consolation in God even to the assurance of their election If weake in faith and oppressed vnder the burthen of their sinnes yet is there no cause why they should despayre by reason of any doctrine of ours but rather good hope that these troubles of minde may proove as panges of childbirth to deliver their soules into the world of grace 2. Of any doctrine Canonized eyther in the Synod of Dort which we knowe or in the Synod of Arles which I knowe not I am utteâ—lâ— ignorant The course of comprehending the doctrine of the Church concerning certeyne points in severall theses and denominating them canons hath bene anciently of use in Councells and Synods but of canonizing any doctrine therby I never heard nor read till now But if the Church be the pillar and butteresse of truthe the authoritie therof is of no small force for the establishment therof albeit we acknowledge no infallible rule of faith but the word of God The quaestion in praesent is whether election be upon the foresight of mans obedience or according to the meere pleasure of God and in the issue it comes to this as in due place I will shewe whether God hath mercy on whom he will by giving faith and repentance vnto them and whom he will he hardeneth by denying faith and repentance Or rather in the dispensation distribution of these graces proceedeth according to mens workes Now to me it seemes a strange course when a quaestion is moved as touching two contrary opinions which of them is true and to be embraced to drawe the resolution herof to the consideration of the usefulnes of the opinions or doctrines quaestioned As if because an opinion is usefull therfore it is to be coÌ„cluded that it is true and not rather in case it be founde to be true yea the very truthe of God the rule wherof alone is Gods word therfore we ought to conclude that it is vsefull and be carefull to make such use of it as it doth bespeake Nay is it not most indecent for man to presume â—o obâ—rude opinions upon Gods word upon a bare praetence of the usefulnes of them in mans iudgment to serve turnes as he thinkes good And doe not as many as take such courses for the mayntenance of their owne way manifest hereby that their cause is desperate and that it seemes they have very litle or no ground for their opinions out of the word of God when they runne out vnto such divinations as these for the supporting of their labouring and wavering cause As for example if the Apostle shall playnly professe that election is not of workes shall not we embrace this for truth unles we finde it to be more usefull to the purposes here specified then the contrary and if we seeme to finde the contrary doctrine more usefull then this in our phantasy shall we therfore contradict the Apostle in expresse termes or set our wits on worke so to fashion the Apostles meaninge by a forced interpretation as to make him to contradict his owne wordes In like sort if the Apostle sayth God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 And withall manifests that by obteyning mercy at Gods handes he understandeth the obteyning of faith Rom. 11.30 that even in the former place being manifest enough by the antithesis of it unto obduration Shall we hang still in suspense as touching the acknowledging of S. Pauls meaninge untill we have well weighed and considered the usefulnes of this doctrine in comparison with the usefulnes of the contrary doctrine and according to the weight of each by such weights and in the scale of our judgment pronounce judicially eyther for Paul or against him or at least make the holy Apostle by some practise or other to eate his owne wordes as Saturne did his children And verily in the cause of such a triall a good witt will serve a disputant in good steade who can if he list bring forth pleasant ejaculations in commendation of a bald head or of folly with Erasmus or of a louse with Daniel Heinsius and with our English Sonnetters of a stâ—aweâ— to witnesse thâ— songe O the strawe the strawe and then let them take forth and singe Now here is a jolly couâ—se quoth the minstrill And others like eâ—ough will be furnished with as good witt to the contrary in displaying the unnecessary condition of ought â—ike him who having fâ—â—st made an excellent speech in the commendation of justice afterwards spake as wiâ—â—ily to the contrary shewing that there was no justice at all in the World And I have heard of a Gentleman that would discourse against any neede we have at all of fire saying that at the end he was driven to a non plus for as much as he could not devise how his horse could be shod without it And in like manner I have with admiration receaved a relation concerning a Gentleman in an Assembly of States such as we call Parliaments namely that he was absolutely the best speaker yet nothing respected and that for a most sufficient reason which was this They knew full well that he could speake as well and as movingly to that which was quite contrary And I willingly professe the Author of this discourse seemes to be a witâ—y Gentleman and to enterteyne his readers in the following treatise with a pretty enterlude no mervail if he makes choyse of a fiâ—t scene wherein to shew the feates of his activitie Wherein how well he caryeth himselfe when he comes to the triall of our Doctrine by the serviceablenes thereof to the three endes here proposed we shall by Gods helpe inquire in due place But surely though it be not serviceable to any of these ends yet if it be as serviceable to other ends above specified out of the history of the Counsell of TreÌ„t as also out of the 17. article of our church of EnglaÌ„d as also to the glorifying of God in acknowledging the prerogative of his grace as onely effectuall to every thinge that is good the prerogative of Gods soveraintie over his Creatures in making whom he will Vessells of mercy and whom he will Vessells of wrath â—o witt by shewing mercy on whom he will and hardening whom he will This I hope shall be sufficient to uphold the reputatioÌ„ of it yea albeit it be found contrary to other endes which yet I deny like as comforts are contrary to the use of terrifying and terrours are contrary to the use of comfortinge and yet Gods word coâ—taines both kindes of discipline Like as Martin Luther and Melancthon were of different dispositions and Erasmus his censure of them was this that Melancthon followed Luther as Litae followeth Atae in Homer yet Chytraeus in his Historiae confessionis Augustanae as I remember professeth that God in his gracious providence made good use of both for the service of his Church and propagation of the Gospell in these latter dayes And I well observe
it is not of workes so neyther is it of faith seing before they were borne they were aequally as uncapable of faith as of workes and consequently that Gods ordeyning men unto salvation proceedes merely according to the good pleasure of God and not upon consideration eyther of workes or faith 2. As touching reprobation that it is no more of evill workes then election is of good workes for as much as before they were borne they were aequally uncapable of the one as well as of the other and the doing of evill is expressely excluded as well as the doing of good whence it followeth manifestly that Gods ordeyning men unto damnation proceedes as much of the mere pleasure of God and with as litle consideration of sinne as Gods ordeyning men unto salvation proceedes of the mere pleasure of God without consideration of any righteousnes in man though fleshe and blood be farre more apt to tumultuate and make insurrection against this doctrine of reprobation then against the proportionable doctrine of election Thirdly consider the vanitie of his amplifications in two particulars First in that he aggravates the matter by the circumstance of the greatest part of mankind wheras it is manifest by reason that if it be just with God to deale thus with the least part of mankinde yea with any one it is as just with God to deale in like manner with the greatest part of mankinde yea with all and every one Secondly he aggravates it by the circumstance of the least consideration of sinne which we are sayde to deny to have place in reprobation wheras divine consideration hath no degrees at all wherby it may be capable of greater or lesse sin indeede hath degrees in man but divine consideration hath no degrees at all Fourthly to come nearer to the point and to discover their jugling in stating our Tenet most calumniously Consider I pray doe any of our divines meynteyne that God did ordeyne to damne any man but for sinne It is apparent they doe not all acknowledging that like as God doth damne no man but for sinne so doth he ordeyne to damme no man but for sinne For doe they not all professe that the ende intended by God in the reprobation of certein men is the manifestation of Gods justice which if God doth intende how can it be otherwise but that whom he ordeynes to the suffering of everlasting torments those he ordeynes to the suffering of everlastâ—ng torments for their sinne and for nothing els And to adde one thing more not for their sinne which they sinned in Adam only for thus I had rather expresse my selfe according to scripture phrase then as this obscure Author doth in calling it only Adams sinne but for those very actuall sinnes and transgressions which they are guilty of Now this Author caryeth the maâ—ter so as if our doctrine were that God ordeynes men to be tormented not for sinne but merely for his owne pleasure And to this purpose he caryeth himselfe very judiciously for the advantage of his owne cause in confounding the cause of the decree with the cause of the execution therof Confounding the most receaved distinction of the Schooles concerning the will of God as considerable eyther quoad actum volentis as touching the act of God willing or quoad res voliâ—as as touching the thinges willed by God The act of God willing can have no cause sayth Aquinas neyther doe I finde any crossing of this amongst Schoole divines untill the Iesuites arose And the same Aquinas applying the same distinction to praedestination which is the very will of God in a certeyne kinde spares not to professe that Never any man was so madde as to affirme that merits are the cause of predestination quoad actum praedestinantis as touching the act of God predestinating It seemes he knewe of none so madde as to affirme this but since his dayes there hath risen up a sect of Iesuites a sect of Arminians more then enough that are so madde and yet cary this madde doctrine of theirs in such a confidentiary streyne as if they were the only sober men of the world Then agayne the thinges willed by God in predestination are of different condition and that so different that looke what alone is the cause of Gods decree that and that alone is the cause of the execution looke what alone is the cause of the decree quoad actum decernentis that and that alone is the cause of the decree quoad rem volitam or decretam but not so of the other as for example the things willed by God in predestination are grace and glory by grace I understand the grace of faith and repentance Now like as the act of Gods decree is of the mere pleasure of God no temporall thing being fitt to be the cause of the aeternall decree of God in like sort the giving of faith and repentance proceedes merely of the good pleasure of God according to that God hath mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.18 and to obteyne mercy at the handes of God is to obteyne faith Rom. 11.30 But as for glory and salvation we doe not say that God in conferring it proceedes according to the mere pleasure of his will but according to a lawe which is this whosoever believeth shall be saved which lawe we willingly professe he made according to the mere pleasure of his will but having made such a lawe he proceedes according to it No such lawe hath he made according wherunto to proceede in the dispensation of grace of faith of repentance And in like sort though God findes men aequall when he bestowes grace on some and not others yet he findes them not aequall when he comes to bestowe salvation on some and not on others The like distinction is coÌ„siderable on the part of reprobation which allso is the will of God in a certeyne kinde I say we must distinguâ—she in this decree the act of God decreeing and the thinges decreed by hâ—m And these thinges are of a different nature and so dâ—fferent that looke what alone is the cause of the act that alone is the cause of one thing decreed by it but not so of the other As for example the things decreed by reprobation are 1. The denyall of grace by grace I meane faith and repentance wherby that infidelitie hardnes of heart which is naturall to all is cured 2. The denyall of glory together with the inflicting of damnation As touching the first of these looke what is the cause of reprobation as touching the act of God reprobating that and that alone is the cause of the denyall of Grace to witt the mere pleasure of God For the Apostle playnly teacheâ—h us that as God hath mercy on whom he will to witt in giving faith and repentance so he hardneth whom he will by refusing to give them faith and repentance But as touching the denyall of glory and inflicting damnation God doth not proceede according to the mere pleasure
they peremtorily deny that Christ merited faith and regeneration for any Exam. Censurae p. 59. Now let any indifferent person judge by this who they are who streiten the vertue of Christs sufferings most they or we In the last place he telleth us that our Prayers common both to the Pastor and the flocke cannot be of any profitt eyther to the one or to the other that is as I conceave his meaning eyther to the Pastor or to the people and why so Observe I pray the strange reason which he gives hereof to witt because they are all eyther Elect or reprobates For doth not this Author beleeve this as well as we namely that all are eyther elect or reprobate eyther registred in the booke of life or not registred therein To qualifie this he doth afterwards more advisedly ground his reason not upon election and reprobation simply considered as being already passed upon them all but upon the manner of these in as much as election is shaped by us to have its course without any more regard unto mens prayers then unto their faith and that it is impossible for them to be razed out we willingly acknowledge it and withall shewe how inconsequent is his inference which he makes herheÌ„ce God we say hath no more regaâ—d to our prayers then to our faith having aequall regard of both not that upon the foresight herof he did elect us but in that as he did ordeyn us unto everlasting life by way of reward of our faith repentance good workes so likewise he did ordeyne us to the obteyning of faith repentance and good workes to be wrought in us partly by the ministery of his word therin speaking unto us partly by our prayers seeking unto him to blesse his word unto us and fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards us and the worke of faith in power For God doth expect that we should seek unto him by prayer for this as we read Ezech. 36.37 Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought of the house of Israel to perform it unto them Neyther doe we mainteyne that God doth ordeyne any man of ripe yeares unto aeternall life in any moment of nature before he ordeynes him to faith repentance good works that to be wrought in him by the ministery of the word with Gods blessing thereupon according to the prayers in common both of the Pastor the people So that neyther our faith nor the ministery of the word and Sacraments nor prayers are any whit in vaine or without profitt to Gods elect though I willingly confesse they are nothing profitable unto reprobates save that hereby they may profitt somewhat quoad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur Neyther doe I thinke that eyther this Author or any Arminian eyther on this side or beyond the Seas will affirme that any of these are any farther profitable unto reprobates my meaning is they will not say as I presume that any reprobate obteynes salvation hereby For I presume they hold with us that Gods decrees are unchangeable As for inevitable decrees that is a wilde phrase the denomination of evitable or inevitable being onely in reference unto things possible for the time to come but Gods decrees we know full well are everlasting as ancient as the very ancient of dayes and therefore it is very absurd to discourse of the evitable or inevitable nature thereof And yet it may be they have a tooth against the unchangeable and irrevocable condition of Gods decrees I know none that speakes so plainly thereof as one that hath written of divine essence And it may be this Author lickes his lips at the revocable nature of divine decrees By this we may see what estimation ought to be made of this vile discourse that hath nothing in it worthy of the witt and learning of a very vulgar divine And with what applause he hath playd his severall parts labouring to defame our doctrine as if it stood in opposition to the conversion of Infidels the amendment of the scandalous and consolation of the afflicted The true ground of all which imputations is because we mainteyne with the Apostle that God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth bestowing the grace of faith and repentance on some to cure that naturall infidelitie and impenitency which is common to all and leaving it uncured in others by denying unto them the grace of faith and of repentance Forsooth if we should mainteyne with them that God gives faith and repentance not absolutely but conditionally to witt upon some condition to be performed by man then our doctrine should be magnified as they magnifie their owne as very profitable for conversion reformation consolation which is as much as to say in effect if with theÌ„ we would directly becom Pelagians theÌ„ we should prove very profitable and powerfull Christians for then it should be out of question that Pelagianismus est verè Christianismus It may be they would have us come one step farther and deale plainly in denying faith regeneration to be any gifts of God for if they be I wonder with what face they should deny them to be bestowed upon us for Christ his sake being they are such thinges as accompany salvation in a very speciall manner Now they have lately professed to the world that Christ merited not faith and salvation for any But because we coumpt all such Pelagian spirits no better then inimicos gratiae as Austin sometimes did Prosper went farther in his Epistle ad Ruffinum and in plaine termes calleth them Vasa irae in distinction from vasa misericordiae therefore it is that this flourishing divine in putes unto us that our Religion makes the preaching of the word to be of none effect and that it quite overthrowes the use of the Sacraments and exercise of Prayers and all this like a very confident Cavalier before the combate he presumes he hath very sufficiently demonstrated in this his enterlude consisting of three Actes and severall scenes belonging to each and in the judgement of some Scholers in the Vniversitie he is deemed to have performed his part so wel ut abducant stultum that they may well bring him a stoole ut sit foris eloquentia that he may sitt for his eloquence And because he hath already atteyned to such credite and reputation among the learned he addes in the close upon his word like a man of authoritie that it overturneth the foundation of the ministry which consisteth in sound doctrine good discipline for I doe not remember that this came any where in his way throughout his whole discourse And thus I have examined with what judgement this Author hath reduced the two Synods of Dort and Arles unto practise FINIS Praeface Consid. Praeface Sect. 2. Consid. sentent I. Armin. cap. 1. p. 6.7 Resp. ad Apologet. Bertiâ— p. 150. 1. q. 23. art 5.1 cap Hist. Pelag p. 368. Censura Censura p. 59. 1. Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7.8 2. Tim. 2. last Eph. 2.1 Eâ—hic 4. cap. 5. Act. 4.24 Ioh. 5. Exam. p. 150. matth 24.24 2. Tim. 4.17 Treat 1. part Sect. 1. Tit. 1.10 Hist. l. 5. 2. Cor. 4.3.4 Prov. 16.4 Defens Armin. p. 394. Rom. 9.11.12 20.21.22 V. 1â— Enchirid. cap. 96. De civit Dei l. 21. c. 24. 1. Ioh. 2 19. 1. q 23. art 2. ad 1. Ier. 9.24 Heb. 1â— 10 1 Cor. 9.22 Act. 18.9.10 Ioh. 11.52 Ioh 10.16 Gratia de lib. arbit cap. 2 Prov. 16.4 Sect. 2. Vossius in trist Pelag p. 638. Austin dâ— civit Dei l. 21 c. 24. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 12. c. 7 Ne quaerat efficientem causam malae voluntatis Non enim efficiene sed deficiens Sect. 3. Consid. Ezech. 2.5 Instit. l. 3. c. 24. num 13. 1. Pet. 2.8 Rom. 7.8 Act. 13.48 Act. 11.18 2. Thess. 2.13 2. Cor. 1.14 Rom. 8. Sect. 1. Hebr. 13.21 Esa. 63.18 Rom. 9.28.19 Exam. 166.167 Sect. 2. Treat Gal. 5.24 Esa. 49. 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Ezech. 2. Sect. 3. Treat 1. Sam. 18.4 V. 3. 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Ioh. 5.44 Sect. 4. Treat 3. Part. Sect. 1. Treat Sect. 2. Treat 1. Cor. 13. 1 Thess. 1.3.4 Philip. 3. Sect. 3. Treat 1. Iohn 2.19 Matt. 16. 1 Pet. 1. Luc. 23. Bert. de apostas SanctoruÌ„ Ier. 17.9 1. Cor. 11. Hos. 2.15 Sect. 4. Treat Consid. Psalm 51. Ier. 32.40 Esa. 27.2 Sect. 5. Treat Heb. 13 21 1. Cor. 15 10. 1. Thes. 1 11. Ezech. 36.27 2. Thess. 5 1.11 Sect. 6. Treat Ezech. 20.12 Deu. 29.6 Esa. 37.18 Mich. 7. Psa. 64 18 Ezech. 36.26.27 Ier. 31 3â—
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
he believes the remission of his sinnes But this consequence agayne we utterly deny we suppose not any such faith in him nay we have it rather most probable that in case of his debaucht course of life and conversation that such a one hath no true faith at all For if the Apostle exhorts such as the Corinthians were to proove and examine themselves whether they were in the faith writing to the best of them why shoulde we conceave a wicked person that lives in manifest profanenesse and uncleanes to have any true faith at all Perhaps he may reply why then doe you exhort him to repentance seing without faith he cannot repent I answere why did Peter exhort the Iewes to repentance who had killed the Lord of life as he tells them Act. 3.14.15 and desired a murtherer to be given them But saith he v. 18. those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath thus fulfilled Amend your lives therfore and turn that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Did Peter suppose them to have any faith in Christ when thus he exhorted them to amendment Surely he did not and no more doe wee but by Peters ministery God might be pleased to worke them both to faith and to repentance so he did for many that heard the word believed and the number was about 5000 and the like he may and doth usually worke by our ministery allso Then agayne there is a legall repentance and there is an Evangelicall repentance And that legall repentance may be unto desperation as Iudas his repentance was Agayne that legall repentance may be a fruite of the Spirit of bondage which praepares for the hearing of the Gospell and for the receaving of the Spirit of adoption by the Gospell Then in the preaching of the Gospell the tender mercies of God displayed unto us and how ready he is to pardon sinne in generall and that of free grace may better our repentance and when we are thus by degrees brought to the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father then our repentance shall be most perfect as before I sayde and when we looke upon him whom we have pearced and can in assurance of faith professe with the Apostle saying I live by faith in him who loved me and gave himselfe for me this is of power to pricke a Master veyne and make us bleede out our repentance in the sight of our gracious God whom we have offended and who yet in despight of our sinnes hath loved us more devoutly and affectionately then ever before Yet is it true as he saith that repentance is nothing worth without faith What thinkes he of Ahabs repentance when he put on sackcloth and wallowed in ashes upon the word of judgment against his house brought unto him by the Prophet Eliah Doe we not know what the Lord sayde herupon unto Eliah seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring that evill in his dayes The uttermost of the Ninivites faith was but this that we reade of who can tell if God will turne and repent turne from his feirce wrath that we perish not yet their repentance was such that when God sawe their workes that they turned from their evill wayes he repented of the evill that he had sayde that he woulde doe unto them and he did it not Ion. 3.9.10 And certienly the moralitie of some Heathens was such that their damnation will be easier then the damnation of those that lived in all manner of impuritie and vncleanes By faith we say the children of God are assured of the love of God towards them which was aeternall and is unchangeable and consequently that God will never forsake them but will from time to time pardon their sinnes according to that faith of Paul The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom 2. Tim. 4.18 And no other faith of remission of sinnes doe we teach or any of our divines that I know and this Author foreseing it likely enough that his Synodicall adversary will except against such a ones election much more against his effectual vocation who walkes not after the Spirit but after the fleshe yet to shewe his confidence of holding to hard-meate his wilde adversary being in some degree wilder himselfe though he were sayth he of the number of reprobates yet his censurer shoulde gayne nothing by it for as much as his exhortations and threanings coulde not any way alter the decree of heaven but only molest him with the torments of hell and stirre up a worme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Wherto I answere that by our doctrine as we have no encouragement to conceave such a person as here is brought in to play the part appointed for him and wherto this Author promts him to be an elect of God so neyther have we any reason to conceave him to be a reprobate for as much as there neyther is nor can be any ordinary evidence of any mans reprobation but eyther finall impaenitency or guiltines of sinning against the holy Ghost So that albeit where we observe the worke of a mans faith the labour of his love the patience of his hope we have good reason to conceave of such a one that he is an elect of God as Paul did of the Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1 3.4 Yet where we finde these to be wanting and a carnall walking and sensuall conversation in the steede therof we have no cause to conclude herupon that such a one is certeynly a man rejected and reprobated of God For we were carnall and sensuall before God visited us with his grace and quickned us by his holy Spirit What a strange race did Manasses runne for a long time in a most siâ—nefull course in the way of idolatry blood sorcery yet God brought him to repentance before he died Paul likewise for a time was a bloody persecutor of Gods Church yet even then was he a chosen vessell not only to be a professor but a preacher allso of that way which formerly he had opposed and persecuted even unto blood whether a man be an elect or reprobate we leave that as a secret unto God only considering that Gods long suffering is sayde to be salvation we hope the best and it is our duty to become all thinges to all men that we may save some as Paul professeth of himselfe 2. Cor. 6. and those some whose salvation he aymed at he professeth to be Gods elect 2. Tim. 2.10 wherfore we enterteyne no such thought as of altering the decrees of heaven as this Author in his scenicall imagination shapeth the matter but we endeavour therby to take him off from his ungodly courses and worke him to godly sorrowe that bringes forth salvation never to be repented of as in case he may proove to
as the Synod would have it hath written their names in the booke of life from all aeternitie without having more regard unto their prayers then unto their faith and that it is impossible for them to be razed out and as for these they are no more able to gett themselves registred therein by their prayers theÌ„ to undo that inevitable unchangable decree of God So that by this triall of the practise each one may see what esteeme we ought to have of that religion which resisteth the conversion of Infidells the amendment of the scandalous and consolation of the afflicted which makes the preaching of the word to be of none effect and quite overthroweth the use of the Sacraments and exercise of prayers and in a word which overturneth the foundation of the ministry which consisteth in sound doctrine good discipline Consid. If the preaching of the word by the doctrine of these Synods be but thus made of none effect that is but by so hungry and comicall a discourse as this we shall have very small or rather no cause at all to think the worse of the doctrine of these Synods and we are confident that the use and profitt of the Sacraments will but in the like shallow and superficiary manner be enervated And how the ministers in their administration of the Sacraments doe destroy the same doctrine so unhappy as he conceavs it for no doctrine is so happy with them as that which maintaynes grace to be conferred according unto workes or that looke what we call grace as faith and repentance is neither merited by Christ nor indeed any gift of God otherwise then by giving them power to beleeve if they will repent if they will and persuading them thereunto by the ministry of his word for I have good reason to suspect that the Author of this discourse is a mere Anabaptist we are now to consider in the last place Now for proofe hereof he sayth that to every person whom we baptize we doe apply the promises of the covenant of grace which he saith is cleane contrary to our owne doctrine which saith that they nothing belong to the reprobates of the world I would he had particulated these promises of the covenant of grace For with the practise of their Churches in the office of baptizing I am not acquainted but onely with our own The promises assured by baptism according to the rule of Gods word I finde to be of two sorts some are of benefits procured unto us by Christ which are to be conferred conditionally others are of benefits which are to be bestowed upon us absolutely They of the first sort are justification and salvation For Abraham receaved circumcision as a seale of the righteousnes of faith Circumcision therfore was an assurance of justification to be had by faith If such were circumcision unto the Iewes we have good reason to conceave that such is baptisme unto us Christians For as that was unto them so this is the Sacrament of regeneration unto us And good reason the Sacraments which are seales of the covenant should assure that unto us which the word of the covenant doth make promise of Now the word of the covenant of grace doth promise unto us both remission of sinne and salvation upon faith in Christ. This by our doctrine we promise unto all and assure unto all as well as they doe by theirs If all and every one should beleeve we nothing doubt but they should be justified and saved On the other side if not one of ripe yeares should beleeve I presume our adversaries will confesse that not one of them should be saved But there are other benefites both promised in the covenant of grace and consequently assured by the Sacraments which are commonly called the seales of the covenant wherof there is or may be a question whether they are conferred on man by God absolutely or no but onely conditionally and the right solution thereof I willingly confesse is most momentous for the deciding of all those controversies and setting an happy end unto them But that question is wholy declined by this Author and generally by the Arminian partie For such a light and evidence of faith breakes forth herein that they are not able to abide it Those benefites are regeneration which in holy scripture is called the circumcision of the heart in reference to the Sacrament that sealed it and in the New Testament it is called the washing and clensing or sanctifying of our soules in reference to our Sacrament of regeneration which is called Baptisme under regeneration we comprehend the illumination of the mind and renovation of the affectâ—ons and these operations we commonly designe by faith and repentance Now let it be enquired whether regeneration and faith commonly supposed amongst us to be the gifts of God are bestowed upon men conditionally or absolutely If conditionally then like as the word of the covenant promiseth these gifts upon a condition to be performed by man so also shall the Sacrament of Baptisme seale it and assure us that upon the performance of that condition we shall obteyne at the hands of God faith and regeneration Like as justification salvation is promised in the word and assured in the Sacraments upon performance of a condition on mans part Now the condition of justification and salvation we all acknowledge to be faith but what should be the condition upon performance whereof we should obteyne it we are much to seeke neither doe the Arminians willingly come to the defining of it this Author utterly declines the question though most proper and criticall by the Orthodox resolution thereof to sett a blessed end to all the controversies wherwith the peace of Gods church hath been of late yeares so much disturbed Now whatsoever be devised to be the condition it must be in generall some worke of man and consequently it must be acknowledged that grace is given to wit the grace of faith according to mens works which is plain Pelagianisme So for regeneration it being acknowledged to be a gift of Gods grace if so be God bestowes it conditionally they must tell us what that condition is upon the performance whereof God is pleased to regenerate us but I never yet mett with any that undertooke to notifie unto us what that condition is certeynly it must be not onely a worke of man but a worke of nature seeing it precedes regeneration and consequently the grace of regeneration shal be conferred according unto workes of nature and this also is Pelagianisme and that in a degree beyond the former and withall directly contradictious to the word of God where it is sayd that God hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1.9 and where the Apostle saith that God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.16 and to bestow faith upon a man is clearly to
if they are destitute of certaine graces and that it was Gods will never to bestow any such grace upon them What disparagement I say is this to Gods goodnesse wisedome or justice in damning men for sinne voluntarily and freely committed by them Or is his meaning that God doth damne them for being destitute of such certeyne graces Why did he not speake it out plainly Was he ashamed expressely to deliver so shamefull an untruth would he rather have the propitious Reader to apprehend by 〈◊〉 way a beliefe of that which he was ashamed to utter What divine of ours was ever knowne to affirm that God doth damne a man because God doth not regenerate him or for the want of regeneration God damnes no man but for sinne and that actuall most freely committed by him in case he live to the committing of sinnes actuall It is true that all are born children of wrath by vertue of that sinne which we all sinned in Adam This is as true as the word of God is true and that the Epistles of S. Paul to the Romans and to the Ephesians are a part of Gods word And if he hath a tooth against our doctrine touching originall sinne eyther touching the nature or touching the guilt of it even the guilt of aeternall death why did he not shew his strength in the impugning of it Yet what are these graces which God he sayth hath never willed to have given them who are damned according to our opinion implying that according to his opinion God did well to bestow them even on those who never enjoyed them Why doth he scuâ—k in this manner and conceal himself for fear of comming to the light Is it because he cherisheth an evill conscience in hugging some erroneous points in his bosome therefore he hateth the light Is faith one of those graces which God did will to bestow on them who yet neuer had faith If God doth will to bestow faith on them how comes it that they have not faith Is not God able to give them faith Looke but upon our selves whatsoever we will doe and are able to doe that we doe if then God be able to worke faith in any man if withall he will worke it how is it possible that such a one should want faith Who hath resistâ—d his will Againe to give a man faith is to shew him mercy for to obteyne faith is to obteyne mercy Rom. 11.30 If then God will give faith to any he doth give faith unto him For he doth shew mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.18 But let us devise what is this Authors meaning as touching God his willing faith to them that never have it It may be his meaning is that God is ready to worke faith in man upon a condition Now what is that condition Can it be any other thing then some worke of man And what followes hereheÌ„ce but that God gives faith according to mens works which is pure Pelagianisme condemned for heresie in the Church of God from time to time Or will they say that God is ready to worke faith in man provided that man will but let them speake out and say plainly that God is ready to worke faith in man provided that he doth first worke it in himself For even the will is Gods worke Phil. 3.13 and God workes in us every thing that is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. And what shall be the condition of Gods working in us the very will Yet still they frame themselves to the Pelagian Tenet as if grace were conferred according unto workes directly contrary to the doctrine of S. Paul 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according unto our workes but according to his owne purpose grace Lastly is their meaning this God will concurre with us to the working of faith so we will concurre with him And doe any of our divines denye Gods concurrence to every good worke though this concurrence we hold to be meerely impossible For in like sort it is as true that man will concurre to the working of faith if so be God will concurre with him and this is mainteyned by Iesuites and Arminians and Gods foresight of this is their scientia media Now consider I pray the absurditie hereof For upon this mutuall supposition on both sides it is utterly impossible any action should proceede As for example if you say you will go to London if so be I will go with you and I say likewise that I will go with you if so be you will go with me so long as neyther of us doe absolutely resolve to go to London it is impossible eyther of us should go to London at all Againe if God doth thus onely concurre to the working of faith and this be sufficient to make him the Author of faith why may he not as well be accompted the Author of every evill act that is committed throughout the world For doe not your selves mainteyne that God in like sort concurres to the producing of every evill act But perhaps by Gods will in this place is meant Gods commandement For it is a jugling world wherein we live aequivocation is most congruous to their courses who desire to play fast loose Now doe any of our divines deny that God commands all in the Church all that heare the Gospell to beleeve whether they be the elect of God or whether they be reprobates But will it follow herehence that Gods purpose is to give them faith Or will they deny faith to be the gift of God oppose Paul to his face Phil. 1 29. and Eph. 2.8 Yet you will say God punisheth them for refusing to beleeve I grant he doth For this refusall is the free act of their wills and by mere power of nature they might absteyne from this refusall and have beleeved as well as Simon Magus did as well as profane persons doe as many an hypocrite doe which is only fides acquisita And it is well knowne they beleeve many a vile legend But then he will say such a faith shall never save them and I willingly confesse it shall not For it never brings forth any love of the truth any conformity thereunto in their lifes Yet are they never a whit the lesse inexcusable that refuse to beleeve Secondly why doe they not beleeve but quia noÌ„â—â—â—â— and Austin both in his lib. 3. de Gen. ad literam cap. 1. and his retraction thereof both sayth and justifyes as omnino true that even naturall men may both beleeve if they will and from the love of temporall things convert themselves to the the keeping of Gods commandements if they will For indeed this impotency which is found in all of doing that which is good is not so much naturall as morall having the the roote therof eyther only or cheâ—fly in the will of man And if they may believe if they will is it not just with God to punish them for
Lord and I have good cause to take comfort in this But it is untâ—ue that God hath as much willed the treason of Iudas as the conversion of Paul though Bellarmine hath so calumnated us longe agoe For albeit the treason of Iudas in betraying his mayster is one of the thinges meant by the Apostle which Iewes and Gentiles did against the holy Sonne of God and which they say were foredetermined by the hand and counsell of God And Austin is bolde to professe that Iudaâ— electus est ad prodendum sanguinem Dominisui notwithstanding which as another Father speaketh etiam Iudas potuisset consequi remedium si non festinasset ad laqueum yet there is a vast difference betweene Gods willing Iudas his treason and Pauls conversion For as for Iudas his treason his will was that should come to passe onely by Gods permission And Arminius is bold to profes that Voluit Deus Achabum mâ—nsuram scelerum implere but as for Pauls conversion that was not only willed by God but wrought by God and that in an extraordinary manner appearing unto him in the way and striking him downe with a light from heaven so with a strong hand taking him off from his persecuting courses when Ferox scelerum quia primò provenerat and flesht in the blood of Steven Iehu like he maâ—ched fuâ—iously against the Church of God As for no power in man to retain grace when God will take it away First where man is found willing to reteyne grace I know no just cause to complaine of the want of power for this And where there is no will to reteyne it I see no likelyhood that any man should complaine of want of power to reteyne it Yet like as man is not Lord of his owne Spirit nor able to reteyne it so I wonder it should seeme strange that men should have no power to reteyne the Spirit of God in case God should withdraw it from them And as for grace of sanctification which God should take away from man we know none as who mainteyn that God will deliver his children from every evill work and preserve them unto his heavenly Kingdom and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation That the Spirit bloweth where it listeth is the doctrine of our Saviour to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That God inspireth whom he will with the Spirit of faith repentance we take to be all one with that Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will And accordingly he denyes this inspiration to whom he will as much as to say He hardeneth whom he will But as for any actuall withdrawing of the Spirit of sanctification we acknowledge not It is true even his owne Servants he hardneth sometimes against his feare as the Scripture speaketh Esa. 63.17 Whereupon their peace of conscience is disturbed and they have cause to pray unto God to restore them to the joye of his salvation Psal. 51. as David there did But David did not pray that God would restore him to his Spirit but rather that he would not take it from him And Bertius professeth that he will not say that David by those foule sinnes of his was wholy bereaved of Gods Spirit and that propter graves causas As for Gods permission of men to sinne for their amendment Arminius himself acknowledgeth in effect in the particular case of David His words are these Permisit Deus ut ille in negligentiam istud incideret peccatum istud illa occasione perpetraret quò diligentiùs seipsum observaret peccatum suum exemplo aliorum deflerâ—â— egregium humilitatis resipiscentiaeque specimen Exemplar praestaret gloriosiùs ex peccato resurgeret As for the impossibilitie to withstand Gods operation the Scripture doth expressely justifie Eze. 20.32.33.37 Neyther shall that be done which commeth into your minde For ye say we will be as the Heathen as the families of the countries and serve wood and stone As I live sayth the Lord God I will surely rule you with a mightie hand a stretched our arme c. And the issue followeth which is this I will cause you to passe under the rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant Yet what is the issue of this impossibilitie Is it only in respect of the thing which God will bring to passe as these Arminians most superficially conceave and not as well in respect of the manner how it shall come to passe Nothing lesse but as God will have it come to passe and come to passe contingently and voluntarily and freely So it is impossible upon this supposition but that it shall come to passe but how not necessarily but contingently voluntarily and freely And as it thus comes to passe and no otherwise when the time which God hath appointed is come So before that time it shall not come to passe but how contingently also and voluntarilly and freely and impossible it is that it should be otherwise The second Section THat it is not for him to prescribe the time and houre of his conversion wherein a living man doth no more then a dead man in his resurrection That God is able to quicken him endue him with his Spirit though he were allready dead 4 dayes as stinking in the grave as Lazarus yea and that perhaps it shall not be untill the last houre of the day That as yet God giveth him not the grace to cry Abba Father That he so abhorreth the doctrine of those that are stiled Arminians that he dares not use the least endeavour to doe well for feare of obscuring that grace which worketh irresisâ—ibly and attributing of any thing â—o the will of man Yet he remembreth that he had sometimes good motions proceeding doubtlesse from the spirit of God which hath given him the true faith which can never faile and that for the present he is like the Trees in Winter which seem dead though they are alive That being of the number of the Elect as every one is bound to beleeve by the two Synods if he will not be declared perjured by that at Arles his sinne it self how enormous soever worketh together to his salvation yea and that he hath allready obteyned pardon for it That his Censurer cannot deny it seeing that he instructeth him unto repentance which is nothing worth without faith no more then faith it self if it beleeve not the remission of all sinns both done and to be done And though he were of the number of the Reprobates a thing which he will not affirme for â—â—are of being so held indeed by the Synod yet notwithstanding his Censurer would gayne nothing by it who by his exhortings and threatnings could not any way alter the decree of Heaven but onely molest him with the torments of Hell and stirre up a wâ—rme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Consid. Were it in the power of man to change his owne heart who is not able to change
shew mercy Rom. 11.30 Hereupon we conclude that faith and regeneration are gifts of grace which God bestowes absolutely according to the mere pleasure of his owne will regenerating whom he will and denying the grace of regeneration to whom he will Now then who are they on whom God should bestow faith and regeneration but his Elect and accordingly the Apostle calleth it the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and Act. 13.48 The Evangelist cleerely telleth us that as many believed as were ordeyned to aeternall life and Rom. 8.29 Whom God foreknewe them he predestinated to be made confoâ—mable to the image of his Sonne and whom he predestinated them he called and whom he called he justifyed and whom he justified he glorified And accordingly baptisme as it is a sâ—ale and assurance of performing this promise of justification and salvation unto them that believe so it is a seale and assurance of the promise of circumcising the heart and regeneration only to Gods elect Yet I confesse that according to the booke of Common prayer in use with the Church of England we professe of every Childe as he comes to be baptized and when he is baptized that he is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs regeneration whereupon Mr. Monâ—acute sometimes tooke advantage to justifie his opinion touching falling away from grace as the Docteine of the Church of England but he was answered by D. Carleton then Bishop of Chichester that there is a regeneration so called Sacramento tenus and which Austin as he shewed distinguished from true regeneration And for ought we know to the contrary every one that comes to be baptized by a minister may be an elect of God and therefore we have no reason to conceave them to be reprobates And I would gladly knowe what this our adversary conceaves of every one that is brought unto him to be baptized will he conceave them in the judgement of charity to be elect or no Or doth he beleeve them in judgement of faith to be elect In my judgement his opinion hereabout is no more then this that God hath ordeyned that in case they beleeve they shal be justified and saved and accordingly that in Baptisme assurance hereof is sealed unto them and no more Now that God hath so ordeyned we beleeve as well as they and that baptisme is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith and of salvation by faith But if he thinkes the covenant of grace comprehends no more then this herein alone we differ from him and are ready to mainteyne that all who are under the covenant of grace are such as over whom sinne shall not have the dominion Rom. 6.14 and that the Lord vouchsafeth to become their Lord and their God to sanctifie them and to circumcise their hearts to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule as he seeth their wayes so to heale them to subdue their iniquities to give giftes even to the rebellious that he may dwell among them to powre cleane water upon them that they may be cleane and from all their filthinesse to clense them A new heart also to give unto them a new spirit to putt within them and to take away the stony heart out of their body and give them an heart of flesh And to putt his owne Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them And as in the Prophet Ieremiah the Lord professeth This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes sayth the Lord I will putt my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shal be my people And Ier. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the wealth of them of their children after them And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will never turne away from them to doe them good but I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Ezech. 16.60 Neverthelesse I will remember my covenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth and I will confirme unto thee an everlasting covenant 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed when thou shalt receave thy sisters both thy Elder and thy yonger and I will give them unto thee for daughters but not by thy covenant And 20.37 I will cause you to passe under the rod bring you into the bond of the covenant And 37.23 Neyther shal they be polluted any more with their idols nor with their abominations nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned I will clense them so shall they be my people and I will be their God 24. And David my servant shal be King over them they shall have one sheapheard they shall also walke in my judgements and observe my statutes doe them So that regeneration sanctification faith repentance holinesse obedience these be the works which God promiseth to worke in them and that by vertue of the covenant of grace he hath made with them The Eucharist we confesse is likewise given to all who for their profanesse impuritie or conâ—umacy are not excommunicated and that with assurance that Christ dyed for all those that doe receave it worthily not otherwise but as many as receave it unworthily doe receave it to their owne condemnation And doe the Arminians themselves administer it with assurance of the favour of God towards them any otherwise then in case they are found worthy pertakers As for Christs dying for mankind I have already shewed at large how this Author treates of it hand over head carying it in the cloudes of generalitie Now it is a rule of schooles that in genere latent multae equivocationes Therefore for the cleering of the truth in this particular I have distinguished the benefits which Christ procured for us some of them as remission of sinnes and salvation are conferred onely conditionally to witt upon condition of faith And herein we extend the vertue of Christs death as fart as they to witt in conditionall manner for we willingly professe that if all and every one should believe all and every one should be saved by Christ On the other side no Arminian will say that any man of ripe yeares shall be saved by Christ if he never beleeve in Christ. But other benefites there are which God bestowes upon man for Christs sake as we say to witt faith regeneration repentance Now these are conferred not conditionally for if they were then should grace be given according to mens workes which is manifest Pelagianisme Therefore these must be conferred absolutely not on all for then all should believe and be saved but on some and who can they be but Gods Elect Now as for the Remonstrants