of Religion by your clamours and the divisions which you cause and tempt them to hate both you and us 14. And it is worst of all to father all this on God and Truth and Godliness and use such holy Names for so bad a Cause 15. And it aggravateth your sin that you take no more notice of all those plain and terrible Scriptures which as openly condemn your sin as the sin of Drunkards or Swearers is condemned were it but James 3. it would leave you utterly without excuse 16. Yea and that you can see the sins of such Drunkards and Swearers yea and see the Mote in the eyes of one that doth but use a Form or Ceremony which you dislike and cannot see these Beams in your own For all these sins I admonish you presently to repent S. Who is it that is censorious you or I It is sin with you to open your sin P. I desired you to open it But see now how hard a work Repentance is when in a Professor such sins as these will not be confessed S. Well come to the cause it self Is it I or you that comply with Papists P. I make that the business of this Conference with you It is not you only but some wiser men than you that look so much at the evil of Popery that they forget the evil of an unrighteous opposition and of the other extream And they do as one that by labouring to cure another of a Dead Palsie casteth himself into a Phrensie or a Feaver or like one that to avoid a Carrion that stinketh in the Ditch doth run himself into the Ditch on the other side the way Gods Truth must be vindicated only by Truth and Wisdom is best justified of her own children by Wisdom God hath no pleasure in fools noâ— doth his Glory need our lye There is a time when the Devil will seem to be against error and sin and so against Popery but it is in a way which shall promote it which commonly is by ill-doing and over-doing I tell you plainly the Cause of Truth and Reformation gets nothing by some men that seâ—m most zealous for it For an unstudied half-wise honest Minister or private man to believe false reports of the Papists and to mis-state Controversies and to rail on them on such suppositions and to mix many errors of his own in his opposition and to backbite those that know more of the matter as symbolizing with the Papists this is certainly serving the Devil how honest soever the instruments in the main may be S. I perceive that you have an aking tooth at the Protestant Divines as well as at me Are you wiser than all they or are you not warping to Grotianism which you have written against P. Among the Protestant Divines there are well studied knowing solid men that understand what they say such as Bishop Usher Dr. Chaloner Dr. Field Dr. White Chillingworth Morton Davenant Andrews and many such and abroad Camero Dallaus Blondell Drelincourt Amyraâ—dus Placaeus Vâ—ssius Junius Martinius Crocius Bergius Bucer Musculus Melanchthon and many others and there are ignorant hot-headed self-conceited men that rave in extreams as Gallus Ambsdorsius and their companions did against Georg. Major for saying Bona opera sunt necessaria ad salutem And it is no wonder that the best Churches have many such and if such are the forwardest to judge and cry down all that are not as ignorant as they And in our times the World is more beholden to the fewness of buyers and the wit of Booksellers refusing to Print them than to the humility or modesty of such men that the Shops do not abound with such furious Writings â—s Mr. Brownes Antichristomachus Mr. Danvers Mr. Bagshaw c. and that Antichrist Antichrist is not made in Print the Universal Consutation of sober truth as commonly as it is bawled out in words S. Is it not safest to get far enough from Antichrist and Popery Your study is to teach men how near they may come to sin without sin and how to dance about the brink of Hell For my part I will be one of them that shall come out of Babylon and partake not of her sins nor touch the unclean thing and that keep their garments undefiled and not one that like you is grown Lukewarm by being over-fond of Unity and Peace You will follow Grotius it's doubt at last P. Uncleanness must not be touched nor sin partaked of nor lukewarm indifferency