Discovery of Jacksons Vanity, Section 3 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Want of consideration, or ignorance of Gods unfained love to such as perish, a principall means or occasion why so many perish.
FRom Gods love to his Vineyard, you have proceeded to discourse of his infinite love towards them that perish; and because in the issue they are never the better for it: and Solomon saith, that open hatred is better Prov, 27. 5then secret love, which some understand of fruitlesse love: therefore to salve this inefficatious nature of Gods love as you shape it, (though yet you count it infinite and ardent, and excessively fervent) you here take upon you to discover unto us the reason why it proves so inefficacious, and that without prejudice to the love of God; and that is, you say, on mans part, to wit, Want of consideration, or ignorance of Gods unfained love towards them.
Yet wee doe not say, God is made any looser by the damnation of so many thousands, both men and Angels: for the glory of God is indifferently advanced, as well in the condemnation of them that perish, as in the salvation of his Elect. And the Apostle in this case professeth, saying, 2 Cor. 2. 15. Wee are unto God the sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish: But you proceede and tell vsus, That God hath from eternitie infallibly forecast the entire redemption of his infinite love, which unto us may seeme utterly cast away. And of men, if many die, the fault is their owne, or their instructers.
But by your leave, I see not how Gods infinite love (if there be any such towards them that perish as you plead there is) is redeemed from being utterly cast away; for surely, they that are thus cast away, are never a whit the better for it. God I confesse is never a whit the worse for their damnation: but if Gods love were such towards them that perish as to will their salvation, surely God is much the worse for that in two respects; First, because his omnipotency is hereby shaken, in as much as that is not brought to passe which he would, and ardently desired (as you speake) that it should come to passe. In which case it followeth, that God is not omnipotent; as Austine long agoe discoursed, and thereupon was driven to give such commodious interpretation of that place (whereupon you onelyonly insist in your owne sense, notwithstanding the analogie of Scripture phrase is as directly against that construction of the place, which you lay for a ground of your present discourse as for it) as might not enterfare upon Gods omnipotencie: for by experience wee finde, that whatsoever wee desire to bring to passe, wee alwaies doe bring to passe, if it lies in our power to bring it to passe: and if wee doe not effect it, it is a manifest signe that wee are not able to effect it. Secondly, God is the worse for it in another respect; for this love and will of God to them that perish, you make to cease, as soone as they have filled up the measure of their iniquity, how much more after the time of their damnation is come? And this is to make God mutable, and his will and love to bee of a changeable condition. But God is so perfect as to be without Iac. 1.all variablenesse or shadow-of change.
And by the way I observe, you are apt to discourse of Gods infinite love towards them that perish amongst men, but of any such love towards them that perish amongst Angells, nor a word: yet it is as evident, that if any perish amongst Angels, it is meerely their owne faults also: Nay, much more evident is this in the nation of Angells, then in the nation of men. For many thousand infants perish in originall sinne, for no personall originall fault of their owne, but for the transgression of Adam, and in that corruption which is naturally derived unto them from the loynes of Adam, after that by his actuall transgression hee fell into the state of that corruption, which since from him is become hereditarie unto us all. As for that miscarriage which makes all men obnoxious unto the wrath of God, and unto condemnation, wee hold it impossible to be prevented.
For originall sinne and Adams transgression is it, which you well know, cannot be prevented: OnelyOnly God may have mercy on whom hee will, even in despight of any actuall miscariage (which you doat upon as an only hinderer from grace) like as on the otherside he hardeneth whom hee will, in spite of all civill and morall good carriage found in the best of heathen men.
This I speake according to the doctrine of Saint Paul; I confesse, I speake it not according to the doctrine of Silius Italicus, nor according to the doctrine of Sozimus, as sound at heart for true heathenisme, as Silius was for his life. And that Sozimus amongst other reproaches he casts upon Christianity, this is one, that wee offer Gods free grace of pardoning all manner of sinnes, to all manner of men that believe in Christ Iesus. And to touch by the way, if it bee the fault, or may be the fault onelyonly of their instructors that many perish, then it is not their owne fault.
Yet certainly it is their owne fault that Angells perish: yet wee see not any paines you take to shew, How God hath infallibly forecast the intire redemption of his infinite love towards Angells that are cast away: belike he never entertained any love towards those Angells at all. But Silius Italicus himselfe, that knew this, and considered this, and preacheth it unto others, what did he fare the better for it, was hee saved by it thinke you?
Nay, how many thousands knew this amongst heathen men, as well as Silius, that Mite & cognitum est homini Deus, and that he delighted not in the sacrificing of the bloud of men, which yet were never a whit the nearer unto salvation for all this: Much lesse so neare as Abraham, even at that time when he travelled three dayes journey to the sacrificing of|his sonne Isaac. Yet we confesse, his love is unfainedly extended to all that call him Maker; for in that hee made them, and a world for them, and by giving raine and fruitfull seasons, doth fill their hearts with food and gladnesse, hee may Act. 14. 16bee said to love them, but herehence it followeth not, that hee loves them unto salvation.
And yet how many are so far from having their hearts filled with food and gladnesse, that sometimes they perish for want of bread? But in stead of arguing you turne to prophecying, and tell us, that Had the doctrines which those divine oracles (God is love and would have all men to be saved) naturally afford, beene for these forty yeares last past, as generally taught, and their right use continually prest with as great zeale and fervencie as the doctrine and uses of Gods absolute decree, for electing some, and reprobating most in that space have beene; the plentifull encrease of Gods glory and his peoples comfort throughout this land, might have wrought such astonishment to our adversaries, …as would have put their mutinous mouthes to silence.
I commend your wit in this; for I professe of all inartificiall arguments, I never heard any answerable unto this. Now if you had added an artificiall argument, unto this inartificiall which you might have had the hap to have read in Southwell, it had beene most compleat; and I had not easily devised what could have beene added hereunto. And the argument is this, Suppose God the Father had written this, and that with the pen of his Spirit, dipt in the bloud of his Sonne, would you not then have believed it? I presume you would, why then believe it now, for the difference is not in substance, but onelyonly circumstance.
It is the onelyonly thing I remember in that booke of Southwell; and this argument of yours I may perhaps remember when you have forgotten it. But I pray consider, what sect is there in the world that might not use the like? Perhaps you will say, they might use it, not so truely as you doe. But then I pray consider, what evidence have wee for the truth of it on your part, but your owne confidence, and your bare word expressing it? And I hope you will give every sect leave to be as confident of the truth of their owne way, as you are of yours; and as liberall in proving their bare words for it as your selfe.
I have read in Chaucer (to betray unto you what use I can make of him, as well as you of Silius Italicus) of somo rime that is called rime dogrell, and if there bee any Logick dogrell, I thinke this is it. But I doe not meane to let your grave discourse passe thus; those Oracles, God is love, and would have all men to be saved, you suppose doe naturally afford your doctrines, to wit, that Gods infinite love extends to all and every one, as that hee will that all and every one should bee saved.
But no such things doe these oracles afford, either expresly, or by any just consequence. And of the first (God is love) it is apparant that it containeth no such thing expresly; and as for the deducing of any such consequence herehence, your selfe never yet adventured, nor yet doe; you may as well deduce herehence, that hee will save all Angells, as well as all men, yea the very devills. And as for the second, you think that doth expresly signifie as much; but that is untrue; the Scripture phrase doth use that universall signe frequently in another sense, as when it saith of the Pharisees that they did tithe omne olus, which cannot be meant of every herbe in particular, but of every sort of herbe in speciall, as Austine himselfe 1200. years agoe observed. So Peter is said to have seen a vessell let down from heaven, wherein was foreign, which cannot be meant of every particular, but only that of every sort, or of most sorts, or of many sorts some one. So it is said, that all Ierusalem and all Iudea went forth to Iohn, the meaning whereof can bee no other then that of all parts of Iudea and of Ierusalem, some went forth unto him.
As for the plentifull encrease of Gods glory and the peoples comfort, which you promise upon the preaching of your doctrine; this is onelyonly upon your word, which unlesse you take upon you to be a Prophet, and be received also for such a one, is of no force.
But suppose it had beene preached, and not received nor believed by the hearers, I pray what then? Had the peoples comfort beene any whit the more encreased? And for you to presume, that upon the preaching of it, it had beene received, is to take upon you too much; the Gospell it selfe when first preached, the Iewes told S. Paul when hee came to Rome, it was every where spoken against: Yet I confesse, the more erroneous Act. 28.a doctrine is, especially if it be plausible to the judgement of flesh and bloud, the more apt it is to bee entertained by flesh and bloud.
But I pray, what comfort is this you speake of, is it comfort in things spirituall, or comfort in Gods blessings temporall? I graunt willingly, that the truth of God is more apt to breed comfort spirituall, then errours in matters of faith. Now first you must prove your doctrine to be true, and then wee will nothing doubt but it shall be comfortable. You take too much upon you to prophesie that it shall be comfortable and therehence inferre that it is true. But if you speake of comfort in respect of blessings temporall; as I guesse by comparing this with what you delivered in the Epistle dedicatory, wee have but your bare word for this also. But suppose it would prove so, shall we from the temporall comforts wee may enjoy, conclude, that therefore our religion is the true religion?
Alas, what comfort in outward things had christianity in the first three hundred yeares? why may you not as well conclude, that the Synagogue of Antichrist is the very Church of Christ; and our Churches which wee call reformed, are no Churches of Christ; seeing for many yeares God hath humbled us under their hands, and given us over into the Ezech. 2…. 31.hands of beastly men, skilfull to destroy, and still sends serpents and cokatrices amongst us, that will not be charmed? Ier. 4. 17.Well, this wee see is the comfort you afford us in these heavy times; you give us to understand that tis Gods just judgement upon us, for preaching so much of Gods absolute decree of electing some, and reprobating most,
And yet the Lutheran Churches preach as little of this as you doe, and yet wherein have they fared better then their brethren the Calvinists; witnesse the Marquisate of Baden, the land of Brunswick, the land of Hulst, the land of Pomerania and Meckelburgh. And the whole kingdome of Bohemia, wherein it is well knowne, the Calvinists were but few in comparison to the Lutherans. In the dayes of King Iames, a restraint began of preaching the doctrine of predestination. Did the peoples comforts, or the comforts of this kingdome encrease any whit hereupon? Within these foure yeares space bookes savouring of Arminianisme, such as youas, have had the presse open unto them with farre greater libertie then their opposites, yet how do the comforts of the people, and of this kingdome encrease?
Yet this is an old trick of Satan, who is therefore called by one foreign, a circkling Dragon: For in Saint Austines dayes, when the Empire began to bee invaded by the Gothes, the cause of this was by the heathens alledged to be the embracing of Christian religion, whereupon it was that Austine was moved to write his two and twenty books of the Citie of God. Why may not wee as well say, that the cause why we taste so little of the grace of God is, because there are so many risen up with might and maine impugning the grace of God. And it is well known, no reformed Churches prosper so well as the Hollanders, though no doubt they have as ranke sinnes to bee found in them as others; yet this they have to their singular commendation, that they suppressed Arminianisme, that Canker-worme of Gods grace, and of his soveraignety over his creatures, & banished the greatest patrons thereof out of their territories.
This inartificiall argument of yours I thought deserved the canvassing, and therefore I have spent so many lines in discovering the rottennesse of it.
Now to proceed; you aske, Who would not be willing to be saved, if he were fully perswaded that God did will his salvation in particular? When we read this, I muse at the contrariant disposition of our adversaries: for, when wee discourse of election absolute, the Arminian party cryeth out against us; as if hereby wee tooke a course to make men most carelesse of their salvation; you, though you shake hands with the Arminian party, oppose in a direct contrarious manner, and say, Who would not bee willing to bee saved (which is as much as to say, Who would not bee carefull of his salvation) if hee were fully perswaded, that God did will his salvation in particular. Your meaning is, every one would be carefull of it. So then, all that are of your minde, are most carefull of their salvation: so that it is opposite to the Arminian Tenent, to harden himselfe, or humour himselfe in any profane course, or lewde course of life.
All such must needs turne Saints here on earth, which if it were true, tis to be feared they would be accounted Puritans, and then their opinions would bee liked so much the worse for that. Touching Gods protestation that hee will not the death of any, but the repentance of all, we have said enough, and shewed how you vary from the most authenticall translation of our Churches. And it is apparant, that God neither gives repentance nor life to all; and to say that God wills any thing (otherwise then by his will of commandement, which is improperly, though usually called his will) which cometh not to passe, Austine long agoe professed, was as much as to deny God to be omnipotent.
How sorily you have performed the justifying of your doctrine in this particular, by the authoritie of the Church of England, wee have likewise shewed in its proper place. And if it bee true, that if this doctrine of yours were believed, all would unfainedly endeavour with fervent alacrity to bee truly happy, then it must needs bee that like as your selfe doe, so every Arminian doth, unfainedly endeavour with fervent alacrity (words enough) to bee truely happy: So that a profane person like Esau, that sold his birthright for a messe of pottage, is not likely to be found amongst the Arminian generation: And I doubt not but a part of your owne unfained endeavours, with fervent alacrity in this kinde, consists in writing such books as these, containing so many blasphemies both against the nature and against the grace of God.
For proofe whereof I appeale to the consideration and judgement of every indifferent Reader, that shall peause the answer of mine thereunto. You tell us, Gods love and goodnesse is so great. that he cannot passe any act, whereby any of his creatures should be debarred, either from being like him in love or goodnesse. Thus you dictate magisterially, more like a Prophet then a Pastor of Gods Church. But though you bring no reason for what you say, I will trie whether I cannot bring something against it.
And because it is proposed of his creatures in generall, I will begin with the Angels. If this be true, then the Devils are not excluded by any act of God from being like him in love and goodnesse. What hinders then, but that they may be like him in love and goodnesse if they will, and that they may will it? for is not their will as free as mans, in the state of his corruption? Secondly, God hath decreed, that all that are descended from Adam, shall be born in originall corruption; also he hath ordained, that many thousands of them shall die in their infancie, as well out of the Church as within the Church. Now let any man judge, whether by vertue of these decrees of God, they bee not utterly excluded from being like unto God in love and goodnesse, after an ordinary manner, whereof alone you speake. Againe, all that shall be damned, God hath ordained unto damnation. Now let any man judge, whether by vertue of this decree, and upon supposition thereof, it is not impossible that such should be saved. Of those who are not predestinated unto life, God brings none unto wholesome and spirituall repentance; If God brings none of them Aug. cont. Iul. Pelag. lib. 5. c. 4.unto true repentance, then he hath decreed to bring none of them unto true repentance; and by vertue of this decree they are debarred from being like unto God in love and goodnes, which I prove thus, None can be like unto God in goodnesse without true repentance, and none can repent except God gives repentance: therefore God having decreed not to give them repentance, by vertue of this decree they are debarred from repentance, and consequently, from being like unto God in goodnesse.
You close this Section with an, Alas, the effect whereof is, that by your opposites doctrine, a mispersuasion is wrought in most men of his goodnesse towards them; and consequently your meaning is, they grow carelesse of their salvation. Because as before we heard from you, carefulnesse of salvation is an herbe that grows onelyonly in the gardens of Arminianisme. And what is this dangerous doctrine? Surely it is very pretily expressed by you, to wit, in teaching that God doth oftentimes dispose his blessings of this life, not as undoubted pledges of a better. Well then, to say, that God doth dispense his blessings of this life unto Turkes and Sarazens, not as pledges of a better, is in danger to make Christians conceive that God is not good to them.
But perhaps you meane it onelyonly in respect of those who pertake of these blessings. Now I professe I never read any of our divines make use of any such consideration in this argument: you love to shape opposites opinion after your own fancy: And yet the truth is, that according to Scripture evidence, temporall blessings are so farre from being generally the pledges of a better life, as that they are noted out unto us in Scripture to be the character of the wicked, namely, to have their portion in this life. Woe bee to you rich (saith our Saviour) Luk. 6.for you have received your consolation. And they are the poore of this world for the most part that God hath chosen. Iac. 2. 5. God hath chosen the poore of this world, rich in faith and heires of salvation. And on the other side, the prosperity of the wicked is such as hath been a scandal to the children of God, as we read Ps. 73. David himself took offence at it, until he went into the sanctuary of God, then he understood their end, vers. 17. Surely (saith he) thou hast set them in slipery places, and castest them downe into desolation, how suddenly are they destroyed, perished, and horribly consumed.
So likewise Ieremie desired to dispute with God hereabouts, O Lord (saith he) if I despute with thee thou art righteous: Ier. 12. 1…yet let me talke with thee of thy judgements: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse, 2. Thou hast planted them, and they have taken roote: they grow and bring forth fruit: Thou art near in their mouthes, and farre from their heart. 3. But thou, O Lord, knowest mee, thou hast seene mee and tried my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheepe for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
Now to my simple understanding, the Prophet herein discovereth unto us that particular of Gods providence which you impugne; when hee seeth the prosperity of the wicked, he is scandalized, but when hee seeth that this prosperity of theirs is but like the fatting of sheepe and oxen unto the day of slaughter, he is satisfied. For as Salomon saith, Ease slayeth Prov. 1. 32…the foolish, and the prosperity of fooles destroyeth them. And looke in what sense God doth make mens tables to bee their snares, Psal. 69. 22. may he not, or doth hee not in the same manner make their prosperity be their snares? how can it bee otherwise if God doth not blesse their prosperity, but rather curse it?
And is not this in Gods power? Nay, is it not found to be practised in the course of his providence? I will send a curse upon you (saith the Lord) and will curse your blessings; yea, I have Mal. 2. 2.cursed them already. And if it bee lawfull for God to make Christ to be a snare, and a rock of offence unto many, how Esa. …. 14.much more may it well become him to make temporall blessings to be snares unto them, wherein they shall be taken unto destruction? As S. Peter compares some to bruit beasts, borne to be taken and destroyed, 2 Pet. 2. 12. And that Christ was made by God a snare unto many, you may learne out of your Forerius (whom I have heard you commend not a little) upon that in Esau 8. 34. And he shall be as a sanctuary, to wit, unto some, but unto others, a stumbling stone, and a rock to fall upon, and as a snare and a net to the inhabitants of Ierusalem. And old Simeon prophefied as much of him, saying, Behold, this childe is appointed for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel, and for a signe which shall be spoken against, Luk. 2. 34. Even heathen men have observed, that in the course of Gods providence, wicked men are exalted to their greater shame in their ruine. Tolluntur in altum, ut lapsa graviore cadant. And Claudian.if it bee a base minde in any man to bestow guifts on others, hoping thereby for advantage in the way of his commodity: shall it not bee lawfull unto God to give the wicked their hearts desire, which is onelyonly set on temporall prosperity; and to expose them unto temptation, and abandon them, leaving them destitute of his grace, for the distribution whereof he is bound to none; to advance his glory in making them examples in the way of his justice, punishing their pride, unthankfulnesse, lusts, and intemperance?
What can you say to that of Solomon, God hath made all things for himselfe, even the wicked against the day of evill, Pro. 16. 9. and that of the Apostle, Rom. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe, one vessell to honour, and another unto dishonour?
But you keepe your course in the way of your owne invention, without reflecting your eyes upon these sacred oracles, as if you meant to broach unto the world a new Law, and a new Gospell. As for the love of the reprobates, God cares not for it. It is in his power alone to worke his love in the hearts of men, by the circumcision of them, Deut. 30. 6. and that he will do in whom he will, for he hath mercy on whom Rom. 9. 1…he will, and whom he will hardeneth.
2 As for sinister respects, they may be found in the creature; they may be found in man, they cannot be found in God. He must respect, and cannot but respect himselfe, and the manifestation of his owne glory as the supreame end of all. For, as all things are from him, so all things must bee for him, Rom. 11. last. And accordingly, He made all things for himselfe. Prov. 16. 4. And his glory is as well seene in the heardening of whom hee will, as in the comiserating of whom hee will.
And for all the good wit that you and others have learned, to take good turnes, and not to be taken by them; There is a wisedome of God that will be sure to take them, for whom hee hath laid snares; and make their wisedome, and cunning, and pride, and insolencie, and wilfulnesse, tend to the praise of his glory, in what kinde soever pleaseth him, either in the way of his justice in their just condemnation, or in the way of his glorious grace, in the pardoning of their sinnes, and saving their soules.
As for your rules of observation, touching the natures of men, I might let them passe: I am no professed student in such like; yet I finde yours shallow enough. I see no reason but such as are worldly wise may meete with their matches, that may know when to trust them, and when not, and work out their owne advantage either way.
Why mistrust should make an honest man the worse, I know no reason; as for a knave, whether he mistrusts others or no, what becomes he the better? A silly conceit it is in my judgement, to thinke that any man should bee moved to justifie an others ill opinion of him, by doing evill, unlesse that evill be pleasing to him, whose good opinion he affects for his owne advantage. For as he that refraineth himselfe from evill, maketh Esa. 59. 15.himselfe sometimes a prey; so a man must, audire aliquid brevibus Gyaris & carcere dignum si vult esse aliquid. And there never want some knights of the post, and such as will prostitute their conscience to serve any turne for advantage. No faithlesse age can make any good rules of morality out of date of truth, though out of date of practise. Yet I have heard a storie of a French Gentleman in the wars of France, when certaine Freebooters were unawares entred within his house, saved his owne life, and his family from spoiling, by meere confidence, and was bid at parting, to thanke his owne confidence for speeding so well.
It is alwaies true, Ipsa sides habita (in good ground) obligat fidem… it is sometimes true, procurat fidem. Themistocles found it true, when hee offered himselfe to the king of the Molossians, who formerly had beene his enemy: and many generous Generalls deale never a whit the worse with them that cast themselves at the foot of their mercy. Yet God is true, and every man a lyar.
Let us be bold to trust in God, and desire to fall into his hands, and keepe us from falling into the hands of men: yet if God calleth us thereunto, to commit our selves unto God, when we doe cast our selves into the hands of men. Because in Gods hands are the hearts of kings, and hee turneth them whither soever it pleaseth him; certainly, They that put their trust in the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good, even at such times when Lyons want and suffer hunger. Yet by your leave it is not the nature of God that is the ground of our confidence, but the revealed will of God. For whatsoever Gods nature is, hee workes freely in the communicating of any good thing unto us: but hee hath revealed, that he will never faile them that put their trust in him. And this is that loving kindenesse of God, as much as to say, his loving and gracious will and pleasure revealed to us, which excites the sonnes of men to put their trust under the shadow of his wings. It was improbable that there should bee any motive from the creature, why God should give them a being; neither was it his love to the creature that moved God to make the creature, as you superficially use to discourse, but meerely the love of himselfe. For he made all things for himselfe.Prov. 16. 4
And the creature before God made him was just nothing, neither was there at that time any distinction betweene King Alexander and his horse Bucephalus. It is a strange conceit to say, that the being of the creature is like unto Gods being, who is the Creator. For what likenesse is there betweene an apple and a nut, between an horne and a bagpipe, an harp and an harrow.
Ens hath no univocation in the comprehending of all created entities, much lesse as by denomination it comprehends both the Creator, and the creature. Certainly all do not love God whom he loves; for he loved us when we were his enemies, Rom. 5. 8. But if all did so love him, as all shall either sooner or later, it will not follow that all should bee saved. For onelyonly such as Iacob are loved of him in Scripture phrase, and such as Esau are hated rather.
And though you will not bee beaten off from that uncoth assertion, That they whom God wills to be saved are not saved, yet we had rather abhorre so foule a sentence with Austine, as denying Gods omnipotency, then concurre with you in boldnesse to the embracing of it. The apprehension of Gods love to us, is the cause (morall) of our love to him: though God it is that by the circumcision of our hearts workes it, Deut. 30. 6. But if lovelinesse in the object be the cause of love; how dare you professe God loves the reprobate, and that ardently, and with excessive and infinite love. Is there any lovelinesse in them in the state of their corruption, and not rather unlovelinesse throughout?
Neither will it serve your turne to say, that he loves them as his creatures: For if this be sufficient to qualifie the businesse of the object which hee loves, you may as well say that hee loves frogs and toads; yea, and the Devills and damned Spirits.
3. I make no question but an unregenerate man may love his friend and companion in evill, as brethren in evill do love one another: and our Saviour hath taught us as much, Matt. 5. 49. If yee love them that love you what reward shall ye have? doe not the Publicanes even the same? I never heard nor read before that condemnation was dispensable. The doing of things otherwise unlawfull, in some cases may be dispensed with, but punishment was never knowne to be dispensed with; it may be remitted, but that is not to dispense with it. I take your meaning and leave your words, you thinke belike that infinite mercy cannot free the world from condemnation. I no way like such extravagant assertions, though frequent in your writings; as if you would innovate all both naturall reason, and divinity.
I know no sinne which infinite mercy cannot pardon; neither doe I know any sinne beside the sinne against the Holy Ghost, and finall impenitency, which God will not pardon in his elect. Much lesse is mans dull backwardnesse to love him unpardonable. For though as it seemes you were never conscious of any such dulnesse in your selfe, yet I cannot easily be perswaded untill I finde cause, that any Christian in the world entertaines such a conceite of himselfe, as you doe of your selfe. Be God never so louely, yet if a man know him not, how can hee love him?
And doe you thinke it is naturall for a man to know God? Suppose we doe know him to be most wise, most powerfull: yet if he be our enemie, how should this move us to love him, or put our trust in him? If we know him to love us, and to be our friend, yet are not the best backward enough from loving him, when we are easily drawne to sinne against him? And are all sinnes of this kinde unpardonable? what an uncomfortable doctrine is this, and how prone to carry all that believe it into desperation? God regards not our love unlesse we keep his commandements, Ioh. 14. 5. Againe, what is the love of God? Is it not to love him above all things? even above our selves? as Gerson expresseth it, Amor Dei usque ad contentum sui. Is this naturall? long agoe Austine hath defined it to bee supernaturall: And if any dull backwardnesse bee found in us to this love of God; if wee are loath to lose our lives for Christs sake, is this sinne unpardonable? You are a valliant Champion, I heare you are ready to dye in maintenance of your opinions, but I cannot believe you are any whit the readier for that to die for Christ.
But, alas, what should become of poore Peter, that for feare of some trouble upon confessing himselfe to bee a follower of Christ, denied that he knew him, and that with oath and imprecation? Yet Christ looked back upon him, …s before he had praied for him, that his faith might not faile; and Peter looked back upon himselfe, and went forth and wept bitterly; and within three daies after the Angells take speciall order, that Peter by name should be acquainted (with the first) with the comfortable newes of Christs resurrection from the dead; that as he died for his sinnes, so hee rose again for his justification. The infinite love of God becomes known only to the regenerate, who take notice of it chiefly, as touching blessings spirituall. As for temporall blessings, Gods love therein to man, how can it be knowne to a man unregenerate, seeing it can bee knowne onelyonly by faith? Those temporall blessings you speake of in the judgement of flesh and bloud, comming to passe onelyonly by course of nature.
But that his intention in bestowing temporall blessings upon the wicked, is to binde himselfe to instate them in the incomprehensible joyes of endlesse life, which hee never meanes to performe, is one of your incomprehensible paradoxes. To the children of God there is no such obligation: for tis not the blessings, but the sanctified use of them, that is a pledge and assurance to them of the favour of God unto salvation; and so the sanctified use of Gods temporall curses, are no lesse evident a pledge and assurance to them of the same favour of God: For by chastising divers and sundry waies with crosses and afflictions, hee manifests unto them, that God receives them for his sonnes, and so esteemes of them, and not as bastards, Heb. 12. 8.
I am glad to heare you acknowledge, that, Of all the motions of our hearts and soules God is the sole author and guide. For such acknowledgements are most rare with you; and which you cannot embrace without manifest contradiction to your selfe, and overthrowing all your discourse touching Gods decree, which as you say, decreeth contingency, but not the contingent things themselves.
But the motions of the soule and heart are contingent things, and these must needes he decreed by God, if they be produced by God: And if God be the author of them, hee must needs produce them. So that the whole tower of your discourse touching Gods decree is suddenly overthrowne by your selfe, and that with the blast of this one sentence. Besides, when you acknowledge God to be the authour of all the motions of our hearts and soules, you therewithall acknowledge him to be the author of evill motions as well as good: For you doe nor say, hee is the author of all good motions, but, of all whose motions (in reference to our hearts, our soules, our strength) God is the sole Authour and guide: yet we dare not avouch that God is the Author, much lesse the sole Author of all our motions, without manifold distinctions. And to my thinking, it became you to be very cautulous of such assertions, who are so apt to charge your opposites with making God the Author of sinne.
Of every action of man that is free, wee maintaine man to be the author as well as God; but man wee make in operation subordinate unto God, the second cause unto the first. This is true as touching actions naturally considered, and as touching good actions, but with a difference; man in working any naturall action we make him subordinate unto God in respect of influence generall; in working good actions, wee make him subordinate unto God in respect of influence speciall.
But as touching evill actions there wee make man alone to be the author of them as they are evill, without any subordination unto God in respect of any influence, generall or speciall. And cannot sufficiently wonder what improvidence hath overtaken you, to out-lash in so strange a manner. But even in this we acknowledge a providence of God confounding the wittes and longues of them that build up Babell. I remember what the Prophet saith of the Aegyptians, The Lord Esa. 19. 14hath mingled among them the spirit of errours: and they have caused Aegypt to erre in every worke thereof, as a drunken man erreth in his vomit: and how is that, but in defiling himselfe; and that which is before him. o… his owne favourites that sit next unto him. Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light to the regenerate: but is it so unto naturall men? doe they not account it coards and bands? Psal. 2. Doth not the Apostle tell us, The affections of the flesh are not subject to the law of God, nor can be? It seemes you are a very morrall man, you do so willingly Rom. 8. 7.fall upon this theame, of advancing the power of mans naturall morallity. But I remember withall what Austine sometimes said, Malo humilem peccatorem quam superbum innocentem. And arrogancie is a speciall fruit of pride: And you discourse in such sort of the nature of man, as if it had never beene corrupt in Adam.
4 If our love of God be raised from the beliefe of his loving kindenesse to us, then our love to God is not the first conception or plantation of true happinesse, but rather our faith, as the Apostle plainely testifieth, 1 Tim. 1. 5. saying. The end of the law is love, out of a pure heart, and good conscience, and faith unfained. And neither the one nor the other is the worke of nature, but of Grace; nor the worke of God neither by influence generall and naturall, but by influence speciall and spirituall.
As for the conclusion you deduce herehence, it is well known that life, and sense, and reason we obtaine by course of nature, and naturall generation of naturall and reasonable parents. And to know that God gives all this, and maintaines naturall generation by the counsell of his will, that he it is that fashioneth us in the wombe, is not knowne by light of nature: for the greatest Philosophers knew not this but by light of grace, and so the moanest christian comes acquainted with this mysterie. But herehence to inferre that God hath a purpose to give me with them whatsoever good things my heart, my sense, or reason can desire, is a verie loose inference. God hath no purpose to give his own children whatsoever good thing they doe desire, much lesse what they can desire. Paul desired 2 Cor. 11.and prayed thrise to be delivered from the buffetings of Satan, but God granted it not unto him. Moses desired to go Deut. 3. 25over Iordan to see the goodly mountain, and Lebanon, but it was denied him. Abraham desired that the blessing might be conferred on Ishmael, but could not obtaine it. And no marveyle. For God knows what is better for us then our selves; the childe prayeth for his Fathers health sayth Austine, but it is Gods pleasure to take him away by death. God hath not promised to give us all that we desire, much lesse that sense desireth; but hath promised that all things shall worke together for our good. even povertie as well as riches, sikenesse as Rom. 8. 28well as health, and adversitie as well as prosperitie. For every creature of God is sanctified unto them that beleive and know 1. Tim. 4. 3the truth. This is the faith only of a childe of God, who is Rom. 4. 13the heyre of the World by faith in Christ. But to say of all and every one, hand over head that God hath a purpose to give them all eternall life, is your common errour, that now is like an hereditary sicknesse unto you: driving you to maintayne two foule tenets; the one, that God is not omnipotent, as purposing to give that which he never performes, a manifest signe that he is not able to performe it; as Austine many hundred yeares agoe disputed Enchirid 95. Deus noster in caelo sursum, in caelo & in terra omnia quaecunque voluit, fecit. Quod utique non est verum, si aliqua voluit & non fecit, & quod est indignius, ideo non fecit quoniam ne fieret, quod volebat omnipotens, voluntas hominis impedivit. And Enchirid. 96. Deo procul dubio quam facile est quod vult facere, tam facile est quod non vult esse, non sinere. Hoc nisi credamus periclitatur ipsum nostrae fidei confessionis initium qua nos in Deum Patrem omnipotentem credere consitemur. Neque enim veraciter ob aliud vocatur omnipotens, nisi quia quicquid vult potest, nec voluntate cujusquam creaturae, voluntatis omnipotentis impeditur effectus. The other tenet as foule as the former is this, that God changeth. For undoubtedly at this time he hath no purpose to save the Divells and damned soules of men: therfore if ever he had any such purpose it is now changed; and consequently God is changed himselfe, You have no way to avoyde this, but by saying that Gods purpose you speake of, is not absolute but conditionall as before you upbraided your opposites for maintaining Gods decree of electtion to be absolute. Yet the Arminians at the conference of Hage utterly declined the maintenance of Gods decree of election to be conditionall,
Yet the shifre will not serve your turne, being too narrow a leafe to cover the shamefull nakednesse of your assertion. For to purpose conditionally is no more a purpose of salvation then of condemnation; which is no way an evidence of Gods love to any man in particular, the issue wherof is indifferent to be condemnation as well as salvation. But you hitherto in this respect have insisted upon the maintenance of Gods love to all and every one.
The beginning which God found out for mankind was a being indifferent to stand or fall, which indifferency fitted him no more for salvation in case he stood, then for damnation in case he fell; save that God was withall resolved to provide him of a Saviour upon his fall, that should be as tabula post naufragium, but to whome? only to these whome he loved as he loved Iacob, not unto those whome he hated as he hated Esau. For as he made all thinges for himselfe, so also he made the wicked against the day of evill, and ever that for himselfe also. Pro. 16. 4:Why Gods love in respect of creation, should be accoumpted his infinite love, I know no reason, considering, that the meanest creature was partaker of that love as well as man.
And as he gave being unto all things, so he maintaynes being to Divells and damned men and ever will doe. We are knit unto God by faith as well as by love and of the two, faith is the more noble as being the Fountaine and cause of love. If God out of love be sayd to make us what we are; it may as well be sayd that out of love he made all other creatures what they are. If you reply, that they were made out of his love to us, for as much as they were made for our use and service: In like sort I answeare, that it was out of love to himselfe that he made us, for as much as he made us for his owne use and service; yea and all things else that were made. For he made all things for himselfe. In like sort if God made us what we are because he was lovinge to us: he made also all creatures what they are because he was loving to them. Yet by your leave, He made all things for himselfe.
And this is the foure and twenty Elders acknowledgment Revela. 4. 11. Thou art worthy o Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power. For thou hast created all thinges, and for thy wills sake they are and have bin created. You say true, where faith and love is found there is assurance of Gods favour towards us to set both his wisdome & power on worke to make all things worke together for our good, and so to preserve us to his heavenly Kingdome.
But the question is whether this faith and love be the workes of nature, and wherof all are capable by power of nature or whether they are the meere fruites of Gods grace, afforded to some denyed to others according to the good pleasure of his owne will, as who hath merciemercy on whome hee will and whom he will he hardneth.