The Lightless Star, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Goodwin.
1. THough the spirit of God contributes by his assistance after that high manner, which bath been declared, toward the right apprehending, understanding, discerning the things of God by men; yet this no wayes proveth, but that they are the Reasons and Understandings of men themselves, that must apprehend, discerne, and understand these things; and consequently, must be provoked, raised, ingaged, imployed, and improved by men, that they may thus apprehend, and discerne, notwithstanding all that assistance which is administred by the spirit: otherwise, nothing will be apprehended or discerned by them. Nor will the assistance of the spirit, we speake of, turn to any account of benefit, or comfort, but of losse, and condemcondemnation unto men, in case their Reasons … Understandings shall not advance, and quit themselve… according to their interest thereupon.
Resbury.
This may passe as impertinent. It is the Reason of man that must apprehend, &c. But it is Reason sanctified, that apprehends savingly, man must stirre up his owne soule, but it is by the worke of the sanctifying spirit, that so he doth effectually. These things have been proved abundantly already.
Goodwin.
3 In case the Spirit of God shall at any time reveale (I mean, offer, and propose) any of the things of God, or any spirituall Truth unto men; these must be apprehended, discerned, judged of; yea, and concluded to be the things of God, by the Reasons and Understandings of men; before they can, or ought to receive or beleeve them to be the things of God; Yea, before such a revelation can any wayes accommodate, benefit, and blesse their soule. When our Savi… speaking of that spirit to his Disciples, saith, And he will shew you things to come: And againe, he shal receive of mine, and shal shew them unto you (Joh. 16. 13, 14.) he supposeth that they (viz.) with their own Reasons and Understandings, were to apprehend and judge of the things that should be thus shewed unto them, to have been shewed unto them by the spirit of God, and not to have proceeded from any other Author. Yea, in case men shall receive the things of God themselves, for the things of God, or of the spirit of God, before their Reason and Understanding have upon rationall grounds, and principles judged them to be the things of God: yet can they not receive them upon these termes, as the things of God, I mean, as the tnings of God ought in duty, and by command from himselfe to be received by men; or so as to benefit, or i…ich the soule by their being received. For as God requires of men to be praised with understanding, (i. e.) out of a rationall apprehension, and due consideration of his infinite worth and excellency; so doth be require to be beleeved also, and they that beleeve him otherwise, beleeve they know not what, nor whom, and so are brethren in vanity, with those that worship they know not what, and build Altars to an unknowne God; to trust or beleeve in God upon such termes, as these, is, being interpreted, but as the devotion of a man to an Idol; yea, the Apostle himselfe arraignes the Athenians of that high Crime, and misdemeanour of Idolatry upon the account of their sacrificing to an unknown God.
Resbury.
This is of the same Spirit, Error, and impertinency with the last;
1 The Spirits revelation, he interprets his Proposall; This is just Pelagius his revelation, proposall by his word and doctrine.
2 The things by the Spirit proposed must be discerned the things of God, by our owne reasons, &c. Who doubts this? but (which he meanes not) by our owne reasons enlightened, by renewing and peculiar Grace; hee saith, They must be received upon rationall grounds, true reason being by Scripture enlightned.
Goodwin.
4 And lastly, The interposure and actings of reason and understanding in men, are of that soveraigne, and most transcendent use, yea, necessity, in and about matters of Religion, that all the agency of the Spirit, notwithstanding a man can performe … thing, no manner of service unto God with accep… nothing in a way of true edification to himselfe, with… their engagement and service. First, I stand charg… by God, not to beleeve every Spirit, but to try th… Spirits, whether they be of God; I demand, b… what rule or touch-stone shall I try any Spirit? wh… or upon what account shall I reject one, as a Spirit … errour, falshood, and delusion; and doe homage … my judgement and conscience to another, as the Spirit of God? If it be said, I ought to try the Spirits by the Scriptures, or Word of God; I demand againe, But how shall I try my touch-stone, or be sure that that Principle, notion, or ground, which I call th… Word of God, and by which I goe about to try the Spirits, is indeed the Word of God? There is scarce any errour that is abroad in the Christian world, but freely offers it selfe to be tryed by the Word of God, as well as the true Spirit of God himselfe; i. e. by such meanings, sences, or conclusions, as it selfe confidently asserts to be the Word of God; i. e. the minde of God in the Scriptures; so that I am in no capacity to try such a Spirit, which upon such an account, as this, pretends his coming forth from God, unlesse I be able to prove, that those sences, …eanings, and conclusions, by which be offers to be tryed, are not indeed the Word of God.
Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly, and only by the Scriptures themselves; because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proofe, or tryall in this case, this Spirit will reject my sence and interpretation, in case it maketh against him, and will substitute another, that shall not oppose him. Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case, at least as an untruth, unlesse I apprehend some relish or taste therein, which is irrationall, or some …on which j…rreth with, or grateth upon some … principle … other of reason within me; for as … …e one hand, what Doctrine or Notion soever clearly …cordeth, and is commensurable with any solid and … …ted Principle, or ground of reason within me, … …by demonstrably evinced to be a truth, and from God; so on the other hand, what Doctrine, or saying s…r beares hard, or falls foule upon any such Principle, must of necessity be an errour, and somewhat that proceeds from Satan, or from …n, and not from God.
Resbury.
1 The same things most impertinently stil over and over, an endlesse waster of words.
2 By what rule or touch-stone shall he…ry any Spirit, or Doctrine? he answers, If it be said by the Scripture, but how shall I try this touch-stone? I answer, By it selfe, as the rule, by reason, as the eye, enlightned and guided by this rule, according to the Grammar, and the Logick of it; He objects, That it is impossible to prove the truth, or disprove an errour meerly by the Scriptures, because still the question will be about the sence of the Scripture; I answer, By the Scripture alone, as the rule, by reason, as making use of this rule, but so, as in making use thereof it be guided by this rule, and resolves all conclusions into the authority of this rule, is the truth to be proved, or errours disproved, and the sence of whatsoever controverted text discussed, and cleared.
As for that which you adde about irrationall last, and grating upon reason, &c. for as much as you doe not object reason to the Word, but oppose it thereunto, and advance it there-above, and will have reason the touch-stone of the Word, beside and above the Word; you shew your selfe, as formerly, a most impure and prophane Socinian, by all good men to be abhor'd; and whilst you plead so much for reason, you are a man mad with reason, no way solving those difficulties, which you pretend upon supposition, that the Scripture shall be the touch-stone; for let us suppose reason the touch-stone, must you not be at the same losse, your adversary denying that to be according to the principles and grounds of reason, which you affirme to be according to them? But here is no such difficulty, as you pretend; for allowing the Scripture the Touch-stone, you shall by some Scripture-truthes, wherein both your selfe and adversary agree, cleare the controverted text, and resute his errours about it, that he must either yeeld to the truth therein, or deny what he affirmed, and overthrow his owne foundations.
Goodwin.
The reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words, For God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace; from whence it appeares, that God is not divided in himselfe, or contradictious to himselfe, so as to write or assert that in one Booke, as in that of the Scriptures, which he denieth or opposeth in another; as viz. That of Nature, or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man; but whatsoever he writeth, or speaketh in the one, he writeth or speaketh nothing in the other, but what is fairly, and fully consistent with it.
Resbury.
A doughty reason, God is not the Author of confusion; true, but man is, who hath so corrupted his reason, as he hath night for a vision, and gropes in the darke like a blinde man. It is one thing, what God wrote upon the nature of Man in his Creation, who made man upright; another thing, what man hath written upon his owne nature by the Fall, who hath found out to himselfe many inventions; what the Devill likewise hath written upon his minde, by deluding suggestions. You may remember formerly a peice of discourse much like this of yours, by your elder Brother the Collator, with whom Prosper hath to doe, confounding the state of Man by Creation, with his condition since the Fall; and Prospers answer to him. It is admirable to see, how the same spirit, that possest Pelagius, and his Disciples of old, speakes the same things, and useth the same Arguments in Mr. Goodwin, One borne out of due time, so many Ages after.
In the praise of five things did they craftily couch their sacrilegious Doctrine, at so great enmity with the Grace of God, as Aug. observes, Lib. 3. contra duas Epist. Pelagian. viz. In the praise of the Creature, of Marriage, of the Law, of Free-will, and of the Saints. How oft doe we heare Mr. Goodwin extolling man, and the noble faculties of reason, understanding, &c. in man? and here, from the Law of Nature, and from the Wisdome of God, hee thinkes to extoll the reason of blinde, corrupt, wretched, selfe-confounded man, against the Grace of God; I hinted to you before what a faire offer you made against Originall sinne, I beleeve your Doctrine about it is; That it is wholly taken off from man, by that glorious vouchsafement of light, you told us of, by Iesus Christ, to every one that comes into this world, but your darknesse about that light, and the darknesse of Man-kinde about things of the Spirit of God, that light notwithstanding we have lately seen.
As for the fleshly tables of the heart, we know no such, but in the regenerate, when the Lord shall have taken away the heart of stone, and given an heart of flesh, Ezek. 36. You may remember how Austin concludes hence, as formerly we alledged him, that the will of man is wholly adverse, and inflexible unto good, before the effectuall and peculiar worke of regeneration; and where then shall be that provoking, and stirring up of reason, understanding, &c. you tell us of so often, in the Naturall man? We told you before, how ill-pleasing it was to you, to hold fast the for me of found words; I doe not wonder at it, it is not for your advantage; I perceive if we might have a new Scripture see forth by your superlative reason, we should have the text much altered, for the Taberna…le of David, the Tabernacle of Adam, for the heart of stone, the fleshly tables of the heart:
Goodwin.
VponUpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Master Perkins, in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination; It is (saith he) also requisite, that this Doctrine (he speakes of Predestination, Election, and Reprobation) agree with the…of co…on reason, and of that knowledge of God, which may be obtained by the light of Nature; In … …ing of his …e …arly supposeth, That what… should be taught by any in the mysterious and high p…ts of Predistination, otherwise then according to the Scriptures, and the truth, may be clearly disproved by this, viz. The disagreement of it with the c…on grounds of reason, and of that knowledge of God, which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men: if himselfe had kept close to this Principle of his owne, in drawing up his judgement in the point of Predostination, the world had received a f…rre diff…ring, and better account from his …en of this subject, then now it hath; But if his sence were, That the heights, and depths of Religion, (for so we may call the Doctrines of Election, and Reprobation, &c.) … nothing in them but what agrees with the grounds and principles of common reason, and with the Di…ates of Nature in men, and consequently may be measured, discerned, and judged of by these, he did not conceive, that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of reason.
Resbury.
For Master Perkins his. Testimony, and your Descant upon it, you doe but wander, 1. He builds the doctrine of Predestination upon the Word of God, in opposition to the judgements of men, his words are these; The Doctrine of Predestination, and of the Grace of God, is to be built up out of the Word of God, and not out of the judgements of men. Then he addes out of Hilary, God cannot be knowne but by God, of God must we learne whatsoever we are to understand concerning him, because no otherwise is it knowne then by him as the Author. After this he adds further; It is requisite likewise, that this Doctrine agree with the naturall knowledge of God, and the Principles of common understanding, such as these, and then layes downe divers.
Now whereas you make a double inference hence; I Concerning the Doctrine of Predestination it selfe; 2 Concerning all other Doctrines not so high and mysterious, I will returne for answer to you, your owne Arminius's words to this Proposition of Mr. Perkins, viz. Against this I contend not, only let this be added, where we cannot agree about these (common notions) by reason of darknesse over-spreading our mindes, and the weakenesse and diversity of humane judgements, (which thou rejectest, saith he to Perkins) there let us have recourse to the first (the Word of God) for the definitive and peremptory suffrage, as that which is above all other.
You see here, 1. Arminius himself utterly turning his back of that Doctrine, which your inference pleads for; you will have the Doctrine of Predestination tried ultimately at the barre of Reason, he at the Scripture barre. 2 His reason for it; whereas we heare from you of nothing but light, shining from God upon the hearts of men, and the great capacity of that noble faculty of reason in man, so frequently boasted of; He acknowledgeth such darknesse over-spreading the mindes of men, as common notions, and mens judgement acaccording thereto, are not to be rested in, but from them to the Word of God must the appeale be made for finall determination.
Goodwin.
It was the saying of Augustine, That God hath bowed downe the Scriptures to the capacity of Babes, and Sucklings; Tertullian hath much upon this account to excellent purpose; in one place (speaking of the Soule being yet simple, rude, and unfurnished with any acquired knowledge, either from the Scripture, or other Institution) he demands why it should be strange, that being given by God it should speake out (or sing) the same things, the knowledge whereof God giveth to his Children; not long after he admonisheth the Gentiles, that neither God, nor Nature lye; and thereupon that they may beleeve both God, and Nature; wisheth them to beleeve their owne Soules; A little after he saith, that the Soule he speakes of, hath the words (and therefore the inward sences and impressions) of Christians, whom notwithstanding it wisheth that it might never beare, or see; Elsewhere having mentioned some expressions of affinity with the Scriptures, as oft coming out of the mouths of Heathen, he triumphs over them, as it were, with this acclamation; O the testimony of a soule naturally Christian! nor doth Calvin himselfe say any thing lesse then all this, when he saith; That God hath implanted (or inwardly put) the seed of Religion in the mindes of men, doubtlesse the seed sympathizeth richly with that body, which springs and growes from it: But these things by the way. All impressions, all principles of Light and Truth, which are found written in the hearts and consciences of men, are here written by the finger of God himselfe; therefore what Spirit, or Doctrine soever symbolizeth in notion, and import, with these or any of them, must of necessity be of the same parentage and descent with them, there being no originall parent or father of light, and truth, but God onelyonly. And on the contrary, what doctrine or spirit soever, putteth any of these principles to sorrow or shame, and doth not lovingly comport with them, hereby declare themselves to be of a spurious and ignoble race: As Christ reasoned with the Jewes, If God were your Father, yee would love me, For I proceed forth, and come from God, but because they bated him, he concluded them to be the children of the devill.
Resbury.
As for your testimonies out of Austin, Tertullian, and Calvin, you do but make use of your old fallacy, from the part to the whole; the Scripture is in some things bowed down to the capacity of babes; is it in all things so? all milke, no strong meat? Did Austin thinke the Reason of man, competent to search out, and give a reason of all Scripture truths? this by name, about Predestination, and the execution thereof? let us heare himselfe upon this Argument, De verbis Apostol. Serm. 11. The Potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessell to honour, another to dishonour: wilt thou dispute with me? nay, wonder with me; cry out with me, O the depth of the riches, let us both agree in feare, that we perish not in error; Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out! Search things unsearchable, doe things impossible, corrupt things incorruptible, see things invisible, his judgements are unsearchable, let it suffice thee, and his waies past finding out. So … Teri…ians testimonies, the soule hath the …owledge of some things, impressions of some …hings belonging to Christians; but you may … soon get oyle out of a flint, as out of these testimonies wring your Conclusion: That all Divine Truths may be knowne by the naturall man, by reason of their agreement with the dictates of the naturall understanding, as it is now in the state of mankind, since the fall. For Calvi… his seed of religion, you would faine discourse into fruit, but your Discourse is neither the shining of the Sun, nor rain from heaven upon it.
1 The seeds of some truths are writ upon the heart of man, as knowledge, but these of the Law, not of the Gospell;—the Wisdome of God hid in a mystery, &c. flesh and blood hath not revealed, &c. No man can say Iesus is the Lord, but by the spirit: the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, neither can doe, &c. What man knowes the things of man? &c.—the spirit of God, not of the World, &c. The Naturall man darknesse, through corruption, by Satan further darkened.
2 The knowledge he hath by nature of those things of the law is very obscure, evanid, and clouded with many errors, and those invincible otherwise, then as by the discovery of the word diligently consulted.
3 The highest knowledge the Naturall man can attaine to, with whatsoever helpe of the Word of God (without the renewing and peculiar worke of the spirit, vouchsafed onelyonly to the Saints, whereby they become such) is but historicall, not intuitive, of logicall apprehension, not of spirituall vision, and therefore such a knowledge, as is a great stranger to faith and repentance.
4 All saving fruit of this knowledge is utterly prevented, and the tendency of it to eternal life stifled, choaked, and perverted in every natural or unregenerate soule; and therefore how richly soever the seed sympathizeth with the body which springs from it, yet no such body shal spring from those seeds in the soyl of an unregenerate soul, partly through darknes, & error, and partly through pravity and perversnes; therefore your conclusion here is most impertinent, wherein you so insist upon the goodnesse of these seeds in their owne Nature, and in reference to their Author, God, as you over-look the badnesse of man, the subject of them through the corruption of his Nature, so full of darknesse, falsehood, and enmity against the truth of God, as thence these seeds must needs rot under the clods, except the soyle be supernaturally changed.