of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God a quickning of such as were dead in trespasses and sins a resurrection from the dead a new creation If none can come unto Christ except drawne of the Father If not of workes that we have done but of his owne grace If not of him that wils nor of him that runs but of God who sheweth mercy If a calling out of darknesse If translating from the power of darknesse a taking away the heart of stone and giving a◠heart of flesh Then as formerly But the former is true Therefore the latter Further consideration of the falshood of this Doctrine we shall have in that which followes shewing the Pelagianisme of it CHAP. VI. Now for the Pelagianisme of this Doctrine 1 SUppose it acknowledge no supernaturall grace and therefore no grace but only toying with the word Grace ascribes saving vertues and operations to Nature and an assistance from God proportion'd and attemper'd to the heedfull exercise and improvement of naturall abilities then is it evidently Pelagian and that of the first stamp But if this be not the spirit of this Doctrine those conclusions here laid downe are very closely exprest 1 That men act beneath themselves and here he speakes of the generality of men are remisse and slothfull in awakening those Principles of light and understanding that are vested in their Natures or else willingly choake suppresse and smother them if they remaine in the snare of unbeleefe 2 That men who act and quit themselves according to the true Principles of that reason which God hath planted in them cannot but beleeve and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel Let us now adde a further explication in his owne words presently after and this will yet more clearly appeare to have been his meaning which we here suppose his words are as followeth That about the efficacy of the Grace of God vouchsafed unto men there is a great abuse of the word Naturall and so of the word Supernaturall a word not found in the Scriptures either formally or vertually the grosse falshood whereof we shall see in due place and that the Scripture knoweth not the word Naturall in any such sence wherein it should distinguish the unregenerate state of a man from the regenerate as false as the former as in due time shall be demonstrated Now this Commentary of his owne is so manifest for the sence we here suppose as needs no insisting upon for if the efficacy of Grace be not supernaturall then neither is Grace it selfe as the Principle nor any effects of Grace as to beleeve repent c. supernaturall for the principle operation and effects are all of one kinde naturall or supernaturall and so Grace is nothing else but a naturall endowment and improvement But then what shall be his meaning afterwards in his explication of the Parable of the Talents where he speakes thus That in case men will stirre up and lay out themselves accordingly in the improvement of such abilities and gifts as shall from time to time be vouchsafed to them they may by vertue of the bounty and gracious decree of God in that behalfe attaine and receive from God what proportion and measure of the Spirit and Grace of God they can desire I answer The worke of this Spirit of Grace upon their hearts if it be supernaturall he contradicts himselfe who will not allow that word either formally or vertually about the efficacy of Grace if he doe not contradict himselfe this worke of the Spirit must be nothing slse but such an influx as is attemper'd and proportion'd to mans Naturall acting and therefore naturall But this was the frequent manner of his great Apostle Pelagius to play fast and loose at every turne with the words Grace and Nature I much suspect that very Doctrine of Pelagius which Austine layes downe in his owne words Lib. de grat Christi c. c. 4. to be here touched We saith Pelagius distinguish thus these three In the first place we appoint to be able in the second to will in the third to be To be able we place in Nature to will in free Choyce to be in effect That first to be able belongs properly to God who hath conferred it upon his Creature the two others that is to will and to be are to be referred unto man because they descended from the fountaine of Free will therefore in the will and in the good worke the praise is of man yea both of man and God who hath given to him the possibility of the will it selfe and of the work and who alwayes helps that possibility it selfe with the ayde of his Grace but that men may be able to will good and to finish it this is only of God See now what Austine here advertiseth concerning Pelagius his Concession of Grace which how rightly it suits Master Goodwin let the Reader judge Whensoever saith he we heare that he confesseth the aide of Divine Grace we ought to know that he neither beleeves our wil nor our action to be helped hereby but only the possibility of the will and work which alone of these three he affirmes that we have of God and this in nature as is manifest CHAP. VII 2. SUppose it acknowledge no habitual grace upon the will renewing it nor effectuall acting and determining it but all the assistance of grace acknowledged be it naturall or supernaturall is onely for inlightening the understanding and exciting the will to determine it selfe whence it may come to passe that the will may as to the event obey or not obey the call of God This is partly no more then what Pelagius acknowledged partly opposite to that grace which the Orthodox Fathers maintained against him 1 Observe here that he puts all upon the Understanding as if all the assistance of grace necessary was onely for enlightening it 2 That Pelagius himselfe was driven to acknowledge thus much and withall exciting grace whatsoever he meant thereby 3 That the Fathers opposing his Heresie required and maintained that grace which by supernaturall efficacy did not onely inlighten the understanding and excite the will but likewise did by an efficacious impression give both a new and spirituall power to the will as likewise the acting of that power and the same grace that gave the power gave likewise the acting of that power and was both preventing and effectuall and peculiar and of infallible issue for conversion and therefore not common to those who were converted with those who were not but peculiar to the converted But let us see the truth of what is here asserted And first What Pelagius acknowledged as much for ought I can discern as Mr. Goodwin August lib de gratiâ Christi contra Pelag. Caelest chap 10. Thus reports him When he had a long time affirmed that not by the aide of God but of our selves in our selves the will is made good he objected against himselfe out of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naturall and falsely interprets it of the weakâ— Christian we shall see in its proper place 3 Whereas he denyes the word naturall to be found in Scripture in any such sense as should distinguish the unregenerate state of man from the regenerate and the word supernaturall in the argument of the efficacy of grace to be found either formally or vertually I must charge this bold assertion of his 1. With selfe-contradiction 2. With notorious falsehood 3. With ranke Pelagianisme First With selfe-contradiction pag. 9. of his Preface hee chargeth them with great errors who will have reason laid aside in enquiries after matters of a spirituall and supernaturall concernment which he there makes the same with matters of Religion what is then spirituall and what is of religious nature by your own confession there is supernaturall But all Christian graces Faith Hope Love c. are spirituall and of religious nature therefore grace and the efficacy of it are supernatural Vertually then at the least this word supernatural is found in Scripture in this argument of the efficacy of grace for those graces are by the efficacy of a gracious influx and in them is there an efficacious vertue of spiritual nature otherwise how are they spirituall 2 With notorious falsehood so obvious that was not the sword upon his right eye utterly darkening it I cannot imagine how such a doctrine should have escaped his pen. Let us bring it to the touch-stone of the Scriptures singling out of many texts a few Iohn 3. 5 6 7 8 Is not there a first and second birth the first natural the second supernatural and is not this the effect of grace is it not by divine impression upon the soule by the spirit of God that any one is borne of the spirit Iohn 5. 25. The hour is coming and now is that the dead shall hear the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that â—èare shall live Is not the conversion of a sinner here set forth to be a spiritual resurrection and is not a spiritual resurrection both as spirituall by your owne grant and as a resurrection supernatural Eph. 2. 5 6. Is it not a supernatural work To quicken such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes to raise them up together with Christ and make them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus This union with Christ and these spirituall advancements of the soule in Christ are they not supernatural and by the efficacy of grace Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Is not that change In putting off the old man in being renewed and putting on the new man which is created c. by the operation and efficacy of Grace and is it not supernaturall 1 Cor. 2. 9. to the 15. Is not that revelation of the spirit discovering what eye hath not seen c. Searching the deepe things of God things as farre above the spirit of the naturall man as the things of man are above the spirit of a beast Things which the spirit of the World that is that spirit which is common to men cannot discover things that can no otherwise be discovered but by Spirituall light things which the Naturall man therefore cannot receive because they are Spiritually discerned Is not the revelation of these things supernaturall A revelation which flesh and bloud makes not Titus 3. 5. The washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Doth it report nothing supernaturall to your eare We might adde 2 Cor. 5. 17. that new Creation there and Iam. 1. 18. that new generation there and Iob. 6. 44 45. that drawing and teaching of the Father with many others of like kinde are all these naturall nothing in these above the power and operation of Nature and that in this corrupt state By this time I hope it appeares that the word Naturall belongs to the unregenerate and that Regeneration is by supernaturall operation and that the unregenerate or Naturall man as such is in Scripture Language darknesse Thirdly with ranke Pelagianisme I call it ranke because thus farre it agrees with the first and second state formerly declared as to admit no supernaturall operation upon the Soule for conversion or recovery from sinne if this be not your meaning I pray disclose your Riddle for no man I thinke can judge otherwise by your words Goodwin Those Ephesians of whom the Apostle saith They were sometime darknesse had been not only or simply unregenerate but had walked in sins and trespasses according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the Aire that worketh effectually in the Children of disobedience by whom their understanding had been darkned and they possessed with many false wicked and blasphemous conceits concerning God and the Gospel c. All which imply on unregenerate estate most dangerously encumbred and from whence it argued the high and signall grace and favour of God that even they should be delivered The Jewes also Joh 1. 5. are termed darknesse upon a like account viz. because they were strangely and desperately prejudiced and pre-possessed with erroneous Notions and conceits against Christ and about the estate of their Messiah's first coming unto them they expecting the forme of a great Monarch rejected and Crucified him in the forme of a Servant it was this darknesse which they had through an oscitant loose and sensuall converse with their owne Scriptures voluntarily suffered to grew and spread it selfe upon the face of their mindes and understandings that was a snare upon them and occasioned the sad event here mentioned viz. That when the light shone upon them i. e. when sufficient and pregnant meanes were vouchsafed unto them to have brought them to the knowledgement of their Messiah they comprehended it not i. e. did not by the meanes of it come to see and understand that for the sight and knowledge whereof it was given them for that by the way is to be observed that the Evangelist doth not say that the darknesse in which the light shined could not or was not able to comprehend it but only that it did not comprehend it Now it is a knowne Principle in reason that a Negatione actus ad negationem potentiae non â—alet argumentum there may be a defect in action or performance where there is no defect of power for action And the very observation and report which the Evangelist makes of the Non-comprehension of the light by the darknesse in which it shone plainely enough imports that the defectivenesse of this darknesse in not comprehending the light did not consist in or proceed from any Naturall or invincible want of power to comprehend it but from a blindnesse voluntarily contracted and willingly if not wilfully persisted in for how can it be reasonably supposed that this Evangelist who flyeth an higher pitch then his Fellowes in drawing up his Evangelicall Tidings for the use and benefit of the World should in the very entrance of his Gospell and whilst he was thundring
darkned our Land What Jesuite hath a blacker mouth or a stronger breath But let us enquire into his Doctrine and the mystery of deceit working in the bowels of it and that by distinct proceeding in particulars which he hath fraudulently wrapt up together in generall 1 Then it is true that in some sence Reason is to be made use of in these enquiries of Religion and Spirituall concernments as 1 Suppose an Heathen not yet owning the true God and his Word he is by arguments propounded to his reason to be dealt with by the Booke of the Creation to prove the one true God as likewise by extrinsecall arguments to be drawne to read the Word of God that by the word it selfe as the Spirit shall please to enlighten by it he may come to owne the Divine Canon for the true word of the true God 2 Granting the Scripture the un-erring Word of God in whatsoever it shall deliver we are diligently to employ our reason in searching into the minde of God by the Scriptures as our light to enlighten and rule to direct our reason as that word which is able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect throughly furnisht to every good worke And in two things here are our reasons to be exercised 1. The Grammar of the Scriptures or the formes of expression to finde out the truth of them 2. The Logick of the Scripture or the true discourse thereof and this in three things the Scope the Context and Selfe-consent Scripture compared with Scripture the more obscure places interpreted by the clearer and so in all the analogy of faith held Now Sir you know very well that in this sence and upon these termes none of those against whom you bend your stile deny the use of reason for they doe not teach that men in seeking into the meaning of the Scripture must become either fooles or mad-men or Enthusiasts And was it in this sence only that you require the use of reason or in any such sence as preserves the due authority of the Word as for it selfe to be beleeved as the perfect rule you had never raised such Tragedies about the use of reason or the laying it aside as here you have but we shall now passe to the enquiry in what sence it is to be laid aside and there I am affraid we shall finde you requiring the use of it so as to evacuate the authority of the Word therefore we say 2. It is true that in some sence man must lay aside his reason in matters of religion and in enquiries after matters of Spirituall and supernaturall concernment as 1 That our assent to such truthes as the Scriptures hold forth may be the assent of Faith the immediate ground of it must not be the Selfe-evidence of the thing testified by the Scriptures unto reason but the authority of God testifying Hence that knowne Doctrine of the Schooles that the formall object I like as well to say the proper ground of faith is the first truth or God himselfe revealing his minde Hence suppose a truth taught in the Scripture is likewise demonstrated to my reason by Philosophicall arguments as for instance That God created the world that is made it of nothing so farre is my assent to this truth the assent of Divine faith as it is grounded upon the authority of Divine testimony that assent which is grounded upon Philosophicall demonstration is not Divine faith but only Humane knowledge He that trusts a man no further then he sees him as we say Proverbially trusts him not at all Hence the Apostle Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seene were not made of things that doe appeare It is only the Christian sure not the meere Philosopher that by faith understands this though haply both of them may understand it by demonstration but the Christian alone by Divine testimony for its owne authority assented to 2 We may not oppose our naturall conceptions to the Word of God or make our apprehensions before-hand the rule of what we will receive for the Word and revealed Will of God and what we will reject but what the Grammar and Logick of the Word holds forth must be the rule of our apprehensions whether we can discerne how in reason the things affirmed should be or not we must not Afferre sensum Scripturae but referre otherwise we subject the authority of Gods Truth to our owne apprehensions and beleeve him not because he hath said it but because we by reason see it neither shall we ever otherwise embrace the Word of God for as much as the Word it selfe teacheth many things 1. Above reason Great is the mystery of godlinesse saith the Apostle yet it is no great mystery if reason may comprehend it What reason of men or Angels could ever have thought of such a thing as the three Persons of the God-head as the Personall union of God and Man in the Mediatour the imputation of the Mediatours righteousnesse to beleevers of Adams sinne to his Posterity with many others or who comprehends clearly these things at least some of them when revealed in the Word 2 Many things against reason that is crosse to the apprehensions of corrupt reason as it is now in all naturall men The minding of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are Spiritually discerned Your fruitlesse attempt to avoyd the strength of this text of Scripture we shall consider in due place It is one vertue of the VVord preached to cast downe the reasonings of the naturall man 2 Cor. 10. 5. Many others of like import we shall have occasion afterwards to mention On the one hand such is the blindnesse and wickednesse of man by Originall sinne which are withall daily encreased by themselves and Satan on the other hand such is the mysterious height and transcendent purity of the Word of God that mans reason must receive light from it is not a light otherwise then as enlightned by it whereby to judge of it And as the truth we are now upon is evident by the Word so is it by all experience name me any one people or any one person since man was Created upon earth that without the word or voyce of God for direction by the light and ducture of reason either worshipped the true God or did not fall upon a most abominable way of Worship or light upon the Gospel-way of Salvation to omit all other deviations Nay you your selfe who leane so much to your owne wisdome and are so much in advancing the Rush-Candle of reason against the Sun of the Scripture are amongst others an evidence even in this the Master-piece of your reason the Treatise in
the letter and words exhibit that is the Grammar of the Scripture in conjunction with the scope context and concordance thereof that is with the Logick of the Scripture by mans reason to be questioned but reason is to be captivate to the authority thereof 2. I hope you doe not thinke of any way for obtaining the sence and minde of God otherwise then by the letter if an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine let him be accurst Goodwin Now if the Scriptures themselves be upon no other termes nor in any other case serviceable or usefull unto men for the tryall of Doctrines and Opinions but only as and when they are clearly understood by them it clearly followes that whatsoever is requisite and necessary to bring men to a true understanding of the Scriptures is of equall necessity for the distinguishing of Doctrines and to interpose or be made use of in all affaires and concernments in Religion if then the reasons judgements and understandings of men must of necessity interpose act argue debate and consider before the true sence and minde of God in any Scripture can be duly apprehended understood and beleeved by men it is a plaine case that these are to be used and to be interessed in whatsoever is of any religious consequence or concernment to us That the minde of God in the Scriptures cannot be duly apprehended received or beleeved by men but by the acting and working of their reasons mindes and understandings in order hereunto is evident from hence viz. because the minde of God cannot be thus apprehended or beleeved by men but by meanes of an intellectuall or rationall difference tasted or resented by them between this minde of his and all other mindes meanings or sences whatsoever that may be supposed to reside or be in the words Resbury If you was not a man whose eare is chain'd to the musicke of his owne Tongue you might spare the greatest part of your words and yet speake as much as you doe In what sence Reason is to be used in what sence to be laid aside we have seene already as likewise the use and necessity of the Word of God for begetting in mans understanding that intellectuall or rationall difference tasted or resented by him which you speake of the Word being the rule and light to the understanding as to matters of religion Goodwin For example If there be another sence to be given of such or such a passage of Scripture either contrary unto or differing from that which I conceive to be the minde of God here which hath the same rationall or intellectuall savour and taste with this that is which as well suits with the words agrees with the Context falls in with the scope and subject matter in hand is as accordable with Scripture-assertion elsewhere coâ—ports as clearly with the unquestionable Principles of reason and the like how is it possible for me in this case to conceive or beleeve especially with the certainty of faith that my sence is the minde of God and consequently the true sence of that place rather then that other which hath all the same Characters Symptomes and Arguments of being the minde of God which none hath therefore it must needs be by the exercise and acting of my reason and understanding and by the report which they make of their discoveries in their enquiries that I come regularly to conclude and to be satisfied that this is the minde of God in such or such a Scripture and none other Resbury 1 In our enquiries into the true meaning of any text of Scripture the word it selfe by the formes of expression scope context and agreement with Scripture-assertion elsewhere is our Card and compasse by which reason is to steere her enquiry not reason the Judge above or against the word 2 Such an example doe you here give and so doe you state it as it labours of a most evident contradiction For how is it possible that two different much lesse contrary sences should have the same intellectuall taste or savour should as well suit with the words agree with the context and have those other Characters which you name one as another Secondly suppose such a thing possible how is it yet possible that reason should determine which is the true sence If both sences have both Scripture and reason equally for them as is here supposed whence shall reason frame a judgement for this rather then that or for that rather then this I beleeve you made great haste when you made so little speed One thing further let me minde you of that wheras you begin with intellectual savour and taste and conclude with the unquestionable principles of reason you might in both have spared your paines for where the other Characters are found they will conclude the sence and if reason shall discerne them she must needs see there is reason to conclude with them Goodwin If it be here objected and demanded But is it meet or tolerable that the reason of man should judge in the things of God or that the understandings of men should umpire and determine in his affaires I answer 1 If God pleaseth to impart his minde and Counsels in his Word and writing unto men with an injunction and charge that they receive and owne them as from him and that they take heed they doe not mistake him or embrace either their owne conceits or the mindes of others in stead of his in this case for men to put a difference by way of judging and discerning between the minde of God and that which is not his minde is so farre from being an act of Authority Presumption or unseemly Vsurpation in men that it is a fruit of their deep loyalty submission and obedience unto God When Christ enjoyned the Disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods he did not only give them a warrant and Commission to judge and determine what and which were the things of God as well as which were the things of Caesar but laid a charge upon them also to put this warrant in execution and this not only by judging actually which were the things of God but by practising and acting also upon and according to this judgement 2 To judge of God and of the things of God in the sence we now speake is but to acknowledge owne and receive God and the things of God in their transcendent excellency goodnesse and truth and as differenced in their perfections respectively from all other beings and things the poorest and meanest subject that is may lawfully and without any just offence judge his Prince yea or him that is made a lawfull Iudge over him to be wise just bountifull c. at lest when there is sufficient ground for it Resbury Here according to your manner you spin out your discourse by triviall Objections and Answers for your answer it is true allowing
to pray you to speak plainly and particularly you use the same Artifice and Cant most extreamly Afterwards in the first Chapter of your booke when you should lay downe your expresse doctrine about the divine influx and concourse we must try if wee can hunt you out of your holes there CHAP. XVI Goodwin 1. THough the spirit of God contributes by his assistance after that high manner which bath been declared toward the right apprehending understanding discerning the things of God by men yet this no wayes proveth but that they are the Reasons and Understandings of men themselves that must apprehend discerne and understand these things and consequently must be provoked raised ingaged imployed and improved by men that they may thus apprehend and discerne notwithstanding all that assistance which is administred by the spirit otherwise nothing will be apprehended or discerned by them Nor will the assistance of the spirit we speake of turn to any account of benefit or comfort but of losse and condemcondemnation unto men in case their Reasons 〈◊〉 Understandings shall not advance and quit themselveâ— according to their interest thereupon Resbury This may passe as impertinent It is the Reason of man that must apprehend c. But it is Reason sanctified that apprehends savingly man must stirre up his owne soule but it is by the worke of the sanctifying spirit that so he doth effectually These things have been proved abundantly already Goodwin 3 In case the Spirit of God shall at any time reveale I mean offer and propose any of the things of God or any spirituall Truth unto men these must be apprehended discerned judged of yea and concluded to be the things of God by the Reasons and Understandings of men before they can or ought to receive or beleeve them to be the things of God Yea before such a revelation can any wayes accommodate benefit and blesse their soule When our Saviâ—â—â— speaking of that spirit to his Disciples saith And he will shew you things to come And againe he shal receive of mine and shal shew them unto you Joh. 16. 13 14. he supposeth that they viz. with their own Reasons and Understandings were to apprehend and judge of the things that should be thus shewed unto them to have been shewed unto them by the spirit of God and not to have proceeded from any other Author Yea in case men shall receive the things of God themselves for the things of God or of the spirit of God before their Reason and Understanding have upon rationall grounds and principles judged them to be the things of God yet can they not receive them upon these termes as the things of God I mean as the tnings of God ought in duty and by command from himselfe to be received by men or so as to benefit or iâ—â—ich the soule by their being received For as God requires of men to be praised with understanding i. e. out of a rationall apprehension and due consideration of his infinite worth and excellency so doth be require to be beleeved also and they that beleeve him otherwise beleeve they know not what nor whom and so are brethren in vanity with those that worship they know not what and build Altars to an unknowne God to trust or beleeve in God upon such termes as these is being interpreted but as the devotion of a man to an Idol yea the Apostle himselfe arraignes the Athenians of that high Crime and misdemeanour of Idolatry upon the account of their sacrificing to an unknown God Resbury This is of the same Spirit Error and impertinency with the last 1 The Spirits revelation he interprets his Proposall This is just Pelagius his revelation proposall by his word and doctrine 2 The things by the Spirit proposed must be discerned the things of God by our owne reasons c. Who doubts this but which he meanes not by our owne reasons enlightened by renewing and peculiar Grace hee saith They must be received upon rationall grounds true reason being by Scripture enlightned Goodwin 4 And lastly The interposure and actings of reason and understanding in men are of that soveraigne and most transcendent use yea necessity in and about matters of Religion that all the agency of the Spirit notwithstanding a man can performe 〈◊〉 thing no manner of service unto God with accepâ—… nothing in a way of true edification to himselfe withâ—… their engagement and service First I stand chargâ—… by God not to beleeve every Spirit but to try thâ— Spirits whether they be of God I demand bâ— what rule or touch-stone shall I try any Spirit whâ—… or upon what account shall I reject one as a Spirit 〈◊〉 errour falshood and delusion and doe homage 〈◊〉 my judgement and conscience to another as the Spirit of God If it be said I ought to try the Spirits by the Scriptures or Word of God I demand againe But how shall I try my touch-stone or be sure that that Principle notion or ground which I call thâ— Word of God and by which I goe about to try the Spirits is indeed the Word of God There is scarce any errour that is abroad in the Christian world but freely offers it selfe to be tryed by the Word of God as well as the true Spirit of God himselfe i. e. by such meanings sences or conclusions as it selfe confidently asserts to be the Word of God i. e. the minde of God in the Scriptures so that I am in no capacity to try such a Spirit which upon such an account as this pretends his coming forth from God unlesse I be able to prove that those sences â—eanings and conclusions by which be offers to be tryed are not indeed the Word of God Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly and only by the Scriptures themselves because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proofe or tryall in this case this Spirit will reject my sence and interpretation in case it maketh against him and will substitute another that shall not oppose him Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case at least as an untruth unlesse I apprehend some relish or taste therein which is irrationall or some â—…on which jâ—rreth with or grateth upon some 〈◊〉 principle 〈◊〉 other of reason within me for as 〈◊〉 â—…e one hand what Doctrine or Notion soever clearly â—â—cordeth and is commensurable with any solid and 〈◊〉 â—…ted Principle or ground of reason within me 〈◊〉 â—…by demonstrably evinced to be a truth and from God so on the other hand what Doctrine or saying sâ—…r beares hard or falls foule upon any such Principle must of necessity be an errour and somewhat that proceeds from Satan or from â—…n and not from God Resbury 1 The same things most impertinently stil over and over an endlesse waster of words 2 By what rule or touch-stone shall heâ—ry any Spirit or Doctrine he answers If it be said by the Scripture but how shall
allay with the term consequentiall but forasmuch as you are at such a loss about that term I am content you substitute blasphemy express Neither doe I pass that your Critick Learning will here finde fault with my Antithesis again Here you take occasion to tell me of a Triumphant Argument of yours against Eternall Reprobation that it contains this blasphemy in it That God should reprobate himself Hem I here is a Gorgon indeed Sir we shall see the vanity and ridiculous foppery of this Argument when we come to examine it in your Book in the mean time let me put one question to you that teach that God created all things at once and that from eternity did he create himself In the next place you modestly and humbly as you say intreat me to shew you one instance of any of these yet your humble modesty subjoyns that I may take ten Universities to my assistance I shall Sir give instance of every one of them and borrow no help in a case so obvious and gross of any one University But then you require an impossibility that I would shew you one spot of your darkness but that I would not shew you darkness Sir whilst I shew you those things I have nothing but darkness to shew you Indeed here ten Universities cannot assist me to satisfie your contradiction Then you would know why I call your Doctrine Arminianism and being one that loves to hear your self talk you run an idle wordy descant hereupon I have shewed you in the following discourse wherein your Doctrine is not Arminianism onely but Jesuitism Pelagianism and Socinianism as I had occasion from your Preface and I hope to shew you more of the same kinde hereafter from your Book As for my Sermons you have promised to destroy them by the fall of the Synod of Dort upon them crushing them into Atomes no doubt Sir when this great wrack comes I shall believe the Astrologers of our times that the last Ecclipse of the Sun portended some notable thing In the mean time I thank you that you have given me the Synod of Dort now for a recompence take you the Council of Trent You tell me the nineth to the Romans is a wrong field wherein to dig for absolute Reprobation but your word is no whit currant with me You add that I my self making my Elect ones liable to be seduced by a spirit of Error doe little less than shake the foundation of absolute Reprobation Here first prophanely you call them mine elect then you argue to this purpose this liableness to seduction is such as indangereth the salvation of the seduced or not If not 1. Care against it is in vain because thus Men whether Elect or not Elect will be liable thus far at least to be seduced though all errors in the world were supprest For answer 1. Men not elect shall certainly deceive themselves and be seduced by Satan to the loss of salvation Your limitation thus far at least in reference to such is very Atheological nor will your Parenthesis concerning my notion salve your error here 2. Granting what you say for the elect yet there is a latitude in this liableness and spirits of error are instruments fitted to seduce further than otherwise they were likely to be and therefore care is to be had against them because their salvation as the end enjoyns the care of all means tending to that end and against all things that tend to cross that end though it be familiar to you in spight of all Logick to argue from the end to the exclusion of the means whereas the end infers them again because the more they are seduced the more they dishonor God 2. Care against it is for their hurt say you to this end you add that according to my principles all the sins of the Elect shall work for good to them and not only be forgiven them immediately upon the Commission But 1. Where do I say they shall be forgiven them immediately upon the Commission 2. Suppose the sins of the Elect in the conclusion turn to their good even their sins not excluded that comprehensive promise All things shall work together for good to them that love God What then Then you say a care of preventing their seduction would be a care to keep them from a certain benefit For answer let me tell you out of what School you had this Argument truly out of the same with that prophane Caviller Rom. 3. 5. 7. who argues thus but our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God therefore is God unrighteous if he take vengeance and if the truth of God hath abounded through my lie to his glory therefore should I do ill to forbear lying 2. Yourâ— Sopâ—istry is gross and sordid things in themselves evill though accidentally of good issue are to be avoyded and what puny Sophister knows not this Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest it not And now having thus far wandred in the first member of your distinction you come to the second that if this liableness to seduction may end in the destruction of the Elect then Election staggers and if so then Reprobation too I answer no such liableness do I understand as that any one of the Elect ever did or ever shall perish Then you tell me but that you are unworthy to teach me I might have learned from the 359. and 360. pages of your book how impertinently I cited these words of the Apostle the foundation of God stands sure there will be time and place I doubt not to shew the falshood of your interpretation there in the mean time you are unfit indeed to teach me or any man els because you are such a stranger to the Truth but ere long you hope to vindicate the nineth to the Romans from the monstrous and horrid Doctrine of absolute Reprobation Once again the Lord rebuke thee thou devouring tongue In the close you profess your hopes that I will be more tender of your name and reputation the Lord make me tender of his Truth and in tenderness thereof a poor instrument in his hand to blast your errors whereupon if your name be built it must take part with them Now Sir I have only a basket of your rotten figs and wilde grapes to present you with accordding to the particulars of my charge A tast of M. Goodwins lovely Doctrines and Discourse in some few Instances gathered here and there for the most part in his own words alwaies in his own sense where for brevity sake the words are altered where we have 1. His Imperiall Dictates 1. DOubtless many persons both of men and women have been propagated and born into the world whose parents were not determined to their generation pag. 7. 2. He that is God hath indeed determined indefinitely and in the generall that bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out half their days but if we speak of any particular persons who being bloody and deceitfull
hand of the incompetency of mans reason not enlightened by the Word through the Spirit to judge of the things of the Spirit of God whilst you fall so wretchedly foule upon the maine Doctrines of Predestination Redemption Perseverance c. Now if in this sence Mr. Goodwin acknowledged that reason is to be laid aside why doth he raise a Controversie with those who in the other sence formerly specified not only grant but urge the use of it But that Master Goodwin in this sence denies the laying it aside and exalts it as the Judge of the VVord beside and above the word seemes in the first place not obscurely insinuated in the second place openly exprest by some passages of his Pen. For the first not obscurely insinuating it what shal we say to that Doctrine of his which he sayes is much to be observed Pag. 5. of this Preface That a man or woman who have for many yeares profest the Gospel may in processe of time come to discover vanity in some erroneous Principle or Tenet wherewith their judgements have been leavened for some considerable space formerly and so grow into a dis-approbation or contempt of it and yet may very possibly think the Gospell favoureth or countenanceth it and that otherwise they should never have owned nor approved it Hence it appeares that in your account errour may be discerned by reason which yet shall be thought by the Gospell to be owned so that the Gospell shall not be the rule by which to judge of truth and errour but reason shall be the rule by which to judge whether the Gospell it selfe to wit that sacred Writ which is received in the Church of God for the Gospell be true or false Then you goe on to the same purpose Now when a person shall be brought into the snare of such a conceit or imagination as this that the Gospell in some of the veins or carriages of it teacheth or asserteth things that are vaine But before you goe any further allowing the Divine authority of the Gospell it is unpossible that such a conceit should have place that the Gospell in any of the veines or carriages of it should assert any thing that is vaine He goes on Or if no good consistency with reason or truth here is your rule to judge of any opinion in matters of Faith and that whereby the Gospell it selfe must be called to an account the consistency or inconsistency of it with reason so farre it must be truth as vaine mans blind reason judgeth it consistent with it selfe You conclude He is in a ready posture to throw from his soule all credence of the Divine authority of the Gospell and to esteeme it no better then a Fable devised by men so farre then as you comprehend by reason the things taught in the Gospell to be agreeable to reason neither above it nor crosse thereto so farre you will embrace the Gospell if any thing you finde in it otherwise you are in a ready posture to esteeme it no better then a Fable I doubt you are so indeed by your discourse here and other-where for most certaine it is that there are many things in the Gospell both above your reason and crosse to it But Sir allowing the divine authority of the Gospell It is impossible that any man should discover an errour in matter of faith and religion but he therein discernes it to be dis-owned and condemned by the Gospell and the Gospell it selfe was the rule and the light whereby he discovered it and the fruit of his discovery will not be as you reason here the blame of the Gospell but of his owne former ignorance of the Gospell But if here you have not spoken openly enough you have discovered your selfe fully pag. 335. of your booke where disputing against a maine Gospel-truth namely the unchangeable love of God to the Saints your words are these Besides whether any such assurance of the unchangeablenesse of the love of God to him that is godly as the objection speaks of can be effectually and upon sufficient grounds given unto men is very questionable yea I conceive there is more reason to judge otherwise then so But let us hear what you say next Yea that which is more it is indeedmore then enough I verily beleeve that in case any such assurance of the unchangeablenesse of Gods love were to be found in or could regularly bee deduced from the Scriptures it were a just ground to any intelligent and considering man to question their authority and whether they were from God or no. Now have you spoken out evident it is as the light of the sunne that you make mans reason blind and corrupt as it is a rule above the Scriptures whereby to try them and the only touch-stone of them for that which may be found in or regularly deduced from the Scriptures must needs be the voyce of the Scripture in concordance with it self by what rule now shall we question it but that of our reason as above it Now Sir you must give me leave to tell you that your owne pen hath proclaimed you a very Socinian And now let us see whether this conclusion leads even to the utter overthrow of the Scriptures By the same reason that you may question this doctrine found in or regularly deduced from the Scriptures you may question any other and the authority of the Scriptures thereupon a ready way for all Hereticks and erroneous Teachers The Papists may question the authority of the Scripture if Gods hatred against Image-worship may bee found in or regularly deduced from the Scriptures you may question the authority of Scriptures if holinesse of life or whatsoever other truth as wel one as another may be found in or regularly deduced from them Let me advise you a more compendious way to maintain your errours against personall election and reprobation against the dominion of God therein exprest against the confinement of redemption to the elect against the perseverance of the Saints against the efficacious influence of grace upon the will of man and even this errour concerning the light and ability of the naturall man for discerning and applying the things of the spirit of God held forth in the Gospell trouble not your selfe to torture the Scriptures that they may seeme to witnesse for you but for as much as they speake so much against you question their authority and whether they be from God or not And why should you not doe as your elder brethren of the Socinian-family have done before you Let us first see their doctrines as like to yours as one egge is like another what saith Smalcius It is certaine that whatsoever is contrary to reason is neither extant in the holy Scriptures neither can it be gathered from them De Christo vero naturali Dei filio C. 6. What saith Ostorodius another head of that Tribe If reason or understanding expresly prove the Trinity of persons in God to be false how
may it come into the minde of any man right in his wits that yet notwithstanding it is true and may be proved by the Word of God Now adde Mr. Goodwins doctrine and see if it speak not the same language I verily beleeve by the Secinian not Apostolicall faith that in case any such assurance of the unchangeablenes of Gods love was to be found in or could regularly be deduced from the Scriptures it was a just ground to any intelligent and considering man to question their authority and whether they were from God or no These doctrines plainly allow not the Scripture in the Grammar and Logique of it the rule and light to guide and conclude mans reason but exalt the reason of man as judge above it whence whatsoever Article of faith they dispute about nothing is more usuall with them then this objection this or that is false because contrary to reason We have now seen their doctrines let us see their deductions which likewise must be yours your doctrine being the same Hence they proceed to deny many Articles of the faith because contrary to reason at least in their apprehensions The Racovian Catechisme the body of their Theology or Heresie rather rejects the doctrine of the three persons in one essence p. 49. the two natures in the one person of Christ pag. 55. Danies that Christ by his death satisfied for us and merited eternall life for us pag. 261. And all because these are contrary say they to right reason Smalcius against Franzius opposeth Originall sinne because if he say true it is utterly contrary to reason that an innocent person by once sinning should infect all his posterity These for a touch of your Doctrine and whither it leads CHAP. III. Goodwin COncerning the Word of God it is to be acknowledged that this is to be in speciall manner interessed in all our dijudications between Doctrine and Doctrine Opinion and Opinion in matter of Religion Resbury Why doe you not acknowledge it the perfect rule Goodwin And that this is the fire which must try every mans worke of what sort it is and must separate the vilâ— from the precious Resbury Doe not you sit then as a Refiner by fire of this fire it selfe by your reason so as to reject any thing that may be found in the Scripture or regularly deduced there-from Goodwin But as the Plummet and Rule doe not measure the worke of the Architect or discover whether it be true and square or otherwise of and by themselves but as they are regularly applyed hereunto either by the Workman himselfe or some other capable of making such an application however true it may be that a sufficient test or proofe of the worke cannot be made without the use of the Plummet and Rule about it In like manner though the Word of God be of soveraigne use and necessity for the measuring of Opinions and Doctrines and for the discovery of what is straight and what crooked in them yet he that desires to reap the Spirituall benefit and advantage of the usefulnesse of it in this kind must first understand the minde and sence of God in it aright and secondly Be dextrous and expert in making a due application of it being rightly understood to the Doctrines or Opinions the soundnesse or unsoundnesse whereof he desires to understand by it Resbury To what end are these waste words 1. The Scripture is the rule and reason is the eye but as the Scripture is the rule so is it the light too by which this eye must be enlightened otherwise it is too darke to apply this rule It is by the Scriptures that a right understanding is had of them and a dextrous faculty for applying them they being the meanes by the Holy Ghost appointed and sanctified for enlightening and sanctifying the reason of man The Scripture is not only a rule for tryall aâ— is that of the Architect but for instructing too it is such a rule as gives rules for instructing and directing in all matters of Religion and even for the use of it selfe as a rule and indeed that you may the lesse wonder hereat all Arts are such rules as give rules for understanding themselves Suppose this Geometricall question was to be debated ' whither in a right angled Triangle the square of the Hypolemise be equall to the square of the sides I thinke you will grant that we must fetch the demonstration from Geometry it selfe and the demonstration must conclude us we must not say though this proposition be demonstratively concluded in Geometry yet we will question it only indeed here is the difference A Geometricall demonstration renders the conclusion not only agreeable to Principles and former propositions in Geometry by which it is demonstrated but withall cleare to reason but the conclusion of a Divine truth by Scripture is many times obscure to reason though clearly agreeable to Principles and other Doctrines in Scripture because even those Principles and Doctrines proving it are to mans reason not for want of light in them but through the blindnesse of it obscure Yet shall reason see the legitimacy of the proofe from Principles and Doctrines in Scripture laid downe when it hath very obscure apprehensions both of the thing contained in the conclusion and the things contained in the Principles and Doctrines proving it these things faith beleeving upon the authority of the word affirming 2. You deale with the Scriptures as he that because the rule and plummet doth not verifie the judgement which he made by his eye at a guesse he will therefore by his eye question the rule and plummet themselves whilst you take liberty to question the authority of the Scriptures and whether they be from God or not upon supposall of something found in them or regularly deduced from them which relisheth not with your reason Goodwin For first it is not the letter or forme of words as separated or considered apart from the spirit notion or sence of them that is the touch-stone or rule of triall for Doctrines yea the letter and words are only servants to the sence and notion which they containe and exhibit and were principally if not only delivered by the Holy Ghost unto men for this end that by them the sence minde and Counsell of God in all the particulariâ—ies of them which are held forth in the Scriptures might be communicated and conveyed to the reasons and understandings of men so that in case a man had the sence and minde of God upon the same termes of certainty of knowledge without the letter on which he hath it or may have it by meanes of the letter he should be as richly as compleatly qualified hereby to discerne between Doctrines as he now can be by the opportunity and advantage of the letter Resbury Words to no purpose still 1. If the Letter and words of the Scripture be servants to the Sence and Notion and so forth as you declare then is not that sence which
the grace of finishing may follow the merit of this beginning if yet this at the least they will have They differ from the last recited in this That they require this Grace as simply necessary to the consummation of those vertues the beginnings whereof were in Nature but for the first motion unto good they required no internall grace of this Austine Lib. 2. Contra duas Epistolas Pelag. l. 8 c. where after the stating of the question in the prosecution of his answer he strongly concludes all along against them and therein against Mr. Goodwin taken in the best sence that he that teacheth that any the least motion to good in man prevents the Grace of God he teacheth that â—â—igmatized Doctrine of Pelagius that Grace is given according to merits which as otherwhere formerly so here againe he with much clearnesse refutes The Question is stated in these words Now that is the thing which we have to attend whether or no God inspires into man unwilling and resisting the desire of good so that now he be not resisting he be not unwilling but consenting unto good and willing good A little after for this they thinke is to be objected against us That we say God inspires into man unwilling and resisting the desire not of how great good soever but of imperfect good It may be then that they themselves so farre keep a place for Grace that they thinke without it a man may have a desire of good but that good imperfect but for perfect good he cannot more easily have the desire of it by Grace but without Grace he cannot at all have the desire of it Having thus stated it he refutes the Pelagian tenet But so likewise they say the Grace of God is given according to our merits which in the East Pelagius fearing to be condemned by the Acts of the Church condemned for if without the Grace of God by us begins the desire of good that beginning shall be merit see here in how large a sence the Fathers take Merit in this Controversie to which as of due the ayde of Grace comes and so the Grace of God shall not be freely given but our merit shall be given But the Lord that he might answer Pelagius yet to come saith not without me somthing ye may doe with much adoe but he saith Without me yee can doe nothing And that he might answer these likewise yet to come in the same Gospel-sentence he saith not without me yee can finish nothing but yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. for if he had said finish they might have said That the ayde of God was necessary not to begin that which is good this being of our selves but to finish it but let them heare the Apostle too for the Lord when he saith Without me yee can doe nothing in this one word comprehends the beginning and the end But the Apostle as the expounder of the Lords saying distinguisheth each more plainly saying Because he that hath begun a good worke in you will finish it untill the day of Christ Iesus Philip. 1. But in the Holy Scriptures in the same Apostle we have found yet more then this whereof we speak We now speak of the desire of good which if thou wilâ—c have begun by the wil of man but perfected by the Lord. See what may be answered to the Apostle saying for we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God To thinke any thing saith he to wit good but to thinke is lesse then to desire for we thinke all that we desire but we doe not desire all we thinke because sometimes we think what we desire not Since therefore it is lesse to thinke then to desire for a man may thinke of good which as yet he desires not and afterwards may by profiting desire what before without desiring he thought of how unto that which is lesse that is to thinke any thing that is good we are not sufficient as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God and unto that which is greater that is to desire any thing that is good are we sufficient by our free-will without the Divine ayde for neither here doth the Apostle say not that we are sufficient to thinke what is perfect as of our selves but to thinke any thing saith he contrary whereto is nothing Whence is that of the Lord Without me yee can doe nothing Then alledging the misinterpretation of Prov. 16. 1. by the Pelagians where they read The preparation of the heart is of man and interpret it that it belongs to man to prepare the heart that is to begin good without the ayde of Divine grace Farre be it from the sonnes of the Promise saith he so to understand it as though when they heare the Lord saying Without me yee can doe nothing they should as it were convince him and say Loe without thee we can prepare the heart or when they heare from the Apostle Paul Not that we are of our selves sufficient to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God They should as it were convince him likewise saying Loe we are sufficient of our selves to prepare the heart and by this to thinke some good farre be it from any so to understand it but the proud defenders of their owne free will and the forsakers of the Churches faith Man prepares the heart but not without the ayde of God who toucheth the heart he concludes this Chapter with this memorable sentence Many good things God doth in man which man doth not but none doth man which God doth not make man to doe Then c. 9. Therefore the desire of good would not be in man from God if it was not good but if it be good it is not but from him in us who is unchangeably good For what is the desire of good but love of which Iohn the Apostle speakes without any doubtings saying Love is of God neither the beginning thereof of our selves and the perfection thereof of God but if love be of God the whole is unto us of God for God keeps us from that madnesse that in his gifts we should make our selves first and him last because his mercy hath prevented me for if without him we can doe nothing truly we can neither begin nor finish That we may begin it is said His mercy shall prevent me that we may finish it is said His mercy shall follow me then in the close of this Chapter speaking of mans purpose The good purpose of man saith he subsequent grace assists but except grace had gone before it had not been The care of man likewise which is said to be good though when it hath begun to be it is helped by grace yet doth it not begin without grace but is inspired by him of whom the Apostle saith But thankes be unto God who hath put the same care for you in the heart of Titus if it be
the gift of God that one man hath care for another whose gift else shall it be that a man hath care of himselfe Then c. 10 which since it is so I see not any thing in the Holy Scriptures commanded man of God whereby his free will is proved which is not found either to be given of his goodnesse or to be required for the demonstration of the ayde of grace neither doth man at all begin to be changed from evill to good by the beginning of faith but as free mercy and that which is not owing to him doth it in him CHAP. IX THis leades us to an after state of Pelagianisme in the hands of the Massilians which was much one and the same with that in the hands of these Pelagian Bishops Of them and their tenets we have in Prospers Epistle to Austin about the Reliques of the Pelagian Heresie as likewise in the Epistle of Hilary of Arles That opinion of theirs which we shall here take notice of as falling in with this lost state of Pelagianisme and pertinent to our present businesse we shall lay downe in Prospers words if I be not deceived they speake Mr. Goodwin Thus he relates Some of these doe so farre not decline from the Pelagian pathes that when they are constrained to confesse that Grace of Christ which prevents all humane merits leâ—t if it be rendred to Merits in vaine should it be called Grace this Grace they will have to belong to the condition of every man wherein the Grace of the Creator doth so order him who before deserved nothing as not existing of a free and rationall will that by the discerning of good and evill he may direct his will both to the knowledge of God and to the obedience of his Commandements and come to this Grace whereby in Christ we are borne again to wit by the power of Nature by asking seeking knocking that therfore may he receive therfore may he find therfore may he enter in because he used the good of Nature wel so that he deserved to come to this saving Grace by the help of initial grace Let Mr. Goodwins doctrine be considered where he denyes the word Supernaturall as formerly and his conclusions upon which we are all this while together with his explication of the Parable of the Talents and see wherein he differs from these here described Hilary relates it thus They agree that all men perished in Adam neither can any man thence be freeed by his owne free will But this they affirme to be agreeable to truth and meet to be preached that when the occasion or opportunity of obtaining salvation is declared to them that are utterly downe and never able by their owne strength to rise that by that merit whereby they may will and beleeve they may be healed of their disease and may obtain the increase of faith and the effect of their thorow holinesse But to begin any work much lesse to finish it they grant that no man is sufficient to himself Then he addes to this purpose That to beleeve and will their owne healing by Christ to seeke to the Phisitian for cure These things they number not amongst workes but these they will have to prevent the healing grace of Christ. Upon the relation made in these two Epistles Austin wrote his booke De praedestinatione sanctorum de bono perseverantiâ— where he with great strength and clearnesse refutes these opinions proving at large what Prosper briefly hints in his Epistle that in those reliques of the Pelagian pravity is nourished a strein of no mean virulency if the beginning of salvation shall be evilly placed in man If the will of man shal wickedly be preferred before the wil of God If therefore any man shall be aided because he would and not therefore he would because he was aided If he that is originally evill shall evilly be beleeved to begin the receiving of good not from the highest good but from himselfe If God be pleased from some other thing then what he hath given We have therefore thus shewed the severall states of the Pelagian Heresie that our new Pelagians the Arminians might be unmasked And because the Doctrine of Grace is so excellently cleared by Austin and some other Fathers against these sacrilegious Tenets I shal yet bring some things more out of their rich treasures Austin therefore lib. de praedestinatione sanctorum c. 2 thus states the Question That according to his adversaries faith is not given of God to us but it is encreased by God in us by that merit wherby it begun of us Against this he argues 1 Here they depart not from that Doctrine which Pelagius himselfe was forced to condemne in a Court of Bishops in Palestine to wit That the Grace of God is given according to our merits As though it belonged not to the Grace of God that we have begun to beleeve but rather belonged to his Grace which for our beginning is added to us that wee should beleeve more fully and perfectly and hence we in the first place give the beginning of faith to God that the fulfillings of it may be recompensed to us as likewise whatsoever else we faithfully aske But against this why doe we not rather heare Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced againe unto him for of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11. The beginning it selfe of our faith then of whom is it but of him for it is not this excepted of him are all the rest but of him and through him and to him are all things 2 Truly was it said of the Apostle To you it is given not onely to beleeve but to suffer for Christ he sheweth both to be the gifts of God because he saith both are given neither doth he say that yee might more fully and perfectly beleeve in him but that yee might beleeve in him 3 Neither did he say that himselfe had obtained mercy that he might be more faithfull but that he might be faithfull for he knew that he did not first give the beginning of his faith to God and had the increase thereof recompenced to him but by him was he made a beleever by whom he was made an Apostle For being averse from the faith which he wasted most vehemently adverse thereunto he is of a suddaine converted unto it by a more powerfull grace Nor only made of unwilling willing to beleeve but of a persecutor a sufferer in the defence of that faith which he did persecute For unto him it was given of Christ not only to beleeve on him but likewise to suffer for him And therefore commending that grace which is not given according to any merit but makes all good merits we saw formerly in how large a sence the Fathers understand this word Merit he saith 4 Not that wee are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Let them
opportunity of finishing those things which 〈◊〉 rightly desire A little after not a little â—…ssing this assertion of his own It is not easie 〈…〉 humane reason to discern how the Lord gives to 〈◊〉 that aske is found of those that seeke and câ—… unto those that knocke and againe is found of those that seeke not appeares openly amongst those who asked not for him Prosper Here as by an inscrutable diversity is a defiâ—ition brought in by which it is taught that â—any come to grace without grace and that some have this affection of asking seeking â—nd knocking by the watchfulnesse of free Wil which yet in others is with so great frowardâ—esse affirmed to be blinded as that it cannot â—e called back by any exhortations except it â—e brought over unwilling by the force of him â—hat drawes it as though this was not done â—y the whole worke of manifoldly-various grace in the minds of all that of unwilling â—hey are made willing This Disputer hath quickly forgotten his former definition c. Thou hast no fuller agreement neither with the Hereticks nor with the Catholicks that is the Orthodox they defend the beginnings of â—ree Will in all the righteous workes of men We beleeve the beginnings of good thoughts â—o come forth alwaies from God but how is â—t that thou doest not observe thy selfe to fall â—nto that damned opinion That whether thou wilt or not thou shalt be convinced to say â—hat the grace of God is given according to â—ur merits when some thing of a good worke from men themselves shall goe before as â—hou affirmest for which it shall obtaine grace Collator Neither yet doth any man injoy health when he would â—r is â—e freed from the disease of his sicknesse at the desire of his will Prosper Thou teachest therefore that a man cannot indeed of himselfe lay hold on health buâ— that he hath of himself the desire of health anâ— of his own accord only comes to the Phisitiaâ— and thâ—â— this very thing that he doth comâ— is not of the Physitian As though the soulâ— it selfe did not languish and she being soundâ— provided a remedy for her body But thâ— whole man by her and with her is fallen intâ— the depth of his misery where till she receivâ— the knowledge of her calamity by the Physâ—â—ian she delights to lye alwayes loving her errours and imbracing falsehood for truth whose first step to health is that she begin tâ— displease her selfe and to hate her old weaknesse the next that she desire to be healed and know by whom she is to be healed whicâ— things doe so go before her health that by hiâ— are they planted in her who is about to healâ— her Collator These two the Grace of God and Free Will seâ—â— indeed contrary the one to the other but they both agree together and that we ought to have an eye tâ— both alike we gather by the law of piety least withdrawing one of these from man we may seem to havâ— transgressed the rule of the Churches faith Prosper The Churches Rule is the Apostle publishing it No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost The Churches Rule is But what hast thou 〈◊〉 thou hast not received but if thou hast receiveâ— it why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not received it The Churches Rule is By the grace of God I 〈◊〉 that I am and his grace â—as not in vaine in me 〈◊〉 I laboured more thâ—n they all yet not I â—ut the â—…e of God which was with me And I have obâ—…ed mercy of the Lord to be faithfull The Churches Rule is That we have this treaâ—…t in earthen vessells that the excellency of the power â—…y be of God and not of us The Churches Rule is By grace yes are saved brough faith and that not of your selves it is the â—…ift of God not of workes least any man should â—…st The Churches Rule is In nothing be yee terriâ—…ed by your adversaries which is to them a cause of â—…erdition bâ—t to you of salvation and that from God â—…se to you it is giuen through Christ not onely to â—…eleeve in him but also to suffer for him The Churches Rule is Work out your owne salâ—…tion with feare and trembling for it is God that â—…orketh in you to will and to doe according to his good â—…easure The Churches Rule is Not that we are of our â—…elves sufficient to thinke any thing as of our selves â—…t our sufficiency is of God This Rule God establisheth saying No man 〈◊〉 come to me except it be given him of the father And All that the father hath given me shall come unto â—…e And Without me yee can do nothing And Yee â—…ave not chosen me but I have chosen you and no man â—…th known the father but the sonne and be to whom â—…e sonne will reveale him And As the father quickâ—…s the dead so the sonne quickens whom hee will And blessed art thou Simon Barjonah for flesh and â—…lood hath not revealed this to thee but my father which 〈◊〉 in heaven By this rule the Will is taken from â—…o man because the efficacy of grace workes not this in the wils of men that they be not bâ—… that of evill they be good and that of unbeâ—… leeving they be beleeving and they who weâ—… of themselves darknesse are made light in thâ—… Lord that which was dead is quickened that which was downe is raised that whicâ—… was lost is found This we beleeve the graâ—… of our Saviour doth in all men whomsoevâ—… who are delivered from the power of darknesse 〈◊〉 translated into the Kingdome of the Son of Gods lovâ—… without the exception of any person Collator When God sees us will to turne towards good 〈◊〉 meets us he directs us he strengthens us Prosper Who sees not this Doctrine assignes meriâ—… to free Will by which grace is prevented upoâ—… which grace waites as an hand-maid rendrinâ—… desert not bestowing a gift which doctrâ—… was in a Synod of Bishops in Palestine by Pelâ—… gius himselfe condemned with a curse foâ—… in him who begins to will good and desirâ—… to depart from iniquity and errours wâ—… professe the grace of God workes this veryâ—… thing Collator We are not to beleeve that God created man such 〈◊〉 one as that he never could will nor doe good for tâ—… would he not have permitted him a free will if he 〈◊〉 granted to him only to will and to be able to doe eviâ—… but neither to will nor to be able to doe good Prosper That the first Man was created upright without all sinne in whom the nature of alâ— men was created together there is no doubâ—… and that hee received such a free will that if he would not forsake the Lord assisting him he might persevere in that good which naturally he had received because he would and by the merit heare the large sence againe of this word
man that subsequent grace though in reference to that first grace whereby conversion was wrought it be subsequent yet in reference to all after gracious operations by man it is prevenient all along Secondly Operating and Co-operating operating the same with prevenient and cooperating the same with subsequent so that co-operation is on Gods part all along in reference to all gracious operations by man pre-operation and on mans part it is sub-operation Man all along depending upon the grace of God upon the inspiration of the holy Ghost so as the whole of every gracious operation and worke in and by man is of God and by man moving under the power and efficacy of the divine motion upon his understanding and will as the lower wheele under and by the motion of the higher the whole motion by both performed Thirdly Sufficient and effectuall not only sufficient or habituall grace is from God◠but Effectuall or acting grace upon the Will of man the Lord giving not onely a power to will but to will it selfe and to doe certainly and infallibly determining the will of man without all impeachment of its freedome nay raising it thereby to its greatest freedome being delivered from the bondage of sin and Satan by the son made free nay where ever there is sufficient grace to wit a power for saving operation there is likewise effectuall grace thence the operation it selfe certainly and infallibly Fourthly Common and peculiar grace Saving grace or grace of saving kind is common to all the regenerate and peculiar to them only this is evident from the last Adde hereto those celebrated doctrines against the Pelagians belonging to the doctrine of prevenient and subsequent operating and cooperating sufficient and effectuall grace 1. That the grace of God is not given according to mans merits That is takes no rise from any thing in man but is altogether free preventing all good and is the author of all good in man 2. That grace is given to every act a new inspiration of the holy Ghost upon the will of man for producing every holy operation in Man Adde further for perseveting grace that it depends upon election is a fruit of it and that the election of God and Grace thereon depending is meerly arbitrary no other account to be given thereof then meerly his will And herein thou mayst behold those remarkable doctrines of the Schools in the hands of the best Schoolmen 1 Concerning originall sinne that man by the fall was in the first man wholly dispoiled of supernaturals stript of the garments of grace which they have from Ambrose and sorely wounded in his naturals and then distinguishing the soule into a double region the higher that of the Understanding and Wil the lower that of the Sence and Appetite and distributing the sensuall Appetite into two Faculties the concupiscible we may call it the desiring faculty and the Irascible we may call it the attempting faculty They have found foure sore wounds in the soule of man by originall sin In the Understanding ignorance in the Will wickednesse in the Desiring Faculty whose proper vertue it is to be rightly affected towards things pleasing to sense Concupiscence viz. Inordinate desires after such things in the Attempting Faculty whose proper vertue it is to contend against evill and for good with wrastling against difficulties weaknesse 2 Concerning the Grace of God 1. That grace is the fruit of election 2. That the acceptation of grace is the fruit of election 3. That grace is the leader of the Will 4. That not onely exciting but aiding grace that is renewing and acting grace must be acknowledged 5. That the beginning of every good work 6. That the progresse of every good work 7. That the consummation of every good worke 8. That the whole of every good work is from God 9. That faith and every Theologicall or Christian vertue is by divine infusion and inspiration 10. That man cannot without the ayde of grace resist temptation one moment with many others of the like kind wholely agreeing with the doctrines of the Fathers formerly all edged Hence likewise we may observe the doctrine of the merit of congruity and that so highly extold by the Iesuites and Arminians that he that doth what lyes in him by the strength of nature towards eternal life Mr. Goodwins owne doctrine in that paragraph we have been upon all this while shall thereby obtaine grace at the hands of God are one and the same and both of them one with that of Pelagius and for which he hath past for an Heretick this one thousand two hundred yeares that grace is given according to merits and thus by the best of the School-men is this Doctrine censured Reader these things and much more if thou beest any thing attentive thou mayest in this Discourse observe excellently cleared and strongly proved by Austin Prosper and the Fathers in the fore-mentioned councells I have now done with this Paragraph as for that saying of Chrysostome with which hee concludes here it is true but impertinent It is the property of a soule unreasonable and unworthy not to beleeve but such are the soules of all natural men CHAP. XIII Goodwin SEcondly Whereas it was objected that men in their naturall estates are by the Scriptures termed darknesse and in this respect presented as unable to comprehend the light of the Gospell I answer there is in the controversies about the extent and efficacy of the grace of God vouchsafed unto men as great abuse of the word Naturall and so of the word Supernaturall a terme not found in the Scriptures either formally or vertually as there is of the word Orthodox in this and many others The Scripture knoweth not the word Naturall in any such sense or signification where in it should expresse or distinguish the unregenerate estate of a man from the regenerate Our Translators indeed render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture adjoyning of which a 〈◊〉 presently the naturall man but quo jure nondum liquet And however the whole carriage of the context round about maketh it as clear as the light as I have elsewhere argued and proved at large that it is not the unregenerate man but the weake Christian that is there spoken of and termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a little after in the same contexture of discourse he is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a babe or youngling in Christ. If therefore by the naturall estate of men the objection meaneth the unregenerate state of men according to the whole compasse and extent of it and under all the differences which it admitteth I absolutely deny that the Scripture any where termeth naturall men darknesse Resbury 1 The word Naturall and so Supernaturall is as much abused as the word Orthodox that is they are both rightly used in the sense which he opposeth 2 How vainly he quarrells at the translation of the word 〈◊〉
I try this touch-stone I answer By it selfe as the rule by reason as the eye enlightned and guided by this rule according to the Grammar and the Logick of it He objects That it is impossible to prove the truth or disprove an errour meerly by the Scriptures because still the question will be about the sence of the Scripture I answer By the Scripture alone as the rule by reason as making use of this rule but so as in making use thereof it be guided by this rule and resolves all conclusions into the authority of this rule is the truth to be proved or errours disproved and the sence of whatsoever controverted text discussed and cleared As for that which you adde about irrationall last and grating upon reason c. for as much as you doe not object reason to the Word but oppose it thereunto and advance it there-above and will have reason the touch-stone of the Word beside and above the Word you shew your selfe as formerly a most impure and prophane Socinian by all good men to be abhor'd and whilst you plead so much for reason you are a man mad with reason no way solving those difficulties which you pretend upon supposition that the Scripture shall be the touch-stone for let us suppose reason the touch-stone must you not be at the same losse your adversary denying that to be according to the principles and grounds of reason which you affirme to be according to them But here is no such difficulty as you pretend for allowing the Scripture the Touch-stone you shall by some Scripture-truthes wherein both your selfe and adversary agree cleare the controverted text and resute his errours about it that he must either yeeld to the truth therein or deny what he affirmed and overthrow his owne foundations Goodwin The reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace from whence it appeares that God is not divided in himselfe or contradictious to himselfe so as to write or assert that in one Booke as in that of the Scriptures which he denieth or opposeth in another as viz. That of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Resbury A doughty reason God is not the Author of confusion true but man is who hath so corrupted his reason as he hath night for a vision and gropes in the darke like a blinde man It is one thing what God wrote upon the nature of Man in his Creation who made man upright another thing what man hath written upon his owne nature by the Fall who hath found out to himselfe many inventions what the Devill likewise hath written upon his minde by deluding suggestions You may remember formerly a peice of discourse much like this of yours by your elder Brother the Collator with whom Prosper hath to doe confounding the state of Man by Creation with his condition since the Fall and Prospers answer to him It is admirable to see how the same spirit that possest Pelagius and his Disciples of old speakes the same things and useth the same Arguments in Mr. Goodwin One borne out of due time so many Ages after In the praise of five things did they craftily couch their sacrilegious Doctrine at so great enmity with the Grace of God as Aug. observes Lib. 3. contra duas Epist. Pelagian viz. In the praise of the Creature of Marriage of the Law of Free-will and of the Saints How oft doe we heare Mr. Goodwin extolling man and the noble faculties of reason understanding c. in man and here from the Law of Nature and from the Wisdome of God hee thinkes to extoll the reason of blinde corrupt wretched selfe-confounded man against the Grace of God I hinted to you before what a faire offer you made against Originall sinne I beleeve your Doctrine about it is That it is wholly taken off from man by that glorious vouchsafement of light you told us of by Iesus Christ to every one that comes into this world but your darknesse about that light and the darknesse of Man-kinde about things of the Spirit of God that light notwithstanding we have lately seen As for the fleshly tables of the heart we know no such but in the regenerate when the Lord shall have taken away the heart of stone and given an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. You may remember how Austin concludes hence as formerly we alledged him that the will of man is wholly adverse and inflexible unto good before the effectuall and peculiar worke of regeneration and where then shall be that provoking and stirring up of reason understanding c. you tell us of so often in the Naturall man We told you before how ill-pleasing it was to you to hold fast the for me of found words I doe not wonder at it it is not for your advantage I perceive if we might have a new Scripture see forth by your superlative reason we should have the text much altered for the Tabernaâ—le of David the Tabernacle of Adam for the heart of stone the fleshly tables of the heart Goodwin Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Master Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speakes of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the 〈…〉 of coâ—â—on reason and of that knowledge of God which may be obtained by the light of Nature In 〈◊〉 â—…ing of his â—e â—â—â—arly supposeth That whatâ—… should be taught by any in the mysterious and high pâ—…ts of Predistination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. The disagreement of it with the câ—…on grounds of reason and of that knowledge of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men if himselfe had kept close to this Principle of his owne in drawing up his judgement in the point of Predostination the world had received a fâ—rre diffâ—ring and better account from his â—en of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were That the heights and depths of Religion for so we may call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c. 〈◊〉 nothing in them but what agrees with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Diâ—â—ates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of reason Resbury For Master Perkins his Testimony and your Descant upon it you doe but wander 1. He builds the doctrine of Predestination upon the Word of God in opposition to the judgements of men his words are these The Doctrine of Predestination and of the Grace of God is to be built
being little but impertenencies beside what hath been answered before we shall therefore touch upon such things as are observable and as the Case shall require insist sometimes more largely Object 1. That he teacheth the possibility of the Saints finall Apostacy he teacheth more then the possibility thereof so that it many times comes to passe for answer hereto he refers to the ninth Chapter of his Book but the judicious Reader will finde there as every where else nothing but Errours Object 2. That he exalts nature to the prejudice of free grace he answers hereto as followeth which we shall set downe in his owne words as formerly we have done because this is a passage that requires distinct Examination and then accordingly examine it Goodwin Concerning the Grace of God and the freenesse thereof I hold and teach nothing but what fayrely and fully accords with these positions 1. That the originall or first spring of the salvation of the world and so of every particular person that comes to be saved was in and from the Grace the free Grace and good pleasure of God 2. That the whole method or systeme of the Councels by which and according to which God effecteth and bringeth to passe the salvation of all that are saved did proceed wholly and entirely from the same grace and good pleasure 3. And more particularly That the gift of Jesus Christ for a Mediatour and Saviour unto the world and so the Grant or Promise of Iustification and salvation unto men by or upon beleeving issued solely and wholly from the same grace 4. That men by nature and of themselves i. e. Considered in and under such a condition as they were brought into by Adam and wherein they should have subsisted in Case they had ever been borne and lived in the world Had not the free grace of God in Christ interposed to relieve them and better their Condition have no strength or power not the least inclination or propension of wil to doe any thing little or much acceptable unto God or of a saving import 5. That notwithstanding this restauration or healing of the naturall condition of man by the free grace of God yet there is not one of a thousand possibly not one throughout the whole world but so farre corrupts himselfe with the lusts of the flesh and wayes of the world that without a second reliefe from the free grace of God as viz. in his patience and long suffering towards him ever comes to repent or beleeve or to persevere beleeving and so to be saved 6. That it is from the free and undeserved grace of God that any person of man-kind is so much as put into a Capacity of beleeving or hath power and meanes vouchsafed unto him sufficient to enable him to beleeve 7. That a man is put into this capacity of beleeving by an irresistable acting or working of the free grace of God 8. That when any man by vertue of the power and meanes vouchsafed unto him by the free grace of God comes actually to beleeve the exercise and acting of this power proceeds also from the free grace and good pleasure of God so that no man ever beleeveth without a present and actuall assistance from the free grace of God in order to this his beleeving over and above his ability or power to beleeve 9. And lastly That the Act of beleeving whensoever it is performed by any man is so inconsiderably and at so low a rate of efficiency from a mans selfe that to helpe apprehension a little in the case suppose the Act of beleeving could be divided into a thousand parts or degrees nine hundred ninety and nine of them are to be ascribed unto the free grace of God and onely the one remaining unto man yea this one degree of the Action is no otherwise neither to be ascribed unto man then as gratiously supported strengthened and assisted by the free grace of God The Reader will finde none of these Positions contradicted by any thing affirmed or denyed in the di course I attribute as much as possible can be attributed to the free grace of God in and about the Act of beleeving salving the attributablenesse of the action unto man himselfe in the lowest and most diminutive sence that can well be conceived It is man that beleeves not God therefore so much efficiency about it must be left to man as may give it denomination of being his Resbury Reader one word in generall doth not he seeme to speake fairely for grace here but never did any man play more fast and loose with sound and sense of his doctrin then this Author doth how Orthodox soever any of these positions may be in their sound not any one of them is so in the sense by him intended Read over his-first Position and his second which are very generall the third where thou hast some explication of the former then add the sixt and thou hast a further explication they all together come to this That God of his meer good pleasure appointed that all beleevers should be saved by Jesus Christ that of the same good pleasure or grace he gave Jesus Christ for the world that by him all men are in their naturall generation put into a Capacity of beleeving and have means sufficient afforded them for salvation that in all this God hath an equall respect of grace to all men By this time then thou mayst discerne how different this grace which he teacheth is from that Grace which the Scriptures teach viz. 1. That God chose from all eternity by a speciall Decree of peculiar grace the persons of those unto salvation who in the end are saved this Decree wherein the grace of it appeares not founded upon Faith or Workes or any thing in Man foreseen but meerly upon his owne good will and pleasure that according to this Decree he gave them to Christ and Christ for them by his Redemption to bring them certainly to salvation that of the same meere grace he doth in his owne time effectually call them thereby discriminating them in their actuall state and condition as formerly he had in his Councel from the rest of men in their Call uniting them to Christ blessing them with all spirituall blessings in him to the effectuall obtainment of salvation 2. It is such grace as which notwithstanding the greatest number of persons by farre to whom it belongs perish everlastingly for he makes it equally belong to all the world the greatest part whereof by far I thinke he will not deny perisheth For the fourth Position The sinne and misery of Mans condition in Adam is meerly notionall He doth not allow that one man living is in that condition by his naturall conception and birth whereas the Scriptures teach and with them the Fathers against the Pelagian heresie that all men are borne in that condition and remaine therein till they be regenerate by the peculiar grace of God as we have formerly seen at large