The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Treatise · Type of argument 4 · Section 4
DISCOURSE. SECT. IV.
BUt there are two things chiefly, which are ſaid for the vindicating of this opinion from this crimination.
1. Firſt, that many of them which believe and defend this opinion, are Godly and holy men, and therefore it doth not of it ſelfe open a way to liberty; but through the wickedneſſe of men, who pervert the ſweeteſt, and the ſureſt truths revealed in Gods word, to their own damnation.
Reſp. It cannot (I confeſſe) be denyed, that many of this opinion are Godly men, but it is no thankes to their opinion, that they are ſo; (the true and naturall genius of which is to breed ſloth, to drowne men in carnall ſecurity, and to countenance carnall liberty.) but to ſome thing elſe, either to Gods providence, (who will not ſuffer this doctrine for his own glory and the good of men, to have any great ſtroake in their lives;) or to mens incogitancy, who think not of reducing it ad praxim, or drawing concluſions out of it, but reſt in the naked ſpeculation of it, as they doe of many others; or laſtly to ſome good practicall concluſions, which they meet with in the word of God, and apply to their lives (as they doe not the former deductions) ſuch as theſe are for example; Be ye holy as I an holy. Without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God. If ye conſent and obey, ye ſhall eat the good things of the land. Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life and of the life to come, and ſuch like. And hence we may learne to meaſure this opinion, not by ſome few of the men that hold it, but by the ſequels, which the Logick even of ſimple men, if they ſhould apply their braines to ponder and conſider it, would fetch out of it. No man that hath thoroughly ſuckt it in, and underſtood the force of it, but will either relinquiſh it, or live according to the naturall importment of it, that is, licentiouſly.
2. Secondly, it is ſaid, that albeit this Doctrine doth teach, that men are abſolutely elected, or abſolutely rejected; yet it tells no man who in particular is elected, who rejected, (that muſt appeare by themſelves and their lives) and ſo it doth not ſtifle holy endeavours in any, but rather encourage them in every man, becauſe it makes them to be ſignes, whereby men muſt and may get the knowledge of their election.
Reſp. For anſwer to this (in my judgement or the preſent) the ignorance of a mans particular caſe doth not alter the caſe a jot. For he that believes in generall, that many and they the greateſt company without compariſon, are inevitably ordained to deſtruction, and a few others unto ſalvation; is able out of theſe two generall propoſitions, to make theſe particular concluſions, and to reaſon thus with himſelfe; Either I am abſolutely choſen to grace and glory, or abſolutely caſt off from both, If I be choſen, I muſt of neceſſity believe and be ſaved; If I be caſt off I muſt as neceſſarily not believe and be damned, Therefore what need I take thought either way about meanes or end? My end is pitched in Heaven, and the meanes too; my finall perſeverance in faith and my ſalvation; or my continuance in unbeliefe and my damnation. If I lye under this neceſſity of believing, and being ſaved, or of dying in unbeliefe, and being damned, in vaine doe I trouble my ſelfe about meanes or end, I have my ſuperſedeas, I may take mine eaſe, and ſo I will, it is enough for me to ſit downe and waite what God will doe unto me.
And in this manner (it is to be feared) doe too many reaſon in their hearts, and by this very ground (though they will not perhaps acknowledge it) encourage themſelves to prophaneneſſe. Though men cannot hide their wickedneſſe, yet they will hide their grounds which fleſh them in it, either through modeſty, or to avoyde ſome farther ignominy. The foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God: Pſal. 40. Suetonius de Vita Tiberii c. 69. p. 180. Saies of Tiberius that he was circa Deos & religiones negligentior, quippe addictus Mathematicae, perſuaſionibus plenus omnia fato agi.
TWISSE. Conſideration.
I have already made anſwer to his objections after my maner; it remaines I conſider what he delivereth in debilitating thoſe anſwers which he takes in to conſideration.
1. This anſwer was made by our Brittaine Divines in the Synod of Dort upon the firſt Article, but ſo, as that they propoſed it not by it ſelfe alone, but joyntly with ſhewing that neither the Nature of our Doctrine doth any way prove any hinderance unto pietie; as formerly I have made mention therof.
Whereas he ſayth that many of this (our) opinion are Godly men but that is no thankes to their opinion that they are ſo. I anſwer, that neither doe we give the glory of our Godlineſſe to our good opinion, nor have cauſe to thanke it therefore; but we give God the Glory both of leading us into this truth amongſt many others, and for that Godlineſſe that is in us alſo. For we acknowledge that God is able to convict our conſciences of that trueth hereof, and yet refuſe to lead us thereby into any Holineſſe at all. Yet let every ſober man judge who are in a fairer way to true Holineſſe, or who are more likely to be in the ſtate of true Holineſſe, they that oppoſe the grace of God in working our wills to faith and repentance, or they that acknowledge it. They who maintaine that God of the meere pleaſure of his will, regenerates us, endueth us with the ſpirit of faith and repentance; or they who maintaine that God doth not give faith and repentance to whom he will. Neither is it the meaning of St Paul where he ſayeth God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth; but rather where he findes an abſolute diſpoſition or worke in one, which he finds not in an other. Againe conſider I pray indifferently, who are more likely to be partakers of Gods grace; they who truly magnifie it as the Author of their faith and repentance and of every good worke performed by them, and that in a preventing manner; or they that pretend to make Gods grace to be the Author of their faith and repentance and every good worke only by giving them power to believe, if they will (which we are able to prove both by the judgment of Auſtin and by cleare reaſon to be meere nature and not grace) and accordingly exhorting them to believe, and laſt of all concurring with them to the producing of the act of faith in them in caſe they will; And ſeeing grace proves effectuall only by this ſubſequent manner of operation; whether they doe not plainely mocke God in making him the Author of grace, ſeing in reſpect of this effectuall operation they might as well make him the Author of every ſinfull act as of every gratious act, For it is agreed on all hands that God concurres as well to every ſinfull act as any gratious act. Whereas he ſayth, The true and naturall genius of our Tenet is to breed ſloth, and to drowne men in carnall ſecurity, and to countenance carnall libertie. I anſwer theſe words of his are but wind, his reaſons I have already conſidered, and proved them to be of no weight. For they depend partly upon a vaine ſuppoſition, as if we maintained that God hath oppointed men unto Salvation though they live as they liſt, whereas our doctrine is directly contradictious here unto. For we teach that God ordaines no man of ripe yeares to obtaine Salvation but by Sanctification of the ſpirit and faith of the truth as we are plainly taught 2 Theſs. 2. 13. And the Evangeliſt ſignifies as much, where he ſaieth. As many believed as were ordained to Everlaſting Life. Act. 13. 48. It may be as well ſaid that as many repented, as many gave themſelves to worke out their Salvation with feare and trembling to purge themſelues from all pollutions of fleſh and ſpirit, and to perfect Holineſſe in the feare of God, as were ordained to Salvation: partly becauſe we maintaine that God gives faith and repentance and regeneration to whom he will, that is only to thoſe whom he hath choſen, denying the ſame grace and that abſolutely; unto all others, which if it be not true; but that God doth grant it, or ordaine it according to mens workes, then we muſt all turne Pelagians, whom Auſtin calls inimicos gratiae Dei; And in ſuch a caſe judge I pray whether it be poſſible that ſuch can be partakers of Gods grace, namely, if they are the enemies of Gods grace. Is it poſſible that he who partakes of Gods ſanctifying grace ſhould ſtand out in hoſtile oppoſition againſt it? Can we be at once both friends of the Bridegroom and enimies of his grace? Further conſider more particularly wherein doth this conſiſt, which he imputes unto us, of drowning men in carnall ſecuritie, is it in denying unto man any grace that he attributes unto him? Surely well we may deny unto every Reprobate ſuch a grace as he himſelfe hates, and impugnes to wit, grace effectually preventing the will, and making man to believe and repent, but if you ſcanne every particular of thoſe which he calleth grace, you ſhall find that we deny not any one of them unto Reprobates more then he doth. This perhaps may ſeeme ſtrange unto you; therefore it deſerves the more carefully to be conſidered; for I doubt not but to make it good. Grace ſubſequent is the only effectuall grace with them, and that conſiſts in Gods concurrence to the working of faith in the heart of man, if man will worke it in him ſelfe. Now dare they ſay we deny, this namely, Gods concourſe to the act of faith, whereas we maintaine with them that God concurres to every act, even to the moſt ſinfull act, that ever was committed ſince the world began; only we are a ſhamed to call this concurrence grace, becauſe it is found to have courſe as well in the producing of evill actions, as in the producing of good. So that if every man in the world ſhould believe, we deny not but that God ſhould concurre with him to the working of that belief, we profeſſe that if every Reprobate in the world will believe, God is ready to concurre with him to the act of that will of that belief. From the conſideration of their grace ſubſequent I ariſe to the conſideration of their grace prevenient, and that is two fold, one is the grace exciting, to wit, by morall admonition, ſuaſion, exhortation, This act we are willing to call and account a gratious act, & we doe as willingly acknowledge that God affords it unto all Reprobates (as well as to the elect) within the pale of the Church. For every one that appeares in any Congregation is equally exhorted to believe, to repent, to turne from their wicked wayes. So that hitherto we find no difference. We willingly acknowledge that Reprobates are partakers of theſe operations divine as well as the elect. One grace prevenient remaines, which is habituall, and which our adverſaries will have to be univerſall and it conſiſtes in a power to believe and repent, and to will any ſpirituall good whereunto they were excited, and accordingly they call it the enlivening of mans will. This I deliver by experience of what I have ſeen under the hands of ſome of them. Yet they will not acknowledge that all are regenerate; yet what is regeneration, but the infuſion of life ſpirituall, and that chiefly into the will; And they will have the will to be enlivened by grace, which cannot be ſpoken in reſpect of life naturall, therefore it muſt proceed of life ſpirituall, unleſſe they will deviſe a life intermediate between life naturall, and life ſpirituall. Some times they call it a power to believe if they will, and ſuch a power Auſtin acknowledgeth common to all, lib. 1. Gen. ad liter: cap 3. And juſtifies it in his Retract. lib. 16. Now this ſeemes ſomewhat ſtrange, conſidering the very regenerate have not ſuch ſtrength of goodneſſe, as whereby they are inabled to doe what good they would, as Rom. 7. 18. To will is preſent with me but I find, not to performe that which is good. And Gal: 5. 17. The fleſh lusteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary one to the other, ſo that ye cannot doe the ſame things that ye would. To helpe this and to cleare Auſtin from contradiction to expreſſe Scripture in this; I find that poſſe ſi velit is one thing, poſſe ſimply delivered is another thing. And this I find diſtinguiſhed in that very place of Auſtines Retractations; For whereas as he had ſayd in that lib. 1. de Gen. contr. Man. cap 3. That, Omnes homines poſſunt ſi velint, both credere, and ab amore viſibilium rerum & temporalium ſe ad Dei praecerta implenda convertere. And comming to retract this, and perceiving what advantage the Pelagians might ſ…atch hence for the countenancing of their cauſe, in extolling the power of nature, he wiſely prevents that by expounding himſelfe, and clearing his owne meaning thus. Non exiſtiment novi haeretici Pelagiani ſecundum eos eſſe dictum; manifeſting thereby that this was the Pelagian Tenet yet were they not to be blamed for this, but only becauſe they called not in Gods grace for further helpe then this, ſave only in the way of inſtruction. For Auſtin concurred with them ſtill in this particular even then when he wrote his books of Retractations, as there it followes in theſe words Verum eſt enim omnino (marke by this Emphaſis with what aſſurance of faith he delivered this) Omnes homines hoc poſſe ſi velint: Thus farre he goes along with them: but then marke wherin he goes beyond them in theſe words following; Sed praeparatur voluntas a Domino & tantum augetur munere charitatis ut poſſint; When he ſayeth, praeparatur voluntas a Domino, the effect thereof undoubtedly is ut velint which is the ſtate and condition of the regenerate, who yet may complaine that they cannot doe that which they would as the Apoſtle formerly ſignifies, that is that ſimply and effectually they have not yet power enough to what they will; therefore Auſtin addes to the preparation of the will, ut velint, an augmentation of ſtrength ut poſſint, ſaying tantum que augetur munere charitatis ut poſſint; that is; not only to will that which is good, but ſo intenſely to will it, as to prevaile over the fleſh luſting againſt the ſpirit, whereby it comes, ut non modo velint, ſed & poſſint; and conſequently & efficiant quod velint. So that poſſe ſimpliciter doth include velle; and addes ſuch ſtrength thereto as now to goe on to the doing of that it wills without reſtraint from the fleſh. And that this poſſe is but an augmentation of the gratious diſpoſition of the will, appeares by the ſame Austin de corrept. & gratia. cap. 11. Prima gratia est qua ſit ut habeat homo juſtitiam ſi velit, ſecunda ergo plus poteſt, qua etiam ſit ut velit, & tantum velit tanto que ardore diligat, ut carnis voluntatem contraria concupiſcentem voluntate ſpiritus vincat. The firſt grace is that whereby a man may have righteouſneſſe if he will, therfore the ſecond grace is of more power, as whereby a man is made to will and that in ſuch meaſure, as by the will of the ſpirit to overcome the will of the fleſh affecting that which is contrary thereunto. And in the very next chapter, c. 12. He calles this prevailing will, Poſſe ſimply, Tantum ſpiritu ſancto accenditur voluntas eorum, ut ideo poſſint, quia ſic velint, & ideo velint, quia Deus ſic operatur ut velint; Their will is in ſuch meaſure inflamed with the Holy Spirit, that therefore they are able (to doe that which is good) becauſe they will in ſuch a meaſure, & therefore they will in ſuch a meaſure becauſe God ſo works as to make them willing in ſuch meaſure: Auſtin goes on in this manner Nam ſi in tanta infirmitate vitae hujus ipſis relinqueretur voiuntas ſua, ut in adjutorio Dei manerent ſi vellent, nec Deus in iis operaretur ut vellent inter tot & tantas tentationes infirmitate ſua voluntas ipſa ſuccumberet, & ideo perſeverare non poſſent, quia deficientes infirmitate nec vellent, aut non ita vellent infirmitate voluntatis ut poſſent. For if in ſo great infirmitie of this life, their will were left unto thē, that in the helpe of God they might continue if they would, & God ſhould not work in them that they would, amongſt ſo many and ſo great tentations, this will it ſelfe would ſinke (under the burthen of them) and therefore could not perſevere, becauſe failing through infirmity they would not, or (at leaſt) they would not in ſuch a meaſure, through the wills infirmity, as to be able to ſtand. So that poſſe ſimpliciter ſtill with Auſtin includes the will, and is a denomination of the will, ariſing from the ſtrength of it prevailing above the fleſh, luſting to the contrary. In like ſort Honorius Auguſtodunenſis de praedeſt. & lib. arbit: diverſe times aſcribes poſse to grace ſubſequent, like as he aſcribes velle to grace prevenient, as when he ſayth; Deus operatur in electis ſuis ſua gratia praeveniendo velle, & ſubſeqendo poſſe. And againe, gratiam accipimus, cum nos Deus praevenit, ut velimus, & ſubſequitus ut poſſimus. And againe Gratia Dei praevenit ut bonum quod ſprevit cupiat, & ſequitur ut illud implere praevaleat. So that in effect this poſſe comes to be all one with agere or perficere quod volumus. For when we not only will that which is good, but ſo affectionately will it, as to prevaile over the fleſh luſting againſt it, all inward impediments being thus maſtered, the perfecting of that we will muſt needes follow. But as for that poſſe ſi velint, this goes before the willing of it And I ſee no reaſon to the contrary but that we may with Auſtin acknowledge ſuch a power common to all; which in the diſputations between Auſtin and Pelagius was called poſſibilitas agendi quod bonum est; and Auſtin was ſo farre from excepting againſt it as maintained by Pelagius, that more then once; he profeſſeth, that in caſe like as he acknowledged poſſe to be from God, ſo he would acknowledge velle and agere to be from God he ſhould be received for a good Catholique in this, by Auſtins judgment. I will cite a paſſage or two out of Auſtin expreſly ſignifying this, & that out of his booke de gratia Chriſti, contra Pelag: & Caeleſt: The firſt is cap 6. Pelagius his words are theſe. Qui ipſius voluntatis & operis poſſibilitatem dedit whereupon Austin writeth thus Hanc autem poſſibilitatem in natura eum ponere, de verbis ejus ſuperioribus clarum eſt. Sed ne nihil de grati a dixiſſe videretur, adjunxit, Qui que ipſam poſſibilitatem gratiae ſuae adjuvat ſemper auxilio; non ait, ipſam voluntatem vel ipſam operationem, quod ſi diceret, non abhorrere a doctrina Apoſtolica videretur: as much as to ſay, did he acknowledge this he ſhould be a good Catholique; Now ad juvare voluntatem & operationem, in Auſtins phraſe is effectually, operari ut velit & operetur homo quod bonum eſt; as appeares by that which followeth. Sed ait (to wit Pelagius) ipſam poſſibilitatem illud videlicet ex tribus quod in natura locavit gratiae ſuae adjuvat ſemper auxilio. Now marke Auſtins interpretation of him thus, ut ſcilicet in voluntate & actione non ideo laus ſit Dei & hominis quia ſic vult homo, ut tamen ejus voluntati Deus ardorem dilectionis inſpiret; ſo that adjuvare voluntatem in Auſtins phraſe, is inſpirare voluntati dilectationis ardorem. So then I ſee no reaſon, but that wee may well grant unto our adverſaries, that all men have a power to believe if they will, and from the love of temporall things, to convert themſelves to the keeping of Gods commandements; But this is meere nature in Austins judgement; for he calls it in that very chapter, naturalem poſſibilitatem, and cap. 47. coming to an iſſue: Si ergo conſenſerit nobis, non ſolam poſſibilitatem, ſed ipſam quoque voluntatem & actionem divinitus adjuvari, & ſic adjuvari, ut ſine ullo adjutorio nihil bene velimus & agamus, eam que eſſe gratiam Dei per Jeſum Chriſtum, nihil de adjutorio gratiae Dei, quantum arbitror, inter nos controverſiae relinquetur. And indeed to ſay that a man hath power to believe and repent if he will; this is not to maintaine any univerſall grace otherwiſe; then as nature may be called grace. For grace is goodneſſe, but goodneſſe doth not conſiſt in a power to do good if we will; but it is an habituall diſpoſing of the will to that which is good only, how much more is it ſo of grace which we count ſupernaturall goodneſſe. Neither is the maintenance of ſuch a power to doe good, any contradiction to holy Scripture, teſtifying that Men cannot believe, cannot repent, cannot pleaſe God, cannot be ſubject to the law of God, cannot doe good; For, this impotency is only morall, and the ſubject of this impotency is only the will and it conſiſts in the corruption thereof, being wholly turned away from God, and converted to the creature in an inordinate manner; Enemies and ſtrangers from God, their minds being ſet on evill things. Col. 1. 21. And to ſay that a man can believe if he will, can from the love of viſible and temporall things, convert himſelfe to the obſervation of Gods precepts if he will, which Auſtin in his latter daies, even then when he wrote his Retractations, profeſſeth to be true omninò. And in his Book ad Marcellinum De Spiritu & litera. cap. 31. Profeſſeth it an abſurd thing to deny this namely, that every one may believe if he will. Vide nunc utrum quiſ que credat ſi noluerit aut non credat ſi voluerit. Quod ſi abſurdum est &c. And cap. 32. Cum ergo fides in potestate ſit, quoniam cum vult quiſ que credit, & cum credit volens credit. I ſay to affirme this (namely that a man can believe if he will) is no more then to ſay, that a dead man can ſpeake if he were alive. For as the Scripture teacheth, that all men are dead in ſinne, 'till the ſpirit of regeneration comes to breath into our hearts, the breath of a ſpirituall life; So this deadneſſe is to be found no where ſo much, as in the will. And therefore Aquinas profeſſeth, that a man is more corrupt, quoad appetitum boni, then quoad intellectum veri. The Heathen could profeſſe, Video meliora probo que deteriora ſequor. And in my experience I find that Arminians doe not ſatisfie themſelves with this univerſality of grace, as to ſay, A man can doe good if he will, unleſſe they adde, that alſo poteſt velle; as I have obſerved in Corvinus. And thoſe whom I have in private been acquainted with doe not reſt in this, that All men can believe if they will, but they ſay alſo, that by univerſall grace, the will is enlivened, as I have ſeen under their hands, and thereby enabled to the willing of any ſpirituall good, whereto they ſhall be excited. So that if they reſted here, to wit, in ſaying, that by univerſall grace all men may believe if they will, there is no grace acknowledged by them, tending to the furtherance of the good of mankind, but we acknowledge it as well as they, and make the extenſion of it as large as they. And therefore the more vaine and voyd of all reaſon is their pretence, that we for want of acknowledging ſuch an univerſality of grace as they doe, doe drowne men in carnall ſecurity, and countenance carnall liberty. Only though we grant the reality of that which they maintaine, yet we deny that it deſerves to be called grace, as touching the firſt prevenient grace as they call it, which we with Auſtin ſay deſerves to be called nature rather then grace, as we ſpeake of grace, to wit, as diſtinct from nature, and indeed ſupernaturall. And as for grace ſubſequent, that conſiſting only in concourſe, we deny that to be grace; for as much as Gods concourſe is granted as well to any ſinfull act, as to any gracious act, as now adaies is commonly acknowledged on all ſides. But as for the enlivening of all mens wills, and enabling them to will any ſpirituall good whereto they ſhall be excited (for this is their very forme of words) we utterly deny this, and are ready to demonſtrate the unreaſonableneſſe thereof. For firſt ſeeing this cannot be underſtood of life naturall but of life ſpirituall, it followeth that all men by this doctrine are regenerated; and as they confeſſe this diſpoſition continues in all unto death, ſo it followeth, that all and every one ſhould dye in the ſtate of regeneration alſo: Secondly, ſeeing there are but three ſorts of qualities in the ſoule of a reaſonable creature, as Ariſtotle hath obſerved, to wit, powers, paſſions, and habits; it followeth that this enlivening of the will muſt conſiſt, either in giving it new powers, or new paſſions, or new habits, which it had not before. But neither of theſe can be affirmed with any ſobriety, neither doe I find that they look to be called to any ſuch account, but in their aëriall contemplations of Gods attributes, eſpecially of his mercy and juſtice, ſhaped at pleaſure, doe conceive hand over head, that ſuch an enlivening there muſt be of the will of man in all, without troubling themſelves to enquire wherein it conſiſts. But let us proceed in our triall of the ſoundneſſe of it, by the touch-ſtone of rationall and Chriſtian diſcourſe. Firſt therefore, I ſay it can be no new power infuſed into the will by this enlivening; For the will it ſelfe is a power; and it was never heard that potentia can be ſubjectum potentiae, a power can be the ſubject of a power; and that a power ſhould be in a power, as an accident in the ſubject thereof. Rationall powers are but two, the power of underſtanding, and the power of willing, and both theſe are naturall, following ex principiis ſpeciei, from the very nature of the humane ſoule, as all confeſſe. But ſome may ſay, are there not ſupernaturall powers beſtowed on man as well as naturall? I anſwer, theſe ſupernaturall powers, are but the elevating of the naturall powers unto ſupernaturall objects; as the underſtanding by enlightning it, and the will by ſanctifying it. Never was it ſaid, I preſume, that a man regenerate had two underſtandings in him, by the one to underſtand things naturall, and by the other to underſtand things ſpirituall; but that by the ſame underſtanding he underſtands both, but by light of nature the one, by light of grace the other. The holy Ghoſt ſaith, That they who are accuſtomed to doe evill, can no more doe good, then a Blackemore can change his skinne, and a Leopard his ſpots: Yet when men of evill become good, they get not new powers properly, but new diſpoſitions rather of their naturall powers, which we call habits, and may be called morall powers, but not of indifferency to doe good or evill, ſuch as the naturall power of the will is, but ſuch as whereby is wrought in the will, a good likeing of that which is good, an abhorring of that which is evill; ſo that indeed theſe morall powers doe not make the will able to will, but rather actually willing of that which is good in generall, which generall willingneſſe is ſpecified according to objects preſent, and opportunities offered of doing good in one kind rather then another. Like as juſtice makes a man willing unto juſt actions, which willingneſſe is exerciſed this way or that way, according to emergent occaſions. Secondly, no new paſſions are given by this enlivening of the will; well our paſſions may be ordered aright, both touching their objects, and touching the ſeaſon, and touching the meaſure, & touching the rule of them; and in reſpect of this gracious ordering of them, they may be called new; like as a man regenerate is called a new man, though as he hath the ſame members of his body, nor more nor leſſe, ſo he hath ſtill the ſame faculties and paſſions of the ſoule, no more nor no leſſe; but theſe faculties are better ſeaſoned, theſe paſſions are better ordered, and in like ſort, theſe members of the body, are better employed then they were before; before they were made weapons of unrighteouſneſſe unto ſinne, now they are made, weapons of righteouſneſſe unto God. Rom. 6. 13. Thirdly, let us enquire whether by this pretended enlivening of the will common to all men, there are any new habits engendred. For that is the moſt probable. And ſo we commonly ſay that in regeneration, beſides the receiving of the ſpirit of God to dwell in our hearts, which is a great miſtery, there are certaine habits whereby our naturall powers are elevated unto ſupernaturall objects, and thereby fitted to performe ſupernaturall acts; and theſe are but three, (and accordingly but three ſorts of ſupernatuall acts) and commonly accounted the three Theologicall vertues, Faith, Hope, and Charity; And all morall vertues, which for the ſubſtance of them, in reference to their acts whereby they are acquired, and which they doe bring forth, are found in naturall men, doe become Chriſtian graces, as they are ſanctified by theſe three, and as their actions doe proceed from theſe. By faith we apprehend things beyond the compaſſe of reaſon, by hope we wait for the enjoying of ſuch things, which neither eye hath ſeen, &c. And by charity, we love God (whom yet we have not ſeene) even to the contempt of our ſelves. Now I preſume they will not ſay that theſe habits of Faith, Hope, and Charity, are beſtowed upon all and every one, by that fained univerſall grace of theirs. And what other habits they doe or can deviſe, I have had as yet no experience, neither am I able to comprehend. And indeed faith doth not leave a man in indifferency to believe or no; nor hope to wait, or no; nor charity to love God, or no: but they doe all diſpoſe the heart of man to believe only, to wait upon God only, to love God only; they being the curing of infidelity, and deſpaire, & hatred of God, or rather the removing of them, yet but in part, as regeneration in this life is but in part, there being ſtill a fleſh in us luſting againſt the ſpirit. Gal. 5. 17. Thus we may maintaine, that albeit every man hath power to believe if he will, and repent if he will, a will to believe and a will to repent being the greateſt worke in the work of grace, I meane the renovation of the will, and making it willing to that which is good, though it requires ſtrength alſo to maſter the luſting of the fleſh, whereby it growes ſimply and abſolutely potent to doe every good thing, without any effectuall impediment from within, yet nevertheleſſe, till this renovation be wrought by the hand of God, we may well ſay there is an utter impotency morall to doe any thing that is good and pleaſing in the ſight of God, whereby they cannot believe, they cannot repent, they cannot be ſubject to the law of God, And if to Preach this doctrine be to breed ſloth, to drowne men in carnall ſecurity, and to countenance carnall liberty; then our Saviour did breed ſloth &c. when he told his hearers plainly, He that is of God heareth Gods words, ye therefore heare them not, becauſe ye are not of God, Ioh. 8. 47. As likewiſe when he Preached unto them in this maner. No man can come to me, except the Father which ſent me draw him. Ioh. 6. 44. And the Evangeliſt alſo in ſaying, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand with their hearts, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heale them. Ioh. 12. 40. And none more then Moſes, when he tells the people of Iſrael in the Wilderneſſe, ſaying, Ye have ſeen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, unto Pharaoh and unto all his ſervants, and to all his land. The great temptations which thine eyes have ſeen, thoſe great miracles and wonders, yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to heare unto this day. Yet this Author confeſſeth that our Saviours hearers, and Moſes his hearers, many of them might be Godly men; but no thankes to this doctrine of theirs that they were ſo (the true and naturall genius whereof (to wit, of Chriſts doctrine and Moſes his doctrine, for it is apparent, that it is the ſame with ours in this particular we now ſpeake of) is to breed ſloth, to drowne men in carnall ſecurity, and to countenance carnall liberty) but to ſome thing elſe, either to Gods providence who will not ſuffer this Doctrine (for his own glory and the good of men) to have any great ſtroake in their lives; or to mens incogitancy, who think not of reducing it, ad praxim, or drawing concluſions out of it, but reſt in the naked ſpeculation of it, as they doe of many others; or laſtly to ſome good practicall concluſions, which they meet with in Gods word, and apply to their lives (as they doe not the former deductions) ſuch as theſe are. Be ye holy as I am holy: without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God: Spectatum admiſſi riſum teneatis amici? Yet I pray reſtraine that, and give your ſorrow courſe rather in beholding ſuch prophane aſperſions caſt upon the holy Doctrine of Chriſt, his Prophets and Apoſtles; as if thereby ſloth were bred, and men drowned in carnall ſecurity, and carnall liberty countenanced. We are of another mind, for Wiſedome is juſtified of her Children; we obſerve the wiſedome of God herein to prevent the greateſt illuſions of Satan; and ſuch Doctrines as ſtand in moſt oppoſition unto grace. The morality of Heathen men was admirable; yet were it farre greater, we conceive no greater oppoſition unto grace, then to look for juſtification by it. In the next place, we conceive there is no greater oppoſition unto grace, then for a man to arrogate unto himſelfe, ability to doe that which is pleaſing in the ſight of God. Our Saviour hath ſaid. Iohn 15. 4. that, As the branch cannot beare fruit of it ſelfe, except it abide in the Vine, ſo neither can wee except we abide in him. So that either all the World muſt be engrafted into Chriſt or elſe it is not poſſible they ſhould bring forth ſweet grapes. Yet theſe men will have all and every one, to have their wills enlivened and enabled to will any ſpirituall good, whereby they ſhall be excited. Is this doctrine of theirs fit to humble them, and not rather to puffe them up with a conceit of their own ſufficiency? Is not our doctrine farre more fit to humble us, and to what other end tendeth that of Moſes, The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, eyes to ſee, and eares to heare unto this day, But to beat them out of the conceit of any ſufficiency in them, to profit either by Gods word, or by his works, ſo as to be drawn thereby to doe any thing that was pleaſing in the ſight of God; and can there be any true holineſſe where humility is wanting? Againe, they are only thankfull unto God for giving them power to believe, to repent, and for exciting them hereunto; and concurring with them to the act of faith and repentance, for they acknowledge no other grace but this; We are bound by our doctrine to be thankfull, not only for theſe operations, but alſo for cauſing us to walke in his ſtatutes, to keepe his judgements and doe them, for healing our wayes, our back-ſlidings, our Rebellions, they by their Doctrine, are bound to be thankfull unto God, for no other grace in the way of grace prevenient, then ſuch as he vouchſafeth to reprobates, and did vouchſafe to Cain, to Judas, and to the Divells themſelves; how is it that they are not ſtricken with feare, leaſt in this caſe their condition be no better, then the condition of reprobates though God in good time may provide better things for them, then their opinions, have any congruity unto, having courſe only to the obſcuring and defacing of Gods grace? We by our doctrine are bound to give God thanks for ruling us with a mighty hand, and making us to paſſe under the rod, and bringing us unto the bond of the Ezek. 20. 37. Ezek. 37. Deut. 30. 6. Eph. 2. Phil. 2. 13.Covenant; for taking away our ſtony heart, and giving us an heart of fleſh; for circumciſing our hearts to love him with all our heart; for raiſing us out of the dead, when he found us dead in ſinne; for working in us both the will, and the deed of every good worke, not according to any thing in us, but according to his good pleaſure: And this is ſo farre from breeding ſloth in us, or to drowne us in carnall ſecurity in the Apoſtles judgement as that upon this very ground, as by a forceable inducement he exhorts us to worke out our Salvation with feare and trembling, manifeſtly implying, that when men are of another opinion, as namely to thinke that the will and deed of any good thing is their owne worke, or if they doe acknowledge it to be Gods work, yet if they doe not acknowledge it to be wrought by God, according to his good pleaſure, but according to ſome diſpoſition whereby they diſpoſe themſelves thereunto; that is the high-way to make them carnally ſecure, and how but by a carnall confidence that they have power to turne to God when they liſt, to believe and repent when they will, and withall that their wills are as pliable to good as to evill, and ſo make it an eaſy mater at any time to turne to God. I appeale to the judgment of every ſober conſcience to judge betweene us which of our Doctrines moſt tends to the countenancing of carnall ſecurity, according to the Tenor of the Apoſtles exhortation in this place and that in coherence with the reaſon whereby he doth enforce it, theirs, or ours. But to proceed, they acknowledge Chriſt to have merited for them only a power to believe and repent and meanes to excite them hereunto, and concourſe divine to the act of believing and repenting in caſe they will; we acknowledge not only all this, but over and above that Chriſt hath merited for us, the working of our wills effectually and predominantly hereunto, and that God makes us perfect to every good worke, working in us that which is pleaſing in his ſight through Jeſus Chriſt. Nay what will you ſay, if the Remonſtrants Heb. 13. 21.now a dayes openly profeſſe, that Chriſt merited not for any man faith and regeneration, and I commend them for their ingenuity, in dealing fairly and plainly confeſſing that which their opinion doth manifeſtly drive unto. Laſtly we confeſſe that God hath power as to ſhew mercy on whom he will, and harden whom he will, ſo to make whom he will a veſſell of mercy, and whom he will a veſſell of wrath, this we clearely profeſſe, namely, that God hath ſuch power even over our ſelves, and our childeren and all thoſe that are neere and deare unto us, as over any others: But this theſe adverſaries of ours now a days utterly deny; now I pray conſider whoſe doctrine ſavoreth of greater holineſſe in acknowledging the ſoveraignty of God over his creatures, theirs or ours? But it will not be labour loſt altogether to conſider thoſe cauſes whereunto he is pleaſed to impute that Godlineſſe, which is found in us. The firſt is Gods providence; and indeed I find them liberall enough in acknowledging Gods providence in generall termes, and as forward to blaſt it when they come to particulars. Now as for that providence which is the cauſe of Godlineſſe, we like plaine fellowes comonly call it grace, and the ground of this Authors ſubtility in calling it providence and not grace, I comprehend not. But what is that operation of providence divine or grace which is the cauſe of Godlineſſe? Is it any other in his opinion then that univerſall grace whereby they have power to be Godly and which grace God affords unto Reprobates, and that exciting grace whereby God perſwades them to be Godly, and his readineſſe to concurre to any act of Godlineſſe in caſe we will: and is not all this afforded (in his opinion) to Reprobates as well as to the elect, to them that have no Godlineſſe at all in them, as to them that have? And why may not this doctrine of ours whereby we maintaine, that God workes in us both the will and the deed according to his goodpleaſure, be a meanes to make us ſet our ſelves to the working out of our Salvation with feare and trembling, conſidering that the Apoſtle profeſſeth this doctrine of Gods energeticall operation of every good thing in us as a ſtrong inducement to worke out our Salvation with feare and trembling; and wherein conſiſts any mans Godlineſſe if not in this, to wit, in working out his Salvation with feare and trembling? And is it not apparent that we maintaine this doctrine. namely, that God is he who workes in us both the will and the deed, and every good thing, and that according to his good pleaſure in farre more undoubted manner then they doe. And how can it appeare that they doe acknowledge this? To give us power to will that which i good (which is the effect of that univerſall grace they talke of) is this to worke in us either the will or the deed? To excite us by perſwaſion and exhortation to will & doe that which is good, to believe and to repent, is to worke either in us the will or deed of that which is good, of faith of repentance? Laſtly to be ready to concurre with us to the will or deed of faith and repentance if ſo be we will concurre with him to the ſame, or to concurre with us to the producing of the act of willing & the act of doing that which is good, in caſe we produce the ſame act of willing and doing that which is good, is this to worke in us both the will and the deed? Conſider I pray is it not true that God is as ready to concurre with us to any ſinfull act, in caſe we will concurre with him; and doth he not concurre with man to the produceing of any ſinfull act, in caſe man at that time doth produce it; And will any ſober man ſay that this is alſo for God to worke in him both the will and the deed of every ſinfull act? And why might we not ſay ſo, if God workes it only by concourſe? Laſtly to worke in us both the will and the deed provided that man will concurre to the working hereof not otherwiſe, is this to worke it according to his good pleaſure, and not rather according to mans good pleaſure? And how I pray, or in what ſence doth he ſay that God by his providence will not ſuffer this doctrine to have any ſtroke in our lives? For if he ſuffers it not, then he hinders it; let it therefore be made appeare how he hinders it; To concurre with us, if we will concurre with him in the producing of any act of Godlineſſe, is this to hinder our carnall ſecurity? If ſo then to concurre with us to the producing of any ſinfull act is to hinder our Godlineſſe. Surely to give power whereby men are enabled to doe any ſpirituall good if they will is not to hinder carnall ſecurity, for ſuch a power is given to all by univerſall grace, yet this doth nothing hinder the carnall ſecurity of many thouſands. Or doth he hinder it by exciting us to the contrary? Yet if this doctrine (as we conceive) be apt to drowne us in carnall ſecurity, how can he be ſayd to hinder us from it? For either the doctrine muſt yeeld to ſuch excitations & exhortations from carnall ſecurity; or ſuch exhortations muſt yeeld to the doctrine, eſpecially conſidering what Auſtin ſayth, that if there be any difference betweene docere and ſuadere or exhortari; yet even this doctrinae generalitate comprehenditur. And for incogitancy, which is a ſecond device, pretended as the cauſe why this doctrine doth not expoſe us to carnality, is it not incredible, theſe poynts being ſo much ventilated by them as none more? The Church of God having been exerciſed with none more (as I think) theſe hundred yeares; that men ſhould not think of, or conſider of thoſe dangerous conſequences in manners, as theſe doe forge in their own braines. And as for the laſt, imputing our Godlineſſe to ſome good practicall concluſions; may I not juſtly ſay, that if ever any man wrote with the ſpirit of giddineſſe, this Author deſerves to have a chiefe place amongſt them: For compare his anſwer to the ſecond objection with this; There he ſaith ſuch diſſolute concluſions as theſe following, doe ariſe out of this doctrine of ours: If I be choſen, I muſt of neceſſity believe and be ſaved; If I be caſt off, I muſt as neceſſarily not believe and be damned; what need I therefore take thought either way about meanes or end. Now will it not as well follow, what need I therefore take thought of holineſſe, of obedience? For even theſe are as good practicall concluſions. Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved. Repent and thou ſhalt be ſaved, and whoſoever bebelieveth not ſhall be damned. As theſe, Be ye holy as I am holy. Without holineſse no man ſhall ſee God. If ye conſent and obey, ye ſhall eate the good things of the Land. And by the way obſerve I pray, with what judgement he calls them practicall concluſions; whereas all ſave two of them, are exhortations rather then concluſions; And thoſe two; to wit, Without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, and, Godlineſſe hath the promiſes, both of this life &c. I ſhould take them to be principles rather then concluſions. Whether ſimple men doe apply their braines to ponder and conſider this doctrine or no, I know not; but certainly the learned and Godly maintainers of it, have had cauſe enough to ponder it, and conſider it throughly, and have given evidence enough of their thorough conſideration of it; yet have they fetcht no ſuch ſequells out of it. If ſimple men doe, and our adversaries be of the number of them, and content themſelves with ſuch ſimplicity; yet is it not enough for us that the Apoſtle doth not? the holy Apoſtle S. Paul? but expreſſely enforceth the contrary there from; namely; that becauſe of God worketh in us the will and the deed according to his good pleaſure, therefore it becomes us to worke out our Salvation with feare and trembling? Now which of us doe moſt exactly concurre with the Apoſtle in mainning that God doth worke in us both the will and the deed according to his good pleaſure, I am very well content, that all the World both wiſe and ſimple, both Learned and unlearned may judge.
2. As touching the ſecond; Firſt let us conſider how the objection is ſhaped. Secondly, as it lies, with what judgement and ſobriety it is impugned.
1. It is true men are abſolutely elected or abſolutely rejected; but we content not our ſelves with generalities, wherein as Aristotle hath obſerved, doe lurke many equivocations: Neither doe we delight in confounding things that differ. Election and rejection or reprobation, and in generall the will of God, may be conſidered, either Quoad actum voluntis, as touching the act of God willing, or as touching the things willed. Of this diſtinction this Author takes no notice; It is fit for ſome and advantagious to fiſh in troubled waters. Now as touching the act of God willing; both Aquinas hath proved, that there can be no cauſe thereof; and withall profeſſeth, that never was any ſo mad as to ſay That merites can be the cauſe of predestination, quoad actum praedeſtinantis, as touching the act of God predeſtinating. And Bradwardine hath curiouſly diſputed this way that no will of God is conditionall, to will quoad actum volentis, And Piſcator againſt Vorſtius hath proved the ſame after his way; and by variety of demonſtration this way may be convinced, as in part I have ſhewed in this diſcourſe, both on the part of election, and on the part of reprobation. And both Dr Jackson in his booke of Providence, profeſſeth that the diſtinction of Voluntas antecedens and conſequens, or antecedent and conſequent will in God is to be underſtood quoad res volitas as touching the things willed, as much as to ſay, non quoad actum volentis. And Gerardus Voſſius drawing the diſtinction of will antecedent and will conſequent unto the diſtinction of will abſolute and will conditionall, applyes it only quoad res Hiſtor. haer. Pelag. l. 7. th. 2. p. 638.volitas, and ſo interpriteth Fathers discourſe thereof; And of a conditionall will gives this inſtance; God will have men to be Saved, in caſe they believe where faith is clearely made the condition of Salvation, a temporall thing the condition of a temporall thing, not the condition of Gods will to ſave; it being no way fit that a temporall thing ſhould be made the condition of a thing eternall, ſuch as is Gods will to ſave. And this is more apparent by the reading of Voſſius himſelfe. Hiſtor: Pelag: l: 7. treating of Gods will to ſave all. Now if we ſpeake thus of Gods will quoad res volitas as touching the things willed; theſe things willed being very different, wee have reaſon to conſider them diſtinctly alſo. Now theſe things are either grace or glory cō monly called Salvation, And as touching grace, to wit, the grace of regeneration, the grace of faith and repentannee, we willingly confeſſe that Gods will to conferre them is ſo abſolute, that he hath determined to conferre them according to the meere pleaſure of his will, not according to mans workes (which is plaine Pelagianiſme and condemned in the Synod of Paleſtine above 1200 yeares agoe) and as he gives them to whom he will, ſo he denyes them to whom he will according to that Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth. But as touching Salvation or damnation in which reſpect this Author uſually ſpeakes of the abſolute or conditionall will of God; we uttererly deny, that God in the diſpenſation or adminiſtration, or execution of theſe proceeds or ever did decree to proceed according to the meere pleaſure of his owne will, but altogether according to theire workes. For albeit God hath made no law according whereto he meanes to proceed in giving or denying grace, yet hath he made a law according whereto he proceeds in beſtowing Salvation, and inflicting damnation. And the law is this: Whoſever believeth ſhall be Saved, Whoſoever believeth not ſhall bedamned 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appeare before the Judgement Seate of Chriſt, that every man may receive the things, which are done in his body according to that he hath done, whether good or evill. So that according to that ſence wherein this Author uſually ſpeakes of the abſolute and conditionall will of God, we utterly deny that God doth abſolutely elect any man to Salvation, or reject any man unto damnation; though he doth abſolutely elect ſome unto grace, that is to the grace of regeneration; to the grace of faith and repentance, and abſolutely reject others there from. For as much as he beſtowes theſe graces on ſome and denies them unto others not according to their workes, but according to the meere pleaſure of his owne will, but he doth not inflict damnaton or beſtow Salvation according to the meere pleaſure of his will, but according unto mans works. And as he carrieth himſelfe in the execution of Salvation and damnation, after the ſame manner he did from everlaſting decree to carry himſelfe, namely to Save no man of ripe yeares but by way of reward of their faith, repentance, and good workes; ſo to damne none but for their infidelity, impenitency and evill works. As for the manifeſtation of Gods will of election and reprobation unto any, we ſay, that ordinarily, man may be aſſured of his election. For the ſpirit of God is given to this very end even to ſhed the love of God in our hearts, that is, Gods love towards us. Rom: 5. 5. And what is the ſhedding therefore in our hearts, but his working in us a ſenſe and feeling thereof, eſpecially conſidering that the ſence of Gods love to us is the cauſe of our love to wards God; according to that 1 John. 4. 19. We love him becauſe he loved us firſt: and accordingly the ſpirit is ſayd to testifie unto our ſpirits that we are the ſonnes Rom. 8. And if ſonnes then heyres, even heyres of God, and heyres annexed with Chriſt. And the Apoſtle St Peter exhorts us to give diligence te make our election & vocation ſure; implying manifeſtly 2 Pet. 1.that men may be ſure of their election; otherwiſe why ſhould our Saviour wiſh his Diſciples to rejoyce not in this that Divells were ſubdued unto them, but that their names were writen in Heaven. And by what meanes may a man be aſſured hereof, but either Luk. 10. 20.immediatly by the teſtimony of the ſpirit, or mediatly by the fruits of the ſpirit as the fruits of our election; one where of is faith plainly ſo ſignified Act, 13. 48. As many believed as were ordained to everlaſting Life. And Act. 2. laſt. God added daily to the Church ſuch as ſhould be Saved; And repentance is another: Act. 11. 18. Then hath God unto the Gentiles alſo given repentance unto life. Giving to underſtand that as many as to whom God giveth repentance, he hath ordained them unto life. And indeed by the worke of our faith, and labour of our love, and the patience of our hope, others come to be aſſured of our election (how much more our ſelves, no man knowing the things of mā ſo as the ſpirit of man 1 Cor: 2.) Thus St Paul profeſſeth his aſſurance of the election of the Theſſalonians 1 Theſſ. 1. 3, 4. We remember the worke of your faith, and the labour of your love &c. Knowing beloved bretheren that ye are elect of God. And hereupon he proceeds to aſſure them, that Antichriſt by all his deceiveableneſse of unrighteouſneſſe ſhall never prevaile over them; in as much as he prevailes only over them that periſh 2 Theſs: 2. 10. But as for them they are the elect of God; And how doth he know that? Surely by their faith and ſanctification which were viſible in them v: 13. But we ought to give God thankes allwayes for you, bretheren beloved of the Lord, becauſe that God hath from the begining choſen you unto Salvation by ſanctification of the ſpirit and faith of the truth. But as for reprobation we ſay that no man can by any ordinary way be aſſured thereof, ſeing nothing but finall perſeverance in infidelity or impenitency is the infallible ſigne thereof, whence it followes that no way of deſperation is open to one, but the way of aſſurance and abundance of conſolation is opened to the other, and thereby encouragement to proceed cheerefully in the wayes of Godlineſſe, being aſſured that the more holy they are the greater ſhall be their reward. And ſurely if certainty of ſalvation were a meanes of licentiouſneſſe, the Apoſtle S. Peter would never have exhorted us, to give diligence to make our calling and election ſure. And we manifeſtly ſeem to perceive ſtrength 2 Pet. 1. 10.of encouragement hereby unto Godlineſſe; as being aſſured that Chriſt dyed for us, to the end we might live unto him. And God receives us as Sonnes and Daughters to this end, that we ſhould purge our ſelves from all pollutions of fleſh and ſpirit, and perfect holineſſe in the feare of God. As alſo being aſſured, that God will not lay our infirmities and 2 Cor. 7. 1. & 6. laſt.ſinnes unto our charge, and will be ready to keepe us from preſumptuous ſinnes, and however it fares with us, Yet ſinne ſhall not have dominion over us, (and conſequently we ſhall have the victory over it, either by obedience, or by repentance) becauſe we are not under the law but under grace. Rom. 6. 12. Now what encouragement is this to the Souldiers of Chriſt, to goe on chearefully and couragiouſly in fighting the Lords battailes againſt the world, the fleſh and the Divell, ſeing we are aſſured the day of victory and the glory of it ſhall be ours in the end: God keeping us by his power through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. And delivering us from every evill worke (to wit either by obedience or by repentance) and preſerving us to his heavenly kingdome; and that either, by delivering us from the houre aftentation which comes all over the world Revel: 3. Or delivering us out of it 2 Pet: 2. 9. Or having an eye to our ſtrength ſo to order it that we ſhall be able to beare it 1 Cor: 10. 14. As for thoſe that have not yet any comfortable evidence of their election; yet conſidering that they may have it, and albeit the number of the elect are by farre, fewer then the reprobate; yet conſidering how few have the Goſpell in compariſon to thoſe that enjoy it not; though Turkes & Saracens and Heathens are without hope Eph. 2. 12. and 1 Theſſ. 4. 13. Yet we Chriſtians are not yea, albeit of them that are called, but few are choſen Mat. 20. 16. and 22, 14. Yet conſidering how many corrupt wayes there are amongſt Chriſtians, Neſtorians, Armenians, Abyſſines or Coptites, who joyne circumciſion with the Goſpel, as in Egypt and Ethiopia, (the Greek Church denying the proceeding of the Holy Ghoſt from the ſonne) and corrupted with many other ſuperſtitions. Laſtly conſidering how farre Antichriſtanity is ſpred and the abominable Idolatry of the Church of Rome, we whom God hath delivered out of Babylon have no cauſe (I meane any particular perſon) to project, that becauſe the elect are but few, therefore we are not of the number of them, and thereupon give over all care of hearkening to Gods word, which is the power of God unto Salvation and may ſhew its power upon us alſo we knowe not how ſoone, but rather as our Saviour anſwered (being demanded of his diſciples whether there were but few that ſhould be ſaved) ſaying ſtrive [you] to enter in at the ſtreight gate, plainly giving to underſtand, that as the gate is ſaid to be ſtreight that leadeth unto Life, ſo there be but few that enter thereat & therefore they ſhould ſtrive ſo much the more to be of the number of thoſe few. For what if along time we have little or nothing profited, what if we have cauſe to doubt whether we have any true faith or no; ſuch doubts maybe better ſignes then we are awar of; otherwiſe why ſhould the Apoſtle exhort the Corinthians to examine themſelves and prove whether they were in the faith or no? But however it fairs with us doth not the Apoſtle plainely teach us, that God calls ſome at the firſt houre of the day, ſome at the the third, ſome at 2 Cor. 13. 5.the laſt?
2. Now I come to the conſideration of his anſwer to the objection, as himſelf hath formed it. And firſt I obſerve, that whereas he pretends to build his anſwer upon conſideration of the number of Reprobats without compariſon greater then the number of the elect, yet the abſurd reaſoning which he brings hereupon, doth nothing at all depend on that. For albeit the number of the elect, were greater then the number of ſuch as are Reprobats, and that without compariſon; yet the reaſoning here deduced from the contrary propoſition hath equally place, as in the contrary caſe, As namely, to reaſon thus: Either I am abſolutely choſen to grace and glory or abſolutely caſt off from both. Secondly the joyning of grace and glory together, as this Author doth joyne them in this reaſoning ſhaped by him is a miſerable confounding of things that differ. For to be abſolutely choſen unto grace is to be ordained to have grace conferred upon him not according to any worke of his, but meerely according to the good pleaſure of Gods will, anſwerably to that of the Apoſtle, God hath mercy on whom he will, but no man is ſo choſen unto glory, as namely to be ordained to have Salvation beſtowed upon him not according unto workes, but according to the meere pleaſure of God, if we ſpeake of men of ripe yeares. For God hath ordained to beſtow Salvation on ſuch only by way of reward of their faith, repentance, and good workes. So on the other ſide to be aſolutely caſt off from grace, is to be ordained to have grace denied him; not according to any worke of his, but meerely according to the good pleaſure of Gods will, like as Paul profeſſeth, that the Lord hardeneth whom he will, But no man is ſo caſtaway from Glory, or unto damnation, as namely, to be ordained to be deprived of Glory and to be damned, meerely for the good pleaſure of God, but altogether for his infidelity, impenitency and evill workes. Thirdly, no ſuch thing followes as here is inferred from the ſuppoſition of election unto Salvation. For ſeing no man is elected to obtaine Salvation, whether he believe or no, but only in caſe he believe, hereupon men are rather excited to labour for faith, then to be careleſſe thereof; and farther we ſay, that as God hath ordained to bring them to Salvation, ſo he hath ordained to bring them hereunto by ſanctification and faith. 2 Theſſ. 2. 13. And the word of God is a powerfull meanes to worke them hereunto, even to the working out of their Salvation with feare and trembling, & that becauſe they are given to underſtand that God is he who wroketh in them both the will Phil. 2. 13.and the deed according to his good pleaſure. On the other ſide if a man be ordained to damnatiō, yet ſeeing no man is ordained to be damned but for deſpiſing the means of grace in caſe he heare the Goſpel; & for ought any man knowes he may as well be ordained to ſalvation as to damnation; this I ſhould think, is rather an excitement not to deſpiſe or neglect the meanes of grace, then to deſpiſe or neglect them. Suppoſe God ſhould not damne any man, but annihilate them, and ſuppoſe this were known unto us; by the ſame argumentation it would follow, that a man ſhould have no care of good workes: But this conſequent is notoriouſly untrue. For ſeeing the perfection of my reaſonable nature, whereby I differ from brute Beaſts, conſiſteth in knowledge and morall vertues; and there is no knowledge that doth more ennoble us, then the knowledge of God, and no better rule of morality, then the law of God; ſurely it ſtood me upon in reaſon, to ſtrive according to my power to know God, and to be obedient rather then otherwiſe; although I know for certaine, that after certaine yeares, both body and ſoule ſhould be returned unto nothing. Come wee now to the conſideration of this reaſoning, in reſpect of grace. Suppoſe God hath elected me unto grace; yet ſeeing he beſtowes not grace but by his word, therefore there is no reaſon I ſhould neglect the uſe of his word, but rather good reaſon why I ſhould embrace it, and that with all earneſtneſſe. Like as in caſe God hath ordained I ſhall have Children, doth it hence follow that I neede not uſe the company of a Woman; becauſe ſeeing God hath decreed I ſhall have Children, therefore I may be ſure to have them, whether I company with a Woman or no, belike right as Capons come by Chicken? On the other ſide, ſuppoſe God hath not ordained me unto grace; yet hence it followeth not, that I ſhould neglect all care of morall vertue, yea or the uſe of Gods word. Firſt not of morall vertue; for next unto grace, morall vertue commends a man, and like as many heathens were famous for morality, without any ſanctifying grace; ſo may I be in the ſame kind of reputation alſo. And ſeeing no better rules of morality are to be found, then in the Scriptures, therefore may I well be moved to give my ſelfe to the ſtudy thereof. And Auſtin telleth us, that ſome, even of reprobates, by the word of God may Proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem, quò mitius puniantur. Laſt of all, conſider how the like objections were made againſt that deſtiny, which was maintained by the Stoicks. Carneades was a great oppugner of the Stoicks, yet was aſhamed of ſuch a kind of Argumentation as this Author affecteth. For it was commonly accounted ignava ratio; and thus Turnebus writes of it, Ignava autem iſta ratio, captioſa cum eſſet, & calumniae plena, a Carneade non probabatur, alio que argumento factum ſine ulla captione oppugnabat. He had other manner of reaſons to oppoſe Fate Stoicall, then by ſo ſorry an argumentation as this. And this is delivered by Turnebus, upon that paſſage in Cicero's book De Fato, Where he ſheweth how Chryſippus did make anſwer unto this very argument in effect above 1600 yeares a goe; Take the words as they lye in Cicero, Nec nos impediet illa ignava ratio quae dicitur: Appellatur enim quidem a Philoſophis foreign, cui ſi pare amus, nihil est omnino quod agamus in vita. Hic enim interrogant (now I beſeech you marke the argument well) ſi fatum tibi eſt ex hoc morbo convaleſcere, ſive medicum adhibueris, ſive non, convaleſces. Item ſi fatum tibi eſt ex hoc morbo non convaleſcere ſive tu Medicum adhibueris, ſive non, non convaleſces. If it be deſtined that you ſhall recover out of this diſeaſe, whether you uſe the help of a Phyſitian or no, you ſhall recover. Againe, if it be deſtined that you ſhall not recover out of this diſeaſe, whether you uſe a Phyſitian or no, you ſhall not recover. Now compare this, I pray, with this Authors argumentation in this place; If I am choſen I muſt of neceſsity believe and be ſaved; What need therefore to take thought either about meanes or end? as much as to ſay, either of believing or of ſalvation. Againe, If I be caſt off, I muſt as neceſſarily not believe and be damned; In vaine therefore doe I trouble my ſelfe about meanes, or end; as much as to ſay, about labouring and endeavouring for Faith, whereby I may avoyd damnation: And judge, I pray, whether there be one hayres breadth of difference, between theſe argumentations. For like as it is unreaſonable to conceive, that man is deſtined to recover out of ſickneſſe, but by uſe of meanes, ſuch as is the uſe of a Phyſitian; in like ſort, as unreaſonable it is to conceive, that God hath deſtined any man of ripe yeares to be brought to ſalvation, but by faith in Chriſt; or that God hath appoynted any man to be damned, but for want of faith, or want of repentance. Obſerve I pray the cenſure that is paſſed upon it in Cicero, Rectè hoc genus interrogationis ignavum at que iners nominatur, quod eadem ratione, omnis è vita tollitur actio. And farther he ſheweth how that the ſame argument, if there were any force in it, might have place, without all mention of Fate. Licet etiam immutare (ſaith he,) ut Fati nomen non adjunges, & eandem tamen teneas ſententiam hoc modo, ſi ex eternitate verum hoc fuit, ex iſte morbo convaleſces, ſive adhibueris medicum ſive non, convaleſces. Item que ſi ex aeternitate hoc falſum fuerit, ex iſto morbo convaleſces, ſive adhibuer is medicum, ſive non adhibuer is, non convaleſces; deinde caetera. In the next place there it is ſhewed how Chryſippus made anſwer to this argument. Haecratio a Cryſipo reprehenditur: Quaedam enim ſunt (inquit) in rebus ſimplicia, quaedam copulata: ſimplex est moretur eo die Socrates, Hinc ſive quid fecerit, ſive non fecerit, finitus eſt moriendi dies. At ſi ita fatum ſit, Naſcetur Oedipus Laio, non poterit dici, ſive Laius fuerit cum muliere, ſive non fuerit. Copulata enim res eſt & confatalis; ſic enim appellat qui a ita fatum ſit, & concubiturum cum Uxore Laium & ex eo Oedipum procreaturum. Then he illuſtrateth the abſurdity of the deduction in another manner thus, Ut ſi eſſet dictum, luctabitur Olympiis Milo, & referret aliquis, Ergo ſive habuerit adverſarium ſive non habuerit, luctabitur, erraret. Eſt enim copulatum, luctabitur, quia ſine adverſario nulla luctatio eſt. And he concludes all of this kind to be but captious argumentations, and that they admit the ſame ſolution. Omnes igitur iſtius generis captiones, eodem modo refelluntur. Sive tu medicum adhibueris, ſive non adhibueris, captioſum: tam enim fatale eſt medicum adhibere quam convaleſcere. Haec, ut dixi, confatalia ille appellat. And this manner of ſolution was ſo ſufficient, that Carneades diſdained to preſſe the Stoicks with this kind of argumentation, though oppoſite enough to their opinion, as forthwith Cicero expreſſeth it. Carneades hoc totum genus non probabat, & minùs inconſiderate concludi hanc rationem putabat: ita que premebat alio modo, nec ullam adhibebat calumniam. So that he condemned this as a calumnious argumentation againſt the Stoicks, though himſelfe were a ſore adverſary of theirs.
And therefore if any Chriſtians doe reaſon thus, either in their hearts to countenance them in prophane courſes; or juſtify ſuch reaſoning, thereby to oppoſe Gods free grace in election, the unreaſonableneſſe thereof being thus ſet forth, and acknowledged on both ſides by the very light of nature, let them take heed and feare leaſt heathen men riſe up in judgement againſt them. As for Tiberius his opinion and perſwaſion, Omnia fato agi, it is apparent what he underſtood by Fatum, for there it is ſaid, that he was Mathematicae addictus; whereby it ſeems, he went no farther then the ſtarres, for the originall of his fate. But it Tiberius was circa Deos & religiones negligentior, were the Stoicks ſo too? I had thought that like as none were more oppoſite to the Epicures then they, ſo none were more religious and devout among the Heathens then they. Yet there is no opinion ſo true or good, but by a prophane heart may be abuſed. But as for the efficacy of Gods will, we are ſo farre from maintaining, that it takes away either the liberty of mans will, or the contingency of ſecond cauſes, that we profeſſe with Aquinas, that the root of all contingency, is the efficacious will of God; and with the Authors of the Articles of the Church of Ireland, Artic. 11. That God did from all eternity ordaine, whatſoever in time ſhould come to paſſe; and yet neither the liberty, nor the contingency of ſecond cauſes, is thereby deſtroyed, but eſtabliſhed rather.