Pag. 43. H. C. C. as fufpected of the herefie of Pelagius, and fay, for Free-will not only they are fufpected, but others alfo. And indeed the Book of Articles of Chriftian Religion Speaketh very dangerously of falling from Grace, which is to be reformed, because it too much inclineth to their error. There were then fome Bishops that held this error of falling from Grace, as it was counted by thefe Authors who thought alfo the Articles too much But a Wifer and Learneder inclining to their error. Man than they in the Conference at Hampton Court, made it his firft motion, that the Articles of Religion concluded 1562, might be explained in fome obfcure places and enlarged where fome things were defective: for Example, faith he, whereas in the fixteenth Article the words are these, after we have received the holy Ghost we may depart from Grace. NotwithStanding the meaning be found, yet I defire, because they may feem to be contrary to the doctrine of God's Predeftination and Election in the feventeenth Article, that thofe words might be explained with this or the like addition, yet neither Totally nor Finally. If then this Article did not in their Opinion fpeak dangerously of the falling from Grace, nor feem to contradict their Expofition of the Seventeenth Article, this motion was needlefs. True it is that the reafon pretended for the defired alteration was groundless, and was fo judged, nothing being done towards the explaining or enlarging of the Article; for there is not any contradiction between the fixteenth and feventeenth Articles, and the addition of Finally and Totally, would have quite fubverted, not have explained, the fenfe and scope of the whole, as I will demonftrate in the proper place. For the fecond way, by analyfing the Propofitions, &c. thus I procede: the Title is of Sin after Baptifm by which it is apparent that it is not the fcope of any part of this Article, as fome would have it, to define and declare that all Men do Sin, even thofe that are baptized, and born again in Chrift, for this was done already in the next precedent Article, Chrift alone without Sin, &c. But all we the rest, although Baptized and Born again in Christ, yet offend in many things. This need not to be faid again. But the Scope of this, is to define fomething about the measure, degree, demerit of Sin after Baptifm, and to condemn the exceffes and extremities of Opinions in this point, fome aggravating this Sin too much, fome extenuating it, and making of it too little: for thefe there are here two Propofitions definitive, and two Conclufions derived out of the Definitions. 1. Against the extreme rigour of Novatus; Not every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptifm, is Sin against the holy Ghost, and unpardonable: There is the firft Definition. The Conclufion hence is, wherefore the grant of Repentance is not to be denyed unto fuch as fall into Sin after Baptifm, and therefore they are to be condemned which deny place of forgiveness to fuch as truly Repent: this is a mitigation of one excefs and rigour of Opinion, and a stay to weak and fearful minds. 2. The fecond Propofition is, after we have received the holy Ghost, we may depart from Grace given, and fall into Sin, and by the Grace of God we may rife again, and amend our lives. This is the Definition; the Conclufion hence is, therefore they are to be condemned that fay, they can no more Sin, as long as they live here. This is against another extremity of certain Anabaptifts, that dreamed of arriving to a Sinless Perfection; and of other Anabaptifts, (for there was an hundred confufions among them) that esteemed all manner of foul actions done by them that had received the holy Ghoft, to be in them no Sins, or not to be reckoned fo: to whom our Men incline who hold, that no Sins in the Regenerate impeach their Juftification, or ftate of Salvation: 73.27. which this branch of the Article doth directly oppofe, faying, that they who fo fall or Sin, are departed from Grace, and need to rije again by Repentance. Now for amending or explaining thefe terms, if it fhould be done, as King James left it to be confidered, by putting in the word often, or the like; fo as to read we may often depart from Grace, or we may depart far from Grace: This I think would little content them, fince the Palm faith; for lo, they that are far from thee shall perish; thon haft destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But if the amendment were made by putting in, we may depart from Grace, yet neither Finally nor Totally, then this alfo had been a claufe of mitigation, and had not pinched them a whit against whom it was provided, nay it had made this Propofition all one with the former; for what difference is there between thefe two, every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptifm, is not Sin against the holy Ghost; and, after we have received the holy Ghost, we may depart from Grace, yet neither Finally or Totally; feeing the Sin against the holy Ghoft is no other than a Total or Final departing from Grace. And whereas the Dean Hampt. of Paul's ufed this exception of Finally and Totally; he doth it of thofe that are called according to the purpose of God's Election, and not of all that are called or juftified. But our fixteenth Article speaketh not of the Ele&t only, for it faith, we may rife again by the Grace of God; whereas if it fpake only of the Elect, it must have faid, we shall rife again by the Grace of God: and fo must they that would have put in, not Finally, nor Totally. Court Confer. Pag. 41. *Plaifere by yet neither Finally nor Totally underftands, yet not fo as to be beyond poffibility of recovery; but those who defired that addition, meant, but yet not so as not certainly to recover again. Neither Neither doth the feventeenth Article, treating of God's Election, any thing contradict this fixteenth, as Dr. Reynolds feared; for although it affirmeth that all Predeftinate to life are called and justified, &c. yet it doth not say that all that are called and juftified, and made Sons of God, are Predeftinated to life, because Perfeverance to the end is prefumed, where God's purpose is Predeftinating to life. But that Article we fhall alfo clear, and fhew that these two are not contradictory, but very confiftent one with another. Thus much for the branches and propofitions of this Article; let us now make fome obfervations from the words, and terms in which it is expreffed: First, here is admitted and yielded, that after Baptifm we may Sin willingly; Secondly, that fuch a Sin is a deadly Sin, in the Phrafe of the Fathers, and in the fenfe of Melanchton; Thirdly, that this Sin is not the Sin against the holy Ghoft, but near it, great and fearful; elfe it needed not have been fevered from it, nor provifion been made for fatisfying the fcruples of the timorous, and moderating the feverity of the rigorous. Fourthly, that though fuch a Sin be pardonable, yet it requireth great, deep and bitter Repentance, in a manner fuch as the antient Church required in the folemn reconciliation of fuch, who under Perfecution or other Temptation, had fallen from the Faith. Fifthly, that the Phrase to depart from Grace is not diminutive, nor a mitigation, but an aggravation of the Sin; that after the Holy Ghost received, a Man fhould depart from Grace given, ist the more grievous and provoking; Curfed be the Man, faith the Prophet, whose heart Jer. 1. 5. departeth from the Lord. Sixthly, that there is a *Loc. de difcrim. Pecc. venialis. & mortal. + In hoc enim Quifque Peccator fit culpabilior, que eft Deo acceptior, &c. Pet. Lomb. Lib. 4. Distinct, 16. A. depart departure from Grace in the heart of him that hath received the holy Ghoft, before he fall into Sin actual or mortal, a departure from Grace as from a light and guide, from an help and ftrength, a departure from God in our minds. David, faith *Melanchton, might have remained possessed of the holy Spi rit, whofe affiftance had been continued to him, unless he had wilfully caft it off, and willingly nourished an impure flame in his bojom. And this is foremost ever, Man forfaking God, or departing from him, before God forfakes Man, or departeth from him; for there is a departing of God from Man, as a punishment and fruit of Sin committed; and of this many speak when they reafon de Amiffione Gratia, &c. Our opponents perhaps will grant the first, that Man finning mortally departs from Grace, but God for all that departeth not therefore from Man, nor doth he take away his gifts of Faith, Hope, or Charity. To this let Aquinas answer; But love being an infufed habit, depends on the action of God infusing it, who in the giving and preferving of Love, is like the Sun in the enlightning of the Air: and therefore as the light in the Air would ceafe prefently, if there were any impediment to hinder the illumination of the Sun; fo love is presently extinct in the Soul by the interpofition of fome obstacle that hinders God's influence of Love from coming into the Soul. But 'tis manifeft every mortal Sin that is contrary to God's commandments, is fuch an obstacle to the afore-faid influence, because by that very act Man chufing Sin, prefers it before God's Love, &c. whereby it follows, that prefently by one act of mortal Sin, the habit of Love is loft. 3. My third way to come to the true meaning of our Article, was to Parallel it with the twelfth of the Auguftan Confession, &c. * Secund. Secundæ z. 24. Art. 12. in Concl. Art. |