Ir has been ingenuously confessed, not only by all the Ancients, but likewise by Modern Divines, (among whom let it suffice to have praised THOMAS as one witness,) that the Free Will of man is incompetent to the performance of any good thing, except so far as it is moved and aided by God. Nor is there so much impiety as certain persons think in those assertions about Free Will which some of the Fathers and of the Moderns have made,-provided their expressions be received in a right manner, and in such a sense as it was the wish of the writers themselves that they should be received. BUCER. In his lapsed and sinful state, man is not capable, of and by himself, either to think, to will, or to do that which is really good; but it is necessary for him to be regenerated and renewed in his intellect, affections or will, and in all his powers, by God in Christ through the Holy Spirit, that he may be qualified rightly to understand, esteem, consider, will, and perform, whatever is truly good. I ascribe to Divine Grace THE COMMENCEMENT, THE CONTINUANCE, AND THE CONSUMMATION OF ALL GOOD; and to such an extent do I carry its influence, that a man, though already regenerate, can neither conceive, will, nor do any good at all, nor resist any evil temptation, without this preventing and exciting, this following and co-operating Grace. ARMINIUS. THE Bishops of Ely and Lichfield, [Andrews and Overal,] were always accustomed to say, "that, as long as men maintained the true doctrine of the Antece"dent Will [of God] or of Conditional Decrees, there could not be much danger "in disputing about Predestination and Free Will." The correctness of this sentiment appears to me more and more evident. GROTIUS. THE sum of that which I contend for is briefly this: That the God of Heaven hath not APPOINTED any creature to do wickedly, but hateth sin with an unfeigned and perfect hatred, and doth not give a necessity to all events, but to those alone which are agreeable to his holiness and are the objects of his absolute unconditional decrees: That God's DECREE OF REPROBATION was eternally respective, and respective of sins as well actual as original: That God's DECREE OF ELECTION was eternally respective of our being in Christ, and of our abiding in Him unto the end: That God's execution of his Decrees are in a just conformity to his Decrees: That Jesus Christ is a GENERAL but a CONDITIONAL SAVIOUR,- -a Saviour to all who do the duties by him required, to none without it: That they who stand may fall for ever, and must therefore very watchfully take heed lest they fall, ever "giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure." DR. THOMAS PIERCE. COMPARED IN THEIR PRINCIPLES AND TENDENCY: OR THE DOCTRINES OF GENERAL REDEMPTION, AS HELD BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, AND BY THE EARLY DUTCH ARMINIANS, EXHIBITED IN THEIR SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE, AND IN THEIR CONNECTION WITH THE CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES BY JAMES NICHOLS. Melanchthonis ac Johannis Arndi discipulos ferme videas bonos ac lenes: Contra, Calvini If it must be Arminianism to teach, that "the Ecclesiastical Power is subjected to the LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, BROWN AND GREEN. |