A90293:142
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.
Thirdly, to return from this unnecessary digression: that which we have now in agitation, is the secret will of God, which we have before unfolded, and this it is that we charge the Arminians for affirming, that it may be resisted: that is, That God may fail in his purposes, come short of what he earnestly intendeth; or be frustrated of his aim and end: as if he should determinately resolve the faith and salvation of any man: it is in the power of that man, to make void his determination, and not believe, and not be saved: now it is only in cases of this nature, wherein our own Free-wills have an interest, that they thus limit and circumscribe the power of the most high: in other things, they grant his omnipotency to be of no less extent then others do: but in this case, they are peremptory and resolute, without any colouring or tergiversation, for whereas there is a question proposed by ⟨p. 46⟩the Apostle, Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his will? which that none hath or can, he grants in the following verses:e Corvinus affirms, it is only an objection of the Jews rejected by the Apostle: which is much like an answer young scholars usually give to some difficult place in Aristotle, when they cannot think of a better, loquitur ex aliorum sententia: for there is no sign of any such rejection of it by the Apostle, in the whole following discourse: Yea, and it is not the Jews, that Saint Paul disputeth withal here, but weaker brethren concerning the Jews; which is manifest from the first verse, of the next Chapter, where he distinguisheth between brethren to whom, and Israel of whom he spake. Secondly, he speaks of the Jews in the whole Treatise in the third person, but of the disputer in the second. Thirdly, it is taken for a confessed principle, between Saint Paul, and the disputer as he calls him; that the Jews were rejected, which surely themselves would not readily acknowledge: So that Corvinus rejects as an objection of the Jews, a granted principle of Saint Paul, and the otherf Christians of his time: with the like confidence, the same Author affirmeth, That they nothing doubt but that many things are not done which God would have to be done: g