A Display of Arminianism, Title page – Dedication 1
foreign: OR, A DISPLAY OF ARMINIANISME. BEING A DISCOVERY of the old Pelagian Idol Free-will, with the new Goddeſſe Contingency, advancing themſelves, into the Throne of the God of heaven to the prejudice of his Grace, Providence, and Supreme Dominion over the children of men.
Wherein the maine errors of the Arminians are laid open, by which they are fallen off from the received Doctrine of all the Reformed Churches, with their oppoſition in divers particulars to the Doctrine eſtabliſhed in the Church of England.
Diſcovered out of their owne writings and confeſſions, and confuted by the Word of God.
By Iohn Owen, Maſter of Arts of Queens Colledge in Oxon.
Produce your cauſe, ſaith the Lord, bring forth your ſtrong reaſons, ſaith the King of Iacob:
Iſa. 41. 21.
Woe unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker, let the pot ſheards ſtrive with the potſheards of the earth:
Chap. 45. 9.
foreign. Conſtant: apud Socrat.
Lib. 1. Cap. 10.
LONDON Printed by I. L. for Phil. Stephens, at the golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard. 1643.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORDS AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE FOR RELIGION.
THe many ample teſtimonies of zealous reverence to the providence of God, as well, as affectionate care, for the priviledges of men, which have beene given, by this Honourable Aſſembly of Parliament, incourage the adorers of the one, no leſſe then the Lovers of the other, to vindicate that alſo, from the incroachments of men. And as it was not doubtleſſe without divine diſpoſition, that thoſe ſhould be the chiefeſt Agents, in robbing men of their priviledges, who had nefariouſly attēpted to ſpoile God of his providence: ſo we hope, the ſame All-ruling hand, hath diſpoſed of them, to be glorious inſtruments, of re-advancing his right, and ſupreme dominion over the hearts of men, whoſe hearts, he hath prepared with courage and conſtancy, to eſtabliſh men, in their inviolated rights: by reducing a ſweet Harmony, between awfull Sovereigntie, and a well moderated libertie. Now the firſt of theſe, being demandated to your particular care, I come unto you, with a Bill of Complaint, againſt no ſmall number in this Kingdome; who have wickedly violated, our intereſt in the providence of God, and have attempted to bring in, the forreigne power of an old Idol, to the great prejudice, of all the true ſubjects, and ſervants of the moſt High. My accuſation I make good, by the evidence of the fact, joyned with their owne confeſsions. And becauſe to wave the imputation of violent intruſion, into the dominion of another, they lay ſome claime, and pretend ſome title unto it. I ſhall briefely ſhew how it is contrary to the expreſſe termes of the Great Charter of heaven, to have any ſuch power, introduced amongſt men: Your knowne Love to truth, and the Goſpel of Chriſt, makes it altogether needleſſe for me, to ſtirre you up by any motives, to hearken to this juſt Complaint, and provide a timely remedy for this growing evill: eſpecially ſince experience, hath ſo cleerely taught us here in England, that not onelyonly eternall, but temporall happineſſe alſo, dependeth on the flouriſhing of the Truth of Chriſts Goſpel.
Iuſtice and Religion, were alwaies conceived, as the maine Columnes and upholders of any State, or Common-wealth; like two pillars in a building, whereof the one cannot ſtand, without the other; nor the whole fabricke without them both. As the Philoſopher ſpake of Logick and Rhetoricke, they are Artes foreign, mutually ayding each other, and both ayming at the ſame end, though in different manners: ſo they, without repugnancie concurre, and ſweetely fall in, one with another, for the reiglement and direction, of every perſon in a Common-wealth, to make the whole happy and bleſſed: and where they are both thus united, there, and onelyonly there, is the bleſsing, in aſſurance whereof, Hezekiah rejoyced: Truth and Peace. An agreement without Truth, is no Peace, but a covenant with Death, a league with Hell, a conſpiracie againſt the Kingdome of Chriſt, a ſtout rebellion againſt the God of Heaven; and without Iuſtice, great Common-wealths, are but great troopes of Robbers: Now the reſult of the one of theſe, is civill Peace, of the other Eccleſiaſticall, betwixt which two, there is a great ſympathie, a ſtrict connexion: having on each other a mutuall dependence: Is there any diſturbance of the State? it is uſually attended with Schiſmes, and factions in the Church, and the diviſions of the Church, are too often, even the ſubverſions of the Common-wealth. Thus it hath beene ever ſince that unhappy difference, betweene Cain and Abel: which was not, concerning the bounds and limits of their inheritance, nor which of them ſhould be heire to the whole world: but about the Dictates of Religion, the offering of their ſacrifices. This fire alſo of diſſention, hath beene more ſtirred up, ſince the Prince of Peace, hath by his Goſpel, ſent the Sword amongſt us: for the preaching thereof, meeting with the ſtrong holds of Satan, and the depraved corruption of humane nature, muſt needs occaſion a great ſhaking of the earth. But moſt eſpecially, diſtracted Chriſtendome, hath found fearefull iſſues of this diſcord, ſince the proud Romiſh Prelates, have ſought to eſtabliſh their hell-broached errors, by inventing, and maintaining, uncharitable deſtructive cenſures againſt all that oppoſe them: which firſt cauſing Schiſmes, and diſtractions in the Church, & then being helped forwards, by the blindneſſe and cruelty, of ambitious Potentates, have raiſed war of nation againſt nation, witneſſe the Spaniſh Invaſion of 88. of a people within themſelves, as in the late Civill wars of France, where after divers horrible Maſſacres, many choſe rather to die Souldiers, then Martyrs.
And Oh, that this truth, might not at this day, be written with the blood of almoſt expiring Ireland. Yea, it hath laſtly deſcended to diſſention, betwixt private parties, witneſſe the horrible murder of Diazius, Sleid. Com.whoſe brains were chopt out with an axe, by his own brother Alphonſus, for forſaking the Romiſh Religion: what rents in State, what grudgings, hatreds and exaſperations of mind, among private men, have happened by reaſon of ſome inferiour differences, we all at this day grieve to behold; tantum Religio potuit ſuadere malorum: moſt concerning then is it for us to endevour obedience, to our Saviours precept, of ſeeking firſt the kingdome of God, that we may be partakers, of the good things, compriſed in the promiſe annexed: were there but this one Argument, for to ſeek the peace of the Church, becauſe thereon depends the peace of the Common wealth, it were ſufficient to quicken our utmoſt induſtry, for the attaining of it. Now what peace in the Church, without Truth? all conformitie to any thing elſe, is but the agreement of Herod and Pilate, to deſtroy Chriſt and his Kingdome, neither is it this, or that, particular truth, but the whole Counſell of God, revealed unto us, without adding, or detracting, whoſe embracement is required, to make our Peace firme and ſtable. No halting betwixt Iehovah and Baal; Chriſt and Antichriſt, as good be all Philiſtine, and worſhippers of Dagon, as to ſpeake part the language of Aſhdod, and part the language of the Iewes: hence, hence hath been the riſe of all our miſeries, of all our diſſentions, whileſt factious men, laboured every day, to commend themſelves to them, who ſate aloft in the Temple of God, by introducing new Popiſh Arminian errors, whoſe Patronage they had wickedly undertaken: who would have thought, that our Church, would ever have given entertainment, to theſe Belgicke Semipelagians, who have caſt dirt upon the faces, and raked up the aſhes, of all thoſe great and pious ſoules, whom God magnified, in uſing as his inſtruments to reforme his Church; to the leaſt of which, the whole troope of Arminians, ſhall never make themſelves equall, though they ſwell till they breake? what benefit did ever come to this Church, by attempting to prove, that the chiefe part, in the ſeverall degrees of our ſalvation, is to be aſcribed unto our ſelves, rather then God? which is the head and ſumme, of all the Controverſies, between them and us: and muſt not the introducing and fomenting of a doctrine, ſo oppoſite to that truth our Church hath quietly enjoyed, ever ſince the firſt reformation neceſſarily bring along with it Schiſmes and diſſentions, ſo long as any remaine who love the truth, or eſteeme the Goſpel above preferment: Neither let any deceive your Wiſdomes, by affirming, that they are differences of an inferiour nature, that are at this day agitated, between the Arminians and the Orthodox Divines of the reformed Church, be pleaſed but to caſt an eye on the following inſtances, and you will finde them hewing, at the very root of Chriſtianity. Conſider ſeriouſly their denying of that fundamentall Article of Originall ſin: Is this but a ſmall eſcape in Theologie? why, what need of the Goſpel? what need of Chriſt himſelfe, if our nature be not guilty, depraved, corrupted? neither are many of the reſt of leſſe importance; ſurely theſe are not things, in quibus poſsimus diſſentire ſalva pace ac charitate, as Auſtin ſpeaks, about which we may differ, without loſſe of peace or charitie, one Church cannot wrap in her communion, Auſtin and Pelagius; Calvine, and Arminius. I have here onelyonly given you a taſte, whereby you may judge of the reſt of their fruit: mors in olla, mors in olla; their doctrine of the finall apoſtaſie of the elect, of true beleevers, of a wavering haeſitancy, concerning our preſent grace, and future glory, with divers others, I have wholly omitted: thoſe I have produced, are enough to make their abettors uncapable of our Church communion: the Sacred bond of peace, compaſſeth onelyonly the unitie of that Spirit which leadeth into all truth. We muſt not offer the right hand of fellowſhip, but rather proclaime foreign,Greg. Naz. an holy warre, to ſuch enemies, of Gods providence, Chriſts merit, and the powerfull operation of the holy Spirit▪ neither let any object that all the Arminians do not openly profeſſe, all theſe errours, I have recounted; let ours then ſhew wherein they differ from their Maſters,Profitentur Remonſt. haſce ad promotionem cauſae ſuae artes adhibere, ut apud vulgus non ulterius progrediantur quam de articulis vulgo notis, ut pro ingeniorum diverſitate quoſdam lacte diualant, aliis ſolidiore cibo &c. Feſtus Hom. praeſtat ad ſpecimen Con. Bel. we ſee their owne confeſsions, we know their arts, foreign, the depths and crafts of Satan, we know the ſeveral wayes they have to introduce, and inſinuate their Heterodoxies into the mindes of men: with ſome they appeare onelyonly to diſlike our doctrine of reprobation: with others to claime an allowable libertie of the will: but yet for the moſt part, like the Serpent, where ever ſhe gets in her head, ſhe will wriggle in her whole body ſting and all: give but the leaſt admiſsion, and the whole poyſon muſt be ſwallowed. What was the intention of the maintainers of theſe ſtrange aſſertions amongſt us, I know not: whether the efficacie of errour prevailed really with them, or no? or whether it were the better to comply with Popery, and thereby to draw us back againe unto Egypt, but this I have heard, that it was affirmed on knowledge in a former Parliament, that the introduction of Arminianiſme amongſt us, was the iſſue of a Spaniſh conſultation: Hieron. Zanch. ad Holderum: Reſ. Miſcel.it is a ſtrange ſtory that learned Zanchius tels us, how upon the death of the Cardinall of Lorraigne there was found in his Study a note, of the names of divers Germane Doctors and Miniſters, being Lutherans, to whom was paid an annuall penſion, by the aſsignment of the Cardinall, that they might take pains to oppoſe the Calviniſts, and ſo by cheriſhing diſſention, reduce the people againe to Popery. If there be any ſuch amongſt us, who upon ſuch poore inconſiderable motives, would be wonne to betray the Goſpel of Chriſt, God grant them repentance▪ before it be too late; however, vponupon what grounds, with what intentions, for what ends ſoever, theſe Tares have been ſowed amongſt us by envious men, the hope of all the piouſly learned in the Kingdome is, that by your effectuall care and diligence, ſome meanes may be found to root them out. Now God Almightie increaſe and fill, your whole Honourable Societie, with wiſedome, zeale, knowledge, and all other Chriſtian graces, neceſſary for your great calling and employments, which is the daily prayer of
Your moſt humble and devoted ſervant IOHN OVVEN.