against which they did willingly harden their heart XXI To the Scripture thus corrupted and depraued hee doth ioyne reasons that are no better God saith he should delude and mock men if hee should offer them saluation and should say that hee desired their saluation and yet doth not call them to that end that they should be saued I answere the end propounded to God in calling by the Law or by the Gospell those whom he knoweth will not follow is not that those whom hee calleth should not be saued But Gods end is to require of man that which he oweth to wit to obey God commanding obedience and to beleeue him promising Nor is it any doubt but that God doth seriously call men For in calling men bee doth seriously declare what is acceptable to him what man doth owe and what he will giue to them that beleeue and obey But wee doe not say with Arnoldus that God is bound to restore to man those powers which he lost and to cure that disability of man which man brought vpon himselfe Furthermore it is wicked audacity to goe about to prescribe meanes to God which vnlesse he follow hee hath no way to escape the crime of iniustice as if he should be compelled to pleade his cause before the tribunall of man XXII Arnoldus proceedeth The same thing saith he God doth teach when he doth expresly declare that he will not be loaden with this vniust suspition that hee should require any thing of vs to the performance whereof he would not giue vs sufficient power I omit that rude kinde of speaking and which is not agreeing to God when he saith that God will not be loaden with that vniust suspition as if God feared the vniust suspitions of men To the thing it selfe therefore I say that this doctrine is most wicked and there is scarce any that is worse For seeing God doth require from vnregenerate men and Infidels their naturall debt that is the perfect fulfilling of the Law it followeth by this speech of Arnoldus that the vnregenerate and infidels themselues haue power by which without the knowledge of Christ and without faith they may perfectly fulfill the Law and be without sinne The Arminians themselues doe say that God doth vnresistably harden some men who although they cannot but sinne yet from them being hardned God doth not lesse require perfect obedience then before their hardning For the creature is by no means no not by the eternall punishments exempted from his subiection to his creator Nor is it to be doubted but that the Diuels themselues who are in eternall torments are bound to beleeue God for they are therefore punished because they doe not loue him Also if any one be punished for disobedience past he is not therefore freed from the obedience that is due for the time to come But this peruerse doctrine which doth gather by the commandements of God what are the powers of men and doth thinke that there is nothing commanded by God to the fulfilling whereof powers are not supplied to man is at large confuted in the 35. Chapter CHAP. XXXVII Of the distinction of grace into sufficient and effectuall grace I. THe distinction of grace into sufficient and into effectuall grace is an old worne distinction in the Schooles But effectuall grace is taken two wayes For it doth either signifie that grace which is apt and fit to effect and worke as when we call that medicine effectuall and that remedy forcible which although it be not taken by the sicke man yet is apt and fit to heale Or we call that grace effectuall which doth effect and worke in act in which sence effectuall is vsed for efficient and the efficacy is vsed for the effect or for the efficiency The Philosophers say that there is a double efficient cause one in power as the Architect and the Physitian another in act as hee that buildeth and hee that cureth Hence proceedeth that double acceptation of the word efficacy II. The Papists thinke that there is sufficient aide to conuersion giuen to all men with which aide they may so cooperate with the helpe of their free-will that they may be conuerted although there come no other effectuall aide And by effectuall grace they vnderstand that grace which is efficient and doth bring forth its effect III. The Arminians who in the question of grace and free-will doe so dresse and trimme vp Popery as the Papists doe Pelagianisme doe often vse that distinction of sufficient and effectuall grace but with such a floating speech and affected ambiguity that it is hard to know what is effectuall grace with them Arminius against Perkins pag. 245. doth say that that is effectuall grace which doth in very deede worke the effect and hee doth bring these examples God was able to make many worlds but hee did it not effectually Christ was able to saue all men but he did it not effectually Which speech is certainely absurd and deserueth to be laughed at for he speaketh as if God did something not effectually or as if hee had created many worlds ineffectually For in stead of to doe effectually hee ought to haue simply said to doe or to make IV. But Arnoldus being as Diomedes melior patre better then his father doth forsake Arminius For he pag. 397. hath these words That thing is said to be effectuall not which doth effect any thing but which is so powerfull to doe something as is an effectuall remedy and forcible meanes Thus the Patrons of errour are fallen out betweene themselues But here I am bound to patronize and maintaine Arminius against his Scholler For if effectuall grace be taken for that which doth effect and worke in act then this distinction of grace into sufficient and effectuall may be admitted because there are many things of sufficient power to worke which yet doe not worke in act as the absent Physitian and the sleeping Phylosopher But it cannot be said that one grace is sufficient to worke and another is fit and apt to worke for these two are both one neither can any thing be spoken more absurdâ—y then that there is some grace sufficient which is not fit to worke That cannot be an efficient cause which is not of sufficient power V. Therefore according to Arminius the meanes to faith and saluation are administred to all sufficiently but not effectually and efficiently But according to Arnoldus God doth administer these meanes to all men both sufficiently and effectually for he had rather take efficacy for aptitude and fitnesse to worke then for efficiency and the working it selfe that he might say that the efficacy of grace doth not depend on free-will For if he had taken efficacy for efficiency then he must haue said that the efficacy of grace doth depend on free-will For the Schoole and followers of Arminius doe hold this by the teeth and doe cry out with one mouth that the effect or efficiency of grace doth depend on free-will
that were staggering and hath so troubled headstrong obstinate persons onely with the sight thereof that they which before did seeme to be desirous of the conflict and greedily to call for the encounter haue by contrary practises whether feare strooke them or their conscience affrighted them begun to shun the hearing of the cause to hate the light and to worke delayes To so excellent a thing both other Princes did exhort you and especially the most renowned Prince IAMES King of great Brittaine who hath alwayes beene most earnest and forward to driue away the errours of all innouators who as he is rightly stiled the Defender of the Faith so he hath his eyes vigilant on all sides carefully watching lest Christian faith should any where receiue any damage And I who to so holy a worke could not bring my trauell haue at least brought my desires It cannot be expressed how earnestly I desired to be present at that reuerend Synode to which the Churches of France appointed me with some of my brethren What were the impediments which hindred my determined iourney I neede not rehearse yet being absent I performed what I could For I sent to the Synode my opinion of the fiue points of the Controuersies which are hindred in Belgia hauing strengthned it with places proofes out of the holy Scripture And when many men and the same good men and of great authoritie and wisedome amongst you had exhorted me that I would write somewhat vpon these controuersies I not vnwillingly obeyed which I haue done not so much in hope of effecting what I would as being ashamed to refuse them and desirous of making triall For I had rather that godly and learned men should finde in me want of prudence then accuse me of negligence Therefore I haue printed my Scheduls and papers and haue reviewed those things which I had meditated vpon these questions which I haue vttered in a plaine and vntrimmed stile that as it were in a leane spare body the force of the truth might clearely appeare And I haue indeauoured to bring light to this darkenesse in which the most quicke-sighted doe often grope at the way I am not ignorant how dangerous a thing it is to vndergoe the hazard of so many iudgements how many there that are ambitiously soure and proudly disdainfull how few there are that take and vnderstand these things how fewer that are taken by them how hard it is to contend with wily and wittie men who euen when they themselues are caught doe so speake as if they had catched others and who in a desperate cause doe so carry themselues as if they were touched with commiseration who vndoe againe the things that haue beene begun by themselues and doe of purpose infold their meanings fearing to be vnderstood like Lyzards who out of the open field doe runne into bushes Nor am I ignorant how hard a thing it is for a man that is imployed whose minde is troubled with other cares and businesse to write punctually and exactly concerning those things whereto the most free studies are scarce sufficient nor men at greatest leasure But your humanitie and wisedome hath moued and stirred me vp to be bold to attempt it For ye know that in great and hard enterprises the endeauour is laudable euen when successe is wanting Nor haue I doubted to consecrate these my labours to you that the worke done for the defence of that cause which ye happily maintaine might manifest it selfe in your name I shall seeme to my selfe not to haue lost my labour though I get no praise if I obtaine pardon Or if by my example I shall stirre vp any to performe some thing more perfectly whereby the truth may stand vnshaken against these innouators which doe naughtily abuse their wits and are of a wicked and vnhappy audacity In the meane while in your wisedome you shall obserue from what beginnings to how great encreases this pestilence hath come and how vnder a shew of the liberty of prophesing the raines are let loose to wanton wits which couer licentiousnesse vnder the name of liberty For whilest as it were for the exercise and shew of wit men dispute of those foundations of faith of which heretofore there was no strife amongst vs the most holy and most certaine things began to be called into doubt and their scholasticall skirmishing forthwith burst out into a serious and earnest fight For when this liberty as it falleth out had passed from the Schooles into the holy Pulpets and so into the Streetes Tauernes and Barbers-shops the whole Country was changed into a certaine sea boyling with tumults Whence hatred hath beene bred in the people and pietie is turned into contention and obedience towards Magistrates is more slack to which euils when the ambition of some men affecting nouelties had ioyned it selfe which stirred vp this fire with winde and fuell laid to it this flame in a short time hath vnmeasurably encreased But by the goodnesse of God and by your authority and prudent vigilancy most illustrious Lords the flame of so great a fire is abated liberty is recouered the Common-wealth is setled the Vniuersitie purged and truth which in many places durst scarce open the mouth or else was disturbed by contrary clamours broke through the obstacles and as it is in the striking of flints it shone more cleare by the very conflict yea truely by it there haue appeared no obscure encreases of pietie in the people by it there is greater concourse to heare the word of God and greater attention For God such is his goodnesse doth vse vices themselues to stir vp vertues which grow sloathfull in idlenesse For zeale and pietre being prouoked doe encrease euen as the fire of the Smiths furnace decaying is set on fire by water poured on Also they that haue learned by experience what snares Sathan doth lay for them that are a sleepe and vnwarie are stirred vp to keepe watch for the time to come There yet remaine some reliques of this disease neither is the malice of the Factions quite asswaged but there is hope that the sides of this wound will in a short space close together againe and mens mindes will be reconciled So that it may be vnlawfull in your Vniuersitie from whence this contagion crept into the whole Country hereafter to teach any doctrine differing from the truth and to call into doubt those things which are piously and prudently determined out of Gods word in your sacred Synode and that hereafter no man be admitted to the sacred Ministery whose faith is not tryed and his consent with his brethren knowne and that the authority be restored to Synodes and their vse be made more frequent that the euills that are breeding may be preuented at their beginnings as when the stinging Scorpion is bruised presently vpon the wound Also it hath beene wisely prouided by you that these things hereafter bee not published among the common sort that the people be not taught
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
the sinnes of their Ancestors Arminius ought not to extend it to so many ages seeing the law doth not extend the visitation of the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children beyond the third and fourth generation And that because a man can scarce liue so long as to see his issue beyond the third or fourth generation For therefore are children punished their fathers beholding it that griefe might thereby increase to their parents and that the fathers might be punished by the misâ—ries of the children which is a cause to me of suspecting that this visitation of the sinne of the fathers vpon the children ought to be vnderstood of temporall and not of eternall punishments VII But to that which was said that the punishment was greater then the sinne because they which in Adam sinned onely in power are for his sinne punished in act it is easie to answere For wee so sinned in Adam in power that also the sinne was in vs in act neither doe we onely beare the punishment of anothers sinne but also of our owne nor is it any maruaile if God hath pardoned Adam and doth not pardon many of his posterity for Adam beleeued and repented but these refuse the grace of God offred and persist in impenitency CHAP. X. Of the propagation of the sinne of Adam to his posteritie where also of the traduction of the soule and of sinne it selfe WE haue already said that the sinne of Adam is conueyed to his posterity two manner of wayes by Imputation and Propagation Of imputation it hath been spoken now we are to speake of Propagation I. That the sinne of Adam hath infected all mankinde with an hereditary deprauation and that this contagion hath farre spred it selfe hath beene abundantly proued by those places by which we haue declared that euery man was conceiued and borne in sinne As by one man sinne entred into the World and death by sinne so death went ouer all in whom all men sinned Rom. 5. II. And if any one would exactly view the manner and circumstances of Adams sinne he shall finde that in euery man the character and no obscure image of that first sinne is deepely impressed for there is engrafted in euery man curiosity desire of knowing those thin gs which pertaine nothing to him and also a distrustfull haesitation and doubting of the word of God And as Adam laid the fault vpon his wife and his wife vpon the Serpent so is it naturall to euery man to couer his fault with anothers fault Also flight and trembling at the meeting of God lying dissembling and a sense of vndecent nakednesse are in all men by nature and are deriued into posterity from that fountaine and to these things we are not taught but made not instructed but infected To these things we doe not onely not need a master but contrary to the teaching of masters and to discipline all stayes and barres being broken wee returne to them nature being conqueror III. As therefore the egges of the Aspe are iustly broken and serpents new bred are iustly killed although they haue yet poysoned none so infants are rightly obnoxious and subiect to punishments For although they haue not yet sinned in act yet there is in them that contagious pestilence and that naturall pronenesse to sinne IV. But hence ariseth a question hard to be dissolued to wit by what meanes sinne is traduced from parents to their posterity and how mens soules may draw this deprauation For seeing all things that God doth are good it is not credible nor likely that God put Originall sinne into mens soules For how should he punish those soules which hee himselfe had corrupted And if he created the soule pure and iust but being included in the body it is defiled with the contagion other discommodities no whit lesse doe arise For to include a pure and innocent soule in a stinking prison and to thrust it as it were into a bridewell that it might bee corrupted there doth not seeme to agree with the iustice and goodnesse of God V. Hereto is added also that sin is the deprauation of the soule not of the body for sin is a spirituall thing a vice of the will the body therefore cannot giue that to the soule which it hath not And seeing the body doth not sinne but when the soule doth vse the body as an organ to sinne Rom. 6.13 it is manifest that sinne doth passe from the soule into the body and not from the body into the soule to which thing the very sinne of Adam is a cleere testimony to vs For Adam first sinned in will before hee stretched forth his hand to the forbidden Apple Caluin saw this who in the first chapter of the second booke of his Institutions hath these words This contagion hath not its cause in the substance of the flesh or of the soule but because it was so appointed by God that what gifts hee had bestowed vpon the first man he should haue them and also loose them both for himselfe and his VI. Here is a way that is obscure and slippery in which we must goe with wary steppes I doe not propound to my selfe to satisfie them that are braine-sicke and wickedly acute I will onely set downe those things which seeme to mee to be agreeable to the word of God and to reason whereunto that the way may be made plaine some things are to be spoken of the originall of the soule and of the traduction of it VII Origen following Plato was of opinion that all soules were at first created together with the Angels and afterwards put into bodies This hee disputes lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 7. Tertullian will haue the soule to be conueyed with the seede and the soule of the sonne to be from the soule of the father which is not to be marueiled at in him who doth contend that the soule is the body lib de anima Chap. 5. Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Marcellina and Anapsychia doth witnesse that the greater part of the west were of the same opinion Saint Austin hath writ foure bookes of the originall of the soule in which he leaueth this question vndecided neither dares hee rashly determine any thing And his second booke of retractations Chap. 56. doth witnes that hee continued in that doubt to his death Yet in his 157. Epistle hee doth debate with Tertullian and doth more incline to the contrary opinion VIII But we determin that the reasonable soule is infused into the * i e. The childe conceiued and not yet borne embryon but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come from without as Aristotle would haue it lib. 2. de generat animal Cap. 3. But we thinke that it is formed by God in the fruit and in the rudiment of mans body being led thereto by the authority of the Scripture whereunto reason and the nature of the soule it selfe doth agree IX Moses Numb 27.16 saith thus to God Let the Lord the
last decree they would haue to be that whereby God hath precisely and absolutely decreed to saue some certaine men for their faith fore-seene XI These are the decrees of the Arminians and this is the summe of their whole doctrine in the searching and viewing of which the labour is not small they doe so enwrap their meanings they doe so hide their mindes that there alwaies lyeth open some hole to scape by whose meaning he that doth not know will easily beleeue they haue wrong done them they doe so parget ouer their errour with beautifull colours as if they were of the same opinion with vs when they are very farre distant from vs Then also if one in expounding their opinion hath not expressed all euen their least distinctions or hath not obserued all their shifts it cannot be said what tragedies they stirre vp how miserably they complaine as it were of force and grieuous slanders and calumny Being ready also to forsweare Arminius and themselues to pluck vp their owne opinions and to maintaine the cause of the Papists finally to doe any thing so they may escape our hands XII But we handle the matter more plainely nor doe we so laboriously cut the election of God into members Neither doe wee prescribe an order to God by which hee should haue digested or yet ought to digest his thoughts and to dispose his decrees We acknowledge there is no generall election seeing there is no election where nothing is left And we acknowledge no election vnlesse it be of seuerall and particular persons and that also to be precise and determined by the purpose of God neither doe we thinke any to be elected but he that shall certainly and infallibly come to saluation Nor doe we beleeue that we be elected from faith or for faith but vnto faith For God doth not elect those that are good by any goodnesse which goeth before election but by his election hee will make them good Nor doth he fore-know any good in vs but what he himselfe is to bring to passe which is not to fore-see but fore-ordaine Neither doe wee make the election of perticular persons to depend vpon mans will Yea and we beleeue that perseuerance and the confirmation of mans will in faith doth proceede from Gods free election of grace by which he decreed to giue to them whom he appointed to an end the meanes to come to that end XV. Wee agree with the Arminians in this that God in electing doth consider a man not onely as fallen but as one that by his gift is to beleeue for those which he appointed to saluation he appointed also to faith and repentance but we doe not thinke that in election faith is considered as accomplished but as that which should be accomplished by the grace of God and which is the effect of our election and that God doth this not by compelling the will but by bowing it and by granting that of its owne accord it should follow him calling Not by a force which is therefore called irresistable because thou canst not resist it although thou wouldst seeing this very thing is a part of this grace that thou shalt not be willing to resist it But that God is bound to giue his grace to men we detest it as an opinion contumelious reproachfull against the maresty of God Also we despise the opinion of the Arminians wherby they determine that God equally desires saluation to all as an opinion contrary to the Scripture to experience XIV Wee say that election is the eternall and therefore immutable decree of God whereby out of mankind fallen corrupted God decreed of his owne meere grace by Christ to saue some certaine men and to giue them the meanes whereby they might come to saluation XV. The decree of giuing faith repentance we make to be a part of that decree For the decree concerning the end includes also the meanes so the decree of making warre doth include Horses Armes and prouision and the will whereby any one hath decreed to builde doth necessarily include the will of gathering together stones and timber Neither doe we thinke it safe to pull asunder the counsels of God and as it were scrupulously to cut them into peeces CHAP. XVII That the Arminians make fore-seene faith the cause of the election of particular persons I. THe Arminian conferrers at the Hage and as many as are their sectaries in many places doe professe that they doe not make faith the cause of Election but onely a precedent condition and some thing pre-required before Election These things they say onely in word For the same men with very great diligence doe heape vp arguments whereby it may be proued that faith is the cause of the election of particular persons But oftentimes there fals from them either vnwilling or vnawares that which they indeauour to presse downe and as Rats they are catched by bewraying themselues II. Nicholas Greuinchouius pag. 103. doth confesse that Arminius was of opinion that election * inuiti did rest vpon fore-seene faith The Remonstrants in the conference at the Hage p. 117. doe vse the same manner of speaking And Arminius in the 47. page of his declaration The decree saith he whereby God decreed to saue some certaine men doth rest on the fore-knowledge of God whereby from eternity he hath knowne who will belieue c. The Arminians page 38. of their answere to the Walachrians haue these words We determine that the fore-seeing of faith and infidelity doth in order goe before the decree of predestination and that this decree doth * inniti rest on that former fore-knowledge Truely he is blinde that doth not see that it is one thing to follow one another thing to rest on him For if the rising starre doth in order goe before the following starre doth therefore the latter rest on the former Arminius therefore doth not lay downe faith onely as an antecedent thing but as something which doth sustaine election in which it is founded and on which election doth rest And he doth no lesse make election depend vpon faith who saith that faith is the foundation then he that saith that it is the cause of Election for the cause giueth to election that it should be the foundation giueth to it that it should stand and be firme Either way alike iniury is done to God whether you say that some vertue which is in man is the cause of the good pleasure of God or whether you say that the good pleasure of God hath his foundation from some vertue of man III. But by those words they doe not obseurely acknowledge that fore-seene faith is the cause of election for they will haue the fore-seeing of faith so to goe before election as the fore-seeing of incredulity doth in order goe before reprobation But that the reprobates are appointed to condemnation for incredulity and because they are vnbeleeuers they euery where acknowledge And Arminius against Perkins
p. 86. doth roundly affirme that sinne is the meritorious cause of reprobation So Arnoldus p. 151. Election and reprobation of particular persons were made in respect of the fore-sight of faith and incredulity Arnoldus Can any suspect your fidelity that you take the word ex equiuocally in reprobation to note the cause but in election to note the condition It must needes be therefore that they acknowledge that the elect are appointed to saluation for faith fore seene because they beleeue and that fore-seene faith is the cause of the election of particular persons IV. But there is no difference whether you say that Election doth rest on faith fore-seene or that it doth rest on the fore-seeing of faith for both wares faith is made the cause of election in the latter it is made the neerest cause in the former it is made the remote cause for fore-seene faith is made the cause of fore-seeing it and the fore-seeing it is made the cause of election For why doth God fore-know that they will beleeue vnlesse because they will beleeue and why doth he elect vnlesse because he fore-knoweth they will beleeue These are the words of Arminius against Perkins p. 142. In that God fore-knowes he therefore fore-knowes because it will afterward be V. The same men a little after against the Walachrians doe vse although fearefully the word depending that they might make election depending on faith And although say they that word of depending which we are neuer wont to vse in this argument be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily subiect to calumny yet if a maleuolent minde be absent it cannot be drawne to the least suspicion of any absurdity Yes it may be drawne to the greatest For Greuinchouius himselfe Pag. 198. doth acknowledge that dependency strictly taken doth argue causality and the dependency of a superiour by an inferiour And truely these men doe not obscurely declare how willingly they would vse this word if they did not feare our pursuite VI. There is extant a Treatise of Greuinchouius with this Title Of election * ex for faith fore seene but that word ex from or for doth not onely note priority but also causality For who would endure a man that should say that Tiberius was from Octauius Augustus or that this yeare is from the former because one went before the other A man that is not vnskiifull of the Latine doth sufficiently know that the praeposition ex is not fit to note onely the priority of faith vnlesse besides the priority there is also some efficiency or dependency Wherefore the same man page 24. hath these words It is altogether conuenient to the nature of lawes and prescribed conditions that the will of the Iudge should be moued to giue the reward by the required and performed condition This performed condition the Arminians say to be faith which if we beleeue them is considered in election as performed They will therefore haue God to be moued by this fulfilled condition that he should giue the reward which if it be true faith is plainely the cause both of decreeing and giuing the reward because it is that which moueth the Iudge VII So in the conference at the Hage the Arminians doe contend that God doth not elect without respect of qualities which thing is true not onely of faith but also of repentance so it be taken thus that God in electing considered men as they that by his gift and bounty would beleeue and be renewed in repentance If you take this respecting otherwise it must needes be that this respecting is the cause for one is said to choose any thing in respect of some quality or vertue who by that qualitie or vertue is moued to choose it otherwise he would not VIII Nay what That the Arminian conferrers at the Hage p. 86. doe vse the word Cause God sendeth his word whether it seemeth good to him not according to any absolute decree but for other causes lying hid in man Then is man the cause why hee is called whence it comes that he is the cause also that he is elected For that which is the cause why God doth call a man to saluation is plainely the cause why God will saue him for these are things connexed and knit together The same men page 109. It is absurd to put the absolute will of God in the decree of election for the first and principall cause that it should goe before the other causes to wit Christ faith and all other causes Here you heare that faith is put among the causes of election wherefore Arnoldus page 53. doth leaue it in the middle whether faith ought to be called the cause or the condition Whether saith hee faith should be called the condition or whether it should be called the cause it alwayes being laid downe for granted that it is the gift of God this alone is the question how faith hath respect to election And a little before he had said If any should say that in the decree of election faith hath the respect of a cause yet he should not thereby deny that it is the gift of God Not obscurely insinuating how prone hee was to that part and perceiued that hee was not rashly to be blamed who hath called faith the cause of our election IX Adde to these that Arnoldus page 186. and the rest with him doe contend that faith is not of those that are elected but that the election is of those that are faithfull We truely out of Saint Paul to Titus chap. 1. v 1. say that faith is of the elect which we so take because election is the cause of faith to which our assertion seeing they oppose theirs as contrary whereby they say that election is of them that are faithfull what else would they but haue faith to be the cause of our election X. Let also the moment and force of their reasons be weighed and considered In the conference at the Hage they professe that they doe not refuse to write with great letters and to subscribe that election is made by Christ without any consideration of good workes And yet doe the same men euen to loathing beate vpon this that Election is the decree of sauing them that beleeue that there is no man elected by God but in respect of faith But I would know why they so earnestly exclude the consideration of workes from election seeing that the earnest endeauour of good workes is a condition no lesse fore-required to saluation then faith Who by these things doth not see that faith is not laid downe by them meerely as a fore-required condition For if faith were thus considered by them it is plaine that the study and endeauour of good workes had beene ioyned and placed in the same degree with faith XI And if God electeth to saluation not those whom he absolutely decreed but those whom hee fore-saw would beleeue it is plaine that God in election hath respect to some dignity and
should say that God fore-saw the Sunne would be round or shining for God himselfe turned it into roundnesse and put the light into it How greatly the Arminians erre here and that it followes of their doctrine that faith is not the gift of God although sometimes they speake otherwise shall be seene in the right place XII Thither also belong the words which are in the eleuenth verse of the first chapter Ephes 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counfell of his owne will If God hath predestinated any one to saluation he worketh also all things which are necessary to the execution of that decree and if all things then also faith Faith therefore is something after predestination for it is a part of the execution of that decree XIII There is a noteable place Acts 13.48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They beleeued as many as were ordained to eternall life While Paul preached to the men of Antiochia some beleeued some refused the Gospell Saint Luke brings this cause why they did not beleeue to wit the ordination and decree of God Election therefore is before faith because the election of God is the cause why men beleeue According to Arminius Saint Luke ought to haue spoken thus And as many as beleeued were elected by God in reward of their faith But contrariewise hee saith they beleeued because they were elected Socinus and after him Arminius doe depraue and corrupt this place with very great wickednesse For by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that were ordained they vnderstand they that were disposed prepared and inclined or well affected as if Luke had writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certainely a bold euasion and an interpretation without colour and example For neyther the Scripture nor any man that I know euer tooke the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sence To which purpose when many examples may be heaped vp yet they are most fit which are taken out of the booke of the Acts it selfe that it may appeare in what sence Saint Luke doth alwaies take this word Chap. 15.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they decreed or determined that Paul should goe vp And Acts 28.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had appointed him a day So Saint Paul Rom. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The powers that are are ordained or appointed by God So S. Chrisost Hom. 30. vpon the Acts doth interpret this place of the Acts as many as were ordained to saluation where he rendreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seuered by God and fore-determined Then also although the word were ambiguous reason it selfe would conuince this For none of the vnregenerate can be well disposed or well affected to eternall life But all these men of Antiochia before they beleeued the Gospell were vnregenerate therefore they were ill disposed to the obtaining of saluation Let the schoole and followers of Arminius tell me what disposition was in the theefe who was crucified with Christ to beleeue before he did beleeue Or in the Apostle Paul when like a wolfe he did rage against the flocke of Christ and swelling with Pharisaicall pride was a most eager maintainer of righteousnesse by the Law yea also common sence doth abhorre that kinde of speaking which they deuise For wee are not wont to say that one is well disposed or prone or well affected to blessednesse but to vertue This inclination must be to doe something and not to enioy or obtaine something So one may be said to be inclined to the exercise of his body but not to health to the combat not to the reward or victory Or if any one please to take the word dispositum disposed for cupido desire there is no man who is not disposed to saluation It is not for nothing that the Greeke hath not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply and alone but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many as were appointed By which preterpluperfect tense is plainely signified not a present disposition but an ordination that went before It is to no purpose that they therefore gather that by those that are ordained are vnderstood those that are disposed because in that place they are opposed to them that are vnworthy For Luke here makes no opposition nor if he did would it any thing hinder vs who know that by the very election to faith and saluation men are made worthy and therefore also we are opposed to those that are vnworthy In the meane time let the Reader iudge what and how wicked a doctrine this is which doth make men to be worthy before they beleeue and that some are found among Infidels who are worthy of saluation XIV Marke 13.22 False Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible the very elect There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cause and reason of it giuen in the word Elect For the cause is noted why some cannot be finally deceiued to wit because they are elected Election therefore is before perseuerance in faith to the end as being the cause of perseuerance And that which is the cause of perseuerance in faith is the cause of faith That which is the cause why one doth alwaies beleeue is the cause why hee doth beleeue Therefore the opinion of Arminius doth fall to the ground by which he determineth that not onely faith but also perseuerance in faith is before election and that God in electing doth consider it as a condition already performed and fulfilled XV. The words of the Apostle ought not to be omitted 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world beganne These words seem to me to be diametrically directly contrary to Arminianisme For the Apostle doth not onely deny that we are saued for the fore-seeing of workes but also he brings the eternall decree of God to exclude the respect of workes But if God hath not elected vs for the foreseeing of workes then certainly not for the fore-seeing of faith which doth beget and effect workes And if God hath not elected any one for the fore-seeing of faith then certainely not for the right vsing of grace nor for the obedience of faith for as much as this vsing and this obedience is manifestly a worke Neither is it any doubt but that to embrace the Gospell by faith is a kinde of worke and action of the will XVI What Arnold cont Gomarum Pag. 4â— Arminius dicit ipâ—um credere in Christum nobis in iustitiam imputari non vt infirumentum P. 35. dicet fidem estimati pro â—â—edien iâ— opâ—re Vorst Cat. Error on Siber P. 41. Fides nobis ad iustitiam 〈◊〉 putatur formalâ—er Bretius Epist ad Sabr P. 69. 70. Non est inâ—ptum dicere cum Deus
Vorstius in his book intituled the Conference with Piscator Sect. 18. If we are adopted by faith we are also elected by faith But I deny that that will follow for Adoption is after Election as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 1.5 He predestinated vs to the adoption He which saith we are adopted by faith doth not therefore say that we are elected by faith or for faith but he saith that by faith we are affected with the sense of the fatherly loue of God to vs and that the beleeuers receiue the spirit of adoption VI. He doth defend himselfe by the words of the Apostle 2 Thes 2. He hath chosen vs from the beginning through faith But here Vorstius doth wickedly cut short the words of the Apostle and doth present them lame vnto vs. The words of Saint Paul are these God from the beginning hath chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth Hee doth not say that we are elected for faith fore seene but that we are elected to obtaine saluation by faith And if it may be gathered from this place that we are elected for faith fore-seene it will be proued by the same place that we are elected for sanctification or regeneration fore-seene which doth not please Arminius He doth vrge that place of Saint Iames chap. 2. Hath not God chosen the poore of the world rich in faith but in vaine for therefore they are rich in faith because God hath giuen them faith and he hath therefore giuen it them because they are elected If I say God hath elected the Saints which doe enioy glory doe I therefore thinke that God elected them for the fore-seeing of the glory to come And if it be lawfull for the Arminians to take these words of Christ I giue my life for my sheepe as being spoken by anticipation or preuention of those who were not yet his theepe but were to be why may it not be lawfull for vs also to take these words God chose the beleeuers as being spoken by an anticipation of those which doe not beleeue in act but are considered as those who are to beleeue VII Vorstius addeth that Mat. 22. few are said to be elected because few haue the wedding garment But I deny that this is to be found there Christ shuts vp with this sentence the parable of those that were called to the wedding wherof onely few obayed him calling them Many are called few chosen In which words the reason is not yeelded why he was cast forth that had not on the wedding garment but why of many that were called there came but a few Which thing that the Reader might not obserue Vorstius hath vsed a double deceit for hee hath omitted those words many are called and then also instead of Nam For he hath sâ—t downe Quia because that he might perswade that here the cause was rendred why he that was vndecently apparelled was call out For he knew that the particle Nam for doth often set downe the note or marke but not the cause as Mâ—t. 26.73 and in many other places but in this place it is no doubt but that here the cause is signified For the cause is noted why of so many that were called so few followed him calling to wit because although many are called yet few are chosen Whence it is manifest that this place if any other doth hurt Arminius VIII The other things which he doth heape vp that hee might proue that they that are elected are those that be ecue are nothing to the purpose For the elect are the beleeuers and the belecuers are the erect But they are not elected because they are belecuers but that they might bereeue IX There is no more force in the obiection which he bringeth out of the 2. Pet. Chap. 1. Make your calling and election sure Out of which words he doth inferre that calling is before election But Peter doth not here set calling before election but the certainty of our cailing before the certainty of our election I willingly acknowledge that that certainty is first in order But that election is before calling Saint Paul teacheth Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated hee called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified For as iustification is before glorification and calling before iustification so predestination is before calling X. Greuinchouius against Ames Pag. 171. Arnâ—ldus after Armun us vseth the samâ— argument P. 282. doth thus dispute I say that by your predestination the Gospell is inuerted For this is the sâ—ntence of the Gospell If thou beleeuest thou shalt liue but this your predestination saith if you are predestinated to life you shall beleeue I answere it is one thinâ— to inuert or turne the sentence another thing to ouerturne it For this sentence is conuertible whosoeuer is elected shall beleeue and whosoeuer doth beleeue is elected For we speake of that faith which Saint Paul Tit. 1.1 calleth the faith of the elect Doe not the Arminians rather inuert the Gospell which faith that faith is of the elect but they say that faith is not of the elect but that election is of the faithfull That which Greuinchouius in that place doth stuffe in concerning reprobation shall be examined in his owne place XI The same man pag. 130. doth thus argue Saluation is the reward of faith 1 Pet. 1.9 the crowne of righteousnesse the reward of labour the prize of our strife and finished course the inheritance of the sonnes of God that is of the faithfull Iohn 1.12 Gal. 4.30 And because it is hard to see how these things can be drawne to election for faith fore-seene seeing it is not there spoken of election nor of faith foree-seene he addeth these words Therefore Election to saluation is not the decree concerning the end of men as they are men simply but of the saluation of men as they are such sort of men to wit of them that are faithfull and of them that perseuere in the faith This also we confesse in that sense which we said before but it were better to say of them that were to perseuere because God electing doth not consider faith and perseuerance as a thing performed but as a thing to be performed and that by his bounty and gift XII He further addeth The will of bestowing the reward the wages c. doth necessarily presuppose the fore-seeing of faith and perseuerance in faith by the couenant of the Gospell if thou beleeuest and doest perseuere thou shalt be saued Here you digresse from the question For it was spoken of election for faith foreseene but you speake of saluation which is bestowed after faith God electing to saluation doth fore-see that faith will come before the obtaining of saluation but he doth so fore-see it that God foreseeth that which he himselfe is to worke which to speake properly is not to fore-see but to will Furthermore eternall life is called the reward of faith because it is not to be had but
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
before the decree of sending his sonne seeing Christ himselfe doth witnesse it Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. where the loue of the father is manifestly set before the sending of the sonne which is so to be vnderstood as that the sonne is not excluded from the act of election it selfe seeing that he also is one God with the father but this was done by him not as hee is mediator but as he is God VII Neither is any iniury done to Christ if the will of the father concerning the sauing of men be said to goe before the redemption of Christ seeing that this redemption is also after sinne for the disease is before the medicine VIII Nor is any thing detracted from the greatnesse of the price of our redemption if his will who offered the price be said to goe before it IX The very definition of the decree of election doth proue this thing for election is the decree of sauing certaine men by Christ in which definition Christ is laid downe not as the cause of election but as the meanes of the execution of it and as the meritorious cause of saluation X. It is maruailous how much the Arminians insult here For because wee make the loue of God to goe not in time but in order before the mediation of the sonne they so deale with vs as if we taught that God loued vs without Christ and as being considered without faith in Christ which doth differ as much from our opinion as that which doth differ most Be it farre from vs that wee should say that God would euer bestow saluation vpon vs but that together and in the same moment he considered vs in Christ as being to be saued by him Nor was there any cause why we for that thing should be accused of Sicianisme we haue nothing to doe with that Alastor and hellish monster which doth altogether ouerthrow the benefit of Christ But it is one thing to say that the loue of the father doth in order goe before the mediation of the sonne and another thing to say that God loueth vs without the sonne It is one thing to dispose the thoughts of God in order and another thing to separate them and pull them asunder Arminius who in the beginning of his booke against Perkins calleth himselfe a wirty fellow doâ—h craftily yea wickedly catch at and hunt after points of priority in order to pull asunder those things which cannot be seperated Hee doth therefore as much as if one should say that the thought of creating man was first in order in God before the thought of adorning him with holinesse and righteousnes and would thence inferrre that God would first create man not iust or first to haue considered him as not holy If any man saith that in the decree of God the thought of ouerthrowing of the world was before the thought of ouerthrowing it by fire hee doth not therefore say that God first thought of ouerthrowing it without fire All the purposes of God are eternall although there be a certaine order and dependency betweene them XI That place of Saint Iohn Chap. 3. vexeth Arminius God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne c. where the loue of God is laide downe as the cause by which it came to passe that he gaue the sonne He doth therefore endeauour to delude so direct a place by a witlesse cauell That loue saith he is not that by which he will giue eternall life which appeareth by the very words of Iohn who doth ioyne faith betweene this loue and eternall life The Reader therefore shall obserue that Arminius himselfe doth acknowledge that there is a kinde of loue of God towards men which doth goe before his decree of sending his sonne But hee saith that God by that loue is not willing to giue eternall life What then will hee doe by it For this thing hee ought to shew Will God by that loue leaue men in death Is it possible that God should loue the creature created by him to life but he must needes by the same loue will that it should liue I am ashamed of so weake a subtilty Yea truely in that he sent his sonne by that loue it is sufficiently manifest that by that loue he was willing man should be restored to life But saith he faith commeth betweene that loue and eternall life What then Cannot I will the recouery of him that is sicke although the Phisition come betweene my will and his recouery Surely he maketh those things opposite and contrary which are appolite and ioyned together But I doe not see how he rather fauoureth Socinus who saith that Christ is not the cause of Election then he that saith that Christ is not the cause of the loue whereby God would send Christ into the world and prouide for vs a redeemer Or why there should be a greater offence in making the redemption of Christ to be the medium and meane betweene the loue of God by which hee elected vs and betweene our saluation then if it be made the medium a meane betweene the loue of God by which he will giue Christ for vs and betweene our saluation For on both sides redemption is made the meanes and not the first cause Let vs not therefore enuy God the father this praise that his good pleasure thould be made the fountaine and first originall of our Election XII Obserue moreouer that that Election whereof Arminius will haue Christ to be the foundation is that generall election whereby all men are conditionally elected which seeing wee haue largely consuted Chap. 18. whatsoeuer the Arminians doe bring to proue that Christ is the foundation of election doth vanish away Surely there was no cause why they should so earnestly labour to proue that Christ was the foundation of that election by which Pharaoh and Iudas were elected Of which imaginary election he shall haue the true character and portraiture who hath brought in God speaking thus I decreed to send my sonne to saue all men who shall beleeue but who and how many they shall be I haue not determined onely I will giue to all men sufficient power to beleeue but he shall belecue who will himselfe XIII Arminius doth defend himselfe against so euident a truth by one little word of the Apostle Ephes 1.4 He hath elected vs in Christ But it is one thing to be elected in Christ and another thing to be elected for Christ so that Christ should be the cause why one is elected rather then another The meaning of the Apostle is cleere To elect is nothing else then to appoint to saluation Therfore to elect in Christ is to appoint to saluation to be obtained in or by Christ For whosoeuer God hath decreed to saue he hath giuen them to Christ and hath considered them as ioyned to Christ Hee seeketh a knot in a bulrush who by farre fetched interpretations would darken
XX. Arnoldus addeth Your doctrine determines that God doth exact faith from the reprobates and that he decreed to condemne them if they should not beleeue when yet it is impossible for them that they should beleeue in Christ with a sure perswasion of minde not onely because God doth not giue them power of beleeuing but also because if thâ—y were furnished with power to beleeue yea if they should beleeue in Christ they would beleeue that which were false because Christ hath not died for them But it is contrary to the iustice of God to exact such an obedience and then to punish the creature for not performing such an obedience which is absolutely impossible to the creature He doth abundantly repeate the same thing in other places but especially Page 261. and 262. Here are many things faise First it is false that faith is exacted and required of all the reprobates for it is required onely of them to whom the Gospell is preached Neither is it true that faith is absolutely and without condition required of all those to whom the Gospell is preached for it is required vnder a condition to wit that they be conuerted and repent But if they doe not repent we teach and cry out that the benefit of Christ doth not pertaine to them and that they hope and beleeue in Christ in vaine so long as they are aduerse and contrary to God inuiting them to repentance And it is also false that God is vniust if he command them to beleeue and obey who for their inbred deprauation cannot beleeue and obey and to whom God doth not giue power of beleeuing for man himselfe hath brought this impotency and disability on himselfe and this deprauation in man is voluntary and God exacting from man that he should beleeue him speaking by Christ doth require nothing which man doth not owe For to obey the law is a naturall debt For God speaking by Christ cannot be refused or contemned but the law also is broken as we haue already taught at large in many places especially Chap. 11. Where we haue taught that the power of beleeuing was giuen vs in Adam and that Adam had it before the fall but an occasion of vsing it was wanting And therefore also this power was lost in Adam Page 262. in Tileaum Nor is God bound to restore it as Arnoldus setting lawes to God himselfe would haue it By these things also we meete with that false accusation wherewith Arnoldus doth pursue vs Page 230. Ye determine saith he that faith is required of reprobates and yet that the meanes to performe obedience to faith are precisely denyed For it is not required of all but of them to whom Christ is made knowne nor is it required of these absolutely but with condition of repentance Neither is any thing required of them although they be reprobates but what they owe. XXI But Arnoldus doth adde to this a foule calumny wherewith he would odiously burâ—en our cause Ye will haue saith he faith to be required of the reprobates that they might be made inexcusable and their damnation might be aggrauated Wee say indeede that their damnation is thereby made the greater but we doe not say that this end was propounded by God So when we say that one goeth forth to warre that he may be slaine wee signifie what is to happen not what end should be intended And it is not for vs to enquire scrupulously into the end which God propounded to himselfe Yet these two ends are certaine to wit to require of man what is due and also by this meane to bring the elect to saluation XXII He doth bend at vs another dart Page 286. Your doctrine saith he doth repugne the Euangelicall threates For seeing the intent of God in the propounding of them is that men should be driuen from impenitency and so should be saued You on the contrary side teach that God doth deny to some men the meanes that are necessary to repentance because he hath determined not to saue them First it may be doubted whether there are any Euangelicall threats for the threatnings which are contayned in the bookes of the Gospell are not a part of the Gospell For seeing the word Euangelium Gospell doth signifie a good message I doe not see how threatnings can belong to a good message They who beleeue not the Gospell shall be punished not by the Gospell but by the law But howsoeuer it be I see nothing here which doth repugne these threates by which God doth intend to require from man that which is due and that which the law it selfe requireth to wit that God be obeyed Seeing that the denying of grace and of the restoring of the powers which man by his owne fault lost doth very well agree with such a declaration of threatnings These things are not repugnant to propound life to man on the condition of obedience and not to restore to man those powers of obedience which hee lost by his owne fault XXIII Neither are these things repugnant to propound life to any one vnder a condition and to appoint the same man to death for his fore-seene disobedience XXIV The same man since Arminius Page 269. for that which he addeth concerning Infants shall hereafter be handled doth thus inuey against our opinion Your opinion saith he causeth that publike prayers cannot be offered to God as it is meete they should to wit with faith and confidence that they shall profit all them that heare the word because according to your opinion amongst them there are many whom God not onely will not haue to be saued but whom he will haue to be condemned by his absolute eternall and immutable will which goeth before all things and causes Yet the Apostle commandeth that prayers be made for all men and addeth this reason because it is good and acceptable to God who would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth XXV I answere that it is falsely supposed by Arminius that publike prayers ought to be poured out with this confidence that they shall profit all them that heare the word This faith were rash and not resting on the word of God especially seeing the ministers of the word haue for the most part known many that are disobedient and openly prophane nor doe they doubt but that besides these there are many that are sicke and ill affected with inward and hidden vices who yet make a shew of piety Certainely the similitude of the seede sowne into diuers ground and of a differing disposition and with an vnlike successe doth in this case bring more feare then confidence And yet because the secrets of reprobation are vnknowne to vs we doe rightly pray for all because we hope well of euery one I doe not see whereto this obiection belongs vnlesse to stop and stay the Reader with a childish declamation because this very obiection doth no lesse pursue Arminius who although he will not haue the
the end that is saluation then also hee will equally suggest vnto them the meanes to the end to wit the word faith and the spirit But he doth not suggest these things equally to all neither can any thing be imagined more absurd then that God should equally will that all particular men should beleeue and be saued and yet suggest to some men the meanes that are congruent and fit and will certainely profit but to others meanes that are not congruent nor fit and that certainely will not profit which yet is the doctrine of Arminius XXVII And in setting downe the causes of the greater loue of God towards some one nation and his lesse loue towards some other it cannot be said how coldly they deale Sometimes they make the disposition of the one which is better then the other to be the cause which we deny For Rome or Corinth or Ephesus were not more prone to piety a little before the light of the Gospell was brought to them then they were some ages before Yea at that time prodigious lust riot pride and rapine had so immeasurably increased that they could goe no further At the same time there were many nations euen stupid with their barbarous lewdnesse and seemed more worthy of pitty if the heauenly calling were gouerned by mans reason and not by the secret purpose of God Surely before the comming of Saint Paul God had much people at Corinth as God himselfe saith Acts 18.10 and that among the most foule and common lusts of that most impure citie For which elects sake God in his appointed time sent to Corinth such an excellent Apostle so cleere a trumpet of the Gospell whose preaching and miracles he vsed to the conuersion of them who belonged to his election XXVIII Finally seeing that there is no man who by himselfe and of his owne nature is not vndisposed to faith and conuersion no man that is not dead in sinne no man that is not vnable to follow God calling He is ridiculous who in the worke of regeneration and spirituall resurrection doth seeke for dispositions and inclinations to life among the dead and who doth faigne that God hath a will of sauing vs which doth follow mans free-will and doth depend on it XXIX But to make the fault of their ancestors to be cause of this and to thinke that God therefore would not haue his Gospell to be preached to this nation because their ancestors a thousand or two thousand yeers before refused the grace of God is absurd and nothing to the purpose For the Romanes and Corinthians that liued in the time of the Apostle Paul were sprung of the same ancestors which the Romanes and Corinthians were which liued thirty or forty yeeres before the preaching of Saint Paul Nor is it equall that the ofspring should be punished for the sinnes of their ancestors The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Ezechiel 18. Nor doth the law extend the visitation of the fathers vpon the children beyond the third and fourth generation although also there it is spoken of children that shall walke in the steppes of their fathers and doe imitate their fathers wickednesse Further also by warres by colonies and companies by banishments and by marriages there is a maruailous permixtion and mingling together of mankinde and in one and the same nation there are some who haue proceeded from other ancestors whose manners were diuers Yea one and the same man hath proceeded from ancestors whereof some haue refused the grace of God and some haue not Of all which if regard is to be had if God will haue his Gospell preached or not preached to a nation according as their ancestors haue behaued themselues it will be impossible but that he must be distracted with diuers and contrary thoughts and that his wisedome must be bound with ridiculous bonds and contrary purposes XXX Yet the Arminians doe obstinately persist in their opinion and although they know that in all ages and see that in this our age the name of Christ is vnknowne to many nations yet they doe harden their minde and doe contend that God would haue the Gospell to be preached to all Arnoldus Page 97. doth deny that it may be said that God would not haue the Gospell to be preached to all And Page 397. It is true indeede saith he that the Gospell is not euery where preached to all yet it doth not thence follow that God will not bring all men to faith but this happeneth because by their owne affected malice and peruersity they make themselues vnworthy of that Grace Which words doe seeme to mee to imply a contradiction for if the cause why the Gospell is not preached to a nation is the wickednesse and prauity of it it is playne that God will not haue his Gospell preached to that nation because by this punishment he would reuenge the stubbornnesse and obstinacy of it And to think that any punishments are inflicted on any nations God being vnwilling especially in the worke of our saluation is to accuse God of cruell negligence and to desire to put out the eyes of his prouidence Also wee haue largely taught that all men are vnworthy and that God so dispensing the Gospell is preached to the most vnworthy and to the worst nations According to that Rom. 10.20 I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest to them that asked not after me XXXI Being driuen therfore from hence they haue deuised another thing then which nothing is more weake They say that it cannot be said that God is vnwilling that the Gospell should be preached to all nations but that many nations sit in darkenesse because there are wanting those who wil preach to them and that this commeth to passe because the zeale of Christians doth grow cold and because of the sloathfulnesse of the pastors of the Church who will not goe thither to preach But if all Christians were affected as it is meete they should and were touched with a zeale of the house of God the preaching of the Gospell would be wanting to no people I answere that I am not hee who will affirme that Christians are altogether faultlesse in this thing Yet notwithstanding it cannot be doubted but that these things are gouerned by the counsell and prouidence of God For if God would haue brought the light of the Gospell to the people of America who haue lyen for many ages in the thicke night of ignorance be had not suffered them for so many ages to be vnknowne to the Christian world For how can they be accused for not preaching the Gospell to the Americans who did not know that there were any such people or that that prat of the earth was inhabited Neither is it credible that God can be disappointed of his intent and of his desire of sauing any Nation by the negligence of some Ministers Nor is it equall that enumerable people should for euer beare the punishment
come and that heart-turning might of the holy-Ghost whose efficacy cannot be explained Surely there is a certaine perswasiue necessity and a perswasion more mighty then any command which doth so bend those that are willing that they would rather endure any thing then not to will what they desire Reason it selfe doth adde credit to these things and the nature of mans will in which it is engrafted to moue it selfe to the prescript and perswasion of the minde vnlesse when the indocible affections doe resist reason But as often as reason doth conspire and agree with the affections it is impossible but the will should moue it selfe thither whether the minde doth perswade it and the appetites doe incite it for what should call it away seeing it can be moued with no other impulsion Nor is it any doubt that God who doth throughly know our soules and the most fit occasions by which the soule being apprehended cannot resist him calling and doth know in what part it is more flexible should not be able so to enlighten the minde and imprint on the fancy which hath the naturall command ouer the appetites so cleere an image so terrifie the conscience by the propounding of punishments so stirre it vp by laying before it the eternall rewards so gently inuite and so fitly perswade that presently all resistance should cease and all contrariety fall to the ground Wherefore Arnoldus against Tilenus pag. 251. spake inconsiderately when hee said that the liberty of the will consisted in this that all things which are required to an action being granted and being present the will might suspend and stoppe the action He ought to haue said that the liberty of the will consisteth in this that it doth with a free and spontaneus motion apply it selfe to those things which the vnderstanding and the appetites doe perswade or if the appetites doe disagree with reason and diuers obiects are propounded that the will may by a free election moue it selfe to what part it will Let the soules which doe enioy the sight of God in heauen be for an example to whom all things are fully supplied which are required to stirre vp the will to loue God yet their will cannot suspend that action nor forbid and auert that act of loue wherewith they loue God Neither can it be said although it maketh little to the present matter that the cause why they cannot hate God is because occasions of hatred and incitations to sinne are wanting For the Angels before the fall had no greater occasion The same occasions of sinning which ouerthrew the Angels were neuer wanting The too much admiration and too great loue of themselues and by it a more slacke contemplation and a more backward loue of God carried those most excellent creatures headlong and stirred them vp to rebellion The will indeede is affected to two or more things and betweene two propounded obiects doth freely choose vnlesse when the last and best end is desired But it doth often so strongly apply it selfe to some one thing that it cannot resist it selfe And if the efficacy of the holy-Ghost turning the heart working in the elect shal also come to it which doth so draw gouern the raines of the affections that it may bend and turne the will following of its owne accord what meruaile is it if such a rider cannot be finally shaken off although the appetites doe so much resist and doe hardly giue ouer that rule and command which besides right and equity they haue ceased on All these these things pertaine thither that we may teach that the euent of conuersion is not thereby vncertaine or as these innouators speake resistible although God should moue the heart by a morall perswasion and should allure the will by a congruent and meete invitation But yet whosoeuer shall heare the Scripture or shall descend to examples and to experience shall finde that the efficacy of the holy-Ghost working in mens hearts ought not to be restrained to morall perswasion For it is a hard thing to conceiue in ones minde what perswasion God vsed in the conuersion of Saint Paul who was cast downe as it were with lightning and whose stubbornnesse kicking against the pricks was broken The same may be said of the Theefe into whom in the midst of torments and in the very agony of death God did infuse faith after an vnvtterable manner For what Doe these Sectaries thinke that he obtained faith by vse and by the frequent actions of pietie Surely that cannot be said seeing that in one moment he came from the height of incredulitie and from most desperately wicked manners to a most strong faith Was he inuited by a gentle perswasion No surely For whatsoeuer things were present before him were so many disswasions and they so powerfull that the faith of the Apostles themselues did then faile The very torments which the miserable man did then suffer could easily haue taken away the sense of that allurement and perswasion vnlesse the secret power of the spirit of Christ had broken through all obstacles Would the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.19.20 and Coloss 2.12 say that that power of God whereby he doth effectually worke in the hearts of beleeuers is the same with that whereby hee raised Christ from the dead if hee should onely conuert mens hearts by a morall perswasion and by a gentle invitation Saul being fully determined to kill Dauid came to Naioth whither Dauid was fled 1 Sam. 19. but as soone as he came thither vnmindfull of Dauid he is catched with a propheticall inspiration Where is there here any morall perswasion or invitation If therefore God changeth the mindes of wicked men without any morall perswasion why shall hee not exercise the same power towards his elect And I doe not see how those speeches of creating a new heart of raising man from the dead and of giuing new life by which the Scripture doth expresse our conuersion may be applyed to note out morall perswasion The new man is not created by perswasion but by the infusion of new life and it must needes be that some supernaturall thing must come which cannot be explained by man And if God should allure men to beleeue by a meere perswasion and invitation God should not be the efficient cause of faith For hee that doth onely exhort and perswade that we may beleeue doth not giue beleeuing it selfe no nor he who doth suggest the powers of beleeuing as we haue said before but hee doth moue metaphorically and intentionally as wee are moued by Obiects and by a knowne end And that here is something else beside perswasion may hence be gathered in that you see some men are vehemently set on fire by a small perswasion some on the other side who know the truth are yet in the midst of some euident and most certaine perswasions cold and not at all affected Former times and our owne age hath brought forth many Martyrs who haue beene vnlearned and but lightly