The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
The ſame is proued out of the eight and ninth and the eleuenth Chapter to the Romanes.
SAint Paul in the eight to the Romanes, treating of Predeſtination, doth eaſily driue away all the cloudes of errour. His words are theſe, Verſe 28.29.30. We know that all things worke together for good to them that louelove God, to them that are called, according to his purpoſe: For whom he did fore-know, them alſo he did predeſtinate to be conformed to the image of his Sonne, that he might be firſt borne among many brethren. Moreouer, whom he did predeſtinate, them alſo he called, and whom he called them alſo he iuſtified, and whom he iuſtified, them alſo he glorified.
I. Firſt of all, that ſpeech offers it ſelfe, that we are predeſtinated, that we might be made conformable to the image of Chriſt: And ſeeing this conformity in this life, is by faith and charity; it is plaine by the Apoſtle, that wee are iuſtified to faith, and not for faith. I know indeede that Chriſt himſelfe had not faith, as faith is taken in the Goſpell; but ſeeing that the conformity of the faithfull with Chriſt is placed in charity, righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe; and theſe are the effects of faith, which doth worke by charity: he that ſaith we are predeſtinated to charity and righteouſneſſe, doth alſo ſay, that we are predeſtinated to faith, which doth effect and worke all thoſe things; no otherwiſe then hee who is appointed to goe and to breath, is appointed alſo to life.
II. What ſay the Arminians here? Why, they by conformity with Chriſt, vnderſtand the croſſe, and afflictions for Chriſt: But the following words diſproue that, that he might be firſt borne among many brethren: For Chriſt is the firſt begotten of the ſonnes of God; as for other cauſes, ſo alſo becauſe hee being more liberally furniſhed with the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, is an example of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe; being annointed with the oyle of gladneſſe aboue his fellowes, Pſal. 45. euen as the firſt borne receiue more of their fathers goods: But that he ſhould be called the firſt borne for the croſſe and for afflictions, is a thing new and inſolent, and that which reaſon abhorreth. Alſo it is certaine, that that which Saint Paul ſpeaketh of, doth belong to all the faithfull. For he addeth, whom he did predeſtinate, them alſo be called, whom he called, them alſo he iuſtified, whom he iuſtified, them alſo he glorified. Glorification, iuſtification, calling, predeſtination, are the foure linkes of that chaine belonging to the conformity vntounto the image of Chriſt, and they are ſo interlaced & enfolded, that by no meanes they can be pulled aſunder: For all that are glorified are iuſtified, all that are iuſtified are called by that effectuall calling, which is peculiar to the elect; all that are ſo called are appointed, that they ſhould be conformable to the image of Chriſt. Let the ſectaries tell me, whether glorification, iuſtification, and calling, doe not belong to all the elect: For Arminius, while he doth reſtraine this conformity to afflictions, he maketh many elect, that are not conformable to Chriſt, becauſe many of the ſeruants of God, euen of the beſt, hauehave had peace without interruption, and quietneſſe with honour. Doe the Arminians wipe themſelues out of the number of the elect, who in the height of peace, forgetfull of the croſſe of Chriſt, hauehave moued this ſinke, pernicious and deadly to themſelues, and to the Church? I am not ignorant, that theſe things are ſpoken by the Apoſtle, to the comfort of the afflicted, to whom all things turne to good. But what lets, that hee ſhould not comfort them by thoſe leſſons which might belong to all. So the Apoſtle Saint Peter, 1. Pet. 2. when hee had commanded ſeruants to be ſubiect to their maſters, not onelyonly if they were good, but alſo if they were euill and rough; a little after he doth exhort them to patience, by thoſe inſtructions which are common to all Chriſtians, admoniſhing them that it is pleaſing to God, if any of them endure troubles for conſcience ſake; that Chriſt being innocent, therfore ſuffered, that he might leaue vsus an example, that we might walke in his ſteppes: And it is no doubt, but that theſe that are here ſaid to be predeſtinated to conformity, vntounto the image of Chriſt, are the ſame with thoſe, who in the ſame place he ſaith, are called by the purpoſe of God: But they that are afflicted for Chriſt, are not onelyonly called, but alſo all the elect; among whom there are many that are free from perſecutions.
III. Eſpecially obſerue, that Saint Paul here doth ſpeake of the election of particular perſons, thoſe whom he Predeſtinated, and thoſe whom he glorifyed, for but ſome, and that a few are glorified. Theſe Innouators, will hauehave the election of particular perſons to be after calling and they will hauehave them to be elected, whom God fore-ſeeth will follow him calling; and they make election to reſt vponupon this foreſeeing. But Saint Paul here maketh election to be before calling, when hee ſaith, Whom he predeſtinated them alſo he called, whom he called, them alſo he iuſtified; whom he iuſtified, them alſo he glorified: For as in order and time, iuſtification is before glorification; and calling before iuſtification, ſo alſo the predeſtination of ſeuerall perſons is before calling.
IV. But it is worth the labour, to conſider the linkes of that Apoſtolicall chaine, Whom he predeſtinated he called, whom he called he iuſtified, whom he iuſtified he glorified, Doe not you ſee how we are predeſtinated to our calling, and by our calling to iuſtification? And ſeeing that we are iuſtified by Faith, it followeth that we are predeſtinated to Faith: For how can he be predeſtinated to iuſtification by Faith, who is not predeſtinated to Faith? Theſe things ſtrike at the life.
V. I let paſſe, that the Arminians doe ouerturne thoſe words of S. Paul, whom he iuſtified, them alſo he glorified; while they affirme, that many are iuſtified who are reprobates. This they cleerely ſhew in their Epiſtle againſt the Walachrians, Pag 40. They who beleeue for a time, may be ſaid to be iuſtified, whom the euent doth ſhew to be reprobates.
VI. In the ſame chapter, v. 16. he ſaith, The ſpirit of God beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that we are the children of God. I demande whether this teſiemony of the ſpirit be certaine or doubtfull? If it be doubtfull, the ſpirit of God is accuſed of a lie. If it be certaine, I demand on what foundation doth this certainty reſt? Doth it reſt on the power of free-will? Why this is a doubtfull and deceitfull certainty. Or is this teſtimony certaine, becauſe it is giuen to none but them, whom God hath certainely appointed to ſaluation? Why, this is that very thing, which we affirme, and the Arminians deny.
VII. There is no leſſe force in the ninth chapter to the Romanes, where the Apoſtle doth throughly and largely treate of Election and reprobation. The ſcope of the Apoſtle, is to teach, that election and ſaluation, is not of the workes of the law, but of God, calling and hauing mercy, and his ſcope is not (as Arminius faines) to treate of iuſtification by faith. I will not repeate thoſe things which are ſpoken, chap. 15. where we hauer preſſed Arminius, torturing the Apoſtle, that he might draw him, againſt his will, to the patronage of his cauſe.
VIII. Thus much the carefull Reader ſhall obſerue; that Paul after he hath ſpoken of the purpoſe of God, according to Election, doth preſently lay downe Iacob, for an example of that Election; whom God loued before he had done any good or euil, and therefore before he had beleeued (for to beleeue, is to doe ſomething) and ſo Election went before Faith. Yea, although to beleeue the Goſpell and obey it, were not an action; yet if election went before the conſideration of workes, it muſt needes alſo goe before the conſideration of Faith, from which workes doe flow: For if Faith ſhould goe before Election, God in electing could not conſider Faith, but as bringing forth workes, for otherwiſe he had conſidered Faith, not as it is, but as it is not.
IX. Alſo that which he ſaith, v. 16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy, were falſe, if God had mercy on men for faith fore-ſcene. For the Arminians doe hold this ſtedfaſtly, and defend with greateſt diligence; that God giueth all men power of beleeuing in Chriſt, yea, and that he is bound to giuegive it, and how great grace ſoeuer God may giuegive to beleeue in act, yet it is in the power of mans free will to vſe this grace or not to vſe it; to beleeue or not to beleeue, and that that man is elected by God, whom he foreſaw would beleeue, and whom he conſidereth as already beleeuing. According to this doctrine, it may rightly be ſaid, that ſaluation is of him that willeth and of him that runneth, and not onelyonly of God that ſheweth mercy: But if Paul therefore ſaid, that it is not of him that willeth, becauſe it is not alone of him that wi…leth, why ſhall it not be alſo lawfull to ſay, that it is not of God that ſheweth mercy, becauſe it is not alone of him ſhewing mercy, but alſo of mans free will.
X. But if to that queſtion whereby it is demanded, why God of one and the ſame Maſſe, hath loued one and hated another, why hee had mercy of one, and hardned the other; it may be anſwered, that it was done becauſe God fore-ſaw that the one would beleeue, and the other would not beleeue: Saint Paul ought not to hauehave blamed the demander, and commanded him to be ſilent, ſeeing the cauſe of this difference is in readineſſe, to wit, in the one, faith was fore-ſeene, in the other vnbeleefe was foreſeene. Did Saint Paul ſeeme to Arminius, eyther not to be quick of vnderſtanding, or to be ſcrupulous without cauſe? But leaſt he ſhould be compelled to ſay this, he hath deuiſed I know not what ſubtilties, and monſters of interpretations: Such as are theſe. Of him that calleth, that is, of Faith: And of God that ſheweth mercy, that is, that iuſtifieth not for workes, but for Faith, which mercy, notwithſtanding is common to many reprobates. Then alſo that ſpeech, I will hauehave mercy on whom I will hauehave mercy, by cuius, whom, hee would hauehave qualium, what ſort of men, to be vnderſtood. And it is not of him that willeth, to wit, righteouſneſſe is not: For he denyeth that theſe are to be vnderſtood of ſaluation, as if ſaluation were of him that willeth: Euen as to hauehave mercy, if Arminius be beleeued, is not to ſaue, but to giuegive the meanes to righteouſneſſe, And many more ſuch like, which are eyther inconuenient or wreſted, which we hauehave examined in the 15. chapter.
XI. Adde to theſe that which is in the eleuenth to the Romanes, Rom. 11.5.At this preſent there is a remnant according to the election of Grace. By this remnant, or reſerued portion, are vnderſtood thoſe Iewes who cleaued to Chriſt, and who did not fall from the couenant with the reſt. We hauehave here therefore the cauſe why theſe perſeuered in the Faith, and hauehave not fallen from grace, to wit, becauſe the reſeruation was made according to the election of grace: Therefore perſeuerance in Faith, is according to the election of grace, and not election, according to perſeuerance in Faith. as Arminius would hauehave it. Arminius, that he might ſhift off this place, ſaith, that it is here ſpoken of election to righteouſneſſe, not of election to Faith, which although it be falſe, yet it doth not infringe the force and euidence of this place: For, whoſoeuer is elected to righteouſneſſe, is elected to Faith. And ſurely I cannot ſufficiently maruaile at that which Arminius ſaith, Pag. 222. What is that which is by grace? Armin. in Perk. pag. 222.It is election to Faith, nothing leſſe, but it is election to righteouſneſſe, as if there were any righteouſneſſe without Faith: Or as if he who refuſeth Faith, doth not alſo refuſe righteouſneſſe. Surely theſe things ſound of Socianiſme, and doe ſhew that there is vnderunder them ſome hidden vlcer: Alſo what is it to the purpoſe to contend, that it is here ſpoken of election to righteouſneſſe, ſeeing according to Arminius, this is not certaine by the will of God, but doth depend on mans free-will.
XII. Arnoldus, Pag. 346. dealeth more warily: He thinks that it is ſpoken here of the reiection of the Iewes, and taking in of the Gentiles: But the word remnant, or reſeruation, doth confute this, for from hence, as alſo from the former verſes, it is manifeſt that he doth enquire the cauſe, why a few of the Iewes, onelyonly a remnant, doe belong to the couenant, being afterwards to explaine how the Gentiles were engrafted into the place of the reſt, which were reiected and cut off.
Finally, againſt theſe places of Scripture, the Arminians (although they be acute and witty men) doe ſo flye the encounter, they doe fight ſo recoylingly, they doe ſo intangle themſelues, that they ſeeme eyther to be vnwilling to be vnderſtood, or to diſtruſt their owne cauſe: Furthermore, if they ſay true, no man yet had vnderſtood what Chriſtian Religion is.