to the doctrin of the Synod of Dort or declared foresworn by that of Alez it follows by the same doctrin that my sin though never so abominable doth Cooperate to my salvation yea and that my pardon is sealed already and this Mr. Fatalitie you intimate your self in your exhorting me to repentance for repentance you know is of no worth without saith and faith it self is defective except it believes the forgiveness of all sins past and to come However if I be a Reprobate which no temptation shall induce me to believe contrary to my duty as I am instructed by the doctâ—in of the Synod yet unless you have a commission to disanul the decrees of Heaven your threatnings and exhortations cannot avail me but may do me this disadvantage that they may anticipate my hell terrours and beget a worm in my bosome to torment me before the time Mr. Takeo'trust I like it well you are so fully perswaded of the All-sufficiencie of the Divine grace and that you profess so much aversness to the proud conceits of the Arminians not daring to ascribe any thing to your own indeavours and that you are so careful to avoid the comfortless suspition of your being under the state of Reprobation but I much bewail your dangerous errrour in one thing and must indeavour your correction in that as the most likely foundation of all your practical miscarriages Tilenus Carnalis I beseech you what may that be I should be glad to have it discovered to me Mr. Takeo'trust Because as you argued very well according to the minde of the Synod the Holy spirit doth immediately produce repentance in the sinners heart therefore you seem to set light by the Ordinance of the word and this is a very dangerous errour in you for the word preached especially with threatnings and exhortations are the means and instruments by which the Holy Ghost worketh to the conversion and correction of a sinner Tilenus Carnalis When we take our principles without any examination upon the credit of our admired Authors we are apt to embrace their contradictions as points of faith and their absurdities as parts of our belief And so it hath happened to your self in this particular for you must observe that that manner of working only is called immediate wherein no means do concur now if the repentance and conversion of a sinner be attributed to the immediate working of the Holy Ghost it implies a manifest contradiction to say that exhortations and threatnings are the instruments and means thereof Besides the very essence and being of an instrument is placed in the aptitude and fitness which it hath for the use and office to which it is designed so a knife is a knife in that respect only that the qualitie and form of it's matter gives it an aptitude to cut an eye is therefore an eye because 't is apt to see So every instrument hath a suitable fitness to that office for the performance whereof 't is designed to be an instrument and therein lies its subserviencie to the principal efficient Mr. Takeo'trust By this very reason I conclude the Ministerie of the word to be the means and instrument of the sinners conversion and repentance for it is most apt to inform his understanding of his duty and to quicken his will and affections to pursue and follow the same Tilenus Carnalis Sir you are much mistaken indeed if a moral efficiencie would serve the turn there are most excellent arguments of perswasion to work upon a reasonable Creature but this is the very thing that the Arminians do plead for Our Synod and the Divines thereof teach us otherwise namely that the conversion of a sinner cannot be wrought but by a physical or or hyperphysical action an impression of grace that is irresistible to which effect the ministery of the word as exhortations and commands promises and threatnings can no more avail having no more aptitude thereunto then to the raising of the dead or the creation of the world Mr. Impertinent We do read at the raising up of Lazarus and the Creation of the world that God spake the word and it was done Gen. 1. 3 6. Iohn 11. 43. Tilenus Carnalis The word that produced those effects was not the word of exhortation such as we speak of no nor yet that outward word consisting of sound and syllables which did but signifie what God was about to work by his irresistible omnipotencie but it was the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. which is said to be his son verse 2. compared with Col. 1. 16 17. And as there could be no resistance made against that power exerted and put forth for that creation and resurrection so your Synod teach us to believe that that power which is imploy'd to effect the conversion of a sinner from the errour of his wayes is equally irresistible but that the ministerie of the word hath no such power or energie appears too manifestly in the frequent and almost general contempt and frustration of it This therefore having no aptitude to such an use or office which nothing but an irresistible force can accomplish it can with no proprietie of speech be said to be the means and instrument thereof Mr. Knowlittle Then you will allow the ministerie of the word to be of no use at all in the Church of God Tilenus Carnalis One function it hath and no more according to the consequence of the Synods doctrin it serves for a sign or object to represent outwardly what the spirit works inwardly as well in the will as in the understanding but because 't is like the raising of the dead and the creation of the world it requires an omnipotent and irresistible operation therefore the Scripture though it represents and urgeth so many sundry wayes as by way of command exhortation promise and threatning yet to speak congruously to our principles it can implie and signifie it but as a work of God's not as a duty of ours and then why should we trouble our selves about it any more than Adam troubled himself about the creation of Evah or Lazarus about his own Resurrection especially seeing we must believe 't is nothing in our power to help it forward and that God in pursuance of his own Deorees will infallibly perform it though we be cast into as deep a sleep of security as Adam was or lie stinking in the grave of our corruptions though insensible of it as did Lazarus Dr. Dubius Do you then think the use of the Ministery a thing indifferent and purpose to decline it Tilen Carnalis Seeing the most the word can do is to make us Morall men if yet it can do that which are of no great esteem in Gods Kingdom as our Divines generally have resolved and the spirit is no more bound to wait upon the preaching thereof than to be at our command and seeing when he does come he needs none of those auxiliary forces to atchieve his irresistible conquest
to be the only means by which we may and ought to be saved appears in the 9. and 10. verses If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with thy heart that God raised him up from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the tongue confession is made unto salvation 2. That by the word which works this faith he understands the outward word appears by the whol contexture of the Chapter for he saith 1. This is that word of faith which we Preach verse 8. 2. That word which cannot be heard unless it be preached not internally by God but externally by men sent out to that purpose verse 14 15. 3. That word which is heard with the ears of the body and 4. may be disobeyed verse 16 18. As the working of faith is attributed to the ministery of the word so is the working of Regeneration too Jam. 1. 18 19. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth wherefore let every man be swift to hear To this adde 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 25. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you Hereupon St. Paul tell 's the Corinthians not only that he was a Minâ—ster of God by whom they did believe but tells them also that He was their Father for in Christ Jesus He had begotten them through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 14 15. Mr. Knowlittle The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have planted and Apollo watered but God gave the increase Mr. Take o'trust So the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 38. God giveth to every seed his own body as it hath pleased him but still it is in the ordinary way of husbandry and therefore the Sower goes out to sow his seed and so the King himself is served by the field Eccles 5. 9. But the sluggard who will not plow by reason of the cold He shall beg in harvest and have nothing Prov. 20. 4. In these natural things we see God doth not bring forth fruit by any peculiar divine action distinct from that of planting and watering but by preserving that force and vigour once put into the earth and water wherein and whereby such plantation and watering is made he concurs to make the labour of the husband man succesful and so gives the increase Psal 65. 9 10 11 12. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it thou greatly inrichest it with the river of God which is full of water thou preparest them corn when thou hast so provided for it Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly thou setlest the furrows thereof thou makest it soft with showers thou blessest the springing thereof Thou crownest the year with thy goodness and thy paths drop fatness So 't is here in a spiritual sense ye are Gods husbandry of Gods tillage 1 Cor. 3. 9. and he hath instituted a ministery to bring you unto fruitfulness I have planted laying the foundation or first principles of Christian faith among you of Heathens making you believers Apollo watered he baptized you and promoted that faith to some further growth in you But yet there is no great matter imputable to him or me that you should make a schisme upon this account as if either of us were the author of your faith but it is God alone who gave us our abilitie See 2 Cor. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 4. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 4 5 6. and put all the force and efficacie into those sacred Ordinances which we administer and so gave the increase Thus I say God gives the increase not by any peculiar special action distinct from that Plantation watering of Paul and Apollo but by continuing to prosper that vigour and efficacie which he was pleased to put into that Ministery Hence the Apostle saith Verse 9. We are labourers together with God and Verse 5. Ministers by whom ye beleeved To this purpose the Apostle is a Chosen Vessel to bear the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 9. 15. and his Commission is To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26. 18. and he doth so well mannage and execute this Commission that he is confident to say I have whereof I may glory through Iesus Christ in those things which pertain to God Rom. 15. 17. Mr. Know-little There is a promise Isai 30. 21. Thine eares shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way c. Mr. Takeo'trust 1. That promise is made to such as are already converted * and signifies no more than what is more clearly exprest 'T is observed that the holy spirit not in his miraculous gifts only is most frequently said to be given to men after their conversion Luke 11. 13. Acts 5. 32. c. 19. 2. c. Isa 59. 21. 2. If the word there promised be a thing distinct from the word of the ministery then I ask whether it be an intelligible word or not If not then 't is no fit mean to work upon a reasonable soul and bring it to perform to God a reasonable service as ours ought to be Rom. 12. 2. If it be an intelligible word then either it hath the same sense with the word written and preached or a different sense from it If it be of the same sense with the word written preached then 't is to no purpose frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora entia non sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate 't is frivolous to multiplie means without cause If this word be of a different sense from the word written or preached then this to the dishonour of the word will argue the insufficiencie of it to make us wise unto salvation and the man of God perfect thoroughly furnished unto every good work and this will lay an imputation not only upon the veracity and truth of God but also upon his wisdome and goodness for commending and injoyning the use of his written word to us for an end and purpose to which it is unsufficient But that we may understand the Prophets meaning consider that we are commanded to walk before God Gen. 17. 1. according to which expression we are to think God alwayes at our heels as we say observing our steps and consonantly to that metaphorical expression if we step aside what means soever his providence useth to set us right and direct our goings in his paths 't is as if we heard a voice behinde us Not that God would exempt us from following the direction of the ministery no for the promise is thus expressed in the former verse Thine eyes shall see thy Teachers see Deut. 17. 9 11. and that we may not think it lawful to run on in errour till the Enthusiastical charm recals us remember t is our duty to seek the law at the
every one that thirsteth that labours Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh unto God and he will dnaw nigh to you Neh. 1. 11. They that desire to fear thy Name Psal 38. 9. 7. He adjourns the judgment upon Ahabs humiliation 1 King 21. 27 29. See 2 Chr. 12. 12. Exod. 1. 17 20 21. 8. He sends direction to such as are pricked to the heart and inquire after him Acts 2. 37 38. To the Publicans and Souldiers Luke 3. 8 10. To the Jailor Act. 16. 29 30. To Cornelius after a most eminent and extraordinary manner Act. 10. 1. to 35. 9. He gives persons of such study and inclinations satisfaction and a blessing Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled See Luk. 1. 53. Mat. 11. 28. God is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee 1 Chr. 22. 16. II. They do utterly deny that effectual grace whereby a man is converted is an unresistible power The Reason 1. Conversion is injoyned us as our duty and we are exhorted to it with promises and threatnings Prov. 1. 22. Ezek. 18. 30 32. Ier. 7. 3. Turn ye turn ye 2. 'T is a matter of Choice Deut. 30. 19. Jos 24. 15. Chuse whom ye will serve chuse life 2 Cor. 5. 20. Isa 1. 19 20. 3. The duty and the grace enabling to it may be neglected 2 Cor. 6. 1. Hebr. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Jer. 36. 6 7. Therefore we are admonished Hebr. 3. 7 8. Psal 95. 7 8. Harden not your hearts Some temper of minde better qualified See the 1. Negat 4. God requires our endeavours 1 by way of preparation laying aside the vail 2 Cor. 3. 15. prejudice John 7. 3. 4 5 52. ambition Iohn 5. 44. ch 12. 42 43. all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all superfluity of naughtiness See Act. 13. 45. Luke 16. 14. that we may with meekness Psal 25. 9 12 14. See Acts 2. 41. as new born babes receive the ministeries of grace Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. And as many as being in pursuit of the world to come were thus ordained addicted disposed to eternal life believed Acts 13. 48. 5. When being wrought into this temper and frame of spirit by Gods preventing grace we are fit for the kingdome of Christ Luke 9. 62. God requires our endeavours by way of cooperation to make his saving grace effectual which argues 'tis not an unresistible power Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door Which doore turns upon two hinges faith and obedience Rom. 1. 16. 1 Thess 2. 13. Ephesians 3. 17. Romans 6. 17. I will come in to him c. 6. That this grace is not unresistible appears further By Gods option O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me c. as above 7. He complains also of mens perverseness and contumacy obstructing the work of grace in themselves See Mark 6. 6. Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Mat. 3. 15. Ezek. 12. 2. They have eyes to see and see not they have ears to hear and hear not for they are a rebellious house Isa 63. 7 8 9 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit Zech. 7. 10 11 12. But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant-stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former Prophets 8. Some are captivated to the obedience of this grace whiles others stand out in rebellion against the power of it Act. 2. 41. ch 13. 48 with 45. Some gladly receive it others do thrust it from them contradicting and blaspheming See 1 Thess 2. 13. with 2 Thess 2. 10 11. Ezek. 3. 5 6 7. Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech surely had I sent thee to them they would have hearkened unto thee but the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee Mat. 11. 20 21 22. Tyre and Sidon and Sodome would have repented but you will not Matth. 12. 41. The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonas but you resist a greater light and force of grace behold a greater then Jonas is here 2 Cor. 2. 14 15 16. To the one we are the savour of life unto life and to the other the savour of death unto death 9. The Lord punisheth the refractary for resisting the work of his grace and spirit Heb. 6. 7 8. For the earth which drinketh in the rain and bringeth forth fruit receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Prov. 1. 24. c. Because I have called and ye refused c. Zech. 7. 11 12 13. Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord. Iohn 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Ezek. 24. 13. See Mat. 13. 15. c. Acts 28. 24. c. 2 Chron. 24. 19 20. In thy filthiness is lendness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble See the 4. and 7. Affirmatives III. They do utterly denie that God doth bestow grace sufficient for faith and couversion only upon those whom according to the decree of his Election he willeth to convert unresistibly and that he neither doth nor willeth to bestow on the Reprobates grace necessary to faith and salvation The Reason 1. Psal 145. 8 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. He will have all men to be saved 2 Pet. 3. 9. He will not that any perish Mark 16. 15. with 20. Go preach the Gospel to every Creature and they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signes following Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more See Mark 6. 6. Jer. 36. 6 7. Ezek. 18. 31. Why will ye die Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked c. See the proofs for conditionate Election Administration of necessary and sufficient means and the seriousness of Gods call being the 7. affirm propos above 2. He threatens to withdraw his grace from men only for their stubbornness and rebellion against him and it Mat. 21. 41 43. Therefore the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you Rev. 2. 5. Or else I will remove thy
them into any schisme or heresie I choose therefore to follow the Apostles Catalogue and if I can find that in my self I hope I am safe the fruit of the spirit saith he is love joy peace long-Suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law Gal. 5. 22 23. That is as I conceive the love of Christ in sinceritie as 't is Ephes 6. 24. which sinceritie discovers and approves itself in a constant and uniform observation of all his Commandements Iohn 14. 15. Mr. Efficax How did the spirit of God bring forth these fruits in you if you finde them Did you ever feel it offer a holy violence to your will and affections so that you were not able to resist the power of it You have read how Paul was surprized in the height of his rebellion his spirit subdued and forced to yield and he cast down to the earth in great astonishment Tilenus Though I have intimated mine opinion in this particular already yet I shall adde that the conversion of St. Paul was not according to the common way and rule but extraordinary in regard whereof he may very well stile himself an abortive 1 Cor. 15. 8. for the ordinary course is not for the Kingdome of Heaven to offer violence to us and take us by force but for us to do so by it St. Mat. 11. 12. Mr. Efficax You speak as if the grace of conversion were resistible and so you would make man stronger than God but the Apostle tells you that God exerts and putteth forth a power for the conversion of a sinner equal to that which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes 1. 20. And indeed there is a necessitie of such a power for the accomplishment of this work because the sinner is as a dead person dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. Tilenus T is a rule we have learned in the schools that Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa Metaphors never make solid and cogent arguments Sinners are like dead men but no like is the same If they were absolutely dead then it were impossible for them to make any opposition or resistance at all to any the least dispensation of grace Resistance implies reaction but the dead have no power at all to act and yet t is acknowledged that the sinner hath a power to resist and doth actually resist but that which is maintained generally by that side is that the power of grace is so prevalent and invincible that at last it will subdue and take away the resistibilitie of mans will And therefore man is not dead in every sense We finde him sometimes resembled to one halfe dead Luke 10. 30. Sometimes to one asleep Ephes 5. 14. so that you cannot certainly infer the conclusion desired from such figurative expressions Besides Ephes 1. 20. speaketh of Gods power towards those that were already believers not of his power that works belief in them Mr. Impertinent 'T is said of those that disputed with Stephen Acts 6. 10. That they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake Tilenus He speaks of that conviction which the force of his arguments dictated to him by the Holy spirit made upon their understandings so that they were not able to answer him in disputation but he speaks not of any irresistible impression that the internal Divine grace made upon their wills for there was no such effect wrought in them as appears in the following verses but rather the contrary as you may conclude from St. Stephens word Acts 7. 51. Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Mr. Efficax By resisting the Holy Ghost there Stephens meaning is that they opposed the outward Ministerie which was authorized and sent out by the holy Ghost Tilenus The words are plain in themselves and so they are literally clear against you but that this Evasion may not serve your turn we finde the word and spirit both together Zach. 7. 12. Yet 't is said they hardened their hearts like an Adamant and resisted both Esa 63. 10. But 2 men may do resist that power of Divine grace which doth effectually and eventually convert others yea a greater power than that which doth it Luke 11 32. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgement with this generation and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Ionah and be hold a greater than Ionah is here And as much is implied in those other words of Christ Mat. 11. 21. Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes Those Heathen cities would have been wrought upon by these gracious dispensations but you to whom they are so freely and earnestly administred do resist them And why should our Saviour work so many miracles to their senses to induce them to believe and be converted Ad quid perditio haec Why so much pains lost For if that had been the way that one Superlative miracle the irresistible operation of internal grace had superseded the necessitie of all others and made them utterly superfluous Mr. Impertinent what say you to that text in Luke 14. 23. Compel them to come in doth not that imply an irresistible power upon them Tilenus This place in St. Luke speaks of a charge given to a Minister whose office it is to call invite and importune to say nothing that it is part of a parable and I remember even now when you were urged with that in Acts 7. 51. ye alwayes resist the Holy Ghost then you could alledge that that was spoken concerning the outward ministery of the word which you confest might be resisted but now you produce a text your selves which though it doth most evidently belong to the outward ministery yet because it hath the word compel in it and will serve your interest it must needs signifie irresistible So that in the Acts the Holy Ghost must according to your interpretation signifie the outward Ministery and that must be the only thing resisted but in St. Luke the outward Ministery shall signifie the inward working of the Holy Ghost and that shall be irresistible Mr. Efficax The Apostle saith It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Tilenus The Apostle doth not say that God doth this immediately and irresistibly for if he did that would evacuate the force of his exhortation which is both a mean and swasion to the duty of working out our salvation c. for the inforcing whereof that is rendred as the reason which is the cord of a man He speaks not of the means see 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 15. 10. or manner of Gods working and that he works the abilitie I grant but not the very act it self of our duty which if he did it would be his
nor totally notwithstanding the most enormous sins they can commit Dr. Damman I confess you have done the Divines of that Synod no wrong in setting down their tenents but what objections have you against the doctrin Tilenus I shall insist only upon this and 't is so comprehensive I need mention no more it doth not only evacuate the force and vertue but quite frustrateth the use of the ministerie of the word and all other holy ordinances instituted by our Saviour Christ and commanded to be continued for the edification and benefit of his Church to the worlds end Dr. Dubius How can you make that appear Tilenus For the ministery of the word it is imployed either about the wicked or the godly the wicked are of two sorts either Infidels despising or Carnal persons professing the holy Gospel the Godly they are of two sorts or two tempers likewise or we may consider them under a two-fold estate either as remiss and tepid or else as disconsolate and tempted so that the ministery of the word is designed to a four-fold end in respect of man 1. The Conviction and Conversion of an Infidel 2. The Correction and amendment of the Carnal 3. The quickning and provocation of the tepid and slothful 4. The comfort and consolation of the afflicted and tempted But the former doctrin of the Synod of Dort is so far from being serviceable to any of these four ends that it is directly repugnant to them all and therefore not consonant to that holy Scripture given by inspiration of God which is profitable for all those ends as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. for doctrin for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God who is a helper of the peoples joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto every good work That this may the more evidently appear I desire you with whom that doctrin is in so high esteem to make a practical attempt of it herein I desire you to be true to your own principles and not to shuffle as usually in your popular sermons wherein the Synodical and Calvinian principle in your Doctrin is alwayes confuted by an Arminian exhortation in your Application in the mean while I am content to personate successively those four sorts of men and for method sake I pray address your discourse first for the Conversion of Tilenus Infidelis Dr. Absolute Most gladly will we undertake this task that we may convince you of the errours in which we see you are immersed provided you do not studie to be obstinate nor alledge any other reasons to justifie your recusancie and averseness to the Christian faith then what you clearly deduce from the doctrin of the Synod and the Divines thereof To begin the work then we will take it for granted that you acknowledge a Deitie and demand of you what Attributes this Deitie iâ— according to your apprehension invested and cloathed with Tilenus Infidelis The School of nature hath determined that question by so many irrefragable arguments that I am convinced long since that there is a soveraign Power called God and when I consider such beams and characters of wisdome and knowledge in the soul of man such impressions of truth and justice upon his conscience with so great a varietie of goodness in all Creatures I must conclude that God the maker of all these is an Eternal being infinitly wise good and just I believe further that this most wise God in communicating so much goodness unto man intended hereby to oblige him to pay according to his abilitie such homage and service as is due to his soveraign excellencie and bounty and in performance hereof we may be confident to finde protection and reward Mr. Simulans The God whom we profess and worship and he alone is such a God as you have described but more merciful and gracious infinitly then you have been acquainted with to whose service therefore â—e do most earnestly invite you Tilenus Infidelis I thank you for your pretended kindness but if you can produce no fairer glass to represent the nature of your God then the doctrin of that Synod I must tell you I shall have no temptation or inducement at all to believe in him for that doctrin is so far from exalting the attributes of wisdome goodness and justice in him that it doth in a high measure impeach them all Mr. Fatqlitie You will never be able to make that good Tilenus Infidelis I beseech you hear me patiently For his wisdome first I conceive that is extreamly eclipsed in that he hath made choice of no better means to advance his own honour but hath stoopt to such mean unworthy designs to compass that end as all but tyrants bankrupts would be ashamed of Dr. Dubius How so Tilenus Infidelis Your doctrin if it does not belie the majesty you profess to worship supposeth him to have made a peremptory decree whereby his subjects are necessitated to trade with Hell and Satan for sin and damnation to the end he may take advantage out of that commerce to raise an inconsiderable impost to augment the revenues of his own glory Mr. Preterition We have his own word for it Mâ—t. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own Tilenus Infidelis 1. Your Scripture must not conclude me while I personate the Infidel but 2. We are not now arguing what God may do by his absolute power and right of dominion but what is agreeable to his infinite wisdome And 3. your text speaks of a free disbursement of his favours but our discourse proceeds upon the account of appointing men to sin and punishment Now I hope you will not call sin Gods own though your doctrin concludes him fairly to be the Author of it and for punishment he is pleased to call that opus alienum not his own but a strange work But if your God for his mere pleasure only and to make demonstration of his absolute power hath appointed to eternal torments the greatest part of his noblest Creatures without any respect to sin as some of your Synod do maintain not regarding his own image in them what is this but to play the tyrant and where then is that infinite goodness which you profess to be in your and I expect to be in that God whom I fear and honour A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Prov. 12. 10. yet his mercy is to be but a copy transcribed from that original in God Luke 6. 36 but if your God be of that temper the righteous man may very well be a precedent of mercy unto him Mr. Preterition Indeed some of the Synod do maintain that rigid way but the Synod it self determined otherwise viz. that Almighty God looking upon mankinde as fall'n in the loyns of Adam pass'd over the greatest part of them leaving them in that lapsed estate not affording them sufficient grace for their recovery
judgement was governed by his passions of love and hatred these by his lust And for his bitter Speeches Bucer gave him the title of a Fratricide Reverend Mr. Beza confesseth also of himself that per quindecim annorum Spacium quo alios docuit justitiae viam nec sobrium se factum nec liberalem nec veracem sed haerere in luto That for the space of fifteen years together wherein he taught others the way of righteousnesse himself trod neither in the way of truth nor bounty nor sobriety but stuck fast in the mire of sin Men that have had triall of the powerful workings of sin and grace and been brought upon their knees like the great Apostle with a bitter complaint O me miserum O wretched man that I am These are your None-such Divines which methinks our Saviour gave an intimation of in that passage to Peter Luke 22. 32. tu aliquando conversus confirma fratres tuos Mr. Narrowgrace He attributeth so much to the Ministery of the Gospel that he seems to be superstitiously addicted to it and turnes it into an Idol Whereas we know of it self it is but a dead letter and therefore Maccovius handling that question Whether the word God may be savingly heard before regeneration concludes negatively and to avoide his Adversaries argument he affirmes that that hearing of the word which produceth faith doth presuppoose regeneration To this agrees the opinion of some Divines who think that Regeneration is effected after another manner then faith is To which purpose Johannes Rysius in his Confession saith thus Fides Dei gratiâ per verbum concipitur Regeneratio vero a Deo per Christum sine ullius rei Creatae interventu proficiscitur Faith is conceived by the grace of God through the word but Regeneration pro-ceeds from God through Christ without the intervention of any created thing whatsoever Mr. Take o' trust I conceive Sir when we see the ministery so much ecclipsed and undervalued as it is if there were nothing else in it Christian Policy should teach us not to vent such doctrines as are apt to bring more contempt upon it But the Holy Ghost hath set it at a higher rate by cloathing it with titles of a greater reputation He calls it the word of grace the word of faith the word of life the Joh. 6. 63. Heb. 4. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. word of reconciliation the ministration of the Spirit the word that is able to save the soul the power of God unto Salvation the word of God that effectually worketh in them that beleeve Mr. Know-little I conceive the Ministery of the word hath these excellent titles bestowed upon it in regard it is the instrument by and through which God doth infuse into the understanding and heart his special grace or rather that regenerating virtue which alone doth powerfully effect the work of regeneration so that the outward word as an instrument conferreth nothing at all to that effect but is onely as the tunnell whereby water is poured into a vessel and yet that water receives no tincture at all from the nature or quality of the said tunnell Mr. Takeo'trust I have seen this alledged But they say we should consider that the nature and propertie of the word is to be intelligible in expression and to carry such a sense as is apt to move the party to whom it is addressed by working upon his understanding and inciting his heart to love or hatred hope or fear and this is the true efficacy the word is indowed with But if the word contributes no more to our conversion or regeneration than the tunnell that only conveighs the liquor to the filling of the vessel then it matters not whether the word be intelligible yea or no for that regenerating virtue being a distinct power infused besides it the word doth not work as a verbal id est a rational instrument but onely concurr's as an instrument destitute of sense and reason And therefore as it matters not what mettall the tunnell be made of whether wood or brasse or tinn So had the word no other kinde of instrumentalitie than that hath it were all one whether the language were barbarous non-sense as is usuall amongst some Sectaries or significant And to what end then did God confer the gift of tongues upon his Apostles and they take such care to condescend and apply themselves to the capacitie and apprehension of their hearers Besides if the word hath no more to do in this work than is pretended why should it consist of precepts and those establish't with promises and threatnings For a precept so establish'd especially doth prescribe the thing under command as a duty and concurr's unto that duty as the reason moving and obliging a man to performe it But if that special grace or regenerating vertue so infused doth alone effect a mans regeneration taking nothing at all from the word how can that effect be said to be the performance of his duty and an act of obedience to the command of the word Mr. Knowlittle 'T is a question whether there be any precepts properly so called under the new Covenant yea nor no Some absolutely denie it But we confess it and they may be said to concur to our conversion and believing per modum signi as a sign or object representing what God by his free grace is said to effect and work in us Indeed they declare what man ought to do but they serve rather to discover and convince his weakness than promote his duty Mr. Takeo'trust This doctrin doth cancel the very formal reason force of all the Commands of Christ and makes the word of God intended for an instrument of mans conversion to serve only for an object and meer doctrin for his faith and repentance to converse with for they are not to be wrought it seems by this means but immediately effected and wrought of Almighty God in the heart by a special action and operation and consequently all the exhortations and precepts as such all the promises and threatnings complaints and obtestations wherewith the word of God aboundeth to be nothing else but empty signs and busie trifles if not a ludicrous stage-play conducing nothing to that effect which they pretend to be designed for But that faith and regeneration which flowes from it are both wrought in a rational way by the outward ministery of the word moving and inciting the understanding and heart of man will evidently appear to be the doctrin of Christ and his Apostles 1. For faith take that expression in our Saviours prayer John 17. 17 20. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Neither pray I for these Apostles alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word See Joh. 20. 31. 1 John 5. 13. And Rom. 10. 17. Therefore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God 1. That he understands faith working by love which the Gospel determines
priests mouth Mal. 2. 7. Hence we have these Caveats not only take heed how you hear and what you hear but also whom you hear for many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. and therefore try the spirits whether they are of God ibid. What need all these caveats and so much ado if the ministery of the word hath no influence or energie into our faith and regeneration and the work of grace in us Mr. Knowlittle But we see the Scripture every where ascribes the work of faith conversion and regeneration in us to the power and gift of God to Christ and to the Holy Ghost Mr. Takeo'trust The Scriptures do attribute to Almighty God that which he doth mediately by any of his creatures or Ministers Joh. 4. 1. Jesus is said to have baptized moe disciples than John yet in the next verse 't is said that Iesus baptized not but his Disciples See Iohn 6. 45 46. with Luke 10. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Thess 4. 8. Heb. 12. 25. Act. 5. 39. ch 7. 51. Though the ministery of the word be instrumental in the work of grace in us yet must we acknowledge the blessed Trinity the chief cause and author thereof and are bound alwayes to render them the honour of that efficacy that is wrought by this instrument because all the light force and efficacy which appears therein flowes from God alone and had not been in it at all if He had not as it were implanted it therein We have this treasure in earthen vessels as the Apostle in a like case 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. 2 Cor. 3. 3 4 5. Certainly there we have it and God associates what other divine internal aids he pleaseth with it Mar. 16. 15 20. Rom. 15. 16 19. To Him therefore we must ascribe the glory who hath annexed such an excellency of power to such otherwise weak and feeble instruments 2 Cor. 10. 4. Dr. Absolute Leave your wrangling Gentlemen that we may dispatch Mr. Tilenus one may or other Have any of you any more objections against him Mr. Indefectible He holds the possibility of the Saints Apostacy notwithstanding the decrees and promises of God to the contrary and concludes David's Adultery and Murder to be wilfull wasting deadly sins and inconsistent with the state of Regeneration so that should a godly man through the frailty of the flesh suffer the like infirmity he would be ready to discourage and grieve his spirit telling him he had forfeited his interest in Gods favour and lay under a damnable guilt liable to the wrath of God and the torments of hell and so in danger to bring him to desperation if he does not forsak his sin and mortifie his lust and bring forth fruits meet for repentance upon his admonition Mr. Narrowgrace Which was worse then that to my minde he flouted the Divines of the Synod saying if their doctrine were well improved it would prove an Antidote against the power of Death and teach a man how to become immortall even in this life Mr. Impertinent That slipt my Observation I pray' what was it he said Mr. Narrowgrace It was to this purpose If the Elect cannot be cutt off in the state of impâ—nitency notwithstanding they fall into most grievous sins then saith he let them abandon themselves to some horrid lust or course of impiety and they shall be sure to be immortal Mr. Indefectible But we know the Elect cannot do so They have a principle within them and a guard without them to defend and secure them from such courses They are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. There is their guard and their inward principle that inclines and moves them you have 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Dr. Dubius Under Correction Sir I conceive man is never immutably good till he arrives in heaven As long as he converseth here below he is like other sublunary things subject to change Quod Angelis Casus hominibus mors The reason is besides temptations from without to allure and draw him He hath a twofold principle a new or an old man within him the flesh and the spirit in Con estation Gal. 5. 7. The flesh lusteth against the sp it and the spirit against the flesh This Conflict is in the regenerate And that he hath liberty to side with either of these parties and so to change I think cannot be denied He hath a liberty through Gods grace to side with the spirit against the flesh and hereupon he is exhorted to abstain from fleshly lusts to mortifie his earthly members and to walk in the spirit his liberty to side with the flesh is but too evident And therefore the words CANNOT SIN must be taken not Physicè but Ethicè Not for a natural impotency but a moral one he cannot do it Legally or at averseness of minde which notwithstanding is capable of being altered 'T is said of Christ sometimes that Id possumus quod jure possumus He could doe no mighty work Mark 6. 5. and so 't is said that the brethren of Joseph could not answer him Gen. 45. 3. And the Angel could doe nothing against Sodom till Lot were escaped into Zoar. Gen. 19. 22. See Ios 24. 19 21. And 't is usual in our common speech to say we cannot do a thing when the thing is not impossible to be done but only it is unlawful or inconvenient for us to do it If we set aside the inconvenience and step over the hedge of the law as many times we do we can finde power enough to do it And so it is here Therefore to that of our Saviour Mat. 7. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit S. Hierome addeth Quamdiù in bonitatis studio perseverat as long as it perseveres in the study and love of goodnesse Thus he that is born of God whiles he acteth according to the nature of the principles of his new birth and studies to follow and resemble his heavenly Father He cannot deliberately yield to any kinde of sin Haec non admittet omnino qui natus è Deo fuerit non futurus Dei filius si admiserit saith Tertullian He that is born of God will not at all admit such sins as these he shall not be a childe of God if he doth admit them As for that guard you mention out of St. Peter They are kept by the power of God We must consider that we are to add a guard of our own to it as is required Jud. ep ver 20 21. But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Keep your selves in the love of God And S. Peter addes through faith 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Psalmist saith Except the Lord keepeth the City the watchman waketh but in vain but he doth not say the
by works of righteousness which we had done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour 1 Pet. 1. 3 23. The father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath begotten us again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God c. See Ezek. 36. 26 27. Renewed in understanding will affections c. Ephes 4. 23. Renewed in the spirit of your mindes Col. 3. 10. In knowledge See 1 Cor. 1. 4 5. Tit. 2. 11. Acts 26. 18. To whom I send thee to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 15 9. God through the Holy Ghost purifying their hearts by faith Heb. 9. 14. The blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit and the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly 1 Thes 5. 23. To do that which is savingly good c. Mat. 7. 17 18. and chap. 12. 33 34 35. Make the tree good and his fruit good Rom. 6. 22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life See verse 18. II. They hold that the grace of God is the beginning proceeding and fulfilling of all good so as even the regenerate man himself without grace preventing exciting following and co-working cannot think will or do good or resist any temptation to ill so that the good deeds and actions which any man can conceive are to be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ Proofes out of holy Scripture That the grace of God is the beginning c. James 1. 17 18. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above John 8. 36. 2 Cor. 4. 6. If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed 2 Cor. 3. 17. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Phil. 1. 6. chap 2. 13. It is God which hath begun a good work in you which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Heb. 12. 2. The author and finisher of our faith 2 Thes 2. 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel See verse 15 16 17. 1 Pet 5. 10. c. 2 Pet. 1. 1 3 His divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness Or resist any temptation to ill c. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand in the evil day Ephes 6. 13. Watch and pray c. Mat. 26. 41. Lead us not into temptation Mat. 6. 13. The good we do to be ascribed to the grace of God c. 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am Gal. 2. 20. The life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope c. 1 Pet. 5. 10 11. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen See Rom. 1. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 4 5. Ephes 1. 3. c. Rom. 16. 25 26 27. Rev. 1. 5 6. III. They hold that to hear Gods word to be sorry for sin committed to desire saving grace and the spirit of renovation nothing of which notwithstanding can a man do without grace is profitable and needful for the obtaining of faith and the spirit of renovation Proofes out of holy Scripture St. Luke 19. 13 Negotiamini dum venio Trade till I come for whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance Luke 19. 26. See Mat. 13. from v. 10 ro 17. Iohn 6. 45. See Luke 16. 11 12. chap. 19. 17. Every man that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing Acts 17. 11 12. They of Berea received the word with all readiness of minde and searched the Scriptures Therefore many of them believed Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrin whether it be of God See Psal 25. 12 14. Psal 111. 10. Prov. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation See Acts 2. 37 38. chap. 16. 29 30 Prov. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. If thou wilt incline thine â—ar unto wisdome and apply thine heart to understanding If thou seekest her as silver Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall finde me Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the spirit to them that ask him See the example of Sergius Paulus Acts 13. 7 12. Especially that of Cornelius Acts 10. 1 2 4 5 34 35. See also Gal. 3. 24. Prov. 3. 32. Iob 28. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 21. James 1. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. See the reason of the Negative following IV. They hold that effectual grace whereby a man is converted is resistible and though God doth so work upon the will by his word and the inward operation of his holy spirit as that he gives both power to believe and supernatural abilities and makes a man actually to believe yet can man of himself despise that grace not believe and so through his own default perish Proofs out of Holy Scripture Ezek. 11. 20. compared with the 21. verse I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh That they may walk in my statutes and keep mine Ordinances and do them But whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations I will recompense their way upon their own heads Mat. 11. 20 21 22 23. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day Ezek. 24. 13. I have purged thee and thou wast not purged Acts 2. 41. They that gladly received his word were baptized 1 Thes 2. 13 19. See v. 19. Acts 11. 21. Ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe See Rom. 1. 16. Acts 13. 46. 48. Luke 14. 16. c. Mat. 22.
hold that true believers may fall from true faith and into those sins which cannot stand with true and justifying faith neither is this onely possible but oft cometh to pass Proofes out of holy Scripture True Believers may fall from true faith Mat. 13. 20 21 22. Luke 8. 13. 14. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away And that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring forth no fruit unto perfection Rom. 11. 20 21 22. Because of unbelief they were broken off Gal. 5. 4 7. Ye did run well Ye are fallen from grace 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack ch 4. 1. Some shall depart from the faith ch 5. 12 15. Some are already turned aside after Satan Having damnation because they have cast off their first love See ch 6. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 15. ch 2. 17 18. Gen. 3. 6 24. Into sins which cannot stand with justifying faith c. 2 Pet. 2. 18. See ver 1. c. They allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour It hath happened unto them according to the true proverb The dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Mat. 26. 70 72 74. Then began Peter to curse and to swear saying I know not the man David a man of great faith and integrity 1 King 15. 5. yet 2 Sam. 11. 4 15. ch 12. 9. He committed adultery and murder And Solomon beloved of the Lord. 2 Sam. 12. 25. 1 Kings 3. 10. yet 1 Kings 11. from 1 to 10 verses through the love of strange women his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and went after other gods And that these sins of Adultery Murder and Idolatry are inconsistent with true justifying faith See Gal. 5. 19 20. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8. ch 22. 15. Demas one of Saint Pauls fellow-labourers Philemon 24. Col. 4. 14. Whose names were written in the book of life Philip. 4. 3. yet 2 Tim. 4. 10. He embraced this present world How great a sin that is in a person so engaged 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. See Iames 4. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Iohn 2. 15. Ier. 2. 13. My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water c. Rev. 2. 20 22. Jezebel seduced my servants to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols and they commit adultery with her Luke 11. 24. c. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return unto mine house whence I came out And when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there III. They hold that true believers may through their own default fall into crimes and heinous offences continue and die in them and so finally fall away and perish Proofes out of Holy Scripture 1 Chron. 28. 9 If thou forsake him He will cast thee off for ever John 15. 2 6. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away and it is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die See ver 26. and ch 33. 12 13 18. Matth. 18. 26. ad finem Then his Lord said unto him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors See the Reasons of the 2 3 4 c. Negatives and the proofes of the 2 Affirmative III. They hold that true Believers though they fall sometimes into grievous sins and such as wast the Conscience yet fall not from all hope of repentance but that God according to the multitude of his mercies can and often doth bring them again by his grace unto repentance although they cannot certainly be assured that this shall certainly and undoubtedly be done Proofes out of Holy Scripture Fall not from all hope c. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not be your ruin See Rev. 2. 4. c. 3. 3. Psal 51. 17. Ier. 3. 1 12 14. Thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Turn O backsliding children I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful I will not keep anger for ever For I am married unto you Hos 14. 4. I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely Ier. 31. 19 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant childe For since Ispake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Mich. 7. 7 8 9. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie when I fall I shall arise Mat. 18. 21 22. How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him Jesus saith untill seventie times seaven Luke 6. 36. As your father which is in heaven is merciful Exod. 32. 2. c. to the 10. Aaron makes a calf and provokes the Lord yet chap. 40. 13. He is consecrated to the Priests office Hezekiah humbled himself the wrath of God was removed from him 2 Chron. 36. 26. Peter weeps bitterly Mat. 26. 75. Davids sin is put away 2 Sam. 12. 13. The incestuous Corinthian findes indulgence 2 Cor. 2. 7 10. A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51. 17. They cannot certainly be assured c. 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Divel Joel 2. 14. Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behinde him Ionah 3. 9. Isa 27. 11. For it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on
the places cited for conditional Election and the 2. and 3. Affirmatives of this Article and the reason of the foregoing Negative To which adde Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 6. 16. His servants ye are to whom ye obey 2 Pet. 2. 19. For of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage John 15. 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Rev. 2. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Rev. 3. 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die c. verse 15 16. I would thou wert cold or hot c. Judas being one of those whom the Father had given to Christ was lost John 17. 12. He had power over all Devils Luke 9. 1. Yet through covetousness he made way for Satan to enter â—n to his heart Luke 22. 3 4. See Mat. 26. 14 15 It seems that he had some title also to one of those twelve thrones Mat. 19. 28. But he forfeited his interest and never came to sit on it V. They do utterly denie that no sins of the faithful how great and grievous soever they be are imputed unto them or that all their sins present and future are forgiven them The Reason Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass and sin shall he die Psal 89. 31 32. 2 Sam. 7. 14. I will visit their iniquitie with rods 2 Sam. 12. 10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house See Psal 6. 38. 51. 8 9 10. O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath thy hand is heavy upon me For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy face from my sins and blot out altmine iniquities cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Rev. 2. 4 14. I have somewhat against thee 1 Cor. 11. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Amos. 3. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities See the reason of the third Negative VI. They do utterly denie that true believers falling into deadly heresies and most heinous sins as adulteries and murders for which the Church according to Christs institution is forced to testifie that she cannot tolerate them in external Communion and that unless they repent they shall have no part in the Kingdome of Heaven cannot notwithstanding fall totally and finally from faith The Reason 1 Chron. 28. 9. If you forsake him he will cast you off for ever Rev. 3. 11. Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown 2 ep John vers 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought Gal. 3. 4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain Mat. 16. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and chap. 10. 26. c. For it is impossible the Laws of the Church permits it not for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the son of God afresh and put him to an open shame So cha 10. 26. c. Wherefore giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity for if you do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ See the 2. and 3. affirmative and the 1. and 3. Negatives Note These five last Negatives the Remonstrants do reject with their whole heart and soul as enemies to pietie and goodlife Jacobus Arminius in Articulis perpendendis saith as followeth I. THat opinion which denies that true believers can or ever do fall from faith totally and finally was never accounted for Catholick from the times of the Apostles to these our times nor the contrary esteemed heretical yea the affirmative part had ever more for it II. That a believer can be assured without special revelation that he shall not fall from faith And that a believer is bound to believe that he shall not fall from faith are two points which were never accounted for Catholick in the Church of Christ nor was the denial of them ever judged heresy by the Catholick Church III. That perswasion whereby a believer doth certainly perswade himselfe that he cannot or shall not fall from faith serves not so much for comfort against despair as for to breed security directly contrary to that most wholsome feare wherewith we are commanded to work out our salvation and which is very needful in this place of temptation See Heb. 12. 15. Rom. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 12. 1 Thess 5. 3. Heb. 6. 11. Gal. 6. 1. Phil. 2. 13. 1 Pet 1. 17. Rev. 3. 11. Iob 9. 28. 1 Cor. 9. 27. 1 Cor. 4. 4. IV. He that thinks he may fall from faith and thereupon fears lest he should fall therefrom is neither destitute of needful comfort nor tormented with anxiety of minde He that gives comfort and security upon any other terms doth sow pillows as in Ezek. 13. 18. c. See Ierem. 6. 14. Ezek. 13. 10. It being sufficient for comfort and freedome from anxiety to know that he shall not by any power of Satan sin and the world or any affection and infirmity of his own flesh fall from faith unless himself shall willingly of his own accord yield to temptation and neglect conscionably to work out his salvation See Ioh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. 35. to the end 1 Ioh. 5. 18. Jam. 4. 7. Rom. 6. 16. 2 Pet. 2. 19. This doctrine according to the undeniable consequence thereof will uphold the necessity of an industrious duty and the usefulness of a setled Ministery and the peace of a good Conscience And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. The Postscript to the First part TILENUS Thinks fit to give this further account of his design in the foregoing papers He resolved at first onely to give the true state of the questions and nakedly
into example when we speak of Gods ordinary external intercourse with sinners inviting and calling them to repent believe and obey the Gospel upon promise of life and peril of damnation For 1. This would make the divine call not only a continual temptation which is absurd enough but also ridiculous for this would not be such a temptation as that which occurs in Abrahams example wherein the duty commanded was not only possible to be performed but was also actually performed so far forth that God declared his own satisfaction in it by a voice from Heaven But according to the doctrin of those men we oppose God is supposed to be alwayes tempting and trying whether that will come to pass which is altogether impossible to come to pass that is he tempts and tries again and again whether the reprobate will believe and convert that is whether he will do that which Gods own decree hath rendred impossible for him to do Which is as if one should be very sollicitous to make an experiment whether the blinde would see or the dead walk 2. This would make Gods calling of Reprobates which is done by his signant will alone as they say not only an act of hypocrisie in seeming to wish them well by desiring their repentance and salvation when his beneplacent will hath decreed otherwise but also an act of cruelty because by this calling God is not only the occasion or cause of their infidelitie and disobedience it being impossible for reprobates to answer that call but of their greater punishment likewise into which they do necessarily fall for that their necessary and unavoidable infidelitie From which it follows 3. That that will whereby God wills not to give to reprobates sufficient grace to inable them to repent and believe much less irresistible grace that actually they must do so should not be Voluntas beneplaciti but rather Maleplaciti a will of displeasure rather then of good pleasure because it is an affection of the greatest hatred and aversation where as notwithstanding Gods calling unto faith and to salvation which is done by the word is declared to be an act of his good pleasure and grace Ephes 1. 9. 2 Thes 1. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. and an evidence of his compassion and love as may easily be collected out of Holy Scripture 2 Chron. 36. 15. Rom. 1. 7. Hos 9. 15. Lastly according to the doctrin of that distinction and those men that make use of it the whole revelation and ministery of the Gospel goes for no more but voluntas signi the will of God to give out such a thing for a signe only when indeed it is the will of Gods beneplaciture and is expresly so called as shall appear in the second particular wherein Tilenus offers the Reader satisfaction which is about the sense of another text perversly cited by him above upon another occasion Maccovius Colleg. de Predest disp 2. to prove that God would not have all men to be saved no not voluntate signi contrary to the most express grammatical sense of Scripture 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. he saith voluntas signi non est propriè dicta voluntas sed est verbum Dei that which is revealed and signified in holy Scripture to be the minde of God is not his will properly so called but it is the word of God as if it were consistent with his sacred veracitie to utter something disagreeable to his own will and he affirms further disp 5. that God doth not will that is not delight in or approve of any thing but what he doth effect and this he indeavours to prove out of Psal 115. 3. a paralel place to which we have Psalm 135. 6. against which doctrin these 2. assertions are clear 1. That Gods word or his command revealed in holy Scripture is his will properly so called John 6. 38 39 40. I came down from Heaven to do the will of him that sent me and this is the will of him that sent me Rom. 2. 18. Thou art called a Jew and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will being instructed out of the law 1 Thes 4. 3. This is the will of God even your sanctification Mat. 7. 21. But he that doth the will of my father c. See Mat. 12. 50. John 7. 17. chap. 9. 31. Heb. 13. 21. 1 John 2. 17. 'T is that which is right in the eyes of the Lord. Deut. 6. 17 18. Heb. 13. 21. 'T is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2. And if it be not so how can we be assured that we do please him and are acceptable in his sight when we walk according to this rule 2. This will of God is not alwayes done but many times the contrary Isa 65. 12. chap. 66. 4. When I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not hear but did evil before mine eyes and did chuse that wherein I delighted not So Ier. 19. 5. chap. 32. 35. They have built also the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal which I commanded not nor spake it neither came it into my minde Now to come to those passages of the Plalmist when he saith The Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him it cannot be understood of mans work whether we mean his sin or his duty 1. Not of his sin for that cannot be said to please God For he is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness Psal 5. 4. And therefore most of our adversaries are ashamed directly to attribute the effecting thereof unto God Nor yet 2. Can it be understood of mans duty for that pleaseth God not as it is opus operatum Isa 1 12. c. but as it is a duty and a duty it cannot be if it be Gods doing for a duty is a work performed by an inferiour in obedience to the command of his superiour who hath authoritie over him and consequently mans duty cannot be a work of Gods only doing besides he that commands a thing he would have that thing which he commands to be done by him to whom he doth command it but he that does that thing supposed to be under command himself he wills not that it be done by another otherwise he should at the same time both will and nill it to be done by that other The Psalmist therefore is to be understood not of the things which the Lord would have done in a way of duty by others nor yet of such things as he promises to perform himself upon condition of mans obedience which through default hereof many times are not accomplished as Numb 14. 30. 1 Sam. 2. 30. but of all things which he intends absolutely to execute and bring to pass himself as Psal 33. 9. and so we may observe that his power in these works is opposed to the impotencie of Idols who are able to do just nothing see those two Psalms throughout