A90293:48
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, they deny the eternity, and unchangeableness of Gods decrees: for those being established, they fear, they should be kept within bounds, from doing any thing, but what his counsel hath determined should be done, if the purposes of the strength of Israel, be eternal, and immutable, their idol Free-will, must be limited, their independency prejudiced: wherefore, they choose rather to affirm, that his decrees, are temporary and changeable, yea that he doth really change them, according to the several mutations he sees in us: which how a wild a conceit it is, how contrary to the pure nature of God, how destructive to his attributes: I shall show in the second Chapter.
First, they deny the eternitie, and unchangeablenesse of Gods decrees: for those being established, they feare, they should be kept within bounds, from doing any thing, but what his counsel hath determined should be done, if the purposes of the strength of Israel, be eternall, and immutable, their idoll Free-will, must be limited, their independencie prejudiced: wherefore, they chuse rather to affirme, that his decrees, are temporary and changeable, yea that he doth really change them, according to the severall mutations he sees in us: which how a wild a conceit it is, how contrary to the pure nature of God, how destructive to his attributes: I shall shew in the second Chapter.
Secondly, they question the prescience, or foreknowledge of God: for if known unto God, are all his works, from the beginning, if he certainly foreknow all things, that shall hereafter come to pass, it seems to cast an infallibility of event, upon all their actions, which encroaches upon the large territory, of their new goddess contingency, nay it would quite dethrone the Queen of heaven, and induce a kind of necessity, ⟨p. 3⟩of our doing all, and nothing but, what God foreknows: now that to deny this prescience is destructive to the very essence of the Deity, and plain atheism, shall be declared, Chapter the third.
Secondly, they question the praescience, or foreknowledge of God: for if knowne unto God, are all his workes, from the beginning, if he certainely foreknow all things, that shall hereafter come to passe, it seemes to cast an infallibilitie of event, upon all their actions, which encroaches upon the large territory, of their new goddesse contingencie, nay it would quite dethrone the Queene of heaven, and induce a kinde of necessitie,