THE COLLEGIAT SVFFRAGE OF THE DIVINES OF GREAT BRITAINE CONCERNING THE FIVE ARTICLES CONTROVERTED IN the Low Countries Which Suffrage was by them delivered in the Synod of Dort March 6. Anno 1619. Being their vote or voice foregoing the joint and publique judgment of that Synod LONDON Printed for Robert Milbourne and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1629. The five Articles controverted in the Low-Countries and discussed in the Synod of Dort 1. Concerning Gods Predestination 2. Of Christs death and mans Redemption thereby 3. Of Freewill in the state of corruption 4. Of conversion unto God and the manner thereof 5. Of the Perseverance of the Saints THE SVFFRAGE OF THE DIVINES OF GREAT BRITAINE CONCERNING THE FIRST ARTICLE That is of Election That is of Reprobation First of Election Orthodoxall which wee lay downe and confirme First of Election Erroneous which wee reiect and confute The Positions Orthodoxall which wee lay downe and confirme The Positions Erroneous which wee reiect and confute THE FIRST ORTHODOXALL POSITION THe decree of Election or predestination unto salvation is the effectuall will of God by which according to his good pleasure for demonstration of his mercy he purposed the salvation of man being fallen and prepared for him such meanes by which he would effectually and vnfallibly bring the Elect to the selfe same end THE EXPOSITION AND CONFIRMATION OF THE POSITION WE call this Decree of Election an effectuall will of God because it respects not meerely and onely a way set downe and leading to life leaving man so ordained in the power of his owne free will after such manner as Adam was ordained to happinesse but it doth respect and fore-appoint the very issue of this Ordinance For this will is conjoyned with the power of God Esa. 14.24 The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying Surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand Psal. 113. Whatsoever the Lord would that did hee in heaven and in earth upon which place see St. Austin Enchirid. c. 75. Rom. 8.30 Whom hee hath predestinated those he glorified Iohn 6.39 This is the Fathers will that sent mee that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing And vers 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me We acknowledge no other moving cause of this will besides the meere good pleasure of God Rom. 1.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Ephes. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne when they had done neither good nor evill that the purpose of God according to Election might stand But God doth deale with certaine men after this especiall manner for manifestation of his owne mercy Rom. 9.23 That God might make knowne the riches of his glory toward the vessels of mercy Yea and to them considered in the state of Adams fall namely for the freeing them out of the masse of perdition Eph. 1.4 In him to with Christ he hath chosen vs. 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners Finally lest Gods working in time should vary from his eternall purpose hee who did effectually destinate the elect unto salvation doth also afford them meanes agreeable to this foresaid intention that is to say those meanes which God knew would without faile bring them to salvation 2. Tim. 1.9 Hee hath saved us with an holy calling 2 Thess. 2.13 God hath chosen you unto salvation in the sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth to which he hath also called you by our Gospell Ephes. 1.4 He hath chosen us that we might be holy and without blame Mat. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Out of which testimonies of Scripture it is evident that God by his foregoing decree of Election hath subordained all these things to wit the knowledge of the Gospell Vocation Faith Iustification Sanctification and Perseverance for the obtaining of the fore-determined salvation Out of many sayings of the Fathers wee gather a few When he predestinated us he foresaw his owne worke who maketh us both holy and without blame When God determineth to save a man no will of man resisteth God for to will or to nill is so far forth in the power of him that wils or nils that it can neither hinder the wil of God nor yet surpass his power He doth so teach them who are called according to his purpose bestowing at once both to know what they are to performe and also to performe what they know Although a great part of mankinde doe either reject or sleight the grace of the Saviour yet the elect and those which are foreknowne and so differenced from the many are reckoned for a certaine speciall collective body so that out of the whole world another entire world may seeme to be freed There is a portion of mankinde which is promoted by the meanes of faith enspired from God to high and eternall salvation by speciall graces THE SECOND POSITION CHrist is the head and foundation of the Elect so that all saving graces prepared in the decree of Election are bestowed upon the elect onely for Christ through Christ and in Christ. GOD in the eternall Election of particular men by one and the selfe same act both doth assigne Christ their head and also doth appoint them according to his good pleasure the members of Christ out of which purpose even before their vocation which is afterward performed in time God doth behold them as given unto Christ and chosen in him and accepted of himselfe Ephes. 1.3 He hath blessed us in all spirituall benediction in Christ. v. 4. He hath chosen us in him v. 7. In whom we have redemption and remission of sinnes v. 13. In him we are sealed Whatsoever is intended to the Elect from all eternity is as we may so say shut up in the will of God neither is it immediately imparted unto us but for Christ in Christ and by Christ. Coloss. 2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge v. 7. Wee are rooted and built up in him v. 10. Ye are complete in him Lastly he is the fountaine from which all the streames of saving grace doe flow to us Iohn 1.16 Of his fulnesse have all we received grace for grace 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world beganne As he was predestinated that one that he might be our head so we being many are predestinated that we might be his members God calls many predestinated his sonnes that hee might make them the members of his owne predestinated onely Sonne After the fall of man God would have it an act of his meere grace
unbeleevers not yet washed in the blood of Christ nor the guilt of any whatsoever degree but such a guilt as for which the hostile anger and vengeance of God lieth heavily upon the guiltie person Whosoever is justified by a true faith can never afterward bee guiltie after this manner We may therefore say that the effect of justification is for a time suspended by the entercourse of such a particular sin because the person by reason of this new guilt needeth a particular absolution But wee cannot say that the state of justification is dissolved forasmuch as the same person doth not fall from the generall pardon of his forecommitted sins nor is deprived of that speciall intercession which our Saviour hath promised to all the faithfull nor of the free love of God his Father The same case holds in adoption For God never adopted to himselfe a Sonne in Christ whom afterwards he either must or would dis-inherit and cast out of his familie The children of God may indeed sinne and that very grievously but the providence and mercie of God will not suffer them so farre to sin as that they should thereby be bereft of their heavenly home and Father The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever For as Saint Ambrose speakes God doth not make void the gift of adoption To conclude the seed of regeneration with those fundamentall gifts without which the spirituall life cannot subsist are preserved in safetie This is hence evident because that the same holy Spirit who doth infuse this seed into the hearts of the regenerate doth imprint into the same seed a certaine heavenly and incorruptible vertue and doth perpetually cherish and keepe the same Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up unto everlasting life 1 Iohn 3.5 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because hee is borne of God This seed of life remaining in them it is altogether impossible that the gifts of lively faith charitie should be quite extinguished Hence Gregory rightly sayes In holy mens hearts the Spirit alwayes abides according to some vertues or graces according to others he comes to depart and departs to returne but in the hearts of his Elect he remaineth in those vertues without which eternall life is not attained THE SEVENTH POSITION THat the regenerate doe not altogether fall from faith holinesse and adoption proceeds not from themselves nor from their owne will but from Gods speciall love divine operation and from Christs intercession and custody IT is certaine that if God would deale with us upon strict termes he might most justly for our ungratitude untowardnesse withdraw from us his fatherly favour and gifts of saving grace But for as much as even by the determination of the Schoolemen sinne doth not take away grace efficiently that is by certaine expulsion but by way of demerit that is deservingly surely unlesse it can bee proved that God deales with his according to their deserts it will not follow that upon the committing of a grievous sinne they lose faith or fall away from the state of justification and adoption For that which in regard of our ill desert might justly be done is by the mercie of God and by Christs intercession and the operation of the holie Ghost hindred from being done No creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Not the Devill for God shall bruise him under our feet Not the world for Christ hath overcome the world And he doth so worke in all his that they also at length overcome through faith Lastly not those things from whence is our greatest danger our own weaknesse the inclination and pronenesse of our owne free will to wickednesse for the goodnesse of God is alwaies shewed in this weaknesse of the faithfull and through the intercession of Christ for them is obtained that they shall not fall off from their faith Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word We doe not therefore fetch this perseverance of the faithfull in their faith and Gods grace from their owne free will but from Christ that frees them The Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 To this purpose are those words of Saint Augustine We live safer if wee trust all to God and doe not commit our selves partly to God and partly to our selves As God workes that we come to him so he works also that we depart not from him THE EIGHTH POSITION THe perseverance therefore of holy men is the free gift of God and is derived unto us out of the decree of election THis conclusion ariseth out of those things which are said before but that it may more manifestly appeare we will adde somewhat more First that it is the free gift of God is proved out of the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive why dost thou glorie as if thou hadst not received If any thing can give a just cause to men of glorying surely this that they have persevered in good unto the end then when they could at their owne pleasure not have made use of those meanes which in themselves were sufficient for perseverance Either therefore this doth betide the faithfull by way of speciall gift or they have something which they have not received in which they may greatly glorie But wee affirme on the contrarie whether by perseverance be understood either that power which doth propp and hold up the faithfull or the stabilitie it selfe and the unconquered firmenesse of their faith or lastly the very act of persevering that there is none of these which is not the gift of God Touching that power by which the will is stayed up that it may persevere the Remonstrants easily grant that it is the onely grace of GOD which doth arme a man with this strength to persevere Touching the stability and firmenesse which is considered as the manner or adjunct of true faith this also is to bee numbred among the gifts of God For he which doth give the thing it selfe to wit faith doth also give the manner of the thing to wit the stability and firmenesse of the same faith 2 Thes. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who shall establish you 1 Cor. 1.7.8 Yee come behinde in no gift waiting for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall confirme you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse Out of which words it is manifest that faith is the gift of God as well in the
lawes Acts 14.16 God in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes Yea and in our daies scarce the sixt part of the habitable world have given their names to Christ. But if in fact and event God hath never vouchsafed the preaching of the Gospel to all and every one certainly then hee is not bound so to afford it For he doth whatsoever he hath bound himselfe to doe The same also is to be said of saving grace We no where in the Scriptures meet with any mention of any promise by which God hath bound himselfe to impart this grace to all and every one Nay rather the Scripture makes mention of Gods liberty in commiserating Rom. 9.18 God hath mercy on whom hee will have mercy notwithstanding this covenant grounded in the blood of Christ. And although God doth blesse with many benefits all men yea even the most ungratefull which live without the lists of the Church and although all men as being sinners stand in need of saving graces yet is hee obliged to none either to bestow the one or the other 3 Lastly it is concluded out of the holy Scriptures that some are iudged and condemned for sinnes committed onely against the law of nature Rom. 2.14.15 Whereby is implyed that upon invincible ignorance they are excused for not fulfilling the Law of faith Which excuse can have no place where God proclaimes his Law and men are bound to obey ERRONEOVS OPINIONS rejected by us THE FIRST THat Christs death being granted God hath no other intention of saving any particular persons then conditionall and suspended upon the contingent act of mans faith 1 FOr the refuting this sufficient grounds are laid by us in our former positions and reasons concerning the first Article in which the election of particular persons is established and incomplete Election confuted Item where the certaine meanes of salvation flowing from the decree of Election are set forth Lastly in this second Article at the first and second Positions where is proved that Christ dyed with that intention that hee might bestow speciall graces upon the elect 2 All theologicall Arguments drawne from the Scriptures and analogy of faith by which Christs incarnation humiliation and exaltation are either proved or confirmed do tend to the demonstration of Gods expresse intention for a fruitfull effect of this so great a mystery not producing it upon condition namely if men would that this fruit might hence arise when it was equally in their power to nill the same but effecting it without faile the power of God working it 3 Moreover the house of God being to be built ex hominibus of men hath not sufficient firmenesse and solidity if it be built ab hominibus by men this fabricke must bee reared by Gods owne hand Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church 1 Cor. 3.9 Yee are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building Ephes. 2.20 Being built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple c. In whom you also are builded together Ephes. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyes according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part c. Therefore God building a Church for himselfe doth with his owne hand prepare the stones polish them and cyment them hee doth not expect that they should by hap hazard fit themselves and joyne themselves to the foundation 4 Vpon no less certainty of a speciall decree the salvatiō of the Church is fore-ordained to be effectually broght to pass by Christ thē that by which Christ himselfe is sent The same voice of God which at first promised Christ to bee exhibited doth also seale unto us by an absolute promise the effect thereof without any condition Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head But the Serpent is not crushed but by the certaine freeing of some men from the captivity of Satan and transplantation into the kingdome of the Sonne of God Esa. 53.10 When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seed hee shall prolong his dayes Hebr. 2.13 Behold I and the children which God hath given me Therefore the decree of God concerning the continuance of his seed to be adopted into the houshold of Christ is inseparably knit to the decree of laying downe Christs soule for sinne and unto Christ offering himselfe for a sacrifice children are given not by or of themselves but of God who indeed gave Christ unto them 5 If the fruit of Christs passion bee onely conditionall then the benefit redounding from the second Adam is not more certaine then it had beene from the first Adam for to him salvation was propounded under this condition Doe this and live which condition that he might perform if he would ability was given him by God yet not so that hee should without faile performe it actually But in the new Testament grace being obtained for us by the death of Christ salvation is not onely offered unto us under a condition beleeve and thou shalt be saved but God brings to passe by his holy Spirit that we beleeve actually Heb. 8.6 He is the Mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises And what that promise is it is evident v. 10. I will put my lawes into their mindes and write them in their hearts THE SECOND ERRONEOVS OPINION THat it was the proper and entire end of Christs death that he might purchase right and power unto God the Father to save men upon what conditions he would 1 IF the death of Christ did purchase nothing else for us then to open a meanes for the making of any new covenant with mankinde then are we not freed from the yoake of the Law because notwithstanding this it shall bee free for God the Father yea even after the payment and acceptation of this sacrifice againe to impose upon us the condition of performing the Law But Christ to take away the curse of the Law was for us that is in our stead and that once made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse Gal. 3.13 Therefore we cannot in respect of the Law not performed by us bee made againe guiltie of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second time accursed 2 Christ by his death hath merited for us the very reconciliation of our persons with God yea and grace to be actually imparted to us Ioh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse have all we received Otherwise the second Adam being the Lord from Heaven had bin lesse helpfull to his thē the first Adam being from the earth earthly had beene harmefull to his both in respect of imputation if Christ had not undergone punishment for us and also in respect of transfusion if no propagating grace bee derived from Christ the head into his members THE THIRD ERRONEOVS OPINION THat
If any man therefore walke in a way contrarie to Gods ordinance namely that broad way of uncleannesse and impenitencie which leads directly downe to hell he can never come by this meanes to the kingdome of heaven Yea and if death shall overtake him wandring in this by-path hee cannot but fall into everlasting death This is the constant and manifest voice of the holy Scripture Except ye repent yee shall all likewise perish Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of heaven They are deceived therefore that thinke the elect wallowing in such crimes and so dying must notwithstanding needs be saved throgh the force of election For the salvation of the Elect is sure indeed God so decreeing but withall by the decree of the same our God not otherwise sure then through the way of faith repentance and holinesse Without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 The foundation of God standeth sure Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 As therefore it was sure out of the decree and promise of God that all those who sailed in the ship with Saint Paul should escape alive out of shipwracke and notwithstanding Pauls saying was also as certaine Vnlesse these remaine in the ship ye cannot be saved So also it was certaine that the elect servants of God David and Peter should come to the kingdome of heaven yet withall it was no lesse certaine that if they had remained unrepentant the one in his homicide and adultery the other in his denying and forswearing Christ neither of them both could have beene saved For that Theologicall rule is most true Any one defect maketh a thing bad but to make truly good no parcell requirable must bee wanting Therefore for that incomparable good of life eternall wee are not fitted out of that onely that wee are elected unlesse there concurre other things which are by Gods decree necessarily required to the accomplishing of Election If any of these things be wanting nay if the contrary hereto bee in the elected there seemes then to arise a strange impossibility thwarting on both sides As for example It is unpossible that Paul being chosen should perish T is also unpossible that Paul being a blasphemer against Christ and an unbeleever if he dye in this state should not perish Or thus It is unpossible that David being chosen should perish T is also unpossible that David being a man-slayer and an Adulterer dying impenitent should not perish But Gods providence and mercy doth easily loose this knot by taking care that none of the elect dye in such estate by which according to some ordinance of Gods will he must be excluded from eternall life THE FIFTH POSITION IN the meane time betweene the guilt of a grievous sinne and the renewed act of faith and repentance such an offender stands by his owne desert to bee condemned by Christs merit and Gods decree to be acquitted but actually absolved he is net until he hath obtained pardon by renued faith repentance THere can bee no question of the merit of damnation for such a sinne They which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Gal. 5.21 Notwithstanding in such a guilt the faithfull are not in the like case with the wicked To the faithfull the blood of Christ is a prepared antidote at hand ready to be applyed which as soone as their faith is awaked and rouzed up they can use to the overcomming of this deadly poyson But to the unfaithfull this inward active cause is wanting to wit faith without which the remedy though soveraigne in it selfe is as if it were layed afarre off out of reach neither can it be made their owne or actually applyed to them Ad moreover hereunto Gods speciall love which though it doth not hinder but that his fatherly indignation ariseth against an undutifull sonne yet it keepes of hostile hatred such as carieth with it a purpose of condemning 1 Corinth 11.32 When we are judged wee are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Notwithstanding in this case the Father of mercies who will not condemne with the world his children though bound with the guilt of sinne yet on the other side he will not have them lye still sleeping in their sinnes together with the world And therefore hath he set downe this order that the act of repentance must goe before the benefit of forgivenesse Psal. 32.5 I acknowledge my sinne unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not hid I said I would confesse my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Ezek. 18.27 When the wicked man turneth away from the wickednesse that hee hath committed he shall save his soule alive If any man therefore would know the very moment in which after the guilt procured by a grievous sin he becommeth actually absolved Saint Cyprian seemes manifestly to have shewne it in these words When I see thee sighing in the sight of God I doe not doubt but the holy Ghost breatheth with thy sighes When I behold thee weeping I perceive God forgiving THE SIXT POSITION IN the foresaid space the right to the Kingdome of God is not taken away universall justification is not defeated the state of adoption remaineth undissolved and by the custody of the holy Spirit the seed of regeneration with all those fundamentall graces without which the state of a regenerate man cannot stand is preserved whole and sound OVr right to the Kingdome of Heaven is not founded on our actions but on the free gift of adoption and on our union with Christ. And consequently the right to the Kingdome of Heaven is not taken away unlesse that be first taken away upon which it is founded If Children then heires heires of God and coheires with Christ. Therefore adoption remaining and the engrafture into Christ the faithfull may wander out of the way which leadeth to the Kingdome of heaven but hee cannot be said to lose his right of inheritance to that Kingdome For as he which fell into a leprosie was debarred from his own house untill hee was clensed and yet in the meane space lost not his right to his owne house So the adopted sonne of God taken with the Leprosie of adultery or murder or any other grievous sinne cannot indeed enter into the Kingdome of Heaven unlesse he first be purged from this contagion by renewed faith and repentance yet all this while his hereditary right is not quite lost Furthermore that universall and most properly called justification which the Apostle so lively sets forth Rom. 3.24 25. is not frustrated by the enterposed guilt of a particular sinne though heynous and grievously wounding the conscience For against this justification is directly opposed not every guilt of every sinne but the universall unremitted guilt of all sinnes nor the guilt of every person whatsoever but the guilt of