the libertie of mans will and not in the appetition of the ende it being naturall to a man to be caryed to the liking of his ende necessarily according to that of Aristotle Qualis quisque est ita finis apparet And doth it become these men to dictate unto us not only a new divinitie but also a new Philosophy at pleasure As for the reason here added fetched from the aeternall and efficatious decree of God this is so farre from confirming their premises as that it utterly overthrowes them and confirmeth ours For we say with Aquinas that the efficacions will of God is the cause why some things come to pasâ—e contingently and freely as well as it is the cause why other things come to passe necessarily Was the burning of the Prophets bones by Iosiah performed any whit lesse freely by him then any other action of his Oâ— the proclamation that Cyrus made for the returne of the Iewes out of the captivitie was not this as freely done by him as ought else Yet both these were praedetermined by God Nay I say more that every thing which cometh to passe in the revolution of times was decreed by God I proove by such an argument for answeare wherunto I chalenge the whole nations both of Arminians and Iesuits It cannot be denyed but God foresawe from every lastinge whatsoever in time should come to passe therfore every thinge was future froâ— everlasting otherwise God could not foresee it as future Now let us soberly inquire how these thinges which we call future came to be future being in their owne nature merely possible and indifferent as well not at all to be future as to be future Of this transmigration of things out of the condition of things merely possible such as they were of themselves into the condition of things future there must needes be some outward cause Now I demand what was the cause of this transmigration And seing nothing without the nature of God could be the cause hereof for this transmigration was from everlasting but nothing without God was everlasting therfore some thing within the nature of God must be founde fitt to be the cause herof And what may that be not the knowledge of God for that rather presupposeth things future and so knowable 〈◊〉 in the kinde of things future then makes them future Therefore it remaines that the meere decree will of God is that which makes them future If to shift off this it be said that the essence of God is the cause hereof I further demaunde whether the essence of God be the cause hereof as working necessarily or as working freely If as working necessarily then the most contingent thinges became future by necessitie of the divine nature and consequently he produceth whatsoever he produceth by necessitie of nature which is Atheisticall Therefore it remaines that the essence of God hath made them future by working freely and consequently the meere will and decree of God is the cause of the futurition of all things And why should we doubt hereof when the most foule sinnes that have beene committed in the World are in scripture phrase professed to have beene predetermined by God himself Vpon supposition of which will and decree divine we confesse it necessary that things determined by him shall come to passe but how not necessarily but either necessarily or contingently and freely to witt necessarie things necessarily contingent things and free things contingently and freely So that contingent things upon supposition of the will divine have a necessitie secundum quid but simply a contingencye and that the same thing may come to passe both necessarily secundum quid and simply in a contingent manner ought to be nothing strange to men of understanding considering that the very foreknowledge of God is sufficient to denominate the most contingent things as comming to passe necessarily secundum quid I come to the consideration of the fourth 4. As touching this Article here objected unto us we have no cause to decline the maintenance thereof but chearfully and resolutely to undergo the defense as of the truth of God clearly sett downe unto us in the word of God The illumination of the minde is compared to Gods causing light to shine out of darkenesse in the creatioÌ„ 1 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of the darknes is he which hath shined in 〈◊〉 heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And for God to say unto Sion thou art my people is made aequivalent to the planting of the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth Es. 51.16 I have putt my wordes in thy mouth and defended thee in the shadow of my hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people Ps. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart saith David and renewe a right spirit within me Yet was David a regenerate childe of God but when he fell into foule sinnes and sought unto God to restore him he acknowledgeth this his spirituall restitution to be a creation giving thereby to understand that the very children of God have savage lusts wild affections in them the curing mastering wherof is no lesse work then was the work of creation or making of the world 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gal. 6 1â— In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Now this new creature is all one with faith working by love Gal. 5.6 For there the Apostle expresseth the comparison antitheticall in this manner In Iesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith working by love And Eph. 2.10 We are said to be Gods workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created in Iesus Christ marke a new creation unto good workes which he hath ordeyned that we should walke in them God made the world with a word but the new making of man cost our Saviour Christ hot water the very blood of the Sonne of God agonies in the garden agonies upon the Crosse and he must rise out of his grave to worke this The Schoolemen doe acknowledge this namely that grace is wrought in man by way of creation Otherwise how could it be accoumpted supernaturall And as for the power whereby God raiseth the dead It is expressely said Col. 2.12 that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised Christ from the dead whereupon Cornelius de Lapide acknowledgeth that faith is wrought by the same power wherby God raysed Christ from the dead And Eph. 1 19. the Apostle tells us of the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power towards us which beleeve adding that this is according to his mightie power which he wrought in Christ whom he raysed from the dead And therefore most congruously doth the Apostle take into consideration that worke
Lord hath not given you an heart to perceave and eyes to see and eares to heare unto this day And is it possible that men can see that have no eyes or heare that have no eares And yet on the other side it is true as Gods word is true that It had beene better for some never to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to depart from the holy Commandement given unto them Now this Authors practise is to sett these doctrines of holy writt together by the eares because forsooth it is not suitable with the Spirit of this old Evangelist Indeed if men would beleeve but could not would repent but could not would obey but could not then this their impotency should not improve their condemnation by resisting the meanes of grace but we say this impotency is meeâ—ely morall consisting in the corruption of their will wherein they take such delight and are so well pleased with it that they are ready to fly in their faces that tell them of it they will not be knowne of anie such impotency They thinke themselves able enough to discerne the things of God to be subject to the law of God For they finde themselves to have will enough in all their courses I would they had not too much for Libertas sine gratia non est libertas sed contumatia And in all the sinnes that we committ we finde our selves free enough yet we have learnt to give God the glory of ruling ouâ— wills keeping us from any sine by his grace That every one before he comes into the world is allready enrolled in one of the two registers either of life or death I had thought no Christian had the face to deny Doth not the Apostle professe that God hath chosen us before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 And is not reprobation as ancient as election which in the formall notion thereof connotates reprobation But Paul belike was a new Evangelist and this Author affects to be an old one or an Atheist rather for in disputing against this what doth he but dispute against the expresse word of God Surely it is no more possible that Gods decrees should be changed then that God should deny himself neyther yet doth it follow that labour is in vaine for God who ordeynes man unto salvation ordeynes him unto faith also to be wrought by certaine meanes Had not God ordained what Children a man should have before he came into the world What therefore is it vaine for him to kâ—epe company with a woman as if by vertue of Gods decree he should have children whether he companyed with a woman or no This vile sophistry was confuted long agoe as Cicero sheweth in his booke de Fato acknowledged by Carneades himselfe though a great stickler against the Stoicks by Origen after them as Turnebus shewes on Cicero de fato Act. 27.22 Be of good cheare sayth Paul to those that sayled with him for there shall be no losse of any mans life among you save of the ship only This was spoken to heathen men but did they herupon accoumpt all labour in vayne to save themselves Nothing lesse for first the marriners they practised to provide for themselves by stealing out of the shippe and S. Paul professed v. 31. except these men stay in the ship ye can not be safe and verse 42. the Centurion commanded that they that could swimme should â—ast themselves first into the Sea and goe out to land And the other some on boardes and some on certeyne peeces of the ship and so it came to passe that they all came safe to the land These heathens were better acquainted with Gods providence as it seemes then this old Evangelist This is our Answeare and not as this Author feignes it to serve his owne stage For what secret is there in this that all are enrolled in one of the two registers of life and death before they come into the world Who they are that are enrolled in the one or in the other is a secret indeede Yet that our names are written in heaven is a thing knowable in this life otherwise to what purpose shoulde our Saviour admonishe his disciples not to reioyce in this that devills were subdued unto them but in this rather that their names were written in heaven And to what purpose should S. Peter exhort us to make our election and vocation sure if it be not possible for a man to be assured herof as long as he lives in this world And the Apostle was assured of the election of the Thessalonians by observation of the worke of their faith the labour of their love and the patience of their hope And the Evangelist professeth Act. 13.48 that as many believed as were ordeyned to everlasting life But as for assurance of reprobation wee knowe none but finall infidelitie or impenitencye and the sinne against the holy Ghost What the infidell or the Arminian Catechumenist will say or thinke we have no reason to regard but with what judgment and soundnes he caryâ—th him selfe in his discourse We say it is very materiall for the confort of a mans conscience to be able to distinguishe himselfe in particular from a reprobate and this he may be inabled to doe by faith repentance and holines and by no meanes els Neyther is it sufficient for a mans comfortable walkinge to know in general that everie one is necessarily eyther of the one or of the other We willingly professe that before God hath called a man out of darkenes unto light and from the power of Satan unto God he is able to doe nothing that may please God or further his salvation For in that state he is led captive by the devill to doe his will 2. Timo. 2. last and thâ— divill workes effectually in the children of unbeliefe Eph. 2.3 and S. Paul hath testified that they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 that the naturall man perceiveth not the things of God they are foolishnes unto him neyther can he knowe them because they are spiritually discerned That the affection of the flesh is enmitie against God it is not subject to the law of God nor can be As for the deferring of all thinges till theÌ„ if it be spoken of vocation outward by the word of God it is a very absurde speech considering that till such a vocation commeth man neyther knowes God nor Christ nor the powers of the world to come any more then an infidell doth no nor so much as the name of Gods election and reprobation If it be delivered of vocation inward and effectuall for we are driven to distinguishe for this Author who affects to walke in the cloudes of confusion and if confusion be his portion it is nothing strange it is as absurde in another respect For doth he know the time of his vocation that he speakes of deferring his labour till then Why may not
of true faith in him that shall never faile is that part which this Comedian hath put in his Actors mouth to play For it is fitt his care shoulde be according to his Art populo ut placerent quas fecisset fabulas Yet I nothing doubt but a carnall Christian may be orthodoxe throughout and persuade himselfe of a true faith But if his life be not answerable we will be bolde to tell him that his faith is vayne For true faith worketh by love Gal. 5. and faith working by love is as much as a newe creature Gal. 6. and whosoever is in Christ is a newe creature 2. Cor. 5. and they that are Christs have crucified the fleshe with the affections and lusts therfore where such a newe creature is wanting where the fleshe is not crucified with the affections and lusts they are not Christs nor in Christ nor have any faith working by love Nay we know not how soone if such an houre of â—entation shall once come such a one will turne Turke or Atheist For whosoever heareth Christs wordes doth them not our Saviour likeneth him to a foolish man which hath builded his house upon the sand and the rayn felt and the floods came and â—he winde blewe beate upon that house and it fell and the fall therof was great Matth. 7. 26 27. The Corinthians were renowned professors yet S. Paul calls upon them to prove themselves whether they were in the faith to examine theÌ„selves saying know ye not your selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates There is a secret hypocrisie wherby a man may deceave himselfe as indeede the heart of man is a deceiâ—full thing all may seeme fayre no reygning sinne appearing wherby the conversation is defiled and yet good cause for men to put themselves to the triall of their faith It is true the children of God may sometimes be overtaken with some foule sinne as David was and they may continue in it too longe without bringing forth so cleere and full evidence of repentance and satisfaction to the Church of God as the condition of their sinne requires and in this case they may be for a time as trees in the winter but to apply this to every carnall Christian that lives in sinne and goes on in a debaucht course of lâ—fe and conversation may be very suitable to the scope of such a Comedian as we have to deale with who is merely Scenicall throughout but it is intolerable in a sober divine whose ayme shoulde be to dispute truth and not to enterteyne his Readers or hearers with Enterludes of his owne making and poeticall fiction That every one is bound to believe that he is elect I no where finde in the Synod of Dort and this Author loves to discourse at large as if he had nothing to doe but to tell a tale as for the Synod of Arles I am utterly unacquainted with the Acts therof But I have reade such a doctrine related out of Zâ—nchy and Bucer and I conceave the meaning to be this that every one in the Church of God is bounde to believe that God hath elected him to obteyne salvation in case he believe And indeede as God hath ordeyned none of ripe yeares to obteyne salvation unles he believe so on the other side God hath ordeyned that every one who believeth shall obteyne salvation But as God hath not ordeyned to bestow faith on every one eyther absolutely or conditionally so did I never reade it layde to the charge of any one of our divines that he should maynteyne that every one is bounde to believe that God hath elected him to the obteyning of faith eyther absolutely or conditionally But such like confusion of things that differ is very agreable I confesse with the learning and judgment of this Author who seemes much better fitted to make a play then to handle a controversie in divinitie That all thinges work together for the good of them that love God is as true as the Apostle Pauls epistle to the Romans is the word of God And Bishop Cooper a Scottish Bishop applyes this to mens sinnes amongst other thinges shewing how they allso doe worke for a mans good But that the sinnes of a carnall man a debaucht Christian workes for his good a Poet may faigne such a conceyte I deny not pinne it upon the confession of whom he will for Pictoribus atque Poetis quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas and by the illusions of Satan it is possible like enough that a carnall person may be so farre transported but if this Author thinke good to justifie any such persuasion he may take his course surely we and our doctrine doe not No more then his persuasion of obteyning the pardon of his sinne while yet he liveth in sinne And indeede so it is he takes upon him to justifie these persuasions and that with a face of confidence saying that his censurer cannot deny it what doe I heare cannot we denye but that he who lives in sinne and goes on in fulfilling the lusts of the fleshe cannot but be persuaded or may nevertheles be justly persuaded that his sinnes how enormous soever worke together to his salvation and that he hath allready obteyned pardon for them I had thought impudency it selfe could not have bene so brazen faceâ— as to impute this unto us But it may be he hath some trickes of witt and feates of activitie that way to discharge upon us though contrary to his owne conscience And what are they surely therfore his Censurer cannot deny but that the sinnes of a debaucht Christian how enormous soever worke together to his salvation and that he hath obteyned already pardon for them because forsooth he exhorteth him unto repentance which is nothing worth without faith no more then faith if it believe not the remission of all sinnes both done to be don Here we have an hobgoblin discourse yet it is well we meete with some shewe of argumentation to cope withall I doubt this Author is yet to learne what it is to obteyne pardon of sinne we exhort such men unto repentance that they may obteyne remission of their sinnes we doe not suppose such wicked persons to have allready obteyned the pardon of their sinnes It is true repentance determines not upon obteyning the pardon of our sinnes but the sense of that love of God in giving his Sonne to dye for our sinnes and for his sake pardoning them unto us of his free grace renewes our repentance like as David never repented more fervently then after Nathan had sayde unto him from the Lord the Lord hath put away thy sinne witnesse the Psal. 51. Therfore we utterly deny this consequence we exhort a wicked wretch to repentance therfore we acknowledge him to have obteyned the pardon of his sinnes But he insinuates a proofe of this after this manner Whom we exhort unto repentance him we suppose to have faith allready wherby
life and Act. 2. last God added daylye to the Church such as shoulde be saved and the Apostle thus collects the Election of the Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1.3 we remember the worke of your faith the labour of your love the patience of your hope 4 Knowing beloved brethren that ye are Elect of God 2. Thess. 2 13. wee ought to give thanks alwaies to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because that God hath from the bâ—ginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and faith of the truth In like sort thy Prompter will not have the promises of sâ—lvation in Christ made universally to all to be made absolutely but conditionally and we willingly extende this universalitie to all and every one provided he believe in Christ so that unlesse thou believest this Suggester can give thee no interest in them as formerly he hath signified sufficiently and in case thou believest in Christ we can by our doctrine allowe thee as great an interest in them as he can But if it be founde that indeede none but Gods elect doe believe which this Author will not deny provided that by faith be understood finall perseverance therin it will followe herupon that in the issue none but Gods elect shall have these gracious promises accomplished upon them Neyther will this Author I trowe be so bolde as to tel thee that in scripture there is any mention made of thee in particular more then of himselfe neyther will he say that any testimony of Angell or Prophet is required to assure thee that these promises doe more particularly concern thee then any other Only if thou believest in Christ then he can assure thee that they belong unto thee and in that case so can we and more then that that by faith thou shalt receave the Spirit of God which shall testifie unto thee that thou art the childe of God yea and that this Spirit shall and doth seale thee to the day of redemtion as much as to say give thee assurance of thy perseverance unto the ende as being kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation which the Arminians doctrine can no way assure thee of So that were the number of reprobates more then it is yet by faith thou mayst be assured thou art none of them according to our doctrine without faith no Arminian can assure thee that thou are none of them no nor by faith neyther And yet consider there is nothing but sophistry in all this For consider thou art one brought forth into the world under the winges of God and in the bosome of his Church what if the number of reprobates were farre more then twelve times greater then the number of Gods elect yet considering how great a part of the world is possessed with heathens Savages Turkes and Saracens and Moores thou wilt finde Christendom to be but a small number of them allthough the Gospell be spread in these dayes farther then ever it was hertofore Then consider amongst them that beare the name of Christians how many sects there be miserably estranged from the true doctrine of Christianitie as Coptites Nestorians Armenians the Greeke Church and the Church of Rome here in the west what an handfull is left of those wherin the truth of God is not subject to the same corruption nor the holy worship of God defiled with the same superstitions what reason hast thou to trouble thy selfe with consideration of the small number of Gods elect great number of reprobates To receave comfort the way is playne and short if thou beleevest in Christ a fountayne of consolation is opened unto thee by our doctrine so long as thou believest not this Author hath as good as expressely signified that no comfort is applyable unto thee from the death of Christ. And over and above we say that by faith in Christ thou mayst be assured of thine election accordâ—ng unto our doctrine not so according to the doctrine of Arminians The second Section THerupon our consolator instructed in the Schoole of Dort will alleage unto him the judgment of charitie which praesumeth well of every one seing that God doth as litle reveale the decree of reprobation as that of election But this patient will not there finde the least assurance and that for many reasons 1. First because this judgment of charitiâ— which presumeth well if a man apply it generally unto all doth necessarily proove false The comforter not daring to mainteyne these two propositions together that Christ dyed for all men and that he dyed for a very small number 2. Secondly the judgment of charitie haâ—h never any place when we must have the certitude of faith to believe or doe any thing with a good conscience 3. Thirdly the judgment of charity extends it selfe no farther then to the suppressing of sinister opinions and suspicions too lightly conceaved against ones neighbour whose infirmities it commands us to conceale without preaching any falshood to him When I see any one pâ—esent himselfe at the table of the Lord in the judgment of charity I thinke him to be prepared as he ought seing nothing to the contrary But that they who are thus well pâ—epared doe theâ—e participate to their soules healthe this I believe with the judgment of faith which suffereth nothing that is or may be to be false So likewise when I see a sicke man which is giving up the Ghâ—st calling upon Iesus Christ I believe in charity that he dyed a Christian. But that God makes them happy who depart in the true faith of our Lord and Saviour this I believe with the certitude of faith and in such a manner as it is impossible for me to be deceaved which yet notwithstanding both may and often doth happen in the judgment of charitie In a word the judgment of charitie hath no place but in those thinges only that are betweene man and man But when there is a question of the divine promises which have their foundation in divine truâ—h there is then required a certitude of faith wherin there is nothing to be found that is eyther false or doubtfull If every one should say we should presume every one to be of the number of the elect untill he appeare to be the contrary the patient will answeare that by outward appearence we can knowe nothing eyther of election or reprobation even by the judgment of the two Synods And that therfore it is not sufficient to presume but that allso we must have a full and perfect assurance that Christ dyed for him whom we goe about to comfort which assurance is not to be found in the doctrine authorised at Dort seing it denyeth that Christ dyed for all men This Author may proove a valiant champion and aâ—tâ—yne to very great atchievements upon his enemies when he prescribes unto his adversaries how they shall strike yet this is his course all along And I commend his wiâ—t more then his valour in this
that worketh in us every thing that is pleasing in his sight doth the Physician sett the mans leggs whom he hath cured I thinke he hath enough to doe to sett his owne legges members going according to their severall motions was holy Paul nourished in his sloath who both professeth that he laboured more abundantly then they all yet in the same breath acknowledgeth that nevertheles it cannot he but rather the grace of God in him Nay how is it possible that God should bring a man to a sermon while he lyes lazy in his bed How is it possible he should continue that excesse which brought him to his sicknes when God workes in him that which is pleasing in his sight and fullfills the good pleasure of his goodnes towards him and the worke of faith in power But we may easily proceave the Spirit of his Author he would not be a child still he would goe on highe alone and not have any neede of the leading of his heavenly Father his owne Spirit serves his turne to performe any holy duetie any gracious worke And as Plato discerned the pride of Antisthenes through his patcht coate so may we thorough these wilde expressions as if God did mans worke for him while he lay in sleepe we may easily perceave the pride of his heart requiring no more succour from God to the performance of to velle agere of that which is good then Pelagius of olde did Yet the Lord by his prophet playnely professeth of himselfe that he causeth us to walke in his statutes and judgments and to doe them and the Apostle as playnely teacheth us that God workes in us both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure yea that he workes in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. The meaning whereâ—â— Pelagius his opinion was only this that suadet omne quod bonum est and in all liklihood no other is the meaning of the Apostle in the opinion of this Author though he comes not so farre as to the discussing therof and to treate of Gods concourse For which kinde of exercise this comicall witt of his is nothing accommodated and like enough this discourse of his is plausible to none but such comicall witts as himselfe is of and no merveyle if it be magnified of them For Lactucas similes labra simillima habent like lettice like lips Yet he doth us wrong in saying we are not content that God should furnish us with necessary and sufficient grace to preserve and keepe us from sinne For albeit we doe require that God should immediately and irresistibly worke all our good workes in us yet surely we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse and the word of God it selfe we acknowledge to be sufficient in its kinde to witt in the way of instruction but the ministery therof we willingly professe goes no farther then Pauls planting and Apollos wateringe over and above all which unles God be pleased to give the encrease we shall continue unfruitfull still only there is a sect that have a better opinion of their activitie unto that which is good then so Sure I am the Apostle tells us that God doth fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnes in us and the worke of faith with power and if he fulfill the worke of faith with power doth he not fulfill the worke of love of repentance of obedience of all holy conversation and godlines that with power Molira will have Gods concourse to be simultaneous with the will not antecedaneous in nature to the wills operation least otherwise God should not be the immediate cause of the act of the maintenance wherof he was zelous and it seemes Arminiâ—â—s tooke his conceyte from him of making God in the same manner an immediate cause of every act But Suares his fellowe Iesuite doth not approove of that Molinaes conceyte and is of opinion that albeit God doth worke the will to her operation yet this nothing hinders the immediate condition of Gods causalitie So that all of them stande for the maintenance of Gods immediate causalitie which this Author very judiciously and profoundely out of the depth of his scholasticalitie rejects and after his manner takes it in scorne that God shoulde be required to performe an immediate operation in producing any good worke he would have that left to the will of man not that he desires to have wherof to boast for he will be ready in great plerophory of wordes to professe that he gives God the glory of all but how Forsooth of working him so to that which is good as to leave it to his will at the pleasure therof to be the immediate operator in all Otherwise he should worke irresistibly which is a phrase of an ill accent in their eares and stickes as a burre in their throate it will not downe with them for they are verily persuaded it would breede no good blood in them not for feare least herby they should ascribe too much to God and too litle to themselves farre be that from the Spirit of their humilitie but they would have the Allmightie cary himselfe decently in dealing with them and sith he hath indued them with free will not to damnifie the free course therof which were to disanull his owne workmanship For as yet they are not arrived to any such faith as to believe that it is in the power of the Almightye to make them to worke this or that freely But let me have leave to spurre this Author one quaestion Cannot he endure that God should so powerfully worke them unto that which is good that the world should have no abilitie to resist him nor the divill and his Angells of darkenes We knowe the course and fashions of the one and the practises and suggestions of the other are prest and forward enough to hinder us in the good wayes of the Lord as much as ever the Angell of God was to hinder Balaam in his wicked courses Now why should you be so zealous of maynteyning the power eyther of the world or the divill to corrupt your soule and overthrowe your faith were it not rather cheifly to be desired that God should so worke us by his holy Spirit unto every thing that is pleasing in his sight that it shoulde not be in the power of the very gates of hell to prevayle against us that is I trowe to worke us unto that which is good irresistibly that is so that the world nor the divill should not be able to resist Gods operation though they much desire it I shoulde thinke it is not the genius of this Author to oppose irresistible operation divine in this sense though it may be he was never cast upon this distinction untill now In respect of whom then would he have this
offered at all in the Gospell men are called upon to believe and promised that upon theire faith they shall obteyne the grace of remission of sinnes salvation and these graces may be sayde to be offâ—red unto all upon condition of faith but faith it selfe in no congruity can be sayde to be offered though by the preaching of the Gospell the Lord workes faith in the hears of whom he will as it is sayde that he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth But as for suasion exhortation unto faith this grace the reprobates in the Church of God are pertakers of as well as Gods elect I come unto the fift and last 5. That they who have once receaved this grace by faith can never fall totally or finally notwithstanding the most enormous sins that they can committ Here are three thinges to be considered first his phrase of a certeyne grace receaved by faith in reference to the premises for he calls it this grace by faith wheras in the premises there is no mention at all of any grace receaved by faith much lesse any such grace particulated but this is their jugling cariage throughout First he spake of Gods producing faith then of Gods giving his grace now he supposeth he hath spoken of a certeyne grace receaved by faith this is their cogging course when no such grace as receaved by faith was at all mentioned before We speake playnly in saying of faith not of a grace I knowe not what receaved by faith that it cannot totally or finally perishe The scripture playnly professeth that it is not possible the elect should be seduced by false Prophets now the practise of false Prophets is to corrupt their faith but it is not possible they should herin prevaile over Gods elect Now by the elect are here to be understood the regenerate elect for before regeneration it is apparent they are as obnoxious to errours of faith and errours of life as any other And the reason why they cannot be thus seduced our Saviours signifies Ioh. 10.29 to be this that they are in the handes of God the Father My Father which gave them me is greater then all now to be given to Christ by God the Father is to be brought unto faith in Christ by God the Father Ioh. 6.37.44 compared with verse 35 and 47. and Ioh. 17.9.20 And none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand So that when we say they cannot fall from grace this is spoken not in respect of any absolute impossibilitie but merely upoÌ„ supposition to witt manutenentiae divinae of Gods upholding of them And accordingly they are sayd to be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. Now this impossibilitie of falling away from grace in Scholasticall accoumpt is but an impossibilitie secundum quid like as we say t is impossible that Antichrist should fall or the Iewes be called till the time which God hath appoynted is come for bringing foorthe these great and wonder full workes of his but the contrary is simply possible on eyther part As for the last clause not withstanding the most enormous sinnes which they can committ this is most calumniosly annexed as if we maynteyned that the children of God cannot fall from grace allbeit they should let the reynes loose to their lusts to committ sinne that with greedines wheras to the contrary we teache that God keepeth them from falling away by putting his feare into their hearts according to that Ierm 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me so that the right state of our Tenet is not that God will keepe them from falling away in spight of their praesumptuous courses but that he will keepe them by him through an holy feare which is as much as to say he will holde them fast by him by keeping them from presumtuous courses and accordingly David after he had prayed that God woulde clense him from his secret faults he entreates God that as touching presumptâ—ous sinnes he would keepe him from them that so he might be innocent from the great offense And as this was Davids prayer so answereable hereunto was Pauls faith He will deliver me from every evill worke to witt eyther by obedience or by repentance or els from every prâ—sumptuous course and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom And accordingly the Saints of God as they are stiled his called ones his sanctifyed ones so likewise are they denominated his reserved ones in the Epistle of Iude For his course is to make them meete pertakers of the inheritance of Saints in light not to save them in spight of their unfitnes for it but to make them first sitt for it by holinesse and then to make them pertakers of it Never any of our divines maynteyned any such presumtion in Gods children as to say with them Deut. 29.19 I shall have peace though I walke according to the stubbornne of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenes unto thrist but rather their faith is like unto that of Pauls formerly mentioned The Lord will deliveâ— me from every evill woorke preserve me to his heavenly kingdome It is true David once committed adultery and that drewe after it a greater sinne a practise to take away Vriah that so he might cover the shame and scandall of the first but we know the first occasion of it was by improvidence hapning to spye Bathsheba from the battellments of his house going to wash her selfe but he never committed the like afterwards And as for these sinnes of his Bertius the chiefest maintainer of the Apostacye of Saints professeth he will not say that David by these sinnes did expell the Spirit of God and that for weightie reasons Peter likewise sinned fowly in the progresse of the temptation denyâ—ng his Master â—hâ—ise and that in a strange manner but if we looke into the origâ—nall of it we shall finde how through improvidence he cast himself into the devills mouth ere he was aware but our Saviour had prayed for him that his faith should not faile and remembring his promise though Peter remembred not as yet the faire warning our Saviour gave him of Satans desire to winowe him as wheate looked back upon him and he went forth and wept bitterly And immediately upon his resurrection word was sent hereof to the Apostles and by name to Peter that he should not thinke the worse of the love of God and of Christ towards him for this Thus He that is borne of God sinneth not to witt the sinn unto death or the sinne of apostacye for his seede remayneth in him neyther can he sinne that sinne because he is borne of God But yet as I said this impossibilitie is not absolute or simply so to be called but only secundum quid and upon supposition to witt of manutenency divine And as for the true state of our Tenets and the truth of our Doctrine I
for us that it extends so farre therfore without just cause we must not conceave otherwise of them then that they are in the state of grace and consequently that they are elect And no other kinde of certitude is required in the case we treate of so that this Author caryeth himselfe miserably extravagant in his very extravagancyes And as for an afflicted soule we have reason to conceave better of him then of civill Christians for as much as his state is not so obnoxious to hypocrisie as is the condition of Christians who are nothing exercised with the terrors of God and with the affrightments of a tender conscience Be it so that it hath course only betweene man and man this judgment of charitie such is the case we treate of For as for the afflicted soule we doe not say that in the judgment of charitie he is bound to conceave that he is an elect of God any farther then he hath cause to conceave that he is in the state of faith But we come to the application which he makes herof to divine promises Now we willingly professe that divine promises are to be believed by certentie of faith we doe not say nor I presume was ever any of our divines knowne to say that the truth of divine promises was to be believed by the judgment of charitie Whosoever believes shall be saved we apprehende this by certeintie of faith not out of any judgment of charitie what a wilde race doth this Author runne in his roaving discourse We will be bolde to affirm that every one is to believe that he is of the number of Gods elect so farre forth as he knowes himselfe to have faith in Christ which as it is a gift of God Philip. 1.29 Eph. 2.8 so God giveth us his Spirit by the hearing of faith that we may knowe those things that are given to us of God 1. Cor. 2.12 But this to witt whether a man hath true faith or no though it be knowne to him that hath it yet is it not knowne to others any otherwise then by the judgment of charitie Yet Paul was confident of the truth of the Thessalonians faith and consequently of their election 1. Thess. 1.3.4 and 2. Thess. 2.13 It is untrue that we must have a sufficient assurance that Christ dyed to procure pardon of sin and salvation of soule absolutely for him whom we goe about to comfort it is enough that Christ dyed to procure these benefites for him condiâ—ionally to witt in case he believe and repent and of this we have a most sufficient assurance But these disputers like owles fly abroade only in the night of darknes and confusion but let the light of distinction come and then t is time to hide themselves in their close harbours for shame But over and above we can treate with our Patiens about Christs dying not only to procure pardon of sinne and salvation of soule conditionally to witt in case they believe and repent but allso for procuring the gift of faith and repentance for them allso wherof we have the better hope when we consider their afflicted condition this being Gods usuall course to transforme them into the image of Christ crucyfyed first then rising from the dead by making them to feele the fellowshippe of Christs passions and the power of his resurrection Now this way of consolation is quite out of the Arminians element The third Section THe minister or Comforter will then aske the patient if he never felt the witnes of adoption which the Spirit of God beareth with the Spirit of the elect And if he be assured that he once had faith he may be certeyne that he hath it still notwithstanding the small fruit that it produceth Wherunto the Patient will reply that Calvin himself doth much trouble obscure this doctrine of certitude in his Institut lib. 3. cap. 2. parag 10. where saith he The heart of man hath so many secret corners of vanitie is so full of so many hiding holes of lying is covered with such guilefull hypocrisie that it dâ—ceaveth it selfe and persuadeth him that he hath true faith when he hath it not If the patient acknowledgeth that he never found this testimony in his heart his comforter will answere him in the same manner as he formerly did the profane when he tooke upon him the office of a censurer and corrector to witt how that all are not called at the same houre But if the patient doe then aske him some assurance that he shall be thus efficaciously called before his death the comforter will finde none for him eyther at Dort or Arles only he will tell him that assuredly Christ dyed for him if so be he believes in him wherin he will shewe himselfe eyther a praevaricator of his owne side and an overthrower of the doctrine of the Synods or else that he is deprived of common sense For if he give the selfe same consolation to all that are sicke to all that are afflicted yea even to those who for their greater offenses are ledde to execution and if this consolation be founded upon the truth doth it not then follow that Christ dyed for all and every one And if he so understandeth it that this becommeth true by the faith which the Patient addeth to the discâ—urse of the Minister he hath lost his sense in affirming that the object of faith or thing proposed to be believed receaveth its truth and dependeâ—h of the consent and beliefe of men who by his approbation and faith hath no more power to make that true which is false in it self then to make that false by his incredulitie which in it self is true The incredulitie of man may deprive him of the benefiâ—e of this death yet can it not make that Christ suffered not this death to testifie his love unto all mankind universally even as all are bound to believe in him and yet no man bound to believe that which is false The Apostle saith that God will sende the Spirit of errour upon them that have not receaved the love of the truth And yet according to the Doctrine of Dort he would have all men first to beleeve that Christ dyed for him which is false in the judgemen of the Synod and then afterward for believing this falshood he shall be punished with the Spirit of errour for giving credence to a lye Consid. That there is a Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father is as true as the word of God is true as also that his Spirit doth testifie together with our Spirit that we are the Sonnes of God And that there is no falling away from the state of sanctifying grace we are ready to mainteyne according unto Gods word whensoever we shall be called thereunto Of some Apostates S. Iohn writes plainely saying They went out from us but they were not of us for had they bene of us they had continued wih us By faith we are built on