A90293:86
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, their Doctrine, of the immutability of Gods decrees, on whose firmness is founded the infallibility of this prescience, doth quite overthrow it; God thus foreknowing only what he hath so decreed shall come to pass; if that be no firmer settled, but that it may, and is often altered, according to the divers inclinations of mens wills, (which I showed before they affirm,) he can have at best but a conjectural fore-knowledge, of what is yet for to come: not founded on his own unchangeable purpose; but upon a guess, at the free inclination of mens wills. For instance:l God willeth that all men should be saved: this act of his will, according to the Arminian doctrine, is his conditionate decree to save all men if they will believe; well, among these is Judas, asm equal a sharer in the benefit of this decree as Peter? God then will have him to be saved, and to this end, allows him all those means, which are necessary to beget faith in him, and are every way sufficient to that purpose, and do produce that effect in others: what can God foresee then but that Judas, as well as Peter, will believe? he intendeth he should, he hath determined nothing to the contrary: let him come then, and act his own part, why, he proves son obstinately malicious, that God with all his omnipotency as they speak, by any way, that becomes him, which must not be by any irresistible efficacy, cannot change his obdurate heart: well then, he determineth according to the exigence of his justice, that he shall be damned for his impenitency; and foreseeth that accordingly: but now, suppose this wretch even at his last moment, should bethink himself and return to the Lord, which in their conceit he may, not withstanding his former reprobation: (which oas they state it, seems a great act of mercy):p God must keep ⟨p. 18⟩to the rules of his justice and elect or determine to save him: by which the varlet hath twice, or thrice, deceived his expectation.