An examination of those things wherein the author of the late Appeale holdeth the doctrines of the Pelagians and Arminians, to be the doctrines of the Church of England written by George Carleton ...

CHAP. 11.

SPEAKING of falling away, he layeth all vpon the doctrine of the Homilies. He saith.

In the second part of the Homilie of falling from God, we are sent to a con∣clusion more adoppositum, not onely of totall lapse for a time, but also of finall separation, and for ever. Which also is according to the doctrine expressed in the Articles. For he that saith a man may fall a∣way, and may recover; implyeth withall that some may fall away and not recover.

This belike he taketh for a solid kinde of proofe, if he doe but in his imagination thinke it implieth so much: When he vrgeth a point, he bringeth no reasons but a conceit of implications: When he is vrged, he doth but relate other mens opinions, but what himselfe thinketh, that he keepeth close. This close-keeping of his opinion, which he so much pro∣fesseth, is very suspitious; there is something in it, that he is loath should be knowne: yet he hideth it not so closely▪ but it may be found out. He pleadeth that a man may fall from grace totally and finally: A man may fall away from grace and become no child of God. All this may be truely said, and then

who hath any thing to say to him, that saith nothing but that which any other man may avouch? For∣sooth, aliquid latet; If he should say plainely, that they that are called, and iustified according to Gods purpose, doe fall away totally and finally: then he seeth that he should contradict the doctrine of the auncient Fathers, and of our Church: but holding himselfe in these generall termes, that men may fall away from faith and grace, he vnderstood that this might be maintained. We must therefore open this matter plainly. This is soone done, by calling to re∣membrance, what hath beene said of the respectiue Decree, or irrespectiue. He holdeth the Decree of predestination to be respectiue, that is to respect something in men. If this be so, then it maketh no matter, whether faith & grace be vtterly lost: For all may be repayred againe. But repayred in regard and consideration of that which men doe, and not vpon that which God hath done. But if the Decree respect nothing in man, then the case is altered. We haue before declared the doctrine of the orthodoxe Church, that the purpose of God, which he calleth the Decree, respecteth nothing but Gods will: and therefore they that are called and iustified according to Gods purpose, doe beleeue and obey, repent and walke in good workes, and at last obtaine the end, everlasting life. These graces that proceed from Gods calling according to his purpose, cannot be vtterly lost, because these gifts and this calling are without repentance. They may be troubled and sha∣ken, but totally lost they cannot be. This man taketh these things otherwise, that they may be totally lost.

To be short, we must bring him to this stand: either plainly to confesse, that the graces that are given ac∣cording to Gods calling and purpose may be totally lost: or else to confesse that his writings are idle, and trouble our Church to no purpose: because if he speake of graces which proceed not from Gods pur∣pose and calling (as many graces doe, and in which graces men may make fayre and farre proceedings, of which graces the Homilies speake) in this point he hath no adversary, that I know. If he will acknow∣ledge plainly that the graces which proceed from Gods calling and purpose may be lost, then should not I trouble him in this point. Provided withall, that he giue ouer his respective Decree, which is the ground & root of all this trouble, wherewith he hath troubled himselfe and others.

Now we come to examine that which he bringeth out of the Homilies, concerning falling from God. The first Homily sayth, that sometimes men goe from God, for lacke of faith, sometimes by neglec∣ting his commandements: to be short, all they that may not abide Gods word, but following the per∣swasions and stubbornnesse of their owne hearts, goe backward and not forward. And whereas God hath shewed to all them that truely beleeue his Gospell, his face of mercy in Iesus Christ, which doth so lighten their hearts, that (if they beleeue it as they ought to doe) (this Parenthesis the Author hath left out, which might some way direct the meaning of the Homilie) they be transformed to his image, be made partakers of heavenly light, and of his spirit, be fashioned to him in all goodnes requisite to Gods

children: so if they after doe neglect the same, if they be vnthankefull &c: hee will take away from them his kingdome, his holy word, &c. These words that follow the Parenthesis depend vpon those wordes contained in it, which our Author hath left out. It is true that if these men behold this grace and be∣leeue as they ought to doe, that then they are so en∣lightned, &c. But this is ioyned with that conditi∣on expressed in the Parenthesis: if that condition faile, then these other things following, are not well vrged from those words. And what is all this, but if we forsake him, he will forsake vs, as the Scripture teacheth. 2 Chron. 15.2.

It is evident that the Homily speaketh of profane and wicked men, that goe from God, because they never care for comming vnto God: of which profane men, there are (God knoweth) too many in our Land; whereof the Homily complaineth. The Ho∣mily speaketh partly of such, & partly of hypocrites. This is evident from the words of the Homily, which are these. For God that promised his mercy to them that be truely penitent, hath not promised to the presump∣tuous sinner, either that he shall haue a long life, or that he shall haue true repentance at the last end. Doth not the Homily speake plainly of wicked, profane, and pre∣sumptuous sinners? What is this to them that are cal∣led according to Gods purpose, and walke with feare and obedience in the workes of their calling?

To the same purpose is that which he hath brought out of the second Homily; Wherein, by his leaue, he hath vndertaken more then he hath proved, or can proue out of the words of the Homily: For he saith,

that in that Homily is concluded not onely a totall lapse for a time, but also a finall separation for ever. This conclusion is not prooved out of the words of the Homily: And if they were, they helpe him not: For that Homily is to be expounded by the words of the former Homily, which speaketh in expresse words of presumptuous sinners: that such may fall away altogether, who did every deny?

And because he vrgeth so much the words of the Homilies in this point, I would know of him a rea∣son, why in that Homily which is against Worship∣ping of Images, he denieth that the Homilies con∣taine the publique dogmaticall resolutions of our Church? Why doth he play fast and loose? Why doth he vrge this in one place, which he flatly deni∣eth in an other place? Let him giue a reason.

But the 16. Article teacheth the same, sayth hee: the words of the Article are these.

After wee haue receiued the holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sinne: and by the grace of God we may rise againe, and amend our lifes: The Ar∣ticle speaketh religiously and truely.

For it is true, and must be confessed that after grace given, we may fall into sinne. The Article attributeth all power of rising againe to the grace of God: This we embrace. What hath this man against this? truely, no reason, but a prety fancy of his owne.

For, sayth he, he that saith a man may fall away, and may recover, imply∣eth withall, that some may fall away and no reco∣ver. Which kinde of speach is a plaine confession, that he hath nothing for himselfe in the wordes of the Article.

And yet in this weake manner hee cannot pro∣ceede, vnlesse he take this libertie to himselfe, to change and controll the words of the Article. For the Article speaketh of departing from grace given, he maketh it speake of falling away. The Article saith, the graunt of repentance is not to be denyed to such as fall into sinne after baptisme; and that we may depart from grace given and fall into sinne, and by the grace of God may rise againe. He will con∣fesse, I suppose, that there is no man who liveth long after his baptisme, but may fall into sinne: and that is a kinde of departing from grace giuen, From these words he concludeth, against all Logicke, that a man so falling into sinne falleth away: this is farre from the wordes and meaning of the Article, and sheweth that his purpose is not to satisfie men of iudgment, but by peruerting and intorting of words to a strange, that is, to his owne priuate sense, to de∣ceiue the simple.

But Pag: 27. he would proue from Saint Augustin and Prosper, that a regenerate and iustified man may fall away. Our learned Author did never in∣tend in writing this to satisfie the learned and iudi∣cious, but to deceiue and vndermine the weaker sort of men. Would any man that had his right wits, al∣leadg Saint Augustin and Prosper in this particuler, wherein they haue so fully, and soundly declared themselues to the contrary against the Pelagians? But some what must be sayd, and some shew must be made. Herein our Author may see the wretched∣nesse of his cause, and how little hope he hath to hold it vp, when he is driven to seeke help at them,

who vtterly ouerthrow his cause. Saint Augustines wordes by him cited (though they are not there where he citeth them) are these. Si autem regenitus & iustificatus in malam vitam sua voluntate relabitur, iste non potest dicere, non accepi: quia acceptam gratiam Dei suo in malum libero arbitrio amisit. And againe: Cre∣dendum est quosdam de filijs perditionis non accepto dono perseverandi vs{que} in finem, in fide quae per dilectionem operatur, incipere vivere, & aliquandiu iustè & fideli∣ter vivere. That which he citeth out of Prosper is this: Ex regenitis in Christo Iesu, quosdam relicta fide, & pijs moribus Apostatare a Deo, & impiam vitam in sua aversione finire, multis, quod dolendum est, probatur exemplis.

If that Saint Augustin himselfe had not made a full answere to these and such like things, as may be cited from him, this Author might with some pro∣bability haue brought these places. But if you will vrge Saint Augustins words, you must giue him leaue to expound his owne words. Saint Augustin sayth, that iust men and regenerate; nay, hee proceedeth farther, that the Children of God; yea, and more then that, that the Elect may fall away: It is true that Saint Augustin sayth all this. But if a man should cite these things from him, & so leaue them, as this learned Authour doth; he should doe great wrong to Saint Augustin. For he expoundeth him∣selfe, that these men whom hee calleth iust, regene∣rate, the sonnes of God, and elect, which doe fall away, are so esteemed of vs, but that they are not such in the knowledge of God. They are sayd to be such: sed à nescientibus quid futuri sunt. S. Augustin speaketh

of them that are so called of vs, but are not such indeede. Quis neget eos electos cum credunt & bapti∣zantur, & secundum Deum vivunt? planè dicuntur electi, sed à nescientibus quid futur•• sunt, non ab illo qui ••os novit non habere perseverantiam, quae ad beatam vi∣tam perducit electos, scit{que} illos ita stare, vt praesciret esse casuros. To the same purpose hee sayth againe. Sunt quidam qui filij Dei propter susceptam vel tempo∣raliter gratiam dicuntur à nobis, nec tamen sunt Deo. Now take this declaration of his meaning from himselfe, and then we grant that a iustified man, re∣generate, the sonne of God, and Elect, may fall away: because these though by vs according to the iudge∣ment of charity, may be esteemed such, yet with God they are not: For they onely stand & hold out to the end, that are knowne to God to be such, whom hee hath called according to his purpose: of which sort none fall away. To Prosper I answere the same: For Prosper doth follow Saint Augu∣stin 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and swarveth not from him, his wordes are as Saint Augustines are, and he vnderstood them as S. Augustin expounded himselfe.

But hee hath here also somewhat out of S. Augustin touching perseverance. Sancti de suo perseveran∣tiae proemio certi sunt, de ipsa tamen perseverantiae repe∣riuntur incerti. If we grant this, what will he inferre? Saint Augustin teacheth that God to humble vs, and to make vs to seeke him with zeale, doth hide some things from our knowledge, as our finall perseve∣rance, and our predestination: but this is for our good to remoue pride and presumption from vs: If wee our selues did either predestinate our selues; or

giue the grace of finall perseverance to our selues, then might this obiection be made; for then would things be in vncertainties: but we giue all the glory to God, who knoweth vs better then we know our selues, and we leaue this to him, which onely is able to bring his owne worke to an end. And yet if we search a little more exactly into the meaning of S. Augustins words, it will appeare that S. Augustin spea∣keth not simply against the certainty of perseverance, but in some respect.

To be certaine of our perseverance, may be two wayes vnderstood: either to be certaine that we shall never fall into sinne, so to trouble the course of our perseverance. Of this S. Augustin speaking saith tru∣ly, we are vncertaine of our perseverance: or else to be certaine of our perseverance, may be vnderstood to be certaine of our faith, whereby we persevere; that our faith shall never vtterly fayle. Of this every man cannot be sure: But he that hath a true faith, beleeveth that his sinnes are forgiven, that he is the child of God: this man walketh in loue and obedience, with∣out which his faith is vaine, beleeveth to receiue in the end everlasting life. And therefore S. Augustin saith; Sancti de suo perseverantiae praemio certi sunt. How can a man be sure of the reward of perseverāce, vnlesse he be sure of his perseverance? Everlasting life is the reward of his perseverance, and of this reward he is sure. It must needs follow that in some sort, he is sure of his perseverance. What sort is that? Verily his faith persevereth, as Christ said to S. Peter, though he fell into a great sinne, and therefore did not perse∣vere without sinning, yet he had prayed that his faith

did not fayle: and so he did persevere in the faith. And S. Iohn saith, that he that is borne of God, cannot sinne, because the seed of God abideth in him. Then he that hath the seed of God abiding in him, doth per∣severe according to that grace which abideth in him. Many men speake of grace and faith, but verily none can speake truely thereof, but they that haue these things in them. S. Augustin saith, no man can vnder∣stand the truth, but he that liveth a godly life. In cog∣nitione cavendus est error, in actione nequitia: Errat au∣tem quisquis putat veritatem se posse cognoscere, dum ad∣huc nequiter vivat.

Now where S. Augustin saith, that Saints or true beleevers are sure of the reward of perseverance, but not of perseverance it selfe: if we should vnderstand this, as our Author seemeth to take it; S. Augustin hath wrapped himselfe in a contradiction. For if a man should thus reason against these words: Every true beleever is sure of the reward of perseverance: but e∣very true beleever is sure that vnlesse he persevere, he cannot be sure of the reward of perseverance: there∣fore every true beleever is sure of his perseverance. This, I say, cannot be denyed by any that graunteth with S. Augustin, that true beleevers are sure of the reward of perseverance: For it followeth, that he is as well assured by faith of his perseverance. And vp∣on this ground it is inferred, because he is sure of the reward of perseverance.

Notes

• Lib: de corrept: & gratia. cap: 7.
• ibid: cap: 9.
• Lib. de oper. Monach. cap. 13.