The first head of Doctrine, (which They charge the Contra-Remonstrants, or Calvinists, whom they style their Brethren, to account ORTHODOX) is thus ex­pressed word for word.

The II. Article runs thus. That Christ Jesus hath not suffered death for any other, but for those Elect onely; having neither had any intent, nor commandment of his Father to make satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.

What saith M. Baxter to this Article? Why, A most shamelesse falshood, made, as they say, of his fingers ends. We must Impannell an honest Jury to try this too, and, 1. That Christ, is said, to have suffered onely for the Elect. Call in the Witnesses under written

1. Geselius, what say you to the matter in question? They do greatly erre, that teach, Christ died for all and every man. Specim. c. 9. fol. 36.

2. M. Perkins, 'tis expected you should [Page 30] give in a full testimonie for the Plaintiffe, what say you? The Ransome was designed by the Decree of the Father, and by the intercessi­on and oblation of the Son, for the Elect onely. De Praedest. p. 20.

3. Piscator, a knowing man; he will speak the truth, and the whole truth and no­thing but the truth; That Christ died suffici­ently for every one, is a false Proposition. For he died onely for the Elect, paying a most suf­ficient price of redemption (for them) namely his own precious blood, the blood of the Son of God, the blood of God himself. But for the Reprobate he dyed in no wise, whether sufficient­ly, or effectually. Contr. Schaff. Th. 209.

4. Beza, what can you say to this point, for the acquitting of Tilenus? (I say,) Whe­ther you consider the counsil of God, or the effect of the Passion, or both, Christ died no way for the wicked. In Thes. cum D. Fayo in Schol. Genev. disp. de dig. & effect. Sacrif. J. C.

5. Maccovius, can you say any thing to clear the Plaintiffe from the charge that Ma­ster Baxter brings against him? For that di­stinction of Christs dying for All sufficiently, but not effectually, (I say) 'tis most vain and foolish. For, if you say Christ died sufficient­ly, because his death would have sufficed to redeem all, if God had so pleased; then by a [Page 31] like reason, it might be said, that Christ hath justified All, and glorified All sufficiently, but none effectually. Mac. distinct. c. 11. disp. 18. p. 110. & Colleg. Disp. 12.

6. Ʋogelius, what say you to the second Article of the Remonstrants, Concerning the Universality of the merit of Christs Death? They that subscribe to it are to be suspected of Pelagianisme, Socinianisme, and other filthy Heresies. Contra Ministros Campens. pag. 125.

This evidence already given in, might suf­fice for the whole Article: But because there is another branch, perhaps M. Baxter will ex­pect some pregnant proof for that too; viz. That Christ neither had any intent, nor Com­mandment of his Father, to make satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.

To evince this, take here the depositi­ons of

1. Triglandius, a Synodist, (who saith) The passion of Christ in it self is sufficient to re­deem all men, yea many more—but according to the Counsil of the Father, He died onely for the Elect, and truly faithfull, with that intent, that through faith he might make all them, and onely them, partakers of the effi­cacy of his passion to their salvation. Chri­stian Moderation pag. 25.

2. Zanchy, who saith, Christ according [Page 32] to the purpose of the Father, was born, pray­ed, suffered, dyed, rose again, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father interceding onely for the Elect, h. e. for those, who were to believe, according to the eternall Election. Miscel. pag. 345. in quarto.

3. Beza. I say again and professe before the whole Church of God, that it is false, blas­phemous, and wicked, to say Christ suffered, was crucified, died and satisfied, no lesse for the sinnes of the Damned, then for the sins of Peter, Paul and all the Saints, whether in respect of Gods Counsil, or in regard of the effect. Resp. ad Coll. Mempelg. p. 221.

4. Rippertus. To say, Christ died for them that perish, is false, and accuseth God of in­justice. Contra Domin. Sapma. p. 764.

5. Ʋogelius. If Christ tasted death for un­believers, He drank that bitter cup in vain, or else unbelievers must taste eternall death twice, contrary to Gods justice, to the dignity of Christs death, and to possibility. ubi supra. p. 133.

6. Maccovius. If Christ died for all, then he was a surety and ransome for all, even for those that perish everlastingly. And this will brand God with injustice, for taking a two­fold punishment for the same offences, when the first satisfaction might have sufficed. Ubi supra pag. 35.

7. D. Damman, Scribe to the Synod, speaks to the same purpose. It is repugnant to Gods justice, that he should constitute Christ to bear the sins of all men, and make full satisfa­ction for them, and yet ordain some men to bear their own sins, in their own persons, and so make satisfaction for them themselves; then he should punish one sin twice, that is to say, both in his Son, and in them that perish, Consens. p. 63.

Piscator shall shut up this Scene; The Re­probate are plainly excluded from the merit of Christs death, and yet they are bound to be­lieve in him. In Resp. ad Duplic. Ʋorstii. c. 7. pag. 66.

The third Article of Tilenus. That by Adams fall his Posterity lost their free­will, being put to an unavoidable Necessity to do, or not to do, whatsoever they do, or do not, whether it be good, or evill; being thereunto Predestinate by the eternall and ef­fectuall secret Decree of God.

What saith M. Baxter to this Article? Un­worthy falsification still! I see it will be a hard matter for Tilenus to gain M. Baxter's favour, when he cannot escape his censure; but the best on 'tis, rather then his reputation shall [Page 34] stand branded, with those markes of Infamy, which M. Baxters blackest inke hath indeavou­red to imprint upon it, many of M. Baxter's Reverend and (in his opinion) Orthodox friends, are ready to be his compurgators. I was about to summon M. Calvin, in the head of these, but I find him stumbling at the threshold; and taking exceptions at the ve­ry Preface of the Article, which chargeth his Adherents and followers, to hold, That by A­dams fall his Posterity lost their freewill; For he will not acknowledge such a Freewill in Adam himself, whereby he might have stood; witnesse these words of his to Castellio;

Thou saist, Adam fell by his free will: I except against it; That he might not fall, he stood in need of that strength and constan­cy, wherewith God armeth the Elect, while he will keep them blamelesse. Whom God hath elected, he props up with an invincible power, unto perseverance. Why did he not afford this to Adam, if he would have had him stood in his integrity? Ad Calum. Ne­bul. Ad Artic. 2. And

Maccovius. However Adam fell Neces­sarily, in regard of the immutability of the Divine Decree; yet he fell not by compulsion, but of his own accord. (Non coactè, sed spon­té.) Coll. Disp. disp. 16. pag. 54.

If the Calvinist's put Adam himself under [Page 35] such an unavoidable Necessity, to do, or not to do, as an immutable Decree had determined him; 'Tis strange any of them should give Tilenus the Lie, for affirming it, to be their o­pinion concerning all men else. And yet Tile­nus stands accused by M. Baxter, of an Ʋn­worthy falsification; for affirming, that they hold, That the Posterity of Adam (having lost their free will in his fall) are put under an a­voidable Necessity to do good, or evill; And therefore to clear Tilenus, that He may still carry the Reputation of a True man, I'le of­fer the Certificates of his Compurgators; and First they shall certifie to the unavoidable Ne­cessity of doing good; as,

1. Sturmius, whose Certificate on the be­half of Tilenus runs thus; The Elect are not onely Predestinated to the end, but also to the means that lead to that end; and therefore as they are necessarily saved at last, in regard of the immutability of Election; So in regard of the stability thereof, they do necessarily al­so embrace the means, by which they are con­ducted to that end. De Praedest. Th. 10.

2. Zanchy. Whosoever are predestinated to the end, they are also predestinated to those means, without which that end is not to be attained. And therefore as the Elect do ne­cessarily arrive at the end at last, in regard of the stedfastnesse of Election; so in regard of [Page 36] the same stedfastnesse, it is necessary they should be led and walk by the means ordained to that end. De Nat. Dei lib. De Praedest.-Sanct. quaest. 5. & lib. 5. c. 2. q. 4. So it comes to passe, that our Will cannot but will good, because 'tis so inclined of God.

3. Cornel. Dungan. Such as the operation of grace is in the beginning, such is it also in the progresse. If it be resistible or irresistible, when it begins (the conversion or regenera­tion of man; and they hold that work irresistible) such it is also, when it goes forward. In pa­cific. pag. 172.

4. Donteclock. As many as were predesti­nated by God unto salvation before the crea­tion of the world, (that the purpose of Ele­ction may remain sure) they are by the po­wer of God led to it, so certainly and infalli­bly, that it is impossible that they should fi­nally perish. Instit. de Praedest. pag. 93.

But can Tilenus bring any competent number of Orthodox Calvinists to Certifie touch­ing the Ʋnavoidable Necessity of doing evil? For the other branch seems so plausible that few of them will stick to subscribe to it: But for this branch, who appears to make Tilenus his charge good?

1. Zanchy. We grant that by this ordi­nation [Page 37] of God, the Reprobate are constrain­ed by a necessity of sinning, and thereby of perishing also, and so constrained that they cannot choose but sin and perish. De Nat. Dei. lib. 5, c. 2. de Reprob. q. 2. and soon after, We doubt not therefore to acknowledge, that there is incumbent upon the Reprobate by their immutable Reprobation, a necessity of sinning, and that unto death, without re­pentance, and for that of suffering eternall pains.

2. Piscator, when Ʋorstius urgeth him, how unworthy the Majesty of God it is, to make an absolute Decree, whereby a man should be destinated to a necessity of sinning: To this he answers; Indeed humane Reason judgeth so: but the word of God saith other­wise. And again; These sayings are not therefore false and blasphemous, because hu­mane reason is offended with them. Ad A­mic. Coll. Ʋorstii. Nat. 6. & 8. mihi pag. 157. & Resp. ad Duplic. Ʋorstii par. 1. pag. 223. When God does necessitate man to sin, that he may punish him for sin, he doth just­ly, because he hath power to govern man as he will. & Resp. ad Apologet. Bertii. pag. 144. All things are done by the Decree of God, therefore all things are done of necessity. For whatsoever God hath decreed, that comes to passe necessarily, because it cannot not come [Page 38] to passe. And therefore Judas betrayed Christ necessarily, nor could his will to betray be changed in him; because he betrayed Christ by the determinate counsell and fore-decree of God. Also that willing of Judas was the work of God, in as much as it was moved of God; for by him we live, move, and have our being.

3. Fred. Bronkerns, (saith) All things come to passe by an infallible, and an inevita­ble necessity. Antidot. fol. 50.

4. Sturmius. Upon the privation of Grace there follows a twofold necessity, one of sin­ning, another of perishing. For the Repro­bate being destitute of Gods grace, and left to their own nature, as they cannot but sin, so they cannot but perish: unto which dou­ble necessity the reprobates are predestinated. De Praedest. Thes. 22.

That this unavoidable necessity to do, or not to do good or evill, is (according to the Doctrine of the Calvinists) from Gods e­ternall praedestination, and effectuall secret decree, appears sufficiently by the Testimo­nies already alledged, to which I will adde but two or three.

1. Nicasius Ʋander Shure. The end for which God doth elect and reprobate, in re­spect [Page 39] of man, is, that the elect might be sa­ved, the reprobate damned: but every one according to the means which God hath like­wise predestinated, that they might walk in them, the elect in faith and good works, and the reprobate in unbelief and evill works. pag. 20.

2. Sturmius. Hence it therefore followeth, that the elect are diligent in all good works: because they are no lesse predestinated unto the means then unto the end. But the repro­bate omit all care of doing good, because they are rejected from this grace of the meanes, no lesse then from the end it self. De Praedest. in explic. Thes. 1.

From this unavoidable Necessity &c. some of the Calvinists have drawn these Corollaries (which they maintain to follow by unde­niable Consequence from that Doctrine; viz.)

I. That man can do no more good then he doth; Omit no more evill then he omitteth.

Piscator. Although God simply and pre­cisely wills not that man should do any more good then he doth, or that he should omit any more evill then he omitteth, yet he can­not therefore be reproved of envy, or iniqui­ty, or of any other vice. Ad amicam Dupli­cationem Ʋorstii. pag. 177.

And because this is a very great temptation and incouragement to carelesnesse; therefore he could not for shame but insert this much by way of caution. (pag. 176.) Although it be manifest to us, in the generall and indefi­nitely, or at least it may be manifest to us by Gods word, that we can neither do more good then we do, nor omit more evill then we do omit; because God hath precisely decreed from all eternity, that both shall so come to passe; yet because 'tis not manifest to us in specie, definitely and in speciall manner, how much God hath decreed, that we should doe or omit, we cannot be justly accounted foolish if we do perpetually endeavour, to do more good then we do, and likewise to omit more evill then we omit. And Pag. 228. Although it be Fatally appointed, when, and how, and how much every one of us ought to practise piety, or not to practise it, yet the daily medi­tation of Gods precepts is not undertaken in vaine.

And to second Piscator in this opinion, Maccovius doth most fiercely maintain it in a Disputation of nine or ten pages long. Col­leg. Disput. Miscel. Quaest. Disp. 2. (mihi) a pag. 410, usque ad 419. And whether the contagion of this opinion had not laid hold upon some of the Synod, we shall examine hereafter.

A Second Corollary, drawn by others from that Unavoidable Necessity fore-mentioned, is this:

That all zeale and endeavour after Salvation, before the Gift of faith, and Spirit of Reno­vation conferred upon us, is of no effect.

So faith

Donteclock. We conclude therefore, that all the care, study and diligence, which men can use to promote their salvation is vain and to no purpose, rather hurtfull then profitable, before faith and the spirit of renovation. But after faith and conversion they are clearly ne­cessary and profitable. Adversus Castell. p. 171. Note here by the way, that his opinion is, That Faith and the Spirit of Renovation are never given to the Non-Elect. The Re­probates are not called effectually; whence it comes to passe, that they can neither convert themselves nor believe. In Dialogo super Translatis Thes. Gomari & Arminii: qua­tern. C.

The IV. Article of Tilenus. That God to save his Elect from the corrupt Mass, doth beget faith in them by a power e­quall to that, whereby he created the world, and raised up the dead, insomuch that such unto whom he gives that Grace, cannot re­ject [Page 42] it; and the rest being Reprobate cannot accept of it, &c.

How doth this Article come off with M. Baxter? He tells Tilenus [you wrong them in feigning them simply to say, that those to whom God gives grace cannot reject it.] Because M. Baxter is grown so Gentle, I shall (for his satisfaction) acquaint him out of what Poets Tilenus borrowed this Fiction.

1. Calvin. God moves the will, not after that manner, as hath been believed and deli­vered for many ages, that it should be at our choice to obey or resist the motion. But ef­ficaciously effecting it. Therefore that so of­ten repeated by Chrysostome is to be rejected. Whom he draws, he draws being Willing: where­by he insinuates, that God reaching forth his hand, doth expect whether we will make use of his assistance. Instit. lib. 2. c. 3, Sect. 10.

Geselius. Man is regenerated, and renewed by the omnipotent power of God, creating him anew. In Specim. cap. 4. fol. 17. & fol. 73.

They who are called unto salvation, out­wardly, and inwardly, according to Gods pur­pose, they cannot but believe in Christ, and convert themselves; that is, this calling [Page 43] worketh irresistibly and invincibly, not onely upon their understanding and affections, but al­so upon their will.

3. Smoutius. We will never say, that God determined to save believers onely by a gen­tle suasion, and traction, agreeable to their wils: much lesse will we deny, that he draws them by an omnipotent operation, which they neither will, nor can, nor can will to resist. Concord. p. 9. Praefat.

4. Contra-Remonstrantes. As no man is able to hinder his own birth, or his resurrection from the dead: So no man is able to hinder the working of Gods Grace, when he will regenerate, and raise him up from the spirituall death. Collat. Hag. pag. 207.

5. Donteclock. We determine the Grace of the Holy Spirit to be such an efficacious o­peration, that men, in whom God is pleased to work it, cannot resist it. For it is as a spiri­tuall regeneration, 'tis the renovation of the understanding, will, and all humane powers, 'tis as a spirituall raising from the dead, by which is taken away whatsoever, in man, is able to resist the Holy Spirit, or hinder it, that it should not, in its time, work conversion and faith in the Elect: So that it depend's not at all on the will of man, but onely on the will and power of God. Ad scriptum cujusdam Ano­nymi. lit. B. 1. versa.

6. D. Damman. God worketh effectually in none but in the Elect, and therefore Grace is rightly said to be irresistible. Consensus. pag. 82.

7. Triglandius. They that are converted cannot hinder the taking away of their resi­stence. Apolog. 274.

8. Gomarus, a Creabilitarian Synodist: Whether is this Grace conferred by an irresi­stible and efficacious operation of God, so that the will of him who is regenerated hath no ability to resist it, as 'tis said 2 Chron. 20.6. In thy hand is strength and power, and there is none that can resist thee? I do believe it, and professe that it is so. Insua Declarati­one. pag. 20.

For the honour of the Synod Johannes Bogermmannus, their President, shall have the casting voice in this particular. Grotius citing S. Chrysostome, [...]. If it be grace, may some say, why are we not all saved? Be­cause ye will not. For Grace though it be Grace, saves none but the willing, not such as do daily strive against it. And upon that of S. John. None can come to me except the Fa­ther draw him. In the word [...], draweth, is denoted Help, saith He, ( [...]), nay [...], saith Bogerman, & quidem [...], that exceeding power, whereby he causeth light to shine out of dark­nesse. [Page 45] Ad Script. H. Grotii, part. 2. Annot. Not. 87. (mihi) pag. 147.

And thus I hope, the Reader will be satis­fied touching the matter of Fiction, impu­ted to Tilenus by M. Baxter. But the se­verer part of M. Baxters censure is yet be­hind, touching the other branch of this Article; For here he tells Tilenus roundly, You slanderously say, that the Synod saith, the Reprobates cannot accept it. I am glad to find M. Baxter let fall this expression; because I hope, I may conclude from hence, that, in his opinion, this Doctrine is erro­neous, and of evill consequence. But if any of the Adherents of the Synod professe themselves to be of this judgement, Tile­nus is like to overthrow M. Baxter upon the Action of Slander, what ever losse and dammages he recovers of him. Let us put it to a Verdict of a Jury of good men and true, whose Foreman shall be

Peter Martyr. The (divine) calling is ex­tended unto some, that cannot be moved to a capacity to receive it, who are therefore said to be called, but not chosen. In Append. loc. com. pag. 980.

2. Musculus. As the Elect being called in their time, do believe, repent, are justified and [Page 46] saved, neither can they fall from salvation: so the reprobate can neither obey Gods call, nor repent, nor believe, nor be justified, nor be saved. Loc. com. de Reprob. 472.

3. Zanchy. There follows Reprobation the deniall of grace, this is attended with sinne, and sinne with punishment, unto all which God hath preordained the Reprobates from all eternity. Lib. de Nat. Dei. c. 2. de Praedest. Wherefore it is rightly said, that the Repro­bates are preordained and predestinated to a perpetuall destitution of grace. ibid. pag. 721. in quarto.

4. Gomarus. The Reprobates cannot be­lieve; for faith is proper to the Elect. Disput. (1604) de Prad. thes. 32.

5. Triglandius. Unbelief flowes from Re­probation. For the Reprobates cannot attain to faith by Nature; and God hath not de­creed to give them faith. Defens. pag. 140.

6. Lastly, D. Damman. We grant that the Non-Elect, neither do, nor can believe, nor persevere in the faith. De persever. pag. 86. Item in Concord. Remonstr. pag. 44. Unbelief flowes from Reprobation; for the Repro­bates cannot attain unto faith by nature, and God hath not decreed to give them faith.

The fift Article of Tilenus. That such as have once received that Grace by Faith, can never fall from it finally, or total­ly, notwithstanding the most enormous sins they can commit. How doth M. Baxter resent this Article? Why, 'tis feigned, and (Tilenus) his own abusive language. One would think by these expressions, that the man did dis­claim the Doctrine. But alas! 'tis onely a copy of his countenance (as shall appeare afterwards;) for the Calvinists do constant­ly maintain, Such as have once received that Grace, can never fall from it, finally or to­tally; Witnesse,

1. Calvin. As the Spirit is never extingui­shed, so likewise 'tis impossible that faith, which he hath once imprinted upon the hearts of the Godly, should be lost and pe­rish. In Comment. in Mat. 13 20. & in Com­ment. ad Hebr. 6.5. The Elect are out of dan­ger of deadly sin.

2. Donteclock. The Elect cannot finally fall from faith. Instit. de Praedest. pag. 101.

3. Mehnius. Justifying faith can never be lost, because it is peremptorily given to the faithfull, in perpetuum. In Anchor: Animarum pag, 107,

4. Whitaker. This is that justifying faith with its necessary fruits which we maintain, that we can never wholly lose. In cygn. Cant. 20.

5. Piscator. It is impossible true believers should fall from the faith, the Decree and fe­derall promise of God withstanding it. In Resp. ad Duplic. Ʋorstii. pag. 246. & pag. 326. The naturall infirmity of the flesh, whereby they may lose faith, is so restrained and hindered by the absolute and effectuall decree of God, that it cannot break forth into act. Et pag. 238. There is a fatall necessity of the perse­verance of the faithfull, because it depends upon Gods absolute Decree.

6. Contra-Remonstrantes. They who have once believed, have no need to feare perdition. In Collat. Hagi. p. 32.

7. Gomarus. They who have received the gifts of faith and charity,— though in re­spect of their humane frailty 'tis possible they may totally lose them, yet in respect of the will of God, and his gracious Conservation by his Spirit, 'tis impossible. In Declar. sen­tentia suae. pag. 33.

8. D. Damman. The Elect can never fall totally nor finally. De Persever. pag. 169. & pag. 27. We know though the Spirit may be grieved in the faithfull, yet can he not be totally excussed or quenched.

9, Thysius. But what is this to the Elect, who though they do fall, yet they cannot but be renewed? Ad Sum. Baron. pag. 73.

And because M. Baxter calls that addition [notwithstanding the most enormous sins they can commit] a perverse insinuation; Be­hold: the Authors of it are

1 Contra-Remonstrants. It is not true, that they who may fall into grievous sinnes, and commit the works of the flesh, may fall wholly from the faith. In Coll. Hag. in 5. Artic.

2. Zanchy. Though by their grievous sins they may trouble the spirit, and weaken faith: yet the Spirit doth not wholly depart from them, nor is faith wholly extinguished. L. Miscel. in depuls. Calum. pag. 305.

3. Rennercherus. Those whom God hath once received into favour, their sin and guilt being abolished, them he preserves in his grace as just persons, so that they cannot fall from grace and perish through any sins, because they are and remain pardoned in them. In Catena. cap. 27.

4. Piscator. The tenth head of Doctrine objected to our Divine is, That the Regene­rate cannot lose their faith through any hey­nous sins. But this is the Doctrine that [Page 50] John teacheth. Contra Schaff. pag. 12.

5. Mehnius. The sonnes of God though they fall into all the sins that Solomon com­mitted, they are alwayes converted before the day of death. In Anchor. Anim. p. 125.

6. Perkins. The foundation of our salvati­on is laid in the eternall Election of God, so that a thousand sins, yea, the sins of the whole world, and all the Devils that are in hell, can never make void God's election. It may come to passe, that sins may harden our hearts, and weaken our faith, and grieve the Spirit of God in us, but they cannot take away faith, nor quite excusse the Holy Spirit. God doth not condemn any man for sinne, whom he hath adopted into the number of his chil­dren in Christ Jesus. In dialogo de statu ho­min. pag 44.

7. D. Damman. The Regenerate heaping up many sins cannot proceed so far, as to ex­cusse the Spirit of grace utterly through an u­niversall Apostasie. Et mox; Because this seed of God cannot be ejected but onely by sinne, therefore the Regenerate cannot eject it. De perseverant. pag. 33. & pag. 20. If none can pluck them out of Christ or his fathers hands; therefore not the Devill nor sin. And pag. 128. The Regenerate when he sins against consci­ence, he retains so much grace, and hath so much of Gods favour, that he cannot but rise [Page 51] again. Item pag. 193. To the objection of Ber­tius: It follows, that if the Elect cannot die in mortall sins, then if they alwayes go on in mortall sin, they shall never die. To this Do­ctor Damman answers, I grant it. But the question is whether the Elect can alwayes goe on in sinne: and pag. 144. The decree of Ele­ction doth imprint upon man and his affecti­ons an inevitable necessity both of believing, and persevering: and therefore we think the righteous do alwayes persevere, and cannot but persevere. pag. 146. and therefore he con­cludes, they need not consult about their per­severance; nor feare falling from grace, pag. 123.

Thus we see the matter of fact is made evi­dent throughout every one of the Five Arti­cles, and I hope this is more then abundant­ly sufficient to clear Tilenus from the guilt of the forgery, unworthy falsification, and per­verse insinuations,In Praefat. Sect. 5. which M. Baxter hath laid to his charge. But Master Baxter will be ready to object; you know that the Synod of Dort owneth none of these: and it is that Synod that is the Test of the Calvinists Anti-Arminianisme. How far the Synod owns these Doctrines we shall ex­amine anon. In the interim M. Baxter must not think to escape by telling us, That Synod is the Test of the Calvinists Anti-Arminianism; [Page 52] For that is not in question. Every one may ob­serve, that the Project which that Synod did drive at and carried on was, to cry down the Arminian Cause and Party; and in this the Synodists agreed toge­ther. Adeo facile cocunt, qui in fatalitatem absolutam tantū consentiunt. An Deus ex parte una statuatur in­sipiens, ex altera injustus, fusque deque habent: Sal­vo tantum fato, Syncre­tismus Orthodoxus con­stat. Hoc qui non admit­tit, etiamsi non nisi ve­rissima dicat, in spongiam incumbat, & ex albo Or­thodoxorum deleatur, ne­cesse est: Absolutum De­cretum, id est, fatum, tessera est, ex qua digno­scitur, an quis sit Ortho­doxus, etiamsi id dicat, un­de necessario consequitur, Deum esse insipientem stulium. injustum, Tyran­no quovis crudeliorum, peccati Authorem & si quae alia ejus generis blas­phema sunt. Exam. Cens. p. 63. b. sive Apol. pro Confes. Re­monstrant. Supralapsarians of all sorts, as well as Sublapsarians, conspired in this. But it is the Test of their Calvinisme that we are to bring them to; And where shall we find such a Test, as will secure us of the sincerity of these mens judgements? Calvin himself is not such a Test; He some­times personates the Sublapsarian, as the Sy­nod of Dort Act. Synod. ed. in fol. 1. part. p. 203. m. hath drest him up; Otherwhiles he Acts the part of a Supralapsarian, as he is brought upon the stage by the Remonstrants: Apolog. pro Confes. Remonstr. p. 64, 65. And Beza treads in the very footsteps of his Master in this Art of double dealing, as will plainly appeare to any [Page 53] that shall for his satisfaction) consult the Re­monstrants Apology cited in the Margin. Shall we take the Synod of Dort, upon M. Baxter's bare word, for such a Test? he that would not be deceived must learn to distrust. Indeed it appears that there was a great deale of wash and Fucus Deus bone! Vidimus atque experiundo didici­mus, quanta illi arte, quan­to studio sententiam suam incrustare, tegere ac cae­lare semper conati fuerint, bodieque adhuc conen­tur. Vix credo humanam industriam comminisci plu­ra posse, quam commenti sunt isti mortales, ut sen­tentiae ipsorum, à sententiae Supralapsariorum differ­re non videretur. ibid., of daub­ing and paintry used, at the drawing up the Ca­nons touching the seve­rall Articles, to make them look of the same complexion: but if we examine the Doctors, as Daniel did his Elders a­part, we shall finde their opinions to stand at push o'pike one against ano­ther. For instance. If you would inquire, Whether the Election be necessarily made out of the Corrupt Masse, some of those Divines will tell you it is, and some, as positively; affirm it is not.

That the Decree of Election is of certain men, out of mankind fallen into sin and lost, is collected out of Rom. 9.15, 16. I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and verse 23. The vessels of mercy prepared unto glory, and verse 22. the Reprobates are called ves­sels of wrath. But the wrath of God towards [Page 54] men doth presuppose their sin. Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, a­gainst the ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men. Also Eph. 1. we are said to be ele­cted in Christ, that we might be holy. Also, we are said to be predestinated unto the ado­ption of children by Jesus Christ; which can­not be said but with respect to sin. The Bel­gick Professors. Act. Synod. Dort. Part. 3. Pag. 4.

And the Divines of Zeeland, ibid. pag. 43. That Election is made out of mankind fallen, is proved out of Rom. 9.15, 16. where the purpose of Election is called, Having mer­cy, and vers. 23. the Elect are called vessels of Mercy. Now mercy supposeth misery. Rom. 11.32. God hath shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all: and 2 Tim. 1.9. He hath called us according to his pur­pose and grace &c. That mercy given to us in Christ doth presuppose sin, and shew us the remedy of it.

But the Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland are of another judgement, ibid. pag. 34. f. Whether in his election God consi­dered man as faln, or not faln, they think it not necessary to determine, so that it be con­cluded, that God considered all men in a like state in his election; that the Elect were no better then the Non-elect, whether in them­selves, [Page 55] or in Gods gracious estimation. And

Gomarus is most positive in this opinion; and therefore he profest in the open Synod, that he could not approve of the judgement of the foure Belgick Professors, concerning the object of Predestination; because he thought God did consider man as not faln, in his predestination of him. Ʋt supra in Sess. 107. part. 1. Whereupon he set down his own judgement apart by it self; wherein he makes mankind simply considered the object of the Decree. part. 3. pag. 21.

II. If you inquire whether Christ be the foundation of Election; you will finde them divided in their judgement here too. The Drent Divines say, that Christ is the founda­tion of Election, not as he is God, nor as he is man, but as he is God-man, our head and eternall Redeemer, by whom we are saved: because he, by his merit, hath procured the grace of God for us, and by his spirit he ef­fecteth faith in us. Eph. 1.4, 5, 6. Art. Syn. Dord. part. 3. pag. 80. f. Thes. 8. And the Has­sien Divines to the same purpose, ibid. part. 2. pag. 25.

But Pet. Molin. saith otherwise, ibid. part. 1. pag. 290. m.

Christ as he is man and the mediator, he is [Page 56] head of the elect, but not the cause of electi­on; seeing he himself as he is man is elect. He is the meritorious cause of our salvation, and our Ransome. But of two alike sinfull, he is not the cause why the one is preferred before the other. The Cause is to be sought in Gods beneplaciture and free love, which in order goes before the intercession of the Son. For the Father sent the Son and gave him to be the Redeemer. This is his Answer to that Question, [whether Christ be the Foundation of Election?] which is negative.

III. If you inquire, whether the elect be be­loved out of Christ; they are at odds here too, for some of them say,

When we affirme that the love of the Fa­ther whereby he chose us, goes in order before the intercession of the Son, our meaning is not, that the elect are beloved of God, out of Christ; For though the love of the Fa­ther went before the sending of his Son, yet he never loved us but in consideration of his Son, neither would he ever confer any bene­fit upon the elect, but in and through his Son. Pet. Molin. ubi supra.

Yet the Synod rejects it as an errour in them, who teach, that Christ neither could nor [Page 57] ought to die for those, whom God dearly loved, and chose unto eternall life, seeing such stood in no need of Christs death. Cap. 2. Reject. 7. pag. 253. part. 1. Act. Syn. Dord.

IV. If you inquire, whether Reprobation hath respect, onely, or not at all, to the fall of Man­kinde; They run division likewise upon this Article; for some of them say, it hath, and others as confidently averre that it hath not.

Sibrandus Lubbertus saith, We do not teach that God by his absolute will and decree, with­out any respect to sin, hath ordained any to damnation. But we say, God would declare his iustice in the damnation of the Reprobate; and therefore he would not appoint any to damnation but for sin. Act. Syn. Dord. part. 3. pag. 14.

And the Divines of Great Britaine say, Re­probation or Non-election is Gods eternall de­cree, whereby, for his own most free good pleasure, he determined not to have mercy upon some persons faln in Adam, so farre forth, as to deliver them effectually, from the state of misery, by Christ, and bring them infallibly unto blessednesse. De Reprob. Thes. 1 pag. 11 part. 2.

But Gomarus saith, God had no respect at all to sin, as going before it, in the Decree of [Page 58] Reprobation. For, saith He, Peremptory Reprobation is the Decree of God, whereby, for his own most free pleasure, to the declara­tion of his avenging justice, he determined to give neither grace nor glory to certain men, out of universall mankind, but to suffer them freely to fall into sin, and to leave them in their sins, and at last justly to condemn them for their sinnes. ibid. part. 3. pag. 24. Thes. 2. And their Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland to the same sense, making mankind in generall, not considered as fallen, and in the corrupt masse, the object of the De­cree of Election and Reprobation. ibid. pag. 35. p.

V. If you inquire concerning the Act of Reprobation; whether it be Negative onely, or Negative and Affirmative also; The Sy­nodists are not all of one minde in this point neither.

For the Hassien Divines say, The Divines of the Reformed Churches do think, we must accurately distinguish betwixt the two Acts of Reprobation, whereof one is nega­tive, viz. The purpose of God not to have mercy, or preterition: The other affirmative, viz. his purpose to damn, or ordination to destruction as a just punishment. Act. Syn. Dor. pag. 33. part. 2.

And the Churches of Wedderav. There are [Page 59] two acts of Reprobation; Preterition, or Non-election, and Damnation, or preparati­on of punishment. ibid. pag. 40. Thes. 2. item pag. 45. th. 2.

But the Divines of Great Britain were of another opinion. For they say, The proper acts of reprobation as it is opposed to electi­on, we think to be no other, then the deniall of the same glory and the same grace, which are prepared for the children of God in ele­ction. And in the Decree of election, are pre­pared, for them, Glory and effectuall Grace, and with that intention, that it should be ef­fectuall: that is, that by such grace, they may be brought, infallibly, to the said Glory. That such Grace and Glory is prepared for the Reprobates, we deny. ibid. pag. 11. a. m.

These differences we observe amongst them in matters that relate to Tilenus his first Ar­ticle. So in reference to the Second Article; If you inquire,

I. Whether Christ hath dyed for All, or onely for the Elect; you will finde them (what­ever they seem to say in the full Synod) accor­ding to their Chamber Practice, to contradict one another; For the Divines of Great Bri­tain do determine, That,

God, pitying mankind, faln, sent his Son, who gave himself a price of Redemption (or [Page 60] a Ransome) for the sins of the whole world. Acta Syn. Dor. pag. 78. Thes. 3. part. 2.

Martinius giving in his Suffrage, upon this Article, doth resolve thus. There is a certain Philanthropy of God, whereby he loves all mankinde fal'n, and seriously would have them all to be saved, ibid. pag. 103. Thes. 1. & Th. 8. If this Redemption be not supposed as a common benefit bestowed upon all: that in­different and promiscuous preaching of the Gospell, committed to the Apostles, to be performed amongst All nations, will have no true foundation. (Et thes. 9.) And seeing we abhorre to say this; it is to be considered, how much they speak against most clear and known principles, who, at their pleasure, do plainly deny, that Christ died for all men. Thes. 10. Neither will it satisfie to propose such a suffi­ciency, as might be enough; but such as is altogether enough in God's and Christ's ac­count. For otherwise the command and pro­mise of the Gospell will be overthrown.

For (Thes. 11.) from a benefit, that is sufficient indeed, but not designed for me by a true intention, how can there be deduced a necessity of my believing it, to belong unto me? And Thes. 26. he gives the chief Reasons which induced him to be of this opinion, which are three.

1. That the Scriptures might be reconciled without wresting.

2. That the Glory of Gods truth, mercy and justice, in the commands, promises and threatnings of the Gospell, might be preser­ved; lest by these God should be thought to will and do something otherwise then the words signifie.

3. That it may be manifest, that the blame of the destruction of the wicked may be in themselves, not in the defect of a remedy, by which they might be saved. Thus Martini­us sent to the Synod from Breme, Act. Syn. Dord. part. 2. pag. 104. &c.

And Ludovicus Crocius another of the Bre­mish Divines, sets down his opinion some­what to the same purpose, though not so well, or so fully (as M. Baxter doth intimate) See ibid. pag. 117. Thes. 2.3.

But the Divines of the Palatinate were of another judgement; for they say; That the generall love of God to sinners is remarka­ble. But that Love is more excellent, which moved God to give his Son to save us from our sins. This is not generall but speciall, not common to all and every man, but proper to the elect. ibid. pag. 83.

And the Divines of Geneva, to the same purpose; Christ, out of the Fathers good pleasure merely, was destin'd and given to be Mediator and Head to a certain number of men, constituting his body Mysticall, by [Page 62] Gods election. Thes. 1. pag. 100. & Thes. 2.

For these, Christ, who best understood his own office, would and decreed to die, and to adde the infinite price of his death, a singular and most effectuall intention of his will.

And Iselburg saith, Christ died, or laid down his life, for all and every one of his e­lect sheep or Faithfull, and in their stead, and for their good onely. Ibid. pag. 111. Thes. 3.

And the Ministers of Emden say, Christ according to the intention, counsil and de­cree of his Father, died onely for the Elect. Ibid. pag. 119. q. 4.

The Belgic Professors say, If you consider the proper end, and the singular and saving efficacie of Christ's death, we affirm that, ac­cording to his Fathers and his own counsil, Jesus Christ died, not for the Reprobates and those that perish, but onely for the Elect, and those that do believe. Act. Syn. Dor. part. 3. pag. 88. f.

The Brethren of North-Holland say, The Scripture saith Christ died for All, that is, for All the Elect out of all sorts of men. Ibid. p. 107. & p. 108. They say, That of the Re­monstrants is false, that the intention of the Father, delivering his Son to death, and of the Son in undergoing death, was, that by the same he might save all and every one, though [Page 63] through the fault of many of them the mat­ter happens otherwise.

The Brethren of Zeeland offer these Ar­guments (such as they are) against Christ's death for all, ibid. pag. 112. Thes. 2. & 3. If Christ paid a price of Redemption for all and every man, then All and every one ought to be saved, and none to perish.

But this is false &c.

If reconciliation with God, and remission of sins be impetrated for all and every man, then the word of reconciliation is also to be preached to all and every one. But the Con­sequent is false. Ergo.

The Deputies of the Synod of Groningen say, we do believe, that according to the Fa­ther's intention, delivering his Son to death, and the Son's, in suffering it, reconciliation with God and remission of sins is obtained onely for the elect. Ibid. p. 138.

The Deputies of the Synod of Gallo-Belgia say, That according to the Scripture, Christ really died for none, but believers. And the will of the Father in sending his Son, and of the Son in dying was no other. Pag. 151. Thes. 2.

The Deputies of the Synod of Gelderland, shall conclude this part of the contradiction; and the Reader shall have their very Syllo­gismes, that he may learn Logick with his Di­vinity.

Whosoever God calls to salvation, purcha­sed by the death of Christ, for them Christ died. But God calls not every man to salva­tion, purchased by the death of Christ. There­fore Christ dyed not for all.

Whomsoever God commands to believe in Christ crucified, for them Christ dyed. God does not command every man to believe in Christ crucified. Ergo. ibid. pag. 93.

II. If we inquire who then the Impetration of Reconciliation be to be separated from the Application of it, we find them at Boy's play, at Heads and Hollies, here too; for some are for the Affirmative; as

Martinius. That externall Calling doth necessarily require, as going before it, these things; the promise and sending of the Son, and the paying of a Ransome to take away sin, and God so appeased, that he requires no other sacrifice of any man for sin, being con­tent with that most full one (of Christs,) and that there be no need of any other merit or satisfaction, for mans reconciliation, so that (which ought to be done in all remedies) there be an application of the medicine Act. Syn. Dord. part. 2. p. 104. Thes. 7. & thes. 23. Christ hath merited for all God's favour, to be really obtained, if they do believe, and so by Gods favour righteousnesse and life. (and Thes. 24.) This his favour God commonly [Page 65] declareth by his Gospel: which notwith­standing (because he keeps the merits of his Son in his own power, as being given and pro­pounded, not by us, but by himselfe) he takes order it shall be published, to whom he plea­ses, and especially by that means it is effectu­all, in whom, when, and how far he pleases: & Thes. 25. Hence it is manifest, that the me­rit or impetration, and the application, are and are not, of an equall latitude, in a diverse respect.

Ludovicus Crocius is of the same judge­ment too. Ʋid. ibid. pag. 117. Thes. 2, 3, 4.

But these two great lights of the Church of Breme (as far as I can observe, for the pre­sent) are eclipsed by the Negative Suffrages of all the rest of that Synod. But first let us heare the judgement of Peter Moulin, inserted amongst the Acts of the Synod, Part. 1. pag. 292.

The Sectaries, saith He, pretend, that Christ by his death, hath impetrated reconciliation and remission of sins for all and every man: which is prest with so many Inconveniences, saith He, and draws so many wicked absur­dities after it, that it is a wonder, they can strive against it. Et paulo post,

God is manifestly illuded by this Doctrine: and after, Thus God is not onely illuded, but [Page 66] He himself is feigned to illude mankind. And, in short, he concludes, that this impetration (as distinguished from the Application) is vain and ridiculous.

The Divines of the Palatinate say, That, it is an evident errour in the Remonstrants, that they do divide and sever the impetration, and application of the benefits of Christ, ac­cording to severall objects: and not judge them to be applyed to all those for whom they are impetrated. Act. Syn. Dord. part. 2. pag. 87. To the same purpose, the Helvetians, pag. 94. thes. 3. and they in the Name of the Churches of Wedderav. pag. 97. thes. 2. So the Divines of Geneva, pag. 103. thes. 7, 8. And Iselburg contradicts his brethren before mentioned; for he saith, Whomsoever Christ hath reconciled to his Father by his death, to all them and to them onely, he doth apply, truly, certainly and absolutely, that impetrated re­conciliation with God, and the remission of all their sins, ibid. pag. 113. thes. 5. See also Thes. 4, 6, 7, 8. So the Ministers of Embden. pag. 119. quast. 5. And amongst the Provinciall Divines, see to this sense pag. 105. p. 109. m. 113. m. &c. 134, 135, 137. f. 140. Thes. 3, 4. 145. p. p. 151. Thes. 3. (Part. 3.) in folio.

III. If you inquire of those Divines whe­ther all that heare the Holy Gospell be com­manded [Page 67] to believe in Christ, or no; they are not agreed in this, (which is one of the chief) fundamentall Articles; They are yea and nay here too.

For the Synod saith, (Cap. 2. Art. 5.) It is the promise of the Gospell, That whosoe­ver believes in Christ Crucified, should not pe­rish, but have life everlasting: which pro­mise together with the injunction of repen­tance and faith, ought promiscuously and without distinction, to be declared and pub­lished to all men and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel. Act. Syn. Dord. part. 1. pag. 252.

But P. Moulin was of another judgement (ibid. 294.) The Sectaries, saith he, are al­wayes up with this Argument;

• What all are bound to believe, is true.
• But that Christ dy­ed for them, all are bound to believe.
• There­fore, it is true.

The Minor of the Syllogisme is false; saith D. Moulin.

And some of those, who subscribed the Former Article, have declared themselves of another judgement in their single Suffrages. As the Deputies of the Synod of Gelderland, who argue thus, Whomsoever God com­mands to believe in Christ crucified, for them Christ dyed.

God doth not command every man to be­lieve in Christ Crucified. Therefore Christ [Page 68] dyed not for every man. They have some­what a better Syllogisme following, but the same doctrine still, in these words;

• They one­ly whom Christ calls unto him, they onely are commanded to come unto him, that is, to be­lieve in him.
  Act. Synod. Dort. part. 3. pag. 95. f. & pag. 100. a. m. and after.
• Christ calls unto him onely the thirsty, the labou­ring, burdened, such as acknow­ledge their own blindnesse, want and nakednesse.
• Therefore— Hereupon we do not command all promiscuously to believe in Christ: though we presse this also, that they cannot enter in­to life eternall, nor be delivered from sin, the wrath of God and damnation, but through Christ onely.

Again, in Questions relating to the third and fourth Articles, you will be as far to seek, if you have recourse to their judgement for a Resolution. For herein they cannot agree upon a verdict, how ever they made a shift to shuffle up their Canons and Rejections. For inquire of them, whether the unregenerate have power to understand the sense of Holy Scri­pture? The Divines of Great Britain do af­firm it; To certain of the Non-Elect there is granted a kind of supernaturall illumination,Act. S. Ʋ. part. 2. pag. 188. by vertue whereof they may understand the contents of Gods word to be true, and yield an un­feigned [Page 69] assent unto them. De 5. Artic. Thes. 1. And the Divines of Drent say, That man faln, by nature though corrupt, can hear the word of God, understand, believe it to be true, and in some measure be affected with it. To which purpose Paul treats in the first and second Chapters to the Romans. And this al­so appears from hence, in that the Devils themselves who are faln, more foully then man, and wholly destitute of Gods grace, yet can do these things. Luk 14.13. Act. 16.17. Jam. 2.19. We therefore grant,Act. Synod. Dord. part. 3. pag. 211. f. in a sound sense, what the Re­monstrants say, that by the strength of freewill men may at­tentively hear and read the Gospel revealed.

But the judgement of the Brethren of North-Holland is otherwise; for they say, That the blindnesse of mans mind in spirituall matters is so great, that although the Gospel be preached to him, yet without the inter­nall illumination of the Holy Spirit, he can­not understand the sense of Scri­pture,Ibid. pag. 175. & p. 170. m. necessary to be known, be­lieved, hoped in, and practised. And the Deputies of Over-Issel say, The understanding being blind, by its naturall power, without some other, and that a supernaturall or spirituall light,Ibid. pag. 195. Ʋ. 169. it can by no means comprehend the good that is re­vealed [Page 70] by the Gospell. And the Deputies of the Synod of Groning do affirm, That an un­regenerate man, that is, considered in the fall, hath nothing in him, whereby he is able to dispose himself unto supernaturall good. The Holy Ghost doth expresly deny, that man, by the light and gifts of nature remaining in him,Ibid. p. 206, may be raised to the true knowledge of God.Ibid. p. 219. To the same purpose do the De­puties of the Synod of Gallo-Belgia expresse themselves; In the state of sin, say they, the naturall man is blinde; and perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; and that not onely because he is unable to find them out before their Revelation; but also because af­ter they are revealed to him, he cannot saving­ly understand, or yield assent unto them, without the internall illumination of the Ho­ly Spirit and speciall grace.

Again if you inquire, whether the unrege­nerate be able to do any thing, that may con­duce to their comfort in gaining assurance of their election and regeneration; The Synod doth at least imply it, in the Chapter of Pre­destination Artic. 16. where they say, That those, who do not as yet effectually perceive in themselves a lively faith, or a sure confi­dence of heart in Christ &c. such as these ought not to be cast down at the mention of [Page 71] Reprobation, nor reckon themselves among the reprobate; but must diligently go for­ward in the use of those means, by which, God hath promised, that he will work these things in us, and ardently desire and humbly and reverently expect the good hour of more plentifull grace. If this doth not imply a po­wer in them to doe so, as is here directed, they do but trifle to no purpose but to blind the Reader.

That they speak here of the unregenerate appears, 1. Because they propound the case of the Regenerate, in the infancy of their Rege­neration, in the words following, and sure they would not be guilty of so grosse a Tau­tology, as to repeat the same thing twice in one Article. 2. Because if this doth not con­cerne the unregenerate, there is no light of hope in the Article, no not so much as for the Elect, that are yet in an unregenerate state; and surely they would not be so negligent as to omit provision for their incouragement un­to duty, which therefore must needs be this, they must use the means, &c. And yet to assert that the unregenerate hath any such power, this is rejected as an errour, that had troubled the Churches, &c. For that an unregenerate man is not properly, nor totally dead in sins, nor destitute of all strength tending to spiri­tuall good, but that he is able to hunger and [Page 72] thirst after righteousnesse, or everlasting life, &c. This they reject. Chap. 3. &. 4. Re­ject. 4.

Again, if you inquire, whether a man can do more good then he doth, or omit more evill then he omitteth; The Brittish Divines affirme he can, whether you un­derstand it of the unregenerate,Act. Synod. Dor. part. 2. pag. 135. or of the regenerate. But the De­puties of the Synod of Gelder­land, ib. part. 3. pag. 164. do deny it; for they An­swer thus. Per Gratiam Dei po­test. He may do it by the grace of God: for he can do all things through Christ that strengthens him. But without the grace of God he can do no such thing; and he that saith the contrary, He is injurious to the grace of God on one side, and on the other side he falls into plain Pelagianisme, as they say. Here observe, the question is propounded by them concerning the Regenerate, one in a state of Grace, and supposed to be under the influences of the divine assistance according to that state, whether such an one can do more good then he doth, or omit more evil then he omitteth. Now they do not answer directly and positively, that he can, but with this addition, By the Grace of God, he can do it; which is an insinuation of the negative, that he cannot without a further measure of [Page 73] Grace superadded, to that; wherein, being regenerated, He is upposed to stand, as was said before.

Again, if we have recourse to this Oracle at Dort, to be informed; whether the New Covenant be made with all and every man, and consequently, whether the Promises of the Gospel be Generall; Their Decisions are off and on here too; videtur quod sic, and probatur quod non; For example

The Divines of Great Brittain do affirm, That there is an Ʋniversall promiscuous Pro­mise Evangelical founded in the merit of Christs death. De Art. Part. 2. pag. 79. 2. Thes. 4. & Thes. 5. They say, That according to this promise salvation is of­fered unto all.

And Martinius saith, That there is a common (or generall) love of God towards all mankind faln, and that God seriously would have all men to be saved. De Art. 2. Thes. 1. And accordingly, He saith, there is a promiscuous calling allotted to the Elect and Reprobate, Thes. 2. And a common ex­ecution (or exhibition) of Grace. Thes. 6. See the rest, cited out of him above, to the same purpose.

The Belgick Professors do affirm; That it is not denyed by the Orthodox, but to whom­soever the Gospel is preached, the Ransome [Page 74] of Christ, as such, is to be declared indiffe­rently, and offered in Christs name, and that seriously, and according to the counsil of the Father, &c. Act. Syn. Dord. par. 3. pag. 88 m.

But all are not of this mind. For the Bre­thren of Ʋtrecht say, The promises of the Go­spel are universall, but not simply, as belong­ing to every one of all kinds, but to all and every believer and elect person. Ibid. pag. 118. and 123.

As concerning the new Covenant's being e­stablisht with every man; we answer, that whether God could do it or no, we will not dispute: but that he would so establish it, we deny.

Of the same judgement are the Deputies of the Churches of Friesland. Ibid. 130. And the whole Synod rejects it as an error in them that teach, That all men are received into the state of reconciliation and grace of the Cove­nant, so that no body shall be condemned for Originall sin, nor, in respect of it, be liable to death or damnation, but that all are ac­quitted and freed from the guilt of that sin. Cap. 2. Rej. 5. pag. 253.

Let us ask them another Question, viz. Whether God wills seriously, that All men be saved? Some say, yes; As

Martinius, who saith, There is a common Love of God towards all mankinde being faln, whereby he would seriously have all men to be saved. De Art. 2. Thes. 1.

And the Divines of Wedderau; God in cal­ling the Reprobate, wills their conversion and salvation seriously, with a will approving it, though not effecting it. Ibid. pag. 152.

Lubbertus saith, We do not teach, that God simply would not have all men to be conver­ted and saved; neither do we teach that God feigneth, or would not seriously the conversi­on of all, or that he hath contradictory wills. But we teach that he seriously wills all mens conversion and salvation in respect of appro­bation and his rejoycing (in it.) Act. Syn. Dor. par. 3. pag. 13. m.

But the Divines of Embden, on the contra­ry, say, Hence ariseth another question, Whe­ther God according to his good pleasure, seriously wills that all men should be saved. The Remonstrants affirm it, every where. But we deny it. Part. 2. pag. 74. Quaest. 13.

The Deputies of the Synod of Groning, say, That generall will (of God) desiring and in­tending the conversion and salvation of all, is the fiction of mans brain, and transformes God into an impotent man, who desires that all men should be saved, but is not able to effect it. Ibid pag. 7 [...]. p. m.

Shall we try these Divines with another question; Whether the Reprobates be called un­to salvation seriously, or no?

Sibrand Lubbertus, is for the Affirmative; as was now alleadged; and so are the Synod in their Decrees, where they say, That, as many as are called by the Gospel, are called seriously. For God by his word doth seri­ously and most truly declare, what is accept­able to him, namely that those that are called, come unto him: and moreover doth seriously promise to all such, as come to him, and be­lieve in him, rest for their soules, and life eter­nall. Cap. 3. & 4. Art. 8.

The Brittish Divines say, Those whom God doth thus affect by his Spirit, using the means of his Word, those he doth truly and seri­ously call and invite to faith and conversion. De. 3. & 4. Art. Th. 3. p. 128. & in explicat. We must judge, by the nature of the bene­fit offered, and the cleare word of God, of those helps of grace, which are administred unto men, and not by the abuse and event. Seeing therefore, that the Gospel, according to its own nature, cals men to repentance and salvation, seeing the excitations of Divine grace tend the same way, we must conclude, that God doth nothing here feignedly. This is proved by those serious and patheticall Be­seechings. 2 Cor. 5.2. (19.) We beseech you [Page 77] in Christs stead, that ye would be reconciled unto God. Exhortations, 2 Cor. 6.1. We ex­hort you not to receive the grace of God in vaine. Expostulations. Gal. 1 6. I wonder you are so soon removed from him that hath called you unto the grace of Christ. Pro­mises. Apoc 3.20. Behold, I stand at the doore and knock, if any man heare my voice and open the doore, I will come in unto him, &c.

But this Doctrine will not down with the Deputies of the Synod of Gelderland: we had their invincible Syllogismes before, where­of the Minors are these. 1. God calls not all men to salvation. 2. God doth not command every man to believe in Christ: 3. Christ calls un­to him the thirsty &c. onely. But they deli­ver their mind more roundly, upon the third Article; For whereas the Remonstrants do argue, that these two things are very repu­gnant, That God would have a man to be sa­ved, and yet should not give him what is ne­cessary to enable him to convert and believe, (without which salvation is not to be had.) To this they Reply, That it seems no lesse re­pugnant to them, that God should call one to salvation, and yet not communicate salva­tion to him. Whence we conclude (say they) Seeing God does not give to all that are cal­led that which is necessary, that they might [Page 78] convert and believe (and he could give it if he would), therefore he would not commu­nicate salvation unto all men, and therefore neither would he call unto salvation All, that are outwardly called: nay seeing God calls All to salvation, whom he calls; therefore as many as are not called unto salvation, are not called of God; that is to say, those, to whom he will not give, what is necessary for them, that they may convert and believe. Et mox. And by this means we shall preserve the Dignity of the (Divine) Calling. Act. Syn. Dord. part. 3. pag. 163.

To this agrees the Declaration of the Judge­ment of the Deputies of Groningen; The sound of Preaching doth promiscuously reach the ears of all men: but in effect it calls them onely whom God hath elected to eternall life. For Vocation doth properly belong to them by God's Ordination. Ibid. pag. 208. p.

May we take the confidence to examine their sweet accord in one thing more; Are any dispositions required unto Faith and Con­version, or not? What say those Divines to this Probleme?

There are some externall works ordinari­ly required of men, before they be brought to the state of Regeneration or Conversion, which are wont sometimes to be freely done, [Page 79] sometimes freely to be omitted of them; as, to go to Church, to heare the Word, and such like. This is the judgement of the Brit­tish Divines. Part. 2. pag. 128. Thes. 1. & Thes. 2. They say, There are some internall effects, praevious to Conversion or Regenera­tion, which are stirred up by the power of the Word and Spirit, in the hearts of such as are not yet justified; such are the knowledge of the Divine will, sense of Sin, sear of Pain, thinking of Deliverance, some hope of Par­don. And pag. 131. This Spirituall birth doth presuppose the soule to be stirred up by the Spirit, using the organ or instrument of the Word.

To the like purpose, do the Divines of the Palatinate deliver their Judgement, in this Point. 'Tis certain, they say, that some Acts of Sorrow, Contrition, Acknowledgement of sin, &c. do precede Faith and Conversion in a man that is to be regenerated; whiles by the Ministery of the Law and Gospel he is pre­pared to receive Grace. Ibid. pag. 137. p. And so the Divines of Geneva; The salutary sense and feeling of sin, joyned with a thirst after the remedy, a good hope, softnesse of heart, hatred of sin, and flying unto God, these are latent effects of the holy Spirit, preparing and drawing a man by little and little to the grace of Justification, and unto Regeneration. Ibid. p. 155. Thes. 2.

But with the Hassian Divines this is pure Remonstrant or Arminian Doctrine; and therefore they reject this as Heterodox; That a man in the state of sin, before Faith and the Spirit of Renovation, hath, or may have any zeale, care or study, to obtain Salvation; and that he may heare God's word, be grieved for sin, desire saving grace, and the Spirit of Renovati­on; and that this is most profitable and most necessary to the obtaining of Faith and the Spi­rit of Renovation, as the Remonstrants do ex­presly teach. Also, That a man in the state of sin, before his Regeneration and Vivification, hath the knowledge of his (spirituall) death, grief and sorrow for it, desire of deliverance, hunger and thirst after life, likewise confession of sins, contrition, initiall fear, &c. as our Brethren the Remonstrants, speak at the Con­ference at the Hague. All this they reject. Ibid. p. 144. Reject. 6.

The Divines of Embden are of the same judgement. Ʋid. ibid. pag. 178. Quaest. 13.

Those of Ʋtrecht say, The heart and af­fections of an unregenerate man are quite cor­rupt; so that till he be regenerate, he can­not hunger after the salutary grace of God, and newnesse of life, nor desire deliverance from sin, nor beg the Spirit of Regeneration. Part. 3. pag. 184. Thes. 6.

The Deputies of the Synod of Groningen, [Page 81] deliver themselves to the same sense too. Ib. pag. 73. p.

But it is high time to explore the judge­ment of these Divines in some few points re­lating to the Fifth and last Article. Touching which, the first thing I shall propound for the Reader's satisfaction, shall be, Perseverance be a Condition of the yea or no? The Divines of the Palatinate Judic. de Artic. quin­to inter Jud. Th. exter. p. 206. a. m. say, That Perseve­rance is God's gift. But the Re­monstrants are deceived and do de­ceive, in that they think Perseve­rance, being reckoned an effect of Election and a gift of God, cannot be a Con­dition of the Covenant, commanded by God, and to be performed freely by us: As if these were inconsistent and repugnant, being rather subordinate and very Consentaneous. For God, who in the New Covenant prescribes the condi­tion of Perseverance, to all the adult, that are in Covenant, and by that prescript requires it, doth not leave it suspended upon the strength of their free will, but doth effectually work and produce it in them.

That it is a condition and un­der command, though it be the gift of God, is the acknowledge­ment of theJudic. de 5. Art. inter Jud. Th. pro p. 221. a.m. Belgick Professors, [Page 82] and of the Brethren of Ʋtrecht Ibid. pag. 252. Th. 2., and the Divines of Drent Ibid. 273. Th. 4.. But this Doctrine is rejected by the whole Synod in their First Reje­ctionAct. Syn. 1. part. pag. 268. Th. 1., upon the fifth head of Doctrine. And the Divines of Embden Ib. 2. part. pag. 246. q. 3. do determine thus, Per­severantia non est Conditio N. P. id est, Perseverance is not a Condi­tion of the New Covenant, prae-required to be performed by men, that the promise of the New Covenant may he sure: but it is the very gift of the New Covenant, which God hath promi­sed to bestow freely upon his Elect. See to the like sense the Judge­ments of the Divines of Great Bri­taine Ib. p. 201. Th. 2., and Geneva Ib. p. 226. Th. 2..

2. Suppose we should propound this ea­sie Question, Whether Salvation or eternall life, be the reward of Faith, or onely the end of it? This Question, one would think so clear­ly and peremptorily resolved in Scripture, that wise men could not disagree in the Solution of it; yet behold! here we have pro, and con, too. Salus in Credentibus & Proemium est fidei 2 Tim. 4.8. & Finis. 1 Pet. 1.8. So saith Go­marus, the great Supralapsarian Act. Sy. 3. part. pag. 21. f.. That is, Salvation in the Believers, is as well the reward of faith as the end of it. Yet the Deputies [Page 83] of the Synod of Gelderland Ibid. pag. 30. p. will not admit of this, Uti gratis filii fimus, &c. That is, As we are made sonnes and obtain the right of the inheri­tance freely, so are we freely also put into the possession of that inheritance. Therefore it is ill said, that eternall life, as a reward, is de­creed and given by God to those that fulfill the conditions which he hath prescribed. For to give life as a reward, upon the performance of a condition, upon which, that life was decreed, as a reward, (this) is to give life not altoge­ther freely and of good pleasure, but of debt.

3. Let us inquire of them, Whether a Tem­porary faith be a true faith, or onely hypocriti­call? What do they resolve of this? The British Divines saySententia De Artic. 5. explic Thes. 1. A [...]. Syn. part. 2. pag. 189. p., The Non-Elect may give an unfeigned assent to the Gospel. The seed which fell up­on stony ground, Luk. 8.13. doth de­note those hearers which believe for a time, that is, which assent to the Divine Revelations, especially to the Evange­licall Covenant: And that this Assent was un­feigned is evident, in that the Word was recei­ved with joy. Simon Magus, Act. 8.12. be­lieved Philip evangelizing the things that ap­pertained unto the Kingdome of God, and gave a Testimony of his Faith by receiving the Sacra­ment of Baptisme. Hymenaeus and Alexander [Page 84] made shipwrack of the faith, not that which is counterfeit or feigned, but a true one. For he is not to be blamed, that falls off from an hypo­criticall faith: neither is shipwrack made of a feigned faith, but a detection and discovery: neither can a man be shipwrackt, unlesse he were truly in the ship, &c. Thus our Learned Di­vines, and some others with them. But o­thers of them, and by name the Deputies of Over-Issel Act. Syn. 3. part. pag. 277. p. p., are of another judgement, for they say, Quale discrimen est inter hypocri­tam, & verum Christianum, tale quoque est in­ter fidem temporariam & salvificam. Look what difference there is betwixt a true Chri­stian and an Hypocrite, the same difference there is betwixt a temporary and a saving Faith.

4. If you inquire of them, Whether Faith may be lost or no; here they divide them­selves and their opinions. Some say the Act may be lost, but not the Habit. Others do maintain that not the Habit nor the Act nei­ther. That the Habit, the seed, the root, the Spirit of Faith may be lost, we deny. That the Act, the trust, the comfort may be cut off, and that totally, though not finally, that we grant, say the Divines of Gelderland De 5. Artic. Act. Syn. Dor. 3. part. pag. 228. f.. And so the [Page 85] Deputies of Friesland Ibid. pag. 261. Thes. 3.; As to the Act of Faith, we easily grant, that through the frauds of Satan, the allurements of the world, and the malignant power of the flesh, it may be re­prest, interrupted, and as it were suffocated for a time. But as to the Habit of Faith, which is not a transient but an immanent Act, infused into us of the Holy Ghost, whereby our hearts are purified, and we united as members to Christ our head, and quickened by his Spirit, we deny it. But the Divines of Drent Ibid. pag. 275. p. Quid vetat, quo minus San­cti, dvm ipsa actualia pec­cata, & qui­dem crassio ra, comit­tunt, simu­actum fidel sentiant? &c. are of opinion, that whether you speak of the Act or of the Habit of Faith, neither of them can be lost amongst such rubbish as the works of the flesh. The Saints may commit sins and grosse ones, prey upon the Carkasse of corruption, and yet keep their faith, the mean while, upon wing, and in action.

5. If you inquire into the nature of those sins, which it is possible for the Faithfull to fall into; They will tell you, They have no such Amulet, or charme, as can keep them ab­solutely secure and free from the shot, darts or impressions of their Ghostly enemies: They are liable not onely to be assaulted, but foiled also as well as others; and to fall into [Page 86] such horrid sins as do most grievously wound, and directly wast the conscienceSee Act, Syn. Dor. 2. part. pag. (ed in fol.) 192. th. 3.202. f. 208. a. m. 216. p. p. 219. f. 222. th. 3.233. thes. 9, 10, 11. & part. 3. pag. 253. p. 275. p. See also Part. 1. p. 266. De Persever. Sanct. Art. 5.. In atrocia, in gravia, in gravissi­ma peccata, as the Brittish Di­vines have it. In graviora & atrociora contra conscientiam, as they of the Palatinate; in gravis­sima & atrocissima, as those of Hassia; in gravia & enormia pec­cata—ita ut conscientiam gra­vissimé laedant, as those of Helve­tia; in atrocia peccata, adeoque Conscientiam sibi vastant, as those from the correspondence of Wed­derau. Possunt quidem in atrocia & conscientiam directé vastantia scelera, incidere, as the Divines of Drent; and as the effects here­of, angores & pavores Conscientiae patiantur; they may feel and suffer the anguish and hor­ror of Conscience, as the Divines of Breme conclude; yet a many of them do account these but slips, and sins of infirmitie onely. As Sibrandus Lubbertus Act. Syn. Dor. part. 3. p. 227. p. implies in these words; Etsi regeniti ali­quando ex infirmitate labuntur, & fides illorum deliquium patitur, &c. And this Suffrage of his was subscribed by Po­lyander, Gomarus, Thysius, and Walaeus. So the Brethren of North-Holland Ib. p. 237. f., [Page 87] Statuunt ex Dei Ʋerbo, vere fideles, etsi ex imbecillitate carnis nonnunquam labantur & in peccata conscientiam graviter laedentia incidunt, non tamen posse ad Mortem peccare &c. So the Divines of Drent Ibid. pag. 275. p. do hold, that the Saints may act grosse sins, and their Christian saving faith toge­ther, Quia ex infirmitate tantum, sine despe­ratione peccant. Ubi supra.

Lastly, if you demand of them, what con­dition a faithfull man brings himself into, by committing such horrid wasting sins; They will tell you,See for this Act. Syn. Dor. 2. part p. 9. p. m. 192, 193. 194, th. 3, 4, 5, 6. cum, explicat. & p. 202. th. 5. exp. 244. th. 54, 56, He contracts a dam­nable guilt, whereby (1.) he loseth his present aptitude to enter into the kingdome of Heaven, (2.) he hath reason to feare, and that deservedly, the Divine wrath and revenging justice, (3.) that he stands as a per­son, by his own demerit, to be dam­ned; so that should he now die, be­fore he hath obtained his pardon, through his renewed Acts of Faith and Repentance, and be actually absolved, it were im­possible but he should perish: Notwithstand­ing (so great a Paradox is in this Divinity) they tell you, That, at the same instant, the seed of Regeneration with all fundamentall gifts, without which the state of Regeneration cannot possibly consist, are preserved safe and [Page 88] sound in him, so that he hath a saving faith, and the Holy Spirit, and God's speciall favour; insomuch that his universall justification, state of Adoption, and right to the kingdome of Heaven, do yet remain uncancel'd, unviolated, and immovable.

By what hath been discovered, in this our scrutiny into their different judgements and opinions, the Reader may conclude what an excellent Test, Master Baxter commend's unto us for Triall of the right strain or Tincture of the Calvinists Doctrines. A Test that allows all for currant, that is any way opposite to the Doctrine of the Remonstrants, especially that which stands at the greatest distance to it. And though as contrary as black and white, 'twill set off the work the better, in that it is chequered with such a variegation of opinions. A Test whereby Master Bar­lee will be approved for an ORTHO­DORT Divine as well, as Master Baxter.

But I foresee this will not satisfie M. Bax­ter. In his Pre­face, Secti­on 5. He will yet expostulate; Why should you charge a Party with the opinions of a very few, which upon greatest deliberation in a Synod, the Party will not own? To this it may truly be replyed, that there were and are more then a very few, of those opinions, and they own­ed by that Party you speak of, and both [Page 89] joyned together in a confederation, to root out another Party, that complained of the enormitie of those opinions, which were so far from being redressed, that they were not toucht upon at least, if not countenanced by that Synod; which we shall examine further in the sequel. In the mean while, we may consider, how happy it had been, if M. Bax­ter for the prevention of the mischief that hath ensued, had been amongst them, with his power of Sequestration, to have removed as many as would not have been of one (that is of his, if that be one) minde; though thereup­on he had left a very thin unanimous Assem­bly. But that same [Suffragium] breathing hot and cold, according to the temper of the severall Climates (and sometimes the Phan­tasies of single persons) from whence it came, raised so many crosse winds, that they made the Sea of Dort tumultuous and troublesome, and occasioned a Naufragium of that whole designe; which the Decrees singly by them­selves might have passed over with lesse di­sturbance or observation.

In good earnest, after much inquiry, I find, 'tis a very hard matter to understand what metall Master Baxter's Test is made of. I con­fesse they seem to allow the Sublapsarian Do­ctrine as the most Current and Passable a­mongst the Vulgar: but I do not finde them [Page 90] cry down the Supralapsarian, no, nor the Su­pra-Creatarian neither, as drosse or counter­feit. That these are no lesse pure and Ortho­dox then the other by that account, we have many presumptions to induce us to believe. For, first we know, Kissing goes by favour; and we find men wedded to the most rigid of those Opinions were embraced, and placed upon the Bench, while the Remonstrants, who detected their enormitie, were brought unto the Barre; not permitted duely and sully to implead them; or justifie themselves. 2. What was, at least the Pretended, business of their Convention? That those opinions of Arminius,Act. Syn. Nat. Dor. Sess. 140. pag. 285. part. 1. and his followers might be accurately examined, and determi­ned of by the Rule of Gods Word onely, the true Doctrine established, and the false rejected, and concord, peace and tranquillity (by Gods bles­sing) restored to the Churches of the Low-Countries. This was the end of their Con­vention. But what opinions were they, that gave the Scandall to Arminius and his follow­ers? Were they not those of the rigid Cal­vinists? and who were the Authors of that disturbance, but those petulant Parsons, that would not endure the Prescription of the wise Physitian, nor suffer their Soars and Ulcers to be lanced? 'Tis true, The weakest must to [Page 91] the wall, and when 'tis put to the Question. Who they are that trouble Israel? to be s [...] the Oppressor will have the casting voice. But if the Character (inserted in the Margin) be true,Illi scilicet Religionis ergô, alii ministeriis suis aincti, alii prescri­pti, relega­ti, extorres, &c. Nempe Hillenius Alcmariâ &c. Tu quoque aliique tui similes, aut libellis infames, aut concionibus tribunitiis, Conven­ticulis, schismate, seditione ac rebellione adversus Il­lust. Ordd. Decreta, ac Magistratuum Edicta, insignes: Hos tu totidem quasi religionis ac professionis vestrae Mar­tyres habe, & in Canonem refer; non invideo; nec vehe­menter nego, si quidem ista est religio, Populum mendaciis splendidis decipere, ac dementatum in Pastores ac Superio­res suos concitare: in alienas Ecclesias ac Ministeria invo­lare (quod tu de Samuele & Antipa, Borriis vesiris agno­scis). Loca publica per vim occupare, Clausira publico si­gillo munita effringere, Senatui vim inferre, Ordd. Edi­cta atque Interdicta palàm violare, omnia turbare: Haec dum vobis impunè licent, Superiorum sive indulgentia, sive metu, jam istos videre est precarium in vos imperium trahere: At si hâc non succedit via, si eorundem autho­ritate, toties laesâ, ista maledicendi ac malefaciendi libido vestra coercetur, ferocitas comprimitur, tuique unius vel alterius exemplo alii deterrentur, sisiuntur, & ut verbo dicam, cuneus cuneo pellitur; tum verò vos audire est, vim ac persecutionem, quam aliis intentâstis, quiritantes, Martyria vestra praedicare. Grevinch. Absiersio. Cae­lumn. Adr. Smoutii. pag. 42. which Grevin­chovius hath given of them, I shall referre it to the judgement of the Reader, whether it doth not more then a little resemble a Disturber both of Church and State.

But the impartiall Synod is Assembled, and upon the invocation of Gods holy name bound by Oath, that they would hold the Sacred Scri­pture as the onely rule of their verdict, and demeane themselves in the hearing and determi­ning of this cause with a good and upright Con­science. Act. Syn. ubi supra. And in the Frontispice of every Chapter of the Decrees or Canons, they insert this Title, A Rejection of the Errors wherewith the Chur­ches of the Low Countries have now a long time been troubled. Would not any man expect (upon so solemne an undertaking) especially having made it their method, as well to re­ject such Errors, as to assert their own Do­ctrine, that those should be rejected, amongst the rest, that teach,

Reprobation to be decreed, in order of nature, before Creation:

The greatest part of mankinde to be created to destruction:

That by the force of Gods irresistible Decree, it is impossible but Man should sin:

That whatsoever comes to passe, whether good or evill, does come to passe by the force of Gods ir­resistible Decree:

That Mans wickednesse is not the cause of God's will of abandoning man to hell, but on the contrary, that God's will is the cause of that wickednesse:

That 'tis not absurd to say, that it may be a capitall sinne to do the true and primary will of God:

That seeing Adam is the cause of sinne, and God the cause of Adam, how it can be, that God should not be the cause of sin:

That God doth incite, lead, draw, command, impell, harden, deceive men unto wicked actions, and effect sins that are most enormous? Such horrid and blasphemous opinions as these, are frequent in the Writings of Calvin, Beza. Piscator, Martyr, and many others; and yet herein we have altum Silentium, these Do­ctrines never troubled those Churches, nor the tender Consciences of this Synod. They are so good friends with these Opinions, they never disturb their peace at all.

3. This is not all; when Bogerman, the President of the Synod, had entertained but a suspicion, that the Remonstrants would detect the enormitie of these opinions, and the shamefull errors that had been broached by those so admired Names, (forgetting his so­lemn Oath to lay all prejudice and affection aside, and examine all matters to be debated, according to the onely rule of God's word) he fell into so great an agony of Passion, that it was discernible in his very eyes and counte­nance, as if they had touched the very apple of his eye. Yet the Synod obliged by the [Page 94] conscience of the same oath, never gave him the least rebuke or check for this palpable in­dication of Partiality; as the perspicacious Author of that Judicious Anti­dotum Bone De. us! quam vehementer afficiebat i­psum levissima talis suspicio! qui viri oculi! quis vultus! quis ardor animi! quartae [...]! &c. Antidotum p. 31 hath observed and put upon record for us.

Ibid. p. 32.4. When Maccovius Professor of Franequer in Freisland, had not onely asserted and disseminated by his Wri­tings, the most horrid opinion, of all that ever had been written about Predestination by Zuinglius and Piscator; and moreover in the very Synod undertook, against his Col­league Sibrandus Lubbertus, to maintain, that God wills sinne; that he ordains men to sinne, as it is sinne; that God in no wise would have all men to be saved, and ma­ny things of the like import, declaring open­ly, that if these things were not maintained, they must forsake their chief Doctors, who had taught those things and fall in to the o­pinion of the Remonstrants. What said the Synod to this bold Supra-Creatarian? Did they sequester or displace him? No, but ac­counted him for a pure Orthodox Divine, guilty neither of heresie nor erroneous do­ctrine, as it was declared by the publick testi­mony [Page 95] of the Synod; and so they dismissed him with a wholesome and friendly Caution, to forbear such forms of speech as might give offence to tender eares, and could not be di­gested by persons ignorant and uncapable of so great mysteries: and that he would not set light by those distinctions of Di­vines, who had deserved well of the Church of Christ.

5. That which is beyond all exception; we finde in the very Acts of the Synod [Sess. 107.Act. Syn. Nat. Dord. 233. part. 1.] That Goma­rus declared publickly, that he could not approve of the Judge­ment of those Belgick Professors, concerning the object of Predestination; that he thought, they must determine, Man to be considered of God in his Predestination, not onely as faln, but also before the fall. Hereupon he drew up his opinion by himself; and there­in Predestination is said to be made out of Mankinde simply con­sidered, Ibid. part. 3. p 21. m. & 24. pr. and not as yet faln into sin. and the Synod of South Holland were of the same judgement too,Ib. p. 33. m. whose chiefe members, Pestus Hommius, Henricus Arnoldi, Baltazar Ly­dius, Gisbertus Ʋoetius, were chief enemies of the Remonstrants.

6. If Master Baxter will not yet allow [Page 96] that the Synod may justly be taxed with these opinions,Section 5. because (as he pretends in his Preface) the Calvinists do not Commonly hold them; they are but the opinions of some few; I desire him to examine his own Muster-roll, how many he hath inlisted therein, for the defence of the Synod? Of all the Synod he could find but the British Divines, which were but five; and the Bremish, which were but three; to passe the Muster upon the Article of Ʋ ­niversall Redemption, and but one single fo­rein Auxiliary Paraeus, to beare Arms for it. And yet these seven or eight men, in Master Baxter's account, shall justifie all the rest from the guilt of such opinions as they do peremptorily maintain, though himself as well as the Remonstrants judge them most absurd. If so small a number will serve Ma­ster Baxters turn to justifie; in all reason a far greater should serve Tilenus's interest to con­demn them.

7. But what ever enormity Master Baxter will allow to be in those opinions, the Synod hath drawn the guilt of it upon their own heads, and deservedly ought to beare the blame; For Persons Commissioned and im­powered to suppresse errors, if they do not forbid and check them, the fairest interpre­tation we can give of their remisnesse herein [Page 97] is to say, they afford them a toleration. Non impedientes ad Genus causarum Moralium per­tinent, saith Scheibler. And,Metaph. l. 1. c. 22. n. 140. Qui tacet consentire videtur, saith the Civil Law. And, Agentes & con­sentientes pari poenâ plectuntur, saith the Moralist. Indeed I find there were some who had a mind to condemn the opinions of Piscator in the Synod;Antidotum pa. 63. f. and some would have ad­ded to their Rejections, a rejecti­on of certain hard and incommodious expressi­ons (they might have called them blasphe­mous and horrible), which are found in the writings of some of the Reformed Doctors: Act. Syn. Nat. Dord. sess. 132. p. 239. part. 1. ed. in fol. To this end reasons were alleaged on both sides, by the British, Hassien and Bremish Di­vines, with some others. But when the matter was put to the vote, the major part of Suffrages were for the Negative; (forsooth) lest by the rejection of such expressions and Phrases, the Adversary should take advantage to alleage that the Or­thodox Doctrine, professed by those men, who imprudently made use of such phrases to explain it, were rejected also. Especially seeing some of those modes of speech were the language of the holy Ghost, others, in a sound sense, admitted by the Remonstrants them­selves, [Page 98] and farre the greatest part might ad­mit of a charitable interpretation. By this we may perceive what temper Master Bax­ter's TestThat more then a very few, even the major part of the Synod fa­voured these opinions. was of; especially, if to this we adde what was obser­ved to be the generall practice, af­ter the Synod was dissolved, in those Low-Countrey Churches; The least suspicion a man could lye under, for favouring the Re­monstrants Doctrine, was ground enough to remove him from his Ministery. (The imitation of which practice was forth­with taken up at Sedan; Franciscus Auratus, a most faithfull Minister of that Church, be­ing dismissed from the execution of his Fun­ction, because, upon occasion of that text, Jam. 1.13. God tempteth no man, &c. he largely declared, that God was not the Au­thor of sin. This they thought a sufficient indication that he did not sufficiently abhorre that Doctrine which the Synod of Dort had condemned). But on the other side the most violent abettors and urgers of the most ri­gid Supralapsarian Predestination,Clamosissi­mos tenebri­ones & spur­cissimae vitae mortales. Antidotum pag. 33. were so far from the stroak of censure or rebuke, that though of never so leud a conversation, one might see them adorned with the happiest conditions, and promo­ted [Page 99] to the chiefest chaires and Churches, tan­quam [...] & [...] fortissimos.

Lastly, if we consider that the present Gal­vinists of all sorts, Creabilitarians, Suprala­psarians, Sublapsarians, do all center in this Synod, as the Test of their Anti-Arminia­nisme (as Master Baxter calls it) we must con­clude that the design of that Synod was not to reduce all those severall Sects to one opinion, (that being impossible, their differences are so high and irreconcileable) but their elabo­rate Artifice, in contriving and dawbing, varnishing and trimming up the Decrees and Canons thereof, was used on purpose, to cal­culate them for the Meridian of every their judgements, and make them serve indifferent­ly the interest of their severall opinions. So that this Synod is to men of that persuasion what Manna was to the Israelites (as some affirme). It affords them that relish, to which every mans palate is most affected. One man discovers enough therein to incourage him to be a Supralapsarian; another man findes the contrary. To this mans sense they maintain universall Redemption, to anothers apprehension they deny it.

Hereupon we see our late and present Di­vines are no lesse divided in their judgements about these Questions, then those which were before the Synod, as we may observe [Page 100] in reference to each of Tilenus his five Ar­ticles.

The Ortho­dox Evange­list, pa. 52. m. pa. 56. m.For 1: Master Norton of New England, as a pure Creabilitari­an, saith, The creature in its con­dition of possibility is the object of the Decree. And a little after, Not man considered as actually being; whether in his pure, or corrupt estate; but as yet to be, and in the Divine Essence: namely, as capable in respect of the sufficiency of God, to be what he pleased, is the object of the Decree. And a little after; The creation of man muta­ble, the permission of sin, the punishing him justly for sin, make up one full and perfect me­dium conducing to this end, (God's glory) as concerning the Reprobate. The creation of man mutable, the permission of sinne, the ef­fectuall Application of Free grace and Glory, notwithstanding sin, for the merit sake of Jesus Christ, make up one full and perfect medium, conducing to this end (viz. Gods glory) as concerning the Elect. And after­wards he concludes,Pag. 66. f. That Reproba­tion is not an Act of justice; and a little after; Though condemnation of man for sinne be an Act of justice, yet God's will not to have mercy, his will to permit sin, his will to leave a man in sinne, his will to punish man for sin, are Acts of his Lordship, not of his justice. [Page 101] If the Assembly of Divines came any lower, yet not so low as the Sublapsarian way; For they say;Confess. of Faith. ch. 3. th. 3. By the De­cree of God, for the manifestation of his Glory; some men and An­gels are Predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death. By ranking Men and Angels in the same De­cree, it is evident, they conclude men to be Elected and Reprobate antecedently to the fall of Adam; which appears more fully by comparing the 6. and 7. Theses of that Cha­pter, with this third. The Calvinists that speak most warily, doe yet maintain an Abso­lute and irrespective Decree, not as to the end but as to the means,Dr, Kendal De Doct. Neopel. ora­tio habita in Comit. Oxo­nii. p. 36. Asserimus Decretum Absolutum, quod nul­lum Motivum, (ut loquuntur) admittat ex parte Dei. We as­sert an absolute Decree, because it admits of no Motive on Gods part. Non negamus fidem conditionem esse salutis; Asserimus vero fidem dari absque o­mni conditione. Similiter & de damnatione philosophari solemus. Non negamus impoe­nitentiam finalem esse conditionem damnatio­nis; Asserimus vero Deum absolutè decre­visse; reprobos omnes, impoenitentiae suae per­mittendos, fidem verò in Electis omnipotenti Gratia suo tempore creandam. We do not deny [Page 102] faith to be the condition of salvation; But we affirme that faith is given without any condition. In like manner also we are wont to speak con­cerning damnation; we do not deny finall impe­nitency to be the condition of damnation; But we affirm God absolutely decreed to permit all Reprobates to their own impenitency; but to cre­ate faith, in his own time, in the Elect by his omnipotent Grace. And a little after, Decre­tum illud irrespectivum, non est de salute, sed side; nec de instigendis poenis, sed non con­cedendâ Poenitentiâ. That irrespective Decree [...] not (such) as to salvation, but as to faith; nor as to the infliction of punishment, but as to the non-concession of repentance. As well Sub­lapsarians as Supralapsarians of both forts, though they frame a Decree that suspends the benefit of salvation upon a condition, yet it makes that condition absolutely irrepudiable and irresistible as to some persons, and abso­lutely impossible unto others, and so takes a­way the proper nature of sin and duty, and by consequence saves and damns respectively without them.

2. If we consider the Article of Redem­ption by Christ; however M. Baxter finds an Universality of it, in the decisions of that Sy­nod, yet Doctor Thomas Hill (Master of Tri­nity Colledge in Cambridge, and able sure to understand a piece of Latin, as well as Master [Page 103] Baxter) could find no such matter; For to signifie his esteem of that Assembly he calls it a happy remedy against Arminianisme; (in his Epistle to the Christian Reader; before Ma­ster Fenners Willfull Impenitency.a. 3.) yet two pages after he breaks out into this La­mentation; But alas, Arminius now appears a­mongst us, not so much in the Schools and Pul­pits, as in popular meetings.

For as Zanchius complained with much re­gret of the Sulteran (I suppose it should be Lu­theran) Ubiquitaries, that he found them ubi­que, every where to vex and molest him, so may we grieve, (O that we could with brokennesse of heart bewaile it!) that our Universalists, are al­most universally spread amongst us; It is gotten into our Netherlands, much into the Fennish and Moorish parts of this Kingdome, yea a­mongst many people that love Jesus Christ, and therefore entertain it, as conceiving it most for his Honour, (the more are they to be pitied, &c.) Thus Doctor Hill; who certainly did not think his happy Remedy to be infected with that (he accounts) disease, and so much bewailes, as if it were as mortall, as he con­ceived it Epidemicall. Good God! That mans eye should be so evil, because God is so good and gracious! That he should think it a matter of humiliation, and that with broken­nesse of heart, that the Name of the Lord [Page 104] Jesus, and the Merits of his Death, and the emanations of his Grace, should be so much magnified!

And yet we finde the whole Assembly of Divines (if we may collect their Judgement out of their Publick Confession, rather then take it from what a single member (it seems) hath whispered into M. Baxter's eare) had so narrow a Faith they could not admit this Point to be an Article of their Belief; For they speak restrictively of Christs Sacrifice. (Chap. 8. th. 5.) that it hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father, and purchased not one­ly reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdome of Heaven, for all those, whom the Father hath given unto him. And more fully (thes. 8.) To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply, and commu­nicate the same, making intercession for them &c. And this is very probably colle­cted out of the third Chapter too, comparing the 6. and 7. Theses together. They who are Elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ—The rest of mankinde God was plea­sed, according to the unsearchable counsil of his own will, whereby he extendeth or with-hol­deth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his (not Justice, but NB.) Soveraign Power over his creatures, to passe by, and to ordain them to [Page 105] dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. ˙.˙. Besides, Master Bax­ter hath had some contest (as I remember) with Adversaries, who make the remission of sins the immediate effect of Christs death, and maintain that it is granted unto the elect, before they do Actually believe. I suppose Master Baxter will not say these men are for universall Redemption (though perhaps as great Admirers of the Synod as himself:) and I doubt, these are not a very few.

3. As touching the unavoidable necessity of all humane Actions, in regard of the effe­ctuall Decree; that the Calvinists do common­ly maintain it is evident; That I may not tire the Reader with a multitude of testimo­nies, I shall satisfie my self with one or two. The first cause so concurreth, as it determineth the second cause in its operation, saith M. Norton. This is readily granted in naturall Agents, in free-rationall Agents it is proved thus. If the futurition of the operation of the second Cause is determined by the Decree of God, then the operation is self is determined by the efficien­cy of God. The Orthodox Evangelist p. 110. m. And a little after; If as often as the will doth not will; it therefore doth not will, because God hath not determined that it should will, then as often as it willeth any thing, it therefore wil­leth, because God hath determined that it should [Page 106] will. But as often as the Will doth not will, it therefore doth not will, because God hath not determined that it should will. Therefore — p. 126. f. Notwithstanding sin is wholly of man, and subordinate efficiency in sinfull actions, be­longs formally unto the second Cause: yet the infallible futurition and execution of all effects; the infallible futurition, and ordering the exe­cution of all events; is as fully ascribed unto God, as if man had no hand therein. I know Master Baxter hath declared himself against this Philosophy, (in his Treatise of Judge­ment, Answer to 23. excuse). But whether the Assembly of Divines have not, at least insinuated, this to be their judgement, I leave the Reader to consider, by a view of some of their expressions. Chap. 3. th. 1. (of their Confess.) They say, God from all Eternity did by the most wise and holy Counsil, of his own will, freely and unchangeably ORDAIN whatsoever comes to passe; and Chap. 5. thes. 4. The Almighty power, unsearchable wisdome, and infinite Goodnesse of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendeth even to the first fall, and all other sins of An­gels and men; and that not by a BARE PERMISSION, but such as hath joyned with it a most wise and powerfull bounding, and NB. OTHERWISE ordering and governing of them in a manifold dispensation to his own [Page 107] holy end; and thes. 2. In relation to the foreknowledge and DECREE of God the first Cause, All things come to passe IMMUTABLY and infallibly. Indeed all they, who ground God's certaine Foreknowledge of all things future, upon his infrustrable and ineluctable Decree for their futurition, must grant that all humane Actions whatsoever are immutably necessary, otherwise God should not fore­know them. And what is it that hath begot­ten a new definition of Liberty, and many distinctions to free Almighty God, and con­vince man of the guilt of sin, but the com­mon opinion of the Necessity of all humane Actions by reason of the secret effectuall de­cree of God? The liberty of the second cause (saith Master Norton) doth not consist in a power of indifferency, Ʋbi supra p. 74. to act or not to act: (as it was wont to be defined) Liberty consists in a sponta­neitie, quam ratio praecedit, saith Macco­viusColle [...]. dis. 16. pag. 53., A spontaneitie (such as Beasts are carried by) ushered in by Reason. Therefore whatsoever a man doth, reason going before, that he doth freely, though he cannot but do it. This is the Liberty of the Leviathan; and by this Philosophy, man is yoaked in the same name with brute Animals, his reason having the honour to be the fore-horse in every ex­pedition.

Again, upon this opinion, that mens evill Actions are of an unavoidable necessity, by God's immutable Decree, and irresistible deter­mination, that God may not be concluded the Author of sin, and that man may be properly accounted guilty, certain distinctions are in­vented,Ʋbi supra pag. 63. p. 8. f. as, First, We must distin­guish (saith Master Norton) be­twixt the Action and the evil of the Action. Notwithstanding God is no way the Author of the evil of the Action, yet God ascribeth unto himself the doing of these Actions that are sinfull; 1. Because he is the Author of the Act wholly: 2. Because he is the Fore-determiner, Orderer and Governour of the sinfulnesse of the action to his own glori­ous and blessed end. The action is ascribed to him absolutely; the sin cleaving to the action not absolutely, but onely in such sort and respects. 2. That man may be accounted properly guil­ty, notwithstanding this inevitable necessity that lies upon him (according to this Do­ctrin,) they use distinctions to reconcile Li­berty with Necessity. To which purpose they say, 1. 'Tis but a necessity of immutability, not of compulsion; and 2. though the sinfull Action be inevitable in senfu composite, that is, in respect of God's Decree and divine determi­nation; yet in sensu diviso, suppose man left to his own liberty, and divided from this con­duct [Page 109] of Gods providence, (which is impossi­ble) then 'tis avoidable. These distinctions will serve to play withall in a Sophisters Pro­blem: But in a matter of so high concern­ment as life and death eternall, they will serve as little to magnifie Gods justice, as to abate the pains of hell fire in such as shall be dam­ned upon this Account.

4. For the fourth Article, touching the Grace of conversion; that those who are Ele­cted cannot reject, those who were Reprobates ca [...]not accept it: you may find the Judge­ment of the Calvinists (and I think of most, if not all, that are of that denomination at this day) bound up in those expressions of Master Norton; Ʋbi supra pag. 126. Notwithstanding the creature in regard of his for­mall Free-efficiency, is somewhat distinguished from a meer Instrument: yet even those effects wherein▪ God useth the second Cause, as a subordinate Free-Agent, depend upon and are determined by the first Cause; as much as where the second Cause is a meer passive Instrument; because the Free-ef­ficiency of the second Cause, is the effect of the first Cause. Can the Axe not cut, when the Carpenter will have it cut? or can it cut, when he will not have it cut? (I speak not here of Gods direction of Free-Agents to o­thers ends and objects: but with reference to [Page 110] sin and the work of their Conversion respe­ctively.) This Doctrine distinguisheth men from stocks and stones, in the work of Gods Regenerating Grace up­on them, as little as the Synod3 and 4. ch. of Con­vers. Artic. 16. p. 259. part. 1. can possibly admit of; and here is ve­ry little room for the Free-Agents Can and cannot.

For the Elect's cannot reject it; if Master Baxter doth not think it an absurd opinion, why doth he alleage any thing to colour over the matter? but if he thinks it absurd and a distinction needfull to cleare the Doctrine; I shall shew anon, that he doth little lesse then reproach them with it, even by what he cites from them to excuse it.

That the Reprobate cannot, accept that Grace (or be converted) is the distinct affir­mation of Master Fonner more then once or twice,Pag. 8. & 16. &c. in his Treatise before men­tioned; where he saith; The Rea­son why the wicked do not repent, nor come out of their sins, is not because they cannot, (though they cannot) but because they will not.

For the last Article of Tilenus, That the Regenera [...]e cannot fall away; how ever Master Baxter makes an offer to except against the Indietment, which Tilenus prefer's against them for it, I suppose, no Calvinist will deny [Page 111] it. But what? shall the Elect be saved then however they live? By no means. That Di­abolicall Sarcasme (saith Master Norton Ʋbi supra pag. 83.), & bitter scoffe invented to the abuse and derision of the Do­ctrine of the Decree; is not onely an untruth, but implyeth a Contradiction; viz. If I be e­lected, howsoever I live, I shall be saved. Sa­tan in this Sophisme, divides the end and the meanes asunder, which God hath joyned toge­ther. The Decree consists not of the end without the means, nor of the means without the end, but of both together: Both end and means are conteined in one Decree. Yea, so farre is the Decree from admitting such an inference, as that the contrary infallibly followeth thereupon: and in point of Election, is not onely necessarily concluded, but irresistibly caused. Faith, Re­pentance, New-Obedience and Perseverance, be­ing the effect of Election. Thus farre Master Norton; and what can ye wish more? But stay, the Divines of the Synod told us the Elect might fall into most grosse, foul, heinous, wa­sting sinnes. Do these move upon another Center, without the Decree, or hath the De­cree of Election made Provision for them? This looks like a very hard Cha­pter:M. Norton udi supra p. 5 [...]. but Master Norton and Ma­ster Perkins will help us to spell it out. The Creation of Man mu­table, [Page 112] (you had the words before, but being so comfortable, Decies repetita &c.) the permissi­on of sin (and not onely that of Adam's Fall, but, toties quotiès, by parity of Reason, to ad­vance God's grace and glory, else it will not serve our turn here; and then the renewed) ef­fectuall Application of Free-Grace, and Glory, notwithstanding sin; for the merit sake of Je­sus Christ, make up one full medium, conducing to this end, (Gods Glory) as concerning the E­lect. To this purpose Master Perkins reckons the sins of the Predestinate, amongst the num­ber of their Priviledges, upon their Adoption; First, saith He, They are Heirs of God; then Coheirs with Christ, and Kings. 3. All their af­flictions, as also their defects and slips (or falls) are onely paternall castigations for their good. In his Armilla Aurea. cap. 37. Q. 4. Now can any Calvinist but M. Baxter call it abusive language, and a perverse insinuation, to say, That such as have received that Speciall Rege­nerating Grace (which is the fruit of Electi­on) can never fall from it, notwithstanding the most enormous sins they can commit? Why, man, they have an Absolute Decree passed in heaven, for their Indempuity. And what is that Decree?Ʋbi supra pag. 51. The Decree (saith M. Norton) is God by one eternall-free-constant Act, absolutely de­termining the futurition, i. e. the infallible fu­ture [Page 113] being of whatsoever is besides himself, unto the praise of his own Glory. If Election, which is God himself (according to this Doctrine) be absolutely theirs, there can be no more danger of miscarriage in their salvation, than there is that God Almighty should lose his ve­ry being; and therefore the Assembly of Divines, consonantly to these principles have perem­ptorily defined, that, They whom God hath ac­cepted in his beloved, effectually called, and san­ctified by his Spirit, neither totally nor finally, can fall away from the state of Grace; but shall certainly persevere therein unto the end, and be eternally saved. In their Confess. Chap. 17. Th. 1.

Thus, if Master Baxter will not, other Readers will be satisfied, that the severall Articles of Tilenus stand impregnable, as to the matter of Fact, against the very Synod of Dort, their Predecessors and their late and Present Adkerents. And now where shall Master Baxter erect a new Forge for Calum­ny and Falshoods, to justifie his uncharitable­nesse (to say no more) in casting out a suspi­cion whether Tilenus were a Christian, in the 8 and 13. Sections of his Preface?

I Have done with the reproachfull part of Master Baxter's discourse, in defence of the innocent Tilenus. There is a Rationall part yet behind (such as 'tis) and that Ma­ster Baxter may have no occasion to blame our neglect of that, or triumph over it; we shall make Reflexions upon the severall re­markable periods of it, beginning (where Ti­lenus is first ingaged) at the Sixth Section of his Preface.

Where Master Baxter breaks off from Ma­ster Pierce, and goes out of his way, though he thinks it is a stepping into his duty, to Re­buke the unworthy dealing of (Master Pierce his friend, whom he protests not to have sock or known to this day) Tilenus. He pretends, saith Master Baxter, to give us concisely but truly, the summe of the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort in the five Articles. And when he hath made this promise, he presently falls to falsify­ing, and calumny, unworthy a Divine, a Chri­stian, or a Man: the weight of the case and greatnesse of his sinne, command me to be thus plain: yea were I of his Party, I must say the same. What! Catholicke M. Baxter, come already to espouse a Party!

Tilenus will one day thank you for the in­tended charity of your Rebukes. In the [Page 115] meane time on his behalf, I desire the Indif­ferent Reader but to lay this childe at the own Fathers doore; and so to his discretion I shall leave it.

But, What! (saith M. Baxter,) shall so many Countries purposely Consult to declare their thoughts, and their writings be common in the hands of all, and the adversary purposely write against them, and pretend to be acquainted with their Doctrine, and make it his design to bring it to be odious to the world, and yet shall falsly tell the world, that they hold and assert the things that they are not onely silent in, but disown, detest, and are contrary to their Doctrine.

Ans. 1. For the Convention of so many Countreys to consult; that is no more then may be alleaged by the Fautors of the Trent Councill. 2. Writings that are commonly in mens hands are not commonly read, not alwayes understood, never sifted to a disco­very of their absurdities by Persons that swear alleageance to their admired Authors, upon o­thers commendations, as too too many do of all Sects whatsoever. 3. The Adversaries design was not, to bring that Doctrine to be odious: but to evince it to be unpracticable (at least) and uselesse; which I think is yet suffi­ciently done, for all your pretended Ʋindica­tion. 4. Whether he tells the World false tales, more then Master Baxter, is submitted [Page 116] to the Judgement of the Reader. 5. If they be silent in these things, their silence is con­sent; for they declare the end of their Con­vention to be, to suppresse errours &c. and therefore, 6. If they had detested these, cer­tainly they would have disowned them. How­ever I am glad the Doctrines, which Tilenus charges them with, are detestable in the judge­ment of Master Baxter. I pray God keep him still in this minde! though he proceeds to re­buke Tilenus in these words;

Truly this is an exceeding shame to the Ar­minian and Jesuit Cause, to find the learned Patrons of it, to deal so unconscionably that a Reader cannot believe them; and that where it is so easie to any to see their falshoods.

Answ. 1. The Jesuite Cause is lest to their own vindication, or your Catholick charity. But, 2. For the Patrons of that Cause (you call Arminian, being the Catholicke Doctrine of Christ's Church (as you acknowledge for some of its Branches, in your Account of Per­severance) for one thousand foure hundred years together) what is the Reason you can­not believe them? Perhaps because you will not read them. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? As to your Con­troversie with Tilenus, read that Antidotum forementioned: after a serious and impartiall perusall whereof, if you do not sit down with [Page 117] satisfaction herein, I shall conclude in your own words to Master Warner (of Justification pag. 314.) It is not replying that will serve the turne: but either prejudice will hold them to the side that they have taken, or else they will think him in the right that hath the last word; —but usually they will go with the Party that is in greatest credit, or hath most interest in them, or advantage on them.

But 3. you upbraid them with unconscio­nable dealings, unworthy falsification, perverse insinuation; and upon this threefold Cord it is that you suspend your belief towards them. But can you discover such moats in the Re­monstrants eyes (which how many soever your Multiplying Glasse, or indisposed Me­dium presented to you, are by this time wash­ed out of Tilenus's) and can you not see the Beams that are lodged in the eyes of your own Party? Do they stand at too near a di­stance for you to behold them? If you will promise to suspend your faith here too, upon the discovery of such beams, I will be so cha­ritably officious as to direct you to a Prospect whence you may take a full view of them.

If you have seen Festus Hommius, (who was one of the Scribes of the Synod) his Spe­cimen Controversiarum Belgicarum, you might have seen enough of such dealings as you unjustly charge Tilenus with, as is sufficient­ly [Page 118] discovered in two little Pamphlets, the one bearing this Title, Joan. Wtenbogardi Respon­sio ad ea quae illi speciatim impegit Festus Hommius; the other this, Optima Fides Fe­sti Hommii, &c. Of this Man and his Bro­ther Scribe Doctor Damman, the Author of that Antidotum, Pag. 11. wri­teth thus, To whom is the fals­hood of these men unknown? Festi sc. Hom­mii in edendis & pro arbitrio suo truncandis at­que interpretandis Trelcatiorum Scriptis, non sine magnorum virorum gravissima indignatio­ne? Similiter in propolandis pessimâ fide Epi­scopii Disputationibus privatis, &c. And of Bogerman President of the Synod, He saith thus, An non ille est, cui (ô justa Nemesis [...]) artes, fraudes, & mendacia sua (quibus titulis ille innoxios & insontes Remon­strantes in Synodo, Ib. pag. 10. suopte arbitra­tu injussus & praeter omnem ratio­nem oneratos ac gravatos tantâ cum acerbitate & amarulentia dimittebat, ut poenitentia tactus, veniam sibi posteà petendam indicaret) adeoque ambitio & [...] palam publicéque ex­probrata & in os objecta sunt, quòd, vid. &c.

But alas! these are Peccadillo's not worthy Master Baxter's taking notice of; we will therefore bring him to a Mount, (which will afford him a notable Prospect indeed) whence he shall descry the Reputation of the Inno­cent [Page 119] Remonstrants, bleeding under the stroaks of such objected forgeries and Calumnies. Hactenus Remonstrantibus, saith the same Author,Pag. 23. ferè crimini da­tumtest, quod malâ fide sententiam contra Remonstrantium proponerent atque ex­primerent: dici vix potest, quot convitia, dirae ac probra propterea passim contra Remonstran­tes in foris, pulpitis, circulis, conviviis, scaphis, rhedis, curribus, triviisque hominum dicta ac projecta fuerint, tanquam in falsi manifestos & fide omni indignos Mortales. Ipsa Synodus Arnhemiensis (O rem foedam ac detestandam! quis credidisset?) ausa est sententiam illam, quam Remonstrantes ipsissimam ac genuinam Contra-Remonstrantium sententiam esse assere­bant, tanquam foedam atque impiam sub voca­bulorum quorundam homonymiâ & aequivocati­one communibus calculis damnare, eâ tantum de causa, ut falsum dixisse Remonstrantes crede­retur, atque ita publici odii victimae fierent.

But to bring the Prospect a little nearer to Master Baxters ken. Was there no such Ar­tifice used in the Synod of Dort? What say they in their fourth Rejection, upon the First Chapter of Divine Predestination? They re­ject the errour of those who teach, that in the Election unto faith this Condition is former­ly required, viz. That a man use the light of Reason aright, that he be honest, lowly, [Page 120] humble, and disposed unto life eternall, as though in some sort Election depended on these things. Is not here an insinuation, as if the Remonstrants held this Doctrine, (the de­signe of the Synod being to declare against them) yet say the Remonstrants, this is fals­ly and by way of Calumny thrown upon them; for the Contrary appears as clear in their wri­tings, as the light at noon dayIbid. p. 72.. In the sixth Rejection, they re­ject those who teach that not all election unto salvation is unchangeable, but that some which are elected, the Decree of God notwithstanding, may perish and for ever do pe­rish. The Synod herein doth adulterate, per­vert and traduce the Doctrine of the Remonstrants by odious ex­pressions.Ibid. p. 76. That last branch, that the elect may perish eternally, the Decree of God notwithstanding, is without cause thrown upon them, and against their judgements. For the first, they ever professe Election and the will of God to be immutable. Indeed when they say so, they make the subject, about which Election is exercised, to be the faith­full man, as such. Hence it comes to passe, when that man who believes to day turnes Infidell to morrow, there is no change in Gods Election, but in the man onely. The Reason is, because God will not chuse the un­faithfull, [Page 121] but the faithfull. And therefore when the faithfull man becomes unfaithfull, the will of God concerning the Election of faithfull men remains uniform and the same: But the truth is, if the will of God, or the Divine Election concerning that man, (now) become unfaithfull, should persevere, then the will of God should properly be changed; because he should will to elect unto salvation not onely the faithfull men, but the unfaith­full also.

In the Seventh Rejection; the Remonstrants complain, that they (of the Synod) have cloa­thed a most certain truth with some rough invented Phrases, to make it odi­ous, and look ugly.Ibid. p. 77. The Errour rejected is, That in this life there is no fruit, no sense, no certainty of immutable election unto glory, but upon condition, contin­gent, and mutable. But the Remonstrants professe they have not these words in all their writings. They know no fruit more sweet to a pious man, then what grows upon the con­sideration of Gods unchangeable love; where­by he will most assuredly conferre eternall life upon believers. As for that opinion (which some place so much of their comfort in) that he who doth once truly believe, may be al­waies certain of his being in the faith and Grace of God, however he pollutes, or be­haves [Page 122] himselfe, this is a fruit, which indeed they cannot relish, growing onely upon that tree of Election, which (by whomsoever it was planted) hath no sound root in Scripture.

In their Ninth Rejection the Synod doth co­vertly insinuate (to make them odious) that the Remonstrants teach, That the cause why God sends the Gospel rather unto this Nation than unto another, is not the meere and onely good pleasure of God, but because this Nation is better and more worthy of it than that, to which he hath not communicated the Gospel. But the Remonstrants know none that do say or think so. Upon all occasions they have profest and taught the contrary, saith the Author of that Antidotum, pag. 79. v. sqq.

This last imputation Perfrictae frontis & mentis odio tantum non excaecatae indicium est. Ib. p. 80.

Touching the Second Chapter (of Re­demption) in their Second Rejection, (That this was not the end of Christs death, that he might establish a new Covenant of grace by his blood; but onely that he might procure unto his Father the bare right of making again with men any covenant whatsoever, whether of Grace, or of works) here in the first member (of this Article) they impute to the Remonstrants what is manifestly false, and contrary to their publick Doctrine. And the Second Member is a fiction and interpolation to render them odious. Ʋid. ib. p. 88.

In the Fourth Rejection, the first branch is of the same complexion; and the opposition made therein very unapt and ridiculous. Ibid. p. 89.

The first Rejection, the Remonstrants observe to be equivocal, and to admit of a double sense. Whereof they account one to be false, but the other they do most stedfastly embrace. ib. p. 90.

Touching the Third and Fourth Chapters, (of Conversion) they say, they may justly challenge three things of the Synod. 1. Bo­nam fidem. 2. Charitatem sive aequitatem. 3. Prudentiam & attentionem, pag. 104. The first we are now concern'd to inquire into. And whereas, in their First Rejection, they condemn the Remonstrants, as teaching (that it cannot well be avouched that originall sinne of it self it sufficient for the condemning of all mankind, &c.) If they understand this of Adam's first sinne, there is none of them but acknowledge, that the guilt of it hath over­spread his whole posterity, and made them obnoxious to condemnation: But whether that which is appendant to it, by way of pu­nishment, makes a new guilt and begets a new punishment, no act of mans will passing unto the espousing of it; this they think too vain and triviall a subtilty to contend about.

In their Fourth Rejection, They insinuate, that the Remonstrants teach, That an Unrege­nerate man is not properly, nor totally dead in [Page 124] sins, nor destitute of all strength tending to spi­rituall good, &c. whereas there is not one of them that did ever write or affirm so: but in their third Article they confesse, That in the state of Apostasie and sin, man of himself and by himself can neither think, will, or do any good, that is truly good.

In the Seventh Rejection, They impute to them, that they teach, that, The Grace where­by we are converted is nothing else, but a gentle suasion, &c. whereas there is not one of them have such an affirmation, That nothing else is required to the power of believing but a gen­tle suasion. Quid enim ineptius quam Poten­tiam in homine effici per suasionem? For what can be more foolish than to affirm that a po­wer may be wrought in man by persuasion?

In the Eighth Rejection they charge them to affirm, That it lyeth in mans power to be, or not to be regenerated. When their meaning is no more but this, that it may come to passe, that man may oppose a new contumacie, or resistance to God's Call, &c. Ibid. pag. 105.

In the Fifth Chapter (of Perseverance) (as in the rest) the 1, 2, 3, and 4 Re­jections, Ibid. p. 119. are observed to be of the same argument and importance, that by the Fiction of a multiplicity of er­rours the Remonstrants might be rendred the [Page 125] more odious; and this is none of the most conscionable, much lesse worthy dealing. Be­sides, there is (to use Master Baxter's own words) a perverse insinuation in the first Re­jection; where they affirm, there are some (meaning the Remonstrants) who teach, That Perseverance is a condition of the New Cove­nant, which is to be performed on mans part, by his own free-will, before his peremptory election and justification. In that this condition is said to be performed by mans free-will, Ibib. p. 126. the Remonstrants are brought under a suspicion, as if they did not think the grace of God and the continu­all assistance of his Holy Spirit necessary unto perseverance in that which is good; where­as the Synod knew they were of a contrary persuasion: Besides, by implying, that they should assert any free-will to be in man, which was not made so by grace, to do that which is pleasing unto God, they procured the Re­monstrants envy, which was a manifest injury to them.

Likewise in the Second Rejection, the Re­monstrants are (Master Baxter would say) feigned to teach, That when as all abilities necessary unto perseverance, and all things, which God is pleased to use for the preservation of faith, are granted and set in readinesse, that it still re­maineth in the choise, and pleasure of mans will [Page 126] to persevere, or not. Which words do dark­ly insinuate, as if the Remon­strants did believe and teach,Ibid. that God, for his part, doth first per­form all those things, that are behoofull, to­wards men, and then leave them to them­selves, affording them no further grace or help to assist, and exstimulate them to do their duty: But this is far from the Remonstrants Doctrine, who did alwayes undoubtedly hold, that God doth alwayes, both in the begin­ning, progresse and end, more especially in temptations, assist and help man by his grace to persevere in that which is good, unlesse he confronts those divine aides and succours by the unworthinesse of a shamefull neglect, or the opposition of a contumacious rebellion. The liberty whereof, under the most gracious and potent dispensations, is ordinarily, accor­ding to His most just and wise providence, reserved unto man by Almighty God, that so his perseverance may be, under such a sweet conduct, a work of his own choise and duty, and consequently capable of the Divine ap­probation and reward.

Once more; That Author complains, that such Doctrines are imputed to them, as the Remonstrants, never so much as dreamt of, especially, as they stand reported by the Sy­nod. For example; such as are in their Fifth [Page 127] Rejection, viz. That no certainty of future per­severance can be had in this life, Ibid. p. 127. without speciall revelation. Indeed they own no such certainty of a future abso­lute perseverance, as flows from an inconditi­onate Election, and serves to furnish Cordi­als for the secure and sinfull, in the midst of their perversities, drowning their cares and sorrows, and extinguishing their fears of hell fire and Gods displeasure. But they do most willingly acknowledge that an upright man, one that feareth God, eschews evill and wor­keth righteousnesse, may be certain of his future perseverance; so that no force, fraud, or fallacy shall be able to rob him of (that treasure) his hope of eternall life, if so be he be not wanting to Gods grace, but walks cir­cumspectly in that road which God hath ap­pointed to lead him in, and beset it with Guards of Angels to secure his passage against the incursions of the enemie. And he that walks according to this Rule, Peace be upon him and mercy! But in the Sixth Rejection, there is another unworthy imputation cast upon the Remonstrants, viz. That it is a ve­ry commendable thing to be doubtfull of future Perseverance. They say, That as the Regene­rate are begotten to a lively hope, so they go on (if they do their duty) to a Persuasion, and grow up to a full Assurance, and they ex­hort [Page 128] Heb. 6.11. hort every one (with the Apostle) to shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope even unto the end. And this is Gospell truth, Christian consolation, and a practice laudable. But for the certainty of such a per­severance, as was mentioned above; they do not onely doubt of it, but absolutely deny it, as having no just Title to the ground 'tis built upon, and having a Genius that comports too much with the interests of the flesh and car­nall security, and apt to make abatements in our accounts of solid devotions, and the practice of Holy duties. He that seeks for such a cer­tainty of his perseverance in God's favour, as may be made serviceable to caresse him in the heighth of his lust and vanity, is sure never to find it otherwise, then by speciall revela­tion. For the Holy Scriptures will not afford it. And the Revelation that brings it being contrary to that Rule, how extraordinary so­ever, cannot come from heaven, and therefore ought to be suspected (if ever it comes) for a strong delusion. And now having discharged my undertaking, and brought Master Baxter to so full and cleare a view, of that unconsci­onable dealing, unworthy falsification, and per­verse insinuation, in the Practices of his own Party, I hope they shall receive equall mea­sure from him with Tilenus and his Adhe­rents. I hope he will not yet Jurare in verba: [Page 129] but suspend his belief of their sayings also, till a further examination.

Reflexions upon the VII. Section.

WHere we cannot but take notice of M. Baxter's ingenuity in acknow­ledging the full sense and importance of the first Article, as it is charged upon the Synod and its Adherents; For he confesseth that in the Decree of Election, God had no regard to faith or obedience, in the persons whom he did elect, as a means or Antecedent to his De­cree; and this he knows well enough to be the point in question. 2. That he appointeth the Reprobates to damnation, without any regard to their Impenitency or Infidelity; This Master Baxter acknowledgeth too; for he saith, they (of the Synod) professe, that it is for their infidelity and other sins, that God decrees to damn them, as the Causes of dam­nation, though not of the eternall decree. There­fore the appointment of them to eternall dam­nation, (which is the Decree, and that which Tilenus spake of) though not the execution of that appointment, was without any regard to their infidelity or impenitency. One would think now that Tilenus had a faire Title to Master. Baxter's right hand of fellow­ship: [Page 130] but to shew the pregnancy of his wit in taking up exceptions, in the writings of such as differ from him, and the acutenesse of his Judgement in finding out distinctions to blind, or set a faire glosse upon the absur­dities of those to whose opinions he is wed­ded, he proceeds in his discourse, and first by way of Interrogatory, he demands (as if this circumstance were the main hinge of the whole Controversie) Where talk they of a ve­ry little number?

Answ. With your patience, Sir, I conceive Tilenus had the phrase (as you heard) from Master Calvin, whose expressions the Synod did too much reverence to disown, much lesse detest them. And therefore though they have not the very words, they come not short of the sense. For they say, that out of the common maltitude of sinners, he cull'd out to himself, for his own peculiar, some certain. Cap. 1. Art. 10. & Art. 7. A set number of certain men, and so Rejection 1. And Cap. 3. & 4. Art. 7. They say, Under the Old Testa­ment God disclosed unto but a Few this secret of his will, (viz. concerning salvation) and yet I hope it was disclosed to all the Elect (at that time in a capacity to receive the Revelation.) So that by luck, we have found, a Few, even in their Canons, and some certain, cull'd, out persons, for his own peculiar. And now I hope [Page 131] Master Baxter will be satisfied in this particu­lar, if I had in Tilenus his behalf said, that the number whether more or lesse shall not in­crease the quarrell But the next word would have done it, if Master Baxter had not been prudent in the choice of it; For he doth not rudely say, It is a lie, but more modestly, It's not true? But what is the untruth? That they say, he doth it (elect unto salvation) (Without any regard to their faith or obedience whatsoever.) But doth Master Baxter say this is an untruth? yes and proves it too, and that substantially, by a handsome way of sliding from the question; For they professe, saith He, that he (God) hath regard to it, (and a dou­ble regard too), 1. as the benefit which he de­creeth to give them, 2. As the condition of the Glory, which he decreeth them. But what is this to the matter in question? The question is about the Prevision of it, as a qualification, wrought by Gods Grace, in the person to be Elected, and you tell us of a Provision made for it, that it may be wrought, ex Post facto, after they are elected. I'le discover the im­pertinency in a familiar instance. Suppose Master Baxter hath a sequestred Parsonage at his disposall, and power to give Ordination, Institution and Induction: one reports of him that he hath made choice of an Incumbent without any regard to his Learning or Godlinesse [Page 132] whatsoever, he being acknowledged to be a very ignorant and vicious person to all the neighbourhood. Upon this report Master Baxter's Confident undertakes the vindicati­on, and to salve the matter, He cryes out, It's not true, that he made him Incumbent to that Parsonage; without any regard to his learning or Godlinesse whatsoever; For he had regard to it, 1. as a benefit, or quality which he designed to work in him. 2. As the condition of that greater preferment which he intended to confer upon him. This is Ma­ster Baxters way of Answering Tilenus.

He decreeth to save none (saith M. Baxter) but for their Obedience as the fruit of faith, which is not a means or Antecedent to Gods de­cree, but to our salvation, as the most rigid Anti-Arminians teach.

(For obedience as the fruit of faith?) Is the fruit better then the tree? why not for Faith, as well as for obedience, or rather for both together? But if ye should set it so (Faith being much dearer to some of them then Obe­dience) yet I doubt many of your rigid Anti-Arminians would not teach so. Why not thus? By Grace Eph. 2.8. & Chap. 4.32., through Faith, for Christ his sake? Or if you will, Secundum opera, but not Propter opera, by no means; works are via ad Regnum, but not Causa regnandi. [Page 133] The way unto the kingdome of Heaven, but not the Cause of reigning there; and therefore let it be according to their workes, and not for their works. For, if your [For] be Causalis respectu Consequentis, and not onely Rationalis respectu Consequen­tiae; it hath Popery in the belly, or at least a piece of the Grotian Religion, and though Bellarmine makes it a point of his Beliefe, yet Amesius cannot digest it. Bellarm. Ener­vat. Tom. 4. pag. 208.

This obedience, as the fruit of Faith, you say, is not a Meanes or Antacedent to God's Decree, but to our Salvation. This is ORTHO-DORT indeed. But you might have said the same of the sins of the Elect, as well as of thei [...] Faith and Obedience. For they are all alike Ingredients to make up that One full Medium, as concerning the E­lect. They are part of the Means or An­tecedent in order to the Execution of that Decree, as you have heard before out of Master Perkins, and Master Norton; And would not this be very wholesome Doctrine to teach your people, that God had a re­gard to the Permission of sinne in them, and their severall falls, though into most hei­nous, wasting crimes, to serve for Father­ly chastisements, as well as to their Faith and Obedience, to make up the full and [Page 134] intire Means or Antecedent in order to the execution of the Decree of their Ele­ction.

Master Baxter goes on with his exceptions, He calls that Secluding, all the rest from sa­ving grace, which the Synod calls but Praeteri­tion, and Non-Election, and Reliction. What a trabiliary and hypocondriac Passion sugge­sted this exception to him? Is saving grace attainable or within the reach of these Non-Elect, Relict, (Gomarus hath Abject) Past-Byes? If not, why do you carp at the word Secluded? you have a mind to find a knot in a bull rush, if you could tell how. But to let you see it was not a word invented or made use of by Tilenus, to the Prejudice of your Party, you may find it used by some of them before him. Et si Deus ab aeterno certos quos­dam ad communionem salutis in Christo Ele­git, alios vero ab ta EXCLUSIT pro suo bene­placito: Zanch. in Misel. tract. de Pradest. Sanct. c. 1. in Thesib. de Instit. Dei Thes. 8. And Calvin. Instit. lib. 3. c. 23. Sect. 1. in pr. Quos ergo Deus praeterit reprobat; neque alia de causa (observe that) nisi quod ab haereditate quam filiis suis praedestinat, illos vult exclu­dere. I hope you will allow Exclusit and ex­cludere, to be very near of kin to Secluded; and so I leave it.

But Master Baxter hath a severer censure [Page 135] for Tilenus in his following words, (He un­worthily feigneth them to say) that God (ap­pointeth them to eternall damnation without any regard to their impenitency or Infideli­ty,) when they professe, that it is propter in­fidelitatem & caetera Peccata, that he decrees to damn them, as the Causes of damnation, though not of the eternall decree.) Why then, Tilenus said true, They were appointed, without any regard to their Infidelity &c. Ay, but he re­garded their Infidelity and other sins as the Causes of damnation. Your meaning is, that those sins are the means or Antecedent (as your expression was a little before) in order to the execution of this Decree. And so are their very best works by the Doctrine of your Par­ty, who speak consonantly to their principles. Statuere possumus bona opera Praedestinationi quandoque, quandoque etiam reprobationi inser­vire. Praedestinatio per illa gloriam Dei illu­strat, & quoad reprobationem, sunt nonnun­quam rationes, quare gravior reddatur Lapsus. Qui enim à Deo deficiunt, cum ab illo fuerint ornati bonis operibus, ut gravius peccant, ita eti­am acerbius puniuntur. We may resolve that good works do serve to the furtherance some­times of Predestination, and sometimes of Reprobation. Predestination doth set forth the glory of God by them; and in respect of Reprobation, they are many times the means [Page 136] to aggravate Relapses into sin. For they who doe fall from God, when he hath adorned them with Good works, as they do more grie­vously sin, so are they also more severely punished,Loc. Com. De Reprob. Pob. 1. p. 122. f. saith Steph. Szegedin. 2. But doth not your Decree of Reprobation (in good earnest) make provision for those sins, in or­der to the illustration of: Gods justice, when he shall condemn them? An attentive Rea­der may remember something alleadged (a­bove) to this purpose? But not to leave it unto conjecture in a matter of so great mo­ment, I shall give you Master Nortons words, (out of his Orthodox Evangelist. pag. 56. f. 11.) The and of God in the Decree, saith he, is him­self, for the manifestation of his glory, in a way of Justice upon the Reprobate. The crea­tion of man mutable, the permission of sin, the punishing of him justly for sinne, make up one full and perfect medium, (that is, meanes) conducing to this end, as concerning the Repro­bate. (Remember 'tis the constant and unani­mous Doctrine of the Calvinists, that the De­cree includes the means as well as the end.) And this is the very Doctrine of Gomarus held forth in the Synod, not detested, nor re­jected, nor disowned, nor silenced; for it is in­serted amongst their Acts. Part. 3. pag. 24. Thes. 2. you had it fully in the former passa­ges. [Page 137] Hereupon the Divines from the Corre­spondence of Widderau, doe conclude in the Name of those Churches to this purpose. Act. Syn. Dor. part. 2. pag. 154. f. Quid er­go? an peccata fiunt necessario? ita est sane; si nempe intelligas necessitatem illam, quae pen­det à gemina hypothesi, decreti scilicet permit­tentis, & finis boni. What then? are sinnes committed necessarily? yes, so it is, if you consi­der that necessity which depends upon a double hypothesis, that is to say, the Decree (not in­effectually, for so they hold of permission) Permitting, and the Good end intended. The case then in short may be thus illustrated. A Noble man commits Treason for which his Prince seizeth upon all his estate to the utter undoing of his posterity. These, being disa­bled to purchase Armes and other accommo­dations for the warres, according to that e­quipage that becomes their Noble extraction, the Prince makes a Decree, of two branches, 1. Negative, That none should assist or sup­ply their needs, 2. Positive, That they shall lose their heads: but this shall be for neglect of duty, or disobedience; which that they may be found guilty of, they are summon'd to appear in person, as becomes their Noble birth, and his Eminence, to fight his battails. These unhappy persons appear with such strength and Accoutrements as are left them, [Page 138] according to the notice they have of the Prince his pleasure. But being unable, naked wretches as they are, to subdue their Princes enemies, He is informed, that now he hath a just cause to fall upon them, and take away their lives, and accordingly Sentence is gi­ven, and the fatal Block and Axe imploy'd for a present execution. If any should complain, that this were great severity, towards poore wretches made miserable by their Fathers mis­carriage, which they could no way hinder or consent unto (being no way privy to it); Master Baxter is an able Advocate to justifie these proceedings. He will tell us, (if one should say these men were appointed to death without any regard to their disobedience) it was for their disobedience and neglect of du­ty that the Prince decreed to behead them, as the Causes of their beheading, though not of the Decree it self.

Here it will be seasonable to take notice of a subtile Distinction, which some of this Par­ty makes use of to maintain that (Horrible Decree) as Master Cal­vin calls it,Antid. p 38. and yet to free Gods justice,Supralapsa­rians. as they suppose, from the imputation of Severity. 'Tis one thing, say they, to Predestinate and Create unto damnation, another thing to Predestinate and Create unto Destruction. God, say they, [Page 139] hath Reprobated and Created to destruction the farre greatest part of mankind without a­ny respect at all to sin in them: But he hath not preordained, or doomed any one man to eternall damnation (and the Synod makes a great use of this word Damnation) without respect to sin coming between. What is the ground of this opinion or Distinction? When God condemneth the world, He performs the Office of a Judge, who pronounceth sentence upon the guilty, and therefore he hath (in that Capacity) a respect to foregoing sin, as the meritorious cause of that his sentence. But when he doth reprobate to eternall Destru­ction, he useth his Right of Domi­nion, Vid. Act. Syn. Dort. part. 3. pag. 67. af. as an absolute Independent and supreme Lord, who being bound to none, deals thus by his creatures without any intuition or sight of sinne and transgression in them, as himself pleaseth. Hence it is that so many men make the glory of Gods Po­wer and Soveraignty See the Assemblies Confess. of Faith. Chap. 3. Thes. 7. rather then that of his Justice, the end of Re­probation. Finis Reprobationis est gloria Dei. Nam sic Deus demon­strat Liberam suam potentiam, & jus Summum faciendi de suis creaturis quod vult, say the Divines of Embden in their Suf­frage, De Artic. 1. Thes. 2. Hypothes. 4. [Page 140] Pag. 76. And that (now mentioned) Distin­ction doth inable the Supralapsarians, to hold their own opinions, and yet to subscribe to the Decrees and Articles that define Damna­tion to be in consideration of sin onely. And this was a great help to accomplish that har­mony and consent (not so much of minds and meanings, as of modes of Speech and Phrases) which we find in that Synod.

And now is not this Decree notably Cal­culated to set forth the Glory of the Divine Attributes? First God Reprobates and Cre­ates the greatest number of men to destructi­on, to set forth the Glory of his Soveraign Power: so say the Supralapsarians. And then, that the Divine Justice may have her share in Glory, order is taken by the same Decree, which comprehends the means as well as the endSee Gomar. Th. de Prae­dest. disput. (1604.) Th. 23. and M. Norton ubi supra. pag. 56, 57., that sin shall fall in, to make those per­sons guilty, that they may be an object fit for Justice to triumph over, under a sentence of condem­nation. And though this was a very common Doctrine amongst the Greater Lights (as they were reputed) of those Churches, yet they were not troubled at them, but at those that detected their enormi­ty, and consequently, not those errours, but these Persons, that attempted their Reforma­tion, are ejected.

But doth this respect of infidelity and im­penitency, or other sins, as the Causes of dam­nation, though not of the Eternall Decree, mend the matter or make it worse? It seems to make it more plausible to inconsiderate Readers, that look but superficially upon it. But weigh it exactly, and it renders the Do­ctrine much more absurd and repudiable. For, (as hath been intimated) it makes sin by Gods design to truckle Quamvis enim pecca­tum, in de­creto repro­bationis, non spectavit De­us, ut cau­sam illius ob­jectam, ha­buit tamen permissionis illius ratio­nem, ut me­dii quod fi­ni, reproba­tionis subje­cit ac subor­dinavit. Gomarus in disput. de Praed. (disp. 1609.) Thes. 91 under this Decree of Reprobati­on, as a necessary consequent, and as a means subordinate to the execution of it; so that accor­ding to this opinion, the Re­probates are at first (in our man­ner of apprehension) inevitably destinated to destruction, and then to sinne, that that destruction may be ushered in with the For­malities of a Judiciall Processe, and a sentence of condemnation.

And yet after all the service this Distinction of Reprobation hath been prest to do them, it proves to be but a Distinction without a difference, upon the matter, by their own con­fession. It is but Docendi causa, to help Lear­ners, that they consider a double Act, one Ne­gative, [Page 142] (the denyall of undue Grace) which is praeterition, the other Affirma­tive, Compend. Chr. Theol. pag. 26. (the destination of due pu­nishment) which is Praedamnati­on, saith Wollebius, and so say the four Professors of Leyden, in their Syno­psis Purioris Theol. Disput. 24. Thes. 52. (mi­hi) pag. 308.

In Anatome. cap. 13. pa­rag. 3.Whereupon Molinaeus deals in­genuously, and tells us plainly they come both to one reckoning, as we say; Reprobare ac velle da­mnare idem esse, quemadmodum eligere idem est, ac velle salvare. To Reprobate, and to will damnation are the same thing, even as to elect is the same as to will salvation. And though he styles the Synod Reverend, and commends it for the celebrity and sanctity of it; and again they give him thanks, for his accurate judgement and consent in Doctrine; yet in this he goes against the whole stream of them; and (in the 9. Parag. of that his Anatome,) he takes up an objection: Non ef­fugeret, qui diceret. Reprobatione non desti­nari homines ad damnationem, sed tantum prae­teriri, ant non eligi. If any one saith, men are not destinated to damnation by Repro­bation, but are onely passed by or not Elected, he shall not escape so, saith Molin. Nempe sic quaeruntur verba molliora, quibus eadem res [Page 143] dicatur. This is but a dressing up of an ugly Matter in finer and softer words. Perinde e­nim est, sive Deus destinet hominem ad damna­tionem, sive id faciat, ex quo damnatio neces­sariò sequitur. For it is all one, whether God doth destinate a man to damnation, or doth that from which damnation necessarily follows. Molin knew well enough, that to Reprobate is, as it were, a putting the fatall rope about the mans neck, and tying his hands behind him: and whatever follows, whether exhortations or prayers, is but in order to a preparation for turning the Ladder. Hereupon he concluded, that no man is Re­probated but for sin. (ibid. parag. 3.) But M. Baxter would make us believe, in his next words, that the Synod and himself too are of this opinion; for he goes on, and saith,

They do not onely respect Infidelity and other sins as the cause of damnation, but as the state, in which God findeth many, when he denyeth them the grace of Faith;] You speak not a word of Impenitency, 'tis clearly granted by you all, that that was not looked upon in the Act of Preterition. But for its companion, (as Tilenus had linked them together) though you divorce them, for your advantage, remem­bring the old Rule (Divide & Impera) I mean Infidelity, God had respect to that, as the state wherein he found many, &c. I pray [Page 144] how many are they? and which? Infants or Adult onely? 2. Is there not a Fallacy in those words, (When he denyeth them the grace of Faith?) He denyeth it to the Repro­bates for ever; and therefore if you under­stand it of his deniall of This grace in the last stage of their lives, He must needs find them then in a state of Infidelity. Or 3. do you mean the Heathens, by these Many? What state can they possibly be found in else, when God denyeth them the Grace of Faith? But if this be your meaning, you have placed that Infidelity amongst very unfit Associates; For this can be but a Negative, not a Posi­tive Infidelity; and so whether it can be rec­koned amongst their other sins (as being a sin it selfe) is another question.That men cannot see or believe, without a certain Me­dium or ob­ject, this is no more their fault, then it is that they see not non-existents, &c. M. Baxter of saving faith pag. 53. f. But 4. did God find any, really, in the state of Infidelity, when he denyed them the Grace of Faith, according to the Doctrine of the Synod? Do not they and you conclude, that Preterition is the denyall of this Grace? 'Tis proved sufficiently already that they do so. And you know, some of them are of opinion, (and that opinion not rejected by the rest) that in his Preterition God con­sidered mankinde, onely as having [Page 145] a possibility of being, in regard of the suffici­ency of his divine power; Did God finde any then in a state of Infidelity? They that bring the Decree of Reprobation down lowest (amongst the Synodists) do affirme, that it was passed in consideration of the Fall of Adam. To this purpose I might produce a cloud of witnesses,Act. Synod. Dord. 2. part. pag. 77. q. 5. 3. part. pag. 24. thes. 7. & p. 123. f. were it not needlesse, seeing we find so much in confirmation of it a­mongst the very Decrees and Ar­ticles of the Synod, to which all those Divines subscribed. That God out of his mere just will hath not decreed to leave any man in the fall of Adam, and com­mon state of sin and damnation, or to passe over any in the communication of grace necessary un­to faith and conversion. This they reject as one of the troublesome errours. Cap. 1. Re­ject. 8. and cap. 2. Re ect. 5. That all men are received into the state of reconciliation and grace of the Covenant, so that no body shall be condemned for originall sin, nor, in respect of it, be liable unto death or damnation, but that all are acquitted, and freed from the guilt of that sin. This they reject as the same errour too. To the like purpose is the first Rejection of the 3. and 4. Chapters. Where we have not onely re­jection or denyal of grace; but damnation also intailed upon Original sin. And if the grace of [Page 146] faith was denyed to them upon that account, how could God find them before it in the state of Infidelity? Sure you will not make it A­dams state before his fall, for he had no need, and therefore it was no part of his duty to be­lieve; in the Gospel sense of believing; and consequently Originall sin, whether as com­mitted by him, or derived unto us, cannot be Infidelity; Therefore that was not the state he left men in, and yet the Decree of Reprobation had no other lower Prospect of man, as a con­dition to passe him by upon, but that wherein Adam left him, as the Synod hath defined. And therefore your [other sins] must disband toge­ther with your state of Infidelity, unlesse Ori­ginall sin be a Noun of Multitude; For that is that, which the Synod calls the common state of sin and damnation, wherein they say, God left the Reprobate, when he denyed them the grace of Faith. But M. Baxter proceeds, and tells us of the Synod further, that

Of all the Non-elect they determine that God leaves them but in that misery, into which, by their own fault they precipitate themselves: and that he leaves them by his just Judgement to the Malice and Hardnesse of their own hearts. 'Tis most certain, when ever God leaves men, he doth it by his most just judgement: but that He should leave them, to the Malice and Hardnesse of their own hearts, before this [Page 147] Malice and Hardnesse be found in them, were very strange. And unlesse Adams sin, or O­riginall sin, upon which the Decree of Re­probation passed against them, be Malice and Hardnesse of heart, I see no truth in that as­sertion, that God leaves them (then) to the Malice and Hardnesse of their own hearts. This is indeed a misery, into which men by their own personall faults, do precipitate themselves: such is not that which you and the Synod speak of; neither by omission, nor by commission, nor by consent. How then? It is the fault of their Nature, which they are made guilty of onely by imputation, saith Master Calvin, as you may finde him cited in the Preface to Tilenus his Examination. To which I will adde that of Lub­bertus A Syno­dist. In De­claratione Respons. pag. 105., Our Carnall generation from Adam, fal'n and guilty, neither is, neither can it be, the cause of that originall guilt which we derive from him; but the impu­tation of sinne committed by him, &c. And if it be thus, then you cannot say, they are but left in that misery, into which by their own (if you mean proper personall) fault, they ptecipitate themselves. Neither is it true, that they are but left in this misery; for according to the nature of the means, design­ed by this very Decree, and subordinated [Page 148] to the execution of it, they are subjected in­evitably to a far greater misery, 1. of sin, and 2. of condemnation and punishment. To proceed.

You say, Though they deny Election to pro­ceed upon foreseen saith (because God decrees to give that faith, before we can be foreseen to have it) yet they purposely passe by the question, Whether foreseen Infidelity be in any the quali­fication of the object of Reprobation or Prete­rition: But plainly they took foreseen [Ma­lice, Hardheartednesse, mens own sin, and their own wayes and common misery] to be the qua­lification of that object.

Answer 1. For the Common misery we grant it; In drawing up their Canons against the Remonstrants, touching the divine De­crees, they thought it would be most for their advantage to plant them upon that ground. But what? men's own sin, and their own wayes too, did they take these to be the qualification of the object? It seems the Reprobates learn to go alone betimes. But I suppose they had not gone very far in those wayes, what ever speed they made; For the Synod do determine that this Act of Reproba­tion, or preterition, passed against them upon the fall of Adam, (as was observed before, and the places where they hold it forth point­ed out to you) and how many Leagues had [Page 149] Cain traveld upon his own leggs, at that time? and yet he was the first of such tra­vellers that were left in that fall, if yet we may conclude him to have been left in it. But I see, if you have not mistaken them, the Synod have misled you, in these, [their own wayes]; Cap. 1. Art. 15. For whereas they say, the Non-elect are those, whom God hath decreed to leave in the common misery, and not to bestow saving faith, and the grace of conversion upon them, but leaving them in their own wayes, &c. Here's a descri­ption of Reprobation, with the fruits or ef­fects of it. 'Tis a reliction of men in the com­mon state of misery, accompanied with the deniall of saving faith and the grace of con­version; and here is their first setting forth, in their progresse into actuall sins, till, ha­ving accomplisht that unhappy voyage, at last they arrive at condemnation and just pu­nishment, as the Synod (in other words) re­ports it. Here then, if you consider the De­cree of Reprobation passed upon the Account of Adam's fall, men's own (if you take it for) actuall sin, and their own wayes are not a pre­vious qualification for it: but a necessary and unavoidable consequent of it.

2. Unlesse [Malice and Hardheartednesse] be common Titles for Originall sinne, (and if they be, they are very absurd ones) you [Page 150] are as much out of the story as before, as hath been made evident already. And so for Infidelity; For Infidelity of this kind, as a sin, there can be none, (according to your own doctrine) till Christ, the object of saving faith be propounded. He could not be pro­pounded (for a Saviour, till there was need of him) till after Adam's fall; but before that Proposall, the Act of Reprobation stept in, and prevented all the Non-elect of his saving benefits, as the Doctors of the Synod have concluded. And yet

3. If God found many of these Non-elect, in a State of Infidelity (as you affirmed a little above), why that should not be acknow­ledged, as fit a qualification, to be looked upon, in an object of Reprobation, as A­dam's fall, or any other, if not much more, then any other of their own sins, I cannot yet understand. But the truth is, though Master Baxter saith, they purposely passe by the question, yet having fixt their Decree of Reprobation upon the fall, to speak conso­nantly to that Doctrine, they could make no question of it; especially having denyed e­lection to proceed upon foreseen faith;De Reprob. Judic. de propos. 1. Act. Synod. Dor. part. 2. pag. 19. For the Divines of the Pa­latinate do conclude from that Rule, Contrariorum eadem ratio, eadem scientia est, That from the [Page 151] account given of Election 'tis ea­sie to take the measures of its op­posite, Reprobation.Dicere, Deum quof­dam repro­basse propter praevisam in­credulitatem, blasphemum est in Deum, cui hac ratione jus suum detrabitur, gloria eripitur. Paraeus in Rom. 9.13.

One thing more, I must take notice of, though it be shut up in a Parenthesis; you say, God decrees to give faith before we can be fore­seen to have it. I would fain know, whether God's foresight hath no other Perspective glass or way of discovery but His Decree? For, if he doth, in your opinion, decree to give or ef­fect every thing in us, before we can be fore­seen to have them; then it inevitably follows, that in your Judgement, that [foreseen Infi­delity, Malice, Hardheartednesse, men's own sins, and their own wayes and common mi­sery.] are to be put upon the account of Gods Decree, and laid at the doore of his efficien­cy. And then, whether to punish men for these, (if they be the effects of his own De­cree, and so unavoidable) be justice in him or no, you go on and tell us of the Synod,

That, they make Preterition an Act of Ju­stice in God. Answ. But Sir, I have shew­ed you before, that not onely a single Person, M. Norton, Quum Deus Decretum e­lectionis fecit, tum justitia ejus nondum erat laesa. Piscat. contr. Schaff. Th. 104. but a [Page 152] whole Assembly, (that late one at Westmin­ster) make it not an Act of Justice, but of Sove­raignty. And may not this be the very sense of the Synod, by an equivocall use of the word Justice?

For Gomarus Thes. de Praed. disp. 1604. Thes. 27. Nicasi­us à Schu­re saith, Non accidere ex justitia judi­cii divini, quod plures s [...]nt condem­nandi, quam salvandi, sed ex justitia do [...]minii, &c. So Appen. pres [...]or. Declar. in Praefat. Reprobation being fixt at originall sin, and that as­cribed to Gods impu­tation onely, the whole account of that Decree is finally, by them resolved into Gods mere will; hence they make a [...] rather an Act of Power than Justice. (a Creabilita­rian, as was noted above) saith, though God doth destinate and create men to destruction, he can­not be accused of injustice, in re­gard of a double right in him; 1. that of absolute dominion; 2. that of judgement, subordinate and re­lative to sin, (when it is commit­ted.) So, saith he, here appears a double justice. One is the Ju­stice of an absolute Soveraign, who is supposed to do no inju­stice, whatsoever he doth, being under no Law, and having all at his dispose; In this sense the Su­pralapsarians call Preterition an Act of Justice. (Jure Dominii:) Or 2. the Justice of a Governour or Judge, who passeth no sen­tence of condemnation, but upon intuition of sin, or evidence of guiltinesse; and in this sense the [Page 153] Supralapsarians will not, but the Sublapsari­ans do acknowledge Preterition to be an Act of Justice. Now, how many of the Synod were for Gomarus his sense, and how many for the other; I shall leave to M. Baxter to Exa­mine. In the mean while I shall hasten to make my

Reflexions upon the VIII. Section.

HAving gotten footing upon such firme ground, as he supposed he had laid, He proceeds to expostulate very Magisterially in these words.

And where now is the odious errour that this second Tilenus put such a face upon? Sir, It hath a more ugly face of its Own, then any Tilenus can put upon it; and neither the Sy­nods mask; nor your paintry can hide it, much lesse make it beautifull. But where is it to be seen? you ask, Is it in the Number? If he think a greater number are saved or absolutely decreed to salvation, then they do, he should speak out.

I Promised you already not to quarrell fur­ther with you about the number. But what if Tilenus should speak his minde out, in this particular? I hope there is no Felony, nor Trea­son can be made of it. I will therefore tell [Page 154] you plainly for him, (if you do not know his minde already), that he is so far from think­ing that a greater number are absolutely de­creed to salvation, then they do, that he doth not think so of any single person whatsoever. But what! do they think, that any number are absolutely decreed unto salvation? Abso­lutely? That is, without any regard to their Faith or Obedience whatsoever; and are they come to this already? But perhaps by the word Absolutely, you intend, Absolutely in respect of Motives on Gods Part, not in re­spect of Means on our Part, and yet I can­not tell how you should do that neither, since the means are absolutely decreed too, as to be wrought in the Elect, according to the judge­ment of the Synod, and most expresly declared by the British Divines.Act. Syn. Dor. part. 2. pag. 200. But what if we grant you an Absolute Decree, in respect of such Motives? If we acknowledge, that there is in man no Cause, Motive, or Morall Title unto his Election: but ascribe it whol­ly to God's good pleasure and Grace: will you then condescend to it, that there is any quali­fication at all in him, unto which, as the Term or Object, the wisdome of God thought fit, the Decree of election should be Terminated? Grant this and we shall soon agree. But what should this Term or Object be, to qualifie Per­sons [Page 155] for their Election? It can be no other, than what may make us capable, in the ac­counts of the Divine wisdome and Grace (of which the holy Gospel is the best Reposito­ry) to receive the Highest Act of Gods Dea­rest Love towards us in Christ Jesus; and such is our Election unto Glory, Our Saviours [Come ye blessed children of my Father] at the Generall Judgement, being nothing else, but the Solemn Judiciall Publication of it. But if Tilenus be of this opinion, What manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and God­linesse? 2 Pet. 3.11. For it should seem by this Doctrine, that a holy faith and a blamelesse life, are made the previous dispositions to our immutable e­lection unto Glory. But this will usher in a new objection of Master Baxters against Tilenus.

For if he think, (saith Master Baxter) that God foresaw that they would believe and obey, before he decreed to give them faith or the grace of obedience, and consequently that these are onely or principally of themselves, and not of God, be must condemn Austin &c. as well as the Synod of Dort.

Here we have a very Perverse insinuation, if I may make so bold, with Master Baxter's leave, to use his own expression. Believe and obey (you mean the Gospel) before a Reve­lation [Page 156] of it, or a call to it? Was Adam ob­liged to do so, or could he do so in his state of Innocency? And will poore collapsed Tilenus pretend to it? No, he hath studyed the Mysteries of Grace, and learnt himself, and the incapacities of Man-kind better. God hath, not onely a Foresight, which is, as I may say, bounded within the compasse of things future, In their due time, existent; which cannot be without his Decree: but al­so a Foreknowledge, which extends to all things Possible, though no Decree ever did, or ever shall passe for the futurition or exi­stence of them. Thus He foreknew that the men of Keilah would have deli­vered up David into the hands of Saul, 1 Sam. 23.12. if he had stay'd amongst them; and thus he foreknew that Tyre and Sidon would have repen­ted,Mat. 11.21. if they had been placed un­der the same dispensations, as Chorazin and Bethsaida were. Now suppose, Almighty God to consider men under such a state and order of means; though he hath not, as yet (to speak after the manner of men) decreed to establish either such an order, or such men un­der it, yet by his Omnipotency, he infallibly fore­knowes what creatures of such capacities, would do, being put into such a Posture. But for Faith and Obedience, these duties re­lating [Page 157] to some Authority and Revelation, and requiring power far above what remains in us since the fall of Adam, it implies a Contradiction to say, Man can believe and o­bey the Gospel, before he receives as well a competent strength as a proper Object for it. But Almighty God having put such and such capacities into us, and placed us under such and such means and dispensations, in his e­ternall wisdome, He Foreknowes what use and what improvement every one will (in that order) make of those capacities and dis­pensations; And then making a Decree ac­cording to this his Foreknowledge, He Fore­sees who will believe and obey, not before he decrees to give them Faith or the grace of Obedience, as M. Baxter perversly insinuateth: but after it, (though considering them un­der such an order of means, he foreknew it, before his Decree) and consequently this both faith and obedience are neither onely, nor principally of themselves, but of God; And this is consonant to the Doctrine of the Pri­mitive Church, for all the purest Ages of it.As M^r. Baxter ac­knowledgeth in his Saints Rest. part. 1. pag. 154. in the mar­gin. f. And if the Passion, or prejudice or interest of fierce Disputers have raised new Arti­cles, and maintained them at the charge, or upon the reputation of their Over-credulous Admirers, [Page 158] yet having imposed so palpably upon the Faith of the Church, they are in these par­ticulars, to be forsaken, by what Names, or Titles soever they be dignified or distinguish­ed. And for this we have S. Austin's own warrant and direction. Disputa­tiones quaslibet etiam Catholicorum & probatissimorum virorum, Epist. 111. non esse tanti faciendas, &c. He saith, The Dis­putations of the most approved Catholicks are not so highly to be esteemed, but that it may be alwayes lawfull for us, with respect to the honour that is due to them, to reprove those things in their writings, which we think to be recessions from the truth. And he addeth, that himself did so by the writings of others, and he would have others do so by his own.

Neverthelesse Master Baxter may receive competent satisfaction to his scruples, if he will but keep his word; For he makes a ve­ry reasonable demand in these words;

For my part, saith he, I wish no more in this, then may consist with Rationall Prayers and Thanksgivings; and if this be all, who will not adde a great AMEN to it?

Do you wish no more then what may con­sist with Rationall Prayers for the Grace of God? For my yart, I am so farre from de­nying you this Option, that I wish, with all my heart, that you would really grant but so [Page 159] much for your self and all your Party. But the truth is, men of your Ortho-DORT Persuasion, if they speak consonantly to Right Reason, they must conclude the prayers of the Major part of mankind, to be grosly ir­rationall and absurd. For according to your principles, some, even of those, who are tru­ly sanctified, (for such S. Austine, by your own acknowledgement, allowes to be amongst the Non-Elect) can never addresse themselves to their Devotions, but they must, either pray for their own damnation; which is irrational; or that the Divine Decree about it (as it is cal­culated by your Doctrine) may be repealed; which is no lesse irrationall then the former. And in (that which is of generall Prescripti­on) the Use of the Lords Prayer (A Forme, which I hope M. Baxter's modesty will yield to be as Rationall, as any his zeale, Phantasie or Godlinesse can make, at least Ex tempore,) All the Non-Elect are, by unavoidable Con­sequence, involved in offering up (as it were in one breath) crosse Petitions to a like Pur­pose. For, according to your Doctrine, All these Non-Elect, are left, at least, in the Lapse of Adam, under (as many call it) an efficacious Permission to fall into Actuall sin; in intuition and respect whereof, they are Predamned to everlasting fire; and the End of this, you say, is the Advancement of [Page 160] Gods Glory, and the Finall execution of it, at the Great day, which will be the consumma­tion of his Kingdome. Hence it follows un­deniably, that in offering up those Petitions [Hallowed by thy Name; Thy Kingdome come; Thy will be done;] They pray for their own damnation. And again, seeing this Damnati­on, (to which, Your's say, they are Preordai­ned upon this account) is the greatest evill of Punishment, (or a combination of them All,) To which, though they may be Decreed (ac­cording to the Doctrine of many Calvinists) by Gods Right of Dominion, or his absolute Soveraign power of Jurisdiction, yet adjudged and sentenced to it justly they cannot be, with­out the guilt of sin; and therefore the said ef­ficacious Permission of sin, and the perempto­ry Deniall of Grace Sufficient and necessary un­to Faith and Repentance (without which there is no Remission) are Decreed likewise, as the unavoidable Means of bringing that Hor­rible Decree to its Finall, Infallible executi­on; Hence it follows by unavoidable Con­sequence, That in offering up those other Petitions, [Forgive us our trespasses; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evill,] These Non-Elect do implicitely Pray, that the said Decree may be Repealed.

But his Question following, [Would you not have men pray for faith that want it?] May [Page 161] put a man to a stand, if not to silence. The Synod it self was not resolved about it. For though it be a piece of their advice in their 16. Decree upon the 1. Chapter: Yet upon second thoughts, (Chap. 3. and 4. Reject. 4.) and a fuller view of it, they descry it to be an enemy, not onely in Arms, but upon the March too, (as the English Translator gives Intelligence) against direct Testimonies of Scripture: And Donteclock saith, All study and care a man can use to promote his salva­tion, before faith and the spirit of renovati­on, is not onely vain, but rather hurtfull then profitable, as you heard above. If this be true, to what end should a man pray for faith that wants it? But I thank God, I am not of M. Donteclocks opinion; and there­fore you shall have my advice without a fee in this case; Let him pray. And he that hath it, let him Pray for more continually with thanksgiving. But M. Baxter hath not done his Expostulations yet; for he goes on in the same strain still. Was it not a Rational Prayer [Lord increase our Faith] and [Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief?] Who doubts it? And was it not a Rationall Thanksgiving of Paul for his Converts, that [God had given them both to believe and suffer for him?Phil. 2.29.] That God had given the Philippians to believe and suf­fer [Page 162] (not to fight) for him, I find, by way of assertion, not thanksgiving, which yet had been very commendable, if he had thought fit to take the occasion. But you observe God gives both to Believe and suffer; I sup­pose you mean the opportunity and patience to glorifie his Name and Gospel by their suf­ferings; for sure you cannot think that God did actually inflict the reproaches, which they suffered, or their stripes upon them; and if you understand it of the grace and power to yield submission to their Persecutions with meeknesse, we must remember the concession till we meet with a fit occasion to make use of it.

In the interim we will hare the patience to read out your long objection; which pro­ceeds still in these words, [Sure you do not mean when you pray for [Increase of Faith] that God would give you naturall free-will, which you had before, or that he would send the Gospel to you; but some way that he will ef­fectually procure you to believe. (And doubt­lesse the way of his internall operation is beyond our reach, and therefore beyond our dispute.) 1. If this be beyond our reach and our dispute; why have your Party stretcht themselves so much, and multiplied so many fierce disputes about it?Ch. 3. & 4. Reject. 8. & Art. 12. Nay, why have they defined so posi­tively, [Page 163] that God employ's his omnipotent strength in it, working (our regeneration) in us, but not with us (as the English Translator hath it) but, without us; why do you say this operation is performed, insuperably, irre­sistibly? Nay, if the work be beyond our reach, why have so many Worthy learned men been, not onely reviled but ruined by them; be­cause they chose rather to follow the expres­sions of the holy Scriptures and Ancient Fa­thers, then subscribe to their new and un­savoury, and contradictory Phrases, and po­sitions?

2. You may be sure, when he prays for Increase of Faith, no man in his right wits, intends his naturall free will, nor the sending of the Gospel, when he hath it lying by him. But now, I pray, let me take my turn to put Questions. Had the Primitive Church for 3. or 400. years together no Rationall Pray­ers? Have the Lutheran Churches at this day, no Rational Prayers? Did not they, and do not those, in their devotions, beg earnest­ly of Almighty God, that some way he would be pleased effectually to procure them to be­lieve? Could this doctrine make so great a Harmony in their Liturgies, and can it not consist with your Prayers? I am sure the fault is not in the Doctrine. That is inno­cent and charitable and good friends with all [Page 164] the world, and therefore very well disposed both for Prayers and other holy Duties.

3. What think you of these Prayers, a­mongst the rest, in the English Liturgie?

ALmighty God, which shewest to all men that be in errour, the light of thy Truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righte­ousnesse; Grant unto all them that be admitted into the fellowship of Christs Religion, that they may eschew those things that be contrary to their profes­sion, and follow all such things as be agreeable to the same, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Or of this,

LOrd from whom all good things do come, grant us thy humble ser­vants, that by thy holy inspiration, we may think those things that be good, and by thy mercifull guiding, may per­form the same, through our Lord Je­sus Christ.

Or of this,

O God, forasmuch as without thee, we are not able to please thee, grant that the working of thy mercy may in all things direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Or of this,

KEep, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy continuall mercy, and because the frailtie of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Or of this,

LOrd, we beseech thee, to grant thy people grace to avoid the infecti­ons of the Devill, and with pure heart and mind to follow thee, the onely God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lastly, what think you of this Prayer,

PRevent us, O Lord, in all our do­ings, with thy most gracious fa­vour, and further us with thy continu­all help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorifie thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtaine everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Is not this a Rationall Prayer? Doctor Jackson saith, That, In the first part of this Godly Prayer,B. 10. chap. 37. pag. 3131. we have the state of the Question concern­ing the concurrence of Grace and Freewill, more pithily and more plainly set down, than in any Controversie-writers, whe­ther in the Romish or reformed Churches. The Summe is, That without Gods Preventing Grace, or peculiar disposition of his Favoura­ble Providence, we cannot do any good works at all, though but Civilly or Morally Good, nor any works Spiritually Good without Gods assistant Grace, or gifts of the Spirit inherent in us.

To be a Helper, is a Title, which the Al­mighty frequently takes upon himself; and [Page 167] the Church is wont to appeal to him under that Title, when she addresseth her self to him, to gain his succours in her distresses. And, as S. Austine hath observed, that Title is as well a prescription of our duty, as a sup­port of our expectation. Ipsum nomen Adju­toris praescribit tibi, quia & tu ipse aliquid agis. Agnosce, quid poscas, Agnosce, quid confitea­ris, quando dicis, Adjutor meus es, ne derelin­quas me. Adjutorem utique invocas Deum. Nemo adjuvatur, si ab illo nihil agatur. If we style God our Helper, we suppose our selves to be in action, and our Prayers design'd to solicit his assistance, not to cut out work for him. If we think those divine dispen­sations, under whose influence, we desire, in our prayers, to be conducted, should deter­mine all our good motions, we might soon be tempted to throw off all care and leave all other duties to be wrought in us, by God a­lone, and betake our selves wholly unto pray­er. And having entertain'd this vain imagi­nation, how many are there in the world, that, when they suffer infirmitie, or fall into fouler sins, are ready to ascribe it, not so much to their own neglect of duty (for alas! humble and modest wretches, they can do no­thing!) as to the suspension of that divine Omnipotent determination, that should have accomplished the same in them. And then [Page 168] they comfort themselves with such thoughts as these; ‘[God did not determine me, not bow my Will to do otherwise. I cannot of my self change my disposition, and this is that I received from God, who suffered me to be led into this temptation, though I have not failed to pray daily not to be led into it. What shall I do? I hope God will one day give me so to be determined that I shall not fall.]’ Thus they hope, and pray, and ex­pect the return of their prayers, but their sin remains, because they will not be convinced, that it is their own duty, at least, not that it is in their own Power and choice, to deter­mine against it.

Our torpor and lukewarmnesse is a disease that wants so great a remedy as our own prayers and God's quickening assistance. But if the sword of Josua doth not second the e­levation of Moses hands, if our endeavours do not attend upon our Prayers, those Ama­lekites that infest us will never be discomfited. Hence Saint Peter is carefull, that when we rise from off our knees, we should take heed to our walk also, 1 Pet. 1.17. If ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons iudg­eth according to every mans work, passe the time of your so journing here in feare.

In a time of violent temptation, I doubt not, God may and many times, doth vouch­safe, [Page 169] so to fortifie and determine the will of his faithfull and devout servants, at the im­portunity of their ardent prayers, (or when he sends them out upon some signall employment,Rev. 3.10. Mar. 13.11. for the service of his Name and Church) that they shall not be vanquisht or transported by it. But when their will is thus necessarily deter­mined by Almighty God, their liberty cea­seth, and they cannot properly be said, at that very time, to obey God (as obedience presupposeth liberty, and denoteth duty) in overcoming that temptation; because that Speciall Help (which gaines the Conquest) is given as a kind of reward of their former piety, or as a present benefit returned un­to their prayers. But we are to consider, not what God's superabundant Goodnesse is plea­sed to conferre upon such as are excellent in virtue, (whether by way of reward for their former piety, or of benefit upon the earnest­nesse of present devotions) to help them in their saddest exigencies: But what his ordniary way of dispensation is in the Commencement and carrying on the work of Grace in mens hearts. The best measures we can take for this, are his own Revelations; and these are discove­red not onely by Commands, establisht with promises and threatnings: but by obtestations and complaints: As I live, saith the Lord, I [Page 170] have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth;Ezek. 18.23. Turn ye, Turn ye; why will ye die, O house of Israel?Psal. 81.13. By Options and wishes; O that my people had hearkened unto me: and Israel had walked in my wayes!Deut. 32. v. 29. Chap. 5.29. O that they were wise, that they understood this! O that there were such a heart in them! By Prayers and beseech­ings; This is signified by the ex­tension of hands,Isa. 65.2. (which is often set forth as a posture of Prayer) All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a gainsaying people: (and) Now then we are Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled unto God. The Sincerity of God's earnest desire of mans Conversion and Salvation, attested by these (and other like) Patheticall obtesta­tions, Options, and Prayers, is enervated and overthrown, viz. as well by the necessity of an irresistible conversion, as by the insuffici­ency, or internall inefficacy of Grace, and impossibility of obedience. 'Tis inconsistent with the Divine wisdome to desire impossibi­lities, as life from a dead creature, or moti­on from a carkasse; for that were, to desire a sufficient effect from an unsufficient Cause. [Page 171] So to desire an irresistible conversion; for that were to desire obedience, wherein there must be liberty, in necessity; and to be earnest that that may be done by others, which he absolutely intends to do irresistibly by him­selfe.

But whereas M. Baxter is so tender and jea­lous of the reputation of his own Reason; and that must not be debased so much, as to be prostituted to an irrationall devotion; it were well, if he were no lesse tender and jealous of the honour of the Divine wisdome. For such is God's gracious Condescension, in his intercourse with poore Sinners, that he makes Prayers to them too, that they would be converted, and be reconciled, and be at peace with him. Are these His Prayers Ra­tionall or serious, think you? If your pray­ers to him, cannot Rationally consist, with­out his irresistible determination of your will; how can his to you, consist with it? Is it not agreeable to your Reason, to pray for God's preventing and following Grace, For Grace to excite and inable, and assist you, unlesse he doth invincibly apply your will to the singularity, and every circumstance of e­very good act you do; And is it agreeable to his wisdome, to pray and beseech you, to do that, as your duty, which he must insuperably work in you himselfe, or else it shall not be done at all?

So that, in short, your objection from Ra­tionall Prayers, is unavoidably returned upon your self; For what, you think, you may ra­tionally expect from him, upon the account of your Prayers; the same he may as Ratio­nally expect from you, upon the account of his. And thus much for Rationall Prayers.

And by Parity of Reason, your objection from Rationall Thanksgivings will admit of a like Solution.

'Tis certain we can never give Almighty God sufficient thanks for the Riches of his a­bundant grace and favour towards us. But there are a sort of sturdy Beggers, that will crosse the proverb and be choosers too; and if they may not have what they list, they re­main churlish and unthankfull for all other in­stances of our bounty. But the law hath made a good provision, in appointing not an almes to cherish, but a whip to chastise such dispositions. A [God I thank thee] may be exprest with no little vehemency of Spirit, when men have little thanks for their labour; For 'tis ordinary, as well to ascribe unto God what his Justice will not own,Jer. 7.10. as to expect what his wisdome will not grant.Isa. 58.3. You should consi­der that as we are obliged to give thanks: so God hath thought fit to give commands, and [Page 173] doth vouchsafe commendations and praise to our well performed duties. Whatever the Ignorant vulgar do, a wise man will not cast away his commendations upon the actions and combatings of those little Puppets that play in fight, but reserves them for the ho­nour of that invisible hand behind the Cur­tain, by whose sole strength and activity they are put into their severall postures. If our Regeneration or conversion be wrought in us solely by Gods Omnipotent strength, without us (as the Synod hath designed) it were very absurd that we should have any praise for it: yet the Apostle saith, that, that circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit, (which can be nothing else but regeneration, or conversion) though it gains no praise from man, as not subject to his observation, yet it hath praise of God. Rom. 2. ult. God allows his servants to seek for glory and honour, as well as immortality, by a patient continuance in well doing. Rom. 2.7.Phil. 3.8. and he assures us, for our in­couragement, we shall not lose this part of our reward. For he will give praise, and an Euge 1 Cor. 4.5. Mat. 25 21. ser­ve bone & fidelis, well done thou good and faithfull servant!

God understands the extent of his own work and his creatures duty, better then you or I; and he is so jealous of his own glory, [Page 174] he will not prostitute any part of it to an un­worthy flattery of his Vassals. The Appro­bation and Applause he gives them, at the end of the day, when their work is done, is an earnest admonition unto us, who are still upon duty in the Vineyard, that he expects to be honoured by an ingenuous and free obedi­ence. To lay all the burden of our duty upon his operation, that the more thanks may ac­crew to him upon that account, is to grow lazy that Grace may abound; And he will never accept of such thanks, as are set up to commute for duties that are attended with more cost and difficulty, or are made a pre­tense for sloath, or an incouragement to te­pidity.

2. I would aske, from whence these Thanksgivings, you set so much by, come? Sure, if the rest of your good Motions carry this stamp of Divine and irresistible Deter­mination upon them, your Thankesgivings do so too, and then whether they be Rationall or no, you cannot but perform them, and in that case, whether it be Rationall to expect praise and glory for them, I have some Rea­son to be doubtfull. The summe of all is this; The Praise which God gives his servants for the performance of their duty, it is a Ratio­nall Praise, or it is not. I hope, you will not say the last, for shame; for admit there be a [Page 175] great Grace in it, yet you must allow that there is some truth too,Joh. 1.17 and then it must be Rationall; for God is a God of wisdome. If this praise be Rational, then it is for something done that might have been omitted, or done otherwise; else how can a man have praise in himselfe alone and not in another, Ecclus. 31.10. as the Apostle saith he hath, if his works be Judgement-proof and current? Ga­lat. 6.7.

In short, this puts the difference, betwixt that Good, that consists in duty, and that which consists in operations merely voluntary; and that whether they proceed from the Ex­cellency of Essentiall Perfection, as in God, or from the benefit of exalted Nature, as in Saints, and Angels. They, who are subject to a law in the quality of Probationers, in or­der to their triall for preferment, they can give no proof of themselves; Acts of Sub­jection they may do, but rewardable obedi­ence they cannot performe, unlesse they have liberty of Contradiction (as the Schools call it) a freedome to do, or not to do their du­ty. It is otherwise with Angels and holy Spirits at their journeys end, when they Rest from their duties,Rev. 14.13. and reign as kings in the possession of eternall blisse. The excellency of their good­nesse [Page 176] consists in a perfect voluntary Confor­mity to the chief Good, with a full satisfacti­on and acquiescence in the fruition of it, with out that imperfection of a liberty to do other­wise. Upon our arrival in heaven, and our immediate approximation unto God, when we shall be like him, and see him, as he is in Glory, we shall then Will Good as the blessed Saints and Angels do, most voluntarily, yet not of freedome but necessity: But to doe this, is the Prerogative of our Nature, in highest state of Exaltation, by way of reward upon the consummation of her duty, which is free obedience, and never properly performed (unlesse by speciall dispensation, if any such be granted) but when we have it in our own power and choice to do otherwise. But this contemplation hath transported me be­yond my bounds. All that is desired of Ma­ster Baxter is this, that he will allow, that praise, which the most wise God gives unto men for their good duties, may be as Ratio­nall, as Man's Thanksgiving for the benefit of the Divine Grace; and then his objection will amount to nothing. But as long as he continues so eager in a palpation and flattery of his own Reason, He must expect to meet with some Adversary, that will be no lesse zealous in a just vindication of Gods wis­dome. But let us attend to the case he puts [Page 177] for Tilenus to answer, which is ushered in with a [If,] and an interrogatory, after this manner.

3. [If his offence be at Gods preterition of men without a foresight of their demerit) as taught by the Synod. To interrupt your Pe­riod, I suppose this is a matter to take offence at, and to carry a just indignation against too. For Donteclock and Molinaeus say, it chargeth God with unjustice;Molin. A­natom. Ar­min. cap. 13 pag. 84. For it cannot consist with Gods Justice, Si homo innocens & nul­lam ob culpam destinaretur ad de­sertionem, ex qua aeterna perditio necessario con­sequeretur; If a man innocent, and for no fault should be destin'd to desertion, from whence of necessity his eternall perdition fol­loweth.

He addeth another Reason (Parag. 10.) If God hath destined his creature to perdition, it is necessary that he should have destinated it to sin too, without which that perdition cannot be just, and so God shall be the impulsive cause of sin. Nor can man be justly punished for that sin, unto which he is either precise­ly destined, or compelled by the will of God. And (Parag. 6.) He flies higher, and saith, By this kind of Reprobation the Innocent creature is not onely made most miserable, but also most wicked. For if God doth first [Page 178] hate man, the work of his own hands, it can­not be but that man must needs hate him a­gain; and so God, by this opinion, is made the Author of sin, and mans hatred of God. This Opinion therefore, even in the Judge­ment of Molinaeus, (to whom the Synod gives so great commendations, amongst their ActsPart. 1. p. 300..) does justly give offence to all Readers, that are tender of the honour of Divine Justice. But (saith M. Baxter) it is not their Doctrine (true or false) but his (Tilenus) forgery, yea it seems contrary to their Doctrine. You say right M. Baxter, it seems contrary to their Doctrine: and they and you, are much be­holding to your seemings: But Multa vi­dentur, quae non sunt; and so doth this. Was it rejected as a troublesome Doctrine to those Churches, wherein it was so fiercely maintained? Let the Reader remember (if Master Baxter will not) what the Contest was, betwixt Maccovius and Lubbertus, men­tioned above; Let him also reflect upon the Publick Profession of Gomarus in the open Sy­nod, let him read again his Definition of Re­probation, fore-cited. There were many Cre­abilitarians, as well as Gomarus, who made the creature in its condition of Possibility, to be the object of the Decree. And these Spi­rits were too Mercuriall to have been fixt, to [Page 179] a subscription, of those Canons or Decrees of the Synod; if any Syllable had been found in them, which they could not easily, by the benefit of some few distinctions, have re­conciled to their Supralapsarian Doctrine. These are none of Tilenus's forgeries, Master Baxter; by which, what ever their Doctrine seems to you, (for Perit judicium cum res transit in affectum) it will be evident to the impartiall Reader, that the Major Part, to which the rest subscribed, thought it a thing indifferent, Act. Synod. Dor. part. 2. pag. 34. f. Sir Judic. Gomari de Reprob. part. 3. p. 24. Th. 2, 6, 7. (and so the Deputies of the Synod of South Holland, expresse themselves, as was alleadgcd above) Whether Gods Preterition of men were in foresight of their demerit, or with­out it. If, (as you say of Gods regard to faith and obedience in reference to election; so) you affirm he had regard in his Preterition to mens demerit, 1. as the necessary fruit or effect of that Preterition or Reprobation; [...] as the condition upon which he decreed to damn them; I grant in this sense, 'tis their unanimous Doctrine, that in his Preterition, God had a regard to it, and a foresight of it. But indeed, saith M. Baxter, they (well) (how well, is referred to the Readers judgement) affirme that there was the same sin and demerit, (therefore no re­gard [Page 180] to faith and obedience in Tilenus's sense) in many, whom yet, God Decreed to convert and save. They say so; but there is so much equivocation and Artifice in their sayings, that we see the Supralapsarians concluded they might Subscribe to it, without Preju­dice to their own opinions. Master Baxter proceeds thus,

4. If his offence be, that they think, that [God doth not effectually convert and save all the rest of the world] if he be a Christian, he believes the same himself: or if he be not, one Part of it may be seen. If you had Pra­ctically learned, what that of our Saviour meaneth,Mat. 7.3. [...], you would have weeded this last clause out of your discourse, before you had charged Tilenus with Perverse Insinuations. But Tilenus will take no offence at this; nei­ther is he offended, that God doth not effe­ctually convert and save all the rest of the world; no nor yet, that he doth not give to all Grace that is immediately sufficient to faith in Christ and to salvation. But his offence is, that you teach, God hath rejected farre the greater part of mankinde, not-willing to save them, nor to give Christ to die for them, nor to conferre any saving benefit upon them, by the help whereof they might convert them­selves, no not when he doth seriously and with [Page 181] open armes invite, sollicite, and even with prayers and supplications exhort them to be converted and save themselves from perditi­on; but to have decreed, that infinite Myri­ads of men, faln, by divine punishment in­flicted for Adams sin; into an utter inabi­lity to rise again and convert themselves, should without any mercy be born under a designation to the eternall and most exquisite pains and torments of hell fire; and which is more, that when the Promises of the Gospel are held forth to allure them to an expectation of a better condi­tion,See Act. Sy­nod. Dord. part. 2. pag. 24. Th. 2, & 6. & p. 84. Thes. 21. p. 35. Thes. 2. & part. 3. pag. 76. p. p. that they should be decoyed into a state of infidelity, and a new contumacy, whereby they may be involved in a more heinous guilt, and so obnoxious to a far more in­tolerable condemnation, for the rejection of that Grace which was never intended to be of advantage to them; and all this to no other end in the world, but that by this meanes, the most Gratious and Mercifull God, might procure (as is pretended) the Glory of his Liberty and absolute Dominion, in saving and dam­ning his poore Creatures at his Pleasure.

But here Master Baxter, falls upon us again; for he saith, 5. If he be offended, that they teach, that God doth not give sufficient Grace [Page 182] to the rest; I answer, That which he calls suf­ficient Grace (but you cannot tell where) or those of his way) they confesse that God gives to other men as well as to the elect. Answ. 1. Those of his way? why may not he have a way by himself as well as you? But the truth is, he is no great friend to Singularity. He loves to keep the good old way, where a man may be sure to find him, and where he is sure to have good company, that love to keep the beaten road with him. But of your Party,Isa. 56.11. Of Right to Sacram. in the Prae­face. every one follows his own way, as the Prophet com­plains; insomuch as you take li­berty to tell them, it is not in my power to be of all mens minds, when they are of so many and inconsistent.

But 2. do the Divines of the Synod say, that God giveth sufficient Grace to other men as well as to the Elect? I pray point us to the place, I am sure, your so much admi­red Martinius saith otherwise, and yet he was the most likely to use the fullest expres­sions to this purpose; But when he had cut some faire Trenches, as if he would bring the water of life into the dwellings of the Reprobate, on a sudden he opens a Sluce that carries all from them again to refresh the Free-hold of the Elect.

Et quia his (Electis), saith he, Fides, ap­plicandi [Page 183] organum, donatur, Martin. de morte Chri­sti pro solis electis. Thes. 5. part 2. p. 107. re­liqua communia beneficia, quae ex fonte communis dilectionis oriri di­xi, incredulos praeterfluunt, apud eos non manentia, in solos electos influunt; ut quibus solis fiunt utilia.

All common benefits which do spring from the fountain of God's common Love, they do slide by, and make no stay in unbelievers: But they flow into the Elect, and become be­neficiall to them alone, to whom Faith is ef­fectually communicated, to that purpose. By this it is evident, that Martinius did not give sufficient Grace to others, as well, as to the Elect.

3. I wish M. Baxter had dealt ingenuously and freely with us. He might have told us positively, that the Synod confesse, God gi­veth sufficient Grace to the Non-elect: But he knew very well, this is inconsistent with their Doctrine, which I shall make evident by severall arguments; as

1. They who are left in the fall of Adam, and common state of sinne and damnation, they have not Grace sufficient to salvation. The Non-elect are left in the fall of Adam, and the common state of sin and damnation. Therefore they have not Grace sufficient, &c. The Major is evident of it self, The Minor is the expresse Doctrine of the Synod. In the [Page 184] 1. Chap. of Predest. Art. 15. & Reject. 8. & Ch. 2. Reject. 5.

2. Arg. That which comes to the Non-elect by accident, and not out of an intention in God to do them Good, is not sufficient to salvation.

That Common Grace comes to the Non-elect but by Accident, and not out of an in­tention in God to doe them good. There­fore—

The Major needs no proof. The Minor is the Doctrine of Triglandius, a Sy­nodist,In Declar. pag. 202. who saith, That the ex­ternall calling of the Gospell is properly directed to the Elect onely; and the Reprobate are not called but improperly and by accident. And Master Baxter hath let fall something to this purpose, in his Treatise of Right to Sacraments. pag. 418. m. and lit­tle lesse is implyed in the 15. Sect. of his Pre­face, in these words, Is it a Rationall conceit,— that God hath as full a purpose &c. To this sense the Deputies of Gelderland above.

3. Arg. That which comes short of what is necessary to salvation, is not sufficient to salvation.

The Grace conferred upon the Non-elect comes short of what is necessary to salvation. Therefore &c.

The Major is evident; because the least [Page 185] measure of sufficiency that can be, takes away necessity.

The Minor is the Doctrine of the Divines of Embden, (in terminis) As God for his good pleasure Decreed to leave some in that misery,Act. Synod. Dord. par. 2. p. 76. Hyp. 5. into which they were precipitated by their own fault; ita Media ad salutem necessaria iis non conferre, decrevit; So he de­creed not to conferre upon them meanes ne­cessary unto salvation. So the Deputies of the Synod of South Holland, amongst the Acts of the Synod at Dort. Part. 3. pag. 35. De Reprob. Reject. 1. and the whole Synod in the 8. Reject. upon the First head of Do­ctrine, where they threw it off as an Errour, that God did not decree to leave any in the fall of Adam, and passe any over in the communication of Grace necessary to Faith and Conversion.

4. Arg. Common Grace onely is not suf­ficient to salvation. The Grace conferred up­on the Non-elect is common Grace onely. Therefore.

For the proof of the Major, I will referre the Reader to M. Baxters additionall Sheet, (at the end of his Papers, Of sa­ving FaithPag. 94.) especially Prop. 13. where he may see the nature and effects of common Grace, and how far it can [Page 184] [...] [Page 185] [...] [Page 186] carry a man. The Minor I presume M. Bax­ter will not deny.

5. Arg. That Grace which doth Specifi­cally differ from saving Grace, and can by no improvement of the Non-elect, become sa­ving Grace, is not sufficient to salvation. The Grace conferred upon the Non-elect, doth specifically differ from saving Grace, and can by no improvement of theirs become saving Grace. Therefore.

The Major, I think will not be denied.Ʋbi supra. The Minor as to the first branch of it is Master Baxter's Doctrine;Synod. Dord. 3. part. pag. 213. and as to the second branch of it, 'tis the judgement of the Divines of Drent, who af­firme, that Finis horum generalium donorum non est, ut eorum recto usu majora & plura mereamur aut assequamur, & tandem Reprobi fiant Electi: Sed ut Societas humana & poli­tia conserventur, Electisque variis modis in­serviatur, utque ad vocationem internam prae­parentur. That is, Those generall gifts are not bestowed upon us, to the end that by the right use of them we might obtain more and greater gifts, and so at last the Reprobate become Elect: But that humane Society, and Policie might be preserved, and that they might be inservient to the Elect, and pre­pare them for their inward call. As much as [Page 187] this, upon the matter, is implyed by the Sy­nod amongst their Decrees. Chap. 3, & 4. Reject. 5.

6. Arg. That Grace which doth not slow from the fountain of saving good, is not sufficient to salvation. The Grace confer­red upon the Non-elect doth not flow from the fountain of saving good. Therefore,

The Major is clear enough. The Minor is proved out of the Decrees of the Synod. Chap. 1. Art. 9. Where they say, Election is the fountain of all saving good; from whence faith, holinesse, and the residue of saving gifts, lastly, everlasting life it selfe, do flow, as the fruits, and effects thereof.

7. Arg. That Grace which is not condu­cible to the salvation of the Non-elect, is not sufficient for their salvation. The Grace con­ferred upon the Non-elect is not conducible to their salvation. Therefore.

The Major is evident. The Minor is pro­ved thus, That Grace, which in the very in­tention of God worketh to the hurt of the Non-elect, that Grace is not conducible to their salvation. The Grace conferred upon the Non-elect, in the very intention of God, worketh to the hurt of the Non-elect. There­fore.

In Hoseam 13.9.The Major needs no proof. The Minor is proved out of Polanus; [Page 188] Those, saith he, whom God hath Predestina­ted to eternall destruction, those he also cre­ateth to eternall destruction, to them all things which are for the salvation of the elect, are unto their eternall destruction. Which shall further appear by this

8. Arg. That which is intended and de­signed, as a mean to carry on the Decree of Reprobation, to its final execution in the Non-elect, that is not conducible to the salvation of the Non-elect. The Grace confer'd upon the Non-elect is intended and design'd to carry on the Decree of Reprobation to its finall execu­tion in the Non-elect. Therefore.

The Major is not to be denyed. The Minor is proved out of M. Perkins, who speaking of the execution of the Decree of Reprobation, (in the Adult, Armilla Au­rea. Cap. 53. who are called) makes three Degrees in it; and in the first, he placeth their Illumi­nation, Repentance, temporary faith, the tast of the heavenly gifts, and the sanctity of their outward life. These are severall steps in carrying on the execution of the Decree of Reprobation, and to this end is that common Grace conferred upon them, as the more inge­nuous and clear, of that side, do acknowledge.

For they tell by sufficient Grace (when the equivocation of the Phrase is laid aside) they meane sufficient (not unto salvation, [Page 189] that is far from their thoughts, but) to these Foure ends.

To Convince them of their contempt, or at least, neglect of that great benefit (which elsewhere they say,Synod. Dord. par. 279. was never in­tended for them) thus the British Divines. De Art. 2.

2. To render them inexcusabi [...]. So Goma­rus, in his Theses de Praedest. (disp. 1604.) Thes. 31. and the Belgick Professors in their Synopsis Pur. Theol. Disp. 24. Thes. 55. and the Orthodox Churches of Wedderau, in their Judgement given in at the Synod, and Ma­ster Perkins speaks very home to the point.Ib. par. 3. p. 152. (de Praedest. pag. 85.) All that are within the Pale of the Church are bound to believe the Gospel; that he is redeemed by Christ every one, as well Reprobate as Elect, but for different rea­sons. The Elect is bound to believe that by believing, he may be pertaker (of the fruits) of Election: The Reprobate, that by not be­lieving, he may be made inexcusable, etiam ex intentione Dei.

3. To improve their induration, and blindnesse. So Calvin. Instit. l. 3. c. 24. n. 12. Those whom he hath created to disho­nour and destruction, that they might be­come instruments of his wrath and examples of his severity; that he may bring them to [Page 190] their end, one while he deprives them of po­wer to heare the word, another while he doth more blind and harden them by the preaching of it. (& n. 13.) Behold, He directs his Word to them, but it is to make them the more deaf: He sets up his light amongst them, but to make them more blind: He af­fords them his Doctrine; but to the end they may be more hardened by it: he ap­plies the remedy, but that they may not be healed.

4. To augment their condemnation and torments. So Beza. Most misera­ble wretches,In brevi ex­plic. tot. Chris. Aph. 6, 7. altius conscendunt, ut gravius ruant. They are ad­vanced higher by these gifts of Grace, that their fall may be the greater.Resp. ad Scrip. cujusd. Anon. And Donteclock saith, Christ is preached to the Repro­bate: but to what other purpose, then that,Resp. pro Daventr. ad Apol. Ma­thisti. p. 36. by this means their condemnation may be the greater: and Jacob. Rivius saith, the Re­probate may frequent the Church, heare Gods word, receive the Sacraments, &c. but yet they cannot be illuminated by these things; but all this means tends to ag­gravate their condemnation, because God will declare his glory by their destruction.

These are the onely ends for which Master [Page 191] Baxters Common Grace is acknowledged by those Divines to be sufficient. But if the Reader be so weak, as to be imposed upon, and think Master Baxter meant (Sufficient) to salvation, the Synod do utterly disclaime it. So the Divines of Geneva De Reprob. Thes. 1. (2. part. pag. 51.) and those of Embden, pag. 73. Quaest. 12. & pag. 175. f. they say, Distinctio illa Gratiae in sufficientem & effica­cem, si non de externis mediis, sed de vero & interno Spiritus tractu loquamur, minimè no­bis probatur. They will not allow of the di­stinction of Grace, into sufficient and effica­cious, if by sufficient you understand any thing besides outward meanes. So Gomarus, (part. 3. p. 24. th. 2.) The Divines of South Hol­land, (pag. 35. a. m.) and they of Gelder­land, cast a reproach upon the Doctrine of sufficient Grace in these words; Quod de sufficienti gratiâ & suasione Spiritus S. dicitur, qua potest velle, credere, converti, cui adhibe­tur, nugae sunt. Mere trifles, say they.Part. 3. pag. 162. f. The Deputies of Over-Isel do earnestly deny it too, pag. 195. p. and P. Molin. Part. 1. pag. 290. f. In a word, what ever Master Baxter saith, the whole Synod denyes sufficient Grace. Ch. 1. Art. 15. and Reject. 8. and Ch. 3, & 4. Reject. 5. and elsewhere; Nay, (to use his own words) though Master Baxter puts such a [Page 192] face upon it, he denyes sufficient Grace plain­ly himself, in his very next words; for he saith,

To give them (the Non-elect) the natu­ral power of free will, and a Christ to be be­lieved in, and an offer of Christ and life, and an earnest persuasion of them to accept him, and to leave the matter to their own choice, yea and to adde common exciting moving help of the Spirit, which yet is uneffectuall, this is it that the Jesuits call sufficient Grace. Who quarrels with them for the name? The Do­minicans yield it them; and though the Jan­senians deny it them, the Protestants have no mind to quarrell about a word, the thing is yielded them by all: Nay Master Baxter, abate me an ace, quoth Bolton. All the Di­vines of the Synod did not grant it. But I wonder, you should so confidently under­take for all Protestants, as if you were their Great Dictator, or Proloquutor, and had all their Senses in your head, and their votes at your girdle; when alas! we see by too ma­ny of your complaints and volumes, that there is not so good an accord amongst you; where upon you say, in your Preface (To your Disp. of Right to the Sacrament) If I agree with some Reverend Brethren, it must displease the rest by disagreeing from them. And in the point we are about, you disagree [Page 193] from a many of them; who deny sufficient Grace, unlesse taken in those foure senses a­bove mentioned, as well as the Jaensenians, whose ingenuity I must commend, that deny­ing the Thing, they abhorre the practises of others, who study to deceive by equivocating with the Name. But I see Master Baxter will be Catholic indeed; He is grown as chari­table as the very Jesuits, and allows the Non-elect as much sufficient Grace as they do; The naturall power of Free-will, an offer of Christ, and a persuasion to accept him, yea and exci­ting help of the Spirit too, but uneffectuall. [...]!

But let us examine how much it weigheth, that the Non-elect may see how much they are beholding to him for his curtesie. A thing may be said to be effectuall or uneffectuall in a twofold sense; as for example, a medicine may be effectuall of its own nature, against such a disease, and yet, prove uneffectuall through his fault to whom it is administred; and that either because he will not indure the Application of it; or because he will do something or take something, that prevents or disturbs and interrupts the operation of it. But when Master Baxter tells us of his sufficient uneffectuall Grace, he doth not take uneffectuall in this sense. 'Tis uneffectuall in its kinde, and of its own nature (as to the [Page 194] production of faith and conversion, (accord­ing to their Doctrine) and not onely through the fault of him to whom it is administred.

So that we may set forth the sufficiency of Master Baxters Administrations, for cure of the sin-sick soule, by a comparison of the like made to the body. To a man desperately sick, suppose Master Baxter should thus ad­dresse himself in the company of an eminent Physitian; Sir, you are in a very sad condi­tion, and nothing is to be expected but sud­den death, unlesse you will submit to our di­rections and Prescriptions to prevent it. I see, God be thanked, you have all your na­turall faculties, your mouth and your sto­mack, and here I offer you an excellent Phy­sitian, and I intreat you heartily to be advi­sed by him; he will give you Physick shall be wholesome and work very gently, it may stirre the humour a little, but there is no danger of working too much, for indeed 'tis uneffectuall.

Let the Reader judge whether M. Baxter should not deserve a fee of such a sick per­son, for affording him such a sufficient means of Cure. Would not this Doctrine make an excellent exposition upon that of Jer. 51.9. Curavimus Babylonem, We would have hea­led Babylon [we applyed very wholesome medicines, yet uneffectuall] but she is not hea­led: [Page 195] forsake her? And would not this do­ctrine make a very Patheticall Glosse upon that Commination (of Ezek. 24.13.) In thy filthinesse is leudnesse; because I have purged thee (administring very sufficient remedies, yet uneffectuall) and thou wast not purged, therefore shalt thou not be purged any more from thy filthinesse, till I have caused my fu­ry to rest upon thee? Yet this is Master Ba­xters Doctrine, and his concession of suffi­cient Grace to the Non-elect; and if they will not take his word for the making of it good, he will put in Sureties, the Jesuits and the Dominicans, for the performance of it. But that we may not doubt he is in earnest, he renews his Grant in these words; This Generall and Common Grace which such call sufficient, leaving the matter to the sinners choice, we yield that God giveth to the worst that perish. Which such call sufficient? Who are those [such]? Such as your self, the Dominicans and Jesuits. But the Remon­strants are Non-such. If you go to the Jesu­its Schools to learn the doctrine of the Re­monstrants, no marvell you are deceived. But that the Reader may not follow you in your error, I must tell him the Remonstrants have not so learned Christ, having been taught as the truth is in Jesus.

But I must not take leave of this passage, [Page 196] till I have taken notice of a [perverse insinua­tion] in it, in these words, [Leaving the mat­ter to the sinners choice]. What, as if a man should bring food, or Physick, or Cordials, to the door of a sick Bed-rid person (under a pretence to releeve him) and leave it there (for him to take in, who is not able to stirre out of his bed) and depart, taking no further care for the importation of it? This is none of the Remonstrants Doctrine. God doth not leave the matter to mans choice in this sense. He continues his sollicitations, till he hath been very frequently and very shame­fully repulsed (for his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man, Gen. 6.) He stands at the doore (which is within our sick-mans reach,Rev. 3.20. and is by God's knocking made in his power to open; there God stands) and knocks still, for admission and intertainment; but it being mans duty, and therefore a matter of choice, not of ne­cessity, (wherein, as the common saying is, He can neither will nor choose) it must be his own free Act to open the doore, else Christ will not enter in and sup with him. And this is notably evinced, 1. from Gods command, Deut. 30.19. Therefore chuse life. 2. from Christs commendation, Luk. 10.42. Mary hath chosen the good part. 3. from that com­mination, Prov. 1.29. For that they did not [Page 197] chuse the feare of the Lord. And this is good wholesome Doctrine with Master Baxter, when he gets into the Pulpit; For there he tels his Congregation, in good sober sadnesse, that the reason that most men perish, for all the mercy that is in God, and for all that Christ hath done and suffered,Treatise of Convers. pag. 2. and for all the Grace that is offe­red them in the Gospel, is, What? Even because they will not receive this Grace, nor entertain Christ and the mercy of God, as it is offered to them. And what doth this signifie, but this, because they would not chuse it? And upon this account they are condemned, and very justly. Yet when he is come from his pulpit, and under­takes to dispute with Tilenus, 'tis not suffici­ent that Gods Mercy and Christs Merits, and the Divine Grace be at his choice, to receive it; this may serve the Non-Elect: But be not angry, saith he, if we thank God for more, even for giving us both to Will and Do. If you may be allowed to be your own Car­vers, no doubt, you will be very liberall in the choice of your own portions; and if God ratifies it, 'tis well for you. But we find that Gods design, in his way of dispen­sing Grace, is to promote and advance duty: but your way doth evacuate and cancell it. For if he workes the very Act (which we [Page 198] call duty) by an irresistible operation, in no­bis sine nobis, as the Synod saith of Con­version, in us but without us, then duty is no more duty, but necessity: and Grace is no more Grace, but force.

That God worketh to Will and to Do, o­thers acknowledge with no lesse thankfullness then your selves, if you mean a power and ability in us to Will and to Do (as you im­plyed your meaning to be, a little before, when you said, He gives both to believe and to suffer) that is, a power to do it; yet so as the will is left, more free rather then deter­mined under an irresistible necessitation, and consequently man may abuse his liberty,Heb. 12.15. 2 Cor. 6.1. and be wanting to the Grace of God, and make default in his cooperation, and so his will may remain undetermined, and the work to which he was inabled, be left undone.

But if you think, when God works to will and to do, 'tis not in Mans power to bury his talent, and contradict Gods motion, I must reject that Comment as a corruption of the Text, and a subversion of the Apostles ar­gument to inforce his exhortation; With all humility, sollicitude, fear and di­ligence, Eph. 6.13. lest God be offended, and you miscarry, [...], Perficite, conficite, interficite, superate (for the word hath [Page 199] all these significations) all difficulties and opposition being subdued, work out, and make your salvation dead sure; for it is God that grants and works ability, not of necessity and indesinently, but of his mere grace and good pleasure, which he may be provoked to sus­pend and withdraw. This sense gives a huge inforcement to the exhortation. But accor­ding to your interpretation, the Apostle should argue thus, My beloved, it is God that worketh in you to Will and to Do, de­termining your wills to the very Act of du­ty, insuperably and irresistibly, so that it is not in your choice to do otherwise; and this he doth because it is his Good pleasure: therefore work out your salvation with feare and trembling. Would such exhortations tend to the quickning of your Audience, or rather make them carelesse? Or can it con­sist with the Holy Spirit of Discipline and wisdome to use such a vehement exhortati­on, and then back it with such a Reason, as (if granted) would render that exhortation insignificant and to no purpose? for what diligence is to be used out of a feare of mis­carriage, if the effect be irresistibly determi­ned? In the Appendix to your A­phorisme, you say,Pag. 52. Believing is properly a condition required of the Party if he will enjoy the thing promised. And [Page 200] in your Treatise of Conversion, pag. 296. you say, Salvation is not given barely from the will of God, but from the faith and obedi­ence of men, for it is an act of rewarding Ju­stice, as well as of Paternall love and mercy: What is that rewarding Justice terminated upon? Man's free duty, or God's omnipotent irresistible work in him? Resolve this, and Tilenus will not be angry, that you give God thanks for working in us to Will and to Do.

Reflexions upon M. Baxters IX. Section, and the II. Article.

WHerein Master Baxter sets up (to be baited and worried, as his Phantasie pleases) the Second Article, in these words, [Saith this new Tilenus, They hold, that Christ Jesus hath not suffered death for any other but for those Elect onely: having never had any intent nor commandement of his Father to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world.] Here M. Baxter flies out into pas­sion and foule language, and the first Case of his indignation he gives us in these modest expressions [A most shamelesse falshood, made, as they say, of his fingers ends.] By the way, I cannot sufficiently wonder, why a man, that [Page 201] hath wrote so many Directions for Peace of Conscience; should throw such Birds of prey off his own fist, to devour a strangers. Reputation: but the best on't is, they are so well acquainted with the place of their breed­ing, he may safely venture to fly them with­out his varvells, they will find the way home of themselves; and therefore I shall not need to trouble my self to take them up for him. But whether Master Baxters fingers ends be not more dexterous at such work then are Tilenus's, let the Reader judge by what fol­lows. There is not a word of the Decrees of the Synod that hath any such importance; saith Master Baxter. But you have taught us to distinguish betwixt Name and Thing; suppose the word should not be there, I hope it will satisfie the Indifferent Reader, and save Tilenus his Reputation, if the sense be there; and if (at least) this be not there, I shall despair of ever understanding the Riddles of this Sphinx, without the help of such an Oedipus, as Master Baxter. The Synod (in their 2. Chapter, Art. 8.) de­crees and declares their Doctrine in these words, For this was the most free counsil, gra­cious will, and intention of God the Father, that the lively and saving efficacy of the most pre­cious death of his Sonne should manifest it selfe in ALL the ELECT, for the [Page 202] bestowing upon them ONELY, Justifying faith, and bringing THEM infallibly by it unto eter­nall life; that is, God willed, that Christ by the blood of his Crosse (whereby he was to esta­blish a new Covenant) should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and lan­guage, All THEM and ONELY THEM, who from eternity were elected to salvation, and given to him of the Father, that he should bestow saith on THEM (which as also the o­ther saving Gifts of the holy Spirit, he pur­chased for THEM by his death) that by his bloud he should cleanse THEM from all sins both Originall and Actuall, as well commit­ted after, as before they believed, and final­ly should present THEM before him in glory without all spot, or blemish. Here we see the saving efficacy of Christs Death for their Redemption, restrained to the Elect ONEly, and that according to the counsil, will and intention of the Father; and this Master Baxter had under his view, when he exprest so much wrath against Tilenus; and there­fore he confutes himself with this Confes­sion, They do indeed assert, Art, 2. Sect. 8. That it was onely the Elect that God the Fa­ther intended by the death of Christ effectually to bring to faith, justification and salvation: which is the same Doctrine with that of Ele­ction before mentioned. Who ought Master [Page 203] Baxter this shame, to betray him to this in­cogitancy? The same Doctrine with that of E­lection before mentioned? Why, was not that Election of some, certain, culled out Persons; as the Synod declares? So we see what Ma­ster Baxters Universall Redemption comes to: His Redeemed All, are no more then his E­lected All: 'tis an All in respect of kindes, not of Persons. But Christ is theirs to be sute, according to the most Free Counsil, gracious will, and intention of God the Father. So saith the Synod, and this Master Baxter will subscribe to, when he is Disputing against Tilenus, though when he gets into the Pul­pit he declares, this to be a Doctrine of an ill influence; for he saith, Christ and salva­tion are made light of, because of this disjun­ctive Presumption, either that he is sure enough theirs already, Making light of Christ. pag. 21. and God that is so mercifull, and Christ that hath suffered so much, for them, is surely resolved to save them, or else it may easily be obtained at any time, if it be not yet so. Is it not the expresse Doctrine of the Synod and Master Baxter, that Christ is sure enough the Elects, and that God and Christ are resolved to save them, and that this will most infallibly be obtained at God's time, if it be not so yet? This disjunctive presumption which he preacheth down in his [Page 204] Church, he disputes up in his Closet. And though, when he is conversing with his pa­pers (inter Adversaria) and drawing Dia­grams concerning the Divine Decrees, his good wits jump with the Synod, and tells us, The Father intended by the death of Christ effectually to bring to Faith, justification and salvation, none but the Elect, yet when he hath his Crown, which is his crowd of Au­ditors about him, he forgets himself, and if not his love to truth, his zeale to souls trans­ports him into other language, much more patheticall then this Doctrine will allow of; For thus he addresseth his exhor­tation to them;Ibid. pag. 29.30. Beloved hearers; the office that God hath call'd us to, is by declaring the glory of his Grace, to help under Christ, to the saving of mens souls. I hope you think not that I come hither to day of any other Errand. The Lord knowes I had not set a foot out of doores, but in hope to suc­ceed in this work for your soules. I have con­sidered and often considered, what is the mat­ter that so many thousand should perish. [Now the man is in a rapture and hath quite for­gotten his Decree of Reprobation] when God hath done so much for their salvation; and I find this that is mentioned in my Text; [Mat. 22.5. But they made light of it.] is the cause. It is one of the wonders of the [Page 205] world, that when God hath so loved the world, as to send his Son; and Christ hath made a satisfaction by his death sufficient for them all, and offereth the benefits thereof so freely to them, even without money or price, that yet the most of the world should perish; yea the most of those that are thus called by his word! [Is it one of the wonders of the world, that Gods eternall and immutable Decrees con­cerning them, should be executed?] Why, here is the reason, (saith Master Baxter,) when Christ hath done all this, men make light of it; God hath shewed that he is not unwilling; (but your Synod hath shewed otherwise;) and Christ hath shewed that he is not unwilling, that men should be restored to Gods favour and be saved; but men are actually unwilling them­selves. God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, but rather that they return and live, Ezek. 33.11. (How came he then to reject them upon Adam's sin, and deny them Grace sufficient unto salvation, as you teach?) But men take such pleasure in sinne, that they will die before they will returne. The Lord Jesus was content to be their Physitian, and hath pro­vided them a sufficient plaister of his own blood: (but such as his Father intended should not be effectuall, by your doctrine:) but if men make light of it, and will not apply it (which your Party confess they are not inabled to do) [Page 204] [...] [Page 205] [...] [Page 206] what wonder if they perish after all? This Scripture giveth us the reason of their perditi­on. It is a most lamentable thing, to see how most men do spend their care, their time, their pains for known vanities; while God and Glory are cast aside: (and a little after) Oh how should we marvell at their madnesse, and la­ment their self-delusion! (who preach such contradictions) Oh poore distracted world [...] what is it that you run after? and what is it that you neglect? If God had never told them what they were sent into the world to do, or whi­ther they were going, or what was before them in another world, (or what Decrees had past to shut them up under sin, and deny them the Grace of Faith and Repentance, according to your Disputations) then they had been ex­cufable; but he hath told them over and over till they were weary of it. This is Master Ba­xters preaching vein; by which his vulgar flock would be ready to flatter themselves, that they had their Teachers warrant to be confident, that God doth earnestly intend the salvation of them all. But when this pang of soul-saving zeal is over, that he gets into his Polemicall strain, then he disputes them out of all their hopes again; for thus he proceeds; If this Tilenus think that God intended the ju­stification and Salvation of all by Christ, it's absolutely, or conditionally. Here I wish Ma­ster [Page 207] Baxter had positively spake out, what it is that God intends them, whom he calls the Reprobate or Non-elect; if not their Ju­stification, and salvation; then, I know no­thing else it can be, but their greater condem­nation, and then sure he is unwilling they should be restored to his favour; which is opposite, point blank against Master Baxters popular exhortations. But if God intended their justification and salvation absolutely, they shall be saved, saith Master Baxter, which no Christian that I know believeth; Tilenus, as little Christian as you make him, is of This Faith too; and therefore he saith, God in­tended this but Conditionally. But then Ma­ster Baxter tells us, The rigidest Anti-Ar­minians, even Doctor Twisse doth over and o­ver grant it you (and I thank him for no­thing) of Justification, and salvation, that Christ died to procure this Common Grace, that men shall be justified and saved, if they will be­lieve. The Reader perhaps may be amused at this Doctrine, That Christ should die to procure Salvation, upon Condition of be­lief, for such as are absolutely reprobated. But here lyes the pretty knack; In Logick, there is a certain truth of the Connexion of the Antecedent and Consequent, when yet both the Antecedent and Consequent taken apart are false. For though it be true, saith [Page 208] Master Norton, If Judas believe he shall be saved; Ʋbi supra p. 79. yet is it not true, either that Judas shall believe, or that Judas shall be saved. Now by the help of this Logick, Master Baxter, and his Par­ty, may be able to preach a very Common Grace indeed, though they utterly deny Saint Jude's Common Salvation.Epist. ver. 3. For the Scripture telling us indefinitely that Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost,Mark 16.15, 16. and Christ giving his Apostles Com­mission to preach the Gospel to every Creature; sticking to the letter of the Text, a man might inferre, that Christ died to procure this Common Grace, for the horse and mule that have no understanding, yea e­ven for the Devills; that they shall be justi­fied and saved, if they will believe. For there is a truth of the Connexion of the Antece­dent, and Consequent, [Whosoever believeth shall be saved], though taking them apart there is no truth in them: It is not true, ei­ther that horse, mule or Devill shall believe, or that they shall be saved. But as Master Baxter saith a little after, Christ did not die to purchase empty Names, as a benefit; So I may say, he did not die to purchase empty Connexions of Antecedents and Consequents. This would be an excellent Motive to con­version, [Page 209] if made use of amongst the unrege­nerate, or a sweet Cordiall for the Desolate spirit, to tell them there is a certain truth of the Connexion of the Antecedent and the Consequent, if they believe they shall be saved, though taking them apart there is no truth at all in them; For really they shall neither be­lieve, nor be saved. Is not this strong con­solation and passing encouragement to tell them, they have just as much possibility of grace and salvation as the beast that perish, or the veriest Devill? I know Isel­burgh, In Artic. 2. Th. 1. p. 110. par. 2. one of your Bremish Di­vines, doth say, that no mortall mans sins are so great, but the sa­crifice of Christ is sufficient for the expiation of them; nullus etiam ex genere humano ab eo ita aut pariter alienus sit, atque Satanas & Angeli mali: That no man is estranged to such a distance from Christ, as the Devil and his Angels are; and he cites for it, Heb. 2.16. He in no wise took upon him the nature of An­gels: but the seed of Abraham. But Zanchy saith, he was born, prayed, died, rose again, ascended into heaven, and there maketh interces­sion for the elect onely; and then as good he had not been born at all in respect of the Non-elect, nay, it had been good for them, if he had never been born; as we shall shew a­non. In the mean while the Reader is to be [Page 210] informed that the Divines of the Synod, at least, a many of them are of Zanchy's Judg­ment; and so we have not onely the sense that Tilenus charges upon the Synod, but the very words too. For the Divines of Ʋtrecht De Artic. 2. Thes. 4. par. 3. p. 117. say positively, Chri­stus pro omnibus & singulis homini­bus non est mortuus; &c. Christ did not die, nor procure reconciliation with God and remission of sins, nor satisfie Gods justice for the sins of Every one. Of the same judgement are the Divines of Over-Isel. Ibid. pag. 134.135. The Hassien Par. 2. p. 92. Divines deliver the same Doctrine too. And those of Wedderau Pag. 100., are of the same opinion; Christ perfor­med all the parts of his Priestly office, fulfill'd the law, paid the ransome, makes intercession; And of these three, all and onely the Elect are the adequate object. Qua tria pro objecto adaequato habent omnes & solos electos. And the whole Sy­nod in their Decrees RejectsC. 2. de Morte Chr. Reject. 5. it as an errour in those, who teach that all men are received into the state of reconciliation, and grace of the Covenant. If Christ died for the Non-elect and purchased neither Reconciliation, nor re­mission of sins, nor sanctification, nor eternall life for them, as the Synodists do generally [Page 211] conclude; to what end then did he die for them? to procure, saith Master Baxter, This Common Grace, which amounts to no more then the truth of the connexion of an Ante­cedent and the Consequent, [If they believe, they shall be saved] though there be a Decree past against them from all eternity, that they shall neither Believe, nor be saved. Is not this a worthy atchievement for the eternall Son of God to shed his bloud, and lay down his life for, and a rare subtilty worthy the profound judgement of Doctor Twisse, and a whole Synod of Anti-Remonstrants?

But the office of Christs Mediatorship must be a little more evacuated, and stoop some­what lower yet, to serve the interest of this Doctrine, as we shall now demonstrate. For, why was the Title of a Saviour imposed up­on the Son of God? The Angel told Joseph, the reason was, because he should save his peo­ple from their sins. Mat. 1.21. What, from the guilt of them onely? no sure, from the power of them also, the dominion and pol­lution. For he came to destroy the works of the Devill, 1 Joh- 3-5, 8. To turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob, See 2 Cor. 5.19, 20, 21. Rom. 11.26. To Redeem us from our vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1 18. To redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie us unto himself, a peculiar people zealous of good [Page 212] works, Tit. 2.13.14. His Commission to this effect did not expire at his death, it was con­tinued and ratified after his Resurrection; For God having raised him from the dead, sent him (which implyes his Commission) to blesse you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Act. 3. last. And this was accor­ding to the Covenant, sealed with his bloud, which conteined on Gods part a gracious Grant of power, That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives, Luk. 1.74, 75. To this agrees the Grand Commissi­on for the establishment of the Ministery; whose great imployment is, to preach repen­tance, (and that is conversion, saith Master Baxter) and remission of sins in Christs name among all nations. Luk. 24.47. To open their eyes, and turn them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgivenesse of their sinnes, and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified. Act. 26.18. (From which, I remember Master Baxter, in some of his Papers, proves Sanctification to goe before Justification, as Justification goes before Glory; and to this purpose, he tells his Reader flatly, that without a grain of his own salt, he cannot relish that saying of Saint Austin, Bona o­pera [Page 213] non praecedunt justificandum, sed sequun­tur justificatum. Good works doe not goe before justification, but follow after it.) The Hassien Divines likewise do most expresly declare,Act. Synod. Dor. 2. par. p. 92. pr. that holi­nesse and righteousnesse And they do alleadge for it, Hebr. 9.10. Hebr. 13, 12. Eph. 5.25.26, 27. were as true parts of Christs purchase, by the sacrifice of himself, and inter­cession of his bloud, as were ei­ther Pardon, reconciliation, or eter­nall life.

Now if our delivery from sinne, by san­ctification, be the very first Part of that Re­demption which Christ hath wrought for the world; is it not a very grosse and palpable absurdity, to overlook or overleap these first fruits of our Redemption (as I may call them) and to affirm, That Christ hath purchased the latter for some men, for whom he hath in no wise procured the former, i. e. Remis­sion of sins and eternall salvation, for those to whom he hath not so much as procured reconciliation or sanctifying Grace? Yet this is generally the Doctrine of those Calvinists who seem most to advance the Merit and ef­ficacy of Christs death by their proclaiming an Universall Redemption.

Christ, say the Hassien Divines, appears be­fore [Page 214] his Father, as the onely Medi­ator, Ibid. p. 100. that by the Presentation of his merits and accomplisht satisfaction, he may procure remission of sinnes, and restitu­tion of righteousnesse for us. Then he under­takes with his Father for our obedience and gratitude; the seal and earnest of which spon­sion or undertaking, (which is) his holy Spi­rit, he conferres upon us, by whom he stirs up in us a care and study both to avoid sin, and to performe righteousnesse. Lastly, he makes in­tercession for us. Quae tria intercessionis Chri­sti momenta nullo modo ad hoedos, sed tan­tum ad oves Christi pertinent. These parts of Christs Mediation do belong to none but the Elect. But perhaps these are none of those Ʋniversalists of the Synod, that Master Bax­ter will be tried by. Well then, to do him a kindnesse, he shall have his own choice. First he named Paraem; and having exami­ned him, he acknowledgeth the sufficiency of the merit: but the efficacy, as to the procurement of power, Ibid. par. 1. p. 213. &c. for the Non-elect to performe that Con­dition, of Faith and Repentance, (upon which pardon of sin, and eternall life are suspended) he flatly denies it.Ibid. par. 2. pag. 79. Th. 3. in explic. Here is but cold comfort from that stranger; let us therefore come to those, who sate warm in [Page 215] the Synod; what say the British Divines? It seemeth good to Almighty God (they say) e­ven after his acceptation of Christs Sacrifice, not to conferre remission of sins and eternall life, actually upon any, but by and through Faith in the Redeemer. And here that eternall and secret decree of Election discovers it self; when that Ransome which was paid for all, and shall most certainly be beneficiall unto all the faith­full, to life eternall; yet notwithstanding it doth not profit all, because it is not given to all, to perform the condition of that gracious Covenant. Christ therefore so died for all, that by means of faith, all and every one, by vertue of this ransome, may obtain remission of sins and life eternall. He so died for the Elect, that by the merits of his death, especially destined for them, according to Gods eternall Benepla­citure, they might infallibly obtain both Faith, and eternall life. Here is very slender confir­mation of Master Baxters Universall Redem­ption hitherto; and now he hath but one re­serve to trust to, the Bremish Divines; and alas! they say so little to make his assertion good, that I wonder as much, why he should offer to intitle them to it, as why he should so foully asperse Tilenus for declaring the Di­vines of the Synod &c. to be of another judgement.Ibid. p. 110. Thes. 2. For Isel-Burg affirms roundly, that the [Page 216] Decree of Reprobation hath shut out all the Non-elect from all the saving benefits of Christs death. And Lud. Crocius, tells us of no other universall Redempti­on,Ibid. p. 117. Thes. 3. but Reconciliation, upon Con­dition, if they will repent and be­lieve: Ibid. p. 106. Th. 21. with Pag. 107. Thes. 2, 3, 4, 5. but not a word of procu­ring Grace to inable all men to perform this Condition. And Martinius, whom it seems M. Ba­xter reposed most of his confi­dence in, though he tels us of a like Conditio­nall Remission and Salvation, if they will be regenerated, repent, and believe, yet, really and effectually Christ hath promerited, pur­chased, obtained, and communicateth Faith, Regeneration, or effectuall Calling, Justifica­tion and Glorification, to none, but the Elect, according to Gods speciall Decree. This is his judgement. And now are not these Di­vines wonderfull Magnifiers of the merit of Christ, in affirming that it hath procured this Common grace, even for the worst that perish, as Master Baxter Phraseth it, that he shall be saved, if he will believe? This is just according to the Proverb, If the skie fall, we shall catch Larks. You had as good (and may do it as reasonably) tell men of a certain in­heritance designed for them in the world in the Moon, provided they will make a Ladder [Page 217] to Climb up to take possession of it. Happi­nesse propounded upon Condition, but that Condition made impossible, and that by a pu­nishment, inflicted by the Propounder; and yet he to be the Father of Mercies, who sent his own Son to seal a Covenant of Grace with his own bloud, wherein he hath under­taken to give both Grace and Glory, this as the end, and that as the way. How inconsi­stent!

But, saith Master Baxter, did God purpose to cause in men this condition or not? Sure he did. Otherwise, it would follow, 1. That God invites poore sinners to confederate with him in a covenant of Grace, and yet is defi­cient, in affording what is necessary, to in­able them to perform it. And then, 2. it would follow that God were the First De­sertor in respect of this new Covenant, which is against all sober Divinity. 3. It will make the Covenant of Grace to be no lesse intole­rable than that of workes; for by this Do­ctrine, it doth exact impossible commands, and afford no strength at all to perform them. It supposeth God to make new Lawes, and lay new Impositions, upon those bruised shoulders of Adams Posterity, whiles he pretends to heal them.

It is a Rule in the Civill Law, Quando quis aliquid concedit, id etiam concedere videtur, [Page 218] sine que res concessae esse non potest. If God makes a grant of eternall life to any, or a se­rious Promise, sure he promiseth and grant­eth therewith, whatever is necessary for the enjoyment of that life. And in our case, (you heard,) provision is made for it by the very Article of the Covenant,Luk. 1.74, 75. Eph. 5.25. Heb. 13.12. and 'tis a main Part of our Medi­ators Office to take care for the performance of it, (in a way su­table to his wisdome, justice and mercy) according to that of the Apostle, Act. 5.30, 31. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye flow and hanged on a tree; him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to Give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins. See Act. 3. last. But because he gives this, not to evacuate but assist our duty, not to discharge us from it, but to inable and so oblige us the more to be diligent in applying our selves to it; Hence it comes to be our du­ty, as well as his donation, To have Grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with re­verence and Godly fear, Heb. 12.28. and up­on this account the Apostle exhorteth so ear­nestly, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your salva­tion with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

And this makes a fair way for our Answer to Master Baxters next demand, in these words; If God did (purpose to cause this con­dition) then it was Absolutely or Conditional­ly: if absolutely, it it will be done. If conditionally, what is the Condition? and so in infinitum.

That you may not tyre out your patience, or run your selfe quite out of breath in such a long course, I shall endeavour to stop your passage, by telling you, that there is ordina­rily, some condition to be performed, not by way of Causation, Merit, or Congruity, but by way of Order, to the introduction of faith, or the work of Conversion. This is confest by Master Norton, who saith,Ʋbi supra chap. 6. pag. 129. That Christ in his ordinary dispen­sation of the Gospel calleth not sin­ners as sinners, but such sinners; that is, qualified sinners, immediately to be­lieve. But because, he may runne with the Hare and hold with the Hound, like your self, in this course; therefore, I shall send an Ahimaaz after you, to give you a turn; I mean Doctor Jackson, 2 Sam. 18.27. no Novice, M. Baxter, in School, or Practicall Divinity;Book 1 &. 3109. c. His words are these, And because Man by the assistance of Gods speciall Provi­dence (without the concourse of sanctifying in­herent Grace) is inabled to do somewhat, which [Page 220] being done his Conversation or Mortification shall undoubtedly be accomplished; therefore are we said to mortifie the body; and not so onely, but to make our Election sure; yea to work out our own salvation. For so the Apostle speaks, Phil. 2.12. But how are we said to work out our own salvation? Non Formali­ter sed Consecutivè: Salvation is the Neces­sary Consequent of our working, or doth necessarily follow upon our work, Not by a­ny Merit, or Causality, force or efficacy of our work, or by any naturall Connexion, but meerly by Gods grace, by the Counsil of his holy and irresistible Will, by the Determinati­on of his eternall Decree, by which it hath pleased him to appoint, Pag. 3110, & 3111. See p. 3114. The one as a Necessary Consequent of the other; to wit, Spirituall Mor­tification or life it selfe, as the Issue of our endeavours to Mortifie the flesh. Thus that profound Doctor. To whom I may adde the invincible Argu­ment of that Learned,P. 3143. f. and Judi­cious Editor of his Works; His words are these, Let us take a Polemo, (a most shame­lesly debauched Ruffian), upon this man we desire the work of the Lord by our Ministery may be prosperous. We must either tell him that there is something required of him in this present state, unconverted as he is, and [Page 221] so set him a Task; or that nothing at all is expe­cted from him. These two be Points Contradi­ctory Diametrally, there is no mean betwixt them. I say, that of this man, something is required. The first Minimum quod sic, is Re­flecting upon his own actions, and the Law writ in his Conscience. Next I would apply some of Gods words spoke by the Prophets to some sinfull peo­ple or Person;Or I would reade to him, Ezek. 18. as Isa. 1.16. Wash you, make you clean, put away the evill of your doings, cease to do evill, learn to do well. Or that of Saint James 4.8. Draw nigh to God. — Clense your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double minded. And would Affirm that these words signifie something, were (not empty noises, but) Precepts; and if Precepts, have some Duty correspondent to be performed by him to whom I laid them; which is, quod quae­rimus; that I would have done. My Ad­versary must say, Nothing is to be done; It's to no purpose for me to Exhort, or him to Try, nothing can be done to purpose. Now what will the poore Patient say? Men are naturally inclined to believe them, that most ease and please their natures best. The least Consequent of this Doctrine that he will or can make, and that if he were a good natu­red man too, will be this; Why then I will [Page 222] betake my self to a negative idlenesse, wrap my body in my armes, sit still, and wait the Good houre when Grace shall breathe upon me. A Second will say, Go to then, I will eat my meat with joy, and take my portion of the things of this life, till tasts of a better drop into my mouth from heaven. A Third may perhaps do worse; wend to a Tavern, or worse place, and make work for Grace, with a gracelesse Desperate hope, that the more he sins, the more Grace, when it comes, may abound; that quo sceleratior eo Gratia vicinior: If my Adversary saies nay; He must abstain from lewd Courses; we are half agreed: is not that part, the same with Esay's, Cease to do evill? If he maintain his Conclusion; I have no more to say, but to enter an Appeal to God, and this Protestation to man; That I disclaim all such dispositions, preparations, endeavours, as, cooperating to the Produ­ction of Grace, after the manner that tem­perate behaviour concurreth to produce the Habit of Temperance; or that naturall qua­lities do, to produce Forms merely Physicall: And this will quit me from Pelagianisme or Popery; But he shall never be able to free himself from the Errours of the Stoick or Manichees that holds it indifferent, what workes a man does before he be regenerate. Ibid.

This is Master Baxters own Doctrine. Sure I am, saith he, that some means is appointed to be used for the Acquisition of Speciall Grace. Of Saving Faith. (pag. 27, and pag. 46.) And that a very command to use such means as means, is a strongly incouraging in­timation, that God will not deny men the end and blessing, that use the means as well as they can. For it is certain that he appointeth no means in vain. But whereas you say, immediately before this, That [you are satisfied, that God hath not entred into Covenant or Promise with any unregenerate man to give him saving Grace upon any Con­dition to be performed without it] Give me leave to ask you, Hath not God made a Ge­nerall invitation to all the unregenerate (with­in the pale of the Church) to come unto him, with a gracious promise to receive them? and doth not this promise imply a readinesse, to grant what ever may fit them for his com­munion, without which, that promise can­not be made good to them? Dare you affirm, that God will deny saving Grace to some, who make the best use they can, of the Gifts of nature and his common Grace, to stirre up themselves to lay hold upon him? If you dare do this, you dare contradict the Apostle S. Peter, Act. 10.34, 35. and say (though not, as he doth, Of a [Page 224] truth) [I perceive that God is a respecter of Persons: for in every nation, there be some that feare God and work righteousnesse, which are not accepted with him]. You complainƲbi supra, pag. 40., you have people in your Parish that are harping on this string, (and yet this is Ipsissi­ma Fides DORDRACENA, Chap. 3. & 4. R [...] ­ject. 485. a string of that very Instrument, which you have provoked Tilenus to play upon) [We cannot give Grace to our selves, nor be saved without it; nor can we have it till God give it us: which if he will doe, we shall be saved: if he will not, all that we can doe will not help it.] I pray do not you twist another string for them to harp upon, by tell­ing them, Doe what they can to dispose them­selves for it, God hath made no promise to bestow saving Grace upon them. For this will make as foul a jarring in their minds, and as unpleasant Musick in Gods Church, as the Denyall of works Preparatory and Disposi­tive to saving Grace. But to give you your due, you Govern your discourse sometimes with more moderation and Caution when you addresse your self unto your Congregati­on. For though in heat of Disputation, you determine, That God hath Cull'd out some certain persons for himself by his Decree of Election; wherein he had no praevision of, or [Page 225] respect unto, either faith or obedience or any other good quality, as wrought in them by his Gospell accompanied with his Spirit; But he therein made provision for it, that in due time it might be irresistibly wrought in them, not with, but without them, by His own Omnipo­tent strength; And for the rest, not compre­hended within that Decree, there is another Decree past against them, withholding from them all internall Grace sufficient and neces­sary for their salvation; which though offer­ed them in the Gospel, yet 'tis suspended up­on the Condition of Faith and Repentance, which Condition is impossible, because God did not Purpose to Cause it in them. This is your Disputation-wise Doctrine, when you are combating with an Adversary: But when you are consulting the advantage of Souls, then you are zealous (as best becomes you) in another strain. In your Sermon (on Mat. 22.5.) you say, It is true that Grace is free,Making light of Christ. p. 21, 22. and the offer is uni­versall, according to the extent of the Preaching of the Gospel; and it is true that men may have Christ when they will; that is, when they are willing to have him on his terms; but he that hath promised thee Christ, if thou be willing, hath not promised to make thee willing: and if thou art not willing now, how canst thou think thou shalt be willing [Page 226] hereafter? But soon after; Oh Sinners! you might do much, though you are not able to your selves to come in, if you would now subject your selves to the working of the Spirit, and set in while the gales of grace continue. And in your Directions for Peace of Conscience, Direct. 9. p. 65. Edit. 2. you affirm, If wicked unbelievers would but do what they can, in daily, serious, deep considering of these things, (viz. the vanity of the world, and certainty of damnation, the excellency of Holinesse, with the certainty of everlasting Happinesse) and the like, they would have no cause to despair of obtaining Faith and Sancti­fication. This is your Sermon wise Doctrine. And you have written [Directions to prevent Miscarrying in Conversion]. Sure, you do not fear a miscarriage of the work on God's part, the danger is not from his falling, but our own. Therefore something is required on our Part, and possible to be performed by us, which being performed, our Conversion is ascertained, but being neglected, it miscar­ries, and we our selves onely are guilty of it. If this be not true (Master Baxter) the Ti­tle of that Book is improper, and your whole Discourse impertinent. And now you have so many blocks in your way, and some of your own sawing out, I hope your course will be stopt, and your Dispute not run out in infinitum.

I return to your Ʋindication of the Synod: you say, 2. [But contrary to this Accuser] This is another Cast of your displeasure: A Civill Title; To be an Accuser, is a piece of the Devils character: but such bolts are soon shot, when Faction hath bent her Bowe, and Pride hath a mind to make a quarrell. But if Tilenus be the Accuser, the Synod or Ma­ster Baxter is the Adversary; For he saith, Contrary to this Accuser the Synod declareth. (Art. 2. Sect. 3.) [This death of the Son of God is the onely and most perfect Sacrifice and satisfaction for sins, of infinite value and price, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world] and that it is, [there­fore sufficient— because this death was joyn­ed with the sense of Gods wrath and curse, which we by our sins had merited.] that is, that the sinnes of all the world were &c. But how is this contrary to this Accuser? Indeed it is besides him, if you will, and as much be­sides the purpose. There is in the Chamber of London as much Treasure, perhaps, as will pay the Debts of all the Prisoners about the City; and 'tis so much the more currant, be­cause it is of excellent old Gold: But what is this to the poore Prisoners redemption, as long as the Major and Aldermen, (in whose sole power it is to dispose of that Treasure) will not disburse it to that purpose? The su­perabundant [Page 228] sufficiency that is proclaimed to be in the Exchequer, doth not relieve the distressed, for whose benefit 'tis not imploy­ed, but rather upbraid the want of Liberality in him who is Master of it, and hath the Po­wer but wants the Will, to lay it out in such charitable and pious uses.

But, you say, [the sinnes of all the world were charged on Christ, and he bore their pe­nalty, as Paraeus in his writings to the Synod (and there conteined) expresseth it.] Answ. Laid on Christ? To what end? to Load him, or ease them? But you joyne with Paraus, Pag. 14. in your first Assize, Sermon, where you say, Doubt­lesse Christ died not for all alike, nor with e­quall intentions of saving them; and yet he hath born the sinnes of all men on the Crosse, and was a Sacrifice, Propitiation, and Ransome for all. To what end, I say, all this, accor­ding to your Doctrine? Was it to purchase saving Grace, Faith and Repentance for them? you say, No. Was it to make satisfaction and procure Pardon? you cannot with any modesty affirm it, if you speak consonantly to the Principles of the Synod; For, as you confesse (Sect. 7.) they determine concern­ing all the Non-elect, that God left them in that misery, into which they were precipita­ted by the fall of Adam, and decreed to damn [Page 229] them for this and all other sinnes (which would inevitably follow upon their derelicti­on in this condition) as the Causes of their damnation▪ So that this Decree hath from all eternity, laid the sins of the Non-elect, upon their own shoulders, and they are im­mutably designed to sink under them; why then should they be charged on Christ? why should he bear the Penalty of them? Is not Christ a principall link in that Golden chain of means, composed by the Eternall Prede­stination to draw the Elect to glory? From hence some of the Divines of the Synod do conclude, That the death, and all saluta­ry benefits of Christ do belong onely to the Elect. Ad credentes quidem, pro­pter indivulsam illam salutis cate­nam. Rom. 8. To them alone,Jud. Eccles. Wetter. Con­fir. Thes. 3. par. 2. pag. 98. in regard of that inviolable chain, Rom. 8. And you tell your Rea­der, in the Preface of your [Call to the Non-converted; [For Gods Decrees, you must know that they separate not the end and means, but tie them together;] If it be so, why do you untie them here, and ascribe the Death of Christ, which is a prime means of salvation, in any measure to the Repro­bates, who are immutably appointed to ano­ther end, unlesse you affirm withall, (which i [...] the Doctrine delivered by many of your [Page 230] PartySee M. Perkins Sy­nopsis above, and Testimo­nies cited for this.), that Christs death belongs no further to them than it may cooperate to their End, that is, be a means of their destru­ction?

But, you say, They adde also (Sect. 5.) [That the promise of Salvation to all that will believe must be preached to all without diffe­rence, with the command of Faith and Repen­tance.] This Command is either Legall or Evangelicall; Legall Quia so­lum Evange­lium novit remedium contra male­dictionem le­gis, solum e­tiam pr [...]di­cat poeniten­ti [...] in nomi­ne Christi. Hemingius Syntag. Inst. Christ. Loc. 16. Thes. 21. I know you will not say; If Evangelical, then there is a promise of strength annext to those commands, to en­able us to perform them (for this makes the differenceWendolin. Theol. Chri. lib. 1. c. 19. Thes. 6. in explic. Dis­crim. 4 [...]. E­vang. & Le­gis. betwixt precepts purely Legall, and Evan­gelicall; the Gospel doth afford strength, the Law none.) And Redemption from our vain Con­versation, being (as was said) the first part of our Salvation, our Salvation must needs com­mence in an oblation of strength, the tendry of a Gracious Subsi­die towards Faith and Repen­tance; which yet you deny the un­regenerate to have any promise of, and how then can the Promise of Salvation be preached unto them▪

2. If by salvation, they and you, under­stand onely eternall life, (which is the con­summation of it,) then to preach this, unto men, who are punisht with an utter inability to repent and believe, for the Fall, or upon the Fall of Adam, I say to proclaim such a promise of Salvation, to persons of that qua­lity, under condition of Faith and Repen­tance, is no lesse absurd, than to run in a­midst a multitude of blind men, and pro­mise them ten thousand pounds apiece, if they would but view such colours and distin­guish the green from the black and white. And if you take remission of sins in to this pro­mise of Salvation; and tell us, that is to be granted too, even to the Non elect, if they will Repent and Believe; This is as if a Phy­sitian should come into an Hospitall full of sick and diseased persons, and professe seri­ously to them, Alas! poore wretches! what a number of sad Objects are here! But I have compassion in store for you, and my bowels yern over you, (and yet he administers no­thing effectually to work their cure; but ex­horts them vehemently after this manner) Come, be ye ruled by me, do you but purge your humours, and allay the inflammation of your bloud and spirits, and reduce your bo­dies to a good temper, and I will save your lives, and preserve you from death and tor­ments. [Page 232] Were not this a comfortable procla­mation? But suppose a Com­mand As the Non-elect are tied, to Re­pent and Be­lieve by a command, but excluded and denied abi­lity by the Decree. were added to this Pro­mise, and a Commination appendant to that Command, that if those blind men do not distinguish those colours, and those sick men do not of themselves recover their health, they shall be tormented in flames of fire, and kept alive in those flames to the uttermost; what would you think of such a tendry of salvation to these poore Mortals? But the Synodists were very willing to passe over this black and more horrid part of the story, whereof the event is undeclinable, and to take occasion to tickle the conceit of the Reader, with the Imagery of glorious promises, whose fruition, to such Non-elect, is utterly impossible.

Yet even about these promises of the Go­spel, I find a considerable difference amongst them▪ They are not agreed whether saving Faith, Conversion, or Regeneration (which come all to the same reckoning in this point) be promises or no. Upon that passage in Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 1.3, 4 Whereby there are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by them we might be partakers of the Divine nature.In Notis Mi­nor. ad lo­ [...]Beza saith, He [Page 233] doth not understand the Divine Essence, but a Participation of Divine qualities, whereby the image of God is restored in us. And sure, this is nothing else but Regeneration. If this be the matter of those great and precious Promi­ses, and not the effect of them onely, then here is a promise of Regeneration (conditio­nally) made to the Unregenerate (for the Regenerate being already possest of them, the Promises cannot properly be said to be made to them as such) and truly seeing an Unbeliever hath a Conditionall promise of Salvation made to him,Amesius Bel­lar. Ener­vat. Tom. 3. cap. 2. num. 10. as an Unbeliever, which becomes absolute upon his believing, as Amesius saith, I can see no reason, why we may not as well say, that an Unbe­liever, or unregenerate Person hath a conditi­onall Promise of Faith and Regeneration. The British Divines, if I be not much deceived,De 5. Artic. Act. Synod. Dor. p. 200. part. 2. were of this Judge­ment; For to prove that Faith and Perseverance are Absolute Pro­mises, they say thus, There are some Promises of God which concern the End, others which concern the Means unto that end; The Promises which concern the end, v. g. con­cerning Salvation, are conditionall. Believe, and thou shalt be saved. Be faithfull (or per­severe) unto the death, and I will give thee a [Page 234] crown of life. And seeing no man is able to performe these Conditions, God hath also made most free and absolute promises to give these ve­ry Conditions; which he himself worketh in us, that by these, as the means, we may attain un­to the end. To prove this they alledge, Deut. 36.6. God shall circumcise thy heart, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, &c. The end here promised is life; which the Israelites could never attain unto, unlesse the condition were performed, that is to say, the love of God. But God doth here Abso­lutely promise, say they, that he would give them this Condition.

Here then we have a promise of Faith and Regeneration or Conversion, (for so the Bel­gick Synops [...] Pur. Theol. Disput. 32. Thes. 2. pag. 420. Professors understand [the circumcision of the heart] and to whom is this promise made, but to such as were yet unregenerate? And Master Baxter himself was once of this Judgement; For in his Appendix Pag. 47. to his Aphorisms, in his Answer to the eighth Ob­jection of his Adversary, he saith thus, If the Covenant were onely Absolute, then it can be made to none but wicked men: and indeed the absolute Covenant is made to none other. Sure those that God doth promise to bestow new hearts upon, and soft hearts, have yet their old [Page 235] and hard hearts: (except it were meant of a further degree, and not of the first saving Grace.) 2. And as the Absolute, so the great Conditio­nall promise [Believe and be saved] is also made to ungodly men. Is not this spoken to Un­believers? will you speak it to none but those who believe already? were none of those Jews ungodly, to whom Peter saith Act. 2.39. The promise is made to you, and to your chil­dren? &c.

But it seems he hath since met with a new light; For, in his Directions to pre­vent Miscarrying in Conversion, Pag. 265. dividing the Benefits, or Mercies derived to us, from Christ, into Common and Proper, The Proper or Speciall Mercies, he makes to be of two sorts. Some Physicall inherent qualities, or Performed acts, 2. And some are adherent Rights, or Relations. Of the inherent sort, he makes three Degrees: whereof the first is, the first Speciall work of Ʋocation, Conversion, or Regeneration, cau­sing the Sinner to Repent and Believe, and giving him the Principle of Spirituall life; and of this, he saith, God hath not promised it Con­ditionally or Absolutely to any individuall Per­son that hath it not. He hath bound all to Re­pent, and Believe, but hath not promised to make them do it: (onely he hath revealed, that there are certain Persons, so given to Christ, as that [Page 236] they shall be infallibly drawn to believe.) But he hath appointed certain meanes for the ungod­ly, which they are bound to use, in order to their conversion; and if they will not use them, they are without excuse.

What should move Master Baxter to change his opinion in this Article? I will give you my conjecture. The promises of the Gospel are observed to be Generall, and must be prea­ched promiscuously, to Elect, and Reprobate (as they call them) without distinction. And if the Redemption, wrought by Christ, be not supposed as a common benefit, bestowed on all men: that indifferent and promiscuous preaching of the Gospel committed to the Apostles, to be performed among all Nati­ons, should have no true foundation, as Martinius hath observed. What should these men do in this case,De Artic. 2. Thes. 8. or what should they say? To say, the Promises of the Gospel are not to be Preached to all, the more Sober and Learned, dare not. To say, Faith and Regeneration are Promises of the Gospell, is to confesse them to belong indifferently and promiscu­ously to the Reprobate, as well as to the E­lect; and then maintaining that these are Pro­mised most freely and absolutely, to be wrought in us, without us, by God himself; this would by an undenyable consequence intitle the Non-elect [Page 237] to as good an interest in the Benefit of an irresistible conversion, as the very elect. What course then must be taken so to state the Arti­cle, that they might avoid this Inference? The Synodists, they divide the Promises, (as you heard) into some concerning the End, which are conditionall; If you repent and be­lieve, you shall have pardon and salvation; and these may be safely preached unto the very Reprobate; it really intitles them to nothing; For, By this Proposition, If you believe, you shall be saved, it is not signified that God willeth either Faith or Salvation unto him to whom it is so declared, more then unbeliefe and death, see­ing he addeth together therewith, If you do not believe you shall die; saith Amos. Rescript. ad Grevin. cap. 5.

The other Promises (in their division) are concerning the Means, Faith, Regeneration and Perseverance, which are absolute, under­taken to be wrought of Almighty God with­out us, by the strength of his Omnipotency, and these are the Propriety, and Free-hold of the Elect; not to be indifferently and promiscu­ously preached. But by this Doctrine they set up a double Gospel; one for the Elect, which offers salvation upon such conditions as God hath absolutely promised and undertaken to perform himself, by an irresistible efficiency; another for the Reprobate, which offers salva­tion [Page 238] upon other terms, though under the same Name and Title) that is, upon such Conditions, as they are bound to perform themselves, though there be no competent strength of Grace, either promised or ad­ministred to inable them hereunto. Perhaps (to give him the Title, he bestowes on Amy­raldus) our Oculatissimus Baxterus, upon his second thoughts, discovered this foule Absur­dity; and to prevent it, chose rather to call them Revelations concerning the infallible ef­fecting of Faith and Regeneration, than Pro­mises. But there is another foul Absurdity sticks even to his Doctrine, and he cannot possibly shake it off, that is, He makes Christ to be set up as a Double Saviour; For unto some, he hath procured sanctifying Grace, which he doth effectually and irresistibly communicate, to redeem them from sin and their vain conversation, and this in order to their Glory; And thus he is the Saviour of the Elect. But for others he allows no more, but externall Ministeries, with Common Grace, which is uneffectuall, and these in order to their condemnation too; such a Saviour he is to the Reprobate; Indeed in respect to these, he is made a Pure Socinian-Saviour; from whom (according to this Doctrine) they receive little or no influences, but those of his Holy Laws, and A Grand Exem­plar.

And yet, right or wrong, Master Baxter now he is ingaged will pursue his vindication, as he imagineth, to a perfect Triumph; and therefore he pleads moreover for the Synod, that they adde, That [the Reason why many that are called by the Gospell do not repent or believe, but perish in Infidelity, is not through any defect of the Sacrifice of Christ offered on the Crosse, or insufficiency of it, but by their own fault.]

By their own fault? Saith the Synod so? Alas! how could that be? It was a punish­ment indeed inflicted on them, when as yet they had but a mere Possibility of Being in regard of the sufficiency of the Divine Po­wer to effect it. So the Creabilitarians, or Gomarists have determined. But to come as low, as the lowest Calvinists; Admit it were upon the Fall of Adam; yet he could not by that Fall, forfeit an interest in Christ, which he never had before that Fall (for then, that being a means and power to rise again after falling, he could not have lost it, by falling) whether for himself, or his Posterity.

2. Did Adam's Posterity become their Fa­thers Surety, that he should perform the con­ditions of that First Covenant, and so became liable to the Forfeiture of that Obligation, which he did violate? Or, 3. did They vo­luntarily, and of their own choice, set up [Page 240] Christ, to be their Prince and Saviour, and were the Laws of Repentance and Faith (the breach whereof becomes so exceeding sinfull to them) of their Own Election, or were these both Laws and Prince imposed upon them, and they invited to embrace, submit and subscribe to them, as Speciall Acts of Grace, and the onely Instruments to make them happy? Or, 4. Was it ever in their power to Prevent, or is it yet in their power to rescind that eternall Decree of Reprobation, whereby God immutably determined to leave them in the Lapse: iisque, media ad fidem & Conversionem, vel simplicitèr non dare, vel non efficacitèr applicare, idque ex mero Placito & liberrima voluntate, faciente de suo quod vult; (as the Zealanders have defined, and it is inserted amongst the Acts of the Synod;Par. 3. p. 45.) And either simply to de­ny them Means necessary to Faith and Conversion, or else not to apply it effectually to them, and this out of his mere will and plea­sure, Disposing of his own, according to his own minde? By which Doctrine we learn, that it is their Misery to be ruined for Adams sin, but not their Fault to perish in Infidelity. Neither proceeds it from any insufficiency or defect of the sacrifice of Christ, but merely from the sole Pleasure and incontrollable will of God.

And yet, for all this, Master Baxter runs on, and to make a fuller Ʋindication, he tells us, The British Divines, and the Bremish e­specially, and most clearly Martinius, (and Crocius wel) did give in their suffrages for Uni­versall Redemption, which are Recorded in the Acts of the Synod, and these Decrees are plainly agreeable.

How well Crocius and the rest have stated the Point, we have seen already; and indeed one may thrip crosse or pile, whether he squares his judgement by their suffrages, or the Decrees of the Synod. What the sense of those Decrees is, you find in their eight Ar­ticle upon the second Chapter or Head of Do­ctrine, cited above, at the beginning of our Reflexions upon this ninth Section; and he that would see more, may examine their 5. and 6. Rejections.

What is this Universall Redemption you or they speak of? Doth it consist in the Ablati­on of the Curse or Pain, the Impetration of Grace and Righteousnesse, and the collation of Life and Glory? Mans Misery consists but of two parts, sin and punishment. Doth your Universall Redemption make sufficient provision to free the Non-elect from both, or from either of these? From the wrath to come, the Damnation of hell, or from iniquity and their vain conversation? Indeed in your [Page 242] Assize Sermons, you did very seasonably Preach up Christ, to be a Lord Chief-Justice, to Judge the Reprobate; but I cannot finde that ever you Declare him to be their Lord Keeper, or their Lord Treasurer, to commu­nicate his saving Grace, for their Conversion, or to secure them against the assaults and rage of their Ghostly enemy. These last Offices you suppose him to bear, in favour of the Elect onely. So that your Ʋniversall Redem­ption hold a very faire Correspondence with your Sufficient Grace (as to the Non-elect); there is not one single person sanctified by this, or saved by that. Nay further, seeing all the influence, Reprobis De­us Mediato­rem patefa­cit. ut negle­cta conditio­ne poeniten­tia & fidei inexcusabiles reddantur. Wendel. ubi supra ex­plic. Thes. 8. that Christs death hath upon them, according to your Doctrine, is of a killing nature and tends clearly to no o­ther end, then to carry on the Decree of their Reprobation, and they being the far greater part, it had been a much more proper Ti­tle, if you had said, Those Divines did give in their Suffrages for Ʋ ­niversall Perdition.

Martinus, (who deals so clearly, as you suppose, in this Question,) saith, That the Redemption by Christ must be proclaimed,De Artic. 2. Thes. 8.11. not onely as a Common sufficient Benefit, but as really and in­tentionally [Page 243] designed for me, else no necessity can be deduced from it, to ingage me to be­lieve, that it belongs to me, (which, by the way, doth somewhat take off the edge of the unregenerate, from endeavouring after Re­generation, if there be no promise concern­ing it, as Master Baxter's New Light, hath dis­covered.) But what is this common Benefit, and what doth that Redemption amount un­to, which is to be thus universally preached? why, (not saving Grace; for that is peculiar Ib. Th. 14. to Believers, but) re­mission of sins, and eternall life, Ib. Thes. 21. if they Repent and Believe.

It will be worth our while, to observe, af­ter what manner, God is supposed, by this Doctrine, to addresse his Visitations and Calls of Mercy, to these Non-elect, who are dead in sins, and sick of an impotency to Believe and turn themselves, that he may woo them unto Repentance. He must (consonantly to these opinions) bespeak their Repentance af­ter this manner: ‘O ye children of Re­probation, once, in your first Parent Adam dearly beloved of me, but now rejected and cast away by me, out of an eternall and implacable hatred; how long will ye abuse my Patience? how long will ye spin out the war of your Rebellion against me? Know ye not, how acceptable a sacrifice Repentance [Page 244] and a broken heart are to me? Go to, there­fore, recollect your selves and believe me; I intreat and pray, request and supplicate, beg and beseech, turn your selves, and seek after Righteousnesse; I swear by my self, (that ye may have no temptation to be doubtfull of it) Obedience is better to me then Sacrifice, and I will be the Author of eternall Salvation to All them that obey me: And if these things cannot move you, behold! the tears of your God, your Creator, a Father of Mercies to you, and will ye be deaf also to his sighs and moans, complaints and lamentations? O that ye would be wise, O that ye would consider, Oh miserable wretches, why will ye die and perish in your sins? What plea­sure is it to you, to provoke your God to anger, who loveth Righteousnesse and ha­teth iniquity? 'Tis very true, and I know it right well, that you cannot but Rebell a­gainst me, because I have deprived you of the power to will and to do rightly, and from all eternity rejected you from all com­munion in my saving Grace: but yet I do seriously affirm it, and protest and swear by my Holinesse, that your Repentance will be very acceptable to me And do you but Re­pent thorowly, and I will unfeignedly give you Pardon and Salvation.’ Behold what a [Page 245] Patheticall Scheme of Persuasion God should use! Behold, what affections and bowels his Invitation of the Non-elect should be cloathed with, according to this Doctrine!

And yet for all this in the next (10.) Sect. Master Baxter puts it home to Master Pierce, with sufficient confidence, in these words, Can Tilenus, or you, or any that is most passi­onate in these points, tell us of one jot more that you ascribe to the death of Christ for all, then the Synod of Dort doth? I must say, if you can, it's yet beyond my reach or my remem­brance. Then I must say, you have a shal­low reach, or a Treacherous memory, or a Partiall judgement; The first, if you could not apprehend; the second, if you have for­gotten; the third, (which lyes most under my suspicionBecause I find you re­ferring your Reader to Books that are confuted, and yet you take no notice of it. E. G. Saints Rest. par. 1. pag. 154. in the Margin. Bogerman, Vedelius, &c. I pray see Cor­vinus against Bogerman, and Vedelius Rhapsodus.) if you will so rashly condemn, whom you will not vouchsafe to hear, pleading Gods cause, as well as their own, so earnestly and so convincingly in their many Writings.

But tis time to take up here, that we may reserve our strength and patience, to follow you, in your next stage, where you run on in [Page 246] Tautologies of a tedious length. You set forth after this manner; They give more to Christs death for the Elect then you, but no lesse that I know of, (the more shame for you then, to condemn opinions and persons unheard and unexamined) to his death for all then you. For you say, that he dyed to bring it to mens choice, whether they will have Christ, and life or not? and so say they, (you should adde EQUIVOCALLY, and perhaps you may say true;) and Calvinists, commonly, (as Dallae­us hath told you, in the very words of abundance of them.) If you say, that according to you Christ hath purchased Grace for all, or for more then the Elect, to Cause them to believe. I an­swer, I. That the highest Grace with you doth but bring it to their choice; and help, but not de­termine their wills; and this (but not verily this) they grant to others, as well as you do. 2. Is it the Name of sufficient Grace, or the Thing? The thing that you call so, as I said (too often already, unlesse it had been to more purpose), they grant to be as common as you can Reasonably expect them to imagine, (you say right, considering the rest of their Principles,) and Christ did not die to purchase empty Names, as a benefit. (I pray, what is that Remisson of sins, and eternall life, which you say he purchased for Reprobates? Is there Name and Thing too? They heare the [Page 247] sound of it, but never any of them tasted how sweet it is.) The difference (you conclude) is plainly but in this: The Synod thought that Christ purchased more for some, then you do; but no lesse for others.

Here we have Master Baxter in extreams; he is excessive in his bounty towards the E­lect, but defective in his Charity towards the Reprobates; and therefore no wonder he is out in the mean, which is that Grace that brings Salvation to Man's choice, as stated (not by him but) by the Remonstrants.

For the First, he is deficient even in his Pretended Sufficiency, and the Accompts being truly and exactly cast up, we shall find the Reprobates are very little obliged to him, or to the Synod, for their Alms of sufficient Grace.

For when they speak of Grace, they under­stand either Gods Love and favour; or the effects of it. Gods Grace in the first sense is, either Generall, extended to all mankind considered, as Rationall Creatures, but out of Christ, and this, though the Reprobates have an interest in it, will not serve the turne; or Speciall, which passeth into a Decree of Election, and thereby provides Christ and all other means necessary to the working of Con­version and bringing Salvation (as they af­firm) insuperably. And this is a peculiar [Page 248] Inclosure to the Elect. If we take Grace in the Second sense, for the effects of Gods free Love and favour; this Grace is divided (as the former) into Generall and Speciall; The Speciall Grace which is saving, is Pro­per to the Heirs of Salvation, saith M. Baxter, and the Synod too, that is to the Elect. The Generall, is that Common Grace, consisting of such effects as flow from Gods Generall Love, and this is vouchsafed to the Repro­bate. Which Grace, though adorned with the Title of Sufficient, to tickle the fancy of the unwary vulgar, and flatter him into an apprehension, that it containes all that is need­full unto his salvation, yet really it signifies onely (in the very acknowledgement of the more ingenuous sort of Calvinists) so much as is sufficient to Convince men of their sinne and misery, of their infirmity and want of a Redeemer; and because it informs them like­wise, that Christ is such an one, sent to give life and pardon upon condition of Faith and Repentance (though intentionally designed for the benefit onely of the Elect) and that life and pardon is tender'd to them upon those conditions, which are irresistibly effect­ed in those Elect, but made impossible to the Reprobate; therefore by the administration of this Common Grace, they become guilty of impenitency and unbelief, and so this Grace [Page 249] is inservient to the execution of the Decree of Reprobation; And this is all the Sufficiency I can find in it, whether I examine it by Perkins his Table, or the Doctrine of the Synod.

We see how little the Reprobates are be­holding to you for your bounty. For this your sufficient Grace, both Name and Thing, is of no more value then a New Nothing, which many times is promised unto children to please them; but with an intent really to cousen them; and therefore discovering the fallacy, we account it a piece of ingenuity in them to slight the offer.

If the Non-elect neither have, nor can have interest in that Grace of God (by what name soever you will call it) which is of force to procure Conversion and a saving faith, what do you telling them of the rest, by which ne­ver man was, nor ever shall be, nor ever can be saved? And is it possible for any man to arrive at Salvation, who lies under the Decree of Preterition, and is thereby, ipso facto▪ put in the order of men certainly to be damned, Damnation being the unavoidable execution of that Decree, whereof Preterition and Pre­damnation are but severallSynopsis Purioris Theologiae. Disp. 24. th. 49, & 52. Re­spects? I must therefore preferre, to such collusion, the ingenuity of those men, who speak their opi­nion fully out, and tell us that all [Page 250] the Dispensations of Grace administred to these Non-elect, are designed but to make them the more inexcusable.

You alleadged above, in the words of the Synod, that it is not through any insufficien­cy or defect of the sacrifice of Christ, that men Perish in their Infidelity; and may not as much be said in respect of the Devils, that it is not through any defect, or insufficiency of Christs Sacrifice, that they are damned e­ternally? The Reason is the same for both ac­cording to the Principles you go upon, namely because God wills to have it so. And I won­der with what confidence you can tell the Non-Elect (and them you must be supposed to speak to, the Elect not being concerned in it) as you do in your popular Sermon of Making light of Christ, Pag. 52. That, ‘It were better for him he had been a Turk or Indian, that never had heard the name of a Saviour, and that ne­ver had salvation offered to him: For such men have no cloak for their sin. Joh. 15.22. Besides all the rest of their sins, they have this killing sin to answer for, which will undo them. And this will aggravate their misery: That Christ whom they set light by must be their Judge, and for this sin will he judge them. Oh that such would now consider how they will answer that [Page 251] Question that Christ puts to their Predeces­sors, Mat. 23.33. How will ye escape the damna­tion of Hell? or Heb. 2.3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Can you escape without a Christ? or will a despised Christ save you then? If he be accursed that set light by Father or Mother, Deut. 27.16. What then is he that sets light by Christ? &c.’ How I say, can you say this, unlesse you lay better grounds to glorifie Gods Justice in punishing the Non-elect for their Infidelity? For by that Doctrine, the most part of the Christian world are so farre from being design'd a benefit by the exhibition and tendries of Christ to them, that they receive far more hurt by it, and so their condition is rendred a great deal worse than that of Devils, to whom Christ was ne­ver offer'd; For the most they could say of Christ, was to expostulate or cry out, Art thou come to torment us before the time: but these may complain, that, though there was as little benefit intended them, by the offer of Christ, as the Devils to whom he was never tendred; yet it did serve to aggravate their sin, and made them guilty of infidelity and li­able to a greater condemnation. Be not startled at thi news, (if it seems so to you,) for it is the very Doctrine of Go­marus; This is the difference, Thes. 31. de praed. Disput. 1604. saith he, betwixt the Reprobation of men [Page 252] and Angels, that the Angels never have Christ tendred unto them, but unto men he is tendred often, (outwardly in the word, and inwardly by the Spirit,) that being convinced of Infidelity and a stubborn heart, they may by that means, be rendred the more inexcusable.

Now I Conjure every Christian Reader, as he tenders the Glory of our ever Blessed God, and the Honour of his most Holy Ordinances, and the eternall Salvation of mens precious souls, sadly to weigh and consider, the perni­cious influences of such a Doctrine; that his understanding may be awakened to appre­hend, and his will inclined to entertain, more solid practicall principles of Divinity; that every mouth that utters such wickednesse, may be stopped. For certainly this cannot be the purpose or purport of Gods Generall love towards mankind, in send­ing his Sonne to die for them and be preached unto themSee and consider, Joh. 3.16.17.

And now Master Baxter, perhaps will rub up his memory a little better. What! Doth neither Tilenus nor Master Pierce, nor the Re­monstrants ascribe one jot more, to the death of Christ for all, than this amounts to? Doth that Grace (of Christs purchasing) which they account sufficient rise to no higher a pitch, no, not so high, as to put them into a [Page 253] possibility of being restored by Christs medi­ation, into at least as good a condition as that of Devils? This is a very strange story. But, God be thanked, there is no truth in it. The difference is so wide, betwixt the two Parties in this Point, that nothing can well be wider. For 1. Sufficient Grace in your sense, is, that which never did, and never will, and never can, bring salvation unto any man; for let him use his utmost diligence to cooperate with it, it will not, it cannot sanctifie him, being (not through the Receivers default, but) of its own kind and nature uneffectuall [...] For thus the Professors of Leiden speak of it; Concedimus omnes illos, &c. Censura in Confess. cap. 17. par. 3. Pag. 235, 236. We grant, that all who are called by the Gospel are sufficiently called, that is, God is not obliged in ju­stice to call them otherwise, then he doth call them, and by that Calling they are sufficiently deprived of all pretence of excuse, before Gods Tribunall, if they be not conver­ted; because the fault of their non-conversion resteth in themselves onely. This is their de­finition of sufficient Grace, and the Compiler of this work was the Synod. I shall referre the Reader to the Remonstrants Descant up­on this Definition▪ (in their Examen Censurae. cap. 17. parag. 3.)

But sufficient Grace in the Remonstrants [Page 254] sense, (which is like to be Master Pierce's, and Tilenus his sense too;) is, Gods Grace which bringeth salvation unto All men, to whom it hath appeared, Tit. 2.11. For, they say, To the end man may not onely be able, but also freely and heartily willing to performe the Divine commands; God willeth to do all things, on his part, necessary to the effecting of both in him: that is, he hath determined to conferre such Grace upon sinfull man, whereby he may be rendred fit and able, to perform all that is re­quired of him in the Gospel, (and in their next Thesis) God therefore when he calls sinners by his Holy Gospel, Confess. Re­mon. c. 17. Thes. 1. he bestows upon them Grace not onely necessary but also sufficient, to per­forme faith and obedience (the Requiries of the Gospel.)

2. They do not deny, but God may, and many times doth conferre, Imparia Paribus, Paria Imparibus, & Potiora Pejoribus. They acknowledge God hath not past any Decree, whereby he hath debarred, either Himself of Liberty to bestow, or men of a Possibility to receive such severall Dispensations. And al­though they confesse, there is a sufficient calling,Ibid. Thes. 3. which yet is un­effectuall, yet they say, the rea­son is, because it wants the Saving effect, on mans part: Perque solam hominis volunta­riam, [Page 255] ac vincibilem culpam, infructuosa est sive eventum optatum ac debitum non sorti­tur, and that it obtains not the due and de­sired event but becomes unfruitfull, is through the sole voluntary and avoidable fault of man.

3. This Grace doth not onely Prevent the will, and conferre a power of willing, upon them that are Called, (for I think it unpro­fitable to speak of the rest,) but (if they op­pose not a new contumacie to check it,) it doth also accompany and help the Will of man, so, that the will, when it actually willeth, that is, believes and obeys God, ought to a­scribe this, to that very Grace, as the Prin­cipall Moving Cause, by the prevention and concomitant assistance whereof, men, duely co­operating with it, are many times, really con­verted and sanctified, to such a degree, that there is nothing wanting, but Perseverance, to obtain the crown; To which purpose our Saviour Christ saith, He that continueth unto the end shall be saved; which saying of His, doth not onely imply a Possiblity of defection and consequently of destruction, for want of continuance; but an assurance also, of the hap­pinesse of such, if God should please to put a present period to their life, in that condition. 4. Doe not the Remonstrants hold, that 'tis possible for a man to fall Totally and Finally [Page 256] from a true justifying Faith, or saving Grace, and that this doth sometimes eventually come to passe? and yet Master Baxter, will not al­low this to be speciall Grace, flowing from that Fountain of Election; (which Grace, according to his opinion can never be lost,) this therefore at least in his sense, is but Suf­ficient Grace, and yet 'tis farre more, then that common sufficient Grace, which the Sy­nod speaks of; and how could this be either out of Master Baxters reach, or memory, ha­ving so lately, before this, put forth his Ac­count of Perseverance?

More distinctly, for the satisfaction of the Reader touching the Remonstrants opinion of the operations of Divine Grace; 1. They hold, that it works upon the un­derstanding inlightening and indu­ing it with the knowledge of Di­vine truth.Act. Synod. Remonst. de Grat. p. 14. And, that God by the sole illumination of the understanding, without any formal immediate, or direct im­pression or action upon the will, makes all the Elect, of children of wrath and servants of sinne, to become children of light, and ser­vants of Righteousnesse; This is all that Ca­mero requires unto their Regeneration; as ap­pears in his Theses, and his Conference with Tilenus, where he saith, Fidem proficisci ab illuminatione Spiritus Sancti, That Faith pro­ceeds, [Page 257] from the illumination of the holy Spirit; and also,Thesi 3. animo per­cipi non posse quo pacto liberum arbitrium, quod principium Ethicum est, aliter quam E­thice moveri posse; It is not to be understood how Free will, being a Morall Principle, can be moved otherwise then Morally. But the Remonstrants say, 2. That the Divine Grace worketh upon the affections also, and that ir­resistibly, (as likewise it doth upon the under­standing;) to which purpose, we may consi­der those Passages, There came a fear on all, Luk. 7.16. and, Did not our hearts burne within us, while he talked with us? Luk. 24.32.

3. That it works directly and immediately upon the Will too, and that irresistibly, as to the collation of power to believe; Praeterea minime quoque diffitemur Spiritum Sanctum immediatè agere in voluntatem, in illam vires infundendo ac potentiam supernaturalem ad cre­dendum, That the Holy Ghost wor­keth immediately upon the will, Act. Synod. Remonst. de Gratia. p. 14 in­fusing strength into it, and a su­pernaturall power to believe, we doe not deny; and in the next Page, Si per gratiam habitualem intelligere libeat potentiam quandam supernaturalem, concessam volunta­ti ad hoc ut credere & benè agere possit, eam libentèr admittimus; If by habituall Grace, [Page 258] be understood a supernaturall power conferred upon the will, to this end, that it may be able to believe, and act well, we admit of it wil­lingly. And after, If any one de­mand of us, Ibid. pag. 20 whether, the action of God converting (a sinner) be one­ly morall, consisting of proposals, invitations, suasions; we answer, say They, that it is more then Morall, and in respect of exciting Grace, we say there is also a supernaturall po­wer, infused into the will, distinct from the il­lumination of the understanding; and if we respect cooperating Grace, we say, that may be called Physicall, and hath a reall and proper efficiency. If it be demanded whether there be any immediate action of the Spirit upon the will, (they say) we do not deny it. If it be demanded, whether, besides the illumination of the minde, and excitation of the affections, and invitation of the will, Grace doth nothing after the manner of a principle, or ante­cedently unto Conversion; Pag. 21. we say, it doth. And after, (pag. 62.) Potentiam credendi ante omnia conferri di­cimus per irresistibilem Gratiam. We say the power of believing is conferd by an irre­sistible Grace. And, If it be demanded, whe­ther he, who doth not oppose a new contumacy (or rebellion) but yields to the motions and operations of Grace) and consequently is [Page 259] converted, hath more grace, then he, that doth oppose (and check them,) and consequently is not converted; we answer, the an­tecedent and preventing Grace may be equall, Pag. 21. but the first hath coope­rating Grace, which the later hath not.

Indeed after a man is instructed with this Supernatural power to believe, they acknow­ledge no other Grace necessary towards the Eliciting or educing the act of faith but what is Morall, or that which useth the word, as the instrument, not excluding sundry secret inspirations, impressions and motions of Gods Gracious dispensing, which yet do not pro­duce consent otherwise, then in a morall way of working. For if the Actuall consent, to what is offerd in the word, be instill'd or in­spired into the will, as it is a Principle of Ele­ction; Then, 1. there is a Consent in the Will, before it be elected or drawn out by the will; which is absurd. 2. Then it is not the Wills consent unto the motions of Grace: but Grace that imprints that Actuall consent, doth consent unto it self; which is no lesse absurd then the Former. 3. Then a power of be­lieving in the Will were unnecessary; and it would be in vain to conferre it; because the Consent or Act of Believing should not be drawn, out of that power, but be imprinted upon the will by another internall force or [Page 260] mition. 4. Then the word should conduce nothing to the begetting or effecting of faith, or consent in the will of man: For the word cannot concurre but as a morall Instrument, nor act but objective and morally, and such actions are resistible, and may be uneffectuall, which such an Actuall consent instilled into, or imprinted upon the will (by an Omnipo­tent Grace, asContra. re­monstrants. they say it is) can­not be. So that by this Doctrine, if it should be granted, (say the Remonstrants); the Ministery of the Word would be made void and altogether unprofi­table. This inconvenience Master Baxter could discover well enough as to the Infusion of Habits; Of saving Faith. pag. 21. And therefore he follows the stream of those Divines, who take Ʋo­cation, which (taken Passively) conteineth the Acts of Faith and Repentance, to be An­tecedent unto Sanctification, which compre­hends the Habit of them. Placing the Act before the Habit, he saith, This makes the Word the Instrument of that work, whereas (which moves me very much, saith he) accor­ding to the contrary opinion, the Word cannot possibly be the Instrument, or means, of our Regeneration, as to the Habit, (nor as to the Act neither, if that Act be irresistibly infu­sed or imprinted) but onely a subsequent means [Page 261] to elicite Whose Act? not Gods; that were too grosse: then it must be man's; and then by this means, Man worketh the will and the Deed. or educe the Act, which seems against the stream of Scri­pture, and Divines of All Ages. A faire Confession.

The Remonstrants then, do, not onely grant an Illumination of the minde, which, upon the matter, is made the All-sufficient Grace by Camero, but also a Collation of Supernaturall power; which yet they cannot allow to commit such a Rape upon the Will, as to force it, in its manner of working, or deprive it of its naturall Liberty to Will or Nill. They reserve to her, as her undoubt­ed Prerogative, that freedome still, as entire as ever, to Act or suspend her action, with­out which power man is able to do no more Duty properly so called, then the Brute Beast, which hath a Spontaneity as well as Man, but no Rationall Election.

But Master Baxter will here step in, with his objection, and tell us, This is but to bring the matter to mans choice, and so they do. But I must acquaint the Reader with a vast dif­ference in the Portage, whether you consi­der the matter or the manner of it. For, 1. Your Doctrine doth not bring the same Thing, to mans choice. It brings Christ as [Page 262] you say, and remission of sins, and eternall life, to his choice▪ upon condition, [If he will Repent and Believe] But doth your Suf­ficient Grace, by an irresistible Collation of power upon the will, bring Faith it self, and Repentance it self, to the choice of them that perish? It doth not, it cannot. For by the conduct of an Immutable Antecedent Decree, Grace sufficient to bring it to their choice in this sense is denyed them, and their choice otherwise determined and that Infal­libly; unlesse you equivocate in the use of the word choice, and put it for Spontaneitie, where­by the wretched Reprobate, for all the influ­ences of that sufficient Grace, is unavoida­bly led, as an Oxe to the slaughter.

2. And as your Doctrine brings not the same Thing to their choice; so neither doth it bring the same assistance. You bring Remis­sion and eternall life, but as a covered dish with a Noli me tangere, upon it. They must not touch it with unwasht hands, and shut­ting up the Living fountain, and sealing it by an immutable Decree, you afford them neither towell nor water that is sufficient or of force to clense them. What you bring to their choice and lay at their doore, you leave as a burden too heavy for their strength to take up, and their feeble shoulders to carry in to their quiet possession and comfort.

But with us, Faith and Repentance, are as well brought to choice, as Christ, Pardon, or eternall Life; but not laid down and left there. God continues to illuminate the mind; and inspire the will; and thus he knocks at the doore of the heart; till man freely opens to him,Revel. 3.20. or gives him such rude and shame­lesse Repulses, as provoke him to withdraw himself in a sore dis­pleasure.Gen. 6.3.

Here then being such a free, preventing, irresistible efficiency of a supernaturall power, and a no lesse Gracious concomitant Assistance both of outward meanes, and inward moti­ons, towards the carrying on, and accomplish­ment of our Faith and Repentance, our Con­version and Salvation; The Glory of this Work ought in all Reason to be ascribed to the Divine Grace, as the princi­pall Cause or Author of it.Itaque nec illi debent si­bi tribuere qui vene­rant, quia vo­cati venerūt; nec illi qui noluerunt ve­nire, debent alteri tribu­ere, sed tantum sibi, quoniam ut venirent vocati, erat in eorum libera voluntate. August. lib. 83. qq. q. 68. Agen [...] de invitatis ad coenam. But, if under the conduct of such, no lesse sweet, then powerfull Dis­pensations, there proves to be a miscarriage, to what can we, in justice, impute this unhappy e­vent, or what can we charge the [Page 264] fault upon, but mans own willfull and exe­crable Rebellion?

For we must consider, though the under­standing be inlightned with the knowledge of Supernaturall excellencies, yet it appre­hends still, the whole variety of sensuall or carnall Goods, the will,Adde here­unto, that which the British Di­vines do a­verre [de Art. 3, & 4. pa. 133. pr.] Per versita­tem sive resi­stendi poten­tiam remo­ [...]am & in a­cta primo po­sitam, in suà amarà radi­ce, etiam in Renotorum coluntate de­li [...]escere, un­de pronitas ad resisten­dum motibus spiritus S. v. locum. (though impowered to do better,) hath a li­berty to embrace them; and both the understanding and the will have a naturall Inclination (tend­ing also to their own ease and Pre­servation) to gratifie the Infirmi­ties of their neighbouring Appe­tites, whose objects being at hand to affect and tickle the senses, with the soft insinuations and relishes of their immediate presence, have a great advantage over spiritual ob­jects, which are remote at a huge distance, and out of sight to flesh and bloud; yea and over the chief Good upon a like Account (whom being enjoyed would transcendent­ly fill, satisfie and swallow up all our most insatiable Appetites;) Hence it comes to passe, that ma­ny times Sense finds too great an indulgence with the more noble Faculties, and being preferrd above it's rank the Objects [Page 265] thereof are entertained with too inordinate a complacency; So that, we observe, how men, though irresistibly convinced of the truth and excellency of things Spirituall, yet once bewitched with the charmes and pleasures of these (for want of Mortification and a Main Guard, they pursue the enjoyments of them so eagerly, that they can brook no check. Ʋideo meliora, proboque, Deteriora sequor.

When men are not able to resist the Spirit speaking to their understanding by way of Conviction, Act. 6.10. they will Rebell against the light thereof,Job. 24.13. and abuse the Liberty of their will, to resist the Holy Ghost; Act. 7.51. And having grieved this Good Spirit so long, till they have made him, even weary of striving with them, no marvell he com­plains so bitterly of such perversi­ties; Mat. 13.15. This peoples heart is waxed grosse, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eies, and heare with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

That this was most unquestionably the Ca­tholick Doctrine of the Church for the First three hundred years after Christ,Par. 1. pag. 154. in Mar. we have M. Baxters own acknow­ledgement, [Page 266] in his Saints Rest. ThusLib. 2. de vocat. Gent. c. 9. Saint Ambrose brought it to mens choice: Igitur sicut qui crediderunt, juvantur, ut in fide maneant: sic & qui nondum crediderunt, ju­vantur, ut credant. Et quemadmodum illi in sua habent potestate, ut exeant, & isti in sua habent potestate, ne veniant. As they which have believed, are assisted, that they may continue tn the faith: so they also, who have not yet believed, are assisted, that they may be­lieve. And as they have it in their power to de­part (from the faith), so these also have it in their power, not to come, (or accept of it). Saint Austine, the Great Champion of Di­vine Grace, he brings it (in our sense) to mans choice too; even in that book [De Li­tera & Spiritu,] which was oppo­sed to the Pelagians: Cap. 34. Nemo habet in potestate quid veniat in mentem, saith he, sed consentire vel dissentire propriae vo­luntatis est. What shall (be represented, or) come into his mind is not in mans power, but it is in his power, to consent to it, or dissent from it. And in his Book de Dogmat. Ec­clesiast. Cap. 21. Initium salutis nostrae a Deo miserante habemus; ut acquiesca­mus salutiferae inspirationi, Nostrae est Pote­statis. We have the beginning of Salvation from Gods mercy; to assent unto his saving inspiration, and acquiesce in it, is in our own po­wer. [Page 267] And in L. 1. Retract. he hath these words;Cap 22. Alio loco di­xi, &c. I have said in some other place, that except a man change his will, he cannot work that which is Good, which, the Lord teacheth, us, to be placed in our own power, where he saith, Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or the tree evill, and his fruit evill: which, saith he, is not against the grace if God which we preach; for it is in mans po­wer to change his will for the better; but that power is none, unlesse it be given of God, of whom it is said, He gave power to them, to be the sons of God. By which words 'tis evi­dent, his judgement was, that the same man, under the same helps, hath it in his power and liberty to bring forth good or bad fruit. And Hierome writing against the Pelagians, saith, Etiam his, L. 3. Ad­vers. Pelag. qui mali sunt futuri, dari potestatem Conversionis & Poenitentiae; There is a power of Conversion and Repentance, given even to such as will be wicked. It is in our power, saith S. Bernhard, not to be over­come, Serm. 5. de quedrages. and in this Spirituall war­fare, none of us can be conquered against his will. Thy Appetite O Man, is put under thee, and thou shalt rule over it. Thy e­nemies may make a commotion, and levie some forces of Temptations, but it is in thy power, [Page 268] if thou wilt, (to make peace with them, or give battle to them) to give them thy Consent, or to deny it. It is in thy power, if thou wilt, to make thy enemy thy servant, that all things may cooperate to thy advantage. If these testimo­nies be not sufficient to give the Reader satis­faction, he may find abundance more, if he consults Grotius his Disquisitio, An Pelagiana sint ea Dogmata, &c.

Nay, doth not Master Baxter himself preach this Doctrine unto his people, in his po­pular Sermons? What means that part of his Application,Pag. 54. in his [Making Light of Christ,] where he tells his Hearers; I come now to know your Resolution for the time to come. What say you? Do you mean to set as light by Christ and salvation as hitherto you have done? and to be the same men after all this? I hope not. Oh let not your Ministers that would fain save you, be brought in as Witnesses against you to condemn you. At least, I beseech you put not this upon me. Why Sirs, if the Lord shall say to us at Judgement, Did you never tell these men, what Christ did for their soules, and what need they had of him, and how nearly it did concern them to look to their salvation, that they made light of it? We must needs say the Truth: Yea Lord, we told them of it as plainly as we could; we would have gone on our knees to them, if we [Page 269] had thought it would have prevailed; we did intreat them as earnestly as we could, to consi­der these things: They heard of these things every day; but alas, we could never get them to their hearts: they gave us the hearing, but they made light of all that we could say to them. And in the Preface of your Call to the UN­CONVERTED, you tell them, Our Prea­ching and Persuasion, and your Hearing and Considering, are the appointed means to get this Morall Power or freedome, that is, to make you truely willing. You know these have no other way of operation, but, what is Morall, which may be rejected or embra­ced; and therefore if there be not a Superna­turall power sufficient (in actu primo) con­fer'd upon men, with a liberty to reduce it in­to act, which they may freely use or suspend, to what end are all these exprobrations of their neglect? And yet we must account them Rationall, (and that cannot be but upon supposition of such power and Liberty) be­cause we find them used by our Saviour Christ, with a denunciation of woe against such contemners;Mat. 11.20. to 24. Then began he to upbraid the Cities, wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto thee Cho­razin, woe unto thee Bethsaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been [Page 270] done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have re­pented long agoe, in Sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of Judgement than for you. And thou Capernaum which art ex­alted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodome, it would have remained untill this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodome in the day of Judgement, than for thee. By which severe intermination and as­severation of our Saviour, it appears, that if God had afforded the men of Tyre and Sidon, or those of Sodome, that Grace which he granted to the Cities of Chorazin and Beth­saida, they would have repented. But this Grace was not any quality or motion deter­mining the will by a Physicall, or irresistible operation: for if it had been such, they whom Christ so bitterly reproved and threat­ned, for Non-conversion, had been infallibly converted. This Grace therefore did but im­power, and (bringing the matter to their choice,) assist and solicite them, morally to em­brace it; which solicitation and assistance, they obstinately rejected, when they had it in their power and at their liberty, freely to cooperate with it, to their effectuall conversi­on. Our Saviour gives us another Emphati­call [Page 271] Instance in the men of Nineve, Mat. 12.41. where he tells the Scribes and Pharisees, The men of Nineve shall rise in Judgement, with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jo­nas, and behold, a greater than Jonas is here. How was our Saviour greater than Jonas? in respect of his person, or office onely, and not also in respect of the efficacy of his Ministe­ry? He was full of Grace,Psal. 45. had the words of eternall life, taught with Authority,John 1. Grace came by him. Was Jonas a better Preacher than our Saviour? Did a more efficacious Grace of the Spirit accompany his Ministery, than did that of the Son of God, who came from heaven to seek and to save that which was Lost, by calling them to repentance? The horrour that follows the conception of such a blasphemy, will not suffer any sober Christian bosome to entertain it. Yet the men of Ni­neve repented at the preaching of Jonas: But that generation did not repent at the Ser­mons of the Son of God. Was this through any defect in Christs Dispensations? No; The administration of Grace here by him was more abundant than that of Jonas. The fault therefore lay in their abuse of their power and liberty, in opposing new contumacy and obstacles to these more Gracious Dispensati­ons. [Page 272] To this purpose Prosper, writeth ex­presly, (lib. 2. De vocat. Gent. c. 26.) The Grace of God, saith he, is principally pre­eminent in all our Righteousnesses, persuading us by exhortations, moving us by examples, ter­rifying us with dangers, inciting us by mira­cles, giving understanding, inspiring Counsil, and inlightening the heart it self, and imbru­ring it with affections of faith: but the will of man is also subjoyned and conjoyned to it, which is excited by the foresaid helps to this end, that it may cooperate to the Divine work in it self, that it may begin to exercise toward the attain­ment of rewards, (ad meritum), what through the (power of the) supernall seed it concei­ved, towards an endeavour [ad studium], ha­ving it from its own mutability, if it fails, from the help of grace if it proceeds. Which help is applyed to All, by innumerable wayes whether hidden or manifest, and that it is re­jected of many, is their own wicked fault: but that it is received of many, is both of the di­vine grace, and mans will. I shall shut up this with an Instance out of Ful­gentius, In libr. de Praedest. & Grat. c. 15. framing a comparison be­twixt Nebuchadonosor and Pha­rao, he saith; In respect of their nature, they were both men; in respect of their Dignitie, they were both Kings; in respect of the Cause, they both kept the people of God in [Page 273] Captivity; in respect of their punishment, they were both chastised and admonished by the rod of Clemency. What was it therefore that made their ends to be so different but this, that one sensible of Gods hand, bewailed the memory of his own iniquity: the other fought against the most mercifull truth of God by his own free­will.

But all this will not serve Master Baxters turne; though he contradicts the faith of Primitive Antiquity, and overthrows, not onely mans naturall liberty, and way of working; but likewise all the commands and exhortations, comminations and promises of Holy Scripture, he will not be satisfied with­out Gods irresistible attingencie of the will to apply and determine it to the very Con­sent or Act of willing; which is that we are now to take into examination.

But to attain Master Baxters meaning may be a matter of some difficulty, he doth say and unsay so often; (which makes many not to regard at all what he saith;) For Physi­call Predetermination he denyes it in this Pre­face; and in his Sermon of Judge­ment, he saith,Section 5. That God doth de­termine all Actions; Answer to the 23, and 24. excuses, (mihi. pag. 242, 243.) Naturall and Free, as the first Efficient Physicall immediate Cause: or else nothing could Act; This Principle, he [Page 274] saith, is most likely to be false. And, that the wil is necessarily and infallibly determined by the Practicall Understanding, which is unresisti­bly necessitated by objects: and therefore what­ever Act is done by my understanding or will is necessitated, and I cannot help it. And, that Liberty is but the Acting of the Faculty agreeably to its nature: And it was God as Creator, that gave Adam his Faculties: and God by providentiall dispose, that Presented all Objects to him, by which his understanding, and so his will, were unavoidably necessitated; This, saith M. Baxter, is of the same nature with the former: Ibid. un­certain, if not certainly false. Were this true, for ought we can see, it would lay all the sin and misery of this world on God, as the unresistible necessary Cause; which be­cause we know infallibly to be false, we have no reason to take such principles to be true which inferre it. I wish Master Baxter had kept him­self alwayes of this minde, and then he had saved me all this labour. But a little after, he tells his Reader, There are other wayes of Determining the Will; which yet he mentions not; But in his first Assize Ser­mon he saith▪ Pag: 9. ‘Christ hath under­taken himself to be a Physitian to the world, (who are now Morally dead in sin, though naturally alive,) to cure all that [Page 275] will come to him, and take him so to be, and trust him, and obey him in the Application of his medicines. He hath erected an Hos­pitall, his Church, to this end; and com­manded all to come into this Ark. Those that are far distant, he first Commandeth to come nearer; and those that are near, he inviteth to come in. Too many do refuse and perish in their refusall. (And your do­ctrine declare they cannot do otherwise.) He will not suffer all to do so, but merciful­ly boweth the wills of his Elect, and by an insuperable powerfull drawing, Compells them to come in. So that we have an insuperable compulsory determination.’ And yet in his foresaid Sermon of Judgement, He tels us,Ʋbi supra. The will of man in its very Dominion doth bear Gods I­mage. It is a self Determining Power, though it be byassed by Habits and needs a Guide. If a Guide would serve Master Baxters turne, we are content to allow him out; not an Ignis fa­tuus, but a Lantern that doth direct the un­derstanding infallibly, and besides this, a reall influx, that after the manner of a Physicall Cause, inclines the will to Act: But he must have such a one as doth controull and Deter­mine the will to Act and Operate, (notwith­standing the Dominion over its own Acts, which he seems to ascribe to it) which we [Page 276] think not onely unnecessary, but, in the or­dinary course of Gods providence, very ab­surd, inconvenient, and of dangerous Conse­quence to be affirmed.

1. That it is unnecessary is evident by Gods complaint, Isa. 5.4. Judge I pray you between me and my vinyard. what could I have done more to my vinyard, that I have not done to it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wilde grapes? That God administred all things necessary and sufficient (not in Master Baxters sense, of suf­ficiencie which is unsufficient) to this effect, appears, by his expectation of grapes (of good workes;) for the All-wise God doth not, he cannot, expect to gather grapes of thorns or figgs of thistles; and to expect conversion and good works from them, who have not grace necessary and sufficient to their production, is as unreasonable as to expect a Bird should fly without wings, or a man goe without leggs. But here was no determining Grace administred; for then they would have been infallibly converted, and have brought forth good works. Therefore such Determining Grace is not necessary.

2. As it is unnecessary, so it is inconveni­ent; For (1.) it overthrowes that Dominion which (by Master Baxters own confession) the will hath over its own Acts, and destroyes [Page 277] its Connatural manner of working; For it puts a necessity, in order of Nature and Cau­sality, Antecedent to the Act of the will, so that all Praerequisites put in order, the will hath not a simultaneous power (that may be reduced into Act) to Act otherwise, or a po­wer to want that operation, to which it is so determined; which takes away the liberty of the will quoad exercitium, in regard of the exercise of it.

2. It destroyes the proper nature of duty, for a Duty is a work perform'd conformably to a command, for his Authority sake, who doth command it; that giving proof of our free obedience, we may avoid the Penalty, and gain a Right to the Reward, upon which the Command is established. This cannot be agreeable to the nature of that work to which God doth irresistbly determine the will; for 1. though the work be conformable to his command; yet it cannot be properly said to be done because of his Authority, but because he doth insuperably determine it. 2. The doer (or rather the sufferer) gives no proof of his free obedience, because he cannot do otherwise. 3. This can procure him no right to the reward, because it is not thank-worthy, (as the Phrase is,1 Pet. 2.19.20.) beeing no part of a free obedi­ence. And 4. upon what Title can it free a [Page 278] man from punishment? For we see God doth over-rule such as become the Rod of his an­ger,Isa. 10.5, 6, 12. and directeth them to do his work, (according to his Secret, which the Calvinists account his onely proper will) and yet when that work is done, he casteth the Rod into the Fire.

But M. Baxters Determining Grace hath the Doctrine of the Synod to justifie it, in making Faith and Conversion, Repentance or Regeneration (for the termes are promiscu­ously used here) no part of mans work or du­ty. For the Synod saith, That Regeneration &c. is a work, for the mightinesse thereof, not inferiour to the Creation of the world, or rais­ing up the dead, quam Deus sine nobis, [...] & 4. de Convers. Art. 12. in nobis operatur, which God without us, worketh in us, and (they say) that Faith, whereby we are first converted,Ibid. Art. 14 & Reject. 6. and from which we are styled Faithfull, is really inspired and infused into the will; Ibid. Re­ject. 8. and that God, in regenera­ting a man, doth employ the strength of his Omnipotency, powerfully and infallibly to bow and bend his will to Faith and Conversion. And in this work saith M. Baxter Of Saving Faith. pag. 20., the Spirit is as the Hand, the Object and Word as the Seal, the Act of [Page 279] impression on the Intellect is first in Order of nature, and so upon the Will the impressed Act and Habit immediately are effected by it. Is this Faith and Conversion (thus wrought) Gods or mans? It may be called Mans in regard of the Possession of it after it be wrought: but in regard of the efficiency, the production is so meerly a piece of New Creation, that it can in no sense be accounted a part of Mans Morall duty. For this is not performed by man because Gods will com­mands it; but wrought in him, because Gods power imprints it. And then

3. This will evacuate the force of the Mi­nistery, the use of Commands, and exhortati­ons, expostulations and reproofs. For how can you in Gods Name seriously command a man, under pain of death and promise of life, to do that (as his duty,) which you teach him to believe, that God will insuperably ef­fect himself? If he believes that God must and will do it, by his irresistible determining Grace, he cannot reasonably believe that he doth seriously require it as his duty; because it implyes a contradiction, that God should at once will an effect to be done by another, and yet will to do it himself alone. What do your Ministery then amount unto? 'Tis but the Revelation of what God will do in mens souls, like the Angels Message to the Blessed [Page 280] Virgin (Luk. 1.30. with 35.) Fear, not for thou hast found favour with God; for the Ho­ly Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore that Holy thing▪ that Faith and Repentance, that shall be borne of thee, shall be called the work of God. Thus you may signifie to your Beloved Disciples what God will doe for and in their souls; But if you should attempt the use of exhortations, &c. to move them to undertake that work as their duty; your exhortations would lose all their force and propriety; for that work, you say, is actu­ally and really of Gods Impression; Now when Gods Omnipotent hand of Grace sets the Determining Presse on work (which is not mo­ved at all by your exhortations, they being directed onely to souls that are merely Pas­sive under it) that work (of Faith and Repen­tance) is stampt upon them irresistibly. And can it consist with Gods wisdome to attaque a Sinner thus; If you will be wrought upon, and converted and believe, as the force of my insuperable Grace shall irresistibly determine you, you shall be saved? And can you find in your heart, to exhort your Auditors, and to fall down upon your knees to them (as you say, many times you would do) to intreat and beseech them, not to wrastle with Omni­potency, but to suffer themselves to be moved [Page 281] and determined by it? And can you threaten woe and eternall death to others, if they be not thus determined, telling them withall, (which is a part of your Gospel Truth,) that there is no other internall Grace designed for them, but what is specifically different from that, administred to determine the will of the Elect? Is this a Doctrine according to Godlinesse? or were this a good way of Prea­ching? Yet this is exactly according to the sense of your School-Divinity, if you would deal ingenuously and speak without aequivo­cation.

But if you come to expostulate with your Hearers in good earnest, what rationall evasi­ons and subterfuges doth this Doctrine af­ford them to repell the force of all such Expo­stulations? For whereas you apply your self (in your Sermon Of Making light of Christ, Pag. 59, 60. &c.) to try them, whether they will not make light of him hereafter; and demand of them, ‘1. Will you for the time to come, make Christ and salvation the chiefest matter of your care and study? 2. Will you for the time to come, set more by the word of God, which conteins the discovery of these ex­cellent things, and is your charter for salva­tion, and your guide thereunto? 3. Will you for the time to come esteem more of [Page 282] the Officers of Christ, whom he hath pur­posely appointed to guide you to salvation? 4. Will you for the time to come make con­science of daily and earnest prayer to God, that you may have a part in Christ and sal­vation? 5. Will you for the time to come resolvedly cast away your known sins, at the command of Christ? What say you? Are you resolved to let them go?’ To all these Quaeries you have furnisht them with a rea­dy Answer; They will tell you, (and with great Reason, according to your Doctrine,) yes; if God shall, not onely bring it to their choice: but also insuperably determine their will thereunto.Ibid. p. 63, &c. The like Answer will they return to your demands that follow; ‘6. Will you for the time to come serve God in the dearest as well as in cheapest part of his service? not onely with your tongues, but with your purses and your deeds? 7. Will you for the time to come make much of all things that tend to your salvation, and take every help that God offereth you, and gladly make use of all his Ordinances? 8. Will you do all this with delight, not as your toile, but as your pleasure?’ They will tell you, Yes; if God shall vouchsafe, not onely to bring it to their choice, but insuperably determine their wills to it. In like manner are all Gods most [Page 283] Patheticall and earnest invitations to con­version put off by this Master Baxters Deter­mination, and made frustrate; For example, Zac. 1.3. Turne ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, Mal. 3.7. and I will turne unto you, saith the Lord of hostes. And Revel. 3.20. Behold! I stand at the doore and knock, if any man will heare my voice, and open the doore, I will come in to him and sup with him, &c. The sinner is taught by Master Baxters Doctrine to Answer, Alas! Lord, how can I turn? how can I open! Do not illude and mock at the impotencie of a poore sinner; for seeing Conversion and the opening of the heart cannot be peracted, unlesse I do determine my self to it: and seeing I am indif­ferent and undetermined to Act, it cannot be that I should determine my self unto Conversion, unlesse thou doest first, in orderOrdine causalitatis divinum o­pus praece­dat, nostra o­peratio se­quutur, ne­cesse est. Brit. Divin. Act. Syn. par. 2. p. 131. f. of na­ture and causality, determine me to the same conversion, and that by some such potent and insupera­ble motion, as I neither have, nor can obtain by any Act of mine, if thou hast not decreed to conferre the same upon me.