speake of my selfe Hence they would proue that one may doe the will of God before he know Christ and his doctrine This is to delude the Scripture and to wrest it at their pleasure For they speake as if Christ had said Hee that doth fulfill the commandements of God shall afterward know of my doctrine whether it be of God c. Also by the words to doe the will of God they vnderstand to acknowledge their sinnes to feare God with a seruile and slauish feare seriously to wish the grace of God and remission of sinnes to doe those things which are of the law c. All false For to doe the will of God in this place is nothing else then to beleeue Christ speaking for this is that which Christ doth vrge that this is the will of the father that we should beleeue on the Sonne Whose words if any man beleeues hee thereby knoweth that his doctrine is heauenly and diuine wherefore we are not to thinke that we doe the will of God before we beleeue in his Sonne Thus although it be true that he who is moued doth liue yet it doth not thence follow that motion is before life So in that Christ saith Whosoeuer will doe the will of the father shall know that my doctrine is from God It doth not thence follow that the will of the father must be done before it can be knowne that his doctrine is from God But if there is any order of time here it must needes be that the doctrine of Christ be first knowne to be from God before he can be beleeued or obeyed when he speakes For no man doth beleeue that which hee doth not in some part know Christ followeth this order Iohn 17.8 They haue knowne that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send mee And Chap. 14.17 he saith that the spirit of truth is not receiued by the world because the world doth not know him To know therefore is before to receiue V. That is no better which Arnoldus doth adde Page 409. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1. And The Lord reuealeth his secrets to them that feare him Psal 25. But I deny that the feare of the Lord of which it is spoken here can agree to vnbeleeuers and vnregenerate men Salomon saith that the feare of the Lord is the head of wisedome that is the chiefe part and that wherein wisedome doth chiefely consist for this the Hebrew word Reshith doth plainely signifie And those that feare God to whom he reuealeth his secrets are not vnregenerate persons but those which are truely godly to whom hee doth daily giue increase of wisedome and of the true knowledge of God VI. To the same end Arnoldus Page 397. doth bring the words of the 51. Psalme A contrite spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God And Esay 66. God will dwell in a contrite spirit Arnoldus thinketh that these things are spoken of an vnregenerate man but yet such a one as doth confesse his sinnes doth grieue hath the beginning of feare c. But hee eyther deceiues or is deceiued For there Dauid lamenting his sinnes with a large confession doth comfort himselfe with this hope and doth promise to himselfe that his contrition will be an acceptable sacrifice to God Whosoeuer therefore doth say that Dauid there speaketh of the contrition of an vnregenerate man doth affirme that Dauid himselfe was vnregenerate And there is no man but seeth that Esay doth speake of them that are truely faithfull and of a filiall feare and contrition and not of that feare which may be in the vnregenerate and in the heathen who haue not heard the word of God For the Prophet saith To whom shall I looke To him that is afflicted and of a contrite heart and trembleth at my word Hee speaketh of the man who is instructed in the word of God and who with a holy feare is moued to the hearing of it VII Arnoldus a little before had reckoned vp the good workes which may be done by an vnregenerate man viz. To doe those things which are of the law to haue some sparkes of light and knowledge engrauen on his heart to grieue for his sinnes to implore the grace of remission of sinnes and of the new spirit But how many nations are there who doe not know what this new spirit is nor haue euer heard any thing of the grace of remission of sins Also I would know whether such things that are done by the vnregenerate without faith are truely good If they be truely good then we can doe that which is truely good without Christ without his spirit and without faith If they are not truely good how can that not be truely good and iust which God alone intendeth and which alone nothing more if Arminius be beleeued he doth require from the vnregenerate man as long as he is vnregenerate VIII A little after he saith that the same worke cannot be performed as perfect in its essence without the faith of Christ and he doth put this difference betweene workes which are done before regeneration and they which are done after regeneration to wit that they are imperfect these are perfect These are the two kindes of merits with which in the Schooles of the Papists make such a noyse merits of congruity and merits of condignity but new dressed and cloathed with other names The Reader therefore shall note that the Arminians place in a regenerate man perfect workes and a perfect loue of God For they thinke that the regenerate may by the spirit of Christ so conforme their life according to that law that they may come to that degree of obedience which God doth require of them These are the words of Arnoldus pag. 492. and pag. 399. according to Arminius he saith that there is a double spirit one that doth goe before regeneration and doth tend to it which is the spirit of bondage to feare the other which doth regenerate and doth perfect regeneration Arminius Resp ad 31. Art pa. 164. and 165. I doe not repugne that opinion of Austin whereby he determines that man may be without sinne in this life Truely it is boldly spoken The Arminians then are better then the Apostle Iames who speaketh thus Chap. 3. In many things we offend all In which speech he doth account himselfe among them who offend in many things Better then Saint Iohn whose confession is this If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs Yea better then all the Apostles who did daily say Forgiue vs our trespasses Neither is it to be maruailed at if the Arminians thinke that the regenerate can fulfill the Law seeing they also say that the Law of nature may be fulfilled by the heathen and vnregenerate Now the Law of nature is that to which Adam before his fall stood bound which bond passed to his posteritie This Law forbids a man to lye but the
we should be holy it is certaine it is manifest Therefore we were to be such because he elected vs predestinating vs that by his grace we should be holy In then inteenth chapter he repeateth the same words and addeth moreouer these When therefore he predestinated vs hee fore knew his owne worke who hath made vs holy and without spot In the same place the Pelagians reiecting election for workes fore-seene sticke onely in the fore-seeing of faith Wee say they doe say that our God fore knew nothing but faith whereby we beginne to beleeue and therefore he elected vs c. Against these things Saint Austin disputeth much and at the length he doth thus conclude his speech Neither doth faith it selfe goe before for he doth not choose vs because we beleeue but he chose vs that we might beleeue least we should be said to choose him first and that should be false which God forbid which Christ saith ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Neither are we called because we doe beleeue but we are called that we might beleeue and by that calling which is without repentance it is wrought and throughly wrought that we should beleeue Finally he saith that Pelagius himselfe to the intent that he might delude the Palestine Synode with an ambiguous confession condemned those that say that grace is giuen according to merit which opinion was allowed by the Synode and they were condemned who said election was for faith fore-seene For Saint Austin confirmeth that these two come to one and the same sence in his fift booke against Iulian chap. 3. God electeth no man that is worthy but by electing him he maketh him worthy And he doth in sixe hundred places beate vpon absolute election or as Arminius calleth it precise election and not depending vpon the fore-seeing of any vertue or worth As Epist 105. Why one should beleeue and another not beleeue when both heare the same thing and if a miracle be done in both their sights it is the height of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God whose iudgements are vnsearchable and with whom there is no iniquitie while he will haue mercy on whom he will and hardneth whom he will for those things are not vniust because they be hidden and secret But these things are not hidden to Arminius for hee saith the cause of this difference is the fore-seeing of faith in one of them The Booke de fide ad Petrum whether it be the Booke of Fulgentius or of Austin in the third chapter hath these words They shall raigne with Christ whom God of his free gracious goodnesse hath elected to the kingdome because by predestinating them he hath prepared them to be such that they might be worthy of the kingdome he hath prepared them whom according to his purpose he will call that they may obey he hath prepared them whom he will iustifie that hauing receiued grace they might beleeue rightly and liue well To which kingdome they haue come whom God hath saued of his free-grace for no precedent merit of good will or good worke CHAP. XXIV The arguments of the Arminians by which they endeauour to stablish Election for faith fore-seene are examined I. THe Arminians who by a new name call themselues Remonstrants in the conference at the Hage doe poure downe a thicke haile of places of Scripture by which they endeauour to perswade that election is of them that beleeue and that the decree of Predestination is nothing else but the will of sauing them that beleeue This is to doe another thing and not to touch the question for the controuersie betweene vs is not concerning these things The state of the question is this Whether election be for faith fore seene Then also whether God electing seuerall and certaine persons doth consider in them perseuerance in faith as a thing already fulfilled and as a condition on the performance whereof Election doth rest But these men leauing the question vntouched are altogether in that that they might prooue election to be of them that beleeue Wherefore although the ranke of their nine Syllogisms which they set in order or admit many other exceptions yet because they are all faulty in that fallacy which is called Ignoratio Elenchi by which that which is concluded is thought to hurt the aduersary when yet it doth not hurt him it is better to grant that which they would haue to wit that God electeth none but they which beleeue and that election is of the faithfull so this be fitly receiued and in a good sense to wit that God doth elect and that he is willing to saue those that beleeue because hee saueth no man but to whom hee will giue faith and because without faith it is impossible to come to saluation And that God in electing doth consider men as faithfull that is as those that by his gift were to haue faith And that the decree of election is with respect of faith because the decree of saluation doth include also the decree of the meanes to come to that end and therefore also of faith in Christ And surely Arminius and after him Arnoldus pag 92. doe falsely fasten on vs this opinion That God determined to saue the elect without the consideration of faith in them The thunderbolt therefore that they cast with such a noise is turned away onely with a blast or with the winde of ones cap and toucheth neither vs nor to the matter II. No more to the purpose doth the other sectaries so often heape vp the words of Saint Paul Ephes 1.4 He hath elected vs in Christ which they so take as if Saint Paul had said He hath elected vs for Christ and considered as already beleeuing in Christ when he did elect vs. The Apostle saith no such thing whose meaning is plaine and simple He elected vs in Christ that is He appointed vs to saluation to be bestowed vpon vs by Christ or in Christ III. They effect nothing more by these places No man shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.39 And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5. Surely here is not a word of faith fore-seene For if they should bite their nayles vntill the bloud followeth they could proue nothing by sixe hundred such places God was in Christ while he was on the earth in him and by him working out our reconciliation but what is this to faith fore-seene IV. It is a weake dart which they cast He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life Iohn 6. and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. By these places indeede the necessitie of faith is proued but not the fore-seeing of it before election No man is saued but hee that beleeueth because God would haue this to be the way of saluation and because hee giueth saluation to none to whom hee doth not giue faith V. These are the words of Conradus
Preâ—estination although some abuse it to curiosity and impiety And whereto it is profitable THere are some who being weary of the contentions which proceede from the doctrine of Prouidence and Predestination doe thinke that it is most safe for the peace of the Church and quiet of conscience not to touch these questions nor to speake any words of them to the people to be suggested into them seeing that by these speeches scruples are fastned in mens mindes doubtings are bred and the faith of the weake is shaken Let the people be taught say they not what God doth or decreeth but what he would haue to be done by vs let the doctrine of good Workes be instilled into their minds and the secrets of Election and Reprobation left to God Surely this speech sauoureth more of honesty then truth For these men while they make shew of the study of piety and loue of concord they doe secretly accuse Christ and his Apostles of imprudency and indiscretion because they so often beate vpon the doctrine of Election in the new Testament And while they are held with a preposterous religion they are the authors that the Pastours of the Church cut away a portion from the word of God neither doe they propound to the people the intire Doctrine of the Gospell And whilest in a voluntary ignorance they affect the praise of modesty they require discretion in God himselfe And what shall we say to this that without this Doctrine due honour cannot be giuen to God nor our faith made stable For by the Doctrine of Predestination that immeasurable heape of the goodnesse and loue of God towards vs by which he loued vs and respected vs before the foundations of the world were laid doth enter into our mindes Also whatsouer light or grace God doth measure to vs is acknowledged to be a riuer flowing from that eternall loue By this doctrine mans merits doe fall to the ground and the imaginary faculty of free-will in things pertaining to saluation doth vanish away The confidence of our saluation will also stagger vnlesse it be vpholden by the immutable decree of God and not by mans free-will This doctrine also is a great lightning of our sorrowes and mittigation of all bitternesse while we consider that all things euen those that are most grieuous turne to the good of them who are called by the purpose of God Neither is there any more forcible instigation to good workes then the acknowledgement of that eternall loue wherewith God in Christ hath loued vs before all worlds Finally by this doctrine we are taught to search into our selues and to try our owne consciences to finde in vs and to stirre vp the testimonies of our election knowing that our owne endeauour and care ought to further the election of God and that by the way of hell that is by impenitency and vnbeliefe it is impossible to come to heauen This Doctrine therefore the Scripture being our guide may profitably be propounded so we keepe mediocrity betweene affected ignorance and rash curiosity and follow such a moderation that while we doe auoide things vnlawfull we doe not abstaine from those that are lawfull In this worke we haue to doe with men which offend both wayes and doe runne vpon either extremity For if any one Arminius doth breake into the secrets of God and doth with a scrupulous curiosity cut into peeces the decree of Election and yet the same man doth extenuate the whole doctrine of Election as a thing which if it were not knowne Gods loue by it would not be diminished towards vs nor any iniury done to his grace They which denie this election saith he denie that which is true In Perkin Pag. 84. but without any wrong to the grace or mercy of God CHAP. III. What the prouidence of God is How farre it extends That God is not the author of sinne What permission is And what blinding and hardening is I. PRouidence is a diuine vertue the gouernesse of all things by which God hath fore-knowne and fore-ordained from eternity both the ends of all things and the meanes tending to those ends II. All things being present to God there is nothing which from eternity he hath not foreseene But whether hee hath made a peculiar decree for all seuerall euents it may be doubted For it doth not seeme likely that God from eternity hath decreed how many eares of Corne shall grow in the Neapolitan or any other field or how many shreds hang on the torne beggars coate or couering Because these things haue no respect of good or euill neither doe they adde to the glory of God or protection of the world Summ Theol. 2 part Qu. 23 Art 7. And therefore Thomas is of opinion That by the decree of God the number of men is determined but not the number of Gnats or Wormes Not that those little things doe escape rhe knowledge of God or that God cannot extend his prouidence to them but because it doth not seem conuenient to his so great wisdome to decree any thing which doth adde nothing to his glory or to the protection of the vniuerse Surely God hath from eternity fore-knowne all things euen those that are least But hee hath onely pre-ordained and decreed those things which haue in them some matter of good and whereby the glory of God is made more illustrious or the world more perfect III. The will of God cannot bee resisted Rom. 9.20 God speaketh of himselfe Esay 46.10 My Counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure And Saint Paul Ephes 1. God hath made all things according to the purpose of his Will This doth not please Arminius For he in his booke against Perkins the 60. page is of opinion that God may make frustrate that particular end which hee hath propounded to himse fe and page 198. doth thinke that the antecedent will of God may be resisted But how truely we shall hereafter see IV. God is in no wise the author or instigator of sin Psal 5.5 Ps 45.8 For God is not onely iust but also iustice it selfe And it is as impossible that hee who is iustice it selfe should sinne or be the author of sinne as that whitenesse should blacke the wall or heate make one cold Neither doth God onely doe the thing that is iust but therefore the thing is iust because God doeth it And surely that idle deuise of some is to be hissed out who say that God though he doth enforce men to sinne yet himselfe doth not sin because there is no sin where there is no law and God is bound by no laws I confesse indeed that God is obnoxious to no Law And yet it is certaine that hee can doe nothing that is contrary to his owne Nature God cannot lie because hee is truth it selfe God cannot sinne because he is perfect righteousnesse it selfe These speeches that sinne is committed eyther by Gods procuring or furthering are altogether to be rooted out of diuinity
They therefore doe inuert the nature of things who say that God decreed that Adam should sinne because hee had determined to send Christ who should cure Adams sinne when rather God decreed to send Christ because Adam was to sinne Man did not sinne that Christ should abolish sinne but Christ came that he might abolish sinne Here is nothing said that ought to trouble tender eares or which should make God partaker of sinne which yet if any one doth either not conceiue or not digest it is better to accuse his owne dulnesse then accuse the iustice of God and to abstaine from lawfull things then attempt vnlawfull things CHAP. VII That all mankinde is infected with Originall sinne I. SInne is either Originall or Actuall I vse the accustomed words for clearenesse of speech for if one would deale strictly he shou d abstaine from these tearmes seeing it is certaine that Originall sin is in act and therefore is actuall But vse hath obtained that that sinne should be called actuall which is committed in action or in deede and that originall which we haue from the birth that hereditary blot which is sent into vs from our Parents II. Of Originall sinne Saint Paul doth treat in the fifth and seauenth Chapter to the Romanes In the fifth Chapter how it hath passage into all mankinde in the seauenth Chapter how it doth remaine in him in whose minde the law of God is perfectly written III. That no man is free from this blot the Scripture doth cry and experience doth witnesse Whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh saith Christ Iohn 3. And there he doth plainely teach that all men are defiled with Originall sinne when he saith that it is necessary to be borne againe and to be formed anew We are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Who can bring forth a cleane thing out of an vncleaâ—e there is not one Iob 14. Dauid acknowledgeth himselfe infected with this contagion Psal 51. Behold saith he I was formed in iniquity and in sinne my mother conceiued me He doth not acâ—use his father nor expostulate with his mother but although hee was adorned with fingular prerogatiue and replenished with benefits yet hee doth confesse himselfe to be defi ed with that vniuersall contagion he fetcheth the cause of his sinne from that originall and in this common lot he doth lament his owne Circumcision signiâ—ied this for by that externall symbole â—e Church was warned that there was something â—n man 〈◊〉 soone as he was borne that ought to be cut off and â—â—â—râ— ted The end of Baptisme is the same watch 〈◊〉 the Sacrament of our cleansing in the bloud of Christ by which our naturall filthinesse is washed away IV. Not onely the progenie of Ethnicks and Infidels or euill Christians is borne in this Originall sinne but also the off-spring of the godly and faithfull No otherwise then he that was Circumcised begat one that was vncircumcised and as a graine of Wheate well cleansed and receiued in the lap of the earth afterward growing doth bring forth Wheate with chaffe Then was Adam iustified then did hee by his faith cleaue to the promise of his seede that should bruise the serpents head when he begot Cain the heire of his naturall wickednesse and not of his faith or repentance Piety is not hereditary to be deriued to ones heires neither doth holinâ—sse come into vs by nature but by grace not generation but regeneration doth make men holy and good After the same manner that Aristotle lib 2. Phisic doth teach That artificiall formes as the forme of a statue or image are not begotten but onely naturall formes Therefore in the children of the best man as soone as they beginne to speake you may see a crafty and lying disposition and prone to reuenge stubbornenesse against those that admonish them prickes of glory and sporting vanity also that great honour wherewith they prosecute their puppets and babyes are no obscure seedes of their inclinablenesse to Idolatry For as puppets are the Idols of infants so Idols are the puppets of those that are growne in age And therefore when any man hath children of euill manners he ought to acknowledge his image in them when he hath good children he ought to admire the worke of God in them For these are they of whom Saint Iohn saith Chap. 1. who are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God V. The second Canon of the Mileuitan counsell is expresly to this thing It pleaseth vs that whosoeuer doth deny little ones that are new borne to be Baptised or doth say that indeede they are Baptised for the remission of their sinnes but yet they drew no originall sinne from Adam which is to be taken away by the lauar of regeneration whence it followeth that the forme of Baptisme in them is to be vnderstood not to be true but false be an Anathema VI. Christ alone was free from this blot he deriued not Originall sinne from his Mother Saint Paul indeede Rom. 5.10 saith that all men sinned in Adam neither is it any doubt but that Christ was in Adam as being one of his posterity but that sentence of the Apostle doth not concerne Christ because the person of Christ was not in Adam but onely his humaine nature neither is he from Adam as from the agent principle and from the seminating power but thence he tooke that matter which by the ouer-shadowing of the holy Ghost was freed from the common contagion VII Now if you should aske me whether Originall sinne is done away by Baptisme or whether that blot doth yet remaine in those that are regenerated by the holy Ghost it is readily answered out of the Scripture and experience which is so certaine here that there is no place left for doubting Dauid was circumcised and plentifully instructed with the gifts of the holy Ghost and yet he doth confesse that he was not free from this staine but was polluted in an equall contagion with others And Saint Paul Rom. 7. speaking vnder his owne person of euery man in whose minde the law of God is faithfully imprinted doth acknowledge that sinne doth dwell in him which he â—aileth the law of sinne because it doth stirre him vp to sinne We see infants dye as soone as they are baptised and death the Apostle being witnesse Rom. 6. is the wages of sinne I demand for what sinne doe those Baptised infants dye is it for actuall sinne but they haue committed none therefore it is for Originall sinne Whence it appeareth that Originall sinne doth remaine after Baptisme wherein sinne is remitted as touching the guilt although it remaine in the act as Saint Austen teacheth at large in his first Booke against Iulian concerning Marriage and concupiscence Cap. 25. and 26. The concupiscence of the flesh saith he is forgiuen in Baptisme not that it should not be at all but that it should not be imputed for sinne VIII
But seeing the regenerate doe afterward sinne whence are these sinnes but from their inward corruption For that being taken away the effects also which doe flow onely from this cause would be taken away IX And what shall we say to this that the best men beget their children tainted with this blot and therefore standing in neede of Baptisme Now if the parents begetting children were without originall sinne how could they send this blemish to their issue and giue that to their children which themselues haue not X. Therefore say you marriage is euill seeing by it children of wrath are begotten and sinne is propagated which ought rather to be pulled vp by the roote and to be choaked in the very seede I answere that marriage is more ancient then sinne and instituted by God himselfe the sinne that came vpon it doth not hinder but that marriage is naturally a good thing No otherwise then meate and drinke are things that are good and to be desired although thereby the life of wicked men is sustained Besides marriage doth bring forth sonnes to God and doth serue to fill vp the number of the Elect. I let passe that the faithfull couple doe ioyne their prayers doe stirre vp one another to good workes doe cure one anothers incontinency and in slippery places doe stretch forth the hand one to another Neither are there wanting examples of wicked men to whom by Gods benefit there haue happened good and godly children euen as God doth send seasonable raine on those seeds which were stollen and sowed by a theefe CHAP. VIII What Originall sinne is and whether it be truely and properly sinne I. ORiginall sinne is the deprauation of mans nature contracted and drawne from the very generation it selfe and deriued from Adam into all mankinde consisting of the priuation or want of originall righteousnesse and the pronenesse to euill II. These two things to wit the priuation or want of originall righteousnesse and the inclinablenesse to euill are in originall sinne For as sicknesse is not onely a priuation of health but also an euill affection of the body from the distemper of the humours so this hereditary blot is not onely the want of righteousnesse but also the inclinablenesse to vnrighteousnesse III. The last of these proceedes from the former For the soule which by originall sinne hath ceased to be good is necessarily euill and the soule being instructed by the will which cannot be idle holines and righteousnesse being lost must needes turne to the contrary part IV. This corruption brings blindnesse to the minde peruersenesse to the will perturbation to the appetites the losse of supernaturall gifts and the corruption of those that are naturall V. And although in Adam the minde was first stained with errour before the will was infected with peruersenesse yet is the corruption of the will farre worse and that blot more foule because wee are not made good or euill by the vnderstanding but by the wiâ—l for whatsoeuer euill is committed it is the sinne of the will the committing of wickednesse is a greater sinne then the ignorance of the truth VI. The guilt or obliging to punishment cannot be any part of the definition of Originall sinne Lombard lib. 2. dist 30. Thâ—mas t. 2 Quest â—2 art 3. seeing it is the effect of it VII Lombard and Thomas and the other schoolemen who say that originall sinne is concupiscence doe not attaine sufficiently to the nature of concupiscence For Originall sinne doth infect all the faculties of the reasonable soule and concupiscence is the disease of the will and appetite also concupiscence is contrary to one commandement of the Law and Originall sinne is contrary to the whole Law Neither by it doe men sinne more against the second table of the law then against the first What that concupiscence is forbidden by a proper law But I know not whether Originall sin may be said to be forbidden by the law for God doth not command that wee should be generated or begotten pure without sin for so God should speak to man before he were born Surely man is not bound to obey the law before he be man and seeing the law doth not speak but to them that heare are partakers of reason to think that the law commands a man that is growne to age to be born without sin is a ridiculous thing well nigh a dreame For so the law should command him to be born that is already born him to be begotten that is already grown a man The law doth not command but presuppose Originall righteousnes doth speake to man being considered in the state wherein he was before the fall requiring that old debt and naturall obedience Whence it is manifest that Originall sin is condemned by the law but not forbidden VIII Of this sinne although the Scripture speaketh so expressely and sense it selfe and experience doth abundantly testifie it yet there haue not beene wanting some who did deny this sinne and would not acknowledge mankinde from his first stock and originall to be infected with sinne Cyrillus Ierosolomytanus or whosoeuer else is the author of those Catechismes which goe vnder his name in his fourth part of his Catechisme hath these words Thou dost not sinne by generation thou dost play the adulterer by fortune And a little after Wee come without sinne but now we sinne by our owne election IX In Saint Austins age Pelagius Celestius did deny Originall sinne and did contend that sinne did passe from fathers to their issue onely by example and imitation They did deny that sinne was remitted to infants by Baptisme because they had none and did affirme that by it onely the kingdome of heauen was opened to them whose heresie is long agoe hissed out and strongly confuted by Saint Austin X. Saint Hierome or whosoeuer else is the author of those briefe comentaries vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule which are put in among Saint Hieromes works doth fauour Pelagius For those words of the Apostle Rom. 5. in whom all haue sinned he restraines to example and doth take them as spoken of the imitation of the sinne of Adam XI Saint Chrisostome in many places doth seeme to creepe into this error In his Homily vpon new Conuerts he denyeth Baptisme to be profitable only to the remission of sinnes For saith he wee Baptise infants although they are not polluted with sinne that holinesse and righteousnesse adoption and the inheritance c may be added to them And in his tenth Homisie vpon the Epistle to the Romanes expounding that of Saint Paule Rom. 5. By the disobedience of one many were made sinners by sinners hee would haue vs vnderstand those that are guilty of punishment and mortall and not those that are defiled by the blot of sinne XII Lombard lib 2. distinct 30. litera E. saith there were some that said Originall sinne was no vice in vs but onely the guilt of punishment euen of that eternall punishment which is
curse What Predestination is The parts of it That Arminius did not vnderstand what the decree of Predestination is and that he hath vtterly taken away Election I SEeing that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and all men without exception are borne guilty of the curse it is certaine that that no man can be freed from the curse but by the meere grace and fauour of God This grace he hath reuealed to vs in Christ without whom there is no saluation For he put on our nature that by this meanes of his comming betweene and as it were by this knot man might be ioyned with God and hee suffered death that hee might satisfie for our sinnes and so reconciliation being made wee might be restored to the title and degree of the sonnes of God II. This benefit and sauing grace God doth declare to vs by the Gospell wherein that couenant of free grace whereof Christ is the mediator and foundation is propounded III. By this Gospell eternall life is promised to those that beleeue in Christ For as there is no saluation without Christ so without faith Christ cannot be apprehended nor can we come to the saluation appointed onely for the faithfull For as the Apostle saith Heb. 11 Without faith it is vnpossible to please God I call faith not that vaine trust whereby men sleepe in their vices and their consciences are benumbed while they haue a good hope of the mercy of God but a liuely faith which doth worke by charitie Gal. 5.6 which by that very meanes doth increase loue because it driues away feare IV. This faith man hath not of himselfe neither is it a thing of mans free will but the gift of God and the effect of the holy-Ghost who doth draw men by a powerfull calling and doth seale in mens hearts and deepely impresse in their consciences the promises of God propounded in the Gospell V. All men haue not this faith as the Apostie saith 2. Thes 3. for then all men should be conuerted and saued but onely they whom Paul saith are called by the purpose of God Rom. 8.28 and whom God of his meere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure hath chosen to saluation VI. Faith is giuen by the meer good pleasure of God neither is it giuen to the worthy but it doth make them worthy when it is giuen For God doth not find men good but makes them so neither doth he foreknow any good in man but that which hee himselfe shall doe as hereafter shall more fully be taught VII This eternall and therefore immutable decree of God is called Predestination which is a part of the prouidence of God For prouidence is called Predestination when it doth apply it selfe to the saluation or condemnation of the reasonable creature and when it doth dispense and dispose the meanes by which men come to saluation for that these things are gouerned by the diuine will and that God according to his good pleasure doth giue to some that which he doth deny to others cannot be doubted For though the Scripture were here silent yet reason would cry out that it is not likely that God who doth extend his care to all things is negligent in this thing alone which is the chiefest VIII Furthermore although there be a Predestination among the Angels as Saint Paul witnesseth who 1. Tim. 5.21 calleth the Angels Flect Here we are to deale onely with the predestination of men as that which alone belongs to vs. IX Predestination is therefore the decree by which in the worke of our saluation God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with euery man Or thus Predestination is the decree of God by which of the corrupted masse of mankinde hee hath decreed to saue certaine men by Christ and iustly to punish the rest for their sinnes X. Of this Predestination there are two parts the one is election the other is reprobation whereof the first doth necessarily lay downe the second For as often as some are chosen out of many the rest are necessarily reprobated and of them that are chosen some are preferred before others XI Of election and of the Elect there is often mention in the Scripture Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20.16 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1.4 The purpose of God according to election doth stand not of workes but of him that calleth Rom. 9.11 There is a remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 False Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible euen the elect Mark 13.22 XII On the other side that some are reprobates the Scripture doth witnesse 1. Pet. 2.8 Which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed And Iude v. 4. Certaine men are crept in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Hitherto belongs that which is said Reuel 20.15 That there is cast into the lake of fire whosoeuer is not sound written in the booke of life Which booke is nothing else but the Catalogue of the Elect determined by the decree of God XIII We haue Iacob and Esau for a notable example of this difference of whom whilest they were yet shut vp in the wombe before they had done either good or euill God doth pronounce I haue loued lacob I haue hated Esau Rom. 9. Also the two Theeues crucified with Christ Two shall be in a bed the one shall be receiued and the other left Luk. 17.34 Not much vnlike that which happened to Pharaohs Butler and his chiefe Baker who being shut vp in the same prison the one was brought forth to honour the other to punishment XIV An example of this difference God hath shewed not onely in Abraham but also in his stocke which for no desert of theirs hee preferred before other Nations When the most high diuided to the Nations their inheritance when he seperated the sonnes of Adam the Londs portion was his people Iacob was the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32. And least any one should suppose that that was done for the vertue of that people fore-seene he thus speaketh to his people Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giueth thee not this good Land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse for thou art a stiffe-necked people Deut. 9.6 XV. And although Predestination doth comprehend reprobation seeing that it is certaine that the wicked are appointed to a certaine end and to their deserued punishments yet the Apostle by the word Predestination doth vnderstand onely Election as Rom. 8. Those that he predestinated he called c. And Ephes 1.5 Hauing predestinated vs to the adoption of children Thomas imitating this manner of speaking doth thus define Predestination 1. Part. Sum. Quest 23. Art 2. Predestination is the preparation to grace in the present and to glory in the world to come XVI But when
by faith Surely if this man be beleeued the Law is the elder brother and Faith the yonger Did God then hate the law before it had done good or euill I am ashamed to confute these things for seeing God preached the Gospell to Adam himselfe by the yonger brother the law is rather to be vnderstood Perhaps by the elder he would haue those to be vnderstood who would be iustified by the law but this is no lesse difficult to conceiue how God hated them before they had done eyther good or euill and how they could be the elder seeing they neuer were sonnes XII Finally the truth is here so euident that Vorstius hauing left Arminius Câ—llat aduers Piscat sect 141 doth yeeld to our part For he thinkes that the scope of the Apostle in this chapter is to teach that righteousnesse and eternall saluation doth depend not on the dignity and worth of workes or any carnall prerogatiue such as the Iewes boasted of but on the meere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure â—o God that hath mercy CHAP. XVI The opinions of the parties vpon the doctrine of Predestination I. WE haue already said that predestination is the decree of God by which in the worke of our saluation God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with euery particular man and that there are two parts or species of it Election and Reprobation II. Arminius Thes 15. Theolog. Disputa vnderstanding by the name of Predestination onely election doth thus define it Predestination is the decree of Gods good pleasure in Christ whereby from eternity hee hath determined with himselfe to iustifie to adopt and freely to reward with eternall life the faithfull to whom hee hath decreed to giue faith to the praise of his glorious grace All other his sectaries doe with one mouth say that election is the decree of God of sauing those that beleeue in Christ and shall perseuere in faith III. But here the Arminians doe with a maruailous craft hide their minde and meaning For that definition laid downe by Arminius doth seeme to teach that God chose some certaine men to saluation But it is otherwise nor is this the meaning of this difinition for by these words the faithfull to whom hee decreed to giue faith they doe not vnderstand some certaine men whom God hath precisely elected but they onely insinuate of what quality they are whom God would elect to wit such as should beseeue And they teach that God is often disappointed of that will by which he hath decreed to giue men faith and that he may be condemned whom God hath so elected Greuinch p. 101 dicit Hoc decretum esse condits onale de qusitbet si credat seruando For they deny that this decree is precise but that it is conditionall and which depend of faith foreseene of which faith the grace of God is but a cause in part for free will hath also a part here in the power whereof it is to vse well or ill the preuenting accompanying grace of God eyther to receiue or to refuse it Therefore they make God by this decree seriously to intend the saluation of all men to haue determined to giue them sufficient grace power to beleâ—ue but that he is disappointed of this his decree intention in many mans will hindring it whereby it comes to passe that God is deceiued of his naturall desire and first intention which surely must needes be the best Coll. Hag. p. 96. Least therefore any one should thinke that by this decree of election which Arminius hath defined some certaine men are appointed to life it must be obserued that this decree according to the meaning of Arminius doth conditionally belong to all men whatsoeuer and that by this antecedent will Pharaoh and Iudas Arnold P. 192. c. are conditionally elected wherefore the Arminians doe deny that the number of the elect is certaine by the precise appointment of God which can neither be increased nor be diminished IV. Obserue also that that definition laid downe by Arminius doth not belong to infants which are taken away by an immature and vnseasonable death for the Arminians will haue onely them that beleeue to be elected V. Besides this generall and conditionall election by which all men without exception are elected they make another election of particular men which doth rest relye on faith foreseene This they define to be the absolute decree of God of sauing some certaine men whom he from eternity fore-saw would beleeue in Christ and perseuere in the faith which faith and perseuerance they say is considered in the decree of election as already fulfilled The same men are also of opinion that this election while wee are pilgrimes vpon earth is incompleate and reuocable For so Greninchouius P. 136.137 As the good things of our saluation which are continued faith being continued and are reuoked and called backe faith being denied are incompleate so election is in this life incompleate not peremptory not irreuocable But the course of election being finished they will haue this decree then to bee compleate and irreuocable VI. They will haue the will of God of sauing some certaine men to be after the will of man and to depend vpon the fore-seeing of faith VII They will haue that first election to belong to the antecedent will the latter election to the consequent will VIII That God doth supply tomen the meanes to beleeue they thinke it to be the act of his prouidence and not of this election whereby hee hath appointed some certaine men to glory and they denie true faith and perseuerance in faith to be an effect of this latter and absolute election seeing precise election doth rather depend on the fore-seeing of that faith and faith is before election For they denie that God hath precisely predestinated any one to faith but they will haue it that they that haue faith are predestinated to saluation IX They comprehend the whole doctrine of election in foure decrees which they so knit among themselues with a perpetuall linking that the latter depend on the former X. The 1. decree of God is of giuing his son for the abolishing of sin for the redemption of al mankind in which redemption they would haueal mankind to be reconciled and remission of sins to be obtained for all The 2. decree that whereby God decreed to saue them that beleeue would perseuere in faith This is that generall conditionall election The 3. decree is that wherby God decreed to giue to all men sufficient grace for faith repentance which power they say is giuen irresistably yea and that God is bound to giue all men this grace But the very act of beleeuing they say is not giuen but resistably least force should be offered to mans will They denie therefore that God decreed to giue to any one precisely absolutely faith and the act of beleeuing The 4.
p. 86. doth roundly affirme that sinne is the meritorious cause of reprobation So Arnoldus p. 151. Election and reprobation of particular persons were made in respect of the fore-sight of faith and incredulity Arnoldus Can any suspect your fidelity that you take the word ex equiuocally in reprobation to note the cause but in election to note the condition It must needes be therefore that they acknowledge that the elect are appointed to saluation for faith fore seene because they beleeue and that fore-seene faith is the cause of the election of particular persons IV. But there is no difference whether you say that Election doth rest on faith fore-seene or that it doth rest on the fore-seeing of faith for both wares faith is made the cause of election in the latter it is made the neerest cause in the former it is made the remote cause for fore-seene faith is made the cause of fore-seeing it and the fore-seeing it is made the cause of election For why doth God fore-know that they will beleeue vnlesse because they will beleeue and why doth he elect vnlesse because he fore-knoweth they will beleeue These are the words of Arminius against Perkins p. 142. In that God fore-knowes he therefore fore-knowes because it will afterward be V. The same men a little after against the Walachrians doe vse although fearefully the word depending that they might make election depending on faith And although say they that word of depending which we are neuer wont to vse in this argument be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily subiect to calumny yet if a maleuolent minde be absent it cannot be drawne to the least suspicion of any absurdity Yes it may be drawne to the greatest For Greuinchouius himselfe Pag. 198. doth acknowledge that dependency strictly taken doth argue causality and the dependency of a superiour by an inferiour And truely these men doe not obscurely declare how willingly they would vse this word if they did not feare our pursuite VI. There is extant a Treatise of Greuinchouius with this Title Of election * ex for faith fore seene but that word ex from or for doth not onely note priority but also causality For who would endure a man that should say that Tiberius was from Octauius Augustus or that this yeare is from the former because one went before the other A man that is not vnskiifull of the Latine doth sufficiently know that the praeposition ex is not fit to note onely the priority of faith vnlesse besides the priority there is also some efficiency or dependency Wherefore the same man page 24. hath these words It is altogether conuenient to the nature of lawes and prescribed conditions that the will of the Iudge should be moued to giue the reward by the required and performed condition This performed condition the Arminians say to be faith which if we beleeue them is considered in election as performed They will therefore haue God to be moued by this fulfilled condition that he should giue the reward which if it be true faith is plainely the cause both of decreeing and giuing the reward because it is that which moueth the Iudge VII So in the conference at the Hage the Arminians doe contend that God doth not elect without respect of qualities which thing is true not onely of faith but also of repentance so it be taken thus that God in electing considered men as they that by his gift and bounty would beleeue and be renewed in repentance If you take this respecting otherwise it must needes be that this respecting is the cause for one is said to choose any thing in respect of some quality or vertue who by that qualitie or vertue is moued to choose it otherwise he would not VIII Nay what That the Arminian conferrers at the Hage p. 86. doe vse the word Cause God sendeth his word whether it seemeth good to him not according to any absolute decree but for other causes lying hid in man Then is man the cause why hee is called whence it comes that he is the cause also that he is elected For that which is the cause why God doth call a man to saluation is plainely the cause why God will saue him for these are things connexed and knit together The same men page 109. It is absurd to put the absolute will of God in the decree of election for the first and principall cause that it should goe before the other causes to wit Christ faith and all other causes Here you heare that faith is put among the causes of election wherefore Arnoldus page 53. doth leaue it in the middle whether faith ought to be called the cause or the condition Whether saith hee faith should be called the condition or whether it should be called the cause it alwayes being laid downe for granted that it is the gift of God this alone is the question how faith hath respect to election And a little before he had said If any should say that in the decree of election faith hath the respect of a cause yet he should not thereby deny that it is the gift of God Not obscurely insinuating how prone hee was to that part and perceiued that hee was not rashly to be blamed who hath called faith the cause of our election IX Adde to these that Arnoldus page 186. and the rest with him doe contend that faith is not of those that are elected but that the election is of those that are faithfull We truely out of Saint Paul to Titus chap. 1. v 1. say that faith is of the elect which we so take because election is the cause of faith to which our assertion seeing they oppose theirs as contrary whereby they say that election is of them that are faithfull what else would they but haue faith to be the cause of our election X. Let also the moment and force of their reasons be weighed and considered In the conference at the Hage they professe that they doe not refuse to write with great letters and to subscribe that election is made by Christ without any consideration of good workes And yet doe the same men euen to loathing beate vpon this that Election is the decree of sauing them that beleeue that there is no man elected by God but in respect of faith But I would know why they so earnestly exclude the consideration of workes from election seeing that the earnest endeauour of good workes is a condition no lesse fore-required to saluation then faith Who by these things doth not see that faith is not laid downe by them meerely as a fore-required condition For if faith were thus considered by them it is plaine that the study and endeauour of good workes had beene ioyned and placed in the same degree with faith XI And if God electeth to saluation not those whom he absolutely decreed but those whom hee fore-saw would beleeue it is plaine that God in election hath respect to some dignity and
worth which is in these but not in them But it is not likely that any wise man doth choose the best men for any other cause then because they are the best For if the goodnesse of the faithfull doe goe before election hee should doe very ill that should elect them for any other cause then because they are good XII And certainely whensoeuer any thing is promised to a man vnder a condition which is in the power of mans free-will it is plaine that the fulfilling of the condition by mans free-will is the cause why the promise is fulfilled and the Arminians doe contend that God doth giue yea and that hee is bound to giue grace and sufficient power to beleeue but to vse that grace or not to vse it is in the power of mans free-will XIII Neither is it a hard thing to draw from them that which I would haue For let the Schoole and followers of Arminius tell me what moued God by his consequent will to choose Simon Peter rather then Simon Magus why Gregory rather then Iulian They haue nothing to answer but that it was done because God fore-saw faith in them and incredulity in these Therefore although they should get it granted that by their doctrine fore-seene faith is not made the cause why God hath appointed this man to saluation yet they must needes confesse that according to Arminius fore-seene faith is the cause of the difference betweene the elect and the reprobate and therefore the cause why this man is preferred before the other which surely is no other thing then to be the cause of election For euery election is comparatiue and doth inferre the reiection of one or more XIV So when they deny that by the will of God electing the number of the elect is certaine and determined it must needes be that they would haue mans will to be the cause why the number is such a number and so euery man is the cause why hee is of the number of the elect and therefore also the cause of his owne election XV. Although therefore they would haue this suspicion remoued from them yet they will neuer wipe out this blot by which they are contumelious against God and doe weaken the firmenesse and strength of faith As they which make the eternall election and good pleasure of God to depend on mans free-will will haue saluation to be of him that willeth of him that runneth they doe place some worth vertue in man which is the cause why saluation in the eternall counsell of God is appointed to one rather then to another Whence it comes that faith doth shake and saluation is vncertaine as that which although God doth certainely fore-know yet he doth not certainely and infallibly will it for Election is not an act of the fore-knowledge but of the will of God and this will how can it be certaine if it doth depend on an vncertaine thing to wit on mans will But these things by the way for they shall be more exactly examined in their place CHAP. XVIII The decree of generall election is searched into by which Arminius will haue all men to be elected to saluation vnder the condition of faith I. WE haue taught in the fift Chapter that the antecedent will of God as Arminius hath receiued it after Damascen is a meere forged deuise and a thing contumelious against God This foundation being taken away that vniuersall election common to all men vnder the condition of faith to be performed doth fall downe For this generall election Arminius will haue to belong to the antecedent will of God II. Whereunto adde those things which we haue spoken Chapter 12. where we haue dissolued and vnloosed the chaine of the foure decrees in which the Arminians doe comprehend the whole doctrine of Election There we haue shewed that the second decree by which saluation is not decreed to particular persons but it is determined that they shall be saued who shall beleeue is not the decree of prouidence nor predestination but is the rule of the Gospell which doth prescribe and set downe the way to saluation III. This question is put to slight onely by the name of election for Election cannot be of all men he doth not choose that taketh all Neither in the time of the deluge had Noah beene chosen that hee should liue in the deluge if no man had perished by the flood He is elected who is preferred before others the rest being eyther despised or lesse accounted of IV. And seeing in all the points of faith wee ought to be wise and taught out of the Scriptures much more in so high an argument which doth exceede our capacitie Let therefore the Arminians shew by what place of Scripture all men are said to be elected by that election which is opposite to reprobation for of that it is spoken here and not of the election of seuerall men by the consequent will of God Who euer heard it said that Pharaoh or Iudas did any way belong to the election of God Saint Peter indeede 2. Epist Chap. 1. doth ioyne calling to election commanding vs to make our calling and election sure that is by the earnest endeauour of good workes to effect that the sence of our effectuall calling and the perswasion of our election may daily be increased in vs But he will not therefore haue our calling and election to be the same nor will hee haue all that are any waies called to be elected Yea many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 V. That also is to be obserued that by this generall election it is not decreed who are to be saued but what manner of men are to be saued and that the Arminians draw the ninth chapter to the Romanes to proue this where it is plainely spoken of the good pleasure of God and his mercy towards some seuerall and peculiar persons whom it seemeth good to God to choose For those words I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy speake of some certaine men and not of what qualified men for then he had said Miserâ—tor qualium I will haue mercy on men so qualified and not cuius or quorum of whom Neither had the example of Isaac and Iacob who were particular persons beene applied to explaine the election not of particular persons but the election eyther of all or of men so qualified VI. But I would learne of the Arminians whether Iudas or Pilate whether the high priests and the Scribes by the instigation and accusations of whom our Sauiour was crucified were elected conditionally and comprehended in that generall election If they were not comprehended then that generall and conditionall election which they would haue to be extended to all men falleth to the ground On the other side if Iudas and those high priests were conditionally elected the decree of God concerning the crucifying of Christ could not be absolute because it was done by men which were conditionally elected vnder a
comparison of hauing their names written in heauen Surely that speech to be written in heauen is referred not to the opinion of men but to the purpose of God And this phrase is taken from the Prophets with whom that is said to be written before God which is fastened and determined by his decree So Esay 4. v. 3. they are said to be written for life who were to be preserued by the purpose of God And Chap. 65.6 Behold it is written before me I will not keepe silence but will recompence As if hee should say it is certaine and determined by mee to reuenge these wicked deedes XII I am ashamed of that shift whereby some of them say that therefore the names of the Apostles are said to be written in heauen because they were elected to their Apostleshippe For so the name of Iudas himselfe was written in heauen in which respect he had so little cause to reioyce that euen his very Apostleshippe turned to his destruction Then also we haue the words of the Apostle to the Hebrewes which are plainely agreeable to these by which he calleth the faithfull the first begotten which are written in heauen which cannot bee drawne to the election to an office seeing it belongeth to all the faithfull and the elect XIII The question of the booke of life is a greater and longer question not belonging to this place I am not ignorant that there is a certaine booke of life which is not the booke of election but the Catalogue of them who professe themselues to be members of the Church and are visibly grafted into the couenant of which book there is mention Eze. 13.9 Psal 69. ver 29. out of which booke there is no doubt but some are blotted But when they are throwne headlong into hell as many as are not written in the booke of life it is plaine that in this booke is set downe the certaine and determined number of men who while other are appointed to the fire they alone are reserued to life the number of whom can be encreased or diminished no more now then in the last iudgement XIV These things concerning that generall and conditionall election Now let vs come to the absolute election of seuerall persons which the Arminians would haue to rest and depend on the fore-knowledge of faith and to be made for faith fore-seene The former of these elections hath the second place in the series and ranke of the foure decrees laid downe by Armintus the latter election hath the fourth place that doth pertaine to the antecedent will of God this to the consequent that doth goe before this doth follow mans will Arminius saith that God is disappointed of that but cannot be disappointed of this CHAP. XIX The election of particular persons in respect of faith foreseene is confuted It is prooued that men are not elected for faith but to faith OVt of the great abundance of places which the holy Scripture doth supply to vs we wil tithe and choose out some that are most cleare and most weighty I. Saint Paul to the Ephesians Chapter 1. vers 3.4 hath these words God hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world The Apostle doth plainely enough teach that spirituall blessings and therefore faith are giuen vs according to the eternall election as we were elected Whence it followeth that election is necessarily before these blessings both in order and time So hee that saith that the Souldiers receiued their donatiue and beneuolence as it seemed good to their Generall doth manifestly say that first it seemed good to the Generall before it was done and that the certaine and absolute will of the Generall went before this largesse and gift Neither are those words of lesse moment which follow He elected vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue You see that we are elected to holinesse and not from holinesse or for holinesse and if we be elected to holinesse then also are we elected to faith wherein our holinesse chiefly consists It cannot be denyed that faith is a part of our holines vnlesse by him who also denieth that incredulity in the prophane is a part of their prophanenesse and vice For by faith we are not onely sanctified efficiently but also formally no otherwise then the wall is formally whited by the white colour And if the Arminians could get it granted that the holinesse which is spoken of here doth consist onely in charity yet they would effect nothing nor would it euer the lesse be proued out of this place that we are chosen to faith for he that is elected to charity is necessarily elected to faith which begets charity Gal. 5.6 Nor is it credible that any one is elected to one part of holinesse and not to the other Being beate therefore from hence they seeke other refuges Arnoldus p. 66. by elect would haue they that are called to be vnderstood as if election and calling were the same thing but many are called few are chosen Matth. 20. Therefore among these elect if Arnoldus be beleeued there will be many reprobates neither will this election be opposed to reprobation The same man pag. 142. doth contend that these elect are the faithfull which is false in that sense he takes it to wit that they are considered as being already faithfull when they are elected For how can they that are considered as being faithfull be elected to holinesse seeing in that they are faithfull they are already holy Paul indeede speakes to the Ephesians whom hee calleth faithfull and blessed but not if now they were faithfull and blessed they were therefore faithfull before they were elected This good man therefore hath deuised another subtilty and would haue Paul to speake not of the election of particular persons but of the election whereby any one people is elected to the calling by the Gospell If this be true it must needes be that among the elect before the foundation of the world there were many reprobates But the following words doe not admit this interpretation for the Apostle saith we are elected that we should be without blame in loue He will haue vs to be elect that we might endeauour to holinesse and good workes Now good workes are of particular men and not of a Nation neither by the elect can here be vnderstood the nations admitted into the couenant seeing Saint Paul includes himselfe in this number Hath chosen vs in Christ c. Arnoldus himselfe doth sufficiently declare how little he trusts to this exposition while hee ioynes another which ouerthrowes this He saith that here it is spoken of the election to glory and therefore by holinesse would haue saluation vnderstood But the Apostle doth fitly preuent this starting hole for hee addes that we might be holy and blamelesse but to be blamelesse is a
ipse â—d aicat noâ— habitu sen qualitate inherente iustificari Idem dicit Vorst Cat. Errâ—rum Sibr. P. 61. 54. Impiutper paenetentiam iustificatur That Arminius doth acknowledge faith not onely to be an action and therefore aworke but doth also contend that faith is imputed for righteousnesse not as an instrument that is not as it apprehendeth Christ but as it is a worke and an action The words of Arminius are reported by the Walachrian brethren in their Epistle and they are these Faith is imputed for righteousnesse not as it is an instrument but as it is an action although it be by him whom it apprehendeth Neither doe the Arminians in their answere deny it but doe willingly acknowledge that these are Arminius his words and Pag. 87. they doe defend him The same men in the page going before doe confesse that Peter Bertius a man of speciall name amongst the Arminians is of opinion That the very act of faith is imputed to vs for righteousnesse in a proper sense and therefore that we are iustified by faith as by an inherent qualitie which vlcer I doe not touch here But I onely take that which makes for the present matter to wit seeing that faith it selfe is not onely an action and a worke but that also according to the minde of the Arminians wee are iustified by faith in as much as it is an action and a worke and an inherent vertue it is plaine that the fore-seeing of faith is excluded by that very eternall good pleasure of God which the Apostle vseth to exclude the foreseeing of workes seeing that faith it selfe is also a worke and an action yea and doth iustifie as it is an action if Arminius be beleeued XVII Hitherto pertaines that which is said Rom. 9.11 The purpose of God which is according to election not of workes but of him that calleth because faith it selfe is a worke and doth iustifie as it is a worke as the Arminians will haue it and to vse grace aright is with them to worke XVIII The Scripture speaketh of the decree of election as of a certaine immutable decree 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his And Romanes 9. That the purpose of God which is according to election might stand And Iohn 10.28 I giue to my sheepe eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand And chap. 6.37 All that the father giueth me shall come to me whereunto adde that which is Mark 13. that the elect cannot be deceiued Did Pilate thinke it was an vnlawfull thing to change the title of the crosse which was written by him and will it be a thing worthy the maiesty and wisedome of God to cancell those things he writ and hauing changed his opinion to wipe out those which hee had set into the white register of the elect Hee therefore doth not thinke well of God and doth subuert the doctrine of the Gospell who will haue the decree of the election of men to be mutable and reuocable and to depend on mans will We haue heard that Greuinchouius doth deny the decree of election to be peremptory and absolute while we liue here And the whole Schoole of Arminius doth cry out with one voyce that the number of the elect is not certaine and determined by the election and will of God But if the number of the elect be not certaine by the will of God then neither is election it selfe certaine And surely they iustly make election mutable who make it to depend on mans will for they will haue election to rest on faith fore-seene and faith it selfe to depend on mans free-will Indeede they say that preuenting and accompanying grace is necessary to beâ—eeue but the vse of this grace they will haue to be in the power of mans will which alwaies hath this liberty that it may vse that grace or not vse it And we shall see in his place that the Arminians teach that the grace of God is not the totall cause of faith but onely a cause in part Finally you may euery where finde that election is made by the purpose and good pleasure of God and for his meere grace as 2 Tim. 1.19 Ephes 1. ve 5.6 and 11. Rom 9.15 and 11. ver 3. But I finde no where that any one is elected for faith fore-seene neither doe the Arminians proue it any otherwise but by consequences farre fetched which we will examine in their place and order CHAP. XX. Election for faith fore-seene is confuted by places taken out of the Gospell of Saint Iohn THis contention will cease if we stand to the testimony of Christ himselfe in the Gospell according to Saint Iohn hee faith many things which cut this knot and leaue no place for doubting I. Iohn 6 37. he thus speaketh to the Iewes Whatsoeuer my father giueth me shall come to me To come to Christ is to beleeue for so Christ himselfe expounds it verse 35. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst He might haue said in both places Hee that commeth shall not hunger nor shall thirst but in the latter place he puts beleeue for come that wee might know that we come to Christ by beleeuing The meaning therefore of Christ is that those that are giuen him by the father will beleeue in him and they are giuen to the sonne who are therefore giuen that hee might saue them and they might be his flocke The sense therefore of these words whatsoeuer my father giueth to me shall come is this Whosoeuer my father giueth me to be saued shall beleeue in me They are giuen then to Christ before they can come or can beleeue for therefore they come to Christ and beleeue because they are giuen him But Arminius will haue them beleeue before they be giuen for he will haue them to be elected and therefore to be giuen to Christ for faith fore-seene Christ saith that therefore they come because they are giuen him the sectaries on the contrary say that therefore they are giuen because they come In another place the head-strong obstinacy of these men doth no lesse discouer it selfe by them who are giuen to Christ they would haue the faithfull to be vnderstood as if Christ had said he that beleeueth in me will come to me But we haue already proued that to come is the same that it is to beleeue The sence therefore of these words of Christ according to Arminius will be this Whosoeuer doth beleeue shall beleeue in me Adde to these that seeing in the Arminian election faith and perseuerance in faith is considered as already performed and therefore they that are elected are considered as dead or in the very limits of life and death they cannot be said to come who haue not already measured out the course of their life Neither by them who are giuen to Christ
asunder For all that are glorified are iustified all that are iustified are called by that effectuall calling which is peculiar to the elect all that are so called are appointed that they should be conformable to the image of Christ Let the sectaries tell me whether glorification iustification and calling doe not belong to all the elect For Arminius while he doth restraine this conformity to afflictions he maketh many elect that are not conformable to Christ because many of the seruants of God euen of the best haue had peace without interruption and quietnesse with honour Doe the Arminians wipe themselues out of the number of the elect who in the height of peace forgetfull of the crosse of Christ haue moued this sinke pernicious and deadly to themselues and to the Church I am not ignorant that these things are spoken by the Apostle to the comfort of the afflicted to whom all things turne to good But what lets that hee should not comfort them by those lessons which might belong to all So the Apostle Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2. when hee had commanded seruants to be subiect to their masters not onely if they were good but also if they were euill and rough a little after he doth exhort them to patience by those instructions which are common to all Christians admonishing them that it is pleasing to God if any of them endure troubles for conscience sake that Christ being innocent therfore suffered that he might leaue vs an example that we might walke in his steppes And it is no doubt but that these that are here said to be predestinated to conformity vnto the image of Christ are the same with those who in the same place he saith are called by the purpose of God But they that are afflicted for Christ are not onely called but also all the elect among whom there are many that are free from persecutions III. Especially obserue that Saint Paul here doth speake of the election of particular persons those whom he Predestinated and those whom he glorifyed for but some and that a few are glorified These Innouators will haue the election of particular persons to be after calling and they will haue them to be elected whom God fore-seeth will follow him calling and they make election to rest vpon this foreseeing But Saint Paul here maketh election to be before calling when hee saith Whom he predestinated them also he called whom he called them also he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified For as in order and time iustification is before glorification and calling before iustification so also the predestination of seuerall persons is before calling IV. But it is worth the labour to consider the linkes of that Apostolicall chaine Whom he predestinated he called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified Doe not you see how we are predestinated to our calling and by our calling to iustification And seeing that we are iustified by Faith it followeth that we are predestinated to Faith For how can he be predestinated to iustification by Faith who is not predestinated to Faith These things strike at the life V. I let passe that the Arminians doe ouerturne those words of S. Paul whom he iustified them also he glorified while they affirme that many are iustified who are reprobates This they cleerely shew in their Epistle against the Walachrians Pag 40. They who beleeue for a time may be said to be iustified whom the euent doth shew to be reprobates VI. In the same chapter v. 16. he saith The spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I demande whether this tesiemony of the spirit be certaine or doubtfull If it be doubtfull the spirit of God is accused of a lie If it be certaine I demand on what foundation doth this certainty rest Doth it rest on the power of free-will Why this is a doubtfull and deceitfull certainty Or is this testimony certaine because it is giuen to none but them whom God hath certainely appointed to saluation Why this is that very thing which we affirme and the Arminians deny VII There is no lesse force in the ninth chapter to the Romanes where the Apostle doth throughly and largely treate of Election and reprobation The scope of the Apostle is to teach that election and saluation is not of the workes of the law but of God calling and hauing mercy and his scope is not as Arminius faines to treate of iustification by faith I will not repeate those things which are spoken chap. 15. where we hauer pressed Arminius torturing the Apostle that he might draw him against his will to the patronage of his cause VIII Thus much the carefull Reader shall obserue that Paul after he hath spoken of the purpose of God according to Election doth presently lay downe Iacob for an example of that Election whom God loued before he had done any good or euil and therefore before he had beleeued for to beleeue is to doe something and so Election went before Faith Yea although to beleeue the Gospell and obey it were not an action yet if election went before the consideration of workes it must needes also goe before the consideration of Faith from which workes doe flow For if Faith should goe before Election God in electing could not consider Faith but as bringing forth workes for otherwise he had considered Faith not as it is but as it is not IX Also that which he saith v. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy were false if God had mercy on men for faith fore-scene For the Arminians doe hold this stedfastly and defend with greatest diligence that God giueth all men power of beleeuing in Christ yea and that he is bound to giue it and how great grace soeuer God may giue to beleeue in act yet it is in the power of mans free will to vse this grace or not to vse it to beleeue or not to beleeue and that that man is elected by God whom he foresaw would beleeue and whom he considereth as already beleeuing According to this doctrine it may rightly be said that saluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth and not onely of God that sheweth mercy But if Paul therefore said that it is not of him that willeth because it is not alone of him that wiâ—leth why shall it not be also lawfull to say that it is not of God that sheweth mercy because it is not alone of him shewing mercy but also of mans free will X. But if to that question whereby it is demanded why God of one and the same Masse hath loued one and hated another why hee had mercy of one and hardned the other it may be answered that it was done because God fore-saw that the one would beleeue and the other would not beleeue Saint Paul ought not to haue blamed the demander and commanded him to be silent seeing the
of Sathan XVII The sectaries are wont after this manner to accuse vs of ouerthrowing the Gospell The Gospell say they which on condition doth promise life to the beleeuer cannot serue for the executing the decree whereby life is precisely appointed to certaine and determined persons But I affirme that it doth serue because God promiseth life vnder a condition which he decreed to worke in the elect For what letteth that God should not promise life to him that beleeueth and yet decree to giue faith to those certaine and determined persons which he hath elected XVIII Arnoldus pag. 52. hath these words If faith be an effect of election it cannot be comprehended in the decree of election But there is none of vs saith that faith is comprehended in the decree of Election but a purpose or will of giuing faith And this will hath that respect to the decree of election as the part to the whole for the decree of the meanes to the end is included in that decree by which the end is decreed as in the will of building a house the will of prouiding stones and timber is contained XIX It is a thing of small moment which they euery where beate vpon According to the Gospell say they faith is a condition required in sauing and electing but not according to your opinion It is a caâ—umny We acknowledge that faith is a condition required in sauing a man but not fore-required in electing him as Arminius would haue it Faith is a thing without which God doth not elect but not that for the foreseeing whereof he doth elect That faith is required in election although the Scripture doth not say it in the same words yet it may fitly be receiued and according to the meaning of the Scripture if faith be laid downe as a condition following election and without which God will haue no saluation No otherwise then breathing is a condition to life although a man be first appointed to life before to breathing XX. The Arminians in their Epistle against the Walachrian brethren p 43. doe thus explaine their opinion It seemeth most inconuenient to vs to affirme that God in election did decree what he himselfe would worke in man by his spirit For by the decree of absolute election to saluation the conferring of saluation alone and not of faith is decreed This their false and foolish opinion they vphold by this argument Seeing that saluation and faith are most diuers predicates neither doe they make the same thing by it selfe or by accident it cannot possible be but that the decree of conferring saluation is one the decree of conferring faith is another I answere Although saluation and faith are diuers things yet faith is a necessary meanes to saluation and the decree of the end includes also the meanes life and breathing are things no lesse diuers then faith and saluation and yet by the same decree whereby one is appointed to life he is appointed also to breathing because breathing is the meanes to life XXI This obiection of the Arminians is frequent and worne out with vsing If God doth predestinate men to faith as to the meanes by which they should come to saluation it must needes be that God should also predestinate the reprobates to incredulity and impenitency as to the meanes by which they should come to damnation But I deny that this followes for here we speake of the meanes which God himselfe doth supply but incredulity and impenitency are meanes which man himselfe â—ath suggested of his owne The meanes which God findes already made are to be distinguished from those which he makes God in predestinating doth consider man as corrupt and lying in sinne whence it comes to passe that the meanes to damnation are already in man neither is there any neede that they should be supplyed otherwise much lesse by God who neuer is the author of sinne But seeing man is naturally destitute of the meanes of saluation they cannot come to man vnlesse God giue them Neither is incredulity a condition required after the same manner in reprobates as faith is in the elect for that is a condition required before reprobation but this is a condition following election Thence it is that incredulity and impenitency are things deseruing reprobation but faith is a thing not deseruing election nor saluation XXII With that argument another also doth fall to the ground which these Sectaries heape vp euen with a loathsome repetition If God say they doth not elect for fore-seene faith then he doth not reprobate for fore-seene sinne But I deny that these things are alike or that one followeth of another for God foreseeth sinne because he is not the author of sinne but he doth not fore-see faith but doth decree to worke it and this which God decreeth he doth not fore-see it but doeth will it if we would vse significant and fit words and not purposely darken things by an improper kinde of speech And truely the Arminians seeme to mee to strike themselues with their owne stings For if this reason of theirs preuaile why may it not also be lawfull to reason thus If God electeth without the respect of good workes as Arminius will haue it then also he doth reprobate without the respect of euill workes The consequence is the same and yet the Arminians doe not admit this Arnoldus after Arminius doth heape together many things by which he would get enuy to our cause and would loade it with hatred the knowledge whereof is worth the labour for they are cloathed with much art and searched colours In the front hee doth place arguments by which he would proue that our opinion is contrary to the wisedome of God XXIII He therefore Page 217. doth thus argue It is contrary to wisedome first to ordaine absolutely to any one that thing which is lost and therefore is not at all and then to decree that he should obtaine the samething The same homonomy is in the word absolutely which we noted before in Greuinchouius in the sixteenth obiection the answere therefore may be sought for there But it is not true that this is contrary to the wisedome of God no more then absolutely to decree that one should recouer his lost health and yet decree that he should take Phisicke and should obtaine helpe of the Phisitian XXIV He doth repeate the same argument in other words in the same and in the following page but that he also addes That it is contrary to the wisedome of God to ordaine first who shall receiue the reward before he ordaines on what condition they are to receiue it But we doe not teach this For wee determine that all the decrees of God are eternall as concerning the order we doe not part these into two decrees one whereof should be of the persons to be saued the other of the condition whereby they should be saued By one and the same decree God determined to saue certaine men by Faith But if wee should speake
as Arnoldus doth imagine nothing would thereby be derogated from the wisedome of God The father doth often decree to giue something to his children before he hath determined on what condition or by what labour In this place Arnoldus hath stuffed in many things of vnresistablenesse and of reprobation which wee haue put off to another place Therefore from the wisedome of God he passeth to the iustice of God which he doth contend to be violated by vs. XXV Therefore Pag. 224. hee beginneth with a calumny You determine saith he that God decreed to saue some men without the beholding of Faith I say he doth falsely accuse vs For although God doth not elect vs for faith yet hee doth elect vs to faith and faith is a part of the definition of election But if of two that are alike sinners he electeth one to saluation not considering obedience as a thing already performed but electing him to performe obedience God shall not therefore be vniust for concerning his owne he doth what he will according to that I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy c. It is enough that although he giueth to the one the grace that is not deserued yet he imposeth no punishment on the other but what is due In the meane while the Papists haue cause to reioyce who haue sound a patron of merit in Arnoldus For it is said to be merit when the reward is giuen to any one for righteousnesse Eternall life is a reward and that it might be giuen for righteousnesse Arnoldus will haue it giuen for the beholding of obedience performed therefore it is giuen to him that merits it XXVI It is idle which he addeth Pag. 225. By the decree whereby God hath decreed to giue saluation to none but to him that beleeueth he sheweth that he doth rather loue obedience then the creature But contrarywise by your decree God is made to loue men although they be sinners rather then righteousnesse which is contrary to iustice Surely these things are knit together with a very wicked art For first he imagines that we teach that God will saue other men then beleeuers Secondly he doth craithy compare that loue wherewith God loueth obedience with that loue wherewith God loueth the creature seeing the loue of obedience which is the very iustice of God is rather to be compared with the loue wherewith God loueth his goodnesse and mercy For although God loueth his owne iustice more then the creature yet hee doth not loue his iustice more then his goodnesse by which he doth doe good to the creature for God doth no lesse giue cleare and certaine proofes and effects of his goodnesse then of his iustice which goodnesse is also a kinde of iustice if iustice be taken not strictly for that vertue by which rewards are giuen to the iust and punishments to the vniust but for that generall vertue wherby God doth doe all things conueniently and as it is meete And although all things are equall in God yea all the attributes of God are one vertue and the very essence of God yet the Scripture doth extoll the goodnesse of God with farre greater praises then his iustice So in the Law God doth visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation but doth extend his mercy to thousands of generations So Psal 36. The iudgements of God are compared to the mountains and his goodnesse to the deepe And Psalme 30. His goodnesse is extended to a life or an age but his anger is restrained to a moment Saint Iames doth consent to this Chap. 2. v. 13. saying that mercy doth boast it selfe and glory ouer iustice because God hath manifested to vs more euident arguments of his goodnesse then of his iustice God is therefore rightly called Optimus maximus The most good and the most great but most good is set first and then most great And if you would repeate the matter from the beginning you shall finde that in the first place the decree of creating is to be laid downe in which there is goodnesse but not iustice XXVII Arnoldus doth more largely presse the same things Chap. 9. where he saith that the iustice of God is violated by vs while wee will haue God to haue ordained men to saluation without the beholding of any obedience which as I haue already said is not our opinion I confesse indeede that God doth loue his owne iustice more then man but I deny that he doth more loue the manifestation or execution of his iustice then the manifestation of his mercy and goodnesse towards man God doth more loue that which is due to him by the creature then hee doth loue the creature it selfe But he doth not more loue that which is due to him from the creature then hee doth loue that which he oweth to himselfe to wit the manifestation of his glory by doeing good to the creature Surely there was danger that God could not maintaine his iustice vnlesse these innouators had issued forth who patronize his iustice preferring it before his goodnesse and wisedome And this is the place where Arnoldus will haue God to be a debtor Iustice saith he doth appoint that God should giue to the creature performing obedience that which is his Neuer was any thing said more harsh by the most vehement maintainers of mans merits Surely Arnoldus is prepared to say to God giue me that which is mine for this thy iustice requireth O proudely spoken But let vs proceede to other things XXVIII A little after he doth endeauour to proue that we offend against the same goodnesse of God in the doctrine of reprobation But wee haue appointed a peculiar chapter for the examining of these things as also there shall be a place of examining those things which he doth euery where without order stuffe in of Reprobation and of Free will and of Christ the foundation of election XXIX It is not to be omitted that it is familiar with the Arminians to inuey against the doctrine of Election which is beleeued in our Churches and that vnder the pretence of piety and exhortation to good workes For they say that precise election doth extinguish all the endeauour of good workes prayers hearing of the word and doth takeaway euery pious enterprise For if one beleeue that hee were predestinated to faith and to good workes hee will leaue the care to God of mouing man infallibly and would shake off all wholsome feare because hee is perswaded that his saluation cannot be lost nor his faith cast off These and other things borrowed from the Pelagians and still warme from the anuile of the papists they carry about as it were the Circousean pompe with a great clamour Also these craftie men speake this as men taught by experience For they say that while they were of opinion with vs they felt that vice growing on them by this doctrine and that a languor and diminishing of the loue of
God crept vpon them and that sometimes they felt some temptations of desparation But as soone as they shooke off that opinion of precise election they were healed of these diseases and their piety grew hot No doubt wee had bid piety and sanctitie of manners farewell if this sect had not rose vp which hath triumphed ouer vices and hath raised vp piety almost dead I doe not search into their manners thus much I say their writings relish of anger and are full of bitternesse But to the purpose I deny that by our doctrine iust occasion of sinning is taken and the raines let loose to intemperance But nothing hath euer beene said so holily nor so truely which may not be drawn to the worser part and be corrupted by a sinister interpretation Saint Paul suffered the same calumny who in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes doth with an opportune prolepsis and timely preuention remoue from himselfe this opinion speaking thus Shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound XXX Wee deny therefore that these things which they imagine doe follow of our doctrine If God hath predestinated any one to faith and repentance he ought not therefore to be lesse carefull how he may please God and yeelde obedience to him For repentance is carefulnesse it selfe They therefore so speake as if they should say that the elect ought to want carefulnesse because God hath predestinated them to carefulnesse XXXI Neither doth the beneficence and bounty of God hinder the vigilancy and watchfulnesse of man So God giueth vs our daily bread and yet by this he doth not hinder our labour He doth in vaine expect from God succours for his life who doth sit idle with his armes a crosse The same God which giueth vs foode exhorts vs to labour for his blessing doth not come vpon sloath but vpon diligence XXXII Furthermore nothing letteth that a man should with lesse diligence follow that labour the euent whereof is determined by the certaine decree of God whether this decree be knowne to vs or whether it be not knowne Christ was not ignorant of the tearme of his life vpon earth and yet did hee auoide the dangers and escaped the hands of the Iewes more then once Ezechias being recouered from his disease knew that he had yet fifteene yeeres to liue in which time it is no doubt but he receiued foode and had care of his health God had reuealed to Paul that none of the passengers that were in the same ship should be drowned and yet for all that he exhorted the Saylors to labour and commanded them to be kept in the ship who hauing let downe the boate would haue fled The Arminians will not deny but that the euent of their warres was determined by the purpose of God yet they would not thence inferre that it was in vaine to sight couragiously The Scripture doth testifie in many places that God hath set to euery one the limits of his life and that the number of our daies is determined by the purpose of God and yet he is not to be dispraised who sends for the Phisitian in his sicknesse or hee who before the battell puts on armour For the industry of man must serue the decree of God neither is it right that the liberality of God should be a cause of negligence to vs. So the infant moueth it selfe in the wombe and doth it selfe helpe its owne natiuity although that power which it hath of mouing is from God Surely seeing faith and repentance are the meanes to saluation nothing is so contrary to reason as to vse the end for the abolishing of the meanes Wherefore Saint Paul Philip. 2. doth acknowledge that it is receiued from God both to will and to doe and yet in the same place he doth exhort to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling whom wee had rather beleeue then Arnoldus whose words are these Page 273. It seemes to me that the conscience of sinne is altogether extinguished in him who knoweth that he is deliuered from sinne by the absolute and immutable ordinance of God What Was the conscience of Dauid hardned to sinne or did he loose the sence of sinne after that God signified to him by the Prophet Nathan that he had taken away his sinne No he sorroweth and doth grieuously lament his sinne for griefe and repentance doth stick fast in the minde euer after pardon is obtained So Saint Paul 1. Tim. 1. saith that God had mercy on him and yet in the same place he doth detest his sinne XXXIII Wee are to thinke the same thing concerning prayer as concerning the labour and endeauour of good workes For we doe rightly and piously aske of God those things which are determined by his certaine purpose For God who hath determined to doe good to vs will giue that good to our prayers and not to sloathfulnesse and security Iosaphat did not in vaine pray before the fight 2. Chro. 20. although he was not ignorant that God had already decreed what should be the euent of the battell The Apostles knew well enough that their sinnes were forgiuen them by God and yet they did daily pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Christ did not doubt of his resurrection and of the obtaining of glory after the combat and yet he did pray by night and went aside into the mountaine to pray XXXIV I let passe that euery man euen the best is obnoxious and subiect to temptations which assailing him he is to flie for the helpe of God least his faith faile or sloathfulnesse and negligence creepe vpon him XXXV Doth not Saint Paul also witnesse Rom. 8. that the holy-Ghost prayeth in vs and doth suggest sighes and prayers whence hee is called by Zacharie the spirit of supplication Zach. 12.10 Which seeing it is the effect of the good pleasure of God and the fruit of election it were a maruaile if election it selfe should keepe vs back from prayer XXXVI And if any man that is elected doth yet doubt of his saluation he hath somewhat to aske of God to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full perswasion and the sustaining of his staggering faith and the increase of charity and zeale and the obtayning of glory and if he be certaine of his saluation hee must aske the increase of this confidence hee must aske perseuerance in faith and good works hee must pray to bee kept backe from sinne to which he feeleth himselfe prone he must pray for the fulfilling of the promises of God he must pray against the temptations of Sathan who although hee cannot ouerthrow the elect yet he doth prick their heele and doth dig into them with his goades XXXVII That is of the same lumpe wherewith Arnoldus from Arminius Pag. 304. doth vpbraide vs. Your doctrine saith he doth make the seruants and Ministers of God sloathfull in their ministery because from thence it followeth that their diligence can profit none but those whom God will absolutely saue and who cannot perish and
againe their negligence can hurt none but those whom God will absolutely destroy and who cannot be saued The Pelagians obiected the same things to Saint Austin Lib. de bono perseu Chap. 14. August de bono perseu cap. 14. â—iunt praedestinationis definitionem vtilitati praeâ—â—catronis aduersam Whereunto wee haue already largely answered For the same reasons which stirre vp the carefulnesse of the hearers to repentance and good workes are also of power to stirre vp pastors diligently to vndergo their office and to prick forward their hearers to repentance For although the elect cannot perish yet wee know that God doth bring the elect to saluation by the word and sacraments and by the ministery of the Gospell whose decree our obedience must serue And although the minister of the word dealing perfunctoriously and carelesly cannot cause that he that is elected should perish yet hee hurts himselfe and shall beare the punishment of that negligence in the day of iudgement Therefore although he did not hurt others yet hee should very much wrong himselfe Saint Paul a most vehement maintainer of election doth professe that he endureth all things for the elect that they may obtaine saluation 2. Tim. 2.10 XXXVIII As concerning the Reprobates if this reason of Arminius preuaile by the like reason we shall neyther eate nor drinke nor shall parents be bound to be carefull of the health of their children because this negligence can hurt none but them whom God will haue to perish who by his decree hath set sure bounds to the life of euery particular person which cannot be pulled backe nor passed ouer And if it were manifest to the pastors which of their flocke were Reprobates then there were some colour for the doubting whether they ought to be carefull for the saluation of them that are Reprobates But seeing that this is vnknowne to them they ought to scatter the seede of the word euery where and leaue the euent to God XXXIX Arnoldus Page 307. saith that which in my iudgement is exceeding bad If any one saith he should teach that God himselfe hath precisely appointed to nourish one for some time in this life and that he would so prouide the bread where with he should be nourished that he could not but haue it aboundantly I grant that such a one neede not be warned that hee should be carefull how to prouide himselfe bread But I affirme that such an one needes and ought to be warned to prepare himselfe bread because the same God who doth promise bread and hath decreed to giue it doth also declare in his word that he will giue this bread to our labour and by the meanes of our carefulnesse Therefore he that will giue the bread doth also giue strength will and industry whereby this bread should be prepared So that Arnoldus yeelds that to himselfe which no man in his right sense would yeeld to him XL. Furthermore the certainty of Election may be taken two manner of waies eyther for the immutability of the decree of God or for that certaine perswasion whereby any one doth beleeue that he is elected Of the former kinde of certainty it is onely spoken here the latter doth require a peculiar treatise But by the way we say that we beleeue none of those things which Arnoldus doth falsely attribute to vs whereof this is one that all men are bound to beleeue that they are elected to eternall life Nay we teach that he that will not beleeue in Christ and repent is bound to beleeue that saluation gotten by the death of Christ doth not pertaine to him Of the same stampe is that calumny when he saith that we command wicked men to be secure as they that can lose saluation by no euill deedes Fie on that abhominable doctrine To say I am elected therefore I may be wicked is the speech of a reprobate man who will therefore be wicked because God is good By this meanes that loue wherewith God in Christ hath loued vs which is the most vehement incitation to loue God is turned into a pillow on which prophane security may sleepe Whosoeuer God hath elected he hath giuen him or will giue him the holy-Ghost by which he abstaineth from so prophane a thought So him whom hee hath appointed to life he hath appointed also to foode and to breathing He were ridiculous who should say if God hath decreed that I should liue till I am eighty yeeres old what neede I eate seeing it cannot be but I must liue so long Surely the destruction of such a man is neere for God hath determined to vse this his sencelesse peeuishnesse to punish him XLI In the meane while wee admonish that the certainty of the election of seuerall persons is carefully to be distinguished from that certainty whereby seuerall men beleeue themselues to be elected The former is the certainty of the decree the latter is the certainty of faith For if Arminius could proue that piety and the endeauour of good workes is extinguished by the perswasion of election yet it would not thence follow that the decree of God concerning the election of particular persons is not certaine and precise But it would onely follow that this decree is not to be beleeued by vs to be certaine Whence it appeares how ill Arminius and Arnoldus doe reason who thereby inferre that the decree of God concerning the election of particular persons is not absolute nor precise because the confidence of election doth make some men more negligent to the workes of piety XLII Adde to these those things which we haue laid downe in the second chapter where we haue shewed how many waies the doctrine concerning election is profitable to good manners and to the discipline of piety which notwithstanding wee would haue thus to be taken not that euery one is to expect a reuelation of his election but the Gospell is to be heard and this promise whereby God doth promise life to them that beleeue is throughly to be fastned in our minde and to be embraced with our whole heart By which perswasion whosoeuer shall feele himselfe to be liuely affected with the loue of God and to be driuen to repentance shall easily gather that he is elected and that the thing promised in the Gospell doth belong to him For although election is in nature before faith and repentance as the cause from whence these vertues flow yet faith and repentance is better knowne to vs and we are alwaies to proceede from the things that best are knowne whence it commeth to passe that many times we goe to the cause by the effects which order in the schooles is called Resolutiuus XLIII And if we would imitate Arminius it were an easie thing to lay these things vpon him and to teach how many waies his doctrine doth offend against the wisedome and goodnesse of God and therefore also against his iustice How many waies occasion may thence be taken either of distrust or of
frowardnesse by what meanes it doth blow vp a man while he burst and lift him vp on high that it might throw him downe headlong For one that is filled with Armianisme may say thus God indeede is willing to saue me but he may be disappointed of his will hee may be defrauded of his naturall defires which are farre the best Those whom God will saue by his Antecedent will hee will destroy by his Consequent will Also his election doth rest on the fore-seeing of mans will I were a miserable man if my saluation depended vpon so vnstable a thing The same man will also reason thus God giueth to all men sufficient grace but hee hath not manifested Christ to all men therefore there is some grace sufficient without the knowledge of Christ Also the same man will easily beleeue that God doth mocke men for he hath learned in the schoole of Arminius that God doth seriously desire intend the saluation of all and singular men and yet that neuerthelesse he doth call very many by a meanes that is not congruent that is by a meanes in a time and measure which is not apt nor fit by which meanes whosoeuer is called doth neuer follow God calling But what doe I know whether he calleth by a congruent and agreeable meanes or no Adde also these famous opinions that vnregenerate men doe good workes that they are meeke thirsting after and doing the will of the Father that faith is partly from grace and partly from free-will Nay what that any maintainer of the sect of Arminius shall dare to set lawes to God himselfe and to say that God is bound to giue to all men power of beleeuing And that the iustice of God doth require that he may giue to man that which is his owne and that man himselfe may determine and open his owne heart to receiue the word of God O your fidelity Are these your famous incitations to holinesse of life Doth Arminius traine vp men to piety by these instructions Surely if any one is stirred vp to good workes by these things hee is thereby the more corrupted For God had rather haue sinnes with repentance then righteousnesse with pride God will not stirre vp men to repentance with the losse eyther of our faith or his glory Nor are we onely to doe our endeauour that men be stirred vp to repentance but we must also see that it be done by meanes that are conuenient and not contumelious against God CHAP. XXV Whether Christ be the cause and foundation of Election I. WE say that no man is saued but by and for Christ and that Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and price of our redemption the foundation and meritorious cause of our saluation But we doe not say that he is the cause of election or the cause why of two considered in the corrupted masse one is preferred before another There are not wanting examples of most wicked men to one whereof God so dispensing the Gospell hath beene preached whence it came to passe that he was conuerted and did beleeue but to the other the Gospell hath not beene preached The Scripture doth not say that the death of Christ is the cause of this but doth fetch the cause from the good pleasure of God who hath mercy on whom he will For the loue of the father doth alwaies goe before the mediation of the sonne seeing that the loue of the father to the world was the cause why he sent his sonne Yea truely seeing Christ himselfe as he is man is elected and the head of the elect hee cannot be the foundation and cause of election For as hee is the head of men as he is a man so is he the head of them that are predestinated as he is a man predestinated to so great honour which came to him by the meere grace of God II. Wherefore the Apostle calleth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the propitiation Coloss 1. Rom. 3. but he doth not say that he is the cause why some men should be elected rather then others III. Reason it selfe doth consent For as the recouery of the sicke-man doth in the intention alwaies goe before the vsing of the Phisitian so it must needes be that in the minde of God the thought of sauing men was not in time but in order before the thought of sending the Sauiour IV. Adde to these that the mediation and redemption of Christ is an action whereby the iustice of God is satisfied which is not signified by the word Election for it is one thing to be a mediator and another thing to be the cause of Election or of the preferring of one before another in the secret counsell of God Whence it is that Christ is the meritorious cause of our saluation but not of our election which is as much as if I should say that Christ is the foundation and cause of the execution of the decree of Election but not the cause of Election it selfe V. It is of no small moment that Christ Iohn 15.13 saith That he layeth downe his life for his friends chap. 10. v. 11. he calleth himselfe the good shepheard that layeth downe his life for his sheepe And if Christ be dead for his friends and for his sheepe it must needs be that when he died for them he did consider them as being already friends and sheepe although many of them were not then called as Christ himselfe doth testifie who in the sixteenth verse of the same chapter doth call those also his sheepe who were not yet conuerted And if Christ dying for vs considered vs as his friends and sheepe it is plaine that before the death of Christ there was already destinction made betweene his friends and enemies betweene the sheep and goates and therefore that the decree of Election was in order before the death of Christ and that the opinion of Arminius is to be hissed out as an opinion subuerting the Gospell whereby hee thinkes that the election had not place when Christ died Certainly he that died for his sheepe died for the elect and not for them who were to be elected after hee was dead By these things it is plaine that by those friends and sheepe for which Christ died are not vnderstood those onely who loue God and follow Christ but all those whom God loueth and whose saluation hee decreed for whom Christ died when they did not yet loue God and when they were enemies to him And therefore they are called enemies Rom. 5.10 because they did not loue God but yet euen then they were highly loued by God and were appointged to saluation in Christ For in a diuers respect they were both friends and enemies sheepe and goates Friends because God loued them enemies because they did not yet loue God VI. Neither is iniurie done to Christ if the loue of the Father and his good pleasure be said to goe in order
before they impugne it By this meanes they doe not refute our opinion but their owne forgeries For examples sake Christ Iohn 3.17 speaketh thus God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued Greuinchouius Page 21. doth faigne that wee thus interprete this place God sent his Sonne into the Elect When notwithstanding there by the world is manifestly vnderstood this region of the earth and his habitation among men He wantonly sporting with an vnconstant licentiousnesse doth attribute many such things to vs. This one example which I will adde shall be instead of many Page 76. hee doth bring vs in thus speaking Ye Reprobates why doe you cease Hauing gotten so fit a price of redemption that if ye will beleeue or eate through a Rock ye may goe right from hence into the kingdome of Heauen And a little after Hee hath also vouchsafed you to wit the Reprobates his calling although ye are appointed to eternall punishments for no desert of yours that being more blinded and stupified ye might procure to your selues a greater iudgement Behold the mans pastime and his Theologicall spleene I doe not doubt but his heart leapt for ioy when hee writ these things as a thing brauely carried But the good man doth trifle and fight with his owne shadow for these things doe quite differ from our opinion For we doe not command the Reprobates that is they that perseuere in impenitency vnbeleefe to beleeue a lie or while they perseuere in impenitency to flatter themselues with a vaine hope vnder the pretence of faith in Christ Nor doe we say that they are appointed to eternall punishments for no desert of theirs seeing they haue procured this destruction to themselues by their owne sinnes Nor doe we teach that any one is onely therefore called by God that he might procure to himselfe greater iudgement although oftentimes men by their calling are made inexcusable because by the knowledge of their dutie the fault of the neglect of their duty is made greater and it is a greater fault not to doe what you know then not to know what you should doe The scope and intent of God calling to the Reprobates is to require of them that which they owe to the elect is to giue the efficacy of their calling that they might be saued to them both that hee might make knowne what is acceptable to him and what obedience is pleasing to him XX. But Greuinchouius shall not goe scot-free it seemeth good to lay these things vpon him and to present to your view the prodigious doctrine of the Arminians the curtaine being as it were drawne aside and that without any false accusation For putting on the person of an Arminian I may thus speake to the Reprobates Be of a good courage ye Reprobates for although ye are reprobates yet ye may be saued It is true indeede that no reprobates are saued but yet there is none of them who may not be saued For Christ hath obtained for you saluation but not the application of saluation He hath obtained good things for you but hee hath not obtained for you that you should euer possesse those good things in act For he hath obtained that reconciliation which in the very moment wherein he procured it he certainly knew would not profit you Hee hath obtained for you the remission of those sinnes which he certainely knew were not to be remitted For this reconciliation is not applied but on a condition which hee knew was not to be fulfilled And that ye may know how well Christ wisheth you I tell you that hee doth intercede for you with a generall intercession but not with a particular without which no man is saued For by the death of Christ reconciliation is obtained for you but not the communication of the reconciliation Neither is the application of the obtained reconciliation procured for you but God by it hath gotten to himselfe liberty and faculty to saue you By which death Christ is made a redeemer without any certaine purpose of God who were to be redeemed and is made the head of the Church without any members that are certaine God indeede sending his Sonne into the world was moued with some inclination and affection towards men but without any certaine will of sauing men For the decree of sending his Sonne went in order before the decree of sauing By which decree all men are elected although many from eternity were reprobated God indeede did desire to saue all and that seriously but he is disappointed of his end by you neither hath hee attained to what hee did desire which doth very much grieue him Know also this O reprobates that Christ procured and purchased saluation for you all but he is not willing it should be knowne but to some few when yet without this knowledge no man can be saued Also although he hath obtained reconciliation for you yet hee hath not obtained faith for you without which there is no saluation Wherefore God calleth you to saluation but not after a congruent and agreeable manner whereby they that are called doe not follow And yet be not out of heart God giueth to you all the power of beleeuing that you may beleeu in act if ye wil for it is in the powr of your own free-will to vse grace or not to vse it that ye may be saued although certainly you are to be damned Kindely spoken yea rather wickedly spoken and to the scorne of God and men For who doth not tremble at the shape of so prodigious a doctrine Who doth not grieue at the case of the Christian Church to the deforming of which and to the turning of it into a monster no slow wits haue conuerted all their subtlety When therfore Greuiuchouius Page 70. being touched with pitty towards vs doth professe that he is ready to helpe our infirmity and ignorance it is a doubt whether he be worthier of laughter or of pitty CHAP. XXIX That it was long agoe disputed whether Christ died for all but in a farre diuerse sence SAint Austin being dead his wrightings of Predestination of Grace and of Free will were diuersly receiued by diuers men This disease especially possessed Aquitania Amongst these contentions issued out the heresie of those that were called Predestinati whereof Sigebert in his Chronicle to the yeere 415. doth make mention These taught that the indeauour of good workes did nothing profit a reprobate man and againe that wicked deedes did nothing hurt the man that was elected although hee gaue himselfe ouer to lust gluttony and rapine Lucidus a certaine priest of Aquitania was infected with this error to whom there is extant an Epistle of Faustus an Aquitan Bishop of Rhegiū whereunto are subscribed the names of eleuen Bishops of the Arelaten counsell In this Epistle an Anathema is laid vpon them who say that Christ died not for all also on them who say that God would not haue
gouerned by the will In these actions the will is free vnlesse when some externall force compels or some vnauoidable necessity doth vrge men being vnwilling XII There are also some actions that are ciuill as to sell to buy to bargaine to play to build to paint In these things the will of man is free and doth freely incline it selfe to one or other For hee that doth these things at the command of another yet is willing to obey him that commandeth and therefore is driuen to doe it not onely by anothers will but also by his owne Of this liberty the Apostle speaketh Corinth 7.37 He that standeth stedfast in his heart hauing no necessity but hath power ouer his owne will hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin doth well For in this place the Apostle vnderstandeth by that which is done well not that which is done agreeable to Gods law but that which is done prudently and fitly to the present time and purpose XIII Also in actions that are ciuilly honest the will of man is moued by its owne pleasure as when a heathen man helpes vp him that is fallen or sheweth the way to him that is out of it XIV The like liberty is in the obseruation of Ecclesiasticall pollicy and in those workes commanded by the law of God which doe belong to an outward operation for the most wicked men doe performe holy rites and religious ceremonies doe bestow almes doe heare and reade the word of God XV. But especially in euill actions man is free For hee is not onely of his owne accord carried to sinne but also of two or more euills most freely hee doth choose eyther and doth voluntarily apply himselfe to that to which his minde leads him Wherefore seeing man that is naturally euill is gouerned by his owne euill will and that one is for that cause said to be free because he doth what he listeth it is manifest that man is therefore the seruant of sinne because he is in subiection to his owne will and because he doth sinne voluntarily and freely and that man is therefore a seruant because he is free XVI They that say that an vnregenerate man by this seruitude naturall deprauation doth necessarily sin ought not to be reprehended for an vnregenerate man must needes sin Thus the diuels doe necessarily sinne but yet freely for they sinne being not constrained nor determined and appointed to any one thing onely by any outward cause forcing them But they are led by their owne motion by their ingrafted wickednesse and with their knowledge after the same manner that the Saints that are glorified are necessarily and immutably good but yet voluntarily and freely For it is not credible that the Saints haue lost their liberty by their glorification There is a kinde of necessity which is voluntary neither is liberty contrary to necessity but to constraint and seruitude Wherefore Saint Austin Enchirid. Chap. August lib. 22. de ciuit Cap. 30. Nec ideo libertō arbitrium non habebunt quia peccata eos delectare non poterunt c. Enchirid cap. 105. Multo liberius◠erit arbitrium quod omnino non poterit seruire peccato 105. ciuitat lib. 22. Cap. vlt. doth teach that by the necessity of not sinning which shall be in the Saints their free-will shall be rather increased and confirmed then diminished What is more free then God And yet he is necessarily good and doth good things For as Thomas saith Tom 8. De libro arbitrio Quest 24. Art 3. It is no part of free-will to be able to choose euill The same man doth in many places say that constraint and not necessity is contrary to the liberty of the will but especially in the same Tome Quest 10. De process diuin personarū Art 2. XVII There are moreouer habits and actions that is vertues and workes which doe helpe forward to saluation and which are proper to the faithfull Such as are the true knowledge and feruent loue of God saith and repentance and holy actions flowing from these vertues In and about these things the will of a man that is vnregenerate and standing in his pure and meere naturals is not free here is no free-will of man no inclination no disposition Surely it had beene a very hard thing to finde in Paul raging against the Church and in the theefe crucified for his robberies whom Christ conuerted in the very agony of his death any dispositions or preparations to repentance XVIII I doe not deny but that there are memorized many things of heathen men which were done honestly and profitably for ciuill society for concord and for the defence of their countrie But seeing Without faith we cannot please God Heb. 11.6 And seeing that that action alone is acceptable to God which is done with Faith for Whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and which is referred to the glory of God as the Apostle commandeth 1. Cor. 10.31 It is plaine that those honest deedes of the heathen were not without fault and that they could not come to saluation by such ciuill vertues nor that any one could by them be disposed to faith or true repentance The right outward duties of ciuill vertues are of one sort the duties of faith and Christian piety are of another sort And truly in my iudgement the heathen iudge who in giuing sentence and in diuiding possessions doth iudge equally and well is no more iust before the tribunall of God then the theeues who equally and iustly diuide the pray among themselues For whosoeuer doth want faith in Christ is not the Sonne of God and therefore cannot be an heire and iust possessor of worldly goods although he excell in ciuill vertues For a kinde of doubtfull light and some seedes of equity are left in man for ciuill society And they to whom the light of the Gospell doth shine if they giue themselues ouer to vices should be confounded with shame being vrged by these examples XIX But after God hath enlightned the minde of any one with his light and hath touched his heart with repentance and hath wrought in him faith in Christ then the will of man beginneth to moue it selfe willingly and freely to holy actions to which it is not forced by phisicall or naturall necessity but it is so turned by a milde and effectuall eyther perswasion or influence that the will may freely and willingly follow God calling For otherwise that were not a good worke whereunto one should be drawne by constraint or should be compelled by a naturall necessity He that doth good vnwillingly doth wickedly Such a man is sufficiently rewarded if God pardon his obedience for although God hate euill yet he will not therefore compell to good Because a good worke is not good but when it is voluntarily XX. And although man is freely moued to the workes of piety yet the whole praise of the good worke is due to God who worketh in vs
to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil 2. So although the infant in the mothers wombe doth moue it selfe and doth helpe forward his owne natiuity yet it hath that power of mouing from God Therefore euen as if any one doth ascribe the whole praise of the forming of the infant the generation and birth of it to God alone he doth not thereby hinder the birth of the infant or diminish the vigour of it So he that doth ascribe to God the whole praise of our regeneration and holy actions doth not thereby hinder the endeauour of good workes nor weaken the will of man or binde it with the bonds of naturall necessity XXI Here therefore a distinction is to be vsed For if it be spoken of the beginning of conuersion and of the first entrance of regeneration and faith that is of the procuring or forming of faith and repentance in our soules wee contend that free-will doth nothing here and that our soules in the very beginnings are not onely meerely passiue but also that they doe with their greatest endeauour resist the worke of God forming in vs the rudiments and draughts of the new man so that man in this case is not free vnlesse it be to resist God But after regeneration begunne and after God hath giuen to man a heart of flesh for his heart of stone then man doth freely moue himselfe to those workes which are acceptable to God And as there are secret but yet certaine increasings of regeneration so this liberty doth increase by little and little fainting euery day with the resistance of our lusts By this meanes mans will doth cooperate and worke together with God yet so that whatsoeuer good is done is due to God alone No otherwise then as when a scriuener doth guide the shaking hand of the childe and doth at the first frame it to make letters the childe indeede doth indeauour to forme the letters and doth striue with all his power yet the right forming of the letters is not to be ascribed to the childe but to the scriuener This example seemeth to me to be most fit because it teacheth that God doth not onely worke with our will as the Semipelagian Synergists or maintainers of our cooperation with God of this our age would haue it but also that God doth worke by our wills and doth bend them by an effectuall motion which motion after what manner and how farre man may resist shall hereafter be taught XXII Wee therefore say that the act of beleeuing and repenting is so farre the act of man in as much as man himselfe beleeueth and repenteth and not God and in as much as no man beleeueth and repenteth but he doth it willingly But we say that the grace of God alone doth create and giue the first being to faith in vs and that it is the gift of God and by the power of the regenerating spirit that wee doe willingly and freely beleeue and repent For the question is not who beleeueth whether man or God but what doth bring forth faith in man and whether it be in the power of free-will helped with grace to beleeue or not to beleeue and to vse grace or not to vse it XXIII From this doctrine the foundations and proofes whereof shall be brought out of the holy Scripture in the next chapter Arminius and his Sectaries doe infinitely and exceedingly differ For they are of opinion that an vnregenerate man hath power of beleeuing and repenting The Arminian conferrers at the Hage Page 272. doe affirme that conuersion doth goe before faith and that man doth helpe somewhat to his owne conuersion before hee hath faith And turning ouer the writings of these Sectaries I finde that they determine that by the corruption of nature mans vnderstanding is darkened and his affections are depraued but I no where finde in their writings that his will is of its owne nature deprâ—ued and prone to sinne But they attribute to it pronenesse eyther to good or euill and an equall inâ—anation to either part Wherefore in the regeneration of a man they will indeede haue his vnderstanding to be enlightned vnresistably and his affections to be drawn for so they speake but they say that the will keepes her owne liberty of beleeuing or not beleeuing of repenting or not repenting And they will not haue the viuification and reuiuing of the will in our regeneration to consist in this that of being naturally euill it is made good by the infusion of some vertue but that by the illumination of the vnderstanding the amendâ—ment of the affections the will is made able to put forth that faculty of willing or nilling which is ingrafied in it This the Arminians of the conferrence at the Hage teach Page 25. And also the same men a little after say these words In our spirituall death the spirituall gifts are not properly seperated from the will of man because they were neuer engrafted in it Surely those men are of opinion that the will of Adam before his fall was not furnished with righteousnesse and holinesse For it cannot be denyed but that these vertues are spirituall gifts which certainely is a prodigious and monstrous diuinity XXIV The same men doe affirme that sufficient grace is giuen to all men euen to vnregenerate and heathen men to whom the name of Christ hath not come whereby they may obtaine faith if they will And that an vnregenerate man is not altogether dead in sinne Arnold p 403. Home corruptus potestlumine natura recte vti et habet aliquas reliquias vite spiritualis but that there are in him reliques and remainds of spirituall life and power of fulfilling the law of nature for they thinke that God doth exact and require nothing from man to the performing whereof hee would not giue him sufficient power otherwise say they God should gather where hee hath not scattered They say therefore that God is bound to giue to all men the power of fulfilling that which he commandeth and of beleeuing in Christ XXV Notable are the words of Arminius pa. 244. against Perkins Doest thou saith he deny that free-will is flexible and pliant to either part I adde further and that also without grace for it is flexible of its owne nature and as it is addicted to euill in the state of sinne so it is capable of good which capablenesse grace doth not giue it for it is in it by nature Hee therefore doth differ from himselfe when hee addes that free will is not bowed to good without the grace of God For how doe these things stand together that free-will is flexible to good without grace and yet it is not bowed to good without grace In vaine is that power which is neuer brought into act For whence doth hee gather that that thing may be done which he himselfe knoweth neuer was done nor neuer shall be Hitherto pertaineth that which he saith pag. 257. To be able to beleeue is in nature to
2.13 And that sufficient grace which is giuen to all men yea to the reprobates doth take away the impotency and doth stablish the liberty of free-will as Arminius against Perkins pag. 245. and 246. teacheth Let vs heare the proud words of Greuinchouius p. 253. I separate my selfe for when I might resist God and his predetermination yet I haue not resisted and therefore why may it not be lawfull for me to boast in that as of my owne For that I was able it was of God shewing mercy but that I was willing when I might haue beene vnwilling it was my owne power It is a venter but this little worme will swell so big that he will breake O it is the part of a magnanimious great minded man to be vnwilling to owe too much to God and not to be ouercharged with his benefits Those things which the same author saith pag. 279. sauour of no lesse pride You will say that in this manner of working God doth after a certaine manner depend on the will of man I grant it as concerning the act of free determination Indeede this one thing was wanting to the very height of pride that God should be said to depend on man XXIX There meete vs in the writings of these innouators some places in which they say that man in his corrupted state was altogether dead and that of himselfe he can neither thinke nor will nor doe any thing that is good But these things are said but for a colour and that they might deceiue the vnwary reader For they say that a man is able to doe no good without grace but by this grace they vnderstand vniuersall grace which is common to all men and sufficient grace which is giuen euen to them to whom Christ was made knowne and which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature They say indeede that grace is the cause of beleeuing but they neuer adde that it is the cause alone The Arminian conferrers at the Hage in the third and fourth Articles doe so speake as if they were of the same opinion with vs For there they professe that man hath not saning faith from himselfe and that the grace of God is the beginning the proceeding and the finishing of all good and that all good actions are to be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ But the subtle men when they say that a man hath not faith from himselfe they vnderstand that he hath it not from himselfe alone And when they say that euery good worke is to be ascribed to grace they are very wary least they should say to grace alone Then also in the word grace they lay a snare and being the Apes of the Pelagians they faigne a certaine grace which is common to all which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature Also they distinguish grace from the vse of grace for indeede they will haue grace to be from God but the vse of grace to be in the power of mans free-will With the like craft they say that the power of beleeuing is from grace for they presently draw backe what they haue reached forth while they say that to beleeue it selfe is of mans free-will and that grace is giuen to man to beleeue if he will But whensoeuer they will haue a kinde of speciall grace to come to that generall grace they make the vse of this speciall grace to depend on free-will and they roundly and without any circumstances affirme that the efficiency and working power of grace doth depend vpon it We shall also see that by that vniuersall and sufficient grace common to all men is vnderstood naturall gifts notions that are naturally engrafted and that they cloath nature with the goodly name of grace which thing also Pelagius did Which thing when they doe with their greatest cunning yet their dissembling is neuer so wary but that their Pelagian eares and errour doe appeare and although they doe imitate the speech of truth yet their vizard doth often fall from them vnawares and their vlcers being pressed doe presently cast forth stinking corruption XXX Yet Vorstius here doth differ from his Master For when Arminius saith that no man is conuerted and doth beleeue in act by that vniuer sall grace alone which is common euen to the reprobates but that there is also some speciall grace required Vorstius on the contrary side doth affirme Collat. cum Piscat pag. 57. that some are conuerted by vniuersall grace which he calleth the lesser mercy that is without speciall grace which he calleth grace more then sufficient and super abounding helpe Therefore if this man be beleeued some men come to saluation by that grace alone which is common to all heathen men CHAP. XXXIII It is proued out of the holy Scripture that an vnregenerate man is altogether destitute of the power and liberty of his will in those things which pertaine to faith and saluation I. IF they stand here to the iudgement of the holy Scripture there will be no place of doubting Of a man that is vnregenerate and in his meere naturals the Scripture speaketh thus Gen. 6.5 Euery thought of the heart of man is onely euill continually The same is repeated Chap. 8. Ver. 21. Ieremy in his seauenteenth chapter consenteth to this The heart of man is wicked and vnsearchable And Rom. 3. There is none righteous no not one They are all gone out of the way and are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And Rom 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And Chap. 8. ver 8 The wisdome of the flesh that is whatsoeuer a carnall man vnderstandeth or perceiueth is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Compare these things with the doctrine of Arminius who is of opimon that a man that is an infidell and vnregenerate hath sufficient power to beleeue and to fulfill the law For the Apostle is of opinion that our flesh not onely is not subiect to the law of God but that it cannot be The same Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 saith that the naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them Hitherto pertaineth that which the Scripture saith Ezech. 36. That the heart of man is stony and therefore of its owne nature vnapt and vncapable to receiue the impression of the law of God vnlesse God as hee did of old write it on that stone with his finger Also that which Saint Paul saith Ephes 2.1.5 that not onely the Ephesians before their calling but that all of vs were dead in sinnes Hee hath the same words Coloss 2.13 And that which Christ saith Iohn 14.17 The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Christ in these words doth plainely acknowledge that there is no free will of man no power to receiue the spirit of
truth but a naturall auersion and disability II. Wherefore the Scripture doth call the change of man by the spirit of regeneration sometimes another birth Iohn 3. sometimes the creation of the new man Ephes 4.24 It calleth it another resurrection from the dead Reucl. 20.6 Luke 15.32 Iohn 5.25 Not that creation and resurrection is in all things like to regeneration and the change of the soule but only in this thing of which it is here spoken to wit as the Carkasse cannot dispose nor prepare it selfe to the resurrection and a thing that is not created cannot further any thing to the creation of it So man in the state of sinne and before his regeneration hath nothing whereby he may dispose himselfe or further his regeneration and spirituall new birth III. The Arminian conferrers at the Hage Page 279. doe roundly confesse that by our spirituall death the liberty of doing well or ill is separated from the soule I demand therefore whether an vnregenerate man furnished with that sufficient and vniuersall grace which is giuen euen to Reprobates hath free-will of doing well or ill in those things which belong to saluation If he haue not why doe the Arminians contend he hath If hee hath it is plaine by their owne confession that he is not dead in sinne But there is a speciall force in the word borne For if there were any seeds and reliques of spirituall life in an vnregenerate man as Arnoldus is of opinion there were no neede to be borne againe and that the new man should be formed but God were to be prayed to that he would againe raise vp those sparkes and reliques of spirituall life and would vouchsafe to kindle and increase it as it were by adding fuell to it IV. Adde to these those places which teach vs that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. That all men haue not faith 2. Thess 3. because it is the gift of God Philip. 1.19 Ephes 2.8 Seeing therefore what soeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.25 it is plain that in things which belong to saluation and to the worship of God hee doth nothing but sinne that wants faith such as are all the heathen and vnregenerate men In which place to the Romanes it is to be noted that the Apostle speaketh of the vse of meates which he will haue vs to eate with faith that is with a certaine knowledge that the vse of meates is allowed by God and is agreeable to his word Seeing therefore that euen in things which are of their owne nature indifferent wee sinne when we vse them without such a faith how much more are we to thinke that the heathens sinne in euery action that pertaineth to saluation and the worship of God because they are altogether destitute of this faith Hitherto pertaine those places which teach vs that God is the author of euery vertue and euery good worke that is done by vs. We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 And Christ himselfe Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing And in the same place we are compared to branches cut off and appointed to the fire vnlesse wee haue beene engrafted into Christ by whom wee liue and beare fruit The Apostle Ephes 2.8 doth teach that saluation and faith is not of our selues but of the gift of God For by grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God How farre is this from Arminius who will haue the totall cause of faith not to be grace alone but grace and free-will And least any of Arminius followers should seeke a refuge and should say that the power of beleeuing is giuen to all vnresistably but that the act of beleeuing is so helped by grace that it is also from free-wil the Apostle doth fitly preuent such a weake subtilty Phil. 1.29 where he saith It is giuen to you in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake You see that not onely the power of beleeuing is giuen vs but also the act it selfe to beleeue Agreeable to this is that Iohn 6. No man can come to me vnlesse my father draw him Where to come is to beleeue in act and not to haue the power and faculty of beleeuing which is brought into act by free-will No lesse direct is that of the Apostle Philip. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Now to will is to will in act and not to haue the power of willing God himselfe Ezechiel 36.27 saith I will put my spirit within you and will cause you to walke in my statutes Therefore hee doth not onely giue the power of walking in his statutes but also doth cause that we really walke and doth worke in vs the very act After what manner and how farre the elect may resist the efficacy of the spirit shall hereafter be seene It is sufficient to the present question if we winne this of them that God doth not onely giue the power whereby we may beleeue but also that hee doth giue and worke in vs the act of beleeuing to beleeue it selfe We meete sometimes with places where the Arminians say that not onely the power of beleeuing but that also the act of beleeuing to beleeue it selfe is giuen by God But they will haue this act so to be giuen by God in as much as he giueth knowledge to the minde and doth raise vp the fainting affections which doe put forward the will to beleeue and that this is done by a morall perswasion and after the same manner that wee are moued by obiects But this is not to giue faith and the act of beleeuing For surely hee that doth perswade that doth propound obiects and doth inuite the appetite to runne doth not giue the act of running to runne it selfe Wherefore the Arminians doe deny that faith it selfe is infused or imprinted on the heart by God but that the will is inuited to beleeue onely by a morall perswasion and by a courteous allurement With a like fraud that they might seeme to attribute some great thing to God they say that God doth giue the power of beleeuing and that vnresistably But when they come to explane the manner whereby these powers are supplied it is manifest that they deny that the power of beleeuing is giuen to man by God For they thinke that God doth giue these powers no otherwise then by enlightning the vnderstanding with knowledge and by stirring vp the appetites which certainely is not to giue the power of beleeuing For hee which in the darke doth with a torch giue light to the wandring traueller and doth stirre him vp to goe doth not thereby giue him the power of going VI. And least any man should in any part arrogate to himself the prayse eyther of that knowledge which he hath obtained
vnwilling wee cannot be made willing of dead aliue vnlesse God draw vs and make vs aliue XII And to ouerthrow those preparations by which the sectaries thinke that an vnregenerate man well vsing vniuersall grace and naturall light doth dispose and prepare himselfe to regeneration that which God saith Ezech. 36. doth greatly preuaile I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of you and I will giue you an heart of flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes For seeing that God himselfe witnesseth that in those things which belong to the worship of God and to saluation man hath naturally a stony heart which hath neede to be taken away and another to be giuen by God in which God should imprint the character of faith and repentance it manifestly appeareth that an vnregenerate man cannot prepare himselfe to his regeneration For that which must be taken away and must be changed for another that we may be regenerated certainely that doth not further regeneration nor doth prepare vs to it for otherwise we should be helped by the impediments themselues XIII Arnoldus pag. 461. doth answere that this phrase of a stony and fleshly heart is figuratiue and Symbolicall diuinitie cannot proue any thing I answere that figuratiue speeches haue the force of those that are properly spoken when they are expounded by the Scripture it selfe when it is euident to what end and in what sence they are vsed Now in the same place of Ezechiel there are many words that are plaine and not figuratiue which doe make cleare this figure for in the same place God doth promise that hee will giue them a new spirit by which he would cause that they should walke in his waies XIV Wherefore Arnoldus with a superfluous diligence and nothing to the purpose doth heape together the differences betweene the heart and a stone A stone hath not life the heart hath a stone cannot be softned without the taking away of the substantiall forme the hart may the stone caÌ„not resist his own softning the heart may All besides the matter for in that one thing of which it is spoken here the comparison is most apt For euen as the stone cannot soften it selfe but it is softned onely by the power of an outward agent so the vnregenerate heart cannot conuert it selfe or dispose it selfe to regeneration but it is done onely by the efficacy of the spirit of God He that without this shall seeke comparisons shall finde infinite differences as that a stone may be engrauen and broken may be taken out of the quarries and be laid on the building c. but the heart cannot XV. The words of Saint Paul doe vexe these Semipelagians when he saith that man is dead in sinne and he speaketh of the vnregenerate man The point of which dart that they might auoide and make frustrate they doe laboriously heape together differences betweene a dead corps and an vnregenerate man which doe tend thither that they might proue that an vnregenerate man is not altogether dead in sinne and as Arnoldus saith hath some reliques of the spirituall life To which naturall reliques and remainds of vniuersall and sufficient grace he added which they say is giuen to all men euen vnregenerates and reprobates by which there is no man but may fulfill the law and obtaine faith certainely there will be found in an vnregenerate man very much life and there will be none or very little conueniency or similitude with him that is dead It is well therefore that these sectaries doe thither apply all their force that they might shew that Saint Paul doth not speake so properly as he should Arnoldus layeth downe these differences pag 466. and 468. In resurrection the soule is insused in regeneration it is onely changed in resurrection there doth no dispositions and preparations goe before but regeneration is made after some fore-going dispositions Also our resurrection is done in an instant but our regeneration by degrees Resurrection is done necessarily but regeneration is wrought our free will remaining In the dead carkasse there are no reliques of life but in an vnregenerate man there are some reliques of spirituall life God doth not speake to a dead carkas but he speaketh to them that are dead in sinne and doth propound his word to them He that is dead cannot resist his resurrection the vnregenerate man may I doe not deny but that this similitude doth not square in all things there is no doubt but that Arnoldus could haue found many other differences as that the resurrection of the body shall not be till the last day that it shall be at the trumpe of the Angell c. But it is sufficient that this similitude doth well square in that which is the principall of the matter and in that concerning which the controuersie is betweene vs to wit in this that as the dead corps is altogether vnapt to motion and cannot dispose nor prepare it selfe to the resurrection so the soule of a man that is vnregenerate and dead in sinne doth want in things spirituall and pertaining to saâ—uation all sense and motion and cannot prepare nor dispose it selfe to regeneration vntill the spirit of regeneration descend into the heart stirre vp new motions and doth worke the first beginnings of the new life By sense in spirituall things I vnderstand zeale by motion good workes And surely these things seeme to me to be repugnant vâ—z to be dead in sinne as Saint Paul saith and to haue reliques and remainds of spirituall life as Arnoldus saith For death in spirituall things doth altogether exclude spirituall life I willingly acknowledge that there are some motions of truth and spurkes of light in an vnregenerate man some obscure prints of the Image of God But these reliques are not any part of spirituall life regeration the diuels themselues haue much more light derstanding and yet they are altogether dead in sins XVI Neither are all those differences true which they doe bring First we deny that God hath respect to the dispositions of free-will or that a man by free-will can prepure himselfe to regeneration God indeede doth by a mans calamities and by his freedome out of them and by the examples of the vengance that he taketh of the wicked sometimes make way to himselfe for his regeneration Also a man by a seruile feare and dread of punishment may profitably be troubled but I maintaine that those inward motions doe then begin to be laudable and acceptable to God when they are produced by the holy spirit and not before which when it is done then I say such morions are a part of regeneration and the first motions pulses of the new man although weake yet sure beginnings of the new life not preparations of the free-will which goe before regeneration and by which God is
thing from vs to the performing whereof hee will not giue vs sufficient power And this hee saith is shewed by God when hee teacheth that hee doth not gather where hee hath not scattered VI. Nor is the audacity of Verstius lesse Collat. cum piscat Sect. 8. God saith he by the law of his nature that is of his naturall iustice goodnesse and prouidence is alwaies bound at the least to will those good things to men without which they cannot eyther be men or simply attaine to that end which is propounded to them by God Behold men that are ready to giue sentence vpon God himself if he shall do any thing that is not equall or is against that rule of iustice laid downe by them It cannot be said how much these things doe differ from Christian modesty Surely if those things were true which they affirme it were the part of pious and prudent men to keepe in these things lest they should seeme to goe about eyther to prescribe something to God in the worke of saluation or to put God in mind of his dutie VII This doctrine doth rest on two false principles First that God doth require nothing of man which cannot be performed by man Secondly that the condition of the new couenant that is Faith is not commanded by the law nor is a naturall debt and that the power of beleeuing is not lost by the fall of Adam The former of which principles is drawne out of the dregges of Pelagianisme and is refuted by vs in the 44. and 35. Chapter The latter we haue ouerthrowne in the whole eleauenth Chapter The law is the naturall debt of man This law commanding that God be loued and worshipped doth command also that hee be beleeued speaking and promising Therefore when man by the sinne of Adam lost the power of obeying God and of louing him he lost also the powers of beleeuing his promises When God doth require this faith of man hee doth require nothing but what man doth owe and hee is not bound to restore to man those powers of beâ—eeuing which he lost Neither can he be accused of iniustice if hee doe not restore them nor in this thing is he subiect to the lawes of the Arminians or doth feare their aduerse and contrary iudgements VIII But when they come to explaine the nature of this vniuersall grace they doe very little differ from the Pelagians For Pelagius lest he should seeme to be an enemy to grace doth ascribe to it euery good worke that is done by man But by grace hee did vnderstand nature it selfe because it had beene made and created by God But according to Arminius nature is one thing vniuersall Grace is another Neuerthelesse he will haue sufficient grace to be giuen to all particular men and that nature is in no man to whom God doth not giue sufficient grace to obtaine faith and by faith saluation whence it commeth to passe that according to Arminius sufficient grace doth extend it selfe as farre as nature Pelagius doth confound nature with grace but Arminius doth ioyne nature and grace together so that nature is in none to whom grace is not giuen which grace how little it doth differ from nature doth hence appeare in that the Arminians will haue the right vse of this grace to be nothing else then the right vse of that naturall light and knowledge which is engrafted in euery one by the contemplation of the creatures and by the law of nature so that the vse and office of grace and nature is altogether the same when rather the Scripture teacheth that the right vse of grace consisteth in the change of nature If these things are true all the arguments both of vs and of the auncients doe fall to the ground by which they doe proue that the grace of God is a thing diuerse from nature and that because nature is giuen to all and the grace of God is the priuiledge but of some For Arminius will haue sufficient grace to faith and by faith to saluation to be common to all men IX Arnoldus pag. 418. doth call that sufficient grace which is giuen to all men supernaturall grace lest hee should seeme to confound it with nature but a little after he addeth It is demanded whether that grace be not present to all men by which they may rightly vse that light of nature not yet restored to the integrity thereof as reliques and remainds of that light that is may worship God according to the measure of those remainds Doe you heare that all men haue that grace whereby they may rightly vse nature and worship God and that that grace is present with all men and therefore also to Infidels and to the vnregenerate and to them that know not Christ and that the power of that grace which is common to all men is placed in the right vse of nature The same man pag. 405 doth say It is the property of generall grace that men should be able rightly to vse those gifts And hee speaketh of the gifts of nature X. The same man pag. 112. speaking of vniuersall grace doth say that there is a certaine calling which is common and that there are common documents instructions of nature by which God doth call all men whatsoeuer to some measure of the knowledge of himselfe and doth leaue them gifts according to the measure of the calling XI Yet he denieth that of this common grace which is giuen to all by which all men may rightly vse the gifts of nature that it will follow he reof that grace and nature are of an equall extent For saith he although it be in the power of generall grace that all men may rightly vse those gifts yet it is from speciall grace that they may rightly vse them in act For that power is not brought into act but by the helpe of another subsequent and following grace which is speciall because it doth not happen to all This learned man surely hath assigned and set downe a foâ—nd and vnsit cause why this common and sufficient grace is not equally extended as farre as nature to wit because this common grace hath neede of the helpe of speciall grace Which is as much as if I should say that the seeing faculty in man doth not extend as farre as mans nature because it hath neede of the light of the sunne that it may see in act as if that which doth want the helpe of some thing may not extend it selfe as farre as nature There is scarce any naturall faculty which can worke without the helpe of some other faculty or of some inward or outward aide and so there will be nothing at all naturall in man I omit that Arnoldus doth strike himselfe with his owne sting for while he saith that sufficient grace doth not worke without the helpe of some other speciall grace he doth plainely deny it to be sufficient CHAP. XXXIX Vniuersall sufficient Grace is confuted by sundry places of
Scripture I. THis doctrine which doth place in an infidell and vnregenerate man grace which either mediately or immediatly may suffice to the obtayning of faith or saluation without any knowledge of the Gospell and faith in Christ doth pull vp Christian Religion by the rootes and is contrary to Scripture and experience II. First of all it must needes be that all doctrine in matter of our saluation which doth not rest it selfe on the testimony of the scripture must fall to the ground But the Scripture doth no where say that God is bound to giue increases of grace to them who haue rightly vsed naturall light and vnderstanding It doth no where say that a man without faith can rightly worship God It doth no where say that God is bound to giue to all men mediately or immediatly power to beleeue and fulfill those things which are commanded in the Gospell It doth no where say that supernaturall grace is giuen to all men by which they may rightly vse naturall light It doth no where say that the Gentiles who are ignorant of Christ are led by the holy Ghost These are the forgeries of idle men whom an euill itching of wit and a bad custome of disputing hath ceased on III. This doctrine is confuted by all those places of Scripture by which we haue proued that an vnregenerate man doth want free-will in those things which belong to saluation For thereby it is proued that an vnregenerate man hath not power of beleeuing and cannot worship God with that worship which is pleasing to him nor dispose himselfe to regeneration IV. Adde to these the testimony of the Apostle Ephes 2.12 where speaking of the Gentiles before the word of God had beene made knowne to them he saith that they were without Christ hauing no hope and without God in the world You see that they who are without Christ haue not God and how can they be said to be without God whom these Sectaries say haue sufficient grace by the helpe whereof they may beleeue and worship God and vse rightly the light of nature Surely these things cannot stand together V. The same Apostle Rom. 10.14 saith How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard By these words he doth plainely enough teach that the Gentiles to whom Christ was not knowne could not beleeue But Arminius will haue the power of beleeuing to be giuen mediately or immediately to euery man VI. The Apostle proceedeth How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Let these words be weighed and considered of Saint Paul is of opinion that Christ cannot be beleeued in vnlesse the Gospell be heard and that the Gospell cannot be heard vnlesse preachers be sent This being laid downe I say that God doth doe nothing in vaine but he should in vaine giue power of beleeuing the Gospell to all vnlesse he should send those who should preach the Gospell now to the greater part of men he doth not send the preachers of the Gospell therefore he doth not giue to them all the power of beleeuing nor sufficient grace to beleeue VII The same Apostle 2 Tim. 1. saith that God hath called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace The Arminians therefore doe falsely thinke that God doth giue supernaturall light and the knowledge of his Gospell to them who by free-will haue rightly vsed sufficient grace and the light of nature For if this were true our calling should be altogether for workes and according to workes For the good vsing of sufficient grace and of that light which is naturally engrafted in man is a good worke for the beholding of which the Arminians will haue God to call man by the Gospell and to enlighten him with greater vnderstanding The Arminian conferrers at the Hage pag. 86. doe say That God doth send his word whether it seemeth good to him not according to any decree but for other causes lying hid in man These men will haue the cause why God should send his word to some rather then to others to be in man himselfe and not in the good pleasure of God Which speach doth plainely make man to be called in respect of workes and according as man is affected and fitted to obey him calling when yet it is manifest by experience that the most vnworthy and worst affected men are often called by the word of the Gospell as the Romanes the Corinthians c. And where sinne abounded there grace abounded Rom. 5. That it might not be of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. VIII Christ saith Iohn 15.5 Without me you can doe nothing That which is said to the Apostles is said to all for as many of vs as are without Christ can doe nothing These Sectaries doe offend against this saying of Christ when they teach that they who haue not knowne Christ and who doe want faith may beleeue and worship God with a worship pleasing to him and may doe the will of the father IX Whom God hateth from the wombe to them he doth not giue sufficient and sauing grace for this were to loue them But God hated Esau from the wombe Rom. 9.13 therefore he did not giue him sufficient and sauing grace For although Malachy speaketh these things of a temporall reiection yet it sufficeth to the present matter that this reiection as Arminius confesseth is laid downe by Saint Paul as a type of the spirituall reiection So that there are some whom God hath reiected with a spirituall reiection before they haue done either good or euill therefore hee doth not giue them sufficient meanes to faith or to saluation for this cannot be made to agree with hatred X. Were those Israelites furnished by God with sufficient grace to whom God himselfe Deut. 29.2 doth say that among so many miracles he did not giue a heart to vnderstand nor eyes to see God hath not giuen you a heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day This place hath driuen Arnoldus to his shifts therefore hee seeketh for helpe from his audacity For those words I haue not giuen you a heart to perceiue he saith haue no other meaning then that ye haue not a heart And these words I haue not giuen you hee doth quite blot out yet a while after by the weakenesse of his forehead as being ashamed of it leauing this exposition he doth adde Although God hath not giuen them such eyes and eares it doth not follow that God was vnwilling to giue these things to them but God was willing to gine these things to them and they were wanting to themselues by their pride ignorance and sluggish dulnesse But hee doth not cleare himselfe by this yea rather hee doth more entangle himselfe For I demand whether they had an
God will not vse his omnipotency to the conuersion of man but a gentle invitation which is agreeable to free-will And least any one should seeke a refuge in the word Power and Strength restraining this power to an effectuall perswasion the same Apostle doth in the same Epistle teach that this power is the same with that whereby he raised Christ from the dead where perswasion hath no place for he presently addeth according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead So Colos 2.12 speaking of our regeneration by faith With Christ saith he ye are risen by the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead Insinuating that the resurrection of Christ and our regeneration were wrought by the same force and power V. The same Apostle 2 Thes 1.11 doth pray that God would fulfill the worke of faith with power in the Thâ—ssalonians And Rom. 1.16 the Gospell is called the power of God to saluation because by the Gospell God doth shew his sauing power And 2 Cor. 10 4. he saith that our weapons that is the word of God whereunto is ioyned the efficacy of the spirit are mighty to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations and euery high thing which exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ Behold how often and how diligently the Apostle doth extoll that power which God doth vse to the conuersion of a man what choise and forceable words hee doth reckon vp with which hee would draw our mindes into the admiration of that wonderfull and secret power Agreeable to this is that of Christ Luke 11.22 where he doth describe in these words the casting out of Sathan obtaining the rule in man and the greater power of the spirit of God thrusting him out When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace his goods are in peace but when a stronger then he shall come vpon him and ouercome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein hee trusted and diuideth his spoiles VI. These Sectaries here doe alleadge and faine many things First they say that this power how great soeuer it is is resistible neither doe we deny it but the question is whether it may finally be ouercome For it is not likely that God will exercise that mighty power and efficacy towards that man whom he will saue that he might be ouercome by man and that man at length might be more powerfull then God Yea truely in that very place of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. where hee doth extoll that power with a goodly speech he maketh mention of the resistance which doth rise against the knowledge of God and doth resist it but yet at length being broken it doth yeelde and is willingly bound with happy bonds VII To that place of Saint Paul 2 Thes 1. where hee prayeth that God would powerfully finish the worke of faith in the Thessalonians they of the Hage pag. 295. doe answere That the Apostle doth not speake of the beginning of faith but of the complement in the encrease and perseuerance of faith By which speech they cut their owne throats for if there be neede of so great strength and power of God to further the encreases of faith how much more power is there neede of for the beginnings of faith and to put faith in an vnbeleeuing man in whom there is nothing which doth not resist God VIII They adde that by the worke of faith is vnderstood patience but vnfitly for the worke of faith is not finished onely by the tolerating and bearing of afflictions also the words of the Apostle going before doe reiect this interpretation For he saith We pray alwayes for you that God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power He doth wickedly who restraineth the calling of God and the effects of the good pleasure of his goodnesse to patience alone IX In the same place they guesse that this fulfilling is the obtaining of glory But in vaine for glory is not the perfection nor the fulfilling of the worke of faith but the fulfilling of the reward which wee apprehend by faith yea the worke of faith is so farre from being there perfected that it will then cease X. The men of our partie proued this by that place of Saint Peter 2 Ephes Chap 1. Verf. 3. The diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things which pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him who hath called vs to glory and vertue If God doth giue vs all things which pertaine to life and pietie then hee giueth vs that we shall not resist finally but obey God calling The Arminians answere that Peter here doth not speake of the bestowing of faith and that he doth not teach that faith is giuen to vs by God but onely of those things which hee giueth to them that doe already beleeue This answere is besides the matter and it doth not touch any part of our argument Yet when Saint Peter saith that all things are giuen vs by God which are necessary to saluation they deale sincerely and faithfully in that they will not haue faith to be comprehended vnder this word omnia all things For they which say in other places that faith is the gift of God doe here plainely enough witnes that this was not seriously and in good earnest spoken by them And truely the men on our side doe bring no place out of the Scripture to proue that faith is the gift of God which the Arminians doe not corrupt and darken because they deny that the habit of faith is infused into man or imprinted on mens hearts by God but they contend that it is giuen to vs by God no otherwise then by perswading and by giuing powers by which wee may beleeue if wee our selues will Which truely is not to giue faith but to giue helpes incitations to obey which and to turne them into vse is in the power of free-will To adde to their fraud and deceit they doe corrupt the words of Saint Peter Saint Peter saith That God hath giuen vs all things that are necessary to life and godlinesse They by giuing would haue offering and propounding to be vnderstood which doe very much differ For seeing that as the Arminians confesse eternall life is propounded euen to reprobates it will be said that eternall life is giuen to the reprobates if to propound and offer be the same that it is to giue That faith and repentance is from God the Scripture proueth That faith is the gift of God Saint Paul teacheth Ephes 2.8 By Grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God That gift of which Saint Paul speaketh here is neither saluation alone nor faith alone But this is the gift To be saued by grace through faith Whence it
ill of himselfe then to measure other men by his owne foote and to iudge of others confidence by his owne incredulitie XXV The Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 3. Vers 6. doth command vs to hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope firme vnto the end And Cha. 10. Vers 22. Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith And Ephes 3.12 In Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him And 1 Iohn 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life XXVI Our Sauiour himselfe doth promise that hee will giue vs all things which wee shall aske in his name Iohn 14.13 If therefore wee aske grace which cannot be ouercome nor extinguished and perseuerance in the faith Christ promiseth that wee shall receiue what we aske XXVII Doth Dauid speake as one doubting of his saluation Psal 17. I shall see thy face in righteousnesse and I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse Or Simeon speaking thus Luke 2. Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Or Stephen who his enemies gnashing their teeth at him and being certaine of death did cry out I see the heauens open and the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of God Could the grace of God be ouercome by free-will in those men Or was their confidence deceitfull and failing and the decree of God concerning their saluation yet reuocable as these Sectaries speake XXVIII Why should I speake of Saint Paul who desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ being full of faith speaketh thus 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome And in the same place after he had endured so many labours he doth vtter this as his victorious song I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse c. With no lesse confidence doth hee speake both in his owne and in our name long before the end of his strife Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life c nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. XXIX But the doubting of our saluation doth please these Sectaries who are stuffed and strouted out with pretended modesty and humility Their words against the Walachrians pag. 76. are these Whether any one can be certaine that hee shall perseuere in the faith We will not say yea we suppose it to be very profitable to doubt of these things and that it is laudible for a Christian Souldier to the shaking off the sloathfulnesse and the drowsinesse of the soule in the worke of Religion In the same place they admit onely that certainetie whereby one doth know that God and sufficient helpe shall not be wanting to him so that hee be not wanting to himselfe which certainty surely may be in any reprobate They doe instill these things with a goodly shew vnder the pretence of instigation to good workes that they might secretly ouerturne the foundation of faith as it were by vndermining it and as if there were no way of stirring vp sluggishnesse but by the damage of Faith It is prophane modestie which maketh men incredulous and vnbeleeuing and vnder a shew of humilitie doth teach them to distrust God But they themselues who teach these things doe boast that God hath giuen them what hee ought yea and that God is bound to giue them sufficient grace that it might appeare that vnder this affected humilitie there is much pride CHAP. XLVII The iudgement of Saint Austin concerning this controuersie I. THe certainty of perseuerance may be taken two waies Either for the certainty of the decree of God by which God decreed to giue perseuerance in faith to them whom hee elected to saluation Or for that confidence by which one doth certainely perswade himselfe that he shall neuer be forsaken by God The first certainty is necessarily drawne from that election which is absolute and is not for faith fore-seene but not the latter Because God hath decreed many things concerning vs whereof hee hath not yet giuen vs the full knowledge II. The full perswasion of the faithfull doth not rest on any reuelation whereby God hath laid open to vs the secrets of his counsels but on the promises of the Gospel and on the inward feeling whereby one searching himselfe doth feele that he doth seriously beleeue in Christ and on the inward testimony of the spirit witnessing in our hearts that we are the sonnes of God Yet there may be many and those good and godly men who although they belong to the election of God haue not come to this full confidence III. Saint Austin being beaten in this question and exercised in often contentions of the Pelagians is a most earnest maintainer of the former certainty and doth gather from the election of God according to his purpose that the elect can neuer be forsaken by God and that grace is giuen which can neuer faile and by which they shall certainely perseuere There are many excellent things in his workes to this purpose but he doth no where speake more plainely then in his booke de correp gratia which hee writ when he was very old In the twelfth Chapter hee hath these words There is giuen to the Saints that are predestinated by the grace of God to the kingdome of God not onely such helpe of grace but also such a helpe that perseuerance it selfe is giuen them not onely that without that gift they could not perseuere but also that by this gift they cannot but perseuere For he hath not onely said without me ye can doe nothing but he hath also said yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and haue appointed you that you might goe on and might beare fruit and that your fruit might remaine In which words hee declareth that he hath giuen them not onely righteousnesse but also perseuerance in righteousnesse For Christ so appointing them that they should goe on and beare fruit and that their fruit should remaine who dare say that perhaps it shall not remaine For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance that is the calling of them who are called according to his purpose Christ therefore making intercession for these that their faith should not faile without doubt it shall not faile to the end and by this it shall perseuere to the end and the end of this life shall finde it remaining And a little after The will of them is so much enflamed by the holy-Ghost that they therefore are able because they so will and they doe therefore so will because God worketh in them that they may will For if in so great infirmity of this life in which notwithstanding
that should make to the purpose VII By the way the Reader shall obserue that vnproper phrases and spoken after the manner of men ought not to be taken as properly spoken God is figuratiuely said to haue wished and expected fruit from his vine Desires and griefe as if hauing spent his labour in vaine he had failed of his propounded end cannot happen to God When God doth wish the conuersion of men as Psal 81.14 he doth insinuate nothing else then that the conuersion of man is acceptable to him So when he is said to expect fruit from the Vine or from the Fig-tree that is from the Church or from particular men and when the Vine disappointed his hope not presently to plucke it vp by the rootes vnderstand that God doth require and demand obedience and that when that which ought to be done is not done he is not presently ready to punish but doth deferre it Luke 13.9 God doth not expect those euents which hee fore-knoweth will not come to passe Much lesse doth he expect those euents in the godly which hee himselfe is to worke VIII They stumble at the same stone when they cite that of Ezechiel Chap. 12. Vers 2. Sonne of man thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house who haue eyes to see and see not c. Whence they inferre that man indeede hath eyes and eares and power of conuerting himselfe but he is able to resist Vnwisely spoken for who doth deny that man is able to resist yea of his owne nature hee can doe nothing else Why doe they heape vp to vs the examples of reprobates and wicked men in the question whereby it is demanded whether it may come to passe that hee who is elected can finally resist grace and fall from it By the way the Reader shall remember that of the same people to whom eares eyes are here attributed God doth thus speake Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not giuen you a heart to vnderstand nor eyes to see nor eares to heare to this day For there are two kindes of eyes some which onely the faithfull haue to wit the eyes of faith some which reprobates may haue who seeing and willing doe perish who seeing doe not perceiue and doe heare heauily with their eares Mat. 13.26.27 these mens eyes are carnall and cloudy these men naturall reason being their guide haue a superficiall knowledge which doth not affect the heart or if any diuine light hath risen to them it doth rather dazle their eyes then enlighten them yea that knowledge which they haue they endeauour to choake willingly groping at noone day IX The places of Scripture which they adde they doe in the same manner mis-alleadge Zach. 7.11 Esay 6.9 Mat. 13.4 Acts 28.25 and 26. By which places no other thing can be proued then that reprobates and rebellious persons may refuse the grace of God and resist his admonitions which we willingly confesse But what is this to finall resistance in the Elect X. They doe gloriously boast of the words of Christ Mat. 11.21 Woe vnto thee Corazin woe vnto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyre and Sydon they would haue repented long agoe in sacke-cloath and ashes The like place you haue Ezech. 3.6 Out of the place of Matthew they thus dispute That grace by which some men to whom it is giuen haue not beene conuerted and others had beene conuerted if the same had beene giuen to them is resistible But the grace of conuersion is such Therefore the grace of conuersion doth not worke vnresistibly There was no cause that they should so labour in the prouing of either proposition seeing wee willingly admit of the conclusion Wee know that the elect themselues doe resist the grace of God although not perpetually nor so that the grace of God should be finally hindred The question is whether it may come to passe that the elect may so resist the grace of God that they may neuer be conuerted or that they may extinguish it and finally hinder it The good men doe not touch this question but doe wander other where X. Yet doe they not vphold those two propositions with fit proofes The Maior and first proposition they thus proue If Grace worke conuersion in man by an vnresistible force it should alwayes and euery where worke with the like efficacy But I deny that that will follow For although grace should vnresistibly worke conuersion in all men that are conuerted yet it might come to passe that it should worke in some men with greater efficacie to wit in those who are so affected that they doe presently and without delay follow God calling and are inflamed with greater zeale and feruency then others who obey more slackly and slowly XII They proue the Minor and second proposition by the example of the men of Tyre But they suppose without any proofe that Christ in this place doth speake of true conuersion by which they are conuerted to whom God doth giue true faith and repentance Which surely is a great demand For seeing the men of Tyre and Sydon did not pertaine to the election of God because they neuer were conuerted if the miracles had beene done amongst them which were done amongst the men of Corazin they might haue beene touched with a reuerence and haue beene affected with the sence of their sinne and haue beene cast downe with that repentance which is bred by the feare of punishment such as was the repentance of Ahab 1 King 21. and of the greater part of the Niniuites as the ruine of Niniuie a while after doth declare as we learne Neh. 1.1 and out of the last Chapter of Tobias In which thing the men of Tyre had beene more praise-worthy then the men of Corazin who among so many miracles did not feele the least touch of griefe nor gaue any signes of repentance But I deny that it was in the power of the men of Tyre to obtaine true faith and to perseuere in it without which yet there is no true repentance And truely the Arminians seeme to me to accuse God of deceitfull enuie and ill will because hee knew that the men of Tyre were so affected that if those miracles had come to them they had seriously repented and come to saluation and yet he enuied this benefit to them which notwithstanding he bestowed on a people whom hee knew would neither be conuerted by miracles nor by preaching XIII In the seauenth place they thus dispute They who may resist the word of Grace and saluation may also resist the spirit of repentance But men may resist the word of grace and saluation Therefore the same men may also resist the spirit of repentance We admit of the conclusion in that sence which I haue often said They proue the Minor by the examples of reprobates whom we know doe finally resist But here it is spoken of the elect and the question is whether they may so resist