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ANIMADVERSJÓÑS written b, y the RightWoerend . Father zn god IOHNwT' LordBig o p 'of SARYsBVRT upona CI`'rear f intitled Gods love to Mankind 6y irr; 11--(7$44-2 oln 1,/Z- CAMBR ID GE, PrintedbyPoger Daniel Printer to the Univer hty, and are tobe fold by AndrewCrooke at thePigne ofthe Greene Dragon' ,aulx Church.yard.164 z /.4
Have perufed thefe Anlim, adverfions upon a Trea- tife intitled gods love to Man, kind , and now acknowledge ahem thus corrected for mine own. , ,90. s A RUM. Addenda Emendanda, Page-13. line 6.1dde, It is truly !aid by Abulenfis. 107.21. after Being adde, As for death, it is a privationof bodily life and bodily pain, but it is no abfolute privation of the being either of body or foul. s 29. title, reade, mens Pinnes. 149. zo. they would never. 169. 3. as an. 185.15. three Indignities. 202. 3. put-in (H.) 218.4. adde, We in this place think it rather refpe:leth all mankind, unto whom God of. fereth life upon the condition of believing. 224. title, The Sublapfá rian do&rine. 246.3o. adde, Pelagians onely excepted. 255. 28.fo . cligendos reade fidelcs. 263. 28. put-out muff. 303. 16. was therein, In the margin. Pag,86.For Comment.reade, Sent.filper. 97. for ætern. reade occulta. 157. 8.put O. 161, 15. P. 24.0. 3. A. 305. 16. M. 355.28. Vide Calvin. in Hofeam, c.14. v.1. Fag. 340. lin. z.K. 379, for Dabezde, Decl. 416. 23. C. 433. 30. L. 462. 5. C. ,.1
I ANIIViADVERSIONS upon a Treatife lately publilh, ed and intitled, 9ods love to e annd Manifefted by difproving his Abfoluté decree for their Damnation. Hof. 13, 9. o Ifracl, thou halt de(troyed thy Pelf : but in me is thy help. Wifd. I. 12, 13. Seele not death in the erreur ofyour life; and pull net upon your(elves de/fruition with the works ofyour hands. For God madenot death : neither bath he pleafiste in the destruThon of the living. Concerning' the Tide of this book, = ;Ie generali love of God towards mankind is fo clearly teftified in holy Scripture , and fo demon- ftrated by the manifold effe6ts of Gods goodneffe and mercy extended to every particular man in this world, that to doubt thereofwere infidelity, and to dense it, plainblafphemie : yet for all this, if any lhail go about to magnifie the common love of God extended promifcuoufly to A all
Concerning all men, that thereby he obfcureth the fpe= ciall love and mercy of God prepared from all eternitie and bellowed in due time upon ele6t men, this may lead the ignorant and Unlearned into a dangerous errour : And therefore obliquely to oppofe the eternall, free and abfolute decree of Predeflinatión or Elelian under colour ofdifapprovïng an abfolute decree for any mans Damnation, befitteth not any Divine who acknow- ledgeth the truth of that dorinewhich the Scriptures have delivered , St Augulline cleared, and the Church of England cfla- blifbed in the xviith Article.. But if the Au- thour of this treatife had no other aim , then the overthrowing of fuch an eternall decree of Predeflination and Preteritionas is fondly fiappofed will fave men whether they repent or not repent, believe or not believe, perfevere or not perfevere ; and fuch an abfolute decree of Reprobation as will damne men though they fhould repent and believe, or will hinder any man from repentingand believing, or will caufe and work any mans impenitency or infidelity; we bothwith, and (hall endeavour together with him to root fuch erroneous fanfies out of all Chriftian minds. The place cited out of Flofea, with ma- ny others which might be alledged, will eafilyprove that Man is the authour of his o1n
the ride. own finne and the procurer of his own damnation, and God onely the Judge and punifher:. But withall they prove as clearly that Man is not the procurer of his own Predeflination, nor the deferver of his own Salvation byhis forefeen faith and perfeve- rance : but God is he who according to his abfolute and infallible purp'ofe giveth in time that grace unto his elea which before all time he decreed should be an effechuall means tobring themuntoglory. To the Reader. THe .Authour of this Treatife wasperfwaded to penne the reafons ofhis opinion again(i abfolute 7{eprobation, ¡bat he might fatisfie a worthie friend of hie, who required it. what fatisfattion that learned gentleman, his friend , hath received by theferea(ons,I know not: but fuse Iam,, theyhave given goodcontent to force others, who have read them, and do dill dejare a copie of them for their further ufe. To eafe whofe pains in transfcribirg this treatife,it doth nowappear in this form. Ifany of contrary opinion Pall undertake to anfwer or refuteit, I wifbhewould fet down his opinion and reafonswith that perfpicuitie andmodeflie that our Authour bath fet down his. Such a courfe ofdifputing will gain more credit to himfelfand bis caufe, then voluminous vagaries a- bout impertinent things.' If any ¡hall ufe railingfpeeches, or nnneceffary diverfions from the caasfe,'I(hall ever interpret that tobe afirong fagne of a weak caufe ; or at leaft I fha/J thinkit to be an argument ofan obftinatemind, who neither knoweth how to yeeld to the truth nbr to defend his errour. X hope the Reader who loveth his own falvation will bea more indifferent judge in a queftionwhich concerucihhim fo nearly. endfo l leave him to Gods blef.ing.
An an f ver to the Preface, with forme propofi- tions concerning the true nature of Predeflination or Eleciion. He Titleof the Book jufrly rejc eth an abfolute Decree for the damnation of any particular perfon : for fuch a decree was never enacted in Gods eternall counfel nor ever publifhed in his revealed word. But for abfolute Reprobation , if by this word be underflood onely that Preterition, Non-tleäion,or negative decreeof Predefli. nation, which is contradictorily oppofed to the decreeofElection, the one is as abfolute as the other,and neither dependeth upon the forefeen difference ofrnens actions, but up- on the abfolute will of God. For if God from eternitie abfolutely eleded fore unto the infallible atteinment of Grace and Glo- ry, we cannot but grant that thole who are not comprifed within this abfolute decree are as abfòlutely paffed by as the other are chofen. The decree of Damnation there- foremar not be confounded with the de- cree ofnegative Predeliination, which ( ac- cording to the phrafè of the School rather thenof the Scripture) is ufually termed Re- probation. By which termofReprobation forme underfiand onely the deniall of E1e,- lionor Predeflination. And becaufe thene- gativñ is tp tie sneaftiáed by the affirmation, rnlcfre
The Preface anfvered. unleffe we be agreed what is meant when we fay,Peter wA,spredeflinat edbefore thefoun- dations ofthe worldwere layd, we can never rightly judge what is meant when on the contrarywe avouch , yudzs was reprobated before thefoundations of' the world were layd. Some others under thename of Reprobati- on involve not onely the negative decree of preparing fuch effeduall grace as would bring men moll certainly unto glory;but an affirmative decree alto for the punifhing of men eternally in hell-fire. So farre forth as this Authour feemeth' to oppofe the abfolute decree of Prede[li- nation, and the abfolute decree of negative Reprobation orNon- eledion,reducing them to the contrary forefeen conditions ofgood or bad aecs in men, he croffeth the received Doctrine ofthe ChurchofEngland. But if he intend onely to prove , that the adjudi- cation of men unto eternall life or eternall death , and the temporali introduaion of men into thekingdome ofheaven,or carting of men into the torments ofhell,are always accompanied with the Divine prefcience or intuition of contrary as or qualities in thofewhich are to be faxed or condemned;. wehold it and acknowledge it a molt cer- tain truth. Yet we mull here ,dde, that Predeiination and Preterition are eternall aas immanent in God the Creatour, where,- A 3 as
The Preface as Salvation and Damnation are temporali effeets terminated unto the creature : and therefore the latter maybe fufpended upon many conditions, though the former be in Godnever fo abfolute. The Treatife infuing would have had much more perfpicuitie, if the Authour had briefly and plainly fet downwhat he under- fiandethby this wordPredéftination or E- leJion , and whether he conceive it tobe an abfolute or a conditionall Decree. If conditionall ; he fhould have (hewed us with whom God conditioned, upon what terms, and where the conditions Randupon record. If he grant abfolute Predeflinati- on , his plea for conditionate Preterition will be to little purpofe with thofe who underftand that the abfolute Eleaion of fuch a certain number doth ineodenafimo ra- tionis as abfolutely imply a certain number of men not eleaed. Thewifdomeofour Church ofEngland in the xviith Article layeth down the do- drine of Predeflination , and doth not fo . much as in one word meddle with thepoint of Reprobation ; leaving men to conceive that the one is the bare negation or deniall of that fpeciall favour and benefit which is freely intended and mercifully bowed in the other. Would to God the children of this Church had imitated the wifdorne of their
aflfwered. their Mother, and had not taken a quite contrary courte , balking the dottrine of Predeftination , and breaking-in abruptly upon the doarine of Reprobation. I know not whether I fhould think him more defective , who in difputing about Reprobation runneth out into im- pertinent vagaries, or him that undertaketh the handling of this queftion without pre- rnifingand opening the true nature of Pre- deaination: And noman need fear but ( with all that are judicious, religious , and loving their own falvation) that manner ofhandling this controverfie will be bell accepted, Which fo reduceth mans Sinne and Damnation to himfelf, as withal! it forgetteth not to re- duce his Juftification, Sanlification, Glo- rification not to any forefeen goodneffe fpringing out of mans free-will, but to the free mercy of God , according to his eternall purpofe effetually working in men thole gifts and as of grace 'which are the means to bring them unto glo- rie. Having thus briefly fpoken of the Title and Preface, I will lay down fuch funda- mental! doetrines concerning Predeftinati- on orElehion as I conceive are grounded upon the xviith Article, and have alwayes been taken for the common received do- A 4 arine
Propofations and Corollaries &nine of our Church ; the contradi6tory by our Univerfities and reverend Bifhops ( when they were broched) having been alwayes held and cenfured for erroneous. This done, I will go along with the Trea- tife it felf, not intending to defend the par- ticular opinions of any forrein or home- bred Divines, exorbitant from the doctrine of our own Church, but onely to defend our well-fettled doctrine againft all oppo- fers of what names or fens foever: Propofitions concerning the natureof Prede- flination,andwherein itproperly confaft- eth, with certain Corollaries apper- teining thereunto. Propof. DRedeftination is an eternal! decree or purpofe of God, in time caufing effeEtu all grace inall thofe whom he hathchofen, and by this effeEtuall grace bringing them infallibly unto glory. For proofof this propofition thefe pla- ces of Scripture might ferve; Rom. 8. 29, 3o . Ephef. r. 4, 5, &c. Luke 12.3 2.Matth. 24.24. The definitions of Predeftination prove the fame. As that of St Auguftine, De Bono Ferfeverantix,c.z4.of the Schoolmen;Pr-- paratio gratix in prefénti &glorix in futuro. r .q. 3Amongft the .reít, of Aquinas; a Predeflina- a7s. Z. do efl ratio ordinis aliquorum in (alutem deter- 774173
concerning Predeflination. naan ira mente Divìna exffens. of th¡Jefuite Vafquez; Predefiinatio efipropofrtumaternum Dei quo gratiam alicui prxparat in vitam e- ternam. And laílly Arminius himfelfgiveth us this defcription ; b Pr,edeflinatioeft decre- 6 DifP. turn beneplaciti Dei in Chriflo, quo arrud f ab p,sbl. Their. everno flatuit, fdeles quos fide donareedecrevit a s. vite aterná donare. In all thefe defcripti- ons, Predeftination conteineth an eternal', abfolute, infallible decree, as well for the givingof grace effeduall unto certain per- fons here, as the bringing of the fame per- fons unto glory hereafter. Arminius per- ceiving this, in his private difputations c c mc 40. peth out thole words , quos .fide dordare de- crevit, which he had ufed in his publick. Predeflination being an immanent and cord. I eternal! adof the Divineunderflanding and will, cannot be conceived as dependent up- N on any forefeen temporale ads ofMans free-will. A prime and eternal! caule cannot de- pend upon the felf,fame temporale of et s which are thereby caufed. If therefore Predeflination be the prime and eternal! caufe from whence Peters faith, repen- tance and perfeverance were derived , his forefeen faith, repentance and perfeverance cannot in any good fenfe be imagined ante- cedent caufes, merits, conditions or motives unto the DivinePredeflination, The
zo Propofitions and Corollaries d Zn'.d=fp Th% Jefuite Vafquez, ' though he found 89' Predeftination unto glory upon forefeen merits, yet in this he is founder then the Ar- minians, in that he maketh the differencing of the Predeflinate from the Reprobated tobeginne before all abfolute previfion of their free-will confenting the one way or the other. Andour learned Bifhop of Nor- wich Dr Overall explaining the xviith Ar- ticle hath thefe words, 1 ofira Ecclefla con- jungit particulars decretum abfolutum, non ex prafcientia humanefrdei aut voluntatls depen- dens,fdexpropofito Divinevoluntatis Jra- rie de his quos Dews elegit itt Chriflo liberan- dis, cumgenerali conditionata voluntate,feu generalipromifsione, &c.Where he evidently acknowledgeth an eternall, fecret, abfolute Decree , predeflinating particular perfons unto eternall life without all dependency upon their forefeen faith or perfeverance; though therewithall he conjoyn an open,re- vealed and Evangelicall Decree of bring- ing men into the pofl'e4fion of eternall life by the way and upon the conditionoftheir faith, repentance and perfeverance. Prop, 2 . Ele ion or Predeftination findeth or confidereth all mere men inone and the felf- fame condition : and it is the grace prepared for them in Predeftination which maketh the predeflinate become holy & happy men. If Predeftination be conceived as ante- cedent
concerning Predeflination; cedent to the fall, then it taketh all men in flaw innocentis, and fo alike. If it be confi- dered inflatu lapfo, then it alfo findeth all the Tonnes of Adam alike miferable and damnable. They who will have God in his Divine Coroll. Predeflination tobehold all men, and elet thole men confequently whom he confi- dereth as believing and perfevering in faith and holineffe unto the lafl gafp, are in an errour. For i . this is to elet or predefti- nate men not confidered in flatu integro nor in flaw lapfo, but in flatu reparato , & tanturn non glorificato. 2. Again, this is not tobring Faith, Holineffe, Perfeverance, out of the gracious benefit of Eletion, but to bring Elation out of the forefeen ads of Believing, Obeying,Perfevering, quirecon- trary to the dotrine of our Church andof the truth. 3. Laft of all, if we admit this opinion ofconditionate Predeflination, fol- lowing upon the eternal! forefight of mens finali obedience and perfeverance, we muff of neceffity grant that the grace or benefit ofPredeftination aftordethnoman anyhelp at all in the way unto eternal! falvation or glorification : which no Chriftian eare can patiently heare. For how can that be the caufe leading infallibly in the wayunto eter- nall life, which cometh not fo much as in- to confideration until! a man have runne out TI
1!Í j3 ii opofitions and CoroIllries out his race in faith and godlinefre, and be arrived at heaven-gates r Such a falfely -na- med Predeftination might more truly and, properly have been called a Poftdeftinati- on. But call it how they pleafe, it enaeteth onelyper modum legis, That men thus living and dying fhan be received into the king- dome of heaven: but it doth not per mo- dum decreti operanti; infallibly work thole graces and gracious aetions whereby men are brought unto heaven. Prop ., The grace prepared for the Elect} in Gods p .3. eternal' Predeftination, and beftowed upon them in the temporali difpenfation, fo cau- feth their belief, repentance, perfeverance, as that it impofeth no neceífìty or violent coaecion upon the wills ofmen, but caufeth their free and voluntary endeavours. That the grace prepared in Predeftina- tion is an infallible caufe producing faith and perfeverance inall the eleet, appeareth from the nature and eflence of Predeftina- tion : which being a fpeciall part of the Di- vine providence, is diftinguiflied from that more generali providence , by appointing and applying fuch means as never fail to produce the end whereunto they are fitted. So that St Auguftine feareth not to in- ferre, That if the grace prepared for the ele& in their Predeftinationfhouldnot work . the intended end, which is their glorifica- tions
w P1111cerning Predeflination, 13 tion; aut vinceretur Gaut falleretur Deus, God himfelf muft either be overcome or de- ceived. Yet he withall defendeth , That this effeáuall grace hath noviolentcoative operation upon the will, but caufeth it to work by its own freedome. e Stat libertas e Abut. in arbitrii cumDivina motione voluntatem ago- Gip fram au' id cuod vult applicante. And St Auguftine to t-Áie fame purpofé, Deus omni_ potentißimá facilitate Convertit, ac volentes ex nolentibusfait. In which fewwords he conjoyneth the invincible operation of the grace of God with the free operation of mans will. Nay the grace flowing from thedecree of Predeftination is fo farre from puttinga neceffitation upon the will, as that it is the very caufe which freeth the will from the slavery of finne, and maketh it freely to move and work in all good ads. It `;iveth the wigand the deed; and therefore it implyeth a contradiction to fay, it ma- keth a man do any good by way of ne- cefsitation. ' Cu6i confentifs , ibi voluntas : fBern. De ubi voluntas , ibi libertas. VVhenas there- tab, arbztr. fore God had eternally predeflinated Pe- ter tobelieve in Chrifl, to repent, to per- fevere, he did by fpeciall grace move him and work him to the moft free and willing performanceof all thefe things; according to that of St Augufine, Ciim Deus volt fie ri (pod non nif volentibos horninibus opor- tet
14 PropoJtions and Coroffar;er tet fieri inclinat eorum corda ut hoc velini: They who refute to acknowledge_ this power of Gods will over mans will, do not perceive how they 'fumble at the firft articleof the Apoftles creed. Coroll.3, Thole horrible confequents which the ancient Semi - Pelagians would have forced upon Auguffines opinion of abfolute Pre- deflination, are of no force As for exam- ÇI aure. pie ; g If the Divine Predeflination be ab- lacg. folate, nemo vigilet, nemo jejunet, nemo libi- dini contradicat, &c. And again; If Pre- deftination be abfolute, ad vitam reaam non füo duca, fed violento tantum Dei im- perio homines.pertrahuntur. In a word ; If abfolute Predeflination unto grace and glo- ry be granted , intra grathe vocabulum aóf_ conditur fatale venenum. TheCe with many other inferences ofthe farne Ramp Fauflus& others ofthe Semipelagian fedwould needs thru(l upon the doctrineof Predeftination: and as for themfelves, they boldly main- teined thefe propofitions, as it were in de- fiance of Gods abfoluteand free Election; Ira,r'. t, Hoc propofitum Vocationis Dei , quo eligen- En`R ad dorum & rejiciendorum diciturfield*retie fecundùrn quod placuit Creatori, lapfis curaro refurgendi adimit , f nc`lis ocoafionem affert, ¿c. Prior e(l hominis obediencia quámDei gratia. Thulium fibtis ex eo of qui f lva- tur, non ex Deo qui flvat. And Fauftus Rhegienfis
concerning Predeflination. Rhegienfis bath the like or wore : Salts hominidnon inpraedeflinatione Fatioris,fed in operatione famulant4 collocate eft. Non ell fpecialiscirca credentes Dei munificentia. Pr-- deflinatio ad ju.litiam pertinet. Nifi pnefá entia exploravcrit , preedeflinatio nihil de- cernit. 7uflitia periclitabitttr fi fine merito indignus eligitur. Untó all thefe and the like inferences and opinions we briefly anfwer three things. Firft, That Predeftination is abfolute, not becaufe it intendeth the bringing of any man unto eternal' life without performing theconditions which God requireth in the Gofpel, as Repenting , Believing, Perfeve- ring, and the like ; but becaufe God in his moft gracious decree of Eleéion doth as abfolutely and certainly ordain men unto faving grace as unto everlaftingglory. Se- condly, That in the Divine Predeftination there is alwayes included a prefcience of the faith and perfeverance of all filch as are ele6ted : yet fo, that this prefcience is not the antecedent motive unto their Ele- ¿ion; but this forefeen faith and perfeve- . ranee is a confequent fruit or effect of the Divine E1eaion. Laftly, That there is a decree conditional) eftablifhed by God concerningmans falvation, namely, That if any man repent, believe and perfevere, he thanmolt certainly be faved,I3ut we fay it is an
u I6 rropofitions ánd Corollaries an abufe of the Word, to call this the de= cree of Gods Eleulion or Predeftination. For the truthofthis decree may 'land good and firm though no man living fhould be- lieve or attein unto eternal! life. But the Divine Predeílination or Election is fuch a decree as infallibly in force men produceth faith,and bringeth unto eternall life a cer- tain number of perfons known onely unto God himfeif. To flint up this Corollary; We do not onely avouch the dofrine of S. Augufline concerning abfolute Predeflination to be true, allowed by our Church , and eafily cleared from all thefe abfurd confequences which the Adverfaries would fain fallen upon it; but we further avouch, That the new- devifed plat -form of Predeflination grounded by Arminius upon forefeen faith Kind perfeverance, is falfe,vain,and difagree- ing from the notionof Predeflination root- ed in the hearts of all catholick andortho- dox Chrillians. For his Predeflination is fettled upon thefe foure pillars. . The firft is, an abfolute decree of giving Chrifl for a Mediatour and Redeemer unto mankind confidered as fallen, in the fíate of finne. Another abfolute decree, To receive in- to favour all fuch as Ihall repent and be- lieve , and to fave them perfevering unto the
4rmir'jíus's Decrees rejeéiec4'. the end; as all() , To leave the impeni- tent and unfaithful! under Gods wrath, and to condemn them as men out of Chriff. 3. A thirddecree, Effeaually toafford and adminifter unto all men fufficient and ne- ceffary means of breeding faith and re- pentance. a. The fourth and laft, a decree, To fave or condemne certain fingular perlons, grounded upon the Divine forefight who will repent, believe and perfevere, and who will not. To this plat-form in generall we fay , That the marlhallingof the eternal! imma- nent as of the Divine underflanding or will into Firfi, Second , Third, Fourth, is a weak imagination of mans brain, and fo uncertain that amongft twenty whogive us fuch delineations of Gods eternal! decrees, you (hall not find two who agree between themfelves in numbring them and order- ing them; but where one maketh foure, an- other maketh five, fix, or feven, &c. and that which oneman fetteth in the firaplace, another fetteth in the laf} : and in brief, e- very manordereth them f cundhinfuummo- duns imaginandi. To build therefore any doìrinesof faith upon the Prioritie or Po- fierioritieoffuch decrees, is to build cai les in the aim. For as Hilarius , fpeaketh, Om ,2i4 4 Y
ig erminirts his i De Tui;i. $ omniapenésDeum æquabili ¿ternitatis lib.Ia nitateconfifiunt. Now to come more particularly to Ar- minius his decrees. Whereas the true de- cree of Election or Predeflination is an Operative Pradicall decree preparing from all eternitie and in time certainly cau- fing grace and glorie in fingular perlons e- leded ; Arminius hath given us Enunciative Datrinall decrees concerning the generali caufes and means of falvation, apperteining prom-ifcuoufly unto all men, whether ele - ed or not elected, conjoyned with an ad of Divine prefcience, which caufethnot Peters Faith, Repentance, Perleverance, Salvati- on, but rather Peters Faith, Repentance and Perfeverancecaufe or draw after them his Predeflination. So that in the whole feries of Arminius his Predeflination there is not one decree tobe found which caufeth infal- libly in any fingular man Jufiification, San- étification or Glorification. r. His firfi decree is very defcCtive, be- caufe it giveth us a predefiinated Media- tour andRedeemer in feparatofgno rationis from the perfonspredeílinated infallibly to participate the benefit of this Mediatourand Redeemer, which is reconciliation and ef- feCtuall grace in this world , and eternall glory hereafter. Fbr as it were an abfurd imagination to conceive that God firfi de- creed
Decrees re etied. 19 creed to make Adams head, and then byan- other decree to make him members fubor- dinate tohis head; fo is it, to frame a parti- cular decree for the Predeftination of Chriff, and then to devife another for the Predeftination of his fubordinate members. 2. His fecond decree is a decree reveal- ed about the manner how many in time muff be brought unto heaven, and not the fecret decree wherein God from all eterni- ty predeftinated thofe whom he pleated unto the infallible obteiníng of the king- dome of heaven: fo that this eternall de- cree, icu yue crediderit G" perfeveraverit falvus erit, might hand true though no man in the world fhould either believe or be faved. But the decree of Election or Pre- deftination doth imply,per modum caufe in- fallibiliter operarntis, the faith, perfeverance and falvation of a number of fngular per- fons known unto God, and cannot be ve- rified otherwife. 3. His third decree bath the fame fault: For God may (in his fenfe ) fuñciently and effehually adminiter the means of grace and falvation unto millions of men who notwithfandingwill never attein falvàtion. But that adminifiration of grace which floweth from the decree of Predeftination never failed to bring thofe particular per, foes unto whom it is mercifully vouch- t3 w fafed,
20 "Arminius's Decrees rejeaed. fafed, unto the ílate ofglorification. Thefe decrees hitherto concern Cain as well as Abel, and Judas as well as Peter ; and there- foreas yet we fee in themno decree of Ele. &ion. 4. His lait decree is it wherein onely the Divine Predeflinationis formally and effen- tially placed by Arminius : and yet this path ;Is little in it of reali Predeflination or Election as the former. For , Firft it is a decree for the temporali and aduall intro- dulion of certain fingular perfons into the kingdome of glory ; whereas Predeftina- tion is a decree fore-appointing and pre- paring that effeCtuall grace whereby thofe perlons were infallibly brought unto glo- rie. Secondly, this decreeis founded upon the prefcience of mans right ufe of Gods grace : But the decree of Predeftination kMuid. caufeth the right ufe of grace. k Hoc iprum De ¡ln" volle accipere gratiam eft ex pradeftinatione Divisa. This difcourfe concerning Predef}inati- on is neceffary for the true understanding of Reprobation : And it is probable that thole who erre in the one are not free from erreur in the other. ifods
Çods Love to enUlanknd. SIR, ?r7, ,/ii %. Have fent you here the reafons which have moved me (,4) ro change myopinion in fame controverfies of late debated between the Rep monfirants and their Oppofites. I do the rather (B) prefent them untoyou, r. i hat I may fhew the due refpe&which I bear your Worship with my forwardneife to anfvver your defires , as I can with regard to confcience. z. That you may fee that I diffent not without caufe, but have reafon on my fide. 3. That if I can be convinced that my grounds are weak and infufficient, I may think better of the 'opinion which I have forfaken then I can for the prefent. In the delivery of my motives I will proceed in this order: i. I will flare the opinion which I diflik% z. j will lay downmy reafons againft it. Touching the fiat your Worship knt vveth there two things very well: a. That (C ) the main r1rtltavop and queflion in chefe controverfies, and that on which the refl. do hang, is, What the decrees of God are touching the everlaf#ing condition of men, and how they are ordered. z. That the men whohave difputed thefe things, may be reduced to two forts and fides. The first fide (D) affirmeth, That there is an Abfolute and Peremprorie decree proceeding from the alone pleafure of God, without any confideration of mens finali impeniten- cy and unbelief: by which Godcafleth men off from grace and glory, and fhutteth up the fare greater part ( even of thole that are called by the preaching of the Gofpel tore. pentance and falvation) under invincible and unavoydable finne and damnation. The other fide difavowing any fuck decree, fay,That Gods decreeofcalling menoff for ever,is grounded upon thefore- fight ofthey continuance in finneandunbeli, f, both avoyda- hieby grace, and confequently inferring no mans, damnati- on necefrarilÿ. The firfl- tide is divided: For s. Some (E) of them prefent van to God in the decree B 3 of 2L
22 The Queflion hated. of ¶eprobatian, looks onout of or above the Fall; and fay, That God of his mere pleafure antecedent to all finne in the creature, original' or a&uall, did decree toglorifie his Sove- reignty and Juftice in the eternal' rejeaion and damnation of the greaten part of mankind, as the end ; and in their unavoydable finne and impenitency , as the means. And this way go Calvine, B, Zanchius, Pifcatbr, Gomarus, and fome ofour own coutltreymen. 2.. The reff (F) of that fide thinking to avoyd the great inconveniences to which that Supralapfarian way lyeth o_ pen, fall down a little lovver,and prefent man to God inhis decreeof Reprobation, lying in the Fall andunder theguilt of originali Gone, laying , That God lookingupon mife- rable mankind lying in Adams finne, did decree the great- eft number of men (even thofe whom he calleth to repen- tance and falvation by the preaching of the Golpel) to hell- torments forever and without all remedy,for the declaration of his levere Juflice. This waywent the Synod. Thedifference (G) between them is not much, and even in their own account too fmall_a difcord to caule a breach. Notvvithftanding this petty differencetherefore, they agree well enough together , as we may fee in the Hague-Confe- rence and Synod. In the Conference at Hague the Contra-remonffrants (:,) Col. Hag. have there words; (a) As touching the diverfitie of opinions Brand. pzz in this argument, viz. That God looked at man in this de- 37, sQload cree, notyet created,or created and fallen; becaufe this be- fententta= rum diverti- longeth not to thefoundation of this doe!rine, Yve do in (hri- tatem in hoc Man equity bearwith one another. argumento, After this in the Synod at Dort they permitted Gomarus quòd Deus to let down his judgement in the upper way. And the Dele- refpextt ho- gates of South-Holland were very indifferent which way minem in g hoc decreto they took:For there are theirwords,(b)whetber God in ihoo- nondum ere- n confidered men asfallen, or elfe as not fallen, they (the atom, vei Dle el gates ©f South.Holland ) think it is not neceffary to be ereatum g lapfum; quia determined, fo it be held, that God in chooling confidered men hoc ad fun in a like eftate. (c) Maccovius (H) alto Profeffour of Di- damentum vinity at Franelcer aviolent and cliffmainteiner ofthe moíl }iujusdori unfavour f eeches which have been uttered in this Contro- n non per.. Y P tine t, liben- ter alü alios aquitate Chrilliana toleramos. (ó).4e'. Syÿn.pfrt.3. pag48. An Deus in eligendo con ideraverit homilies ut lapfos,an etiam ut nondum lapfos,exiflimant non efteneceftarium ut definiatur »r.iodò fiatuatur'Deuni in eligendo cònfde- rafts homines igpari flato. (c) lntadot 3.temonßr. tag.3a. verfie,
The ,9.11.,eflion flatcar. 23 tierce , and one that undertook in the very Synod to make good againft Lubbert his fellow- Profef3our, chat God did (d) willftnnes, ordain men tofi;tne,and would not at all that f) Vella all mr.a ba feed; and betides this, openly and peremptorily pccata, or, affirmed, That except theft things 'mere heldand mainteined dienare ho- by them, they could not poffibly keep their own ground, mint, ad but mu(t come over to the Remrnftrants this roan was not peccaturn onely not cenfured, but publickiy declared in the Synod to gum Paz netR- be pure and orthodox, and difmif'ed onely 'With this kind and tiquam verle friendly admonition, That he (houldhereafter take heed of ut omnes futh words as might give ofen(e to tender ears, and could homines fa!- not well down with thole who are yet uncapable of fttcb ventun, mylleries. By there inflances it appeareth that they of the firíl fide can eafily bear one with another in this difference. And (to fay the truth) there is no reaf)n why they fhould quarrel about circumftances, Peeing they agree in the fubftance. For they both (t) contend, i. That the moving -caufe of Reprobation is the alone will of God, and not the finneof man , originals or aftuall. 2. That the fnall impenitency and damnation of Re- probates arenecegary and unavoydable by Gods ablolute decree. There two things are the maxima gravamna, principal) grievances, that the other fide ftick at. So that theft two paths meet at lafl in the fame way. Both thefe opinions of the firíl fide I dillike. My reafons why, are of two forts; Such as Gril made me to queff ion their truth. 2. Such as convince me of their untruth, Anfver. THe Remonfirants in this controver- fie concerning Election, Preterition, or negative Reprobation, have not one- ly the Contra-remonffrants for their Op- pofites, but the Church of England al- fo ; which holdeth the middle way , as the learned Bifhop of Norwich bath plainly íhewed The change of your 13 4 opinion,
Of The opinion, therefore is not to be blamed, un- leffe where from one extremity you have run into the other. A friend mighthave been fatisfied in this kind by private conference, or writing, though his Majefties Declaration had not been,- broken by printing and publifhing fuch controverfiall points. The main Clirv'praop is not What are the Decrees ofGod onelyconcerning the finali conditions ofmen; but, What are the De- crees of God concerning the différent pre- parationofgrace .whereby fomeare guided infallibly unto falvation, others are permit- ted through their own corruption or'vo- luntary t ranfgrelfion to fall into damnation. As for the ordering of fuch eteanall De crees by firft, fecond, third, fourth infiantia rationis (as they term them) it is a School- devife Unknown to the Ancients, and ne- ver'' attempted by any with good fuc- ceffe. No fide affirmeth an alfolute decree by force whereof Perfons not elected are ca.Ft offrom grace : for the non-elect An- gels and many millions ofmen not prede- átinatedhave hada great meafure of grace beftowed upon them. Reprobation is not a deniall of fufficient grace, but a denial' of filch 'fpeciall grace as God knoweth would infallibly bring tl etn toglory. Neither
e.tion Bated. Neither Both the decree of Preterition riot up any man render a necefsitie of finning and being damned ; but it permitteth men voluntarily and freely to run into damnable finnes, and through their voluntary impeni- tency to incurre eternall damnation. 2 Non a rro . ad curfus ruentium, nec malignitatem iniquorum; ®fad. Tent. nequecupiditatespeceantiumpredeflinatio Dci eft, 1 °. aut excitavit, aut fua f it, aut impulit, &c. b Nemini Deus correClionis adimit viam, nec b Refp. 1 quenquambonipofsibilitatederpoliat. And Taft of all, abfolute Predeflination, andabfoluteReprobation or Non-election, donot exclude or deny, theeternall intuition of Faithand Perfeverance in the Elea, nor the eternall confideration of Infidelitie and Impenitency in theNon-elea ; but they de-; ny fuch a confederation of good or badaas forefeen in men as caufeth or precedeth the different decrees of God in elcting fome men mercifully unto falvation, and leavingothers through their own default to plunge themfelves into eternal! damnation. If by cafling off men for ever, you mean the eternall exclufion of the damned from the bleffed pretence of God, and their eter- nall tormenting in hell, no fide will deny but this is grounded upon the forefight of their finall continuance in (inne : yet fo, that as the finali continuance of Peter in faith wasnot a caufe, c on.dition or motive fore- feen
Of The Leen, and fo determining the Divine will to eleét him ; but the Divinc Election was the caufe which afterwards produced in him that forefeen faith. So the forefeen finali continuance of Judas in finne and infi- delitie was not it whichdetermined the Di- vine will topafl'e-byhim inhis decreeofele- ting fingular perfons unto the infallible at- teinment ofeternall life ;but being thus paf- fed-by,God forefeeth that through the vo- luntary obilinacy of hisown will ( not by anyneceffitating violence ofGods decree)he will live and die in finne and impenitency, and for his voluntary finne and impenitency deferve and undergo eternall torments. E Thofe who in ordering the eternall De- crees, place Predeflinationand negative Re- probation before the confederation of the fall, are not fewfor number, nor menofany Labs, late fed. C Scotus with the whole army izbt.41° of Scotifis, the greater number of late di¡t. 19. School- Divines, are of this opinion : And Suarez by name ; whofe words are thefe, d I 3 d Probabilioremexifirno communcm fenterlti- dafp. 5` am Theolo drum aJrentium electionem homi- 1.103. num pnede.Winatorum anrecefsiffeperrnifiionem on '<inalis peccati. As for Calvine,he never troubled himfelf with thefe imaginary Priorities and Pofle- riorities in the eternall immanent operations ofGod : but all that he aimed at was to prove
efion i ated. 2.7 prove , That the fall forefeen could not be caufe ormotive unto God of force mens Elation and others Reprobation. As for the intuition or Divine confideration of all mankind in flats lapf , Calvitie in plain terms avoucheth it ; e Pofquant Paulus, Deurn ex perdita map eligere r reprobare quos illi vifiem eft, docuit, ware & quomodo id at adeó non expedit, :st potiús expave- f ens, &c. And this Prefuppofition of finne confi- dered in perlons whether eleaed or not elec±ed, whether tobe favedor tobe dam- ned, is moft convenient for helping our un- derftanding in thisdeep myflery. But ifany fhall therebyconceive that the eternall \To- litions or Intuitions of God have any reall pofterioritie or prioritie in the Divine will and underftanding,he deceiveth himfelf,and troubleth others withvain jangling. Vti. fit«i7. zee litas diflinguendi hec infiantia rationis valant. p. nor; 2.5o, C De æter- na Dei Priede(t. eft, ut ille modrm intelligendi retineatur, fed ut viam aperiat veritati, qux aperta relingreatur. God did eternally decree toglorifie him- felfin the falvation of forte and damnation ofothers which the event dothplainly de- monflrate : But for thofe in whofe faivation he decreed to glorifie his Mercy,he worketh in them the meansof their falvation, faith, repentance, perfeverance in faith andgodli neífe, by an influx ofgrace into their fouls, by
23 Of The by a powerful' yet hot violent, by a mof Tweet and yet moff infallible guidance of their wills ; in and over which God hath a more predominant power then themfelves. As/for thole in whofe damnation Godglo- rifxeth his Sovereigntieand Juffice, he doth it not by an influxofmalice into their fouls, nor by unavoydable wreftingof their wills unto any particular finne ; but leaveth all finfull defetive a&ions to their own fi full defeäfive wills, which wanting the fpeciall grace and effeduall guidance proceeding from Divine Predeffination, never fail to run themfelves willingly and wittinglyup- on their own damnation. The means whereby men, are brought unto falvation, are reali effects of the Divine Eleófion wrought by Gods Spirit ; as the light and heat ofthe air is by the fun: But themeans whereby men are carried to their damnati- on, grow from themfelves ; as coldnefíeand darkneffe ofthe air isfrom it fell. As for thole whom you term sublaprari- ass, you fhould have taken notice, that in this number you muff put all who imbrace S. Auguftines doctrine, and who have' fubfcribed to the xv Article of ' our Church. Now thefe do as well oppofe themfelves againf the conditionate Ele6ion and Preter.ition, built upon the forefight ofmens good or badads, lately brought in by
ueIlion flitted. by Arminius, as unto theextremeharfh opi- nions of Pifcator, Gomarus, or whomfo- ever. So that-by joyning your felf with the Remonftrants, you have as clearly for- faken the doarine of the Churchof Eng- land, as ofBeza, Zanchiús, or Pifcator. The defcription of their opinionwhom you term Soblapfarians, will not agree unto all who rejeft the conditionate Predeftina- tionand Reprobation of theRemonftrants. For manywithS. Auguftine &our Church, condemne this as erroneous who notwith- ftandingmake noabfolute decree adjudging men to hell-torments with an excNding of all preconfideration offin: But they grant an abfolute decree of not effetually freeing many men from their eftate ofSinne, and an abfolute decree of permitting many men to want the joyes of Heaven, and an abfolute decree ofpunifhing fuch mens forefeen fins voluntarily committed and voluntarily con- tinued by eternall torments in Hell. Thofe who are paffed-by in the eternall decreeof God arenot by any force of the decree left without the benefit which the Scriptures promife upon condition of re- pentance, no more then thofe whomGod hatheternally eleied areby virtue of that decree freed from the puni(hment which fuppofing their impenitency muff light upon them . Notwithftanding the abfolute eter- nail 29 F
3° Of The nail decrees of Eleíion and Reprobation, the revealed Evangelicall decrees fland in their full force. If Cain repent and live well, he thall be pardoned and faved : If Peter repent not, and perfevere inhis finite, he (hall be damned. And yet farther ( not to determine whether fufficientgrace be of- fered to every particular perfon inthe world or no) we may refolutely determine, that the diflinel abfolute decree ofElecting fome infallibly unto perfeverance in grace and at- teinment ofglory, and ofPaffing-by and re- jeáingothers, is no good argument to prove that therefore the non-eleaed are left with- out all remedy or fufficient means of falva- tion. Adam was not predeflinated tofland in the Elate of his innocency, yet hewas not thereby excluded or bereft of fufficient means ofHanding. From the decree of Preterition or Reprobation, it well follow- eth, Judas is reprobated ; Therefore he will not ufe the remedies or means which God offereth for his falvation. But it is not good confequence to fay, Therefore God bath not given him fufficient remedies or means to efcape damnation, were not his own wicked will the onely hindrance. G TheSynod of Dort injoyned men to fet down their particular judgements concern. ing Predeflination and Reprobation ; and therefore theyhad no reafon to forbid any man
jueflionRated. 31 man to fet down plainly his own opinion. And fence the Divine underílanding doth not confider or behold this after that, but all together inone inflant of eternitie, there is no caufe why men fhould flifflycontend about there Priorities and Pofieriorities, which are humane imaginations, or intelle- iMs noftri fil-liones, as force truly term them. Maccovius was upon a by-occafion H brought before the Synod; and the bufineffe betwixt him &Lubbertus wascommitted to the examination offorce fewDelegates,ac- cording to whofe report he was difmiffed. Unto the objeéion ofordainingmen unto fin,his anfwer was,That God did not ordain anymanunto fin efficiendo, but permittendo. For his denying of a will in God for the Paving ofall men, he underfiood it of the abfolute effeauall operative will, nor ofthe conditionall and approbative will of God. They both confeffe, that the Divine un- derflanding could not but eternally forefee the origìnall and aftuall finne which fhould finally cleave unto every particular manwho fhouldafterwards beborn into this world : but they for all this deny, that the moving caufs whereupon God diflinguifbed men intoElea and Non-ele&, was the fQre- feen faith of force, and the forefeen infide- litieand impenitency of others. The flate ofmenunder finne was common to all : the mercy ofGod in effehually freeing from finne was due to none. My
The Abélate decree que ioned, mY reafons of the firft fort do indif:rentlÿ refpe&î: and make againf both,and I will fet them down agaitift both together. My fecond fort of reafons Iwill divide, delivering fome of them againft the upper and more rigid way, others againft the lower and more moderate way. I begin with thofe reafons which firft moved me toqueftion the truth of abColuteReprobation, as it is taught bothwayes. They are thefe foure which follow. I . llea ¡Oy8 I The Novelty (A) of thisopinion. Abfolute and inevita J ble Reprobation hath little or no footing in Antiquitie. The Novsi.rY upper way was never taught or approved by any of the Fa- thers (even the ítouteít defenders of Grace againft the Pela- giars ) for the Cpace of fix hundred (I may fay eight hundred} years after Chrift: nor the lower way till the'timeof S. Augu- Itine,which was about foure hundred years after Chrift. They did generally agree upon the contrary conclufion, and taught men in their times,That it was poble(B)for them to be faved which in the event were not faved,and tohave repented,which repented not; and, That there was no decree of God which did laya nece(fity of perifhing upon any fonne of Adam. This that I fay Mr Calvine himfelf doth freely acknowledge, fpeak- ing of EleEtion and Reprobationaccording (C) to Gods fore- e Calv:lnff. lib. 3. C.2Z. Set .t. Neque knowledge; eThis commonly receivedopi- hæc vulgó recepta opinio folius vulgi ni0n,faithhe, (ofa conditional) ref-pet-bye eft: habuit enirn feculis omnibus ma- decree)is not the opini0n onely ofthe com- gnos autores. rraon people,bztt bath had great authoursin f Bea,i<acap.t Lad Rom.v.35. In quern errorem fane turpiffmum Oxigenes ve- all ages. ReverendBeza likewife fpeak- teres plerofque turn Grecos turn Lati- ing ofthe fame opinion,hath thefewords nos adegir. to the fame purpofe; f Into which furely g F-rojper,rrtEp:fl.ad..41cg.rope fine42. mofl foul errour Origen bath driven many Penè omnium parem inveniri & unam fentertie n, qua propouitum & piæde_ of the Incients both Greek andLatine. itinationem Dei fecundùm præfcienti- To the fame effeEt allo ProCper,S.Augu- am receperunt: ut ob hoc Deus alios -fines follower,hatha remarkable fpeech: vafa contumeliæ , alios honoris va- g Almo(i all the .Ancients, faith he, did fa fecerit, quia finem uniufcujufq; pre - viderir, & tub ipfo gratiz adjutor o in grant with one confent, that Goddecreed qua fi,turus effet voluntatc & aetione mens ends according to ha' forefight of præicierit. their at ions, and not otherwife. To theft fpeeches let me adde that of Remi;ius Archbifhop of Lyons, who toRabanus Archbishop of Mentz, objefting that S. Au- guftine wrote a book called Hypognoflicon againft Pelagius and Cxlcftius, wherein he denied that Reprobates were properly h (77J,ifI. h priede(ìi tati ad interitum , predeftinate to deftraflion, an- Gott.pa,;.1o7 fwereth, That S. Augufiine[aidnotfa ; butfewwhet man (as it
The flbfolttte decree queßioncd, 3 it is fuppofed) to purge theChurch of that calumny which force áll affected ones did ca(l upon it,namery, That it taught that God byhis Predefiination did'impofeupon men a neceJtÿofperifhing, did withdraw the word PREDESTINATJON from thepoint of Reprobates, andgave it onely to the Elea; andfogavegreat cc- cation offarther error and mi(lake. In this beech of his is clearly implied, that it was (D) the confiant do&rive of the Church then, that Reprobates lie under no neceflìtating de- cree of perdition. The truth of this charge may further appear by a few par- ticular inftances. Minutaus Felix bringeth in the Pagans ob- je.`fingto the Chrifians,That they held the events ofall things to be inevitable,and did feigne and'frame to themfelves an un- i Miai. Felix;' juft God, who did puni(h in men their unavoidable clef-links, pas. 23 Quic- not their ill diodes. This is the objec`}ion;'.7hatfoever wedo, qu"1 agimùs,' its others to Fate; o e a cribe to God: e make therefore to your ut alii f y f y itáves Deo felt/es an unjuft God, whopunifheth in men their lot, not their addicitis: 2Yill. To this he anfwereth, k Chriitians hold no other Fates quum igitur then Gods decrees; a whoforeknowingall men and.their «(lions, Dews fiiigi- didaccordingly deterníine their retributions. in hcminibu tis, qui forte y s S. Hierome an eager oppofer of the Pelagiars, in many puniat, non places of his writings faith the fame thing ; m From the fore- voluntatem. knowledge of God it corneth toHalle, that who he knoweth will ïti IdEm,pad, be righteous, himhe loveth b,e fre he cometh out of the wombe; r r6. Ilft, g forum e(, andwho he knoweth will be aginner, himhe hateth before hefin- quod de uno neth. in another place he fpeaketh to the fame purpofe , " The quoque Deus loveand hatred,of God arifeth eitherfrom the forefght offie- 1 odL turetping,,orfrom the Works; otherwife we know that God lo- dim univer- veth all things, nor Both he hate any thing that he bath made. fain præfcit And in his book againft Pelagius he faith, ° Eligit Deus quern materiam, bonum cernir, Godchoofeth whom hefeeth to be good. pro meritis The fumme ofall which fpeeches is but this, That (E)there b u q fi:gulo- is`no decree of damning or laving men, but what is built up- rum croon orì Gods Foreknowledge of the evil and good" actions of fata deter men. Fulgentius is plain for that too : P Thofe whom God mina, & it ore awwoulddie in pine, he deer eed ¡bould live in ertdle e u n non f f 1" JT genitors qle- nifhment. I may take-in S. Augutline and Profper alto, who aitur, fed ;ti . are judged to be the Patrones of the Abfolute decree, as it is genii, natura punirur. m Hieron:ad Galat. c.r.v.r S. Expræfcientia Dei evenit, út giiem jti{lum fitturum fc;t, priùs diligat quáinoriatur ex utero; & quem pcccatoxem, oderit antequam peccet., n ,11d c.r. Malac. DileEfio & odium Dei vel ex prafcientia nafcitur fnturorum, veI ex operibus;alioquin novimus quod omnia Deus diiigat,nec quicquan eorumoderit qux creavit. o Lib,3. contra Pelas. p Fulgent. lib.r. ad Monimun; Quos præfcivit Detss laazc vitain inpeccásó term. natures, prædeftinavit fupplicio interminaiiiii puniendos C let
34 The Abfolutedecree palhoned. let down the Sublapfarian.way: Even they do many times let fall fuch fpeeches as cannot fairly be reconciled with abfolute Reprobation. I will onely cite Profper : ( for S. Auguftine fpeaketh in him.) He difcourfing of Tome that fall away á fanCtitate ad immunditiem , from holinef e to uncleanneffe, q Pao p. ad faith, qThey that fall awayfrom holineJ/e to uncleannefje, lie not ObjèrI3.Gall. under aneceftyofperifhingbecaufe theywere not predej$inate; Non exeo but therefore they were not predestinate, becaufe they werefore- nereundi known to befuch by voluntaryprevarication. Not long after pereundi ha- buerunt quia fpeaking ofthe fame men he faith, r Becaufe God forefaw they przdeftinati wouldperifb by their own free-will, therefore he didnot by any non funta fed redeftinatioi ever themfrom the children of perditiop. And flippræde- again in hisanfwer to the iith Objeaion hebath thefe words, ítinati non funt,quia ta- f Godbath not withdrawn from any manability to yield obedi- les futuri ex once becaufc he hath notpredeftinatedhits; but becaufe be fore- voluntaria law hewouldfallfrom obedience, therefore be bath notpredefii- prævaricari- oue præfciti needhi,n. font.. I will Phut up the inftances of that age with the judgement r P-rn(p. Refp. of the Councel at Arles againft the Pelagians in the yeare ad ObjeCt. 7. true, or thereabout. ThisCounceI fubfcribed to the letter rQuturospro- which was written by Fauftus againft Lucidos the Predefti- priâ volun- nadan, and made the 4nathemaes (F) and curfes which tareprxfci therein he denounceth againft him and fuck like, to be'their vit, ob hoc á owns Some of which were thefe; t Curled be the man thatPall Plus perditi that the man that perifhetb might note have beenfaved. and ouis nullâ prædeftinati- again, ° Curfed be the man that'ballfay that a veffelof difho: one difcrevir. nour may not rife to be a veffel of honour. f ad odFR rp. A teftimony or two I will borrow likewife froth fome per- 1 obedi- fops of note, and thofe S. Auguftines followers too, who lived entix non about foure hundred ycares after S Auguftines time. Remi- ideocuiquam gins the great patrone of Gottfchalk the zealous preacherand fubtraxit ubliíler of Abfolreprobation in thofe times in his anfwer gáia eum nó p ut re p prædeft;na- to that epiftlewhich we fuppofe to be the Epiftle of Rabanus, . vit; fed quia to Rabanus layingThat God did vv make the nations of the receffiirum worldhealthful', and that he loth velie om,ces hombres falvos ab ipfa obe- feu `will that all men be faved; he iveth filch án anfwer as dientia effe > > g prxvidit,ideo cannot,ftand with Abfolute reprobation: x This, faith he, is cum nonpra:- veil true, becaufe God layetb on no man a nece/fty ofpertfbing, deftir;avit. t Anathema illi qui dixerit ilium qui periit non accepiffe ut falvus effe poflir. u Anathema illi qui dixerir quòd vas contumeliz non pofïit aflùrgere ut fit vas in honorem. vv 1fCoptlfret,hift.Gottfc.p.53,& 54 Sanabiles facete nationes orbis terrarum. x Px hoc omnino verum eft, quia nemini Deus impot.it neçcttitateni per- eundi, ficur nemini imponit necefficatemmala
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