A90293:323
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.
I make my self (saith he) differ from another, when I do not resist God and his divine predetermination, which I could have resisted, & why may I not boast of this as of mine own, that I could, is of Gods mercy, (endowing his nature with such an ability, as you heard before) but that I would, when I might have done otherwise, is of mine power. Now when after all this, they are forced to confess some Evangelical grace, though consisting only in a moral persuasion, by the outward preaching of the word, they teach,
I make my selfe (saith he) differ from another, when I doe not resist God and his divine predetermination, which I could have resisted, & why may I not boast of this as of mine own, that I could, is of Gods mercy, (endowing his nature with such an abilitie, as you heard before) but that I would, when I might have done otherwise, is of mine power. Now when after all this, they are forced to confesse some Evangelicall grace, though consisting only in a morall perswasion, by the outward preaching of the word, they teach,
Thirdly, That God sendeth the Gospel, and revealeth Christ Jesus unto men, according as they well dispose themselves for such a blessing:h Sometimes (say they in their Synodical writings) God calleth this or that nation, people, city, or person, to the communion of Evangelical grace, whom he himself pronounceth worthy of it, in comparison of others: So that whereas Acts 18. 10. God encourageth Paul to preach at Corinth by affirming that he had much people in that city (which doubtless were his people then, only by virtue of their election) in these mens judgements? ithey were called so, because that even then they feared God, and served him with all their hearts, according to that knowledge they had of him, and so were ready to obey the preaching of Saint Paul: strange doctrine? that men should fear God, know him, serve him in sincerity, before they ever heard of the Gospel, and by those means deserve that it should be preached unto them?