Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable

I entreat the WRATHFUL, CONTENTIOUS, ZEALOUS DOGMATISTS conscientiously to study these Texts of Scripture:

M ATTH. 28. 19, 20. Go, Teach all Nations, Baptizing them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved. Acts 11. 26. The Disciples were called Christians.

1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4. I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached to you, unless ye have believed in vain—That Christ died for our sins,—and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day—

2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the FORM of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in FAITH and LOVE which is in Christ Jesus.

1 John 4. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy Heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: For with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth confession is made to salvation.

Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest (be baptized) And he said— I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Rom. 14. 1. 17, 18, 19. Him that is weak in the Faith receive, but not to doubtful disputations—For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost: For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men: Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Rom. 15. 5, 6, 7. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another (or, mind the same thing one with another) according to Christ Jesus; That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God.—Wherefore Receive ye one another as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

1 Tim. 1. 3, 4, 5. Charge some that they teach NO OTHER doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless Genealogies, which minister Questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith: Now the End of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure heart and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved, have turned aside to vain janglings.

1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6. If any man teach OTHERWISE, and consent not to wholesome words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness, he is PROUD, KNOWING NOTHING, but DOTING about Questions, and STRIFES of WORDS, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, (or thinking that godliness is advantage;) from such turn away.

2 Tim. 2. 22, 23, 24. Follow righteousness, saith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart: But foolish and unlearned Questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes: and the servant of the Lord must not strive. V. 15, 16, 17. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth: But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase to more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a canker.

2 Tim. 2. 14. Charging them before the Lord, that they STRIVE not about WORDS, to no profit, to the subverting of the hearers.

1 Cor. 8. 2, 3. If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know: But if any man LOVE GOD, the same is KNOWN OF HIM.

Jam. 3. 1, 13, &c. My Brethren, Be not Many Masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation—Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his WORKS with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter zeal (or envying) and strife in your hearts, Glory not, and Lye not against the truth. This WISDOM descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work: But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy: And the fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace.

Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things—

Phil. 3. 15, 16, 17. Let us as many as be perfect be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise (or diversely, or contrarily) minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded, having the same Love, being of one accord, of one mind: Let nothing be done through strife, or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus—Who—made himself of no reputation.

1 Cor. 1. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you: but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment: For it hath been declared to me of you brethren—that there are contentions among you—that everyone of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized into the name of Paul? I thank God, that I baptized none of you, &c.

1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. I could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as to babes in Christ—For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? See Eph. 4. 1, &c. after.

John 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. I pray—for them which shall believe on me—that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be One in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.

Matth. 5. 9. Blessed are the Peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.

Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men.

2 Cor. 12. 20, 21. I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would—lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults—Lest God will humble me among you, and I shall bewail many, &c.

Gal. 5. 19, 20. The works of the flesh are manifest—hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings—

1 Cor. 14. 33. God is not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace, as in all Churches of the Saints.

Acts 20. 30. Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

Phil. 1. 15, 16. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely—

Rom. 16. 17, 18. Now I beseech you brethren, Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them: For they that are such, serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies: and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple.

Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of—

The Angelical Gospel of the Ends of Christ's Incarnation, Luke 2. 19. GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST: ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TO MEN (or WELL-PLEASEDNESS IN MEN.)

John 20. 26. Peace be unto you. Grace, Mercy and Peace, with all that are in Christ—and Love— Gal. 6. 16. Eph. 6. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 2. & 5. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 2. 1 Thess. 5. 13.

2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally, brethren, farewell: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind: Live in Peace; and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you.

1. Assert. THe BAPTISMAL COVENANT expounded in the ancient CREED is the sum and Symbol of Christianity, by which Believers were to be distinguished from unbelievers, and the outward Profession of it was men's Title to Church-communion, and the Heart-consent was their Title-condition of Pardon and Salvation; And to these ends it was made by Christ himself. Matth. 28. 19, 20. Mark 16. 16.

2. All that were baptized did profess to Believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and devoted themselves to him, with profession of Repentance for former sins, and renouncing the Lusts of the Flesh, the World and the Devil, professing to begin a new and holy life, in hope of everlasting glory.

3. This form of Baptismal Covenanting and Profession begun with Christianity (and called our Christening, or making us Christians) hath been propagated and delivered down to us to this day, by a full and certain tradition and testimony and less alterations than the holy Scriptures.

4. The Apostles were never such formalists and friends to ignorance and hypocrisy, as to encourage the baptized to take up with the saying [I believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost] without teaching them to understand what they said. Therefore undoubtedly they expounded those three Articles: And that exposition could be no other in sense than the Creed is. And when Paul reciteth the Articles of Christ, 1 Cor. 15. and mentioneth the Form of sound words, we may be sure that they all gave the people one unchanged exposition as to the sense: Christianity was one unchanged thing.

5. Though I am not of their mind, that think the twelve Apostles each one made an Article of the Creed, or that they formed and tied men to just the very same syllables, and every word that is now in the Creed; yet that they still kept to the same sense, and words so expressing it, as by their variation might not endanger the corrupting of the faith by a new sense, is certain from the nature of the case, and from the Agreement of all the ancient Creeds, which were ever professed at baptism, from their days; that cited by me (Append. to the Reformed Pastor) out of Irenaeus, two out of Tertullian, that of Marcellus in Epiphanius, that expounded by Cyril, that in Ruffinus, the Nicene, and all mentioned by Usher and Vossius agreeing thus far in sense; And no one was baptized without the Creed professed.

6. As Christ himself was the Author of the Baptismal Creed and Covenant, so the Apostles were the Authors of that Exposition which they then used and taught the Church to use: And they did that by the Holy Ghost as much as their inditing of the Scripture.

7. Therefore the Church had a Summary and Symbol of Christianity (as I said before) about twelve years before any Book of the New Testament was written, and about sixty six years before the whole was written: And this of God's own making: which was ever agreed on, when many Books of the New Testament were not yet agreed on.

8. Therefore men were then to prove the truth of the Christian Religion, by its proper Evidences and Miracles, long before they were to prove that every word (or any Book) of the New Testament was the infallible perfect Word of God.

9. Therefore we must still follow the same Method, and take Christ's Miracles to be primarily the proof of the Christian Religion, long before the New Testament Books were written.

10. Therefore if a man should be tempted to doubt of the certainty of this or that Book, words or reading, it followeth not that he must therefore doubt of the Christian Faith.

11. A thousand Texts of Scripture may be not known and understood, by one that is Justified: but all the Baptismal Articles and Covenant must be understood competently by all that will be saved.

12. Those Church-Tyrants, Dogmatists or superstitious ones, who deny the sufficiency of this Test and Symbol (made by Christ and his Spirit) to its proper use, (to be the Symbol of such as in Love and Communion we are to take for Christians) do subvert the sum of Christ's Gospel and Law, and do worse than they that add to, or alter the lesser parts of the Word of God.

13. Therefore our further Additional Confessions must be only to other subordinate ends; As 1. To satisfy other Churches that doubt of our right understanding the faith: 2. To be an enumeration of Verities which Preachers shall not have leave to preach against (though they subscribe them not.)

14. Object. Heretics may profess the Baptismal Creed. Answ. 1. And Heretics may profess any words that you can impose on them, taking them in their own sense. All the Councils are not large enough to keep out subscribing Heretics. We must not make new Symbols, Rules and Laws as oft as Knaves will falsely profess, or break the old ones: there being none that may not be falsely professed and violated. 2. Many subscribe to the whole Scriptures, that yet are Heretics. 3. Church Governors are for this, to cast out those or punish them, who preach, teach and live contrary to the certain and sufficient Rule which they profess. Judicatures are not to make new Laws, but to punish men for breaking Laws. A heart-Heretic-only is no Heretic in foro Ecclesiae. He that teacheth Heresy must be proved so to do, and judged upon proof: which may be done without new additional Symbols, Rules or Laws of faith. So that all this contradicts not the sufficiency of the Baptismal Creed as the Symbol of Christian Love, Communion and Concord. I thought meet to add this more fully to what I said in the Epistle, to convince men of the true terms of Union, and of the heinous sin of all the sorts of Adding and Corrupting overdoers, that divide us.

THE PREFACE, AGAINST CLERGIE MENS Contentions, AND Church-distracting Controversies.

T HAT the Churches of Christ are dolefully tempted and distracted by Divisions, no man will deny that knoweth them: That the Clergy is not only greatly culpable herein, but the chief cause, cannot be hid. But which part of the Clergy it is, and what be their dividing Errors and Crimes, and how they should be cured, is indeed easy for the truly faithful and impartial Spectators to perceive, but exceeding hard (as experience tells us) to make the Guilty thoroughly know, and harder to do much effectually for the cure. For the error and sin which is the true cause, is its own defense, and repelleth and frustrateth the Remedies. And so each party layeth it from themselves, on others, and hate all that accuse them, while they are the sharpest (and perhaps most unjust) accusers of the rest.

I shall here freely tell the Reader the History of my own Conceptions of these matters, and then my present thoughts of the Causes of all these Calamities, and the Cure.

I. I was born and bred of Parents piously affected, but of no such knowledge or acquaintance as might engage them in any Controversies, or disaffect them to the present Government of the Church, or cause them to scruple Conformity to its Doctrine, Worship or Discipline: In this way I was bred myself, but taught by my Parents and God himself, to make conscience of sin, and to fear God, and to discern between the Godly and the notoriously wicked: For which my Parents and I were commonly derided as Puritans, the Spirit of the Vulgar being commonly then fired with hatred and scorn of serious godliness, and using that name as their instrument of reproach, which was first forged against the Nonconformists only; And the Clergy where I lived, being mostly only Readers of the Liturgy, and some others that rather countenanced than reproved this course, I soon confined my Reverence to a very few among them that were Learned and Godly (but Conformists) and for going out of my Parish to hear them, my reproach increased: About eighteen or nineteen years of age I fell acquainted with some persons, half Conformists and half Non-conformists, who for fear of severities against private Meetings, met with great secrecy only to repeat the public Sermons, and Pray, and by Pious Conference edify each other. Their Spirits and Practice was so savoury to me, that it kindled in me a distaste of the Prelates as Persecutors, who troubled and ruined such persons, while ignorant Drunkards and Worldlings were tolerated in so many Churches, yea, and countenanced for crying down such persons, and crying up Bishops, Liturgy and Conformity: Before I was aware, my affections began to solicit my understanding, to judge of the Things and Causes by the Persons (where the difference was very great). But yet my first Teachers kept my judgment for Conformity as Lawful, though not Desirable had we Liberty, till I was ordained. But soon after a new acquaintance provoked me to a deeper study of the whole Controversy than I had undertaken before; which left me persuaded, that the use of Liturgy and Ceremonies was lawful in that case of necessity, except the Baptismal use of the Cross, and the subscription to all things, &c. But in 1640. the Oath called [Et Caetera] being offered the Ministry, forced me to a yet more searching Study of the case of our Diocesan Prelacie (which else I had never been like to have gainsaid.) At a meeting of Ministers to debate the case, it fell to Mr. Christopher Cartwrights lot and mine to be the Disputers; and the issue of all (that and my studies) was, that I settled in the approbation of the Episcopacy asserted by Ignatius, yea, and Cyprian, but such a dissent from the English frame, as I have given account of in my Disputations of Church Government.

My genius was inquisitive, and earnestly desirous to know the truth: my helps for Piety were greater than my helps for Learning, of which I had not much besides Books: sickness helped my seriousness, keeping me still in expectation of death. All my reverenced acquaintance (save one) cried down Arminianism as the Pelagian Heresy, and the Enemy of Grace: I quickly plunged myself into the study of Dr. Twisse, and Ames, and Cameron, and Pemble, and others on that subject: By which my mind was settled in prejudice against Arminianism, without a clear understanding of the case: whereupon I felt presently in my mind, a judgment of those that were for Arminianism; as bad or dangerous adversaries to the Church; and specially of the then ruling Bishops: which yet I think I had not-entertained, had I not taken them withal for the great Persecutors of Godly able Ministers, and serious Christians, not only for Ceremonies, but for holy practices of life.

Being under these apprehensions, when the Wars began, though the Cause itself lay in Civil Controversies, between King and Parliament, yet the thoughts that the Church and Godliness itself was deeply in danger by Persecution and Arminianism, did much more to bias me to the Parliaments side, than the Civil interest (which at the heart I little regarded): At last (after two years abode in a quiet Garrison) upon the Invitation of some Orthodox Commanders in Fairfax 's Army, and by the Mission of an Assembly of Divines, I went (after Naseby Fight) into that Army as the professed Antagonist of the Sectaries and Innovators, who we all then (too late) saw designed those changes in the Church and State which they after made. I there met with some Arminians, and more Antinomians: These printed and preached as the Doctrine of Free Grace, that all men must presently believe that they are Elect and Justified, and that Christ Repented and Believed for them (as Saltmarsh writeth). I had a little before engaged myself as a Disputer against Universal Redemption, against two ancient Ministers in Coventry (Mr. Cradock and Mr. Diamond) that were for it. But these new notions called me to new thoughts: which clearly shown me the difference between Christ's part and Mans, the Covenant of Innocency with its required Righteousness, and the Covenant of Grace with its required and imputed righteousness: I had never read one Socinian, nor much of any Arminians; but I laid by prejudice, and I went to the Scripture, where its whole current, but especially Matth. 25. did quickly satisfy me in the Doctrine of Justification: and I remembered two or three things in Dr. Twisse (whom I most esteemed) which inclined me to moderation in the five Articles: 1. That he everywhere professeth, that Christ so far died for all, as to purchase them Justification and Salvation conditionally to be given them, if they believe. 2. That he reduceth all the Decrees to two, de fine & de mediis, as the healing way. 3. That he professeth, that Arminius and we and all the Schoolmen are agreed, that there is no necessity consequentis laid on us by God in Predestination, but only necessity consequentiae or Logical (but in Election I shall here suspend.) 4. That the Ratio Reatus in our Original Sin, is first founded in our Natural propagation from Adam, and but secondarily from the positive Covenant of God. 5. That Faith is but Causa dispositiva Justificationis, and so is Repentance. These and such things more I easilier received from him, than I could have done from another: But his Doctrine of Permission and Predetermination, and Causa Mali, quickly frightened me from assent. And though Cameron 's moderation and great clearness took much with me, I soon perceived that his Resolving the cause of sin into necessitating objects and temptations, laid it as much on God (in another way) as the Predeterminants do. And I found all godly men's Prayers and Sermons run quite in another strain, when they chose not the Controversy as pre-engaged.

In this case I wrote my first Book called Aphorisms of Justification and the Covenants, &c. And being young, and unexercised in writing, and my thoughts yet undigested, I put into it many uncautelous words (as young Writers use to do,) though I think the main doctrine of it sound. I intended it only against the Antinomians; But it sounded as new and strange to many. Upon whose dissent or doubtings, I printed my desire of my friends Animadversions, and my suspension of the Book, as not owned by me, nor anymore to be printed, till further considered and corrected: Hereupon I had the great benefit of Animadversions from many, whom I accounted the most judicious and worthy persons that I had heard of: First my friend Mr. John Warren began: next came Mr. G. Lawson 's, (the most judicious Divine that ever I was acquainted with, in my judgment, (yet living), and from whom I learned more than from any man): next came Mr. Christopher Cartwright 's (then of York; the Author of the Rabbinical Comment. on Gen. chap. 1, 2, 3. and of the Defense of King Charles against the Marquess of Worcester). Answers and Rejoinders to these took me up much time: next came a most judicious and friendly MS. from Dr. John Wallis; and another from Mr. Tombes; and somewhat I extorted from Mr. Burgess: the answers to which two last are published. To all these Learned men I owe very great thanks: and I never more owned or published my Aphorisms (but the Cambridge Printer stole an Impression without my knowledge). And though most of these differed as much from one another (at least) as from me; yet the great Learning of their various Writings, and the long Study which I was thereby engaged in, in answering and rejoyning to the most, was a greater advantage to me, to receive accurate and digested conceptions on these subjects, than private Students can expect.

My mind being thus many years immersed in studies of this nature, and I having also long wearied myself in searching what Fathers and Schoolmen have said of such things before us, and my Genius abhorring Confusion and Equivocals, I came by many years longer study to perceive, that most of the Doctrinal Controversies among Protestants (that I say not in the Christian World) are far more about equivocal words, than matter; and it wounded my soul to perceive what work both Tyrannical, and unskillful Disputing Clergy-men had made these thirteen hundred years in the world! And experience since the year 1643. till this year 1675. hath loudly called to me to Repent of my own prejudices, sidings and censurings of causes and persons not understood, and of all the miscarriages of my Ministry and life, which have been thereby caused; and to make it my chief work to call men that are within my hearing to more peaceable thoughts, affections and practices: And my endeavors have not been in vain, in that the Ministers of the Country where I lived, were very many of such a peaceable temper (though since cast out), (and a great number more through the Land by God's Grace (rather than any endeavors of mine) are so minded.) But the Sons of the Coal were exasperated the more against me, and accounted him to be against every man, that called all men to Love and Peace, and was for no man as in a contrary way.

And now looking daily in this posture, when God calleth me hence, (summoned by an incurable Disease to hasten all that ever I will do in this World,) being uncapable of prevailing with the present Church disturbers, I do apply myself to posterity, leaving them the sad warning of their Ancestors distractions, as a Pillar of Salt, and acquainting them what I have found to be the cause of our Calamities, and therein they will find the Cure themselves.

II. I Have oft taken the boldness (constrainedly) to say, that I doubt not but the Contentions of the Clergy have done far more hurt to the Christian World, than the most bloody Wars of Princes. And I must reduce the Causes to these three Heads:

I. The Abuse of POWER, II. Of WISDOM, III. Of GOODNESS; or of the Names of these: the three great Principles of Humanity.

That is, I. By Clergy TYRANNY, II. By OPINIONISTS or Dogmatists, III. By SUPERSTITION and HYPOCRISIE, or PRACTICAL BLIND ZEAL.

But among all these sorts, selfish PRIDE, IGNORANCE and UNCHARITABLENESS or want of LOVE are the great effectual Causes. And departing from CHRISTIAN SIMPLICITY, in Doctrine, Worship, Church-government, and Conversation, is the grand instrumental means of most of our Schisms, Distractions and Calamities.

I. Only by Pride cometh Contention, Prov. 13. 10. The Church-TYRANT is Proud of his Superiority and Wealth: The OPINIONIST is Proud of his supposed Knowledge and Theological Wisdom; on which account the Gnostics troubled the Church of old. The HYPOCRITE and the (honester) ignorant Zealot, is Proud of his supposed Holiness or Goodness: And for an eminency and precedency and praise in each of these, they all conspire (while they disagree among themselves) to trouble the Church of Christ: In a word, Selfishness, Ignorance and want of Love, are the Causes of men's personal ruin and damnation, and the same are the Causes of the Churches divisions, and all the miseries of the World.

II. And that IGNORANCE is a Common cause even in the Gnostic Dogmatists that cry down Ignorance, Error and Heresy, needs no other proof, than the diversity of Opinions which such contend for: Every side pretend, that it is ORTHODOXNESS, FAITH or the Great Truths of God, which they defend; And in one Country or with one Party, one thing is Orthodoxness and the Truth, and another thing in another Country or Party, and another thing with a third, &c. And did they all but know what is Truth and the Will of God indeed, they would cease their Contentions; and all the Sects would meet in Unity.

III. And did men but LOVE their neighbors as themselves, and were as easily persuaded to think well of, and deal gently with their neighbors as themselves, and as hardly drawn to condemn, hate, hurt or injure them, I need not tell you how easily, quickly and universally we should be healed.

But before I speak of the Instrumental Means, I will fullier open the three forementioned Causes.

I. Religious Clergy-TYRANNY hath so notoriously, so long, and so greatly made havoc both of Piety, and Peace, that he that is not an utter stranger to Church-History cannot be ignorant of it. I need not tell any Learned man, how many even moderate Papists, much more Protestants have thought, that Constantine and other Emperors that over-exalted the Clergy, poured out Poison into the Church: making great preferments a bait to invite all the worst of men, to be seekers and invaders of Church Offices and Power, and to corrupt those that otherwise would have been useful men: especially when (Christians having first made them their Arbitrators, in obedience to St. Paul's counsel) they were made the Legal Judges of the Causes of all contentious Christians, and so set up Secular Magistratical Courts. I need not tell them what work almost every General Council (as those of one Empire were called) did make! what work even the first at Nice had made, had not Constantine burnt their Bills of accusation against each other, and personally lamented their divisions, and driven them on to peace! what work was made in that at Chalcedon, and that at Ephesus, and so of others! what a horrid scandal the case of John and Dioscorus was, and the murder of Flavianus, and many others! nor yet how the controversies against the Nestorians, Eutychians, and Monothelites were managed! I need not tell them, how soon Victor began at Rome, nor what Socrates and others say of Cyril and Theophilus at Alexandria; nor yet how Nazianzen was used at Constantinople; nor how copiously and vehemently he accuseth the Bishops, and wisheth that there were no such inequalities among them, as gave them advantage to do hurt; nor what he saith against their Councils: nor yet of the quarrels of Basil and Anthymius, nor of Basils sharp complaints of the Roman and other Western Prelates: I need not tell them of the Usage of Chrysostom, even by such men as Theophilus, Epiphanius and their partakers; nor of the dividing of the Constantinopolitan Christians thereupon; nor how the violent Prelates made Separatists and Non-conformists of Chrysostom's adherents, by the name of Joannites; and how unlikely that Schism was to have been healed, had not wiser Bishops succeeded, who restored Concord by honoring Chrysostom's Name and Bones, and dealing kindly with his followers: I need not tell them of the sad work made at Ariminum and Syrmium, and oft at Rome, Constantinople and every great Episcopal Seat: nor of the bloodshed between Competitors, at the Election of Damasus; nor of the separation of St. Martin from the Synod of Bishops led by Ithacius and Idacius; nor of the difference of him and Ambrose from the rest about the complyances with Maximus. The World knoweth of the doleful Rupture that hath continued between the Roman and the Greek Church about a thousand years; And of the many Schisms at Rome by various Anti-Popes, even at once above forty years together; And of the reason of the calling of the Councils of Constance and Basil to end them; And how the King of Rome keeps up his Kingdom to this day; what work he hath made with Frederick, the Henries, and other German Emperors; what divisions this caused among the Clergy; what blood he caused to be shed for Jerusalem, and how many thousands of the Waldenses have at divers times been slaughtered; what work the Inquisition hath made in Spain and Belgium and elsewhere; and the flames of Persecution in England, and almost in all Christian Lands; what work the Holy League did make in France, and the English Bishops in many a War with their Kings; besides the case of Becket and such others; By whose instigation two hundred thousand Protestants were lately murdered in Ireland, and many again in Piedmont; I say to tell such things as these to those that are acquainted with Church History, is vain. And I would those that yet think cruelty the best way to set up themselves (or Religion, if that must bear the name) and to repress their adversaries (or Schisms,) would but (among many others) read the Epistle of great Thuanus before his Works to Henry King of France.

But is it only the old Bishops, Greeks and Papists, that have made such havoc in the Churches? Even those that pretended to moderation did by the German Interim make many hundred Churches desolate. And the ten years imprisonment of Caspar Peucer (vid. Histor. Carcer.) and the silencing of many and many faithful Ministers, and the banishment of many, doth show with what Spirit, many of the Lutherans carried on their work. And doubtless, had the Calvinists in Belgium been as wise and peaceable as the English Delegates were at the Synod of Dort, and been as far from Tyranny as they should have been, matters had never come so oft to Blood or Tumult among them as they have done, nor Grotius and the Arminians had so much to say against them. I will not meddle with the matters of this Island in our times, seeing they sufficiently speak themselves.

But how cometh this Clergy Tyranny to be so common, so long and so powerful in the World, to make Parties, and draw Princes into Wars?

1. It must be remembered, that true Godliness is not common in the World: Too many take up Christianity, as in the Eastern parts the posterity of the old famous Christians are now Mohammedans.

2. The Gospel and true Spirit of Christianity is contrary to the minds and worldly interests of carnal, ambitious, covetous, voluptuous men. So that they profess a Religion which their own hearts abhor as to its serious practice.

3. Every unrenewed man hath such a worldly fleshly nature, and is voluptuous, proud and covetous: And none of them love to be reproved or crossed in their way.

4. Church Honors, Dignities and great Revenues, and Clergy-ease in an idle life, are a great bait or temptation to a carnal mind: And the worse men are, the more they will desire and seek Church preferments, and make all the friends they can to get them; And the more self-denying men will not do so, (but perhaps avoid them.)

5. The diligent seekers are liker to obtain and find, than the neglecters and avoiders: And so the Churches to be usually in the power of the worser sort of men, and Religion to be under the Government of its enemies.

6. Men in power, and the Major Vote, have great advantage to execute their own wills, and to put Laws on others, and bring them under what Characters they please; and so to affix the names of Heretics or Schismatics on them, if they fulfil not all their wills: yea, to silence them, and suppress their Writings, and make them to be little understood in the World, yea, or by their neighbors round about them.

7. The Vulgar (as they are for the Conqueror in the Wars, so) usually are for the upper and stronger side in peace, that have Power to hurt them, and have the Major Vote; And also easily believe them, and think men that suffer, are like to be guilty of what they are accused.

8. Godliness being against a worldly mind and interest, and the Rabble usually for it, hence ariseth a Conspiracy of carnal Clergy-men, and the Rabble, against those that are most seriously Godly, as if they were their enemies, and a surly, proud, intractable sort of people. As Sulpitius Severus describeth Ithacius and his followers, (and even Mr. Hooker out of him Eccl. Pol. Praefat.)

9. Such men in Power never want flatterers at their ears, to praise all that they do, and to exasperate them by slandering and reviling sufferers.

10. The long possession (since the days of Constantine) of Great Places and Power by the Clergy, within the Roman Empire (now the Greek and Latin Churches,) doth seem to justify men's Usurpations and Tyranny, and make all dissenters seem singular and Schismatical, (which was and is the Papal strength against the Reformed.)

11. Too many of the Secular Rulers of the World, have much of the same Spirit; And find also their interests so twisted in show with the Papal Clergies, that they dare not cross them.

12. The faults of those that suffer by them (in doctrine and imprudent carriages) use to give them great advantage, and make all their odious characters and names of them believed and received, (as the case of the Waldenses and of the Lutherans and Calvinists in Germany too fully prove.)

II. The second Rank of Church-disturbers are DOGMATISTS or men that profess exceeding zeal for ORTHODOX Opinions, or Theological Knowledge. And thus three instances tell us of the Cause of our Calamities,

1. That of Gnostic and Heretical persons, who account every new Conceit of theirs, to be worthy the propagating, even at the rate of Theological Wars and Church Confusions; and cry out [But the Truth, and sell it not], when it is some error of their own, or some unprofitable or unnecessary notion.

2. The case of the Romanists (to say nothing of all the old contentious Bishops and Councils, and the controversies about Persona and Hypostasis; and about many words and forms of speech). What do the Roman Councils for many hundred years last, but on pretence of preserving the faith uncorrupted, multiply divisions and new Articles of faith (quoad nos)? And while they cry down most of Christ's Church as Heretical or greatly erroneous, they have run themselves into the grossest errors almost that human nature is capable of, (even to the making it necessary to salvation, to deny our own and all the sound men's senses in the World in the case of Transubstantiation).

3. The case of the Schoolmen, and such other Disputing Militant Theologues: who have spun out the Doctrine of Christianity into so many Spiders Webs; and filled the World with so many Volumes of Controversies, as are so many Engines of contention, hatred and division: And I would our Protestant Churches, Lutherans and Calvinists, had not too great a number of such men, as are far short of the Schoolmens subtlety, but much exceed them in the enviousness of their zeal, and the bitterness and revilings of their disputes, more openly serving the Prince of hatred against the Cause of Love and Peace. O how many famous Disputers, in Schools, Pulpit and Press, do little know what Spirit they are of, and what reward they must expect of Christ, for making odious his Servants, destroying Love, and dividing his Kingdom? How many such have their renown as little to their true comfort, as Alexanders and Caesar's for their bloody Wars?

But how cometh this Dogmatical Zeal so to prevail? Consider,

1. Nature itself is Delighted in Knowing much: Else Satan had not made it Eves temptation. Without Grace, even Theological Speculations may be very pleasing to men's minds. Morality and Holiness is principally seated in the Will.

2. Satan hath here a far fairer bait, than worldly Wealth and Pleasures and Honors, to tempt men, and steal away their hearts, from that Love and Practice which is Holiness indeed. All men are bound to Love God's Word, and his Truth must be precious to us all: and now it is easy for the hypocritical Dogmatist to take up here, and make himself a Religion of Zeal for those opinions, which he entitleth God to. And O that I could speak this loud enough to awaken the Learned World of Disputers, to so much jealousy of their own hearts, as is necessary to their own safety, as well as to the Churches peace! This thing called Orthodoxness, Truth and Right-believing (precious in itself, if it be what it is called,) is made by Satan an ordinary means to deceive Learned men, and keep them from a holy and heavenly mind and life, when grosser cheats would be less effectual: Theology is valued by many as the Mathematics are, as a pleasant sort of knowledge; and by others as the Jews were zealous of their Law, by a formal sort of Religiousness; one sort being zealous for their Opinions, and another for their Ceremonies from the like principle of formality.

3. Yet Nature that would know much, is dull and slothful, and loath to be at that great and long study and labor necessary to obtain it.

4. And it is but few that are born with a quick natural capacity.

5. And it is not the most that have the happiness of very wise, experienced and thoroughly Learned Teachers: but most are instructed by half witted men. And young persons know not how to choose the best for themselves, nor their Parents neither ordinarily.

6. Ease and Interest, or the Veneration of certain persons, maketh men fall in with those Opinions that are in best esteem in the places where they live, and among the persons whom they most value.

7. Reason is man's noble faculty, and therefore that which man is aptest to be Proud of: And though few have much knowledge and wisdom, almost all would be thought to have it, and are too proud to endure to be accounted ignorant or erroneous.

8. The Dignity of the Pastoral Office, and Academical Degrees, maketh men think that the Honor of knowledge is their due, and necessary to their work. And therefore they will expect and claim it that deserve it not: and it shall be taken for Pride and Singularity for any man to convince them of ignorance or error.

9. Many of them are godly men and excellent Preachers, and cried up (deservedly) by good people: And therefore they take the reputation of more knowledge than they have, to be their due; and the people are ready to join with them in reproaching all that differ from them.

10. Great knowledge being rare, the half-knowing men are still the major part by far (alas how far!) And so if Synods be called, or most Voices heard, these will still pass for the Orthodox men, and a more judicious man will scarce be heard among them.

11. Learning is of many ages got into certain forms of words; and he that hath got some organical arbitrary Notions, passeth for a Learned man; or he that can speak many Languages: while true real wisdom (which consisteth 1. In knowing the Greatest Things, and 2. In fitting words to things) is much neglected: whereby as hypocrites deceive themselves and others with forms of piety, so do Scholars with forms and notions instead of knowledge.

12. These human formalities of wisdom have prevailed to bring the Scripture, and the best part of wisdom, into disesteem, as a dull and low kind of knowledge; as if Logical, Physical and Metaphysical trifling, were a higher matter.

13. No man is sufficiently apprehensive of the greatness of the Curse in the confusion of Tongues: whereby as we can preach but to few Nations in the World, so we cannot intelligibly converse with one another. All words (being arbitrary signs) are Ambiguous; And few Disputers have the jealousy and skill which is necessary to discuss equivocations, and to agree of the meaning of all their terms before they use them in disputing: And so taking Verbal differences for Material, doth keep up most of the wretched Academical and Theological Wars of the World.

14. And nothing here undoeth all the World in point of wisdom, so much as over-hasty judging or prefidence: It is natural to almost all to fasten presently upon the first appearances, and to be confident before they have half tried: In cases where seven and seven years serious study is necessary to a through digested knowledge, every Novice will presently conclude as if he were sure. And then as everyone is apt to be confident, so to be tenacious; every error leading on more, and the reputation of the person being concerned in it, mutability being a shame: And so it becometh a very difficult thing to unlearn the errors once learned; as white Paper is easier written on than that which is written on before.

15. And then no man knoweth his own error (else it were no error), nor knoweth what another man's perceptions are, nor what any other man knoweth more than he.

16. And lastly, the odious names of dissenters (the common usage) doth quickly affright even beginners from thinking well of their Opinions, (yea, or of their persons and piety usually). And by all these means almost all are of the opinion of the Country where they live, or of those that they most reverence, or which are most for their interest; and boldly condemn the rest not understood.

III. And the pretence of HOLINESS or a blind practical Zeal, and Superstitious Religion, both in Hypocrites and many honest ignorant people, hath not a little hand in the distractions of Christ's Church.

It was the appearance of more Spirituality and Strictness which drew Tertullian to the Montanists, and which promoted a great part of the Heresies which have torn the Churches. This bore up the Cause of the Priscillianists, and of those that Bernard and Cluniacensis so much inveigh against, (I suppose Manichees with some better persons mixed:) This kept up the Donatists; but above all the Novatians long in great reputation: This was the strength of the Anabaptists in Germany and the Low Countries, as their adversaries confess. Saith G. Wicelius Meth. Concord. c. 12. p. 42. [Retinctores hac una parte duntaxat sapiunt, tenentes doctrinam Ecclesiae Catholicae] speaking of the necessity of a holy life: This is the strength of the Quakers among us now, and of almost all the separating and Censorious Sects: And were not so excellent a thing as Godliness the Motive, abundance of good people durst never have done the great evils which we have seen done in this age, to the great shame of our profession, and the sad calamities of Church and State. (And if I myself have formerly in my inexperienced youth, promoted any dividing or unwarrantable ways, it was upon this and the former mistake; which I beg daily of God to discover to me to the full, and beg the pardon of the miscarriages which I know, and which yet I know not of.)

And if you Consider these things following, you will not wonder that mistaken Godliness should cause divisions:

1. Holiness and God's Love or well-pleasedness with man, is the best thing in this world, or that man is capable of. And therefore is most Desireable, and most Honorable.

2. Therefore all good men prefer it before all other things; And are justly more averse to anything that is against it, than to any worldly loss or suffering.

3. Yea it is God's Interest more than their own: And all good men are against all that displeaseth God, so far as it is known.

4. We all know but in part, and as in a glass and darkly: Even the most of Teachers take abundance of things for True and Good that are False and Evil, and for False and Bad which are True and Good; Much more are Godly vulgar people ignorant, and consequently err in many things. Even they that cry out against the vulgar Ignorance, and insufficient Teachers, know far less than they are Ignorant of themselves.

5. He that mistakingly thinks anything is Good or Bad, Duty or Sin, which is not so, will be zealous in pursuit of his mistake, if he be serious for God: A good principle will hasten him on in a wrong way, whatever it cost him.

6. Ignorance and timerousness cause superstition, which is a conceit that God is pleased by overdoing in external things, and observances and laws of their own making, and so they that make part of their own Religion superstitiously (as most good people do in some things through ignorance,) will censure all others as Good or Bad, by the measure of their own mistakes.

7. He that thus mistakingly thinks that men sin when they do not, will have a proportionable dislike of them, and aversation from them: And will be ready to speak as he thinks of them, and so will be guilty of calumny, and calling Evil Good, and Good Evil.

8. The World will abound still with real evil and scandals; And all parties will be faulty: And usually the greater part of the Clergy in the Christian World will be guilty of so much Ignorance, pride, contentiousness, worldliness and sensuality, as will greatly grieve and offend good people. And this will occasion alienation and separations even with Godly persons: The sacrifice of the Lord was abhorred through the sins of Eli 's sons: The case of the Clergy at this day in the Greek Church in Moscovie, Armenia, Syria, Abyssinia, &c. yea among too many of the German Churches, is very lamentable, by Ignorance and scandal: And the corruption of the Roman Clergy was it that facilitated the revolt from the Papacy, at Luther 's reformation. He that readeth Cornel. Mus, Ferus, Espencaeus, Erasmus, Alvan Pelagius, Clemangis and such others describing their own Clergy, and Jos. Acosta of them in India, &c. will see much of the Cause of the Divisions in the World: And all the old Writers that write against the Waldenses, do make us understand that the ignorance and wickedness of the Clergy then, was it that drove them from the Roman Church. Saith Wicelius Meth. Concord. c. 11. p. 39. Quum tales ad nullum honestius vitae institutum idonei sunt, mirum sit si bonos sacerdotes praestabunt: sic itaque procedente tempore regetur Ecclesia ab asinis, & praedicabunt imperitissimi misero populo, quod nunquam didicerunt ipsi. Adolescentes optimi quique abhorrent propterea ab instituto illo, quod nolint suam libertatem sibi eripi, &c. I have oft said, what caused St. Martin to separate during life from the Synodical Bishops about him: And what Gildas saith of such, that no excellent Christian will call them Ministers: And it's very observable not only as Dr. James in the Margin of Wicelius hath cited, that there are many Canons against wicked Priests celebrating and Massing, but Wicelius himself saith (p. 17.) Non admittantur sacra concubinariorum, quos Deus pejus odit, at{que} manifestarios incestus: Meminerimus in Decretis Pontificum pie caveri, Ne quis Missam ejus Presbyteri audiat quem scit indubitanter concubinam habere, aut subintroductam mulierem. (And yet there are now men pretending to piety among Protestants, that speak of, and use those Godly persons more hatefully who refuse to hear such wicked Priests, than they do those Priests themselves.) Light and Darkness have no Communion: And the Church will always have bad Ministers and Members: And many good people through Ignorance will think that they should go further from them than they ought: And will not distinguish between that private familiarity which is in their own power, and that public Church Communion which the Church Pastors are the guides and judges of. And so the honesty and the ignorance of these good men, meeting with the vulgar wickedness, will be as the congress of fire and water, and will occasion ruptures and parties in the Churches.

9. The carnal Clergy will usually hate and persecute Godly zealous Preachers: (As even the case of Ph. Nerius and Baronius at Rome showeth, which had almost made disturbance:) And then sufferings will be a stronger temptation to hard thoughts and too much alienation than most are able well to overcome.

10. And the Godly people will adhere to their Godly suffering Teachers, and run further in bitterness against the carnal and persecuting party, than their suffering Leaders do desire.

11. Yet interest and temptations will prevail with too many of the sufferers to connive at the bitterness and alienation of the people, (if not to countenance it,) which they do not justify: And so the rupture will grow still greater.

12. And all men have some Pride: And Godliness being the best thing may become the object of Pride as well as Knowledge and Power. And so many will affect to have their Piety Conspicuous, and therefore to be singular or of some small party that is eminent; and so by separation to stand at a more conspicuous distance from the vulgar sort of Christians, than Christ would have them: And so many a good man hath more of Pride in his profession and separation than he is aware of.

13. And because God's word, and his last judgment, and Heaven and Hell, do make so great a difference between the Godly and ungodly, it occasioneth many to think that they must difference men by their own censures and separations farther than indeed they ought.

14. And it greatly promoteth Schisms that good people are unacquainted with Church-history, and know not how just such Opinions and Schisms as their own have in former ages risen, and how they have miscarried and died, and what have been their fruits.

15. And few men have that humble sense as they ought, of their own Ignorance and badness, which would keep their suspicions and Censures more at home, and make them more compassionate to others.

16. And few love their Neighbors as themselves, nor consider while they hate men's sin, what is lovely in their Natures and Capacities of grace.

17. And the Piety of almost all Sects of Christians on Earth is already corrupted with so many human superstitious additions, that few can escape the temptation of Censuring accordingly.

18. And the Church will always have many hypocrites, who quiet their Consciences by adhering to the strictest Ministers and Churches, instead of a mortified, holy and heavenly heart and conversation.

19. And lastly, Persecution and hatred from others, and the due Love of Godly persons, tempteth too many Ministers to over-run their own judgments, and follow the more censorious sort of persons further than they ought (at least by connivence,) and to be ruled by those whom they should rule. And thus Divisions are occasioned even by Piety itself.

II. But yet were the Principles of Division never so many and pernicious, Interest might have led more of the world to Quietness and Concord, had not Satan, the great enemy of Love and Peace, seduced them to that Instrumental Means and way, which will never consist with Concord. It is that which Christ and his Apostles have done very much to prevent, but the Devil (even with all the sorts fore-mentioned) hath much prevailed against their precepts.

The Grand case of the Christian World is, WHAT IS THE TRUE CENTER and RULE OF CONCORD? Could they find out this, it would hold men of various tempers to it.

I. Christ first laid down the Description and Measure of Christianity, in the Baptismal Covenant; and ordained that all should be accounted Christians in foro Ecclesiae who by Baptism were solemnly devoted to him, in a professed Belief and Covenant, Dedication and Vow to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost: These he would have called Christians or his Disciples, and this is their Christening, and so ever called in the Church. 2. And next he made it his new (that is Last) and Great Command, that All his Disciples should Love each other, and live in eminent Unity and Peace: which he accordingly wrought them to by the first pouring out of his Spirit, Act. 2. & 3. & 4.

II. The Apostles founding the Church in this Baptismal Vow or Covenant, and mutual Love, exhorted accordingly all the Baptized to Love each other, and to Receive even the weak in faith, but not to doubtful disputations, Rom. 14. & 15. Oft vehemently charging them to be of one mind and live in Love and peace, and to beware of them as not serving Christ but their own bellies, who were for Divisions, 1 Cor. 1. 10, 11. Rom. 16. 17. And though they came with pretences of ORDER, WISDOM or PIETY, such Good words, and fair speeches were noted to be engines to deceive the hearts of the simple, Rom. 16. 17.

And whereas the objection seemed unanswerable, How can they so agree, who are of several judgments about Good and Evil? Paul often warneth them to hold fast the form of sound words, and summeth up (as 1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4.) the Articles of their faith, and chargeth them that so far as they had attained, they should walk by the same rule, and mind the same things, and if in anything they were otherwise minded, stay till God revealed the matter to them, Phil. 3. He oft chargeth them to be of one mind and judgment (thus far) and to live in Love and Peace, and to do nothing by strife and vain glory, but in honor to prefer others to themselves; and not to strive about words that profit not, nor about unnecessary Questions, seeing such disputings and strivings gender to ungodliness, and fret like a Canker, and pervert the hearers minds: Yea he directeth the Pastors to edify souls, rather by a Teaching than a disputing way, and to convince gainsayers, by meek instructing opposers, to see if thus God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth: for the Minister or servant of the Lord must not strive; Love is their work to be effected in others, and Love must be their Principle, and Love must be their mode and means, even Loving others as themselves: Oft are they called by Christ and his Apostles from masterly opinions, aspirings and endeavors, and to be as little Children; and the servants of all, and as stewards of God's mysteries and helpers, not Lord's of the Churches faith, and not to domineer over the flock of Christ, but to oversee them not by constraint but voluntarily: And what cannot be done by Light and Love, is not to be done by them at all: The Magistrate and not they, must use the Sword; but not to make men believers (for he cannot.)

And though Vossius and others have rendered Reasons enough to persuade us that the story of the twelve Apostles making each one an Article of the Creed, is not credible, nor that they shaped it in every word to the present form, yet it is to me a certainty, that the Apostles made and used the Creed for sense and substance as the very summary and test of Christianity, long before any Book of the New Testament was written (about twelve years, and almost sixty six before the whole.) For 1. It is certain that all Christians were Baptized: 2. It is certain that they then professed to Believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and to Covenant accordingly, renouncing the flesh, the world and the Devil. 3. It is certain that the Apostles and Pastors labored to make men understand what they did, and would not delude them by taking the bare saying of these three words. 4. And it is certain that the Pastors altered not the Christian faith, but taught the same for substance to all that were baptized. 5. And it is certain that should men have taken much liberty to use new words or forms at Baptism, in opening the faith, it might easily have corrupted the faith and introduced a new doctrine. 6. And it is certain by Church History that (though some variety of little words was used, yet) this same Creed for substance (except the two or three clauses mentioned by Usher and Vossius) was commonly used at Baptism from the days of the Apostles. 7. And we find yet that this Creed is nothing else but the explication of the three Baptismal Articles; of which see Sandford and Parker (two Learned Non-conformists) in their very Learned Treat. de Descensu Christi at large. 8. And it is certain that if the Apostles did take this course so many years before they wrote any of the New Testament, they did this (as well as that) by the Holy Ghost: and so that the Holy Ghost seconding Christ's own Baptismal Law, or Instituted test, did make the Creed to be the summary of the Christian Belief, twelve years before we had any Book of the New Testament, and about sixty six as is said before we had them all. And then it will appear what is God's appointed test of Christianity, Communion and special Love.

All which considered, though I think it is the truth which I long ago wrote against a Treatise of a Learned man (Mr. Ashwell) in the Append. to the second Edition of my Reformed Pastor, yet I publish my Repentance that ever I wrote it, as fearing lest it occasioned the turning of men's minds from this great truth which he and I agreed in, and which I find few consider as it deserveth.

But the Gnostics began the corrupting game, and by pretences of higher knowledge, spoiled men by vain Philosophy, which engaged the Apostles to cry them down, and to warn all Christians to take heed of being so spoiled, and to vilify arbitrary Philosophical notions, tricks and vain janglings, as likely to draw them from the simplicity of Christianity.

And the certain truth is, that he knoweth neither the Interest nor the Ignorance and weakness of man, nor the nature of Knowledge, who doth not know, that the frailty and employments of mankind are such as that there never will be an universal Concord in very MANY, or UNCERTAIN, UNNECESSARY things; And O that I could write it on all men's hearts, or doors at least, that The Christian world will never have Concord, but in a FEW, CERTAIN, NECESSARY things.

Therefore Paul said to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11. 2, 3. I am jealous of you with Godly jealousy: For I have espoused you to one husband, &c. But I fear lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve though his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in (or towards) Christ.

O mark these words all ye contentious Church -TYRANTS, DOGMATISTS and SUPERSTITIOUS ones. Read and study them well.

God laid down the terms of the Churches Concord in seven Unities. 1. One Body or Church Catholic; 2. One Spirit or Holy Ghost, as the soul of that Church; 3. One Hope, or Heavenly felicity hoped for; 4. One Lord of the Church, our Head and Savior; 5. One Faith, or Creed, or Symbol of our belief, and Belief thereof; 6. One Baptismal Covenant; 7. And one God and Father of us all, who is above all, through all and in us all. Eph. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. And it is the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, that on these terms we are charged to keep, v. 2, 3. with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

But now cometh the Serpent (note 1. The author,) and by subtlety (2. Note the means,) even as he beguiled Eve (3. Note the precedent) which was by promising her more knowledge and exaltation to be as God; and he corrupteth men's minds, (4. Mark the effect) though it is knowledge and advancement of mind that he promiseth and pretendeth: Even by drawing them (as to higher POWER, KNOWLEDGE or HOLINESS) from the Christian simplicity, (5. Mark what the Corruption of Religion is.)

And what is this Christian SIMPLICITY which they forsake, and how are they thus Corrupted from it?

I. The Church -TYRANT departeth from the SIMPLICITY of Church Government first, and will not hear Christ's vehement charge, Luk. 22. With you it shall not be so: He cannot understand such Texts because he would not. Hence how unlike is the Secular-Papal and Patriarchal state to the Ministry appointed and described by Christ! To reduce them to that, they think is to be enemies to the Church; And do they not then take Christ for their Capital enemy? because they are enemies to humility, mortification and the Cross, Phil. • . 18. (To cross bearing not to cross making.) The Papists think that Greg, the seventh that took down Princes was the most glorious instrument of the Churches exaltation: And by turning all to corporeal Glory, they lose hearts, and destroy the souls whom they profess to save.

And having first corrupted GOVERNMENT from the Primitive simplicity, and made Princes their Lictors (as Grotius speaks in that excellent Epistle newly translated by Mr. Barksdale,) they next corrupt DOCTRINE, and WORSHIP consequently. For TYRANTS must have their Wills in everything: and numerous and needless Laws and Canons must be made to show their power and fulfil their wills, that they may be Law-givers and a Rule to all the World. And when they have made a seeming Necessity of doing things unnecessary, then to plead the Necessity which they have made, is the sum of all their arguments.

And they that are against strict and precise adhering to the Scriptures, or observance of God's own commands, are yet so strict for obedience to their proud imperious wills, that they persuade themselves and others, that without it there can be no order, no unity, no peace, but rebellion and confusion: And so they cry up Obedience, Obedience, that their Idol wills may be bowed to by all without control; And when they are mere Usurpers, and use no Power given them by God, they yet get the advantage of making all odious that obey them not in the least and greatest matters, by the names of schism, unruliness or such like. O say the Papal Usurpers, [The Church must be obeyed, or there will be no order: Disobedience in small matters is no small sin] when they have set up an Idol power against Christ; as if to disobey him, whose Laws they make void by their Traditions and Usurpations, were a lesser fault. And when they have departed as far from the Christian simplicity, in Doctrine, Government and Worship, as their voluminous Councils and Decretals, and Missals differ from the ancient simple Christianity, and have made as many snares and engines to divide and tear the Church of Christ as there are noxious (that I say not Needless) Laws, Canons, and Decrees imposed as necessary to peace and concord, then no men's mouths are more opened against schism, when they have unavoidably caused it, yea are the greatest schismatics; And no men call so loud for Unity and Concord, as they that have first made it a thing impossible.

Let none think that I am speaking against any true Church-Government, or faithful Pastors: But I appeal to the Consciences of these Papal Tyrants; 1. Whether it would not be far easier for Christians to Agree, in A FEW, PLAIN and NECESSARY things, of Christ's own Institution, than in a multitude of human decrees and articles, composed in words more liable to Controversy? Will not more subscribe to the Creed, than to all the Councils? 2. Have they not room enough to show their Power, and work enough to do, in seeing to the execution of Christ's own Universal Laws, and preserving mere Order and Decency in undetermined circumstances, that all may be done to edification? 3. Doth not every needless Oath and Subscription by which they would tie men faster to themselves in controvertible cases, plainly tend to undermine themselves, and keep up still a conscientious party against them? For while men have nothing to do but live quietly under a Government, they will be glad of peace: But when they are put to Subscribe, Declare, Covenant and Swear that all this is good or lawful, or that they will never be against it, it sets men unavoidably on the deepest studies of the case, and so all the people are set on trying and judging of that, which else they would never have meddled with: For what honest man will say, swear or promise he knoweth not what? Even as some crafty Rebels would undermine Princes, by drawing them to put the controverted parts of their Prerogative into the Subjects Oaths, that so they may make all the people Students and Judges of the cause, and unavoidably make factions and dissenters, that else would have lived quietly if they might: so do the Papal Clergy ruin themselves by such over-doing impositions.

I remember Lampridius tells us that Alexander Severus (that great enemy of injustice) was so severe, that he would have made a Law to regulate men's Apparel: But Ulpian changed his mind by telling him, that Many Laws cause Divisions, and make occasions of disobedience.

They cry out, There will be no order if Ministers and people be left to their own discretion in such and such circumstantials; But do they dream of Perfect Concord on earth? and that men of such various Interests, tempers, educations, converse and degrees of knowledge should not differ in a word, or gesture? Our English Rulers make no Laws, what Gesture shall be used in singing Psalms, or in Hearing Sermons, and there is no division or great disorder in them: But if on pretence of nearer Concord, they should tie all to one Gesture, this or that, we should presently find it an engine of division. And O how many such Engines have the Papal Clergy made and used long! and to what purpose? To silence faithful Ministers, to torment faithful Christians in the Inquisitions, to brand the best men with the names of Heretics and Schismatics, to gratify all profaneness and malignity, to quench brotherly love, and to tear the Church into pieces; And no experience will make them wiser.

II. And the DOGMATISTS also have done their part, by departing from the Simplicity of the Christian Doctrine, to set the Christian world together by the ears. Of which Hilary hath written sharply against the Making of new Creeds, not sparing to tell them that even the Nicene Fathers, led others the way: And Jerome wonders that they that were for the word hypostasis questioned his Faith, as if he that had been Baptized had been without a Faith or Creed which all at Baptism do profess. But this will not serve turn to these Corrupters. Councils, Doctors and Schoolmen have been led by the temptation of more subtle-knowledge, to be Wise and Orthodox over-much, till the Churches Faith is as large as all the Decrees of General Councils de side at the least, and the Churches Laws a great deal larger! And what abundance of dubious Confessions, Declarations or Decrees are now to be subscribed or believed and justified, before a man can have his Baptismal birthright, even the Love, peace and Church-Communion bequeathed to him as a Christian by Christ!

And now controversial writings fill our Libraries by Cart-loads: And a Use of Confutation is a great part of most Sermons among the Papists, Lutherans and many others; And men are bred up in the Universities to a Militant striving kind of life, that their work may be to make Plain Christians seem unlearned dolts, and dissenters seem odious or suspected men, and themselves to be the wise and Orthodox persons, and triumphant over all the erroneous, that were it not for these Contenders would destroy the And so Ministers are armed against Ministers, Churches against Churches, Christians against Christians, yea Princes against Princes, and Countries against Countries, by wrangling contentious Clergy men. And (O what an injury is • t!) Young Students are almost necessitated to waste much of their lives (which should be spent in preparing them to promote faith, holiness and Love) in reading over multitudes of these wrangling writers, to know which of them is in the right: And most readers catch the disease hereby themselves; And those few that at great cost and labor come to the bottom of the differences do perceive, that the Proud Opiniators have striven partly about unrevealed or unnecessary things, but chiefly about mere ambiguous words and arbitrary human notions; and multitudes condemn and revile each other, while they mean the same things, and do not know it. One writeth a Learned Book against such a party, and another confuteth such an Adversary (especially about Predestination, Redemption, Free-will, Human Power, Grace, Merit, Justification, Pardon, Imputation, &c.) and then many read and applaud all as excelently done; (Alas, for the low estate of the Clergy that while!) when a truly discerning man perceiveth that it is but a striving about unexplained words, for the most part: And thus being Over-wise in pretences of Zeal for Truth, and under-wise in understanding it, and departing from Christian simplicity of doctrine, and even deriding the Christian Creed, hath made even some honest men become dividing Engineers, and their Articles, and Controversies the Churches calamity.

III. And what Practical misguided zeal about worship hath done, almost all Sects, Novatians, Anabaptists, in Germany and here, and the various sort of Churches that refuse Communion with one another, and that condemn, or cast out dissenters from them, and preach and talk and backbite their brethren into the odium or distaste of their seduced auditors; the bitter invectives in Pulpit, talk and press of the several Pastors and people against each other (and worse than words where they have power:) all these speak so loud, as may spare me the labor of any further discovery; and calls us all to make it the matter of our lamentation.

And what shall I say in the conclusion, now I am near to my departure from this contentious world? but sound a Retreat to all these unhappy militants, that will not let Holiness prosper by the necessary advantage of Peace. Cease your Proud contendings, O vain-glorious Militant Clergy! Learn of the Prince of peace and the holy Angels that preached him, to give Glory to God in the highest, who giveth Peace on Earth, and well-pleasedness. in (or towards) men. Did Christ or his Apostles make such work for Christians as you do? The great Shepherd of the flock will take your pretences of ORDER, ORTHODOXNESS (or Truth) and PIETY, for no excuse, for your corrupting ORDER, FAITH and PRACTICE by your TYRANNY, SELF-CONCEITEDNESS and blind ZEAL and SUPERSTITION; and for using his name against himself, to the destroying of that Love, and Concord and Unity which he hath bequeathed to his Church; and for serving his enemy, and dividing his people, and hardening Infidels and ungodly ones by these scandals. Return to the primitive simplicity, that we may return to unity, Love and peace. Dream not of them upon your own corrupting terms. And read and read over again and again Jam. 3. which doth describe you, condemn you, and instruct you.

If you say, Physician heal thyself: Who hath wrote more of Controversies? I answer, peruse what I have written, and you will see, it is of Controversies, but against Controversies, tending to End and reconcile. If anything be otherwise (except necessary defense of certain necessary faith or duty) I retract it, and condemn it: Let it be as not written. I have meddled much with Controversies in this Book: but it is to end them. The God of Peace give Wisdom and peaceable principles, minds and hearts to his servants, that (though I shall not live to see it) true Love and Piety may revive in the Christian world, by the endeavors of a healing Ministry, and the shaming, restraint and reformation of the CONTENTIOUS CLERGIE, whether TYRANNICAL, DOGMATICAL, or SUPERSTITIOUS.

Of DIVISIONS and CONTENTIONS among Christians, Consider

• I. The EFFICIENT,
  • I. PERSONS:
    • 1. The Devils.
    • 2. Men:
      • 1. A Contentious Clergy.
      • 2. Unwise and wicked Rulers instigated by them.
      • 3. The deceived people that follow them.
  • II. QUALITIES, viz.
    • I. Remotely:
      • 1. Selfishness in Carnal hypocrites, who prefer worldly interest.
      • 2. Slothfulness in Students, in seeking truth.
      • 3. Hastiness in Judging, before digested conceptions and proof.
    • II. Nearly: Want of
      • 1. Humility and self-acquaintance: Pride.
      • 2. Knowledge: Ignorance and Error.
      • 3. Love to others: Envy, Malice and Bitterness.
  • III. Instruments, or Engines,
    • 1. In General: Corrupt departing from Christian Simplicity.
    • 2. Particularly,
      • 1. From Simplicity of Doctrine, by DOGMATISTS Words & Notions:
      • 2. From Simplicity of Practice, by SUPERSTITIOUS additions.
      • 3. From Simplicity of Discipline by CHURCH-TYRANNY.
• II. CONSTITUTIVE Causes, viz.
  • DISCORD, [1. In JUDGMENT of things necessary,
  • ALIENATION, [2. In WILL and AFFECTION, viz.
    • 1. Privative; by denying due Communion.
    • 2. Positive,
      • 1. By Contention.
      • 2. Malice.
      • 3. Hurtfulness to each other.
  • DIVISION, [3. In Necessary PRACTICE,
• III. The EFFECTS, viz.
  • I. On THINGS, viz. on Church▪
    • 1. Doctrine & Preaching, and Writing, turning it into vain and hurtful wrangling.
    • 2. Worship, Prayer, Sacraments, corrupting them by faction, partiality and wrath.
    • 3. Discipline, corrupting it into Secular or factious Tyranny, or a dead Image.
  • II. On PERSONS, viz.
    • I. Particular,
      • 1. Themselves,
      • 2. Their followers:
        • 1. The Guilt and Deceit of false-Religious zeal.
        • 2. The Death of true Holiness and Heavenly Conversation.
        • 3. The Death of Love, and Life of Wrath and injuries.
      • 3. Rulers, viz.
        • 1. Corrupting them by factious clamours against their Subjects.
        • 2. Tempting them unto persecuting Laws and Executions.
        • 3. Engaging them in bloody Wars abroad.
      • 4. The Innocent, viz. Injuries to
        • 1. Private persons,
          • 1. By censures, slanders, backbitings, making them hated.
          • 2. Denying them due Love, Communion and help.
          • 3. Persecution, silencing, and other mischiefs.
        • 2. Princes,
          • 1. Weakning and grieving them by the Subjects discords.
          • 2. Dishonouring them by defaming Excommunications.
          • 3. Urging them to be the Clergies Lictors or Executioners.
      • 5. Enemies and Strangers, scandalizing and hardening them in Infidelity & sin.
    • II. Societies,
      • I. Churches:
        • 1. Corrupting them in Doctrine, Worship and Order.
        • 2. Weakning them by discord and division.
        • 3. Shaming them before the World.
        • 4. Making them less fit for God's Love and Communion.
      • II. Kingdoms: Weakning them, dishonoring them, and drawing them into the Guilt of Feuds, Wars and Persecutions.
• IV. The REMEDIES.
  • I. Persons,
    • 1. Christ the Prince of Peace, and the Churches Head and Center.
    • 2. Wise Princes, who understand the Interest of 1. Christ, 2. Their people, 3. Themselves.
    • 3. Able, Wise, Holy and Peaceable Pastors.
    • 4. The Mature, Experienced, Mellow, Peaceable sort of the people.
  • II. Qualities,
    • 1. Diligent Study under wise Teachers.
    • 2. Sincere Holiness: A dying life:—
      • 1. Humility.
      • 2. Knowledge.
      • 3. Love, to others as ourselves.
    • 3. Deliberate Judging upon trial.
  • III. Means,
    • 1. Returning to Christian Simplicity
      • 1. In Doctrine: The ancient Creed, &c.
      • 2. In Worship.
      • 3. In Discipline.
    • 2. Magistrates forcing the Clergy to keep the peace, and forbear strife.
    • 3. Subjects obedience in all lawful things required by Authority.
• V. HEALTH or Cure.
  • 1. Rulers, Pastors and people of one MIND,
  • 2. One HEART in Love,
  • 3. One MOUTH and practice, in things Necessary, in Communion and mutual help: And mutual loving forbearance in Infirmities and things unnecessary; edified in Love.
• VI. The EFFECTS hereof.
  • I. GLORY to God,
    • 1. In the Hallowing of his Name, and Honor of Religion.
    • 2. In the increase of his Kingdom, and Conversion of the World.
    • 3. In the Doing of his Will on Earth, as it is done in Heaven.
  • II. Peace on Earth.
    • 1. Increase of Holiness, Heavenliness and Love.
    • 2. Mutual Delight herein: The Joy of Health and Concord.
    • 3. The Churches Strength and Glory.
  • III. God's WELLPLEASEDNESS in MEN: His Church will be meet for his Love, Delight and Communion, and be liker to Heaven, and enjoy its foretastes.

An Appendix to this Premonition.

SInce the Printing of this, the World hath seen a specimen of such contention, as I lament, in a contest between a young insulting Assailant, and a jocular contemptuous Defendant; in my judgment both running into extremes; whether verbal or real, their own explications must further tell us: The extremes of the former are reprehended by many: By the later, (a person of great wit and piety,) I perceive that some men have such conceptions of the Covenants of God, as will give occasion to some Readers to think, that by mis-describing them, I have erred and misled men, through this and many other Writings. And men that are not able to conquer the obscuring and tempting notions of their Authors, are still calling for Answers to every inconsiderable objection, or contradicting word that is suggested to them; and little things puzzle and stop such Readers (though otherwise pious and worthy persons) who have not by long and accurate studies methodized and digested the matter that is disputed of: Not therefore to offend any man by opposition, or to defend other men's extremes; but to prevent the frustration of some of these Writings, and the scandal or trouble of my Reader, I must take notice;

I. That some think that [the Covenant of Grace must be considered, 1. in its Constitution; and 2. in its Execution: The Constitution of the Covenant is God's firm and unchangeable purpose of saving his Elect, to the praise of his glorious Grace.] For the word signifieth a disposition, appointment, or ordering of matters, whether there be a restipulation or no; (the English word, Covenant, seduceth our understandings): The fixed purpose and determinate counsel of God, in Scripture, is called a Covenant, Jer. 33. 20. II. The execution of this fixed Constitution is God's wise and gracious managing of all things for the accomplishment of that glorious design which he had in the prospect of his eternal counsel, which he steadily and regularly pursueth through all the vicissitudes that his mutable creatures are obnoxious to, &c. pag. 718, 719. 1. On God's part; whatever grace and mercy was in his eternal purpose, that is given out to us by Christ, &c. III. 1. Christ cannot be the foundation of the Covenant, because Christ himself is promised in the Covenant as the great comprehensive blessing, Isa. 49. 8, 9. 2. Free Grace is given as the true reason of the Covenant, Heb. 8. 8. IV. The Constitution of the Covenant in God's purpose and counsel, hath no condition at all: nor is that the Condition of the Covenant required of us on our part, which God promiseth to work in us on his part; nor that which God in Covenant bestoweth; nor that which presupposeth other Covenant mercies antecedent, &c. V. A promise of pardon and life on condition of believing and obeying, is no Covenant of Grace at all, and neither better nor worse than a threatening of condemnation, &c. It's no more a Covenant of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath.—It's no great matter where it is founded. p. 584, 586. VI. God hath not dispensed with one jot or title of the moral Law, but, Do this and live, is as strictly exacted as ever: so that unless a Surety be admitted, and the righteousness of another owned, the case of all the sons of Adam is deplorable and desperate. To deny the righteousness wherein the believing sinner may stand before this righteous and holy God, is to affirm the eternal damnation of all the World. VII. The Covenant mentioned justifieth not, but declareth our Justification, which is the immediate proper effect of Christ's righteousness. VIII. Never any man in his wits affirmed that the righteousness of Christ is the formal cause of our Justification: Give us but leave to call it the material cause, or the meritorious cause immediately and properly of Justification, &c.

Some will think that they are great and heinous errors, which either these words, or some of mine that seem contrary, import: But I must crave leave here to follow my usual method, in separating the Controversies de re & de nomine; and then I think that even these strange words prove not him and me at so great a distance as they seem to intimate. For I grant him as followeth de re.

1. That God hath such a decree of Election or eternal purpose as he describeth, and calleth the Constitution of the Covenant. 2. That God doth wisely and graciously execute this Decree. 3. That all Grace and Mercy is given by Christ: (And therefore so far as Mercy is common, Christ is the common cause of it.) 4. That Christ himself is a blessing or gift decreed, and also freely given by God, even from his love to the World, Joh. 3. 16. 5. That God's electing Act, or Decree, as in him, hath no condition: nor his purpose to give Christ as a Savior to mankind. 6. On our part no condition is required, either that God may elect us, or that the first promise of a Savior be made, or that Christ come into the World, or that he fulfill all righteousness, or that he obey, or die, or rise, or be glorified, or come to judgment, or raise the dead, or that he enact it as his Law of Grace, that [he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned.] 7. Nor is any condition on our part necessary (absolutely, necessitate medii) that the Gospel, or the first Grace, yea the first special Grace be given us. 8. That Christ by his suffering and merits hath procured to his elect, not only pardon and life if they believe and obey him, but Grace to cause them effectually and infallibly to believe, repent, obey, and persevere. 9. That no man can or will believe and repent, but by his Grace. 10. That to give men a promise of pardon and life if they will believe, repent, and obey the Gospel, is not the whole of Christ's Grace to any: but where-ever he giveth this, he giveth also much means, and gracious help, by which men may do better than they do, and so be more prepared for his further Grace. 11. That if God only gave men a promise of pardon if they believe, and gave them no Grace to enable or help them to believe, it would be no saving Covenant. 12. God did not repeal his Law of Innocency, (or as he had rather call it, of Perfection); nor did properly dispense with, or relax the preceptive part of it: Nor is it absolutely ceased, as to a capable subject: And therefore Christ was bound to perfection. 13. God would not have his Law to be without the honor of the perfect performance of man's Mediator, though it be violated by us all. 14. No man is saved or justified but by the proper merit of Christ's perfect obedience; yea, and his habitual holiness and satisfactory sufferings, advanced in dignity by his divine perfection. 15. This merit, as related to us, supposeth that Christ, as a Sponsor, was the second Adam, the Root of the justified, the reconciling Mediator, who obeyed perfectly with that intent, that by his obedience we might be justified; and who suffered for our sins, in our room and stead; and so was in tantum our Vicarius poenae, as some phrase it, or substitute; and was made a curse for us, that we might be healed by his stripes; as he was obedient, that his righteousness might be the reason as a meritorious cause of our Justification: which supposeth the relation of an undertaking Redeemer, in our nature doing this, and in our stead so far forth, as that therefore perfect obedience should not be necessary to be performed by ourselves: And righteousness therefore is imputed to us, that is, we are truly reputed righteous, because we, as believing members of Christ, have right to impunity and life, as merited by his righteousness, and freely given to all penitent believers. And Christ's own righteousness may be said so far to be imputed to us, as to be reckoned or reputed the meritorious cause of our right or justification, as aforesaid.

Thus far we are agreed de re: And then de nomine I willingly leave men to their way of speech. 1. If he will call God's Decree, his Covenant in Constitution. 2. If he will call the execution of his Decree, his Covenant in execution. 3. If he will call nothing else the Covenant of Grace, or at least nothing of narrower extent, but what comprehendeth God's eternal Decrees, and the promise and gift of a Redeemer, (and so of the rest,) I cannot help it; his language is his own. But I shall tell you further my thoughts de re & de nomine.

1. De re: 1. God's eternal decrees, purposes, or election, give no one right to Christ, Pardon or Life; and so justify no man.

2. The execution of God's Decrees, yea, of Election, hath many Acts besides Justification.

3. It must therefore be some transient Act done in time, & ad extra, by which God justifieth men.

4. There are divers such acts concurring in several sorts of causality, or respect.

5. Christ's meritorious righteousness and satisfaction are the sole, proper, immediate causemeritorious of all the Grace or Mercy procured and given by him, there being no other meritorious cause of the same kind either more immediate, or at all co-ordinate, and copartner with him.

6. As Christ giveth us Holiness qualitative and active by the real operation of his Spirit, (though he merited it immediately himself;) so doth he give us right to impunity, to the further Grace of the Spirit, and to Glory, by the instrumentality of his Covenant, as by a Testament, Deed of Gift, or Law of Grace. Which by signifying God's donative will, doth not first declare us justified, or to have the foresaid right to Christ and Life, but doth first give us instrumentally that right; and so immediately justify us. (And God's will giveth us not right as secret, or of itself, but by such instrumental signification.)

7. God hath signified his will to us, partly by absolute gifts and promises, and partly by conditional: that such there are, he that denieth, must deny much of the Scripture. Christ was absolutely given to fallen mankind for a Redeemer; and so was the Conditional Law, or Covenant of Grace; and many other mercies But he hath made and recorded a conditional Gift of Christ, as in special Union, (to be our Head,) and of Pardon and Salvation.

8. It is Christ's stated Constitution, that [he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, and be that believeth not shall be damned, Mar. 16. 16. That if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth (Christ's resurrection) unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation, Rom, 10. That except you repent you shall all perish, Luke 13. 3, 5. That men must repent, and be baptized, for the remission of sins, Acts 2. 38. And repent and be converted, that their sins may be blotted out, Acts 3. 19. So, Rev. 22. 14. Matt. 6. 14, 15. Ezek. 33. 14, 16. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come.] Call these Laws, or Covenants, or what you will, we are agreed that all this is the word of God.

9. These terms of life and death are the rule of our practices, and our expectations, by which we must live, and by which we shall be judged: and therefore we may truly say that they are Christ's Law. And they are God's signified determination of the conditions of life and death, and his donation of our right to Christ, Pardon and Life, is contained herein; and therefore this may truly be called Christ's Testament and Covenant, in several respects.

10. Though all duties be prescribed by God's Law, and so each Precept is a material part; yet formally or specifically the Laws to which these material parts belong, must be distinguished by the distinct conditions of life and death.

11. God hath made more Promises, Donations and Covenants, than one or two; which must not be confounded: 1. His Law and Covenant made to and with man in innocence is one. 2. And his Law and Covenant made to and with Christ, as Mediator, is another. 3. And his absolute promise of a Savior to the World, with the conditional promise or Law of Grace conjunct, was the first edition of another. And the Gospel, as after the incarnation promulgate, was a more perfect edition of it: (to pass by Abraham 's Covenant of Peculiarity, and the Mosaical Law, as such.)

12. Though Christ be promised in one of these, and be God's antecedent gift, he may nevertheless be the Author of another, (and so far the foundation,) as well as the meritorious cause.

13. That may be of free Grace which is merited by Christ; yea, and that which is annexed to the Evangelical worthiness of a believer.

14. That may be a condition required of us, to be done by the help of Grace, which yet is the effect of that Grace, and given us by God.

15. It is a true Covenant between God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and man, which is solemnly entered into in Baptism: And this is a Covenant of Grace, even that proceedeth purely from Grace; and of Grace, as given by God, and by us accepted. He that will confound these various Covenants, Promises, and Laws, on pretence of their unity, (though there is doubtless a wonderful unity of all the parts both of God's moral (signal) means, and his physical works) shall confound much of Theology.

16. The Law made to Adam never said [either thou or another for thee shall obey;] but it bound man to perfect, perpetual, personal obedience.

17. Therefore that Law, as it obliged us, is not fulfilled by the obedience of Christ, but only as far as it obliged him; nor can any man be justified by it, as a fulfiller of it, by himself, or by another: nor did Christ fulfil it in any other man's person, though in his stead, so far as is aforesaid.

18. The Law doth not command any man since Adam, perfect, personal obedience, as the means or condition of life; nor promise any life on such a condition as is now naturally impossible: but though it be not repealed by God, is so far ceased, by the cessation of the subjects capacity to be so obliged.

19. The Laws obligation of us to punishment is dispensed with, and dissolved by a pardon purchased by our Mediator.

20. Christ's righteousness is nevertheless the meritorious cause of our righteousness or justification, though he justify us by the instrumentality of his donative Covenant, as giving us right to our Union, and Justification and Life; and though our Faith and Repentance be the condition of our Title.

21. We accept two Concessions as containing that truth, which showeth that we do not much differ de re, could we more happily order our organical conceptions:

But he is charitably uncharitable, when he saith, [Never any man in his wits affirmed it so, (that the righteousness of Christ is the formal cause of our Justification.) It's too charitable to hide that which cannot be hid, of so great a number; whom it seems he never read (for all his Commission from all the Systematical Divines of Germany, &c. p. 696.) And it's too uncharitable to judge so many excellent men out of their wits. The truth is, so many speak so, that I have been doubtful I should be smartly censured for saying otherwise.]

Forma qua justificamur est misericordia Patris & perfecta Justitia filii, saith Ant. Fayus in his Accurate Theses, Th. 60. p. 280. (And by misericordia Patris being the form, you may see how he understood Imputation.)

The number that thus speak, are too great here to be recited: so that even the most judicious Davenant, lest he should go out of the road, was fain to make this the Theses to be proved by him; Imputatam Christi obedientiam esse causam formalem justificationis nostrae, probatur; Cap. 28. p. 362. &c. de Instit. habit. But let none turn this to our reproach, nor take all these for mad; for it is but an unapt name, and by him and many others soundly meant: for the greater part of these Divines say but that Imputatio Justitiae Christi & Remissio peccatorum are the form, not of Justification, as in us, but as it is Actus Justificantis, (as Altingius, Maresius, Sharpius, Bucanus, Spanhemius, Nigrinus, Sohnius, Beumler, and many others: And Pareus, Joh. Crocius de Justif. and many more expressly deny Christ's righteousness to be the formal cause: And I believe that all they that assert it, mean as the rest, though they speak incautelously and unaptly.

And what they mean by [Imputation,] let Davenant speak, ib. c. 27. p. 359. [Imputantur quando illorum intuitus & respectus valent nobis ad aliquem effectum, aeque ac si a nobis, aut in nobis essent,—siquis indignus aut ignavus ob paternam virtutem & merita erga rempublicam, in gratiam regis admittatur,—gratum & nobilitatum dicamus per & propter Imputationem virtutis paternae.] This is Bradshaw 's sense, but yet the similitude falls short.

So Altingius states the Question; Loc. Com. part. 2. p. 679. [An justificatio consistaet in Imputatione Justitiae Christi, hoc est in Imputationae Justitiae per Christum acquisitae?] And what Protestant will deny this?

And Maresius (with him) saith, [Cum Paulo justitiae Imputatio & peccatorum remissio idem sint, prout nullum est discrimen inter satisfactionem Christi & illius meritum, non est necesse subtilius inter haec dùo scrupulose distinguere, cum remissio sit peccatorum tum commissionis, tum omissionis & per illam jus plenum ad vitam aeternam habeamus.] (But this needeth somewhat more I think,) Loc. 11. p. 284.

And the description of the effect showeth what the Imputation is, which Maresius truly thus describeth, Exeg. Art. 23. p. 326, 327. Transit reatu (peccatum orig.) ut non amplius imputetur; adhaeret quidem ei inseparabiliter Reatus potentialis sive in actu primo; ut sonat intrinsecum meritum poenae; sed ablatus est Actualis, sive quoad actum secundum, ut sonat jus & voluntatem Dei de paena illa adhuc exigenda: N. B.

Thysius in synopsi Leidens. Disp. 33. p. 413. saith, [Mirum hic videri non debet Christi justitiam; non meritoriae solum & materialis, imo & Formalis causae rationem habere, cum id fiat diversi mode, nempe qua illa est, propter quod, in quo, seu ex quo, & per quod justificamur.] So he taketh Christ's righteousness to be all three, (the meritorious, material, and formal cause of our Justification.)

De nomine, I add as to our Author: 1. I hope few will follow him, in calling the Decrees of God, the Covenant, and confounding Election and the Covenant in Constitution. For my part, I will not.

2. Constitution signifieth, 1. actum Constituentis; 2. more usually passively, statum seu rem constitutam: God's Eternal Purpose is not properly the Covenant in Constitution in either sense.

3. God's Eternal Decree is nothing but his Essence (for there is nothing in God but God, and nothing but God eternal) denominated, as related to its connoted object, (which from eternity was nothing.) And the Covenant in Constitution is not God, nor shall be by me so called.

4. Nor will I call the whole execution of God's Election by Christ, the Covenant in Execution; nor any part of it but that which Scripture so calleth.

5. I grant him that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is usually taken for a divine disposition and constitution: but that is not merely in God's Decree, but (as Grotius hath at large opened,) (Praef. ad Annot. in Evang.) as it is God's signal revealed determination of the terms of life and death; or as it is a Law and a Covenant on God's part imposed on us, before we consent. And Jer. 33. 20. doth not call God's mere Decree, his Covenant; (but his created course and law of nature.)

6. He that will but try the Texts which his Concordance referreth him to, and cannot find a multitude of places where the word [Covenant] is taken for somewhat else than God's Decrees, and their general Execution, even for a Law with its premiant and penal sanction, and for a free donation or promise, which yet hath its proper conditions, as the moralis dispositio recipientium; and that cannot find divers such Covenants made, by God, with Christ and us, that are really distinct, and not to be confounded, must not expect that I here trouble other Readers with such a task as his conviction.

7. I fully agree, that Christ's righteousnrss is fitly called, both the meritorious and material cause of our Righteousness or passive Justification: (Though I lately read one contending that it cannot be both.) For we mean but that it is that Matter or Thing which meriteth it.

THE CONTENTS.

• Sect. 1.
  W HAT Knowledge of God is here to be expected, Pag. 1.
• Sect. 2.
  Of man's Soul as the Glass or Image in which God must be seen, p. 3.
• Sect. 3.
  The several inadequate Conceptions which together make up the most exact and orderly Knowledge of God, p. 4.
• Sect. 4.
  The Relations and Denominations of God's Active Power, Knowledge and Will, as to the Creatures, p. 6.
• Sect. 5.
  Of Futurity, and the pretended Eternal Causes of it, and God's Knowledge of it, p. 8.
• Sect. 6.
  Of the Co-existence of the Creature with God in Eternity, and of God's Knowledge of them as existent, p. 13.
• Sect. 7.
  Of the presumptions and uncertainties of many Scholastic Disputes about God's Knowledge, which should moderate our censures of Dissenters in such matters, and check our sinful curiosity, p. 15.
• Sect. 8.
  More of God's knowing things future, and of Permission of sin, p. 24.
• Sect. 9.
  Of Predetermination, Universal Causation, Human Power, and the Nature of Liberty of Will: Distinguished in a Table, p. 27.
• Sect. 10.
  Of Natural and Moral Power and Impotency: Their difference, p. 36.
• Sect. 11.
  More of the same; and Whether God bind man to Impossibilities? p. 39.
• Sect. 12.
  Of Scientia Media, p. 42.
• Sect. 13.
  Of the Will and Decrees of God in general. Their simplicity and diversity, supposed priority and posteriority. Of Negations, of Nolitions and Volitions of Negatives, &c. p. 45.
• Sect. 14.
  Several distinctions of God's Will explained, 1. Positive acts, and non-agency. 2. Positive and Negative as to the object. 3. Positive and Oppositive, Volitions and Nolitions. 4. Immanent and Transient. 5. Efficiently Transient and Objectively Transient. 6. Natural and Free. 7. Efficient and Permissive. 8. Beneplaciti & signi de eventu & de debito, Decretive and Legislative. Where the true nature of Laws is opened. 10. Absolute and Conditional. 11. Effectual and ineffectual. 12. Antecedent and Consequent, p. 49.
• Sect. 15.
  Whether God's Decrees must be said to be diversified and proved, according to the order of Intention, or Execution. Whether God do intendere finem? and what is his End. The Order and Objects opened, p. 57.
• Sect. 16.
  What Election and Reprobation are? The order of the Decrees called Reprobation, and of the Objects: Of Negations of Decree, p. 66. An Additional Explication of Divine Nolitions, p. 76.
• Sect. 17.
  Whether God Will, Decree or Cause Sin. Five Acts of God in and about Sin. What Sin is. Many ways God can cause the same thing that the sinner causeth, and so fulfil his Decrees, without Willing or Causing the Sin. Objections answered. God freely (not idly or impotently) restraineth his own possible operations, sometimes that he do not such or such an act at all, and sometime that he do but so much towards it, and no more. Whether God be ever Causa partialis? p. 84.
• Sect. 18.
  A Confutation of Dr. Twisses Digress. 5. li. 2. sect. 1. Vindic. Gratiae, where he asserteth that God Willeth the existence of Sin, and that sins are a medium sua natura sum & unice conducibile to the Glorification of his Mercy and Justice, p. 92.
• Sect. 19.
  The same Doctrine in Rutherford de Providentia confuted, Whether things be good, because God willeth them, or willed by him because good? resolved. Whether there were eternal rations boni & mali. Dr. Field vindicated, p. 106.
• Sect. 20.
  The old Doctrine of Augustine, Prosper and Fulgentius, thought by some Jesuits too rigid, but indeed Conciliatory, (for absolute Election to Faith, and so to Salvation, and for no reprobating Decree, but only of Punishment for Sin foreseen, but not decreed.) Prosper ad Cap. Gall. Sentent. translated, p. 115.
• Sect. 21.
  The sum of Prospers Answer to Vincent. 16. Object. p. 118.
• Sect. 22.
  Fulgentius words to the same sense, p. 121.
• Sect. 23.
  The healing Doctrine and Concessions of many called Calvinists, of the Synod of Dort, Pet. Molinaeus, &c. p. 124.
• Sect. 24.
  And of Petr. á Sancto Joseph, Suarez, Ruiz, &c. on the other side, especially Bellarmine's at large, and others, p. 127.

ERRATA.

PART 1. pag. 10. l. 38. in marg. for Reason Being r. Relation being: p. 24. l. 25. r. those Causes: l. 26. r. first Case: p. 27. l. 2. r. Of predetermination.

Reader, Pain and Greater business forbad me to gather the Errata: some are gathered by a Friend out of the first Book; many more I must leave to your ingenuity: I see in the Premonition p. 4. l. 22. for [Mr. W. [Mr. D.] l. 47. for [Armatus] [Annatus]. Also Dial. 11. p. 231. l. 30. r. [refuse]: Dial. 13. p. 291. l. 13. for [not] r. [done].

SECT. I. Of our Knowledge of God, as here attainable.

T Hough it be about the Knowledge, Will and Decrees of God, that our Controversies are agitated, yet because the consequent Verities are scarce ever well understood, without the understanding of the Antecedents, out of which the Consequents arise, and without the just order, place and respect which the later have unto the former, and unless things be understood in their true Method; I will therefore expose myself to the obloquy of those, who will call it Over-doing, so far as to premise somewhat of the Deity itself; But not what is necessary to the full explication of the Divine Attributes (as we are capable) as must be in a Method of Theology (which I have attempted elsewhere); but only so much as lieth under our Controverted Subject: And when I have done that, I shall leave the rest.

Thes. 1. To Know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, is Life Eternal.

2. To know GOD is to know his Being, Nature, and Relations: For though those Relations that are to Man be not essential to his Divine Nature, yet are they essentially contained in the signification of the name [GOD] as he is the object of our Faith, and Religion. For to be OUR GOD doth speak his Relations to us, as well as his Nature; As the name KING and FATHER doth among men.

3. We neither have, nor can have here in flesh any one proper formal Conception of the Divine Nature, that is formally suited to the truth in the object: But only Metaphorical or Analogical Conceptions; borrowed from things better known.

4. Yet nothing beyond sense (at least) is so certainly known as GOD, so far as we can reach, though nothing be less perfectly or more defectively known, or less comprehended. Even as we know nothing Visible more certainly than the Sun, and yet comprehend nothing Visible less.

5. It is not true which many great Metaphysicians assert, that the Quiddity of God is totally unknown to us: For then it could not be life eternal to know him; nor would a mere Negative knowledge cause in us a sufficient Positive Love, or Joy or Trust, &c. But to know that we cannot know him, would but infer that we cannot Love him: For we Love not an unknown Good.

6. Nor is it true that Pet. Hurtado de Mendoza (in fine Dispute.) and some others say, that the Notions of Life and Intellect are all that we have of the Quiddity of God, and that the Divine Will is not a Quidditative notion.

7. God is here seen in the Glass of his Works, with the Revelation of his Word and Spirit. And from these works we must borrow our conceptions.

8. Therefore though the Thing intended when we speak of God, be transcendently and only in Him, and not in the Creature, yet the first use of the words is to signify something in the Creature. And therefore the Creature is the famosius analogatum, though Nothing to God.

9. In the use of these notions we must still profess that we apply them to God no farther than to signify his perfections: And all words must be as little as may be used of him in strict disputes, which imply imperfection, when better may be had; But the highest are to be preferred.

10. And we must still profess, that we take none of these words to be formal proper univocal terms, lest the concealed Metaphor or impropriety occasion false conceptions of God, and unworthy of Him; and also tempt men to run them further by false inferences.

11. God's Nature is most simple, undivided: And so must an adequate conception of Him be: But Man can have no such conception of Him; but must know what he can know of this One GOD by many partial inadequate conceptions.

12. Yet must we be very careful that these inadequate analogical Conceptions be Orderly, and not as (I will not say how commonly) it is done by some, a confused heap: For the Mind that so conceiveth of Him, greatly injureth itself and Him, and the Tongue and Pen that so describeth Him, dishonoreth Him: And though the Ignorant, for whom Catechisms are written, cannot lay together a full Scheme of the Divine Attributes in just method; yet those few which they can understand and remember, they would as well and better understand and remember in the true method, were they taught it, than in an heap. For Method is a great help to understanding and memory. We would not give a Prince his Titles so confusedly; nor draw his Picture monstrously, with the arms where the seat should be, and the seat where the arms, or the back before, and the face behind, unless we exposed him purposely to scorn. Every man knoweth the difference between a Clock or Watch in order, and the same in confused parcels on a heap; and between an Army and a Rout, &c. Shall Order be the beauty of the World and every Creature in it; and shall we deny it only to the God of Order? I crave the pardon of Divines for entreating them to amend this in their Doctrine, but especially in their Catechisms, yea, in their Understandings first.

SECT. II. Of man's Soul as the Glass in which we must see God.

13. THe principal Glass in which we must see God, in his Nature; among all his Creatures here, is the Soul of man; which is said to be made after the Image of God; And which being ourselves, we can best perceive.

14. The Soul of Man beareth God's Image in three parts of it, or respects: 1. In its Nature it is the Image of the Divine Nature: 2. In its Rectitude it is the Image of the Divine Holiness and perfection: 3. In our Dominion over the inferior Creatures, and eminently, in Superiors over Subjects, it hath the Image of his Majesty and Supereminence.

15. I We have no one adequate Conception of the Nature of our own souls; but must think of them by partial inadequate Conceptions. And that by many (not feigned or forced, but) real and necessary Trinaries in Unity.

16. And first the Three Inadequate Conceptions of its Being are the Generical, the Differencial, and the Proper-inseparable Accidental, viz. that it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Vita, Proprietatibus suis praedita. The first notion is substantia abstract à forma concepta: The second is the Conceptus formatis: The third its Accidents, not acquired, but natural. By LIFE I understand not Relatively only, that it is the Life of the body or Compositum; But essentially as in its nature it is Life itself, or a Living substance formally, as well as the Living Principle in the man. The word [Spirit] as commonly used by us, comprehendeth all this; but what a Spirit is, we know but by these partial Conceptions.

17. To pass by the Three Vital Faculties, Vegetative, Sensitive and Intellective, (because I describe it but as the Speculum Deitatis). 2. This One Formal Principle, LIFE, as it is man's soul, must be itself known by us by these Three inadequate Conceptions, as making up the Form of the soul, 1. Vital Activity (or Power), 2. An Intellect, 3. A Will.

18. 3. And the EXISTENCE of these Formal Principles cannot justly be understood by us, but in these three gradual inadequate or partial Conceptions, 1. As in Potentia-activa seu Virtute: 2. As in Actu immanente: 3. As in Actione transeunte: (Not as it is in Passo, but as it is Status vel Modus Agentis.)

19. II. The Moral or Holy Image of God on the soul, is the Holy Perfection or Qualification of these Faculties, as they are In Virtute by Holy Dispositions; As in Actu immanente, by Holy Intrinsic Acts and Habits; And as to Action ad extra, by a Holy Rectitude: And this Image consisteth in the souls Holy Vivacity or Activity, and its Wisdom and Goodness, or its Holy Liveliness, Light and Love.

20. III. The Image of God's Majesty or Supereminence consisteth in 1. The Sub-propriety which we have in Inferior Creatures; 2. The Sub-government; 3. That we are under God Their End (and Benefactors).

SECT. III. The several inadequate Conceptions which in order make up our Knowledge of God.

21. BY the Knowledge of our own Acts we know our Powers and the Nature of our own souls (though imperfectly); And by the Knowledge of our souls, we know the nature of other Intellectual Spirits; And by the Knowledge of ourselves and them, and the Scripture expressions of his Attributes, we know so much of God as we can here know. And accordingly must speak of Him, or be silent: For we have no higher notions, than such as are thus Analogical; expressing that which is in God in an inconceivable eminency and transcendency, by words which first signify that which is formally in the soul (as is said).

22. And so we must conceive of God by all these following inadequate Conceptions, confessing the impropriety, but having no better. I. The Essence of God, who in Scripture is called in two words [An Infinite Spirit] is necessarily conceived of by these Three Conceptions: 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2. Vita, 3. Perfectio. The two first being the substantial Conceptus of a Spirit, and the third that which answereth to all perfective degrees, properties and accidents in Creatures, and comprehendeth a multitude of Perfective Attributes: which I express in the Abstract, being loath much to use Concretes or Adjectives of God. Of these as the first answereth to Matter in Materials, and to the Genus and substantia abstract sumpta in Spirits, so doth the second to the Form and Difference; when yet in God there is no Composition, or Matter.

23. II. And the Formal Conceptus [VITA] must itself be conceived of in this Threefold inadequate Conception; 1. Potentia-Actus, 2. Intellectus, 3. Voluntas. I call the first Potentia-Actus, to avoid Concretes, and to signify, that as God hath no Potentia Passiva, so his Potentia-Activa is not an idle cessant Power, but in perpetual perfect Act; and that Act is a most Powerful-Act: so that neither Potentia alone, nor Actus alone, but both together, are our best Conception of this first Principle in the Deity. And I take it for granted, that even in Mans soul, the Potentia-Vitalis Activa, the Intellect and Will, are not as Thomas thought Accidents, but the formal essence of the soul, as the Scotists and Nominals better say; And I have largely elsewhere proved, and therefore stand not here upon it.

24. III. And the Existence of this Divine Essence, must be known by us in this Gradual Threefold Conception: 1. As in Virtute (vel Potentia) 2. In Actu Immanente, 3. In Actione Transeunte: Of the first I shall say no more, but what is said before. By the second I mean God's own most perfect Essence as Active in itself, without extrinsic effect or object. By the third, I mean not the Creature or the Divine Action ut recipitur in passo, or the effect: But the Divine Essence itself in the state of Agency ad extra; which the Schools conclude to be Eternal, though the effect be but in Time. Yet if any will call this a free, and not a necessary state of the Divine Essence, I contend not.

25. IV. The Essential Immanent Acts of God are Three: 1. SIBI VIVERE, or to be Essential Active Life in Himself, 2. SE INTELLIGERE, to know Himself; 3. SE AMARE, or to be Amor sui.

26. V. The Trinity of Divine Subsistences or Persons also must be here acknowledged; 1. The FATHER; 2. The WORD or SON; 3. The HOLY SPIRIT: Of which the School-men have said so much, (if not far too much) as that I may turn the Reader to them.

27. I have elsewhere shown that many of them, and other Divines, do take the Three last named Immanent Acts in God, to be the same with the Three Persons or Subsistences; Even the Three Divine Principles (Potentia-Actus, Intellectus & Volunt as) as in Act thus Immanently; But of these great Mysteries elsewhere. All that I say here is, that seeing the Trinity of Divine Principles (or formal Essentialities) and the Threefold Act, are so certainly evident to Natural Reason itself, that no understanding person can deny them, we have no Reason to think the Trinity of Eternal Subsistences incredible, and a thing that the Christian faith is to be suspected for, but the quite contrary; though they are mysteries above our reach, (as all of God is, as to a full or formal apprehension).

28. Though God have no Real Accidents, we are fain to conceive of Him with some Analogy to Accidents: where, 1. The Universal Conception is PERFECTION, which comprehendeth all. 2. The Divine Principles considered in PERFECTION denominate God, 1. Potentissimus, 2. Sapientissimus, 3. Optimus.

29. The Attributes of the Divine Persons are, 1. Distinguishing; viz. 1. GENERANS, Patris: 2. GENITUS, Filii: 3. PROCEDENS, Spiritus Sancti. 2. Common to all, such as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c.

30. The particular Attributes, analogical as to Creatures, Comparate, Relative and Negative, are very many: But yet in Order to be conceived of, and not confusedly; which elsewhere I offer to the Readers view.

31. VI. God's Causal Relations to his Creatures, are in General those named by S. Paul, Rom. 11. 36. OF HIM and THROUGH HIM and TO HIM are all things. And he is, 1. The first EFFICIENT, 2. The supreme DIRIGENT, 3. The Ultimate FINAL Cause of all things.

32. God's EFFICIENCY is terminated, 1. On the Things in their Being, 2. In their Action and Operation. 1. And in the first respect he is the Cause, 1. Of their Existing Essence, 2. Of their Order, 3. Of their Goodness or Perfection: And so he is, 1. The CREATOR, and Conserver, 2. The ORDINATOR, 3. The BENEFACTOR of all the world.

And in the second respect, (as to Action) he is, 1. The Actor or Motor of all things (by his Active Power) 2. The Governor of all (according to their several Natures) (by his wisdom) 3. The Perfecter of all things in their attingency or fruition of their proper End, (by his Goodness.)

33. VII. As to MAN in special God is now Fundamentally Related to him as his CREATOR, his REDEEMER and his REGENERATER or SANCTIFIER; eminently ascribed distinctly to the FATHER, SON and HOLYSPIRIT: From whence floweth, NATURA, MEDELA, SALUS, or NATURE, REDEEMING GRACE, and RENEWING GRACE (HOLINESS and GLORY) (that is, LOVE begun here and perfected in Heaven.)

34. VIII. From CREATION there resulteth a Threefold Moral Right and Relation of God to Man: 1. He is our Absolute OWNER or LORD to dispose of us, and Act us by his Power. 2. He is our Supreme RECTOR, Morally to Rule us as Intellectual free-agents, eminently by his Wisdom. 3. He is our LOVER and Ultimate END; as he is Goodness and Love itself; To Love Him and be Loved by him perfectly forever, being Amantissimus & Amabilissimus in his Goodness.

35. He that leaveth out any one of these Relations of God to man, (to be Our Owner, Ruler and Lover and End) leaveth out that which is Essential to Our God, as the word is Relatively used in the Precepts and Promises of the Holy Scripture.

SECT. IV. Of God's Relations to the Creature and denominations (thereupon) in his Power, Knowledge and Will.

36. THe Three Divine Essential Principles, Related to the Creature, ad extra are denominated, 1. His Omnipotence, 2. His Omniscience or Knowledge of them, 3. His Volition and Love of them. He who is Potentissimus, perfectly Powerful in Act, in Himself, is denominated Omnipotent, because he can do all things ad extra which belong to Power: 2. And he who is Intellectus se Intelligens ad intra, is denominated Omniscient or Knowing all Creatures, from the exterior objects: 3. And he who is Voluntas se Volens, or Amor se Amans ad intra, is also denominated willing of exterior things.

37. But (by the way) how the Creature is called exterior to God who is Essentially everywhere and in all, and how God is not a Part of Universal Being, and how God and the Creature are no more than God alone, is elsewhere somewhat explained, but transcendeth man's Understanding to comprehend.

38. God's Transient Acts are of two sorts: 1. Effectively Transient (as Creation, Regeneration, &c.) which do cause somewhat without. 2. Objectively only Transient; which cause nothing, but suppose the Object.

39. It is a dreadful thing to be over-bold, rash and presumptuous, in speaking and asserting anything without clear proof, of God's Knowledge and Will; especially to reduce them to all the Modes and Methods of a man, even as to the order of his Acts: seeing we are forced to confess, that even Intellection and Volition are spoken of God with exceeding great impropriety, and man's Acts which are the prius significatum, are further below God's, than a Worm is below a Man. Therefore were it not that the presumption of the Schools and Polemical writers, hath made that Necessary as Defensive, which else would not be so, I should scarce dare to say this little following:

40. I. The Power of God is denominated Relatively Omni-potency in three instants to Three several Objects: 1. In the first instant, as to All things which belong to Power: And so God can do all things, which are hence called Possible. 2. In the second instant, to All things meet or Congruous to the Divine Intellect to be willed and done: And so we say, that God can do All that is meet to be done, and nothing that is unmeet. 3. In the third instant (of reason) as to All things which he willeth to do: And so we say, that God can do whatsoever he will do. And so Possibility hath various senses.

41. II. God's Intellect is Relatively denominated Omniscient, in respect to three sorts of Objects also in three instants: 1. In the first instant he knoweth all Possibles, in his own Omnipotence: For to know things to be Possible, is but to know what He can do.

2. In the second Instant he Knoweth all things, as Congruous, eligible and Volenda, fit to be Willed: And this out of the perfection of his own wisdom: which is but to be perfectly Wise, and to know what perfect Wisdom should offer as eligible to the Will.

3. In the third instant he knoweth All things willed by him as such (as Volita): which is but to know his own Will, and so that they will be.

42. In all these instances we suppose the Things themselves not to have yet any Being: But speak of God as related to Imaginary beings, according to the common speech of men.

43. These therefore are not properly Transient Acts of God; because it is but Himself that is the object indeed, viz. His own Power, Wisdom and Will, though it be de creaturis in that which is called his Idea's.

44. It is usual with Divines to ascribe Idea's to the Divine Intellect, after the manner of men, against which I quarrel not, but am myself afraid of presumption.

45. From what is said, you may see, that the Common School distinction of all God's Knowledge, into scientia simplicis Intelligentiae, & purae Visionis, is not accurate, and the terms are too arbitrary and dark to notify the thing intended; and that the scientia media added doth not mend the matter: And that a fitter distinction is plain and obvious.

46. III. Also the Will of God as Related to things not yet existent, hath in several instants a threesold object, (as we may conceive of God after the manner of men.)

1. The Possibility of things, which God is said to Will, in Willing his own Power as respecting them.

2. The Congruity, Goodness and Eligibility of things, as in his own Knowledge; which is but to Will the perfection of his own Understanding.

3. The Future existence of things Good and Eligible, to be produced in their fittest season.

47. They that say God can do no more than he doth, must mean only in the second and third instants or sense; or speak very presumptuously, if not blasphemously.

48. That God doth not all that he Can do, is no note of imperfection in his Wisdom or Will, but is from the perfection of both.

49. Nor doth it hence follow that he hath either a Vain or an Unactive Power. For his Power is his perfection, and therefore not Vain: And it is ever essentially Active in himself, as he is the Living God: And was neither Vain nor Unactive when there was yet no Creature.

50. God's Power doth not therefore Create or operate ad extra merely as Power; For then it should do so ad ultimum posse, and from Eternity: But as it Voluntarily puts forth the effect.

51. God's Knowledge merely as Knowledge, or as the Knowledge of Congruities, Future things, yea, or things Existent, is not Efficient, nor yet as it concurreth with his Will ut finis (or his Will of Complacency;) But only as it concurreth with his Efficient Will.

52. God's Knowledge and Will effect nothing ad extra, but by and with his Active Power, as efficient.

53. Therefore Bradwardine and many other Schoolmen, do not congruously say, that God's mere Volition without any Effective Power is all his Causing Influx: Unless they thrust two Conceptions into one word, and mean a powerful active Volition. For, 1. By the same reason that we must ascribe to God Intellection and Volition, we must also ascribe Active Power; These being three principles in his Image. 2. And in Man Meer Willing effects not. 3. And they that say God willeth ut eveniat peccatum ipso non efficiente, sed permittente, suppose that he willeth something which he effecteth not. But against them in this Suarez and others have said enough.

54. Though God's Nature have no Real Accidents, but simple essential perfection, yet Relations, or Relative Accidents are not to be denied of him. For indeed (as Ockam hath copiously proved) Relations have no real Entity, or are nothing besides the Absoluta and the Act of Reason about them. Relation is but rerum Comparabilitas, which Reason useth by actual comparing conceptions of them.

55. Though the Thomists say, that man only is Related to God, relatione rationis, and not God to man, yet Pet. Hurtado de Mendoza and others strongly assert, that God himself hath not only Relations rationis and Transcendental, but predicamental Relations also; as Creator, Dominus, Rector, &c. which the Scriptures constantly ascribe to him; And which indeed are no way notes of Imperfection. For if it be no Imperfection in God to Create, Redeem, Sanctify, Rule, &c. it can be none to be related to us as a Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Ruler, &c. For it is nothing more.

56. As God's Immanent Acts are his Essence, but not simply as Essence; but as Essence in the distinct Acts of self-living, self-knowing, self-loving, related to Himself: so his Actions ad extra are his Essence as Related to the Creature, but not simply as Essence, but as Essence-Acting.

57. God's Will as merely Ordinant or Dirigent effecteth only Order and Direction, but not the Substances ordered.

58. His Will quà Finis is not Efficient.

59. His Will quà Finis is his Will as Pleased by being Fulfilled.

60. All that is Good is Pleasing to God, and so is the final fulfilling of his Will.

61. God willeth efficiently all that is Good, which cometh to pass; For all Good that is ever done, is done by him, though not by him only.

62. But he willeth the various production of things, as they are variously produced; some solely by Himself, and some by Creatures and means; some necessarily by necessitated agents, and some freely by free agents.

63. As God's Efficient Will causeth the thing willed (whether substance, accidents, rule, order, &c.) so his Final Will or Complacence supposeth the Pleasing thing in Being: That is, If it be the Thing itself, that he is Pleased in, it is supposed Existent; If the thing as Past, it is supposed Past, or that it was existent; If the thing as future, or fore-known, or fore-willed, it is not the thing itself that is in that instant properly said to Please him, but his own Knowledge and Will concerning it: Though we use to call this, The Thing in esse Cognito aut Volito.

SECT. V. Of Futurity and its pretended Causes.

64. THe Possibility and Futurity of things, are not accidental notions, or relations of the things themselves; but are termini diminuentes, as to the Things, and are spoken of Nothing. To say that a Thing May be, or Will be, which now is not, is to say that now it is nothing.

65. Nothing is no Effect; and therefore hath no Cause: Therefore things Possible and Future as such, have no Cause.

66. Therefore Possibility and Futurity as they are taken for any attribute or accident or mode of Creatures, as objects, are mistaken; Though they may be Conceptions in the mind of Creatures, concerning that which is not.

67. Therefore also God is no Cause of any Eternal Possibility or futurity.

68. Therefore the Possibility and futurity of things (conceived as an effect) hath no Eternal Cause: For there is nothing Eternal but God.

69. Though man Imagine Things which are not, and then think that they Can be, and Will be, because that Is, which Can or Will Cause them, and thence frame notions and names of Nothing, and call it Possible and Future; we must be very fearful and not irreverent and rash, in ascribing such a dance or lusus of notions to God, unless as used with great impropriety after the manner of weak man.

70. God knoweth his own Power, Knowledge and Will; And so knoweth what he can do, what he knoweth to be eligible, and what he will do. And if any will call this knowledge of God, by the name of the Possibility or Futurity of the thing known, or will denominate, Nothing, (as an Imaginary something) as Possible and Future, relatively from God's Power, Will or Knowledge, Let them remember, 1. That Nothing hath no relation. 2. That properly they should but give the denomination to that which is, that is, to God's Power, Will and Knowledge, and say God Can, e. g. make a World, or Will do it; and not to that which is not: And when they say that e. g. the world is eternally possible or future, they can justly mean no more, but that God can and will make it. 3. And that this is but lis de nomine, and not a real difference (whether futurition be thus from Eternity).

71. And especially let them remember that nothing in God is Caused: There are no effects in God: Therefore as there is nothing from Eternity but God, and therefore possibility and futurition must needs be names of God himself, or some Divine perfection or conception (which is himself) if they be said to be eternal; so such Possibility and futurity can have no eternal cause. For God hath no Cause, nor anything in God.

72. If the Futurity of sin must have an eternal Cause, then God causeth the futurity of all sin: But that is not so. For none is the Cause that sin will be, but he that (mediately or immediately) causeth the being of it when it is.

73. Imagine (per possibile vel impossible) that a thousand years hence a free created agent (that can do otherwise) will cause such an act; It may be denominated Future without the taking in of any antecedent cause into the notion. It is called Future because it will be, and not because there is at present existent any cause from whence it will be mediately or immediately.

74. Though Futurity be Nothing, yet this Proposition is something, [This or that Will be.] And to know the futurity of a thing, is most properly to know the truth of that proposition [It will be.]

75. God knoweth not by Propositions (for that is the imperfect mode of man) But he knoweth Propositions when they are existent, as human instruments or conceptions: And therefore he knoweth the truth of all true propositions of futurity.

76. What man knoweth by Propositions, God knoweth otherwise by a more transcendent perfect, but incomprehensible way; Therefore God knoweth that everything will be, which will be.

77. There were • o Propositions from Eternity: (For man that useth them, was not: And God useth them not, though he know them as used by man): Therefore this proposition [Hoc futurum est] was not▪ from Eternity; Because non entis non sunt affections.

78. But if there had been such Propositions from Eternity, as, [The world will be made, Christ will be incarnate, &c.] they would have been true: And so the eternal Futurity of things, as commonly disputed of, can be nothing but the Eternal Verity of a Proposition de futuritione, which was no proposition (because then there was none); only in time man's brain Imagineth or feigneth that then there might have been Creatures, who might have used propositions de futuritione rerum, which if they had, they would have been true.

79. All Verity is either, 1. Rei, 2. Conceptus, 3. Expressionis; And 1. Ubi non est Res, ibi non est Veritas Rei: The thing which was not from Eternity, was not a True Thing from Eternity. 2. The Divine knowledge that such and such things will be, was True from Eternity, by an incomprehensible way above propositions. 3. If there had been any Propositions Mental or Verbal de rerum futuritione, they would have been true. And this is all that can truly be said of the Eternity of futurition.

80. Only this being added, that so far as God's will was the first Cause determining of anything that will be, so far he was eternally the Cause of the truth of this proposition, Hoc erit, when such a proposition shall be.

81. But where God's Will is not the first cause of the Thing which will be, there it is not his causing the truth of the proposition that is the cause that it will be; (Though his Knowledge be a medium from whence it may Logically be inferred that it will be.)

82. Moreover, whatever is from eternity, must be Res, or modus rei, or Relatio. But from Eternity, there is no Res futura, no modus rei futurae, no Relatio rei futurae. For non entis non est Modus, vel Relatio. If you add that it is Denominatio extrin eca, I answer it must be then God himself only, as denominated Knowing, or Willing that This or that shall be, (which is not properly the futurity of the thing). For otherwise it must be a denomination of Nothing.

83. Obj. The Object is before the Act of Knowledge. Therefore a thing is future before God knoweth it to be future.

Answ. 1. To be future is a word whose sound deceiveth men, as if it signified some being; which is not so. 2. God cannot know that a thing will be, unless it will be; But this signifieth no more but that he cannot know this proposition to be true [This or that will be] unless it be true: But 1. there were from eternity no propositions. 2. And the proposition is not true before it is a proposition. 3. And therefore not before it is conceived in the mind, whence it hath its first being. 4. But if you might suppose God to have eternal propositions, their Being is considerable before their Verity; and the Verity hath its Cause. But that cause is nothing but what is in God himself, which is either his Decree of what he will Cause, or his foreknowledge of what will be caused by a sinning Creature: And neither of them as a cause of the truth of the proposition, causeth that the Thing will be: nor yet is any other existent Cause supposed; but only that God knowing that he will make the free agent, knoweth also that this agent will freely sin: In all which the futurity is Nothing, nor is any existent cause of it necessary: But only the truth of the proposition would result from the Infinite perfection of God's knowledge.

84. Obj. The futurity of things is True whether God or man know it or think of it or not. Answ. 1. Futurity being Nothing is neither true nor false. 2. But all that you can truly mean is but this, that whether it be thought on or not, this is a true proposition, Hoc vel illud futurum est. Which is true when there are propositions, extrinsical, which no man thinketh of. But 1. God hath no propositions; 2. Much less extrinsical from Eternity. But if he had any, they would be nothing but the acts of his own knowledge. 3. And they have no Cause. 4. If they had been uttered by words, they needed no Cause but his perfect knowledge.

85. Obj. Futurity is the Object of God's knowledge; and the object is a cause of the act. God knoweth things to be future, because they are future; as he knoweth existents, because they exist.

Answ. Still I say, 1. Futurity is Nothing; and Nothing hath no Cause. 2. Nothing is eternally in God but God: and God hath no Cause nor is an Effect. 3. At least that which is Nothing cannot be the Cause of God. 4. It is not true that God foreknoweth things, because they will be; but only that he fore-knoweth that they will be.

86. God's mere fore-knowledge, nor his mere Will without efficient Power or Action, causeth not the thing future, and therefore is not the Cause that It will be. But where Knowledge and Will with Active Power cooperate, they are true Causes of the thing. And nothing is a proper Cause that It will be, but what will Cause its being.

87. By all this it is evinced that God Causeth not the futurity of sin; And that there needeth no Decree of God to make Sin pass e numero possibilium in numerum futurorum; And consequently that the Learned and pious Dr. Twisse his Achillean argument, which is the strength of his Book de Scientia Media is but delusory: As the excellent Strangius also hath fully manifested. And his admired Bradwardine is as weak in his attempts on the same subject, and proveth God the Cause of all futurition by no better reasons than he proveth, that without him there would be no impossibles; yea that non posset esse impossible: When it were impossible anything should be, were there no God; and yet that impossibility is nothing and needeth no cause. It's strange how some Learned men confound Things and Nothings, and the Notions and Names of Nothings with the Nothings named. So Bradwardine l. 1. c. 18. p. 221. will tell us how God knoweth complex objects, and distinguisheth those that are antecedent to God's Intellection from those that are consequent: The former sort are such as these [God is God, is eternal, omnipotent, &c.] These he saith are the Causes that God knoweth them, being before his knowledge of them: The other about Creatures are after it and caused by it. Yet doth the good man thus humbly Preface [Non proprie & distinct sed similitudinarie balbutiendo vix tenus possum vel scio, ignarus homuncio, excelsa scientiae Dei mirabilis resonare.] But see how the world is troubled with this profane presumption, and how justly Paul cautioned us against seduction by vain Philosophy: and what danger the Church is in of losing Faith, Religion and Charity, and peace in a game at words. What is this Complexe object [Deus est]? Is it anything or nothing? If nothing, it is not before God's knowledge and the Cause of it. If anything, Is it God or a Creature? A Creature is not before God, nor a cause of his knowledge, which is God himself. If it be God is it his Essence as such, or his Essential properties, or the Persons? None of these: For God's essence is the prime Incomplexe Being, and not a Complexe proposition, [Dens est]: His Properties, primary, are Omnipotent-vital-power, Intellect and Will; But these also are the same Incomplexe essence, and not propositions: And his Intellect as an object of itself is not before his Intellect as an Actual Knowledge of himself, nor the cause of it: All the sense he can make of it is, that this proposition [Deus est, & est Aeternus, &c.] if it had had an eternal being, would in order of nature have been conceivable to us before this [Deus scit se esse] or before his knowledge itself: or that if man had been the Knower, it had been first a true proposition that He is, before he knoweth that he is. But God knoweth not himself by propositions. Words (in mente vel ore) are but artificial organs for blind creatures to know by. And doth God need such to know himself? Doth he know by Thinking and by Artificial means, as we do? Hath he Entia rationis in his Intellect, as man? (as Propositions are). And had he an Intellect and these Entia rationis or propositions in his Intellect (Deus est, &c.) before he knew them? yea, and his self-knowledge (which in Act is his pure, eternal, necessary Essence) caused by these? All that you can say is, that poor creatures know by Propositions, and phantasms, and diverse thoughts; and that God knoweth man, and therefore knoweth all our propositions and thoughts as ours: but not that he had the like eternally in himself, and knoweth them in himself; and that Himself as a proposition, is the Cause of himself (or self-intellection) as in Act. He can know that you see by Spectacles, and yet not eternally use Spectacles himself as the Cause of his sight.

But Bradwardine saith, that God knoweth illa vera complexa quae voluntatem divinam praecedunt, per solam suam essentiam, sicut alia vera incomplexa; Illa vero quae voluntatem ejus sequuntur, non scit Deus per illa complexa neque per aliquid aliud à voluntate ejus semota, sed per suam voluntatem, vel per suam substantiam cum voluntate, &c. More presumption still! He saith God knoweth complexa sed non complexe; And who knoweth what sense those words have? What meaneth he by complexa but Notions, that is, names and propositions, as distinct from the Things? And what is it to know propositions complexe, but to know them as they are? And what is it to know them incomplexe, unless it be to know quid physicum a proposition is, or to know that it is no proposition, that is, to err? If God know a Complexum or a proposition, that Proposition is in being: And where was it in being before God knew it? If in God (or nowhere) 1. God then is a proposition; 2. And God is before he knoweth himself; 3. And a proposition being in intellectu an act of knowledge, it is to say, that [God knoweth that he is, before he knoweth that he is: and his knowing that he is, causeth him to know that he is].

If it be said, that by complexa he meaneth not organical notions, words nor propositions, but the Verity of God's Being, Eternity, &c. I answer; To know things, is said to be [to know some Truth] because by knowing the thing, we can make this proposition [This is] or [This truly is.] But God's knowledge of Things is not as ours, but by pure perfect intuition, and so maketh not propositions in himself by knowing things: But if it be the Truth of this proposition [Deus est] that you mean, it supposeth that proposition to exist (for, quod non est, non verum est); and so to exist in God; which is denied: And it is that proposition that Bradwardine speaketh of.

But if by Truth, you mean nothing but God's Essence; that is not a Complex object, which he speaketh of: And he saith not, that God knoweth suam essentiam, & creata vel futura, but that he knoweth per suam essentiam quod Deus est, & est Omnipotens, Aeternus, &c. & per suam essentiam cum voluntate quod mundus futurus est. So that it's a proposition that he calleth complexum incomplexe cognitum by contradiction; when he cannot prove that God's Intellect made propositions in itself, and that antecedently to themselves, and the Causes of themselves.

And all this which men talk in the dark about God is non-sense, to trouble themselves and the world with, on false suppositions that God's knowledge is such as ours, or that we can have formal conceptions and descriptions of it: when we should tremble to read men thus profanely take God's Name in vain, and pry into unrevealed things.

I have purposely been the larger on this instance, to warn the Reader to take heed of the common cheat of Scholastic Word-mongers, who would obtrude on us human entia rationis, or Thoughts, as real Divine entities, and would persuade us that every nothing which they make a name for, is therefore something, yea, some of them God himself.

What I have said of Divine Intellection, I say of his Volitions, of which cap. 20, 21. Bradwardine saith, that Voluta priora, viz. Deum esse, omnipotentem esse, bonum, cognoscentem, &c. sunt Causa. But, 1. It is too bold to say, that God's Will is an Effect. 2. If it were so, it must be his Essence, Omnipotency and Intellect that is the Cause of his Will, and not a Complex verity, as [Deus est, omnipotence, bonus est, &c.] For God's Will is not caused by Propositions. 3. If you say that his Volition as terminated objectively on his Essence, Goodness, &c. is his Will in act (se Velle; which some call the third Person) yet here would be no Cause and Effect, but our distinct partial conceptions of that incomprehensible simplicity, which hath no real diversity or priority.

SECT. VI. Of God's Knowledge, and the Co-existence of the Creature.

88. AUgustine well and truly saith, that fore-knowledge in God, is the same with the Knowledge of things present: Past, present and future, through his Infiniteness and Eternity, being alike to him, even all as present.

89. But this dependeth upon the Indivisibility of Eternity: in which all the things of time are included, and co-exist.

90. Thus saith Augustine li. 2. ad Simplic. q. 2. Quid est praescientia nisi scientia futurorum? Quid autem futurum est Deo qui omnia supergreditur tempora? Si enim in scientia res ipsas habet, non sunt ei futurae, sed praesentes: ac per hoc non jam praescientia sed tantum scientia dici potest—Si autem sicut in ordine temporalium creaturarum, ita & apud Deum, nondum sunt quae futura sunt, sed ea praevenit sciendo, bis ergo ea sentit; uno quidem modo secundum futurorum praescientiam, altero vero modo secundum praesentium scientiam: Aliquid ergo temporaliter accedit scientiae Dei. quod absurdissimum atque falsissimum est.

Thus with Augustine Nothing is future to God, lest the after-knowledge of things as present, seem an addition to the first. And if this be true, then futurity had no eternal Cause.

91. See more ibid. in August. to the same purpose. And li. 15. de Trinit. cap. 7. Et in Psal. 101. And Gregor. Moral. li. 20. cap. 23. that Prescience is not properly in God, nor anything future to him. So Anselm. opusc. de Concord. cap. 1. See also Arriba Council. li. 3. c. 11, 12, 13, 14. and Boetius and Aquinas there cited. And à cap. 16. ad cap. 26. the whole Controversy handled of the co-existence of all things with God in eternity.

92. But because Scotus, Durand. Gabriel. Greg. Molina and many others digest not this notion, I shall open it to you in a moderate and undeniable sense, how things may be said to co-exist with God in eternity.

When temporary Creatures are the subjects of Relation to God, then God is denominated by extrinsical denomination as the terminus of that Relation: But when God or Eternity is the subject of Relation to Creatures, then temporary creatures are denominated as the termini of the Divine relation. And so Eternity (being as Divines conclude indivisible and tota simul quia sine partibus) being one and the same, communicateth somewhat of its Name to the multifarious fluid creature, as its terminus: And as the Mutations of creatures in existence and operation thus communicate various denominations to the actions (knowledge and will) of God; so God's Unity and Constancy giveth various denominatinos to the creatures. And so, because things when they exist, do co-exist with eternity, and eternity hath no prius & posterius, and the Prepositions [ab] & [ad] & [ante] & [post] have there no true signification, therefore it may be said, that as Indivisible Eternity co-existeth with the creature, so the creature co-existeth with and in indivisible eternity, and so with All eternity, and not with a part.

93. Hence you may see how both sayings may be true; both that Eternity (or God and his Knowledge) ever co-existeth with creatures, and also that it doth de novo begin to co-exist; viz. As God is extrinsically denominated from the real mutation of the creature related to him; or as the creature is denominated extrinsically as related to the indivisible God and Eternity: even as God and the creature are variously considered towards each other, as the Relate, or as the Terminus.

94. To clear it by a low similitude; When a Rock in the Sea is the Relatum, and the Sea the Terminus, it may be said, [This Rock is the constant Companton of the Sea]: And also thence, that [The Sea is the constant companton of the Rock] the title of Constancy being thus mutually used, but in a various • ense. So when the Sea is the