*The third Section.

*IF hereupon the Censurer proceede. That allthough the Spirit alone doth produce repentance in the heart of a sinner; yet notwithstanding, that exhortations and threat∣nings are the meanes and instruments, which it useth in the worke; The other will demaund further of him the explication of his saying therein, observing a most mani∣fest contradiction, in that, on the one side, repentance is immediately attributed to the holy Ghost, and, on the other side, these exhortations and threatnings are held as means and instruments of this worke, the operation not being there immediate, where the meanes are used. That, if these meanes of exhortation be necessary, or, at least, if it be ordinarily required in the operation, how can it be that they who resist it, and reject the instrument, doe not, nay cannot likewise resist the principall cause, which is the ho∣ly Ghost? He that will not suffer the rasour, the instru∣ment of his cure, doth he not therein also reject the Chi∣rurgeon?

The Censurer will say, that the elect reject, neither the one, nor the other, the holy Ghost pearcing the eare to make it heare, and opening the heart, to make it receave those admonitions, which are alltogether vaine & unprofitable, untill the holy Ghost doth so worke in them. Thereupon the other will make him confesse, that the word preached for the most part, is destitute of that operation of the holy Ghost, as it appeareth by the misprise, that the most part make of it, which cannot be, when the efficacy of the Spi∣rit doth accompany it, it followeth then, that the whole Page  111 ministery is but a dance, no more cooperating with mans conversion, then the clay which our Saviour, applyed to the eyes of the blind, did unto his sight, or the sole voyce calling upon Lazarus made him to rise out of his grave. He will also demand of him, why it is (seing nature doth nothing in vayne) that the Author of nature did appoynt the ministery of the word, and why those things which the Censurer attributeth onely to the Holy Spirit, are yet notwithstanding in the Scripture attributed like∣wise to the word preached, and how it is that thereby we are said to be begotten, renued, edified, nourished, and pu∣rified, &c. whereas the new doctrine of the Synod leaveth it no other function then to serve as an object, and to re∣present that, (without which the Holy Spirit hath already wrought within, as well in the will as in the understan∣ding, without any cooperation of the word) not onely un∣profitable without the Spirit, but also dangerous, and ag∣gravating the damnation of its contemners, although it were impossible to receave and cherish it even as it is un∣possib•e for them to adde the efficacy of the Spirit, which is not in their power.

Consid. Here the Censurer is brought in, without any de∣cent occasion, to discourse of the Spirits operation alone, in producing repentance, and yet, notwithstanding, that exhorta∣tions and threatnings are the meanes and instruments, which it useth in the worke: so to make way for the discharging of some shot he hath in readinesse against this.

By the way I observe, that howsoever he puts upon his Actor in this seene the name of a Censurer, yet he might be called as well an exhorter and threatner; The word of God S. Paul tels us, is profitable to teach, to cōvince, to correct, to instruct in righteousnesse, but no where doe I finde any such Page  112 act, as censuring attributed unto it. But as for the mayne, we acknowledge, that it is the Spirits operation alone, that changeth the heart, and yet notwithstanding that exhortations backt with promises upon our obedience, & threatnings up∣on our disobedience are the meanes; for as much as God worketh in all agreably to their natures.

Now, having made man after his owne image, indued with an understanding heart and rationall affections, wherby he is fitt to be wrought upon unto that which is good, and from that which is evill, by way of instruction, exhortation, persuasion; therfore it pleaseth God accordingly to bring him unto faith, repentance, and obedience. Now let us con∣sider what he hath to say against this; herupon he saith, the other will demaund further of him the explication of his sayings, therin objecting a most manifest contradiction, in that on the one side repentance is immediately attributed to the holy Ghost, and on the other side these exhortations, and threatnings, are helde as meanes & instruments of this worke, the operation not being there immediate, where the meanes are used.* We reade of Ionathan, that he put off the robe that was upon him, and gave it David, and his garments, even to his sword and to his bowe, and to his girdle. And the reason was,* because he loved him as his owne soule, In like sort, this bad living Christian whom here this Author re∣presents to play a part for him, is such a one as with whom, he is in love for somewhat, though not for his fa•th; For I see he is willing to aray him with his owne sufficiency, and to bestowe his owne armour upon him (the best armour of his witt) even to his sword and to his bowe, and to his girdle; and the truth is, he playes his part for him, though the scene requires, that another should make shewe to personate him; and so the Arminian takes upon him the shape, and vizard of a debaucht Christian on our side. Now I willingly professe he makes the most of his wares in the utterance of them, that words can, and delivers himselfe with very great confidence; which though it be no to pick place, yet usually it is his best Page  113 strength. And I have heard of a French Gentleman who in the troubles of France, when it behooved every man to stand upon his guard, having unadvisedly lett into his house cer∣teyn freebooters, & perceaving his error too late, sett himselfe to seeke to help it with his witt, & caryed himself with such freenes, and confidence in the enterteyning of them, that therby he overcame them; and they parted without doing him any wrong, and, at parting, bid him thanke his confi∣dence that he escaped so well. And truly coulde the matter beare it, we might suffer him to en•oy the benefite, and com∣fort of his confidence. But we are upon the point of inve∣stigation of divine truth, and, to spare him herin, were to un∣doe him, and others with him. More profitable it is for him by much, to be beaten quite out of his fools paradise then to suffer him to enioy his errours, and so lace himselfe with them, and to corrupt others allso. Now as for explication of what was delivered as he requires, we see no neede therof at all, the playne truth therof is so visible, that he, who will not shutt his eyes against it, cannot but take notice of it, this is to requite confidence with confidence: for is it not fitt to pay him in his owne coyne?

And consider, I pray; let exhortation be made unto repen∣tance, let this exhortation be backt with the most forcible motives therunto drawne from promises divine, of no lesse reward then aeternall life, from menaces divine, to the im∣penitent, and that of the wrath of God, and that of such a condition, as wherin a fire is kindled which burneth unto the bottome of hell. Yet is it not in the power of man to assent to this exhortation or dissent from it? And in case he doe assent; after a while, as he shall thinke good, and take time to deliberate; shall not he be accoumpted, and his will the sole cause, yea, and immediate also in producing this operation? I say, the sole cause, in reference to the exhortation premised, which still leaves a man indifferent, whether he will yeelde thereunto, or no? I should thinke, the exhortation hinders not the will of man at all from being the sole, yea, and imme∣diate Page  114 cause of willinge, which if it cannot be denyed as I should thinke, it cannot; if withall the Spirit of God doth worke the will sooner or later to yeilde unto it, why should not that be accoumpted the sole cause therof? yea, and im∣mediate allso, though that terme was not specified in the premises. And as for the clearing of the contradiction, the shew whereof is brought in afterwards, by foysting in the terme immediate, into the place of the word sole.

I answere, that man, being a rationall agent, and working upon deliberation: the judgement must first be informed before he can worke deliberately; Now, the immediate work of exhortation tendes no farther then to the information of the judgement.

And as reasons are given on the one side out of Gods word, to urge the necessitie of repentance, so reasons are given on the other sid, partly by flesh and blood, partly by the suggestions of Satan, to represent the needelesse con∣dition thereof, eyther alltogether, or at least for the present. And the will freely makes choyse, to follow the one or the other, sometimes giving way to exhortations divine, some∣times to contrariant suggestions, carnall or diabolicall.

And if God be pleased to rebuke Satan, and to dashe out of countenance the motions of the flesh, and make the will to yeelde to the ministers exhortations unto repentance, what shall hinder him from being the sole and immediate cause hereof?

Againe, this Author considers not, or wilfully dissembles, that exhortations are onely a cause morall, but Gods working immediately upō the will, after that the judgment is wrought uppon by exhortations & instructions (for Austin compre∣hends these under one, saying, that if there be any difference between docere & suadere or exhortari, yet evē this doctrinae ge∣neralitate cōprehenditur) this he workes as a cause physicall, & therfore albeit ther be a presupposall of a cause preceding, working morally, yet the Spirit of God in striking the stroake, is the sole and immediate cause working physicallie. Page  115 Lastly he that persuadeth say the Bellarmine, (and light of na∣ture justifies it) worketh only per modum proponentis objectum, only he setts it foorth in the most alluring manner that he can; Now the object proposed is well knowne to work only in genere causae finalis, the motion wherof is commonly called motus metaphoricus, or metaphoricè so called. But Gods ope∣ration immediate in working upon the will is in genere causae efficientis; so that albeit a cause working in genere causae finalis be presupposed, yet still it is cleere, that the Spirit of God, works immediatly upon the will in converting it, in ge∣nere causae efficientis. Now the ignorance herof is it, that makes this Author so bold and confident, in talking of ma∣nifest contradiction; and who so bold as blinde bayard; but I woulde the scales might at lenght fall from their eyes, that they might see upon what rotten grounds they proceede in impugning the precious truth of God; we willingly grant, that information of the understanding is necessarily required both to faith, and to repentance, otherwise they were not acts rationall; but that this information shoulde be made by the minister, that is I confesse ordinarily required by the vertue of Gods ordinance, but not necessarily; which whether this Au∣thor takes notice of or no, I knowe not; I finde him litle s•n∣sible of any such distinction; And we willingly confesse that as often as men are found to resist these exhortat•ons divine, though delivered by Gods minister; they may justly be sayde to resist God working morally, and bes•eching them as the A∣postle speaketh, 2. Cor. 5.20. as though God through us did beseeche you. So the Iewes with their Fathers resisted the holy Ghost, Act. 7.51. For as much as the wordes delivered unto thē & which they resisted, were sent by the Lord of hosts in his Spirit by the ministery of his prophets Zach. 7.12. & ac∣cordingly God is sayde to have protested among them by his Spirit, by the handes of the prophets but they would not heare Nehem. 9.30. But they doe not resist nor can resist the holy Ghost, working immediately, and physically upon their wills the act of conversion, and physicall or rather hyper∣physicall transmutation.

Page  116We willingly confesse, that the elect resist neyther, tending to their first conversion, provided the time be come, which God hath appoynted for their conversion; till then they resist all exhortations, tending thereunto, as well as others; but as for any divine act for a physicall transmutation of their wills, they are not made pertakers thereof; till the time of their ef∣fectuall calling. Yet, after their effectuall calling, as they doe too often disobey God in his particular exhortations; So like∣wise they have cause sometimes to expostulate with God, for hardning their hearts against his feare.

But in their first conversion he doth not only pierce their eares, (the word of the minister being able enough for that,) but he gives them eares to heare, & so also he gives them eyes to see; and as for the opening of the heart, that also I take to be all one, with giving them an heart, Deut. 29.4.

Now, hereupon this Author tells us, we must be driven to confesse, that the word preached, for the most part, is destitute of that operation of the Holy Ghost, (as it appeares by the misprise, that the most part make of it, which cannot be when the efficacy of the spirit doth accompany it) but this is untrue, we are not driven, nor neede to be driven hereunto, we must willingly acknowledge it, rightly understood, namely, that God •nto the outward ministery of the word, doth not, for the •ost part, adde the efficacy of his Spirit to worke men unto faith and repentance; as it is most evident by experience, and our Saviour in the parable of the sower, that went forth to sowe his seede, teacheth us as much; And the Prophet Esay also, when, prophecying of the times of the Gospell, he be∣ginnes thus: Who hath beleeved our report? and giving the cause hereof in the next words, addeth: And to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed?

But as touching the consequence herhence deduced, name∣ly, that the whole ministery is but a dance, no more coope∣rating w•th mans conversion, then the clay which our Saviour applyed to the eyes of the blind, did unto his sight, or the sole voyce, calling upon Lazarus, made him to rise out of his Page  117 grave: Here this great master of ceremonies is miserably out in his formalities as well as in his realities. It followeth not herehence that the ministery is a dance but a piping rather, as our Saviour signifies in the Gospell, when he sayth, wherunto shall I liken this generation? they are like to litle Ch•ldren sitting in the market place, and saying, we have piped unto you, but ye have not danced we have mourned unto you, but you have not wept; yet piping is a naturall provocation to dance; but the exhortation of the word without a more spe∣ciall operation of Gods Spirit, is no provocat on at all to be∣lieve; how can it be to naturall man to whom it seemes foolishnes; and witt wisdome is naturally more affected by men, then honestie: For qui velit ingenio cedere rariu erit; and the Italians have a proverbe, that witt is aequally divided; and the instance is given thus; Let a proclamation be made that all Taylers, appearing in an assembly, stand up; in this case Taylers will stand up, and none but Taylers; so of shoe∣makers, so of other ••ades. But if a proclamation be made that all wise men should stand up, every one will be ready e∣nough to stand up; men of the meanest trade, being apt to conceave that they are likely enough to be as wise as they who are of the best. Yet, by this Authors leave, the mini∣st•ry of the word confers more to a mans conversion then the clay did (for ought I know) to the curing of the blinde mans eyes, &c. For the word informes what is to be belee∣ved, and likewise what is to be practised, though to discerne the wisedom of God in the one, and to be in love with the other, and to feele the power of God in both▪ requires ano∣ther operation of the Spirit o• God, to the inlightning of the minde, and renewing of the will. He that said, nature doth nothing in vaine, sa•de, God and nature doe nothing in vayne, so that there was litle neede of such a gradation, as here is made. N•yther is the ministery of the word in vayne, though all, or the most part are not converted by it; For it informes all, it takes away excuse from all; they cannot say, si audivissem credid•ssem, they know hereby a Prophet hath beene amongst Page  118 them, though they who yeelde obedience to it, have no need of any such excuse: and for their sakes it is principally in∣tended, as appeares, both by the revelation made to Paul, Act. 18. Feare not, and holde not thy peace, for no man shall lay holde on thee; to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city; And accordingly by the Apostles scope in his ministery. For albeit he professeth that he became all things to all men, that he might save some, 2. Cor. 6. Yet he manifests who those some were, whose salvation he sought, where he sayth, I suffer all things for the elects sake, 2. Tim. 2.10.

And lastly, it is not in vayne towards any, for as much as the ministers thereof are the sweete savour of God, both in thē that are saved,* & in them that perish. To them that perish, a savour of death unto death, to them that are saved, a savour of life unto life, in both a sweete savour unto God in Christ.

As for the things, which we ascribe onely to the Spirit of God, we ascribe them to that Spirit of God onely, in the way of a cause physicall, we ascribe them to the word also in the way of a cause mo•all, as both informing the understanding concerning them, and persuading thereunto. But the Spirit of God alone both opens the eyes to discerne them, and the heart to embrace them, as the things of God.

And for the cause, fore-mentioned, to witt, because the Spirit of God doth not inlighten, to discerne the things of God, but as revealed in his word, nor to incline to any thing, as to the will of God, but as proposed in his word, therefore is the word called the sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6. Thus & justly, are we said to be begotten by the word, re∣nued by the word, aedified by the word, fed by the word, clensed by the word.

And I finde it very strange, that when these men will have all that is preached in the word, in the issue left to the free will of man, to beleeve or no, to repent or no, to obey or no; and yet notwithstanding give out, that the word it is, which converts them, brings them to faith, repentance, and obe∣dience; Page  119 and yet cavill at our ascribing those effects to the word of God in one kinde of operation, which yet we ascribe solely and immediately to Gods spirit in another kind of operation; •specially considering that it is Gods word, & not their word; and sent by God in his Spirit, by the ministe∣ry of the Prophets, and not sent by them in their Spirits; and it is the meanes whereby Gods Spirit workes, as before I have shewed, and not a meanes, appoynted by them, whereby their Spirit worketh.

But it is nothing strange, that they, who oppose Gods grace, should in the end fayle even of common sense.

The Synod (sayth this Au•hor) leaveth it no other func∣tion, then to serve as an object, and to represent it. When Bellarmine sayth, that, Suadens agit per modum proponentis ob∣jectum; He delivereth this as a dictate of common sense, knowne by the very light of nature.

I say a litle more, that he who persuades ought, his office is to rep•esent that wh•reunto he persuades in the most alluring manner, •o draw the partie whom he persuades to like it, and to labour for it.

Farther, I say, we doe ascribe to the word, as much as they doe, or can doe in truth. In pretence I deny not, but they may deale w•th it as they deale with Gods grace, mak•ng shew, as if •hey ascribed thereunto their faith, their repen∣tance; When indeed they impute it to their owne free wills, not fearing to mocke God, if he would be mocked; And as the Iewes sometimes crowned Christ with thornes, so do these crowne the grace of God with scornes.

But the true difference betweene us is, not in ascribing or denying ought to Gods word; but in that we ascribe that to the Spirit of God, which they ascribe to the freedome of their wills.

Page  120I say, the difference between us is, whether it be not so in∣deede as here I professe, and am ready to make good. But wheras he saith, we make the word of God only to represent that, without which the holy Spirit hath allready wrought within, as well in the will, as in the unde•standing, without any cooperation of the word, this passage is, eyther falsely copyed, or falsely translated out of the French: For the first (without) comes out of his place, the sense it beares being af∣terwards represented at full in these wordes, without any cooperation of the word, and besides, it marres altogether the sense of the wordes following: therfore I leave it quite out, and reade the passage thus, to represent that which the holy Spirit hath allready wrought within, as well in the will as in the understanding, without the cooperation of the word; Now here is a prety mystery woorth the opening: For he imputes unto us, as if we should say, that the word per∣suades, and exhorts to that, which the Spirit hath allready wrought both in the will, and in the understanding. Now, I desire to knowe, what that is, which the Spirit hath allready wrought, and when it was wrought, according to our opi∣nion, as he saith; for I willingly professe, it is a myste•y unto me; namely, that we should maynteyne that God sends his mi∣nisters unto us to persuade us to that, which God hath wrought in us, and that perhaps, long before we heard the word; And, I willingly confesse, in this case, we might well seeme to make the ministery of Gods word to be very unpro∣fitable, and vayne. Now, as I sayd, so I say still; this is very my∣sterious unto me. But I must fishe it out as well as I can, by Interrogation. And what is it, trowe we, that this Author meanes by this? Is it the worke of regeneration, consisting in the renovation of all the rationall faculties of man, both the understanding, and the will? Vndoubtedly, this is his meaning, though the Au•hor caryeth himselfe obscurely, without particulating what he meaneth, and wherin it con∣sists. Then agayne, when was this wrought? If before we are pertakers of the word preached as he playnly signifi•th, is it Page  121 not cleare that it must be before we come to the use of reason? being as we are, brought up in the Church of God, and accordingly made pertakers of Gods word, as soone as we come to the use of reason? And what time of infancy is more likely to be conceaved as most congruous herunto, than the time of our admittance unto the Sacrament of Bap∣tisme. I am out of doubt that this is his meaninge; wherby it appeares that these Arminians, are of a contrary opinion, utterly denying that the grace of regeneration is conferd in Baptisme. Yet master Hooker, hath maynteyned that the grace of regeneration is conferd in Baptisme against master Cartwright, and one I knewe in my time (a favourer of his) that maynteynd in the divinitie schooles, that Baptisme is necessary unto salvation. And nowadayes our Arminians are eager in the mayntenance therof, which our Arminians beyond the Seas (as it seemes) doe utterly deny; yet they hugge one another in the armes of love, in opposing o•hers. But to make short, let our Englishe Arm•nians looke how they an∣sweare this; For my part, I maynteyne no such opinion; and albeit master Montacute would put such an opinion upon our Church, out of the booke of common prayer, where it is sayde. Now this childe is regenerate; though the same Au∣thor professeth, that all that we reade in the homilies is not to be receaved as the doctrine of the Church of England. Yet Bishop Carleton hath answeared master Montacute upon the same point; and hath shewed out of Austin, that it is one thinge to be truly regenerate, and another thing to regenerate Sacramento tenus. I willingly confesse that the Sacrament of Baptisme, is the seale of the righteousnes of faith unto us Christians, as Circumcision was unto the Iewes, Rom. 4. which is as much as to say, that it assures us of the remissiō of our sinnes, as many as believe; and that as a Sacrament in ge∣nerall is defined in the smaller catechisme of our Church to be an outward, and a visible signe of an inward and invisible grace. And so I conceave baptisme to be, and that not of ju∣stification only unto them that believe, but of the grace of Page  122 regeneration allso, but how? not at that instant collatae; but suo tempore conferendae. To witt when God shall effectually call a man; and it is very strange unto me, that regeneration shoulde goe before vocation. And therfore we are free from maynteyning any such unprofitablenes, and vaynes of the mi∣nistery of the word, as to persuade us to that which God hath wrought in us allready, yea long before both in our understan∣dings, & in our wills, as here it is charged upō us, but causeles∣ly, for ought I knowe; And if the Synod of Dort or Arl•s, maynt•ynes any such doctrine it is more then hithe•to I have learned, or can justifie. It is untrue that the word is dangerous by our doctrine▪ but rather that it is dangerous for any man to contemne or despise the goodnes of God therin; their con∣d•mnation it agg•avates only occasionally; it is a mans owne co•ruption causally that aggravates his damnation, when the Lord calls unto them, and they will not hea•e, admonisheth them, but they will not hearken. It is true that it is not in the power of man to adde unto the word the efficacy of Gods Spirit, and it is as true that a carnall man hath no desire that God would adde the efficacy of his Spirit therunto.

The discipline of Christs Kingdom is as cords, and bonds unto them, they desire to breake them, and to cast off the yoke of ob•dience unto him. And agayne it is as true, that no man is damned for not adding the efficacy of Gods Spirit unto his word.

They are damned for contemning Gods word, and not hearkning to his gracious admonitions; but they coulde doe no other as this Author intimats; but what impotency is this? is it any where els then in thei• wills? which this Author con∣siders not, nor distinguisheth betweene impotency naturall, and impotency morall; were they willing to hearken here∣unto, but coulde not, then indeede their impotency were ex∣cusable; but they please themselves in their owne, and 〈◊〉 in their obstinate courses; and if they woulde doe otherw•se I make no question, but that they shoulde have no more cause to complayne of their impotency to doe that good which Page  123 they would doe, then the servants of God have, yea, and holy Paul himselfe had. How can you believe saith our Saviour, here is a certeyne impotency of believing,* which our Saviour takes notice of; but what manner of impotency is it? ob∣serve by that which followeth, who receave honour one of another, & regard not the honour that comes of God only. Therfore you heare not my wordes, because ye are not of God, Ioh. 8.47. this is as true as the word of the Sonne of God is true, allthough this Author setts himselfe to impugne this kinde of doctrine all alonge. But withall consider, doe they deplore this impotencye? doth the consideration herof humble them? nay rather they delight in it as the Prophet noteth, Ier. 6.10. Their eares are uncircumcised eares, & they cannot hearken; beholde the word of God is as a reproch unto them, they have no delight in it.