A Scotch Antidote Against the English Infection of Arminianism, Articles 3-4
Third and fourth article ſtated.
Cōcerning the third and fourth Article of Grace and Freewill, The third and fourth Article ſtated.conſider that Freewill doth denote formally the naturall faculty of mans will alone, yet becauſe the light of underſtanding muſt direct the will, which of it ſelfe is blinde, and the will illightned does command the affections and the other powers of ſenſe and motion as her ſervants, for this connexion and dependance which is betwixt the will and all the naturall powers of the ſoule, the queſtion about the power of all the naturall faculties of man in furthering his owne ſalvation goes uſually under the title of Free will alone.
The queſtion of Free will, or of the power of nature, I mean of all the naturall faculties in the ſoule of man, whether underſtanding, will, affections, or any other in the matter of ſalvation, This queſtion hath many branches, but for ſhortnes we only touch two heads therein: Firſt, how far nature can further grace & ſalvation, next how far it can hinder it: In the firſt head ſandry teach that nature alone without grace can ſave, that numbers without the knowledge of Chriſt by their obedience to the Law of Nature through the direction of right reaſon have been ſaved: Others aſcribe not ſalvation directly to nature alone without grace, yet they make ſaving grace to depend upon nature, ſo that the right uſe of nature doth draw by way of merit, at leaſt by way of infallible dependance the grace of Regeneration: Others goe not thus far in Pelagianiſme, yet they give too much to nature in the matter of ſalvation, they teach that ſin hath not taken away the power of the underſtanding and of the will of man to believe and obey God, but only the exerciſe of that power, that the power of mans Soul to all gracious works is not dead but bound in fetters, farder that in the very firſt act of our cōverſion, not only in all poſterior acts of grace, God and Man, Nature and Grace doe concurre as two partiall cauſes, ſo that the whole effect of Converſion doth depend not only from Gods grace, but alſo the whole of it does flow from Man & Nature, yea, that which maketh Grace efficacious to Converſion and Salvation is not Grace but Nature alone; for the concurrence of Grace is oft (ſay they) alike in theſe who are converted, and thoſe who are never converted, in theſe who are ſaved, and thoſe who are damned, in both they put a degree of grace ſimply equall, ſo that the only difference which caſts the ballance, the only reaſon, why the ſame degree of grace which is efficacious to convert and ſave one, yet is not efficacious for theſe effects in another, is alone in nature, even in the free will of the one accepting and yielding to that degree of grace, which the free will of the other made inefficacious by its own reſiſting and rejection thereof.
In the ſecond head of natures power to hinder Grace and Salvation, the moſt common and infamous concluſion is, that the free wil of man not only hath power to reject and refuſe, to repell and fruſtrate, to overcome and make of none effect the moſt efficacious motions of the regenerating Spirit of God, but alſo very oft does put this power in practice, hindring God when he intends to convert and ſave, by its invincible perverſneſſe to obtaine that his gracious end and mercifull intention.
The errours of the firſt head the Arminians oft in word doe caſt them from themſelves upon the Papiſts, yet in very deed they ſtumble too often upon them all.
The errours of the ſecond head they deny not to be their Tenets: however for confutation of all errours in both the heads let us confirme theſe two propoſitions.
Firſt, neither free wil, nor any other naturall faculty in man hath any power at all to purchaſe either the beginning or midſt of perfection either of grace or ſalvation, but both grace and glory commeth alone from God that quickens nature, dead in ſin, and makes it to worke not in the ſtrength of it ſelf, but alone of grace.
Secondly, that as Nature cannot further grace nor ſalvation, ſo can it not hinder the Omnipotent power of the regenerating Spirit of God to call and convert, and ſave whom ever hee hath a purpoſe to call, convert, and ſave. For the full confirmation of the firſt propoſition, ſee in Scripture theſe 3 grounds cleerly ſet downe.
Firſt, Man by his free will is not able for any ſpiritual good.That in no man by nature is any power at all to any ſpirituall good.
Secondly, That in every man by nature not only is a ſimple impotencie to good, but alſo an exceeding great inclination to all ſpiritual evill.
Thirdly, What ever power to ſpiritual good, or what ever gracious operation is found in any man, the only cauſe of that good is from God, who works it in man, and makes man to worke in the ſtrength not of humane Nature, but of divine Grace.
For the firſt, mans impotency, ſee John 6.44. No man can come to mee except the Father draw him. Jer. 5.23. Can the Ethiop change his skin, or the Leopard his ſpots, then may yee alſo doe good, that are accuſtomed to doe evill, Here is mans impotency to convert to God, or change his wicked nature, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, For they are fooliſhneſſe to him, neither can he know them becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. No man can ſay that Jeſus is the Lord, 1 Cor. 12.3. 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiencie is of God; here the power to underſtand or thinke any good is denied to man of himſelf, Mat. 12.34. O generation of vipers how can yee being evill ſpeak good things. 1 Cor. 14.3. No man can ſay, that Jeſus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoſt. Here holy and good ſpeeches are denied to bee in the power of nature, all power of good deeds is alſo removed, Math. 7 18. Acorrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, John 15.5. Without me yee can do nothing, Whereupon Auguſtine commenting confounds Pelagius thus: iQuid dicitis, quid vos ipſos decipitis, non aſſertores ſed praecipitateres liberi arbitrii ex alto elationis per inama praeſumptionis, in profunda ſubmerſionis, hom…nes ſi…i placentes, mente corrupti, reprobi circa fidem, nempe vox veſtra eſt, quod homo ex ſeipſo facit juſtitiam, ſed veritas contradicit & dicit Palme non poteſt fructum ferre a ſemetipſo, niſi manſerit in vite, Si eſt in vobis ullus ſenſus, horretc, qu… enim à ſemetipſo fructum existimat ferre, in vite non est, qui in vite non eſt, in Ch…ſto non est, qui in Christo non eſt, Chriſtianus non eſt haec ſunt profunda ſubmerſionis veſtrae & ne quiſquam putaret ſaliem parvum aliquem fructum poſſe à ſemetipſo ſe ferre, non ait quia ſine me parum poteſtis facere, ſed nihil poteſtis facere, ſive ergo parum ſive multum, ſine illo fieri non poteſt, ſine quo nihil fieri poteſt.What ſay you, why deceive you your ſelves, not maintainers but caſters downe of freewill from the heights of pride through the voids of preſum ption into drowning deeps, men pleaſing thēſelvs of corrupt minds, and concerning the faith reprobate, for it is your ſentence, that man of himſelfe does juſtice. But the truth contradicts and ſays the branch cannot bring forth fruit of it ſelfe, unleſſe it abide in the vine. If there be any ſenſe in you, bee amazed, for who ever thinks hee can bring forth fruit of himſelf, is not in the vine; who is not in the vine duplicate page duplicate page is not in Chriſt; who is not in Chriſt is not a Chriſtian; Theſe are your drowning deeps, and leſt any ſhould think that at leſt he might of himſelfe bring forth ſome little fruit, hee ſayes not, without mee you can bring forth a little fruit, but you can doe nothing: Whether therefore it bee little or much, it cannot bee done without him, without whom nothing can be done.]
This for our impotencie to all ſpirituall good.
For our perverſneſſe and proclivitie to all ſpirituall evill, Mans will is perverſe and bent to all evil.ſee Gen. 6.5. God ſaw that every imagination of mans heart was only evill continually, Jer. 7.5. The heart is deceitfull above all things, and deſperatly wicked who can know it, Rom. 7.14.18 I know that in mee that is in my fleſh, dwelleth no good, for I am ſold under ſin, Epheſ. 2.5. Wee were dead in ſins, and 5.8. Yee were ſometimes darkneſſe, Ezek. 48.4. I know that thou art obſtinate, and thy neck is as an iron ſinew, and thy brow is braſſe, Zachary 7.12. They made their heart as an adamant ſtone, leſt they ſhould heare the Law.
The third ground, All good in man commeth only from grace.that God alone works all our works in us, that our Illumination, Converſiō, &c. flows frō him alone, ſee, Epheſ. 2.10. Wee are his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Ieſus to good works. Pſal. 5.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit with in me. 2 Cor. 4.6. God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, hath ſhined in our hearts. Phil. 2.13. It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure. Ezek. 36.26. A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh, and I wil put my ſpirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, 1 Chron. 4.7. Who maketh thee to differ from another, and what haſt thou that thou haſt not received? Why doeſt thou glory, as if thou hadſt not received it.
We may ſee this doctrine of Scripture avowed often by all Chriſtian Writers eſpecially by Auguſtine and Bernard, againſt the Pelagians, Heare ſome few of their ſayings. The 1 tels us, [ kLibero arbitrio male utens homo & ſe perdidit & ipſum, nameum libero peccaretur arbitrio amiſſum eſt liberum arbitrium. Liberum arbi…rium ad diligendum Deum primi peccati granditate perdidimus, magnas liberi Arbitrii vires homo cum crearetur, accepit, ſed peccando amiſit, per velle malumrecte perdidit poſſe bonum, qui per poſſe bonum, libere elegit velle malum. Peccato Adae liberum arbitrium de hominum natura periiſſe non dicimus ſed ad peccandum valere in hominibus ſubditis diabolo, ad bene autem pieque vivendum non valere, niſi ipſa voluntas hominis Deigratia fuerit liberata ut velimus ſine nobis operatur, cum volumus & ſic volumus ut faciamus, nobiſcum cooperatur; tamen ſine illo vel operante ut velimus vel coope rante cum volumus ad bona pietatis opera nihil va… mus. Certum eſt nos velle cum volumus, ſed ille facit ut velimus de qùo dictum eſt, Deu…in nobis operatur velle, nos operamur ſed Deus in nobis operatur & operari hoc nobis expedit & credere & dicere, hoc eſt pium hoc eſt verum, ut ſit humilis & ſubmiſſa confeſſio & detur totum Deo. Tutiores vivimus, ſi demus totum Deo, non autem nos illi ex parte & nobis ex parte committimus. Bernard. Non partim gratia & partim liberum arbitrium, ſed totum quidem hoc, & totum illa ſed ut totum in illo ſit & totum ex illa. Quid igitur ais, agit liberum arbitrium. Reſpondeo breviter, ſalvatur, tolle liberum arbitrium non erit quod ſalvetur, tolle gratiam non erit unde ſalvetur, opus hoc ſine duobus eſſe non potest, uno à quo ſit, altero in quo vel cui ſit. Deus autor eſt ſalutis liberum arbitrum tantum capax eſt dare illam, niſi Deus, nec capere valet niſi liberum arbitrium.Man abuſing free will loſt both himſelfe and it. For when by free will ſinne came, free will was loſt: through the greatneſſe of the firſt ſin wee loſt freedome of will to love God: Man in his Creatiō received a great ſtrength of free will, but by ſin did loſe it, by willing of evill, juſtly have we loſt power to good, who by power to good freely did chuſe to will evil: We ſay not that by Adams ſinne free will is loſt, but that in men ſubject to Satan, it ſerves only for ſinning, and is not able to make any live well and holily, except the will of man it ſelf by the grace of God bee made free: God without us makes is to will, when we wil, and will ſo that we doe hee works with us, yet without him both making us to will and working with us when wee will, we have no power to do any good or pious work: It is certain we will, when we will, but hee makes us to will, of whom it is ſaid, God works in us the will: Wee worke but God in us works the work: It is good for us both to believe and ſpeak thus, this is piety, this is truth, that there may be a humble and ſubmiſsive confeſſion, and all be given to God: Wee live more ſafely, when wee give all to God and doe not commit our ſelves partly to him, and partly to our ſelves.
Bernard. Not partly grace and partly free will, but both the one and the other is all; But ſo that all is done in the one, and all from the other: What then wilt thou ſay does free will, I anſwer ſhortly, it is ſaved, take away free will and there ſhall bee nothing which can bee ſaved, take away grace and there ſhall bee nothing whereby to ſave. This work without two cannot bee, the one in which, the other from which it may be done. God is author of ſalvation, free will only the ſubject therof, none can give it but God, nothing can receive it but free will.]
Our ſecond propoſition, The efficacious grace of God in mans converſion is inſuperable by mans will.which the Arminians profeſſe moſt to oppoſe, to wit, that free wil nor naturall corruption does never, & is never able to overcom the motions of the Spirit of God, when he purpoſes to call efficaciouſly and convert, John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me ſhall come to mee. 8.45. Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father, commeth unto me. Rom. 8.30. Whom hee hath called, them he alſo juſtified; alſo who have efficacious grace theſe have the ſpirit of Chriſt, and who have Chriſts Spirit are Chriſts members.
Againe, not only the will of man doth ever obey Gods efficacious calling, but it muſt doe ſo, for the efficacie of Gods call ſtands in the removing of all the perverſnes and ſtubbornes that is in the will, in making the heart new, ſoft and pliable to the Call, in making us will and believe, Phil. 1.29. VntoUnto you it is given not only to believe but to ſuffer. Phil. 2 13. God worketh in you to will and to doe. Ezek. 36.26. A new heart I will give to you, a new ſpirit will I put in you, I will take away the ſtony heart, and give you a heart of fleſh.
Thirdly, GOD in mans converſion employes his ſtrong and mighty power which the Devill, the World, and the Fleſh cannot overcome being the far ſtronger, Epheſ. 1.19. That yee may know the exceeding greatneſſe of his power to us ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Chriſt when hee raiſed him from the dead. 1 John 4.4. Yee have overcome them for greater is hee that is in you, then hee that is in the world. Matth. 12.29. How can one enter into a ſtrong mans houſe and ſpoile his goods, except he firſt binde the ſtrong man, and then he will ſpoyle his houſe.
Fourthly, The Creature cannot hinder its own Creation, nor the dead man his owne quickning, nor the child his own generation, nor the darkneſſe its owne illumination, nor the white paper the writing on it ſelfe, nor the blind eye the reſtitution of its light, nor the weake perſon the draught of a ſtrong hand: Now Scripture oft compares the action of the Spirit converting a ſoul, to a creation, a new life, a regeneration, an illumination, &c.
Fifthly, if the will of man could overcome the efficacious working of the Spirit of God, then could the Decree of our Election and Salvation be made altogether uncertain, and oft be made null by the repugnance of mans will, and the victory of our wickedneſſe over the beſt, and moſt efficacious will of God, but this were againſt Scripture, Eſay 14.24. The Lord of Hoſts hath ſworn, ſurely as I have thought, ſo ſhall it come to paſſe, and as I have purpoſed ſo ſhall it ſtand, the Lord of Hoſts hath purpoſed, and who ſhall diſanull it. 2 Chron. 20.6. In thy hand is there no power? So that none is able to withſtand thee. Rom. 9.29. Who hath reſiſted his will? 8.30. Whom he hath predeſtinated, them he alſo glorified.
The Fathers go here the Scriptures way: have ſome paſſages of Auguſtine cited by Bellarmine himſelfe; [ mDeo volenti …lvum facere …ullum hominum …ſiſtit arbitrium …ic enim velle …ut nolle …n vo…entis aut nolen…is est poteſtate …ut divinam vo…untatem non impediat, nec …ſupereſt poteſtatem, non eſt duhitandum voluntati Dei vo luntatem huma…am reſiſtere non poſſe, proviſum eſt infirmitati voluntatis humanae ut indeclinabiliter & inſeparabiliter ageretur & ideo quantumvis infirma non deficeret, nec adverſitate aliqua frangeretur.No will of any man reſiſts God when hee hath a minde to ſave. For to will or nill is ſo in the power of him that wils or nils that they doe not hinder the will of God, nor overcome his power: doubtleſſe, the will of man is not able to reſiſt the will of God, God has ſo provided for the weakneſſe of mans will, that it ſhould be led indeclinably and irreſiſtably ſo that how weake ſoever it is, it ſhould not fall, nor by any oppoſition be broken.