A90293:314
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.
First, all spiritual acts well pleasing unto God, as faith, repentance, obedience, are supernatural: flesh and blood revealeth not these things: not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man: but of the will of God: John 1. 13. That which is borne ⟨p. 132⟩of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is borne of the spirit, is spirit: John 3. 6. Now to the performance of any supernatural act, it is required, that the productive power thereof be also supernatural, for nothing hath an activity in causing above its own sphere, nec imbelles generant feroces aquilas columbae: but our free-will is a merely natural faculty, betwixt which, and those spiritual supernatural acts, there is no proportion, unless it be advanced above its own or be by inherent habitual grace. Divine Theological virtues, differing even in the substance of the act from those moral performances about the same things, to which the strength of nature may reach, (for the difference of acts, ariseth from their formal objects, which to both these are divers) must have another principle and cause, above all the power of nature: in civill things, and actions morally good, in as much as they are subject to a natural perception, and do not exceed the strength of our own wills, this faculty of Free-will may take place, but yet, not without these following limitations. First, that it always requireth the general concurse of God, whereby the whole suppositum in which Free-will hath its subsistence, may be sustained: Matth. 10. 29. 30. Secondly, that we do all these things imperfectly and with much infirmity, every degree also of excellency, in these things must be counted a special gift of God: Isa. 26. 12. Thirdly, that our wills are determined by the will of God, to all their acts and motions in particular: but to do that which is spiritually good, we have no knowledge, no power.
First, all spirituall acts well pleasing unto God, as faith, repentance, obedience, are supernaturall: flesh and blood revealeth not these things: not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man: but of the will of God: