and l?eeaees ofgod, &c. 115 SECT. XX. The old ReconcilingboEtrine of Auguftine, Profper and Fulgentius. And fir,fly Profper ad Gallorum Q. £6o. IT is a ftrange thing to me that when Pelagius, pulian, Fauftus, &cä 1 thoughtAuguf#ine a Noveliji, and ( as tlfher afferteth would have faftned the title of Predeftination-Hereticks on his followers, and al- moft all confefs, that Auguftine was, if not the firft, yet themoft notable publick Vindicator ofabfolute Predeftination and Grace, yet theJudge- ment of Auftin, with hisDifciples Profper and Pulgentites, doth not ferve' turn toquiet, if not to end thefe controverfies, among thofe whoprofefs to be their followers ! when as they have fo copioufly and plainlywrit- ten upon the cafe ! 66t. I intreat theReader that is inclining to any extreams, but toread over firft thofe fhort anfwers ofProfper adCapitala.Gallorum andad ob- je£ tiones Vincent. And moil of thesententi a de Gapit. I (hall think it worthy my labour to recite, to force them on the Readers obfervation, and let him fee thehigheft old Do&rine of Gods Decrees. . "sent. I. Whoever faith, that by Gods Predeftination, as by fatalne- 'c ceíïity, mencompelled into fins, are conftrained todeath, is not a Cacho- s' lick. For Gods Predeftination doth by no means make men bad, nor is "the caule ofanymans fin. "sent.fop. a. He that faith, that the Grace of Baptifm received doth 6C not take away Original fin from them that are not predeftinated to life, " is not a Catholick. For the Sacrament ofBaptifm, by which all fins " are blotted out, Is true evenin them whowill not remain in the truth, " and for them that are not predeftinated unto life. " Sent. fop. 3. He that faith, that they that are not predeftinated to "life, though they were in Chrift regenerated by Baptifm , and have "lived pioufly and juftly, it profitteth them nothing, but they are fo " long referved till they fall to ruine, and they are not taken out of this "life till this happen to them, as if the ruine of fuch men were to be " referred to Gods conftitution, is not a Catholick. For God doth nor "therefore prolong the time of any mans age, that by long living he "thould fall to ruine; and inhis long living, fall from the right faith : " feting long life is tobe numberedwith the giftsof God, by whicha man "fhouldbe better and not worfe. sent. füp. ç. He that faith, that all are not called to Grace if he " ed ak of fuch as Chrift is not declared to , is not to be reprehend- "sent. fop. 5. He that faith, that they that are called, are not equal- " ly called, but fome that they might believe, and fome that they might "not believe, as if to any man the Vocation were the caufe of his not " believing, faith not right. For though faith be not but by Gods Gift; " and Mans will, yet Infidelity isbymans will alone. "Sent. 6. He that faith, that Free-will in Man is Nothing, but it'd "Gods predeftination which worketh inmen, whether it be togood or to "evil, is not aCatholick: ForGods Grace Both not abolifh mans choice " (or free-will ) but perfeð it ; and revoketh and reducethitinto the " way from error, that that which was bad by its own liberty, may by, " the operation of Gods Spirit be made right. And Gods predeftination " is alwayes in Goads which knoweth how either to párdon with the peaife Hé meaneth that thofe that fincerelÿ covenant- ed with God an Baptifm, were truly pardoned , though he thought tome. of them fell away and pertihed.
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