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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04540	A Christian plea conteyning three treatises. I. The first, touching the Anabaptists, & others mainteyning some like errours with them. II. The second, touching such Christians, as now are here, commonly called Remonstrants or Arminians. III. The third, touching the Reformed Churches, with vvhom my self agree in the faith of the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Made by Francis Iohnson, pastour of the auncient English Church, now sojourning at Amsterdam in the Low Countreyes.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.	1617 (1617)	STC 14661; ESTC S107828	395,581	331

shevv them their sinnes and aberrations to teach them the truth vvay of Iesus Christ in all things more and more c. But of these things now I treat not Onely I thought here to note these heads in generall which may giue occasion to others and my self to consider more thereabout although that of some of them I shall hereafter speak somewhat more particularly in the Treatise following concerning the Reformed Churches And thus much here of the Church of England by this occasion This suit we intreat such as take knowledge hereof and haue accesse to his Majestie their Honours to motion for us and to further what in them is Prov. 24 10 11 12. 31 8 9. Ier. 38 7 13. 30 15 18. Mat. 25 31. c. Novv to conclude with suit to his Majestie the honourable LL. my humble suit is as heretofore it hath ben to the Kings most Excellent Majestie that it vvould please him now after our long exile and other manifold afflictions to vouchsafe us that gracious sufferance that we may be permitted to liue in peace under his Majesties government in our ovvne natiue countrey there to obserue all the ordinances of Christ giuen to his Church vvithout being urged to the use or approbation of any remnants of the apostasie of Antichrist or other humane traditions whatsoever vve carying our selues in all loyaltie peace and godlines as becometh all faithfull subjects in the Lord. Whom vve dayly pray to stablish his Highnes throne in peace vvith much blessing as he did to the good kings of Iudah vvho rejecting the inventions and commixtures of Man in the faith and vvorship of God vvere careful to admit of no religion nor any other thing in religion but that onely vvhich was warranted by the word of God that so his Majestie may alvvay find as they did and as Salomon that vvise king observed and hath left recorded that † Prov. 20 28. mercy and truth preserue the king and that his throne is upholden with mercy and ” Prov. 29 14. A king that faithfully judgeth the poor his throne shal be established for ever Which mercie the Lord God who is King of Kings vouchsafe unto his Majestie and his Royall seed with all increase of glory peace and happines in this life and for ever Amen Ier. 6 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the waies and see and aske for the old paths where is the good vvay and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your soules Sal. Song 1 7 8. The church speaketh and asketh of Christ Tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at noone for why should I be † Or as one that is vayled as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions Christ answereth If thou knowest not O thou fairest among women goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kiddes beside the Shepheards tents Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime they were afore-written for our learning that we through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope THE SECOND TREATISE Of some things concerning them that are called Remonstrants Hitherto of these opinions of the Anabaptists and the assertions of others withall thereabout Now I come to some other points which concerne not onely the Anabaptists but such other Christians also as are called Remonstrants or Arminians CHAPTER I. Touching Gods decree of Election WHether God hath not in Christ before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of his wil foreordeyned some to eternall life to be accomplished through Christ the Mediatour to the praise of the glorie of his grace Ephes 1 3 14. Act. 13 48. Matth. 25 34. 2 Tim. 1 9. 1 Pet. 1 2 5 19 20. Revel 13 8. and 21 27. 1 Thes 5 9. Amos 9 9 11 12. Mal. 1 2. compared with Rom. 8 28 29 30. and 9 11 12 13 23. Where for the speciall point now in controversie let us consider whether the originall fountaine and onely cause moving God in himself hereunto be not the good pleasure of his will not the vvill of man neyther our faith or vvorks foreseen nor any other thing from without God himself vvhatsoever 1. Because the Scripture thus teacheth in these places and the like Ephes 1 5 9 11. Exod. 33 19. vvith Rom. 9 11 15 16 21 23. Matt. 11 26. 20 15. Jam. 1 18. 2 Tim. 1 9. Luk. 12 32. compared with 1 Sam. 12 22. Rom. 11 1 2 5 6 33 34 35 36. 2. And otherwise Gods election should rely and be grounded partly on man and not onely on God himself that he may be all in all And so Gods decree of election frō everlasting should not be onely of his owne free grace but partly of our selues or by reason of our faith works or vvorthynes foreseen Contrarie to the Scriptures aforesaid 3. Then also part of the glorie of our salvation should be ascribed to man not the whole to God alone Neyther should we haue such cause of being humbled in our selues and of renouncing all confidence in any vvorthynes of our ovvne that so vve may in deed giue all glorie to God as novv vve haue Ephes 1 3 6. Rom. 9 11 16 23 36. 1 Cor. 3 26 31. 4 7. with Ier. 9 23 24. Joh. 16 14. 4. Othervvise also our election should not be altogether certaine and unchangeable as novv it is inasmuch as it is grounded onely upon God vvith vvhom is no chaunge or shadow of turning and not upon man vvho is subject to chaunge and alteration Rom. 9 11. and 11 2 5 29. with Hos 13 14. Ioh. 10 16 29. 1 Pet. 1 2 5. 2 Tim. 1 12. and 2 19. Rom. 8 29 30 33 38 39. Mal. 3 6. Iam. 1 17. Numb 23 19. 1 Sam. 15 29. Psal 102 13 14 27 28. Exod. 3 14. Esa 46 10. Which is the more to be observed because they themselues also write that the Saincts and faithfull may fall avvay wholy from the grace of God and perish for ever So as their owne opinions being layd together they seem to deale in this matter much like as the Anabaptists doe in the other aforesaid Who vvhen the Lord himself hath giuen us a sure ground for the ministration of Baptisme to the faithfull and their children to wit Gods gracious covenant and commandement they to exclude children from the participation thereof vvould bring us to an uncertain ground of Mans profession of faith and repentance Hos 6 4. Matth. 13 20. Act. 8 13 23. 2 Tim. 4 10. For although there may be good use made of such profession about other questions touching Baptisme and the ministration therof yet vvhen we inquire of the right and sure ground hereof we must carefully keep unto that which God hath laid himself for the administring of his ovvne signe and seale of his covenant of grace and not admit

Thus you see by the most best approved Authors judgment Antichrist should sit in the church of God If then it be the church of God haue they nothing in deed but the Synagogue of Sathan D. Willet he saith ‡ Synopsis Papismi Cōtr. 2. of the church q. 5. par 2. utterly denyeth that they are a true visible church of Christ But doe any of his arguments proue it Let the Reader consider mark it with judgment Again he saith * Ibid. Cōtrov 4. q. 10. part 5. 2 Thes 2. he shall sit in the Temple of God that is the visible church that which sometime vvas a true visible one as the Church of Rome and after should so be taken reputed and challenged as it is at this day by the Papists Yet a litle after in the same place he saith Paul speaketh not here of any materiall Temple but of the church of God neyther doth S. Paul in this sense refuse to use the name of Temple as 1 Cor. 3 16. and 6 19. and in other places Now if the name of the Temple of God be so used by the Apostle in the other place of 2 Thes 2 4. as it is here in these places 1 Cor. 3 16. and 6 19. and otherwhere then it signifieth the church and Temple of God not onely that is so taken and reputed but that is so in deed For so in these other places it is understood Moreover when M. Willet proveth the churches of the Protestants and namely the church of England to be true visible churches he useth this for his first argument † Ibid. cōtrov 2 q. 5 part 2. That church which sendeth sorth Martyrs as Christs faithfull souldjours is the true church This Proposition saith he I think is not doubted off for out of the church there are no Martyrs If this then be an undoubted argument eyther he must shevv that the church of Rome affordeth no Martyrs against the Turks and other professed enemies of the Christian faith or if it do he yeelds it must needs be the church of God M. Bale noteth divers things vvhich ” Image of both churches in the Prof. apperteyn to the man of sinne plainly shew that the Pope is Antichrist As vvhere he saith The Pope maketh his boast that he is the high Priest he is of equal power with Peter he cannot erre he is head and spouse of the Church c. But difference is to be put betweene the Temple of God and Antichrist the man of sinne sitting therein c. as hath ben often shewed here before pag. 125 137 183 c. Besides speaking of the Turk he saith he will in no case grant Christ to be the sonne of God nor that he dyed here for mans redemption Yet both these are acknovvledged by the church of Rome as I haue shewed here before by their ovvne profession Pag. 122. Other things that might further be observed out of those mens writings about the assertions aforesaid I will not insist upon It may suffice that M. Ainsvv himself saith here † Animad pag. 105. it is not to be marveled at though vvise and godly men be mistaken for in many things we sinne all Jam. 3 2. And good it were for this man himself and his followers that they had this wisedome and godlynes in synceritie and humblenes of mind thus to think acknowledge of themselues that they are mistaken and sinne in many things then would they not be so stif and self conceited in their fore-conceived opinions former practises euen vvhen better is shewed unto them by the vvord of God Now having thus treated of the points aforesaid and of the understanding of that Scripture 2 Thes 2 4. touching Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God I vvill by this occasion yet further before I conclude annex herevvithall the judgment and testimonie both of auncient and later Writers concerning these things not naming all that might be alledged but a few onely of each sort as follovveth Testimonies of auncient Writers Chrysostome speaking of Antichrist saith He shall sit in the Temple of God not that which is at Ierusalem but in the Temple of the church Chrysost homil 3 in Epist ad Thes 2. Theophylact saith Not in the Temple which is at Ierusalem specially but simply in the churches and in every Temple of God In 2 Thes 2. Oecumenius hath likewise He saith not the Temple of Ierusalem but the churches In 2 Thes 2. Item Severianus apud Oecumenium ibid. Theodoret saith He calleth the Temple of God the churches in which Antichrist shall arrogate unto himself the chief seat In 2 Thes 2. Augustine saith The Temple of any Idoll or Divell the Apostle would not call the Temple of God De civit Dei l. 20 c. 19. Whereof also see here before p. 147. Ambrose likewise saith So that in the house of God he sitteth in the seat of Christ In 2 Thes 2. Testimonies of later Writers c. Calvin saith Paul placeth not Antichrist any otherwhere then in the verie Sanctuarie of God 2 Thes 2 4. Of which also see more here before pag. 164. Hemmingius saith By these marks spoken off 2 Thes 2 4. is signified that Antichrist is not any one properly out of the visible church Ibid in 2 Thes 2. Iunius saith That the papacie is in the church as the order or estate of apostasie in the house of and city of God is as certaine as that of the Apostle is certain 2 Thes 2. that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition sitteth in the Temple of God with his whole order or estate of apostates Lib. singulari de Ecclesia contra Bellarm. cap. 17. In fol. pag. 1020. Of which poynt and many other things concerning this matter see more here before pag. 183. c. Zanchius saith I agree not vvith them that think the church of Rome hath ceased to be the church of Christ aswell as the east churches which afterward became Mahumetane What church ever was more corrupt then the church of the ten tribes Yet by the Scriptures we haue learned that it vvas the church of God And how hath Paul cald the Church wherein the said Antichrist should sit the Temple of God Neyther is it Baptisme that is administred out of the Church of Christ Neyther doth a wife cease to be a vvife because she is an adulteresse except she be manifestly divorced being deprived of the ring the pledge of the mariage covenant The Church of Rome therefore is yet the church of Christ But vvhat a church So corrupt so depraved and oppressed with such tyrannie as vve neither can with good conscience pertake of their holy things nor safely dwell among them In Praefat. librorum de Natura Dei. Polanus saith A particular church is either pure or impure A pure church is a companie of such as haue the true religion uncorrupted c. It is very commonly called a true church but by a Synecdoche For

of any uncertain one relying upon man And to note it by the vvay it is a good thing in religion concerning the points and questions thereof both for instruction and comfort unto us still to look unto the grounds thereof and to obserue vvhether they be sure and certain as relying on God or doubtfull and uncertain as proceeding from man 5. Neither els should our faith and holines depend upon Gods election of grace but his election should depend upon our faith and holynes Which is contrary to the Scriptures as may be seen both touching faith Act. 13 38. and 22 14. Jam. 2 5. with Tit. 1 1. and touching good works and holynes of life Ephes 1 4. and 2 10. 2 Thes 2 13 14. 2 Tim. 1 9. Where the Scripture shevveth See the truth hereof also in another case touching Gods dealing with Zerubbabel Hag. 2 23. that our faith holynes follovv after Gods election as fruits thereof and goe not before it as causes thereof Also that they are meanes and vvaies by which God wil bring us to salvation in Christ but not the fountain and cause of our election to the Lord himself By which may also appear that the doctrine of predestination doth not any vvay hinder faith or good vvorks as is objected but in deed stirreth up incourageth thereunto inasmuch as although unto God they are not the cause of our election yet to our selues they are a good assurance thereof seeing they are fruits proceeding thereof and are also meanes vvhich it pleaseth God to use and the way vvherein he would haue us to vvalk to salvation in Christ and the glorie of his Name for ever Whereof therefore vve should be so much the more carefull as we are desirous to glorifie God and to haue our calling and election to life eternall assured unto our selues 2 Pet. 1 1 10. Rom. 8 28 29 30. Mat. 5 16. 25 34 35 c. 6. Moreover hovv els is it true that babes litle children are heires of the blessing of God and perteyn to the kingdome of heauen therefore also to Gods eternall election of grace Mar. 10 13 16. Luk. 18 15 16. Rom. 5 14 15. and 8 33. and 9 11. and 11 1 7. Matt. 18 2 10. and 19 13 14 15. with Heb. 1 14. For upon the other opinions vvould follovv eyther that God hath elected no infants to salvation but that they are all rejected and reprobate or that infants aswell as elder people haue that repentance faith and perseverance in godlines which is required by the Opposites to be in all that are chosen by God unto life eternall Whereas many of them dye in their infancie some the first moneth or first day they are borne and yet are partakers of Gods grace and inheritors of his kingdome in Christ as is aforesaid 7. Finally there are also elect Angels asvvell as elect men the like cause in God of his election of both to vvit the good pleasure of his wil. Els should not the vvil of God be the ground and rule of al righteousnes nor God himself be al in all Christ being the head of all principalitie and power as the Scripture sheweth 1 Tim. 5 21. compared with Ephes 1 11. Col. 1 16 19. and 2 10. Iob. 38 7. Revel 5 11 12 13. Ephes 3 10. Exod. 33 19. Psal 115 1 3. Revel 19 10. with 1 1. Heb. 1 14. and 12 22. Matt. 22 30. Luk. 20 35 36. Rom. 11 36. Seeing therefore the Scripture teacheth that the election of God is according to the good pleasure of his own will seeing also it is grounded on God and not on Man being certain and unchangeable of the free grace and gift of God to the glorie and praise of his grace causing and going before our faith and holines of life making Infants partakers of the kingdome of heauen and having the like cause as is of the choise of the elect Angels let us therefore vvith the Scriptures and according thereunto acknowledge that the fountaine and originall cause of our election is onely the will and good pleasure of God to the praise of his Name and glorie of his grace for ever Hereunto also agree some sayings of the auncient Writers As vvhen Augustine saith Christ chose us not because we beleeue but that we might beleeue least we should be said first to haue chosen him and that should be false which he said You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you August de predest sanctorum lib. 1 Ioh. 15 16 cap. 17 19. And again I see that the Father also loved us before not onely before Christ dyed for us but before he made the world the Apostle himself being witnes who saith Ephes 1 4. As he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world August de Trinitat l. 13 cap. 11. Fulgentius also testifieth that there is not in the Saints any cause of Gods Predestination but onely the good will of God Fulgent ad Marinum lib. 1. And thus much of the Decree of Gods election CHAPTER II. Touching Gods Decree of Reprobation VVHether God hath not of old according to his owne vvill good pleasure and purpose passed by some in his election of grace appointed them to wrath condemnation to be accomplished through their ovvne desert for the declaration of his glorie Jude ver 4 and 6. Rom. 9 11 12 13 17 18. with Exod. 9 16. Mal. 1 3. Matt. 11 25.26 and 25 41. 2 Pet. 2.4 12. 1 Pet. 2 8. Ioh. 3 18 19 36. and 10 26. 2 Cor. 4 3 4. Prov. 16 4. Rom. 2 5. and 9 19 22. and 11 33 36. Where againe let us consider vvhether the very cause moving God hereunto be not his ovvne vvill good pleasure and purpose in himself and not the will or abuse of free will in the creatures neither unbelief or other sinnes of any foreseen 1. Because the Scripture thus teacheth in these and the like places Rom. 9 11 12 13 17 18 19 20 21 22. and 11 33 36. compared vvith Gen. 25 23. Mal. 1 3. Exod. 9 16. Matth. 11 25 26. and 20 15. 2. And otherwise the moving cause hereof should not be in God himself but from vvithout him Contrarie to the Scriptures aforesaid to the infinite eternall and unchangeable nature of God 3. Neyther els should there be in generall one and the same cause of Gods decree for election for reprobation and that also both of Angels and of men as there is one Decreer of both from all eternitie to the glorie of his Name for ever Rom. 9 11 12 13 18 22 23. 1 Thes 5 9. Mat. 11 25 26. and 20 15. and 25 41. 2 Pet. 2 4 12. Prov. 16 4. Rom. 11 33 36. 4. Els also vve doe not in very deed acknovvledge the vvill of God to be the ground and rule of all righteousnes in this as in all other of his actions how ever they seem strange unto

now commonly placed unto the Passeover in March following there vvilbe but onely three moneths and not six moneths or the half yere before spoken off Dan. 9.27 Whereunto also as touching the time that phrase of speach may haue reference vvhich is used concerning the vvoman in the Revelation of a time and times and half a time Rev. 12.14 7. Finally as the Lords supper now among Christians answereth to all the Sacrifices which they had in Israell heretofore so also the Lords day now is to us in stead of all their Feasts and holy dayes of Sabbaths Nevv moones Passeover Pentecost and Tabernacles So as novv vve haue no cause or need of such yerely dayes and Feasts as then they had Christ being come who is the body of all those shadowes vvhereof the Feasts vvere a part Col. 2 16 17. compared vvith Esa 66 23. Act. 20 7. Rev. 1 10 11 c. Of vvhich see more here before Chap. 14. sect 2 and 5 c. On the other hand there is alledged the ordinance concerning the Feast of † Or Lots Purim enacted by Mardochee and Ester accepted by the Iewes for them and their generations after them in memorie of their deliverance from the tretcherie of Haman c. Ester 9 20 32. Touching vvhich these things may be observed 1. that the book of Ester wherein this is recorded is Canonicall Scripture and vvhether it were written by Ezra or by Mardochee himself or by some Prophet that lived in those times as the book it self so also the Feast there spoken off hath the approbation of the Spirit of God by vvhich that historie was written And who can say othervvise but that the Feast aforesaid vvas in deed ordeyned agreed upon by speciall instinct and direction of the spirit of God 2. That Feast might also be a civill ordinance and solemnity kept in memoriall of the deliverance aforesaid And so much might both the maner of enacting it and the name and use of it likewise import it being established accounted observed as a time of feasting and joy and a good day and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poore Esther 9 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 32. 3. And hovv ever it were observed whether as an ordinance civill or ecclesiasticall or both yet this is evident that this vvas done in the time before Christ when as now they had the observances of the lavv whereof their Feasts vvere a part by the ordinance of God from the bondage vvhereof vve are now freed by Christ and are taught by the Apostle to stand fast in the liberty vvherevvith Christ hath made us free and not to be intangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage Concerning which the Apostle reproving the Christians saith Ye obserue dayes and moneths times and yeares I am afrayd of you least I haue bestowed upon you labour in vayne Gal. 4 10 11. and 5 1. c. Which last reason may be observed in like sort about the Feast of the Dedication spoken off Iohn 10 22 23. at vvhich time Iohn saith Christ walked in the Temple in Salomons porch and reasoned vvith the Iewes which vvas a Feast ordeyned by Iudas Machabeus and the Congregation of Israel in remembrance of the dedication of the Altar spoken off 1 Mach. 4 59. Whereunto likevvise may be applied the former reason touching the Feasts and shadovves then used vvhich typed out our spiritual joy in Christ vvho is the trueth and body of all those shadowes and observations Col. 2 16 17. And vvhereas some for defence of Holy dayes invented by men alledge the voluntarie sacrifices had in Israell let these things further be observed thereabout 1. That those sacrifices in Israell vvere to be such onely as God had prescribed so to be observed as the Lord had appointed 2. That no Prince or persons might forbid or take them away without sinne Which I suppose vvill not be said touching the aforesaid observation of Holy dayes 3. That they vvere not urged upon Churches or persons against their will as the Holy dayes prescribed by men now be 4. That this or that man might bring them upon speciall occasion vvhen the vvhole Church was not bound thereunto vvhereas the observation aforesaid is laid as a duty upon vvhole Churches and not left voluntarie to this or that man to doe or leaue undone as they see cause 5. That many vvho obserue and plead for them doe sometimes acknowledge them to be humane ordinances vvishing they were taken avvay and keep them against their will And hovv then can they be accounted as the voluntarie sacrifices vvhich the Lord prescribed and Israell observed of old 6. Finally if this plea vvere good and sufficient in such cases vvhat inventions of men are there in religion that some would not thus plead for that they are as the voluntarie sacrifices had in Israell so open a vvide doore to all vvill worship and in deed take avvay the second commandement or securely transgresse it under such colours and pretences CHAPTER XVIII Of dealing with sinners for their reclayming or censuring Where also is treated of Suspension and excommunication c. VVHether the ordinance of God for the reclayming and gayning of brethren that fall into sinne should not stil be observed carefully religiously among the members of the church And that as there is occasion they be brought to the assembly of the Governours or the Congregation in publike having all things caried in order and according to the rules of governement prescribed by the Lord that so the cause being heard a due examination of the parties and vvitnesses being made and the fault certainly found out and convinced the parties offending may according to the nature of the sinne be admonished secluded suspended or debarred for a time from the Lords supper other meetings of the church or use of the holy things of God therein yea euen cut off from the church and delivered to Sathan if the case so require Such of the brethren I say as doe sinne and offend whether it be that they reproach abuse or injurie others by word or deed and despise the private admonitions of their brethren and of the vvitnesses that deale with them or that they offend publikely or doe otherwise transgresse in their conversation or that in religion they fall into heresy idolatry or other impietie and iniquitie and so persist after all good meanes religiously used for their reclayming This being still carefully regarded as is aforesaid that the order appointed by God in his word be observed that the Elders and Governours performe all such things as perteyne to their office duetie of their calling that the other members of the church doe keepe themselues every one in their place vvith all modestie reverence peace and godlynes beseeming the church and people of God Lev. 19 17. Prov. 25 8 9 10. Luke 17 3 4. and Matth. 18.15.16.17.18 compared with Mat. 5.22 1 Sam. 2.25 1 Cor. 6.1