The Doctrine of the Synod of Dort, Treatise · Part 3 · Section 6
The sixt & last Section.Sect. 6.
THe preaching of the word being thus made of none effect by the doctrine of these Synods, Treat.there will remayne no use and profit of the Sacraments of baptisme, & the Lords Supper, unlesse it be, that the Ministers themselves, in administring thereof, doe destroy this unhappy doctrine. For to every person, whom they baptise, they apply the promises of the covenant of grace, cleane contrary to their owne doctrine, which saith, that they nothing belong to the Reprobates of the World.
The Eucharist is likewise given to all with assurance, that Christ dyed for all those who do receave it, although their doctrine doe affirme, that he dyed not for those who receave him unworthily, and to their owne condemnation, the number of whom is very great in the Reformed Churches by their owne confession. What then remaines? Even their prayers themselves, (the exercise wherof is common, both to the Pastor and the Flocke) cannot be of any profit, either to the one or to the other, seeing that all are eyther elect or reprobate, they for their parts obteyne nothing by this meanes, if that God, as the Synod would have it, hath written their names in the booke of life from all aeternitie, without having more regard unto their prayers, then unto their faith, and that it is impossible for them to be razed out, and as for these, they are no more able to gett themselves registred therein by their prayers, thē to undo that inevitable & unchangable decree of God.
So that by this triall of the practise, each one may see what esteeme we ought to have of that religion, which resisteth the conversion of Infidells, the amendment of the scandalous, and consolation of the afflicted, which makes the preaching of the word to be of none effect, and quite overthroweth the use of the Sacraments, and exercise of prayers, and in a word, which overturneth the foundation of the ministry, which consisteth in sound doctrine & good discipline.
Consid. If the preaching of the word by the doctrine of these Synods be but thus made of none effect, that is, but by so hungry and comicall a discourse as this, we shall have very small, or rather no cause at all to think the worse of the doctrine of these Synods, and we are confident, that the use and profitt of the Sacraments, will but in the like shallow and superficiary manner be enervated. And how the ministers in their administration of the Sacraments doe destroy the same doctrine, so unhappy as he conceavs it; for no doctrine, is so happy with them, as that which maintaynes grace to be conferred, according unto workes, or that looke what we call grace, as faith and repentance, is neither merited by Christ, nor indeed any gift of God, otherwise then by giving them power to beleeve if they will, repent if they will, and persuading them thereunto by the ministry of his word, (for I have good reason to suspect, that the Author of this discourse is a mere Anabaptist) we are now to consider in the last place.
Now, for proofe hereof, he sayth, that to every person; whom we baptize, we doe apply the promises of the covenant of grace, which he saith is cleane contrary to our owne doctrine, which saith, that they nothing belong to the reprobates of the world.
I would he had particulated these promises of the covenant of grace, For with the practise of their Churches, in the office of baptizing, I am not acquainted, but onelyonly with our own. The promises assured by baptism, according to the rule of Gods word, I finde to be of two sorts: some are of benefits procured unto us by Christ, which are to be conferred conditionally; others are of benefits, which are to be bestowed upon us absolutely.
They of the first sort are justification and salvation; For Abraham receaved circumcision, as a seale of the righteousnes of faith; Circumcision therfore was an assurance of justification to be had by faith; If such were circumcision unto the Iewes, we have good reason to conceave, that such is baptisme unto us Christians; For as that was unto them, so this is the Sacrament of regeneration unto us; And good reason, the Sacraments, which are seales of the covenant, should assure that unto us, which the word of the covenant doth make promise of.
Now, the word of the covenant of grace doth promise unto us both remission of sinne, and salvation upon faith in Christ.
This by our doctrine we promise unto all, and assure unto all, as well as they doe by theirs. If all and every one should beleeve, we nothing doubt, but they should be justified and saved. On the other side if not one of ripe yeares should beleeve, I presume our adversaries will confesse, that not one of them should be saved. But there are other benefites, both promised in the covenant of grace, and consequently assured by the Sacraments, which are commonly called the seales of the covenant, wherof there is or may be a question, whether they are conferred on man by God absolutely, or no? but onelyonly conditionally; and the right solution thereof, I willingly confesse, is most momentous, for the deciding of all those controversies, and setting an happy end unto them. But that question is wholy declined by this Author, and generally by the Arminian partie. For such a light and evidence of faith breakes forth; herein, that they are not able to abide it.
Those benefites are regeneration, which in holy scripture is called the circumcision of the heart, in reference to the Sacrament, that sealed it; and in the New Testament, it is called the washing and clensing, or sanctifying of our soules, in reference to our Sacrament of regeneration, which is called Baptisme; under regeneration we comprehend the illumination of the mind, and renovation of the affect…ons; and these operations we commonly designe by faith and repentance.
Now, let it be enquired, whether regeneration and faith, commonly supposed amongst us, to be the gifts of God, are bestowed upon men conditionally, or absolutely; If conditionally, then like as the word of the covenant promiseth, these gifts upon a condition to be performed by man, so also shall the Sacrament of Baptisme seale it, and assure us, that upon the performance of that condition, we shall obteyne at the hands of God, faith and regeneration.
Like as justification & salvation is promised in the word, and assured in the Sacraments upon performance of a condition on mans part.
Now, the condition of justification and salvation, we all acknowledge to be faith; but what should be the condition upon performance, whereof we should obteyne it, we are much to seeke; neither doe the Arminians willingly come to the defining of it; this Author utterly declines the question, though most proper and criticall, by the Orthodox resolution thereof, to sett a blessed end to all the controversies wherwith the peace of Gods church hath been of late yeares so much disturbed.
Now, whatsoever be devised to be the condition, it must be in generall some worke of man, and consequently it must be acknowledged, that grace is given, to wit, the grace of faith, according to mens works, which is plain Pelagianisme?
So for regeneration, it being acknowledged to be a gift of Gods grace, if so be, God bestowes it conditionally, they must tell us what that condition is, upon the performance whereof God is pleased to regenerate us; but I never yet mett with any that undertooke to notifie unto us what that condition is, certeynly it must be, not onelyonly a worke of man, but a worke of nature, seeing it precedes regeneration, and consequently the grace of regeneration shalbe conferred, according unto workes of nature, and this also is Pelagianisme, and that in a degree beyond the former; and withall directly contradictious to the word of God, where it is sayd, that God hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. and where the Apostle saith, that God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth▪ Rom. 9.16. and to bestow faith upon a man, is clearly to shew mercy, Rom. 11.30.
Hereupon we conclude, that faith and regeneration are gifts of grace, which God bestowes absolutely, according to the mere pleasure of his owne will, regenerating whom he will, and denying the grace of regeneration to whom he will.
Now then, who are they on whom God should bestow faith and regeneration but his Elect? and accordingly, the Apostle calleth it the faith of Gods elect, Tit. 1.1, and Act. 13.48. The Evangelist cleerely telleth us, that as many believed, as were ordeyned to aeternall life; and Rom. 8.29. Whom God foreknewe, them he predestinated to be made confo…mable to the image of his Sonne, and whom he predestinated, them he called, and whom he called, he justifyed, and whom he justified, he glorified. And accordingly, baptisme as it is a s…ale and assurance of performing this promise of justification and salvation unto them that believe, so it is a seale and assurance of the promise of circumcising the heart, and regeneration, only to Gods elect.
Yet I confesse, that, according to the booke of Common prayer, in use with the Church of England, we professe of every Childe, as he comes to be baptized, and when he is baptized, that he is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs regeneration, whereupon Mr. Mon…acute sometimes tooke advantage to justifie his opinion, touching falling away from grace, as the Docteine of the Church of England, but he was answered by D. Carleton, then Bishop of Chichester, that there is a regeneration so called, Sacramento tenus, and which Austin, as he shewed, distinguished from true regeneration.
And for ought we know to the contrary, every one that comes to be baptized by a minister, may be an elect of God, and therefore we have no reason to conceave them to be reprobates; And I would gladly knowe what this our adversary conceaves of every one that is brought unto him to be baptized, will he conceave them in the judgement of charity, to be elect or no? Or doth he beleeve them in judgement of faith to be elect? In my judgement, his opinion hereabout is no more then this, that God hath ordeyned, that in case they beleeve, they shalbe justified and saved; and accordingly, that in Baptisme, assurance hereof is sealed unto them, and no more.
Now, that God hath so ordeyned, we beleeve as well as they, and that baptisme is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith and of salvation by faith. But if he thinkes the covenant of grace comprehends no more then this, herein alone we differ from him; and are ready to mainteyne that all, who are under the covenant of grace, are such, as over whom sinne shall not have the dominion,Ezech. 20.12. Deu. 29.6 Esa. 37.18. Mich. 7. Psa. 64 18 Ezech. 36.26.27. Rom. 6.14. and that the Lord vouchsafeth to become their Lord, and their God to sanctifie them, and to circumcise their hearts, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soule, as he seeth their wayes, so to heale them; to subdue their iniquities, to give giftes, even to the rebellious, that he may dwell among them, to powre cleane water upon them, that they may be cleane, and from all their filthinesse to clense them.
A new heart also to give unto them, & a new spirit to putt within them, and to take away the stony heart out of their body, and give them an heart of flesh. And to putt his owne Spirit within them, and cause them to walk in his statutes, and to keepe his judgements, and doe them.
And as in the Prophet Ieremiah the Lord professeth:Ier. 31.3… ▪ This shallbe the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those dayes, sayth the Lord, I will putt my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shalbe my people. And Ier. 32.39. I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may feare me for ever, for the wealth of them, & of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will never turne away from them, to doe them good, but I will putt my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. And Ezech. 16.60. Neverthelesse I will remember my covenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth, and I will confirme unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receave thy sisters, both thy Elder and thy yonger, and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And 20.37. I will cause you to passe under the rod, & bring you into the bond of the covenant. And 37.23. Neyther shal they be polluted any more with their idols, nor with their abominations, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned, & I will clense them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24. And David my servant shalbe King over them, & they shall have one sheapheard: they shall also walke in my judgements, and observe my statutes, & doe them.
So that regeneration, & sanctification, faith, repentance, holinesse, & obedience, these be the works which God promiseth to worke in them, and that by vertue of the covenant of grace he hath made with them.
The Eucharist, we confesse, is likewise given to all, who for their profanesse, impuritie, or con…umacy, are not excommunicated, and that with assurance, that Christ dyed for all those that doe receave it worthily, not otherwise; but as many as receave it unworthily, doe receave it to their owne condemnation. And doe the Arminians themselves administer it with assurance of the favour of God towards them, any otherwise then in case they are found worthy pertakers?
As for Christs dying for mankind, I have already shewed at large how this Author treates of it hand over head, carying it in the cloudes of generalitie.
Now, it is a rule of schooles, that in genere latent multae equivocationes.
Therefore for the cleering of the truth in this particular, I have distinguished the benefits, which Christ procured for us; some of them, as remission of sinnes, and salvation, are conferred onelyonly conditionally, to witt, upon condition of faith; And herein we extend the vertue of Christs death, as fart as they, to witt, in conditionall manner; for we willingly professe, that, if all, and every one should believe, all and every one should be saved by Christ; On the other side, no Arminian will say, that any man of ripe yeares shall be saved by Christ, if he never beleeve in Christ.
But other benefites there are, which God bestowes upon man, for Christs sake, as we say, to witt, faith, regeneration, & repentance.
Now, these are conferred not conditionally; for if they were, then should grace be given according to mens workes, which is manifest Pelagianisme; Therefore these must be conferred absolutely, not on all, for then all should believe and be saved; but on some, and who can they be but Gods Elect?
Now, as for the Remonstrants, they peremtorily deny, that Christ merited faith and regeneration for any, Exam. Censurae, p. 59. Now, let any indifferent person judge by this, who they are who streiten the vertue of Christs sufferings most, they or we.
In the last place he telleth us, that our Prayers common both to the Pastor and the flocke, cannot be of any profitt, eyther to the one or to the other, that is (as I conceave his meaning) eyther to the Pastor, or to the people: and why so? Observe, I pray, the strange reason which he gives hereof, to witt, because they are all, eyther Elect or reprobates; For doth not this Author beleeve this as well as we, namely, that all are, eyther elect or reprobate, eyther registred in the booke of life, or not registred therein?
To qualifie this, he doth afterwards more advisedly ground his reason, not upon election and reprobation, simply considered, as being already passed upon them all; but upon the manner of these; in as much as election is shaped by us, to have its course without any more regard unto mens prayers, then unto their faith, and that it is impossible for them to be razed out; we willingly acknowledge it, and withall shewe how inconsequent is his inference, which he makes herhēce; God we say hath no more rega…d to our prayers then to our faith, having aequall regard of both; not that upon the foresight herof he did elect us; but in that as he did ordeyn us unto everlasting life by way of reward of our faith, repentance, & good workes; so likewise he did ordeyne us to the obteyning of faith, repentance, and good workes, to be wrought in us, partly by the ministery of his word, therin speaking unto us, & partly by our prayers, seeking unto him, to blesse his word unto us, and fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards us, and the worke of faith in power. For God doth expect, that we should seek unto him by prayer for this, as we read Ezech. 36.37. Thus saith the Lord, I will yet for this be sought of the house of Israel, to perform it unto them. Neyther doe we mainteyne, that God doth ordeyne any man of ripe yeares unto aeternall life, in any moment of nature, before he ordeynes him to faith, repentance, & good works, & that to be wrought in him by the ministery of the word, with Gods blessing thereupon according to the prayers in common, both of the Pastor & the people.
So that neyther our faith, nor the ministery of the word and Sacraments, nor prayers, are any whit in vaine, or without profitt to Gods elect; though I willingly confesse, they are nothing profitable unto reprobates, save that hereby they may profitt somewhat, quoad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur.
Neyther doe I thinke, that eyther this Author, or any Arminian, eyther on this side, or beyond the Seas, will affirme, that any of these are any farther profitable unto reprobates; my meaning is, they will not say, as I presume, that any reprobate obteynes salvation hereby. For I presume, they hold with us, that Gods decrees are unchangeable; As for inevitable decrees, that is a wilde phrase, the denomination of evitable or inevitable, being onelyonly in reference unto things possible for the time to come; but Gods decrees, we know full well, are everlasting, as ancient as the very ancient of dayes; and therefore it is very absurd, to discourse of the evitable or inevitable nature thereof.
And yet it may be they have a tooth against the unchangeable and irrevocable condition of Gods decrees; I know none that speakes so plainly thereof, as one that hath written of divine essence.
And it may be this Author lickes his lips at the revocable nature of divine decrees.
By this we may see what estimation ought to be made of this vile discourse, that hath nothing in it worthy of the witt and learning of a very vulgar divine.
And with what applause he hath playd his severall parts, labouring to defame our doctrine, as if it stood in opposition to the conversion of Infidels, the amendment of the scandalous, and consolation of the afflicted.
The true ground of all which imputations is, because we mainteyne with the Apostle, that God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth; bestowing the grace of faith and repentance on some, to cure that naturall infidelitie and impenitency, which is common to all; and leaving it uncured in others, by denying unto them the grace of faith, and of repentance. Forsooth, if we should mainteyne with them, that God gives faith and repentance, not absolutely, but conditionally, to witt, upon some condition, to be performed by man; then our doctrine should be magnified, as they magnifie their owne, as very profitable for conversion, reformation, consolation; which is as much as to say in effect, if with thē we would directly becom Pelagians, thē we should prove very profitable and powerfull Christians; for then it should be out of question, that, Pelagianismus est verè Christianismus.
It may be, they would have us come one step farther, and deale plainly, in denying faith & regeneration to be any gifts of God; for if they be, I wonder with what face they should deny them to be bestowed upon us for Christ his sake, being they are such thinges as accompany salvation in a very speciall manner.
Now, they have lately professed to the world, that Christ merited not faith and salvation for any. But because we coumpt all such Pelagian spirits no better then inimicos gratiae, as Austin sometimes did; (Prosper went farther in his Epistle, ad Ruffinum, and in plaine termes calleth them Vasa irae, in distinction from vasa misericordiae) therefore it is that this flourishing divine in putes unto us, that our Religion makes the preaching of the word to be of none effect, and that it quite overthrowes the use of the Sacraments, and exercise of Prayers, and all this like a very confident Cavalier before the combate; he presumes he hath very sufficiently demonstrated in this his enterlude, consisting of three Actes, and severall scenes, belonging to each; and in the judgement of some Scholers in the Vniversitie, he is deemed to have performed his part so wel, ut abducant stultum, that they may well bring him a stoole, ut sit foris eloquentia, that he may sitt for his eloquence.
And because he hath already atteyned to such credite and reputation among the learned, he addes in the close upon his word, like a man of authoritie, that it overturneth the foundation of the ministry, which consisteth in sound doctrine & good discipline; for I doe not remember that this came any where in his way throughout his whole discourse.
And thus I have examined with what judgement this Author hath reduced the two Synods of Dort and Arles unto practise.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Twisse, The Doctrine of the Synod of Dort (1631)