The anatomy of Arminianisme: or The opening of the controuersies lately handled in the Low-Countryes, concerning the doctrine of prouidence, of predestination, of the death of Christ, of nature and grace. By Peter Moulin, pastor of the church at Paris. Carefully translated out of the originall Latine copy

CHAP. XVII.

That the Arminians make fore-seene faith the cause of the election of particular persons.

I. THe Arminian conferrers at the Hage, and as many as are their sectaries, in ma∣ny places doe professe, that they doe not make faith the cause of Election, but one∣ly a precedent condition, and some thing pre-requi∣red before Election. These things they say onely in word: For the same men, with very great diligence, doe heape vp arguments, whereby it may be proued, that faith is the cause of the election of particular per∣sons. But oftentimes, there fals from them, either vn∣willing or vnawares, that which they indeauour to presse downe, and as Rats, they are catched by be∣wraying themselues.

II. Nicholas Greuinchouius. pag. 103. doth confesse, that Arminius was of opinion, that election * 1.1 did rest

vpon fore-seene faith. The Remonstrants in the con∣ference at the Hage, p. 117. doe vse the same manner of speaking: And Arminius in the 47. page of his de∣claration; The decree (saith he) whereby God decreed to saue some certaine men, doth rest on the fore-knowledge of God, whereby from eternity he hath knowne who will be∣lieue, &c. The Arminians, page 38. of their answere to the Walachrians, haue these words: We determine, that the fore-seeing of faith and infidelity, doth in order goe before the decree of predestination, and that this decree doth * 1.2 rest on that former fore-knowledge. Truely he is blinde that doth not see that it is one thing to follow one, & another thing to rest on him: For if the rising starre doth in order goe before the following starre, doth therefore the latter rest on the former? Arminius therefore doth not lay downe faith onely as an ante∣cedent thing, but as something which doth sustaine election, in which it is founded, and on which electi∣on doth rest: And he doth no lesse make election de∣pend vpon faith; who saith, that faith is the foundati∣on, then he that saith that it is the cause of Election: for the cause giueth to election that it should be, the foun∣dation giueth to it, that it should stand and be firme: Either way alike iniury is done to God, whether you say, that some vertue which is in man, is the cause of the good pleasure of God; or whether you say that the good pleasure of God hath his foundation from some vertue of man.

III. But by those words, they doe not obseurely acknowledge, that fore-seene faith is the cause of electi∣on: for they will haue the fore-seeing of faith so to goe before election, as the fore-seeing of incredulity,

doth in order goe before reprobation: But that the reprobates are appointed to condemnation, for in∣credulity, and because they are vnbeleeuers, they eue∣ry where acknowledge. And Arminius against Per∣kins. p. 86. doth roundly affirme, that sinne is the me∣ritorious cause of reprobation. So Arnoldus, p. 151. Election and reprobation of particular persons were made in respect of the fore-sight of faith and incredulity. Arnol∣dus; Can any suspect your fidelity, that you take the word, ex, equiuocally, in reprobation, to note the cause, but in election to note the condition? It must needes be therefore, that they acknowledge that the elect are appointed to saluation for faith fore seene, because they beleeue, and that fore-seene faith is the cause of the election of particular persons.

IV. But there is no difference, whether you say that Election doth rest on faith fore-seene, or that it doth rest on the fore-seeing of faith: for both wares faith is made the cause of election, in the latter it is made the neerest cause, in the former it is made the remote cause: for fore-seene faith is made the cause of fore-seeing it, and the fore-seeing it, is made the cause of election: For why doth God fore-know that they will beleeue, vnlesse because they will beleeue? and why doth he elect, vnlesse because he fore-knoweth they will beleeue? These are the words of Arminius against Perkins. p. 142. In that God fore-knowes, he there∣fore fore-knowes, because it will afterward be.

V. The same men a little after, against the Walachri∣ans, doe vse (although fearefully) the word depending, that they might make election depending on faith: And although (say they) that word of depending, which

we are neuer wont to vse in this argument, be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, easily subiect to calumny, yet if a maleuolent minde be absent, it cannot be drawne to the least suspicion of any absurdity. Yes, it may be drawne to the greatest: For Greuincho∣uius himselfe, * 1.3 doth acknowledge, that dependency, strictly taken, doth argue causality, and the depen∣dency of a superiour by an inferiour. And truely these men doe not obscurely declare how willingly they would vse this word, if they did not feare our pur∣suite.

VI. There is extant a Treatise of Greuinchouius, with this Title, Of election * 1.4 for faith fore seene: but that word, ex, from, or for, doth not onely note priority, but also causality: For who would endure a man that should say, that Tiberius was from Octauius Augustus? or that this yeare is from the former, because one went before the other? A man that is not vnskiifull of the Latine, doth sufficiently know, that the praeposition ex, is not fit to note onely the priority of faith, vnlesse besides the priority, there is also some efficiency or dependency: Wherefore the same man, page 24. hath these words: It is altogether conuenient to the nature of lawes and prescribed conditions, that the will of the Iudge should be moued to giue the reward, by the required and performed condition. This performed condition, the Arminians say to be faith, which (if we beleeue them) is considered in election, as performed: They will therefore haue God to be moued by this fulfilled con∣dition, that he should giue the reward; which if it be true, faith is plainely the cause, both of decreeing and giuing the reward, because it is that which moueth the Iudge.

VII. So in the conference at the Hage, the Armi∣nians doe contend, that God doth not elect without respect of qualities; which thing is true, not onely of faith, but also of repentance, so it be taken thus; that God in electing, considered men, as they that by his gift and bounty would beleeue and be renew∣ed in repentance. If you take this respecting o∣therwise, it must needes be, that this respecting is the cause; for one is said to choose any thing in respect of some quality or vertue, who by that qualitie or vertue, is moued to choose it, otherwise he would not.

VIII. Nay what? That the Arminian conferrers at the Hage, p. 86. doe vse the word Cause? (God sen∣deth his word whether it seemeth good to him, not accor∣ding to any absolute decree, but for other causes lying hid in man: Then is man the cause why hee is called: whence it comes, that he is the cause also that he is e∣lected. For that which is the cause, why God doth call a man to saluation, is plainely the cause why God will saue him; for these are things connexed and knit together. The same men, page 109. It is absurd to put the absolute will of God in the decree of election, for the first and principall cause, that it should goe before the other causes, to wit, Christ, faith, and all other causes. Here you heare that faith is put among the causes of electi∣on: wherefore Arnoldus, page, 53. doth leaue it in the middle, whether faith ought to be called the cause, or the condition; Whether (saith hee) faith should be called the condition, or whether it should be called the cause, it alwayes being laid downe for granted, that it is the gift of God, this alone is the question, how faith hath respect to

election. And a little before he had said, If any should say, that in the decree of election, faith hath the respect of a cause, yet he should not thereby deny that it is the gift of God: Not obscurely insinuating how prone hee was to that part, and perceiued that hee was not rashly to be blamed, who hath called faith the cause of our election.

IX. Adde to these that Arnoldus, page 186. and the rest with him, doe contend, that faith is not of those that are elected, but that the election is of those that are faithfull. We truely out of Saint Paul to Ti∣tus, chap. 1. v: 1. say, that faith is of the elect, which we so take, because election is the cause of faith; to which our assertion, seeing they oppose theirs as contrary, whereby they say that election is of them that are faithfull; what else would they, but haue faith to be the cause of our election?

X. Let also the moment and force of their reasons be weighed and considered. In the conference at the Hage, they professe, that they doe not refuse to write with great letters, and to subscribe, that election is made by Christ, without any consideration of good workes: And yet doe the same men, euen to loathing, beate vpon this, that Election is the decree of sauing them that beleeue; that there is no man elected by God, but in respect of faith. But I would know, why they so earnestly exclude the consideration of workes from election, seeing that the earnest endeauour of good workes is a condition no lesse fore-required to saluation, then faith? Who by these things doth not see, that faith is not laid downe by them, meerely as a fore-required condition? For if faith were thus con∣sidered

by them; it is plaine, that the study and en∣deauour of good workes, had beene ioyned and placed in the same degree with faith.

XI. And if God electeth to saluation, not those whom he absolutely decreed, but those whom hee fore-saw would beleeue; it is plaine that God in electi∣on, hath respect to some dignity and worth which is in these, but not in them: But it is not likely, that a∣ny wise man doth choose the best men, for any other cause, then because they are the best: For if the good∣nesse of the faithfull doe goe before election, hee should doe very ill that should elect them for any other cause, then because they are good.

XII. And certainely, whensoeuer any thing is pro∣mised to a man, vnder a condition, which is in the power of mans free-will; it is plaine, that the fulfil∣ling of the condition by mans free-will, is the cause why the promise is fulfilled; and the Arminians doe contend, that God doth giue, yea, and that hee is bound to giue grace and sufficient power to beleeue: but to vse that grace, or not to vse it, is in the power of mans free-will.

XIII. Neither is it a hard thing to draw from them that which I would haue. For let the Schoole and followers of Arminius tell me, what moued God, by his consequent will to choose Simon Peter, rather then Simon Magus? why Gregory rather then Iulian? They haue nothing to answer, but that it was done, because God fore-saw faith in them, and incredulity in these. Therefore although they should get it granted, that by their doctrine, fore-seene faith is not made the cause why God hath appointed this man to saluation;

yet they must needes confesse, that according to Arminius, fore-seene faith is the cause of the diffe∣rence betweene the elect and the reprobate, and therefore the cause why this man is preferred be∣fore the other; which surely is no other thing, then to be the cause of election: For euery election is comparatiue, and doth inferre the reiection of one or more.

XIV. So when they deny, that by the will of God electing, the number of the elect is certaine and de∣termined; it must needes be, that they would haue mans will to be the cause why the number is such a number, and so euery man is the cause why hee is of the number of the elect, and therefore also the cause of his owne election.

XV. Although therefore they would haue this su∣spicion remoued from them, yet they will neuer wipe out this blot, by which they are contumelious against God, and doe weaken the firmenesse and strength of faith: As they which make the eternall election and good pleasure of God, to depend on mans free-will; & will haue saluation to be of him that willeth & of him that runneth; & they doe place some worth & vertue in man, which is the cause why saluation in the eter∣nall counsell of God, is appointed to one, rather then to another: Whence it comes, that faith doth shake, and saluation is vncertaine: as that which although God doth certainely fore-know, yet he doth not cer∣tainely and infallibly will it; for Election is not an act of the fore-knowledge, but of the will of God, and this will, how can it be certaine, if it doth depend on an vncertaine thing, to wit, on mans will? But

these things by the way; for they shall be more ex∣actly examined in their place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  inuiti.
• * 1.2

  inniti.
• * 1.3

  Pag. 198.
• * 1.4

  ex.