vnwilling wee cannot be made willing of dead aliue vnlesse God draw vs and make vs aliue XII And to ouerthrow those preparations by which the sectaries thinke that an vnregenerate man well vsing vniuersall grace and naturall light doth dispose and prepare himselfe to regeneration that which God saith Ezech. 36. doth greatly preuaile I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of you and I will giue you an heart of flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes For seeing that God himselfe witnesseth that in those things which belong to the worship of God and to saluation man hath naturally a stony heart which hath neede to be taken away and another to be giuen by God in which God should imprint the character of faith and repentance it manifestly appeareth that an vnregenerate man cannot prepare himselfe to his regeneration For that which must be taken away and must be changed for another that we may be regenerated certainely that doth not further regeneration nor doth prepare vs to it for otherwise we should be helped by the impediments themselues XIII Arnoldus pag. 461. doth answere that this phrase of a stony and fleshly heart is figuratiue and Symbolicall diuinitie cannot proue any thing I answere that figuratiue speeches haue the force of those that are properly spoken when they are expounded by the Scripture it selfe when it is euident to what end and in what sence they are vsed Now in the same place of Ezechiel there are many words that are plaine and not figuratiue which doe make cleare this figure for in the same place God doth promise that hee will giue them a new spirit by which he would cause that they should walke in his waies XIV Wherefore Arnoldus with a superfluous diligence and nothing to the purpose doth heape together the differences betweene the heart and a stone A stone hath not life the heart hath a stone cannot be softned without the taking away of the substantiall forme the hart may the stone caÌ„not resist his own softning the heart may All besides the matter for in that one thing of which it is spoken here the comparison is most apt For euen as the stone cannot soften it selfe but it is softned onely by the power of an outward agent so the vnregenerate heart cannot conuert it selfe or dispose it selfe to regeneration but it is done onely by the efficacy of the spirit of God He that without this shall seeke comparisons shall finde infinite differences as that a stone may be engrauen and broken may be taken out of the quarries and be laid on the building c. but the heart cannot XV. The words of Saint Paul doe vexe these Semipelagians when he saith that man is dead in sinne and he speaketh of the vnregenerate man The point of which dart that they might auoide and make frustrate they doe laboriously heape together differences betweene a dead corps and an vnregenerate man which doe tend thither that they might proue that an vnregenerate man is not altogether dead in sinne and as Arnoldus saith hath some reliques of the spirituall life To which naturall reliques and remainds of vniuersall and sufficient grace he added which they say is giuen to all men euen vnregenerates and reprobates by which there is no man but may fulfill the law and obtaine faith certainely there will be found in an vnregenerate man very much life and there will be none or very little conueniency or similitude with him that is dead It is well therefore that these sectaries doe thither apply all their force that they might shew that Saint Paul doth not speake so properly as he should Arnoldus layeth downe these differences pag 466. and 468. In resurrection the soule is insused in regeneration it is onely changed in resurrection there doth no dispositions and preparations goe before but regeneration is made after some fore-going dispositions Also our resurrection is done in an instant but our regeneration by degrees Resurrection is done necessarily but regeneration is wrought our free will remaining In the dead carkasse there are no reliques of life but in an vnregenerate man there are some reliques of spirituall life God doth not speake to a dead carkas but he speaketh to them that are dead in sinne and doth propound his word to them He that is dead cannot resist his resurrection the vnregenerate man may I doe not deny but that this similitude doth not square in all things there is no doubt but that Arnoldus could haue found many other differences as that the resurrection of the body shall not be till the last day that it shall be at the trumpe of the Angell c. But it is sufficient that this similitude doth well square in that which is the principall of the matter and in that concerning which the controuersie is betweene vs to wit in this that as the dead corps is altogether vnapt to motion and cannot dispose nor prepare it selfe to the resurrection so the soule of a man that is vnregenerate and dead in sinne doth want in things spirituall and pertaining to saâ—uation all sense and motion and cannot prepare nor dispose it selfe to regeneration vntill the spirit of regeneration descend into the heart stirre vp new motions and doth worke the first beginnings of the new life By sense in spirituall things I vnderstand zeale by motion good workes And surely these things seeme to me to be repugnant vâ—z to be dead in sinne as Saint Paul saith and to haue reliques and remainds of spirituall life as Arnoldus saith For death in spirituall things doth altogether exclude spirituall life I willingly acknowledge that there are some motions of truth and spurkes of light in an vnregenerate man some obscure prints of the Image of God But these reliques are not any part of spirituall life regeration the diuels themselues haue much more light derstanding and yet they are altogether dead in sins XVI Neither are all those differences true which they doe bring First we deny that God hath respect to the dispositions of free-will or that a man by free-will can prepure himselfe to regeneration God indeede doth by a mans calamities and by his freedome out of them and by the examples of the vengance that he taketh of the wicked sometimes make way to himselfe for his regeneration Also a man by a seruile feare and dread of punishment may profitably be troubled but I maintaine that those inward motions doe then begin to be laudable and acceptable to God when they are produced by the holy spirit and not before which when it is done then I say such morions are a part of regeneration and the first motions pulses of the new man although weake yet sure beginnings of the new life not preparations of the free-will which goe before regeneration and by which God is
but what heretofore we were able to doe and from what a height of iustice we fell by the fall of Adam XII The Scripture doth supply most forcible proofes for this thing Saint Paul Philip. 2.12 doth command vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling but presently after lest it should be thought that this can be performed by vs because it is commanded he doth adde It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thus Ezech. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit But lest any should thinke that this is a thing of our free-will in the thirty sixt Chapter of the same Prophecy God speaketh thus I will take away the stony heart out of you flesh and giue you a new heart Thus Ioel 11. Be ye conuerted to mee with your whole heart yet Ieremy Chap. 31.18 doth acknowledge that the conuersion of a sinner is the gift of God Turne mee O Lord and I shall be turned And the last of the Lamentations Turne vs O Lord and we shall be turned So Deut. 10.16 God doth thus speake to the people Circumcise the fore-skinne of your heart yet Chapter 30.6 it is declared who doth worke it The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart Thus Christ Iohn 14.1 commands vs to beleeue in him and yet hee saith no man can come to him except the father draw him Iohn 6 44. and that by comming hee meaneth beleeuing he himselfe teacheth v. 35. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And Phil. 1. Ephes 2. wee are taught that faith and the act of beleeuing is from God Finally the Scripture will haue men to gaine their bread by the sweat and labour of their hands and yet neuerthelesse wee are commanded to aske our daily bread of God because the foode of the body is the gift of God but that which hee doth giue to him that worketh For the blessing of God doth not come on idlenesse but on labour That I may not say many things Doth not God require perfect obedience from the vnregenerate Yes and from the heathen to whom Christ was neuer knowne And yet if one should say that they might be perfectly iust and altogether without sinne he should attribute that to vnbeleeuers which neuer happened to any faithfull man Doth not Arminius himselfe acknowledge that some are vnresistably hardned from whom yet God doth require perfect obedience XIII Neither doth God therefore command in vaine or are his precepts to no purpose For God in commanding exhorting threatning c. doth affect man with the sence of his sinne hee doth teach man his debt what once hee could doe and whence he fell Also he doth propound a rule of iustice lest any one should pretend ignorance for his sinnes Finally he doth ioyne to his word the efficacy of the spirit and he doth as it were arme and head it and make it sharpe and effectuall It is not in vaine to command him that is fettered to runne if by that commandement his fetters are loosed It is not in vaine to command a blinde man to see if by those words wherewith this is commanded the eyes of him that is blinde are opened For the words of God doe work that in vs which they command vs to do They doe so command that they doe also worke as his words in the creation God commandeth that which he would haue done but hee giueth also that which he commandeth and it is profitable for man to be pressed downe with the intollerable burthen of the Law which doth exceede his strength that he might the more couetously embrace the remedies offred in Christ Excellently to this purpose Saint Austin lib. de corrept gratia cap. 3. O man in the commandement know what thou oughtest to doe in the word of correction and reproofe know that by thine owne fault thou hast not that thou oughtest to haue in prayer know whence thou mayest receiue what thou wouldst haue And in his booke de spiritu litera God doth not measure his precepts by the strength of man but where he commands that which is right hee doth freely giue to his elect ability of fulfilling it XIV The similitudes which these Sectaries vse to procure enuie to vs are plainly contrary and nothing to the purpose They say it is to no purpose to blame the blinde man because he doth not see although he hath pulled out his owne eyes or to vrge him to worke who hath cut off his owne hands Concerning him that is blinde I answere that this example is brought by them vnproperly for no blinde man whether he is blinde by his owne fault or by anothers is bound to see But hee that by his owne fault is made wicked and vnable to obey God is yet bound to obey him No man is bound to exercise naturall functions after they haue ceased but the bond whereby the creature is bound to the Creator can be wiped out by no occasion much lesse by the wickednesse of man But if any blinde man had rather be blinde then see and should refuse the remedies offred should he not iustly be blamed Such is the condition of man in the state of sinne for he is not onely necessarily euill but he will not be good and he is delighted with his wickednesse XV. The similitude of him who hath willingly cut off his owne hands hath the same defects Wherevnto this is to be added that the hands may be cut off but the will which is here signified by the hands cannot be cut off For euery most wicked man is endued with a will by which hee is alwayes bound to worship and loue God although he hath corrupted it Finally the similitudes of naturall and ciuill things are for the most part very vnfitly and absurdly drawn to morall things and to religion By the like reason that ridiculous similitude of a man speaking to dry bones is disâ—olued for these bones are not bound to moue themselues but an vnregenerate man is bound to beleeue and to obey XVI Arnoldus page 136. hath these words We see saith hee that the Scripture doth often say that he which doth beleeue and is conuerted doth seperate himselfe from euill doth purge quicken sanctifie saue and circumcise himselfe doth make him a new heart doth put on the new man c. Whence hee doth gather that it may be said that man doth seperate himselfe although the Apostle saith Who seperateth thee vnderstanding none but God The places noted in the margent whereby the proueth these things are these Ezech. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit Iam. 1.27 Pure religion is to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world 1 Pet. 1.22 Wee are commanded to purifie our soules 2 Tim. 2.21 If any one purge himselfe he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified c. Luke 17.33 Whosoeuer shall loose his life shall preserue it Deut. 10.16 Circumcise
speake of my selfe Hence they would proue that one may doe the will of God before he know Christ and his doctrine This is to delude the Scripture and to wrest it at their pleasure For they speake as if Christ had said Hee that doth fulfill the commandements of God shall afterward know of my doctrine whether it be of God c. Also by the words to doe the will of God they vnderstand to acknowledge their sinnes to feare God with a seruile and slauish feare seriously to wish the grace of God and remission of sinnes to doe those things which are of the law c. All false For to doe the will of God in this place is nothing else then to beleeue Christ speaking for this is that which Christ doth vrge that this is the will of the father that we should beleeue on the Sonne Whose words if any man beleeues hee thereby knoweth that his doctrine is heauenly and diuine wherefore we are not to thinke that we doe the will of God before we beleeue in his Sonne Thus although it be true that he who is moued doth liue yet it doth not thence follow that motion is before life So in that Christ saith Whosoeuer will doe the will of the father shall know that my doctrine is from God It doth not thence follow that the will of the father must be done before it can be knowne that his doctrine is from God But if there is any order of time here it must needes be that the doctrine of Christ be first knowne to be from God before he can be beleeued or obeyed when he speakes For no man doth beleeue that which hee doth not in some part know Christ followeth this order Iohn 17.8 They haue knowne that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send mee And Chap. 14.17 he saith that the spirit of truth is not receiued by the world because the world doth not know him To know therefore is before to receiue V. That is no better which Arnoldus doth adde Page 409. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1. And The Lord reuealeth his secrets to them that feare him Psal 25. But I deny that the feare of the Lord of which it is spoken here can agree to vnbeleeuers and vnregenerate men Salomon saith that the feare of the Lord is the head of wisedome that is the chiefe part and that wherein wisedome doth chiefely consist for this the Hebrew word Reshith doth plainely signifie And those that feare God to whom he reuealeth his secrets are not vnregenerate persons but those which are truely godly to whom hee doth daily giue increase of wisedome and of the true knowledge of God VI. To the same end Arnoldus Page 397. doth bring the words of the 51. Psalme A contrite spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God And Esay 66. God will dwell in a contrite spirit Arnoldus thinketh that these things are spoken of an vnregenerate man but yet such a one as doth confesse his sinnes doth grieue hath the beginning of feare c. But hee eyther deceiues or is deceiued For there Dauid lamenting his sinnes with a large confession doth comfort himselfe with this hope and doth promise to himselfe that his contrition will be an acceptable sacrifice to God Whosoeuer therefore doth say that Dauid there speaketh of the contrition of an vnregenerate man doth affirme that Dauid himselfe was vnregenerate And there is no man but seeth that Esay doth speake of them that are truely faithfull and of a filiall feare and contrition and not of that feare which may be in the vnregenerate and in the heathen who haue not heard the word of God For the Prophet saith To whom shall I looke To him that is afflicted and of a contrite heart and trembleth at my word Hee speaketh of the man who is instructed in the word of God and who with a holy feare is moued to the hearing of it VII Arnoldus a little before had reckoned vp the good workes which may be done by an vnregenerate man viz. To doe those things which are of the law to haue some sparkes of light and knowledge engrauen on his heart to grieue for his sinnes to implore the grace of remission of sinnes and of the new spirit But how many nations are there who doe not know what this new spirit is nor haue euer heard any thing of the grace of remission of sins Also I would know whether such things that are done by the vnregenerate without faith are truely good If they be truely good then we can doe that which is truely good without Christ without his spirit and without faith If they are not truely good how can that not be truely good and iust which God alone intendeth and which alone nothing more if Arminius be beleeued he doth require from the vnregenerate man as long as he is vnregenerate VIII A little after he saith that the same worke cannot be performed as perfect in its essence without the faith of Christ and he doth put this difference betweene workes which are done before regeneration and they which are done after regeneration to wit that they are imperfect these are perfect These are the two kindes of merits with which in the Schooles of the Papists make such a noyse merits of congruity and merits of condignity but new dressed and cloathed with other names The Reader therefore shall note that the Arminians place in a regenerate man perfect workes and a perfect loue of God For they thinke that the regenerate may by the spirit of Christ so conforme their life according to that law that they may come to that degree of obedience which God doth require of them These are the words of Arnoldus pag. 492. and pag. 399. according to Arminius he saith that there is a double spirit one that doth goe before regeneration and doth tend to it which is the spirit of bondage to feare the other which doth regenerate and doth perfect regeneration Arminius Resp ad 31. Art pa. 164. and 165. I doe not repugne that opinion of Austin whereby he determines that man may be without sinne in this life Truely it is boldly spoken The Arminians then are better then the Apostle Iames who speaketh thus Chap. 3. In many things we offend all In which speech he doth account himselfe among them who offend in many things Better then Saint Iohn whose confession is this If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs Yea better then all the Apostles who did daily say Forgiue vs our trespasses Neither is it to be maruailed at if the Arminians thinke that the regenerate can fulfill the Law seeing they also say that the Law of nature may be fulfilled by the heathen and vnregenerate Now the Law of nature is that to which Adam before his fall stood bound which bond passed to his posteritie This Law forbids a man to lye but the
Scripture that cannot lye saith that euery man is a lyar The same Law commandeth that God be loued withall our heart and all our strength which thing how can it be performed by the vnregenerate seeing it was neuer peeformed by the regenerate themselues That which a liuing man neuer performed how can it be performed by him that is dead Finally we must bid Christian religion farewell and another Gospell must be coyned if this prodigious doctrine be admitted IX But that we may come to that double spirit of God Arminius and according to him Arnoldus pag. 399. doe deuise two spirits or rather two acts of the same spirit The one of these spirits they will haue to be common to all men euen to the vnregenerate yea and to heathen men to whom the Gospell hath not come by which spirit they thinke that God doth worke in all men and is idle in none This is that spirit which they call the spirit of bondage of which it is spoken Rom. 8.15 which is opposed in that place to the spirit of Adoption which is peculiar to the true faithfull This spirit of bondage the Arminiaâ—s will haue to be effectuall in the law not onely in the written law but also in that which is naturally imprinted in mens hearts By this spirit they thinke that vnregenerate men doe tremble with a sauing feare doe acknowledge and confesse their sinnes doe implore the grace of God and apply themselues to the obedience of the law of nature these they thinke are preparation and dispositions to regeneration if so be that free-will doth vse well that vniuersall and sufficient grace which is common to all men These are the decrees of this new sect full of many perplexities and filled with nice and slender points X. I finde in the holy Scripture the spirit of adoption the first fruits of the spirit the spirit of sanctification but I no where finde a spirit of God that is tyed to the law and common to all men Nor can the spirit of God working in our hearts be without very great wickednesse seperated from the knowledge of Christ 2 Cor. 3.6 Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Nor doe I see how there can be in them whom Saint Paul Ephes 2. saith to be dead in sinne strangers from the life of God and without God in the world either any spirituall life or the spirit of God dwelling in their hearts and sauingly mouing and affecting them Certainely the Apostle had neuer called the Law seperated from the Gospell a killing letter nor had opposed it to the spirit if the spirit of God were alway ioyned to the law or if the spirit of God did worke in mens hearts and dispose them to faith and conuersion without the knowledge of the Gospell Nor is the Law a Schoole-master vnto Christ vntill the grace of Christ is offred to vs for then the Law with terrour and threats doth compell vs to imbrace the grace offred XI But that is most dangerous which the Arminians presse downe and hide but dare not vtter to wit that the holy spirit is naturally in euery man For if the spirit of God be effectuall in the law and the law be naturally engrauen in euery man it must needes be that the spirit of God is naturally in euery man And so whatsoeuer the Scripture speaketh of the second birth by the spirit of the creation of the new man and of the spirituall resurrection will fall to the ground yea will be ridiculous For what neede were there to infuse a new spirit for regeneration if the same spirit of God did already dwell in the hearts of the vnregenerate XII And that place of Saint Paul Rom. 8. Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare they doe falsely and against the Apostles will draw to this matter For Saint Paul neuer called the spirit of God the spirit of bondage for so he had reproached the spirit of God but he onely saith that the spirit that was giuen to them was not seruile and such as should strike their hearts with a slauish feare For where the spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. If I should say that we haue not receiued from God the spirit of lying should I therefore say that there is a spirit of God that compels to lying Is the spirit of God contrary to it selfe that one spirit of God should be called the spirit of bondage and another the spirit of liberty The plaine and simple meaning therefore of the words of the Apostle is this Ye haue receiued the spirit of God not that which should terrifie your consciences with a slauish feare which made you vncertaine and doubtfull before the grace of God and the adoption of Christ was reueiled to you c. XIII And they doe extreamely dote when they put the feare and terrour wherewith the law destitute of the spirit of regeneration and the knowledge of Christ doth strike mens hearts among the effects of the spirit of God For the law thus receiued can onely restraine the raging affections with the feare of punishment and frame a man to certaine outward obedience but it will neuer purge the inward filthinesse or instill any one drop of true repentance yea rather it will stirre vp the inward lusts by the resistance of it as it is engrafted in euery man to encline to that which is forbidden and wheresoeuer hope of impunity is propounded men hauing broken their barres doe so much the more outragiously riot by how much they were straightly bridled in This is that which the Apostle would expresse Rom. 7.5.8 The motions of sinnes by the law did worke in our members and sinne taking occasion by the commandement it selfe wrought concupiscence And that vntill the spirit of life which in Christ frees vs from the law of sinne and death as it is said Chapter 8.2 that is vntill the powerfull efficacy of that quickning which we haue from Christ free vs from that bondage of deadly sinne XIV It is vaine and idle which they obiect that the corruption of an vnregenerate man is compared to sleepe and to an Vlcer I confesse it is compared to a sleepe but to a deadly one and such a one out of which man cannot awaken and raise himselfe That Vlcer and scarre which is spoken of Esay 53.1 and 1 Pet. 2. doth not signifie sinne it selfe but the punishment of sin This therefore is nothing to the reliques and remainds of spirituall life in an vnregenerate man CHAP. XXXV The Obiections which the Arminians borrow from the Pelagians and Papists are answered Whether an vnregenerate man doth necessarily sinne and whether necessitie excuseth the sinner Also whether God doth command those things which cannot be performed by man I. THese thornes and difficulties being taken away wee are to come to the Arguments or rather Declamations with which they
it hath the cooperation of the Holy-Ghost alwaies ioyned to it And this he saith being vnmindefull of that which hee had said a little before where speaking of the word and of the cooperation of the holy spirit he saith these two are almost alwayes ioyned together therefore not alwayes Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling that Arminius should doubt in that thing for pag. 432. he speaketh thus It may be doubted whether Arminius thought that the inward succour of the spirit was alwaies and in all men ioyned with the outward preaching But that which the Master speakes fearefully and doubtingly is openly and without any circumstance affirmed by his schollers For Arnoldus Chap. 4. would draw Arminius into this opinion that the outward calling doth happen to none without the inward and pag. 433. The opinion of Arminius is that the efficacy of the holy Ghost is present with all them who at the first are called The Arminians in their Epistle against the Walachrians pag. 49. doe labour much to teach that in those who are not conuerted the word is not destitute of the quickning spirit Arnoldus pag. 464 teacheth that this quickning force is ioyned not onely to the preaching of the Gospell but also to the preaching of the law and that this change is made by the spirit by the word of the Law preparatorily and by way of preparation by the word of the Gospell consummatorily in respect of the finishing of it and that so as man cannot but receiue that sence and be affected with it and in this action the spirit carrieth himselfe altogether passâ—uely By which feeing hee saith the spirit doth allure the assent the liberty of the will yet remaining safe and whole This holy spirit working in mens hearts by the knowledge of the law Arnoldus doth put euen in Infidels and those that be not regenerate which although it is not the spirit of regeneration yet it doth dispose to regeneration V. This doctrine is repugnant not onely to the holy Scripture but also to experience and common sence For we see many hearers of the word that are no more affected with the preaching of it then if lessons should be sung to them that are deafe those whose mindes doth wander other-where and doth neuer returne besotted with such a stupidity that they haue no relish of the Gospell no feeling of it nor assent vnto it although to other things they are not slow Also there are very many who when they heare the Gospell receiue it with gibing laughter as an absurd thing as the Athenians Acts 13.32 For Christ preached is an offence to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Greekes because they are offended and these mocke at it I haue seene those who being asked what they brought from the Sermon and what they remembred haue seriously answered they could not discerne whether the Preacher spoke French or Latine VI. In such men yea and in Infidels instructed in the law alone the Arminians say that the spirit of God doth worke and doth necessarily and as they speake vnresistably giue the sence and feeling of the true doctrine although he doth not giue the assent and agreeing to it but by the helpe of free-will Much more therefore among the Arminian multitude there will be none who is not drawne with the holy Ghost and who doth not feele in him the quickning spirit This flying in the ayre doth not much disser from the fanaticall enthusiasme and inspiration of the Anabaptists but that the Anabaptists will haue this sence and feeling peculiar to themselues but these innouators will haue it to be common both to the faithfull and to Infidels yea to all to whom either the Gospell is preached or the Law without the Gospell VII It is to no purpose to reckon vp places of Scripture to ouerthrow this opinion For hitherto belong all those places which wee haue brought Chapter 34. to proue that an vnregenerate man and an infidell is vnable and vnfit to euery worke that is good and profitable to saluation All which were false if the quickning power of the holy spirit did dwell in infidels and vnregenerate persons and if all men were drawne inwardly and by an internall calling VIII To this purpose are those places which teach vs that they alone come to Christ whom the father draweth Iohn 6.44 But according to Arminius all men are drawne and are inwardly affected by the holy Ghost As the winde bloweth where it listeth so also the spirit Iohn 3.8 Therefore hee doth not breath euery where In the multitude of people God opened the heart of Lydia before the rest When the Apostles were astonished the theefe beleeued among the cries of the raging people and so many impediments of beleeuing One little call of Christ moued Mathew that leauing the receipt of Custome he followed Christ when the men of Capernaum among so many miracles and good lessons were hardned at the preaching of the Gospell Whence it appeareth that some men are drawne by the efficacy and power of the spirit and some men are left in their naturall wickednesse Whence is this difference If dignity be respected who among the vnregenerate is not vnworthy of the grace of God seeing all men are of a stony heart and are dead in sinne But if the precedent disposition be respected why are the men of Capernaum rather called by the Gospell then the men of Tyre seeing that Christ doth witnesse that the men of Capernaum were worse affected and lesse inclined to repentance IX Arnoldus Page 445. doth contend that the heart of Lydia was therefore opened because shee was well affected and disposed and that God therefore opened her heart because she opened it her selfe For in that place shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was addicted to the worship of God before she beleeued Paul I might say that there are many who worship God with a wicked and vnlawfull worship But I am more prone to this opinion that I should beleeue that Lydia a Iewish woman was indued with the spirit of regeneration and had receiued true pietie and beleeued in the Messiah promised although she did not yet know that Iesus the Sonne of Mary was the Christ because he was not preached to her Such a one was the Eunuch of Candaces and Cornelius who Acts 10. is called a deuout man whose prayers and almes and piety was praised before hee had heard any thing of Christ These were some of those men who as Saint Luke saith Chapter 2.25 Did expect the consolation of Israell I thinke it were wickednesse to account these among insidels and among the rest of the Iews who did blaspheme Christ and dispise him preaching Seeing therefore that Lydia was such a one God opened her heart that shee might attend to the words of Saint Paul and might learne from him that Christ whom shee did expect was already come and that those thinges were fulfilled which were fore-told of him by the Prophets X. Against these
things the Arminians bring some arguments but so light that they are dispearsed onely with a breath Arminius against Perkins Page 57. doth say that Stephen Acts 7.51 doth vpbraide and reproach the Iewes that they did alwaies resist the Holy-Ghost Hence the accure man doth gather that these rebellious Iewes were inwardly affected with the Holy-Ghost But the following words doe declare what it is to resist the Holy-Ghost for Stephen addeth Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted to wit to persecute the Prophets speaking by the inspiration of the Holy-Ghost and to resist the spirit speaking by their mouths this was to resist the Holy-Ghost XI I confesse that there are some men who doe resist the spirit of grace of whom the Apostle speaketh Hebrewes 10.29 and who doe striue against the inward suggestion of the Holy-Ghost But there the Apostle speaketh of some few who hauing embraced the Gospell with ioy and hauing receiued some tast of the word of God doe a while after with an obstinate minde and on set purpose turne their back to God and doe cast out his grace with indignation and doe sinne wilfully after they haue receiued the knowledge of the truth as it is said verse 26. who that they are the same with them who sinne against the Holy-Ghost doth hence appeare in that the Apostle in the same place doth say that their sâ—luation was past hope and doth say that there remaineth no sacrifice for their sinnes and that there doth rest no hope of reconciliation for them But this doth agree but to some few and not to all to whom eyther the law alone or the Gospell with the law hath beene made knowne All which these Sectaries teach are moued inwardly by the Hoâ—y Ghost and haue a feeling of the true doctrine imprinted in them Neither doe I thinke that the gifts of the spirit which such men as these haue receiued are the gifts of regeneration or the spirit of adoption or the true proper and iustifying faith but onely some assayes of the spirit mouing the heart at whose suggestion the will being warmed with some slight heare rather then enflamed doth cleaue to the Gospell vntill the benummed appetites perceiuing warre to be intended against them haue raised themselues with greater force and hauing shaken out of the heart that superficiall piety haue turned it into hatred and by the very incitations of piety their hidden poyson hath more vehemently burst forth XII Arminius in the same place doth hold vp and as it were vnderproppe their tottering cause with that place of the Prophet Esay Chapter 55.11 where he hath these words So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voide but shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I senâ—â— Surely this is to hit the nayle on the head The meaning of Esay is plaine for he saith that the promises and threats propounded in the word of God shall be executed and that nothing was saide in vaine and which should not be fulfilled Here is no mention of the quickning efficacy of the spirit affecting mens hearts nor if there were could it thence be proued that the spirit of God did worke in all but in them alone whom he decreed to saue XIII Arnoldus Page 443. doth poure out a showre of places of Scripture and yet hee doth not proue by them that which hee doth intend That place Matth. 23.37 doth not proue it How oft would I haue gathered thy children c. For we haue shewed in the fift Chapter that these children were gathered together Also if they were not gathered together it would not follow that they were called any otherwise then by an outward calling XIV That place Esay 65 2. doth not proue it I haue spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people Nor that Prou. 1.24 I haue called and ye refused For there it is spoken of the outward calling and not of the efficacy of the spirit working in mens hearts XV. Nor that place Psal 81.14 O that my people had hearkened that Israell had walked in my wates I would soone haue subdued their enemies For these words meane nothing else then what they plainely found forth to wit that God would haue laid flat the enemies of Israell if Israell had obeyed God Here is no mention at all of the inward efficacy of the spirit XVI Nor that of Ezechiel Chapter 18. v. 31. Make ye a new heart and a new spirit For it is not proued by this place that man doth make himselfe a new heart seeing God in the 36. Chapter of the same Prophecy saith I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit Much lesse is it hence proued that the Holy-Ghost doth worke in all men XVII Nor that of Saint Iohn Chapter 5.34 I seeke not the testimony of men but these things I say that ye might be saued And verse 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might haue life By which words how it can be proued that the quickning power of the Holy-Ghost doth worke in all men I confesse and it is my dulnesse I cannot conceiue XVIII It is not proued by those words of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men be saued Of which words wee haue at large proued Chapter 29. that this is the sence God doth inuite to saluation men of any sort and of euery condition XIX Nor by that place of Peter Epphes 2. Chap. 3. v. 9. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance For it cannot be drawne out of this place that the Holy-Ghost doth inwardly worke in all men euen in those to whom the Gospell is not preached but onely that God is not the cause of the ouerthrow of any one that he doth not reioyce in the destruction of man as he is man For otherwise as the same man is a sinner God doth loue the execution of his iustice XX. Nor is it proued by that place of Ezechiel Chapter 12.2 Sonne of man thou dwellest in the middest of a rebellious house which haue eyes to see and see not they haue eares to heare and heare not For there by eyes and eares is not to be vnderstood sufficient grace to saluation eyther mediately or immediately nor the operation of the Holy-Ghost working in the reprobates but a knowledge in the heart by which euen against their wills they did acknowledge that those things were right which were taught them by the Prophets for they were admonished by so cleere instructions and stirred vp with so seuere threates that they could not pretend ignorance This knowledge was giuen them not by supernaturall grace working inwardly nor by sufficient grace common to all men by which they might haue beleeued and beene conuerted if they would but by the instructions and documents of the Prophets and by the law of God knowne and perceiued in their minde
them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons and filled their hearts with foode and gladnesse no mention of supernaturall grace And I deny that the law written or printed on the heart can be a Schoole-master to Christ to those who are altogether ignorant of Christ for the law doth not lead vs to a thing vnknown but after that the grace of Christ is offered by the Gospell the law by threats and terrours doth compell to the embracing of it that what we cannot attaine to in the law we might finde in Christ Therefore the morall Law might be to the Israelites a Schoole-master to Christ because Christ was shadowed to them by the ceremoniall law and was foreshewed by Prophesies IV. And in what sence that of Esay Chap. 5.4 What was more to be done to my vineyard that I haue not done ought to be taken we haue taught in the thirty seauenth Chapter Surely nothing can be pulled out of this place for sufficient grace which is common euen to them to whom the word of God was neuer preached seeing that by this vineyard the lewes were vnderstood to whom the word of God was preached and the meanes to saluation were abundantly supplyed Nor doth Esay speake of the grace which is giuen to particular men but that which is giuen to a whole Nation taken together and that the meanes which Esay doth number vp are externall and not internall doth appeare by the same place where God is compared to a Vine-dresser which planted a Vineyard in a fruitfull soyle he made a trench about it he set vp a hedge and built a Wine-presse and a Tower but he doth not infuse the groath and vitall iuyce nor doth send the sunne and the seasonable raine God therefore saith that he outwardly supplied whatsoeuer things could be administred to conuersion for man ought to bring inward dispositions of his owne Neither is God bound to restore to man these dispositions which he lost by his owne fault Indeede God in that place saith that he looked for grapes and behold wilde grapes But this expectation is attributed to God after the manner of men God is said to expect something from man when he doth require something from him and when he doth deferre the punishment if at any time due fruits are not brought forth and doth not presently with the Axe cut vp by the roote the vnfruitfull fig-tree as Christ teacheth Luke 13. Vers 7.8 9. V. They doe often reckon vp that old and worne out argument To him that hath it shall be giuen Mat. 25.29 By which words they say Christ doth insinuate that God will bestow greater grace vpon him who hath well vsed the light of nature Thus they lay the Scripture on a racke that they may wrest any thing from it whereunto it is vnwilling Christ doth there bring the parable of the Talents and saith that the talent which the wicked seruant had hid was taken from him and giuen to the seruant who had encreased his Masters estate by doubling the fiue talents For saith he to him that hath shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he hath By the talents are the gifts of God vnderstood and especially the knowledge of God by the Gospell which knowledge hee is said to hide who doth detaine the truth in vnrighteousnesse and doth keepe in the knowne truth This talent therefore cannot be that sufficient grace which doth happen to infidels and vnregenerate persons but that grace which God doth bestow on his domesticall seruants Neither by him that hath is vnderstood a man in his meere naturals or some heathen man furnished with sufficient grace but a man furnished with the knowledge of the Gospell which is giuen to one for that end that by edifying his neighbour he might spread the knowledge farre abroad and like mony put out to vse it might be encreased with daily additions VI. Arnoldus pag. 368. hath these words It is connenient to the iustice and goodnesse of God that he should giue or be prepared to giue meanes necessary to faith to all them for whom he gaue Christ to death and of whom he requireth faith so that on his part nothing hindreth that all men should not come to faith Now wee answer that God doth not require from all men faith on Christ but onely from them to whom the Gospell is preached and hee is not bound to giue meanes necessary to faith to all them to whom the Gospell is preached because man lost those meanes by his owne fault For God requiring of man what he oweth is not bound to restore to man the power of fulfilling that which hee commandeth seeing that man lost these powers by his owne fault Indeede the anger of God doth remaine on vnbeleeuers as Arnoldus addeth but there is no man that would not be incredulous if God should change his heart by the spirit of regeneration Surely Arnoldus doth coine a new Gospell while hee doth thinke that any one may beleeue the Gospell without the spirit of regeneration CHAP. XLII The consent of the Arminians with the Semipelagians is declared SAint Austin writ bookes against Pelagius Coelestius and Iulian wherein he maintained the sound faith concerning Originall sinne Predestination Grace Free-will and Election according to the purpose of God Pelagianisme being shaken by his Arguments taken out of the holy Scripture as it were with most strong battering Rammes and at length being ouerthrowne neuer after lifted vp the head Therefore next to God we are indebted to the industry and wit of so great a man that this deadly plague was driuen from the bowels of the Church But Sathan being shaken off by his labour and diligence deuised other practises by which hee doth so fight for grace that he doth secretly fight against it For there were not wanting men in diuers places especially in Aquitania in the region of Massilia who although they professed themselues to differ from Pelagius yet they carped at the writings of Saint Austin and doe thus inveigh against his doctrine of absolute Election That by it mens consciences are made sluggish that they might sleep in vices by it the raines are losened to al wickednes by it men are driuen headlong to desperation That Precepts Exhortations threats are needelesse if the number of the elect be determined by the purpose of God or if by the immutable decree of God some men are elected to faith and saluation and some are appointed to damnation Finally free-will is tyed by the bands of necessitie in as much as they who are so elected cannot but perseuere They thought therefore that the middle way betweene Pelagius and Saint Austin was to be gone in For they taught that the sinne of Adam flowed into his posteritie That mans nature was corrupt and that by the powers of nature he could not come to saluation But they taught that the grace which should cure nature is
witting and hauing naturally power of resisting We doe not therefore despute of the powers of resisting grace which wee finde by experience to our owne losse to be in the godly and faithfull But we dispute of the impossibility of the euent and we earnestly affirme that it cannot be that he who is elected should finally resist and by his incredulity striue against God to the end of his life And that those things which are done by men willingly without constraint without naturall necessitie and without the impulsion of any externall cause forcing mans free-will doe happen necessarily and the prouidence of God so decreeing the Scripture doth affirme and experience doth witnesse For the Arminians doe acknowledge that the death of Christ was decreed by God and that it could not be but the decree of God must be fulfilled when yet that death hapned by the wickednesse of the Iewes who were led to this naughty act of their owne accord Prou. 21. God doth turne the hearts of Kings and doth leade them whither hee will euen as the conueyer doth guide the riuer whether he pleaseth God without constraint did suddenly change the minde of Esau Gen. 33. and of Saul 1 Sam. 19.23 and of the Aegyptians Psal 105.25 Which although they came to passe vnauoydably yet they were done of their owne accord and not by an vnresistible force but the liberty of mans free-will remaining vntoucht And if this be true in wicked men how much more in good and faithfull men Are they drawne vnwillingly to whom God doth giue a heart of flesh for a stony heart Or those to whom God promiseth that he will cause that they shall walke in his wayes Ezech. 36.37 And we would easily admit of the words resistibilitie and vnresistibilitie although they are rode and vnhandsome if they were not wrested otherwise then to that which they signifie For they call that resistible which may be hindred auerted and ouercome when yet it is one thing to resist and another thing to ouercome Vnresistible force is that which cannot be oppugned nor resisted and not that which cannot be ouercome resistance noteth out the fight not the victorie For no man as I know of hath euer denied that the efficacy of the spirit may be resisted by man Nor is there any one in whose minde piety is so deepely seated who doth not feele an inward wrestling and is often destracted with contrary desires But that he that is elected may so resist grace that he may neuer admit it or being once admitted hee may altogether and finally shake it off there can nothing more be done to abolish the decrees of God for wee doe not place the inuincible power of that faith which God doth giue to his elect in the decree of faith and in the perfection and strength of that vertue but in the certaine and sure helpe of God which hee doth supply to his elect according to his purpose For there is no faith so well growne or so well strengthened which would not faile if God shall neuer so little withdraw his aide euen as the child of two years old at the first taking of his steps is held vp by the hand of his father although the childe be fearefull yet certainely he shall not fall because his father doth strongly hold him vp And if God doth sometimes suffer his elect to stumble and fall he doth forthwith raise them vp Whence it comes to passe that they are made more wary and doe more acknowledge the care of God ouer them and by their very fall doe gather strength euen as when the parts of a broken bone doe so grow together againe and are couered with a hard skin that that part which was broken is growne stronger then it was before Also if our faith be weake but yet serious and wrestling with doubtings our bountifull father doth helpe our infirmities and doth not breake the bruised reede For as they that were bleare eyed and blinde of one eye beholding the brasen Serpent were no lesse healed then they that had both their eyes and did see clearely because they were not healed by the power of their seeing faculty nor by the clearenesse of their eyes but by the diuine power which God did exercise by this image of the Serpent So wee are not saued by the merit of the perfection of our faith but by the bounty of God in Christ our Redeemer But what and how great that soule bending and perswading power of the holy Ghost working in the hearts of the elect is and by what meanes occasions and degrees hee doth further his worke they themselues cannot expresse who doe feele it Euen as the Woman with childe doth not know after what manner the liuing fruite is formed and doth encrease But that the power of the holy Ghost is very great the Scripture doth witnesse as hereafter shall be proued But how great soeuer this efficacy is yet God doth not draw vs as logs but as men He doth draw vs being vnwilling that wee might be willing hee doth follow vs being willing that we might not will in vaine And when of being vnwilling hee doth make vs willing he doth not onely not take away the liberty of the will but he also restoreth it because to serue God willingly and with ioy is liberty And he doth so further the increases of faith and regeneration that for the most part we doe not perceiue that wee doe grow but after some space of time we know that we haue growne Euen as wee doe not see plants as they grow but wee see they haue growne The word of the Gospell receiued into the eare and conceiued in the heart is the ordinary manner whereby God doth affect mens hearts and doth beginne and further regeneration hee inspiring into it hidden powers towards them whom he decreed to saue Therefore it is called by Saint Peter the incorruptible seed 1. Pet. 1. By Saint Paul the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. By the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 4. and in the beginning of the Reuelation a two edged and sharpe Sword By Ieremy Chap. 23. v. 29. fire and a hammer breaking the rocke because it breaketh the hardenesse of our hearts and doth leade our captiued cogitations to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The sparkes of which new life fallen from heauen into our hearts the Spirit of God doth stirre vp and further as it were with bellows doth draw out groanes that cannot be vttered striking wounding the heart with secret pricks enlightning the minde gouerning the appetites bending the will which whether Arminius will or no must also be framed againe and as a crooked piece of wood be bowed to the contrary part because it is not equally inclined to good and euill as these Sectaries would haue it but doth wholy leane and incline to euill in men vnregenerate This change seeing it cannot be made but by contrary habits it must needes be that instead of those vices
matters For who are these some Are they not some certaine persons Therefore God doth vnresistibly worke that certaine persons should beleeue Is it likely that God doth vnresistibly cause that some should beleeue and hath not appointed who they should be For so it would come to passe that God predestinated some men to beleeue vnresistibly and that he predestinated none Is it possible that God should cause that some men should beleeue vnresistibly and yet tbat the same men should not beleeue vnresistibly As if I should say that God doth cause that some should die who yet certainely doe not die And seeing by the opinion of Arminius there is none of the elect who may not be reprobated and cause that God should be disappointed of his intention it is a meruaile how God should cause vnresistibly that some should beleeue when there is none of them who beleeue and are conuerted but many finally resist and so perish Whatsoeuer may happen to seuerall men may also happen to all Nor can the purpose of God be certaine of causing vnresistibly that some should be conuerted vnlesse some be vnresistibly conuerted Euen as the purpose of God of causing some to be drowned cannot be certaine vnlesse some be drowned The same men Collat pag. 292. say That to conuersion there is required a power which must in many parts exceede euery created power although it should not worke vnresistibly For that nature may be effectually conuerted something is required that is more powerfull then it selfe These things seeme to me to be such as cannot stand together that the power of the spirit by which wee are conuerted doth in many parts exceede the power of nature and yet that it may be so resisted by nature that it may be ouercome and may finally be hindred for of such a resistance is it spoken here There is no cause therefore to feare lest irresistibility being thrust at by the Arminians should fall downe seeing that on the one part they doe hold it vp and vnderproppe it from falling yet it is worth the labour to know with what obiections they doe enforce it CHAP. XLIX The weake obiections of the Arminians against Irresistibility that is the infallible certainty of the conuersion of the elect are answered I. THese Sectaries doe lay the chiefe foundation of their cause in that their false opinion and already confuted by vs. That God doth not administer and supply the meanes to conuersion and faith by any absolute and precise decree For if God calling men doth precisely and absolutely intend the conuersion of no one man it is not needefull that the conuersion of any one should precisely follow the supplying of those meanes This their foundation seeing it hath beene ouerwhelmed and cast downe by vs the other things which they would build vpon this must needes fall II. The Arminian conferrers at the Hage doe very ill heape together many things to the ouerthrowing whereof there is neede of no great contention In the front of the battell they set that place in the Acts Chapter 7.15 Where Stephen doth lay it to the charge of the rebellious Iewes that they haue alwaies resisted the holy-Ghost Whence they inferre that the holy-Ghost when he worketh in man doth not worke conuersion vnresistibly III. But they doe vnwisely proue that which is not in controuersie For we doe not teach we doe not acknowledge that irresistibility which they attribute to vs. This conclusion therefore doth not hurt vs who doe willingly confesse that the holy-Ghost doth not alwaies so worke in mens hearts that hee taketh away all resistance Furthermore they suppose a thing which is most false as a thing true and granted to wit that the holy-Ghost wrought in those Iewes and that they resisted the inward operation of the Spirit Stephen chargeth the Iewes that they alwaies resisted the eu dent testimony of the holy-Ghost speaking by the Prophets This the following words of Stephen doe declare Which of the Prophets haue not your fathers persecuted c. Nor if Stephen should speake of the holy-Ghost dwelling in the impious and vnbeleeuing Iewes which yet is very false would it thence follow that he spake of the spirit of Adoption and of the grace peculiar to the elect which doth certainely and infallibly worke faith and conuersion in them alone IV. With this place there likewise fall to the ground those places in which the Scripture Psal 78. Esay 63. Matth. 23.37 Prou. 1.24 c. saith that the Iewes tempted God and stirred him vp to wrath and made sad the spirit of his holinesse that the chickens would not be gathered that they who were called refused c. All these say I are nothing to the purpose The Scripture there speaketh of vngodly and rebellious persons but in this question it is spoken of the faithfull and the elect and the question is whether it may be that they may neuer be conuerted and may finally resist the spirit of adoption To the prouing of this the places which speaketh of Reprobates which we confesse doe finally resist God calling and doe want the spirit of adoption are plainely besides the purpose Finally these Sectaries doe not proue that in all these places it is spoken of a finall resistance of which alone it is spoken here But say they God Ezechiel 18.31 doth command the Israelites to make them a new heart and a new spirit Whence they gather that man may performe what he is commanded or resist God commanding I am ashamed of this olde trifle and Pelagian colewort so often brought againe and as often reiected First of all what neede is there to proue that an vnregenerate man is able not to obey this commandement of making him a new heart seeing this alone he is able to doe to wit nor to obey and he cannot obey And that man can doe whatsoeuer God commandeth is an heresie of the Pelagians already confuted by vs The precepts of God are not the measure of our powers but the rule of our duty the summe of our debt the matter of our prayers the scope of our strife But of these things more then enough VI. Fourthly they pretend that place Esay 5. What could more haue beene done to my Vineyard which I haue not done to it Whence they inferre that the grace of God doth not worke conuersion in man vnresistibly This is a prodigious consequence and if it were good yet the conclusion would touch neither the question nor vs who confesse that in the elect themselues conuersion is not wrought without some resistance Adde to these that to the question wherein it is spoken of the conuersion of seuerall men a place speaking of the calling of a whole nation is vnwisely brought When it is spoken of the certainty of the conuersion of the elect they ought not to bring a place speaking of the rebellion of an incredulous and vnbeleeuing nation Finally they deale so as they who are very carefull lest they should say any thing
perfectly loued so long as his iustice and mercy is vnknowne So that by the very fall of man God hath framed to man a step to a more perfect condition and although in the respect of many particular persons which perish it might haue beene wished that man had not sinned yet in respect of the vniuersall good whereof regard is rather to be had God ought not to haue vsed his power to haue hindred sinne that it might not haue beene committed X. Furthermore although God doth permit the Diuels and men to sinne yet doth hee not so let loose the reynes to them but that they are held fast bound by the bonds of his prouidence and whilest they wander out of the path of righteousnesse they are yet included within the limits of his prouidence that they should not hurt them whom God loues For although mans will hath corrupted it selfe yet is not therefore the gouernment of God diminished to which the willes of men are subiect how much soeuer they are aduerse to his commandement and driuen with the spirit of rebellion doe gnash their teeth against his gouernment XI The principall faculties of the soule are two the Vnderstanding and the Will the one by which man knoweth and the other by which hee moues himselfe By the vnderstanding we are learned or vnlearned by the will we are eyther good or euill That which in the vnderstanding is to affirme or deny that in the will is to desire or to refuse God doth not put wicked desires into the minde but he doth often cast darknes into the mind and in his iust iudgement doth blinde the vnderstanding striking the rebells with a giddinesse and making them drunke with the spirit of sleepe yea truely no otherwise then the master doth iustly blow out his seruants candle which by night he doth abuse at dice So God doth take away the light of his knowledge when man doth abuse it to the contempt of God and to the liberty of sinning Howbeit God hauing taken away this light the erring will doth stumble and grieuously offend but hardnesse of heart doth of it selfe follow this blindnesse of minde For Saint Iohn ioyneth these together as hanging one vpon another Chap. 12.40 God hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts By this meanes latter sinnes are made the punishment of former sinnes as Saint Austin teacheth at large in his fift booke against Iulian. Chap. 3. For by the very same thing whereby man by his latter sinnes is made more wicked by the same he is also made more miserable Not that sinne is sent from God as a punishment but because God doth vse for a punishment that sinne which is not from him And hence doth that doctrine of a bare and carelesse permission vanish because a iudge doth not punish by a carelesse permission but by decreeing or iudging according to iustice XII The subministration and furnishing of the outward meanes of saluation such as are the word and sacraments doe also worke to this obduration and hardnesse of heart For vnlesse God moue the heart by the powerfull grace of his spirit mans wickednesse is more stirred vp by those outward helpes and hauing cast off this troublesome yoake he is carried through by-waies and doth violently throw down himselfe with greater ruine And then is fulfilled that which is said in the 81. Psalme I gaue them vp to their owne hearts lusts that they might walke in their owne counsells But yet that you might know that this hardnesse of heart doth proceede from man himselfe the Scripture doth not onely say that God hardned Pharaohs heart but Pharaoh himselfe is said to haue hardenâ—d his owne heart Exod 8.15 Neyther is that of Saint Paule Rom. 1. any otherwise to be vnderstood That God deliuereth ouer the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate minde and vile affections For this reprobate minde these vile affections are not put into the wicked by God but they being in the vngodly God hauing put out his light doth suffer these vile affections to exercise their authority ouer them as Thomas teacheth Lib. 2. Quest 79. Art 1. XIII Furthermore they are two sorts of them whose hearts are hardned for besides that hardnesse of heart which is common to all the reprobates whereby a man is left to himselfe whence it commeth that hee doth alwaies grow worse there are some that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of a high ranke of wickednesse whom God doth deliuer to Sathan with a peculiar and extraordinary vengeance such as were Pharaoh Saul and Iudas XIV Euery positiue being doth depend vpon God as vpon the first and principall entity neither can the creature moue it selfe without the assistance and sustentation of God For by him we liue and moue and haue our bring Acts 17. Neither doth he onely worke by influence into the creatures or assist them by a generall power and influence but also by his peculiar assistance by which he doth sustaine and direct seuerall actions The euents which follow of seuerall actions doe declare this which he doth witnesse doe not happen by chance but of his purpose God so willing Deut. 19.5 Exod. 21.13 If an Axe falling out of the hand of him that cutteth wood doth kill one that passeth by God doth affirme that it was done by him The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord Pro. 16.33 XV. Furthermore although God by his concurrence doth giue his influence into humane actions sustayning the agent and directing the actions setting bounds to them ordering the euents and drawing good out of euill yet must it not therefore be thought that God doth instigate to euill actions or to haue forced Eue to the eating of the forbidden tree To the clearing of which assertion we say that God doth not onely worke by the creature but also worke with the creature both God and the creature are concurrent causes to one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the bringing forth of one effect and these two taken together are the totall cause of any action which creature if it doth worke voluntary may by his concurrence pollute the action wherein there is the concurrence of God and determinate it to euill By this meanes the whole fault doth remaine with the creature For God effectually infusing into the creature doth not take away from it the free contribution of its owne power If man sinneth any thing in an humane action the concurrence of God is naturall but the concurrence of the creature is morall whatsoeuer was naturall in the eating of the forbidden Apple was from God whatsoeuer was morall and straying from the path of iustice was from man As God doth giue to a lame liuing creature the power of going yet is not his lamenesse from God so though God doth giue to man the faculty of willing and doth sustaine the naturall motion of the will and the act of willing yet if any euill come which doth
is spoken of the Antecedent will of God by which God will haue mercy vpon some for so they speake that is vpon such as beleeue and not of his Consequent will by which he hath determined precisely and absolutely to haue mercy on this or that man And yet they forgetting themselues say that this Antecedent will may be resisted when notwithstanding Saint Paul saith in the same place Who can resist his will Either therefore let Arminius deny that the Antecedent will of God is a will but rather call it a wish desire or affection or if he doth contend that it is a will let him confesse that it cannot be resisted To which purpose excellently Saint Austen Enchared Cap. 95. Our God in heauen doth whatsoeuer things hee will both in heauen and earth which is not true if hee hath willed some things and hath not done them And which is more vnworthy of him hath not therefore done them because the will of man hath hindred that the Almighty should not doe what hee willed XIV Arminius indeede doth confesse that God doth not want power to fulfill that Antecedent will whereby he doth earnestly desire all men to be saued But it is not true saith he that the thing which he doth wish seriously desire that he will effect the same by what meanes soeuer he is able but by those meanes by which it is decent and conuement that he should effect it The Father wisheth and doth earnestly desire that his Sonne would obey mâ—n but he doth not violently draw his Sonne to obedience and a little after The similitude of a Merchant who doth desire his wares should be safe and yet casteth them into thâ— sea doth very well square and agree to the purpose God doth earnestly desire that all men should be saued but compelled by the stubborne and incorrigible malice of some men will haue them make losse of their saluation For although God doth earnestly will and intend the saluation of all and singular men yet he will not then put forth his omnipotency least hee should force mans free-will I answere Nothing is effected by these similitudes for they are plaine dissimâ—litudes Arminius vseth examples of men which cannot be made partakers of their vowes but by meanes that are not conuenient and of them who are oftentimes disappointed of their intention But to God there are neuer wanting iust and conuenient meanes by which he should obtaine that which he intends neither can he be disappointed of his intent But you say if God should exercise his omnipotency in conuerting man he should force mans free-will and compell mans voluntary liberty But that I deny For he can without constraint so bend the will that it should follow of its owne accord Without constraint hee suddenly changed the minde of Esau Gen. 33. and the minde of Saul 1 Sam. 19.23 and the minde of the Aegyptians Psal 105.25 and of Kings Pro. 21.1 If God doth make this change of the will in wicked men the liberty of mans free-will vntouched how much more may hee doe it in good and faithfull men God without constraint did change the heart of the Theefe on the Crosse and so doth he of all from whom hee takes their stony heart and giues them an heart of flesh Ezek 36.26 and of those who when they were dead in sinne hee raised vp with a spirituall resurrection Ephes 2.5 We shall see Arminius is of opinion that the vnderstanding is vnresistably indued with light by God and that God doth vnresistably giue power of beleeuing the Gospell to all men to whom the Gospell shall be preached and that hee drawes their affections But when the minde hath fully receiued in this perswasion and the affections doe stir vp the will it is impossible but their will should moue it selfe whether the minde instructed by God doth appoint it and whether the appetite doth force it for these are the onely incitements of the will neither is it moued by any other impulsion The schoole and followers of Arminius are also of opinion that the Elect are drawne of God by effectuall and powerfull grace the effect whereof is most sure because God doth draw them in a congruent and fit time and manner in which he knoweth they will infallibly follow him calling them And yet the Arminians meane not hereby that any force is offred to the will of man but that it is so vehemently affected with a morall and sweet perswasion that it followeth of its owne accord The example of the Theefe doth seeme to mee to be notable aboue all the other whose heart so suddendly changed in a time of aduersity when the faith of the Apostles themselues did shake is an euident lesson how great the efficacie of the holy Spirit is on them who are called by the purpose of God Rom. 8.28 But of this efficacy of calling it shall be spoken more at large in his proper place XV. Hence appeares with how prepostrous diligence Arminius hath turned his wit to the defence of free-will For there lay open to him a most sure and plaine way whereby God might shew forth his power in the conuersion of man without the diminishing of our liberty Nor while hee doth patronize and defend free will ought he to strike against the wisedome and perfection of God whom hee would frustrate and disappoint of his owne end and naturall desire and wish those things which he knowes hee shall not obtaine and propound an end to himselfe which shall neuer be XVI In the meane while the prudent reader shall easily discerne whereto that similitude of the marchant making losse and casting his wares into the sea with his owne hands may belong For Arminius doth not onely expressely say that God is compelled to doe something which he had not intended for the marchant did not intend to doe this but doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nolens volens betweene willing and nilling but also by these hee doth insinuate that God being driuen from that better end which he had propounded to himselfe turned himselfe to another end lesse to be wished which things whether they be spoken by prudent men to the reproach of God or by vnwise men through ignorance it doth strike horror into pious mindes XVII But in this distinction of the will of God into Antecedent and Consequent the first whereof doth goe before the other doth follow mans will this is farre the worst thing that by it the will of man is made to goe before the election of God For according to Arminius God by his antecedent will would saue all men and giue them power of beleeueing in Christ but by his consequent will doth elect or reprobate seuerall men according as hee fore-knowes their faith or infidelity A deadly doctrine by which the election of man doth depend vpon mans will and our faith is made the cause and not the fruite of our election and man chooseth God and applyeth himselfe to God before he is
2.13 And that sufficient grace which is giuen to all men yea to the reprobates doth take away the impotency and doth stablish the liberty of free-will as Arminius against Perkins pag. 245. and 246. teacheth Let vs heare the proud words of Greuinchouius p. 253. I separate my selfe for when I might resist God and his predetermination yet I haue not resisted and therefore why may it not be lawfull for me to boast in that as of my owne For that I was able it was of God shewing mercy but that I was willing when I might haue beene vnwilling it was my owne power It is a venter but this little worme will swell so big that he will breake O it is the part of a magnanimious great minded man to be vnwilling to owe too much to God and not to be ouercharged with his benefits Those things which the same author saith pag. 279. sauour of no lesse pride You will say that in this manner of working God doth after a certaine manner depend on the will of man I grant it as concerning the act of free determination Indeede this one thing was wanting to the very height of pride that God should be said to depend on man XXIX There meete vs in the writings of these innouators some places in which they say that man in his corrupted state was altogether dead and that of himselfe he can neither thinke nor will nor doe any thing that is good But these things are said but for a colour and that they might deceiue the vnwary reader For they say that a man is able to doe no good without grace but by this grace they vnderstand vniuersall grace which is common to all men and sufficient grace which is giuen euen to them to whom Christ was made knowne and which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature They say indeede that grace is the cause of beleeuing but they neuer adde that it is the cause alone The Arminian conferrers at the Hage in the third and fourth Articles doe so speake as if they were of the same opinion with vs For there they professe that man hath not saning faith from himselfe and that the grace of God is the beginning the proceeding and the finishing of all good and that all good actions are to be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ But the subtle men when they say that a man hath not faith from himselfe they vnderstand that he hath it not from himselfe alone And when they say that euery good worke is to be ascribed to grace they are very wary least they should say to grace alone Then also in the word grace they lay a snare and being the Apes of the Pelagians they faigne a certaine grace which is common to all which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature Also they distinguish grace from the vse of grace for indeede they will haue grace to be from God but the vse of grace to be in the power of mans free-will With the like craft they say that the power of beleeuing is from grace for they presently draw backe what they haue reached forth while they say that to beleeue it selfe is of mans free-will and that grace is giuen to man to beleeue if he will But whensoeuer they will haue a kinde of speciall grace to come to that generall grace they make the vse of this speciall grace to depend on free-will and they roundly and without any circumstances affirme that the efficiency and working power of grace doth depend vpon it We shall also see that by that vniuersall and sufficient grace common to all men is vnderstood naturall gifts notions that are naturally engrafted and that they cloath nature with the goodly name of grace which thing also Pelagius did Which thing when they doe with their greatest cunning yet their dissembling is neuer so wary but that their Pelagian eares and errour doe appeare and although they doe imitate the speech of truth yet their vizard doth often fall from them vnawares and their vlcers being pressed doe presently cast forth stinking corruption XXX Yet Vorstius here doth differ from his Master For when Arminius saith that no man is conuerted and doth beleeue in act by that vniuer sall grace alone which is common euen to the reprobates but that there is also some speciall grace required Vorstius on the contrary side doth affirme Collat. cum Piscat pag. 57. that some are conuerted by vniuersall grace which he calleth the lesser mercy that is without speciall grace which he calleth grace more then sufficient and super abounding helpe Therefore if this man be beleeued some men come to saluation by that grace alone which is common to all heathen men CHAP. XXXIII It is proued out of the holy Scripture that an vnregenerate man is altogether destitute of the power and liberty of his will in those things which pertaine to faith and saluation I. IF they stand here to the iudgement of the holy Scripture there will be no place of doubting Of a man that is vnregenerate and in his meere naturals the Scripture speaketh thus Gen. 6.5 Euery thought of the heart of man is onely euill continually The same is repeated Chap. 8. Ver. 21. Ieremy in his seauenteenth chapter consenteth to this The heart of man is wicked and vnsearchable And Rom. 3. There is none righteous no not one They are all gone out of the way and are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And Rom 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And Chap. 8. ver 8 The wisdome of the flesh that is whatsoeuer a carnall man vnderstandeth or perceiueth is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Compare these things with the doctrine of Arminius who is of opimon that a man that is an infidell and vnregenerate hath sufficient power to beleeue and to fulfill the law For the Apostle is of opinion that our flesh not onely is not subiect to the law of God but that it cannot be The same Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 saith that the naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them Hitherto pertaineth that which the Scripture saith Ezech. 36. That the heart of man is stony and therefore of its owne nature vnapt and vncapable to receiue the impression of the law of God vnlesse God as hee did of old write it on that stone with his finger Also that which Saint Paul saith Ephes 2.1.5 that not onely the Ephesians before their calling but that all of vs were dead in sinnes Hee hath the same words Coloss 2.13 And that which Christ saith Iohn 14.17 The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Christ in these words doth plainely acknowledge that there is no free will of man no power to receiue the spirit of
God indeede doth giue grace and sufficient power to conuersion but that man is conuerted or not conuerted in act is in the power of free-will Arnoldus doth teach this at large 447. We determine saith hee that the vse of grace is subiect to mans will so that man may vse it or not vse it according to his naturall liberty And a little after speaking of a man furnished with the power of grace hee saith that the effect of the mercy of God is in the power of man And pag. 448. he teacheth that if efficacy be taken for efficiency man maketh grace ineffectuall For Arnoldus was ashamed to adde the other member and to say that man made grace effectuall or ineffectuall and yet there are other places brought by vs out of their writings which are equipollent and of like force with this speech as also that which he saith pag. 449. Man if he be not wanting to himselfe may conuert himselfe The Reader therefore shall marke how pestilent this doctrine is which the ARminians restrained as it were with shame doe scarce at any time vtter without ambiguities That the grace of God is effectuall that is efficient and working it is to be attributed to free-will and the efficiency of the grace of God is subiected to the will of man By which speech they meane this that God doth saue man if man himselfe will for this it is to depend on mans will VI. The Orthodoxe Churches doe much differ from this doctrine For how can we be conuerted by the grace of God if wee will seeing that this very thing that we are willing is the grace of God yea it is conuersion it selfe For he that doth seriously desire to be conuerted to God is already in some part conuerted But of these things we haue already spoken much and more shall be spoken when wee treate of the manner by which the grace of God doth certainely worke conuersion in vs which manner the Arminians call by an odious and rude word irresistibilitie VII But in the tearme of sufficient grace they doe not onely differ one from another but euery one of them differeth from himselfe For they will haue sufficient grace to beleeue power of beleeuing to be giuen to all particular men * Arnal p 405. Licet sit generalis gratiae quod homines dons istis pessint recte vti tamen quod actu recte ijs vtantur à speciali gratia est Potentia eniminactum non producitur nisi per auxilium alterius gratiae subsiquentis quae specialis est quia non omnibus contingis And yet the same men say that no man can beleeue in act and vse well this vniuersall grace without speciall grace O your faithfull stability Can that be called sufficient grace which doth neuer bring forth that effect for which it is giuen vnlesse some other speciall grace come to it Is that a sufficient cause which doth neuer worke alone Or is any thing lesse agreeable to reason then with Arminius to make one kinde of grace which is sufficient by which the sinner may be conuerted but is not conuerted and another which is effectuall by which the sinner is conuerted Is it not of the same power and faculty to be able to doe and to doe to be able to see and to see Surely a giddinesse hath ceased on these men while they study for subtiltie VIII I am deceiued if Vorstius did not discerne this and therefore in the twentie and twentie one sections Collat. cum Piscat he doth make two kindes of grace one sufficient and altogether necessary which God doth giue to all them that are called the other extraordinary superabounding and singular by which men are indeede conuerted and hee doth reiect them that say none at all are conuetted by that former grace For he saith that God hath not promised to conuert all that are conuerted with this more then sufficient helpe and superabounding efficacy of grace IX But we taking the tearme of effectuall grace for that grace which is apt and fit to worke that for which it is giuen and appointed doe acknowledge no sufficient grace which is not effectuall that is apt to worke that for which it is giuen and appointed whether it doth effect and worke alone or with others which I do purposely adde because oftentimes to one effect and perfect action many causes doe concurre as to Learning Nature Art and exercise doe concurre to the ferâ—iâ—ity and fruitfulnesse of the field the goodnesse of the soile the sunne raine and conuenient manuring doe concurre X. And seeing that in the concourse of causes to the producing of one effect there are certaine causes that doe not onely worke with others but which doe also worke by others and doe giue efficacie and power to the adioyning causes So in the conuersion of man the holy Ghost and the preaching of the word doe concurre but the spirit doth giue efficacy to the word For in vaine are the eares beaten on vnlesse God open the heart and with the word doth inspire his secret power XI And we acknowledge that there is no grace absolutely sufficient eyther to conuersion or to faith or to saluation without the spirit of regeneration and knowledge of Christ And we condemne the schoole of Arminius teaching that all men euen the heathens to whom the name of Christ hath not come are indued with sufficient and sauing grace to come to faith and by it to saluation XII Yet the outward meanes to saluation that are largely administred without the inward efficacy of the holy Spirit may in some measure be called sufficient grace not onely because they suffice to make them inexcusable but also because these meanes ought to suffice to come to saluation if man were such as he ought to be For if any thing is wanting to that grace the defect is bred on his part who is called not on his part who calleth who by the rule of iustice is not bound to supply inward dispositions because man is bound to giue them of his owne and to bring them of himselfe Nor is God bound to restore them to man after man hath lost them by his owne fault Therefore God doth iustly say Esay 5. What ought I to haue done more to my vineyard that I haue not done to it For speaking after the manner of men God is said that he ought to doe that which his iustice doth require and which if he should not doe there would seeme to be cause of expostulating But that God doth there speake of the outward meanes doth hence appeare because he compareth the benefits bestowed vpon Israel to a planting in a fruitfull place to a digging to fencing with a hedg to gathering out stones and to the building of a Tower But there is no mention of the secret vegetation and growth of it of the fauourable fitnesse of the ayre of the seasonable raine which are things rather of an inward and secret power Furthermore
appeareth that faith is as well comprehended vnder this gift as saluation But if saluation alone were here called the gift of God yet it would thence necessarily follow that faith is the gift of God For he that giueth saluation must needes also giue the meanes without which there is no saluation The same Apostle Phil. 1.29 saith It is giuen to you in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake Doe you see that it is giuen to vs not onely to be able to beleeue but also the act of beleeuing and to beleeue it selfe That repentance is the gift of God Saint Peter doth witnesse Acts 5.31 God hath exalted Christ with his right hand to be a prince and a Sauiour for to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes And 2 Tim. 2.25 If God will at any time giue them repentance Saint Paul Rom. 5. doth say That the loue of God is shed abroade in our hearts by the holy-Ghost who is giuen vs To wit because the holy-Ghost doth imprint that sure confidence in our hearts that wee are loued by God Here you see that not onely the powers of willing and doeing are giuen by God but also to will and to doe it selfe Seeing therefore that as many Christian vertues as there are there are so many gifts of God and the same vertues are habits it must needes be that those habits are from God and therefore not engrafted by nature which Pelagius himselfe hath not said nor obtained by vse and actions the grace of God helping as the Arminians will haue it for so man himselfe should giue eyther all faith or at the least some part of faith to himselfe and should owe it to his owne labour and industry For truely if God doth giue the power of beleeuing and doth not giue the act of beleeuing after the same manner as he giueth the power because as these Sectaries thinke God doth giue the power of beleeuing vnresistibly but he giueth the act of beleeuing onely by perswading and inuiting and that by a perswasion which we may obey or resist consent to or refuse There is nothing so cleere as that the very act of beleeuing and therefore faith it selfe is not from God alone nor from the meere grace of God but is due partly to God and partly to mans free-will Which that it is the opinion of the Arminians and that they thinke that grace is not the totall but part-cause of faith we haue proued before Whereunto adde that which they say that God doth giue faith no otherwise then by perswading and by a gentle invitation Which if it be true it will be said that God doth giue neither the power nor act of beleeuing For he that doth onely perswade and exhort to runne although he set on fire all the brands of his oratory Art yet he will neuer be said to giue the power of running nor to runne it selfe XII Seeing therefore that the habit of faith is the gift of God it must needes be that it is infused and imprinted on our hearts by God himselfe which if it be so it is vnpossible that this infusion can be hindred in the elect For what should hinder it Doth the mutability and instability of the decree of God hinder it No His decrees can neither be abolished nor changed Doth the euill affection of the heart of man hinder it No euery man is ill affected before he hath receiued faith from God Doth the obstinate hardnesse of some men hinder it No this hardnesse is softned by faith being receiued Which also God promiseth that he will doe Ezech. 36.26 XIII This promise of God and others of the like sort by which God promiseth that he will giue a heart of flesh and will write on it his law and that he will cause that we should walke in his waies doe promise an infallible certainty of the conuersion of the elect and the grace of God which is impossible finally to faile For what can hinder that God should not stand to his promise and should fulfill that which he hath certainely and absolutely promised Doth the hardnesse of mans heart hinder No this is that which he doth promises to wit that he will soften the stony heart Doth the wickednesse of man hinder No there is no man but he is wicked before God conuerteth him Is it the stubbornnesse which is in some men more then ordinary No Where sinne abounded there also grace abounded Finally there can no impediment be obiected which God cannot put away and remoue There is nothing so intricate out of which the wise goodnesse of God cannot cleere himselfe and therefore to whom hee promised hee would giue a new spirit that hee would take from them their stony heart that he would cause that they should walke in his waies it is impossible that these should not be conuerted or should finally fall away Neither doe the Arminians themselues deny it although they seeme contentiously to striue against it For in the 286. page of the conference at the Hage they doe confesse that these words of God in Ezechiel It is declared that God will so effectually worke that actuall obedience must follow But say they is that done vnresistibly As if the controuersie were in that It is sufficient that it is done most certainely infallibly and vnauoidably although man should for a time resist and should be aduerse and contrary to God calling that is to his owne saluation For the workes of piety which are adioyned to follow this change of the heart are not laid downe as conditions on which this change is to be but as fruites and effects which are to follow this change of the heart XIV These Sectaries doe deuise another hiding hole in saying that this promise of giuing a new heart was made to a whole nation not to seuerall men But these are vaine things For Regeneration and the change of the heart is a gift which is giuen to particular men Neither were this promise true if it were to be performed to a whole nation in which there haue alwaies beene very many that haue beene stubborne and rebellious Therefore this promise pertaineth to those alone who were to be truely faithfull XV. They dispute neuer a whit more wittily when they say Collat. pag. 269. that by these places is promised not the first beginning of preuenting grace but a greater plenty and progresse of grace I doe not deny but that euen the progresse and proceeding in grace is promised here but I earnestly affirme that here the beginnings also of conuersion are promised The very words a new heart doe proue this For then truely and properly is the heart new when it begins to be changed Nor is it credible that the increase of grace is promised without the beginning of it XVI I further demand whether that promise whereby God promiseth that he will cause that wee shall walke in his wayes is extended to the end of