A Display of Arminianism, Argument · Chapter 13

A Display of Arminianism · Argument · Chapter 13

p. 133CHAP. XIII.

Of the power of Free-will, in preparing us for our converſion unto God.

THE judgement of the Arminians, concerning the power of Free-will about ſpirituall things, in a man unregenerate, meerely in the ſtate of corrupted nature, before and without the helpe of grace, may be laid open by theſe following poſitions.

p. 134Firſt, That every man in the world, reprobates and others, have in themſelves power and abilitie of beleeving in Chriſt, of repenting, and yeelding, due obedience to the new covenant, and that becauſe they loſt not this power by the fall of Adam: aaAdamus poſt lapſum potentiam credendi… retinuit, & reliqui repro…i etiam in illo: G…evincho. ad Ameſ fol. 183Adam after his fall, ſaith Grevinchovius, retained a power of beleeving, and ſo did all reprobates in him: bbAdamus non amiſit vires eam obedientiam praeſtandi, quae in novo faedere exigitur, prout puta ea conſideratur formaliter, hoc eſt, prout novo foedere exacta eſt, nec potentiam credendi amiſit, nec amiſit potentiā, per reſipiſcē tiam, ex peccato reſurgendi. Rem. Declarat. ſent. in Syn. p. 107.he did not looſe (as they ſpeake at the Synod) the power of performing that obedience, which is required in the new covenant conſidered formally, as it is required by the new covenant, he loſt not a power of beleeving, nor a power of forſaking ſin by repentance: and thoſe graces that he loſt not are ſtill in our power, whence they affirme, thatccFides vocatur opus Dei, quia Deus ipſe id à nobis fieri poſtulat, Rem. Apol. cap. 10. pag. 112. faith is called the worke of God, only becauſe he requireth us to do it: now having appropriated this power unto themſelves, to be ſure that the grace of God be quite excluded, which before they had made needleſſe, they teach

Secondly, That for the reducing of this power into act, that men may become actuall beleevers, there is no infuſed habit of grace, no ſpirituall vitall principle neceſſary for them, or beſtowed upon them, but every one by the uſe of his native endowments, doe make themſelves differ from others:ddEa quae de habituum infuſione dicuntur ante omnem fidei actum, rejiciuntur à nobis, Epiſt. ad Wal. fol. 67. Thoſe things which are ſpoken concerning the infuſion of habits, before we can exerciſe the act of faith, we reiect, ſaith the Epiſtle to the Walachrians: eePrincipium internum fidei à nobis in Evangelio requiſitū, eſſe habitum quendā divinitus infuſum cujus vi ac efficacitate voluntas determinetur; hoc negavin, Grevinchov. ad Ameſ. pag. 324.That the internall principle of faith required in the Goſpel, is a habite divinely infuſed by the ſtrength and efficacy whereof, the will ſhould be determined, I deny, ſaith another of them. Well then? if we muſt grant, that the internall vitall principle, of a ſupernatural ſpirituall grace, is a meere natural faculty not elevated by any divine habit? if it be not God that begins the good work in us, but our own free-wils, let us ſee what more goodly ſtuffe wil follow: one man by his own meere indeavours, without the aid of any received gift, makes himſelf differ from another:ffQuid in eo poſitum eſt, quod homo diſcriminare ſeipſum dicitur? nihil verius, qui fidem Deo praecipient… habet, is diſcriminat ſe ab eo, qui Deo praecipienti fidem habere non vult, Rem. Apol. cap. 14. pag. 144. What matter is it in that, that a man ſhould make himſelfe differ from others? there is nothing truer; he who yeeldeth faith, to God cōmanding him maketh himſelf differ from him, who will not have faith when he cōmandeth, p. 135they are the words of their Apologie: which without queſtion, is an irrefragable truth, if faith be not a gift received from above: for on that ground only the Apoſtle propoſeth theſe queſtions, who made thee differ from another? or what haſt thou that thou haſt not received? and if thou haſt received, why boaſteth thou as if thou haſt not received? the ſole cauſe why he denies any one by his own power to make himſelf differ from another, is, becauſe that wherein the difference conſiſteth, is, received, being freely beſtowed upon him: deny this, and I confeſſe the other will fall of it ſelfe. But untill their authoritie, be equall with the Apoſtles, they would do well to forbeare the naked obtruſions of aſſertions ſo contradictory to theirs; and ſo they would not trouble the Church, let them take all the glory unto themſelves, as doth ggEgo meipſum diſcerno, cum enim Deo ac divinae praedeterminationi reſiſtere poſſem, non reſtiti tamen, atqui in eo quid ni liceat mihi tanquam de meo gloriari? quod enim potui Dei miſerentis eſt, quod autem volui cum poſſem nolle, id meae poteſtatis eſt, Grev. ad Ames. p. 253.Grevinchovius: I make my ſelfe (ſaith he) differ from another, when I doe not reſiſt God and his divine predetermination, which I could have reſiſted, & why may I not boaſt of this as of mine own, that I could, is of Gods mercy, (endowing his nature with ſuch an abilitie, as you heard before) but that I would, when I might have done otherwiſe, is of mine power. Now when after all this, they are forced to confeſſe ſome Evangelicall grace, though conſiſting only in a morall perſwaſion, by the outward preaching of the word, they teach,

Thirdly, That God ſendeth the Goſpel, and revealeth Chriſt Ieſus unto men, according as they well diſpoſe themſelves for ſuch a bleſſing:hhInterdum Deus hanc vel illam gentem civitatē perſonam ad Evangelicae gratiae communionem vocat, quam ipſe dignam pronuntiat comparative, &c. Rem. Declarat ſent. Synod. Sometimes (ſay they in their Synodicall writings) God calleth this or that nation, people, citie, or perſon, to the communion of Evangelicall grace, whom he himſelfe pronounceth worthy of it, in compariſon of others: So that whereas Acts 18. 10. God encourageth Paul to preach at Corinth by affirming that he had much people in that citie (which doubtleſſe were his people then, only by vertue of their election) in theſe mens judgements? iiIlli, in quorum gratiam, dominus Paulum in Corinthum miſit, dicuntur Dei populus, quia Deum tum timebant eique, ſecundum cognitionem quam de eo habebant, ſerviebant ex animo, et ſic ad praedicationem Pauli &c. Corv. 3. ſect. 27.they were called ſo, becauſe that even then they feared God, and ſerved him with all their hearts, according to that knowledge they had of him, and ſo were ready to obey the preaching of Saint Paul: ſtrange doctrine? that men ſhould feare God, know him, ſerve him in ſinceritie, before they ever heard of the Goſpel, and by thoſe means deſerve that it ſhould be preached unto them? p. 136this is, that pleaſing of God before faith that they plead for; Act. Synod. fol. 60. That kkPer legem vel per piam educationem vel per inſtitutionem—per haec enim hominem praeparati, & diſponi ad credendum, planiſſimum eſt, Rem. act. Synod.preparation and diſpoſition to beleeve, which men attaine by the Law, and vertuous education: thatllPraecedit aliquid in peccatoribus, quo quamvis nondum juſtificati ſunt, digni efficiantur juſtificatione: Grevin. ad Am. pag. 434. ſomething which is in ſinners, whereby though they are not iuſtified, yet they are made worthy of iuſtification: formmTenendum eſt, veram converſionem praeſtationem que bonorum operum eſſe conditionem praerequiſitam ante juſtificationem, Filii. Arm. praef. ad cap. 7. ad Rem. converſion and the performance of good works, is in their apprehenſion a condition prerequired to iuſtification, for ſo ſpeake the children of Arminius: which w^ch if it be not an expreſſion, not to be paralelled in the writings of any Chriſtian, I am ſomething miſtaken: the ſumme of their doctrine then in this particular concerning the power of Free-will, in the ſtate of ſin, and unregeneration, is, That every man having a native inbred power, of beleeving in Chriſt, upon the revelation of the Goſpel, hath alſo an abilitie of doing ſo much good, as ſhall procure of God, that the Goſpel be preached unto him, to which, without any internall aſſiſtance of grace, he can give aſſent and yeeld obedience: the preparatory acts of his own will, alwayes proceeding ſo farre, as to make him excell others, who do not performe them, and are therefore excluded from further grace. Which is more groſſe Pelagianiſme then Pelagius himſelfe would ever juſtifie: wherefore, we reject all the former poſitions, as ſo many monſters in Chriſtian Religion, in whoſe roome we aſſert theſe that follow.

Firſt, That we being by nature dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, have no power to prepare our ſelves, for the receiving of Gods grace: nor in the leaſt meaſure to beleeve, and turne our ſelves unto him. Not that we deny, that there are any conditions, prerequired in us for our converſion, diſpoſitions preparing us in ſome meaſure for our new birth or regeneration, but we affirme that all theſe alſo, are the effects of the grace of God, relating to that alone as their proper cauſe, for of our ſelves, Without him we can do nothing, Ioh. 15. 15. We are not able of our ſelves to thinke any thing as of our ſelves, 2 Cor. 3. 5. much leſſe doe that which is good, in reſpect of that, every one of our mouthes muſt be ſtopped, for we have all ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God, Rom. 5. 19. 23. We are by nature the children of wrath, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Epheſ. 2. 1. Rom. 8. 9. our new birth is a reſurrection from death, wrought by the greatneſſe of Gods power: and what abilitie I pray hath a dead man, to prepare himſelfe for p. 137for his reſurrection? can he collect his ſcattered duſt, or renew his periſhed ſenſes? If the Leopard can change his ſpots, and the Aethiopian his skin, then can we doe good who (by nature) are taught to doe evill, Ierem. 13. 23. we are all ungodly, and without ſtrength conſidered when Chriſt died for us, Rom. 5. 6. wiſe to do evill, but to doe good, we have no ſtrength, no knowledge. Yea, all the faculties of our ſoules, by reaſon of that ſpirituall death under which we are detained by the corruption of nature, are altogether uſeleſſe in reſpect of any power, for the doing of that which is truly good; our underſtandings are blind or darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, becauſe of the blindneſſe of our hearts, Epheſ. 4. 18. whereby we become even darkneſſe it ſelfe, Chap. 5. 8. ſo voide is the underſtanding of true knowledge, that the naturall man receiveth not the things that are of God, they are fooliſhneſſe unto him, 1 Cor. 2. 14. nothing but confounded and amazed at ſpirituall things, and if he doth not mocke, can doe nothing but wonder, and ſay, what meaneth this, Act. 2. 12, 13. Secondly, we are not only blind in our underſtandings, but captives alſo to ſinne in our wils, Luk. 4. 18. Whereby we are ſervants to ſinne, Iohn 8. 34. Free onelyonly in our obedience to that Tyran, Rom. 6. Yea, thirdly, all our affections are wholly corrupted, for every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is evill continually, Geneſ. 6. 5. While we are in the fleſh, the motions of ſinne doe worke in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death: Rom. 7. 5.

Theſe are the endowments of our nature, theſe are the preparations of our hearts for the grace of God, which we have within our ſelves. Nay,

Secondly, there is not onelyonly an impotencie, but an enmitie in corrupted nature, to any thing ſpiritually good. The things that are of God, are fooliſhneſſe unto a naturall man: 1 Cor. 2. 14. And there is nothing that men doe more hate, and contemne, then that which they account as folly. They mock at it, as a ridiculous drunkenneſſe, Act. 2. 13. And would to God our dayes, yeelded us not too evident proofes, of that univerſall oppoſition, p. 138that is betweene light and darkeneſſe, Chriſt and Beliall, Nature and Grace, that we could not ſee every day the prodigious iſſues of this in-bred corruption, ſwelling over all bounds, and breaking forth into a contempt of the Goſpel, and all wayes of godlineſſe. So true it is, that the carnall minde is enmitie againſt God, it is not ſubiect unto his law, neither indeed can it be: Rom. 8. 7. So that,

Thirdly, as a naturall man by the ſtrength of his owne freewill, neither knoweth, nor willeth, ſo it is utterly impoſſible he ſhould doe any thing pleaſing unto God. Can the Aethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his ſpots, then can he doe good: Ieremy 13. An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit, without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God: Heb. 11. 6. And that is not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God, Epheſ. 2. So that though Almightie God, according to the unſearchableneſſe of his wiſedome, worketh divers waies, and in ſundry manners, for the tranſlating of his choſen ones, from the power of darkeneſſe to his marvellous light, calling ſome powerfully in the middeſt of their march in the wayes of ungodlineſſe, as he did Paul, preparing others, by outward meanes, and helpes of common reſtraining grace, moralizing nature before it bee gotten anew by the immortall ſeed of the Word, yet this is certaine, that all good in this kinde, is from his free grace, there is nothing in our ſelves, as of our ſelves, but ſinne: yea, and all thoſe previous diſpoſitions, wherewith our hearts are prepared by vertue of common grace, doe not at all enable us to concurre by any vitall operation, with that powerfull bleſſed renewing grace of regeneration, whereby we become the ſonnes of God. Neither is there any diſpoſition unto grace ſo remote, as that poſſibly it can proceed from a meere facultie of nature, for every ſuch diſpoſition, muſt be of the ſame order with the forme that is to be introduced, but Nature in reſpect of Grace, is a thing of an inferiour allay, betweene which there is no proportion: a good uſe of gifts, may have a promiſe of an addition of more, provided it be in the ſame kinde. There is no rule, law, or promiſe, that ſhould make grace due, upon the good uſe of naturall endowments. But you will p. 139ſay, here I quite overthrow Free-will, which before I ſeemed to grant; to which I anſwer: That in regard of that object, concerning which now we treat, a naturall man hath no ſuch thing as Free-will at all, if you take it for a power of doing that which is good and well pleaſing unto God in things ſpirituall, for an abilitie, of preparing our hearts unto faith and calling upon God, as our Church Article ſpeakes, a home-bred ſelfe-ſufficiencie, preceding the change of our wils by the Almightie grace of God, whereby any good ſhould be ſaid to dwell in us, and we utterly deny that there is any ſuch thing in the world. The will, though in it ſelfe radically free, yet in reſpect of the terme or object, to which in this regard it ſhould tend, is corrupted, enthralled, and under a miſerable bondage, tied to ſuch a neceſſitie of ſinning in generall, that though unregenerate men are not reſtrained to this, or that ſinne in particular, yet for the maine, they can doe nothing but ſinne. All their actions wherein there is any moralitie, are attended with iniquitie, an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit, even the ſacrifice of the wicked, is an abomination to the Lord. Theſe things being thus cleered from the Scripture, the former Arminian poſitions will of themſelves fall to the ground, having no foundation but their owne authoritie, for any pretence of proofe they make none from the word of God. The firſt two I conſidered in the laſt Chapter, and now adde onelyonly concerning the third, That the ſole cauſe why the Goſpel is ſent unto ſome, and not unto others, is not any dignitie, worth, or deſert of it in them to whom it is ſent, more then in the reſt, that are ſuffered to remaine in the ſhadow of death, but onelyonly the ſole good pleaſure of God, that it may be a ſubſervient meanes for the execution of his Decree of Election. I have much people in this citie: Acts 20. I thanke thee Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes, even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight: Mat. 11. 25, 26. So that the Arminian oppoſition to the truth of the Goſpel in this particular, is cleerely manifeſt.