The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 29 – Chapter 30
CHAP. XXIX.
The obiections of the Arminians are diſſolued, by which they endeauour to maintaine and confirme the obtaining of ſaluation for all men.
THE Arminians make many obiections againſt theſe things, but preuaile nothing. Firſt, they flouriſh with places of Scripture, and then they handle the matter with other reaſons.
I. They bring that place of Saint Iohn, Chaper 3. Verſe 16. Where God is ſaid to hauehave ſo loued the world, that he gaue his Sonne: which place wee hauehave already taught, doth hurt Arminius; and that the ſending of the ſame, is in the following words, reſtrained to the beleeuers alone. Whence it is manifeſt, that Chriſt was not ſent, but to ſaue them who were to beleeue. I might ſay that the world is here taken for the faithfull alone; as, Iohn 6.33. and 1 Tim. 3.16. and H…b. 2.5. But although we grant, that by the world all mankinde are contained in the whole, yet it will not thence follow, that Chriſt purchaſed ſaluation for all, and particular men: for the obtaining of the ſaluation of ſome men, doth abundantly teſtifie, that mankinde is loued by God.
II And it is worth the labour to know what meaning the Arminians apply to Chriſt, and what according to the Arminians is the ſenſe of theſe words of Chriſt. God ſo loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly bego…ten Sonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life. According to the doctrine of Arminius, this muſt be the ſenſe of theſe words; God ſo loued all mankinde, with a louelove wherewith he hath not willed their ſaluation, that he decreed to ſend his ſonne, before he thought of ſauing man, to purchaſe for himſelfe the power of ſauing man, and afterward he decreed to giuegive eueryevery man power of beleeuing, if he himſelfe would, that ſo he might hauehave eternall life. A monſter of Doctrine, and a new Goſpell.
III. They aſſault vsus alſo with the words of Saint Iohn, 1 Epiſt. 2. Chap. 2. v. where Chriſt is ſaid to be the propitiation for the ſinnes of the whole world. And out of the firſt Chapter of Saint Iohn; where hee is called the Lambe, taking away the ſins of the world. But by theſe, they effect nothing; for this is ſaid, becauſe in the whole world no mans ſinnes are remitted, but by Chriſt. In the ſame ſenſe that 1 Cor. 15.22. Saint Paul ſaith, In Chriſt all men are made aliue; becauſe no man is made aliue, but by him. So hee that ſhould ſay, that Hypocrates taught all Graecia and Italy the art of Phyſicke, did not ſay that all and ſeuerall men of Graecia and Italy learned Phyſicke of him, but that no man learned Phyſicke but from him. For it is manifeſt, that Chriſt hath not taken away the ſinnes of all and ſeuerall men, becauſe very many remaine in ſinne, and are condemned for their ſinnes.
IV. They doe colourably boaſt of that place, 1 Tim. 2.4 God would hauehave all men to be ſaued, and come to 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 vponupon this Epiſtle. And this thing is confirmed by the very words of the Apoſtle; for he ſaith, God would hauehave all men be ſaued, and come to the knowledge of the truth: Now it is manifeſt by experience, that God doth not giuegive, 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, eueryevery diſeaſe, for eueryevery kinde of diſeaſe. You hauehave the like example, Coloſ. 1.28. In this ſenſe, Heb. 2. Chriſt is ſaid to hauehave dyed for all.
VI. Furthermore, there is no doubt, but that the Apoſtle commandeth vsus to pray, not onelyonly 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 eueryevery one: But he that commandeth vsus to pray for Nero, doth not therefore determine that God will ſaue Nero, but onelyonly forbiddeth vsus to deſpaire of him.
VII. The ſenſe therefore of theſe words, God would hauehave 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 vsus, 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 hauehave 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 giuegive faith to all, ſeeing man by his owne fault brought vponupon himſelfe the inability of beleeuing, as wee hauehave 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 foreign, 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 giuegive life to things created by him. Alike place you hauehave, 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 onelyonly 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 vponupon vsus 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 hauehave heard nothing of the death of Chriſt, are not bound to beleeue that Chriſt dyed for them, which yet are the greateſt part of the world: Neither are they, to whom Chriſt is preached, bound to beleeue abſolutely and without condition that Chriſt died for them, but on this condition, if they be conuerted: For if they ſhall perſeuere in impenitency, they are bound to beleeue that the death of Chriſt doth nothing pertaine to them.
XV. Arminius, pag. 77. againſt Perkins, and his ſectaries, doe repeate and heape vp theſe things, euen to tediouſneſſe. If there be any, for whoſe ſinnes God would not hauehave ſatisfaction to be made to himſelfe by the death of Chriſt, then in no right can faith be required of them, nor can Chriſt be made their iudge, neither can the reprobate be blamed for refuſing the grace of redemption, becauſe it did not pertaine to him. I anſwere, all theſe things are grounded on this falſe ſuppoſition, that faith is required of all men: for wee hauehave already taught, that it is not required of them who neuer had any meanes to know Chriſt; as alſo that they to whom Chriſt is preached, are not bound abſolutely and without condition, to beleeue that they are redeemed by the death of Chriſt, but on this condition, that they be conuerted. They to whom the Goſpell hath not beene preached, ſhall not be condemned for the reiection of the Goſpell, but for the breach of the Law: of which iudgement, Chriſt by his father is appointed to be the Iudge; who doth leaue vnderunder the Law, thoſe whom he doth not ſaue by the Goſpell. But they who by their incredulity, hauehave refuſed the grace offred them by the Goſpell, are iuſtly condemned for refuſing that grace, not becauſe they hauehave reiected that which pertaineth to vnbeleeuers and impenitent perſons, but becauſe hauing deſpiſed the condition, they hauehave neglected that which was offered to them vnderunder the condition of beleeuing; which condition, although they cannot fulfill by their naturall powers, yet it is their debt, for man himſelfe, by his owne fault, brought vponupon himſelfe the diſabilitie of beleeuing, which diſability God is not bound to cure in all: Of which thing it is largely ſpoken, Chap. 11. But (ſay they) Reprobates cannot be blamed for deſpiſing that grace which doth not belong vntounto them. But they are quite out of the way: For reprobates cannot be accuſed for deſpiſing grace, if they did deſpiſe it, becauſe they knew it did not belong vntounto them: But they therefore reiect it, becauſe they louelove not Chriſt, and they are led to the contempt of it by their owne will: For Reprobates doe not therefore beleeue, becauſe ſaluation doth not belong vntounto them; but rather, ſaluation doth not belong vntounto them, becauſe they doe not beleeue, and they draw deſtruction to themſelues, by their owne incredulity and impenitency. It is true indeede, that reprobation is the cauſe why God will not giuegive faith and repentance to this or that man: But it is not the cauſe which doth put in and bre…de impenitency, and incredulity in man: Wherefore that ſpeech of Chriſt, Iohn. 10.16 Yee beleeue not becauſe ye are not of my ſheepe, is ſo to be taken as if hee had ſaid, Therefore God doth not giuegive you faith, which is peculiar to the elect, becauſe yee are not elected.
XVI. This is the obiection of Greuinchouius, P. 19. If election be before the obtayning of ſaluation, then God firſt decreed of the communicating of ſaluation, before he decreed of the obtaining of it. But I am ſo far from thinking this to be abſurd, that I beleeue it is plainely neceſſary: For it is alwaies firſt thought of the end, before of the meanes to the end. The ſaluation of man was the end God propounded to himſelfe; that this was the end is hence manifeſt, becauſe this is laſt in execution: Therefore God firſt thought of giuing ſaluation, before he thought of the obtayning of ſaluation by Chriſt, becauſe this is the meanes by which he doth leade vsus to ſaluation.
XVII. The ſame man, Page 87. doth thus diſpute: They to whom this price (being fit to ſaue them) is offered, if they themſelues will embrace it, for them alſo it is payed by the purpoſe of God: But it is offered to Reprobates on this condition, if they will embrace it; therefore it is payed alſo for them by the purpoſe of God. I anſwere, that the minor part is not vniuerſally true; for this price is not offered for all the Reprobates; and the maior part doth offend againſt the rules of precognition or ſuppoſition, which will hauehave the ſubiect of eueryevery Axiome or ſentence, to be, or to hauehave being. For examples ſake; this ſentence, Whoſoeuer fulfilleth the law is ſaued, is not falſe: But the falſhood of it is in the preſuppoſition, whereby it is preſuppoſed, That ſome men fulfill the Law. The Maior of this Sylogiſme hath the ſame fault: For the ſubiect of it, is imaginary and not exiſtent: For the ſubiect is this, They to whom this price is offered to embrace it if they will; I deny that there are ſuch men to be found: For this price is not offered to the Reprobates, if they will embrace it, ſeeing it is moſt certaine that they will not, and that they cannot will; of which diſabilitie man himſelfe is the cauſe: Neither is this price offered to the Elect if they will, but God in offering that price, doth worke in them that they ſhould will.
XVIII. And when they ſpeake of the ſufficiency of the death of Chriſt, as they extoll the efficacy of it, ſo they ſay that it is ſufficient, not onelyonly for men, but alſo for the diuells. Which if it be true, it muſt needes be, that God doth take away and cut off ſomething from the price of the death of his Sonne; and doth ſhorten the efficacy of it. But although I know that the price and dignity of the death of Chriſt, doth not depend on his humane nature, but on the infinite excellency of his diuine nature, yet I denie that his death is fit for the redemption of diuels, becauſe the iuſtice of God requireth, that man who ſinned, ſhould beare the puniſhment, and it was needfull that the mediator betweene God and man ſhould hauehave reference to both, in the communion of his nature: Therefore to ſaue man, he tooke not the Angels, but the ſeede of Abraham, Heb. 2. And if the death of a man is ſit to ſatisfie for the ſinnes of Angels, then the torments of an Angell, if Chriſt had taken the nature of Angells, had beene fit to ſatisfie for the ſinnes of man. Finally, when it is ſpoken of the fitneſſe, is not to be diſputed of the ſufficiency: For otherwiſe, it might alſo be diſputed whether the death of Chriſt be ſufficient to ſaue Horſes or Beetles, and to giuegive them immortality; which ſurely is not without impietie.
XIX. Theſe in a manner are the arguments wherwith theſe innouators do defend themſelus: But they doe exagitate and wrong our opinion, after their owne manner, which is euill; for they change it before they impugne it: By this meanes they doe not refute our opinion, but their owne forgeries. For examples ſake, Chriſt, Iohn 3.17. ſpeaketh thus: God ſent not his ſonne into the world, to condemne the world, but that the world through him might be ſaued. Greuinchouius, Page 21. doth faigne that wee thus interprete this place: God ſent his Sonne into the Elect; When notwithſtanding there, by the world, is manifeſtly vnderſtood this region of the earth, and his habitation among men. He, wantonly ſporting with an vnconſtant licentiouſneſſe, doth attribute many ſuch things to vsus. This one example which I will adde ſhall be inſtead of many, Page 76. hee doth bring vsus in thus ſpeaking: Ye Reprobates, why doe you ceaſe; Hauing gotten ſo fit a price of redemption, that if ye will beleeue, or eate through a Rock, ye may goe right from hence into the kingdome of Heauen? And a little after, Hee hath alſo vouchſafed you, to wit, the Reprobates, his calling, although ye are appointed to eternall puniſhments, for no deſert of yours, that being more blinded and ſtupified, ye might procure to your ſelues a greater iudgement. Behold the mans paſtime, and his Theologicall ſpleene. I doe not doubt but his heart leapt for ioy when hee writ theſe things, as a thing brauely carried: But the good man doth trifle, and fight with his owne ſhadow, for theſe things doe quite differ from our opinion. For we doe not command the Reprobates, that is, they that perſeuere in impenitency & vnbeleefe, to beleeue a lie, or while they perſeuere in impenitency, to flatter themſelues with a vaine hope, vnderunder the pretence of faith in Chriſt: Nor doe we ſay that they are appointed to eternall puniſhments for no deſert of theirs, ſeeing they hauehave procured this deſtruction to themſelues by their owne ſinnes: Nor doe we teach that any one is onelyonly therefore called by God, that he might procure to himſelfe greater iudgement, although oftentimes, men by their calling are made inexcuſable, becauſe by the knowledge of their dutie, the fault of the neglect of their duty is made greater, and it is a greater fault, not to doe what you know. then not to know what you ſhould doe. The ſcope and intent of God calling to the Reprobates, is to require of them that which they owe; to the elect is, to giuegive the efficacy of their calling, that they might be ſaued; to them both, that hee might make knowne what is acceptable to him, and what obedience is pleaſing to him.
XX. But Greuinchouius ſhall not goe ſcot-free, it ſeemeth good to lay theſe things vponupon him, and to preſent to your view the prodigious doctrine of the Arminians, the curtaine being, as it were, drawne aſide, and that without any falſe accuſation: For putting on the perſon of an Arminian, I may thus ſpeake to the Reprobates. Be of a good courage ye Reprobates, for although ye are reprobates, yet ye may be ſaued. It is true indeede that no reprobates are ſaued; but yet there is none of them who may not be ſaued. For Chriſt hath obtained for you ſaluation, but not the application of ſaluation: He hath obtained good things for you, but hee hath not obtained for you, that you ſhould euer poſſeſſe thoſe good things in act: For he hath obtained that reconciliation, which in the very moment wherein he procured it, he certainly knew would not profit you. Hee hath obtained for you the remiſſion of thoſe ſinnes which he certainely knew were not to be remitted: For this reconciliation is not applied but on a condition which hee knew was not to be fulfilled. And that ye may know how well Chriſt wiſheth you, I tell you that hee doth intercede for you with a generall interceſſion, but not with a particular, without which no man is ſaued. For by the death of Chriſt, reconciliation is obtained for you, but not the communication of the reconciliation: Neither is the application of the obtained reconciliation procured for you; but God by it hath gotten to himſelfe liberty and faculty to ſaue you: By which death, Chriſt is made a redeemer, without any certaine purpoſe of God who were to be redeemed, and is made the head of the Church, without any members that are certaine. God indeede ſending his Sonne into the world, was moued with ſome inclination and affection towards men; but without any certaine will of ſauing men: For the decree of ſending his Sonne, went in order before the decree of ſauing. By which decree, all men are elected, although many from eternity were reprobated. God indeede did deſire to ſaue all and that ſeriouſly, but he is diſappointed of his end by you, neither hath hee attained to what hee did deſire, which doth very much grieue him. Know alſo this, O reprobates, that Chriſt procured and purchaſed ſaluation for you all, but he is not willing it ſhould be knowne but to ſome few, when yet without this knowledge no man can be ſaued. Alſo although he hath obtained reconciliation for you, yet hee hath not obtained faith for you, without which there is no ſaluation: Wherefore God calleth you to ſaluation, but not after a congruent and agreeable manner, whereby they that are called doe not follow. And yet be not out of heart, God giueth to you all the power of beleeuing, that you may beleeu in act, if ye wil, for it is in the powr of your own free-will to vſe grace, or not to vſe it, that ye may be ſaued, although certainly you are to be damned. Kindely ſpoken; yea, rather wickedly ſpoken, and to the ſcorne of God and men: For who doth not tremble at the ſhape of ſo prodigious a doctrine? Who doth not grieue at the caſe of the Chriſtian Church, to the deforming of which, and to the turning of it into a monſter, no ſlow wits hauehave conuerted all their ſubtlety? When therfore Greuiuchouius, Page 70. being touched with pitty towards vsus, doth profeſſe that he is ready to helpe our infirmity and ignorance, it is a doubt whether he be worthier of laughter, or of pitty.
CHAP. XXIX.
That it was long agoe diſputed whether Chriſt died for all, but in a farre diuerſe ſence.
SAint Auſtin being dead, his wrightings of Predeſtination, of Grace, and of Free will were diuerſly receiued by diuers men. This diſeaſe eſpecially poſſeſſed Aquitania. Amongſt theſe contentions iſſued out the hereſie of thoſe that were called Predeſtinati, whereof Sigebert in his Chronicle to the yeere 415. doth make mention. Theſe taught, that the indeauour of good workes did nothing profit a reprobate man; and againe, that wicked deedes did nothing hurt the man that was elected, although hee gaue himſelfe ouer to luſt, gluttony, and rapine. Lucidus, a certaine prieſt of Aquitania, was infected with this error, to whom there is extant an Epiſtle of Fauſtus, an Aquitan, Biſhop of Rhegiū, whereunto are ſubſcribed the names of eleuen Biſhops of the Arelaten counſell: In this Epiſtle an Anathema is laid vponupon them, who ſay that Chriſt died not for all; alſo on them who ſay that God would not hauehave all men to be ſaued: Which that it was truely ſpoken by Fauſtus, and according to the Catholike faith, the Arelaten Synode hath rightly iudged: For the Synode beleeued that this was ſpoken by Fauſtus, againſt Pelagius, who ſeeing hee denied originall ſinne, and thought that a man might perfectly fulfill the law by his owne free-will, it is no maruaile if hee ſaid that Chriſt died not for all; for why ſhould Chriſt die for them that were not ſinners? Or what neede is there of Phiſicke where there is no diſeaſe? Or what neede of the Goſpell to him who hath fulfilled the law? But Fauſtus a crafty and ſubtle man, impoſed it vponupon the Arelaten Synode, with ambiguous and deceitfull words, wherewith that Epiſtle was cloathed, which hee offered to the Synode. For afterward he explaned his meaning in the booke which hee writ, De gratia qua ſaluamur, where hee doth more incline to Pelagius, which booke Gennadius, Gennad lib de Scriptor, Eccleſ. cap. 85. Sydon. Apol. lib 9. Epiſt 9.and Sydonius Apollinaris doe ſo mention, that they ſeeme to thinke honorably of it: But at the ſame time, Caeſarius Biſhop of Arles, and Auitus Biſhop of Vienna, writ againſt this Booke, as Ado doth teſtifie in his Chronicle, to whom Fulgentius Biſhop of Ruſpe in Africa ioyned himſelfe: Whereby we may ſee that the authority of Fauſtus is not ſo great, that it ought to be of any eſtimation here: Neither was this queſtion euer handled in that ſence that now it is; for there was neuer queſtion made (as farre as I know) before this age, whether Chriſt by his death purchaſed ſaluation for all and ſeuerall men, or whether by his death he obtained reconciliation as well for Pharaoh as for Peter.