GOd hath two wills, a reuealed will towards vs, Medit. on the Lords prayer. and that will is here vnderstood; hee hath al­so a secret will in his eternall counsell, where­by all things are gouerned, and in the end made euer to turne to his glory: often-times drawing good effects out of bad causes, and lightout of darknesse, to the fulfilling either of his Mercy, or Iustice, &c. The first Article of the Apostles Creed teacheth vs, that God is Almightie, how euer Vortius and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall Decree, and secret will, making things to bee done in this world, whither he will or not.

Wee doubt not but that their Ambassadors which Declar: against Vorstius. were with vs about two yeares since, did informe them of a fore-warning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make vnto them in Our name, to beware in time of seditious and hereticall Preachers, and not to suffer any such to creepe into their state. Our principall mea­ning was of Arminius, who though himselfe were lately dead, yet had he left too many of his disciples be­hinde him.

Wee had well hoped that the corrupt seed which that Ibid. enemy of God, Arminius, did sow amongst you some few yeares since (whose disciples and followers are yet too bold, and frrequent within your Dominions) had [Page 2] giuen you a sufficient warning, afterwards to take beede of such infected persons, seeing your owne Countrey-men already diuided into factions vpon this occasion, a matter so opposite to vnitie (which is in­deed the onely prop and safety of your state next vn­der God) as of necessitie, it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine, if wisely you doe not prouide against it; and that i [...] time. Thus while his Maie­stie is an enemie to the enemies of Praedestinati­on, he is a friend and protector to that Doctrine, whose enemies he doth oppose.

The Articles of Ireland agreed on in his Maie­sties Articl. agreed on anno 1615. Raigne, cannot bee thought to containe any other Doctrine, but such as was approued by his Maiestie. In them we reade.

The cause mouing God to praedestinate to life, is not Num. 15. the fore-seeing of faith, or perseuerance, or good works, or of any thing which is in the person praedestinated; but ONLY the good pleasure of good himselfe. For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his Glory, and his Glory being to appeare both in the workes of his Mercie, and of his Iustice, It seemed good to his heauenly wisdome, to chuse out a certaine number, towards whom hee would extend his vnde­serued Mercy, leauing the rest to bee spectacles of his Iustice.

And that wee may yet more punctually know this Doctrine there allowed by Him, to bee verily his owne Doctrine, we reade thus from his owne Dictates.

God drawes by his effectuall Grace, out of that at Medit on the Lords prayer. tainted and corrupt masse, whom hee pleaseth for the [Page 3] worke of his Mercy, leauing the rest to their▪ owne wayes which all leade to perdition.

Praedestination and Election dependeth not, vpon Conference at Hampt. Court. any Qualities, Actions, or Workes of Man, which bee mutable, but vpon God his eternall, and immutable Decree and Purpose.

PRaedestination to life▪ is the euerlasting purpose of Article 1 [...]. God, whereby before the foundation of the world was laid, hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vs, to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring, them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour, wherefore they that be in­dued with so excellent a benefite of God, bee called ac­cording to Gods purpose, by his spirit working in due season, they through grace▪obey that calling, they be iustified freely, they be made sonnes of God by adop­tion, they be made like the image of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ, they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by Gods mercie, they attaine▪ to euerlasting Felicitie.

Vpon the Articles of the Church of England, Master Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-Bishop Ban [...] ▪ See the Epistle▪ De­dicatorie where hee affirmeth these propositi­ons to be main­tained by the Church of Eng­land. there is set forth an Analysis of these Articles, re­soluing them into propositions; which propositi­ons he saith are maintained and approued▪ by the [Page 4] authority of the Church of England: and this A­nalysis, vpon this Article of Praedestination thus inferreth.

Hereby is discouered the impiety of th [...]se me [...] [...]hich thinke, that▪m [...]n doth make himselfe eligible for the [...]. Proposition. kingdome of heauen. And that, God beheld in euery man whether he would vse his grace well, and beleeue the Gospell, or no, and as hee saw a man affected, so did praedestinate, chuse or refuse him.

But the Analysis it selfe plainely according to the Article rectifieth this disorder, and makes Iustification, Sanctification, and Glorification, to flow from Praedestination; so that Praedestina­tion depends not on them.

Diuers be the effects of Praedestination; but chiefe­ly 7. Proposition. it bringeth to the elect Iustification by Faith in this life, and in the life to come, Glorification; alwayes a conformitie to the Image of the only begotten Sonne of God, both in suffering here, and inioying immortall glorie hereafter.

The heauenly wisedome of our Church in this point, is so fully and plainely expressed by her selfe, that shee needes not to bee iustified of her children, yet ex abundanti, I adde one or two Testimonies, but first admonishing the Reader to take notice of the Doctrine of the Church of Ireland, before set downe, and withall to be­ware that hee thinke not two Doctrines to bee taught in these Churches but one.

Before Augustines time, many great and worthy Doctor Field of the Church. lib. 3. cap. 9. Prelates and Doctors of the Church, not hauing occa­sion to enter into the exact handling of that p [...]t of [Page 5] Christian Doctrine, did teach that men are Predestinate▪ for the fore-sight of some things in themselues. And Au­gustine himselfe in the beginning of the conflicts with the Pelagians, was of opinion; that at the least for the fore­sight of Faith, men are Elected to Eternall life, which af­terward he disclaymed as false and erroneous, and taught that mans saluation dependeth on the efficacie of that grace which God giueth, and not his purpose of sauing vpon the incer [...]tainty of mans will. This Doctrine of Augustine was receiued and confirmed in the Church against the Pe­lagians and Semi-pelagians.

Thus is our Doctrine the Doctrine of the Church, vpon aduise and due examination: the other Doctrine is the errour of those that had not duely entred into the exact handling of this point. Now to follow an errour, when the truth is vpon due tryall cleared and brought to light, brings that sentence to passe which Vincent. Li [...]m. cap. 11. Lirmensis pronounceth. Absoluuntur Magistri, condem­nantur discipuli. The Masters▪ are freed, and the Schol­lers are condemned. For the one erred by infirmitie, and wanting the occasion of not-erring; the others erre out of more wilfulnesse, and stumble in the day time, hauing a faire occasion of not-erring, of not-stum­bling.

Doctor Fr: White Deane of Carlile acknowledgeth the Doctrine of St. Augustine, to bee the Doctrine of the Church of England, in these words.

Although our Tenet concerning Praedestination, bee no Reply to Fisher. pag. 275. other then Saint Austin and his Schollers maintained a­gainst the Pelagians.

Now Saint Austins opinion is presently to appeare in his owne words, as defore it hath beene shewed by [Page 6] Doctor Field. And in the point of Free-will we shall see that the most learned and iudicious King IAMES, yeelds this consent by name to the same Saint Augu­stine. Thus is there a perfect harmonie betweene this great King, the Church of England, and the Catholicke Church; which that wee may more euidently see on the part of the Catholicke Church, behold here what shee teacheth by her chiefe Fathers, Doctors, and Teachers.

NVm putatis (ô Viri) nos unquam haec in Scripturis Iustin Martyr Dial▪ cum Tryph. Iud. intelligere potuisse, &c. Doe you thinke (O men) that wee could euer haue vnderstood these things in the Scriptures, except wee had receiued grace by the will of God, who willed that wee should vnderstand these things? of which grace you being destitute (that is, the Iewes) haue vnderstood none of them, that it might be fulfilled, which is taught by Moses: They haue prouoked me by strange Gods, &c. And I will prouoke them by that which is no Nation. Dialog. cum Tryph.

Nos elegit Deus, &c. And againe, God Elected vs, and was made manifest to them that sought him not. Behold, saith hee, I am the God of a Nation, which God anciently promised to Abraham, when hee told [Page 7] him that he should be the Father of many Nations.

Elegit Deus non natura, &c. God did Elect, not those Iraneu [...] lib. [...]. cap. 34. that are better by nature, but those that are worse. Id. lib. 3. cap. 33.

Praedestina [...]it Deus, &c. God Predestinated the first naturall man, that he should be saued by the spirituall man: And hee proues his saluation to be necessaey. Cap. 38.

Ne (que) ad hoc pretijs aut ambitu, &c. Neither is there Cyprian [...] Mors. need of money, industry, and mans hand, that mans chiefest dignitie or power, should be gotten by some excellent worke, but it is the free and ready gift of God. As freely as the Sunne shineth, the Fountaine watereth, the showre moystneth, so doth the heauen­ly Spirit Powre it selfe into vs.

Iacobus Apostolus docuis, &c. Iames the Apostle Athanaesius, Cent. Arrian. 4. hath taught: Of his owne will begate hee vs by the word of truth: therefore of all the regenerate, yea, and of all that by creation were generated, it is the will of God by the word of God that doth create, and regenerate whatsoeuer pleaseth him.

Quoniam animarum Medicus, &c. Because the Phy­sitian Hillary in Psal. 48. of soules came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance, therefore hee ORDAINED, that whatsoeuer was worst in euery company, should bee soonest CALLED. The worst of all men that in­habite the earth, were the Heathen, and they are pre­ferred first to be Called.

Non volentis, &c. Perseuerance is not in him that Ambrose in Psal. 118. Serm. 10. willeth, nor in him that runneth. For it is not in the power of man, but in God that sheweth Mercie, that thou shouldst be able to accomplish, that which thou hast begun.

Et si longe est à peccatoribus salus: &c. And againe. [Page 8] Though saluation befarre from the wicked, yet let [...]. Serm. 20. no man despaire, because many bee the Mercies of God. Those that by their owne sinnes are perishing, by the Mercie of God are freed. I will haue mercie (saith he) on whom I will haue mercie. He hath ap­peared plainely to them that sought him not, he hath called those that fled from him.

Non eliguntur Paulus, &c. Paul and those which are Hierrme ad Ruffin. lib. 1. like him are not Elected, because they were holy and vnspotted, but they are Elected and Praedestinated, that in their liues afterward in good-workes and ver­tues, they might be holy and vnspotted.

But though before this time the Fathers had not clearely discouered, nor deliuered the Doctrine of Praedestination, it ought to be no preiudice to the Doctrine. For

What need is there, that we should bee driuen to Austin. de prae­dest. Sanct. cap. 14. search the workes of those who before this Haerisie (viz. of Pelagius) arose, had no necessitie to busie them­selues in this question, so difficult to bee resolued: which yet surely they would haue done, if they had beene enforced to answer this kinde of men.

Yet he also sheweth that this Doctrine was euer (at least impliedly) in the faith of the Church.

Let him say, that the Church had not at all times De bono perseuer. cap. 23. in her Faith, the truth of this Praedestination and Grace, which now with more diligent care is defen­ded against the new Haeretickes; let him, I say, affirme this, that dares to say that shee did not at all times pray, or that she did not sincerely pray, both that vn­beleeuers might beleeue, or that beleeuers might perseuere.

His owne opinion is to be found in many of his works; [Page 9] wherefore I onely produce one or two places for patternes.

De his quibus poenam seueritas iusta decreuerat, &c.

Out of those to whom the seueritie of Iustice ad­judgeth De praedest & ▪ gra. cap. 13. punishment according to the vnexpressible Mercy of his secret dispensation, he chose out vessels which he might fit vnto Honour, both deliuering some from wrath to come by a free calling, and lea­uing other to the sentence of Iustice.

Miseretur scilicet magna bonitate, &c. Hee hath Enchirid. al Laurent▪ cap. 99. Mercie with Goodnesse, hee hardneth without iniu­stice; so that he that is freed may not boast of his merits, neither he that is damned may complaine of any thing but his merits. For Grace alone differen­ceth the Redeemed from the Lost, whom one com­mon cause deriued from the roote, had vnited toge­ther in one masse of destruction.

Praedestinationem Dei nullus Catholicus, &c. The Prae­destination Prosper ad capit▪ Gall. capit. 1. of God no Catholicke doth deny.▪Now the faith of Praedestination is established by manifold authorities of the holy Scriptures, yet vnto it, it is not lawfull to ascribe, any of the sinnes of men, who came to their pronenesse vnto sinne, not by Gods cre­ation, but by their first Fathers transgression. From the punishment whereof, no man is freed, but only by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ; prepared and Praedestinated in the eternall counsell of God, before the foundation of the world.

Piâ constantique doctrinâ abundanter probauit, (Aug­gustinus) Id. ad excerpt. Genis. Resp. ad. Dub. 9. &c. Augustine by a godly and constant Doctrine abundantly proued, that Praedestination was to be preached to the Church, in which Praede­stination is the preparation of Grace; and Grace is [Page 10] to be preached in which is the effect of Praedestinati­on: and the fore-knowledge of God, wherein hee fore-knewe before all ages, on whom he would con­ferre his gifts. Of which preaching, whosoeuer is an impugner, he is a most open defender of Pelagian pride.

Imò nouerunt, non solùm Romanam, &c. They know Prosper ad Ruffin. that not only the Romane and Africane Church, and all the sonnes of promise, through all the parts of the world, doe agree with the Doctrine of this man ( Au­gustine) as in the whole Faith, so in the confession of Grace.

In his Epistle to Possessor a bishop of Africke, seeking Homesda Bishop of Rome. counsell of him concerning the reading of the bookes of Faustus, That the Catholike Church doth maintaine the Doctrine of Saint Austine, and particularly name his writing to Hillarius and Prosper, in which the Do­ctrine of Free Praedestination is maintained and de­fended▪

Haec si ita sunt vt haeretici iactitant, &c. If things Petrus Diaconus de incar. & gra. Christi. goe so as the Heretickes boast, then haue they com­prehended the vnsearchable, and incomprehensible iudgements of God, &c. And the Scriptures de­ceaues vs which saith, that the iudgements of God are incomprehensible. But we beleeuing them to be incomprehensible doe affirme, that out of one masse of perdition, some are saued by the goodnesse and grace of God, and others are forsaken by his most iust and secret Iudgement.

Deus qui hominem condidit, &c. God who made man, Fulgentius de Incar. & gra. in fine. by his Praedestination fore-appointed to whom hee would giue the gift of illumination to beleeue; and [Page 11] the gift of perseuerance to profit and persist, and the gift of glorification to raigne, who no otherwayes performed in Deed, than he hath ordained in his vn­changeable Will. The truth of which Praedestination by which the Apostle witnesseth, that we are Praede­stinated in Christ before the foundations of the world; if any man refuse to receaue with the beleife of the heart, or to speake with the confession of his mouth, if before the last day of this present life, hee doe not cast off the stubbornesse of his error, where­by he rebelleth against the true and liuing God, it is plaine that hee doth not pertaine to their number whom God in Christ freely chose, and Praedestinated before the foundation of the world.

Nemo ergo perscrutari appetat, &c. Let no man bee Gregory the great. Moral. in Iob, lib. 29. cap. 15. earnest to search why one is chosen, when another is reiected, or why one is reiected when another is cho­sen: because the face of the deepe is couered, and Saint Paul himselfe witnesseth, that his iudgements are vnsearchable, and his wayes past finding out.

There is a two fold Praedestination, either of the Isidore. Hispalensis. Seut. lib. 2. cap. 6 Elect vnto rest, or of the Reprobate vnto death. Both are done by the iudgement of God; so that hee euer causeth the Elect to follow heauenly and inward things, and by forsaking the Reprobate, he suffereth them to follow earthly and outward things.

Beda expoundeth the ninth to the Romanes, in the sense and sentences of Saint Austin, and therefore concurreth in the same Doctrine of Praedestination.

Praedestinatio non solùm bo norum est, &c. Praedesti­nation Anselme. de Con­cor. praesc. & pradest. is not only of good, but it may be said also of euill, as God is said to doe the euill which hee doth [Page 12] not, because he permits it. For he is said to harden a man when he doth not soften him, and to lead into tentation when he doth not deliuer. Therefore it is not vnfit that hee should thus Praedestinate, while he doth not amend euill men, nor their euill deeds. But yet he is said more specially to foreknow good things; because in them, he makes that they be, and that they be good: but in the euill things he makes but their being, not the euill of their being.

Nonergo ideo misertus est Deus, &c. God did not Idem in Rom. 9. take mercie on Iacob, because hee willed and runned: but therefore Iacob willed and runned, because God had mercie on him. Let it be sufficient for thee who yet liuest by Faith, and not seeing perfectly, but know­ing only in part, to know and beleeue that God doth saue none but by free Mercie, nor damne none but by most righteous Iustice. But why hee saues or not saues, this man rather than that man, let him search who will looke into the great depth of Gods iudge­ments, but withall let him take heed, that hee fall not downe head-long.

Ius meum voluntas est Iudicis. &c. My right is the Bernard. in Cant. Ser [...]. 14. will of the Iudge. What more Iust for Merit? What more rich for reward? May not he doe what he will? Mercie indeed is shewed to me, but to thee is done no iniurie. Take that which is thine, and goe thy way. If he haue Decreed to saue me also, why wilt thou destroy me? Talke what thou wilt of thy Me­rits, extoll thy labours, the Mercie of God is better then life. P. Lombard o [...] Master of Sen­tences▪ lib. 1. Dist. 41▪ D.

Plegit eos quos voluit gratuitâ Misericordia, &c. God Elected whom he pleased by free Mercie, not because [Page 13] they would be faithfull, but that they might be faith­full. And hee gaue them grace, not because they were faithfull, but that they might bee. For the Apostle saith: (1 Cor. 7.) I obtained Mercie, that I might bee faithfull. He saith not, because I was faithfull. Grace is indeed giuen to the faithfull, but it is also giuen first that he may be faithfull. So also he reprobated whom he pleased, not for any future merits, yet by a most true Iustice, though hidden from our eyes.

Manifestum est, quòd id quod est gratiae, &c. It is ma­nifest Thomas Aqui­na [...]. part. 1. q. 23. art. 5. that Grace is an effect of Praedestination, and that cannot bee put as a cause of Praedestiuation, which is shut vp vnder Predestination. God would shew his goodnesse on some whom he Praedestinated in sparing them by way of Mercie; and on those whom hee Reprobateth in punishing by way of Iustice. And this is the reason why he chuseth some, and reprobateth others. But why hee chuseth these vnto glory, and reprobateth those, there is no reason to be giuen but the will of God.

Non est talis causa prohibens, &c. There is no such Bradwarden the profound. De Causa Dei. lib. 1. cap. 39. cause, either forbidding the will of God, or causing it, by which an answer may be giuen, why hee loued this man, or hated that man.

Vocetur Praedestinatio bonorum, &c. Let the Praede­stination Id▪ lib. 2. cap. 45. of the good bee absolutely called Praedesti­nation; and the Praedestination of the euill, Repro­bation. And then Praedestination may be thus descri­bed: Praedestination is an euerlasting fore▪ appoint­ment of finall Grace in the way, and euerlasting hap­pinesse in the Countrey (or home) to the reasonable creature, by the will of God.

[Page 14] Hic quart [...] concludit, quod vtramque, &c. Hee con­cludes, Gorran in Rom. 9. that both Election and Reprobation, depen­deth on Gods good pleasure, saying, Therefore hee hath Mercy on whom he will, &c. Because freely hee hath loued Iacob, and reiected Esau, hee hath Mercie on whom hee will by giuing Grace; and hee hard­neth whom hee will, not by imparting wickednesse, but by not giuing Grace. Whereupon Saint Austin: As the Sunne in departing farre from the earth, doth harden Ice, not by imparting coldnesse, but by not giuing heate.

Ago sum qui cunctos condidi Sanctos, &c. I am hee Thomas Cam­pensis de Imit. Christi. lib. 2. cap. 63. that made all Saints. I gaue them Grace. I bestowed glorie. I know all their good workes. I preuented them in the blessings of my sweetnesse. I fore knew my beloued before all ages. I Elected them out of the world, and they did not prae-elect mee. I called them by Grace. I drew them by Mercy. I led them through manifold tentations. I powred into them glorious consolations I gaue them perseuerance, &c. I am to be blessed and honoured in them all, whom I haue so highly glorified and Praedestinated without any fore­going good workes of their owne.

Gratia Praedestination is in divinis literis, &c. The Cassander end [...] in the end of this Doctrine. C [...]nsult. Art. 18. Grace of Praedestination is so greatly commended in the word of God, and Ecclesiasticall writers, That those who are indued with Faith in Christ, and with good workes springing from that Faith, may not a­scribe these things to themselues, but vnto God, and to the Grace of his diuine Praedestination, and Fle­ction, and so may glory in the Lord, and not in them­selues.

THe only way for enabling vs to doe it (viz. the will Medit on the Lorde prayer. of God) is by our earnest prayer to God, that he will enable vs to doe it, according to that of Saint Augustine, Da Domine quod iubes, & iube quod vis.

And lead vs not into Tentation) the Arminians can­not Ibid. but mislike the frame of this petition, for I am sure they would haue it, And suffer vs not to be led into tenta­tion, &c. Saint Augustine is the best decider of this que­stion, to whom I remit me.

The Reader is referred in the margent to Saint Au­gustine thus:

Aug: de Praedestinatione Sanctorum, De dono perse­uerantiae contra Pelagianos & passim alibi. Now Saint Augustines Doctrine of Free-will is shortly to follow.

Our next generall petition is, That his Kingdome may Ibid. come, &c. That in the meanetime, his will may bee done on earth, as it is in Heauen; The effect, which the King­dome of Heauen in this Earth will produce.

The nature of man, through the transgression of our Declar. against Vorstius. first parents, hath lost Free-will, and retayneth not now any shadow thereof, sauing an inclination to euill, those only excepted whom God of his meere Grace hath sancti­fied, and purged from this Originall Leprosie.

It sufficeth vs to know that Adam by his fall lost his Meditation on the Lord▪ pray­er. Free-will, both to himselfe, and all his posteritie, so as the best of vs all hath not one good thought in him, except it come from God, who drawes by his effectuall Grace, out of that attaynted and corrupt masse, whom hee pleaseth, for the worke of his Mercie.

THe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, Article 10. that hee cannot turne and prepare himselfe, by his owne naturall strength, and good workes, to Faith and calling vpon God. Wherefore wee haue no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of Godby Christ preuenting vs, that wee may haue a good will, and working with vs when wee haue that good will.

Here wee see first, the seruitude of the Will vnder sinne in the state of naturall corruption. There is an impossibilitie of turning and preparing by naturall strength; and secondly the power of Grace on the Will in conuerting it; the Grace of God by Christ, doth so effectually preuent vs, that it makes vs to haue a good will.

And as the Church teacheth vs this Doctrine, by Articles, so doth shee also teach and confirme it by practice. For in her Liturgie shee plainely acknow­ledgeth, both the slauery of the Will vnder sinne, and the effectuall power of grace on the Will. Concer­ning the bondage of the Will vnder sinne, it is said in a Collect: The frailtie of man without thee, cannot but fall. And in the Catechisme. Know this that thou are not able to doe these these things of thy selfe, nor to walke in the Commandements of God, and to serue him, without his speciall Grace.

And concerning the efficacie of Gods grace on the Will in turning and changing it, the Church di­rectly makes it the foundation and ground-worke of [Page 17] diuers prayers: yea, in expresse tearmes she acknow­ledgeth Gods effectuall power on the Will to bee the ground of a prayer for the King. Almightie and euer­lasting God, wee be taught by thy holy word, that the hearts of Kings are in thy Rule and Gouernance, and that thou dost dispose and turne them, as it seemeth best to thy godly wisdome. In which words Gods effectuall power on the Will is laid as the ground, and now see the pray­er built vpon it, which is of the same substance.

Wee beseech thee so to dispose and gouerne the heart of our most gracious King and Gouernor, that in all his Thoughts, Words, and Workes, hee may euer seeke thy Ho­nour and Glory. There is also another for the King in the Letany, That God would so replenish him with the Grace of his Spirit, that hee may alway incline to his Will and walke in his Way.

In which prayers, our Chur [...]h both obeyeth the Scripture, and performeth her dutie: but on the other side it is considerable, whether that Doctrine bee not a kinde of Betraying and Disloyalty, that denies these prayers, by denying the effectuall power of God on the will of man. For how can he pray for the efficacy of Gods power on the will of his Soueraigne, that be­leeues no such efficacie of Gods power to be at all on the Will?

Againe, the efficacie of Grace is yet more general­ly acknowledged by our Church, as wee may see in these patternes taken out of her Liturgy. By thy speci­all Grace preventing vs, thou dost put into our mindes good desires. Againe, Lord wee pray thee that thy Grace may preuent and follow vs, and MAKE vs continually to be giuen to all good workes. And againe, O God for­asmuch [Page 18] as without thee, wee are not able to please thee, grant the working of thy mercy may in all things direct and rule our Hearts. But omitting diuers others, I adde these following, to shew that the efficacie of Grace, doth not onely moue our wills to good, but establisheth vs in goodnesse. Giue vs grace that we be not like children, carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine, but firmely to be established in the truth of the holy Gospell. (To which prayer in these times especially it will not be amisse to say Amen.) Againe, Almighty God which doest MAKE the mindes of all faithfull men to bee of one Will, grant vnto thy people that they may loue the things, which thou commandest, and desire that which thou doest promise, that among the sundry, and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where as true Ioyes are to be found.

To conclude, the Letany is a president of diuers pat­ternes; one while praying for the King, That his heart may be ruled in the Faith, feare, and loue of God: and another while, That the Church may be ruled and gouer­ned vniversally in the righs way. And againe, that God will bring into the way of truth all such as haue erred, and are deceiued. Now these prayers while they begge of God, that good desires may bee put into the heart, that hearts may bee disposed and turned by God, &c. they doe plainely acknowledge the efficacy of Gods grace on the wills and hearts of men. For when they begge that Gods Grace may worke such effects; they acknowledge such effects to be the proper and kindly workes of Gods Grace.

PErdidit nos liber a Voluntas, &c. Free-will hath vn­done Tatianus Assiri­us. Orat. Co [...]t. Gentes. vs; and we who were Free, are now brought into bondage, and sold by sinne.

Spiritus Sanctus assu [...]scit, &c. The Holy Spirit vseth Ireneus, lib. 3. cap. 19. to dwell in Man-kinde, and to dwell with Men, WOR­KING the will of God in them.

Quando rogamus ne in tentationem veniamus, &c. Cyprian de Orat. Dom. When wee pray that we doe not goe into Tentation, we are admonished of our owne infirmitie and weak­nesse by this prayer; lest any man should insolently extoll himselfe, lest any man should proudly, and ar­rogantly ascribe any thing to himselfe, &c.

Dei est, inquam, Dei omne quod possumus; inde viui­mus, inde pollemus, &c. Idem epist▪ prima.

It is Gods, I say, it is Gods, All that wee can doe: Id epist. 1. thence we liue, and thence is our strength.

Retributione bonitatis ac pietatis paternae, &c. The Id. epist. 77. Lord by the Retribution of his goodnesse, and Fa­therly kindenes, rewardeth in vs, that which himselfe hath wrought, and honoureth that which himselfe hath perfected. For it is of Him, that we overcome, and that the enemie being subdued, we doe attaine to the victorie of a most mightie combate.

Quicquid à nobisrectè geritur, &c. Wee must take Basil de vi [...]. Solit▪ cap. 17. heed, that whatsoeuer is well done of vs, our soule doe ascribe the causes of our vertue vnto the Lord, ascri­bing NOTHING to our owne POWER.

[Page 20] Vt decor animae fiat, & efficax, &c. That there may [...]l. in Psa. 29. be Beautie in the Soule, and a power effectuall vnto those things that are necessary, there is need of Di­vine Grace.

Anima omnis humana, maligno seruitutis iugo, &c. Id. in Psal. 4 [...]. Every Soule of man is subiect to the miserable yoke of bondage, vnder the common Enemie of man­kinde, and being deprived of the Freedome of her Maker, she is carried away captiue, by reason of sinne.

Quaniam igitur humana natura à boni iudicio fraude Gregorius Nylle­nus de Orat. Dou [...]ica. inducta aberrauit, &c. Because humane nature, being seduced by subtiltie, erred from the true iudging of good, and inclined our Will to the contrary, all mis­chiefe inuaded the life of man, and brought it into the power thereof, &c. Because we were incompassed and inthralled by this tyrannie, being brought into bondage of death by the incursions of our affections and perturbations as it were by certaine executioners and enemies, therefore doe wee rightly pray, That the Kingdome of God may come vpon vs. For wee cannot otherwise put off, nor avoide, the wicked Power of corruption, vnlesse the quickning power in steed thereof doe get dominion in vs. If then we doe pray, that the Kingdome may come vpon vs, by the force of these words wee doe begge; Let me be freed from corruption, let me be deliuered from death, let me bee loosed from the bands of sinne, that death reigne no longer ouer me, that the tyrannie of sinne and wickednesse, be no longer effectuall against vs.

Libertatem sui (que) potestatem ac propriam voluntatè, &c. Id. ib. Man changed the freedome, & power of himselfe, and his own Will, with the heauy and noysome slauery of sinne.

[Page 21] Q [...] Christum f [...]quitur, &c. Hee that followeth [...]. Christ, if he be asked why hee would be a Christian, he may answer, because it was my Will. Which when he saith, he doth not denie, that it was Gods Will al­so▪ For the Will of man is prepared▪ of God, it is Gods grace, which causeth that God is worshipped of a Saint.

Quando dicit, Nemo potest venire me, &c. When he Hierome adr. Pelag. 3. saith, No man can come vnto mee, he breaketh the proud freedome of Will; which if it would goe vnto Christ, vnlesse that bee done which followeth, ( Except my heauenly Father draw him) it shall will in vaine▪ and striue in vaine. And this is also to be noted, That he which is drawne, doth not runne of his owne accord, but is brought, either drawing backe, and slowe; or vnwilling.

Libero arbitrio malè vtens homo, &c. Man abusing Augustine, En­cher. ad Laurent. cap. 30. Free-will, lost both it and himselfe. For as hee that kills himselfe, kills himselfe by life, yet by killing him­selfe comes not to liue; neither can raise himselfe vp againe, when hee hath killed himselfe: so likewise when by Free-will sinne was committed, sinne ouer­comming, Free-will it selfe was lost: for of whom a man is ouercome, to him hee is in bondage. This is verily the sentence of the Apostle Peter: which be­ing true, what can be the liberty of a bond-slaue, but onely a delight in sinning? Hee serueth God freely, who willingly doth the will of his Lord. And by the same reason hee is free vnto sinne, that is the seruant of sinne. Wherefore he shall not be free vnto Righ­teousnesse, except being freed from sinne, hee begin to be the seruant of Righteousnesse.

[Page 22] Et si homines [...] bona, q [...]pertinem, &c. Although Idem▪ de Pr [...]dest. Sanct [...] cap. 10. men doe those good things which belong to the wor­ship of God; it is Gods doing that they doe what he commanded. Therefore these things are comman­ded to vs, and yet are shewed to be the gifts of God, that it may be vnderstood, that they are our workes, yet God worketh that we doe worke them.

Tantum quippe Spiri [...] Sancto accenditur voluntas▪ &c. Their will is so much kindled with the Holy Ghost, Ide [...]do correp. & gra. cap. 12. that therefore they are able to worke because they will; and therefore they will, because God worketh that they will.

Plenissimê declaratur omnia, &c. It is most fully de­clared, Prosper de voc. gent. lib. 1. cap. 9. that all things which pertaine to the obtaining of life etenall, without Gods grace, can neither bee begun, increased, or perfected; and any election, that boasteth of Free-will, that sentence of the Apostle doth most invincibly withstand, when he saith, who hath discerned thee?

Si quis vt à peccato purgemur, &c. If any man do [...] [...] Councell cap. 4. affirme, that our Will doth seeke God, that wee may be purged from sinne, and doth not confesse that by the infusion of the Holy Ghost, and his working in vs, it is wrought that wee should Will to bee purged, he resisteth the Holy Ghost, saying by Salomon: The Will is prepared of the Lord; and he resisteth the Apostles wholesome teaching: It is God that wor­keth in vs, both to Will and to doe, of his good pleasure.

Quoties bona agin [...]s, De [...]s in nobis &c. As often as Ibid 9. we doe any good workes, God in vs, and with vs, worketh that we worke.

[Page 23] [...] peccati, nunc s [...]rvus Iustiti [...], &c. Yee were before the seruants of sinne, now the seruants [...]. Scem▪ 1 14. of righteousnesse, &c, Sinne before falsly said that thou wast a free-man▪ when it held thee a wretched bond-man. But Grace no [...] calleth thee a seruant, whom truly to make free, shee hath adopted to bee a sonne of God.

Quid enim aliud potuit, &c. What can bee borne of Petrus Diaco­nus de Incar. & gra. cap. 6. a seruant but a seruant? For Adam did not beget sons when he was a free-man, but when hee was a seruant of sinne. Therefore as euery man is of him, so euery man is by him the seruant of sinne.

Regnante peccato habet liberum arbitrium, sed liberum Fulgentius de Incar. de gra▪ cap. 19. fine Deo, &c. When sinne raigneth, man hath Free­will, but free without God, and therefore miserably, and slauishly free, because not made free, by the free gift of Gods Mercie. This the Apostle doth euident­ly insinuate, saying: When yee were the seruants of sinne, yee were free vnto Righteousnesse. Therefore hee cannot be the seruant of Righteousnesse, which is free vnto Righteousnesse, because as long as hee is the seruant of sinne, he is not found fit to serue any thing else but sinne. From this slauery of sinne no man is made free, but he that is freed by the Grace of Christ our deliuerer; that so being freed from sinne, he may become the seruant of God.

Ipso fatit vt faciamus, &c. God worketh that wee Id. de praedest. ad Meximum lib. 1. worke, by whose working in vs▪ all the good that wee doe, is wrought. Of whom it is said to the Hebrews: Let him make you perfect in euery good worke, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight.

Ad indignam mente veniens Deus, &c. God comming [Page 24] to an vnworthy soule, makes her worthy by comming Greg. Mag. [...] ▪ [...]. [...]. cap. 22. to her; and worketh in her those workes which hee may reward▪ though hee found NOTHING in her but that which he might punish.

Profectus hominis Dei d [...]numest, &c. The profiting Isidore Hispal. Sent. lib. 2. cap 5. of man is the gift of God. Neither can any man bee amended of himselfe, but of the Lord. For man hath not any thing of his owne that is good, whose way is not his owne, as the Prophet witnesseth: I know Lord that the way of man is not his owne.

Aguntur Spiritu Dei, vt & ipsi, &c. Men are actua­ted Anselme in Rom. 8. by the Spirit of God, that they may act that which is to bee done, and when they haue done it, they may giue thankes, to Him by whom they were actuated. For the Spirit of God which actuateth them, is both their leader and helper in their actions.

Verba non sunt mea, sed Apostoli, &c. They are not Bernard de lib. arb. & gra. my words but the Apostles, who attributes all the good that may possibly be, vnto God, and not to his owne Will; euen to thinke, to will, and to doe. If then God worketh these three things in vs, (that is, to thinke good, to will it, and to performe it) he worketh in vs, the first indeed without vs, the second with vs, and the third by vs. For by sending in a good thought he preuenteth vs; by changing our wicked Will, hee ioynes it to him by consent, and by giuing power to our consent, this inward WORKER, shewes him­selfe outwardly in our manifest worke.

Post peccatum ante reparationem, &c. After sinne, and [...]. Lombard. lib. 2 dist. 25 Ex Hug. de S. Vict. before the restoring of Grace; the Will is oppressed, and ouercome of concupiscence, and is weake in euill, and hath no grace in good, and therefore it can sinne, [Page 25] and it cannot chuse but sinne, and that damnably.

Operans Gracia, est quae praeuenit, &c. Working, (or Id. lib. 2. dist. 26. [...]. operating) Grace is that which preuenteth the good Will: For by it the Will of man is freed, and prepa­red, that it may bee good, and that effectually it may will good. But cooperating Grace followeth the Will when it is good, in helping it.

Gracia Dei mecum ostendit vt spepo, quòd ipsa est cau­sa Bradwarden de causa. Dei. lib. 1. cap. 40. efficiens, &c. The Grace of God with mee, I hope will shew, that Grace is properly the efficient cause of euery good act: I meane Grace freely giuen, which is an habite poured into the soule freely by God. Ver­tue, and chiefly the chiefest vertue, Grace of Charity is no selfe EFFECTVALL than Vice. But Vice effecteth euill acts, wherefore Grace or Charity effe­cteth good acts. And that I may say nothing of vices, morally gotten, who doth not know, who doth not feele, what acts one Radicall vice effecteth, that law of the members, that tyrant of nature, that source of sinne, Concupisence, or the lustfullnesse of our flesh, which also the Doctors often call Originall sinne? A witnesse hereof is experience, too common, too forceable. A witnesse also is the Apostle, when hee saith, I am carnall, sold vnder sinne, for what I doe, I al­low not. For I doe not that which I would, but that which I hate that I doe. Seeing then that lust is so violent, so effectuall, so manifoldly actuous, how doth Charity represse, diminish, and ouercome it, if she doe nothing at all, if she moue nothing at all, if shee be altogether idle?

Qua Gratia non noua Voluntas creatur, &c. By which Grace, there is not created a new will, neither is the Cassander Con­sul [...] ▪ Art, 18 [...] [Page 26] will inforced being vnwilling, but the will being sicke is healed, being depraued, is rectified; and is changed from euill into good. And by an inward kinde of motion is drawne, that of vnwilling it may become willing, and may freely consent to the Di­uine calling; and afterward the same Grace coopera­ting, it may obey the will of God, and by the same Grace perseuering in good workes, may also through the same Grace enter into the inheritance of the hea­uenly Kingdome. This Doctrine of the Grace of God and Free-will the sounder Schoole▪men strongly de­fended against the Pelagians, among whom was Tho­mas Brauarden (or Bradwarden) called in his time the profound Doctor, who wrote an excellent worke (which he calleth a summe) against Pelagianisme, in­creasing in his dayes. And how much many of them did attribute to Grace, Bonauenture alone may testifie: This (saith he) is the dutie of godly mindes, that they attribute nothing to themselues, but all to the grace of God, wherein how much soeuer a man doth giue to the Grace of God, hee shall not depart from pietie, though by giuing much to the Grace of God, hee take away something from the power of Nature, or Free-will; But when something is taken away from the Grace of God; and that is giuen to Nature which belongs to Grace, there may be danger.

ABout the same time one Be [...]tius a Scholler of the late Declar. against Vorstiue. Arminius (who was the first in our Age that infe­cted Leyden with herisie▪) was so impudent, as to send a letter vnto the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, with a booke intit [...]led de Apostasia Sanctorum. And not thinking it sufficient to auow the sending of such a booke (the Ti­tle whereof onely were enough to make it worthy the fire) hee was moreouer so shamelesse▪ as to maintaine in his let­ter to the Arch▪ bishop, that the Doctrine contained in his booke, was agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England. Let the Church of Christ then iudge, whether it was not high time for Vs to bestirre Our selues, when at this Gangrene had not only taken hold amongst Our nee­rest Neighbours, so [...] Non solùm paries proximus iam ardebat, not onely the next house was on fire, but did also beg in to creege into the bowels of Our owne Kingdome.

It is true, that it was Our hard hap not to heare▪ of this Arminius before hee was dead, and that all the Reformed Churches of Germanie had with open mouth complained of him. But as soone as Wee vnderstood of that distracti­on in your State, which after his death hoc left behinde him, Wee did not faile (taking the opportunitie when your last extraordinary Ambassadors were here with Vs) to vse some such speaches vnto them concerning this matter, as We thought fittest for the good of your State, and which [Page 28] Wee doubt not but they haue faithfully reported vnto you. For what need Wee make any question of the A [...]gancy of these Hereticks, or rather▪ Atheisticall Sectaries [...] you, when one of them at this present remaining in your Towne of Leyden, hath not onely presumed to publish of late, a blasphemous booke of the Apostasie of the Saints, but hath besides beene so impudent as to send the other day a copie thereof as a g [...]odly present to our Arch-bishop of Canterbury, together with a letter wherein hee is not ashamed (as also in his booke) to lye so grossely, as to [...] that his Heresies contained in the said booke, are a­greeable with the Religion, and profession of the Church of England. For these respects therefore haue wee cause enough very hartily to request you, to roote out with speed, those Heresies and Schismes, which are beginning to bud forth amongst you, which if you suffer to haue the Reynes any longer, you cannot expect any other issue thereof, then the curse of God, infamy throughout all the Reformed Churches, and a perpetuall rent and distraction in the whole Body of your State.

His Maiestie doth exhort you, seeing you haue hereto­fore [...]id. taken Armes for the libertie of your Consciences, and haue so much indured in a violent and bloudie warre, the space of fortie yeeres for the profession of the Gospell, that now hauing gotten the vpper hand of your miseries, you would not suffer the followers of Arminius to make your actions an example for them to proclaime to the world, that wicked Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints.

It is all worthy of deepe consideration; and a­mong, (if not aboue) the rest. 1. The opinion that this great and wise King had of this Doctrine of The Apostasie of the Saints. Hee saith of a booke so intitu­led; [Page 29] The Title [...]re enough to make it worthy the fire. And he call [...] him Hereticke and [...] that published this booke. The booke also Hee termeth, A [...] of the Apostasie of the Saint [...]. And by his Ambassadour He calls it, That wicked Doctrine of the Apostasie of the Saints. 2. What agreement this booke and Doctrine had with the Doctrine of the Church of England. Here of the King saith, Hee was shamelesse to maintaine in his letter to the Arch bishop, that the Doctrine contained in his booke was agreeable with the Doctrine of the Church of England. And a­gaine, A letter wherein he is not ashamed (as also in his booke) to lye so grossely, as to auow that his Heresies con­tained in the said booke, are agreeable with the Religion and profession of our Church of England. 3. The dan­gers that arise from this kinde of Doctrine. Arminius left behinde him a distraction in the State, And, you cannot expect any other issue thereof, then the curse of God, infamy throughout all Reformed Churches, and a per­petuall rent and distraction in the whole Body of your State. 4. The councell that was both taken and giuen hereupon. It was high time to bestirre our selues, when as this Gangreene, had not onely taken hold on our neerest Neighbours, but did also begin to creepe into the bowels of Our owne Kingdome. And, For these respects therefore haue Wee cause enough, very hartily to request you, to root out with speed these Heresies, and Schismes, which are beginning to bud forth amongst you.

I may adde hereunto the Doctrine of the Articles of the Church of Ireland, which fitly may here be in­serted, as both looking to King Iames, vnder whose Authority and protection it came forth, and was [Page 30] maintained, and looking to the Doctrine of the Church of England, since it were an intollerable and impudent iniury, to the wisdome and religious know­ledge of those times, to say that betweene them there was not a harmonie.

All Gods elect, are in their time inseparably vnited vn­to Article of Ire­land: Num. 33. Christ, by the effectuall and vitall influence of the Holy Ghost, deriued from Him, as from the Head, vnto euery true member of his Mysticall Body.

A true, liuely, iustifying Faith, and the sanctifying Num. 38. Spirit of God, is not extinguished, nor vanisheth away in the Regenerate, either finally, or totally.

THe Church of England teacheth the certaintie of Saluation, and she hath done it so constantly and and generally, that it will be very hard to produce any one of her Sonnes, that durst (before very late dayes) to affirme and defend to the contrary, by any pub­like worke and writing. Shee hath taught this Cer­taintie by her owne Articles: Shee hath re-enforced it by an exposition of Her Articles, it hath beene ex­plained and enlarged, by Articles of Lambeth, it hath beene taught by Her most eminent Sonnes, the Reve­rend Fathers the Bishops of this Church, and the Professors of Divinitie, who are trusted by her, to deliver her true thoughts, and Tenents in Divinitie to her children. And wee see that it hath also beene [Page 31] sealed vp and settled in Articles of the Church of Ireland, betweene which Church, and the Church of England, to make a contraritie and opposition is a thing of extreame danger and absurditie.

And first for her owne Articles. In the Article of Praedestination, our Church teacheth the Certaintie of Saluation diuers wayes. One way, by making Sal­uation to depend on such a constant and sure Election, that it bringeth the Elect constantly to Salvation. A constant Decree of Election, brings the Saints con­stantly & assuredly through the way of Saluation, vnto the wayes end, even Salvation it selfe. This constant bringing of the Elect to Saluation, wee may finde in these words.

God hath constantly Decreed by his Counsell secret to Article. 17. vs, to deliuer from Curse and damnation, those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of Man-kinde, and to bring them by Christ to euerlasting Saluation.

From hence is it plaine and easie to argue.

Those whom God hath constantly Decreed to bring to Salvation, they are constantly and certainly brought to Saluation.

But here God hath constantly Decreed to bring his Elect to Saluation.

Therefore the Elect of God are constantly and cer­tainely brought to Saluation.

And that this bringing to Salvation, is not in the wayes end only, but in the way it selfe, the particu­lars by which the Elect are brought to Salvation plainly shew, which are to follow in the next conside­ration. But here by the way, let vs note, that this bringing to Salvation, by a constant and certaine [Page 32] Decree, carries with it a certaine, and assured Salvati­on, even by the confession of the Enemies of it. For in this very respect, because it induceth a certaine and constant Salvation, they reiect it; as that which cros­seth their inconstancie and mutabilitie of Salvation. This Doctrine of certaintie crosseth their doctrine of Incertaintie, and therefore their doctrine of incer­taintie, crosseth and reiecteth this doctrine of Cer­tainty. For well they know that it must be a certaine Saluation, which is wrought and brought to passe by a constant and absolute Decree of Election. There­fore to plant this Apostacie, and that men though E­lected, may haue leaue to fall from Saluation if they will, they make an Election, which follow [...]th a man, vpon the condition of his sore-seene perseverance. So that as in the doctrine of our Church, a constant De­cree of Election, constantly bringing to Salvation must needs withall giue a finall perseverance in the state of grace, their Doctrine not enduring this con­stant perseuerance and saluation, issuing from a con­stant Decree of Election, haue deuised an Election that waites vpon man, to see whether hee will giue to himselfe finall perseuerance, by his owne Free-will. An Election by which no man is actually Elected vntill hee be no man, that is, vntill hee be parted the soule from the body. But (as I said before) our Do­ctrine may be knowne to be a Doctrine of Certaintie, that doth oppose and reiect this falling away, because the fallers away doe oppose and reiect it, there being indeed an incompatibility betweene, a constant De­cree, that brings men constantly to Saluation; and a dependant and contingent Decree, that waites on [Page 33] mans vncertaine Will, to see whether his will will fi­nally perseuer, and so bring his owner to Election.

A second way, by which our Church teacheth the certaintie of Saluation in this Article is this; Because shee sayeth the same grounds that St. Paul doth, when hee planteth and buildeth a certaintie of Saluation. Yea, shee almost vseth the same words. Saint Paul, first in a generall sheweth that there is a constant and vninterrupted progresse of good and happinesse to the Saints that loue God, and are called of his pur­pose. This generall hee makes good by particulars; for hee bringeth them in as proofes of the generall. Therefore hee begins with the word, For: For whom her did fore-know, hee also did praedestinate to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne, whom hee did praedestinate them he also glorified. Behold, the Apostle hath made good his generall by these particulars. His generall of the constant good and happinesse of the Saints, is proued by these particulars, because God from his first fore-knowing or taking notice of them, neuer leaues doing them good from one degree of good to another, vntill hee hath brought them to eternall glory and blessednesse. So that this place is no other but a proofe of the constant and vndefeasable happi­nesse of the Saints. Now let vs see how our Church doth paralell this Doctrine of Saint Paul with the Doctrine of her Article. Our Church first in the ge­nerall teacherh, that God by his constant Decree bringeth his Elect to Saluation; And then shee also descends to particulars in the like manner. Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God, be [...]alled according to Gods purpose, by his Spirit working in [Page 34] due season; they through grace obey the calling; they hee iustified freely; they be made sonnes of God by Adoption, they be made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Ie­sus Christ; they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by Gods mercy they attaine to euerlasting felicitie. Behold here also the particulers, by which that gene­rall bringing to Saluation is perfited, so that to ioyne both together; The businesse of Saint Paul and our Church is both one, or rather the purpose and busi­nesse of Saint Paul is the purpose of our Church, euen to shew that the Saints and Elect are constantly and infallibly brought to Saluation and happinesse by Gods loue and Election. And indeed there is such a continued, and indissoluble chaine beginning in Gods purpose and Decree, and not ceasing vntill it bring the Saints to Gods to be glorified, that there is no roome, nor gappe for this full and finall Apostasie to breake in, and interpose it selfe.

And that wee may be yet more sure, that this place of Saint Paul, did intend this very thing to proue the infallible, stedfast, and perpetuall blessednesse of the Saints; as before it hath appeared, both by his gene­rall position at his entrance, & after by the particulars in his progresse, so it may also most fully appeare, and strongly (for a three-fold cord cannot be broken) by the vse that he makes in his egresse. It were too much to stand vpon each particular of his inference and application: I will take notice of a few. First, he tri­umphs like a conqueror, beholding the safetie and assured victory of the Saints: What shall wee then say to these things? If God be for vs, who can bee against vs? God is for the Saints all the way from the first fore­knowledge, [Page 35] vnto the finall glory, what Arminius or Bertius can make any Apostacy to be against vs, when God is throughly for vs. God being stedfast with vs from Election to glorification, no interloper can come in with intercision to cut off and put a sunder this continued chaine of happinesse, which God hath ioynd together and guardeth all the way. And that yet more plainly you may see that this was St. Pauls very meaning and purpose, behold it in his owne words, Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ? See here a challenge sent to the whole world, for hee defieth any thing that would seeme to seperate Gods beloued from the loue of God. Wherefore let the Arminians take heed how they come within Saint Pauls defiance. For the truth is, they doe vndertake to accept Saint Pauls challenge, and giue an answer to his question; for when Saint Paul saith, Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ? They answer, that there are many things that may seperate Saints from [...]he loue of Christ. But let them take heed how they make St. Paul their aduersary. For it concernes them neerely to agree with this aduersarie while they are in the way lest their aduersary deliuer them to the iudge, &c.

Neither is Saint Paul contented to defie their Apo­stacy & separation only by way of a question in gene­rall termes, but he passeth on to particulars and most weightie ones, which (if any) might cause an Apo­stacy and separation of Saints from the loue of God. But both these particulars he denyeth to bee able to separate, yea, generally all or any creature hee deny­eth to bee able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus. Here also I will spare to insist on euery [Page 36] particular; but I desire the Reader to consider of [...] few of them which I thinke include all other, if the rule be true, that the greater includes the lesse. First▪ Life and Death cannot separate vs. Now the Author of Apostacy himselfe could say, Skin for [...]kin, and all Iob. 24. that a man hath will he give for his life. Touch therefore his bone and his flesh, and hee will curse thee to thy face. But both the example of Iob and the Doctrine of Saint Paul shew that death, nor paine doe not separate the Saints from the loue of God. For Iob will trust in God though hee kill him; and Paul saith, That in all thos [...] things wee are more then conquerors. Now if this maxi­mum terribilium cannot separate the Saints from the loue of God, what can lesser terrors doe? surely they can separate lesse.

But here by the way, let me giue a note of instru­ction, or at least remembrance, to the Doctors of A­postacy, that in this case of Iob and other Saints, of whom S. Paul speaketh, it is God that loued vs who makes vs to conquer, and not our owne Free-will: for certainly, if God did not hold vs by his loue, but wee held him only, there were quickly an end of the businesse; death and many things else would sepa­rate vs from the loue of God. Especially if among those many things, wee take notice of those that fol­low: Angels, Principalities and Powers. These are the mightiest creatures of all, and yet these cannot sepa­rate vs from the loue of God. Now if these that ex­cell in power cannot separate vs, how can any lesser, and inferior powers separate vs? But here also wee must carefully and humbly acknowledge, that we haue no defence, safetie and securitie against these mighty [Page 37] powers, but the preuailing power of God, which as­sisteth those whom he loueth, and makes them con­querors, For these are the sonnes of Anah, of whom it is said, who can stand against the Sonnes of Anah. This is the strong man whom none can binde but one that is stronger then hee. And indeed this is the very cause of our ouer comming if we beleeue S. Iohn, Be­cause 1 Ioh. 4. [...]. hee that is in vs, is greater then hee that is in the world. Therefore Gods constant loue is still to bee lookt vnto, as the only cause of our safetie, which keepes our wills by grace against these ouer-mightie enemies; and wretched were wee, if our wills were put to keepe themselues by grace. For then if we were but as Adam, these principalities and powers would prevaile with vs as with Adam, especially having a body of sinne about vs which hee had not. But the only cause of our standing against these principalities, vnder whom Adam fell, is the constant loue and pur­pose of God; By that as S. Paul saith, We are more then 2 Cor. 1. 21. conquerours, and thence it is, that Principalities and Powers cannot separate vs from the loue of God. And as by this constant loue of God we are constantly and safely preserued from separation and Apostasie, so let our constant saftie ever acknowledge this constant loue and purpose of God to bee the cause of it. But both this safetie and the cause of this safetie the tea­chers of Apostasie doe denie, so robbing God of the glory of mans stabilitie, and robbing man of the safe­tie and stabilitie which hee hath from God. Finally, that yet wee may know our selues to be fully and fi­nally safe, the blessed Apostle is not contented to speake of safetie from separation and Apostacie onely [Page 38] in the present time, but he denies Apostacie, beth by future things, and in the future time. Nor things pre­sent, nor things to come, &c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God. Behold a finall and full perseue­rance in safetie, for things present cannot separate vs, and things to come shall not be able to separate vs, yea, no other creature, that is, nothing can separate vs, and therefore not the Arminians.

A third way by which our Church in this Article doth teach Certaintie of Saluation is this: shee saith that the consideration of Election doth establish in the Saints a Faith of their saluation to bee enioyed through Christ. For the Saint finding in himselfe the mortifi­cation and vivification of the Spirit, hence ascendeth vp to the knowledge, view, and consideration of his Election, and from this constant Election hath a sta­ble and sure Faith that hee shall enioy eternall salua­tion in Christ. Now from hence plainly issueth this argument.

That saluation is certaine, whereof there is an esta­blished Faith.

But there is an established Faith of the Saluation of of the Saints.

Therefore the Saluation of the Saints is certaine.

The first proposition cleareth it selfe by its owne light. For there is not an established Faith of vncer­taine and fallible things; but of certaine Yea, if there were no other word but the word of Faith, this Faith presumeth and p [...]esupposeth a certaine and infallible truth, for the obiect of it: and consequently in this place a certaine and infallible saluation of the Saints.

The second proposition is raysed plainly out of the [Page 39] words of the Article. For the consideration of Ele­ction is there said, vpon the view of Sanctification to establish a Faith of Saluation to be enjoyed.

Wherefore I may conclude in the words of the ninth Article.

There is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are baptized.

Which the Article of Ireland thus resembleth;

Howsoeuer for Christs sake, there be no condemnation Num. 34. to such as are regenerate and doe beleeue.

The first of which is a position of our Sauiour: They that beleeue and be baptized shall be saued: They Mark. 16. 16. are not onely now in the state of Saluation, but they shall hereafter be saued, for hee that beleeueth shall not Ioh. 5. 24. see condemnation. And the other resteth on the saying of Saint Paul, who saith that to the Saints there is no condemnation; For the Law of the Spirit of life which Rom. 3. is in Christ Iesus, freeth a Saint from the law of sinne and death. Now if a Saint bee free from death, who can make him a bondslaue of death? This were flatly to affirme that which the Apostle denyes both here and else-where. Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to Rom. 8. 15. feare againe, but the spirit of Adoption; by which wee cry Abba Father: And if a sonne, then no more a seruant: Behold Saint Paul saith, wee haue not receiued the spirit Psal. 46. 7. to feare againe, who then dares to put vpon the Saints a spirit of bondage to feare againe? and Saint Paul saith by the Spirit of God, If a sonne, then no more a seruant: And how dares flesh and blood to say, if a sonne, yet againe a seruant? But let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free, neither let vs againe be intangled with the yoke of bondage. [Page 40] Let vs say with Saint Paul, once a sonne, and no more a seruant; once a sonne, and a sonne for euer. And indeed Christ himselfe saith, That a sonne abides in the house Ioh. 9. 35. for euer, onely let vs remember, that therefore we are deliuered from this feare and house of bondage; That Luk. 1. 74. being deliuered from our enemies wee might serue God without feare; In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues. Our safety is giuen vs mainly 1 Ioh. 3. 3. for an incouragement to holinesse: For hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure.

And now that it may appeare, that I haue not wre­sted a priuate sense out of these publike Articles, let vs see whether the same truth hath not beene publikly taught by others.

There is a worke (formerly alledged) which hath this Title, The Faith, Doctrine and Religion, professed and protested in the Realme of England, and Dominions of the same, expressed in thirtie nine Articles, the said Articles analysed into propositions, &c. This worke was made by a Chaplaine of Doctor Bancroft, late Arch­bishop of Canterbury, and to his Grace Dedicated. But it is well knowne Arch-bishop Bancroft did not fauour any Puritanicall or Schismaticall Doctrine, neither is it to be thought that his Chaplaine, would or durst offer any such vnto him. Neither is it to be beleeued, that he would be so shamelesse as to say to the same Arch-bishop, in his Dedicatorie Epistle, That these Propositions shee (that is the Church of England) publikely maintaineth, if there had beene any Puritani­call Doctrine maintained in them.

Now this Writer, hauing raysed a Proposition vp­on these words of the seuenteenth Article ( constantly decreed) he inferreth.

[Page 41] Wander then doe they from the truth, which thinke, That the Regenerate may fall from the Grace of God, may destroy the Temple of God▪ and be broken off from the [...] Christ Iesus.

The same Doctrine is proued by other Articles, more plainely and punctually vnfolding what was in the former Articles, truly and really contained, though not so manifoldly, no [...] seuerally expressed▪ Neither were these Articles (commonly called the Articles of Lambeth) approued by obscure, priuate, or Schismaticall persons, but by chiefe Fathers of this Church in Eminence and Authoritie. Iohn Arch-bishop of Canterbury, Richard Bishop of London, Richard elect Bishop of Bangor, Doctor Whitaker, and other most learned Diuines.

In these Articles we finde the points of Free Ele­ction, Finall perseuerance, and certainty of Saluation embraced by the Fathers of our Church; and parti­cularly in these which follow.

The cause which moued God to praedestinate some to life, was not the foresight of their Faith, or of their Per­seuerance, or of their Good workes, or of any thing else which is to be found in men praedestinate, but Gods meere good will and pleasure.

A true, liuely, and iustifying Faith, and the Spirit of God which sanctifieth, is neither finally, nor totally ex­tinct in the Elect, it failes them not, it forsakes them not.

A man truly faithfull, that is, A man indued with a Faith that iustifieth, may bee assured by Faith of the Re­mission of his sinnes, and of his eternall Saluation through Christ.

And now if I should vndertake to bring forth the [Page 42] sayings of those Doctors and Fathers of this Church that haue taught the Perseverance of the Saints and Regenerate, and the Certainty of Saluation ensuing this certaine Perseuerance, multitude would ouer­come me, and exceed the bounds, both of this worke, and the Readers patience. And yet it is also almost an equall difficultie to shew any number that haue publikely (without the cry of the Countrie) main­tained the contrary Doctrine; That is, the Apostacy of Saints, and the Mortalitie of the (Immortall) seed of God. And though some would faine seeke shelter vn­der the shadow of Dr. Ouerall, yet hee doth not only leaue them open to stormes, but his owne drops doe fall downe and batter them. For in the Great, Fa­mous, and Royall Conference at Hampton Court, hee is recorded thus to say for Totall and finall Perseue­rance.

Those which were called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods Election, howsoeuer they might and did sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes, &c. Yet did neuer fall, either▪ TOTALLY from all the graces of God to bee Vt­terly destitute of all the parts and SEEDE thereof, not FINALLY from iustification.

But to set some bounds vnto boundlesse abun­dance, and to auoide both tedious multiplicitie, and meere penurie, I will bring forth some few of our Doctors, as a patterne of the rest; Men that cannot be accused for want of skill to know the Doctrine of our Church, no [...] I thinke of dishonestie, that they should want will to shew it; and most of them were dead before late questions, and dead men are com­monly very vnpartiall Iudges.

[Page 43] The Councell of Trent▪ even that sinfull Counsell▪ in Doctor [...]a­bington Bishop of Worcester. one Canon saith thus, &c. And in a third Canon thus▪ If any man shall say with a firme Certainty, that he shall haue that great gift of Perseuerance to the end▪ vnlesse he hath learned it by some speciall [...] let him [...]ee ac­cursed. Vnto which three wicked Canons, &c. Where this Reuerend Father sheweth it to be the Doctrine of Trent, and withall a wicked Canon, which teacherh this Doctrine, that a man cannot be certaine of finall per­seuerance▪ Exp [...]s▪ on the Cr [...]ed.

Againe. By the spirit of Adoption, and effects of Gods grace agreeable, wee may haue certaine knowledge, that we shall inherite Gods kingdome, which none shall doe but they that continue to the end, and were appointed vnto it, before the beginning of the world. Ibid.

When it pleaseth him to adde that, Hee abideth for euer (that is the Holy Ghost, Ioh. 14. 17.) this comforteth beyond the reach of either penne or Heart. For hereupon it followeth, that sa [...]sure is our saluation with him in that [...] ioyfull kingdome, that wee cannot fall from it fi­nally. For this blessed Spirit is the pledge of our inheri­tance, whereby we are sealed vnto the Day of Redemption: Hee therefore abiding with vs foreuer▪ needs must wee be sure of that whereof he is a pledge and an earnest giuen, which is the very peace of God that passeth all vnder stan­ding. O sweet office therefore of a blessed Spirit. And O thrice blinded men with darknesse of Rome, that will reach vs to doubt of our Saluation. Wee haue this Spirit [...] a pawne▪ and the promise of his abode for euer with vs, though the times may come through grieuous temptations, that wee may not thinke so for a while. Ibid.

Where Finally Hee (that is, the Holy Ghost) is lost▪ he [Page 44] neuer was by Sanctifying grace. Ibid. Whence issues a plaine conclusion, wheresoeuer the Spirit was by Sanctifying Grace, there he is not finally lost.

As for the Blisse and Glory of Heauen, though yet wee Doctor Abbot Bishop of Sa­ [...]isbury. know it not, yet wee know that God hath giuen to vs, the interest and Title of it already, and by Faith doe stand as­sured through the Spirit, that hee will in due time giue vs the full sight and fruition of it. And a little after out of S. Austin, De praedest. Sanct. cap. 17. Hee calleth and iustifieth none but whom hee hath praedestinated vn­to glory, and therefore it followeth, that hee giueth them perseuerance, for the attainement of the said Glory. Cer­taintie of Saluation against D. Bishop.

The same S. Austin saith to his hearers, If there be in you faith which worketh by loue, even now yee be­long to them that are praedestinated, called, iustified. Now sith the faithfull by S. Austens iudgement, doe be­long to them that are praedestinated, called, iustified, it followeth by Saint Austins iudgement, that they are to be assured, that they belong to them that shall be glorified, and therefore shall certainely perseuere; because whom God hath praedestinated, called, iustified, them he hath glorified, as the Apostle saith, and therefore doth S. Austin will the In Psal. 148. faithfull man to beleeue that he shall liue for euer.

But I need not to insist much on particular senten­ces of this Right Reuerend and learned Father of our Church, seeing he hath whole Discourses, of The Certainty of Saluation, and of the Perseuerance of Saints. to which I would rather remit the Reader, that hee may quench his thirst in the Fountaine it selfe. Only I aduertise him, that in the Epistle Dedicatorie to His De pers [...]n▪ San­ctorum. Maiestie (then Prince of Wales) there is a complaint [Page 45] of some of our Divines, that following the by-paths of Arminius, Dogmate etiannum destruant Articulos Religi­on is, quos prius proprià manu confirmarunt. Wherin this Reverend Bishop sheweth vs▪, that Arminianisme (wherof falling from saint-ship or the grace of regene­ration is a part) is the way to destroy the Articles of Re­ligion, And if a Minister write Arminianisme, he writes against those Articles, which he hath confirmed by his owne subscription & writing. So vpon the matter the same hand writes forward & backward for and a­gainst the same things, yea, contrarily and against it selfe. Suffer me also to obserue another saying in the very entrance of that worke. Repertus est &c. There is found one Bartius, a false teacher of Leyden, who was not afraid to set forth a booke execrable in the very Title of it. OF THE APOST ACY of the SAINTS: a man as it seemes of the Schoole of Arminius, whom also the Vorstian liberty of Prophecying (that is, a licenciousnes that growes mad a­gainst wel established Religion) hath transported and per­swaded him, that out of one inch of Noueltie, & most vaine desire of singularity, he should depart from the receiued sen­tence of our Churches. Wherin it may evidently appeare in what contrarietie to the Doctrine of our Church, standeth or rather falleth, this Apostacy, and falling a­way of the Saints.

Augustine saith not, That no man can be sure of perse­uerancet Doctor Fulke. &c. But of perseuerance he affirmeth, ca. 12. De Correp. & gra. To the first man which in that good where­in hee was made right, had receiued that hee might not sinne, that hee might not dye, that hee might not for­sake that good, an ayde of perseuerance was giuen, not whereby it should come to passe, that he should perseuere, but without which he could not perseuere by Freewill. But [Page 46] now vnto the Saints praedestinated by the grace of God, vn­to the kingdome of God, not onely such an ayde of perseue­rance is giuen, but such that euen perseuerance it selfe is gi­uē to them; not only that that they cannot perseuere without this gift, but also by this gift they are not but perseuerant. For he not only said, without me yee can doe nothing; but also he said, Yee haue not chosē me, but I haue cho­sen you, and haue appoynted you; that you may goe & bring forth fruit and that your fruit may abide. By which words he shewed, that hee had giuen them not onely Iustice, but perseuerance in it. For when Christ so appoint­eth them, that they go and bring forth fiuite, and that their fruit should abide who dare be bold to say, peraduenture it shall not abide?) All Christians therefore ought to be assu­red that they shall remaine in the Vine, keepe his Comman­dements, and such like conditions as be required of them. For as S. Augustine saith, He that maketh men good, ma­keth them also to perseuere in good▪ Answ. to the Rhe­mist. Testa. See more there vpon Rom. 8.

Hee held of the Angels, somany as he was pleased, and Doctor Field. suffered them not to decline, and goe a side with the rest, and raised vp and severed out of the masse of perdition, whom hee would among the sonnes of men. The Angels now confirmed in grace, and those men whom in the mul­titude of his mercyes, he deliuered out of the State of con­demnation, and reconciled to himselfe, do make that hap­pie societie of blessed ones, whom God hath loued with an euerlasting Loue. This Societie is more properly named the Church of God, then the former consisting of men and An­gels, in the state of that integritie wherein they were crea­ted, in that they which pertaine to this happy company, are called to the partitipation of Eternall happinesse, with the [Page 47] calling of a more mightie, potent, and preualing grace then the other. For whereas they were partakers onely of that grace, which gaue them power to attaine vnto, and conti­nue in the perfection of all happie good if they would, and then In tanta faelicitate, & non-peccandi facilitate, in so great faelicity, and facility of not offending left to them­selues to doe what they would, and to make their choise at their owne perill, These are partakers of the grace which winneth Infallibly, holdeth Inseperably, and leadeth Inde­clinably, in the wayes of eternall blessednesse.

Without which efficacy of Grace winning Infallibly, hol­ding Inseparably, and leading Indeclinably, no man euer at­tained to saluation; of which who so is partaker shall vn­doubetly be saued. Of the Church. Lib. 1. cap. 3. & cap. 17. Doct Ioh. White

This holy, reuerend and greatly▪learned man, in his Way to the Church, hath a Digression, with this Title. Digres: 41. Intreating of Praedestination, & Freewill as the Protestants hold them, and shewing that their Doctrine concerning thosepoints doth neither make God the author of sin, nor leade men to becareles of their liues, &c. And indeede he excellently proues what he vndertakes, in this Digression. In another, we reade thus.

Perseuerance in good, beginneth not in the will, but in Gods protecting Grace, that vpholds the will from desist­ing: whence it followes that to euery new worke, the will needes a new Grace, as Organs giue sound no longer then while the bellowes are blowing. Against this our Aduersa­ries teach, that a iust man when himselfe will can practise any Righteousnesse, internall, or externall by doing good workes, and keeping Gods Law, neither needes he ordinari­ly a new Grace to excite him, but onely to helpe him; And in case of falling into sin, when it is said, the will cannot [Page 48] cooperate to rise againe, the meaning is, that it cannot do [...] it so easily. And this he calls An impious blasphemy, and sauouring of Pelagianisme. Digress. 42.

The Title of another Digression (43) is this: Prou­ing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary Reuelation, may be and are infallibly assured, that they haue grace, and are in the state of saluation.

There we reade in the Digression it selfe: The manner how we know wee haue grace, and shall be saued, is by the meanes of the holy Ghost, whose worke it is to assure vs (I thinke then it is the euill spirits worke to take away this assurance) the which he doth, first, by producing in vs the effects of sauing Grace, and Praedestination, which i [...] the constant reforming of our life within and without. Whereupon it followes that he which giues himselfe effectu­ally and stedfastly to a godly life, may infallibly bee secu­red thereby of his Saluation, because God whose promises are infallible, hath promised saluation to all such. Where the Reader may note, That the constant Reformati­on of our life is an effect of Praedestination, and a worke of the Spirit. Now if this constant Reformati­on be wrought in vs by the spirit, and is giuen to vs as a fruite of Gods constant Decree of Praedestinati­on, how can wee fall away? for a constant Reformati­on and falling away cannot stand together; But here we see Gods Spirit giues vs a constant Reforma­tion of life, and therefore falling away is excluded.

A little after. Stapleton confesseth, that S. Paul pro­nounceth the same certainty of other mens saluation, that 1 Cor. [...]. 40. Rom. 8. 38. [...] Tim. 4. 8. he doth of his owne. And therefore we may haue assurance of Grace and Perseuerance as well as he had. For in diuers places he shewes, that he was assured of Gods spirit, and [Page 49] Grace, and eternall life. You shall heare what the Auncient Fathers say touching this matter: Macarius saith, Al­though they are not as yet entered into the whole Inheri­tance prepared for them in the world to come, yet through the earnest which they now receiue, they are as certaine of it, as if they were already crowned and reigning, &c.

Bernard saith: who is iust but he that returneth loue to God who hath loued him, which is done when the Spirit by Faith REVEALETH to a man the eternall PVRPOSE of GOD concerning his FVTVRE SALVATION.

Dr. Reynoldes was a man indifferently well estee­med by some for his learning in the place where he li­ued, and not accused by any that I knew for not be­ing orthodoxe in any point of the Doctrine of our Church. Yet Salomons saying is true, That the Race is not to the swift &c, neither is fauour (stil) to men of skill▪ wher­fore as when a Countrey-Gentleman would borrow money in this Citie, though his estate be neuer so great in the Countrey, yet commonly hee must haue­a Citizen bound for him that is knowne to the Cit­tie, so since Doctor Reynoldes, though well knowne for his learning in the place where he liued, yet per­chance may faile to haue trust among some men. I must take leaue to get a surety for him, euen one that is li­uing, and whose wordes I thinke will be taken in the Citie.

The man whome I produce to giue his word for Dr. Reynoldes is Doctor Francis White Deane of Carlile, I haue already indeede produced him for a witnesse, but now I produce him for a surety; yea since he can here be a witnesse also, let him be both a witnesse and a surety.

[Page 50]First therefore, I take him as a witnesse of Per­seuerance in that which I formerly cited out of him. That our Tenet concerning Praedestination is no other then what Saint Austen and his Schollers maintained against the Pelagians. Now it may plainly appeare by diuers of Saint Austens workes, that the Praedestination taught by Saint Austen, gaue to the praedestinaite an infallible perseuerance, a perseuerance by which a Saint could not but perseuere. And that I may not send away my Reader presently to reade or buy the workes of Saint Austen, let him but looke backe to the allegation of Doctor Fulke, and there he shall plainly see that which here I tell him: so that thence will a­rise a plaine Argument,

The Tenet of our Church concerning Praedesti nation, is the Doctrine of Saint Austen.

But the Doctrine of Saint Austen teacheth a Praedestina­tion, that giues a sure and infallible Perseuerance

Therefore the Tenet of our Church teacheth a Prae­destination that giues a sure and infallible Perseuerance.

Neither may aman dare to meddle with any thing but the Conclusion, for the former proposition is guarded by Doctor White, and the second by Saint Austin and Doctor Fulke.

But Doctor White comes somewhat nearer, and RePly to Fisher. Proues that A member of Christ, and the Catholicke Church in the Creede (which consists of the true mem­bers of Christ) can neuer fall away vnto damnation, and therefore must needs be possessed of finall perse­uerance.

That Church (or the Catholicke Church in the Creede) hath the remission of sinnes, and life eternall, and [Page 51] passeth not to Hell. Ioh. 10. 28. Aug. de Doctr: Christi: lib. 3. cap. 32.

Againe, The testimonies of St. Austen obiected by the same Aduersary, which are, that the Catholicke Church is the Body of Christ, whereof he is the Head, and that out of this Body, the holy Ghost quickneth no man, make altoge­ther against himselfe. For none are vitall Members of Christs mysticall Body, but Iust and Holy persons. And it is the same Fathers Doctrine, Impii non suntreuera corpus Christi. wicked persons are not in Deed & Veritie the Bo­dy of Christ.

And in another place, In corpore Christi non sunt, quod est Ecclesia, quoniam non potest Christus habe­re membra damnata. They are not in Christs Body be­cause Christ CANNOT haue DAMNABLE mem­bers.

Thus are Christs members sure of Salvation, be­cause safe from damnation, they cannot be damned, therefore they must be saved, and I thinke that they will not deny that finall perseverance is an insepara­ble companion of Salvation.

And now wee come to another place in the same worke, which though it begin in Witnessing, yet it ends in Suretiship.

It (that is still The Catholicke Church in the Creede) is the Church builded upon the Rocke, against which the gates of Hell shall not preuaile either by Herisie, Tentation, or Mortall sinne, Matt. 16. 18. Matt. 7. 24 And if it bee a meere fancie to hold this, then Gregory the great with many ancient Father, were fantasticks for teaching in this manner. Which to make good there are many citations adioyned. Aug: de Ci [...]it: Dei. lib 20. cap 8. [Page 52] Nunquam ab illo ecclesia sed vcetur praedestinata & elec­ta ante constitutionem mundi. Origin: Trac: 1 Mat: V­numquod (que) peccatorum &c. portae sunt Inferorum. Vna Inferorum porta vocatur scortatio. C [...]mmultae sunt, ne (que) recenceri numero possint Inferorum portae, nulla porta Infe­rorum valet aduersus petram aut Ecclesiam quam Christus super illam aedificat. Gregor: Morall. lib. 28. cap. 6 Sanc­tam Ecclesiā de Sanctis in aternum perman suris construc­tam, nullis huius vitae persecutionibus superandam, Ipse super quem [...]dificata est euidenter ostendit, cum ait, Port [...] Inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam. Ambr: in Luc, lib. 2. cap. 3. Bern: in Cant: serm: 7 [...] Dr. Raynold, de Script: & Eccles. Thess. 4 confirme the same at large.

Thus are we referred to Doct. Reynolds by this lear­ned man, and therefore we may safely passe on to see what hee sayes. Neither is this Reference meerely generall and learge, but punctuall to this very poynt of the finall Perseuerance of the Saints. A more generall commendation hee hath besides of this same worke; when he sayes. The aduersaries haue made no Reply to Doctor Reynoldes Theses.

Neither are any endued with sanctification, but those whome God hath Elected that they should bee Saints: And to true Sanctification Iustification concurreth. But God Iustifieth onely the Elect, and Iustifiing Faith, by which the Hearts are purified, is the Faith of the Elect of God, The wicked are not beeleeuers in the Apostolicall vse of that word. For whosoeuer beeleeueth shall bee saued, and the end of Faith is the saluation of the soule. And howsoeuer they may bee called beeleeuers for a profession of faith, or for a temporary Faith, yet they are not redeemed, as those which are grounded on Christ, For those that are Redeemed [Page 53] are made Kings and [...] God, which is the Pr [...] ­per prerogatiue of Saints▪ And they that [...] did vp on Christ, haue built houses grounded vpon the Ro [...], which shall neuer fall. Thes. 4. which is the very same wherevnto D▪ White referred the Reader. The [...] Doctrine of Finall perseuerance▪ [...] againe confirmed, in the Apologie of these Thes [...] Master Hooker.

As Christ being raised from the dead, dyeth no more death hath no more power ouer him▪ so the iustified man be ing allyed to God in Iesus Christ our Lord, doth as necessa­rily from that time alwayes liue, as Christ by whom he hath Ioh. 14. 19. life liueth alwayes. I might if I had not other where large­ly done it already, shew by many and sundry manifest and cleare proofes, how the [...] and opera [...]ns of life, are sometimes so indiscer [...]ble, and so secret, that they seeme stone dead, who notwithstanding are still aliue vnto God in Christ. For as long as that abideth in us, which anima teth, quickneth, and giueth life, so long wee liue, and wee know that the cause of our Faith abideth in vs for euer. If Christ the Fountaine of life, may flit, and leaue his habita­tion, where he once d [...]elleth, what shall become of his pro­mise, I am with you to the worlds end; If the Seed of God which contayneth Christ, may be first conceiued, 1. Pet. 1. and then cast out, how doth S. Peter terme it immortall? 1. Ioh. 39. How doth S. Iohn affirme it abideth? If the Spirit which is guen to cherish, & preserue the seed of life, may be giuen and taken away, how is it the EARNEST of our IN­HERITANCE vntill Redemption?

If the Iustified [...]rre a [...] he may, and neuer come to vnder­stand his error, God doth sa [...]e him through generall repen­tance, but if he fall into H [...]risy, he calleth him at one time or other by actuall Repentance; but from [...], which [Page 54] is an inward direct deny all of the foundation, [...] preser [...]eth him by speciall providence foreuer. Discourse of Iustifi­cation.

Thus haue the Fathers, and Doctors of our Church, plainly shewed the Doctrine of our Church. And this last witnesse, (a man beyond all exception of Schisme or Partialitie, the enimies of this Doctrine being Iudges) hath strongly confirmed and establish­ed it. Yea, he hath cut off that Goli [...] Head, which commonly marcheth against the hoast of God, to ter­rifie them out of their assurance of Finall perseve­rance, and certaine Saluation. For he sheweth that the truely iustified, after their errors▪ are saued either by generall or actuall repentance, but from Infidelitie & Fundamentall Errors, they are preserued for euer. And Dr. Overall, seemes to ioyne in one harmonie with this doctrine of M Hooker, saying the like for Errors of life, that this other did for errors in beleife. In the Conference at Hampton Court, these are his words, Those which were called and iustified according to Gods purpose and Election, howsoeuer they might and did sometimes fall into greiuous sinnes &c. were in time renewed by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely Faith and Repentance, and [...] iustified from those sinnes, and the wrath and Curse, and Guilt annexed thereunto. So that the obiection now a­dayes vrged, was long since prevented with an an­swer, and should haue kept silent the mouth of it be­ing stopped. For to what purpose is it to aske and ob­iect; What if a iustified man commit a great sinne, and dye without Repentance? When it hath ben answered long since, that Iustification hath such a Repentance an­nexed to it, as shall suffice to wash away the guilt and [Page 55] wrath of those Error [...] & sinnes into which the iusti­fied shall fall. If true Iustification and [...] Re­pentance, goe still together and [...] not [...], what a strange question is that, which rayseth an ob­iection from Iustificatiō separated from Repentance▪ I [...] it lawfull for them to make a Iustification of their owne severed from Repentance, and to raise an obie­ction thence, against our Iustification, conioyned with repentance? This is a meere deceit to argue from things ill divided, against things well conioyn­ed. Yea, cursed are they that put a sunder what God hath knit tog [...]thhr. King Iames said in the Conference at Hampton Court, It was hypocrisie, and not true iustifi­ing faith, that was seuered from Repentance. If then true Iustifiing Faith and Repentance, be not seuered, their argument against perseuerance taken from iustifiing Faith, seuered from Repentance, is a meere imagina­rie, and fantasticall argument. For they imagine a se­vering of things not indeed severed, and then they raise an argument from the seperation which is onely in their owne braines, and not in the thing. So that the ambition and vtmost hope of such an argument is onely this▪ If such a thing were that indeed is not, then that would not be, that indeed is. If iustifiyng Faith were wholly severed from Repentance as it is not, then perseverance would not be Persverarance. Wee haue seene out of S. Austen, Our Church & Do­ctors, that the same Election which Decreeth to the Saints glory & Salvation, Decreeth also perseverance.

Now Perseverance, must needes haue that suffici­ent Repentance without which it cannot be perseve­rance. And therefore the same Decree that decreeth [Page 56] Perseverance, must needes also Decree that Repen­tance, without which Perseverance cannot be. And in deede one and the same Seede of God (Decreed to all the Elect) is an immortall seede, both of repentance and perseverance. Briefely then, though a man were to be excluded from Salvation, for not performing a condition, yet if he be sure to performe the cōdition, he is still sure of Salvation. As on the other side, if he be sure of Salvation, then he is sure to performe the condition: without which he cannot be sure of Sal­vation. Now those whom our Article saith, God hath cōstantly Decreed to bring to Salvation, they are sure of Salvation. And therefore are they sure of that Re­pentance, and all other conditions or qualifications, without which they cannot be sure of Salvation. Per­chance the same matter in Mr. Hookers words will be Discourse of Iustification. of more authority. Our Saviour when he spake of the sheepe effectually called, and truely gathered into his fold, I giue vnto them Eternall life▪ and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands, In promising to saue them, he promised no duobt to pre­serue them, in that without which there can be no Salva­tion, as also from that by which it is recoverably lost. But in a second place▪ let the questioners giue mee leaue to aske them a question? Whether in this their damning of men regenerate, that doe not particularly re­pent for euery great sinne, they doe not bring in a Doctrine of despaire? For if one of these great sinnes euer hap­pen to be forgotten, it is the very case of sinne against the Holy Ghost: There remaineth no more sacrifice for Heb. 10. sinnes, but a certaine fearefull looking for of Iudgement and fiery indignation. A sinne forgotten, cannot be for given.

[Page 57]There is no salvation without particular Repentance, no [...] no particular Repentance without patticular Remembrance; Againe wee know that some liue in an innumerable variety of grea horrible sinns, such as S. Paul reckons▪ 1. Cor. 6. 9. Now if these men after come to repent, it is impossible for them to remember their numberlesse particular sinns which they haue com­mitted, and to apply to them a particular repentance. Then by the same reason it seemes to mee it were im­possible they should be saued. But if God accept a ge­nerall repentance of them, it were good to bring some place of Scripture which saith that others cannot bee saned in case of forgetfulnesse, by generall repen­tance. It is the saying of Doctor Francis White. The pro­mise Reply to Fisher. of Remission of sinns is conditionall. Esay. 1. 16. 17. &c. and the same becmmeth not absolute vntill the conditi­on be fulfilled, either actuall, or in desire, and preparation of the mind. Now if that desire and preparation of the mind to Repentance will serue, surely I thinke there is no child of God, that hath not had a full desire and purpose to repent of all his particular sinnes, and e­specially the great ones. Yea we find in them by ex­perience a preparation and readines of mind to actuall Repentance. Dauid hauing his sinne plainly discoue­red to him, presently falls to Repentance, and is pre­senly released of his sinne. And Hezechiah being con­vinced 2. Sam. 12. 13. 2. King. 20. 19. of his sin in pride [...] presently accepteth the chas­tisment of his sinne, and his humbling immediatly fol­loweth in the Text. And Peter when he had denyed Luke. 22. 61. Christ, as soone as Christ looked vpon him, he went out and wept bitterly. Whence it appeareth, that the seede of Repentance in these great falls of the Saints is [Page 58] not dead but sleepeth; it lyes in the earth during this winter of grace, being ready to bud, as soone as the frost of Tentation is dissolved, and the Sunne of Righ­teousnesse warmeth it with a new accesse, and increase of beames and heate. And here I thinke it is worth the obseruing, that there are certaine sins that are certain­ly knowne to be sins, yet while the strength of tenta­tion is vpon the Saints, they partake very much of the concealement of secret sins. For the same lust and cor­ruption that preuaileth vpon the Will of a Saint to do so great a sinne against which his Will was determi­nately bent and resolued, casteth also very commonly a mist on the vnderstanding of the same Saints, that the thing formerly appearing out of measure sinfull, now doth not looke like a sinne; for the flesh hauing darkened the vnderstanding for a season, that appeares not in the shape and odiousnesse of sinne to the flesh, which most plainly and euidently appeares sinfull, be­ing seene by the spirit. And therefore a Saint after a great sinne, when he comes truely to discerne it, is like a man awaked; awaked I say out of a slumber of the flesh, wherein his eyes were closed. and hee saw not sinne to bee sinne, and awaked into the light and sight of the Spirit by which alone a man spiritually discer­neth. So Dauid had neede of a plaine similitude, to conuince him of a sinne that was in it selfe plaine e­nough, but no doubt by lust so couered and hid from appearing in the true shape of sinne, that before this discouery which awaked the Spirit in him, he had not the full and true sight of the odious and vgly face of his sins. Briefly, Vzzah who dyed in his sinne, was sa­ved or damned. I thinke no man will be so cruell as to [Page 59] say he was damned; wee see he had a good affection to the Arke of God, and no doubt a good loue to God, for whose sake he loued the Arke, but his good loue was ill managed, & the wrath of God came vpon him, because hee serued that God in an ill manner, whom no doubt he loued, with a good zeale and affection. Now if Vzzah was saued, by this Doctrine he must ac­tually repent of this sinne, which was so mortall to him. But first wee reade of no such actuall Repentance, and next the suddennesse of the stroake may seeme to preuent it. But on the other side, if he did actually re­pent, then may any Saint else be thought actually to repent, and so this question is againe needelesse, as be­fore was proued to be absurd. And surely he which gaue Iezabel that sedu [...]d the seruants of God, a space to repent, may be thought to be at least as gracious to the spouse of Christ, (his Saints and members) euen to giue them this space to repent, to whom wee know he hath giuen the grace to repent.

If they doe now reply, are Saints immortall having sinned? I answer by asking againe, Was Iezabell im­mortall, when God gaue her lpace to repent? Besids, no death can prevent Gods mercy; God knowes the time of his Saints, and if Sparrowes fall not to the ground without Gods prouidence, much lesse doe Saints. God hath the time of Saints in his hand, and the same God hath also Grace in his hand; and there­fore nothing can hinder him, but that he may prevent the time which he hath in one hand, with the grace which he hath in an other. Yea as he is the Lord both of life and grace, so is he of tentations. Therefore as hee can command time to stay and grace to hasten, so [Page 60] also can he command tentations to take what time he pleaseth, and can make them to keepe what distance he will, to the last time of the Saints. Yet I may adde fur­ther, and I thinke that Arminians can hardly disproue it; If a Saint haue in him the grace of Repentance, which would bring forth the Act of Repentance if it had time, it were somwhat strange that a Saint should be damned, not for want of grace (but) only for want of time. Now the remaining grace of Repentance, after the fall of Saints, apeares before in Dauid Hezeki­ah and Peter, who readily repented vpon their sum­mons. And even Bertius himselfe confesseth, that nei­ther Dauid nor Peter in their falls, did wholly loose the Holy Ghost.

Thirdly, this question is grounded on the Popish distinction of sins mortall and veniall: A distinction which Doctor Francis White in his Orthodoxe, hath with sound reasons and allegations mightily battred There it is said by him, That concupisence is as verily sinne as Adultery; And that there is a plaine Comman­dement against it; now the breach of any Commande­ment (especially the body of it) must needes be mor­tall, So when a man couets his neighbours wife, yea­his neighbours Oxe, hee hath mortally sinned. Here­vpon appeares a diuers fault and mischiefe of this question or obiection. First a man is in perpetuall feare & torment, because such lusts do so often arise in him. Secondly, this obiection hath but onely vanity or nothinges in it. For it is an argument raised out of nothing, and nothing in the hands of the creature will make nothing. The distinction of sins into veniall and mortall is nothing, for euery sinne is mortall. Death [Page 61] runs along with the whole breach of the Commande­ments▪ Cursed is hee that continueth not in all things which Deut. 27. 26. are written in the booke of the Law to do them. Now if the curse and wrath of God bee annexed to the breach of any part of the Law, surely the breach of any part of the Law makes a man subiect to wrath & consequent­ly Rom. 8. 23. to death. For the wages of sinne (euen of all sinne without exception) is death. Now if all sinne be mor­tall, and the mortalnesse of sin be the reason of the in­compatibility of grace and saluation, then euery sinne and breach of the Law is incompatible with grace, and so a Saint may fall from the state of Grace many times in a day; and many times in a day he had neede to be againe regenerated. But on the other side, if they will allow Grace to stand with mortall sinne in the breach of one Commandement (as the tenth) they must bee forced to allow it likewise in the breach of another; at least if they will allow Grace to be compatible with the mortall breach of one halfe of a Commandement, they may be inforced to allow it in the breach of the other halfe. For mortalnesse of sinne being the cause of in­compatiblenesse with Grace, this mortall sinne run­ning all along through the whole breach of the Com­mandement, the effect of incompatibility must needes runne along with it throughout the whole breach of the Commandement. Or else as Grace may stand with the breach of one halfe of the Commandement, so may it stand with the breach of the other halfe, ex­cept men will stint the Grace of God, and say it can­not reach home to ouercome the whole breach of a Commandement, especially one of the second Table as that of Adultery, which is vsually reckoned one of [Page 62] their mortall sins. Yea, it were fit that these [...]inters of Gods Grace, should giue vs a Table of all the breaches of euery Commandement, and then put downe their finger iust on the place, where the breaches leaue to be veniall▪ & begin to be mortall; This seemes very neces­ary for the full discerning of a matter of so great con­sequence and concernment, as falling from the state of grace; for without this knowledg a man may fall from the state of Grace by some sin which he knowes not to be mortall, and then forgeting it or neglecting it, there is an end of him, he must be damned for euer. But to make such a Table by Scripture is altogether impossi­ble, and without Scripture it is vaine and friuolous. How much better were it to say with the Scripture, That in the Iustice of God sin & life are incompatible, euen any sin with life eternall. But by the Grace of God, sin and life are not incompatible; for God in his Saints leaues euen now a remnant of the body of sin, Rom. 7. & 8. that often leades them captiue to the Law of sin; and yet at the same time there is the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus, freeing them from an absolute reigne of sin & death. There is a remainder of the old Adam, & a seede of the new Adam, and the motions, yea single acts of the old remainder, doe not kill the whole im­mortall seede of the new Adam. As one action doth 2. Pet. 1. Pet. not make a habit, so one action doth not destroy a ha­bit, especially these infused habits, which are groun­ded in a godly nature, and an incorruptible seede.

But that I may shew them the cause of their mista­king, (which is the way to remidy it) I giue them to vnderstand, that their error come from hence, because they do not weigh these things in the Balances of the [Page 63] Sanctuary. They do not weigh spirituall things, with the weights of the Spirit. For it in these vpright Balan­ces, they did weigh sinne and grace together, they should finde, that in the old man there being buds and leaues and fruits of sinne, sinfull thoughts, words, and actions, and the like in the new man the buds and leaues and fruits of sinne, cannot ouer weigh more, then the buds and leaues, and fruites of grace, but it is a reigne and whole body of sinne, that must counter. poyse, and equall a reigne and body of grace. More plainly thus, one particular sinne, may preuent and cut off for the time some act of grace which should haue preuented it, but one act of sinne, doth not cut of and expell, the whole new man and body of grace. The whole seede and roote of Grace is not digged vp, but by a whole body and reigne of sinne, and indeede this whole reigne of sinne, is absolutely a sinne which the Regenerate cannot commit. There are diuers places that confirme this in the Scripture, yea, diuers places in S ^t. Iohns first Epistle. I take notice of one: Whosoe­uer is borne of God doth not comit sinne, for his seede remai­neth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. 1, Ioh. 5. 4. & 1 [...] in him, and he cannot sinne, because his seede remai­neth in him. A regenerate man wee know can sinne ac­tually, but he cannot sinne in the full seruice of sinne: and euen our Sauiour himselfe interpreteth the com­mitting of sinne, for the seruice of sinne, Whosoeuer com­mitteth Ioh. 8. 34. sinne is the seruant of sinne. But this seruice of sin and the seede of God are incompatible, and therefore the seede of God still remaining in the Regenerate, (which the Apostle affirmeth) this raigne of sinne can­not stand in them with it. So are the Regenerate still safe, while single actuall sinnnes do not destroy the [Page 64] whole seede of Grace, but onely a whole seruice of sin, from which the Regenerate are preserued, by the seed of God that remainet [...] in them. Briefly a remaining seede is neuer lost, neither by actuall sinnes which are committed, which do not ouer weigh and preuaile a­gainst it, not by a body of sinne, which the seed of God remaining for ever excludeth.

And hereupon in the second place these men may also plainly perceiue their error, in saying that a Saint by some actuall sinne is in the whole state of damnati­on. For the seede of God remaining in the Regene­rate, hee cannot be wholly in the state of wrath and damnation, for there is something in him with which God will not be angry, euen the remaining seede of God. But you will aske me perchance, Is not God an­gry with sinne? Yes, and very angry with a very great sinne; but yet his whole wrath doth not arise when there is a seede of Grace that abaites the wholenesse of his wrath. Therefore let vs againe set vp the ba­lances of the Sanctuary, and as before wee laid the whole seed of Grace in one balance: against one single sinne in the other balance: so now let vs lay the seede of Grace together with some single sinne in one ba­lance, and the whole or full wrath of God in the other. And let vs withall know that our mercifull Father loo­keth vpon these balances through his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus. and then wee shall soone find that single sinnes ioyned with a seede of Grace, will not draw moue, and counter▪ weigh a whole and intire wrath. God beholding a Sonne of God (though with some sinne through that first Sonne in whome he is well pleased doth not suffer his whole displeasure to arise [Page 65] vpon him. There are drop [...] of wrath (as Hierome Hier. in Ezech. li [...]. 1. cap. [...]. note) and there is a not wrath, Psal: 6. And there is a who [...]e displeasure, Ps 78. 38. Now these drops of wrath may be vpon lesser sinnes; yea a hot wrath, may be vpon a Saint, [...]or greater [...] ▪ but a whole dis­pleasure is not vpon him, except he had a who [...]e reigne of sinne; and from that (as I shewed before) a Saint is preserued. For there is still a seede of Grace remaining, and with that seede God cannot be angry, yea he still loueth it, and where this loue remaines, there the wholenesse of wrath is abated, so much as is the measure of this remaining loue. Neither is this without the word of God. For God himselfe, when he hath▪ said, of a Saint, I will be his Father, and he shall 2. Sam. 7. 14. be my sonne; he saith also, If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rods of men, but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul. God when he was angry with Iehosaphat, Hee told him by the Prophet: Shouldst thou helpe the vngodly &c. Therefore is wrath vpon thee from the Lord. Yet withall God for­gat 2. Chron. 19. [...]. not the seede of Grace in his heart. Neuerthelesse there are good things found in thee, thou hast prepared thy heart to seeke the Lord. So though there be a measure of wrath, and God in measure contend with these bran­ches Esay. 27. 8. of sinne, yet the roote of grace remaining, Grace also remaineth. As long as the seede of God remai­neth, so long vnion with God remaineth, and as long as vnion with God remaineth so long a man is in the state of grace, and cannot be wholly in the state of displeasure. But as millions of sinnes lying vpon the Sonne of God, brought with them such a heauy dis­pleasure of God, that in regard of the anguish and [Page 66] plague of it, to which he was deliuered vp, he cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee, and yet as concerning vnion, God had not forsaken him▪ so also in the sonnes of God vnited to this Sonne, though for some single sinnes a great wrath may a­rise, and God in regard of outward feeling may seeme to forsake them, yet that vnion still remaineth, and whom God hath thus knit together, no man can put asunder. In Christ that became sinne for vs, all the sinnes of the Saints and vnion with God were not in­compatible, wherefore sinnes and vnion with God are not incompatible. And though this vnion was Hypostaticall, and our a lower vnion, yet from that Hypostaticall vnion, our vnion is deriued, and that v­nion safegards and preserueth the vnion deriued from it. His vnion is the Rocke on which our vnion being built, that Rocke preserueth the Church vnited vnto it. The strength of Christs vnion, is (not the weak­nesse Math. 16. 18. Math. 7. 25. Ioh. 14. 19. Ioh. 17. [...]0. &c. [...]. Pet. 2. 5. 6. 7. but) the strength of our vnion, and in his safe v­nion our vnion is safe against the gates of Hell. And this is the very point that accuseth and conuinceth their horrible blasphemy, that say wee are no safer by vnion with Christ, who was God and man, then by generation from Adam who was but a man that had not vnion with God.

But perchance some will obiect, this is a dangerous doctrine to be taught, That Saints cannot fall from the State of Grace. And why? Because men will pre­sume. But let the obiectors remember, that the ques­tion is whether it be true or vntrue, not whether there may be ill vses made of it. For if it be true, then this is iust Gardiners argument against whole relying [Page 67] on the merits of Christ, because the people would breake out at this gappe, and leaue buying of heaven with their owne merits. So might wee argue, that the Grace of God may not be taught, because some turne it into wantonnes, no [...] men send their sonnes to the Vniversity, because knowledge puffeth vp. But let not Gods truth be muzled vp with carnall po­licy: especially let not truth bee denyed to bee truth, because flesh and blood makes ill vses of a spirituall truth.

But secondly, I deny▪ that this doctrne is dangerous to breede carelesnesse in obedience, yea, it is a spurre and encouragement vnto obedience. For if wee con­sider how it is deliuered, and to whome it is deliue­red, and with what cautions and conditions it is to be delivered, it will be found to be a doctrine most comfortable, and most advantagable, vnto holinesse. The vsuall manner of delivering it, is by the way of incouragement vnto obedience. Euen the whole Law is inforced vpon this ground: I am the Lord that hath delivered thee from the house of bondage, thou shalt haue no other Gods but me &c. which agrees iust with the song of Zacharie, That wee being deliuered from our e­nemyes might serue God without feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse &c. In the next place we may consider, that this Doctrine only appertaineth to the Regene­rate. To them only it can be so deliuered, that it may bee received, Now the Regenerate haue in them a godly nature, a spirit of loue, and the loue of God be­ing shewed and sealed to them, the spirit of loue in them is enflamed to a more seruent loue of God. And the more a man loues God, the more will hee keepe [Page 68] his Commandements. So that it is most true which S. Iohn speakes. Hee that hath this hope purgeth him­selfe, as God is pure. But the cleane contrary is said by these men, He that hath this hope, defileth himselfe [...] the 1. Ioh. 3. 3. Deuill is filthy.

In the last place, let vs take notice what cautions & conditions are annexed vnto this Doctrine. God knoweth our frame, and he seeth that by nature wee are nothing but flesh, Ioh, 3. 6. And even after Rege­neration there is a great remainder of the flesh even in the Regenerate. Now this flesh is apt to be puffed vp, not vpon this onely, but vpon any excellencie of the Spirit, knowledge, Revelation, yea, vpon the grace of God, yea vpon humilitie it selfe. Therefore God hath certaine scourges for his childrē, to beate downe this flesh from presuming and exalting it selfe aboue measure▪ Whom the Lord loueth, he chasteneth, and hee Heb. 13. [...]. scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiueth. Hee hath scourges of diverse sortes, he scourges them in their estates, he scourges them in their bodies, he scourgeth them in their mind yea in their soules themselues. He scourgeth them by men, hee scourgeth them by De­vils, he scourges them by good Angels, he scourgeth them by his owne hand, even by hiding his face, by withdrawing his comforts, by sending terrours into their soules: so that no scourge almost is wanting but only Hell; yea, their is not wanting a kind of tempo­rall Hell, but only a Hell eternall. Dauid is scourged with the death of the sonne of his sinne, with the re­bellion of another sonne, with the rayling of Shim [...]i, with an exclusion from the Royall Citie, So that hee wept as he went vp, and had his head couered, and he went [Page 69] [...]refoote, he was called, A bloody man, and a sonne of Beliall. And now I doubt not, but he was fully in­structed by those scourges, to buy those sinnes, no more at this price; his flesh was so taken downe that he humbled himselfe vnder Gods chastisment, and ac­cepted it: Let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. 1. King. 11. Salomon also sinning was scourged with the scourges of men; Hadad the Edomite, Rezon the sonne of Eliadah and Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat▪ and Hezechiah for the pride of his heart, had a fearfull scourge vpon his estate and posterity; all that is in thine house shall be car­ried into Babylon; And thy sonnes which thou spalt beget shall they take away, and they shall be Eunuches in the palace 2. King. 20. 13. of the King of Babylon. Briefly some are deliuered vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, Paul himselfe is buffe [...]ed by the messengers of Sathan, lest hee should be exalted aboue measure, and the Corinthians not iudging 2. Cor. 12. 7. themselues, are iudged of the Lord, so that some of them are sicke, and some of them asleepe. The terrors of God which I call a temporall Hell, shake the soules of the Saints hauing sinned, and grinde them into contriti­on: So they cry out, There is no soundnesse in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sinne. I am feeble, I am sore broken, I haue Psal. 38. roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart. Thus wee see to the Doctrine of assurance are annexed remi dies agaist Security and Presumption, so that it needes not an vntruth to deny it, but onely discretion wise­ly to deliuer it. When the Doctrine of Assurance is taught, let these chastisments of God vpon the pride and security of Saints be deliuered with it; and then a spirituall Doctrine being deliuered with these cor­rectiues [Page 70] and corrosiues of the flesh, will bee comfor­tably profitable to the spirit, and not hurtfull to the puffing vp of the flesh. The Grace of God in a Saint seeing the goodnesse of the Lord sealed to him on the one side, and the terrors of the Lord on the other side, hath sufficient grounds of a full and awfull resolution, to serue God with reuerence and feare. It is the say­ing of an holy man neare 200 yeares since, Doctus do­no Gratiae, et eruditus verbare substractionis, &c. A Saint being taught by the gift of grace and by the Rod of Gods frownes and temporall desertions, takes heede of pride, takes heede of security. And Gregory the great, hath an excellent passage wherein he saith, that God doth keepe the soule of a Saints in so even a ballance, counterpoysing vertues with Tentations, (Miro modo agitur, vt nec de virtute, quispiam extolli de­beat, nec de tentatione desperet) That hee neede not to be lifted vp with his virtues, nor dispaire for his tentations. Greg. in Iob. lib. 9. cap 5. So it will be vnnecessary as it is vntrue to say that a sonne of God may be dam­ned, for euen therefore are they scourged here, that they may not be damned hereafter but that they may be receiued. They are scourged with the scourges of men, Heb. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 32. but the mercy of God is not taken away from them; they are iudged of God, that they may not be condemned with the world.

But the same men that are so hard against the Saints, yet they are very kinde to the Reprobates, and they that will not allow a particular grace to giue vnto the Saints a sure salvation, will allow a generall grace to giue vnto all, (Reprobates and all) an vncertaine salvation; Yea, to speake the truth vnder the shew of [Page 71] a generall saluation, they giue no saluation at all. For man fallen will not stand, by that grace wherein man perfect did fall: so that if effectuall grace be taken a­way, saluation is taken away. But what say they? Christ dyed for all. True, but what of that? There­fore all men haue grace to be saued by Christs death. A miserable inconsequence. There can nothing fol­low but this, Therefore Christ gaue himselfe a sufficient ransome for all▪ The ransome is sufficient for all, it is offered to all, but all men doe not receiue it. Man by his fall hath depriued himselfe of grace, by which hee may accept the promises of grace, so that his owne in­capacity, hinders him from accepting this generall remedy. A King at his Coronation giues a generall pardon; yet this doth not proue that all men are able particularly to apply this generall pardon. There are some that thinke themselues rectos in Curia, and that they neede it not, some are negligent and carelesse of their estates; and a third sort are ignorant of it, and a fourth is poore and cannot sue it out. So in the gene­rall pardon offered in Christ Iesus, there are some Ius­tificiaries, as the Scribes and Pharises that thinke they they neede it not, there are some that with Esau des­pise it for carnall prophanenesse, there are some that Rom. 10▪ are hardned and blinded being ignorant of Gods Righteousnesse in Christ Iesus, though they haue it Preached, yea though they haue a zeale of God and such are the Iewes; and there are some that neuer heard of Christ Iesus, and they cannot sue out a par­don by beleeuing in him of whom they haue not heard. But this is the summe of the truth: Man be­ing wholly fallen by Free-will though assisted with a [Page 72] generall and sufficient grace, lost his Free-will, grace and life eternall. God in his mercy giues a Sauiour Ioh. 17. 2. Heb. 9. 15. with a sufficient ransome for all the sinners of the world, that of all the world he may take whom hee pleaseth, anb by effectuall grace ioyne them to Christ in an eternall vnion of blessed felicity. If Christ had not dyed for all, God could not of all haue saued whom he pleased. If hee had giuen effectuall grace to all, all would be saued; and then God had bin all Mer­cy▪ and no Iustice; If hee had giuen effectuall grace to none, none would be saued, and then God would haue bene all Iustice, and no Mercy. But God purpo­sing to shew, both Mercy and Iustice, leaues some in the state of the fall, to which man voluntarily cast him­selfe, and by effectuall grace ioynes others to Christ vnto eternall saluation. His Iustice cannot be accused, but his Mercy ought to be magnified: And wee are infinitely more bound to God for his sure Mercyes in that Effectuall Grace, by which hee certainly saueth millions, then to Arminians for their generall grace, by which they goe about certainly to damne all.

TEmplum Dei &c. That the Temple of God, which is in­habited Ireneus lib. 5. [...]9 by the spirit of the Father, and that the mem­bers of Christ should not be partakers of Saluation, how is it not a most great blasphemy?

Mori est vitalem amittere habilitatem &c. To dye is to Id. cap. 10. loose the habilitie of life, &c. But this doth not happen to [Page 73] the soule, for it is the breath of life; neither to the Spirit, for the Spirit is simple, and cannot be dissolued, and is the life of them that receiue him.

Partem aliquam spiritus eius sumimus, &c. We receiue Id. cap. 11. a part of his spirit, vnto the effecting and preparing of in­corruption, by degrees accustoming, to receiue and carry God in vs; which the Apostle also called an earnest, that is, part of that honour which is promised to vs of God.

Qui credit in filium habet vitam aeternam &c. He that be­leeueth elemens Alexa. padag. lib. 1. cap. 6. in the Sonne hath life eternall. If then wee who haue beleeued haue life eternall, what remaineth be­yond the possession of life eternall

Non es, inquit, amplius servus &c, ( Hee saith) Thou art Idem Ibid. no more a seruant but a sonne. If a sonne, then also an Heyre through God; What then wanteth to a Sonne, when hee is an Heyre?

Qui credidit in nomine eius &c. Hee that beleeued in his Ciprian de Orat. Dominiea. name, and is made the Sonne of God, from that time must begin, both to giue thankes, and to professe himselfe the Sonne of God.

Scriptum est enim, Iustum fide viuere &c. (It is written) Id. de Mort. The Iust shall liue by Faith. If thou art Iust, and liuest by Faith, If thou truly beleeuest in God, why, since-thou art to liue with Christ, and art secure of the Lords promise, dost thou not reioyce, that thou art called ( by death) vnto Christ?

Plus amare compellimur &c. wee are inforced to loue the Id. ibid. more while it is granted to vs to know what wee shall bee, and to condemne that which wee were. Hilary d [...] Trini [...] ▪ lib. 1.

Conscia securitatis suae ocio &c. The soule knowing her owne safety, resteth in quietnesse reioycing in her hopes, so much not fearing death, that shee accounteth it as the [Page 74] way to life eternall.

Chananeaiam ipsa &c. The Chananitish woman, being Ibid in Mat. c. 15 now saued by faith, and CERTAINE of that inward Mystery, and sure of her owne saluation.

Per spiritum sanctum datur &c. By the Holy Spirit it is Basil. de spiritu. cap. 15. giuen, a restoring into Paradise, a returne into the King­dome of heauen, a recouery of the adoption of sonnes, a con­fidence of calling God Father, a partaking of eternall glory, and that I may say all at once, to be in the fulnesse of all blessednesse, both of this life, and of those good things which are laid vp for vs in the life to come; which in the meane time wee do enioy by FAITH, beholding that Glo­ry as in a glasse. For if the EARNEST bee such, how excellent is the Perfection.

Bene ait confido. &c. Hee saith well, I am confident. For Ambrose Serm. 15. confidence is the strength of our hope, and an authority of hoping. Therefore hope still and no man can make t [...]ee a­shamed of thy expectation. Our expectation is life eter­nall.

Signauit nos dando spiritum &c, Hee hath sealed vs, Id. in 2 [...]or. 1. by giuing his Spirit to vs for an Earnest, that wee may not doubt of his promises; for if when wee were in the state of death hee gaue vs his Spirit, it is not to be doubted, but that to vs being made immortall, hee will adde glory.

Non praeter spem esse debemus, &c. Wee must not bee Angust. in Psal. 1 [...]2. without hope, yea wee may bee bold with great confidence, because if hee be with vs on earth by charity, wee are also with him in heauen—Hee is below by the compassion of charity, wee are aboue by the hope of charity. For wee are saued by hope? But because our hope is certaine, though sal­uation be to come, it is so spoken of vs, as if it were already done.

[Page 75]Tribulatio est enim nostra in presenti seculo, &c. Our Id▪ in Psal. 123. suffering is in this life, and our hope in the life to come: and except in the sufferings of this life, the hope of the life to come did comfot vs, wee should perish. Our ioy brethren, is not yet in performance, but in hope. But our hope is as certaine as if the thing were already done. Diuers other places haue beene allready cited out of him of Finall perse­uerance. I referre the Reader particularly to his booke. De Bono Perseuerantiae, & de Correptione & gratia. Where among many other sentences approuing the Perseuer­rance of the sonnes of God, hee saith (cap. 9.) Nullus e­orum: &c. None of them being changed from good into e­uill doth end his life.

Exempta est a morte anima, &c. That soule is freed Prosper in Psal. 114. from death, euen though shee bee compassed with mortall flesh, which of vnbeleeuing is made beleeuing: and besides that perfit eternall rest from all labours, which the death of the Saints precious in the eyes of the Lord doth obtaine, the soule which is deliuered from the death of infidelity hath also her rest in this life; euen that soule which ceaseth from the workes▪ not of righteousnesse, but of iniquity. Such a soule which is now aliue vnto God, and dead to the world, and is diligently buried in spirituall indeauours, not resting in an idle, but a quiet tranquility, of humility and meek nesse, she accounteth as now possessed, whatsoeuer with an vndoubted hope she patiently expecteth.

Neque vs (que) eo solum &c. Neither is the grace of Christ [...]irill Alex. Com­ment. in Esa. l [...]. 3. the Sauiour of vs all onely so farre extended toward vs, but in good hope, the possession of the Kingdome of heauen lasting and eternall life, and the absence of all euill, which vseth to affect with griefe, are likewise added. For it is written of the Saiuts. euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads.

[Page 62]Probi viri, cùm mundū possideant cor, &c. Good men, ha­uing a pure heart, became the receptacles of the comforter, as Id. in Ioan. lib. 9. cap. 44. it is possible to men, in this life; and they do know that they shall enioy great and wonderfull rewards. For they shall bee sanctified of the spirit and they shall be made partakers of all good things and the basenesse of bondage being cast off, they shall be adorned with the dignity of adoption of the sons of God, which Paul sheweth, saying: Because yee are sonnes, God hath sent the spirit of his son crying, Abba, Father.

Non accepistis spiritum seruitutis &c. You haue not re­ceiued the spirit of bondage &c. For hee cannot bee a iust man in the sight of God, who serueth him not for loue, but for feare. Which place I alledge, because the fallers from Grace, by teaching this falling from Grace, do teach men a Doctrine, by which men must bee continually in seruile feare, and to this very end they abusiuely alledge, Bee not high minded, but feare, and, Worke out your▪ saluation with feare and trembling.

In Scriptura sacra aliquando &c. In the holy Scripture, Id. in Iob. lib. 16. cap. 2. sometimes the gift of the Holy ghost is called an Earnest, be­cause thereby our soule is strengthned vnto the Certainty of inward hope. Well therefore it is said by Paul, Who hath giuen vs the Earnest of his Spirit; For to this end haue wee receiued this Earnest, that wee may hold a Certainty of that promise which is made vnto vs.

Mandatum Dei si timore fit poenoe &c. If the commande­ment Anselme in Rom. 8. of God be done, by the feare of punishment, and not by the loue of righteousnesse, it is slauishly done, and there­fore not done. For that fruite is not good, which doth not proceede from the roote of loue, &c. Wee haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption, whereby wee call God our Father: For the veryspirit of God himselfe, giueth wit­nesse [Page 77] to our spirit, that is, hee makes our spirit to know and vnderstand, that wee are the sonnes of God▪

Habes, homo, huius arcani Indice [...] spiritum &c. O man, Bernard. Ep. 107 thou hast the iustifiing Spirit for a Teacher of this secret, & in the same witnessing to thy spirit, that thou also art the Sonne of God. Take knowledge of the counsell of God in thy Iustification, &c. For the present Iustification of thee, is both a reuelation of Gods counsell, and a certaine prepara­tion vnto future glory.

Aliquis non potest, &c. A man cannot haue that friend­ship Aquinus 1. 2. quest. 65. art. 5. with God, which is called Charity, except hee haue a Faith by Which he beleeueth that there is such a Society and Familiarity of Man with God, and do hope that himselfe pertaines to this Society, Now how certaine and infal­lible this hope is, let himselfe also speake. Hope goeth Id. 2. secudae q. 18. art. 4. on to her end by way of Certainty, as partaking Certainty from Faith, which is in the knowing Faculty. Bradwarden proues Perseuerance, to be a free gift of God unto man, and therefore not of man to himselfe by Gods Bradwarden. de de causa Dei. lib. 2. cap. 14. Grace, which first position is the very ground of infallible Perseuerance, and the latter of falling away: and hee in­ferres. Propter haec huiusmodi (que) mo [...]iua, &c. For these and the like motiues, it seemes more probable to mee▪ and more agreeable to reason, and Catholicke Doc­trine, that Perseuerance is not giuen to merits, but is freely giuen of God, according to his free Grace, free Praedestination, and free Purpose, as the first work­ing grace that iustifieth a sinner. Non peccat videlicet ad mortem; &c. Hee doth not sinne, F [...]rus in 1. Ioa. 5 vnto death, but this hee hath not of himselfl, but from this, that hee is regenerated into a Sonne of God, by Faith and Baptisme: for this regeneration doth preserue him. For [Page 78] by Faith hee is made the Sonne of God, by Faith he is clen­sed from sinne, by Faith hee is preserued in the obtained righteousnesse, by Faith hee ouercomes the world, the flesh, and the Deuill, and by Faith hee riseth againe after falling, and therefore Satan cannot touch him. Hee may indeede dare to tempt the godly; So likewise hee durst to tempt Christ; Yea sometimes hee driues iust men vnto a fall, as wee see Dauid and Peter: But FINALLY, as in Christ hee could haue nothing, so neither can hee preuaile ouer the Saints. For none can take Christs sheepe out of his handes. Wherefore going to his Passion, hee recommen­ded all those that beleeued in him vnto his Father.