The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXVI.
Of the outward and inward calling, and whether the one be without the other.
I. ALthough the workes of God, which are eueryevery where before our eyes, doe abundantly teſtifie, and euen againſt mens wils, do ſhew the infinite power, goodneſſe, and wiſdome of God: yet this light is but dimme, and nearer to darkeneſſe, in compariſon of the light of the word of God, whereby hee doth not onelyonly giuegive vsus aſſurance of his omnipotency, maieſty, and prouidence, but doth alſo reueile to vsus his will: For ſurely the contemplation of the creatures doth not touch men with the ſence of ſinne, nor doth ſhew to a man the way of ſaluation and reconciliation with God: yea, there can be no profitable and ſauing contemplation of nature, vnleſſe thoſe things, which in a doubtfull light, and in worne-out letters are hardly read, doe by the word of God, as it were through ſpectacles, appeare plaine and diſtinct to vsus: Then at length doe we contemplate heauen with filiall eyes, as the entry of our fathers houſe, when God by his word hath diſpelled this miſt from our mindes, and hath declared ſure tokens of his fatherly louelove.
II. Furthermore, although the knowledge of the creatures doth not ſuffice to ſaluation, yet the Gentiles, who were inſtructed by no other teacher then nature, are therefore inexcuſable, becauſe they doe not vſe theſe (although ſmall) helpes, to as good purpoſe as they might: and becauſe they endeauour to choake or depraue thoſe naturall good notions, and ſparkes of goodneſſe and equity, which are put into them by nature: Therefore they alone doe profit in piety, by the teaching of the creatures, and are by the prickes of conſcience ſtirred vp to the feare of God, to whom God hath vouchſafed the prerogatiue of his word.
III. But yet not all they that heare the word of God, doe come to ſaluation; but thoſe in whom the preaching of the Goſpell piercing deepely, and being admitted into them, doth change their hearts, and ſhed in their mindes a heauenly light: And theſe ſauing effects, are not to be aſcribed to the eloquence of man, obtained to perſwade, but to the ſecret efficacy of the holy Ghoſt, which is the true doctor of our ſoules, and that ſinger of God, engrauing the law on the ſtony tables of our hearts. Thence it is, that the Goſpell is called in the Scripture a two-edged ſword, a hammer breaking the ſtone, the arme of God, and the power of God to ſaluation: Without which efficacy of the holy Ghoſt, preaching is but a dead letter, and a vaine ſound ſtriking mens eares; effectuall onelyonly to this, that the condemnation of the ſtubborne and rebellious hearer, ſhould be the greater.
Hence ariſeth a double calling, one outward, which is wrought by the outward publiſhing of the Goſpell; the other inward, which is wrought by the powerfull drawing and change of the heart by the Holy-Ghoſt, by whom the word is made effectuall. This inward change doth conſiſt of two parts, viz. The enlightning of the minde, and the change of the will, which change of the will, though it be latter in time, yet it is worthier in dignity: In ſo much that the enlightning of the minde, without the renewing of the heart, doth turne to our greater condemnation. This inward change is in the Scripture called conuerſion, regeneration, the new birth, creation, and reſurrection.
IV. Here wee hauehave ſomewhat to doe with the Arminians, and there is no ſmall controuerſie betweene vsus: For they ſay, that the word of God, whenſoeuer, and amongſt whomſoeuer it is preached, is neuer deſtitute of its quickning power, neither is any one outwardly called, but hee is alſo inwardly drawne: And therefore they refuſe the diſtinction of vocation or calling, into outward and inward. Theſe are the words of Arminius againſt Perkins, Page 57. The word is vnprofitable without the Holy-Ghoſt, wherefore it hath the cooperation of the Holy-Ghoſt alwaies ioyned to it: And this he ſaith being vnmindefull of that which hee had ſaid a little before, where ſpeaking of the word, and of the cooperation of the holy ſpirit, he ſaith; theſe two are almoſt alwayes ioyned together, therefore not alwayes: Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling that Arminius ſhould doubt in that thing; for, pag. 432. he ſpeaketh thus; It may be doubted whether Arminius thought that the inward ſuccour of the ſpirit was alwaies, and in all men, ioyned with the outward preaching: But that which the Maſter ſpeakes fearefully and doubtingly, is openly and without any circumſtance affirmed by his ſchollers. For Arnoldus, Chap. 4. would draw Arminius into this opinion, that the outward calling doth happen to none, without the inward: and pag. 433. The opinion of Arminius is, that the efficacy of the holy Ghoſt is preſent with all them, who at the firſt are called. The Arminians in their Epiſtle againſt the Walachrians, pag. 49. doe labour much to teach, that in thoſe who are not conuerted, the word is not deſtitute of the quickning ſpirit. Arnoldus, pag. 464: teacheth, that this quickning force is ioyned, not onelyonly to the preaching of the Goſpell, but alſo to the preaching of the law, and that this change is made by the ſpirit, by the word of the Law, preparatorily, and by way of preparation; by the word of the Goſpell, conſummatorily, in reſpect of the finiſhing of it; and that ſo, as man cannot but receiue that ſence, and be affected with it, and in this action the ſpirit carrieth himſelfe altogether paſs…uely: By which feeing, hee ſaith, the ſpirit doth allure the aſſent, the liberty of the will yet remaining ſafe and whole. This holy ſpirit working in mens hearts, by the knowledge of the law, Arnoldus doth put, euen in Infidels and thoſe that be not regenerate; which although it is not the ſpirit of regeneration, yet it doth diſpoſe to regeneration.
V. This doctrine is repugnant, not onelyonly to the holy Scripture, but alſo to experience and common ſence: For we ſee many hearers of the word, that are no more affected with the preaching of it, then if leſſons ſhould be ſung to them that are deafe; thoſe whoſe mindes doth wander other-where, and doth neuer returne; beſotted with ſuch a ſtupidity, that they hauehave no reliſh of the Goſpell, no feeling of it, nor aſſent vntounto it, although to other things they are not ſlow: Alſo there are very many, who when they heare the Goſpell, receiue it with gibing & laughter, as an abſurd thing, as the Athenians, Acts 13.32. For Chriſt preached is an offence to the Iewes, and fooliſhneſſe to the Greekes, becauſe they are offended, and theſe mocke at it. I hauehave ſeene thoſe, who being asked what they brought from the Sermon, and what they remembred, hauehave ſeriouſly anſwered, they could not diſcerne whether the Preacher ſpoke French or Latine.
VI. In ſuch men, yea, and in Infidels, inſtructed in the law alone, the Arminians ſay, that the ſpirit of God doth worke, and doth neceſſarily, and (as they ſpeake) vnreſiſtably, giuegive the ſence and feeling of the true doctrine, although he doth not giuegive the aſſent and agreeing to it, but by the helpe of free-will. Much more therefore among the Arminian multitude, there will be none, who is not drawne with the holy Ghoſt, and who doth not feele in him the quickning ſpirit: This flying in the ayre, doth not much diſſer from the fanaticall enthuſiaſme and inſpiration of the Anabaptiſts, but that the Anabaptiſts will hauehave this ſence and feeling peculiar to themſelues; but theſe innouators will hauehave it to be common, both to the faithfull and to Infidels, yea to all, to whom either the Goſpell is preached, or the Law without the Goſpell.
VII. It is to no purpoſe, to reckon vp places of Scripture, to ouerthrow this opinion: For hitherto belong all thoſe places which wee hauehave brought, Chapter 34. to proue that an vnregenerate man, and an infidell, is vnable and vnfit to eueryevery worke that is good and profitable to ſaluation: All which were falſe, if the quickning power of the holy ſpirit, did dwell in infidels, and vnregenerate perſons, and if all men were drawne inwardly, and by an internall calling.
VIII. To this purpoſe are thoſe places which teach vsus, that they alone come to Chriſt whom the father draweth, Iohn 6.44. But according to Arminius all men are drawne, and are inwardly affected, by the holy Ghoſt: As the winde bloweth where it liſteth, ſo alſo the ſpirit, Iohn 3.8. Therefore hee doth not breath eueryevery where. In the multitude of people God opened the heart of Lydia before the reſt: When the Apoſtles were aſtoniſhed, the theefe beleeued among the cries of the raging people, and ſo many impediments of beleeuing: One little call of Chriſt moued Mathew, that leauing the receipt of Cuſtome he followed Chriſt; when the men of Capernaum, among ſo many miracles and good leſſons, were hardned at the preaching of the Goſpell: Whence it appeareth, that ſome men are drawne by the efficacy and power of the ſpirit, and ſome men are left in their naturall wickedneſſe. Whence is this difference? If dignity be reſpected, who among the vnregenerate is not vnworthy of the grace of God, ſeeing all men are of a ſtony heart, and are dead in ſinne? But if the precedent diſpoſition be reſpected, why are the men of Capernaum rather called by the Goſpell, then the men of Tyre, ſeeing that Chriſt doth witneſſe that the men of Capernaum were worſe affected, and leſſe inclined to repentance.
IX. Arnoldus, Page 445. doth contend, that the heart of Lydia was therefore opened, becauſe ſhee was well affected and diſpoſed, and that God therefore opened her heart, becauſe ſhe opened it her ſelfe: For in that place ſhee is called, foreign, one that was addicted to the worſhip of God, before ſhe beleeued Paul. I might ſay that there are many who worſhip God with a wicked and vnlawfull worſhip: But I am more prone to this opinion, that I ſhould beleeue that Lydia, a Iewiſh woman, was indued with the ſpirit of regeneration, and had receiued true pietie, and beleeued in the Meſſiah promiſed, although ſhe did not yet know that Ieſus the Sonne of Mary was the Chriſt, becauſe he was not preached to her. Such a one was the Eunuch of Candaces, and Cornelius, who, Acts 10. is called a deuout man, whoſe prayers, and almes, and piety, was praiſed, before hee had heard any thing of Chriſt: Theſe were ſome of thoſe men, who as Saint Luke ſaith, Chapter 2.25. Did expect the conſolation of Iſraell. I thinke it were wickedneſſe to account theſe among inſidels, and among the reſt of the Iews, who did blaſpheme Chriſt, and diſpiſe him preaching. Seeing therefore that Lydia was ſuch a one, God opened her heart, that ſhee might attend to the words of Saint Paul, and might learne from him, that Chriſt, whom ſhee did expect, was already come, and that thoſe thinges were fulfilled, which were fore-told of him by the Prophets.
X. Againſt theſe things, the Arminians bring ſome arguments, but ſo light, that they are diſpearſed onelyonly with a breath. Arminius againſt Perkins, Page 57. doth ſay, that Stephen, Acts 7.51. doth vpbraide and reproach the Iewes, that they did alwaies reſiſt the Holy-Ghoſt. Hence the accure man doth gather that theſe rebellious Iewes, were inwardly affected with the Holy-Ghoſt. But the following words doe declare what it is to reſiſt the Holy-Ghoſt; for Stephen addeth, Which of the Prophets hauehave not your fathers perſecuted? to wit, to perſecute the Prophets, ſpeaking by the inſpiration of the Holy-Ghoſt, and to reſiſt the ſpirit ſpeaking by their mouths, this was to reſiſt the Holy-Ghoſt.
XI. I confeſſe that there are ſome men, who doe reſiſt the ſpirit of grace, of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Hebrewes 10.29. and who doe ſtriue againſt the inward ſuggeſtion of the Holy-Ghoſt. But there the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of ſome few, who hauing embraced the Goſpell with ioy, and hauing receiued ſome taſt of the word of God, doe a while after, with an obſtinate minde, and on ſet purpoſe turne their back to God, and doe caſt out his grace, with indignation, and doe ſinne wilfully, after they hauehave receiued the knowledge of the truth, as it is ſaid, verſe 26. who, that they are the ſame with them who ſinne againſt the Holy-Ghoſt, doth hence appeare, in that the Apoſtle in the ſame place doth ſay, that their ſ…luation was paſt hope, and doth ſay, that there remaineth no ſacrifice for their ſinnes, and that there doth reſt no hope of reconciliation for them. But this doth agree but to ſome few, and not to all; to whom eyther the law alone, or the Goſpell with the law, hath beene made knowne: All which theſe Sectaries teach, are moued inwardly by the Ho…y Ghoſt, and hauehave a feeling of the true doctrine imprinted in them. Neither doe I thinke that the gifts of the ſpirit, which ſuch men as theſe hauehave receiued, are the gifts of regeneration, or the ſpirit of adoption, or the true, proper, and iuſtifying faith, but onelyonly ſome aſſayes of the ſpirit mouing the heart, at whoſe ſuggeſtion the will (being warmed with ſome ſlight heare, rather then enflamed) doth cleaue to the Goſpell, vntill the benummed appetites, perceiuing warre to be intended againſt them, hauehave raiſed themſelues with greater force, and hauing ſhaken out of the heart that ſuperficiall piety, hauehave turned it into hatred, and by the very incitations of piety, their hidden poyſon hath more vehemently burſt forth.
XII. Arminius in the ſame place doth hold vp, and as it were vnderproppe their tottering cauſe with that place of the Prophet Eſay, Chapter 55.11. where he hath theſe words: So ſhall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, it ſhall not returne vntounto me voide, but ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe, and it ſhall proſper in the thing whereto I ſen…. Surely this is to hit the nayle on the head: The meaning of Eſay is plaine, for he ſaith, that the promiſes and threats propounded in the word of God, ſhall be executed, and that nothing was ſaide in vaine, and which ſhould not be fulfilled. Here is no mention of the quickning efficacy of the ſpirit affecting mens hearts; nor if there were, could it thence be proued, that the ſpirit of God did worke in all, but in them alone whom he decreed to ſaue.
XIII. Arnoldus, Page 443. doth poure out a ſhowre of places of Scripture, and yet hee doth not proue by them that which hee doth intend. That place, Matth. 23.37. doth not proue it. How oft would I hauehave gathered thy children? &c. For we hauehave ſhewed in the fift Chapter, that theſe children were gathered together: Alſo if they were not gathered together, it would not follow that they were called any otherwiſe then by an outward calling.
XIV. That place, Eſay 65 2. doth not proue it: I hauehave ſpread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people: Nor that, Prou. 1.24. I hauehave called and ye refuſed. For there it is ſpoken of the outward calling, and not of the efficacy of the ſpirit working in mens hearts.
XV. Nor that place, Pſal. 81.14. O that my people had hearkened, that Iſraell had walked in my wates; I would ſoone hauehave ſubdued their enemies: For theſe words meane nothing elſe, then what they plainely found forth, to wit, that God would hauehave laid flat the enemies of Iſraell, if Iſraell had obeyed God: Here is no mention at all of the inward efficacy of the ſpirit.
XVI. Nor that of Ezechiel, Chapter 18. v. 31. Make ye a new heart, and a new ſpirit: For it is not proued by this place, that man doth make himſelfe a new heart; ſeeing God in the 36. Chapter of the ſame Prophecy ſaith, I will giuegive you a new heart, and a new ſpirit: Much leſſe is it hence proued that the Holy-Ghoſt doth worke in all men.
XVII. Nor that of Saint Iohn, Chapter 5.34. I ſeeke not the teſtimony of men, but theſe things I ſay that ye might be ſaued. And verſe 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might hauehave life. By which words, how it can be proued that the quickning power of the Holy-Ghoſt doth worke in all men, I confeſſe (and it is my dulneſſe) I cannot conceiue.
XVIII. It is not proued by thoſe words of Saint Paul, 1. Tim. 2.4. God would hauehave all men be ſaued: Of which words wee hauehave at large proued, Chapter 29. that this is the ſence; God doth inuite to ſaluation, men of any ſort, and of eueryevery condition.
XIX. Nor by that place of Peter, Eppheſ. 2. Chap. 3. v. 9. God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance: For it cannot be drawne out of this place, that the Holy-Ghoſt doth inwardly worke in all men, euen in thoſe to whom the Goſpell is not preached; but onelyonly that God is not the cauſe of the ouerthrow of any one, & that he doth not reioyce in the deſtruction of man, as he is man: For otherwiſe, as the ſame man is a ſinner, God doth louelove the execution of his iuſtice.
XX. Nor is it proued by that place of Ezechiel, Chapter 12.2. Sonne of man, thou dwelleſt in the middeſt of a rebellious houſe, which hauehave eyes to ſee and ſee not, they hauehave eares to heare and heare not: For there by eyes and eares, is not to be vnderſtood ſufficient grace to ſaluation, eyther mediately, or immediately, nor the operation of the Holy-Ghoſt working in the reprobates, but a knowledge in the heart, by which euen againſt their wills they did acknowledge that thoſe things were right which were taught them by the Prophets; for they were admoniſhed by ſo cleere inſtructions, and ſtirred vp with ſo ſeuere threates, that they could not pretend ignorance. This knowledge was giuen them, not by ſupernaturall grace working inwardly, nor by ſufficient grace common to all men, by which they might hauehave beleeued and beene conuerted, if they would; but by the inſtructions and documents of the Prophets, and by the law of God, knowne and perceiued in their minde, againſt which they did willingly harden their heart.
XXI. To the Scripture thus corrupted and depraued, hee doth ioyne reaſons that are no better: God (ſaith he) ſhould delude and mock men, if hee ſhould offer them ſaluation, and ſhould ſay that hee deſired their ſaluation, and yet doth not call them to that end that they ſhould be ſaued. I anſwere, the end propounded to God, in calling by the Law, or by the Goſpell, thoſe whom he knoweth will not follow, is not that thoſe whom hee calleth ſhould not be ſaued: But Gods end is to require of man, that which he oweth, to wit, to obey God commanding obedience, and to beleeue him promiſing. Nor is it any doubt but that God doth ſeriouſly call men: For in calling men, bee doth ſeriouſly declare what is acceptable to him, what man doth owe, and what he will giuegive to them that beleeue and obey. But wee doe not ſay with Arnoldus, that God is bound to reſtore to man thoſe powers which he loſt, and to cure that diſability of man, which man brought vponupon himſelfe. Furthermore, it is wicked audacity to goe about to preſcribe meanes to God, which vnleſſe he follow, hee hath no way to eſcape the crime of iniuſtice, as if he ſhould be compelled to pleade his cauſe before the tribunall of man.
XXII. Arnoldus proceedeth. The ſame thing (ſaith he) God doth teach, when he doth expreſly declare, that he will not be loaden with this vniuſt ſuſpition; that hee ſhould require any thing of vsus, to the performance whereof he would not giuegive vsus ſufficient power. I omit that rude kinde of ſpeaking, and which is not agreeing to God, when he ſaith, that God will not be loaden with that vniuſt ſuſpition; as if God feared the vniuſt ſuſpitions of men. To the thing it ſelfe therefore I ſay, that this doctrine is moſt wicked, and there is ſcarce any that is worſe: For ſeeing God doth require from vnregenerate men and Infidels, their naturall debt, that is, the perfect fulfilling of the Law; it followeth by this ſpeech of Arnoldus, that the vnregenerate, and infidels themſelues hauehave power, by which, without the knowledge of Chriſt, and without faith, they may perfectly fulfill the Law, and be without ſinne. The Arminians themſelues, doe ſay that God doth vnreſiſtably harden ſome men; who although they cannot but ſinne, yet from them, being hardned, God doth not leſſe require perfect obedience, then before their hardning: For the creature is by no means, no not by the eternall puniſhments, exempted from his ſubiection to his creator. Nor is it to be doubted, but that the Diuels themſelues, who are in eternall torments, are bound to beleeue God; for they are therefore puniſhed, becauſe they doe not louelove him. Alſo, if any one be puniſhed for diſobedience paſt, he is not therefore freed from the obedience that is due for the time to come.
But this peruerſe doctrine, which doth gather by the commandements of God, what are the powers of men; and doth thinke that there is nothing commanded by God, to the fulfilling whereof powers are not ſupplied to man, is at large confuted in the 35. Chapter.