against the Doctrine of the totall and 〈◊〉 perseuerauce of the Saints in grace which hath beene so long setled and established in our Church reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such liuely Emblems and representations of your selues These Libertines Iewes and Gentiles when as they could finde nothing to reply against that truth the which they did oppose they leaue the matter and the points in question and fly vpon the persons of such as did defend them So you since you haue nothing to reply vnto the arâ—… of those who do defend the totall final perseuerance of the Saints in grace doe waiue the Controuersie and fall foule vpon their persons thinking to carry away the cause by calumnies and scandalous accusations because you cannot do it by force and truth of argument For first you accuse and taxe all such who patronize this orthodox and ancient truth for Puritans Secondly for pestilent seditious and factious persons And thirdly for such as doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar such as violate and transgresse his Maiesties most pious Proclamation and vpon these false and scandalous grounds you labour to suppresse the workes and prosecute the persons of all such as doe defend this truth A worthy and a learned confutation which sauoreth of nothing but of pure malice and venomous rancor against all grace goodnesse and such as doe defend them Now that all the world may know how false your accusations are and so how ill your cause I will a little 〈◊〉 them and discusse them Your first accusation and objection against our present assertion is this That there are none but Puritants who 〈◊〉 it Surely if you so confidently affirme that there are none but 〈◊〉 that defend it I may with greater confidence and truth 〈◊〉 it that there are none but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay 〈◊〉 who oppose it if any of you thinke I speake to harsh in this I haue the warrant of our late and learned Soueraigne King Iames to justifie mee who hath stiled them Heretickes and Atheisticall Sectaries vpon record But are there none but Puritans who defend it Sure I am and I hope I haue sufficiently proued it that Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles that all the ancient Fathers and some Councells that-all Protestant Churches and sound orthodox writers in forraine parts that the Synod of 〈◊〉 at which there were the choice Diuines of most Protestant reformed Churches that the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies and that King lames of blessed memorie haue from time to time deliuered published defended propagated and resolued this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and yet are there none but Puritans or are they all Puritans who defend it Was Christ his Prophets Apostels Puritans were all the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Puritans are all the Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas and all their sound and orthodox writers Puritans was thè famous Synod of Dort but a meere packe of Puritans are the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies Puritans or was King lames a Puritan that none but Puritans should maintaine this truth If you will condemne all these for Puritans as you must doe if your accusation goe for currant truth and so make Puritans to be nothing else as they are in truth but the true Church and Saints of God who professe propagate and maintaine the truth and puritie of the Gospell and will not bee withdrawne or seduced from it then we willingly acknowledge the accusation to be true and account it not a blemish but a grace and honour to our cause but if you will haue none of these to be the Puritans which you accuse your accusation then That none but Puritans defend this assertion must needes be false vnlesse you know to make a difference between those who 〈◊〉 maintained it in former times such as doe defend it now Now that I may giue a further answer vnto this false scandalous and malitious accusation I will a little inquire what kinde of creature this Puritan should be which makes such a stirre and businesse in the world and is so much accused condemned hated persecuted inueighed at and spoken against that so the odiousnesse and 〈◊〉 of the very name may not impeach the worth the credit the qualitie or condition of the person on whom it is 〈◊〉 Certainely the onely Puritan that is now aymed at and so commonly accused and spoken against is nothing else in veritie and truth if you will but lay aside the name that so you may behold him as he is But a godly and syncere Christian who stickes close vnto the word of God both in his iudgement and his practise being more abstemious from all kinde of sinue more diligent and frequent in all holy duties and more industrious to serue and please the Lord in all things then those who doe condemne reproach and censure him Hee that now sticks fast and close vnto the word of truth and will not be withdrawne from it hee that shewes forth the power and efficacy of grace in the constant holinesse of his life hee that is diligent and frequent in Gods seruice and squares his life and actions according to his word hee that makes a conscience of all his waies and workes and will not be so vitious and licentious so riotous and deboist so prophane dissolute and desperately wicked as other men hee and hee onely is the Puritan which is now so much condemned hee onely is the Puritan who now is made the very But and obiect of all mens hatred malice enuy scorne and disdaine hee onely is the Puritan whom you doe here accuse Take but away the vgly horrid and mishapen name and visard of a Puritan which doth now wholly ouercloud the persons on whom it is imposed and present them in a strange and different forme from what they are in truth and consider but the persons the liues the graces and the inside of those men who are reputed sor the greatest Puritans disrobed and vncased of the name it selfe and then the greatest and fierceest Ante-puritan of you all if his conscience be not strangly cauterized must bee forced to confesse that as it was with the Christians among the Gentiles so now it is with Puritans among such as seeme to be Christians Non scelus aliquod in causa est sed nomen et solius nominis crimen est that Puritans are hated contemned reproached accused and condemned not for any offence for any euill or wickednesse that is in them but onely for their name which is imposed on them onely for this end that men might the more freely persecute oppose dispise condemne and hate them for their holy liues And if that this seeme strange vnto you that men should be condemned hated reproached persecuted and accused for their graces and their holy liues consider then that euen from the beginning and from that time that God put
time for to suruey them or hauing an higher conceite of other mens learning then his owne he trusted vnto their quotations and thence he was deceiued And this is not vnlikly For I finde all M. Mountagues quotations one only excepted to wit that of Clement in his constitutions recorded verbatim by that famous Arminian Bertius in his booke de Apostatia sanctorum neither are they to be found in any mans works but his Indeed Mr. Mountague in his Gagge cap. 20 would make the world beleeue that he did quote his Fathers not out of their owne workes but out of Bucer and other Protestant Diuines but to tell you the truth these quotations are not to be found in Bucer or in any other Protestant Diuine but only in that infamous and arch Arminian Peter Bertius out of whom Mr. Mountague hath transcribed them verbatim Only herein is the difference Bertius hath recorded these quotations in Latine Mr. Mountague hath translated some of them verbatim into English Bertius he cites many sentences and more Fathers then Mr. Mountague doth who hath culled out the eminentest and choycest of them And because all the world shall know that I wrong not Mr. Mountague I will compare his quotations and Bertius his quotations together Mr. Mountague in his Gagge pag. 165. 166. quotes Ignatius the ancientest Father this day extant the selfe-same quotation you shall finde in Bertius in his Apostatia Sanctorum pag. 90. Mr. Mountague quotes Tertullian de Prescript cap. 3. Gagge pag. 166. 167. So doth Bertius in the selfe-same words pa 96. So he quotes Cyprian Epist. 7. Gagge 167. So doth Bertius pag. 98. So hee quotes Nazianzen Gagge 168. So doth Bertius in the same words pag. 99. 100. So hee quotes Hierome lib. 2. advers Pelagianos Gagge 168 the selfe-same quotation you shall finde in Bertius pag. 100. So he quotes St. Gregory lib. 6. in 1 Regum you shall finde the same in Bertius pag. 103. So hee quotes St. Augustine de corrept Gratia cap. 13. Gagge 168. Apeale 27. for the booke de bono Persue and lib. 11. de Ciu. Dei cap. 12. Appeale 27. the selfe-same quotations are in Bertius pag. 102. and in Bellarmine lib. 3. de Iustif. cap 14. So hee quotes Prosper resp 7. ad cap. Gallorum Appeale 2â—… you shall finde the selfe-same words and quotation in Bertius pag. 102. so he quotes Cyprian de vnitate Ecclesiae Athanasius lib. 4. cont Arrian Basil epist ad Chilonem in the margent Appeale 36. The selfe-same quotations are in Bertius pag. 97. 98. 99. Thus hath our lëarned Mr. Mountague who vaunts so much of his skill and knowledge in the Fathers transcribed them verbatim out of Bertius Nay I will say more he hath transcribed all he hath touching this point of falling from grace either in his Gagge or in his Appeale yea his very argument from our 16. Article out of Bertius let him disproue it if he can and therefore it is no meruaile that Mr. Mountague avoucheth the totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints to bee the Tenet of Antiquitie of the Protestants in Germany and of the Church of England because that Bertius saith so to out of whom he did transcribe it But whether Mr. Mountague bee an honest innocent and harmelesse man and one that seekes only the peace of the Church in dealing thus I leaue it vnto others for to judge I come now to giue a short answer to these Fathers which Mr. Mountague hath cited out of Bertius As for Clement and Ignatius there is a great question whether they are spurious and abortiue yea or no and most Protestant Diuines not without good cause thinke them to be meere forgeries and so their authorities are but little worth But admit them to bee true yet they proue nothing against vs. For that of Ignatius that one and the same man is sometimes the childe of God and againe the childe of the diuell is no more but this in substanee that the childe of God doth sometimes fall into sinne and so in the judgement and repute of men is sometimes the childe of God and at other times the childe of the diuell but not in Gods esteeme if you reade the place you shall finde this to bee the meaning as for the other places they are impertinent and need no answer As for that of Clement it is nothing to the purpose for hee saith not that the holy Spirit is wholly deuided from any man that euer had it but if hee bee diuided hee leaueth them destitute c. That of Tertullian if you reade all the chapter is expresse for vs for it is no more in briefe then this that hypocrites fall away from God but such as are truly regenerated doe still continue with him That of Cyprian is no more then this that men must vse the meanes to preserue their graces That of Nazianzen is no more then this the ordinary and common gifts of Gods Spirit as prophecie and a royall minde may bee lost That of Hierome and Gregorie is only this in substance that wee cannot know whether other men shall perseuere because we know not their estates and therefore wee cannot call them happy before their death The Epistle of Basil ad Chilonem is but a meere exhortation to perseuerance there is not one word in it that a regenerate man may fall from grace That of Prosper is spoken only of such as were regenerated in shew and not in truth and so is that of Augustine de bono Perseu cap. 13. That of Augustine de Ciui dei Is nothing to purpose for he saith not that all the Saints of God doe not perseuere but that all of them know not certainly whether they shall perseuere that is they are not certaine of their perseuerance with the certainty of knowledge but yet they are sure of it with the certainty of faith as the Protestants in the Disputation of Ratishon pag. 511. haue expounded it So that all which these Fathers say proues nothing at all against mee if it be well examined and if Bertius or Mr. Mountague had dealt ingeniously and not cited the Fathers by peece-meale the very places which they alledge would either not make for them or else make against them Well then to end this controuersie I dare defend it against any man that either all or at least most of the Fathers are expresse and strongly for vs let these their testimonies which I haue cited out of their owne records and not at the second hand determine it and this I will say withall that there is neuer a Father which being rightly vnderstood doth make any jot against vs. Wherefore seeing that this totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints is but an vpstart doctrine among vs quite contrary to the whole streame and current of the Fathers I will conclude with that golden rule and saying of an ancient Father Vincentius Lerinensis by name who flourished about the yeare of our Lord
and as one who neuer had as yet any truth of sauing grace within him but likewise as a friend vnto Arminians and the Church of Rome and as an open and professed enemie to the grace of God and to the Doctrine of our Church if any of you will be so bold as to take vp this challenge this present Treatise or if not this another shall make it good against him so as the peace of this our Church bee not disturbed by it But if that your assertion be the positiue Doctrine of our Church as perchance you doe pretend it for to be how then doth it appeare to be so Sure I am our Articles our reuerend and learned writers our Religious professors and our Diuinity Schooles our reuerend Ministers throughout the Kingdome haue alwaies cryed it downe till now as blasphemous Papisticall and heriticall and there is not one approued writer of our English Church that did euer dare as yet to publish it vnto the world as sound and orthodox or as the Doctrine of our Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church why do you not ioyne issue on it and put it to the tryall why do you not answer and refute but only labour to suppresse the workes of those who doe oppose it and challenge it as vnsound Indeede the truth is this you know your cause is bad you know that this your Doctrine is but false and counterfeite and quite repugnant to the Doctrine of our Church and therefore you dare not put it to the tryall for feare it should be proued to be false you dare not go about to proue our position to be vnsound or to giue an answer vnto such as haue defended it all your labour is to quell it and to suppresse not to answer the workes of such as haue defended it And why is this let Lactantius relate the cause Timeut ne à nobis reiucti manus dare aliquandò clamante ipsâ veritate cogantur Obstrepunt igitur et intercedunt ne audiane et oculos suos opprimunt ne lumen videant quod offerimus quum neque cognoscere neque congredi audent quià sciunt se facilè superari Et idcircò disceptatione sublata pellitur è medio sapientia vi geritur res You know you are not able for to answer and therefore you labour to suppresse our workes thinking to carry away the cause by force and pollicy and to suppresse the truth before it shall be able to come vnto a just legall tryall But remember that Intercipere scripta et publicatam velle submergere lectionem non est Deos defendere sed veritatis testificationem timere this is not to confute but to suppresse the truth this it not to confirme and proue but to condemne and marre your cause That gold which dreads the touchstone is but counterfeite that felon who refuseth his tryall doth but confesse himselfe guilty and that doctrine which hates the light and will not come vnto it which would establish it selfe by force and policy and not by truth and honest dealing it doth but discouer it selfe to be euill false and counterseite Whiles therefore you labour to suport your haerisie by force and pollicy and by suppressing of the truth you doe but daube with vntempered morter and marre it whiles you make it Wherefore giue ouer now for very shame your sinester and disloyall practises of which the world takes notice though you thinke not of it peruert not any longer the godly and religious intent of our gratious Soueraigne to a wicked and irreligious end and make not that an instrument to suffocate curbe the truth of God and Doctrine of our Church which hee intended should support inlarge and â—…uccor them How euer take this instruction from an ancient Father Nulla lex vetat discuti quod prohibet admitti Or if the saying of a Pope will please you better let Leo tell you thus much for your learning Quae patefacta sunt quaerere quae perfecta sunt retractare et quae sunt definita coâ—…ellore quid aliud est quam 〈◊〉 adeptis gratiam non referre et ad interdictae arboris cibum 〈◊〉 probos appetitus mortiferae cupiditatis extendere I know not whether you will I am sure you may apply it You see now how scandalous how sleight how false and forged all these your accusations are you see they are but shifts for to euade and colours to oppose the truth and such as doe professe it and defend it they are but meere impostures and pretences whereby the diuill and your owne deceitfull hearts doe labour for to blinde your eyes and to keepe you still in darkenesse to stupifie your hâ—…arts and consciences and so to set you in opposition against all gâ—…ace and goodnesse that so they may depriue you of your soules at last Consider therefore these wiles and pollicies of Satan and looke vnto the end of all your actions Consider who and what it is that sets you now on worke to slaunder and traduce the Saints of God and to oppose his truth and know that it is not the God of peace and vnion the God of grace and truth but the very Diuill himselfe the very spirit of Antechrist and the enemy of all grace and goodnesse who out of some carnall wicked sinister and by respects hath put you on this seruice aske but your owne brests and the secret whisperings of your owne consciences and they will tell you so And therefore though I haue spoken somewhat sharply to you before to make you know your selues the want of which knowledge if Lactantius may bee credited is the cause of all your Errors so now I doe euen beseech you by the mercies of God and by the death of Iesus Christ your Sauiour who died for you that you should no longer liue vnto your selues but vnto him that now you would lay downe your armes of rebellion and vomit vp your bitter hatred malice and dispite against all grace and goodnesse and such as doe excell in piety and holinesse that so you may with all meeknesse of spirit and humility of heart and minde submit vnto this comfortable and holy truth which here I offer and expose vnto you which will be the onely joy the onely comfort and safety of your soules If you will but seririously consider it and ponder it in your hearts and desire God to sanctifie and blesse it to you if you will but reade it with meeke and quiet spirits with indifferent and impartiall mindes and with an earnest desire to finde out the truth it may bee it may rectifie your judgements and reforme your liues it may bee it may doe you good and saue your soules But if you will shut your eyes and will not see if you will stoppe your eares and will not heare or if you will harden your hearts not consider If you will proceed for to oppose and persecute the Doctrine and the
comfortable delectable and glorious This is the ordinarie and constant method and manner of the working of Gods spirit in the hearts and soules of all such as are once truly regenerated the very Spirit of God assures their soules and consciences that God will alwayes loue them and preserue them vnâ—…o the end that hee will never suffer them wholly to depart or stray from him that hee will giue them perseuerance and cause them to hold out constantly vnto the end The spirit of God himselfe doth secretly powerfully and fully resolue and satisfie their soules and consciences that they shall neuer returne vnto their sinâ—… againe or fall finally or totally from him Therefore those who are sound growne and experienced Christians can neuer be perswaded to beleeue that they shall ever appostatize and fall quite away from God or grace because the spirit of God doth so powerfully perswade them and resolue them to the contrary Wherefore I dare bee bold for to avouch this for truth that those who hold thee fiuall and totall Apostacie of the Saints did neuer so much as feele the powerfull sweete and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts which would haue fully resolved them to the contrary Carnall men who haue never felt the sweet and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts and soules may chance to call this holy truth into question because the spirit of God did neuer seale it to their soules or fixe and stampe it on their hearts But regenerate and â—…oly men can neuer doe that because the Spirit of God doth witnesse to their spirits that they are the sons of God and that they shall continue such vnto the end so that all the divells in hell cannot perswade them to the contrary From hence therefore I doe collect this experimentall sensible and vnanswerable argument which though it be a meere Mysterie and Riddle vnto naturall and carnall men who cannot perceiue these holy operations of Gods spirit because they are spiritually discâ—…rned and are knowne and discovered to be true onely by an inward experience sensâ—… and feeling and not by any outward knowledge learning Science or Discourse whatsoever Yet the hearts and consciences of all experienced and grounded Christians must willingly subscribe and yeeld vnto it That which the inward working and secret operation of Gods holy Spirit doth powerfully evidently and vndeniablie seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that must needs bee a sure firme and infallible truth But the spirit of God by the inward and secret operation of it doth powerfully evidently and vndeniably seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that they shall neither finally nor totally fall from grace And therefore it must needs be true For proofe of the minor proposition I onely appeale vnto the soules and consciences of growne strong and aged Christians who haue had long and sweet experience of the sweet working of Gods spirit in their hearts And for the Maior no man can deny it vnlesse hee will make the working of Gods spirit in the hearts of his Saints to bee but a meere imposture and delusion which is blasphemous for to thinke Wherefore I doubt not but that these foâ—…r last arguments here produced will bee so prevalent and irresistable in the hearts of all experienced and growne Christians who are onely able to discerne and iudge of them that they cannot but subscribe to this assertion and imbrace it as the truth The sixt thing in the spirit of God which may establish vs in this present truth is the perpetâ—…all guidance and direction of Gods spirit from which I frame this sixt argument Those that are alwayes led guided and directed by the spirit of God those that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit and are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the spirit that they cannot fulfill the lusts of the flesh and doe the euill that they would it is impossible for them either â—…inally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are alwayes led guided and directed by the Spirit of God Exek 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Psal. 48. 14. For this is our God for euer and euer hee will be our guide euen vnto death Io. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come it guides you into aâ—… truth They walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. And they are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the Spirit that they cannot doe the euill that they would Gal. 5. 16. 17. This I say then walke in the spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the â—…pirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things yee would the Spirit of God doth cause them to walke in his 〈◊〉 and to keepe his iudgements and doe them they cannot chuse but doe them Ezek. 36. 27. and Act. 4. 20. Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Lastly the intercession and assistance of Gods spirit may ground and settle vs in this present truth For the spirit of God when wee are vnable of our selues to pray in that manner as wee ought doth alwayes helpe our informities and makes intercession vnto God for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered and hee who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mindâ—… of the spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. When wee are weake dull and dead and quite indisposed vnto holy duties then doth the holy Ghost helpe and quicken vs and enable vs to performe them in a gratious comfortable and holy manner whence I conclude with this argument Those whom the spirit of God doâ—…h alwayes make intercession for and those â—…hom the holy Ghost doth alwayes assist in the performance of euery holy dutie it is impossible for them to fall from grace But the spirit of God doth alwayes make intercession to God for those that are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and doth alwayes assist them in the pâ—…rformance of euery holy dutie Therefore it is altogether impossible for them to fall from grace And thus you see how true this Doctrine and position must needs bee true in respect of the holy Ghost himselfe Fourthly it is altogether impossible for the Saints of God that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either totally or finally to fall from grace in respect of the Angels who doe alwayes gard them and attend them from which I forme this argument Those about
If a man had a deare intire friend who was like to perish vnlesse he did relieue and helpe him if now hee should absolutely promise him to sucour aud releiue him and then faile him at the last if now this man should perish the blame would now light vpon him that should haue helped him and not vpon him that perisheth God is able to keepe his Saints from falling from him Iude 24. and he hath promised for to doe it Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 155. 1. Psal. 121. 3 7 8. Psa. 145. 13 20. He that hath giuen vs grace hath promised to preserue and keep it for vs because we cannot doe it of our selues If then wee might loose this grace and fall quite from it the blame would light on God and on the whole Trinitie who are both able and onely able to preserue and keepe the saints from falling and haue likewise promised for to doe it and not on the saints themselues who are not able of themselues to keepe themselues in the loue of God and to preserue themselues from falling from him and therefore this your Doctrine can neuer bee admitted to be true Fourthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the Trinitie and from the vertue and efficacie of the meanes of grace For if these might fall from grace where then were the omnipotencie and mightie power of God and Christ which should preserue and keepe them through faith vnto saluation where were the efficacie and power of the holy Ghost where were the strength the life mighty operation of the word of God and of the meanes of grace which should conquer and subdve the very Prince of darknesse and trample him vnder feete which should cast downe imaginations the strong holds and forts of sinne and Iust and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ where were the efficacie and power of the death and passion of Iesus Christ which should destroy out of the Saints the workes of the Diuill the power of Satan and the whole body of sinne where were the efficacie power of that feare which God will put into their harts that they may not depart from him Certainely this assertion would derogate very much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the whole Trininie and from the efficacy and power of grace and of the meanes of grace and therefore it cannot be admitted to be true and orthodox Fifthly if the saints of God might Apostatize and fall from the state of grace it would derogate much from the infinite justice and wisdome of almightie God For when as God shall haue once accepted of the death and passion of his only Sonne in full satisfaction for the sins of all his true and faithfull members when God shall promise for the merits of this his Son to pardon all their sins and to remember their iniquities no more when Christ shall purchase grace and all things appertaining to life and godlinesse when he shall purchase perseuerance heauen and eternall happinesse for them and God shall in his justice promise to make all these things good vnto them if after all this they should fall from grace and bee depriued of all these things which Christ hath purchased for them where then will this infinite justice of God appeare Yea where will his infinite wisdome bee Can it stand together with Gods infinite wisdome to discourage and deiect the hearts and soules of any of his saints to weaken and abate their loue to him and to make them cold and negligent in his seruice to bring a scandall vpon himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name which are the ineuitable consequencies of this your doctrine what justice or what wisdome would there be in God if this were true Doubtlesse very little or none at all and therefore this doctrine of perseuerance must be true Sixthly if the saints of God might fall from the state of grace it would much eclipse the efficacie of Christs death and passion and the vertue andr powe of his intercession Where were the efficacy where were the merits where were the end the worth and benefit of Christs death and passion if it could not saue men to the vtmost and preserue them from falling from the state of grace to what end and purpose would his death and passion serue If this were true then Christs should be but an imperfect Sauiour a Sauiour and yet no Sauiour a Iesus at one time for to saue vs and yet afterwards a Iudge for to condemne vs. Then a man might be oft times saued and oft times damned one howre in the state of grace another in the state of damnation a man might be ost times saued in one month in one weeke and in one day And if so where were the efficacie of the death where were the vertue of the intercession of Christ Christ by his death and passion hath purchased eternall redemption for his true and faithfull members and hath perfected those that are sanctified for â—…uer and now he is in heauen he makes perpetuall intercession to his Father for them to keepe them in his owne name to preserue them from euill and from falling from him If then those members of Iesus Christ might notwithstanding fall from the state of grace which once they haue the very death and intercession of Iesus Christ would bee of very little or of no effect and the very dearest of Gods saints â—…nd children could reape no benefit or comfort from them Seuenthly if this were true that the Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace it would make the sweete and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all Gods children to bee but a meere delusion and imposture or at least but a meere lying fancie and a vaine conceite For this I am well assured of that euery sanctfied growen and experienced christian which hath felt the working of Gods Spirit in his heart can testifie that the Spirit of God hath so sealed this truth vnto his soule and so firmely settled and ingrauen it in his heart that he can neuer depart away from God or fall finally or totally from grace Wherefore this position which would falsifie this working of Gods Spirit in the hearts and soules of all his faithfull children must needes be false and odious and cannot be admitted Eightly if this should be admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of the hearts and soules of all his saints it would much abate if not quite extinguishing the zeale and seruency of their loue to him If men could not bee sure of their owne saluation if they could not bee sure of Gods constant and immutable loue to them if they
quite away from grace and so loose the reward of all the workes which they had done you should haue few or none that should deny themselues or yet forsake their carnall friends and pleasures or their present worldly honours riches and preserments which after your computation are like to be more permanent then their graces that so they might seeke vnto the Lord alone and serue him diligently with all their hearts and soules you should haue few or none at all that would be forwards diligent feruent in the worke and seruice of the Lord. Wherfore this assertion must needes be false and dangerous euen in this respect and so cannot be admitted for a truth Eleuenthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of many zealous and faithfull prayers and it would make that exquisite forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed for vs to be but vaine and idle for if our perseuerance in grace should not depend on God but on our selues as our Antagonists doe and must affirme or else they would to wrecke how few men would there bee that would power out their hearts and soules before the Lord in feruent and faithfull prayers If it were in mens owne power to take vp to preserue and to reiect their graces at their pleasures what neede men to pray to God at all if God doth nothing in this businesse our prayers vnto him were vaine and idle God should haue no prayers at all for any spirituall things if this were true and it would be to no purpose for to pray vnto him for grace and perfeuerance Peter then should be very much mistaken in praying thus to God for those Saints to whom he writes The God of all grace who hath called you vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Paul should thē be mistaken in praying thus for the Thesolonians The Lord make you to abound and increase in lone one towards annother towards all men to the end that he may establish your hearts vnblamable in holinesse before God euen our Father and stablish you in euery good word and worke For hee which establisheth vs with you in Christ is God Dauid should be then mistaken in praying vnto God to vphold and stablish him with his free Spirit and that prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed and commanded vs to vse should be but superflous and to little purpose For who would or could pray thus to God thy kingdome come thy will be done en earth as it is in heauen leadivs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill if God had no rule and sway ouer him if God did not giue him perseuerance and preserue his gra◅es in him if man himselfe had free-will and power to take and to resist grace to preserue and keepe it or for to reiect it Wherefore seeing that this assertion it it were admitted would robbe the Lord of many faithfull prayers which now his Saints doe make vnto him for their perseuerance and seeing it would make that very prayer which Christ himselfe hath recorded and composed for vs to bee superflous vaine and idle it cannot be admitted to be true Twelfthly if this should be admitted for a truth that the Saints of God might fall quite away from the state of Grace it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination and election to eternall life one of these three must then necessarily follow that either the Saints of God who are predestinated to eternall life may fall from grace and perish or that there are some men who are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ who were neuer predestinated and elected to saluation or that God did only predestinate men vnto saluation out of the foresight of their faith their workes and perseuerance which are all ex diametro opposite and contrary to the Scriptures to the Fathers to the Doctrine of the Church of England and to all orthodox and Protestant Diuines of moderne times and therefore cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall quite away from grace out of the freedome and libertie of their owne wills then saluation or damnation should depend meerely vpon the fickle and vn constant will of man and not vpon the stable and immutable decree and purpose of Almighty God then man and not God should bee the author of his owne saluation and so saluation should not bee of God that sheweth mercy and disposeth all things according to the purpose of his owne free will and pleasure but of man that willeth and perseuereth out of the strength and power of his owne free will Man should then bee his owne God his owne gouernour and director his owne judge and sauiour if this were once admitted to be true which would bee a great disparagement to Gods supremacie and to the death and passion of Iesus Christ. And therefore in regard of these dangerous consequences in respect of the whole Trititie this doctrine cannot be allowed to be true that the Saints of God may finally or totally fall away from the habit and state of true and sauing grace Secondly as this Doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinitie in respect of Father Sonne and holy Ghost so would it doe the like in respect of regenerate men themselues For fi◅st it would cause men for to call Gods truth Gods word and promises into question for when as a man shall reade in diuers places of the Scripture that the righteous and those that trust in God shall neuer bee remoued that they shall continue to the end and neuer faint nor faile that God will perfect and finish the worke of Grace within them and preserue them blamelesse to the day of Christ that hee will keepe them so that they shall neuer fall nor perish and the like if this should stand for currant truth that the Saints of God may notwithstanding fall from the very state of Grace it would cause men for to doubt of the truth of Gods word and promises and to account no better of the word of God then of a fable or a meere imposture it would cause them to denie the Faith and to turne either Atheists or Pagans at the last and therefore it cannot bee admitted Secondly it would depriue true Christians of all true happinesse in this present life it would make them to bee but miserable and wretched men when as the word of God reputes them happy and stiles them blessed men For if it be grace and that only which makes the Saints of God to be happy men euen in this world of misery as the Scripture saith it is if it were possible for Christians for to loose this grace and to fall from it againe it were impossible for them to be happy here For happinesse is such a stable and perpetuall
aedificat valde impium est vt credamus adeam quae inflat nos habere gratiā Christi adeam quae aedificat non habere cum sit vtrumque donum Dei et scire quid facere debeamus et diligere vt faciamus vt aedificante charitate scientia non posset inflare Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est qui docet hominem scientiam ita etiam scriptum est Charitas ex Deo est Which two Canons affirming that true grace is a great helpe and preseruatiue against sinne inabling those that haue it not onely to know but likewise for to doe and loue the things which God commaunds them make much for my conclusion for he that is able through the speciall assistance of God and grace to resist sinne and to do and loue the things which God commandes him how can he chuse but perseuere in grace Grace giues him power loue giues him will to perseuere what is here then that can hinder him from perseuering To conclude let but any indifferent and iudicious reader peruse that generall and famous Councell of Africke held in the yeare of our Lord 418 against Pelugius the Hereticke and the second Councell of Aransica or Oreng◅ held in the yeare of our Lord 529 and if his eyes and judgment are not praeiudicated and infected with Arminianisme or phrase-transformed Pelagianisme hee must needes acknowledge that these two Councells do corroberate and confirme our present assertion For in both these Councels it is positiuely resolued That grace is the only worke of Gods Spirit and the gift of God and not a morrall perswasion nor the strength of nature That regeneration and the state of grace is wrought only by the Spirit of God and not by any freewill strength or power of our owne That the beginning the continuance and the end of the worke of grace in vs is from God alone not from our selues and that by the grace of God only we are what wee are That when we doe inioy any good at all it is not from our owne power and strength but from the assistance of God himselfe who worketh in vs and with vs. That God loues vs not because we doe deserue his loue but because that he intends to make vs louely That the perseuerance of the Saints is from God alone and not from themselues that soe they might ascribe the glory of their graces and their perseuerance not vnto themselues but vnto God alone If then grace and regeneration bee the onely worke of the Spirit of God if the continuance the beginning and the end of Grace and perseuerance in the state of grace bee from God alone and not from man as these two Councels haue determined it then by the determination of these two Councels the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall finally nor totally from grace For if perseuerance bee the onely worke and gift of God alone the Saints of God can neuer chuse but perseuere because that God hath promised and couenanted to giue them perseuerance to cause them to walke i◅ his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and to doe them and to put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him if God will cause them for to perseuere there is nothing then that is able for to hinder them for no man can resist his worke and will Rom 9 19. and Isai 43 13. If you will but compare the Canons and Decrees of the generall Councell of Africke with Saint Augustines bookes de Bono Perseuerantiae and de Corrept et Gratia who was then present at this famous Councell then you may ascertaine your selues that this famous Councell and likewise the Councell of Orange who tooke their patterne and grounds from it did suffragate to this our assertion That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a iustifying and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace You see now how we haue an whole Grand-Iury of ancient and learned Fathers and Councells who haue giuen vp their verdict for vs so that you need not for to doubt of the truth and goodnesse of our cause And here good Reader I would intreate thee to take notice of the truth the honestie and modestie of one Mr. Mountague who in his Gagge and his Appello Cesarem doth confidently affirme That it hath beene the common Tenet of all Antiquitie That the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from the state of grace O the matchlesse impudency mallice and falsitie of the man who against his owne knowledge and conscience durst to affirme so grosse and palpable an vntruth and that to such a wicked and pernicious end as to deceiue his readers and to thrust a dangerous and condemned error on them for an ancient and approued truth What Mr. Mountague did you thinke that none had read the Fathers but your selfe or that your fame and credite was so great among vs as that we would beleeue your false quotations before the authenticall Records themselues Or did you thinke as you haue attempted for to doe to stop the labours of all such and to crush them in the shell as should disclose your partiall and disloyall dealing to the world that so yout virulent Appeale and your forged and new coyned doctrines therein recorded might passe without controll It is well you thought so but thankes be to God you are deceiued in your expectation and truth though it hath found some difficultie and opposition at the presse by your meanes yet it hath come forth at last to display your basenesse your impudencie your malice and your disloyalty vnto the world But say you had had your will Mr. Mountague and all things had succeeded according to your hopes yet me thinkes Mr Mountague if you had had any conscience or feare of God within you if you had had any loue and respect vnto antiquitie and truth as you pretend you haue how truly let others iudge you might haue beene ashamed and affraid to haue traduced slandered and sophisticated to haue outfaced and belyed all Antiquitie as now you haue for feare lest the worthy workes of so many Fathers should haue cryed out against you here and these very Fathers themselues should haue risen vp against you to condemne you in the day of judgement for wronging and traducing of them to that end as you haue done Nay if you had had any loue vnto your Mother Church or to the soules of so many thousands of your Country-men which you should haue wronged and seduced by these false quotations and confident assertions of your owne you could not haue beene so gracelesse so false so trecherous and so shamelesse as to haue fathered this your damnable pernicious error on the ancient Fathers who haue so much opposed it But it may be the good learned man did all this out of ignorance and simplicity For being destitute of the Fathers workes or wanting
430. which saying I would to God Mr. Mountague had well considered before hee had put his Penne to paper Cum primum mali cuiuscunque erroris is putredo erumpere caeperit ad defensionem sui quaedam sacrae legis verba furari atque fallaciter fraudulenter exponere statim interpraetando Canoni maiorum sententiae congregandae sunt quibus illud quoque exurget nouitium ideoque prophanum absque vlla ambage prodatur â—…ine vlla retractatione damnetur Sedeorum duntaxat patrum sententiae congregandae sunt quae in fide Communione Catholica sanctè sapienter constanter viuentes docentes permanentes vel mori in Christâ—… fideliter vel occidi pro Christi feliciter meruerunt Quibus tamen hac lege credendum est vt quicquid vel omnes plures vno eodemque sensu manifestè frequenter perseueranter velut quodaÌ„ sibi consentiente magistroruÌ„ concilio accipiendo tenendo tradendo firmauerint id pro indubitato certo ratoque habeatur Quicquid verò quamvis ille sanctus doctus quamvis Episcopus quamvis Confessor Martyr praeter omnes aut etiam contra omnes senserit id inter proprias occultas priuatas opiniunculas à communis publicae generalis sententiae autoritate secretum sit ne cum summo aeternae salutis periculo iuxâ—… sacrilegam haereticornm scismaticorum consuetudinem vniversalis dogmatis veritate dimissa vnius hominis nouitium sectemur errorem Follow now this safe and golden rule in our particular case wee haue the vnanimous consent of most if not of all the ancient Fathers for vs which they haue manifestly frequently and constantly recorded and commended to vs and therefore let not Bertius or Mr. Mountague his ape nor any other vpstarts whatsoeuer who defend their errors seduce and leade you from this ancient resolued and approued truth to the wrecke the perill at least the great dâ—…comfort of your soules The Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas Secondly as this hath beene the vnanimous and constant doctrine of all the ancient Fathers and of the Church of God in former ages That the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace so likewise hath it alwaies beene the receiued positiue consiant and resolued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas which is euident First by the writings and records of their greatest learnedst and chiefest Schollers and Diuines which are very full and copious in the defence and maintinance of this our present assertion Secondly by the seuerall Articles Confessions of these Churches and by the expresse resolutions of those Synods which haue bin held and kept among them which haue resolued and established this our position as the orthodox truth and Tenet First their greatest learnedst and chiefest Schollers and Diuines haue in their seuerall workes and writings recorded propagated published and defended this our present Theses and assertion as the orthodox and vndoubted truth which I will proue by a particular Induction and Index of their names and workes without transcribing of their words for feare least I should bee to voluminous and ouer-tedious in this point Iohn Husse that learned and faithfull Martyr of Iesus Christ and one of the first reformers of the Bohemian and German Churches hath not onely published and recorded this our present assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace to all posteritie as you may reade at large in his Tractate de Ecclesia cap 1 3 4. but hee hath likewise sealed and ratified the truth of this with his very blood as is euident by the 1 2 3 5 6 and 21 Articles of his which were condemned in the 15. Session of the Popish Councell of Constans After him laborious and zealous Luther in his Postills Homil in lohn 14 in die Penteeostes Hom in fecto sanctae Catbarinae and in his Commentarie in 1 Pet 1 23. Learned Bucer in his Comment on Math 7 13. cap 16 18. cap 24 24. on lohn 4 14 cap 10 28 29 cap 14 16 17. on Rom cap 7 8. and in diuers other of his workes epithomized by Zanchius in the first part of his 7 Tom in his treatise de Perseuerantia sanctorum learned Zwinglius in his Opus Articulorum Artic 8. Elegant and learned Melanchthon in his Comentary on the 1 Cor 10. 13. in his Loci Comm Locâ—…s de Iustificatione ac fide and in Tom. 3. de sacris Concionibus pag. 264 267. Profound Brentius in Iohn 10. hom 81. in lohn 16. hom 56. in Iohn 17. hom â—…4 and in his Exegesis in Iohn 17. Learned painefull and iudicious Caluin a farre better Diuine and a farre honester man then any of all those who calumniate slight and vilifie him in his lnstitutions lib. 2. cap. 3. sect 11. and cap. 5. sect 3. lib. 3. cap. 24. sect 6 7. Expositio in Psal. 51. verse 12. 13. Commen in Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. In. 2 Pet. 3. 17. and in diuers other places of his workes Learned Bullinger in his Comentarie on 2 Tim. 2. 19. and is his Exposition on Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. Gualtherus in Euangelium Lucae homil 197. et 201. and homil 26. in Epist. 1 Iohn Grynaeus in his Disputationum Theolog. pars 2 de fide electorum Theses 18. pag. 471. and Praelectiones in Hebr. 6. verse 4 5 6. Profound and learned Peter Martyr Locorum Com. Classis 3. cap. 3. sect 46 47. and in his Commet on Rom. 8. Iudicious Marlorat in his Exposition on Psal. 51. 12 13. and on Psal. 125. 1 2. In his Exposition on Math. 7. 25. cap. 16. 18. cap. 24. 24. on Iohn 4. 14. cap. 5. 24. cap. 6. 37. cap. 8. 31. cap. 10 28 29. cap. 15. 6. cap. 17. 9. on Rom. 5. 2. cap. 9. 3. on 1 Cor. 1. 8. 9. on 2 Tim. 2. 19. on Hebr. 6. 3 4 5. on 1 Pet 1 5. 23. on 1 Iohn 2. 19 cap. 3. 9. and cap. 5. 16. Musculus in his Comentary on Maâ—…h 16. 18. cap. 24. 24. and on Iohn 10. 28. 29. and in his Loci Comm. de Peccato cap. 5. Aretius in Phil. 1. 6. in 2. Tim. 2. 19. in 1 Pet. 1. 5. and in his Theolog Problemata Locus 6. de Praedestinatione pag. 81. Oecolampadius in 1 Iohn 2. 19. Mollerus in Psal. 121. 3. to the end and in Psa. 125. 1. 2. Alardus Mehinus in Anchora salutis pag. 173. Hyperius in his Comentary on the 2 Tim. 2. 19. and on Titus 1. 1. Rennicherus in his Aurea Catena salutis cap. 27. pag. 210 211. Hessâ—…usius in his Exposition in 1 Cor. 1. 8. and in his Examen Theolog Locus 16. de Predestinatione Gasper Oleuianus in his Expositio Symboli Apostolici pag. 38 63 64 75 133 134 137 138 139 150 154 155 156 162 163 164 191. in his Commentary on Rom. 8. ver 28 29 30. and so to the end of the chapter and de Testimonio faederis
gratniti pars 2. sect 15. 18. to 24. Gorrutius de Prouidentia lib. 14 cap. 5 6 7. Heerbrandus in his Compendium Theolog. Locus de Electione pag. 438 439. Hutterus in his Loci Com. Locus 13. de Praedestinatione quest 5 9 12 13. Tossanus in his booke de Prouidentia Dei cap. 4 pag. 175. to 179 Chassanus Locorum Comm. lib. 2. cap. 8. Tilenus in his Syntagma Theolog. de Praedestinatione Dei Theses 24. to 33. Hemingius in his Comm. in 2 Tim. 2. 10 19. Gesnerus in his Compendium doctrinae caelestis Loc. 30. de Praedestinatione pag 235 246 247 248. Marcus Cyriacus in his Conciones 7. de Perseuerantia sanctorum Vrsinus in his booke de Prouidentia pag. 16. Chemnitius in his Encheridion de Praedestinatione pag. 224. and his Loci Communes Locus de Iustificatione de fide and in his Harmonia Euangel cap. 2 on Math. 7. 24. to 28. and Luke 6. 47. 48. Learned Iunius in his Notae on Psal. 1. verse 3. and in Philip. 1. 6. in his Meditation on Psal. 122. verse 2. in his Comment on Ezech. 33. 12. and in his Theses 33. Thesis 11. and Thesis 37. Corol. 2. Gomarus in declaratione sententiae suae pag 32. Learned and profound Danaeus in his Isagâ—…ges pars 2. de Ecclesia cap 5. Isag pars 4. lib 4 de fide cap 18. 19. and in his Tom 2. Controuers aduers Bellarm de Baptismo Respons 15. pag 385 386. Trelcatius in his Institutio Loc Com lib 3. de fide pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Festus Hommius in his Specimen Controuersiarum Belgicarum seu confessio Ecclesiarum Reformatarum in Belgio Articulus 29 33 35 all these I say haue in these their seuerall workes and writings recorded propagated and deliuered this our persent assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace as an orthodox sound and vndoubted truth To these let me adde some other of great learning worth and credit in the Churches wherein they liued the most of them being publike professors of Diuinitie who haue particularly handled and discussed this our present assertion That the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace and defended it as sound and orthodox against such Pseudo-Lutherans Papists and Arminians who haue opposed it Learned Zanchius in his booke de Perseuerantia sanctornm which you shall finde in his 7 Tom pars 1. pag 91. to 174. and in his Confession to the Argentine Senate touching this very point recorded in the same Tom. pag 347 to 388. Sturmius in his booke de Praedestiantione Theses 11. Kimedoncius in his booke de Praedestinatione pag 328 to 333 English Reuerend and judicious Beza in his Theses Geneuenses Theses 27 de fide Theses 6 in his Breuis explicatio totius Christianismi cap 4 Aphorismus 12 cap 8. Aphor 2. and Colloquium Mompelgartense pag 463. to 469. Amandus Polanus in his Syntagma Theolog lib 6 cap 43. Pareus in his Comment on Rom 8 Dub 7. and in Appendice ad cap 15 lib 3 de Iustificatione Robertus Somus in his Tractatus de tribus quaestionibus quaest 3 Georgius Sohinus Operum Tom 2 in Exegcsi Artic Augustanae Confessionis pag 764 to 785 990 991 1016 1017. Piscator in Vorstij amica Collat cum Piscatore sect 108 and in his owne Thes Theolog vol 1 Locus 20 de Certitudine electionis Thes 25 and vol 2 Loc 5 de effectis Fidei Thes 102. Ludouicus Crocius in his 7 bookes de Perseuerantia sanctorum against Bertius Ruardus Acronius in Enarrati Chatech quaest 53. sect 11. Petrus Molineus in his Anatome Arminianismi cap 46 47. Ioannes Scharpius a Scot professer of Diuinitie in Dion in his Tractatus de Iustificatione Controuers 5. Bucanus in his Loci Comm Loc 20 de fide sect 24 27. Rollocke in Psal 51 and Rom 8. And Doctor Ames a learned English man a professor of Diuinitie in the Netherlands in his Corouis ad Collationem Hagiensem Artic 5. as also some of those whom I haue formerly mentioned and therefore will not here recite them haue learnedly maintained and defended this our present position as a sound and orthodox assertion and as the receiued and resolued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches It is euident then by this cloud of reueren famousd and renowned witnesses that the most the learnedest and the soundest writers in all Protestant and reformed Churches in forraine parts haue alwaies defended and maintained our present assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints as sound and orthodox and imbraced it as an vndoubted established and resolued truth How honest then is Master Monntague who hath auerred it vpon record that the Protestants in Germanie haue assemted vnto the Church of Rome in this that faith once had may be both totally and finally lost and that this is the resolution of many if not most Protestant Diuines as priuate men of Protestant Churches in their Descisions and Resolutions and that this assertion That faith once had cannot be lost is as much or more opposed propugned refelled by Protestants as by Papists Indeed Master Mountague being so great a booke-man might haue done well to haue giuen vs a Catalogue of the names and workes of those Protestant Diuines in other Churches who haue consented to the Church of Rome in this particular but Dolosus versatur in vniuersalibus Maister Mountague is a wilie Fox and one who is loath to haue his subtilety I will not say his knauery and treachery discouered and therefore he lurkes in the generall and vniuersall tearmes of most Protestant Diuines Indeed hee particularizeth in one Bucer by name and in none but him by which he hath discouered either much ignorance in vouching such a man whose workes he neuer read or much treacherie and falsnesse in vouching him for a totall finall losse of faith once had who is so full and frequent to the contrary throughout his works that hee could not haue lighed on such another Indeede I must confesse that some spurious abortiue and Pseudo-Lutherans haue held that faith once had might be totally lost and and some of them haue likewise held that it might be finally lost As Aegidus Hunnius tractat de Praedest pag 500 to the end Eckhardus in Fasciculo Controu cap 7 quaest 4 Winckelmannus Disput Theol Tom 1 Disp 14 Hinckelmannus Disputatione 7 Anticaluinistica cap 1. Policarpus Lyserus Disput 7 de Praedest Matthias Hafanrefferus Locor Theolog lib 3 loc 3. Wolffgangus Franzius Syntag Controuersiarum Disput 4. Ioannes Hesselbineus discursi Theol cont Materium Heyderum disp 4 Thes 10. and some few others of that stampe I confesse likewise that Bellarmine lib 3 de Iustific cap 14 Becanus de Iustificat Caluinist cap 10. Franciseus Feu-ardentius Zacharias Bauerius and other Romanists haue held so I confesse likewise that the Rhemists who are little better then meere Romanists in their
in their learned labours set forth by publike authority maintained propagated and defended this my present assertion and there is not one Orthodox English Diuine that did either publikely in the Schooles or in any writings set forth by publike approbation maintaine the contrary Therefore this my present assertion is the receiued positiue and the resolued Doctrine of all the learnedest and most judicious Diuines of the Church of England For the Major it cannot be denied the Minor I shall proue by many particular authors I will not stand to mention those many learned Diuines throughout the Kingdome who in their seuerall Sermons and Lectures haue maintained and defended this my present assertion euery man knowes that this assertion is publikely preached throughout the Kingdome for orthodox â—…urrent truth neither was there any one that euer did positiuely deliuer the contrary in any Sermon that euer I heard of with publike approbation till Master Mountagues Appeale was published Some three or foure did preach it as I haue heard before but they were presently conuented for it and injoyned to recant How this my assertion hath from time to time beene maintained and defended in the publike Schooles I neede not for to mention it Sure I am that the Schooles of the Vniuersity of Oxford haue alwaies defended it and so haue the Schooles of Cambridge to and I neuer heard that the contrary was publikely defended and maintained in them That which I intend mainely to insist vpon is the learned labours and writings of the chiefest worthies and learne dest of our Church in which my present assettion is recorded and defended Not to make mention of venerable Bede or of Anselme and Bradwardyu both Arch-bishops of Canterbury who haue declared their opinions vpon record in defence and maintenance of this my assertion I will onely mention such writers of our English Church as haue beene famous and eminent since the reformation I will begin with that godly and learned Martyr William Tindall who liued in the beginning of the reformation Who in his Treatises what the Church is and whether it may erre how a member of Christs true Church sinneth and erreth and yet sinneth and erreth not and how hee is yet a sinner and may erre and of the manner and order of our election which you shall finde in his workes pag 257 to 261. hath recorded it That the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer sinne so farre as quite to loose that habit and seede of grace which is within them nor yet to fall quite from God These Treatises of his are onely to this effect that the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Master Latimer Tyndalls contemporanie a man of worth and note in the times where in he liued in his Sermon on the Gospell the third Sonday in Aduent which is in his Sermons pag 258. hath likewise registred it That there was neuer none that belieued in Christ which was lost but all beleiuers were saued therefore saith hee it is not to be doubted but that if wee will beleiue wee shall be saued too Master Greenham that worthy and experimentall Saint of of God in the 2 part of his workes cap 32 sect 5 6. in his readings on Psal 119. ver 116. and in other places of his works hath deliuered this our present assertion as a sound orthodox and experimentall truth So hath Master Deering in his 27. Lecture on the Hebrewes But if these men seeme vile and little in your eyes behold some greater men then these are here to giue testimonie to vs and our assertion and that vpon record Mathew late Arch-B of Yorke in his Commentary of Election Praedestination reprobation Edwin Arch-B of Yorke in his Sermon vpon Luke 1 v 74 75. sect 14. Dr. Babington Bb. of Worcester on the 12 Artic of the Creede life euerlasting In his exposition on the Lords prayer the sourth vse from the word Father and on the sixth petition Lead vs not into temptatien but deliuer vs from euill Learned Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury and regious professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford in his Lecture De perseuerantia sanctorum read publikely in the Diuinitie schooles at Oxford in the Act time Iulie 10. 1613. In his Animaduersions vpon Thompsons Diatriba and in his answere to Bishop part 1. cap 12. part 2. cap 3. Ready and learned Doctor Fulke in his answere to the Rhemist Testament on Rom 8. 16. 39. Incomparable Hooker in his discourse of Iustification and in his Sermon of the certaintie perpetuitie of faith in the elect Profound Doctor Field in his first booke de Ecclesia cap 3 17 in his pathway to the Church Digress 42. Profound iudicious and famous Doctor Reinolds once regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man of incomparable learning and of as godly humble and religious a conuersation whom yet Master Mountague how justly let all men judge stiles a Puritan one of the Tribe a petitioner against the doctrine discipline of the Church of England and a man onely excellent for his reading in his 6 Theses Thes 4. sect 23 24. in his Apollog Thesium sect 17 20. and Conference at Hampton Court pag 24. Learned Doctor Whitakers regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge whom Master Mountague sticks not for to stile an earnest promoter of nouell opinions in his Respons ad 8 Rationes Campiani De paradoxis lib 8. and in other of his workes Learned Doctor Ouer all Deane of Pauls and afterwards Bishop of Norwich whose memory by Mr. Mountagues owne confession shall euer be pretious with all good and learned men Conference at Hampton Court pag 41 42 43. Profound orthodox and solid Mr. Perkins in his booke of Praedestination and Grace in his Commentary on Iude 1 24. and other of his workes Learned Mr. Nowell Deane of Pauls in his Catechisme Reuerend Mr. Phillipps in his Sermons on Rom 8. ver 15 16. Godly Mr. Hireon in his Sermons pag 102 119 205 365. Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-bishop Bancroft in his Analysis vpon the 17 Article Proposition third Laborious and learned Doctor Willet in his Synopsis pag 63 64. 548 546. 923 924 925. in his Commentarie on Rom 5 Contr 3 on cap 6. Contr 7 on cap 8. Contr 19 21. on cap 9. Contr 16 on cap 11 Contr 19 21. Mr. Wilcocks on Psal 125 1 2 and on Rom 8. Godly painfull and learned Mr. Byfield in his discourse of the promises cap 13. Mr. Elton in sundry places of his Sermons on Rom 8. Learned and laborious Mr. Fox in his Martyriolege Printed at London 1610 pag 1506. and in diuers other places Mr. Iohn Downham in his Snmme of Diuinity lib 2. cap 7. Mr. Culuerwell in his Treatise of faith the 6 generall head pag 489 to 506 to whom I may adde Learned King IAMES of blessed memorie in his Declaration against Vorstius all