violated But he to whom Christ was neuer preached shall not be condemned because he hath refused Christ but he shall be iudged by the law which tyed him to beleeue in Christ if Christ had beene preached to him VIII And Arnoldus is plainely deceiued when he doth affirme that the power whereby we beleeue God is one and the power whereby they beleeue Christ is another because saith he the word of the law the word of the Gospell differ in the whole genus and are opposite this thing fell inconsiderately from the acute man Because white and blacke are opposite is it therefore the property of one power to see white and of another to see blacke is it not the operation of the same faculty to know contraries And yet I doe not see how the Law and the Gospell can be said to be contrary seeing the Law is the Schoole-master to Christ and the Gospell doth minister the meanes by which the law should be satisfied Surely betweene the creditor and the surety there is no discord Christ came not that hee might abolish the law but that hee might fulfill it Matthew 5.17 Romanes 3.30 IX Out of these it is easie to gather what is to be answered to that question whereby it is demanded whether the law doth comand vs to beleeu in Christ For this is euen as one should demand whether the law of Moses commands the Prophet Esay to be beleeued It is plaine that that is not expressely commanded by the law for no man was bound to beleeue Esay before he was borne Yet I say it was commanded by the law implicitely and by consequence in as much as the law doth command obedience to be yeelded to God And God is to be obeyed whether he speake to vs immediately or by his messengers The same I thinke may be saide of Christ X. For of those things to which we are bound by the law there are two kindes Some things are due absolutely by all men and at all times yea by them to whom the law deliuered by Moses hath not beene made knowne such as are to loue God and our neighbour For Adam was indued with the knowledge of these duties before the fall and was bound to performe them in act But there are some things to the obseruation whereof wee are then bound by the law of God when they are commanded in act and when the ability of knowing them is giuen vs of God Thus the Israelites in Aegypt were not bound to obey the commandement of the not gathering of Manna vpon the Saboth day or of looking on the bralen Serpent or of the passing ouer lordan which notwithstanding if any had not obeyed when God commanded them without doubt they had iustly borne the punishment of the breach of the law XI But Arnoldus doth wrongfully say that it is not spoken here of that generall power of beleeuing euery word of God for of it it is plainely spoken here seeing that the power of beleeuing in Christ is comprehended in that generall power No otherwise then the power of seeing doth comprehend also the power of seeing the remedies for blindnesse although those remedies are not present neither is there any neede of them before blindnesse XII All these things pertaine thither that it might appeare that the power of beleeuing and of embracing the remedies which God offers in the Gospell is lost by that naturall corruption which is deriued into vs from Adam And therefore that Arminius doth erre when hee saith that God is bound to giue to all men power to beleeue in Christ or that he is prepared to giue faith to all For God is not bound to restore to man that which man lost by his owne fault nor doth he deale vniustly when he requireth of man that which hee doth naturally owe. XIII Arminius is not constant to himselfe in this thing and doth pluck vp those things which hee laid downe For he saith that many nations haue for many ages beene depriued of the light of the Gospell without which yet there is no faith and that for a punishment of the incredulitie of their ancestors He doth acknowledge therefore that God hath not giuen nor was prepared to giue to these nations power of beleeuing in Christ Yea truely Arminius in speaking thus doth set downe the cause why God would not and therefore was not prepared to giue to people that without which faith cannot be Was God prepared to giue to the men of Tyre and Sydon the power of beleeuing of whom Christ giueth this testimony that they would haue conuerted in Sackcloath and Ashes if the word and his miracles had come to them Doth he giue power of beleeuing to them whose hearts he hardneth with his vnresistable will as Arminius speakes Could they beleeue of whom it is spoken Iohn 12.39 Therefore they could not beleeue because it is written he hath blinded their eyes and hath hardned their hearts In Perâ—ins P. 294. 295. Doth he giue power of beleeuing to them whom Arminius saith are called of God by a meanes that is not congruent and agreeable and by which he knoweth man will neuer be conuerted XIV Here Arminius doth not obscurely accuse God of folly for he will haue God to be aduerse to himselfe and to be prepared to doe that which that it might not be done he taketh an incongruent and disagreeable course nay like a iudge hee sets lawes for God himselfe for what else meane these words God is bound to giue the power of beleeuing Surely it seemes that Arminius doth binde God by this Law neither will God haue any reason for his iustice vnlesse Arminius supply to him the meanes whereby he may auoide the crime of iniustice XV. And although that impotency and disabilitie of beleeuing be a punishment of the sinne of Adam yet he is not vniustly punished who by this impotency hath refused the Gospell because the same impotency or disability which is a punishment is also a fault which I say that it might appeare how vnproperly Arnoldus doth here vse the examples of punishments which are not faults Is it equity saith he that to a Souldier that hath beene punished with the losse of his eyes for not keeping good watch the Generall should offer the pardon of some other fault or should promise some other thing with this condition that he should watch more diligently and then punish him because that being blinde he hath not watched This example is not to the purpose for to be blinde is not a fault neither is any man by a naturall obligation bound to see It is otherwise with our impotency to beleeuing Besides hee that is punished with the losse of his eyes is sorrowfull and doth heauily beare the losse of the light But man therefore doth not beleeue because he will not beleeue and this impotency is voluntary CHAP. XII That God doth saue those whom of his meere grace hee chose out of mankinde corrupted and obnoxious to the
truth but a naturall auersion and disability II. Wherefore the Scripture doth call the change of man by the spirit of regeneration sometimes another birth Iohn 3. sometimes the creation of the new man Ephes 4.24 It calleth it another resurrection from the dead Reucl. 20.6 Luke 15.32 Iohn 5.25 Not that creation and resurrection is in all things like to regeneration and the change of the soule but only in this thing of which it is here spoken to wit as the Carkasse cannot dispose nor prepare it selfe to the resurrection and a thing that is not created cannot further any thing to the creation of it So man in the state of sinne and before his regeneration hath nothing whereby he may dispose himselfe or further his regeneration and spirituall new birth III. The Arminian conferrers at the Hage Page 279. doe roundly confesse that by our spirituall death the liberty of doing well or ill is separated from the soule I demand therefore whether an vnregenerate man furnished with that sufficient and vniuersall grace which is giuen euen to Reprobates hath free-will of doing well or ill in those things which belong to saluation If he haue not why doe the Arminians contend he hath If hee hath it is plaine by their owne confession that he is not dead in sinne But there is a speciall force in the word borne For if there were any seeds and reliques of spirituall life in an vnregenerate man as Arnoldus is of opinion there were no neede to be borne againe and that the new man should be formed but God were to be prayed to that he would againe raise vp those sparkes and reliques of spirituall life and would vouchsafe to kindle and increase it as it were by adding fuell to it IV. Adde to these those places which teach vs that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. That all men haue not faith 2. Thess 3. because it is the gift of God Philip. 1.19 Ephes 2.8 Seeing therefore what soeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.25 it is plain that in things which belong to saluation and to the worship of God hee doth nothing but sinne that wants faith such as are all the heathen and vnregenerate men In which place to the Romanes it is to be noted that the Apostle speaketh of the vse of meates which he will haue vs to eate with faith that is with a certaine knowledge that the vse of meates is allowed by God and is agreeable to his word Seeing therefore that euen in things which are of their owne nature indifferent wee sinne when we vse them without such a faith how much more are we to thinke that the heathens sinne in euery action that pertaineth to saluation and the worship of God because they are altogether destitute of this faith Hitherto pertaine those places which teach vs that God is the author of euery vertue and euery good worke that is done by vs. We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 And Christ himselfe Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing And in the same place we are compared to branches cut off and appointed to the fire vnlesse wee haue beene engrafted into Christ by whom wee liue and beare fruit The Apostle Ephes 2.8 doth teach that saluation and faith is not of our selues but of the gift of God For by grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God How farre is this from Arminius who will haue the totall cause of faith not to be grace alone but grace and free-will And least any of Arminius followers should seeke a refuge and should say that the power of beleeuing is giuen to all vnresistably but that the act of beleeuing is so helped by grace that it is also from free-wil the Apostle doth fitly preuent such a weake subtilty Phil. 1.29 where he saith It is giuen to you in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake You see that not onely the power of beleeuing is giuen vs but also the act it selfe to beleeue Agreeable to this is that Iohn 6. No man can come to me vnlesse my father draw him Where to come is to beleeue in act and not to haue the power and faculty of beleeuing which is brought into act by free-will No lesse direct is that of the Apostle Philip. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Now to will is to will in act and not to haue the power of willing God himselfe Ezechiel 36.27 saith I will put my spirit within you and will cause you to walke in my statutes Therefore hee doth not onely giue the power of walking in his statutes but also doth cause that we really walke and doth worke in vs the very act After what manner and how farre the elect may resist the efficacy of the spirit shall hereafter be seene It is sufficient to the present question if we winne this of them that God doth not onely giue the power whereby we may beleeue but also that hee doth giue and worke in vs the act of beleeuing to beleeue it selfe We meete sometimes with places where the Arminians say that not onely the power of beleeuing but that also the act of beleeuing to beleeue it selfe is giuen by God But they will haue this act so to be giuen by God in as much as he giueth knowledge to the minde and doth raise vp the fainting affections which doe put forward the will to beleeue and that this is done by a morall perswasion and after the same manner that wee are moued by obiects But this is not to giue faith and the act of beleeuing For surely hee that doth perswade that doth propound obiects and doth inuite the appetite to runne doth not giue the act of running to runne it selfe Wherefore the Arminians doe deny that faith it selfe is infused or imprinted on the heart by God but that the will is inuited to beleeue onely by a morall perswasion and by a courteous allurement With a like fraud that they might seeme to attribute some great thing to God they say that God doth giue the power of beleeuing and that vnresistably But when they come to explane the manner whereby these powers are supplied it is manifest that they deny that the power of beleeuing is giuen to man by God For they thinke that God doth giue these powers no otherwise then by enlightning the vnderstanding with knowledge and by stirring vp the appetites which certainely is not to giue the power of beleeuing For hee which in the darke doth with a torch giue light to the wandring traueller and doth stirre him vp to goe doth not thereby giue him the power of going VI. And least any man should in any part arrogate to himself the prayse eyther of that knowledge which he hath obtained
beene made partakers of that perseuerance that they could not but perseuere Thence it is that they will not admit of this that they should allow that the number of them that are predestinated and the number of them that are reiected is determined These are they whose authority was more to Arminius then the authority of Saint Austin yea then of Saint Paul himselfe For they haue liberally and manifestly borrowed all their opinions from the Semipelagians CHAP. XLIII The opinion of the Arminians of the manner of the operation of Grace and of that power which they call vnresistable Also of morall perswasion And of the power and act of beleeuing WHat the secret motions of the holy-Ghost are what the efficacy of it is by what degrees it doth further regeneration what impediments are cast in the way by man what is the conflict of the flesh with the spirit and the strife of the new man with the old who as another Esau doth at length shake off the yoake and doth hinder the worke of God as much as it can I thinke cannot be throughly knowne by any nor can that little which we know by experience be explained in fit words Surely Christ Iohn 3. doth rightly compare the spirit the author of regeneration to the winde which bloweth where it listeth and whose sound is heard but men know not whence it commeth nor whether it goeth It is a thing therefore whose experience is rather to be wished then the efficacy of it to be explained There are many who while they peere into the nature of the operation of the holy-Spirit are themselues led by a reprobate spirit And while they discourse concerning the efficacy of the spirit of peace they themselues being prone to discord and puft vp with pride doe sufficiently bewray that they are led by that spirit which doth effectually worke in the sonnes of rebellion Ephes 2. These things although they be thus and that it be safer to follow God calling then to enquire by what power he doth call and draw vs yet the obstinate rashnesse of those men with whom wee haue to doe compelleth vs to descend to these things For these innouators haue drawne out of the puddles of the spanish Iesuites I know not what words of resistability and vnresistability with which they entangle mens wits The scope whereof is to furnish the will of man with powers wherewith he may resist the Holy-Ghost with how great efficacy soeuer hee should worke in mens hearts that by this meanes man might owe his conuersion to his owne strength and power and the confidence of our saluation resting on a weake supporter might stagger and fall into desparation The words of Arnoldus against Tilenus are direct pag. 125. Collat Hag pag. 304. Negat propositum Deo decretumque esse absolute hunc vel â—lum conuertere Armin. in Perk. 199. Falsum est Deum simpliciter absolute velle vt alij credant perseuerent c Quâ—st Artiâ— Remâ—nst iâ— Collat. Hag. Modus operatiâ—nis graâ—â—â—â— non est resistibilis We deny that the difference of Grace calling is not placed as much in the free will of men as in the will of God And they all affirme with one mouth that God doth not absolutely will that this or that man should beleeue but that hee indeede doth giue sufficient grace and power of beleeuing which man may vse or not vse according to his owne free-will And that grace and the power of the holy Ghost working in the heart is resistable euen in the most holy men and in the elect and that the finall effect thereof may be hindred by man Whence they gather that those who are elected may be reprobated Indeede say they the power of beleeuing is giuen vnresistably and the vnderstanding is so instructed in knowledge and the affections stirred vp that it cannot be resisted but they contend that the act of beleeuing it selfe is giuen resistably and that it is in the power of free-will to vse grace or not to vse it to beleeue or not to beleeue For they doe not thinke that the liberty of free-will can stand vnlesse he that is elected may sinally resist grace and so be reprobated Arnoldus against Bogermannus pag. 263. and 274. All the operations of grace being granted which God doth vse to the working of conuersion in vs yet conuersion it selfe doth so remaine free in our power that we may not be conuerted that is we may conuert or not conuert our selues For they teach that the effect of grace doth depend on mans free-will and that free-will is a part-cause of our conuersion in so much that Greuinchouius against Ames Greuinch pag. 198. 204. 208 297. is bold to write these things You will say that in this manner of operation God doth on a sort depend on the will of man I grant it as concerning the act of free determination Truely this is to disgrace God and to make him subiect to mans free-will Nor doe they doubt to say that God seriously desiring that this or that man should be saued is disappointed of his wish and desire and that therefore hee doth grieue and beare it heauily and doth not doe that which hee had sworne he would doe as before we haue proued Euen with these shores doe these good men vnderproppe Christian faith being about to fall And the manner whereby the grace of God and his Spirit doth worke in vs they determine to be this They say that the vnderstanding of man is vnresistably enlightned Câ—â—lat Hag. p. 272. Illuminatâ—â—mint ellectus 〈…〉 p. â—6 and that his affections are vnresistably stirred vp but the assent of the will doth remaine free The same men thinke that God doth vnresistably giue to man the power of beleeuing of conuerting himselfe but the act it selfe of beleeuing and conuerting himselfe may be done or hindred by mans will and that the feeling is vnresistibly giuen but not the assent For they say that there is in the will an essentiall indifferency and indetermination to receiue or refuse grace and as being put in an equall ballance doth turne to neither part for it lost no spirituall gifts by the fall of Adam because it had not these gifts before the fall The conferrers at the Hage pag. 307. Although it is to be determined that the infusion of abilityes is done by an vnresistible power that the matter become not infinite yet it cannot come to passe that the act it selfe that is to beleeue and be conuerted should be wrought vnresistibly And they doe plainely deny that actuall faith and the act of beleeuing is the gift of God For although they doe sometimes make shew of this and doe thunder out with full mouthes that faith is from God yet in the whole thred of their disputation they doe openly bewray that they are verry farre from that opinion For they deny that faith is iufused by God into the hearts of men but that God
doth giue power and faculty of beleeuing Nor doth God otherwise giue the act of beleeuing then as the minde is indued with knowledge and the affections being raysed doe put forward the will which is not to giue faith but to incite to faith Yea by their opinion it is certaine that God doth not giue the power of beleeuing in Christ but doth onely enlighten the minde that it may know Christ and allure the appetites with a gentle perswasion For hee that doth onely shew the light and exhort the traueller to goe doth not giue him power of going These are the words of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage p. 275. We deny that faith is the gift of God in respect of the actuall infusing of it into our hearts but it is so called in respect of the power of comming to it This indeede is to vse no circumstance but to speake it plainely enough For they say that God doth not infuse faith into our hearts but that he doth giue the meanes to come to faith which meanes we may vse if we will for this is in the power of free-will The same men pag. 306. doe professe that they beleeue that the very act of beleeuing is from God and yet a little after they doe retract what they had granted for they doe ouerthrow all those places of Scripture by which wee endeauour to proue that faith and the act of beleeuing is from God The men of our party did proue this by the words of Christ Iohn 6.65 No man can come to me vnlesse it be giuen him by the father The Arminians answere that that place of Iohn speaketh of nothing but of that faculty whereby one may beleeue and therefore it doth not make to the purpose in as much as it is to be proued that the very act of beleeuing is the gift of God Would they haue it to be proued by vs and to be euinced by argument if they did beleeue it and did seriously professe it Surely that their confession was dissembled and therefore a little after they doe alter and reuoke it In the same place they doe peruersly corrupt that famous place of S. Paul Ephes 2. By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God In which place both saluation and faith are called the gift of God For they deny that faith is there called the gift of God but saluation O your fidelity ye Sectaries What doth this concerne you or why doe youso much feare lest faith should be called by the Apostle the gift of God This indeed is a very great malignity and an open confession whereby they disclose that they thinke that faith is not the gift of God With a like licentiousnesse doe they sport themselues in deprauing the words of the Apostle to Timothy Epist 2. Chap. 2. v. 25. If God will giue them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth The men of our party brought this place that they might proue conuersion and the act of repentance to be from God But these Sectaries as it were in a mockery doe reiect this place as that which speaketh of repentance as of a thing that is vncertaine and which may happen Doubtlesse it doth not please the Arminians that the act of conuersion is the gift of God And although they say in ambiguous and deceiptfull words that repentance is the gift of God yet they thinke that it can be proued by no place of Scripture when yet the Scripture saith It is God which doth worke in vs effectually to will and to doe Philip. 2. And that It is giuen to vs to beleeue in Christ Phil. 1. Surely these words to will to doe and to beleeue doe note out the very act of willing and beleeuing and not the power whereby we may be willing or not be willing beleeue or not beleeue But they doe in no other thing more open their meaning then while they deny that faith is infused into our hearts by God but that onely men are stirred vp to faith and allured with a gentle perswasion and invitation which they call morall and resistible after the same manner that a boy is drawne by an Apple offred him or a hog by bran laid before him If this be true and if the efficacy of the holy-Spirit doth no otherwise imprint faith then by perswading it is plaine that faith is not the gift of God For hee that perswadeth to beleeue doth not giue faith but doth perswade Arminius against Perkins pag. 57. hath these words That faith and repentance cannot be had but by the gift of God is most plaine in the Scriptures But the same Scripture and the nature of the gift of eyther of them doth most cleerely teach that that gift is giuen by the manner of perswasion These are things that cannot stand together for nothing is giuen by the manner of perswasion He that stirreth mee vp to running doth thereby neither giue mee the running it selfe nor the power of running The same man pag. 211. saith God hath determined to saue them that beleeue by his grace that is by a milde and sweete perswasion conuenient and agreeable to their free-will not by an omnipotent action or motion which they neither will nor can resist nor can be willing to resist Vorstius Parasc ad Piscat pag. 4. saith What things God will haue vs to doe altogether freely and contingently hee cannot desire thâ—se more powerfully or effectually then by the manner of a wish or desire Indeede the Arminian conferrers at the Hage in the defence of their fourth Article doe professe that they will not define how God doth worke in vs and that they will not breake into these secrets yet the same men doe restraine all those places of Scripture which say that wee are drawne by God and that God doth effectually and mightily worke in vs to a meere perswasion and an allurement by the manner of an Obiect And Greuinchouius pag. 232. and 233. doth acknowledge no other then a morall motion This is also among the decrees of the Arminians Collat. Hag. pag. 283. that a man is quickned first by the ministery of the law and afterward by the ministery of the Gospell for they thinke that there is a kinde of quickning which is without faith in Christ they also peece vpon it this guard that no man is called outwardly who is not called in wardly and that there is free-will in man to open to God knocking or not to open And although they thinke that there is no grace of God which may not be resisted by man yet they confesse that God doth so certainely call some men that they must infallibly follow to wit them whom he doth call in such a congruent and agreeable time and manner and with such efficacy and measure of light that they are most certainely conuerted Arminius against Perkins pag. 67. doth say that the inward perswasion of the holy Ghost is in all them to
againe their negligence can hurt none but those whom God will absolutely destroy and who cannot be saued The Pelagians obiected the same things to Saint Austin Lib. de bono perseu Chap. 14. August de bono perseu cap. 14. â—iunt praedestinationis definitionem vtilitati praeâ—â—catronis aduersam Whereunto wee haue already largely answered For the same reasons which stirre vp the carefulnesse of the hearers to repentance and good workes are also of power to stirre vp pastors diligently to vndergo their office and to prick forward their hearers to repentance For although the elect cannot perish yet wee know that God doth bring the elect to saluation by the word and sacraments and by the ministery of the Gospell whose decree our obedience must serue And although the minister of the word dealing perfunctoriously and carelesly cannot cause that he that is elected should perish yet hee hurts himselfe and shall beare the punishment of that negligence in the day of iudgement Therefore although he did not hurt others yet hee should very much wrong himselfe Saint Paul a most vehement maintainer of election doth professe that he endureth all things for the elect that they may obtaine saluation 2. Tim. 2.10 XXXVIII As concerning the Reprobates if this reason of Arminius preuaile by the like reason we shall neyther eate nor drinke nor shall parents be bound to be carefull of the health of their children because this negligence can hurt none but them whom God will haue to perish who by his decree hath set sure bounds to the life of euery particular person which cannot be pulled backe nor passed ouer And if it were manifest to the pastors which of their flocke were Reprobates then there were some colour for the doubting whether they ought to be carefull for the saluation of them that are Reprobates But seeing that this is vnknowne to them they ought to scatter the seede of the word euery where and leaue the euent to God XXXIX Arnoldus Page 307. saith that which in my iudgement is exceeding bad If any one saith he should teach that God himselfe hath precisely appointed to nourish one for some time in this life and that he would so prouide the bread where with he should be nourished that he could not but haue it aboundantly I grant that such a one neede not be warned that hee should be carefull how to prouide himselfe bread But I affirme that such an one needes and ought to be warned to prepare himselfe bread because the same God who doth promise bread and hath decreed to giue it doth also declare in his word that he will giue this bread to our labour and by the meanes of our carefulnesse Therefore he that will giue the bread doth also giue strength will and industry whereby this bread should be prepared So that Arnoldus yeelds that to himselfe which no man in his right sense would yeeld to him XL. Furthermore the certainty of Election may be taken two manner of waies eyther for the immutability of the decree of God or for that certaine perswasion whereby any one doth beleeue that he is elected Of the former kinde of certainty it is onely spoken here the latter doth require a peculiar treatise But by the way we say that we beleeue none of those things which Arnoldus doth falsely attribute to vs whereof this is one that all men are bound to beleeue that they are elected to eternall life Nay we teach that he that will not beleeue in Christ and repent is bound to beleeue that saluation gotten by the death of Christ doth not pertaine to him Of the same stampe is that calumny when he saith that we command wicked men to be secure as they that can lose saluation by no euill deedes Fie on that abhominable doctrine To say I am elected therefore I may be wicked is the speech of a reprobate man who will therefore be wicked because God is good By this meanes that loue wherewith God in Christ hath loued vs which is the most vehement incitation to loue God is turned into a pillow on which prophane security may sleepe Whosoeuer God hath elected he hath giuen him or will giue him the holy-Ghost by which he abstaineth from so prophane a thought So him whom hee hath appointed to life he hath appointed also to foode and to breathing He were ridiculous who should say if God hath decreed that I should liue till I am eighty yeeres old what neede I eate seeing it cannot be but I must liue so long Surely the destruction of such a man is neere for God hath determined to vse this his sencelesse peeuishnesse to punish him XLI In the meane while wee admonish that the certainty of the election of seuerall persons is carefully to be distinguished from that certainty whereby seuerall men beleeue themselues to be elected The former is the certainty of the decree the latter is the certainty of faith For if Arminius could proue that piety and the endeauour of good workes is extinguished by the perswasion of election yet it would not thence follow that the decree of God concerning the election of particular persons is not certaine and precise But it would onely follow that this decree is not to be beleeued by vs to be certaine Whence it appeares how ill Arminius and Arnoldus doe reason who thereby inferre that the decree of God concerning the election of particular persons is not absolute nor precise because the confidence of election doth make some men more negligent to the workes of piety XLII Adde to these those things which we haue laid downe in the second chapter where we haue shewed how many waies the doctrine concerning election is profitable to good manners and to the discipline of piety which notwithstanding wee would haue thus to be taken not that euery one is to expect a reuelation of his election but the Gospell is to be heard and this promise whereby God doth promise life to them that beleeue is throughly to be fastned in our minde and to be embraced with our whole heart By which perswasion whosoeuer shall feele himselfe to be liuely affected with the loue of God and to be driuen to repentance shall easily gather that he is elected and that the thing promised in the Gospell doth belong to him For although election is in nature before faith and repentance as the cause from whence these vertues flow yet faith and repentance is better knowne to vs and we are alwaies to proceede from the things that best are knowne whence it commeth to passe that many times we goe to the cause by the effects which order in the schooles is called Resolutiuus XLIII And if we would imitate Arminius it were an easie thing to lay these things vpon him and to teach how many waies his doctrine doth offend against the wisedome and goodnesse of God and therefore also against his iustice How many waies occasion may thence be taken either of distrust or of
frowardnesse by what meanes it doth blow vp a man while he burst and lift him vp on high that it might throw him downe headlong For one that is filled with Armianisme may say thus God indeede is willing to saue me but he may be disappointed of his will hee may be defrauded of his naturall defires which are farre the best Those whom God will saue by his Antecedent will hee will destroy by his Consequent will Also his election doth rest on the fore-seeing of mans will I were a miserable man if my saluation depended vpon so vnstable a thing The same man will also reason thus God giueth to all men sufficient grace but hee hath not manifested Christ to all men therefore there is some grace sufficient without the knowledge of Christ Also the same man will easily beleeue that God doth mocke men for he hath learned in the schoole of Arminius that God doth seriously desire intend the saluation of all and singular men and yet that neuerthelesse he doth call very many by a meanes that is not congruent that is by a meanes in a time and measure which is not apt nor fit by which meanes whosoeuer is called doth neuer follow God calling But what doe I know whether he calleth by a congruent and agreeable meanes or no Adde also these famous opinions that vnregenerate men doe good workes that they are meeke thirsting after and doing the will of the Father that faith is partly from grace and partly from free-will Nay what that any maintainer of the sect of Arminius shall dare to set lawes to God himselfe and to say that God is bound to giue to all men power of beleeuing And that the iustice of God doth require that he may giue to man that which is his owne and that man himselfe may determine and open his owne heart to receiue the word of God O your fidelity Are these your famous incitations to holinesse of life Doth Arminius traine vp men to piety by these instructions Surely if any one is stirred vp to good workes by these things hee is thereby the more corrupted For God had rather haue sinnes with repentance then righteousnesse with pride God will not stirre vp men to repentance with the losse eyther of our faith or his glory Nor are we onely to doe our endeauour that men be stirred vp to repentance but we must also see that it be done by meanes that are conuenient and not contumelious against God CHAP. XXV Whether Christ be the cause and foundation of Election I. WE say that no man is saued but by and for Christ and that Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and price of our redemption the foundation and meritorious cause of our saluation But we doe not say that he is the cause of election or the cause why of two considered in the corrupted masse one is preferred before another There are not wanting examples of most wicked men to one whereof God so dispensing the Gospell hath beene preached whence it came to passe that he was conuerted and did beleeue but to the other the Gospell hath not beene preached The Scripture doth not say that the death of Christ is the cause of this but doth fetch the cause from the good pleasure of God who hath mercy on whom he will For the loue of the father doth alwaies goe before the mediation of the sonne seeing that the loue of the father to the world was the cause why he sent his sonne Yea truely seeing Christ himselfe as he is man is elected and the head of the elect hee cannot be the foundation and cause of election For as hee is the head of men as he is a man so is he the head of them that are predestinated as he is a man predestinated to so great honour which came to him by the meere grace of God II. Wherefore the Apostle calleth Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemption and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the propitiation Coloss 1. Rom. 3. but he doth not say that he is the cause why some men should be elected rather then others III. Reason it selfe doth consent For as the recouery of the sicke-man doth in the intention alwaies goe before the vsing of the Phisitian so it must needes be that in the minde of God the thought of sauing men was not in time but in order before the thought of sending the Sauiour IV. Adde to these that the mediation and redemption of Christ is an action whereby the iustice of God is satisfied which is not signified by the word Election for it is one thing to be a mediator and another thing to be the cause of Election or of the preferring of one before another in the secret counsell of God Whence it is that Christ is the meritorious cause of our saluation but not of our election which is as much as if I should say that Christ is the foundation and cause of the execution of the decree of Election but not the cause of Election it selfe V. It is of no small moment that Christ Iohn 15.13 saith That he layeth downe his life for his friends chap. 10. v. 11. he calleth himselfe the good shepheard that layeth downe his life for his sheepe And if Christ be dead for his friends and for his sheepe it must needs be that when he died for them he did consider them as being already friends and sheepe although many of them were not then called as Christ himselfe doth testifie who in the sixteenth verse of the same chapter doth call those also his sheepe who were not yet conuerted And if Christ dying for vs considered vs as his friends and sheepe it is plaine that before the death of Christ there was already destinction made betweene his friends and enemies betweene the sheep and goates and therefore that the decree of Election was in order before the death of Christ and that the opinion of Arminius is to be hissed out as an opinion subuerting the Gospell whereby hee thinkes that the election had not place when Christ died Certainly he that died for his sheepe died for the elect and not for them who were to be elected after hee was dead By these things it is plaine that by those friends and sheepe for which Christ died are not vnderstood those onely who loue God and follow Christ but all those whom God loueth and whose saluation hee decreed for whom Christ died when they did not yet loue God and when they were enemies to him And therefore they are called enemies Rom. 5.10 because they did not loue God but yet euen then they were highly loued by God and were appointged to saluation in Christ For in a diuers respect they were both friends and enemies sheepe and goates Friends because God loued them enemies because they did not yet loue God VI. Neither is iniurie done to Christ if the loue of the Father and his good pleasure be said to goe in order
or of that loue wherewith he feeles himselfe to be affected Christ doth beate downe all pride in speaking thus to Peter Matth. 16.17 Blessed art thou Symon Bar-Iona for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Chap. 11.25 he doth giue thanks to his father that hee hath hidden these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hath reuealed them to babes VII And especially when it is spoken of the loue of God and of obedience to his commandements the Scripture will haue vs to acknowledge that whatsoeuer is done well by vs is receiued from God We loue God because he hath loued vs first Iohn 4.19 For this is one of the effects of the loue of God towards vs that it doth put into our hearts a loue of him God himselfe thus speaketh Ier. 31. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And Chapter 32. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Moses bringeth this reason as the cause why the Israelites did not repent at the law of God ratified with so many threatnings and confirmed with so many miracles Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not giuen you a heart to perceiue nor eyes to see Let Arminius tell mee whether these men had sufficient power to beleeue or sufficient grace which with the helpe of free-will they might haue rightly vsed if they would Fie on this forgerie And yet was not God the cause of the impenitency and blindnesse of that people For hee that will not heale him that is blinde is not the cause of his blindenesse God did not put this wickednesse in man but he knoweth who they are on whom hee will haue mercy and he hath reason for his actions to enquire into which were not onely rash but also dangerous VIII Saint Paul Galath 3.26 saith That wee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ If therefore it be in the power of mans free-will being helped with grace to beleeue or not to beleeue to vse that grace or not to vse it it must needes also be in the power of free-will helped with grace to effect that we may be the sonnes of God or may not Which is contrary not onely to piety but also to common sence for who euer effected that he was the sonne of his father or who is beholding to himselfe for any part of his generation IX The same Apostle saith Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of him that sheweth mercy By him that willeth and him that runneth hee vnderstandeth him that worketh for the consideration of workes is excluded from the election or as Arminius had rather from the iustification of man that this benefit might be acknowledged to be receiued from the mercy of God alone Arminius offendeth against this rule For by his doctrine the conuersion of a man by faith and therefore both his righteousnesse and saluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth of him that worketh that is of him who by the helpe of his free-will doth vse vniuersall grace well and who doth therefore beleeue because to the helpe of grace hee hath brought the power of free-will by which hee hath obtained Faith For as I haue said the Arminians make the cause of faith to be these two ioyned together to wit grace and free-will to vse which free-will to the obtaining of saith and to the conuerting of himselfe is certainely to will and to runne The Apostle therfore ought to haue said It is of man that willeth and runneth and of God which sheweth mercy that free-will might be ioyned with the mercy of God And if as Saint Austin saith fitly Lib. 1. ad Simplic Quaest 2. It may be said That it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth because conuersion and saluation is not by the free-will of man alone why may it not also be said that it is not of God that sheweth mercy because conuersion is not made by the grace of God alone but also by free-will It skilleth nothing that Saint Austin vsed this argument against Pelagius who denied that we were preuented by grace for it hath the same force against the Semipelagians who ioyne free-will to grace Seeing that Saint Paul doth not say That it is not alone of him that willeth but doth altogether exclude free-will X. Finally this argument hath so tormented Arnoldus Page 445. that he would seeme to yeeld to our part for he saith It is not placed in our will that we should obey the calling of God but this thing it selfe is also from the mercy of God But the scoffing and crafty man is very wary least hee should say somewhat that should hurt his owne cause For when he saith that it is not placed in our will he vnderstandeth alone Therfore he would not say that this is wholy placed in the mercy of God alone but tenderly and with a flouting speech he saith that it is placed in the mercy of God He might yea he ought to say so much of free-will that he might agree to himselfe for he thinketh that it is not placed in the grace of God alone nor in free-will alone XI That man cannot be conuerted vnlesse God conuert him and that the whole praise of our conuersion is due to God Ieremy teacheth Chap. 31. v. 18. Conuert me and I shall be conuerted which is also repeated in the last Chapter of the Lamentations I am ashamed of the weake interpretation of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage who pag. 266. by conuerted would haue corrected to be vnderstood There is nothing so cleare and direct in the holy Scripture which may not be corrupted with a foolish and rash interpretation who hauing but little skill in the Hebrew is ignorant that the Verbe shub signifieth to be turned and not to punish and therefore in the contugation Hiphil it is to cause that one be conuerted and not that he be punished Or who doth not see how ridiculous a thing it were if men bruised with afflictions should pray that they might be still afflicted As if any one that were grieuously whipped should desire moreouer that he might be buffeted But Ieremy expoundeth himselfe and doth teach what it is to be conuerted for he addeth being conuerted I will repent and acknowledge my selfe this indeede is to be conuerted Seeing therefore that men who are already conuerted say Conuert me and I shall be conuerted Ier. 31. Draw me and I will runne Cant. 1. And doe ascribe the progresse and the proceeding of their conuersion to God alone how much more is the beginning of our conuersion to be attributed to God alone For if they that are already willing doe confesse that they owe to God whatsoeuer good they doe and that without his grace they cannot moue a foote further how much more is it to be determined that of being
but what heretofore we were able to doe and from what a height of iustice we fell by the fall of Adam XII The Scripture doth supply most forcible proofes for this thing Saint Paul Philip. 2.12 doth command vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling but presently after lest it should be thought that this can be performed by vs because it is commanded he doth adde It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thus Ezech. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit But lest any should thinke that this is a thing of our free-will in the thirty sixt Chapter of the same Prophecy God speaketh thus I will take away the stony heart out of you flesh and giue you a new heart Thus Ioel 11. Be ye conuerted to mee with your whole heart yet Ieremy Chap. 31.18 doth acknowledge that the conuersion of a sinner is the gift of God Turne mee O Lord and I shall be turned And the last of the Lamentations Turne vs O Lord and we shall be turned So Deut. 10.16 God doth thus speake to the people Circumcise the fore-skinne of your heart yet Chapter 30.6 it is declared who doth worke it The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart Thus Christ Iohn 14.1 commands vs to beleeue in him and yet hee saith no man can come to him except the father draw him Iohn 6 44. and that by comming hee meaneth beleeuing he himselfe teacheth v. 35. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And Phil. 1. Ephes 2. wee are taught that faith and the act of beleeuing is from God Finally the Scripture will haue men to gaine their bread by the sweat and labour of their hands and yet neuerthelesse wee are commanded to aske our daily bread of God because the foode of the body is the gift of God but that which hee doth giue to him that worketh For the blessing of God doth not come on idlenesse but on labour That I may not say many things Doth not God require perfect obedience from the vnregenerate Yes and from the heathen to whom Christ was neuer knowne And yet if one should say that they might be perfectly iust and altogether without sinne he should attribute that to vnbeleeuers which neuer happened to any faithfull man Doth not Arminius himselfe acknowledge that some are vnresistably hardned from whom yet God doth require perfect obedience XIII Neither doth God therefore command in vaine or are his precepts to no purpose For God in commanding exhorting threatning c. doth affect man with the sence of his sinne hee doth teach man his debt what once hee could doe and whence he fell Also he doth propound a rule of iustice lest any one should pretend ignorance for his sinnes Finally he doth ioyne to his word the efficacy of the spirit and he doth as it were arme and head it and make it sharpe and effectuall It is not in vaine to command him that is fettered to runne if by that commandement his fetters are loosed It is not in vaine to command a blinde man to see if by those words wherewith this is commanded the eyes of him that is blinde are opened For the words of God doe work that in vs which they command vs to do They doe so command that they doe also worke as his words in the creation God commandeth that which he would haue done but hee giueth also that which he commandeth and it is profitable for man to be pressed downe with the intollerable burthen of the Law which doth exceede his strength that he might the more couetously embrace the remedies offred in Christ Excellently to this purpose Saint Austin lib. de corrept gratia cap. 3. O man in the commandement know what thou oughtest to doe in the word of correction and reproofe know that by thine owne fault thou hast not that thou oughtest to haue in prayer know whence thou mayest receiue what thou wouldst haue And in his booke de spiritu litera God doth not measure his precepts by the strength of man but where he commands that which is right hee doth freely giue to his elect ability of fulfilling it XIV The similitudes which these Sectaries vse to procure enuie to vs are plainly contrary and nothing to the purpose They say it is to no purpose to blame the blinde man because he doth not see although he hath pulled out his owne eyes or to vrge him to worke who hath cut off his owne hands Concerning him that is blinde I answere that this example is brought by them vnproperly for no blinde man whether he is blinde by his owne fault or by anothers is bound to see But hee that by his owne fault is made wicked and vnable to obey God is yet bound to obey him No man is bound to exercise naturall functions after they haue ceased but the bond whereby the creature is bound to the Creator can be wiped out by no occasion much lesse by the wickednesse of man But if any blinde man had rather be blinde then see and should refuse the remedies offred should he not iustly be blamed Such is the condition of man in the state of sinne for he is not onely necessarily euill but he will not be good and he is delighted with his wickednesse XV. The similitude of him who hath willingly cut off his owne hands hath the same defects Wherevnto this is to be added that the hands may be cut off but the will which is here signified by the hands cannot be cut off For euery most wicked man is endued with a will by which hee is alwayes bound to worship and loue God although he hath corrupted it Finally the similitudes of naturall and ciuill things are for the most part very vnfitly and absurdly drawn to morall things and to religion By the like reason that ridiculous similitude of a man speaking to dry bones is disâ—olued for these bones are not bound to moue themselues but an vnregenerate man is bound to beleeue and to obey XVI Arnoldus page 136. hath these words We see saith hee that the Scripture doth often say that he which doth beleeue and is conuerted doth seperate himselfe from euill doth purge quicken sanctifie saue and circumcise himselfe doth make him a new heart doth put on the new man c. Whence hee doth gather that it may be said that man doth seperate himselfe although the Apostle saith Who seperateth thee vnderstanding none but God The places noted in the margent whereby the proueth these things are these Ezech. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit Iam. 1.27 Pure religion is to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world 1 Pet. 1.22 Wee are commanded to purifie our soules 2 Tim. 2.21 If any one purge himselfe he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified c. Luke 17.33 Whosoeuer shall loose his life shall preserue it Deut. 10.16 Circumcise
which are naturally engrafted the contrary habits of faith hope charity humility patience c. should succeede Which habits are not obtained by vse and by actions as the Arminians thinke pag. Per spiritus sancti operationem vires homini dantur ad eliciendos actus conuersioâ—â—s concomitante porro spiritu credit beâ—â—agit home crebris fidâ—â— charitatis patientiae actibus habitum spei fidei c. sibi comparaet 65. against the Walachrians but are imprinted and infused by the Spirit of God who doth stirre vp holy actions and motions which doe strengthen faith and charitie and increase it by exercise For man helped by the spirit of God doth not giue himselfe faith or charity or obtaine them by exercise and industry but they are giuen by God and are nourished and increased by voluntary and spontaneus actions inspired by God And that the will is rather the seate of vertues then the sensitiue appetites reason it selfe doth proue For it is more like that the reasonable appetite which is peculiar to man is adorned with vertues rather then the appetite which is common to vs with beasts which if it were the seate of the vertues of righteousnesse holinesse and charity the sensitiue faculty ceasing after death vertue also would cease and the will of the separated soule would be altogether voide of righteousnesse and holinesse And if any one doth suppose that the appetites may be called iust subiectiuely and that they are the subiect of righteousnesse and holinesse because they obey the minde enlightned by God there is no cause why the will freely subiecting it selfe to that perswasion ought not also after the same manner be called iust and holy and the subiect of righteousnesse and holinesse And seeing that the rectified will of a wise and pious man is wont to rule ouer the affections and to compell them into the compasse who doth not see that vertue is rather in that part which being rectified doth rule ouer the affections then in the affections which doe for the most part slackly obey this holy command I confesse indeed that Christian vertues doe in some part pertaine to the sensitiue appetities But after the same manner that the art of training vp a horse which doth properly reside in the horse-man doth in some part belong to the horse whom the industry of the rider hath broake to the circuits and compasse and hath taught to moue himselfe with an ordered motion Could there be none more commodious meanes inuented of maintaining the liberty of the will of man then by depriuing it of all vertue Surely the Arminians shew themselues stout patrons of the liberty of free-will if they spoyle the will of vertues that it might be free and doe shake off the bonds of holy habits from the will lest it should be too much bound For as they teach that the will before the fall was not indued with spirituall gifts lest it should be thought by the fall to be defiled with vices and lest contrary vices and a natural deprauation should be thought to haue succeded in the place of those spirituall gifts which were lost So they also deny that the habits of faith and charity c. are infused into the will by God lest the will being changed by that infusion should lose the power of finally resisting the holy-Ghost For they thinke that iniury is done to the will if the liberty of casting it selfe headlong into hell be taken away which surely is an vnhappy liberty and for the defence whereof these Sectaries ought not to apply themselues with all their strength as if it stood vs so much vpon so to be free that wee might resist God to the end and destroy our selues Neither was this a fit cause of making the will such a silly and single thing naturally indued neither with vices nor vertues but a thing that may be turned and winded euery way and like the prime and first matter capable of euery impression seeing that on the contrary the will of man is naturally euill and euen incorporated in vices as we haue abundantly proued Chap. 33. and men according to their will especially are eyther good or euill We determine therefore that Christian vertues are not obtained by vse and industry but are infused by God into the minde and into the will who doth not onely giue power of beleeuing but also to beleeue in Christ it selfe and doth worke in vs actuall faith As he who by his certaine and absolute purpose hath decreed to giue faith to them whom hee decreed to saue whereby they might be saued The effect of which grace we determine doth not depend on mans free-will and that it is not in our power to beleeue and to be conuerted if we will seeing that on the contrary God giueth to the elect that they might will to be conuerted to beleeue giuing them both to will and to doe according to his good pleasure CHAP. XLV The question of morall perswasion is sifted and discussed and whether euery perswasion may be resisted THE Arminians determine that the efficacy of the spirit of God working in our hearts is in a morall perswasion For they deny that those habits of Faith Hope and Charity are infused into mens hearts by God lest the liberty of free-will should be violated and lest conuersion should be made by an vnresistible and vnauoidable necessity but rather by a gentle invitation which man may eyther resist or obey This their opinion doth rest on this false principle that there is no perswasion which may not be so resisted that the effect thereof may at length be hindred We contend that this principle is false For there is a perswasion so effectuall that it doth necessarily draw a man to ascent which although thou maist resist if thou wouldst yet thou canst not be willing If one in a scorching drought should offer sweete wholesome drinke to him that is a thirst and should with a friendly perswasion invite him to drinke and should disswade and hinder nothing on the contrary I say that it cannot be but that hee who is thirsty should take the drinke offered him A man hath fallen into the hands of enemies who loade him with chaines and cast him into prison and bring him neere the punishment Now if one should enter the same prison who should loosen the chaines open the gate and shew him a sure way of escape and should exhort him that he should flie and free himselfe from the present danger I doe not thinke that such a man could obtain of himselfe that he should not obey such perswasion And if in humane things there are many such like perswasions which you cannot be willing to resist How much lesse can that perswasion be resisted when to the euidence and certainty of the perswasion and to the excellency of those heauenly good things which the Gospell doth offer to vs and to the knowledge of the present danger the diuine power hath also
ill of himselfe then to measure other men by his owne foote and to iudge of others confidence by his owne incredulitie XXV The Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 3. Vers 6. doth command vs to hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope firme vnto the end And Cha. 10. Vers 22. Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith And Ephes 3.12 In Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him And 1 Iohn 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue on the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life XXVI Our Sauiour himselfe doth promise that hee will giue vs all things which wee shall aske in his name Iohn 14.13 If therefore wee aske grace which cannot be ouercome nor extinguished and perseuerance in the faith Christ promiseth that wee shall receiue what we aske XXVII Doth Dauid speake as one doubting of his saluation Psal 17. I shall see thy face in righteousnesse and I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse Or Simeon speaking thus Luke 2. Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Or Stephen who his enemies gnashing their teeth at him and being certaine of death did cry out I see the heauens open and the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of God Could the grace of God be ouercome by free-will in those men Or was their confidence deceitfull and failing and the decree of God concerning their saluation yet reuocable as these Sectaries speake XXVIII Why should I speake of Saint Paul who desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ being full of faith speaketh thus 2 Tim. 4.18 The Lord shall deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome And in the same place after he had endured so many labours he doth vtter this as his victorious song I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse c. With no lesse confidence doth hee speake both in his owne and in our name long before the end of his strife Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life c nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. XXIX But the doubting of our saluation doth please these Sectaries who are stuffed and strouted out with pretended modesty and humility Their words against the Walachrians pag. 76. are these Whether any one can be certaine that hee shall perseuere in the faith We will not say yea we suppose it to be very profitable to doubt of these things and that it is laudible for a Christian Souldier to the shaking off the sloathfulnesse and the drowsinesse of the soule in the worke of Religion In the same place they admit onely that certainetie whereby one doth know that God and sufficient helpe shall not be wanting to him so that hee be not wanting to himselfe which certainty surely may be in any reprobate They doe instill these things with a goodly shew vnder the pretence of instigation to good workes that they might secretly ouerturne the foundation of faith as it were by vndermining it and as if there were no way of stirring vp sluggishnesse but by the damage of Faith It is prophane modestie which maketh men incredulous and vnbeleeuing and vnder a shew of humilitie doth teach them to distrust God But they themselues who teach these things doe boast that God hath giuen them what hee ought yea and that God is bound to giue them sufficient grace that it might appeare that vnder this affected humilitie there is much pride CHAP. XLVII The iudgement of Saint Austin concerning this controuersie I. THe certainty of perseuerance may be taken two waies Either for the certainty of the decree of God by which God decreed to giue perseuerance in faith to them whom hee elected to saluation Or for that confidence by which one doth certainely perswade himselfe that he shall neuer be forsaken by God The first certainty is necessarily drawne from that election which is absolute and is not for faith fore-seene but not the latter Because God hath decreed many things concerning vs whereof hee hath not yet giuen vs the full knowledge II. The full perswasion of the faithfull doth not rest on any reuelation whereby God hath laid open to vs the secrets of his counsels but on the promises of the Gospel and on the inward feeling whereby one searching himselfe doth feele that he doth seriously beleeue in Christ and on the inward testimony of the spirit witnessing in our hearts that we are the sonnes of God Yet there may be many and those good and godly men who although they belong to the election of God haue not come to this full confidence III. Saint Austin being beaten in this question and exercised in often contentions of the Pelagians is a most earnest maintainer of the former certainty and doth gather from the election of God according to his purpose that the elect can neuer be forsaken by God and that grace is giuen which can neuer faile and by which they shall certainely perseuere There are many excellent things in his workes to this purpose but he doth no where speake more plainely then in his booke de correp gratia which hee writ when he was very old In the twelfth Chapter hee hath these words There is giuen to the Saints that are predestinated by the grace of God to the kingdome of God not onely such helpe of grace but also such a helpe that perseuerance it selfe is giuen them not onely that without that gift they could not perseuere but also that by this gift they cannot but perseuere For he hath not onely said without me ye can doe nothing but he hath also said yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and haue appointed you that you might goe on and might beare fruit and that your fruit might remaine In which words hee declareth that he hath giuen them not onely righteousnesse but also perseuerance in righteousnesse For Christ so appointing them that they should goe on and beare fruit and that their fruit should remaine who dare say that perhaps it shall not remaine For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance that is the calling of them who are called according to his purpose Christ therefore making intercession for these that their faith should not faile without doubt it shall not faile to the end and by this it shall perseuere to the end and the end of this life shall finde it remaining And a little after The will of them is so much enflamed by the holy-Ghost that they therefore are able because they so will and they doe therefore so will because God worketh in them that they may will For if in so great infirmity of this life in which notwithstanding
things the Arminians bring some arguments but so light that they are dispearsed onely with a breath Arminius against Perkins Page 57. doth say that Stephen Acts 7.51 doth vpbraide and reproach the Iewes that they did alwaies resist the Holy-Ghost Hence the accure man doth gather that these rebellious Iewes were inwardly affected with the Holy-Ghost But the following words doe declare what it is to resist the Holy-Ghost for Stephen addeth Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted to wit to persecute the Prophets speaking by the inspiration of the Holy-Ghost and to resist the spirit speaking by their mouths this was to resist the Holy-Ghost XI I confesse that there are some men who doe resist the spirit of grace of whom the Apostle speaketh Hebrewes 10.29 and who doe striue against the inward suggestion of the Holy-Ghost But there the Apostle speaketh of some few who hauing embraced the Gospell with ioy and hauing receiued some tast of the word of God doe a while after with an obstinate minde and on set purpose turne their back to God and doe cast out his grace with indignation and doe sinne wilfully after they haue receiued the knowledge of the truth as it is said verse 26. who that they are the same with them who sinne against the Holy-Ghost doth hence appeare in that the Apostle in the same place doth say that their sâ—luation was past hope and doth say that there remaineth no sacrifice for their sinnes and that there doth rest no hope of reconciliation for them But this doth agree but to some few and not to all to whom eyther the law alone or the Gospell with the law hath beene made knowne All which these Sectaries teach are moued inwardly by the Hoâ—y Ghost and haue a feeling of the true doctrine imprinted in them Neither doe I thinke that the gifts of the spirit which such men as these haue receiued are the gifts of regeneration or the spirit of adoption or the true proper and iustifying faith but onely some assayes of the spirit mouing the heart at whose suggestion the will being warmed with some slight heare rather then enflamed doth cleaue to the Gospell vntill the benummed appetites perceiuing warre to be intended against them haue raised themselues with greater force and hauing shaken out of the heart that superficiall piety haue turned it into hatred and by the very incitations of piety their hidden poyson hath more vehemently burst forth XII Arminius in the same place doth hold vp and as it were vnderproppe their tottering cause with that place of the Prophet Esay Chapter 55.11 where he hath these words So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voide but shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I senâ—â— Surely this is to hit the nayle on the head The meaning of Esay is plaine for he saith that the promises and threats propounded in the word of God shall be executed and that nothing was saide in vaine and which should not be fulfilled Here is no mention of the quickning efficacy of the spirit affecting mens hearts nor if there were could it thence be proued that the spirit of God did worke in all but in them alone whom he decreed to saue XIII Arnoldus Page 443. doth poure out a showre of places of Scripture and yet hee doth not proue by them that which hee doth intend That place Matth. 23.37 doth not proue it How oft would I haue gathered thy children c. For we haue shewed in the fift Chapter that these children were gathered together Also if they were not gathered together it would not follow that they were called any otherwise then by an outward calling XIV That place Esay 65 2. doth not proue it I haue spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people Nor that Prou. 1.24 I haue called and ye refused For there it is spoken of the outward calling and not of the efficacy of the spirit working in mens hearts XV. Nor that place Psal 81.14 O that my people had hearkened that Israell had walked in my wates I would soone haue subdued their enemies For these words meane nothing else then what they plainely found forth to wit that God would haue laid flat the enemies of Israell if Israell had obeyed God Here is no mention at all of the inward efficacy of the spirit XVI Nor that of Ezechiel Chapter 18. v. 31. Make ye a new heart and a new spirit For it is not proued by this place that man doth make himselfe a new heart seeing God in the 36. Chapter of the same Prophecy saith I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit Much lesse is it hence proued that the Holy-Ghost doth worke in all men XVII Nor that of Saint Iohn Chapter 5.34 I seeke not the testimony of men but these things I say that ye might be saued And verse 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might haue life By which words how it can be proued that the quickning power of the Holy-Ghost doth worke in all men I confesse and it is my dulnesse I cannot conceiue XVIII It is not proued by those words of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men be saued Of which words wee haue at large proued Chapter 29. that this is the sence God doth inuite to saluation men of any sort and of euery condition XIX Nor by that place of Peter Epphes 2. Chap. 3. v. 9. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance For it cannot be drawne out of this place that the Holy-Ghost doth inwardly worke in all men euen in those to whom the Gospell is not preached but onely that God is not the cause of the ouerthrow of any one that he doth not reioyce in the destruction of man as he is man For otherwise as the same man is a sinner God doth loue the execution of his iustice XX. Nor is it proued by that place of Ezechiel Chapter 12.2 Sonne of man thou dwellest in the middest of a rebellious house which haue eyes to see and see not they haue eares to heare and heare not For there by eyes and eares is not to be vnderstood sufficient grace to saluation eyther mediately or immediately nor the operation of the Holy-Ghost working in the reprobates but a knowledge in the heart by which euen against their wills they did acknowledge that those things were right which were taught them by the Prophets for they were admonished by so cleere instructions and stirred vp with so seuere threates that they could not pretend ignorance This knowledge was giuen them not by supernaturall grace working inwardly nor by sufficient grace common to all men by which they might haue beleeued and beene conuerted if they would but by the instructions and documents of the Prophets and by the law of God knowne and perceiued in their minde
against which they did willingly harden their heart XXI To the Scripture thus corrupted and depraued hee doth ioyne reasons that are no better God saith he should delude and mock men if hee should offer them saluation and should say that hee desired their saluation and yet doth not call them to that end that they should be saued I answere the end propounded to God in calling by the Law or by the Gospell those whom he knoweth will not follow is not that those whom hee calleth should not be saued But Gods end is to require of man that which he oweth to wit to obey God commanding obedience and to beleeue him promising Nor is it any doubt but that God doth seriously call men For in calling men bee doth seriously declare what is acceptable to him what man doth owe and what he will giue to them that beleeue and obey But wee doe not say with Arnoldus that God is bound to restore to man those powers which he lost and to cure that disability of man which man brought vpon himselfe Furthermore it is wicked audacity to goe about to prescribe meanes to God which vnlesse he follow hee hath no way to escape the crime of iniustice as if he should be compelled to pleade his cause before the tribunall of man XXII Arnoldus proceedeth The same thing saith he God doth teach when he doth expresly declare that he will not be loaden with this vniust suspition that hee should require any thing of vs to the performance whereof he would not giue vs sufficient power I omit that rude kinde of speaking and which is not agreeing to God when he saith that God will not be loaden with that vniust suspition as if God feared the vniust suspitions of men To the thing it selfe therefore I say that this doctrine is most wicked and there is scarce any that is worse For seeing God doth require from vnregenerate men and Infidels their naturall debt that is the perfect fulfilling of the Law it followeth by this speech of Arnoldus that the vnregenerate and infidels themselues haue power by which without the knowledge of Christ and without faith they may perfectly fulfill the Law and be without sinne The Arminians themselues doe say that God doth vnresistably harden some men who although they cannot but sinne yet from them being hardned God doth not lesse require perfect obedience then before their hardning For the creature is by no means no not by the eternall punishments exempted from his subiection to his creator Nor is it to be doubted but that the Diuels themselues who are in eternall torments are bound to beleeue God for they are therefore punished because they doe not loue him Also if any one be punished for disobedience past he is not therefore freed from the obedience that is due for the time to come But this peruerse doctrine which doth gather by the commandements of God what are the powers of men and doth thinke that there is nothing commanded by God to the fulfilling whereof powers are not supplied to man is at large confuted in the 35. Chapter CHAP. XXXVII Of the distinction of grace into sufficient and effectuall grace I. THe distinction of grace into sufficient and into effectuall grace is an old worne distinction in the Schooles But effectuall grace is taken two wayes For it doth either signifie that grace which is apt and fit to effect and worke as when we call that medicine effectuall and that remedy forcible which although it be not taken by the sicke man yet is apt and fit to heale Or we call that grace effectuall which doth effect and worke in act in which sence effectuall is vsed for efficient and the efficacy is vsed for the effect or for the efficiency The Philosophers say that there is a double efficient cause one in power as the Architect and the Physitian another in act as hee that buildeth and hee that cureth Hence proceedeth that double acceptation of the word efficacy II. The Papists thinke that there is sufficient aide to conuersion giuen to all men with which aide they may so cooperate with the helpe of their free-will that they may be conuerted although there come no other effectuall aide And by effectuall grace they vnderstand that grace which is efficient and doth bring forth its effect III. The Arminians who in the question of grace and free-will doe so dresse and trimme vp Popery as the Papists doe Pelagianisme doe often vse that distinction of sufficient and effectuall grace but with such a floating speech and affected ambiguity that it is hard to know what is effectuall grace with them Arminius against Perkins pag. 245. doth say that that is effectuall grace which doth in very deede worke the effect and hee doth bring these examples God was able to make many worlds but hee did it not effectually Christ was able to saue all men but he did it not effectually Which speech is certainely absurd and deserueth to be laughed at for he speaketh as if God did something not effectually or as if hee had created many worlds ineffectually For in stead of to doe effectually hee ought to haue simply said to doe or to make IV. But Arnoldus being as Diomedes melior patre better then his father doth forsake Arminius For he pag. 397. hath these words That thing is said to be effectuall not which doth effect any thing but which is so powerfull to doe something as is an effectuall remedy and forcible meanes Thus the Patrons of errour are fallen out betweene themselues But here I am bound to patronize and maintaine Arminius against his Scholler For if effectuall grace be taken for that which doth effect and worke in act then this distinction of grace into sufficient and effectuall may be admitted because there are many things of sufficient power to worke which yet doe not worke in act as the absent Physitian and the sleeping Phylosopher But it cannot be said that one grace is sufficient to worke and another is fit and apt to worke for these two are both one neither can any thing be spoken more absurdâ—y then that there is some grace sufficient which is not fit to worke That cannot be an efficient cause which is not of sufficient power V. Therefore according to Arminius the meanes to faith and saluation are administred to all sufficiently but not effectually and efficiently But according to Arnoldus God doth administer these meanes to all men both sufficiently and effectually for he had rather take efficacy for aptitude and fitnesse to worke then for efficiency and the working it selfe that he might say that the efficacy of grace doth not depend on free-will For if he had taken efficacy for efficiency then he must haue said that the efficacy of grace doth depend on free-will For the Schoole and followers of Arminius doe hold this by the teeth and doe cry out with one mouth that the effect or efficiency of grace doth depend on free-will