The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
That God doth ſaue thoſe whom of his meere grace hee choſe out of mankinde corrupted and obnoxious to the curſe. What Predeſtination is: The parts of it. That Arminius did not vnderſtand what the decree of Predeſtination is, and that he hath vtterly taken away Election.
I SEeing that by one man, ſinne entred into the world, and death by ſinne, and all men, without exception, are borne guilty of the curſe; it is certaine, that that no man can be freed from the curſe, but by the meere grace and fauour of God: This grace he hath reuealed to vsus in Chriſt, without whom there is no ſaluation: For he put on our nature, that by this meanes of his comming betweene, and as it were by this knot, man might be ioyned with God; and hee ſuffered death that hee might ſatisfie for our ſinnes, and ſo, reconciliation being made, wee might be reſtored to the title and degree of the ſonnes of God.
II. This benefit, and ſauing grace, God doth declare to vsus by the Goſpell, wherein that couenant of free grace, whereof Chriſt is the mediator and foundation, is propounded.
III. By this Goſpell, eternall life is promiſed to thoſe that beleeue in Chriſt: For as there is no ſaluation without Chriſt; ſo without faith, Chriſt cannot be apprehended, nor can we come to the ſaluation appointed onelyonly for the faithfull: For as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 11, Without faith it is vnpoſsible to pleaſe God: I call faith, not that vaine truſt whereby men ſleepe in their vices, and their conſciences are benumbed, while they hauehave a good hope of the mercy of God; but a liuely faith, which doth worke by charitie, Gal. 5.6. which by that very meanes doth increaſe louelove, becauſe it driues away feare.
IV. This faith man hath not of himſelfe, neither is it a thing of mans free will, but the gift of God, and the effect of the holy-Ghoſt, who doth draw men by a powerfull calling, and doth ſeale in mens hearts, and deepely, impreſſe in their conſciences the promiſes of God, propounded in the Goſpell.
V. All men hauehave not this faith, as the Apoſtie ſaith, 2. Theſ. 3. for then all men ſhould be conuerted and ſaued, but onelyonly they whom Paul ſaith, are called by the purpoſe of God. Rom. 8.28. and whom God of his meere *foreign.good pleaſure hath choſen to ſaluation.
VI. Faith is giuen by the meer good pleaſure of God, neither is it giuen to the worthy, but it doth make them worthy when it is giuen: For God doth not find men good, but makes them ſo; neither doth he foreknow any good in man but, that which hee himſelfe ſhall doe: as hereafter ſhall more fully be taught.
VII. This eternall, and therefore immutable decree of God, is called Predeſtination; which is a part of the prouidence of God: For prouidence is called Predeſtination, when it doth apply it ſelfe to the ſaluation or condemnation of the reaſonable creature; and when it doth diſpenſe and diſpoſe the meanes, by which men come to ſaluation; for that theſe things are gouerned by the diuine will, and that God according to his good pleaſure doth giuegive to ſome, that which he doth deny to others, cannot be doubted: For though the Scripture were here ſilent, yet reaſon would cry out, that it is not likely, that God, who doth extend his care to all things, is negligent in this thing alone, which is the chiefeſt.
VIII. Furthermore, although there be a Predeſtination among the Angels, as Saint Paul witneſſeth, who 1. Tim. 5.21. calleth the Angels Flect: Here we are to deale onelyonly with the predeſtination of men, as that which alone belongs to vsus.
IX. Predeſtination is therefore the decree, by which in the worke of our ſaluation, God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with eueryevery man. Or thus: Predeſtination is the decree of God, by which, of the corrupted maſſe of mankinde, hee hath decreed to ſaue certaine men by Chriſt, and iuſtly to puniſh the reſt for their ſinnes.
X. Of this Predeſtination there are two parts; the one is election, the other is reprobation, whereof the firſt doth neceſſarily lay downe the ſecond: For, as often as ſome are choſen out of many, the reſt are neceſſarily reprobated: and of them that are choſen, ſome are preferred before others.
XI. Of election, and of the Elect, there is often mention in the Scripture. Many are called, but few are choſen. Math. 20.16. God hath choſen vsus in Chriſt, before the foundations of the world were laid. Epheſ. 1.4. The purpoſe of God according to election doth ſtand, not of workes, but of him that calleth. Rom. 9.11. There is a remnant according to the election of grace. Rom. 11.5. Falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe, and ſhall ſhew ſignes and wonders to ſeduce, if it were poſsible, euen the elect. Mark. 13.22.
XII. On the other ſide, that ſome are reprobates, the Scripture doth witneſſe, 1. Pet. 2.8. Which ſtumble at the word, being diſobedient, whereunto alſo they were appointed. And Iude, v. 4. Certaine men are crept in, foreign, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation. Hitherto belongs that which is ſaid Reuel. 20.15. That there is caſt into the lake of fire, whoſoeuer is not ſound written in the booke of life: Which booke is nothing elſe, but the Catalogue of the Elect, determined by the decree of God.
XIII. We hauehave Iacob and Eſau for a notable example of this difference, of whom whileſt they were yet ſhut vp in the wombe, before they had done either good or euill, God doth pronounce, I hauehave loued lacob; I hauehave hated Eſau, Rom. 9. Alſo the two Theeues crucified with Chriſt, Two ſhall be in a bed, the one ſhall be receiued, and the other left, Luk. 17.34. Not much vnlike that which happened to Pharaohs Butler, and his chiefe Baker, who being ſhut vp in the ſame priſon, the one was brought forth to honour, the other to puniſhment.
XIV. An example of this difference God hath ſhewed, not onelyonly in Abraham, but alſo in his ſtocke, which for no deſert of theirs, hee preferred before other Nations, When the moſt high diuided to the Nations their inheritance, when he ſeperated the ſonnes of Adam, the Londs portion was his people, Iacob was the lot of his inheritance, Deut. 32. And leaſt any one ſhould ſuppoſe that that was done for the vertue of that people fore-ſeene; he thus ſpeaketh to his people: Vnderſtand therefore, that the Lord thy God giueth thee not this good Land to poſſeſſe it, for thy righteouſneſſe, for thou art a ſtiffe-necked people, Deut. 9.6.
XV. And although Predeſtination doth comprehend reprobation; ſeeing that it is certaine, that the wicked are appointed to a certaine end, and to their deſerued puniſhments: yet the Apoſtle, by the word Predeſtination, doth vnderſtand onelyonly Election, as Rom. 8. Thoſe that he predeſtinated, he called, &c. And Epheſ. 1.5. Hauing predeſtinated vsus to the adoption of children. Thomas, imitating this manner of ſpeaking, doth thus define Predeſtination. 1. Part. Sum. Queſt. 23. Art 2. Predestination is the preparation to grace in the preſent, and to glory in the world to come.
XVI. But when concerning this doctrine, diuers men thinke diuerſly; yet Arminius alone hath attained the nature of Predeſtination leſſe then any other, and doth greatly ſtumble in the very entrance. He in his Theologicall diſputations. Diſp. 13. The. 3. ſaith, that the genus and generall of Predeſtination is the decree, and that (ſaith hee) not the legall decree, according to which it is ſaid, the man that doth them ſhall liue in them: but the Euangelicall decree, which ſpeaketh thus: This is the will of God, that eueryevery one that ſeeth the ſonne and beleeueth in him, ſhould hauehave life eternall And all the Arminians following him, doe comprehend the whole doctrine of Predeſtination in foure decrees: The firſt they will hauehave to be that, whereby God decreed to ſend his ſonne to redeeme mankinde: The ſecond, that whereby he decreed to giuegive eternall life to them that beleeue: The third, that, whereby he decreed to giuegive all men grace, and ſufficient power to beleeue: The fourth, that, whereby he decreed to giuegive ſaluation to theſe, and they particular men whom he fore-knew would beleeue, and would perſeuere in the faith; and as the linkes of a Chaine, they ſo knit theſe that the latter decrees depend on the former, and by the former, the way is to the latter.
XVII. By theſe things it is plaine, that Arminius did not vnderſtand what the decree of Predeſtination was: For the decree of Predeſtination is that, whereby God hath appointed what he will doe with vsus, and not what he would hauehave vsus doe: Vntowardly therefore doth Arminius place, among the decrees of God, that will of God, whereby he hath appointed thoſe to be ſaued, who ſhall beleeue, ſeeing that in this will the commandement of God is included: Arminius himſelfe in the ſame place doth comprehend Predeſtination vnderunder prouidence, and doth make predeſtination a ſpecies, or part of prouidence: If therefore that ſpeech, hee that beleeueth, ſhall be ſaued, is not the decree of prouidence, certainely it will not be the decree of predeſtination; ſeeing Predeſtination is no other thing then prouidence, reſtrained to the ſaluation or reprobation of men. This doth plainely appeare from thence, that Arminius doth oppoſe this decree, which hee cals Euangelicall, to the legall decree, by which it is ſaid, He that ſhall doe theſe things, ſhall liue in them; which is manifeſtly, not the decree of prouidence, but the rule of iuſtice: And if not this, then certainely not the other, ſeeing the rules of the Goſpell doe no more belong to the prouidence of God, and therefore not to predeſtination, then the rules of the Law.
XVIII. Therefore of thoſe foure decrees, the ſecond is to be wiped out, and a place to be appointed for it in the doctrine of the Goſpell, and not in the eternall decree and ſecret predeſtmation. And ſo of thoſe foure linkes, the ſecond being taken away, the whole chaine is broken, and as it were, one pin being drawne out, the whole ioyning together of that frame is looſed and diſſolued.
XIX. Nay what? that Arminius doth altogether ouerthrow Election, and make it to be a thing onelyonly of name? Arnold. p. 17…. Dicitis Des ſoli motum eſſe qui nam & quot ſint elects: ſed numerumtamenſtatuitis certis eſſet & ex praeciſa Dei ordinatione determinatum qui nec angeripoſſ…t, nec m…nui idqu… ex…dem ordinatione Long… vero aliter Enangelium Idem ai… Greuinchou…s in prae…atione.For he doth deny, that the number of the Elect is determined by the decree of God; whence it comes to paſſe, that no man at all is elected: For if the ſaluation of ſeuerall men, were determined by the decree of God, it would alſo be determined, that this or that man were of the number, and ſo of ſeuerall men, the whole ſumme would be certainely and determinately finiſhed: But if the number of the elect, be not fore-determined, by the certaine decree of God, the Booke of life containing the number of them that are to be ſaued, Reuel. 20. and the number of the brethren not yet fulfilled, Reuel. 6.11. and whatſoeuer the Scripture ſaith of the ſheepe that were giuen to Chriſt, euen before their conu…rſion, muſt needes vaniſh away.
XX. And when Arminius will hauehave all men to be elected by a conditionall election; that is, ſo they will beleeue, and by their free will, rightly vſe the grace which is offred them: he doth lay downe an election which is not an election, becauſe it is equally extended to all: He doth not elect, that doth not preferre ſome before others. What? that by this generall election, Simon Magus and Simon Peter were equally elected? and the election is extended to Iudas and Pharaoh.
XXI. But that is the moſt dangerous that Arminius doth make the election of ſeuerall men to come after faith, and ſo doth make the election of God to depend on mans free-will: Whence it comes to paſſe, that the ſaluation of man is a thing meerely contingent & not neceſſary, becauſe it depends vponupon a thing that is contingent & mutable, to wit, vponupon mans wil. For although God doth certainly fore-know thoſe contingent caſuall things, which are to be after; yet is not therefore the election or ſaluation of man neceſſary, for a thing is not therefore certaine, becauſe it is certainely fore-knowne. And becauſe election, is not an act of the fore-knowledge of God, but of his will; the execution whereof (if we may giuegive credit to Arminius) doth depend on the fulfilling of the condition, which may be hindred by man: For the Schoole and followers of Arminius, are of opinion, that eueryevery man hath power of beleeuing, and that God is bound to giuegive to all men power of fulfilling the condition of the ſecond couenant, Arnold. p. 262. in Tilen.and that the grace of God is but the cauſe in part of faith, and that it is not begot in man by the grace of God alone.
XXII. So while the Arminians will hauehave eueryevery particular perſon to be elected by God, for faith foreſeene; that is, that they are certainely appointed to ſaluation whom God fore-ſeeth will come, when they ſhall be called, and will perſeuere, they doe plainely deny them to be elected: For to receiue all that come, is not to elect or chooſe; for although the Arminians will hauehave both precedent and concomitant grace to be giuen by God, yet they will hauehave it in the power of mans free will, to refuſe grace, or not to refuſe it. Surely Arminius would hauehave God to predeſtinate thoſe to ſaluation, whom he from eternity fore-ſaw would by their owne free-will vſe aright his grace. But I deny that this can be called Election, ſeeing it is rather a decree of admitting thoſe that will come to Chriſt, when they might not come: who (if Arminius doctrine get place) doe firſt chooſe God and apply themſelues to him, before they be appointed to ſa…uation by God.
XXIII. I let paſſe, that Arminius will hauehave particular men ſo to be elected for faith fore-ſeene, that they belong to the election, not whom hee hath decreed, but whom he hath fore-ſeene will perſeuere in the faith vntill death. Whence it comes, that God electeth none, vnleſſe he be conſidered as dead, or elſe in the very point betweene life and death; which if it be true, Arminius doth ſay amiſſe, when he ſaith, that beleeuers are elected: for he ſhould ſay, that they are elected, who ceaſe to beleeue.
XXIV. Adde to this, that new and prodigious opinion of the Arminians, whereby they thinke that reprobates may be ſaued, and thoſe which are elect may be damned, not as they are the reprobate or the elect, but as they are indued with power to beleeue, and to come to ſaluation. But if he which is a reprobate by the decree of God, may be ſaued, and hee which is elected may be damned, it is plaine, that Predeſtination is not the decree of God, but a thing onelyonly in title, and a floting will, or meere and bare fore-knowledge; the certainty whereof doth depend vponupon the foreſeeing of an vncertaine thing, to wit, mans free-will. Who, I pray, would endure a man ſpeaking thus? I am indeede a reprobate, but I can effect that I ſhould be ſaued; or, I am elected, but it is in my power to effect that I ſhould be reprobated.
XXV. If therefore the certainty of election ſhould be made to depend vponupon mans will, it might come to paſſe, that no man ſhould beleeue in Chriſt, and ſo Chriſt had died in vaine.
XXVI. See Sect. 16.But by that ſeries and order of the foure decrees, whereby Chriſt is appointed to death, before God had determined who ſhould be ſaued; Chriſt is made the head of the Church, without any certaine members, which is meere dotage: For Chriſt is fained to be giuen to be the head of the Church, without the certaine will of God, what ſhould afterward be his body. Yea, by the doctrine of the Arminians, it may come to paſſe, that Chriſt ſhould be a head without a body, and the Church ſhould be none at all, for they thinke that there is none of the elect which may not be damned.
XXVII. This alſo is not to be omitted, that the Arminians, to the end they might maintain that concatenation, or linking together of the foure decrees, doe affirme, that Chriſt died, not for the faithfull, but for all men indiſtinctly; not more for Peter, then for Iudas; and that Chriſt in his death, had not determined whom he would ſaue by his death; yea, that when Chriſt dyed, election had no place, becauſe election is a thing after the death of Chriſt.
XXVIII. The example of Caiaphas and of Iudas, is here of ſpeciall weight: For by the doctrine of Arminius, God electeth all men vnderunder this condition, that they beleeue in the death of Chriſt. I demand therefore, whether God choſe Caiaphas and Iudas to ſaluation, vnderunder this condition, that they ſhould beleeue in the death of Chriſt? This ſurely cannot be ſaid; becauſe God had decreed to vſe the wickedneſſe of Caiaphas and Iudas to deliuer Chriſt to death. How could they be elected to ſaluation, vnderunder the cond tion of beleeuing in the death of Chriſt, who were appointed to that very thing, that by their incredu…ity and wickedneſſe, Chriſt might be deliuered to death? But we onelyonly touch theſe things courſarily and by the way, they are to be expounded more exactly in their place.