The Riches of Gods Love, Preface – Part 1

The Riches of Gods Love · Preface – Part 1

p. 1THE PREFACE.

WHen firſt I lighted upon a treatiſe intituled (God's love to mankind) and read a little way in it, I had reaſon to be acquainted with it; though the Authors face I had never ſeen: Upon the firſt relation of the change of his opinion in certaine controverſies, as he pretended; I was intreated to conferre with him thereupon by word of mouth: My anſwer was, that it was more fit to conferre in writing, and if he would be drawne to communicate the reaſons of his pretended change; I ſhould willingly take them into conſideration. This motion was made in the yeare 1631. being then at London; the yeare following in the month of July (as I remember) was the diſcourſe of M^r Hord's ſent unto me, and I was urged upon my former promiſe to make anſwer thereunto. At that time I had another buſineſſe under my hand, which I could not diſpatch in leſſe then two months ſpace or more: but I was wiſhed to take my owne time. As ſoone as I was free from my former taske, I ſet hand to this, and returned my anſwere thereunto, unto the Gentleman that ſet me on worke, about the end of Hillary terme Anno Dom: 1632. But obſerving the bulke of the treatiſe now in print, twice as bigge, as that in manuſcript or more. I expected a reply to my former anſwer; but upon peruſall, I found nothing leſſe, whereat I wondred not a little, having never heard of any ſuch treatiſe untill the laſt ſommer, 1635: for ſurely they had time enough to anſwer it. To helpe the credit of their cauſe in this; it ſeemed good unto them to raiſe a miſt, that their abſurd carriage might not be diſcovered, to witt: by antedating the print thereof, which yet was but newly found creeping in corners. Another deviſe there is by a large interpolation and addition, here and there foyſted into the body of the former diſcourſe, and yet not all at once, but by pathes, a great part of it being but lumber; and the adding of more teſtimonies, as if the matter were to be carried by number and not by weight, or as if the Author of them were willing to make oſtentation of the foreign, and fullneſſe of his common place booke. Only the upper way of our Divines maintayning the abſoluteneſſe of God's decrees is here inpugned at large, with the Authors beſt ſtrength I doubt not; which taske was omitted by Mr Hord: And beſides there is one Divine attribute more here mentioned, in contradiction whereunto the Doctrine of our Divines is pretended to proceed, and the proſecution hereof amongſt the reſt is here ſet downe, by way of ſuperfaetation upon the former, not only that ſo the argument might be the more compleat, but alſo to caſt a colour; that this diſcourſe of Mr Hord's hath not as yet been anſwered. It may be it would faine have ſhewed it ſelfe unto the world in this maſculine ſhape and vigour before this time, if Doctor Duppa while he was Vicechancellour at Oxford would have given way to the printing of it, if it be true as I have heard, that it was offered unto him to be licenced for the preſſe. Doctor Potter alſo of Queenes Colledge performed a freindly part to ſome body in checking the Stationers for ſelling the copies of it, forwhich courteſy, I doe account my ſelfe ſo much in his debt as that comes to; and ſhould much more, had he ſent me one of the copies, as he did noe leſſe then ſix on the ſame day to his friend Doctor Aigleonbee; as the Book-ſeller confeſſed to a Scholar a friend of mine. Well Mr Hord's treatiſe is at length come to the Preſſe, and ſhewes it ſelfe in publique without ſhame, though I thought it had been ſufficiently confounded almoſt three yeares agoe; yet this Miſtres bluſhes not, though dares not open her mouth to cleare her reputation in any one particular of that which I layd to her charge, manifeſting her to be no Daughter of God's truth, but a meere Baſtard, begotten by a carnall wit, upon a ſpecious pretence by miſerable deflowring and adulterating the word of God; one builds a wall as the Prophet ſpeakes, and another daubeth that with untempered mortar. Mr Hord is well knowne to be the Author of the firſt by mee formerly anſwered. But what Maſon's hand was uſed in the addition, that is concealed; but that may breake out into pregnant evidences before we have gone through with it.

p. 2The Prefacer at the firſt chop begins with a notorious untruth, and that in more particulars then one; for firſt, whom doth he meane by the Author of this Treatiſe? M. Horde? That which M. Horde ſent to his worthy friend is yet to be ſeen, containing not halfe ſo much as this; it was not above 30 leaves manuſcript, and that not cloſely, but written at large; And this containes 55 leaves in print. But it may bee M. Horde hath ſince inlarged his own diſcourſe, and ſo continues to be author of it, not in part only, but in the whole. And I confeſſe it may be, he is as much the Author of the one as of the other; if it be true as ſome have told me of the very firſt, ſent to his friend indeed, namely that it was the very ſtrength of M. Maſon; him I knowe of old, and ſhould be acquainted with his ſufficiency, though it was a long time ere I had ſo much as heard of his zeale for the Arminian cauſe, and after I heard ſo much, it was yet longer ere I could believe it, untill I ſaw it under his own hand: And whereas M. Horde comming to his ſecond convincing Argument, as he calls it, drawne from Attributes Divine, layeth downe certaine premiſes, the ſecond whereof is this; That juſtice, mercy, truth, and holineſſe, in God are the ſame in nature with theſe vertues in men, though infinitely differing in Degrees. I willingly confeſſe I ſtood amaz'd, and albeit I conceived it, and doe conceave it to be one of the abſurdeſt poſitions that ever dropped from the pen of a Schoole Divine; yet the adventure was ſo great in my judgement, that I was apt to imagine that it proceeded not from a vulgar ſpirit. This conceit of mine was improved by the reaſons he brings to juſtifie ſo ſtrange a Paradox: for they are plauſible & make a faire ſhew at the firſt, like the fruit of Sodom; but cruſh them once, come to the Scholaſtical diſcuſſion of them, & forthwith In Cineres abeunt & vagam fuliginem, they vaniſh into ſmoak and emptineſſe. A ſecond untruth is this, that he ſaith, The Author was perſwaded by a worthy friend to pen the Reaſons of his opinion againſt abſolute reprobation; for he was only put upon ſhewing reaſons of the change of his opinion in the controverſies of late debated between the Remonſtrants & their oppoſites, as M. Horde himſelfe confeſſeth in his Preface. M. Horde indeed is willing to drawe the matter unto the conſideration of Gods decrees, as if that were the maine Thing enquired after.foreign moſt abſurdly, and quite contrary to the doctrine of Auguſtine, who ſhapes the decrees of God in conformitie to the doctrine of grace; and accordingly to certifie the Maſſilienſes in the doctrine of Praedeſtination, he thinks it moſt fit to begin with proving that Faith is the gift of God, yea the very beginning of it. Now he liked not to follow Auſtins courſe, and in the firſt place to deale upon the point of grace. And herein hee ſavours of M. Maſons ſpirit, for that is his courſe, as I have ſeen under his hand; yet ſuppoſe that this be the maine thing, controverted, namely the qualitie of Gods decrees, whether they be abſolute or conditionall only. How doth he ſatisfie his friend, or performe the promiſe made in letting election paſſe untouched, and dealing only upon reprobation? And this I know alſo to have been M. Maſons genuine courſe, far worſe then the Remonſtrants in the Synod of Dort, for they made a motion, that they might deal upon reprobation in the firſt place, and then upon election, wherein notwithſtanding they were condemned in the judgement of all forraigne Divines, aſſiſtant there. But this Author and M. Maſon too, on my knowledge, affect to deale upon reprobation only. Yet I have alwaies been, and ſtill am glad to ſee the utmoſt of their ſtrength, or any mans ſtrength on any of the five points, and ſhould be very glad to ſee what they could ſay upon the point of free will, which is moſt congruous for them, though they meddle not at all with grace. For even on that point I ſeem to have profited more, lately by dealing with ſome Engliſh Arminians, then ever before, having alwaies acknowledged, that to be a point very obſcure, like as is the nature of originall ſinne which was one of the three points, concerning which I did not look to live ſo long, as to meet with convenient ſatisfaction. M. Horde (I heard) conferred with M. Maſon, about Election, and told him that the doctrine of our Divines therein ſeemed very comfortable to the children of God, whereunto M. Maſon ſhould anſwer, by granting that, but then adding, it was very prone to provoke men to looſeneſſe of life. This conceſſion was as a ſhooing horne to draw M. Horde on to the Remonſtranticall Tenet, nothing doubting, but in the end to take him of from entertaining ſo good an opinion of our doctrine of Election, as if it were not any ſuch comfortable condition; & teach him to magnifie the comfortable condition of the adverſaries doctrine, depending upon a threefold cord, which as the proverb faith, cannot eaſily be broken. 1. The univerſalitie of Gods love, 2. The univerſalitie of Chriſts redemption. 3. The univerſalitie of the Covenant of grace: Thus the comforts of the Remonſtrants are multiplied p. 3and advanced, which in the iſſue comes to this, that their condition is as comfortable as any reprobates condition throughout the world, whether Cain's or Iſhmael's, or Eſau's or Doeg's or Iuda's, or the Grand Senior among the Turkes, or the whole guard of his Janiſaries: for God's love is towards all, Chriſt's redemption extends to all, and the Covenant of Grace belongs to all. And what comfortable creatures muſt theſe needes be, upon ſo various and comfortable conſiderations? And the whole Nation of the Arminians, are herein inferiour to none of them all. And though they will not be ſo ſaucie as to promiſe unto themſelves perſeverance in the ſtate of grace; yet they will be ſo bold as to promiſe both to themſelves and to all their Proſelites perſeverance in this eſtate of conſolation, nothing inferiour to any Reprobates conſolation in the world. But the miſchiefe is, that hence it followes, that the conſolation of any of God's children, whether Abraham, Iſaack, Iacob, David, or Solomon, Prophets, Apoſtles, Martyrs, the bleſſed Virgin Mary, nor any other excepted, was never greater, then the conſolation of the wicked'ſt Chriſtian that ever lived, whether prophane or hypocriticall, Provided he did believe theſe myſteries of Arminian godlynes; namely that God's love is towards all, Chriſt dyed for the redemption of all, and laſtly that the Covenant of Grace belongs to all; for theſe are the ſweet and precious flowers of conſolation that grow in the gardens and writings of theſe Divines; to the aſtoniſhment of the world, in conſidering the power and efficacy of Satan: and that, even in the Church of God, ſo many ſhould be given up to ſo ſtrange deluſions. He doth not know what ſatisfaction that learned Gentleman his friend hath received by theſe reaſons, nor I neither; for I am not privy to the leaſt ſatisfaction he hath received. But on the contrary, rather how he hath found the vileneſſe of theſe Remonſtranticall Tenets diſcovered, and the vanity of all ſupports uſed to underprop them. Sure he is, They have given good content to others; give we him leave to be liberall in his owne commendations: we doe not know how farre he dwells from neighbours: yet no marvaile if they give good content to many, who have been ſeaſoned with the like ſpeculations: I have ſeen a manuſcript with this inſcription, A ſurvey of the new Platforme of Predeſtination; the method of it is much like to this, and it ends with a dialogue in the point of conſolation; as if both Authours had dipt their pen in the ſame inck-pot. And now to heare and ſee Demogorgon himſelfe play his part, and explicate his Mountebanck ſacultie in diſplaying the ſtrength of his Opobalſamum; as he did of his Catholicon, whom the Frenchman brings in his Satyre Mennippiſed, no marvaile if they are well perſwaded that no Pandora can equall that for vniverſalities of graces: when in the meane time they all fall ſhort of that unum neceſſarium, which yet like enough they are ready to forſweare, and profeſſe they will turne I have read this in one of their letters directed to a Scholler of Oxford who imparted it to meopen Atheiſts rather then believe it: ſtill he keeps himſelfe upon the commendation of his Proſelite, which cannot but reflect ſome ſweet content upon himſelfe, who is the Engineer and perhaps the Spirit that animates him and ſets him on worke,

For if the man ſuch prayſes have,

What then ſhall he that inſpires the knave.

He commends the Author for perſpicuitie in writing and modeſty, and he wiſheth that whoſoever undertakes to anſwer it fully will performe the like. For my part I cannot change my ſtile: but my deſire is, I may diſcover their fopperies, as perſpicuouſly as I can, and I hope nothing to faile in performance; like enough the Authour of the preface as well as the Authour of the diſcourſe deſires to be gently handled and that he calls modeſty, yet when a man will have his horſe to be well curried, it is not for want of love to his horſe; but becauſe the condition of his horſe requires to be ſo dealt withall: I thanke God, I never projected any immodeſt carriage; never could any adverſary move me ſo farre; But as an excellent footeball-player of our Houſe, who would lay any man on his backe handſomly without hurt (and he was a Biſhop's Sonne) being deſired to ſhew any other how to doe the like; anſwered with proteſtation that he never proceeded by any rules: but as he found his oppoſite, ſo he Coped with him. In like ſort, as I find my adverſarie; ſo I deale with him for the preſent, as the Condition of his carriage to my ſeeming deſerves, and if I handſomly lay his opinions on the ground without doing him any harme, methinkes I ſhould be rather loved then hated of my very enemies for this; As for the preſent my Oppoſite ſeemes to have a care of my credit, for the gaining whereof he chaulkes me out a way, to wit: by writing perſpicuouſly, and modeſtly, without voluminous vagaries about impertinent p. 4things. This he delivers very gravely and demurely, which is in my judgment very ridiculous; and, if I doe expreſſe it and anſwer it as it deſerves, I think, I ſhould carry my ſelfe decently in anſwering him according to his ridiculous condition, and telling him that he doth not well in ſhewing ſuch charity towards his adverſary, which the world will be apt to interpret, as proceeding from a cowardly diſpoſition. The Spaniards at the Fort of Breſt, when Sr John Norris went forth in hunting of the hare, and his hounds purſued the hare into the very Fort, they tooke his hounds and hanged them up over the wall, not in ſpite of ſo renowned a Generall, but to repreſent their feareles condition, and that they looked for no favour at his hands. Magnanimitie, not malice moved them unto this, which magnanimitie might ſtrike feare into their Enemies, though it did not, who tooke the Fort, though it coſt them deare. I write with a purpoſe to expoſe my ſelfe to the cenſure of the world as they ſhall find cauſe; but I regard not the cenſures of an Adverſary: eſpecially in ſuch a cauſe which Bradwardine Stiles, The cauſe of God againſt Pelagius. And truly I confeſſe I get ſomething by this very phraſe of my Adverſaries Voluminous vagaries about impertinent things: which makes me conclude, that certainely both this Author, and his Interpolator have ſeen my anſwer to M^r Hord's Treatiſe, wherein I have ſome vagaries I confeſſe, to refreſh my Spirit upon emergent occaſions. For, being taking of from my ſtudies to ſee a ſtranger who deſired my companie; I was ſuddenly inſtructed in a new learning of Nine cauſes, who never was accquainted with above 4. before in the Univerſitie, and one of the nine was finding out, of which I made good uſe upon my returne; in finding out the Sopheſtry of the Remonſtrants, in certaine Arguments of theirs. This liberty of Spirit to refreſh my ſelfe and my Reader, it may be this Author ſpites: whereas I am perſwaded I ſhould take no offence on his part for the like; But it may be his gravity tranſports him to be of the ſame mind with Raynold the Fox, who having loſt his owne tayle in a Ginne afterwards he endevours very compoſedly to perſwade his fellowes to cut of their tayles alſo. And to that purpoſe ſuffered his wit to exuberate in repreſenting and amplifying the incommodious condition of ſuch a member: Railing ſpeeches, I know no reaſon why any man ſhould feare from his adverſary; for ſuch, Hierome hath taught me, doe defile the Railer only, not him that is railed on. And if any man be pleaſed to ſpit in my face that way, though I am naturally very melancholly, yet I am perſwaded he ſhall find little melancholly predominant in my anſwering him. As for unneceſſarie diviſions for the cauſe, which he doth ſeriouſly and wiſely admoniſh his Adverſary to beware of. I willingly profeſſe, I love to have Sea roome, and not to be confined unto ſtraights by any ſullen rules of my Adverſarie; and truly I perſcribe to none, but as I find him, ſo I frame my ſelfe to grapple with him, as congruouſly as I can. If God be on my ſide, why ſhould I be afraid of any colours. Let the Divell and all his Angels of Darkneſſe lye in camp againſt me; I ſhall not budge: But here is danger mentioned, which I profeſſe, I did not project, and that is the daſhing of my ſelfe upon the rocks of my Adverſaries diſpleaſure. And his interpretation of my courſes to my diſpleaſure. For if I doe not conforme to his ſullen rules of Stoicall moralitie, he ſhall ever interpret it; (I marke well the Phraſe, he comes not willingly on to make harſh interpratations, but he ſhall doe it) as much as to ſay the uprightneſſe of his judgment and the juſtice of his diſpoſition will urge him hereunto, namely to interpret it, As a ſtrong ſigne of a weake cauſe, or at leaſt an Argument of an obſtinate minde: But ſoft and faire, who made my Adverſary my Judge; by whoſe interpretations I am to ſtand or fall? How Imperiouſly doth he carry himſelfe in this; as if he were ſome Bugbeare, or dreadfull Adverſary doe I ſay? or Magiſtrate rather, ſee the poverty of my wit and of my Spirit too; the one was never ſo inventious of any ſuch trick, nor the other ſo audacious, or immodeſt (if I may be ſo bold ſoe to ſpeak) as to ſerve my ſelfe therewith, to ſcarre my Adverſary, deſparing by faire waies to overcome him, and make him yeild, or elſe his obſtinacy knowne to the world: for who ſeeth not, that I have as much authoritie to threaten him with the ſharpneſſe of my interpretations of him; as he to threaten me not with the like auſtereneſſe of his? I am willingly content the world may judge between us, both of the cauſe debated and of our carriage therein throughout, and who hath the truth on his ſide, and ſhews moſt learning and honeſty in the maintayning of that he undertakes; I willingly confeſſe, the five points controverted are tender points, and the knowledge of the truth herein, meerly concerning a mans ſalvation; But this Author deales only upon the halfe of one of them, and that moſt needleſſe alſo: And the reſolution of the Doctrine of Election depends upon the p. 5reſolution of the doctrine of Election depends upon the reſolution of an other point; namely, whether Grace be conferred freely, or according to mens workes; That it is conferred freely, and not according to workes; hereupon it is that Auſtin builds the abſoluteneſſe of predeſtination and election, wherence it followeth evidently, that as many as doe maintaine the Decree of predeſtination to be conditionall, muſt alſo in Auſtin's judgment maintaine that Grace is given according unto workes, which was of old condemned in the Synod of Palaeſtine, and all along in divers Synods and Provinciall Councells againſt the Pelagians. Now if Predeſtination be abſolute and not conditionall; it followes that Reprobation alſo is abſolute and not conditionall; which conſequence I preſume, the Author of theſe additions will not deny. But as there is a great deale of craft in dawbing; ſo theſe craftie Crowders are apt to worke upon generalities and in diſtinctions: Reprobation we know is as well from Grace as from glory, and God's reprobation from glory is joyned with a purpoſe to inflict damnation. Now as touching Reprobation from grace, we readily profeſſe that God hath both ordained to deny grace unto ſome of his meere pleaſure; like as he hath ordained to beſtow that upon others of his meere pleaſure; and alſo of his meere pleaſure hath made ſuch a decree. And theſe Authors dare not mainifeſtly oppoſe us in this argument, leſt the ſower leaven of their Pelagian Tenet manifeſt it ſelfe to the whole world, namely in maintaining that grace is conferred according to workes: But as touching reprobation from Glory, and God's purpoſe to inflict Damnation, Theſe Juglers ſo carry the matter, as if they would make the world believe our Doctrine is, that God decreed to deny men Glory and to inflict Damnation, not for their ſinnes; but meerely, becauſe it is his pleaſure ſo to doe, a moſt unſhamefaſt crimination: For albeit that God hath made no law, according whereunto, he proceeds in giving grace unto ſome, and denying it unto others, but herein proceeds meerely according unto his pleaſure, and not according to men's workes; it being manifeſt Pelagianiſme to affirme the contrary; yet we openly & willingly profes (And all the Chriſtian world knowes it to be true) That God hath made a law whereunto according he proceeds in the diſtribution of rewards and Puniſhments, namely theſe, Whoſoever believeth ſhall be ſaved, whoſoever believeth not ſhall be damned: And according to this law, God hath decreed from everlaſting to proceed in pronouncing the ſentence of Salvation and Damnation on mankind, namely to beſtow Salvation not of his meere pleaſure, without all reſpect of the workes of men, but as a reward of their faith, repentance, and good workes, and to inflict damnation not of his owne meere pleaſure without any reſpect to the workes of men, but as a due reward for their ſinnes never broken of by repentance. Only this decree thus to proceed in the execution of rewards and puniſhments, we profeſſe God hath made according to the meere pleaſure of his will, whereby it is apparent, that theſe men play the part of notable Impoſtours, when they abuſe the world's credulitie in making them believe, that we maintaine any ſuch abſurd decrees or executions of decrees, which they obtrude upon us; and to this purpoſe theſe are willing to take the benefit and advantage of Confuſion; for it is moſt profitable for ſome to fiſh in troubled waters, and to walke in the darke: But when the light of diſtinction comes, this madd's them to ſee their impoſtures diſcovered, and their ſophiſtications made to appeare in their proper colours. The eye of the Adulterer (ſaith Iob) waiteth for the twilight, and ſaieth, no eye ſhall ſee me, and diſguiſeth his face, They dig through houſes in the darke, which they marked for themſelves in the day, they know not the light, but the morning is even to them, as the ſhadow of death, if one know them, they are in the terrours of the ſhadow of death; Now there is a courſe of adulterating the word of God, and deflouring his truth every way, as abominable in the ſight of God, as the deflowring of women; yea and much more abominable; In my anſwer to the former diſcourſe, as I remember, I propoſed certaine arguments to prove the abſolute nature of Reprobation. This Authour doth not accommodate himſelfe, nor his Achates neither to anſwer ſo much as one of them. Thus having Prefaced concerning theſe concealed Authours, and therewithall made anſwer to the Preface of this Interpolator, I come to make anſwer to the Additions themſelves.

p. 6The Anſwer to the Additions.

1. Some ſay that God of his meer pleaſure antecedent to all ſinne in the Creature, originall, or M. Maſon's Ad-Vitions pag: 2.actnall, did decree to glorifie his Soveraigntie and Juſtice in the eternall rejection and damnation of the greateſt part of Mankind, as the end; and in their unavoidable ſinne and impenitence, as the meanes.

2. The reſt of that ſide thinking to avoid the great inconveniences, to which the ſupralapſarian way lies open, fall downe a little lower; and preſent men to God in his decree of Reprobation lying in the fall & under the guilt of originall ſinne, laying.

3 That God looking upon miſerable mankind lying in Adam's ſinne, did decree, the greateſt number of men (even thoſe men whom he calls to repentance and ſalvation, by the preaching of the Goſpel) to Hell torments for ever and without all remedie, for the declaration of his ſevere juſtice; This way went the Synod.

Let the Reader obſerve that this Authour in ſtating the opinion of our Divines alleageth no paſſages out of any of them, no nor ſo much as quotes the place of any of Anſwertheir writings where this doctrine is to be found in the terme wherein he delivers it, that ſo, he may take the greater libertie to ſhape their opinions according to his owne pleaſure; firſt, as touching the firſt obſerve. 1. How he ſhapes this opinion. 2, the Perſons to whom he imputes it; concerning the firſt, the Decree is ſhaped as conſiſting of two parts; The one ſets downe the end, which God intended, the other the meanes whereby this end is procured.

1. As touching the end, it is hard to ſay, by his ſhaping of it, whether the manifeſtation of God's glory be made the end, or man's damnation; and if any one conceaves hereupon, that man's Damnation is the end which God intended in the opinion of our Divines, like enough this Authour will be well enough pleaſed with it. 2. Conſider how God's Soveraingtie and Juſtice are coupled together, as appearing in the eternall rejection and damnation of his Creatures, as if both of them did appeare equally in each. 3. Then rejection is propoſed without diſtinction and ſpecification, that we might know whether he underſtands it of rejection from Grace, or rejection from Glorie. 4. And in the fourth place, he couples rejection with Damnation, as if both were of equall yoke; ſignifying Acts temporall; whereas rejection in the Common notion thereof is all one with reprobation, and reprobation is commonly taken for an act eternall, to witt, The eternall purpoſe of God to deny grace, permit ſinne, and inflict damnation for ſinne. 5. Damnation is here brought in as belonging to the Decree of the end; and quite left out in the Decree of the meanes: whereas by the very light of Nature it is apparent, that Juſtice vindicative is manifeſted no where more, then in the execution of puniſhment. 6. And laſtly Damnation in it ſelfe is no manifeſtation of Juſtice any more, then of Injuſtice; unleſſe it be executed as a condigne puniſhment for ſinne; yet moſt abſurdly he talks of manifeſting juſtice in man's Damnation, without ſpecifying the meritorious cauſe of Damnation; without conſideration whereof, Damnation is no manifeſtation of Juſtice, either Divine, or humane. 7. Whereas he ſets forth the Perſons damned to be the greateſt part of Man-kind, this is only to ſpeak with a full mouth, and to gull a partiall Reader, who may be well pleaſed to have his mouth filled with an emptie ſpoone: For the Scripture teatheth expreſlie, that even of them that are called but few are choſen; and clear reaſon doth manifeſt, that look how God may deale with one, in the ſame manner it is lawfull for him to deale with Millions. We love to ſpeak diſtinctly, and accordingly we ſay, that all God's decrees; are of doing ſomething for the manifeſtation of his owne Glory. I ſay of doing ſomething, for no glory of God is manifeſted in Decreeing, but in executing his Decrees; As when Solomon ſaith, God hath made all things for himſelfe, even the wicked againſt the day of evill Prov: 16: 4. So then the manifeſtation of God's Glory is the end of all his actions. And accordingly if rejection here be taken for God's Decree, no glory is manifeſted herein, and too abſurd it is to account God's eternall Decrees to to be meanes for the accompliſhing of his ends: But if Rejection be taken here for a temporall Act, to witt: Of finall dereliction in ſinne, then it may be a meanes for the manifeſtation of God's glory in a certaine kind, namely, his Soveraigntie; for like as God hath mercy on whom he will, in not leaving them finally in their ſinnes; but delivering them from the power of it, by beſtowing on them the Grace of Faith and Repentance. In like manner, God hardneth whom he will, in denying the ſame Grace of p. 7Faith and Repentance, and ſo finally leaving them and permitting them to continue finally in their ſinnes, without breaking them of by repentance. So that God proceed's herein merely according to his pleaſure, for the manifeſtation of that Soveraingtie which he hath as a Creator over his Creatures. Even the ſame that the Potter hath over his Clay, to make of the ſame lump one veſſell unto honour, an other unto diſhonour. No Juſtice is manifeſted in this difference, I meane no ſuch Juſtice as proceedes in reference to the workes of men; for he doth not beſtow Grace upon men, becauſe of their good workes; nor deny grace unto them, becauſe of their evill workes; but finding men equall in the ſtate of ſinne, he beſtowes Grace upon the one to cure ſinne in them, and beſtowes it not upon others. Yet God is juſt herein in another reſpect, namely in as much as he doth no other thing in all this, but ſuch as he hath a lawfull power to doe; As for Damnation, that is clearly an Act temporall; and this the Lord inflicts on none but for their ſinnes: And like as in giving or denying grace, God manifeſted no juſtice Compenſative, but Soveraigntie, only proceeding therein merely according unto pleaſure: So in inflicting dā nation & denying glory, he manifeſt's vindicative Juſtice alone, not proceeding according to mere pleaſure herein but according to mens workes, and that according to a Law which himſelfe hath given unto men, namely this, Whoſoever continueth in ſin without repentance ſhall be damned. 2. The ſecond part of this Decree is concerning the meanes; and the meanes he makes to be ſinne and impenitency: It is very well he tooke libertie to ſet downe their opinion without ſpecifying their words, leaſt they ſhould fly in his face, and convict him of ſhamefull ſlaunder. He that intends the end is the Authour of the meanes: this is univerſall, we ſay that the permiſſion of ſinne and of impenitencie is the meanes, and this we acknowledge to make way, as well for the manifeſtation of his mercy in pardoning ſinne, as of his Juſtice in puniſhing it; it being apparent that neither mercy in pardoning, nor Juſtice in puniſhing can have place; unleſſe ſinne be permitted to enter into the world: Over and above this ſinne is ſtiled unavoidable without all diſtinction, ſuch is the proper language of the Arminian Court; we ſay all ſinnes are avoydable by Grace, and that no ſinne can be avoided in an acceptable manner without Grace, and here I ſpeak not of grace reſtrayning only, but of Grace ſanctifying. Here if it pleaſed him, he might have put in Damnation alſo for ſinne, as without all doubt a principall meanes of promoting the manifeſtation of God's Juſtice; and Thomas Aquinas expreſly profeſſeth, that Reprobatio includit voluntatem permittendi culpam & damnationem inferendi pro culpa. Reprobatition includes God's will to permit ſinne, and to inflict Damnation for ſinne; here is the Decree concerning meanes. And as for the end hereof, both Aquinas (and Alvarez after him) profeſſeth, that the manifeſtation of God's glory in the way of vindicative Juſtice as intended by him, as the end of all this. 2. As for the Perſons here named to take this way 1. Calvin though this Authour placeth him amongſt the Supralapſarians, yet Lubbertus doth not in his treatiſe of predeſtination, but oppoſeth Vorſtius in this particular; Cornelius de Lapide, a Jeſuite upon the 18: verſe of the 9: to the Romans, agrees with Lubbertus in this; Calvin's owne wordes are theſe de praedeſtinatione pag: 710. Cum de Praedeſtinatione ſermo habetur, inde exordiendum eſſe conſtanter ſemper docui atque hodie doceo, jure in morte relinqui omnes Reprobos, qui in Adam mortui ſunt ac damnati jure periere, qui naturâ ſunt filii irae, When we treate of Praedeſtination, I ever taught and to this day teach, that we ought to begin it from thence; That all Reprobates are juſtly left in death, who are dead in Adam, and damned, and that they juſtly periſh, who by nature are children of wrath. 2. Lubbertus ſhewes Beza alſo to concurre in the ſame. 3. Piſcator in a ſmall Treatiſe of the object of Predeſtination, annexed to his anſwer to Hemnigius of univerſall Grace, though he makes the Decree of making all men in Adam to different ends, and of permitting them to fall in Adam to precede the conſideration of the Corrupt Maſſe, as it is evident they muſt, Yet the Decrees of Election and Reprobation he ſubordinates to the foreſight of the corrupt Maſſe. 4. And as for Zanchy, let but his Generall definitition of Predeſtination be conſidered, it will appeare that he diſtinguiſheth the particulars of the Decree of Predeſtination as Piſcator doth.

2. I come to the ſecond opinion; and as for the great inconveniencies which here is pretended, that the Authours thereof deſire to decline. I have anſwered hereunto upon, the Treatiſe of M. Hord, and ſhewed that not ſo much to decline inconveniencies have ſome embraced this way, as rather becauſe this way ſeemes to be more familiar and plaine, and chiefly becauſe the formall Notions of the particulars of the Decrees of Election and Reprobation, the one in the Generall ſeeming to be a worke of mercy, the other of Juſtice, ſeeme to ſuppoſe a conſideration of man in the ſtate of miſerie. But ſuppoſing that ſome p. 6duplicate page p. 7duplicate page p. 8might take this way to avoid inconveniencies, yet I have ſhewed in my anſwer to Arminius, that none of theſe are at all avoided this way. And then againe both theſe opinions have I endeavoured to reconcile in my Vindiciae, and withall ſhewed that the difference whatſoever it comes to, is but in apice logico; in a point of logick: both ſides concurring in the maintenance both of God's Soveraigne prerogative over his Creatures, to make one veſſell unto honour, another unto diſhonour, by giving faith and repentance unto the one, and denying it to others; as alſo in the prerogative of Grace as only effectuall to the working of men unto faith and Repentance.

2. God decrees both to Create all men in Adam, and to permit them all to fall in Adam; Theſe be the Divine Decrees concerning meanes tending to the manifeſtation of his Glory in the way of Mercy and Juſtice; except man were created, no Glory at all could be manifeſted in him; unleſſe all were ſuffered to fall in Adam, there were neither place for mercy, nor Juſtice: theſe are generall decrees concerning all; then there are ſpeciall degrees of difference to be joyned to theſe generall decrees; 1. The one is of raiſing ſome out of ſinne by Faith and Repentance, and beſtowing Salvation on them by way of reward for the manifeſtation of God's mercy. 2. The other is of leaving others in ſinne, and permitting them finally to perſevere therein, and inflicting Damnation for their ſinnes, the end whereof is the manifeſtation of God's Juſtice: The decree of manifeſting theſe is alone the decree of the end, all the reſt are decrees of the meanes tending to theſe ends; whereof the two firſt are generall and concerne all, whether Elect, or Reprobate, the reſt are ſpeciall, concerning either the Elect alone, or the Reprobate alone. 3. Now here is a colour caſt, as if the ſpeciall Decrees did praemiſe the two generall Decrees: But this is a mere colour, as I have ſhewed you in my Vindiciae, 2. And even they that take this way, maintaine that God ordaines no man to Damnation but for ſinne, and that both actuall, as well as originall, which is utterly pretermitted by this Authour. 3. The Scripture is expreſſe that of them that are called, few are choſen. 4. It is untrue that the Synod went this way, they medled not at all with the ordering of God's decrees.

Mascovius alſo Profeſſor of Divinitie at Franekar, a violent and ſtiffe maintainer of the moſt unſavory ſpeeches which have been uttered in this Controverſie, and one that undertooke in the very Synod to make M. Maſon's Additions p. 3.good againſt Lubbert his fellow Profeſſor, that God did will ſinnes, ordaine men to ſinne, and would not at all that all men ſhould be ſaved. And beſides this, openly and peremptorily affirmed, that except theſe things were held and maintained by them, they could not poſſibly keep their owne ground, but muſt come over to the Remonſtrants; This man was not only not cenſured, but publiquely declared in the Synod to be pure and Orthodox, and diſmiſſed only with this kind and friendly motion. That he ſhould hereafter take heed of ſuch words as might give offence to tender eares; and could not well downe with thoſe who are uncapable of ſuch myſteries.

For all this the Authour quotes Antidotū Remonſtrantiū pag: 32, this booke I have not ſeen much leſſe have I it at this time in my poſſeſſion, and therefore I muſt take it all upon Anſwer.truſt. And ſeeing this man was declared in the Synod of Dort, (as this Authour writes) to be pure and Orthodox, it ſeemes they did not cenſure theſe ſpeeches of his as unſavorie ſpeeches, but rather juſtified them, though with acknowledgment, that they might give offence to tender eares, and could not well downe with thoſe, who were as yet uncapable of ſuch myſteries; ſo that this Authour cenſureth theſe ſpeeches of Maccovius for unſavory ſpeeches, without the leaſt diſproofe of them (yet is Maccovius, and then was, a Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of Franekar) In like ſort by conſequent he cenſureth the judgment of the Synod, as an unſavory judgment, and their approbation of Maccovius, as an unſavory approbation; Let the Reader judge of what Spirit this Authour is, and whether it may not be ſaid of him, as Moſes ſaid of Corah and his complices, ye take to much upon you ye Sonnes of Aaron: Nay what if this cenſure of his reflects upon the very Phraſes of the Holy Ghoſt? The two firſt phraſes namely, to will ſinnes, and to ordaine men to ſinne, are all one: For to ordaine men to ſinne is but to will, that ſuch men ſhall ſinne, or that there ſhall be ſuch ſinnes of men. Now the Scripture frequently juſtifies this; for the 10 Kings to give their Kingdomes to the Beaſt, what is the meaning of it, But to imploy their Regall power in ſupporting the Pope-dome? Now was not this a great ſinne? Yet the Scripture expreſly profeſſeth that is was the will of God it ſhould be ſo. Rev: 17. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fullfill his will, and to doe it with one conſent, for to give their Kingdome to the Beaſt, untill the words of God be fulfilled. As expreſly doth Saint Peter teſtifie of ſome men, that they are ordained to ſtumble at God's word, and to be diſobedient, Chriſt is a ſtone to ſtumble at, & a Rock of offence even to them which ſtumble 1 Pet. 2. 8.1 Pet 2:8at the word, being diſobedient, unto the which thing they were even ordained: and by whom could they be ordained hereunto but by God? In like ſort we know the abominable p. 9Outrages committed by Herod, Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and people of Iſrael, againſt the Holy Sonne of God (for Iudas betraied him, the high Prieſts ſuborned witneſſes againſt him, Herod with his Herodians deſpitefully uſed him, Pilate condemned him, the Romane Souldiers ſcourged him, ſpit in his face, buffeted him, arraied him like a King in ſcorne, and crowned him with a Crowne of thornes, and laſt of all Crucified him between two theeves) yet of all theſe the Holy Ghoſt teſtifies, That in this doing againſt the Holy Sonne of God) they did what God had determined to be done; The words of the Text are theſe, and that as delivered with one accord by the Apoſtles and their fellowes; for when Peter and Iohn were let goe, they came to their fellowes and ſhewed all that the High Prieſts had ſaid unto them, And when they heard it, they lift up their voices to God with one accord, and ſaid, O Lord thou art the God which hath made Heaven and earth, the ſea and all things that are therein, which by the mouth of thy ſervant David haſt ſaid, why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine a vaine thing; The Kings of the earth aſſembled, and the Rulers came together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Chriſt, for doubtleſſe againſt thy Holy Son Ieſus, whom thou haſt anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Iſraell gathered themſelves together, to doe whatſoever thine hand and thy Counſell had determined before to be done. Now every one knowes that to determine to be done, and to ordaine to be done, and to will to be done are all one: why doth not this Authour cenſure theſe ſpeeches for unſavory ſpeeches, as well as thoſe of Maccovius? Why doth not he expoſe this Synod of the Apoſtles and others to the ſame cenſure? whereunto he expoſeth the Synod of Dort? Nay can it be avoided, but that already he hath done ſo, and that theſe cenſure… of his muſt neceſſarily prove the powring forth of Blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt? Seeing the ſpeeches are uſed by the Apoſtles, which he cenſureth for unſavorie, being utteredly Maccovius; Is it not apparent that whoſoever renounceth thoſe ſpeeches, moſt alſo renounce the word of God? And ſhall it be a reproach to us that we cannot keep our owne ground, unleſſe the Holy Ghoſt keepes his ground, and maintaine his owne Di…lect to be ſavorie in ſpite of the viſe aſperſions, that this Authour or any other of his Spirit doth uſually caſt upon it, not ſparing to terme ſuch ſpeeches, unſavorie ſpeeches As for the laſt phraſe That God would that all men ſhould be ſaved, this is no Scripture; nay it doth imply a man feſt Blaſphemy, namely that God cannot ſave them: It is true, the Scripture ſaith that God willeth that all men ſhould be ſaved, but what is meant by this note of univerſalities in Scripture, let Scripture it ſelfe be Judge. The Phariſees did T…the omne olus as Auſtine obſerves not every particular her be, to give the T…th thereof, but every kind of herbe to give the Tenth thereof; ſo Peter ſaw in a veſſell let downe from Heaven foreign not every fower footed beaſt in particular, but all manner of fower footed beaſts, ſee Mat: 3. 5. It is ſaid all Iudea went forth to Iohn and all the region round about Iordan, what can the meaning of this be, but that from all parts of Judea and the Region round about Jordan, of all ſorts ſome went forth to Iohn not that there was not one man left behind in all Judea, and in all the Region round about Jordan. And accordingly Saint Auſtine interpreted this place above 1200 yeares agoe, namely that God will that of all ſorts, ſome be ſaved, even of Kings and Nobles ſome, though but few of ſuch 1 Cor: 1. 27. Now this is not denied either by Maccovius, or by any other of our Divines, only they deny it to be the will of God, that all and every one ſhall be ſayed; for if this were his will, it would follow, firſt that God is not able to ſave them, which is to deny the firſt Article of the Creed, as Auſtine in this very particular diſputed many hundred yeares agoe. Secondly it would follow, that God is changed: for certainely when he damnes men he hath no will to ſave them. And what is Election Divine? is it any other then the will of God ordaining unto ſalvation? Now who dares ſay that all are Elect? Hath not our Saviour expreſly told us, that even of them that are called, but few are choſen? Yet might that Synod well admoniſh Maccovius to take heed of ſuch words as might give offence to tender yeares, and be carefull to expreſſe the ſame truth in as inoffenſive way as we can: And accordingly having a digreſſion in this very Argument, in my Vindiciae Gratiae I propoſed it in this manner, Whether the holy one of Iſraell without any injurie to his Holy Majeſtie, may be ſaid to will ſinne after a certaine manner: and I maintaine the affirmative after this manner; Deus vult ut peccatum fiat ipſo permittente, God will have ſinne to come to paſſe by his permiſſion; and Bellarmine confeſſeth that, Malum eſſe Deo permittente bonum eſt. It is good that evill ſhould be by God's permiſſion, which was alſo the ſaying of Auſtine long before. And that non aliquid fit niſi Omnipotens fieri velit, vel ſinendo ut fiat, vel ipſe faciendo: Not any thing comes to paſſe, except God Omnipotent will have it come to paſſe, either by ſuffering it, or himſelfe working it; And the eleventh Article of the Church of Ireland p. 10framed in the dayes of King J'ames runnes thus; God from all eternitie, did by his unchangable Counſell ordaine what ſoever in time ſhould come to paſſe; yet ſo as there by no violence is offered to the to the wills of the reaſonable Creatures, and neither the libertie, nor the contingency of ſecond cauſes is taken away, but eſtabliſhed rather. And Arminius himſelfe profeſſeth that Deus voluit Achabum menſuram ſcelerumſ uorum implere; God would have Achab to fill up the meaſure of his ſinnes, and what is it to fill up the meaſure of his ſinnes; but to adde ſinne unto ſinne? And this he delivereth without all qualification.

By theſe inſtances it appeareth, That they of the firſt ſide can eaſily beare one with another in this difference. M. Maſon's Additions pag: 3.And to ſay the truth, there is no reaſon why they ſhould quarrell about circumſtances, ſeeing they agree in the ſubſtance for which they both contend.

1 That the moving cauſe of Reprobation is the alone will of God, and not the ſinne of man originall or actuall. 2. That the finall impenitencie and Damnation of Reprobates are neceſſary and unavoidable by God's abſolute Decree.Anſwer

The difference which this Authour takes into Conſideration is about the object of Predeſtination; and the difference in opinion thereabouts is uſually to be obſerved threefold (though this Authour is pleaſed to take notice of a ſecondfold difference,) for ſome conceive the object of Predeſtination to be man-kind as yet not created; others conceive the object thereof to be man-kind created, but not yet corrupted. A third ſort maintaine the object thereof to be man-kind both created and corrupted. Now D. Iunius hath endeavoured to reconcile the three opinions, making place for each conſideration in the object of predeſtination; And Piſcator after him adventured on the like reconciliation, and hath performed it with more perſpicuitie and with better ſucceſſe in my judgment, then Iunius; And that according to three different acts concurring unto Predeſtination; The firſt is, ſaith he, God's purpoſe to create man-kind in Adam unto different ends, now this Act doth clearely require the object thereof to be man-kind not yet Created. The ſecond Act he conceives to be God's Decree to permit all men to fall in Adam; Now this Act he conceives as clearly to ſuppoſe the object thereof to be man-kind created, but not corrupted. The third & laſt Act he conceives to be God's decree to chooſe ſome, to ſhew compaſſion on them in raiſing them out of ſinne by ſaith and repentance, and of Reprobating others, leaving them as be findes them, and permitting them to finiſh their dayes in ſinne, to the end he might manifeſt the glorie of his grace, in ſaving the one; & the glorie of his Juſtice in damning others. Now this third Act he ſuppoſeth manifeſtly to require the object thereof to be man-kind both created and corrupted: Now the Authours of theſe ſeverall opinions have no reaſon to go together by the eares about theſe three opinions, but with Brotherly love to entertaine one another: Firſt, becauſe the difference herein is not ſo much in Divinitie, as in Logick and Philoſophie; difference in opinion about order in intentions, being meerly Logicall, and to be compoſed according to the right ſtating of the end intended, and of the meanes conducing to the end; it being generally confeſſed, that the intention of the end is before the intention of meanes conducing thereunto. And that look what is firſt in intention, the ſame muſt be laſt in execution. Secondly, the Authours of theſe ſeverall opinions about the object of Predeſtination, doe all agree in two principall points. 1. That all men, before God's eternall predeſtination and reprobation, are conſidered as equall in themſelves, whether as uncreated, or as created, but not corrupted, or laſtly, whether created or corrupted. 2 That God's grace only makes the difference, chooſing ſome to worke thē to faith, & repentance, & perſeverance therein; while he rejecteth others, leaving thē as he findes them, & permitting them to finiſh their dayes in ſinne, whereby is upheld and maintained. 1. Firſt, the prerogative of God's grace as only effectuall to the working of men unto that which is good. 2. And ſecondly, the prerogative of God's Soveraigntie in ſhewing mercy on whome he will, to bring them to Faith and true repentance, and hardning others; that is, not beſtowing of grace and repentance upon them And ſeeing they all agree in theſe momentous points of Divinitie, they have no cauſe to take it offenſively at the hands of one another, that they differ in a point of Logick. Now I have adventured, on this argument to find out to my ſelfe, and give unto others ſome better ſatiſfaction, then formerly hath been exhibited, and that by diſtinguiſhing Two decrees only on each part, to witt, the decree of the end, and the decree of the meanes: As for example, 1. On the part of Predeſtination and Election, I conceive the end to be the manifeſtation of God's glorious grace in the way of merciemercy mixt with Juſtice, on a certaine number of men. And the Decree of the meanes is to create them and permit them all to fall in Adam and to bring them forth into the world in their ſeverall generations clothed with originall ſinne; and to ſend Chriſt into the world to dye p. 11for them, and for Chriſt's ſake firſt to beſtow the grace of faith and repentance upon them, and finally to ſave them. 2. On the part of Reprobation I conceive the end to be the manifeſtation of God's glory in the way of Juſtice vindicative; And the decree of meanes to be partly common and partly proper; the common meanes are to create them and permit them all to fall in Adam, and bring them forth into the world clothed with originall ſin; the ſpeciall meanes are to leave them as he finds them, and permit them to finiſh their daies in ſinne, and ſo not ſhewing the like grace to them, which he ſhewed to others. 1. So that the moving cauſe of Reprobation is the alone will of God, and not the ſinne of man originall and actuall; like as on the other ſide, the moving cauſe of election is only the will of God, or not faith, or any good workes, whereupon this Authour is loath to manifeſt his opinion; This doctrine is not only approved by Doctour Whitaker Doctour of the Chaire in the Univerſitie of Cambridge, and that in his Cygnea Cantio a little before his death, but juſtified and confirmed by varietie of Teſtimonies both of Schoolemen, as Lumbard, Aquinas, Bannes, Petrus de Alliaco, Gregorius, Arminenſis; of our owne Church and the Divines thereof, as taught by Bucer at Cambridge, by Peter Martyr at Oxon: profeſſed by the Biſhops and others, promoted by Queen Elizabeth and farther in the yeare of our Lord 1592: there was a famous recantation made in the Univerſitie of Cambridge by one Barret in the 37. of Elizabeth whereunto he was urged by the heads of houſes of that Univerſitie. The Recantation runnes thus, Preaching in Latine not long ſince in the Univerſitie Church, (Right worſhipfull) many things ſlipt from me, both falſly and raſhſly ſpoken, whereby I underſtand the mindes of many have been grieved, to the end therefore I may ſatifie the Church & the truth which I have publiquely hurt; I doe make this publique confeſſion, both Repenting and Revoking my Errour; Firſt I ſaid that no man in this tranſi…ie world is ſo ſtrongly underpropt, at leaſt by the certainty of Faith, that is (unleſſe as I afterwards expounded it) by Revelation that he ought to be aſſured of his owne Salvation; But now I proteſt before God, and acknowledge in my conſcience that they which are juſtified by faith have peace towards God that is, have reconciliation with God, and doe ſtand in that grace by faith therefore that they ought to be certaine and aſſured of their owne Salvation, even by the certainty of Faith it ſelfe.

2. Secondly, I affirmed that the faith of Peter could not faile, but that other mens faith may; for as (I then ſaid) Our Lord prayed not for the faith of every particular man, but now being of a better and more ſound Iudgment according to that which Chriſt teacheth in plaine words, Ioh. 17. 20. I pray not for theſe alone, that is the Apoſtles, but for them alſo which ſhall believe in mee through their word; I acknowledge that Chriſt prayed for the faith of every particular believer, and that by the vertue of that prayer of Chriſt; every true believer is ſo ſtayd up, that his faith cannot faile.

3. Thirdly touching perſeverance to to the end, I ſaid that, that certainty concerning the time to come is proud, for as much as it is in his owne nature contingent of what kind the perſeverance of every man is, neither did I affirme it to be proud only, but to be moſt wicked; but now I freely proteſt that the true and juſtifiing faith, whereby the faithfull are moſt neare united unto Chriſt, is ſo firme as alſo for the time to come ſo certaine, that it can never be rooted up out of the mindes of the faithfull by any temptation of the fleſh, the world or divell himſelfe; ſo that he that once hath this faith ſhall ever have it; for by the benefit of that juſtifying faith Chriſt dwelleth in us and we in Chriſt, therefore it cannot but be both increaſed (Chriſt growing in us dayly) as alſo perſevere unto the end, becauſe God doth give conſtancy.

4. Fourthly, I affirmed that there was no diſtinction in faith, but in the Perſons believing, in which I confeſſe I did erre. Now I freely acknowledge the Temporarie faith (which as Bernard witneſſeth is therefore fained, (becauſe it is temporary) it is diſtinguiſhed and differeth from the ſaving faith, whereby ſinners apprehending Chriſt are juſtified before God for ever, not in meaſure and degrees, but in the very thing it ſelfe. Moreover I adde that Saint Iames doth make mention of a dead faith, and Paul of a faith that worketh by love.

5 Fifthly, I added that forgiveneſſe of ſinnes is an Article of faith, but not particular, neither belonging to this man or that man, that is (as I expounded it) that no true faithfull man either can or ought certainely believe that his ſinnes are forgiven: But now I am of an other mind and doe freely confeſſe that every true faithfull man is bound by this Article of faith to believe the forgivenes of ſinnes, and certainely to believe that his owne particular ſinnes are freely forgiven him, neither doth it follow hereupon that, that Petition of the Lord's prayer (to wit) forgive us our treſpaſſes is needleſſe; for in that Petition we aske not only the gift but alſo the increaſe of Faith.

6 Sixtly, theſe words eſcaped me in my Sermon viz: As for thoſe that are not ſaved, I doe p. 12moſt ſtrongly believe, and doe freely proteſt, that I am ſo perſwaded againſt Calvin, Peter Martyr and the reſt, that ſinne is the true and proper cauſe of Reprobation; But now being better inſtructed I ſay that the Reprobation of the wicked is from everlaſting, and that ſaying of Saint Auſtine to Simplician to be mòſt true; viz: If ſinne were the cauſe of Reprobation then no man ſhould be elected, becauſe God doth know all men to be defiled with it: And that I may ſpeak freely, I am of the ſame mind and doe believe concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, as the Church of England believeth and teacheth in the booke of the Articles of faith, in the Article of Praedeſtination. Laſt of all I uttered theſe words raſhly againſt Calvin, a man that hath very well deſerved of the Church of God (to wit) that he durſt preſume to lift up himſelfe above the high and Almighty God, by which words I doe confeſſe that I have done great injurie to that moſt learned and right good man, and I moſt humbly beſeech you all to pardon this my raſhnes, as alſo in that I have uttered many bitter words againſt Peter Martyr, Beza, Zanchy, Iunius, and the reſt of the ſame religion, being the lights and ornaments of our Church, calling them by the odious names of Calvin…ſts and other ſlanderous termes, branding them with a moſt grevious marke of reproach; whom becauſe our Church doth worthily reverence, it was not meet, that I ſhould take away their good name from them. Doctor Fulke in like manner maintaines that reprobation is not of workes, but of God's free will, Rom: 9: Num: 2. His words are theſe, God's election & Reprobation is moſt free, of his owne will, not upon the foreſight of the merits of either of them; for he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth verſ: 18. Yet here is to be diſtinguiſhed, for the explication of the truth, That God's decree of Reprobation may be conſidered either as touching the Act of God reprobating and willing, or as touching the things hereby willed or Decreed; As touching the Act of God reprobating, we ſay as Aquinas ſaith concerning the Act of God predeſtinating, namely that no cauſe can be given thereof as from man, like as no cauſe can be given of God's will; God's will being eternall, but whatſoever is in man being Temporall. But as touching the things decreed or willed by Reprobation, theſe are either the deniall of grace, or inflicting of damnation; As touching the deniall of grace we clearely profeſſe, that like as God of his mere will and pleaſure doth ſhew mercy on ſome in beſtowing the grace of faith and repentance upon them; ſo God of his mere will and pleaſure doth harden others in denying unto them the grace of ſaith and repentance; and thus it is that Doctor Fulke maintaines God's election & reprobation to be moſt free of his owne free will, not upon the foreſight of the merits of either of thē; but touching the inflicting of damnation, we maintaine that God neither doth inflict damnation, nor ever did decree to inflict damnation of his owne mere pleaſure and will, but altogether for ſinne, either originall or actuall: further we maintaine, that in no moment of time or nature God doth decree to damne any man before he foreſeeth the ſinne for which they ſhall be damned. 2. As touching the ſecond we willingly grant, that by vertue of God's decree, it neceſſarily and unavoidably followes, that whoſoever dieth in finall impenitency ſhall be damned, neither doe I thinke this Authour dares to avouch the contrary.

Secondly, as touching finall impenitency, wee willingly profeſſe that upon ſuppoſition of God's decree finally to harden a man and to deny a man the grace of repentance: (It being clearely the gift of God as Scriptures teſtifie. Act: 5. 31, and 11. 18. 2 Tim 2 25) it is impoſſible that ſuch a man ſhould repent, nevertheleſſe both repentance is poſſible, and finall impenitency is avoidable ſimply (to wit) by grace 3. But this Authour loves not to explicate himſelfe, but I ſuppoſe he ſecretly maintaines, that every man hath ſuch a power, by grace, wherby he may repent if he will, concerning which Tenent of his, we nothing doubt but every man hath ſuch a power, but we deny that ſuch a power is grace; we ſay it is nature rather, and that for this reaſon; looke by what power a man may repent if he will, by the ſame power he may ref uſe to repent if he will: Now if this were grace, then were grace inferior to a morall vertue: for no morall vertue leaves a man indifferent to doe good or no; to doe good or evill; but inclines and diſpoſeth the will only to that which is good; ſo Juſtice diſpoſeth a man only to juſt actions, not indifferentlie to that which is juſt, or to that which is unjuſt, Tis true nevertheleſſe a man that is juſt may doe an unjuſt Act if he will, but this is not by vertue of the habit of Juſtice wherewith he is qualified; But only by reaſon of the freedome of his will wich is naturall unto him; for juſtice undoubtedly inclines a man's will only to that which appeareth juſt, and ſo every morall vertue inclines the will only to a vertuous Act, not indifferently either to acts vertuous, or to acts vicious; like as on the contrary a vicious habit inclines the will of man only to acts vicious, not indifferently, to acts vicious or to acts vertuous! Secondly grace is ſupernaturall, it were a Monſter in Divinitie to p. 13ſay that ſupernaturall grace doth indifferently incline a man either to good or evill; it is impoſſible it ſhould incline a man ſave to acts ſupernaturall; now every ſupernaturall act muſt needs be gratious, it cannot be ſinfull or evill; laſtly whoſoever hath a willto repent, ſuch a one hath not only a power to repent, but actually doth repent, as touching the cheifeſt facultiein, the change whereof repentance doth conſiſt; for that is the will, and it is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed, in every kind of that which is truly good; and ſurely to have a will to repent is a good thing, if he want power, let him and us, pray for that out of that will and deſirewe have to repent, ut quod volumus implere valeamus, that what we deſire to doe we may be able to doe, and we have no cauſe to feare that God will deſpiſe ſo gratious deſires.

To theſe ſpeeches let me adde that of Remigius Arch-biſhop of Lyons, who, to Rabanus Arch-biſhop of M. Maſon's Additions p. 5.Mentz, objecting that Saint Auſtine wrote a booke called Hipognoſticon againſt Pelagius and Coeleſtius, wherein he denied that Reprobates were properly praedeſtinati ad interitum, predeſtinate to deſtruction, anſwereth, that Saint Auſtine ſaid not ſo (but ſome other man) as it is ſuppoſed to purge the Church of calumnie, which ſome ill affected ones did caſt upon it; namely that it taught that God by his predeſtination did impoſe upon men a neceſſity of periſhing, and did withdraw the word (Praedeſtination) from the point of Reprobates, and gave it only to the Elect, and ſo gave great occaſion of further Errour and miſtake; In this ſpeech of his, it is clearely implyed that it was the conſtant Doctrine of the Church then, that Reprobates lye under no neceſſitating Decree of Perdition.

Here we find inſerted a paſſage taken out of Remigius Arcſh-biſhop of Lions his anſwer Anſwer.to Rabanus Arch-biſhop of Mentz, as it is to be found in the Hiſtorie of Gotteſcalchus written by Doctor Uſher Arch-biſhop of Armach, pag. 107. Now that diſcourſe of Remigius is not in anſwer to Rabanus Arch-biſhop of Mentz, but unto Hincmarus Arch-biſhop of Remes. And withall this Authour is pleaſed to geld it as he thinkes good: For whereas Remigius hath it thus; quaſi Deus ſua praedeſtinatione neceſſitatem imponeret hominibus in ſuis impietatibus permanendi, & in aeternum pereundi: This Authour renders it thus; That God by his predeſtination did impoſe upon men a neceſſity of periſhing, leaving out altogether the former, namely of impoſing upon men a neceſſite of periſhing in their impieties: And every ſober man may well wonder at his dealing in this, eſpecially ſeeing he hath left out that which is moſt materiall and moſt conſiderable; for neither by Auſtin's Doctrine nor by our Doctrine, hath God impoſed upon any a neceſſitie of periſhing, but ſuch as finally perſevere in their impieties: And will any man that is well in his wits oppoſe this? Sure I am, nor Hincmarus, nor any other was knowne to mee to oppoſe this in the Church of God. Neither is there any neceſſitie inherent in man, on whom it is ſaid to be impoſed, but a conſequent denomination to God's unchangeable or irreſiſtable will, to damne all ſuch as perſiſt finally in their ſinfull courſes, without breaking thē off by repentance: All the queſtion is about the neceſſity of Reprobates perſiſting in their impieties, which might be objected, & as it ſeemes was objected againſt Auſtin's doctrine of Predeſtination, & by this Authour is objected againſt ours: now by this objection, Remigius cleares the Doctrine of Saint Auſtine, profeſſing this to be a calumnious imputation, and ſuch as needed not for the anſwering thereof, that any ſuch courſe ſhould be taken as the Authour of the booke (intuled Hypognoſticon) takes; (to wit) by denying that God predeſtinates any to Damnation, for this neceſſitie of perſiſting in ſinnes was not impoſed upon them by predeſtination in their opinion, who thereby underſtood no other thing then Gods decreeing of ſuch things which himſelfe purpoſed to effect in due time; as both Remigius manifeſted in theſe words, pag. 155, of the ſame booke: Non praedeſtinat niſi quae fuerat ipſe facturus, quae uti que omnia bona & juſta ſunt; And Auſtine in like manner, de bono perſeverantiae, cap. 17. In ſua quae falli mutari que non poteſt praeſcientia, opera ſua diſponere, illud omnino nec aliud quicquid eſt praedeſtinare, ſo the Synod of Valens, Can: 3. Praedeſtinatione autem deum ea tantum ſtatuiſſe (dicimus) quae ipſe vel gratuitâ miſericoràiâ, vel juſlo judicio facturus erat. In malis verò ipſam malitiam praeſciſſe quia ab ipſis eſt, non praedeſtinaſſe quia ab illo non eſt: And that for good reaſon, becauſe, Malum non habet cauſam efficientem, ſed deficientem, as Auſtine writes De Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 7. But as for this neceſſitie in ſinning, this both we and they willingly profeſſe to flow from the ſinne of Adam, which God alone can cure in man and none other, as the ſame Remigius acknowledgeth Hiſtor. Gotteſca. pag. 3. Anima humana & voluntas humana ſicut verè manet in morte non diligendo, ita verè transfertur de morte in vitam diligendo: But by whom is this tranſlation wrought? that followes; hac dilectione non fit verè liberū arbitrium id eſt verè libera voluntas niſi illo liberante, id eſt libertatem largiente, qui ait, ſi vos filius liberaverit, tune verè liberi eritis, & niſi illo munere Spiritus Dei, de quo dicit Apoſtolus; ubi autem Spiritus p. 14Domini, ibi libertas: By this love the will is not made free, but he freeing it, who ſaith, if the Sonne ſhall make you free, then ſhall ye be free indeed, and not otherwiſe then by the gift of the Spirit of God whereof the Apoſtle ſpeakes, where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; nay I am verily perſwaded that Hincmarus himſelfe againſt whom Remigius diſputeth, is more Orthodox in this argument then this Authour; for thus writes Hincmarus: as is to be ſeen in the ſame hiſtory of Gotteſcalchus. pag. 39. quoſdam in Maſſa peccati & perditionis juſtè deſeruit, à qua praedeſtinatione ſua (id eſt in gratiae praeparatione) occulto (ſed non injuſto) judicio nequaquam eripuit; Some men God juſtly deſerted in the Maſſe of ſinne and perdition; from which by his predeſtination, that is, preparation of grace, he never delivered by judgment ſecret, but not unjuſt, whereas this Authour will have all men to be delivered from this Maſſe of ſinne and perdition; by a certaine univerſall grace beſtowed upon them, whereby they are put in a kind of indifferent eſtate to believe or not believe, repent or not repent if they will, which Hincmarus never acknowledged; yet this neceſſitie of ſinning, incident to all that are brought forth into the world, in Maſſa peccati & perditionis, in the Maſſe of originall ſinne and perdition: is not ſuch either in their, or our opinion, as whereby they cannot but ſinne; although they would abſtaine from it; though this be obtruded upon us as it was upon Remigius: whereupon he pleades for himſelfe, and ſuch as were of his mind in the Doctrine of predeſtination after this manner, pag 53. Nemo it a ſentit aut dicit quod Dei praedeſtinatio aliquem invitum faciat peccare, ut jam non propriae voluntatis perverſitate ſed Divinae praedeſtinationis neceſſitate peccare videatur; No man (ſaith he) doth ſo think or ſpeak, as if God's predeſtination made a man to ſinne againſt his will, in ſuch ſort as he ſhould ſeeme to ſinne, not through the perverſneſſe of his owne will, but by the neceſſity of Divine predeſtination, ſo ſay we; neither is this impotency of doing good, any where elſe, but in the Corruption of the will, it being a morall impotency according to that of Saint Auſtine, Libertas ſine gratia non eſt libertas ſed contumacia; Libertie without grace, is not Libertie, but wilfullneſſe, and Remigius Hiſtor: Gotteſcal: pag. 29. Exquibus (ſaith he) ſpeaking of Reprobates, Nemo poteſt ſalvari, non propter violentiam aliquam Divinae poteſtatis, ſed propter indomabilem & perſeverantem nequitiam ſuae iniquitatis; Not one of them can be ſaved, not becauſe of any violence of Divine power, but by reaſon of the untameable & perſevering naughtines of their owne iniquity, & p. 144. De Reprobis nullum ſalvari ullatenus exiſtimavi, non quia non poſſunt homines de bono ad malū commutari & de malis ac pravis boni ac recti fieri, ſed quia in meliùs mutare noluerunt, & in peſſimis operibus uſ que ad fiaē perſeverare voluerunt; not only of the Reprobates doe we judge to be ſaved, not becauſe they could not be changed from evill to good, & of evill & depraved become good & right, but becauſe they would not be chāged into better. & would to the end perſevere in wicked workes; So then they could be changed but would not: But in what reſpect is it ſaid they could be changed? was it in reſpect of the freedome of their wills without grace? Nothing leſſe; ſee his owne words, pag. 34. Si dixiſſet generaliter, nemo hominum ſine Dei gratia libero benè uti poteſt Arbitrio, eſſet Catholicus: Had he ſaid generally that no man can rightly uſe his free will, without the grace of God, he had been a Catholique. But all the queſtion is about the manner how this grace doth worke (to wit) whether God gives men grace to believe and repent if they will, and leaves to them to performe the Act of faith and repentance; or whether God worketh the very Act of faith and repentance, not to diſpute of this point out of God's word, which clearely teacheth, that, God workes in us the will and the deed, according to his good pleaſure. Philip. 3. 13. And that he makes us perfect to every good worke; working in us that which is pleaſing in his ſight through Ieſus Chriſt: Let us take notice of the diſcourſe between Hincmarus and Remigius on this argument; that Heb. 13. 20.Heb 13:20till the love of God comes, man is dead; his will is dead to that which is good; Now love is only given to the believers, poſſe charitatem habere naturae eſt hominum, charitatem autem habere gratiae eſt fidelium, De praedeſtinatione ſanctorum, cap. 5. For thus writes Hincmarus, pag. 3. 113. Bonum quod agimus & Dei eſt & noſtrum, Dei per praevenientem gratiam, noſtrum per ſubſequentē liberam voluntatem, The good that we doe is both God's worke and ours; of God by Grace preventing, ours by free will following: To this Remigius anſwers, and firſt he ſaith, Hincmarus diſcoureſeth after ſuch a manner, as if a good worke were partly God's worke and partly ours: And againe as if the beginning of a good worke were God's, but the effect thereof of man's free will; although as he (Hincmarus) doth endeavour to temper this ſpeech of his, by the addition of grace, not by the fulneſſe of it; gratiae adjunctione non etiam plen…tudine, by the adjunction of grace, not alſo by the fulneſſe of it: So he ſhould have done ſaith Remigius, cum verè totum ſit Dei; ſeeing indeed the whole is God's worke; As the truth it ſelfe ſaith, without me ye can do nothing: And the Apoſtle; what haſt thou that p. 15that thou haſt not received? whence the bleſſed and glorious Martyr Cyprian hath ſo defined it, ſaying, we muſt glory in nothing, ſeeing nothing is ours: and concludes thus; Bonum ita que noſtrum totum Dei eſt, quia totum eſt ex Deo; & nihil boni noſtri, noſtrum eſt, quia nihil boni noſtri eſt ex nobis: Therefore our good workes, are holy God's, and noe good of ours is ours, becauſe it is not of us; and to reconcile this ſeeming contradiction, in calling it our good, yet denying it to be from us, he concludes thus, omne bonum noſtrum, & totum Dei eſt, donando; & totum noſtrum eſt, accipiendo: Every good thing of ours is wholy God's in as much as he gives it, and it becomes ours full and whole, for as much as we receive it.

Fulgentius is plaine for it to, lib. 1. ad Monium, pag. 6. Theſe whome God foreſaw would dye in ſinne, he decrees ſhould live in endles puniſhment; I may take in Saint Auſtine, and Proſper alſo, who are judged to be the Patrons of he abſolute Decree, as it is ſet downe in the Sublapſarian way; even they doe many M. Maſon's Additions p. 6.times let fall ſuch ſpeeches, as cannot fairely be reconciled with abſolute Reprobation. I will only cite Proſper; for Saint Auſtine, ſpeakes in him; he diſcourſing of ſome that fall a way, à Sanctitate ad immunditiem, from holineſſe to uncleanneſſe; ſaith, they that fall away from holineſſe to uncleanneſſe; lye not under a neceſſity of periſhing, becauſe they were not predeſtinate; but therefore they were not predeſtinate, becauſe they were knowne to be ſuch by voluntary praevarication.

Not long after ſpeaking of the ſame men; he ſaith, Becauſe God foreſaw they would periſh by their owne free will; therefore, he did not by any predeſtination lever them from the children of perdition. And againe in his anſwer to the twelvth objection, he hath theſe words. God hath not withdrawne from any man ability to yeeld obedience, becauſe he hath not predeſtinated him; but becauſe he foreſaw he would fall from obedience; therefore he hath not predeſtinated him.

They are I confeſſe the wordes of Fulgentius in the 25: chapter of his firſt booke ad Monium, and in the very next chapter, he doth expreſſe himſelfe in this manner Anſwer.on the point of predeſtination unto glory; praedeſtinavit illos ad ſnpplicium quos à ſe praeſcivit voluntatis malae vitio deceſſuros; & praedeſtinavit ad regnum quos ad ſe praeſcivit miſericordiae praevenientis auxilio redituros, & in ſe miſericordiae ſubſequentis auxilio manſuros: He predeſtinateth thoſe untopuniſhment, whom he foreſaw to be ſuch as would depart from him through the fault of a naughty will; and he predeſtinated to the kingdome thoſe whom he foreſaw to be ſuch as would returne unto him by the help of mercy prevenient, and would perſevere in him by the helpe of grace ſubſequent; So that upon the ſame ground he may as well deny predeſtination unto ſalvation to be abſolute in the opinion of Fulgentius, as predeſtination unto damnation: Now Voſſius in his preface to the Pelagian Hiſtorie, having firſt confeſſed that all Antients agreed in this, That God did not ordaine any other unto eternall ſalvation, then ſuch who by his mere gift of grace ſhould have the beginning of faith and good will, and perſevere in that which is good, as it was foreſeen by him: In the next place acknowledgeth, that Auſtine and Proſper and the Authour of the booke de vocatione Gentium; and Fulgentius, unto this common opinion of Catholiques did adde this; That this praeſcience Divine did flow from God's abſolute Decree to ſave them. This I ſay Voſſius writes, though, I ſee no cauſe to regard his judgment in this Argument. His diſtinction is very well knowne of will abſolute and will conditionall; which will conditionate he examplifies thus, as when God will have ſalvavation conferred upon a man in caſe he doth believe; what one of our Divines doth deny a conditionall will, in this ſenſe in reference to ſalvation? Now what one of the Antients (the Pelagians excepted) can this Authour produce; that doth affirme any ſuch will to be in God, for the beſtowing of faith upon a man? For to maintaine this, were in plaine Termes to maintaine, that it was the will of God that grace ſhould beſtowed according unto workes: But if the grace of God be beſtowed merely according to the good pleaſure of God, as Saint Paule ſaith; God hath mercy on whom he will? By this it is aparent, that this decree is abſolute, and conſequently that predeſtination is abſolute; And thus Auſtine coupleth together the doctrine of the beſtowing grace not according unto workes, And his Doctrine of predeſtination as inſeparable, each to be granted or denied together with the other. Becauſe this Authour pretends it to be needles to cite Auſtine, and ſufficient to cite Proſper, adding that Auſtine ſpeakes in him, to wit, after he was Dead; ſuch is this Authours jugling courſe with his Reader; therefore I will repreſent Auſtine himſelfe propoſing the objection made by the Maſſilienſes, againſt Auſtin's doctrine of predeſtination, as it was ſent unto him by Proſper, and then anſwering it, not leaving it unto Proſper to anſwer for him: See the objection, ſed aiunt (ut ſcribitis) neminem poſſe correptionis ſtimulis excitari, ſi dicatur in conventu Eceleſiae audientibus multis, It a ſe habet de praedeſtinatione definita ſententia voluntatis Dei, ut alii ex vobis de infidelitate, accepta obediendi voluntate, veneritis ad fidem, vel accepta perſeverantia maneatis in fide &c. But they ſay (as ye write) that none can be ſtirred up by the Goad of correption, if it be ſaid in the Congregation p. 16in the hearing of many, ſuch as touching predeſtination is the determinate ſentence of the will of God, that ſome of you receiving an obedient will, ſhall come from infidelitie unto faith, or receiving perſeverance ſhall continue in the faith: But the reſt, who continue in ſinfull delights, therefore you have not riſen, becauſe the ſuccour of commiſerant grace, hath not as yet raiſed you. But if there be any not yet called whom God hath predeſtinated to be elected by his grace, (or whom his grace hath predeſtinated to be elected) ye ſhall receive the ſame grace, whereby to will and be Elect. And as for thoſe that doe obey, if you are not predeſtinated to be Elect, the ſtrength of obedience ſhall be withdrawne that you may ceaſe to obey: Thus farre the objection, Auſtin's anſwer followeth thus; When theſe things are ſaid, they ought not to to deterre us, from confeſſing God's grace (to wit) which is not given according unto workes, and from confeſſing predeſtination according thereunto; like as we are not terrified from confeſſing God's foreknowledge, if a man ſhould diſcourſe thereof in this manner before the people; whether now ye live well or not well, ſuch ſhall ye be hereafter, as God foreſees ye will be, either good, if he foreſees ye will be good; or evill, if he foreſees he will be evill: for what if upon the hearing hereof ſome give themſelves to ſloth, and from labour prone to luſt goe after their concupiſences; ſhall we therefore conceive that to be falſe which was delivered concerning God's foreknowledge? And ſo he proceeds to juſtifie the truth of this doctrine which was objected againſt him by way of Crimination, I ſay to juſtifie it as touching the ſubſtance of it, though as touching the manner of propoſing it, he confeſſeth that to be unreaſonably harſh in ſome particulars; and ſhewes how that may be propoſed in a more decent manner, ſtill holding up the ſame truth, Thus Auſtine was able to anſwere for himſelfe, whileſt he was living; Now let us conſider how Proſper anſwers for him after he was dead. And firſt let us conſider the objection it ſelfe; now it is this, That they who are not predeſtinate unto life, although they live piouſly and righteouſly, it ſhall nothing profit them, but they ſhall be reſerved ſo long untill they periſh: Now this is painely a part of the objection made by the Maſſilienſes and they were Galli, **And it is ſometimes more harſhly propoſed by the Maſſilienſes then by the Galli.whom Proſper anſwereth, for the objection propoſed to Auſtine was, that, ſtrength of obedience ſhould be taken from them; But in the objection of the Galli, whom Proſper anſweres it is ſet dowe in a milder manner, thus, They ſhall be reſerved untill they periſh. Now Auſtine himſelfe accomodates his anſwer hereunto in particular, De bono Perſeverantiae, cap. 22. 1 For ſhewing the unreaſonable harſhneſſein this manner of propoſing it: I wonder (ſaith he) if any weak man in a Chriſtian people can by any meanes heare with patience that which followes; as namely when it is ſaid unto them, yee that doe obey, if ye be predeſtinated to be rejected, the ſtrength of obedience ſhall be withdrawne from you that you may ceaſe to obey; For thus to ſpeake what ſeemeth it to be other, then to curſe or to propheſie evill after a ſort; Then he proceeds to ſhe whow the ſame truth may be delivered in a fairer manner, ſtill holding up the truth of the doctrine of predeſtination; If (ſaith he) a man thinke good to ſpeake ſomething of ſuch as doe not perſevere, and need be ſo to doe. What failes of the truth of this ſentence if it be delivered thus? But if ſome doe obey, that are not predeſtinated unto the kingdome and to glorie; they are temporarie ones, and ſhall not perſevere in the ſame obedience unto the end. Then he proceeds to ſhew how the ſame objection may be framed againſt God's praeſcience, thus; Et ſi qui obeditis, ſi praeſciti eſtis, rejiciendi obedire ceſſabtis; If any of you doe obey, if with all ye are foreſeen to be rejected ye ſhall ceaſe to obey, whereby ye may obſerve, how Auſtine in framing the objection, leaves out the Phraſe of withdrawing the ſtrength of obedience, as containing a calumnious imputation, and ſuch as Auſtine had nothing to doe with in the courſe of his opinion concerning predeſtination. Thus Auſtine hath plainely anſwered for himſelfe, and needs noe other to anſwer for him, and his anſwer proceeds without all colour of prejudice to his owne doctrine, concerning the abſoluteneſſe of predeſtination By this let the Reajudge of the ingenuitie of this Authour, who conceales all this from his Reader, bearing him in hand, that Auſtine ſpeakes in Proſper making anſwere to his objection, whereas indeed there is a vaſt difference between Proſper's anſwer for Auſtine, and Auſtin's anſwer for himſelfe: But like enough Proſper was willing to condeſcend to the Galli, * and to gratifie them with an anſwer, that in his judgment might be more acceptable and ſatiſfactorie unto them; To the conſideration whereof I now proceed, and therein to conſider Proſper, not Auſtin's mind, concerning predeſtination, as which he hath ſufficiently manifeſted in anſwer to the ſame objection, as I have ſhewed; Therefore (ſaith Proſper) They are not predeſtinated, becauſe they were foreſeen to be ſuch hereafter by their voluntarie praevarication, what will follow herence? That foreſight of ſinnes was the cauſe why they were not predeſtinated unto life? I anſwere, firſt by denying this conſequence, for it may as well follow that the Creatours love is the cauſe why ſinnes are forgiven him, for p. 17the Goſpell ſaith of the woman, Luk: the 7. Therefore many ſinnes are forgiven her, becauſe ſhe loved much; ſuch illations are not alwaies cauſall, but very often merely rationall. Secondly, let it be cauſall, and that foreſight of ſinne is the cauſe of non predeſtination unto life, and accordingly of predeſtination unto damnation, yet here I have a double anſwer. Firſt it is the moſt generall opinion, that reprobation as it ſignifies a purpoſe to damne, and accordingly to exclude from heaven, preſuppoſeth the preſcience of ſinne: M. Perkins expreſly profeſſeth as much, and other Divines at the Synod of Dort; yet this hinders not the abſoluteneſſe of reprobation, which appeares in the purpoſe of God to deny grace, and that abſolutely to ſome, like as he beſtowes it upon others; I meane the grace of faith and regeneration; otherwiſe grace ſhould be given according to workes: Now let any paſſage be produced out of Proſper, or any other Orthodox writer among'ſt the Antients to ſhew, that God in diſtributing theſe graces unto ſome, and denying them unto others, did not proceed abſolutely, but according unto workes; and according to this doctrine, it is well knowne that Auſtine ſhaped his doctrine concerning predeſtination, as it hath been ſhewed at large in the anſwer to M. Hord, in the firſt ſection; ſecondly that there may be a cauſe of predeſtination and reprobation, Aquinas doth not deny, but how? quoad res volitas, as touching things willed, or, praedeſtinatione & reprobatione praepartas, by predeſtination and reprobation prepared, and in this ſenſe Aquinas himſelfe confeſſeth that, foreſight of ſinne is the cauſe of reprobation, the nineth to the Romans; & ſee how he explicates himſelfe, his wordes are theſe, Lect: 3. praeſcientia peccatorum poteſt eſſe aliqua ratio reprobationis ex parte poenae quae preparatur Reprobatis: in quantum ſcil: Deus proponit ſe puniturum malos propter peccata quae à ſe ipſis habent, non à Deo. The foreſight of ſinnes may be ſome reaſon of reprobation as touching the puniſhment, which is prepared for Reprobates, in aſmuch as God decreeth to puniſh wicked men for their ſinnes, which they have of themſelves, not of God: But of reprobation, as touching the act of God reprobating, there can be noe more cauſe thereof, then there can be a cauſe of God's will as touching the act of God willing. And upon this very ground it is, that Aquinas profeſſeth that * never any man was ſo mad as to affirme that there may be a cauſe given of predeſtination, as touching the p. q. 23. art: 5. in Corp.act of God predeſtinating; Let us therefore forbeare to impute any ſuch opinion to Proſper or any other of the Antients; which none ever was ſo mad as to maintaine in the judgment of Aquinas. The ſame anſwer will ſerve for the next, derived out of the ſame place in Proſper: As for the third of withdrawing ſtrength of obedience; This indeed was objected unto Auſtine, as if in his opinion God did ſo; wheras I have ſhewed alſo how Auſtine ſignifies that he had nothing to doe with that, and therefore he leaves that quite out. And indeed Auſtin's is cleare and expreſſe, that as many as God hath not predeſtinated, thoſe he never bring's unto wholſome and ſpirituall repentance, whereby a man is reconciled unto God in Chriſt. Cont: Iulian: Pelag: lib. 5. cap. 4. And conſequently he never brings them to any true obedience. The whole ſentence in Proſper hath no more moment then the former, and therefore admits the ſame anſwer.

A teſtimony or two I will borrow likewiſe from ſome perſon of note, and thoſe Saint Auſtin's followers too, who lived about 400 yeares after Saint Auſtin's time. Remigius the great Patron of Gotteſchalke the zeatous M. Maſon's Additions p. 6. 7.preacher and publiſher of abſolute reprobation in thoſe times, in his anſwer to that epiſtle, which we ſuppoſe to be the Epiſtle of Rabanus; ſaying, that God did make the nations of the world, and that he doth will that all men ſhould be ſaved; he gives ſuch an anſwer as cannot ſtand with abſolute reprobation; This, ſaith he, is very true, becauſe God layeth on noe man a neceſſity of periſhing, as he hath laid on none a neceſſity of ſinning: And a little after he is plainer; Thoſe whom God did fore know would live and dye in their wickedneſſes for reaſons moſt juſt, ſhould periſh, as himſelfe ſaith, Him that ſinneth againſt me, even him will I blot out of my Booke. In the Valantine Synod aſſembled in the favour of Gotteſchalke, we may find theſe words; Therefore doe the wicked periſh, not becauſe they could not, but would not be good, and by their owne fault originall or actuall, alſo, remained in the Maſſe of perdition; And in the end of their 3. Cannon: they pronounced Anathema to thoſe, that hold that men are ſo predeſtinated unto evill as they cannot be otherwiſe. That any ſhould be (ſaith the Councell) predeſtinated unto evill by the power of God; ſo as he cannot be otherwiſe, we doe not only not believe, but alſo if there be any that will believe ſo great an evill, with all deteſtation we denounce them accurſed; as the Councell alſo did.

This Authour grants Remigius to be a Patron of abſolute reprobation: But theſe Anſwer.words of his, this Authour ſaith, cannot ſtand with abſolute Reprobation: Remigius undoubtedly thought they could; otherwiſe he muſt have renounced the Doctrine of abſolute reprobation and the Patronage thereof, which yet he did not; as this Authour acknoledgeth: Now is it enough for this Authour, to ſay that theſe words cannot ſtand with abſolute Reprobation and barely to ſay it, without proving ought? and truely I have found ſuch to be the imperious carriage of this Authour in manuſcript, now I ſee it in print; But let us endeavour to cleare Remigius, by proving the Contrary: p. 18indevour to cleare Remigius, by proving the contrary. Therefore it is well knowne that the Terme abſolute ſtand's in oppoſition to Conditionall. Now this diſtinction of will abſolute and will Conditionall Gerardus Voſſius doth accommodate in reſpect of the things willed of God, and gives inſtance of God's will of ſaving, which he ſaith is conditionall: foraſmuch as God purpoſeth not to beſtow ſalvation on any, but ſuch as believe, faith being by God's ordinance the Condition of obtaining Salvation. In like ſort Doctor Iackson in his book of Providence acknowledgeth the diſtinction of voluntas antecedens, and conſequens is to be underſtood not on the part of God willing, but on the part of things willed: Now the things willed in the decree of Reprobation, are two, contrary to things willed in Election: For as in Election God doth will the conferring of grace, and the conferring of ſalvation; ſoe in Reprobation God doth will the deniall of grace and inflicting of damnation: Now Remigius in the paſſages here produced, ſpeakes altogether of God's will to inflict damnation, and he denies that God's will is to inflict damnation on any man abſolutely, but only conditionally (to wit) in caſe of finall perſeverance in ſinne, and ſo ſay we with Remigius: But as touching God's will to deny grace, we utterly deny that God will have grace to be denied upon a condition, for nothing can be deviſed to be the condition thereof, but ſinne either originall or actuall. And if upon ſuch a condition grace ſhould be denied, it ſhould be denied to all ſeeing before grace is given, all are found to be under ſinne actuall or originall, and conſequently all ſhould be Reprobates, even every mothers ſonne. 2. And if to avoid this, it be ſaid: although all be ſinners, yet grace is denyed to none, but ſuch as want a certaine particular obedience; Then upon the performing of that obedience grace ſhould be conferred; this is as much as to ſay that Grace is conferred according unto workes; which doctrine hath ever been abominated by the Orthodox in oppoſition unto the Pelagians. Now the Apoſtle clearely makes for us in this, profeſſing that God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. Now though there paſſages produced out of Remigius carrie ſome ſhew againſt abſolute reprobation from glorie, or unto damnation; yet have they noe colour or ſhew of oppoſing abſolute reprobation from grace; As for neceſſitie of periſhing, that is merely conditionall (to wit) in caſe of finall continuance in ſinne without repentance; And as for neceſſitie of ſinning, that we confeſſe is found in all, in ſtate of nature, Corvinus confeſſeth it to be the doctrine of Arminius that, all men naturally are caſt upon a neceſſitie of ſinning. **In anſwer to charity miſtaken.And Doctor Potter propoſeth it as the doctrine of the Church of England, that, in a naturall man there is no libertas a peccato, libertie from ſinning; which yet is to be underſtood aright, not but that it is in his power to abſtaine from any particular ſinfull act; for no ſupernaturall act is or can be ſinfull, every ſinfull act muſt needs be an act naturall; and power either to doe or to abſtaine from any naturall Act, is not to be denied to any naturall man. But it is impoſſible that any naturall man ſhould abſtaine from any ſinne, or doe any naturall good act (ſo commonly accounted) in a gratious manner, untill grace comes, ſo to ſeaſon the heart of man as to love God, even to the contempt of himſelfe, and out of his love to doe that good which he doth, and to abſtaine from that evill, from which he abſtaineth. 2. But if the queſtion be of the manner how this neceſſitie of ſinning is brought upon the nature of man; we ſay, it is not by the pleaſure of God: But by the ſinne of Adam, according to that of the Apoſtle, Rom: 5. By one man ſinne entred into the world, and death by ſinne: for man by reaſon of ſinne was juſtly bereaved of the Spirit of God, and begetting children in this Condition, he begets them after his owne Image and likeneſſe, that is bereaved of the Spirit of God. And we hold it impoſſible for a man bereaved of God's Spirit, either to doe that which is good, or abſtaine from doing that which is evill in a gratious manner.

2. Secondly, I come to the Synod of Valenſe, when they ſay, the wicked not periſh becauſe they could not doe good, but becauſe they would not. Theſe words may ſeeme to imply that even the wicked could doe good if they would; and truely I ſee noe cauſe to deny this: But that we may ſafely ſay with Auſtine; that, omnes poſſunt Deo credere & ab amore rerum temporalium ad divina praecepta ſervanda ſe convertere, ſi velint: Believe God if they will, and from the love of all things temporall convert themſelves to the keeping of God's Commandements if they will; for if a man would goe to Church but cannot, becauſe he is lame, would read in God's word, but cannot, becauſe he is blind: Theſe impotencies are naturall not morall: but the impotency brought upon mankind by the ſinne of Adam is morall not naturall. Now morall impotency is found noe where but in the will, or at leaſt is chiefly there, and ſecondly in the underſtanding alſo, as touching knowledge practicall; and accordingly when Scriptures teſtifie that they who are in the fleſh cannot p. 19pleaſe God, Rom: 8: cannot repent, Rom: 24: connot believe Ioh: 12. This impotency conſiſt's cheifly in the corruption of their wills, noted by the hardneſſe of heart, Rom: 2. 4. Eph: 4. 18. Againe I have already ſhewed out of Remigius, that a wicked man can doe that which is good, but by what meanes? (to wit) by grace, not otherwiſe. The words are theſe; Si dixiſſet generaliter, nemo hominum ſine Dei gratia libero bene uti poteſt arbitrio eſſet Catholicus; had he ſaid generaly, not any man can uſe his free will without grace, he were Catholique. And pag. 36: the ſame Remigius hath theſe words, In infidelibus ipſum liberum arbitrium ita per Adam damnatum & perditum, in operibus mortuis liberum eſſe poteſt, in vivis non poteſt; free will ſo damned and loſt in Adam, may be free in dead workes, in living workes it cannot: Yet pag. 174: thus he diſtinguiſheth, anſwerably to the paſſage alleaged by this Authour. De reprobis nullum ſalvari ullatenus exiſtimamus, non quia non poſſunt homines de malo ad bonum commutari, ac de malis ac pravis boni ac recti fieri, ſed quia in melius mutari noluerunt, & in peſſimis operibus uſ que ad finem perſeverare voluerunt. And pag. 143. Florus of the Church of Lyons where Remigius was Byſhop, ſets downe the ſame truth more at large, thus, Habet homo poſt illam damnationem liberum arbitrium, quo voluntate propria inclinari poteſt & inclinatur ad malum, habet liberum arbitrium, quo poteſt aſſurgere ad bonum, ut autem aſſurgat ad bonum non eſt propriae virtutis ſed gratiae Dei miſerantis; Nam & qui mortuus eſt, poteſt dici poſſe vivere, non tamen ſua virtute, ſed Dei, Ita & liberum arbitrium hominis ſemel ſauciatum, ſemel mortuum poteſt ſanari, non tamen ſua virtute ſed gratia miſerantis Dei, & ideo omnes homines admonentur, omnibus verbum praedicatur, quia habent poſſe credere, poſſe converti ad Deum: ut verbo extrinſecus admonente & intus Deo ſuſcitante, qui audiunt, reviviſcant: Man hath after that damnation (to wit) ſuch as followed after Adam's fall) free will, ſo that of his owne will he can be inclined and is inclined to evill, he hath free will whereby he may riſe unto a good condition: but that he doth ariſe to that good condition, is not in his owne power; but of the grace of God compaſſionating him; for of him alſo who is dead, it may be ſaid that he may live, yet not by his owne power but by the power of God. Soe man's free will alſo being once wounded, once dead may be reſtored, not by his owne power, but by God's grace pitying him and therefore al men are admoniſhed, to all the word is preached, becauſe they have this that they may believe, they may be converted unto God, that by the word outwardly admoniſhing & God inwardly raiſing, they which heare may revive. As touching the laſt, condemning thoſe who ſay that any ſhould be ſo predeſtinated to evill by God, that they cannot be otherwiſe, this Authour would faine inſinuate into his Reader an opinion; That wicked men may change from evill to good of themſelves; But neither doth the Councill of Valens, or Remigius a chiefe man therein, intimate any ſuch thing; But only that it is in God's power by his grace to change them, and ſo hath changed and will change the hearts of many, namely of all his Elect, but not of one other.

That the Remonſtrants did not at that time deſire that it ſhould be talked of, among the common people, who might have ſtumbled at it, but diſputed of, among'ſt the Judicious and Learned, who as the threſhing M. Maſon's Additions p. 8. 9. 5.Oxen who are to beate the corne out of the Huske, are to bolt out thoſe truthes which are couched and hidden in the letter of the Scriptures. That the doctrine which is loath to abide the triall even of learned men, carrieth with it a ſhrewd ſuſpicion of falſhood, the heathen Oratour ſhall witneſſe for me; who to Epicurus ſeeing that he would not publiſh his opinion to the ſimple people; who might happily take offence at that, anſwereth thus. Declare thy opinion in the place of Judgment, or if thou art affraid of the aſſembly there, declare that in the Senate amongſt thoſe grave and judicious Perſons. Thou wilt never doe it, and why? but becauſe it is a fowle and diſhoneſt opinion. True religion (as Vives ſaith) is not a thing guilded over but gold it ſelfe: the more it is ſcraped and diſcovered, the brighter and goodlier it is; and ſo is the truth. Vives de Verbo ſidei, lib. 1. pag. 16. Diſputations illuſtrate and ſet forth true opinions more then ſilence can; let us not feare therefore (ſaith he) leſt our faith when it is laid open appeare filthy to the beholders. Id ib: Let fa ſe and ſuperſtitious religions in which there is noe ſoundneſſe be afraid of this.

The Jew is loath to reaſon with the Chriſtian touching his law: And the Turke is forbidden to diſpute of his Alcoran, becauſe their religions are brittle like glaſie broken with the leaſt touch, Vives lib. 4. pag. 479. But the Chriſtian who is confident of the goodneſſe of his faith feareth noe examination; but rather as much as may be, ſolliciteth and provoketh his adverſarie to the Cumbate. Truth whether it be in men or doctrines, is beſt when it is uncovered.

Of the five conſiderations propoſed in this diſcourſe, as it was firſt penned and tranſmitted to a friend, the fifth is changed and in the place thereof this incerted, and it concernes Anſwer.the third inſtance given of the Synodicall Divines in the Synod of Dort. Now it is already ſhewed in the anſwer to the former diſcourſe how immodeſtly the Authour carrieth himſelfe, in charging that Synod with unwillingneſſe to come to the triall, who juſtified their proceedings in the judgment of all the forraigne Divines there preſent, for whereas the Remonſtrants did once and againe profeſſe that they could not in conſcience p. 20any longer ſtay in the Synod, vnleſſe it were provided for, that they might treate of Election and reprobation. And that after that manner which they had ſet downe in their Theſes and writings exhibited to the Synod; hereupon the Sinod to give them ſatisfaction herein ordered, that their opinion not only concerning Election, but alſo concerning reprobation ſhould be weighed and examined: ſoe far forth as they in conſcience ſhould judge to be ſufficient, for the glory of God, for the edifying and quieting of the Church and all mens conſciences; but as touching the manner of proceeding herein, it perteyned to them to conſider and ordeine as they thought good. And it became not thoſe who where cited to appear, to preſcribe unto the Sinod. This decree being read the 40 ſeſſion conteynes the altercation here abouts, betweene the Synod and them. They forſooth would preſcribe to the Synod, de modo agendi; The Synod muſt not unto them.

The Synod hereupon intreates the judgment of forrain divines. And they all with one conſent profeſſe that the Synod had granted the Remonſtrants as much libertie for the defence of their cauſe, as in Equitie could be granted and could well ſtand with the honour of the Synod. And therefore there is no cauſe why the decree of the Synod ſhould be altered, or why the Remonſtrants ſhould complaine or decline the Authority of the Synod; that nothing was put upon them burthen ſome to their conſciences: And therefore it was in vaine to pretend ſcruples of Conſcience, as in the Seſſion 42 there is a repreſentation made of their unreaſonable demaund; namely in the firſt place to deale upon reprobation &c: whereupon the opinion of forrain divines was required; as whether it was fit to yeild unto them in this, and to treat of reprobation before they treated of Election, who declared by concurring ſuffrages that courſe (propoſed by them) to be moſt unreaſonable: now let the reader judge how unſhamefaſt that crimination is, which this Author chargeth that Synod with, and conſequently all the the forreine divines therein aſſembled, who juſtified thoſe Synodicall proceedings with their unanimous conſent. Surely this Author hath an high opinion of himſelfe, and his owne ſufficiencies, who thinkes this Bolt of his ſoone ſhot, more worth then the concurrent verdict of all thoſe divines, Choſen as eminent perſons by their ſeverall Churches, and ſentunto that Sinod from many places of Chriſtendome. Now hee who in the progreſſe of his unſhamefaſt diſcourſe, ſpares not thus to Taxe a Synod and all the forrain Divines that aſſembled therein, no mervell if he forbeare not to charge the Contra Remonſtrants in the Hague conference with the ſame Crimination, though never ſo injuriouſly; Thus indeede the Remonſtrants in the Synod of Dort, Criminate their adverſaries as appeares in the Synodalia Dodcacena pag: 136. In the conference at Hague the Contra-Remonſtrants deprecated that they might not be put to deale on Reprobation, and more at large pag: 159. in the ſame writings; We reade how Feſtus Hommius one of the Contra-Remonſtrants in that conference at the Hague, hereupon ſtood up, Expoſuitque paucis quod non bona fide haec de illis dicerentur, how unfaithfully this relation was made, ſe libello ſupplice non fuiſſe deprecatos ne de reprobatione ageretur; That they did not in their ſupplication intreat that no diſputation ſhould be had of reprobation▪ and therewithall the truth of the matter as formerly I have ſet downe in anſwear to the former diſcourſe, and as for Beza in the conferrence with Iacobus Andreas in the point of predeſtination: It is true at the firſt motion he declyned it, and he gives his reaſons, 1. namely that thy were not called by the prince of Mompelgard to diſpute on this Article but on another which was expreſſed in the princes letters, as Iacobus Andreas acknowledgeth: 2 and accordingly they had Commiſſion from their Church that ſent them, to diſpute on that whereunto they were called and not on any other. 3. and ſoe they came provided to diſpute on that which was expreſſed in the Princes letters who invited them. 4. Then againe it was in a Lutheran aſſembly. 5. neither would Andeas yeild to Beza's motions that the conference might be tranſacted by writing. 6. nor that which was to be delivered by them ſhould be taken by notaries. 7. Yet they offered to propoſe their doctrine on that Argument before the Prince, and to heare what Jacobus Andreas had to ſay againſt it and promiſed to returne him an anſwer thereunto; Thirdly, conſider it was not predeſtination alone, whereof they were unwilling at that time and in that place to conferre about, But two other Articles alſo, namely as concerning Baptiſme, and Images in Churches; why then, doth not this Author plead as well for Images in Churches, as for the conditionall nature of reprobation: as well he may upon the ſame ground? Fourthly, what p. 21ſottiſhneſſe poſſeſſeth this Authour to conclude, that becauſe Beza at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a place, and upon ſuch and ſuch tearmes, did refuſe to diſpute thereon; Therefore all that profeſſe the ſame doctrine with Beza doe refuſe to come to triall there abouts, and conſequently that doctrine is ſuſpectable of untruth; whereas it cannot be concluded of Beza ſimply that he refuſed to come to a triall, becauſe once at a certaine time and in a certaine place, and in a conference upon certaine termes he did refuſe to come to a tryall: For my part, I refuſe not to come to a triall with any of them upon any particular: But I noe way thinke fit to entertaine a conferrence here about by wordes of mouth, but rather by writing; ſo it will be more quietly carried, ſo it will be more free from aliene diſcourſe; ſo each party ſhall have time both duely to weigh the Adverſaries Argument and with due conſideration to put in his anſwer thereunto; And is it not farre more decent that the holy things of God ſhould be handled premeditately, rather then ſubitaneouſly? Fiſtly, what if Beza were of opinion that God hath choſen ſome unto eternall life, and paſſed by others without any reſpect had to the perſonall goodneſſe of the one, or naughtineſſe of the other, and that this is Saint Paule's doctrine, Rom: 9. This was Saint Auſtin's opinion alſo as Voſſius acknowledgeth in his hiſtorie of Pelagian hereſies p. 655. Now will any man thinke him well in his wits who diſcourſeth after this manner; ſurely Auſtin's doctrine concerning election and reprobation is ſuſpectable of untruth; Becauſe Beza maintaining the ſame doctrine ſome 1200 yeares after, was unwilling to come to a tryall thereabouts at a certaine time in a certaine place, namely at Mompelgard before the Duke of Wirtenberg? Laſtly, obſerve the ſtrange inconſiderations of this Authour; for the Authour of the former diſcourſe promiſed the Gentleman his friend to whom he wrote, to give him the reaſon of his change in opinion, not in this point only of reprobation, but in the other points alſo, for he perceived he was become an Arminian: Now whereas he gives him the reaſon of his change in one point only, declining all the reſt, doth he not manifeſt his unwillingneſſe to deale on all the other 4 points? And may not wee conclude after this Authours manner, that this betrayes no ſmall ſuſpicion, that certainely his cauſe is weak and ill grounded in all the reſt? In like manner doth this Achates carry himſelfe, he that helps of the other to make his taske for him. It is his uſuall courſe to deale only upon the point of reprobation, as in this place; ſo in a writing of his to a certaine Scholer, and as I have ſeen under his hand; It ſeemes he is well conceited of his ſufficiencie on this point: And truely I am very glad to ſee what he can ſay for himſelfe, even on the point of reprobation That which followes is to little purpoſe, ſave to ſhew the plerofphorie of his common place-book: and how eaſily it is for him to abound, not only in things neceſſary, but in things unneceſſary alſo: Therefore he tells us what Cicero writes of Epicurus, which may with a farre better grace be retorted upon himſelfe then upon Beza, or the Contra-Remonſtrants at the Hague conferrence; or the Fathers of Dort, how unfacetiouſly it is applyed unto them I have already ſhewed, and further it is well knowne both by Calvins, and Beza's writings, and by that which was done in the Synod of Dort, ſet forth to the veiwe of all the world, that they have not concealed their opinions from the world on thoſe points controverted; All that are able to read and underſtand Latine, may ſoone come accquainted with them: And M. Hord dealing only upon reprobation which is but a part of one of the five Articles, and forbearing to meddle with Election or any other of the five, contrary to the promiſe made by him unto his friend, doth he not hereby bewray conſciouſneſſe of his owne inſufficiencie to meddle thereon? And like enough he hath learned this wiſedome from his Abettor (and this is his courſe) who loves to deale in hugger mugger, and ſets others on worke, contented to blowe the coales; yet walkes gloriouſly at the light of his owne fire, and the ſparkes that he hath kindled, vaunting (as I heare) that his peece cannot be anſwered, and in ſuch termes he commends it unto the Country.

In like manner let the indifferent Reader judge, whether, that which he produceth out of Lodovicus Vives be more againſt us, then againſt the Authour himſelfe that produceth it; for both Calvin, and Beza and generally our Divines have publiquely profeſſed their opinions, not on predeſtination only, but on reprobation alſo, and upon all other points controverted between us and the Arminians; whereas this Auhour ſculkes and pulls in his hornes as if he dared not to be ſeen on other points; only declares himſelfe upon the point of reprobation; I meane M. Horde; but as for the other which blowes quick-ſilver into him, he is loath to be knowne, as if his occupation were with Bronteſ que Steropeſ que & nudus membra Pyracmon, to take paines to make thunder-bolts for Iupiter, or for Mercury rather; for he is content an other ſhould be the chiefe ſpeaker. 5ly. The Iew he ſaith, is p. 22loath to reaſon with the Chriſtian touching his law, and the Turke is forbidden to ſpeak of his Alcoran; But have I ſhewed my ſelfe loath to reaſon with this Brontes, in any particular difference between us, or with any among'ſt them that weares a head upon his ſhoulders? I truſt, I never ſhall, as long as I breath, As for this Authour, the world is witneſſe how deeply guilty he is in this kind, contrary to his owne promiſe: But he may thanke his prompter that he deales in this, and he indeed had made noe ſuch promiſe to to confine him, but out of his fox-like carriage, makes choiſe to deale only on this, where he hopes to meet with a favourable winde from vulgar and popular conceits, to to fill his failes to carry him proſperouſly into their affections, be his Arguments never ſo weak: never ſo inſipid. Now it is well knowne unto him, that my anſwer to the former diſcourſe hath now been in the the hands of others for the ſpace of two yeares and a halfe, and not the ſmalleſt paſſage thereof doe I find anſwered here. And this ſeconds conſcience knoweth whether he hath not been full well acquainted with it, before this peece of his did ſee the light of the preſſe: Now becauſe this alone might juſtly prove notoriouſly prejudiciall to the whole, ſee what a dog-trick hath been played, to antedate the edition thereof, as if it were printed Anno 1633, when it hath been but a few monthes ſince this hath been knowne unto the world, that the Reader may imagine if it pleaſe him, that this was printed before my anſwere was returned to the former diſcourſe. And to what purpoſe is the diſcourſe brought to the Bulke, which that hath at preſent, ſo many odde things being inſerted thereunto; but to provide for their indemnitie that ſhall ſay, This was never it anſwered, whereat I wounder not a little, namely at the cunning and crafty carriage of this ſecond, who for good reaſon may be accompted the firſt, in aſmuch as he uſeth the other but as a ſtalking-horſe to promote his owne game, I ſay I may, and doe wounder not a little at this, for he both carrieth himſelfe and others boaſt of him, as if he were ſome formidable Creature, and Lyon like to affright all others that ſhould deale with him, when in very truth all his performances ſavour farre more of the Fox then of the Lyon.

And it is alſo diſſtaſtfull to all the Greek Churches; Moulin in his Anotomy ſpeaking of the Supralapſarian doctrine; ſaith, if it ſhould be ſo that God hath reprobated men without the conſideration of ſinne, or hath M. Maſon's Additions p. 10. 11, 12, 13ordained them to ſinne. Yet it is the part of a wiſe man to conceale theſe things, or not to know them rather then to utter them: becauſe, when they are taught and defended they fill mens heads with ſceuples, and give occaſion to the adverſaries to the defaming the true religion.

The ſame may as truely be ſaid of the Sublapſarian way, for as I have ſaid, they are in ſubſtance all one; And Sir Edwin Sandes is of the ſame mind too; for in his moſt excellent booke caled A ſurvay of the pag. 10.State of Religion, in the weſterne part of the world; ſpeaking of the deadly diviſion between the Luthernas and the Calviniſts in Germany, he hath theſe wordes; that, though …he Palſgrave and Lanſgrave have with great judgment and wiſedome, to ſlake thoſe flames, impoſed ſilence in that part to the Miniſters of their party, hoping the Charitie and diſcretion of the other party would have done the like; yet it falls out otherwiſe; for both the Lutheran Preachers raile as bitterly againſt them in their pulpits as ever, and their Princes and people have them in as greate deteſtation; not forbearing to profeſſe openly, that they will returne to the Papacie rather then ever admit that Sacrementary and predeſtinary Peſtilence. And as for the Grecians, we learne alſo by Sir Edwin Sandes his relation, that they doe mightilie diſſent from the doctrines touching the eternall Counſells of God, which Calvin (as ſome conceive) firſt fully revealed or rather introduced into the Chriſtian world, and ſome of his friends pag. 11.and followers have ſeconded; as thinking it very injurious to the goodneſſe of God, and directly immediatly oppoſite to his very nature, In regard of which, on of their Byſhops hath written a booke againſt it, which hath been ſent to Geneva and there received.

And to ſay on thing more, beſides this infamy among Chriſtians, it is very probable that among the too many ſcandals given to the Jewes by Chriſtians among whom they dwell; This doctrine is not on of the pag. 12.leaſt rubs in the way of their converſion. For they thinke it a bad opinion (ſaith the ſame judicious and learned Gentleman) which ſome of great name have ſeemed to hold, that God in his everlaſting and abſolute pleaſure ſhould affect the extreame miſerie of any of his Creatures, for the ſhewing of his juſtice and ſeveritie in tormenting them, or that the calamitie, caſting a way and damnation of ſome, ſhould abſolutely and neceſſarily redound more to his glorie then the felicitie of them all, conſidering that his nature is mere goodneſſe and happineſſe, and hath noe affinity with rigour and miſery.

And ſecondly the determination of the end doth neceſſarily involve the meanes that preceeds the end, as pag. 13.if a man before determined to damnation, he muſt unavoidably ſinne elſe he could not be damned.

As touching this paticular of M. Moulyn: I have addreſſed an anſwer puctually Anſwer.thereunto in my Vindiciae amongſt my degreſſions touching predeſtination, yet I am content to ſay ſomething concerning the point it ſelfe and his judgment thereupon. Reprobation hath two parts, which this Authour moſt judiciouſly confounds, the one is God's decree to deny grace, the other is his decree to inflict damnation; As touching the firſt, the very execution thereof proceeds merely according to God's pleaſure, howmuch more the decree it ſelfe, which is eternall, and cannot poſſibly have any precedaneous thereunto; whereas the execution is temporall, and temporall things may have ſomewhat p. 23precedaneous thereunto. Now that the execution thereof is merely according to God's good pleaſure is apparent; the execution thereof being no other then the denyall of grace; And as God of his mere pleaſure gives faith and repentance to whom he will; ſo of his mere pleaſure he denies it unto others; otherwiſe grace ſhould be conferred according unto workes, which was condemned in the Synod of Paleſtine, Pelagius himſelfe ſubſcribing thereunto above 1200 yeares agoe, and all along afterwards it was condemned in divers Synods gatherd together for ſuppreſſing of the Pelagian Hereſie. Now did M. Moulin think it noe wiſe part to publiſh this doctrine, That grace is not given according unto workes; but according to the mere pleaſure of God? Nothing leſſe; Saint Paul plainly profeſſing that God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Come we to reprobation as it ſignifies God's decree to inflict damnation without conſideration of ſinne, our adverſaries would faine ſhape our opinions thus, and none more eager this way, then this Authour, I meane him that is thought to be the ſuggeſter at firſt, and ſince the Interpolator and Promotor of all this; But this is a moſt notorious untruth; nay how can we maintaine this, who imbrace the definition of reprobation given by Aquinas, where he ſaith, that repobation includes a will to permit ſinne, and to inferre damnation for ſinne, ſo doth M. Perkins, and him have I juſtified againſt Arminius in my Vindiciae; And not any one of our Divines doth maintaine that God intends to damne any man but for ſinne, and finall perſeverance therein without repentance. And the former point concerning the firſt act of reprobation, being granted, which neither Sir Edwin Sandes, nor any Lutheran that I know, denies; the doctrine concerning this latter act of reprobation will be found to containe noe difficultie at all, foraſmuch as we utterly deny that God either doth inflict, or ever did decree to inflict damnation according to his mere pleaſure; but merely for finall continuance in ſinne without repentance. Now let every ſober Reader conſider, whether there be any harſhneſſe in all this: But as M. Moulin diſcourſeth here, ſo did the Maſſilienſes of old concerning Auſtin's doctrine, as which they would not have at all broached, as appeares in the Epiſtle of Proſper.—Yet I commend this Authour for his ingenuous confeſſion, that the ſame may be ſaid of the Sublapſarian way. But to our prejudice he tells us that Sir Ed: Sandes is of the ſame mind, and therefore conſidering the excellencie of the booke, written by him, whereunto we may adde the excellencie of the diſcourſe written by this Authour; let us for the credit and tranſcendent ſufficiencie of theſe two, renounce not Calvin and Beza only, (poore Snakes as they were) but the whole Synod of Dort; and all the outlandiſh divines aſſembled there, and manifeſting their concurrance in opinion with thoſe Synodicall Divines, yea and Fulke and Whitaker, and the Univerſitie of Cambridge as they were then affected, when they drave Barret to a recantation; Yet Sir Edwin Sandes in the place produced, betraies not his owne judgment, but makes relation of the bitterneſſe of Lutherans in oppoſing Calviniſts: In like manner both Jewes and Gentiles did oppoſe Chriſtians even unto bloud, for preaching Chriſt crucified, which was a ſcandall to the one, fooliſhneſſe unto the other. And ſhall the truth of Chriſtianitie be any whit the worſe thought of for this? why then ſhall our Doctrine of predeſtination and reprobation be ſuſpected as untrue, becauſe the Lutheran partie, doe alſo bitterly oppoſe it? eſpecially conſidering, that we with Auſtine no otherwiſe maintaine predeſtination then as it depends and is grounded upon this, that grace is not given according unto workes, as Auſtine profeſſeth to have been his opinion, de bono perſeverantiae, cap. 14. And we are ready to renounce whatſoever contradicteth this: and the Lutherans themſelves profeſſe concurrently with us, that grace is not given according unto workes. And by the way obſerve the Lutheran ſpleen is exerciſed not only againſt the predeſtinary peſtilence, (as they call it) but the Sacramentarie peſtilence alſo. That is, againſt their doctrine who oppoſe their ubiquitie and conſubſtantiation, yet in the very next page the ſame Knight affirmes, that all the Lutherans are not carried with the ſame ſterne humour, but they only who are called Lutherani rigidi, & that the greater part perhaps which are the molles Lutherani, are quiet enough, neither accompt they otherwiſe of the Calviniſts, then as of erring brethren; whom the rigids have (as is ſaid) threatened to excomunicate as Schiſmitiques and Heretiques.—3 The Grecians are ſaid to oppoſe the doctrine of Calvin in the point of predeſtination; yet we know our Engliſh Divines ſubſcribed unto the ſame Doctrine in the Synod of Dort; together with all the forraigne Divines there aſſembled, and the ſumme therof is but this, that God, both in the election of ſome, and preterition of others, had noe reſpect to the perſonall goodneſſe of the one, and perſonall naughtineſſe of the other. And that this was the very doctrine of Auſtine, and of Saint Paul alſo in the opinion of Auſtine, Voſſius acknowledeth, and Auſtine profeſſeth p. 24that this doctrine herein is ſhaped merely according to the rule ſo generally received in the Church of God againſt Pelagians, that grace is not given according unto merits, de bono perſeve: cap. 15.—4. Concerning the Jewes, this doctrine of ours, this judicious (not Sir Edwin Sandes) thinks it probable that doth hinder their converſation: And indeed that learned Knight doth profeſſe, that they are oppoſite to the doctrine here recited by this Authour, and in the ſame ſentence he profeſſeth them in like manner oppoſite to our doctrine, in maintaining that the divell and his Angells ſhall be caſt into everlaſting fire; for thus goes Sir Edwin's relation, as they thinke it a bad opinion which ſome men ſeeme to hold, that God in his everlaſting and abſolute power ſhould affect the extreame miſerie of any of his Creatures as here it lyes, ſo contrarie wiſe, they think with Origen, that Hell in the ende ſhall utterly be aboliſhed; and that the divells themſelves after a long courſe of bitter repentance, and puniſhment ſhall find mercy at his handes, that did create them: But as touching our difference from this in this particular; This Authour doth not expreſſe ought ſo much as probable, to hinder their converſion; as touching the former he hath; for that ſerved his turne, this doth not, and his wit and wiſedome being ſo nere of kinne, noe mervaile if he makes the one to performe ſervice of love to the other But let me ſay ſomething concerning the opinion it ſelfe here related, as in the firſt place; That God doth not effect the extreame miſery of his creatures in his abſolute pleaſure, what is the doctrine oppoſite hereunto but this, namely that God decrees to damne no man but for ſinne, and not according to his abſolute pleaſure? Now what one of our Divines was ever knowne to contradict this; and to affirme that God intends to damne many of his creatures not for their ſinnes, but of his owne abſolute pleaſure? for my part I never read any that maintained this: But we generally ſay that God in electing ſome and paſſing by others, as touching the conferring of grace, proceeded and decreed, and that from everlaſting to proceed, not according to mens workes, but according to his abſolute pleaſure; now this was Auſtin's judgment as well as ours; and Saint Paul's too, in the opinion of Auſtine, as Voſſius acknowledgeth in the place formerly cited. And Saint Paul ſpeakes plainly, when he ſaith, God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth, and as plainely in ſaying, That, before the Children were borne, or had done good or evill, that election might ſtand not of workes but of him that calleth, it is ſaid that the elder ſhall ſerve the younger, As it is written Iacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated, Rom: 9. 11, 12. And I durſt appeale to every ſober man's conſciencewhether one of theſe Jewes in reading this would not as redily condemne Saint Paul himſelfe, as they condemne us: As for the other part of the doctrine here propoſed, namely that the damnation of ſome ſhould redound more to God's glory, then the felicity of them all. I anſwere that it is as cleare as the light, that the glory of God in the way of vindicative juſtice had not at all appeared, if all had been ſaved, no nor the riches of his glory upon the Veſſels of mercy, whom he had prepared unto glory, if God had not ſuffered with long patience ſome veſſells of wrath prepared to deſtruction, if we believe Saint Paul Rom: 9 22, 23: rather then the Jewes: and it is apparent that the Lord God, who made allthings for himſelfe, tooke this courſe, namely, to make even the wicked againſt the day of evill, and accordingly as to ſhew mercy on whom he will, ſo Prrov. 16. 4.to harden whom he will, alſo Rom: 9. 18: otherwiſe as I have often ſaid, grace ſhould be conferred according to merits, that is according unto workes, which is expreſly contradictory both to the word of God. 2 Tim: 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. And to the decrees of Synods and Councells, all along againſt the Pelagians. … 5. I willingly grant that the determination of the end doth neceſſarily involve the meanes, that not only preceed but procure the end. But I will utterly deny that ſinne is the meanes of dānation, we ſay rather that permiſſion of ſinne is the meanes, whence notwithſtanding it followes, not that ſin ſhall come to paſſe unavoidably, but rather avoidably; whether we conſider the free will of man or the decree of God; for every particular ſinfull act is a naturall thing, and undoubtetdly man hath free will as to doe, ſo to abſtaine from doing any particular Act: and albeit God hath determined that theſe particular ſinfull Acts (inſtance the particular outrages committed againſt the holy Sonne of God by Herod, Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles, and people of Iſrael, Acts 5. 28.) ſhall come to paſſe by his permiſſion; yet ſeeing withall he hath ordained thē to come to paſſe contingently that followes that they ſhall come to paſſe in ſuch a manner, as joyned with a poſſibility of not cōing to paſſe, otherwiſe they ſhould come to paſſe, not contingently, but neceſſarily. But it is growne to be this Authours naturall genius miſerably to overreach; while he keeps himſelfe to his own formes inſhaping the opinion of his adverſaries, impatient to be beaten out of them and to have his veteres avias à pulmone repelli, oldgrandmothers vain conceits to be pulled out of p. 25Laſtly this Authour ſhapeth us to make damnation an end intended by God, which we conceive to be a very ſhallow project; we know nothing but Gods owne glory that can be this end: And therefore even there where Solomon profeſſeth that God made the wicked againſt the day of Evill: herewithall acknowledgeth that God made all thinges forhimſelfe.Pro: 16. 4.

At length we have gotten cleare aboard to come acquainted with this Authours full diſcourſe, and not by patches, as hitherto we have done. For here he promiſeth to acquaint us with the reaſons that have convinced him of the untruth of abſolute Reprobation as it is carried the upper way and like a Martialiſt, a man at armes, he tells us they fight againſt it, and thus the interpolator diſcourſeth.

The firſt part of the firſt Argument againſt the ſupralapſarians.