curse What Predestination is The parts of it That Arminius did not vnderstand what the decree of Predestination is and that he hath vtterly taken away Election I SEeing that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and all men without exception are borne guilty of the curse it is certaine that that no man can be freed from the curse but by the meere grace and fauour of God This grace he hath reuealed to vs in Christ without whom there is no saluation For he put on our nature that by this meanes of his comming betweene and as it were by this knot man might be ioyned with God and hee suffered death that hee might satisfie for our sinnes and so reconciliation being made wee might be restored to the title and degree of the sonnes of God II. This benefit and sauing grace God doth declare to vs by the Gospell wherein that couenant of free grace whereof Christ is the mediator and foundation is propounded III. By this Gospell eternall life is promised to those that beleeue in Christ For as there is no saluation without Christ so without faith Christ cannot be apprehended nor can we come to the saluation appointed onely for the faithfull For as the Apostle saith Heb. 11 Without faith it is vnpossible to please God I call faith not that vaine trust whereby men sleepe in their vices and their consciences are benumbed while they haue a good hope of the mercy of God but a liuely faith which doth worke by charitie Gal. 5.6 which by that very meanes doth increase loue because it driues away feare IV. This faith man hath not of himselfe neither is it a thing of mans free will but the gift of God and the effect of the holy-Ghost who doth draw men by a powerfull calling and doth seale in mens hearts and deepely impresse in their consciences the promises of God propounded in the Gospell V. All men haue not this faith as the Apostie saith 2. Thes 3. for then all men should be conuerted and saued but onely they whom Paul saith are called by the purpose of God Rom. 8.28 and whom God of his meere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure hath chosen to saluation VI. Faith is giuen by the meer good pleasure of God neither is it giuen to the worthy but it doth make them worthy when it is giuen For God doth not find men good but makes them so neither doth he foreknow any good in man but that which hee himselfe shall doe as hereafter shall more fully be taught VII This eternall and therefore immutable decree of God is called Predestination which is a part of the prouidence of God For prouidence is called Predestination when it doth apply it selfe to the saluation or condemnation of the reasonable creature and when it doth dispense and dispose the meanes by which men come to saluation for that these things are gouerned by the diuine will and that God according to his good pleasure doth giue to some that which he doth deny to others cannot be doubted For though the Scripture were here silent yet reason would cry out that it is not likely that God who doth extend his care to all things is negligent in this thing alone which is the chiefest VIII Furthermore although there be a Predestination among the Angels as Saint Paul witnesseth who 1. Tim. 5.21 calleth the Angels Flect Here we are to deale onely with the predestination of men as that which alone belongs to vs. IX Predestination is therefore the decree by which in the worke of our saluation God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with euery man Or thus Predestination is the decree of God by which of the corrupted masse of mankinde hee hath decreed to saue certaine men by Christ and iustly to punish the rest for their sinnes X. Of this Predestination there are two parts the one is election the other is reprobation whereof the first doth necessarily lay downe the second For as often as some are chosen out of many the rest are necessarily reprobated and of them that are chosen some are preferred before others XI Of election and of the Elect there is often mention in the Scripture Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20.16 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1.4 The purpose of God according to election doth stand not of workes but of him that calleth Rom. 9.11 There is a remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 False Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible euen the elect Mark 13.22 XII On the other side that some are reprobates the Scripture doth witnesse 1. Pet. 2.8 Which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed And Iude v. 4. Certaine men are crept in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Hitherto belongs that which is said Reuel 20.15 That there is cast into the lake of fire whosoeuer is not sound written in the booke of life Which booke is nothing else but the Catalogue of the Elect determined by the decree of God XIII We haue Iacob and Esau for a notable example of this difference of whom whilest they were yet shut vp in the wombe before they had done either good or euill God doth pronounce I haue loued lacob I haue hated Esau Rom. 9. Also the two Theeues crucified with Christ Two shall be in a bed the one shall be receiued and the other left Luk. 17.34 Not much vnlike that which happened to Pharaohs Butler and his chiefe Baker who being shut vp in the same prison the one was brought forth to honour the other to punishment XIV An example of this difference God hath shewed not onely in Abraham but also in his stocke which for no desert of theirs hee preferred before other Nations When the most high diuided to the Nations their inheritance when he seperated the sonnes of Adam the Londs portion was his people Iacob was the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32. And least any one should suppose that that was done for the vertue of that people fore-seene he thus speaketh to his people Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giueth thee not this good Land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse for thou art a stiffe-necked people Deut. 9.6 XV. And although Predestination doth comprehend reprobation seeing that it is certaine that the wicked are appointed to a certaine end and to their deserued punishments yet the Apostle by the word Predestination doth vnderstand onely Election as Rom. 8. Those that he predestinated he called c. And Ephes 1.5 Hauing predestinated vs to the adoption of children Thomas imitating this manner of speaking doth thus define Predestination 1. Part. Sum. Quest 23. Art 2. Predestination is the preparation to grace in the present and to glory in the world to come XVI But when
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
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.
the fore-skinne of your heart All which places are besides the purpose for they doe not say that which Arnoldus doth apply to them to wit that these things are done by vs but they onely commanded them to be done and I meruaile how so great a negligence hath crept on a man of a sharpe and acute wit Yea if these places should say that man gaue himselfe a new heart that he did sanctifie and quicken and saue himselfe yet it would not thence follow that these things are done by our free-will for it is familiar to the Scripture to say that those are done by vs which God doth worke by vs Thus man openeth to God knocking Reuel 2.20 Thus the Apostles raised the dead Thus the Pastors of the Church forgiue sins Mat. 18. Iohn 21. Thus they saue soules 1 Tim. 4.16 When yet without wickednesse they cannot arrogate to themselues the title of the Sauiour of soules XVII And whether this doctrine tendeth of the concurrence of free-will with grace and of the faculty whereby man may beleeue vse grace if he will or not beleeue refuse grace and the totall cause of faith is assigned not to grace alone but to grace with free-will whether I say this doctrine drawne out of the ditches and puddles of the Semipelagians doth tend it is easie to know For it tendeth thither that mans merits might closely be brought in as it were by vndermining wayes For a though these Sectaries doe at the first view seeme to beare a hatred to merits yet in many places they doe establish them The Epistle against the Walachrians hath these words pag. 44. Those whom God calleth and to whom he doth before hand vouchsafe the grace of preaching we confesse for the most part to be such men that their vertues doe deserue no lesse then this free bestowing of gifts Behold then some men who deserue the bestowing of the gifts of God and that before regeneration Arnoldus pag. 328. God giueth to the creature performing obedience that which is theirs of due Arminius against Perkins pag. 218. God of his promise and of due debt doth giue life to him that worketh And Arnoldus pag. 433. doth speake of some who by the helpe of grace doe not make themselues vnworthy and doe not deserue that the spirit should cease to worke in them XVIII It liketh me well for a corollary to set downe here the famous sentence of Saint Austin ad Simplicium quest 2. This is manifest that we will in vaine vnlesse God shew mercy but I doe not know how it can be said that God sheweth mercy in vaine vnlesse we doe will for if God hath mercy we are willing because it belongeth to that mercy that we should be willing for it is God that doth worke in vs to will and to doe of his good will And in the same place The effect of the mercy of God cannot be in the power of man that he should in vaine haue mercy if man be vnwilling because if he will haue mercy on them he can call them after that manner that is fit for them that they should be moued and vnderstand and follow CHAP. XXXVI Of the outward and inward calling and whether the one be without the other I. ALthough the workes of God which are euery where before our eyes doe abundantly testifie and euen against mens wils do shew the infinite power goodnesse and wisdome of God yet this light is but dimme and nearer to darkenesse in comparison of the light of the word of God whereby hee doth not onely giue vs assurance of his omnipotency maiesty and prouidence but doth also reueile to vs his will For surely the contemplation of the creatures doth not touch men with the sence of sinne nor doth shew to a man the way of saluation and reconciliation with God yea there can be no profitable and sauing contemplation of nature vnlesse those things which in a doubtfull light and in worne-out letters are hardly read doe by the word of God as it were through spectacles appeare plaine and distinct to vs Then at length doe we contemplate heauen with filiall eyes as the entry of our fathers house when God by his word hath dispelled this mist from our mindes and hath declared sure tokens of his fatherly loue II. Furthermore although the knowledge of the creatures doth not suffice to saluation yet the Gentiles who were instructed by no other teacher then nature are therefore inexcusable because they doe not vse these although small helpes to as good purpose as they might and because they endeauour to choake or depraue those naturall good notions and sparkes of goodnesse and equity which are put into them by nature Therefore they alone doe profit in piety by the teaching of the creatures and are by the prickes of conscience stirred vp to the feare of God to whom God hath vouchsafed the prerogatiue of his word III. But yet not all they that heare the word of God doe come to saluation but those in whom the preaching of the Gospell piercing deepely and being admitted into them doth change their hearts and shed in their mindes a heauenly light And these sauing effects are not to be ascribed to the eloquence of man obtained to perswade but to the secret efficacy of the holy Ghost which is the true doctor of our soules and that singer of God engrauing the law on the stony tables of our hearts Thence it is that the Gospell is called in the Scripture a two-edged sword a hammer breaking the stone the arme of God and the power of God to saluation Without which efficacy of the holy Ghost preaching is but a dead letter and a vaine sound striking mens eares effectuall onely to this that the condemnation of the stubborne and rebellious hearer should be the greater Hence ariseth a double calling one outward which is wrought by the outward publishing of the Gospell the other inward which is wrought by the powerfull drawing and change of the heart by the Holy-Ghost by whom the word is made effectuall This inward change doth consist of two parts viz. The enlightning of the minde and the change of the will which change of the will though it be latter in time yet it is worthier in dignity In so much that the enlightning of the minde without the renewing of the heart doth turne to our greater condemnation This inward change is in the Scripture called conuersion regeneration the new birth creation and resurrection IV. Here wee haue somewhat to doe with the Arminians and there is no small controuersie betweene vs For they say that the word of God whensoeuer and amongst whomsoeuer it is preached is neuer destitute of its quickning power neither is any one outwardly called but hee is also inwardly drawne And therefore they refuse the distinction of vocation or calling into outward and inward These are the words of Arminius against Perkins Page 57. The word is vnprofitable without the Holy-Ghost wherefore
V. Man by his owne fault hath brought destruction to himselfe neither can the fall of man be imputed to God Thy destruction O Israell is from thy selfe but in mee is thy helpe Hosea 12.9.10 As in the generation of the Infant the sunne and man doe worke together yet if a monster be generated it is not ascribed to the sunne but to man For therefore is the monster bred because through the defect of the organs or the euill affection of the matter the vniuersall agent cause is withdrawne from the accustomed course Euen so to humane actions God and mans will doe concurre yet if any euill bee in the action it ought not to be ascribed to God but to the disposition of mans will VI. And yet the Scripture doth sometimes vse those phrases of speech which doe yeeld occasion to the prophane of imputing their sinnes to God as being committed by his will and incitation It is well knowne with how great wickednesse the sonnes of Iacob moued with enuy sold their brother Ioseph Of this fact Ioseph himselfe thus speaketh Genes â—0 Yee indeede thought euill against mee but God meant it vnto good that hee might saue much people aliue As if GOD had beene the authour of this fact The Scripture saith of the sonnes of Samuel that they did not obey their fathers admonitions because God would slay them 1. Samuel 2.25 And 1. King 2. the malignant spirit sets himselfe before the tribunall of God and offers to God his seruice to deceiue the Prophets To whom God said Thou shalt deceiue and thou shalt preuaile Goe forth and doe so Shemei curseth Dauid with foule imprecations 2. Samuel 26. which Dauid receiues as done by the incitation of God Let him curse saith hee for God hath said vnto him Curse Dauid Very grieuous calamities followed Dauids adultery with Bathsheba and his murther of Vrias by the rebellion of his sonne Absalon who droue his father from his kingdome and openly abused his wiues Nathan sent to Dauid from God doth declare how these things came to passe in these wordes Thou didst this secretly but I will doe these things before all Israell 2. Sam. 12. Satan afflicted Iob the Chaldees steale away his goods what saith this seruant of God to these things The Lord saith hee hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the name of the Lord. In the fourth Chapter of the Acts Saint Peter saith thus Against thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israell are assembled together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell haue determined before to bee done Saint Paule in his first chapter of the Epistle of the Romans speaking of the people that were worshippers of Idols and were giuen ouer to all wickednesse saith that God gaue them vp to vile and wicked affections that they might doe these enormious things God himselfe doth witnesse Exod. 10. Rom. 9. That he hardned Pharaohs hart Finally who doth not tremble at these words of God which are set downe in the sixt Chap. of Esay Make the hart of this people fat and make their eares heauy and shut their eyes Least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and so conuert and be healed Least any prophane person should abuse these things to the vnloosing of the claspe of intemperancy and least any whose heart is hardned against the word of God should impute the hardnesse of it to God who cannot be resisted As that yong man in Plautus In â—ulularia thus excusing himselfe Deus mihi impulsor fuit God was an incitor to me it was he drew mee to her therefore some things are to be set downe wherby this question may be cleered and the truth may be brought out of this darkenesse VII Before all other things wee admonish that the middle way be kept betweene the two extreames One whereof is to make God the authour of sinne the other is to assigne any thing to be done God being vnwilling ignorant or not regarding as if sitting in a watch-tower he did expect casuall euents depending vpon chance or vpon mans pleasure Let him runne into neither of these who would acknowledge the prouidence of God without damage of his iustice not fathering his sinnes vpon him and would not call in ignorance or neglect of things in God for the defence of his iustice VIII First therefore it must be graunted that sinne is not committed without Gods permission Neither ought this word of permitting offend any one as if it derogated from the care and prouidence of God seeing Saint Paul himselfe in the 14. chapter of the Acts doth vse this word where he saith to the men of Lycaonia God in times past * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes therefore God suffered sinne To permit sinne is not to hinder it when thou canst thence it comes to passe that there are so many meanes of permitting sinne as of hindring it God doth hinder sinne two manner of wayes either by his Iustice or by his Power By his Iustice he hindereth sinne by commanding by forbidding by admonishing by threatning and by promising By his power he doth hinder it when he doth take away ability or remoue the occasion of sinning or by the efficacy of his spirit doth change and encline to piety our wils that are prone to sin The former is a morall impediment the latter a naturall or euen a supernaturall According to these meanes of hindering sinne the meanes of permitting it are also diuers For God doth permit sinne either by vnloosing the Law and giuing liberty of sinning or by not drawing away the ability of sinning which might hinder men from sinning in act After the former manner God doth neuer permit sinne after the latter manner he doth permit it which he doth in not hindring that man should assay it and in not giuing a certaine succour and measure of his grace which if it were present the sinne might be preuented IX This permission is a certaine act of the diuine will seeing it is voluntary for God doth nothing vnwitting or vnwilling God therefore permits sinne because he will permit it neither had he permitted it if it had not beene good that it should be permitted for if there were not euill it would not be known what is good euen as we should not know what light were vnlesse there were a night neither had his iustice whereby he punisheth nor his mercy whereby he pardoneth beene made knowne nor his wisedome whereby he can draw good out of euill nor his infinite loue whereby hee sent his sonne into the world that he might die for vs not that God doth stand in neede of our wickednesse to illustrate his glory but because otherwise man could not come to that full felicity to which hee was created For God cannot be perfectly knowne and therefore not
defile that act it must not be said to be from God Man is the effector of sinne God the permitter That act in which there is deformity is naturally good in as much as it is from God but morally euill in as much as it is from man The action in which the sinne is is one thing the deformity of the action in which formally the sinne is is another thing To the action it selfe God doth concurre with man but not to the sinne XVI Neither is God to be blamed that he doth concurre with the creature which hee knoweth will abuse his concurrence and assistance to sinning For mans vice cannot straighten the limits of Gods power nor dissolue that eternall law by which the whole frame of nature doth stand nor pull away that naturall necessity whereby the creature cannot moue it selfeâ— without the assistance of God So the Soule although it knowes that the body will abuse her mouing power to halting doth not keep back her mouing force or abstaine from the motion of the body Neither will therefore the power of God be diminished in naturall things or his influence cease because in morall things the will of man is disobedient to the law of God Yea God cannot require obedience from the creature vnlesse he should sustaine it and giue to it power of mouing it selfe XVII As the Sunne is not the cause of darkenesse although darkenesse doth necessarily follow the absence of it So God seeing he is the most exact iustice is not the cause of sinne although inordinate affections blindenesse of minde the prauity of the will doe necessarily follow the deniall of the grace of God This is their meaning which say that God is not the efficient but the deficient cause of sin Yet I could wish men would abstaine from this kinde of speaking XVIII Although wicked men doe worke freely and of their owne motion are carried to sinne God not alluring nor forcing them yet it is certaine that the euents which doe follow thence are directed and gouerned by Gods prouidence For as the downefall of the running water inclining to the lower parts may be turned the channell being guided by the diligence of the conueyor so although wicked men of their owne disposition are prone to sinne yet by the prouidence of God and his secret counsell they are inclined to commit this sinne rather then that that they may serue the execution of the iudgements of God when he will vse them either to punish any ones wickednesse or to try the faith of the godly or to stirre vp their sloathfulnesse This similitude Salomon doth vse Prou. 21. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord as the riuers of waters and hee turnes it whether he will By this meanes as Saint Peter saith Act. 4. The wicked doe whatsoeuer things the hand of God and his purpose had determined to be done Hence it is that God saith Esay 5. that hee will whistle for the remote nations to say waste Iudea And Chap. 10. hee cals Ashur the rod of his wrath Ieroboam seekes after nouelties and doth practise a reuolting from Salomon Ahias the Prophet sent from God doth declare to him the euent of this attempt God did not instill this rebellion into his heart which was before conceiued but hardned his minde which was already euill to the daring this wicked attempt that he might vse the wicked man to punish the sinnes of Salomon and Rehoboam As therefore Horse-leaches applyed to the parts of a sicke man while they satisfie their owne gorge doe performe the intent of the Physitian so wicked men whilest they rage against good men besides their owne intention they further the purpose of God as Esay teacheth in his tenth Chapter where God saith that hee had decreed to vse the King of Assiria to punish the hypocrisie of Israel but that this minde was not in the King being led onely by ambition and desire of prey Thus God vsed the wickednesse of the brethren of Ioseph to keepe famine from his people and the treason of Iudas for the death of Christ and by it for our redemption and the ambition of Augustus Caesar taxing the whole Empire for the bringing of Mary out of Galile to Bethlehem that there shee might be deliuered and so the prophesie of Michai be fulfilled Euen they which resist the commandement of God helpe forward his prouidence and like Rowers which set their backes that way which they goe God by the folly of men doth worke the purposes of his wisedome he doth vse vniust men to the exercising of his iustice as if one with a crooked staffe should strike a straight blow XIX Whensoeuer God letting loose the reines to Sathan doth permit him to tempt any man Sathan truely may allure the appetite by propounding Obiects or trouble the phantasie by the alteration of the humours of the body but he cannot compell the will otherwise the man should not sinne but Sathan Neither could God iustly punish a man for sinne to which hee had beene compelled by an outward cause without his owne inclination XX. But because God when hee would auenge the contumacy of his enemies or punish the sinnes of his owne doth sometimes vse Sathan as his minister the holy Scripture doth attribute one and the same euent both to God and to Sathan So 1 Sam. 16. the euill spirit troubling Saul is said to be from God and 1 Chro. 21. Sathan is said to haue rose vp against Israel and to haue stirred vp Dauid to number the people and 2 Sam. 24. it is attributed to God There God is to be considered as a iust iudge and Sathan as an incitour of the wickednesse By these instructions well conceiued the way of exâ—using Saint Austen will easily be found from whom sometimes there fall some speeches which trouble tender eares if they be not moderated with a fit interpretation such is that which he saith of Shemei cursing Dauid in his Booke de Gratia libero arbitrio Cap. 20. What wise man doth vnderstand how the Lord said to this man Curse Dauid For he did not bid him by commanding him that his obedience should be praised bu because God inclined his will which by his owne proper vice was euill to this sinne by his iust and secret iudgement and therefore is it said the Lord bid him And Cap. 22. God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wils whithersoeuer he will either to good things of his own mercy or to euill things according to their deserts And against Iulian the Pelagian lib. 5. cap. 3. Many other things we might rehearse in which it would plainely appeare that the heart is made peruerse by the secret iudgement of God that the truth which is said might not be heard and so man might sinne that sinne might be the punishment of a former sinne Yea in the same place he doth contend against Iulian that those which are deliuered vp to their owne desires are
it must needes be that God put in man that inclination to sinne which seeing it is an euill thing God should be made the author of that which is euill and to haue inclined man to sinne which cannot be spoken without hainous wickednesse III. It was the least finne which Adam sinned in gluttony but that was farre the greatest that he had rather beleeue the Serpent then God and that being spurred on by ambition he would be like God in the knowledge of good and euill And that while hee obeyed the Serpent hee gaue credit to reproaches cast vpon God Finally because he preferred so small a thing before the commandement of God therefore the lesser the eating of the Apple was the greater was his sinne IV. This ruine beganne at the vnderstanding ouer which Sathan had spread the cloud of false opinion and had cast the imagination of a false good To whose perswasion when man shewed himselfe ready then peruersenesse of the will and inclination of the appetites to sinne followed this darkening of the minde V. This fall happened God indeede not compelling it but yet permitting it There was not wanting power to his omnipotency by which hee was able to hinder this fall neither did enuy turne away his goodnesse God therefore permitted it because he would permit it and because it was good that he should permit it He that is the chiefest good would not haue permitted euill vnlesse it had beene good that euill should haue entred into the world by that permission he made a way for the manifestation of his glory and opened a way to man himselfe to a state farre more excellent For without sinne the mercy of God whereby he pardoneth and his iustice whereby he punisheth had neither of them been made knowne nor had hee made knowne his infinite loue to the church by the sending of Christ into the world to abolish our sinnes and to carry vs to a celestiall glory Neither doe I say these things as if I thought that God doth stand in neede of our wickednesse to the manifestation of his glory but I say that God created man that hee might come to greater perfection then that was in which hee was created And hee could not come to that perfection without the knowledge of Gods iustice and mercy which doth shine forth out of this fall and out of the remedy which he had prepared for this fall To which purpose the words of Saint Austen in his booke de Correp grati Cap. 10. are very proper He that created all things very good and fore-knew that euill things would rise out of those good things knew that it did more pertaine to his omnipotent goodnesse to make good things euen out of euill things then not to suffer euill things to be The like hee saith Encherid Chap. 96. VI. The Arminians bring no other cause of this permission then this Because God would not force mans voluntary liberty nor compell his will neither did he thinke it conuenient to vse his omnipotency in a thing which belongs to mans free will But they doe too negligently touch so great a matter neither doe they sufficiently weigh the moment of things and the circumstances of the fall of Adam For God without the diminishing of mans liberty could haue restrained Sathan and hindred him that hee should not tempt man He could haue forewarned man that he should not beleeue the Serpent He was able not to haue propounded the tree to man by the eating whereof he knew man would sinne Hee could haue giuen man more strength and more light and more vnderstanding He could haue giuen extraordinary strength in the very instant of temptation And yet by these force had not beene offered to mans will nor his liberty violated The Angels are examples hereof whom he doth confirme in good without any constraint By these it is manifest that the fall of man happened God not compelling but yet dispenfing and by his prouidence turning that euent which hee fore-knew from eternity to an end which hee had determined with himselfe from eternity VII Neither is it to be said that God withdrew his grace from man for this were to compell him as the house doth necessarily fall when the pillars are taken away nor that God tooke from him the liberty of his will for so he had brought a necessity of sining but he would not hinder that man should not be tempted by Sathan nor would he helpe him with extraordinary succour And whereas man sinned freely yet that fell out which God from eternity fore-knew would bee and the creatures themselues before the creation of man did testifie that it would come to passe For before Adam had sinned God had put into the Plants healthfull powers to keepe away diseases already had he cloathed the sheepe with fleeces and had formed cattell for the vse of man which are reliefes of humaine infirmity and had beene in vaine created if man had stood in his integrity VIII Now whether the digestion and egestion of meate to be refreshed with sleepe after labour to enioy the marriage bed to grow in stature to haue flesh that may be wounded and burnt to all which man before his fall was obnoxious whether I say these are such things as may perpetually agree to a creature perfectly blessed or whether they doe not secretly testifie what should be the condition of man to come I leaue it to be iudged of by wise men IX And yet it is no doubt but that Adam without any extraordinary helpe had strength to resist Sathan For it is not credible that God gaue a Law to man when he was made at first to the performing of which he did not giue power yet in respect of the fore-knowledge of God the fall of man was certaine For the act of the will may be certaine and defined before God the liberty of mans will being vntouched and intire So it is no doubt but the tortours had power and ability of breaking the bones of Christ when yet in respect of the fore-knowledge and prouidence of God it was impossible that they should be broken The will of man may by a certaine and voluntary motion determine it selfe to some one thing and yet doe that which either the knowledge of God hath certainely fore-knowne or his prouidence hath certainely fore-ordained X. These things are firmely to be held least the fault of man be transferred vpon God For howsoeuer God doth draw good out of the fall of Adam yet he neuer doth doe euill that good may come of it Neither must we think that God would force man to sinne although his glory should manifest y appeare thereby Gods glory must not be further I with the damage of his iustice but after a maâ—ueâ—ous and vnvtterable manner God doth so dispose and gouerne the euents of things that vnauoâ—dably those things happen which he doth condemne and disalow and the diuine prouidence doth keepe a course betweene iniustice and negligence
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
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
worth which is in these but not in them But it is not likely that any wise man doth choose the best men for any other cause then because they are the best For if the goodnesse of the faithfull doe goe before election hee should doe very ill that should elect them for any other cause then because they are good XII And certainely whensoeuer any thing is promised to a man vnder a condition which is in the power of mans free-will it is plaine that the fulfilling of the condition by mans free-will is the cause why the promise is fulfilled and the Arminians doe contend that God doth giue yea and that hee is bound to giue grace and sufficient power to beleeue but to vse that grace or not to vse it is in the power of mans free-will XIII Neither is it a hard thing to draw from them that which I would haue For let the Schoole and followers of Arminius tell me what moued God by his consequent will to choose Simon Peter rather then Simon Magus why Gregory rather then Iulian They haue nothing to answer but that it was done because God fore-saw faith in them and incredulity in these Therefore although they should get it granted that by their doctrine fore-seene faith is not made the cause why God hath appointed this man to saluation yet they must needes confesse that according to Arminius fore-seene faith is the cause of the difference betweene the elect and the reprobate and therefore the cause why this man is preferred before the other which surely is no other thing then to be the cause of election For euery election is comparatiue and doth inferre the reiection of one or more XIV So when they deny that by the will of God electing the number of the elect is certaine and determined it must needes be that they would haue mans will to be the cause why the number is such a number and so euery man is the cause why hee is of the number of the elect and therefore also the cause of his owne election XV. Although therefore they would haue this suspicion remoued from them yet they will neuer wipe out this blot by which they are contumelious against God and doe weaken the firmenesse and strength of faith As they which make the eternall election and good pleasure of God to depend on mans free-will will haue saluation to be of him that willeth of him that runneth they doe place some worth vertue in man which is the cause why saluation in the eternall counsell of God is appointed to one rather then to another Whence it comes that faith doth shake and saluation is vncertaine as that which although God doth certainely fore-know yet he doth not certainely and infallibly will it for Election is not an act of the fore-knowledge but of the will of God and this will how can it be certaine if it doth depend on an vncertaine thing to wit on mans will But these things by the way for they shall be more exactly examined in their place CHAP. XVIII The decree of generall election is searched into by which Arminius will haue all men to be elected to saluation vnder the condition of faith I. WE haue taught in the fift Chapter that the antecedent will of God as Arminius hath receiued it after Damascen is a meere forged deuise and a thing contumelious against God This foundation being taken away that vniuersall election common to all men vnder the condition of faith to be performed doth fall downe For this generall election Arminius will haue to belong to the antecedent will of God II. Whereunto adde those things which we haue spoken Chapter 12. where we haue dissolued and vnloosed the chaine of the foure decrees in which the Arminians doe comprehend the whole doctrine of Election There we haue shewed that the second decree by which saluation is not decreed to particular persons but it is determined that they shall be saued who shall beleeue is not the decree of prouidence nor predestination but is the rule of the Gospell which doth prescribe and set downe the way to saluation III. This question is put to slight onely by the name of election for Election cannot be of all men he doth not choose that taketh all Neither in the time of the deluge had Noah beene chosen that hee should liue in the deluge if no man had perished by the flood He is elected who is preferred before others the rest being eyther despised or lesse accounted of IV. And seeing in all the points of faith wee ought to be wise and taught out of the Scriptures much more in so high an argument which doth exceede our capacitie Let therefore the Arminians shew by what place of Scripture all men are said to be elected by that election which is opposite to reprobation for of that it is spoken here and not of the election of seuerall men by the consequent will of God Who euer heard it said that Pharaoh or Iudas did any way belong to the election of God Saint Peter indeede 2. Epist Chap. 1. doth ioyne calling to election commanding vs to make our calling and election sure that is by the earnest endeauour of good workes to effect that the sence of our effectuall calling and the perswasion of our election may daily be increased in vs But he will not therefore haue our calling and election to be the same nor will hee haue all that are any waies called to be elected Yea many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 V. That also is to be obserued that by this generall election it is not decreed who are to be saued but what manner of men are to be saued and that the Arminians draw the ninth chapter to the Romanes to proue this where it is plainely spoken of the good pleasure of God and his mercy towards some seuerall and peculiar persons whom it seemeth good to God to choose For those words I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy speake of some certaine men and not of what qualified men for then he had said Miserâ—tor qualium I will haue mercy on men so qualified and not cuius or quorum of whom Neither had the example of Isaac and Iacob who were particular persons beene applied to explaine the election not of particular persons but the election eyther of all or of men so qualified VI. But I would learne of the Arminians whether Iudas or Pilate whether the high priests and the Scribes by the instigation and accusations of whom our Sauiour was crucified were elected conditionally and comprehended in that generall election If they were not comprehended then that generall and conditionall election which they would haue to be extended to all men falleth to the ground On the other side if Iudas and those high priests were conditionally elected the decree of God concerning the crucifying of Christ could not be absolute because it was done by men which were conditionally elected vnder a
cause of this difference is in readinesse to wit in the one faith was fore-seene in the other vnbeleefe was foreseene Did Saint Paul seeme to Arminius eyther not to be quick of vnderstanding or to be scrupulous without cause But least he should be compelled to say this he hath deuised I know not what subtilties and monsters of interpretations Such as are these Of him that calleth that is of Faith And of God that sheweth mercy that is that iustifieth not for workes but for Faith which mercy notwithstanding is common to many reprobates Then also that speech I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy by cuius whom hee would haue qualium what sort of men to be vnderstood And it is not of him that willeth to wit righteousnesse is not For he denyeth that these are to be vnderstood of saluation as if saluation were of him that willeth Euen as to haue mercy if Arminius be beleeued is not to saue but to giue the meanes to righteousnesse And many more such like which are eyther inconuenient or wrested which we haue examined in the 15. chapter XI Adde to these that which is in the eleuenth to the Romanes Rom. 11.5 At this present there is a remnant according to the election of Grace By this remnant or reserued portion are vnderstood those Iewes who cleaued to Christ and who did not fall from the couenant with the rest We haue here therefore the cause why these perseuered in the Faith and haue not fallen from grace to wit because the reseruation was made according to the election of grace Therefore perseuerance in Faith is according to the election of grace and not election according to perseuerance in Faith as Arminius would haue it Arminius that he might shift off this place saith that it is here spoken of election to righteousnesse not of election to Faith which although it be false yet it doth not infringe the force and euidence of this place For whosoeuer is elected to righteousnesse is elected to Faith And surely I cannot sufficiently maruaile at that which Arminius saith Pag. 222. What is that which is by grace Armin. in Perk. pag. 222. It is election to Faith nothing lesse but it is election to righteousnesse as if there were any righteousnesse without Faith Or as if he who refuseth Faith doth not also refuse righteousnesse Surely these things sound of Socianisme and doe shew that there is vnder them some hidden vlcer Also what is it to the purpose to contend that it is here spoken of election to righteousnesse seeing according to Arminius this is not certaine by the will of God but doth depend on mans free-will XII Arnoldus Pag. 346. dealeth more warily He thinks that it is spoken here of the reiection of the Iewes and taking in of the Gentiles But the word remnant or reseruation doth confute this for from hence as also from the former verses it is manifest that he doth enquire the cause why a few of the Iewes onely a remnant doe belong to the couenant being afterwards to explaine how the Gentiles were engrafted into the place of the rest which were reiected and cut off Finally against these places of Scripture the Arminians although they be acute and witty men doe so flye the encounter they doe fight so recoylingly they doe so intangle themselues that they seeme eyther to be vnwilling to be vnderstood or to distrust their owne cause Furthermore if they say true no man yet had vnderstood what Christian Religion is CHAP. XXII The same Election in respect of Faith fore-seene is confuted by Reason I. REason it selfe doth agree to the Scripture For if perseuerance in Faith be considered in Election as a thing already performed no man is elected but he is considered as dead and as hauing finished his course for no man can be said to haue perseuered vntill the end but hee which is come vnto the end II. Hence also it appeareth that Arminius is contrary to himselfe For hee saith Election is of them that beleeue But they that are dead cease to beleeue Therefore that Arminius might be constant to himselfe hee ought to say that Election is of them that cease to beleeue and not of them that beleeue III. Also if election to glory be made for some fore-seene vertue Christ himselfe as hee was man was not predestinated to glory for he was not carried to such a height of glory for the fore-seeing eyther of faith or workes or any vertue for whatsoeuer vertue or holinesse is in Christ as he is man doth flow from the personall vnion with the diuinity and from the purity of his conception by which he was free from originall sinne Therefore this his holinesse cannot be said to be fore-seene but to be decreed Nor was he predestinated for holinesse but to holinesse And that the election of the head should be contrary to the election of the members and that the head should be elected to vertue the members for vertue no reason doth admit IV. Adde to these that while election is said to be for faith fore-seene there is appointed an election which doth not belong to infants that are taken away by an immature and vntimely death because they want faith V. Yea election for faith fore seene cannot be called election but it is an admission and receiuing of them who come to Christ by Faith and of them who by their free-will vsing Grace well doe first choose God in whom they put their trust before they be chosen by God Christ on the contary side saith Iohn 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you The Arminians while they contend that it is here spoken onely of election to their Apostâ—ship doe not obscurely confesse that this place doth hurt them if it be there spoken of election to saluation their will is therefore in the worke of saluation that God be chosen by man before man be chosen by God Goe to then let vs grant that it is here spoken onely of election to their Apostleship for that doth not a little further our cause For if the Apostles were elected to their Apostleship not for any fore-seene vertue but were elected to receiue those vertues and gifts by which they might execute their Apostleship it is much more likely that man is not elected to saluation for any fore-seene vertue seeing eternall saluation is a farre greater benefit then the Apostleship and further remoued from the power of man and more exceeding our capacity and therefore it is a thing whereunto we haue much more neede of the helpe of God and which is lesse in the power of mans free-will then the obtaining of an Apostleship VI. By the same doctrine faith in Christ is made a thing of mans free-will in the power whereof it is to vse grace or not to vse it to beleeue or not to beleeue and to vse or not to vse those powers to beleeue which are giuen vnresistably Surely Arminius had
God crept vpon them and that sometimes they felt some temptations of desparation But as soone as they shooke off that opinion of precise election they were healed of these diseases and their piety grew hot No doubt wee had bid piety and sanctitie of manners farewell if this sect had not rose vp which hath triumphed ouer vices and hath raised vp piety almost dead I doe not search into their manners thus much I say their writings relish of anger and are full of bitternesse But to the purpose I deny that by our doctrine iust occasion of sinning is taken and the raines let loose to intemperance But nothing hath euer beene said so holily nor so truely which may not be drawn to the worser part and be corrupted by a sinister interpretation Saint Paul suffered the same calumny who in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes doth with an opportune prolepsis and timely preuention remoue from himselfe this opinion speaking thus Shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound XXX Wee deny therefore that these things which they imagine doe follow of our doctrine If God hath predestinated any one to faith and repentance he ought not therefore to be lesse carefull how he may please God and yeelde obedience to him For repentance is carefulnesse it selfe They therefore so speake as if they should say that the elect ought to want carefulnesse because God hath predestinated them to carefulnesse XXXI Neither doth the beneficence and bounty of God hinder the vigilancy and watchfulnesse of man So God giueth vs our daily bread and yet by this he doth not hinder our labour He doth in vaine expect from God succours for his life who doth sit idle with his armes a crosse The same God which giueth vs foode exhorts vs to labour for his blessing doth not come vpon sloath but vpon diligence XXXII Furthermore nothing letteth that a man should with lesse diligence follow that labour the euent whereof is determined by the certaine decree of God whether this decree be knowne to vs or whether it be not knowne Christ was not ignorant of the tearme of his life vpon earth and yet did hee auoide the dangers and escaped the hands of the Iewes more then once Ezechias being recouered from his disease knew that he had yet fifteene yeeres to liue in which time it is no doubt but he receiued foode and had care of his health God had reuealed to Paul that none of the passengers that were in the same ship should be drowned and yet for all that he exhorted the Saylors to labour and commanded them to be kept in the ship who hauing let downe the boate would haue fled The Arminians will not deny but that the euent of their warres was determined by the purpose of God yet they would not thence inferre that it was in vaine to sight couragiously The Scripture doth testifie in many places that God hath set to euery one the limits of his life and that the number of our daies is determined by the purpose of God and yet he is not to be dispraised who sends for the Phisitian in his sicknesse or hee who before the battell puts on armour For the industry of man must serue the decree of God neither is it right that the liberality of God should be a cause of negligence to vs. So the infant moueth it selfe in the wombe and doth it selfe helpe its owne natiuity although that power which it hath of mouing is from God Surely seeing faith and repentance are the meanes to saluation nothing is so contrary to reason as to vse the end for the abolishing of the meanes Wherefore Saint Paul Philip. 2. doth acknowledge that it is receiued from God both to will and to doe and yet in the same place he doth exhort to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling whom wee had rather beleeue then Arnoldus whose words are these Page 273. It seemes to me that the conscience of sinne is altogether extinguished in him who knoweth that he is deliuered from sinne by the absolute and immutable ordinance of God What Was the conscience of Dauid hardned to sinne or did he loose the sence of sinne after that God signified to him by the Prophet Nathan that he had taken away his sinne No he sorroweth and doth grieuously lament his sinne for griefe and repentance doth stick fast in the minde euer after pardon is obtained So Saint Paul 1. Tim. 1. saith that God had mercy on him and yet in the same place he doth detest his sinne XXXIII Wee are to thinke the same thing concerning prayer as concerning the labour and endeauour of good workes For we doe rightly and piously aske of God those things which are determined by his certaine purpose For God who hath determined to doe good to vs will giue that good to our prayers and not to sloathfulnesse and security Iosaphat did not in vaine pray before the fight 2. Chro. 20. although he was not ignorant that God had already decreed what should be the euent of the battell The Apostles knew well enough that their sinnes were forgiuen them by God and yet they did daily pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Christ did not doubt of his resurrection and of the obtaining of glory after the combat and yet he did pray by night and went aside into the mountaine to pray XXXIV I let passe that euery man euen the best is obnoxious and subiect to temptations which assailing him he is to flie for the helpe of God least his faith faile or sloathfulnesse and negligence creepe vpon him XXXV Doth not Saint Paul also witnesse Rom. 8. that the holy-Ghost prayeth in vs and doth suggest sighes and prayers whence hee is called by Zacharie the spirit of supplication Zach. 12.10 Which seeing it is the effect of the good pleasure of God and the fruit of election it were a maruaile if election it selfe should keepe vs back from prayer XXXVI And if any man that is elected doth yet doubt of his saluation he hath somewhat to aske of God to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full perswasion and the sustaining of his staggering faith and the increase of charity and zeale and the obtayning of glory and if he be certaine of his saluation hee must aske the increase of this confidence hee must aske perseuerance in faith and good works hee must pray to bee kept backe from sinne to which he feeleth himselfe prone he must pray for the fulfilling of the promises of God he must pray against the temptations of Sathan who although hee cannot ouerthrow the elect yet he doth prick their heele and doth dig into them with his goades XXXVII That is of the same lumpe wherewith Arnoldus from Arminius Pag. 304. doth vpbraide vs. Your doctrine saith he doth make the seruants and Ministers of God sloathfull in their ministery because from thence it followeth that their diligence can profit none but those whom God will absolutely saue and who cannot perish 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
spirit of Adoption is a prerogatiue of the sonnes of God therefore also these are more loued VIII Doth not God visite some people from on high and doth vouchsafe them the preaching of his word others being neglected as Saint Paul teacheth Acts 14.16 saying God in times past suffred the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes At this time also there are very many nations drowned in deepe darkenesse to whom not so much as the report or name of Christ hath come IX Were the Corinthians and Philippians who liued before the time of the Apostles so much loued by God as their posteritie was who by the preaching of Saint Paul were conuerted to the faith Can it be said that God did alike wish the saluation of them as of these X. What should I speake of the men of Tyre and Sydon whose saluation if Christ had wished as well as he did the saluation of the Iewes it were a maruaile why he would not make knowne the Gospell to them especially seeing he giueth them this testimony that they were more prone to repentance then the men of Capernaum XI Acts 16.6.7 Paul endeauouring to preach the Gospell in Asia and Bythinia the spirit of God forbiddeth him and commandeth him to passe ouer into Macedonia Certainely it appeareth that God did not equally will the saluation of the Bythinians and the Macedonians seeing he would haue the Gospell rather to be preached to these then to them and presented the necessary meanes of saluation to these when he denied it to them I confesse indeede that after some yeares the Gospell came into Bythinia but in the meane time many dyed in Bythinia who had not the meanes of comming to the knowledge of Christ whose saluation that God did equally desire as hee did the saluation of the Macedonians to whom he commanded Paul to hasten there is no man will beleeue but he that doth willingly harden his minde to resist the truth No otherwise then if I should say that the Physition doth equally desire the recouery of two that are sicke of the same disease and yet doth prouide physicke for the one and will not prouide for the other XII When Christ saith Iohn 10.16 that he hath other sheep which he hath not yet gathered did he loue those sheepe which were not yet gathered but were to be gathered in his time no more then other men whom he hath not onely not drawne by his word but not so much as vouchsafed to call Surely if God did equally will the saluation of all and singular men he would equally supply to all men the meanes of saluation and he would not giue to many people onely a shadowed light and such meanes by which being alone the Arminians themselues haue not yet dared to affirme that any man hath come to saluation XIII Notable is that of Christ Mat. 11.25 where he giueth thanks to his father that he hath hidden the doctrine of saluation from the wise and had reuealed it to babes But why did he as much loue them from whom he had hid the doctrine of saluation Arnold pag 413 414. doth depraue and corrupt the words of Christ For he will haue Christ to giue thankes because his father had reuealed to babes those things which were hidden from men of vnderstanding But Christ doth not onely say that these things were hidden from the wise but doth expresly say that God hid these things from them XIV That place of Saint Paul Rom. 9. doth trouble the Sectaries where it is said that God loued Iacob and hated Esau before they had done good or euill We haue therefore God himselfe professing that he doth not equally loue men that are equall by nature and whereof neither is better then the other and that not because any one hath done any good or shall doe any good but of his meere good pleasure whereby he hath mercy on whom hee will For although Malachie saith that the dominion of Iacob ouer his brother was an effect of this loue and hatred yet the Apostle conscious and priuie of the minde and meaning of God will haue this to be an example or a type of Election according to his purpose and doth extend the words of God to the worke of our saluation Wee neede not be diligent in so cleâ—re a matter XV. The Arminians doe couer themselues against this shower of Arguments with that their distinction of the antecedent and consequent will of God They say that God doth loue some men more then other by his consequent will that is by that will which is after the faith and repentance of man For God doth loue them most whom he fore seeth will beleeue and by their owne free-will are to vse grace well But by his primary and antecedent will God doth alike loue all men and doth equally desire the saluation of all and therefore he doth giue to all men sufficient grace for faith and so for saluation And the cause why the Gospell is not preached to all they say is not the will of God but either the negligence of Christians or the indignity and vnworthinesse of the people or else the sinnes of their ancestors who haue reiected grace being offered XVI Certainely this is a deadly speech and is directly contrary not onely to the Scripture but also to it selfe For while they bring reasons why God doth not offer his Gospell to all vnawares they yeeld to our party for they lay downe the causes why God doth not equally loue all But the question is not why God loueth some men more then others but whether God doth loue all men equally therefore they entangle themselues And how absurd that distinction is of the will of God into antecedent and consequent how contumelious against God in that sence in which it is taken by the sectaries wee haue taught at large Chap. 5. XVII Moreouer they teach that God is often disappointed of his antecedent will and that the loue of God to vs is then mutable if he loue vs with his consequent will that is by his will which is after our loue and faith and our owne will It is a wicked thing to desire that the immutability of the loue of God towards vs should be after our loue and should depend on our will for the loue of God cannot be certaine if it be grounded on the loue wherewith we first loue him That therefore the loue of God to vs might be certaine and immutable it must needes goe before our loue as Saint Iohn teacheth 1. Epist 4.19 Ye loue him because he loued you first XVIII And if God by his consequent will loued one man more then another because hee foresaw hee would beleeue and vse grace well then God shall not sâ—perate man but man seperate himselfe contrary to that of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 4.7 Who seperateth thee c. And this man shall be loued more by God then another because he loued God more XIX Then also that speech of the
Apostle will faile Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy if the will of man doth goe before the will of God whereby hee will certainly and immutably haue mercy vpon vs. For the Arminians teach that the antecedent will of God may be resisted but his consequent will cannot It must needes be therefore that they say that the Apostle speaketh of the consequent will and of that loue whereby God loueth vs by his consequent will seeing that the Apostle doth there adde Who hath resisted his will And truely here the good men are held intangled with a knot from which they will neuer vnlose themselues For if they say that the Apostle in this place doth speake of the antecedent will of God which may be resisted then they fall foule vpon that which is there said Who hath resisted his will But if they will haue it to be spoken of the consequent will of God which is grounded on the will of man and the right vsing of grace and is after our will they are refuted by that other speech of the Apostle It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy But Saint Paul doth directly teach here that the will of man and the fore-seeing of the right vse of grace and of faith which the will of hauing mercy should follow is excluded by this will of God which cannot be resisted XX. Let the Arminians tell me why God loued Iacob and hated Esau before they had done eyther good or euill Surely he was not preferred before him by the Consequent will of God and which was after the faith or workes of Iacob seeing that Saint Paul doth directly remoue from the election according to the purpose of God the consideration of all good which they eyther had done or were to do for the Apostle should speak vnproperly if he should exclude only the consideration of the good done before his birth and not the consideration of the good which Iacob was afterward to doe seeing no man was ignorant that Iacob could not doe any good before his birth Yea if he could haue done yet the fore-seeing of the good to be done after his birth would no lesse derogate from the election of free grace then the fore-seeing of the good which should goe before his birth And if God electing had had respect to the good which Iacob was to doe Saint Paul would not haue appeased him that pleadeth with God and doth scrupulously enquire seeing that the reason had beene ready to wit that the one was preferred before the other because God fore-saw the faith and workes of the one Finally that speech It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth doth exclude all indeauour and helpe of man from the causes of election and of the good will of God by which he vnchangeably hath mercy vpon man XXI But those examples and testimonies which we haue brought out of the Scripture doe no lesse establish the inequality of the loue of God by his antecedent will then by his consequent will For when Christ saith Iohn 6. No man can come to me vnlesse my father draw him hee speaketh of the calling which goeth before faith and which is peculiar but to some men The same is to be iudged of the other examples For what Did God preaching to the Iewes and not to the men of Tire lesse loue the Tyrians then the Iewes by his consequent will that is because he saw that the Tyrians were worse affected and that they were lesse disposed to beleeue then the Iewes No sure for Christ doth contrarily testifie that the Tyrians were more prone to repentance then the Iewes XXII Had the Corinthians or Romanes that liued in the age of the Apostles more inclination to faith then their ancestors that liued an hundred yeers before Did God not vouchsafe the doctrine of saluation to the Corinthians and Ephesians who liued a little before the birth of Christ because their ancestors had refused it But if this were the cause why then did he inlighten with his sauing doctrine their children which proceeded from the same ancestors Surely because it so seemed good to God who for his owne goodnesse doth bestow more benefits vpon them whom hee loueth moâ—â— although they are neuer a whit better disposed to â—â—ith and Repentance XXIII But why did God call Paul with so effectuall a calling in the very height of his hatred against the Church and of a wolfe made him a sheep of a sheep a shepheard was it done because God perceiued in him some inclination to faith in Christ Or because he did well vse vniuersall grace No sure For at that time like a Tyger hee raged against the fould of Christ But God did not loue him any whit the more by his consequent will that is for the fore-seeing of faith seeing that the faith of Paul was an effect of the loue of God Nor was he loued because he was to be faithfull but that he might be faithfull as he himselfe witnesseth 1 Cor. 7. where he saith That he obtained mercy that he might be faithfull XXIV And seeing as it commeth to passe that God doth bestow vpon a man that is euill and borne of bad parents more of his grace and gifts and doth effectually conuert him that where sinne doth abound there grace might abound Rom. 5.20 I would know whether God would be more liberall to an euill man by his antecedent or by his consequent will If by his antecedent will we haue ouercome if by his consequent will let the Arminians tell me what will of the euill man went before his effectuall calling which could not be found in another which is lesse euill Will they say that he that was more euill before his conuersion did thirst was but a little euill and did the will of his father as they speake They shall more easily draw oyle out of a pumise stone then they shall finde in Saint Paul before his conuersion in the theefe before his crucifying or in them to whom for a heart of stone God giueth a heart of flesh any such dispositions before regeneration XXV Adde to these that the Scripture saith Act. 14.16 God in times past suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies Here I demand whether God did so much loue these nations and did alike wish their saluation as he loued their posteritie whom he afterward called with an effectuall calling by his Gospell I suppose that no man hath so brazen a face that he dareth affirme it Neither doe the Arminians deny but that the sauing calling by the Gospell is a very great argument of the loue of God to any nation But hauing bent their disputation another way they doe search into the causes why God doth more vehemently loue some then others which is that very thing which we would haue XXVI Finally if God doth equally will to all men
or of that loue wherewith he feeles himselfe to be affected Christ doth beate downe all pride in speaking thus to Peter Matth. 16.17 Blessed art thou Symon Bar-Iona for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Chap. 11.25 he doth giue thanks to his father that hee hath hidden these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hath reuealed them to babes VII And especially when it is spoken of the loue of God and of obedience to his commandements the Scripture will haue vs to acknowledge that whatsoeuer is done well by vs is receiued from God We loue God because he hath loued vs first Iohn 4.19 For this is one of the effects of the loue of God towards vs that it doth put into our hearts a loue of him God himselfe thus speaketh Ier. 31. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And Chapter 32. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Moses bringeth this reason as the cause why the Israelites did not repent at the law of God ratified with so many threatnings and confirmed with so many miracles Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not giuen you a heart to perceiue nor eyes to see Let Arminius tell mee whether these men had sufficient power to beleeue or sufficient grace which with the helpe of free-will they might haue rightly vsed if they would Fie on this forgerie And yet was not God the cause of the impenitency and blindnesse of that people For hee that will not heale him that is blinde is not the cause of his blindenesse God did not put this wickednesse in man but he knoweth who they are on whom hee will haue mercy and he hath reason for his actions to enquire into which were not onely rash but also dangerous VIII Saint Paul Galath 3.26 saith That wee are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ If therefore it be in the power of mans free-will being helped with grace to beleeue or not to beleeue to vse that grace or not to vse it it must needes also be in the power of free-will helped with grace to effect that we may be the sonnes of God or may not Which is contrary not onely to piety but also to common sence for who euer effected that he was the sonne of his father or who is beholding to himselfe for any part of his generation IX The same Apostle saith Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of him that sheweth mercy By him that willeth and him that runneth hee vnderstandeth him that worketh for the consideration of workes is excluded from the election or as Arminius had rather from the iustification of man that this benefit might be acknowledged to be receiued from the mercy of God alone Arminius offendeth against this rule For by his doctrine the conuersion of a man by faith and therefore both his righteousnesse and saluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth of him that worketh that is of him who by the helpe of his free-will doth vse vniuersall grace well and who doth therefore beleeue because to the helpe of grace hee hath brought the power of free-will by which hee hath obtained Faith For as I haue said the Arminians make the cause of faith to be these two ioyned together to wit grace and free-will to vse which free-will to the obtaining of saith and to the conuerting of himselfe is certainely to will and to runne The Apostle therfore ought to haue said It is of man that willeth and runneth and of God which sheweth mercy that free-will might be ioyned with the mercy of God And if as Saint Austin saith fitly Lib. 1. ad Simplic Quaest 2. It may be said That it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth because conuersion and saluation is not by the free-will of man alone why may it not also be said that it is not of God that sheweth mercy because conuersion is not made by the grace of God alone but also by free-will It skilleth nothing that Saint Austin vsed this argument against Pelagius who denied that we were preuented by grace for it hath the same force against the Semipelagians who ioyne free-will to grace Seeing that Saint Paul doth not say That it is not alone of him that willeth but doth altogether exclude free-will X. Finally this argument hath so tormented Arnoldus Page 445. that he would seeme to yeeld to our part for he saith It is not placed in our will that we should obey the calling of God but this thing it selfe is also from the mercy of God But the scoffing and crafty man is very wary least hee should say somewhat that should hurt his owne cause For when he saith that it is not placed in our will he vnderstandeth alone Therfore he would not say that this is wholy placed in the mercy of God alone but tenderly and with a flouting speech he saith that it is placed in the mercy of God He might yea he ought to say so much of free-will that he might agree to himselfe for he thinketh that it is not placed in the grace of God alone nor in free-will alone XI That man cannot be conuerted vnlesse God conuert him and that the whole praise of our conuersion is due to God Ieremy teacheth Chap. 31. v. 18. Conuert me and I shall be conuerted which is also repeated in the last Chapter of the Lamentations I am ashamed of the weake interpretation of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage who pag. 266. by conuerted would haue corrected to be vnderstood There is nothing so cleare and direct in the holy Scripture which may not be corrupted with a foolish and rash interpretation who hauing but little skill in the Hebrew is ignorant that the Verbe shub signifieth to be turned and not to punish and therefore in the contugation Hiphil it is to cause that one be conuerted and not that he be punished Or who doth not see how ridiculous a thing it were if men bruised with afflictions should pray that they might be still afflicted As if any one that were grieuously whipped should desire moreouer that he might be buffeted But Ieremy expoundeth himselfe and doth teach what it is to be conuerted for he addeth being conuerted I will repent and acknowledge my selfe this indeede is to be conuerted Seeing therefore that men who are already conuerted say Conuert me and I shall be conuerted Ier. 31. Draw me and I will runne Cant. 1. And doe ascribe the progresse and the proceeding of their conuersion to God alone how much more is the beginning of our conuersion to be attributed to God alone For if they that are already willing doe confesse that they owe to God whatsoeuer good they doe and that without his grace they cannot moue a foote further how much more is it to be determined that of being
it is not therefore ouerthrowne Our nature is necessarily determined and directed to the desiring of felicity and yet it is not therefore destroyed The will of the Israelites whose hearts God touched that they should cleaue vnto Saul 1 Sam. 10.26 The will of Esau yeelding with a suddaine change to the embracing of his brother Gen. 33. The will of the Thiefe crucified with Christ and of Paul in the very point of conuersion were determined limited to one thing and yet force was not therefore offered to their free-will or their nature destroyed The vehemency of him that is thirstie mouing him to the drinke that is offered is determined and limited to that one thing and yet he doth not therefore cease to be a man nor is his nature therefore ouerthrowne God hath some secret and vnperceiueable meanes by which he can bow mans will the liberty thereof being vntouched An addition to the thirteenth Chapter containing some places that are taken out of the confession of the Churches of France and out of the chiefest Doctors of this age concerning the obiect of Predestination THe twefth Article of the confession of the Church of France is this We beleeue that God out of that corruption and generall curse into which all men were plunged doth free those whom in his eternall and immutable counsell he elected of his meere goodnesse and mercy in our Lord Iesus Christ without the consideration of workes leauing the rest in the same corruption and damnation to shew forth in these his iustice and in them the riches of his mercy For none of them are better then others before God hath separated them c. Iohn Caluin in his Comentary vpon the ninth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes speaking of Iacob and Esau in the wombe hath these words God in the defiled nature of man such as was in man could consider nothing whereby be might be induced to doe good to it when therefore he saith that both of them had done neither good nor euill that also is to be added which he doth presuppose to wit that they were both the sonnes of Adam by nature sinners indued not with a mite of righteousnesse Esau was iustly reiected because he was naturally the childe of wrath yet least any scruple should remaine as if his condition had beene the worse for the beholding of any sinne or vice it was expedient that his sinnes should be no lesse excluded then his vertues It is true indeede that the neare cause of reprobation is because we are all cursed in Adam The same Caluin in his Booke of the eternall predestination of God in the beginning of the Epistle which is set before the booke The free Election of God saith he is whereby he adopted to himselfe out of mankinde lost and condemned those whom it seemed good to him Pag. 955. He doth allow the opinion of Saint Austin speaking thus They that are not to perseuere are not seperated by the Predestination and fore-knowledge of God from that masse of perdition and destruction and therefore are not called according to his purpose Pag. 691. I would know if Esay and Iacob should haue beene left to their common nature what good workes God should haue found in Iacob more then in Esau Surely they both by the hardnesse of their stony heart would haue alike refused saluation offered In the same place When Paul tooke that for granted which is incredible to these good Diuines that all men are equally vnworthy that alike corruption of nature is in all men hee thence safely determined that God doth by his free purpose elect whomsoeuer he electeth In the same place that of Austin is most true That those that are redeemed are seperated from those that perish onely by grace whom the common Masse deriued from the same originall had ioyned together to destruction Pag. 965. He doth witnesse that God prepared the vessels of mercy for his glory if this be speciall to the elect it is manifest that the rest are sitted to destruction because being left to their nature they are certainely deuoted to destruction Pag. 970. The Readers are to be admonished that both these are equally condemned by Pighius viz. That God from the beginning when yet the state of man was intire decreed what afterwards should come to passe and that now hee chose out of the perished Masse whom he would He mocketh Austin and all that are like him that is all the godly who doe thinke that God after he fore-knew the vniuersall ruine of mankinde in the person of Adam appointed some to life and some to destruction The same man in his Institutions Lib. 3. Chap. 22. Sect. 1. When Paul teacheth that we were elected in Christ before the creation of the world certainly he doth take away all respect of our owne worth for it is as much as if he should say Because our heauenly father found nothing worthy of Election in the whole seede of Adam he turned his eyes vpon Christ that as it were out of his body he might choose members whom he would after take into the fellowship of life Therefore let this reason preuaile with the faithfull that therefore God adopted vs in Christ to his heauenly inheritance because in our selues we were not capable of this excellency And Section 7. If any one aske from whence God elected he in another place answereth out of the world which he excludeth from his prayers when he doth commend his Disciples to his Father And Chap. 23. Sect. 3. If any one should set vpon vs with these words Why God from the beginning predestinated some men to death who when they were not could not deserue the iudgement of death Instead of an answer we may againe aske them What they thinke God is indebted to man if he will esteeme him according to his owne nature As we are all defiled with sinne we cannot but be odious to God and that not in a tyrannicall cruelty but in the most equall respect of iustice And if all they whom God doth predestinate to death are by a naturall condition obnoxious and subiect to the iudgement of death of what iniustice I pray you of his towards them can they complaine Let all the sonnes of Adam come let them contend and dispute with their Creatour because by his eternall prouidence they were appointed to perpetuall calamity before their generation What could they speake against this defence when as God shall on the contrary side call them to the knowledge of themselues If all are taken out of the corrupted Masse it is no meruaile if they lye vnder damnation Hieronymius Zanchius Miscellan Lib 3. In his Treatise of the Saints at the end of the first Chapter hath these words Generall Predestination that is the predestination of all men is the eternall most wise and immutable decree of God by which he determined with himselfe from eternity first to create all men iust and wise according to his image and likenesse and