A90293:179
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.
Fourthly: If Predestination be for faith foreseen, these three things, with divers such absurdities will necessarily follow: first, that election is not of him that calleth, as the Apostle speaks, 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 believe: secondly, God cannot have mercy on whom he will have mercy, for the ⟨p. 64⟩very purpose of it is thus tied to the qualities of faith and obedience, so that he must have mercy only on believers, antecedently to his decree, which thirdly, hinders him from being an absolute free agent, and doing of what he will with his own: of having such a power over us, as the Potter hath over his Clay, for he finds us of different matter, one clay, another gold, when he comes to appoint us to different uses and ends.
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. 64⟩very 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 sin and wickedness in any man, but what himself intendeth graciously and freely to bestow upon them, for faith is not of our selves, it is the gift of God, it is the work of God that we do believe,