A90293:223
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.
It is not my intention, to enter into any curious discourse, concerning the state and grace of Adam before his fall: but only to give a faithful assent, to what God himself affirmed of all the works of his hands, they were exceeding good: no evil, no deformity, ⟨p. 86⟩or any thing tending thereunto, did immediately issue, from that fountain of goodness and wisdom, and therefore doubtless man, the most excellent work of his hands, the greatest glory of his Creator, was then without spot or blemish, endued with all those perfections, his nature, and state of obedience, was capable of: and careful we must be, of casting any aspersions of defect on him, that we will not with equal boldness ascribe to the image of God?
It is not my intention, to enter into any curious discourse, concerning the state and grace of Adam before his fall: but only to give a faithfull assent, to what God himselfe affirmed of all the works of his hands, they were exceeding good: no evill, no deformitie, ⟨p. 86⟩or any thing tending thereunto, did immediately issue, from that fountaine of goodnesse and wisdome, and therefore doubtlesse man, the most excellent worke of his hands, the greatest glory of his Creator, was then without spot or blemish, endued with all those perfections, his nature, and state of obedience, was capable of: and carefull we must be, of casting any aspersions of defect on him, that we will not with equall boldnesse ascribe to the image of God?
Nothing doth more manifest the deviation of our nature, from its first institution, and declare the corruption wherewith we are polluted, then that propensity which is in us to every thing that is evil, that inclination of the flesh, which lusteth always against the spirit, that lust and concupiscence, which fomenteth, conceiveth, hatcheth, bringeth forth, and nourisheth sin: that perpetual proneness that is in unregenerate nature, to every thing, that is contrary to the pure and holy Law of God: now because neither Scripture nor experience, will suffer Christians quite to deny this pravity of our nature, this averseness from all good, and propensity to sin, the Arminians extenuate it, as much as they are able: affirming that it is no great matter; no more then Adam, was subject unto, in the state of innocency: but what? did God create in Adam, a proneness unto evil? was that a part of his glorious image, in whose likeness he was framed? yea, saith Corvinus,