obserued that the Apostle speaking of reprobates doth say that they are vessels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitted or prepared to destruction He doth not say that God prepared or sitted them least he should seeme to say that God put sinne in them by which they might be prepared to destruction but when he speaketh of the elect hauing turned his speech saith that God prepared them for glory which God doth by giuing them the spirit and faith It is not without consideration that the Apostle would not after the same manner speake in both places viz. because God found some vessels fitted to destruction but made others vessels appointed to glory and that by hauing mercy on them X. Saint Austen is expresse to this purpose For in sixe hundred places either explaning or touching this place of Saint Paul hee doth vnderstand by the name Masse the Masse corrupted and polluted with sinne So Epist 105. Because that whole Masse is iustly condemned iustice hath giuen that contumely and disgrace that is due and grace doth giue that honour which is not due and in the same Epistle The vniuersall Masse is iustly condemned of sinne and a little after If they are the vessels of wrath which are made for that destruction which is duâ—ly giuen to them let them impute this to themselues because they are made of that Masse which for the sinne of one man is iustly and deseruedly condemned of God He doth repeate the same thing Epist 106. and Encherid cap. 98 99. and 107. where he calleth it the Masse of destruction See also the 2. lib. against the two Epistles of the Pelagians cap. 7. and lib. 5. against Iulian cap. 3. Neither did euer any among the ancient thinke that Paul speakes of the sound and not corrupted Masse CHAP. XV. That Arminius doth willingly darken the words of the Apostle which are cleare and expresse ARminius with a carefull subtilty but with an vnhappy successe hath written a Treatise vpon the ninth Chapter to the Romanes for hee doth torment the Apostle and doth as it were with wracks draw from him against his will what things he thinks may make for the patronage of his errour of Election for faith fore-seene I. He faines that the Apostles minde is to teach that they onely of the Iewes were to be reckoned the sonnes of Abraham who letting passe iustification by the law doe follow after righteousnesse and faith and the purpose according to Election hee denyeth to be the decree of the election of seuerall men but the generall and condition all decree of sauing all who were to beleeue By which decree Arminius will haue all men to be elected conditionally which surely is no election seeing election is not but of seueral men who are chosen out of the multitude others being reiected II. I confesse indeede that the doctrine of election by free grace doth make the way to the doctrine of righteousnesse by faith yet all this dispute of Saint Paul concerning election which reacheth from the sixt verse to the thirteenth doth not deale of iustification by faith neither would the Apostle proue in this place that man is iustified by faith or that God doth elect those which apprehend Christ by faith But by the doctrine of election doth frame to himself an entrance to the treatise of iustification by faith which afterwards he addes Hee would here proue this one thing that man is not truely the sonne of the promise by the workes of the law but by the election of free grace and by the mercy of God for it is manifest that here workes are not opposed to faith but to election and to God calling So Verse the 11. he doth not say not by workes but by faith but he saith not by workes but by him that calleth So Verse 16. when he had said It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth hee doth not adde but of him that beleeueth What then but of God that sheweth mercy III. For when it is spoken of the cause why of two that are equally conceiued in sinne such as were Esau and Iacob God should preferre the one afore the other the onely mercy of God and the election by grace is to be considered and not faith which is not the cause but the effect of our election neither doth it goe before election but followeth it So Saint Paul 1 Cor. 7.25 saith that he obtained mercy from God to be faithfull and not because he was after to be so Wherefore Saint Paul in all this speech wherein hee speaks of the cause of the difference which God makes betweene two that were by nature alike makes no mention of faith But this Treatise being finished he doth descend verse 30. to the righteousnesse of faith as to the fruit which doth follow election IV. But Arminius for the safegard of his cause doth change the words of Saint Paul and doth thrust in something of his owne Pag. 27. For in the place of that which Saint Paul saith not of workes but of him that calleth he doth substitute these his words feigned by himselfe not of worke but of faith whereby God calling should be obeyed when notwithstanding in all that disputation which dealeth concerning election there is no mention made of faith neither doth the least steppe thereof appeare V. It is meruailous how much Arminius doth abuse the examples of Isaac and Ishmael and also of Iacob and Esau He doth contend that they are here propounded not as examples but as types of them who followed after righteousnesse by workes not by faith Certainely there must be some agreement betweene the type and the thing signified by the type But who euer heard it said that Ishmael would haue beene iustified by the workes of the Law and not by faith seeing at that time the law was not giuen neither were these differences of iustification by the law and by faith knowne neither is it credible that Ishmael euer thought of or regarded these things Therefore Arminius doth as much as if Nimrod should be made a type of the Pharisaicall righteousnesse Can the night be a type of the light or can Esau whom the Apostle Heb. 12.16 calleth prophane and therefore also a despiser of the Law be a type of them who being set on fire with the zeale of the Law would be iustified by their workes But it is worth the labour to here why he would haue Esau be a type of the sonnes of the flesh and of them which affâ—ct rightâ—ousnesse by workes Because saith he he was first borne O acutely spoken He should haue said because he was red or because he was a hunter I am ashamed to refute these things and yet in these figments and forgeries the good man doth place the chiefe safegard of his doctrine of election for faith fore-seene VI. Then also see how licentiously he mookes the Apostle For when he layeth downe Ishmael and Esau not as examples of reâ—ection by the secret counseâ—l of God
vertue and not saluation it selfe Then also Paul expounds how wee are holy to wit in charity nor in the fruition and enioying of glory He vnderstands the dueties of charity which are exercised in this life vnto which to be exhorted after this life is needelesse Finally by their so various and diuers expositions which ouerthrow one another they doe sufficiently confesse that they haue nothing wherein they may be constant And because they cannot master vs by the weight of their expositions they endeauour to ouerwhelme vs by the multitude of them It is of small importance that from this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is blamelesse they gather that it is spoken of the perfection after this life For the Apostle will haue vs to be blamelesse euen in this life as Philippians 2.15 Where he commands vs to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse and harmelesse in the midst of a crooked and peruerse generation Certainly when the Apostle saith that we might be blamelesse in charity it is manifest that he doth not speake of the Saints enioying glory where there is no place for reprehension nor for exhortation to the duties of charitie There is no little force in the following verse He predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Out of this place I thus reason Those whom God predestinated to adoption he hath predestinated also to the spirit of adoption to be giuen them and this is nothing else but to predestinate them to faith for the spirit of adoption is it that beareth witnesse in our hearts that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. and this testimony is faith it selfe It is true indeede that God appointeth no man to adoption but whom God considereth as one that by his gift will be faithfull but the same may also be said of those that are appointed to faith which is appointed to none but whom God considereth as one that will be faithfull And surely they are grosely deceiued who thinke that the faithfull are appointed to the adoption of children seeing in that they are faithfull they are already children This Saint Iohn teacheth chapter 1. To them that beleeued he gaue this prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God II. Agreeable to this place are also many other 1 Cor. 7.25 I haue obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull not because he considered me as already faithfull Iohn 15.16 I haue chosen you that you should bring forth fruit therefore he did not choose vs considered as already faithfull and therefore as already bearing fruit Should wee imagine that Christ speakes here onely of the election of the Apostles to their Apostleship I thinke there is none of so impudent a face who can deny that the same thing may be spoken of any of the elect whereof there is none whom God hath not elected that hee might be godly and good euen as also there is no man who is not of a shamelesse countenance who will deny that all the following documents and lessons doe belong to all the faithfull These things I commend you that you loue one another If the world hate you you know that it hath hated me firsh c. III. Not vnlike this is that which the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to saluation by sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth He saith that we are elected to obtaine saluation by faith not for faith and so faith is after election and a certaine medium or middle thing betweene election and saluation IV. The words of Ananias to S. Paul Act 22.14 are consonant to this God hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will by which knowledge faith and assent to the Gospell is vnderstood for Saint Paul was not elected more to know the Gospell then to beleeue the Gospell Paul therefore was elected to beieeue and so his election was before his faith V. The same Apostle 1 Thessa 1.3 praising the faith and charitie of the Thessalonians doth fetch the cause of these vertues from election it selfe Remembring without ceasing your worke of faith and labour of lone as knowing that you are elected of God Here the Arminians doe willingly stumble in a plaine way for by Election they will haue Calling to be vnderstood which if it be true the reprobates themselues will be elected as being also called Then also Saint Paul is deluded as if hee were not in his right minde For what neede Paul tell the Thessalonians that he knew they were called by the Gospell seeing Saint Paul himselfe preached the Gospell to them He were a ridiculous Grammarian who should tell his Schollers that he had taught I know you haue learned Grammer Arnoldus pag. 66. doth suspect that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing is to be referred to the Thessalonians themselues But the good man hath dealt too negligently here for he doth not see that by this meanes the Greeke speech would be made incongruous and not agreeing for then it must haue beene read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it might agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the former verse But distrusting this exposition he hath smelt out that by the word election excellency ought to be vnderstood which truely is an intollerable license seeing election differeth from excellency by the whole praedicament for election is an action excellency is a quality or a relation Surely if it be lawfull to bring such portents and monsters of interpretation what will there be in the holy Scripture which may not be deluded or depraued Let Arnoldus bring another place where Excellency is vnderstood by the word Election For although he that is elected may be taken for him that excelleth yet you shall neuer finde Election to be so taken for Excellency Neither ought it to seeme a maruaile that Paul saith he knew of the election of the Thessalonians for God might reueile that to him concerning the Tessalonians which he reuealed concerning the Corinthians Acts 18.10 I haue much people in this citie Or if that doth not please it may be said that Saint Paul when he saw the Gospell receiued by the Thessalonians with very great ioy and much fruite easily perswaded himselfe that many of that people belonged to the election of God VI. The same Apostle in the beginning of his Epistle to Titus calleth himselfe the Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect It is plaine that faith is said to be of the elect because it is peculiar to the elect or else it were not rightly adorned with this elogy commendation and that by the confession of Vorstius himselfe Collat. cum piscat Sect. 118. Faith saith hee is called the faith of the elect of God Titus 1. because faith is a proper marke of the elect c. But why is faith peculiar to the elect is it because as many as haue true faith are elected by God But the Arminians deny this for they write of the Apostasie of the Saints
can be vnderstood those which first gaue themselues to Christ for this were not to giue themselues to the sonne but to be willing that the sonne should receiue them comming to him He indeede receiueth those that come but they therfore come because Christ draweth them as he himselfe saith verse 44. No man can come to me vnlesse the father that sent me draw him The Arminian conferrers at the Hage pag. 87. doe suspect that by those that are giuen to the sonne are to be vnderstood not the faithfull but those that are giuen to beleeue But seeing the Arminians are of opinion that the reprobates also are giuen to beleeue and that God doth seriously intend their faith and saluation they should be falsely said that they were to come to Christ that is that they wil beleeue as many as are giuen him to beleeue The very words of Christ doe affirme and common sense doe conuince this that by those that are giuen to Christ are vnderstood his flocke and therefore the elect for as much as those that are giuen to Christ are here seuered from those that are not giuen II. Iohn 8.47 Ye therefore heare not because ye are not of God They therefore which heare and beleeue doe therefore heare and beleeue because they are of God and to be of God what is it else then to belong to God As on the contrary part verse 44. they are said to be of the diuell who belong to the diuell Seeing then that Christ himselfe doth witnesse that therefore some men beleeue because they belong to God who doth not see that it must needes be that they first belong to God before they beleeue for as much as to belong to God is the cause why they beleeue III. Nor is there lesse force in the words of Christ Iohn 10.26 Yee beleeue not because yee are not of my sheepe They then who beleeue doe therefore beleeue because they are of the sheepe of Christ Not according to Arminius who would therefore haue them to be of the sheepe of Christ because they beleeue It pleaseth the Arminians to haue the faithfull vnderstood by the sheepe of Christ and I doe not deny but that the sheepe of Christ are they which beleeue but I deny that the word sheepe can be so taken in this place For so an vnsauory tantalogy and vaine repetition should be put vpon Christ ye beleeue not because ye beleeue not This is a declaration of it that a little before he called those also his sheepe which were not yet conuerted Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fould them also I must bring and they shall heare my voice IV. So Iohn 17.6 I haue manifested thy name vnto them which thou gauest me Therefore first they were giuen before Christ declared to them the name of God by which declaration they receiued faith The Arminian conferrers at the Hage pag. 87. thinke that it is here spoken of the Apostles who did already beleeue but they proue nothing by it for this being granted yet that stands which I maintaine that the Apostles were first giuen to Christ before he had declared himselfe to them But that it is not here spoke of the Apostles alone Christ himselfe doth expresly witnesse verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on me through their word And seeing that ver 9. they are opposed to the world it appeares that these things are to be extended to all the faithfull Vnlesse perhaps the Schoole and followers of Arminius doe thinke that the Apostles alone are they that are not of the world and that they alone are exempted from the curse of the world Furthermore seeing there is no part of the Scripture which doth bring more comfort nor doth more vphold our faith striuing with temptations then this diuine and large prayer of Christ because the petitions of Christ making intercession for vs are so many secret promises and declarations of the good will of the father which doth alwaies agree with the petition of the sonne let the Arminians see with what spirit they are led and why with so great diligence they endeauour to defraud vs of that comfort which is certainely taken from vs if this Prayer of Christ doth intercede for the Apostles alone and if the Apostles onely be meant by those that are giuen vnto Christ CHAP. XXI The same is proued out of the eight and ninth and the eleuenth Chapter to the Romanes SAint Paul in the eight to the Romanes treating of Predestination doth easily driue away all the cloudes of errour His words are these Verse 28.29.30 We know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them that are called according to his purpose For whom he did fore-know them also he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Sonne that he might be first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified I. First of all that speech offers it selfe that we are predestinated that we might be made conformable to the image of Christ And seeing this conformity in this life is by faith and charity it is plaine by the Apostle that wee are iustified to faith and not for faith I know indeede that Christ himselfe had not faith as faith is taken in the Gospell but seeing that the conformity of the faithfull with Christ is placed in charity righteousnesse and holinesse and these are the effects of faith which doth worke by charity he that saith we are predestinated to charity and righteousnesse doth also say that we are predestinated to faith which doth effect and worke all those things no otherwise then hee who is appointed to goe and to breath is appointed also to life II. What say the Arminians here Why they by conformity with Christ vnderstand the crosse and afflictions for Christ But the following words disproue that that he might be first borne among many brethren For Christ is the first begotten of the sonnes of God as for other causes so also because hee being more liberally furnished with the gifts of the holy Ghost is an example of righteousnesse and holinesse being annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal 45. euen as the first borne receiue more of their fathers goods But that he should be called the first borne for the crosse and for afflictions is a thing new and insolent and that which reason abhorreth Also it is certaine that that which Saint Paul speaketh of doth belong to all the faithfull For he addeth whom he did predestinate them also be called whom he called them also he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified Glorification iustification calling predestination are the foure linkes of that chaine belonging to the conformity vnto the image of Christ and they are so interlaced enfolded that by no meanes they can be pulled
asunder For all that are glorified are iustified all that are iustified are called by that effectuall calling which is peculiar to the elect all that are so called are appointed that they should be conformable to the image of Christ Let the sectaries tell me whether glorification iustification and calling doe not belong to all the elect For Arminius while he doth restraine this conformity to afflictions he maketh many elect that are not conformable to Christ because many of the seruants of God euen of the best haue had peace without interruption and quietnesse with honour Doe the Arminians wipe themselues out of the number of the elect who in the height of peace forgetfull of the crosse of Christ haue moued this sinke pernicious and deadly to themselues and to the Church I am not ignorant that these things are spoken by the Apostle to the comfort of the afflicted to whom all things turne to good But what lets that hee should not comfort them by those lessons which might belong to all So the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2. when hee had commanded seruants to be subiect to their masters not onely if they were good but also if they were euill and rough a little after he doth exhort them to patience by those instructions which are common to all Christians admonishing them that it is pleasing to God if any of them endure troubles for conscience sake that Christ being innocent therfore suffered that he might leaue vs an example that we might walke in his steppes And it is no doubt but that these that are here said to be predestinated to conformity vnto the image of Christ are the same with those who in the same place he saith are called by the purpose of God But they that are afflicted for Christ are not onely called but also all the elect among whom there are many that are free from persecutions III. Especially obserue that Saint Paul here doth speake of the election of particular persons those whom he Predestinated and those whom he glorifyed for but some and that a few are glorified These Innouators will haue the election of particular persons to be after calling and they will haue them to be elected whom God fore-seeth will follow him calling and they make election to rest vpon this foreseeing But Saint Paul here maketh election to be before calling when hee saith Whom he predestinated them also he called whom he called them also he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified For as in order and time iustification is before glorification and calling before iustification so also the predestination of seuerall persons is before calling IV. But it is worth the labour to consider the linkes of that Apostolicall chaine Whom he predestinated he called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified Doe not you see how we are predestinated to our calling and by our calling to iustification And seeing that we are iustified by Faith it followeth that we are predestinated to Faith For how can he be predestinated to iustification by Faith who is not predestinated to Faith These things strike at the life V. I let passe that the Arminians doe ouerturne those words of S. Paul whom he iustified them also he glorified while they affirme that many are iustified who are reprobates This they cleerely shew in their Epistle against the Walachrians Pag 40. They who beleeue for a time may be said to be iustified whom the euent doth shew to be reprobates VI. In the same chapter v. 16. he saith The spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I demande whether this tesiemony of the spirit be certaine or doubtfull If it be doubtfull the spirit of God is accused of a lie If it be certaine I demand on what foundation doth this certainty rest Doth it rest on the power of free-will Why this is a doubtfull and deceitfull certainty Or is this testimony certaine because it is giuen to none but them whom God hath certainely appointed to saluation Why this is that very thing which we affirme and the Arminians deny VII There is no lesse force in the ninth chapter to the Romanes where the Apostle doth throughly and largely treate of Election and reprobation The scope of the Apostle is to teach that election and saluation is not of the workes of the law but of God calling and hauing mercy and his scope is not as Arminius faines to treate of iustification by faith I will not repeate those things which are spoken chap. 15. where we hauer pressed Arminius torturing the Apostle that he might draw him against his will to the patronage of his cause VIII Thus much the carefull Reader shall obserue that Paul after he hath spoken of the purpose of God according to Election doth presently lay downe Iacob for an example of that Election whom God loued before he had done any good or euil and therefore before he had beleeued for to beleeue is to doe something and so Election went before Faith Yea although to beleeue the Gospell and obey it were not an action yet if election went before the consideration of workes it must needes also goe before the consideration of Faith from which workes doe flow For if Faith should goe before Election God in electing could not consider Faith but as bringing forth workes for otherwise he had considered Faith not as it is but as it is not IX Also that which he saith v. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy were false if God had mercy on men for faith fore-scene For the Arminians doe hold this stedfastly and defend with greatest diligence that God giueth all men power of beleeuing in Christ yea and that he is bound to giue it and how great grace soeuer God may giue to beleeue in act yet it is in the power of mans free will to vse this grace or not to vse it to beleeue or not to beleeue and that that man is elected by God whom he foresaw would beleeue and whom he considereth as already beleeuing According to this doctrine it may rightly be said that saluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth and not onely of God that sheweth mercy But if Paul therefore said that it is not of him that willeth because it is not alone of him that wiâ—leth why shall it not be also lawfull to say that it is not of God that sheweth mercy because it is not alone of him shewing mercy but also of mans free will X. But if to that question whereby it is demanded why God of one and the same Masse hath loued one and hated another why hee had mercy of one and hardned the other it may be answered that it was done because God fore-saw that the one would beleeue and the other would not beleeue Saint Paul ought not to haue blamed the demander and commanded him to be silent seeing the
God crept vpon them and that sometimes they felt some temptations of desparation But as soone as they shooke off that opinion of precise election they were healed of these diseases and their piety grew hot No doubt wee had bid piety and sanctitie of manners farewell if this sect had not rose vp which hath triumphed ouer vices and hath raised vp piety almost dead I doe not search into their manners thus much I say their writings relish of anger and are full of bitternesse But to the purpose I deny that by our doctrine iust occasion of sinning is taken and the raines let loose to intemperance But nothing hath euer beene said so holily nor so truely which may not be drawn to the worser part and be corrupted by a sinister interpretation Saint Paul suffered the same calumny who in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes doth with an opportune prolepsis and timely preuention remoue from himselfe this opinion speaking thus Shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound XXX Wee deny therefore that these things which they imagine doe follow of our doctrine If God hath predestinated any one to faith and repentance he ought not therefore to be lesse carefull how he may please God and yeelde obedience to him For repentance is carefulnesse it selfe They therefore so speake as if they should say that the elect ought to want carefulnesse because God hath predestinated them to carefulnesse XXXI Neither doth the beneficence and bounty of God hinder the vigilancy and watchfulnesse of man So God giueth vs our daily bread and yet by this he doth not hinder our labour He doth in vaine expect from God succours for his life who doth sit idle with his armes a crosse The same God which giueth vs foode exhorts vs to labour for his blessing doth not come vpon sloath but vpon diligence XXXII Furthermore nothing letteth that a man should with lesse diligence follow that labour the euent whereof is determined by the certaine decree of God whether this decree be knowne to vs or whether it be not knowne Christ was not ignorant of the tearme of his life vpon earth and yet did hee auoide the dangers and escaped the hands of the Iewes more then once Ezechias being recouered from his disease knew that he had yet fifteene yeeres to liue in which time it is no doubt but he receiued foode and had care of his health God had reuealed to Paul that none of the passengers that were in the same ship should be drowned and yet for all that he exhorted the Saylors to labour and commanded them to be kept in the ship who hauing let downe the boate would haue fled The Arminians will not deny but that the euent of their warres was determined by the purpose of God yet they would not thence inferre that it was in vaine to sight couragiously The Scripture doth testifie in many places that God hath set to euery one the limits of his life and that the number of our daies is determined by the purpose of God and yet he is not to be dispraised who sends for the Phisitian in his sicknesse or hee who before the battell puts on armour For the industry of man must serue the decree of God neither is it right that the liberality of God should be a cause of negligence to vs. So the infant moueth it selfe in the wombe and doth it selfe helpe its owne natiuity although that power which it hath of mouing is from God Surely seeing faith and repentance are the meanes to saluation nothing is so contrary to reason as to vse the end for the abolishing of the meanes Wherefore Saint Paul Philip. 2. doth acknowledge that it is receiued from God both to will and to doe and yet in the same place he doth exhort to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling whom wee had rather beleeue then Arnoldus whose words are these Page 273. It seemes to me that the conscience of sinne is altogether extinguished in him who knoweth that he is deliuered from sinne by the absolute and immutable ordinance of God What Was the conscience of Dauid hardned to sinne or did he loose the sence of sinne after that God signified to him by the Prophet Nathan that he had taken away his sinne No he sorroweth and doth grieuously lament his sinne for griefe and repentance doth stick fast in the minde euer after pardon is obtained So Saint Paul 1. Tim. 1. saith that God had mercy on him and yet in the same place he doth detest his sinne XXXIII Wee are to thinke the same thing concerning prayer as concerning the labour and endeauour of good workes For we doe rightly and piously aske of God those things which are determined by his certaine purpose For God who hath determined to doe good to vs will giue that good to our prayers and not to sloathfulnesse and security Iosaphat did not in vaine pray before the fight 2. Chro. 20. although he was not ignorant that God had already decreed what should be the euent of the battell The Apostles knew well enough that their sinnes were forgiuen them by God and yet they did daily pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Christ did not doubt of his resurrection and of the obtaining of glory after the combat and yet he did pray by night and went aside into the mountaine to pray XXXIV I let passe that euery man euen the best is obnoxious and subiect to temptations which assailing him he is to flie for the helpe of God least his faith faile or sloathfulnesse and negligence creepe vpon him XXXV Doth not Saint Paul also witnesse Rom. 8. that the holy-Ghost prayeth in vs and doth suggest sighes and prayers whence hee is called by Zacharie the spirit of supplication Zach. 12.10 Which seeing it is the effect of the good pleasure of God and the fruit of election it were a maruaile if election it selfe should keepe vs back from prayer XXXVI And if any man that is elected doth yet doubt of his saluation he hath somewhat to aske of God to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full perswasion and the sustaining of his staggering faith and the increase of charity and zeale and the obtayning of glory and if he be certaine of his saluation hee must aske the increase of this confidence hee must aske perseuerance in faith and good works hee must pray to bee kept backe from sinne to which he feeleth himselfe prone he must pray for the fulfilling of the promises of God he must pray against the temptations of Sathan who although hee cannot ouerthrow the elect yet he doth prick their heele and doth dig into them with his goades XXXVII That is of the same lumpe wherewith Arnoldus from Arminius Pag. 304. doth vpbraide vs. Your doctrine saith he doth make the seruants and Ministers of God sloathfull in their ministery because from thence it followeth that their diligence can profit none but those whom God will absolutely saue and who cannot perish and
or of that loue wherewith he feeles himselfe to be affected Christ doth beate downe all pride in speaking thus to Peter Matth. 16.17 Blessed art thou Symon Bar-Iona for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Chap. 11.25 he doth giue thanks to his father that hee hath hidden these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hath reuealed them to babes VII And especially when it is spoken of the loue of God and of obedience to his commandements the Scripture will haue vs to acknowledge that whatsoeuer is done well by vs is receiued from God We loue God because he hath loued vs first Iohn 4.19 For this is one of the effects of the loue of God towards vs that it doth put into our hearts a loue of him God himselfe thus speaketh Ier. 31. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And Chapter 32. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Moses bringeth this reason as the cause why the Israelites did not repent at the law of God ratified with so many threatnings and confirmed with so many miracles Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not giuen you a heart to perceiue nor eyes to see Let Arminius tell mee whether these men had sufficient power to beleeue or sufficient grace which with the helpe of free-will they might haue rightly vsed if they would Fie on this forgerie And yet was not God the cause of the impenitency and blindnesse of that people For hee that will not heale him that is blinde is not the cause of his blindenesse God did not put this wickednesse in man but he knoweth who they are on whom hee will haue mercy and he hath reason for his actions to enquire into which were not onely rash but also dangerous VIII Saint Paul Galath 3.26 saith That wee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ If therefore it be in the power of mans free-will being helped with grace to beleeue or not to beleeue to vse that grace or not to vse it it must needes also be in the power of free-will helped with grace to effect that we may be the sonnes of God or may not Which is contrary not onely to piety but also to common sence for who euer effected that he was the sonne of his father or who is beholding to himselfe for any part of his generation IX The same Apostle saith Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of him that sheweth mercy By him that willeth and him that runneth hee vnderstandeth him that worketh for the consideration of workes is excluded from the election or as Arminius had rather from the iustification of man that this benefit might be acknowledged to be receiued from the mercy of God alone Arminius offendeth against this rule For by his doctrine the conuersion of a man by faith and therefore both his righteousnesse and saluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth of him that worketh that is of him who by the helpe of his free-will doth vse vniuersall grace well and who doth therefore beleeue because to the helpe of grace hee hath brought the power of free-will by which hee hath obtained Faith For as I haue said the Arminians make the cause of faith to be these two ioyned together to wit grace and free-will to vse which free-will to the obtaining of saith and to the conuerting of himselfe is certainely to will and to runne The Apostle therfore ought to haue said It is of man that willeth and runneth and of God which sheweth mercy that free-will might be ioyned with the mercy of God And if as Saint Austin saith fitly Lib. 1. ad Simplic Quaest 2. It may be said That it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth because conuersion and saluation is not by the free-will of man alone why may it not also be said that it is not of God that sheweth mercy because conuersion is not made by the grace of God alone but also by free-will It skilleth nothing that Saint Austin vsed this argument against Pelagius who denied that we were preuented by grace for it hath the same force against the Semipelagians who ioyne free-will to grace Seeing that Saint Paul doth not say That it is not alone of him that willeth but doth altogether exclude free-will X. Finally this argument hath so tormented Arnoldus Page 445. that he would seeme to yeeld to our part for he saith It is not placed in our will that we should obey the calling of God but this thing it selfe is also from the mercy of God But the scoffing and crafty man is very wary least hee should say somewhat that should hurt his owne cause For when he saith that it is not placed in our will he vnderstandeth alone Therfore he would not say that this is wholy placed in the mercy of God alone but tenderly and with a flouting speech he saith that it is placed in the mercy of God He might yea he ought to say so much of free-will that he might agree to himselfe for he thinketh that it is not placed in the grace of God alone nor in free-will alone XI That man cannot be conuerted vnlesse God conuert him and that the whole praise of our conuersion is due to God Ieremy teacheth Chap. 31. v. 18. Conuert me and I shall be conuerted which is also repeated in the last Chapter of the Lamentations I am ashamed of the weake interpretation of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage who pag. 266. by conuerted would haue corrected to be vnderstood There is nothing so cleare and direct in the holy Scripture which may not be corrupted with a foolish and rash interpretation who hauing but little skill in the Hebrew is ignorant that the Verbe shub signifieth to be turned and not to punish and therefore in the contugation Hiphil it is to cause that one be conuerted and not that he be punished Or who doth not see how ridiculous a thing it were if men bruised with afflictions should pray that they might be still afflicted As if any one that were grieuously whipped should desire moreouer that he might be buffeted But Ieremy expoundeth himselfe and doth teach what it is to be conuerted for he addeth being conuerted I will repent and acknowledge my selfe this indeede is to be conuerted Seeing therefore that men who are already conuerted say Conuert me and I shall be conuerted Ier. 31. Draw me and I will runne Cant. 1. And doe ascribe the progresse and the proceeding of their conuersion to God alone how much more is the beginning of our conuersion to be attributed to God alone For if they that are already willing doe confesse that they owe to God whatsoeuer good they doe and that without his grace they cannot moue a foote further how much more is it to be determined that of being