The Anatomy of Arminianism, Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
That the Arminians doe plainely ſtabliſh that vnreſiſtibleneſſe which they impugne.
I. VNreſiſtibleneſſe is painted, by the Arminians, as a monſter, whoſe beard they pluck, & whom they prick with needles and goades. We hauehave already taught, that they doe build caſtles in the ayre, and paint gourdes and vaine conceits, and doe impugne their owne dreames: For we acknowledge no ſuch vnreſiſtibleneſſe as they faigne.
II. But this is the greateſt meruaile, that they themſelus doe build vp, & do eueryevery where ſtabliſh that vnſiſtibleneſſe which they doe falſely attribute to vsus, and doe impugne with all their forces. You may ſay they are blinde-folded fencers, who fighting with their eyes ſhutte doe beate the ayre and wound themſelues.
III. The Arminians againſt the Walachrians, page 68. Doe deny that they ſay, That the holy-Ghost doth worke vponupon the will by no other meanes then ſuch as may be reſiſted. But (ſay they) wee would hauehave theſe things reſtrained to none, but to that ordinary manner of conuerſion, which the ſpirit for the moſt part doth vſe, not doubting but that the conuerſion of ſome one or other, is ſometimes wrought by an extraordinary meanes. Here wee hauehave them confeſſing themſelues guilty: For by this ſaying, they ouerthrow from the foundation whatſoeuer they hauehave builded vp. For if God conuert ſome men vnreſiſtibly, and doth giuegive them faith by his preciſe and abſolute will, it is impoſſible that theſe ſhould be elected for faith fore-ſeene, and by an election which doth reſt on the fore-ſeeing of faith. For he who is abſolutely and vnreſiſtibly appointed to faith, muſt needes be abſolutely appointed to ſaluation. He ſhould doe fooliſhly, who ſhould faigne God decreeing thus; I indeede decreed to ſaue this man, if he will beleeue: But I will giuegive him faith vnreſiſtibly. Election cannot depend on the fore-ſeeing of that condition which God hath decreed certainely and infallibly to doe. Thus God did not decree that Philip ſhould liue if hee had breath; but hee hath certainely decreed to giuegive him breath, that he might liue.
IV. Hence it appeareth, with what equity theſe Sectaries deale with vsus: For falſely attributing vnreſiſtibleneſſe to vsus, they cry out, that thereby mens wills are compelled, and that it cannot be called obedience, to which man is vnreſiſtibly compelled; yet the ſame men doe thinke that there are ſome who are conuerted vnreſiſtibly, and after an extraordinary manner, and whoſe conuerſion they doe not deny to be obedience.
V. Adde to theſe, that old and worne opinion among the Arminians, which we eueryevery where meete in their writings: That God doth call ſome man after a manner that is not congruent and agreeable, whereby they that are called doe neuer follow, although they be able to follow: That ſome againe are called in that manner, ſtate, meaſure, and time, which is congruent and agreeable, by which meanes whoſoeuer are called, doe certainely and infallibly follow God calling. Alſo wee hauehave before in the 44. Chapter, brought the words of Armini us himſelfe, whereby he determineth that ſuch a calling is made by the decree of God, and adminiſtred by his certain and ſure predeſtination: And iuſtly; For why ſhould God chooſe this apt ſtate, this fit time, and this congruent manner, whereby they that are called doe certainely and infallibly follow, vnleſſe becauſe he will hauehave them certainely and infallibly to follow? Surely theſe things maintaine the ſame vnreſiſtibleneſſe which is beleeued by vsus, that is, a certaine and infallible euent from the preordination of God. They endeauour indeede to qualifie their opinion, by peecing to it this clauſe: Thoſe whom God doth call after a congruent manner, are indeede certainely and infallibly conuerted, but ſo that they may not be conuerted. For (if Arminius be beleeued) they may doe that which neuer hath beene, nor neuer ſhall be; which God certainely fore-knew ſhould not be; and which if it ſhould come to paſſe, the purpoſe and preordination of God (which Arminius doth here acknowledge) ſhould be made voide.
VI. The ſame men doe ſtabliſh vnreſiſtibleneſſe by that their old opinion, whereby they teach, that God in our conuerſion doth vnreſiſtibly enlighten the vnderſtanding, and ſtirre vp the affection. It is ſomething, that they confeſſe that part of our conuerſion and regeneration is wrought vnreſiſtibly, to wit, the enlightning of the minde & the rayſing vp of the affections. But I further affirme, that by that vnreſiſtible enlightning of the minde, if it be cleere and euident, and by that raiſing of the affections, if it be vehement, the will is neceſſarily affected, and drawne to a ſpontaneus aſſent, as wee hauehave at large proued.
VII. They doe no leſſe hurt and wound themſelues, when they teach that the power of beleeuing is giuen vnreſiſtibly: For, what powers of beleeuing are there but by faith? For, habits are the efficient cauſes of operations, as the firſt acts are the cauſes of the ſecond. Or what powers of beleeuing can there be without faith? If therefore the powers of beleeuing are giuen vnreſiſtibly, it is plaine, that faith alſo, and therefore the aſſent of the will, is giuen vnreſiſtably, ſeeing that the power and faculty of beleeuing is placed formally in faith it ſelfe.
The Arminians of the Hage, Collat. pag. 269. doe grant, that God doth vnreſiſtibly cauſe, that alway there are ſome who beleeue: By which grant they doe plainely diſturbe their owne matters. For who are theſe ſome? Are they not ſome certaine perſons? Therefore God doth vnreſiſtibly worke, that certaine perſons ſhould beleeue. Is it likely that God doth vnreſiſtibly cauſe that ſome ſhould beleeue, and hath not appointed who they ſhould be? For ſo it would come to paſſe that God predeſtinated ſome men to beleeue vnreſiſtibly, and that he predeſtinated none. Is it poſſible that God ſhould cauſe, that ſome men ſhould beleeue vnreſiſtibly, and yet tbat the ſame men ſhould not beleeue vnreſiſtibly? As if I ſhould ſay, that God doth cauſe that ſome ſhould die, who yet certainely doe not die. And ſeeing by the opinion of Arminius, there is none of the elect, who may not be reprobated, and cauſe that God ſhould be diſappointed of his intention, it is a meruaile how God ſhould cauſe vnreſiſtibly that ſome ſhould beleeue, when there is none of them who beleeue and are conuerted, but many finally reſiſt, and ſo periſh. Whatſoeuer may happen to ſeuerall men, may alſo happen to all. Nor can the purpoſe of God be certaine, of cauſing vnreſiſtibly that ſome ſhould be conuerted, vnleſſe ſome be vnreſiſtibly conuerted. Euen as the purpoſe of God, of cauſing ſome to be drowned cannot be certaine, vnleſſe ſome be drowned.
The ſame men, Collat pag. 292. ſay; That to conuerſion there is required a power which muſt in many parts exceede eueryevery created power, although it ſhould not worke vnreſiſtibly: For that nature may be effectually conuerted, ſomething is required that is more powerfull then it ſelfe. Theſe things ſeeme to me to be ſuch as cannot ſtand together; that the power of the ſpirit, by which wee are conuerted, doth in many parts exceede the power of nature; and yet that it may be ſo reſiſted by nature, that it may be ouercome, and may finally be hindred: for of ſuch a reſiſtance is it ſpoken here.
There is no cauſe therefore to feare leſt irreſiſtibility, being thruſt at by the Arminians, ſhould fall downe, ſeeing that on the one part they doe hold it vp, and vnderproppe it from falling, yet it is worth the labour to know with what obiections they doe enforce it.