A90293:111
Theomachia autexousiastikē
Theomachia autexousiastikē: or, A display of Arminianism. Being a discovery of the old Pelagian idol free-will, with the new goddess 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 main 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 own writings and confessions, and confuted by the Word of God. / By John Owen, Master of Arts of Queens College in Oxon.Theomachia autexousiastikē: 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.
London: printed by I.L. for Phil. Stephens, 1643
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Let us now jointly apply these several acts to free agents, working according to choice, or relation, such as are the wills of men: and that will open the way to take a view of Arminian Heterodoxies, concerning this Article of Christian belief: and here two things must be premised: First, that they be not deprived of their own radical, or original internal liberty: Secondly, that they be not exempt from the moving influence & gubernation of Gods providence; the first whereof, would leave no just room for rewards and punishments; the other, as I said before, is injurious to the majesty and power of God:f St. Augustine judged Cicero worthy of special blame even among the heathens, for so attempting to make men free, that he made them sacrilegious: by denying them to be subject to an over-ruling providence: which gross error was directly maintained byg Damascene, a learned Christian, teaching, things whereof we have any power not to depend on providence, but on our own free-will: an opinion fitter for a hog of the Epicures heard, then for a Scholar in the School of Christ: and yet, this proud prodigious error is now, though in other terms, stiffly maintained. For what do they else, who ascribe such an absolute independent liberty to the ⟨p. 31⟩will of man; that it should have in its own power every circumstance, every condition whatsoever, that belongs to operation; so that all things required on the part of God, or otherwise to the performance of an action being accomplished: it remaineth solely, in the power of a mans own will, whether he will do it, or no: which supreme and plainly divine liberty, joined with such an absolute uncontrollable power and dominion over all his actions, would exempt and free the will of man, not only from all fore-determining, to the production of such and such effects; but also, from any effectual working or influence of the providence of God into the will it self, that should sustain, help or co-operate with it, in doing or willing any thing: and therefore the authors of this imaginary liberty, have wisely framed an imaginary concurrence of Gods providence, answerable unto it: viz. a general and indifferent influence, always waiting, and expecting the will of man to determine it self to this, or that effect, good or bad: