A Scotch Antidote Against the English Infection of Arminianism, Title page – To the reader

A Scotch Antidote Against the English Infection of Arminianism · Title page – To the reader

A SCOTCH ANTIDOTE Againſt The Engliſh Infection OF ARMINIANISM.

Which little Book may be (through Gods bleſſing) very uſeful to preſerve thoſe that are yet ſound in the faith, from the Infection OF M^r JOHN GOODWIN'S Great Book.

BY ROBERT BAILIE, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Glaſgow.

London, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Ball in Paul's Church-yard. 1652.

To the Aequitable READER.

THe ſhortneſſe of the following Treatiſe admits not long prefacing: It has been much wiſht & long expected from the learned Divines of this land, that a plain & ſhort Manual of the chief controverſies ſhould have been publiſhed, wherby the people might be forearmed againſt the invaſion of ſeducing ſpirits which every where are but two frequent. Long ago two much ſtuffe of this kind is provided for Scholers, Theſe have but too many and too big Volumes of controverſies always at their hand; but our people are not ſo furniſht either with ſword or buckler as need were, which makes them to their ſhame & grief, when they run counter with adverſaries (which they cannot chooſe but oft to do) lie open to wounds: The children of this world are in this, as in many other things, wiſer than the children of light: the Jeſuits let not their Proſelites have any lack of their Encheiridia, their Vade mecum, their little pocket Books of controverſie, to enable them both to ſtrike and keep, when they meet with our people.

Theſe years bygone too much time hath been loſt among us on Ceremonies and Diſciplinary Queſtions. It has bin the policy of Satan to hold us intent, & buſy on theſe out-ſconces, that ſo the main fortreſſes of Antichriſt ſhould ſtand ſafe without aſſault. Would to God that our too too long and hot skirmiſhes about purging of the ditches of Biſhops, and Ceremonies, had not caſt open at our backs the gates of our great Towers, and given opportunity to our Enemy to undermine the very foundations of our Church.

Of all the Errors which in too great a number do corrupt England this day, theſe which are called after the infamous name of Arminius, are the moſt prevalent. While therefore the Learned may be pleaſed to demit themſelves for the good of the people, while ſome gracious Divine may be moved to take leiſure for the publiſhing of ſome ſhort and plain Syſtem of all, or of the moſt material controverſies, it were good that ſome little thing were done in this beginning of our glorious Liberty from Oppreſsions, for the arming of the godly againſt the errors of Arminius, which ſo malepertly theſe bygone years have been blown abroad, and the oppoſition thereto hath been ſo ſtrictly diſcharged, and ſo ſeverely puniſhed: while a better comes, the ſubſequent Treatiſe will ſerve ſomewhat for that end. Of its worthlet every man pronounce according as he finds. In its firſt birth it was a Speech delivered upon a ſhort warning in the general Aſſembly of Glaſgow, and there not miſlik't. Since that time it hath not increaſed much in ſtature. If the feature of it pleaſe any intelligent eye, it is eaſie in a few nights for any to make the members of it grow ſo great & long as you will: but it is the Authors opinion, that treatiſes intended to thefore-named ends are the more handſome & ſerviceable, the more ſhort and ſimple they be; and the more unprofitable & unpleaſant, the more accurate and long: However, ſuch as it is, enjoy it who will, miſregard it who pleaſe.

p. 7An Antidote againſt AMINIANISM.

ARmintus was a late Preacher of Holland, Who Arminius wasminiſter firſt at Amſterdam, and then profeſſor of Divinity at Leiden, a man of very great ingine; in his outward converſation almoſt unblameable; but much given to Innovation and ſelf conceit. The Novelties which mainly he loved were divers errours of our old Country man Pelagius, which the Jeſilites in his p. 8time had revived. After that the Spirit of God had baniſhed the Hereſies of Arius, Neſtorius, Madedonius, and Eutiches, which Satan in their perſons had raiſed againſt the perſons of the Trinity, againſt the nature and perſon of Chriſt, Pelagius a Scotiſh man did oppoſe not the Nature, nor the Perſon; but the Grace of God: againſt him the Lord raiſed Auguſtine, who by the force of Scripture beat the Heretick in all his errors, yet there were ſome relicts of that ſubtile Hereſie after Auguſtine death, which ſet up the p. 9head both in the Eaſtern and Weſtern Churches ſometimes more, ſometimes leſſe; In the days of Remigius and Hincmarus, great was the trouble that the Semipelagians made in Germany and France, as we ſee in the cauſe of Goteſchalcus, ſet downe by Gerhardus Voſsius, but much more honeſtly by Primate Vſher.

From that time there was not much dinne about theſe queſtions, When hee came to be infected with errour.till after the yeare 1590, when Molina a Spaniſh Ieſuit began to renew many of the Pelagian p. 10errors about Grace and Freewill, Election, and Reprobation, and ſuch heads.

Againſt him Alvarez a Dominican at Rome, did oppoſe at length: This fire betwixt theſe two Orders began to burn firſt in Spain, and then in Weſt Flanders: from Lovan, the Ieſuit Leſsius blew over the reik to Amſterdam, where Arminius was Preacher, the flame burning in his wanton Engine, brake out firſt openly in a Treatiſe againſt Perkins golden Chain, thereafter he did ſpread his errours p. 11where ever hee might: Being called to the Vniverſitie of Leiden to ſucced good Iunius, for ſometime hee was quiet, but at once with all diligence he infected not only the youth in the Univerſity, but by them very many Miniſters over all the Land.

His petulant wit was not content to broach theſe remaynders of Pelagianiſme which Molina and his followers profeſſed, but beſide hee fell on many moe dangerous novations & at laſt began to like p. 12much of Vorſtius and Socinus tenets.

This fire in the Holland Church burnt bold ly in the time of the Truce with Spaine, and was likely to threaten their eſtate with ruine in the time of peace, more than the Spaniſh ſword had done in all their wars.

So long as Arminius lived there was no remedy, When Arminianiſme was cruſhed in Holland.when God had killed him, the evill grew no leſſe; ſome Stateſmen and Court Miniſters for their own ends did hold theſe errours on foot; the welminded p. 13people cryed ſtil for a general Aſſembly as the only help of their Schiſmes: the Arminians by might and maine ſet themſelves againſt the meeting of a Synod, as the certaine ruine of their Party; ſo long as their Patron Barnavelt lived, they got the Aſſembly ſhifted, but when that Traitors head was ſtricken off, & King Iames our bleſſed Prince had adviſed often the States, and halfe by threatnings commanded them, at laſt a generall Aſſembly was called at Dort, not only p. 14of Divines and ruling Elders from all the Provinciall Synods of the Netherlands, but almoſt from the whole Reformed Churches; there the moſt excellent Synod being met that Chriſtendome had ſeen for ſome hundred years; the Arminian Queſtions were handled at leiſure from November to May, and all that was needfull, was cleerly decided.

That labour was ſo bleſſed by God, that the Land which through the Arminian Schiſme and Errours was at the p. 15point of ruine, ſince that time hath had peace from theſe turbulent Schiſmaticks.When Arminianiſme did take root in Britain.

But here the pity, Britain whoſe waters mainly had ſlakened that fire abroad, began at once to be ſcorched at home by ſome ſparks of that flame.

The hopes of the Arminians in England were but ſmall ſo long as K. James did live, for that good Prince both in word and writing did threaten to burne theſe Hereticks if any of them ſhould appeare in his Dominions; ſee his Declaration p. 16againſt Vorſtius: yea, ſo long as Abbot was in grace at Court, the Arminians kept a low ſayle, but after that his Succeſſor even in his owne time had come in favour, that unhappy Sect under the patronage of Mountagu and White's learning began to ſpread far and neare, yea, at laſt ſilence in a publike Edict was enjoyned to their oppoſers, and all favours conferred on thoſe who had skill and will to promote that Cauſe, & many evident diſgraces poured on well deſerving p. 17men for no other reaſon, but their Anti-Arminian ſpirit.

All this time our Church was free of theſe evils; but ſo ſoon as the advancers of Arminianiſme at the Engliſh Court, began to intermeddle with the affaires of our Kingdome, at once theſe men were eyed, who inclined that way, prime places were put into their hands for no other vertue the World could diſcern in them, but their boldneſs to let out their inclination towards p. 18the Arminian Errour.

This way of advancement being perceived, incōtinent many among us ſet their hearts towards that art which was likelieſt in haſte to promote their fortunes,

It is to be remarked that the Arminian ſpirit in Holland leads men to hell another way then here in Britaine; The Britiſh Arminians decline to Popery, but the Belgick to Socinianiſme.there the Arminians with great boldneſſe running after Vorſtius & Socinus with a marvellous petulancy fell to brangle the Trinitie of p. 19the Divine perſons, yea, the ſimplicity of the Divine nature it ſelf.

But that Devill finding this his raſhneſſe to revive openly Manes & Arrius, did make people abhorre him, and flee away, hee became more wary; ſo that among us hee lets theſe old condemned Hereſies alone, and goes another way to work; Hee leads by a new method to the errours of Antichriſt; A Netherlandiſh Arminian will ſcorn the ſuperſtitions, the Idolatries, the Tyrannies of the Romiſh p. 20Church, but is much inclined after Vorſtius and Socinus, under the pretext of Liberty to run licentiouſly into Hereſies condemned in the firſt Oecumenick Coun cels: On the contrary, a Britiſh Arminian with the Ancients will abhor the Extravagancies of Vorſtius and Socinus, yet their heart is hot and inflamed after the abominations of Rome: God who put Confuſion in Babel, hath divided Satans Kingdome againſt it ſelfe, elſe this ſubtill Devill might have indangered p. 21the ſafety of the whole Reformed Church; But while in Holland the horn of Arminianiſm is now brokē out in his front long and great, and in England the horne of Popery, wee truſt theſe two long black ugly hornes ſhall make that evill ſpirit both here and there ſo well knowne, that hee ſhall not be able to doe ſo much harme any where as once was feared from him; however the great Hammer that brake the necke of the beaſt over Sea, was that p. 22Nationall Synod and the mayn hope we have to get it maſtered here at this time is by the hand of our God in this preſent Aſſembly.

For the ſtory I will ſay no more but come to the Doctrines; The five Arminian Articles.The multitude of their ſingularities was reduced at their own deſire, both in the Conference at Hage, and Synod of Dort to five Articles, or rather foure, for Grace and Freewill are commonly diſputed together.

p. 23The firſt Article concerns Predeſtination, The ſtate of the queſtion in the firſt Article.the next the Death of Chriſt, the third and fourth Grace and Freewill, the fifth Perſeverance, wee may adde Juſtification as a ſixth, whereon both theſe over Sea, and their followers among us, run as mad as on any of the former.

Concerning Election, the firſt and chiefe part of Predeſtination, they teach, that it is poſterior to Faith, Works, and Perſeverance; Arminius at the beginning p. 24made faith alone previous to Election, but long ſince his followers, and our men alſo joyne works, yea, perſeverance to the end in faith, and works; as if God firſt did foreſee by his eternal Preſcience, ſome men of their own Freewill aſſenting to his Cal in time, believing and going on to the end in faith and good works, and after this foreſight, did paſſe his Decree of Election to glory upon theſe men clothed with the named qualities.

But wee teach that p. 25Faith, Works, and Perſeverance are poſterior to Election; that this is the cauſe, root, fountain, whence all grace in us does flow; that our Election hath no Antecedent cauſe, condition, or good quality on our part, but flows meerly from Gods good pleaſure, and mercy looking upon us, lying in our bloud, corrupted with originall ſin, and in that caſe chooſing us of his free mercy to be members of his Son, to whō hee will give grace and glory, though others as p. 26good and nothing worſe then wee are permitted to lie ſtill in the maſſe of corruption for the glory of his mercy to us and juſtice towards them, without any ground of gloriation to the one, or complaint to the other, as if any wrong were done them, when they are paſt by.

This our Doctrine of Election it is cleer from Scripture, Our firſt argument for abſolute election is from Eph. 1.3.Eph 1:31. ſee Epheſ. 1.3. [Bleſſed be God, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſſings in Chriſt, according as hee hath choſen us in him, that we ſhould p. 27be holy and blameleſſe before him in love, having predeſtinated us to the adoption of children, according to the good pleaſure of his will]

Here wee are choſen to be holy and blameleſſe, not becauſe wee were holy, therefore we were choſen, Holineſſe is made poſteriour to our Election; Now Faith, Perſeverance, Charity, and ſuch graces are all parts of holineſſe, are all fruits of the holy Spirit. Here alſo all ſpirituall bleſſings for which God is p. 28to bee praiſed, flows from this originall; Election is the rule according to which God diſtributes theſe graces.

Adoption alſo is made a fruit of Election, yea, the only reaſon of this Election is made Gods good pleaſure. By this place of Scripture Auguſtine beat downe the Pelagians, who taught an Election of foreſeene works. [ aaPraedeſt. c. 8. Praeſciebat ergo ait Pelagianus qui futuri erant ſancti & immaculati per liberum voluntatis arbitrium, & ideo eos ante mundi Conſtitutionem elegit, quia tales futuros praeſcivit.God foreſaw p. 29(ſaith the Pelagian) who ſhould be holy & unblameable by their own freewill, and therefore hee did elect them before the foundation of the World, becauſe hee foreſaw they would be ſuch.] What anſwers hee to this Arminian Objection in the mouth of the Pelagians? [ bbIntueamur Apoſtoli verba atque videamus utrum propterea nos clegit quia ſancti futuri eramus, an ut eſſemus, benedictus, inquit Deus, &c non quia futuri eramus ſed ut eſſemus, nempe certum eſt, nempe manifeſtum est, ideo quippe tales eramus futuri quia elegit ipſe praedeſtinans ut per gratiam ejus tales eſſemus, cernitis proculdubio, cernitis quanta manifeſtatione Apoſtolici eloquii defondatur haec gratia, contra quam merita extollunt humana, tanquam homo aliquid det Deo & retribuatur ei.Let us behold the Apoſtles words, and ſee whether therefore hee did elect us becauſe wee were to be holy, or that wee might be ſuch: Bleſſed ſays the p. 30Apoſtle, be God who has choſen us not becauſe wee were to be ſuch, but that we might bee ſuch: Why the matter is certain, it is manifeſt, for we were to be ſuch becauſe God predeſtinating did chooſe us that wee by his grace might become ſuch: you ſee doubtleſſe, you ſee with what evidence of Apoſtolike utterance, this grace is defended, againſt which humane merits extols it ſelfe, as if man did give any thing to God, and it were rendred to him.] So does the Father convince the Pelagians from theſe ſame words; hee p. 31alſo cloſes the mouthes of the Semipelagians who taught that albeit works and holineffe was not prior to Election, yet Faith or at leaſt ſome beginnings of faith behoved on our part to go before, to theſe thus he ſpeaks, [ ccDe dono Perſeverantiae cap. 7. Audiant & ipſi in hoc teſtimonio (praediſtinariſecundū propoſitum ejus qui univerſa aperatur) ipſe & ut inerpiamus credere operatur qui univerſa operatur, nec fides ipſa praecedit, non enim quia credimus ſed ut credamus, elegit nos.Let even theſe heare in this paſſage (predeſtinated according to his purpoſe, who works all things) hee that works all things, works alſo that wee begin to believe, neither doth faith it ſelfe goe before p. 32his worke, for he has choſen us that wee might believe, not becauſe we did believe] Againſt both the whole and half Pelagians, ſo he concludes triumphantly, [ ddContra iſtam veritatis tam claram tubam quis hom… ſobriae vigilantiſ que ſidei voces ullas admittat humanas. Our ſecond argument from Rom. 11.5.Rom 11:5Againſt ſo cleare a trumpet of Truth, what perſon of ſober and watchfull faith will admit the contrary voice of any man.]

Another Scripture, Rom. 11.5. Even ſo alſo at this preſent time there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if of grace it is no more of works otherwiſe grace is no more grace.

p. 33Here the Reaſon is given why among the misbelieving obſtinate wicked Jews, there was a few remnant who did believe and were ſaved: the grace, faith, ſalvation of this Remnant is aſcribed to their Election as the Cauſe, & this Election is affirmed to come alone of Gods Grace, and denied to have proceeded of any of their works, yea, theſe things are not ſimply affirmed, that the grace and ſalvation of the remnant came from Election, that this Election p. 34was of grace that it was not of works, but farther works and grace in this matter of Election are declared to be incōpatible, ſo that thoſe who make our Election to depend on works, or to be poſterior in Gods mind to his foreknowledge of our works, ſay what they will, they are enemies of the grace of God.

This place is ſo cleer, that Arminius ſo long as hee lived durſt never aſcribe Election to good works as his followers now do, yea, the Lutherans p. 35to this day dare not doe it: but the place refutes even that which they ſay, that Election is of Faith albeit not of works clearly enough, eſpecially as Arminius expounded Faith, for hee made Election and Juſtification to depend on Faith, not as it is an inſtrument applying Chriſt, but as it is an Evangelicall work which God hath appointed under the Goſpell to be a ſaving quality of it ſelfe, as perfect obedience ſhould have beene under the Law. In this p. 36ſenſe Faith is a true worke, and who denyes Election to be of works denyes it as well to be of Faith, which is a work. But take Faith as you will, this place removes it from Election, for it aſcribes Election to Gods grace alone excluding Faith, works, or what ever is in us: The clearneſſe of this place changed Auguſtine his minde, and delivered him from that Lutheran errour, wherein long he lay, believing Election to have beene of Faith, albeit not of works.

p. 37[ eeAd hoc perduxi ratiocinationem ut dicerem non ergo elegit Deus opera cujuſquam in praeſcient…a ſed fidem in praeſcientia elegit, ut quem ſibi crediturum eſſe praeſciret ipſum eligeret, ſed nondum diligentius quaeſieram, nec adhuc invenerā qualis ſit Electio gratiae de qua Apoſtolus. Our third argument from Rom. 8.28.Rom 8:28This was the iſſue of my argumentation that I ſaid, God has not choſen any mans works in his foreknolwedge, but hee has choſen faith in his foreknowledge, but I had not at that time diligently enough enquired, neither had I yet found what was that Election of Grace, of which the Apoſtle ſpake.

A third Scripture is, Rom 8.28. Whom hee did predeſtinate, them hee alſo called, and whom hee, &c. Here Election is made prior to calling and Juſtification, as they to glorificatiō, much more p. 38to faith, works, perſeverance which are all poſteriour to calling, wee muſt firſt bee Juſtified before we can perſevere to the end, we muſt firſt be called by the Word & Spirit before we can believe. Faith then, and works and perſeverance are poſterior to effectual vocation, much more to Election, which in this Scripture is ſet before vocation it ſelfe, yea, before all the conſequences and effects of vocation.

The Arminians cannot p. 39get away from the grip of this place, but by wreſting of it pittifully, both at Hage Cō ference and in the Synod, and all their poſteriour writs, they with a ſtrange impudence avow that Predeſtination, Vocation, Juſtification in this place is no wayes relative either to grace or glory, but only to the croſſe and affliction: of all the malepert Wreſters of Scriptures that live this day, the Remonſtrants are the chief. This preſent ſubterfuge is Socinus his Invention, p. 40a wicked Heretick, who denyes the merit, the power, and the true ſatisfactions of Chriſts death & bloud, and ſo indeed hee hath reaſon if his grounds be true; For with Arrius he ſpoyls Chriſt of his Godhead, which if hee did want, his bloud and death could not be ſatisfactory for any one ſin, yet this moſt pernitious heretick, the Arminians think no ſhame to follow, in wreſting the preſent Scripture, but to little purpoſe, for the analogie of the p. 41whole Scripture, the ſcope of this Text will not let them expound Predeſtination, Calling, and Juſtification as Socinus would, if we admit in this place three of their greateſt friends, & of our greateſt foes to be Judges, Pelagius, Arminius, Molina. From them all wee have teſtimonies that this place cannot admit Socinus interpretation, but I muſt haſte.

A fourth Scripture is, Our fourth argument from Rom. 9.11.Rom 9:11Rom. 9.11. For the Children being not yet born, neither yet having done any p. 42good or evill that the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand, not of works but of him that calleth, &c.

The purpoſe of God according to Election is underſtood here of Gods Eternall Predeſtination as Pelagius and Arminius both in their Commentaries on the place confeſſe, this Election is aſcribed only to God who calls, all works are excluded becauſe they were none, there could be none, the perſons not yet being borne, our Adverſaries p. 43run here two divers ways from this text.

Spalato underſtands works as exiſting not as future, ſaying, that Jacob was elected not for any works which hee had done, but for thoſe which hee was to doe, which was before God in his preſcience.

This Pelagian ſubterfuge Auguſtine treads downe in the firſt birth: [ ffVeſtrae ealiginis latebra propter quod profecto â ſipitis, quia dicente veritate non ex operibus ſed ex vocante, vos dicitis ex futuris operibus quae Deus illum facturum eſſe praeſciebat Iacobum eſſe dilectum atque ita contradicitis Apoſtolo dicenti non ex praeſentibus operibus ſid ex futuris.This is the lurking hole p. 44of your darknes, wherefore truly you erre, for the truth ſaying not of works, but of him that calleth, you ſay, Jacob was loved for the works which God foreſaw he was to doe, and ſo you contradict the Apoſtle ſaying, not of works, as if he could not have ſaid, not of works preſent, but for works to come.]

Arminius flies another way, granting that Jacobs Election was not of works, yet avowing it was of faith, this hole Auguſtine ſtopped long agoe, when the Semipelagians would have been p. 45at it, ggNumquid dixit non ex operibus ſed ex credente, prorſus etiam hoc abſtulit homini ut totum daret Deo, dicens ſed ex vocante, non quacunque vocatione, ſed qua vocatione fit credens.[Did the Apoſtle ſay not of works, but of him that believeth, even this alſo did the Apoſtle take from man that hee might give all to God, ſaying but of him that calleth, not with every call, but by ſuch a call wherewith wee are made to believe.]

One other Scripture, Our fift argument from Acts 13.48.Acts 13:48Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to life eternall believed: Gods Ordination to life eternall goes before faith: beliefe is here an effect aſcribed to Election, as the cauſe whence it comes. To flie this Argument, p. 46the Aeminians follow Socinus to a worſe errour then they would eſchew, they expound, ordained to eternall life, thoſe who before all faith and calling by their own free wil were fitted and diſpoſed for faith and ſalvation: This is ſuch an high degree of Pelagianiſme that the Lutherans and Papiſts alſo, for the moſt part do abhor it.