The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
The opinion of Saint Auſten concerning Election for faith fore-ſeene.
WEE are beholding to Pelagius and his ſectaries, for the learned Treatiſes of Saint Auſten, full of good fruit, wherein he hath explained more fully and more plainely then any other, the heads of Chriſtian faith concerning Grace, Free will, and Predeſtination: For before Pelagius his time, theſe things were handled generally and groſely, and not exactly enough: Saint Auſten himſelfe, in his booke of the Predeſtination of the Saints, Chap. 3. and of his retractations, lib. 1. cap. 24. and in many other places, doth confeſſe, that he at the beginning writ, with little conſideration, concerning theſe things; the holy man was not aſhamed to change his opinion, after hee ſharpned his wit at this whetſtone of contentions, and the ſparkes of truth broke out of the diſputation.
The hereſie of Pelagius being driuen away, the reliques of the Pelagians did yet remaine in France, who to keepe backe enuy, leaſt they ſhould ſeeme to fauour Pelagius, they did diſtinguiſh nature from grace: But they did affirme that ſufficient grace was offred to all men, and that it did extend as farre as nature: they did acknowledge an election, but it was conditionall and not abſolute. For they were elected by God whom he fore-ſaw would beleeue and vſe his grace well. And theſe are their opinions, That election is for faith fore-ſeene; and that the number of the elect is not determined by the certaine decree of God. They ſaid that the fruit of the doctrine of Saint Auſten concerning election according to the purpoſe of God, was eit…er deſperation, or a benummed ſluggiſhnes, if the reprobate man cannot be ſaued by any labour and contention, nor he that is elected be depriued of the kingdome by any negligence. It is not amiſſe to ſet downe their words, taken out of the Epiſtle of Proſper to Saint Auſtin, which is incerted in the ſeauenth Tome of Saint Auſtins works: They determine that the propitiation, which is in the Sacrament of the bloud of Chriſt, is propounded to all men, without exception; that whoſoeuer will come to faith and to baptiſme, may be ſaued. And that God fore-knew before the making of the world, who were to beleeue, and who by faith (which afterwards was to be aſsiſted and helped by the grace of God) were to remaine: And that he predeſtinated thoſe to his kingdome, who being freely called, he fore-ſaw would be worthy of election, and would depart out of this life with a good end, &c. But they ſay that the opinion of Saint Auſten doth take away from them that are fallen, the care of riſing againe, and doth yeelde occaſion of a heauy dulneſſe to the Saints, &c. They doe not yeelde that the predeſtinated number of the elect can neither be encreaſed, nor diminiſhed: this is meere Arminianiſme, the very ſame opinion; we are aſſailed with the ſame calumnies wherewith Saint Auſtin was.
Againſt theſe Semipe…agians, the holy man writ a Booke of the PRedeſtination of the Saints; out of which Booke, it will not be from the purpoſe to take out and alledge ſome places.
Chap. 3. We reade (the Apoſtle ſaying it) I obtained mercy, that I might be faithfull: He doth not ſay, becauſe I was faithfull: It is giuen then to him that is faithfull, but it is giuen him alſo that he might be faithfull.
Chap. 17. Let vsus vnderſtand the calling whereby men are elected, not they which are elected becauſe they beleeued, but they which are elected that they might beleeue. For this the Lord himſelfe doth make plaine enough, when he ſaith; Ye hauehave not choſen me, but I hauehave choſen you: For if they were therefore choſen, becauſe they beleeued, they had firſt choſen him, by beleeuing in him, that they might deſerue to be elected. And a little after: They did not chooſe him, that he might chooſe them, but that they might chooſe him, he choſe them, becauſe his mercy preuented them, according to his grace, not according to their deſert. And in the ſame chapter; God then elected the faithfull, but it was that they might be ſo, not becauſe they were already ſo. By chooſing them, he maketh them rich in faith, as heires of a kingdome; and rightly, becauſe he is ſaid to chooſe that in them, which that he might worke in them, he hath choſen them. Doth any one heare our Lord ſaying; Ye hauehave not choſen me, but I hauehave choſen you? and dares he ſay that men beleeue that they might be choſen, when rather they are choſen, that they might beleeue?
Chap. 18. He choſe vsus in him before the world was made, that we might be holy and without ſpot: Therefore not becauſe we were holy, but that we ſhould be holy; it is certaine, it is manifeſt: Therefore we were to be ſuch, becauſe he elected vsus, predeſtinating vsus, that by his grace we ſhould be holy.
In then inteenth chapter he repeateth the ſame words, and addeth moreouer theſe; When therefore he predeſtinated vsus, hee fore knew his owne worke, who hath made vsus holy and without ſpot.
In the ſame place the Pelagians reiecting election for workes fore-ſeene, ſticke onelyonly in the fore-ſeeing of faith: Wee (ſay they) doe ſay that our God fore knew nothing, but faith whereby we beginne to beleeue, and therefore he elected vsus, &c. Againſt theſe things Saint Auſtin diſputeth much, and at the length he doth thus conclude his ſpeech, Neither doth faith it ſelfe goe before; for he doth not chooſe vsus becauſe we beleeue, but he choſe vsus that we might beleeue, leaſt we ſhould be ſaid to chooſe him firſt: and that ſhould be falſe (which God forbid) which Chriſt ſaith, ye hauehave not choſen me, but I hauehave choſen you: Neither are we called, becauſe we doe beleeue, but we are called, that we might beleeue, and by that calling, which is without repentance, it is wrought, and throughly wrought, that we ſhould beleeue.
Finally, he ſaith, that Pelagius himſelfe, to the intent that he might delude the Paleſtine Synode, with an ambiguous confeſſion, condemned thoſe that ſay that grace is giuen according to merit; which opinion was allowed by the Synode; and they were condemned, who ſaid election was for faith fore-ſeene. For Saint Auſtin confirmeth, that theſe two come to one and the ſame ſence, in his fift booke againſt Iulian, chap. 3. God electeth no man that is worthy, but by electing him, he maketh him worthy.
And he doth in ſixe hundred places, beate vponupon abſolute election, or (as Arminius calleth it) preciſe election, and not depending vponupon the fore-ſeeing of any vertue or worth. As Epiſt. 105. Why one ſhould beleeue, and another not beleeue, when both heare the ſame thing; and if a miracle be done in both their ſights, it is the height of the riches of the wiſdome and knowledge of God, whoſe iudgements are vnſearchable, and with whom there is no iniquitie, while he will hauehave mercy on whom he will, and hardneth whom he will: for thoſe things are not vniuſt, becauſe they be hidden and ſecret: But theſe things are not hidden to Arminius, for hee ſaith, the cauſe of this difference is the fore-ſeeing of faith in one of them.
The Booke de fide ad Petrum, whether it be the Booke of Fulgentius, or of Auſtin, in the third chapter, hath theſe words; They ſhall raigne with Chriſt whom God of his free gracious goodneſſe, hath elected to the kingdome; becauſe by predeſtinating them, he hath prepared them to be ſuch that they might be worthy of the kingdome, he hath prepared them, whom according to his purpoſe he will call; that they may obey, he hath prepared them whom he will iuſtifie, that hauing receiued grace, they might beleeue rightly, and liue well: To which kingdome they hauehave come, whom God hath ſaued of his free-grace, for no precedent merit of good will or good worke.