A Display of Arminianism, Argument · Chapter 6

A Display of Arminianism · Argument · Chapter 6

p. 50CHAP. VI.

How the whole doctrine of Predeſtination is accounted by the Arminians.

THe cauſe of all theſe quarrels, wherewith the Arminians and their abettors, have troubled the Church of Chriſt, comes next unto our conſideration: the eternall predeſtination of Almightie God, that fountaine of all ſpirituall bleſſings, of all the effects of Gods love derived unto us through Chriſt: the demolliſhing of this rocke of our ſalvation, hath been the chiefe indeavour of all the Patrons of humane ſelfe-ſufficiencie: ſo to vindicate unto themſelves, a power, and independent abillitie of doing good, of making themſelves to differ from others, of attaining everlaſting happineſſe, without going one ſteppe from without themſelves: and this is their firſt attempt, to attaine their ſecond propoſed end, of building a tower, from the toppe whereof they may mount into heaven, whoſe foundation is nothing but the ſand of their owne free-will and indeavours: quite on the ſudden (what they have done in effect) to have taken away this divine praedeſtination, name, and thing, had beene an attempt as noted as notorious, and not likely to attaine the leaſt ſucceſſe amongſt men profeſſing to beleeve the Goſpel of Chriſt: wherefore, ſuffering the name to remaine, they have aboliſhed the thing it ſelfe, and ſubſtituted another ſo unlike it in the roome thereof, that any one may ſee they have gotten a bleareeyed Leah inſtead of Rachel, and hugge a cloud inſtead of a Deitie. The true Doctrine it ſelfe, hath beene ſo excellently delivered by divers learned Divines, ſo freed from all Objections, that I ſhall onelyonly briefely and plainly lay it downe, and that with ſpeciall reference to the ſeventeenth Article of our Church, where it is cleerely avowed; ſhewing withall which is my chiefe intention, how it is thwarted, oppoſed, and overthrowne by the Arminians: Predeſtination in the uſuall ſenſe it is taken, is a part of Gods providence, concerning his creatures, diſtinguiſhed from it by a double reſtriction.

Firſt, in reſpect of their Obiects, for whereas the Decree of p. 51providence comprehendeth his intentions towards all the works of his hands, predeſtination reſpecteth onelyonly rationall creatures.

Secondly, in regard of their ends, for whereas his providence directeth all creatures in generall, to thoſe ſeverall ends to which at length they are brought, whether they are proportionated unto their natures, or exceeding the ſphere of their naturall activitie: Predeſtination is exerciſed onelyonly in directing rationall creatures, to ſupernaturall ends: ſo that in generall it is the counſell, decree, or purpoſe of Almightie God, concerning the laſt and ſupernaturall end of his rationall creatures, to be accompliſhed for the praiſe of his glory: But this alſo muſt receive a double reſtriction, before we come preciſely, to what, we in this place aime at: and theſe againe in regard of the objects or the ends thereof.

The Object of Predeſtination is, all rationall creatures; now theſe are either Angels or men, of Angels I ſhall not treat: Secondly, the end by it provided for them is either eternall happineſſe, or eternall miſerie: I ſpeake onelyonly of the former, the act of Gods predeſtination, tranſmitting men to everlaſting happineſſe: and in this reſtrained ſenſe, it differs not at all from election, and we may uſe them as Synonyma, termes of the ſame importance: though by ſome affirming that God predeſtinateth them to faith whom he hath choſen, they ſeeme to be diſtinguiſhed as the decrees of the end, and the meanes conducing thereunto; whereof the firſt is Election, intending the end, and then takes place Predeſtination providing the meanes; but this exact diſtinction appeareth not directly in the Scripture.

This Election the word of God propoſeth unto us, as the gracious immutable decree of Almightie God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, out of his owne good pleaſure, he choſe certaine men, determining to free them from ſinne and miſerie, to beſtow upon them grace and faith, to give them unto Chriſt, to bring them to everlaſting bleſſedneſſe for the praiſe of his glorious grace: or as it is expreſſed in our Church Articles, Predeſtination to life is the everlaſting purpoſe of God, whereby before the foundations of the world were laid, he hath conſtantly decreed by his counſell ſecret p. 50duplicate page p. 51duplicate page p. 52to us, to deliver from curſe and damnation, thoſe whom he hath choſen in Chriſt out of mankinde, and to bring them by Chriſt unto everlaſting ſalvation, as veſſels made unto honour: wherefore they who are endued with ſo excellent a benefit of God, be called according to Gods purpoſe, &c.

Now to avoid prolixitie I will annex onelyonly ſuch annotations, as may cleere the ſenſe, and confirme the truth of the Article, by the Scriptures: and ſhew briefly how it is overthrowne by the Arminians in every particular thereof.

Firſt, the Article conſonantly to the Scripture affirmeth, that it is an eternall decree, made before the foundations of the world were laid, ſo that by it we muſt needs be choſen before we are borne, before we have done either good or evill: the words of the Article are cleere, and ſo alſo is the Scripture, He hath choſen us in him before the foundation of the world: Epheſ. Chap. 1. verſ. 4. The children being not yet borne, before they had done either good or evill, it was ſaid, &c. Rom. 9. 11. We are called with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Jeſus Chriſt before the world began: 2 Tim. 1. 9. Now from hence it would undoubtedly follow, that no good thing in us, can be the cauſe of our election, for every cauſe muſt in order praecede its effect, but all things whereof we by any meanes are partakers, in as much as they are ours are temporarie, and ſo cannot be the cauſe of that which is eternall: things with that qualification, muſt have reference to the ſole will and good pleaſure of God, which inference would breake the necke of the Arminian election: wherefore to prevent ſuch a fatall ruine, they deny the principle, to wit, that election is eternall: aaElectio non eſt ab aeterno: Rem. apol.So the Remonſtrants in their Apologie;bbElectio alia completa eſt quae neminem ſpectat niſi immocientē: —Electio peremptoria totum ſalutis complementum et conſummationem decernit, ideoque in objecto requirit totam conſummatam fidei obedientiam: Grevin. ad Ameſ. fol. 136. paſſim. diſ. Compleate election regardeth none but him that is dying, for this peremptorie election decreeth the whole accompliſhment and conſummation of ſalvation, and therefore requireth in the obiect the finiſhed courſe of faith and obedience, ſaith Grevinchovius: which is to make Gods election nothing but an act of his juſtice, approving our obedience: and ſuch an act as is incident to any weake man, who knowes not what will happen in the next houre that is yet for to come: and is this poſt-deſtination, that which is propoſed to us in the Scripture, p. 53as the unſearchable fountaine of all Gods love towards us in Chriſt?ccNon agnoſcimus aliam praedeſtinationem in evangelio patefactam, quam qua Deus decrevit credentes & qui in eadem fide perſeverarent ſalvos facere: Rem. coll. Hag. fol. 34. yea, ſay they, we acknowledge no other predeſtination to be revealed in the Goſpel, beſides that whereby God decreeth to ſave them who ſhould perſevere in faith, that is Gods determination concerning their ſalvation is pendulous, untill he finde by experience, that they will perſevere in obedience. But I wonder why, ſeeing election is confeſſedly one of the greateſt expreſſions of Gods infinite goodneſſe, love, and mercy towards us; if it follow our obedience, we have it not like all other bleſſings and mercies promiſed unto us, is it becauſe ſuch propoſitions as theſe, beleeve Peter and continue in the faith unto the end, and I will chooſe thee before the foundation of the world, are fitter for the writings of the Arminians then the word of God? neither will we be their rivals in ſuch an election, asddElectionis fructum aut ſenſum in hac vita nullum agnoſco: Grevin. from whence, no fruit, no effect, no conſolation, be derived to any mortall man whileſt he lives in this world.

Secondly, the Article affirmeth that it is conſtant, that is, one immutable decree, agreeably alſo to the Scriptures, teaching but one purpoſe, but one fore-knowledge, one good pleaſure, one decree of God, concerning the infallible ordination of his elect unto glory: although of this decree, there may be ſaid to be two acts, one concerning the means, the other concerning the end, but both knit up in the immutabilitie of Gods will: Heb. 6. 17. The foundation of God, ſtandeth ſure: having this ſeale, God knoweth who are his: 2 Tim. 2. 19. His gifts and calling are without recalling not be repented of, Rom. 11. 29. now what ſay our Arminians to this, why a whole multitude of new notions, and termes have they invented, to obſcure the doctrine; Election ſay they iseeEpiſcop. Theſ. p. 35. Epiſt. ad Walach. p. 38. Grevinch. ad Ameſ. p. 133. either Legall, or Evangelicall, generall or particular, complete, or incomplete, revocable or irrevocable, peremptory, or not peremptory, with I know not how many more diſtinctions of one ſingle eternall act of Almightie God: whereof there is neither volanec veſtigium, ſigne or token in the whole Bible, or any approved Author: and to theſe quavering diviſions they accommodate their doctrine, or rather they purpoſely invented them to make their errours unintelligible: yet ſomething agreeably thus they dictate; There ffElectio alia completa eſt, quae neminem ſpectat niſi morientem, alia incompleta, quae omnibus fidelibus communis eſt, —ut Salutis bona, ſunt incompleta quae continuantur, fide continuat…, & abnegata revocantur, ſic electio eſt incompleta in hac vita, non peremptoria, revocabilis. Grev. ad Ameſ.is a complete election, belonging to none but thoſe that are dying, and there is another incomplete, common to all p. 54that beleeve, as the good things of ſalvation are incomplete which are continued whileſt faith is continued, and revoked when that is denied, ſo election is complete in this life, and revocable: againe, there are ſay they in their confeſſion,ggTres ſunt ordines credentium & reſipiſcentium in Scripturis, novitii, credentes aliq…andiu, perſeverantes, duo priores ordines credentium eliguntur vere quidē, at non pro… ſus abſolute, nec niſi ad tempus puta quamdiu & qu…tenus tales ſent▪ &c. Rem. confeſſ. cap. 18. ſect. 6, 7. three orders of beleevers, and repenters in the Scripture, whereof ſome are beginners, others having continued for a time, and ſome perſeverants, the two firſt orders are choſen, vere truly, but not abſolute prorſus, abſolutely, but only for a time, ſo long as they will remaine as they are, the third are choſen finally and peremptorily; for this act of God is either continued or interrupted according as we fulfill the condition: but whence learned the Arminians this doctrine? not one word of it from the word of truth, no mention there of any ſuch deſultory election, no ſpeech of faith, but ſuch as is conſequent to the one eternall irrevocable decree of predeſtination, they beleeved who were ordained to eternall life, Acts 13. 48. no diſtinction of men halfe and wholly elected, where it is affirmed that it is impoſſible the elect ſhould be ſeduced, Matth. 24. 24. that none ſhall ſnatch Chriſts ſheep out of his fathers hand, Ioh. 11. 28, 29. what would they have more? Gods purpoſe of election is ſealed up, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and therefore cannot be revoked: it muſt ſtand firme, Rom. 9. 11. in ſpight of all oppoſition: neither will reaſon allow us to thinke any immanent act of God, to be incomplete or revocable, becauſe of the neere alliance it hath with his very nature: but reaſon, Scripture, God himſelfe, all muſt give place to any abſurdities if they ſtand in the Arminian way, bringing in their Idoll with ſhouts, and preparing his throne, by claiming the cauſe of their predeſtination to be in themſelves.

Thirdly, the Article is cleere, that the object of this predeſtion, is ſome particular men choſen out of mankinde, that is, it is ſuch an act of God, as concerneth ſome men in particular: taking them as it were aſide from the middeſt of their brethren, and deſigning them for ſome ſpeciall end and purpoſe, the Scripture alſo aboundeth in aſſerting this veritie, calling them that are ſo choſen, a few: Mat. 20. 16. which muſt needs denote ſome certaine perſons; and the reſidue according to election, Rom. 11. 5. thoſe whom God knows to be his, 2 Tim. 2. 19. Men ordained to eternall life, Acts 13. 48. us Rom. 8. 39. thoſe that are written in the p. 55Lambes booke of life, Revel. 21. 27. all which and divers others clearely prove, that the number of the elect is certaine, not only materially as they ſay, that there are ſo many, but formally alſoAquinas. that theſe particular perſons and no other are they, which cannot be altered: nay the very nature of the thing it ſelfe doth ſo demonſtratively evince it, that I wonder it can poſſibly be conceived, under any other notion: to apprehend an election of men, not circumſcribed with the circumſtance of particular perſons, is ſuch a conceited Platonicall abſtraction, as it ſeemes ſtrange that any one dares profeſſe to underſtand: that there ſhould be a predeſtination and none predeſtinated, an election and none elected, a choiſe amongſt many yet none left or taken, a decree to ſave men, and yet thereby ſalvation deſtinated to no one man, either re aut ſpe, indeed or in expectation, in a word that there ſhould be a purpoſe of God to bring men unto glory, ſtanding inviolable though never any one attained the propoſed end, is ſuch a riddle as no Oedipus can unfold: now ſuch an election, ſuch a predeſtination have the Arminians ſubſtituted, in the place of Gods everlaſting decree: we hhNos negamus Dei elect…onem ad ſalutem extendere ſeſe ad ſingulares perſonas, qua ſingulares perſonas: Rem. Coll. Hag. fol. 76.deny ſay they that Gods election, extendeth it ſelfe to any ſingular perſons, as ſingular perſons: that is, that any particular perſons, as Peter: Paul, Iohn, are by it elected: no? how then?iiDeus ſtatuit indiſcriminatim media ad fidem adminiſtrare, & prout has, vel illas perſonas, iſtis mediis credituras vel non credituras videt, ita tandem de illis ſtatuit, Corvi. ad Tilen. 76. Why God hath appointed without difference, to diſpenſe the means of faith, and as he ſeeth theſe perſons to beleeve, or not to beleeve, by the uſe of thoſe means, ſo at length he determineth of them: as ſaith Corvinus: well then; God chooſeth no particular man to ſalvation, but whom he ſeeth beleeving by his own power, with the helpe only of ſuch means as are affoorded unto others, who never beleeve, and as he maketh himſelfe, thus differ from them, by a good uſe of his own abilities, ſo alſo he may be reduced againe into the ſame predicament, and then his election which reſpecteth not him in his perſon, but only his qualification, quite vaniſheth: but is this Gods decree of election? yes ſay they; andkkEccleſiae tanquam Sacroſancta doctrina obtruditur Deum abſolutiſſime & immutabili decreto ab omni retro aeternitate, pro puro ſuo beneplacito, ſingulares quoſdam homines, eoſque, quoad caeteros, pauciſſimos, citra ullius obedientiae aut fidei…n Chriſtum intuit… praedeſtinaſſe ad vitam: Praefat. lib. Armin. ad. Perk. make a dolefull complaint, that any other doctrine ſhould be taught in the Church, it is obtruded (ſay the true born ſons of Arminius) on the Church as a moſt holy doctrine, that God by an abſolute immutable decree, from all eternitie, out of his own good pleaſure, hath choſen certaine perſons, and thoſe but a few in compariſon, without any reſpect had to their faith and obedience; and predeſtinated them to p. 56everlaſting life: but what ſo great exception is this doctrine lyable unto; what wickedneſſe doth it include, that it ſhould not be accounted moſt holy? nay, is not only the matter, but the very tearmes of it contained in the Scripture: doth not it ſay the elect are few, and they choſen before the foundation of the world; without any reſpect to their obedience or any thing that they had done: out of Gods meere gracious good pleaſure, that his free purpoſe according to election might ſtand; even becauſe ſo it pleaſed him: and this that they might be holy, beleeve, and be ſanctified, that they might come unto Chriſt and by him be preſerved into everlaſting life; yea, this is that which gals them, llNulla Deo tribui poteſt voluntas, qua ita velit hominem ullum ſalvari, ut ſalus inde illis conſtet certo & infallibiliter, Arm. Antiperk. fol. 583.no ſuch will can be aſcribed unto God whereby he ſo willeth any one to be ſaved, as that thence their ſalvation ſhould be ſure and infallible, ſaith the father of thoſe children.

Well then letmmPraedeſtinatio eſt praeparatio beneficiorum quibus certiſſime liberantur quicunque liberantur, Aug. de bono per. ſen. cap. 14. S^t. Auſtine his definition be quite rejected, that predeſtination is a preparation of ſuch benefits, whereby ſome are moſt certainly freed and delivered from ſinne, and brought to glory: and that alſo of Saint Paul, that (by reaſon of this) nothing can ſeparate us from the love of God, that is in Chriſt: what is this election in your judgement?nnDecretum electionis nihil aliud eſt quam decretum quo Deus conſtituit credentes in Chriſto juſtificare, & ſalvare, Corvin. ad Tilen. fol. 13. Nothing but a decree whereby God hath appointed to ſave them that beleeve in Chriſt: ſaith Corvinus, be they who they will: or a generall purpoſe of God, whereby he hath ordained faith in Chriſt, to be the means of ſalvation: yea, but this belongs to Iudas, as well as to Peter, this decree carrieth an equall aſpect to thoſe that are damned, as to thoſe that are ſaved, ſalvation under the condition of faith in Chriſt, was alſo propoſed to them, but was Iudas and all his company elected? how came they then to be ſeduced and periſh? that any of Gods elect goe to hell, is as yet a ſtrange aſſertion in Chriſtianity; notwithſtanding this decree, none may beleeve, or all that doe may fall away, and ſo none at all be ſaved, which is a ſtrange kinde of predeſtination: or all may beleeve, continue in faith, and be ſaved: which were a more ſtrange kinde of election.

We poore ſouls thought hitherto, that we might have beleeved according unto Scripture, that ſome by this purpoſe were in a peculiar manner made the Fathers, (thine they were) and by him p. 57given unto Chriſt, that he might bring them unto glory, and that theſe men were ſo certaine and unchangeable a number, that not only God knoweth them as being his, but alſo, that Chriſt calleth them all by name: Ioh. 10. 3. and looketh, that none taketh them out of his hand: we never imagined before, that Chriſt hath been the Mediatour of an uncertaine Covenant, becauſe there are no certaine perſons covenanted withall, but ſuch as may or may not fulfill the condition: we alway thought, that ſome had been ſeparated before by Gods purpoſe from the reſt of the periſhing world, that Chriſt might lay down his life for his friends, for his ſheepe, for them that were given him of his Father: but now it ſhould ſeeme he was ordained to be a King, when it was altogether uncertaine whether he ſhould ever have any ſubjects, to be a head without a body, or to ſuch a Church whoſe collection and continuance depends wholly and ſolely on the will of men.

Theſe are doctrines that I beleeve ſearchers of the Scripture, had ſcarſe ever been acquainted withall, had they not lighted on ſuch Expoſitors, as teach,ooRatio dilectionis perſonae eſt, quod probitas, fides, vel pietas, qua ex officio ſuo & praeſcripto Dei iſta perſona praedita ſit. Deo grata ſit. Rem. Apol. pag. 13. that the only cauſe why God loveth, (or chooſeth) any perſon, is, becauſe the honeſty, faith and pietie, wherewith, according to Gods command and his own dutie, he is endued, are acceptable to God: which though we grant it true of Gods conſequent, or approving love; yet ſurely there is a divine love, wherewith he looks upon us otherwiſe, when he gives us unto Chriſt: elſe, either our giving unto Chriſt is not out of love, or, we are pious, juſt, and faithfull, before we come unto him, that is, we have no need of him at all: againſt either way, though we may blot theſe teſtimonies out of our hearts, yet they will ſtand ſtill recorded in holy Scripture, viz. that God ſo loved us when we were his enemies, Rom. 5. 8. ſinners, verſ. 10. of no ſtrength, that he ſent his only begotten Sonne to die, that we ſhould not periſh but have life everlaſting, Ioh. 3. 16. but of this enough.

Fourthly, Another thing that the Article aſſerteth according to the Scripture is, that there is no other cauſe of our election, but Gods own counſell, it recounteth no motives in us, nothing impelling the will of God, to chooſe ſome out of mankinde, rejecting others, but his own decree that is his abſolute will and good pleaſure, p. 58ſo that as there is no cauſe, in any thing without himſelfe, why he would create the world or elect any at all, for he doth all theſe things for himſelfe for the praiſe of his own glory, ſo there is no cauſe in ſingular elected perſons, why God ſhould chooſe them, rather then others; he looked upon all mankinde in the ſame condition, veſted with the ſame qualifications, or rather without any at all, for it is the children not yet borne, before they do either good or evill, that are choſen or reiected, his free grace embracing the one, and paſſing over the other, yet here we muſt obſerve, that although God freely without any deſert of theirs chooſeth ſome men to be partakers, both of the end and the means, yet he beſtoweth faith or the means, on none, but for the merit of Chriſt: neither doe any attaine the end or ſalvation, but by their own faith through that righteouſneſſe of his: the free grace of God notwithſtanding chooſing Iacob, when Eſau is rejected, the only antecedent cauſe of any difference, betweene the elect and reprobates, remaineth firme and unſhaken: and ſurely unleſſe men were reſolved to truſt wholly to their own bottomes, to take nothing gratis at the hands of God, they would not endeavour to rob him of his glory: of having mercy on whom he will have mercy, of loving us without our deſert, before the world began: if we muſt claime an intereſt in obtaining the temporall acts of his favour, by our own indeavours; yet oh, let us grant him the glory of being good unto us, only for his own ſake, when we were in his hand as the clay in the hand of the potter: what made this piece of clay, fit for comely ſervice and not a veſſell wherein there is no pleaſure, but the power, and will of the framer? it is enough, yea, too much for them to repine and ſay, why haſt thou made us thus, who are veſſels fitted for wratth? let not them who are prepared for honour, exalt themſelves againſt him, and ſacrifice to their own nets, as the ſole providers of their glory: but ſo it is? humane vileneſſe will ſtill be declaring it ſelfe, by claiming a worth no way due unto it: of a furtherance of which claim, if the Arminians be not guiltie, let the following declaration of their opinions in this particular determine.

We ppRotunde fatemur, fidem in conſideratione Dei in eligendo ad ſalutem antecedere, et non tanquam fructum electionis ſequi Rem. Hag. coll. p. 35.confeſſe ſay they, roundly, that faith in the conſideration of God chooſing us unto ſalvation, doth precede, and not follow as a p. 59fruit of election, ſo that whereas Chriſtians have hitherto beleeved, that God beſtoweth faith, on them that are choſen, it ſeemes now it is no ſuch matter, but that thoſe whom God findeth to beleeve, upon the ſtocke of their own abilities, he afterwards chooſeth. Neither is faith in their judgement, only required as a neceſſary condition in him that is to be choſen, but as a cauſe moving the will of God to elect him that hath it,qqGrevin. ad Ameſ. p. 24. Cor. ad Molin. p. 260. as the will of the Iudge is moved to beſtow a reward on him, who according to the law hath deſerved it; as Grevinchovius ſpeaks, which words of his, indeed Corvinus ſtrives to temper, but all in vaine, though he wreſt them contrary to the intention of the Author: for with him agree all his fellows:rrElectionis & reprobationis, cauſa unica vera & abſoluta non eſt Dei voluntas ſed reſpectus obedientiae & inobedientiae: Epiſ. diſput. 8. the one, only, abſolute cauſe of election, is not the will of God, but the reſpect of our obedience, ſaith Epiſcopius: At firſt they required nothing but faith, and that as a condition, not asſſCum peccatum pono cauſam meritoriam reprobationis ne exiſtimato è contra me ponere, juſtitiam cauſam meritoriam electionis. Armin. Anteperk. Rem. Apol. p. 73. a cauſe, then perſeverance in faith, which at length they began to call obedience; comprehending all our dutie to the precepts of Chriſt: for the cauſe ſay they of this love to any perſon, is the righteouſneſſe faith and pietie wherewith he is endued, which being all the good works of a Chriſtian, they in effect affirme a man to be choſen for them: that our good works are the cauſe of election, which whither it were ever ſo groſſely taught, either by Pelagians or Papiſts I ſomething doubt.

And here obſerve, that this doth not thwart my former aſſertion, where I ſhewed, that they deny the election of any particular perſons, which here they ſeeme to grant upon a fore-ſight of their faith, and good workes: for there is not any one perſon, as ſuch a perſon, notwithſtanding all this, that in their judgement is in this life elected: but onelyonly as he is conſidered with thoſe qualifications, of which he may at any time diveſt himſelfe, and ſo become againe to be no more elected then Iudas.

The ſumme of their Doctrine in this particular, is laid by one of ours in a Tract intituled Gods love to mankinde, &c. a Booke full of palpable ignorance, groſſe ſophiſtrie, and abominable blaſphemie, whoſe Authour ſeemes to have propoſed nothing unto himſelfe, but to rake all the dunghils of a few the moſt invective Arminians, and to collect the moſt filthy ſcumme and pollution p. 60of their railings to caſt upon the truth of God, and under I know not what ſelfe-coyned pretences, belch out odious blaſphemies againſt his holy name.

The ſumme, ſaith he, of all theſe ſpeeches (he cited to his purpoſe) is,ttGods Love, pag. 6. That there is no decree of ſaving men, but what is built on Gods fore-knowledge of the good actions of men: No decree? no not that whereby God determineth to give ſome unto Chriſt, to ingraft them in him by faith, and bring them by him unto glory: which giveth light to that place ofuuDeum nullam creaturam praeciſe ad vitam aeternam amare, niſi conſideratā ut juſtam ſive juſtitia legali ſive evangelica, Armin. artic. perpend. fol. 21. Arminius, where he affirmeth, That God loveth none preciſely to eternall life, but conſidered as iuſt either with Legall or Evangelicall righteouſneſſe. Now to love one to eternall life, is to deſtinate one to obtaine eternall life by Chriſt: and ſo it is co-incident with the former aſſertion that our election or chooſing unto grace and glory is upon the fore-ſight of our good workes: which containes a doctrine ſo contradictorie to the words, and meaning of the Apoſtle, Rom. 9. 11. condemned in ſo many Councels, ſuppreſſed by ſo many Edicts and Decrees of Emperours and Governours: oppoſed as a peſtilent hereſie, ever ſince it was firſt hatched, by ſo many Orthodoxe Fathers and learned Schoole men: ſo directly contrary to the Doctrine of this Church, ſo injurious to the grace and ſupreame power of Almightie God: that I much wonder, any one in this light of the Goſpel, and flouriſhing time of learning, ſhould be ſo boldly ignorant or impudent, as to broach it amongſt Chriſtians:Vid. Proſp. ad excep. Gen. ad dub. 8. 9. vid. Car. de ingratis. c. 2. 3. to prove this to be a hereſie, exploded by all Orthodoxe, and Catholique antiquitie, were to light a candle in the Sunne: for it cannot but be knowne, to all and every one, who ever heard or read any thing of the ſtate of Chriſts Church, after the riſing of the Pelagian tumults.

To accumulate teſtimonies of the Ancient is quite beſide my purpoſe: I will onelyonly adde the confeſſion ofwwNon poteſt defendi praedeſtitio ex operibus praeviſis niſi aliquid boni ponatur in homine juſto, quo diſcernatur ab impio, quod non ſit illi à Deo, quod ſane patres omnes ſumma conſenſione rejiciunt, Bellar. de grat. & lib. Arbit. cap. 14. Bellarmine, a man otherwiſe not over-well affected to truth: Predeſtination ſaith he, from the fore-ſight of workes, cannot be maintained, unleſſe we ſhould ſuppoſe ſomething in the righteous man, which ſhould make him differ from the wicked that he doth not receive from God: which truly all the Fathers with unanimous conſent doe reiect: but we p. 61have a more ſure teſtimonie to which we will take heed, even the holy Scripture pleading ſtrongly for Gods free and undeſerved grace.

Firſt, our Saviour Chriſt, Matth. 11. 26. declaring how God revealeth the Goſpel unto ſome, which is hidden from others: a ſpeciall fruit of election: reſteth in his will and good pleaſure as the onelyonly cauſe thereof: even ſo O Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight: ſo comforting his little flock, Luk. 12. 32. he bids them feare not, for it is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you the kingdome: his good pleaſure is the onelyonly cauſe why his kingdome is prepared for you, rather then others: but is there no other reaſon of this diſcrimination? No; he doth it all, that his purpoſe according to election might ſtand firme, Rom. 9. 11. For we are predeſtinated according to the purpoſe of him, who worketh all things after the counſell of his owne will, Epheſ. 1. 11. But did not this counſell of God direct him to chooſe us rather then others? becauſe we had ſomething to commend us more then they? No; The Lord did not ſet his love upon you, nor chooſe you becauſe you were more in number then any people, but becauſe the Lord loved you: Deut. 7. 7, 8. He hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy, yea, before the children were borne and had done either good or evill, that the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand, not of workes, but of him that calleth it was ſaid unto her, the elder ſhall ſerve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated: Rom. 9. 11, 12. In briefe, where ever there is any mention of election or predeſtination, it is ſtill accompanied with the purpoſe, love, or will, of God; his foreknowledge, whereby he knoweth them that are his, his free power and ſupreame dominion over all things: of our faith, obedience or any thing importing ſo much, not one ſyllable, no mention, unleſſe it be as the fruit and effect thereof: it is the ſole act of his free grace and good pleaſure, that he might make knowne the riches of his glory towards the veſſels of mercy: Rom. 9. 23. for this onelyonly end hath he ſaved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was given in Ieſus Chriſt before the world began, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Even our calling is free and undeſerved, becauſe p. 62flowing from that moſt free grace of election, whereof we are partakers before we are: it were needleſſe to heape up more teſtimonies, in a thing ſo cleere and evident: when God and man ſtand in competition, who ſhall be accounted the cauſe of an eternall good, we may be ſure the Scripture will paſſe the verdict on the part of the moſt high: and the ſentence in this caſe may be derived from thence by theſe following reaſons.

Firſt, If finall perſeverance in faith and obedience, be the cauſe of, or a condition required unto election, then none can be ſaid in this life to be elected: for no man is a finall perſeverer untill he be dead, untill he hath finiſhed his courſe and conſummated the faith: but certaine it is that it is ſpoken of ſome in the Scripture, that they are even in this life elected: few are choſen, Mat. 20. 16. for the elects ſake thoſe dayes ſhall be ſhortned, Matth. 24. and ſhall ſeduce if it were poſſible the very elect, verſ. 24. where it is evident, that election is required to make one perſevere in the faith: but no where is perſeverance in the faith required, to election: yea and Peter gives us all a command, that we ſhould give all diligence, to get an aſſurance of our election even in this life, 2 Pet. 1. 10. and therefore ſurely it cannot be a decree preſuppoſing conſummated faith and obedience.

Secondly, conſider two things of our eſtate, before the firſt temporall act of Gods free grace, (for grace is no grace if it be not free) which is the firſt effect of our predeſtination, comprehendeth us: Were we better then others, no in no wiſe? both Iewes and Gentiles, were all under ſinne, Rom. 3. 9. there is no difference for we have all ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God, verſ. 23. being all dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, Epheſ. 2. 1. Being by nature children of wrath as well as others, verſ. 3. a farre off untill we are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, verſ. 12. we were enemies againſt God, Rom. 5. 10. Titus. 3. 3. and looke what deſert there is in us with theſe qualifications, when our vocation the firſt effect of our predeſtination, as Saint Paul ſheweth, Rom. 8. 30. and as I ſhall prove hereafter, ſeparateth us from the world of unbeleevers, ſo much there is in reſpect of predeſtination it ſelfe; ſo that p. 63if we have any way deſerved it, it is by being ſinners, enemies, children of wrath, and dead in treſpaſſes: theſe are our events, this is the glory whereof we ought to be aſhamed.

But ſecondly, when they are in the ſame ſtate of actuall alienation from God, yet then in reſpect of his purpoſe to ſave them by Chriſt: ſome are ſaid to be his; thine they were and thou gaveſt them unto me, Iohn 17. 6. they were his before they came unto Chriſt by faith; the ſheepe of Chriſt before they are called, for he calleth his ſheepe by name, Iohn 10. 30. before they come into the flocke or congregation: for other ſheepe, ſaith he, I have which are not of this fold: which muſt alſo be gathered, Ioh. 10. 16. to be beleved of God before they love him, herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us: 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Now all this muſt be with reference to Gods purpoſe of bringing them unto Chriſt, and by him unto glory: which we ſee goeth before all their faith and obedience.

Thirdly, Election is an eternall act of Gods will, he hath choſen us before the foundation of the world, Epheſ. 1. 4. conſummated antecedently to all dutie of ours, Rom. 9. 11. now every cauſe muſt in order of nature, praecede its effect; nothing hath an activitie in cauſing, before it hath a being: operation, in every kinde is a ſecond act, flowing from the eſſence of a thing, which is the firſt: but all our graces and workes, our faith, obedience, pietie and charitie, are all temporall, of yeſterday, the ſame ſtanding with our ſelves, and no longer, and therefore cannot be the cauſe of, no nor ſo much as a condition neceſſarily required for the accompliſhment of an eternall act of God; irrevocably eſtabliſhed before we are.

Fourthly: If Predeſtination be for faith foreſeene, theſe three things, with divers ſuch abſurdities will neceſſarily follow: firſt, that election is not of him that calleth, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Rom. 9. 11. that is of the good pleaſure of God, who calleth us with an holy calling, but of him that is called: for depending on faith it muſt be his whoſe faith is, that doth beleeve: ſecondly, God cannot have mercy on whom he will have mercy, for the p. 64very purpoſe of it is thus tied to the qualities of faith and obedience, ſo that he muſt have mercy only on beleevers, antecedently to his decree, which thirdly, hinders him from being an abſolute free agent, and doing of what he will with his owne: of having ſuch a power over us, as the Potter hath over his Clay, for he findes us of different matter, one clay, another gold, when he comes to appoint us to different uſes and ends.

Fifthly, God ſees no ſaith, no obedience, perſeverance; nothing but ſinne and wickedneſſe in any man, but what himſelfe intendeth graciouſly and freely to beſtow upon them, for faith is not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God, it is the worke of God that we doe beleeve, Iohn 6. 29. he bleſſeth us with all ſpirituall bleſſings in Chriſt, Epheſ. 1. Now all theſe gifts and graces, God beſtoweth onelyonly upon thoſe whom he hath antecedently ordained to everlaſting life: For the election obtained it and the reſt were blinded, Rom. 11. 7. God added to his Church daily thoſe that ſhould be ſaved, Acts 2. 47. therefore ſurely God chooſeth us not, becauſe he foreſeeth thoſe things in us, ſeeing he beſtoweth thoſe graces becauſe he hath choſen us:xxNon ob aliud dicit non vos me eligiſtis ſed ego vos elegi niſi quia non elegerunt eum ut eligeret eos, ſed ut eligerent eum elegit eos: Aug. de bono: perſe. cap. 16. Wherefore ſaith Auſtine, doth Chriſt ſay, you have not choſen me, but I have choſen you, but becauſe they did not chuſe him that he ſhould chuſe them: but he choſe them that they might chuſe him. We chooſe Chriſt by faith, God chooſeth us by his decree of election, the queſtion is whether we chooſe him, becauſe he hath choſen us, or he chooſeth us, becauſe we have choſen him, and ſo indeed chooſe our ſelves: we affirme the former, and that becauſe our choyce of him, is a gift he himſelfe beſtoweth onelyonly on them whom he hath choſen.

Sixthly, and principally, the effects of election infallibly following it, cannot be the cauſes of election, certainly praeceding it: this is evident, for nothing can be the cauſe, and the effect, of the ſame thing; before and after it ſelfe: but all our faith, our obedience, repentance, good workes, are the effects of election flowing from it, as their proper fountaine, erected on it, as the foundation of this ſpirituall building: and for this the Article of our Church is evident and cleere; Thoſe, ſaith it, that are indued with this excellent benefit of God, are called according to Gods purpoſe, p. 65are iuſtified freely, are made the ſonnes of God by adoption, they be made like the image of Chriſt, they walke religiouſly in good workes, &c. Where firſt they are ſaid to be partakers of this benefit of election, and then by vertue thereof, to be entitled to the fruition of all thoſe graces: Secondly, it ſaith, thoſe who are endued with this benefit, enioy thoſe bleſſings; intimating that election, is the rule whereby God proceedeth in beſtowing thoſe graces; reſtraining the objects of the temporall acts of Gods ſpeciall favour, to them onelyonly whom his eternall decree doth embrace; both theſe indeed are denied by the Arminians, which maketh a further diſcovery of their Heterodoxies in this particular. yyDicis electionem divinam eſſe regulam fidei dandae vel non dandae: ergo electio non eſt fidelium ſed fides electorum: ſed …iceat mihi tua bona venia hoc negare. Armin. Antip. fol. 221.You ſay, ſaith Arminius to Perkins, that election is the rule of giving, or not giving of faith, and therefore election is not of the faithfull, but faith of the elect: but by your leave this I muſt deny: but yet what ever it is the ſophiſticall heretique here denies, either antecedent or concluſion, he fals foule on the word of God: they beleeved, ſaith the holy Ghoſt, who were ordained to eternall life, Act. 3. 48. And the Lord added daily to his Church ſuch as ſhould de ſaved, Act. 2. 47. from both which places it is evident, that God beſtoweth faith onelyonly on them whom he hath praeordained eternall life: but moſt cleerely, Rom. 8. 29, 30. for whom he did fore-know, he alſo predeſtinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, moreover, whom he did predeſtinate, them alſo he called, and whom he called, them he alſo iuſtified, and whom he iuſtified, them alſo glorified, Saint Auſtin interpreted this place, by adding in every linke of the chaine, onelyonly thoſe, how ever the words directly import a precedency of predeſtination, before the beſtowing of other graces: and alſo a reſtraint of thoſe graces, to them onelyonly, that are ſo predeſtinate: Now the inference from this, is, not onelyonly for the forme Logicall, but for the matter alſo, it containeth the very words of Scripture, faith is of Gods elect: Titus 1. 1.

For the other part of the propoſition, that faith and obedience are the fruits of election, they cannot be more peremptory in its denyall, then the Scripture is plentifull in its confirmation: He hath choſen us in Chriſt, that we ſhould be holy, Epheſ. 1. 4. not becauſe we were holy, but that we ſhould be ſo: holineſſe whereof p. 66faith is the root, and obedience the body, is that whereunto, and not for which we are elected: the end, and the meritorious cauſe, of any one act cannot be the ſame, they have divers reſpects, and require repugnant conditions: againe we are predeſtinated unto the adoption of children by Ieſus Chriſt: verſ. 5. adoption is that whereby we are aſſumed into the family of God, when before we are forreigners, aliens, ſtrangers, a far off, which we ſee is a fruit of our predeſtination, though it be the very entrance, into that eſtate, wherein we begin firſt to pleaſe God in the leaſt meaſure: of the ſame nature, are all thoſe places of holy writ which ſpeake of Gods giving ſome unto Chriſt, of Chriſts ſheepe hearing his voyce, and of others not hearing, becauſe they are not of his ſheepe: all which, and divers other invincible reaſons I willingly omit: with ſundry other falſe aſſertions, and hereticall poſitions, of the Arminians about this fundamentall Article, of our Religion, concluding this Chapter with the following ſcheme.