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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09277	Vindiciæ gratiæ. = A plea for grace More especially the grace of faith. Or, certain lectures as touching the nature and properties of grace and faith: wherein, amongst other matters of great use, the maine sinews of Arminius doctrine are cut asunder. Delivered by that late learned and godly man William Pemble, in Magdalen Hall in Oxford.	Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.	1627 (1627)	STC 19591; ESTC S114374	222,244	312

admiration to themselves for being the only oracles of Religion that so they may beare rule over the peoples faith Or else the god of this world hath blinded these Leaders eies and they not willing to goe to hell alone put out also the eyes of the people to the end they may not know more than themselves or all that themselves doe and so their knavery be discovered For us let us detest a doctrine so contrary to the profession of Christianity that takes away all care and study after godly knowledge and makes way for the entrance of Heresies Profanenesse and Irreligion nor rest we in our seach after divine things till wee bee able to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2. Tim. 1. 12. and with the true worshippers of God Wee worship that which wee know Ioh. 4. 22. Hitherto of the First Part proposed to bee handled in the Definition of Faith generally taken namely the Obiect of it which are all Reuelations of what kind soeuer made by God vnto the Creature We come vnto the Second point namely the Subiect in which this Quality of Faith is inherent which in the Definition was expressed to be the Reasonable Creature Within which Latitude wee comprise all created vnderstanding whether of men or of Angels Of liuing men there is no Question not of the best of men that euer were Adam in his innocency and Christ. That Adam had Faith it cannot be doubted by any who knowes that the cause of his fall was his not perseuering in a firme beliefe of that threatning In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die When his ascent to the truth of this reuelation once tottered Satan presently closes in vpon him and so plyes him vpon the aduantage that he leaues him not till he had laid the Happinesse and Honour of that glorious creature in the dust For the Humanity of Christ what was in innocent Adam was also in him as is apparant by those Prayers and Supplications which in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Heb. 5. 7. and that complaint vpon the Crosse in his greatest agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. 27. 46. Those prayers were made in Faith and so Hee was heard in that which hee feared nor was his complaint though very pitiful and fetcht from the lowest depth of Misery without much strength of Faith whilst yet he cals him his God whom for the present hee found his enemy Moreouer though Christ as the Son of man was ignorant of the time of the end of the world yet no question but he did perfectly belieue the Article of the last iudgement Touching Angels wee haue S. Iames testimony of the euill Spirits Iam. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They belieue that those chaines of darknesse in which they are now imprisoned shall bee euerlasting and that they shall bee made much heauier vpon them by a multiplication of their torments in the iudgement of that great Day as Iude speaketh Iude 6. This they belieue with such horror besides a world of other particulars which by reuelation of Scripture they know will fall out For there is no doubt but the diuels though they tempt men to vnbeliefe yet doe themselues belieue the truth of the Scriptures which they know well enough to bee of God Their rage and malice against them proues it euidently For the blessed Angels we cannot deny vnto them nothing what wee grant vnto the accursed but as their knowledge of many things is more cleare and exact then it is in the Diuels so is their faith vnto others much more firme and resolued Whence though they know not the day and houre of the end of the world Mar. 13. 32. yet they belieue it with ioy expecting the augmentation of their owne happinesse by accesse of the Churches accomplished glory Nor doe the Spirits of iust men who liued by Faith in this life vtterly cease to liue by Faith after their translation into heauen for euen when they are there they yet still belieue many things both past and to come as the resurrection of their bodies euerlasting life c. And that prayer which the Saints in heauen make for auengment of their bloud-shed vpon the Earth How long Lord Holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Reu. 6. 10. is certainely a prayer made in Faith Wherefore you see that euery part of the world hath faith in it Faith on earth Faith in heauen and Faith in Hell too Whereas there is Created Reason there also there is Faith The reason is this because Perfect Vision only takes away all Faith and where all things that may be knowne are euidently seene and looked vpon being comprehended in their proper nature there is no faith at all But now there is no Created Intellectuall Nature but it may vnderstand more by reuelation then it can comprehend Intuitiuè by beholding the thing it selfe And therefore all Future things which doe nor naturally depend vpon necessary causes cannot be knowne vnto the Angels themselues but onely by reuelation from God Whence the Apostle Peter speaking of the mystery of mans redemption by Christ 1 Peter 1. 11. affirmeth that euen the Angels were greatly desirous to behold that wonderfull mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sto●pe downe and looke into it as wee doe into darke and obscure places For such was the mystery of the Gospell euen secret and hidden from the knowledge of Angels till God by reuealing it vnto the Church made it knowne also vnto them as the Apostle shewes Eph. 3. 10. In like sort for matters of Fact long agoe past euen the Saints in heauen haue no euident knowledge by Uision but onely by reuelation they must still belieue the stories of the Bible know them they cannot by sight vnlesse we should belieue that vaine opinion De Speculo Trinitati● that the Saints beholding the face of God doe as in a glasse behold in Sin all things present to their view which is iustly reiected by the learned as an impossible thing Wee dare not be curious in these things pressing too farre into those matters which wee haue not seene thus much wee may with reason affirme that God alone is without all beliefe whatsoeuer because hee onely is Perfect in knowledge most distinctly comprehending at once all things past present and to come calling the things that are not as if they were in whose sight all things are manifest yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 13. stripped starke naked and presented to his view in their proper shapes Only such an absolute infinite knowledge takes away all Faith in any kinde whatsoeuer As for the creature it knowes but in part and therefore it m●st in part bee alwaies bound to belieue whatsoeuer the creator shall reueale vnto it Thus in the generall you see that

VINDICIAE GRATIAE A PLEA FOR GRACE MORE ESPECIALLY THE GRACE OF FAITH OR Certain LECTURES as touching the Nature and Properties of GRACE and FAITH Wherein amongst other matters of great use the maine sinews of ARMINIUS doctrine are cut asunder DELIVERED BY THAT late learned and godly man William Pemble in Magdalen Hall in Oxford AUG de Grat. lib. Arbitr cap. 16. Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit ut velimus bonum Certum est nos facere cum facimus sed ille facit ut faciamus praebendo vires efficacissimas voluntati LONDON Printed by R. YOVNG for I. BARTLET at the golden Cup in Cheape-side 1627. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Nathanael Stephens Esquier Grace and Peace from Iesus Christ. SIR BOokes are more necessary in a state than arms Arms are to defend us from the invasion of foes bookes are to preserve us from the infection of errors enemies can but kill the body errors endanger the soule There are crept into the Churches a number of false opinions some that oppugne others that obscure the grace of God The earth is of it selfe prone enough to bring forth weedes but should one withall sow tares we should have much ado at harvest Our hearts are ranke enough to breed errors and our wits cunning enough to defend them but the scripture tells us that the envious man comes and sows the tares of false opinions and of weedes tares are the very worst sith therefore errors are so plenty bookes cannot but be very necessary T is true there bee many and it may bee according to the complaint too many bookes abroad already because many bee to little purpose some little to the purpose but of good and learned bookes bookes fitted to the errors and diseases of the time as this is there neither be nor well can bee too many Many errors require many bookes Nay I may safely say that many bookes are more necessary now than ever for that wee are fallen into the very age of the Church wherein as diseases in the body so errors the sicknesse of the soule doe and must abound For errors are necessary evills in the Church that they that are approved may be made manifest saith Saint Paul And this is all that Satan hath gotten by stirring up the corrupt witts and pens of many abroad and some at home to write they care not what Now wee doe begin to see that Truth is the daughter of time Truth is never new but let an old Truth be newly proposed and at first wee suspect it let it settle a little and in time truth gains ground and wins upon the judgement and consciences of men but erroneous opinions just like new fashions when they are first on foote many doate upon them give them but some time and they grow stale and vaine so now what by the decrees of Synodes and the writings and preachings of the learned Time hath brought it so about that there are few Schollars or others that minde these matters but doe begin to see thorow the conceipts of the Arminians Though then this treatise might have beene abroad sooner yet I dare promise that it comes not in too late for hee that reads it with judgement shall soone see that in the doctrine of Arminius there is more wit than truth I doe here commend it to your reading as to one whom the Lord hath made willing to learne and able to judge as also under your name unto the good of the Church to stand as a testimony of my duty and love unto you and of your zeale and love unto the truth Yours in the Lord Iesus RICH CAPEL To all that love and desire the grace of God and the glory of his grace in IESUS CHRIST MY deare and beloved brethren in Christ who are sensible of the dangers of these dayes and of the misery of this sinfull age wherein the heresies of the old condemned hereticke Pelagius that notable profest enemy of Gods grace are againe revived and raised up out of the bottomlesse pit by the malice and subtiltie of the restlesse enemy of mankinde that old Serpent the Divell working powerfully in and by that new upstart sect of Arminians the Wolves of this age who comming abroad in sheepes clothing and bearing the name of Protestants yea professing themselves Preachers of the Gospel in the reformed Churches are indeed Pelagian heretickes and disciples also of blasphemous Servetus and Socinus yea and also have joyned hearts and hands in many maine fundamentall errors with the Papists our enemies of the Romish Religion and faction I doubt not but that as you grieve and sorrow in your soules to see this smoake of pestilent heresies ascending upon the face of our land obscuring the light and eclipsing the glory of our Church so you do in your hearts earnestly desire to be made partakers of such worthy works painful labours of Gods faithful Ministers as are in all probability like to prove by Gods grace and blessing most powerfull and effectuall meanes both for the establishing of your hearts in the love of Gods truth and in the knowledge of the true doctrine of his grace and also for the confirming of your minds that they may neyther be daunted with the reproachfull calumnies and slanders nor troubled and entangled with the deceitfull cavils and carnall reasons which these subtile Sophisters have devised against Gods sacred truth in our Church professed And therefore I doe presume to commend unto you this ensuing Treatise which I having occasion to peruse it while it was under the Presse doe perceive to be as most necessary for these times so also most excellent and profitable for your purpose For I finde in it first the doctrins of truth concerning the grace of God and the powerfull worke of grace in the effectuall calling conversion and regeneration of the elect most plainly propounded and strongly proved out of the sacred Scriptures Also true saving and justifying Faith most accurately described unfolded with the whole nature and all the speciall properties of it by which it may be distinctly knowne and discerned from common fading hypocriticall Faith Secondly the maine errors of Arminians and Papists and their most grosse absurdities about universall grace and mans free-mill and power in working his owne salvation truly related their calumnies and slaunders of our Churches doctrine detected and discovered and their principall arguments carnall reasons and objections with wonderfull brevitie and singular dexteritie answered and refuted Thirdly by the way the authority perspicuity and certainty of the holy Scriptures strongly maintained and Popish errours about the uncertainty and obscurity of them beaten downe by strength of reason and by the Word of God as by a hammer that beates the rockes in pieces Though the style and maner of handling be somwhat Scholasticall sitted and applyed to the place and persons where and among whom these Exercises were first performed to wit in one of the Schooles of the

thence he is confident God will helpe him now Wherfore when his men rage chafe and forget all faith in God and respect to their Captaine Dauid is quiet and Comforts himselfe in the Lord his God as in verse 6. The like strength of Confidence we find in the same holy man in his combat with the Philisti●n 1 Sam. 17. where from experience of Gods helpe in time past defending him in his lawfull calling against the Beare and the 〈◊〉 yon he confidently assures himselfe of the like assistance victorie in that his right●ous quarrell against the vncircumcised Philistim v. 36. The same course takes the Psalmist in Psal. 77. where being in great affliction and tentation he strengtheneth himselfe in hope of comfort by the consideration of Gods workes of old and all his mercies heretofore shewed vnto his people Thus experience breeds Confidence and we readily trust him whom we haue once thorowly tried Where let me commend vnto you a point of Christian wisedome the practise whereof will cause a singular increase of Faith in vs. It is this that we would carefully giue our minds to obserue all such experiments of Gods mercies or iudgements on our selues or others as we can take notice of comparing the particular euent that we see with the promises or threatnings that are generally deliuered in the Scriptures Looke ouer all the passages courses of thy life marke wherein God hath done vnto thee according to his Word Thou praiedst such a time seruently and he heard thee in such or such a businesse then committedst thy way to him and he brought it about according to thy desire beyond thy expectation thou wast cast vpon this or that extreamitie and God when thou soughtest to him deliuered thee beyond all hope such a Grace thou didst want or such a Sin thou would●t faine be freed of God helped thee to the one and against the other when thou didst follow such directions as his Word prescribed thee at one time thou sinnedst and as God had threatned so wast thou plagued at another time thou didst some good worke receiuedst a blessing according to the promise Againe looke abroad and see how God deales towards others See in one place a Kingdome plagued for Idolatry in another a Countrey professing true Religion yet vndone by the wicked liues of the Inhabitants see here a Vsurer Briber Oppressour and cruell incloser that hath raysed his fortunes by all vniust dealing it may be whilst he liues himselfe and family turned out of all a begging or in his third heire all this wealth blowne away his name and posteritie rooted out or left for a curse and reproach vpon the face of the earth There behold a murderer pursued at the heeles by stronge vengeance that neuer leaues him till his blood be shed that hath shed the blood of another See else-where an Adultorer eaten vp by the secret curse of God which deuoureth all his substance no man knoweth how One the other side marke how God blesseth Kingdomes Families priuate persons wherein by whom Religion Iustice discipline ciuilitie sanctitie are professed and in truth maintained If we would vse diligent obseruation in this kind it would quickly appeare vnto vs that God is most constant in his courses That the Scriptures do containe in them a perpetuall infallible rule that hold true in all times ages of the world according to which God euer hath and alwaies will order his prouident administration of all things We should see the same punishment still attending vpon the same sins the like rewards to be still bestowed vpon the like vertues that God is as neere to helpe vs now as euer he was and also as swift strong to plague as he hath bin towards men of old time This would proue of singular vse for the strengthening of our Faith when wee shall euidently see the euent of things to answer in iust proportion the reuelations made touching them in the Scriptures The grosse neglect of this hath bred in the world those monstrous sins of Atheisme and Infidelity wherewith this age is infected as much as any We haue indeed praysed bee God the Word read and preached vnto vs plentifully but where shall we find the man that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walke exactly by this rule Making the precepts of the Word the ground-plot of all his practise as the Apostle would haue vs Gal. 6. 16. When they behold many strang accidents in the world doe they thinke you iudge of them by the Scriptures searching into them for the reason and cause of those things thence concluding with the Iewes in Zach. 1. 6. As the Lord of Hostes hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our own waies according to our workes so hath he dealt with vs. Nothing lesse they haue no such thought come into their minds as this Loe here how true the Lord is such a promise or such a threatning set downe in such a place of the Scriptures So likewise for the getting vsing of wealth honour friends learning health or other good things of this life for the generall dispach of businesse in mens callings for the auoiding of troubles that come vpon them thinke you that men do call the Word to counsell as Dauid did and doe they out of the Scripture take a platforme of all their proceeding applying the generall rule to cuerie particular occasion and thence obseruing the Euent accordingly No they thinke of no such matter it seems a strange motion to them that you will offer to perswade them to loue by the Booke They follow no such rules the good they onloy or the euill they escape they thanke God for it in Complement but are indeed beholding to their wits friends and good fortune it was their direction they tooke thought of nothing further Thus for the greatest part of men God is not in all their wayes their eyes are neuer towards heauen to consider the works of God and to regard the Operation of his hands their thoughts are neuer vpon the Word to obserue how euerie prescription thereof hath its Probatum est written vnder it in visibl● characters of euerie dayes experience Let vs not my brethren walke as fooles but as wise hauing our eyes in our heads to take notice of all such occurrences as haue vpon them a character of Gods speciall worke of Prouidence If they be abroad in the world learne thereby that conclusion of faith which Ps. 58. 11. is gathered from the like obseruation Verely there is a reward for the righteous Verely he is a God that iudgeth the Earth If they be priuate that concerne thee in particular take such exact notice of all passages of thy life that thou maist be able to declare vnto another and say Come and heare all ye that feare God and I will declare what things the Lord hath done for my soule Ps. 66. 16. This experimentall obseruation of

Gods frowning countenance fly with speed into the bosome of Christ hang upon him and most importunately sues to be taken into his protection Now one favourable looke from him is worth a thousand worlds and if he will but say unto it I am thy salvation it will not exchange the comfort of that word for all the kingdomes of the earth Wherefore the soule now thinkes of nothing but Christ to live or die Christ is all in all with it him it followes with all strong cries and teares for mercie and comfort in him it apprehends plentifull redemption and all sufficiency of salvation and therefore having once laide hand fast upon him to die for it no force shall make him loose his hold This worke of Faith as it doth greatly glorifie God by ascribing the whole honour of our Salvation unto his only free Grace in Iesus Christ so God againe is pleased highly to honour it above all its fellow Graces by making it the blessed instrument of all the comfort we enjoy in this present world thereby giving us assurance of our Iustification in his sight by Christs righteousnesse Whereupon followes in their times a double comfort unto the soule 1. Peace of Conscience resting it selfe secure upon the stability of Gods promise It hath now what to oppose against the severity of Gods justice and the accusations of the Law even an All-sufficient Righteousnesse in Christ able to satisfie them both to the full whereupon it s quieted and injoyes abundance of sweetest peace being freed from those terrors which before compassed it about on every side 2. That kinde of Fiducia which wee call assurance and full perswasion of the pardon of our sins This is a fruit of that other Fiducia or Trusting unto the promise it selfe wherein stands the proper act of justifying faith And it followes it not alwayes presently but after some time haply a long time after much paines taken in the exercise of Faith and other graces For how many faithfull soules are there who stedfastly beleeve and rest themselves only upon Christ for their salvation who yet would give a world to be assured of Gods favour and fully perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned yet aske them in their sorrowes and feares can you beleeve in Christ committing your soules unto him depending only upon him and no other They will answer yea I cast my selfe upon him let him doe with me as he pleaseth while I live I le trust in him But now this although it should yet will not satisfie them they want joy in the Holy Ghost there 's no testimony of the Spirit in them they have no peace no sense and inward feeling of Gods love and therefore they cannot be assured that their sinnes are pardoned and that they be in Gods favour Whereupon they 'le be ready to fall backe and tell you they doe not nor can beleeve in Christ at all A great mistake and that which casteth many a Conscience upon the racke tormenting it with unsufferable feares where there is no cause They have no justifying faith Why Because they want full assurance of the pardon of sinnes A false argument Iustifying Faith is not to be assured of pardon But to trust wholly upon the promise for pardon Which point duly considered would helpe us to a singular remedy for the consolation of consciences distressed about point of their salvation who whilst they eagerly labour and I cannot blame them for an experimentall and sensible assurance of Gods favour doe too too much neglect that comfort which their faith would afford them in that notwithstanding their feare they are able still to commit their soules unto God as to their faithfull Creator and Redeemer These men should doe with their soules as David did with his in the like temptations Why art thou cast downe my soule why art thou disquieted within me Here was little peace and joy doubts still arising which causeth him to aske the question once againe and a third time But see how he still answers Wait on God wait on God and againe wait on God for I will yet give him thankes who is my present helpe and my God Psal. 42. 5. 11. and 43. 5. See when hee hath no comfort here 's his comfort even his faith that he can still depend upon God for comfort The further explication of this point depends upon the resolution of that practicall Syllogisme whereby certainty of Salvation is concluded which is this Whosoever beleeveth His sinnes are pardoned and hee shall be saved But I beleeve Ergo My sinnes are pardoned and I shall bee saved The Major here is of Faith The Minor of Sense and Experience The Conclusion is of both but chiefly of Faith as it followes on the premisses by infallible argumentation and partly of sense as it is founded on the inward experience of Gods grace working upon our soules Wee may take comfort in this conclusion as we are assured of it by faith even when experience and sense it selfe failes But of this more when we shall speake of the fruits and consequents of Faith FINIS Zach. 6. 13. Hist l. 6. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Heb. 6. 7 8. AElian Vat. hist. l. 1. c. 17. * shew much love n●rans * Whereof yet many as left unto us as the Cananites among the Israelites Ac●● 27. 〈◊〉 A clean heart a right spirit * Therefore it is our body of death which yet hath many earthly members The new man is created a perfect man though but an infant * As infidelity of our corruption Gal. 5. 22. As the Will renued is at once disposed to love our neighbour as well as to love God c. * So Tilenus with others generally makes Faith to be the instrument of Instification and Sanctification with this difference Fides Iustificationem percipit Sanctificationem etiam efficit In the one faith is an instrument only in the other an efficient cause also Tylen Syntag. part 2. disp 45. thes 41. Ob. * As who should say a dead man must first see speak and goe before he have life in him Sol. Eph. 1. 22. 4. 15. Gal. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 6. 17. None can call Christ Lord but by the holy Ghost Rom. 10. 20. Christ is made unto us life righteousnesse c. Vnlesse we will maintaine the Popish Limbus He hath loued vs and chosen vs c. Deut. 7. 7. 8. 10. 15. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 7. Eph. 1. 4. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 11. 5. 9. 11. God so loved the world c. Col. 1. 13. Ioh. 6. 29. and 1 Cor. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 102. 2 23 1 Pet 1. 28. The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Col. 2. 9. Act. 10. 38. 1 Cor. 3. Ioh 9. 25. Anat. Armin. For in him we liue and move c. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Psal. 115. 8. Psal. 116. * Iphicrates Arist Rhet. l. 1. cap. 9. * Rom.