A90293:181
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.
Sixthly, and principally, the effects of election infallibly following it, cannot be the causes of election, certainly preceding it: this is evident, for nothing can be the cause, and the effect, of the same thing; before and after it self: but all our faith, our obedience, repentance, good works, are the effects of election flowing from it, as their proper fountain, erected on it, as the foundation of this spiritual building: and for this the Article of our Church is evident and clear; Those, saith it, that are endued with this excellent benefit of God, are called according to Gods purpose, ⟨p. 65⟩are justified freely, are made the sons of God by adoption, they be made like the image of Christ, they walk religiously in good works, &c. Where first they are said to be partakers of this benefit of election, and then by virtue thereof, to be entitled to the fruition of all those graces: Secondly, it saith, those who are endued with this benefit, enjoy those blessings; intimating that election, is the rule whereby God proceedeth in bestowing those graces; restraining the objects of the temporal acts of Gods special favour, to them only whom his eternal decree doth embrace; both these indeed are denied by the Arminians, which maketh a further discovery of their Heterodoxies in this particular. yYou say, saith Arminius to Perkins, that election is the rule of giving, or not giving of faith, and therefore election is not of the faithful, but faith of the elect: but by your leave this I must deny: but yet what ever it is the sophistical heretic here denies, either antecedent or conclusion, he falls foul on the word of God: they believed, saith the holy Ghost, who were ordained to eternal 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 only on them whom he hath preordained eternal life: but most clearly, Rom. 8. 29, 30. for whom he did fore-know, he also predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son, moreover, whom he did predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them also glorified, Saint Austin interpreted this place, by adding in every link of the chain, only those, how ever the words directly import a precedency of predestination, before the bestowing of other graces: