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. 12. (Book 12)

PAG. 28. He maketh a great shew of all the learned men of the Church of England that composed the Articles; that confirmed them; that iustified them at Hampton Court. He saith, that these were the most learned men of our Church: Who denyeth that? or who called their learning into question? But what doe these here? And why are they troubled? All these, saith he, are such as doe assent to antiquitie. There is no doubt but these learned men did assent to learned Antiquitie. But where is this Antiquitie, or what is it? Parturiunt montes. Truely we haue not hitherto had one word from Antiquity, but onely those places of S. Augustin and Prosper, which are answered and found to be no∣thing to the purpose. This is a strange kinde of pro∣ceeding, to rayse so great an expectation, and in the end, all to turne into smoake. We expect to heare, whereunto all these learned men haue assented: here is nothing but words in the clouds. You haue made a glorious syllogisme. The maior is, that these men were the most learned men in our Church: it is graunted: The minor you say you will make good; but that is not yet done: you haue said nothing to proue it; you would proue it first out of the 16. Article; but you goe from the words of the Article, and shew vs what in your conceite it implyeth. This will never be taken for proofe▪ That which you vndertake to proue, is a to∣tall and finall fall; whereof you haue not as yet offe∣red

a proofe, either out of the Articles or Homi∣lies.

Pag. 30. he saith, The doctrine of the 16. Article was challenged for vnsound in the conference at Hampton Court, by those that were petitioners against the doctrine and discipline established: and being so challenged before his Maiestie, was then and there defended, maintained, a∣vowed, averred for true, auncient, iustifiable, good and ca∣tholicke, against that absolute, irrespectiue, necessitating, fatall Decree of your new predestination.

A man would thinke that such a man as this, rela∣ting things done, should speake truely, especially of such an Act, which every man that list may know. It is more strange that he should report it so, as not to say one word true: For it is not true that it was chal∣lenged for vnsound: it is not true that it was then and there defended, maintained, avowed, averred for true: For there could be no vse of this defending, avow∣ing, averring, where, on both sides, it was confessed to be true, and where the Article was not challenged for vnsound. The plaine truth is, Doctor Rainolds re∣peated the Article, and professed, that the meaning of the Article was sound: besides Doctor Rainolds, no man spake to that particular. How then could our Author say, it was challenged for vnsound? Doth he that saith the meaning of the Article is sound, challenge it for vnsound? The libertie is great that this man gi∣veth to himselfe, to thinke that such things would currantly passe, whether his words containe reason or none. Doctor Rainolds onely desired that it might be explained by these words added to the end of the Article thus: after we haue received the holy Ghost, we

may depart from grace: to these words of the Article he desired this might be added, yet neither totally nor fi∣nally: Against this, no man spake then: but for it, that worthy and learned Deane of Paules then, after Bishop of Norwich, Doctor Overall did speak so much as directly confirmed that which Doctor Rainolds had moved; For Page 42. of that Conference, he professed that it was a Doctrine which himselfe had taught; That whosoever, though before iustified, did commit any grievous sinne, as adultery, murther, treason, or the like, did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath, and guiltie of damnation. Adding herevnto, that those which were called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods election, howsoever they might and did fall into grievous sinnes, and therefore into the present state of wrath and damnation, yet did never fall either to∣tally from all graces of God, to be vtterly destitute of all the parts of seed thereof, nor finally from iustifica∣tion. Now when Doctor Overall did in the summe a∣gree with Doctor Rainolds; where then was the chal∣lenging of the Article for vnsound on the one side, and where was that defending, avowing, averring, on the other side?

Our Authour would proue his assertion out of the Conference at Hampton Court; but out of that confe∣rence the contrary is proved. He sayth, that a iusti∣fied man may fall away totally and finally; but D. Overall in that Conference affirmeth the contrary, neither totally, nor finally: he should haue vsed some more probability. He seemeth to be much de∣stitute of reason, when he vseth reasons, which be∣ing at the first examined, proue directly against him.

He must therefore obserue, that this doctrine of to∣tall and finall falling away, which he pretendeth to be the doctrine of our Church, was a doctrine refu∣ted at Hampton Court, by D. Overall, and before that time was never received here: For D Overall would never haue refuted a doctrine received in this Church. Then let him seeke out when his doctrines began to be the Doctrines of our Church.

Page 35. & 36. he saith; Let this be acknowledged the doctrine of our Church, that Children duely baptized, are put into the estate of grace, and salvation: but many chil∣dren so baptized, when they come to age, by a wicked life doe fall away from God, and from the estate of grace and salvation wherein he had set them. — if you grant not this, you must hold that all men that are baptized are sa∣ved.

If our Authour had bene pleased, to haue observed the iudgement of the Ancients, he would not be thus troubled with novelties. This one poore obiection seemeth to trouble the man. Saint Augustin might easily haue satisfied him: For he observeth a great difference betweene them that are regenerate and iustified onely sacramento tenus, and those that are re∣generate and iustified according to the purpose of Gods election. Abraham receiued the sacrament of Circumci∣sion, as a seale of the righteousnes of faith. The sacra∣ment is good to them to whom it is a seale of the righteousnes of faith, but it is not a seale in all that receiue the Sacrament: For many receiue the signe, which haue not the thing.

Then to proceede: Ismael was circumcised, and so was Isaak: but Ismael was borne according to the flesh,

and Isaak according to the spirit. Now hee was not iustified, but onely sacramento tenus, that was borne according to the flesh: but he that was borne accor∣ding to the spirit, was iustifyed truely. Saint Au∣gustin saith, Cum essent omnibus communia sacramenta, non communis erat omnibus gratia.* 1.1 And againe. Om∣nibus in nomine patris, & filij, & spiritus sancti bapti∣zatis, commune est lavacrum regenerationis, sed ipsa gratia cuius ipsa sunt sacramenta, qua membra corporis Christi cum suo capite regenerata sunt, non communis est omnibus.

Israel was called to be a people of God, yet all that were so called, were not so in truth: So all that receiue Baptisme are called the Children of God, re∣generate, iustified: for to vs they must be taken for such in charity, vntil they shew themselues other. But the Author affirmeth, that this is not left to mens cha∣rity (as you, sayth he, doe informe the world) because we are taught in the service Booke of our Church, earnestly to beleeue; that Christ hath favorably recei∣ved these infants that are baptized, that he hath imbra∣ced them with the armes of his mercy, that he hath gi∣ven vnto them the blessing of everlasting life: And out of that beleife and perswasion, wee are to giue thankes faithfully and devoutly for it. All this we receiue and make no doubt of: but when wee haue sayd all, wee must come to this, that all this is nothing but the charity of the Church: and what more can you make of it? For where he vrgeth this, that Children bap∣tized are put in the state of salvation, and this must be beleived. I make no doubt of it, but because he seemeth to haue a strange vnderstanding of it, and

vrgeth it as if forsooth it could not be answered: I aske him this question, whether we must beleeue it as an Article of faith, or ex judicio charitatis? this iudg∣ment of charity he vtterly reiecteth. Then he must hold that we beleeue it as an Article of faith: but this is not conteined in any Article of faith, it is not ex∣pressed in any Scripture. And the things which a man is bound to beleeue for his salvation, to speake properly, he must beleeue for himselfe onely, not for another man. And therefore this thing which hee vrgeth, that we must beleeue for other men, cannot be called properly faith and beleeving: for no man beleeveth for another: this proveth evidently that this beleeving, whereof our Communion bo••ke speak∣eth, is nothing else, but to beleeue it ex judicio chari∣tatis: and can no further be stretched. Concerning this iudgement of charity, we doe not informe the world any otherwise, then Saint Augustin informed the Church long since against the Pelagians. The Pe∣lagians vrged these things as you doe, that they that were baptized were regenerate, and iustified. Saint Augustin answereth they are so, for ought that wee know, and vntill they themselues shew themselues to the contrary. Then so long as we haue no cause to the contrary, wee iudge them in charity to be such as we desire they should be: did we devise this? or did we first informe the world of this? it hath bene of old received thus in the Church. We doe but say that which the ancient Fathers haue sayd before vs: and you follow that which your Fathers the Pelagi∣ans haue taught before you. But here is great diffe∣rence; wee following the ancient Fathers, follow the

Church▪ and you following the Pelagians, follow the Enemies of the Church.

But here he citeth in the margent, pag. 36. that all Antiquitie taught thus. I pray you what did Antiqui∣tie teach? That yong children baptized are delivered from originall sinne: We teach the same, and we doubt not, if they dye before they come to the prac∣tise of actuall sinnes, they shall be saved.

But this is not so to be vnderstood, that no chil∣dren vnbaptised can be saved: For in this poynt the auncient godly Fathers haue delivered their judge∣ments, grounded vpon faire evidences of Scripture. And because this is a thing wherein some may re∣quire satisfaction, the Reader will not thinke the time lost, if I somewhat enlarge this point. Baptisme is required as necessary to saluation, so that the con∣tempt thereof bringeth damnation; but not the want of it. For where a true faith is, and a sincere desire of Baptisme, though a man should by some inevitable meanes misse of washing by water, yet the Auncients make no doubt of the saluation of such a man. This is the judgement of S. Cyprian, S. Augustin, S. Am∣brose, and S. Bernard. Hugo de sancto Victore lived at the same time with S. Bernard. Hugo was troubled with the noveltie of a hot-spirited man, who taught this assertion; That since the time that it was first said by Christ; Vnlesse a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost, he shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven, since that, no man might by any meanes be saved, without the actuall receiving of the visible Sacra∣ment, yea though a man should desire the same with true faith, and contrition of heart, being onely pre∣vented

by death, that he could not obtaine that which he desired, yet should this man be damned without remedy. Hugo having notice of this asserti∣on, wrote to S. Bernard, concealing the name of the Author of that opinion, onely declaring his asserti∣on; and craved the judgement of S. Bernard in that poynt. To this S. Bernard answereth.

The summe of his answere is this:* 1.2 First he taketh exception a∣gainst the time so precisely set by the Author of this assertion. For he setteth the time to begin pre∣sently vpon the speech of those words which Christ spake in secret to Nicodemus, in the night when he came to him. S. Bernard sheweth that the beginning of so great a matter was not advisedly set by this new Author, he therefore would haue the begin∣ning to be after the promulgation of the Gospell by the Apostles. For the old Sacraments were in force so long, vntill it was openly and publiquely knowne that they were abrogated; How long af∣ter, penes deum est, non meum definire, saith S. Bernard. Then the old Sacraments did stand in force, vntill they were abrogated, that is, publiquely by the A∣postles interdicted. And therefore as Baptisme is now a remedy against originall sinne, so was Circum∣cision of old. Now if any that are come to yeares and vnderstanding, after the publication of the remedy of Baptisme, shall refuse to be baptised, this man ad∣deth another sinne to originall sinne, & so through his owne pride, he beareth the double cause of a most just damnatiō, if he should in that case chance to dye. Yet if before his death he repent, and desire and aske to be baptized, and dye before he can ob∣taine

his desire, so that a right faith, a godly hope and sincere charity be not wanting; so God be mer∣cifull vnto me, saith S. Bernard, as in this case I can∣not despayre of this mans salvation for the want of water onely; Neither can I beleeue that this mans faith is voyd, his hope confounded, his charitie fay∣led, if that not the contempt, but onely the impossi∣bility of having the Sacrament hinder him from be∣ing washed with water. And I much maruaile, saith he, Si novus iste novarum inventor assertionum, & as∣sertor inventorum; if this new inventer of new asser∣tions, and assertor of things invented, can finde a reason in this thing which was hid from the Fa∣thers, Ambrose and Augustin; or can finde any au∣thoritie before the authoritie of these. For if he know it not, both these judged as we doe herein; let him read S. Ambrose his booke of the death of Valen∣tinian, if he hath not read it, or if he hath read it, let him recall it well to memory; if he recall it, let him not dissemble; and there he shall finde that S. Am∣brose confidently presumed of the salvation of that man who dyed without Baptisme, and did vndoub∣tedly attribute that to his minde, which was wan∣ting thorough impossibilitie of performance. Let him also read the fourth booke of S. Augustin of one onely Baptisme against the Donatistes, and he will ei∣ther acknowledg himselfe to be imprudently decei∣ved, or proue himselfe impudently obstinare. For S. Augustin sayth, that sometimes suffering is in stead of Baptisme, as appeareth in the theefe vpon the Crosse, to whom though vnbaptised, Christ sayd, to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise: From which

place S. Cyprian tooke an Argument to prooue the same poynt: And S. Augustin addeth; Considering this thing againe and againe, I finde (saith he) that not onely suffering for the name of Christ may sup∣ply the want of Baptisme, but faith also and the con∣version of the heart, if happily the straitnesse of time will not suffer a man to celebrate the mystery of Baptisme. And afterward; How much (saith he) even without the visible Sacrament of Baptisme, that avayleth which the Apostle saith: With the heart man beleeveth to righteousnesse, and with the mouth man confesseth to salvation, it is declared in that Theefe. But then is this fulfilled invisibly, when as not contempt of Religion, but necessitie excludeth the mystery of Baptisme. S. Bernard having decla∣red thus much out of S. Augustin, proceedeth thus. I confesse, saith he, that S. Augustin retracteth that instance which he put of the Theefe, and thought it not so fit to proue this sentence, because it was vncertaine whether that Theefe was baptized or no: but the sentence it selfe and assertion he confi∣dently maintained, and diverse wayes confirmed; neither shall you finde that he did ever retract the opinion, if I be not deceived, saith Bernard: And further he saith, that S. Augustin in another place when he had spoken of some, whom the Scripture restifyeth to be sanctified invisibly, but not visi∣bly; He maketh this inference: hence it is collec∣ted, that invisible sanctification hath beene had, and hath profited without the visible Sacraments, which are changed according to the diversitie of times, so that others were then, others are now. And a

little after; notwithstanding▪ saith S. Augustin, the visible Sacrament is by no meanes to be contem∣ned; for he that contemneth it, cannot be invisi∣bly sanctified. Whereby he prooveth plainly that a faithfull man, and one converted to the LORD, is not deprived of the fruit of Baptisme, if he can∣not hau•• Baptisme, but if he contemne to be bapti∣zed. From these two pillars (I meane S. Ambrose and S. Augustin, saith S. Bernard) I can hardly be drawne to beleeue otherwise. I confesse my selfe either to erre, or to be wise with these. I my selfe also beleeving, saith he, that a man may be saved solâ fide, by faith onely, having a true desire to re∣ceiue the Sacrament, though either death antici∣pate his holy desire, or some other invincible force hinder it: And consider when our Saviour saith; He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved,* 1.3 whe∣ther it be not with great warinesse and vigilancy repeated againe, But he that will not beleeue shall be damned? He saith not, he that is not baptized shall be damned; but onely, he that beleeveth not, shall be damned; implying hereby, that sometimes faith alone sufficeth to salvation, and without it nothing. Wherefore albeit we graunt, that Mar∣tyrdome may be in stead of Baptisme, yet we must vnderstand that it is not punishment that maketh this, but faith it selfe, for without it what is Martyr∣dome but plaine punishment? Now it is against all reason to thinke, that faith which is reputed for Baptisme, where Baptisme is wanting, and which doth make Martyrdome acceptable to God, should be sufficient by it selfe to saue a man when

either Baptisme cannot be had, or Martyrdome is not required. S. Bernard vpon these, and such like reasons concludeth, that a man may be saved by faith without Baptisme, where there is a true de∣sire, and no contempt of Baptisme. And that In∣fants which die without Baptisme are consequent∣ly saved, by the faith of their faithfull Parents.

Thus farre S. Bernard.

* 1.4Saint Cyprian, (cited here by Saint Augustin and by Saint Bernard out of Saint Augustin) vpon this point hath these wordes; speaking of the theefe vp∣on the crosse: Latr••cinium damnationem meruerat & supplicium, sed cor contritum poenam mutavit in mar∣tyrium, & sanguinem in baptismum. And this is all that antiquity teacheth, or our Church requireth: that baptisme is not simply necessary, so as without it damnation must follow of necessitie; and that chil∣dren baptized are delivered from originall sinne. But this man goeth further. Many that are baptised (saith he) may after their baptisme liue a graceles life: then they loose grace; or else wee must say that all that are bapti∣zed are saved. I answere, we neede not say so. Wee say, that, if they fall into a sinfull and wicked life af∣ter baptisme, they loose the priviledge of their bap∣tisme, and the good that they might haue had by it, so long as they remaine such: And this is sufficient to answere him. But what is this to the grace of pre∣destination, which hee would oppugne by these quirkes, drawne onely from the charity of the Church and baptisme? which charity we also hold. Then to proceede, of these who haue received the sacrament of regeneration, and are iudged by vs to be regenerate and iustified, many may proceede and

make a great progresse in the Church, to be enlight∣ned, to taste of the heavenly gift,* 1.5 to be made partakers of the holy Ghost (that is of many graces of the holy Ghost) to taste of the good word of God, and of the pow∣ers of the world to come: and yet they may fall away totally and finally. But they that are regenerate, iusti∣fied and called according to Gods purpose, (aske not me who these are, it is enough that they are knowne to God) they may fall into diverse tempta∣tions and sins, which bring men vnder Gods wrath; but these never fall away either totally or finally. This was expressed by D. Overall in the Conference at Hampton Court. By this distinction of men regene∣rate, and iustified sacramento tenus onely, and such as are so indeede according to Gods purpose and calling, he might easily and fairely haue satisfied himselfe in all these obiections, which he draweth out of the book of Homilies, and out of our Service booke. For first he hath not proved, that a iustified man may fall away totally and finally; neither doth that follow from any wordes by him produced: And if it were proved in direct termes, how easie is the answere, that it is then meant of such as are regenerate and iustified sa∣cramento tenus, and no further: For that such fall a∣way it was neuer doubted in the Church, as S. Au∣gustin sheweth. And therefore when hee sayth, that children duely baptized, are put into the estate of grace and salvation; I grant they are so to vs, wee must esteeme them so,* 1.6 judicio charitatis. Saint Au∣gustin saith, Omnes, qui in Christo baptizantur, Chri∣stum induunt: but then he resolveth. Induunt Chri∣stum homines aliquando vs{que} nd sacrameti perceptionom,

aliquando vs{que} ad vitae sanctificationem: at{que} illud pri∣mum & bonis & malis potest esse commune, hoc autem al∣terum propnium est bonorum & piorum. By which grounds we may vnderstand how the ancient fathers resolved of them that fell quite away from grace. And wee may learne to rest in their resolution: Were it not better for this Author, with the Ancients to seeke out the truth, and meanes to defend the truth, then with the Arminians to rake vp the Pelagian dunghils for old obiections, that are already answered long a∣goe by the ancient Fathers?

Notes

• * 1.1

  August: in Psal. 77.
• * 1.2

  Bern: epist. 77.
• * 1.3

  Mark. 16.16.
• * 1.4

  Cyprian: de coena Domini.
• * 1.5

  Heb. 6.
• * 1.6

  Lib de bapt: contra Dona∣tistas. 5 ca. 24.