Gods Arraignment of Hypocrites, To the reader – Summary of text
To the Chriſtian Reader.
IT is a common ſaying, that an Exorciſt may ſooner coniure vp a logion of deuills, then adiure one of them out of his habitation: And as it is with bodily poſſeſſion, ſo is it with the obſeſſion of the ſoule: for although the deuill cannot penetrate the ſoules dimenſions, yet he will ſit ſo neere it, that whoſoeuer admits him the leaſt good fellowſhippe, he ſhall not be freed of his company, when he is wearie, and with all his heart would ſhake hands with him. The Papiſts challenge all our Churches as falſe, becauſe we can caſt out no deuills; but the whole world knowes that they can doe it to the admiration of thouſands: but for my part, I knowe not how they coniure the deuill from the bodie; yet this I dare boldly affirme, that where they hauehave gotten one deuill out of mens bodies, they hauehave admitted a thouſand into mens ſoules: and ſurely, the deuill were a foole, if he would not change his roome for a better lodging: I am ſure, that there was neuer any church that hath coniured vp more hereſies then they hauehave done; and as yet I know not one that they hauehave adiured, and ſent packing into hell. No marueile that they hauehave need of ſtrange exorciſmes, for otherwiſe how ſhould men be confirmed in their ſtrange doctrines? theſe queſtionleſſe hauehave bin ſtrong deluſions to make them beleeue lies. But if they pleaſe to admit of the holy Scriptures, we ſhall at the firſt reſolue them of a double meanes: Math. 17.20.21. the firſt is miraculous, and for a time: the ſecond ordinarie, and ſo remaines in the Church: the one is in the 20. v. the other in the 21. and this ſecond meanes we hauehave: I am ſure the Church of God may pray and faſt, to deliuer both bodie and ſoule from the deuil. But perhaps they will ſay, ſhew vsus whom you hauehave diſpoſſeſſed? I anſwer, Prayer & faſting are of the ſame nature that preaching and adminiſtring the ſacraments: they being conſcionably vſed, worke where and whenſoeuer God pleaſeth. I doubt not but by the preaching of the word, thouſands hauehave bin cō uerted vntounto the faith: and where men get the deuil out of the ſoule, he will hauehave ſmall hope or comfort, either to enter or ſtay in the body: and ſo, no maruell the deuill holds them ſo ſtrongly, and takes ſuch good liking of them, that he will be at their commaund, to leaue the body, and aſcend into an higher roome: for he is proud enough to intertain ſuch a motion. And though I deny not but we hauehave had ſome poſſeſſed among vsus, yet I dare boldly ſay, the moſt hauehave bin of their owne making: Let them take the credit of their art, for queſtionles, a blacke art beſt beſeemes a religion of darkneſſe, blindneſſe, and ignorance.
But to applie our Sauiours rule vntounto our purpoſe: Faſting and praier are admirable meanes in the Church of God; not onelyonly to caſt out deuills and vncleane ſpirits; but alſo to fill the ſoule with the ſpirit of grace, and goodnes. And here I tremble to ſpeake, and charge mine owne heart with exceeding great negligence, as often as I call to remembrance, the extraordinarie faſting and prayer of Arminius; eſpecially whenſoeuer he entred this myſterie of myſteries, Gods eternal predeſtination: A point that hath troubled the Church of God, more then euer the deuill vexed that young man in the Goſpel. This hath made many no better then lunaticke, caſt others into the fire of contention, and drowned numbers in the waters of euerlaſting perdition. Now alas, what good ſoule would not downe on his knees, cry with all his heart, Lord Ieſus take pitie on this deſtreſſed world, reſtore them to their ſenſes, deliuer them from theſe fierce fiers, and pul them out of theſe dangerous waters: often hath it bin in the hands of thy Paſtours, but as yet they could not heale vp theſe brawles: ſurely it is, becauſe we are a faithleſſe and crooked generation: Long haſt thou been with vsus, and we hauehave had a large time of thy patience, and it could not be but that thou would hauehave brought it to paſſe long before this, except our vnbeleife had hindred it. Arminius hath taken in hand to worke this cure, but I feare he hath raiſed vp more ſpirits, then can eaſily be laid againe. Queſtionleſſe, as our Sauiour Chriſt ſpoke of that kind of poſſeſſion, that it could not come out but by prayer and faſting: ſo no more can theſe dangerous ſpirits of error be quieted and laid to ſleepe, but by the prayers and faſtings of Gods faithfull people. Iſa. 58.3. condemnes all faſting to ſeeke our owne wills, and require our owne debts: it cannot be good to faſt for ſtrife, and to ſmite with the hand of wickedneſſe. Surely I hauehave heard, that when Arminius was intreated to defend the receiued opinion of Predeſtination in the reformed Churches, did ſo diſtaſt it, that hee broached in his readings the cleane contrarie, whereupon ſtrange rumours were raiſed, that he was become a maine hereticke. It was Bezas iudgement of him, when hee was a young man, that hee would either prooue an admirable miniſter of God, or a dangerous enemie to Gods truth: Theſe reports are not to be paſſed ouer without conſideration; for though he ſeeme to cry downe the former rumours in a booke now extant: yet both the booke, and the rumours together, demonſtrate that he ſought an oppoſite wil to the reformed Churches. We denie not but that Gods true Church may erre, and ſo his will might not be againſt Gods will: yet for my part, I eſteeme ſo reuerently of my auncients, and the truth admitted, defended, and propagated by them, that I dare not otherwiſe iudge, then that Arminius in faſting and prayer, ſought his owne will: and therefore no maruell if he hauehave laboured to ſtriue with that worthy man M. Perkins. In the beginning of his booke, he profeſſeth nothing but brotherly louelove: yet I intreat you, obſerue but the whole carriage of his booke, and ſee how he ſcannes eueryevery word, exults & triumphs ouer him, as though he meant to cenſure him for a blaſphemous hereticke againſt God. The man is dead, his booke is now his memoriall: and to my reading ſauours of nothing more, but that he meant to ſmite this worthie man, if not with the fiſt of wickedneſſe, yet of hard cenſure and iudgement. This likewiſe may appeare in his followers, who beare a moſt deadly hatred to all that profeſſe M. Calvin, and his beſt followers; and moſt ſhamefully rayle on them: the Papiſts ſhall find more louelove at their hands, then a Caluiniſt. Alas, my brethren; is this the faſt that the Lord hath choſen? No, no: the Lord would hauehave vsus looſe the bands of wickedneſſe, take off the heauie burdens of ſinne, and hereſie, deale the bread of life to the hungrie, bring the poore that wander into Gods houſe, & not hide our ſelues from our own fleſh: If wee would conſider this, then would the Lord make our light breake forth as the morning, our health growe ſpeedily, righteouſneſſe goe before vsus, and the whole glorie of the Lord embrace vsus. The want of this, makes the Papiſts reioyce, and triumph to ſee vsus, their profeſſed enemies, to quarrell and ſtrike at one another. Oh that I had a bodie to faſt night and day! and a heart to pray that the Lord would reconcile vsus, and make his glorious truth ſhine among vsus, to expell that darkneſſe that makes the diuiſion! When my booke was in the preſſe, I intended nothing but the meere explaining of Gods ordering of ſinne, and ſo make vſe of it: but I could not in my minde be at reſt, vntill I had attempted ſome thing, in this maine controverſie. I acknowledge it might hauehave bin much better atcheiued by ſome of the Lords great Worthies, vntounto the leaſt degree of whoſe ſtrength, I hauehave not attained: But being as yet neglected by them, I thought it better, notwithſtanding my great weaknes, to ſay ſomething in the louelove of the truth, then to paſſe it ouer with ſilence. I hope it will put others in mind who are of greater abilitie, what they ought to doe: and I would to God my labours might ſerue as foyles, to ſhew the greater glory of their ſurpaſſing excellencies: or as courſer wares, to make their finer ſtuffes more ſaleable and commendable. For mine owne part, I am ſo reſolute, that I put it in my creed, as an error that I will neuer beleeue; and I hope in God it is now at his height. Chriſtian Reader, be not offended with my young yeares, to make thee diſtaſt my timely writing. I hope I hauehave keept me to Gods truth; eſteeme that, and then iudge mee as thou pleaſeſt. Conſider what is ſaid, and the Lord giuegive vsus vnderſtanding in all things.
Thine in the Lord, IOHN YATES.
¶ To eueryevery godly, zealous, and ſincere Profeſſor of Gods true Religion; the wiſhes of the Author.
THis vacant white, I could not paſſe away,
Perchance the blacke is worſer, thou wilt ſay:
The worſt is ſaid, and better is my creed,
That thou in this my louelove wilt euer read.
To giuegive and take is neither more or leſſe,
But louelove is more, then can our gifts expreſſe.
The former tearmes as relates, thine and mine,
Let's paſſe proud tearmes, and then the gift is thine.
Thine as his owne, if better were his owne,
LoueLove is the beſt, hence let the reſt be knowne.
As pureſt wine runnes from the homely preſſe,
So plaineſt louelove giues comfort in diſſreſſe.
Perfumes hauehave ſweeteſt ſmell, which fire find,
And louelove the greateſt grace, which zeale can mind.
The roſe in ſtill is ſweeter then on ſtalke,
Diſtill thy louelove, and ſweete ſhall be thy talke.
My good to God is none, to thee is all,
Yet both to God muſt for a bleſſing call.
The ſillie Bee ſuckes honie from the weedes,
But flowers ſeene, full ſoone on faireſt feeds.
Make ſome thing of the worſt, but gaine the beſt,
That after death thou may hauehave happie reſt.
The preſſe hath ſtamp'd theſe lines, for thee to preſſe
A deeper ſtampe then can my lines expreſſe.
Preſſe not my skill, for art preſume my heart
As thine, that loues no further for to ſtarte.
The gift is thine by due, the debt is mine,
God grant thee ioy in reading of each line.
Amen.
The generall heads of the Controverſie concerning Gods decreeing of ſinne.
1. Obiections: from the Text. 47. anſwered. ibid. from attributes. 48. anſwered. ibid. from ſubiect. 49. anſwered. ibid.
2. Arguments proouing: from the end. 50. from method. 52. from God, firſt and laſt. 54
3. Of ſinnes entrance: his cauſes principall, inſtrumentall, and accidentall. 55. how God purpoſed this entrance. 56. how the lawe workes ſinne. 58. poſitions of the manner. 59
4. Of ſinnes progreſſe and conſequents. 63. what is Gods work therein. 64
5. Obiectiions that God is the author of ſinne: from Scripture. 66 anſwered. ibid. from Bellarmine. 68. Caluins iudgement. ibid. from reaſon. 73. anſwered. 74. from orthodoxe writers concerning Gods will, decree, mans will, and his reprobation. 78
6. Anſwered. 88. how God wills ſinne to be. 89. Arminius ſophyſtrie. 91. determination no cauſe of neceſſitie. 96. when a thing is, how neceſſarie. 97. of Gods concourſe. 98. of Gods irreſiſtable will. 106. the nature of Gods decree. 107. freedome of mans will. 121. reprobation no puniſhment. 123
7. Collation of M. Perkins and Arminius. 127. in 10. principles to. 139. for the definition of predeſtination. 139. how counſell 139. of the ſubiect and his degrees. 140. to 152. laſtly of the end and ſubordination of meanes. 152. to 160.
PSALM. 50.21.
Theſe things haſt thou done, and I held my tongue: therefore thou thoughteſt that I was altogether like thee: but I will reprooue thee, and ſet them in order before thee.