The Lightless Star, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Goodwin.
YEa, and evident it is from the Scriptures, that men act beneath themselves, are remisse, and slothfull in awaking those Principles of light and understanding, that are vested in their natures, or else willingly choake, suppresse, and smother them, if they remaine in the snare of unbeleefe; Pray for us, (saith Paul so the Thessalonians) that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evill men, for all men have not faith. By unreasonable (or as the word signifyeth absurd) and evill men, he plainly meaneth, not men who naturally, or in actu primo were unreasonable, such as those, were not like to endanger him, or to obstruct the course of the Gospel; but such as were unreasonable, Actu secundo (that is) persons who acted contrary to the light and principles of reason, and hereby became foreign, industriously evill, or wicked; that there were such persons as these abroad in the world, he gives this account, For all men have not faith; which clearly implyeth, that men who act, and quit themselves according to the true Principles of that reason, which God hath planted in them, cannot but beleeve, and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel. To this purpose that passage in Chrysostome is memorably worthy; As to beleeve (the Gospel) is the part of a raised, and nobly ingenuous soule; so (on the contrary) not to beleeve is the property of a soule most unreasonable, and unworthy, and depressed, (or bowed downe) so the so…ishnesse of bruit beasts.
Resbury.
Reader, here we must grapple close with him; observe in his owne words what here he saith about the understanding of the Naturall man, and his power to make use of it for repenting, and beleeving: now one of these two he must needs affirme, either that he may so use his naturall understanding, as thence, without any peculiar and higher worke of the Spirit of God, he may repent, and beleeve, or rather he must; or else upon such use of it, as he may make, he shall certainly receive such a worke of the Spirit upon his soule, as thence not only may, but must faith and repentance be produced: whether of these he affirmes, I charge it with 1. Evident falshood, 2. With Pelagianisme.
First, for the falshood of both these I shall use only foure Arguments to evince it.
I.
From the doctrine of Naturall corruption.
If we be not sufficient of our selves, as of our selves, to thinke a good thought; If there be none in the state of naturall corruption that understands, that seekes after God; If that that is borne of the flesh be flesh; If in this flesh there dwels no good thing; If the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, but they are foolishnesse unto him, neither can know them, because they are Spiritually discerned; If the flesh, and the lustings thereof be contrary to the Spirit, and the lustings thereof; If in the regenerate with the flesh, the Law of sinne is served in opposition to the minde, serving the Law of God; If vaine man though he would faine be wise, yet is borne like a wilde Asses Colt; If the naturall man be dead in trespasses and sins; If he be darknesse; If the minding of the flesh be enmity against God; If it be not subject to the Law of God, neither can be, so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God; then in neither of those sences is faith and repentance in the Naturall mans power.
But the Antecedent, or the former is true.
Therefore the Consequent, or the latter.
As for those frivolous exceptions, which you have against some of these particulars concerning naturall corruption, we shall blow them away when we come to them, for they are light chaffe.
II.
From the Doctrine of the Naturall mans subjection to Satan.
If Satan be the Prince of the world, the god of the world; If the course of the world in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, be according to the Prince of the power of the Aire, the spirit that workes effectually in the children of disobedience; If Satan, the strong man, have such possession of the Naturall man, as without the peculiar worke of the Holy Ghost, as the stronger, he cannot be dispossest.
Then is not repentance, and faith, in either of the two named sences in the power of the naturall man.
But the former is true.
Therefore the latter.
III.
From the subjection of the Naturall man to the Law, as the Covenant of Workes.
If in this estate of naturall corruption and subjection to the Devill therein, all Naturall men be under the Law, as the Covenant of Workes, and the Law only reveales sinne, and wrath, stirres up and increaseth finne, but gives no strength against it; When we were in the flesh, the motions of sinne, which were by the Law, did worke in our members, Rom. 7. 5. Sin tooke occasion by the Commandement, and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, ver. 11.
Then as formerly.
But the former is here true likewise.
Therefore the latter.
IV.
From the Doctrine of Regeneration.
If Regeneration be (as the word sounds) a New Birth, a birth of the Spirit, in opposition to the naturall Birth, as the birth of the Flesh; a birth not of bloud, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; a quickning of such as were dead in trespasses and sins; a resurrection from the dead, a new creation; If none can come unto Christ except drawne of the Father; If not of workes that we have done, but of his owne grace; If not of him that wils, nor of him that runs, but of God who sheweth mercy; If a calling out of darknesse; If translating from the power of darknesse, a taking away the heart of stone, and giving a… heart of flesh. Then as formerly.
But the former is true.
Therefore the latter.
Further consideration of the falshood of this Doctrine we shall have in that which followes, shewing the Pelagianisme of it.