THE COLLEGIAT SVFFRAGE OF THE DIVINES OF GREAT BRITAINE CONCERNING THE FIVE ARTICLES CONTROVERTED IN the Low Countries Which Suffrage was by them delivered in the Synod of Dort March 6. Anno 1619. Being their vote or voice foregoing the joint and publique judgment of that Synod LONDON Printed for Robert Milbourne and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1629. The five Articles controverted in the Low-Countries and discussed in the Synod of Dort 1. Concerning Gods Predestination 2. Of Christs death and mans Redemption thereby 3. Of Freewill in the state of corruption 4. Of conversion unto God and the manner thereof 5. Of the Perseverance of the Saints THE SVFFRAGE OF THE DIVINES OF GREAT BRITAINE CONCERNING THE FIRST ARTICLE That is of Election That is of Reprobation First of Election Orthodoxall which wee lay downe and confirme First of Election Erroneous which wee reiect and confute The Positions Orthodoxall which wee lay downe and confirme The Positions Erroneous which wee reiect and confute THE FIRST ORTHODOXALL POSITION THe decree of Election or predestination unto salvation is the effectuall will of God by which according to his good pleasure for demonstration of his mercy he purposed the salvation of man being fallen and prepared for him such meanes by which he would effectually and vnfallibly bring the Elect to the selfe same end THE EXPOSITION AND CONFIRMATION OF THE POSITION WE call this Decree of Election an effectuall will of God because it respects not meerely and onely a way set downe and leading to life leaving man so ordained in the power of his owne free will after such manner as Adam was ordained to happinesse but it doth respect and fore-appoint the very issue of this Ordinance For this will is conjoyned with the power of God Esa. 14.24 The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying Surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand Psal. 113. Whatsoever the Lord would that did hee in heaven and in earth upon which place see St. Austin Enchirid. c. 75. Rom. 8.30 Whom hee hath predestinated those he glorified Iohn 6.39 This is the Fathers will that sent mee that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing And vers 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me We acknowledge no other moving cause of this will besides the meere good pleasure of God Rom. 1.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Ephes. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne when they had done neither good nor evill that the purpose of God according to Election might stand But God doth deale with certaine men after this especiall manner for manifestation of his owne mercy Rom. 9.23 That God might make knowne the riches of his glory toward the vessels of mercy Yea and to them considered in the state of Adams fall namely for the freeing them out of the masse of perdition Eph. 1.4 In him to with Christ he hath chosen vs. 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners Finally lest Gods working in time should vary from his eternall purpose hee who did effectually destinate the elect unto salvation doth also afford them meanes agreeable to this foresaid intention that is to say those meanes which God knew would without faile bring them to salvation 2. Tim. 1.9 Hee hath saved us with an holy calling 2 Thess. 2.13 God hath chosen you unto salvation in the sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth to which he hath also called you by our Gospell Ephes. 1.4 He hath chosen us that we might be holy and without blame Mat. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Out of which testimonies of Scripture it is evident that God by his foregoing decree of Election hath subordained all these things to wit the knowledge of the Gospell Vocation Faith Iustification Sanctification and Perseverance for the obtaining of the fore-determined salvation Out of many sayings of the Fathers wee gather a few When he predestinated us he foresaw his owne worke who maketh us both holy and without blame When God determineth to save a man no will of man resisteth God for to will or to nill is so far forth in the power of him that wils or nils that it can neither hinder the wil of God nor yet surpass his power He doth so teach them who are called according to his purpose bestowing at once both to know what they are to performe and also to performe what they know Although a great part of mankinde doe either reject or sleight the grace of the Saviour yet the elect and those which are foreknowne and so differenced from the many are reckoned for a certaine speciall collective body so that out of the whole world another entire world may seeme to be freed There is a portion of mankinde which is promoted by the meanes of faith enspired from God to high and eternall salvation by speciall graces THE SECOND POSITION CHrist is the head and foundation of the Elect so that all saving graces prepared in the decree of Election are bestowed upon the elect onely for Christ through Christ and in Christ. GOD in the eternall Election of particular men by one and the selfe same act both doth assigne Christ their head and also doth appoint them according to his good pleasure the members of Christ out of which purpose even before their vocation which is afterward performed in time God doth behold them as given unto Christ and chosen in him and accepted of himselfe Ephes. 1.3 He hath blessed us in all spirituall benediction in Christ. v. 4. He hath chosen us in him v. 7. In whom we have redemption and remission of sinnes v. 13. In him we are sealed Whatsoever is intended to the Elect from all eternity is as we may so say shut up in the will of God neither is it immediately imparted unto us but for Christ in Christ and by Christ. Coloss. 2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge v. 7. Wee are rooted and built up in him v. 10. Ye are complete in him Lastly he is the fountaine from which all the streames of saving grace doe flow to us Iohn 1.16 Of his fulnesse have all we received grace for grace 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world beganne As he was predestinated that one that he might be our head so we being many are predestinated that we might be his members God calls many predestinated his sonnes that hee might make them the members of his owne predestinated onely Sonne After the fall of man God would have it an act of his meere grace
hath made his sons by adoption Gabriel Biel saith It is plaine that those whom God foresaw are not his adopted sonnes because they are not preordained by the will of God unto everlasting inheritance Apostacy is onely of those who never reached home to true justification and to the state of adoption But as for those who are the chosen sonnes of God and endued with true sanctitie their perseverance is certaine and undoubted as we shall shew afterwards Either therefore the Apostasie of the true sons of God ought to have beene proved by evident places of Scripture or else that offensive name and title of the Apostasie of the Saints should have beene forborne Of Perseverance As it concernes the Elect and of the certainty therof in it selfe THE FIRST POSITION BEsides that dogmaticall faith and some kinde of amendment in affections and manners there is in due time given to the Elect justifying faith regenerating grace and all other gifts by which they are translated from the state of wrath unto the state of adoption and salvation WHen God dealeth with his Elect hee stayeth not in certaine preparatives and initiall operations but alway finisheth his worke by induing them with a lively faith by justifying and adopting them and by changing them from the state of death to the state of life This the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated those he also called and whom he called he hath also justified and whom he hath justified he hath also glorified And Colos. 1.12 I give thankes to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne Out of which places it is plaine that God giveth to all the Elect a certaine continued connexion of spirituall benefits which never leaves them but plyeth them onward even unto the state of glory THE SECOND POSITION ALthough the Elect being set in this estate omit some thing in every good worke by reason of the remainder of concupiscence and commit daily smaller sinnes od surreption negligence and inconsideratenesse yet neither from thence is the state of justification shaken nor the benefit of their claime to the inheritance of the Kingdome of heaven thereby interrupted ACcording to the rigor of the Law every sinne yea the verie least is mortall and excludes the offender from the favour of God and kingdome of heaven But God never deales in that strict manner with his sonnes adopted and justified in Christ. There are indeed some sinnes for which God denounceth his anger and indignation upon these his sonnes yea and threatneth banishment from heaven and also eternall death of which we may reade 1 Cor. 6.10 Gal. 5.25 Coloss. 3.6 which wee will handle in the positions following There are againe some other sins for which our mercifull God is not wont no not for a time to deprive his children of the light of his countenance or to terrifie them with the feare of death or damnation of which kind are the rebelling motions of our concupiscence whereof the Apostle complaines Rom. 7. also the defects and staines which do cleave to the best workes of the regenerate Lastly those daily trippings and scapes of humane infirmity which are committed without any determinate purpose of committing them and which are forgiven by our daily craving of pardon of these St. Iames cap. 3. v. 2. In many things we offend all and St. Iohn 1.8 If we say that wee have no sinne we deceive our selves Notwithstanding these sinnes every faithfull man may rightly say There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus yea even in the midst of these infirmities God saith to every justified man as hee said to the Apostle My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse And sure they cannot be said to fall by their infirmities from the state of justification through whose weaknes the power of God is made perfect and who all this while may boast that the power of Christ dwelleth in them as it is in the same place THE THIRD POSITION THese very same thus regenerated and justified doe sometimes through their owne default fall into hainous sinnes and thereby they doe incurre the fatherly anger of God they draw upon themselves a damnable guiltinesse and lose their present fitnesse to the kingdome of heaven IT is manifest by the examples of David and Peter that the regenerate can throw himselfe headlong into most grievous sinnes God sometimes permitting it that they may learne with all humility to acknowledge that not by their owne strength or deserts but by Gods mercy alone they were freed from eternall death and had life eternall bestowed upon them Whilest they cleave to such sinnes and sleepe securely therein Gods fatherly anger ariseth against them Psal. 89.31 If that they prophane my statutes and keep not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill Besides they draw upon themselves damnable guilt so that as long as they continue without repentance in that state they neither ought nor can perswade themselves otherwise then that they are subject to eternall death If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 For they are bound in the chaine of a capitall crime by the desert whereof according to Gods ordinance they are subject to death although they are not as yet given over to death nor about to be given if we cōsider the fatherly love of God but are first to bee taken out of this sinne that they may also bee rescued from the guilt of death Lastly in respect of their present condition they lose the fitnes which they had of entring into the Kingdome of Heaven because into that Kingdome there shall in no wise enter any thing that is defiled neither whatsoever worketh abomination For the Crowne of life is not set upon the head of any but those who have fought a good fight and have finished their course in faith and holinesse He is therefore unfit to obtaine this Crowne whosoever as yet cleaves to the workes of wickednesse THE FOVRTH POSITION THe unalterable ordinance of God doth require that the faithfull so straying out of the right way must first returne againe into the way by a renewed performance of faith and repentance before hee can bee brought to the end of the way that is to the Kingdome of Heaven BY the decree of Election the faithfull are so predestinated to the end that they are as along the Kings high way to be led to this appointed end through the meanes set down by God otherwaies not to attaine the same Nor are Gods decrees concerning the means manner and order of such events lesse fixed and sure then the decrees of the end and of the events themselves
not perish for ever neither shall any one take them out of my hand neither can any one of them take them out of my Fathers hand Mat. 24.24 That they should seduce if it were possible the verie Elect. Since therefore perseverance in faith is grounded upon the Election of God Election cannot proceed from the fore-required condition of persevering faith 2. Furthermore the decree of giving glorie and salvation vnto stedfast beleevers in the end of this life as the reward of faith and obedience performed is an act of Iustice or at least of faithfulnesse and truth But according to the Scriptures Election is a free act not of debt but of grace an act of loue and speciall mercy founded upon the meere good will of God Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Eph. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will 3. By the like reason faith foreseene is to be excluded frō Election as fore-seen works that is to say God may be sayd as well to haue elected holy men for the condition of sanctification as beleeuers for the condition of faith For who seeth not that this faith foreseene doth in truth passe into the nature of a worke which appeares more evidently by the annexed condition of perseverance by which is intended nothing else but the fruits of obedience and holinesse and the whole harvest of all good workes 4. Lastlie by granting this Election upon Gods foresight it followes that Christ was chosen by vs before we were chosen by him contrary to that Ioh. 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Which divine Oracle is often urged by St. Augustine to this purpose Neither doth faith it selfe goe before that Election which the Lord intendeth saying yee haue not chosen me but I have chosen you for he did not choose us because we have beleued but that we may beleeue lest we should be said to have chosen him first No merits of man-doe goe before the Election of grace yea and faith it selfe whence begin all merits is the gift of God lest grace should not bee grace if any thing should goe before it for which it may bee given THE THIRD ERRONEOVS OPINION THat faith and perseverance in faith are not fruits or effects of Election to salvation IF God who is the onely giver of persevering faith before he gives such faith or decrees to give it doth foresee that it will by the very giving of it bring salvation to the receiver then without doubt hee gives it also with this intent and absolute purpose that it shall bring salvation But so to give is to give out of a foregoing purpose infallibly to save which is all one as to give by the decree of Election Therefore persevering faith is the fruit of this decree or a speciall grace prepared in this decree Whence it is called Tit. 1.1 The faith of the elect of God Ephes. 1.5 Having praedestinated us into the adoption of Children But into the actuall estate of this adoption we are admitted by faith Ioh. 1.12 He gave them the power or priviledge to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his name Therefore faith it selfe arises from praedestination THE FOVRTH ERRONEOVS OPINION THat Election to salvation is not one and the same but that there is one indefinite another definite and this either incomplete revocable changeable Or complete irrevocable unchangeable ALthough there are divers acts of Gods Election which may bee assigned according to divers objects namely of the end and of the meanes yet the Scripture no where makes mention either of the divers degrees or kindes of Election 1 For Election is a certaine infallible ordaining of severall persons to salvation in the minde and will of God Therefore this indefinite Election here supposed is no true election because it ordaines no singular person to salvation but it onely shewes and prescribes the manner of comming to salvation promiscuously to all 2 Besides seeing Election is perfited with one act and ex natura rei according to the nature of the thing it selfe is as the Schoolemen speake in the number of those things which doe not grow and increase by degrees as sanctification mortification and such like but which doe consist in indivisibili without latitude such as justification or absolution from sinnes surely it cannot bee imagined to be capable of intention or remission and therfore by no meanes doth it admit a graduall perfection that it may be thought to bee incomplete or unfinished to day and complete or fully finished to morrow Much lesse can this maimed halfe-election be accompted election which doth not ordaine to salvation infallibly but disposes onely by some qualitie or contingent act which in the judgement of the very devisers thereof hath no necessarie connexion with eternall life 3 Lastly that which is said to bee revocable and changeable cannot be true election because election signifies the constant purpose and unchangeable counsell of God ordaining the elect unto blisse Heb. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God shewes unto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsell Two things follow predestination an affording of aid to obtaine the end and the very obtaining of the end it selfe He that will have Gods disposall of things to bee changed according to the mutability of free will professeth that the judgements of God can be searched by him THE FIFT ERRONEOVS OPINION THat the object of peremptory and complete Election is man considered no otherwise than in the end of his life 1 IN the end of this life a beleever is considered not as to bee elected but to bee brought into the kingdome prepared for him before the foundation of the world 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day The Apostle did not say henceforth now God shall elect me to the Crowne of righteousnesse but shall give it 2 Furtherfmore if election should beginne at the end onely of this life the reason or argument drawne from predestination or election could conferre nothing at all to the faithfull for finishing their course in faith and godlinesse But predestination extends it selfe as well to the meanes in the way as to the end in the conclusion of our life and as it were carieth the Elect by infallible meanes to the appointed marke or goale Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom hee called them he also justified and whom he justified them hee also glorified But if man considered onely as in the last moment of this life were the object of complete election all those things should bee inverted thus Whom hee called those he will justifie and whom hee justifies those hee will hereafter predestinate 3 Moreover 2 Tim. 1.9
We are called with a holy calling according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world beganne This purpose of God since it goes before this holy calling and forelayeth the foundation to it considers man as the subject of a sure election according to this purpose not as he standeth in the end of this life but as he was before the beginning of this life yea before the world beganne appointed by Gods purpose to a most complete Election Neither truly can there be settled any definite election to eternall grace to faith to adoption Eph. 1.5.8 if these things be considered as hanging in uncertainty neither shall the future perseverance of the Elect be fore-ordained by God but onely foreseene in the man to be elected and so this act of God shall bee only an approbation following such as may be performed by man that knowes not what is to come hereafter not a foregoing and operative Election such as all elections in reason and by force of the name of Election must needs be 4 Last of all Iohn 10.16 The Gentiles not yet called much lesse settled in finall perseverance are by our Saviour stiled his sheepe being indeed then separated by the foregoing mark of entire and complete election He that makes men sheepe doth make free mens wils unto obedience but why doth hee with whom there is no acception of persons make those men sheepe and makes not others O man who art thou that replyest against God Yee say that Iacob was elected for his future workes which God knew he would doe and so you contradict the Apostle saying Not of workes as if he could not have said Not of present workes but or workes of come They are elected before the foundation of the world by that predestination in which God foreknew what he would doe they are elected out of the world by that calling by which he fulfilled that which he did predestinate THE SIXT ERRONEOVS OPINION THat in this life no man can receive any fruit or perceive any sense of his owne election otherwise then conditionall FIliall adoption is the proper naturall and unseparable fruit of Election and is to be perceived by the Elect in this life the spirit of adoption revealing it to their hearts Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father If a son then an heire of God Rom. 8.15 16 Ye have received the spirit of adoption wherby we cry Abba Father The Spirit it selfe beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Eph. 1.14 Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Hee saith the earnest of our inheritance which is an infallible signe that we shall never be dis-inherited but shall at length obtaine our inheritance Rom. 5.2 We glory in the hope of the glory of God And v. 5. This hope maketh us not ashamed Neither is there any falshood in this solid peace of conscience in the glorying of the godly or in this infused hope because these gifts are both sent by God to the elect and to this end are they fastened in their mindes that they may be certaine arguments of their unchangeable election We confesse our election is not to be perceived by us à priori by the causes but the proper effects of it may be knowne And from the proper effect upward to the cause the argument is good We likewise grant that the assurance of election in the children of God themselves is not alwayes so constant and continuall but that oftentimes it is shaken with temptations and for a time suppressed so that not onely the degree of assurance is lessened but even election it selfe in respect of the sense and apprehension of the Elect seemes uncertaine and ready to vanish Lastly we confesse that the Elect justified when they fall into grievous sinnes and cleave unto them are not onely deprived of the present taste of their election but also conceive a great feare of the contrary namely of Gods wrath and revenging justice and that deservedly seeing the holy Ghost vouchsafes not to communicate this heavenly and sweet Manna of comfort to a defiled conscience yet wallowing in its owne filthinesse but onely to a cleane heart and such an one as exerciseth it selfe in the practise of faith repentance and holinesse But we thinke that the mindes of the faithfull being wakened and rising out of their pollutions are renewed by God and comforted againe with a sweet sense of eternall life prepared for them before the foundation of the world and in due time undoubtedly to be conferred upon them A faithfull man hath received by faith that which is uncertaine to others and layeth hold on the promise That it might be certaine that wee are the sonnes of God he hath sent his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Who is iust but bee that returnes love to God that loved him which comes not to passe but by the spirit revealing to a man by faith the eternall purpose of God concerning his salvation Which revelation is nothing else but an infusion of spirituall grace by which while the workes of the flesh are mortified man is prepared to that kingdome which flesh and blood doth not possesse receiving together in one spirit both whence bee may presume he is beloved and whence he may returne love lest he should be loved in vaine or without returning love againe THE SEVENTH ERRONEOVS OPINION THere is no election of Infants dying before they have the vse of reason IF one absurdity or unsound doctrine bee granted more of the like will follow This here followes upon that that they require in all divine Election faith fore-seene upon which it may bee grounded which indeed cannot be fore-seene in such infants But we on the contrary evidently prove that these tenets are against all Divinity 1 They who have an entrance in time vnto life eternall without all doubt were elected to life eternall before all time Otherwise the number of them that are glorified should exceed the number of them that are predestinated which is impossible For that proposition must be understood reciprocally with equall extension of both termes Whom hee hath predestinated those hee hath glorified namely these and no other as Saint Austin inferreth But the Scripture supposes the names of some Infants to bee written in the booke of life and that they must appeare before the judgement seat of God Rev. 20.12 and be admitted into the new Ierusalem Rev. 21.27 of such is the Kingdome of heaven Luke 8.16 2 Whosoeuer are admitted onely into the Kingdome of Heaven were before out of Gods free good pleasure chosen vnto the Kingdome of Heaven But to as many infants as enter into Heaven eternall life is a gracious gift through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 therefore they were chosen to that Kingdome in Christ. But if this
unbeleevers not yet washed in the blood of Christ nor the guilt of any whatsoever degree but such a guilt as for which the hostile anger and vengeance of God lieth heavily upon the guiltie person Whosoever is justified by a true faith can never afterward bee guiltie after this manner We may therefore say that the effect of justification is for a time suspended by the entercourse of such a particular sin because the person by reason of this new guilt needeth a particular absolution But wee cannot say that the state of justification is dissolved forasmuch as the same person doth not fall from the generall pardon of his forecommitted sins nor is deprived of that speciall intercession which our Saviour hath promised to all the faithfull nor of the free love of God his Father The same case holds in adoption For God never adopted to himselfe a Sonne in Christ whom afterwards he either must or would dis-inherit and cast out of his familie The children of God may indeed sinne and that very grievously but the providence and mercie of God will not suffer them so farre to sin as that they should thereby be bereft of their heavenly home and Father The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever For as Saint Ambrose speakes God doth not make void the gift of adoption To conclude the seed of regeneration with those fundamentall gifts without which the spirituall life cannot subsist are preserved in safetie This is hence evident because that the same holy Spirit who doth infuse this seed into the hearts of the regenerate doth imprint into the same seed a certaine heavenly and incorruptible vertue and doth perpetually cherish and keepe the same Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up unto everlasting life 1 Iohn 3.5 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because hee is borne of God This seed of life remaining in them it is altogether impossible that the gifts of lively faith charitie should be quite extinguished Hence Gregory rightly sayes In holy mens hearts the Spirit alwayes abides according to some vertues or graces according to others he comes to depart and departs to returne but in the hearts of his Elect he remaineth in those vertues without which eternall life is not attained THE SEVENTH POSITION THat the regenerate doe not altogether fall from faith holinesse and adoption proceeds not from themselves nor from their owne will but from Gods speciall love divine operation and from Christs intercession and custody IT is certaine that if God would deale with us upon strict termes he might most justly for our ungratitude untowardnesse withdraw from us his fatherly favour and gifts of saving grace But for as much as even by the determination of the Schoolemen sinne doth not take away grace efficiently that is by certaine expulsion but by way of demerit that is deservingly surely unlesse it can bee proved that God deales with his according to their deserts it will not follow that upon the committing of a grievous sinne they lose faith or fall away from the state of justification and adoption For that which in regard of our ill desert might justly be done is by the mercie of God and by Christs intercession and the operation of the holie Ghost hindred from being done No creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Not the Devill for God shall bruise him under our feet Not the world for Christ hath overcome the world And he doth so worke in all his that they also at length overcome through faith Lastly not those things from whence is our greatest danger our own weaknesse the inclination and pronenesse of our owne free will to wickednesse for the goodnesse of God is alwaies shewed in this weaknesse of the faithfull and through the intercession of Christ for them is obtained that they shall not fall off from their faith Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word We doe not therefore fetch this perseverance of the faithfull in their faith and Gods grace from their owne free will but from Christ that frees them The Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 To this purpose are those words of Saint Augustine We live safer if wee trust all to God and doe not commit our selves partly to God and partly to our selves As God workes that we come to him so he works also that we depart not from him THE EIGHTH POSITION THe perseverance therefore of holy men is the free gift of God and is derived unto us out of the decree of election THis conclusion ariseth out of those things which are said before but that it may more manifestly appeare we will adde somewhat more First that it is the free gift of God is proved out of the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive why dost thou glorie as if thou hadst not received If any thing can give a just cause to men of glorying surely this that they have persevered in good unto the end then when they could at their owne pleasure not have made use of those meanes which in themselves were sufficient for perseverance Either therefore this doth betide the faithfull by way of speciall gift or they have something which they have not received in which they may greatly glorie But wee affirme on the contrarie whether by perseverance be understood either that power which doth propp and hold up the faithfull or the stabilitie it selfe and the unconquered firmenesse of their faith or lastly the very act of persevering that there is none of these which is not the gift of God Touching that power by which the will is stayed up that it may persevere the Remonstrants easily grant that it is the onely grace of GOD which doth arme a man with this strength to persevere Touching the stability and firmenesse which is considered as the manner or adjunct of true faith this also is to bee numbred among the gifts of God For he which doth give the thing it selfe to wit faith doth also give the manner of the thing to wit the stability and firmenesse of the same faith 2 Thes. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who shall establish you 1 Cor. 1.7.8 Yee come behinde in no gift waiting for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall confirme you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse Out of which words it is manifest that faith is the gift of God as well in the
faithfull on that side our pledge kept in the hand of God on this side Gods earnest pennie laid up in our hearts A double pledge is given for the securing not both parties but one onely to wit us And this double pledge although it be possessed on both sides yet is surely kept by the fidelitie of one part onely to wit of God Of the former Saint Paul treateth in the 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against the last day That which I have committed there is the pledge of salvation Able to keepe there is a sure preserver I know and am perswaded there is faith I am not ashamed there is confidence Concerning the latter pledge left with us the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1.13 14. Yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance and 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts But if God having once given this earnest should not also give the rest of the inheritance hee should undergoe the losse of his earnest as Chrysostome most elegantly and foundly argueth in his third Sermon upon the 2 Cor. 1. And likewise in his second Sermon upon the Ephes. 1. They that truely partake of the spirit know that it is the earnest of our inheritance THE SECOND POSITION THis perswasion of faith cannot come into the act and vigor without the endeavor of holinesse and use of the meanes THe firme perswasion of Gods bestowing the gift of perseverance and of our attaining of life everlasting we attribute to the mercy of God alone and the intercession of Christ as to the originall cause but so as we withall referre it to sanctification as an unseparable companion and a most sure signe This is laid downe as an evidence of a solid faith 1 Iohn 2.3 Hereby we are sure that wee know him if we keepe his commandements This is set forth as the proper passion of justification Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But we measure this holinesse not by the degrees of it but by the endeavor and setled purpose of him that hath it and withall we professe that this holinesse and perswasion of faith may and ought to bee forwarded and confirmed by watching fasting prayer and mortifying the flesh and other meanes thereto appointed by God Mat. 14. 38. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation 1 Cor. 9.17 I beat downe my body and bring it into subjection lest I my selfe should be reproved Notwithstanding in the meane while let us so reckon this our diligence and pious use of these meanes in the number of the exercises of our freed will that withall wee account that very diligence and endeavour amongst the helpes of assisting grace and motions of the holy Spirit dwelling in us Now it is certaine that this firme perswasion of which we speake cannot put forth it selfe without these holy endeavors 1 Because sanctification the companion of justification cannot consist without the intent of obedience An habituall purpose whereof although interrupted by many slips is sufficient to the Elect for the maintaining the state of justification entire in it selfe But for the present comfort of this confidēce is necessarily required an actuall purpose of such obediēce neither can any man out of the testimony of the spirit speaking to his heart say I doe now confidently beleeve that I shall remaine in the state of grace to the end unless he also adde out of the sincere intent of his minde I doe now most constantly purpose with my selfe to walke in the wayes of Gods holy Commandements 2 Much lesse can it be imagined that this lively act of our confidence can stand with an actuall and direct purpose of sinning For as one habit is opposed to another habit so also an act is opposed to an act Neither can we without a senselesse contradiction imagine a man concluding after this manner I am confident that life everlasting cannot be taken away from mee and yet withall I resolve with my selfe to be a slave to my alluring affections Our Saviour shewes that these contrary resolutions cannot stand together Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters THE THIRD POSITION THis perswasion hath not that degree of certitude that can alwayes shut out all feare of the contrary but is sometimes lively sometimes languishing sometimes as in great temptations none at all IN spiritual gifts with which we are furnished in this life sincerity is required perfection of degrees is not to be expected Even that gift which is the hand by which wee lay hold on all the rest hath its diseases and weaknesses so that the perswasion of the faithfull concerning their owne salvation and perseverance cannot alwayes enjoy the highest degree of certitude 1 The first infirmity ariseth out of the ground it selfe whereupon this personall confidence is built which seemes to be of lower degree then the certitude of dogmaticall faith For the Articles of the Catholique Faith doe worke upon our assent as immediate and originall principles but the truth of this speciall faith is not enforced thence as a necessary consequent but is added therto by way of assumption Therefore there can be no greater certaintie of that conclusion which frameth this perswasion then such as is in the weaker of the premisses But that assumption is grounded upon experimentall arguments weighed and applied by a mans private conscience which arguments or markes since they are sometimes questioned whether or no they be true and concluding evidences nay often times are hid under the cloud of temptation so that they the while cannot shine forth to our present comfort what wonder if so bethe faithfull have not alwaies at hand a lively and firme perswasion concerning their eternall salvation Nay which is more the very principles of the Catholique faith howsoever they are by the light of revelation cleare in themselves yet for as much as they are knowne to us by the certainty not of evidence but onely of adhesion they doe not procure in us an assent of such uniforme stabilitie as is yeelded unto Mathematicall demonstrations and inbred notions admitted by all men But in our contemplating these revealed principles our of the remainder of our carnall diffidence sometime there arise as wee may so say certaine vapours or mists through which the light of divine truth in it selfe immutable to our weake eyes seemeth to tremble and suffer a kinde of refraction How much more frequent and more lasting is that mistake which may betide any of the faithfull in the viewing his own personal confidence Their eyes truly would alwayes waver except both this common revelation of the Catholique Faith and also that personall application made by the conscience were confirmed and sealed unto our hearts by the holy Ghost