The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIV.
The opinion of the Orthodoxe Church, concerning the conuerſion of man, and of the manner and certainty of Conuerſion.
OVr opinion is not that which theſe Sectaries doe fayningly apply to vsus, whom it troubleth, that wee doe not ſpeake abſurd and impious things, that a larger field might be opened to them of inveighing againſt vsus.
The Arminians at the Hage, in the defence of their fourth Article, doe faſten theſe things vponupon vsus; That God is willing to ſaue ſome men, whether their free-will aſſent, or not aſſent thereto. This is a foule calumny: For whoſoeuer God doth ſaue, hee bendeth his will, that he might worke of his owne accord, and might obey God. The ſame men, pag. 268. doe ſo deale with vsus, as if we taught, that faith is wrought in vsus by God without vsus, and as if wee taught that our wils were compelled, and wee drawne in our conuerſion, as blockes. Theſe things (according to their cuſtome) they attribute to vsus, and that liberally enough: They change the gennine and proper ſtate of the queſtion, becauſe they know that our opinion cannot be ouerthrowne, vnleſſe it be firſt changed.
Thus therefore we determine: That the election of God is immutable, and thoſe that are written in the booke of life, cannot be put out, nor the decrees of God be broken: Wherefore, whoſoeuer God hath elected to ſaluation, hee hath neceſſarily elected to faith and repentance; in as much as without theſe there is no ſaluation. Whence it commeth to paſſe, that it is impoſſible but that the elect ſhould obtaine faith, and be conuerted; which thing, ſeeing it is done in ſome ſooner, and in ſome later, and that the workemen are called into the Lords Vine-yard at diuers houres of the day; yet it is certaine, that he was not elected, who hath not at the leaſt beleeued in Chriſt, in the time of death. This is to vsus the ground & foundation of truth, which can be ouerwhelmed by no Art, nor ſhaken with any force. Whoſoeuer are called by the purpoſe of God, doe neceſſarily follow, leaſt God ſhould faile of his purpoſe: And whoſoeuer God hath predeſtinated, them he called, and whom he called, he iuſtified, and whom he iuſtified, he glorified, Rom. 8.
If therefore it muſt needes be, that all they that are elected, muſt come to faith in Chriſt; the foundation of this certainty, is not mans free-will, but the will of God. For an immutable, and an eternall thing, cannot reſt on a flitting and vnſtable foundation. Yet we doe not ſay, that man is drawne of God, by an vnreſiſtible force; For that is an vnreſiſtible force, which though you would reſiſt, you cannot: For how can we be drawne by the vnreſiſtible grace of God, ſeeing that this very thing, that wee will not reſiſt, but yeelde obedience to him of our owne accord, is the grace of God it ſelfe? So when all of vsus deſire to be happy freely, and yet neceſſarily, there is no man but he that is mad, will ſay that we are compelled to it by any vnreſiſtible force: we doe not ſay that the elect, although they would reſiſt the calling of God, yet could not: but we ſay, that the elect doe at length certainely and infallibly, and of their owne accord, follow God calling, that the Election of God might be fulfilled: For this is the ſtate of the queſtion; Whether it may come to paſſe, that he who is elected, may neuer be conuerted, and may euen to the very end, reſiſt God calling, or may ſo reſiſt the grace of God, that he may finally fall from it.
Neither is there any neede, here carefully to diſpute, whether he that is elected can reſiſt grace, ſeeing he cannot reſiſt grace, and whether hee is vnwilling to that which hee willeth. Wee hauehave no leaſure to be ſo acute: For it ſufficeth to the defence of the certainty of election, to determine that it is impoſſible, that he who is elected ſhould not be conuerted, and ſhould finally reſiſt. If we get this granted, we will eaſily ſuffer the Arminians to skirmiſh and flouriſh at leaſure, and to diſpute whether that may be done, that neuer hath beene done, nor neuer ſhall be done; and whether the tormentours could breake the thighes of our Sauiour, which were impoſſible to be broken, becauſe the decree of God did hinder. Theſe are the wranglings of idle men, who make worke for themſelues, that they might procure moleſtation and trouble to others. The wils of men are after a maruailous & ſecret manner ſo turned by God, that it is impoſſible that man ſhould will to doe thoſe things, to the doing whereof their naturall powers hauehave ability; and although man may naturally reſiſt, yet it is impoſſible that hee ſhould will to reſiſt finally: And thoſe things may certainely and vnavoidably happen, which are done by men willing and witting, and hauing naturally power of reſiſting. We doe not therefore deſpute of the powers of reſiſting grace, which wee finde by experience, to our owne loſſe, to be in the godly and faithfull: But we diſpute of the impoſſibility of the euent, and we earneſtly affirme, that it cannot be, that he who is elected, ſhould finally reſiſt, and by his incredulity ſtriue againſt God to the end of his life.
And that thoſe things which are done by men willingly without conſtraint, without naturall neceſſitie, and without the impulſion of any externall cauſe forcing mans free-will, doe happen neceſſarily, and the prouidence of God ſo decreeing, the Scripture doth affirme, and experience doth witneſſe: For the Arminians doe acknowledge, that the death of Chriſt was decreed by God, and that it could not be but the decree of God muſt be fulfilled; when yet that death hapned by the wickedneſſe of the Iewes, who were led to this naughty act of their owne accord. Prou. 21. God doth turne the hearts of Kings, and doth leade them whither hee will; euen as the conueyer doth guide the riuer, whether he pleaſeth. God without conſtraint, did ſuddenly change the minde of Eſau, Gen. 33. and of Saul, 1 Sam. 19.23. and of the Aegyptians, Pſal. 105.25. Which although they came to paſſe vnauoydably, yet they were done of their owne accord, and not by an vnreſiſtible force, but the liberty of mans free-will remaining vntoucht. And if this be true in wicked men, how much more in good and faithfull men? Are they drawne vnwillingly, to whom God doth giuegive a heart of fleſh, for a ſtony heart? Or thoſe to whom God promiſeth that he will cauſe that they ſhall walke in his wayes? Ezech. 36.37.
And we would eaſily admit of the words reſiſtibilitie and vnreſiſtibilitie, although they are rode and vnhandſome, if they were not wreſted otherwiſe then to that which they ſignifie: For they call that reſiſtible which may be hindred, auerted, and ouercome; when yet it is one thing to reſiſt, and another thing to ouercome. Vnreſiſtible force is that which cannot be oppugned nor reſiſted, and not that which cannot be ouercome; reſiſtance noteth out the fight, not the victorie: For no man (as I know of) hath euer denied, that the efficacy of the ſpirit may be reſiſted by man: Nor is there any one, in whoſe minde piety is ſo deepely ſeated, who doth not feele an inward wreſtling, and is often deſtracted with contrary deſires: But that he that is elected, may ſo reſiſt grace, that he may neuer admit it, or being once admitted, hee may altogether and finally ſhake it off; there can nothing more be done to aboliſh the decrees of God: for wee doe not place the inuincible power of that faith which God doth giuegive to his elect, in the decree of faith, and in the perfection and ſtrength of that vertue; but in the certaine and ſure helpe of God, which hee doth ſupply to his elect, according to his purpoſe: For there is no faith ſo well growne, or ſo well ſtrengthened, which would not faile, if God ſhall neuer ſo little withdraw his aide; euen as the child of two years old, at the firſt taking of his ſteps, is held vp by the hand of his father; although the childe be fearefull, yet certainely he ſhall not fall, becauſe his father doth ſtrongly hold him vp. And if God doth ſometimes ſuffer his elect to ſtumble and fall, he doth forthwith raiſe them vp: Whence it comes to paſſe, that they are made more wary, and doe more acknowledge the care of God ouer them, and by their very fall, doe gather ſtrength; euen as when the parts of a broken bone doe ſo grow together againe, and are couered with a hard skin, that that part which was broken, is growne ſtronger then it was before. Alſo if our faith be weake, but yet ſerious and wreſtling with doubtings, our bountifull father doth helpe our infirmities, and doth not breake the bruiſed reede. For as they that were bleare eyed, and blinde of one eye, beholding the braſen Serpent, were no leſſe healed, then they that had both their eyes, and did ſee clearely; becauſe they were not healed by the power of their ſeeing faculty, nor by the cleareneſſe of their eyes, but by the diuine power which God did exerciſe by this image of the Serpent: So wee are not ſaued by the merit of the perfection of our faith, but by the bounty of God in Chriſt our Redeemer.
But what and how great that ſoule bending and perſwading power of the holy Ghoſt, working in the hearts of the elect is, and by what meanes, occaſions, and degrees hee doth further his worke, they themſelues cannot expreſſe who doe feele it: Euen as the Woman with childe, doth not know after what manner the liuing fruite is formed and doth encreaſe: But that the power of the holy Ghoſt is very great, the Scripture doth witneſſe, as hereafter ſhall be proued.
But how great ſoeuer this efficacy is, yet God doth not draw vsus as logs, but as men. He doth draw vsus being vnwilling, that wee might be willing; hee doth follow vsus being willing, that we might not will in vaine: And when, of being vnwilling, hee doth make vsus willing, he doth not onelyonly not take away the liberty of the will, but he alſo reſtoreth it, becauſe to ſerue God willingly and with ioy, is liberty. And he doth ſo further the increaſes of faith and regeneration, that for the moſt part we doe not perceiue that wee doe grow, but after ſome ſpace of time, we know that we hauehave growne: Euen as wee doe not ſee plants as they grow, but wee ſee they hauehave growne. The word of the Goſpell receiued into the eare, and conceiued in the heart, is the ordinary manner whereby God doth affect mens hearts, and doth beginne, and further regeneration, hee inſpiring into it hidden powers towards them whom he decreed to ſaue. Therefore it is called by Saint Peter, the incorruptible ſeed, 1. Pet. 1. By Saint Paul, the power of God to ſaluation, Rom. 1. By the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes, Chap. 4. and in the beginning of the Reuelation, a two edged and ſharpe Sword. By Ieremy, Chap. 23. v. 29. fire, and a hammer breaking the rocke, becauſe it breaketh the hardeneſſe of our hearts, and doth leade our captiued cogitations to the obedience of Chriſt. 2 Cor. 10.5. The ſparkes of which new life, fallen from heauen into our hearts, the Spirit of God doth ſtirre vp, and further as it were with bellows, & doth draw out groanes that cannot be vttered, ſtriking, & wounding the heart with ſecret pricks, enlightning the minde, gouerning the appetites, bending the will, which (whether Arminius will or no) muſt alſo be framed againe, and as a crooked piece of wood, be bowed to the contrary part, becauſe it is not equally inclined to good and euill (as theſe Sectaries would hauehave it) but doth wholy leane and incline to euill in men vnregenerate.
This change, ſeeing it cannot be made but by contrary habits, it muſt needes be, that inſtead of thoſe vices which are naturally engrafted, the contrary habits of faith, hope, charity, humility, patience, &c. ſhould ſucceede: Which habits are not obtained by vſe and by actions, as the Arminians thinke, pag. Per ſpiritus ſancti operationem vires homini dantur ad eliciendos actus conuerſio…s, concomitante porro ſpiritu credit & be…agit home: crebris fid… charitatis patientiae actibus habitum ſpei fidei, &c. ſibi comparaet.65. againſt the Walachrians, but are imprinted, and infuſed by the Spirit of God, who doth ſtirre vp holy actions and motions, which doe ſtrengthen faith and charitie, and increaſe it by exerciſe: For man, helped by the ſpirit of God, doth not giuegive himſelfe faith or charity, or obtaine them by exerciſe and induſtry, but they are giuen by God, and are nouriſhed and increaſed by voluntary and ſpontaneus actions, inſpired by God.
And that the will is rather the ſeate of vertues, then the ſenſitiue appetites, reaſon it ſelfe doth proue: For it is more like that the reaſonable appetite, which is peculiar to man, is adorned with vertues, rather then the appetite which is common to vsus with beaſts, which if it were the ſeate of the vertues, of righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, and charity, the ſenſitiue faculty ceaſing after death vertue alſo would ceaſe, and the will of the ſeparated ſoule, would be altogether voide of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe: And if any one doth ſuppoſe that the appetites may be called iuſt ſubiectiuely, and that they are the ſubiect of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, becauſe they obey the minde enlightned by God, there is no cauſe why the will, freely ſubiecting it ſelfe to that perſwaſion, ought not alſo after the ſame manner, be called iuſt and holy, and the ſubiect of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. And ſeeing that the rectified will of a wiſe and pious man is wont to rule ouer the affections, and to compell them into the compaſſe; who doth not ſee, that vertue is rather in that part, which being rectified, doth rule ouer the affections, then in the affections, which doe for the moſt part ſlackly obey this holy command? I confeſſe indeed that Chriſtian vertues doe in ſome part pertaine to the ſenſitiue appetities; But after the ſame manner that the art of training vp a horſe, which doth properly reſide in the horſe-man, doth in ſome part belong to the horſe, whom the induſtry of the rider hath broake to the circuits and compaſſe, and hath taught to moue himſelfe with an ordered motion. Could there be none more commodious meanes inuented of maintaining the liberty of the will of man, then by depriuing it of all vertue? Surely the Arminians ſhew themſelues ſtout patrons of the liberty of free-will, if they ſpoyle the will of vertues, that it might be free, and doe ſhake off the bonds of holy habits from the will, leſt it ſhould be too much bound. For as they teach that the will, before the fall, was not indued with ſpirituall gifts, leſt it ſhould be thought by the fall to be defiled with vices, and leſt contrary vices, and a natural deprauation ſhould be thought to hauehave ſucceded in the place of thoſe ſpirituall gifts which were loſt: So they alſo deny that the habits of faith and charity, &c. are infuſed into the will by God, leſt the will being changed by that infuſion ſhould loſe the power of finally reſiſting the holy-Ghoſt. For they thinke that iniury is done to the will, if the liberty of caſting it ſelfe headlong into hell be taken away, which ſurely is an vnhappy liberty, and for the defence whereof theſe Sectaries ought not to apply themſelues with all their ſtrength, as if it ſtood vsus ſo much vponupon ſo to be free that wee might reſiſt God to the end, and deſtroy our ſelues: Neither was this a fit cauſe of making the will ſuch a ſilly and ſingle thing, naturally indued neither with vices nor vertues, but a thing that may be turned and winded eueryevery way, and like the prime and firſt matter, capable of eueryevery impreſſion; ſeeing that on the contrary, the will of man is naturally euill, and euen incorporated in vices, as we hauehave abundantly proued, Chap. 33. and men according to their will, eſpecially, are eyther good or euill.
We determine therefore, that Chriſtian vertues are not obtained by vſe and induſtry, but are infuſed by God into the minde, and into the will; who doth not onelyonly giuegive power of beleeuing, but alſo to beleeue in Chriſt it ſelfe, and doth worke in vsus actuall faith: As he who by his certaine and abſolute purpoſe hath decreed to giuegive faith to them whom hee decreed to ſaue, whereby they might be ſaued: The effect of which grace we determine doth not depend on mans free-will, and that it is not in our power to beleeue, and to be conuerted if we will, ſeeing that on the contrary God giueth to the elect, that they might will to be conuerted, & to beleeue, giuing them both to will, and to doe, according to his good pleaſure.