A90293:304
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.
nHerein, saith Arminius, consisteth the liberty of the will: that all things required to enable it, to will any thing, being accomplished, it still remains indifferent to will, or not, and all of them at the Synod: oThere is, say they, accompanying the will of man, an inseparable property, which we call liberty, from whence, the will is termed a power: which, when all things prerequired as necessary to operation are fulfilled, may will any thing, or not will it: that is, our free-wills have such an absolute, and uncontrollable power, in the territory of all humane actions, that no influence of Gods providence, no certainty of his decree, no unchangeableness of his purpose, can sway it at all in its free determinations: or have any power with his Highness, to cause him to will, or resolve, on any such act as God by him intendeth to produce; take an instance, in the great work of our conversion:p All unregenerate men, saith Arminius, have by virtue of their free-will, a power, of resisting the holy Spirit, of rejecting the offered grace of God, of contemning the counsel of God, concerning themselves: of refusing the Gospel of grace, of not opening the heart, to him that knocketh: What a stout Idol is this, whom neither the holy Spirit, the grace, and counsel of God, the calling of the Gospel, the knocking at the door of the heart, can move at all, or in the least measure, prevail against him: Woe be unto us then▪ if when Gods calls us, our free-will be not in good temper, and well disposed to hearken unto him: for it seems, there is no dealing with it, by any other ways, though powerful and Almighty. ⟨p. 127⟩Forq grant (saith Corvinus) all the operations of grace, which God can use, in our conversion, yet conversion remaineth so, in our own free power, that we can be not converted, that is, we can either turn or not turn our selves: where the Idol plainly challengeth the Lord to work his utmost; and tells him, that after he hath so done, he will do what he please: his infallible prescience, his powerful predetermination, the moral efficacy of the Gospel, the infusion of grace, the effectual operation of the holy Spirit; all are nothing: not at all available in helping or furthering, our independent wills in their proceedings: well then? in what estate, will you have the Idol placed?