The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII.
The opinion of the Arminians, of the manner of the operation of Grace, and of that power which they call vnreſiſtable. Alſo of morall perſwaſion. And of the power and act of beleeuing.
WHat the ſecret motions of the holy-Ghoſt are, what the efficacy of it is, by what degrees it doth further regeneration, what impediments are caſt in the way by man, what is the conflict of the fleſh with the ſpirit, and the ſtrife of the new man with the old, who as another Eſau, doth at length ſhake off the yoake, and doth hinder the worke of God as much as it can, I thinke cannot be throughly knowne by any, nor can that little which we know by experience, be explained in fit words. Surely Chriſt, Iohn 3. doth rightly compare the ſpirit, the author of regeneration, to the winde, which bloweth where it liſteth, and whoſe ſound is heard, but men know not whence it commeth, nor whether it goeth: It is a thing therefore whoſe experience is rather to be wiſhed then the efficacy of it to be explained. There are many who while they peere into the nature of the operation of the holy-Spirit, are themſelues led by a reprobate ſpirit: And while they diſcourſe concerning the efficacy of the ſpirit of peace, they themſelues being prone to diſcord, and puft vp with pride, doe ſufficiently bewray that they are led by that ſpirit which doth effectually worke in the ſonnes of rebellion, Epheſ 2.
Theſe things although they be thus, and that it be ſafer to follow God calling, then to enquire by what power he doth call and draw vsus, yet the obſtinate raſhneſſe of thoſe men, with whom wee hauehave to doe, compelleth vsus to deſcend to theſe things: For theſe innouators hauehave drawne out of the puddles of the ſpaniſh Ieſuites, I know not what words of reſiſtability and vnreſiſtability, with which they entangle mens wits; The ſcope whereof is to furniſh the will of man, with powers wherewith he may reſiſt the Holy-Ghoſt, with how great efficacy ſoeuer hee ſhould worke in mens hearts, that by this meanes man might owe his conuerſion to his owne ſtrength and power, and the confidence of our ſaluation reſting on a weake ſupporter, might ſtagger and fall into deſparation.
The words of Arnoldus againſt Tilenus, are direct, pag. 125. Collat Hag pag. 304. Negat propoſitum Deo decretum que eſſe abſolute hunc vel …lum conuertere. Armin. in Perk. 199. Falſum eſt Deum ſimpliciter & abſolute velle vt alij credant & perſeuerent, &c Qu…ſt Arti… Rem…nſt. i… Collat. Hag. Modus operati…nis gra… non eſt reſiſtibilis.We deny that the difference of Grace calling, is not placed as much in the free will of men, as in the will of God: And they all affirme, with one mouth, that God doth not abſolutely will that this or that man ſhould beleeue, but that hee indeede doth giuegive ſufficient grace and power of beleeuing, which man may vſe or not vſe, according to his owne free-will: And that grace, and the power of the holy Ghoſt working in the heart is reſiſtable, euen in the moſt holy men, and in the elect, and that the finall effect thereof may be hindred by man: Whence they gather, that thoſe who are elected, may be reprobated. Indeede (ſay they) the power of beleeuing is giuen vnreſiſtably; and the vnderſtanding is ſo inſtructed in knowledge, and the affections ſtirred vp, that it cannot be reſiſted; but they contend, that the act of beleeuing it ſelfe is giuen reſiſtably, and that it is in the power of free-will to vſe grace or not to vſe it, to beleeue or not to beleeue: For they doe not thinke that the liberty of free-will can ſtand, vnleſſe he that is elected may ſinally reſiſt grace, and ſo be reprobated. Arnoldus againſt Bogermannus, pag. 263. and 274. All the operations of grace being granted, which God doth vſe to the working of conuerſion in vsus, yet conuerſion it ſelfe doth ſo remaine free in our power, that we may not be conuerted, that is, we may conuert, or not conuert our ſelues. For they teach, that the effect of grace doth depend on mans free-will, and that free-will is a part-cauſe of our conuerſion; in ſo much, that Greuinchouius againſt Ames, Greuinch. pag. 198. & 204. & 208 & 297.is bold to write theſe things: You will ſay that in this manner of operation, God doth on a ſort depend on the will of man: I grant it, as concerning the act of free determination. Truely this is to diſgrace God, and to make him ſubiect to mans free-will: Nor doe they doubt to ſay, that God ſeriouſly deſiring that this or that man ſhould be ſaued, is diſappointed of his wiſh and deſire, and that therefore hee doth grieue, and beare it heauily, and doth not doe that which hee had ſworne he would doe, as before we hauehave proued: Euen with theſe ſhores doe theſe good men vnderproppe Chriſtian faith, being about to fall.
And the manner whereby the grace of God, and his Spirit doth worke in vsus, they determine to be this: They ſay that the vnderſtanding of man is vnreſiſtably enlightned, C…lat. Hag. p. 272. Illuminat…mint ellectus … p. …6.and that his affections are vnreſiſtably ſtirred vp, but the aſſent of the will doth remaine free. The ſame men thinke, that God doth vnreſiſtably giuegive to man the power of beleeuing, & of conuerting himſelfe, but the act it ſelfe of beleeuing and conuerting himſelfe, may be done, or hindred, by mans will; and that the feeling is vnreſiſtibly giuen, but not the aſſent: For they ſay, that there is in the will an eſſentiall indifferency and indetermination, to receiue or refuſe grace, and as being put in an equall ballance, doth turne to neither part; for it loſt no ſpirituall gifts by the fall of Adam, becauſe it had not theſe gifts before the fall. The conferrers at the Hage, pag. 307. Although it is to be determined, that the infuſion of abilityes, is done by an vnreſistible power (that the matter become not infinite) yet it cannot come to paſſe that the act it ſelfe, that is, to beleeue and be conuerted, ſhould be wrought vnreſiſtibly.
And they doe plainely deny, that actuall faith, and the act of beleeuing is the gift of God: For although they doe ſometimes make ſhew of this, and doe thunder out with full mouthes that faith is from God; yet in the whole thred of their diſputation, they doe openly bewray that they are verry farre from that opinion: For they deny that faith is iufuſed by God into the hearts of men, but that God doth giuegive power and faculty of beleeuing; Nor doth God otherwiſe giuegive the act of beleeuing, then as the minde is indued with knowledge, and the affections being rayſed, doe put forward the will, which is not to giuegive faith, but to incite to faith: Yea, by their opinion, it is certaine that God doth not giuegive the power of beleeuing in Chriſt, but doth onelyonly enlighten the minde that it may know Chriſt, and allure the appetites with a gentle perſwaſion: For hee that doth onelyonly ſhew the light, and exhort the traueller to goe, doth not giuegive him power of going. Theſe are the words of the Arminian conferrers at the Hage, p. 275. We deny that faith is the gift of God, in reſpect of the actuall infuſing of it into our hearts, but it is ſo called in reſpect of the power of comming to it. This indeede is to vſe no circumſtance, but to ſpeake it plainely enough. For, they ſay that God doth not infuſe faith into our hearts, but that he doth giuegive the meanes to come to faith, which meanes we may vſe, if we will, for this is in the power of free-will.
The ſame men, pag. 306. doe profeſſe that they beleeue that the very act of beleeuing is from God, and yet a little after they doe retract what they had granted; for they doe ouerthrow all thoſe places of Scripture, by which wee endeauour to proue that faith, and the act of beleeuing, is from God. The men of our party, did proue this by the words of Chriſt, Iohn 6.65. No man can come to me, vnleſſe it be giuen him by the father. The Arminians anſwere, that that place of Iohn, ſpeaketh of nothing but of that faculty whereby one may beleeue, and therefore it doth not make to the purpoſe, in as much as it is to be proued that the very act of beleeuing is the gift of God. Would they hauehave it to be proued by vsus, and to be euinced by argument, if they did beleeue it, and did ſeriouſly profeſſe it? Surely, that their confeſſion was diſſembled, and therefore a little after they doe alter and reuoke it: In the ſame place they doe peruerſly corrupt that famous place of S. Paul, Epheſ. 2. By grace ye are ſaued through faith, and that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God. In which place both ſaluation and faith, are called the gift of God. For they deny that faith is there called the gift of God, but ſaluation. O your fidelity ye Sectaries! What doth this concerne you, or why doe youſo much feare leſt faith ſhould be called by the Apoſtle the gift of God? This indeed is a very great malignity, and an open confeſſion, whereby they diſcloſe that they thinke that faith is not the gift of God. With a like licentiouſneſſe doe they ſport themſelues, in deprauing the words of the Apoſtle to Timothy, Epiſt. 2. Chap. 2. v. 25. If God will giuegive them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth. The men of our party brought this place, that they might proue conuerſion and the act of repentance to be from God: But theſe Sectaries, as it were in a mockery doe reiect this place, as that which ſpeaketh of repentance, as of a thing that is vncertaine, and which may happen: Doubtleſſe it doth not pleaſe the Arminians, that the act of conuerſion is the gift of God. And although they ſay in ambiguous and deceiptfull words, that repentance is the gift of God, yet they thinke that it can be proued by no place of Scripture; when yet the Scripture ſaith: It is God which doth worke in vsus effectually to will and to doe. Philip. 2. And that It is giuen to vsus to beleeue in Chriſt. Phil. 1. Surely theſe words, to will, to doe, and to beleeue, doe note out the very act of willing and beleeuing, and not the power whereby we may be willing or not be willing, beleeue or not beleeue.
But they doe in no other thing more open their meaning, then while they deny that faith is infuſed into our hearts by God, but that onelyonly men are ſtirred vp to faith, and allured with a gentle perſwaſion and invitation, which they call morall and reſiſtible; after the ſame manner that a boy is drawne by an Apple offred him, or a hog by bran laid before him. If this be true, and if the efficacy of the holy-Spirit doth no otherwiſe imprint faith then by perſwading, it is plaine that faith is not the gift of God: For hee that perſwadeth to beleeue, doth not giuegive faith, but doth perſwade. Arminius againſt Perkins, pag. 57. hath theſe words: That faith and repentance cannot be had but by the gift of God, is moſt plaine in the Scriptures. But the ſame Scripture, and the nature of the gift of eyther of them, doth moſt cleerely teach, that that gift is giuen by the manner of perſwaſion. Theſe are things that cannot ſtand together, for nothing is giuen by the manner of perſwaſion: He that ſtirreth mee vp to running, doth thereby neither giuegive mee the running it ſelfe, nor the power of running. The ſame man, pag. 211. ſaith, God hath determined to ſaue them that beleeue by his grace, that is, by a milde and ſweete perſwaſion, conuenient and agreeable to their free-will, not by an omnipotent action or motion, which they neither will nor can reſiſt, nor can be willing to reſiſt. Vorſtius, Paraſc. ad Piſcat. pag. 4. ſaith: What things God will hauehave vsus to doe altogether freely and contingently, hee cannot deſire th…ſe more powerfully or effectually then by the manner of a wiſh or deſire. Indeede the Arminian conferrers at the Hage, in the defence of their fourth Article, doe profeſſe that they will not define how God doth worke in vsus, and that they will not breake into theſe ſecrets, yet the ſame men doe reſtraine all thoſe places of Scripture, which ſay that wee are drawne by God, and that God doth effectually and mightily worke in vsus, to a meere perſwaſion and an allurement, by the manner of an Obiect. And Greuinchouius, pag. 232. and 233. doth acknowledge no other, then a morall motion.
This is alſo among the decrees of the Arminians, Collat. Hag. pag. 283.that a man is quickned firſt by the miniſtery of the law, and afterward by the miniſtery of the Goſpell; for they thinke that there is a kinde of quickning, which is without faith in Chriſt; they alſo peece vponupon it this guard, that no man is called outwardly, who is not called in wardly, and that there is free-will in man to open to God knocking, or not to open.
And although they thinke that there is no grace of God, which may not be reſiſted by man, yet they confeſſe, that God doth ſo certainely call ſome men, that they muſt infallibly follow; to wit, them whom he doth call in ſuch a congruent and agreeable time and manner, and with ſuch efficacy and meaſure of light, that they are moſt certainely conuerted. Arminius againſt Perkins, pag. 67. doth ſay, that the inward perſwaſion of the holy Ghoſt is in all them, to whom the word is preached: And that this perſwaſion is two-fold, one ſufficient, the other effectuall; as if that perſwaſion could be ſufficient, which is not of ſufficient efficacy. Hee proceedes: Sufficient perſwaſion is that, whereby a man may will, and beleeue, and be conuerted, when it is vſed; effectuall perſwaſion is that, whereby he to whom it is applied doth will, doth beleeue, and is conuerted: For he thinketh, that he in whom the ſpirit of God doth not worke effectually, may yet beleeue and conuert himſelfe, although hee neuer be conuerted. He addeth; The firſt of theſe perſwaſions is applyed in the decree of prouidence, with a certaine and ſure fore-knowledge, that it ſhall be reiected by the free-will of man: The other is adminiſtred by the decree of predeſtination, with a certaine and ſure fore-knowledge, that he to whom it is applied, ſhall both will, and belecue, and be conuerted; becauſe it is ſo applyed, according as God knoweth it to be congruent and agreeable, for the perſwaſion and the conuerſion of him, on whom it is beſtowed. He hath the ſame words, pag. 245. As alſo Arnoldus againſt Tilenus, pag. 79. Finally, it is familiar to the Arminians to teach, that ſome men are called by God, after an incongruent manner, whereby they that are called doe neuer follow, although they are able to follow; and that ſome are called in a congruent manner and time, wherein they that are called doe certainely follow, and that by the decree of predeſtination, which cannot be deceiued. By which opinion, they vndoe againe that which they had begun, and doe manifeſtly ſtabliſh that vnreſiſtibility, which they impugne with all their forces.
This is rending and tearing of wits, and that torment wherewith theſe men, vnhappily witty men, doe ſo torture both themſelues and others, that now, not onelyonly the Schooles of the Low-countries are filled with the noiſe of the tearmes of vnreſiſtibility, of naturall neceſſity, and of morall perſwaſion, but alſo the Streetes, Barbers ſhops, and Tauernes. You may with leſſe labour, purge the Stable of Angia, then this venimous ſpaune of errours; whereof yet wee hauehave examined a good part in the former Chapters: That which remaines ſhall, by the goodneſſe of God, hereafter be examined.