A90293:201
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.
eAdam sinned in his own proper person, and there is no reason, why God should impute that sin of his, unto infants: saith Boreus. The nature of the first Covenant, the right and power of God, the comparison instituted by the Apostle, between Adam and Christ, the divine constitution whereby Adam was appointed to be the head, fountain and origen of all humane kind, are with him, no reasons at all, to persuade it:f For it is against equity, saith their Apology, that one should be counted guilty for a sin that is not his own, that he should be reputed nocent, who in regard of his own will is truly innocent: and here Christian Reader, behold plain Pelagianism obtruded on us, without either welt or guard: men on a sudden made pure and truly innocent, notwithstanding all that natural pollution and corruption, the Scripture every where proclaims them to be replenished withal: neither is the reason they intimate, of any value, that their wills assented not to it, and which a little before they plainly urge:g It is say they against the nature of sin: that, that, should be counted a sin, or be imputed, as a sin, to any, by whose own proper will: it was not committed: which being all they have to say, they repeat it over and over, in this case; it must be voluntary, or it is no sin: but I say this is of no force at all: for first, Saint John in his most exact definition of sin, requires not voluntariness to the nature of it, but only an obliquity, a deviation from the rule, it is an anomie, a discrepancy from the Law; which whither voluntary or no, it skills not much: but sure enough, there is in our nature such a repugnancy, to the Law of God: so that secondly, if originally we are free from a voluntary actual transgression, yet we are not, from an habitual voluntary digression, and exorbitancy from the Law: but thirdly, in respect of our wills, we are not thus innocent neither, for we all sinned in Adam, as the Apostle affirmeth: now all sin is voluntary say the Remonstrants, and therefore Adams transgression, was our voluntary sin also; and that in divers respects; First, In that his voluntary act is imputed to us, as ours, by reason of the covenant which was made with him on our behalf: but because this consisting in an imputation, must needs be extrinsical unto us;