CHAP. I.

THe soule of man, by reason of the corruption of nature, is not only Ephes. 4. 18. Iohn 1. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 14. darkened, with a mist of ignorance, whereby he is dis-inabled, for the comprehending of divine truth, but is also armed, with Iohn. 6. 42. and 7. 52. Natura sic appa­ret vitiata ut hoc majoris vitii sit, non videre: Aug. prejudice and opposition, against some parts thereof, which are ei­ther, most above, or most contrarie, to some false principles, which he hath framed unto himselfe. As a desire of selfe-sufficiencie, was the first cause of this infirmitie, so a conceit thereof, is that where with he still languisheth, nothing doth he more contend for, then an indepen­dencie of any supreme power, which might either helpe, hin­der, or controll him, in his actions. This is that bitter root, Pelag: Semipelag. Scholastico. from whence have sprung, all those heresies, and wretched contenti­ons, which have troubled the Church; concerning the power of man in working his owne happinesse, and his exemption, from [Page 2] the over-ruling providence of Almightie God. All which wrangling disputes of carnall reason, against the word of God: come at last to this head, whether the first and chiefest part, In hac causa non judicant secun­dum aequitatem, sed secundum af­fectum commo­di sui. Luth. de erv. Arbit. in disposing of things in this world, ought to be ascribed to God, or man: men for the most part have vindicated this prehemi­nence, unto themselves, by exclamations, that so it must be, or else, that God is unjust, and his waies unequall: never did any men postquam Christiana gens esse caepit: more eagerly endea­vour the erecting of this Babel, then the Arminians, the modern blinded Patrons of humane selfe-sufficiencie; All whose innova­tions in the received doctrine of the reformed Churches, aime at, and tend to, one of these two ends.

First, to exempt themselves from Gods jurisdiction, to free themselves from the supreme dominion of his all-ruling provi­dence, not to live, and move, in him: but to have an absolute in­dependent power, in all their actions, so that the event of all things, wherein they have any interest, might have a consider­able relation, to nothing, but chance, contingencie, and their owne wils; a most nefarious, sacrilegious attempt: to this end.

First, they deny the eternitie, and unchangeablenesse of Gods decrees: for those being established, they feare, they should be kept within bounds, from doing any thing, but what his coun­sel hath determined should be done, if the purposes of the strength of Israel, be eternall, and immutable, their idoll Free-will, must be limited, their independencie prejudiced: wherefore, they chuse rather to affirme, that his decrees, are temporary and changeable, yea that he doth really change them, according to the severall mutations he sees in us: which how a wild a conceit it is, how contrary to the pure nature of God, how destructive to his attributes: I shall shew in the second Chapter.

Secondly, they question the praescience, or foreknowledge of God: for if knowne unto God, are all his workes, from the beginning, if he certainely foreknow all things, that shall here­after come to passe, it seemes to cast an infallibilitie of event, up­on all their actions, which encroaches upon the large territory, of their new goddesse contingencie, nay it would quite de­throne the Queene of heaven, and induce a kinde of necessitie, [Page 3] of our doing all, and nothing but, what God foreknows: now that to deny this praescience is destructive to the very essence of the Deitie, and plain atheisme, shall be declared, Chapter the third.

Thirdly, they depose the all-governing providence of this King of Nations, denying its energeticall, effectuall power, in turning the hearts, ruling the thoughts, determining the wils, and disposing the actions of men, by granting nothing unto it, but a generall power, and influence, to be limited, and used, ac­cording to the inclination, and will of every particular agent: so making Almighty God a desirer, that many things, were other­wise, then they are, and an idle spectator of most things that are done in the world, the falsenesse of which assertions shall be proved: Chapter the fourth.

Fourthly, they denie the irresistibilitie, and uncontrolable power of Gods will, affirming, that oftentimes he seriously willeth, and intendeth what he cannot accomplish, and so is de­ceived of his ayme: nay whereas he desireth, and really intend­eth, to save every man, it is wholly in their owne power whe­ther he shall save, any one or no, otherwise, their Idol Free-will, should have but a poore deitie, if God, could how, and when, he would, crosse and resist him, in his dominion: concerning this see Chapter the fifth. His gradibus itur in coelum, corrupted nature, is still readie, either nefariously with Adam, to attempt to be like God, Psal. 50. or to thinke foolishly, that he is altogether like unto us: one of which inconveniences, all men runne into, who have not learned, to submit their fraile wils, to the Almightie will of God, and captivate their understandings, to the obedience of faith.

Secondly, the second end, at which the new doctrine of the Ar­minians aimeth, is to cleere humane nature, from the heavie im­putation, of being sinfull, corrupted, wise to doe evill, but unable to doe good: and so to vindicate unto themselves, a power, and abilitie, of doing all that good, which God can justly require to be done, by them, in the state wherein they are, of making themselves, differ from other, who will not make so good use, of the endowments of their natures, that so the first, and chiefest part, in the worke of their salvation, may be ascribed unto them­selves: a proud Luciferian endeavour; to this end:

First, they deny, that doctrine of predestination, whereby God [Page 4] is affirmed, to have chosen certaine men, before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy, and obtaine everlasting life, by the merit of Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace: any such predestination which may be the fountaine, and cause of grace, or glory, determining the persons, according to Gods good pleasure, on whom they shall be, bestowed: for this doctrine, would make the speciall grace of God, to be the sole cause, of all the good, that is in the elect, more then the reprobates, would make faith, the worke, and gift of God: with divers other things, which would shew their Idol to be nothing, of no value: where­fore what a corrupt heresie they have substitute into the place hereof, see Chapter the sixth.

Secondly, they denie originall sinne, and its demerit, which being rightly understood, would easily demonstrate, that not­withstanding, all the labour, of the Smith, the Carpenter, and the Painter, yet their Idol, is of its owne nature, but an unprofitable blocke, it will discover, not onely the impotencie of doing good, which is in our nature, but shew also, whence we have it: see Chapter the seventh.

Thirdly, if ye will charge our humane nature, with a repug­nancie to the Law of God, they will maintaine, that it was also in Adam, when he was first created, and so comes from God himselfe: Chapter the eighth.

Fourthly, they denie the efficacie, of the merit, of the death of Christ, both, that God intended by his death, to redeeme his Church, or to acquire unto himselfe, an holy people, as also, that Christ by his death, hath merited, and procured for us, grace, faith, or righteousnesse, and power to obey God, in fulfilling the condition of the new covenant; nay this were plainely to set up an Arke, to breake their Dagons necke: for what praise (say they) can be due, to our selves, for beleeving, if the blood of Christ, hath procured God to bestow faith, upon us: increpet te Deus ô Satan, see Chapter nine and ten.

Fiftly, if Christ will claime such a share in saving of his people, of them that beleeve in him, they will grant, some to have salva­tion, quite without him, that never heard, so much as a report, of a Saviour: and indeed in nothing, doe they advance their Idol, neerer the throne of God, then in this blasphemie, Chapter 11.

[Page 5] Sixthly, having thus robbed God, Christ, and his grace, they adorne their Idol Free-will, with many glorious properties, no way due unto it, discussed, Chapter 12. where you shall finde how, movet cornicula risum, furtivis undata coloribus.

Seventhly, they doe not onely claime, to their new made Deitie, a saving power, but also affirme, that he is very active, and operative in the great worke of saving our soules.

First, in fitly preparing us for the grace of God, and so dis­posing of our selves, that it becomes due unto us: Chapter 13.

Secondly, in the effectuall working of our conversion, together with it: Chapter 14.

And so at length with much toyle, and labour, they have placed an Altar for their Idol, in the holy temple, on the right hand of the Altar of God: and on it, offer sacrifice, to their owne net, and dragge; at least nec Deo, nec libero Arbitrie, sed dividatur: not all to God, nor all to Free-will, but let the Sacrifice of praise, for all good things, be divided betweene them.

CHAP. II.
Of the eternitie and immutabilitie of the decrees of Al­mightie God, denied and overthrown by the Arminians.

IT hath been alwayes beleeved among Christians, and that upon infallible grounds, as I shall shew hereafter, that all the decrees of God, as they are internall, so they are eternall acts of his will, and therefore unchangeable, and irrevocable: mutable decrees, and occasionall resolutions, are most contrary, to the pure nature, of Almightie God: such principles as these, evident, and cleere, by their own light, were never questioned, by any, before the Arminians began, [...], and to professe themselves, to delight, in opposing common notions of reason, concerning God and his essence, that they might exalt themselves into his throne: to ascribe the least mutabilitie, to the divine essence, with which, all the attributes, and internall free acts of God, are [Page 6] one and the same, Phil lib quod sit Deus immutabi­lis. was ever accounted [...] tran­scendent Atheisme, in the highest degree: now be this crime of what nature it will, it is no unjust imputation, to charge it on the Arminians, because, they confesse themselves guiltie, and glory in the crime.

1. They undermine, and overthrow, the eternitie of Gods purposes, by affirming, that ( in the order of the divine decrees, there are some which precede, every act of the creature, and some againe, that follow them) so [...], quaedam sunt quae omnem ac­tum [...] quaedam quae [...]. cap. 5. see. 1. pag 67. Corvinus the most famous, of that sect; now all the acts of every creature, being but of yesterday, tempo­rary, like themselves, surely, those decrees of God, cannot be e­ternall, which follow them in order of time: and yet they presse this, especially, in respect of humane actions, as a certaine, unque­stionable veritie: ( it is certaine that God willeth or determineth, many things, which he would not, did not some act of mans will, goe before it) saith their greater Master Certum est De­um quaedam velle, quae non vel­le ni [...]i aliqua [...] humana antecederet, A [...] min. Antipe. k [...]p 211. Arminius: the like affirmeth, with a little addition, (as such men do alwayes proficere in peius,) his genuine scholler Nic. Multa tamen arbitror Deum velle, quae non vellet, adeoque nec just [...] velle posset, nisi aliqua actio creatu [...] praece le [...]et▪ ad A­mes. pag. 24. Grevinchovius, I suppose (saith he) that God willeth many things, which he neither would, nor iustly could will, and purpose, did not some action of the creature precede: and here observe that in these places, they speak not of Gods ex­ternall works, of those actions, which out wardly are of him, as inflicting of punishments, bestowing of rewards, and other such outward acts of his providence, whose administration we con­fesse to be various, and diversly applyed to severall occasions: but of the internall purposes of Gods will, his decrees, and intenti­ons which have no present influence upon, or respect unto, any action of the creature: yea they deny that concerning many things, God hath any determinate resolution at all, or any pur­pose, further, then a naturall affection towards them: God doth, or omitteth, that, towards which, in his owne nature, and his pro­per inclination, he is affected, as he findes man, to comply, or not to comply, with that order, which he hath appointed, saith Deus facit vel non facit [...], ad quod, [...], & natura [...] in­clinatione [...] est [...] prou [...] [...] cum isto ordine con­sp [...]at vel non consp [...]a [...] [...] ad [...] cap. 5. ad see. 3. Cor­vinus: surely, these men care not, what indignities they cast upon the God of heaven, so they may maintaine the pretended endowments of their own wils; for such an absolute power do they here ascribe unto them, that God himself, cannot determine [Page 7] of a thing, whereunto, as they strangely phrase it, he is well af­fected, before, by an actuall coucurrence, he is sure of their com­plyance: now this imputation, that they are temporary, which they cast upon the decrees of God in generall, they presse home upon that particular, which lies most in their way, the decree of election: concerning this, they tell us roundly, that it is false that election is confirmed from eternitie, so the Falsum est quod electio facta est ab aeterno. Rem. apol. cap. 18. p. 190. Remonstrants in their Apologie; not withstanding, that Saint Paul tels us, that it is the purpose of God, Rom. 9. 11. and that we were chosen before the foundation of the world, Ephes. 1. 4. neither is it any thing materiall, what the Arminians there grant, viz, that there is a decree, preceding this, which may be said to be from everlast­ing, for seeing that Saint Paul teacheth us, that election, is no­thing but Gods purpose, of saving us, to affirme that God eter­nally decreed, that he would elect us, is all one, as to say, that God purposed, that in time he would purpose to save us: such reso­lutions, may be fit, for their own wild heads, but must not be ascribed to God only wise.

Secondly, as they affirme them to be temporary, and to have had a beginning, so also to expire and have an ending, to be sub­ject, to change and variablenesse: some acts of Gods will, doe cease at a certaine time, saith Volitiones ali­quae Dei cessant ce [...]to quodam tempore Episcop. disp. de vol. Dei. Thes. 7. Episcopius: what? doth any thing, come into his minde, that changeth his will, yes saith Deus vult om­nes Salvos [...]ieri, sed compulsus pertinaci & in­corrigibili mali­tia quorundam, vult illos jactu­ram facere Salu­tis. Armin. Antip. fol. 195. Arminius, he would have all men to be saved, but compelled, with the stub­borne, and incorrigible malice of some, he will have them to misse it: however this is some recompence, denying God a power to do what he will, then grant him to be contented to do what he may: and not much repine at his hard condition: certainly, if but for this favour, he is a debtor to the Arminians, theeves give, what they do not take, having robbed God of his power, they will yet leave him so much goodnesse, as that he shall not be troubled at it, though he be sometimes compelled to, what he is very loath to do: how doe Bell. Amiss. pal. Armi. antip. crin. 3. Rem apol. ut. they and their fellows the Iesuits, exclaime upon poore Calvin, for sometimes using the harsh word of compulsion, describing the effectuall, powerfull work­ing of the providence of God, in the actions of men, but they, can fasten the same terme, on the will of God, and no harme done: [Page 8] surely, he will one day plead his own cause against them: but yet blame them not, si violandum est ius, regnandi causa violandum est: it is to make themselves absolute, that they thus cast off the yoke of the Almightie: and that both in things concerning this life, and that which is to come, they are much troubled, that it should be said, that (Docent) unum quem (que) invaria­bilem vite [...] [...] or­tu, in lucem ha [...] nobiscum [...]. every one of us, bring along with us, into the world, an unchangeable preordination, of life and death eternall; for such a supposall, would quite overthrow, the maine foundation of their heresie, viz. that men can make their election, voide and fru­strate, [...] Armin. in epist. de [...]. ad Examen. lib. Per. as they joyntly lay it down, in their Poslunt homi nes electionem suam irritam & frustraneam red­dere, Rem. apol. cap. 9. p. 105. Apologie, nay it is a dreame, saith D ^r. Iackson of the divine essence. Iackson, to thinke of Gods decrees, concern­ing things to come, as of acts, irrevocably finished, which would hinder that which Welsingius laies down for a truth, to wit, Non mirum videri debet quod aliquando ex ele­ctis reprob [...] & ex reprobis clecti si­ant, Welsin. de of. Ch. hom. that the elect, may become reprobates, and the reprobates, elect, now to these particular sayings, is their whole doctrine concerning the decrees of God, inasmuch, as they have any reference to the actions of men, most exactly conformable, as:

First, Omnia Dei de­creta, non sunt perempto [...]ia, sed quaedam condi­tionata ac muta­bilia: concio. Ad Cle. [...]xon. ann. 1641. Rem. de­cla. sen in synod. alii passim: ele­ctio sicut & justi­ficatio, & incerta & revocabilis, [...] ­tramque vero conditionatam qui negave [...]t, ipsum quo (que) eva­gelium negabit: Grevin. ad A­mes. p. 136. 137. their distinction of them, into peremptory, and not peremptory, (termes, rather used in the citations of litigious courts, then as expressions of Gods purpose, in sacred Scripture) is not, (as by them applyed) compatible, with the unchangeable­nesse of Gods eternall purposes: [...], say they, or tempora­ry beleevers, are elected, (though not peremptorily) with such an act of Gods will, as hath a coexistence every way commen­surate, both in its originall, continuance, and end, with their fa­ding faith: which sometimes, like Ionas gourd, is but filia unius noctis, in the morning it flourisheth, in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withereth: a man in Christ by faith, or actually be­leeving, (which to do, is as they say, in every ones own power) Ad gloriam participandam pro isto tempore quo credunt ele­cti sunt Rem. a­pol fol 190. is in their opinion the proper object, of election; of election, I say, not peremptory which is an act pendent, expecting the fi­nall perserverance, and consummation of his faith: and therefore immutable, because man having fulfilled his course, God hath no cause to change his purpose, of crowning him with reward; thus also, (as they teach) a man according to his infidelitie, whe­ther present, and removeable, or obdurate and finall, is the only object of reprobation: which in the latter, cause, is peremptory, [Page 9] and absolute, in the former conditionall and alterable; it is the qualities of faith, and unbeliefe, on which their election, and re­probation doe attend. Decreta hypo­thetica poslunt mutari, quia con­ditio respectu ho­minis vel non praesta­tur vel non prae­statur, atque ita existit vel non existit: & [...] extitit aliquan­diu, saepe existere desinit, & ursus postquam ali­quandi [...] desiit, existere incipit. Corvi. ad Moli. cap. 5. see. 10. Now let a faithfull man, elected of God, ac­cording to his present righteousnesse, apostate totally from grace, (as to affirme that there is any promise of God, implying his per­severance is with them to overthrow all religion) and let the un­beleeving reprobate, depose his incredulitie and turne himselfe unto the Lord; answerable to this mutation of their conditions, are the changings of the purpose of the Almightie, concerning their everlasting estate: againe, suppose these two by alternate courses, (as the doctrine of Apostacie maintaineth they may) should returne each to their former estate, the decrees of God concerning them, must againe be changed, for it is injust with him, either not to elect him that beleeves, though it be but for an houre, or not to reprobate unbeleevers: now what unchange­ablenesse can we affixe to these decrees, which it lies it in the power of man to make as inconstant as Euripus: making it be­side to be possible, that all the members of Christs Church, whose names are written in heaven, should within one houre be enrol­led in the blacke book of damnation;

Secondly, as these not-peremptory decrees, are mutable, so they make the peremptory decrees of God, to be temporall: fi­nall impenitencie, Dici (que) beatus an­te obitum ne [...]o. say they, is the only cause, and the finally unre­penting sinner, is the only object of reprobation, peremptory and irrevocable: as the Poet thought none happy, so they thinke no man to be elected, or a reprobate, before his death: now that de­nomination, he doth receive from the decree of God concern­ing his eternall estate, which must necessarily then be first enact­ed; the relation that is betweene the act of reprobation, and the person reprobated, importeth a coexistence of denomination: when God reprobates a man, he then becomes a reprobate: which, if it be not before he hath actually fulfilled the measure of his iniquitie, and sealed it up with the talent of finall impeni­tencie in his death, the decree of God, must needs be temporall, the just judge of all the world, having till then suspended his de­termination, expecting the last resolution of this changeable Proteus: nay that Gods decrees concerning mens eternall [Page 10] estates, are in their judgement temporall, and not beginning un­till their death, is plaine from the whole course of their doctrine; especially, where they strive to prove, that if there were any such determination, God could not threaten punishments, or promise rewards: Quis enim cō ­minetur poenam ei, quem peremp­torio decreto à poena immunem esse vult Rem A­pol. cap. 17. fol. 187. Who, say they, ean threaten punishment, to him, whom by a peremptory decree, he will have to be free from punishment: it seemes he cannot have determined, to save any whom he threa­tens to punish if they sinne, which is evident he doth all so long as they live in this world, which makes God not only mutable, but quite deprives him of his foreknowledge: and makes the forme of his decree run thus: if man will beleeve, I determine he shall be saved, if he will not, I determine he shall be damned, that is, I must leave him in the meane time, to doe what he will, so I may meet with him in the end.

Thirdly, they affirme no decree of Almightie God concern­ing men is so unalterable, Author of Gods Love to Man­kinde. p. 4. but, that all those who are now in rest, or misery, might have had contrary lots: that those which are damned, as Pharaoh, Iudas, &c. might have been saved, and those which are saved, as the blessed Virgin, Poten, Iohn, might have been damned, which must needs reflect with a strong charge of mutabilitie on Almightie God, who knoweth who are his: divers other instances in this nature I could produce, whereby it would be further evident, that these innovators in Christian religion, doe overthrow the eternitie, and unchange­ablenesse of Gods decrees, but these are sufficient to any dis­cerning man: and I will adde in the close, an antidote against this poyson, briesly shewing what the Scripture and right reason, teach us concerning these secrets of the most High.

First, knowne unto God, saith Saint Iames, are all his works, from the beginning, Acts 15. 18. whence, it hath hitherto been concluded, that, what ever God doth in time bring to passe, that, he decreed from all eternitie so to doe, all his works were from the beginning knowne unto him; consider it particularly in the decree of election, that fountaine of all spirituall blessings; that a saving sence, and assurance thereof, (2 Pet. 1. 10.) being at­tained, might effect a spirituall rejoycing in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 31. [Page 11] such things, are every where taught, as may raise us to the con­sideration of it, as of an eternall act, irrevocably and immutably established; he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world, Ephes. 1. 4. his purpose according to election, before we were borne must stand, Rom. 9. 11. for to the irreversible stability of this act of his will, he hath set to the seale of his infallible knowledge, 2 Tim. 2. 19. his purpose of our salvation by grace, not according to works, was before the world began, 2 Tim. 1. 9. an eternall purpose, proceeding from such a will, as to which, none can resist: joyned with such a knowledge, as to which all things past, present, and to come, are open, and evident: direct­ed by an infallible wisdome, and counsell: must needs also, be like the laws of the Medes, and Persians, permanent and unalterable.

Secondly, Quicquid opera­tur operatur u [...] est. the decrees of God being conformable to his na­ture, and essence, doe require eternitie, and immutabilitie, as their unseparable properties: God, and he only, never was, nor ever can be, what now he is not; passive possibilitie to any thing, which is the fountaine of all change, can have no place in him who is actus simplex, & purely free from all composition, whence Saint Iames affirmeth, that with him there is no variablenesse, nor shadow of turning, Iam. 1. 17. with him, that is in his will, and purposes: and himselfe by his Prophet, I am the Lord, and I change not, therefore ye sons of Iacob, are not consumed, Mal. 3. 6. where, he proveth the not changing of his gracious purposes, because he is the Lord: the eternall acts of his will, not really differing from his unchangeable essence, must needs be immutable.

Thirdly, whatsoever God hath determined according to the counsell of his wisdome, and good pleasure of his will, to be ac­complished to the praise of his glory, standeth sure, and immuta­ble: for the strength of Israel, will not lye, nor repent, for he is not a man, that he should repent, 1 Sam 15. 29. he declareth the end, from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsell shall stand: and I will doe all my pleasure. Isa. 46. 10. which certaine and infallible exe­cution of his pleasure, is extended to particular contingent events, [Page 12] Chap. 48. 17. yea, it is an ordinary thing with the Lord, to con­firme the certaintie of those things that are yet for to come, from his own decree: as▪ The Lord of Hosts hath sworne saying, sure­ly as I have thought, so it shall come to passe, and as I have purpo­sed it shall stand, that I will breake the Assyrian, &c. Isa. 14. 24, 25. it is certaine, the Assyrian shall be broken, because the Lord hath purposed it: which were a weake kinde of reasoning, if his purpose might be altered: nay, he is of one minde and who can turne him, and what his soule desireth, that he doth, Ioh 23. 13. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disanull it, Isa. 14. 7. So that the purpose of God, and immutabilitie of his coun­sell, Heb. 6. 16. have their certaintie, and firmnesse, from eterni­tie: and doe not depend on the variable lubricity of mortall men, which we must needs grant, unlesse we intend to set up impo­tency against omnipotency, and arme the clay, against the Potter.

Fourthly, If Gods determination concerning any thing, should have a temporall originall; it must needs be, either be­cause he then perceived some goodnesse in it, of which before he was ignorant; or else, because some accident did affixe a reall goodnesse, to some state of things, which it had not from him: neither of which, without abominable blasphemy can be affirm­ed; seeing he knoweth the end from the beginning, all things from everlasting; being alwayes the same, the fountaine of all goodnesse of which other things doe participate, in that mea­sure which it pleaseth him to communicate it unto them: adde to this, the omnipotency of God, there is power and might in his hand, that none is able to withstand him, 2 Chron. 2. 6. which will not permit that any of his purposes be frustrate; in all our intentions, if the defect be not in the errour of our understand­ings, which may be rectified by better information; when we cannot doe that which we would, we will doe that which we can, the alteration of our purpose, is for want of power to fulfill it; which impotency cannot be ascribed to Almightie God: who is in heaven, and hath done whatsoever he pleased, Psal. 115. vers. 3. So that the immutability of Gods nature, his Al­mightie power, the infallibility of his knowledge, his immu­nity from error in all his counsels; do shew, that he never faileth, [Page 13] in accomplishing any thing, that he proposeth for the manifesta­tion of his glory.

To close up this whole discourse, wherein I have not dis­covered halfe the poyson contained in the Arminian doctrine, concerning Gods decrees, I will in briefe, present to your view, the opposition that is in this matter, betwixt the word of God, and the Patrons of free-will.

CHAP. III.
Of the praescience, or foreknowledge of God, and how it is questioned and overthrowne by the Arminians.

THE praescience, or foreknowledge of God, hath not hitherto in expresse termes beene denied by the Arminians, but onely questioned, and over­throwne by consequence: in as much as they de­nie the certaintie and unchangeablenesse of his decrees, on which it is founded: it is not a foreknowledge of all, or any thing, which they oppose, but onely, of things free and contingent: and that onely to comply with their formerly exploded error, that the purposes of God concerning such things, are temporall and mutable; which obstacle being once remo­ved, the way is open how to ascribe the presidentship of all humane actions, to omnipotent contingencie, and her Sire Free-will: [Page 15] Now, we call that contingent, which in regard of its next and immediate cause, before it come to passe, may be done, or may be, not done: as, that a man shall doe such a thing to mor­row, or any time hereafter: which he may chuse whether ever he will doe, or no. Such things as these are free and chance­able, in respect of men their immediate, and second causes, but if we (as James chap. 4. ver. 13, 14, 15. we ought to doe) looke up unto him who fore-seeth, and hath ordained the event of them, or their omission, they may be said necessarily to come to passe, or to be omitted: it could not be, but as it was: Christians hitherto, (yea and [...]. Hom. Gods will was done. Hea­thens) in all things of this nature, have usually upon their event, reflected on God, as one, whose determination was passed on them from eternitie, and who knew them long before: as the killing of men by the fall of a house, who might in respect of the freedome of their owne wils, have not beene there: or if a man fall into the hands of theeves, we presently conclude, it was the will of God: it must be so, he knew it before.

Divines Quaecunque possunt per cre­aturam fieri, vel cogitari, vel dici, et etiam quaecum­que ipse facere potest, omnia cognoscit Deus, etiamsi neque sunt neque erunt, neque fuerunt, scientia simplicis intelligentiae: Aquin. p. q 14. a. 9. c. ex verbis Apostoli, Rom. 4. qui vocat ea quae non sunt tanquā ea quae sunt: sic scholasti [...]i om­nes: Per. Scho­last. orthod. spe­ci. cap. 3. alii passim. Vid. Hieron. Zanch. de scien­tia Dei, lib. de atrib. 31. cap▪ 2. q 5. for distinction sake, ascribe unto God a two fold knowledge; one, intuitive, or intellective whereby, he fore­knoweth and seeth all things that are possible: that is, all things that can be done by his Almightie power: without any respect to their future existence, whether they shall come to passe, or no: yea, infinite things whose actuall being, eternitie shall ne­ver behold, are thus open and naked unto him: for, was there not strength and power in his hand to have created another world? was there not counsell, in the storehouse of his wis­dome, to have created this otherwise? or not to have created it at all? shall we say, that his providence extends it selfe every way, to the utmost of its activitie? or can he not produce innu­merable things in the world, which now he doth not? now all these, and every thing else, that is feazable to his infinite power, he fore-sees and knowes, Scientia (as they speake) simplicis in­telligentiae, by his essentiall knowledge.

Out Vid. Sam. Rhae­torfort: exercit. de grat: ex. 1. cap. 4. of this large and boundlesse territory of things possible, God by his decree freely determineth what shall come to passe; and makes them future, which before were but possible. After this decree (as they commonly speake) followeth, or together with it, (as Res ipsae nullo naturae momento possibiles esse di­cendae sunt prius­quam à Deo in­telliguntur, sci­entia quae dicitur simplicis intelli­gentiae, ita etiam scientia quae di­citer visionis, et fertur in res fut­ras, nullo naturae momento, poste­rior statuenda videtur, ista fu­turitione, rerum; cum scientia, &c. D. Tw [...]s [...]. ad er­rat vind▪ grat. others more exactly) taketh place, that praescience [Page 16] of God, which they call Scientia visio­nis dicitur, quia ea quae videntur, apud nos habent esse distinctum extra videntem. Aq. p. q. 14. a 9 c. visionis of vision, whereby he infallibly seeth all things in their proper causes; and how and when they shall come to passe: Now these two sorts of knowledge In eo d [...]ffert praescientia in­tuitionis, ab ea, quae approbatio­nis est, quod illa praesciat, quod e­veni [...]e possible est: haec vero quod impossibile est non evenire: Ferrius. Orthod. Scholast. speci. cap. 23. caeterum posterior ista sci­entia non pro­prie dicitur à Ferrio scientia approbationis, illa enim est, qua Deus dicitur nosse quae amat & approbat: ab utraque altera distincta: Mat. 7. 23. Rom. 11. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 9. Quamvis infini­torum numero­rum, nullus sit numerus, non ta­men est incom­prehensibilis e [...], cujus scientiae non est numerus: Aug. de civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 18. dif­fer, in as much as by the one, God knoweth what it is possible may come to passe; by the other, onely what it is impossible, should not come to passe: things are possible, in regard of Gods power, future, in regard of his decree. So, (that if I may so say) the measure of the first kinde of Science, is Gods omnipotencie what he can doe: of the other, his purpose what certainly he will doe, or permit to be done. With this praescience then, God foreseeth all, and nothing but what he hath decreed shall come to passe.

For Quibusdam ef­fectibus praepa­ravit causas ne­nessarias, ut ne­cessario evenirēt, quib [...]sdam vero causas contin­gentes ut eveni­rent contingen­ter, secundum conditionem proximarum cau­sarum: Aquin. p. q. 23. a. 4. in cor. Zanch. de natu. Dei lib. 5. qu. 4. thesi. every thing to be produced next and under him, God hath prepared divers and severall kindes of causes: diversly ope­rative in producing their effects: some whereof, are said to worke necessarily: the institution of their nature, being to doe as they doe, and not otherwise: so the Sunne giveth light, and the fire heat. And yet in some regard, their effects and products may be said to be contingent, and free: in as much, as the concur­rence of God the first cause is required to their operation, who doth all things most freely, according to the counsell of his will; thus the Sunne stood still in the time of Ioshua: and the fire burned not the three Children: but ordinarily such agents work­ing necessitate naturae, their effects are said to be necessarie.

Secondly, to some things God hath fitted free and contingent causes: which either apply themselves to operation in parti­cular, according to election: chusing to doe this thing, rather then that: as Angels, and men, in their free and deliberate acti­ons, which they so performe, as that they could, have not done them: or else, they produce effects [...], meerely by accident: and the operation of such things, we say to be casuall: as if a hatchet falling out of the hand of a man, cutting downe a tree, should kill another, whom he never saw: now nothing in either of these waies comes to passe, but God hath determined it, both for matter, and the manner: Res et medos rerum Aquin. even so, as is agreeable to [Page 17] their causes; some necessarily, some freely, some casually, or contingently, yet all so, as having a certaine futurition from his decree; he infallibly foreseeth that they shall so come to passe: but yet, that he doth so, in respect of things free, and contingent is much questioned by the Arminians in expresse termes, and denied by consequence, notwithstanding Cui praescien­tiam tollis au­fers divinitatem. Hieron. ad. Pelag. lib. 5. Saint Hierome affirm­eth, that so to doe, is destructive to the very Essence of the Deitie.

First, their Doctrine, of the immutabilitie of Gods decrees, on whose firmenesse is founded the infallibilitie of this praesci­ence, doth quite overthrow it; God thus foreknowing onely what he hath so decreed shall come to passe; if that be no firmer settled, but that it may, and is often altered, according to the divers inclinations of mens wils, (which I shewed before they affirme,) he can have at best but a conjecturall fore-knowledge, of what is yet for to come: not founded on his own unchangable purpose; but upon a guesse, at the free inclination of mens wils. For instance: Deus ita omni­um salutem ex aequo vult, ut il­lam ex aequo op­tet et desideret: Cor. ad moli. cap. 31. sect. 1. God willeth that all men should be saved: this act of his will, according to the Arminian doctrine, is his condi­tionate decree to save all men if they will beleeve; well, a­mong these is Judas, as Talis gratia omnibus datur quae sufficiat ad fidem generan­dam. idem: ibid. sect. 15. equall a sharer in the benefit of this decree as Peter? God then will have him to be saved, and to this end, allows him all those meanes, which are necessarie to be­get faith in him, and are every way sufficient to that purpose, and doe produce that effect in others: what can God foresee then but that Iudas, as well as Peter, will beleeve? he intendeth he should, he hath determined nothing to the contrarie: let him come then, and act his owne part, why, he proves so Pertinaci quo­rundam malitia compulsus: Ar­min. ubi sup. obstinate­ly malicious, that God with all his omnipotencie as they speake, by any way, that becomes him, which must not be by any irre­sistible efficacie, cannot change his obdurate heart: well then, he determineth according to the exigence of his justice, that he shall be damned for his impenitencie; and foreseeth that accor­dingly: but now, suppose this wretch even at his last moment, should bethinke himselfe and returne to the Lord, which in their conceit he may, not withstanding his former reprobation: (which Reprobatio populi Judaici f [...]it actio tempo­raria et quae bo­no ipsorum Ju­daeorum si nodo sanabiles adhuc essent, animum­que advertere vellent servire poterat, utque eo fini serviret à Deo facta erat: Rem. apol. cap. 20. fol. 221. as they state it, seemes a great act of mercy): Injustum est apud Deum vel non credentem eligere vel cre­dentem non eli­gere▪ Rem. Apel. God must keepe [Page 18] to the rules of his justice and elect or determine to save him: by which the varlet hath twice, or thrice, deceived his expectation.

Secondly, [...] cap. 5. sect. 9. they affirme, that God is said properly to expect, and desire, divers things, which yet never come to passe: we grant saith Corvinus, that there are desires in God, that never are fulfil­led: now surely to desire what one is sure, will never come to passe is not an act regulated by wisdome, or counsell: and there­fore they must grant, that before, he did not know, but perhaps so it might be: Bona quaedam Deus optet et desiderat: Rem. Confes ca sect. 9. God wisheth and desireth some good things, which yet come not to passe, say they, in their confession: whence one, of these two things, must needs follow: either first, that there is a great deale of imperfection in his nature, to desire, and expect, what he knowes shall never come to passe: or else, he did not know but it might; which overthrowes his praescience: yea, and say they expressely, Dei spes et ex­pectio est ab ho­minibus elusa: Rem. scrip. syn. in cap. 5. Isa. v. 1. In co vis argu­menti est, quod Deus ab If aele obedientiam et sperarit. et ex­pectarit. idem. ibid. Quod Deus de elusaspe sua con­queratur. idem ubi supra. That the hope, and expectation of God, is de­ceived by man: and confesse, that the strength, of their strongest ar­gument; lies in this, that God hoped, and expected, obedience from Israel. Secondly, that he complaineth that his hope is deluded: which being taken properly, and as they urge it, cannot consist with his eternall praescience. For they dis-esteeme the usuall an­swer of Divines, that hope, expectation, and such like passions, which include in them any imperfection, are ascribed unto God per [...], in regard of that analogie, his actions hold with such of ours, as we performe having those passions.

Thirdly, Deum futura contingentia, decreto suo de­terminasse ad al­ter utram par­tem, (intellige quae à libera cre­aturae voluniate patrantur) fal­sum, absurdum, et multiplicis blasphemiae prae­vium abomino [...] et exsecror: Ar­min declarat. [...]enten. they teach, that God hath determined nothing, con­cerning such things, as these in question: That God hath deter­mined future contingent things unto either part, (I meane such as issue from the free-will of the creature) I abominate, hate, and curse, as false, absurd, and leading us on unto blasphemy, saith Arminius: to determine of them to either part, is, to determine, and ordain, whether they shall be, or whether they shall not be: as that David shall, or shall not goe up to morrow, against the Philistines and prevaile. Now the infallibilite of Gods foreknowing of such things, depending on the certaintie of his decree, and determi­nation: if there be no such thing as this; that also, must needs fall to the ground,

[Page 19] Fourthly, Disquiri per­mittimus: [...]. O­perosam illam quaestionem, de scientia futuro­rum contingen­tium absoluta et conditionata: 2. Etsi non ne­gemus Deo il­lam scientiam attribui posse. 3. Tamen an necessariū saluti sit ad hoc ut Deus recte co­latur examinari permittimus: 4. Tum merito facessere de beat à scholis et eccle­siis, intricatae et spinosae istae quae­stiones quae de ea agitari solent, —quomodo illa cum libertate arbitrii, cum seriis Dei com­minationibus,—aliisque actio­nibus, consistere possit: quae om­nia crucem po­tius miseris mor­talibus fixerunt quam ad religio­nem cultumque divinum, mo­menti aliquid in­quisitoribus suis attulerunt [...]pis­copius. disput. 4. sect. 10. Rem. Apol. p. 43. 44. see what positively they write, concerning this e­verlasting fore-knowledge of God. First, they call it a trouble­some question: Secondly, they make it a thing disputable, whether there be any such thing, or no? and though happily it may be a­scribed unto God: yet, Thirdly, they thinke it no motive to the worship of him: Fourthly, they say, better it were quite explo­ded, because the difficulties that attend it, can scarcely be recon­ciled, with mans libertie, Gods threatnings and promises: yea, Fifthly, it seemes rather to be invented, to crucifie poore mortals: then to be of any moment in religion; so Episcopius: it may be excepted, that this is but one Doctors opinion: it is true; they are one mans words; but the thing it selfe, is countenanced by the whole sect. As first, in the Large prolix Declaration of their opi­nions, they speake not one word of it, and being taxed for this omission, by the Professors of Leyden: they vidicate themselves so coldly in their Apologie, that some Ames: Anti­synod p. 10. learned men doe from hence conclude; that certainly in their most secret judgements, all the Arminians, doe consent with Socinus, in ascribing unto God, onely a conjecturall fore-knowledge. And Deus suo modo aliquando metu­it, hoc est meri­to suspicatur et. prudenter conii­cit,hoc vel illud malum oriturum: Vorsti: de Deo: pag. 451. one great Pro­phet of their owne affirmes roundly, That God after his manner oftentimes feareth, that is, suspecteth and that not without cause, and prudently coniectureth, that this or that evill may arise; Vorst: and their chiefest Patriarchs, Deus non semper ex praescientia finem intend [...]t: Armini▪ Antip. pag. 667. Corvin. ad Mol. cap. 5. sect. 5. That God doth often intend, what he doth not foresee will come to passe, Armin. Corvin. Now whe­ther this kinde of Atheisme be tolerable among Christians or no, let all men judge who have their senses exercised in the word of God, which I am sure teacheth us another lesson. For:

First: it is laid downe, as a firme foundation: that knowne unto God, are all his workes, from the beginning of the world, Acts 15. 18. Every thing then, that in any respect may be called his worke, is knowne unto him from all eternitie: now, what in the world, if we may speake as he hath taught us, can be exempted from this denomination? even actions in themselves sinfull; are not; though not as sinfull, yet in some other regard, as punishments of others; Behold, saith Nathan, to David, (in [Page 20] the name of God) I will take thy wives before thine eies, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives, in the sight of this sunne: for thou diddest it secretly, but I will doe this thing before all Israel: 2 Sam. 12, v. 11, 12. So also, when wicked robbers had nefariously spoyled Job of all his substance; the holy man concludeth, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: Job 1. 1. Now, if the working of Gods providence be so mighty, and effectuall, even in, and over those actions, wherein the devil, and men, doe most maliciously offend, as did Absolom, and the Sabean, with the Caldean theeves, that it may be said to be his worke, and he may be said to doe it, (I crave libertie to use the Scripture phrase) then certainly nothing in the world, in some respect or other, is independent of his all-disposing hand: yea, Judas himselfe betraying our Saviour, Cum et pater tradiderit filium suum, et ipse Ch: corpus su­um: et Judas dominum suum: cur in hac tradi­tione Deus est pins, et homo re­us, nisi quia in [...]e una quam fece­runt, causa non fuit una propter quam fece [...]unt: Aug. Epist. 48. did nothing, but what his hand and counsell before determined should be done, Acts. 4. 28. in respect of the event of the thing it selfe: and if these actions, notwithstanding these two hinderances, First, that they were contingent, wrought by free agents, working according to ele­ction and choyce: Secondly, that they were sinfull and wicked in the agents, had yet their dependance on his purpose and de­terminate counsell; surely, he hath an interest of operation in the acts of every creature; but his workes, as it appeares before, are all knowne unto him from the beginning: for he worketh nothing by chance, or accidentally, but all things determinately, according to his owne decree, or the counsell of his owne will: Ephes. 1. v. 11.

Secondly: the manner of Gods knowing of things, doth e­vidently shew, that nothing that is, or may be, can be hid from him: Deus non par­ticulatim, vel singillatim om­nia videt, velut alternanter con­cepta, hinc ill [...]c inde huc, sed om­nia videt simul: August. lib. 15. de trinit▪ cap 14. In scientia di­vina nullus est discursus, sed omnia perfecte intelligit: Tho. p. q. 14 a. 7. c. which is not by discourse and collection of one thing out of another, conclusions out of principles: but altogether and at once, evidently, cleerely, and distinctly, both in respect [...], by one most pure act of his owne essence he discerneth all things: For there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all are naked and opened unto his eyes, Heb. 4. 13. So Tilen. Syntag. de attrib. Dei. Thes. 22. Zanch, de nat Dei. that those things, concerning which we treat, he knoweth three waies: First, in himselfe and his owne decree, as the first cause, in which respect they may be said to be necessary, in respect of the cer­taintie [Page 21] of their event: Secondly, in their immediate causes, wherein their contingencie doth properly consist: Vnum quodque quod est, dum est, necesse est ut sit. Thirdly, in their owne nature as future, but to his infinite knowledge even present.

Thirdly: the Scripture Psal. 44. 21. Job 14. 11. Dan. 2. 47. Psal. 7. 2. 126. 2. 147. 4. Luke 12. 27. Mat. 10. 29, 30. Psal. 139. 2. is full of expressions to this purpose, to wit; That God knoweth all secrets, and revealeth hidden things: he searcheth the reines, and the heart: he knoweth the number of the starres: and the birds of the ayre: the lillies of the field the fal­ling of sparrowes, the number of the haires of our heads: some places are most remarkable, as that of the Psalmist, He knoweth my thoughts long before: even before ever they come into our minds, before their first rising; and yet many actions that are most contingent, depend upon those thoughts known unto God from eternitie: nay, which breaketh the very neck of the goddesse con­tingencie, those things wherein her greatest power is imagined to consist, are directly ascribed unto God: as our words the an­swer of the tongue, Prov. 16. 1. the directing of an arrow, shot by chance, to a marke not aimed at, 1 King. 22. 34. Surely God must needs foreknow the event of that contingent action; he must needs know the man would so shoot who had determined his arrow should be the death of a King: He makes men poore and rich: Prov. 22. 1. He lifteth up one, and pulleth downe another: Psal. 75. How many contingencies did [...], his piercing eye runne through, to foresee the crowning of Hester, for the deliverance of his people: In a word; knowne un­to God are all his workes: now what can possibly be imagined to be more contingent, then the killing of a man by the fall of an axe from out of his hand, who intended no such thing; yet this God assumeth as his owne work: Exod. 21. 13. Deut. 9. v. 4, 5. and so surely was by him foreknowne.

Fourthly: Do but consider the prophesies in Scripture; espe­cially those concerning our Saviour, how many free and contin­gent actions did concurre for the fulfilling of them: as Isa. 7. v. 14. cap. 9. v. 5. & cap. 53. Gen. 3. 15, &c. The like may be said of other predictions: as of the wasting of Ierusalem by the Baby­lonians, which though in regard of Gods praescience, it was cer­tainly [Page 22] to come to passe: yet they did it most freely, not onely following the counsell of their owne wils; but also using divi­nation, or chanceable lots for their direction: Ezek. 21. 21. yet he who made the eye seeth all these things: Psal. 94. 9.

Divers other reasons and testimonies might be produced to confirme our doctrine, of Gods everlasting praescience; which notwithstanding Episcopius blasphemy, that it serves for nought but to cruciate poore mortals; we beleeve to be a good part of the foundation of all that consolation which God is pleased to afford us in this vale of teares; amidst all our afflictions, and temptations, under whose pressure, we should else faint and despaire; it is no small comfort to be assured, that we doe, nor can suffer nothing, but what his hand and counsell guide unto us: what is open, and naked before his eies, and whose end and issue he knoweth long before: which is a strong motive to patience, a sure anchor of hope, a firme ground of consolation; now to pre­sent in one view, how opposite the opinions of the worshippers of the great goddesse contingencie, are to this sacred truth: take this short Antithesis.

CHAP. IIII.
Of the providence of God in governing the world diversly, thrust from this preheminence by the Arminian Idoll of Free-will.

I Come now to treat of that, betwixt which and the Pelagian Idoll, there is bellum [...] implaca­ble warre and immortall hatred, absolutely destru­ctive to the one side; to wit, the providence of God. For this, in that notion Christiantie hath hitherto embraced it: and that, in such a sence as the Arminians maintaine it can no more consist together, then fire and water, light and darknesse, Christ and Belial: and he that shall goe to conjoyne them, ploughs with an oxe, and an asse, they must be ti­ed together with the same ligament quo ille mortua iungebat cor­pora vivis, wherewith the tyrant tied dead bodies to living men. This strange advancement of the clay against the potter, not by the way of repining and to say why hast thou made me thus; but by the way of emulation, I wil not be so I wil advance my self, to the skie, to the sides of thy throne, was heretofore unknown to [Page 24] the more refined [...], Theophrastus a­pud Picum: vid. Senecam. de Pro▪ vid. & Plotinum. Paganisme: as these of contingency, so they with a better error made a goddesse of providence; because as they faigned, she helped Latona to bring forth in the Ile of De­los: intimating that Latona or nature though bigge and great with sundry sorts of effects, could yet produce nothing, without the interceding helpe of divine providence: which mythologie of theirs, seemes to containe a sweeter gust of divine truth, then any we can expect from their towring fancies, An actus divi­nae providentiae omnium rerum conservatrix, sit affirmativus po­tentiae, an tantum negativus volun­tatis, quo nolit res creatas per­dere: Rem. Apol. cap. 6. who are inclina­ble to beleeve that God for no other reason, is said to sustaine all things but because he doth not destroy them: now that their proud God-opposing errors may the better appeare, according to my former method, I will plainly shew what the Scripture teacheth us concerning this providence, with what is agreeable to right, and Christian reason, not, what is dictated by tumultuating affe­ctions.

Providence, is a word which in its proper signification may seeme to comprehend all the actions of God, that outwardly are of him: that have any respect unto his creatures, all his works that are not ad intra essentially belonging unto the Deitie: now because God worketh all things according to his decree or the counsell of his will, Ephes. 1. 11. for, whatsoever he doth now, it pleased him from the beginning, Psal. 115. seeing also that knowne unto God are all his works from eternitie, therefore three things concerning his providence are considerable. 1. Providentia seu ratio ordinis ad finem duo praecipue conti­net: principium decernens seu ip­sam rationem or­dinis in mente divina, ipsi deo coaete [...]num, & principium exe­quens, quo suo modo, per debi­ta media, ipsa in ordine & numero disponit, Thom. His decree or pur­pose, whereby he hath disposed of all things in order, and appoint­ed them for certaine ends, which he hath foreordained: 2. His prescience, whereby, he certainly foreknoweth all things that shall come to passe: 3. His temporall operation, or working in time ( My Father worketh hitherto, Ioh. 5. 17. whereby he actually executeth all his good pleasure: the first and second of these have been the subject of the former Chapters, the latter only now re­quireth our consideration.

This then we may conceive, as an ineffable act or worke of Al­mightie God: whereby he cherisheth, sustaineth, and governeth the world, or all things by him created, moving them agreeably to those natures, which he endowed them withall in the beginning, unto those [Page 25] ends, which he hath proposed: to confirme this, I will first prove this position, that the whol world is cared for by God, and by him governed, and therein all men, good, or bad, all things, in particu­lar, be they never so small and in our eyes inconsiderable: second­ly, shew the manner, how God worketh all, in all things, and ac­cording to the diversitie of secondary causes which he hath crea­ted: whereof, some are necessary, some free, others contin­gent, which produce their effects, nec [...] nec [...], meerely by accident.

The providence of God in governing the world, is plentiful­ly made knowne unto us, both by his works, and by his word. I will give a few instances of either sort. 1. in generall, that the Almightie [...] and framer of this whole universe, should propose unto himselfe no end in the creation of all things: that he should want either power, goodnesse, will, or wisdome, to or­der, and dispose the works of his own hands is altogether impos­sible. 2. Take a particular instance, in one concerning accident, the knowledge whereof by some means or other, in some degree or other hath spread it selfe throughout the world: and that is that almost universall destruction of all by the flood, whereby the whole world was well-nigh reduced to its primitive confusion, is there nothing but chance to be seene in this? was there any circumstance about it that did not show a God, and his provi­dence? not to speake of those revelations, whereby God fore­told that he would bring such a deluge: what chance for­tune could collect, such a small number of individuals of all sorts, wherein the whole kinde might be preserved? what hand guided that poor vessell from the rocks, and gave it a resting place on the mountains? certainly, the very reading of that story, Gen. 7. having for confirmation, the Catholike tradition of all man­kinde, were enough to startle the stubborne heart of an Atheist.

The word of God doth not lesse fully relate it, then his works doe declare it, Psal. 19. My Father worketh hitherto saith our Saviour, Ioh. 5. 17. but did not God end his worke on the seventh day, and did he not then rest from all his works? Gen. 2. 2. True; from his worke of creation by his omnipotence: but his worke [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26] of gubernation by his providence; as yet knows no end: yea, and divers particular things he doth, besides the ordinary course, only to make known that he thus worketh, Ioh. 9. 3. as he hath framed all things by his wisdome, so he continueth them, by his providence in excellent order; as is at large declared in that gol­den Psal. 104. and this is not bounded to any particular places, or things, but his eyes are in every place beholding the evill, and the good, Prov. 15. 3. so that none can hide himselfe, in secret places, that he shall not see him: Ierem. 23. 24. Acts 17. 24. Iob 5. 10, 11. Exod. 4. 11. and all this he saith, that men may know from the ri­sing of the Sun, and from the West, that there is none besides him, he is the Lord, and there is none else, he formeth the light, and crea­teth darknesse, he maketh peace, and createth evill, he doth all these things, Isaiah 45. 7. in these and innumerable like places, doth the Lord declare that there is nothing which he hath made, that with the good hand of his providence he doth not govern and sustaine.

Now, this generall extent of his common providence to all, doth no way hinder, but that he may exercise certaine speciall acts thereof, towards some in particular: even by how much nee­rer then other things they approach unto him, and are more assi­milated unto his goodnesse. I meane his Church here on earth, and those whereof it doth consist: for what nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them, Deut. 4. 7. in the govern­ment hereof he most eminently sheweth his glory, and exerciseth his power; joyne here his works, with his word, what he hath done, with what he hath promised to doe for the conservation of his Church, and people, and you will finde admirable issues of a more speciall providence: against this he promiseth, the gates of hell shall not prevaile: Mat. 16. 18. amiddest of those he hath promi­sed to remaine, Matth. 18. 20. supplying them with an addition of all things necessary, Matth. 6. 33. desiring, that all their care might be cast upon him, who careth for them, 1 Pet. 5. 7. forbidding any to touch his anoynted ones: Psal. 105. 15. and that because they are unto him as the apple of his eye: Zach. 2. 8. now this speciall pro­vidence hath respect unto a supernaturall end, to which that, and that alone is to be convayed.

For wicked men, as they are excepted from this speciall care [Page 27] and government, so they are not exempted from the dominion of his Almightie hand: he who hath created them for the day of evill, Prov. 16. 4. and provided a place of their own, Acts 1. 25. for them to goe unto: doth not in this world, suffer them to live without the verge of his all-ruling providence: but by suffering and enduring their iniquities with great patience, and long-suffer­ing, Rom. 9. 20. defending them oftentimes, from the injuries of one another, Gen. 4. 15. by granting unto them many tempo­rall blessings: Matth. 5. 45. disposing of all their works, to the glory of his great name, Prov. 21. 1, 2. he declareth, that they al­so live, and move, and have their being in him, and are under the government of his providence: Nay, there is not the least thing in this world to which his care and knowledge doth not descend: ill would it become his wisdome not to sustaine, order and dispose of all things by him created, but leave them to the ruine of un­certaine chance: Majestatem Dei dedecet, sci­re per momenta singula, quot na­scantur culices, quae pulicum & muscarum in ter­ra multitudo: Hieron. in cap. 1. Haback. Hierome then was injurious to his providence, and cast a blemish on his absolute perfection, whilest he thought to have cleered his Maiestie, from being defiled with the knowledge and care of the smallest reptiles and vermine every moment and S ^t. Quis disposuit membra pulicis ac culicis, ut ha­beant ordinē su­um, habeant vi­tam suam, habe­ant motum suum: &c. qui fecit in coelo angelum, ipse fecit in ter­ra vermiculum, sed angelum in coelo pro habita­tione coelesti, vermiculum in terra pro habita­tione terrestri, nunquid angelum fecit repere in coeno, aut vermi­culsi in coelo: &c. August. Tom. 8. in Psal. 148. Austine is expresse to the contrary, who saith he, hath disposed the severall members of the flea, and gnat, that hath given unto them order, life, and motion, &c. even most agreeable to holy Scriptures, so Psal. 104. 20, 21. and 145. 15. Matth. 6. 26. He feedeth the fowles and cloatheth the grasse of the field, Iob 39. 1, [...]. and Ionah. 4. 6, 7. sure it is not troublesome to God to take notice of all that he hath created: did he use that great power in the production, of the least of his creatures, so farre beyond the united activitie of men and Angels, for no end at all? doubtlesse even they also must have a well disposed order, for the manifestation of his glory, not a sparrow falls to the ground, without our Father: Matth. 10. 29, 30. even the haires of our head are numbred, he cleatheth the lillies and grasse of the field which is to be cast into the even, Luke 12. 27, 28. Behold his knowledge, and care of them, again he used frogs, and lice, for the punishment of the Egyptians, Exod. 8. with a gourd, and a worme he exercised his servant Ionah: Chap. 3. yea he cals the locusts his terrible Army, and shall not God know and take care of the number of his souldiers, the ordering of his dreadfull Hoast.

[Page 28] That God by his providence governeth and disposeth of all things by him created, is sufficiently proved; the manner how he worketh all in all, how he ordereth the works of his owne hands, in what this governing and disposing of his creatures doth chiefly consist, comes now to be considered. And here foure things are principally to be observed: First, the sustaining, pre­serving and upholding of all things by his power. For he uphold­eth all things by the word of his power: Heb. 1. 3. Secondly, his working together with all things, by an influence of causalitie, in­to the agents themselves, for he also hath wrought all our works in us: Isaiah 26. 12. Thirdly, his powerfull over-ruling of all e­vents, both necessary, free, and contingent, and disposing of them to certaine ends for the manifestation of his glory: So Ioseph tels his brethren, as for you, you thought evill against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to passe, as it is at this day, to save much people alive, Gen. 50. 20. Fourthly, his determining and restrain­ing second causes to such and such effects: even the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, he turneth it whi­ther soever he will, Prov. 21. 1.

First, his sustentation or upholding of all things, is his power­full continuing of their being, naturall strength and faculties be­stowed on them at their creation; In him we live, and move, and have our being: Acts 17. So that he doth neither worke all him­selfe in them, without any cooperation of theirs, which would not only turn all things into stocks, yea and take from stocks, their own proper nature, but also is contrary to that generall blessing he spread over the face of the whole world, in the beginning, in­crease, Rem. apol. cap. 6. and multiply: Gen. 1. 22. nor yet, leave them to a selfe subsistance, he in the meane time only not destroying them, which would make him an idle spectator of most things in the world, not to worke hitherto as our Saviour speaks: and grant to divers things here below, an absolute being, not derivative from him; the first whereof is blasphemous, the latter impossible.

Secondly, for Gods working in, and together with all second causes, for the producing of their effects: what part or portion in the worke, punctually to assigne unto him, what to the power [Page 29] of the inferiour causes, seemes beyond the reach of mortals, nei­ther is an exact comprehension thereof, any way necessary, so that we make every thing beholding to his power for its being, and to his assistance for its operation.

Thirdly, his supreame dominion, exerciseth it selfe in dispo­sing of all things, to certaine and determinate ends for his owne glory: and is chiefly discerned, advancing it self over those things which are most contingent: and making them in some sort ne­cessary, inasmuch as they are certainly disposed of to some propo­sed ends: betweene the birth and death of a man, how many things meerely contingent doe occurre? how many chances; how many diseases, in their owne nature all evitable; and in re­gard of the event not one of them but to some prove mortall: yet certaine it is, that a mans dayes are determined, the number of his moneths are with the Lord, he hath appointed his bounds which he cannot passe: Iob 14. 5. And oftentimes by things purely con­tingent and accidentall, he executeth his purposes, bestoweth rewards, inflicteth punishments, and accomplisheth his judge­ments; as when he delivereth a man to be slaine by the head of an axe, flying from the helve in the hand of a man cutting a tree by the way: but in nothing is this more evident, then in the ancient casting of lots, a thing as casuall and accidentall as can be imagined, hudled in the Cap at a venture; yet God overruleth them to the declaring of his purpose, freeing truth from doubts, and manifestation of his power, Prov. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing of it is from the Lord: as you may see in the examples of Achan: Iosh. 7. 16, 17. Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 21. Ionathan, 1 Sam. 14. 41. Ionah, chap. 1. 8. Matthias, Act. 1. 26. And yet this overruling act of Gods providence, (as no other decree or act of his) doth not rob things contingent of their proper nature: for cannot he who effectually causeth that they shall come to passe, cause also that they shall come to passe con­tingently.

Fourthly, Gods predetermination of second causes, (which I name not last as though it were the last act of Gods providence about his creatures, for indeed it is the first that concerneth their [Page 30] operation:) is that effectuall working of his, according to his eternall purpose, whereby though some agents, as the wils of men, are causes most free and indefinite, or unlimited Lords of their owne actions, in respect of their internall principle of ope­ration, that is their owne nature, are yet all in respect of his de­cree, and by his powerfull working determined to this or that effect, in particular: not that they are compelled to doe this, or hindered from doing that; but are inclined and disposed to doe this or that, according to their proper manner of working, that is most freely: For truly such testimonies are every where obvious in Scripture, of the stirring up of mens wils and minds, of bend­ing and inclining them to divers things: of the governing of the secret thoughts and motions of the heart; as cannot by any means be referred to a naked permission, with a government of exter­nall actions, or to a generall influence, whereby they should have power to doe this or that, or any thing else, wherein as some sup­pose his whole providence consisteth.

Let us now joyntly apply these severall acts to free agents, working according to choyce, or relation, such as are the wils of men: and that will open the way to take a view of Arminian Heterodoxies, concerning this Article of Christian beliefe: and here two things must be premised: First, that they be not depri­ved of their own radicall, or originall internall libertie: Secondly, that they be not exempt from the moving influence & guberna­tion of Gods providence; the first whereof, would leave no just roome for rewards and punishments; the other, as I said before, is injurious to the majestie and power of God: Qui sic homi­nes voluit esse liberos ut fecit sacrilegos: Aug. S ^t. Augustine judged Cicero worthy of special blame even among the heathens, for so attempting to make men free, that he made them sacrilegious: by denying them to be subject to an over-ruling providence: which grosse errour was directly maintained by [...]. Damascen. Damascen, a learned Christian, teaching, things whereof we have any power not to depend on providence, but on our owne free-will: an opinion fit­ter for a hogge of the Epicures heard, then for a Scholler in the Schoole of Christ: and yet, this proud prodigious error is now, though in other termes, stifly maintained. For what doe they else, who ascribe such an absolute independent libertie to the [Page 31] will of man; that it should have in its owne power every circum­stance, every condition whatsoever, that belongs to operation; so that all things required on the part of God, or otherwise to the performance of an action being accomplished: it remaineth solely, in the power of a mans owne will, whether he will doe it, or no: which supreame and plainely divine liberty, joyned with such an absolute uncontrollable power and dominion over all his actions, would exempt and free the will of man, not onely from all fore-determining, to the production of such and such ef­ffects; but also, from any effectuall working or influence of the providence of God into the will it selfe, that should sustaine, helpe or co-operate with it, in doing or willing any thing: and therefore the authours of this imaginarie liberty, have wise­ly framed an imaginary concurrence of Gods providence, answerable unto it: viz. a generall and indifferent influence, alwaies wayting, and expecting the will of man to determine it selfe to this, or that effect, good or bad: God being as it were alwaies ready at hand, to doe that small part which he hath in our actions, whensoever we please to use him: or, if we please to let him alone, he no way moveth us to the performance of any thing: now God forbid that we should give our consent to the choyce of such a Captaine, under whose conduct we might goe downe againe unto Paganisme; to the erecting of such an Idol, into the Throne of the Almightie: No doubtlesse; let us be most indulgent to our wils, and assigne them all the libertie that is competent unto a created nature, to doe all things freely according to election and foregoing counsell, being free from all naturall necessity, and outward compulsion: but for all this, let us not presume to denie Gods effectuall assistance, his particular powerfull influence, into the wils and actions of his creatures, di­recting of them to a voluntary performance of what he hath de­termined: which the Arminians opposing in the behalfe of their darling Free-will, doe worke in the hearts of men, an overween­ing of their owne power, and an absolute independence of the providence of God. For:

First, they deny that God (in whom we live and move and have our being) doth any thing by his providence, Deus in [...] suo nihil confert creaturae quo ad agendum incite­tur ac adjuvetur. Cor. ad Mo­lin. cap. 3. sect. 15. p. 35. whereby the [Page 32] creature should be stirred up, or helped in any of his actions: that is, God wholly leaves a man in the hand of his owne counsell, to the disposall of his owne absolute independent power, without any respect to his providence at all: whence, as they doe, they may well conclude: Quae Deus li­bere prorsus et contingenter, à nobis fieri vult [...]a potentius aut efficacius quam per modum voti aut desiderii, vel­le non potest. Vorst. parasc. p. 4. That those things, which God would have to be done of us freely, (such as are all humane actions,) he cannot himselfe, will or worke, more powerfull and effectually, then by the way of wishing or desiring, as Vorstius speakes: which is no more, then one man can doe concerning another, perhaps farre lesse then an Angel: I can wish or desire that another man would doe, what I have a minde, he should: but truly to describe the provi­dence of God by such expressions, seemes to me intollerable blasphemie: but thus it must be, without such helpes as these, Dagon cannot keepe on his head, nor the Idoll of uncontroulable Free-will enioy his dominion.

Deinde etsi in isto casu destina­tum aliquod con­silium ac volun­tas Dei determi­nata consideran­da esset, tamen in omnibus acti­onibus et in iis quidem quae ex deliberato homi­num consilio et libera voluntate et male quidem fiunt ita se rem habere inde con­cludi non possit, puta, quia hic nullum consilium et arbitrii liber­tas locum habent Cor. ad Molin cap. 3. s. 14. p. 33. Hence Corvinus will grant, that the killing of a man by the slipping of an axes head from the helve, although contingent, may be said to happen according to Gods counsel, and determi­nate will; but on no termes will he yeeld, that this may be applied to actions wherein the counsell and freedome of mans will, doe take place: as though, that they also, should have dependance, on any such overruling power: whereby, he absolutely excludeth the pro­vidence of God, from having any soveraigntie within the terri­tory of humane actions, which is plainly to shake off the yoke of his dominion, and to make men Lords paramount within themselves: so that they may well ascribe unto God, (as they doe) Respectu con­tingentiae quam res habent in se tum in divina sci­entia Deo expec­tatio tribuitur. Rem. defen▪ sent. in act. syn. f. 107. onely a deceiveable expectation, of those contingent things, that are yet for to come: there beeing no act of his owne, in the producing of such effects, on which he can ground any certainty: onely, he may take a conjecture, according to his guesse at mens inclinations: and indeed this is the Helena for whose enjoyment, these thrice tenne yeeres▪ they have maintained warfare with the hosts of the living God: their whole endeavour being to prove, that notwithstanding the performance of all things on the part of God required for the production of any action, Potentia vo­luntatis, ab omni interna et exter­na necessitate immunis debet manere. Rem. confess. cap. 6. sect. 3. yet the will of man remaines absolutely free, yea in respect of the event, as well as its manner of operation, to doe it, or not to doe it: Vid. plura. Rem. apol cap. 6. fol. 69. a. that is, notwithstanding Gods decree that such an action shall be per­formed, [Page 33] and his fore-knowledge that it will so come to passe, notwithstanding his co-operating with the will of man (as farre as they will allow him) for the doing of it, and though he hath determined, by that act of man to execute some of his owne judgements: In arbitrio creaturae semper est vel influere in actum vel in­fluxum suum suspendere, et vel sic, vel aliter influere. Corvin. ad Molin. cap. 3. sect. 15. yet there is no kinde of necessitie, but that he may as well omit, as doe it: which is all one as if they should say, our tongues are our owne, we ought to speake, who is Lord over us? we will vindicate our selves into a libertie, of doing what, and how, we will: though for it we cast God out of his throne: and indeed if we marke it, we shall finde them undermining, and pul­ling downe, the actuall providence of God, at the root and seve­rall branches thereof. For:

First, for his conservation or sustaining of all things, they af­firme An conserva­tio ista sit vis si­ve actus poten­tiae an actus me­rus voluntatis negativus, quo vult res creatas non destruere aut annihilare, —posterius non sine magna veri specie affirma­tur: lucus ad Heb. 1. 3. in­epte adducitur. Rem. apol. cap. 6. sect. 1. fol 68. a. it to be very likely, that this is nothing but a negative act of his will, wherby he willeth or determineth, not to destroy the things by him created: and when we produce places of Scripture which affirme that it is an act of his power, they say, they are foolishly cited. So that truely let the Scripture say what it will, (in their conceit) God doth no more sustaine and uphold all his creatures, then I doe a house, when I doe not set it on fire, or a worme, when I doe not tread upon it.

Secondly, for Gods concurring with inferiour causes in all their acts, and working, they affirme it to be onely Curandum di­ligenter, ut Deo quidem univer­salis, homini ve­ro particularis influxus in actus tribuatur, quo universalem Dei influxum, ad par­ticularem actum determinet: Cor­vin. ad Mol. cap. 3. sect. 5. a generall influence alike upon all, and every one, which they may use, or not use at their pleasure; and in the use, determine it to this or that ef­fect, be it good or bad, so Corrinus, as it seemes best unto them: in a word, to the will of man Ita concurrit Deus in agendo, cum hominis vo­luntate, ut ist­am pro genio suo agere et li­bere suas partes obire sinat. Rom. confes. cap. 6. sect. 3. it is nothing but what suffers it to play its owne part freely according to its inclination, as they ioyntly speake in their confession: observe also, that they account this in­fluence of his providence, not to be into the agent, the will of man, whereby that should be helped or inabled to doe any thing, (no that would seeme to grant a selfe-insufficiencie,) Influxus divi­nus est in ipsum actum non in voluntatem: Ar­min. Antip. alii passim. but one­ly into the act it selfe for its production, as if I should helpe a man to lift a logge, it becomes perhaps unto him so much the lighter, but he is not made one jot the stronger: which takes off the pro­per worke of providence, consisting in an internall assistance.

[Page 34] Thirdly, for Gods determining, or circumscribing the will of man to doe this or that in particular: they absolutely explode it as a thing destructive to their adored libertie: Determinatio cum libertate ve­ra nullo modo consistere po­test: Rem. apol▪ cap. 7 fol. 82. It is no way con­sistent with it, say they in their Apologie: so also Providentia divina non de­terminat volum tatem liberam ad unam contra­dictionis vel contrarietatis partem: Armin. Artic. perpen. Arminius, The providence of God doth not determine the will of man to one part of the contradiction: that is, God hath not determined that you shall, nor doth by any meanes over-rule your wils, to doe this thing, rather then that; to doe this, or to omit it: so that the summe of their endeavour is to prove that the will of man, is so absolutely free, independent, and uncontrouleable, that God doth not, nay with all his power cannot determine it, certainly and infallibly to the performance of this or that particular action, thereby to accomplish his owne purposes, to attaine his owne ends: truly it seemes to me the most unfortunate attempt that ever Christians lighted on, which if it should get successe an­swerable to the greatnesse of the undertaking, the providence of God in mens essence, would be almost thrust quite out of the the world: tantae molis erat: the new goddesse contingencie, could not be erected, untill the God of heaven was utterly dispoyled of his dominion over the sons of men, and in the roome thereof a home-bred Idol of selfe-sufficiencie set up, and the world per­swaded to worship it: but that the building climbe no higher, let all men observe how the word of God overthrowes this Baby­lonian tower.

First, in innumerable places it is punctuall, that his pro­vidence doth not onely beare rule in the counsels of men, and their most secret resolutions, whence the Prophet inferreth that he knoweth that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man that walketh to direct his wayes: Ierem. 10. 23. And Solo­mon, that a mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps, Prov. 16. 9. David also having laid this ground, That the Lord bringeth the counsell of the heathen to nought, and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, but his owne counsell abideth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations: Psam. 33. 10, 11. proceedeth accordingly in his owne distresse to pray, that the Lord would infatuate, and make Dominus dis­sipavit consilium quod dederat Achitophel a­gendo in corde Absolon ut tale consilium repu­diaret, et aliud quod ei non ex­pediebat elige­ret: August▪ de grat. et lib. Arbit. cap. 20. foolish the counsell of Achitophel, 2 Sam. 15. 33. which also the Lord did, by working [Page 35] in the heart of Absolom, to hearken to the crosse counsell of Hushai.

But also secondly, that the working of his providence is ef­fectuall even in the hearts and wils of men, to turne them which way he will, and to determine them to this, or that in particular according as he pleaseth: The preparations of the heart, in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord, saith Solomon, Prov. 16. 1. which Iacob trusted and relied on, when he prayed, That the Lord would grant his sonnes to finde favour and mercy, before that man, Gen. 43. 14. whom then he supposed to be some Atheistical Aegyptian; whence we must grant, if either the good old man, beleeved that it was in the hand of God, to incline and unalter­ably turne and settle the heart of Ioseph, to favour his brethren, or else his prayer must have had such a senslesse sense as this: Grant O Lord, such a generall influence of thy providence, that the heart of that man, may be turned to good towards my sons, or else that it may not, being left to its own freedome; a strange request; yet how it may be bettered, by one beleeving the Ar­minian doctrine I cannot conceive: Thus Solomon affirmeth, that the heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water he turneth it which way he will, Pro. 21. 1. If the heart of a King who hath an inward naturall libertie equall with others, and an outward libertie belonging to his state and condition a­bove them, be yet so in the hand of the Lord, as that he alwaies turneth it, to what he pleaseth in particular, then certainly other men, are not excepted from the rule of the same providence: which is the plaine sense of these words, and the direct Thesis, which we maintaine, in opposition to the Arminian Idol of ab­solute independent Free-will: So Daniel also reproving the Babylonian Tyrant, affirmeth that he glorified not God in whose hand was his breath, and whose were all his wayes, Dan. 5. 23. not onely his breath and life, but also all his wayes, his actions, thoughts and words, were in the hand of God.

Yea, Secondly, sometimes the Saints of God, as I touched be­fore, doe pray that God would be pleased thus to determine their hearts, and bend their wils, and wholly incline them to some [Page 36] one certaine thing, and that without any prejudice to their true and proper libertie: So David, Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousnesse. This prayer being his, may also be ours, and we may aske it in faith, relying on the power, and promise of God in Christ, that he will performe our petitions, Iohn 14. 14. Now I desire any Christian to resolve, whether by these and the like requests, he intendeth to desire at the hand of God, nothing but such an indifferent motion to any good, as may leave him to his owne choice whether he will doe it or no; which is all the Arminians will grant him: or rather that he would powerfully bind his heart and soule unto his Testi­monies, and worke in him an actuall embracing of all the waies of God, not desiring more libertie, but onely enough to doe it willingly: Nay surely the prayers of Gods servants requesting with Solomon, that the Lord would be with them, and encline their heart unto him to keepe his statutes, and walke in his▪ Comman­dements, 1 Kings 8. 5. 7. And with David, to create in them a cleane heart, and renew a right spirit within them: Psal. 51. when according to Gods promises, they intreat him to put his feare in­to their hearts: Ierem. 31. 32. To unite their hearts to feare his Name, Psal. 86. 11. to worke in them, both the will and the deed, an actuall obedience unto his law cannot possibly aime at any thing but a generall influence, enabling them alike, either to doe, or not to doe, what they so earnestly long after.

Thirdly, the certaintie of divers promises and threatnings of Almightie God, dependeth upon his powerfull determining, and turning the wils and heart of men which way he pleaseth: thus to them that feare him, he promiseth that they shall finde favour in the sight of man, Prov. 3. 4. Now if notwithstanding, all Gods powerfull operation in their hearts, it remaineth absolutely in the hands of men, whether they will favour them that feare him or no: it is wholly in their power whether God shall be true in his promises or no: surely when Jacob wrastled with God on the strength of some such promise, Gen. 32. 12. he little thought of any question, whether it were in the power of God to performe it: yea and the event shewed that there ought to be no such question, G [...]n. 33. for the Lord turned the heart of his brother [Page 37] Esau, as he doth of others, when he makes them pitty his ser­vants when at any time they have carried away captives, Psal. 106. 46. See also the same powerfull operation, required to the ex­ecution of his judgements: Job 12. 17. and Chap. 20. 21, &c. In briefe, there is no prophesie nor prediction in the whole Scri­pture, no promise to the Church or faithfull, to whose accom­plishment, the free actions and concurrence of men is required, but evidently declareth, that God disposeth of the hearts of men, ruleth their wils, inclineth their affections, and determines them freely to choose, and doe, what he in his good pleasure hath de­creed shall be performed; such as were the prophesies of deli­verance from the Babylonish captivitie by Cyrus, Isa. 42. Of the conversion of the Gentiles, of the stabilitie of the Church, Matth. 16. Of the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans, Matth. 24. with innumerable others: I will adde onely some few reasons for the close of this long discourse.

This opinion that God hath nothing but a generall influence into the actions of men, not effectually moving their wils, to this, or that, in particular.

First, it granteth a goodnesse of entitie or being unto divers things, whereof God is not the authour: as those speciall actions which men performe without his speciall concurrence; which is blasphemous: the Apostle affirmes that of him are all things.

Secondly, Qui aliquid boni à Deo non effici affirmat, ille Deum esse negat: si namque vel tantillum bo­ni à Deo non est: jam non om­nis boni effector est [...]oque nec Deus: Bucer. in cap. 9. ad Rom. it denieth God to be the Authour of all morall good­nesse: for an action is good in as much as it is such an action in particular: which that any is so, according to this opinion is to be attributed meerely to the will of man: the generall influence of God moveth him no more to prayer, then to evill communica­tions tending to the corruption of good manners.

Thirdly, it maketh all the decrees of God, whose execution dependeth on humane actions, to be altogether uncertaine, and his fore-knowledge of such things to be fallible, and easily to be deceived: so that there is no reconciliation possible to be hoped for, betwixt these following and the like assertions.

[Page 38]

CHAP. V.
Whether the will and purpose of God may be resisted and he be frustrate of his intentions.

BY the former steps, is the Altar of Ahaz, set on the right hand of the Altar of God: the Arminian I­dol, in a direct opposition exalted to an equall pitch, with the power, and will of the most high: I shall now present unto you, the spirit of God once more contending, with the towring imaginations of poore mortals, about a transcendent priviledge of greatnesse, glory and power: for having made his decrees mutable, his prescience fallible, and almost quite devested him of his providence; as the summe and issue of all their endeavours, they affirme that his will may be resisted, he may faile of his intentions, be frustrate of his ends, he may, and doth propose, such things, as he neither doth, nor can at any time accomplish: and that, because the execution of such acts of his will, might haply clash against the freedome of the wills of men: which if it be not an expression of spirituall pride, above all that ever the devill attempted in heaven, divines doe not well expli­cate that sinne of his: now because there may seeme some dif­ficultie in this matter, by reason of the severall acceptations of the will of God: especially in regard of that whereby it is affirmed that his law and precepts, are his will, which alas we all of us too often resist or transgresse, I will unfold one distinction of the will of God, which will leave it cleare, what it is, that the Arminians oppose, for which we count them worthy of so heavy a charge.

Divinum velle est eius esse, Aquin. p. q. 19. ar. ad [...]um. say the Schoolemen, The will of God is nothing but God willing, not differing from his essence, se­cundum rem, in the thing it selfe, but only secundum rationem, in that it importeth a relation to the thing willed: the essence of God then, being a most absolute pure simple act or substance: his will consequently can be but simply one, whereof we ought to make neither division, nor distinction: if that whereby it is sig­nified, [Page 40] were taken alwayes properly and strictly for the eternall will of God: the differences hereof, that are usually given, are rather distinctions of the signification of the word, then of the thing.

In which regard, they are not onely tolerably, but simply ne­cessary; because without him, it is utterly impossible to recon­cile some places of Scripture, seemingly repugnant: in the 22. Chapter of Genesis v. 2. God commandeth Abraham, to take his onely sonne Isaac; and offer him for a burnt offering in the land of Moriah. Here the words of God are declarative of some will of God unto Abraham: who knew it ought to be, and little thought, but that it should be performed: but yet, when he actu­ally addressed himself, to his dutie in obedience to the will of God: he receiveth a countermand, vers. 12. that he should not lay his hand upon the childe, to sacrifice him: the event plainly mani­festeth, that it was the will of God that Isaac should not be sa­crificed: and yet notwithstanding, by reason of his command; Abraham seemes before bound to beleeve, that it was well-pleasing unto God, that he should accomplish what he was en­joyned: if the will of God in the Scripture be used but in one acceptation, here is a plaine contradiction: Thus God commands Pharaoh to let his people goe: could Pharaoh thinke otherwise, nay was he not bound to beleeve, that it was the will of God, that he should dismisse the Israelites at the first hearing of the mes­sage: yet God affirmes, that he would harden his heart, that he should not suffer them to depart, untill he had shewed his signes and wonders in the land of Egypt: to reconcile these, and the like places of Scripture, both the ancient Fathers, and Schoole­men, with moderne Divines, doe affirme that the one will of God, may be said to be divers or manifold, in regard of the sun­dry manners, whereby he willeth those things to be done, which he willeth, as also in other respects: and yet taken in its proper signification, is simply one and the same: the vulgar distinction of Gods secret and revealed will, is such, as to which all the other may be reduced: and therefore I have chosen it to insist upon.

The secret will of God, in his eternall, unchangeable purpose, [Page 41] concerning all things which he hath made, to be brought by cer­taine means to their appointed ends: of this himselfe affirmeth, that his counsell shall stand and he will doe all his pleasure, Isaiah. 46. 10. this some call the absolute efficacious will of God, the will of his good pleasure alwayes fulfilled: and indeed this is the only proper, eternall, constant, immutable will of God, whose or­der can neither be broken, nor its law transgressed, so long as with him there is neither change, nor shadow of turning.

The revealed will of God, containeth not his purpose and de­cree, but our dutie, not what he will doe according to his good pleasure, but what we should doe if we will please him: and this, consisting in his word, his precepts and promises, belongeth to us and our children, that we may doe the will of God: now this indeed is rather [...], then [...], that which God willeth, then his will, but tearmed so, as we call that the will of a man which he hath determined, shall be done: This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the sonne and belee­veth on him, may have everlasting life, saith our Saviour: Ioh. 6. 40. that is, this is that which his will hath appointed: hence it is called voluntas signi, or the signe of his will, Metaphorically only called his will, saith Aquin. q. g. 19. a 11. c. Aquinas: for in as much, as our com­mands are the signes of our wils, the same is said of the precepts of God: This is the rule of our obedience, and whose transgressi­on makes an action sinfull, for [...], sinne is the transgression of a law, and that such a law, as is given to the trans­gressor to be observed: now God hath not imposed on us the ob­servation of his eternall decree and intention, which as it is utter­ly impossible for us to transgresse or frustrate: so were we un­blameable if we should: a Master requires of his servant, to doe what he commands, not to accomplish what he intends: which perhaps he never discovered unto him: nay, the commands of superiours, are not alwayes signes that the commander will have the things commanded actually performed, as in all precepts for triall: but only that they who are subjects to this command, shall be obligd to obedience, as farre as the sense of it doth extend, & hoc clarum est in praeceptis divinis, saith Durand. dist c. 48. q. 3. Durand. &c. and this is cleere in the commands of God: by which we are obliged to [Page 42] doe, what he commandeth, and it is not alwayes his pleasure, that the thing it selfe, in regard of the event, shall yet be accomplish­ed: as we saw before in the examples of Pharaoh, and Abraham.

Now the will of God in the first acceptation, is said to be hid or secret, not because it is so alwayes, for it is in some particulars revealed and made knowne unto us, two wayes.

First, by his word, as where God affirmeth that the dead shall rise, we neither doubt not, but that they shall rise, and that it is the absolute will of God that they shall doe so. Secondly, by the effects, for when any thing cometh to passe, we may cast the e­vent on the will of God as its cause, and looke upon it as a reve­lation of his purpose. Iacobs sonnes little imagined, that it was the will of God, by them to send their brother into Egypt: yet afterward, Ioseph tels them plainly, it was not they, but God that sent him thither, Gen. 45. but it is said to be secret for two cau­ses: First, because for the most part it is so, there is nothing in di­vers issues declarative of Gods determination but only the event: which while it is future is hidden to them who have faculties to judge of things past and present, but not to discerne things for to come. Hence Saint Iames bids us not be too peremptory in our determinations, if we will doe this, or that, not knowing how God will close with us, for its performance. Secondly, it is said to be secret, in reference to its cause, which for the most part is past our finding out: his paths are in the deeps and his footsteps are not known.

It appeareth then, that the secret and revealed will of God are divers, in sundry respects, but chiefly, in regard of their acts, and their objects. First, in regard of their acts, the secret will of God is his eternall decree, and determination, concerning any thing to be done, in its appointed time: his revealed will is an act, whereby he declareth himself to love, or approve any thing, whi­ther ever it be done, or no.

Secondly, they are divers in regard of their objects, the object of Gods purpose and decree, is that which is good in any kinde, [Page 43] with reference to its actuall existence, for it must infallibly be performed: but the object of his revealed will, is that only which is morally good, (I speake of it inasmuch as it approveth or commandeth,) agreeing to the Law, and the Gospell: and that considered, only inasmuch as it is good: for whither it be ever actually performed, or no, is accidentall to the object of Gods revealed will.

Now of these two differences, the first is perpetuall, in regard of their severall acts, but not so the latter, they are sometimes co­incident in regard of their objects: for instance, God command­eth us to beleeve, here his revealed will, is that we should so do: withall he intendeth we shall doe so, and therefore ingenerateth faith in our hearts that we may beleeve: here his secret and re­vealed will, are coincident, the former being his precept, that we should beleeve, the latter his purpose that we shall beleeve: in this case, I say, the object of the one, and the other, is the same, even what we ought to doe, and what he will doe.

And this inasmuch, as he hath wrought all our works in us: Isaiah 26. 12. they are our own works, which he works in us: his act in us, and by us, is ofttimes our dutie towards him: he commands us by his revealed will to walke in his Statutes, and keep his Laws, upon this, he also promiseth that he will so effect all things, that of some this shall be performed: Ezek. 36. 26, 27. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh: And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes, and you shall keepe my iudge­ments and doe them: so that the selfe same obedience of the people of God, is here the object of his will, taken in either ac­ceptation: and yet the precept of God, is not here as some learn­ed men suppose, declarative of Gods intention, for then, it must be so to all, to whom it is given, which evidently it is not, for ma­ny are commanded to beleeve, on whom God never bestoweth faith: it is still to be looked upon, as a meere declaration of our du­tie, its closing with Gods intention, being accidentall unto it: there is a wide difference betwixt, doe such a thing, and you shall [Page 44] doe it: if Gods command to Iudas to beleeve, imported as much as it is my purpose, and intention that Iudas shall beleeve, it must needs contradict that will of God, whereby he determined that Iudas for his infidelitie should goe to his own place: his pre­cepts are in all obedience of us to be performed, but doe not signi­fie his will, that we shall actually fulfill his commands. Abraham was not bound to beleeve, that it was Gods intention that Isaac should be sacrificed, but, that it was his duty; there was no obli­gation on Pharaoh to thinke, it was Gods purpose the people should depart, at the first summons, he had nothing to doe with that: but there was one, to beleeve that if he would please God, he must let them goe. Hence divers things of good use in these controversies may be collected.

First, That God may command many things by his word, which he never decreed that they should actually be performed: be­cause, in such things, his words are not a revelation of his eter­nall decree and purpose: but only a declaration of some thing where with he is well pleased, be it by us performed or no in the forecited case, he commanded Pharaoh, to let his people goe, and plagued him for refusing to obey his command: hence we may not collect, that God intended the obedience and conversion of Pharaoh by this his precept, but was frustrated of his intention, for the Scripture is evident and cleere, that God purposed by his disobedience, to accomplish an end farre different, even a mani­festation of his glory by his punishment: but only that obedience unto his commands is pleasing unto him: as 1 Sam. 15. 22.

Secondly, That the will of God to which our obedience is re­quired, is the revealed will of God, contained in his word, whose compliance with his decree is such, that hence we learne three things tending to the execution of it. First, that it is the conditi­on of the word of God, and the dispensation thereof, instantly to perswade to faith and obedience: Secondly, that it is our duty, by all means to aspire to the performance of all things by it en­joyned, and our fault if we doe not. Thirdly, that God by these means, will accomplish his eternall decree of saving his elect, and that he willeth the salvation of others, inasmuch as he calleth [Page 45] them unto the performance of the condition thereof: now our obedience is so to be regulated by this revealed will of God, that we may sin, either by omission, against its precepts: or commission against its prohibitions: although by our so omitting, or commit­ting of any thing, the secret will or purpose of God be fulfil­led. Had Abraham disobeyed Gods precept, when he was com­manded to sacrifice his sonne Isaac: though Gods will had been accomplished thereby, who never intended it: yet Abraham had grievously sinned against the revealed will of God, the rule of his duty: the holinesse of our actions, consisteth in a conformity unto his precepts, and not unto his purposes: on this ground ( Multi volun­tatem Dei faci­unt cum illam nituntur vitare, et resistendo imprudenter ob­sequuntur divino consilio: Greg. Moral. lib. 6. cap. 11. Gregory affirmeth) that many fulfill the will of God (that is his intentions) when they thinke to change it, (by transgressing his precepts) and by resisting, imprudently obey Gods purpose: and to shew how meerely we in our actions are tied to this rule of our duty. August. En­chirid: ad Lau­ren: cap: 101. Saint Austine shews how a man may do good in a thing crosse to Gods secret will: and evill in that which complyeth with it: which he illustrates by the example of a sicke parent having two chil­dren, the one wicked, who desires his fathers death, the other godly, and he prayes for his life: but the will of God is he shall die, agreeably to the desire of the wicked childe: and yet it is the other, who hath performed his duty, and done what is plea­sing unto God.

Thirdly, to returne from this unnecessarie digression: that which we have now in agitation, is the secret will of God, which we have before unfolded, and this it is that we charge the Armi­nians for affirming, that it may be resisted: that is, That God may faile in his purposes, come short of what he earnestly intendeth; or be frustrated of his aime and end: as if he should determinately re­solve the faith and salvation of any man: it is in the power of that man, to make void his determination, and not beleeve, and not be saved: now it is onely in cases of this nature, wherein our owne Free-wils have an interest, that they thus limit and cir­cumscribe the power of the most high: in other things, they grant his omnipotencie to be of no lesse extent then others doe: but in this case, they are peremptory and resolute, without any colour­ing or tergiversation, for whereas there is a question proposed by [Page 46] the Apostle, Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his will? which that none hath or can, he grants in the following verses: Ea sententia non continet A­postoli verba, sed Jud [...]orum objectionem ab Apostolo re­jectam: Cro­vin. ad M [...]l. cap▪ 3. pe [...]. 19. Corvinus affirmes, it is onely an obiection of the Jewes reiected by the Apostle: which is much like an answer young schollers usually give to some difficult place in Aristotle, when they cannot thinke of a better, loquitur ex aliorum sententia: for there is no signe of any such rejection of it by the Apostle, in the whole following discourse: Yea, and it is not the Iewes, that Saint Paul disputeth withall here, but weaker brethren concerning the Iewes; which is ma­nifest from the first verse, of the next Chapter, where he distin­guisheth betweene brethren to whom, and Israel of whom he spake. Secondly, he speakes of the Iewes in the whole Treatise in the third person, but of the disputer in the second. Thirdly, it is taken for a confessed principle, betweene Saint Paul, and the disputer as he cals him; that the Iewes were rejected, which surely themselves would not readily acknowledge: So that Cor­vinus rejects as an objection of the Iewes, a granted principle of Saint Paul, and the other Multa non [...]ie­ri quae Deus fieri vel non dubita­mus: Corvin. ibid. cap. 5. p. 5. Christians of his time: with the like confidence, the same Authour affirmeth, That they nothing doubt but that many things are not done which God would have to be done: Multa fiunt quae Deus fieri non vult: nec semper fiunt quae ispe fieri vult: Vorst. de Deo: pag. 64. Vorstius goes further, teaching That not onely many things are done, which he would have done, but also that many things are done, which he would not have done: He meanes not our transgressing of his Law, but Gods failing in his purpose; as Corvinus cleares it, acknowledging, that the execution of Gods will, is suspended or hindered by man: to whom Ab homine es­se agnoscimus, quod voluntatis (divinae) execu­tio saepe suspen­datur: Corvin: ubi sup: paraq. 12. Episcop. disput. pri. de volun. Dei coral. 5. Episcopius subscribes; as for exam­ple: God purposeth and intendeth the conversion of a sinner, sup­pose it were Mary Magdalen: Can this intention of his be cros­sed and his will resisted? yea, say the Arminians; for God con­verts sinners by his grace; but we can resist God when he would con­vert us by his grace; say Possumus Deo resistere cum nos vult per gratiam suam convertere: Rem. coll. Hag. p. 193. Objiciet quis ergo illum su­um finem Deus non est assecutus, Respondemus, nos hoc conce­dere: Rem. de­fens: sent in Sy­nod. fol. 256. sixe of them ioyntly in their meeting at the Hague: But some one may here object, say they, that thus God faileth of his intention, doth not attaine the end, at which he aimes: we answer, this we grant: or be it the salvation of men, they say They are certain Nobis certum est, Deum multo­rum salutem in­tendere, in qui­bus eam non as­sequitur, Grevin. ad. Ames. fol. 271. that God intendeth that for many, which never obtaine it; that end he cannot compasse.

And here me thinkes they place God in a most unhappy con­dition, [Page 47] by affirming that they are often damned, whom he would have to be saved, though he desires their salvation with a most Veheme [...] est in Deo affectus ad homini bene­faciendum: Cor. ad Molin. cap. 5. sect. 8. vehement desire and naturall affection, such I thinke, as Crowes have to the good of their young ones, for that there are in him Esse in Deo desideria quae non implentur concedimus: i­dem. sect. 9. Non decet ut Deus infinita sua potentia utatur ad id efficiendum quo desideria suo naturali fertur Armi. Antiper. p. 584. such desires as are never fulfilled, because not regulated by wise­dome and iustice; they plainly affirme: For although by his in­finite power perhaps, he might accomplish them, yet it would not become him so to doe.

Now let any good natured man, who hath beene a little trou­bled for poore Jupiter in Homer, mourning for the death of his sonne Sarpedon, which he could not prevent: or hath beene grie­ved for the sorrow of a distressed father, not able to remove the wickednesse and inevitable ruine, of an onely sonne; droppe one teare for the restrained condition of the God of heaven: who, when he would have all and every man in the world to come to heaven to escape the torments of hell, and that with a serious purpose and intention, that it shall be so: a vehement affection and fervent naturall desire, that it should be so, yet being not in himselfe alone able to save one, must be forced to loose his desire, lay downe his affection, change his purpose, and see the greatest part of them to perish everlastingly: Deus [...]o fine et intentione re­medium praepa­ravit, ut omnes ejus actu fierent participes, quam­vis id non actu evenit: Rem. Apol. cap. 7. fol. 86. yea notwithstanding that he had provided a sufficient meanes for them all to escape, with a pur­pose and intention that they should so doe.

In briefe, their whole doctrine in this point is laid downe by Corvinus, Chap. 3. against Moulin, and the third Section: where first, he alloweth of the distinction of the will of God, into that whereby he will have us doe something, and that whereby he will doe any thing himselfe: the first is nothing but his Law and Precepts, which we with him affirme may be said to be resisted, in as much as it is transgressed: the latter he saith, If it respect any act of mans, may be considered as praeceding that act, or following it: If praeceding it, then it may be resisted, if man will not co-operate: Now this is the will of God whereby himselfe intendeth to doe any thing: The summe of which distinction is this, the will of God concerning the future being of any thing, may be considered as it goeth before the actuall existence of the thing it selfe, and in this [Page 48] regard it may be hindered or resisted; but as it is considered to follow any act of man, it is alwaies fulfilled: by which latter member, striving to mollifie the harshnesse of the former, he runs himselfe into inexplicable non-sense, affirming, that, that act of the will of God, whereby he intendeth men shall doe any thing, cannot be hindered after they have done it, that is, God hath irresistibly purposed they shall doe it, provided they doe it: in his following Discourse also, he plainly grants, that there is no act of Gods will about the salvation of men, that may not be made voide and of none effect, but onely that generall decree, where­by he hath established an inseparable connexion betweene faith and salvation, or whereby he hath appointed faith in Christ, to be the meanes of attaining blessednesse: which is onely an imma­nent act of Gods will, producing no outward effect: so that every act thereof, that hath an externall issue by humane co-operation, is frustrable and may fall to the ground: which in what direct opposition it stands to the word of God, let these following in­stances declare.

First, Our God is in heaven, saith the Psalmist, he hath done whatsoever he pleased, Psal. 115. 5. not onely part, but all, what­soever he pleased should come to passe by any meanes: He ruleth in the kingdome of men, and giveth it to whom he will, Dan. 4. 23. The transposition of kingdomes, is not without the mixture of divers free and voluntary actions of men, and yet in that great worke, God doth all that he pleaseth; yea, before him, all the in­habitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his will, in the Armie of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou? vers. 35. My counsell, saith he, shall stand, and I will doe all my pleasure, Isa. 46. 10. I have purposed I will also doe it, vers. 11. Nay, so certaine is he of accomplishing all his purposes; that he confirmes it with an Oath, the Lord of Hoasts hath sworne, surely as I have thought, so it shall come to passe, and as I have purposed so it shall stand: Isa. 14. 24. and indeed it were a very strange thing, that God should intend what he fore-seeth will never come to passe: but I confesse this Argument will not be pres­sing against the Arminians who question that praescience: but yet, [Page 49] would they also would observe from the Scripture, that the fay­lings of wicked mens counsels and intentions is a thing that God is said to deride in heaven, as Psal. 2. 4. He threatens them with it, Take counsell, saith he, together and it shall come to nought, Isa. 8. 10. speake the word and it shall not stand: see also Chap. 29. 7, 8. and shall they be enabled to recriminate, and cast the like aspersion on the God of heaven? no surely, saith Saint Ne credere co­gamur aliquid omnipotentem D [...]um voluisse factumque non esse, August. En. cap. 103. Austine: Let us take heed we be not compelled to beleeve that Almightie God would have any thing done which doth not come to passe: to which truth also that the Schoole-men have universally consented is shewed by Alvarez disput. 32. pro. 3. and these few instances will manifest the Arminian opposition to the word of God in this particular.

CHAP. VI.
How the whole doctrine of Predestination is accounted by the Arminians.

THe cause of all these quarrels, wherewith the Ar­minians and their abettors, have troubled the Church of Christ, comes next unto our considera­tion: the eternall predestination of Almightie God, that fountaine of all spirituall blessings, of all the effects of Gods love derived unto us through Christ: the de­mollishing of this rocke of our salvation, hath been the chiefe indeavour of all the Patrons of humane selfe-sufficiencie: so to vindicate unto themselves, a power, and independent abillitie of doing good, of making themselves to differ from others, of at­taining everlasting happinesse, without going one steppe from without themselves: and this is their first attempt, to attaine their second proposed end, of building a tower, from the toppe whereof they may mount into heaven, whose foundation is no­thing but the sand of their owne free-will and indeavours: quite on the sudden (what they have done in effect) to have taken a­way this divine praedestination, name, and thing, had beene an attempt as noted as notorious, and not likely to attaine the least successe amongst men professing to beleeve the Gospel of Christ: wherefore, suffering the name to remaine, they have abolished the thing it selfe, and substituted another so unlike it in the roome thereof, that any one may see they have gotten a bleare­eyed Leah instead of Rachel, and hugge a cloud instead of a De­itie. The true Doctrine it selfe, hath beene so excellently delive­red by divers learned Divines, so freed from all Objections, that I shall onely briefely and plainly lay it downe, and that with spe­ciall reference to the seventeenth Article of our Church, where it is cleerely avowed; shewing withall which is my chiefe in­tention, how it is thwarted, opposed, and overthrowne by the Arminians: Predestination in the usuall sense it is taken, is a part of Gods providence, concerning his creatures, distinguished from it by a double restriction.

First, in respect of their Obiects, for whereas the Decree of [Page 51] providence comprehendeth his intentions towards all the works of his hands, predestination respecteth onely rationall creatures.

Secondly, in regard of their ends, for whereas his providence directeth all creatures in generall, to those severall ends to which at length they are brought, whether they are proportionated un­to their natures, or exceeding the sphere of their naturall activi­tie: Predestination is exercised onely in directing rationall crea­tures, to supernaturall ends: so that in generall it is the counsell, decree, or purpose of Almightie God, concerning the last and super­naturall end of his rationall creatures, to be accomplished for the praise of his glory: But this also must receive a double restriction, before we come precisely, to what, we in this place aime at: and these againe in regard of the objects or the ends thereof.

The Object of Predestination is, all rationall creatures; now these are either Angels or men, of Angels I shall not treat: Se­condly, the end by it provided for them is either eternall happi­nesse, or eternall miserie: I speake onely of the former, the act of Gods predestination, transmitting men to everlasting happi­nesse: and in this restrained sense, it differs not at all from ele­ction, and we may use them as Synonyma, termes of the same importance: though by some affirming that God predestina­teth them to faith whom he hath chosen, they seeme to be di­stinguished as the decrees of the end, and the meanes conducing thereunto; whereof the first is Election, intending the end, and then takes place Predestination providing the meanes; but this exact distinction appeareth not directly in the Scripture.

This Election the word of God proposeth unto us, as the gra­cious immutable decree of Almightie God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, out of his owne good pleasure, he chose cer­taine men, determining to free them from sinne and miserie, to be­stow upon them grace and faith, to give them unto Christ, to bring them to everlasting blessednesse for the praise of his glorious grace: or as it is expressed in our Church Articles, Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby before the foundations of the world were laid, he hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation, as vessels made unto honour: wherefore they who are endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to Gods purpose, &c.

Now to avoid prolixitie I will annex onely such annotations, as may cleere the sense, and confirme the truth of the Article, by the Scriptures: and shew briefly how it is overthrowne by the Arminians in every particular thereof.

First, the Article consonantly to the Scripture affirmeth, that it is an eternall decree, made before the foundations of the world were laid, so that by it we must needs be chosen before we are borne, before we have done either good or evill: the words of the Ar­ticle are cleere, and so also is the Scripture, He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world: Ephes. Chap. 1. vers. 4. The children being not yet borne, before they had done either good or evill, it was said, &c. Rom. 9. 11. We are called with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, which was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began: 2 Tim. 1. 9. Now from hence it would undoubtedly follow, that no good thing in us, can be the cause of our election, for every cause must in order praecede its effect, but all things whereof we by any meanes are partakers, in as much as they are ours are tem­porarie, and so cannot be the cause of that which is eternall: things with that qualification, must have reference to the sole will and good pleasure of God, which inference would breake the necke of the Arminian election: wherefore to prevent such a fatall ruine, they deny the principle, to wit, that election is eter­nall: Electio non est ab aeterno: Rem. apol. So the Remonstrants in their Apologie; Electio alia completa est quae neminem spectat nisi immocientē: —Electio pe­remptoria to­tum salutis complementum et consummati­onem decernit, ideoque in ob­jecto requirit to­tam consumma­tam fidei obedi­entiam: Grevin. ad Ames. fol. 136. passim. dis. Compleate electi­on regardeth none but him that is dying, for this peremptorie election decreeth the whole accomplishment and consummation of salvation, and therefore requireth in the obiect the finished course of faith and obedience, saith Grevinchovius: which is to make Gods election nothing but an act of his justice, approving our obedience: and such an act as is incident to any weake man, who knowes not what will happen in the next houre that is yet for to come: and is this post-destination, that which is proposed to us in the Scripture, [Page 53] as the unsearchable fountaine of all Gods love towards us in Christ? Non agnosci­mus aliam prae­destinationem in evangelio pate­factam, quam qua Deus decrevit credentes & qui in eadem fide perseverarent salvos facere: Rem. coll. Hag. fol. 34. yea, say they, we acknowledge no other predestination to be revealed in the Gospel, besides that whereby God decreeth to save them who should persevere in faith, that is Gods determination concerning their salvation is pendulous, untill he finde by experi­ence, that they will persevere in obedience. But I wonder why, seeing election is confessedly one of the greatest expressions of Gods infinite goodnesse, love, and mercy towards us; if it follow our obedience, we have it not like all other blessings and mercies promised unto us, is it because such propositions as these, beleeve Peter and continue in the faith unto the end, and I will choose thee before the foundation of the world, are fitter for the writings of the Arminians then the word of God? neither will we be their rivals in such an election, as Electionis fru­ctum aut sensum in hac vita nul­lum agnosco: Grevin. from whence, no fruit, no effect, no consola­tion, be derived to any mortall man whilest he lives in this world.

Secondly, the Article affirmeth that it is constant, that is, one immutable decree, agreeably also to the Scriptures, teaching but one purpose, but one fore-knowledge, one good pleasure, one decree of God, concerning the infallible ordination of his elect unto glory: although of this decree, there may be said to be two acts, one concerning the means, the other concerning the end, but both knit up in the immutabilitie of Gods will: Heb. 6. 17. The foundation of God, standeth sure: having this seale, God know­eth who are his: 2 Tim. 2. 19. His gifts and calling are without recalling not be repented of, Rom. 11. 29. now what say our Arminians to this, why a whole multitude of new notions, and termes have they invented, to obscure the doctrine; Election say they is Episcop. Thes. p. 35. Epist. ad Walach. p. 38. Grevinch. ad A­mes. p. 133. either Legall, or Evangelicall, generall or particular, com­plete, or incomplete, revocable or irrevocable, peremptory, or not peremptory, with I know not how many more distinctions of one single eternall act of Almightie God: whereof there is nei­ther volanec vestigium, signe or token in the whole Bible, or any approved Author: and to these quavering divisions they accom­modate their doctrine, or rather they purposely invented them to make their errours unintelligible: yet something agreeably thus they dictate; There Electio alia completa est, quae neminem spectat nisi morientem, alia incompleta, quae omnibus fi­delibus commu­nis est, —ut Salu­tis bona, sunt in­completa quae continuantur, fi­de continuat [...], & abnegata revo­cantur, sic electio est incompleta in hac vita, non peremptoria, re­vocabilis. Grev. ad Ames. is a complete election, belonging to none but those that are dying, and there is another incomplete, common to all [Page 54] that beleeve, as the good things of salvation are incomplete which are continued whilest faith is continued, and revoked when that is denied, so election is complete in this life, and revocable: againe, there are say they in their confession, Tres sunt ordi­nes credentium & resipiscentium in Scripturis, no­vitii, credentes aliq [...]andiu, per­severantes, duo priores ordines credentium eli­guntur vere qui­dē, at non pro [...] ­sus absolute, nec nisi ad tempus puta quamdiu & qu [...]tenus tales sent▪ &c. Rem. confess. cap. 18. sect. 6, 7. three orders of beleevers, and re­penters in the Scripture, whereof some are beginners, others having continued for a time, and some perseverants, the two first orders are chosen, vere truly, but not absolute prorsus, absolutely, but only for a time, so long as they will remaine as they are, the third are chosen finally and peremptorily; for this act of God is either continued or interrupted according as we fulfill the condition: but whence learn­ed the Arminians this doctrine? not one word of it from the word of truth, no mention there of any such desultory election, no speech of faith, but such as is consequent to the one eternall irre­vocable decree of predestination, they beleeved who were ordain­ed to eternall life, Acts 13. 48. no distinction of men halfe and wholly elected, where it is affirmed that it is impossible the elect should be seduced, Matth. 24. 24. that none shall snatch Christs sheep out of his fathers hand, Ioh. 11. 28, 29. what would they have more? Gods purpose of election is sealed up, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and therefore cannot be revoked: it must stand firme, Rom. 9. 11. in spight of all opposition: neither will reason allow us to thinke any immanent act of God, to be incomplete or revocable, be­cause of the neere alliance it hath with his very nature: but rea­son, Scripture, God himselfe, all must give place to any absurdi­ties if they stand in the Arminian way, bringing in their Idoll with shouts, and preparing his throne, by claiming the cause of their predestination to be in themselves.

Thirdly, the Article is cleere, that the object of this predesti­on, is some particular men chosen out of mankinde, that is, it is such an act of God, as concerneth some men in particular: taking them as it were aside from the middest of their brethren, and de­signing them for some speciall end and purpose, the Scripture also aboundeth in asserting this veritie, calling them that are so cho­sen, a few: Mat. 20. 16. which must needs denote some certaine persons; and the residue according to election, Rom. 11. 5. those whom God knows to be his, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Men ordained to eternall life, Acts 13. 48. us Rom. 8. 39. those that are written in the [Page 55] Lambes booke of life, Revel. 21. 27. all which and divers others clearely prove, that the number of the elect is certaine, not only materially as they say, that there are so many, but formally also Aquinas. that these particular persons and no other are they, which cannot be altered: nay the very nature of the thing it selfe doth so de­monstratively evince it, that I wonder it can possibly be con­ceived, under any other notion: to apprehend an election of men, not circumscribed with the circumstance of particular persons, is such a conceited Platonicall abstraction, as it seemes strange that any one dares professe to understand: that there should be a pre­destination and none predestinated, an election and none elected, a choise amongst many yet none left or taken, a decree to save men, and yet thereby salvation destinated to no one man, either re aut spe, indeed or in expectation, in a word that there should be a purpose of God to bring men unto glory, standing inviolable though never any one attained the proposed end, is such a riddle as no Oedipus can unfold: now such an election, such a predestination have the Ar­minians substituted, in the place of Gods everlasting decree: we Nos negamus Dei elect [...]onem ad salutem ex­tendere sese ad singulares perso­nas, qua singula­res personas: Rem. Coll. Hag. fol. 76. deny say they that Gods election, extendeth it selfe to any singular persons, as singular persons: that is, that any particular persons, as Peter: Paul, Iohn, are by it elected: no? how then? Deus statuit in­discriminatim media ad fidem administrare, & prout has, vel il­las personas, istis mediis creditu­ras vel non cre­dituras videt, ita tandem de illis statuit, Corvi. ad Tilen. 76. Why God hath appointed without difference, to dispense the means of faith, and as he seeth these persons to beleeve, or not to beleeve, by the use of those means, so at length he determineth of them: as saith Corvi­nus: well then; God chooseth no particular man to salvation, but whom he seeth beleeving by his own power, with the helpe on­ly of such means as are affoorded unto others, who never beleeve, and as he maketh himselfe, thus differ from them, by a good use of his own abilities, so also he may be reduced againe into the same predicament, and then his election which respecteth not him in his person, but only his qualification, quite vanisheth: but is this Gods decree of election? yes say they; and Ecclesiae tan­quam Sacrosan­cta doctrina ob­truditur Deum absolutissime & immutabili de­creto ab omni re­tro aeternitate, pro puro suo be­neplacito, singu­lares quosdam homines, eosque, quoad caeteros, paucissimos, citra ullius obedientiae aut fidei [...]n Chri­stum intuit [...] praedestinasse ad vitam: Praefat. lib. Armin. ad. Perk. make a dole­full complaint, that any other doctrine should be taught in the Church, it is obtruded (say the true born sons of Arminius) on the Church as a most holy doctrine, that God by an absolute immutable decree, from all eternitie, out of his own good pleasure, hath chosen certaine persons, and those but a few in comparison, without any re­spect had to their faith and obedience; and predestinated them to [Page 56] everlasting life: but what so great exception is this doctrine ly­able unto; what wickednesse doth it include, that it should not be accounted most holy? nay, is not only the matter, but the ve­ry tearmes of it contained in the Scripture: doth not it say the elect are few, and they chosen before the foundation of the world; without any respect to their obedience or any thing that they had done: out of Gods meere gracious good pleasure, that his free purpose according to election might stand; even because so it pleased him: and this that they might be holy, beleeve, and be sanctified, that they might come unto Christ and by him be pre­served into everlasting life; yea, this is that which gals them, Nulla Deo tri­bui potest volun­tas, qua ita velit hominem ullum salvari, ut salus inde illis constet certo & infalli­biliter, Arm. An­tiperk. fol. 583. no such will can be ascribed unto God whereby he so willeth any one to be saved, as that thence their salvation should be sure and infalli­ble, saith the father of those children.

Well then let Praedestinatio est praeparatio beneficiorum quibus certissime liberantur qui­cunque liberan­tur, Aug. de bono per. sen. cap. 14. S ^t. Austine his definition be quite rejected, that predestination is a preparation of such benefits, whereby some are most certainly freed and delivered from sinne, and brought to glory: and that also of Saint Paul, that (by reason of this) nothing can separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ: what is this election in your judgement? Decretum ele­ctionis nihil ali­ud est quam de­cretum quo Deus constituit cre­dentes in Christo justificare, & sal­vare, Corvin. ad Tilen. fol. 13. Nothing but a decree whereby God hath appointed to save them that beleeve in Christ: saith Cor­vinus, be they who they will: or a generall purpose of God, whereby he hath ordained faith in Christ, to be the means of sal­vation: yea, but this belongs to Iudas, as well as to Peter, this de­cree carrieth an equall aspect to those that are damned, as to those that are saved, salvation under the condition of faith in Christ, was also proposed to them, but was Iudas and all his company e­lected? how came they then to be seduced and perish? that any of Gods elect goe to hell, is as yet a strange assertion in Christia­nity; notwithstanding this decree, none may beleeve, or all that doe may fall away, and so none at all be saved, which is a strange kinde of predestination: or all may beleeve, continue in faith, and be saved: which were a more strange kinde of election.

We poore souls thought hitherto, that we might have belee­ved according unto Scripture, that some by this purpose were in a peculiar manner made the Fathers, (thine they were) and by him [Page 57] given unto Christ, that he might bring them unto glory, and that these men were so certaine and unchangeable a number, that not only God knoweth them as being his, but also, that Christ calleth them all by name: Ioh. 10. 3. and looketh, that none taketh them out of his hand: we never imagined before, that Christ hath been the Mediatour of an uncertaine Covenant, because there are no certaine persons covenanted withall, but such as may or may not fulfill the condition: we alway thought, that some had been se­parated before by Gods purpose from the rest of the perishing world, that Christ might lay down his life for his friends, for his sheepe, for them that were given him of his Father: but now it should seeme he was ordained to be a King, when it was altoge­ther uncertaine whether he should ever have any subjects, to be a head without a body, or to such a Church whose collection and continuance depends wholly and solely on the will of men.

These are doctrines that I beleeve searchers of the Scripture, had scarse ever been acquainted withall, had they not lighted on such Expositors, as teach, Ratio dilectio­nis personae est, quod probitas, fi­des, vel pietas, qua ex officio suo & praescripto Dei ista persona praedita sit. Deo grata sit. Rem. A­pol. pag. 13. that the only cause why God loveth, (or chooseth) any person, is, because the honesty, faith and pietie, where­with, according to Gods command and his own dutie, he is endued, are acceptable to God: which though we grant it true of Gods consequent, or approving love; yet surely there is a divine love, wherewith he looks upon us otherwise, when he gives us unto Christ: else, either our giving unto Christ is not out of love, or, we are pious, just, and faithfull, before we come unto him, that is, we have no need of him at all: against either way, though we may blot these testimonies out of our hearts, yet they will stand still recorded in holy Scripture, viz. that God so loved us when we were his enemies, Rom. 5. 8. sinners, vers. 10. of no strength, that he sent his only begotten Sonne to die, that we should not perish but have life everlasting, Ioh. 3. 16. but of this enough.

Fourthly, Another thing that the Article asserteth according to the Scripture is, that there is no other cause of our election, but Gods own counsell, it recounteth no motives in us, nothing impelling the will of God, to choose some out of mankinde, rejecting o­thers, but his own decree that is his absolute will and good plea­sure, [Page 58] so that as there is no cause, in any thing without himselfe, why he would create the world or elect any at all, for he doth all these things for himselfe for the praise of his own glory, so there is no cause in singular elected persons, why God should choose them, rather then others; he looked upon all mankinde in the same condition, vested with the same qualifications, or rather without any at all, for it is the children not yet borne, before they do either good or evill, that are chosen or reiected, his free grace embra­cing the one, and passing over the other, yet here we must ob­serve, that although God freely without any desert of theirs choo­seth some men to be partakers, both of the end and the means, yet he bestoweth faith or the means, on none, but for the merit of Christ: neither doe any attaine the end or salvation, but by their own faith through that righteousnesse of his: the free grace of God notwithstanding choosing Iacob, when Esau is rejected, the only antecedent cause of any difference, betweene the elect and reprobates, remaineth firme and unshaken: and surely unlesse men were resolved to trust wholly to their own bottomes, to take nothing gratis at the hands of God, they would not endeavour to rob him of his glory: of having mercy on whom he will have mercy, of loving us without our desert, before the world began: if we must claime an interest in obtaining the temporall acts of his favour, by our own indeavours; yet oh, let us grant him the glo­ry of being good unto us, only for his own sake, when we were in his hand as the clay in the hand of the potter: what made this piece of clay, fit for comely service and not a vessell wherein there is no pleasure, but the power, and will of the framer? it is enough, yea, too much for them to repine and say, why hast thou made us thus, who are vessels fitted for wratth? let not them who are prepared for honour, exalt themselves against him, and sacri­fice to their own nets, as the sole providers of their glory: but so it is? humane vilenesse will still be declaring it selfe, by claim­ing a worth no way due unto it: of a furtherance of which claim, if the Arminians be not guiltie, let the following declaration of their opinions in this particular determine.

We Rotunde fate­mur, fidem in consideratione Dei in eligendo ad salutem ante­cedere, et non tanquam fructum electionis sequi Rem. Hag. coll. p. 35. confesse say they, roundly, that faith in the consideration of God choosing us unto salvation, doth precede, and not follow as a [Page 59] fruit of election, so that whereas Christians have hitherto belee­ved, that God bestoweth faith, on them that are chosen, it seemes now it is no such matter, but that those whom God findeth to be­leeve, upon the stocke of their own abilities, he afterwards choo­seth. Neither is faith in their judgement, only required as a ne­cessary condition in him that is to be chosen, but as a cause moving the will of God to elect him that hath it, Grevin. ad Ames. p. 24. Cor. ad Molin. p. 260. as the will of the Iudge is moved to bestow a reward on him, who according to the law hath deserved it; as Grevinchovius speaks, which words of his, indeed Corvinus strives to temper, but all in vaine, though he wrest them contrary to the intention of the Author: for with him a­gree all his fellows: Electionis & reprobationis, causa unica vera & absoluta non est Dei voluntas sed respectus o­bedientiae & ino­bedientiae: Epis. disput. 8. the one, only, absolute cause of election, is not the will of God, but the respect of our obedience, saith Episcopius: At first they required nothing but faith, and that as a condition, not as Cum peccatum pono causam me­ritoriam repro­bationis ne ex­istimato è contra me ponere, justi­tiam causam me­ritoriam electio­nis. Armin. Ante­perk. Rem. Apol. p. 73. a cause, then perseverance in faith, which at length they began to call obedience; comprehending all our dutie to the precepts of Christ: for the cause say they of this love to any per­son, is the righteousnesse faith and pietie wherewith he is endued, which being all the good works of a Christian, they in effect af­firme a man to be chosen for them: that our good works are the cause of election, which whither it were ever so grossely taught, either by Pelagians or Papists I something doubt.

And here observe, that this doth not thwart my former asser­tion, where I shewed, that they deny the election of any particu­lar persons, which here they seeme to grant upon a fore-sight of their faith, and good workes: for there is not any one person, as such a person, notwithstanding all this, that in their judgement is in this life elected: but onely as he is considered with those qua­lifications, of which he may at any time divest himselfe, and so be­come againe to be no more elected then Iudas.

The summe of their Doctrine in this particular, is laid by one of ours in a Tract intituled Gods love to mankinde, &c. a Booke full of palpable ignorance, grosse sophistrie, and abominable blas­phemie, whose Authour seemes to have proposed nothing unto himselfe, but to rake all the dunghils of a few the most invective Arminians, and to collect the most filthy scumme and pollution [Page 60] of their railings to cast upon the truth of God, and under I know not what selfe-coyned pretences, belch out odious blasphemies against his holy name.

The summe, saith he, of all these speeches (he cited to his pur­pose) is, Gods Love, pag. 6. That there is no decree of saving men, but what is built on Gods fore-knowledge of the good actions of men: No decree? no not that whereby God determineth to give some unto Christ, to ingraft them in him by faith, and bring them by him unto glory: which giveth light to that place of Deum nullam creaturam prae­cise ad vitam ae­ternam amare, nisi consideratā ut justam sive ju­stitia legali si­ve evangelica, Armin. artic. per­pend. fol. 21. Arminius, where he affir­meth, That God loveth none precisely to eternall life, but considered as iust either with Legall or Evangelicall righteousnesse. Now to love one to eternall life, is to destinate one to obtaine eternall life by Christ: and so it is co-incident with the former assertion that our election or choosing unto grace and glory is upon the fore-sight of our good workes: which containes a doctrine so contradictorie to the words, and meaning of the Apostle, Rom. 9. 11. condemned in so many Councels, suppressed by so many Edicts and Decrees of Emperours and Governours: opposed as a pestilent heresie, ever since it was first hatched, by so many Or­thodoxe Fathers and learned Schoole men: so directly contrary to the Doctrine of this Church, so injurious to the grace and su­preame power of Almightie God: that I much wonder, any one in this light of the Gospel, and flourishing time of learning, should be so boldly ignorant or impudent, as to broach it amongst Chri­stians: Vid. Prosp. ad ex­cep. Gen. ad dub. 8. 9. vid. Car. de ingratis. c. 2. 3. to prove this to be a heresie, exploded by all Orthodoxe, and Catholique antiquitie, were to light a candle in the Sunne: for it cannot but be knowne, to all and every one, who ever heard or read any thing of the state of Christs Church, after the rising of the Pelagian tumults.

To accumulate testimonies of the Ancient is quite beside my purpose: I will onely adde the confession of Non potest defendi praedesti­tio ex operibus praevisis nisi ali­quid boni pona­tur in homine ju­sto, quo discer­natur ab impio, quod non sit illi à Deo, quod sa­ne patres omnes summa consensi­one rejiciunt, Bellar. de grat. & lib. Arbit. cap. 14. Bellarmine, a man otherwise not over-well affected to truth: Predestination saith he, from the fore-sight of workes, cannot be maintained, unlesse we should suppose something in the righteous man, which should make him differ from the wicked that he doth not receive from God: which truly all the Fathers with unanimous consent doe reiect: but we [Page 61] have a more sure testimonie to which we will take heed, even the holy Scripture pleading strongly for Gods free and undeser­ved grace.

First, our Saviour Christ, Matth. 11. 26. declaring how God revealeth the Gospel unto some, which is hidden from others: a speciall fruit of election: resteth in his will and good pleasure as the onely cause thereof: even so O Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight: so comforting his little flock, Luk. 12. 32. he bids them feare not, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the king­dome: his good pleasure is the onely cause why his kingdome is prepared for you, rather then others: but is there no other reason of this discrimination? No; he doth it all, that his purpose accor­ding to election might stand firme, Rom. 9. 11. For we are pre­destinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will, Ephes. 1. 11. But did not this counsell of God direct him to choose us rather then others? because we had something to commend us more then they? No; The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you because you were more in number then any people, but because the Lord loved you: Deut. 7. 7, 8. He hath mercy, on whom he will have mer­cy, yea, before the children were borne and had done either good or evill, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of workes, but of him that calleth it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated: Rom. 9. 11, 12. In briefe, where ever there is any mention of election or predestination, it is still ac­companied with the purpose, love, or will, of God; his fore­knowledge, whereby he knoweth them that are his, his free power and supreame dominion over all things: of our faith, obe­dience or any thing importing so much, not one syllable, no men­tion, unlesse it be as the fruit and effect thereof: it is the sole act of his free grace and good pleasure, that he might make knowne the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercy: Rom. 9. 23. for this onely end hath he saved us and called us with an holy cal­ling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, which was given in Iesus Christ before the world be­gan, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Even our calling is free and undeserved, be­cause [Page 62] flowing from that most free grace of election, whereof we are partakers before we are: it were needlesse to heape up more testimonies, in a thing so cleere and evident: when God and man stand in competition, who shall be accounted the cause of an eternall good, we may be sure the Scripture will passe the ver­dict on the part of the most high: and the sentence in this case may be derived from thence by these following reasons.

First, If finall perseverance in faith and obedience, be the cause of, or a condition required unto election, then none can be said in this life to be elected: for no man is a finall perseverer untill he be dead, untill he hath finished his course and consummated the faith: but certaine it is that it is spoken of some in the Scripture, that they are even in this life elected: few are chosen, Mat. 20. 16. for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortned, Matth. 24. and shall seduce if it were possible the very elect, vers. 24. where it is evi­dent, that election is required to make one persevere in the faith: but no where is perseverance in the faith required, to election: yea and Peter gives us all a command, that we should give all di­ligence, to get an assurance of our election even in this life, 2 Pet. 1. 10. and therefore surely it cannot be a decree presupposing con­summated faith and obedience.

Secondly, consider two things of our estate, before the first temporall act of Gods free grace, (for grace is no grace if it be not free) which is the first effect of our predestination, compre­hendeth us: Were we better then others, no in no wise? both Iewes and Gentiles, were all under sinne, Rom. 3. 9. there is no difference for we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, vers. 23. being all dead in trespasses and sinnes, Ephes. 2. 1. Being by nature children of wrath as well as others, vers. 3. a farre off untill we are made nigh by the blood of Christ, vers. 12. we were enemies against God, Rom. 5. 10. Titus. 3. 3. and looke what desert there is in us with these qualifications, when our vocation the first effect of our predestination, as Saint Paul sheweth, Rom. 8. 30. and as I shall prove hereafter, separateth us from the world of unbelee­vers, so much there is in respect of predestination it selfe; so that [Page 63] if we have any way deserved it, it is by being sinners, enemies, children of wrath, and dead in trespasses: these are our events, this is the glory whereof we ought to be ashamed.

But secondly, when they are in the same state of actuall alie­nation from God, yet then in respect of his purpose to save them by Christ: some are said to be his; thine they were and thou gavest them unto me, Iohn 17. 6. they were his before they came unto Christ by faith; the sheepe of Christ before they are called, for he calleth his sheepe by name, Iohn 10. 30. before they come in­to the flocke or congregation: for other sheepe, saith he, I have which are not of this fold: which must also be gathered, Ioh. 10. 16. to be beleved of God before they love him, herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us: 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Now all this must be with reference to Gods purpose of bringing them unto Christ, and by him unto glory: which we see goeth before all their faith and obedience.

Thirdly, Election is an eternall act of Gods will, he hath cho­sen us before the foundation of the world, Ephes. 1. 4. consummated antecedently to all dutie of ours, Rom. 9. 11. now every cause must in order of nature, praecede its effect; nothing hath an acti­vitie in causing, before it hath a being: operation, in every kinde is a second act, flowing from the essence of a thing, which is the first: but all our graces and workes, our faith, obedience, pietie and charitie, are all temporall, of yesterday, the same standing with our selves, and no longer, and therefore cannot be the cause of, no nor so much as a condition necessarily required for the ac­complishment of an eternall act of God; irrevocably established before we are.

Fourthly: If Predestination be for faith foreseene, these three things, with divers such absurdities will necessarily follow: first, that election is not of him that calleth, as the Apostle speakes, Rom. 9. 11. that is of the good pleasure of God, who calleth us with an holy calling, but of him that is called: for depending on faith it must be his whose faith is, that doth beleeve: secondly, God cannot have mercy on whom he will have mercy, for the [Page 64] very purpose of it is thus tied to the qualities of faith and obedi­ence, so that he must have mercy only on beleevers, antecedent­ly to his decree, which thirdly, hinders him from being an abso­lute free agent, and doing of what he will with his owne: of having such a power over us, as the Potter hath over his Clay, for he findes us of different matter, one clay, another gold, when he comes to appoint us to different uses and ends.

Fifthly, God sees no saith, no obedience, perseverance; no­thing but sinne and wickednesse in any man, but what himselfe intendeth graciously and freely to bestow upon them, for faith is not of our selves, it is the gift of God, it is the worke of God that we doe beleeve, Iohn 6. 29. he blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in Christ, Ephes. 1. Now all these gifts and graces, God bestoweth onely upon those whom he hath antecedently ordained to ever­lasting life: For the election obtained it and the rest were blinded, Rom. 11. 7. God added to his Church daily those that should be saved, Acts 2. 47. therefore surely God chooseth us not, because he foreseeth those things in us, seeing he bestoweth those graces be­cause he hath chosen us: Non ob aliud dicit non vos me eligistis sed ego vos elegi nisi quia non elege­runt eum ut eli­geret eos, sed ut eligerent eum elegit eos: Aug. de bono: perse. cap. 16. Wherefore saith Austine, doth Christ say, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, but because they did not chuse him that he should chuse them: but he chose them that they might chuse him. We choose Christ by faith, God chooseth us by his decree of election, the question is whether we choose him, because he hath chosen us, or he chooseth us, because we have chosen him, and so indeed choose our selves: we affirme the former, and that because our choyce of him, is a gift he him­selfe bestoweth onely on them whom he hath chosen.

Sixthly, and principally, the effects of election infallibly fol­lowing it, cannot be the causes of election, certainly praeceding it: this is evident, for nothing can be the cause, and the effect, of the same thing; before and after it selfe: but all our faith, our obe­dience, repentance, good workes, are the effects of election flowing from it, as their proper fountaine, erected on it, as the foundation of this spirituall building: and for this the Article of our Church is evident and cleere; Those, saith it, that are indued with this excellent benefit of God, are called according to Gods pur­pose, [Page 65] are iustified freely, are made the sonnes of God by adoption, they be made like the image of Christ, they walke religiously in good workes, &c. Where first they are said to be partakers of this be­nefit of election, and then by vertue thereof, to be entitled to the fruition of all those graces: Secondly, it saith, those who are en­dued with this benefit, enioy those blessings; intimating that electi­on, is the rule whereby God proceedeth in bestowing those gra­ces; restraining the objects of the temporall acts of Gods speci­all favour, to them onely whom his eternall decree doth em­brace; both these indeed are denied by the Arminians, which maketh a further discovery of their Heterodoxies in this particu­lar. Dicis electio­nem divinam es­se regulam fidei dandae vel non dandae: ergo e­lectio non est fi­delium sed fides electorum: sed [...]iceat mihi tua bona venia hoc negare. Armin. Antip. fol. 221. You say, saith Arminius to Perkins, that election is the rule of giving, or not giving of faith, and therefore election is not of the faithfull, but faith of the elect: but by your leave this I must deny: but yet what ever it is the sophisticall heretique here denies, ei­ther antecedent or conclusion, he fals foule on the word of God: they beleeved, saith the holy Ghost, who were ordained to eternall life, Act. 3. 48. And the Lord added daily to his Church such as should de saved, Act. 2. 47. from both which places it is evident, that God bestoweth faith onely on them whom he hath praeor­dained eternall life: but most cleerely, Rom. 8. 29, 30. for whom he did fore-know, he also predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, moreover, whom he did predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called, them he also iustified, and whom he iustified, them also glorified, Saint Austin interpreted this place, by adding in every linke of the chaine, onely those, how ever the words directly import a precedency of predestination, before the bestowing of other graces: and also a restraint of those graces, to them onely, that are so predestinate: Now the inference from this, is, not onely for the forme Logicall, but for the matter also, it containeth the very words of Scripture, faith is of Gods elect: Titus 1. 1.

For the other part of the proposition, that faith and obedience are the fruits of election, they cannot be more peremptory in its denyall, then the Scripture is plentifull in its confirmation: He hath chosen us in Christ, that we should be holy, Ephes. 1. 4. not be­cause we were holy, but that we should be so: holinesse where­of [Page 66] faith is the root, and obedience the body, is that whereunto, and not for which we are elected: the end, and the meritorious cause, of any one act cannot be the same, they have divers re­spects, and require repugnant conditions: againe we are prede­stinated unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ: vers. 5. adoption is that whereby we are assumed into the family of God, when before we are forreigners, aliens, strangers, a far off, which we see is a fruit of our predestination, though it be the very en­trance, into that estate, wherein we begin first to please God in the least measure: of the same nature, are all those places of holy writ which speake of Gods giving some unto Christ, of Christs sheepe hearing his voyce, and of others not hearing, because they are not of his sheepe: all which, and divers other invincible reasons I willingly omit: with sundry other false assertions, and hereticall positions, of the Arminians about this fundamentall Article, of our Religion, concluding this Chapter with the following scheme.

CHAP. VII.
Of Originall sinne, and the corruption of nature.

HErod the great imparting his counsell of rebuilding the Temple unto the Iewes, Joseph. Antiq. they much feared, Judae. lib. 15. cap. 14. he would never be able to accomplish his intenti­on; but like an unwise builder having demolished the old, before he had sate downe and cast up his account, whether he were able to erect a new, they should (by his project) be deprived of a Temple: wherefore to satisfie their jealousies, he resolved as he tooke downe any part of the other, presently to erect a portion of the new in the place there­of. Right so the Arminians, determining to demolish the buil­ding of divine providence, grace, and favour, by which men have hitherto ascended into heaven, and fearing lest we should be trou­bled, finding our selves on a sudden deprived of that wherein we reposed our confidence for happinesse, they have by degrees e­rected a Babylonish Tower in the roome thereof, whose top they would perswade us shall reach unto heaven: First therefore the foundation stones they bring forth, crying haile, haile, unto them, and pitch them on the sandy rotten ground, of our owne natures. Now because heretofore, some wise master-builders, had disco­vered this ground, to be very unfit to be the basis of such a lofty erection, by reason of a corrupt issue of blood and filth, arising in the middest thereof, and over-spreading the whole platforme: to incourage men to an association in this desperate attempt, they proclaime to all, that there is no such evill fountaine in the plaine which they have chosen, for the foundation of their proud buil­ding, setting up it selfe against the knowledge of God in plaine termes, having rejected the providence of God, from being the Originall of that goodnesse of entity which is in our actions, and his predestination, from being the cause of that morall and spiri­tuall goodnesse where with any of them are cloathed, they endea­vour to draw the praise of both, to the rectitude of their nature, and the strength of their owne endeavours: but this attempt in [Page 69] the latter case, being thought to be altogether vaine, because of the disabilitie and corruption of nature, by reason of originall sinne propagated unto us all by our first Parents, whereby it is become wholly voyd of integritie and holinesse, and we all become wise and able to doe evill, but to doe good have no power, no under­standing; therefore they utterly reject this imputation of an in­herent originall guilt, and demerit of punishment, as an enemie to our upright and well deserving condition: and Oh, that they were as able, to root it out of the hearts of all men, that it should ne­ver more be there, as they have been to perswade the heads of divers, that it was never there at all.

If any would know, how considerable this Article concern­ing Originall sinne, hath ever been accounted in the Church of Christ, let him but consult the writings of Saint Augustine, Pro­sper, Hilary, Fulgentius, any of those learned Fathers, whom God stirred up to resist, and enabled to overcome, the spreading Pelagian heresie, or looke on those many Counsels edicts decrees of Emperours, wherein that hereticall doctrine, of denying this originall corruption, is condemned, cursed, and exploded; now amongst those many motives they had to proceed so severely a­gainst this heresie one especially inculcated deserves our conside­ration: viz.

That it overthrew the necessitie of Christs coming into the world to redeeme mankinde: it is sinne onely that makes a Sa­viour necessary, and shall Christians tollerate such an errour, as by direct consequence, inferres the coming of Iesus Christ into the world to be needlesse, my purpose for the present, is not to al­leadge any testimonies of this kinde, but holding my selfe close to my first intention, to shew how farre in this Article as well as others, the Arminians have Apostated, from the pure doctrine of the word of God, the consent of Orthodox Divines, and the Confession of this Church of England.

In the ninth Article of our Church, which is concerning ori­ginall sinne, I observe especially foure things: First, that it is an inherent evill, the fault and corruption of the nature of every [Page 70] man: Secondly, that it is a thing not subject, or conformable to the Law of God: but hath in it selfe, even after Baptisme, the nature of sinne: Thirdly, that by it, we are averse from God and inclined to all manner of evill: Fourthly, that it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation, all which are frequently, and evidently taught in the word of God, and every one denyed by the Armi­nians, as it may appeare by these instances, in someof them.

First, That it is an inherent sinne and pollution of nature, ha­ving a proper guilt of its owne, making us responsable to the wrath of God: and not a bare imputation of anothers fault, to us his po­steritie, which because it would reflect upon us all with a charge of a native imbecillitie and insufficiency to good, is by these self-idolizers, quite exploded.

Infantes sunt simplices, & stantes in eodem statu in quo Ada­mus fuit ante lapsum: Venat. Theol. [...]. & me. fol. 2. Infants are simply in that estate, in which Adam was, before his fall, saith Venator: Nec refert an infantes isti, sint fidelium an eth­nicorum liberi infantium enim qua infantium eadem est inno­centia: Rem. A­pol. fol. 87. Neither is it all considerable, whether they be the children of beleevers, or of heathens and infidels: for infants, as infants have all the same innocency, say they, joyntly in their Apo­logie: nay more plainly, Malum culpae non est, quia nas­ci plane est in­voluntarium, &c. ibid. fol. 84. it can be no fault wherewith we are born: in which last expression, these bold innovators, with one dash of their pens, have quite overthrowne a sacred verity, an Apostolike Catholike fundamentall Article, of Christian Religion: but truly to me, there are no stronger Arguments of the sinfull corruption of our nature, then to see, such nefarious issues of unsanctified hearts: let us looke then to the word of God confounding this Babylonish designe.

First, That the nature of man, which at first was created pure and holy, after the image of God, endowed with such a rectitude and righteousnesse, as was necessary and due unto it, to bring it unto that supernaturall end to which it was ordained, is now alto­gether corrupted and become abominable, sinfull and averse from goodnesse, and that this corruption or concupiscence is originally inherent in us, and derived from our first parents, is plentifully de­livered in holy writ, as that which chiefly compels us to a self-deniall, and drives us unto Christ.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquitie, and in sinne did my mother con­ceive me, saith David, Psal. 51. 5.

[Page 71] Where for the praise of Gods goodnesse towards him, he be­gins with the confession of his native perversenesse, and of the sinne wherein he was wrapped before he was born: neither was this peculiar to him alone, he had it not, from the particular ini­quitie of his next progenitors, but by an ordinary propagation from the common parent of us all: though in some of us, Satan by this Pelagian attempt; by hiding the disease hath made it al­most incurable: for even those infants, of whose innocency the Arminians boast, are uncleane in the verdict of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 7. 14. if not sanctified by an interest in the Promise of the Cove­nant, and no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven: Imbecillitas membrorum in­fantilium inno­cens est non ani­mus: Aug. The weaknesse of the members of infants is innocent, and not their souls: they want nothing, but that the members of their bodies are not as yet ready instruments of sinne: they are not sin­full only by an externall denomination, accounted so, because of the imputation of Adams actuall transgression unto them: for they have all an uncleannesse in them by nature, Iob 14. 4. from which they must be cleansed, by the washing of water and the word, Ephes. 5. 20. their whole nature is overspread with such a pollu­tion, as is proper only to sinne inherent, and doth not accompany sinne imputed, as we may see in the example of our Saviour, who was pure, immaculate, holy, undefiled, and yet the iniquity of us all was imputed unto him: hence are those phrases of wash­ing away sinne, Acts 22. 16. of cleansing filth, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Titus 3. 5. something there is in them, as soone as they are borne, ex­cluding them from the kingdome of heaven, for except they also be borne againe of the spirit they shall not enter into it, Ioh. 3. 5.

Secondly, The opposition that is made between the righte­ousnesse of Christ, and the sinne of Adam, Rom. 5. which is the proper seat of this doctrine, sheweth that there is in our nature an inbred sinfull corruption, for the sinne of Adam holds such rela­tion unto sinners, proceeding from him by naturall propagation, as the righteousnesse of Christ, doth unto them, who are borne againe of him by spirituall regeneration: but we are truly in­trinsecally and inherently sanctified, by the spirit and grace of Christ: and therefore there is no reason, why being so often in this Chapter called sinners, because of this originall sinne, we [Page 72] should cast it off, as if we were concerned only by an externall denomination, for the right institution of the comparison, and its Analogie quite overthrows the solitary imputation.

Thirdly, All those places of Scripture, which assert the pron­nesse of our nature to all evill, and the utter disabilitie that is in us to doe any good, that wretched opposition to the power of godlinesse, wherewith from the wombe we are replenished, confirmes the same truth: but of these places, I shall have occa­sion to speake hereafter.

Fourthly, The flesh, in the Scripture phrase, is a qualitie (if I may so say) inherent in us: for that, with its concupiscence, is opposed to the spirit and his holinesse, which is certainly inhe­rent in us: now the whole man by nature is flesh: for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, Ioh. 3. 6. it is an inhabiting thing, a thing that dwelleth within us, Rom. 7. 17. in briefe this vitiosity sinfulnesse, and corruption of our nature, is laid open: First, by all those places, which cast an aspersion of guilt, or desert of pu­nishment; or of pollution, on nature it selfe: as Ephes. 2. 1, 2, 3. We are dead in trespasses, and sinnes, being by nature children of wrath, as well as others, being wholly incompassed by a sinne that doth easily beset us. Secondly, by them, which fixe this originall pravitie, in the heart, will, minde, and understanding: Ephes. 4. 18. Rom. 12. 2. Gen. 6. 5. Thirdly, by those which positively de­cypher this naturall depravation. 1 Corinth. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7. or Fourthly, that place it in the flesh, or whole man, Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 5. 16. so that it is not, a bare imputation of anothers fault, but an intrinsecall adjacent corruption of our nature it selfe, that we call by this name of originall sinne: but alas, it seemes we are too large carvers for our selves, in that wherewith we will not be contented: the Arminians deny all such imputation, as to heavy a charge, for the pure unblameable condition, wherein they are brought into this world, they deny I say, that they are guiltie of Adams sinne, as sinning in him, or that his sinne is any way impu­ted unto us, which is their second assault, upon the truth of this Article of faith.

[Page 73] Adamus in pro­pria persona pec­cavit & nulla est ratio cur Deus peccatum illud infantibus impu­tet. Bor. in ar­tic. 31. Adam sinned in his owne proper person, and there is no reason, why God should impute that sinne of his, unto infants: saith Boreus. The nature of the first Covenant, the right and power of God, the comparison instituted by the Apostle, between Adam and Christ, the divine constitution whereby Adam was appointed to be the head, fountaine and origen of all humane kinde, are with him, no reasons at all, to perswade it: Contra aequita­tem est ut qui [...] reus agatur prop­ter peccatum non suum, ut vere no­cens judicetur, qui quoad pro­priam suam vo­luntatem inno­cens est, Rem. A­pol. c. 7. fol. 84. For it is against equitie, saith their Apologie, that one should be counted guiltie for a sinne that is not his owne, that he should be reputed nocent, who in regard of his owne will is truly innocent: and here Christian Reader, behold plaine Pelagianisme obtruded on us, without either welt or guard: men on a sudden made pure and truly innocent, notwithstanding all that naturall pollution and corruption, the Scripture every where proclaimes them to be replenished withall: neither is the rea­son they intimate, of any value, that their wils assented not to it, and which a little before they plainly urge: Contra natu­ram peccati est, ut censeatur pec­catum, aut ut proprie in pecca­tum imputetur, quod propria vo­luntate, commis­sum non est: ibid. It is say they against the nature of sinne: that, that, should be counted a sinne, or be im­puted, as a sinne, to any, by whose own proper will: it was not com­mitted: which being all they have to say, they repeat it over and over, in this case; it must be voluntary, or it is no sinne: but I say this is of no force at all: for first, Saint Iohn in his most exact de­finition of sinne, requires not voluntarinesse to the nature of it, but only an obliquitie, a deviation from the rule, it is an anomie, a discrepancie from the Law; which whither voluntary or no, it skils not much: but sure enough, there is in our nature such a re­pugnancie, to the Law of God: so that secondly, if originally we are free from a voluntary actuall transgression, yet we are not, from an habituall voluntary digression, and exorbitancy from the Law: but thirdly, in respect of our wils, we are not thus inno­cent neither, for we all sinned in Adam, as the Apostle affirm­eth: now all sinne is voluntary say the Remonstrants, and there­fore Adams transgression, was our voluntary sinne also; and that in divers respects; First, In that his voluntary act is imputed to us, as ours, by reason of the covenant which was made with him on our behalfe: but because this consisting in an imputation, must needs be extrinsecall unto us; therefore secondly, we say, that Adam being the roote, and head of all humane kinde, and we all branches from that root, all parts of that body, whereof he was [Page 74] the head, Omnes eramus unus ille homo: Aug. his will may be said to be ours, we were then all that one man, we were all in him, and had no other will but his; so that though that be extrinsecall unto us, considered as particular per­sons, yet it is intrinsecall, as we are all parts of one common na­ture: as in him we sinned, so in him we had a will of sinning: thirdly, Est voluntarium, voluntate primi originantis, non voluntate con­trahentis▪ ratione naturae, non per­sonae: Thom. 1. 2. q. 81. a. Originall sinne, is a defect of nature, and not of this, or that, particular person, whereon Alvarez grounds this difference, of actuall, and originall sinne, that the one is alwayes committed by the proper will of the sinner, to the other, is required only the will of our first parent, who was the head of humane nature.

Fourthly, It is hereditary naturall, and no way involuntary or put into us against our wils, it possesseth our wils, and inclines us to voluntary sins.

I see no reason then, why Corvinus should affirme as he doth: Absurdum est ut ex unius obe­dientia multi a­ctu inobedientes, facti essent, Cor­vin ad Mol. cap. 7. sec. 8. that it is absurd, that by one mans disobedience, many should be made actually disobedient: unlesse he did it purposely to contradict S ^t. Paul, teaching us, that by one mans disobedience, many were made sinners, Rom. 5. 19. Paulus ait, Corvinus negat, eligite cui creda­tis: choose whom you will beleeve; S ^t. Paul, or the Arminians: the summe of their indeavour in this particular, is to cleare the nature of man, from being any way guiltie of Adams actuall sin; as being then in him, a member and part of that body whereof he was the head: or from being obnoxious unto an imputation of it, by reason of that Covenant which God made with us all in him: so that denying as you saw before, all inherent corruption and pravitie of nature, and now all participation by any means of Adams transgression, me thinks they cast a great aspersion on Al­mighty God, however he dealt with Adam for his own parti­cular, yet for casting us, his most innocent posteritie out of Pa­radise: it seemes a hard case, that having no obliquitie or sinne in our nature to deserve it, nor no interest in his disobedience, whose obedience had been the means of conveying so much hap­pinesse unto us: we should yet be involved in so great a punish­ment, as we are, For that we are not now by birth, under a great curse and punishment, they shall never be able to perswade any poore soul who ever heard of Paradise, or the garden where God [Page 75] first placed Adam: and though all the rest, in their judgement be no great matter, but an infirmitie and languor of nature or some such thing: yet what ever it be, they confesse it lights on us, as well as him: Fatemur pecca­tum Adami, a deo posse dici impu­tatum posteris ejus, quatenus Deus posteros A­dami eidem ma­lo, cui, Adamus, per peccatum ob­noxium se reddi­dit: obnoxios nasci voluit [...] sive quatenus Deus, malum, quod A­damo inflictum erat in poenam, in posteros ejus di­manare & tran­sire permisit: Rem. Apol. p. 84. We confesse (say they) that the sinne of Adam, may be thus farre said to be imputed to his posteritie, inasmuch as God would have them all, borne obnoxious to that punishment, which Adam incurred by his sinne: or permitted that evill, which was inflicted on him, to descend on them: Now be this punishment what it will, never so small, yet if we have no demerit of our own, nor interest in Adams sinne, it is such an act of injustice, as we must reject from the most holy, with a God forbid: farre be it from the Iudge of all the world to punish the righteous with the ungodly: if God should impute the sinne of Adam unto us, and thereon pronounce us obnoxious to the curse deserved by it: if we have a pure, sinlesse, unspotted nature, even this, could scarse be reconciled with that rule, of his proceeding in justice, with the sonnes of men, the soule that sinneth it shall die: which clearely granteth an impunity to all not tainted with sinne. Sinne and punishment, though they are sometimes separated by his mercy, pardoning the one, and so not inflicting the other, yet ne­ver by his justice, inflicting the latter, where the former is not: sinne imputed, by it selfe alone without an inherent guilt, was never punished in any, but Christ: the unsearchablenesse of Gods love and justice, in laying the iniquitie of us all upon him, who had no sinne, is an exception from that generall rule he walketh by, in his dealing with the posteritie of Adam: so that if punish­ment bee not due unto us, for a solely imputed sinne, much lesse, when it doth not stand with the justice and equitie of God, to impute any iniquity unto us at all, can we justly be wrapped in such a curse and punishment, as wofull experience teacheth us, that we lye under. Now in this act of injustice wherewith they charge the Almightie, the Arminians place the whole nature of originall sin: Peccatum ita (que) originale, nec habent pro peo­cato proprie di­cto quod poste­ros Adami odio Dei dignos faci­at, nec pro malo, quod per modum proprie dictae poe­nae ab Adamo in posteros dema­net sed pro in­firmitate, &c. Rem. Apol. fol. 84. We account, not say they, originall sin, for a sin pro­perly so called, that should make the posteritie of Adam to deserve the wrath of God, nor for an evill, that may properly be called a punish­ment: but only for an infirmitie of nature. Which they interpret to be a kinde of evill, that being inflicted on Adam, God suffereth to descend upon his posteritie: so all the depravation of nature, [Page 76] the pollution, guilt, and concupiscence, we derive from our first parents: the imputation of Adams actuall transgression, is all streightned to a small infirmitie, inflicted on poore innocent creatures.

But let them enjoy their own wisdome, which is earthly, sen­suall and devillish: the Scripture is cleare, that the sinne of A­dam, is the sinne of us all, not only by propagation and communi­cation, (whereby not his singular fault, but something of the same nature, is derived unto us) but also by an imputation of his actu­all transgression unto us all: his singular disobedience being by this means made ours: the grounds of this imputation I touch­ed before, which may be all reduced to his being a common per­son and head of all our nature, which investeth us, with a double interest in his demerits, whilest so he was: 1. as we were then in him and parts of him: 2. as he sustained the place of our whole nature, in the Covenant God made with him, both w ^ch even according to the exigence of Gods justice, require that his transgression, be also accounted ours: and Saint Paul is plaine not only, that by one mans offence, many were made sinners: Rom. 5. 19. by the deriva­tion of a corrupted nature; but also that by one mans offence iudge­ment came upon all: vers. 18. even for his one sinne, all of us, are accounted to have deserved judgement and condemnation; and therefore vers. 12. he affirmeth, that by one man, sinne and death entred upon all the world: and that because we have all sinned in him: which we no otherwise doe, but that his transgression, in Gods estimation is accounted ours: and the opposition the Apo­stle there maketh, betweene Christ and his righteousnesse, and Adam and his disobedience doth sufficiently evince it: Par [...]us. ad 5. Rom. as may appeare by this figure

• Sicut
• sic
• ex
• Adamo
• Chri­sto
• in om­nes
• [...]
• [...]
• redunda­vit, eis
• [...]
• [...]
• per unū
• [...]
• Adami,
• [...]
• Christi.

the whole similitude chiefly consists, in the imputation of Adams sinne, and Christs righteousnesse, unto the seed of the one by na­ture, and of the other by grace: but that we are counted righte­ous, for the righteousnes of Christ, is among Protestants, (though [Page 77] some differ in the manner of their expressions) as yet without question: and therefore are no lesse undoubtedly accounted sinners by, or guilty of the first sinne of Adam.

I shall not shew their opposition unto the truth in many more particulars, concerning this Article of Originall sinne: having beene long agoe most excellently prevented even in this very method, by the way of Antithesis to the Scripture, and the Or­thodoxe doctrine of our Church, by the famously learned Master Reynolds, in his excellent Treatise Of the sinfulnesse of sinne: where he hath discovered their errours, fully answered their sophisticall objections, and invincibly confirmed the truth from the word of God: onely as I have shewed already, how they make this we call originall sinne, no sinne at all, neither inherent in us, nor im­puted unto us, nor no punishment truly so called; so because our Church saith directly, that it meriteth damnation, I will briefly shew, what they conceive, to be the desert thereof.

First, for Adam himselfe, they affirme, that the death threat­ued unto him, if he transgressed the Covenant, and due unto him for it, Cum de [...]tema morte loq [...]tut Remonstrantes in hac de Adamo quaestione, non intelligent mor­tem illam, quae aeterna, poena sensus, &c. Rem. Apol. cap. 4. fol. 57. was neither death temporall, for that before he was subiect un­to, by the primarie constitution of his nature: nor yet such an eternall death, as is accompanied with damnation, or everlasting punishment: No? Why then let us here learne some new Divinitie? Christi­ans have hitherto beleeved, that whatsoever may be comprised under the name of death: together with its antecedents, conse­quents, and attendants was threatned to Adam, in this commi­nation: and Divines untill this day, can finde but these two sorts of death in the Scripture, as poenall unto men, and properly so called: and shall we now be perswaded that it was neither of these that was threatned unto Adam? in must be so, if we will beleeve the Arminians: it was neither the one, nor the other, of the former: but whereas he was created mortall and subject to a temporall death, the sanction of his obedience, was a threat­ning of the utter dissolution of his soule and body, or a reduction to their primative nothing: but what if a man will not here take them at their words, but beleeve according to Saint Paul, that death entred by sinne; that if we had never sinned, we had [Page 78] never died, that man in the state of innocency was by Gods con­stitution, free even from temporall death, and all things directly conducing thereunto. Secondly, that this death threatned to our first parents, comprehended damnation also of soule and body for evermore, and that of their imaginarie dissolution, there is not the least intimation in the word of God: why I confesse they have impudence enough in divers places to begge that we would be­leeve their assertions, but never confidence enough, to venture once to prove them true. Now they who make so slight of the desert of this sinne, in Adam himselfe, will surely scarce allow it to have any ill merit at all, in his posteritie.

Whether An ullus om­nino homo, pro­pter peccatum o­riginis solum damnetur, ac aeternis cruciati­bus addicatur, merito dubitati potest: imo nul­lum ita damnari affirmate non veremur: Cor. ad Molin. cap. 9. sect. 5. ever any one were damned, for Originall sinne, and ad­iudged to everlasting torments; is deservedly doubted of: yea we doubt not to affirme, that never any was so damned, saith Corvinus: and that this is not his sole opinion, he declares, by telling you no lesse of his Master Arminius: Verissimnm est Arminium doce­re, perverse dici peccatum origi­nis reum facere mortis. Corvin. ad Tilen. p. 388. It is most true, saith he, that Ar­minius teacheth, that it is perversly said, that originall sinne makes a man guilty of death. Of any death it should seeme, temporall eternall or that annihillation they dreame of: and he said true enough, Perverse dici­tur peccatum ori­ginis, reum face­re mortis, quum peccatum illud poena sit peccati actualis Adami: Armin. Resp. ad quaest. 9. a. 3. Arminius doth affirme it, adding this reason, because it is onely the punishment of Adams actuall sinne: now what kinde of punishment they make this to be I shewed you before. But truely I wonder, seeing they are every where so peremptorie, that the same thing cannot be a sin, and a punishment; why they doe so often nick-name this infirmity of nature, and call it a sinne, which they suppose to be as farre different from it, as fire from water: is it because they are unwilling, by new naming it, to contradict S ^t. Paul in expresse termes, never proposing it, un­der any other denomination? or if they can get a sophisticall elu­sion for him, is it least by so doing, Christians should the more plainely discerne their heresie? or what ever other cause it be, in this I am sure they contradict themselves, notwithstanding in this they agree full well, Deus neminem ob solum pecca­tum originis re­jecit Episcop. disp. 9. Thes 2. That God reiecteth none, for originall sinne onely, as Episcopius speakes: and here if you tell them that the question is not de facto, what God doth; but de iure, what such sinne deservers, they tell us plainly Pro certo sta­ [...]uunt Deum nul­los infantes, sine actualibus ac propriis peccatis, morientes, aeter­nis cruciatibus destinare veile, aut jure destina­re posse ob pec­catum quod vo­catur originis. Rem. Apol. f. 87. That God will not desti­nate any infants to eternall punishment for originall sinne, without [Page 79] their owne proper actuall sinnes, neither can he doe so, by right, or in iustice: so that the children of Turkes, Pagans, and the like Infi­dels, strangers from the covenant of grace departing in their infancie, are farre happier then any Christian men, who must un­der-goe a hard warfare, against sinne, and Satan, in danger to fall finally away at the last houre; and through many difficulties, en­tering the kingdome of heaven, when they without further trou­ble are presently assumed thither, for their innocency. Yea al­though they are neither elected of God; for as they affirme, he chooseth none but for their faith which they have not: nor redee­med by Christ, for he died onely for sinners, he saved his people from their sinnes, which they are not guiltie of, nor sanctified by the holy Ghost, all whose operations they restraine to a morall swasion, whereof infants are not a capable subject. Which is not much to the honour of the blessed Trinitie: that heaven should be replenished with them whom the Father never elected, the Sonne never redeemed, nor the holy Ghost sanctified.

And thus you see, what they make, of this originall pravitie of our nature, at most an infirmitie, or languor thereof: neither a sinne, nor the punishment of sinne properly so called: nor yet a thing that deserves punishment as a sinne. Which last assertion, whether it be agreeable to holy Scripture or no, these two fol­lowing observations will declare.

First, there is no confusion, no disorder, no vanitie in the whole world, in any of Gods creatures, that is not a punishment of our sinne in Adam. That great and almost universall ruine of Nature, proceeding from the curse of God overgrowing the earth, and the wrath of God, revealing it selfe from heaven, is the proper issue of his transgression. It was of the great mercy of God, that the whole frame of Nature, was not presently rolled up in darkenesse, and reduced to its primitive confusion. Had we our selves, beene deprived of those remaining sparkes of Gods Image in our soules, which vindicates us from the number, of the Beasts that perish, had we beene all borne fooles, and voyd of reason, by dealing so, with some in particular, he sheweth us, it had beene but justice to have wrapped us in the same miserie, all [Page 80] in generall: all things when God first created them, were ex­ceeding good, and thought so by the wisedome of God himselfe: but our sinne, even compelled that good and wise Creator, to hate, and curse the worke of his owne hands: Cursed is the ground, saith he to Adam, for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life: thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee: Gen. 3. 17, 18. hence was that heavie burden of va­nitie, that bondage of corruption, under which to this day the whole Creation groaneth, and travelleth in paine untill it be delivered: Rom. 8. 21, 22. Now if our sinne, had such a strange malignant influence, upon those things, which have no relation unto us, but onely as they were created for our use; surely it is of the great mercy of God that we our selves are not quite confounded: which doth not yet so interpose it self, but that we are all compas­sed, with divers sad effects of this iniquitie, lying actually, under divers pressing miseries, and deservedly obnoxious to everlasting destruction: so that,

Secondly, death temporall, with all its antecedents, and atten­dants, all infirmities, miseries, sicknesses, wasting destroying passions, casualties that are poenall, all evill conducing thereunto, or waiting on it, is a punishment of originall sinne: and this not onely, because the first actuall sinne of Adam, is imputed to us: but most of them, are the proper issues of that native corruption, and pollution of sinne, which is stirring and operative within us, for the production of such sad effects, our whole nature being by it throughly defiled: hence are all the distortures, and distempe­ratures of the soule, by lusts, concupiscence, passions, blindnesse of minde, perversenesse of will; inordinatenesse of affections, wherewith we are pressed, and turmoiled: even proper issues of that inherent sinne, which possesseth our whole soules.

Vpon the body also, it hath such an influence, in disposing it to corruption and mortality, as it the originall of all those infirmi­ties, sicknesses and diseases, which make us nothing but a shop of such miseries: for death it selfe, as these and the like degrees, are the steps which leade us on apace, in the road that tends unto it: so they are the direct internall efficient cause thereof, in sub­ordination, to the justice of Almighty God by such meanes, in­flicting [Page 81] it as a punishment of our sinnes in Adam. Man before his fall, though not in regard of the matter whereof he was made, nor yet meerely in respect of his quickning forme, yet in regard of Gods ordination was immortall, a keeper of his owne everlastingnesse: Death, to which before he was not obnoxious, was threatned as a punishment of his sinne: In the day, thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die: the exposition of which words, gi­ven by God, at the time of his inflicting this punishment, and pro­nouncing man subject to mortalitie, cleerely sheweth that it comprehendeth temporall death also, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt returne: our returne to dust, is nothing but the soules leaving the body, whereby before it was preserved from cor­ruption. Further Saint Paul opposeth that death, we had by the sinne of Adam, to the resurrection of the body, by the power of Christ: for since by man came death, by man also came the re­surrection from the dead, For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive: 1 Cor. 15. 21. 22. the life, which all shall re­ceive by the power of Christ at the last day, is essentially a re­union of soule and body, and therefore their separation is a thing we incurred by the sinne of Adam: the same Apostle also, Rom. 5. describeth an universall reigne of death over all, by reason of the first transgression: even diseases also in the Scripture are attribu­ted unto sinne, as their meritorious cause, Iohn 5. 14. 1 Cor. 11. 30. Revel. 2. 22. and in respect of all these, the mercy of God, doth not so interpose it selfe, but that all the sonnes of men are in some sort partakers of them.

Thirdly, the finall desert of originall sinne, as our article speak­eth, is damnation: the wrath of God to be poured on us, in eter­nall torments of body and soule. To this end also many praevious judgements of God, are subservient: as the privation of origi­nall righteousnesse, which he tooke, and withheld, upon Adams throwing it away: spirituall desertion, permission of sinne, with all other destroying depravations of our nature, as farre as they are meerely paenall: some of which, are immediate consequents of Adams singular actuall transgression, as privation of originall righteousnesse, others as damnation it selfe, the proper effects of that derived sinne and pollution, that is in us; there is none [Page 82] damned, but for their owne sinne: when Divines affirme that by Adams sinne we are guilty of damnation, they doe not meane, that any are actually damned for his particular fact, but that by his sinne, and our sinning in him, by Gods most just ordination, we have contracted that exceeding pravitie, and sinfulnesse of na­ture, which deserveth the curse of God, and eternall damnation: it must be an inherent uncleanesse that actually excludes out of the kingdome of heaven: Revel. 21. 27. which uncleannesse the Apostle shewes, to be in infants not sanctified, by an interest in the Covenant: in briefe, we are baptized unto the remission of sinne, that we may be saved, Act. 2. 38. that then which is taken away by Baptisme, is that which hinders our salvation, which is not, the first sinne of Adam imputed, but our owne inherent lust and pollution: we cannot be washed, and cleansed, and purged from an imputed sinne, which is done by the layer of regenerati­on, from that which lies upon us, onely by an externall denomi­nation, we have no need of cleansing: we may be said, to be freed from it, or justified, but not purged; the soule then that is guilty of sinne shall die, and that for its owne guilt: if God should condemne us for originall sinne onely, it were not by rea­son of the imputation of Adams fault, but of the iniquitie of that portion of nature, in which we are proprietaries.

Now here to shut up all, observe, that in this inquiry, of the desert of originall sinne: the Question is not, What shall be the certaine lot, of those that depart this life, under the guilt of this sin only? but what this haereditary and and native corruption doth de­srve, in all those in whom it is: for as Saint Paul saith, we iudge not them that are without (especially infants:) 1 Cor. 5. 13. but for the demerit of it in the justice of God, our Saviour expresly affirmeth, that unlesse a man be borne againe, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven: Iohn 3. and let them that can; distinguish betweene a not going to heaven, and a going to hell: a third re­ceptacle of soules in the Scripture we finde not; Saint Paul also tels us, that by nature we are children of wrath: Ephes. 2. 3. even originally and actually, we are guilty of, and obnoxious unto that wrath, which is accompanied with fiery indignation, that shall consume the adversaries: againe, we are assured that no uncleane [Page 83] thing shall enter into heaven: Revel. 21. with which hell-de­serving uncleanesse children are polluted, and therefore unlesse it be purged with the bloud of Christ, they have no interest in ever­lasting happinesse: by this meanes sinne is come upon all to condemnation, and yet doe we not peremptorily censure to hell, all infants departing this world without the layer of regeneration, the ordinary means of waveing the punishment, due to this pol­lution: that is the Question de facto, which we before rejected: yea, and two wayes there are, whereby God saveth such infants, snatching them like brands out of the fire.

First, by interesting them into the Covenant, if their imme­diate, or remote parents have beene beleevers: he is a God of them, and of their seed: extending his mercy unto a thousand generations of them that feare him.

Secondly, by his grace of election, which is most free and not tied to any conditions, by which I make no doubt, but God ta­keth many unto him in Christ, whose parents never knew, or had beene despisers of the Gospel: and this is the doctrine of our Church, agreeable to the Scripture, affirming the desert of origi­nall sinne, to be Gods wrath and damnation, to both which how opposite is the Arminian doctrine may thus appeare.

CHAP. VIII.
Of the state of Adam before the fall or of ori­ginall Righteousnesse.

IN the last Chapter we discovered the Arminian at­tempt, of readvancing the corrupted nature of man, into that state of innocency and holinesse, wherein it was at first, by God created: in which designe, because they cannot but discerne that the successe is not answerable to their desires, and not being able to deny, but that for so much good as we want, having cast it away, or evill of sinne that we are subject unto, more then we were at our first creation, we must be responsable for to the justice of God; they labour to draw down our first parents, even from the instant of their forming, into the same condition wherein we are ingaged by reason of corrupted nature: but truly I feare, they will scarse obtaine so prosperous an issue of their endeavour, as Mahomet had, when he promised the people, he would call a mountaine unto him: which miracle when they assembled to behold, but the mountaine would not stirre for all his calling, he replyed, if the mountaine will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will goe to the mountaine, and away he packed towards it, but we shall finde that our Arminians, can neither themselves, climbe the high mountaine of innocency, nor yet call it down, into the valley of sinne and corruption, wherein they are lodged: we have seene already, how vaine and frustrate was their former at­tempt: let us now take a view of their aspiring insolence, in making the pure creatures of God, holy and undefiled with any sinne, to be invested with the same wretchednesse and perverse­nesse of nature, with our selves.

It is not my intention, to enter into any curious discourse, con­cerning the state and grace of Adam before his fall: but only to give a faithfull assent, to what God himselfe affirmed of all the works of his hands, they were exceeding good: no evill, no de­formitie, [Page 86] or any thing tending thereunto, did immediately issue, from that fountaine of goodnesse and wisdome, and therefore doubtlesse man, the most excellent worke of his hands, the grea­test glory of his Creator, was then without spot or blemish, en­dued with all those perfections, his nature, and state of obedience, was capable of: and carefull we must be, of casting any aspersions of defect on him, that we will not with equall boldnesse ascribe to the image of God?

Nothing doth more manifest the deviation of our nature, from its first institution, and declare the corruption wherewith we are polluted, then that propensitie which is in us to every thing that is evill, that inclination of the flesh, which lusteth alwayes against the spirit, that lust and concupiscence, which fomenteth, concei­veth, hatcheth, bringeth forth, and nourisheth sinne: that perpe­tuall pronenesse that is in unregenerate nature, to every thing, that is contrary to the pure and holy Law of God: now because neither Scripture nor experience, will suffer Christians quite to deny this pravitie of our nature, this aversenesse from all good, and propensitie to sinne, the Arminians extenuate it, as much as they are able: affirming that it is no great matter; no more then Adam, was subject unto, in the state of innocency: but what? did God create in Adam, a pronenesse unto evill? was that a part of his glorious image, in whose likenesse he was framed? yea, saith Corvinus, Ex ratione cre­ationis homo habebat affect­um ad ea quae ve­tabantur. Cor ad Mol. cap. 6. s. 1. By reason of his creation, man had an affection to what was forbidden by the Law, but yet this seemes injustice, that God should give a man a law to keepe, Deus homini repugnantiam indidit adversus legem. Ioh. Gost. in Synod. confess. and put upon his nature a repugnancy to that law, as one of them affirmed at the Synod of Dort. No? saith the former Author: Homo non est idoneus cui lex feratur. quando in eo, ad id quod lege vetatur, non est propensio, ac inclinatio natu­ralis. Cor. ad. Molin. cap. 10. sect. 15. Man had not been fit, to have had a law given unto him, had he not been endued, with a pro­pension, and naturall inclination, to that which is forbidden by the law; but why is this so necessary in men, rather then Angels? no doubt there was a law, a rule, for their obedience, given unto them at their first creation, which some transgressed, when others kept it inviolate: had they also a propensitie to sinne, concreated with their nature? had they a naturall affection, put upon them by God, to that which was forbidden by the law? let them only who will be wise, beyond the word of God, affixe such injustice [Page 87] on the righteous Iudge of all the earth: but so it seemes it must be: Inclinatio ad peccandum an­te lapsum in homine suit, licet non ita vehemēs ac inordinata ut nunc est. Armin. ad Artic. Respon. There was an inclination in man, to sin before the fall, though not altogether so vehement and inordinate as it is now, saith Armi­nius: hitherto we have thought, that the originall righteousnesse, wherein Adam was created, had comprehended the integritie and perfection of the whole man: not only that whereby the bo­dy was obedient unto the soule, and all the affections subservient to the rule of reason for the performance of all naturall actions: but also a light, uprightnesse, and holinesse of grace, in the minde and will, whereby he was enabled to yeeld obedience unto God, for the attaining of that supernatural end, whereunto he was crea­ted? No? but Iustitia origi­nalis instar fraeni­fuit quod praesta­bat internae con­cupiscentiae or­dinationem. Cor. ad. Mol. c. 8. [...] 1. originall righteousnesse, say our new Doctors, was nothing but a bridle: to helpe keepe mans inordinate concupi­scence within bounds: so that the faculties of our souls, were ne­ver indued with any proper innate holinesse of their owne: In spirituali morte non sepa­rantur proprie dona spiritualia a voluntate, quia illa nunquam fu­erunt ei insita. Rem. coll. Hag. fol. 250. In the spirituall death of sinne, there are no spirituall gifts properly wanting in the will, because they were never there, say the sixe Col­locutors at the Hague.

The summe is, man was created with a nature, not only weak and imperfect, unable by its native strength, and endowments to attaine that supernaturall end, for which he was made, and which he was commanded to seeke, but depraved also, with a love and desire of things repugnant to the will of God, by reason of an in­bred inclination to sinning. It doth not properly belong to this place, to shew, how they extenuate those gifts also, with which they cannot deny, but that he was indued, and also deny those which he had: as a power to beleeve in Christ, or to assent unto any truth, that God should reveale unto him: and yet they grant this priviledge, to every one of his posterity, in that depraved con­dition of nature, whereinto by sinne he cast himselfe and us: we have all now a power of beleeving in Christ, that is, Adam by his fall obtained a supernaturall endowment, farre more excellent, then any he had before; and let them not here, pretend the uni­versalitie of the new covenant, untill they can prove it, and I am certaine it will be long enough: but this I say, belongs not to this place: only let us see, how from the word of God, we may o­verthrow, the former odious heresie. [Page 88] God in the beginning created man in his owne image, Gen. 1. 26. that is, upright: Eccles. 7. 29. indued with a nature composed to o­bedience, and holinesse: that habituall grace, and originall righ­teousnesse, wherewith he was invested, was in a manner due unto him, for the obtaining of that supernaturall end, whereunto he was created: an universall rectitude of all the faculties of his soule, advanced by supernaturall graces, enabling him to the per­formance of those duties whereunto they were required, is that which we call the innocency of our first parents: our nature was then enclined to good only, and adorned with all those qualifica­tions, that were necessary, to make it acceptable unto God, and able to doe what was required of us by the law, under the con­dition of everlasting happinesse. Nature, and grace, or originall righteousnesse, before the fall, ought not to be so distinguished, as if the one were a thing prone to evill, resisted and quelled by the other: for both complyed in a sweet union and harmony, to car­ry us along in the way of obedience, to eternall blessednesse: no contention betweene the flesh and the spirit, but as all other things at theirs, so the whole man joyntly aymed at his own chie­fest good: having all means of attaining it in his power: that there was then no inclination to sinne, no concupiscence of that which is evill, no repugnancy to the Law of God, in the pure na­ture of man: is proved, because

First, The Scripture describing the condition of our nature, at the first creation thereof, intimates no such propensitie to evill, but rather an holy perfection, quite excluding it: we are created in the image of God, Gen. 1. 27. in such a perfect uprightnesse, as is opposite to all evill inventions, Eccles. 7. 29. to which image, when we are againe in some measure renewed, by the grace of Christ, Colos. 3. 10. We see by the first fruits, that it consisted in righteous­nesse and holinesse; in truth and perfect holinesse. Ephes. 4. 24.

Secondly, An inclination to evill, and a lusting after that which is forbidden, is that inordinate concupiscence, wherewith our nature is now infected, which is every where in the Scripture condemned as a sinne: Saint Paul in the seventh to the Romans, affirming expressely that it is a sinne, and forbidden by the Law: [Page 89] vers. 1. producing all manner of evill, and hindering all that is good: a body of death: vers. 24 and Saint Iames maketh it even the wombe of all iniquitie, Iames 1. 14, 15. surely, our nature was not at first yoked with such a troublesome inmate; where is the uprightnesse and innocency we have hitherto conceived our first parents to have enjoyed before the fall? a repugnancy to the law must needs be a thing sinfull: an inclination to evill, to a thing forbidden, is an anomie, a deviation, and discrepancy from the pure and holy law of God: we must speake no more then of the state of innocency, but only of a short space, wherein no out­ward actuall sins, were committed: their proper root, if this be true was concreated with our nature: is this that obedientiall har­mony to all the commandements of God, which is necessary for a pure and innocent creature, that hath a law prescribed unto him? by which of the ten precepts, is this inclination to evill required? is it by the last, thou shalt not covet? or by that summe of them all, thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, &c. is this all the happinesse of Paradise? to be turmoyled with a nature swelling with aboundance of vaine desires? and with a maine streame carried headlong to all iniquitie, if its violent appetite be not powerfully kept in by the bit and bridle of originall righteous­nesse? Vidi ego ze­lantem parvulum nondum loque­batur, & intue­batur pallidus, amaro aspectu colluctaneum suum: Aug. So it is we see with children now, and so it should have been with them in Paradise, if they were subject to this rebelli­ous inclination to sinne.

Thirdly, and principally, whence had our primitive nature this affections to those things that were forbidden it? this rebellion, & repugnancy to the law, which must needs be an anomie, and so a thing sinfull: there was as yet no demerit, to deserve it as a pu­nishment? what fault is it to be created? Operatio quae simul incipit cum esse rei, est ei ab agente, à quo habet ésse, sicut moveri sursum inest igni à ge­nerate. Alva [...]. p. 199. The operation of any thing which hath its original, with the being of the thing it self, must needs proceed from the same cause, as doth the essence or being it self: as the fires tending upwards, relates to the same original, with the fire: and therefore this inclination or affecti­on, can have no other Author but God: by which means he is en­titled not only to the first sinne, as the efficient cause, but to all the sins in the world, arising from thence: plainly and without any strained consequencies, he is made the author of sinne: for even [Page 90] those positive properties, which can have no other fountaine but the authour of Nature, being set on evill are directly sinfull. And here the Idoll of free-will, may triumph in this victory over the God of heaven: heretofore all the blame of sinne lay upon his shoulders, but now he begins to complaine, [...]: it is God and the fate of our creation, that hath placed us in this condition of naturally affecting that which is e­vill: backe with all your charges, against the ill government of this new Deitie, within his imaginary dominion: what hurt doth he doe, but incline men unto evill: and God himselfe did no lesse, at the first? but let them that will, rejoyce in these blasphe­mies, it sufficeth us to know, that God created man upright, though he hath sought out many inventions: so that in this fol­lowing dissonancy, we cleave to the better part.

CHAP. IX.
Of the death of Christ, and of the efficacie of his merits.

THe summe of those Controversies, wherewith the Arminians, and their abettors have troubled the Church, about the death of Christ, may be redu­ced to heads. First, concerning the object of his merit, or whom he died for. Secondly, con­cerning the efficacie and end of his death, or what he deserved, procured, merited, and obtained, for them for whom he died: in resolution of the first, they affirme, that he died for all, and e­very one,: of the second, that he died for no one man at all; in that sense, Christians have hitherto beleeved that he laid downe his life, and submitted himselfe to beare the burden of his Fathers wrath, for their sakes. It seemes to me a strange extenuation of the merit of Christ, to teach, that no good at all by his death doth redound to divers of them for whom he died: what participa­tion, in the benefit of his suffering, had Pharaoh or Judas? doe they not at this houre, and shall they not to eternitie, feele the waite and burden of their owne sinnes? had they either grace in this world, or glory in the other, that they should be said to have an interest in the death of our Saviour? Christians have hi­therto beleeved, that for whom Christ died, for their sinnes he made satisfaction; that they themselves should not externally suf­fer for them: is God unist to punish twice, for the same fault? his owne Sonne once? and againe the poore sinners, for whom he suffered? I cannot conceive an intention in God, that Christ should satisfie his justice for the sinne of them, that were in hell some thousands of yeeres before, and yet be still resolved to con­tinue then punishment on them to all eternitie? no doubtlesse; Christ giveth life to everyone, for whom he gave his life: hee looseth not one of them, whom he purchased with his blood.

The first part of this Controversie, may be handled, under [Page 92] these two questions. First, whether God giving his Sonne, and Christ making his soule a ransome for sinne, intended thereby to redeeme all and every one, from their sins, that all and every one alike, from the beginning of the world, to the last day, should all equally be partakers of the fruits of his death and passion; which purpose of theirs is in the most frustrate. Secondly, whe­ther God had not a certaine infallible intention, of gathering un­to himselfe a chosen people, of collecting a Church of first borne, of saving his little flocke, of bringing some certainly to happinesse, by the death of his onely Sonne, which in the event he doth ac­complish:

The second part also may be reduced to these two heads: first, whether Christ did not make full satisfaction, for all their sinnes for whom he died, and merited glory, or everlasting happinesse, to be bestowed on them, upon the performance of those condi­tions, God should require? Secondly, (which is the proper Con­troversie I shall chiefly insist upon,) whether Christ did not pro­cure for his own people, a power to become the Sonnes of God, merit and deserve at the hands of God for them, grace, faith, righteousnesse, and sanctification, whereby they may be enabled infallibly, to performe the conditions of the new Covenant, upon the which, they shall be admitted to glory.

To the first Question, of the first part of the Controversie, the Arminians answer affirmatively, to wit, that Christ died for all alike, the benefit of his Passion, belongs equally to all the poste­ritie of Adam: and to the second negatively, that God had no such intention of bringing many chosen sonnes unto salvation, by the death of Christ; but determined of grace and glory, no more precisely to one, then to another, to Iohn, then Iudas, Abraham, then Pharaoh: both which as the learned Moulin observed, Molin suffrag. ad Synod. Dor­dra. seeme to be invented to make Christianitie ridiculous, and ex­pose our Religion, to the derision, of all knowing men: for who can possibly conceive that one by the appointment of God should die for another; and yet that other, by the same justice be allotted unto death himselfe, when ones death onely was due: that Christ hath made a full satisfaction for their sinnes, who shall ever­lastingly feele the waight of them, themselves; that he should [Page 93] merit and obtaine reconciliation with God for them, who live and die his enemies: grace and glory for them, who are grace­lesse in this life, and damned in that which is to come: that he should get remission of sinnes for them, whose sinnes were ne­ver pardoned: in briefe, if this sentence be true, either Christ by his death did not reconcile us unto God, make satisfaction to his justice for our iniquities, redeeme us from our sinnes, pur­chase a kingdome, an everlasting inheritance for us, which, I hope no Christian will say, or else all the former absurdities must necessarily follow, which no rationall man will ever admit.

Neither may we be charged, as straitners of the merit of Christ: for we advance the true value and worth thereof, (as hereafter will appeare,) farre beyond all, that the Arminians ascribe unto it: we confesse that, that blood of God, Acts 20. 28. of the Lambe without spot or blemish, 1. Pet. 1. 19. was so exceed­ingly precious, of that infinite worth and value, that it might have saved a thousand beleeving worlds, Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 3. 22. his death was of sufficient dignitie, to have beene made a ransome, for all the sinnes of every one in the world: and on this internall sufficiencie of his death and passion, is grounded the universalitie of Evangelicall promises, which have no such restriction in their own nature, as that they should not be made to all, and every one, though the promulgation and knowledge of them, is tied onely to the good pleasure of Gods speciall providence, Matth. 16. 17. as also that Oeconomie, and dispensation of the new Covenant, whereby the partition wall being broken downe, there remaines no more difference betweene Iew, and Gentile, the utmost bor­ders of the Earth being given in for Christs inheritance: so that in some sense, Christ may be said to die for all, and the whole world: first, in as much as the worth and value of his death, was very sufficient to have beene made a price for all their sinnes: secondly, in as much as this word All, is taken for some of all sorts, not for every one, of every sort, as it is frequently used in the ho­ly Scripture, so Christ being lifted up drew all unto him, Iohn 12. 32. that is, beleevers out of all sorts of men: the Apostles cured all diseases, or some of all sorts, they did not cure every particular disease, but there was no kinde of disease, that was exempted [Page 94] from their power of healing: so that where it is said, that Christ died for all, it is meant either; first, all the faithfull; or secondly, some of all sorts; thirdly, not onely Iewes, but Gentiles: For,

Secondly, the proper counsell and intention of God, in send­ing his Sonne into the world, to die, was, that thereby he might confirme and ratifie, the new Covenant to his elect: and pur­chase for them, all the good things, which are contained in the tenure of that Covenant: to wit, grace, and glory: that by his death, he might bring many, (yet some certaine) children to glo­rie, obtaining for them, that were given unto him, by his Father, that is, his whole Church, reconciliation with God, remission of sinnes, faith, righteousnesse, sanctification and life eternall: that is, the end, to which they are to be brought, and the meanes whereby God will have them attaine it: he died that he might gather the dispersed children of God, and make them partakers of everlasting glory, to give eternall life, to all that God gave unto him, Iohn 17. 2. And on this purpose, of himselfe, and his Father, is founded the intercession of Christ, for his elect and chosen people, performed partly on the earth, Iohn 17. partly in hea­ven before the Throne of grace: which is nothing but a presen­tation of himselfe, and his merits, accompanied with the prayers of his Mediatour-ship, before God: that he would be pleased to grant, and effectually to apply, the good things, he hath by them obtained, to all for whom he hath obtained them: his interces­sion in heaven, is nothing but a continued oblation of himselfe. So that whatsoever Christ impetrated, merited, or obtained, by his death and passion, must be infallibly applied unto, and bestowed upon them, for whom he intended to obtaine it: or else his in­tercession is vaine, he is not heard in the prayers of his media­tourship: an actuall reconciliation with God, and communicati­on of grace and glory, must needs betide all them that have any such interest in the righteousnesse of Christ, as to have it accepted for their good: the sole end, why Christ would so dearely pur­chase those good things, is an actuall application of them, unto his chosen: God set forth the propitiation of his blood, for the remission of sinnes. that he might be the iustifier of him that beleeveth on Je­sus: Rom, 3. 25, 26. But this part of the Controversie is not that [Page 95] which I principally intend: onely I will give you a briefe summe, of those reasons which overthrow their heresie, in this particular branch thereof.

First, the death of Christ, is in divers places of the Scripture restrained to his people, and elect, his Church, and sheepe: Matth. 1. 21. Iohn 10. 11, 12, 13. Acts 20. 28. Ephes. 5. 25. Iohn 11. 52. Rom. 8. 32, 33. Heb 2. 10. 13. Revel. 5. 9. Dan. 9. 27. and there­fore the good purchased thereby, ought not to be extended, to dogges, reprobates, and those that are without.

Secondly, for whom Christ died, he died as their sponsor, in their roome and turne, that he might free them from the guilt, and desert of death, which is cleerely expressed, Rom. 5. 6, 7, 8. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our in­iquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed: Isa. 53. 5, 6, &c. He hath redeemed us, from the curse, being made a curse for us: Galat. 3. 13. He made him to be sinne for us, who knew no sinne, 1 Cor. 5. 21. Evidently he chang­eth turnes with us, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him: yea in other things, it is plaine in the Scripture, that to die for another, is to take his place and roome, with an inten­tion that he should live: 2 Sam, 18. 33. Rom. 5. So that Christ dy­ing for men, made satisfaction, for their sins, that they should not die: now for what sins he made satisfaction, for them the justice of God is satisfied, which surely is not done for the sinnes of the reprobates, because he justly punisheth them to eternitie, upon themselves: Matth. 5. 26.

Thirdly, for whom Christ died, for them also he rose againe, to make intercession for them, for whose offences he was deliver­ed, for their iustification he was raised: Rom. 4. 25. and Chap. 5. 10. He is a high Priest to make intercession for them in the holiest of holies, for whom by his bloud he obtained everlasting redemption, Heb. 9. 11. 12. Those two acts of his Priesthood are not to be se­parated, it belongs to the same Mediator for sinne, to sacrifice and pray: our assurance that he is our Advocate, is grounded on his being a propitiation for our sinnes: he is an Advocate, for every [Page 96] one, for whose sinnes his blood was a propitiation: 1 Iohn 2, 1, 2. But Christ doth not intercede, and pray for all, as himselfe often witnesseth: Iohn 17. He maketh intercession onely for them, who come unto God by him: Heb. 7. 24. He is not a Mediatour of them that perish, no more then and Advocate of them that faile in their suits, and therefore the benefit of his death also must be restrained to them, who are finally partakers of both: we must not so dis-joyne the offices of Christs Mediatorship, that one of them may be versated about some towards whom he exerciseth not the other: much lesse ought we, so to separate the severall acts of the same office. For whom Christ is a Priest, to offer him­selfe a sacrifice, for their sinnes, he is surely a King, to apply the good things purchased by his death unto them, asb Arminius himselfe confesseth; much more to whom he is a Priest by sa­crifice he will be a Priest by intercession: and therefore, seeing he doth not intercede and pray for every one, he did not die for every one.

Fourthly, for whom Christ died, he merited grace, and glory, faith, and salvation, and reconciliation with God, as I shall shew hereafter; but this he hath not done for all, and every one: many doe never beleeve, the wrath of God remaineth upon some, the wrath of God abideth on them that doe not beleeve: 1 Iohn 3. 16. To abide, argueth a continued uninterrupted act: now to be re­conciled to one, and yet to lie under his heavie anger, seeme to me [...], things that will scarce consist together: the reasons are many, I onely point at the heads of some of them.

Fifthly, Christ died for them, whom God gave unto him, to be saved, Thine they were, and thou gavest them unto me: Ioh. 17. 6. He layeth downe his life, for the sheepe committed to his charge: Iohn 10. 11. But all are not the sheepe of Christ, all are not gi­ven unto him of God, to be brought to glory: for of those that are so given, there is not one that perisheth, for he giveth eternall life to as many as God hath given him: Iohn 17. 2. No man is able to plucke them out of his Fathers hands: Chap. 10. 28, 29.

Sixthly, looke whom, and how many, that love of God em­braced, [Page 97] that was the cause of sending his Son to redeeme them: for them, and so many, did Christ according to the counsell of his Father, and in himselfe intentionally, lay downe his life: now this love is not universall, being his good pleasure of bles­sing with spirituall blessings and saving some in Christ: Ephes. 1. 4, 5. which good pleasure of his, evidently comprehendeth some, when others are excluded, Matth. 11. 25, 26. yea the love of God in giving Christ for us is of the same extent, with that grace, whereby he calleth us to faith, or bestoweth faith on us: for he hath called us with an holy calling, according to his owne purpose and grace, which was given us in Iesus Christ: 2 Tim. 2. 9. which doubtlesse is not universall and common unto all.

Innumerable other reasons there are to prove, that seeing God hath given his elect onely, whom onely he loved to Christ to be redeemed: and seeing that the Sonne loveth onely those who are given him of his Father, and redeemeth onely whom he loveth: seeing also that the holy Spirit, the love of the Father and the Sonne, sanctifieth all, and onely them that are elected, and redeemed▪ it is not our part, with a preposterous liberality against the witnesse of Christ himselfe, to assigne the salvation attained by him, as due to them, that are with out the Congre­gation of them whom the Father hath loved, and chosen: without that Church, which the Sonne loved and gave his life for it, nor none of the members of that sanctified body, whereof Christ is the Head and Saviour: I urge no more, because this is not that part of the Controversie that I desire to lay open.

I come now to consider the maine Question of this difference, though sparingly handled by our Divines: concerning what our Saviour merited, and purchased for them for whom he died: and here you shall finde the old Idol playing his prankes, and quite devesting the merit of Christ, from the least ability or power, of doing us any good; for though the Arminians pretend very spe­ciously, that Christ died for all men: yet in effect, they make him die for no one man at all: and that by denying the effectuall ope­ration [Page 98] of his death, and ascribing the proper issues of his passion, to the brave indevours of their owne Pelagian Deitie.

We (according to the Scriptures) plainly beleeve, that Christ hath by his righteousnesse, merited for us grace and glory; that we are blessed with all spirituall blessings, in, though, and for him: that he is made unto us righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption; that he hath procured for us, and that God for his sake, bestoweth on us every grace, in this life, that maketh us differ from others, and all that glory we hope for, in that which is to come: he procured for us remission of all our sinnes, an actu­all reconciliation with God, faith, and obedience: yea, but this is such a desperate doctrine, as stabs at the very heart of the Idol: and would make him as altogether uselesse, as if he were but a figgetree logge: what remaineth for him to doe, if all things in this great worke of our salvation, must be thus ascribed unto Christ, and the merit of his death? Wherefore the worshippers of this great God, Lib. Arbit. oppose their engines against the whole fabricke, and cry downe the title of Christs merits, to these spirituall blessings, in the behalfe of their imaginarie Deity.

Now because they are things of a two-fold denomination, a­bout which we contend, before the king of heaven; each part producing their evidence; the first springing from the favour of God towards us: the second from the working of his grace, actu­ally within us, I shall handle them severally, and apart: especi­ally because to things of this latter sort, gifts, as we call them, en­abling us to fulfill the condition, required, for the attaining of glory, we lay a double claime, on Gods behalfe: First, as the death of Christ, is the meritorious cause procuring them of him: Se­condly, as his free grace is their efficient cause working them in us; they also producing a double title, whereby, they would in­vest their beloved darling, with a sole proprietie in causing these effects. First, in regard that they are our owne acts performed in us, and by us: secondly, as they are parts of our dutie, which we are enjoyned to doe, so that the quarrell is directly betweene Christs Merits and our owne free-will, about procuring the [Page 99] favour of God, and obtaining grace and righteousnesse, let us see what they say to the first.

They affirme Immediata mortis Christi effectio, ac pas­sionis, illa est, non actualis pec­catorum, ab his aut illis ablatio, non actualis re­missio, non justi­ficatio, non actu­alis horū aut il­lorū redemptio: Armin. Antiperk, p. 76. that the immediate, and proper effect, or end, of the death and passion of Christ, is not an actuall oblation of sinne from men, not an actuall remission of iniquities, iustification and redemption, of any soule: that is, Christ his death, is not the me­ritorious cause of the remission of our sins, of redemption, and justification: the meritorious cause, I say, for of some of them, as of justification, as it is terminated in us, we confesse there are causes of other kindes, as faith is the instrument, and the holy Spirit the efficient thereof. But for the sole meritorious procu­ring cause, of these spirituall blessings, we alwaies took it to be the righteousnesse, and death of Christ: beleeving plainely, that the end why Christ died, and the fruit of his sufferings, was our reconciliation with God, redemption from our sinnes, freedome from the curse, deliverance from the wrath of God, and power of hell: though we be not actuall partakers of these things to the pacifi­cation of our owne consciences, without the intervening opera­tion of the holy Spirit, and faith by him wrought in us.

But if this be not? Pray what is obtained by the death of Christ? Why Reconciliatio potentialis & conditionata non actualis & absoluta, per mortem Christi impetratur: Cor­vin. ad. Molin. cap 28. sect. 11. a potentiall, conditionate reconciliation, not actuall, and absolute, saith Corvinus: But yet this potentiall reconciliati­on, being a new expression, never intimated in the Scripture, and scarce of it selfe intelligible, we want a further explanation of their minde, to know what it is that directly they assigne to the merits of Christ: wherefore, they tell us, that the fruit of his death, was such Remissionis, justificationis, & redemptionis, a­pud Deum impe­tratio, qua facto est, ut Deus jam possit, utpote iu­stitia cui satisfa­ctum est non ob­stante hominibus peccatoribus peccata remitte­re: Armin. ubi sup. an impetration, or obtaining of reconciliation with God, and redemption for us: that God thereby hath a power, his iustice being satisfied, and so not compelling him to the contrary, to grant remission of sinnes, to sinnefull men, on what condition, he would: or as another speaketh it, Autoris mens non est alia, quā effuso sangui­ne Christi reconciliandi mundum Deo jus impetratum fuisse, & inito novo faedere & gratioso cum ho­minibus, Deum gratiae oftium, omnibus denuo poenitentiae ac verae in Christū fidei, lege ad­aperuis [...]e: Epi­stol: ad Wala [...]. sol. [...]3. There was by the effusion of Christs blood, a right obtained unto, and settled in God, of recon­ciling the world, and of opening unto all, a gate of repentance, and faith in Christ: But now whereas, the Scripture every where affirmeth, that Christ died for our good, to obtaine blessings for us, to purchase our peace, to acquire and merit for us, the good [Page 100] things contained in the promise of the Covenant, this opinion seemes to restraine the end, and fruit thereof, to the obtaining of a power; and libertie unto God, of prescribing us a condition whereby we may be saved: but yet it may be, thus much at least Christ obtained of God in our behalfe, that he should assigne faith in him, to be this condition, and to bestow it upon us also: No, neither the one, nor the other, Potuisset De­us, si ita sapien­tiae suae visum fuisset, operarios, Judaeos, vel alios etiam praeter fi­deles eligere, quia potuit aliam salutis conditio­nem, quam fidem in Christum exi­gere, Grevinch. ad Ames. p. 415. after all this, had it so seemed good un­to his wisedome, God might have chosen the Iewes, and others, fol­lowing the righteousnesse of the law, as well as beleevers, because he might have assigned, any other condition of salvation besides faith in Christ: saith Grevinchovius: Notwithstanding then the death of Christ for us, we might have beene held to the old rule, Doe this and live: but if this be true, I cannot perceive how it may be said, that Chrid died to redeeme us from our sins, to save our soules, and bring us unto glory: neither perhaps, doe they thinke this to be any great inconvenience, for the same Authour affirmeth, that Christus non est proprie mor­tuus ad aliquem falvandum. idem, ibid. fol. 8. Christ cannot be said properly to die, to save any one. And a little after he more fully declares himselfe, Postquam im­petratio praestita ac peracta es­set, Deo jus su­um integrum mansit, pro arbi­trio suo, eam applicare, vel non applicare, nec applicatio finis impetratio­nis propriae fuit, sed jus, & pote­stas applicandi, quibus & quali­bus vellet. pag. 9. That after Christ had obtained all that he did obtaine by his death, the right remained wholly in God, to apply it, or not to apply it, as it should seeme good unto him: the application of grace and glory, to any man, was not the end for which Christ obtained them, but to get a right and power unto God, of bestowing those things on what sort of men he would: which argues no redemption of us from our sinnes, but a vindication of God from such a condition, where­in he had not power to forgive them; not an obtaining of salva­tion for us, but of a libertie unto God of saving us, on some con­dition or other.

But now, after God hath got this power by the death of Christ, and out of his gracious good pleasure, assigned faith to be the meanes for us to attaine those blessings, he hath procured himselfe a libertie to bestow? Did Christ obtaine this faith for us, of him? if it be a thing not in our own power? No: Fides non est impetrata merito Christi, &c. Cor. ad Mol. cap. 28. pag. 419. Faith is not obtained by the death of Christ, saith Corvinus: so that there is no good thing, no spirituall blessing, into which, any man in the world hath any interest by the death of Christ: which is not so great an absurditie, but that they are most ready to grant it: [Page 101] Se omnino credere, futurum fuisse, ut finis mortis Christi constaret, etiam­si nemo credidis­set, idem. cap. 27. sect. 3. 4. Arnoldus confesseth, that he beleeves, that the death of Christ might have enioyed its end, or his merit its full force, although, ne­ver any had beleeved: and againe, Posita & prae­stita Christi morte & satis­factione, fieri potest, ut nemi­ne, novi faederis conditionem, praestante, nemo salvaretur: idem. Grevinch. ad Ames. fol. 9. the death and satisfaction of Christ being accomplished, it might come to passe, that, none fulfil­ling the condition of the new Covenant, none should be saved, so also saith Grevinchovius: Oh Christ, that any pretending to professe thy holy Name, should thus slight the precious worke of thy death and passion? surely, never any before, who counted it their glory to be called Christians, did ever thus extenuate (their friends the Socinians onely excepted) the dignitie of his merit and satisfaction: take but a short view of what benefit they al­low to redound to us, by the effusion of his precious blood, and you may see what a pestilent heresie, these men have laboured to bring into the Church: neither faith nor salvation, grace nor glory, hath he purchased for us, not any spirituall blessing, that by our interest in his death we can claime to be ours: it is not such a reconciliation with God, as that he thereupon, should be con­tented againe to be called our God, it is not justification, nor righteousnesse, nor actuall redemption from our sinnes, it did not make satisfaction for our iniquities, and deliver us from the curse: Impetratio salutis pro om­nibus, est acqui­sitio possibilita­tis, ut nimirum Deus illaesa sua justitia hominem peccatorem pos­sit recipere in gratiam: Rem. Coll. Hag p. 172. onely it was a meanes of obtaining such a possibility of sal­vation, as that God without wronging of his iustice, might save us if he would, one way or other: so that when Christ had done all that he could, there was not one man in the world immediately the better for it: notwithstanding the utmost of his endeavour, every one might have beene damned with Iudas to the pit of hell▪ Pro Juda ac Petro mortuus est Christus, & pro Simone Ma­go & Juda tam pro Paulo & Pe­tro: Rem. Sy­nod. fol. 320. for he died as well for Simon Magus and Iudas, as he did for Peter and Paul, say the Arminians: Now if no more good re­dound to us by the death of Christ, then to Simon Magus, we are not much obliged to him for our salvation: Nay, he may be rather said to have redeemed God, then us, for he procured for him im­mediately a power to redeeme us if he would; for us, onely by vertue of that power, a possibilitie to be redeemed: which leaves nothing of the nature of merit annexed to his death: for that deserveth that something be done, not onely that it may be done: the workman deserveth that his wages be given him, and not that it may be given him. And then what becomes of all the comfort and consolation that is proposed to us in the death of [Page 102] Christ: but it is time to see how this stubble is burned and con­sumed by the word of God: and that established which they thought to overthrow.

First, It is cleare that Christ died to procure for us an actuall reconciliation with God: and not only a power for us to be re­conciled unto him: for when we were enemies, we were reconci­led to God, by the death of his sonne: Rom. 5. 10. we enjoy an actu­all reconciliation unto God by his death: he is content to be cal­led our God, when we are enemies, without the intervening of any condition on our part required: though the sweetnesse, comfort, and knowledge of this reconciliation, doe not compasse, our soules before we beleeve in him. Againe, we have remission of sinnes by his blood, and justification from them, not a sole vin­dication into such an estate, wherein, if it please God, and our selves, our sinnes are pardonable: for we are justified through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ, whom God hath set forth, to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes: Rom. 3. 24, 25. Yea, he obtained for us by his death, righteousnesse and holinesse. He gave himselfe for his Church, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it, Ephes. 5. 26. That he might present it unto himselfe a glorious Church, without spot, or wrinkle, that we should be holy, and without blemish: vers. 27. Where first, we have whom Christ died, or gave himselfe for, even his Church: secondly, what he obtained for it, holinesse and righteousnesse, a freedome from the spots, and blemishes of sinne, that is, the grace of justification and sanctitie, he made him to be sinne for us, who knew no sinne, that we might become the righ­teousnesse of God in him: 2 Cor. 5. 21. And lastly he died, to pur­chase for us, an everlasting inheritance: Heb. 9. 15. So that both grace and glory, are bestowed on them for whom he died, as the immediate fruits of his death and passion.

Secondly, see what the Scripture [...], expresly assigneth, as the proper end and immediate effect, (according to the purpose of God, and his owne intention) of the effusion of the blood of Iesus Christ, and you shall finde that he intended by it, to take a­way the sinnes of many, to make his soule an offering for sinne, that he might see his seed, that the counsell of God, might prosper in his [Page 103] hand: Isaiah 53. to be a ransome for many, Matth. 20. 28. to beare the sins of many: Heb. 9. 28. he bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we should live unto righteousnesse, 1 Pet. 2. 24. that we might become the righteousnesse of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. thereby reconciling us unto God, vers. 19. he died, to reconcile us unto God, in the body of his flesh, through death, that we might be holy and un­blameable, Colos. 1. 21, 22. to purge our sins, Heb. 1. 3. to obtaine an everlasting redemption for us, Heb. 9. 12. so that if Christ by his death obtained what he did intend: he hath purchased for us, not only a possibilitie of salvation; but holinesse, righteousnesse, re­conciliation with God, justification, freedome from the guilt, and condemning power of sin: everlasting redemption, eternall life, and glory in heaven.

Thirdly, I appeale unto the consciences of all Christians. First, whether they doe not suppose the very foundation of all their consolation, to be stricken at, when they shall finde those places of Scripture, Heb. 7. 12. 15. 24. & 9. 14. 28. Esa. 53. 11. 1 Joh. 2. 2. &c. that affirme Christ to have died, to take away our sins, to reconcile us unto God, to put away, or abolish our transgres­sions, to wash and regenerate us, perfectly to save us, and purchase for us an everlasting redemption, whereby he is become unto us, righteousnesse, and redemption, and sanctification, the Lord our righteousnesse, and we become the righteousnesse of God in him: to be so wrested, as if he should be said only, to have done some­thing, which these things might happily follow.

Secondly, whither they thinke it not a ready way, to impaire their love, and to weaken their faith in Christ, when they shall be taught, that Christ hath done no more for them, then for those that are damned in hell: that be their assurance never so great, that Christ died for them: yet there is enough to be laid to their charge to condemne them, that though God is said to have re­conciled them unto himselfe in Christ, Colos. 1. 19, 20. yet in­deed he is as angry with them, as with any reprobate in the world, that God loveth us not first, but so long as we continue in a state of enmitie against him, before our conversion, he continues our enemy also: so that the first act of friendship or love, must be [Page 104] performed on our part, notwithstanding that the Scripture saith, we were reconciled unto God being enemies, Romanes 5. vers. 10.

Thirdly, Whither they have not hitherto supposed them­selves bound to beleeve, that Christ died for their sins and rose for their justification? do they not thinke it lawfull to pray, that God would bestow upon them, grace, and glory for Christs sake? and to beleeve that Iesus Christ was such a Mediatour of the new Covenant, as procured for the persons Covenanted withall, all the good things comprehended in the promise of that Covenant.

I will not further presse upon this prevarication against Chri­stian Religion, only I would desire all the lovers of Iesus Christ seriously to consider, whether these men, doe truly ayme at his honour, and advancing the dignitie of his merit, and not rather, at the crying up of their own indeavours, seeing the sole cause of their denying these glorious effects of the blood of Christ: is to appropriate the praise of them unto themselves, as we shall see in the next Chapter.

These charges are never to be waved, by the vanitie of their sophisticall distinctions, as of that of impetration and application, which though it may be received, in an Orthodox meaning, yet not in that sense, or rather non-sense, whereunto they abuse it; viz. As though Christ had obtained that for some, which shall never be imparted unto them, that all the blessings procured by his death are proper to none, but pendent in the aire for them that can or will catch them: whereupon when we object, Sic efficacia meriti Christi: tota penes nos stabit, qui voca­tionem alioqui inefficacem effi­cacem, reddimus: sane, fieri aliter non potest, Rem. Apol. p. 93. that by this means all the efficacie of the merit of Christ, is in our own power, they rea­dily grant it, and say it cannot otherwise be: let them that can, re­ceive these monsters in Christianitie, for my part in these follow­ing contradictory assertions, I will choose rather to adhere to the authoritie of the word of God, then of Arminius and his se­ctaries.

[Page 105]

CHAP. X.
Of the cause of faith, grace, and righteousnesse.

THE second part of this controversie, is in particu­lar, concerning grace, faith, and holinesse, sincere obedience to the precepts of the new Covenant, all whose praise we appropriate to the most high, by reason of a double interest. First, of the merit of Christ which doth procure them for us. Secondly, of the ho­ly Spirit which works them in us: the death of Christ is their meritorious cause, the Spirit of God and his effectuall grace their efficient, working instrumentally with power by the word and ordinances: now because this would deprive the Idoll of his chiefest glory, and expose him to open shame, like the bird fur­tivis nudata coloribus, the Arminians advance themselves in his quarrell, and in behalfe of their darling, quite exclude both merit of Christ, and Spirit of God, from any title to their production.

First, For the merit of Christ, whereas we affirme that God [Page 107] blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in him, or for his sake, Eph. 1. 3. amongst which, doubtlesse faith possesseth not the lowest roome, that he is made unto us righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption; he was made sinne for us, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him: that he is the Lord our righteousnesse, and glories to be called by that name: and what­soever he is unto us, it is chiefely by the way of merit: that to us it is given [...], for Christs sake to beleeve on him, Phil. 1. 29. where [...], is plainly referred to [...] is given, as if the Apostle should have said, Christ is the meritorious cause of the bestowing of those good gifts, faith, and constancy unto martyr­dome upon you, when I say we professe all these to be the pro­per and immediate products of the passion and blood of Christ, these turbulent Davusses, come in with a prohibition, and quite expell it from having any interest therein.

Nihil ineptius nihil vanius, quā regenerationem & fidem, merito Christi tribuere, si enim Christus dicatur nobis meritus fidem & regenerationem, tum fides condi­tio esse non po­terat: quam à peccatoribus, Deus sub commi­natione mortis aeternae exigeret: Rem. Apol. cap. 8. pag. 95. Si fides sit effe­ctum meriti Christi non po­test esse actus of­ficii nostri: idem. There is nothing more vaine, nothing more foolish (say they in their Apologie) then to attribute our regeneration, and faith, unto the death of Christ, for if Christ may be said to have merited for us faith, and regeneration, then faith cannot be a condition, whose per­formance God should require, at the hands of sinners, under the paine of eternall damnation: And again, If faith be the effect of the me­rit of Christ, it cannot be our dutie; No? Suppose then that the Church should pray, that it would please God, for Christs sake, to call home those sheepe that belong to his fold, not as yet collect­ed? that he would grant faith and repentance, for the merit of his Sonne, to them that are as yet a farre off? were this an altoge­ther vaine and foolish prayer? let others thinke as they please, it is such a vanitie, as I desire not to be weaned from, nor any one else I beleeve, that loves the Lord Iesus in sinceritie: Oh that Christians should patiently endure, such a diminution of their Sa­viours honour? as with one dash of an Arminian pen, to have the chiefe effects of his death and passion quite obliterated: if this be a motive, to the love and honour of the Son of God, if this be a way, to set forth the preciousnesse of his blood, by denying the efficacy thereof, in enabling us by faith to get an interest in the new covenant: most Christians in the world are under a necessity of being new Catechised by these Seraphicall Doctors.

[Page 108] Vntill when, they must give us leave to beleeve, with the Apo­stle, that God blesseth us, with all spirituall blessings in Christ, Ephes. 1. 3. and we will take leave to account faith a spirituall blessing: and therefore bestowed on us for Christs sake; againe, since our regeneration is nothing but a purging of our consci­ences from dead works, that we may serve the living God: which being done by the blood of Christ, as the Apostle witnesseth, Heb. 9. 14. we will ascribe our new birth, or forming anew to the ver­tue of that grace, which is purchased by his blood: that precious blood it is, which redeemeth us from our vaine conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. by whose efficacie we are vindicated from the state of sin and corrupted nature wherein we are born.

The Arminians have but one argument, that ever I could meet with, whereby they strive to rob Christ of this glory, of me­riting and procuring for us faith and repentance; and that is, be­cause they are such acts of ours, as in dutie and obedience to the precepts of the Gospel, we are bound to performe: Rem. Apol. ubi sup. Corvin. ad Moli. cap. 28. sect. 9. and this they every where presse at large, us (que) & us (que), in plain tearms they will not suffer their Idoll to be accounted defective in any thing that is necessary to bring us unto heaven: now concerning this argu­ment, that nothing which God requireth of us, can be procured for us by Christ: I would have two things noted. First, that the strength of it consists in this, that no gift of God bestowed upon us, can be a thing well pleasing to him as being in us: for all his precepts and commands signifie only, what is well pleasing unto him, that we should be, or doe; and it is not the meriting of any thing by Christ, but Gods bestowing of it, as the effect thereof, which hinders it from being a thing, requireable of us, as a part of our dutie, w ^ch I shall consider hereafter: only now observe, that there being nothing in us, by the way of habit or act from the be­ginning of our faith, to the consummation thereof from our new birth, untill we become perfect men in Christ, by the finishing of our course, that is not required of us in the Gospel, all, and every grace, whereof we are in this life partakers, are by this means de­nied to be gifts of God. Secondly, consider the extent of this argument it selfe: nothing whose performance is our dutie, can be merited for us by Christ; when the Apostle beseecheth us, to [Page 109] be reconciled unto God, I would know, whether it be not a part of our duty to yeeld obedience to the Apostles exhortation: if not his exhortation is frivolous and vaine, if so, then to be reconciled unto God, is a part of our dutie, and yet the Arminians sometime seeme to confesse, that Christ hath obtained for us a reconciliation with God: the like may be said, in divers other particulars, so that this argument, either proveth that we enjoy no fruit of the death of Christ in this life: or (which is most true) it proveth nothing at all: for neither the merit of Christ procuring, nor God bestow­ing any grace, in the habit, doth at all hinder, but that in the exer­cise thereof, it may be a duty of ours, inasmuch as it is done in us, and by us: notwithstanding then this exception, which cannot stand by it selfe alone without the helpe of some other, not as yet discovered; we will continue our prayers, as we are command­ed in the name of Christ: that is, that God would bestow upon us those things we ask for Christs sake, and that by an immediate collation, yea even then when we cry, with the poore penitent, Lord helpe our unbeliefe, or with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith.

Secondly, the second plea, on Gods behalfe, to prove him, the Authour, and finisher of all those graces, whereof in this life we are partakers, ariseth, from what the Scripture affirmeth, concer­ning his working these graces in us, and that powerfully, by the effectuall operation of his holy Spirit: to which, the Arminians oppose a seeming necessitie, that they must needs be our owne acts, contradistinct from his gifts, because they are in us, and commanded by him: the head then of this contention betwixt our God, and their Idol, about the living child of grace, is: whe­ther he can worke that in us, which he requireth of us: let us heare them pleading their cause.

Illud certissi­mum est, nec jubendum est quod efficitur, nec efficiendum quod jubetur, stulte jubet & vult, ab alio fieri aliquid, qui ipse quod ju­bet in eo efficere vult: Rem. Apol. cap 9 p. 105. a. It is most certaine that, that ought not to be commanded, which is wrought in us: and that cannot be wrought in us, which is com­manded: he foolishly commandeth that to be done of others, who will worke in them what he commandeth: saith their Apologie. At exigua con­clusione pene tu totum Pela­gianum dogma confirmas, dicen­do, nullius laudis esse ac meriti: si id in eo Christus quod ipse dona­verat praetulisset. Prosp. ad Collat. cap. 36. O foolish Saint Prosper, who thought that it was the whole Pela­gian heresie, to say, That there is neither praise, nor worth, as ours, [Page 110] in that, which Christ bestoweth upon us: foolish Saint Augustine, Da Domine quod jubes, & ju­be quod vis. Aug. praying, Give us O Lord, what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt: foolish Benedict Bishop of Rome, who gave such a forme to his prayer, as must needs cast an aspersion of folly, on the most high: O O Domine do­ce nos quid aga­nius, quo gradia­mus ostende, quid efficiamus operare: Ben. Pap. in Concil. Le­gunstad. Lord (saith he) teach us what we should do; shew us whither we should goe, worke in us, what we ought to per­forme: O foolish Fathers of the second Arausican Councel, af­firming, Multa in ho­mine bona fiunt quae nonfacit ho­mo: nulla vero facit homo bo­na, quae non Deus prastet, ut faciat. Consil: Arau. 2. Can. 20. Quotie [...] enim bona agimos, Deus in nobis & nobiscum, ut operemur, opera­tur: Can. 9. that many good things are done in man, which he doth not himselfe, but a man doth no good, which God doth not so worke, that he should doe it: And againe, as often as we doe good, God worketh in us, and with us, that we may so worke: In one word, this makes fooles of all the Doctors of the Church, who ever op­posed the Pelagian heresie, in as much as they all unanimously maintained, that we are partakers of no good thing, in this kinde without the effectuall powerfull operation, of the Almightie grace of God: and yet our faith and obedience so wrought in us, to be most acceptable unto him: yea, what shall we say to the Lord himselfe, in one place commanding us to feare him, and in another promising that he will put his feare into our hearts, that we shall not depart from him, is his command foolish, or his pro­mise false: the Arminians must affirme the one, or renounce their heresie? but of this, after I have a little farther laid open this monstrous errour, from their owne words, and writings.

Anne conditi­onem quis serio & sapienter praescribet alte­ri, sub promisso praemii & poenae gravissimae com­minatione, qui eam, in eo eui praescribit effice­re vult, haec actio tota ludicra, & vix scaena digna est: Rem. Apol. cap. 9. p. 105. a. Can any one, say they, wisely and seriously prescribe the per­formance of a condition to another, under the promise of a reward, and threatning of punishment, who will effect it in him, to whom it is prescribed? this is a ridiculous action, scarce worthy of the Stage: that is, seeing Christ hath affirmed, that whosoever beleeveth shall be saved, and he that beleeveth not shall be damned, Matth. 16. 16. whereby faith, is established, the condition of salvation, and unbeleefe, threatned with hell: If God should by his holy Spirit, ingenerate faith in the hearts of any, causing them so to fulfill the condition, it were a meere mockery, to be exploded from a Theater as an unlikely fiction: which, what an aspersion it casts upon the whole Gospel of Christ, yea, on all Gods deal­ling with the children of men, ever since, by reason of the fall, they became unable of themselves, to fulfill his commands, I leave [Page 111] to all mens silent judgements: well then, seeing they must be accounted [...], things inconsistent, that God should be so righteous, as to shew us our dutie, and yet so good and mercifull, as to bestow his graces on us: let us heare more of this stuffe: Fides & con­versio non pos­sunt esse obedi­entia, si tantum ab aliquo, in a­lio, efficiantur: Rem Colloq. Hag. fol. 196. faith and conversion cannot be our obedience, if they are worught in us by God, say they at the Hague: and Episcopius, Absurdum est statuere Deum aut efficere per potentiam, aut procurare per sa­pientiam, ut ele­cti ea faciant, quae ab ipsis, ut ipsi ea faciant, exigit & postulat Episcop. disp. pri. 8. Thes. 7. That it is a most absurd thing, to affirme, that God either effects by his power, or procureth by his wisedeme, that the elect should doe those things, that he requireth of them: So that where the Scripture cals faith the gift, and worke of God, they say it is an improper locution, in as much as he commands it, properly, it is an act or worke of our owne: And Apol. cap. 9. ubi. sup. Deum dona sua in nobis co­ronare, dictum hoc Augustini nisi cum grano salis accipiatur neutiquam est admittendum: idem: Ibid. fol. 115. for that renowned saying of Saint Augustine, that God crowneth his own gifts in us, that it is not to be received without a graine of salt: That is, some such glosse as wherewith they cor­rupt the Scripture: the summe at which they aime is, that to affirme, that God bestoweth any grace upon us, or effectually worketh them in us, contradicteth his word, requiring them as our dutie, and obedience: by which means they have erected their Idol, into the throne of Gods free grace and mercy, and attribute unto it all the praise, due to those many heavenly qua­lifications, the servants of God are endowed withall, for they ne­ver have more good in them, no, nor so much, as is required, all that they have, or doe, is but their dutie: which how derogato­rie it is to the merit of Christ, themselves seeme to acknow­ledge, when they affirme, that he is no otherwise said to be a Saviour, Atqui dices, sic servatores no­stri essent om­nes, (eodem sensu quo Christus) saltem ex parte qui praeconio, miraculis, mar­tyriis salutis vi­am, confirmant: esto? quid tum: Idem. cap. 8. then are all they, who confirme the way to salvation by preaching, miracles, martyrdome, and example: so that having quite overthrowne the merits of Christ, they grant us to be our owne Saviours in a very large sense: Rem. Apol. fol. 96. All which assertions, how contrary they are to the expresse word of God, I shall now demonstrate.

There is not one, of all those plaine texts of Scripture, not one of those innumerable and invincible arguments, whereby the effectuall working of Gods grace, in the conversion of a sinner, his powerfull translating us, from death to life, from the state of sinne and bondage, to the libertie of the sonnes of God, which doth not overthrow this prodigious error. I will content my [Page 112] selfe with instancing in some few of them which are directly op­posite unto it, even in termes,

First, Deuter. 10. 16. The Lord commandeth the Israelites, to circumcise the fore-skin of their hearts, and to be no more stiffe necked: so that the circumcising of their hearts, was a part of their obedience, it was their dutie so to do in obedience to Gods commands: and yet in the 30. Chapter, vers. 6. he affirmeth, that he will circumcise their hearts, that they might love the Lord their God, with all their hearts: So that it seemes, the same thing, in divers respects may be Gods act in us, and our dutie towards him: and how the Lord will here escape the Arminian cen­sure, that if his words be true, in the latter place, his command in the former, is vaine, and foolish, ipse viderit, let him plead his cause, and avenge himselfe, on those, that rise up against him.

Secondly, Ezek. 18. 31. Make you a new heart, and a new spi­rit, for why will you die, O house of Israel? The making of a new heart, and a new spirit, is here required under a promise of a re­ward of life, and a great threatning of eternall death: so that, so to doe, must needs be a part of their dutie and obedience: and yet Chapter 36. vers. 36. He affirmeth that he will doe this very thing, that here he requireth of them: a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit, will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart, out of your flesh, and give you an heart of flesh: and I will cause you to walke in my statutes, &c. In how many places also, are we commanded to feare the Lord, which when we doe, I hope none will deny to be a performance of our dutie; and yet Jerem. 32. 40. God promiseth that he will put his feare in our hearts, that we shall not depart from him.

Thirdly, those two, against which they lay particular excepti­ons, faith, and repentance, are also expresly attributed, to the free donation of God: he granteth unto the Gentiles repentance unto life: Acts 11. 18. and of faith directly, it is not of our selves, it is the gift of God: Ephes. 2. 8. To which assertion of the holy Spirit, I shall rather fasten my beliefe; then to the Arminians, affirming that it is no gift of God, because it is of our selves: and [Page 113] yet this hindereth not, but that it may be stiled, Our most holy faith: Iude 20. Let them that will deny, that any thing can pro­perly be ours, which God bestoweth on us: the Prophet ac­counted them not inconsistent, when he averred, that God work­eth all our workes in us: Isa. 26. 12. They are our workes, though of his working: the Apostle laboured, though it was not he, but the grace of God that was with him: 1 Cor. 15. 10. He worketh in us [...], of his good pleasure, Philip. 2. 13. and yet the performance of our dutie, may consist, in those acts of our wils, and those good deeds, whereof he is the Authour: so that according to Saint Petamus ut det quod ut ha­beamus jubet: Aug. Austins counsell, we will still pray, that he would bestow, what he commandeth us to have.

Fourthly, 1 Cor. 4. Who made thee differ from another, or what hast thou, that thou hast not received? Every thing that makes us differ from others, is received from God: wherefore the foun­dation of all difference in spirituall things betweene the sonnes of Adam: being faith and repentance, they must also of necessi­tie, be received from above. In briefe; Gods circumcising of our hearts, Colos. 2. 11. His quickning us when we are dead, Ephes. [...]. 1. 2. Begetting us anew, Iohn 1. 13. Making us in all things, such as he would have us to be, is contained in that promise of the New Covenant, Jerem. 32. 40. I will make with them an ever­lasting Covenant, that I will not turne away from them to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not de­part from me: and is no way repugnant to the holy Scripture, de­claring our dutie, to be all this, that the Lord would have us: and now let all men judge, whether against so many, and cleere testi­monies of the holy Ghost, the Arminian reasons borrowed from the old Philosophers, be of any value: the summe of them all, you may finde in Cicero, his third Booke De Natura Deorum: Quia sibi quis­que virtutem ac­quirit,—nemi­nem de sapienti­bus unquam de ea gratias Deo e­gisse, propter virtutem enim laudamur, & in virtute gloria­mur, quod non fieret, si Do­num esset Dei, non à nobis, Ci­cero De Nat. Deor. Every one, saith he, obtaineth vertue for himself: never any wise man thanked God for that, for our vertue we are praised, in vertue we glory, which might not be, were it a gift of God: and truely this in softer termes, is the summe of the Remonstrants Arguments in this particular.

[Page 114] Lastly, observe, that this errour, is that which of all others, the Orthodox Fathers did most oppose in the Pelagian heretiques: yea and to this day, Alvarez: dis­put. 86. ubi Aug. Thom. alios, ci­tat. the more learned Schoolemen stoutly main­taine the truth herein against the innovating Iesuits: with some few of the testimonies of the Ancients I will shut up this dis­course: It Certum est nos facere cum faci­mus, sed ille facet ut faciamus Aug. de Grat. et Lib. Arbit. cap. 16. is certaine, that when we doe any thing we doe it, saith Saint Augustine, but it is God that causeth us so to doe: and in another place; —Neque id donum Dei esse fateamur, quon [...]am exigi audivimus a no­bis, praemio vitae si hoc fecerimus oblato? absit, ut hoc placeat par­ticibus & defen­soribus gratiae: Aug. de Praedest. San. cap. 20. Shall we not account that to be the gift of God? because it is required of us, under the promise of eternall life? God forbid that this should seeme so, either to the partakers, or defenders of grace: where he rejecteth both the errour, and the sophisme, wherewith it is upholden? Tanta est erga homines bonitas Dei, ut nostra velit esse merita quae sunt ipsius dona: Caelest: Epist. ad Ep. Gal. cap. 12. So also Coelestius Bishop of Rome in his Epistle to the Bishops of France: So great, saith he, is the goodnes of God towards men, that he will have those good things to be our good duties (he cals them merits according to the phrase of those dayes) which are his owne gifts: to which pur­pose I cited before two Canons out of the Arausican Councel: and Saint Prosper in his Treatise, against Cassianus the Semipela­gian, Non enim conturbat nos, superbientium inepta quaerimo­nia; quia Libe­rum Arbitrium causantur an­ferri: si & prin­cipia & profe­ctus, & perseve­rantia in bonis usque ad finem, Dei dona esse dicantur: Prosp. ad Collat. pag. 404. affirmeth it, to be a foolish complaint of proud men, that Free-will is destroyed, if the beginning, progresse, and continu­ance in good, be said to be the gifts of God: and so the imputa­tion of folly, wherewith the Arminians in my first Quotation, charge their opposers, being retorted on them, by this learned Fa­ther, I referre you to these following excerpta for a close.

CHAP. XI.
Whether Salvation may be attained without the know­ledge of or Faith in Christ Jesus.

I Shall shut up all this discourse concerning the me­ritorious cause of Salvation, with their shutting out of Christ, from being the onely one, and abso­lutely necessary meanes, to bring us unto heaven, to make us happy: this is the last Pile they erect upon their Babylonish foundation, which makes the Idol of hu­mane selfe-sufficiencie, every way perfect, and fit, to be sacri­crificed unto: untill these proud builders, to get materials for their owne Temple, laid the Axe to the root of Christianitie, we tooke it for grounded, that there is no salvation in any other, because there is none other name under heaven, given unto men, whereby we must be saved: Acts 4. 12. Neither yet shall their nefarious attempts, frighten us from our Creed, nor make us be wanting to the defence of our Saviours honour, but I shall be very briefe in the consideration of this Heterodoxie, nothing doubting, but that to have repeated it, is fully to have confuted it, in the judgement of all pious Christians.

First then, they grant salvation, to the ancient Patriarches and Iewes, before the coming of Christ, without any knowledge of, or faith in him at all: Nay, they deny, that any such faith in Christ, was ever prescribed unto them, or required of them: Certum est lo­cum nullum esse, unde appareat, sidem istam, sub Vet. Test prae­ceptam fuisse, aut viguisse, Rem. Apol. cap. 7. fol. 91. It is certaine that there is no place in the Old Testament, from whence it may appeare, that faith in Christ (as a Redeemer) was ever enioyned, or found in any of them: say they joyntly, in their Apologie: the truth of which assertion, we shall see hereafter: onely they grant a generall faith, involved under types, and sha­dowes, and looking on the promise, as it lay hid in the good­nesse, and providence of God, which indirectly might be called a faith in Christ: from which kinde of faith, I see no reason, why thousands of heathen Infidels should be excluded: agreeable un­to [Page 117] these assertions, are the Dictates, of their Patriarch Arminius: Consideretur omnis descriptio fidei Abrahae, Rom. 4. & appa­rebit in illa Iesu Christi non fieri mentionem, ex­presse, sed illa tantum implica­tione, quam ex­plicare cuivis non est facile, Armin. Gavisus est vi­dere natalem I­saac, qui fuit ty­pus mei: idem. affirming, that the whole description of the Faith of Abraham, Rom. 4. makes no mention of Iesus Christ, either expressely or so implicitely as that it may be of any one, easily understood, and to the testimonie of Christ himselfe, to the contrary, Ioh. 8. [...]6. your fa­ther Abraham reioyced to see my dayes and he saw it, and was glad: he answereth, he reioyced to see the birth of Isaac, who was a type of mee, a goodly glosse corrupting the text.

Secondly, what they teach of the Iews, that also, they grant concerning the Gentiles: living before the incarnation of Christ: they also might attaine salvation, and be justified without his knowledge: for Gentes sub ve­teri testamento viventes licet ip­sis ista ratione qua Iudaeis non fuit revelatum: non tamen inde continuo ex fae­dere absolute ex­clusae sunt, nec à salute praecise ex­clusi judicari debent quia ali­quo saltem modo vocantur. Corvi. defens. Armin. ad Tilen. fol. 107. although saith Corvinus, the Covenant was not revealed unto them by the same means, that it was unto the Iews: yet they are not to be supposed, to be excluded from the Covenant (of grace) nor to be excluded from salvation: for some way or other, they were called.

Thirdly, they are come at length, to that perfection, in setting out this staine of Christianitie, that Bertius on good consideration, denied this proposition, that no man can be saved, that is not in­grafted into Christ, by a true faith: and Nego hanc pro­positionem: ne­minem posse sal­vari, quam qui Iesu Christo, per­veram fidem sit insitus, Bert. ad sibrand. fol. 133. Venator to this question, Whether the only means of salvation, be the life, passion, death, re­surrection, and ascension of Iesus Christ, answereth, no? thus they lay men in Abrahams bosome, who never beleeved in the sonne of Abraham: make them overcome the serpent, who never heard of the seed of the woman, bring goats into heaven, who never were of the flock of Christ, never entred by him the doore: make men please God without faith, and obtaine the remission of sins, Ad hanc quae­stionem an uni­ca via salutis, sit vita passio mors resurrectio & as­scensio Iesu Chri­sti? respondeo, non. Venat. apud Test. Hom. & Peltiam. without the sprinkling of the blood of the Lambe: to be saved without a Saviour, redeemed without a redeemer: to be­come the sons of God, and never know their elder brother: which prodigious errour, might yet be pardoned, and ascribed to humane imbecillitie, had it casually slipt from their pens as Zuing. profes. fid. ad reg. Gal. it did from some others: but seeing it hath foundation, in all the grounds of their new doctrine, and is maintained by them, on mature deli­beration, Artic. of the Church of Eng. art. 18. it must be looked on by all Christians, as an heresie to be detested and accursed. For, first deny the contagion and de­merit, [Page 118] of originall sinne: then make the Covenant of grace to be universall, and comprehend all and every one of the posteritie of Adam, Nihil magis re­pugnat fidei, quā sine fide salvum esse posse quem­piam hominum. Acost. de indo, Salu. Proc. thirdly, grant a power in our selves to come unto God, by any such means as he will appoint and affirme, that he doth assigne some means unto all, and it will naturally follow, that the knowledge of Christ, is not absolutely necessary to salvation: and so down fals the preheminence of Christianitie, its heaven reach­ing crown, must be laid levell with the services of dung-hill gods.

It is true indeed, some of the ancient Fathers, before the ri­sing of the Pelagian heresie; who had so put on Christ, as Lipsius speaks, that they had not fully put of Plato, have unadvisedly dropt some speeches, seeming to grant, that divers men before the In­carnation, living [...], according to the dictates of right rea­son, might be saved without faith in Christ: as is well shewed by learned Causabon, in his first excercitation on Baronius: but let this be accounted part of that stubble, which shall burne at the last day, wherewith the writings of all men, not divinely inspired may be stained: it hath also since, (as what hath not) been drawn into dispute among the wrangling Schoolemen: and yet, which is rarely seene, their verdict in this particular, almost unanimously passeth for the truth: Aquin. 2. 2 ae. q. 2. a. 7. c. Christus nascitur ex virgine, & ego credo in eum, ô Sol, sub Irenae & Constantini tem­poribus iterum me videbis. Aquinas tels us a story of the corps of a heathen, that should be taken up in the time of the Empresse Irene, and her sonne Constantine, with a golden plate on his brest, wherein was this inscription: Christ is borne of a virgin, and I beleeve in him oh Sun, thou shalt see me againe, in the dayes of Irene and Constantine: but the question is not, whether a Gentile be­leeving in Christ may be saved? or whether God did not reveale himselfe, and his Sonne, extraordinarily to some of them: for shall we straighten the brest, and shorten the arme of the Al­mighty, as though he might not doe what he will with his own. But whether a man by the conduct of nature, without the know­ledge of Christ, may come to heaven: Dum multum sudant nonnulli, quomodo Plato­nem faciant Christianum, se probant esse eth­nicos, Bern. Epist. the assertion whereof, we condemne as a wicked Pelagian Socinian heresie: and thinke, that it was well said of Bernard; that many labouring to make Plato a Christian, doe prove themselves to be Heathens: and if we looke upon the severall branches of this Arminian novell doctrine, ex­tenuating the precious worth and necessitie of faith in Christ: [Page 119] we shall finde them, hewed off by the two edged sword of Gods word.

First, for their denying, the Patriarchs and Iews, to have had faith, in Christum exhibendum & moriturum, as we in him, ex­hibitum & mortuum, it is disproved by all Evangelicall promises, made from the beginning of the world, to the birth of our Savi­our, as that, Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head, and Chap. 12. 3. Chap. 49. 10. Psal. 2. 7, 8. and 110. with innumerable other, concerning his life, office, and redee­ming of his people: for surely they were obliged to beleeve the promises of God.

Secondly, those many cleare expressions of his death, passion, and suffering for us: as Gen. 3. 15. Isaiah 53. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c. Chap. 63. 2, 3. Dan. 9. 26. but what need we reckon any more: our Saviour taught his Disciples, that all the Prophets from Mo­ses, spake concerning him, and that the sole reason, why they did not so readily embrace the faith of his passion, and resurrection, was, because they beleeved not the Prophets, Luk. 24. 25, 26. shew­ing plainly, that the Prophets required faith in his death and passion.

Thirdly, by the explicite faith of many Iews, as of old Simeon, Luke 3. 34. of the Samaritan woman, who looked for a Messias, not as an earthly King, but as one that should tell them all things: redeeme them from sinne, and tell them all such things, as Christ was then discoursing of, concerning the worship of God, Ioh. 4. vers. 25.

Fourthly, by the expresse testimony of Christ himself: Abraham saith he, reioyced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad: Ioh. 8. 56. his day, his houre, in the Scripture principally denote his pas­sion: and that which he saw surely he beleeved, or else the fa­ther of the faithfull, was more diffident then Thomas the most incredulous, of his children.

Fifthly, By these following and the like places of Scripture: [Page 120] Christ is a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world, Revel. 13. 8. slaine in promises, slaine in Gods estimation and the faith of beleever, he is the same yesterday to day and for ever, Heb. 13. 8. under the law and the Gospel: There is none other name under heaven given unto men, whereby they must be saved: Acts 4. 12. never any then, without the knowledge of a Redeemer, partici­pation of his passion, communication of his merits, did ever come to the sight of God: no man ever came to the Father but by him: hence S ^t. Paul tels the Ephesians, that they were without Christ, because they were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel: Ephes. 2. 12. intimating that Gods Covenant with the Iews, included Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse, no lesse then it doth now with us: on these grounds holy Ignatius, [...] Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. called Abel a martyr of Christ, he died for his faith in the promised seed: and in ano­ther place, [...]. Epist. ad Phil. all the Saints were saved by Christ: hoping in him: and waiting on him, they obtained salvation by him: So Non alia fide quemquam ho­minum sive ante legem, sive legis tempore, justifi­catum esse cre­dendum est, quā hac eadem qua Dominus Iesus, &c. Prosp. ad ob. 8. Gallorum. Prosper also, We must beleeve that never any man was iustified, by any other faith, either before the Law, or under the Law, then by faith in Christ, coming to save that which was lost. Whence Eusebius contendeth, that all the old Patriarchs might properly be called Christians, they all eate of the same spirituall meat, and all dranke of the same spirituall drinke, even of the rocke that followed them, which rocke was Christ.

Secondly, if the ancient people of God, notwithstanding, di­vers other especiall revelations of his will: and heavenly instru­ctions obtained not salvation, without faith in Christ, much lesse may we grant this happinesse without him, to them, who were deprived of those other helps also: Omnes ergo illos qui ab Abra­ham sursum ver­sus ad primum hominem, gene­rationis ordine conscribuntur, etsi non nomine, rebus tamen, & religione Chri­stianos fuisse, si quis dicat, non mihi videtur er­rare. Eus. Histor. eccles. lib. 1. cap. 1. so that though we confesse the poore naturall indeavours of the heathen, not to have wan­ted their reward: either positive in this life, by outward prospe­ritie, and inward calmnesse of minde, in that, they were not all perplexed, and agitated with furies, like Nero and Caligula, or negative, in the life to come, by a diminution of the degrees of their torments: they shall not be beaten with so many stripes: yet we absolutely deny, that there is any saving mercy of God, towards them revealed in the Scripture, which should give us the least intimation of their attaining everlasting happinesse: for [Page 121] not to consider the corruption and universall disability of nature, to doe any thing that is good, (without Christ we can doe nothing) Ioh. 15. 5. nor yet the sinfulnesse of their best works, and actions, the sacrifices of the wicked being an abomination unto the Lord, Prov. 15. 8. Evill trees cannot bring forth good fruit, men doe not gather grapes of thornes, nor figs of thistles, Matth. 7. 16. the word of God is plaine, that without faith, it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. 6. that he, who beleeveth not, is condemned, Mark. 16. 16. that no nation, or person, can be blessed, but in the seed of Abra­ham, Gen. 12. and the blessing of Abraham, comes upon the Gentiles only by Iesus Christ, Gal. 3. 14. He is the way, and the truth, and the life, Ioh. 14. 6. none comes to the Father but by him, he is the doore, by which those that doe not enter, are without, with Dogs, and Idolaters, Revel. 22. So that other foundation, (of blessednesse) can none lay, but what is already laid, even Iesus Christ, 1 Corinth. 3. 12. in briefe, doe but compare those two places of Saint Paul, one Rom. 8. 30. where he sheweth, that none are glorified, but those that are called: and Chap. 10. 14, 15. where he declares, that all calling, is instrumentally by the preaching of the Word and Gospel: and it will evidently appeare, that no salvation can be granted unto them, on whom the Lord hath so farre powred out his indignation, as to deprive them of the knowledge of the sole means thereof Christ Iesus. And to those that are otherwise minded, I give only this necessary caution, let them take heed, lest whilest they indeavour to invent new wayes to heaven for others, by so doing, they loose not the true way themselves.

CHAP. XII.
Of Free-will, the nature and power thereof.

OVr next taske, is to take a view of the Idoll him­self; of this great deitie of Free-will, whose ori­ginall, being not well knowne, he is pretended like the Ephesian image of Diana, to have falne down from heaven, and to have his endowments from above: but yet considering, what a nothing he was at his first discovery, in comparison, of that vast giantlike hugenesse, to which now he is growne, we may say of him, as the Painter said of his monstrous picture, which he had mended, or rather marred, according to every ones fancy: hunc populus fecit, it is the issue of the peoples brain. Hieron. ad Ruff. Origen is supposed to have brought him first into the Church: but among those many sincere worshippers of divine grace, this setter forth of new Daemons, found but little entertainment: it was looked upon, but like the stumpe of Da­gon, with his head and hands laid down before the Arke of God: without whose helpe he could neither know, nor doe, that which is good in any kinde: still accounted, but truncus ficulnus, inu­tile lignum: a fig-tree logge, an unprofitable piece of wood; incerti patres scamnum facerentne? the Fathers of the succeed­ing ages, had much debate, to what use they should put it: and though some exalted it, a degree or two, above its merits, yet the most concluded to keepe it a blocke still: untill at length, there arose a Pelagius: Dog­ma quod—pesti­fero vomuit co­luber sermone Britannus, Pro­sper. de ingrat. cap. 1. stout Champion, challenging on his behalfe, the whole Church of God, and like a Knight errant wandered from the West, to the East, to grapple with any, that should oppose his Idoll: who though he met with Adfuit exhor­tante Deo provi­sa per orbem, sanctorum pia cura patrum. 1 Pestem subeuntem prima recidit, fedes Roma Petri. 2 Non segnior inde, orientis rectorum cu [...]a emicuit: Synod. Palest. 3 Hieronimus libris valde excellentibus hostem dissecuit. 4 Atticus Constantinop. 5 Duae Synodi Affricanae Prosper [...] de ingrat. divers Adversaries, Concilium cui dux Aut elius ingenium (que) Augustinus erat. Quem Christi graua corn [...]uberi [...]re rigans, nostro lumen de­dit aevo: Prosp. ibid. one espe­cially, who in the behalfe of the grace of God, continually foyled him and cast him to the ground, and that in the judgement, [Page 124] Dixit Pelagius, quis est mihi Au­gustinus? univer­si acclamabant blasphemantem in episcopum, ex cujus ore, domi­nus universae Africae, unitatis indulserit felicitatem, non solum à conventu illo, sed ab omni ecclesia pellendum: Oros. Apologet. fol. 621. de Synod. Palest. prae omnibus studium gerite libros, S. August. quos ad Prosp. & Hilar. scripsit, memoratis fratribus legendos ingerere: &c Epist. Synod. Byzac. of all the lawfull iudges, assembled in Counsels, and [...]mo noverunt, non solum Romanam Affricanam (que) ecclesiam, sed per omnes mundi partes, universae promissionis filios, cum do­ctrina hujus viri sicut in tota fide, ita in gratiae confessione congruere: Prosp. ad Ruffin. Augustinum sanctae recordationis virum pro vita sua, & meritis, in nostra communione semper habuimus, nec un­quam hunc sinistrae suspitionis saltem rumor suspexit: Coelest. Epist. ad Gal. Episcop. These I have cited to shew what a heavie prejudice the Arminian cause lyes under, being professedly opposite to the doctrine of S. Austine, and they continually slighting of his authoritie. in the o­pinion of most of the Christian by standers: yet by his cunning insinuation, he planted such an opinion of his Idols deity and self-sufficiency, in the hearts of divers, that to this day it could never be rooted out.

Now after the decease of his Pelagian worshippers, some of the corrupter Schoolemen, seeing of him thus from his birth ex­posed without shelter to wind and weather, to all assaults out of meere charity, and self-love, built him a temple, and adorned it with naturall lights, merits, uncontrouled independent operati­ons, with many other gay attendances. But in the beginning of the Reformation, that fatall time for Idolatry and superstition, together with Abbies, and Monasteries, the zeal and learning of our forefathers, with the helpe of Gods word, demolished this temple, and brake this building down to the ground: in the rub­bish whereof, we well hoped the Idoll himselfe had been so deeply buried, as that his head should never more have been exalted, to the trouble of the Church of God: untill not long since, some curious wits, whose weake stomacks were clogged with Manna, and loathed the sincere milk of the Word, raking all dunghils for novelties, lighted unhappily upon this Idoll: and pre­sently, with no lesse joy then did the Mathematician at the disco­very of a new Geometricall proportion, exclaime we have found it, we have found it: and without more adoe, up they erected a shrine, and untill this day continue offering of praise and thanks for all the good they doe, to this worke of their own hands.

And that the Idol may be free from ruine, to which in him­selfe, they have found by experience that he is subject; they have matcht him to contingency, a new goddesse of their own creati­on. Who having proved, very fruitfull in monstrous births, upon [Page 125] their conjunctions; they nothing doubt, they shall ever want one to set on the throne, and make president of all humane actions: so that after he hath with various successe, at least twelve hundred yeeres, contended with the providence and grace of God: he, boasteth now, as if he had obtained a totall victory. But yet all his prevailing, is to be attributed to the diligence, and varnish of his new abetters, with (to our shame be it spoken) the negligence of his adversaries: in him, and his cause, there is no more reall worth then was, when by the ancient Fathers he was exploded, and cursed out of the Church: so that they, who can attaine through the many winding Labyrinths, of curious distinctions, to looke upon the thing it selfe, shall finde that they have beene, like Aegyptian Novices, brought through many stately Frontispieces and goodly Fabricks, with much shew of zeale and devotion, to the image of an ugly Ape.

Yet here observe, that we doe not absolutely oppose Free-will, as if it were nomen inane, a meer figment when there is no such thing in the world: but onely in that sense the Pelagians and Arminians doe assert it. About words we will not contend, we grant man in the substance of all his actions, as much power, libertie and freedome, as a meere created nature is capable of: We grant him to be free in his choyce, from all outward coacti­on, or inward naturall necessitie, to worke according to electi­on, and deliberation, spontaneously embracing what seemeth good unto him: Now call this power, Free-will, or what you please, so you make it not supreme, independent, and bound­lesse, we are not at all troubled. The imposition of names, de­pends upon the discretion of their inventers. Againe, even in spi­rituall things, we deny that our wils are at all debarred, or depri­ved of their proper libertie: but here we say indeed, that we are not properly free, untill the Sonne make us free: no great use of freedome, in that, wherein we can doe nothing at all: we doe not claime such a libertie, as should make us despise the grace of God, Homo non libertate grati­am, sed gratia libertatem, ass [...] ­quitur: Aug. whereby we may attaine true libertie indeed, which addeth to, but taketh nothing from our originall freedome. But of this, after I have shewed what an Idol the Arminians make of Free-will: onely take notice in the enterance, that we speake of it [Page 126] now, not as it was at first, by God created, but as it is now, by sinne corrupted: yet being considered in that estate al­so, they ascribe more unto it, then it was ever capable of: as it now standeth, according to my formerly proposed method, I shall shew, first, what-inbred native vertue they ascribe unto it, and with how absolute a dominion, and sovereignty, over all our actions, they endow it: secondly, what power they say it hath, in preparing us for the grace of God: thirdly, how effectually ope­rative it is, in receiving the said grace: and with how little helpe thereof, it accomplisheth the great worke of our conversion: all briefely with so many observations, as shall suffice to discover their proud errors in each particular.

Libertas Arbi­trii consistit in eo, quod homo, positis omnibus requisitis ad vo­lendum, indiffe­rens tamen, sit, ad volendum vel nolendum hoc vel illud: Armin. art. perpend. fol. 11. Herein, saith Arminius, consisteth the libertie of the will: that all things required to enable it, to will any thing, being accomplished, it still remaines indifferent to will, or not, and all of them at the Sy­node: Voluntatem comitatur pro­prietas quaedam inseperabilis quam libertatem vocamus: a qua voluntas dicitur, potentia quae po­sitis omnibus praerequisitis ad agendum neces­sariis, potest vel­le, & nolle aut velle & non vel­le: Remon. in. act. Synod. fol. 16. There is, say they, accompanying the will of man, an inse­parable propertie, which we call libertie, from whence, the will is termed a power: which, when all things prerequired as necessary to operation are fulfilled, may will any thing, or not will it: that is, our free-wils have such an absolute, and uncontrollable power, in the territory of all humane actions, that no influence of Gods providence, no certaintie of his decree, no unchangeablenesse of his purpose, can sway it at all in its free determinations: or have any power with his Highnesse, to cause him to will, or re­solve, on any such act as God by him intendeth to produce; take an instance, in the great worke of our conversion: Omnes irre­geniti habent Lib. Arbit. & potentiam Spiri­tui Sancto resi­stendi: gratiam Dei oblatam re­pudiandi, consi­lium Dei adver­sus se contem­nendi, Evange­lium gratiae re­pudiandi, ei qui cor pulsat non ap [...]riendo: Ar­min. artic. per­pend. All unrege­nerate men, saith Arminius, have by vertue of their free-will, a power, of resisting the holy Spirit, of reiecting the offered grace of God, of contemning the counsell of God, concerning themselves: of refusing the Gospel of grace, of not opening the heart, to him that knocketh: What a stout Idol is this, whom neither the holy Spi­rit, the grace, and counsell of God, the calling of the Gospel, the knocking at the doore of the heart, can move at all, or in the least measure, prevaile against him: Woe be unto us then▪ if when Gods cals us, our free-will be not in good temper, and well dis­posed to hearken unto him: for it seemes, there is no dealing with it, by any other waies, though powerfull and Almightie. [Page 127] For Positis omni­bus operationi­bus gratiae quibus Deus in conver­sione nostri uti possit, manet ta­men, conversio ita in nostra po­testate libera, ut possimus non converti: hoc est nosmet ipsos convertere vel non convertere: Cor. ad Bog. fol 263. grant (saith Corvinus) all the operations of grace, which God can use, in our conversion, yet conversion remaineth so, in our owne free power, that we can be not converted, that is, we can either turn or not turne our selves: where the Idol plainly challengeth the Lord to work his utmost; and tels him, that after he hath so done, he will doe what he please: his infallible prescience, his power­full predetermination, the morall efficacie of the Gospel, the in­fusion of grace, the effectuall operation of the holy Spirit; all are nothing: not at all availeable in helping or furthering, our inde­pendent wils in their proceedings: well then? in what estate, will you have the Idol placed? Non potest Deus Lib. Arbit. integrum serva­re, nisi tam pec­care hominem sineret quam be­ne agere: Cor­vin: ad Molin. cap. 6. In such a one, wherein he may be suffered to sin, or to do well at his pleasure, as the same Authour inti­mates: it seemes then as to sinne, so nothing is required, for him to be able to doe good, but Gods permission? No? For Semper Re­monstrantes sup­ponunt liberam obediendi poten­tiam, & non obe­diendi: ut qui obediens est id­circo obediens censeatur, quia cum possit non obedire. obedit tamen, & [...] con­tra: Rem. Apol. p 70. the Re­monstrants (as they speake of themselves) doe alwaies suppose a free power, of obeying, or not obeying, as well in those who doe obey, as in those who do not obey: that he that is obedient, may therefore be counted obedient, because he obeyeth, when he could, not obey; and so on the contrary: where, all the praise of our obedience, whereby we are made to differ from others, is ascribed to our selves alone, and that free power that is in us: now this they meane, not of a­ny one act of obedience, but of faith it selfe, and the whole con­summation thereof. Quod si quis dicat omnes in universum ho­mines, habere potentiam cre­dendi si velint, & salutem conse­quendi: & hanc potentiam esse naturae homi­num divinitus collatam, quo tuo argumento cum confutabis? Armin. Antip. fol. 272. For if a man should say, that every man in the world of beleeving if he will, and of attaining salvation, and that this power is, settled in his nature, What Argument have you to confute him, saith Arminius triumphantly to Perkins.

Where the sophisticall Innovator, as plainly confounds grace and nature, as ever did Pelagius: that then, which the Armi­nians claime here in behalfe of their free-will, is an absolute in­dependence on Gods providence, in doing any thing, and of his grace, in doing that which is good. A selfe-sufficiencie in all its operations, a plenarie indifferencie, of doing what we will, this, or that, as being neither determined to the one, nor inclined to the other, by any over-ruling influence from heaven: so, that the good acts of our wils, have no dependence on Gods providence, as they are acts, nor on his grace, as they are good: but in both re­gards, proceed from such a principle within us, as is no way mo­ved [Page 126] [...] [Page 127] [...] [Page 128] by any superiour Agents: Now the first of these, we deny unto our wils, because they are created, and the second, because they are corrupted: their creation hinders them from doing any thing of themselves, without the assistance of Gods providence, and their corruption, of doing any thing that is good without his grace: a selfe-sufficiencie for operation, without the effectuall motion of Almightie God, the first cause of all things, we can al­low neither to men, nor Angels, unlesse we intend, to make them Gods: and a power of doing good, equall unto that they have of doing evill, we must not grant to man by nature, unlesse we will deny the fall of Adam, and fancie our selves still in Pa­radice: but let us consider these things apart.

First, I shall not stand to decipher the nature of humane liber­tie, which perhaps would require a larger discourse, then my proposed Method will beare: it may suffice, that according to my former intimation, we grant as large a freedome and do­minion to our wils, over their owne acts, as a creature subject to the supreame rule of Gods providence, is capable of: en­dued we are, with such a libertie of will, as is free from all outward compulsion, and inward necessitie, having an ele­ctive facultie of applying it selfe, unto that which seemes good unto it: in which its free choice notwithstanding, it is subser­vient to the decree of God, as I shewed before, Chapter 4. Most free it is in all its acts, both in regard of the object it chooseth, and in regard of that vitall power, and facultie, whereby it worketh, infallibly complying with Gods providence, and working by vertue of the motion thereof: but surely to assert such a supreme independency, and every way unbounded indifferencie, as the Arminians claime, whereby all other things requisite being pre­supposed, it should remaine absolutely in our owne power, to will, or not to will, to doe any thing, or not to doe it, is plainly to deny that our wils are subject to the rule of the most High. It is granted, that in such a chymaericall fancied consideration of free-will, wherein it is looked upon as having no relation to any act of Gods, but onely its creation, abstracting from his de­cree, it may be said: to have such a libertie in regard of the object: but the truth is, this divided sense, is plaine nonsense, a meere [Page 129] fiction of such an estate, wherein it never was, nor ever can be, so long as men will confesse any Deitie but themselves, to whose determinations they must be subject: untill then more signifi­cant termes may be invented for this free power in our nature, which the Scripture never once vouchsafed to name, I shall be content to call it with Prosper, Lib. Arbit. est rei sibi placitae Spontaneus ap­petitus: Prosp. ad Collat. cap. 18. p. 379. a Spontaneous appetite of what seemeth good unto it; free from all compulsion, but subservient to the providence of God: and against its exaltation, to this height of independencie, I oppose.

First, every thing that is independent of any else in operation, is purely active, and so consequently a God: for nothing but a divine will can be a pure act, possessing such a libertie by vertue of its owne essence: every created will, must have a libertie by participation, which includeth such an imperfect potentiality, as cannot be brought into act, without some praemotion (as I may so say) of a Superiour Agent: neither doth this motion being extrinsecall, at all prejudice the true libertie of the will, which requireth indeed, that the internall principle of operation be active and free, but not, that, that principle be not moved to that operation, by an outward Superiour Agent: nothing in this sense, can have an independent principle of operation, which hath not an independent being: it is no more necessary, to the nature of a free cause, from whence a free action must proceed, that it be the first beginning of it; then it is necessarie to the nature of a cause, that it be the first cause.

Secondly, if the free acts of our wils are so subservient, to the providence of God, as that he useth them to what end he will, and by them effecteth many of his purposes, then they cannot of themselves, be so absolutely independent as to have in their owne power, every necessarie circumstance, and condition, that thoy may use, or not use at their pleasure: Now the former is proved, by all those reasons, and Texts of Scripture, I before produced, to shew that the providence of God overruleth the actions and determineth the wils of men, freely to doe, that which he hath appointed: and truely were it otherwise, Gods dominion over the most things that are in the world, were quite [Page 130] excluded, he had not power to determine, that any one thing, should ever come to passe, which hath any reference to the wils of men.

Thirdly, all the acts of the will, being positive entities, were it not previously moved, by God himselfe, in whom we live, move, and have our being, must needs have their essence and ex­istence, solely from the will it selfe: which is thereby made [...], a first and supreame cause, indued with an underived be­ing: and so much to that particular.

Let us now in the second place, looke upon the power of our free-will, in doing that which is morally good: where we shall finde not onely an essentiall imperfection, in as much as it is crea­ted, but also, a contracted defect, in as much as it is corrupted: the abilitie which the Arminians ascribe unto it, in this kinke, of doing that which is morally and spiritually good, is as large as themselves will confesse to be competent unto it, in the state of innocencie: even a power of beleeving, and a power of resisting the Gospel: of obeying, and not obeying: of turning, or of not being converted.

The Scripture, as I observed before, hath no such terme at all, nor nothing equivalent unto it: but the expressions it useth, con­cerning our nature and all the faculties thereof, in this state of sinne and unregeneration, seeme to imply the quite contrary: as that we are in bondage: Heb. 2. 15. dead in sinne: Ephes. 2. 3. and so free from righteousnesse, Rom. 6. servants of sinne: ver. 16. under the reigne and dominion thereof: vers. 12. all our members being instruments of unrighteousnesse: vers. 13. Not free indeed, untill the Sonne make us free, so that this Idol of free-will, in respect of spirituall things, is not one whit better, then the other Idols of the heathen: Though it looke like silver and gold, it is the worke of mens hands, it hath a mouth, but it speakes not, it hath eyes but it sees not, it hath eares but it heares not, a nose but it smels not, it hath hands, but it handleth not, feet but it walkes not, nei­ther speaketh it through the throat, all they that made it, are like unto it, and so is every one, that trusteth in it: O Israel trust thou [Page 131] in the Lord, &c. That it is the worke of mens hands, or a humane invention, I shewed before: for the rest: it hath a mouth, unac­quainted with the mysteries of godlinesse, full onely of cursing and bitternesse: Rom. 3. 14. speaking great swelling words: Iude vers. 16. great things and blasphemies: Revel. 13. 5. a mouth causing the flesh to sinne: Eccles. 6. 5. his eyes are blinde, not able to perceive those things that are of God, nor to know those things that are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14. eyes before which there is no feare of God: Rom. 3. 18. his understanding is darkened, be­cause of the blindnesse of his heart, Ephes. 4. 18. wise to doe evill, but to doe good, he hath no knowledge, Ierem. 4. 22. So that without farther light, all the world, is but a meere darkenesse: Iohn 1. 5. he hath eares, but they are like the eares of the deafe Adder, to the word of God, refusing to heare the voyce of the Charmer, charme he never so wisely, Psal. 54. 8. beeing dead, when this voyce first cals it: Iohn 5. 25. eares stopped, that they should not heare, Zach. 8. 11. heavie eares, that cannot heare, Isa. 6. 10. a nose, to which the Gospel is the savour of death, unto death: 2 Cor. 2. 16. hands full of blood, Isa. 1. 15. and fingers defiled with iniquitie, Chap. 59. 3. feet indeed, but like Mephibosheth, lame in both by a fall, so that he cannot at all walke in the path of good­nesse: but swift to shed blood, destruction and miserie are in their waies, and the way of peace they have not knowne, Rom. 3. 15, 16, 17. These and divers other such endowments, and excellent qualifications, doth the Scripture attribute to this Idol, which it cals the old man, as I shall more fully discover in the next Chap­ter: and is not this a goodly Reed whereon to rely, in the paths of godlinesse? a powerfull Deitie, whereunto we may repaire, for a power to become the sonnes of God? and attaining eter­nall happinesse? the abilities of Free-will in particular, I shall consider hereafter, now onely, I will by one or two reasons shew, that it cannot be the sole and proper cause, of any truely good, and spirituall act well pleasing unto God.

First, all spirituall acts well pleasing unto God, as faith, repen­tance, obedience, are supernaturall: flesh and blood revealeth not these things: not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man: but of the will of God: Iohn 1. 13. That which is borne [Page 132] of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is borne of the spirit, is spirit: Iohn 3. 6. Now to the performance of any supernaturall act, it is required, that the productive power thereof be also supernatu­rall, for nothing hath an activitie in causing above its own sphere, nec imbelles generant feroces aquilas columbae: but our free-will is a meerly naturall faculty, betwixt which, and those spirituall super­naturall acts, there is no proportion, unlesse it be advanced above its owne or be by inherent habituall grace. Divine Theologicall vertues, differing even in the substance of the act from those morall performances about the same things, to which the strength of nature may reach, (for the difference of acts, ariseth from their formall objects, which to both these are divers) must have another principle and cause, above all the power of nature: in civill things, and actions morally good, in as much as they are subject to a naturall perception, and doe not exceed the strength of our owne wils, this facultie of Free-will may take place, but yet, not without these following limitations. First, that it alwaies requireth the generall concurse of God, whereby the whole suppositum in which Free-will hath its subsistence, may be sustai­ned: Matth. 10. 29. 30. Secondly, that we doe all these things imperfectly and with much infirmitie, every degree also of excellency, in these things must be counted a speciall gift of God: Isa. 26. 12. Thirdly, that our wils are determined by the will of God, to all their acts and motions in particular: but to doe that which is spiritually good, we have no knowledge, no power.

Secondly, that concerning which, I gave one speciall instance, in whose production the Arminians attribute much to Free-will, An ulla actio S. S. immediata in mentem aut voluntatem, ne­cessaria sit, aut in Scriptura pro­mittatur ad hoc, ut quis credere possit verbo ex­trinsecus propo­sito, negativam tuebimur: Epis­cop. disput. pri­vat. is Faith; this they affirme (as I shewed before) to be in-bred in nature, every one having in him from his birth, a naturall power to beleeve in Christ and his Gospel: for Episcopius denies, that any action of the holy Spirit, upon the understanding, or will, is ne­cessarie, or promised in the Scripture, to make a man able to beleeve the word preached unto him: So that it seemes, every man hath at all times, a power to beleeve, to produce the act of faith, up­on the revelation of its object, which grosse Pelagianisme is contrary.

[Page 133] First, to the doctrine of the Church of England, affirming that a man cannot so much as prepare himselfe, by his owne strength to faith and calling upon God, untill the grace of God by Christ, prevent him that he may have a good will: Artic.

Secondly, to the Scripture teaching that it is the worke of God that we do beleeve: Ioh. 6. 29. It is not of our selves, it is the gift of God: Ephes. 2. 8. To some it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven: Matth, 13. 11. And what is peculiarly given to some, cannot be in the power of every one: To you it is given on the behalfe of Christ to beleeve on him, Phil. 1. 29. Faith is our accesse or coming unto Christ, which none can do, unlesse the Fa­ther draw him, Ioh. 6. 44. and he so draweth, or hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy, Rom. 9. 19. and although Episcopius re­jects any immediate action of the holy Spirit, for the ingenera­ting of faith, yet Saint Paul affirmeth, that there is no lesse effe­ctuall power required to it: then that which raised Christ from the dead, which sure was an action of the Almightie Godhead. That we may know, saith he, what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to usward, who beleeve according to the working of his mightie power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, Ephes. 1. 19, 20. So that let the Arminians say what they please, recalling that I write to Christians, I will spare my labour of further proving, that faith is the free gift of God: and their opposition to the truth of the Scripture in this particular, is so evident to the meanest capacitie, that there needs no recapi­tulation, to present the summe of it to their understandings.

CHAP. XIII.
Of the power of Free-will, in preparing us for our conversion unto God.

THE judgement of the Arminians, concerning the power of Free-will about spirituall things, in a man unregenerate, meerely in the state of corrupted na­ture, before and without the helpe of grace, may be laid open by these following positions.

[Page 134] First, That every man in the world, reprobates and others, have in themselves power and abilitie of beleeving in Christ, of repenting, and yeelding, due obedience to the new covenant, and that because they lost not this power by the fall of Adam: Adamus post lapsum potenti­am credendi [...] re­tinuit, & reliqui repro [...]i etiam in illo: G [...]evincho. ad Ames fol. 183 Adam after his fall, saith Grevinchovius, retained a power of be­leeving, and so did all reprobates in him: Adamus non amisit vires eam obedientiam praestandi, quae in novo faedere exi­gitur, prout puta ea consideratur formaliter, hoc est, prout novo foedere exacta est, nec potentiam credendi amisit, nec amisit poten­tiā, per resipiscē ­tiam, ex peccato resurgendi. Rem. Declarat. sent. in Syn. p. 107. he did not loose (as they speake at the Synod) the power of performing that obedience, which is required in the new covenant considered formally, as it is required by the new covenant, he lost not a power of beleeving, nor a power of forsaking sin by repentance: and those graces that he lost not are still in our power, whence they affirme, that Fides vocatur opus Dei, quia Deus ipse id à nobis fieri postu­lat, Rem. Apol. cap. 10. pag. 112. faith is called the worke of God, only because he requireth us to do it: now having appropriated this power unto themselves, to be sure that the grace of God be quite excluded, which before they had made needlesse, they teach

Secondly, That for the reducing of this power into act, that men may become actuall beleevers, there is no infused habit of grace, no spirituall vitall principle necessary for them, or bestow­ed upon them, but every one by the use of his native endow­ments, doe make themselves differ from others: Ea quae de ha­bituum infusione dicuntur ante omnem fidei ac­tum, rejiciuntur à nobis, Epist. ad Wal. fol. 67. Those things which are spoken concerning the infusion of habits, before we can ex­ercise the act of faith, we reiect, saith the Epistle to the Walachri­ans: Principium in­ternum fidei à nobis in Evange­lio requisitū, esse habitum quendā divinitus infu­sum cujus vi ac efficacitate vo­luntas determi­netur; hoc nega­vin, Grevinchov. ad Ames. pag. 324. That the internall principle of faith required in the Gospel, is a habite divinely infused by the strength and efficacy whereof, the will should be determined, I deny, saith another of them. Well then? if we must grant, that the internall vitall principle, of a superna­tural spirituall grace, is a meere natural faculty not elevated by any divine habit? if it be not God that begins the good work in us, but our own free-wils, let us see what more goodly stuffe wil follow: one man by his own meere indeavours, without the aid of any re­ceived gift, makes himself differ from another: Quid in eo positum est, quod homo discriminare seipsum dicitur? nihil ve­rius, qui fidem Deo praecipient [...] habet, is discriminat se ab eo, qui Deo praecipienti fidem habere non vult, Rem. Apol. cap. 14. pag. 144. What matter is it in that, that a man should make himselfe differ from others? there is nothing truer; he who yeeldeth faith, to God cōmanding him maketh himself differ from him, who will not have faith when he cōmandeth, [Page 135] they are the words of their Apologie: which without question, is an irrefragable truth, if faith be not a gift received from above: for on that ground only the Apostle proposeth these questions, who made thee differ from another? or what hast thou that thou hast not received? and if thou hast received, why boasteth thou as if thou hast not received? the sole cause why he denies any one by his own power to make himself differ from another, is, because that wherein the difference consisteth, is, received, being freely bestowed upon him: deny this, and I confesse the other will fall of it selfe. But untill their authoritie, be equall with the Apostles, they would do well to forbeare the naked obtrusions of assertions so contradictory to theirs; and so they would not trouble the Church, let them take all the glory unto themselves, as doth Ego meipsum discerno, cum e­nim Deo ac di­vinae praedeter­minationi resi­stere possem, non restiti tamen, at­qui in eo quid ni liceat mihi tan­quam de meo gloriari? quod enim potui Dei miserentis est, quod autem vo­lui cum possem nolle, id meae po­testatis est, Grev. ad Ames. p. 253. Grevinchovius: I make my selfe (saith he) differ from another, when I doe not resist God and his divine predetermination, which I could have resisted, & why may I not boast of this as of mine own, that I could, is of Gods mercy, (endowing his nature with such an a­bilitie, as you heard before) but that I would, when I might have done otherwise, is of mine power. Now when after all this, they are forced to confesse some Evangelicall grace, though con­sisting only in a morall perswasion, by the outward preaching of the word, they teach,

Thirdly, That God sendeth the Gospel, and revealeth Christ Iesus unto men, according as they well dispose themselves for such a blessing: Interdum Deus hanc vel illam gentem civitatē personam ad E­vangelicae gratiae communionem vocat, quam ipse dignam pronun­tiat comparative, &c. Rem. Decla­rat sent. Synod. Sometimes (say they in their Synodicall wri­tings) God calleth this or that nation, people, citie, or person, to the communion of Evangelicall grace, whom he himselfe pronounceth worthy of it, in comparison of others: So that whereas Acts 18. 10. God encourageth Paul to preach at Corinth by affirming that he had much people in that citie (which doubtlesse were his peo­ple then, only by vertue of their election) in these mens judge­ments? Illi, in quorum gratiam, domi­nus Paulum in Corinthum misit, dicuntur Dei po­pulus, quia De­um tum timebant eique, secundum cognitionem quam de eo habe­bant, serviebant ex animo, et sic ad praedicatio­nem Pauli &c. Corv. 3. sect. 27. they were called so, because that even then they feared God, and served him with all their hearts, according to that knowledge they had of him, and so were ready to obey the preaching of Saint Paul: strange doctrine? that men should feare God, know him, serve him in sinceritie, before they ever heard of the Gospel, and by those means deserve that it should be preached unto them? [Page 136] this is, that pleasing of God before faith that they plead for; Act. Synod. fol. 60. That Per legem vel per piam educa­tionem vel per institutionem—per haec enim hominem praeparati, & dis­poni ad creden­dum, planissimum est, Rem. act. Synod. preparation and disposition to beleeve, which men attaine by the Law, and vertuous education: that Praecedit ali­quid in peccato­ribus, quo quam­vis nondum ju­stificati sunt, dig­ni efficiantur ju­stificatione: Gre­vin. ad Am. pag. 434. something which is in sinners, whereby though they are not iustified, yet they are made worthy of iustification: for Tenendum est, veram conver­sionem praestati­onem (que) bonorum operum esse con­ditionem praere­quisitam ante justificationem, Filii. Arm. praef. ad cap. 7. ad Rem. conversion and the perfor­mance of good works, is in their apprehension a condition prerequired to iustification, for so speake the children of Arminius: which w ^ch if it be not an expression, not to be paralelled in the writings of any Christian, I am something mistaken: the summe of their doctrine then in this particular concerning the power of Free-will, in the state of sin, and unregeneration, is, That every man having a native inbred power, of beleeving in Christ, upon the re­velation of the Gospel, hath also an abilitie of doing so much good, as shall procure of God, that the Gospel be preached unto him, to which, without any internall assistance of grace, he can give assent and yeeld obedience: the preparatory acts of his own will, alwayes proceeding so farre, as to make him excell others, who do not performe them, and are therefore excluded from further grace. Which is more grosse Pelagianisme then Pelagius himselfe would ever justifie: where­fore, we reject all the former positions, as so many monsters in Christian Religion, in whose roome we assert these that follow.

First, That we being by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes, have no power to prepare our selves, for the receiving of Gods grace: nor in the least measure to beleeve, and turne our selves unto him. Not that we deny, that there are any conditions, pre­required in us for our conversion, dispositions preparing us in some measure for our new birth or regeneration, but we affirme that all these also, are the effects of the grace of God, relating to that alone as their proper cause, for of our selves, Without him we can do nothing, Ioh. 15. 15. We are not able of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves, 2 Cor. 3. 5. much lesse doe that which is good, in respect of that, every one of our mouthes must be stopped, for we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, Rom. 5. 19. 23. We are by nature the children of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2. 1. Rom. 8. 9. our new birth is a re­surrection from death, wrought by the greatnesse of Gods power: and what abilitie I pray hath a dead man, to prepare himselfe for [Page 137] for his resurrection? can he collect his scattered dust, or renew his perished senses? If the Leopard can change his spots, and the Aethiopian his skin, then can we doe good who (by nature) are taught to doe evill, Ierem. 13. 23. we are all ungodly, and without strength considered when Christ died for us, Rom. 5. 6. wise to do evill, but to doe good, we have no strength, no knowledge. Yea, all the faculties of our soules, by reason of that spirituall death under which we are detained by the corruption of nature, are al­together uselesse in respect of any power, for the doing of that which is truly good; our understandings are blind or darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, because of the blindnesse of our hearts, Ephes. 4. 18. whereby we become even darknesse it selfe, Chap. 5. 8. so voide is the un­derstanding of true knowledge, that the naturall man receiveth not the things that are of God, they are foolishnesse unto him, 1 Cor. 2. 14. nothing but confounded and amazed at spirituall things, and if he doth not mocke, can doe nothing but wonder, and say, what meaneth this, Act. 2. 12, 13. Secondly, we are not only blind in our understandings, but captives also to sinne in our wils, Luk. 4. 18. Whereby we are servants to sinne, Iohn 8. 34. Free onely in our obedience to that Tyran, Rom. 6. Yea, thirdly, all our affections are wholly corrupted, for every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is evill continually, Genes. 6. 5. While we are in the flesh, the motions of sinne doe worke in our mem­bers, to bring forth fruit unto death: Rom. 7. 5.

These are the endowments of our nature, these are the pre­parations of our hearts for the grace of God, which we have within our selves. Nay,

Secondly, there is not onely an impotencie, but an enmitie in corrupted nature, to any thing spiritually good. The things that are of God, are foolishnesse unto a naturall man: 1 Cor. 2. 14. And there is nothing that men doe more hate, and contemne, then that which they account as folly. They mock at it, as a ridicu­lous drunkennesse, Act. 2. 13. And would to God our dayes, yeelded us not too evident proofes, of that universall opposition, [Page 138] that is betweene light and darkenesse, Christ and Beliall, Nature and Grace, that we could not see every day the prodigious issues of this in-bred corruption, swelling over all bounds, and break­ing forth into a contempt of the Gospel, and all wayes of godli­nesse. So true it is, that the carnall minde is enmitie against God, it is not subiect unto his law, neither indeed can it be: Rom. 8. 7. So that,

Thirdly, as a naturall man by the strength of his owne free­will, neither knoweth, nor willeth, so it is utterly impossible he should doe any thing pleasing unto God. Can the Aethio­pian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots, then can he doe good: Ieremy 13. An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit, without faith it is impossible to please God: Heb. 11. 6. And that is not of our selves, it is the gift of God, Ephes. 2. So that though Almigh­tie God, according to the unsearchablenesse of his wisedome, worketh divers waies, and in sundry manners, for the transla­ting of his chosen ones, from the power of darkenesse to his marvellous light, calling some powerfully in the middest of their march in the wayes of ungodlinesse, as he did Paul, preparing others, by outward meanes, and helpes of common restraining grace, moralizing nature before it bee gotten anew by the immortall seed of the Word, yet this is certaine, that all good in this kinde, is from his free grace, there is nothing in our selves, as of our selves, but sinne: yea, and all those previous dispositi­ons, wherewith our hearts are prepared by vertue of common grace, doe not at all enable us to concurre by any vitall operation, with that powerfull blessed renewing grace of regeneration, whereby we become the sonnes of God. Neither is there any disposition unto grace so remote, as that possibly it can proceed from a meere facultie of nature, for every such disposition, must be of the same order with the forme that is to be introduced, but Nature in respect of Grace, is a thing of an inferiour allay, be­tweene which there is no proportion: a good use of gifts, may have a promise of an addition of more, provided it be in the same kinde. There is no rule, law, or promise, that should make grace due, upon the good use of naturall endowments. But you will [Page 139] say, here I quite overthrow Free-will, which before I seemed to grant; to which I answer: That in regard of that object, con­cerning which now we treat, a naturall man hath no such thing as Free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well pleasing unto God in things spirituall, for an abilitie, of preparing our hearts unto faith and calling upon God, as our Church Article speakes, a home-bred selfe-sufficiencie, pre­ceding the change of our wils by the Almightie grace of God, whereby any good should be said to dwell in us, and we utterly deny that there is any such thing in the world. The will, though in it selfe radically free, yet in respect of the terme or object, to which in this regard it should tend, is corrupted, enthralled, and under a miserable bondage, tied to such a necessitie of sinning in generall, that though unregenerate men are not restrained to this, or that sinne in particular, yet for the maine, they can doe nothing but sinne. All their actions wherein there is any mora­litie, are attended with iniquitie, an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit, even the sacrifice of the wicked, is an abomination to the Lord. These things being thus cleered from the Scripture, the former Arminian positions will of themselves fall to the ground, having no foundation but their owne authoritie, for any pretence of proofe they make none from the word of God. The first two I considered in the last Chapter, and now adde onely concerning the third, That the sole cause why the Gospel is sent unto some, and not unto others, is not any dignitie, worth, or desert of it in them to whom it is sent, more then in the rest, that are suffered to re­maine in the shadow of death, but onely the sole good pleasure of God, that it may be a subservient meanes for the execution of his Decree of Election. I have much people in this citie: Acts 20. I thanke thee Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight: Mat. 11. 25, 26. So that the Arminian opposition to the truth of the Gospel in this particular, is cleerely manifest.

[Page 140]

CHAP. XIIII.
Of our conversion to God.

HOw little or nothing at all it is that the Arminians assigne to the grace of God, in performing the great worke of our Conversion, may plainly ap­peare from what I have shewed already, that they ascribe to our owne free-will: So that I shall briefly passe that over, which otherwise is so copiously delivered in holy Scripture, that it would require a farre larger discussion. A prolixe confirmation of the truth we professe, will not suit so well with my intention, which is meerly to make a discovery of their errors, by not knowing the depths whereof, so many are deceived and inveigled.

Two things in this great conjunction of grace and nature, the Arminians ascribe unto Free-will: First, a power of co-operation and working with grace, to make it at all effectuall. Secondly, a power of resisting its operation, and making it altogether in ef­fectuall: God in the meane time bestowing no grace, but what awaits an act issuing from one of these two abilities, and hath its effect accordingly. If a man will co-operate, then grace attaines its end; if he will resist, it returnes emptie. To this end they feigne all the grace of God bestowed upon us, for our conver­sion, to be but a morall perswasion by his word, not an infusion of a new vitall principle by the powerfull working of the holy Spi­rit. And indeed granting this, I shall most willingly comply with them, in assigning to Free-will one of the endowments before recited, a power of resisting the operation of grace: but instead of the other, must needs ascribe to our whole corrupted nature, and every one that is partaker of it, an universall disabilitie of obeying it, or coupling in that worke which God by his grace doth in­tend. [Page 142] If the grace of our conversion be nothing but a morall per­swasion, we have no more power of obeying it, in that estate wherein we are dead in sinne, then a man in his grave hath in himselfe to live a new, and come out at the next call. Gods pro­mises, and the Saints prayers in the holy Scripture, seeme to de­signe such a kinde of grace, as should give us a reall internall abi­litie of doing that which is spiritually good? but it seemes there is no such matter: for if a man should perswade me to leape o­ver the Thames, or to flye in the Ayre, be he never so eloquent, his sole perswasion makes me no more able to doe it, then I was before ever I saw him. If Gods grace be nothing but a sweet per­swasion (though never so powerfull) it is a thing extrinsecall, consisting in the proposall of a desired object, but gives us no new strength at all, to doe any thing we had not before a power to doe. But let us heare them pleading themselves to each of these particulars concerning Grace and Nature; and first for the na­ture of Grace.

God hath appointed to save beleevers by grace, that is a soft and sweet perswasion, convenient and agreeing to their free-will, and not by any Almighty action, saith Deus statuit salvare credētes per gratiā, id est Ienem ac suavem liberoque ipso­rum arbit [...]io convenientem seu congruam suasionem, non per omnipoten­tem actionem seu motionem: Armin. Antip. fol. 211. Arminius. It seemes something strange, that the carnall minde being enmitie against God, and the will inthralled to sinne, and full of wretched opposition to all his wayes, yet God should have no other meanes to worke them over unto him, but some perswasion that is sweet, agreeable and congruous unto them, in that estate wherein they are: and a small exaltation it is of the dignitie and power of grace, when the chiefe reason why it is effectuall, as Alvarez observes, may be reduced to a well digested supper, or an indisturbed sleepe, whereby some men may be brought into better temper then or­dinarie, to comply with this congruous grace. But let us for the present accept of this, and grant that God doth call some by such a congruous perswasion, at such a time, and place, as he knows they will assent unto it. I aske whether God thus calleth all men, or onely some? if all, why are not all converted? for the very granting of it to be congruous, makes it effectuall. If onely some, then why they and not others? Is it out of a speciall intention to [Page 143] have them obedient? but let them take heed, for this will goe neere to establish the decree of election: and out of what other intention it should be, Corvin. ad Molin. they shall never be able to determine Wherefore Corvinus denies that any such congruitie is required to the grace whereby we are converted, His ita exposi­tis ex mente Augustini, &c. Armin. Antip. de elec. but onely that it be a morall perswasion which we may obey if we will, and so make it effectuall. Yea and Arminius himselfe after he had defended it as farre as he was able, puts it off from himselfe, and falsly fa­thers it upon Saint Austine. So that as they joyntly affirme, Fatemur, all­am nobis ad actum fidei eli­ciendum necessa­riam gratiam non agnosci quam moralem [...] Rem act. Synod. ad art. 4. they confesse no grace for the begetting of faith to be necessary, but onely that which is morall: which Annuntiatio doctrinae Evan­gelicae, Popp. August. port. fol. 110. one of them interpreteth, to be a declaration of the Gospel unto us. Right like their old Master Operatur in nobis velle quod bonum est, velle quod sanctum est, dum nos terrenis cupidi­tatibus deditos mutorum more animalium, tan­tummodo prae­sentia diligentes, futurae gloriae magnitudine & praemiorum pol­licitatione suc­cendit: dum re­velatione sapi­entiae in deside­riū Dei stupentē suscitat volunta­tem, dum nobis suadet omne quod bonum est. Pelag: ap: Aug. de grat. Ch. cap. 10. Pelagius, God, saith he, worketh in us to will that which is good, and to will that which is holy whilest he stirs us up, with promise of rewards, and the greatnesse of the future glory, who before were gi­ven over to earthly desires, like bruit beasts loving nothing but things present, stirring up our stupid wils to a desire of God, by a revelation of wisedome, and perswading us to all that is good. Both of them affirme the grace of God, to be nothing but a morall per­swasion working by the way of powerfull, convincing arguments, but yet herein Pelagius seemes to ascribe a greater efficacie to it, then the Arminians, granting that it workes upon us, when af­ter the manner of bruit beasts, we are set meerely on earthly things: but these, as they confesse, that Vt autem assensus hic eliciatur in nobis, duo in primis necessaria sunt. 1. Argumenta talia ex parte: Dei, quibus nihil veri similiter opponi potest cur credibilia non sint. 2. Pia dociti [...]as animique probi­tas: Rem decla. cap. 17. sect. 1. for the production of faith, it is necessarie that such arguments be proposed on the part of God, to which nothing can probably be opposed, why they should not seeme credible: so there is (say they) required on our part, a pious docilitie and probitie of minde. So that all the grace of God bestow­ed on us, consisteth in perswasive arguments out of the word, which if they meet with teachable mindes, may worke their conversion.

Secondly, having thus extenuated the grace of God, they af­firme, Vt gratia sit efficax in actu secundo pandet à libera voluntate: Rem. Apol. fol. 164. That in operation the efficacie thereof dependeth on Free­will, [Page 144] so the Remonstrants in their Apologie. And Imo ut confi­dentius agam, di­co effectum gra­tiae, ordinaria lege, pendere ab actu aliquo ar­bitrii: Grevin. a Ames. p. 198. to speake confidently, saith Grevinchovius, I say, that the effect of grace, in an ordinary course dependeth on some act of our free-will. Suppose then that of two men made partakers of the same grace, that is, have the Gospel preached unto them by the same meanes, one is converted, and the other is not; What may be the cause of this so great a difference? Was there any intention or purpose in God, that one should be changed rather then the other? No: He equally desireth and intendeth the conversion of all and every one. Did then God worke more powerfully in the heart of the one, by his holy Spirit then of the other? No: The same operation of the spirit alwayes accompanieth the same preaching of the word. But was not one by some Almightie action, made partaker of reall infused grace, which the other attained not unto? No: for that would destroy the liberty of his will, and deprive him of all the praise of beleeving. How then came this extreme difference of effects? Who made the one differ from the other, or what hath he, that he did not receive? Why all this procedeth meerly from the strength of his owne free-will, yeelding obedience to Gods gracious invitati­on, which like the other he might have reiected. This is the imme­diate cause of his conversion, to which all the praise thereof is due. And here the old Idol may glory to all the world, that if he can but get his worshippers to prevaile in this, he hath quite exclu­ded the grace of Christ, and made it nomen inane, a meere title, whereas there is no such thing in the world.

Thirdly, they teach, That notwithstanding any purpose and in­tention of God to convert, and so to save a sinner, notwithstanding the most powerfull and effectuall operation of the blessed spirit, with the most winning perswasive preaching of the word, yet it is in the power of a man, to frustrate that purpose, resist that operation, and reiect that preaching of the Gospell. I shall not need to prove this, for it is that, which in direct tearmes they plead for: which also they must doe, if they will comply with their former principles. For granting all these to have no influence upon any man, but by the way of morall perswasion, we must not onely, grant that it may be resisted, but also utterly deny, that it can be obeyed. We [Page 145] may resist it I say, as having both a disability to good, and re­pugnancie against it: but for obeying it, unlesse we will deny all inherent corruption and depravation of nature, we cannot attribute any such sufficiency unto our selves.

Now concerning this weaknes of grace, that it is not able to overcome the opposing power of sinfull nature, one testimony of Arminius shall suffice, Manet semper in potestate Lib. Arbit. gratiam datam rejicere & subsequentem repudiare, quae gratia non est omnipotens Dei, action cui resisti à libero hominis arbitrio non possit. Armin. Antip: fol. 243: It alwaies remaineth in the power of Free-will, to reiect grace that is given, and to refuse that which followeth, for grace is no Almightie action of God to which Free-will cannot resist. Not that I would assert in opposition to this, such an operation of grace, as should as it were, violently overcome the will of man, and force him to obedience, which must needs bee prejudicial unto our libertie: but onely con­sisting in such a sweet effectuall working, as doth infallibly pro­mote our conversion, make us willing, who before were un­willing: and obedient, who were not obedient, that createth cleane hearts, and reneweth right spirits within us.

That then which we assert in opposition to these Armi­nian Heterodoxies is, that the effectuall grace which God useth in the great worke of our conversion, by reason of its owne na­ture, being also the instrument of, and Gods intention for that purpose, doth surely produce the effect intended; without suc­cessefull resistance, and solely, without any considerable co-ope­ration of our owne wils, untill they are prepared and changed by that very grace. The infallibilitie of its effect depends chiefe­ly on the purpose of God, when by any meanes he intends a mans conversion, those meanes must have such an efficacie ad­ded unto them, as may make them fit instruments for the ac­complishment of that intention: that the counsell of the Lord may prosper, and his word not returne empty. But the man­ner of its operation, that it requires no humane assistance, and is able to overcome all repugnance, is proper to the being of such an act, as wherein it doth consist. Which nature and effi­cacie of grace, in opposition to an indifferent influence of the holy Spirit, a metaphoricall motion, a working by the way of [Page 146] morall perswasion, onely proposing a desireable object, easie to be resisted, and not effectuall unlesse it be helped by an in­bred abilitie of our owne, which is the Arminian grace, I will briefly confirme, having promised these few things.

First, although God doth not use the wills of men in their conversion, as maligne Spirits use the members of men in en­thusiasmes, by a violently wrested motion, but sweetly and agreeably to their owne free nature; yet in the first act of our conversion, the will is meerely passive, as a capable subject of such a worke, not at all concurring co-operatively to our turn­ing. It is not, I say, the cause of the worke, but the subject wherein it is wrought, having only a passive capabilitie for the receiving of that supernaturall being which is introduced by grace. The beginning of this good worke is meerely from God, Phil. 1. 6. Yea faith is ascribed unto grace, not by the way of conjunction with, but of opposition unto our wils: not of our selves, it is the gift of God: Ephes. 2. 8. Not that we are sufficient of our selves, our sufficiency is of God: 2 Cor. 3. 5. Turne thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned.

Secondly, though the will of man conferreth nothing to the infusion of the first grace, but a subjective receiving of it, yet in the very first act, that is wrought in and by the will, it most freely co-operateth (by the way of subordination) with the grace of God: and the more effectually it is moved by grace, the more freely it worketh with it. Man being converted, con­verteth himselfe.

Thirdly, we doe not affirme grace to be irresistible, as though it came upon the will, with such an over-flowing violence, as to beat it downe before it, and subdue it by compulsion to what it is no way inclinable; but if that terme must be used, it deno­teth in our sense, onely such an unconquerable efficacie of grace, as alwaies and infallibly produceth its effect. For, Who is it that can withstand God? Acts 11. 17. As also it may be used on the part of the will it selfe, which will not resist it: all that the [Page 147] Father gives unto Christ will come unto him: Ioh. 6. 37. The ope­ration of grace is resisted by no hard heart, because it mollifies the heart it selfe. It doth not so much take away a power of re­sisting, as give a will of obeying, whereby the powerfull impo­tencie of resistance, is removed.

Fourthly, Concerning grace it selfe, it is either common, or speciall: common or generall grace, consisteth in the exter­nall revelation of the will of God by his word, with some illu­mination of the mind to perceive it, and correction of the af­fections, not to much to contemne it: and this in some degree or other, to some more to some lesse, is common to all that are called: speciall grace, is the grace of regeneration compre­hending the former, adding more spirituall acts, but especially presupposing the purpose of God, on which its efficacy doth chiefly depend.

Fifthly, This saving grace, whereby the Lord converteth or regenerateth a sinner, translating him from death to life, is ei­ther externall or internall, externall consisteth in the preaching of the word, &c. whose operation is by the way of morall perswasion, when by it we beseech our hearers in Christs stead, that they would be reconciled unto God, 2 Corinth. 5. 20. and this in our conversion is the instrumentall organ thereof: and may be said to be a sufficient cause of our regeneration, in as much, as no other in the same kinde is necessary: it may also be resisted in sensa diviso, abstracting from that considerati­on, wherein it is looked on as the instrument of God for such an end.

Sixthly, internall grace, is by Divines distinguished into the first, or preventing grace, and the second following coopera­ting grace, the first is that spirituall, vitall principle that is in­fused into us by the holy Spirit, that new creation, and be­stowing of new strength, whereby we are made fit and able for the producing of spirituall acts to beleeve and yeeld Evan­gelicall obedience: For we are the workmanship of God created [Page 148] in Christ Iesus unto good workes, Ephes. 2. 10. By this God gives us a new heart, and a new spirit he puts within us, he ta­keth the stony hearts out of our flesh, and gives us a heart of flesh, he puts his spirit within us, to cause us to walke in his statues, Ezek. 36. 26, 27.

Now this first grace is not properly and formally a vitall act, but causaliter only, in being a principle moving to such vitall acts within us. It is, the habit of faith bestowed upon a man, that he may be able to elicate and performe the acts thereof; giving new light to the understanding, new inclina­tions to the will, and new affections unto the heart. For the in­fallible efficacie of which grace, it is that we plead against the Arminians, and amongst those innumerable places of holy Scripture confirming this truth, I shall make use only of a very few reduced to these three heads.

First, Our conversion is wrought by a divine Almighty acti­on, which the will of man will not, and therefore cannot resist: the impotency thereof, ought not to be opposed to this omni­potent grace, which will certainly effect the worke, for which it is ordained: being an action not inferiour to the greatnesse of his mightie power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, Ephes. 1. 19, 20. and shall not that power which could overcome hell, and loose the bonds of death, be effectuall for the raising of a sinner, from the death of sinne, when by Gods intention it is appointed unto that worke. He accomplisheth the worke of faith with power: 2 Thess. 1. 11. It is his divine power, that gives unto us all things that appertaine to life and godlinesse: 2 Pet. 1. 3. surely a morall resistible per­swasion, would not be thus often tearmed the power of God, which denoteth an actuall efficacie, to which no creature is able to resist.

Secondly, That which consisteth in a reall efficiency, and is not at all, but when and where it actually worketh, what it intend­eth, cannot without a contradiction be said to be so resisted that [Page 149] it should not worke, the whole nature thereof consisting in such a reall operation: Now that the very essence of divine grace consisteth in such a formall act, may be proved by all those places of Scripture, that affirme God by his grace, or the grace of God, actually to accomplish our conversion: as Deut. 30. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soule that thou mayest live. The circumcision of our hearts, that we may love the Lord with all our hearts, and with all our souls, is our conversion, which the Lord affirmeth here, that he him­selfe will doe: not only enable us to doe it, but he himselfe really and effectually will accomplish it: And againe, I will put my Law into them, and write it in their hearts, Ierem. 31. 33. I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me, Chap. 32. 39. he will not offer his feare unto them, but actu­ally put it into them, and most clearely, Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh: and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes. Are these expressions of a morall per­swasion only? doth God affirme here he will doe, what he in­tends only to perswade us to? and which we may refuse to do if we will? is it in the power of a stony heart to remove it self? what an active stone is this in mounting upwards? what doth it at all differ from that heart of flesh that God promiseth? shall a stony heart be said to have a power to change it selfe into such a heart of flesh as shall cause us to walke in Gods Statutes? Surely, unlesse men were wilfull blind, they must needs here perceive such an action of God denoted, as effectually, solely, and infallibly worketh our conversion, opening our hearts that we may attend unto the word, Acts 16. 14. Granting us on the behalfe of Christ to beleeve in him, Philip. 1. 29. Now these and the like places prove, both the nature of Gods grace to consist in a reall efficiency, and the operation thereof to be certainly effectuall.

Thirdly, our conversion is a new creation, a resurrection, a [Page 150] new birth. Now he that createth a man, doth not perswade him to create himselfe, neither can he if he should, nor hath he any power to resist him that will create him, that is, as we now take it, translate him from some thing that he is, to what he is not. What arguments doe you thinke were sufficient to per­swade a dead man to rise? or what great aid can he contribute to his own resurrection? neither doth a man beget himselfe, a new reall forme was never yet introduced into any matter by subtle arguments. These are the tearmes the Scripture is plea­sed to use concerning our conversion: If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. The new man after God is created in righteousnesse and holinesse, Ephes. 4. 24. it is our new birth, Except a man be borne againe, he cannot see the king­dome of God, Ioh. 3. 3. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, Iam. 1. 18. and so we become borne againe, Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 23. it is our vivification and resurrection, The sonne quickeneth whom he will, Ioh. 5. 21. even those dead who heare his voice and live, vers. 25. When we were dead in sins we are quickned together with Christ by grace, Ephes. 2. 5. For being buried with him by Baptisme, we are also risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, Coloss. 2. 12. and blessed, and holy is he that hath part in that first resurrecti­on, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall raigne with him a thou­sand yeers.

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