The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Treatise · Type of argument 3 · Section 7
DISCOURSE. SECT. VII.
BUt by this opinion the gifts of nature and grace have another end, either God doth not meane them unto thoſe that periſh, albeit they doe enjoy them; becauſe they are mingled in the world with the elect, to whom only they are directed: or if he doe, he meaneth they ſhall have them, and by them be lifted up above the common rank of men, [ut lapſu graviore ruant] that their fall may be the greater: for how can God intend that thoſe men ſhould receive them or any good by any of them, whom he hath by an abſolute decree cut off and rejected utterly from grace and glory. More particularly by, this doctrine,
1. Chriſt came not into the world to procure the Salvation of them that periſh, becauſe they were inevitably preordained to periſh.
2. The word is not ſent to them, or if it be, it is that they might ſlight it or contemne it and increaſe their damnation by the contempt of it; and ſo theſe inconveniences will ariſe;
1. That God is a meere deceiver of miſerable men whom he calls to Salvation in the name of his Suffrag. Erittaine. p. 43.Sonne, by the preaching of his word; becauſe he fully intends to moſt men the contrary to that which he fairly pretends:
2. That Miniſters are but falſe witneſſes; becauſe in their Miniſtry they offer Salvation conditionally to many, who are determined to damnation abſolutely:
3. The Miniſtry of the Word canot leave men inexcuſable, for Reprobates may have this juſt plea: Lord, doſt thou puniſh for not believing in thy Sonne, when thou dideſt call us to believe by the preaching of thy Word, thou dideſt decree to leave us (woefull men) in Adams ſinne, to leave us neither power to believe, nor a Chriſt to believe in; how canſt thou juſtly charge us with ſinne, or encreaſe our puniſhment for not believing in him, whom thou dideſt reſolve before the world was that we ſhould never believe in. That Miniſtry gives men a faire excuſe which is given to no other end than to leave them without excuſe.
4. The Sacraments (by this opinion) ſignify nothing, ſeale up, conferre nothing to ſuch as are not Saved, but are meere blankes and empty ordinances unto them not through the fault of men but by the primary and abſolute will of God.
5. Laſtly, other gifts beſtowed upon men of what nature ſoever they be, are to the moſt that receive them in Gods abſolute intention,
1. Unprofitable, ſuch as ſhall never doe them good in reference to their finall condition.
2. Dangerous and hurtfull, given them not of love but extreame hatred, not that they might uſe them well and be Bleſſed in ſo doeing, but that they might uſe them ill, and by ill uſing of them procure unto themſelves the greater damnation. God lifts them up (as the Divell did Chriſt) to the pinacle of the Temple that they might fall, and loades them with knowledge and other goodly indowments that with the weight of them, he might ſink them into Hell, and ſo by good conſequence Gods chiefeſt gifts are intended, and laid as ſnares to entrap mens Soules. Men that have them have little cauſe to be proud of them, (for they are the more unhappy becauſe they have them) or ſmall reaſon to be thankfull for them, or to love the giver of them, but to hate rather, becauſe they are but giftleſſe gifts, no better than an uſurers bounty, Jaells courteſie Souls beſtowing Michal to David, or a bayte for a proud fiſh which he ſwallowes with an hooke to boore.
TWISSE Conſideration.
VVEE have hitherto received a poore and hungry diſcourſe, but now in the accommodation of it he thunders & lightneth, as his manner is, both the Maſter and the Diſciple would have it in their owne power to make themſelves elect, otherwiſe it ſeemes they have little comfort, and therefore they diſcharge a great noiſe of thunder againſt our Doctrine of reprobation: as if they would awe God to give them liberty to elect themſelves, otherwiſe they will powder his abſoluteneſſe, in taking upon him to Reprobate whom he liſt. Me thinkes theſe Arminians talke in the ſpirit of Dr Story, as if they would ſcould us out of our faith, I will not ſay God out of his Throne; but he is able to plead his own, we are unworthy to plead for him, yet thus farre he is pleaſed to honour us, as to admit us to plead for him, like as he is the God that pleades the cauſe of his people: I have ſhewed how abſurdly this Author makes the ſalvation of reprobates to be intended by God, which yet in the iſſue is but after a conditionall manner, which is no more to intend their ſalvation, then their condemnation: well let us ſee the quality of theſe abſurdities he faſtens upon us. The firſt is, that God doth not meane the gifts of nature and grace unto thoſe that periſh: where to I anſwer, That as touching the gifts of nature, there is no colour for this, for they (as the Author ſets them downe) are theſe, creation, ſuſtentation, preſervation, health, beauty, wiſdome; now let any ſober man conſider whether it be poſſible, that it ſhould not be Gods meaning for as many as doe enjoy them, to enjoy them. As for the gifts of grace, theſe he divides into graces purchaſing Salvation, and graces applying Salvation, after it is purchaſed: the grace purchaſing Salvation is Chriſt; now we ſay that Salvation is purchaſed, to be conferred upon every man of ripe yeares conditionall only, namly, in caſe he believes, and on all that doe believe; for our Saviour hath ſaid that whoſoever believes ſhall be ſaved, whoſoever believes not ſhall be damned: as for the purchaſing the grace of faith, that we ſay is ſo purchaſed to be conferred abſolutly and not upon condition of any worke for that is manifeſt Pelagianiſme, and therefore Chriſt dyed not to procure that for all, for then all ſhould believe de facto, & be ſaved: therefore we ſay, he dyed to procure this only for his elect. But the Arminians doe now openly profeſſe to the world. that Chriſt merited not faith and regeneration for any: ſo that God meant not, that Chriſt ſhould be given to any for the purchaſing of faith for him. So that herein certainly they are more to blame than we, by this Authors rules. As for the graces of applying Salvation, theſe are the Miniſtry of the word and Sacraments, the long ſuffering of God, the illumination of mens underſtandings, the plantation of many exellent vertues in their hearts. I will anſwer particularly concerning thē all, leaving thoſe many more which he conceales, to his owne enjoying the contemplation of them. And firſt as touching the Miniſtry of the Word and Sacraments, we willingly profeſſe, that we find no monument of the Americans enjoying of them before the diſcovery of that weſterne world by Columbus Veſputius, and Magellan, no nor to this day in the terra incognita Auſtrali, whereof relation is made by Ferdenando de Quir: but herein I confeſſe the Arminians goe beyond us in there ſpirituall diſcoveries; for, by the Catoptricke glaſſe of their owne fancy, they tell us, that though Chriſt hath not been preached amongſt them by man, yet it may be he hath been preacht amongſt them by Angells, and deliver it for certaine, that having univerſall grace given them, if they uſe that well; as many as uſe it well ſhall have the Goſpell preached unto them, if not by men yet by Angells: but as for the adminiſtration of the Sacraments by. Angells alſo they have diſcovered nothing unto us hitherunto that I know. And as for Gods patience, undoubtedly they enjoy it as much as we, if they be as long lived as we. And I know nothing to the contrary as touching illumination naturall; that I doubt is not meant to be comprehended under the graces, aplying Salvation purchaſed by Chriſt, yet why not as well as fortitude, liberality, temperance, humility, chaſtity, and truly herein I doe not find them any whit inferiour unto Chriſtians, in ſome they went beyond us apparently; if we goe beyond them in any thing, I for my part take it to be in gace rather than nature. As for illumination ſpirituall, huhumane I know none they had, and as for Angelicall Revelation that is a diſh of Lettice for Arminian lippes; I want faith to give me any ſtomach to it: I come to thoſe exellent vertues which this Author pretendes to have been planted in their hearts; had he ſpared faith and repentance I could willingly have acknowledged the reſt amongſt heathens, and that according to Gods meaning; but what ſoever and in whome ſoever they are found, he thinks too hardly of us, when he ſaith, that God according to our opinion, doth not meane them to thoſe that enjoy them: and if he doth meane them unto ſuch, ſurely they are directed unto them: how is it poſſible it ſhould be otherwiſe, eſpecially as touching vertues, yea and the Miniſtry of the Word alſo, for he commanded them to Preach the Goſpell to every creature, to wit, where they came: only we willingly confeſſe, then he doth not meane any of thoſe ſhall bring any of them that periſh unto Salvation. Secondly, as touching the lifting up of them up a bove the common ranke of men by theſe giftes, heare is a miſerable confuſed diſcourſe, ſo many things being put together, to make up one tearme in a propoſition; but it is beneficiall to ſome to fiſh in troubled waters, and if my anſwer ſavour of the like confuſion it is nothing ſtrange, for he that walkes in the Sunne, muſt needs be coloured. But I think I may ſay, looke what gifts men have, caeteris paribus, they are above the ranke of thoſe that have them not, but that they are given ut lapſu graviore cadant, That their fall may be the greater, This deſerves to be particularly conſidered. Firſt, in generall, I ſay whoſoever doth by occaſion of thoſe gifts here ſpoken of, fall the more grievouſly (which in many particulars is a myſtery to me, to the conſideration whereof I purpoſe to deſcend in the next place) God did both intend that ſuch a fall of theirs ſhould come to paſſe by his permiſſion, and that upon ſuch an occaſion: for even they that ſtumble at Gods word through diſobedience, and expreſſely ſaid by Peter to be ordained thereunto, thus I look out for a ground for that I deliver, giving leave to the adverſaries of Gods truth to roave at pleaſure in the pouring forth of their impious dictates: but come we to the particulars, & firſt as touching the gifts of nature, I confes as touching the firſt of them (creation) that if that had not been, he had never fallen, but nevertheleſſe when God reſolved to create, he reſolved to create all things for himſelfe, Even the wicked againſt the day of evill, and if I erre in that I have an honourable Prophet to be my companion, even Solomon himſelfe. As for preſervation and ſuſtentation, Prov. 16. 4.I willingly confeſſe that if Judas had periſhed before he had been admitted into Chriſts ſervice, his damnation had been the more eaſy: and God electing him ad prodendum ſanguinem (if I may be ſo bold as to ſpeak in Auſtins language) did determine that his ſinne by Gods permiſſion ſhould be the more grievous, by occaſion of his advancement into the number of Chriſts diſciples. As for health, ſtrength, beauty, wiſdome, I ſee no reaſon why they ſhould promote any mans damnation, but that a foole, or an ill-favoured, or a weake, or a ſickly perſon, may be as great a ſinner as the wiſe man, or beautifull, or ſtrong, or healthy. How, becauſe Chriſt died for the ſalvation of as many as doe believe, which we all hold, or dyed to procure faith & regeneration for none (as the Arminians hold) any man is promoted to a greater meaſure of ſinne thereby, is a miſtery to me. As touching the miniſtry of the word, Saint Peter ſpeakes plainly of ſome, that it had been better for them they had never known the way of right ouſneſſe, than after they have known it, to depart from the holy Commandement given to them, he ſaith not this of all, & Austin profeſſeth of ſome Reprobates, that by the Goſpell they are called Ut proficiant ad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur. As for the patience of God S. Paul profeſſeth plainly, that ſome after the hardneſſe of their hearts which cannot repent, deſpiſing the patience and long ſuffering of God, and therein his goodneſſe leading them to repentance, doe Rom. 2. 5.thereby treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and Reprobation of the juſt judgement of God. And I ſhould think that even this God intended ſhould come to paſſe by his permiſſion, otherwiſe he would have given them repentance, or ſhortned their daies, for give me leave to ſay with Auſtin, Quantamlibet prebuerit patientiam, niſi Deus dederit, quis agat paenitentiam. Contra Julian. Pelag. l. 5. c. 4. As for knowledge, that doth cleerely take away excuſe, grounded upon pretence of ignorance, and like as our Saviour ſaid to his Diſciples Ioh. 13. If you know theſe things happy are yee if you doe them: So likewiſe the more men know good things, the more unhappy are they, if they doe them not: yet it is not neceſſary that knowledge ſhould aggravate the damnation of the Reprobate, as in caſe they doe thereby, proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem, for in this caſe ſurely, mititus punientur, but if they doe grow worſe by occaſion of their knowledge, we ſpare not to profeſſe that God intended this ſhould come to paſſe by his permiſſion, why not as well as the crucifying of the Sonne of God? Act. 4. 28. As for the vertues in the laſt place, which here are pretended alſo to be given to worke for their harme, and among them faith and repentance, we are ſo farre from affirming, that they are given for the harme of them that periſh, that we to the contrary maintaine, that they are given to none but Gods elect, and to bring them unto ſalvation, Acts 13. 48. As many believed as were ordained to eternall life. And faith is called the faith of the elect. Tit. 1. 1. and Acts 11. 18. Then hath God alſo unto the Gentiles given repentance unto life. Contra Juli. Pelag. l. 5. cap. 4.Marke it well, not unto death, but unto life: And Austin long agoe hath profeſſed, that of thoſe who are not predeſtinated, God brings not one unto wholſome and ſpirituall repentance, whereby a man is reconciled unto God in Chriſt. Knowledge is here ſhufled in among the reſt of theſe vertues, as if that were not all one with the illumination of the mind, at leaſt moſt deſervedly to be ranged with it. As for other vertues here mentioned, as fortitude, liberality, temperance, humility, chaſtity, where theſe vertues are beſtowed after a naturall manner (for no otherwiſe, nor in any gracious manner, are they found in Reprobates, as I ſuppoſe, ready to be called at any time to an account upon that poynt, and to manifeſt ſix maine differences between the morall vertues of heathen men, and the ſame vertues (in name, and as touching the ſubſtance of the acts, wrought by them in Chriſtians) I ſhould think they are rather given for their good that enjoy them, than for their harme, namely, Ut profici ant ad exteriorem vitae emendationem, quo mitius puniantur. All the harme that may come by them, that I can deviſe for the preſent, is to grow proud of them: and I willingly profeſſe, that nothing makes a greater ſeparation from God then pride, and it may be, Moraliſts fret at this, that their Morality is no better eſteemed of. But what thinke you? May a man be proud of humility, for that is one of the excellent vertues here ſpecified; why not, of the naturall humility which is in them? As Sir Philip Sidney obſerves in his defence of Poetry, that Philoſophers write Bookes againſt vaine-glory, whereunto nevertheleſſe they ſet their names. So they might write Books in commendation of humility, and thereunto ſet their names alſo. Yet I am not truly of ſuch an opinion, as to think, that God ſhould give any of theſe vertues, to the end they ſhould grow proud of them: for I doe not find it any way requiſite to a proud man, that he ſhould be vertuous: for in my judgement, pride is a very humble vice, and diſdaines not to dwell in the hearts of the meaneſt. Plato could diſcerne it through Antiſthenes his patcht coate: and when Diogenes trod under foot Platoes hangings, ſaying, I tread under my foot Platoes pride: it is obſerved that he did this majori feſtu, with greater pride: And as one ſometimes ſaid, a man may be as proud of a Cloakebagge which he carrieth behind him, as Cardinall Campeius was of his Sumpter-horſe, that followed after him; and yet that pride of his, might be of no better then of Brick-bats when all was known, what ſhew ſoever it made unto the people. And men of generous minds, and parts, and meanes anſwerable, are many times found, through the grace of God, more truly humble, than many a baſe fellow, that hath nothing to be made reckoning of but his own conceit. As the fly ſitting upon the Cart wheele in a dry Summer, ſaid, ſee what a duſt I make. Saint Pauls righteouſneſſe which he ſpeakes of, Phil. 3. I take to be better than the vertue of any Philoſopher, which yet he accounted but dung, that he might winne Chriſt. But by the way I obſerve how liberall theſe men are, in acknowledging the gifts of God in groſſe, which they will be found utterly to deny if they be examined upon them in particular. As for example, Morall vertues (we commonly ſay) are Habitus acquiſiti, acquiſite habits, and that by frequentation of conſimilar acts, whereupon the habit ariſeth naturally: Now doe theſe men maintaine that God is the Author of theſe acts, otherwiſe than by concourſe, working in them, foreign velle & facere modò velint? I can ſhew it under the hands of ſome of them in expreſſe termes. Now I pray you, is not God the Author of every evill act after this manner, as well as of any good, by their own confeſſion? for they grant that God concurres to every ſinnefull act, & works foreign velle and facere thereof alſo, modò homines velint. Who then is ſo ſimple as not to obſerve, that they make God the Author of vertues after no other manner, than they make him the Author of vices: Yet they are content to talke liberally of the gifts of God, only to cheat the ſimple; I meane as many as are not acquainted with their juggling: as for us wee maintaine, that God determines the will, not only to the ſubſtance of a good act by determination naturall, but alſo to the goodneſſe of it by determination ſupernatural: as for example, no vertuous act is truly good, but as it is performed out of the love of God, but what love? Out of ſuch a love of God, as is joyned with the contempt of himſelfe (judge you whether ſuch a love may be performed by power of nature) and this amor uſ que ad contemptum ſui, Gerſon makes to be the character of the child of God: like as amor ſui uſ que ad contemptum Dei, he make the character of a child of the Devill. But to draw to an end of this confuſed diſcourſe, wherein are clapt together gifts of nature, ſeaven whereof are reckoned up as creation, ſuſtentation, preſervation, health, ſtrength, beauty and wiſdome; and gifts of grace, & that either purchaſing ſalvation as Chriſt, or applying ſalvation, which are of foure forts. 1. The Miniſtry of the word & Sacraments, 2. Gods patience, 3. Illumination of the mind, 4. The plantation of many excellent vertues, eight whereof are particulated, as 1. knowledge, 2. faith, 3. repentance, 4. fortitude, 5. liberality, 6. temperance, 7. humility, 8. chaſtity, (which by this time I have gotten by heart ere I am aware, I am ſo beaten to it, through a tedious diſcourſe) of all which hand over head, it is affirmed that either God meanes them not to them that enjoy them, but as they are mingled with the elect, which hath no colour as I can perceive, ſave of the Miniſtry of the Word & Sacraments, for is it ſober to impute to any, to ſay that creation, or preſervation, or health, ſtrength, beauty, wiſdome, or Chriſt himſelfe, or Gods patience, or illumination of mind, or the vertues he ſpeakes of; as knowledge, faith, repentance, fortitude, liberality, temperance, humility, chaſtity, are not given to any, but as they are mingled among the elect? Or that they are given for their hurt: touching this laſt I anſwere in briefe, that it is a very abſurd thing to ſay, that God gives any of theſe gifts to man to this end, that they may by occaſion be hurt by them: but God both gives them, and (in caſe they prove an occaſion of harme, of ſinne unto them) he permits them through occaſion from them to ſinne, and therein to preſevere (as touching Reprobates) to damne them for their ſinnes, to the manifeſtation of his own glory, in the way of juſtice vindicative: as alſo hereby, the more To declare the riches of his glory upon the veſſells of mercy which he hath prepared unto glory. Rom. 9. 23. When they ſhall find, that had not God put a gracious and mercifull difference between them and others, Chriſt had been a rock of offence, as well unto them as unto others: the Goſpell had been a ſavour of death unto death to them, as well as others. All other gifts which God hath beſtowed upon them, look in what ſort they have been an occaſion of falling unto others, ſo they might have been in like ſort, an occaſion of falling unto them alſo: for it is as true as 2 Cor. 1. 15, 16.the word of God is true, that the Goſpell is a ſavour of death unto death to ſome: and that Chriſt was ſet up as well for the falling of ſome, as for the riſing of others: yea a rock to fall upon to both the houſes of Iſraell, and as a ſnare, and as a net to the Inhabitants of Luke. 2. 34. Iſai. 8. 18.Jeruſalem, and many among them ſhall ſtumble and ſhall fall, and ſhall be broken, and ſhall be ſnared, and ſhall be taken. And that as many as ſtumble at the word, and are diſobedient, they were thereunto ordained. And the holy Prophet wanted not faith when he delivered this execration, 1 Peter. 1. 8. Pſal. 69. 22.let their table be a ſnare before them, and their proſperity thir ruine. And how poorely this Author labours to charme the energy of theſe & ſuch like paſſages, let the indifferent judge by that which is delivered. As for the laſt of an abſolute decree, cutting off and rejecting ſome from grace and glory, I will end this with repreſenting the ſottiſh condition of this Author, herein parbreaking his ſtomack, without all judgement and ſobriety. Firſt obſerve, how he claps together grace and glory, as if there were no difference in the manner of Gods cutting off from the one & from the other. (whereas the manner of Gods cutting off from the one, as it is maintained by us, is ſuch as impudency it ſelfe, hath not the face to lay any thing to our charge therein.) As for the manner of Gods cutting off from the other, as it is maintained by us, there is indeed ſuch abſoluteneſſe, as they maligne bitterly, but withall it is ſo cleerely ſet down in holy Scripture, that their hearts ſerve them not with open face to vent their ſpleen againſt it; and that is a chiefe reaſon of this Authors declining the other controverſies, and keeping himſelfe only to this, though I verily think, this hath proceeded from the counſell of his abettors: And for the ſame reaſon it is, that he claps togeather the cuting off from grace and glory. But I will take leave to diſtinguiſh them, and anſwer diſtinctly to both a part, to make their madneſſe and unreaſonableneſſe more apparent. And firſt I will ſpeake of Gods abſolute decree of cutting off from glory. Now this is well known to be oppoſed to a decree conditionall, as in the end of the former Section this Author calls it, and uſeth it, as according to their own doctrine, in oppoſition to ours, but moſt indiſcreetely and unlearnedly. This conditionall will of God is to be underſtood, quoad res volitas, as touching the things willed by God, ſo Voſſius accommodates it in his Hiſtory of the Pelagian Hereſy, as before I have ſhewed, and makes it all one in effect with Gods antecedent will: and D. Iaokſon in his Book of Divine providence treating hereof, profeſſeth in plaine termes, that the diſtinction of Voluntas antecedens and conſequens, is to be underſtood, quoad res volitas, as touching the things willed. Now the thing willed here, is the cutting off from glory: now this Author togeather with his inſtructer, will have the will of God concerning this, to be conditionall, to wit, that it is Gods will, that no man ſhall be cut off from glory, but for ſinne, now we ſay ſo too, and profeſſe, that like as God hath not ordained that any ſhall be damned, but for finall perſeverance in ſinne: ſo likewiſe God hath not ordained that any man ſhall be cut off from glory, but for finall perſeverance in ſinne. But whereas the Remonſtrants maintained, that there is no other decree of Reprobation but this, and ſo likewiſe on the other ſide, that there is no decree of Predeſtination, but ſuch as is properly oppoſite hereunto, namely this, That the decree by which God hath purpoſed in Chriſt, and for Chriſt, to ſave thoſe that believe and repent to the end, is the whole and entire decree of Predeſtination unto ſalvation. On this poynt the Contra-Remonſtrants oppoſed them: and accordingly our Brittaine Divines, make this the firſt erroneous opinion, which they reject upon the firſt Article as touching election. And likewiſe as touching Reprobation, the firſt erroneous opinion which they reject, is this, That the decree by which God from all eternity, and that irrevocably, hath purpoſed out of lapſed mankind to leave none, but the impenitent and incredulous in ſinne, and under the wrath of God, as being aliens from Chriſt, is the whole and entire decree of reprobation. This I ſay is the firſt erroneous opinion which our Brittaine Divines reject: which this Author takes no notice of, but moſt unlearnedly diſcovers, that he underſtands not the ſtate of the queſtion. Secondly, Now I come to Gods abſolute decree of cutting off from grace, this we willingly confeſſe, is meerely abſolute and unconditionall quoad res volitas, as touching the things willed by God; for the things willed by God herein, are the denyall of mercy, and grace, to regenerate ſome; the denyall of the grace of faith and repentance, concerning which the Apoſtle profeſſeth, that God proceeds herein, meerely according to the good pleaſure of his will, Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth. Rom. 11. 30. Even as they in times paſt have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbeliefe. Where to obtaine mercy, in the Apoſtles language, is plainely as much as to believe. Auſtin in many places juſtifies this, Epiſt. 105. ad Sixtum. … ille credat, ille non credat, cum ambo idem audiunt: etſi miraculum in eorum conſpectu fiat, ambo idem vident, altitudo eſt divitiarum ſapientiae & ſcientiae Dei: cujus inſcrutabilia ſunt judici… & apud quem non eſt iniquitas: dum cujus vult miſeretur, & quem vult indurat. And neere the end, Audiat haec & non contemnat, quod ſi contempſerit, ut contemneret inveniat ſe obduratum. Enchirid. 98. Quis porro tam impie deſipiat ut dicat, Deum malas hominum voluntates quas voluerit, quando voluerit, ubi voluerit, in bonum non poſſe convertere? Sed cum facit pre miſericordia facit: cum autem non facit per judicium non facit, quoniam cujus vult miſeretur, & quem vult obdurat: Here miſereri eujus vult, is voluntates hominum quas vult in bonum convertere. See lib. 1. De grat. Chriſti, contra Pelag. & Caeleſt. cap. 46. He cites this ſaying out of Ambroſe. Sed Deus quem dignatur vocat, & quem vult religioſum fecit. And thereupon breakes out into this exclamation. O ſenſum hominis Dei ex ipſo fonte gratiae Dei hauſtum, videte ſi non Propheticum illud eſt, miſerebor cujus miſertus ero: & Apoſtolicum illud non volentis ne que currentis ſed miſerentis Dei: quia ut dicit etiam noſtrorum temporum homo ejus quem dignatur vocat, & quem vult religioſum facit. Here Miſereri, Rom. 9. 18. is all one with Vocare, & Religioſum facere. And lib. 1. ad Simplician: cap. 2. Unde datur intelligi, quod infra utrum que poſuit, ergo cujus vult miſeretur, & quem vult indurat, ita ſententiae ſuperiori poteſt congruere, ut obduratio Dei ſit nolle miſereri, ut non ab illo irrogetur aliquid quo ſit homo deterior, ſed tantum quo ſit melior non erogetur: quod ſi fit nulla diſtinctione meritorum, quis non erumpat in eam vocem quam ſibi objecit Apoſtolus, dicis ita que mihi, quid adhuc conqueritur, nam voluntati ejus quis reſiſtit: conqueritur enim Deus ſaepe de hominibus ſicut per innumerabiles apparet ſcripturarum locos, quod nolint credere & recte vivere. So that the meliority of man, which God workes ſine meritorum diſtinctione, doth by Auſtins judgement conſiſt in recte vivendo & recte credendo, now here is the proper field of Scholaſticall combate betwixt us. Ecce Rhodus, ecce Saltus, let them try their ſtrength to the uttermoſt, to prove that the reaſon why God regenerates one, and not another, why God beſtowes faith and repentance upon one, and not on another, is becauſe man hath diſpoſed himſelfe by ſome good worke performed by him, which another hath not: and when they have proved this, then will we truly confeſſe, that Pelagianiſmus eſt vere Chriſtianiſmus, not Semi-Pelagianiſmus only, as it was ſometimes objected to Arminius. But proceed we to the particulars following, for by this Doctrine of Gods abſolute decree in oppoſition to their conditionall decree, this Author ſaith;
1. Christ came not into the World to procure the ſalvation of them that periſh. I anſwere, That look in what ſort he came into the World, to procure the ſalvation of them that periſh by their Doctrine, after the ſame ſort he came to procure their ſalvation by our Doctrine. For as it is their Doctrine, that God decreed that for Chriſts ſake, ſalvation ſhould redound to all that believe, ſo is this our Doctrine alſo: but we deny that this is the whole decree of predeſtination. We farther ſay, that God purpoſed to beſtow Faith on ſome, and not on others, and accordingly to ſend Chriſt to merit faith and regeneration for them, which the Remonſtrants in the Cenſura Cenſurae, doe now a daies utterly deny; and if this Author, together with his inſtructer, think that Chriſt was ſent to merit faith and regeneration for all, then either abſolutely or conditionally; if abſolutely, then all muſt believe de facto, and be regenerated; if conditionally, then let them diſcover unto us this condition, and avoyd direct Pelagianiſme if they can. 2. Indeed we think the word is not ſent to all that periſh, we find it by manifeſt experience: in reference to Miniſtry humane, and if they have ſo ſtrenuouſly rubd their own foreheads, as to faine out of their own heads a Miniſtry Angelicall, let them not expect that we ſhould take their forgeries for Oracles Divine. 3. It is not true, that where it is ſent among them that periſh, 'tis ſent only that they ſhould ſlight it, it may be ſent as well, ut proficiant ad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur: as for thoſe that doe ſlight it, and ſtumble at it, being diſobedient, Saint Peter plainly ſaith, that hereunto they were ordained. Let them therefore cry downe Peter firſt, and then we will take it in good part, to be cryed downe alſo. And if God ſent his Sonne into the World to be crucified by ſome; why might not he as well ſend the Preaching of Chriſt into the World, to be ſlighted and deſpiſed by others: and Saint Paul hath profeſſed, that the Preachers of it, are unto God a ſweet ſavour in Chriſt, even in them that periſh: Yet we ſay not that this is the end why God ſends it to any: But we ſay God both ſends it, and permits many to ſlight it, and to perſevere in the contempt of it, that he may manifeſt his glory in their juſt condemnation, and declare thereby alſo the riches of his glory on the veſſells of mercy, whom he hath prepared unto glory, by making it appeare, what a mercifull difference God hath put between them, and others. To the particulars ſubordinate hereunto, I anſwer diſtinctly thus.
1. God deceives none in calling them to Salvation, in the name of his Sonne, by the preaching of his Word, any more by our Doctrine, than by the Doctrine of this Author: for as he maintaines that God intends Salvation to all men, no otherwiſe than in caſe they believe, ſo doe we; and as we maintaine that God doth fully intend to moſt the contrary, but no otherwiſe than in caſe they believe not, ſo doth he: only as touching the obtaining of faith and regeneration, here is the difference between us: we maintaine with Saint Paul, that God hath mercy on whom he will, in beſtowing the grace of faith and regeneration, and hardeneth whom he will by denying of it; ſoe doth not he: and accordingly we ſay, Chriſt merited faith and regeneration for his elect. But the Remonſtrants openly profeſſe that he merited faith and regeneration for none at all. Hereby let the indifferent judge which of us makes God the greateſt deceiver they or we. And the truth is, this Author nor his inſtructer, are willing to diſcover themſelves in this poynt, for feare leaſt nothing ſhould ſave them from breaking their necks, but to be received upon the featherbed of Pelagianiſme: ſo fearfull a precipice is likely there to meet with them; at the margent of this, there ſtands a wild quotation thus, Suffrag: Britaine, p. 43. as if the Author was loath his meaning ſhould be found: or it may be in tranſcribing the coppy ſent him he did miſtake. But the Article upon which theſe Theſes are dilivered he utterly leaves out, like as in his former quotation of the ſufferages. But after much ſearching I gueſſe I find that which he refers unto on the 3. Article, 3. Poſition, which is pag: 166. in Synod. Dordare: and in the Engliſh ſufferages of our Divines of Great Britaine, the poſition is this, whome God doth thus prepare by his Spirit (as was ſignifyed in the former poſition) through the meanes of the word, thoſe doth he truly and ſeriouſly invite and call to faith and converſion. I make no queſtion but whatſoever God doth, he doth truly and ſeriouſly: And as for that ſancta ſimulatio which this Author formerly upbraided our Divines with, for attributing it unto God, I have formerly diſcovered the falſe nature of that aſpertion, though he thought to walke in the clouds, that his jugling might not be diſcovered. The explicatiō of the poſition is added thus, By the nature of the benefit offered, and by the evident word of God we muſt judge of thoſe helpes of graces which are beſtowed on men, and not by the abuſe of them. Therefore when the Goſpell of its' owne nature calls men unto repentance and Salvation, when the incitements and Divine graces tend the ſame way, wee muſt not thinke any thing is done fainedly by God; this is proved too. All theſe I willingly acknowledge neither doe I know any of our Divines that deny it; and more particularly I am willing to particulate wherein I take it to conſiſt. God hereby doth ſignify that as many as believe ſhall be Saved: and ſo I ſay he doth ſeriouſly intend as much; as likewiſe, that none ſhall be ſaved without faith; likewiſe God doth ſignify, that he is well pleaſed, with faith and converſion, in whomſoever he finds it, and herein he deales moſt truly and ſeriouſly, likewiſe hereby he ſignifies his own will to make it their duty to believe, which alſo is moſt true and ſerious. But none of all theſe I know full well, will ſatisfy theſe with whom wee deale; unleſſe we acknowledge, that God hath a kind of velleity alſo, both of their converſion and ſalvation; but let them ſhew me any paſſage out of theſe Suffrages where this is acknowledged. They adde, If God ſhould not ſeriouſly invite all whom he vouchſafeth this gift of his Word and ſpirite, to a ſerious converſion, ſurely both God ſhould deceive many whom he calls in his Sonnes name, and the meſſengers of the Evangelicall promiſe might be accuſed of falſewitneſse, and thoſe which being called to converſion, doe neglect to obey, might be more excuſable. All this I willingly grant, neither doe I know any Divine of ours that denyes it, according to the three particulars formerly ſpecifyed, wherein I deſired to explicate the truth and ſeriouſneſſe of all this, though thoſe worthy Divines of ours goe not ſo farre. As for their laſt clauſe which is this, For that calling by the Word and ſpirit cannot be thought to leave men unexcuſable, which is only exhibited to this end, to make them unexcuſable. I willingly confeſſe I doe not ſufficiently underſtand them in this. For albeit I have already particulated divers things werein the ſeriouſneſſe of this Divine invitation doth conſiſt, (neither doe I find any end of this Divine invitation mentioned at all by theſe our Divines, whom from my heart I honour for their juſt deſert;) yet to me it ſeemes moſt cleare, that Revelation doth ſo neceſſarily take away excuſe, upon pretence of ignorance, and admonition, and invitation, as neceſſarily takes away excuſe, upon pretence of not being admoniſhed and invited, that if God did invite them to no other end than this, namely to take away theſe excuſes, ſurely theſe excuſes were clearly taken away, and conſequently ſo farre they ſhould prove unexcuſable: But I gueſſe they take the denomination of inexcuſable, not according to the ſignification formall as it ſignifyes bereaved of excuſe: but rather according to the ſignification materiall, connotated thereby which is faultineſſe, and in this ſence I confeſſe, it is ordinarily taken togeither with the condition of being without excuſe, and thus & in this ſenſe I willingly ſubſcribe unto them, and therewithall ſhew what I take to be their meaning, namely this, that if God, making ſhew that if they believe he will accept them, and that they ſhall be Saved, did not indeed meane that he would in that caſe accept and ſave them, then there were no reaſon why they ſhould be accounted faulty and condemned for their not believing. Thus in a deſire exactly to conforme my ſelfe to the judgement of theſe worthyes of our Church, made choyſe of by our Soveraign to be ſent in ſo Honourable an Embaſſage, to countenance that famous Synod of the moſt reformed Churches; I have made bold to interpret them, and to ſhew my concurrence with them, although I have not conſulted with any of them upon that poynt, which if I had; like enough I might have received better ſatisfaction: And I hope they will not diſdaine that without conſulting them I have adventured thus to interpret them; and what doe I know whether their judgement may not prove to be the very ſame, and that in deed they had no other meaning.
2. My former anſwer will ſerve for this, Gods Miniſters doe offer Salvation conditionally, to wit, upon condition of faith, neither, are any ordained to be condemned, but in caſe of infidelity: yet I ſee the cunning carriage of this Authors inſtructer, for he would faine fly from the abſoluteneſſe, or conditionality of Gods decree, as touching the things willed quoad res volitas, unto the abſoluteneſſe or conditionality of it: quoad actum volentis, as touching the act of willing, although both Uoſſius practiſe, and this Authors alſo in expreſſing his owne meaning of Gods conditionall will, and Doctor Jackſons profeſſion is to the contrary: namely that it is to be taken quoad res volitas only, and not quoad actum volentis: but withall we teach, that Gods Miniſters doe not only teach upon what tearmes on mans part, God will either beſtow ſalvation, or inflict damnation: but alſo they teach that upon no tearmes on our parts, but meerely according to the good pleaſure of his own will, doth God ſhew mercy unto ſome, beſtowing faith and repentance upon them, and by denying the ſame grace harden others, and they are the true witneſſes of God, equally in both.
3. Neither is there any iuſt excuſe hereby left to Reprobates, yet I confeſſe, this were a very plauſible pretence, if we had no Oracles of God at all to be the rule of our faith, concerning God, and his providence: but as we have, ſo we faile not therein, of a direct anſwer hereunto, Rom. 9. For after the Apoſtle had profeſſed, That God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth: v. 18. Forthwith he brings in this ojection upon the ſtage v. 19. Thou wilt ſay then, why doth he yet complaine? for who hath reſiſted his will? And both Bellarmine and Arminians confeſſe, that where obduration hath place, there is no power of obedience: And the Apoſtle himſelfe implyes no leſſe in that place. Now what doth the Apoſtle anſwer hereunto but this v. 20. O man who art thou, which diſputeſt with God? ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it why haſt thou formed me thus? 21. Hath not the Potter power over the clay of the ſame lumpe to make one veſſell to honour and another to diſhonour? as much as to ſay, if God be acknowledged to be our Creatour, we muſt give him leave to doe what he will with his creature, for doth not every creature doe what he will with the worke of his hand? Every tradeſman in his trade takes as much liberty to doe with the workmanſhip of his hands, as this comes to. And Medina hath not ſpared to profeſſe, and that tanquam ex concordi omnium Theologorum ſententiâ: that if God ſhould inflict the very paines of Hell upon an innocent creature; he ſhall doe no unjuſt act, though herein he ſhould not carry himſelfe as Judex, Judge, but as Dominus vitae & mortis as Lord of life amd Death. And we all know what power God giveth us over inferiour creatures, to ſtrangle ſome, to cut the throats of others, to knocke downe others, not with reference to the moderation of their paine, but only to the wholſome condition of their fleſh unto us. And we know what power God executed upon his own deare Sonne to break him for our iniquityes, on him to lay the chaſtiſement of our peace, that ſo by his ſtripes we might be healed. But let that paſſe, let us try another way that may be anſwered unto this. Suppoſe not one ſhall be condemned for want of faith, but only left to be judged by the covenant of workes, who ſeeth not but that the ſame plea hath place here as well as in the former caſe, and God may be as well chalenged for injuſtice, in condemning men for breach of the law, who have no power to keepe the law? And who ſees not how ready this Author is to juſtifye this plea, and conſequently acknowledge that every man hath power to keepe the law; and ſo to bring us back againe to the covenant of works, or to confound the covenant of grace with the covenant of works: which indeed is their courſe throughout. For they maintaine that every man hath univerſall grace for the enlivening of their wills, whereby they are inabled to will any ſpirituall good whereto they ſhall be excited, and who doubts but obedience to the law, and that in all perfection, is a ſpirituall good: againe they maintaine that they can believe if they will, and ſo accordingly doe any good thing that they will: and indeed were not the will in fault, I know no naturall power defective in the performance of any good, that a man hath a will unto: this I can ſhew under the hands of one of them, in a manuſcript ſent unto me. And I have good reaſon to conceive there are more hands in it than one. Thirdly conſider, doſt thou complaine thou hadſt no power to believe, but I pray thee tell me, haſt thou any will to believe? If thou neither haſt, nor ever hadſt any will to believe, what a ſhamefull and unreaſonable thing is it to complaine that thou haſt no power to believe? Saint Paul had a moſt gratious will, but he found in himſelfe no power to doe that he would, but what is Rom. 7. 18, 19.the iſſue of this complaint? To fly to the face of God? Nothing leſſe! but to confeſſe his own wretchedneſſe, and flee unto God in this manner, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? And receiving a gracious anſwer concerning this, concludes with 24. 25.thankes, I thank my God through my Lord Jeſus Chriſt: if I have a will to believe, to repent, I have no cauſe to complaine, but to runne rather unto God with thankes for this, and pray him to give that power, which I find wanting in me. And indeed (as I may adde in the fourth place) this impotency of believing, and infidelity, the fruit of naturall corruption common to all, is meerely a morall impotency, and the very ground of it is, the corruption of the will: therefore men cannot believe, cannot repent, cannot doe any thing pleaſing unto God, becauſe they will not, they have no delight therein; but all their delight is carnall, ſenſuall, and becauſe they are in the Rom. 8.fleſh they …annot pleaſe God: and becauſe of the hardneſſe of their hearts they cannot repent, ſinne is to them as a ſweet morſell unto an Epicure, which he rolleth under his tongue. Fiftly, doſt thou blaſpheame God, becauſe of Leprous Parents, thou art begot and conceived, and borne a leprous child? What impudency then is it in thee, to challenge him for injuſtice, in that the ſpirituall leproſy of thy firſt Parents, is propagated to thy ſoule. Laſtly, if thou renounceſt the Goſpell, what reaſon haſt thou to complaine of want of power to embrace it, ſo farre as not to renounce it? haſt thou not as much power to believe, as Simon Magus had? as many a prophane perſon and hipocrite hath, that is, bred and brought up in the Church of God? Hadſt thou gone ſo farre as they, and performed ſubmiſſion unto the Goſpell, by profeſing it, ſurely thou ſhouldeſt never be brought to condemnation for not profeſſing of it, but rather for not walking according to the rule of it; which thou promiſedſt when firſt thou gaveſt thy name to Chriſt. I come to the third.
3. Look what the Word promiſeth, that doe the Sacraments ſcale: the word promiſeth Juſtification & Salvation to all that beleive, the ſame doth the Sacraments ſeal. As Circumſion Rom. 4. 5. Is ſaid to be the ſeale of the Rightiouſnes of faith ſo is Baptiſme: it did in our Saviours dayes and in the dayes of his Apoſtles ſeale to the believer, and penitent Perſon the aſſurance of the forgiveneſſe of their ſinnes; over and above Baptiſme is the Sacrament of our birth in Chriſt, and the Lords Supper of our growth in Chriſt, each an outward and viſible ſigne of an inward & inviſible grace. But what is the grace were of the Sacrament is a ſigne? Is it a power to doe good if a man will? Call you that grace which is not ſo much as goodneſſe, for certainly goodneſſe conſiſts not in a power to doe good if a man will, but in a definite inclination of the will it ſelfe, to delight in that which is good, and to be prone to doe it. But this grace whereof Baptiſme is a ſigne, is ſuo tempore conferenda, like as Circumciſion was, even to thoſe Jewes who yet were not regenerated, untill they were partakers of the Goſpell. Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth. Writing unto the twelve tribes of the Jewes. And it is very ſtrange to me, that regeneration ſhould ſo many years goe before vocation. But this oppoſite Doctrine, and the ſealing of a blanke is nothing ſtrange to me: I was acquainted with it twenty yeares agoe, and I ſeeme plainly to diſcerne the chimney from whence all the ſmoake comes.
4. As for other gifts beſtowed on the Reprobates.
1. We willingly confeſſe they ſhall never bring them to ſalvation, be they as great as thoſe who were beſtowed on Ariſtotle, Plato, Ariſtides, Sophocles, and the moſt learned morall and wiſe men of the World, that never were acquainted with the myſtery of Godlineſſe: it was wont to be received generally for a truth, that Extra Eccleſiam non eſt ſatus; But Arminians take liberty to coyne new Articles of our Creed.
2. But yet they may doe them good, hereby they may Proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur. For certainly it ſhall be eaſier in the day of udgement, for Cicero then for Cattline, for Auguſtus than for Tiberius, for Trajan than for Heliogabalus.
3. And therefore it is certainly falſe that they are hurtfull, and that they proceed out of extreme hatred. And as for love, the Scripture teacheth us that Jacob was loved of God, and Eſau hated, each before they were borne. Such is the condition of all the elect as Jacob, of all the Reprobates as Eſau; and in Thomas Aquinas his judgement, Non velle alicui vitam aeternam eſt ipſum odiſſe. Knowledge I confeſſe of the myſteries of Godlineſſe, where life and converſation is not anſwerable, doth encreaſe mens condemnation: neither is God bound to change the corrupt heart of any man: if they are workers of iniquity Chriſt will not know them at the great day, though they have Propheſyed in his name, and in his name caſt out Devills; neither was it ever heard of, that the graces of edification, and graces of ſanctification muſt goe together, and that God in giving the one, is bound to give the other. As for being proud of them, pride for ought I know, requires no other cauſes but domeſticall corruption: but he that acknowledgeth God to be the giver of any gift, and hath an heart to be thankfull for it, I make no doubt but he hath more grace than of edification only: certainly the gifts they have, ſinke them not to hell, but their corrupt heart in abuſing them. And hath a man no cauſe to be thankfull unto God for one gift, unleſſe he will adde another? The Gentiles are charged for unthankfulneſſe Rom. 1. But it ſeems by this Authors Divinity, it was without cauſe, unleſſe we will with this Author ſay, they all had ſufficiency of meanes without, and power within to bring them to ſalvation: and what had Iſraell more? Or the elect of God more in any age? True, for according to the Arminian tenet, an elect hath no more cauſe to be thankfull to God for any converting grace, than a Reprobate. In a word, what good act wrought in the heart of man, whether of faith or of repentance, or any kind of obedience, hath man cauſe to be thankfull to God for, when God workes it in him no otherwiſe than modó homo velit, and ſo they confeſſe he workes every ſinfull act? Have they not in this caſe more cauſe to thank themſelves than to thank God? And unleſſe we concurre with them in ſo ſhameleſſe, unchriſtian, graceleſſe, and ſenſeleſſe an opinion, and in effect, if God converts the heart of man according to the meere pleaſure of his will, and hardeneth others: all the gifts that he beſtowes on man, are cenſured by this audacious cenſurer, as Sauls beſtowing Michal on David, Jaells courteſy, and uſurers bounty, &c. or a baite for a poore fiſh, as if God needed any ſuch courſe to permit him to ſinne in what kind or degree ſoever, to expoſe him to any degree of condemnation; or as if the Creator hath not power to doe what he will with his creature, any more than an Uſurer hath over his poore brother, or Saul over David, or the like. Thus the conſideration of his third reaſon I have brought to an end. I come to the Fourth.