in asserting the Absolute Decree will yet not allow the Pelagian Manichee Anabaptist Epicure any plea from any necessity to sin that men are bound in by any decree of God For (h) Calv. Instit l. 3. c. 23. Sect. 8. Sic eorum pendet perditio ex Dei praedestinatione ut cansa materia in ipsis reperiatur Cadit Pgmo Deo sicordinante sed sag vitio cadit saith he Mans perdition so dependeth on Gods pred stination that yet the matter and cause of it is only in themselves And a few lines after Man falleth indeed God so ordering it or possibly in his sense ordaining it but he falls through his own fault (i) Gen. 1.31 God pronounced all that he made very good Whence then saith he became man wicked c. that it may not be thought to be from God or his Creation God gives this elogie and approbation to all that came from him It was very good Propriâ ergo malitiâ saith he Man by his own wickedness corrupted that nature which he received pure from God and by his fall brought all mankind into destruction with himself And in another place proving against the Novatians and Anabaptists that there is yet mercy with God for all sorts of sinners though their sins be never so great and after Baptism also if they sincerely return to God hath these words (k) Caiv. Instit l. 4. c. 1. Sect. 25. Et sanè non allus potest esse affectus ejus qui affirmat se nolle mortem peccatoris sed magis ut convertatur vlvat There san indeed be no other affection in Him i.e. in God who hath said (l) Ezek. 18.13 32. Sect. 37. He hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he return and live 3. Again The highest Arminian I suppose will grant to the Calvinist That All the Decrees of God are in a proper sense Absolute That is taking 1. Decrees as Decrees in God and not as the event decreed Viz. that what God hath determined to do he hath absolutely determined to do as he hath absolately i.e. peremptorily and immutably decreed to save all believers and this particular believer and so absolutely decreed to condemn all finally impenitent and this such an one in particular Yea and 2. Taking Absolute as opposed to any thing without God himself any cause that should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from without moving him so to decree for nothing could move him to send Jesus Christ to redeem the world and to bestow upon sinful miserable man salvation upon his faith and constant obedience nothing could move him to decree salvation upon so easie terms but his own free love the Beneplacitum or good pleasure of his Will So that whatsoever we have it is of Grace si gratia quomodo non gratuita it must be every way free If of Grace (l) Rom. 11.6 then non ex operibus not of works sc nec praestitis nec praevisis neither done nor foreseen This I think even these will grant that though as to the decree of this particular mans salvation there was an intuition of his faith and obedience yet the foresight of God that men would return from their sinful estate was not the cause that God decreed to send Christ to save them but out of his own love he freely being moved by this alone to compassionate the misery of man in whom there was no good at all until he was pleased anew to impart to him decreed this viz. to send Christ to enter into a new Covenant with man and so to save whosoever of mankind shold believe in him and to emancipate their wills and endue them with such supernatural abilities that if they would not be wanting to themselves they might return and be saved Sect. 38 4. On the other side the most rigid Calvinists will yield to the Arminian that in this particular No decree of God is absolute taking 1. Absolute for irrespective to all conditions and 2. Decree for the event decreed the thing to be given according to this decree So that though in their sense God did absolutely decree to save such and such persons and to prepare effectual grace for them and so to bring them infallibly to salvation and as absolutely decree to leave the rest of the world though not without sufficient means to save them if they would not be wanting to themselves to the liberty of their own corrupt wills resolving not to give them that certain portion of Grace which would infallibly save them but to leave them to perish in their own voluntary rebellions Yet that God never decreed that any of these persons elected should be saved without intuition of that faith and obedience which he also decreed should be the only way to salvation He never decreed to save them but upon this condition that they believe in Christ obey the Gospel and persevere in so doing to the end Nor did he ever decree to condemn any person but with an intuition of sin and impenitence previous and antecedaneous to his condemnation Sect. 39 Now consider all these and we must needs see that even both parties do agree in all the main particulars and the substance of that Doctrine which is abundantly enough for us to preach to the people for their information and instruction enough abundantly to set forth the glory of Gods Grace Justice Goodness and Holiness and to quicken us to Repentance Faith Obedience to shew us that none can be saved but by Grace and Mercy to (m) Rom. 3.27 exclude our boasting and that none can be saved without Repentance Faith a sincere constant and persevering Obedience to rowse our security and quicken us to action and to leave us inexcusably guilty of our own perdition if we continue in sin and miscarry Sect. 40 The whole substance of this hath our Church excellently comprised concisely yet fully in that (n) Fourth Collect after the Communion short Collect. Prevent us O Lord by thy goodness there is acknowledged a necessity of preventing grace for a foundation And further us by thy continual help there a necessity of exciting and assisting grace to stir us up and help us in action without which we could do nothing That all our works being begun continued snd ended in thee there the necessity of holy constant uniform sincere and persevering obedience and the practice of good works through that grace We may through thy mercy obtain everlasting life there is the reward expected not of Merit but of Grace and Mercy and all this only Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here is the foundation of all the love of God to us and of our expectations from God all through Christ and for his sake Sect. 41 I know there are many passages in the writings of several men of each side which may clash with some of these particulars wherein they are said to agree and consequences drawn that do indeed
are tied by all the engagements of Nature Grace and Relation to Peace who are by Nature Nation and Religion Brethren Sect. 19 O when shall it once be that these sad and dismal ruptures of our peace not civil only for here men dare not be altogether so contentious but sacred and ecclesiastical shall be cemented and closed up that we no longer may administer matter of sighing sadnesse and sorrow to our friends or of insulting to the enemies of our Church and State It is this which pleaseth our common adversary and makes the Jesuite laugh in his sleeve as the Proverb is Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae Virg. What the Pope would be at the greatest cost and charge to effect we our selves do for him When the Jesuites were troubled to invent slanders to make us hated or scorned abroad and to find plots to ruine us at home and yet could not do it we have taken the work out of their hands and do it our selves Sect. 20 It is the popular clamour Venient Romani Popery is creeping in Superstition and Idolatry growing upon us the old way for discontented spirits to give vent to their dissatisfactions at the established government and to affright ignorant but well-meaning people with a vain scare-crow and name of Popery But really by our Schisms and Breaches and bitter animosities we do open the door for even Popery yea any thing to enter and we take the ready course to make good that Prophetick speech of the dying Arch-Bishop See Arch B. L. Speech on Scaff alluding to Joh. 11.48 by our Divisions to pave the way where Venient Romani The Romans shall come and take away our place and Nation Absit omnem From which fears by the vigilance of our Governours by our conscientious obedience and peaceable deportment and conformity to the established Laws and by inviolated unity among our selves we are sufficiently secured Sect. 21 And now methinks we should have some thoughts of peace O that that pathetick exhortation of the Apostle might take place and find a room and full reception in all our hearts (m) 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and what Name is dearer what motive greater that ye all speak the same things and there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and the same judgement CHAP. II. Two Arguments to perswade to peace and unity from 1. The strict charge of the Gospel and 2. The possibility and no difficulty to perform it Sect. 1 FOr the attaining and maintaining of this so much wished for Peace and Unity Let me beseech all sober Christians seriously to consider On the one hand The undoubted charge of the Gospel which layeth a necessity and indispensible engagement upon us to seek study and to preserve it On the other The easinesse of attainingit would we truly mind it that it is very possible we may live in peace and it is only our own sin if we do not Sect. 2 Argum. 1. The strict charge of the (n) Ephes 6.15 Rom 10.15 Gospel of peace which we professe beyond all dispute obligeth all Christians to it (o) Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men And (p) Heb 12.14 Follow peace with all men With all men in the greatest extent imaginable how much more with Brethren of the same faith of the same Nation of the same Church and that with the greatest earnestnesse if it be possible and as far as it is possible as much as in you lieth let no fault â—ie in you if ye have it not not only embrace it when it is offered but follow it that ye may gain it Sect 3 The Lord Jesus The (q) Isa 9 6. Prince of peace would be incarnate and come to dwell among men in no time but when peace was amongst them when there was a general peace over the whole world as the stories of those times abundantly shew (r) Caesar Aug. ab oriente ad occidâ—nâ—om à s â—prentrione in Meridiem ac per totum oceani circulum cunctis gentibus una pace compositis Jani portas tortio ipse tunc clausit eo tempore eo anno quo firmissimam verissimamque pacem ordinatione Dei Caesar composuit natus est Christus cujus adventui Pax ista famulata est Paul Oros Histor l. 6. p. 22. in those dayes wherein Augustus Caesar had made a perfect peace from East to West from North to South over the whole circuit of the Ocean was our Lord born The Providence of God so ordering it that a general peace over the world should usher the Prince of peace unto the world At his birth the Angels proclaim it (s) Luke 2.14 Peace on earth good will towards men and indeed the great mercy and love of God to men is the highest engagement upon them to peace and good will one to another And this Jesus who was born in such a time of peace when he preacheth to men doth also straitly command it (t) Mark 9.50 Have salt in your selves be sure to retain the sincerity of grace the purity of faith to keep your selves and others sound in that faith but salt hath some biting acrimony see therefore that this be tempered with prudence and charity that ye lose not peace Have peace among your selves Sect. 4 The Apostle constantly exhorts unto it (v) 2 Cor. 13.11 Be of one mind live in peace Again (x) 2 Tim. 2.22 Flee youthful lusts follow righteousness faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart To this he wooeth the Ephesians by his bonds and presseth them as to a duty which if they practice not they neither answer their profession nor walk worthy of that Gospel to which and wherewith they are called (y) Ephes 4. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye are called How even thus With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love then not reproaching or reviling endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And he goes on pressing it by the most cogent Arguments There is one body and one spirit i. e. ye are knit together by one spirit into one body and shall the members of the same body contend one with another see also how he urgeth the same duty from the same ground in another place in his Epistle to the (z) 2 Cor. 12.12 28. Corinthians but he goeth on Ye are called in one hope ye have all the same expectations ye hope for the same end the same mercies the same life eternal why should ye not agree to walk in the same way One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Ye are all
materially evil as that it should be unlawful to use them being established And then these not being unlawful our zeal to the Peace of the Church and Conscience of obedience to our Superiours in all lawful things are abundantly enough to engage all sober Christians to conform to the establishment CHAP. X. The Judgements of the Old Non-Conformists concerning the use of our Liturgy and this Practice shewed to be 1. No Argument of weakness 2. No Plea for Idleness in the Ministery But 3. From Conscience of Duty Sect. 1 HAving now Vindicated our established Liturgy from all considerable exceptions both as to the Form and Matter of it it will not be amiss but may add at least with many some strength to this Argument to add the judgement of the Old Non-Conformists in this case who looked upon the use of this book as burden enough yet conformed unto it and thought they might lawfully do so yea judged that during such a Law it was their duty to do so rather than forsake their station I shall give you but one testimony yet that instar omnium because he declares not only his own but the sense of them all It is the so often cited Mr. Ball. For a Set Form or Stinted Liturgy his words are these (a) Trial of the groands of Separat chap. 7. p. 120. If the judgement of the Reformed Churches abroad or of the Godly Faithful Learned and Reverend at home be of any weight they are so far from complaining of a stinted Form as burdensome that in many cases they judge it expedient A Set Form saith he of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments is approved by GENERAL CONSENT And a few lines after The Ministers at home to whom the use of Common Prayer hath been thought most burdensome have from time to time professed their liking and approbation of a stinted Liturgy Sect. 2 And as they liked and approved the use of a Lyturgy in general so did they allow the use of this our Liturgy in particular And they thought no faults objected against it to be a sufficient ground to justifie a Separation from the Communion of our Church but condemned it as Schismatical for so the same Author telleth us (b) Ball. ibid. p. 121. They have evermore condemned voluntary Separation from the Congregation and Assemblies or negligent frequenting of those publick prayers They have ordinarily used the Communion Book in their publick Administrations and still maintained Unity Peace and Love with them who in some particulars have been of another judgment All this saith he is so notoriously known that it is waste labour to produce Testimonies herein Again in the next Chapter but one we have these expressions (c) Ibid. chap. 9. p. 176. To the praise of God be it spoken Our Liturgy for purity and soundness may compare with Any Liturgy used in the third and fourth Ages of the Church This I mention saith he that we might learn to acknowledge Gods mercy walk worthy of what we have received and strive forward to perfection by all lawful means Sect. 3 And lest any might object The Corruption of the Church much decayed and fallen in those Ages from its first purity he (d) Ball. ibid. saith but a little after Neither can it be imagined that they might hold Communion in other Ordinances but not in their stinted Liturgies for in those Times of all other parts the Liturgies were most pure God of his endless mercies so providing for his Church and the comfort of his people in those hard and evil Times when the Doctrine was miserably and dangerously corrupted in respect of Merit of Works Invocation of Saints c. The Liturgies were long preserved pure and free whereby the faithful might be present with more comfort and freedom of conscience To which he citeth several Testimonies of learned men noted in the (e) Balth. Lyd. Not. in Disp Taborit p. 133. Illiric Catal. Test l. 1. p. 70 71. Musius Praefat. in Anaph Basil Margin and closeth with this remarkable Conclusion which doth indeed speak a pious and peaceable spirit which I would therefore desire all our yet dissenting Brethren seriously to ponder and consider This one thing viz. The purity of the Liturgies of the Ancient Church notwithstanding the corruption of Doctrine and that Our Liturgy for purity and soundness may compare with the best of them This saith he duly considered would put an end to many scruples and might serve to stop them who out of over-great heat and forwardness are ready to except against the means of their own comfort and to cast off what God offereth because they cannot enjoy what they desire Sect. 4 Thus by what hath been written it is evident that there is nothing in this Liturgy a matter of impiety or any material evil and then the use of it cannot be charged as sin upon us Suppose there are as some have reckoned some expressions that need a favourable interpretation that they may not be for they already are so but appear to be sound Suppose some that might be expressed better yet when they are not evil in themselves and may be used without sin our private thoughts that we could do better cannot free us from obeying the Law which commandeth the use of these though yet we are also left to the liberty of our conceived prayers in the Pulpit according to occurring necessities and emergencies provided we keep within the compass of the general Rule whence it will also be evidenced that our use of this Liturgy is 1. Sect. 5 No Argument of weakness or inability in the Ministers who conform unto the Law in this use The World shall bear us witness and the experience of the years that are past wherein we were not permitted but forcibly hindered from this use of the Liturgy shall attest for us that through the grace of God we have been enabled to perform the Sacred Offices of the Church and the matters of publick Worship and holy Administrations we hope acceptably to God and with as much sobriety gravity modesty and evidence of the Spirit let it not be counted arrogance and boasting if we say as any of the contrary-minded 2. Sect. 6 Nor is it any Argument of or plea for idleness for our work is all one our Preaching as frequent and if we consider the pains of lungs which is not little in so much speaking it is now more when we both use all this and continue our Preaching also Sure I am The use of the Liturgy can be no Argument to prove nor from any thing in it if men through their own laziness abuse it let them that do so be charged only with the crime is it a means to make an idle Ministry If we consider that in the Primitive Church as the above-cited (f) Ball. Trial of grounds of Separ Chap. 4. answ to obj 8. where he that please may find and peruse these evidences of Antiquity Chrysost in Genel