The Lightless Star, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
To this l…st state of Pelagianisme in the hands of the M…ssili…ns we may subjoyn the Doctrine of a certain Abbot in his thirteenth Collation published by Cass…an, against whom Prosper hath vindicated the truth according to the Doctrine of Austin, in his book… contra Collatorem; we shall glean a little …ere▪ yet so much as shall state the error, and refu…e it.
Collator.
TH… beginning not onelyonly of acts, but even of good thoughts is from God, who both inspires in us the beginning… of an holy Will, and withall gives us the strength and opportunity of finishing those things which …, rightly desire. A little after, not a little …ssing this assertion of his own, It is not easie…humane reason to discern, how the Lord gives to … that aske, is found of those that seeke, and c…, unto those that knocke; and againe, is found of those that seeke not, appeares openly amongst those, who asked not for him.
Prosper,
Here as by an inscrutable diversity is a defi…ition brought in, by which it is taught, that …any come to grace without grace, and that some have this affection of asking, seeking, …nd knocking by the watchfulnesse of free Wil, which yet in others, is with so great froward…esse affirmed to be blinded, as that it cannot …e called back by any exhortations, except it …e brought over unwilling, by the force of him …hat drawes it; as though this was not done …y the whole worke of manifoldly-various grace in the minds of all, that of unwilling, …hey are made willing. This Disputer hath quickly forgotten his former definition, &c.
Thou hast no fuller agreement, neither with the Hereticks, nor with the Catholicks (that is the Orthodox) they defend the beginnings of …ree Will, in all the righteous workes of men; We beleeve the beginnings of good thoughts …o come forth alwaies from God: but how is …t that thou doest not observe thy selfe to fall …nto that damned opinion? That, whether thou wilt or not, thou shalt be convinced to say, …hat the grace of God is given according to …ur merits, when some thing of a good worke from men themselves shall goe before (as …hou affirmest) for which it shall obtaine grace.
Collator.
Neither yet doth any man injoy health when he would, …r is …e freed from the disease of his sicknesse at the desire of his will.
Prosper.
Thou teachest therefore that a man cannot indeed of himselfe lay hold on health bu… that he hath of himself the desire of health, an… of his own accord only, comes to the Phisitia… and th… this very thing, that he doth com… is not of the Physitian; As though the soul… it selfe did not languish; and she being sound… provided a remedy for her body: But th… whole man by her, and with her is fallen int… the depth of his misery, where till she receiv… the knowledge of her calamity by the Phys… …ian, she delights to lye alwayes loving her errours, and imbracing falsehood for truth whose first step to health is, that she begin t… displease her selfe, and to hate her old weaknesse, the next, that she desire to be healed, and know by whom she is to be healed; whic… things doe so go before her health, that by hi… are they planted in her, who is about to heal… her.
Collator.
These two, the Grace of God, and Free Will, se… indeed contrary the one to the other, but they both agree together; and that we ought to have an eye t… both alike, we gather by the law of piety, least withdrawing one of these from man; we may seem to hav… transgressed the rule of the Churches faith.
Prosper.
The Churches Rule is, the Apostle publishing it, No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the 1 Cor. 12.holy ghost.
The Churches Rule is, But what hast thou … thou hast not received? but if thou hast receive… 1 Cor. 4.it, why doest thou boast, as if thou hadst not received it?
The Churches Rule is, By the grace of God, I …, that I am, and his grace …as not in vaine in me, 1 Cor. 15▪… I laboured more th…n they all, yet not I, …ut the …e of God, which was with me. And I have ob…ed 1 Cor. 7. 25mercy of the Lord to be faithfull.
The Churches Rule is, That we have this trea…t 2 Cor. 4. 7.in earthen vessells, that the excellency of the power …y be of God and not of us.
The Churches Rule is, By grace yes are saved Ephes. 2.brough faith, and that not of your selves, it is the …ift of God, not of workes, least any man should …st.
The Churches Rule is, In nothing be yee terri…ed Phil. 1by your adversaries, which is to them a cause of …erdition, b…t to you of salvation, and that from God; …se to you it is giuen through Christ not onelyonly to …eleeve in him, but also to suffer for him.
The Churches Rule is, Work out your owne sal…tion Phil. 2.with feare and trembling, for it is God that …orketh in you to will and to doe according to his good …easure.
The Churches Rule is, Not that we are of our 2 Cor. 3.…elves sufficient, to thinke any thing, as of our selves, …t our sufficiency is of God.
This Rule God establisheth, saying, No man John 6.… come to me except it be given him of the father: And All that the father hath given me shall come unto …e; And Without me, yee can do nothing. And Yee Iohn 15. Luk. 10.…ave not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and no man …th known the father but the sonne, and be to whom …e sonne will reveale him. And As the father quick…s the dead, so the sonne quickens whom hee will. And blessed art thou Simon Barjonah, for flesh and …lood hath not revealed this to thee, but my father which Iohn 5. Mat. 16.… in heaven. By this rule the Will is taken from …o man, because the efficacy of grace workes not this in the wils of men, that they be not; b… that of evill, they be good; and that of unbe… leeving, they be beleeving; and they who we… of themselves darknesse, are made light in th… Lord; that which was dead, is quickened that which was downe, is raised; that whic… was lost, is found: This we beleeve, the gra… of our Saviour doth in all men whomsoev… who are delivered from the power of darknesse, … translated into the Kingdome of the Son of Gods lov… without the exception of any person.
Collator.
When God sees us will to turne towards good, … meets us, he directs us, he strengthens us.
Prosper.
Who sees not this Doctrine assignes meri… to free Will, by which grace is prevented, upo… which grace waites, as an hand-maid, rendrin… desert, not bestowing a gift, which doctr… was in a Synod of Bishops in Palestine by Pel… gius himselfe condemned with a curse; fo… in him who begins to will good, and desir… to▪ depart from iniquity, and errours, w… professe the grace of God workes this very… thing.
Collator.
We are not to beleeve that God created man such … one, as that he never could will, nor doe good, for t… would he not have permitted him a free will, if he … granted to him only to will, and to be able to doe evi… but neither to will, nor to be able to doe good.
Prosper.
That the first Man was created upright, without all sinne, in whom the nature of al… men was created together, there is no doub… and that hee received such a free will, that if he would not forsake the Lord assisting him, he might persevere in that good, which naturally he had received, because he would: and by the merit (heare the large sence againe of this word merit, for a good worke) of voluntary perseverance arrive at that blessednesse, that neither would he, neither could he fall into a worse condition, but by free will it selfe, by which, as long as he would, he continued good, he departed from the Law propounded to him, neither did he feare the punishment of death denounced against him, forsaking God, and following the Devil, rebellious against the Lord his Preserver, obsequious to the enemy his destroyer.
Hitherto we have had an excellent and clear passage, about mans uprightnesse by Creation, now followes the like for his corruption by the fall; Adam therefore was, and we all were in him; Adam perished, and al perished in him, The Son of man came to seek and save, that which was lost, Luke 19. for in that ruine of the Universall Transgression, neither the substance of mans nature, nor the will is taken away, but the light and ornament of vertues, of which by the deceit of the envious one, it is stript naked, but those things being lost by which he might have come to an eternall, and inamissible incorruption of soul and body, what remained to him, but only what belongs unto temporal life, which is wholly of Damnation and Punishment? wherefore it behooves that they, that are borne of Adam, be borne againe of Christ, lest any man be found in that Generation which is lost; the first Man lost faith, lost continence, lost love, is des…oyled of wisdome, and understanding, is voyd of counsell and strength, and by wickedly following after higher things, is cast downe from the knowledge of truth, and the piety of obedience, not so much as feare to himselfe remaining, that he might abstaine from things forbidden, at least through the feare of punishment.
Collator.
That he might shew the possibility of good to be in Man, reproving the Pharisees, he saith, Why doe yee not of your selves judge what is good? which verily …e would not have said, had he not knowne, that they were able by Naturall judgement to discerne what was right. This is one of Mr. Goodwins grand objections, as we have seen before, let us now see the answer.
Prosper.
Now he ascribes not only the willing of good, but the possibility too, to free will, as though therefore understanding was required of them, therefore Righteousnesse was demanded, because they can bring forth these things, from the endowments of Nature, not from the gifts of God; but these things are commanded man, that by the very command of God, whereby what he hath received is charged upon him, he may acknowledge that he hath lost it by his owne fault, and therefore that the requiry of it is not unequall, though he be unable to pay what he owes; but let him flye from the Letter-killing, to the Spirit-quickning, and that ability which before he found not in Nature, let him seeke from Grace, which if he doe, i… is the great mercy of the Lord, if he doe it not, it is a just punishment of sinne.
Collator.
It cannot be doubted, but there are in every soule naturally some seeds of vertues, planted there by the benefit of the Creator.
Prosper.
Then did Adam only transgresse, and in his sinne no man (beside) sinned, then are we conceived in no iniquities, neither did our Mothers bring us forth in any sins; we were not by nature the Children of wrath, neither were we under the power of darknesse, but vertues naturally remaining in us, we were rather the Children of peace and light. God is principally vertue, to whom it is no other thing to have vertue, then to be vertue; of him when we are partakers, Christ dwels in us, who is the vertue of God, and the wisdome of God, Faith, Hope, Love, Continence, Understanding, Counsell, Courage, and all other vertues dwell in us; but when we go… backe from this good, all things arise contrary to us, from us; for Beauty departing, what succeeds but deformity? Wisdome going away, what stayes behind but folly? where Righteousnesse reignes not, what beares rule but iniquity? The seeds therefore of vertue, which by the benefit of the Creator were planted in us, were by the transgression of our first Father over-turn'd, neither can they be had, but by his restoring who gave them; for the nature of man is reformable by the former thereof, and capable of those good endowments which it had, that by the Mediator betwixt God and men, the Man Christ Iesus, in that very thing which remaines to it, it may recover what it hath lost; but there remaines to it a rationall Minde, which is not vertue, but the dwelling-place of vertue; for by the participation of Wisdome, Justice, and Mercy, we are not Wisdome, not Justice, nor Mercy, but wise, and just, and mercifull, which good things, though our rationall (Soule) be possest of Vices, and we transgressing, the uncleane Spirit hath seiz'd the Temple of God, yet may they againe flow together into our rationall (Soul) by him who casts forth the Prince of this World, and binding the strong Man, takes away by force his vessels, and the spirit of this world being chased away, gives unto us that Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God; but he that hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Thus farre against any seeds of good in man by nature since the fall; then he shewes the ground of mistake in his Adversary, as followes; But I conceive he is deceived with the semblance of truth, and mistakes, through a shew of false vertues, whilst he thinkes that those good endowments, which cannot be had, but by the gift of God, are found even in the mindes of the wicked; therefore, to wit, because many of them are followers of righteousnesse, temperance, continence, and kindnesse, all which they have not in vaine, nor unprofitably, and much honour and glory doe they in this life obtaine by them; but because in those pursuances they serve not God, but the Devill, though they have a temporall reward of vaine glory, yet doe they not belong to the truth of those blessed vertues. And it is most manifest that in the mindes of the wicked no vertue dwels, but all their workes are uncleane, and polluted, they having not Spirituall, but Naturall, not Heavenly, but Earthly, not Christian, but Devillish wisdome; not from the Father of Lights, but from the Prince of Darknesse, whilst by those very things, which they could not have, but by the gift of God, they are brought into subjection to him who first departed from God; he therefore that saith, that the seeds of vertue are naturally in every soule without the worke of Grace, what doth he endeavour to shew, but from those seeds some twiggs of merit sprouting, going before the Grace of God?
These few gleanings I have made out of Prospers Dispute against the Collator, as pertinent to the Argument I have in hand, concerning the utter impotency of the Naturall man, to any thing that hath order to, and connexion with eternall life; as likewise concerning the preveniency, efficacy, and peculiarity of Grace; I shall shut up this Discourse with certaine determinations of the second Arausican Councell, which Councell was held about the middle of the fifth Century.
Canon 3.
If any man saith, That the Grace of God may be conferr'd by Humane invocation, but not that Grace it selfe makes that it be invoked by us; he contradicts the Prophet Isaiah, or the Apostle saying the same, I was found of those that sought me not; I appear'd openly to those, who asked not for me.
Can. 4.
If any man contends, That God expects our will that we may be cleans'd from sinne, but doth not confesse, that by the infusion and operation of the Holy Ghost it is brought to passe in us, that even we will be cleans'd, he resists the Holy Ghost, affirming by Salomon, that the Will is prepared by the Lord; and he resists the Apostle wholsomely preaching that, It is God that workes in us to will, and to doe, according to his good pleasure.
Can. 5.
If any man saith, that as the increase, so the beginning of faith, and the very affection of beleeving, by which we beleeve upon him, who justifies the ungodly, and come to the Regeneration of Baptisme, is not in us, by the gift of Grace; that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, correcting our will, from …nfidelity to faith, from ungodlinesse to godlinesse; but naturally he is an Adversary to the Apostles determinations, blessed Paul saying, We are confident that he that hath begun this good worke in you, will finish it, untill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ, and that, to you it is given for Christ, not only to beleeve, but to suffer for him; And, yee are saved through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God. For they that say, that faith whereby we beleeve on God is naturall, doe after a sort define all that are strangers to the Church of Christ, to be Beleevers.
Can. 6.
If any man saith, That Mercy from God is bestowed upon us, beleeving, willing, desiring, endeavouring, labouring, watching, caring, asking, seeking, knocking, without the Grace of God, but doth not confesse that it is wrought in us, by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that we may beleeve, will, or be able to doe all these things as we ought to doe, and doth subjoyne the ayde of Grace, either to humility, or mans obedience, and doth not agree that it is the gift of Grace it selfe, that we are obedient and humble; he resists the Apostle saying, What hast thou that thou hast not received? and by the grace of God I am that I am.
Can. 7.
If any man avouch, That by the strength of Nature we can thinke any good that belongs to the Salvation of eternall life, as we ought, or that we can chuse, or consent to the saving, that is, Evangelicall preaching without the illumination, and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, who gives unto all sweetnesse in consenting to, and beleeving the truth; he is deceived by an Hereticall spirit, not understanding that voyce of God in the Gospel, saying, Without me yee can doe nothing; and that of the Apostle, Not that we are sufficient of our selves, to thinke any thing, as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God.
Can. 8.
If any man contend, That some may come to the grace of Baptisme by Mercy, others by Free-will, which, as it is evident, is depraved in all that are borne of the transgression of the first Man; he is proved an Alien from the right faith; for he doth not affirme that the free will of all men is weakned by the sinne of the first Man, or certainly he thinkes it so hurt, as that yet some may be able to search out the Mystery of eternall life by themselves, without the revelation of God; which, how contrary it is, the Lord himselfe proves, who testifies, not that some men, but that no man can come unto him, but whom the Father drawes. As he saith likewise to Peter, Blessed art thou Simon, the son of Ionah, for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And the Apostle, No man can say, that Iesus Christ is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Can. 9.
It is of the gift of God, both when we thinke rightly, and keep our feet from falshood and unrighteousnesse, for as often as we doe good, God workes in us, and with us to work.
Can. 10.
The Divine ayde is alwayes to be implored, even by the regenerate, and the Saints, that they may come to a good end, or that they may abide in a good worke.
Can. 19.
The nature of man, though it should remaine in that integrity wherein it was Created, yet could it in no wise keep it selfe without the ayde of the Creator, whence since without the Grace of God it could not keep safe that health which it received, how without the Grace of God shall it restore what it hath lost?
Can. 20.
Many good things are done in man, which man doth not, but no good things doth man, which God doth not make man to doe.
Can. 22.
No man hath of his own, but a lye and sin, but if any man have truth and righteousnesse, of that fountaine it is, which we ought to thirst after in this wildernes, that being, as it were, bedewed with some drops from it, we may not …aint by the way.
To the same purpose with these, is the five and twentieth Canon, which because it is something long, and we have in these sufficient, I forbear to transeribe.