Vorstius in his book intituled the Conference with Piscator Sect. 18. If we are adopted by faith we are also elected by faith But I deny that that will follow for Adoption is after Election as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 1.5 He predestinated vs to the adoption He which saith we are adopted by faith doth not therefore say that we are elected by faith or for faith but he saith that by faith we are affected with the sense of the fatherly loue of God to vs and that the beleeuers receiue the spirit of adoption VI. He doth defend himselfe by the words of the Apostle 2 Thes 2. He hath chosen vs from the beginning through faith But here Vorstius doth wickedly cut short the words of the Apostle and doth present them lame vnto vs. The words of Saint Paul are these God from the beginning hath chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the truth Hee doth not say that we are elected for faith fore seene but that we are elected to obtaine saluation by faith And if it may be gathered from this place that we are elected for faith fore-seene it will be proued by the same place that we are elected for sanctification or regeneration fore-seene which doth not please Arminius He doth vrge that place of Saint Iames chap. 2. Hath not God chosen the poore of the world rich in faith but in vaine for therefore they are rich in faith because God hath giuen them faith and he hath therefore giuen it them because they are elected If I say God hath elected the Saints which doe enioy glory doe I therefore thinke that God elected them for the fore-seeing of the glory to come And if it be lawfull for the Arminians to take these words of Christ I giue my life for my sheepe as being spoken by anticipation or preuention of those who were not yet his theepe but were to be why may it not be lawfull for vs also to take these words God chose the beleeuers as being spoken by an anticipation of those which doe not beleeue in act but are considered as those who are to beleeue VII Vorstius addeth that Mat. 22. few are said to be elected because few haue the wedding garment But I deny that this is to be found there Christ shuts vp with this sentence the parable of those that were called to the wedding wherof onely few obayed him calling them Many are called few chosen In which words the reason is not yeelded why he was cast forth that had not on the wedding garment but why of many that were called there came but a few Which thing that the Reader might not obserue Vorstius hath vsed a double deceit for hee hath omitted those words many are called and then also instead of Nam For he hath sâ—t downe Quia because that he might perswade that here the cause was rendred why he that was vndecently apparelled was call out For he knew that the particle Nam for doth often set downe the note or marke but not the cause as Mâ—t. 26.73 and in many other places but in this place it is no doubt but that here the cause is signified For the cause is noted why of so many that were called so few followed him calling to wit because although many are called yet few are chosen Whence it is manifest that this place if any other doth hurt Arminius VIII The other things which he doth heape vp that hee might proue that they that are elected are those that be ecue are nothing to the purpose For the elect are the beleeuers and the belecuers are the erect But they are not elected because they are belecuers but that they might bereeue IX There is no more force in the obiection which he bringeth out of the 2. Pet. Chap. 1. Make your calling and election sure Out of which words he doth inferre that calling is before election But Peter doth not here set calling before election but the certainty of our cailing before the certainty of our election I willingly acknowledge that that certainty is first in order But that election is before calling Saint Paul teacheth Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated hee called whom he called he iustified whom he iustified he glorified For as iustification is before glorification and calling before iustification so predestination is before calling X. Greuinchouius against Ames Pag. 171. Arnâ—ldus after Armun us vseth the samâ— argument P. 282. doth thus dispute I say that by your predestination the Gospell is inuerted For this is the sâ—ntence of the Gospell If thou beleeuest thou shalt liue but this your predestination saith if you are predestinated to life you shall beleeue I answere it is one thinâ— to inuert or turne the sentence another thing to ouerturne it For this sentence is conuertible whosoeuer is elected shall beleeue and whosoeuer doth beleeue is elected For we speake of that faith which Saint Paul Tit. 1.1 calleth the faith of the elect Doe not the Arminians rather inuert the Gospell which faith that faith is of the elect but they say that faith is not of the elect but that election is of the faithfull That which Greuinchouius in that place doth stuffe in concerning reprobation shall be examined in his owne place XI The same man pag. 130. doth thus argue Saluation is the reward of faith 1 Pet. 1.9 the crowne of righteousnesse the reward of labour the prize of our strife and finished course the inheritance of the sonnes of God that is of the faithfull Iohn 1.12 Gal. 4.30 And because it is hard to see how these things can be drawne to election for faith fore-seene seeing it is not there spoken of election nor of faith foree-seene he addeth these words Therefore Election to saluation is not the decree concerning the end of men as they are men simply but of the saluation of men as they are such sort of men to wit of them that are faithfull and of them that perseuere in the faith This also we confesse in that sense which we said before but it were better to say of them that were to perseuere because God electing doth not consider faith and perseuerance as a thing performed but as a thing to be performed and that by his bounty and gift XII He further addeth The will of bestowing the reward the wages c. doth necessarily presuppose the fore-seeing of faith and perseuerance in faith by the couenant of the Gospell if thou beleeuest and doest perseuere thou shalt be saued Here you digresse from the question For it was spoken of election for faith foreseene but you speake of saluation which is bestowed after faith God electing to saluation doth fore-see that faith will come before the obtaining of saluation but he doth so fore-see it that God foreseeth that which he himselfe is to worke which to speake properly is not to fore-see but to will Furthermore eternall life is called the reward of faith because it is not to be had but
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
that were staggering and hath so troubled headstrong obstinate persons onely with the sight thereof that they which before did seeme to be desirous of the conflict and greedily to call for the encounter haue by contrary practises whether feare strooke them or their conscience affrighted them begun to shun the hearing of the cause to hate the light and to worke delayes To so excellent a thing both other Princes did exhort you and especially the most renowned Prince IAMES King of great Brittaine who hath alwayes beene most earnest and forward to driue away the errours of all innouators who as he is rightly stiled the Defender of the Faith so he hath his eyes vigilant on all sides carefully watching lest Christian faith should any where receiue any damage And I who to so holy a worke could not bring my trauell haue at least brought my desires It cannot be expressed how earnestly I desired to be present at that reuerend Synode to which the Churches of France appointed me with some of my brethren What were the impediments which hindred my determined iourney I neede not rehearse yet being absent I performed what I could For I sent to the Synode my opinion of the fiue points of the Controuersies which are hindred in Belgia hauing strengthned it with places proofes out of the holy Scripture And when many men and the same good men and of great authoritie and wisedome amongst you had exhorted me that I would write somewhat vpon these controuersies I not vnwillingly obeyed which I haue done not so much in hope of effecting what I would as being ashamed to refuse them and desirous of making triall For I had rather that godly and learned men should finde in me want of prudence then accuse me of negligence Therefore I haue printed my Scheduls and papers and haue reviewed those things which I had meditated vpon these questions which I haue vttered in a plaine and vntrimmed stile that as it were in a leane spare body the force of the truth might clearely appeare And I haue indeauoured to bring light to this darkenesse in which the most quicke-sighted doe often grope at the way I am not ignorant how dangerous a thing it is to vndergoe the hazard of so many iudgements how many there that are ambitiously soure and proudly disdainfull how few there are that take and vnderstand these things how fewer that are taken by them how hard it is to contend with wily and wittie men who euen when they themselues are caught doe so speake as if they had catched others and who in a desperate cause doe so carry themselues as if they were touched with commiseration who vndoe againe the things that haue beene begun by themselues and doe of purpose infold their meanings fearing to be vnderstood like Lyzards who out of the open field doe runne into bushes Nor am I ignorant how hard a thing it is for a man that is imployed whose minde is troubled with other cares and businesse to write punctually and exactly concerning those things whereto the most free studies are scarce sufficient nor men at greatest leasure But your humanitie and wisedome hath moued and stirred me vp to be bold to attempt it For ye know that in great and hard enterprises the endeauour is laudable euen when successe is wanting Nor haue I doubted to consecrate these my labours to you that the worke done for the defence of that cause which ye happily maintaine might manifest it selfe in your name I shall seeme to my selfe not to haue lost my labour though I get no praise if I obtaine pardon Or if by my example I shall stirre vp any to performe some thing more perfectly whereby the truth may stand vnshaken against these innouators which doe naughtily abuse their wits and are of a wicked and vnhappy audacity In the meane while in your wisedome you shall obserue from what beginnings to how great encreases this pestilence hath come and how vnder a shew of the liberty of prophesing the raines are let loose to wanton wits which couer licentiousnesse vnder the name of liberty For whilest as it were for the exercise and shew of wit men dispute of those foundations of faith of which heretofore there was no strife amongst vs the most holy and most certaine things began to be called into doubt and their scholasticall skirmishing forthwith burst out into a serious and earnest fight For when this liberty as it falleth out had passed from the Schooles into the holy Pulpets and so into the Streetes Tauernes and Barbers-shops the whole Country was changed into a certaine sea boyling with tumults Whence hatred hath beene bred in the people and pietie is turned into contention and obedience towards Magistrates is more slack to which euils when the ambition of some men affecting nouelties had ioyned it selfe which stirred vp this fire with winde and fuell laid to it this flame in a short time hath vnmeasurably encreased But by the goodnesse of God and by your authority and prudent vigilancy most illustrious Lords the flame of so great a fire is abated liberty is recouered the Common-wealth is setled the Vniuersitie purged and truth which in many places durst scarce open the mouth or else was disturbed by contrary clamours broke through the obstacles and as it is in the striking of flints it shone more cleare by the very conflict yea truely by it there haue appeared no obscure encreases of pietie in the people by it there is greater concourse to heare the word of God and greater attention For God such is his goodnesse doth vse vices themselues to stir vp vertues which grow sloathfull in idlenesse For zeale and pietre being prouoked doe encrease euen as the fire of the Smiths furnace decaying is set on fire by water poured on Also they that haue learned by experience what snares Sathan doth lay for them that are a sleepe and vnwarie are stirred vp to keepe watch for the time to come There yet remaine some reliques of this disease neither is the malice of the Factions quite asswaged but there is hope that the sides of this wound will in a short space close together againe and mens mindes will be reconciled So that it may be vnlawfull in your Vniuersitie from whence this contagion crept into the whole Country hereafter to teach any doctrine differing from the truth and to call into doubt those things which are piously and prudently determined out of Gods word in your sacred Synode and that hereafter no man be admitted to the sacred Ministery whose faith is not tryed and his consent with his brethren knowne and that the authority be restored to Synodes and their vse be made more frequent that the euills that are breeding may be preuented at their beginnings as when the stinging Scorpion is bruised presently vpon the wound Also it hath beene wisely prouided by you that these things hereafter bee not published among the common sort that the people be not taught
vertue and not saluation it selfe Then also Paul expounds how wee are holy to wit in charity nor in the fruition and enioying of glory He vnderstands the dueties of charity which are exercised in this life vnto which to be exhorted after this life is needelesse Finally by their so various and diuers expositions which ouerthrow one another they doe sufficiently confesse that they haue nothing wherein they may be constant And because they cannot master vs by the weight of their expositions they endeauour to ouerwhelme vs by the multitude of them It is of small importance that from this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is blamelesse they gather that it is spoken of the perfection after this life For the Apostle will haue vs to be blamelesse euen in this life as Philippians 2.15 Where he commands vs to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse and harmelesse in the midst of a crooked and peruerse generation Certainly when the Apostle saith that we might be blamelesse in charity it is manifest that he doth not speake of the Saints enioying glory where there is no place for reprehension nor for exhortation to the duties of charitie There is no little force in the following verse He predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Out of this place I thus reason Those whom God predestinated to adoption he hath predestinated also to the spirit of adoption to be giuen them and this is nothing else but to predestinate them to faith for the spirit of adoption is it that beareth witnesse in our hearts that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. and this testimony is faith it selfe It is true indeede that God appointeth no man to adoption but whom God considereth as one that by his gift will be faithfull but the same may also be said of those that are appointed to faith which is appointed to none but whom God considereth as one that will be faithfull And surely they are grosely deceiued who thinke that the faithfull are appointed to the adoption of children seeing in that they are faithfull they are already children This Saint Iohn teacheth chapter 1. To them that beleeued he gaue this prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God II. Agreeable to this place are also many other 1 Cor. 7.25 I haue obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull not because he considered me as already faithfull Iohn 15.16 I haue chosen you that you should bring forth fruit therefore he did not choose vs considered as already faithfull and therefore as already bearing fruit Should wee imagine that Christ speakes here onely of the election of the Apostles to their Apostleship I thinke there is none of so impudent a face who can deny that the same thing may be spoken of any of the elect whereof there is none whom God hath not elected that hee might be godly and good euen as also there is no man who is not of a shamelesse countenance who will deny that all the following documents and lessons doe belong to all the faithfull These things I commend you that you loue one another If the world hate you you know that it hath hated me firsh c. III. Not vnlike this is that which the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to saluation by sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth He saith that we are elected to obtaine saluation by faith not for faith and so faith is after election and a certaine medium or middle thing betweene election and saluation IV. The words of Ananias to S. Paul Act 22.14 are consonant to this God hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will by which knowledge faith and assent to the Gospell is vnderstood for Saint Paul was not elected more to know the Gospell then to beleeue the Gospell Paul therefore was elected to beieeue and so his election was before his faith V. The same Apostle 1 Thessa 1.3 praising the faith and charitie of the Thessalonians doth fetch the cause of these vertues from election it selfe Remembring without ceasing your worke of faith and labour of lone as knowing that you are elected of God Here the Arminians doe willingly stumble in a plaine way for by Election they will haue Calling to be vnderstood which if it be true the reprobates themselues will be elected as being also called Then also Saint Paul is deluded as if hee were not in his right minde For what neede Paul tell the Thessalonians that he knew they were called by the Gospell seeing Saint Paul himselfe preached the Gospell to them He were a ridiculous Grammarian who should tell his Schollers that he had taught I know you haue learned Grammer Arnoldus pag. 66. doth suspect that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing is to be referred to the Thessalonians themselues But the good man hath dealt too negligently here for he doth not see that by this meanes the Greeke speech would be made incongruous and not agreeing for then it must haue beene read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it might agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the former verse But distrusting this exposition he hath smelt out that by the word election excellency ought to be vnderstood which truely is an intollerable license seeing election differeth from excellency by the whole praedicament for election is an action excellency is a quality or a relation Surely if it be lawfull to bring such portents and monsters of interpretation what will there be in the holy Scripture which may not be deluded or depraued Let Arnoldus bring another place where Excellency is vnderstood by the word Election For although he that is elected may be taken for him that excelleth yet you shall neuer finde Election to be so taken for Excellency Neither ought it to seeme a maruaile that Paul saith he knew of the election of the Thessalonians for God might reueile that to him concerning the Tessalonians which he reuealed concerning the Corinthians Acts 18.10 I haue much people in this citie Or if that doth not please it may be said that Saint Paul when he saw the Gospell receiued by the Thessalonians with very great ioy and much fruite easily perswaded himselfe that many of that people belonged to the election of God VI. The same Apostle in the beginning of his Epistle to Titus calleth himselfe the Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect It is plaine that faith is said to be of the elect because it is peculiar to the elect or else it were not rightly adorned with this elogy commendation and that by the confession of Vorstius himselfe Collat. cum piscat Sect. 118. Faith saith hee is called the faith of the elect of God Titus 1. because faith is a proper marke of the elect c. But why is faith peculiar to the elect is it because as many as haue true faith are elected by God But the Arminians deny this for they write of the Apostasie of the Saints
before the decree of sending his sonne seeing Christ himselfe doth witnesse it Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. where the loue of the father is manifestly set before the sending of the sonne which is so to be vnderstood as that the sonne is not excluded from the act of election it selfe seeing that he also is one God with the father but this was done by him not as hee is mediator but as he is God VII Neither is any iniury done to Christ if the will of the father concerning the sauing of men be said to goe before the redemption of Christ seeing that this redemption is also after sinne for the disease is before the medicine VIII Nor is any thing detracted from the greatnesse of the price of our redemption if his will who offered the price be said to goe before it IX The very definition of the decree of election doth proue this thing for election is the decree of sauing certaine men by Christ in which definition Christ is laid downe not as the cause of election but as the meanes of the execution of it and as the meritorious cause of saluation X. It is maruailous how much the Arminians insult here For because wee make the loue of God to goe not in time but in order before the mediation of the sonne they so deale with vs as if we taught that God loued vs without Christ and as being considered without faith in Christ which doth differ as much from our opinion as that which doth differ most Be it farre from vs that wee should say that God would euer bestow saluation vpon vs but that together and in the same moment he considered vs in Christ as being to be saued by him Nor was there any cause why we for that thing should be accused of Sicianisme we haue nothing to doe with that Alastor and hellish monster which doth altogether ouerthrow the benefit of Christ But it is one thing to say that the loue of the father doth in order goe before the mediation of the sonne and another thing to say that God loueth vs without the sonne It is one thing to dispose the thoughts of God in order and another thing to separate them and pull them asunder Arminius who in the beginning of his booke against Perkins calleth himselfe a wirty fellow doâ—h craftily yea wickedly catch at and hunt after points of priority in order to pull asunder those things which cannot be seperated Hee doth therefore as much as if one should say that the thought of creating man was first in order in God before the thought of adorning him with holinesse and righteousnes and would thence inferrre that God would first create man not iust or first to haue considered him as not holy If any man saith that in the decree of God the thought of ouerthrowing of the world was before the thought of ouerthrowing it by fire hee doth not therefore say that God first thought of ouerthrowing it without fire All the purposes of God are eternall although there be a certaine order and dependency betweene them XI That place of Saint Iohn Chap. 3. vexeth Arminius God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne c. where the loue of God is laide downe as the cause by which it came to passe that he gaue the sonne He doth therefore endeauour to delude so direct a place by a witlesse cauell That loue saith he is not that by which he will giue eternall life which appeareth by the very words of Iohn who doth ioyne faith betweene this loue and eternall life The Reader therefore shall obserue that Arminius himselfe doth acknowledge that there is a kinde of loue of God towards men which doth goe before his decree of sending his sonne But hee saith that God by that loue is not willing to giue eternall life What then will hee doe by it For this thing hee ought to shew Will God by that loue leaue men in death Is it possible that God should loue the creature created by him to life but he must needes by the same loue will that it should liue I am ashamed of so weake a subtilty Yea truely in that he sent his sonne by that loue it is sufficiently manifest that by that loue he was willing man should be restored to life But saith he faith commeth betweene that loue and eternall life What then Cannot I will the recouery of him that is sicke although the Phisition come betweene my will and his recouery Surely he maketh those things opposite and contrary which are appolite and ioyned together But I doe not see how he rather fauoureth Socinus who saith that Christ is not the cause of Election then he that saith that Christ is not the cause of the loue whereby God would send Christ into the world and prouide for vs a redeemer Or why there should be a greater offence in making the redemption of Christ to be the medium and meane betweene the loue of God by which hee elected vs and betweene our saluation then if it be made the medium a meane betweene the loue of God by which he will giue Christ for vs and betweene our saluation For on both sides redemption is made the meanes and not the first cause Let vs not therefore enuy God the father this praise that his good pleasure thould be made the fountaine and first originall of our Election XII Obserue moreouer that that Election whereof Arminius will haue Christ to be the foundation is that generall election whereby all men are conditionally elected which seeing wee haue largely consuted Chap. 18. whatsoeuer the Arminians doe bring to proue that Christ is the foundation of election doth vanish away Surely there was no cause why they should so earnestly labour to proue that Christ was the foundation of that election by which Pharaoh and Iudas were elected Of which imaginary election he shall haue the true character and portraiture who hath brought in God speaking thus I decreed to send my sonne to saue all men who shall beleeue but who and how many they shall be I haue not determined onely I will giue to all men sufficient power to beleeue but he shall belecue who will himselfe XIII Arminius doth defend himselfe against so euident a truth by one little word of the Apostle Ephes 1.4 He hath elected vs in Christ But it is one thing to be elected in Christ and another thing to be elected for Christ so that Christ should be the cause why one is elected rather then another The meaning of the Apostle is cleere To elect is nothing else then to appoint to saluation Therfore to elect in Christ is to appoint to saluation to be obtained in or by Christ For whosoeuer God hath decreed to saue he hath giuen them to Christ and hath considered them as ioyned to Christ Hee seeketh a knot in a bulrush who by farre fetched interpretations would darken
XX. Arnoldus addeth Your doctrine determines that God doth exact faith from the reprobates and that he decreed to condemne them if they should not beleeue when yet it is impossible for them that they should beleeue in Christ with a sure perswasion of minde not onely because God doth not giue them power of beleeuing but also because if thâ—y were furnished with power to beleeue yea if they should beleeue in Christ they would beleeue that which were false because Christ hath not died for them But it is contrary to the iustice of God to exact such an obedience and then to punish the creature for not performing such an obedience which is absolutely impossible to the creature He doth abundantly repeate the same thing in other places but especially Page 261. and 262. Here are many things faise First it is false that faith is exacted and required of all the reprobates for it is required onely of them to whom the Gospell is preached Neither is it true that faith is absolutely and without condition required of all those to whom the Gospell is preached for it is required vnder a condition to wit that they be conuerted and repent But if they doe not repent we teach and cry out that the benefit of Christ doth not pertaine to them and that they hope and beleeue in Christ in vaine so long as they are aduerse and contrary to God inuiting them to repentance And it is also false that God is vniust if he command them to beleeue and obey who for their inbred deprauation cannot beleeue and obey and to whom God doth not giue power of beleeuing for man himselfe hath brought this impotency and disability on himselfe and this deprauation in man is voluntary and God exacting from man that he should beleeue him speaking by Christ doth require nothing which man doth not owe For to obey the law is a naturall debt For God speaking by Christ cannot be refused or contemned but the law also is broken as we haue already taught at large in many places especially Chap. 11. Where we haue taught that the power of beleeuing was giuen vs in Adam and that Adam had it before the fall but an occasion of vsing it was wanting And therefore also this power was lost in Adam Page 262. in Tileaum Nor is God bound to restore it as Arnoldus setting lawes to God himselfe would haue it By these things also we meete with that false accusation wherewith Arnoldus doth pursue vs Page 230. Ye determine saith he that faith is required of reprobates and yet that the meanes to performe obedience to faith are precisely denyed For it is not required of all but of them to whom Christ is made knowne nor is it required of these absolutely but with condition of repentance Neither is any thing required of them although they be reprobates but what they owe. XXI But Arnoldus doth adde to this a foule calumny wherewith he would odiously burâ—en our cause Ye will haue saith he faith to be required of the reprobates that they might be made inexcusable and their damnation might be aggrauated Wee say indeede that their damnation is thereby made the greater but we doe not say that this end was propounded by God So when we say that one goeth forth to warre that he may be slaine wee signifie what is to happen not what end should be intended And it is not for vs to enquire scrupulously into the end which God propounded to himselfe Yet these two ends are certaine to wit to require of man what is due and also by this meane to bring the elect to saluation XXII He doth bend at vs another dart Page 286. Your doctrine saith he doth repugne the Euangelicall threates For seeing the intent of God in the propounding of them is that men should be driuen from impenitency and so should be saued You on the contrary side teach that God doth deny to some men the meanes that are necessary to repentance because he hath determined not to saue them First it may be doubted whether there are any Euangelicall threats for the threatnings which are contayned in the bookes of the Gospell are not a part of the Gospell For seeing the word Euangelium Gospell doth signifie a good message I doe not see how threatnings can belong to a good message They who beleeue not the Gospell shall be punished not by the Gospell but by the law But howsoeuer it be I see nothing here which doth repugne these threates by which God doth intend to require from man that which is due and that which the law it selfe requireth to wit that God be obeyed Seeing that the denying of grace and of the restoring of the powers which man by his owne fault lost doth very well agree with such a declaration of threatnings These things are not repugnant to propound life to man on the condition of obedience and not to restore to man those powers of obedience which hee lost by his owne fault XXIII Neither are these things repugnant to propound life to any one vnder a condition and to appoint the same man to death for his fore-seene disobedience XXIV The same man since Arminius Page 269. for that which he addeth concerning Infants shall hereafter be handled doth thus inuey against our opinion Your opinion saith he causeth that publike prayers cannot be offered to God as it is meete they should to wit with faith and confidence that they shall profit all them that heare the word because according to your opinion amongst them there are many whom God not onely will not haue to be saued but whom he will haue to be condemned by his absolute eternall and immutable will which goeth before all things and causes Yet the Apostle commandeth that prayers be made for all men and addeth this reason because it is good and acceptable to God who would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth XXV I answere that it is falsely supposed by Arminius that publike prayers ought to be poured out with this confidence that they shall profit all them that heare the word This faith were rash and not resting on the word of God especially seeing the ministers of the word haue for the most part known many that are disobedient and openly prophane nor doe they doubt but that besides these there are many that are sicke and ill affected with inward and hidden vices who yet make a shew of piety Certainely the similitude of the seede sowne into diuers ground and of a differing disposition and with an vnlike successe doth in this case bring more feare then confidence And yet because the secrets of reprobation are vnknowne to vs we doe rightly pray for all because we hope well of euery one I doe not see whereto this obiection belongs vnlesse to stop and stay the Reader with a childish declamation because this very obiection doth no lesse pursue Arminius who although he will not haue the
knowledge of the truth And Verse 6. Christ gaue himfelfe a ransome for all Also that to Titus Chap. 2. The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared But that here by all are vnderstood any and men of whatsoeuer state and condition the very context and coherence of the place doth proue In that place to Timothy the Apostle would haue Kings to be prayed for in that place to Titus hee commandeth seruants to be faithfull and not to purlome Of this exhortation this is the cause and reason because the promise of saluation did belong to Kings although at that time they were strangers from Christ and to seruants although they were of an abiect and base state neither is any condition of men excluded from saluation Saint Austin doth thus take this place of the first to Timothy Enchirid. ad Laurent Cap. 103. And Thomas in his commentary vpon this Epistle And this thing is confirmed by the very words of the Apostle for he saith God would haue all men be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Now it is manifest by experience that God doth not giue yea nor doth not offer to all and particular men the knowledge of the truth V. It is frequent in the Scripture to take the word all for the word any as Luke 12.42 Ye tithe Mint and Rue omneolus and all manner of hearbs And Mat. 9.35 Christ healed omnem morbum euery disease for euery kinde of disease You haue the like example Colos 1.28 In this sense Heb. 2. Christ is said to haue dyed for all VI. Furthermore there is no doubt but that the Apostle commandeth vs to pray not onely for Kings in generall but also for all seuerall Kings For we to whom the secrets of Election are vnknowne ought to hope well of euery one But he that commandeth vs to pray for Nero doth not therefore determine that God will saue Nero but onely forbiddeth vs to despaire of him VII The sense therefore of these words God would haue all men to be saued is this God doth inuite men of all sorts to saluation and doth exclude no condition of men from saluation For if God should absolutely will or should seriously desire all and particular men to be saued there would not be wanting meanes to him whereby he might effect what hee would and be made partaker of his desire his iustice yet remaining intire and mans liberty being not touched nor infringed VIII That place maketh no more to the purpose which they bring out of Rom. 14.15 Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ dyed For to destroy there is not to condemne but to scandalize and to offend the conscience of any by which deede as much as is in vs we would lead him to destruction For to destroy any one absolutely is not in our power So with the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.8 to destroy is the same thing as to offend with scandall and to slacken him that is doing the workes of piety IX In the second Epistle of Peter Chap 2. Vers 1. Christ is said to haue redeemed the false Prophets who denyed him but there it is not spoken of redemption from eternall death but of the freedome from ignorance and errour and the darkenesse of that age by the light of the Gospell which those false Prophets did corrupt by the mingling of false doctrine For to take redemption for any kinde of freedome is vsuall in the Scripture insomuch that resurrection is called the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.22 Ephes 4.30 X. In the same Epistle Chap. 3. ver 9. Peter saith God is not willing that any should perish to wit because he is not the cause of the perishing of any one and because he admitteth all who are conuerted neither doth he reiect any one But he is not bound to restore to all those powers which were lost by mans fault nor to giue faith to all seeing man by his owne fault brought vpon himselfe the inability of beleeuing as wee haue proued at large in the eleauenth Chapter XI Ezechiel 18.23 God saith these words I am not delighted with the death of a sinner but that he should be conuerted and liue These words say nothing else then that God will not the death of that sinner who is conuerted But if he be not conuerted Arminius himselfe will not deny but that God doth will his death as the Iudge doth will the punishment of him that is gui ty God is not delighted with the death of a sinner as hee is a man but yet no man can deny but that God loueth the execution of his iustice XII Indeede in the 1 Tim. 4.10 God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sauiour of all men But the Apostle there speaketh of the preseruation in this present life and of the prouidence of God which is extended to the preseruation of all men which care Dauid Psal 36. doth extend euen to the beasts for there God is called the preseruer of men and beasts The precedent words of the Apostle doth declare this We hope in the liuing God for he speaketh of God as he doth giue life to things created by him Alike place you haue Act. 17.25 XIII Arminius pag. 220. against Perkins doth bring the promise made to Adam concerning the seede of the Woman which saith hee doth belong to all particular men I answere that by this promise it is onely promised that Sathan shall be ouercome by the seede of the Woman but that it belongeth to all and particular men it is no where said The doctrine of the Gospell preached to Adam doth not so pertaine to all his posteritie as the precepts of the naturall law because the obedience of the law is a naturall debt but the doctrine of the Gospell is a supernaturall remedy Thence it is that the sinne of Adam against the law of God is imputed to all his posteritie but his faith by which he beleeued the Gospell is not imputed to his posteritie Nor if Adam by his incredulitie had refused the promise of the seede of the woman had therefore his posteritie fell from the hope of saluation Nay what that this promise of the seede of the Woman to breake the Serpents head is manifestly restrained to the faithfull alone For Sathan doth bruise the heele of the children of God alone seeing he killeth the rest with a deadly wound XIV The Arminians being driuen from the holy Scripture flie to their reasons and as they vse the Scripture without reason so they vrge reasons without Scripture They charge vpon vs this syllogisme as it were with a great dart when yet it is but a slender twig Whatsoeuer all men are bound to beleeue is true But all men are bound to beleeue that Christ dyed for them Therefore that is true The minor part of this Syllogisme is false and doth beare many exceptions For they to whom Christ hath not beene preached and who haue heard nothing of
of others negligence Also if God would haue his Gospell preached to people who are diuided from vs in land climate and language he would haue infused into some of vs the gift of tongues that they might be vnderstood by the Barbarians But at this day the Americans are instructed in Popery in the Spanish tongue to the learning of which they are compelled by force therefore they haue vnwillingly receiued religion with the language so that to know Christ is to them a kinde of punishment and a part of their bondage which the calling of God doth abhorre But it is an easie thing for these inuouators while in this great peace and quietnesse they make worke for themselues and others to talke of these things in corners who if they spoke seriously would forthwith in companies sayle into America or Florida or would goe to the inhabitants of the South continent and would haue instructed them in the faith of Christ and would not being forgetfull of the crosse of Christ and being ouertaken with the itching of their owne wit haue made so many troubles nor haue torne the bowels of their owne Church XXXII But it is wont to be disputed whether the Apostles preached to all men Surely it doth not seeme to me to be likely that the Apostles passed beyond the Aequinoctiall into the inmost parts of Affricke or that they came into America or any other part of the world which is vnknowne The short life of the Apostles was not sufficient for that worke neither was the way knowne to these places also some prints and signes of Christianity would be extant there Saint Paul whose iournyes and courses were well knowne had falsely said that hee had laboured more then all the Apostles 1 Cor. 5.11 if the other Apostles had gone to the Antipodes or to the Articke and Antarticke Pole The memory of all ages doth witnesse that there hath beene more Heathens then Christians and that the Christian Church where it was most flourishing scarce possessed the tithe or tenth part of the earth The Apostles indeede were commanded to preach the Gospell to euery creature but this commandement doth not belong to the Apostles alone but also to their successors who haue or shall carry this lampe of the Gospell deliuered to them by their predecessors through the whole world For the Gospell must be preached to all nations yet not together and at the same time but successiuely If that speach Psal 19. Their sound went through the whole earth be applyed to the preachers of the Gospell yet it will not necessarily follow that this must be at once and at the same moment rather then by parts and successiuely God as it were viewing and going about the Nations vntill there shall be none to whom the doctrine of saluation hath not at length come no otherwise then the Sun in the Aequinoctiall day doth not enlighten the whole Globe of the earth at one time but by parts vntill he hath finished his course For then shall the end of the world be neare when the Gospell hath come to all people as Christ himselfe witnesseth Mat. 24.14 And the Gospell of the kingdome shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse vnto all Nations and then shall the end be which words of our Sauiour doe cut this knot for it is manifest that in the time of the Apostles the Gospell was not preached to all Nations because at that time the end was not neare XXXIII But say you Saint Paul Col. 1.23 doth say that the Gospell was preached to euery creature which is vnder heauen I answere The Apostles vseth a kinde of speech vsuall in the Scriptures which by all that are vnder heauen doe not vnderstand all and euery particular creature absolutely and without exception but very many of them So Acts 2.3 And there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes out of euery nation vnder heauen For what were there some out of America or out of the Molucoes or the South contenent the names of which places were not then knowne much lesse that they should come from thence to Ierusalem So Eccles 4.15 I saw all the liuing which walke vnder the sunne When yet Salomon saw onely a little part of the earth See also Ezech. 31.6 and 13. and Chap. 32.4 and you shall know that the word all is not frequently so taken that none is excepted but that it is very oftentimes vsed for many XXXIV That I may not say many things In this question whether God doth equally desire the saluation of all men and whether he doth loue all men with an equall loue the truth is so euident that the Arminians sometimes are ashamed of themselues and vnawares doe come to our side Arminius against Perkins p. 2.4 hath these words If any one by the helpe of peculiar grace hath apprehended grace offred it is thence manifest that God doth loue him with a greater loue then he doth another to whom he hath only made his grace common but hath denied his peculiar grace Arnoldus pag. 380. doth confesse that Arminius doth acknowledge that the meanes to faith are not sufficiently offered to all men all men therefore are not loued alike Neither is any thing so frequent with the Arminians as to say that God calleth some men in a congruent and fit time and manner by which they that are called doe certainly infallibly follow him calling De vocatione qua sit pro vt Drus mouit esse congruum Vide Arno. pag. 73. c et Arminan Perk. pag. 245. but some he calleth by an incongruent and vnfit meanes by which they that are called doe neuer obey God calling But it is no doubt but that they to whom peculiar grace is giuen are more loued then they to whom it is denied as also they to whom sufficient grace for faith is giuen are more loued then they to whom it is not giuen they who are called by a meanes which God knoweth to be congruent and which will certainly profit are more loued then they whom God calleth by an incongruent and which he knoweth will neuer profit Arminius against Perkins pa. 16. hath these words God by a sure decree determined not to giue faith and repentance to some men to wit by yeelding them effectuall grace by which they would certainly beleeue and be conuerted And it is the constant opinion of the Arminians that God doth giue that effectuall grace to all which may be effectuall in act without which no man beleeueth nor no man is saued and that God doth giue but to few that grace whereby he giues not onely to be able but also to will to desire to be conuerted and beleeue God therefore doth more desire the saluation of these men then of others to whom hee doth not vouchsafe this benefit XXXV Notable aboue the rest are the words of Greuinchouius p. 342. Sometimes saith he he doth sooner helpe by his grace greater sinners then lesser for who shall prescribe
moued to gine a greater measure of grace But it is so farre that God in beginning regeneration should haue respect to fore-going dispositions that on the contrary they are called who are the greatest strangers from the kingdome of heauen and who are ouer whelmed in greatest darknesse Let the Thiefe on the crosse be an example also the Romanes the people of Alexandria of Antioch the Corinthians and the Ephesians then which people there were neuer any more wicked in lust nor more effeminate in luxurie of greater ignorance or of more prodigious idolatry whom yet so euill affected and dispoled God called by an effectuall calling and hauing sent his Apostles to them gained them to Christ that where sinne did more abound there grace also might more abound XVII And that regeneration is not alwayes wrought by degrees the example of the conuerted Thiefe doth shew who in the extreame inuasion of spirituall agony in one moment passed ouer an vnmeasurable space and oâ— the contrary that the resurrection of the body may be done by degrees Ezechiel teacheth Chap. 37. XVIII That is no truer which they say that regeneration is wrought free-will remayning For if free-will doth remaine in regeneration it must needes be that it goeth before regeneration but in things that are spirituall and which belong to saluation there was no free-will before regeneration XIX It is of the same sort yea farre worse which they adde that in an vnregenerate man there are some reliques of the spirituall life for so they aske that to be granted to them which is the question and which we haue already proued to be false XX. Neither yet is that true which they say that God doth not speake to a dead corps for Christ spake these words to Lazarus that was dead Lazarus come forth Luk. 11. And Eze. 37.4 God doth thus speake to the bones that were long before withered Oye dry bones heare the word of the Lord. God calleth those who are not as if they were but in that he calleth them he causeth that they may be The words of Christ Iohn 5.25 are direct to this purpose The dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue For as God with his light doth so enlighten the blinde that he also giueth them eyes so by his word he doth so speake to the dead that by that word he doth make them aliue XXI Maruailous is the wittinesse of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage who doe thence proue that there is some ability left in man that is spiritually dead because we acknowledge that man may resist grace Passing well spoken for they proue that a man is not dead in sinne because he can resist the spirit of God as if the remainds of our spirituall life were placed in the faculty of resisting God when on the contrary a man is therefore dead in sinne because he can doe nothing but resist They doe therefore as much as if they should say that a man is not therefore dead in sinne because he is dead in sinne XXII And that which they say that he which is dead cannot resist his resurrection but hee that is vnregenerated may resist his viuification maketh for vs and doth burden the cause of these innouators For thence it followeth that the death in sinne is farre the worse death and that he that is dead in sinne is bound with stronger bonds if he resist his owne resurrection not onely in the beginnings of his regeneration but also in the progresse of it Yea that very inclination to resist God is the chiefest part of that death and naturall corruption XXIII In the meane while the Reader shall obserue how artificiall a couert Arnoldus doth vse while he saith that he which is dead cannot resist his resurrection but he that is dead in sinne may resist his viuification The opinion of the Arminians is that an vnregenerate man hath free-will by which he may vse sufficient grace or not vse it beleeue or not beleeue Arnoldus therefore ought thus to haue framed his comparison saying he that is dead cannot hinder or further his owne resurrection but hee that is vnregenerate may hinder or further his regeneration But Arnoldus doth not here make mention of that helpe that he might put by the enuie and suspâ—tion of Semipelagianisme Thus they are wont to doe that are ashamed of their owne opinion XXIV That is not to be passed ouer with silence which the Arminians of the conference at the Hage pag. 81. doe say For there they make two kindes of vnregenerate men some who being left without any calling of God doe walke in the vanity of their minde and thoughts These they confesse are dead in sinne but there are some who are already called and stirred vp by the grace of God whose vnderstandings being enlightned and their affections being enflamed doe stirre vp the will to the apprehension of the truth They deny that those are dead in sinne because their vnderstandings and appetites are viuified although the will is not yet drawne here are many absurdities First because they thinke that some are vnregenerate who are already viuified and made aliue when yet viuification and regeneration are the same thing For if ones minde be quickned it must needes also be regenerated Secondly With the like error they place viuification there where there is not faith seeing as the Apostle witnesseth the iust doth liue by faith and it is impious to acknowledge any viuification to be in an infidell and vnregenerate man Thirdly And they dispute vntowardly when they iudge it to be possible the vnderstanding being enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and the appetite enflamed with the loue of it that the will should be auerse from this truth And that a man may be quickned in his minde and affections and yet his will remaines without life For what should turne away the will when they two doe instigate and stirre it vp seeing that the will is moued by these two alone Nor doth the will euer stand in doubt but when reason stirreth it vp one way and the appetites draw it another way and the will is forced hither and thither by the contrary suggestions of the minde and the appetites Fourthly Nor doe they agree to themselues when they say that there are some left without any calling of God seeing that they maintaine with great contention that all men are called to saluation not onely by an outward but also by an inward calling and that sufficient grace is administred to all Fiftly Finally I demand whence they haue these two kindes of vnregenerate persons If out of the Scripture let them shew the place If out of their owne coniecture wee doe not beleeue them XXV Arnoldus against Tilenus Page 134. doth say that it may come to passe that of two men furnished with an equall helpe of grace one may be conuerted one not But he ought also to shew whether it may come to passe
doth giue power and faculty of beleeuing Nor doth God otherwise giue the act of beleeuing then as the minde is indued with knowledge and the affections being raysed doe put forward the will which is not to giue faith but to incite to faith Yea by their opinion it is certaine that God doth not giue the power of beleeuing in Christ but doth onely enlighten the minde that it may know Christ and allure the appetites with a gentle perswasion For hee that doth onely shew the light and exhort the traueller to goe doth not giue him power of going These are the words of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage p. 275. We deny that faith is the gift of God in respect of the actuall infusing of it into our hearts but it is so called in respect of the power of comming to it This indeede is to vse no circumstance but to speake it plainely enough For they say that God doth not infuse faith into our hearts but that he doth giue the meanes to come to faith which meanes we may vse if we will for this is in the power of free-will The same men pag. 306. doe professe that they beleeue that the very act of beleeuing is from God and yet a little after they doe retract what they had granted for they doe ouerthrow all those places of Scripture by which wee endeauour to proue that faith and the act of beleeuing is from God The men of our party did proue this by the words of Christ Iohn 6.65 No man can come to me vnlesse it be giuen him by the father The Arminians answere that that place of Iohn speaketh of nothing but of that faculty whereby one may beleeue and therefore it doth not make to the purpose in as much as it is to be proued that the very act of beleeuing is the gift of God Would they haue it to be proued by vs and to be euinced by argument if they did beleeue it and did seriously professe it Surely that their confession was dissembled and therefore a little after they doe alter and reuoke it In the same place they doe peruersly corrupt that famous place of S. Paul Ephes 2. By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God In which place both saluation and faith are called the gift of God For they deny that faith is there called the gift of God but saluation O your fidelity ye Sectaries What doth this concerne you or why doe youso much feare lest faith should be called by the Apostle the gift of God This indeed is a very great malignity and an open confession whereby they disclose that they thinke that faith is not the gift of God With a like licentiousnesse doe they sport themselues in deprauing the words of the Apostle to Timothy Epist 2. Chap. 2. v. 25. If God will giue them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth The men of our party brought this place that they might proue conuersion and the act of repentance to be from God But these Sectaries as it were in a mockery doe reiect this place as that which speaketh of repentance as of a thing that is vncertaine and which may happen Doubtlesse it doth not please the Arminians that the act of conuersion is the gift of God And although they say in ambiguous and deceiptfull words that repentance is the gift of God yet they thinke that it can be proued by no place of Scripture when yet the Scripture saith It is God which doth worke in vs effectually to will and to doe Philip. 2. And that It is giuen to vs to beleeue in Christ Phil. 1. Surely these words to will to doe and to beleeue doe note out the very act of willing and beleeuing and not the power whereby we may be willing or not be willing beleeue or not beleeue But they doe in no other thing more open their meaning then while they deny that faith is infused into our hearts by God but that onely men are stirred vp to faith and allured with a gentle perswasion and invitation which they call morall and resistible after the same manner that a boy is drawne by an Apple offred him or a hog by bran laid before him If this be true and if the efficacy of the holy-Spirit doth no otherwise imprint faith then by perswading it is plaine that faith is not the gift of God For hee that perswadeth to beleeue doth not giue faith but doth perswade Arminius against Perkins pag. 57. hath these words That faith and repentance cannot be had but by the gift of God is most plaine in the Scriptures But the same Scripture and the nature of the gift of eyther of them doth most cleerely teach that that gift is giuen by the manner of perswasion These are things that cannot stand together for nothing is giuen by the manner of perswasion He that stirreth mee vp to running doth thereby neither giue mee the running it selfe nor the power of running The same man pag. 211. saith God hath determined to saue them that beleeue by his grace that is by a milde and sweete perswasion conuenient and agreeable to their free-will not by an omnipotent action or motion which they neither will nor can resist nor can be willing to resist Vorstius Parasc ad Piscat pag. 4. saith What things God will haue vs to doe altogether freely and contingently hee cannot desire thâ—se more powerfully or effectually then by the manner of a wish or desire Indeede the Arminian conferrers at the Hage in the defence of their fourth Article doe professe that they will not define how God doth worke in vs and that they will not breake into these secrets yet the same men doe restraine all those places of Scripture which say that wee are drawne by God and that God doth effectually and mightily worke in vs to a meere perswasion and an allurement by the manner of an Obiect And Greuinchouius pag. 232. and 233. doth acknowledge no other then a morall motion This is also among the decrees of the Arminians Collat. Hag. pag. 283. that a man is quickned first by the ministery of the law and afterward by the ministery of the Gospell for they thinke that there is a kinde of quickning which is without faith in Christ they also peece vpon it this guard that no man is called outwardly who is not called in wardly and that there is free-will in man to open to God knocking or not to open And although they thinke that there is no grace of God which may not be resisted by man yet they confesse that God doth so certainely call some men that they must infallibly follow to wit them whom he doth call in such a congruent and agreeable time and manner and with such efficacy and measure of light that they are most certainely conuerted Arminius against Perkins pag. 67. doth say that the inward perswasion of the holy Ghost is in all them to
instructed in the doctrine of the Gospell but that strong natured and laborious Origen who had the Scripture at his fingers ends being vnable to endure Martyrdome chose rather to burne incense to the Diuell Many among miracles and in the midst of the light of the Gospell are incredulous as the men of Capernaum or else are giuen to their belly and gluttony as daily experience doth witnesse Neither doth this therefore come to passe because some of the vnregenerate are more capable of morall perswasion then others seeing all men are altogether auerse from God and dead in sinnes Also you may see the most wicked men and worst affected to be conuerted to the faith of Christ as the Romanes the Corinthians c. that God hath chosen the foolish things of the world and where sin hath abounded there grace hath abounded On the other side you may see many not so euilly disposed as the men of Tyre and Sydon that are not called by the preaching of the Gospell then which there is no other perswasion more wholesome There are some ages in which the gate of the Church is wide open and there is a great concourse of people in it as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 16.19 A great doore and effectuall is opened to me And 2 Cor. 2. When I came to Troas to preach the Gospell a doore was opened to me of the Lord. On the contrary there are some times in which the passage to the Church is as it were stopped vp and the efficacy of the Gospell doth seeme to be diminished when the Pastors of the Church doe finde much stubbornenesse in the people a brawnie skin drawn ouer their consciences the hardnesse whereof doth turne and blunt the edge of preaching This doth not happen because in some ages men are borne better or because God doth vse other meanes and instructions to the teaching of them then of others but because it seemed good to God to soften the hearts of these and to reueale to them his arme and his power of saluation and to fasten the sword of the word of God with greater force into their mindes and that according to his good pleasure and election of grace Eâ—â—y â—3 Rom. 1. by which as many as are appointed to eternall life doe beleeue Acts 13. By this motiue God himselfe did stirre vp the minde of Saint Paul being at Corinth and did exhort him to speake freely Feare not saith he but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set vpon thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this Citie CHAP. XLVI The certainty of the conuersion of the Elect is proued and that Grace cannot be ouercome I. THe chiefe foundation of our opinion of the certainty of the conuersion of the elect and of the inseperable grace of God wee place in the immutable certainty of the election of God For seeing that God by his certaine and determined decree appointed some certaine men to saluation as wee haue at large proued it must needes be that they whom he appointed to the end hee appointed also to those meanes without which no man is saued to wit Faith and Repentance This decree seeing it cannot be hindred it is certaine that the faith of the elect cannot so be hindred that they should finally fall away The truth of which doctrine while these Sectaries doe oppugne they doe cast themselues into absurd and enormious opinions such as are these That Election is not irreuocable nor peremptory before death That those that are elected may be reprobated That the number of the elect is not certaine and determined by the decree and will of God but that their number may be encreased and diminished That all men are conditionally elected That God is often disappointed of his intention wish and desire Which dreames full of feuer-like subtiltie and vaine dotages that I may speake no worse of them are as I thinke abundantly confuted by vs. II. Wee haue heard Saint Paul Ephes 1.3.4 teaching that the grace of God is giuen according to election Hence it appeareth that the grace of God which is giuen to the elect can no more be hindred then election it selfe For the effects of an immutable cause cannot but be most certaine Vaine and voide were that election which should be made destitute of those meanes without which there is no saluation and obserue that Saint Paul speaketh of the holy and faithfull Ephesians least any Arminian should say that the Apostle speaketh of vniuerâ—all Election Finally as many places of Scripture as there be which teach that they doe beleeue that are ordained to eternall life Acts 13. that they alone come that is doe beleeue who are giuen to Christ by the father that is are elected to saâ—uation in Christ Iohn 6. and that all that are predestinated are called iustified and glorified Rom. 8. and that God hath elected vs to holinesse Ephes 1. and not by holinesse or for holinesse they doe all plainely proue that faith and holinesse doe so depend on Election and so â—leaue to it that it cannot be but that he who is elected must at length be conuerted The faith of the elect cannot altogether be blotted out and finally be extinguished but the election of God must also be wiped out and must perish Whosoeuer God calleth by his purpose shall certainely come because God neuer faileth of his purpose III. Agreeable to these things are the words of the same Apostle Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God Here I demand whether it is possible that he who is the sonne of God should be made the sonne of the diuell If there is any modesty left in them they dare not say this openly although it doth plainely enough follow from their opinion by which they determine that the elect may be reprobated This therefore being laid downe that the sonnes of God cannot be made the sonnes of the diuell I demand whence is this impossibilitie of falling away and why cannot hee who is led by the spirit of God which is called the spirit of adoption be made the childe of the diuell The cause of this impossibility must either be the election of God or mans free-will but not mans free-will as we haue at large proued therefore it is the election of God by which it commeth to passe that it is an impossible thing that the faith of the elect should be finally lost and extinguished IV. And with what great efficacie God doth worke in mens hearts the Apostle teacheth Ephes 1.19 where hee wisheth that it were made knowne to the Ephesians What is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to vs ward who beleeue according to the working of his mighty power The Apostle doth purposely heape vp emphaticall and significant words whereby he might declare that power and effectual strength farre differing from the phrase of Arminius in whose writings these speeches are often found that
the life or for a short time If not to the end then this promise is in vaine yea and absurd because by it God should promise that he would so long giue them his grace vntill he should againe take it away and destroy them for euer Also the words themselues doe witnesse that it is spoken of a perpetuall grace For God doth promise that he will cause that they should not depart from his waies in which words finall perseuerance is promised XVII And if the grace of God may be finally hindred in all and particular men it might come to passe that it should be hindred in all men and so there wold be none elected there would be no church and Christ should haue dyed in vaine For nothing can be imagined more absurd then to suppose that God decreed that some men should beleeue and be saued and that that should be done vnresistibly and yet that he did not decree of any one man nor of any particular person There is nothing more absurd then to determine that it must needes be that some be saued and yet that there is no man who may not be damned By what meanes can any certainety be made or concluded out of many vncertainties Or is it credible and likely that the decree of God as concerning the whole Church cannot be deluded and yet may be made frustrate in the seuerall members of the Church XVIII Nor doth the truth finde any small refuge in the words of Christ Iohn 6.44.45 No man can come to me except the father who hath sent me draw him and I will raise him vp at the last day It is written in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me Euery word is a thunderbolt The Arminians thinke that there are many that heare and learne of the father who doe not come nor follow This is diametrically and directly contrary to the words of Christ Euery man that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me For he speaketh of a certaine manner of hearing and learning which is peculiar to the elect and which doth worke in their heart what he commandeth The same Arminians doe affirme that many are drawne who notwithstanding doe not come But here also they offend against the words of Christ where he saith No man can come to me except the father draw him and I will raise him vp at the last day For he speaketh of a certaine sure kinde of drawing and obedience by which whosoeuer are drawne and doe come shall be raised vp by Christ at the last day Hee speaketh therefore of a kinde of drawing which cannot finally be resisted XIX Out of the same place of Saint Iohn this argument is framed Whosoeuer hath heard and hath learned of the father doth come Whosoeuer is drawne hath heard learned Therfore whosoeuer is drawne doth come XX. By the same place the opinion of the Arminians is refuted whereby they teach that all men are drawne and that sufficient grace is giuen to all For the scope of Christ is to set downe the cause why the Iewes of Capernaum could not come to wit because they were not drawne by the Father that on the contrary he might teach that they would haue come if they had beene drawne by which words hee doth not obscurely teach that all who are drawne doe come XXI These proofes brought out of this place are not grounded on the word drawing which wee know to be many times taken more largely and to be sometimes vsed for an invitation which is not obeyed but they are grounded on the whole coherence of this place and on the course of the speech which doth more then certainely demonstrate that it is here spoken of a kinde of drawing with which whosoeuer are drawne doe come In which sense the word drawing is vsed in the beginning of the Canticles Draw mee and we will runne after thee Which also Saint Austin doth acknowledge Lib. 1. against the two Epistles of the Pelagians where when hee had admonished the Reader that Christ did not say lead but draw he addeth Who is drawne if he be already willing And yet no man commeth vnlesse he be willing He is therefore after a marueilous manner drawne that he should be willing by him who knoweth to worke inwardly in the very hearts of men not that men vnwilling should beleeue which cannot be but that of vnwilling they might be made willing XXII Nor is it credible that that grace is finally resistible whose chiefe office is to take away finall resistance for so it should not doe that for which it is ordained especially seeing that Christ saith Iohn 4.14 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water which I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life For it doth manifestly appeare that it is here spoken of a kinde of grace which being once well admitted and receiued into the heart is neuer lost but doth remaine to eternall life and like an euerlasting fountaine is neuer dryed No lesse direct are the words of Christ Iohn 6.35 He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst and Vers 51. He that shall eate of this bread shall liue for euer All which were false if true faith which doth seriously apprehend Christ might be shaken off and be finally lost For then there would be some who after the eating of the heauenly bread should perish for euer XXIII And if there be any certainty of saluation or any full perswasion of the Saints it must needs be that the grace of God in them cannot be ouercome nor finally extinguished for otherwise this certainety were vaine and deceitfull For how can he be certaine of his saluation who doth beleeue that the grace of God may be hindred and abolished by a finall resistance And that on Gods part there is no absolute and peremptory election but when the course of our life is finished And that on mans part the free-will of man in most holy men is furnished with power whereby it may altogether driue away the spirit of God XXIV But the Scripture in sixe hundred places doth teach and command certaine and sure confidence of our saluation Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.16 The spirit doth witnesse together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Can there be any more certaine witnesse and more worthy of credit then the spirit of God Surely the Scripture doth teach how certaine this inward testimony is while it calleth the spirit a seale deepely imprinting the promises of God on our hearts and the pledge of our inheritance Ephes 1.13 and Chap. 4.30 and 2 Cor. 1. So also 1 Iohn 5.10 He that beleeueth on the sonne of God hath the witnesse of God in himselfe This testimony is beyond all exception which testimony whosoeuer doth not feele in himselfe he ought rather to thinke