God foresaw saith the Pelagian who should be holy unblameable by their own freewill and therefore hee did elect them before the foundation of the World because hee foresaw they would be such What answers hee to this Arminian Objection in the mouth of the Pelagians b Intueamur Apostoli verba atque videamus utrum propterea nos clegit quia sancti futuri eramus an ut essemus benedictus inquit Deus c non quia futuri eramus sed ut essemus nempe certum est nempe manifestum est ideo quippe tales eramus futuri quia elegit ipse praedestinans ut per gratiam ejus tales essemus cernitis proculdubio cernitis quanta manifestatione Apostolici eloquii defondatur haec gratia contra quam merita extollunt humana tanquam homo aliquid det Deo retribuatur ei Let us behold the Apostles words and see whether therefore hee did elect us because wee were to be holy or that wee might be such Blessed says the Apostle be God who has chosen us not because wee were to be such but that we might bee such Why the matter is certain it is manifest for we were to be such because God predestinating did choose us that wee by his grace might become such you see doubtlesse you see with what evidence of Apostolike utterance this grace is defended against which humane merits extols it selfe as if man did give any thing to God and it were rendred to him So does the Father convince the Pelagians from these same words hee also closes the mouthes of the Semipelagians who taught that albeit works and holineffe was not prior to Election yet Faith or at least some beginnings of faith behoved on our part to go before to these thus he speaks c De dono Perseverantiae cap. 7. Audiant ipsi in hoc testimonio praedistinarisecunduÌ„ propositum ejus qui universa aperatur ipse ut inerpiamus credere operatur qui universa operatur nec fides ipsa praecedit non enim quia credimus sed ut credamus elegit nos Let even these heare in this passage predestinated according to his purpose who works all things hee that works all things works also that wee begin to believe neither doth faith it selfe goe before his worke for he has chosen us that wee might believe not because we did believe Against both the whole and half Pelagians so he concludes triumphantly d Contra istam veritatis tam claram tubam quis homâ— sobriae vigilantisque sidei voces ullas admittat humanas Our second argument from Rom. 11.5 Against so cleare a trumpet of Truth what person of sober and watchfull faith will admit the contrary voice of any man Another Scripture Rom. 11.5 Even so also at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace and if of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Here the Reason is given why among the misbelieving obstinate wicked Jews there was a few remnant who did believe and were saved the grace faith salvation of this Remnant is ascribed to their Election as the Cause this Election is affirmed to come alone of Gods Grace and denied to have proceeded of any of their works yea these things are not simply affirmed that the grace and salvation of the remnant came from Election that this Election was of grace that it was not of works but farther works and grace in this matter of Election are declared to be incoÌ„patible so that those who make our Election to depend on works or to be posterior in Gods mind to his foreknowledge of our works say what they will they are enemies of the grace of God This place is so cleer that Arminius so long as hee lived durst never ascribe Election to good works as his followers now do yea the Lutherans to this day dare not doe it but the place refutes even that which they say that Election is of Faith albeit not of works clearly enough especially as Arminius expounded Faith for hee made Election and Justification to depend on Faith not as it is an instrument applying Christ but as it is an Evangelicall work which God hath appointed under the Gospell to be a saving quality of it selfe as perfect obedience should have beene under the Law In this sense Faith is a true worke and who denyes Election to be of works denyes it as well to be of Faith which is a work But take Faith as you will this place removes it from Election for it ascribes Election to Gods grace alone excluding Faith works or what ever is in us The clearnesse of this place changed Augustine his minde and delivered him from that Lutheran errour wherein long he lay believing Election to have beene of Faith albeit not of works e Ad hoc perduxi ratiocinationem ut dicerem non ergo elegit Deus opera cujusquam in praescientâ—a sed fidem in praescientia elegit ut quem sibi crediturum esse praesciret ipsum eligeret sed nondum diligentius quaesieram nec adhuc inveneraÌ„ qualis sit Electio gratiae de qua Apostolus Our third argument from Rom. 8.28 This was the issue of my argumentation that I said God has not chosen any mans works in his foreknolwedge but hee has chosen faith in his foreknowledge but I had not at that time diligently enough enquired neither had I yet found what was that Election of Grace of which the Apostle spake A third Scripture is Rom 8.28 Whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom hee c. Here Election is made prior to calling and Justification as they to glorificatioÌ„ much more to faith works perseverance which are all posteriour to calling wee must first bee Justified before we can persevere to the end we must first be called by the Word Spirit before we can believe Faith then and works and perseverance are posterior to effectual vocation much more to Election which in this Scripture is set before vocation it selfe yea before all the consequences and effects of vocation The Arminians cannot get away from the grip of this place but by wresting of it pittifully both at Hage CoÌ„ference and in the Synod and all their posteriour writs they with a strange impudence avow that Predestination Vocation Justification in this place is no wayes relative either to grace or glory but only to the crosse and affliction of all the malepert Wresters of Scriptures that live this day the Remonstrants are the chief This present subterfuge is Socinus his Invention a wicked Heretick who denyes the merit the power and the true satisfactions of Christs death bloud and so indeed hee hath reason if his grounds be true For with Arrius he spoyls Christ of his Godhead which if hee did want his bloud and death could not be satisfactory for any one sin yet this most pernitious heretick the Arminians think no shame to follow in wresting
the Arminian Questions were handled at leisure from November to May and all that was needfull was cleerly decided That labour was so blessed by God that the Land which through the Arminian Schisme and Errours was at the point of ruine since that time hath had peace from these turbulent Schismaticks When Arminianisme did take root in Britain But here the pity Britain whose waters mainly had slakened that fire abroad began at once to be scorched at home by some sparks of that flame The hopes of the Arminians in England were but small so long as K. James did live for that good Prince both in word and writing did threaten to burne these Hereticks if any of them should appeare in his Dominions see his Declaration against Vorstius yea so long as Abbot was in grace at Court the Arminians kept a low sayle but after that his Successor even in his owne time had come in favour that unhappy Sect under the patronage of Mountagu and White 's learning began to spread far and neare yea at last silence in a publike Edict was enjoyned to their opposers and all favours conferred on those who had skill and will to promote that Cause many evident disgraces poured on well deserving men for no other reason but their Anti-Arminian spirit All this time our Church was free of these evils but so soon as the advancers of Arminianisme at the English Court began to intermeddle with the affaires of our Kingdome at once these men were eyed who inclined that way prime places were put into their hands for no other vertue the World could discern in them but their boldness to let out their inclination towards the Arminian Errour This way of advancement being perceived incōtinent many among us set their hearts towards that art which was likeliest in haste to promote their fortunes It is to be remarked that the Arminian spirit in Holland leads men to hell another way then here in Britaine The British Arminians decline to Popery but the Belgick to Socinianisme there the Arminians with great boldnesse running after Vorstius Socinus with a marvellous petulancy fell to brangle the Trinitie of the Divine persons yea the simplicity of the Divine nature it self But that Devill finding this his rashnesse to revive openly Manes Arrius did make people abhorre him and flee away hee became more wary so that among us hee lets these old condemned Heresies alone and goes another way to work Hee leads by a new method to the errours of Antichrist A Netherlandish Arminian will scorn the superstitions the Idolatries the Tyrannies of the Romish Church but is much inclined after Vorstius and Socinus under the pretext of Liberty to run licentiously into Heresies condemned in the first Oecumenick Coun cels On the contrary a British Arminian with the Ancients will abhor the Extravagancies of Vorstius and Socinus yet their heart is hot and inflamed after the abominations of Rome God who put Confusion in Babel hath divided Satans Kingdome against it selfe else this subtill Devill might have indangered the safety of the whole Reformed Church But while in Holland the horn of Arminianism is now brokē out in his front long and great and in England the horne of Popery wee trust these two long black ugly hornes shall make that evill spirit both here and there so well knowne that hee shall not be able to doe so much harme any where as once was feared from him however the great Hammer that brake the necke of the beast over Sea was that Nationall Synod and the mayn hope we have to get it mastered here at this time is by the hand of our God in this present Assembly For the story I will say no more but come to the Doctrines The five Arminian Articles The multitude of their singularities was reduced at their own desire both in the Conference at Hage and Synod of Dort to five Articles or rather foure for Grace and Freewill are commonly disputed together The first Article concerns Predestination The state of the question in the first Article the next the Death of Christ the third and fourth Grace and Free-will the fifth Perseverance wee may adde Justification as a sixth whereon both these over Sea and their followers among us run as mad as on any of the former Concerning Election the first and chiefe part of Predestination they teach that it is posterior to Faith Works and Perseverance Arminius at the beginning made faith alone previous to Election but long since his followers and our men also joyne works yea perseverance to the end in faith and works as if God first did foresee by his eternal Prescience some men of their own Free-will assenting to his Cal in time believing and going on to the end in faith and good works and after this foresight did passe his Decree of Election to glory upon these men clothed with the named qualities But wee teach that Faith Works and Perseverance are posterior to Election that this is the cause root fountain whence all grace in us does flow that our Election hath no Antecedent cause condition or good quality on our part but flows meerly from Gods good pleasure and mercy looking upon us lying in our bloud corrupted with originall sin and in that case choosing us of his free mercy to be members of his Son to whō hee will give grace and glory though others as good and nothing worse then wee are permitted to lie still in the masse of corruption for the glory of his mercy to us and justice towards them without any ground of gloriation to the one or complaint to the other as if any wrong were done them when they are past by This our Doctrine of Election it is cleer from Scripture Our first argument for absolute election is from Eph. 1.3 1. see Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ according as hee hath chosen us in him that we should be holy and blamelesse before him in love having predestinated us to the adoption of children according to the good pleasure of his will Here wee are chosen to be holy and blamelesse not because wee were holy therefore we were chosen Holinesse is made posteriour to our Election Now Faith Perseverance Charity and such graces are all parts of holinesse are all fruits of the holy Spirit Here also all spirituall blessings for which God is to bee praised flows from this originall Election is the rule according to which God distributes these graces Adoption also is made a fruit of Election yea the only reason of this Election is made Gods good pleasure By this place of Scripture Augustine beat downe the Pelagians who taught an Election of foreseene works a Praedest c. 8. Praesciebat ergo ait Pelagianus qui futuri erant sancti immaculati per liberum voluntatis arbitrium ideo eos ante mundi Constitutionem elegit quia tales futuros praescivit
a man should lay downe his life for his friend Christ lays downe his life for his friends not for those who live and die strangers enemies to him for whom hee dies to them hee shews the highest degree of love but to numbers of the Reprobates hee never sends his Word much lesse his saving grace how then have they the fruit of his greatest affection even to die for them See also that of the 53 of Isaiah Our fift argument from Esay 53. c. By his stripes are we healed and that of the Apostle He was made sin for us that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him those for whom Christ was slain are healed by his stripes are made righteous and absolved from sin by his bloud which hee as their pledge shed for them It is the justice of God that for whose sin he hath received an infinite satisfaction To these should not be imputed their sins for a second satisfaction in their own eternall torments but so it is that numbers of people are never freed from their sin never healed but perish Against all this their prime Objection The Arminian objection answered in these Scriptures wherein Christ is said to have died for all the Answer is easie that no man can deny but divers Scriptures which are conceived in universall terms must bee expounded with restrictions for example Christ is all in all when I am risen I will draw all men to mee I will poure my spirit on all flesh they shall be all taught of God will any man have these universall Scriptures absolute and illimited So doth Augustine answer and beat off the Pelagians when they press these Scriptures of Christs dying for all every one his words I passe for the time when the Semipelagians rested not content with his Answers to them he replyes de Correp Gratia c. 14. in these words well worthy the reciting Omnes homines omne hominum genus intelligimus per quascunque differentias distributum Reges privatos nobiles ignobiles sublimes humiles doctos indoctos integri corporis debiles ingeniosos tardicordes fatuos divites pauperes mediocres mares foeminas infantes pueros adolescentes Juvenes seniores senes in linguis omnibus in moribus omnibus in artibus omnibus in professionibus omnibus in voluntatum consciont tarum innumerabili varietate constitutos si quid aliud differentiarum est in hominibus By all men we understand all kindes of men divided by whatsoever distinctions Kings or private persons noble or ignoble high or low learned or unlearned whole or sick wise simple foolish rich poore indifferent men women babes children youths old men of all languages of al dispositions of al trades of all professions and according to their divers inclinations innumerable ways diversified Third and fourth article stated Cōcerning the third and fourth Article of Grace and Free-will The third and fourth Article stated consider that Free-will doth denote formally the naturall faculty of mans will alone yet because the light of understanding must direct the will which of it selfe is blinde and the will illightned does command the affections and the other powers of sense and motion as her servants for this connexion and dependance which is betwixt the will and all the naturall powers of the soule the question about the power of all the naturall faculties of man in furthering his owne salvation goes usually under the title of Free will alone The question of Free will or of the power of nature I mean of all the naturall faculties in the soule of man whether understanding will affections or any other in the matter of salvation This question hath many branches but for shortnes we only touch two heads therein First how far nature can further grace salvation next how far it can hinder it In the first head sandry teach that nature alone without grace can save that numbers without the knowledge of Christ by their obedience to the Law of Nature through the direction of right reason have been saved Others ascribe not salvation directly to nature alone without grace yet they make saving grace to depend upon nature so that the right use of nature doth draw by way of merit at least by way of infallible dependance the grace of Regeneration Others goe not thus far in Pelagianisme yet they give too much to nature in the matter of salvation they teach that sin hath not taken away the power of the understanding and of the will of man to believe and obey God but only the exercise of that power that the power of mans Soul to all gracious works is not dead but bound in fetters farder that in the very first act of our cōversion not only in all posterior acts of grace God and Man Nature and Grace doe concurre as two partiall causes so that the whole effect of Conversion doth depend not only from Gods grace but also the whole of it does flow from Man Nature yea that which maketh Grace efficacious to Conversion and Salvation is not Grace but Nature alone for the concurrence of Grace is oft say they alike in these who are converted and those who are never converted in these who are saved and those who are damned in both they put a degree of grace simply equall so that the only difference which casts the ballance the only reason why the same degree of grace which is efficacious to convert and save one yet is not efficacious for these effects in another is alone in nature even in the free will of the one accepting and yielding to that degree of grace which the free will of the other made inefficacious by its own resisting and rejection thereof In the second head of natures power to hinder Grace and Salvation the most common and infamous conclusion is that the free wil of man not only hath power to reject and refuse to repell and frustrate to overcome and make of none effect the most efficacious motions of the regenerating Spirit of God but also very oft does put this power in practice hindring God when he intends to convert and save by its invincible perversnesse to obtaine that his gracious end and mercifull intention The errours of the first head the Arminians oft in word doe cast them from themselves upon the Papists yet in very deed they stumble too often upon them all The errours of the second head they deny not to be their Tenets however for confutation of all errours in both the heads let us confirme these two propositions First neither free wil nor any other naturall faculty in man hath any power at all to purchase either the beginning or midst of perfection either of grace or salvation but both grace and glory commeth alone from God that quickens nature dead in sin and makes it to worke not in the strength of it self but alone of grace Secondly that as Nature cannot further grace nor salvation so
nobis operatur velle nos operamur sed Deus in nobis operatur operari hoc nobis expedit credere dicere hoc est pium hoc est verum ut sit humilis submissa confessio detur totum Deo Tutiores vivimus si demus totum Deo non autem nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte committimus Bernard Non partim gratia partim liberum arbitrium sed totum quidem hoc totum illa sed ut totum in illo sit totum ex illa Quid igitur ais agit liberum arbitrium Respondeo breviter salvatur tolle liberum arbitrium non erit quod salvetur tolle gratiam non erit unde salvetur opus hoc sine duobus esse non potest uno à quo sit altero in quo vel cui sit Deus autor est salutis liberum arbitrum tantum capax est dare illam nisi Deus nec capere valet nisi liberum arbitrium Man abusing free will lost both himselfe and it For when by free will sinne came free will was lost through the greatnesse of the first sin wee lost freedome of will to love God Man in his CreatioÌ„ received a great strength of free will but by sin did lose it by willing of evill justly have we lost power to good who by power to good freely did chuse to will evil We say not that by Adams sinne free will is lost but that in men subject to Satan it serves only for sinning and is not able to make any live well and holily except the will of man it self by the grace of God bee made free God without us makes is to will when we wil and will so that we doe hee works with us yet without him both making us to will and working with us when wee will we have no power to do any good or pious work It is certain we will when we will but hee makes us to will of whom it is said God works in us the will Wee worke but God in us works the work It is good for us both to believe and speak thus this is piety this is truth that there may be a humble and submissive confession and all be given to God Wee live more safely when wee give all to God and doe not commit our selves partly to him and partly to our selves Bernard Not partly grace and partly free will but both the one and the other is all But so that all is done in the one and all from the other What then wilt thou say does free will I answer shortly it is saved take away free will and there shall bee nothing which can bee saved take away grace and there shall bee nothing whereby to save This work without two cannot bee the one in which the other from which it may be done God is author of salvation free will only the subject therof none can give it but God nothing can receive it but free will Our second proposition The efficacious grace of God in mans conversion is insuperable by mans will which the Arminians professe most to oppose to wit that free wil nor naturall corruption does never is never able to overcom the motions of the Spirit of God when he purposes to call efficaciously and convert John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to mee 8.45 Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me Rom. 8.30 Whom hee hath called them he also justified also who have efficacious grace these have the spirit of Christ and who have Christs Spirit are Christs members Againe not only the will of man doth ever obey Gods efficacious calling but it must doe so for the efficacie of Gods call stands in the removing of all the perversnes and stubbornes that is in the will in making the heart new soft and pliable to the Call in making us will and believe Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given not only to believe but to suffer Phil. 2 13. God worketh in you to will and to doe Ezek. 36.26 A new heart I will give to you a new spirit will I put in you I will take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh Thirdly GOD in mans conversion employes his strong and mighty power which the Devill the World and the Flesh cannot overcome being the far stronger Ephes 1.19 That yee may know the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead 1 John 4.4 Yee have overcome them for greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world Matth. 12.29 How can one enter into a strong mans house and spoile his goods except he first binde the strong man and then he will spoyle his house Fourthly The Creature cannot hinder its own Creation nor the dead man his owne quickning nor the child his own generation nor the darknesse it s owne illumination nor the white paper the writing on it selfe nor the blind eye the restitution of its light nor the weake person the draught of a strong hand Now Scripture oft compares the action of the Spirit converting a soul to a creation a new life a regeneration an illumination c. Fifthly if the will of man could overcome the efficacious working of the Spirit of God then could the Decree of our Election and Salvation be made altogether uncertain and oft be made null by the repugnance of mans will and the victory of our wickednesse over the best and most efficacious will of God but this were against Scripture Esay 14.24 The Lord of Hosts hath sworn surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it 2 Chron. 20.6 In thy hand is there no power So that none is able to withstand thee Rom. 9.29 Who hath resisted his will 8.30 Whom he hath predestinated them he also glorified The Fathers go here the Scriptures way have some passages of Augustine cited by Bellarmine himselfe m Deo volenti â—lvum facere â—ullum hominum â—sistit arbitrium â—ic enim velle â—ut nolle â—n voâ—entis aut nolenâ—is est potestate â—ut divinam voâ—untatem non impediat nec â—superest potestatem non est duhitandum voluntati Dei vo luntatem humaâ—am resistere non posse provisum est infirmitati voluntatis humanae ut indeclinabiliter inseparabiliter ageretur ideo quantumvis infirma non deficeret nec adversitate aliqua frangeretur No will of any man resists God when hee hath a minde to save For to will or nill is so in the power of him that wils or nils that they doe not hinder the will of God nor overcome his power doubtlesse the will of man is not able to resist the will of God God has so provided