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. XVIII.

The decree of generall election is searched into, by which Arminius will haue all men to be elected to saluation, vnder the condition of faith.

I. WE haue taught in the fift Chapter, that the antecedent will of God, as Arminius hath receiued it after Damascen, is a meere forged deuise, and a thing contumelious against God. This foundation being taken away, that vniuersall election, common to all men, vnder the condition of faith to be performed, doth fall downe: For this generall election Arminius will haue to belong to the antecedent will of God.

II. Whereunto adde those things which we haue spoken, Chapter 12. where we haue dissolued, and vnloosed the chaine of the foure decrees, in which the Arminians doe comprehend the whole doctrine of Election: There we haue shewed that the second de∣cree, by which saluation is not decreed to particular persons, but it is determined, that they shall be saued, who shall beleeue, is not the decree of prouidence nor predestination, but is the rule of the Gospell, which doth prescribe and set downe the way to sal∣uation.

III. This question is put to slight, onely by the name of election; for Election cannot be of all men; he doth not choose that taketh all: Neither, in the time of the deluge, had Noah beene chosen that hee

should liue in the deluge, if no man had perished by the flood: He is elected, who is preferred before o∣thers, the rest being eyther despised, or lesse accoun∣ted of.

IV. And seeing in all the points of faith, wee ought to be wise, and taught out of the Scriptures, much more in so high an argument, which doth exceede our capacitie. Let therefore the Arminians shew by what place of Scripture all men are said to be elected, by that election which is opposite to repro∣bation (for of that it is spoken here, and not of the e∣lection of seuerall men, by the consequent will of God. Who euer heard it said, that Pharaoh or Iudas, did any way belong to the election of God? Saint Peter indeede 2. Epist. Chap. 1. doth ioyne calling to e∣lection, commanding vs to make our calling and e∣lection sure, that is, by the earnest endeauour of good workes, to effect that the sence of our effectuall calling, and the perswasion of our election may daily be increased in vs: But he will not therefore haue our calling and election to be the same, nor will hee haue all that are any waies called, to be elected: Yea, many are called, but few chosen, Matth. 20.16.

V. That also is to be obserued, that by this gene∣rall election, it is not decreed who are to be saued; but what manner of men are to be saued: and that the Arminians draw the ninth chapter to the Romanes to proue this; where it is plainely spoken of the good pleasure of God, and his mercy towards some seuerall and peculiar persons, whom it seemeth good to God to choose: For those words, I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy, speake of some certaine men;

and not of what qualified men; for then he had said, Miser••tor qualium: I will haue mercy on men so qualified, and not cuius, or quorum, of whom: Neither had the example of Isaac and Iacob, who were particular per∣sons, beene applied to explaine the election not of particular persons, but the election eyther of all, or of men so qualified.

VI. But I would learne of the Arminians, whe∣ther Iudas or Pilate; whether the high priests and the Scribes, by the instigation and accusations of whom our Sauiour was crucified, were elected conditionally, and comprehended in that generall election. If they were not comprehended, then that generall and con∣ditionall election which they would haue to be ex∣tended to all men: falleth to the ground. On the o∣ther side, if Iudas and those high priests were condi∣tionally elected, the decree of God, concerning the crucifying of Christ, could not be absolute, because it was done by men, which were conditionally ele∣cted, vnder a condition which they might fulfill: It might therefore haue come to passe, that before this wicked deede, they might haue beene conuerted and become faithfull, and so had not crucified Christ.

And truely it cannot be said, that Iudas and Caia∣phas, were elected to saluation, vnder the condition of beleeuing in the death of Christ, seeing they were appointed to that very thing, that by their increduli∣ty and wickednesse, Christ might be deliuered to death: but if Iudas and Caiaphas had beleeued in Christ, Christ had not beene deliuered to death; and therefore this decree, whereby the Arminians will

haue God to haue elected Iudas and Caiaphas, and Pilate, vnder this condition, if they would beleeue in Christ, doth infolde a contradiction: For they doe as much, as if they should bring in God, speaking thus: I appointed to saue Iudas and Caiaphas, if they will beleeue in the death of Christ: But if they shall beleeue, and shall be faithfull, Christ should not be deliuered to death, nor be crucified.

Also of the foure decrees of the Arminians, the two former are contrary one to another: For by the first decree, God decreed to vse the incredulity and perfidiousnesse of Iudas, to deliuer Christ to death: But by the second decree, God elected Iudas vnder the condition of faith, in the death of Christ: There∣fore by the former decree, Iudas is absolutely conside∣red as an vnbeleeuer and a reprobate, but by the se∣cond, he is considered as one conditionally elected. The schoole of Arminius is painted about with these monsters, and Chimeraes, contrary one to another, which would moue laughter, if the church were not troubled by them, and the wisedome of God exposed to reproach.

VII. Furthermore, by that generall decree whereby all men are said to be elected vnder the con∣dition of faith to be performed, * 1.1 God is openly moc∣ked: For it is a foolish decree, which is made vnder a condition, which condition, he that decreed it knew certainely in the very moment he decreed it, that it would not be fulfilled; especially if this condition cannot be fulfilled but by the helpe and power of him who decrees it: For by such a decree, God should set a law to himselfe, not to man. But it is

manifest by experience that God doth not minister to all men the meanes that are necessary to the fulfil∣ling of this condition: For he will not haue his Gos∣pell preached to all, neither doth he giue the spirit of regeneration to all.

VIII. Finally, what is to be iudged of this ge∣nerall election, appeares by the consectaries, and con∣clusions which are drawne thence; whereof that is the chiefest, and farre the worst, whereby they denie that the number of the elect is certaine, and determi∣ned by the will of God, electing; whence it followeth that the election of particular persons, is not certaine by the will of God: For if it were certaine by the decree of God, that this, or that man, were of the number of the elect, then of seuerall persons ioyned together, the whole summe and certaine number would be made vp. But that which Arnoldus saith, * 1.2 Pag. 192. That the number of the elect may be in∣creased or diminished, is such a thing, that there is no good man who doth not tremble at the hearing of it. For what is it in God, to diminish the number of the elect, but to change his opinion, and to take from the number of the elect, those which indeede being not sufficiently well considered of, and as hauing cast his accounts amisse, he had brought into the white roule of the elect, which should rather haue beene carried into the blacke booke of reprobates?

IX. Of the same euill stampe, is that of Gre∣uinchouius against Ames, Pag. 136. making a halfe, an incompleate, and so a reuocable election. In the Scriptures (saith hee) men are called elect, 1. incom∣pleately, according to the present state, in as much as they

are such, to wit, faithfull men for the present time, the last tearme of their life being excepted, in which, 2. Ele∣ction is fulfilled. Behold a depending election, by which euery most wicked man; is incompleately elect, and the decree of God is incompleate, vntill it be made compleate by man, which surely are not, dogmata, but portenta, not doctrines, but monstrous opinions, which neuer came into the minde of any one, of whom the name of Christ is any where heard of.

X. But the Scripture teacheth, that the number of the elect is certaine, Reuel. 6. The soules which are vnder the Altar are commanded to waite while the number of the brethren is fulfilled; Also that which Christ saith of the sheepe that were giuen him, euen before their conuersion, Iohn 10.1. As also that he saith, that all shall come to him, as many as are giuen him by the father; Iohn. 6.37. And that none of his sheepe can be taken out of his hand, Iohn. 10.28. doe all plainely declare, that the number of them is de∣termined by the purpose of God. Saint Luke doth al∣so accord, in whom, Chap. 10. v. 20. Christ thus spea∣keth to the Apostles: Reioyce not that the spirits are sub∣iect to you: but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen. No lesse expressely doth the Apostle to the Hebrewes speake, Chap. 12. v. 22.23. where hee cal∣leth the church, the heauenly Ierusalem, the assembly of the first borne, which are written in Heauen. Hitherto per∣taines that book of life, concerning which it is spoken in other places. And, Reuel. 20. where they are said to be cast into the lake of fire, which are not found written in the booke of life. The Arminians, Pag. 96.

of the conference at Hage, doe with a vaine interpre∣tation expound those words of Christ: Reioyce that your names are written in the booke of life: For they will not haue these words to be taken of election to salua∣tion, but they will haue this to be the sence of it; Reioyce that according to the present state of faith, righteousnesse, and obedience, ye are accounted for pious and godly men, yea for the sonnes of God. O good God, where is modesty! Here is neyther reason nor colour for this. For, to be accounted faithfull by men, is not to haue their names written in heauen: Nor was there any cause that the Apostle should so reioyce, because men thought well of them, seeing that often times happeneth to him that is most wic∣ked; and this had beene much lesse, then that the diuels did tremble at their voice, and fled from them: which yet Christ reckons to be but a small thing, in comparison of hauing their names written in heauen: Surely that speech, to be written in heauen, is referred not to the opinion of men, but to the purpose of God: And this phrase is taken from the Prophets, with whom, that is said to be written before God, which is fastened and determined by his decree. So, Esay 4. v. 3. they are said to be written for life, who were to be preserued by the purpose of God. And Chap. 65.6. Behold it is written before me, I will not keepe silence, but will recompence: As if hee should say, it is certaine and determined by mee, to reuenge these wicked deedes.

XII. I am ashamed of that shift, whereby some of them say, that therefore the names of the Apostles are said to be written in heauen, because they were

elected to their Apostleshippe: For so the name of Iudas himselfe was written in heauen; in which re∣spect, he had so little cause to reioyce, that euen his very Apostleshippe turned to his destruction. Then also we haue the words of the Apostle to the He∣brewes, which are plainely agreeable to these, by which he calleth the faithfull, the first begotten, which are written in heauen: which cannot bee drawne to the election to an office, seeing it belongeth to all the faithfull and the elect.

XIII. The question of the booke of life is a grea∣ter and longer question, not belonging to this place. I am not ignorant, that there is a certaine booke of life, which is not the booke of election, but the Cata∣logue of them who professe themselues to be mem∣bers of the Church, and are visibly grafted into the couenant, of which book there is mention, Eze. 13.9. Psal. 69. ver. 29. out of which booke, there is no doubt but some are blotted. But when they are throwne headlong into hell, as many as are not written in the booke of life; it is plaine, that in this booke is set downe the certaine and determined number of men, who while other are appointed to the fire, they alone are reserued to life; the number of whom can be en∣creased or diminished no more now then in the last iudgement.

XIV. These things concerning that generall and conditionall election. Now let vs come to the abso∣lute election of seuerall persons, which the Arminians would haue to rest and depend on the fore-know∣ledge of faith, and to be made for faith fore-seene: The former of these elections hath the second place in

the series and ranke of the foure decrees laid downe by Armintus; the latter election hath the fourth place; that doth pertaine to the antecedent will of God, this to the consequent; that doth goe before, this doth follow mans will: Arminius saith, that God is disappointed of that, but cannot be disappointed of this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Greuinch. p. 101 Decretū conditi∣onale de quolibet si credat seruan∣do. & Pag. 2. Decreuit salutem conferre sub con∣ditione fidei pre∣stande ab ijs qui. bus salutem ap. plitaret.
• * 1.2

  Arnold P. 192. Numerum sta∣tuitis certum esse & ex precisa dei ordinatione de∣terminatum, qui nec angeri n•••• minui possit id{que} ex eadem ordi∣natione longe viro aliter E∣uangelium & vera predestina∣tionis doctrina que in genera tantum docet quales sunt ele∣cti.