altogether bee frustrate of their wishes The scope and parts of this Treatise wee have subjoyned a short and plain opposition from the Word of God against the Articles of Arminius which were the first and yet are the most avowed deviations of these men The errours of Poperie are better knowne and the field is so large that if I once entred into it there would bee no hope of going through so quickly as these times of businesse and dispatch doe require For the cleering of Arminianisme to the mindes of the Simple whose eares so carefully these bygon yeares have beene debarred from hearing anything which might discover the vilenesse of it wee will first deduce a short history of this Heresy as King James oft did call it and then by Scripture evert the grounds of all the Articles thereof Arminius was a late preacher of Holland Who Arminius was mininister first at Amâ—terdam and then professour of divinity at Leiâ—en a man of very great â—gine in his outward â—onversation almost unâ—lameable but much â—iven to Innovation and â—elfe conceit The Noâ—elties which mainly he â—â—ved were divers erâ—ours of our old Counâ—â—yman Pelagius which â—â—e Jesuites in his time â—â—d revived After that the Spirit of God had banished the Heresies of Arrius Nestorius Macedonius and Eutyches which SataÌ„ in their persons had raised against the persons of the Trinity against the nature person of Christ Pelagius a Scottishman did oppose not the nature nor the person but the grace of God against him the Lord raised Augustne who by the force of Scripture beat the Heretick in all his errours yet there were some relicts of that subtile Heresie after Augustines death which set up the head both in the Eastern and Western Churches sometimes more sometimes lesse In the days of Remigius and Hincmarus great was the trouble that the Semipelagians made in Germany and France as we see in the cause of Goteschalcus set downe by Gerhardus Vossius but much more honestly by Primate Vsher From that time there was not much dinne about these questions When hee came to be infected with errour till after the yeare 1590 when Molina a Spanish Iesuit began to renew many of the Pelagian errors about Grace and Freewill Election and Reprobation and such heads Against him Alvarez a Dominican at Rome did oppose at length This fire betwixt these two Orders began to burn first in Spain and then in West Flanders from Lovan the Iesuit Lessius blew over the reik to Amsterdam where Arminius was Preacher the flame burning in his wanton Engine brake out first openly in a Treatise against Perkins golden Chain thereafter he did spread his errours where ever hee might Being called to the Vniversitie of Leiden to succed good Iunius for sometime hee was quiet but at once with all diligence he infected not only the youth in the University but by them very many Ministers over all the Land His petulant wit was not content to broach these remaynders of Pelagianisme which Molina and his followers professed but beside hee fell on many moe dangerous novations at last began to like much of Vorstius and Socinus tenets This fire in the Holland Church burnt boldly in the time of the Truce with Spaine and was likely to threaten their estate with ruine in the time of peace more than the Spanish sword had done in all their wars When Arminianisme was crushed in Holland So long as Arminius lived there was no remedy when God had killed him the evill grew no lesse some Statesmen and Court Ministers for their own ends did hold these errours on foot the wel-minded people cryed stil for a general Assembly as the only help of their Schismes the Arminians by might and maine set themselves against the meeting of a Synod as the certaine ruine of their Party so long as their Patron Barnavelt lived they got the Assembly shifted but when that Traitors head was stricken off King Iames our blessed Prince had advised often the States and halfe by threatnings commanded them at last a generall Assembly was called at Dort not only of Divines and ruling Elders from all the Provinciall Synods of the Netherlands but almost from the whole Reformed Churches there the most excellent Synod being met that Christendome had seen for some hundred years the Arminian Questions were handled at leisure from November to May and all that was needfull was cleerly decided That labour was so blessed by God that the Land which through the Arminian Schisme and Errours was at the point of ruine since that time hath had peace from these turbulent Schismaticks But here the pity When Arminianisme did take root in Britain Britain whose waters mainly had slakened that fire abroad began at once to be scorched at home by some sparks of that flame The hopes of the Arminians in England were but small so long as K. James did live for that good Prince both in word and writing did threaten to burne these Hereticks if any of them should appeare in his Dominions see his Declaration against Vorstius yea so long as Abbot was in grace at Court the Arminians kept a low fayle but after that his Successor even in his owne time had come in favour that unhappy Sect under the patronage of Mountagu and White 's learning began to spread far and neare yea at last silence in a publike Edict was enjoyned to their opposers and all favours conferred on those who had skill and will to promote that Cause many evident disgraces poured on well deserving men for no other reason but their Anti-Arminian spirit All this time our Church was free of these evils but so soon as the advancers of Arminianisme at the English Court began to intermeddle with the affaires of our Kingdome at once these men were eyed who inclined that way prime places were put into their hands for no other vertue the World could discern in them but their boldness to let out their inclination towards the Arminian Errour This way of advancement being perceived incoÌ„tinent many among us set their hearts towards that art which was likeliest in haste to promote their fortunes The British Arminians decline to Popery but the Belgick to Socinianisme It is to be remarked that the Arminian spirit in Holland leads men to hell another way then here in Britaine there the Arminians with great boldnesse running after Vorstius Socinus with a marvellous petulancy fell to brangle the Trinitie of the Divine persons yea the simplicity of the Divine nature it self But that Devill finding this his rashnesse to revive openly Manes Arrius did make people abhorre him and flee away hee became more wary so that among us hee lets these old condemned Heresies alone and goes another way to work Hee leads by a new method to the errours of Antichrist A Netherlandish Arminian will scorn the superstitions the Idolatries the Tyrannies of the Romish Church but is much inclined after Vorstius
babes children youths old men of all languages of al dispositions of al trades of all professions and according to their divers inclinations innumerable ways diversified Third and fourth article stated Cōcerning the third and fourth Article of Grace and Free-will The third and fourth Article stated consider that Free-will doth denote formally the naturall faculty of mans will alone yet because the light of understanding must direct the will which of it selfe is blinde and the will illightned does command the affections and the other powers of sense and motion as her servants for this connexion and dependance which is betwixt the will and all the naturall powers of the soule the question about the power of all the naturall faculties of man in furthering his owne salvation goes usually under the title of Free will alone The question of Free will or of the power of nature I mean of all the naturall faculties in the soule of man whether understanding will affections or any other in the matter of salvation This question hath many branches but for shortnes we only touch two heads therein First how far nature can further grace salvation next how far it can hinder it In the first head sundry teach that nature alone without grace can save that numbers without the knowledge of Christ by their obedience to the Law of Nature through the direction of right reason have been saved Others ascribe not salvation directly to nature alone without grace yet they make saving grace to depend upon nature so that the right use of nature doth draw by way of merit at least by way of infallible dependance the grace of Regeneration Others goe not thus far in Pelagianisme yet they give too much to nature in the matter of salvation they teach that sin hath not taken away the power of the understanding and of the will of man to believe and obey God but only the exercise of that power that the power of mans Soul to all gracious works is not dead but bound in fetters farder that in the very first act of our cōversion not only in all posterior acts of grace God and Man Nature and Grace doe concurre as two partiall causes so that the whole effect of Conversion doth depend not only from Gods grace but also the whole of it does flow from Man Nature yea that which maketh Grace efficacious to Conversion and Salvation is not Grace but Nature alone for the concurrence of Grace is oft say they alike in these who are converted and those who are never converted in these who are saved and those who are damned in both they put a degree of grace simply equall so that the only difference which casts the ballance the only reason why the same degree of grace which is efficacious to convert and save one yet is not efficacious for these effects in another is alone in nature even in the free will of the one accepting and yielding to that degree of grace which the free will of the other made inefficacious by its own resisting and rejection thereof In the second head of natures power to hinder Grace and Salvation the most common and infamous conclusion is that the free wil of man not only hath power to reject and refuse to repell and frustrate to overcome and make of none effect the most efficacious motions of the regenerating Spirit of God but also very oft does put this power in practice hindring God when he intends to convert and save by its invincible perversnesse to obtaine that his gracious end and mercifull intention The errours of the first head the Arminians oft in word doe cast them from themselves upon the Papists yet in very deed they stumble too often upon them all The errours of the second head they deny not to be their Tenets however for confutation of all errours in both the heads let us confirme these two propositions First neither free wil nor any other naturall faculty in man hath any power at all to purchase either the beginning or midst of perfection either of grace or salvation but both grace and glory commeth alone from God that quickens nature dead in sin and makes it to worke not in the strength of it self but alone of grace Secondly that as Nature cannot further grace nor salvation so can it not hinder the Omnipotent power of the regenerating Spirit of God to call and convert and save whom ever hee hath a purpose to call convert and save For the full confirmation of the first proposition see in Scripture these 3 grounds cleerly set downe Man by his free will is not able for any spiritual good First That in no man by nature is any power at all to any spirituall good Secondly That in every man by nature not only is a simple impotencie to good but also an exceeding great inclination to all spiritual evill Thirdly What ever power to spiritual good or what ever gracious operation is found in any man the only cause of that good is from God who works it in man and makes man to worke in the strength not of humane Nature but of divine Grace For the first mans impotency see John 6.44 No man can come to mee except the Father draw him Jer. 5.23 Can the Ethiop change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill Here is mans impotency to convert to God or change his wicked nature 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God For they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned No man can say that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God here the power to understand or thinke any good is denied to man of himself Mat. 12 34. O generation of vipers how can yee being evill speak good things 1 Cor. 14.3 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Here holy and good speeches are denied to bee in the power of nature all power of good deeds is also removed Math. 7 18. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit John 15.5 Without me yee can do nothing Whereupon Augustine commenting confounds Pelagius thus i Quid dicitis quid vos ipsos decipitis non assertores sed praecipitatores liberi arbitrii ex alto clationis per inania praesumptionis in prosunda submersionis homines sibi placentes mente corrupti reprobi circa fidem nempe vox vestra est quod homo ex scipso facit justitiam sed veritas contradicit dicit Palmos non potest fructum ferre à semetipso nisi manserit in vire Si est in vobis ullus sensus horrete qui enim à semetipso fructum existimat ferre in vite non est qui in vite non est in Christo non
himselfe that hee shall never change but for them that hee will plant his feare in their heart in such a measure that they shall stick to God not for a time but so that they shall never depart from him The third from John 10. John 10. But ye believe not because yee are not of my sheep my sheep heare my voice and J give to them eternall Life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my Fathers hand Behold Christs sheepe are those who believe Christ assureth them all of Life eternall assuredly they shall never perish because they are kept by his strong hand the Father hath put them into the hand of his Son to be kept yea the Fathers own hand is about them so that they cannot perish except there arise some enemy stronger then God the Father to spoyl him of his goods The fourth from 1 Joh. 2.19 1 John 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us without doubt they had continued with us but they went out that it might be manifest that they were not of us Who are they that doe not persevere who fall away from Truth and Grace these who were never gracious even before their Apostasie for if ever they had beene in the number of Christs faithfull members no doubt they would have continued so for ever But God let them goe and depart that hee might make manifest to the World that Apostates even before the appearing of their Apostacie were never sound never rooted nor builded by faith on the rock for if they had beene such when all stormes of temptations had blown they would have stood firme and the Ports of hell should not have prevailed against them they should have been as Mount Sion which never is removed but abideth for ever The fift from Ephes 1.13 Ephes 1.13 In whom after that yee believed yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is that earnest of your inheritance Here al the faithful get the Spirit of Christ as himselfe sayes to be their Comforter and to abide with them for ever to be a seale and to assure them that they are Gods that makes them call God Abba Father that witnesseth to them that they are the children of God yea Gods heires and Coheirs with Christ which is their earnest and first fruits of life eternall which gives them full assurance of hope anchors their soule within the vail and fils them with joy unspeakable and glorious Among the infinite passages of St. Augustine for our tenet take but one de corrept gratia cap. 12. n Primo itaque homini qui in eo bono in quo factus erat rectus acceperat posse non peccare posse non mori posse ipsum bonum non deserere datum est adjutorium perseverantiae sine quo per liberum arbitrium perseverare non possâ—t Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam praedestinatis non â—antum tale adjutorium perseverantiae datur sed tale ut â—psis perseverantia donetur non solum ut sine isto dono â—erseverantes esse non possint verum etiam ut per hoc â—â—num non nisi perseverantes sint non solum enim dixit sine me nihil potâ—stis facere verum etiam dixit non vos me elegistis sed ego vos elogi posui vos ut eatis sanctum seratis fructus vâ—ster maneat quibus verbis non sulâ—m justitiâ—m sed in ea perseverantiam se dedisse monstravit Christo enim sic cos ponente ut cant fructum serant sructus corum maneat quis audeat dicere forsiâ—an non manebunt sinc poenitentia enim sunt donian vocatio Dei pro his interpollante Christo ne dâ—ficiat fides corum sine dubio non deficiet usque in finem ac per hoc persâ—â—erabit usque in finem nec nisi maâ—â—ntem vitae hujus inveniet sinis Majâ—r quippe libertas necessaria adversus tot tantas tentationes quae in Paradiso non fuerunt done perseverantiae munita atque fiâ— mata ut cum omnibus amoribus terroribus error bus suis vincatur hic mundus qâ—o sancti cuncta mâ—â—antia cuncta invitantia cuncta â—â—uentia separarent Unto the first man who in that good estate wherein hee was created righteous had received a power not to sin not to die a power not to fall from his good estate to him was given the helpe of Perseverance not such a gift whereby hee should persevere but such with out the which hee was not able by his free will to persevere But now unto the Saints by the grace of God predestinated unto the Kingdome of God not only such a helpe of perseverance is given but such that perseverance it self is given to them not only so that without that gift they cannot persevere but also that through that gift they cannot but persevere for he has not only said without mee yee can do nothing but hee saith also you have not chosen me but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should goe on and beare fruit and that your fruit should remain in which words he shews that he has not only given righteousnesse but perseverance therein for Christ having so set them that they go and bring forth fruit and their fruit abides who dare say perchance they shal not continue for without repentance are the gifts and calling of God Christ praying for them that their faith fail not without doubt it shall not fail to the end and so shall persevere to the end and the end of their life shall finde it remayning for now a greater liberty is needful against so many and so great temptations which were not in Paradise being guarded with the gift of perseverance that this world with all his lusts terrours errours might be overcome the Saints prevaile against all threats all allurements all power The current of Scripture and Fathers runs so straight against the totall and finall apostacie of the Saints that Arminius for all his boldnesse durst not so long as hee lived set his brest against that stream albeit his Schollers since have mainly set themselves to evert this Article which is the chiefe ground of all the comfort that the soul of man hath in this miserable pilgrimage All baptized Infants are not regenerate Of all their contrary argumentations consider but one Milions of these who were baptized in their infancy fall away finally and totally but all these who were baptized in their infancy were truly regenerate sanctified justified and put in the state of salvation Ergo millions of these who were truly regenerate justified sanctified and put in the state of salvation fall away totally and finally In this Popish argument the Arminians triumphed at the beginning as our men do yet but after a little triall both Papists and Arminians finde it so foolish and impertinent that long ago they have cast it away It is easie to shew the falsity of the Minor that al Baptized Infants are truly regenerate c. Scriptures Fathers Schoolmen are all to the contrary but leaving these I only shew that this assertion is against the Scottish Confession the twenty fifth Article testifies that the Reprobate only doth communicate in the outward benefits of the Sacraments that they get no fruit of Christs death that in this life their sins are not forgiven them that these blessings belong only to the Elect that the Reprobate at their best are but chaff and at no time are good wheate who therefore avow that the Reprobate sometimes to wit in their infancy are truly regenerate justified sanctified who avow that Reprobates get many fruits of Christs death and their Sinnes some times forgiven them they contradict cleerely our confession yea almost al the confessions of the reformed Churches If they will believe their good friend D. Francis White hee will assure them that none but Papists and Lutherans will affirm reprobate infants by baptisme to be regenerate Arminianisme is contrary to the Confession of the Church of Scotland How farr the chiefe Arminian tenets are contrary to Scripture I I have shewn Consider in a few lines how much they are opposite to the Confession of our Kirk and so I close They teach that our Election is of Faith Works Perseverance as antecedent either Causes or Conditions or at least Qualities fore seen in us Our Confession Article 8. sayes that God hath chosen us of meere grace that faith to believe in Christ and all grace we lost in Adam is given us after our Election Again they teach that Christ died for all that in death he stood in the place of all without distinction of elect and reprobate that all have the benefit of his death Our Confession sayes Art 8. that Christ suffered for us that is the elect of whom alone the whole Article speaketh Also that the benefits which the elect have common with the reprobate are but their Creation no ways their Redemption and their Adoption thereby to be the sons of God And in the 25 Article it is said that the Reprobates have no benefit of Christs Death Resurrection or Ascension Lastly they teach that many of Christs faithfull members fall away and lose not only all grace but salvation it selfe Our Confession Art 25. contradicts affirming that all the faithfull continue in the estate of Justification that albeit their sins be great yet they are not imputed but covered with Christs righteousnesse Again it is one of the faithfuls priviledges to goe on constantly to the end till they bee conformed to Christs glorious bodie And in the 〈◊〉 Article that the â—ithfull in such a manâ—er become flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone that hee abides in them and they in him for ever no lesse then the God-head abides in the manhood of Christ giving to it life and Immortality Our Confession crosseth their Doctrine of free will justification other their popish errours more cleerly but with those I doe not meddle lest by further prolixity I should loÌ„ger with-hold so great an Assembly from their most weighty Affaires FINIS