The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
It is proued out of the holy Scripture, that an vnregenerate man, is altogether deſtitute of the power and liberty of his will, in thoſe things which pertaine to faith and ſaluation.
I. IF they ſtand here to the iudgement of the holy Scripture, there will be no place of doubting. Of a man that is vnregenerate, and in his meere naturals, the Scripture ſpeaketh thus. Gen. 6.5. EueryEvery thought of the heart of man is onelyonly euill continually. The ſame is repeated, Chap. 8. Ver. 21. Ieremy in his ſeauenteenth chapter conſenteth to this; The heart of man is wicked, and vnſearchable. And Rom. 3. There is none righteous, no not one: They are all gone out of the way, and are become vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one. And Rom 7.18. I know that in me, that is, in my fleſh, dwelleth no good thing. And Chap. 8. ver. 8 The wiſdome of the fleſh, that is, whatſoeuer a carnall man vnderſtandeth or perceiueth, is enmity againſt God, for it is not ſubiect to the law of God, neither indeede can be. Compare theſe things with the doctrine of Arminius, who is of opimon, that a man that is an infidell and vnregenerate hath ſufficient power to beleeue, and to fulfill the law: For the Apoſtle is of opinion, that our fleſh, not onelyonly is not ſubiect to the law of God, but that it cannot be. The ſame Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 2.14. ſaith, that the naturall man receiueth not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him, neither can he know them. Hitherto pertaineth that which the Scripture ſaith, Ezech. 36. That the heart of man is ſtony, and therefore of its owne nature vnapt and vncapable to receiue the impreſſion of the law of God, vnleſſe God (as hee did of old) write it on that ſtone with his finger. Alſo that which Saint Paul ſaith, Epheſ. 2.1.5. that not onelyonly the Epheſians before their calling, but that all of vsus were dead in ſinnes. Hee hath the ſame words, Coloſſ. 2.13. And that which Chriſt ſaith, Iohn 14.17. The ſpirit of truth, whom the world cannot receiue, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him. Chriſt in theſe words doth plainely acknowledge that there is no free will of man, no power to receiue the ſpirit of truth, but a naturall auerſion and diſability.
II. Wherefore the Scripture doth call the change of man, by the ſpirit of regeneration, ſometimes another birth, Iohn 3. ſometimes the creation of the new man, Epheſ. 4.24. It calleth it, another reſurrection from the dead, Reucl. 20.6. Luke 15.32. Iohn 5.25. Not that creation and reſurrection is in all things like to regeneration and the change of the ſoule; but only in this thing of which it is here ſpoken, to wit, as the Carkaſſe cannot diſpoſe nor prepare it ſelfe to the reſurrection, and a thing that is not created, cannot further any thing to the creation of it: So man in the ſtate of ſinne, and before his regeneration, hath nothing whereby he may diſpoſe himſelfe, or further his regeneration and ſpirituall new birth.
III. The Arminian conferrers at the Hage, Page 279. doe roundly confeſſe, that by our ſpirituall death, the liberty of doing well or ill, is ſeparated from the ſoule. I demand therefore whether an vnregenerate man, furniſhed with that ſufficient and vniuerſall grace, which is giuen euen to Reprobates, hath free-will of doing well or ill in thoſe things which belong to ſaluation? If he hauehave not, why doe the Arminians contend he hath? If hee hath it is plaine by their owne confeſſion, that he is not dead in ſinne.
But there is a ſpeciall force in the word borne: For if there were any ſeeds and reliques of ſpirituall life in an vnregenerate man, as Arnoldus is of opinion, there were no neede to be borne againe, and that the new man ſhould be formed, but God were to be prayed to, that he would againe raiſe vp thoſe ſparkes and reliques of ſpirituall life, and would vouchſafe to kindle and increaſe it, as it were, by adding fuell to it.
IV. Adde to theſe, thoſe places which teach vsus, that without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11. That all men hauehave not faith, 2. Theſſ. 3. becauſe it is the gift of God, Philip. 1.19. Epheſ. 2.8. Seeing therefore what ſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne, Rom. 14.25. it is plain that in things which belong to ſaluation and to the worſhip of God, hee doth nothing but ſinne that wants faith, ſuch as are all the heathen and vnregenerate men. In which place to the Romanes, it is to be noted, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the vſe of meates, which he will hauehave vsus to eate with faith, that is, with a certaine knowledge that the vſe of meates is allowed by God, and is agreeable to his word. Seeing therefore that, euen in things which are of their owne nature indifferent wee ſinne, when we vſe them without ſuch a faith, how much more are we to thinke that the heathens ſinne in eueryevery action that pertaineth to ſaluation and the worſhip of God, becauſe they are altogether deſtitute of this faith?
Hitherto pertaine thoſe places which teach vsus that God is the author of eueryevery vertue, and eueryevery good worke that is done by vsus. We are not ſufficient of our ſelues to thinke any thing, as of our ſelues; but our ſufficiency is of God, 2. Cor. 3.5. And Chriſt himſelfe, Iohn 15.5. Without me ye can doe nothing. And in the ſame place, we are compared to branches cut off and appointed to the fire, vnleſſe wee hauehave beene engrafted into Chriſt, by whom wee liue and beare fruit. The Apoſtle, Epheſ. 2.8. doth teach, that ſaluation and faith is not of our ſelues, but of the gift of God: For by grace ye are ſaued through faith, and that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God. How farre is this from Arminius, who will hauehave the totall cauſe of faith, not to be grace alone, but grace and free-will. And leaſt any of Arminius followers ſhould ſeeke a refuge, and ſhould ſay that the power of beleeuing is giuen to all vnreſiſtably, but that the act of beleeuing is ſo helped by grace, that it is alſo from free-wil, the Apoſtle doth fitly preuent ſuch a weake ſubtilty, Phil. 1.29. where he ſaith, It is giuen to you, in the behalfe of Chriſt, not onelyonly to beleeue on him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake. You ſee that not onelyonly the power of beleeuing is giuen vsus; but alſo the act it ſelfe, to beleeue. Agreeable to this is that, Iohn 6. No man can come to me vnleſſe my father draw him: Where to come, is to beleeue in act, and not to hauehave the power and faculty of beleeuing which is brought into act by free-will. No leſſe direct is that of the Apoſtle, Philip. 2.13. It is God which worketh in you both to will, and to doe, of his good pleaſure. Now to will, is to will in act, and not to hauehave the power of willing. God himſelfe, Ezechiel 36.27. ſaith, I will put my ſpirit within you, and will cauſe you to walke in my statutes. Therefore hee doth not onelyonly giuegive the power of walking in his ſtatutes, but alſo doth cauſe that we really walke, and doth worke in vsus the very act. After what manner and how farre the elect may reſiſt the efficacy of the ſpirit ſhall hereafter be ſeene. It is ſufficient to the preſent queſtion, if we winne this of them, that God doth not onelyonly giuegive the power whereby we may beleeue, but alſo that hee doth giuegive and worke in vsus the act of beleeuing, to beleeue it ſelfe.
We meete ſometimes with places where the Arminians ſay that not onelyonly the power of beleeuing, but that alſo the act of beleeuing, to beleeue it ſelfe, is giuen by God. But they will hauehave this act ſo to be giuen by God, in as much as he giueth knowledge to the minde, and doth raiſe vp the fainting affections which doe put forward the will to beleeue, and that this is done by a morall perſwaſion, and after the ſame manner that wee are moued by obiects: But this is not to giuegive faith and the act of beleeuing. For ſurely hee that doth perſwade, that doth propound obiects, and doth inuite the appetite to runne, doth not giuegive the act of running, to runne it ſelfe: Wherefore the Arminians doe deny that faith it ſelfe is infuſed, or imprinted on the heart by God, but that the will is inuited to beleeue onelyonly by a morall perſwaſion, and by a courteous allurement.
With a like fraud (that they might ſeeme to attribute ſome great thing to God) they ſay that God doth giuegive the power of beleeuing, and that vnreſiſtably: But when they come to explane the manner whereby theſe powers are ſupplied, it is manifeſt that they deny that the power of beleeuing is giuen to man by God: For they thinke that God doth giuegive theſe powers no otherwiſe then by enlightning the vnderſtanding with knowledge, and by ſtirring vp the appetites, which certainely is not to giuegive the power of beleeuing: For hee which in the darke doth with a torch giuegive light to the wandring traueller, and doth ſtirre him vp to goe, doth not thereby giuegive him the power of going.
VI. And leaſt any man ſhould in any part arrogate to himſelf the prayſe, eyther of that knowledge which he hath obtained, or of that louelove wherewith he feeles himſelfe to be affected, Chriſt doth beate downe all pride, in ſpeaking thus to Peter, Matth. 16.17. Bleſſed art thou Symon Bar-Iona, for fleſh and blood hath not reuealed this vntounto thee, but my father which is in heauen. And, Chap. 11.25. he doth giuegive thanks to his father, that hee hath hidden theſe things from the wiſe and men of vnderſtanding, and hath reuealed them to babes.
VII. And eſpecially when it is ſpoken of the louelove of God, and of obedience to his commandements; the Scripture will hauehave vsus to acknowledge that whatſoeuer is done well by vsus, is receiued from God: We louelove God becauſe he hath loued vsus firſt, Iohn. 4.19. For this is one of the effects of the louelove of God towards vsus, that it doth put into our hearts a louelove of him: God himſelfe thus ſpeaketh, Ier. 31. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. And Chapter 32. I will put my feare into their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. And Moſes bringeth this reaſon, as the cauſe why the Iſraelites did not repent at the law of God, ratified with ſo many threatnings, and confirmed with ſo many miracles, Deut. 29.4. The Lord hath not giuen you a heart to perceiue, nor eyes to ſee. Let Arminius tell mee whether theſe men had ſufficient power to beleeue, or ſufficient grace, which with the helpe of free-will, they might hauehave rightly vſed if they would. Fie on this forgerie. And yet was not God the cauſe of the impenitency and blindneſſe of that people: For hee that will not heale him that is blinde, is not the cauſe of his blindeneſſe: God did not put this wickedneſſe in man, but he knoweth who they are on whom hee will hauehave mercy, and he hath reaſon for his actions, to enquire into which were not onelyonly raſh, but alſo dangerous.
VIII. Saint Paul, Galath. 3.26. ſaith, That wee are the ſonnes of God, by faith in Chriſt. If therefore it be in the power of mans free-will, being helped with grace to beleeue, or not to beleeue, to vſe that grace or not to vſe it, it muſt needes alſo be in the power of free-will, helped with grace, to effect, that we may be the ſonnes of God, or may not: Which is contrary not onelyonly to piety, but alſo to common ſence; for who euer effected that he was the ſonne of his father? or who is beholding to himſelfe for any part of his generation?
IX. The ſame Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of him that ſheweth mercy. By him that willeth and him that runneth, hee vnderſtandeth him that worketh, for the conſideration of workes is excluded from the election, or (as Arminius had rather) from the iuſtification of man, that this benefit might be acknowledged to be receiued from the mercy of God alone. Arminius offendeth againſt this rule: For by his doctrine, the conuerſion of a man by faith, and therefore both his righteouſneſſe and ſaluation, is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, & of him that worketh, that is, of him who by the helpe of his free-will, doth vſe vniuerſall grace well, and who doth therefore beleeue, becauſe to the helpe of grace, hee hath brought the power of free-will, by which hee hath obtained Faith. For (as I hauehave ſaid) the Arminians make the cauſe of faith, to be theſe two ioyned together, to wit, grace and free-will; to vſe which free-will to the obtaining of ſaith, and to the conuerting of himſelfe, is certainely to will and to runne: The Apoſtle therfore ought to hauehave ſaid, It is of man that willeth and runneth, and of God which ſheweth mercy, that free-will might be ioyned with the mercy of God. And if (as Saint Auſtin ſaith fitly, Lib. 1. ad Simplic. Quaeſt. 2. It may be ſaid, That it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, becauſe conuerſion and ſaluation, is not by the free-will of man alone; why may it not alſo be ſaid, that it is not of God that ſheweth mercy, becauſe conuerſion is not made by the grace of God alone, but alſo by free-will? It skilleth nothing that Saint Auſtin vſed this argument againſt Pelagius, who denied that we were preuented by grace, for it hath the ſame force againſt the Semipelagians, who ioyne free-will to grace: Seeing that Saint Paul doth not ſay, That it is not alone of him that willeth, but doth altogether exclude free-will.
X. Finally, this argument hath ſo tormented Arnoldus, Page 445. that he would ſeeme to yeeld to our part; for he ſaith, It is not placed in our will, that we ſhould obey the calling of God, but this thing it ſelfe is alſo from the mercy of God. But the ſcoffing and crafty man, is very wary leaſt hee ſhould ſay ſomewhat that ſhould hurt his owne cauſe: For when he ſaith that it is not placed in our will, he vnderſtandeth alone: Therfore he would not ſay, that this is wholy placed in the mercy of God alone, but tenderly and with a flouting ſpeech he ſaith, that it is placed in the mercy of God: He might, yea he ought to ſay ſo much of free-will, that he might agree to himſelfe; for he thinketh that it is not placed in the grace of God alone, nor in freewill alone.
XI. That man cannot be conuerted vnleſſe God conuert him, and that the whole praiſe of our conuerſion is due to God, Ieremy teacheth, Chap. 31. v. 18. Conuert me, and I ſhall be conuerted; which is alſo repeated in the laſt Chapter of the Lamentations. I am aſhamed of the weake interpretation of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage, who pag. 266. by conuerted, would hauehave corrected to be vnderſtood: There is nothing ſo cleare and direct in the holy Scripture, which may not be corrupted with a fooliſh and raſh interpretation: who hauing but little ſkill in the Hebrew, is ignorant that the Verbe ſhub, ſignifieth to be turned, and not to puniſh; and therefore in the contugation Hiphil, it is to cauſe that one be conuerted, and not that he be puniſhed. Or who doth not ſee how ridiculous a thing it were, if men bruiſed with afflictions, ſhould pray that they might be ſtill afflicted? As if any one that were grieuouſly whipped, ſhould deſire moreouer that he might be buffeted? But Ieremy expoundeth himſelfe, and doth teach what it is to be conuerted: for he addeth, being conuerted, I will repent and acknowledge my ſelfe: this indeede is to be conuerted. Seeing therefore that men, who are already conuerted, ſay; Conuert me, and I ſhall be conuerted, Ier. 31. Draw me, and I will runne, Cant. 1. And doe aſcribe the progreſſe and the proceeding of their conuerſion to God alone: how much more is the beginning of our conuerſion to be attributed to God alone? For if they that are already willing, doe confeſſe that they owe to God whatſoeuer good they doe, and that without his grace, they cannot moue a foote further; how much more is it to be determined, that of being vnwilling, wee cannot be made willing, of dead, aliue, vnleſſe God draw vsus, and make vsus aliue?
XII. And to ouerthrow thoſe preparations, by which the ſectaries thinke, that an vnregenerate man well vſing vniuerſall grace and naturall light, doth diſpoſe and prepare himſelfe to regeneration; that which God ſaith, Ezech. 36. doth greatly preuaile; I will giuegive you a new heart, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will take away the ſtony heart out of you, and I will giuegive you an heart of fleſh; I will put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walke in my ſtatutes. For ſeeing that God himſelfe witneſſeth, that in thoſe things which belong to the worſhip of God and to ſaluation, man hath naturally a ſtony heart, which hath neede to be taken away, and another to be giuen by God, in which God ſhould imprint the character of faith and repentance: it manifeſtly appeareth, that an vnregenerate man cannot prepare himſelfe to his regeneration: For that which muſt be taken away, and muſt be changed for another, that we may be regenerated; certainely, that doth not further regeneration, nor doth prepare vsus to it, for otherwiſe we ſhould be helped by the impediments themſelues.
XIII. Arnoldus, pag. 461. doth anſwere, that this phraſe of a ſtony and fleſhly heart is figuratiue and Symbolicall diuinitie cannot proue any thing. I anſwere, that figuratiue ſpeeches hauehave the force of thoſe that are properly ſpoken, when they are expounded by the Scripture it ſelfe; & when it is euident to what end, and in what ſence they are vſed: Now in the ſame place of Ezechiel, there are many words that are plaine, and not figuratiue, which doe make cleare this figure; for in the ſame place, God doth promiſe that hee will giuegive them a new ſpirit, by which he would cauſe that they ſhould walke in his waies.
XIV. Wherefore Arnoldus with a ſuperfluous diligence, and nothing to the purpoſe, doth heape together the differences betweene the heart and a ſtone. A ſtone hath not life, the heart hath; a ſtone cannot be ſoftned without the taking away of the ſubſtantiall forme, the hart may; the ſtone cānot reſiſt his own ſoftning, the heart may: All beſides the matter, for in that one thing of which it is ſpoken here, the compariſon is moſt apt: For euen as the ſtone cannot ſoften it ſelfe, but it is ſoftned onelyonly by the power of an outward agent: ſo the vnregenerate heart cannot conuert it ſelfe, or diſpoſe it ſelfe to regeneration, but it is done onelyonly by the efficacy of the ſpirit of God: He that without this ſhall ſeeke compariſons, ſhall finde infinite differences; as that a ſtone may be engrauen, and broken, may be taken out of the quarries, and be laid on the building, &c. but the heart cannot.
XV. The words of Saint Paul doe vexe theſe Semipelagians, when he ſaith, that man is dead in ſinne, and he ſpeaketh of the vnregenerate man: The point of which dart, that they might auoide and make fruſtrate, they doe laboriouſly heape together differences betweene a dead corps, and an vnregenerate man; which doe tend thither, that they might proue that an vnregenerate man, is not altogether dead in ſinne, and as Arnoldus ſaith, hath ſome reliques of the ſpirituall life: To which naturall reliques and remainds of vniuerſall and ſufficient grace, he added, which they ſay is giuen to all men, euen vnregenerates and reprobates, by which there is no man, but may fulfill the law and obtaine faith; certainely, there will be found in an vnregenerate man, very much life, and there will be none or very little conueniency or ſimilitude, with him that is dead. It is well therefore, that theſe ſectaries doe thither apply all their force, that they might ſhew that Saint Paul doth not ſpeake ſo properly as he ſhould. Arnoldus layeth downe theſe differences, pag 466. and 468. In reſurrection the ſoule is inſuſed, in regeneration it is onelyonly changed: in reſurrection there doth no diſpoſitions and preparations goe before, but regeneration is made after ſome fore-going diſpoſitions: Alſo our reſurrection is done in an inſtant, but our regeneration by degrees. Reſurrection is done neceſſarily, but regeneration is wrought, our free will remaining. In the dead carkaſſe, there are no reliques of life, but in an vnregenerate man, there are ſome reliques of ſpirituall life: God doth not ſpeake to a dead carkas, but he ſpeaketh to them that are dead in ſinne, and doth propound his word to them. He that is dead, cannot reſiſt his reſurrection, the vnregenerate man may. I doe not deny, but that this ſimilitude doth not ſquare in all things: there is no doubt, but that Arnoldus could hauehave found many other differences: as that the reſurrection of the body ſhall not be till the laſt day, that it ſhall be at the trumpe of the Angell. &c. But it is ſufficient, that this ſimilitude doth well ſquare in that which is the principall of the matter, and in that, concerning which the controuerſie is betweene vsus: to wit, in this, that as the dead corps is altogether vnapt to motion, and cannot diſpoſe nor prepare it ſelfe to the reſurrection; ſo the ſoule of a man that is vnregenerate and dead in ſinne, doth want in things ſpirituall and pertaining to ſa…uation all ſenſe and motion, and cannot prepare, nor diſpoſe it ſelfe to regeneration, vntill the ſpirit of regeneration deſcend into the heart, ſtirre vp new motions, and doth worke the firſt beginnings of the new life: By ſenſe in ſpirituall things, I vnderſtand zeale, by motion, good workes. And ſurely, theſe things ſeeme to me to be repugnant; v…z. to be dead in ſinne, as Saint Paul ſaith, and to hauehave reliques and remainds of ſpirituall life, as Arnoldus ſaith. For death in ſpirituall things, doth altogether exclude ſpirituall life: I willingly acknowledge, that there are ſome motions of truth, and ſpurkes of light in an vnregenerate man, & ſome obſcure prints of the Image of God: But theſe reliques are not any part of ſpirituall life & regeration: the diuels themſelues hauehave much more light & derſtanding, and yet they are altogether dead in ſins.
XVI. Neither are all thoſe differences true, which they doe bring! Firſt, we deny that God hath reſpect to the diſpoſitions of free-will, or that a man by freewill can prepure himſelfe to regeneration. God indeede, doth by a mans calamities, and by his freedome out of them, and by the examples of the vengance that he taketh of the wicked, ſometimes make way to himſelfe for his regeneration: Alſo a man by a ſeruile feare, and dread of puniſhment, may profitably be troubled: but I maintaine, that thoſe inward motions doe then begin to be laudable and acceptable to God, when they are produced by the holy ſpirit, and not before: which when it is done, then I ſay, ſuch morions are a part of regeneration, and the firſt motions & pulſes of the new man, & although weake, yet ſure beginnings of the new life; & not preparations of the free-will, which goe before regeneration, and by which God is moued to gine a greater meaſure of grace: But it is ſo farre, that God in beginning regeneration ſhould hauehave reſpect to fore-going diſpoſitions; that on the contrary, they are called, who are the greateſt ſtrangers from the kingdome of heauen, and who are ouer whelmed in greateſt darkneſſe. Let the Thiefe on the croſſe be an example, alſo the Romanes, the people of Alexandria, of Antioch, the Corinthians, and the Epheſians, then which people, there were neuer any more wicked in luſt, nor more effeminate in luxurie, of greater ignorance, or of more prodigious idolatry; whom yet ſo euill affected and diſpoled, God called by an effectuall calling, and hauing ſent his Apoſtles to them, gained them to Chriſt, that where ſinne did more abound, there grace alſo might more abound.
XVII. And that regeneration is not alwayes wrought by degrees, the example of the conuerted Thiefe doth ſhew, who in the extreame inuaſion of ſpirituall agony, in one moment paſſed ouer an vnmeaſurable ſpace: and o… the contrary, that the reſurrection of the body may be done by degrees, Ezechiel teacheth, Chap. 37.
XVIII. That is no truer which they ſay, that regeneration is wrought, free-will remayning. For if free-will doth remaine in regeneration, it muſt needes be, that it goeth before regeneration: but in things that are ſpirituall, and which belong to ſaluation, there was no free-will before regeneration.
XIX. It is of the ſame ſort, yea farre worſe, which they adde, that in an vnregenerate man, there are ſome reliques of the ſpirituall life: for ſo they aske that to be granted to them, which is the queſtion, and which we hauehave already proued to be falſe.
XX. Neither yet is that true which they ſay, that God doth not ſpeake to a dead corps; for Chriſt ſpake theſe words to Lazarus that was dead, Lazarus come forth, Luk. 11. And Eze. 37.4. God doth thus ſpeake to the bones that were long before withered: Oye dry bones, heare the word of the Lord. God calleth thoſe who are not, as if they were; but in that he calleth them, he cauſeth that they may be: The words of Chriſt, Iohn 5.25. are direct to this purpoſe; The dead ſhall heare the voice of the ſonne of God, and they that heare ſhall liue. For as God with his light, doth ſo enlighten the blinde, that he alſo giueth them eyes; ſo by his word, he doth ſo ſpeake to the dead, that by that word he doth make them aliue.
XXI. Maruailous is the wittineſſe of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage, who doe thence proue, that there is ſome ability left in man, that is ſpiritually dead: becauſe we acknowledge that man may reſiſt grace. Paſſing well ſpoken; for they proue, that a man is not dead in ſinne, becauſe he can reſiſt the ſpirit of God; as if the remainds of our ſpirituall life were placed in the faculty of reſiſting God; when on the contrary, a man is therefore dead in ſinne, becauſe he can doe nothing but reſiſt. They doe therefore as much as if they ſhould ſay, that a man is not therefore dead in ſinne, becauſe he is dead in ſinne.
XXII. And that which they ſay, that he which is dead, cannot reſiſt his reſurrection, but hee that is vnregenerated, may reſiſt his viuification; maketh for vsus, and doth burden the cauſe of theſe innouators: For thence it followeth that the death in ſinne, is farre the worſe death, and that he that is dead in ſinne is bound with ſtronger bonds, if he reſiſt his owne reſurrection, not onelyonly in the beginnings of his regeneration, but alſo in the progreſſe of it: Yea, that very inclination to reſiſt God, is the chiefeſt part of that death and naturall corruption.
XXIII. In the meane while, the Reader ſhall obſerue, how artificiall a couert Arnoldus doth vſe, while he ſaith, that he which is dead, cannot reſiſt his reſurrection, but he that is dead in ſinne, may reſiſt his viuification. The opinion of the Arminians is, that an vnregenerate man hath free-will, by which he may vſe ſufficient grace, or not vſe it, beleeue, or not beleeue. Arnoldus therefore ought thus to hauehave framed his compariſon, ſaying, he that is dead, cannot hinder or further his owne reſurrection: but hee that is vnregenerate, may hinder or further his regeneration. But Arnoldus doth not here make mention of that helpe, that he might put by the enuie and ſuſp…tion of Semipelagianiſme. Thus they are wont to doe that are aſhamed of their owne opinion.
XXIV. That is not to be paſſed ouer with ſilence, which the Arminians of the conference at the Hage, pag. 81. doe ſay. For there they make two kindes of vnregenerate men: ſome, who being left without any calling of God, doe walke in the vanity of their minde and thoughts. Theſe they confeſſe are dead in ſinne; but there are ſome, who are already called and ſtirred vp by the grace of God, whoſe vnderſtandings being enlightned, and their affections being enflamed, doe ſtirre vp the will to the apprehenſion of the truth. They deny that thoſe are dead in ſinne, becauſe their vnderſtandings and appetites are viuified, although the will is not yet drawne; here are many abſurdities. Firſt, becauſe they thinke that ſome are vnregenerate, who are already viuified and made aliue, when yet viuification and regeneration are the ſame thing. For if ones minde be quickned, it muſt needes alſo be regenerated. Secondly; With the like error they place viuification there where there is not faith, ſeeing (as the Apoſtle witneſſeth) the iuſt doth liue by faith, and it is impious to acknowledge any viuification to be in an infidell and vnregenerate man. Thirdly; And they diſpute vntowardly, when they iudge it to be poſſible, the vnderſtanding being enlightned with the knowledge of the truth, and the appetite enflamed with the louelove of it, that the will ſhould be auerſe from this truth. And that a man may be quickned in his minde and affections, and yet his will remaines without life. For what ſhould turne away the will when they two doe inſtigate and ſtirre it vp, ſeeing that the will is moued by theſe two alone? Nor doth the will euer ſtand in doubt, but when reaſon ſtirreth it vp one way, and the appetites draw it another way, and the will is forced hither and thither, by the contrary ſuggeſtions of the minde and the appetites. Fourthly; Nor doe they agree to themſelues, when they ſay that there are ſome left without any calling of God, ſeeing that they maintaine with great contention that all men are called to ſaluation, not onelyonly by an outward, but alſo by an inward calling, and that ſufficient grace is adminiſtred to all. Fiftly; Finally I demand whence they hauehave theſe two kindes of vnregenerate perſons; If out of the Scripture, let them ſhew the place; If out of their owne coniecture, wee doe not beleeue them.
XXV. Arnoldus againſt Tilenus, Page 134. doth ſay that it may come to paſſe, that of two men furniſhed with an equall helpe of grace, one may be conuerted, one not: But he ought alſo to ſhew whether it may come to paſſe, that of two that are equally euill, and furniſhed with the like helpe of grace (that is, hauing alike ſufficient and vniuerſall grace, and being alike called by the Goſpell) whether it can come to paſſe that one ſhould be conuerted, and another not. If it can come to paſſe; I demand whence is the difference? Was greater grace giuen to the one? No, he ſaid the grace was equall: Or is it becauſe one is better then another? No, the queſtion is, of them that are equally euill: Alſo if it were ſo, the conuerſion of the one ſhould not be of grace alone, but of free-will: Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling to this, for he addes, Although God, who doth principally worke faith in man, doth ſeparate the faithfull man from the vnbeleeuer, yet becauſe he doth not worke faith and conuerſion in man without the will of man, hee doth not ſeparate man without man. And a little after he addeth, That man doth ſeparate himſelfe by his owne will. You heare that God is the principall cauſe of faith, but not the totall, and that man doth ſeparate himſelfe by his owne will, when yet the Apoſtle ſaith, Who ſeparates thee? attributing this praiſe to God alone: And that the cauſe why of two that are alike called, one followeth, the other refuſeth, is in the one free-will, in the other grace indeede, but yet ſo that the vſe of it dependeth on mans free-will, in the power whereof it is to vſe grace or not to vſe it. So that in the one, free-will is the totall cauſe of incredulitie, and in the other, it is the part-cauſe of faith and conuerſion: So that now man hath whereof he may boaſt; it is he that ſeparates himſelfe, and ſaluation is of man that willeth and runneth, and of God that ſheweth mercy.
Theſe innouators, that they might defend themſelues againſt that ſaying of Saint Paul; Who ſeparateth thee? doe contend that Paul ſpeaketh of that ſeparation, by which they that hauehave receiued many gifts, are ſeparated from them who hauehave receiued fewer, which I willingly receiue: For if by the grace of God alone, they which are indued with greater gifts, are ſeparated from the faithfull, who hauehave receiued fewer gifts, how much more are they who are furniſhed with many gifts ſeparated, by the mercy of God alone, from them who are altogether voide of Faith, and of the knowledge of God?
XXVI. That therefore of Saint Paul, Tit. 3. ſtandeth vnmoueable: VntoUnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure, but euen their minde and conſcience is defiled. And hee ſpeaketh not onelyonly of meates, but alſo of the vſe of meates, which is pure according to the purity of conſcience; leaſt any one ſhould thinke that it is here ſpoken of the puritie of meates, and not of the purity of actions.
XXVII. Finally, all Chriſtian vertues, Faith, Charity, &c. are eyther in vsus by nature, or are obtained by vſe and diligence, or they are put and wrought in our hearts by God. That they are naturally ingrafted, Pelagius himſelfe hath not dared to ſay: That they are not obtained by vſe and diligence, the example of the theefe doth proue, who in one moment, without vſe or exerciſe, obtained faith. It remainteth therefore, that they are put into vsus by God, and that faith is from the meere gift and grace of God, and not from free-will.