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. XXIII.

The opinion of Saint Austen concerning Election for faith fore-seene.

WEE are beholding to Pelagius and his secta∣ries, for the learned Treatises of Saint Au∣sten, full of good fruit, wherein he hath ex∣plained more fully and more plainely then any other, the heads of Christian faith concerning Grace, Free will, and Predestination: For before Pe∣lagius his time, these things were handled generally and grosely, and not exactly enough: Saint Austen himselfe, in his booke of the Predestination of the Saints, Chap. 3. and of his retractations, lib. 1. cap. 24. and in many other places, doth confesse, that he at the beginning writ, with little consideration, concerning these things; the holy man was not ashamed to change his opinion, after hee sharpned his wit at this whet∣stone of contentions, and the sparkes of truth broke out of the disputation.

The heresie of Pelagius being driuen away, the re∣liques of the Pelagians did yet remaine in France, who to keepe backe enuy, least they should seeme to fa∣uour Pelagius, they did distinguish nature from grace: But they did affirme that sufficient grace was offred to all men, and that it did extend as farre as nature: they did acknowledge an election, but it was conditi∣onall and not absolute. For they were elected by God whom he fore-saw would beleeue and vse his grace well. And these are their opinions, That election is for faith fore-seene; and that the number of the elect is not

determined by the certaine decree of God. They said that the fruit of the doctrine of Saint Austen concerning election according to the purpose of God, was eit••er desperation, or a benummed sluggishnes, if the repro∣bate man cannot be saued by any labour and conten∣tion, nor he that is elected be depriued of the king∣dome by any negligence. It is not amisse to set downe their words, taken out of the Epistle of Prosper to Saint Austin, which is incerted in the seauenth Tome of Saint Austins works: They determine that the propitia∣tion, which is in the Sacrament of the bloud of Christ, is propounded to all men, without exception; that whosoe∣uer will come to faith and to baptisme, may be saued. And that God fore-knew before the making of the world, who were to beleeue, and who by faith (which afterwards was to be assisted and helped by the grace of God) were to re∣maine: And that he predestinated those to his kingdome, who being freely called, he fore-saw would be worthy of election, and would depart out of this life with a good end, &c. But they say that the opinion of Saint Austen doth take away from them that are fallen, the care of rising a∣gaine, and doth yeelde occasion of a heauy dulnesse to the Saints, &c. They doe not yeelde that the predestina∣ted number of the elect can neither be encreased, nor diminished: this is meere Arminianisme, the very same opinion; we are assailed with the same calumnies wherewith Saint Austin was.

Against these Semipe••agians, the holy man writ a Booke of the PRedestination of the Saints; out of which Booke, it will not be from the purpose to take out and alledge some places.

Chap. 3. We reade (the Apostle saying it) I obtained

mercy, that I might be faithfull: He doth not say, because I was faithfull: It is giuen then to him that is faithfull, but it is giuen him also that he might be faithfull.

Chap. 17. Let vs vnderstand the calling whereby men are elected, not they which are elected because they belee∣ued, but they which are elected that they might beleeue. For this the Lord himselfe doth make plaine enough, when he saith; Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you: For if they were therefore chosen, because they beleeued, they had first chosen him, by beleeuing in him, that they might deserue to be elected. And a little after: They did not choose him, that he might choose them, but that they might choose him, he chose them, because his mercy preuen∣ted them, according to his grace, not according to their de∣sert. And in the same chapter; God then elected the faithfull, but it was that they might be so, not because they were already so. By choosing them, he maketh them rich in faith, as heires of a kingdome; and rightly, because he is said to choose that in them, which that he might worke in them, he hath chosen them. Doth any one heare our Lord saying; Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you? and dares he say that men beleeue that they might be chosen, when rather they are chosen, that they might be∣leeue?

Chap. 18. He chose vs in him before the world was made, that we might be holy and without spot: Therefore not because we were holy, but that we should be holy; it is certaine, it is manifest: Therefore we were to be such, be∣cause he elected vs, predestinating vs, that by his grace we should be holy.

In then inteenth chapter he repeateth the same words, and addeth moreouer these; When therefore he pre∣destinated

vs, hee fore knew his owne worke, who hath made vs holy and without spot.

In the same place the Pelagians reiecting election for workes fore-seene, sticke onely in the fore-seeing of faith: Wee (say they) doe say that our God fore knew nothing, but faith whereby we beginne to beleeue, and there∣fore he elected vs, &c. Against these things Saint Au∣stin disputeth much, and at the length he doth thus conclude his speech, Neither doth faith it selfe goe be∣fore; for he doth not choose vs because we beleeue, but he chose vs that we might beleeue, least we should be said to choose him first: and that should be false (which God for∣bid) which Christ saith, ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you: Neither are we called, because we doe beleeue, but we are called, that we might beleeue, and by that cal∣ling, which is without repentance, it is wrought, and through∣ly wrought, that we should beleeue.

Finally, he saith, that Pelagius himselfe, to the in∣tent that he might delude the Palestine Synode, with an ambiguous confession, condemned those that say that grace is giuen according to merit; which opinion was allowed by the Synode; and they were condemned, who said election was for faith fore-seene. For Saint Austin confirmeth, that these two come to one and the same sence, in his fift booke against Iulian, chap. 3. God electeth no man that is worthy, but by electing him, he maketh him worthy.

And he doth in sixe hundred places, beate vpon ab∣solute election, or (as Arminius calleth it) precise ele∣ction, and not depending vpon the fore-seeing of any vertue or worth. As Epist. 105. Why one should beleeue, and another not beleeue, when both heare the same thing;

and if a miracle be done in both their sights, it is the height of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God, whose iudgements are vnsearchable, and with whom there is no iniquitie, while he will haue mercy on whom he will, and hardneth whom he will: for those things are not vniust, be∣cause they be hidden and secret: But these things are not hidden to Arminius, for hee saith, the cause of this difference is the fore-seeing of faith in one of them.

The Booke de fide ad Petrum, whether it be the Booke of Fulgentius, or of Austin, in the third chap∣ter, hath these words; They shall raigne with Christ whom God of his free gracious goodnesse, hath elected to the kingdome; because by predestinating them, he hath prepared them to be such that they might be worthy of the kingdome, he hath prepared them, whom according to his purpose he will call; that they may obey, he hath prepared them whom he will iustifie, that hauing receiued grace, they might beleeue rightly, and liue well: To which kingdome they haue come, whom God hath saued of his free-grace, for no precedent merit of good will or good worke.