The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII.
The iudgement of Saint Auſtin concerning this controuerſie.
I. THe certainty of perſeuerance may be taken two waies: Either for the certainty of the decree of God, by which God decreed to giuegive perſeuerance in faith, to them whom hee elected to ſaluation: Or for that confidence, by which one doth certainely perſwade himſelfe, that he ſhall neuer be forſaken by God. The firſt certainty is neceſſarily drawne from that election which is abſolute, and is not for faith fore-ſeene, but not the latter: Becauſe God hath decreed many things concerning vsus, whereof hee hath not yet giuen vsus the full knowledge.
II. The full perſwaſion of the faithfull doth not reſt on any reuelation, whereby God hath laid open to vsus the ſecrets of his counſels, but on the promiſes of the Goſpel, and on the inward feeling, whereby one ſearching himſelfe, doth feele that he doth ſeriouſly beleeue in Chriſt, and on the inward teſtimony of the ſpirit, witneſſing in our hearts that we are the ſonnes of God: Yet there may be many, and thoſe good and godly men, who although they belong to the election of God, hauehave not come to this full confidence.
III. Saint Auſtin, being beaten in this queſtion, and exerciſed in often contentions of the Pelagians, is a moſt earneſt maintainer of the former certainty; and doth gather from the election of God, according to his purpoſe, that the elect can neuer be forſaken by God, and that grace is giuen which can neuer faile, and by which they ſhall certainely perſeuere. There are many excellent things in his workes to this purpoſe, but he doth no where ſpeake more plainely then in his booke, de correp. & gratia. which hee writ when he was very old. In the twelfth Chapter hee hath theſe words: There is giuen to the Saints that are predeſtinated by the grace of God to the kingdome of God, not onelyonly ſuch helpe of grace, but alſo ſuch a helpe, that perſeuerance it ſelfe is giuen them, not onelyonly that without that gift they could not perſeuere, but alſo that by this gift they cannot but perſeuere. For he hath not onelyonly ſaid, without me ye can doe nothing, but he hath alſo ſaid, yee hauehave not choſen me, but I hauehave choſen you, and hauehave appointed you that you might goe on, and might beare fruit, and that your fruit might remaine: In which words hee declareth that he hath giuen them not onelyonly righteouſneſſe, but alſo perſeuerance in righteouſneſſe. For Chriſt ſo appointing them, that they ſhould goe on and beare fruit, and that their fruit ſhould remaine, who dare ſay that perhaps it ſhall not remaine? For the gifts and calling of God, are without repentance, that is, the calling of them who are called according to his purpoſe. Chriſt therefore making interceſsion for theſe, that their faith ſhould not faile, without doubt it ſhall not faile to the end, and by this it ſhall perſeuere to the end, and the end of this life ſhall finde it remaining.
And a little after, The will of them is ſo much enflamed by the holy-Ghoſt, that they therefore are able, becauſe they ſo will, and they doe therefore ſo will, becauſe God worketh in them that they may will: For if in ſo great infirmity of this life (in which, notwithſtanding it was neceſſary that vertue ſhould be wrought for the repreſsing of pride) mens wills ſhould be left to themſelues, that if they would they might remaine in the helpe and aſsiſtance of God, without which they could not perſeuere, and God ſhould not worke in them that they might will: The will it ſelfe, by its owne infirmity, would faile among ſo many and ſo great temptations, and they could not therefore perſeuere, becauſe failing by their infirmity they could not be willing, or by the infirmity of their will they could not be ſo willing that they might be able: Therefore the infirmity of mans will was helped, that by the grace of God it might be driuen vnauoidably, and inſeperably; and therefore, although weake, yet it ſhould not faile, nor be ouercome by any aduerſitie. Hee ſuffered and permitted Adam, the ſtrongeſt man, to doe what he would, but hee hath preſerued to the weake, that they ſhould will inuincibly, by him that giueth it, and inuincibly ſhould not forſake it.
Obſerue the words, vnauoydably, vnſeperably, and inuincibly: he vſed not the word irreſiſtibility, which the Ieſuites had not yet coyned: But he vſed words which hauehave no leſſe force to ſet out the power of the moſt certaine, and finally, inſuperable and vnconquerable grace of God, in them who are elected according to the purpoſe of God. And yet he doth vſe the word reſiſting, Chap. 14. where he thus ſpeaketh: No free-will of man doth reſiſt, God being willing to ſaue. For to will or nill, is ſo in the power of him that willeth or nilleth, that it cannot hinder the will of God, nor ouercome his power. Excellently ſpoken, although Arminius cry out againſt it.