their Friends being infected no they conclude it contrary to all reason that any good or evill can bee prevented seeing every thing is pre-ordayned of God But wee Christians are taught better things that we should not so foolishly examine the secret Counsells of God as to make them altogether agreeable to our blockish Reason I might enlarge my selfe on this Subject I want not matter to stop the widest mouth among my neighbors but I will draw towards a Conclusion Reader I pray thee seriously consider if both the Supra-lapsarian and the Sub-lapsarian may not meete and sweetly set forth the Mercy and Justice of God the Supra-lapsarians say that in the first Act of Reprobation God doth all for himself only in the second that is Damnation he does all for sin in this last the Supra-lapsarian and the Sub-lapsarian say that God doth the second for Sin I see not why he may not say hee doth the first for Himselfe and so be in that a Supra-lapsarian but foreseene Faith and Works in the first Act of God clashes ex Diametro against the Word of God I know in God there is no first or last prius or posterius but yet for our better understanding wee may conceive the Decrees of Election and Preterition in order of priority antecedent to the permission of sin and therefore much more to the prevision I conceive the Question is not whether God foresaw what Good and Bad would doe who dares doubt of that but whether the Different Actions of Men foreseen caused the Different Decrees of their Election and Preterition indeed it is impossible but that God should see all things at once therefore he could not Predestinate or Reprobate without prevision and permission of sin but even Originall sin alone though foreseene could not bee Cause why Peter was Predestinated and Judas not seeing it was foreseen in both and made both ex aequo Reprobabiles therefore it was Gods will that made a difference and not any Originall sin God determined to permit the Apostasie of Men and Angels to damne some of Men all the Apostate Angells yet God might have Elected Cain or Judas unto Glory without injustice and passed by Peter God forbid we should say the Divine Will was determined and could not doe otherwise yet Cain Judas and Peter were equally guilty of Originall sin Wee grant not that by this absolute Reprobation God Decreeth that Men not Predestinated should unavoydably sinne that so they may certainly be damned but we grant that God foreknoweth persons not elected will voluntarily commit those sinnes for which hee intends to damne them but Negative Reprobation neither procureth nor supposeth any sinne as damnation doth The Decrees of excluding men out of Heaven and tormenting them in Hell are different I say then that even Judas notwithstanding his Reprobation might have been saved had hee not continued voluntarily impenitent if any say he could not yea but I say he would not there was by Gods Act of Reprobation no necessity of coaction imposed on his will And now if any object that the salvation of all were more for Gods glory To this I answer God is not to learne of us what makes most for his Glory hee could have upheld the Angels Adam saved all and every particular but he did not he doth not therefore this absolute Decree to bring but some to salvation and permit others infallibly to fall doth make most for his glory Indeed Alphonsus K. of Castile sayd God might have made his Works and done many things much better then he did but it was Blasphemy take you heed Mr. T. I must not omit how that the 39. Articles agreed upon by the whole Clergie of England anno 1562. for establishing of Consent touching true Religion are flat opposite to these Opinions of our Universalists they are against the 10. Article which sayth That man since the fall of Adam hath no Free Will or Power to doe any thing pleasant and acceptable unto God they are against the 11. Article which saith Justification is not for any of our own works or deservings they are against the 12. Article which sayth Good works are onely fruits of Faith and follow after Justification and by Consequence Election they are against the 17. Article which calls Predestination to life the everlasting Purpose of God wherely before the Foundations of the World were layd he hath constantly Decreed by his Counsell secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour c. So then the Foundation of Predestination to life is the purpose of God and his Counsell not foreseene Faith whereby hee hath constantly Decreed Predestination is immutable to deliver from Curse those only whom he had chosen in Christ hee had no purpose to save all and they are called Vessels made to honour which implies other Vessels made to dishonour If Mr. T. be a Minister then hee might remember that hee once consented to the truth of these Articles Indeed Arminius in his Declaration to the States of Holland and West-Frisland endeavoureth to prove by 20. Arg. That God hath not Decreed absolutely to save certaine particulars And Bertius his Scholar saith This absolute Decree openeth a gate on this side to a dissolute life on that side to desperation They say further That the Opinion of precise Election without respect of foreseene Faith in the Elect overthroneth all Religion But Reader thou mayst remember that these two are much like those Artists that found out the Trade they professed they are not the Children of our Mother both Arminians and our Universalists make a desperate use of this Doctrine but the Doctrine it self is no desperate Doctrine or Doctrine of desperation but of Heavenly consolation as wee read in our 17. Article the words are these The godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feele in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mindes to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirme the Faith of eternall Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God c. They that draw desperate Conclusions because of Gods Decree are condemned in that Article and I am sure our Doctrine of Predestination is a savour of life unto life if it prove a savour of death unto death it is onely to such as pervert the Doctrine of Holy Scriptures to their owne destruction 2. Pet. 3. 16. But the Doctrine of the Arminians and our Vniversalists which makes Gods Election depend upon the Will of man which may totally and finally fall from Grace is a most desperate Doctrine and deprives a Christian of all comfort both in life and
wee are Predestinated according to the Good Pleasure of his Will Eph. 1. 5. But the Condition in their Predestination is fore-seen Faith and Works Tenendum ex Scripturis veram Conversionem praestationemque bonorum operum esse conditiones praerequisitas ante Justificationem That is we hold true Conversion and Good Works to be Conditions required before Justification so saith Arminius in that Epistle before his Discourse on Rom. 7. And Nic. Grevincho is of the same minde he seekes to prove it out of the words of S. Paul I have fought a good fight c. But if Good works be Conditions required before Justification then it follows they are required before Election there is one and the same Cause of both Thus they even out God Almighty from having any hand in his own Decree and put all into the power of foreseen Faith and Workes whereas the Scriptures say that we are not Predestinated for Faith but to Faith and Good Workes as I shall prove afterward The fifth thing in this Decree of theirs is the Foundation that they say is Christ and so do we but in this we differ they call Christ the externall Cause moving God to make this Decree of Election whereas we say the Will of God onely was the Cause why Christ became our Mediator and Redeemer the Mediation or Redemption of Christ was not the Cause of the Will of God Thus the Controtroversie betwixt the Remonstrants or Universallists and the Reformed Protestant Churches about Election was stated at the Synod of Dort The second Thesis of the Remonstrants or such as hold Universall Redemption at the same time which they would have defended against the Reformed was this Proinde Jesus Christus pro omnibus singulis mortâ—us est atque id ita quidem ut omnibus per mortem crucis reconciliationem peccatorum remissionem impetravit ea tamen conditione ut nemo illa peccatorum remissione fruatur praeter hominem fidelem Ames de Redemp pag. 116. That is the Remonstrants or Universalists furthermore affirme that Jesus Christ died for all and every one and that so as he obtayned Reconciliation and Remission of Sins for all but on this Condition that none obtain this Remission or Reconciliation but the Faithfull I might open this Thesis of Redemption as I did that other of Election but it is so plaine I need not the Sum of the Controversie betwixt the Protestant Churches and Remonstrants or as wee call them Universalists came to this or to these three Heads 1. whether by the Death of Christ there was an Impetration which had no Application 2. whether this Impetration did equally belong to All 3. that none had this Impetration of Christ certainly applied or to be applied to them in the Eternall Counsell of God but God had Destinated his Son to death before hee had Destinated any to be saved by his Death and this Grace of Christs Redemption was as it were spread abroad in the ayre indetermined to any every man might catch it that could by Faith These men seem to feign to themselves a Grace as it were some garment hanging in the ayre which every man may put on that will but these be the devices of mans wisedome the holy Scriptures speake otherwise Pet. Mart. part 3. pag. 51. as translated by Ant. Marten These things the Remonstrants or Universalists affirmed and all these the Reformed Protestant party denied Now from these Opinions that Predestination was not the Decree of God to Elect some and passe by others that God had certainly Elected none but upon Condition That Christ died for all and every one c. I say from these Absurdities it followes Absurd 1. First that God would have All men that is every particular man to be saved contrary to the Scriptures for if God will have all to be saved wherefore are they not saved Will God have all to be saved and can he not have his Will This Opinion is against the Omnipotency of God by it Gods absolute Will the Will of his good Pleasure may be defeated and not accomplished which is a desperate shift contrary to the truth flat opposite to the word of God which saith our God hath done whatsoever pleased him in Heaven and Earth Psal 135. 6. who hath resisted his Will Rom. 9. 19. God is in one minde who can turn him and what his soule desireth that he doth Job 23. 13. Indeed the Declarative or Revealed Will of God is not alwaies fulfilled but his Absolute Will and Good Pleasure is alwaies fullfilled a Christian Catechised in the Principles of Religion cannot make the Impotency of mans will to prevaile against the Omnipotency of God or conceive his purpose may be disappointed or his Absolute Will frustrated by any thing in us Absurd 2. Secondly it follows from these Opinions that there is an Universall Election of all and every man a witlesse conceit for if all men Universally be appointed to Grace then there is no Election or Choosing of some he cannot be said to Elect that Chooseth all and if onely some bee appointed to Grace as it must needs be in Election then is not Grace Universall it is flat against the word of God for Christ avoucheth plainly that fewer are chosen then called Mat. 22. 14. He saith moreover that all which are given him shall be one with him and have life everlasting John 17. 2. 11. But all men shall not be one with him and have life everlasting therefore all are not given to Christ of God the Father all mens names are not written in the Booke of life Apoc. 20. 15. the Kingdome of Heaven is not prepared for all Mat. 25. 35. Christ never knew some Mat. 7. 23. And whereas they build Universall Election upon the largenesse of the Promise if they believe upon the like ground they may as well make an Universall Decree of Reprobation whereby God Decrees all men to bee damned indefinitely if they doe not believe Absurd 3. Thirdly it followes that there is an Universall Vocation for Universall Grace hath these three parts Universall Election Universall Redemption and Universall Vocation which is quite opposite to the word of God for from the Creation till Christ one part of the world was a People and received into the Covenant the other and that the greatest part of the world was no People and out of the Covenant The Church at first was shut up in the Families of the Patriarchs and in the Family of Abraham it was entailde on Isaac the world afterward was divided into the Jew a Church and the Gentile no Church till the comming of Christ therefore it is that the Prophet Isaiah called the Gentiles Prisoners Isa 49. 9. Hosea calls the Gentiles a People that had obtained no mercy at all Hos 2. 23. Peter saith that in times past the Gentiles were not esteemed a People 1 Pet. 2. 10. Christ denied the woman of Canaan the Request for her Daughter upon this distinction
his life time ignorant of Christ Ad salutis donum omnes homines Universaliter vocari sive per Naturalem sive per Legem scriptam sive per Evangelicam praedicationem All men Universally are called to salvation either by Nature by the Law written or by the preaching of the Gospel so Pelagius Prospers Epist to August Com. 7. And August contra Julian Pelag. lib. 3. Cap. 3. saith thus Deus totumne mundum Redemit Ecce videmus homines in peccatis suis vivere quomodo putabimus Redemptos quos permanere videmus Captivos redimuntur sed non liberantur haec sunt Sententiarum portenta vestrarum haec inopinata mysteria dogmatum novorum haec Paradoxa Pelagianorum Haereticorum That is hath God Redeemed the whole world Behold we see men live still in their sinnes how can we think them to be Redeemed that continue still Captive they are Redeemed out of Prison and yet they are in Prison these are your monstrous imaginations these are your idle mysterious conceits these are the Paradoxes of Pelagian Hereticks If any man list to see these Opinions proved Pelagianisme let him read Perkins Tom. 1. against Universall Grace and his whole Tractate of Gods Free Grace and Mans Free Will Doctor Davenant his whole Book set out after the Councell of Dort Doctor White his Way and Defence of the Way Doctor Twisse Doctor Willeâ— Calvin Beza Pet. Martyr and all the Divines of the Reformed Churches that writ of this Subject If any object this and that particular man among the Protestants were of a contrary Opinion I answer so they might and yet I may plead the Protestant Churches from this generall Rule there may be two or three Exceptions or William Lilly is out and so is the whole Word And that these Opinions are plain Papistry see Perkins Tom. 1. pa. 98. he reckons up sixteene Errors of the Papists about Predestination and they and our Universalists agree in almost all of them In Doctor Whites Way and Defence the maine Controversies betwixt him and the Jesuits are concerning Universall Redemption whether God will have all men to be saved falling away from Grace certainty of Grace and salvation foreseene Faith and Works Free-will whether God have determined all men good and evill to certaine Ends and the Jesuites Arminians and our Universalists agree in all these Opinions Sure none is so ignorant but if he know any thing he knows Universall Redemption was the very top of the Arminian Tenets at the Councell of Dort it is an Article of the Arminians Faith the cooperation of Mans Free will with Grace in the first Conversion and the power it hath to hinder and frustrate the worke of Regenerating Grace totall and finall falling away from the Grace of Justification these and the like were the Doctrines of Pelagians and Arminians and they are the subject of every Sermon among our Universalists all the Churches of Lower Germany made a complaint to King James against the Armimans and yet such Offenders finde a Sanctuary among our Universalists Therefore I conclude thus If Universall Redemption was the old Heresie of the Pelagians if it be reckoned up among the grossest Opinions of the Papists and agrees in all things with the Arminians then it ought not to be defended or Preached by us Protestants but Universall Redemption was the old Heresie of the Pâ—lagians is reputed among the gressest Opinions of the Papists and agrees in all things with Arminians therefore it ought not to bee defended or Preached by us Protestants The like Argument I may use against all those that defend Universall Election Universall Vocation Foreseene Faith and Works falling away from Grace Free Will c. All these are mong the grossest Opinions of Pelagians Papists Arminians Ergo If these Opinions were truth then no marvell if men run so fast as we see they doe run for what a brave thing is it that God will have all men to bee saved in their sense what a comfortable Doctrine that Grace shall be offered to every one effectually whether he be of the Church or not at one time or other wheresoever or howsoever he live Christ died for all and there will be an offerture of peace on Gods part which is in mans power to accept when he pleases No wonder if men live as they list and doe as wee see they doe this doore being opened to all impieties for yet there is a time say they when Grace shall bee offered effectually to All. Let mee urge a few Arguments in forme not so much against my Adversaries that can say nothing but because I know there are in other Places that are able to say something And first against Universall Redemption I reason thus Arg. 1. To whom Christ was a Redeemer for them he was an Intercessor these two Offices of Christ ought not to be disjoined but Christ was not an Intercessor for all and every one I pray for them I pray not for the World John 17. 9. therefore it followes hee Redeemed not all and every one they cannot bring one place of Scripture to prove he prayed for all and yet to pray for all was far short of powring forth his Bloud Arg. 2 If Christ died for all and every one then hee rose againe ascended and sitteth at his Fathers right hand for all and every one but sure they are afraid to say the last therefore they may be ashamed to say the first disjoyne these Offices in Christ his Death Resurrection Ascension sitting at the right hand of God and they make Christ but halfe a Saviour conjoyne them and by their Opinion it is impossible but all men must be saved if Christ as he died so he rose againe ascended and sitteth at his Fathers right hand for all Arg. 3. Christ was a Lambe slaine from the begining of the world from thence I reason thus if Christ died for all and every one then he died for Caine Esau Pharaoh wicked Jeroboam Antiochus Epiphanes then rayling Rabshakey had his part in Christ Julian the Apostata and also Judas and all that were damned yea and Divells in Hell many thousand yeares before hee suffered death but sure Christians cannot say this I wonder therfore any Christian can say that did hee actually shed his bloud in the last Age of the World for them that were damned in Hell in the first Age of the World Whether is this more ridiculous or impious Arg. 4. If Christ died obteyned Remission of sinnes and Reconciliation with God for all then none are borne the sonnes of wrath by nature or are obnoxious to death and condemnation for Originall sinne all are borne in the state of Grace but the Scripture saith we are by nature the sonnes of wrath and they dare not say that we are borne in the state of Grace then how can they say that Christ obtained Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God for all Arg. 5. If Christ redeemed all and every particular man then God wills
it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to Dogs Mat. 15. 26. If any object that the Gentiles fell away from the Covenant I answer grant that of the Fathers yet their Children never heard of the Covenant therefore it is that the Prophet Isaiah saith of the Gentiles that neither God knew them nor did they know God Isay 55. 5. Universalist I pray thee speake in earnest how could the Americans Canibals and other Savadges have any Call No Pelagian it is not Nature No Semi-Pelagian it is not Grace and Nature we cannot so much as thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. I conclude hence no Universall Call Absurd 4. Fourthly it followes from this Opinion of Universall Redemption c. that God is all Mercy and nothing else whereas the soveraigne end of all Gods Actions is answerable to his Nature which is not Mercy and Love alone but Justice also and therefore the right End of mans Creation is the manifestation of Gods Glory both in Justice and Mercy search the Scriptures and see if Justice also be not an Attribute of our God Absurd 5. Fiftly hence it followes that Predestination is for fore-seene Faith and Workes unlesse Gods Prescience discover something his Predestination Decrees nothing but after the fore-sight of Faith and Perseverance and the former Gift of Predestination to Glory must depend upon a later Gift of Faith quite contrary to the Word of God for either it is Gods will the Elect shall have Grace and the Reprobates no Grace given them or else they believe or not believe of their own Free Will this later is grosse Pelagianisme making Nature the beginning of Grace and if the former be granted that God fore-sees no Grace but what himselfe Predestinates to give nor no sin but what upon the witholding of his Grace the Reprobate will freely worke then it followes that God will and doth give Grace because first he hath elected and will give no Grace because he hath reprobated and there is no cause of either but Gods owne Will no fore-seen Faith or Workes Againe I reason thus the End is alwayes in intention before the Meanes primus intentione ultimus executione but Gods Will to elect men to Glory is the End therefore Gods Will to elect men to Glory goes before his Will to give them Faith and Grace therefore he Elects not after or upon the fore-sight of Faith and Grace therefore before he see Faith or Grace in Jacob which he will give him he purposes to give him Life Eternall But these men will give God their Faith and Good Workes in lieu of their Redemption by Christ against Isay 52. 3. Rom. 11. 35. I know they distinguish 'twixt the Antecedent and Consequent Wil of God Gods Antecedent Will to save every man although considering the sinnes of men he hath a Consequent Will to condemne some But this distinction makes the matter more absurd and salves it not for God is immutable his Will is one as he is one whatsoever he fore saw in any that himselfe purposed to worke if he foresaw Grace and the good use of Free Will in Jacob he purposed to worke it by infusing it what have we that we have not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Every good and every perfect gift is from above James 1. 17. If he foresaw Sinne and the ill use of Free Will in Esau he purposed to worke it also Rom. 9. 13. 18. by witholding Grace and hardening and he not onely purposed to Worke that which he foresaw but to Worke and Effect it as the Means and as a subordinate Second Cause to bring man to the End apoynted from hence it follows that Faith Workes c. are onely Meanes ordained by God to bring us to the End not Causes of our Election I cannot tell how they can avoid the Papists Meritum è congruo and plaine Pelagianisme that maintaine foreseen Faith and Works for thus saith Pelagius Licet non secundum merita bonorum Operum tamensecundum merita bonae voluntatis datur gratia ratio Pelagii est alioqui Deus esset Acceptor personarum si sine ullis praecedentibus meritis cujus vult miseretur That is though Grace bee not given according to the Merit of our Good Workes yet it is given according to the Merit of our Good Will the Reason Pelagius renders is this else God should be a Respecter of Persons if he have mercy on whom he will without regard of foregoing Merits so that they are Cozens not far off if they be not neare Cozens to Papists and Pelagians that defend foreseen Faith and Workes all of them answer one another even as the Eccho doth the Voyce and they will wash away these blots when the Blackmore changeth his skin Pelagius Redivivus is now no newes Absurd 6. Sixtly hence followes Free Will I know they say that Gods Grace must goe along with our Will but this excuse is onely a Vaile or Vizard which hides their Pelagian faces that the ignorant People might not see them so that as Augustine said of the like words used by the Pelagians we would receive them without scruple but that they speak them whose meaning is well enough known unto us Initium Fidei Conversionis desiderium est ex nobis incrementum a Gratia the beginning of Faith and the desire of Conversion is of our selves the increase of Grace Aâ—bitrium est ad hoc liberum ut velit vel nolit admittere medicinam the Will is free to will or nill the admission of the Medicine so say the Pelagians and the Arminians and our Universalists say Gods Grace must go along with our Free Will he hath a good wit that can distinguish betwixt these two I have read of one Melitides a naturall foole who could not tell whether his Mother or his Father brought him forth so these men cannot tell whether God begets them to himselfe or their owne Free Will begets them unto God I say therefore that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free still Gods Will is above ours flowes into it and moves it and yet the Will followes the dictate of its owne Intellect is freed onely from Constraint not from Necessity from which the Will of Angels is not free for they can do no evill they can doe nothing but that which is good And as a man by a device should let Birds flye and yet cause them all to goe to such a place as himselfe would so doth God rule the Will The Spirit of God at first findes nothing in the Will to helpe his Grace in the Conversion of a Sinner First Grace gives life to the dead Will and then the Will being revived becomes an Instrument of God both to apprehend his Grace offered and to worke forward with it but this by the Seede of Grace and New Life that God hath put into it not by the Nature of mans Will and as my Paper whereon I am writing retaines
the Inke passively and brings nothing of its owne to the writing but being written on it becommeth an Instrument with me of the writing so is it in the Will of man at his Conversion It is God only that doth justifie Rom. 8. 33. For it is he onely that forgiveth sins Esa 43. 25. It is he only that can by makeing us righteous in Christ gives us right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven It is no action therefore of our owne or of any Creature neither is it wrought by our owne Preparations and Dispositions For although every man is bound to use all Meanes to attaine to Justification Yet it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. For if God bee the Agent in justifying us then are We the Patients and for that cause we are never in the Scriptures exhorted to justification or to the parts thereof which are not our officia or duties but Gods beneficia or blessings as we are to the duties of sanctification whereunto we being already justified and regenerated doe cooperate with the Spirit of Grace If the Sonne have made us free wee shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 36. We are made free for of our selves we are the servants of sinne Rom. 6. 18. 20. Better is it to ascribe too little then too much to Free Will if I offend be it rather in giving more to Gods Grace Absur 7. Seventhly hence it follows that Predestination is mutable all things being forelaid which are necessary sufficient for perseverance it remaineth still in the power of man to persevere or not to persevere saith Bertius in his Booke of the Apostacy of Saints and he endeavoureth to prove this bold I had almost said blasphemous Assertion by divers Texts of Scripture Non esse hominum alios ad vitam alios ad mortem aut perditionem deputatos sed de salute ad perditionem de perditione ad salutem transire posse there are not any particulars appoynted to life or death but they may passe from either state to the other sayd Pelagius and numerus Electorum potest augeri ac minui the number of the Elect may be lesse or more sayd Gâ—evincho Thes exhibit pag. 137. Then Paul may or may not be saved and whosoever is Predestinated is but contingently Predestinated if he persevere then the Authour to the Hebrewes is out where he saith the Counsell of God is immutable Heb. 6. 17. Then the Papists may say there is no Predestination of the Reprobate they are onely fore-knowne which is true in sano sensu but not in their sence Absurd 8. Eightly hence it followes all men are disposed and ordained of God so as they may obtaine Eternall Life if they will their Predestination being like unto an Hypotheticall Proposition Absurd 9. Ninthly hence follows falling from Grace that the Seale of Gods Election is not sure that some who were given to Christ may be lost Or as if after our Regeneration there were as at our Creation a posse mori we might die from God woe to man if his condition were the same in the second Adam that it was in the first Indeed sides quae creditur may be forsaken but from or a side qua creditur we cannot fall away It is contrary to the sixteenth Article which is against a totall and finall falling from Grace for the Article speakes of falling into sinne after Baptisme and rising againe by the same Grace Now he that falleth finally cannot rise againe and he that falleth totally from Grace cannot rise againe by the Grace he had received because he is supposed to have lost all the Grace he received The Reformed Churches all of them united disclaime the Doctrine of falling from Grace Indeed the Righteousnesse required by the Law may be lost and it is of that the Prophet speakes Ezek. 18. But the Righteousnesse promised by the Gospel cannot be lost Card. Bellarm. himselfe speakes truth sometimes in this particular touching the Apostacy of Saints it is true saith he that the Predestinated or Elected are in no danger of losing Eternall Life and that the terrifying threats used by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures are to this end to stirre up the Elect to watchfulnesse and diligence Lib. 3. de Justif cap. 12. so that Motives they are to and Meanes of Perseverance no Arguments at all to prove the Saints Apostacy Absurd 10. Tenthly hence Justification by God onely is utterly overthrowne even in the Nature of it which signifies justum facere to make just not invenire to finde us just for Justification is the Action of God without us To the Faithfull there belongeth a two fold Righteousnes the one of Justification the other of Sanctification the former is the Righteousnesse of Christ and therefore the Righteousnesse of God because it is the Righteousnesse of him that is God and is imputed onely to the Believer The latter is ours because inherent in us though received from God as all our good things are of this second there is no question and the first being ab extra cannot be from our fore-seene Faith or Workes Absurd 11. Eleventhly hence it followes that God cannot tell who are his till they persevere to the end and therefore Arminius was forced to make the Object of Gods Decree onely qui vixerunt quoties fideles statuimus objectum Electionis toties nos fidem perseverantiam in fide conjungimus saith Grevinchovius Our Register Bookes must first be given in such a man dyed such a day before his name can be written in the Register Booke of God contrary to Act. 9. 15. where Paul is called a chosen Vessell even whilst he was a Persecutor and was going to Damascus with that intent and contrary to Act. 13. 48. where in the first instance of their Conversion it is sayd As many as were ordained to eternall life did believe Absurd 12. Lastly Universall Grace or Universall Redemption was the opinion of that wicked Heretick Pelagius condemned in a Generall Councell held at Malta about the yeare 425. against the Pelagians and Donatists at which Augustine was present and 214. Bishops and at a Counsell in Affrick where all the Provinces came together in the time of Boniface and Celestine Bishops of Rome to condemne Pelagius Prosper in an Epistle which hee writ to Augustine de Reliquiis Pelagianae Haereseos hath these words Hane Pelagianorum definitionem professionemesse Universis hominibus propitiationem quae est in sacramento sanguinis Chriti sine exceptione esse propositam pro Universo humano genere mortuum esse Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum neminem prorsus a Redemptione sanguinâ—s ejus exceptum etiamsi omnem hanc vitam alienissimam ab eo mente pertranseat that is the Pelagians professe that the propitiation into or by the bloud of Christ without exception is common to all that Christ died for all mankinde and none is excepted although he be all
Charity and thus the Ministers may and doe apply Christs death and Redemption to All. There are many Objections of lesser Consequence but why should I teach my Adversaries who are as wilfull as they would be wicked the greatest comfort I have is that if I cannot convert them which I hope yet a vessell can hold no more then it is able to contain I conclude this Poynt therefore with that of Aquinas Christs merit according to the sufficiency thereof carrieth it self indifferently to all but not according to the Efficacy which comes to passe partly by Gods Election through which the effect of Christs merits is mercifully bestowed on some and partly by the just Judgements of Gods withholding his Grace from other some Now to fortifie rivet all this Building by yet more impregnable Reasons I will prove it no cruelty in God to doe with his Creature what he pleaseth that God may elect or reject whom he list and that there is no other cause of Gods Decree of Election but his owne Will The fancies of our Universalists I will confute by these Theses following I assert therefore That Predestination is an eternall Decree of God in time causing effectuall Grace in all those whom he hath chosen and by this effectuall Grace bringing them infallibly to Glory Now this Election or Dilection of some supposeth a passing by of others and a leaving them to their owne selves the cause of both is nothing else but the Will of God The Parts of this Decree are two Election and Reprobation the first Gods absolute Decree of preparing that Grace for some which will preserve them the second Gods absolute Decree of not preparing for others that Grace which would preserve them Now these Decrees are not founded upon any different foreseene Acts of men but upon the alone Will of God which is the most absolute supreame and soveraigne Cause of all things that are having nothing either above it selfe or out of it selfe to be any impulsive Cause to move or incline it Indeed mens Wils are moved and disposed by externall Causes out of themselves because they are to be ruled by Equity and Reason and a mans bare Will without a Reason is nothing but Gods Will is not ruled by another Will or Rule of Reason or Justice but it selfe is an absolute Rule both of Justice and Reason A thing is not first of all reasonable and just and afterward willed by God but it is first of all willed by God and thereupon it becomes reasonable and just Volitiones purè conditionales sunt alienae a sapientia divina Decrees meerly Conditionall agree not with the perfection of the Divine Nature such Volitions or Decrees are for us who have neither Knowledge whether the condition will be performed nor power to worke the condition upon which the future Act of our Will was suspended But in God who knoweth what every man will or will not do and hath power to make men do the good he will these Conditionall Decrees are not purely but mixtly Conditionall that is grounded on some absolute revealed Decree of God to the performance whereof he hath tied himselfe And we ought to observe that Reprobation and Damnation differ exceedingly much Reprobation is a bare passing by Damnation a punishment Ineptè faciunt qui Reprobationis decretum cum Damnatione confundunt cum hujus causa manifestà sit nempe peccatum illius vero sola Dei Voluntas Beza They are very simple that seen ot the difference twixt Reprobation and Damnation Gods Will is Cause of the first sinne of the last Peccatum non est Causa Rejectionis sed est Causa Damnationis Zanchy sinne is not the Cause of Reprobation but of Damnation Reprobation is not a deniall of sufficient Grace but a deniall of such speciall Grace as God knoweth would infallibly bring men to Glory and this Decree doth not shut up any man under a necessity of sinning or of being damned but it permitteth men volunâ—arily and freely to run into damnable sinnes and through their voluntary impenitency to incurre eternall damnation for the Sentence of Damnation lays not hold on men quà non electi sed quà impii not as non-elect but as wicked It is contrary to Gods nature causelesly and cruelly to destroy his creatures but it is not contrary to his nature to decree out of his mercy to bestow Grace and Mercy on some and to Decree out of the liberty of his Will to permit others through their owne voluntary default by abusing the meanes of Grace that is given them to fall into eternal misery he hath mercy on whom he will Exo. 33. 19. If man had been created Wicked or Evill then God had not had just occasion to punish the wickednesse whereof he himselfe was the Authour and Maker but being created good and having given him power to stand hee may justly punish him if he fall From this Decree of Preterition or Reprobation it well followeth Judas is reprobated therefore he will not use the meanes that God offereth for his salvation but it is not a good Consequence to say therefore God hath not given him sufficient meanes or remedies to escape damnation were not his owne wicked Will the onely hinderance These two Propositions may stand together I will that if Judas repent and believe he shall have remission and salvation I will not give unto Judas the gift of Repentance or Faith that he may attaine salvation As it is sencelesse to say Gods Decree of giving Faith to Peter was suspended till Peters Faith and Repentance so it is as sencelesse to say Gods permitting Judas to dye in Unbeliefe and Impenitency was grounded upon his Unbeliefe and Impenitency It 's true the Fathers were sparing in this Poynt till that Monster Pelagianisme was Midwifed into the World and yet Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extra se and the Cause of Predestination is sola Dei Voluntas so sayd all the Fathers and so say the best Reformed Churches for I say the Lutherans are yet defective in their Omnipresence and fore-seene Faith then how can there be any consideration of fore-seene Faith and Workes God goes out of himselfe if he have regard to Faith Perseverance or any thing that is not intrà se is it not non-sence to say the Decree of Predestination is intrà se if God have respect to any thing extra se And if any object that God doth nothing therefore not Reprobate without a Reason I say his Will is Reason sufficient doe we say and pray thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven and yet deny it in Predestination the Psalmist doth prove it true in despite of proud man Our God hath done whatsoever pleased him in Heaven and Earth Psal 135. 6. He did worke and he doth worke all things after the Councell of his owne Will Ephes 1. 5. Rom. 9. 19. Suppose that I with others come for entertainment to such a Gentlemans
house may hee not take them in and refuse to afford me that favour and for no other Reason but because he will not If I should say Sir shew mee a Reason wherefore you reject mee may he not answer it is because he will not accept me must there needs be a quarrell or hee may not So heere must there needs be infidelity evill Workes Originall sinne or some other ill condition in me or else God may not do with his owne as he lift sure none will say so against themselves then how can they suppose it so of God The Master whose Scholers we may nay wee must be Mat. 20. 15. said it was lawfull for him to doe with his owne as hee lifted and may not God have the same leave as that Parable seems to prove Stat pro ratione voluntas is most proper to Almighty God Reprobation by it selfe considered is no punishment therefore it supposeth no fault the name signifieth no more but not to allow of sola voluntas decretum beneplacitum propositum Dei all or any of these cannot stand with the fore-sight of Faith or Infidelity good or evill Workes Indeed God foresees all sinnes Originall and Actuall it were Atheisme to deny it but that any sin Originall or Actuall ought to goe before the first Act of God called Reprobation I utterly deny let them call Faith Infidelity good and evill Workes but Objects Motives Reasons Circumstances considerable in Gods Decree yet if they looke into their Logicke it will let them see that the least of Causes Causa sine quâ non is yet a Cause and God if hee regard any thing but his owne Will in Election or Reprobation must goe extrase to say as they say to salve the Justice of God that he could not Elect without looking on man in massa Corrupta and yet that he did not consider it as any Reason of his Decree is without Reason I know my wise Adversaries the Black-smith or whosoever sent abroad that bable Object against these things and so do the Papists because they will not seeme to play the Fooles without Reason that by this it followes the Freedome of mans Will must perish Gods Glory is obscured saith Mr. T. if he punish necessitated wickednesses The Papists and Pelagians are of this Opinion then a Murtherer saith Pighius when he killeth a man may be excused because he hath executed the Decree of God then all care diligence and endeavour is taken away if our Thoughts Words Deeds be determined of God to such I may answer or aske this Question Can they doe any thing that God hath not decreed They are almost Atheists that say they can then it followes they can doe nothing but it is decreed Let Pet. Mart. answer for me part 3. pa. 6. I wonder saith he speaking of these and other Objections of Pighius that any Divine could let such an old Wifes Talecome out of his mouth Can Judas be excused of his wicked treason against our Saviour because he heard the Lord fore-tell his mischievous designe John 13. 21. So then it is a simple nay it is a sinfull thing to excuse any sinne by the eternall or absolute Decree of God it is his owne Will not the Will of God that the mischiefe-munger or the murtherer regards he cannot doe otherwise nay but aske himselfe and hee 'l say he will not Such as maintaine Gods absolute Decree hold necessity infallibilitatis not coactionis they say that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free as I shewed before and followes the dictate of its owne Intellect to reason thus God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore decreed him to eternall damnation therefore Judas shal infallibly continue impenitent and at length be damned is a true inference but this God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore Judas shall by coaction or compulsion of his Will be made unalterably impenitent and so be damned is a false Conclusion The Agent is yet as free as if God had not foreseene the absolute will of God to worke faith repentance c. in Peter maketh not these actions compulsory but maketh the agent most free for it giveth him that spirit of which the Apostle sayth ubi spiritus ibi libertas true and perfect liberty and Gods Spirit goe both together and e contra non-Election denieth men that Grace which would effectually and infallibly make them produce good Actions but it depriveth them not of their owne naturall freedome neither doth it compell them to evill actions Divina Voluntas non tollit potentiam ad oppositum God hath determined to permit men to faile in attaining eternall life but he is not Authour of their sinnes whereby they incur eternall death In good Actions the Freedome of men Elected is not vaine though the End be determined because God hath determined together with the End that by their free Actions they shall attaine it and in bad their Freedome is not vaine because thereby their Consciences are convinced of their guilt and Gods Justice cleared in their damnation Reprobation and the permission thereto annexed importeth not a witholding of Grace necessary for the avoyding of sinne so permitted much lesse a necessitation of Sinners to their severall sinnes but a witholding of all Grace which would de facto be effectuall to the avoyding of sinne so that sinne flowes not from this 〈◊〉 and Permission as an Effect from the Cause but 〈◊〉 Consequence from the Antecedent necessitate infallibilitatis as the Sunne witholding his Beames causeth not darknesse yet darknesse is a Consequent Neither doth this Preterition or Reprobation imply a substraction of any Graces or helpes obtained but a non-Donation of such Graces without which God foresaw that Reprobates out of their own Free-Will would infallibly perish in their sins Deo Reprobante non irrogatur aliquid quo homo fit deterior sed tantùm non irrogatur quo fiat melior man is not made worser but he is not made better by this Act of Preterition or Reprobation Nay there is not only a bare permissive but there is also an energeticall and operative Will in God conjoyned with the permissive Will and this operative or energeticall Will of God is apparent in these six Circumstances 1. God eternally decreeth and accordingly when sinfull Actions are committed giveth the sinner power and use of Understanding and Free Will without which he could not sinne 2. God thereby eternally decreed to concurre and doth concurre ad materialem actum peccati to the sinne as it is an Action 3. God decreed the Circumstances or Occasions good as from God whereupon he saw the sinner would make evill use and sinne 4. God decreed to deny the Meanes that he knew would have prevented such sinnes and offered onely such as he knew the sinner would abuse to the committing of sinne 5. God limiteth and ordereth their sinnes so that they breake forth in no other measure at no other time upon no other persons then
himselfe hath fore-appoynted 6. God ordereth all these sinnes to his owne Glory and the good of his Elect. For the most sinfull Actions of man tend to the manifestation of Gods Glory either as Acts of mercy to the godly in whom sinne produceth punishment punishment Repentance Repentance Faith Faith the Favour of God and the Favour of God Life and Salvation or as Acts of Justice to the Wicked in whom sinne produceth punishment punishment hardnesse of heart hardnesse of heart incredulity incredulity hatred of God and hatred of God death and destruction All which is manifest in the different effects which sinne produced in godly David and in ungodly Pharoah as for example Davids Murther and Adultery occasioned Reproofes and Corrections from God 2. Sam. 12. Psal 6. Psal 22. These corrections and punishments wrought sorrow and Repentance in Davids heart Psal 5. that Repentance Faith and trust in God Psal 30. Psal 31. Psal 52. Psal 23. That Faith and Trust obtained Love and Favour from God Psal 27. and that Love and Favour an assured hope of Life and Salvation Psal 12. But Pharaohs oppressions provoaked God to send his judgements and plagues upon him these plagues they hardned Pharoahs heart that hardnesse of heart caused incredulity that incredulity the hatred of God and that hatred occasioned Pharaohs ruine and destruction in the red Sea as it is Exod. 14. Yea the goodnesse of God made the very drunkenesse and incest of Lot the incest of Judah the malice of the Jewes the treason of Judas and the injustice of Pilate Meanes of mans salvation yea even Adams Fall the fountaine of sinne and misery in man was by the wisdome of God made a meanes of greater happinesse to the Godly then his perseverance and continuance in Innocency could have been For if life had been given as a reward of our just Workes so the wittiest of the Schoolemen Scotus then our Worke being finite could not have merited an infinite reward the enjoyment whereof but one minute had passed our merit whereas life eternall being now conferred upon the faithfull not by way of Debt but by the Free Grace and Mercy of God this infinite Gift is proportioned not according to the meane merits of the Receiver but according to the goodnesse of God the Giver So that even Sinne it selfe on this manner that I have shewed may be said to be of God Let a man spur forward a lame Horse in that he moveth forward the Rider is Cause but that he halteth he himselfe is the cause When we see the Sun Beames shining through a Glasse the Light is from the Sun the Colour not from the Sun but from the Glasse For talis Actio cum tali defectu is not of God as sinfull Actions have in them formalem rationem peccati and are opposite to the Rule of Gods Law so God neither is nor can be the Causer of them yet is he the Cause of that inward or outward naturall Action wherein this defect of mans Will is found Entitas pravae actionis cadit in Voluntatem Divinam yet man hath not onely potentiam in se liberam but liberum usum potentiae not onely free power but also free use of his power as it appeares in Thieves Adulterers and the like who when there is danger doe not yet after do commit such sins God is no Enforcer in sinfull Actions yet may he be a Decreer or Permitter suffering persōs not elected to fall volūtarily into sins to continue volūtarily in thē to their lives end for thē to undergo endless misery in another life God decreed the permission disposing of sin which he fore-saw upon his permission would be but he did not decree the effecting or Existence of it that it should be it more appertained to Gods Omnipotent Goodnesse to draw good out of evill then not to suffer evill to be And as in bad so also in good Actions God not onely fore-sees that a man will use his Free-Will well but wils and preordaines that he shall use it well It is true that men justified by Gods Predestination by their endeavour and deliberation may be said to determine themselves to good Workes I say after Justification but it is God that moves and makes them thus to determine themselves and doe all these things with a Free Will This is a sure Rule a man doth not that good thing which by Grace he is able to doe unlesse God make him to doe it as he hath made him able to do it if he will Ad perseverantiam in Fide Gratia non opus est nova speciali Gratia sufficit ad hoc vel quod Naturà habemus vel quod semel per Spiritum adepti sumus to perseverance in Faith and Grace there needes no speciall Grace Nature or Grace once received is sufficient for this None have beene so bold to say thus but the old Pelagians and later Semi-Pelagians It is true that Christ saith of sinfull Jerusalem How often would I have gathered thy Children together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens and yee would not Mat. 23. 37. But he willed togather them not Voluntate beneplaciti which cannot be resisted but by his revealed Will using the meanes which might had man not falne have beene effectuall that impotency in our Wills comes not from the Creator but from man that fell from his Creator and the Will is now starke dead as to good Actions untill it be enlivened by God This damnable Doctrine that all men were redeemed by Christ but not made free because God distributeth his gifts according to the carelesnesse of such as came to receive them was an old rotten Heresie buried many hundred yeares since and raised up againe by the Devill to disturbe the peace of the Church in our dayes To drive this nayle any further were needlesse had I Men to deal with but my Adversaries many of them are such Beasts as fought with Paul at Ephesus therefore yet once over againe all this I have sayd shall bee poved both by evident Reasons and out of the Word of God For 1. I say God foresees all Contingent Effects to come in his own determination of the Causes thereof and therefore seeing the Contingent Operation of our Will hee determines it to the Effect 2. Els there should bee two severall beginnings of one and the same Effect in as much as Mans Will should begin to work as soon as God and concur to the Effect willed as principally as God 3. The Will of Man is but Gods Instrument the Hatchet the Hammer whereby God hewes out his own worke but every one that useth any Instrument moves applies and determines it to his own will 4. The Will of Man is but a secondary subordinate Cause under the first Cause which is God and exceeds not the measure of second Causes but if it were not determined by the first Cause it should be all one with the first Cause it selfe Second Causes are alwaies
moved to their Effects by the First and in their operations reduced to the motion of one universall prime Cause that is God Therefore it is the Scriptures say that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to direct his owne steps Jer. 10. 28. It is God that gives a new heart and puts a new spirit in man Jer. 31. 33. God placed the members in mans body and orders them as it pleaseth him 1. Cor. 12. 18. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it as it pleaseth him Prov. 21. 1. He hardened Pharaohs heart Exod. 7. 3. as hard as a stone and he takes away our stony hearts and gives us hearts of flesh he hath done he doth and he will doe what he will The will of God was but fulfilled when Judas did betray Jesus Act. 1. 16. Herod Pontius Pilate and the whole Synagogue of the Jewes did no more then what God had determined to be done Act. 2. 23. and Act. 4. 28. The whole World united can doe nothing but what God will and God is not moved consequently by any thing which he as a superiour Cause moves and determines to the Effect but God himselfe antecedently as a superiour Cause moves and determines the Will of man to the Effect or that which it wils be it good or ill Therefore it follows God is not consequently moved by the good or ill use of the Free Will of man therefore the good use of mans Will foreseen moved not God to Elect him and the evill use of mans Will foreseen was not the Cause that God Reprobated him Therefore God had no Antecedent Will to save the Reprobate if they would by their Free Will receive and use his Grace aright therefore Gods Decree touching the Salvation and Reprobation of men is lastly and finally resolved into his owne pure Will Universalist thou tellest me of the love of God to Man and in that thou tellest me true for if all the World were full of Bookes if all the men in the world were Writers and if all the water in the Sea were Inke yet the Bookes would bee written the Writers weary the Inke spent and yet the Love of God to us poorely expressed but then let me tell thee that this Love of God to man should make a reflection towards this Sun and move man to love God againe and nothing but God and himselfe for this God that loved him when he was nothing submitting himselfe wholy and soly to the Will of God There are foure degrees of Love First a man loves himselfe for his owne sake for he is flesh and so naturally can love nothing but himselfe but when he sees that he cannot subsist without God then necessity compels him but for his owne sake still to flie to God and when he has begun to love God though but for his owne sake and begins withall to taste and see how sweet God is then he loves God no more for his owne sake but for Gods sake and when he has attained to this third step to love God for Gods sake he staies there and strives if it be possible for any man to obtaine this heavenly happynesse heere on Earth to love himselfe onely for Gods sake Thus the true love of God should both begin and end onely in God like a Circle which begins and ends in it selfe Now let Mr. T. take heed how hee preach against this absolute Will and Power in God and plead his owne Faith and Workes lest God at length be avenged on him God hath leaden heeles but iron hands he seemes to winke with his eyes but it is as Gunners use that they may hit surer when they shoot Origen in his second Booke against Celsus saith thus A certaine man gave counsell to his friend that was sick not to send for the Physitian because sayd he it is already appoynted by Destiny either that thou shalt recover of this Disease or that thou shalt not if it be appoynted by God or by thy Destiny that thou shalt recover thou shalt then not need the Physitian if it be not appoynted by God if it be not thy Destiny to recover the Physitian though hee come cannot helpe thee wherefore whether God have decreed thou shalt recover or not the Physitian will be called in vaine Another by the like Argument disswaded his Friend from Marriage Thou wilt marry a Wife sayd he to beget Children but if it be thy Destiny to have Children thou shalt have them without a Wife if it be not thy Destiny it will nothing further thee to marry a Wife for whatsoever Destiny hath decreed in this kinde will come to passe it is in vaine therefore to marry a Wife Thus wicked men deride and would rather that blind-man-buffle in the World then that God determine every Action and Event or fix his Decree But the first did send for the Physitian and the second did marry a Wife Hee us'd a wiser Argument who told them that God having Predestinated Men to such Ends Predestinated also that they should use the Means The sick man might safely answer nay rather if God have Decreed I shall recover therefore I will send for the Physitian that by his means I may attaine to that which God hath Decreed Thus Hezekiah had fifteen years added to his life by using the meanes and yet he 's a Devill that denies God did from all eternity determine the certaine number of his dayes And that other might answer if God have appoynted I shall have children seeing it can or ought to come to passe by no other meanes I will marry a Wife In this absolute Predestination we are far enough from the Stoicks Fate they subjected God himselfe to Fate we subject Fate that is the necessity of things to Gods most Free-Will they under the name of Fate understood a necessary connexion of naturall Causes and Effects we teach that God can and often doth suspend these Effects and works besides nay against Nature The Stoicks tooke away all contingency Wee admit contingency in respect of second Causes but we say there is a certaine prescience in the first Cause all things are ordered by the providence of God Indeed the Turks out of their obstinate beliefe of Predestination brutishly contemne all kindes of dangers for they say that as soone as man comes out of his mothers Wombe to enjoy the light of the world God writes in his forehead all the good or evill that shall happen unto him and particularly of what death hee shall dye the necessity whereof they say no humane power can avoyd and hence it came to passe that Anno 1611. there died of the Plague in Constantinople 200000. in five months every day 12 or 15 hundred for they will not turn away from a body dead of this disease nor forbeare to visit