CHAP. I. The first Opinion.

THe first Opinion concerning the order of Divine Predestination, and having these defenders, Beza, Piscator, Whitaker, Perkins, and other holy and learned men, is this:

1. That God from all eternity decreed to create a certain number of Men.

2. That of this number he Predestinated some to everlasting life, and other some he Re­probated to eternall death.

3. That in this act he respected nothing more than his own dominion, and the pleasure of his own will.

4. That to bring men to these ends, he de­creed to permit Sin to enter in upon all men, that the Reprobate might be condemned for sinne; and that he decreed to send his Sonne to recover out of sin his Elect, fallen together with the Reprobate.

This Opinion is rejected by many pro­testant Divines, as by the reverend Divines of our Church that were at the Synod at Dort, by Peter Moulin, by Robert Bishop of Salisbury, and others: It is detested by [Page 10] the Papists and Lutherans; it was it tha [...] Arminius and his followers chiefly opposed in the low Countries.

This is that irrespective decree which Mr. Mountague disliketh, because in it there is no respect had to any thing fore-known, not so much as the fall of man, much lesse Christ, or Faith, giving to God no fore-knowledge, or no use of it at all, in this act of his which the Scripture calls predestina­tion.

Yet this Opinion doth well admonish us to remember the Dominion and Sove­raigne power and will of God which must be seen and acknowledged in his predesti­nating of men, according to that of the Apostle, Rom. 9. 21. Hath not the Potter power over the clay? and vers. 15. Hee hath mercy on whom he will: which we will be mindfull of in the fifth Opinion.

[Page 11] Under this Opinion are to be placed the nine Assertions, concluded at Lambeth, Nov. 20. 1595. which have been often re­quired to be put into our Booke of Ar­ticles, but yet could it never be obtained. It is requisite therefore to set them down, because they are not vulgarly knowne, and to examine them what they meane, and see how farre they are Orthodoxall, or agreeing to our Articles. And for their sakes that understand not the Latine tongue, I will render them in English.

CHAP. II. The second Opinion.

THe second Opinion, of the Order o [...] Predestination, having these Defe [...] ders, The Synod at Dort, P. Mouli [...] Doctor Abbot B. of Sarisbury, Docto [...] Carleton B. of Chichester; many Papists, [...] Bellarmine, Cajetan, and the Dominican [...] and of which many doe say that Saint A [...] stine was the first Author, is this;

[Page 17] 1. That God from all Eternity decreed to create mankind holy, and good.

2. That he foresaw man being tempted by Satan, would fall into sin, if God did not hinder it; he decreed not to hinder.

3. That out of Mankinde seen fallen into sinne and misery, he chose a certaine number to raise to righteousnesse, and to eternall life, and rejected the rest leaving them in their sinnes.

4. That for these his chosen, hee decreed to send his Son to redeeme them, and HIS SPIRIT TO CALL THEM, and sanctifie them, the rest he decreed to forsake, leaving them to Satan and themselves, and to punish them for their sins.

This Opinion is misliked by the defen­ders of the former, and of the following Opinions also.

1. Because to defend the justice of God, it supposeth mankinde corrupted before any Election or Reprobation was made, which seemeth needlesse, because there be Elect and Reprobate Angels, without or before any corruption or fall: Cacodaemones non fuere in Massâ, & tamen Reprobati; Christus non fuit in Massâ, and tamen ut homo Eligitur. Prideaux 1. Lectione.

2. Because it supposeth Originall sinne the cause of Reprobation, which sinne yet [Page 18] is remitted in Baptisme to many Repro­bates. Whitaker. Cygnea Cant. p. 7.

3. Because with the former Opinion it teacheth Christ to be sent onely to the Elect, and the Word and Spirit onely to call them, whereby the Reprobate is but more oppressed, being call'd to embrace salvation offered, which they cannot doe, and yet for refusall thereof they are more deeply condemned.

So these two Opinions offend much against Gods Goodnesse and Truth: yet this second well acknowledgeth, that God decreed something upon his foreknow­ledge what man would doe being permit­ted; That this foreknowledge is so certain, that upon it God builded his greatest Counsels of the mystery of the Gospell, as upon the foreknowledge of Adams fall, the decree to send Christ.

Secondly, It provideth well for the justice of God on Infants dying, who have no other desert of death but Originall sin, from which as to the paine of eternall death, Gods mercy delivereth whom hee pleaseth by Baptisme, or the vow thereof in the holy Church; Parvulorū autem cau­sam ad exemplum Majorum non patiuntur afferri; sayes Hilary of the Massilienses in which they were right: for the Election [Page 19] or Reprobation which is of Infants that live not to years of discretion, is no neces­sary pattern for the Election or Repro­bation of them that live into a further Age.

The Defenders of this Opinion claime our 17. Article as for them, and surely better may they doe it than they of the former; for those words, To deliver from curse and damnation, those whom hee hath chosen, import a curse and damnation fallen into, by those who are delivered. But how those words chosen in Christ, and the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ, and those words, Wee must receive Gods Promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scriptures; How these will stand with a decree of Election, made before Christ be thought on, otherwise than as the Meanes to bring the Elect to salvation, (for the Article makes these two things, To choose some in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation;) or how a generall promise will stand with a particular purpose, meaning or intending the promise but to some few; let them consider how they can make it good by their Doctrine, and I will consider how I can make it good which the Article [Page 20] saith, by the Doctrine of the fifth O­pinion.

As to the appeale to Bucer and P▪ Martyr, for the sense of our Articles, used by Doctor Whitakers in his time, and of late by the Bishop of Chichester Carleton, the answer is full;

1. That Bucer is not of the same Opi­nion with Martyr, nor Carleton with Whitakers, in the apprehension of the order of Predestination.

2. That it is not true, that the Disciples of P. Martyr and Bucer composed our Articles; for these Articles on which there is now question, were the same un­der King Edward the 6. and Queene Eli­zabeth; but the Bishops and Divines under King Edw. 6. had composed the Articles and Liturgy before P. Martyr and Martin Bucer came hither; as doth appeare in Mr. Fox his story. To Bellarmine objecting that England had Bucer and Martyr Semi­natores fidei, the renowned Doctor An­drews answereth, p. 31. Non tamen (Si verum volumus,) seminarunt duo illi viri fidem in Anglia, &c. Neverthelesse, if we will speake truth, those two men did not plant the (reformed) faith in England; but sought to weede out some Tares (of superstiti­on) long since oversow'd by you (Papists.) [Page 21] Although even those Tares themselves before their comming hither, were for the most part condemnd and rooted out: But these men entred upon others labours, and bestow'd their paines also here, that they might be helpfull to them in Ʋniversity matters.

3. Whosoever were the chiefe Compo­sers of our Articles (of whom it is certain Archbishop Cranmer was one) they had more respect to the Augustan Confession, than to any other, as appeares by the very Identity of many of the Articles, and more familiarity with Melanchton and Erasmus, than any other Divines, singularly approv­ing their Expositions of the sacred Scrip­tures, and of the principall Articles of the Christian Faith: insomuch that they caused to be translated into English Erasmus paraphrase on the Gospels, and injoyn'd them to be studyed by Priests, and to lye ready in Churches for all men to reade, and as it were to drinke in the Doctrine of Scrip­tures according to Erasmus his interpre­tation, whose writings which way they goe in those controversies all men well know that have read them.

CHAP. 3. The Third Opinion.

THe third Opinion seemes to be de­fended by the reverend and learned late Bishop of Norwich, Doctor Overald, and Richard Thompson his diligent Audi­ditor, and familiar; as may be gathered out of the Bishops judgement de quinque Articulis in Belgia controversis, and out of the Conference at Hampton Court, and out of Thompsons Diatribe de intercisione justitiae, c. 4. And it is,

1. That God decreed to create mankinde good, &c. as the second Opinion said.

2. That he foresaw the fall of man &c. as in the same second Opinion was said.

3. That he decreed to send his Sonne to dye for the World, and his Word to call, and to offer salvation unto all men, with a common and sufficient grace in the meanes to worke faith in Men, if they bee not wanting to themselves.

4. That out of Gods fore knowledge of mans infirmity. and that none would believe by this common grace, he decreed to adde a speciall grace more effectuall, and abundant, to whom­soever [Page 23] he pleased, chosen according to his own Purpose and Grace, by which they shall not onely bee able to believe, but also actually believe.

This Opinion, if I understand it aright, I have not found expresly or strictly examined by any Divine: Doctor Abbot in his animadversion upon Thompsons Diatribe suspecteth c. 4. In­suavis qui­dam & gravis ha­litus Armi­niani dog­matis. Arminianisme in it and reject­ed it. But Doctor Overald doth clearely sever it from the Remonstrants Tenet, as you shall see by and by: I object it thus.

1. That common Grace by which no man is sav'd, which is inferiour to the infirmity of man, is not the Grace of the Gospell, nay deserves not the name of Grace, which never brought forth the effect, Sal­vation.

2. That superabundant, speciall, effectuall Grace, seemes not to be the Grace of the Gospell, being rejected of none to whom it is offered: for the Grace of the Gospell is such as is receiv'd by some, and the selfe same rejected by other some; to some 'tis in vaine, to others, not in vaine.

3. This Opinion (with the two former) seemes to bring in a certaine desperation into the mindes of men, (as was of old objected to St. Augustine) seeing none can be saved but by that speciall and abundant [Page 24] Grace, which is given but to a few, out of the secret purpose of God; which whe­ther God doth intend to give or no, the generall promises in the Gospell do not assure, seeing they sound no more than a common grace, which is ineffectuall, by this Opinion.

But before I censure it farther, bee it presented unto you, in the words of one of the most illuminate Doctors of our Age.

CHAP. IV. The fourth Opinion.

THe Fourth Opinion is of Melanchton, Hemingius and the Lutherans that fol­low [Page 35] the Augustan Confession, and for­mulam concordiae; The Remonstrants, or Arminians and many Papists, &c.

1. That God decreed to create Man, to permit him to fall, and to send Christ to re­deeme the World, &c. as in the third Opinion was said.

2. That hee made a generall conditionall decree of Predestination, under the condition of Faith, and Perseverance; And a speciall absolute decree of electing those to life, whom he foreknew would believe and persevere under the meanes and aides of Grace, Faith and Perseverance, and a speciall absolute decree of condemning them, whom he foresaw to abide impenitent in their sins.

This Opinion was condemned in the late Synod at Dort. I mislike it for these reasons:

1. Because a generall conditionall Prede­stination is none at all.

2. Because the decree of speciall Election of such as believe (no better declared than thus) seemeth to make men choose God first, rather than God to choose men.

3. Because it maketh the decrees of ju­stification and condemnation to bee the same with the decree of Election and Re­probation, which must be distinguished, as they are Rom. 8. 29.

[Page 36] 4. Because it presenteth no more Grace given by God to the Elect, than to the reprobate, neither greater cause of thank­fulnesse.

Yet this Opinion doth well to enlarge the objects of Gods foreknowledge, and to extend it, not onely to the fall of the first man, but even to Christ to be manifest­ed in the flesh, and believed on in the World, yea even to the last end of all men, persevering either in Faith or Un­beliefe. Agreeing with the Scriptures that buildeth Election upon foreknowledge at large, simply and properly taken, Rom. 8. 29. & 11. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 1, 2. and promiseth salva­tion to the believer, but, persevering to the end.

Thus have wee seene foure Opinions:

CHAP. V. The fifth Opinion.

THe Fifth Opinion may be lesse accep­table to some for the Teachers, and the defenders sake, (but [...] accepts no persons:) These are Arminius himself, if he be interpreted according to his owne principles in his Theses de naturâ Dei, and Vorstius in his Tractate De Deo, and the Jesuits Molina, Vasquez, Zuarez, Beca­nus, and others: Besides that this is the Opinion of the Fathers Greeke and Latine before St. Augustine, if their Doctrine con­cerning Prescience be rightly examined and declared, namely,

1. That God by his infinite understanding from all Eternity knew all things possible to bee, seeing them in his owne Omnipo­tency.

2. That among other infinite things pos­sible, in his understanding he conceived all this one frame of the World that now is, and in it all the Race of Mankinde from the first man to the last, every one in his severall order, [Page 39] government and event, only as possible to be, if he will say the Word.

Wherein hee understood there might be things necessary, things contin­gent, some things causes, some ef­fects, some as ends, some as meanes to ends, some Acts of God, some acts of a free Creature, some good, some evill, some things as rewards, some as punishments.

3. That hee knowes how to vary or alter the ordering either of all, or of any part, or person in the race of men, so as other effects, and other ends than those (that now are) might be brought forth, if hee would otherwise order them.

4. But considering this frame of the world, and order of mankinde (as now it is, but then onely as possible) that he judged it was exceeding good for the manifestation of the glory of his Wisdome, Power, Goodnesse, Mercy, Justice, Dominion, and Lordship, if hee should will, or decree to put it into execution, and into being.

5. That God infallibly foreknew that if hee should decree to put it into execution, that then these and these particular persons would certainly by this order of meanes and govern­ment, be transmitted, and brought to eter­nall life; and that those other particular per­sons, [Page 40] under their order of meanes and govern­ment, through their owne fault would goe into perdition, if Justice should bee done them.

6. That though hee knew what these would be, yet hee determined and decreed out of his owne absolute Will and pleasure to say, Fiat, Be it so: and to put into execution, and into being, all this which he had in his understand­ing; and in so doing, hee predestinated all men either to life or death Eternall.

For he predestinated to life those particular men, to whom out of his owne good pleasure he decreed to give those happy meanes, wher­by hee foreknew they would be Vessells fit for honour, being given unto them: Hee rejected those, letting them to perish, to whom he decreed to give no other meanes than such under which hee foreknew that through their owne ingratitude they would be fit for wrath, if no other were given them, and out of his owne just Will, when as hee could have ordered them otherwise to the producing of another event, he would not doe it, but make them vessells of his wrath.

With reference to this order, the Elect are stiled by St. Luke Acts 13. 48. [...] Such as were or­dained to e­ternall life. [...]; and the re­probate, by St. Jude, vers. 4. [...] Such as were before of old or­dained to this con­demnation. [...]; and for [Page 41] Providence in generall, see Acts 17. 27. [...], determi­ning the foreappoint­ed times. [...]; and for Predestination in speciall, see Rom. 8. 28. And Ephes. 1. 11. There is [...]. [...], the setting and placing of things by the counsell of his owne will, in that order of Causes, and of meanes, which he infallibly understands will bring forth such ends and such effects, if he please to doe his part, as is laid out by himselfe in this order, and please to permit the creature to doe its part, as is observed in the same Order. By this Order, meanes, government, benefits, aides, &c. I understand, the creation of man righteous, the permission of his fall, the corrections of his sinne, the meanes of his restauration by the Sonne of God made man, the calling, the converting of a Sinner, his faith, repentance, perseverance, his bles­sings, chastisements, tryalls, and whatsoever else is now found in the order of any mans salvation, or in the aberrations from that order whereby men come to destruction. And to this agrees the antient definition of Predestination, that it is, Praeparatio beneficiorum Dei, quibus liberantur quicun (que) liberantur. The pre­paration of Gods bene­fits, where­by all are delivered that are set free. And Fulgentius his definition, lib. 2. ad Monimum, Praedestinatio Dei nihil est aliud, quam praeparatio operum ejus, quae in aeterna sua dispositione, aut misericorditer se facturum praescivit, aut juste: that is, Divine [Page 42] Predestination is nothing else but the prepara­tion of Gods workes, Which in his eternall pro­vidence he foreknew he would doe, either mercifully, Vid. infra. 3. part. cap. 20. or justly.

CHAP. 6. An [...] of the fifth Opinion.

THis Opinion in the decree of Prede­stination observeth,

1. An Act of Gods understanding, and an Act of his will.

2. The Act of his Understanding is his knowledge; in respect of things not yet in being, call'd foreknowledg; which foreknow­ledge is put by this Opinion before the act of Predestinating, according to the Scrip­tures, Rom. 8. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 1. 2. Whom he foreknew he Predestinated.

3. It taketh knowledge here properly, and without any trope, for that within Schooles is called Scientia simplicis intelli­gentiae; and that extended even to things future, contingent, & sub hypothesi: God knowing by his infinite understanding in­fallibly what things will follow if this or that be done by himselfe, or by a Crea­ture.

[Page 43] 4. This knowledge is the highest that we can conceive in an intelligent Nature, and necessary to any that worketh with wis­dome; and therefore most worthy to be attributed to the first, highest and most wise Agent, especially in the first contriving, di­sposing and ordering of all things.

5. A knowledge most necessary for him that must governe contingent Events, and Acts of a free Creature, if he will have any such to be under his government.

6. A knowledge confessed and supposed by the defenders of the second third and fourth Opinions, who teach that by his knowledge God did foreknow the fall of Adam, before he decreed to create him, and before he decreed to send his Son to redeeme him; for with them, and with truth, God did not first decree to create man, and to permit him to fall, and then was to seeke a remedy how to relieve him, but foreknew the remedy that he could use if he should fall, before he decreed to per­mit him to fall, or to create him; yea so in­fallibly did God foreknow the sinfull fall of man, (which yet was not Gods Act, but mans, and a contingent Act of a free crea­ture) that upon this foreknowledge he con­trived the whole mystery of Christ, and of our Redemption.

[Page 44] Now if this knowledge were used in one contingent thing, it might have been used in a Million; if in one free Act of the first man, then in all the free Acts of all men; and if in that which was the occasion of Gods mercy in our Redemption, then in all occasions of Gods Acts, that are con­sequent Acts, even of the Generall Judge­ment, which shall be at the last day: For Gods knowledge is infinite.

7. This knowledge of God, being previall to his predestinating, did not look therefore to the Masse of mankind as created and un­corrupted, nor to the Masse fallen and cor­rupted, nor to Christ beleeved on only, but to these, and beyond all these, to the first, middle and finall state of every particular man, and the Universall state of all men.

This here for the Act of Gods Under­standing, (whereof more anon) the Act of his will followeth.

1. To predestinate is the proper Act of the will of God; His knowledge is his Counsellor: but his will is King, and they are both himselfe, Ephess. 1. 11. Who worketh all things according to the counsell of his will. And to predestinate is the part and office [...], which most properly is Gods, that supremely orders all things, [Page 45] choosing and allowing what shall be, and in what manner, and to what end: Thus Saint Paul, Rom. 9. 18. 19. speakes of the will of God, but as of the prime, and high­est, and most universall cause of things, approving or permitting all other inferiour causes, which because they might have been restrained, or changed by the supreme cause, and were not, they are said all at last to be resolved into the will of God, as the prime Cause.

2. This will of God is absolute, Indepen­dent, having no other cause but his owne good pleasure: for, when as, untill God make his decrees, all things are knowne but as possible, and are yet under the pleasure of God, whether they shall be or no, how can they possibly be the Causes of his will? He understandeth them indeed, as he hath contrived them, fit to be willed, because they are fit to shew forth all his glory, and therefore in the end he willeth them: but he could contrive other things than these, or set these some other way as fit to shew forth his glory, if he would; Therefore that he willeth these, it is his own most free pleasure. Hinc autem nullam esse Praedesti­nationis causam in praedestinato patet, quia cum homo praedestinandus nullo modo censeatur propriè existere, sed conditionaliter tantum, [Page 46] nihil potest esse in eo quod Deus moveat ad illū Predestinandum. That is, Hence it plainly appeares there can be no cause of Prede­stination in him that is Predestinated, be­cause when as the man that is to be prede­stinated, can be thought no manner of way properly to be, but onely conditionally, there can be nothing in him which may move God to predestinate him. P. Ferrius Spec. Schol. c. 24. p. 253.

Furthermore this opinion avoideth all the Inconveniences, that any of the former foure doe fall into; for

1. It exalteth and magnifieth all the attri­butes of God and not some onely;

CHAP. I. Of Gods Knowledge.

ST. James saith Acts 15. 18. [...]; Knowne from everlasting are unto God all his Workes.

S. Paul saith, Rom. 8. 29. [...]; whom he foreknew he Predestinated. S. Peter saith, 1 Pet. 1. 2. [...]; to the strangers, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.

There be that interpret these two places rather by the Word Precognition, than by the Word Prescience, and tropically, as to signifie approbation, and love, rather than Knowledge properly taken; and they complaine of the ignorance of the Latines that understood not the Greeke, and of the ignorance of the Greekes that under­stood not the Hebrew phrase in this word; and that by the Word Prescience they occasioned the Pelagian Heresie of electi­on upon prescience of workes; So Pareus: yet Origen is hee to whom they are be­holden for this their interpretation, one [Page 55] neither ignorant of Greeke, nor Hebrew, nor thought guiltlesse by them, of giving occasion to Pelagius his Heresie. But if it be their mindes by the word [...], so to include approbation, as they would exclude

1. Foreknowledge properly taken, I will fetch a poore Almanake to wipe away this Glosse by the common use of the word Prognostication.

2. Next, I will say that an Hebraism, or Grammaticall quillet, is too weake a thing to sway a cause of this weight and value.

3. I say, that it is very improbable that S. Paul and S. Peter being not in any poeti­call or popular veine, but in a sad and grave discourse, doe use any figurative, or improper term, where most propriety, and perspicuity, and certainty was needfull to be used.

4. I demand a proofe that the use of the Verbe simple, shall draw the compound to follow it in the like signification, That because God knoweth the way of the righte­ous, Psal. 1. ult. is well interpreted, God approveth it: Therefore that the Lord foreknoweth the way of the righteous, it is well inter­preted, God foreapproveth the way of the righteous; which though it is true, yet [Page 56] it doth not follow by any necessity of the connexion.

5. Lastly, if this interpretation make the whole, and the onely sense of this word foreknowledge here, then I say the difference is quite taken away that Paul and Peter make betweene these two, to foreknow, and to predestinate; To fore­know, and to elect; nay worse, that is put into foreknowledge which more properly belongs to Predestination, and to Election; for approbation and love is more discover­ed by the Act of the Will which is to Predestinate and to Elect, than it is by the Act of the Understanding, which is to fore­know.

Yet if their desire be to have it onely admitted and granted, (which was Origens minde,) that there goes with the fore­knowledge of God, a good liking and a well-pleasing, and approving of the subject foreknowne, as fit to be loved, and capable of choosing, I shall not onely allow but maintaine their desire: for this is the rea­son why in Scripture (not in Schooles) the good and the Elect are called onely Praesciti, or foreknowne, and not the Re­probate; (though simply they also were foreknowne, as God being not ignorant of them) but there was not that in them, [Page 57] which hee might approve or thinke well of: yet this doth neither hinder the accep­tions of foreknowledge properly as re­maining in the Understanding, nor infer an argument that the Persons chosen, were chosen for the good that was approv­ed in them; or that they could not but be chosen, because they were good in Gods knowledge: for many worlds of men God might see in that infinite knowledge which now I speake of, as eligible as these whom hee hath chosen; all which notwith­standing hee hath covered in the eternall darknesse of never-being: for to bee eli­gible, and to be Elect, I trow, are two things, that need not ever follow one a­nother.

For the clearing whereof, and of this whole question, The distinction of Gods Knowledge is all sufficient, which saith, It is either scientia Simplicis Intelligentiae, or scientia Visionis; The Knowledge of Pure Ʋnderstanding, or the knowledge of Vision; the first is of all things possible, understood in the omnipotency of God himselfe; The second is of things that shall be, upon the Decree made that they shall be; for then they are seen as present; the first is Scientia naturalis, the second is libera; the first is naturall in God, the second is free; namely, [Page 58] following some free act of the Will of God.

Aquinas part 1a. Q. 14. Art. 9. Deus scit omnia quaecun (que) sunt quocunque modo, &c. God knowes all things whatsoever after what manner soever they are: some things al­though they are not now in being, yet either they were, or shall bee; and all those things God is said to know, by the knowledge of Vision, &c. But somethings there are which are in the power of God or the Creature, which yet neither are, nor were, nor ever shall bee; and in respect of these God is not said to know by the knowledge of Vision, but by the know­ledge of pure Ʋnderstanding.

Fra. Junius, Thes. Theolog. Disp. 8. Thes. 32. 33. Scientiae Dei duplicem statuimus modum, &c. To supply the defect of our weak apprehensions, we fancy a twofold manner of Gods knowledge; One is, whereby God knows himselfe by himselfe, 1 Cor. 2. 11. Another, whereby in one act, not successively; eternally, not in time; by his Essence, not by reception of species; immutably, not contingently, he knows all things that are, or that are not as yet, but shall be, by the knowledge of Vision; that is, hee sees them as if they were present before him: Those things also which are not, nor ever shall be, hee knowes, so farre forth as he knowes whatever he himself is able to doe, and [Page 59] what by his Permission may bee done of every Creature.

Zanchius de natura Dei lib. 3. c. 2. q. 8. Novit Deus etiam quae non sunt, &c. God knows also the things which are not, no less than those things which are, namely in his power­full Essence: This is call'd, The knowledge of pure Ʋnderstanding. Hee knows those things which are not as yet, but shall be hereafter, in himselfe as in one that is able and willing to make them bee; and this is is call'd, The knowledge of Vision; For God sees those things as present, because they shall all come to passe.

1. This distinction to be allowed is out of question: yet two things may be doubt­ed about it; 1. Whether the meaning of it be, so to separate the objects of these 2. Knowledges, possibilia, from futura: and so unite possibilia to scientiae simplicis Intel­ligentiae, & futura to scientiae Visionis, that its not possible the same things should first be known as possibilia, and after as futura; and first be the objects simplicis Intelligentiae, and then (a decree of the will comming to them to make them futura) bee objects scientiae Visionis.

This is of so much importance to mee, that if all these things that are now in the World, have been, or shall bee, (by the [Page 60] force of Gods Decree that hath settled them) were not afore that Decree, known onely as possible, by the naturall and ne­cessary Knowledge of God, onely condi­tionally if hee please to give them being and way; If (I say) this bee not true in God after our manner of understanding. I am quite beside the cushion, and this is the [...] that leads mee into this long error: But I neede not feare, since it is undeniable that the knowledge of God is not the cause of things, but voluntate adjunctâ, when his will comes to his know­ledge and his power; whence it followes, Non esse in scientia Dei ut res sint, sed quòd esse possint, so long as they are but in the understanding, they are there but as pos­sibilia: and if this were not so, there were no speculative knowledge in God of things which hee worketh, but practi­call onely; contrary to Thomas. Q. 14. art. 16. Zanchius, Deus omnia creavit, & creat, &c. God created all things, and doth create; Therefore the Idea, forme, and copie of all things, must needs bee in Gods Minde and Ʋnderstanding: For what Arti­san doth any thing, who hath not the Idea and forme of those things which hee makes, preconceiv'd in his minde? And St. Augustine notably, Deus non aliquid nesciens fecit, &c. [Page 61] God made nothing ignorantly, which also cannot be rightly spoke of any Artificer.—whence wee meete with a kinde of Miracle, but yet a Truth; that this World could not be knowne to us, unlesse it had beene; but unlesse it had beene knowne to God before it was, it had never beene; De civitate, lib. 11. c. 10. Prideaux also, de scientia media, pag. 54. Before these Times every Divine held for most certaine these things which follow.

1. That God was the Cause of Things.

2. That hee fram'd them not in himselfe onely, but with his Will adjoyn'd. 3. A twofold knowledge to bee distinguish'd; one, of Pure understanding; the other of Vision; and that to respect things Possible, this, Future things. 4. That to be understood before the act of Gods Will; this to comprehend that. 5. Not that, but this to be the Cause of things.

See, Scientia simplicis Intelligentiae praein­telligitur actui divinae voluntatis, whereby the same things that were respected as possible, are now respected as future; for, actus divinae voluntatis accedens facit ut sint futura: So my first doubt is cleared.

2. The second doubt is, whether future, contingent, conditionall things, especially the free acts of a created will, under sup­position [Page 62] if such an one were created, or placed in this or that order, be a subject knowable by the understanding of God, which is, Simplicis intelligentiae; the reason of the doubt is, because they that dispute contra scientiam mediam Jesuitarum, say, Ob­jectum hujus scientiae mediae perit, & per con­sequens ipsa scientia tollitur e medio: quia omnes actus voluntatis liberae juxta decretum divinum determinentur; sic ut Deus non ali­ter ipsos praesciat futuros, nisi quia futuros esse decreverit. (Sic perspicacissimus Pride­aux.) Againe, about the name of Scientia media, they will not strive, verū res substra­ta displicet, quatenus actus liberos voluntatis creatae effingit, qui decretum divinum non praesupponerent, sed ordine saltèm pracederent. This that displeaseth, might indeed di­splease, if Scientia Media did apprehend liberos actus voluntatis creatae, as simply futuros; for it is, Modus scientiae simplicis Intelligentiae, and scientia media partakes more of simplicis Intelligentiae, than of libe­rae, never to see more than the possibility of things, and sees the futurition of them only upon supposition, if God make them to come into being by his decree of Fiant. Neither can this contradicting here stand good with the grants and concessions before and after: Before, convenit inter [Page 63] omnes Deum saltem aliqua scientia, non con­jecturali, sed certissimâ & absolutâ, non tan­tum res ipsas, sed uitiles ipsarū combinationes, sive connexiones, praesentes, praeteritas vel fu­turas, necessarias vel contingentes, ab aeterno scire; and that the Dominicans are slandered, when it is said they deny absolutely that God doth foreknow su [...]h future conditi­onate things: Paulus Ferrius, consenting that God doth know such things, cap. 23. After, there be six wayes by which God is said to know conditionata futura; Quaestio non est, an omnino cognoscantur, sed utro horum modorum cognoscantur? But I strive not for the manner how; but if they be known any way, certainly by Gods Simple Understand­ing, which runs before any Decree of his Will (onely a Will to supply them, and to imagine them, being granted,) that they shall absolutely be, I have enough to con­clude, That all things whatsoever acts of God, or acts of the Creature, necessary, free, contingent, future, good, evill, that are (after the Decree of God) certainly knowne scientiâ Visionis, were (before the Decree, when they were suspended under the pleasure of God, whether they should absolutely be or no) knowne as certainly, Scientiâ simplicis intelligentiae: for posito ob­jecto qualicun (que) necessariò illud cognoscit in­tellectus [Page 64] divinus, propter infinitatem essentiae ipsius: posito itidem ex hypothesi objecto qua­licun (que) necessariò intelligit Deus quid ex illo sit extiturum.

I will determine both these doubts in the words of Bellarmine, lib. 2. de amissione gratiae, cap. 17. Deus cognitione simplicis intelligentiae, &c. God by his knowledge of simple Ʋnderstanding knew man would fall if he were made, not onely before his Creation, but before he had decreed to make him. There­fore (according to our meane capacity)▪ that knowledge of this conditionall Proposition, namely, if Man be created, he will sin, doth precede Gods absolute decree of making Man: for those things are first in God which are Ne­cessary then those which are Voluntary; seeing those things may not be in God, these cannot: but it is necessary for God to know all things, which may be possibly knowne, whether they be absolutely future, or Conditionally; otherwise he should not be of an infinite knowledge: But it was not necessary, but Voluntary, that God should decree to make man.

For more ample proofe of this fore­knowledge of God futurorū contingentiū, &c. I referre you to Suarez his second book, in his Opuscula, and to Vasquez, disp. de scientia Dei, 64, & deinceps.

It being confessed then that there is in [Page 65] God such a manner of Knowledge, which wee call simplicis intelligentiae; the next consideration is where wee shall finde him using it: questionlesse, no place is so fit to seeke it in, as in the Divine act of Predestinating: for as to Predestinate is the first and highest act of the Will, so to know intelligentiâ simplici, is the first and highest act of the Understanding, and the most wise Agent willeth not that, but which hee hath first most perfectly understood, as before was said.

In the first Opinion of the five set down before, there was no place at all given to Gods foreknowledge, whence the defenders thereof have a hard taske to cleare them­selves from making God the Author of Sin, Sin being a futurum in the World, and to be ordered and governed by God.

In the second Opinion it was con­fessed that God did use this his foreknow­ledge simplicis intelligentiae, in understanding the fall of man to come, if hee were crea­ted, before hee decreed to create him, which is right well done: But what reason is there to stop this knowledge at this Object, or at one free act of the first Man, and not to extend it to all the free acts of all Men in all times? God did understand by the same knowledge that if Christ were sent [Page 66] to the Jewes, they would not receive him, that if Peter were tempted, he would deny his Master, before he decreed either to send Christ, or to create Peter.

If this question then bee how farre the knowledge of God extended it selfe, be­fore hee decreed any thing concerning Men, whether unto the Creation of the Masse of mankinde in one, or to the Fall of mankinde in the first man, or to Christ to be sent into the World, or to the Faith of men beginning, or to their End and Perseverance, to the beginning of the World, or to the end thereof; [...]t is most agreeable to the infinite and glorious Wis­dome and Knowledge of God to have extended it selfe unto all and over all, the whole, the parts, universa & singula, genus & species, individua demum ipsa, & in­dividuorum ortus, progressus, successiones, facta, dicta, cogitata, sua, aliena & even to the last ends and events of things, which will be manifested at the last judgement.

This they meane that would have Christ and Faith in him, foreknowne by this science of simple Understanding, before the Act of God Electing or Predestinating, not staying at the foreknowledge of the fall: not that they would make the Faith of the believers, or Christ himselfe, the causes of [Page 67] Gods Predestination, but the Objects in Gods Knowledge when hee Predestinated both Christ and us. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Eph. 1. 4, 5. out of no cause, but the good pleasure of his owne Will. Now after the view of the whole World, God finding this frame both possible to his Power, and Good in his Wisdome, to declare thereby his Justice and Mercy, and all other his ex­cellent attributes of perfection, decreed to put it into being, and into execution: which was the first act of his practicall Knowledge, calling up his Will to allow, and approve, and decree this goodly and glorious [...], the mirror of his eternall Arist. lib. de Mundo. Power and Godhead, [...], and this order of all things, specially of humane kinde, that great Masse out of which his Mercy and Justice, and soveraigne Power, draws forth vessells to honour, and vessels to dishonor.

CHAP. II. Of the Will of God, and the distinctions thereof.

IT is the proper worke of the Will to Predestinate, or to Decree, what of those infinite things which the understanding presented, shall bee, and come into light: for unlesse the Will of God, with his [Page 68] Power, come to them, their being knowne makes them not to be.

Praedestinatio est propositum, propositum est actus practicus, & ultimus voluntatis; ergo Praedestinatio magis importat voluntatē, quàm scientiam, P Ferrius p. 232. He saith, Ʋltimus because there is an act of the Will even in knowing, Primò enim volumus aliquid scire, quam sciamus, vel intelligamus, deinde intelligimus, & tunc quod intellexi­mus voluntate probamus: as it is a little above in the same Author.

Here then is the first Act of Gods Will chusing, and refusing: chusing these things (that now are) to bee, refusing all the rest which he knew notitiâ simplicis intelligentiae, of infinite variety, but hee cast them into perpetuall darknesse, and silence; so ac­cording to the Psal. 115. 3. Quaecun (que) voluit fecit.

The Will of God being in it selfe one, and simple, may be considered with diver­sity, onely as conversant about things that are diverse, his Will allowing them to bee diverse.

1. There be some things therefore which God willeth, as to bee done by himselfe, by his owne Power: as the World to bee created of nothing: his Sonne to be sent into the World, made of a Woman, and such like: [Page 69] This first Will of God never faileth, be­cause hee workes it himselfe alone by his Almighty power. 2. There be some things which God willeth, as to bee done by the Creature, either as a naturall Agent, as flowers to be drawne out of the Earth by the Sunne in the Spring; or as by a volun­tary Agent, as righteous and good workes to be done by man: yet God himselfe con­curring and coworking with the Creature, a naturall and voluntary Agent, according to its kinde. This second will oftentimes fayleth, by the Creatures failing, by whom God would have the worke wrought; God permitting, and not hindering the faile as he could.

3. Some things God willeth and doth himselfe, or with others, as leading, [...], antecedent, out of himselfe, his own goodnesse and mercy; as all the good wee have in Nature, or in Grace, our Crea­tion, our Calling, our glory; God begin­ning, following, perfecting all our good, out of his abundant and never-failing bounty: Some things hee willeth and doth, as following, [...], led, or urged thereunto, upon occasion of some evill of the Creature; as to forsake, to punish, or to destroy it: and this is the Will of his Justice, the maker of all the evill of paine, [Page 70] which wee suffer. This Distinction Da­mascen tooke out of Chrysostome on the first to the Ephesians; and Anselme calls it voluntatem Misericordiae, & voluntatem Justitiae; wherewith why some Divines should finde such fault I know not, nor why it should not bee call'd the primary and chiefe Will of God, (and not a Vellei­ty, or a simple complacentia) and the second a secondary and lesse desirable: for these two may well stand, and remaine together; as in a tempest, the will of the Merchant to save his goods abideth in him as his chiefe desire, though now as the case stands, hee by another will casts them into the Sea; neither are they contrary one to the other, seeing they have two objects diversly qualifyed; a man as hee is Gods Creature, and as hee is an impenitent Sinner, him God would have sav'd, and yet this God wills to perish.

There be many other distinctions of the Will of God, which doe not availe to the opening of the Doctrine of Predesti­nation; and some of them availe not to the clearing of any Doctrine, but rather to the obscuring of truth, which we will omit. I will shut up this head with this sentence: There is nothing in the World that did not passe under the censure of the Will [Page 71] of God, of some sort or kinde, or other, before it was, as it passed under the view of his knowledge. Voluntas Dei est prima & summa causa, &c. The Will of God is the prime and highest cause of all spirituall and corporall motions: for there is nothing visibly or sensibly, which is not from the invisible and intelligible Court of the King of Kings, either commanded, or permitted, according to the ineffable justice of Rewards and Punish­ments, of thankes and retributions, in that most ample and immense Republike of the whole Creation. Prosper Epigram: 58. Aug. de Trin. l. 3. c. 4.

CHAP. III. Of Providence and Predestination.

THe Decree of the Will of God deter­mining all other things, besides those about man, is called by the generall name of Providence.

The Decree of God whereby he deter­mined concerning Man, as a speciall and principall part of his Providence, is called by a peculiar name Predestination.

Predestination is an Act of Gods Will (from all eternity) decreeing the Ends of [Page 72] all Men, & the meanes which he foreknows will bring them to those ends. The ends be, Life, or Death eternall; the meanes be, the government of every particular Man in this life under more or lesse of the good­nesse, or of the severity of God: The Pre­destinating to some Men those meanes, which God doth foreknow will bring them unto life, is the Electing of them to life.

Deus praedestinatos non aliâ ratione in vitam aeternam elegit, quam complacendo sibi in mediis, ac fine ipso beatorum praevisis. Molina. q. 23. Art. 1. Desp. 2. pag. 305.

The predestinating to some Men, but those meanes, which God foreknowes (through their owne fault) will not bring them to life, is the Reprobating of them, namely, with that Reprobation which is Negative.

That those meanes bring them not to life, is not ever from the insufficiency of the meanes, (for by the same meanes in the Church of God others come to life,) but from the personall fault, and disobedience of them that use not the meanes, or their fault that have charge of them.

That no better meanes are given them, (which Gods knowledge understood would save them if they were given) ariseth [Page 73] only from the just Will & Pleasure of God.

Neither can this be disgraced, by a nick­name of Post-destination, because it is after the knowledge of Gods simple understand­ing, for that knowledge is not of things absolutely to be, but onely conditionally, if God please to say, They shall be; seeing these things are not known scientia Visionis, it is Praedestination properly that gives them being.

CHAP. IV. Of Election and Reprobation.

BEcause in these acts God useth both his Knowledge, and his Will, therefore the holy Scriptures name the Elect some­times from one head, sometimes from the other; sometimes those whom God foreknew, as Rom. 11. 2. Sometimes those Whom he did Praedestinate according to purpose, Rom. 8. 28. whence Election and Reprobation may be defined either of these wayes:

1. Election is the foreknowledge of those benefits of God, whereby a man will be saved, if they be given him, and the Will to give them unto him. Or thus:

2. Election is the purpose (or Will of God) [Page 74] to give to one man those benefits, whereby he knoweth the man will be saved, if they be given him.

These agree with the old definition, Prae­destinatio est praescientia, & praeparatio bene­ficiorum dei quibus certissmè liberantur qui­cun (que) liberantur.

1. Reprobation is the foreknowledge of those benefits of God, under which a man through his owne ingratitude will perish, if no other be given unto him; and the will to give him no other. Or thus,

2. Reprobation is the Decree of God to give to a man no other benefits, than those un­der which he doth foreknow the man through his owne ingratitude will perish, if no other be given him.

Here foreknowledge looks directly up­pon the ingratitude of the man neglecting benefits, and the Will denyes to give any new, or more benefits than these, ineffectu­all to Salvation onely by the abuse or neg­lect of the ingratefull.

Thus God hath mercy, on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth; not alwayes ta­ken immediately (for I except Infants not surviving,) out of the Masse of Originall sinne, giving to one man the Grace of most certaine repentance, and leaving another in his corruption without releefe able to save [Page 75] him: But thus, in the dispensation of his benefits, and meanes of Grace outward, and inward, granting unto one those benefits which he infallibly knowes will save him, and denying another those Graces which he likewise knowes would save him, if they were granted. Not that he gave him no grace at all sufficient unto life, for he gave him much, which the man received in vaine through his owne fault, but more God pleased not to give. For to harden is not to deny all Grace sufficient to Salvation, but to deny that high, secret Grace, hidden in the Treasury of Gods power, which God knowes would speed, convert, and save, if it were given.

Thus doth man first harden his owne heart, disobeying the Grace which God doth offer, Ps. 95. 8. and God doth harden mans heart, in not adding or increasing a stronger grace to the former, which would overcome all the hardnesse and disobedi­ence of man, if it were the pleasure of God to give it: which if it were so to all, he should permit no man to perish: rather it is his pleasure to exercise his justice upon the despisers of his sufficient Grace, and to make them Vessels of his wrath: to teach the Creature what it is to tempt the Crea­tor, to put forth the uttermost of his wis­dome [Page 76] and power to save the sloathfull and ingratefull.

CHAP. V. The Transition to the third part.

THus have I spoken sparingly and with reverence of these high things concei­ved by us as eternall, and before all time: Next I am to declare the things done in time, opening & revealing of those Eternall Counsels: which two parts I think good to unite as it were, by a strong joynt set be­tweene them, taken and transcribed out of that judicious Divine, M. Richard Hooker, lib. 5. par. 56.

Wherein let the Ingenuous Reader tell me, whether I do not shew him faire prints of my fifth Opinion.

That which moveth God to work is Good­nesse, R. H. and that which ordereth his work is Wisdome, and that which perfecteth his work is Power. All things which God in their times & seasons hath brought forth, were Eternally and before all times in God, as a work unbe­gun is in the Artificer, which afterward bringeth it unto effect. Therefore whatsoever we doe behold now in this present world, it was inwrapped within the bowels of di­vine [Page 77] Mercy, written in the booke of Eter­nall wisdome, and held in the hands of omnipotent Power, the first foundation of the world being yet unlaid, so that all things which God hath made are in that respect the off-spring of God, they are in Act. 17. 28, 29. him as effects in their highest cause; he like­wise actually is in them, the assistance and influence of his Deity, is their life. Let here­unto saving grace be added, and it bring­eth forth a speciall off spring amongst men, conteyning them, to whom God himselfe hath given the gracious and amiable name of Sons: We are by Nature the Sonnes of A­dam; when God created Adam, he created us, and as many as are descended from Adam have in themselves the root out of which they spring: The Sonnes of God we neither are all, nor any one of us otherwise than only by Grace and favour. The Sonnes of God have Gods owne naturall Sonne as a second Adam from heaven, whose care & Progeny they are by Spirituall and heavenly birth; God therefore loving eternally his Sonne, he must needs eternally in him, have loved and preferred before all others, them which are spiritually sithence descended and sprung Eph. 1. 3. out of him: These were in God as in their Saviour, and not as in their Creator onely: It was the purpose of his saving good­nesse, [Page 78] his saving wisdome, and his saving pow­er, which inclineth it selfe towards them. They which thus were in God eternally by their intended admission to life, have by vocation or adoption God actually now in them, as the Artificer is in the worke, which his hand doth presently frame.—We are therefore in God through Christ eternally, according to that intent and purpose whereby we were cho­sen to be made his in this present world, before the world it selfe was made; we are in God through the knowledge which is had of us, and the love which is borne towards us from everlasting: But in God we are actually no longer than onely from the time of our na­turall adoption into the body of his true Church, into the fellowship of his children: For his Church he knoweth and loveth, so that they which are in the Church are thereby knowne to be in him: our being in Christ by eternall foreknowledge saveth us not without our actuall and reall adoption into the fellow­ship of his Saints in this present world, for in him we actually are, by our actuall incorpora­tion into that society which hath him for their head, &c.

By the change of the letter are marked out the things which I would wish the Reader to marke with his attentive mind.

CHAP. I. Of the Creation.

THe Creation of the World was the first act of Gods Power, beginning to execute in time his Counsell, and Decree, which was from everlasting.

The World is that whole frame of Gods building, set up, perfected and fur­nished according to the plot or modell in the minde and purpose of God, who hath built all things, Heb. 3. 4.

In it God made manifest the invisible things of his Wisdome and Goodnesse to his own glory, Rom. 1. 20.

Therein he hath made Creatures of sun­dry Natures, Motions, and Perfections, to sundry ends.

Above others he created Man in more ex­cellent perfections, to a more excellent end.

For hee created Man an Image of God, as farre as was meete for a Creature to partake of the Divine Nature, that was, to be Good, but Mutable.

This Image or likenesse to God was to be seen in three things; the first and second as Mans perfections; the third as his End.

• 1. In Ʋnderstanding and Will.
• 2. In Holinesse and Righteousnesse.
• 3. In Immortality & Blessednesse.

[Page 80] These three were subalternate one to the other: Understanding and Will to Righte­ousnesse; Righteousnesse to Blessednesse: Blessednesse to bee the reward of Righte­ousnesse, and Righteousnesse to bee the worke of Willingnesse: for vertue is not necessitatis, sed voluntatis.

CPAP. II. Of Gods Government of Man, under the Covenant of Works.

THe second Act of Execution in time of Gods eternall Counsell, was the Go­vernment of Man, created: so as hee might use his perfections, and attain his end.

In this government, God as the supreme Lord was to command, and Man as his Creature and Vassall was to obey: yet God being a free and gracious Lord, and Man not a brute, but a reasonable and free ser­vant, it pleased his Lord to descend, and come into a Covenant with him, as is used betweene party and party.

The sum of this Covenant was, Doe this and thou shalt live; called therefore the Covenant of Workes.

The Law Naturall or Morall, written [Page 81] in the heart of Man, comprehended all Works to be done by him.

The Law positive; namely, that one of abstaining from the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden, was a tryall and experiment of his Obedience; and the exercise of the duties of the Law Morall, in a particular.

To Man appertained the observing of these Lawes.

To God appertained the performance of the Promise of life to Man observing them, as being faithfull in the Covenant.

CHAP. III. Of the fall of Man.

ADam Dei manu, nec non deliciis Pa­radisi, & legislatione prima factus est dignus, sed ne quid blasphemum contra primae­vum proferam parentem, reverentiâ dictum sit, Mandatum non servavit, quoth Na­zianz. orat. 8. Adam being tempted by Satan did transgresse that one easy Com­mandment, and so became guilty of all, and losing his righteousnesse, hee forefeited his happinesse, by Sin, the breach of Gods Commandement and Covenant.

[Page 82] This Sinne of Man was voluntary, not necessary, though he sinned being tempted by another, for hee had strength enough given him of God, and more was ready to have been supplyed unto him, if he had craved it, wherby he might have vanquished the Tempter, and have stood firme in his obedience, but hee willingly consented, and yeelded to the deceiver.

Neither was this fall caused by God (though foreknowne) but onely permit­ted, when God, if hee would, could have hindred it.

CHAP. IV. Of the Effects of the Fall.

THe Effects of the Fall of Man are twofold: Within him, Without him.

Within him, that which is call'd originall Sinne, comprehending both the losse of his originall righteousnesse, and of his super­naturall perfections, and also the decay of his very naturall faculties: whence floweth a continuall lusting after that which is evill, and a repugnance to that which is good; A mans heart being a roote and a fountain of bitter water, and sower fruit, which be­fore was right sweet and good.

The effects of the fall without man, are comprized under the curse of the ground, the subject of mans labour, comprehend­ing all the miseries of this life, and under the sentence of death comprehending both deaths Temporall Eternall. and all the miseries of both.

The Effects of the fall of Adam tooke [Page 85] place not onely in himselfe, but in all his posterity: because God held him not as one person, but as the whole nature of mankinde, untill such time as he was come into that state, in which God thought it best to governe the race of mankinde to the end of the World (whereto hee fore­knew that he would soone come) namely, the state of sinne and misery, needing grace and mercy.

No doubt God in justice might have here rejected, and condemned for ever, not onely the greater part, but the whole of mankinde for this Apostacy from him, as hee did the Angells that fell; But the Scripture testifieth greater grace, Rom. 5. 12. 16. & deinceps: Jeremy 3. 1. Tu autem fornicata es cum amatoribus multis, & tamen revertere ad me, dicit Dominus, & ego suscipiā te: verba Domini sunt. Non est fas suspen­dere fidem, saith Bern. 84. in Cantic. apply­ing that to every sinfull soule, which Jeremy applies to Israel: and I may well to all mankinde in Adam, after whom God call'd Adam ubi es?

And to the same purpose heare what the confession of the Church of England saith in the tenth Article, The condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such, that hee can­not turne and prepare himselfe by his owne [Page 86] naturall strength and good worth to Faith and calling upon God: wherefore we have no power to doe good workes pleasant and accep­table to God, without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us, that he may have a good will, and working with us when wee have that good will.

CHAP. V. Of Gods Government of Man under the Covenant of Grace.

THe third act of Execution of Gods Eternall Counsell was the Restaurati­on of man fallen: For the most Wise and Mighty God having created the World for Man, and Man for happinesse in the frui­tion of himselfe, would not suffer either the whole destruction of his Creature, or the frustrating of his end; though he pleased to permit the depraving of his Creature, and to forsake one ill succeeding way, to take a better for the attainment of this end. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 33. Omnis dispositio salutis quae circa hominem fuit, &c. The whole ordering of Salvation touching Man was wrought according to the good Pleasure [Page 87] of the Father, so as God should not bee over­come, nor his skill impair'd: for if that man, who was made of God to live, here losing life, being wounded by the Serpent which had de­prav'd him, should not againe returne to life, but be wholly swallow'd up of death, God had beene overcome, and the Serpents craft had conquer'd the Will of God.

Hence God that foreknew before all time the fall of Man, hee D [...]creed in mercy to spare and preserve some de­grees of his Im [...]ge in Man, (and so did;) and to suspend the Ex [...]cution of some effects of his fall (else hee had dyed pre­sently, or lived a mad or brutish creature) that hee might be a subject possible to be repayred, and capable of healing: God in wisdome and goodnesse chose rather so to doe than to destroy him, and wholly make him anew.

Moreover out of the same Wisdome and Goodnesse, hee had Decreed to supply another way that which was lost, and so bring Man back from the gates of Hell, and to set him in a new and faire way to Heaven.

This his thought (magnum cogitatum Patris, as Tertul▪ calls it) from everlasting, was now in due time, the time of Mans misery, revealed, namely soone after the [Page 88] fall; For this Gospell in effect was preach­ed unto him, That God would send his owne Sonne made of a woman, that should dissolve the workes of the Devill, and by See the Homily of the Nati­vity. death overcoming him that had the power of death, should deliver man from bon­dage, and restore unto him righteousnesse and life, Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 14.

Now what by the remaines of Gods Image left in man, what by the supply that God would make by his gracious help; miserable man fallen was reputed by God a fit person once againe to be a party in a Covenant; A Covenant of new Conditi­ons suiting to the state of a sinner, but tend­ing to the same Ends, righteousnesse and life.

This new Covenant is called the Cove­nant of Grace; 1. because it was freely made with man a sinner, utterly unworthy to have any more communion with God. Secondly, Because in it the righteousnesse and salvation of man is wrought in him rather by God than by himselfe, being more in receiving than in giving, in belee­ing than in doing: Yet hath it the nature of a true Covenant, both parties having something for either to performe; God, to send his Sonne and his spirit to releeve the miseries and wants of man, and to forgive [Page 89] sinnes, to impute righteousnesse, and to give life to such as obey his Sonne and his Spirit: This part of God in the Covenant the Pro­phet Jeremiah speaketh of, cap. 31. ver. 33. and 'tis repeated Heb. 8. 8. Man, to humble himselfe for his sins to God his Creator, to be­leeve in Christ his Redeemer, and to yeeld himselfe to be led by the holy spirit his Sancti­fyer; This part of Man in the Covenant the whole Gospell speaketh of, requiring Repentance, and faith, and new obedience, Act. 20. 21.

Here are 2. things affirmed which may seeme to require proofe,

1. That the Covenant of grace was made with all mankind:

2. That God supplyeth by his spirit whatsoever is needfull to the keeping of this Covenant, on the behalfe of Man, who is confessed impotent in himselfe through his former fall.

These 2. shall by Gods assistance be suf­ficiently proved hereafter, under the heads of Calling, Commission, Grace & Free-will.

Now let these suffice as prescriptions for the Truth,

1. That we find here, in the day of the first publishing of the Covenant, all man­kind in Adam and Eve, receiving the pro­mise of the Gospel, at the same time that [Page 90] they received their penances, which we see to be universall to all their Seed; it is therefore probable that promises should be taken as universall, since the wise doe say, Ampliandi favores.

2. That we find left after the fall, Re­maines of some part of the Image of God, as life, understanding of good and evill, liberty of Will in naturall and civill things, conscience accusing or excusing, &c. which though they were given at first by Creation, and so belong to nature; yet the staying of them to remaine in man after his fall was of Grace, both to make him capa­b [...]e to contract and covenant withall, and also to be some beginnings and principles in order to his Restauration: but since these alone are not sufficient to make him able to rise againe, or to recover righteous­nesse, or keep the new Covenant of the Gospel, of himselfe and these remaines; it is decent to think of God, who doth no­thing imperfectly, and who in Covenanting is no hard Master, That he would supply by his spirit, whatsoever was needfull more to the keeping of that new Covenant, whereupon depends the Eternall woe, or the Eternall happinesse of the party cove­nanted with, seeing it would be found a true Maxime, Quod nemo teneatur ad im­possibile.

CHAP. VI. Of the dispensation of the Covenant of Grace by calling.

THe Covenant of Grace being once made with mankinde, (in the root of all men Adam and Eve,) it pleased the same goodnesse of God that made it, to preserve it, continue it, and keep it a foot, and so will doe to the end of the world: by proclaiming it from time to time, by renewing it often, calling men to the knowledge and participation thereof, else it would long since have beene forsaken, forgotten, extinct and utterly lost.

This is that Act of God which is termed Vocatio Divina, the heavenly Calling, Heb. 3. 1. wherein his divine power giveth us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse, 2 Pet. 1. 3. that is, wherein he doth execute his Predestinated order of meanes and be­nefits, by the right use whereof men are brought to the high End, Happinesse: Or by the neglect and abuse whereof they faile and come short of it, and fall into endlesse misery.

Hence Saint Paul speaking of the Saints, Rom. 8. 30. as he had joyned those two to­gether, Quos praescivit, & Praedestinavit; [Page 92] so he joyneth these two together, quos prae­destinavit, Hos & vocavit, by calling put­ting that into Act, which he had seen and allowed in Predestinating, as a successfull course bringing them to glory. And Saint Jude v. 4. speaking of ungodly men, saith, They were of old written to condemnation, being such as turned the grace of God into Wantonnesse, and deny God the onely Lord, and our Lord Jesus Christ; whence the Author to the Hebrews gives a good cave­at, Let us therefore feare lest a promise being left us, of entring into his rest, any of us should seeme to come short of it. Heb. 4. 1.

This point having more connexion with the Doctrine of Predestination, hath more controversie, and therefore I must of neces­sity be in it more large, craving the patience of some contrary minded, who in their writings use a certaine censorious, and ma­gisterial Severity, which I rather pray God to forgive, then I purpose to returne upon them.

CHAP. VII. Of the Concurrence of the Word and Spirit in Calling.

SOme great Divines do distinguish Cal­ling into two kindes; one outward of the Word onely; another inward of the Spirit joyn'd with the Word: That, they say, is Ineffectuall; This, Effectuall: That, common to the Reprobate; This speciall and peculiar to the Elect: That, never obeyed with truth of heart; This, never disobeyed.

CHAP. VIII. Of Conversion.

THe Conversion of a sinner is the End which God seeketh in sending his Word, and in Calling men, Act. 3. 26. The Effect of Calling when it speedeth.

It may shortly be defined, The Obedience of him that is called, for it his part, Vo­cantem audire & obedire.

In Conversion there be two Termes A quo Ad quem. From the power of Satan unto God, Act. 26. 18.

It is in all parts of Man; In his Ʋnderstand­ing, he is turned from darknesse to light; In his Will, from Idols (of all sorts) to serve the living God, 1 Thes. 1. 9. In his whole life, from unrighteousnesse to Holi­nesse, Rom, 6.

[Page 111] The Conversion of a sinner is also to be considered as Prima, or Posterior.

The first is, when a man of a naturall man is made a regenerate man, and a mem­ber of Gods Church, as the Gentiles called by the Apostles, Act. 15. 3. Such were we all that are converted unto God, having been first averted, foolish, disobedient, decei­ved, serving divers lusts, Tit. 3. 3.

The latter Conversion is, when a regene­rate man having committed iniquity, and fallen into sin, returneth unto God by re­pentance of that sinne: Thus Peter that was foretold of denying Christ, and that yet his faith should not finally faile, was willed, that he being converted should strengthen his Brethren, Luk. 22. 32. See Bilson of supremacy pag. 278. 279. in 4.

Next the Causes of our Conversion are to be considered; without question Gods holy spirit working upon the heart of a sinner, is the prime, principall, efficient, powerfull Cause of his Conversion; Turne us and we shall be turned, Lam. 5. 21. in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end of it.

The word preached is the ordinary, Instru­mentall Cause, Psal. 19. 7. Adjuvant Causes, are the Crosse that chastneth, Jer. 31. 18. [Page 102] Blessings that draw and allure the prayers of others; the holy example of others alrea­dy converted, &c.

But it is in question, what part the Sin­ner himselfe, who is the subject to be con­verted, beareth in his owne Conversion, being a living and reasonable Subject: Whether he be active or passive in it; when and how far; whether he can further it, or hinder it; or whether it be possible for two supposed equally called, one to be convert­ed and not the other? If so, then whence this difference shall arise, whether from God, or from Man?

The determination of these questions cannot be cleare, nor the manner of our conversion opened, untill we have declared what is to be holden according to the Scriptures, touching Gods free Grace, and Mans freewill, which we will indeavour to bring into more manifest light, after so ve­hement Conflicts of the learned in all Ages, which have raised clouds of obscurity to the losse of Truth amongst the strivers for it.

CHAP. IX. Of Grace.

OF Grace and Freewill I will speak by Gods grace, first severally, then joynt­ly: that so we may returne to the point of our Conversion, to behold what be the parts of God therein, and what of Man.

Of Grace I shall endeavour to declare the Thing, the Distinctions, the Necessity, the Amplitude, the Power and force there­of.

By Grace may be understood all that proceedeth from God out of free favour to an unworthy sinner, tending to his Sal­vation: yet here by Grace I will not un­derstand the remaines of Nature, as some light of Reason, some sense of Conscience, and the like; though it was of Grace that these were spared and left to remaine in Man fallen.

Neither will I by Grace understand the Law, describing the righteousnesse of works, though the preacher of Grace doth use the Law to shew a sinner his Estate, and to prepare him to Christ.

Nor will I understand the bare outward [Page 114] word of the Gospel, though it be called Verbum gratiae, Act. 20. 32. if not rather it be so called, because the internall Grace of God goeth with it.

But by Grace I understand the internall Illuminations, Teachings, Motions, Tracti­ons, Inspirations, Operations, Gifts of the holy Ghost, merited by Christ to be given to the sinfull Sons of Adam, in their fit time and order, to the end to raise them fallen, and to save them lost; whence I shall call it with Saint August. Gratiam Christi; There is in man no merit of Grace, for then grace were no grace, there is only an occasion, namely, the wofull misery of Man, which yet was in Gods pleasure to take as an occasion, or to refuse it.

Even the good use of former Graces is no merit or cause of the giving of fol­lowing Graces; but the second are as free­ly given as the first; for Gods good plea­sure alone is the Author and Cause of that order and succession that is in graces, in which he hath appointed to doe one thing in order after another, and not one thing for the sake of another.

If any thing be named Grace, and tend not to mans recovery and Salvation, or be not in some degree fit, sufficient, potent, and available to further this work, it is [Page 115] not to be esteemed worthy of the Noble and blessed name, Grace.

Of Free-will. CHAP. X.

THis title now adayes is in great dis­grace and envy, invisum nomen, Dr. Abbot Sarisbur. in Thompsoni Diatri­bam, pag. 143. Ille verò (Thompsonus sc.) hîc mereticulam suam, Arbitrii libertatem, quem commendaverat antè timidius, in thea­trum Ecclesiae productam palàm exosculatur, Sic ille. But time was when the Church of Christ stood and strove as earnestly in the defence of this Lady (ut Gratiae pedissaeque, as the handmaid of Grace,) against the Manichees and other Heretikes, as any do now against her: which when learned Men doe finde in Irenaeus, Origen, Chrysostome, and other great Fathers, I can but wonder they should bee so carelesse of their lavish termes; as also I marvell they should be so mindfull of the one part of a wise saying, Si non sit gratia Dei, quomodo mundum sal­vabit Deus? and so forgetfull of the other part, Si non sit liberum Arbitrium, quomodo judicabit mundum Deus? when they finde both in the same Authors, Aug. Epist. 46. Valentino, Hieronym.

If the thing be of God, I will not feare the envy of the Name, and my defence [Page 229] thereof shall be with such caution, as I will not offend against the grace of God, by the helpe of Gods grace.

Freewill is a naturall power in a reason­able Creature, whereby it can will or nill, this or that, chuse it, or refuse it be it good, be it evill.

CHAP. XI. Of Grace and Free will conjunctim.

TO declare how these two are con­joynd in every spirituall worke, let me first possesse you with three Principles or Axiomes:

1. That in all the operations of these two (if wee suppose them Co-workers) either in our first conversion, or in every good worke, Grace is evermore foremost, the beginner, leader, principall in all; not onely in the first, but also in the second, third, and fourth operations to the last: The will of man never working alone, never working foremost; but as the wheele of the Water-mill, is set a going and kept a going by the continuall following of the water, which being stayd the wheele soone stayeth; So mans will is set a going, and kept on going, by the perpetuall streame of Gods grace, Phil. 2. 13. and this ariseth [...], out of Gods good will, and desire of our salvation.

Veteres dixerunt precedente gratiâ comi­tante voluntate bona opera fieri; Melancto. loc. com. de lib. arbitr.

2. That when Grace worketh upon mans understanding, will or affections, it [Page 236] worketh so as it preserveth and useth the naturall Properties, Powers and Motions of a reasonable Creature compounded as man is: Gratia non tollit naturam, sed pro­ficit, nec natura gratiam repellit, sed suscipit. Hence it is that though the habits of Faith, Hope and Charity, and the like, are not ac­quisite by mans industry alone, but infused by God; yet they are infused after the manner of acquisites, God having ordain­ed not to infuse them, but upon the means of Hearing, Praying, Caring, Studying, and endeavouring.

Non ego, sed gratia Dei mecum; id est, non solus, sed gratia Dei mecum, ac per hoc nec gratia Dei sola, nec ipse solus, sed gratia Dei cum illo. Aug. de grat. & lib. arbitr. Cap. 5.

3. That in all the operations of Grace, the nature and will of man being prevented by grace, is to depend upon God as the Creature upon the Creator, the receiver upon the giver, the weak upon the strong, the imperfect upon the perficient, and the supplyant on his Lord; as the Earth de­pends upon the Heavens for showers, for heat and influence: which when man neg­lecteth, forgetteth or refuseth to doe, he is dry, barren and unfruitfull in all spiritu­all fruit.

[Page 237] Opus imperfectum in Mat. Homil. 14. ex cap. 6. in illa, Fiat voluntas tua, &c. Vide quam caute loquutus est, &c. Behold how cautelously he speaketh: He saith not, Father, sanctifie thy Name in us, bring thy King­dome upon us, make thy will to bee done of us; lest God should seeme to sanctifie himself upon men, or to bring his Kingdome upon whom hee list, or to make his will be done by whom he please, and in regard thereof God should be perceived to be a Respecter of per­sons. Againe, neither hath hee said, Let us sanctifie thy Name, let us take thy King­dome, let us doe thy Will in Earth as it is in Heaven; lest it should seeme that it proceed­ed from men alone, that they sanctifyed Gods Name, or that they receiv'd his Kingdome, or that they did his Will: But hee speakes in a middle way and impersonally; Hallowed be thy Name; Thy Kingdome come; Thy will be done, that he may manifest how need­full the worke of both parties is, because both man hath neede of God, and God is helpfull to man, for the performing of Righteousnes. For as Man can doe no good, except he have Gods helpe, so neither doth God worke any good in man, except man be willing: As neither the earth without seed fructifies, nor seed without the Earth: so neither man with­out God, nor God without man doth worke righteous­nesse [Page 238] in man: Even as if hee had said, If yee doe these things, if yee pray for these things, yee are children worthy of such a Father.

Now to try out the Truth, let mee set forth into view foure Propositions:

1. Without the Grace of God the will of Man can, and doth both will and perform that which is good.

2. Without the Grace of God the will of Man cannot will good, but through Grace be­ing once made able to will, afterward, without any further Grace, it can alone both will and performe that which is good.

3. By or through the Grace of God working on the will, the will of Man can both will and performe that which is good, and without grace it cannot will, nor without further grace performe that which is good.

4. By or through the Grace of God working on the will, the will of man cannot but will, cannot but performe that which is good.

The first Proposition of these, is the He­resie of Pelagius detested by the whole Church of Christ.

The Second Proposition is the error of the Massilienses or Semipelagians. And both these are against my first Principle or Maxime.

The Third Proposition holdeth out the light of Truth, subjoyning the will of man [Page 239] to the Grace of God both in willing and performing that which is good, and is the Doctrine of S. August. in his setled judge­ment, and the Catholick Doctrine of the Church.

The Fourth Proposition is the extreme opinion of S. August. in his heat of dispu­tation against Pelagius and the Massilien­ses, and of many moderne Divines, of force defended to support your Doctrine of the Order of Predestination, without the prescience of all particular events (put­ting onely the prescience of Adams fall.) But this fourth Proposition is destroyed by my two latter Principles or Axioms, or they destroy'd by it. Well said Nazianz. in the case of extreme Opinions about the Trinity.

Quid enim necesse est tanquam ramum omnino in aliam partem declinantem, &c. For what necessity is there, as a bough decli­ning altogether one way, by force to bend it the other way, and so by crookednesse to rectifie crookednesse; and not rather to keep to the middle way, and continue within the bounds of divine Piety? but when I name the middle way, I meane the Truth, to which onely we so rightly direct our selves. Orat. 17.

Saint Augustine maintained, through Grace such help was afforded to the predesti­nate, [Page 240] that not onely they were not able to per­severe without that gift, but also through meanes of that gift could not chuse but per­severe: whereupon Saint Hilary writes to Saint Augustine, His verbis Sanctitatis tuae ita moventur, ut dicant quandam despera­tionem hominibus exhiberi: That by such Speeches of his Sonne men were moved to say, They held forth a kinde of Desperation unto men.

It were a labour worth the taking to compare the two Epistles of Prosper and Hilary, with the two books of Saint Au­stin de praedest. sanctorum, and de bono per­severantiae, wherein he laboureth to answer those two Epistles; to see to what he ma­keth solid answer, to what he faileth, or what he slippeth untouched that is of mo­ment, (sed hoc alias.)

The Question then is betweene the third and fourth propositions, and about the manner and measure of working Grace upon the Will or with it: whether it be such, as positâ gratiâ operante, the Will may be Coworker or no, as the third proposi­tion affirmeth, or whether positâ gratiâ operante, the worke of Grace is such as the Will of Man cannot but be a Coworker, as the fourth proposition maintaineth: That is to say, for the state of a question [Page 241] rightly put is almost [...], as it is said of an Oath, Heb. 6. 16. the end of all strife) whether the Grace of God be onely an efficient, operant, adjuvant prior cause, and the Will also of Man an efficient prepared by Grace, cooperant and colla­borant second cause in the worke of our Conversion, and every other good worke: or whether the Grace of God be an effe­ctuall, prepotent, invincible, prevalent, sole efficient, that carries the Will to consent and obey willingly (if that be willingly) as it neither will nor can choose to doe o­therwise.

For distinction sake, I will call the grace meant in the third proposition, Efficientem; and the Grace meant in the fourth propo­sition, Efficacem.

The issue will be that if Gratia Efficax do worke the Conversion and perseverance of a Christian, then all in vaine I have di­sputed before de Praedestinatione secundum praescientiam; which is therefore defended, because it giveth place to freedome of Will, proper freedome in our working out our Salvation, which gratia Efficax utterly destroyes.

If Gratia Essiciens doe work our Con­version, but not absolutely alone, but with another co-worker which is free and Lord [Page 242] of its owne action, and may faile in work­ing, then there must needs be prescience certaine of this contingent event, or else Predestination shall not be certaine, and then this doctrine of a sinners conversion will well stand with the doctrine of Pre­destination after foreknowledge of all contingences, and this with that, as all parts of truth ought to agree one with another.

The question in the usefull termes is, (as some love to speak) whether grace be resistable? which word though it be ground­ed upon Act. 7. 51. yet I had rather use words more frequent in the Scripture, whether Grace can be disobeyed? whe­ther it can be in vaine? whether a man can be wanting to the grace of God, that hath him in hand to convert him, or to worke in him some good, as Act. 5. 32. and 6. Rom. 1. 5. and 10. 16. 2 Cor. 9. 13. and 10. 6. Gal. 3. 1. and 5. 7. 2 Thes. 1. 8.

To come to the Truth by a neere and compendious way: Let me take that first which is given by an ingenuous and judici­cious Adversary the Reverend professor Doctor Ward in his Clerum, Phil. 2. 12. who yeildeth so much to the Truth, and puts the question in so narrow a point, as he seemes to me plainly to give over the cause which he would expugne: See what hee [Page 243] grants pag. 9. after much spoken pro libertate Arbitrii: Nos enim libere profitemur, &c. For we freely professe, neither operating, nor cooperating Grace, neither in Conversion, nor after Conversion, doth take away from mans Will, in the very exercise of its Elicite Act, the power of Resisting or dissenting, if he will. For this Resistibility is naturall and borne with us, insoparable from the Will it selfe as tis a naturall faculty, &c. And after pag. 27. Non hic queritur, &c. It is not questioned here simply, whether God in the work of Con­version or in any other good worke, doth move the Will resistibly; for that we have affirmed formerly. This is given then, that Resistibi­lity is never taken away. See then secondly, what remaines in Controversie; De mo­do Resistibilitatis totalis est, &c. Touching the manner of Resistibility all question is made; for this is that which we say, when God by his effectuall Grace works in the Will Ipsum velle, this Grace doth effectually pro­duce Non-resistency, and so for that time take away actuall resistance; which is brought to passe by certaine knowledge, and the prevalen­cy of delight, saith August. Therefore doe we maintaine, actuall resistence, for that time to be certainly taken away, because tis impossible, such a resistence should consist together with effectuall Grace received [Page 244] in the Will. Because these two things cannot co-exist together, or be composed in the Will, namely, The Will to be wrought upon by ef­fectuall Grace, and the Will at the same time to resist; which were as much as to say, in the same Instant the Will not to resist, and to resist; or velle non resistere, & velle resistere.

Let us have leave a litle to search into this mystery: De modo resistibilitatis tota lis est: nay truly, nulla lis est de modo resistibilitatis; for resistibilit as est potentia resistendi & a­ctus: now about resistibilitas, the power, there is no controversie, for you grant ne (que) innata, ne (que) adnata tollitur per gratiam in conversione: here can be no question de modo resistibilitatis, all must be de ipsa resistitentiâ, or de modo non resistentiae: for hoc est quod dicimus, &c. (rem haud mag­nam dicitis,) Ideo enim contendimus, &c. (de re minime dubiâ contenditis;) for is there any Remonstrant so silly to say, Posit â gratiâ efficaci, resistentiam ipsam manere; that when the will doth actually yeeld, that then it doth and can resist? who beares a part in hac lite? Plainly the State of the question is changed; for the question of Contingency is not when things are in esse, but before they were, whether they were not possible to be otherwise. Scholastici utuntur hîc erudita distinctione: Quod fit, [Page 245] consideratur duobus modis; uno, ut est jam in se, & extra suas causas, & hoc modo ip­sum fieri transit in factum esse, & praesens in praeteritum, proinde res illa non potest non esse, dum est, quia non potest non facta esse, quae facta est. Altero modo ut fluit à causa, sive ut habet ordinem ad causam, id est, Quatenus est adhuc in manu causae: at (que) hoc modo si causa est libera & contingens, potest res illa non esse, & contingenter est, non necessario, quia habet ordinem ad causam, seu (ut loquar cum Zabarella) connexionē cum causa non necessa­rium, sed contingentem, (ita Goclenius.)

The Question then of the Resistibility is before the very act of good, or evill, not in it: It were sense I trow, to say, A regene­rate man willeth sinne resistibly, not in the very moment when he willeth it, but be­cause ere he willed it, he could have resisted it; so a Convert obeyeth Grace, or wil­leth his conversion resistibly, because ere he willed it, he could have dissented: Sinne is resistible, though it be too late to resist when it is consented unto; and Grace may be resisted, though to say so is too late, when it is accepted in the Will; for to be re­ceived and then to be resistible cannot Coexistere.

3. Againe, granting that non resistentiam which is in the very act of consenting, the [Page 246] question is still as doubtfull what is the Cause of this Non-resistance, & in cujus causae manu sita erat, whether Gratia efficax be the cause, or voluntas efficax, for the selfe-same may be said of the Will that you say of Grace; when the Will obeyeth it is impossible it should disobey or wil to resist. No man can tell by the very act of obeying, which is the cause of not resisting, for put either of the two, Grace or Will, to re­move resistance, it is surely gone in the act of consenting. And to me it seemes demon­strable, that the Will is the proper cause that ends resistance, or refuseth to resist: First, because that gratia efficax which you speak of so much, is but nomen sine re, there being no such Grace that can determine the Will, but it destroyes it, the nature of the Will being to determine it selfe. Se­condly, because to resist and not resist are the proper acts of the Will, as to convert, repent, beleeve, are the immediate acts of man who converteth, repenteth, beleeveth; and are not the acts of God, (though with­out his help and power they are not pro­duced;) which is a plaine signe, that man is later in the operation than God, in the order of Nature, by whom the act was ter­minated.

Our Church in the Homily of Salva­tion. [Page 247] 1. tomo, understands the matter thus, First, for the necessity of something to be done on our part for our justification; to Gods mer­cy on his part, and Christs satisfaction on his part, concurs on our part, a true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ, which yet is not ours, but by Gods working in us. Se­condly, how it understands this, Not ours but by Gods working in us, a l [...]tle lower it declarerh, Lively faith is the gift of God, and not mans onely worke without God. This might suffice sober wits, that all confesse, Gods grace to prevent, to operate to helpe mans Will, and the Will of man to have some office and part under the Grace of God, though we were not able to expresse or declare the manner of the coworking; God promiseth to Circumcise the Heart, Deut. 30. 6. and Man is commanded to Cir­cumcise his owne heart, Deut. 10. 16. Jer. 4. 4. God promiseth to put a new spirit into man, Ezek. 11. 19, and men are commanded to make them a new heart and a new spirit. This promise and this commandement are both Evangelicall: The promise supposeth and implyeth our utter impotency of our selves to doe these supernaturall acts, and tendreth unto us the power, assistance and operation of God to comfort and encou­rage us. The commandment supposeth and [Page 248] implieth a power in us by the power of God, to endeavour and to doe something towards these supernaturall acts: and that they are our acts doth appear for that they savour of our imperfections, from whence it is, that we daily accuse our selves, and complaine of the weaknesse of our faith, the coldesse of our love, the pride of our hearts, though it be true that God hath given us faith, love, humility; Why doe we not rather magnifie the gifts and graces of God, but extenuate and disgrace them, like ungratefull persons? but because we have impaired them, or made them de­fective, by our being wanting to the Grace of God.

Let Bernard conclude this Chapter of Grace and Freewill conjunctim, who was a true friend to the Grace of God, de lib. arb. prope finem: Sic autem ista (scil. Gratia) cum libero arbitrio Operatur, &c. But so doth Grace operate with Freewill, that the Will onely prevents in the first Act, in the rest it accompanieth; and so far it is preventing, that even now for hereafter it cooperates with Grace; Yet so, that what is begun by grace alone, is perfected by both alike; so as joyntly, not severally; together, not by turnes, they worke by particular degrees; not partly Grace, partly Freewill, but each by a joynt o­peratinn [Page 249] performes the whole: Freewill doth the whole worke, and Grace doth the whole work; but as the whole is wrought in the Will; so the whole is wrought by Grace. Excellently S. Bernard.

Pardon my Curiosity or too much dili­gence, if I labour to present as it were to the Eye in a scheme, the consistence of Grace and Freewill, in willing and nilling good, (Grace helping Freewill to will or doe good, and not hindring it to nill good, or doe evill,) in every estate.

• 1. Of Nature sound.
• 2. Of Nature fallen.
• 3. Of Nature in renewing or renewed.
• 4. In Nature glorified.

Againe, on the next four pages follow­ing after this, give me leave to set down the order of a sinners Conversion, and the processe therein in them that obey the grace of God to Salvation: and the man­ner of resistence and disobedience, that is in every degree of them that perish.

[Page 250]

1. Contra legem objurgantem cor obdurans, Peccatum tegens, excusans, defendens, Securus contemptor minarum, Pollicens sibi pacem, & impunitatem: Deut. 29. 19.

2. Lege Sauciatus, contra Evangelium de misericordiis Patris, meritis Filii, auxiliis Spiritus Sti. desperans, projiciens se omni sceleri, ut Cain & Judas.

3. Ex Evangelio spem veniae accipiens, contra Evangelium divitiis gratiae abutens ad Lasciviam, differt convertere, praesumens de paenitentia & fide in Christū, qnovis tempore, vel extremo.

[Page 254] 4. Elatus ex praeteritis, ingratus, securus, indulgens otio, car [...]i, preces intermittens, vel metu perterritus fidem negat, vel tentationi cedens scelus admittit, in perditionem ruit, nisi novo fidei & poenitentiae actu redeat ad Deum ut justificetur à scelere, Ezek. 18. 26.

In quovis gradu datur occasio justa Divinae severitati deserendi hominis, & non ulteriùs progrediendi in conversione procuranda; si pergat, superabundantis est Gratiae.

By the view of these Tables a full answer may be made to those questions which were moved in the beginning of the Doctrine of Conversion, cap. 8. what part the sinner, the subject to be converted, yet a living, and a reasonable subject, beareth in his owne conversion, whether he be active or passive, where, and how farre? whether hee can hinder or further it? Who it is that puts the difference, God, or man, if we suppose two equally called, the one to obey, the other to disobey?

To these it may be answered by remem­brance of the order of calling before de­clared, cap. 7. and by reference to this de­scription of the Order of our Conversion.

1. That a sinner is passive in having the word of the Law and of the Gospell [Page 255] preached unto him; but active in hearing, and in attending to it.

2. That hee is passive in the illuminati­ons of his minde, and in receiving impres­sions of feare by the Law, and of hope by the Gospell: but active in nourishing them, not defacing them, or putting them out of his heart; grace yet coworking with him in that nourishing of them.

3. That he is passive in receiving sundry good thoughts, holy desires, and a power to will, and motions to pray: But he is active in meditating on those thoughts, in prose­cuting of those desires, and in endevouring to exercise his power to will and to pray; grace ready to help him, ever offering it self.

4. That praying hee is still passive, but a willing Patient, thirsting for the gifts or habits of repentance, Faith, Love, or what­soever hee prayeth for; And active, but an helped Agent, in producing the acts of re­penting, believing, loving, out of those gifts and habits infused into him.

5. That hee is both passive under the vigilancy and power of God, protecting and keeping him being a believer and con­verted: and also active in watching over himselfe with the grace of God to keepe, and defend himselfe, 1 Joh. 5. 18. 1 Joh. 33. Upon which place S. Augustine thus, [Page 256] Videte quemadmodum non abstulit libe­rum arbitrium, &c. Behold after what man­ner hee hath not taken away Freewill, when he saith, keepeth himselfe chast: who is it that keepes us chast except God? But God doth not so keepe thee being unwilling thereto. Therefore when thou joynest thy will to God, thou keepest thy selfe Chast, Thou keepest thy selfe Chast, not of thy selfe, but by him who comes to dwell in thee: yet because in this bu­sinesse thou dost something of thine owne will, therefore is something attributed to thee; yet so is it ascribed to thee, that still thou mayst say with the Psalmist, Lord, be thou my helper:—If thou sayst, be thou my helper, thou dost something; for if thou didst nothing, how could he helpe?

So then a sinner is never first, but alwayes second; not a Leader, but a Follower in every degree, and passage of his conversion. In the first entrance a meere Patient, in the second progresse a willing Patient, in the third an Agent but an helped Agent, doing nothing alone without the adjuvant and cooperant Grace of God, saying (as it were a weake sick man,) Now you have put life into mee, lift mee, and I will rise; Stay me and I will stand; Draw me and I will come to you. Avertat enim Deus hanc amentiam, ut in donis ejus nos priores [Page 257] faciamus, posteriorem ipsum. August. lib. 2. ad Bonifac. cap. 9.

CHAP. XII. The Solution of the Question of two equally called.

AS to the Question when two are e­qually called, and one converteth, the other not, (these both being supposed possi­ble) who it is that puts the difference, God or man; I ground my answer upon the righteous judgement of God, that man puts the difference, and not God; for that God judgeth not his owne acts, but the acts of men; and for that every righteous Judge findes a difference, and doth not make any betweene party and party. Who put the differences betweene the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, but themselves? both alike instituted in religion by their Father: God a true witnesse testified of Abels gift as better than Cains, Heb. 11. 4. Who put the difference betweene Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, Quantum ad naturam ambo homines erant, &c. As to their Nature both were men; as to their Dignity both Kings; as to the cause both held the people [Page 258] of God in captivity; as to the Punishment both were mildly admonished by Chastisements; what then occasion'd their different ends? Nothing else but that One of them, sensible of Gods hand, groan'd under the Memory of his owne Iniquity: The other by his owne freewill fought against the most mercifull Ve­rity of God. Aug. de Praedest. & Gra. cap. 15. See the same S. Aug. de. Civitate Dei. lib. 12. c. 61. Concerning two equally tempted by the beauty of one fair Body, whereof one yeelds to the temptation; the other perseveres the same he was before: What else appeares in these, except onely that one would, the other would not lose his Chastity? The difference between the Ni­nivites repenting at the preaching of Jo­nas, and of the Jewes not repenting at the preaching of a greater than Jonas, if God did put it, how should they rise up in judge­ment and condemne these?

But Saint Austine is the man that hath made it so scandalous and so horrible to pious eares to say, that a man makes him­selfe to differ from another, by wringing that place of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Quis te discernit? Besides many absurdities that are said to follow this assertion; let us ex­amine first this notable place of S. Paul, and next those absurdities so much in­forced with so much confidence. 1 Cor. 4. 7. [Page 259] Ex causis dicendi sensus dictorū aestimandus: It is evident the Apostle speakes, de donis gratis datis, not de donis gratum facientibus: of Eloquence, Knowledge, tongues and the like; not of Faith, Charity, Repentance, Conversion, and the like. This answer in substance was given by the Remonstrants in the Conference at the Hague, to whom let us see what Master Amese, coaetaneus me­us, doth reply in his Coronis, pag. 269. de tali Doctorum discretione agit hic Apostolus, non nego; I deny it not, the Apostle treateth of such a difference between the Corinthian Teachers, sed tali agit argumento, ut ad fidelium etiam discretionem optime possit ap­plicari, but he useth such an Argument, that it may be very well applyed to the diffe­rencing of beleevers from unbeleevers. Then the Text is not direct, but by appli­cation may be well used to this purpose: Your reason? 1. Quia generalis est assertio, In nulla re te discernis. That is, because the assertion is generall, In nothing dost thou make thy selfe to differ. This the Text saith not, or at least this is the question, whether under the aydes and meanes of faith com­mon to thee and to another, thou doe not make the difference when thou belee­vest and the other doth not. 2. Quia mul­to minus fides homini tribui debet, si non cha­rismata [Page 260] sibi comparare vel augere potest. This multo minus hath in it nihil minus; I demonstrate it by a reason which the Remonstrants did not, why this Text can­not be applyed to gifts necessary to Salva­tion; Because in them God wills not that difference which is betweene beleevers and unbeleevers under the word of faith, but would have all beleeve and obey the Go­spell; this difference offendeth and dis­pleaseth God, and it proceedeth as much from the disobedience of him that belee­veth not, as it doth from the obedience of him that beleeveth; but of that part of the difference which is by disobeying, God I trow, is not the Author; It is sinne and shame to him that wanteth faith after the meanes of faith afforded him, but no blame to him that speaks not with tongues, or Prophecyeth not; These were given suddenly and immediately without labour or meanes, but faith and the rest needfull to Salvation, had meanes by which God gave them, about which meanes men might use a different diligence. When the Scrip­tures speak of Gods measuring to every man as he will, as Rom. 12. 3. Eph. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 11. these places respect those gifts of the holy Ghost that were given for the pub­lique service of the Church: as if the mea­sure [Page 261] that is of saving graces, to be so small as it is, proceeded from mens negligence, rather than Gods dispensation: but admit that God putteth and approveth a dif­ferent measure, even of saving graces, yet that difference of an Emptinesse and ab­sence of fayth in them that heare the word, he putteth not, he approveth not.

Lastly, the difference in the measure of gifts of all sorts, may come from God that giveth, but the different using of these gifts doth come from man, that is to reckon with God about the usage of them: That one Servant received five, another two, another one Talent, this difference was from the Lord; but that one Servant gain­ed five, another two, another none, this difference was not from the Lord, but from the Servants; whence it is that one heareth, Euge serve bone & fidelis, and another, Serve nequam, & piger. Vid. Origen. super Numeros, homil. 12.

Being secure of this place of Saint Paul, I come with greater confidence to avoyd those absurdities, in pressing of which some so much triumph; They say, that if man make the difference betweene himselfe and another, then it followes,

1. That God doth no more for his E­lect, than for the Reprobate.

[Page 262] 2. That the Saints have no more to give thanks to God for than the wicked.

3. That one man may glory against a­nother, for that he hath done something more than another did.

To these I answer 1. in particular. 2. in generall.

1. To the first, admitting for a while that God in the grace of Vocation, doth no more for the Elect, than for the Re­probate, yet in the grace of Predestination he doth incomparibly more: In that fore­knowing the different successes of his Cal­ling, and the Ends of the called so diffe­rent, he was pleased to decree and confirme that Calling to some which he foreknew would be saving to them; and to decree no other to the rest than that which he foresaw would not be saving to them, through their owne disobedience, when it was in his power to have altered their Calling, to such, as obedience (in his know­ledge) would have followed. So that in the Preparation, and in the Execution of his gracious Calling, which God knew would prove happily to these, his Election of them, and his love to them appeareth singular, and they have infinite reason of gratitude above the Reprobate; The Re­probate have cause to thank God for pre­paring [Page 263] that Calling, whereby they might have been saved as well as others are, and are to blame onely their owne contempt and folly: but they have not this to thank God for, that he did alter their Calling to a better, when he found the Event of this would be Evill unto them; neither can they blame him, seeing he was no way bound to doe so; for if he were, He should not have suffered any to perish at all. And the Elect who obey their Calling, which of them can tell in the preparation of their Calling how often God changed it, and amended it, (to speak after our manner of Understanding, who use to bring things thus to perfection and to our liking) untill he had brought it to that order, as where of he saw the Effect would be the free Con­version of the Called.

But it was admitted onely, not affirmed, that in the Grace of Vocation God doth no more for the Elect than for the Re­probate: for what if the time wherein a Convert obeyeth, be not the first, second, third, or the hundredth time that he hath Suffr. 3. & 4. thesi. 6. beene called upon, but God hath shewed him that Patience, as one that would not give him over untill he win him? What if the time wherein the unconverted refused mercy, was but the first, second, or the third, [Page 264] after which God in just severity would no more move him by his Spirit, nor wait up­on him, but forsooke him? here is much inequality in Grace and favour: for it is enough for my supposition (of the liberty of mans Will under Grace, and of two e­qually called, that one may obey and not another;) that sometime two may be equally called, and unequally obey, though all that be called be not every one called as oft as another; for as we may suppose an equality in some, so doe we confesse an in­finite variety and inequality in most; yet there is a time when that hath place which our Church saith in the Homily of the knowledge of the Scripture, the second part, pag. 5. That God receiveth the learned, and unlearned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto all.

2. To the second I answer, for matter of thankfulnesse: That as Grace is not therefore Grace, because it is given to one, and denyed to another, but because it is given the Unworthy, (for Grace were not the lesse but the greater if it were given to all:) So my thanks are not therefore gi­ven to God, because he hath beene merci­full to me, more than to another, but be­cause he hath been mercifull to me unwor­thy; and my thanks are not diminished, [Page 265] because many more are partakers with me in the same benefits, but the greater, and should have been yet greater, had more still been partakers than are. Heare the words of Salvianus, or whosoever be the Author, l. 2. ad Ecclesiam Catholicam prope à principio: Sed forsitan dicis, &c. But hap­pily thou dost say, there is a generall debt of all men touching these things of which we speak, and that all mankinde without excep­tion are obliged thereunto, (namely in the Passion of Christ;) we confesse it is Truth; Yet doth any man therefore owe the lesse, be­cause another also owes the like summe? &c. That which I said formerly, though it be a general debt, yet no question it is also a special debt; although all men in common be enga­ged, yet every one in particular is also bound: For Christ as he suffered for all, so he suffered for every one, and bestowd himselfe upon all, as well as upon every one; and gave himselfe wholly for all, and wholly for every one. And in regard of this, whatever our Saviour by his suffering perform'd, as all owe themselves wholly to him for it, so every one wholly: ex­cept in respect of this every one owes more, than all Mankinde, because every one hath reaped as much benefit thereby, as all men.

This is a good rule for thankfulnesse: [Page 266] but take heede of the Pharisees forme of thanks for Graces, with comparisons to other folkes, Lord, I thank thee I am not like other men, or as this Publicane. Indeed, as some put the case of mankinde, like a company of Rebels, out of whom the King chooseth whom he pleaseth to par­don, and executes the rest with the sword; those pardoned owe thanks for their par­don, and more thanks for culling them out, that were like to the rest in Rebellion: But the Scripture puts not the case of mankinde so, but rather thus: God by the Gospell as a King, mercifully proclames a generall pardon to all the company of Rebels in such a County, upon condition, that he that comes in and yeelds his sword, and takes at the Kings Pavilion a Ticket of his pardon, be free to goe home and enjoy the State of a good Subject, but they that stand out and refuse this grace, be af­ter such a day pursued with fire and sword. They that submit, magnifie the amplitude of the Kings mercy, sorrow for such as obstinately stand out, justifie his Execution done upon stubborn, ungratefull Rebels. You think to win greater thanks to God, by amplifying his Grace upon one consideration of sparing some simply, but with prejudice to his Truth; proclamed [Page 267] to all. I think to winne greater thanks to God by amplifying his Grace upon ano­ther consideration of sparing all upon fa­vorable conditions, according to the Gospell, the most wise comprehension of the Grace, Mercy, Justice, and Truth of the Almighty.

3. To the third particular I answer, for matter of glorying: let this Rule stand firme, Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur, let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord, or let him not glory. Remember againe, that the gifts of God are either immediate, and proceeding from himselfe alone, as pro­phecy, tongues, &c. or mediate, and such as proceede from Gods Grace and Mans will together, as I have declared; of those immediate gifts there is no glorying, the latter part of the Text is strong, What hast thou, that thou hast not received? and if thou hast received, why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received? here accepisse excludes boasting over another whose non-accepisse hath been no fault of his, it having pro­ceeded from the meere will of the giver. But for gifts mediate, as Faith and Repen­tance, and obedience in any particular du­ty, they must be considered as Dona Dei, and as Debita à nobis, as the gifts of God & as our duties; things necessary upon Gods [Page 268] Commandement, and upon perill of our Salvation: as they are gifts of God wrought in us by his Grace, preventing, helping, and strengthning us, there is no glorying of them but in the Lord: So Paul gloryeth, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Plus omnibus labo­ravi, yet not I, but the Grace of God with me, which Grace was not in vaine, Phil. 4. 13. I have the art both to abound and to want, &c. I am able to doe all things, [...], through Christ that strengthneth me: here also accepisse excludes glorying in a mans selfe. Againe, the same gifts considered as duties owing by us, and as proceeding from the will of man (yet helped by Grace) are no matter of glory­ing, because they are done; S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. 16. Though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea woe is me if I preach not the Gospel: So woe is to me if I beleeve not the Go­spel (doth the hearer say) accepisse is not the onely excluder of Glory, debuisse is as much: Luk. 17. 9. Doth he thank that Ser­vant because he did the things that were com­manded him? I trow not; So likewise we, when we have done all those things which are commanded us, say, Wee are unprofitable Ser­vants; we have done that which was our duty to doe. What matter of boasting is it [Page 269] for a man to have kept himselfe from a detestable crime, whereinto another rush­ing, precipitated himselfe to Hell? Yet I pray you doe not exclude all kinde of glo­rying, not that which Saint Paul names so, 2 Cor. 1. 12. [...], &c. The testimony of a good conscience is some com­fort and some joy that he wanteth who hath an Evill conscience. Let Innocency wash her hands without a check of Vaine­glory: Let Samuel call witnesse of his In­tegrity, and Nehemiah record his owne good deeds, cap. 5. 15. The former Gover­nours before mee had beene chargable to the People, even their servants bare rule over them: but so did not I, because of the feare of the Lord.

In generall I answer to these three Ob­jections: when things succeede well and prosperously unto us, whatsoever bee our naturall parts, whatsoever have beene our industry or our labour more than others, who is so voyd of piety or of understanding, that doth not ascribe his good successe unto God the Fountaine of all good, and the universall or principall cause of all happy events, who builds the house more than all that labour on it, who keeps the City above all that watch or ward, who gives more [Page 270] to the increase than all that plant or water: yet the Builder, the Watchman, the Plan­ter, the Waterer, have their parts and offices, which being neglected the house is not builded, the City is betrayed, the Tree is unfruitfull. Because some little thing is done by men, but nothing comparable to that great which is done by God, therefore the forme of the Saints rejoycing is thus conceived, Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give glory; that, not unto us, implies that something hath beene done by us, and that mans corrupt heart is too ready to claime some glory to it selfe for it, but true Wisdome and Piety soone removeth it, and saith, Not unto us O Lord, but to thy Name give glory.

Neither truly should these poore things of the will of Man, whether wish or will, whether endeavour or labour, whether yeelding or obeying have been once named the same day that Gods Grace and Works are praised, or have beene pleaded or con­tended for in these disputes had not there beene a necessity compelling thereunto; Qui verò necessitate cogente vera de se bona loquitur, tantò magis veriùs humilitati jungitur, quantò & veritati associatur, saith Bern. Serm. 20. in coena Domini. They have compelld mee, who under a colour of [Page 271] magnifying the grace of God, and bring­ing greater thankes to him, and of justly reproving them that have beene Adulatores naturae, are turned themselves Adulatores gratiae, so farre forth as by them Satan seeketh to subvert the Truth and righte­ousnesse of God, and to extinguish and destroy all Piety and Religion in Men, bringing into the World a stupid sloth for some, a remorslesse infidelity and impeni­tency for others, and an invincible despera­tion and hardnesse for other some, the naturall off-spring of that Doctrine that takes away all manner of freedome of will from men in matters of Salvation, that turnes the generall Promises of the Gospell into particular and private, that limits an especiall kinde of grace which is onely effectuall to a few secret ones by a direct decree, the rest being left destitute of true grace, though they be called by the word of the Gospell.

These things I was warned of long agoe by Melanchton, before the name of Armini­us was heard of here, in his common places, cap. de Praedest. Removeamus à Paulo Stoicas Disputationes, &c. Let us remove from S. Paul such Stoicall disputes, as overthrow Faith and Prayer, for how could Saul believe or pray, when he doubted whether [Page 272] the promise belongd to him, or when that fatall Table of the Destinies had prepos­sess'd him? For it is decreed that thou shalt be a castaway, &c. And in the Chapter de lib. Arbitr. hee admits of their disputation that say, Si nihil agit liberum arbitrium, &c. If my Freewill doth availe nothing, in the meane time till I perceive that Re­generation you speake of, wrought in me, I will be indulgent to my unbeliefe and other vitious affections. This Manichae an imagination is an horrible falshood, and from that errour our mindes are to bee ferch'd off, and taught that Freewill doth availe much.

To conclude with reference to the question de causa discriminis, the same grave Author there saith thus; Cum promissio sit Ʋniver­salis, &c. When as the Promise is Universall, neither are there in God contradictory wills, there is a necessity, some cause of this difference to bee in us, why Saul was rejected and David received; that is, of necessity in those two there was some different Action. But still remember that this agere aliquid, & aliquam actionem, is not to be conceiv'd to be by meer naturall strength but by the helpe of Grace.

CHAP. XIII. Of Conversion under the termes of a new Creation, Regeneration, the first Resurrection, &c.

THis Chapter is an answer to another Objection. There be that delight much in these Metaphors, rather than in the simple terme of Conversion: inferring hence that a man doth no more to his new Creation, than he did to his first, nor to his Regeneration than hee did to his Genera­tion, nor to his Resurrection from sinne than Lazarus did to the raising of his dead body.

Hence proceeds that Doctrine of Mr. Pemble of Grace and Faith, p. 13. That the seed of spirituall life, and the habits of Faith and Grace, (like a new Soule) are infused into men before they be so much as illuminated supernaturally, illumination going before the act of Faith, but not before the habit, or the grace of Sanctification in the Soule; So hee. Hence Dr. Taylor upon that Text, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Whosever is in Christ is a new creature, infers, that Grace cannot be resisted, pag. 80. because no Creature can resist his Creator in the creation thereof, &c.

[Page 274] But they might have beene pleased to have been advised,

1. That this leaneth too much to an En­thusiasmus, such as the judicious Divines in their suffrage doe disclaime, p. 48.

2. That in our spirituall Nativity, as in our naturall, there are many preparative dispositions, as the same Fathers say, p. 42.

3. That Arguments taken from Alle­gories and Metaphors are weake and de­ceitfull, if they be extended infinitely, and beyond that to which the Scripture intend­eth them.

4. That as Mr. Beza himselfe confesseth, 2 Cor. 5. 17. here is an [...], more than is strictly to bee taken, for that the new Creation extends not to the substance, but to the qualities of a man, else if wee presse the letter, wee may better defend a Tran­substantiation in a mans conversion, than the Romanists can doe in the Sacrament of Christs Body; or wee may helpe with an Argument the absurd opinion of Fla. Illiricus, that Originall sinne is the very sub­stance of Man: but we have learned better of Chrysostome in 3. Johannis, Nativitatem hoc in loco, non secundùm substantiam, sed ho­norem & gratiam intelligi.

5. They might have been advised that this [...] respecteth;

[Page 275] First, the Universality of the change in qualities to be so diffused over the whole Man, ut non cognoscas eundem esse, Chrys. in 2 Cor. 5. Hom. 11. propter hoc & crassiore nomine vocat Resurrectionem (sive novam cre­aturam) ut multam nobis mutationem & varietatem ostendat. That appeares by S. Pauls descriptions of the old and new Man, Col. 3. and by his parallels to this Text, Gal. 6. 17. In Christ Jesus neither circum­cision avayleth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Gal. 5. 6. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision, but Faith that worketh by love. 1 Cor. 7. Cir­cumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of Gods Commandements. That's something; where this makes up a new creature, Faith that worketh by love, or the keeping of Gods Commande­ments.

Secondly, It respecteth the necessity of this change; except a man be borne againe, &c. Joh. 3. first, in opposition to our first birth from Adam, by which wee are all sinners, and excluded out of the Kingdom of God. But by Faith in Christ wee become to be in him as in a second Adam: and have from him righteousnesse and holinesse, as reall, and avayleable to our entrance into the Kingdome of God, as our being borne [Page 276] of Adam was avaylable to our excluding thence.

Next, in opposition to the Jewes boasts of being the children of Abraham, as if that were enough to righteousnesse and happi­nesse; but if they be not borne againe by another birth, and that of God, Joh. 1. 13. they may be the children of the Devill, Joh. 8. 44.

Thirdly, It respecteth the necessity of a divinum & supernaturale principum, from whence this change must flow, else there is no hope for us ever to bee converted: Therefore, the Apostle having said, Old things are past away, behold all things are become new, addeth, vers. 18. and all things are of God, &c. for it is hee that made us and not we our selves in both creations, Psal. 110. and wee are therefore [...], Gods Manufacture created in Christ Jesus unto good workes, Eph. 2. 10.

6. But now as to the manner and many circumstances; each Creation and Gene­ration hath its proper and peculiar man­ner; for hee that made us without us, will not save us without us, as is alledged out of S. Augustine.

There, the change is à non ente ad ens, here, à non tali ad tale.

There, is a rude Masse; here, in a Crea­ture [Page 277] already living, reasonable, moving.

There, God wrought immediately, here, by meanes.

There, was never Creature heard say, Create me, renew mee O Lord: here one is heard crave, Psal. 51. Create in mee a cleane heart O God, & renew a right spirit within me.

There, it was never said to a Creature, make thy self: here it is said, Make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will you die O house of Israel, Ezek. 18. 31. Jer. 4. 4. Eph. 5. 14.

There, was never any Creature blamed that was not made, nor reproved for being as it is: but here, to keepe on the old man, and not to put on the new, is imputed as a notorious fault in them that professe Christ Jesus and the Gospel.

For this matter see if you please Doctor Jackson of justifying Faith, Sect. 3. cap. 1. 279. & deinceps; Unlesse you be sick of the disease of these times, which is one a­mong others more, that Nazianzen saith was the sicknesse in his times, in Apologeti­co: Malos autem & bonos, non ex moribus, neque ex conversatione, sed ex partibus judi­camus, & ea quae placebant hodiè in aliquo, crastinò, si fuerit partis alterius, displice­bunt: & qui landabatur hesternò, culpabitur hodiè: That is, wee estimate Good and Bad men, not from their manners, nor for their [Page 278] conversation, but by the faction they take; and those things which this day did please in such a man, to morrow if hee turne on the other side, wil be disliked, and he that was pray­sed yesterday, shall be faulted to day.

CHAP. XIV. The Sum of the Doctrine of Grace and Free-will.

IN the yeare of the Lord, 1543. 35. H. 8. some three yeares before his death, there was published a Booke by the King, made by the Clergy, seene and very well liked by the whole Parliament, intituled, A ne­cessary Doctrine, and erudition for any Chri­stian man, &c. In which Booke there is a Declaration of the Article of Freewill, with the understanding whereof and some other points, the heads and senses of the People in those dayes were wuch imbusied and travelled, saith the Preface. This Declara­tion I have transcribed wholly, not to presse the Reader with the authority of this Booke, for there are therein some few things of the error of former Times, al­though the Authors rejoyce in God, and that worthily, for the light and know­ledge [Page 279] then manifested, in comparison of the darknesse and ignorance of the former Times: But first to make use of the cautel­ous Expression, and Declaration of this Article, composed by the best and soundest judgements of that Time; and secondly, what was the last and immediate Doctrine in this point that went before our Articles and Homilies in the beginning of Edw. 6. and finding that Doctor Cranmer and some others were of the Clergy, in both Kings Reignes, and likely to have had their heads and hands in both these workes, it may well be presumed, the difference not to be much in any matter of moment: Let it not bee troublesome then for you to reade, that which was not tedious for me to write.

CHAP. XV. Of Perseverance.

THe next worke of the Divine Provi­dence executing the decree of his Pre­destination, is to preserve and continue the Called and Converted in that State of Re­generation and Sanctification unto the End, it being our assured Confidence, That he which hath begun a good work in us, will fi­nish it, [...], will hold it out to the End, Phil. 1. 6. yet about this work there was much Dispute; I, by searching for the true State of the questions, will endeavour to shorten it.

1. I take it there is no question, Whether there be a speciall gift or Grace called Perseverance, like to the gift of Faith, Cha­rity, Patience, Chastity, or the like, for that a man may as safely deny, as that there is a Grace of Beginning, seeing Perseverance is but the continuing and abiding in the same Graces of Faith, Charity, &c. So long as I confesse that by the protection, government, Visitation, and supportance of Gods Grace, all gifts given by God, are by him continued, and preserved from losse or from decay.

[Page 288] 2. There is no question, that without the Grace, Protection, preservation of God, no man of himselfe alone is able to continue in the midst of so many assaults of Satan, the World, and the Flesh.

3. There is no question, that the Elect doe finally persevere in Faith and San­ctification, for whosoever persevereth not, by that selfe-same not-persevering he is de­clared to be none of the number of the Elect; Election according to my fifth o­pinion presupposing an infallible fore­knowledge of finall perseverance; if there be any such, (as Doctor Carlton late Bishop of Chichester saith) as maintaine that the Grace of Predestination or Election may be lost, I have no acquaintance or confederacy with them.

4. The question is not, about every belee­ver, for all confesse, that some beleevers of some kind or degree of Faith, may lose it: Nor is it, whether a beleever not perseve­ing doth lose all Graces at once, or all at last, it being confessed that he may keep many, by which yet he cannot be saved, and may lose those that be essentially necessary to Salvation: as fides mentis may abide with an evill Conscience, when fides cordis can­not, but is lost by mortall sinne.

5. But the question is of a beleever whose [Page 289] Faith worketh by love, whether it may be lost; and it is the same question which heretofore was wont to be disputed in these termes, An Charitas amitti poterit? and is handled at large by Gratian de Paeni­tentia, distinct. secunda, where the distinction of Charity is into Inchoatam Perfectam, begun, and perfect planted and radicated; and so may Faith be distinguished (as often in the Gospell) into weake and strong, little Faith and great Faith, &c. Now the Question is not, of great, strong, rooted, perfect Faith and Charity, whether it may be lost? but of weak, green, tender, yet true and Salvifica, such as would save if it were held, or if a man did depart his life in it, whe­ther this be not many times lost? Such as was Peters Faith before Christs passion, when he feared to confesse Christ at the voice of a Damosell; but after the Spi­rit given in Pentecost, his Faith and Love were so corroborated, ut vires persequenti­um caesus despiceret, & Redemptorem suum libere inter flagella praedicaret, as it is there cap. 15. out of Gregory in Ezek. hom. 15.

6. Lastly, a double question may be put, 1. Of those that are not Elected, whether there be not many of them that attaine to [Page 290] true Faith, true Repentance, Justification and Sanctification, wherein they persevere not to the End, but lose them, and so pe­rish.

2. Of those that are Elect, whether God permit not them sometimes to fall into hainous sinnes, as Adultery, Murther, or the like? and if so, then what their estate is while they are in those sinnes, un­till they actually repent? whether they be still justified, or in state of Salvation? For the Perseverance of the Elect may be con­ceived to be of two sorts or degrees; ei­ther continued without interruption, by a constant holding of Faith and a good Con­science from the beginning to the End, which is rare: Or with interruptions, and falls, and risings againe, and renewings by repentance, finally Faith to deliver their Spirits into the hands of God, which is or­dinary.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Faith of such as persevere not, or of those that are not elect.

FOr the affirmative part in the first Question, I bring but two Texts of Scripture, Mat. 24. 13. & Ezek. 18. 21. The first hath the Promise of Salvation to him that continueth to the end: Out of which I collect two things: 1. That he to whom Salvation is promised if hee continue, is in the right in which hee should continue; is not onely begun and must adde or increase, but is so ripe and so perfect (as I may say) as if hee but hold out such to the end, hee shall be saved. 2. That hee who by the Pro­mise of Salvation is excited to persevere in Falth, or in Love, is supposed possible to wax cold in love, or to deny the Faith, and embrace this present world.

These Inferences seemed strong to S. Bern. Ep. 42. disputing this very question; Siomnes qui habent charitatem, &c. If all such as were endued with love, had perseve­rance in love, our Lord in vaine admonished his Disciples, To continue in love: for if either as yet they did not love, hee ought not to say, Continue, but Bee in love; or if they did love [Page 292] already, there was on neede for him to admo­nish them of Perseverance, whereof they could not be deprived according to some Mens Opi­nion. And a little before: Hi radices non habent, &c. These Men have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away; Whence and whither doe they fall? Even from Faith to Ʋnbeliefe? I aske fur­thermore, could they have beene saved in that Faith, or could they not? If they could not, what prejudice is it to their Saviour, what joy to the Tempter, that they fall from thence where there was no Salvation? It seemed to S. Jerome a good Argument which is taken from admonitions, against Jovinian, lib. 2. S. John exhorteth, Filioli, custodite vos à simu­lacris; Si omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat, & à Diabolo tentari non potest, quomo­do praecipit ut caveant ne tententur?

The answer that some rest in, that Exhor­tations, Precepts and Promises are the meanes whereby Perseverance is upheld, is against themselves, unlesse these were in­fallible meanes; for seeing the Obedience to Exhortations and Precepts is in Man who failes, these meanes doe often faile: The sixth and seventh Commandements were knowne to David, as meanes to hold him back from his two sinnes, but they fail­ed through him: So Peters warning of his [Page 293] denyall, was a meanes to humble his confi­dence in himselfe, and to have perswaded him to beware of putting himself into dan­ger, but he took not warning.

Neither is that answer to purpose, That in regard of our weaknesse wee may easily fall, and meanes must be used for our sup­port, but in regard of Gods Election, and Christs Intercession, wee cannot but stand fast: for wee now treat of those, whom it is yet uncertaine whether the Election of God have embraced them or no: O [...] how­soever if any one or two meanes be infal­lible, wee may be secure, all other supplies are superfluous: If two pillars be strong and sure to beare up such an house as Sampson was in with the Philistines, what neede other supporters beside?

The second Text of Scripture is that of Ezek. 18. 21. 26. 27. which by no evasion can be avoyded, if the comparison there betweene a righteous man and a wicked be well observed: for deny you any-wise that a righteous man can turne away from his righteousnesse and dy; and I will deny like­wise that a wicked man can turne from his wickednesse and live; and so we shall sol­vere Scripturas, make voyd the holy Word of God; if a supposition putteth nothing in the one, it putteth nothing in the other: [Page 294] if the wicked there whom the Text speakes of, be truly and Legally a wicked man, then the righteous there is truly and Evangeli­cally a righteous man, for Legally righteous the Scripture knowes but one: if it bee ever seene that a wicked man turnes from his wickednes and lives, then it may as well be seene that a righteous man turnes from his righteousnes and dyes.

To these places I finde no answer made by our Divines at Dort, from whom I hoped for satisfaction in all things: but to divers others as, Heb. 6. 4, 5. & 2 Pet. 2. and such like, they frame this answer; That such places speake of initiall and precedaneall degrees of Faith, not of true justifying Faith; men but entred a little may goe back, but not they that have attained unto true Faith: yet such beginners say they, are to be counted in the visible Church for true believers and justifyed persons. Of these reverend Doctors give mee leave to de­mand; 1. If they be to be taken for justi­fyed persons, by what shall we know these things mentioned in the Texts, which they will have to be onely the initia and prece­dent dispositions to Faith, not true Faith? 2. If these bee but initia, what have they more or better to give to a true Be­liever, than to have tasted of the good Word [Page 295] of God, and of the powers of the World to come, Heb. 6. And to be purged from his old finnes, 2 Pet. 1. 9. To have escaped the polluti­ons of the world. 2 Pet. 2. 20. To have the strong man armed that kept the house, to be cast out by a stronger, Luke 11. 22. if these be the lowest and first gifts of the Spirit, what bee the highest and the last? words of sense, as Tasting, Hearing, Seeing, are not used in the Scriptures to expresse a little superfici­all conceit of things Spirituall, quasi primo­ribus labris gustasse, but rather the full, clear, certaine, deepe apprehension of them. See Job 34. 3. Psal. 34. 9. Joh. 6. 40. Joh. 8. 56. 47. Et alibi passim.

From hence it is, that the renewing of these men againe by Repentance is so hard, or impossible, that fell from so great an height, whereas to be renewed after lesser faults is ordinary: How will these Divines of the Schoole satisfie weake ones, and our common Christians of the Country, in whom they shall not finde so much as these things which they call initialls? how will they perswade them, that they are in the state of Regeneration, and have that justi­fying Faith, whereof they say Believers may be assured; or will they exclude them out of the rank of Believers?

3. I oppose S. Augustines judgement in this, [Page 296] which must not bee refused by any replyer, De corrept. & grat. cap. 8. Mirandum est quidem, multumque mirandum, &c. It is to be wondered at, and very marvelous, that God should not give Perseverance to some of his Children, whom hee hath Regenerated in Christ, and to whom hee hath given Faith, Hope and Love; when as he forgives so great wickednesse to other strange Children, and makes them his Sonnes by conferring his Grace upon them, &c. The thing that S. Augustine admireth, is, Cur illos Deus, &c. why God should not then snatch away those his children, which have lived faithfully and godlily, out of the danger of this present life, lest their evill inclinations should worke a change in their mindes. And hee refers this to the inscru­table judgements of God, most wisely and holily: But his Opinion is, that if these men had dyed in that time when they lived justly and piously, they had beene saved, therefore their faith was more than begun, they were more than seeming Christians, they were truly justifyed and sanctifyed, and then fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Lastly, I maintaine and prescribe this to be the publike Doctrine of the Church of England, by Law established: and first, Heare King Henries Protestations in the Booke before praised; In the Article of [Page 297] Justification: If after our Baptisme it chance us by our Spirituall enemies to be overthrown, and cast into mortall sinne, then is there no remedy, but for the recovery of our former estate of justification, which wee have lost, to arise by Penance, wherein proceeding in sor­row and much lamentation for our sinnes, &c. we must have a sure trust and confidence in the Mercy of God, that for his Son our Sa­viour Christs sake, he will yet forgive us our sinnes, and receive us into his favour againe, and so being thus restored to our Justification, we must goe forward in our battaile aforesaid. Againe a little after: And it is no doubt, but although we be once justifyed, yet we may fall therefrom by our own Freewill, and consenting to sinne, and following the desires thereof. For albeit the house of our conscience be once made cleane, and the foule spirit be expelled from us in Baptisme or Penance, yet if wee wax Idle, and take not heed, hee will returne with seven worse spirits, and possesse us againe.

This I allege not for it selfe, but for the affinity our 16. Article made in Edw. 6. hath unto it, as a Child of the same Fa­thers.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Persevering Faith of the Elect.

THe second question stated was of the Perseverance of the Elect, whether it be without interruption, in a perpetuall constancy, or happy if it be finall; that is, what the state of a regenerate man is, (sup­pose him one of the Elect, though knowne so to God onely) under some grievous Sin into which he is fallen, untill he repent.

Here I will first argue ex concessis, and then rest in one argument out of the Scripture.

Our Judicious Divines that were at Dort, apprehending well the danger of their Tenent, that maintaine the Regene­rate sinning to be still actually in the state of Salvation, say very much of the evill plight of a regenerate man lapsed, so much as I require no more: That he is not actu­ally reconciled untill he repent, but verily in state of damnation, and unapt for to enter in­to the Kingdome of Heaven.

Yet some things they hold fast, that they [Page 311] may not forsake their party altogether: That which I object is, that the things which they deny cannot stand together with the things they grant.

1. They say first, Though the Regenerate so sinning be guilty, yet they are in the pur­pose of God to be absolved.

Ans. So they were before they were re­generated, or repented, or beleeved at all.

Secondly, That they are not dealt withall by God in rigor.

Ans. No more are many reprobates fallen from Faith, whom yet God would bring to Repentance by his long-suffering.

Thirdly, That they have not lost jus ad Regnum, but usum Juris; as a leprous man hath not lost the right of his house, but the Ʋse.

Ans. I understand you well by a simi­litude, but I care not for an Argu­ment out of that place: Then be­like an Elect person guilty of Mur­ther, hath jus ad regnum; O Sancte Paule, thou speakest too loosely, 1 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 21. Be not de­ceived, I tell you, that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God: Shall they not inherit that have jus ad regnum? [Page 312] that have right to a Kingdome?

Fourthly, They say, That their Ʋniver­sall Justification is not made void.

Ans. Truly their former absolution from former sins, is not made void: But this new sin which hath made them Filios mortis, and guilty of the whole law, Jam. 2. 10. needeth a new absolution, that is, a new justification from the condemnati­on that this sinne deserveth, for to me Remission of sinnes is justifica­tion, by Saint Paul, Rom. 4. 7. and opposite to condemnation, Rom. 8. 33, 34.

What universall justification else is I know not, unlesse it be the forgivenesse of all Sinnes past, present, and to come, which I trow your wisdome will not ad­mit: you say truly and soundly, Non prius, quam per exitatam fi­dem & poenitentiam, veniam impe­traverit, actu absolutus.

Fifthly, Their state of Adoption remaineth immoveable.

Ans. In the purpose of God, not in Act.

Sixthly, There remaine Seedes, by which life may spring againe.

[Page 313] Ans. I grant that, far sooner than in an habituated wicked man, but that alters not the state of a sinner who is guilty of death: No more than the crime of a Noble mans Sonne, who hath friends in Court more speedily to beg his life.

This agreeth well with the fifth asserti­on of the ninth at Lambeth, that saith, Vera fides, &c. non extinguitur, &c. in electis aut finaliter, aut totaliter. (in electis.)

My one Argument out of the Scripture, that the Regenerate fallen into a mortall sinne, is not then Filius Dei, is taken out of Saint John, 1 Ep. 3. 9. He that is borne of God, doth not commit Sinne, for his seed re­maineth in him, and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God. I shall here doe two things at once, overthrow the strongest Ar­guments of my Opponents for the perseve­rance of the Elect without intermission, for (say they) if the seed of God remaine in him, and he cannot sinne, namely, deadly, what intercision or intermission can there be of his Justification? and I shall retort the Text unavoidably upon themselves. How may this be? by the true sense of that place. The scope of Saint John is not, to prove, that they that are borne of God cannot depart, or change from righteous­nesse [Page 314] to sinne, or that there cannot be a succession of these two, that where righ­teousnesse was, sinne could make no En­trance, and righteousnesse depart, (& con­tra) for this in the Apostles time was out of Question; whence the admonitions that they who had begun in the Spirit, should not end in the Flesh. But his scope was to prove that these two cannot consist or stand together (which the will of the flesh would faine have,) to be borne of God, and to commit (deadly) sinne; they admitted it for true, that he that had been the member of an harlot, might by repen­tance become the member of Christ; and that the member of Christ might be­come the member of an harlot, by falling into Adultery; but that a man might be at once, together, a member of an harlot, and a member of Christ, that they utterly deny, these expelling one the other.

For this heare Saint Jerome lib. 2. against Jovinian, who abused this Text for the like purpose that many doe now adays: Prop­terea inquit, scribo vobis filioli mei, &c. There­fore he saith, little children I write unto you (whosoever is borne of God, doth not commit sinne,) that ye may not sin, and may know that so long as ye shall not commit sinne, ye remaine the children of God: yea and those [Page 315] that persevere the children of God, cannot sin; (for there is first a departure from Grace, before we fall into sinne, according to our Article:) What communion is there between light and darknesse, Christ, and Belial? In like manner as Day and Night cannot min­gle, so neither can Righteousnesse and Iniqui­ty, Sinne and good Works, Christ and An­tichrist: If we have entertained Christ in the Inne of our hearts, we put the Devill to flight presently, If we sinne; and by the gate of sin give entrance to the Devill, forthwith Christ departs. Let them consider this who defend David to be still borne of God, when he stood guilty of Adultery and Murther; and let them beware they be not made to heare that which Tertullian hath de poenitentia: Sed aiunt quidam, &c. But some men say, they have God sure enough, if they receive him in heart and minde, though there be no signe thereof in their Actions: And thus they commit sinne, thinking their Feare and Faith safe; which is as much as if they committed Adultery, and yet thought their Chastity never the worse; or poyson'd their parents out of an Opinion they did God good service. And thus whilfl they commit Sin, notwithstanding their Feare, they themselves shall be thrown into Hell notwithstanding their Pardon. Let them consider this that [Page 316] say, Peter, salve amore & salvo fide, to have denyed and forsworne his Master.

But they count it a ridiculous thing to say, we be so often born of God, as we repent of sin. It is more lamentable to fall oft into such sins, than ridiculous to be often renewed by Repentance; Stick not to the letter of an allegory too long: because in our naturall birth we are born but once, therefore in our spirituall we are borne but once, there is no necessity in this consequence, S. Paul was not aware of this absurdity when he said, Gal. 4. 19. My little children, of whom I tra­vel in birth againe untill Christ be formed in you. As for the Unity of Baptisme the Sacra­ment of our new birth, that hath another Reason, whereof I need not now speak, especially seeing the prudent Divines in their preface to the fifth Article, de perseverantia, doe bar us from an Argument taken from the justification that is conferred in Bap­tisme; knowing well the Doctrine of our Church concerning the efficacy of Baptisme.

But to returne to the interpretation of the Text in Saint John: Bishop Ridley one of our blessed Martyrs, and a chiefe guide in the reformation of our Church in King Edwards time, in a treatise of his published by Master Fox, in his Acts and monuments, pag. 1672. mentioning this [Page 317] speech of Saint John, saith in a parenthesis (he meaneth, so long as that seed doth abide in him, he cannot sin.) In the Homily of Faith the second and third parts, there is at large this proved, that faith without good works is dead: and often use of the senten­ces of S. John in his Epistles, the sum wher­of is interpreted to be that Faith, Hope and Charity cannot stand with evill living; and againe, cannot consist or stand without good and godly workes, pag. 26. Consist, and stand, imply a being, and a presence sometimes of Faith, Hope and Charity, but a flying away, and an avoyding the place, assoone as an evill grosse worke comes in; as well as that evill workes standing and abiding, Faith, Hope and Charity will not, cannot endure to stand and abide with them. And lest wee should thinke that S. John labours onely to convince them that made a bare profession of Faith, and of knowing God, and yet were not changed in their lives, nor did forbeare from any sinne, that they were meere Hypocrites, and did lye in say­ing they were in the light, when they still walked in darknesse: Marke also that hee writeth to his owne Filioli, of whom hee judged better, that their sins were forgiven them, that they had overcome that evill one, 1 Joh. 2. 1. 12, 13. that they also sin not, that [Page 318] they love not the World; that they love their Brethren: Hence hee useth so often these Phrases of abiding in him, vers. 6. of abiding in the light, 10. abiding in the Father, & in the Son, 24. by walking as God walketh, by loving his Brother, by not sinning: which things none can doe, but they must first be truly engrafted and entred as it were into Christ, in whom they are to abide: So that if they sinne, or love the World, or hate their brother, and yet say, they abide in the light, they lye also aswell as they that never were in the true light at all. Vide Origenem super numeros, Homil. 13.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the certainty of Perseverance. Election. Salvation.

THis is an Appendix to the question of Perseverance; for we can have no bet­ter assurance of the certainty of Election and Salvation, than we have of the certain­ty of our Perseverance, if our Election and Salvation doe presuppose and forgoe our Perseverance. The certainty we speake of is not to God, whose knowledge is infal­lible, [Page 319] and purpose unchangeable, but to us here while we live, either for knowledge, or for faith of our Peseverance and the rest depending thereon.

The Divines in their Suffrage, methinks, speake here so variably, and take up that which they lay downe, and lay down again that which they tooke up, that I doubt not they will easily admit and allow these three Conclusions, wherein I rest, with many so­ber and humble spirits in the Church of God.

1. That for the present time and state, after much use of the holy meanes of Sal­vation, while hee is in studio Sanctitatis, and out of tentation, and in the peace of a good conscience through faith in Christ, a Belie­ver hath, by the testimony of the holy Ghost in him, a comfortable assurance that he hath true faith, and is now in the state of Salvation, which begets in him true joy, and fervent love, and thankfulnesse unto God. And if this be, when hee is neere to the end of his Race, or at the point of death, it may be more abundant and more triumphant; according to that of S. Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 6. I am now ready to be offered up, &c. vers. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse, &c. [Page 320] This is the doctrine of the Lutherans against the perpetuall doubting of the Papists, that would have no man certaine of his estate present, no not when hee is best: But our Homily of Faith saith well, Part three, He that feeleth his heart set to seek Gods honour, &c. such a man may well rejoyce in God, perceiving by the trade of his life that hee unfeignedly hath the right knowledge of God, a lively Faith, a stedfast hope, a true and unfeigned love and feare of God. Thus I un­derstand the sixth Assertion of the ninth at Lambeth.

2. That for the time to come, as to our Perseverance to the end, especially when as yet probably we have a long race to run (as in youth) and many dangers to passe through, wee have no certaine assurance of the event, that wee shall undoubtedly persevere, but we have a sure confidence in God and his Goodnesse, that hee will not bee wanting unto us, if wee be not too too much wanting to our selves, 1 Cor. 10. 13.

For this I referre my selfe to the judge­ment of the Ancients, holy men, practized and experimented Divines: S [...] Austustine de Civit. 11. 12.

Hodie non imprudenter beatos voce­mus, &c. At this day we doe not indiscreetly [Page 321] call them blessed, whom wee see live justly and godly with hope of future immortality, and without such a crime as makes shipwrack of Conscience: who though they be assured of the reward of their Perseverance, yet are they found very uncertaine of their owne Perseve­rance: for what man is there that knowes for certaine he shall continue to the end, in doing and proceeding on in Righteousnesse, except he be assur'd thereof by some revelation from him, who touching this matter, in his just and secret judgement, is not pleased to informe all, though he deceive none.

Ambros. de bono Mortis, cap. 3. Tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis, Psal. 115. &c. He saith not I doe sacrifice, but I will sacrifice: signifying that to be a perfect sacrifice, when every one, freed from the chaines of this body, shall stand before the Lord, and offer himself a sacrifice of praise, for that afore death there can be no perfect praise, nor can any man in this life be extolld truly with his due commen­dations, when as his latter times are so incer­taine. Bern. Serm. 1. in. Septuages. Quis po­test dicere, ego de Electis sum, &c. Who can say of himselfe, I am one of the Elect; I am one of them that are predestinated to life; I am of the number of Sons; because as yet wee have no certainty, but may be comforted with the assurance of hope, lest we be wholly [Page 322] tormented with the suspence of doubtfulnes. For which end there are given us some signes and markes of Salvation, that it may be past all doubt such an one is of the number of the Elect, in whom those signes are to be found:—and for this cause there is a kinde of necessity, that being alwayes thus in suspence, we should be bumbled with feare and trembling under the Almighty hand of God, for that we art able to know even in part what ones we are at present, but what we shall be hereafter, that is altogether impossible for us to know. There­fore let him that stands take heed lest he fall; and persevere and proceed in that state, which is a mark of Salvation, and an argument of his being predestinated.

3. That for the certainty of our Election, besides this testimony of S. Bernard, we have S. Austugine cleere for the Negative. De corrept. & grat. cap. 13. Quis enim ex mul­titudine fidelium, &c. For who is there a­mong the multitude of Believers, that so long as he lives in this fleshly Tabernacle, can pre­sume himselfe to be of the number of those that are predestinated, because that is need­full to be conceald in this life, where puffing up is so to be taken heed of, that even by the messenger of Satan so great an Apostle should be buffeted lest he should be puff'd up.—Many the like things are spoken, for the use­fullnesse [Page 323] of this secret, lest haply any man be puffed up; but even all that run well, may feare, whilest this is hid, whither they shall goe. vid. plura ibid.

King Henries Booke in the first Article, which is of Faith, well expresseth my mind in these words; But whether there be any speciall particular knowledge, which man by faith hath certainly of himselfe, wherby he may testifie to himself, that he is of the pre­destinates, which shall to the end persevere in their Calling, we have not spoken, ne cannot in Scripture, ne Doctors finde, that any such faith can be taught or Preached. Truth it is, that in the Sacraments instituted by Christ, we may constantly believe the Works of God in them to our present comfort, and application of his grace and favour, with assurance also that he will not faile us, if we fall not from him; wherefore so continuing in the state of Grace with him, we may believe undoubted­ly to be saved. But forasmuch as our own frailty and naughtinesse ought ever to be feared in us, it is therefore expedient for us to live in continuall watch, and continuall fight with our Enemies, and not presume too much of our Perseverance and continuance in the state of Grace, which on our behalfe is uncer­taine and unstable; for although Gods Promi­ses made in Christ be immutable, yet hee ma­keth [Page 324] them not to us, but with condition; so that his Promise standing, we may yet faile of the Promise, because we keep not our Promise. And therefore if we assuredly reckon upon the state of our felicity, as grounded upon Gods Promise, and do not therewith remember, that no man shall be crowned, unlesse he lawfully fight, we shall triumph before the victory, and so look in vaine for that which is not other­wise promised, but under a condition. And this every Christian man must assuredly be­lieve. So there.

The same seemes to me to be averred by our 17 Article, where the Counsell of God predestinating to life, is said to be His Counsell secret to us: and in K. Edw. Article it was repeated againe in the last para­graph, thus; Although the Decrees of Pre­destination be unknown to us, yet we must receive Gods Promises, &c. which words doe not exclude onely our knowledge, or privity to the Counsell and Decrees of God à priori, but also à posteriori; and not onely before wee be called, or by Grace obey the Calling, but even after faith, and after justification; for then there is the chiefe place of the Profit of this secret, lest perhaps any such should be lifted up, that S. Augustine spake of; but if wee may be certaine that wee may have true faith, as [Page 325] we may; and be certaine that true faith cannot finally be lost, as they resolve us that would be counted the sound Divines; and we be likewise most certaine that God hath elected them that persevere to the end in a lively faith, as the Scriptures clearely resolve us, then the Counsell of God as to our selves that once believe, is no more secret, nor his decree unknowne: and by our knowledge thereof we have lost some profit which wee had by the igno­rance thereof, whereof we have still as much need as ever. And King James at Hamp­ton-Court Conference is reported, pag. 30. lin. 20. to have said, by inferring the neces­sary certainty of standing, and persisting in Grace, a desperate presumption may be ar­reared.

CHAP. XIX. Of the last Judgement.

THe last worke of the Divine Provi­dence executing the decree of his Pre­destination, is the worke of the last and generall Judgement, wherein is executed the decrees concerning the Ends of all men, for Praedestinatio finium is nothing else but [Page 326] the foreknowledge and approbation (o [...] decree) of the last judgement: It being true which the first of the nine Assertions at Lambeth saith, Deus ab aeterno quosdam praedestinavit ad vitam, & quosdam ad mor­tem reprobavit, (though it say not, in what Order;) In the last day distributing life and death, according as from everlasting he had decreed.

Now here, as elsewhere, the Execution of the decree sheweth, what the decree it selfe was; as the building set up and finish­ed, sheweth what was the device and plot of the builder.

But in the last judgement is shewed the execution and consequution of Ends; So that if wee admit (as we must do) that God propounded an End for himselfe to attain, namely the glory of his mercy and bounty, in giving some men Eternall life; and the glory of his soveraigne power and justice, in afflicting on other some Eternall death, hee hath the consequution and attainment of this End in the last righteous judge­ment.

Againe, if wee admit (as we must doe) that God propounded Ends to men, for them either to aspire unto or attaine, as Eternall life; or to shun with all feare, and if not fearing and shunning to fall into, as [Page 327] Eternall death, these Ends are attained, or executed also in the last judgement.

Moreover, if wee admit (as wee doe) that Eternall life, at the last judgement, is given, as a free and bounteous gift, Rom. 6. 23. And yet also as the reward and crown of Righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 4. 8. And that Eternall death is then inflicted as the wages and punishment of sinne, Rom. 6. 23. and as the demonstration also of Gods soveraigne Power and Dominion (yet with justice and equity,) Rom. 9. 21, 22. If these things be most certaine Truths, (as they are,) it can­not be conceived by ordinary humane un­derstanding, how a decree of these things could be made before the foundation of the World were laid, without Gods Pre­science, as life is a reward, and death a punishment, seeing no justice can prepare reward or punishment, but upon suppo­sall or foreknowledge of good, or evill deserts: Nor without that Prescience of God, which wee call (after our manner of understanding) simplicis intelligentiae, simple and naturall understanding, as life Eternall is a gift of his free goodnesse, and as death Eternall is a Declaration of his supreme Dominion and Lordship; and as in both he doth attain that high End, which he seeketh for himself, his own glory.

[Page 328] Let the prudent Reader ponder this a little, because it seemes to mee to cleare my maine and prime Proposition, That Prescience is necessarily to be put into the definition of Predestination; and yet not every Prescience, but that which is in the first, highest, simple, naturall understand­ing of the Almighty, as that which is most proper and fit for the Prime Author, and supreme Disposer and Ruler of all things, whereby a trim composition and compre­hension together may be made of those things that most men through contention doe separate, nay oppose one to another. Prosper shall helpe with an expression of his of the best part of this Notion, Epigra. 28. Siomnes homines simul consideremus, &c. If we consider all men together, whereof some may be saved in mercy, some others dam­ned in truth; all the wayes of the Lord, that is, his Mercy and Truth, are distinguish'd by the End: But if wee looke onely upon the Saints, these wayes of the Lord are not de­scryed; for there Truth is not to be distin­guish'd from Mercy, nor Mercy from Truth, because the blessednesse of the Saints is both from the Reward of Grace, and Retribution of Justice.

This sentence cleareth the most doubt­full part, for that eternal death is de retribu­tione [Page 329] justitiae, is a truth so cleare, and not possible to be decreed, from before time, without foreknowledge of sinne, as my Opposites therefore love not to argue about Reprobation, or if they doe, they fly to the Dominion and Liberty of God, as a Lord absolute and unaccountable, to exclude Prescience even here, if it were possible: But for Predestination to eternall life, because it is the gift of God, they are confident it may be decreed without Pre­science what man will doe; which they well might seeme to have some colour for, if the blessednesse of the Saints were onely de munere Gratiae, and not also de retribu­tione Justitiae: But why strive they to sepa­rate and dis-joyne those things which God hath joyned together, he having made the blessednesse of the Saints to be the retribu­tion of Justice, out of his Prescience of their labouring to attaine their end, life; and to be also the gift of his Grace, out of his owne understanding what will bring them to happinesse, if he grant them these benefits, whereby he shall also attain his end, the glory of his free love in giving eternall life to whom hee will; both these being understood and knowne, before the very existence of men, or any act of his be allowed to be by any decree of the will [Page 330] of God; that is, onely upon condition or supposition, if hee please to will the Crea­tion, Calling, Governing of the Saints, in such sort as he foreknowes will bring forth life unto them, and this be a way of Glory to himselfe.

In summe, this judgement being ex praete­ritis, the predestination of it cannot but be ex praevisis.

The Judge whom God hath ordained for that day is Christ the Lord. God and man, not the Father himselfe immediatly; the reason is, Joh. 5. 22, 23. that all might honour the Sonne, as they honour the Father; and the reason of that is, because as the Father hath Created, so the Sonne hath Redeemed mankinde: And this shall be the great crime upon which the World shall be judged, Joh. 3. 19. That light is come in­to the World, and men loved darknesse more than light; and Christs Word shall judge him in the last day, whosoever hath rejected Christ, Joh. 12. 48. as after the Gospell is preached any where, the rule of judgement is, Mark. 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved, hee that believeth not, shall be damned. But S. Paul more fully, 2 Thess. 1. 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, to recompence rest to them that have beene troubled for his Truth, and [Page 331] in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ. The severity of the last judgement, in flaming fire, rendring venge­ance. The particularity of the Persons, wee must all appeare before the judgement Seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 10. The specialty of causes which God shall judge, the very secrets of men by Jesus Christ, Rom. 2. 16. When as many as have sinn'd without Law, shall also perish without Law, vers. 12. having had a Law written in their hearts; which is as much as that vengeance shall be rendred to them that know not God, as Tertullian saith, Illius etiam est ignorantes Deum plectere, quem non liceat ignorare; when those that have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law, and they that have not obeyed the Gospell, shall be judged by the Gospell, by the like proportion. This specialty of causes argueth I say to mee, that Originall sinne, which is one just cause of death, shall justly be alleged against them that have had no other cause of con­demnation in them but this, as against all Infants that have dyed, and have not this sinne purg'd by the lavacre of Regenera­tion, either in act or vow of the Church: but to allege it against them that have lived to yeares capable to know God, and [Page 332] to obey the Gospell, and perhaps have by Baptisme that sinnes forgivenesse sealed un­to them, as it seemed strange to Doctor Whitakers, that any man should be Repro­bated for that sinne which is forgiven him; so it seemeth strange to mee, that those sinnes should be alleged against a man, for which hee is condemned, and yet for which he was not Reprobated, since the sentence of Reprobation is the heaviest and most wofull sentence that can be, as that which drawes after it the sentence of Condemna­tion, as the fourth Assertion at Lambeth saith. I conceive, the same sins for which the wicked are condemned at the last, were the sinnes for which they were written Reprobates before all dayes, Jude vers. 4. altogether, first and last, great and small; but especially their finall impenitency, and obstinacy in sinne; else, what needed this exactnesse of differencing the specialties of causes? Or how doth it more burden the guilty to heare of their several crimes, when they all were rejected in the common case of mankinde fallen, and from thenceforth unable to arise and amend, having neither Saviour to die for them, nor Spirit to call them, nor helpe to heale them, all which Reprobation hath excluded and debarred them from, or these from them? God will [Page 333] overcome in judgement, but not by plead­ing his prerogative, or his Soveraigne power, or by putting men to silence with his greatnesse, (else Abraham was too bold to expostulate with God, shall not the Judge of the whole earth doe right?) but by Justice and equity; else, hee would not offer him­selfe to be tryed, Isay 5. 3. Iudge I pray you, betwixt mee and my Vineyard, what could I have done more to my Vineyard, that I have not done in it? God will convince the ungodly, and put them to silence and shame by their unthankfulnesse and stub­bornnesse against his abundant goodnesse, patience, and long-suffering shewed unto them.

Let mee take my leave of the ingenous Reader, by leaving with him my doubt, and my resolution thereof, expressed in the words of the grave Cardinall Sadolet, no carnall man, nor enemy to Truth, as his times had light; In his Commentaries up­on the Epistle to the Romans, pag. 1178. hee brings in this Objection; At enim ex contaminatio genere oriundi, &c. But even wee being borne of a corrupted origi­nall, are now by nature it selfe made to destruction, that those whom God passeth by, and doth not call unto himselfe, might have no just cause of complaint: To this hee [Page 334] answereth thus; At ego video, &c. But I conceive in the judgement of the World to come, Christ Jesus will not so passe the sen­tence, who shall then sit in judgement for his Father, upon them whom he hath condemn'd, as thus to pronounce, Seeing you proceeded out of the corrupted loines of Adam, and have contracted the fault and guilt of your Parents, for this cause doe I sentence you to eternall torments: Hee shall not pronounce thus; But what then shall he say? Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire, for yee saw me an hungry, and fed mee not, &c. But these are not the common sinnes of all mankinde, but the par­ticular faults of every particular man, which therefore shall then be specially objected to every one, lest in that sharpe torment and griefe of minde, they should presume to beg mercy of God, who themselves have denyed mercy to their poore Brethren craving it.

CHAP. XX. An Abridgement of the whole Doctrine of this Booke.

TExts the Foundation of it; Acts 15. 18. Knowne unto God are all his Workes from everlasting.

[Page 335] Psal. 135. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in Heaven and in Earth.

Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow, he did predestinate.

1 Pet. 1. 2. To the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.

Ephes. 1. 3, 4. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in hea­venly things in Christ, according as hee hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the World.

To conceive aright of the Order and Manner of the Divine Predestination in the Minde of God, revealed unto us in the holy Scriptures, after our manner of Understanding; It is necessary to consider something of the Nature of God, who did predestinate; and something of the Nature of man, who was predestinated.

CHAP. XXI. An Analysis to the 17^th Article Con­fessionis Anglicanae.

TO make manifest how perfect a con­sent the fifth Opinion hath with the Confession of the Church of England, in the 17 Article, which is of Predestina­ted and Election, and to shew who are wor­thy to be accounted Heterodox from the Church, I most humbly crave leave to Ana­lyse and explicate the said Article.

In doing whereof I desire the judici­ous Reader to consider with mee three things.

1. The Scope and Intent of the Article.

2. The Parts and Paragraphs with their Connnexion.

3. The lowest and particular termes in every part, and that in their literall and Grammaticall sense, as wee are comman­ded by His Majesties Declaration, and according to those places of Scripture from whence the termes are taken so religi­ously, as nothing could be better.

1. The Scope of the Article is,

1. To establish an Unity of Doctrine [Page 351] in the high point of Predestination and Election, among the members of this Church.

2. To direct them to the right use of this Doctrine, and to prevent abuses.

2. The Parts and Paragraphs distin­guished to the Eye in most Editions are two.

The first from the beginning to these words, They attaine to everlasting fe­licity: This hath respect chiefly to the First end, the establishing of the sound Doctrine of Predestination.

The second beginneth at these words, As the Godly consideration, &c. and reacheth to the End: This hath res­pect chiefly to the Second; To direct the Church in the direct use of this Doctrine, and to avert abuses and scandals.

3. The lowest and particular termes will come to be considered in their own places, as they lye in every Paragraph.

The first Paragraph that concerneth Doctrine hath two Branches:

The first, the Definition of Predesti­nation.

The second the Description of the Exe­cution and Manifestation thereof.

[Page 352] The first branch, the Definition is set downe in these termes; Predestination to Life is the Everlasting purpose of God, where­by before the Foundation of the World was layd, he hath constantly decreed by his Coun­sell, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankinde; and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation, as Vessels made to Honor.

Here be two things to be considered The thing defined. The Definition.

The thing defined is Predestination to life, which very terme admits another Pre­destination, which is to death; though the Article say nothing expresly of it, or of Reprobation. Not as if God decreed no­thing what to doe with wicked men, or had not a purpose to glorifie his Justice in them, or were not certaine in his knowledge, who and which they would be: nor as if the Church shund to touch upon that string as harsh and unpleasant: (The Doctrine of Reprobation being as profitable to drive men from the wayes of wickednesse that lead to perdition, as the Doctrine of Predestination is profitable to draw men into the wayes of righteousnesse, being rightly understood:) But the reason why the Article sayes nothing directly of Pre­destination [Page 353] to death, or of Reprobation, is, because it is easily understood by the con­trary, whereof the Article saith so much: for if Predestination to Life be the purpose of God to deliver from curse; then Pre­destination to Death must be the purpose of God not to deliver from curse and damnation those whom hee hath not found in Christ, 2 Cor. 13. 5. but to cast them into everlasting fire as Vessells to disho­nour.

The Definition followeth; That Pre­destination to life is the everlasting purpose of of God, &c.

Here I crave leave for cleare understand­ing to sever and put asunder the essentiall parts of the Definition from the Adjuncts and ornaments that are annexed to every severall essentiall part, to make every part more compleat, perfect and comely.

The substance of the Definition is this; Predestination to life is the purpose of God to bring to salvation those whom hee hath chosen.

• 1. An inward Act, his Purpose.
• 2. An outward Act, or End purposed, To bring to salvation.
• 3. The subject upon which the purpose settles the outward Act or End, Those whom he hath chosen.

[Page 354] To every one of these there are severall Adjuncts, making them more full; as to the Purpose of God is adjoyned,

1. That it is an Everlasting purpose before the foundation, &c.

2. That it is a Purpose whereby hee hath decreed; So it is a Decree aswell as a Purpose.

3. That what was decreed, was constantly decreed.

4. That it was decreed suo consilio, by his own Counsell; so a wise decree made by Counsell; a free decree made by his owne Counsell, [...].

5. That this Counsell is secret to us; So it is a hidden purpose, nobis quidem occulto (saith the Latine Article:) all these in­forme us concerning the nature of the in­ward Act.

The outward Act or End purposed, To bring to Salvation, hath these adjections or amplifications:

1. The state and Terminus à quo, from whence these are brought, from curse and damnation; To deliver from curse.

2. The meanes by whom they shall both be delivered from curse, and brought to Salvation, that is, by Christ.

3. This is illustrated by a similitude out [Page 355] of S. Paul, Rom. 9. 21. as vessels made to honour.

To the Subject upon whom the purpose setleth the outward Act or End,

• 1. That they were chosen in Christ.
• 2. That they were chosen out of Man­kinde.

Thus you have the essentiall parts of the Definition, and the Adjuncts to every part, which I separate not, as if the Adjuncts might be spared in the Definition, but onely for the clearer contemplation of them being severed and singled one from ano­ther.

Now if I take these againe into conside­ration, I must joyne to every of the three principals his accessories also, as I have layd them out.

And here some man would thinke, I were bound to begin with the first thing named in the Definition, The everlasting purpose of God: but I can give him a reason why I must doe otherwise: for in the Lo­gicall and Grammaticall construction of the Article, there is here expressed one higher, prior, eternall Act of God, viz. to have chosen some out of Mankinde in Christ, before the other act of his Purpose or de­cree, to deliver from curse, and to bring to [Page 356] Salvation those whom hee hath chosen: for though in truth both these be coeternall, yet in order of nature (after our manner of understanding, and by the words of our Article) one is before the other; choosing in Christ, before purpose to bring to Salva­tion: for the purpose is to bring to Salvation those whom hee hath chosen (saith our Ar­ticle,) which is agreeable to the words of S. Paul, that purpose is according to Election, Rom. 9. 11. but that which is according to another, is after that according to which it is framed: so if wee shall place things according to due order (and of order is our principall iniquiry,) Predestination to Life may be thus defined; Gods choosing of some in Christ out of Mankinde before the Foundations of the World were laid, and his everlasting purpose to deliver them from curse, and to bring them to everlasting Salvation, by the same Christ, in whom they were chosen. And I appeale to any reasonable man whe­ther this change doe offer any violence, or wrong to the words of the Article.

Now in good time commeth this terme (chosen in Christ) first to be examined, as that wherein lyeth the issue of this Con­troversie, Whether Christ was considered in the very act of choosing his Elect? and full well did the Article keepe the words [Page 357] of the Apostle; that whosoever hath the Apostle (if that were not enough,) hee may bee sure hee hath the Article also for him. Let us try out therefore the meaning of the words of the Apostle, Eph. 1, 3, 4.

1. To take from Arminius the envy of his Interpretation, hear what S. Chrysostome long agoe wrote upon this place; Quod dicit, perinde est, ac sic dicat, per quem nos benedixit per eundem & elegit. And a little after, Quid est in ipso elegit? per eam, quae in ipso habenda esset, fidem; hoc praestitit pri­usquam ipsi essemus, magis autem priusquam mundi hujus jacerentur fundamenta. The Commentary ascribed to S. Ambrose thus writeth upon the Epistle to the Ephesians; Sicut elegit nos in ipso: praescius Deus omnium scit qui credituri essent in Christum, sicut dicit ad Rom: Quos praescivit & voca­vit non solum ex Iudaeis, sed etiam ex Genti­bus. So by these as purpose is according to Election, so Election is according to fore­knowledge, 1 Pet. 1. 2. and foreknowledge of what? of Christ and faith in him.

And this was the common Opinion of the Fathers before S. Augustine, although they were not ignorant of the grace of God, nor of the superiority of it, and power of it over all the infirmitie, and indignity of man.

[Page 358] But to let passe authorities; consider wee secondly the very Text, God hath blessed us [...], with all Spirituall blessings by Christ: but that it is a spirituall blessing, not onely our Article confesseth, when it saith, wherefore they that are endued with so excellent a benefit of God, &c. but also the Apostle who ma­keth it the prime, the patterne, and the leading blessing, by saying; Hee hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings, [...]: So that this is the chiefe and exemplary blessing, to be chosen in Christ; as to bee justified in Christ, to be sanctified and glorified be following bles­sings imitating the first: And if wee were elected without respect to Christ, then have wee one spirituall blessing, (and not the meanest,) but the first and the greatest, and not from or by Christ, contrary to the Apostle saying, God hath blessed us [...], in Christ: Christ is there­fore not onely the head of the Elect, but also the Fountaine and Foundation of Election: God not choosing Christ for an head, untill hee knew his Members, and together with him choosing them: else this great grace and benefit of Election shall flow out of some other Fountaine than Christ.

[Page 359] 3. Consider, that when these words, he hath chosen us in Christ, bee interpreted, Hee hath appointed us to Salvation to be ob­tained in or by Christ, applying Christ to our obtaining Salvation by him, and not our Election and choosing; marke, I say, our Article to despise this interpretation, when it plainly severs these two, and pre­severeth them both distinct, to choose in Christ, and to bring to Salvation by Christ: So that Christ is as wel respected in our Electi­on, as in our justification and glorificati­on, which are things obtained to us by Christ: if therefore Election bee virtutis signum, as Chrysostome saith on Rom. 8. Quis intentabit crimina adversùs Electos Dei? All that vertue which the chosen did ap­prove was from Christ, in whom hee ac­cepted those, whom hee found in him, not from faith, not from works, but from Christ, as it is in the cause of Justifi­cation.

If it be objected, that by this the Electi­on of God is quite taken away, and his Justification is onely left him; for to take Believers is an act of Justice, and not of choise: I answer, that Election and Ju­stification differ not in this, that Faith in Christ is requisite to Justification, but not to Election, but the difference lyeth in a [Page 360] difference of time, though in both faith in Christ be requisite. The difference in time is this: Before the Decree of God be past, or when the Decree is past, and gone out; while the Decree was in making, or was not yet determined, that which did con­clude it and determine it, was choice and not justice; for then God is said to have chosen Believers in Christ, because when things were under deliberation and con­sultation what should be done, choice had place and swayed all. But after the Decree is pronounced and established, when God beholdeth a Believer as infallible futurum, then he justifyeth properly, and electeth him not: for his Election is already upon the infallibility of Gods foreknowledge, and the immutability of his Will. And this difference onely observed, the Doctrine of our Election in Christ doth strongly con­firme our Faith of Justification and Sal­vation by Christ, as our Article saith after: And our Justification by Christ doth much enlighten and cleare the Doctrine of our Election in Christ, according to the three Hypotheses of Melancthon, loco de praede­stinatione.

• 1. Iudicandum esse de Electione ex Evan­gelio.
• 2. Totum numerum Electorum propter Christum electum esse.
• [Page 361] 3. Non aliam Justificationis aliam Ele­ctionis esse causam.

Thus much of the first addition chosen, Chosen in Christ.

2. The Second Adjunct unto chosen is, that they were chosen out of Mankinde; Then by our Article all Mankinde was not chosen, but some out of Mankind; yet all Mankind was considered in the Omniscience of God, frō the first man to the last; for he that choo­seth out of all, must weigh and examine all.

Out of Mankinde, not out of Angells kinde; for seeing the Election is in Christ, and Christ tooke not hold of the nature of Angels, but of humane nature, the Electi­on must be out of humane kinde, as taken hold on by Christ: Christ being provided and Preached to humane kinde, as one Mediator betweene God and Man, The Man Christ Jesus, who for us Men, and for our Salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate.

Lastly, if humane kinde bee it, out of which the Election is made, it must bee distributed into two parts; either as found in Christ, or as found out of Christ, be­cause the Election is in Christ, therefore out of Mankinde as something to doe with, or some relation to Christ: for if God in his Predestination had bent his conside­ration [Page 362] unto the Masse of Mankinde inno­cent, and uncorrupted, there had hee found no man Reprobable, being that worke of his owne hand: If to the Masse of Man­kinde fallen, and corrupt, there had been found no man Eligible, all being under the curse: But considering Mankinde as under Christ, that should die for it, and should be Preached to the World, there he found some eligible, viz. such as laid hold on Christ by faith; and some reprobable, that being sinners received not the Saviour that would be sent to deliver them from curse and condemnation. And thus much for the first act of God in the order of nature, (though the third thing mentioned in the letter of the Definition,) those whom God hath chosen in Christ out of Mankinde.

Now I come to the first thing in the Let­ter of the Definition, (but the second in­ward act of God) touching them whom hee hath chosen, viz. his everlasting Pur­pose and decree what to doe for them, and how to doe it: And first let mee treate of the Principal, the purpose it selfe, then of the additions and properties of this pur­pose.

The Article calleth it the purpose of God, and not the purpose of man: Every thing that is read (though in ancient Fathers) is [Page 363] not presently to be embraced as made our owne: The word is S. Pauls, Rom. 9. 11. [...], though there [...] bee not ambiguous, whether it belong to [...], or to [...]; but is true in both.

First, [...] may signifie two things; 1 first, the same that [...], or Typus, or Ar­chetypus; the plot, the forme, or frame of allt things, according to which all things that now are, were made and wrought by God, it selfe being first wrought, that is, devised, and contrived, and set in order by him. The understanding of God is the Seat and Subject, in which this plot and frame is described, and as it were written, as the plot of an Architect is drawne, and set out in paper, or in the sand, (for the helpe of his weakenesse) that hee may see with his eye a modell of that which is in his minde, and in time it may bee should be raised and builded by him. Thus seemes S. Paul to use the word, Eph. 3. 11. when hee saith, The various Wisdome of God is knowne to Angels by the Church, [...]; this word [...], implyeth a patterne that is followed, and this word [...] saith the patterne was made by God himselfe in Christ Jesus: as God doing nothing without the Sonne, [Page 364] being the chiefest peece in the Frame.

Secondly, this word [...] may sig­nifie the Purpose, Decree, Determination and Resolution of the Will of God, to execute, and to put into being, the things whereof the plot which is in his minde is the patterne; thus S. Paul taketh it, 2 Tim. 1. 9. when hee joynes purpose and grace together, Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his purpose and grace given unto us in Christ Jesus, before the World was: or of both these together is the purpose of God consisting: the Counsell and the Decree of God intending those things, the order, and course, and forme wherof he hath in his Mind, and his Power, and lastly in his Will.

So that I may say with Ʋrsinus on Esai. 14. Eventus rerum accuratissimè respondent consilio & praevisioni Dei tanquam Archety­po: So S. Paul would say all things come to passe [...], all things doe, and fulfill the purpose of God. This pur­pose is about Ends and Meanes to those ends, and all circumstances accompanying them, both in things of the order of na­ture, and of the order of grace, and about those things God will doe himselfe, and those things hee will permit the Crea­ture [Page 365] and all secondary Causes to doe.

And although in the whole frame or plot there be two parts, or two wayes; one that leadeth some to happinesse, and another wherein some goe to their owne destruction: and although the purpose of God runs upon them both, as being not without his Counsell or his will: yet in S. Paul that onely which is the way to hap­pinesse to some (as the more worthy and desirable part) is called the purpose of God; just as in the foreknowledge, where al­though the wicked are not unknowne to God, as ignorant of the men, and of their workes, yet the faithfull onely and the Elect are named and called those whom God foreknew, because in them hee is pleased and delighted: So it is in purpose, that part onely of Divine disposition that bringeth unto happinesse is called Gods pur­pose, because hee delighteth in the good of his Creatures, and hath no pleasure in their death and destruction, which is of them­selves and not of him, yet adjudged by him, and decreed upon their rebellion. And this may suffice for the opening of this Terme, The Purpose of God: As for the Adjuncts added by our Article to purpose, as the everlasting purpose, they are so cleer, as they neede no further Explication, than [Page 366] was made in the Analysis before: Onely to the last we may adde a word;

By his Counsell secret to us; Consilio no­bis quidem occulto. This Clause I would have reserved and kept in minde to prove that Doctrine which I delivered in the 18. Chapter of the third part of this worke: That although there be revealed to us some hopefull signes of our Election and Prede­stination; (as it is witnessed in the next branch of this paragraph,) yet the very certainty of our Election or Predestination is a secret hidden in God, and in this life un­known to us.

Come wee now to the outward Act or End purposed by God to his chosen, viz. to bring them to everlasting Salvation: This is terminus ad quem, the end which Pre­destination intendeth, as that which de­creeth a perfect worke, and leaveth not the issue uncertaine, or contingent, as unto God.

To this is added in the Article the termi­nus à quo, from whence men are brought to Salvation; from curse and damnation from which they are delivered. And there is added the meanes by which they are both delivered from curse, and brought to Salvation, and that is, Christ: and lastly, there is an Illustration, As Vessels made to Honour.

[Page 367] Out of these words To deliver from curse, is rightly collected by Robert late Bi­shop of Salisbury, that the Church of Eng­land doth acknowlege them, quos Deus in Christo elegit, to be maledicto & exitio libe­ratos; nam privatum est, non publicum Ec­clesiae judicium, quicquid aliter à quibusdam inconsideratè scriptum est: So he in praefa­tione ad Lectorem. In these quibusdam are no meaner men than Doctor Whitakers, and Master Perkins, who tooke this Article to speak for them; Whom yet this learn­ed Bishop saith, have written aliter, and inconsideratè: the Article then hath not beene understood, and so it may yet be not fully apprehended by great Praelates: for likewise out of this, that our Article saith with the Apostle, that our Election is in Christ; Doctor Carleton, late Bishop of Chichester, well collecteth, that this Counsell of God had respect unto the corrupt masse of Mankinde; for saith he, the benefit we have by Christ appeareth not in the state of Inno­cency, pag. 10. against the Appealer, where the said reverend Bishop disputeth earnestly against them that teach Predestination to be a separation between men and men, as they were found in the Masse of Mankinde uncorrupt, which is the Doctrine the Appealer so much inveighed against, as [Page 368] contrary to our Church in the 17 Article: So that to mee it is strange the Bishop should bee so severe against the Appealer, whith whom himselfe concurreth in the condemning of the same Novelty: But more strange it seemes to mee, that out of those words Chosen in Christ, hee could collect the fall of Mankinde to be presup­posed by God, before the Counsell pro­ceeded to Election; and could not aswell collect now, that Christ himselfe was pre­supposed to be sent into the World, to be preached, to be beleeved on, or refused, before God proceeded to Elect or to Re­probate man; Seeing the first is collected more remotely, that the Gift of Christ supposeth sinne, and a curse from whence men had neede to be delivered by a Sa­viour: But the second is expresly affirm­ed by the Apostle, Hee hath chosen in Christ: and so it may immediately be col­lected that wee were chosen, not to Christ, as to be sent, but in Christ supposed as sent, and we found Beleevers in him: see­ing the foreknowledge of God did aswell understand the issue and successe of Christ preached in the World, that hee would be the occasion of the rising of many, and of the sorer fall of many others, as it un­derstood the issue of the Creation of man, [Page 369] of the Commandement given, of the Tempter permitted, that it would bee to the fall and corruption of all Man­kinde.

It is very true that the Bishop of Salis­bury saith, Sect. 1. P. 2. That God looking upon the Masse of Mankinde defiled with sinne, and guilty of eternall Death and Dam­nation, did there see subesse ibi commodita­tem evolvendi & explicandi opes illas, & abyssos sapientiae suae, justitiae, misericordiae, potentiae, patientiae, summa ut in illum gloria, & istustrium virtutum praedicatio redunda­ret: but how to shew all this? The Scripture saith by sending his Sonne to die for the World, for therein are all these riches opened. But that hee saw a fit oc­casion to open all these by separating some ex promiscua illa perditione, quâ ad unum omnes pari mortis aeternae conditione obstricti erant, the Scripture no where saith; and hee himselfe that saith it, dares not doe it but with this parenthesis, interponente se hîc dilecto filio, quos in illo voluit: it would clearly appeare that the separation of man was not made upon the view of Mankinde corrupted, no more than upon the view of the same uncorrupted, but upon Christ interposing Himselfe: God separating quos in illo voluit, (voluit autem credentes [Page 370] in ipsum:) This let mee expresse in the words of Alesius on John. 17. 1. Cum filius Dei praevidisset genus humanum ruiturum in aeternum exitium propter peccatum, factus est supplex aeterno Patri (ecce interponente se hîc dilecto filio) ac promeruit Pater ei daret universos qui credituri essent in ipsum, ut eos servaret à tyrannide Diaboli, & morte aeternâ. The Father never denyed the Son any thing which hee asked, Psal. 2. Aske of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.

So by this the intercession of Christ hath obtained all that beleeve in him to bee given to him, to deliver from curse, and to bring to eternall Life and Salvation; not their faith, nor their works, but Christs favour with his Father.

The last thing in the Definition is an il­lustration; the predestinated to Life are ac­counted as Vessells made to honour.

This is taken out of S. Paul Rom. 9. 21. where you shall finde the Vessells made to honour, to be also called Vessells of mercy, vers. 23. and the Vessells made to dishonour called Vessels of wrath, vers. 22. but mercy and wrath doe both presuppose sin: Both so farre wide from the Apostle, and our Article, are the defenders of the first Opinion. What sinne is it that is presup­posed? [Page 371] That's now in the question: Whe­ther Originall sinne, or sinne against Christ? It seemes by the Apostle, that Vessels of Wrath were such as God endured with much long-suffering, which being despised, hee then shewed his wrath and his power over them, ver. 22. which argued their sinne to be impenitency. And Vessels of Mercy to be such, in whom he maketh knowne the riches of his Glory; but this is done in Christ above all, Eph. 1. 6. 7. and 2 Tim. 2. 20. the very visible Church of Christ is the great house wherein are Vessels, some to honour, some to dishonour: But the whole Chapter, Rom. 9. deserves an especiall ela­boration, that together with the whole, the similitude of the Potter and his lumpe, and his Vessels might be openly cleared. The summe is;

That whereas the Salvation of all those that are saved, and the perdition of all those that perish, is referred (as it ought to be) to the Will of God, to his mercy, to his love, to whom he will inlarged, and from whom he will restrained; and that there is no resisting, nor complaining a­gainst this Will: that then God and his Will is to be considered as it is by the Apostle, as the Universall and supreme Cause of all things, and as the generall [Page 372] Mover, Governour, disposer of them, through whose understanding, judgement and allowance they have all passed, and might have been otherwise disposed, and other Events have proceeded out of them, if God had willed.

And againe, the Supreme Cause, as such, must not onely be considered as the chiefe, and prime agent of things, or as alone do­ing all, but permitting other created Na­tures to use their properties, faculties and freedomes, and to governe them and to use them to such ends and uses, as the wis­dome of God, his Justice, his Mercy, his Dominion shall judge fit to use them, and apply them, holily and righteously, and according to Gods Nature: God there­fore in contemplation of his owne workes, which he himselfe would doe, and of his creatures of free nature, what they would doe, (if he permit,) conceiving the issues would be diverse, some good, some evill, out of his owne Soveraigne pleasure and power, confirmed and ratified by an im­mutable decree those issues, and their free causes that would bring them forth, where­by he prepared some men to glory, some men to destruction as unto ends: but not without the intervent of their owne acts, as well as of his: who though he could have [Page 373] mended or altered any of his own workes, or any of the other Creatures to other issues, yet hee would not, notwithstanding hee knew that letting things goe thus the greatest part of the Masse or multitude of Mankinde would goe into perdition; and but a few in comparison would be transmitted to life and glory: yet he rested in this purpose with as much blamelesse liberty, as the Potter hath, who makes of the same lumpe of Clay vessells for ho­norable uses, and vessels for viler and baser uses: For although there seeme a great deale of neerenesse betweene the Potter (as a man an owner) and his Clay, and there come but few things betweene the Will and power of the one, and the uses and End of the other (as put case the apt­nesse and inaptnesse of Clay to an end, which yet the Potter could mend if hee list by cost and labour;) whereby the Potters power seemes to be more great and abso­lute: yet it is most true, that there is a great deale more of neerenesse betweene God and his Creature, and though there come many more things betweene the Will of God, and the End of his Crea­ture, yet is the infinite Knowledge, Wis­dome, and Power of God, that notwith­standing these many more things inter­venient, [Page 374] Gods Will is neerer to the End of his creatures, than the Potters Will can be to the End of his Clay, where so little or nothing come betweene. Those then whom God chose in Christ, and decreed to bring to Salvation by Christ, upon sup­position of his owne acts in giving Christ and his Spirit unto them, and upon sup­position of their acts in receiving Christ, and obeying his Spirit, these are Vessells made unto honour. And againe, those whom hee rejected, and decreed to bring into everlasting destruction, upon suppo­sition of their acts in despising his Promi­ses, and inabusing his benefits given unto them, those are Vessels made to destructi­on: There is a necessity of such supposi­tions here, because the Masse of Mankinde is not like unto the Masse of Potters earth, rude, reasonlesse and senselesse, but is a free Creature, whose nature is by the Ordinance of the Creator, to worke out and to procure to it selfe its owne End good or evill: good, by working accord­ing to God seeking that good to men, or evill, by declining from, or forsaking of God in his Worke, and so failing of God hee falls into evill: But because God was able to have altered or amended the whole, or any peece of the Masse, which [Page 375] happily the Potter is not alwayes able to doe in his Masse, therefore God must needs bee acknowledged to have a more excellent power over Mankinde his Masse, than any Potter hath of his Clay to make Vessels to honour or dishonour: whereby at last all is resolved into the Will of God; but as it is the supreme and universall cause which doth allow all inferiour causes to move, and worke according to their Na­tures; which movings, and workings hee orders and applyes to his owne Glory of Justice, or Mercy, as seemeth agreeable to his Will. Vide Epiphan. Haeres. 64. con­tra Orig. p. 246. Et Hieronimum Hebdiae Quaest. 10. Thus much for the first branch of the first paragraph, viz. The Definition of Predestination to life.

Now followeth the second Branch, which is a Description of the Execution, or of the manifestation of our Predestinati­on to life, which is expressed in these words, Wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, bee called ac­cording to Gods Purpose by his Spirit working in due season: This straine seemes to be an Imitation of S. Paul, Rom. 8. 29. and it is a good explication thereof; saving that S. Paul tyeth the Linkes together one unto another by a repetition, or replication: [Page 376] Those whom hee foreknew, hee did predesti­nate; And whom hee did predestinate, them hee also called; whom hee called, hee also justifyed, and whom hee justifyed hee also glorifyed: But our Article uniteth all these latter unto one the first, as so many effects of one cause, and implyeth the connexion of one of them to the other, onely by the order of their enumeration, saying thus; They that bee endued with so excellent a benefit of God; which is as much as they that bee elected by Christ as foreknowne, they be called, they be justifyed, they be glorifyed: So the imitation agreeth well without any materiall difference. The Explication our Article makes, appeares most by the additions, which it putteth to S. Paul.

1. As first, instead of whom hee fore­knew, it calleth our Predestination praecla­rum Dei Donum; those that hee endued with so excellent a benefit; with reference to the Definition afore.

2. That it esteemeth this excellent benefit the Fountaine and the cause of all spirituall blessings that follow in the Article, viz. Calling, Justifying, Glorifying, for it saith, Ʋnde qui tam praeclaro Dei beneficio sunt donati, vocantur; wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God are called.

[Page 377] 3. That to S. Pauls words called accord­ing to purpose, the Article addeth, by his Spirit working in due season, and they through grace obey the Calling: By which two ad­ditions the Article declareth what Calling according to purpose is, viz. when Gods Spirit worketh in Calling, and not the outward word alone; and when by grace that Calling is obeyed: for these two are in the course and plot approved by God.

4. When to S. Pauls justifyed, the Ar­ticle addeth, They be made the Sonnes of God by adoption, they bee made like to the Image of his holy Sonne Jesus Christ, they walke righteously in good Workes: These are added as so many effects of our Electi­on originally, and as so many effects of our Justification immediately, and as so many pledges and signes of our future Glo­rification; for upon this is concluded, that at length by Gods Mercy they attaine to everlasting felicity. Out of this Declara­tion which the Article maketh of the Exe­cution and Manifestation of Predestinati­on, there bee foure things especially to bee learned:

1. That the Article intendeth the same thing which Melanchton sayes S. Paul intended, Rom. 8. 29. Totum ordinem com­plecti voluit, quo Ecclesia condita est à [Page 378] Deo: To the end that our Faith of eternall Salvation by Christ might bee established and confirmed, since God hath contrived the whole course whereby hee will build his Church, that is, whereby hee will have on Earth a chosen Generation that shall inherit in Heaven everlasting felicity. And this wee may certainly beleeve; because the Knowledge of God which is infallible, his purpose which is unchangeable, his Calling according to purpose which cannot bee frustrate, his justifying which cannot be controuled, and his glory which is invincible, are all found in this order and course here set downe: besides, the Scripture saith, The Counsell of the Lord standeth sure, and the thoughts of his heart to all Generations, Psal. 33. 11.

2. Secondly, whereas in this chaine there is one linke, which is put not onely as the first in order, but also as the cause and fountaine of all the rest, which are not onely tyed to it, but derived from it, namely, the excellent benefit of our Electi­on and Predestination in Christ, which was given unto us by God, and settled upon us by his purpose before the Foundation of the World, 2 Tim. 1. 9. from whence doe flow all the lower blessings of Calling according to purpose, justifying, glorifying, as ef­fects, [Page 379] as issues out of the first and highest. Therefore wee are bound to blesse God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (as S. Paul doth,) who hath blessed us with all Spiri­tuall blessings, viz. with calling, justifying, and according as hee hath chosen us in him, that wee should be holy, and unblameable be­fore him in love, Eph. 1. 3, 4. for the latter blessings doe call upon the first, not onely as a patterne, but as a Fountaine and root of them all. Now if it should seeme strange that those should be the Effects of Predestination, and yet bee foreknowne before Predestination, according as S. Paul setteth Foreknowledge before Predestina­tion, and Calling after it as the Effect, this doubt is cleered by the remembring that the foreknowledge that S. Paul speaketh of is that onely of Simple understanding, which is not the cause of any thing abso­lutely to bee, but onely as possible, or fu­turum but sub Hypothesi, if the Will of God say it; and by remembring secondly, that the Will and Decree of God (wherein Predestination properly consisteth,) is onely the cause why any thing comes to act, and into being absolutely, God wil­ling it to be indeed after that manner, as hee knew it might be before hee willed it to bee. So by this it is plaine that the [Page 380] things which were the Objects of the Un­derstanding foreknowing them first as pos­sible, are after the Effects of the Will of God, when they are commanded by a Decree absolutely to be, and to come in­to act: The knowledge of God being unto him a light and a guide; but his Will being to us the Fountaine of all our good, and the ground of the duties of thankful­nesse.

3. Thirdly, whereas the lower linkes say, whom hee predestinated, hee called, &c. we learne from hence, that the ministery of the Word, whereby the holy Ghost cal­leth, justifyeth, sanctifyeth the Elect people of God, chiefly intendeth the Execution of Predestination, according to S. Paul, Eph. 4. 12. That Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the Ministery, for the Edifying of the Body of Christ; Non ergo alios, sed quos praedestinavit, vocavit, justicavit, ipsos glorificavit. Aug. de praedest. Sanct. cap. 17. This may seeme contrary to the generall [...], or love of God to all men, which is also the Fountaine of the generall promise of the Gospell which calleth all.

From hence some doe teach Grace to flow from God by two Fountaines; by [Page 381] the way of Preaching, or by the way of Gods Purpose, Carlton pag. 41. But it is certaine that the Graces which come from God by the way of Purpose, come also by the way of Preaching, and no other way without Preaching. But this is re­conciled by S. Paul, laying downe Gods Foreknowledge as the first linke of this Chaine that leadeth and guideth all; for though the generall love of God bee the Fountaine from whence the Preaching of the Word, Calling, and Promise of all Grace doe proceede, even to the very Elect, yet it being impossible for God to bee ignorant, or not to know the suc­cesse of the Word Preached, or of his Calling, or of his Promise, who would obey and who not, it was impossible but hee resting in them, and being content in their persons, and in their number (though few) though otherwise contemptible, whom hee knew would beleeve, should not as mainly intend their Salvation and their Calling, as if hee sent his Word onely for them, and sending his Word unto the rest, as if hee held in, quasi in se contineret, the knowledge of their disobedience, would not by his Presci­ence hinder the Declaration and Manife­station of his good will to them. So that [Page 382] by this the Preaching of the Word is the Fountaine of all Grace to them that re­ceive grace, and might be also to them that receive it not; And Gods purpose, or Predestination out of foreknowledge is the Fountaine of Grace to them that have it, because for their sakes especially it was that the word was sent and Preach­ed: And they which have not Grace, to whom the Word is Preached, want it not through the want of Predestination; but through their own neglect and disdain; for had their obedience been foreknowne, they might have been ex praedestinatis: Remem­ber ever that Quos praescivit is asmuch before praedestinavit, as quos praedestinavit is before vocavit.

4. Lastly, we learne by the links of this chaine observed severally, that whosoever would know, whether he himselfe be of the number of the Elect, he doe not fix his eye immediately upon either of these ex­tremes, Predestination, and Glorification, but upon the middlemost (that be be­tween,) and try whether he be called, or whether he obeyed the call; whether he be justified, or made like to the Image of Gods onely Sonne, or walke religiously in all good works; these things if he finde, then may he trust, that God hath Elected [Page 383] him, hath Predestinated him to Salvation. Vide Keckerm. System. 461. de Sorite logica.

So Bishop Bancroft understood our Ar­ticle, pag. 294. at the Conference at Hamp­ton Court; to teach to reason rather ascendendo: and so Melanchton understood Saint Paul to teach, Rom. 8. 29. Nusquam esse electos, nisi in caetu vocatorum. Loco de Praedestinatione.

Now I come to the seeond paragraph, which giveth direction to the right use of this Doctrine, and cautions for avoyding abuses and scandals.

The whole paragraph consisteth of two propositions; the first beginneth here, As the godly consideration of Predestination, &c: The second at, Furthermore, we must re­ceive.

The first Proposition is long, and consist­eth ex particulis relativis, quaehabent notas comparationis, expressed by the signes, Quemadmodum, Ita; As, So.

The second period is shorter, but yet consisteth of a copulative proposition, which is in substance two: One directing to receive Gods promises generally; the o­ther directing to follow in our doings that Will of God, which directly is expressed in the word of God.

The comparison in the first period, is [Page 384] laid between two unlike considerations of two different things, which produce two unlike effects in persons of unlike quality, expressed in these words; As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ is full of sweet, plea­sant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feele in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirme their faith of eternall Salvation to be enjoyed by Christ, as because it doth fer­vently kindle their love towards God: So for curious and carnall persons lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their Eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into retchlesnesse of Ʋncleane living, no lesse perilous than desperation. So far the first period.

Out of the first part of this Comparison we may conceive these instructions given us by the Church.

1 That the consideration of our Prede­stination and Election in Christ, according to the Definition and doctrine in the for­mer paragraph, is the onely Godly consi­deration [Page 385] of predestination, and therefore ought to be used by all that will either teach or consider this mysterie, not to con­sider our Election without considering Christ.

2. That this consideration wherein Christ is had, is the fountaine of most sweet, pleasant and unspeakable comfort; as indeed without Christ there can be no comfort to any child of Adam.

3. That this comfort appertaines and is appliable only to Godly persons, and such as feele in themselves the working of the Spirit of God, so that no man is to pre­sume of his Election, before he feele the working of the Spirit in him mortify­ing, &c.

4. That to such their Faith may be great­ly confirmed of obtaining salvation by Christ, seeing themselves conformed to the Image of Christ; and their love to God greatly kindled, finding that God hath called them, and sanctified them in Christ Jesus.

5. Lastly, That the publishing of this doctrine of our Election in Christ is very justifiable and warrantable, because to sup­presse or with old so good an occasion of confirming the faith, & inflaming, the zeale of Godly men, would be a great injury to [Page 386] them, and a great wrong to the grace of God.

Out of the second part or reddition of this comparison; so to curious and carnall men, we may conceive these cautions to be given as by the Church.

1. That to have continually before a mans eyes the sentence of Predestination, is a different thing from the godly consi­deration of Predestination in Christ.

2. This sentence is perniciosissimum prae­cipitium; is like some exceeding high and steep rock, which is dangerous for any man to stand upon, or to looke downe from; seeing from such high downfalls the Devill useth to tempt men to throw themselves down, as he did Christ, Mat. 4. 6. and from this percipitium the Devill may thrust men either into Despaire or Security.

3. That this having the Sentence of Predestination continually before their eyes, is the use and practice but of curious and carnall men, and such as lack the Spirit of Christ, to whom also these evills doe betide of despaire and security; and there­fore this would be shunn'd and avoyded, as he that loves his safety would shun to walk upon, or gaze from some high and deep downfall.

One point in this comparison needeth [Page 387] some more full Explication, for it may be questioned, whether the Article meanes that these different Effects of comfort or downfall, doe proceed onely from the dif­ference of the persons that doe consider; being either pious or curious, carnall or spirituall, having the Spirit of Christ, or lacking the Spirit of Christ, or doe flow also from the difference of the things con­sidered, viz. either of Predestination or Election in Christ, or the sentence of Gods Predestination?

There are that make no difference be­tweene these two, and so to them the difference that the Article moteth must arise, onely from the difference of the persons considering one and the same Doctrine of Predestination. But I may bee bold to put a difference betweene the things considered, aswell as betweene the persons considering, because the Article doth so: so for curious and carnall persons &c. The Article doth not say it is a dangerous downefall, namely the conside­ration of Predestination and Election in Christ, as keeping the same subject whereof hee had spoken before as comfortable; but it substituteth another subject, to have continually before their Eyes the Doctrine of Gods Predestination: that is a dangerous [Page 388] downefall, and not the other. And to mee it should seeme incredible that either the Article should say, or that Doctor Bancroft should say, That the sound, full and whole Doctrine of Predestination and our Election in Christ (such as is here delivered in the former paragraph,) should be a dangerous downfall even to carnall men, and even them that lack the Spirit of Christ. For although it be true that the fruit and comfort of this, and many other Divine truths bee reaped onely by godly persons when they are come to have the Spirit of Christ, &c. And it be true also that our curiosity and carnall affections bee great impediments to the right con­ceiving and judging of Divine truths; yet it is as true that every necessary Doctrine is in sacred Scripture so fully, perfectly, and coherently delivered, and ought to be therefore fitly deduced by the Church, that of it selfe it have no aptnesse to be­come a praecipitium even to carnall men, and such as have not the Spirit of Christ, since the Scripture was not written to be reade onely of them that doe already in humility beleeve it, and are filled with the Spirit of Christ, but even by naturall men having onely ordinary humane judgements, and to taste of the things of God.

[Page 389] What then is it that the Article saith, hath so much as a likelyhood of a downfall to the curious and carnall? To have continu­ally before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination: what is this Sentence? The bare and naked Sentence; that very decree it selfe in generality, That God hath Predestinated some men to life, and hath re­probated some to death, (such is the first of the 9. Assertions at Lambeth,) without any mention or consideration of Christ, of faith, of Gods Prescience, or any other of his Attributes. This naked Sentence with­out any thing of the order, or manner how this decree is concluded, or come unto, is that praecipitium, that exceeding height from whence the Devill doth, or may thrust men curious & carnall into despaire or security, laying all their religion upon Predestination: If I shall be sav'd, I shall be sav'd. This is that which Bancroft calleth a desperate Doctrine, pag. 29. of the Con­ference: The selfe-same for substance methinks I find expressed by Hemingius in his Syntagm, loco de praedest. whom I be­seech you heare with a little patience.

1. De aeternâ praedestinatione rectè erudir [...] ecclesiam summoperè necessarium est; nam ut nulla doctrina uberiorem consolationem piis conscientiis afferre solet, quam doctrina [Page 390] praedestinationis rectè explicita; ita nihil periculosius est, quam rectâ praedestinationis ratione aberrare.

2. Nam qui à verâ deflectit, in praecipi­tium fertur unde se recipere non potest.

3. Sunt quidam, qui cum audiunt no­stram salutem in Dei electione & proposito sitam esse, & modum verum haud observant, somnia Stoica, & fabulas Parcarum fingunt, quibus & seipsos miserè implicant, & alios perniciosè seducunt; vide Thes. 4, 5, 6, 7.

4. Modus autem praedestinationis verissi­mus est, quem Paulus nobis commonstrat, cum ad Ephes. scribit, Elegit nos in Christo. 1. 9, 10, 11. in hoc modo conditio fidei includitur: Nam cum fide inserimur Christo, ejus mem­bra efficimur, & ideo electi, quia Christi membra sumus. The Sentence therefore of Predestination without the Modus is Prae­cipitium; but the Modus in Christo is the fountain of all comfort, and hope, and god­liness, which maketh this matter of so much worth to contend for: The true Modus Praedestinationis divinae.

Now I come to the period of the second Paragraph, and the whole Article: Fur­thermore, we must receive Gods promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scripture, and in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we [Page 391] have expresly declared unto us in the word of God.

This part of the Article Bishop Bancroft shewed King James at Hampton Court, pag. 29. line 19, 20. as the Doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination; and it was there very well approved. Moreover the Kings most excellent Ma­jesty that now is, in his Declaration, com­manding that all farther curious search be layd aside willeth, that these disputes be shut up in Gods promises, as they be generally set forth unto us in the holy Scripture; as if the generall promises of God were the surest principles to determine all these doubts and differences by, and they rest safely that rest in them.

The Authority of this Article, together with other like passages in our Catechisme and Homilies, constrained our divines that were at Dort to deliver in secundo Ar­ticulo these Theses, for the third and fourth.

3. Deus lapsi generis humani miseratus, misit filium, qui seipsum dedit precium re­demptionis pro peccatis totius mundi.

4. And for the fourth Thesis: In hoc merito mortis Christi fundatur universale promissum Evangelicum, juxta quod omnes in Christo credentes remissionem peccatorum [Page 392] & vitam aeternam reipsâ consequantur, which they confirme by Mark 16. 15. so that this part of the Article though it be the last, yet it is not the last in worth and use.

For whereas it saith, Furthermore, we must receive, &c. It intendeth to give farther re­medy against the harme, which may be taken by curious and carnall persons, from the Sentence of Predestination had conti­nually before their Eyes: Which harme ariseth from the sentence alone, without re­ference, and without order to the generall promises of God: for if we receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture; It is not possible we should conceive that God hath decreed any Sentence of Predestina­tion before the contemplation of the Suc­cesse and Event of those his generall pro­mises: For if he have afore decreed to give Faith and Salvation but to some few chosen already thereunto, and then come after with a promise of Salvation generally unto all upon condition of Faith; this promise must needs be to many illusorie and deceiptfull, and thence it comes that the Sentence of Predestination is a praecipi­tium to despaire and carelesnesse.

This is the reason why they that teach [Page 393] as Melanchton, Hemingius, Hunnius, and the Divines of Saxon doe, the order of Election to be after the Redemption wrought by Christ, and after faith in him considered in Gods foreknowledge, doe so earnestly urge the Universality of Gods promises, and the Unity of Gods Will to that whith he hath revealed: and so doth our Article.

This consequence (the promise to be illusory after Predestination decreed) Bu­cer himselfe did well see and acknowledge, and therefore according to his principles he was necessarily tyed, to lay another foundation than the generall promise, which is this; Primum quod Deo debes est, ut credas te ab eo esse praedestinatum; nam id nisi credas, facis eum tibi, cùm te ad salu­tem vocat per Evangelium, illudere. And Againe, Si dubitas te Praedestinatum esse, necesse est te dubitare de omni promissione salutis tuae; dubitare de Evangelio, hoc est, Deo nihil tredere omnium, quae tibi in Evan­gelio offert. And againe, Tanquam caput omnis noxae tentationis repellenda est haec quae­stio, Simusne praedestinati? Praesumendum est igitur tanquam principium fidei, non omnes esse à deo praescitos, praefinitos, se­paratos à reliquis, & electos in hoc ut in ae­ternum servemur, hoc (que) propositum Dei [Page 394] mutari non posse. Bucer. ad Rom. 8. pag. 411.

But this forme of teaching seemes to me at least new and strange, to presume that at the very first, which is the last thing we attaine unto after long exercise in goodnesse; namely, To believe that we are predestinated unto life, whereof we have neither promise nor signe at the first entrance into Christianity: Quantò rectius hic qui nihil molitur ineptè. Sanctus Paulus ad Rom. 10. 9. This is the word of Faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt beleeve with thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Saint Pauls meaning is, that the first thing we owe to God, is, to believe the generall promise, out of which we cannot exclude our selves; if thou beleeve and confesse thou shalt be saved; unlesse I interpret Bucers credere, in a more large manner, that I believe it possible I may be one of the Elect; under hope I will try and heare what God will work, as he that ploweth ploweth in hope; (Ʋnicuique agendum in spe, saith Doctor Abbot, Saris­bur. pag. 141.) but this is farre from the Faith Bucer speakes of God. And even this hope must have a ground and warrant, or else it maketh ashamed: but what ground can it have like to the universall redemp­tion [Page 395] by Christ, and the generall promises of the Gospel?

This is that net, which the Fisher of men spread over all men to draw them on to God: If I once surmise or suspect that God intends to draw by the Gospell, or to gather to himselfe but some few speciall particulars, whom hee hath marked out, I begin presently to trembly, fearing I may be none of them, seeing the number is but small, and it is easier to bee found among the many, than one of the few.

When the Lord said to the twelve, One of you shall betray mee; Every one began to feare and suspect himselfe, when yet there was but one of twelve that should doe the thing: How much more may men feare, when it is said, Faith is the Gift of God, and this hee giveth but to the Elect, which are few in comparison of those that have it not? this way leades mee to discomfort or despaire, or at least it taketh away from mee all remorse for unbeliefe and impenitence: for if God giveth mee not Faith and Repentance, and that out of his Decree by which he determined not to give it, but to some few, I cannot doe withall, nor helpe it, if I have not Faith.

[Page 396] But when I heare that the Mercy and Love of God to Mankinde, hath given his Son [...], 1 Tim. 2. 6. and that the God of Truth hath made a generall promise to save all that beleeve; though I know but few to be sav'd, because few beleeve; since yet I know this to arise from the contempt and neglect of men, and not from God, I am no way dismayed, but have a doore of hope open­ed wide unto mee from God, and have cause to feare and blame none but my selfe; and against mine own naturall cor­ruptions, which are indeed deeply to be feared, I have sufficient reliefe from the Grace of God, which is in the word of the Gospell, and in God ready to helpe mee.

Neither doth it satisfie to say, the Pro­mise is therefore delivered in generall, be­cause the Preachers that publish it, are ignorant who bee Gods Elect, and therefore they call, and let God work when he will.

1. For first, the Promises thus generall are to be read in holy Scripture, wherein God speakes himselfe, who knoweth who are his.

2. Preachers are to bee accounted true witnesses for God, and say no more, no [Page 397] lesse, than God himselfe would say, if hee would preach to men.

3. The Commandement to beleeve, which is joyned with the promise, bindeth all that heare it, and maketh them guilty that doe not obey. I applaud our Doctors in suffragio: Evangelio nihil falsum, aut si­mulatum subest, sed quiquid in eo per Mi­nistros offertur, aut promittitur hominibus, id eodem modo ab authore Evangelii offertur & promittitur iisdem, pag. 28.

And againe, pag. 43. Quod si non omnes, quos hoc verbi Spiritusque sui dono digna­tur Deus, ad conversionem seriam non serià invitaret; certe & Deus nonnullos, quos ipse filii sui nomine vocat, falleret, & pro­missionum Evangelicarum nuncii à vocatis falsò perhibiti testimonii accusari possunt, & qui ad conversionem vocati parere negli­gunt, redderentur excusabiliores. It is nothing therefore which is said of the mixture of the Reprobate with the Elect, as to the Truth of the generality of the promise, although it be something as to the Foreknowledge and Omniscience of God, who cannot bee ignorant of the successe and event of his promises generall: But the generality of the promise testify­eth against them that say, God hath de­creed afore to whom to give Faith, and [Page 398] to whom to deny it, out of the multitude of Mankinde fallen, out of his owne plea­sure; that they asmuch as in them lyeth make God a Lyer and a Dissembler.

The last Caveat or direction is not much different from the former: That in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which wee have expresly declared unto us in the Word: for this Doctrine ariseth from the true and necessary distinction of the Will of God, which is Deut. 29. 29. into secret and revealed, and that of the Schoole into Signi & Beneplaciti; which some abu­sing, by thinking that God may have ano­ther will secret and different about the same thing, whereof hee hath a declared and revealed Will: or that which is signify­ed, is lesse pleasing than that which is secret, called Beneplaciti; doe forsake or neglect his Will revealed, to fulfill his Will secret, which they count to be his onely Will.

As in this present matter: when the Word of God revealeth it to be the Will of God, that every hearer of the Gospell doe repent, beleeve and be saved; some man granting this to be Gods revealed Will, and signifyed Will, may notwith­standing imagine that God hath another secret Will, and that of his good Pleasure, [Page 399] which shall stand, not to have him, re­pent, nor to beleeve, nor to be saved: And this imagination is commonly foun­ded upon the Doctrine of Predestination, which excludeth Prescience, and makes God to proceede immediatly to his Electi­on, upon the consideration of the fall of Mankinde.

But against this, our Article adviseth to follow in our doings the Will of God declared in his Word; and this it doth not onely by way of advice, as if it were at our liberty, and onely the best and safest way, but even out of necessary grounds: For,

1. First, That which is secret and hidden can be to us no certaine ground to build upon, for who knowes God will not give him leave to repent, beleeve, or bee saved?

2. That there can be no secret Will of God, contrary to his revealed and de­clared Will; for this were to make God a Lyer: but even these two secret and re­vealed have two divers Objects; or of one Object, yet divers times wherein they are placed: As for Example, That there shall bee a day of judgement, is the revealed Will of God, but when that day shall be, is secret to us, though determined and [Page 400] knowne to God: these be two Objects, that a day shall be, and when that day shall bee.

Againe, the Gospell of our Salvation before the World was, was a secret coun­sell and Will of God; but since the World was, it hath beene revealed and opened to the Prophets and Apostles, and is no more hidden but manifested: the same thing in both, but in two times, in the one hidden, in the other revealed: being well­pleasing unto God, while it was secret; and not ceased to be so, being signifyed and declared to the sons of men.

To conclude; This expressed Will of God, whereby hee commands all men that heare the Gospell, to beleeve it, Joh. 6. 29. 1 Joh. 3. 23. and whereby the disobe­dience of them that believe not is aggravated, Joh. 3. 19. 2 Thes. 1. 8. strongly perswa­deth mee, that the way to life is yet open, and that Salvation is to be had, untill that Commandement come; nay untill it bee contemned and despised.

And that the God of Truth, who useth simplicity and sincerity in all his sayings, and who will overcome when hee is judged, hath not made so much as any se­cret Decree, not to give a man Faith, nor Salvation, whom hee commandeth to be­leeve [Page 401] the Gospell, before the considera­tion of this Commandement given, and the disobedience thereto observed in mente Divinâ omnisciâ: And therefore all O­pinions and Imaginations of Predestina­tion, determined before the consideration of obedience or disobedience to the Gos­pell, in the Church where the Gospell is preached, are utterly to bee excluded; which if I obtaine in this Discourse, Habeo intentum, and for this, Appello Evangelium, & Appello hunc Articulum Ecclesiae Anglicanae.