reason which God hath planted in them cannot but beleeve and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel and repentance he requires before faith as is evident in that passage of his God cals upon all men every where to repent and so to beleeve if they cannot but beleeve and that they may beleeve they must repent then from this knowledge in the Naturall mans power both faith and repentance necessarily ensue That this knowledge is in the power of the Naturall man according to his Doctrine is evident because the Objection and Answer is about the Naturall man whence he inferres this conclusion Now for answer here is the fallacy he confounds that knowledge which may be in the Naturall man with that which cannot be but in the Spirituall There is a two-fold knowledge about Spirituall things The 1 Naturall 2 Spirituall The former Historical or of Logical apprehension of Propositions rather then of things or of Propositions only distinctly of things contained in the Propositions confusedly and afar off as when a man reads an History of persons places c. but sees them not with his eye The latter Iniuitivè or of Spirituall Vision the things themselves in the light of the Spirit beheld as it were by Vision distinctly and at hand the former like that knowledge which the Queene of Sheba had of Salomon in her own Country only by heare-say the latter like that which she had of him at Ierusalem by the sight of her eyes 1. King 10. 4 5 6 7. then she beleeved then she admired not till then This is the knowledge whence springs faith and repentance and this is peculiar to the Saints 1 Ephes. 17 18. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Mat. 16. 17. CHAP. V. Goodwin YEa and evident it is from the Scriptures that men act beneath themselves are remisse and slothfull in awaking 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 Pray for us saith Paul so the Thessalonians that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evill men for all men have not faith By unreasonable or as the word signifyeth absurd and evill men he plainly meaneth not men who naturally or in actu primo were unreasonable such as those were not like to endanger him or to obstruct the course of the Gospel but such as were unreasonable Actu secundo that is persons who acted contrary to the light and principles of reason and hereby became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 industriously evill or wicked that there were such persons as these abroad in the world he gives this account For all men have not faith which clearly implyeth 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 To this purpose that passage in Chrysostome is memorably worthy As to beleeve the Gospel is the part of a raised and nobly ingenuous soule so on the contrary not to beleeve is the property of a soule most unreasonable and unworthy and depressed or bowed downe so the soâ—â—ishnesse of bruit beasts Resbury Reader here we must grapple close with him observe in his owne words what here he saith about the understanding of the Naturall man and his power to make use of it for repenting and beleeving now one of these two he must needs affirme either that he may so use his naturall understanding as thence without any peculiar and higher worke of the Spirit of God he may repent and beleeve or rather he must or else upon such use of it as he may make he shall certainly receive such a worke of the Spirit upon his soule as thence not only may but must faith and repentance be produced whether of these he affirmes I charge it with 1. Evident falshood 2. With Pelagianisme First for the falshood of both these I shall use only foure Arguments to evince it I. From the doctrine of Naturall corruption If we be not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to thinke a good thought If there be none in the state of naturall corruption that understands that seekes after God If that that is borne of the flesh be flesh If in this flesh there dwels no good thing If the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God but they are foolishnesse unto him neither can know them because they are Spiritually discerned If the flesh and the lustings thereof be contrary to the Spirit and the lustings thereof If in the regenerate with the flesh the Law of sinne is served in opposition to the minde serving the Law of God If vaine man though he would faine be wise yet is borne like a wilde Asses Colt If the naturall man be dead in trespasses and sins If he be darknesse If the minding of the flesh be enmity against God If it be not subject to the Law of God neither can be so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God then in neither of those sences is faith and repentance in the Naturall mans power But the Antecedent or the former is true Therefore the Consequent or the latter As for those frivolous exceptions which you have against some of these particulars concerning naturall corruption we shall blow them away when we come to them for they are light chaffe II. From the Doctrine of the Naturall mans subjection to Satan If Satan be the Prince of the world the god of the world If the course of the world in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh be according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that workes effectually in the children of disobedience If Satan the strong man have such possession of the Naturall man as without the peculiar worke of the Holy Ghost as the stronger he cannot be dispossest Then is not repentance and faith in either of the two named sences in the power of the naturall man But the former is true Therefore the latter III. From the subjection of the Naturall man to the Law as the Covenant of Workes If in this estate of naturall corruption and subjection to the Devill therein all Naturall men be under the Law as the Covenant of Workes and the Law only reveales sinne and wrath stirres up and increaseth finne but gives no strength against it When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the Law did worke in our members Rom. 7. 5. Sin tooke occasion by the Commandement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence ver 11. Then as formerly But the former is here true likewise Therefore the latter IV. From the Doctrine of Regeneration If Regeneration be as the word sounds a New Birth a birth of the Spirit in opposition to the naturall Birth as the birth of the Flesh a birth not of bloud nor of the will
up out of the Word of God and not out of the judgements of men Then he addes out of Hilary God cannot be knowne but by God of God must we learne whatsoever we are to understand concerning him because no otherwise is it knowne then by him as the Author After this he adds further It is requisite likewise that this Doctrine agree with the naturall knowledge of God and the Principles of common understanding such as these and then layes downe divers Now whereas you make a double inference hence I Concerning the Doctrine of Predestination it selfe 2 Concerning all other Doctrines not so high and mysterious I will returne for answer to you your owne Arminius's words to this Proposition of Mr. Perkins viz. Against this I contend not only let this be added where we cannot agree about these common notions by reason of darknesse over-spreading our mindes and the weakenesse and diversity of humane judgements which thou rejectest saith he to Perkins there let us have recourse to the first the Word of God for the definitive and peremptory suffrage as that which is above all other You see here 1. Arminius himself utterly turning his back of that Doctrine which your inference pleads for you will have the Doctrine of Predestination tried ultimately at the barre of Reason he at the Scripture barre 2 His reason for it whereas we heare from you of nothing but light shining from God upon the hearts of men and the great capacity of that noble faculty of reason in man so frequently boasted of He acknowledgeth such darknesse over-spreading the mindes of men as common notions and mens judgement ac-according thereto are not to be rested in but from them to the Word of God must the appeale be made for finall determination Goodwin It was the saying of Augustine That God hath bowed downe the Scriptures to the capacity of Babes and Sucklings Tertullian hath much upon this account to excellent purpose in one place speaking of the Soule being yet simple rude and unfurnished with any acquired knowledge either from the Scripture or other Institution he demands why it should be strange that being given by God it should speake out or sing the same things the knowledge whereof God giveth to his Children not long after he admonisheth the Gentiles that neither God nor Nature lye and thereupon that they may beleeve both God and Nature wisheth them to beleeve their owne Soules A little after he saith that the Soule he speakes of hath the words and therefore the inward sences and impressions of Christians whom notwithstanding it wisheth that it might never beare or see Elsewhere having mentioned some expressions of affinity with the Scriptures as oft coming out of the mouths of Heathen he triumphs over them as it were with this acclamation O the testimony of a soule naturally Christian nor doth Calvin himselfe say any thing lesse then all this when he saith That God hath implanted or inwardly put the seed of Religion in the mindes of men doubtlesse the seed sympathizeth richly with that body which springs and growes from it But these things by the way All impressions all principles of Light and Truth which are found written in the hearts and consciences of men are here written by the finger of God himselfe therefore what Spirit or Doctrine soever symbolizeth in notion and import with these or any of them must of necessity be of the same parentage and descent with them there being no originall parent or father of light and truth but God onely And on the contrary what doctrine or spirit soever putteth any of these principles to sorrow or shame and doth not lovingly comport with them hereby declare themselves to be of a spurious and ignoble race As Christ reasoned with the Jewes If God were your Father yee would love me For I proceed forth and come from God but because they bated him he concluded them to be the children of the devill Resbury As for your testimonies out of Austin Tertullian and Calvin you do but make use of your old fallacy from the part to the whole the Scripture is in some things bowed down to the capacity of babes is it in all things so all milke no strong meat Did Austin thinke the Reason of man competent to search out and give a reason of all Scripture truths this by name about Predestination and the execution thereof let us heare himselfe upon this Argument De verbis Apostol Serm. 11. The Potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessell to honour another to dishonour wilt thou dispute with me nay wonder with me cry out with me O the depth of the riches let us both agree in feare that we perish not in error Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Search things unsearchable doe things impossible corrupt things incorruptible see things invisible his judgements are unsearchable let it suffice thee and his waies past finding out So 〈◊〉 Teriâ—…ians testimonies the soule hath the â—…owledge of some things impressions of some â—hings belonging to Christians but you may 〈◊〉 soon get oyle out of a flint as out of these testimonies wring your Conclusion That all Divine Truths may be knowne by the naturall man by reason of their agreement with the dictates of the naturall understanding as it is now in the state of mankind since the fall For Calviâ—… his seed of religion you would faine discourse into fruit but your Discourse is neither the shining of the Sun nor rain from heaven upon it 1 The seeds of some truths are writ upon the heart of man as knowledge but these of the Law not of the Gospell the Wisdome of God hid in a mystery c. flesh and blood hath not revealed c. No man can say Iesus is the Lord but by the spirit the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God neither can doe c. What man knowes the things of man c. the spirit of God not of the World c. The Naturall man darknesse through corruption by Satan further darkened 2 The knowledge he hath by nature of those things of the law is very obscure evanid and clouded with many errors and those invincible otherwise then as by the discovery of the word diligently consulted 3 The highest knowledge the Naturall man can attaine to with whatsoever helpe of the Word of God without the renewing and peculiar worke of the spirit vouchsafed onely to the Saints whereby they become such is but historicall not intuitive of logicall apprehension not of spirituall vision and therefore such a knowledge as is a great stranger to faith and repentance 4 All saving fruit of this knowledge is utterly prevented and the tendency of it to eternal life stifled choaked and perverted in every natural or unregenerate soule and therefore how richly soever the seed sympathizeth with the body
the Epistle to the Philippians chap. 2. and how saith he shall that of the Apostle stand It is God that workes in us both to will and to doe Then that he might as it were answer this objection which he saw so vehemently against his opinion going on he addes He works in us to will what is good to wil what is holy whilst he inflames us who are addicted to earthly things after the manner of the dumb beasts loving only the things present with the greatnesse of the glory to come and with promise of rewards whilst by the revelation of wisdom hee stirs up the listlesse Will to desire after God whilst he exhorts us to all that is good To the same purpose c. 7. and c. 41. 2 What Austine requires in his answer hereto when he had first discovered his subtlety that all that he intends here by revelation of wisdome and exhortation may be nothing else but according to his former doctrine the law of God and doctrine of his word as all that Mr. Goodwin means by his concession of grace is nothing but what is natural He addes But no such grace will we owne Let him at length acknowledge that grace whereby the greatnesse of the glory to come is not onely promised but is withall beleeved and hoped for nor only is wisdom revealed but withall it is beloved nor onely is all that is good exhorted to but perswaded for all have not faith who by the Scriptures hear the Lord promising the Kingdome of heaven neither are all perswaded who are exhorted that they would come to him who saith Come unto me all yee that labour But who they are that have faith and who are perswaded to come to him hee hath showne clearly enough where he saith No man can come unto me except the father draw him and a little after where he speakes of unbeleevers I have said unto you saith he that no man can come to me except it be given him of the father Iohn 6. 44. and 65. This grace Pelagius must confesse if hee will not only be called but likewise be a Christian Hearken to this Mr. Goodwin least your Christianity be called into question And chap. 12. speaking of the same grace by this grace saith he we not only know what to do but we do what we know nor only doe we beleeve what we should love but we love what we beleeve Then he goes on chap. 13. If this grace must be called doctrine let it be so called but so as that we beleeve that God poures it into the soul more deeply and inwardly by an unspeakable sweetnesse not only by those who plant and water outwardly but also by himselfe who gives the increase in secret so as not only to shew the truth but to bestow love For so doth God teach those who are called according to his purpose giving at once both to know what they should doe and to doe what they know whence the Apostle to the Thessalonians 1 Epistle 4. 9. But concerning brotherly love yee neede not that I write unto you for yee are taught of God to love one another And that hee might prove that they were taught of God he addes presently And indeed yee doe it towards all the brethren which are in Macedonia Shewing this to be a most certaine evidence that they are taught of God if they dâ—e what they are taught After this manner Are all taught who are called according 〈◊〉 purpose as it is written in the Prophets They shall all be taught of God But hee that knowes what he ought to doe and doth it not hath not yet learned of God according to Grace but according to the Law not according to the Spirit but according to the Letter Then chap. 14. speaking of the same effectuall teaching of grace Of this manner of teaching saith he the Lord sayes Every one who hath heard and learned of the father comes to me whosoever therefore hath not come it is not rightly said of him he hath heard indeed and learned that he should come but he will not doe what hee hath learned In no wise is it rightly said of that manner of teaching whereby God teaches through grace For if as the truth speakes every one who hath learned comes whosoever comes not hee hath not learned but who sees not that each one comes and comes not by the liberty of the will but this liberty may be alone if it comes not but if it come assisted it must be and so assisted as not onely that it may know what is to bee done but that likewise it may doe what it knowes And hence when God teacheth not by the letter of the Law but by the grace of the spirit he so teacheth that what any one hath learned he doth not onely see by knowing but also desire by willing and performe by doing and by that divine manner of teaching even the Will it selfe and the operation it selfe not onely the naturall possibility of willing and working is assisted For if onely our power was helped by grace the Lord would have said thus Every one who hath heard and learned of the father may or can come to me but hee saith not so but dâ—th come to me A power of coming Pelagius places in Nature or even as he hath now begun to speake in Grace of what kind soever he accounts it by which as he saith the possibility it self is helped but to come is now in the will and the worke But it followes not that hee that can come doth come except he will it and doe it But every one who hath learned of the father not onely can come but doth come where there is now both the advance of possibility and the affection of the will and the effect of the action Reader It is easie for thee to observe from these testimonies out of this most learned and pious Father how powerfull upon the will how effectuall in the worke how infallible how peculiar the grace of God is according to what I affirmed before and all with cleare evidence and much strength of Scripture made good But indeed this great assertion of Grace doth so abound in this doctrine which he doth most strenuously maintain that it is very hard to make an end of quotations out of him not so much for his authority as for his demonstration by Scripture and his singular excellency in discussing it Wee shall adde a little more and but a little In his booke de gratiâ— lib. arbitr c. 16. It is certain that when we will we will but it is he who makes us to will what is good of whom it is said that the will is prepared of the Lord of whom it is said It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do It is certaine that when we doe we doe but he makes us to doe affording most effectuall strength to the will who hath said I will make you to
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 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
of truth but into some deficiency neglect or incogitancy of his owne which he might very possibly have prevented or over-come But Resbury For the summe of this Paragraph concerning the Philosophers and Heretiques you say in the first place That though they were able to apprehend the things of the Gospell yet doth it not follow that they must but 1. We have seene that no Naturall man is able 2. Finde one that ever did advance his reason to apprehend the Gospell-Mystery without the Spirit of illumination revealing it by the Word if not one then none could for from the Universall deniall of the Act to the deniall of the Power the consequence is undeniable 3. Whether might those Philosophers according to your apprehension without the word of the Gospell have found out in the Booke of the Creature the Gospell-Mystery or might they so improve their reason about inquiry after God That thereupon he must send his Word unto them thereby enlightening them whether soever of these you take you fall into the Relagian Heresie as we often formerly evinced against your Discourse of the same batch with this As for your instance of men bewitched with a corrupt desire of drawing Disciples after them and speaking perverse things pardon me if I be apt to beleeve that you speake feelingly and from selfe-experience 2 You teach that men must bend their minds and intentions to Gospel-enquiries that they may have the knowledge thereof T is true so doth the Spirituall man But the Naturall man wants Principles for bending his minde thereto as discerning nothing worthy in them and his heart 's set against them 3 You say That God punishing the Philosophers for their unthankfulnesse addicting themselves to other things c. their foolish heart was darkned this is true too but the conclusion you ayme at here scil that therefore they were able to have addicted themselves to Gospel-enquiries is both false and Pelagian as hath been proved before as supposing that man is able to performe all his duty As for Hereticks it is true you say They are led aside by some uncleane Spirit therefore must I alwayes suspect an Heretick though his conversation be never so specious to be but a whited Sepulchre whereas in the close of this Section you say That whatsoever any mans errour c. be it is not to be imputed to deficiency on Gods part in the vouchsafement of meanes I answer deficiency sounds culpably and therefore not to be imputed to God but evident it is that God doth not yet without deficiency vouchsafe the necessary meanes of Gospel-knowledge to many denying his Word to more his Spirit who have no more nor otherwise deserved this deniall then those to whom he affords both who is sought of those that asked not for him and found of those that sought him not of whom it is as of him that shewes mercy not of him that wills nor of him that runs Goodwin Secondly concerning the Spirit of God by which alone and in opposition to reason many affirme and teach That the things of God and matters of Religion are to be apprehended discerned and knowne I answer that such an Opinion as this is a conceit as uncouth as â—ulpably weake and ill-coherent with it selfe as lightly can be for if only the Spirit of God within me apprehends the things of God and I my selfe apprehend them not and apprehend them I cannot but by my reason or understanding having no other faculty where with to apprehend or conceive them such an apprehension of them relateth not at all unto me nor can I any whit be said the more to apprehend them because the Spirit of God apprehends them in me then I may or might in case the same Spirit should apprehend them in another man That which another man meditates or indicts in my house without imparting it unto me no whit more concernes me then in case be should have meditated or indicted the same in the house of another man Besides the Spirit of God being but one and the same infinite and invisible Spirit in all men he cannot with any tolerable propriety of speech nor with truth be said to apprehend discern and concerve that in one man which he doth not after the same manner apprehend discerne and conceive in another yea in every man therefore if there be any thing more apprehended or discerned of the things of God in one man then in another the difference ariseth not from the different apprehensions of the Spirit in these men but from the different apprehensions of these men themselves and this by their owne reasons and understandings they having as hath been said no other faculties principles or abilities where-with to apprehend but these Resbury You affirme here That many teach that by the Spirit of God alone in opposition to reason in man the things of God are apprehended who those many are or one of those many I know not the Doctrine of your knowne Adversaries is That by mans reason are the things of God apprehended but that they may be savingly so reason must be Spiritually enlightned and the whole soule sanctified and that by preventing and differencing Grace so that all you say further in this Section are wast words you may make great webs if you spin thus plentifully yet when all is done they will be but Cobwebs CHAP. XV. Goodwin IF it be demanded But is any man able without the presence and assistance of the spirit of God to discern the things of God or to judge aright the matters of Religion I answer 1 Plainely and directly to the heart I suppose of these who make this demand No The spirit of God hath such a great interest in and glorious super-intendency over the Mindes and Spirits Reasons and Understandings of men that they cannot act or move regularly or performe any of these operations or functions that are most naturall and proper to them upon any worthy or comely termes especially in matters of a spirituall concernment but by the gracious and loving interposure and helpe of the spirit for questionlesse the intellectuall frame of the heart and soul of man was by the sin and fall of Adam wholly dissolved shattered brought to an absolute Chaos confusion of ignorance and darknesse to a condition of as great impotency to doe him the least service in order to his comfort or peace in any kind as can be imagined So that if the Reasons and Understandings of men quit themselves in their actings or workings with honour or with any due proportion to their benefit comfort or peace it must needs be by meanes of that gracious conjunction of the spirit of God with them which is a veuchsafement unto the children of men procured by him who raised up the Tabernacle of Adam when it was fallen Iesus Christ blessed for ever in respect of which vouchsafement purchased by him and given unto men for his sake he is said to in lighten every man coming into the
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
least of these great and most important commands in any due manner but by interressing my Reason Iudgement and Understanding and this throughly and effectually in and about the performance The truth is I stand bound in duty and conscience towards God and in faithfulnesse to mine owne soule neither to beleeve any thing at all as coming from God which I have not or may have a very substantiall ground in Reason to beleeve commeth indeed from him nor yet to doe any thing at all as commanded by him unlesse there be a like ground in Reason to perswade me that it is indeed his command Resbury Many waste words still according to your manner One passage or two we must call to account 1. God commands you you say in such and such precepts to rise up in the might of your Reason c. Wee heare in Scripture of the weaknesse of Reason as to the things of God not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought c. We hear of the might of the Word Preached to cast down the strong holds and reasonings in man against the things of God But where this mighty Reason dwels I would willingly aske Mr. Goodwin but that I feare he will send mee Racovia 2. Nothign may you beleeve as comming from God which you have not very substantiall ground in Reason to beleeve commeth from him the like for obedience to his Commands If you meant Reason enlightened and sanctified by the Word and Spirit thence beleeving upon the authority of the Word your meaning was the same with theirs whom you oppose but your meaning is Reason by its own light receiving or rejecting the Word it selfe according as such and such Doctrines are above or not above contrary or agreeable to the apprehensions of the Naturall man as wee have clearly found you out formerly and to this you have been answered over and over according as your tautology hath given occasion Goodwin I confesse good Reader I have presumed at somewhat an unreasonable rate upon thy patience in detaining thee so long with the Argument yet in hand But the sense of that unconceiveable mischiefe and misery which I most certainly know have been brought upon the World Christian at least in our Quarters of it and which lyes sore upon it at this day by meanes of the reigning of this Notion and Doctrine amongst us That men ought not to use but lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion lyeth so intolerable sad and heavy upon my spirit that I could not relieve my selfe to any competent degree with saying lesse then what hath been said to relieve the world by hewing in sunder such a snare of death cast upon it most assuredly all the ataxies disorders confusions seditions insurrections all the errors blasphemous opinions apostaâ—ies from the truth and wayes of holinesse all trouble of mind and sad workings of conscience in me all unrighteousnesse and injustice all bribery and oppression all un-man-like selfe-seeking and prevaricating with publique interests and trusts all covetousnesse and deceit and whatsoever can be named in this world obstructive destructive to the present comfort and peace to the future blessednesse and glory of the sons and daughters of men proceed and spring from this one root of bitternesse and of death they neglect to advance and ingage home their Reasons Iudgements Understandings in matters of Religion to imploy and improve them according to their proper interests and capacities in these most important affaires Resbury Your tongue is your owne in way of apology for your wandring discourse hitherto you tell us of the deep apprehensions you had of that unconceiveable mischiefe c. brought upon the world by that doctrine That men must lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion a meer Hob-goblin of your own making that you may have somthing to pelt at How Reason is to be laid aside and how not we have shewed distinctly formerly not as you represent as if men should look at it as their duties to be Ideots and mad men in seeking into the things of God As for those Ataxies c. hence they are That men have been so bold to oppose their owne corrupt reasonings against the word of God instead of following the light and guidance of it and captivating their fleshly reason to the Doctrines of Faith Goodwin O Reader my mouth is open unto thee my heart is enlarged now for a recompence in the same I speake unto thee as a deare Brother in Christ be thou also enlarged say unto the world round about thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light doubtlesse the world should soone finde it self in another manner of posture then now it is and see the whole Hemisphere of it filled with the glorious light of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ if the inhabitants thereof every man from his quarters would be perswaded to rise up in the might of his abilities those heavenly endowments of reason judgement understanding wherewith God by Jesus Christ hath re-invested them to seeke after him by enquiring diligently into by weighing narrowly all those things as workes of Creation workes of Providence inscriptions upon the Soule and especially the sacred word of extraordinary revelation wherein and whereby God hath drawne neare unto men and as it were prepared postured and fitted himselfe on purpose to be found and knowne and this as well in the excellency of his Grace as of his Glory by all those who upon these termes seeke after him The time was when the Spirit was not given because Christ was not glorified in Heaven the time now is wherein the Spirit is not given unto the world according to the preparations and royall bounties and magnificence of Heaven because he is not glorified on earth by the worthy imployment of the meanes abilities opportunities vouchsafed unto men the Word of God makes it one argument of the wickednesse and sensuall wayes of men that they have not the Spirit yea the Apostle Paul by charging the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit clearly supposeth it to be a sensuall straine of a voluntary unworthinesse in men if they have not a very rich and plentifull anoynting of the Spirit Resbury A word or two to this wordy Paragraph 1 Say unto the world awake c. Say you to your Reader But for as much as this sleep is the sleep of death as is here evident in that the waking from it is standing up from the dead where is now that mighty Reason Understanding Judgement you have so often told us of as here again you doe in the naturall man 2 The time now is you say wherein the spirit is not given unto the world according to the preparations of the royall bounty and magnificence of heaven because c. this is as formerly we have seen at large the Pelagian doctrine so famously branded that grace is given according to our merits the Popish doctrine of the