obserued that the Apostle speaking of reprobates doth say that they are vessels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitted or prepared to destruction He doth not say that God prepared or sitted them least he should seeme to say that God put sinne in them by which they might be prepared to destruction but when he speaketh of the elect hauing turned his speech saith that God prepared them for glory which God doth by giuing them the spirit and faith It is not without consideration that the Apostle would not after the same manner speake in both places viz. because God found some vessels fitted to destruction but made others vessels appointed to glory and that by hauing mercy on them X. Saint Austen is expresse to this purpose For in sixe hundred places either explaning or touching this place of Saint Paul hee doth vnderstand by the name Masse the Masse corrupted and polluted with sinne So Epist 105. Because that whole Masse is iustly condemned iustice hath giuen that contumely and disgrace that is due and grace doth giue that honour which is not due and in the same Epistle The vniuersall Masse is iustly condemned of sinne and a little after If they are the vessels of wrath which are made for that destruction which is duâ—ly giuen to them let them impute this to themselues because they are made of that Masse which for the sinne of one man is iustly and deseruedly condemned of God He doth repeate the same thing Epist 106. and Encherid cap. 98 99. and 107. where he calleth it the Masse of destruction See also the 2. lib. against the two Epistles of the Pelagians cap. 7. and lib. 5. against Iulian cap. 3. Neither did euer any among the ancient thinke that Paul speakes of the sound and not corrupted Masse CHAP. XV. That Arminius doth willingly darken the words of the Apostle which are cleare and expresse ARminius with a carefull subtilty but with an vnhappy successe hath written a Treatise vpon the ninth Chapter to the Romanes for hee doth torment the Apostle and doth as it were with wracks draw from him against his will what things he thinks may make for the patronage of his errour of Election for faith fore-seene I. He faines that the Apostles minde is to teach that they onely of the Iewes were to be reckoned the sonnes of Abraham who letting passe iustification by the law doe follow after righteousnesse and faith and the purpose according to Election hee denyeth to be the decree of the election of seuerall men but the generall and condition all decree of sauing all who were to beleeue By which decree Arminius will haue all men to be elected conditionally which surely is no election seeing election is not but of seueral men who are chosen out of the multitude others being reiected II. I confesse indeede that the doctrine of election by free grace doth make the way to the doctrine of righteousnesse by faith yet all this dispute of Saint Paul concerning election which reacheth from the sixt verse to the thirteenth doth not deale of iustification by faith neither would the Apostle proue in this place that man is iustified by faith or that God doth elect those which apprehend Christ by faith But by the doctrine of election doth frame to himself an entrance to the treatise of iustification by faith which afterwards he addes Hee would here proue this one thing that man is not truely the sonne of the promise by the workes of the law but by the election of free grace and by the mercy of God for it is manifest that here workes are not opposed to faith but to election and to God calling So Verse the 11. he doth not say not by workes but by faith but he saith not by workes but by him that calleth So Verse 16. when he had said It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth hee doth not adde but of him that beleeueth What then but of God that sheweth mercy III. For when it is spoken of the cause why of two that are equally conceiued in sinne such as were Esau and Iacob God should preferre the one afore the other the onely mercy of God and the election by grace is to be considered and not faith which is not the cause but the effect of our election neither doth it goe before election but followeth it So Saint Paul 1 Cor. 7.25 saith that he obtained mercy from God to be faithfull and not because he was after to be so Wherefore Saint Paul in all this speech wherein hee speaks of the cause of the difference which God makes betweene two that were by nature alike makes no mention of faith But this Treatise being finished he doth descend verse 30. to the righteousnesse of faith as to the fruit which doth follow election IV. But Arminius for the safegard of his cause doth change the words of Saint Paul and doth thrust in something of his owne Pag. 27. For in the place of that which Saint Paul saith not of workes but of him that calleth he doth substitute these his words feigned by himselfe not of worke but of faith whereby God calling should be obeyed when notwithstanding in all that disputation which dealeth concerning election there is no mention made of faith neither doth the least steppe thereof appeare V. It is meruailous how much Arminius doth abuse the examples of Isaac and Ishmael and also of Iacob and Esau He doth contend that they are here propounded not as examples but as types of them who followed after righteousnesse by workes not by faith Certainely there must be some agreement betweene the type and the thing signified by the type But who euer heard it said that Ishmael would haue beene iustified by the workes of the Law and not by faith seeing at that time the law was not giuen neither were these differences of iustification by the law and by faith knowne neither is it credible that Ishmael euer thought of or regarded these things Therefore Arminius doth as much as if Nimrod should be made a type of the Pharisaicall righteousnesse Can the night be a type of the light or can Esau whom the Apostle Heb. 12.16 calleth prophane and therefore also a despiser of the Law be a type of them who being set on fire with the zeale of the Law would be iustified by their workes But it is worth the labour to here why he would haue Esau be a type of the sonnes of the flesh and of them which affâ—ct rightâ—ousnesse by workes Because saith he he was first borne O acutely spoken He should haue said because he was red or because he was a hunter I am ashamed to refute these things and yet in these figments and forgeries the good man doth place the chiefe safegard of his doctrine of election for faith fore-seene VI. Then also see how licentiously he mookes the Apostle For when he layeth downe Ishmael and Esau not as examples of reâ—ection by the secret counseâ—l of God
willed him to be a man For if God had appointed man to punishment before he had appointed to create him he should so doe as if any one should determine to beate his children before he hath determined to beget them XIV Finally seeing the first act of his omnipotency was busied about nothing it must neede be that it went before the act of his mercy or iustice which cannot be busied but about something that hath being XV. They say the same thing in other words which would haue God in predestinating to haue considered man as one that might be created and might fail For he which saith he might be created saith he was not yet created and hee that saith hee might fall saith that he had not fallen but that to other inconueniences they adde this increase that they put a power and potentiall faculty in that thing which is nothing In God indeede there was the actiue power of creating the world before he created it But there was not in the world the passiue power for creating before it was created So neither could there be power for the creation or for the fall in man being not created and it is plainely contrary to reason that of him which is not it should be said that he may fall Then also if God elected man that might be created what doth hinder that it may not be said that he elected some whom hee neuer would create For these also may be created but if God elected those whom he presupposed hee would create the will of creating must needes goe before the election CHAP. XIV That the Apostle Saint Paul in the ninth to the Romanes by the word Masse vnderstood the corrupted Masse I. SAint Paul keepes himselfe within these limits in the ninth chapter to the Romanes where hee speaketh more fully and more exactly of the election and reprobation then any where else For if he had written with a beame of the Sunne it could not more cleerely appeare that he speakes of the corrupted masse and of the will of God by which of sinfull men one is chosen and the other reprobated II. The scope of the Apostle is to beate back the vaine confidence of the Iewes who boasted in the law and in the righteousnesse of their workes to whom it did seeme an absurd and impossible thing that the Israelites or the greater part of them fell from the couenant of God and were not reckoned among the sonnes of God That hee might pull this scruple out of their mindes and might wash away this pride he fetcheth the matter from the very originall and doth deny that carnall propagation or the righteousnesse of workes is the cause why any one is to be reckoned the sonne of Abraham but the good pleasure of God and the free election of grace by which God of the issue of Abraham chose whom he would and whom he would hee reiected hath mercy of whom he would and whom he would hee hardned and of the same masse hath prepared some vessels for honour and hath patiently endured the vessels prepared for destruction To which purpose he bringeth two paire of examples Isaac and Ishmaell Iacob and Esau and he doth lay downe Isaac and Iacob as sonnes of the promise and examples of the free election of grace but Ishmaell and Esau as examples of reiection And he doth seeme of purpose to adde the example of Esau and Iacob for a prolepsis or preuention of an obiection For the Iewes might except that therefore the difference was betweene Isaac and Ishmaell because the one was of the seruant the other of the free woman Then also because when Isaac was borne Ishmael already had shewed the signes of an euill disposition and had done those things for which hee ought to be excluded from the couenant The Apostle doth fitly preuent this obiection by the example of Iacob and Esau who both were the sonnes of the free woman and neither of them had done any good or euill yet God loued the one and hated the other III. All these things are brought by the Apostle that he might teach in what respect God chose some of the Iewes and reprobated others although they were puft vp with the opinion of legall righteousnesse This nation seeing it was impure and corrupt it could not be compared to the pure masse And the Apostle should plainely speake besides the matter if he should vse the example of the vndefiled masse to teach how God out of a corrupted nation chose some and reprobated others IV. The examples of Iacob and Esau doe conuince and proue the same thing of whom when they were in the wombe and had done neither good nor euill God doth pronounce that he loued Iacob that hee hated Esau Now God could not consider these twins in the wombe but he must consider them such as they were they were corrupted defiled with originall sinne Surely he cannot be said to be preferred before the other because he was better when he was in the womb seeing neither of them had done good or euill This is that with which S. Paul doth stop the mouth of these questionists and will not haue any to plead against God or answere him againe seeing there is no cause but the meere good pleasure of God why of two that were equally euill he preferred the one before the other V. Neither is there any small force in these words I haue hated for God could not hate the creature whom he considered as pure and voide of sinne VI. It is no light thing that hee so describeth the elect to wit that they are they whom God will haue mercy on ver 18. whence also ver 23. they are called the vessels of mercy for mercy presupposeth misery They force the words of the Apostle who by misereri to haue mercy vnderstand simply benefacere to doe well I should doubt and make conscience to affirme that God had had mercy on Christ as man on whom yet he hath bestowed more gifts then on any other creature VII There is great weight also in the word hardning he hardneth saith the Apostle whom he will As by those on whom God will haue mercy the Elect are vnderstood so by them that are hardned the reprobate are vnderstood And to thinke that God determined to harden that man whom hee considereth as pure as in the incorrupted estate is great wickednesse and contumelious against the iustice of God By this meanes God should not onely punish the innocent but also depraue and corrupt the guiltlesse For obduration and hardning is a species and kinde of punishment and therefore after sinne God hardneth none but he who is already hard so he hardned Pharaoh he being already stubborne and prone to rebell of his owne disposition VIII Neither is there neede of much wit to perceiue that Pharaoh is no fit example of reprobation out of the incorrupted Masse and of a man considered without sinne IX It is also greatly to be
that of two that are equally euill and furnished with the like helpe of grace that is hauing alike sufficient and vniuersall grace and being alike called by the Gospell whether it can come to passe that one should be conuerted and another not If it can come to passe I demand whence is the difference Was greater grace giuen to the one No he said the grace was equall Or is it because one is better then another No the question is of them that are equally euill Also if it were so the conuersion of the one should not be of grace alone but of free-will Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling to this for he addes Although God who doth principally worke faith in man doth separate the faithfull man from the vnbeleeuer yet because he doth not worke faith and conuersion in man without the will of man hee doth not separate man without man And a little after he addeth That man doth separate himselfe by his owne will You heare that God is the principall cause of faith but not the totall and that man doth separate himselfe by his owne will when yet the Apostle saith Who separates thee attributing this praise to God alone And that the cause why of two that are alike called one followeth the other refuseth is in the one free-will in the other grace indeede but yet so that the vse of it dependeth on mans free-will in the power whereof it is to vse grace or not to vse it So that in the one free-will is the totall cause of incredulitie and in the other it is the part-cause of faith and conuersion So that now man hath whereof he may boast it is he that separates himselfe and saluation is of man that willeth and runneth and of God that sheweth mercy These innouators that they might defend themselues against that saying of Saint Paul Who separateth thee doe contend that Paul speaketh of that separation by which they that haue receiued many gifts are separated from them who haue receiued fewer which I willingly receiue For if by the grace of God alone they which are indued with greater gifts are separated from the faithfull who haue receiued fewer gifts how much more are they who are furnished with many gifts separated by the mercy of God alone from them who are altogether voide of Faith and of the knowledge of God XXVI That therefore of Saint Paul Tit. 3. standeth vnmoueable Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled And hee speaketh not onely of meates but also of the vse of meates which is pure according to the purity of conscience least any one should thinke that it is here spoken of the puritie of meates and not of the purity of actions XXVII Finally all Christian vertues Faith Charity c. are eyther in vs by nature or are obtained by vse and diligence or they are put and wrought in our hearts by God That they are naturally ingrafted Pelagius himselfe hath not dared to say That they are not obtained by vse and diligence the example of the theefe doth proue who in one moment without vse or exercise obtained faith It remainteth therefore that they are put into vs by God and that faith is from the meere gift and grace of God and not from free-will CHAP. XXXIV The reasons of the Arminians are examined by which they maintaine free-will in an vnregenerate man concerning things that are spirituall and belonging to saluation I. AGainst the doctrine of the Orthodoxe Church which doth put away from man all free-will in the worke of saluation being vpholden by the word of God and proued by sence it selfe and experience the Arminians doe oppose themselues with great diligence and doe patronize free-will in those that are vnregenerate II. They doe euery where obiect and reckon vp that of Saint Paul Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature those things contained in the Law I answere that by the Law it is commanded to loue God with all the heart with all the strength which cannot be done vnlesse you direct all your actions to his glory and vnlesse you be indued with faith because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Whosoeuer shalexamine the vertues of heathen men by the line of these rules shall finde that in their most honest deedes there were many things wanting and much sinne in them Hence it appeareth that the Gentiles indeede in an externall worke doe those things which are of the Law The words of Saint Paul are not to be extended any further But the forme of a right worke which is placed in the inward conueniency and agreement of the minde with the law of God was alwaies absent from infidels and heathen men It is one thing to doe those things that are of the law it is another thing to fulfill the law The one is to obey the law as concerning the externall matter of the worke the other is to be obedient to the law after that manner with that minde and to that end which is commanded by the word of God III. They scatter some little motiues as that Esay 55. v 1. They that thirst are inuited by God that is those that are desirous of reconciliation with God and of saluation And that Matth. 11. They that are heauy laden are called Come vnto mee yee that are weary and heauie laden By those that are laden are noted our those that are pressed downe with the conscience of their sinnes and sighing vnder the burden of them Therefore say they they were already desirous of saluation and were pressed downe with the conscience of their sins before they were called and regeneration is after calling And therefore in the vnregenerate there may be a sauing griefe and a desire of remission of sinnes but I affirme that those men so thirsting and so laden were not vnregenerate For that very desire of saluation and the grace of God and the sighes of the conscience panting vnder the weight of sinne by which wee are compelled to flie to Christ is a part of regeneration And that beginning of feare if it be acceptable to God is an effect of the holy spirit mouing the heart For what hindreth that he who thirsteth after the grace of God hath not already tasted of it and as it were licked it with his lippes What hindreth that he who is commanded to come to Christ should not already moue himselfe and beginne to goe although with a slow pace Doth Christ as often as he commandeth men to beleeue in him speake onely to vnbeleeuers Yea this exhortation to beleeue and to come to him doth especially belong to them whose faith being new bred and weake doth striue with the doubtings of the flesh IV. It is familiar to the Arminians to cite the words of Christ Iohn 7.17 If any one will doe the will of him that sent me hee shall know of my doctrine whether it be of God or whether I
thing from vs to the performing whereof hee will not giue vs sufficient power And this hee saith is shewed by God when hee teacheth that hee doth not gather where hee hath not scattered VI. Nor is the audacity of Verstius lesse Collat. cum piscat Sect. 8. God saith he by the law of his nature that is of his naturall iustice goodnesse and prouidence is alwaies bound at the least to will those good things to men without which they cannot eyther be men or simply attaine to that end which is propounded to them by God Behold men that are ready to giue sentence vpon God himself if he shall do any thing that is not equall or is against that rule of iustice laid downe by them It cannot be said how much these things doe differ from Christian modesty Surely if those things were true which they affirme it were the part of pious and prudent men to keepe in these things lest they should seeme to goe about eyther to prescribe something to God in the worke of saluation or to put God in mind of his dutie VII This doctrine doth rest on two false principles First that God doth require nothing of man which cannot be performed by man Secondly that the condition of the new couenant that is Faith is not commanded by the law nor is a naturall debt and that the power of beleeuing is not lost by the fall of Adam The former of which principles is drawne out of the dregges of Pelagianisme and is refuted by vs in the 44. and 35. Chapter The latter we haue ouerthrowne in the whole eleauenth Chapter The law is the naturall debt of man This law commanding that God be loued and worshipped doth command also that hee be beleeued speaking and promising Therefore when man by the sinne of Adam lost the power of obeying God and of louing him he lost also the powers of beleeuing his promises When God doth require this faith of man hee doth require nothing but what man doth owe and hee is not bound to restore to man those powers of beâ—eeuing which he lost Neither can he be accused of iniustice if hee doe not restore them nor in this thing is he subiect to the lawes of the Arminians or doth feare their aduerse and contrary iudgements VIII But when they come to explaine the nature of this vniuersall grace they doe very little differ from the Pelagians For Pelagius lest he should seeme to be an enemy to grace doth ascribe to it euery good worke that is done by man But by grace hee did vnderstand nature it selfe because it had beene made and created by God But according to Arminius nature is one thing vniuersall Grace is another Neuerthelesse he will haue sufficient grace to be giuen to all particular men and that nature is in no man to whom God doth not giue sufficient grace to obtaine faith and by faith saluation whence it commeth to passe that according to Arminius sufficient grace doth extend it selfe as farre as nature Pelagius doth confound nature with grace but Arminius doth ioyne nature and grace together so that nature is in none to whom grace is not giuen which grace how little it doth differ from nature doth hence appeare in that the Arminians will haue the right vse of this grace to be nothing else then the right vse of that naturall light and knowledge which is engrafted in euery one by the contemplation of the creatures and by the law of nature so that the vse and office of grace and nature is altogether the same when rather the Scripture teacheth that the right vse of grace consisteth in the change of nature If these things are true all the arguments both of vs and of the auncients doe fall to the ground by which they doe proue that the grace of God is a thing diuerse from nature and that because nature is giuen to all and the grace of God is the priuiledge but of some For Arminius will haue sufficient grace to faith and by faith to saluation to be common to all men IX Arnoldus pag. 418. doth call that sufficient grace which is giuen to all men supernaturall grace lest hee should seeme to confound it with nature but a little after he addeth It is demanded whether that grace be not present to all men by which they may rightly vse that light of nature not yet restored to the integrity thereof as reliques and remainds of that light that is may worship God according to the measure of those remainds Doe you heare that all men haue that grace whereby they may rightly vse nature and worship God and that that grace is present with all men and therefore also to Infidels and to the vnregenerate and to them that know not Christ and that the power of that grace which is common to all men is placed in the right vse of nature The same man pag. 405 doth say It is the property of generall grace that men should be able rightly to vse those gifts And hee speaketh of the gifts of nature X. The same man pag. 112. speaking of vniuersall grace doth say that there is a certaine calling which is common and that there are common documents instructions of nature by which God doth call all men whatsoeuer to some measure of the knowledge of himselfe and doth leaue them gifts according to the measure of the calling XI Yet he denieth that of this common grace which is giuen to all by which all men may rightly vse the gifts of nature that it will follow he reof that grace and nature are of an equall extent For saith he although it be in the power of generall grace that all men may rightly vse those gifts yet it is from speciall grace that they may rightly vse them in act For that power is not brought into act but by the helpe of another subsequent and following grace which is speciall because it doth not happen to all This learned man surely hath assigned and set downe a foâ—nd and vnsit cause why this common and sufficient grace is not equally extended as farre as nature to wit because this common grace hath neede of the helpe of speciall grace Which is as much as if I should say that the seeing faculty in man doth not extend as farre as mans nature because it hath neede of the light of the sunne that it may see in act as if that which doth want the helpe of some thing may not extend it selfe as farre as nature There is scarce any naturall faculty which can worke without the helpe of some other faculty or of some inward or outward aide and so there will be nothing at all naturall in man I omit that Arnoldus doth strike himselfe with his owne sting for while he saith that sufficient grace doth not worke without the helpe of some other speciall grace he doth plainely deny it to be sufficient CHAP. XXXIX Vniuersall sufficient Grace is confuted by sundry places of
he may fulfill what is commanded for man himselfe is the cause of his owne impotency and inability neither is God bound to giue those powers to man which he lost by his owne fault He which is in debt doth not owe the lesse because hee hath consumed his estate neither doth that creditor deale vniustly which requireth his debt of the Bankerupt because he doth not consider him as a poore man but as a debtor Arminius therefore is deceiued in reasoning thus against Perkins Hee that will denie to any one saith he necessary helpe to performe the act of Faith he doth desire that such a one should not beleeue Certainely he that will not giue money to a poore man which is falne into pouertie by his owne fault doth not therefore desire he should be poore nor is delighted with his pouerty Nor is that any better which he doth adde As it cannot bee saide saith hee that God is willing that creature should liue to whom hee doth deny the act of his preseruation So also it cannot be saide that God is willing that that action should he performed by any one to whom hee doth deny his concurrence and helpe necessary for the performing of that action These things and other such like doth hee ill beate vpon for hee doth vse a similitude which is a plaine dissimilitude for no man is bound to his Esse to his being neither can God exact from him that is not that hee should be But to obey God man is naturally bound Therefore God can rightly require of man what hee oweth and yet is not therefore bound to giue him ability of obeying and fulfilling what hee commands for God is not bound to restore to man that power which was once giuen and is now lost by the fault of man But here I would vse the fittest words and I had rather say that God decreed not to giue grace to one whereby he should be conuerted and should beleeue then to say that God decreed that the man should be an vnbeleeuer and impenitent For the word decreeing is more fit to note out those things which God determined to doe then those things which he determined not to cure XI Furthermore vnder the word obedience I comprehend also faith in Christ for as much as it is one kinde of obedience to which wee are bound by the law which doth command that God be loued with all our heart and with all our strength and therefore that God be obeyed that his word be beleeued whatsoeuer it shall be that God shall command Whence it commeth to passe that wee cannot reiect the doctrine of the Gospell by vnbeleefe but we also sinne against the law by disobedience which if it be so although faith on Christ was not expresly commanded by the Law nor was Adam before his fall bound to beleeue in Christ yet it is certaine that God commanding assent and reuerence to be exhibited to his Gospell doth require that that loue which is commanded in the law and which is naturally due should be yeelded to him that is to Christ All these things that haue beene spoken tend thither that wee might teach that there is no difference betweene these two willes of God Lâ—t Saint Ausâ—ens Encheridion to Laurentius Chapter 101. be read where hee doth teach how Gods will may be done of them which doe not the will of God and that that is not done besides Gods will which is done against his will CHAP. V. Of the Antecedent and consequent will of God DAmascen in his second Booke of Orthodox faith Chap. 29. doth set downe two wils of God the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Antecedent the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Consequent Arminius hath catched this distinction and doth place in it the chiefe strength of his Doctrine and as often as he is vrged by our side he creepes into this denne as the Lyzard into the thickets I. The Antecedent will of God hee saith is that whereby God doth will any thing to the reasonable creature before all the actions of it or before any act of that creature but the consequent is that whereby he doth will any thing to the reasonable creature after any one act or after many acts of the creature To the explication of which distinction he bringeth these examples God saith he by his Antecedent will would stablish and confirme for euer the kingdome of Saul by his Consequent will he would put him from his kingdome and substitute in his place a man better then he Christ by his Antecedent will would gather the Iewes as a Henne gathereth her Chickens but by his Consequent will hee would â—â—atter them through all the Nations By his Antecedent will they are cited to the marriage which by his Consequent will were declared vnworthy Matth. 22. By his Antecedent will the man without the wedding garment was inuited by his Consequent will he was cast out By his Antecedent will the talents are giuen by his Consequent will the talent is taken from the seruant II. The one of these willes is called the Antecedent will the other is called the Consequent not because that will goeth before this for in this sense this distinction may be admitted because there is a certaine order among the purposes of God Thus his will of creating man was in order before his will of feeding or cloathing him But with Damascen and Arminius it is called the Anrecedent will of God because it goeth before the act of mans will and they call that the consequent will of God which is after the will of man and doth depend vpon it This Arminius doth cleerely teach in his definitions before laide downe III. Betweene these two willes of God hee puts this difference that the Antecedent will of God may be resisted the consequent cannot Hee would haue it that God should be disappointed in his antecedent will and faile of his propounded end But the consequent will of God cannot he frustrated but it must necessarily be fulfilled for hee thinks that God doth not alwaies attaine to that which hee intends and that sometimes hee is disappointed of that particular end which he propounds to himselfe and that God is prepared to doe that which from eternity he knoweth he shall not doe whence it comes to passe that he hath prepared himselfe in vaine and that by his consequent will which is eternall certaine and immutable hee hath decreed to harden those reprobates which by his antecedent will he is prepared to mollifie and conuert And so he is prepared to doe that which he hath decreed not to doe IV. Betweene these two wils of God if any credit may be giuen to Arminius doth mans will come in which doth cause that God doth reuoke his antecedent will which is farre the best and being driuen from his propounded end doth turne himselfe to another thing then that which at the first he had intended so farre that Vorstius saith Disput de Deo p. 65.
his posterity which he had receiued for himselfe and his posterity Not to giue supernatural light to the minde is not to put into the will although peruersenesle of will doth afterwards follow the blindenesse of the minde For the will being destitute of this light and of the knowledge of supernaturall good things cannot moue it selfe to things vnknowne but onely to things that are present and knowne such as are the pleasures of the body riches c. Which although they be naturally good yet they turne the will from the study and desire of supernaturall things Then also selfe-loue which is naturally good and necessary doth beginne to be morally euill because it doth inuade that place which is due to the loue of God Hence is that pronenesse to euill which is in that inordinate selfe loue which supernaturall illumination doth not direct which light God not giuing to the soule doth not therefore put sinne into it No otherwise then if one doth take away from the Traueller the light of the Sunne by putting darkenesse betweene be doth not force the Traueller to stragle nor doth turne him from the right way but onely he doth take away that without which the right way cannot be knowne XVIII The temper of the body doth increase this contagion For it is found by experience that sanguine men are bloudy and libidinous cholericke men are rash and angry melancholicke men are suspicious and stedfast in their purposes deepely hiding their malice blacke and yealow choller are as sparkes and tinder put to the appetite by which it catcheth flames and burnes And according to the temper of the body one laughes vnder the scourge another weepes with a blow The humours of the body therefore are not causes but prouocations of sinne neither doe they compell the will but allure it nor doe they impresse sinne on the soule but doe put forward the sinfull soule and there being may waies open to sinne they doe incline the soule hither rather then thither CHAP. XI Whether the power of beleeuing the Gospell is lost by the sinne of Adam I. IT is demanded whether by the sinne of Adam we haue lost the power of beleeuing the Gospell Arminius that maruailous artificer of deuising doth deny it For that he might proue that God is bound to giue to euery man power of beleeuing in Christ and obtaining faith he doth contend that Adam before his fall had not power of beleeuing in Christ nor was it needfull for him therefore we could not loose in Adam that which Adam himselfe had not He saith also that faith was not commanded by the law and therefore Adam was not bound to faith because onely the law was giuen to him he addeth also that no man can beleeue but he that is a sinner And if Adam did not receiue power wherby if he fell he might rise again he did not receiue power of beleeuing the Gospell by which we rise out of this fall II. Seeing these things tend thither that Arminius might make a way for himselfe to that impious and vngodly opinion whereby he affirmes that God is bound to giue to all men power of beleeuing and that God is prepared to giue faith to all men if they themselues will This question is of no small moment nor to be perfunctoriously and lightly handled III. We therefore contend against Arminius that mankinde by the sinne of Adam together with their originall purity and righteousnesse lost also the power of beleeuing in Christ For by the fall of Adam we lost the power of louing God and of obeying him Now saith doth include the loue of God and it is a certaine kinde of obedience IV. Adam indeede before his fall was not bound to beleeue in Christ because he was not declared to him neither then was there neede but he was bound to beleeue euery word of God whatsoeuer should afterward be this bond passed to his posteritie but it had not passed if Adam had not beene tyed to the like bond So the israelites in the time of Dauid were not bound to beleeue Ieremy foretelling the instant captiuity into Babylon because Ieremy then was not neither was it needfull for them to know this and yet the Iewes in contemning the prophesie of Ieremy violated that law by which the same people was held and bound in the time of Dauid Hee were a foole who would say that hee that hath lost his sight hath not lost the power of seeing that house which was built foure yeares after or that hee that is blinde by his owne fault hath not lost the faculty of seeing the collyria or plaisters which the Physitian bringeth him some moneths after Surely Adam before his fall had power of beleeuing in Christ after the same manner that he had then power of succouring and helping the sicke and miserable although before the fall there was no misery nor could there be Adam was in the remote power to beleeue the Gospell as a sound man is in the remote power to vse the remedies of a disease that will or may come But that he did not beleeue in Christ it was not because it did exceede the power giuen him by God but because it was not needefull Finally seeing Adam by his incredulity lost the power of beleeuing the word of God it must needes be that hee lost also the power of beleeuing that word by which God was to bring a remedy to this euill V. In vaine doth Arminius thinke that it is vnaptly spoken if it be said that Adam had power of beleeuing when hee had no neede which power was taken from him when hee began to haue neede of it For neither was the power of beleeuing wanting to Adam nor was it taken from him but hee willingly lost it when he lost the power of obaying God And God of his meere grace doth restore the same to whom he will not because we will but because he worketh in vs that we will VI. But that is ridiculous which Arnoldus cap. 14. doth say that Adam before his fall did not receiue power by which he might rise if he should fall For that power whereby men rise after the fall is not giuen before the fall seeing the power is lost by the fall but after the fall is repaired There is no doubt but that Adam before his fall had strength whereby he might rise againe if hee had not lost it by his fall Arnoldus therefore thus speakes as if I should say that hee to whom God hath giuen sound and cleare eyes hath not receiued power by which he might see with those eyes after he is made blinde VII Finally as many as are the posterity of Adam are bound to fulfill the law this is a naturall debt and the law commands vs to loue God and to obey him and therefore to beleeue him speaking Whensoeuer then Christ is preached the doctrine of the Gospell cannot be refused but with the contempt of the Gospell the law also is
but as a type hauing no agreement with the thing signified he doth so vse these names as Logiâ—ians vse Socrates or Lawyers Titius and Maeuius for any other man VII But if we exactly weigh what it is to haue hated man being yet in the wombe before hee hath done good or euill we shall easily see that Esau is not onely laid downe hâ—re as a type but also as an example to whom indeede these things agreed although he were not vsed for a type For Malachy from whence these words are taken doth not lay downe Esau as a type but as an example But how that which is said that God hated Esau being yet in the wombe before he had committed any cuill may be drawne to Arminius his purpose and belong to the type of those who will be iustified by faith hee hath seene surely I doe not see VIII Paul addeth What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God The sense is plaine and depending on those things that went before He had laid downe two twins of like condition and nature neither better then the other whereof yet God loues the one and hates the other and had brought the meere will of God who hath mercy on whom he will to be the cause of this difference and not the fore-seeing of any vertue in the one Hence is bred an obiection whether God be vniust who giueth vnlike things to them that are alike and why he hath not mercy on both What saith Arminius here Why hee takes these things as if Paul demanded whether there is iniustice with God who excludes those from the couenant who would be iustified by the Law which he himselfe made and who would haue them that beleeue in Christ to be iustified This is a bould coniecture whereof there is no step nor mention in that which went before But if it be lawfull for any one to mingle and adde to the Scripture so many things out of his owne wit there is nothing so absurd or impious which may not be proued out of the Scripture What that there is no color nor reason for this here for what shew is there here of iniustice in God or who is so mad that he will expostulare with God because he will iustifie by faith in Christ and obsolue them that are guilty of the breach of the law Truely whosoener doth maruaile or demand why it seemes good to God to saue sinners by faâ—th in Christ doth not require iustice in God but doth peere into the secrets of Gods wisdome And if this had beene the Apostles minde which Arminius doth faine to him it had beene easie to answere that God is not therefore vniust who doth saue them that beleeue and doth supply a better righteousnes to them who cannot be iustified by the Law of the breach whereof they are guilty or in place of the couenant of the law which by sinne is made voide doth set another by which man might be saued Saint Paul answers no such thing but doth bring in God himselfe answering thus I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion which words doe not speake of iustification by faith but of the free election of God whereby of two men alike conceiued in sinne and alike guilty one is preferred before the other Saint Paul doth not say that because the law is violated therefore there is neede of mercy but he doth bring the cause of this difference betweene those that are equall by nature I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy According to Arminius hee should haue said I will haue mercy by what meanes I will I will make such a couenant as shall please my selfe For he will haue God not to speake of the election of seuerall men but of the manner which it pleaseth God to choose to exercise his mercy As if he had said I will haue mercy as I will and not I will haue mercy cuius volo on whom I will Surely this word Cuius of whom doth put this question to flight and doth make dull the weake wit of Arminius for this word marketh out particular persons and not the manner whereby God doth exercise his mercy towards them For he that asked the question What shall we say then is there iniustice with God moued the doubt concerning the hardning and reiection of particular men not concerning the manner by which it seemed good to God to saue men or to haue mercy on them IX And these words I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy By which saluation and election is expresly ascribed to the good pleasure of God Arminius doth darken and obscure them for he thus interpreteth them It is not of him that willeth that is righteousnesse is not But in the former verses it is not spoken of righteousnesse but of election Also those wordes I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy are taken out of Exodus Chap. 33. v 19. Where it is spoken of saluation not of righteousnesse But grant that it is here spoken of righteousnesse will it not hence follow that faith is not of him that willeth and therefore neither saluation for saluation is by righteousnesse and righteousnesse is by faith X. The obstinacy and affected stupidity of these sectaries doth maruallously bewray it selfe in one thing Paul bringeth in the demander thus speaking Why doth he yet complaine for who hath resisted his will By which words it doth manifestly appeare that in this Chapter it is spoken of the will of God which cannot be resisted and that Arminius is willingly blinde while he affirmeth that it is here spoken of the antecedent will of God which hee thinkes may be resisted XI What That Arminius doth secretly accuse Saint Paul of stupid dulnesse or of preposterous and needelesse modesty for what neede was there in the businesse of the election and reprobation of seuerall persons to stop the mouth of demanders by saying O man what art thou that repliest against God seeing by the doctrine of Arminius there is at hand an easie and ready answere That God elected this man because he foresaw he would beleeue and hee reprobated that man because he foresaw he would not beleeue Did not the Apostle see these things Or did he see them but did enuy to vs the cleere solution of this knot that might bring light to this darkenesse The ignorance of Paul shall be alwaies better to mee then the sharpe vnderstanding of another XII Maruailous is the wit and ridiculous audacitie of Arnoldus Coruinus in expounding this chapter He in his worke against Tilenus Chap 9. doth thus expound the type of Iacob and Esâ—u Surely saith he as there the yonger was preferred before the elder so also it was figured that saluation should not be by the Law although it was first giuen but
by faith Surely if this man be beleeued the Law is the elder brother and Faith the yonger Did God then hate the law before it had done good or euill I am ashamed to confute these things for seeing God preached the Gospell to Adam himselfe by the yonger brother the law is rather to be vnderstood Perhaps by the elder he would haue those to be vnderstood who would be iustified by the law but this is no lesse difficult to conceiue how God hated them before they had done eyther good or euill and how they could be the elder seeing they neuer were sonnes XII Finally the truth is here so euident that Vorstius hauing left Arminius Câ—llat aduers Piscat sect 141 doth yeeld to our part For he thinkes that the scope of the Apostle in this chapter is to teach that righteousnesse and eternall saluation doth depend not on the dignity and worth of workes or any carnall prerogatiue such as the Iewes boasted of but on the meere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure â—o God that hath mercy CHAP. XVI The opinions of the parties vpon the doctrine of Predestination I. WE haue already said that predestination is the decree of God by which in the worke of our saluation God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with euery particular man and that there are two parts or species of it Election and Reprobation II. Arminius Thes 15. Theolog. Disputa vnderstanding by the name of Predestination onely election doth thus define it Predestination is the decree of Gods good pleasure in Christ whereby from eternity hee hath determined with himselfe to iustifie to adopt and freely to reward with eternall life the faithfull to whom hee hath decreed to giue faith to the praise of his glorious grace All other his sectaries doe with one mouth say that election is the decree of God of sauing those that beleeue in Christ and shall perseuere in faith III. But here the Arminians doe with a maruailous craft hide their minde and meaning For that definition laid downe by Arminius doth seeme to teach that God chose some certaine men to saluation But it is otherwise nor is this the meaning of this difinition for by these words the faithfull to whom hee decreed to giue faith they doe not vnderstand some certaine men whom God hath precisely elected but they onely insinuate of what quality they are whom God would elect to wit such as should beseeue And they teach that God is often disappointed of that will by which he hath decreed to giue men faith and that he may be condemned whom God hath so elected Greuinch p. 101 dicit Hoc decretum esse condits onale de qusitbet si credat seruando For they deny that this decree is precise but that it is conditionall and which depend of faith foreseene of which faith the grace of God is but a cause in part for free will hath also a part here in the power whereof it is to vse well or ill the preuenting accompanying grace of God eyther to receiue or to refuse it Therefore they make God by this decree seriously to intend the saluation of all men to haue determined to giue them sufficient grace power to beleâ—ue but that he is disappointed of this his decree intention in many mans will hindring it whereby it comes to passe that God is deceiued of his naturall desire and first intention which surely must needes be the best Coll. Hag. p. 96. Least therefore any one should thinke that by this decree of election which Arminius hath defined some certaine men are appointed to life it must be obserued that this decree according to the meaning of Arminius doth conditionally belong to all men whatsoeuer and that by this antecedent will Pharaoh and Iudas Arnold P. 192. c. are conditionally elected wherefore the Arminians doe deny that the number of the elect is certaine by the precise appointment of God which can neither be increased nor be diminished IV. Obserue also that that definition laid downe by Arminius doth not belong to infants which are taken away by an immature and vnseasonable death for the Arminians will haue onely them that beleeue to be elected V. Besides this generall and conditionall election by which all men without exception are elected they make another election of particular men which doth rest relye on faith foreseene This they define to be the absolute decree of God of sauing some certaine men whom he from eternity fore-saw would beleeue in Christ and perseuere in the faith which faith and perseuerance they say is considered in the decree of election as already fulfilled The same men are also of opinion that this election while wee are pilgrimes vpon earth is incompleate and reuocable For so Greninchouius P. 136.137 As the good things of our saluation which are continued faith being continued and are reuoked and called backe faith being denied are incompleate so election is in this life incompleate not peremptory not irreuocable But the course of election being finished they will haue this decree then to bee compleate and irreuocable VI. They will haue the will of God of sauing some certaine men to be after the will of man and to depend vpon the fore-seeing of faith VII They will haue that first election to belong to the antecedent will the latter election to the consequent will VIII That God doth supply tomen the meanes to beleeue they thinke it to be the act of his prouidence and not of this election whereby hee hath appointed some certaine men to glory and they denie true faith and perseuerance in faith to be an effect of this latter and absolute election seeing precise election doth rather depend on the fore-seeing of that faith and faith is before election For they denie that God hath precisely predestinated any one to faith but they will haue it that they that haue faith are predestinated to saluation IX They comprehend the whole doctrine of election in foure decrees which they so knit among themselues with a perpetuall linking that the latter depend on the former X. The 1. decree of God is of giuing his son for the abolishing of sin for the redemption of al mankind in which redemption they would haueal mankind to be reconciled and remission of sins to be obtained for all The 2. decree that whereby God decreed to saue them that beleeue would perseuere in faith This is that generall conditionall election The 3. decree is that wherby God decreed to giue to all men sufficient grace for faith repentance which power they say is giuen irresistably yea and that God is bound to giue all men this grace But the very act of beleeuing they say is not giuen but resistably least force should be offered to mans will They denie therefore that God decreed to giue to any one precisely absolutely faith and the act of beleeuing The 4.
p. 86. doth roundly affirme that sinne is the meritorious cause of reprobation So Arnoldus p. 151. Election and reprobation of particular persons were made in respect of the fore-sight of faith and incredulity Arnoldus Can any suspect your fidelity that you take the word ex equiuocally in reprobation to note the cause but in election to note the condition It must needes be therefore that they acknowledge that the elect are appointed to saluation for faith fore seene because they beleeue and that fore-seene faith is the cause of the election of particular persons IV. But there is no difference whether you say that Election doth rest on faith fore-seene or that it doth rest on the fore-seeing of faith for both wares faith is made the cause of election in the latter it is made the neerest cause in the former it is made the remote cause for fore-seene faith is made the cause of fore-seeing it and the fore-seeing it is made the cause of election For why doth God fore-know that they will beleeue vnlesse because they will beleeue and why doth he elect vnlesse because he fore-knoweth they will beleeue These are the words of Arminius against Perkins p. 142. In that God fore-knowes he therefore fore-knowes because it will afterward be V. The same men a little after against the Walachrians doe vse although fearefully the word depending that they might make election depending on faith And although say they that word of depending which we are neuer wont to vse in this argument be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily subiect to calumny yet if a maleuolent minde be absent it cannot be drawne to the least suspicion of any absurdity Yes it may be drawne to the greatest For Greuinchouius himselfe Pag. 198. doth acknowledge that dependency strictly taken doth argue causality and the dependency of a superiour by an inferiour And truely these men doe not obscurely declare how willingly they would vse this word if they did not feare our pursuite VI. There is extant a Treatise of Greuinchouius with this Title Of election * ex for faith fore seene but that word ex from or for doth not onely note priority but also causality For who would endure a man that should say that Tiberius was from Octauius Augustus or that this yeare is from the former because one went before the other A man that is not vnskiifull of the Latine doth sufficiently know that the praeposition ex is not fit to note onely the priority of faith vnlesse besides the priority there is also some efficiency or dependency Wherefore the same man page 24. hath these words It is altogether conuenient to the nature of lawes and prescribed conditions that the will of the Iudge should be moued to giue the reward by the required and performed condition This performed condition the Arminians say to be faith which if we beleeue them is considered in election as performed They will therefore haue God to be moued by this fulfilled condition that he should giue the reward which if it be true faith is plainely the cause both of decreeing and giuing the reward because it is that which moueth the Iudge VII So in the conference at the Hage the Arminians doe contend that God doth not elect without respect of qualities which thing is true not onely of faith but also of repentance so it be taken thus that God in electing considered men as they that by his gift and bounty would beleeue and be renewed in repentance If you take this respecting otherwise it must needes be that this respecting is the cause for one is said to choose any thing in respect of some quality or vertue who by that qualitie or vertue is moued to choose it otherwise he would not VIII Nay what That the Arminian conferrers at the Hage p. 86. doe vse the word Cause God sendeth his word whether it seemeth good to him not according to any absolute decree but for other causes lying hid in man Then is man the cause why hee is called whence it comes that he is the cause also that he is elected For that which is the cause why God doth call a man to saluation is plainely the cause why God will saue him for these are things connexed and knit together The same men page 109. It is absurd to put the absolute will of God in the decree of election for the first and principall cause that it should goe before the other causes to wit Christ faith and all other causes Here you heare that faith is put among the causes of election wherefore Arnoldus page 53. doth leaue it in the middle whether faith ought to be called the cause or the condition Whether saith hee faith should be called the condition or whether it should be called the cause it alwayes being laid downe for granted that it is the gift of God this alone is the question how faith hath respect to election And a little before he had said If any should say that in the decree of election faith hath the respect of a cause yet he should not thereby deny that it is the gift of God Not obscurely insinuating how prone hee was to that part and perceiued that hee was not rashly to be blamed who hath called faith the cause of our election IX Adde to these that Arnoldus page 186. and the rest with him doe contend that faith is not of those that are elected but that the election is of those that are faithfull We truely out of Saint Paul to Titus chap. 1. v 1. say that faith is of the elect which we so take because election is the cause of faith to which our assertion seeing they oppose theirs as contrary whereby they say that election is of them that are faithfull what else would they but haue faith to be the cause of our election X. Let also the moment and force of their reasons be weighed and considered In the conference at the Hage they professe that they doe not refuse to write with great letters and to subscribe that election is made by Christ without any consideration of good workes And yet doe the same men euen to loathing beate vpon this that Election is the decree of sauing them that beleeue that there is no man elected by God but in respect of faith But I would know why they so earnestly exclude the consideration of workes from election seeing that the earnest endeauour of good workes is a condition no lesse fore-required to saluation then faith Who by these things doth not see that faith is not laid downe by them meerely as a fore-required condition For if faith were thus considered by them it is plaine that the study and endeauour of good workes had beene ioyned and placed in the same degree with faith XI And if God electeth to saluation not those whom he absolutely decreed but those whom hee fore-saw would beleeue it is plaine that God in election hath respect to some dignity and
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
all men to be saued Which that it was truely spoken by Faustus and according to the Catholike faith the Arelaten Synode hath rightly iudged For the Synode beleeued that this was spoken by Faustus against Pelagius who seeing hee denied originall sinne and thought that a man might perfectly fulfill the law by his owne free-will it is no maruaile if hee said that Christ died not for all for why should Christ die for them that were not sinners Or what neede is there of Phisicke where there is no disease Or what neede of the Gospell to him who hath fulfilled the law But Faustus a crafty and subtle man imposed it vpon the Arelaten Synode with ambiguous and deceitfull words wherewith that Epistle was cloathed which hee offered to the Synode For afterward he explaned his meaning in the booke which hee writ De gratia qua saluamur where hee doth more incline to Pelagius which booke Gennadius Gennad lib de Scriptor Eccles cap. 85. Sydon Apol. lib 9. Epist 9. and Sydonius Apollinaris doe so mention that they seeme to thinke honorably of it But at the same time Caesarius Bishop of Arles and Auitus Bishop of Vienna writ against this Booke as Ado doth testifie in his Chronicle to whom Fulgentius Bishop of Ruspe in Africa ioyned himselfe Whereby we may see that the authority of Faustus is not so great that it ought to be of any estimation here Neither was this question euer handled in that sence that now it is for there was neuer question made as farre as I know before this age whether Christ by his death purchased saluation for all and seuerall men or whether by his death he obtained reconciliation as well for Pharaoh as for Peter CHAP. XXXI Whether God loue all men equally and doth alike desire the saluation of all I. THe question whereby it is demanded whether God doth equally loue all men and so desire their saluation is an addition to the former question and doth depend on it For if remission of sinnes and saluation are not purchased for all men by the death of Christ it is plaine that all men are not equally loued by God wherefore these innouators doe defend themselues in either question by the same places of Scripture These are the words of Arnoldus pag. 379 God in a generall will and affection doth equally desire the saluation of all men Greuinchouius pag. 335. doth consent to this The will of God and his affection of sauing men is equall towards all For in that series and order of the foure decrees in which they comprehend the whole doctrine of Predestination this is the third that God decreed to administer to all men sufficient meanes to faith and repentance But I suppose that these things are affirmed by them not because they beleeue and seriously thinke so but that they might maintaine their other opinions which cannot stand if this opinion fall for they doe openly repugne the Scripture experience yea and themselues II. Which before we demonstrate the reader is to be admonished that loue in God is not an affection nor passion nor inclination of the minde nor any desire for God is not touched by these passions as being impassible and not subiect to affections But as God is said then to be angry or to hate when he will punish or destroy so loue in God is a eertaine and sure will of doing good to the creature Whence it commeth to passe that hee may rightly be said to be loued by God to whom hee hath giuen or hath decreed to giue more and better good things III. This difference is manifestly seene not onely betweene the good and the euill but also betweene good men themselues to some one of whom God hath giuen more vnderstanding and doth measure out his spirit in a larger greater measure but to another more sparingly and as it were with a striked measure to one he giueth two talents to another fiue according to his owne good pleasure Not onely giuing many things to the best men but also making them better while hee giueth them many things IV. And here I cannot but meruaile with what face Greuinchouius pag. 335. dares to say that God gaue fiâ—e talents to one in the hope of receiuing more gaine from him then the other as if hope or feare or gaine could happen to God or as if he who so carefully encreased his estate by the fiue talents put out to vsury had not from God the will and power of imploying them so happily God is vnaptly said to hope for that which himselfe is to worke These subtill men are wont to say when they are vrged that these things are spoken by an Anthropopathy to mans capacity but in the meane while they abuse these improper words to bring in their owne speculations and to build vp their owne opinions In preaching and speaking to the people this impropriety of speech is to be borne with but not in disputing and when the importance of truth is to be considered and weighed V. Concerning this inequality of the gifts of God I would haue the Arminians shew me why God hath giuen more gifts to Paul then to Marke or Cleophas that were otherwise holy and good men Was it because Saint Paul before his conuersion was more inclined to the faith of Christ and better affected then they Or because Paul vsed that common and generall grace which happeneth euen to the reprobates better then Marke These are trifles for there was then none more deadly enemie to the name of Christ then Paul What then was the cause why because it so seemed good to God who doth with his owne what he will and who in distributing the gifts of the holy Ghost doth not follow an Arithmeticall or Geometricall proportion for he doth giue vnequall good things to them that are equally euill according to his owne pleasure as being a debtor to no man nor subiect to any Law VI. But the difference and inequality of the loue of God will more clearely appeare if those whom God doth call by his word and to whom he doth giue the spirit of adoption and faith and by them saluation be compared with other men Many saith Christ Mat. 22.4 are called few chosen Behold here three sorts of men some that are not called some that are called and not elected some that are called and elected all which that they are confusedly and equally loued and that God doth alike desire their saluation cannot be said or thought VII Christ Iohn 6.44 saith No man can come to me vnlesse my father which sent me draw him Where that it is spoken of the drawing to faith and by faith to saluation no man doth doubt Secing therefore by these words it is manifest that all are not so drawne it is certaine that they are most loued who are so drawne Faith is the gift of God but all men haue not faith and it is giuen but to few therefore these are more loued So the
Scripture that cannot lye saith that euery man is a lyar The same Law commandeth that God be loued withall our heart and all our strength which thing how can it be performed by the vnregenerate seeing it was neuer peeformed by the regenerate themselues That which a liuing man neuer performed how can it be performed by him that is dead Finally we must bid Christian religion farewell and another Gospell must be coyned if this prodigious doctrine be admitted IX But that we may come to that double spirit of God Arminius and according to him Arnoldus pag. 399. doe deuise two spirits or rather two acts of the same spirit The one of these spirits they will haue to be common to all men euen to the vnregenerate yea and to heathen men to whom the Gospell hath not come by which spirit they thinke that God doth worke in all men and is idle in none This is that spirit which they call the spirit of bondage of which it is spoken Rom. 8.15 which is opposed in that place to the spirit of Adoption which is peculiar to the true faithfull This spirit of bondage the Arminiaâ—s will haue to be effectuall in the law not onely in the written law but also in that which is naturally imprinted in mens hearts By this spirit they thinke that vnregenerate men doe tremble with a sauing feare doe acknowledge and confesse their sinnes doe implore the grace of God and apply themselues to the obedience of the law of nature these they thinke are preparation and dispositions to regeneration if so be that free-will doth vse well that vniuersall and sufficient grace which is common to all men These are the decrees of this new sect full of many perplexities and filled with nice and slender points X. I finde in the holy Scripture the spirit of adoption the first fruits of the spirit the spirit of sanctification but I no where finde a spirit of God that is tyed to the law and common to all men Nor can the spirit of God working in our hearts be without very great wickednesse seperated from the knowledge of Christ 2 Cor. 3.6 Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Nor doe I see how there can be in them whom Saint Paul Ephes 2. saith to be dead in sinne strangers from the life of God and without God in the world either any spirituall life or the spirit of God dwelling in their hearts and sauingly mouing and affecting them Certainely the Apostle had neuer called the Law seperated from the Gospell a killing letter nor had opposed it to the spirit if the spirit of God were alway ioyned to the law or if the spirit of God did worke in mens hearts and dispose them to faith and conuersion without the knowledge of the Gospell Nor is the Law a Schoole-master vnto Christ vntill the grace of Christ is offred to vs for then the Law with terrour and threats doth compell vs to imbrace the grace offred XI But that is most dangerous which the Arminians presse downe and hide but dare not vtter to wit that the holy spirit is naturally in euery man For if the spirit of God be effectuall in the law and the law be naturally engrauen in euery man it must needes be that the spirit of God is naturally in euery man And so whatsoeuer the Scripture speaketh of the second birth by the spirit of the creation of the new man and of the spirituall resurrection will fall to the ground yea will be ridiculous For what neede were there to infuse a new spirit for regeneration if the same spirit of God did already dwell in the hearts of the vnregenerate XII And that place of Saint Paul Rom. 8. Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare they doe falsely and against the Apostles will draw to this matter For Saint Paul neuer called the spirit of God the spirit of bondage for so he had reproached the spirit of God but he onely saith that the spirit that was giuen to them was not seruile and such as should strike their hearts with a slauish feare For where the spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. If I should say that we haue not receiued from God the spirit of lying should I therefore say that there is a spirit of God that compels to lying Is the spirit of God contrary to it selfe that one spirit of God should be called the spirit of bondage and another the spirit of liberty The plaine and simple meaning therefore of the words of the Apostle is this Ye haue receiued the spirit of God not that which should terrifie your consciences with a slauish feare which made you vncertaine and doubtfull before the grace of God and the adoption of Christ was reueiled to you c. XIII And they doe extreamely dote when they put the feare and terrour wherewith the law destitute of the spirit of regeneration and the knowledge of Christ doth strike mens hearts among the effects of the spirit of God For the law thus receiued can onely restraine the raging affections with the feare of punishment and frame a man to certaine outward obedience but it will neuer purge the inward filthinesse or instill any one drop of true repentance yea rather it will stirre vp the inward lusts by the resistance of it as it is engrafted in euery man to encline to that which is forbidden and wheresoeuer hope of impunity is propounded men hauing broken their barres doe so much the more outragiously riot by how much they were straightly bridled in This is that which the Apostle would expresse Rom. 7.5.8 The motions of sinnes by the law did worke in our members and sinne taking occasion by the commandement it selfe wrought concupiscence And that vntill the spirit of life which in Christ frees vs from the law of sinne and death as it is said Chapter 8.2 that is vntill the powerfull efficacy of that quickning which we haue from Christ free vs from that bondage of deadly sinne XIV It is vaine and idle which they obiect that the corruption of an vnregenerate man is compared to sleepe and to an Vlcer I confesse it is compared to a sleepe but to a deadly one and such a one out of which man cannot awaken and raise himselfe That Vlcer and scarre which is spoken of Esay 53.1 and 1 Pet. 2. doth not signifie sinne it selfe but the punishment of sin This therefore is nothing to the reliques and remainds of spirituall life in an vnregenerate man CHAP. XXXV The Obiections which the Arminians borrow from the Pelagians and Papists are answered Whether an vnregenerate man doth necessarily sinne and whether necessitie excuseth the sinner Also whether God doth command those things which cannot be performed by man I. THese thornes and difficulties being taken away wee are to come to the Arguments or rather Declamations with which they
it hath the cooperation of the Holy-Ghost alwaies ioyned to it And this he saith being vnmindefull of that which hee had said a little before where speaking of the word and of the cooperation of the holy spirit he saith these two are almost alwayes ioyned together therefore not alwayes Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling that Arminius should doubt in that thing for pag. 432. he speaketh thus It may be doubted whether Arminius thought that the inward succour of the spirit was alwaies and in all men ioyned with the outward preaching But that which the Master speakes fearefully and doubtingly is openly and without any circumstance affirmed by his schollers For Arnoldus Chap. 4. would draw Arminius into this opinion that the outward calling doth happen to none without the inward and pag. 433. The opinion of Arminius is that the efficacy of the holy Ghost is present with all them who at the first are called The Arminians in their Epistle against the Walachrians pag. 49. doe labour much to teach that in those who are not conuerted the word is not destitute of the quickning spirit Arnoldus pag. 464 teacheth that this quickning force is ioyned not onely to the preaching of the Gospell but also to the preaching of the law and that this change is made by the spirit by the word of the Law preparatorily and by way of preparation by the word of the Gospell consummatorily in respect of the finishing of it and that so as man cannot but receiue that sence and be affected with it and in this action the spirit carrieth himselfe altogether passâ—uely By which feeing hee saith the spirit doth allure the assent the liberty of the will yet remaining safe and whole This holy spirit working in mens hearts by the knowledge of the law Arnoldus doth put euen in Infidels and those that be not regenerate which although it is not the spirit of regeneration yet it doth dispose to regeneration V. This doctrine is repugnant not onely to the holy Scripture but also to experience and common sence For we see many hearers of the word that are no more affected with the preaching of it then if lessons should be sung to them that are deafe those whose mindes doth wander other-where and doth neuer returne besotted with such a stupidity that they haue no relish of the Gospell no feeling of it nor assent vnto it although to other things they are not slow Also there are very many who when they heare the Gospell receiue it with gibing laughter as an absurd thing as the Athenians Acts 13.32 For Christ preached is an offence to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Greekes because they are offended and these mocke at it I haue seene those who being asked what they brought from the Sermon and what they remembred haue seriously answered they could not discerne whether the Preacher spoke French or Latine VI. In such men yea and in Infidels instructed in the law alone the Arminians say that the spirit of God doth worke and doth necessarily and as they speake vnresistably giue the sence and feeling of the true doctrine although he doth not giue the assent and agreeing to it but by the helpe of free-will Much more therefore among the Arminian multitude there will be none who is not drawne with the holy Ghost and who doth not feele in him the quickning spirit This flying in the ayre doth not much disser from the fanaticall enthusiasme and inspiration of the Anabaptists but that the Anabaptists will haue this sence and feeling peculiar to themselues but these innouators will haue it to be common both to the faithfull and to Infidels yea to all to whom either the Gospell is preached or the Law without the Gospell VII It is to no purpose to reckon vp places of Scripture to ouerthrow this opinion For hitherto belong all those places which wee haue brought Chapter 34. to proue that an vnregenerate man and an infidell is vnable and vnfit to euery worke that is good and profitable to saluation All which were false if the quickning power of the holy spirit did dwell in infidels and vnregenerate persons and if all men were drawne inwardly and by an internall calling VIII To this purpose are those places which teach vs that they alone come to Christ whom the father draweth Iohn 6.44 But according to Arminius all men are drawne and are inwardly affected by the holy Ghost As the winde bloweth where it listeth so also the spirit Iohn 3.8 Therefore hee doth not breath euery where In the multitude of people God opened the heart of Lydia before the rest When the Apostles were astonished the theefe beleeued among the cries of the raging people and so many impediments of beleeuing One little call of Christ moued Mathew that leauing the receipt of Custome he followed Christ when the men of Capernaum among so many miracles and good lessons were hardned at the preaching of the Gospell Whence it appeareth that some men are drawne by the efficacy and power of the spirit and some men are left in their naturall wickednesse Whence is this difference If dignity be respected who among the vnregenerate is not vnworthy of the grace of God seeing all men are of a stony heart and are dead in sinne But if the precedent disposition be respected why are the men of Capernaum rather called by the Gospell then the men of Tyre seeing that Christ doth witnesse that the men of Capernaum were worse affected and lesse inclined to repentance IX Arnoldus Page 445. doth contend that the heart of Lydia was therefore opened because shee was well affected and disposed and that God therefore opened her heart because she opened it her selfe For in that place shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was addicted to the worship of God before she beleeued Paul I might say that there are many who worship God with a wicked and vnlawfull worship But I am more prone to this opinion that I should beleeue that Lydia a Iewish woman was indued with the spirit of regeneration and had receiued true pietie and beleeued in the Messiah promised although she did not yet know that Iesus the Sonne of Mary was the Christ because he was not preached to her Such a one was the Eunuch of Candaces and Cornelius who Acts 10. is called a deuout man whose prayers and almes and piety was praised before hee had heard any thing of Christ These were some of those men who as Saint Luke saith Chapter 2.25 Did expect the consolation of Israell I thinke it were wickednesse to account these among insidels and among the rest of the Iews who did blaspheme Christ and dispise him preaching Seeing therefore that Lydia was such a one God opened her heart that shee might attend to the words of Saint Paul and might learne from him that Christ whom shee did expect was already come and that those thinges were fulfilled which were fore-told of him by the Prophets X. Against these
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
I. FIrst of all this opinion of sufficient grace doth manifestly delude God while it doth faigne that God seriously and from his heart doth desire to saue all men and to that end doth giue all men sufficient grace by which they may be conuerted and beleeue but hee doth so sparingly administer this grace to the greatest part of mankinde that no man can be named in the whole world who hath beene saued by this sufficient grace seeing that no man destitute of faith and of the knowledge of the redeemer hath euer rightly vsed those naturall gifts or hath worshipped God with a worship that is pleasing to him Neither could the Arminians yet bring any example nor if they could bring one or two examples they could not thereby wipe away that blot which they set vpon God For he thinketh but ill of God who teacheth that God doth seriously desire all men to be saued and to that end doth giue to all men sufficient grace whereby they may be conuerted and beleeue but hee doth so sparingly administer this grace that of infinite millions scarce one or two hath by this sufficient grace conuerted himselfe and come to faith II. Nay what That this doctrine with a rash boldnesse doth set lawes to God himselfe and doth prescribe to him the manner and measure whereby he ought to bestow his gifts and to giue the increases of grace For if any one by the helpe of sufficient grace hath righâ—ly vsed the gifts of nature the Arminians say that God is bound to giue to that man greater grace because he hath well vsed the light of nature he is bound to giue him supernaturall light the knowledg of the Gospel But I think that the creator is by no bond tied to the creature yea if he were bound yet it were not our part audaciously to tell him to his face what he ought to do nor to admonish him of his duty as if there were danger that he should not keepe his credit or should sin against those lawes by which he is bound Also by this meanes the benefits of God are lessened and made very small For if these sectaries be beleeued God gining to a man the power of beleeuing doth doe nothing but what hee ought to doe and doth giue nothing but what hee is bound to giue III. The same doctrine determining that sufficient grace is giuen to the Gentiles which haue not knowne Christ that according to the measure thereof they may worship God doth plainely say that there is a worship which may be acceptable to God without Christ and without faith Neither doth Arnoldus say this thing obscurely but Page 409 speaking of the heathens who followed an austere kinde of life that they might serue God Whence will yee proue saith he that such men doe eyther perish or remaine voide of Christ This man while he would haue vs hope well of the saluation of the he then who followed an austere kinde of life although they were altogether ignorant of Christ doth in the meane while vilifie and lightly esteeme of Christian faith as not necessary and doth secretly insinuate that one may be saued by Christ without the knowledge of Christ For although these Sectaries cry out that they are wronged as often as the corrupt matter is pressed out of their Vlcers yet hee shall easily perceiue whereto these thinges pertaine who will exactly reade that whole disputation of Arnoldus contained in some Pages IV. With a like error doe the Arminians thinke that the power of beleeuing and obtaining faith is giuen to man without the spirit of regeneration and adoption And seeing that by faith we are the sonnes of God if man without the spirit of regeneration hath power of beleeuing then without the same spirit he hath also power of effecting or causing that hee be the sonne of God V. Also it is absurd and deserues to be laughed at to say that the power of beleeuing in Christ is giuen to a man without the spirit of regeneration but that to beleeue it selfe is not giuen without the spirit of regeneration as if the powers of beleeuing were from one cause but the vsing and excution of those powers were from another cause and as if it were not of the same saculty to be able to doe and to doe to be able to runne and to runne For they say that another speciall grace is required to beleeue and therfore that sufficient grace is not sufficient to beleeue in act These things seeme to me to be like the dreams of sicke men VI. But how absurd and how contrary is it to the wisedome of God to say that God is prepared to giue greater grace and the light of his Gospell to those who haue well vsed the light of nature For so God is said to be ready to doe that which hee knoweth he shall not doe and to be prepared to bestow vpon man new and greater grace vnder a condition which no man hath fulfilled nor shall fulfill For no man that is destitute of faith of the knowledge of the redeemer and of the spirit of regeneration hath rightly vsed the light of nature nor hath worshipped God with a worship which hath beene pleasing to him because whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne and whosoeuer hath not the Sonne hath not the Father yea he is without God in the world as the Scripture teacheth VII Yea whosoeuer shall looke ouer the records of all histories shall finde that the most wisest amongst the heathen whose liues were more temperate whose appetites were lesse violent and who loued iustice and saide or writte many famous things concerning God were yet very farre from the kingdome of Heauen Experience hath proued this for when the Gospell beganne to be published through the nations Christian Religion endured no greater enemies then the Philosophers These turned the subtilty of their wit to defame the crosse of Christ and held out to others fierce firebrands to cruelty persecution For the more any one doth affect the praise of ciuill vertue and hath his wit practised with much learning so much the more base doth the simplicity of the Gospell seeme to him and he is the more offended with the scandall of the crosse of Christ VIII But it is a meruaile by what meanes any man can be prepared to saith and regeneration by naturall instructions and by the light of nature seeing that man by the instinct of his corrupt nature is stirred vp to idolatry For it is ingrafted in man to desire to haue some present and visible obiect on which he may setle his eyes while hee poureth forth his prayers and mans wisedome hath oftentimes troade Religion vnder foote XIX Arnold page 404. Deus primo hâ—â— agit vt home intelligat se in precatis mortuum Furthermore seeing that as Arnoldus confesseth the first effect of grace is for a man to know that he is dead in sinne and that naturally hee is subiect to the eternall
curse neither can any one know this except he be instructed by the word seeing I say it is thus whatsoeuer the Arminians doe tattle of vniuersall and sufficient grace doth fall to the ground seeing that by it a man cannot attaine to that which is the beginning and first element of conuersion and that from which grace doth necessarily begin certainely hee that shall turne ouer the writings of the heathen shall finde nothing of the death in sinne nothing of the viuification and regeneration nothing of the necessity of supernaturall grace The best of the heathens set this as the Cynosure and starre by which they would direct the course of their life viz. to follow nature when on the contrary this is the office and worke of the grace of God viz. to restore and change nature X. But in setting downe the time wherein this sufficient grace is at the first giuen to euery man by God they doe not explaine themselues For if all men haue this grace from the wombe then it is not rightly distinguished from nature seeing that that is natural which is ingrafted in euery man from his birth and natiuity But if this grace be giuen onely to them that are growne in yeares in what yeare of their age is it giuen Is it giuen to all at a certaine and equall age or is it giuen to some sooner and some later And if it be giuen in the tenth or twelfth yeare of the life what shall be done with those who dye in the seauenth or ninth yeare what shall be done with them whom death doth take away a day or two before that grace is bestowed Also if one dye presently after that sufficient grace is giuen before hee hath time of well vsing this grace what shall become of this man Being excluded from the right vsing of grace by the shortnes of the time shall he be excluded therefore from the kingdome of heauen Surely while they tye God to lawes they doe entangle themselues in bonds which cannot be shaken off XI And when the Arminians say that sufficient grace which is common to all men euen to vnregenerate men and in fidels is supernaturall it is a hard thing that he who is at the first touched with this supernaturall and helpefull motion should not feele it Or if the beginnings of it are doubtfull and vncertaine at the lest it must needes be felt in progresse of time But neuer any of the heathen hath professed that he hath euer felt this grace nor is there any mention of it in their wrightings XII Also it would be worth the labour to know by what degrees the heathen man dwelling in the south countrie or in the inmost part of Tartaria well vsing naturall instructions may at length come to faith in Christ For these Sectaries must needes faigne many things here and wantonly play with bold coniectures and with vnconstant rashnesse For they must faigne that eyther Oracles were poured on that man from heauen or that Angels were sent to him or some Prophet lifted vp by the hayre hath beene carried thither from some other place that he might instruct that man in the Christian faith For where the Scripture is wanting audacity must needes supply the place of the Scripture XIII Finally what is to be thought of this sufficient grace may hence be iudged in that the Arminians themselues are not constant to themselues and they doe so build it vp that they pull it downe For they which say and doe maintaine with great force that God doth giue sufficient grace to all men doe afterward say that God is ready and prepared to giue it to all as if he indeede were willing to giue it to all but it was hindred by man that it was not done Also the same men teach that no man is conuerted without speciall grace by which speech they confesse that generall grace is not sufficient Finally when they diuide that grace into grace which is sufficient mediately and grace which is sufficient immediately they doe confesse that some grace is sufficient mediately which is vnsufficient immediately and they make many degrees of sufficient grace which degrees how many and what they are none of them hath explained CHAP. XLI The Arguments whereby the Arminians doe maintaine vniuersall sufficient Grace are refuted I. THE arguments of the Arminians for Vniuersall Sufficient and Helpfull Grace are almost the same with them which they are wont to bring for the liberty of free-will in an vnregenerate man which seeing they are aboundantly confuted Chapter 34. there will be no great labour in examining some few which they most frequently vse to proue sufficient grace common to all men They maintaine it by that place of the Apostle Rom. 1.19 where Saint Paul doth thus speake of the Gentiles That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them Surely here is no mention of sufficient grace which the Arminians think to be supernaturall For here the Apostle speaketh of the light of nature and of any sort of the knowledge of God by the creatures which may be had without supernaturall grace by which the Apostle doth not say that man hath power of beleeuing in Christ or that he can dispose or prepare himselfe to regeneration but he onely saith that the power and that the deity of God was seene of them by the creation that they might be inexcusable And they are inexcusable not because they haue abused that grace which was mediately or immediately sufficient to saluation but because they haue not vsed the light of nature as farre as they might and haue endeauoured to choake that light engrafted in them II. They pretend the words of the same Apostle Chapter 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law But neither can this place be drawne to stablish sufficient grace which these Sectaries will haue to be supernaturall For it speaketh onely of naturall impressions of equity and goodnesse and of outward actions that are ciuilly honest which are done by the guidance of nature for Saint Paul doth here make no mention of grace Furthermore those things contained in the law may be done by him who doth violate and breake the law for in the externall worke he may doe the things commanded by the law and yet not doe them after that manner and to that end which the law doth require that is with faith and to the glory of God III. That which they obiect out of the foureteenth Chapter of the Acts Vers 17. is nothing to the matter where Saint Paul doth thus speake of the heathen people Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse They doe falsely thinke that this witnesse was some sufficient sauing and supernaturall grace and the law naturally engrauen in their hearts which should be a Schoole-master to Christ For the Apostle in the following words doth explaine what manner of testimony this is saying that God gaue
appeareth that faith is as well comprehended vnder this gift as saluation But if saluation alone were here called the gift of God yet it would thence necessarily follow that faith is the gift of God For he that giueth saluation must needes also giue the meanes without which there is no saluation The same Apostle Phil. 1.29 saith It is giuen to you in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake Doe you see that it is giuen to vs not onely to be able to beleeue but also the act of beleeuing and to beleeue it selfe That repentance is the gift of God Saint Peter doth witnesse Acts 5.31 God hath exalted Christ with his right hand to be a prince and a Sauiour for to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes And 2 Tim. 2.25 If God will at any time giue them repentance Saint Paul Rom. 5. doth say That the loue of God is shed abroade in our hearts by the holy-Ghost who is giuen vs To wit because the holy-Ghost doth imprint that sure confidence in our hearts that wee are loued by God Here you see that not onely the powers of willing and doeing are giuen by God but also to will and to doe it selfe Seeing therefore that as many Christian vertues as there are there are so many gifts of God and the same vertues are habits it must needes be that those habits are from God and therefore not engrafted by nature which Pelagius himselfe hath not said nor obtained by vse and actions the grace of God helping as the Arminians will haue it for so man himselfe should giue eyther all faith or at the least some part of faith to himselfe and should owe it to his owne labour and industry For truely if God doth giue the power of beleeuing and doth not giue the act of beleeuing after the same manner as he giueth the power because as these Sectaries thinke God doth giue the power of beleeuing vnresistibly but he giueth the act of beleeuing onely by perswading and inuiting and that by a perswasion which we may obey or resist consent to or refuse There is nothing so cleere as that the very act of beleeuing and therefore faith it selfe is not from God alone nor from the meere grace of God but is due partly to God and partly to mans free-will Which that it is the opinion of the Arminians and that they thinke that grace is not the totall but part-cause of faith we haue proued before Whereunto adde that which they say that God doth giue faith no otherwise then by perswading and by a gentle invitation Which if it be true it will be said that God doth giue neither the power nor act of beleeuing For he that doth onely perswade and exhort to runne although he set on fire all the brands of his oratory Art yet he will neuer be said to giue the power of running nor to runne it selfe XII Seeing therefore that the habit of faith is the gift of God it must needes be that it is infused and imprinted on our hearts by God himselfe which if it be so it is vnpossible that this infusion can be hindred in the elect For what should hinder it Doth the mutability and instability of the decree of God hinder it No His decrees can neither be abolished nor changed Doth the euill affection of the heart of man hinder it No euery man is ill affected before he hath receiued faith from God Doth the obstinate hardnesse of some men hinder it No this hardnesse is softned by faith being receiued Which also God promiseth that he will doe Ezech. 36.26 XIII This promise of God and others of the like sort by which God promiseth that he will giue a heart of flesh and will write on it his law and that he will cause that we should walke in his waies doe promise an infallible certainty of the conuersion of the elect and the grace of God which is impossible finally to faile For what can hinder that God should not stand to his promise and should fulfill that which he hath certainely and absolutely promised Doth the hardnesse of mans heart hinder No this is that which he doth promises to wit that he will soften the stony heart Doth the wickednesse of man hinder No there is no man but he is wicked before God conuerteth him Is it the stubbornnesse which is in some men more then ordinary No Where sinne abounded there also grace abounded Finally there can no impediment be obiected which God cannot put away and remoue There is nothing so intricate out of which the wise goodnesse of God cannot cleere himselfe and therefore to whom hee promised hee would giue a new spirit that hee would take from them their stony heart that he would cause that they should walke in his waies it is impossible that these should not be conuerted or should finally fall away Neither doe the Arminians themselues deny it although they seeme contentiously to striue against it For in the 286. page of the conference at the Hage they doe confesse that these words of God in Ezechiel It is declared that God will so effectually worke that actuall obedience must follow But say they is that done vnresistibly As if the controuersie were in that It is sufficient that it is done most certainely infallibly and vnauoidably although man should for a time resist and should be aduerse and contrary to God calling that is to his owne saluation For the workes of piety which are adioyned to follow this change of the heart are not laid downe as conditions on which this change is to be but as fruites and effects which are to follow this change of the heart XIV These Sectaries doe deuise another hiding hole in saying that this promise of giuing a new heart was made to a whole nation not to seuerall men But these are vaine things For Regeneration and the change of the heart is a gift which is giuen to particular men Neither were this promise true if it were to be performed to a whole nation in which there haue alwaies beene very many that haue beene stubborne and rebellious Therefore this promise pertaineth to those alone who were to be truely faithfull XV. They dispute neuer a whit more wittily when they say Collat. pag. 269. that by these places is promised not the first beginning of preuenting grace but a greater plenty and progresse of grace I doe not deny but that euen the progresse and proceeding in grace is promised here but I earnestly affirme that here the beginnings also of conuersion are promised The very words a new heart doe proue this For then truely and properly is the heart new when it begins to be changed Nor is it credible that the increase of grace is promised without the beginning of it XVI I further demand whether that promise whereby God promiseth that he will cause that wee shall walke in his wayes is extended to the end of