0.: I BOOK CARD a Please keep this cflird fn « book pocket s J 1 UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 10002344946 THE UBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL ENDOWED BY THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC ^ SOCIETIES BX6i9$ 1 r^; .A65 ^ 1853 1 IL V. 2 ^ UNIVERSITY OF N.C AT CHAPEL HILL This book is due at the LOUIS R. WILSON LIBRARY on the last date stamped under "Date Due." If not on hold it may be renewed by bringing it to the library. DATE DUE DATE „„ DUE OCT- SJ^W'^ » " ' /, i - ' ' i ^ f- IVIAY 0 3 ! m DECi EC 0 4 0(K r MAY 0 221 106 OR? 2 5 , mm — mi UUI ) y w psw**^^" ■ am — re^ DEC 1 2 '0071 010 farm /Va 5? J \ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/worksofjamesarmi02armi_0 4 -.^ % V/ if f T H E W O E K S JAMES AEMINIUS, D. D., FORMEBLT PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY 11^ THE UNIVERSITY OF LEYDEK TRANSLATED FEOM THE LATIN, IN THEEE YOLUMES. ^ / ^ THE FIEST AND SECOND BY JAMES NICHOLS, A.rTnOR OF " CALVINISM AND AKMINIANISM COMPARED IN THEIK PEINCIPLES AND TENDENCT." THE THIED, WITH A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY EEV. W. R. BAGNALL, A. M. or THB METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHX7ECH. CONTENTS. Page. SEYENTT-NINE PEIVATE DISPTATIOFS r 9—193 1— On Theology 9 2 — On the Manner in which Theology must be taught 10 3 — On blessedness, the End of Theology 12 4— On Eeliglon 13 5 — On the rule of Keligion, the Word of God, and the Scriptures in particular 14 6 — On the authority and certainty of the Holy Scriptures 16 7 — On the perfection of the Scriptures , 19 8 — On the perspicuity of the Scriptures 20 9 — On the meanings and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures 22 10 — On the'efficacy of the Scriptures 24 11 — On Eeligion in a stricter sense 25 12— -0n the Christian Eeligion, its name and relation , 2T 13 — On the Christian Eehgion, Avith regard to the matter generally 28 14— On the object of the Christian Eeligion: and, First, about God, its primary object, and what God is 30 15— On the nature of God 33 16— On the Life of God , 35 17— On tlj e understanding of God 36 18— On the Will of God 39 19— On the various distinctions of the Will of God 41 20 — On the attributes of God which come to be considered under his Will ; and, First, on those which have an analogy to the atfections or passions in rational creatures 44 21 — On those attributes of God which have some analogy to the moral virtues, and which act like moderators of the aifections considered in the preceding disputation 48 22— On the power of God 50 23 — On the perfection, blessedness and glory of God 52 24— On Creation 54 25— On Angels in general and in particular 58 26— On the creation of man after the image of God 63 27— On the Lordship or dominion of God 66 23— On the Providence of God 68 29 — On the covenant into which God entered with our first PareAts 71 80 — ^The manner in which man conducted himself in fulfilling the first Covenant, or on the sin of our first Parents 74 81— On the eflfects of the Sin of our first Parents 77 3^— On the necessity of the Christian Eeligion 79 33— On tlie Eestoration of Man 82 34 — On the person of our Lord Jesus Christ 83 35— On the priestly office of Christ 85 36— On the prophetical office of Christ 87 37— On the regal office of Christ 90 33— On tlie states of Christ s humiliation and exaltation 92 39— On the Will and Commnnd of God the Fatlier, and of Christ, by which they will and command that religion be performed to them by sinful man 96 40— On the predestination of Believers 99 41— On the predestination of Means to the End 103 42 — On the vocation of sinful Men to Christ, and to a participation of Salvation in him,.. 104 43 — On the Eepentance by which men answer to the Divine Vocation, 106 44— On Faith in God and Christ 109 45— On the union of Beliavers Avith Christ Ill 46 — On the communion of believers with Christ, and particularly with his Death 113 47 — On the Communion of Believers with Christ in regard to his Life 115 48— On Justification 116 49— On the Sauctification of Man . 119 50— On the Church of God and of Christ; Or, on the church in general after the Fall.. . . 122 UTtcl l66 vi CONTENTS. Page. 51 — On the Church of the Ol'l Testament, or un<1er the Promise 124 52 — On the Church of the New Testament, or under the Gospel 12T 53— On the Head and the Marks of the Church 130 54 — On the Catholic Church, her jxarts and relations 132 65 — On the power of the Church in delivering Doctrines 135 56 — On the power of the Church in enacting laws 137 57 — On the power of the Church in administering Justice, or on Ecclesiastical Discipline, 140 58— On Councils 144 59 — On the Ecclesiastical Ministrations of the New Testament, and on the Vocation to them 148 60 — On Sacraments in General 152 61— On the Sacraments of the Old Testament — the Tree of Life, Circumcision, and the Paschal Lamb 355 62— On the Sacraments of the New Testament in general 157 63 — On Baptism and Tajdo-baptism 159 64— On the Lord's Supper 161 65— On the Popish Mass 162 66— On the Ave false Sacraments '. 164 67— On the Worship of God in general 165 68 — On the precepts of Divine Worship in general 167 69 — On Obedience, the formal object of all the Divine Precepts 169 70 — On obedience to the Commands of God in general 170 71 — On the material Object of the precepts of the Law in general 172 72 — On the Love. Fear, Trust and Honor, which are due from Man to God 173 73 — On particular acts of Obedienc ^, or those which are prescribed in each precept, or concerning the Decalogue in general 175 74 — On the First Commadd in the Decalogue 187 75 — On the Second Command in the Decalogue 180 76— On the Third Precept in the I 'ecalogue 184 77 — On the Fourth Commaudin the Decalogue 186 78— On the Fifth Commandment in the Decalogue 189 79— On the Sixth Precept 193 DISSERTATION ON THE TRUE AND -GENUINE SENSE OF THE SEVENTH ClIArTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE KOMANS 195—453 Introduction 217 FIRST FAKT, 221—353. 1— The Thes is to be proved 221 2— The connection of the Seventh Chapter with the Sixth 230 Verse the Fourteenth 245 Fifteenth 252 Sixteenth 25© Seventeenth 258 Eighteenth and Ninel<3enth 267 Twentieth 284 Twent3'-first 285 Twenty-second and Twenty -third 287 Twenty-fourth 323 Twenty-fifth 827 8 — ^Recapitulation 335 4 — The connection between the Seventh and Eighth Chapters 344 SECOND PART, 353—388. l_The opinion which is to be corroborated by Testimonies 853 2 — The most ancient and respectable of the Christian Fathers approve of our Interpreta- tion 354 3— The Opinion of St. AuguPtine 366 4— Our opinion is supported by several writers of the Middle Ages 375 5 — The favorable testimony of Modern Divines 382 TUIKD PAET, 888 — 404. 1 — This opinion is neither heretical nor allied to any heresy 388 2 — Our Opinion is directly opposed to the Pelagian Heresy 397 FOUETII PART, 404 — 419. The opposite opinion is approved by none of the ancient Doctors of the Church 404 FIFTH PART, 419 — 452. 1— The opposite opinion isinjurioua to Grhce and hurtful to good Morals 419 2 — Various objections in favor of the common Interpretation answered 428 Jt— The Conclusion 438 A LETTER TO HIPPOLYTUS A OOLLIBUS 453-478 1— The Divinity of the Son of God 461 a— The Providence of God 46S CONTENTS. vii Page. 3 — Divine Predestination » 470 4 — Grace and Free Will 472 5 — Justification , 473 CEETAIN AETICLES TO BE DILIGENTLY EXAMINED AND WEIGHED.. 479— 511 1 — On the Scripture and Human Traditions 479 2 — On God, considered according to his Nature.^ 480 3— On God, considered according to the relation betAveen the persons in the Trinity,. . 481 4— On the Decree of God 482 5 — On predestination to Salvation, and on Damnation, considered in the highest Degree 483 6 — On the Creation, and chiefly that of Man 4-S5 7 — On the dominion of God over the Creatures, and chiefly over Man 487 8— On the Providence of God 488 9 — On Predestination considered in the primeval state of Man 489 10 — On the cause of Sin universally , . . . 490 1 1— On the Fall of Adam 491 12— On Original Sin 492 13 — On the predestination of Man, considered partly in his primeval State, and partly in the Fall 492 14 — On predestination considered after the Fall 493 15 — On the Decrees of God which concern the salvation of sinful Men, according to his own Sense 494 16— On Christ 495 17 — On the vocation of Sinners to communion with Christ, and to a participation of his benefits 496 18— On Penitence , 499 19— On Faith 499 20 — On Eegeneration and tlie Eegenerate 501 21 — On the perseverance of Saints 502 22 — On the Assurance of Salvaticn 503 23 — On the Justification of Man as a Sinner, but yet a believer before God 504 24— On the Good Works of believers 506 25— On Prayer 5u7 26 — On the Infants of believers when they are offered for Baptism 507 27— On the Supper of the Lord 50T 28— On Magistracy 508 29— On the Church of Eome 509 A LETTER ON TEE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST 611 PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS OF JAMES AEMIOTUS, D. D. ON THE PEINCIPAL AETICLES OF THE CHETSTIAN KELIGION. COMMENCED BY THE AUTHOR CHIEFLY FOE THE PUEPOSE OF FOEMING A SYSTEM OF DIVINITY. These Disputations, prepared by Arminius as a kind of Syllabus to his Private Lectures, are incomplete. In the preface to the first editio7i, published in 1610, it is said, that it is believed that upwards of twenty Theses are wanting to crown the undertaking.'^ DISPUTATIO]^ L ON THEOLOGY. I. As WE are about again to commence our course of theo- logical disputations under the auspices of our gracious God, we will previously treat a little on theology itself. II. By the word " theology" we do not understand a con- eeption or a discourse of God himself^ of which meaning it would properly admit ; but we understand by it, " a concep- tion" or a discourse about God and things divine," according to its common use. III. It may be defined, the doctrine or science of the truth which is according to godliness, and which God has revealed to man, that he may know God and divine things, may believe on him and may through faith perform to him the acts of love, fear, honor, worship and obedience, and may in return expect 2 VOL. II. 10 JAMES AEMINTUS. and obtain blessedness from him tbrougb union with him, to the divine glory. lY. The proximate and immediate object of this doctrine or science is, not God himself, but the duty and act of man which he is bound to perform to God. In theology, therefore, God himself must be considered as the object of this duty. Y. On this account, theology is not a theoretical science or doctrine, but a practical one, requiring the action of the whole man, according to all and each of its parts — an action of the most transcendant description, answerable to the excellence of the object as far as the human capacity will permit. YI. From these premises, it follows that this doctrine is not expressed after the example of natural science, by which God knows himself, but after the example of that notion which God has willingly conceived within himself from all eternity, about the prescribing of that duty and of all things required for it. DISPUTATIOISr II. ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THEOLOGY MUST BE TAUGHT. I. It has long been a maxim with those philosophers who are the masters of method and order, that the theoretical sci- ences ought to be delivered in [compositivo] a synthetical order, but the practical in an analytical order, on which account, and because theology is a practical science, it follows that it must be treated according to [resolutiva'] the analytical method. II. Our discussion of this doctrine must therefore commence with its end, about which we must previously treat, with much brevity, both on [^uod] its nature or what it is, and [^uid] its 'qualities ; we must then teach, throughout the entire discourse, the means for attaining the end, to which the obtaining of the end must be subjoined, and, at this, the whole discussion must terminate. III. For, according to this order, not only the whole doctrine PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 11 itself, but likewise all its parts, will be treated from its princi- pal end, and each article will obtain that place which belongs to it according to the principal relation which it has to its total and to the end of the whole. lY. But though we are easily satisfied with all treatises in which the body of divinity is explained, provided they agree . according to the truth, at least in the chief and fundamental ^ things, with the Scripture itself; and though we willingly give to all of them praise and commendation ; yet, if on ac- count only of inquiry into the order, and for the sake of treat- ing the subject with greater accuracy, we may be allowed to explain what [d.-sideremus] are our views and wishes. Y. In the first place, the order in which the theology ascribed to God, and to the actions of God, is treated, seems to be in- convenient. N^either are we pleased with the division of theology into the pathological diseases, and the therapeutic after a preface of the doctrine about the principles, the end and the efficient ; nor with that, how accommodating soever it may be, in appearance, in which, after premising as its princi- ples the word of God, and God himself, as the causes of our salvation, and therefore the works and effects of God, and man who is its subject is placed as a part of it. So neither do we receive satisfaction from the partition of theological science into the knowledge of God and of man ; nor from that by which theology is said *to exercise itself about God and the church ; nor that by which it is previously determined that we must treat about God, the motion of a rational creature to him, and about Christ ; nor does that which prescribes us to a discourse about God, the creatures, and principally about man and his fall, about his reparation through Christ, and about the sacra- ments and a future life. 12 JAMES AEMINIUS. DISPUTATION ni. ON BLESSEDNESS, THE END OF THEOLOGY. I. The end of theology is the blessedness of man ; and that not animal or natural, but spiritual and supernatural. II. It consists in fruition, the object of which is a perfect, chief, and sufficient good, which is God. III. The foundation of this fruition is life, endowed with understanding and with intellectual \_affectii\ feeling. lY. The connective or coherent cause of fruition is union with God, by which that life is so greatly perfected, that they who obtain this union are said to be " partakers of the divine nature and of life eternal." Y. The medium of fruition is understanding and [affectus] emotion or feeling — understandings not by species or image, but by clear vision, which is called that of face to face ; and feeling s corresponding with this vision. YL The cause of blessedness is God himself, uniting him- self with man ; that is, giving himself to be seen, loved, possessed, and thus to be enjoyed by man. YII. The antecedent or inly moving cause is the goodness and the remunerative justice of God, which have the wisdom of God as their precursor. YIII. The executive cause is the power of God, by which the soul is enlarged after the capacity of God, and the animal body is transformed and transfigured into a spiritual body. IX. The end, event, or consequence is two-fold, (1,) a demonstration of the glorious wisdom, goodness, justice, power, and likewise the universal perfection of God; and (2,) his glorification by the beatified. X. Its adjunct properties are, that it is eternal, and is known to be so by him who possesses it ; and that it at once both satisfies every desiie, and is an object of continued desire. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 13 DISPUTATIO]^ lY. ON RELIGION. I. Omitting all dispute about the question, " whether it be possible for God to render man happy by a union with him- self without the intervening act of man," we affirm that it has pleased God not to bless man except by some duty performed according to the will of God, which God has determined to reward with eternal blessedness. II. And this most equitable will of God rests on the foun- dation of the justice and equity according to which it seems [fas] lawful and proper, that the Creator should require from his creature, endowed with reason, an act tending to God, by which, in return, a rational creature is bound to tend towards God, its author and beneficent lord and master. III. This act must be one of the entire man, according to each of his parts — according to his soul, and that entirely, and each of his faculties, and according to his body, so far as it is the mute instrument of the soul, yet itself possessing a capacity for happiness by means of the soul. This act must likewise be the most excellent of all those things which can proceed from man, and like a continuous act ; so that whatever other acts those may be which are performed by man through some intervention of the will, they ought to be performed according to this act and its rule. TV. Though this duty, according to its entire essence and all its parts, can scarcely be designated by one name, yet we do not improperly denominate it when we give it the name of religion. This word, in its most enlarged acceptation, em- braces three things^ — the act itself, the obligation of the act, and the obligation with regard to God, on account of whom that act must be performed. Thus, we are bound to honor our parents on account of God. Y. Religion, then, is that act which our theology places in order ; and it is for this reason justly called " the object of theological doctrine." t 14r JAMES AEMDOUS. YI. Its method is defined bj tlie command of God, and not hj human choice ; for the word of God is its rule and meas- ure. Aod as in these days we have this word in the Scrip- tures of the Old and Xew Testament alone, we say that these Scriptures are the canon according to which religion is to be conformed. We shall soon treat more fully about the Scrip- tures how far it is requu*ed that we should consider them as the canon of religion. YII. The opposites to religion are, impiety, that is, the neglect and contempt of God, and sSs\oSpri(fxsia^ will-worship, or superstition, that is, a mode of religion invented by man. Hypocrisy is not opposed to the whole of religion, but to its integrity or purity ; because that in which the entire man ought to be engaged, is performed only by his body. DISPUTATION Y. ON THE EULE OF EELTGION, THE WORD OF GOD, AXD THE SCEIPTITKES IN PAETICULAE. I. As EELTGiox is the duty of man towards God, it is neces- sary that it should be so prescribed by God in his sure word as to render it evident to man that he is bound by this pre- script as it proceeds from God ; or, at least, it may and ought to be evident to man. II. This word is either svoia^s-rov [an inward or mental rea- soning,] or t^po^fopisov, [a spoken or delivered discourse] the for- mer of them being ingrafted in the mind of man b}' an internal inscription, whether it be an increation or a superinfusion ; the latter being openly pronounced. in. By the ingrafted word, God has prescribed religion to man, first by inwardly persuading him that God ought, and that it was his will, to be worshiped by man ; then, by uni- vereally disclosing to the mind of man the worship that is pleasing to himself, and that consists of the love of God and of one's neighbor : and, lastly, by writing or sealing a remu- PEIVATE DISPTJTATIONS. 15 Deration on his heart. This inward manifestation is the foun- dation of all external revelation. lY. God has employed the outward word, fikst, that he might repeat what had been ingrafted — might recall it to re- membrance, and might urge its exercise. Secondly, that he might prescribe to him other things besides, which seem to be placed in a four-fold difference. (1.) For they are either such things as are homogeneous to the law of nature, which might easily be raised up on the things ingrafted, or which man could not with equal ease deduce from them. (2.) Or they may appear to be such things as these, yet such as it has pleased God to circumscribe, lest, from the things ingrafted, conclusions should be drawn that were universally, or at least for that time, repugnant to the will of God. (3.) Or they are merely positive, having no communion with these ingrafted things, although they rest on the general [dehito] duty of religion. (4.) Or, lastly, according, to some state of man, they are suitable to him, particularly for that into which man was brought by the fall from his primeval condition. Y. God communicates this external word to man, either orally, or by writing. For, neither with respect to the whole of religion, nor with respect to its parts, is God confined to either of these modes of communication ; but he sometimes uses one and sometimes another, and at other times both of them, according to his own choice and pleasure. He first employed oral enunciation in its delivery, and afterwards, writing^ as a more certain means against corruption and oblivion. He has also completed it in writing / so that we now have the infallible word of God in no other place than in the Scriptures, which are therefore appropriately denominated " the instrument of religion." YI. These Scriptures are contained in those books of the Old and the E^ew Testament which are called " canonical They consist of the five books of Moses ; the books of Joshua, Judges, and of Euth ; the First and Second of Samuel ; the First and Second of Kings ; the First and Second of Chroni- cles; the books of Ezra and of N'ehemiah, and the first ten chapters of that of Esther; fifteen books of the proph- 16 JAMES AEMINIUS. ets, that is, the three Major and the twelve Minor Prophets ; the books of J ob, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Can- ticles, Daniel, and of the Lamentations of Jeremiah : All these books are contained in the Old Testa njent. Those of the ISTew Testament are the following : The four Evangelists; one book of the Acts of the Apostles ; thirteen of St. Paul's Epistles ; the Epistle to the Hebrews ; that of St. James ; the two of St. Peter ; the three of St. John ; that of St. Jude ; and the Apocalypse by St. John. Some of these are without hesi- tation accounted authentic ; but about others of them doubts have been occasionally entertained. Yet the number is quite sufficient of those about which no doubts were ever indulged. YII. The primary cause of these books is God, in his Son, through the Holy Spirit. The instrumental causes are holy men of God, who, not at their own will and pleasure, but as they were actuated and inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote *these books, whether the words were inspired into them, dic- tated to them, or administered by them under the divine direction. Yin. The matter or object of the Scriptures is religion, as has already been mentioned. The essential and internal form is the true intimation or signification of the will of God respect- ing religion. The external is the form or character of the word, which is attempered to the dignity of the speaker, and accommodated to the nature of things and to the capacity of men. IX. The end is the instruction of man, to his own salvation and the glory of God. The parts of the whole instruction are doctrine, reproof, institution or instruction, correction, conso- lation, and threatening. DISPUTATIOIT YL ON THE AUTHORITY AND CEKTAINTY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I. The authority of the word of God, which is comprised in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, lies both in the PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 17 veracity of the whole narration, and of all the declarations, whether they be those about things past, about things present, or about those which are to come, and in the power of the commands and prohibitions, which are contained in the divine word. II. Both of these kinds of authority can depend on no other than on God, who is the principal author of this word, both because he is truth without suspicion of falsehood, and because he is of power invincible. III. On this account, the knowledge alone that this word is divine, is obligatory on our belief and obedience ; and so strongly is it binding, that this obligation can be augmented by no external authority. lY. In what manner or respect soever the church may be contemplated, she can do nothing to confirm this authority ; for she, also, is indebted to this word for all her own authority ; and she is not a church unless she have previonsly exercised faith in this word as being divine, and have engaged to obey it. Wherefore, in any way to suspend the authority of the Scriptures on the church, is to deny that God is of sufficient veracity and supreme power, and that the church herself is a church. Y. But it is proved by various methods, that this word has a divine origin, either by signs employed for the enunciation or declartion of the word, such as miracles, predictions and divine [apparitiones] appearances — by arguments ingrafted on the word itself, such as the matters which it contains, the style and character of the discourse, the agreements between all the parts and each of them, and the efficacy of the word itself; and by the inward testification or witness of God him- self by his Holy Spirit. To all these, we add a secondary proof — the testimony of those persons who have received this word as divine. YI. The force and efficacy of this last testimony is entirely human, and [tantimomenli quanta'] is of importance equal to the quantum of wisdom, probity and constancy possessed by the witnesses. And on this account the authority of the church 18 JAMES AKMINirS. can make no other kind of faith than that which is human, but which may be preparatory to the production of faith di- vine. The testimony of the church, therefore, is not the only thing by which the certainty of the Scriptures is confirmed to us ; indeed it is not the principle thiog ; nay, it is the weakest of all those which are adduced in confirmation. YII. 'No arguments can be invented for establishing the divinity of any word, which do not belong by most equitable reason to this word ; and, on the other hand, it is impossible any arguments can be devised which may conduce even by a probable reason to destroy the divinity of this word. YIII. Though it be not absolutely necessary to salvation to believe that this or that book is the work of the author whose title it bears ; yet this fact may be established by surer argu- ments than are those which claim the authorship of any other work for the writer. IX. The Scriptures are canonical in the same way as they are divine ; because they contain the rule of faith, charity, hope, and of all our inward and outward actions. They do not, therefore, require human authority in order to their being received into the canon, or considered as canonical. Nay, the relation between God and his creatures, requires that his word should be the rule of life to his creatures. X. We assert that, for the establishment of the divinity of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, this disjunct- live proposition is of irrefutable validity : Either the Scrip- tures are divine, or (far be blasphemy from the expression !) they are the most foolish of all writings, whether they be said to have proceeded from man, or from the evil spirit. COEOLLARIES. 1. To afiirm "that the authority of the Scriptures depends upon the church, because the church is more ancient than the Scriptures," is a falsehood, a foolish speech, an implication of manifold contradictions and blasphemy. 2. The authority of the Eoman pontiff to bear witness to PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 19 the divinity of the Scriptures, is less than that of any bishop who is wiser and better than he, and possessed of greater constancy. DISPUTATION YII. ^. ON THE PERFECTION OF THE SCKIPTUEES. I. We denominate [Gomprwhensionem'] that which compre- hends all things necessary for the church to know, to believe, to do and to hope, in order to salvation, " the perfection of the sacred Scriptures." II. As we are about to engage in the defence of this per- fection, against inspirations, visions, dreams and other novel enthusiastic things, we assert, that, since the time when Christ and his apostles sojourned on earth, no inspiration of any thing necessary for the salvation of any individual man, or of the church, has been given to any single person or to any con- gregation of men whatsoever, which thing is not in a full and most perfect manner comprised in the sacred Scriptures. III. We likewise affirm, that in the latter ages no doctrine necessary to salvation has been deduced from these Scriptures which was not explicitly known and believed from the very commencement of the christian church. For, from the time of Christ's ascent into heaven, the church of God was in an adult state, being capable indeed of increasing in the knowl- edge and belief of things necessary to salvation, but not capa- ble of receiving accessions of new articles ; that is, she was ca- pable of increase in that faith by which the articles of religion are believed, but not in that faith which [oreditur'] is the sub- ject of belief. lY. Whatever additions have since been made, they ob- tain only the rank of interpretations and proofs, which ought themselves not to be at variance with the Scriptures, but to be deduced from them ; otherwise, no authority is due to them, but they should rather be considered as allied to error ; for the perfection, not only of the propositions, but likewise of the ex- 20 JAMES ARMINIUS. planations and proofs which are comprised in the Scriptures, is very great. Y. But the most compendious way of forming a judgment about any enunciation or proposition, is, to discern whether its subject and predicate be either expressly or with equal force contained in them, that proposition may be rejected at least as not necessary to salvation, without any detriment to one's salvation. But the predicate may be of such a kind, that, when ascribed to this subject, it cannot be received without detriment to the salvation. For instance, "The Roman pon- tiff is the head of the church." "The virgin Mary is the me- diatrix of grace." DISPUTATION YIII. ON THE PERSPICUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES. I. The perspicuity of the Scriptures is a quality agreeing with them as with a sign, according to which quality they are adapted clearly to reveal the conceptions, whose signs are the words comprised in the Scriptures, to those persons to whom the Scriptures are administered according to the benevolent providence of God. II. That perspicuity is a quality which agrees with the Scriptures, is proved from its cause and its end. (1.) In the cause^ we consider the wisdom and goodness of the author, who, according to his wisdom knew, and according to his goodness willed, clearly and well to enunciate or declare the meanings of his own mind. (2.) In the end is \necessitas\ the duty of those to whom the Scriptures are directed, and who, through the decree of God, cannot attain to salvation without this knowledge. III. This perspicuity comes distinctly to be considered both with regard to its object and its subject. For all things [in the Scriptures] are not equally perspicuous, nor is every thing alike perspicuous to all persons ; but in the epistle of St. Paul, some things occur which "are hard to be understood ;" and " the gospel is hid, or concealed, to them who are lost, in whom PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 21 the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who be- lieve not." lY. But those senses or meanings, the knowledge and belief of which are simplj necessary to salvation, are revealed in the Scriptures with such plainness, that they can be perceived even by the most simple of mankind, provided \_usu polleant] they be able duly to exercise their reason. Y. But they are perspicuous to those alone who, being illu- minated by the light o^ the Holy Spirit, have eyes to see, and a mind to understand and discern. For any color whatever, tho gh sufficiently illuminated by the light, is not seen except by the eye which is endued with the power of seeing, as with an inward light. YI. But even in those things which are necessary to be known and believed in order to salvation, the law must be dis- tinguished from the gospel, especially in that part which re- lates to Jesus Christ crucified and raised up again. For even the gentiles, who are aliens from Christ, have ^' the work of the law written in their hearts," though this is not saving, ex- cept by the addition of the internal illumination and inspira- tion of God ; but [semio] " the doctrine of the cross, which is foolishness and a stumbling block to [animali] the natural man," is not perceived without the revelation of the Spirit. YII. In the Scriptures, some things may be found so diffi- cult to be understood, that men of the quickest and most per- spicacious genius may, in attaining to an understanding of those things, have a subject on which to bestow their labors during the whole course of their lives. But God has so finely attempered the Scripture, that they can neither be read with- out profit, nor, after having been perused and reperused innu- merable times, can they be put aside through aversion or disgust. 22 JAMES AKMINITIS. DISPUTATION IX. ON THE MEANINGS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. I. The legitimate and genuine sense of the holy Scriptures is, that which the Holy Ghost, the autl^r of them, intended, and which is collected from the words themselves, whether they be receiv^ed in their proper or in their figurative signifi- cation ; that is, it is the grammatical sense, as it is called. II. From this sense, alone, efficacious arguments may be sought for the proof of doctrines. III. But, on account of the analogical similitude of corpo- real, carnal, [cinimalium'] natural, and earthly things, and those belonging to the present life, to things spiritual, heav- enly, future and eternal, it happens that a double meaning, each of them certain and intended by the author, lies under the very same words in the Scriptures, of which the one is called " the typical," the other " the mea ing prefigured in the type" or " the allegorical." To this allegorical meaning, we also refer the analogical, as [collatum] opposed in a similar manner to that which is typical. IV. From these meanings, that which is called " the aethio- logical" and " the tropological" do not difier, since the former of them renders the cause of the grammatical sense, and the latter contains an accommodation of it to the circumstances of persons, place, time, &c. Y. The interpretation of Scripture has respect both to its words and to its sense or meaning. YI. 1. The interpretation of its words is either that of single words, or of many words combined ; and both of these meth- ods constitute either a translation of the words into another language, or an explanation [or paraphrase] through other words of the same language. YII. Let translation be so restricted, that, if the original word has any ambiguity, the word into which it is translated PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 23 may retain it : or, if that cannot be done, [compensefur] let it have something equivalent by being noted in the margin. YIII. In the explanation [or paraphrase] which shall be made by other v^ords, endeavors must be used that explanato- ry words be sought from the Scriptures themselves. For this purpose, [ohservatio] attention to the synonymy and phraseol- ogy will be exceedingly useful. IX. 2. In the interpretation of the meanings of the words, it must be sedulously attempted both to make the sense agree with the. rule or " form of sound words," and to accommodate it to the scope or intention of the author in that passage. To this end, in addition to a clear conception of the words, a com- parison of other passages of Scripture, whether they be simi- lar, is conducive, as is likew^ise a diligent seai^ch or institution into its context. In this labor, the occasion [of the words] and their end, the connection of those things which precede and which follow, and the circumstances, also, of persons, times and places, will be principally observed. X. As " the Scriptures are not of private or peculiar ex- planation," an interpreter of them, w^ill strive to " have his senses exercised" in them ; that the interpretation of the Scrip- tures, which, in those sacred writings, comes under the denom- ination of " prophecy," may proceed from the same Spirit as that which primarily inspired the prophecy of the Scriptures. XI. But the authority of no one is so great, whether it be that of an individual or of a church, as to be able to obtrude his own interpretation on the people as the authentic one. From this affirmation however, byway of eminence, we except the prophets and the apostles. For such interpretation is al- ways subjected to the judgment of him to whom it is proposed, to this extent — that he is bound to receive it, only so far as it is confirmed by strength of arguments. XII. For this reason, neither the agreement of the fathers, which can, with difficulty, be demonstrated, nor the authority of the Roman pontiff, ought to be received as the rule of in- terpretation. 'XIII. We do not wish to introduce unbounded license, by which it may be allowable to any person, whether [prophetce} 24 JAMES AKMINIUS. a public interpreter of Scripture or a private individual, to re- ject, without cause, any interpretations whatsoever, whether made bj one prophet, or by more ; but we desire the liberty of prophesying [or public expounding] to be preserved entire and unimpaired in the church. This liberty, itself, however, we subject to the judgment of God, as possessing the power of life and death, and to that of the church, or of her prelates who are endowed with the power of binding and loosing. DISPUTATIOIS^ X. ON THE EFFICACY OF THE SCKIPTURES. I. When we treat on the force and efficacy of the word of God, w^hether spoken or written, we always append to it the principal and concurrent efficacy of the Holy Spirit. II. The object of this efficacy is man, but he must be con- sidered either as the subject in whom the effi(;acy operates, or as the object about whom this efficacy exercises itself. III. 1. The subject of this efficacy in whom it operates, is man according to his understanding and his [ affectmrb] pas- sions, and as being endowed with a capacity, eitijer active or passive, (i.) According to his understanding^ by which he is able to understand the meanings of the word, and to appre- hend them as true and good for himself (ii.) According to his passions^ by w^hich he is capable of being carried by his appetites to something true and good which is pointed out, to embrace it, and [acquiescere] to repose in it. lY. This efficacy is not only preparatory, by which the un- derstanding and the passions are prepared to apprehend some- thing else that is yet more true and good, and that is not com- prised in the external word ; but it is likewise [consummatorid] perfective, by which the human understanding and affections are so perfected, that man cannot attain to an ulterior perfec- tion in the present life. Therefore, we reject [t ie doctrine of] those who affirm that the Scriptures are a dead letter, and PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 25 serve only to prepare a man, and to render him capable of re- ceiving another inward word. Y. This efficacy is beautifully circumscribed in the Scrip- tures by three acts, each of which is two-fold. (1.) That of teaching what is true, and of confuting what is false. (2.) That of exhorting to what is good, dissuading from what is evil, and of reproving if any thing has been done beyond or contrary to one's duty. (3.) That of administering consolation to a contrite spirit, and of denouncing threats against a lofty spirit. YI. 2. The object of this efficacy, about v/hich it exercises itself, is the same man, placed befor3 the tribunal of divine justice, that, according to this word, he [repoi'tet] may bear away from it a sentence either of justification or of condem- nation. DISPUTATION XI. ON RELIGION IN A STRICTER SENSE. We have treated on religion generally, and on its principles as they are com- prehended in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. We must noiff treat upon it in a stricter signification. I. As RELIGION contains the duty of man towards God, it must necessarily be founded in the mutual relation which sub- sists between God and man. If it happen that this relation is varied, the mode of religion must also be varied, the acts per- taining to the substance of every religion always remaining, which are knowledge, faith, love, fear, trust, dread and obedience. II. ^ The first relation between God and man is that which flows from the creation of man in the divine image, according to which religion was prescribed to him by the comprehensive law that has been impressed on the minds of men, and that was afterwards repeated by Moses in the ten commandments. For the sake of proving man's obedience, God added to this a symbolical law, about not eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and eviL 3 TOL. II. 26 JAMES AEMrNTUS. III. Through the sin of man, another relation was introdu- ced between him and God, according to which, man, being liable to the condemnation of God, needs the grace of resto- ration. If God bestow this grace on man, the religion which is to be prescribed to man must now be also founded on that act, in addition to creation. Since this act [on the part of God] requires from man an acknowledgement of sin and thanksgiving for deliverance, it is apparent that, [hie] in this new relation, the mode of religion ought likewise to be varied, as, through the appointment of God, it has in reality been varied. lY. It was the pleasure of God so to administer this varia- tion, that it should not immediately exhibit this grace in a complete manner, but that it should retain man for a season under [obsignatione] the sealed dominion of guilt, yet with the addition of a promise of grace to be exhibited in his own time. Hence, arises the difference of the religion which was prescribed by Moses to the children of Israel, and that which was delivered by Christ to his followers — of which the for- mer is called " the religion of the Old Testament and of the promise," and the latter, " that of the l^ew Testament and of the gospel ;" the former is also called the Jewish religion ; the latter, the Christian. Y. The use of the ceremonial law under Moses, and its ab- rogation under Christ, teach most clearly that this religion or mode of religion differs in many acts. But as the Christian religion prevails at this time, and as [its obligations are] to be performed by us, we will treat further about it, yet so as to intersperse, in their proper places, some mention, both of the primitive religion and of that of the Jews, so far as they are capable, and ought to serve to explain the Christian religion. YI. But it is not our wish for this dilOference to be extended BO far as to have the attainment of salvation, without the in- tervention of Christ, ascribed to those who served God under the paedagogy of the Old Testament and by faith in the prom- ise ; for the subjoined affirmation has always obtained from hd time when the first promise was promulgated : " There is PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 2T none other name nnder heaven, given among men, than that of onr Lord Jesus Christ, by which men must be saved." YII. It appears, from this, that the following assertion, which was used by one of the ancients, is false and untheolo- gical : " Men were saved at first by the law of nature, after- wards, by that of Moses, and at length, by that of grace." This, also, is farther apparent, that such a confusion of the Jewish and Christian religions as was introduced by Mahom- . et, is completely opposed to the dispensation or economy of God. DISPUTATIOISi XIL ON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, IIS NAME AND RELATION. I. Beginning now to treat further on the Christian religion, we will first declare what is the meaning of this term, and we will afterwards consider the matter of this religion, each in its order. II. The Christian religion, which the Jews called " the her- esy of the I^azarenes," obtained its name from Jesus of l^aza- reth, whom God hath appointed as our only master, and hath made him both Christ and Lord. III. But this name agrees with him in two ways — ^from the cause and from the object. (1.) From the cause ; because Jesus Christ, as " the Teacher sent from God," prescribed this religion, both by his own voice, when he dwelt on earth, and by his apostles, whom he sent forth into all the world. (2.) From the object ; because the same Jesus Christ, the object of this religion, according to godliness, is now exhibited, and fully or perfectly manifested ; whereas, he was formerly prom- ised and foretold by Moses and the prophets, only as being about to come. lY. He was, indeed, a teacher far transcending all othe teachers — Moses, the 'prophets, and even the angels them- 28 JAMES AKMINrUS. selves — both in the mode of his perception, and in the excel- lence of his doctrine. 1. In the mode of his perception / be- cause, existing in the bosom of the Father, admitted intimately to behold all the secrets of the Father, and endued with the plenitude of the Spirit, he saw and heard those things which he speaks and testifies. But other teachers, being endued, according to a certain Imoduni] measure with the Spirit, have perceived either by a vision, by dreams, by conversing "face to face," or by the intervention of an angel, those things which it was their duty to declare to others ; and this Spirit itself is called " the Spirit of Christ." Y. 2. In the excellence of his doctrine^ also, Christ was su- perior to all other teachers, because he revealed to mankind, together and at once, the fullness of the very Godhead, and the complete aud latest will of his Father respecting the sal- vation of men ; so that, either as it regards the matter or the clearness of the exposition, no addition can be made to it, nor vis it necessary that it should. YI. From their belief in this religion, and their profession of it, the professors were called Christians. (Acts xi, 26 ; 1 Pet. iv, 16.) That the excellence of this name may really be- long to a person, it is not sufficient for him to acknowledge Christ as a teacher and prophet divinely called. But he must likewise religiously own and worship him as the object of this doctrine, though the former knowledge and faith pre- cede this, and though from it, alone, certain persons are some- times said to have believed in Christ. DISPUTATIOI^ XIII. ON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, WITH REGARD TO THE MATTER GENERALLY. 1. Since God is the object of all religion, in its various mod- ifications, he must likewise be the object of this religion. But PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 20 Christ, in reference to God, is also an object of it, as having been appointed by God the Father, Kino and Lord of the universe, and the Head of his church. II. For this reason, in a treatise on the Christian religion, the following subjects come, in due order, under our conside- ration : (1.) The object itself, towards which faith and religious worship ought to tend. (2.) The cause, on account of which, faith and worship may and ought to be performed to the ob- ject. (3.) The very act of faith and worship, and the method of each, according to the command of God and Christ. (4.) Salvation itself, which, as being promised and desired, has the power of an impelling cause, which, when obtained, is the reward of the observance of religion, and from which arises the everlasting glory of God in Christ. III. But man, by whom [the duties of] this religion must be executed, is a sinner, yet one for whom remission of sins and reconciliation have novf been obtained, this mark, it is intended to be distinguished from the religion of the Jews, which God also prescribed to sinners ; but it was at a time when remission of sins had not been obtained, on Avhich ac- count, the mode of religion was likewise different, particularly with regard to ceremonies. TV. This religion, with regard to all those things which we have mentioned as coming under consideration in it, is, of all religions, the most excellent ; or, rather, it is the most excel- lent mode of religion. Because, in it, the object is proposed in a manner the most excellent ; so that there is nothing about this object which the human mind is capable of perceiving, that is not exhibited in the doctrine of the Christian religion. For God has with it disclosed all his own [honuTri] , goodness, and has given it to be viewed in Christ. Y. The cause, on account of which, religion may and ought to be performed to this object, is, in every way, the most effi- cacious ; so that nothing can be imagined, why religion may and ought to be performed to any other deity, that is not com- prehended in the efficacy of this cause, in a pre-eminent manner. YI. The very act of faith and worship is required, and must 30 JAMES ABMINIUS. be performed, in a manner the most signal and particular v^*^ and the salvation which arises from this, act, is the greatest and niost glorious, both because God will afford a fuller and more perfect sight of himself, than if salvation had been ob- tained throuo-h another form of reliscion, and because those who will become partakers of this salvation, will have Christ eternally as their head, who is the brother of men, and they will always behold him. On this account, in the attainment and possession of salvation, we shall hereafter become, in some measure, superior to the angels themselves. DISPUTATION XIY. ON THE OBJECT OF THE CHEISTIAN" RELIGION : AND, FIRST, ABOUT GOD, ITS PRIMARY OBJECT, AND WHAT GOD IS. I. The object of the Christian religion is that towards which the faith and worship of a religious man ought to tend. This object is God and his Christ — God principally, Christ subor dinately under God — God per se, Christ as God has constitu- ted him the object of this religion. II. In God, who is the primary object of the Christian re- ligion, three things come in order under our consideration : (1.) The nature of God, of which the excellence and goodness is such that religion can honorably and usefully be performed to it. (2.) The acts of God, on account of which religion ought to be performed to him. (3.) The will of God, by which he wills religion to be performed to himself, and that he who performs it be rewarded ; and, on the contrary, that the neglecter of it be punished. III. To every treatise on the nature of God, must be pre- fixed this primary and chief axiom of all religion : "There is a God." Without this, vain is every inquiry into the nature of God; for, if the divine nature had no existence, religion would be a mere jjhantasm of man's conception. lY. Though [Detim esse] the existence of God has been in- PEIVATE DISPTJTATIONS. 31 timated to every rational creature that perceives his voice, and though this truth is known to every one who reflects on such an intimation ; yet, "that there is a God," may be dem- onstrated by various arguments. First, by certain theoretical axioms ; and because when the terms in w^hich these are ex- pressed have been once understood, they are known to be true, they deserve to receive the name \7iotionum insitarum] of " implanted ideas." Y. The first axiom is, " I^othing is or can be from itself." For thus it would at one and the same time, be and not be, it would be both prior and posterior to itself, and would be both the cause and effect of itself Therefore, some one being must necessarily be pre-existent, from whom, as from the primary and supreme cause, all other things derive their origin. But this being is God. YI. The second axiom is, " Every efficient primary cause is better or more excellent than its effect." From this, it fol- lows that, as all created minds are in the order of effects, some one mind is supreme and most wise, from which the rest have their origin. But this mind is God. YII. The third axiom is, No finite force can make some- thing out of nothing ; and the first nature has been made out of nothing." For, if it were otherwise, it neither could nor ought to be changed by an efiicient or a former ; and thus, nothing could be made from it. From this, it follows, either that all things which exist have been from eternity and are primary beirig, or that there is one primary being. But this being is God. YIII. The same truth is proved by the practical axiom, or the conscience, which has its seat in all rational creatures. It excuses and exhilarates a man in good actions ; and, in those which are evil, it accuses and torments — even in those things [of both kinds] which have not come, and which never will come, to the knowledge of any creature. This stands as a manifest indication that there is some supreme judge, who will institute a strict inquiry, and will pass judgment. But this judge is God. 32 JAMES AEMHOUS. IX. The magnitude, the perfection, the multitude, the vari- ety, and the argument of all things that exist, supply us with the fifth argreement, which loudly proclaims that all these things proceed from one and the same being and not from many beings. But this being is God. X. The sixth argument is from the order perceptible in things, and from the [ordinata\ orderly disposition and direc- tion of all of them to an end, even of those things which, de- void of reason, themselves, cannot act on account of an end, or at least, cannot intend an end. But all order is from one being, and direction to an end is from a wise and good being. But this being is God. XI. The preservation of political, ecclesiastical and eco- nomical society among mankind, furnishes our seventh argu- ment. Amidst such great perversity and madness of Satan and of evil men, human society could never attain to any sta- bility or firmness, except it were preserved safe and unim- paired by ONE who is supremely powerful. But this is God. XII. We take our eighth argument from the miracles which we believe to have been done, and which we perceive to be done, the magnitude of which is so great as to cause them far to exceed the entire force and power of the created universe. Therefore, a cause must exist which transcends the universe and its power or capability. But this cause is God. XIII. The predictions of future and contingent things, and their accurate and strict completion, supply the ninth argu- ment as being things which could proceed from no one except from God. Xiy. In the last place, is added, the perpetual and univer- sal [consensus] argreement of all nations, which general con- sent must be accounted as equivalent to a law, nay to a di- vine oracle. COEOLLARY. On account of the dissensions of very learned men, we al- low this question to be discussed, " from the motion which is PEIYATE DISPUTATIONS. 33 apparent in the world, and from tlie fact, that whatever is moved is moved by another, can it be concluded that there is a God f DISPUTATION^ XY. OE THE NATUKE OF GOD. I. Concerning God, the primary object of theology, two things must be known, (1.) His nature, or [qid'fi what God is, or rather [qiialis] what qualities does he possess? (2.) Who God is, or to whom this nature must be attributed. These must be known, lest any thing foolish or unbecoming be ascribed to God, or lest another, or a strange one, be consider- ed as the true God. On the first of these we will now treat in a few disputations. II. As we are not able to know the nature of God, in itself, we can, in a measure, attain to some knowdedge from the anal- ogy of the nature which is in created things, and principally that which is in ourselves, who are created after the image of God ; while we always add a mode of eminence to this anal ■ ogy, according to which mode God is understood to exceed, infinitely, the perfections of things created. III. As in the whole nature of things, and in man, who is the compendium or abridgment of it, only two things can be considered as essential, whether they be disparted in their sub- jects, or, in a certain order, connected with each other and subordinate in the same subject, which two things are essence and LIFE ; we will also contemplate the nature of God accord- ing to these two {momenta] impulses of his nature. For the four degrees, which are proposed by several divines — to he^ to live^ to feel^ and to understand — are restricted to these two causes of motion ; because the word " to live," embraces with- in itself both feeling and understanding, lY. We say the essence of God is the first impulse of the 34 JAMES AEMINIUS. divine nature, by which God is purely and simply understood to be. Y. As the whole nature of things is distributed according to their essence, into body and spirit, we affirm that the divine essence is spiritual, and from this, that God is a Spirit, be- cause it could not possibly come to pass that the, first and chief being should be corporeal. From this, one cannot do otherwise than justly admire the transcendent force and plen- itude of God, by which he is capable of creating even things corporeal that have nothing analogous to himself. YI. To the essence of God no attribute can be added, wheth- er distinguished from it in reality, [ratione] by relation, or by a mere conception of the mind ; but only a mode of pre-emi- nence can be attributed to it, according to which it is under- stood to comprise within itself and to exceed all the perfections of all things. This mode may be declared in this one expres- sion : " The divine essence is uncaused and without com- mencement." YII. Hence, it follows that this essence is simple and infi- nite ; from this, that it is eternal and [immensam] immeasura- ble ; and, lastly, that it is unchangeable, impassible and incor- ruptible, in the manner in which it has been proved by us in our public theses on this subject. YIII. And since \_umim et lomiin] unity and goodness re- ciprocate with being, and as the affections or passions of every being are general, we also affirm that the essence of God is one, and that God is one according to it, and is, therefore, good — nay, the chief good, from the participation of which all things have both [quod sint] their being, and [^uod lona sint\ their well being. IX. As this essence is itself pure from all composition, so it cannot enter into the composition of any thing. We permit it to become a subject of discussion, whether this be designa- ted in the Scriptures by the name of " holiness," which de- notes separation or a heing separated. X. These modes of pre-eminence are not communicable to any thing, fi*om the very circumstance of their being such. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 35 And when these modes are contemplated in the life of God, and in the faculties of his life, they are of infinite useful- ness in theology, and are not among the smallest foundations of true religion. DISPUTATION XYI. ON THE LIFE OF GOD. I. Life is that which comes under our consideration, in the second [momento] impulse of the divine nature ; and that it belongs to God, is not only evident from its own nature, but is likewise known, per se^ to all those who have any concep- tion of God. For it is much more incredible that God is something \inane] senseless and dead, than that there is no God. And the life of God is easily proved [a posteriori ^^ Eor, as whatever is beside God is from him, we must also at- tribute life to him, because among his creatures are many things which have life ; and we affirm that God is a living substance, and that life belongs to him, not only eminently but also formally, since life is simply perfection. II. But, as life is taken, either in the second act, and is call- ed " operation," or in the first, principal and radical act, and thus is the very nature and form of a living thing, we attrib- ute this, of itself, primarily and adequately to God ; so that he is the life of himeslf, not having it from his union with another thing; (for that is the part of imperfection,) but existing the same as it does — he being life itself, and living by the first act, but bestowing life by the second act. III. The life of God, therefore, is most simple, so that it is not, in reality, distinguished from his essence ; and according to the confined capacity of our conception, by which it is dis- tinguished from his essence, it may, in some degree, be de- scribed as being " an act that flows from the essence of God," by which is intimated that it is active in itself; first, by a re- flex act on God himself, and then on other objects, on account 36 JAMES ARMENTUS. of the most abundant copiousness, and the most perfect activ- ity of life in God. lY. The life of God is the foundation and the proximate and adequate principle not only of ad intra et ad extra^ an in- ward and an outward act, but likewise of all fruition bj which God is said to be blessed in himself This seems to be the cause why God wished himself, principally in reference to life, to be distinguished from false gods and dead idols, and why he wished men to swear by his name, in a form composed thus: "The Lord liveth." Y. As the essence of God is infinite and most simple, eter- nal, impassible, unchangeable and incorruptible, we ought likewise to consider his life with these modes of being and life ; on which account we attribute to him per se immortality, and a most promjDt, powerful, indefatigable and insatiable desire, strength and delight to act and to enjoy, and in action and en- joyment, if it be lawful, thus to express ourselves. YI. By two faculties, the understanding and the will, this life is active towards God himself ; but towards other things it is active by three faculties, power, or capability, being ad- ded to the two preceding. But the faculties of the under- standing and the will are accommodated to fruition, and this chiefly as they tend towards God himself ; secondarily, and because it thus pleases him of his abundant goodness, as they tend towards the creatures. DISPUTATION XYII. ON THE TJNDEESTANDING OF GOD. I. The understanding of God is that faculty of his life which is first in nature and order, and by which the living God dis- tinctly understands all things and every one, which, in what manner soever, either have, will have, have had, can have, or might hypothetically have, a being of any kind, by which he also distinctly understands the order, connection, and relation PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 37 of all and each of tliem between each other, and the entities of reason, those beings which exist, or which can exist, in the mind, imagination, and enunciation. II. God knows all things, neither by intelligible [species] representations, nor bj similitude, but by his own and sole essence ; with the exception of evil things, which he knows indirectly by the good things opposed to them, as privation is known [mediante habitu] by means of our having been ac- customed to any thing. III. The mode by which God understands, is, not by com- position and division, not by [disciii'sum] gradual argumenta- tion, but by simple and infinite intuition, according to the succession of order and not of time. lY. The succession of order, in the objects of the divine knowledge, is in this manner : First. God knows himself entirely and adequately, and this understanding is his own [esse] essence or being. Secondly. He knows all possible things, in the perfection of his own essence, and, therefore, all things impossible. In the understanding of possible things, this is the order: (1.) He knows what things can exist by his own primary and sole act. (2.) He knows what things, from the creatures, whether they will come into existence or will not, can exist by his conservation, motion, assistance, concurrence, and permission. (3.) He knows what things he can do about the acts of the creatures [con^veni enter] consist- ently with himself or with these acts. Thiedly. He knows all entities, even according to the same order as that which we have just shown in his knowledge of things possible. Y. The understanding of God is certain and infallible ; so that he sees certainly and infallibly, even, things future and contingent, whether he sees them in their causes, or in them- selves. But this infallibility depends on the infinity of the essence of God, and not on his unchangeable will. YI3 The act of understanding of God [causatur] is occasioned by no external cause, not even by its object ; though if there be not afterwards an object, neither will there be any act of God's understanding about it. YH. How certain soever the acts of God's understanding 38 JAMES AEMINroS. may themselves be, this does not impose any necessity on things, but rather establishes contingency in them. For, as he knows the thing itself and its mode, if the mode of the thing be contingent, he must know it as such, and, therefore, it remains contingent with respect to the divine knowledge. YIII. The knowledge of God may be distinguished accord- ing to its objects. And, first, into the theoretical^ by which he understands things under the relation of entity and truth ; and into the iiractical^ by which he considers things under the relation of good, and as objects of his wall and power. IX. Secondly. One [quality of the] knowledge of God is that of simple intelligence^ by which he understands, himself, all possible things, and the nature and essence of all entities ; another is that of vision^ by which he beholds his own ex- istence and that of all other entities or beings. X. The knowledge by which God knows his own essence and existence, all things possible, and the nature and essence of all entities, is simply necessary, as pertaining to the per- fection of his own knowledge. But that by which he knows the existence of other entities, is hypothetically necessary, that is, if they now have, have already had, or shall afterwards have, any existence. For when any object, whatsoever, is laid down, it must, of necessity, fall within the knowledge of God. The former of these precedes every free act of the divine will ; the latter follows every free act. The schoolmen, therefore, denominate the first " natural^'' and the second '•''free knowl- edge." XI. The knowledge by which God knows any thing \siJiOG 8it\ if it be or exist, is \medi(£\ intermediate between the two [kinds] described in theses IX & X : In fact it precedes the free act of the will with regard to intelligence. But it knows something future according to vision^ only through its hy- pothesis. XII. Free knowledge, or that of vision, which is also called " prescience," is not the cause of things ; but the knowledge which is practical and of simple intelligence, and which is denominated " natural," or " necessary," is the cause of all things by the mode of prescribing and directing to which is PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 39 added the action of the will and of the capability. The mid- dle or intermediate [kind of] knowledge ought to intervene in things which depend on the liberty of created [arhitrii] choice or pleasure. XIII. From the variety and multitude of objects, and from the means and mode of intelligence and vision, it is apparent that infinite knowledge and omniscience are justly attributed to God ; and that they are so proper or peculiar to God ac- cording to their objects, means and mode, as not to be capable of appertaining to any created thing. DISPUTATION XYIII. ON THE WILL OF GOD. I. The will of God is spoken of in three ways : First, the faculty itself of willing. Secondly, the act of willing. Thirdly, the object willed. The first signification is the principal and proper one, the two others are secondary and figurative. II. It may be thus described : It is the second faculty of the life of God, flowing through the understanding from the life [ulterius tendente] that has an ulterior tendency ; by which faculty God is borne towards a known good — towards a goody because this is an adequate object of every will — to- wards a known good^ not only with regard to it as a being, but likewise as a good, whether in reality or only in the act of the divine understanding. Both, however, are shewn by the understanding. But the evil which is called \cuI^(b\ that of culpability, God does not simply and absolutely will. III. The good is two-fold. The chief good, and that which is from the chief. The first of these is the primary, immedi- ate, principal, direct, peculiar and adequate object of the divine will ; the latter is secondary and indirect, towards which the divine will does not tend, except by means of the chief good. lY . The will of God is borne towards its objects in the follow- 40 JAMES AEMmnJS. ing order : (1.) He wills himself. (2.) He wills all those things which, out of infinite things possible to himself, he has, bv the last judgment of his wisdom, [judicavit] determined to be made. And firsts he wills to make them to be ; then he is affected towards them by his will, according as they possess some likeness with his nature, or some vestige of it. (3.) The third object of the will of God is those things which he judges fit and equitable to be done by creatures who are en- dowed with understanding and with free will, in which is included a prohibition of that which he wills not to be done. (4.) The fourth object of the divine will is his permission, that chiefly by which he permits a rational creature to do what he has prohibited, and to omit w^hat he has commanded. (5.) He wills those things which, according to his own wisdom, he judges to be done concerning the acts of his rational creatures. Y. There is [extra] out of God no inwardly moving cause of his will ; nor out of him is there any end. But the crea- ture, and its action or passion, may be the outwardly moving cause, without which God would supersede or omit that voli- tion or act of willing. YI. But the cause of all other things is God, by his under- standing and will, by means of his power or capability ; yet so, that when he acts either through his creatures, with them or in them, he does not take away the peculiar mode of acting, or of sufl'ering, which he has divinely placed within them ; and that he sufiTers them, according to their peculiar mode, to produce their own efiects, and to receive in themselves the acts of God, either necessarily, contingently, or freely. As this contingency and liberty do not make the prescience of God to be uncertain, so they are destroyed by the volition of God, and by the certain futurition of events with regard to the understanding of God. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 41 DISPUTATIOlsr XIX. ON THE VARIOUS DISTINCTIONS OF THE WILL OF GOD. I. Though the will of God be one and simple, yet it may be variously distinguished, from its objects, in reference to the mode and order according to which it is borne towards its objects. Of these distinctions the use is important in the whole of the Scriptures, and in explaining many passages in them, II. 1. The will of God is borne towards its object either according to tlie mode of nature, or that of liberty. In refer- ence to the former. Go 1 tends towards his own primaiy, proper and adequate object, that is, towards himself But, according to the mode of liberty, he tends towards other things — and towards all other things by the liberty of exercise, and towards many by the liberty of specitication ; because he cannot hate things, so far as they have some likeness ot* God, that is, so far as they are good ; though he is not necessarily bound to love them, since he might reduce them to nothing whenever it seemed good to himself. III. 2. The will of God is distinguished into that by whichi he absolutely wills to do any thing or to prevent it ; and into that by which he wills something to be done or omitted by his rational creatures. The former of these is called " the will of his good pleasure," or rather " of his pleasure and the latter, " that [signi] of his open intimation." The latter is revealed, for this is required by the use to which it is applied. The former is partly revealed, partly secret, or hidden. The former employs a power that is either irresistible, or that is so accommodated to the object and subject as to obtain or insure its success, though it was possible for it to happen otherwise* To these two kinds of the divine will, is opposed the remission of the will, thpt is, a two-fold permission, the one opposed to the will of open intimation, the other to that of good pleasure. The lormer is that by which God permits something to the [potestas] power of a rational creature, by not circumscribing 4 VOL u. 4 42 JAMES AEMUmjS. gome act by a law ; the latter is that by which God permits something to the will and {potentid] capability of the creature, by not placing an impediment in its way, by which the act may in reality be hindered. lY. Whatever things God wills to do, he wills them (1,) either from himself, not on account of any other cause placed beyond him, (whether that be without the consideration of any act perpetrated by the creature, or solely from the occasion of the act of the creature,) (2,) or on account of a preceding cause afforded by the creature. In reference to this distinction, some work is said to be " proper to God," some other " extraneous, strange and foreign." But there is a two-fold difference in those things which he wills to be done ; for they are pleasing and acceptable to God, either in themselves, as in the case of moral works ; or they please accidentally and on account of some other thing, as in the case of things ceremonial. Y. 3. The will of God is either peremptory, or with a con- dition. (1.) His peremptory will is that which strictly and rigidly obtains, such as the words of the gospel which contain the last revelation of God : " The wrath of God abides on him who does not believe ;" ''He that believes shall be saved ;" also the words of Samuel to Saul : " The Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." (2.) His will, with a con- dition, is that which has a condition annexed, whether it be a tacit one, such as, " Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them," that is, unless he be delivered from this curse, as it is expressed in Gal. iii, 13. See also Jer. xviii, 7-10. YI. 4. One will of God is absolute, another respective. His absolute will is that by which he wills any thing simply, without regard to the volition or act of the creature, such as is that about the salvation of believers. His resjpective will is that by which he wills something with respect to the volition or the act of the creature. It is also either antecedent or con- sequent. (1.) The antecedent is that by which he wills some- thing with respect to the subsequent will or act of the creature, as, " God wills all men to be saved if they believe." (2.) The PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 43 consequent is that by which he wills something with respect to the antecedent volition or act of the creature, as, " Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed ! Better would it have been for that man if he had never been born !" Both depend on the absolute will, and according to it each of them is regulated. YII. 5. God wills some things, so far as they are good, when absolutely considered according to their nature. Thus he wills alms-giving, and to do good to man so far as he is his creature. He also wills some other things, so far as, all cir- cumstances considered, they are understood to be good. Ac- cording to this will, he says to the wicked man, " What hast thou to do, that thou shouldst take mj covenant in thy mouth?" And he speaks thus to Eli : " Be it far from me that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever ; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." This distinction does not differ greatly from the antecedent will of God, which has been already mentioned. YIII. 6. God wills some things per se or per accidens. Of themselves^ he wills those things which are simply and relatively good. Thus he wills salvation to that man who is obedient. Accidentally^ those things which, in some respect are evil, but have a good joined with them, which God wills more than the respective good things that are opposed to those evil. Thus he wills the evils of punishment, because he chooses that the order of justice be preserved in punishment, rather than that a sinning creature should escape punishment, though this impunity might be for the good of the creature. IX. Y. God wills some things in their antecedent causes^ that is, he wills their causes {secundum quod'] relatively, and [sic ordinat] j^laces them in such order that effects may follow from them ; and if they do follow, he wills that they, of them- selves, be pleasing to him. God wills other things in themselves. This distinction does not substantially differ from that by which the divine will is distinguished into absolute and re- spective. 14 JAMES ABMINIIIS. COKOI.LARIES. I. Is it possible for two affirmatively contrary volitions of God to tend towards one object which is the same and uni- form ? We answer in the negative. II. Can one volition of God, that is, one formally, tend towards contrary objects ? We reply, It can tend towards objects physically contrary, but not towards objects [ethice] morally contrary. III. Does God wi^l, as an end, something wliich is [extra] beyond himself, and which does not proceed from his free will ? We reply in the negative. DISPUTATIOIT XX. QJJ- THE ATTEIBUTES OF GOD WHICH COME TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER HIS WILL. AND, FIRST, ON THOSE WHICH HAVE AN ANALOGY TO THE AFFECTIONS OR PASSIONS IN RATIONAL CREATURES. I. Those attributes of God ought to be considered, which are either properly or figuratively attributed to him i , the Scriptures, according to a certain analogy of the atfcctious and virtiies in rational creatures. If. Those divine attributes which have the analogy of affections, may be referred to two principal kinds, so that the first class may contain those affections which are simply con- versant about good or evil, and which may be denominated primitive affections ; and the second may com})re]iend thoso which are exercised about good and evil in refoi'ence to their absence or presence, and which may be called affections derived from the primitive. III. The primitive affections are love, (the opposite to which* is hatred,) and goodness ; and with these are connected grace, benignity and mercy. Love is prior to goodness towards tlie object, which is God himself ; goodness is prior to love towards that object which is some other than God. PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 45 lY. Love is an affection of union in God, whose objects are not only God himself and the good of justice, but also the creature, [referens Deum^'] imitating or related to God either according to [imaginem^ likeness, or only according to [yesti- giu?n] impress, and the felicity of the creature. But this affection is borne onwards either to enjoy and to have, or to do good ; the former is called " the love of complacency the latter, " the love of Iriendship," which falls into goodness* God [complacet sibi] loves himself with complacency in the perfection of his own nature, wherefore he likewise enjoys himself. He also loves himself with the love of complacency in his effects produced [ad extra] externally ; both in acts and works, which are specimens and evident, infallible indications of that perfection. Wherefore he may be said, in some degree, likewise to enjoy these acts and w^orks. Even the justice or righteousness performed by the creature, is pleasing to him ; wherefore his affection is extended to secure it. Y. Hatred is an affection of separation in God, whose T/zflry object is injustice or unrighteousness ; and the secondary^ the misery of the creature. The former is from " the love of complacency;" the latter, from "the love of friendship." But since God properly loves himself and the good of justice, and by the same impulse holds iniquity in detestation ; and since he secondarily loves the creature and his blessedness, and in that impulse hates the misery of the creature, that is, he wills it to be taken away from the creature ; hence, it comes to pass, that he hates the creature who perseveres in unright- eousness, and he loves his misery. YI. Hatred, however, is not collateral to love, but necessa- rily flowing from it ; since love neither does nor can tend towards all those things which [ohjiciunter'] become objects to the understanding of God. It belongs to him, therefore, in the first act, and must be placed in him prior to any existence of a thing worthy of hatred, which existence being laid down, the act of hatred arises from it by a natural necessity, not bj liberty of the will. YH. But since love does not perfectly fill the whole will of Godj it has goodness uuited with it ; which also is an affec- « 46 JAMES AJIMINTUS. tion in God of communicating his good. . Its first object \ad ea;tra] externally is nothing ; and this is so necessarily first, that, when it is removed, no communication can be made ex- ternally. Its act is creation. Its second object is the creature as a creature ; and its act is called conservation, or sustenta- tion, as if it was a continuance of creation. Its third object is the creature performing his duty according to the command of God ; and its act is the elevation to a more w^orthy and feli- citous condition, that is, the communication of a greater good than that wdiich the creature obtained by creation. Both these [progressus] advances of goodness may also be appropriately denominated "benignity," in Hebrew '-(□n^ "kindness." Its fourth object is the creature not performing his dut}^, or sinful, and on this account liable to misery according to the just judgment of God; and its act is a deliverance from sin through the remission and the mortification of sin. And this progress of goodness is denominated mercy, which is an aff'ec- tion for giving succor to a man in misery, sin \71ihil obstante] presenting no obstacle. YIII. Grace is a certain adjunct of goodness and love, by which is signified that God is affected to communicate his own good and to love the creatures, not through merit or of debt, not by any cause impelling from without, nor that some- thing may be added to God himself, but that it may be well with him on whom the good is bestowed and who is beloved, which may also receive the name of " liberality." According to this, God is said to be " rich in goodness, mercy," &c. IX. The affections which spring from these, and which are exercised about good or evil as each is present or absent, are considered as having an analogy either in those things which are in the concupiscible part of our souls, or in that which is irascible. X. In the concujpiscihle part are, first, desire and that which is opposed to it ; secondly, joy and grief. (1.) Desire is an affection of obtaining the works of righteousness from rational creatures, and of bestowing a remunerative reward, as well as of inflicting punishment if , they be contumacious. To this is opposed the affection according to which God ex- PRIVATE DISPXJTATIONS. 47 ecratesthe works of unrighteousness, and the omission of a re- muneration. (2.) Jo J is an affection from the presence of a thing that is [cotivenientis] suitable or agreeable — such as the fruition of himself, the obedience of the creature, the com- munication of his own goodness, and the destruction of his rebels and enemies. Grief, which is opposed to it, arises from the disobedience and the misery of the creature, and in the occasion thus given by his people for blaspheming the name of God among the gentiles. To this, repentance has some affinity ; which is nothing more than a change of the thing willed or done, on account of the act of a rational creature, or, rather, a desire for such change. XL I/i the irascible part are hope and its opposite, despair, confidence and anger, also fear, which is affirmatively opposed to hope. (1.) Hope is an [attenta] earnest expectation of a good, due from the creature, and performable by the grace of God. It cannot easily be reconciled with the certain fore- knowledge of God. (2.) Despair arises from the pertinacious [malitia] wickedness of the creature, opposing himself to the grace of God, and resisting the Holy Spirit. (3.) Confidence is that by which God with great [spi7'itu] animation prose- cutes a desired good, and repels an evil that is hated. (4.) Anger is an affection of depulsion in God, through the pun- ishment of the creature that has transgressed his law, by which he inflicts on the creature the evil of misery for his un- righteousness, and takes the vengeance which is due to him, as an indication of his love towards justice, and of his hatred to sin. When this affection is vehement, it is called "fury." (5.) Fear is from an impending evil to which God is averse. XH. Of the second class of these derivative affections, (See Thesis XI,) some belong to God per se^ as they simply contain in themselves perfection ; others, which seem to have something of imperfection, are attributed to him after the man- ner of the feelings of men, on account of some effects [ipsius] which he produces analogous to the effects of the creatures, yet without any passion, as he is simple and immutable and without any disorder and repugnance to right reason. But we subject the use and exercise of the first class of these affec- 48 JAMES ARMINTUS. tions (See Thesis X,) to the infinite wisdom of God, whose prop- erty it is to prefix to each of them its object, means, end and circumstances, and to decree to which, in preference to the rest, is to be conceded the province of acting. DISPUTATION^ XXI. ON THOSE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD WmCH HAVE SOIVIE ANALOGY TO THE MORAL VIRTUES, AND WHICH ACT LIKE MODERATORS OF THE AFFECTIONS, CONSIDERED IN THE PRECEDING DISPUTATION. I. EuT these attributes preside generally over all the afifec- tions, or specially relate to some of them. The general is jus- tice, or righteousness, which is called "universal" or " legal," and concerning which it was said by the ancients, that it con- tains, in itself, all the virtues. The special are, particular jus- tice, patience, and those which are the moderators of anger, and of chastisements and punishments. II. The justice of God, considered universally, is a virtue of God, according to which he administers all things correctly and \_deGenteir\ in a suitable manner, according to that which iiis wisdom dictates as befitting himself. In conjunction with wisdom, it presides over all his acts, decrees and deeds ; and according to it, God is said to be "just and right," his way " equal," and himself to be "just in all his ways." III. The particular justice of God is that by w^hich he con- sistently renders to every one his own — to God himself that which is his, and to the creature that which belongs to itself. We consider it both in the words of God and in his deeds. In this, the method of the decrees is not different ; because, whatever God does or says, he does or says it according to his own eternal decree. This justice likewise contains a modera- tor partly of his love for the good of obedience, and partly of his love for the creature, and of his goodness. lY. Justice in deeds may be considered in the following order : That the first may be in the communication of good, PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 49 either according to tlie first creation, or according to regenera- tion. Ttie second is in the prescribing of duty, or in legisla- tion, which consists in the requisition of a deed, and in the promise of a reward, and the threat of a punish nient. The third is in the judging about deeds, which is retributive, being both communicative of a reward and vindicative. In all these, the magnanimity of God is to be considered. In communica- tion, in promise, and in remuneration, his liberality and mag- nificence are also to com.e under consideration ; and they \m\j be appropriately referred partly to distributive, and partly to commutative justice. Y. Justice in words is also three-fold. (1.) Truth, by which he always enunciates or declares exactly as the thing is, to which is opposed falsehood. (2.) Sincerity and simpli- , city, by which lie always declares as he inwardly conceives, according to [sensnm ct ])ro}josituii%\ the meaning and purpose of his mind, to which are opposed hypocrisy and duplicity of heart. And (3.) Fidelity, by which he is constant in keeping promises and in \coimnuniGaiionihus\ communicating privi- leges, to which are opposed inconstancy and perfidy. VI. Patience is that by wdiich [tohytxinter sufert'] he pa- tiently endures the absence of that God, tliat is, of the prescri- bed obedience which he loves, desires, and for which lie hopes, and the presence of that evil which he forbids, sparing sinners, not only that he may execute [judicia] the judicial acts of his mercy and severity through them, but that he may also lead them to repentance, or that he may punish the contumacious with greater equity and severity. And this attribute seems to attemper the love [which God entertains] for the good of justice. YII. Long suffering, gentleness or lenity, clemency and Ifacilitas'] readiness to pardon, are the moderators of anger, chastisements and punishments. YIII. Long suffering is a virtue by which God suspends bis anger, lest it should instantly hasten to the depulsion of the evil, as soon as the creature has by his sins deserved it. IX. Gentleness or lenity is a virtue, by which God pre- serves [mediocritatem] moderation concerning anger in taking 50 JAMES AEMINIUS. vengeance, lest it should be too vehement — ^lest the seventy of the anger should certainly correspond with the magnitude of the wickedness perpetrated. X. Clemency is a virtue by which God so attempers the chastisements and punishments of the creature, even at the very time when he inflicts them, that, by their weight and continuance, they may not equal the magnitude of the sins committed ; indeed, that they may not exceed the strength of the creature. XI. Readiness to forgive is a virtue by which God shews himself to be exorable to his creature, and which fixes a meas- ure to the limits of anger, lest it should endure for ever, agree- ably to the demerit of the sins committed. COEOLLAKIES. Does the justice of God permit him to destine to death eter- nal , a rational creature who has never sinned ? We reply in the negative. Does the justice of God allow that a creature should be saved who perseveres in his sins ? We reply in the neg- ative. Cannot justice and mercy, in some accommodated sense, be considered, as, in a certain respect, opposed? We reply in the affirmative. DISPUTATIOIT XXII. ON THE POWER OK CAPABILITY OF GOD. I. When entering on the consideration of the power or capability of God, as we deny the passive power which cannot [cadere] belong to God who is a pure act, so we likewise omit that which is occupied with internal acts through necessity of nature ; and at present we exhibit for examination that power alone which consists in [yi] the capacity of external actions. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 51 and bj which God not only is capable of operating beyond himself, but actually does operate whenever it is his own good pleasuj e. II. And it is a faculty of the divine life, by which, (subse- quently to the understanding of God that shews and directs, and to his will that commands,) he is capable of operating ex- ternally what things soever he can freely will, and by which he does operate whatever he freely wills. III. The measure of the divine [potentioe] capability is the free will of God, and that is truly an adequate measure ; so that the object of the capability may be, and, indeed, ought to be, circumscribed and limited most appropriately from the object of the free will of God. For, whatever cannot fall under his will, cannot fall under his capability ; and what- ever is subject to the former, is likewise subject to the latter. lY. But the will of God can only will that which is not opposed to the divine essence, (which is the foundation both of his understanding and of his will,) that is, it can will no- thing but that which exists, is true and good. Hence, neither can his capability do any other. Again, since, under the phrase " what is not opposed to the divine essence," is com- prehended whatsoever is simply and absolutely possible, and since God can w^ili the whole of this, it follows that God \^2^osse] is capable of every thing which is possible. Y. Those things are imposible to God which involve a con- tradiction, as, to make another God, to be mutable, to sin, to lie, to cause some thing at once to be and not to be, to have been and not to have been, &c., that this thing should be and not be, that it and its contrary should be, that an accident should be without its subject, that a substance should be changed into a pre-existing substance, bread into the body of Christ, that a body should possess ubiquity, &c. These things partly belong \imj)otentioB\ to a want of jpower to be capable of doing them, and partly to insanity to will to do them. YI. But \^'potentid\ the capability of God is infinite — and this not only hecause it can do all things possihle^ which, in- deed, are innumerable, so that as many canno|jtbe enumerated m 53 JAMES ARMINIUa. as it is capable of doing, [or after all that can be numbered, it is capable of doing still mor^]; nor can sucli great things [po?idera/i] be calculated without its being able to produce far greater, but likewise because nolJdvg can resist it. For all created things depend upon him, as upon the efficient princi- ple, both in their being and in their preservation. Hence, omnipotence is justly ascribed to him. YII. This can be communicated to no creature. DISPUTATION XXIII. ON THE PEEFECTIOX. BLESSEDNESS AND GLOKY OE GOD. I. l^EXT in order, follows the perfection of God, resulting from the simple and infinite [comjjlexu] circuit of all those things wliich we have already attributed to God, and consid- ered with the mode of pre-eminence — not that perfection by which he has everj^ individual thing most perfectly, (for this [2^^cesHtsnmt] is the office of simplicity and infinity,) but that by which he has all things simply denoting some perfec- tion in the most perfect manner. And it maybe appropriate- ly described thus : It is the interminable, and, at the same time, the entire and perfect possession of essence and life. II. And this perfection of God infinitely transcends every created perfection, in three several waj^s : (1.) Because it has all things. (2.) It has tliem in a manner the most perfect. And (3.) It does not derive them from any other source. But as the creatures have, through participation, a perfection from God, faintly shadowed forth after its archetype, so, of conse- quence, they neither have every perfection, nor in a manner the most ]")erfect ; yet some creatures have a greater perfection than others ; and the more of it they j)0ssess, the nearer are they to God, and the more like him. III. From this perfection of God, by means of some inter- nal act, his blessedness has its existence ; and by means of Bome [resj)eGlu] relation of it ad extra^ his glory exists. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 53 IT. Blessedness is an act of God, by wliicli be enjoys bis own perfection, that is fully known by bis understanding, and supremely loved by bis will, witb \_acquiescentia\ adeligbtful satisfaction in it. It is, tberefore, tbroiigb the act of tbe un- derstanding, and of tbe will ; of tbe understanding, indeed, [attingentis] reacbing to tbe essence of tbe object, but tbe act of wbicb would not be an act of felicity, unless it bad tbis, its heing an act of fdicicity^ from tbe will wbicb perpetually desires [intiiitiirri] to bebold tbe beatified object, and is de- ligbtfully satisfied in it. Y. But tbis blessedness is so peculiar to God tbat it cannot be communicated to any creature. Yet be is, bimself, with respect to tbe object, tbe beatified good of creatures endow- ed witb understanding, and tbe effector of the act wbicb tends to the effect, and wbicb is delightfully satisfied in it. Of these, consists the blessedness of the creature. YI. Glory is tbe divine excellence above all things, wbicb he makes manliest by external acts, in various ways. YII. But the modes of manifestation, wbicb are declared to us in the Scriptures, are principally two — tbe ono', by an effulgence of unusual light ; nd splendor, or by tbe opposite to it, a dense darkness and obscurity ; tbe other, by the pro- duction of works wbicb agree witb bis perfection and excel- lence. , YIII. Tbis description of the divine nature is the first foun- dation of all religion. For it is concluded, from tbis perfec- tion and blessedness of Gud, tbat tbe act of religion can be worthily and usefully exhibited to God, to the knowledge of wbicb matter, we are brought, through tbe manifestation of the divine glory. The candid reader will he ahle^ in this place^ to siijpfly from the 'preceding jmhlic dujmtations^ thti theses on the Father and the Son^ and those on the Holy Sjjirity the Holy and undivided Trinity. 54 JAMES AEMTNTUS. DISPUTATION^ XXIY. ON CREATION. I. "We have treated on God, who is the first object of the Christian religion. And we would now treat on CimisT, who, next to God, is another object of the same religion ; but we must premise some things, without which, Christ would nei- ther be an object of religion, nor would the necessity of the . Christian religion be understood. Indeed, the cause must be FIRST explained, on account of which God has a right to re- quire any religion from man ; then the religion, also, that is prescribed in virtue of this cause and right, and, lastly, the event ensuing, from which has arisen the necessity of consti- tuting Christ our Savior, and the Christian religion, employed by God, through his own will, who hath not, by the sin of man, lost his right which he obtains over him by creation, nor has he entirely laid aside his affection for man, though a sinner, and miserable. II. And since God is the object of the Christian religion, not only as the Creator, but likewise as \_IleGTeato)'\ the Crea- tor anew, (in which latter respect, Christ, also, as constituted by God to be the Savior, is the object of the Christian reli- gion,) it is necessary for us first to treat about the primi- tive creation, and those things which are joined to it accord- ing to nature, and, after that, about those which resulted from \^faGt6\ the conduct of man, before we begin to treat on the new creation, in which the primary consideration is that of Christ as Mediator. III. Creation is an external act of God, by which he pro- duced all things out of nothing, {^jprajpterl for himself, by his Word and Spirit. lY. The primary eflficient cause is God the Father, by his Word and Spirit. The impelling cause, which we have indi- cated in the definition by the particle "/(^r," is the goodness of God, according to which he is \a;ffectus\ inclined to com- municate his good. The ordainer is the divine wisdom ; and TRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 55 the executrix, or performer, is the divine power, which the will of God employs through [affectu] an inclination of good- ness, according to the most equitable prescript of his wisdom. Y. The matter from which God created all things, must be considered in three forms : (1.) The first of all is that from which all things in general were produced, into which, also, they may all, on this account, relapse and be reduced ; it is NOTHING ITSELF, that our Hiind, by the removal of all entity, considers as the first matter ; for, that, alone, is capable of the first communication of God ad extra ^ because, God ^vould neither have the right to introduce his own form into matter coeval [with himself], nor would he be capable of acting, as it would then be eternal matter, and, therefore, obnoxious to no change. (2.) The second matter is that from which all things corporeal are now distinguished, according to their own separate forms ; and this is the rude chaos and indigested mass created [aJ)] at the beginning. (3.) The third consists both of these simple and secret elements, and of certain com- pound bodies, from which all the rest have been produced, as from the waters have proceeded creeping and flying things, and fishes — from the earth, all other living things, trees, herbs and shrubS' — from the rib of Adam, the woman, and from seeds, the perpetuation of the species. YI. The form is the production itself of all things out of nothing, which form pre existed ready framed, according to the archetype in the mind of God, without any proper entity, lest any one should feign an ideal world. YII. From an inspection of the matter and form, it is evi- dent, FIRST, that creation is the immediate act of God, alone, both because a creature, who is of a finite \yirtutis] power is incapable of operating on nothing, and because such a crea- ture cannot shape matter in substantial forms. Secondly. The creation was freely produced, not necessarily, because God was neither bound to nothing, nor destitute of forms. YIII. The end — not that which moved God to create, for God is not moved by any thing external, but that which in- cessantly and immediately results from the very act of crea- tion, and which is, in fact, contained in the essence of this act 66 JAMES ARMnmJS. — tins end is the demonstration of the divine wisdom, good- ness and puwer. For those divine properties wliich concur to act, shine forth and show themselves in their own nature in action — goodness, in the very communication — wisdom, in the mode, order and variety— and power, in this circumstance, that so many and such great things are produced out of no- thing. IX. The end, which is called [cui] " to what purpose," is the good of the creatures themselves, and especially of man, to whom are referred most other creatures, as being useful to Jiira, according to the institution of the divine creation. X. The effect of creation is this universal world, which, in the Scriptures, ohtains the names of the heaven and the earthy sometimes, also, of the sea^ as being the extremities within which all things are embraced. This world is an entire some- thing, which is perfect and [absolutinii] complete, having no defect, of any form, that can bear relation to the whole or to its parts ; nor is redundant in any form which has no relation to the whole and its parts. It is, also, [unum quid] a single, or a united something, not by an indivisible unity, but accord- ino" to connection and co-ordination, and the affection of mu- tual relation, consisting of parts distinguished, not only ao- cording to place and situation, but likewise according to nature, essence and peculi-ir existence. This was necessary, not only to adumbrats, in some measure, the perfection of God in va- riety and multitude, but also to demonstrate that the Lord omnipotent did not create the world by a natural necessity, but by the freedom of his will. XI. But this entire universe is, according to the Si'r'ptiires, distributed in the best manner possible into three classes of objects, (1.) Into creatures purely spiritual and invisible; of this class are the angels. (2.) Into creatures merely corporeal. And (3.) Into creatures that are, in one part of them, corpo- real and visible, and in another part, spiritual and invisible; men are of this last class. XII. We think tliis was the order observed in creation : Spiritual creatures, that is, the angels, were first created. Cor- poreal creatures were next created, according to the series of PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 57 six days, not together and in a single moment. Lastly, man was created, consisting both of body and spirit : his body was, indeed, first formed ; and afterwards his sonl was inspired by creating, and created by inspiring; that as God commenced the creation in a spirit, so he might finish it on a spirit, being himself [immeiisus] the immeasurable and eternal Spirit. XIIL This creation is the foundation of that right by which God can require religion from man, which is a matter that will be more certainly and fully understood, when we come more specially to treat on the primeval creation of man ; for he who is not the creator of all things, and who, therefore, has not all things under his command, cannot be believed, neither can any sure hope and confidence be placed in him, nor can he alone be feared. Yet all these are acts which belong to religion. COROLLARIES. I. The world was neither created from all eternity, nor could it be so created ; though God was, from eternity, fur- nished with that [potentia] capability by which he could create the world, and afterwards did create it ; and though no moment of time can be conceived by us, in which the world could not have been created. II. He who forms an accurate conception, in his mind, of creation, must, in addition to the plenitude of divine wisdom, goodness and power, or capability, conceive that there was a two -fold privation or vacuity — the first, according to essence or form^ which will bear some resemblance to an infinite no- thing that is capable of infinite forms ; the second, according to place, which will be like an infinite vacuum that is capable of being the receptacle of numerous worlds. III. Hence, this, also, follows, that time and place are not separate creatures, but are created with things themselves, or, rather, that they exist together at the creation of things, not by an absolute but a relative entity, without which no created thing can be thought upon or conceived. 5 VOL. II. 58 JAMES AEMINnJS. lY. This creation is the first of all the divine external acts, both in the intention of the Creator, and actually or in reali- ty ; and it is an act perfect in itself, not serving another [prin- cipaliori] more primary one, as its medium ; though God has made some creatures, which, in addition to the fact of their having been made by the act of creation, are fitted to be ad- vanced still further, and to be elevated to a condition yet more excellent. Y. If any thing be represented as the object of creation, it seems that nothing can be laid down more suitably than those things which, out of all things possible, have, by the act of creation, been produced from non-existence into existence. DISPUTATIOIS" XXY. ON ANGELS IN GENEEAL AND IN PAETICULAE. I. Angels are [substantice] substances merely spiritual, cre- ated after the image of God, not only that they might ac- knowledge, love and worship their Creator, and might live in a state of happiness with him, but that they might likewise perform certain duties concerning the rest of the creatures ac- cording to the command of God. II. We call them "substances," against the Sadducees and others, who contend that angels are nothing more than the good or the evil motions of spirits, or else exercises of power to aid or to injure. But this is completely at variance with the whole Scripture, as the actions, (which are those of supposititious beings,) the appearances, and the names which they ascribe to them, more than sufficiently demonstrate. III. We add that they are " merely spiritual," that we may separate them from men, the species opposite to them, and may intimate their nature. And though composition out of ' matter and form [non cadit, is not an accident, or] does not belong to angels, yet, we affirm that they are absolutely com- PKIVAITE DISPUTATIONS. 59 pound substances, and that they are composed, (1.) Of being and essence. (2.) Of act and power, or capability. (3.) Lastly, of subject and inhering accident. lY. But because they are creatures, they are finite, and we measure them by place, time, and number. (1.) By place, not that they are in it corporeally, that is, not that they occu- py and fill up a certain local space, commensurate with their substance ; but they are in it intellectually, that is, they exist in a place without the occupying and repletion of any local space, which the schoolmen denominate [definitive] by way of definition, " to be in a place." But, as they cannot be in several places at once, but are sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, so they are not moved without time, though it is scarcely perceptible. (2.) We measure them by TIME, or by duration or age, because they have a commence- ment of being, and the whole age in which [dwent] they con- tinue they have in succession, by parts of past, present and future ; but the whole of it is not present to them at the same moment and [indistanter] without any distance. (3.) Lastly. We measure them by number, though tliis number is not de- fined in the pages of the sacred volume, and, therefore, is un- known to us, but known to God ; 3^et it is very great, for it is neither diminished nor increased, because the angels [gene- rentur] are neither begotten nor die. Y. We say that they v/ere " created after the image of God for they are denominated " the sons of God." This image, we say, consists partly in those things which belong to their na- tures, and partly in those things which are of supernatural en- dowment. (1.) To their nature^ belong both their spiritual essence, and the faculty of understanding, of willing, and of powerfully acting. (2.) To supernatural endowment^ belong the light of knowledge in the understanding, and, following it, the lectitude or holiness ol the will. Immortality itself, is of supernatural endowment ; but it is that which God has de- termined to preserve to them, in what manner soever they may conduct themselves towards him. YI. The end subjoined is two-fold — that, standing around the throne of God as his apparitors or messengers, for the 60 JAMES AHMINIUS. glory of tlie divine Majesty, the angels may perpetually land and celebrate [the praises of] God, and that they may, with the utmost swiftness, execute, at the beck of God, the offices of ministration which he enjoins upon them. YII. We are informed in the Scriptures themselves, that there is a certain order among angels ; for they mention an- gels and archangels, and attribute even to the devil his an- gels. But we are willingly ignorant of that distinction into orders and various degrees, and what it is which constitutes such distinction. We also think that if [the existence of] certain orders of angels be granted, it is more probable that God employs angels of different orders for the same [ministe- ria] duties, than that he appoints distinct orders to each sepa- rate ministry ; though we allow that those who hold othe sentiments, think so with some reason. YIII. For the ^performance of the ministries enjoined on them, angels have frequently appeared clothed in bodies, which bodies they have not formed and assumed to themselves out of nothing, but out of pre-existing matter, by a union nei- ther essential nor personal, but local, (because they were no then beyond those bodies,) and, according to an instrumental [rationem] purpose, that they might use them for the due per- formance of the acts enjoined. IX. These bodies, therefore, have neither been alive, nor have the angels, through them, seen, heard, tasted, smelled, touched, conceived phantasms or imaginations, &c. But, through the organs of these bodies, they produced only such acts as could be performed by an angel inhabiting them, or, rather, existing in them, as the mover according to j)lace. On this account, perhaps, it is not improperly affirmed, that bod» ies, truly human, which are inhabited by a living and \infoT- mans^ shaping, or] directing spirit, can be discerned, by hu- man judgment, from these assumed bodies. X. God likewise prescribed a certain law to angels, by which they might order their life according to God, and not according to themselves, and by the observance of which they might be blessed, or, by transgressing it, might be eternally miserable, without any hope of pardon. For it was the good PBIVATE DISPUTATION'S. 61 pleasure of God to act towards angels according to strict jus- tice, and not \exj[iliGar(i\ to display all liis goodness in bring- ing tliem to salvation. XI. But we do not decide whether a single act of obedience was [{7npetratorius] sufficient to obtain eternal blessedness, as one act of disobedience was deserving of eternal destruc- tion. XII. Some of the angels transgressed the law under which they were placed ; and this they did by their own fault, be- cause by that grace with which they were furnished, and by which God assisted them, and was prepared to assist them, they were enabled to obey the law, and to remain in their in- tegrity. XIII. Hence, is the division made of angels into the good and the evil. The former are so denominated, because they continued steadfast in the truth, and preserved " their own habitation." But the latter are called " evil angels," because they did not continue in the truth, and " deserted their own habitation." XIY. But the former are called " good angels," not only according to an infused habit, but likewise according to the act which they performed, and according to their confirmation in habitual goodness, the cause of which we place in the in- crease of grace, and in their holy purpose, which they con- ceived partly through [intuitu'] beholding the punishment which was inflicted on the apostate angels, and partly through [sensu] the perception of increased grace. [If it be asked,] Did they not also do this, through perfect blessedness, to which nothing could be added ?, we do not deny it, on account of the agreement of learned men, though it seems possible to produce reasons to the contrary. XY. The latter (Thesis XIII,) are called " evil angels," FiEST, by actual [malitia] wickedness, and then, by habitual wickedness and pertinacious obstinacy in it ; hence, they take a delight in doing whatever they suppose can tend to the re- proach of God and the destruction of their neighbor. But this fixed obstinacy in evil seems to derive its origin partly from an intuition of the wrath of God and from an evil con- 62 JAMES AEMINIUS. science whicli springs out of that, and partly from their own wickedness. XYI. But, concerning the species of sin which the angels perpetrated, we dare not assert what it was. Yet we say, it may with some probability be affirmed, that it was the crime of pride, from that argument which solicited man to sin through the desire of excellence. XYII. When it is the will of God to employ [op^m] the assistance of good angels, he may be said to employ not only those powers and fiiculties which he has conferred on them, but likewise those whicli are augmented by himself. But we think it is contradictory to truth, if God be said to furnish the devils, whose service he uses, with greater knowledge and power than they have through creation and their own experi- ence. COROLLARIES. I. We allow this to become a subject of discussion : Can good angels be said sometimes to contend among themselves, with \_salvd] a reservation of that charity which they owe to God, to each other, and to men ? II. Do angels need a mediator ? and is Christ the media- tor of angels ? We reply in the negative. III. Are all angels of one species ? We think this to be more probable than its contrary. DISPUTATION XXYI. ON THE CREATION OF MAN AFTER THE IMAGE OF GOD. I. Man is a creature of God ; consisting of a body and a soul, rational, good, and created after the divine image — ac- cording to his body, created from pre-existing matter, that is, earth [perfusa] mixed and besprinkled with aqueous and ethereal moisture, — according to his soul, created out of no- thing, by the breathing [spiritus] of breath into his nostrils. PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 63 n. But that body would have been incorruptible, and, by the grace of God, would not have been liable to death, if man had not sinned, and had not, by that deed, procured for him- self the necessity of dying. And because it was to be the future receptacle of the soul, it was furnished by the wise Creator with various and excellent organs. III. But the soul is entirely of an admirable nature, if you consider its origin, substance, faculties, and habits. (1.) Its origin ; for it is from nothing, created by infusion, and in- fused by creation, a body being duly prepared for its recep- tion, that it [informaret] might fashion matter as with form, and, being united to the body by a native bond, might, with it, compose one u(pjraiX£vov, production. Created, I say, by God in time, as he still daily creates a new soul in each body. lY. (2.) Its substance^ which is simple, immaterial, and immortal. Simple, I say, not with respect to God ; for it con- sists of act and power or capability, of being and essence, of subject and accidents ; but it is simple with resjpect to material and comjpotmd things. It is immaterial, because it can subsist by itself, and, when separated from the body, can operate alone. It is immortal, not indeed from itself, but by the sustaining grace of God. y. (3.) Its fuculties^ which are two, the understanding and the will, as in fact the object of the soul is two-fold. For the understanding apprehends eternity and truth both universal and particular, by a natural and necessary, and therefore by a uniform act. But the will [propendef] has an inclination to good. Yet this is either, according to the mode of its nature, to universal good and to that which is the chief good ; or, ac- cording to the mode of liberty, to all other [kinds of] good. YI. (4.) Lastly. In its habits^ which are, fiest, wisdom, by which the intellect clearly and sufficiently understood the supernatural truth and goodness both of felicity and of righte- ousness. Secondly. Eighteousness and the holiness of truth, by which the will was \aj}ta\ fitted and ready to follow what this wisdom commanded to be done, and what it shewed to be 64 JAMES AJJMINITJS. desired. This rigliteousness and wisdom are called " original," both because man had them from his very origin, and be- cause, if man had continued in his integrity, they would also have been communicated to his posterity. YII. In all these things, the image of God most wonder- fully shone forth. We say that this is [similitudo] the like- ness by which man resembled his Creator, and expressed it according to the mode of his capacity' — 'in his soul^ according to its substance, faculties and habits — in this hody^ though this cannot be properly said to have been created after the image of God who is pure spirit, yet it is something divine, both from the circumstance that, if man had not sinned, his body would never have died, and because it is capable of special incorrupt- ibility and glory, of which the apostle treats in 1 Cor. xv, be • cause it displays some excellence and majesty beyond the bodies of other living creatures, and, lastly, because it is an instrument well fitted for admirable actions and operations — in his whole 'person^ according to the excellence, integrity, and the dominion over the rest of the creatures, which were conferred upon him. YIII. The parts of this image may be thus distinguished : Some of them may be called natural to man, and others super- natural ; some, essential to him, and others accidental. It is natural and essential to the soul to be a spirit, and to be en- dowed with the power of understanding and of willing, both according to nature and the mode of liberty. But the knowl- edge of God, and of thiugs pertaining to eternal salvation, is supernatural and accidental, as are likewise the rectitude and holiness of the will, according to that knowledge. Immortal- ity is so far essential to the soul, that it cannot die unless it cease to be ; but it is on this account supernatural and acci- dental^ because it is through grace and the aid of preserva- tion, which God is not bound to bestow on the soul. IX. But the immortality of the body is entirely supernatu- ral and accidental ; for it can be taken away from the body, and the body can return to the dost, from which it was taken. Its excellence above other living creatures, and its peculiar fit- ness to produce various effects, are natural to it, and essential. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 65 Its dominion over tlie creatures wliicli belongs to the whole man as consisting of body and soul, may be partly considered as belonging to it according to the excellence of nature, and partly as conferred upon it by gracious gift, of which domin- ion this seems to be [signum~\ an evidence, that it is never taken wholly away from the soul, although it be varied, and be augmented and diininished according to degrees and parts. X. Thus was man created, that he might know, love and worship his Creator, and might live with him for ever in a state of blessedness. By this act of creation, God most manifestly displayed the glory of his wisdom, goodness and power. XI. From this description of man, it appears, that he is both fitted to perform the act of religion to God, since such an act is required from him — that he is capable of the reward which may \decenter ohtingere] be properly ad- judged to those who perform [acts of] religion to God, and of the pimishment which may be justly inflicted on those who neglect religion ; and therefore that religion may, by a deserv- ed right, be required from man according to this relation ; and this is the principal [respeGtus] relation, according to which we must, in sacred theology, treat about the creation of man after the image of God. XII. In addition to this image of God, and this reference to supernatural and spiritual things, comes under our consid- eration the state [v{ta3 animalis] of the natural life, in which the first man was created and constituted, according to the apostle Paul, " that which is natural was first, and afterwards, that w^hich is spiritual." (1 Cor. xv, 46.) This state is found- ed in the natural union of body and soul, and in the life which the soul naturally lives in the body ; from which union and life it is that the soul procures for its body, things which are good for it ; and, on the other hand, the body is ready for offices which are congruous to its nature and desires. Ac- cording to this state or condition, there is a mutual relation between man and the good things of this world, the effect of 66 JAMES AEMnmjS. which is, that man can desire them, and, in procm'ing them for himself, can bestow that labor which he deems to be ne- cessary and convenient. DISPUTATION XXYn. ON THE LOEDSHIP OE DOMINION OF GOD. I. Theough creation, dominion over all things which have been created by himself, belongs to the Creator. It is, there- fore, primary, being dependent on no other dominion or on that of no other person ; and it is, on this account, chief, be- cause there is none greater ; and it is absolute, because it is over the entire creature, according to the whole, and accord- ing to all and each of its parts, and to all the relations which subsist between the Creator and the creature. It is, con- sequently, perpetual, that is, so long as the creature itself exists. II. But the dominion of God is the right of the Creator, and his power over the creatures ; according to which he has them {jprojprias sibf\ as his own property, and can command and use them, and do about them, whatever the relation of creation and the equity which rests upon it, permit. III. For the right cannot extend further than is allowed by that cause from which the whole of it arises, and on which it is dependent. For this reason, it is not agreeable to this right of God, either that he [addicat] delivers up his creature to an- other who may domineer over such creature, at his arbitrary pleasure, so that he be not compelled to render to God an ac- count of the exercise of his sovereignty, and be able, without any demerit on the part of the creature, to inflict every evil on a creature capable of injury, or, at least, not for any good of this creature ; or that he [God] command an act to be done by the creature, for the performance of which he neither has, nor can have, sufficient and necessary powers ; or that he em- PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 67 ploy the creature to introduce sin into the world, that he may, by punishing or by forgiving it, [evadat gloriosus] promote his own glory ; or, lastly, to do concerning the creature whatever he is able, according to his absolute power, to do concerning him, that is, eternally to punish or to afflict him, without [his having committed] sin. lY. As this is a power over rational creatures, (in reference to whom chiefly we treat on the dominion and power of God,) it may be considered in two views, either as despotic, or as kingly, or patriarchal. The former is that which he employs without any intention of good which may be useful or saving to the creature ; that latter is that which he employs when he also intends the good of the creature itself. And this last is used by God through the abundance of his own goodness and sufficiency, until he considers the creature to be unworthy, on account of his perverseness, to have God presiding over him in his kingly and paternal authority. Y. Hence, it is, that, when God is about to command some thing to his rational creature, he does not exact every thing which he [jure] justly might do, and he employs persuasions through arguments which have regard to the utility and neces- sity of those persuasions. YI. In addition to this, God enters into a contract or cov- enant with his creature ; and he does this for the purpose that the creature may serve him, not so much " of debt," as from a spontaneous, free and liberal obedience, according to the na- ture of confederations which consist of stipulations and prom- ises. On this account, God frequently distinguishes his law by the title of a Covenant. YII. Yet this condition is always annexed to the confedera- tion, that if man be unmindful of the covenant and a contemn- er of its pleasant rule, he may always \urgeatur] be impelled or governed by that domination which is really lordly, strict and rigid, and into which, he who refuses to obey the other [species of rule], justly falls. YIII. Hence, arises a two-fold right of God ovel' his ra- tional creature. The fiest, which belongs to him through creation ; the second, through contract. The former rests on 68 JAMES AEMrNTCJS. the good whicli the creature has received from his Creator ; the latter rests on the still greater benefit which the creature will receive from God, his preserver, promoter and glorifier. IX. If the creature happen to sin against this two-fold right, by that very act, he gives to God, his Lord, King and Father, the right of treating him as a sinning creature, and of inflicting on him due punishment ; and this is a third right, which rests on the wicked act of the creature against God. DISPUTATIOE" XXYHI. OK THE PEOVIDEJTCE OF GOD. I. IToT only does the very nature of God, and of things themselves, but likewise the Scriptures and experience do, ev- idently, show that providence belongs to God. II. But providence denotes some property of God, not a quality, or \^jpotenti(i\ a capability, or a habit ; but it is an act, which is not ad intra nor internal, but which is ad extra and external, and which is about an object \cdi%id'\ different from God, and that is not united to him from all eternity, in his un- derstanding, but as separate and really existing. III. And it is an act of the practical understanding, or of the will employing the understanding, not ^^eractii8\ comple- ted in a single moment, but continued through the moments of the duration of things. lY. And it may be defined the solicitous, everywhere power- ful, and continued [intuitus] inspection and oversight of God, according to which he exercises a general care over the whole world, and over each of the creatures and their actions and passions, in a manner that is befitting himself, and suita- ble for his creatures, for their benefit, especially for that of pious men, and for a declaration of the divine perfection. V. We have represented the object of it to be both the whole world as it is lunum quid'] a single thing consisting of PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 69 many parts which have a certam relation among themselves, and possessing order between each other, and each of the crea- tures^ with its actions and passions. We preserve the dis- tinction of the goodness which is in them, (1.) According to their nature, through creation ; (2.) According to grace, through the communication of supernatural gifts, and eleva- tion to dignities ; (3.) According to the right use both of na- ture and grace ; yet we ascribe the last two, also, to the act of providence. YI. The rule of providence, according' to which it produces its acts, is the wisdom of God, demonstrating what [cleceat'] is worthy of God, according to his goodiiess, his severity, or his love for justice or for the creature, but always according to equity. YII. The acts of providence which belong to its execution, are— preservation^ which appears to be occupied about es- sences, qualities and quantities — and government^ which presides over actions and passions, and of which the principal acts are motion, assistance, concurrence and permission. The three former of these acts extend themselves to good, whether natural or moral ; and the last of them appertains to evil alone. YIII. The power of God serves universally, and at all times, to execute these acts, with the exception of permission ; specially, and sometimes, these acts are executed by the crea- tures themselves. Hence, an act of providence is called either immediate or mediate. When it employs [the agency of] the creatures, then it permits them \_agere'\ to conduct their motions agreeably to their own nature, unless it be his pleasure to do any thing [prceter ordineni] out of the ordinary way. IX. Then, those acts which are performed according to some certain \tenorem'\ course of nature or of grace, are called ordi- nary / those which are employed either beyond, above, or also contrary to this order, are styled extraordinary / yet they are always concluded by the terms \deceniicB et convenient ice] due fitness and suitableness, of which we have treated in the definition. (Thesis IV.) X. Degrees are laid down in providence, not according to 70 JAMES AEMTNTUS. intuition or oversight itself, neither according to presence or continuity, but according to solicitude and care, which yet are [secura] free from anxiety, but which are greater concerning a man than concerning bullocks, also greater concerning be- lievers and pious pei'sons, than concerning those who are impious. XI. The end of providence and of all its acts, is the declara" tion of the divine perfections, of wisdom, goodness, justice, severity and power, and the good of the whole^ especially of those men who are cliosen or elected. XII. But since God does nothing, or permits it to be done in time, which he has not decreed from all eternity, either to do or to permit that decree, therefore, is placed before provi- dence and its acts as an internal act is before one that is external. XIII. The effect, or, rather, the consequence, which belongs to God himself, is his prescience ; and it is partly called natu- ral and necessary^ and partly free- — feee, because it follows the act of the divine free will, without which it would not be the object of it — natural and necessary, so far as, (when this object is laid down by the act of the divine will,) it cannot be unknown by the divine understanding. XIY. Prediction sometimes follows this prescience, when it pleases God to give intimations to his creatures of the issues of things, before they come to pass. But neither prediction nor any prescience induces a necessity of any thing [futuro2] that is afterwards to be, since they are [in the divine mind] poste- rior in nature and order to the thing that is future. For a thing does not come to pass because it has been foreknown or foretold ; but it is foreknown and foretold because it is yet [futura'] to come to pass. XY. ISTeither does the decree itself, by which the Lord administers providence and its acts, induce any necessity on things future ; for, since it, the decree, (§ XII) is an internal act of God, it lays down nothing in the thing itself But things come to pass and happen either necessarily or contin- gently, according to the mode of power, which it has pleased God to employ in the administration of affairs. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 71 DISPUTATIO]^ XXIX. ON THE COVENANT INTO WHICH GOD ENTEEED WITH OUE FIRST PARENTS. I. Though, according to his right and power over man, whom he had created after his own image, God could prescribe obedience to him in all things for the perfoiiiiaiice of which he possessed suitable powers, or would, by the grace of God, have them in that state ; yet, that he might elicit from- man voluntary and free obedience, which, alone, is grateful to him, it was his will to enter into a contract and covenant with him, by which God required obedience, and, on the other hand, promised a reward, to which he added the denunciation of a punishment, that the transaction might not seem to be entirely one between equals, and as if man was not completely bound to God. II. On this account, the law of God is very often called a COVENANT, because it consists of those two parts, that is, a work commanded, and a reward promised, to which is sub- joined the denunciation of a punishment, to signify the right which God had over man and which he has not altogether [remisit'] surrendered, and to incite man to greater obedience. III. God prescribed this obedience, first, by a law placed in and imprinted on the mind of man, in which is contained his natural duty towards God and his neighbor, and, therefore, towards himself also ; and it is that of love, with fear, honor and worship towards a superior. For, as true virtue consists in [ordinatione] the government or right ordering of the affections, (of which the first, the chief, and that on which the rest depend, is love,) the whole law is contained in the right ordering of love. And, as no obedience seems to be yielded in the case of a man who executes the whole of his own will without any, even the least resistance, therefore, to try his obedience, that thing was to be prescribed, to which, by a certain [affectu] feeling, man had an abhorrence ; and that was to be forbidden, towards which he was drawn by a certain JAMES AHMTNTUS. incliDation. Therefore the love of ourselves was to be rescu- lated or rightly ordered, which is the first and proximate cause that man should live [secundum homing m] in society with his species, or according to humanity. lY. To this law, it was the pleasure of God to add another, which was a symbolical one. A symbolical law is one that prescribes or forbids some act, which, in itself, is neither agreeable nor disagreeable to God, that is, one that is indiffer- ent ; and it serves for this purpose that God may try whether man is willing to yield obedience to him, solely on this ac- count, because it has been the pleasure of God to require such obedience, and though it were impossible to devise any other reason why God imposed that law. Y. That symbolical law was, in this instance, prohibitive of some act, to which man was inclined by some natural pro- pensity, (that is, to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil,) though " it was pleasant to the eyes and good for food." By the commanding of an indifferent act, it does not eeem to have been possible to try the obedience of man with equal advantage. YI. This seems to be the difference between each [of these kinds of] obedience, that the first (Thesis I) is true obedience and, in itself, pleasing to God ; and the man who performs it is said truly to live according to godliness ; but that the latter (Theses lYand Y) is not so much obedience^ itself^ as the exter- nal jjr of ession of willingly yielding obedience / and it is there- fore an acknowledgment, or the token of an acknowledgment, by which man professes himself to be subject to God, and declares that he is willingly subject. Exactly in the same manner, a vassal yields obedience to his lord, for having fought against his enemies, which obedience he confesses that he cheerfully performs to him, by presenting him annually with a gift of small value* YIL From this comparison, it appears that the obedience which is yielded to a S3^mbolical law is far inferior to that which is yielded to a natural law, but that the disobedience manifested to a symbolical law is not the less serious, or that it is even more grievous ; because, by this very act, man pro- PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 73 fesses that he is unwilling to submit himself, and indeed not to yield obedience in other matters, and those of greater im- portance, and of more difficult labor. YIII. The reward that corresponds with obedience to this chief law, the performance of which is, of itself, pleasing to God, (the analogy and difference which exist between God and man being faithfully observed,) is life eternal, [impletio] the complete satisfying of the whole of our will and desire. But the reward which answers to the observance of the sym- bolical law, is the free [fruitio] enjoyment of the fruits of Paradise, and the power to eat of the tree of life, by the eating of which man was always restored to his pristine [rigorein\ strength. But this tree of life was a symbol of eternal life, which man would have enjoyed, if, by abstaining from eating the fruit, he had professed obedience, and had truly performed such obedience to the moral law. IX. We are of opinion that, if our first parents had re- mained in their integrity by obedience performed to both these laws, God would have acted with their posterity by the same compact, that is, by their yielding obedience to the moral law inscribed on their hearts, and to some symbolical or cere- monial law ; though we dare not specially make a similar affirmation, respecting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. X. So, likewise, if they had persisted in their obedience to both laws, we think it very probable that, at certain periods, men would have been translated from this [aniinaW] natural life, by the intermediate change of the natural, mortal and corruptible body, into a body spiritual, immortal, and incor- ruptible, to pass a life of immortality and bliss in heaven. COKOLLAET. We allow this to be made a subject of discussion : Did Eve receive this symbolical command about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, immediately from God, or through Adam? 6 TOL II, 74: JAMES AEMrsrnis. DISPUTATION XXX. THE MANNER EST "WHICH MAN CONDUCTED HDISELF IN FTLFILLING THE FIRST COVENANT, OE ON THE SIN OF OUR FIRST PARENTS. I. When God had entered into this covenant with men, it was the part of man perpetually to form and direct his life according to the conditions and laws prescribed by this cove- nant, because he would then have obtained the rewards promised through the performance of both those conditions, and would not have incurred the punishment due and de- nounced to disobedience. We are ignorant of the length of time in which man fultilled his part ; but the Holy Scriptures testify that he did not persevere in this obedience. II. But we say the violation of this covenant was a trans- gression of the symbolical law imposed concerning his not eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. III. The efficient cause of that transgression was man, de- termining his will to that forbidden object, and applying his power or capability to do it. Eut the external, moving, ^er se^ and principal cause was the devil, who, having accosted the woman, (whom he considered weaker than the man, and who when persuaded herself, would easily persuade him,) employed false arguments for persuasion. One of his argu- ments was deduced from the usefulness of the good which would ensue from this act; another was ded; ced from the setting aside [prohibentis] of Him who had prohibited it, that is, by a denial of the punishment which would follow. The instrumental cause was the serpent, w^hose tongue the devil abused to propose what arguments he chose. The accidental cause was the fruit itself, which seemed good for food, pleas- ant in its flavor, and desirable to the eyes. The occasional cause was the law of God, that circumscribed by its interdict an act which was indifferent in its nature, and for which man possessed inclination and powers, that it might be impossible for this offence to be perpetrated without sin. lY. The inly moving or antecedent cause was a two-fold PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 16 [affectum'] inclination in man, a superior one for the likeness of God, and an inferior one for the desirable fruit, pleasant to the sight, and good for food." Both of them were implanted by God through creation ; but thej were to be used in a cer- tain method, order and time. The immediate and proximate cause was the will of man, which applied itself to the act, the understanding preceding and shewing the way ; and these are the causes which concurred to effect this sin, and all of which, as, through the image of God, he was able to resist, so was it his duty, through the imposing of that law, to have resisted. Not one of these, therefore, nor others, if such be granted in the genus of causes, imposed any necessity on man [to commit that sin]. It was not an external cause, whether you consider God, or something from God, the devil, or man. Y. (1.) It was not God ; for since he is the chief good, he does nothing but what is good ; and, therefore, he can be called neither the efficient cause of sin, nor the deficient cause, since he has employed whatever things were sufficient and necessary to avoid this sin. (2.) l^either was it something in God ; it was neither his understanding nor his will, which commands those things which are just, performs those which are good, and permits those which are evil ; and this permis- sion is only a cessation from such an act as would in reality have hindered the act of man, by effecting nothing [extra] beyond itself, but by suspending some efficiency. This, there- fore, cannot be the cause. (3.) Nor was the devil the cause ; for he only infused counsel ; he did not impel, or force by necessity. (4.) Eve was not the cause; for she was only able to precede by her example, and to entice by some argument, but not to compel. YI. It was not an internal cause — whether you consider the common or general nature of man, which [fe^^ebatur] was inclined only to one good, or his particular nature, which exactly corresponded with that which is general ; nor was it any thing in his particular nature, for this would have been the understanding ; but it could act by persuasion and advice, not by necessity. Man, therefore, sinned by his free will, his 76 JAMES ABMrtOUS. own proper motion being allowed by God, and himself per- suaded by the devil. Yn. The matter of that sin was the eating of the fmit of the tree — an act indifferent, indeed, in its nature, but forbidden by the imposing of a law, and withdrawn from the power of man. He could also have easily abstained from it without any loss of pleasure. In this, is apparent the admirable good- ness of God, who tries whether man be willing to submit to the divine command in a matter which could so easily be avoided. YIII. The form was the transgression of the law imposed, or the act of eating as having been forbidden ; for as it had been forbidden, it [excesserat] had gone beyond the order of lawful and good acts, and had been taken away from the [allowable] power of man, that it might not be exercised with- out sin. IX. There was no end for this sin ; for it always assumed \rationern\ the shape or habit of good. An end, however, was proposed by man, (but it was not obtained, that he might satisfy both his superior [affectu'] propensity towards the image of God, and his inferior one towards the fruit of the tree. But the end of the devil was the aversion of man from his God, and, through this, his [pertractio] further seduction into exile, and the society of the evil one. But the permission of God had respect to the antecedent condition of creation, which had made men possessed of free will, and for [the performance of] acts glorious to God, which might arise from it. X. The serious enormity of that sin is principally manifest from the following particulai-s : (1.) Because it was a trans- gression of such a law as had been imposed to try whether man was willing to be [suUex] subject to the law of God, and it carried with it numbers of other grievous sins. (2.) Because, after God had loaded man with such signal gifts, he [aiisus] had the audacity to perpetrate this sin. (3.) Because, when there was such great facility to abstain from sin, he suffered himself to be so easily induced, and did not satisfy his [affectui] inclination in such a copious abundance of things. (4.) Be- PRIYATE DISPUTATIONS. 77 cause he committed that sin in a sanctified place wliicli was a type of the heavenly Paradise, almost under the eyes of God himself, who conversed with him in a familiar manner. DISPUTATIOE" XXXI. ON THE EFFECTS OF THE SIN OF OUR FIRST PARENTS. I. The first and immediate effect of the sin which Adam and Eve committed in eating of the forbidden fruit, was the offending of the Deity, and guilt — offence^ which arose from the prohibition imposed — guilty from the sanction added to it, through the denunciation of punishment, if they neglected the prohibition. II. From the offending of the Deity, arose his wrath on account of the violated commandment. In this violation, occur three causes of just anger : (1.) The [deivgatio] dis- paragement of his power or right. (2.) A denial of tha towards which God [afficiehatur] had an inclination. (3.) A contempt of the divine will intimated by the command. III. Punishment was consequent on guilt and the divine wrath ; the equity of this punishment is from guilt, the in- fliction of it is by wrath. But it is preceded both by [offensa] the wounding of the conscience, and by the fear of an angry God and the dread of punishment. Of these, man gave a token by his subsequent flight, and by " hiding himself from the presence of the Lord God, when he heard him walking in the garden in the cool of the day and calling unto Adam." lY. The assistant cause of this flight and hiding [of our first parents] was a consciousness of their own nakedness, and shame on account of that of which they had not been previ- ously ashamed. This seems to have served for racking the conscience, and for exciting or augmenting that fear and dread. Y. The Spirit of grace, whose abode was within man, could not consist with a consciousness of having offended God ; and, 78 JAMES AKMmiUS. therefore, on the perpetration of sin and the condemnation of their own hearts, the Holy Spirit departed. Wherefore, the Spirit of God likewise ceased to lead and direct man, and to bear inward testimony to his heart of the favor of God. This circumstance must be considered in the place of a heavy punishment, when the law, with a depraved conscience, accused, bore its testimony [against them], convicted and condemned them. YI. Beside this punishment, which was instantly inflicted, they rendered themselves liable to two other punishments ; that is, to temporal death, which is the separation of the soul from the body ; and to death eternal, which is the separation of the entire man from God, his chief good. YII. The indication of both these punishments was the ejectment of our first parents out of Paradise. It was a token of death temporal ; because Paradise v/as a type and figure of the celestial abode, in wliich consummate and perfect bliss ever flourishes, with the translucent splendor of the divine Majesty. It was also a token of death eternal ; because, in that garden was planted the tree of life, the Iruit of which, when eaten, was suitable for continuing natural life to man. without the intervention of death. This tree was both a sym- bol of the heavenly life of which man was bereft, and of death eternal, which was to follow. YIII. To these mxay be added the punishment peculiarly inflicted on the man and the woman — on the former^ that he must eat bread through "the sweat of his face," and that "the gi'ound, cursed for his sake, should bring forth to him thorns and thistles on the latter^ that she should be liable to various pains in conception and child-bearing. The punishment in- flicted on the man had regard to \studiurrb\ his care to preserve the individuals of the species, and that on the woman, to the perpetuation of the species. . IX. But because the condition of the covenant into which God entered with our first parents was this, that, if they con- tinued in the favor and grace of God by an observance of this command and of others, the gifts conferred on them should be transmitted to their posterity, by the same divine grace which PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 79 they had, themselves, received ; but that, if by disobedience they rendered themselves unworthy of those blessings, their posterity, likewise, [carerent] should not possess them, and should be [ohnoxii] liable to the contrary evils. [Hlnc acci- dit ut] This was the reason why all men, who were to be propagated from them in a natural way, became obnoxious to death temporal and death eternal, and [vacui] devoid of this gift of the Holy Spirit or original righteousness. This pun- ishment usually receives the appellation of " a privation of the image of God," and " original sin." X. But we permit this question to be made a subject of dis- cussion : Must some contrary quality, beside [carentiam'] the absence of original righteousness, be constituted as another part of original sin ? though we think it much more probable, that this absence of original righteousness, only, is original sin itself^ as being that which alone is sufficient to commit and produce any actual sins whatsoever. XI. The discussion, whether original sin be propagated by the soul or by the body, appears to us to be useless ; and therefore the other, whether or not the soul be through tra- duction, seems also scarcely to be necessary to this matter. DISPUTATION XXXII. ON THE NECESSITY OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. I. Without religion, man can have no union with God ; and without the command and institution of God, no religion can subsist, which, since it appertains' to himself, either by the right of creation, or by the additional right [restitutionis'] of restoration, he can vary it according to his own pleasure ; so that, in whatever manner he may appoint religion, he always obligates man to observe it, and through this obligation, im- poses on him the necessity of observing it. II. But the mode of religion is not changed, except with a change of the relation between God and man, who must be 80 JAMES AEMINIUS. united to him ; and when this relation is changed, religion is varied, that is, on the previous supposition that man is yet to be united to God; for, as to its substance, (which consists in the knowledge of God, faith, love, &c.,) religion is always the same, except it seem to be referred to the substance, that Christ enters into the Christian religion as its object. III. The first relation, and that which was the first founda- tion of the primitive religion, was the relation between God and man — ^between God as the Creator, and man as created after the image and [integer] in a state of innocency ; where- fore the religion built upon that relation was that of rigid and strict \_justitice] righteousness and legal obedience. But that relation was changed, through the sin of man, who [iionjani] after this was no longer innocent and acceptable to God, but a transgressor and [damndbilis] doomed to damnation. There- fore, after [the commisssion of] sin, either man could have had no hope of access to God and to a union with him, since he had violated and abrogated the divine worship ; or a new relation of man to his Creator was to be founded by God, through his gracious restoration of man, and a new religion was to be instituted on that relation. This is that which God has done, to the praise of his own glorious grace. lY. But, as God is not the restorer of a sinner, except in a mediator, who expiates sins, appeases God, and sanctifies the sinner, I repeat it, except in that " one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," it was not the will of our most glorious and most gracious God, alone and without this Mediator, either that there should be any foundation between him and the sinner restored by him, or that there should be an object to the religion, w^hich, to the honor of the restorer and to the eternal lelioity of the restored, he would construct upon that relation. For it pleased the Father, through Christ, to reconcile all things to himself, and by him to restore both those things which are in heaven, and those on earth. It also pleased the Father " that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father so that whosoever does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father. Y. Wherefore, after the entrance of sin, there has been no PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 81 salvation of men hy God, except through Christ, and no sa- ving worship of God, except in the name of Christ, and with regard to him who is [Christus] tlie Anointed One for sinners, but the savior of them who believe on hira ; so that whoso- ever is without God is without Christ ; and he that is without Christ, is without the faith, the worship and the religion of Christ ; and without the faith and hope of this Christ, either promised and shadowed forth in types, or exhibited and clear- ly announced, neither [antiquitas] were the ancient patriarchs saved, nor can we be saved. YI. On this account, as the transgression of the first cove- nant contains the necessity of constituting another religion, and as this would not have occurred if that first covenant had not been made, it appears that those things upon which the Scriptures treat, concerning the first covenant, and its trans- gression on the part of the first human beings, contain the occasion of the restoration which God was to make through Christ, and that they were, therefore, to be thus treated in the Christian religion. This conclusion is easily drawn from the very form of the narration given by Moses. YII. God is also the object of the Christian religion, both as Creator, and as Restorer in Christ, the Son of his love ; and these titles contain the reason w^hy God can demand i-eli- gion from man, who has been formed by his Creator a crea- ture, and by his Restorer a new creature. In this object, also, must be considered what \yelit esse'\ is the will of the Glorifier of man, who leads him out from the demerit of sin, and from misery, to eternal felicity. These three names. Cre- ator, Restorer and Glorifier, contain the most powerful arguments by wdiich man is persuaded to religion. YIII. But because it was the good pleasure of God to make this restoration through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Mediator, therefore, the Son of God, as constituted by the Father Christ and Lord, is likewise an object of the Christian religion sub- ordinate to God ; though he on earth, as the Word of his Fa- ther, both may be and ought to be considered as existing in the Father from all eternity. 82 JAMES AEMINIUS. DISPUTATIO^T XXXIII. ON THE RESTORATION OF MAN. I. Since God is the object of the Christian religion, not only as the Creator, but also and properly as the Restorer, of the human race, and as we have finished our treatise on the creation, we will no proceed to treat on the restoration of mankind, because it is that which contains, in itself, another cause why God by deserved right can require religion from a man and a sinner. II. This restoration is the restitution, and the new or the second creation, of sinful man, obnoxious through sin to death temporal and eternal, and to the dominion of sin. III. The antecedent or inly moving cause is the gracious mercy of God, by which [voluit] it was his pleasure to pardon sin and to succor the misery of his creature. lY. The matter about which [it is exercised] is man, a sin- ner, and, on account of sin, obnoxious to the wrath of God and the servitude of sin. Tliis matter contains in itself the outwardly moving cause of his gracious mercy, but accident- ally, through this circumstance, that God delights in mercy ; for [almjuiri] in every other respect sin \^ 'perse and properly the external and meritorious cause of wrath and damnation. Y. We may indeed conceive the form, under the general notion of restitution, reparation, or redemption ; but we do not venture to give an explanation of it, except under two par- ticular acts, the first of which is the remission of sins, or the being received into favor ; the other is the renewal or sanctifi- cation of sinful man after the image of God, in which is con- tained his adoption into a son of God. YI. The first end is the praise of the glorious grace of God, which springs from, and exists at the same time with, the very act of restitution or redemption ; tiie other end is, that, after men have been thus repaired, they "should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world," and should at- tain to a blissful felicity in the world to come. PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 83 YII. But it has pleased God not to exercise this mercy in restoring man, without the declaration of his justice, by which he loves righteousness and hates sin ; and he has, therefore, appointed that the mode of transacting this restoration should be tln-ough a mediator intervening between him and sinful man, and that this restoration should be so performed as to make it certain and evident that God hates sin and loves righte- ousness, and that it is his will to remit nothing of his own right, except after his justice had been satisfied. YIII. For the fulfilling of this mediation, God has consti- tuted his only begotten Son the mediator between him and men, and indeed a mediator through his own blood and death ; for it was not the will of God that, without the shedding of blood and the intervention of the death of the Testator him- self, there should be any remission, or a confirmation of the Kew Testament, which promises remission and the inscribing of the law of God in the hearts [of believers]. IX. This is the reason why the second object of the Chris- tian religion, in subordination to God, is Jesus Christ, the Mediator of this restoration, after the Father had made him Christ [the Anointed One] and had constituted him the Lord and the Head of the church, so that we must, through him, approach to God for the purpose of performing [acts of] reli- gion to him ; and the duty of religion must be rendered to him, vv^ith God the Father, from which duty we by no means exclude the Spirit of the Father and the Son. DISPUTATION XXXIY. ox THE PERSON OF OUK LOED JESUS CHEIST. I. Because our Lord Jesus Christ is the secondary object of the Christian religion, we must further treat on him, as such, in a few disputations. But we account it necessary, in the first place, to consider the person, [qualis] of what hind he is, in himself. 84: JAMES AiJMINIUS. n. We say that tliis person is the Son of God and the son of man, consisting of two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably united without mixture or confusion, not only ac- cording to habitude or [inhahitatio] indwelling, but likewise by that union which the ancients have correctly denominated hypostatical. III. He has the same nature with the Father, by internal and external communication. lY. He has his human nature from the virgin Mary through the operation of the Holy Spirit, who [supervenit] came upon her and overshadowed her by fecundating her seed, so that from it the promised Messiah should, in a supernatural man- ner, be born. Y. But, according to his human nature, he consists of a body truly organic, and of a soul truly human which \vivifica- vit\ quickened or animated his body. In this, he is similar to other persons or human beings, as well as in all the essen- tial and natural properties both of body and soul. YI. From this personal union arises a communication \idi- omatuni] of forms or properties ; such communication, how- ever, was not real^ as though some things which are proper to the divine nature were eflfused into the human nature ; but it was verbal^ yet it rested on the truth of this union, and intima- ted the closest conjunction of both the natures. COKOLLAKY. The word auro^soj, "very God," so far as it signifies that the Son of God has the divine essence from himself, cannot be as- cribed to the Son of God, according to the Scriptures and the sentiments of the Greek and Latin churches. PEIYATE DISPUTATIONS. 85 DISPUTATION^ XXXY. ON THE PEIESTLT OFFICE OF CHTIST. I. Though the person of Christ is, on account of its excel- lence, most worthy to be honored and worshiped, yet, that he might be, according to God, the object of the Christian reli- gion, two other things, through the will of God, were necessa- ry : (1.) That he should undertake some offices for the saka of men, to obtain eternal salvation for them. (2.) That God should l)estow on him dominion or lordship over all things, and full power to save and to damn, with an express com- mand, " that all men should honor the Son even as they hon- or the Father," and that " every knee should bo^v to him, to the glory of God the Father." II. Both these things are comprehended together under the title of Savior and Mediator. He is a Savior, so far as that comprises the end of both, and a Mediator, as it denotes the method of performing the end of both. For the act of saving, so far as it is ascribed to Christ, denotes the acquisition and communication of salvation. But Christ is the Mediator of men before God in soliciting and obtaining salvation, and the Mediator of God with men in imparting it. . We will now treat on the former of these. III. The Mediator of men before God, and their Savior through [impetrationeni] the soliciting and the acquisition of salvation, (which is also called, by the orthodox, " through the mode of merit,") has been constituted a priest, by God, not ac- cording to the order of Levi, but according to that of Melchis- edec, who was " priest of the most high God," and at the same time " king of Salem." lY. Through the nature of a true and not of a typical priest was at once both priest and victim in one person, which [duty], therefore, he could not perform except through true and [solidam] substantial obedience towards God who impo- sed the office on him. 86 JAMES AEMDrrrs. Y. In the priesthood of Christ, must be considered the prepanition for the oflBce, and the discharge of it. (1.) The PKEPAEATiox is that of the priest and of the victim ; the piiest was prepared by vocation or the imposition of the office, bj the sanctification and consecration of his person through the Holy Spirit, and through his obedience and sufferings, and even in some respect bj his resuscitation from the dead. The victim "was also prepared by separation, by obedience, (for it was necessary that the victim should likewise be holy,) and by being slain. YI. (2.) The DiscHAEGE of this office consists in the offering or presentation of the sacrifice of his body and blood, and in his intercession before God. Benediction or blessing, which, also, belonged to the sacerdotal office in the Old Testament, will, in this case, be more appropriately referred to the very communication of salvation, as we read in the Old Testament that kings, also, dispensed benedictions. YII. The [apotlesmatd] results of the fulfillment of the sa- cerdotal office are, reconciliation with God, the obtaining of eternal redemption, the remission of sins, the Spirit of grace, and life eternal. YIII. Indeed, in this respect, the priesthood of Chnst was propitiatory. But, because we, also, by his beneficence have been constituted priests to ofter thanksgivings to God through Christ, therefore, he is also a eucharistical priest, so far as he offei^ our sacrifices to God the Father, that, when they are offered by his hands, the Father may receive them with ac- ceptance. IX. It is evident, from those things which have been now advanced, that Christ, in his sacerdotal office, has neither any successor, vicar, nor associate, whether we consider the obla- tion, both of his propitiatory sacrifice which he offered of those things which were his own, and of his eucharistical sa- crifice which he offered of those also, which belonged to us, or whether we consider his intercession. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 87 COROLLARIES. I. We deny that the comparison between the priesthood of Christ and that of Melchisedec, consisted either principally or in any manner in this, that Melchisedec offered bread and wine when he met Abraham retm-ning from the slaughter of the kings. II. That the propitiatory sacrijQce of Christ is bloodless, im- plies a contradiction, according to the Scriptures. III. The living Christ {rep^msentatur] is presented to the Father in no other place than in heaven. Therefore, he is not offered in the mass. DISPUTATION XXXYI. ON THE PROPHETICAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. The prophetical office of Christ comes under consideration in two views — either as he executed it in his own person \conversatus\ while he was a sojourner on earth, or as he ad- ministered it when seated in heaven, at the right hand of the Father. In the present disputation, we shall treat upon it ac- cording to the former of these relations. II. The proper object of the prophetical office of Christ was not the law, though [exylicuerit^ he explained, or] fulfilled that, and freed it from depraved corruptions ; neither was it ST^ayysXia^ the promise, though he confirmed that which had been made to the fathers ; but it was the gospel and the 'New Testament itself, or " the kingdom of heaven and its righte- ousness." III. In this prophetical office of Christ are to be considered both the imposition of the office, and the discharge of it. 1. The imposition has sanctification, instruction or furnishing, inauguration, and the promise of assistance. lY. (1.) Sanctification is that by which the Father sancti- fied him to his office, from the very moment of his concep:^on 88 JAMES AKMINIUS. by the Holy Spirit, (whence, he says, " To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth,") and, indeed, in a manner far more excellent than that by which Jeremiah and John are eaid to have been sanctified. Y. (2.) Instruction, or furnishing, is a conferring of those gifts which are necessary for discharging the duties of the prophetical office ; and it consists in a most copious efi'usion of the Holy Spirit upon him, and in its \_mansione\ abiding in him — " the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of coun- sel and might, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord by which Spirit [ factum itt\ it came to pass that it w^as his will to teach according to godliness all those things which were to be taught, and that [auderet] he had the courage to teach them — his mind and aflfections, both concupiscible and irrascible, having been sufficiently and abundantly instructed or furnished against all impediments. YI. But the instruction in things necessary to be known is said, in the Scriptures, to be imparted by vision and hearing, by a familiar [intuitionem] knowledge of the secrets of the Father, which is intimated in the phrase in which he is said to be in the bosom of the Father, and in heaven. YH. (3.) His inauguration was made by the baptism which John conferred on him, when a voice came from the Father in heaven, and the Spirit, " in a bodily shape, like a dove, descended upon him." These were like [litter cb jiduciaricB] credential letters, by which the power of teaching was assert- ed and claimed for him as the ambassador of the Father. YHI. (4.) To this, must be subjoined the promised perpet- ual assistance of the Holy Spirit, resting and remaining upon him in this very \sign6] token of a dove, that he might ad- minister [animose] with spirit an office so arduous. IX. 2. In the discharge of this office, are to be considered the propounding of the doctrine, its confirmation and the re- sult. X. (1.) The propounding of the doctrine was made in a, manner suitable, both to the things themselves, and to persons PKIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 89 — to liis own person, and to the persons of tliose whom he taught with grace and authority, by accepting the person of no man, of whatsoever state or condition he might be. XL (2.) The confirmation was given both by the holiness- which exactly answers to the doctrine, and by miracles, pre- dictions of future things, the revealing of the thoughts of men and of other secrets, and by his most bitter and contu- melious death. XII. (3.) The result was two-fold : The first was one that agreed with the nature of the doctrine itself — the conversion of a few men to him, but without such a knowledge of him as the doctrine required ; for their thoughts were engaged with the notion of restoring the external kingdom. The seo OND, which arose from the depraved wickedness of his audit>- ors, was the rejection of the doctrine, and of him who taught it, his crucifixion and murder. Wherefore, he complains con- cerning himself, in Isaiah xlix, 4 : " I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought." XIII. As God foreknew that this would happen, it is cer- tain that he willed this prophetical office to serve, for the con- secration of Christ, through sufiferings, to undertake and ad- minister the sacerdotal and regal office. And thus the prophetical office of Christ, so far as it was administered bj him through his apostles and others of his servants, was the means by which his church was brought to the faith, and was saved. COEOLLART. We allow this question to become a subject of discussion : Did the soul of Christ receive any knowledge immediately from the Logos operating on it, without the intervention of the Holy Spirit, which is called the Icnowledge of union 7 7 tol; n. r 90 JAMES ARMINIUS. DISPUTATIOlSr XXXYII. ON THE KEGAL OFFICE OF CHRIST. L As Christ, when consecrated by his sufferings, was made the author of salvation to all who obey him ; and as for this end, not only the solicitation and the obtaining of blessings were required, (to which the sacerdotal office was devoted,) but also the communication of them, it was necessary for him to be invested with the regal dignity, and to be constituted Lord over all things, with full power to bestow salvation, and what- ever things are necessary for that purpose. II. The kingly office of Christ is a mediatorial function, by which, the Father having constituted him Lord over all things which are in heaven and in earth, and peculiarly the King and the Head of his church, he governs all things and the church, to her salvation and the glory of God. We will view this ofHce in accommmodation to the church, because we are principally concerned in this consideration. III. The functions belonging to this office seem to be the following : Yocation to a participation in the kingdom of Christ, legislation, the conferring of the blessings in this life necessary to salvation, the averting of the evils opposed to them, and the last judgment and the circumstances connected with it. lY. Yocation is the first function of the regal office of Christ, by which he calls sinful men to repent and believe the gospel — a reward being proposed concerning a participation of the kingdom, and a threatening added of eternal destruc- tion from the presence of the Lord. Y. Legislation is the second function of the regal office of Christ, by which h,e prescribes to believers their duty, that, as his subjects, they are bound to perform to him, as their Head and Prince — a sanction being added through rewards and punishments, which properly agree with the state of this spir- itual kingdom. PRIVATE DISPUTATIOK. 91 YI. Among the blessings which the third function of the regal office of Christ serves to communicate, we number not only the remission of sins and the Spirit of grace inwardly witnessing: with our hearts that we are the children of God, but likewise all those blessings which are necessary for the discharge of the office ; as illumination, the inspiring of good thoughts and desires, [corrohoratio] strength against tempta- tions, and, in brief, the inscribing of the lav/ of God in our hearts. In addition to these, as many of the blessings of this [animalis] natural life, as Christ knows will contribute to the salvation of those who believe in him. But the evils over the averting of which this function presides, must be understood as being contrary to these blessings. YIT. Judgment is the last act of the regal office of Christ, by which, justly, and without respect of persons, he pronounces sentence concerning all the thoughts, words, deeds and omissions of all men, who have been previously summoned and placed be- fore his tribunal ; and by which he irresistibly executes that sen- tence through a just and gracious [retributionem] rendering of rewards, and through the due retribution of punishments, which consist in the bestowing of life eternal, and in the in- fliction of death eternal. YIII. The results or consequences which correspond with these functions, are, (1.) The collection or gathering together of the church, or the building of the temple of Jehovah ; this gathering together consists of the calling of the gentiles, and the bringing back or the restoration of the Jews, through the faith which answers to the divine vocation. (2.) Obedience performed to the commands of Christ by those who have be- lieved in the Lord, and who have, through faith, been made citizens of the kingdom of heaven. (3.) The obtaining of the remission of sins, and of the Holy Spirit, and of other bles- sings which conduce to salvation, as well as a deliverance from the evils which molest [believers] in the present life. (5.) Lastly. The resurrection from the dead, and a participa- tion of life eternal. IX. The means by which Christ administers his kingdom, and which principally come under our observation in consid- 92 JAMES AKMINIUS. ering the cliurch, are the word, and the Holy Spirit, which ought never to be separated from each other. For this Spirit ordinarily employs the word, or the meaning of the word, in its external preaching ; and the word alone, without the illu- mination and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is insufficient. But Christ never separates these two things, except through the fault of those who reject the word and resist the Holy Spirit. X. The opposite results to these consequences are, the cast- ing away of the yoke [of Christ], the imputation of sin, the denial or the withdrawing of the Holy Spirit, and the deliver- ing over to the power of Satan to a reprobate mind, and to hardness of heart, with other temporal evils, and, lastly, death eternal. XI. From these things, it appears that the proj^hetical office, by which a church is collected through the word, ought to be [succenturiatwri] a reserve or accessary to the regal office ; and, therefore, that the administrators of it are rightly denominated " the apostles and the servants of Christ," as of him who sends them forth into the whole world, over which he has the power, and who puts words into their mouths, whose con- tinued assistance is likewise necessary, that the word may produce such fruit as agrees with its nature. • XH. This regal office is so peculiar to Christ, under God the Father, that he admits no man, even subordinately, into a participation of it, as if he would employ such an one for a ministerial head. For this reason, we say, that the Roman pontiff, who calls himself the head and spouse, though mider Christ, is Antichrist. DISPUTATION XXXYHI. I. Eespecting the imposition and the execution of the offices which belong to Christ, two states of his usually come under PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 93 consideration, both of them being required for this purpose — • that he may be able to bear the name of Savior according to the will of God, and, in reality, to perform the thing signified under this name. One of these states is that of his humilia- tion, and is, according to the flesh, [animalis] natural ; the other is that of glory, according to the Spirit, and is spiritual. II. To the first state, that of his humiliation, belong the following articles of our belief : "He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried ; he descended into hell." To the latter state, that of his exaltation, belong these articles : " He arose again from the dead ; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Al- mighty ; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." III. The sufferings of Christ contain every kind of reproach- es and torments, both of soul and body, which were inflicted on him partly by the fury of his enemies, and partly by the immediate chastisement of his Father. We say that these last are not contrary to the good of the natural life, but to that of the spiritual life. But we deduce the commencement of these sufferings [a eaptivitate] from the time when he was taken into custody ; for we consider those things which pre- viously befell him, rather to have been -c^po-Tra^sja^, forerunners of his sufferings, by which [explorai^etur] it might be put to the test, whether, with the prescience of those things which were to be endured, and, indeed, through an experimental knowledge, he would still be ready by voluntary obedience to endure other sufferings. lY. The crucifixion has the mode of murder, by which mode we are taught, that Christ was made a curse for us, that we, through his cross, might be delivered from the curse of the law ; for this seems to have been the entire reason why God pronounced him accursed who hung on a tree or cross, that we might understand that Christ, having been crucified rather by divine [dis^ensatione] appointment, than by hu- man means, [censeri] was reckoned accursed for our sake, by God himself. Y. The death of Christ was a true separation of his soul 94 JAMES AEMINIUS. from the body, both according to its effects and according to place. It would indeed have ensued from crucifixion, and es- pecially from the breaking of his legs ; on which account, he is justly said to have been killed by the Jews ; but death l^prceoGCujyata est] was anticipated, or previously undertaken, by Christ himself, that he might declare himself to have re- ceived power from God the Father to lay down his soul and life, and that he died a voluntary death. The former of these seems to relate to the confirmation of the truth which had been announced by him as a prophet, and the latter, to [ror tionem] the circumstances of his priestly office. YI. The burial of Clirist has relation to his certain death ; and his remaining in the grave signifies, that he was under the dominion of death till the hour of his resurrection. This state, we think, was denoted by the existence of Christ [apud inferos] among the dead, of which his descent into hell [or hades] was the commencement, as his interment was that of his remaining in the tomb. This interpretation is confirmed, both by the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, (v,) and by the consent of the ancient church, who, in the symbol of her belief, had only the one or the other of these expres- sions, either "He descended into hell," or "He was buried." Yet if any man thinks the meaning of this article — " He de- scended into hell" — to be different from that which we have given, we will not contradict his opinion, provided it be agree- able to the Scriptures and to the analogy of iaith. YII. This state [of humiliation] was necessary, both that he might yield obedience to his Father, and that, having been tempted in all things without sin, he might be able [co?npati\ to sympathize with those who are tempted, and, lastly, that he might, by suffering, be consecrated as priest and king, and might enter into his own glory. YHI. But this state of glory and exhaltation contains three degrees — his resurrection, ascension into heaven, and sitting at the right hand of the Father. IX. The commencement of his glory was his deliverance from the bonds [inferm] of the grave, and. his rising again, from the dead, by which his body, that was dead and had PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 95 been laid in the sepulclier, after the effects of death had been destroyed in it, was reunited to his soul, and brought back again to life, not to this natural^ but to a spiritualYdQ ; though, from [abitndante] the overflowing force of natural life, he was able to perform its functions as long as it was necessary for him to remain with his disciples in the present life, after hav- ing " arisen again from the dead," [adfidem resurrectioni ad- hibendum] to impart credibility to his resurrection. We as- cribe this resurrection, not only to the Father through the Holy Spirit, but likewise to Christ himself, who had the pow- er of taking up his life again. X. Th3 assumption of Christ into heaven contains the pro- gress of his exaltation. For, as he had finished, on earth, the office enjoined, and had received a body — not a natural, earthly, corruptible, fleshly and ignominious body, but one spiritual, heavenly, incorruptible and glorious, and as other {munia] duties, necessary for procuring the salvation of men, were to be performed in and concerning heaven, it was [fas] right and proper that he should rise and be exalted to heaven, and should remain there until he comes to judgment. From these premises^ the dogma of the papists concerning transubstantiation^ and that of the Vhiquit avians concerning consubstantiation^ or the bodily presence of Christ in^ with and londer the bread^ are refuted. XI. The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of the Fa- ther is the supreme degree of his exaltation ; for it contains the consummate glory and power which have been communi- cated to Christ himself by the Father — glory, in his being seated with the Father in the throne of majesty, both because the regal office has been conferred on him, with full command, and on earth above all and over all created things, and be- cause the dignity was conferred on him of further discharging [the duties of] the sacerdotal office, in that action which was to be performed in heaven by a more sublime High Priest [factol constituted in heaven itself. 96 JAMES AKMINTUS. XII. In relation to the priesthood, the state of humiliation was necessary ; because it was the part of Christ to appear in heaven before the face of his Father, sprinkled with his own blood, and to intercede for believers. It was also necessary, in relation to his regal office ; because, (and in this behold the administration of the prophetical office placed in subordina- tion to the regal !) because [debuit] it was his duty to send the word and the Spirit from heaven, and to administer from the throne of his majesty all things in the name of his Fa- ther, and especially his church, by conferring on those who obey him, the blessings promised in his word and sealed by his Spirit, and by inflicting evils on the disobedient after they have abused the patience of God as long as his justice could bear it. Of this administration, the last act will be the universal judgment, for which we are now waiting. " Come, Lord Jesus DISPUTATION^ XXXIX. ON THE WILI. AND COMMAND OF GOD THE FATHER AND OP CHRIST, BY WHICH THEY WILL AND COMMAND THAT RELIGION BE PERFORMED TO THEM BY SINFUL MAN. I. In ADDITION to the things that God has done in Christ, and Christ has done through the command of the Father, for the redemption of mankind, who were lost through sin, by which both of them have merited that [7'eligionem] religious homage should be performed to them by sinful man — and in addition to the fact that the Father has constituted Christ the Savior and Head, with full power and capability of saving through the administration of his priestly and regal offices, on account of which power, Christ is worthy to be worshiped with religious honors, and able to reward his worshipers, that he may not be worshiped in vain, it was requisite that the will of God the Father and of Christ should be subjoined, by PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 97 wliich they willed and commanded that religions worship should be offered to them, lest the performance of religion should be " will-worship," or superstition. *• II. It was the will of God that this command should be proposed through the mode of a covenant, that is, through the mutual stipulation and promise of the contracting parties — ^of a covenant, indeed, which is never to be disannulled or to perish, which is, therefore, denominated " the new covenant," and is ratified by the blood of Jesus Christ as Mediator. III. On this account, and because Christ has been constitu- ted by the Father, a prince and Lord, with the full possession of all the blessings necessary to salvation, it is also called " a Testament" or " Will ;" therefore, he, also, as the Testator, is dead, and by his death, has confirmed the testamentary promise which had previously been made, concerning the ob- taining of the eternal inheritance by the remission of sins. lY. The stipulation on the part of God and Christ is, that God shall be God and Father in Christ [to a believer] if in the name, and by the command of God, he acknowledges Christ as his Lord and Savior, that is, if he believe in God through Christ, and in Christ, and if he yield to both of them love, worship, honor, fear, and [integraTn] complete obedience as prescribed. y. The promise, on the part, of God the Father, and of Christ, is, that God will be the God and Father, and that Christ will be the Savior, (through the administration of. his sacerdotal and regal offices,) of those who have faith in God the Father, and in Christ, and who, through faith, yield obe- dience to them ; that is, God the Father, and Christ, wilL ac- count the performance of religious duty to be grateful, and will crown it with a reward. YL On the other hand, the promise of sinful man is that he will believe in God and in Christ, and through faith will yield compliance or render obedience. But the stipulation is that God be willing to be mindful of his compact and holy [testimonii] declaration. YII. Christ intervenes between the two parties ; on the part of God, he proposes the stipulation, and confirms the promise 98 JAMES AEMmms. with liis blood ; he likewise works a persuasion in the hearts of believers, and [ohsignat] affixes to it his attesting seal, that the promise will be ratified. But, on the part of sinful man, he promises [to the Father] that, by the efficacy of his Spirit [effecturvm ut homo prcBstet] he will cause man to perform the things which he has promised to his God ; and, on the other hand, he requires of the Father, that, mindful of his own promise, he will deign to bestow on \talihns] those who answer this description, or believers, the forgiveness of all their sins, and life eternal. He likewise intervenes, by pre- senting to God the service performed by man, and by render- ing it grateful and acceptable to God through the odor of his own fragrance. YIIL External \signaGulci\ seals or tokens are also employ- ed to which the ancient Latin fathers have given the appella- tion of " Sacraments," and which, on the part of God, seal the promise that has been made by himself; but, on the part of men, they are " the hand-writing," or bond of that obliga- tion by which they had bound themselves that nothing may in any respect be wanting which seems to be at all capable of contributing to the nature and relation of the covenant and compact into which the parties have mutually entered. IX. From all these things, are apparant the most sufficient perfection of the Christian religion and its unparalleled excel- lence above all other religions, though they also be supposed to be true. Its sufficiency consists in this — both that it dem- onstrates the necessity of that duty which is to be performed by sinful man, to be completely absolute, and on no account to be remissible, by which the way is closed against carnal se- ciirify — and that it most strongly fortifies against despair^ not only sinners, that they may be led to repentance, but also those who perform the duty, that they may, through the cer- tain hope of future blessings, persevere in the course of faith and of good works upon which they have entered. These two [despair and carnal security] are the greatest evils which are to be avoided in the whole of religion. X. This is the excellence of the Christian religion above every other, that all these things are transacted by the inter- PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 99 veution of Christ onr mediator, priest and king, in which, nu- merous arguments are proposed to us, both for the establish- ment of the necessity of its performance, and for the confirm- ation of hope, and for the removal of despair, that cantiot be shewn in any other religion. On this account, therefore, it is not wonderful that Christ is said to be the wisdom of God and the power of God, manifested in the gospel for the salva- tion of believers. COEOLLARY. N'o prayers and no duty, performed by a sinner, are grate- ful to God, except with reference to Christ ; and yet, people have acted properly in desiring and in beseecliing God, that he would be pleased to bless King Messiah and the progress of his kingdom. DISPUTATIOlsr XL. ON THE PREDESTINATION OF BELIEVERS. I. As WE have hitherto treated on the object of the Chris- tian religion, that is, on Christ and God, and on the formal reasons why religion may be usefully performed to them, and ought to be, among which reasons, the last is the will of God and his command that prescribes religion by [pactioneiri] the conditions of a covenant ; and as it will be necessary now to subjoin to tliis a discourse on the vocation of men to a parti- cipation in that covenant^ it will not be improper for us, in this place, to insert one on the Predestination^ by which God determined to treat with men according to that prescript, and by which he decreed to administer that vocation, and the means to it. First, concerning the former of these. II. That predestination is the decree of the good pleasure of God, in Christ, by which he determined, within himself, from all eternity, to justify believers, to adopt them, and to 100 JAMES ARMINIUS. endow them with eternal life, " to the praise of the glory of his grace," and even for the declaration of his justice. III. This predestination is evangelical, and, therefore, per emptorj and irrevocable ; and, as the gospel is purely gra- cious, this predestination is also gracious, according to the benevolent [affectiirri] inclination of God in Christ.. But that grace excludes every cause which can possibly be imagined to be capable of having proceeded from man, and by which God may be moved to make this decree. lY. But we place Christ as the foundation of this predesti- nation, and as the meritorious cause of those blessings which have been destined to believers by that decree. For the love with which God loves men absolutely to salvation, and ac- cording to which he absolutely intends to bestow on them eternal life, this love \710n est] has no existence except in Jesus Christ, the Son of his love, who, both by his efficacious communi- cation, and by his most worthy merits, is the cause of salvation, and not only the dispenser of recovered salvation, but likewise the solicitor, obtainer, and restorer of that salvation whic 1 was lost. Therefore, sufficient is not attributed to Christ, when he is called executor of the decree which had been pre- viously made, and without the consideration of him as [the person] on whom that decree is founded. Y. We lay down a two-fold matter for this predestination — divine things, and the persons to whom the communica- tion of them has been predestinated. (1.) Those divine things are the spiritual blessings which usually receive the appellations of grace and gloi^y. (2.) The persons are the faithful, or believers ; that is, they believe in God who justi- fies the ungodly, and in Christ raised from the dead. But faith, that is, the faith which is on Christ, the mediator be- tween God and men, presupposes sin, and likewise the knowl- edge or acknowledgement of it. YI. We place the form of this predestination in the internal act itself of God, who foreordains to believers this union with Christ their Head, and [communionerri] a participation in his benefits. But we place the end in " the praise of the glory of the grace of God and as this grace is the cause of that PKIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 101 decree, it is equitable that it should be celebrated by [ilia] gloiy, though God, by using it, has rendered it illustrious and glorious. In this place, too, occurs the mention of justice itself, as that by the intervention of which Christ was given as mediator, and faith in him was required ; because, without *this mediator, God has neither willed to shew mercy, nor to save men without faith in him. yil. But, as this decree of predestination is according to election, which necessarily includes reprobation, we must like- wise advert to it. As opposed to election, therefore, we define reprobation to be the decree of God's anger or of his severe will, by which, from all eternity, he determined to condemn to eternal death all unbelievers and impenitent persons, for the declaration of his power and anger ; yet so, that unbeliev- ers are visited with this punishment, not only on account of "unbelief, but likewise on account of other sins from which they might have been delivered through faith in Christ. YIII. To both these is severally subjoined the execution of each ; the acts of which are performed in that order in which they have been ordained by God in the decree itself ; and the objects, both of the decree and of its execution, are com|)leteiy the same and uniform, or they are invested with the same for- mal reason, though they are considered in the decree^ as in the mind of God, through the understanding, but, iit the execution of it, as such, actually in existence. IX. This predestination is the foundation of Christianity, of salvation, and of the certainty of salvation ; and St. Paul treats upon it in his epistle to the Romans, (viii, 28-30,) in the ninth and following chapters of the same epistle, and in the first chapter of that to the Ephesians. 102 JAMES AKMEmJS. DISPUTATIOIT XLI. ON THE PEEDESTINATION OF THE MEANS TO THE END. I. After we have finisbed onr discussion on the predestina- tion b}^ which God has determined the necessity of faith in . himself and in Christ, for the obtaining of salvation, according to which faith is prescribed to be performed as the bounden duty of man to God and Christ ; it follows, that we treat on the predestination by which God determines to administer the means to faith. II. For, as that act of faith is not in the power of a natural, carnal, [animcclis] sensual, and sinful man, and as no one can perform this act except through the grace of God, but as all the grace of God is administered according to the will of God — that v/ill which he has had within himself from all eternity — for it is an internal act, therefore, sonia-^certain pre- destination must be preconceived in the mind and will^TGod, according to which iie dispenses that grace, or the means to it. III. But we can define this predestination, that it is the eternal decree of God, by which [constiluit] he has wisely and justly resolved, within himself, to administer those means which are necessary and sufficient to produce faith in [the hearts of] sinful men, in such a manner as he knows to be comportable with liis mercy and with his severity, to the glory of his name and to the salvation of believers. lY. The object of this predestination is, both the means of producing this faith, and the sinful men to whom he has de- creed either to give or not to give this faith, as the object of the predestination discussed in the preceding dis23utation was faith itself, existing in the preconception of the mind of God. Y. The antecedent, or inly moving cause,, impelling to make the decree, is not only the mercy of God, but also his severity. But his wisdom prescribes the mode which his justice admin- isters, that what is justly due to mercy may be attributed to it, and tliat, in the mean time, regard may be bad to severity, PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 103 according to which God threatens that he will send a famine of the word on the earth. yi. The matter is the conceded or the denied dispensation of the means. The form is the ordained dispensation itself, according to which it is granted to some men and denied to others, or it is granted or denied on this and not on that condition. YIL The end for the sake of which, and the end which, are conjoined to the administration itself at the very same mo- ment, and are the declaration of the mercy of God, and of his severity, wisdom and justice. The end [cui~] for w^hich it was intended, and which follows from the administration, is the salvation of believers. The results are, the condemnation of unbelievers, and the still more grievous condemnation of some men. yill. But the proper and peculiar means destined, are the word and Spirit ; to which, also, may be joined the good and the evil things of this natural life, which God employs for the same end, and of the nature and efScacy of which we shall ti*eat in the disputation on Vocation^ where they are used. IX. To these means, we attribute two epithets, " necessity" and " sufficiency," (§ III,) which belong to them according to the will and nature of God, and which we also join together. (1.) Necessity is in them ; because, without them, a sinner cannot conceive faith. (2.) Sufficiency also is in them ; be- cause they are employed in vain, if they be not sufficient ; yet we do not account it necessary to place this sufficiency in the first moment in which they begin to be used, but in the entire progress and completion. X. God destines these means to no persons on account of, or according to, their own merits, but through mere grace alone ; and he denies them to no one, except justly, on account of previous transgressions. 104 JAMES AEMESnUS. DISPUTATION XLIL ON THE VOCATION OF SINFUL MEN TO CHEIST, AND TO A PAKTICIPATION OF SALVATION IN HIM. I. The vocation or calling to the communion of Christ and its benefits, is the gracious act of God, by which, through the word and his Spirit, he calls forth sinful men, [reos] subject to condemnation and placed under the dominion of sin, from the condition [animalis~\ of natural life, ?jid out of the defile- ments and corruptions of this world, to obtain a supernatural life in Christ through repentance and faith, that they may be united in him, as their head destined and ordained by God, and may enjoy [commimioneni] the ]3articipation of his bene- fits, to the glory of God and to their own salvation. II. The efficient cause of this vocation is God and the Father in the Son ; the Son, also, himself, as constituted Mediator and King by God the Father, calls men by the Holy Spirit, as he is the Spirit of God given to the mediator, and the Spirit of Christ, the King and the Head of his church, by whom the Father and the Son both " work hitherto." But this vocation is so administered by the Spirit, that he also, is properly de- nominated the author of it. For he appoints bishoj^s in the church, he sends teachers, he furnishes them with gifts, he grants them divine aid, and imparts force and authority to the word. III. The antecedent or inly moving cause is tbe grace, mercy and philanthropy of God, by which he is inclined to succor the misery of sinful man, and to bestow blessedness upon him. But the disposing cause is, the wisdom and the justice of God, by which he knows the method by which it is proper for this vocation to be administered, and by which he wills to dispense it as it is proper and right. From this, arises the decree of his will concerning its administration and mode. lY. The instrumental cause of vocation is the word of God^ administered by the aid of man, either by preaching or by writing; and this is the ordinary instrument; or it is the PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. ^105 divine word immediately proposed bj God, inwardly to the mind and will, without human [operam] aid or endeavor ; and this is extraordinary. The word employed, in both these cases, is that both of the law and of the gospel, subordinate to each other in their separate services. Y. The matter of vocation is men constituted in their [ani- malis] sensual life, as worldly, natural, sensual, and sinful. YI. The boundary from which they are called, is, both the state of sensual or natural life, and that of sin and of misery on account of sin ; that is, from condemnation and guilt, and afterwards from the bondage and dominion of sin. YII. The boundary to which they are called, is, the com- munication of grace, or of supernatural good, and of every spiritual blessing, the plenitude of which resides in Christ — also their power and force, as well as the inclination to com>- municate them. YIII. The proximate end of vocation is, that men may lov^ fear, honor and worship God and Christ — ^may in righteous- ness and true holiness, according to the command of the word of God, render obedience to God who calls them, and may, by this means, make their calling and election sure. IX. The remote end is the salvation of those who are called, and the glory of God and of Christ who calls ; both of which are placed in the union of God and man. For as God unites himself to man, and declares himself to be prepared to unite himself to him, he makes his own glory illustrious ; and, aiB man is united to God, he obtains salvation. X. This vocation is both external and internal. The exter- nal vocation is by the ministry of men propounding the word> The internal vocation is through the operation of the Holy Spirit illuminating and affecting the heart, that attention may be pai d to those things which are spoken, and that \^fides\ credence may be given to the word. From the concurrence of both these, arises the efficacy of vocation. XL But that distribution is not of a genus into its species^ but of a whole into its parts ; that is, the distribution of the whole vocation into partial acts concurring together to one result, which is obedience yielded to the vocation. Hence, 8 VOL. n. 106 JAMES AEMUmiS. the company of those who are called and who answer to the call, is denominated " a Chm*ch." Xn. The accidental [per accidens] issue of vocation is, the rejection of the doctrine of grace, contempt of the divine counsel, and resistance manifested against the Holy Spirit, of which the proper and fer se cause is, the wickedness and hard- ness of the human heart ; and to this not unfrequentlj is addedthe just judgment of God, avenging the contempt shewn to his word, from which arise blindness of riiind, hardening ot the heart, and a delivering up to a reprobate [sensum] mind, and to the power of Satan. DISPUTATION- Xmi. ON THE BEPENTAlfCE BY WHICH MEN ANSWER TO THE DIVINB VOCATION. I. As, IN the matter of salvation, it has pleased God to treat with man bj \rationeni\ the method of a covenant, that is, by a stipulation, or a demand and a promise, and as even voca- tion has regard to a participation in the covenant ; it is insti- tuted on both sides and separately, that man may perform the requisition or command of God, by which be may obtain [the fulfillment of] his promise. But this is the mutual relation between these two — the promise is tantamount to an argu- ment, which God employs, that he may obtain from man that which he demands ; and the compliance with the demand, on the other hand, is the condition, without which man cannot obtain what has been promised by God, and through [the performance of] which he most assuredly obtains the promise. II. Hence, it is apparent that the first of all which accepts this vocation is the faith, by which a man believes that, if he complies with the requisition, he will enjoy the promise, but that if he does not comply with it, [caritururri] he will not be put in jDOssession of the things promised, nay, that the contrary «vils will be inflicted on him, according to the nature of the PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 107 divine covenant, in which there is no promise without a pun- ishment opposed to it. This faith is the foundation on which rests the obedience that is to be yielded to God ; and it is, therefore, the foundation of religion. III. But divines generally place three parts in this obedi- ence. The first is repentance, for it is the calling of sinners to righteousness. The second is faith in Christ, and in God through Christ ; for vocation is made through the gospel, which is the word of faith. The third is the observance of God's commands, in which consists holiness of life, to which believers are called, and without which no man shall see God. lY. Repentance is [dolor] grief or sorrow on account of sins known and acknowledged, the debt of death contracted by sin, and on account of the slavery of sin, with a desire to be de- livered. Hence, it is evident, that three things concur in penitence — the fii-st as an antecedent, the second as a conse- quence, and the third as properly and most fully comprising its nature. Y. That which is tantamount to an antecedent is the knowl- edge or acknowledgment of sin. This consists of a two-fold knowledge : (1.) A general knowledge by which is known what is sin universally and according to the prescript of the law. (2.) A particular knowledge, by which it is acknowl- edged that sin had been committed, both from a recollection of the bad deeds perpetrated and of the good omitted, and from the examination of them according to the law. This ac- knowledgment, has, united with it, a consciousness of a two- fold demerit, of damnation or death, and of the slavery of sin ; " for the wages of sin is death ;" and " he who sins is the slave of sin." This acknowledgement is either internal, and made in the mind, or it is external, and receives the appellation of " confession." YI. That which intimately comprises the nature of repent- ance is, sorrow on account of sin committed, and of its de- merit, which is so much the deeper, as the acknowledgment of sin is clearer, and more copious. It is also produced from this acknowledmentby means of a two-fold fear of punishment: (1.) A fear not only of bodily and temporal punishment, but 108 JAMES ARMINIUS. likewise of that which is spiritual and eternal. (2.) The fear of God, by which men are afraid of the judgment of such a good and just being, whom they have offended by their sins. This fear may be correctly called "initial;" and we believe that it has some hope annexed to it. YII. That which follows as a consequence, is the desire of deliverance from sin, that is, from the condemnation of sin and from its dominion, which desire is so much the more in- tense, by how much the greater is the acknowledgment of mis- ery and sorrow on account of sin. YIII. The cause of this repentance is, God by bis word and Spirit in Christ. For it is a repentance tending not to des- pair, but to salvation ; but such it cannot be, except with re- spect to Christ, in whom, alone, the sinner can obtain deliver- ance from the condemnation and dominion of sin. But the word which he uses at the beginning is the word of the law, yet not under the legal condition peculiar to the law, but un- der that which is annexed to the preaching of the gospel, of which the first word is, that deliverance is declared to peni- tents. The Spirit of God may, not improperly, be denomina- ted " the Spirit of Christ," as he is Mediator ; and it first urges a man by the word of the law, and then shews him the grace of the gospel. The connection of the word of the law and that of the gospel, which is thus skillfully made, removes all self-security, and forbids despair, which are the two pests of religion and of souls.- • IX. We do not acknowledge satisfaction, which the papists make to be the third part of repentance, though we do not deny that the man who is a real penitent will endeavor to make satisfaction to his neighbor against whom he owns that he has sinned, and to the church that he has injured [scandalo] by the offence. But satisfaction can by no means be rendered to God, on the part of man, by repentance, sorrow, contrition, almsgiving, or by the voluntary susception and infliction of punishments. If such a course were prescribed by God, the consciences of men must necessarily be tormented with the continual anguish of a threatening hell, not less than if no promise of grace had been made to sinners. But God consid- PKIVATB DISPUTATIONS. 109 ers this repentance, which we have described, if it be true, to be worthy of a gracious deliverance from sin and misery ; and it has faith as a consequence, on which we will treat in the subsequent disputation. COROLLARY. Repentance is not a sacrament, either with regard to itself, or with regard to its external tokens. DISPUTATION XLIY. ON FAITH IN GOD AND CHRIST. I. In the preceding disputation, we have treated on the first part of that obedience which is yielded to the vocation ot God. The second part now follows, which is called " the obe- dience of faith." II. Faith, generally, is the assent given to truth ; and di- vine faith is that which is given to truth divinely revealed. The foundation on which divine faith rests is two-fold — the one external and out of or beyond the mind — the other inter- nal and in the mind. (1.) The external foundation of faith is the very veracity of God lenunciantis] who makes the dec- laration, and who can declare nothing that is false. (2.) The internal foundation of faith is two-fold — both the general [notio] idea by which we know that God is true — and [notitia] the knowledge by which we know that it is the word of God. Faith is also two-fold, according to the mode of revelation, being both legal and evangelical, of which the latter comes Tinder our present consideration, and tends to God and Christ. III. Evangelical faith is an assent of the mind, produced by the Holy Spirit, ^through the gospel, in sinners, who, through the law, know and acknowledge their sins, and are penitent on account of them, by which they are noi only fully persuaded within themselves that Jesus Christ has been con- 110 JAMES AEMDOUB. stituted by God the author of salvation to those who obey him, and that he is their own Savior if thej have believed in him, and by which they also believe in him as such, and through him on God as the benevolent Father in him, to the salvation of believers and to the glory of Christ and God. lY. The object of faith is not only the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but likewise Christ himself who is here constituted by God the author of salvation to those that obey him. Y. The form is the assent that is given to an object of this description ; which assent is not acquired by [discursuml a course of reasoning from principles known by nature ; but it is an assent infused above the order of nature, which, yet, is confirmed and increased by the daily exercises of prayers and mortification of the flesh, and by the practice of good works. Knowledge is antecedent to faith ; for the Son of God is be- held before a sinner believes on him. But [Jiducia] trust or confidence is conse ,uent to it ; for, through faith, confidence is placed in Christ, and through him in God. YI. The author of faith is the Holy Spirit, whom the Son sends from the Father, as his advocate and {yicariuiri] sub- stitute, who may manage his cause in the world and against it. The instrument is the gospel, or the word of faith, con- taining [sensum] the meaning concerning God and Christ • ; ♦ / which the Spirit proposes to the understanding, and of which [persuadet] he there works a persuasion. YII. The subject [in quo] in which it resides, is the mind, not only as it acknowledges this object to be true, but like- wise to be good, which the word of the gospel declares. Wherefore, it belongs not only to the theoretical understand- ing, but likewise to [affectivuin] that of the affections, which is practical. YIII. The subject [c7ii] to which [it is directed], or the ob- ject about which [it is occupied], is sinful man, acknowledging his sins, and penitent on account of them. For this faith is necessary for salvation to him who believes ; but it is unne- cessary to one who is not a sinner ; and, therefore, no one, PHrVATE DISPUTATIONS- 111 except a sinner, can know or acknowledge Christ for his Sa- vior, for he is the Savior of sinners. The end, which we intend for our own benefit, is Salvation in its nature. But the chief end is the glorj of God through Jesus Christ. COROLLAET. " Was the faith of the patriarchs under the covenants of promise, the same as ours under the 'New Testament, with regard to its substance ?" We answer in the affirmative. DISPUTATIOlSr XLY. ON" THE UNION OF BELIEVEES WITH CHRIST. I. As Christ is constituted bj the Father the Savior of those that believe, who, being exalted in heaven to the right hand of the Father, communicates to believers all those bles- sings which he has solicited from the Father, and which he has obtained by his obedience and [actu] pleading, but as [communicatio] the participation of blessings cannot be through communication, unless where there has previously been [ordinatd] an orderly and suitable union between him who communicates and those to whom such communications are made, it is, therefore, necessary for us to treat, in the first place, upon the union of Christ with us, on account of its be- ing the primary and immediate effect of that faith by which men believ^e in him as the only Savior. II. The truth of this thing, and the necessity of this union, are intimated by the names with which Christ is signally dis- tinguished in a certain relation to believers. Such are the ap- pellations of head^ spouse^ foundation^ vine^ and others of a similar kind ; from which, on the other hand, believers are called members in his hodi/, which is the entire church of be- lievers, the sjpouse of Christy lively stones huilt on him^ and young shoots or hranches. By these epithets, is signified 112 JAMES AKMINnJS. the closest and most intimate union between Christ and be- lievers. III. We may define or describe it to be that spiritual and most strict and therefore mystically essential conjunction, by which believers, being immediately connected, by God the Father and J esus Christ through the Spirit of Christ and of God, with Christ himself, and through Christ with God, be- come one with him and with the Father, and are made parta- kers of all his blessings, to their own salvation and the glory of Christ and of God. lY. The author of this union is not only God the Father, who has constituted his Son the head of the church, endued him with the Spirit without measure, and unites believers to his Son ; but also Christ, who communicates to believers that Spirit whom he obtained from the Father, that, [adhcBrentes] cleaving to him by faith, they may be one Spirit. The ad- ministrators are prophets, apostles and other dispensers of the mysteries of God, who lay Christ as the foundation, and bring bis spouse to him. Y. The parties to be united are, (1.) Christ, whom God the Father has constituted the head, the spouse, the foundation, the vine, &c., and to whom he has given all perfection, with a plenary power and command to communicate it ; (2.) And sinful man, and therefore destitute of the glory of God, yet a believer, and owning Christ for his Savior. YI. The bond of union must be considered both on the part of believers, and on the part of God and Christ. (1.) On the part of believers, it is faith in Christ and God, by which Christ is given to dwell in our hearts. (2.) On the part of God and Christ, it is the Spirit of both, who flows from Christ as the constituted head, into believei'S, that he may unite them to him as members. YII. The form of union is a compacting and joining to- gether, which is orderly, harmonious, and in everj^ part agree- ing with itself by joints fitly [suhministratas'] supplied, ac- cording to the measure of the gifts of Christ. This conjunc- tion receives various appellations, according to tlie various similitudes which we have already adduced. With respect to PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 113 a foundation and a house built upon it, it is [inced^'Jicatio] a being built up into [a spiritual house]. With respect to a husband and wife, it is a participation of flesh and bones ; or, it is flesh of the flesh of Christ, and bone of his bones. With respect to a vine and its branches, or to an olive tree and its boughs, it is an ingrafting and implanting. YIII. The proximate and immediate end is the communion of the parts united among themselves ; this, also, is an efi*ect consequent upon that union, but actively understood, as it flows from Christ, and positively, as it flows into believers, and is received by them. The cause of this is, that the rela- tion is that of disquiparency, where the foundation is Christ, who possesses all things, and stands in need of nothing ; the term, or boundary, is the believer in want of all things. The remote end is the external salvation of believers, and the glory of God and Christ. IX. But not only does Christ communicate his blessings to the believers, who are united to him, but he likewise consid- ers, on account of this most intimate and close union, that the good things bestowed, and the evils inflicted on believers, are also done to himself. Hence, arise commiseration for his children, and certain succor, but anger against those who af- flict, which abides upon them unless they repent, and benefi- cence towards those who have given even a draught of cold water, in the name of Christ, to one of his followers. DISPUTATIOISr XLYI. ON THE COMMUNION OF BELIEVERS WITH CHRIST, AND PARTICU- LARLY WITH HIS DEATH. I. The union of believers with Christ tends to communion with him, which contains, in itself, every end and fruit of union, and flows immediately from the union itself. II. Communion with Christ is that by which believers, when united to him, have, in common with himself all those 114 JAMES AEMINTUS. things which belong to him ; yet the distinction is preserved, which exists between the head and the members, between him who communicates, and them who are made partakers, be- ween him_ who sanctifieth, and those who are sanctified. III. This com munion must, according to the Scriptures, be considered in two views, for it is either a communion of his death, or of his life ; because Christ must be thus considered in two relations — -either according to the state in tlie body of his flesh, which was crucified, dead, and buried, or, according to his glorious state and the new life to which he was raised up again. ly. The communion of his death is that by which, being planted together in the likeness of his death, we participate of his power, and of all the benefits which flow from his death. Y. This planting together is the crucifixion, [inortificatio] the death and the burial of " our old man," or of " the body of sin," in and with the body of the flesh of Christ. These are the degrees by which the body of the flesh of Christ is abolish- ed ; that may also in its own measure, be called the body of sin," so far as God has made Christ to be sin for us, and has given him to bear our sins, in his own body, on the tree. YL The strength and efiicacy of the death of Christ con- sist in the abolishing of sin and death, and of the law, which is " the hand-writins: that is as^ainst us :" and the strens^th or force of sin is that by which sin kills us. YII. The efiicacious benefits of the death of Christ which believers enjoy through communion with it, are principally the following : The first is the removal of the eurse^ which we had [mm^^] deserved through sin. This includes, or has connected with it, our reconciliation with God, perpetual re- demption, remission of sins, and justification. YIII. The SECOND is deliverance from the dominion and slavery of sin^ that sin may no longer exercise its power in our crucified, dead and buried body of sin, to obtain its de- sires by the obedience which we have usually yielded to it in our body of sin, according to the old man. IX. The THiED is deliverance from the law, both as it is PEIYATE DISPUTATIONS. 115 "the hand-writing which was against us," consisting of cere- monial institutions, and as it is the rigid exactor of what is due from us, and useless and ineiScacious as it is on account of our flesh, and the body of sin, according to which we were carnal, though it was spiritual, and as sin, hj its w^ickedness and perversity, abused the law itself to seduce and kill us. DISPUTATION^ XLYIT ON THE COMMUNION OF BELIEVERS WITH CHEIST IN EEGAED TO HIS LIFE. I. Communion with the life of Christ is that by which, be- ing ingrafted into him by a conformity to his life, we become partakers of the whole [vim] power of his life, and of all the benefits which flow from it. II. Our conformity to the life of Christ, is either that of the present life, or of that which is future. (1.) That of the present life is the raising of us up into a new life, and our [in ccelestibas collocatio] being seated, with regard to the Spirit, "in heavenly places" in Christ our head. (2.) That of the life to come is our resurrection into a new life according to the body, and our being elevated to heavenly places with regard to the entire man. III. Hence, our conformity to Christ is according to the same two-fold relation : in this life, it is our resurrection to newness of spiritual life, and our conversation in heaven ac- cording to the Spirit ; after the present life, it is the resurrec- tion of our bodies, their conformity to the glorious body of Christ, and the fruition of celestial blessedness. lY. The blessings which flow from the life of Christ, fall partly within [spatia] the limits of this life, and partly within \tempora'] the continued duration of the life to come. Y. 1. Those which fall within the limits of the present life are, adoption into sons of God, and the communication of the Holy Spirit, This communication comprises within itself 116 JAMES AEMINTCS. three particular benefits : First. Our regeneration, through the illumination of the mind and [renovationem] the renewal of the heart. Secondly. The perpetual aid of the Holy Spirit to excite and co-operate. Thirdly. The testimony of the same Spirit with our hearts, that we are the children of God, on which account he is called " the Spirit of adoption." YI. 2. Those which fall within the boundless duration of the life to come, are our preservation from future wrath, and the bestowing of life eternal ; though this preservation from wrath may seem to be a continued act, begun and carried on in this world, but consummated at the period of the last judgment. YII. Under the preservation from wrath, also, is not unsuit- ably comprehended continued justification from sins through the intercession of Christ, who, in his own blood, is the pro- pitiation for our sins, and our advocate before God. DISPUTATION XLYIII. ON JUSTIFICATION. I. The spiritual benefits which believei-s enjoy in the pres- ent life, from their union with Christ through communion with his death and life, may be properly referred to that of justification and sanctification, as in those two is comprehend- ed the whole promise of the new covenant, in which God promises that he will pardon sins, and will write his laws in the hearts of believers, who have entered into covenant with him. n. Justification is a just and gracious act of God as a judge, by which, from the throne of his grace and mercy, he absolves from his sins, man, a sinner, but who is a believer, on account of Christ, and the obedience and righteousness of Christ, and considers him [justum] righteous, to the salvation of the justified person, and to the glory of divine righteous- nesss and grace. FEIVATE DISPITTATIONS. IIT ni. We say that " it is the act of God as a judge," who though as the supreme legislator he could have [dispensare de] issued regulations concerning his law, and actually did issue them, yet has not administered this [dispensationem] direction through the absolute plenitude of infinite power, but contain- ed himself within the bounds of justice which he demonstra- ted by two methods, fikst, because God would not justify, except as justification was preceded by reconciliation and sat- isfaction made through Christ in his blood ; secondly, because he would not justify any except those who acknowledged their sins and believed in Christ. lY. We say that " it is a gracious and merciful act ; " not with respect to Christ, as if the Father, through grace as dis- tinguished from strict and rigid justice, had accepted the obe- dience of Christ for righteousness, but with 7'espect to us, both because God, through his gracious mercy towards us, has made Christ to be sin for us, and righteousness to us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him, and because he has placed communion with Christ in the faith of the gospel, and has set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith. Y. The meritorious cause of justification is Christ through his obedience and righteousness, who may, therefore, be justly called the principal or outwardly moving cause. In his obedi- ence and righteousness, Christ is also the material cause of our justification, so far as God bestows Christ on us for right- eousness, and imputes his righteousness and obedience to us. In regard to this two-fold cause, that is, the meritorious and the material, we are said to be constituted righteous through the obedience of Christ. YI. The object of justification is man, a sinner, acknowl- edging himself, with sorrow, to be such an one, and a believer, that is, believing in God who justifies the ungodly, and in Christ as having been delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. As a sinner, man needs justifica- tion through grace, and, as a believer, he obtains justification through grace. YII. Faith is the instrumental cause, or act, by which we apprehend Christ proposed to us by God for a propitiation and 118 JAMES ARMmiUS. for righteousness, according to the command and promise of the gospel, in which it is said, He who believes shall be justified and saved, and he who believeth not shall be damned." YIII. The form is the gracious [cestimatio] reckoning of God, by which he imputes to us the righteousness of Christ, and imputes faith to us for righteousness ; that is, he remits our sins to us ^vho are believers, on account of Christ appre- hended by faith, and [censet] accounts us righteous in him. This estimation or reckoning, has, joined with it, adoption into sons, and the conferring of a right to the inheritance of life eternal. IX. The end^ for the sake of which is the salvation of the justified person ; for that act [pei'a^gitur] is performed for the good of the man himself who is justified. The end which [existit] flows from justification without any advantage to God who justifies, is the glorious demonstration of divine justice and grace. X. The most excellent effects of this justification are peace with God and tranquillity of conscience, [gloriatio] rejoicing under afflictions in hope of the glory of God and in God him- self, and an assured expectation of life eternal. XI. The external seal of justification is baptism ; the inter- nal seal is the Holy Spirit, testifying together with our [corde] spirits that we are the children of God, and crying in our hearts, Abba^ Father ! XII. But we have yet to consider justification, both about the beginning of conversion, when all preceding sins are for- given, and through the whole life, because God has promised remission of sins to believers, those who have entered into covenant with him, as often as they repent and flee by true faith to Christ their propitiator and expiator. But the end and completion of justification will be [sul)] at the close of life, when God will grant to those who end their days in the faith of Christ, to find his mercy, absolving them from all the sins which had been perpetrated through the whole of their lives. The declaration and manifestation of justification will be in the future general judgment. PEIYATE DISPUTATIONS. 119 Xin. The opposite to justification is condemnation, and this by an immediate contrariety, so that between these two no medium can be imagined. COEOLLAEIES. I. That faith and works concur together to justification, is a thing impossible. II. Faith is not correctly denominated the formal cause of justification ; and when it receives that appellation from some divines of our profession, it is then \pbudve'\ improperly so called. III. Christ has not [promeriturn] obtained by his merits that we should be justified by the worthiness and merit of faith, and much less thi^t we should be justified by the merit of works : But the merit of Christ is opposed to justification by works ; and, in the Scriptures, faith and merit are placed in opposition to each other. DISPUTATIOlSr XLIX. ON THS SANOTIFICATION OF MAN. r. The word " sanctifi cation" denotes an act, by which any thing is separated from common use, and is consecrated to divine use. II. Commonuse^ about the sanctification of which [to divine purposes] we are now^ treating, is either according to nature itself, by which man lives \animalem\ a natural life ; or it is according to the corruption of sin, by which he lives to sin and obeys it in its [concupiscentiis] lusts or desires. Divine use is w^hen a man lives according to godliness, in a conformity to the holiness and righteousness in which he was created. III. Therefore, this sanctification, with respect to [termini a quo] the boundary from which it proceeds, is either from the 120 JAMES AEMINIUS. natural use, or from the use of sin ; the boundary [ad quern] to which it tends, is the supernatural and divine use. lY. But when we treat about man, as a sinner, then sancti- fication is thus defined : It is a gracious act of God, by which [repurg-at] he purifies man who is a sinner, and yet a believer, from the darkness of ignorance, from indwelling sin and from its lusts or desires, and imbues him with the Spirit of knowl- edge, righteousness and holiness, that, being separated from the life of the world and made conformable to God, man may live the life of God, to the praise of the righteousness and of the glorious grace of God, and to his own salvation. Y. Therefore, this sanctification consists in these two things : In [mortificatlone] the death of " the old man, who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts," and in [vivijioatione] the quickening or enlivening of " the new man, who, after God, is created in righteousness and the holiness of truth." YI. The author of sanctification is God, the Holy Father himself, in his Son who is the Holy of holies, through the Spirit [sanctificationis] of holiness. The external instrument is the word of God ; the internal one is faith yielded to the word preached. For the word does not s&.nctify, only as it is preached, unless the faith be added by which the hearts of men are purified. YII. the object of sanctification is man, a sinner, and yet a believer — asiiinei^ because, being contaminated through sin and addicted to a life of sin, he is [incptus] unfit to serve the liv- ing God — a heliever, because he is united to Christ through faith in him, on whom our holiness is founded ; and he is planted together with Christ and joined to him in a conformity with his death and resurrection. Hence, he dies to sin, and is excited or raised up to a new life. YII. The subject is, properly, the soul of man. And, first, the mind, which is illuminated, the dark clouds of ignorance being driven away. Next, [affectus] the inclination or the will, by which it is delivered from the dominion of indwelling sin, and [perfunditur] is filled with the spirit of holiness. The body is not changed, either as to its essence or its inward qualities ; but as it is a part of the man, who is consecrated to PRr7ATE DISPUTATIONS. 121 God, and is an instrument united to the soul, having been re- moved by the sanctified soul which inhabits it from [usihus] the purposes of sin, it is admitted to and emploj^ed in the ser- vice of God, " that our whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." IX. The form lies in the purification from sin, and in a conformity with God in the body of Christ through his Spirit. X. The end is, that a believing man, being consecrated to God as a priest and king, should serve him in newness of life, to the glory of his divine name, and to the salva- tion of man. XI. As, under the Old Testament, the priests, when ap- proaching to render worship to God, were accustomed to be sprinkled with blood, so, likewise, the blood of Jesus Christ, which is the blood of the New Testament, serves for this pur- pose — to sprinkle us, who are constituted by him as priests, to serve the living God. In this respect, the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, which principally serves for the expiation of sins, and which is the cause of justification, belongs also to canctification ; for [illic] in justification, this sprinkling serves to wash away sins that have been committed ; but in sanctifi- cation, it serves to sanctify men who have obtained remission of their sins, that they may further be enabled to offer worship and sacrifices to God, through Christ. XIL This sanctification is not completed in a single mo- ment ; but sin, from whose dominion we have been delivered through the cross and the death of Christ, is weakened more and more by daily [detrimentd] losses, and the inner man is day by day renewed more and more, while we carry about with us in our bodies, the death of Christ, and the outward man [cort'umjpitur] is perishing. COKOLLARY. We permit this question to be made the subject of discus- sion : Does the death of the body bring the perfection and completion of sanctification — and how is this effect produced} 9 , ' :■■ •* TOL II. 122 DISPUTATION L. ON THE CHURCH OF GOD AOT) OF CHRIST: OR ON THE CHTJECH IN GENERAL AFTER THE FALL. I. As, througli faith, which is the first part of our duty towards God and Christ, we have obtained the blessings of justification and sanctification from our union and communion with Christ, by which benefits we are, from children of wrath and the slaves of sin, not only constituted the children of God and the servants of righteousness, (on which account it is fit that we should render obedience and worship to our Parent and our Lord,) and as we have likewise obtained power and [JiduciaTri] confidence for the performance of such obedience and worship, it would follow that we should now treat on obe- dience and worship as on another part of our duty. n. But as there are multitudes of those who have, through these benefits, been made the sons and the servants of God, and who have been united, among themselves, by the same faith and the Spirit of Christ, as members in one body, which is call- ed the church, and of which the Scriptures make frequent mention, it appears to be the most proper course to treat, FIRST, upon this chm^ch, because, as she derives her origin from this faith, she comprehends within her embraces all those to whom the performance of worship to God and Christ is to be prescribed. III. And as it has pleased God to institute certain signs bj which may be sealed or testified, both the communion of be- lievers with Christ and among themselves, and a participation of these benefits, and, on the other hand, their service of grat- itude towards God and Christ, we shall deem it proper, next, to treat upon these signs or tokens, before we proceed to the worship, itself, which is due to God and Christ. First, then, let us consider the church. lY. This word, in its general acceptation, denotes [coetum] a company or congregation of men who are called out, and not only the act and the command ot him who calls them out, but PRIVATE DIPUTATI0N8. 123 likewise the obedient compliance of those who answer the call ; so that the result or effect of that act is included in the word "church." Y. But it is thus defined : A company of persons called out from a state [ani nalis] of natural life and of sin, by God and Christ, through the Spirit of both, to a supernatural life to be spent according to God and Christ in the knowledge and worship of both, that by a participation with both, they may be eternally blessed, to the glory of God through Christ, and of Christ in God. YI. The efficient cause of this evocation, or calling out, is God the Father, in his Son J esus Christ, and Christ himself, through the Spirit, both of the Father and of the Son as he is Mediator and the Head of the church, sanctifying and regen- erating her to a new life. The impulsive cause is the gracious good pleasure of God the Father, in Christ, and the love of Christ towards those whom he has acquired for himself »by his own blood. YII. The executive cause of this gracious good pleasure of - God in Christ, which may also, in this respect, according to [dispensationem] its distribution, be called " the administra- tive cause," is the Sp'rit of God and of Christ by the word of * both ; by which he requires outwardly a life according to God and Christ, with the addition of the promise of a reward and the theatening of a punishment ; and he inwardly illuminates the mind to a knowledge of this life, [ajjicit] imparts to us the feelings of love and desire for this life, and bestows on the whole man strength and power to live such a life. YIII. The matter about which [it is occupied], or the object of the vocation, are [animales] natural and sinful men, who, indeed, according to nature, are capable of receiving instruc- tion from the Spirit through the word, but who are, according to the life of the present world and the state of sin, darkened in their minds and alienated from the life of God. This state requires that the beginning of preaching be made from preach- ing the law as it [arguit] reproves sin and convinces of sin, and thus that progress be made to the preaching of the gospel of grace. JAMES AEMINIUS. IX. The form of the church resides in the mutual relation of God and Christ who calls, and of the church who obeys that call, according to which, God in Christ, bj the Spirit of both, [influit] infuses into her supernatural life, [sensum] feel- ing or sensation, and motion ; and she, on the other hand, being quickened and under the influence of feeling and motion, begins to live and to walk according to godliness, and in expectation of the blessings promised, X. The end of this evocation, which also contains the chief good of the church, is blessedness perfected and consummated through a union with God in Christ. From this, results the glory of God, who unites the church to himself and beatifies her, which glory is declared in the very act of union and beatification — also the glory of the same blessed God, when the church [canitur] in her triumphant songs ascribes to him praise, honor and glory forever and ever. XI. .From the act of this evocation and from the form of the church arising out of it, it appears that a distinction must be made among the men or congregation, as they are men^ and as they are called out and obey the call ; and they must be BO distinguished that the company to whom the name of " the church" [aliquando] at any time belonged, may so decline from that obedience as to lose the name of " the church," God " removing their candlestick o t of its place," and sending a bill of divorce to his disobedient and adulterous wife. Hence it is evident that the glorying of the papists is vain on this point — that the church of Rome cannot err and fall away. DISPUTATION LI. ON THE CHURCH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, OK UNDEK THE PROMISE. I. As Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever — as he is [imus] the chief or deepest corner-stone, upon which the superstructure of the church is raised, being buill PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 126 up both by prophets and apostles, and as he is the head of all those who will be partakers of salvation, the whole church, therefore, may, in this sense, be called " Christian," though under this appellation, peculiarly, comes the church as she began to be collected together after the actual ascent of Christ into heaven. II. But though the church be one with respect to its founda- tion, and of those things which concern the substance itsel yet, because it has pleased God [administrare] to govern it according to different methods, in reference to this the church may, in the most suitable manner, be distinguished into the church which existed in the times of the Old Testament hefore Christy and into that which flourished in the times of the New Testament and after [exhibitum] Christ appeared on earths III. "The church, prior to the advent of Christ, under the dispensation of the Old Testament," is that which was called out, (by the word of promise concerning the seed of the wo- man and the seed of Abraham, and concerning the Messiah who was subsequently to come,) from the state of sin and misery, to a participation of the righteousness of faith and salvation, and to the faith placed in that promise — and by the word of the law^ to render worship to God in confidence of obtaining mercy in this blessed Seed and the promised Messiah, [convenienter'] in a manner suitable to the infantile age of the church herself. lY. The word of promise was propounded, in the beginning, in a very general manner and with much obscurity, but in succeeding ages, more specially and with greater distinctness, and still more so, as the times of the advent of the Messiah in the flesh drew nearer. Y. The law which \serviit\ contributed to this calling, was both the moral and the ceremonial i (for, in this place, the forensic does not come under consideration ;) and both of them as delivered [viva voce'] orally, and as comprised and proposed in writing by Moses, in which last respect, the law is principally treated upon in the Scriptures of the Old and the ISTew Testament. YI. The moral law serves this office in a two-fold manner : 126 JAMES ARMINroS. First, by demonstrating the necessity of the gracious promise, which it does by convincing [men] of sins against the law, and of the weakness [of man] to perform the law. To this purpose it has been rigidly and strictly propounded ; and it is considered as so proposed, according to these passages : " The man that doeth them shall live in them," and " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Secondly, by s^-jeww^ moderately, or with clemency, requiring the observance of it from those who were parties to the covenant of promise. YII. Though the observance of the ceremonial law be not, of itself, and on account of itself, pleasing to God, yet the observance of it was prescribed for two purposes : (1.) That it might convince of the guilt of sins and of the curse, and might thus declare the necessity of the gracious promise. (2.) And that [cont/ne: et] it might sustain believers by the hope of the promise, which hope was confirmed by the typical presignifi- cation of future things. In the former of these two respects, the ceremonial law was [signaculum] the seal of sins ; but in the latter, it was the seal of grace and remission. VIII. The church of those times must, therefore, be con- sidered, both as it is called the heir, and as called the infant, either according to its substance, or according to [disjposir tionem] the dispensation and economy suitable to those times. According to the former of these respects, the church was under the prom'se or the covenant of prom- ise ; and according to the latter respect, she was under the law and under the Old Testament, in regard to which, that people is called servile, or in bondage, and the infant heir "differing in nothing from a servant," as, in regard to the promise, the same people are denominated free, horii of a free woman, and according to Isaac " counted for the seed" to whom the promise was made. IX. According to the promise, the church was a willing people — according to the Old Testament, a carnal people ; according to the former relation, the heir of spiritual and heavenly blessings ; according to the latter, the heir of spiritual and earthly blessings, especially of the land of Canaan and of PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 127 its benefits. According to the former relation, the church was endowed with the Spirit of adoption ; according to the latter, she had this Spirit intermixed with that of bondage [durante] as long as the promise continued. X. The open consideration of these relations, and a suitable comparison and opposition between the covenant of promise, and the law or the Old Testament, contributes much to the [correct] interpretation of several passages of Scripture, which, otherwise, can scarcely be at all explained, or at least with great difficulty. COROLLABIES. I. Because the Old Testament [dehuit] was forced to be abrogated, therefore it was to be confirmed, not by the blood of a testator or mediator, but of brute animals. II. " The Old Testament" is never used in the Scriptures for the covenant of grace. III. The confounding of the promise and of the Old Testa- ment is productive of much obscurity in Christian theology, and is the cause of more than a single error. DISPUTATION LII. ON THE CHUKOH OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, OR UNDER THE GOSPEL. » I. The Church of the ]N"ew Testament is that which, from the time when that Testament was confirmed by the blood of Christ the mediatoi- of the New Testament, or from the period of his ascension into heaven, began to be called out from a state of sin which was plainly manifested by the word of the gospel, and by the Spirit that was suited to the heirs who had attained to the age of adults — to a participation of the right- eousness of faith and of salvation, through faith placed in the gospel, and to render worship to God and Christ in the unity of the same Spirit ; and this church will continue to be called 128 JAMES AEMINIIJ8. out in the same manner to the end of the world, to the praise of the glory of the gr^ce of God and of Christ. II. The efficient cause is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has now most plainly manifested himself to be Jehovah and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and it is Christ himself, elevated to the right hand of the Father, invested with full power in heaven and on earth, and endowed with the word of the gospel and with the Spirit beyond meas- ure. The antecedent or inly moving cause is the grace and mercy of God the Father and of Christ, and even the justice of God, to which, through the good pleasure of the Father, the fullest satisfaction has now been made in Jesus Christ, and which is clearly manifested in the gospel. in. The Spirit of Christ is the administering cause, accord- ing to the economy, as he is [vicarius] the substitute of Christ and receives of that which is Christ's, to glorify Christ by this calling forth in his church, with only a full power to adminis- ter all things [prout vult] according to his own pleasure. The Spirit uses the word of the gospel placed in the mouth of his servants, which immediately executes this vocation, and the word of the law^ whether written or implanted in the mind ; the gospel serves both antecedently that a place may be made for this vocation, and consequently when it has been received by faith. lY. The object of this evocation is, not only Jews, but also gentiles, the middle wall of partition which formerly separa- . ted the gentiles from the Jews being taken away by the flesh and blood of Christ ; that is, the object is all men generally and promiscuously without any difference, but it is all men actually sinners, whether they be those who acknowledge themselves as such and to whom the preaching of the gospel is \sta'im\ constantly exhibited, or those who are yet to be brought to the acknowledgment of their sins. Y. Because this church is of adult age, and because she no longer requires a tutor and governor, she is free from the eco- nomical \servitute\ bondage of the law, and is governed by the spirit of full liberty, which is, by no means, intermixed with the spirit of bondage ; and, therefore, she is free from the PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 129 use of the ceremonial law, so far as it served [dbsigiiandis] for testifying of sins, and as it was " the hand-writing which was against us." YI. This church, also, with unveiled or open face, beholds the glorj of the Lord as in a glass, and has the very express image of heavenly things, and Christ, the image of the invisi- ble God, the express image of the Father's person, and the brightness of his glory, and the very body of things to come ^ which is of Christ. She, therefore, does not nee 1 the law, which has the shadow of good things to come ; on which ac- count, she is free from the same ceremonial law, by which it typically j^refigured Christ and good things to come. YII. The church of the ISTew Testament [sensit] has not experienced, does not now experience, and will not, to the end of the world, experience, in the whole of its course, any change whatever with regard to the word itself or the spirit ; for, in these last times, God has spoken to us in his Son, and by those who have heard him. YIII. This same church is called " catholic," in a peculiar and distinct sense in opposition to the clmrch which was un- der the Old Testament, so far as she has been diffused through the whole world, and has embraced within her boundary all nations, tribes, people and tongues. This universality is not hindered by the rejection of the greater part of the Jews, as they will also be added to the church, some time hence, in a great multitude, and like an army formed into columns. IX. We may denominate, not unaptly or inappropriately, ' the state of the church, as she existed from the time of John until the assent of Christ into heaven, [inconsistentem'] "a temporary or intermediate one" between the state of the prom- ise and of the gospel, or that of the Old Testament and of the J^ew. X. On which account, we place the ministry of John be- tween the ministry of the prophets and that of the apostles, and plainly, and in every respect, conformable to neither of them. Hence, also, John is called " a greater prophet," and is said to be " less than the least in the kingdom of heaven." 130 JAMES ARMmiUS. COROLLARY. The baptism of John was so far the same with that of Christ, that there was afterwards no need for it to be re- stored. DISPUTATIO]^ LIII. ON THE HEAD AND THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH. I. Though the head and the body be of one nature, and thongh, according to nature, they properly constitute one sub- sistence, yet he who, according to nature, is the head of the church, cannot have communion of nature with her, for she is his creature. II. But it has been the good pleasure of God, who is both the bead of the church accord iug to nature, and her creator, to bestow on his church his Son jJesus Christ, made man, as her head, by whom, likewise, it has been his will to create his church — that is, a new creature, that the union between the church and her head might be closer, and the communication more free and confiding. III. But a three-fold relation exists between the church and her head : (1.) That the head contains in himself, in a man- ner the most perfect, all things which are necessary and suffi- cient for salvation. (2.) That he is fitly united to the church, his body, by "the joints and bands" of the Spirit and of faith. (3.) That the head can [wjluere] infuse the virtue of his own perfection into her, and she can receive it from him according to the order of preordination and subordination fitly corres- ponding with it according to the difference of both. lY. But these three things belong to Christ alone ; nay, not one of the three agrees with any person or thing except with Christ. Wherefore, he, only, is the head of the church, to whom she immediately coheres according to her internal and real essence. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 131 Y. But no one can, according to this relation, be vicar or substitute to him ; neither the apostle Peter, nor any Eoman pontiff ; nay, Christ can have no one among men as his vicar, according to the external administration of the church ; and, what is still more, he cannot have a universal minister, which term is less than that of vicar. YI. Yet we do not deny that those persons who are consti- tuted by this head as his ministers, perform such functions as belong to the head ; because it has been his pleasure to gather his church to himself, and to govern it by human means. YII. But, according to her internal essence, this church is known to no one except to her head. She is likewise made known to others by signs and indications which have their origin from her true internal essence itself, if they be real, and not counterfeit and deceptive in their appearance. YIII. These signs are, the profession of the true faith, and the institution or conducting of the life according to [prcB- scripfum'] the direction and [instinctiiin] the instigation of the Spirit — a matter that belongs to external acts, about which, alone, a judgment can be formed by mankind. IX. We say that these are the marks of a church which outwardly \hene hahentis] conducts herself with propriety. But it may come to pass, that a mere profession of faith may obtain in this church through the public preaching and hear- ing of the word, through the administration and use of the sac- raments, and through prayers and thanksgivings ; and yet in her whole life she may degenerate from the profession ; and, lastly, she may in her deeds deny Christ, whom she professes to know in word, in which case, she does not cease to be a church as long as it is the pleasure of God and Christ to bear with her ill manners, and not to send her a bill of divorce- ment. X. But it has happened that in her profession itself, she begins to intermix falsehoods with truth, and to worship, at the same time, Jehovah and Baal. Then, indeed, her condi- tion is very bad, and " nigh to destruction," and all those who adhere to her are commanded to desert her, so far, at least, as 132 JAMES ABMINITJS. not to become partakers of her abominations, and to contam- inate themselves with the polhitions of her idolatry ; nay, they are commanded to accuse their mother of being a harlot, and of having violated the marriage compact with her hus- band. XI. In such a defection as this, those who desert her are not the cause of the dissension, but she who is justly deserted, because she first declined from God and Christ, to whom all believers, and each of them in particular, must adhere by [in- dividuo] an inseparable connection. XII. The Roman pontiff is not the head of the church ; and because he boasts himself of being that head, the name of " Antichrist " on this account most deservedly belongs to him. XIII. The marks of the church of which the papists boast — antiquity, universality, duration, amplitude, the uninter- rupted succession of teachers, and agreement in doctrine — have been invented beyond those which we have laid down, because they are accommodated to the present state of the church of Rome. DISPUTATIOIVT LIY. ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, HER PARTS AND RELATIONS. I. The catholic church is the company of all believers, called out from every language, tribe, people, nation and calling, who have been, are now, and will be, called by the saving vocation of God from a state of corruption to the dignity of the children of God, through the word [gratuiti] of the covenant of grace, and ingrafted into Christ, as living members to their head through true faith, to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. From this, it appears that the catholic church differs from particular churches in nothing which appertains to the substance of a church, but solely in her amplitude. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 133 II. But as she is called " the catholic church" in reference to her matter^ which embraces all those who have ever been, are now, and will yet be, made partakers of this vocation, and received into the family of God, so, likewise, is she de- nominated the one and holy church," from her/brm, which consists in the mutual relation of the church, who by faith, embraces Christ as her head and spouse, and of Christ, who so closely unites the church to himself, as his body and spouse, by his Spirit, that the church lives by the life of Christ him- eelf, and is made a partaker of him and of all his benefits. III. The Catholic Church is " one," because, under one God and Father, who is above all persons, and through all things, and in all of us, she has been united as one body to one head, Christ the Lord, through one Spirit, and through one faith placed in the same word, through a similar hope of the same inheritance, and through mutual charity, she has been " fitly framed and built for a holy temple, and a habitation of God through the Spirit." Wherefore, the whole of this unity is spiritual, though those who have been thus united together consist partly of body, and partly of spirit. lY. She is " holy ;" because, \henefici6\ by the blessing of the Holy of holies, she has been separated from the unclean world, washed from her sins by his blood, \decoTat(i\ beauti- fied with the presence and gracious indwelling of God, and adorned with true holiness by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Y. But though this church is one, yet she is distinguished according to the acts of God towards her, so far as \^jpeTcepit\ she has become the recipient of either of all of those acts, or of some of them. The church that has received only the act of her creation and preservation, is said to be in the way^ and is called " the church militant," as being she that must yet contend with sin, the flesh, the world, and Satan. The church that, in addition to this, is made partaker of the consumma- tion, is said to be in her native land, and is called " the church triumphant;" for, after having conquered all her enemies, she rests from her labors, and reigns with Christ in heaven. To that part which is still militant on earth, the title of "cath- 134 JAMES AEMmrus. olic" is likewise ascribed, so far as she embraces within her boundaries all particular militant churches. YI. But the catholic church is distributed, according to her parts, into many particular churches, since she consists of many- congregations far distant from each other, with respect to place, and quite distinct. But as these particular churches have severally the name of "a church," so they have like- wise the thing signified by the name and the entire definition like similar parts which participate in the name and definition of the whole ; and the catholic church differs from each par- ticular one solely in her universality, and in no other thing whatever which belongs to the essence of a church. Hence, is easily [intelligitur] learned in what manner it may be un- derstood that, as single, particular churches may err, yet the church universal cannot err ; that is, in this sense, that there never will be a future time in which some believers will not exist who do not err in the foundation of religion. But from this interpretation, it is apparent that it cannot be concluded from the circumstance of the catlioliG church being said to he in this sense^free from error ^ that any congregation, however numerous soever it may be, is exempt from error, unless there be in it one person, or more, who are so guided into all truth as to be incapable of erring. YII. Hence, since the evocation of the church is made in- wardly by the Spirit, and outwardly by the word preached, and since they who are called, answer inwardly by faith, and outwardly by the profession of faith, as they who are called have the inward and the outward man, therefore, the church, in ref- erence to these called persons, is distinguished into the visible and the invisible church, from the subjoined external accident — invisible^ as she " believes with the heart unto righteous- ness," and visible^ as "confession is made with her mouth imto salvation." And this visibility or invisibility belongs neither more nor less to the whole catholic chm-ch, than to each church in particular. Yin. Then, since the church is collected out of this world, " which lieth in the wicked one," and often by ministers who, beside the word of God, preach another word, and since this PKIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 135 churcli consists of men liable to be deceived and to fall, nay, of men who liave been deceived and are fallen, therefore, the church is distinguished with respect to the doctrine of faith, into an orthodox and heretical church — with respect to divine worship, into an idolatrous church, and into one that is a right worshiper of God and Christy and with respect to the morals prescribed in the second table of the law, into ^jpurer church or a more imjpiire one. In all these, are also to be observed the degrees according to which one church is more heretical , idol- atrous and impure than another ; about all these things a cor- rect judgment must be formed according to the Scriptures. Thus, likewise, the word " catholic" is used concerning those churches that neither labor under any destructive heresy, nor are idolatrous. DISPUTATION LY. ON THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN DELIVERING DOCTRINES. I. The power of the church may be variously considered, according to various objects ; for it is occupied either about the delivery of doctrines, the enactment of laws, the conve- ning of assemblies, the appointment of ministers, or, lastly, about jurisdiction. II. In the institution of doctrines, or in the first delivery of them, the power of the church is a mere nullity, whether she be considered generally, or according to her parts ; for she is the spouse of Christ, and, therefore, is bound to hear the voice of her husband. She cannot prescribe to herself the rule of willing, believing, doing and hoping. III. But the whole of her power, concerning doctrines, lies in the dispensation and administration of those which have been delivered by God and Christ — ^necessarily previous to which is the humble and pious accej)tance of the divine doc- trines, the consequence of which is, that she justly preserves the name that has once been received. 136 JAMES ARMINTUS. lY. As the acceptance and [custodia] the preservation of doctrines may be considered either according to the words, or according to the right sense, so, likewise [traditio] the deliv- ery of the doctrines received and preserved mnst be distin- guished either with respect to the words, or with respect to their correct meaning. Y. The delivery or tradition of doctrines according to tke words^ is when the church declares or publishes the very words which she has received, (after they have been delivered to her by God, either in writing or orally,) without any addi- tion, diminution, change or transposition, whether from [at- chivis] the repositories in which she has concealed the divine writings, or from her own memory, in which she had care- fully and faithfully preserved those things which had been orally delivered. At the same time, she solemnly testifies that those very things which she has received from above are [when transmitted through her] pure and [sincerd] unadulte- rated, (and is prepared even by death itself to confirm this her testimony,) as far as [yarietas] the variations of copies in the original languages permit a translator into other langua- ges [thus to testify] ; yet they do not concern the foun- dation so much as to be able to produce doubts concerning it on account of these variations. YI. The delivery or tradition according to the meaning^ is the more ample explanation and application of the doctrines propounded and comprehended in the divine words, in which explanation, the church ought to contain herself within the terms of the very word which has been delivered, publishing no particular interpretation of a doctrine or of a passage, which does not rest on the entire foundation, and which cannot be fully proved from other passages. This she will most sedulously avoid if she adhere as much as possible \vo- cihus] to the expressions of the word delivered, and if she abstain, as far as she is capable, from the use of foreign words or phrases. YII. To this power, is annexed the right of examining and forming a judgment upon doctrines, as to the kind of spirit by which they have been proposed ; in this, also, she will em- PRIVATE DISPUTATOINS. 137 ploy the rule of the word which [certo constat] bears assured evidences that it is divine, and has been received as such ; and indeed, they will employ the rule of this word alone, if she be desirous to institute a proper examination, and to form a correct judgment. But if she employ any human writings whatsoever, for a rule or guide, the morning light will not shine on her, and, therefore, she will grope about in darkness. YIII. But the church ought to be guarded against three things : (1.) To hide from no one the words which have been divinely delivered to her, or to interdict any man from read- ing them or meditating upon them. (2.) When, for certain reasons, she declares divine doctrines with her own words, not to compel any one to receive or to approve them, except on this condition, so far as they are constantaneous with the meaning comprehended in the divine words. (3.) And not to prohibit any man who is desirous of examining, in a legitimate manner, the doctrines proposed in the words of the church. Whichsoever of these things she does, she cannot, in that case, evade the criminal charge of having arrogated a power to herself, and of abusing it beyond all law, right and equity. COROLLARY. It is one of the fabulous stories of the papists that the Holy Spirit assists the church in such a manner, in forming her judgment on the authentic Scriptures, and in the right inter- pretation of the divine meanings, that she cannot err. DISPUTATION LYI. ON THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN ENACTING LAWS. L The laws which may be prescribed to the church, or which may be considered as having been prescribed, are of two kinds, distinguished from each other by a remarkable dif- ference and by a notable doctrine — according to the matter, 10 VOL, II; 138 JAMES AEMrNIUS. that is, the acts which are prescribed — according to the end for the sake of which they are prescribed, and, lastly, accord- ing to the force and necessity of obligation. II. (1.) For some laws concern the very essence of order- ing the life according to godliness and Christianity, and the ne- cessary acts of faith, hope and charity ; and these may be called the necessary and primary or principal laws, and are as the fundamental laws of the kingdom of God itself. (2.) But others of them have respect to certain secondary and sub- stituted acts, and the circumstances of the principal acts, all of which conduce to the more commodious and easy observ- ance of those first acts. On this account they deserve to be called positive and [inservientis] attendant laws. III. 1. The church neither has a right, nor is she bound by any necessity, to enact necessary laws, and those which essen- tially concern the acts of faith itself, of hope and of charity. For this [prerogative] belongs most properly to God and Christ; and it has been so [prolixe] fully exercised by Christ, that no- thing can essentially belong to the acts of faith, hope and charity, which has not been prescribed by him in a manner the most copious. lY. 2. The entire power, therefore, of the church is placed in enacting laws of the second kind ; about the ma- king and observing of which we must now make some ob- servations. Y. In prescribing laws of this kind, the church ought to turn her eyes, and to keep them fixed, on the following par- ticulars : First. That the acts which she will command or forbid be [medii] of a middle or an indifferent kind, and in their own nature neither good nor evil ; and yet that they may be useful, for the commodious observance of the acts [divine- ly] prescribed, according to the circumstance of persons, times and places. [§II.] YI. Secondly. That laws of this description be not adverse to the word of God, but that they rather be conformable to it, whether they be deduced from those things which are, in a general manner, prescribed in the word of God, according to the circumstances already enumerated, or whether they be con- PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 139 sidered as suitable means for executing those things which have been prescribed in the word of God. yil. Thikdly. That these laws be principally referred to the good order and the decorous administration of the external polity of the church. For God is not the author of confusion ; but he is both the author and the lover of order ; and regard is in every place to be paid to decorum, but chiefly in the church, which is " the house of God," and in which [minime deeet] it is exceedingly unbecoming to have any thing, or to do any thing, that is either indecorous or out of order. YIII. FoDRTHLY. That she do not assume to herself the authority of binding, by her laws, the consciences of men to acts prescribed by herself ; for she will thus invade the right of Christ, in prescribing things necessary, and will infringe christian liberty, which ought to be free from snares of this description. IX. Fifthly. That, by any deed of her own, by a simple promise or by an oath, either orally or by the subscription of the hand, she do not take away from herself the power of abro- gating, enlarging, diminishing or of changing the laws them- selves. It would not be a useless labor if the church were to enter her protest, at the end of the laws, about the perpetual duration of this her power, in a subjoined clause, such as the civil magistrate is accustomed to employ in political positive laws. X. But with regard to the observance of these laws ; as they are already enacted, all and every one of those who are in the church are bound by them so far, that it is not lawful to transgress them through contempt^ and to the scandal of others ; and the church herself will not estimate the observ- ance of them at so low a value as to permit them to be viola- ted through contempt and to the scandal of others ; but she will mark, admonish, reprove and blame such transgressors, as behaving themselves in a disorderly and indecorous man- ner, and she will endeavor to bring them back to a better mind. 140 JAMES AKMINTUS. COEOLLAET. Is it not useful, for the purpose of bearing testimony to the power and the liberty of the church, occasionally to make some change in the laws ecclesiastical, lest the observance of them becoming perpetual, and without any change, should produce an opinion of the [absolute] necessity of their being observed ? DISPUTATION LYII. ON THE rOWER OF THE CHURCH IN ADMINISTERING JUSTICE, OR ON ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE. I. As NO society, however rightly constituted and furnished with good laws, can long keep together unless they who be- long to it be restrained within their duty by a certain method of jurisdiction or discipline, or be compelled to the perform- ance of their duty, so, in the church, which is the house^ the city and the hingdom of God^ discipline of the same kind must / flourish and be exercised. II. But it is proper that this discipline be accommodated to the spirilual life, and not to that which is natural; and that it should be serviceable for edifying, confirming, amplifying and adorning the church as such, and for directing conscien- ces, without [employing] any force hurtful in any part to the body or \rei'\ to the substance, and to the condition of the an- imal life ; unless, perhaps, it be the pleasure of the magistrate, in virtue of the power granted to him by God, to force an of- fender to repentance by some other method. Such a proceed- ing, however, we do not prejudge. in. But ecclesiastical discipline is an act of the church, by which, according to the power instituted by God and Christ, and bestowed on her, and to be employed through a conscious- ness of the office imposed, she reprehends all and every one of those who belong to the church, if they have fallen into open sin, and admonishes them to repent ; or, if they pertinaciously PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 141 persevere in their sins, she excommunicates them, to the be- nefit of the whole church, the salvation of the sinner himself, to the profit of those who are without, and to the glory of God himself and Christ. lY. The object of this discipline is all and each of those who, having been ingrafted into the church bj baptism, are capable of this discipline for the correction of themselves. The cause or formal condition why discipline must be exer- cised on them is, the ofifences committed by them, whether they concern the doctrine of faith, and are pernicious and de- structive heresies, or whether they have respect to morals and to the rest of the acts of the christian life. Y. But it is requisite, that these sins be external and man- ifest, that is, known, and correctly known, to those by whom the discipline shall be administered ; and that it be evident, that they are sins according to the laws imposed by Christ on the church, and that they have actually been committed. For God, alone, judges concerning inward sins. YI. Let the form of administering the laws be with all kind- ness and discretion, also with zeal, and occasionally with se- verity and some degree of rigor, if occasion require it to be em- ployed. But the intention is, the salvation of him who has sinned, and that of the whole body of the church, to the glory of God and of Christ. YII. The execution of this discipline lies both in admoni- tion and in castigation or punishment, or in censm-e, which is conveyed only in words, through reprehension, exhortation and communication, or which is given by the privation of some of those things which outwardly belong to the commun- ion of saints, and to the saving edification or building up of every believer in the body of Christ. YIII. Admonitions are accommodated, first, to the persons who have sinned, in which must be observed the difference of age, sex and condition, with all prudence and discretion. Secoxdlt. They are accommodated to those sins which have been committed ; for some are more grievous than others. Thiedlt. To the mode in which sins have been perpetrated, 142 JAMES AEMINIFS. which mode comes now under our special consideration. IX. For some sins are clandestine, others are public, wheth- er they are offences only against God, or whether they have, in union with such offence, injury to a man's neighbor. Ac- cording to this latter respect, it is called a private sin," that is, an offence committed by one private individual against an- other — such as is intimated by the word of Christ, in Matthew xviii, 7-18, in which passage is likewise prescribed the mode [argitendi] of reproving an offence. X. A clandestine sin is that which is secretly perpetrated, and with the commission of which very few persons are ac- quainted; to this belongs a secret reprehension, to be inflicted by those who are acquainted with it. One of the principal ministers of the church, however, will be able to impart au- thority to the reprehension ; yet he can, by no means, refer it to his colleagues ; but it will be his duty to deliver this reproof in secret. XL A public sin is that which is committed when several people are acquainted with it. We allow it to be made a subject of discussion, whether a sin ought to receive the appellation of a jpiiblio one^ when it has been secretly com- mitted but has become known to many persons either through the fault of him who perpetrated it, or through the officious- ness of those who divulged it without necessity. XII. But there is still some difference in public sins ; for they are known either to some part of the church, or to the whole, or nearly to the whole of it ; according to this differ- ence, the admonition to be given ought to be varied. If the sin be known to jxirt of the churchy it is sufficient that the sinner be admonished and reproved before [senatu ecclesias- tico] the consistory, or in the presence of more persons to whom it had been known. If it be known to the whole churchy the sinner must be reprehended before all the members ; for this practice conduces both to the shame of him who has sinned, and to deter others from sinning after his example. Some consideration, however, may be had to the shame of any offender, and a degree of moderation be shewn ; that is, if PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 143 [eonsuetudine non tenetur] he is not deeply versed in sinful practices, but if a sin has taken him by surprise, or " he is overtaken in a fault." Xni. As this reproof has the tendency to induce the offender to desist from sinning, if this end is not obtained by the first admonition, it is necessary to repeat it occasionally, until the sinner stands corrected, or makes an open declara- tion of his contumacy. But some difference of opinion exists on this point among divines : " Is it useful to bring an offender to punishment, when, after having afforded hopes of amendment, he does not fulfill those hopes according to the judgment and the wishes of the church V But it does not seem possible to determine this so much by settled rules, as by leaving the matter to the discretion [prmuluni] of the governors of the church. XIY. But if the offender despise all admonitions, and con- tumaciously perseveres in his sins, after the church has exercised the necessary patience towards him, she must pro- ceed to punishment ; which is excommunication, that is, the exclusion of the contumacious person from the holy commun- ion and even from the church herself This public exclusion will be accompanied by the avoidance of all intercourse and familiarity with the person excommunicated, to [the obser- vance of] which, each member of the church must pay attention, as far as is permitted by \_necessitas qfficiorum] the necessary relative duties which either all the members owe to him ac- cording to their general vocation, or some of them owe according to their particular obligation. [For a subject is not freed from his obligation toward his prince, on account of the excommunication of the prince ; neither, in such circumstances, is a wife freed from the duty which she is bound to perform to her husband; nor are children freed from their duty to parents ; and thus in other similar instances.] XY. Some persons suppose, that this excommunication is solely from [usu\ the privilege of celebrating the Lord's supper. Others suppose it to be of two kinds, the less and the greater — tJie less being a partial exclusion from [usu] 144 JAMES ARMINIUS. attendance on some of the sacred offices of the church — the greater^ an exclusion from all of them together, and totally from the communion of believers. But others, rejecting the minor excommunication, acknowledge no other than the major; because it appears to them, that there is no cause why a con- tumacious sinner ought to be rejected from this communion more than from that, since he has rendered himself unworthy to obtain any place in the church and the assembly of saints. We do not interpose our opinion ; but we leave this matter to be discussed by the judgment of learned and pious men, that by common consent it may be concluded from the Scriptures what is most agreeable to them, and best suited to the edifica- tion of the church. COROLLARIES. Excommunication must be avoided, where a manifest fear of a schism exists. "Should not this also be done, where a fear exists of perse- cution being likely to ensue on account of excommunication ?" We think, that, in this case, likewise, excommunication should be avoided. DISPUTATIOJN^ LYni. COUNCILS. I. An ecclesiastical council is an assembly of men gathered together in the name of God, consulting and defining or settling, according to the word of God, about those things which pertain to religion and the good of the church, for the glory of God and the salvation of the church. II. The power of appointing an assembly of this kind resides in the church herself. If she is under the sway of [Jidelis] a Christian magistrate, who makes an oj)en profession of reli- gion, or who publicly tolerates it, then we transfer this power to such a magistrate, without whose conyocation, those persons PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 145 that protested to the church concerning the nullity of the Council of Trent have maintained that a council is illegitimate. But if the magistrate is neither a believer, nor publicly toler- ates religion, but is an enemy and a persecutor, then those who preside in the church will discharge that office. III. An occasion will be afforded for convening an assembly of this kind, either by some evil men who \noxam mferunt\ are an annoyance to the church, whether they be in the church or out of it, or even the perpetual constitution of the church 80 long as she continues on earth. Tor as she is liable to error, corruption, and defection from the truth of doctrine, from the purity of divine worship, from moral probity and from Christian concord, to heresies, idolatry, corruption of manners, and schisms, it is useful for assemblies of this kind to be instituted. Yet may they be instituted, not only to correct any corruption if it manifestly appears that it has entered, but likewise to inquire whether something of the kind has not entered ; because the enemy sows tares while the men sleep, to whom is entrusted the safe custody of the Lord's field. lY. We say that this is an assembly of men ; for, " Let a woman keep silence in the church, unless she has an extraor- dinary and divine call ; and we say, these men ought to be distinguished by the following marks; Fiest. That they be powerful in the Scriptures, and have their senses exercised in them. Secondly. That they be pious, grave, prudent, mod- erate, and lovers of divine truth and of the peace of the church. Thirdly. That they be free, and bound down to no person, church, or confession written by men, but only to God and Christ, and to his word. Y. They are men, whether of the ecclesiastical or of the political class — in the first place, the supreme magistrate him- self, and those persons who discharge any public office in the church and the republic. Then, also, private individuals, even those persons not being excluded who maintain some other [doctrine] than that which is the current opinion, provided they be furnished with the endowments which I have de- scribed. (Thesis lY.) And we are of opinion that such per- 4- 146 JAMES AEMINTUS. sons may deliver not only a deliberative but likewise a decisive sentence. YI. The object about wliich the council will be engaged is, the things appertaining to religion and to the good of the church as such. These are comprised under two chief heads— the primary^ comprehending the doctrine, itself, of faith, hope, and charity, and the secondary^ the order and polity of the church. YII. The rule, according to which deliberation must be instituted, and decision must be formed, is that single and sole one — the word of God, who holds absolute dominion in the church. But in things which belong to the good order and eurafiav the discipline of the church, it is allowable for the members attentively to consider the present state of the com- monwealth and of the church, and to exercise deliberation and form decisions according to the circumstances of places, times and persons, provided one thing be guarded against — to de- termine nothing contrary to the word of God. YIII. But, because all things in assemblies of this kind ought to be done in order, it is requisite that some one preside over the whole council. If the chief magistrate be present, this office belongs to him ; but he can devolve this charge on some other person, whether an ecclesiastic or layman ; nay, he may commit this matter to the council itself, provided he take care that all and each of the members be restrained within the bounds of their duty, lest their judgments be concluded in a tumultuous manner. But it is useful that some bishop be appointed, who may perform the offices of prayer and thanks- giving, may propose tlie business to be transacted, and may inquire and collect [sententias] the opinions and votes ; indeed, so far, he, as an ecclesiastic, is the more suitable for fulfilling these duties. IX. A place must be appointed for assemblies of this kind, that they may be most commodious to all those who shall come to the synod, unless it be the pleasure of the chief magistrate to choose that place which will be the most con- venient to himself. It ought to be a place secure from ambus- cade or hostile surprise ; and a safe conduct is necessary for PRIVATB DISPUTATIONS. 147 all persons, that they may arrive and depart again, without personal detriment, as far as is allowable by the law of God itself, against which the authority of no council, however great, is of the least avail. X. The authority of councils is not absolute, but dependent on the authority of God ; for this reason, no one is simply bound to assent to those things which have been decreed in a council, unless those persons be present, as members, who cannot err, and who have the undoubted marks and testimo- nies of the Holy Spirit to this fact. But every one may, nay, he is bound, to examine, by the word of God, those things which have been concluded in the council ; and if he finds them to be agreeable to the divine word, then he may approve of them ; but if they are not, then he may express his disap- probation. Yet he must be cautious not easily to reject that which has been determined by the unanimous consent of so many pious and learned men ; but he ought diligently to con- sider, whether it has the Scrij)tures pronouncing in favor of it with sufficient clearness ; and when this is the case, he may yield his assent, in the Lord, to their unanimous agreement. XL The necessity of councils is not absolute, because the church can be instructed respecting necessary things without them. Yet their utility is very great, if, being instituted in the name of the Lord, they examine all things according to his word, and appoint that which, by common consent, according to that rule, the members have thought proper to pronounce as their decision. For, as many eyes see more than one eye, and as the Lord is accustomed to listen to the prayers [multo- Tum\ of a number who agree together among themselves on eai^;h, it is more probable that the truth will be discovered and confirmed from the Scriptures by some council consisting of many learn- ed and pious men, than by the exertions of a single individual transacting the same business privately by himself. From these premises, we also say that the authority of any council is greater than that of any man who is present at such council, even that of the Roman pontifi^, to whom we ascribe no other right in any council, than that which we give to any bishop, even at the time when he performed with fidelity the 148 JAMES ABMINIUS. duties of a true bishop. So far, are we disinclined to believe, that no council can be convened and held without his com- mand, presidency and direction. XIII. No council can prescribe to its successors, that they may not again deliberate about that which has been transacted and determined in preceding councils ; because the matter of religion does not come [in prcBjudicatum] under the denomi- nation of a thing that is prejudged ; neither can any council bind itself, by an oath, to the observance of any other word than that of God ; much less can it make positive laws, to which it may bind either itself, or any man, by an oath. Xiy. It is also allowable for a later ecumenical or general coimcil to call in doubt that which had been decreed by a prece- ding general council, because it is possible even for general coun- cils to err ; nor yet does it follow from these premises that the cath- olic church en-s ; that is, that all the faithful universally err. DISPUTATIOl^ LIX. ox THE ECCLESIASTICAL MINISTRATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND ON THE VOCATION TO THEM. I. By the word " ministry ^^"^ we designate a public auxiliary oflSce or duty, subservient to a superior, who, in this instance, is God and Christ as he is the Lord and Head of the church. It receives the appellation of ecdesiasticaV^ from its object, which is the church ; and we distinguish it from a politi- cal ministry, which exercises itself in the civil affairs of the commonwealth. II. But it is the public duty which God has committed to certain men, to collect a church, [curandi] to attend to it when collected, and to bring it to Christ, its Head, and through him to God, that [the members of] it may attain a life of happi- ness, to the glory of God and Christ. HI. But as a church consists of men who live [animalem] a natural life, and are called to live [in ilia] while in the body, a spiritual life, which is superior and ought to be as the end of PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 149 the other, there is a two-fold office to be performed in the church according to the exigencies both of the natural and of the spiritual life : The fiest is that which is properly, jper se^ and immediately occupied about the spiritual life, its com- mencement, progress and confirmation ; the second is that by which the natural life is sustained, and, therefore, it belongs, only by accident and mediately, to the church. The fisst is always necessary per se. The second is not necessary [in the church] except by hypothesis ; because there are those who need a maintenance from others, and they do not obtain this through some order established in the community, in which case, it ought always to endure ; [citra ilium] but where any such order is established, it is unnecessary. On the former of these we are now treating ; about the latter we have no fur- ther remarks to make. lY. The office accommodated to the spiritual life, consists of these three acts : The first is the [mstitutio] teaching of the truth which is according to godliness ; the second is interces- sion before God ; the third is regimen or government accom- modated to this institution or teaching. Y. 1. Institution or teaching consists in the proposing, ex- planation and confirmation of the truth, which contains the things that are to be believed, hoped for, and performed, in the refutation of falsehood, in exhortation, reprehension, con- solation, and threatening, all of which is accomplished by the word both of the law and the gospel. To this function, we add the administration of the sacraments, which serve for the same purpose. YI. 2. Intercession consists in prayers and thanksgivings offered to God for the church and each of its members, through Christ our only advocate and intercessor. YII. 3. The government of the church is used for this end, that, in the whole church, all things may be done decently, in order, and to edification ; and that each of its members may be kept in their duty, the loiterers may be incited, the weak confirmed, those who have wandered out of the way brought back, the contumacious punished, and the penitents received. 150 JAMES AEMnmJS. YIII. These offices are not always imposed in the same mode, nor administered by the same [rationihus] methods. For, at the commencement of the rising Christian church, thej^ were imposed on some men immediately by God and Christ, and they were administered by those on whom they had been imposed, without binding them to certain churches ; hence, also, the apostles were called " ministers^^'* as being the ambassadors of Christ to every creature throughout the world. To these were added the evangelists, as fellow-laborers. Af- terwards [the same offices were imposed] mediately on those who were called pastors 2i]i^ teachers^ hishops and priests^ and who were placed over certain churches. The former of these [the apostles and evangelists] continued only for a season, and had no successors. The latter [pastors, &c.] will remain in perpetual succession to the end of the world, though we do not deny that, when a church is first to be collected for any one, a man may traverse* the whole [terram] earth in teaching. IX. These offices are so ordered, that one person can dis- charge all of them at the same time ; though, if the utility of the church and the diversity of gifts so require, they can be variously distributed among different men. X. The vocation to such ecclesiastical offices is either imme- diate or mediate. Immediate vocation we wilj not now dis- cuss. But that which is mediate is a divine act, administered by God and Christ through the church, by which he conse- crates to himself a man separated from' [w5w] the occupations of the natural life and from those which are common, and removes him to the duties of the pastoral office, for the salva- tion of men and his own glory. In this vocation, we ought to consider the vocation itself, its efficient and its object. XI. 1. The act of vocation consists of previous examina- tion, election, and confirmation. (1.) Examination is a dili- gent inquiry and trial, whether the person about whom it is occupied be well suited for fulfilling the duties of the office. This fitness consists in the knowledge and approval of things true and necessary, in probity of life, and a facility of com- municating to others those things which he knows himself, (which facility contains language and freedom in speaking,) PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 151 in prudence, moderation of mind, patient endurance of labors, infirmities, injuries, &c. XII. Election, or choice, is the ordination of a person who is legitimately examined and found [prcdce] good and proper, bj which is imposed on him the office to be discharged. To this, it is not unusual to add some public inauguration, by prayers and the laying on of hands, and also by previous fasting and is like an admission to the administration of the of- fice itself, which is commonly denominated " confirmatio7i.^'' XIII. 2. The primary efficient is God and Christ, and the Spirit of both as conducting the cause of Christ in the church, on which cause the whole authority of the vocation depends. The administrator is the church itself, in which we number the Christian magistrate, teachers, with the rest of the pres- byters, and the people themselves. But in those places in which no magistrate resides who is willing to attend to this matter, there, bishops or presbyters, with the people, can and ought to perform this business. XI Y. The object is the person to be called, in whom is re- quired, for the sake of the church, that aptitude or suitable- ness about which we have already spoken, and on account of it, the testimony of a good conscience, by which he modestly approves the judgment of the church, and is conscious to him- self that he enters on this office in the sincere fear of God, and with an intense desire only to edify the church. XY. The essential form of the vocation is that all things may be done according to the rule prescribed in the word of God. The accidental is, tli-it they may all be done decently and suitably, according to the particular relations of persons, places, times, and other circumstances. XYI. Wheresoever all these conditions are observed, the call is legitimate, and on every part approved ; but if some one be deficient, the act of vocation is then imperfect ; yet the call is to be considered as ratified and firm, while the vocation of God is united by some outward testimony of it, which, be- cause it is various, we cannot define. 152 JAMES AKMINnjS. COKOLLAKT. The vocations or calls in tlie papal church have not been null, though contaminated and imperfect ; and the first reform- ers had an ordinary and mediate call. DISPUTATIOISr LX. ON SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. We have thus far treated on the church, her power, and the ministry of the xBord; it follows that we now di&cuss~ those signs or marks which God appends to his word, and by which He seals and confirms the faith which has been produced in the minds of his covenant people. For these signs are commonly called "sac- raments^' — a term, indeed, which is not employed in the Scriptures, but which, on account of the agreement about it in the church, must not be rejected. I. Bu-r this word, " sacrament," is transferred from milita- ry usage to that of sacred things ; for, as soldiers were devoted to their general by an oath, as by a solemn attestation, so, like- wise, those in covenant are bound to Christ by their reception of these signs, as by a public oath. But because the same word is either taken in a relative acceptation, (and this either properly for a sign, or by metonymy for the thing signified,) or in an absolute acceptation, (and this by synecdoche for both,) we will treat about its proper signification. II. A sacrament, therefore, is a sacred and visible sign or token and seal instituted by God, by which [obsignat'] he rati- fies to his covenant people the gracious promise proposed in his word, and binds them, on the other hand, to the perform^ ance of their duty. Therefore, no other promises are proposed to us by these signs than those which are manifested in the word. III. We call it " a sign or token, and a seal, both from the usage of Scripture in Genesis xvii, 11, and Romans iv, 11, and from the nature of the thing itself, because these tokens, beside the external appearance which they present to our sen- PKIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 153 ses, [facivMt aliud] cause something else to occur to the thoughts, x^either are they only naked significant tokens, but seals and pledges, which affect not only the mind, but likewise the heart itself. lY. We call it "sacred" in a two-fold respect: (1.) Be- cause it has been given by God ; and (2.) Because it is given to a sacred use. We call it " visible," becausef it is of the na- ture of a sign that it be perceptible to the senses ; for that which is not such, cannot be called a sign. Y. The author of these signs is God, who alone, is the lord and lawgiver of the church, and whose province it is to pre- scribe laws, to make promises, and to seal them with those tokens which have seemed good to himself ; yet they are so accommodated to the grace to be sealed, as, by a certain anal- ogy, to be significant of it. Therefore, they are not natural signs, which, from their own nature, signify all that of which they are significant ; but they are voluntary si gns, the whole signification of which depends on the will or option of him who institutes them. YI. The matter is the external element itself created by God, and, therefore, subject to his power, and made suitable to seal that which, according to his wisdom, God wills to be sealed by it. YII. As the internal form of the sacrament is sx rwv T^^og ti, of things to their relation, it consists in relation, and is that suitable analogy and similitude between the sign and the thing signified which has regard both to the representation, and to the sealing or witnessing, and the exhibition of the thing sig- nified through the authority and the will of him who institutes it. From this most close analogy of the sign with the thing signified, various figurative expressions are employed in the Scriptures and in the sacraments : as, when the name of the thing signified is ascribed to the sign, thus, "And my cove- nant shall be in your flesh ;" (Gen. xvii, 13 ;) and, on? the contrary, in 1 Corinthians v, 7, " Christ, our passover, is sac- rificed for us." Or, when the property of the thing is, ascrib- ed to the sign, as, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I 11 ^ ^ TOL II. 164 JAMES AEMINnJS. shall give him, shall never thirst." (John iv, 14.) And, on the contrary, "Take, eat; this is my body." (Matt, xxvi, 26.) YII. The end of sacraments is two-fold, proximate and remote. T\\q proximate end is the sealing of the promise made in the covenant. The remote end is, (1,) the confirmation of the faith of those who are in the covenant, and by consequence the salvaton of the church that consists of those covenanted members ; and (2,) the glory of God. IX. Those for whom the sacraments have been instituted by God, and by whom they are to be used, are those with whom God has entered into covenant, all of them, and they only. To them the use of the sacraments is to be conceded, as long as tliey are reckoned by God in the number of those who are in covenant ; though by their sins they have deserved to be cast off and divorced. X. But these sacraments are to be considered according to the varied conditions of men ; for they have either been instituted before the fall, and are of, the covenant of works ; or, after the fall, and are of the covenant of grace. There was only a single sacrament of the covenant; of works, and that was the tree of life. Those of the covenant of grace are either so far as they have regard to the promised covenant, and belong to the church while yet in her infancy and placed under pedagogy [the law being her schoolmaster] as were those of circumcision and of the passover ; or so far as now they have regard to the covenant confirmed, and belong to the christian church that is of adult age, as are those of baptism and the Lord's supper. The points of agreement and difference between each of these will be the more conveniently perceived in the discussion of each. COEOLLARY. Though in some things, sacrifices and sacraments agree to- gether, yet they are by no means to be confounded ; because in many respects the latter differ from the former. miVATE DISPUTATIONS. 155 DISPUTATION LXI. ON THE SACRAMENTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE TREE OF LIFE, CIECUMCISICN, AND THE PASCHAL LAMB. I. The tree of life was created and instituted by God for this end — that man, as long as he remained obedient to the divine law, might eat of its fruit, both for the preservation and continuance of this natural life against every defect which could happen to it through old age, or any other cause, and to designate or point out the promise of a better and more bliss- ful life. It answered the former purpose, as an element crea- ted by God ; and the latter, as a sacrament instituted by God. It was adapted to accomplish the former purpose by the nat- ural force and capability which was imparted to it ; it was fitted for the latter, on account of the similitude and analogy which subsist between natural and spiritual life. , II. Circumcision is the sign of the covenant into which God entered with Abraham to seal or witness the promise about the blessed seed that should be born of him, about all nations which were to be blessed in him, and about constituting him the father of many nations, and the heir of the world through the righteousness of faith ; and that God was willing to be his God and the God of his seed after him. This sign was to be administered in that member which is the ordained instrument of generation in the male sex, by a suitable analogy between the sign and the thing signified. III. By that sign all the male descendants from Abraham, were, at the express command of God, to be marked, on the eighth day after their nativity ; and a threatening was added, that it should come to pass that the soul of him who was not circumcised on that day should be cut off from his people. lY. But though females were not circumcised in their bodies, yet they were in the mean time partakers of the same covenant and obligation, because they were reckoned among 156 JAMES AKMINITS. the men, and were considered by God as circumcised. It, therefore, was not necessary that God should institute any other remedy for taking away from females the native corrup- tion of sin, as the papists have the audacity to affirm, beyond and contrary to the Scriptures. Y. And this is the first relation of circumcision belonffinor to the promise. The other is, that the persons circumcised were bound to the observance of the whole law, delivered by God, and especially of the ceremonial law. For it was in the power of God to prescribe, to those who were in covenant with him, a law at his pleasure, and to seal the obligation of its ob- servance by such a sign of the covenant as had been previ- ously instituted and employed ; and in this respect circumcis- ion belongs to the Old Testament. YI. The paschal lamb was a sacrament, instituted by God [ohsignandum] to point out the deliverance from Egypt, and to renew the remembrance of it at a stated time in each year. YII. Beside this use, it served typically to adumbrate Christ, the tme Lamb, who was to endure and bear away the sins of the world ; on which account, also, its use was abroga- ted by the sufferings and [immolatio] the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, as it relates to the right ; but it was afterwards, in fact and reality, abrogated with the destruction of the city and the temple. YIII. The sacrament of the tree of life was a bloodless one ; in the other two, there was shedding of blood — both suitable to the diversity of the state of those who were in covenant with God. For the former was instituted before the entrance of sin into the world ; but the two latter, after sin had entered, which, according to the decree of God, is not expiated except by blood ; because the wages of sin is death, and natural life, according to the Scriptures, has its seat in the blood. IX. The passage under the cloud and through the sea, manna, and the water which gushed from the rock, were sac- ramental signs ; but they were extraordinary, and as a sort of prelude to the sacraments of the New Testament, although of PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 157 a sioTiificatioii and testification the most obscure, since the things signified and witnessed by them were not declared in express words. COEOLL ARIES. I. It is probable that the church, from the primitive prom- ise and reparation after the fall, until the times of Abraham, had her sacraments, though no express mention is made of them in the Scriptures. n. It would be an act of too great boldness to affirm what those sacraments were ; yet if any one should say, that the first of them was the offering of the infant recently born be- fore the Lord, on the very day on which the mother was puri- fied from childbearing, and that another was, the eating of sacrifices and the sprinkling of the blood of the victims ; his assertion would not be utterly devoid of probability. DISPUTATION^ LXn. ON THE SACRAMENTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IN GENERAL. I. The sacraments of the ISTew Testament are those which have been instituted for giving testimony to the covenant, or the 'New Testament confirmed by the death and blood of its mediator and testator. II. Wherefore, it was necessary that they should be such as were adapted to give significance and testimony to the con- firmation already made ; that is, that they should declare and testify that the blood had been shed, and that the death of the mediator had intervened. III. There ought, therefore, to be no shedding of blood in the sacraments of the ISTew Testament ; neither ought they to consist of any such thing as is or has been partaker of the life which is in the blood ; for as sin has now been expiated, and 158 JAMES AEMINIUS. remission fully obtained through the blood and death of the mediator, no further shedding of blood was necessary. lY. But they were to be instituted before the confirmation of the new covenant was made by the blood of the mediator and the death of the testator himself ; both because the insti- tution and the sealing oi the testament ought to precede even the death of the testator ; and because the mediator himself ought to be a partaker of these sacraments, to consecrate them in his own person, and more strongly to seal the covenant which is between us and him. Y. But as the communion of a sacrifice unto death, ofiered for sins, is signified and testified by nothing more appropriately than by the sprinkling of the blood and the eating of the sacrifice itself and the drinking of the blood, (if indeed it were allowable to drink blood,) hence, likewise, no signs were more appropriate than water, bread and wine, since the sprinkling of his very blood and the eating of his body could not be done, and, besides, the drinking of his blood ought not to be done. YI. The virtue and efiicacy of the sacraments of the Xew Testament do not go beyond the act of signifying and testify- ing. There can neither actually be, nor be imagined, any exhibition of the thing signified through them, except such as is completed by these intermediate acts themselves. YII. And, therefore, the sacraments of the ISTew Testament do not difier from those used in the Old Testament ; because the former exhibit grace, but the latter typify or prefigure it. YIII. The sacraments of the Xew Testament have not the ratio of sacraments beyond that very use for the sake of which they were instituted, nor do tliey profit those who use them without faith and repentance ; that is, those persons who are of adult age, and of whom faith and repentance are required. Kespecting infants, the judgment is difierent, to whom it is sufficient that they are the ofispring of believing parents, that they may be reckoned in the covenant. IX. The sacraments of the 'New Testament have been in- stituted, that they may endure to the end of time ; and they will endure till the end of all things. PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 159 COROLLARY. The diversity of sects in the Christian religion does not excuse tlie omission of the use of the sacraments, though the vehemence of the leaders of any sect may afford a legitimate and sufficient cause to the people to abstain justly and without sin from the use of the sacraments of which such men have to become partakers with them. DISPUTATIOJS" LXIII. ON BAPTISM AND P^DO-BAPTISM. I. Baptism is the initial sacrament of the 'New Testament, by which the covenant people of God are sprinkled with water, by a minister of the church, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy ^ Ghost — to signify and to testify the spiritual ablution which is effected by the blood and Spirit of Christ. By this sacrament, those who are baptized to God the Father, and are consecrated to his Son by the Holy Spirit as a peculiar treasure, may have communion with both of them, and serve God all the days of their life. n. The author of the institution is God the Father, in his Son, the mediator of the I^ew Testament, by the eternal Spirit of both. The first administrator of it was John ; but Christ was the confirmer, both by receiving it from John, and by afterwards administering it through his disciples. HI. But as baptism is two-fold with respect to the sign and the thing signified — one being of water, the other of blood and of the Spirit — the first external, the second internal ; so the matter and form ought also to be two-fold — the external and earthy of the external baptism, the internal and heavenly of that which is internal. ly. The matter of external baptism is elementary water, suitable, according to nature, to purify that which is unclean. Hence, it is also suitable for the service of God [significan' 160 JAMES AEMINIFS. dum\ to typify and witness the blood and the Spirit of Christ ; and this blood and the Spirit of Christ is the thing signified in outward baptism, and the matter of that which is inward. But the application both of the blood and the Spirit of Christ, and the effect of both, are the thing signified by the applica- tion of this water, and the effect of the application. Y. The form of external baptism is that ordained adminis- tration, according to the institution of God, which consists of these two things : (1.) That he who is baptized, be sprinkled with this water. (2.) That this sprinkling be made in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. An- alogous to this, is the inward sprinkling and communication both of the blood and the Spirit of Christ, which is done by Christ alone, and which may be called " the internal form of inward baptism." YI. The primary end of baptism is, that it may be a con- firmation and sealing of the communication of grace in Christ, according to the new covenant, into which God the Father has entered with us in and on account of Christ. The secondary end is, that it may be the symbol of our initiation into the visible church, and an express mark of the obligation by which we have been bound to God the Father, and to Christ our Lord. YII. The object of this baptism is not real^ but only per- sonal ; that is, all the covenanted people of God, whether they be adults or infants, provided the infants be born of parents who are themselves in the covenant, or if one of their parents be among the covenanted people of God, both because ablu- tion in the blood of Christ has been promised to them ; and because by the Spirit of Christ they are ingrafted into the body of Christ. YIII. Because this baptism is an initiatory sacrament, it must be frequently repeated ; because it is a sacrament of the Kew Testament, it must not be changed, but will continue to the end of the world ; and because it is a sign confirming the promise, and sealing it, it is unwisely asserted that, through it, grace is conferred ; that is, by some other act of conferring than that which is done through \_s%gnificationem\ typifying PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 161 and sealing : For grace cannot be immediately conferred by water. DISPUTATION^ LXIY. ON THE lord's SUPPER. I. As IN the preceding disputation, we have treated on baptism, the sacrament of initiation, it follows that we now discuss the Lord's supper, which is the sacrament of con- firmation. II. We define it thus : The Lord's supper is a sacrament of the New Testament immediately instituted by Christ for the use of the church to the end of time, in which, by the legiti- mate external distribution, taking, and enjoyment of bread and wine, the Lord's death is announced, and the inward receiving and enjoyment of the body and blood of Christ are signified ; and that most intimate and close union or fellowship, by which we are joined to Christ our Head, is sealed and confirmed on account of the institution of Christ, and the analogical rela- tion of the sign to the thing signified. But by this, believers profess their gratitude and obligation to God, communion among themselves, and a marked difference from all other persons. III. "We constitute Christ the author of this sacrament ; for he alone is constituted, by the Father, the Lord and Head of the church, possessing the right of instituting sacraments, and of efficaciously performing this very thing which is signified and sealed by the sacraments. lY. The matter is, bread and wine ; which, with regard to their essence^ are not changed, but remain what they previ- ously were ; neither are they, with regard to jplace^ joined together with the body or blood, so that the body is either m, under^ or with the bread, &c. ; nor in the use of the Lord's Supper can the bread and wine be separated, that, when the bread is held out to the laity, the cup be not denied to them. 162 JAMES AKMINIUS. Y. We lay down the form in the relation and the most strict union, which exist between the signs and the thing signified, and the reference of both to those believers who communicate, and by which they are made by analogy and similitude some- thing [tmum'] united. From this conjunction of relation, arises a two-fold use of signs in this sacrament of the Lord's supper — the first, that these signs are representative — the second, that, while representing, they seal Christ to us with his benefits. YI. The end is two-fold : The first is, that our faith should be more and more strengthened towards the promise of grace which has been given by God, and concerning the truth and certainty of our being ingrafted into Christ. The second is, (1,) that believers may, by the remembrance of the death of Christ, testify their gratitude and obligation to God ; (2,) that they may cultivate charity among themselves ; and (3,) that by this mark they may be distinguished from unbelievers. DISPUTATION^ LXY. ON THE POPISH MASS. I. Omitting the various significations of the word " mass" which may be adduced, we consider, on this occasion, that which the papists declare to be the external and properly called " expiatory sacrifice," in which the sacrificers offer Christ to his Father in behalf of the living and the dead, and which they afiirm to have been celebrated and instituted by Christ himself when he celebrated and instituted his last supper. II. First. We say, this sacrifice is falsely ascribed to the institution of the Lord's supper ; for Christ did not institute a sacrifice, but a sacrament, which is apparent from the institu- tion itself, in which we are not commanded to offer any thing to God, at least nothing external. Yet we grant, that in the Lord's supper, as in all acts, is commanded, or ought to exist, PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 163 that internal sacrifice by which believers offer to God prayers, praises and thanksgiving. In this view, the Lord's supper is called " the eucharist?'^ III. Secondly. To this sacrifice are opposed the nature, truth and excellence of the sacrifice of Christ. For, as the sacrifice of Christ is single, expiatory, perfect, and of infinite value ; and as Christ was once offered, and " hath by that one oblation perfected for ever them who were once sanctified," as the Scriptures testify, undoubtedly no place has been left either for any other sacrifice, or for a repetition of this sacrifice of Christ. lY. Thiedlt. Besides, it is wrong to suppose that Christ can be or ought to be offered by men, or by any other person than by himself; for he, alone, is both the victim and the priest, as being the only one who is truly " holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." Y. From all these particulars it is sufficiently apparent, that it is not necessary, nay, that it is impious, for any expia- tory sacrifice now to be offered by men for the living and the dead. Besides, it is a piece of foolish ignorance, to suppose either that the dead require some oblation ; or that they can by it obtain remission of sins, who have not obtained pardon before death. YI. In addition to these three enormous errors committed in the mass, with respect to the sacrifice, to the priest, and to those for whom the sacrifice is offered, there is a fourth, which is one of the greatest turpitude of all, and is committed in con- junction with idolatry — that this very sacrifice is adored by him who offers it, and by those for whom it is offered, and is carried about in solemn pomp. COROLLAKT. In these words, the mass is an expiatory, representative and commemorative sacrifice," there is an opposition in the apposition and a manifest contradiction, : JAMES AEMINIUS. DISPUTATIOiSr LXYI. ON THE FIVE FALSE SACEAMENTS. I. As THEEE things are necessarily required to constitute the essence of a sacrament — that is, divine institution, an out- ward and visible sign, and a promise of the invisible grace which belongs to eternal salvation — it follows that the thing which is deficient in one of these requisites, or in which one of them is wanting, cannot come under the denomination of a sacrament. II. Therefore pojjish conjirmation is not a sacrament, though the external signing of the cross in the forehead of the Chris- tian, and the unction of the chrism, are employed ; for these signs have not been instituted by Christ ; neither have they been sanctified [ad signiJiGandum] to typify or to seal any thing of saving grace ; nor is promised grace annexed to the use or to the reception of these signs. in. Penitence^ indeed, is an act prescribed, by the Lord, to all who have fallen into sin, and has the promise of remission of sins. But because there does not exist in it, through the divine command, any external sign, by which grace is intima- ted and sealed, it cannot, on this account, receive the appella- tion of " a sacrament." For the act of a priest, absolving a penitent, belongs to the announcement of the gospel ; as does likewise the injunction of those works which are inaccurately styled by the papists satisfactory^ that is, fasting, prayers, alms, afiiicting the soul, &c. lY. That is called extreme unction^ by the papists, which is bestowed on none except on those who are in their last mo- ments ; but it has then not the least power or virtue ; nor was it ever instituted by Christ to signify the jDromise of spiritual grace. It cannot, therefore, obtain the appellation of " a sac- rament." Y. Neither can the order or institution, confirmation or in- auguration of any person to the official discharge of some ec- clesiastical duties, come under the denomination of a sacra- PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 165 ment — both because it belongs to the particular and public vo- cation of some persons in the church, and not to the general vocation of all ; and because, though it may have been insti- tuted by Christ, yet, whatever external signs may be employ- ed in it, they do not belong to the sealing of that grace which makes a man [gratmri] agreeable [to God] or which is saving, but only to that which is freely given, as they say by way of distinction. YI. Though matrimony between a husband and wife agree by a certain similitude with the spiritual espousals subsisting between Christ and the church; yet it it was neither instituted by the Lord for signifying this, nor has it any promise of spir- itual grace annexed to it. DISPUTATION LXYn. ON THE WORSHIP OF GOD IN GENERAL. I. The first part of our duty to God and Christ was, the true [sensus] meaning concerning God and Christ, or true faith in God and Christ ; the second part is, the right worship to be rendered to both of them. II. This part receives various appellations. Among the Hebrews, it is called nTl^3^ D^rTlb^i^ iTli^l^? honor or worship, and the fear of God. Among the Greek, it is called Ev(fs(3sia^ piety ; (s>so(fsf3sia^ godliness, or a worshiping of God ; Gpri(fxsia^ religion ; Aarpsja, service rendered to God ; A^^Xsia, religious homage ; Gspa'jrsia^ divine worship ; Tj^xti^ honor ; €>o/3o^, fear ; A/a-Tni ©s^, the love of God. Among the Ro- mans it is called, pietas, cultus or cultura dei^ veneratio^ ho- nos, ohservantia. III. It may be generally defined to be an observance which must be yielded to God and Christ from a true faith, a good conscience, and from charity unfeigned, according to the will of God which has been manifested and made known to us, to 166 JAMES ABMINIUS. the gloiy of botli of tliem, to the salvation of the worshiper, and the edification of others. lY. We express the genus by the word " observance," be- cause it contains tlie express intention of our mind and of our will to God and to his will, which inte^ition partly inspires life into this portion of our duty towards God. Y. The object is the same as that of the whole of religion, and of the first part of it, which is faith ; and this object is God and Christ, in which the same formal reasons come under consideration, as those which we explained when treating gen- erally on religion. YI. In the efficient or the worshiper, whom we declare to be a christian man, we require true faith in God and Christ, a good conscience, as having been sanctified and purified through faith by the blood and Spirit of Christ, and a sincere charity ; for, without these, no worship which is rendered to God can be grateful and acceptable to him. YII. The matter is, those particular acts in which the wor- ship of God consists ; but the very will and command of God [in- format] gives form to it ; for it is not the will of God to be worshiped at the option of a creature, but according to the pleasure and prescript of his own will. YIII. The principal end is, the glory of God and Christ. The less principal is the salvation of the worshiper, and the edification of others, both that they may be won over to Christ, and that, having been brought to Christ, they may the more increase and grow in devotedness. IX. The form is the observance itself, which is framed from the suitable agreement of all these things to the dignity, ex- cellence and merits of the object that is to be worshiped — from such a disposition of the worshiper according to such prescript, and from the intention of this end. If one of these be wanting the observance is vitiated, and is, therefore, displeasing to God. X. Yet the worship which is prescribed by God must not, on this account, be omitted, though the man, to whom it is prescribed, cannot yet perform it, from such a mind, (§ lY & YI,) to this end. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 167 DISPUTATIOiT LXYIII. ON THE PEECEPTS OF DIVINE WORSHIP IN GENERAL. I. To THOSE who are about to treat on the worship of God, the most commodious waj and method seems to be this — to follow the order of thelk)mmands of God in which this wor- ship is prescribed, and to consider all and each of them. For thev instruct and inform the worshiper, and thej prescribe the matter, form and end of the worship. II. In the precepts which prescribe the worehip of God, three things come generally under consideration : (1.) Their foundation, on which rest the right and authority of him who commands, and the equity of his command. (2.) The com- mand itself. (3.) The sanction, through promises and threat- enings. The first of these may be called the preface to the command the third, " the appendix to it and the second is the very essence of the precept. III. The foundation or preface, containing the authority of Him who commands, and, through this, the equity of the pre- cept, is the common foundation of all religion, and, on this account, also, it is the foundation of faith ; for instance, " I am the Lord thy God," &c. " I, the God omnipotent or all- sufficient, will be thy very great reward." " I am thy God, and the God of thy seed." From these expressions, not only may this conclusion be drawn — " Therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God," " Therefore walk before me, and be thou perfect" — but likewise the following : " Therefore believe thou in me." But we must not treat on this subject on this occa- sion, as it has been discussed in the preceding pages. lY. I say that the other two are, the precept, and the sanc- tion or appendix of the precept. For we must suppose that there are two parts of a precept, the first of which requires the performance or the omission of an act, and the second demands punishment. But we must consider that the latter part, which is called " the appendix," serves for this purpose, that, in the former, God enjoys the thing which he desired, 168 JAMES AEMTNIUS. dispensing blessings if he obtain bis desire, and inflicting pun- ishments if he does not obtain it. Y. "With regard to the precepts, before we come to each of them, we must first look generally at that which comes under consideration in every precept. YI. In the first place, the object of every precept is two- fold, the ouQ formal^ the other material / or the first formally required, the second materially,. oAhese, the former is uni- form in all circumstances and in every precept, but the lat- ter is diflerent or distinguishable. YII. The formal object, or that which is formally required, is pure obedience itself without respect of the particular thing or act in which, or about which, obedience must be performed. And we may be allowed to call such obedience " blind," with this exception, that it is preceded solely by the knowledge by which a man knows that this very thing had been prescribed by God. YIII. The material object, or that which is materially re- quired, is the special or particular act itself, in the perform- ance or omission of which obedience lies. IX. From the formal object, it is deduced that the act in which it is the will of God that obedience be yielded to him by its performance, is of such a nature that there is something in man which is abhorrent from its performance ; and that the act, the omission of which is commanded by God, is of such a nature that there is something in man which is inclined to perform it. If it were otherwise, neither the performance of the former, nor the omission of the latter, could be called " obedience." X. From these premises, it further follows that the perform- ance and the omission of this act proceed from a cause which overcomes and restrains the nature of man, that is inclined towards the forbidden act, and is abhorrent from that which is prescribed. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. m DISPUTATIOE" LXIX. ON OBEDIENCE, THE FORMAL OBJECT OF ALL THE DIVINH PRECEPTS. I. The obedience which, is the formal object of all the di- vine precepts, and which is prescribed in all of them, is prop- erly and adequately prescribed to the will conducting itself according to the mode of liberty ; that is, as it is free, that [moderetur] it may regulate the will conducting itself accord- ing to the mode of nature, that is, that it may regulate the inclination according to the prescribed obedience. n. This liberty is either that of contradiction or exercise, or that of contrariety or specification. According to the lib- erty of exercise, the will regulates the inclination, that it may perform some act rather than abstain from it, or the contrary. According to the liberty of specification, the will regulates the inclination, that, by such an act, it may tend towards this rather than towards that object. III. From this formal object of all precepts, and its relation thus considered, arises the first distribution and that a formal one, of all the precepts, into those which command, and those which forbid ; that is, those in which the commission or the omission [of an act] is prescribed. lY. A precept which forbids is so binding, as not to allow a man to commit what is forbidden. For we must not perpe- trate wickednesss that good may come ; yet this is the only reason why we might occasionally be allowed to perform what has been- forbidden. Y. A precept which commands is not equally rigidly bind- ing, so as to require \cixwc[ue vel moinento] in every single mo- ment of time the performance of what is commanded ; for this cannot be done, though the period when man will or will not perform it, is not left to his option ; but performance of it must be administered according to the occasioos and exigen- cies which offer. Thus it was not lawful for Daniel to abstain for three days from calling upon his God. 12 VOL. n. 170 JAMES AKMINIUS. YI. When a precept which forbids, and one which com- mands, are directly contrary — whether it be according to the act^ " Thou shalt love God, and not hate him," " Thou shalt hate the world and not love it or, whether it be according to the object^ " Thou shalt love God, and not love the world " Thou shalt hate the world, but shalt not hate God then the transgression of the law which forbids, is more grievous than that which commands, because it recedes further from obLdience, and because the commission of an evil which has been forbidden includes in it the omission of a good which has been commanded. DISPUTATION^ LXX. ON OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDS OF GOD IN GENERAL. I. Because the yielding of obedience is the duty of an in- ferior, therefore, for the performance of it, humility is requi- site. This, generally considered, is a quality by which any one \natus est\ becomes ready to submit himself to another, to un- dertake his commands and to execute them ; and, in this in- stance, to submit himself to God. II. Obedience has respect partly to an internal act, and partly to one that is external. The performance of both these is required for entire, trae, and sincere obedience. For God is a Spirit, and the inspector of hearts, who demands the obe- dience of the whole man, both of the inward and the outward man — obedience from the affections of the heart and from the members of the body. The external act without the internal is hypocrisy ; the internal, without the external, is incom- plete, unless man be hindered from the performance of the ex- ternal act without his own [ prcesente'] immediate fault. III. With this, nearly coincides the expression of the scho- lastic divines^ — "to perform a command either according to PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. in the substance of the act only, or also according to the required quality and mode," in which sense, likewise, Luther seems to have uttered that expression — "Adverbs save and damn." lY. The grace and special concurrence of God are required for the performance of entire, true, and sincere obedience, even for that of the inner man, of the affections of the heart, and of a lawful mode. But we allow it to be made a subject of discussion, w^hether revelation, and that assistance of God which is called " general," and which is opposed to this spe- cial aid, and is distinguished from it, be sufficient only to per- form the external act of the body and the substance of the act. Y. Though that special grace which moves, excites, impels and urges to obey, physically moves the understanding and [affectum'] the inclination of man, so that he cannot be other- wise than affected [sensu] with the perception of it, yet it does not effect or elicit the consent except morally, that is, by the mode of suasion, and by the intervention of the free volition of man, which free volition not only excludes coaction, but likewise all antecedent necessity and determination. YI. But that special concurrence or assistance of grace, which is also called " co-operating and accompanying grace," differs neither in kind nor efficacy from that exciting and mo- ving grace which is called preventing and operating^ but it is the same grace continued. It is styled " co-operating" or " concomitant," only on account of the concurrence of the hu- man will which operating and preventing grace has elicited from the will of man. This concurrence is not denied to him to whom exciting grace is applied, unless the man offers re- sistance to the grace exciting. YII. From these premises, w^e conclude that a regenerated man is capable of performing more good than he actu- ally performs, and can omit more evil than he omits ; and, therefore, that neither in the sense in which it is received by St. Augustine, nor in that in which some of our divines un- derstand it, is efficacious grace necessary for the performance of obedience — a circumstance which is highly agreeable with the doctrine of St. Augustine. 172 JAMES ARMESnUS. COEOLLAET. Coaction only circumscribes the liberty of an agent, it does not destroy or take it away ; and such circumscription is not made, except through the medium or intervention of the nat- ural inclination ; the natural inclination, therefore, is more opposed to liberty than coaction is. DISPUTATION LXXI. ON THE MATERIAL OBJECT OF THE PRECEPTS OF THE LAW IN GENERAL. I. As MERE obedience, considered in the abstract, is the formal object of all the precepts of the divine law, so the acts in which the obedience that must be performed is prescribed, are the material objects of the same precepts. II. For this reason, these acts will at length be said to be conformable to law, annd performed according to law, when obedience \infoTrriaveTit\ has given form to them ; that is, when they have been performed from obedience, or through the intention and desire of obeying. This desire to obey is necessarily preceded by a certain knowledge that those acts have been prescribed by God, according to this expression of the apostle : " Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." > III. Hence, it is apparent that a good intention does not suffice to justify an act, unless it be preceded by a command of God and a knowledge of such command ; though, without a good intention, no act, even when commanded by God, can of itself be pleasing to him. But it is our w^isli that, under the term " actions," omission is also understood to be compre- hended. lY. A good work, therefore, universally requires these con- ditions : (1.) That it be prescribed by God. (2.) That man certainly knows it to have been commanded by God. (3.) That it be performed with the intention and desire of obeying PRIVATE DISPTJTAUONS. 1Y3 God, wliich cannot be done without faith in Grod. To these ought to be added a special condition, which belongs to Cln-ist and to his gospel — that it be done through faith in Christ, because no work is agreeable to God after the com- mission of sin in a state of grace, except in Christ, and through faith in him. But the acts which are prescribed in the law, are. either of themselves and in their own nature indifferent ; or they have in them something why they are pleasing or displeasing to God — why they are prescribed by him or forbidden. The law, which prescribes the former of these, [the indifferent acts,] is called "positive," "symbolical," and "ceremonial." That which prescribes the latter is styled " the moral law" and " the decalogue ;" it is also called " the law of nature." On these last, we shall afterwards treat at greater length. YI. The material acts, in which obedience is prescribed to be performed by the moral law, are either general, and belong- ing to the observance of the whole law and of all and each of its precepts ; or they are special, and peculiarly prescribed in each of the precepts of the decalogue. YII. The general acts are the love, honor and fear of God, and trust in him. The special acts will be treated in the par- ticular explanation of each of the precepts. DISPUTATIOE" LXXIL ON THE LOVE, PEAK, TKUST, AND HONOR WHICH AEE DUE FKOM MAN TO GOD. I. These general acts may be considered either in the first act or in the second. In the first, they come under the de- nomination of affections ; in the second, they retain to them- selves the appropriate name of acts. But in consequence of the close union and agreement of nature between an affection and a second act, love, fear, trust and honor, receive the same denomination of "an affection," and " an act." 174: JAMES ARMTCmiS. II. The love of God is a dutiful act of man, bj which he knowingly and willingly prefers, before all other things, the union of himself with God and obedience to the divine law, to which is subjoined a hatred of separation and of disobedi- ence. III. The fear of God is a dutiful act of man, by which he knowingly and willingly dreads before all ' things and avoids the displeasing of God, (which is placed in the transgression of his commands,) his wrath and reprehension and any [sin- ister] inauspicious estimation of him lest he be separated from God. TV. Trust in God is a dutiful act of man, by which he know- ingly and willingly rej^oses on God alone, assuredly hoping for and expecting from him all things which are salutary or saving to himself ; in which we also comprehend the removal of evils. Y. The honor of God is a dutiful act of man, by which he knowingly and willingly repays to God the reward due for his excellent virtues and acts. YI. The primary object of all these acts, as they are pre- scribed by law and are man's duty, is God himself ; because, for whatever other things these acts are to be performed, they must be performed on account of God and through his com- mand, otherwise no one can truly call them ''''goodP YII. The formal reason of the object, that is, why these acts may and ought to be performed to God, is, the wisdom, goodness, justice, and power of God, and the acts performed by him according to and through them. But we permit this to be made the subject of a pious discussion. Which of these, in requiring simple acts, obtain the precedence, and which of them follow ? YIII. The immediate cause of these acts is man, according to his understanding and inclination, and the freedom of his will, not as man is, \animalis\ natural, but as he is spiritual, and formed again after the life of God. IX. The principal cause is the Holy Spirit, who infuses into man, by the act of regeneration, the affections of love, fear, trust, and honor; by exciting grace, excites, moves and incites PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 1T5 him to second acts, and by co-operating grace, concurs with man himself to produce such second acts. X. The form of these acts is that thej be done through faith, and according to the law of God. Their end is, that they be performed to the salvation of the workers themselves, to the glory of God, and to the benefit and confirmation of others. DISPUTATIOlSr LXXin. ON PARTICULAR ACTS OF OBEDIENCE, OR THOSE WHICH ARE PRE- SCRIBED IN EACH PRECEPT, OR CONCERNING THE DECALOGUE IN GENERAL. I. The special acts of obedience are prescribed in the deca- logue, and in each of the commandments. The decalogue, therefore, itself, must be considered by us in order. II. A convenient distribution of the decalogue is that into a preface and precepts. The preface is contained in these words : " I am the Lord thy God, who have brought thee up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." For we are of opinion that this preface belongs to the entire decalogue, rath- er than to the first commandment ; though we do not consider it advisable to contend about a matter so small and unimpor- tant. III. The preface contains a general argument of suasion, why the children of Israel ought to yield obedience to Jeho- vah — and this two-fold — the first drawn from the right of con- federation or covenant — the second, from a particular and signal benefit recently confeiTed on him. The former of these is contained in the words, "the Lord thy God the latter, in the expression, " who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt," of which benefit a high commendation is given in the description which is added — that Egypt was to the Israelites " the house of bondage ;" that by amplifying the misery of that servitude, they might be able to call to mind those things which had happened to them. JAMES AEMTNIUS. TV. Though this argument, " thj God," may likewise have respect to creation, and may comprise that benefit, yet it is more probable that it has a special reference to the concluding of a covenant with this people. Y. From this preface, may conveniently be deduced those general acts about which we have treated in the preceding dis- putation — the love, fear, trust, and honor of God ; for, as Je- hovah is their God, who delivered them out of Egypt, there- fore, most justly, as well as profitably, must he be loved, feared and honored, and trust must be re230sed in him. YI. But some things generally must be observed lor the correct performance of all the precepts together. Such are, YII. The law of God requires the entire obedience of the mouth, heart and work, that is, inward and outward obedience — for God is the God of the whole man, of the soul and body, and looks principally upon the heart. YIII. The explanation of the j^recepts of the decalogue must be sought from Moses and the prophets, from Christ and his apostles ; and it may be procured in sufficient abundance, so that nothing necessary can be imagined, which may not be drawn from the writings of the Old and the New Testament. IX. The meaning of each precept must be taken from t?ie end on account of which it was given ; and all those things must be considered as included in it, without which the pre- cept cannot be performed. Therefore, one and the same work may be referred to different precepts, so far as it has respect to difierent ends. X. In affirmation, its opposite negative seems to be com- prised ; and, in a negative, the affirmation which is opposed to it ; because God not only requires a refraining from evil, ut likewise a performance of good, though a reason may be given why God declared some things negatively, and others affirmatively. XI. Homogeneous and cognate acts are commanded or are forbidden in the same precept ; and a genus comprehends its species ; and a species comprises, in the same command, other species allied to it, unless a just law exists why it must be oth- erwise determined. PRIVATE DISPTJTATIOJTS. m XII. An effect in its cause, or a cause in its effect, (if the conversion be necessary and according to nature,) is not com- manded and prohibited through accident. XIII. When of those things which have a relation to each other, one is prescribed or forbidden, the other is also com- manded or forbidden, because they mutually lay themselves down and remove themselves. XIY. If it happen that the observance of two precepts can- not be paid at the same time to both of them, regard must be had to that which is of the greater moment, and for the per- formance of which more and juster causes exist. DISPUTATIOISr LXXIY. ON THE FIEST COMMAND IN THE DECALOGUE. I. The ten precepts of the decalogue are conveniently dis- tributed into those of the first and those of the second table. To the first table are attributed those precepts which immedi- ately prescribe our duty towards God himself ; of this kind, there are four. The second table claims those precepts which contain the duties of men towards their fellow-men; and to it are attributed the last six. II. This is the relation which subsists between the com- mands of each table — that, from love to God and in reference to him,, we manifest love, and the offices of love towards our neighbor ; and if it should happen that we must of necessity relinquish either our duty to God or our neighbor, God should be preferred to our neighbor. Let this relation, however, be understood as concerning those precepts only which are not of the ceremonial worship ; otherwise, [respecting ceremonies] this declaration holds good : " I will have mercy, and not sac- rifice." III. The first commandment is, " Thou shalt have no other god before my face," or " against my face." lY. It is very certain that, in this negative precept, the 178 JAMES ARMmilJS. subjoined affirmative one is included or presupposed as some- thing preceding and prerequisite : " Thou shalt have me, who am Jehovah, for thy God." Tliis is likewise immediately con- sequent upon the preface, " I am the Lord thy God there- fore, " Let me be the Lord thy God ;" or, which is the same, " Therefore, have thou me, the Lord, for thy God." Y. But " to have the Lord for our God, is the part both of the understanding and of [afectus] the inclination or the will ; and, lastly, of an effect proceeding from both or from each of them. YL " Another god" is whatever the human mind invents, to which it attributes the divinity that is suitable and appro- priate to the true God alone — whether such divinity be essence and life, or properties, works, or glory. YIL Or whether the thing to which man attributes divin- ity be something existing or created, or whether it be some- thing non-existent and merely imaginary and a figment of the brain, it is [perinde] equally " another god ;" for the entire divinity of that other god lies radically, essentially and virtu- ally in human ascription, and by no means in that to which such divinity is ascribed. Hence is the origin of this phrase, in Scripture, " To go a whoring after their own heart." YIIL But this "other God" may be conceived under a three-fold difference, according to the Scriptures. For those who have him, have (1,) either themselves been the first in- ventors of him, (2,) have received him from their parents, or (3,) from other nations, when neither they nor their fathers knew him ; and this last is done either by force, by persuasion, or by the free and spontaneous choice of the will. IX. For this reason, that "other god" is truly called " an idol ;" and the act by which he is accounted another god, is idolatry ; whether this be committed in the mind, by esti- mation, acknowledgment, and belief, or by the affections, love, fear, trust and hope, or by some external effect of honor, wor- ship, adoration and invocation. X. The enormity of this sin is apparent from the fact of its being called " a defection from God," " a forsaking of the liv- PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 179 ing fountain," and "a digging of broken cisterns that hold no water," "a perfidious desertion of holy matrimony," and "a violation of the connubial compact." ISTay, the gentiles are said to sacrifice to devils whatsoever they suppose that they ofier to God, in this ignorance of God and alienation from the life of God. XI. The cause why men are said to do service unto devils, although they have themselves other thoughts, is this : because Satan is the fountain head, and origin of all idolatry ; and is the author, persuader, impeller, approver and defender of all the worship which is expended on another God. Hence, like- wise, it is the highest degree of idolatry when any one accounts divine or ascribes divinity to Satan as Satan, displaying him- self as Satan and vaunting himself for God. XII. But though the gentiles worshiped angels or devils, not as the supreme God, but as minor deities and his minis- ters, by whose intervention they might have communication with the supreme God ; yet the worship which they paid to them was idolatry, because this worship was due to no one except to the true God. But it does not belong to the defini- tion of idolatry, that any one should pay to another, as to God, that worship which is due to the true God alone ; for it is sufficient if he account him as God, by ascribing divine worship to him, though, in his mind, he may account him not to be the supreme God. It is no palliation of the crime, but an aggravation, if anyone knowingly performs divine worship to him whom he knows not to be God. XIII. And since Christ must be honored as the Father is, because he has been constituted by his Father King- and Lord, and has received all judgment, since every knee must bow to him, and since he is to be invoked as Mediator and the Head of his church, so that the church can pay this honor to no one except him, without incurring the crime of idolatry ; there- fore, the papists, who adore Mary, the angels, or holy men, and who invoke them as the donors and administrators of gifts, or as intercessors through their own merits, are guilty of the crime of idolatry. 180 JAMES AEMINTUS. XIY. Besides, wlien they adore the bread in the Lord's Bupper, and receive and account the pope for that person- age whom he boasts himself to be, they commit the sin of idolatry. DISPUTATION^ LXXY. ON THE SECOND CO^IMAND IN THE DECALOGUE. I. The second precept consists of a command and its sanc- tion, from a description of God, who is prompt and powerful to punish the transgressor, and who is greatly inclined to bless him that is obedient. In this, are consequently included a threat of punishment and a promise of reward. II. This command is negative. A deed which is dipleas- ing to God is forbidden in these words : " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth ; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them." III. The sum of the precept is, that no one should adore or offer divine worship to any sculptured, molten or painted im- age, or one made in any other way, whether it has for its archetype a thing really existing or something fictitious, God or a creature, or whether it resemble its archetype according to some real conformity, or only by institution and opinion, or, which is the same thing, that he do not in or to any image adore or worship that which he coi^siders in the place of a deity and worships as such, whether this be truly or falsely. lY. As, from a comparison of this precept, with other pas- sages of Scripture in which God commands certain images to be made, it appears that the mere formation of every kind of image whatsoever is not forbidden, provided that they be not prostituted to worship ; so, from a comparison of this same precept with others which are analogous to it or collateral, it is evident that no image ought to be made to represent God, PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 181 because this very act is nothing else but a changing of the glory of the incorruptable God into the image or likeness of a corruptible thing. For whatever can be fashioned or framed is visible, therefore corruptible. We are not afraid of making this general affirmation under the sanction of the Scriptures, though with them and from them we know, that now, accord- ing to the body, Christ is incorruptible. Y. A double distinction is here employed by the papists, of an archetype and its image ; and also of an image itself as it is formed of such materials^ and as it is an image^ that is, calculated and fitted to represent the archetype. From these, they further deduce the distinction of the intention in worship- ing ; by which the worshiper looks upon either the archetype alone, not its image ; or, if he even looks on the image, he does not behold it as it is made of such materials, neither on it principally^ but in reference to its archetype. We do not attempt to deny that the mind of man can frame a distinction of this kind. YI. But when those who fall down before an image attempt, by such a distinction, to excuse themselves from the trans- gression of this precept, they accuse God liiraself of a false- hood, and deride his command. (1.) They charge him with falsehood ; because, when God declares that he who falls down before an image, says to the wood^nd to the stone, "Thou art' my Father !" they assert, that the prostrated person does not say this to the wood and the stone, but to their archetype, that is, to God. (2.) They mock God and his command ; because by this distinction it comes to pass, that no man at any time, though paying adoration to any kind of images, can be brought in guilty of having violated this precept, unless, according to his own opinion, he has judged that wood really to be God, and therefore that he has himself truly and in reality formed a god, which cannot possibly enter into the conception of one who uses his reason. YII. But they partly annihilate their own excuse which rests on this distinction, when they say that the same honor and worship (whether it be that of latria^ of dulia, or of hy- perdulia,) must be given to an image as to its archetype. 182 JAMES AEMTNIUS. Neitlier does this prolong its existence hy such distinction, when they represent God himself hy an image, because that is simply forbidden to be done. YIII. We assert, therefore, that, according to the judgment of God, and express passages of Scripture, the papists are cor- rectly charged with [effigiant] giving a portraiture of the es- sence of God, when they represent him in the form of an old man, graced with an ample grey beard, and seated on a throne — though in express words they say, that they know God has not a body, and though they protest that they had fashioned this form, not for the purpose of representing his essence, but that they had instituted this similitude to represent the ap- pearance which he occasionally made to his prophets, and to signify his presence. For the ]3rotestation is contrary to facts ; since facts are, by nature, not what we feign them to be, but what God, the legislator, declares them to be. But he says those facts are, that he has been assimilated, that a [supposed] likeness of himself has been formed, and that he has been [falsely] set up in a gold or silver graven image. IX. We assert that all those images of which we have spo- ken — both thos* of God, placed only for representation, and those of other things (whether true or fictitious,) exposed for adoration — are correctly called "idols," not only according to the etymology of the word, but likewise according to the usage of the Scriptures, and that the distinction which is employed by the papists between idols and resemblances or images has been produced from the dark cave of horrid idolatry. X. In the same precept in which it is forbidden to fashion or make any images for divine worship, it is likewise com- manded to remove others, if they have been previously made and exposed for worship, these two cautions being always ob- served, (1.) That it be done, when preceded by a suitable and sufficient teaching. (2.) That it be the work of those who are in possession of the supreme authority in the common- wealth and the church. XI. Though the honor exhibited to such images, or to the deity through such images, be reproachful to the true God himself; yet he, also, who pours contumely on the images PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 183 which he considers to be correctly formed, and lawfully pro- posed for worship, pours contumely on the deity himself, whom he presumes to worship, and declares himself to be an atheist. XII. The affirmation seems here to be strictly and directly opposed to the whole negative precept, that we may worship God, because he is a Spirit, with a pure cogitation of mind and abstracted from every imagination. XIII. The sanction of the precept, wh'ch includes the threatening, is this : " For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me that is, unless you obey this, my precept, you shall feel that I am jealous of mine honor, and that I will not, with impunity, suffer it t^ be given to another, or my glory to be communica- ted to graven images. XIY. The other part of the sanction contains a promise in these words : " I am the Lord thy God, shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments [That is, if you obey this my precept, you shall feel that I will display mercy towards you, and towards your children to the thousandth generation, provided that they also love me.] XY. But mention is made of posterity, that men may be thus the more incited to obedience, since their future compli- ance with the precept will prove beneficial, not only to them- selves, but to their posterity, or their futm^e transgression will be injurious to them and their offspring. XYI. From a comparison of the preceding command with this, it appears that there is a two-fold idolatry — one, by which a false and fictitious deity is worshiped ; another, by which a true or false deity is worshiped in an image, by an image, or at an image. Yet this very image is sometimes called " a false and another god," which the Lord God also seems to intimate in this place, when he endeavors to deter men from a violation of this precept by an argument drawn from his jealousy. * i84 JAMES AEMTNIUS. COROLLAKY. "Without any exaggeration, the idolatry of the papists may be placed on an equality with that of the Jews and gentiles. If it be urged as an exception, that they have neither made their children pass through the fire, nor have offered living men in sacrifice — we reply. The horrid tyranny which the papists have exercised in the murder of so many thousand martyrs, with the design of confirming the idolatry that flourishes among tliem, may be equitably compared to making their children pass through the fire, and the oblation of living men in sacrifice, if not according to tJie appearance of the deed, at least according- to the grievous nature of the crime. DISPUTATIOIS' LXYI. ON THE THIRD PRECEPT OF THE DECALOGUE. I. This precept, as well as its predecessor, consists of a command, and of its sanction through the threatening of a punishment. The precept is a negative one, and prohibits a deed which is displeasing to God, in these words : " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." II. The reason, and end of the precept is this : Because God is entirely holy, and because his name is full of majesty, we must use it in a holy and reverend manner, and must, by no means, account it common or contaminate it. ni. " The name of God" is here received in its most general notion, for every word which, according to the purpose of God, is used to signify God and divine things. lY. " To assume" or " to take the name of God," is, properly, to take that word into our mouth and pronounce it with our tongue. If, under this phrase, any one, by a synec- dgclie, is desirous, likewise, of comprehending the deeds, in which God and divine things are less religiously treated, he has our full permission ; and, we think, he does not depart ' mi- . PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 1B5 from the sense of tlie precept. But we still continue in the explanation of the proper acceptation. y. The particle, " in vain^^'' is variously received — for that which is done rashly and without just cause — for wliatisdone in vain and with no useful end — for what is done with men- dacity, dissimulation, falsely, inadvertently, &c. Hence, this prohibition likewise diffuses itself extensively in every direc- tion. YI. But, perhaps with some propriety, every " taking of the name of the Lord in vain" may be reduced to two princi- pal heads or kinds : The first genus comprehends the use of the name of God when no mention of it, whatever, should be made ; that is, in a word or deed, in which it has been the will of God that the mention of his name shall not intervene, either because the word or deed is not lawful, or because it is of minor moment. YIL But the second genus comprises the incorrect use of the name of God ; that is, when it is not truly used in any of our duties in which it may be lawfully used, or in which it ought also to be dutifully used according to the divine direction. YIII. The duties of this class are, the adoration and invo- cation of God, the narration and preaching of his word or of divine things, oaths, &c. In these, the name of God is taken in vain, in three ways: (1.) Hypocritically, when it is not used sincerely from the whole heart. (2.) With a doubting conscience, when it is used with an uncertain belief that it is lawful to be used in that dut3^ (3.) Against conscience, as when it is employed to bear testimony to a falsehood. IX. The threatening is expressed in these words : " For the Lord will not leave him unpunished that taketh his name in vain." By this he endeavors to persuade men, that no one should dare io use his name; of which persuasion there is so much the greater necessity, as the heinousness of this offence is not sufficiently considered among men. 13 VOL II. 186 JAMES AEMINIUB. DispuTATioisr Lxxyn. ON THE FOURTH COMMAND IN THE DECALOGUE. I. This precept contains two parts, a command and a reason for it. But the command is first proposed in few words ; it is afterwards more amply explained. The proposition is in these words : " Eemember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." The explanation is thus expressed : " Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work," &c. But the reason is comprehended in the following words : " For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea," &c. II. In the proposition of the precept, three things are worthy of observation : (1.) The act prescribed, which is sanctifica- tion. (2.) An anxious and solicitous care about not omitting this act, which is expressed in the words, "remember," and " do not forget." (3.) The object, which is called " the Sab- bath," or " the seventh day ;" that is, the seventh in the order of the days in which the creation was commenced and per- fected. It is also called "the Sabbath," from the circumstance of God having rested at that period, and man was required to repose. IIL The explanation contains two things : (1.) A. conces- sion or grant, that men may spend six days in labors belong- ing to the natural life and its sustenance ; this concession, contains the equity of the command. (2.) A command about resting from those works on the seventh day, with an enu- meration of the persons whose duty it is to rest : " 'Not only thou, but also thy son, thy man servant, thy maid servant, thy cattle, and thy stranger shall rest ;" that is, thou shalt cause as many persons to rest as are under thy power. lY. The reason contains, in itself, two arguments : The FIRST is the example of God himself, who rested from his works on the seventh day. The second is the benediction and sanctification of God, by which it was his pleasure that the seventh should be separated from the rest of the days, and de- voted to himself and to his worship. PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 187 Y. " To sanctify the seventh day," is to separate it from' common uses, and from such as belong to the natural life, and to consecrate it to God, and to acts which belong to God, to things divine, and to the spiritual life. This sanctification consists of various acts. YI. We think that it may be made a most useful point of consideration, how far must abstinence from those works which belong to the natural life be extended ? And though we pre- scribe nothing absolutely, yet we should wish that [licentiam'] the liberty of performing such labors should be restricted as much as possible, and conliDed to exceedingly few necessary things. For we have no doubt that the sabbath is in various ways violated among Christians, by not abstaining from such things as are lawful to be done on other days. YII. We think that the acts which belong to the sanctifica- tion of the sabbath may be included in two classes : (1.) Some per se and primarily belong to the worship of God, and are in themselves grateful and acceptable to God. (2.) Others are subordinate to those acts which are to be performed, and they answer tbe purpose, that those acts may, in the best possible manner, be performed to God by men ; such are those which belong to the instruction of believers in their duty. YIII. But this kind of sanctification ought not only to be private and domestic, but also public and ecclesiastical. For it is the will of God, not only that he should be acknowledged, worshiped, invoked and praised by each individual in private, but likewise by all united together in the great church ; that he may, by this means, be owned to be the God and Lord not only of each individual, but likewise [totius universitatis] of the whole of his universal family. IX. But because the neglect of God and of things divine easily creeps upon man, who is too closely intent on this natural life, it was, therefore, necessary that men's memories should be refreshed by this word " Remember," &c. X. But now, with regard to the seventh day, which is com- manded to be sanctified. In it, this is moral and perpetual tnat the seventh day, that is, one out of the seven, be devoted to divine worship, and that it be unlawful for any man, at 188 JAMES AEMINTUS. any time, after Laving expended six days in the labors of the natural life, to continue the seventh day in all the same labors, or in tlie same manner. XI. But with regard to that day among the seven which followed the six days in which God completed the creation, its sanctification is not of perj^etual institution and necessity ; but it might be changed into another day, and in its own time it was lawful for it to be changed, that is, into the day which is called " the Lordh day /" because the new creation was then perfected in Christ our head, by his resurrection from the dead ; and it was equitable and right that the new people should enter on a new [salhatism] method of kee].)ing the Sabbath. XII. That reason which was taken from the example of God who rested on the seventh day, (that is, when the creation was completed,) endured to the time of the new creation; and, therefore, when it ceased, or at least when a second reason was added to it from the new creation, it was no subject of won- der that the apostles changed it into the following day, on which the resurrection of Christ occurred. For when Christ no longer walks in the flesh, and is not known after the flesh, all things become new\ Xni. But the benediction and the sanctification of God are understood to be transferred from the Sabbath to the Lord's day ; because all the sanctification wln'ch pertains to the new earth, is perfected in Jesus Christ, who is truly the Holy of holies, and in whom all things are sanctified for ever. XIV. Because the reason, by wliich God afterwards per- Buaded the people to observe the Sabbath, was for a sign be- tween him and his people that God would engage in the act of sanctifying them ; it may likewise be accommodated to the times of the New Testament, and may persuade men to the observance/ of the [new] sabbath. XV. If py one supposes that the Lord's day is by no means to be distinguished from the rest of the days [of the week] ; or if, for the sake of declaring evangelical liberty, this person • PKIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 189 has changed it into another day, either into Monday or Tues- day ; we think he ought at least to be considered a schismatic in the church of God. DISPUTATIOIT LXXYIII. ON THE FIFTH COMMAND IN THE DECALOGUE. I. This precept is the first of the second table. It contains the precept itself, and the promise attached to it. The end of the precept is, that a certain order should exist among men, according to which some are superiors and others inferiors, and which consists in the mutual performance of the duties of commanding and obeying that are necessary for the defence of society. II. The precept prescribes an act, and adds an object to which that act must be performed. The act is contained in the word " honor the object in these words : " thy father and thy mother." From this, it appears, according to the nature of relations, that this law is prescribed to all those who are relatively opposed to father and mother [as are sons and daughters]. III. The word " honor" is not appropriately employed to signify eminence ; for honor is the reward of excellence, and its performance is a sign of recognition ; and this w^ord com- prehends, either in the wide compass of its signification, all the duties which are due from an inferior to a superior ; or, as an end, it comprehends all things necessary to the rendering of such honor. lY. Three things principally are contained in this word : (1.) That reverence be shown to the persons of our parents. (2.) That obedience be performed to their commands. (3.) That gratitude be evinced, in conferring on them all things necessary to the preservation of the present life, with respect to the dignity of their persons and of their office. V. 1. E-everence consists both in tlie performance of those 190 JAMES AEMINIUS. acts which contain, [on our part] a confession of their pre-em- inence and of our submission under them, and in the endu- rance of their faults and manners, in a connivance at them, in a modest conceahiient of them, and in kind excuses for them. YI. 2. Obedience lies in the prompt and free performance of those things which they prescribe, and in the omis ion of those w^hich they prohibit. This obedience must be perform- ed not only " for wrath," or the fear of punishment, but also " for conscience' sake," and this, not so much that we may obey them, as God himself, w^hose vicegerents they are. YII. 3. Gratitude, which contains the conferring of things necessary for them to the uses of life according to their digni- ty, ought to extend itself not only to the time when they dis- charge this duty, but likewise through the whole life — though it may happen that, through old age or some other cause, they are rendered unfit to discharge the parental office. YIII. The duties of superiors are analagous to those of in- feriors — that they conduct themselves with moderation, [grav- itatem'] seriousness, and decorum, in the whole of their life, public as well as private — that they observe justice and equity in issuing their commands, and that, in requiring gratitude^ they do not transgress the bounds of moderation. But these points will be more particularly discussed in the disj^utation on the magistracy. IX. The object is enunciated in the words " father," and " mother," in which, likewise, are comprehended all those who are placed above us in human society, whether it be political, ecclesiastical, scholastic or domestic society — whether in the time of peace or in that of war — whether such persons dis- charge the duties of an ordinary or an extraordinary office, or whether they be invested with this power either [in jperj^etu- urn\ constantly, or only for a season, however short. X. But all these persons in authority are, in this command- ment, fitly, and not without just cause, expressed under the name of " parents," which is an endearing and delightful ap- pellation, and most appropriate both to signify [affectvrn^ the feeling which it is right for superiors to indulge towards infe- PRIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 191 riors, and most efficaciously to effect a persuasion in inferiors of the equity of performing their duty towards their superi- ors. It may be added that the first association among men is that of domestic society, and from this follow the rest by the increase of mankind. XI. Superiors lose no degree of this eminence by any sin, or by any [vitiosUate] corruption of their own ; therefore, this duty of honor, reverence, obedience and gratitude must be performed to superiors, e^en when they are evil, and abusing their power ; provided caution be used that [partes] the in- terest of God be always the more powerful with us, and lest, while that which is Caesar's is given to Cagsar, that which be- longs to God, be taken from him, or be not given. XII. To this, must necessarily be subjoined another three- fold caution — 1. That no one commit an error in judgment, by which he persuades himself this or that belongs to God, and not to Csesar. (2.) That he discern correctly between that which he is commanded to do or to tolerate ; and, if he must do it, whether or not it be an act about a thing or object which is subject to his poww. (3.) That under the name of liberty, no one arrogate to himself the right of a superior, of not obeying in this thing or that, or the power of rising against his superior, either for the purpose of taking away his life, or only his rule and dominion. XIII. The promise which is added to this precept is con- tained in the following words : that thy days maybe long upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee in which are promised, (1,) to the Jewish believers who perform this precept, bngth of days in the land of Canaan ; (2,) and also to the gentile believers who perform this command, the dura- tion of the present life ; (3,) typically, to such persons are promised the eternal or heavenly life, of which the land of Canaan was a type. 193 JAMES AKMINIUS. DISPUTATIO]^" LXXIX. ON THE SIXTH PEECEPT. I. Order in human society being appointed by the fifth commandment, through the mutual duties of superiors and inferiors in commanding and obeying, God now manifests his care for all those things which, in order to pass one's life in this society, are necessary for the life of each person, for the propagation of the species, for the blessings necessary to life, and for reputation, at the end of which God adds the tenth commandment, in which [cojicupiscentia] th^coveting of cer- tain things is prohibited. II. By these words, " thou shalt not kill," the sixth precept provides for the preservation of the natural life, and designs the safety of men's bodies that it may be preserved inviolate. III. The sum of the precept is neither in reality to injure the life of another person, and to endanger his safety, nay not even our own, whether we use fraud or violence, nor to wish his injury by our will, to which must be added that we do not intimate this kind of wish by any external token. lY. From this, it appears that the accident must not receive the ajDpellation of "homicide," if, as the Scripture phrase is, anyone going into a wood with his neighbor to cut down timber, and the head of his ax slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, nor, if, for the defence of his own life, any one be compelled, at the peril of his life, to repel the force employed against him by another. Y. But in this precept, we are commanded to endeavor by all legitimate means and methods, to save the life of our neighbor, as well as our own, and to defend them from all injury. YI. But the cause of this precept, which is universal and always, and in ever}^ place, valid, is the following : because man \vas created after the image of God, which, in this place, principally denotes immortality. To this, may be added si- militude of nature, and because all of us derive our origin PEIVATE DISPUTATIONS. 193 from one blood. But several particular causes may be addu- ced, which agree with the spiritual state of men, such as be- cause they have been redeemed by Christ with a price — be- cause their bodies are a habitation for the Holy Spirit — ■ because they are all members of one mystical body under one head, &c. YII. But, in the mean time, God reserves to himself the right of disposing of the life of every man according to his own pleasure. Hence, commands have been issued to magis- trates concerning killing transgressors, and a command was delivered to Abraham about slaying his son. COEOLLAEY. The perpetration of homicide cannot consist with a good conscience, unless pardon for it be sought and obtained by particular repentance, &c. DISSEETATION OK THE TRUE AITD GENUINE SENSE OF THE SEYEOTH CHAPTEE OF ST. PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE EOMANS. BT THAT FAMOTTS DIVINB THE EEY. JAMES AEMmiUS, D. D. A NATIVE OF OUDEWATEE, IN HOLLAND. DEDICATION. to the most honoeable and noble william bardesius, loed- lieutenant of waemenhuysp^n, a nobleman who is oue pat- eon, and who, on many accounts, is to be honoeed by us, Most Honoeable and Xoble Sie : That expression of the apostle Paul, by which he designates the doctrine of the gospel as " the truth which is according to godliness," (Titus i, 1,) is very remarkable and worthy of per- petual consideration. From this sentiment, with the leave of all good men, we may collect taat this "truth" neither consists in naked theory and inane speculation, nor in those things which, belonging to mere abstract knowledge, only play about the brain of man, and which never extend to the reformation of their will and affections. But it consists in those things which imbue the mind with a sincere fear of God, and with a true love of solid piety, and which render men " zealous of good works." Another passage, not less famous and remark- able, in the same epistle and by the same apostle, tends greatly to confirm and illustrate this view of the matter ; it is thus expressed : " For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodli- ness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world." (Titus ii, 11, 12.) Whosoever they be, therefore, that profess themselves the heralds of this divine " truth," they ought to give additional diligence that, casting aside all curious and thorny questions, and those idlo Bubtilities which derive their origin from human vanity, they 198 JAMES AHMlimJS. commend to their hearers this one and only "godliness," and that they seriously instruct them in faith, hope and charity. And, in return, those of their auditors who are enamored with this " truth," are bound strenuously to conform themselves to this course of conduct — to pass by and to slight all other things which may come across their path, and constantly to aim at this "godliness" alone, and keep their eyes intent upon it. For both clergy and laity may receive this as a principle, that they are yet rude and complete strangers in true theology, unless they have learned so to theologize, that theology may bear the torch before them to that piety and holiness which they sedulously and earnestly pursue. If this admonition ever was necessary, it is undoubtedly the more necessary at this time ; because we see impiety over- flowing ill every direction, like a sea raging and agitated by whirlwinds. Yet, amidst all this storm, such are the stupor and insensibility of men, that not a few who remain exactly the same persons as they formerly were, and who, indeed, have not changed the least particle of the manner of their im- pure life, still imagine themselves to be in the class of prime christians, and promise themselves the favor of the supreme God, the possessing of heaven and of life eternal, and of the company of Christ and of the blessed angels, with such great and presumptuous confidence, and with such security of mind, that they consider themselves to be atrociously injured by those who, judging them to be deceived in this their self-persuasion, desire them in any wise to entertain doubts about it. In a con- dition of affairs thus deplorable, no endeavor appears to be more laudable, than to institute a diligent inquiry into the causes of such a pernicious evil, and, by employing a saving remedy, to arouse erring souls from this diabolical lethargy, and induce them to alter their lives, under the felicitous aus- pices of the gospel and the Spirit of Christ, to devote their en- ergies to a solid amendment of manners, and thus, at length, from the divine word, to promise themselves, when answering this description, grace with God and eternal glory. The causes of this evil are various, and most of them con- sist in certain erroneous and false conceptions which, being DEDICATION". 199 impressed on their minds, some men carry about with them, being either their own inventions, or furnished to them from some other quarter ; yet, either in general or in particular, either directly or indirectly, such erroneous conceptions lay a stumbling-block and an impediment before the true and seri- ous study of piety and the pursuit of virtue. We will not, in this place, introduce any mention of the impious conceptions of some men who do not believe either that there is a life eter- nal, or that, if it really exists, it is of such great and sublime excellence as it is described to be in the Holy Scriptures-— who either despair of the mercy of God towards repentant sin- ners, or who consider it to be impossible to enter on that way of piety and new obedience which has been prescribed by the prince of our salvation. We say nothing about these persons, * because they not only relax the asseverations and the promises of God, which are the true foundations of the christian religion, but they likewise entirely overturn them, and thus, with one effort, they pluck up, by the roots, all piety, and all desire and love of it, from the hearts of men. We now begin to make some observations on those hypoth- eses, whether secret or avowed, which are injurious to piety, and which obtain among christians themselves, whether they be publicly defended or otherwise. Among them, the first which comes under enumeration, is the dogma of uncondition- al predestination^ with those which depend on it by a neces- sary connection ; and, in particular, the so highly extolled perseverance of the saints^ in a confidence in which such things are uttered by some persons as we dread to recite, for they are utterly unworthy of entering into the ears of christians. It is no small impediment which these dogmas place in the way of piety. When, after a diligent and often-repeated pe- rusal of the Holy Scriptures, after long meditations and ardent prayers to God, with fasting, our father, of blessed memory, thought that he had made a sure discovery of the baneful ten- dency of these dogmas, and had refiected upon them within his own breast, and that, however strenuously they might be urged by certain divines, and generally instilled into the minds of students by scholastic exercises, yet neither the ancient 200 JAMES ARMENIUS. chiircli nor the modern, after a previous lawful examination of them, ever received them or allowed them to pass into mat- ters that had obtained mature adjudication. When he per- ceived these things, he began by degrees, to propose his diffi- culties about them, and his objections against them, for the purpose of shewing that they were not so firmly founded in the Scriptures as they are generally supposed to be ; and, in process of time, being still more strongly confirmed in the knowledge of the truth, especially after the conference which he had w^th Doctor Fkancis Junius, and in which he had Been the weakness of his replies, he began to attack those dog- mas with greater boldness ; yet on no occasion was he for- getful of the modesty which so eminently became him. But, of the arguments with which he attacked those dogmas, this [on the seventh chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans] in wdiich we have now engaged, was not the last — that is, such was the [genius] nature of these doctrines that they were cal- culated to relax the study of piety, and thus to extinguish it. In that labor he also occasionally employed subtilities, and such reasons as are not at once obvious to the multitude ; but they were subtile distinctions, necessary for overturning dogmas which, in his judgment, were very baneful. And, undoubt- edly, as love is not conquered except by another love, so that subtility, which is the inventor and establisher of falsehood, can scarcely be conquei-ed and overturned without the sub- tility which is the assertor of the truth and the con victor of falsehood. Therefore, the subtilities which he employed on that occasion, [his conference with Junius,] were useful and necessary — not insignificant, trifling, and invented for pleas- ure, ostentation or display. But with regard to other things, it is known to all those who were on terms of familiar- ity with him — especially during the last years of his life, when he was much engaged in the schools, in which it is an estab- lished custom principally to pursue subtilities — what a rigid enemy he was of all subtilities and of lofty language ; and even those whom he had among his students that differed on some other points from him, could testify, if they would conscien- tiously relate the truth, that he referred all things to use and DEDICATION. 201 to the practice of a christian life ; and thus that piety and the fear of the divine Majesty uniformly breathed in his lectures, in his disputations, (both public and private,) in his sermons, discoui-ses and writings. But it is not necessary for us, in this place, to rehearse the method by which he proved the genius of unconditional predestination and its annexed dogmas to be adverse to godliness ; because his writings on this subject are partly extant, and the remainder, under the divine auspices, will soon be published. It is better that prudent readers should listen to him uttering his own words, than to us who are but stammerers about him. The water is sweeter which we taste at the fountain, than that which we drink at a dis- tance from the spring. Yarious are the other hypotheses which operate as hin- drances to piety, and the whole of which we are not able now to mention ; but we will briefly discuss a few of those which occur, that we may not produce weariness in you, most noble sir, by our prolixity. A capital error which first oifers itself, and which closely adheres to the inmost core and fibres of nearly all mankind, is that by which they silently imagine in their own minds that illimitable mercy exists in God ; and from this they opine that they will not be rejected, though they have indulged them- selves a little too much in vicious pursuits, but that, on the contrary, they will continue to be dear to God and beloved. This error is in reality joined with notorious incredulity, and, in a great measure destroys the Christian religion, which is founded on the blood of Christ. For, in this way, is removed all -necessity for a pious life, and a manifest contradiction is given to the declaration of the apostle, in which he afiirms that without holiness no man shall see God." (Heb. xii, 14.) Alas for the insanity of men, who have the audacity to bless themselves when they are cursed by God ! This is succeeded by the false hypothesis of others, who, revolving in their minds [instituta] the designs, the morals, and the life of mortals, and reflecting on the multitude, among men of all orders, of those who are wandering in error, con^ 14 TOL. n. 202 JAMES AEMINIUS. elude that the mercy of God will not permit eternally to perish so many and such infinite myriads of rational crea- tures, formed after the divine image. The consequence is, that, instead of performing their duty according to the tenor of Christianity, by opposing the torrent. of impiety, they, on the contrary, suffer themselves to be carried away by the im- pulse of such views, and associate with the multitudes of those who are devious in error. They seem to forget that the many walk in the broad way, whose end, according to the truth of God, will be " destruction from the presence of the Lord." A multitude will preserve no man trom perdition. Unhappy and most miserable solace, to have many companions in endu- ring everlasting punishment ! Let the force of this deception, likewise, be considered, that vices are dignified with the names of virtues, and, on the other hand, virtues receive the defiling appellation of vices. The effect of this is, that men, who are of themselves, prone to vicious indulgences, pursue them with the greater avidity when they are concealed under the mask of virtues, and, on the con- trary, are terrified at virtues, in the attainment of which any diflficulty is involved, as though they were clothed in the mon- strous garb of the most horrid vices. Thus, among mankind, drunkenness obtains the name of hilarity ; and filthy talking, that of cheerful freedom / while sobriety in food and drink, and simplicity in dress, are opprobiously styled hypocrisy. This is really to " call good evil^ and evil good^'' and to seek an occasion, by which a man may cease from the practice of virtue, and devote himself to vicious courses, not only without any reluctance of conscience, but likewise at the impulse and instigation of his [seared] conscience. Into this enumeration, must come that shameful and false reasoning by which \male-. \ sani] unwise men infer, from those passages \ Scripture in which we are said to be justijied hy faith without worhs^ that it is not, therefore, necessary to attend to good works, they being of such a nature that without them we may be justified, and, therefore, saved. They never advert to the fact that, in other passages, it is recorded — True faith, that is, the faith by DEDICATIOJSr. 203 which we are justified, must be efficacious through charity ; and that faith, without works, is dead, and resembles a lifeless carcass, ixi , This vain idea also, in no trifling degree, consoles the men - who try to flatter themselves in those vices to which they have a constitutional propensity — that they are not given up to all vices, they have not run into every excess of wickedness, but, though addicted to certain vices peculiar to themselves, they feel an abhorrence for all others. As men are most ingenious in the invention of excuses for themselves, in support of this incorrect view are generally cited these common phrases : 'No man lives without sin ;" Every man is captivated by that which he finds to be pleasing to himself." Such men, there- fore, consider themselves to be true Christians, and that, on this account, it will be eternally well with them, when, as they foolishly persuade themselves, they abstain from most evils, and, as for the rest, they cherish only some one vice, a single Herodias alone. A most absurd invention ! since no one is, no one can be, addicted to all vices at once ; because some among them are diametrically opposed to others, and are mutual expellers. If this conceit be allowed, no mortal man either will or can be impious. The subjoined passage in the epistle of St. James ought to recur to the remembrance of these persons : " Whosoever shall offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (ii, 10.) We are also commanded to "lay aside," not some one, but " all malice, guile, and hypocrisy," (1 Pet. ii, 1,) that we may thus the more fully devote our- selves to God. Others suppose that, if in some degree their affections be partly drawn out towards God and goodness, they have ade- quately discharged their duty, though in some other part of their affections they are devoted to the service of the prince of this world and of sin. These men assuredly have forgotten, that God must be adored and loved with the whole affections of the heart-— that the Lord God of Heaven, and the prince of this world, are opposing masters, and, therefore, that it is im- possible to render service to both of them at once,, as our Savior has most expressly declared. 204 JAMES ABMINIUS. ISTot very dissimilar from this is that invention by which some j)ersons divide their time into portions, and when they have marked off one part for God and Christ, and another^ part for the flesh and the affections, they imagine that they have most excellently performed their duty. But these men, whosoever they be, never reflect that our whole lives, and all the time of which they are composed, must be consecrated to God, and that we must persevere in the ways of piety and obedience to the close of life ; and for this brief obedience of a time which is short at the longest, God has, of grace, cove- nanted to bestow on the obedient, that great reward of life eternal. Undoubtedly, if at any time a man falls, he cannot return into favor with God until he has not only deplored that fall by a sincere repentance, and is again converted in his heart to God, with this determination — that he will devote the remaining days of his life to God. Those men must not be forgotten who are in this heresy — that all those things which are not joined with blasphemy to God, and with notorious injury and violence to one's neighbor, and which, with regard to other things, bear the semblance of charity and benevolence, are not to be reckoned among the multitude of sins. According to their doctrine, they are at liberty to indulge their natural relish for earthly things, to serve their belly, to take especial care of themselves, to gratify their sensual and drunken propensities, to live the short and merry life which Epicurus recommends, and to do whatsoever a heart which is inclined to pleasure shall command ; provided they abstain from anger, hatred, the desire of revenge, bitter- ness and malice, and the other passions which are armed for ' force and injury. If we follow these masters, we shall assur- edly discover a far more easy and expeditious way to heaven, than that which has been taught us by the divine ambassador of the great God, whose sole businesB it was to point out the way to heaven. Occasion is also afforded to unjust conceptions respecting the exercise of piety, by the mode in which some theological subjects are treated, and by some ecclesiastical phrases which are either not sufficiently conformable to th^ Scriptures, ox. DEDICATION. 205- which are not correctly understood. We must briefly, and without much regard to order, animadvert on a few of tliese, for the sake of example. When our good works are invested with the relation of gratitude towards God, it is a well ascer- tained fact, that men collect from this that they are now the heirs and proprietors of life eternal, and are in a state of grace and everlasting salvation, before they ever begin to perform good works. This delusion makes them think it expedient also to follow the hypothesis that the performance of good works is not absolutely necessary. In this case, it must be maintained from the Scriptures, that a true conversion and the performance of good works form a prerequisite condition before justification, according to this passage from St. John — " But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellow- ship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son^ cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John i, 7.) This is consonant with that celebrated passage in Isaiah, in which the Lord promises to the Jews the cleansing and the destruction of all their sins, even those which were of the most aggravated kind, after they turned themselves to him, and corrected their ways. (Isaiah i, 15-20.) When the sacraments are considered only in the light of sealing to us the promises and the grace of God, but not as binding us to the performance of our duty and admonishing us of it, [tractatio] the discussion of them is not only defective, but it may also, through such defect, be ac- counted injurious to the work of personal piety. " Believer and the regenerate are still prone and inclined to every evil; " and " the most holy among them have only the small begin- nings of the obedience which is required." These are phrases which describe, in a manner far too low and weak, the efiicacy of the new creation, and they are, therefore, ^ci'ra tov p^jrov in reality exceedingly dangerous. For the former of these phrases seems entirely to remove all distinction between the regenerate and the irregenerate, while the latter seems to place such minutiae of obedience in the regenerate, as will induce a man, who has been accustomed to bless himself if he perceives even the slightest thought or motion about the performance of obe- 206 JAMES AKMINIUS. clience, immediately to conclude himself to be a partaker of true regeneration. When the continued imperfection of the regenerate, and the impossibility of keeping the law in this life, are urged unsea- sonably and beyond measure, without the addition of what may be done by holy men through faith and the Spirit of Christ, the tliought is apt to suggest itself to the mind , even of the most pious of their hearers, that they can do nothing which is at all good. Through this erroneous view, it hap- pens that sometimes far less is attributed to the regenerate than the unregenerate are themselves able to perform. The ancient church did not reckon the question about the impossi- bility of perforining the law among those whicli are capital : This is apparent from St. Augustine himself, who expresses a wish that Pelagius would acknowledge it possible to be per- formed by the grace of Christ, and declares that peace would then be concluded. The apostles of Christ were themselves occupied in endeavoring to convince men, when jDlaced [extra gratiam] out of the influence of grace, of their incapability to perform obedience. But about the imperfection and impo- tency of the regenerate, you will scarcely find them employing a single expression. On the contrary, they attribute to be- lievers the crucifying of the flesh and the affections, the morti- fication of the works of the flesh, a resurrection to a new life, and walking according to the Spirit ; and they are not afraid openly to protest, that by faith they overcome the world. The acknowledgment of their imperfection was but a small matter, because that was a thing previous to Christianity. But the glory of Christians lies in this — that they know the power of the resurrection of Christ, and, being led by the Spirit of God, they live according to the purest light of the gospel. The distribution of theology into Gtod, and the acts of God^ introduces to us a speculative religion, and is not suflaciently well calculated to urge men to the performance of their duty. To this may be added that too subtile disquisi- tion, which is an invention unsanctioned by Scripture, about the relations of those acts which are performed by us. I ■ DEDICATION-. . 207 As -unsuitable for the ]3i'omotioii of piety, seems likewise that deduction or [cBGO^iomia] dispensation of our religion, by which all things are directed to [Jlduciam] the assurance of special m.rcy as the principal part of our duty, and to the consolation which is elicited from it against the despair that is opposed to it, but in which all things are not directed to the necessary performance of obedience in opposition to security. It derives its origin from the idea that greater fear ought to be entertained respecting despair than respecting security, when the contrary to this is the truth. For in the whole history of the Old and ^N^ew Testament, which com- prises a period of so many thousand years, only a single instance occurs of a person in despair, and that was Judas Iscariot, the perfidious betrayer of his Savior — the case of Cain being entirely out of the question ; while, on the con- trary, as the world was formerly, so is it now, very full of persons in a state of security, and negligent of the duty di- vinely imposed on them ; yet these men, in the mean time, sweetly bless their souls, and promise themselves grace and peace from God in full measure. To proceed further : To these and all other delusions of a similar nature, we ought to oppose a soul truly pious, and most firmly rooted in the faith of God and Christ, exercising much solicitous caution about this — not to be called off from the serious and solid study of piety, and not to yield ourselves up to sins or to take delight in them, either through the de- ceptive force of any conceits, such as have now l^en enumera- ted or any others, or by the incautious use of any phrases and the sinister distortion [tract ationum] of particular subjects ; but, on the contrary, denying all ungodliness, let us sedulously and constantly walk in the paths of virtue ; and let us always bear in mind the very serious admonition which the apostle Paul propounds to the Ephesians ; having dehorted them from indulging in impurity and other crimes, he says : " Let no man deceive you with vain words" or reasons ; " for, because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." (Yerse 6.) It is worthy of observation, how 208 JAMES AEMINTUS. significautlj the hypothesis and arguments on which men depend when they bless themselves in their vices, are desig- nated as " vain speeches for " vain^'' they truly are ; that is, false and deceitful are those reasons with which men are de- ceived while they are in bondage to their lusts, and persuade themselves that they are in a state of grace and salvation, when, on the contrary, they are in a state of wrath and eternal perdition ; than which, no other more capital imposture or deception can be produced. But, beside those things of which we have made previous mention, ai:d which place obstructions to the progress of piety, another also occurs, which particularly belongs to the subject on which we are now treating ; that is, the depraved and per- verted interpretation of certain passages of Scripture, by which, in general, either all attention to good works is superceded, or in particular some part of it is weakened. This kind of hin- drance ought undoubtedly to be reckoned among those which are the greatest ; for thus either evil itself seems to be estab- lished by divine authority, or a more remiss pursuit of good, which, of the two, is without exception the greater evil. Wherefore, as all those persons deserve praise who endeavor to overturn every kind of hypothesis that is injurious to piety, so those among them are worthy of the highest commendation who try to give a correct interpretation, and such as is agreea- ble to " the form of sound words," of those passages which are, through common abuse, generally so explained as, by such exposition, either directly or indirectly to countenance a dis- orderly cours(^ of life — to free them from such a depraved in- terpretation, and to act as torch-bearers, in a thing so useful and necessary to christian people and chiefly to the pastors of the church. Many are those passages which are usually dis- torted to the injury of godliness ; and from which we shall in this place select only the three following. (1.) In the Proverbs of Solomon it is said, " A just man fall- eth seven times." This sentence is in the mouth of every one, with this gloss superadded, ''m aday^^ which is an interpo- lation to be found in the Latin Yulgate. This passage ought DEDICATION. 209 to be understood of falling into misfortune ; yet it is most per- versely interpreted to signify a fall into sin, and thus contrib- utes to nourish vices. (2.) In the prophecy of Isaiah, when the Jewish church, after having been defiled by manifold idolatries, by her defec- tion from God, and by other innumerable crimes, w^as severe- ly punished for all these her foul transgressions ; in a tone of lamentation, complaining of the heaviness of her punish- ment, and at the same time making humble confession of her sins, she acknowledges, amongst other thiugs, that "her right- eousnesses are as the cloth of a menstruous woman," designa- ting by this phrase the best of those works which she had per- formed during her public defection. This passage, by a per- nicious contortion, is commonly corrupted ; for it is very con- stantly quoted, as if the sense to be inferred from it was, that each of the excellent works of the most eminent christians, and therefore that the most ardent prayers poured forth in the name of Christ, deeds of charity performed from a heart truly and inwardly moved with mercy, and the flowing of the blood of martyrs even unto death for the sake of Christ — that all these are as the cloth of a menstruous woman, filthy, detesta- ble and horrid things, and thus mere abominations in the sight of God. And as this name is, in the Scriptures, bestowed only on flagitous crimes and the greatest transgressions, it fur- ther follows [from this mode of reasoning] that the best and most excellent works differ in no respect from the most dread- ful wickedness. "When a man has once thoroughly imbibed this conceit, will he not cast away all care and regard for piety ? Will he not consider it of no great consequence whether he leads a bad or a good life ? And will he not, in the mean time, indulge in the persuasion, that he can, not- withstanding all this, be a true disciple of Christ Jesus ? The reason, undoubtedly, seems to be evident, since, according to this hypothesis, the best works are equally filthy with the worst crimes in the sight of God. (3.) In this number of abused passages is included the sev- enth chapter of the epistle of Paul to the Romans, from the fourteenth verse to the end of the chapter ; that is, if the apos- 216 JAMES AEMINIUS. tie be understood, in that chapter, to be speaking about a man who is regenerated. For then it will follow that a renewed man is still " carnal, and sold under sin," that is, the slave of sin ; that " he wills to do good, but does it not ; but the evil which he wills not, that he does nay, that he is conquered, and " brought into captivity to the law of sin," tliat is, under the power and efficacy of sin. From this view it is further deduced, that, if any one be regenerate, it is sufficient for him " to will that which is good," though with a will that is in- complete, and that is not followed by action ; and " not to will that which is evil," though he actually perpetrates it. If this view of that chapter be correct, then all attention to piety, the whole of new obedience, and thus the entire new creation, will be reduced to such narrow limits as to consist not in effects^ but only in affections or feelings. Every man, at first sight, perceives how languid, cold and remiss such a belief will ren- der all of us, both in our abstaining from evil, and in the per- formance of that which is good. Those, indeed, who defend this opinion, have their subterfuges and palliatives ; but they are of such a kind, that the comment is generally repugnant to the text on which it is founded. AVith respect to the exer- ' I . cise of piety, it is dangerous for men to have this conceit pre- viously impressed on their minds : "This chapter must be un- derstood about regenerate persons;" for they who hold it as a foundation, in other things wander wherever they are led by their feelings, and never recollect the glosses proposed by thei|* teachers. This effect was observed by St. Augustine, and be- ing afraid of giving offence, in the more early period of his christian career, he interpreted the passage as applicable to a man under the law, but in his latter days he applied it to a man under grace ; but he held this opinion in a much milder form than it is now maintained, and almost without any inju- ry to godliness. For " the good''^ which the apostle says " he willed but did not," St. Augustine interprets into " a refrain- ing from concupiscence ;" and " the eviP which the apostle declares " he willed not and yet did," he interprets as " an in- dulgence in concupiscence ;" — though this novel interpreta*. tion involves a wonderful mixture of the preceptive and pro- DEDICATION. 211 hibitive parts of the law. Modern interpreters [among the ^Oalvinists] understand it as relating to actual good and evil a most notable distinction ! But as our venerated father labored with all diligence in removing the other hindrances of pietj, so did he principally expend much toil and unwearied study in searching out the true meaning of such passages of Scripture as were imperfectly understood, particularly if they placed a stumbling-block in the way of those who were studi- ous of piety. If, in that species of labor, he ever had eminent success, it must undoubtedly be confessed that it was in his attempts on this seventh chapter of the epistle to the Romans ; for he wrote a commentary on it of great length, which, with the greatest accuracy, he prepared and finished, and which we now publish. ' When he returned from Geneva to his native country, he understood this very chapter as it is now commonly ex- plained ; having been instructed in that view of it by his teachers, whose authority was so great among the students, that not one of the latter durst even inquire about any thing which they uttered. But when, in the exercise of his minis- try in the church of Amsterdam, he had afterwards taken the epistle to the Romans as the subject of a series of discourses from the pulpit, and when he had come to the explication of the seventh chapter, concerning the received interpretation of which he had then begun to conceive scruples in his mind, because it seemed both to undervalue the grace of regenera- tion and to diminish all zeal and attention to piety ; he dili- gently considered the chapter from the beginning to the con- clusion with a good conscience, as it was proper that he should do, and as the nature of his public function required ; he col- lated it with those passages which preceded it and followed ; he revolved all of them, in their several particulars, as in the presence of God ; he read all the various commentators upon it which he could procure, whether among the ancients, those of the middle ages, or among the moderns ; and, at length, after having frequently invoked the name and aid of Almighty God, and having derived his chief human assistance from the commentaries of Bucer and Musculus on that part of Holy 212 JAMES AKMINIUS. Writ, he discovered that the received interpretation could not bear the scrutiny of truth, but that the passage was to be en- tirely understood in reference to a man living under the law, in whom the law has discharged its office, and who, therefore, feeling true contrition in his soul on account of sins, and be- ing convinced of the incapability of the law to save him, in- quires after a deliverer, and is not, in fact, a regenerated man, but stands in the nearest grade to regeneration. This explan- ation of the chapter he publicly delivered from the pulpit ; because he thought that such a course was allowable by the liberty of prophesying, which ought always to have a place in the church of Christ. Though this diligence in elucidating the Scriptures, and the candor which he displayed, deserved singular praise and commendation, especially from all persons of the ecclesiastical order, yet, by some zealots, in whom such a conduct was the least becoming, it was received in a manner which shewed that the author ranked no higher with them than as one who, instead of receiving a reward, ought to be charged with mischief and insanity. Such is the result of employing a sedulous care in the investigation of the Scrip- tures, and of cultivating the liberty of prophesying ; and it is esteemed a preferable service, to render the servants of Christ the slaves of certain men who lived only a short time before ourselves, and almost to canonize their interpretation of the Scriptures as the only rule and guide for us in our interpreta- tion. When our father perceived these things, he began to write this commentary, which at length he brought to a conclusion. If God had granted him longer life, he would have corrected his production with greater accuracy, as he had already begun to do ; but as he was prevented by death, and thus rendered incapable of giving it a final polish, and yet as, in the judg- ment of many great men, it is a work that is worthy to see the light, we have now ventured to publish it. Here then, FIRST, the author proposes his own sentiments, and proves them by deductions from the entire chapter, as well as from the connection in which it stands with the preceding and follow- ing chapters. Secondly. He shews that this interpretation DEDICATION. 213 ha8 never been condemned, but has always had the greatest number of supporters. Thirdly. He defends it from the black charge of Pelagianism, and demonstrates that it is directly opposed to that error. Foukthly. He contends that the in- terpretation now generally received is quite new, and was never embraced by any of the ancients, but rejected by many of them. Lastly. And that it is injurious to grace and hurtful to good morals. He then enters into a comparison of the opinion of St. Augustine, and of that which is now generally received with his own interpretation ; and concludes the work with a friendly address to his fellow-ministers. It w s our wish, most noble Bardesius, to dedicate and ad- dress this work to your mightiness ; for this desire, we had several reasons. From the first entrance on his ministry, a sacred friendship subsisted between our revered father and that nobleman of honored memory, your excellent father — a friend- ship which continued till our venerable parent came down to the grave, full of years and loaded with honors. You, as the lawful inherit(jr of your father's possessions, have also succeed- ed ill his place . s the heir of his friendships ; and this is the reason why the closest intimacy was formed between you and our good father, immediately alter your return from your travels, which you had undertaken for the purpose of prose- cuting your studies and visiting foreign nations. You were accustomed to place a high estimate on his endowments, and frequently consumed him on questions of theology, and very often acted upon his advice — as he did, also, upon yours. But after he had reflected in his mind, that he was not the slave of men, but the servant of Jesus Christ, and that he was under an oath [to the observance of] his words alone, when, on this account, he had begun freely to inquire into the senti- ments invented by men, and into their truth and necessity, and, after coinparing them with the Scriptures, had also occa- sionally proposed, with great modesty, his doubts concerning them, and his animadversions on them — when for this reason, many of those who were formerly his acquaintances and inti- mate h'iends, became alienated from him as from one who had removed the ancient land-marks out of their places ; and when 2M JAMES AitMINIUS. some of them, by degrees, both in public and private, began either to take an occasion or to make one, to circulate sinister reports concerning him, while others, with sufficient plainness, openly renounced all friendship with him ; and when the whole chorus of ecclesiastical zealots had excited each other to rise up against him ; yet, amidst all these things, you took no offence, but, having weighed the matter in the just bal- ance of your judgment, you persisted to cherish a constant love for him. When he was debilitated by a slow and con- stant malady, as soon as the mildness of the weather and the intervals in his disorder would permit his removal, ^''ou invi- ted him to your house in a manner the most friendly, and, on his arrival, you received him as the angel of the Lord ; and a friendship, thus pure and refined, you cultivated with him, until he departed out of this life, and ascended to Christ, his Lord and Master. Besides, after his decease, by your con- duct to our afflicted family, you shewed yourself such a one as it became that man to be who was not a pretended friend to the survivors of his departed friend — affording, by words and deeds, such substantial proofs of your kindness and be- neficence towards his sorrowing widow and distressed orphans, as far exceed the feebleness of our expressions. Therefore, un- less we wished not only to be the most ungrateful of mortals, but likewise to be generally depicted as such, it was exceed- ingly proper in us, while the posthumous writings of our rever- ed parent are occasionally issuing from the press, to inscribe some portion of them to your very honorable and most friend- ly name, and by this method, as by a public document, to testify at once before tlie whole world our gratitude to you as well as our vast obligations. To these considerations, we may add that our father had determined within himself, if God had granted him life and leisure, to write a system of the whole Christian religion, not drawing it out of the stagnant lakes of Egypt, but out of the pure fountains of Israel, and to inscribe it to your mightiness. As he was unable to execute his purpose, partly through the multiplicity of his engagements, and partly through the lin- gering nature of his disorder, you have here, in the place of DEDICATION. 215 the other work, the present commentary ; for in no other way than this, can the design of our father now be fulfilled. We hope the subject itself, which is treated in this commentary, will not be disagreeable to you ; for it is one which is excel- lently accordant with your genius and disposition. It is a fact which is well known to all those who are acquainted with you, and which you do not wish to be regarded as a secret, but which you ojjenly profess, as often as occasion demands, that you take no delight in those thorny disputations and discus- sions which contribute nothing to the practice ot the Christian life ; but that you place the chief part of religion in the true pursuit of real and solid piety. As our honored father also shews in this work that his wishes and purposes were in this respect similar to yours, we have thought that nothing could be more appropriate than to dedicate to a man of extensive learning, who is likewise deeply attached to the interests of religion, a work which is highly conducive to the promotion of i)iety. Accept, therefore, with a cheerful heart and a serene coun- tenance, this small gift, which we and our dear mother are desirous to commit to posterity, that it may perpetually re- main as an endless monument of that sacred friendship which subsisted between you and James Akminius, our venerated parent, and, at the same time, of our own great obligations to you. To you, who have been under the influence of mercy towards our afflicted family, may the Lord God in return shew mercy ; and may he enrich you and your very honorable fam- ily with every kind of heavenly blessings, to the glory of his name and to the salvation of all of us ! Amen. So pray those who are most attached to your mightiness. The I^Tine Orphan Childeen or James ) Aeminius, of Oudewatee. J Leyden, 13th August, 1G12. A DISSEETATION ON THE TRUE AND GENUINE SENSE OP THE SEVENTH CHAPTEE OF THE EPISTLE TO THE EOMANS. BY JAMES AKMESnUS, D. D. This admirable treatise was prepared about the close of the year 1599, while the author was a pastor at Amsterdam. IKTEODUCTIOlSr. 1. What is the subject of inquiry concerning the meaning of this chapter 7 2. The manner in which this question is made a subject of disj^ute ; formerly^ a latitude of senti- ment resj^ecting it^ was permitted. 3. Those who exp>lain this passage as relating to a man under the law^ are rashly charged with having some affinity with the Pelagian here- by. 4. Distribution of the subjects to be discussed in this Commentary. 1. The subject of inquiry concerning the meaning of the seventh chapter of the epistle to the Eomans, and particularly of the latter part of it, which is treated upon from the begin- ning of the fourteenth or fifteenth verse to the end of the chapter, is this : " Does the apostle there treat of himself, 15 TOL II. 218 JAMES AKMINIUS. such as he then was ?" Or, which is almost the same question, " Under his own person, does he treat about a man living in the possession of the grace of Christy or does he there person- ate a man placed wider the law ?" This question is also usually proposed in other words, thus : " Does the apostle there ti eat about a man who is still unr eg ener ate ^ or about one who is al- ready regenerated through the Spirit of Christ ?" The lat- ter question difiersa little in its meaning from the former, (1,) because the word " unre generate'''' has a more extensive sig- nification, embracing even those who are under the law, and at whose state the apostle has also briefly glanced in the ninth verse of this chapter, and (2,) because the same word, with Bome persons, denotes not only the mere absence of regene- ration, but likewise of all those things which are necessarily previous to regeneration ; and these previous things are so far from being excluded by the words, " under the law^'' that, on tlie contrarj", a great part of them is necessarily comprehend- ed in the ample compass of that state which these words de- 6cribe. This ought not to be passed over without some ani- madversion ; because this notion about the word unregene- rate''' which many persons have previously formed, is no email cause why they think they must reject the opinion which declares that this passage of Scripture relates to an un- regenerate man, that is, to one not only devoid of regenera- tion, but likewise of all those things which usually precede regeneration ; and why they suppose that they ought to ap- prove of the one contrary to this, without any further attentive consideration of the words and of the things signified. 2. But this question has now become a subject of dispute, not as one of those about which the writers who treat on Cath- olic doctrine may be allowed to maintain different sentiments, but as if it was one of such importance and weight to the truth of faith, that, without great detriment to truth and manifest heresy, no determination can be njade concerning it except in one way, which is the affirmation that the apostle is there treating about a man who lives under grace and is regenerate. This judgment about the question seems new to me, and is one which was never heard in the church before these our times. DISSERTATION. 219 In those better days, liberty was granted to the divines of the church to maintain an opinion on the one part of this question or on the other, provided they did not produce an explanation of their meaning that was at variance with the articles and doctrines ot faith. The thing itself will shew that it is possible to do so in this matter ; and such was the persuasion which was entertained on the subject by those who granted this lib- erty of sentiment, because no man ever supposed that any opinion was to be tolerated in the church which could not admit of an explanation that was agreeable to the doctrines and articles of belief. 3. Those who explain this passage in reference to a man living under the law, are charged with holding a doctrine which has some affinity to the two-fold heresy of Pelagius, and are said to ascribe to man, without the grace of Christ, some true and saving good, and, taking away the contest between the flesh and the spirit which is carried on in the regenerate, are said to maintain a perfection ot righteousness in the pres- ent life. But I ingenuously confess that I detest, from my heart, the consequences which are here deduced ; in the mean time, I do not perceive how they can flow from such an opin- ion. If any one will deign to prove this, I will instantly ab- jure an opinion thus \_i)rcBcedaneunb\ conducting to heresy; knowing that nothing can be true, from which a falsehood may, by good consequence, be concluded. But if this cannot be demonstrated, and if I can make it evident that neither these heresies, nor any other, are derived from this opinion when it is properly explained, then, under these circumstan- ces, it seems that I may require, in my own right, that no molestation shall be offered to me, or to any one else, on ac- count of this opinion. If I shall confirm this opinion by ar- guments which are not only probable, but likewise incapable of refutation, or which at least have a greater semblance of probability than those by which the contrary opinion is sup- ported, then let me be allowed to request that, by at least an equal right, this sentiment may obtain a place with the other in the church. If, lastl}^, I shall prove that the other opinion, 220 JAMES AKMINIUS. as it is in these days explained by most divines, cannot, with- out the greatest difficulty, be reconciled to many of the plain- . est passages of Scripture, that it is in no small degree injurious to the grace of the indwelling Spirit, that it has a hurtful effect on good morals, and that it was never approved by any of the ancient fathers of the church, but, on the contrary, disappro- ved by some of them, and even to St. Augustine himself ; then may I be permitted by a most deserved right to admonish the defenders of that other sentiment, that they reflect frequently and seriously, whether they be wishful to excite the wrath of God against themselves by an unjust condemnation of this better opinion and of those who are its defenders. 4. Having premised these things, let us now enter on the matter itself, which shall be treated by us after being distrib- uted in the following parts : I. I will show that, in this passage, the apostle does not speak about himself, nor about a man living under grace, but that he has transferred to himself the person of a man placed under the law. n. I will make it evident that this opinion has never been condemned in the church as heretical, but that it has always had some defenders among the divines of the church. m. I will show that no heresy, neither that of Pelagius, nor any other, can be derived from this opinion, but that it is most evidently opposed to Pelagianism, and that in a most distinguished manner and designedly, it refutes the grand falsehood of Pelagius. Confining myself within the bounds of necessary defence, I might, after having explained these three heads, conclude this treatise, unless it might seem to some one advisable and use- ful to confute by equal arguments the contrary opinion, espe- cially as it is explained in these days. This I will attempt in other two chapters, subjoined to the preceding three, which will then be analogous and appear as parallels to the last two. lY. Therefore, I will prove that the meaning which some of our modem divines attribute to the apostle in this passage, DISSERTATION. 221 was not approved by any of the ancient fathers of the church, not even by St. Augustine himself, but that it was repudiated and confuted by him and some others. Y. And, lastly, I will demonstrate, that this opinion, as explained in these days by many persons, is not only injmi- ous to grace, but likewise adverse to good morals. God grant that I may meditate and write nothing but what is agreeable to his sacred truth. If, however, any thing of a contrary kind should escape from me, which is a fault of easy occurrence to one who " knows but in part, and prophesies in part I wish that neither to be [considered as] spoken nor written. I make this previous protestation against any such thing ; and will, in reality, declare those things which possess greater truth and certainty, when any one has taught them to me. FIKST PAET. I. THE TEEESIS TO BE PROVED. 1. A description of the terms contained in the Thesis. 2. The reason why the description of the a/postle is here omit- ted. 3. What is meant hy " being under the law ?" 4. What it is to he " under grace?'' 5. What is meant hy "a regenerate mamjf 6. Who is ^'a/n unregenerate manf The apostle, in this'^passage, is treating neither about him- self, such as he then was, nor about a man living under grace ; but he has transferred to himself the person of a man placed under the law. Or as some other persons express it — the apostle, in this passage, is not treating about a man who is already regene- rate through the Spirit of Christ, but {suscepisse'] has assumed the person of a man who is not yet regenerate. 222 JAMES ABMmiUS. 1. To the proof of the thesis, must be premised and prefix- ed definitions or descriptions of the subjects which it compri- ses. The subjects are — the apostle himself^ a man placed under grace^ a man placed under the law^ a man regeneratQ hy the Spirit of Christy and a man not yet regenerate, 2. I have set the apostle apart from those who are regene- rate and placed under grace, not because I would take him away from the number of regenerate persons, among whom he holds a conspicuous station, but because some people have thought proper to deduce, from the description of the apostol- ical perfection, arguments by which they prove, that the apos- tle could not, in this passage, be speaking concerning himself, as he then was ; because those things which he here ascribes to himself are at variance with some things that, in other passages, he writes about himself, and because they are a dis- grace to his eminent state of grace, and to his progress in faith and newness of life. But since it is certain, that the apostle has not, in this chapter, treated of himself personally, as dis- tinguished from all other men of whatsoever condition or order they may be, but that he, under his own person, described a certain kind and order of men, whether they be those who are under the law and not yet regenerate, or those who are regen- erate and placed under grace, omitting the description of the apostle, we will first see what is meant by heing under grace and under the law,, and what by heing regenerate^ and not yet regenerate or unregenerate j yet we will do this in such a man- that, in the subsequent establishment of our own opinion, we may produce arguments drawn from the description given by the apostle. 3. The expression, therefore, to he under the law^ does not signify merely that the man is liable to perform it, or that he is bound to obey the commands of the law ; in which sense all men generally, both those who are said in the ninth verse of this chapter to be " without law," are reckoned to be under the law by right of creation, and those also who are under grace, are considered to be under the law by the further right of redemption and sanctification, and yet in such a manner as DISSEKTATION. 223 not to be under its rigor, because they are under the law to Christ, who makes his people free from the rigor of the law. But because the office of the law concerning sinners is two- fold — the one^ to conclude sinners under the guilt of that pun- ishment which is denounced by the law against transgressors, and to condemn them by its sentence — t\\e other ^ first to in- struct sinners and to give them assurance about its equity, jus- tice and holiness, and afterwards to accuse them of sin, to urge them to obedience, to convince them of their own weak- ness, to terrify them by a dread of punishment, to compel them to seek deliverance, and, generallj^, to lead, govern and actuate sinners according to its efficacy. Therefore, with re- gard to the first office of the law, all sinners universally are said to be under it, even those who are without law and have sinned without it ; " for they shall also perish without law (Rom. ii, 12 ;) yet they are not to be condemned without a just sentence of the law. In relation to the second office of the law, they are said to be under its dominion, government, lord- ship and (pedagogy) tutelage, who are ruled and actuated by the efficacy and guidance of the law, in whom it exerts its power, and exercises these its operations, whether some of them or all, whether more or less, in which respect there may be, and really are, different degrees and orders of those per- sons who are said, in this second view, to be under the law. But in this passage, we define a man under the law to be "one who is under its entire efficacy and all its operations the design of the apostle requiring this, as we shall afterwards perceive. 4. This phrase " to be under grace," answers in opposition to the other of being " under the law," since the effect of this grace is two-fold. The first is, to absolve a sinful man from the guilt of sin and from condemnation ; the second is, to endow man with the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration, and by that Spirit to vivify or quicken, to lead, actuate and govern him. Hence, not only are they said to be " under grace" who are free from guilt and condemnation, but like- wise they who are governed and actuated by the guidance of grace and of the Holy Spirit. But since we are in this place 2M JAMES AEMINIUS. discussing, not properly the condemnation of sin, but the tyranny and dominion which it violently exercises over those who are its subjects, by compelling them with its own force to yield it complete obedience, and to which are opposed in vain the efficacy and power of the law ; and since we are now treating, not about the remission of sins, but about that grace which inhibits or restrains the force of this tyrant and lord, and which leads men to yield it due obedience ; there- fore we must restrict the expressions, " to be under the law," and " to be under grace," to the latter signification — that he is " under the law" who is governed and actuated by the guidance of the law, and that he is " under grace" who is governed and actuated by the guidance of grace. This will be rendered evident from the fourteenth verse of th-e sixth chapter, when accurately compared with the preceding and following verses of the same chapter, and from the seven- teenth and eighteenth verses of the fifth chapter of the epistle to the Gralatians, when they are properly applied to this matter. Yet if any one be desirous of extending these pas- sages to the two-fold signification of each of the expressions, he has my free permission for such extension ; for it cannot prove the least hindrance in the inquiry and discovery of the truth of the matter which is the subject of our present dis- cussion. 5. Let us now see about the regenerate and the unregene- rate man. That we may define him with strictness, as it is propor to do in oppositions and distinctions, we say that a regenerate man is one who is so called, not from the com- menced act or operation of the Holy Spirit, though this is regeneration, but from the same act or operation when it is perfected with respect to its essential parts, though not with respect to its quantity and degree ; he is not one " who was once enlightened, and has tasted of the heavenly gift, and was made partaker of the Holy Ghost, and who has tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come ;" (Heb. vi, 4, 5 ;) because the explanation given by most of our divines to this passage, applies only to unregenerate per- sons. ITeither is he on© who "has escaped the pollutions of DISSERTATION. 225 the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and who has known the way of righteousness (2 Pet. ii, 20, 21 ;) for they explain this passage also as appli- cable solely to the unregenerate. 'Nor is it a man who " hear- eth the law, and has the work of the law written in his heart, whose thoughts mutually accuse or else excuse themselves, who rests in the law, makes his boast of God, knows his will, and approves the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law." (Rom. ii, 13-18.) I^either is he one who "has prophesied in the name of the Lord, and in his name cast out devils;" (Matt, vii, 22;) and who "has all faith, so that he could remove mountains." (1 Cor. xiii, 2.) l^or is he one who acknowledges himself to be a sinner, mourns on account of sin, and is affected with godly sorrow, and who is fatigued and " heavy laden" under the burden of his sins ; (Matt, xi, 28 ;) ' for such persons as these Christ came to call, and this call precedes justification and sanctifica- tion, that is, regeneration. (Rom. viii, 30.) Neither is it he who " knows himself to be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked ;" for this is the man whom Christ " counsels to buy" of him the things necessary for himself. (Rev. iii, IT, 18.) This interpretation is not invalidated by the fact that the church of Laodicea is said not to know her- self; for the " counsel" or advice bestowed will never per- suade her to buy those things of Christ, unless she have pre- viously known herself to be such a one as is there described. Nor is he one who knows that a man cannot be justified by the works of the law, and who, from this very circumstance, is compelled to fiee to Christ, that in him he may obtain jus- tification. (Gal. ii, 16.) Nor is he a man, who, acknowledging himself as being unworthy even to lift up his eyes to heaven, and who, smiting on his breast, has exclaimed, God he mer- ciful to me a sinner I This has been well observed by Beza in his Refutation of the calumnies of Tilman Heshusius, where he makes a beau- tiful distinction between " the things which precede regenera- tion" and " regeneration itself," and thus expresses himself : " It is one thing to inquire by what methods God prepares us 226 JAMES AEMINIUS. for repentance or lre?iovat{one7n] newness of life, and it is an- other to treat on repentance itself. Let, therefore, the ac- knowledgment of sin and godly sorrow be the beginning of repentance, but so far as God begins in this way to prepare 113 for newness of life, in which respect it was the practice of Calvin deservedly to call this fear initial. Besides, in the de- scription of penitence we are not so accustomed as some people are, to call the-e dreadful qualms of conscience the mortifica- tion of the flesh or of the old man / though we know that the word of God is compared to a sword, which, in some man- ner, slays us, tliat we may offer ourselves for a sacrifice to God ; and St. Paul somewhere calls afflictions [inortification- m%\ the death of Christ which we carry about with us in the body. For it is very evident that, by the mortification or death of the flesh and of the old man, or of our members, St. Paul means something far different : He means not that effi- cacy of the Spirit of Christ which may terrify ns, but that which may sanctify us, by destroying in us that corrupt na- ture which brought forth fruit unto death. Besides, we also differ from some persons on this point, not with respect to the thing itself, but in the method or form of teaching it, that they wish faith to be the second part of penitence, but we say that ixsmvoja^ [a change of mind for the better,] by which term we understand, according to Scripture usage, ren- ovation of life or newness of living, is the effect of faith," &c. {OpusGula., tom. i, fol. 328.) Such are the sentiments of Beza ; but how exactly they agree with those things which I have advanced, will be rendered very apparent to any man who will compare the one with the other. Consonant with these is that which John Calvin says about initial fear^ in the following words : " They have probably been deceived by this — that some persons are tamed by the qualms or terrors of conscience, or [formantur] are prepared by them for obedience, before they have been imbued with the knowledge of grace, nay, before they have tasted it. And this is that initial fear which some persons reckon among the virtues, because they discern that it approaches nearly to a true and just obedience. But this is not the place for dis- DISSERTATION. 227 cussing the various ways by which Christ draws us to him- self, or prepares ns for the pursuit of piety," &c. Eut a regenerate man is one who comprises within him- self all tlie particulars which I shall here enumerate : " He has put off the old man with his deeds, and has put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge, which agrees with the image of him who created him." (Col. iii, 9, 10.) He has received from God " the Spirit of wisdom and revela- tion through the knowledge of Him, the eyes of his under- standing being illuminated" or opened. (Ephes. i, 18.) He has put off, " concerning the former conversation, the old man^ which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts ; and he is renewed in the spirit of his mind, and has put on th& new man^ which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephes. iv, 22-24.) He, "with open face, beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, is changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. iii, 18.) He is " dead to sin ; his old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth he should not serve sin ; he is freed from sin, and is alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Eom. vi, 2, 6, 7, 11.) "He is crucified with Christ; nevertheless he lives, yet not he; but Christ liveth in him ; and the life which he now lives in the flesh, he lives by the faith of the Son of God." (Gal. ii, 20.) Be- ing one of Christ's followers, " he has crucified the flesh with its afiections and lusts, and now lives in the Spirit." (v. 24, 25.) " By our Lord Jesus Christ, the world is crucified unto him, and he unto the world." (vi, 14.) "In Christ Jesus the Lord, he is also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." (Col. ii, 11.) " In him, God worketh both to will and to do." (Phil, ii, 13.) " He is not in the flesh, but in the Spirit ; the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in him ; through the Spirit, he mortifies the deeds of the body ; he is led by the Spirit of God, and does not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Eom. viii, 4, 9, 13, 14.) Uniting in a brief manner, all the parts and fruits of re- t 228 JAMES ABMINIUS. generation into one summary, we say — A regenerate man is he who has 'a mind from the darkness and vanity of the world, and illuminated with the true and saving Imowledge of Christ, and with faith, who has affections that are mortified, and delivered from the dominion and slavery of sin, that are inflamed with such new desires as agree with the divine na- ture, and as are prepared and fitted for newness of living, who has a will reduced to order, and conformed to the will of God, who has powers and faculties able, through the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to contend against sin, the world and Satan, and to gain the victory over them, and to bring forth fruit unto God, such as is meet for repentance — who also actually fights against sin, and, having obtained the victory over it, no longer does those things which are pleasing to the flesh and {concupiscentioe] to unlawful desires, but does those which are grateful to God ; that is, he actually [declinat] desists from evil and does good — not indeed perfectly, but according to the measure of faith and of the gift of Christ, according to [mod- ulo] the small degree of regeneration, which, begun in the present life, must be gradually improved or increased, till at length it is perfected after this short life is ended — not with respect to -essential parts, but with respect to quantity, as we have already declared — not always without interruption, (for he sometimes stumbles, falls, wanders astray, commits sin, grieves the Holy Spirit, &c.,) but generally, and for the most part, he does good. 6. But an unregenerate man is, not "only he Vho is entirely blind, ignorant of the will of God, knowingly and willingly contaminating himself by sins without any remorse of con- science, affected with no sense of the wrath of God, terrified with no compunctious visits of conscience, not oppressed with the burden of sin, and inflamed with no desu-e of deliverance — ^but it is also he who knows the will of God but does it not, who is acquainted with the way of righteousness, but departs from it — who has the law of God written in his heart, and has thoughts mutually accusing and excusing each other — who receives the word of the gospel with gladness, and for a season rejoices in its light — who comes to baptism, but either does DISSERTATION. 229 not receive the word itself in a good heart, or, at least, does not bring forth fruit — who is affected with a painful sense of sin, is oppressed with its burden, and who sorrows after a godly sort — who knows that righteousness cannot be acquired by the law, and who is, therefore, compelled to flee to Christ. For all these particulars, in what manner soever they be taken, do not belong to the essence and the essential parts of regeneration, penitence, or repentance, which are mortification and vivification and quickening ; but they are only things precediDg, and may have some place among the beginnings, and, if such be the pleasm-e of any one, they may be reckon- ed the causes of penitence and regeneration, as Calvin has learnedly and nervously explained them in his Christian In- stitutes. (Lib. iii, cap. 3.) Besides, even true and living faith in Christ precedes regeneration strictly taken, and con- sisting of the mortification or death of the old man, and the vivification of the new man, as Calvin has, in the same pas- sage of his Institutes^ openly declared, and in a manner which agrees with the Scriptm-es and the nature of faith. For Christ becomes ours by faith, and we are ingrafted into Christ, are made members of his body, of his fiesh and of his bones, and, being thus planted with him, we coalesce or are united togeth- er, that we may draw from him the vivifying power of the Holy Spirit, by which power the old man is mortified and we rise again into a new life. All these things cohere together with each other in a certain order, and must thus also be con- sidered, if any one be desirous of knowing them not confusedly but distinctly, and of explaining them well to others. But we are not, in this place, treating about all the unregenerate in general, but only about those in whom the law has exerted all its efficacy, and who are, on this account, reciprocally said to be under the law. » 230 JAMES ARMINIUS. n. THE CONNECTION OF THE SEVENTH CHAPTER WITH THB SIXTH. 1. The design of the Apostle in the sixth chapter. 2. A short disposition of this argument. 3. Pour enunciations of it 4. This distribution is treated in order [in the seventh chap- ter]. 5. The two former enunciations are contained in con- junction. 6. What therefore is proved hy them. 7. The third and fourth enunciatiom are proposed in the fifth and sixth ve7'ses. 8. In the third enunciation lies the princijjol part of the controversy / its deduction consists of the prop- osition of the enunciation and of its method of being treat- ed. 9. The proposition of the enunciation. 10. ThQ in- vestigation of the proposition, consisting of a larger explan- atiou., and the rendering of the cause. 11. A larger ex- planation of the seventh chapter^ from the seventh verse to the fourteenth. 12. The rendering of the cause., from the \^,th verse to the end of the seventh chapter. 13. The four- teenth verse contains the r^ ndering of a twofold reason. 14. The proof of this is contained in the fifteenth verse. 15. And a more ample explanation of it. 16. From which two consectaries are deduced — the first in the sixteenth verse., and the second in the seventeenth. 17. From thiSy the apostle returns to the rendering of the cause^ in the eight etnth verse., and to the proof of it. 18. Its more ampU explanation follows in the nineteenth verse., from which is deduced the second consectary in the twentieth verse. 19. The conclusion of the thiiig intended., in the twenty fir si verse., and the proof of it is given in the twenty -second and twenty-third verses. 20. A votive exclamation for the de- liverance of a man who is under the law., occurs in the twenty fourth verse. 21. An answer or a thaiilcs giving in reference to that exclamation., is given in the former part of the twenty 'fifth verse, and the conclusion of the whole investigation, in which the state of a man who is under the law is briefly defined in the latter part of the twenty- fifth verse, A brief recapitulation of the second part. DISSERTATION. 231 1. Haying, from necessity of the thing and of order, thus premised these things, let us now j^roceed to treat on the ques- tion and the thesis itself. But it will be useful, briefly to place before our eyes the sum of the whole chapter, its disposition and distribution ; that, after having considered the design of the apostle, and those things which conduce to that design, and which have been brought forward by the apostle as sub- servient to his purpose, his mind and intention may the more plainly be made known to us. That this may the more appro- priately be done, the matter must be traced a little further backward. In the 12th and 13th verses, as well as in the preceding verses of the sixth chapter of the epistle to the Romans, the apostle had exhorted all the believers at Eome to contend strenuously against sin, and not to suffer sin to domineer or rule over them, or to exercise authority in their mortal body ; but to devote themselves to God, and to yield their members as the instruments of righteousness unto God ; and he dem- onstrated and confirmed the equity of his exhortation by many arguments, especially by those which are deduced Irom the communion of believers with Christ. But, in order to animate them the more powerfully to this spiritual contest — the per- suasion to enter on which was to be wrought not only by a demonstration of its equity, but also by a promise of its feli- citous and successful issue — in the 14th verse of the same chapter, he proposed to them the certain hope of victory, de- claring sin shall not have dominion over you." For nothing can so strongly incite men to engage manfully and with spirit in this warfare, as that certain confidence of obtaining the victory which the apostle promises in these words. But he grounds his promise, in the 14:th verse, on a reason drawn from it, and on the power and ability of that [grace] under the guidance and auspices of which they were about to con- tend against sin, or from that state in which they were then placed in and through Christ, when he says, " For ye are not under the law, but under grace," thus extolling the powers of grace at the expense of the contrary weakness of the law, as though he had said, " I employ these continual exhortations 232 JAMES AEMIOTUS. to induce you strenuously to engage in the conflict against sin ; and I do this, not only because I consider it most equit- able that you should enter into that warfare, while I have re- gard to your communion with Christ, but also because I arrive at an assured hope, while I view your present condition, that you will at length enjoy the victory over sin, through that un- der whose auspices you fight ; and it can by no means come to pass, that sin shall have dominion over you, as it formerly had ; for you are under grace, imder the government and guidance of the Spirit of Christ, and no longer under the law. If you were still in that state in which you were before faith in Christ, that is, if you were yet under the law, I might in- dulge in despair about declaring a victory for you, as placed under the dominion of sin. Such a victory over the power of sin contending within you, you would not be able to obtain by the strength or power of the law, which knows how to com- mand, but affords no aid for the performance of the things commanded, how great soever might be the exertions which you made to gain the battle under the auspices of the law." But this reasoning, in the first place, possessed validity to prove the necessity of the grace which was offered and to be obtained in Christ alone, in opposition to those who were the patrons of the cause of the law against the gospel, and who urged that covenant, the law of works, against the covenant of grace and the law of faith. This reasoning also contribu- ted greatly to the design which the apostle proposed to him- self in the principal part of this epistle. His design was to teach that, not the law, but " the gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth," both because by the law, and by the works of the law, no man can be justified from the sins which he has committed, and because, by the power and aid of the same law, no one can oppose himself to the power of sin to shake off its yoke, and, after having been freed from its yoke, to serve God, since he immediately falls in the conflict. But in Christ Jesus, as he is offered to us through the gospel, and apprehended by faith, we can obtain both these blessings — the forgiveness of sins through faith in his blood, and the power of the Spirit of Christy by DISSERTATION. 233 wMch, being delivered from the dominion of sin, we may, through the same Spirit, be able to resist sin, to gain the victory over it, and to serve God " in newness of life." These things in the sixth chapter may be perceived at one glance, when placed before the eyes in the following order : THE PKOPOSmON OF THE APOSTLE. Dehortatory. — " i^either yield ye your members as instru- ments of unrighteousness unto sin." Hortatory. — "But yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." THE REASON. " For sin shall not have dominion over you." HENCE, AN ENTHTMEME, WHOSE Antecedent is — " Sin shall not have dominion over you." Its consequent — " Therefore, neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yom'selves unto God," &c. THE PROOF OF THE ANTECEDENT OR OF THE REASON. " For ye are under grace ; therefore, sin shall not have do- minion over you." AN ILLUSTRATION CF THE PROOF FROM IIS CONTRARY. " For ye are not under the law." A BRIEF EXPLICATION OF THE PROOF, AND OF IIS ILLUSTRATION. " If, indeed, you were yet under the law, as you formerly were, sin would have the dominion over you as it once had ; 16 TOL. n. 234 JAMES AEMINTrS. and, Laying followed its commands and impnlses, yon would not be able to do any other than yield your members as in- struments of unrighteousness unto sin. " But as you are now no longer under the law, but under grace, sin shall not in any wise have the dominion over you, but by the power of grace you shall easily resist sin, and yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." ^ From the 14:th vei'se, the apostle perseyeres in the same exhortation throughout the remainder of the sixth chapter, with a slight intermission of tliis argument, yet having previ- ously refuted the objection which might be deduced from it ; being about to resume the same argument, and to treat it more at large, in the whole of the seventh chapter, and in the former part of the eighth, since, as we have already perceived, the prosecution of this argument contributes very materially to his design. 2. But the apostle treats this subject in the order and meth- od which was demanded by reason itself, and by the necessity of its discussion. For he had said, " Sin shall not have do- minion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace.'' 3. In these words, are contained the four following enunci- ations : (1.) Christians are not under the law. (2.) Christians are under grace. (3.) Sin shall have dominion over those who are under the law. (4.) Sin shall not have dominion over those who are under grace. Of these four enunciations, the second and the fourth are necessaiy and sufficient to j)ei-suade in favor of this exhorta- tion ; but the fii^st and the third are adduced, both for the sake of illustration, and because they were required by the principal design of the entire epistle. The foiTuer of these [pairs of conjoint enunciations] is well known to all who understand the nature of a separated axiom and the mutual relation which exists between its parts ; but the latter of them will be ren- DISSERTATION. 235 dered very apparent by the deduction of the epistle itself, and on a diligent inspection of its conformation. 4. The apostle, therefore, thought that these four axioms ought to be treated by him in order, and indeed always with the mention of the conclusion which he was desirous to infer from them as from premises ; and in which the sum of the ex- hortation consisted. 5. But the apostle treats those two former enunciations con- jointly, such a course being required by their nature. For he gives one thing to those from which he takes another away^ and this very properly ; because there exists one and the same cause why the one should be attributed and the other taken away, why they are under grace and not under the law. This cause is expressed in the fourth verse of the seventh chapter, in the following words : " Ye, also, are become dead to the law in the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another." 6. But in the first four verses, the apostle proves that Chris- tians or believers are not under the law, but under grace ; which proof may be comprised in this syllogism : They who are dead to the law, and this in the body of Christ, that they may be married to another, even to Christ, are no longer under the law, but are now under grace ; But Christians are dead to the law, that they should be married to another, even to Christ ; Therefore, Christians are no longer under the law, but un- der grace. The first part of the proposition — "They who are dead to the law, are no longer under the law," is expressed in the first verse of the seventh chapter in these words : "The law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth." The latter part ot it, " They who are made Christ's are under grace," — is in- cluded in the fourth verse, from which it may be deduced. But a confirmation of the first part of the proposition is added, in the first verse, from the testimonj^ of the consciences of those who are expert in the knowledge of the law ; and the same part of the proposition is illustrated, in the second and third verses, by a simile, that of marriage, in which the woman is no longer liable to the law of her husband than " so long as 236 JAMES AKMINITS. he liveth but when he is dead, she is free from the law of her husband, so that she may be allowed to transfer herself to another man without committing the crime of adultery. The application of this comparison is evident, the difference only being observed, that the apostle has declared, by a change in the mode of speaking, that Christians are become dead to the law^ and not that the law is become dead to them. This change of speech is attributed by some persons to the pru- dence of the apostle, who wished to avoid the use of a phrase which he previously knew would be offensive to the Jews. By others it is transferred to the nature of the thing, in which they say that sin^ and not the law^ sustained the part or person of the husband, because in the sixth verse sin is said to be dead ; but this makes nothing to our present purpose. 'The assumption, in the fourth verse, is in these words : " Ye also are become dead to the law in the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to Christ." This assump- tion is illustrated, first, by the efficient cause of that mortifi- cation or death, which is the crucifixion and the resurrection of the body of Christ, and the communion of believers with Christ in that crucifixion and in the raising again of his body. Secondly. This assumption is illustrated by the final cause of deliverance, which contains the scope or design of the apos- tolical exhortation, that is, "to bring forth fruit unto God." But he perseveres in the same end in the two subsequent ver- ses, the sixth and seventh, by treating it through a compari- son of. things similar, as he had also done in the nineteenth verse of the sixth chapter. The parallel is, that we serve God^ and since we are not now in the oldness of the letter^ hut in the newness of Spirit^ and are delivered from the law^ that thing being dead in which we were held^ it is equitable that we bring forth fruit unto God j because when we were in the fleshy the motion of sins, existing through the law, did work in OUT members to bring forth fruit unto death. The conclusion is not openly inferred, but is understood, which is a mode of frequent occurrence, because the proposi- tion, or question to be treated, does not differ from the conclu - sion in the matter, but only in the mode of position. DISSERTATION. 237 7. But though these two verses, the fifth and sixth, have such a relation to those things which preceded as has been al- ready explained, yet thej are likewise to be referred to those which follow. For the third and fourth enunciations are pro- posed in these two verses — -the third in the fifth verse, and the fourth in the sixth. For, this expression, " The motions of sins, which are by the law, are vigorous, or operate in the members of men who are yet in the flesh," (verse fifth,) is tantamount in meaning to these words : Sin has the dominion over those who are under the law." These words likewise, " But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, (^ss^ so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter," (verse sixth,) agree well with the following : " Sin shall not have the dominion over those who are under grace." This will be rendered evident if any one translates the ]3article wcs, as an ancient interpreter has done, by the words " so that," and understands it not of the end or intention, but of the issue or event, as the almost per- petual use of that particle requires. For the sense is this : " When we were yet in the oldness of the letter and under the law, then we were held under sin ; and when we are now de- livered from the law and placed in newness of spirit, we are able to serve God in righteousness and true holiness," agreea- bly to this state of our newness of living. 8. But let us now more closely inspect how this third enun- ciation is treated, since in it is laid the principal part of the controversy. The exposition of the whole matter consists of the proposing of the enunciation, and of its investigation, the latter of which is partly an exjplanation^ and partly an appli- cation of the cause. Both of these are briefly joined to the proposition, as it is laid down in the fifth verse of this chapter ; wherefore they are more copious, and better accommodated to the more prolix investigation, than as they are proposed from the fourteenth verse of the sixth chapter. 9. (I.) For that proposition is, " sin," or, as it is more en- ergetically exi)ressed, " The motions of sins have the dominion over those who are under the law." This attribute is likewise 238 JAMES AEMINTUS. more nervously expressed by this metliocl of speech, by which the motions of sins are said to have existence b}^ the law itself. Two effects of this dominion, therefore, are added to the proposition for the sake of explication. One is, its vigor ^ and its worhbig in the members / the other is, its bringing forth fruits unto death. The cause wh}^, in men under the law, " the motions of sins w^ork in their members to bring forth fruit unto death," is rendered in these words, "when w^e were in the flesh." For the reference to the time preceding is taken from the carnal state, w^hich state comprises the cause why, in times past, " the motions of sins did work in our members." As if the apostle had said, " It is not wonderful that the mo- tions of sins have had the dominion over us, and have worked in our members to bring forth fruit unto deith ; for we are in the flesh ; and the law itself is so far from being able to hin- der this dominion and to restrain the vigorous growth of sin, that these motions are by the law far more fervid and vehe- ment, not through the fault of the law, but through the wick- edness and obstinacy of sin that holds the dominion and abu- ses its power." 10. (2.) This proposition, therefore, is more largely ex- plained, from the seventh verse to the fourteenth ; and its cause is fully treated from the fourteenth verse inclusive, to the end of the chapter. The explanation is occupied about this two-fold effect — the working of sin^ and its fructification by which it brings forth fruit unto death. The rendering of the cause is continually intent upon what is said in the fifth verse, " When we were in the fleshP But on both these points, we must carefully guard against bringing the law un- der the suspicion of blame, as though it were of itself the cause of depraved desires in us, and of death ; when it is only the occasion, upon which sin violently seizes, and uses it to produce these effects in men who live under the law. In the explanation, both these effects are removed from the law, and they are attributed to sin as to their proper cause ; yet this is done in such a way, that it is at the same time added, that sin abuses the law to produce these effects. DISSERTATION". 239 11. (i.) The former of these effects is removed from the law, in the seventh verse, by these words : " What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid." That is, as if he had said, " Can it, therefore, be attributed to the law that it is itself, or the cause of depraved desires in ns, because it is called in the fifth verse, the motions of sin which are hy the lawf^ The apostle replies, that it is very wrong to en- tertain even the bare thought of such a thing concerning the law. He subjoins a proof of this removal of the first effect, from the contrary effect which the law has ; for the laio is the index of sin, or tha which j)oi?its it out; therefore, it is nei- ther sin nor the cause of sin. He then illustrates this proof by a special example : " For I should not have known concu- piscence, unless the law had said, Thou shalt not desire or covet.^^ But the same effect is, in the eighth verse, attributed to sin, in these words : " But sin wrought in me all manner of con- cupiscence," yet so that it abuses the law as an occasion to produce this effect. This is intimated in the words which im- mediately follow: "Sin, taking occasion by the command- ment, wrought in me," &c. The latter effect [the fructifica- tion of sin] is proved in the next verse, in these words : " For, without the law, sin was dead ; but, on the approach of the law, sin revived," which is illustrated by its opposite priva- tives, " For I was alive when sin was dead ; but when sin re- vived then I died ;" but, as this was done by the law, it is ev- ident that sin abused the law to produce this effect. But the apostle here joins the second effect to the first, (because they cohere together by nature, and the former is the cause of the latter,) and thus in the tenth and eleventh verses, ascribes death to sin, which abuses the law, yet so as to excuse the law also from the effect of death, as it is expressed in the tenth verse, " the commandment which was unto life ;" the cause of death being transferred to sin, in the expression, " For sin, taking occasion by the commandment," &c. But he follows up his exculpation of the law, in the twelfth verse, by a de- scription of the nature of the law, that it "is holy, and just, and good," and, therefore, by no means the cause of death — • 240 JAMES ARMmiUS. an insinuation against the law which he indignantly repels in the former part of the thirteenth verse, by saying, " God for- bid that that which is good, should be made death unto me." But in the latter part of this verse, he ascribes the same effect to sin, with the addition of a two-fold end, both of them incli- ning to the disparagement of sin itself, in these words : "That sin might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good ; that sin, by the commandment, might become exceed- ingly sinful." As though he had said — " Sin, by this abuse of the law to seduce and kill us, has produced the effect, that, in return, its own depravity and perverseness be made mani- fest by the law. This perverse depravity consists in sin work- ing death by the law which is good, and in being made ex- ceedingly sinful by the commandment which is just and holy, and that it might only become as it were a sinner above meas- ure by its own [malitici] wickedness, but also might be de- clared to be such by the indication of the law, which it has so shamefully abused to produce these effects." But it is appa- rent from the whole of this explanation, that the apostle has so attempered his style as to draw a conclusion of the necessity of the grace of Christ, from the efficacy of sin, and from the weakness of the law. This will be still more perspicuous, if we briefly comprise this explanation of the apostle in the fol- lowing form : " Sin has the dominion over those who are un- der the law, by working in them all manner of concupiscence through the law itself, and also by killing them through it, yet so that the law is free [utraque culpa] from all blame in both cases, since it is holy and good, the index of sin, and was given for life. But sin is so powerful in men who are still under the law, that it abuses the law to produce those effects in a man who is under subjection to it ; by which abuse of the law, sin, on the other hand, takes away the reward from the law, that its own perverse and noxious disposition and ten- dency may be manifested [indicio] by the indication of the law. From these circumstances a man who is under the law is compelled to flee to grace, that he may by its benificent aid be delivered from the tyranny of such a wicked and injurious master." DISSERTATION. 241 12. (ii.) The rendering of the cause follows from the four- teenth verse to the end of the chapter ; in which, as we have already observed, the utmost care is evinced not to im230se any ignominy on the law, or to ascribe any blame to it ; and the entire [noxa] mischief is attributed to the power of sin and to the weakness of that man who is under the law. But the cause is briefly given in the fourteenth verse, in these words : "For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold un- der sin." But in order that this rendering of the cause may be accurately understood, we must again consider that propo- sition, the cause of which the apostle determines in this place to explain, and which is this : "Sin has dominion over those who are under the law or, " The motions of sins, which are by the law, work in men who are under the law." 13. That the cause of this may be fully and perfectly ren- dered, it must be shewn why the law cannot weaken the force and tyranny of sin in those who are under the law, and why sin holds those who are under the law bound and obnoxious to itself as by some right of its own. Therefore, this render- ing of the cause consists of two parts : The fiest is contained in these words : " For truly the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal." That the particle " indeed'''' or " truly''' must be added, is proved both by its relative (^s, " Jw^," as well as by the very subject. The second is contained in these words : " For I am sold under sin ;" that is, I am under the dominion of sin, as one who is constituted a purchased servant by the right of sale, and like one who becomes the bond-slave of sin. As though the apostle had said, "That the law is incapable of hindering \yigorem\ the strength and operation of sin in men who are under the law, arises from this, that men under the law are carnal ; in whom therefore the law, though it is spiritual, does not possess so much power as to enable it to restrain the strong inclination of the flesh to things which are evil and contrary to the law. And since sin, by a certain right of its own, exercises dominion over those men who are under the law, therefore it comes to pass that they have been made bond-slaves to sin, and are bound and " fettered like a purchased menial." U2 JAMES AiJMINnJS. 14. The apostle immediately subjoins a proof, in the fifteenth verse, not so much of the fact that a man under the law is car7ial^ as that he is the slave of sin. But the proof is taken from the peculiar adjunct or effect of a purchased ser- vant, in these words : " For that which do I allow not." For a servant does not do that which seems good to himself, but that which his master is pleased to prescribe to him ; be- cause thus is the word [agnosco] "I allow" used in this passage, for " I approve." Bat if any one thinks that it is here used in its proper signification, the argument will be the same, and equal its validity; ''for," as Christ has told us, " the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth ;" (J ohn xv, 15 ;) neither is his Lord bound, nor is he accustomed, to make known to his servant all his will, except so far as it seems proper to himself to employ the services of his menial through the knowledge of that will. 15. But the first signification of the word is better accommo- dated to this passage, and seems to be required by those things which follow ; for a more ample explanation of this argument is produced in the following words : " For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I;" which is an evident token of a will that is subjugated, and subject to the will of another ; that is, to the will of sin. Therefore he is the ser- vant and the slave of sin. 16. The apostle now deduces two consectaries from this, by the first of which he excuses the law, and by the second, he throws on sin all the blame respecting this matter, as he had also done in a previous part of the chapter. The first consec- tary is, if, then, I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good." (16.) That is, " if I unwillingly do that which sin prescribes to me, now, indeed, I consent unto the law that it is good, as being that against which sin is committed. I assent to the law that commands, though, while placed under the dominion of sin, I am unable to perform what it prescribes." The second consectary is, " ]N"ow then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." (17.) That is, " therefore, because I reluctantly do what I do, not at my own option but at that of another, that is, of my master, DISSERTATION. 243 who is sin ; it follows from this, that it is not I who do it, but sin which dwells in me, has the dominion over me, and impels me to do it." IT. Having treated upon these subjects in the manner now stated, the apostle returns to the same rendering of the cause and the proof of it. The eighteenth verse contains the render- ing of the cause, in these words : " For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing :" Wherefore it is not surprising that the law, though it be spiritual, is not able to break the power of sin in a man w^ho is under the law; for that which is good does not dwell, that is, has not the do- minion, in a carnal man who is under the law. The ^^roof of this is subjoined in the same verse : " For to will is present with me ; but how to perform that which is good I find not." Or, " I do not find how I can perform any thing good." 18. The more ample explanation of it is given in the nineteenth verse, " For the good that I would, I do not ; but the evil that I would not, that I do ;" which is an evident token that no good thing dwelleth in my flesh. For if any good thing dwelt in my flesh, I should then be actually capa- ble of performing that to which my mind and will are inclined. He then deduces once more the second consectar}^, in the twentieth verse : " 'Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it. bnt sin that dwelleth in me." 19. But from all these arguments, in the twenty-first verse he concludes the thing intended : " I find then a law, [which is imposed in this way,] that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." That is. In reality, therefore, I find from the circumstance of " to will being present with me," but of not being capable of performing what is good, that evil or sin is present with me, and not only has it a place in me but it likewise prevails. This conclusion does not difier in meaning from the rendering of the cause which is comprised in the fourteenth verse, in this expression : " But I am carnal, sold under sin." But in the two subsequent verses, the twenty - second and twenty-third, the apostle proves the conclusion which immediately preceded ; and, in proving it, he more clearly explains whence and how it happens, that a man who JAMES ARMTCnUS. is under the law cannot have dominion over sin, and that, whether willing or nnwilling, such a person is compelled to fulfill the lusts of sin ; and he says, " for I delight in the law of God after the inward man ; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." 20. At the close, from a consideration of the miserable state of those men who are under the law, a votive exclamation is raised for their deliverance from this tyranny and servitude of sin, in the following terms : "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver (or snatch) me from the body of this death ?" That is, not from this mortal body, but from the dominion of sin, which ne here calls the body of death^ as he calls it also in other passages the hody of sin. 21. To this exclamation he subjoins a reply — " the grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, will deliver thee" — or a thanksgiving, in which the apostle [sigjiijicat'] intimates, in his own person, whence deliverance must be sought and ex- pected. In the last place, a conclusion is annexed to the whole investigation, in the latter part of the twenty-fifth verse, in which is briefiy defined the entire condition of a man under the law, that had been previously and at great length de- scribed ; " so then, with the mind, I myself, serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin." And in this manner is concluded the seventh chapter. 22. But in order that these arguments, after having been reduced to a small compass, may be perceived at a single glance, let us briefly recapitulate this second part likewise, in the following manner ; "We have already declared, that sin has dominion over those men who are under the law : But the cause of this is, that, though the law itself is spiritual, and though the men who are under it consent unto it that it is good, and though they will what is good and delight in the law of God after the in- ward man ; yet these very men who are under the law are carnal, sold under sin, have no good thing dwelling in their flesh, but have sin dwelling in them, and evil is present with them ; they have likewise a law in their members which not DISSERTATION. 245 only wars against the law of their mind, but which also renders them captives to the law of sin which is in their members. Of this matter it is a certain and evident token, that the ffood which such men would, they do not; but the evil which they hate, that they do ; and that when they will to do good, they do not obtain [posse] the ability. Hence it is undoubtedly evident, that they are not themselves the masters of their own acts, but sin which dwelleth in them ; to which is also chiefly to be ascribed the culpability of the evil which is committed by these men who are like the reluctant perpetrators of it. But [hi?ic] on this account, these persons, from the shewing of the law, having become acquainted with their misery, are com- pelled to cry out, and to implore the grace of Jesus Christ." YERSE THE FOURTEENTH. 1. A CLOSER investigation of this question and a demonstra- tion taken from the text itself^ that the apostle is here treating about a man i^laced under the law^ and not under grace. 2. The manner in which carnal and spititual are opposed to each other in the Scriptures. 3. An objection taken from 1 Cor. iii, 1, 2 ; and a reply to it. 4. The meaning of the phrase.^ sold under sin. The views of Calvin and Beza on this verse. 1. Having, in the preceding manner, considered the dispo- sition and economy of the whole chapter, let us now somewhat more strictly investigate the question proposed by us, which is this : " Are those thins^s which are recorded, from the four- teenth verse to the end of the seventh chapter, to be under- stood concerning a man who is under the law, or concerning one who is under grace V First of all, let some attention be bestowed on the connec- tion of the fourteenth verse with those which preceded it ; for the rational particle /ap, '^for^'' indicates its connection with the preceding. This connection shows, that the same subject 246 JAMES AHMmiUS. is discussed in this verse, as in those before it; and the pro- nonn ^/w, I, must be understood as relating to the same man, as had been signified in the previous verses by the same pronoun. But the investigation in the former part of the chapter was respecting a man who is under the law, and the pronoun " I" had previously denoted the man who was under the law : Therefore, in this fourteenth verse also, in which a cause is given of that which had been before explained, a man under the law is still the subject. If it be otherwise, the whole of it is nothing less than loose reasoning ; nor, in this case, have we ever been able to perceive even any probable coDuection, according to which these consequences that follow can be in coherence with the matters preceding, and which has been adduced by those who suppose that, in the first thirteen verses of this seventh cliapter, tlie discourse refers to a man under the law^ but that in the fourteenth verse and those which follow, the subject of the discourse is a man under grace. If any one denies this, let him attempt to make out the connec- tion [between the two portions of the chapter which have just been specified]. Some of those who have entertained that opinion, perceiving the difficulty of such an undertaking, in- terpret this fourteenth verse as well as those which preceded it, as relating to a man under the law, but the fifteenth and following verses as applicable to a man under grace. This, also, we shall hereafter perceive. Secondly. In the same fourteenth verse, that man about whom the apostle treats under his own person, is said to be carnal ; but a man who is regenerate and placed under grace is not carnal, but spiritual. Therefore, it is a matter of the greatest certainty, that the subject of the apostle in this verse is not a man placed under grace. But a man who is under the law is carnal ; therefore, it is plain that the subject of dis- course in this verse is a man under the law. I prove that a re- generate man, one who is placed under grace, is neither carnal, nor so designated in the Scriptures. In Romans viii, 9, it is said " but ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." And in the verse preceding, it is said, " so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God :" But a regenerate man, one who is DISSERTATION. placed under grace, pleases God. In Romans viii, 5, it is said " They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh," but [as it is expressed in the same verse] a man under grace " minds the things of the Spirit." In Gal. v, 24, it is said, " They that aro Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the af- fections and lusts ;" and they that have crucified the flesh" are not carnal. But men who are regenerate and placed under grace " are Christ's and have crucified the flesh." Therefore, such men as answer this description are not carnal. In Eo- mans viii, 14, it is said, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Therefore, they are " led by the Spirit of God ;" but such persons are spiritual, 2. But it is here objected, " the same man may, in a difler- ent respect, be called caiiial and sjAritual — 'spiritual,' so far as he is regenerate through the Spirit — ' carnal,' so far as he is unregenerate ; for, as long as man is in this mortal body, he is not fully regenerate. From this arises a two-fold significa- tion of the work ' carnal' : one denotes a man purely carnal, in whom sin has the dominion ; the other denotes a man partly carnal and partly spiritual." Answer. I grant, according to the Scriptures, that man is not fully and perfectly regenerate so long as he is in the pres- ent life. But this admission must be correctly apprehended, that ig, that such perfection be understood as relating not to the essence and essential parts of regeneration itself, but to the degree and measure of the quantity. For the business of re- generation \non ita hahet'] is not carried on in such a manner, that a man is regenerate or renewed with regard to some of his faculties, but remains with regard to others of them alto- gether in the oldness of depraved nature. But this second birth is ordered in the same manner as our first nativity, by which we are born human beings — that is, partaking entirely of human nature, but not in the perfection of adult manhood. Thus also, does the power of regeneration pervade all the fac- ulties of man, none of them excepted ; but it does not per- vade them perfectly at the first moment ; for it is carried on gradually, and by daily advances, until it is expanded or drawn out to a full and mature age in Christ. Hence, the 248 JAMES AEMINTUS. whole man is said to be regenerated, according to all Lis fac- nlties, mind, affections and will ; and he is, therefore, with regard to these, his regenerated faculties, a spiritual person. But as in the Scriptures a spiritual man and a carnal man are opposed to each other in their entire definitions, (for the former of them is one who walks acccording to the /Spirit^ and the latter is he that walks after the fleshy and as the one is mentioned for the opposite of tlie other,) in this respect indeed, the same man cannot be said to be at once both spiritual smd carnal. And thus I reject, according to the Scriptures, this distinction of carnal persons, by which some of them are called carnal^ in whom sin has dominion on the predominant part, and by which others receive the appellation of carnal men, in whom the flesh contends against the Spirit on the part which is less powerful ; for the rejection of this distinction, I have the permission of Scripture, which is not accustomed to reckon the latter of these two classes in the number of carnal persons. This is expressed in a very significant manner by Leo, on the resurrection of our Lord, in the following words : " Though we are saved by hope, and still bear about with us corruption and mortal flesh, yet we are correctly said fiotto be in the flesh if carnal affections have not dominion over us, and we deservedly lay aside and discard the name of that thing whose will we no longer follow." Eut were this, their distinction, allowed, still, that is not yet proved which they attempt, unless it be demonstrated that this man is called carnal, not in the first of these respects or sen- ses, but in the second — not because sin has the dominion in him, but because the flesh contends against the Spirit, which is a result that can never be deduced from the text itself. For It is evident that, in the man whom the apostle here calls car- nal, sin has the dominion, and the party of the flesh is more powerful in him than that of the Spirit. Because " sin dwell- eth in him, he does the evil that he would not, and he does not the good which he would ; to perform what is good, he finds not ; but sin, which dwelleth in him, perpetrates that which is evil ; he is brought into captivity to the law of sin, or he is a captive under the law of sin." All these are certain DISSERTATIOIf. 249 and manifest tokens of sin, wliich has the dominion. Kor is it any valid objection, that the man is compelled, though un- willing and reluctant, to obey sin ; for the dominion of sin is two fold — either with the consent of him who sins, or against his conscience, and his consent arising from his conscience. For whether a servant obeys his Lord willingly or unwillingly, he is still the servant of him to whom he yields obedience. This is such a certain truth, that no one is able to come from the servitude of sin to liberty, except through this way — the way of this hatred of servitude, and of this desire of obtaining deliverance. 3. But some one will say, " Even those who are under grace are called carnal in 1 Cor. iii, 1, 2." I reply, The question does not relate to the word itself, but to its true meaning and the thing signified by it. We must try, therefore, whether this word has the same signification in this passage as it has in the seventh chapter of the epis- tle to the Komans. But they [at Corinth] are called carnal with respect to knowledge, and in reference to [affeclus] feel- ing or inclination. In this sense, being [rudes] unskilllul and inexperienced in the doctrine of piety, and the knowledge of the gospel, they are called carnal in opposition to those who are spiritual^ who know how to "judge all things," (1 Cor. ii, 15,) and who are also called " who are perfect," in 1 Cor. ii, 6,) and, in this sense, " babes in Christ," and those who have need to be fed with milk are called carnal. But with respect to feeling or inclination, those men are called carnal in whom human and carnal affections have the dominion and prevail, and who are said, in other passages, to he in the fleshy and to ivalJc according to the fleshy in opposition to those who are spiritual^ who, " through the Spirit, have mortified the deeds of the flesh and have crucified the flesh with its affec- tions and lusts." But the apostle seems here to bestow this appellation on the Corinthians, or on some of them, with this two-fold reference ; for he says that, with res^pect to knowledge^ they are " babes in Christ," that is, unskillful and inexperien- ced in the doctrine of piety, who had to be " fed with milk, and who were not able to bear solid food." But with respect 17 TOL II. 250 JAMES AEMINIUS. to affeotlons^ he says tliat they " are carnal, and walk as men," on account of the contentions and divisions which prevailed among them, from which it was evident that, in them, the flesh had the predominance over the Spirit. But in whatever sense or manner the word is used in this passage, it brings no advantage to the cause of those who declare that the apostle calls himself a carnal man in Romans vii, 14. For if the same word is not used in 1 Cor. iii, 1, in a sense similar to that which it bears in Romans vii, 14, then it is adduced in an unlearned and useless manner in elucidation of this question ; for equivocation is the fruitful parent of error. If the word is to be received in the same sense in both passages, then I am at liberty firmly to conclude from this, in favor of my opinion, that the apostle cannot be called carnal in Romans vii, 14 ; for under that appellation he severely reprehends the Corin- thians because he " was not able to speak unto them as unto spiritual persons," since they were such as were still carnal^* which he would have done without any just cause, if he were himself also comprehended under that title when understood in the same signification. 4. Thirdly. The same man about whom the apostle is here treating, is also said, in this, the fourteenth verse, to be sold under sin^ or, (which is the same thing,) the slave of sin, and become its servant by purchase, which title can, in no sense whatsoever, be adapted to men placed under grace — a misap- propriation of epithet, against which the Scriptures most openly reclaim in many passages : " If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John viii, 36.) "For he that is dead" is justified, that is, he " is freed from sin." (Rom. vi, 7.) "But God be thanked that ye were the ser- vants of sin ; being then made free from sip, ye became the "Servants of righteousness," or those who are completely sub- ject to it. (Rom. vi, 17, 18.) Bnt that the two things here specified [the service of sin, and that of righteousness] are so opposed to each other, as not to be able to meet together at on.:e in the same individual, is evident from the twentieth verse of the same chapter : " For w^hen ye w^ere the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." But that the same DISSERTATION. 251 remark applies to a man who is under the law, is apparent from a comparison of 2 Cor. iii, 17, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," with Gal. v, 18, " Bat if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law therefore, they who are led of the Spirit are free. Bat such persons are not under the law / therefore, those who are under the law are not free, but are the servants of sin. For, whether any one unwillingly, and compelled by the force of sin, obeys it, or whether he does it willingly — whether anyone becomes the slave of sin by the deed of his first parents, or whether, in addition to this, " he has sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord," as it is related concerning Ahab in 1 Kings xxi, 20. In each of these cases is the man truly and deservedly called the servant of sin. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage." (2 Pet. ii, 19.) And " whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." (John viii, 34.) ''Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom.vi, 16.) For the different mo le of servitude does not exempt or discharge [the subject of it] from servitude, but is conclusive that he is un- der it. Should any one reply, concerning the man mentioned in Romans vii, 14, " that he is not simply called the servant of sin, but that he is so denominated with this restriction — - that he is the servant of sin with respect to the flesh, and not with respect to the mind, as is apparent from the last verse of the same chapter, which is an explanation of this verse," I rejoin that this man is simply called the servant of sin, but of the description of those who unwillingly and with a reluc- tant conscience serve sin. But with respect to the manner in which the last verse" of the chapter is to be understood, we fihall perceive what it is when we arrive at that part. But [plerique'] the greater part of the divines of our [Pro- testant] profession acknowledge that this fourteenth verse must be understood as relating to an unregenerate man, to one who is not placed under grace. Thus Calvin observes on this verse, " The apostle now begins to bring the law and the na 252 JAMES ARMINIUS. ture of man a little more closely into hostile contact with each other." And on the subsequent verse he says, " He now de- scends to the more particular example of a man already re- generate." Thus also, Beza, against Castellio, in the refuta- tion of the first argument to the thirteenth and fourteenth calumny, (fol. 413,) says, "St. Paul exclaims that he is not sufficient even to think that which is good ; and in another passage, considering himself [extra] not within the bounda- ries of grace, he says. But I am carnal^ sold under sin.^^ YEESE THE FIFTEENTH. 1 . He does not approve of that which he does, neither does he do that which he would, hut he does that which he hates. 2. The nature of the contest carried on in man. 3. The opinion of St. Augustine and Peter Martyr, respecting the conflict in msn who are not horn again. 1. The fifteenth verse contains a proof of the affirmation in the preceding verse, which is, that the man about whom the apostle is treating, is" " sold under sin," or is the bond-slave of sin. For the argument is taken from the office and proper efiect of a purchased servant, and of one who has no legal control over himself, but who is subjected to the power of another. For it is the property of a servant, not to execute his own will, but that of his lord, whether he does this willingly and with full consent, or he does it with the judgment of Lis own mind exclaiming against it, and with his will resisting it. This is expressed in no unskillful manner by St. Augustine, in his Retractions (lib. i, cap. 1:) " He w^ho, by the flesh that lusteth against the Spirit, does those things which he would not, lust- eth indeed unwillingly ; and in this he does not that which he would ; but if he be overcome [by the flesh lusting against the Spirit] he willingly consents to his lusts — and in this he does nothing but what he has willed, that is, devoid of right- DISSERTATION. 253 eousness and the servant of sin." This is confirmed by Zan- chius, on the works of Redemption : (lib. i, cap. 3 :) " Un- doubtedlj Peter, therefore, denied Christ because he would, though he did not that with a full will, but reluctantly." But the proof [which the apostle adduces in the fifteenth verse] is accommodated to the condition of the man about whom he is treating, that is, of a man who is under the law, and who is the servant of sin just so far as to serve it not with full con- sent, but with a conscience crying out against it. For these are the words of the apostle : " For that which I do, I allow not," that is, I do not approve of it. This sentiment, he ex- plains and proves more at large in the words which immedi- ately follow in the same verse : " For what I would, that do I not ; but what I hate, that I do," from which we frame this syllogism. He who approves not of that which he does, nor does that which he would, is the slave of another, that is, of sin ; But the man about whom the apostle is treating, approves not of that which he does, nor does what he would, but he does that which he hates ; Therefore, the man who is in this place the subject of dis- cussion, is the slave of another, that is, of sin ; and therefore the same man is unregenerate, and not placed under grace. 2. But perhaps you will say, " In this passage is described a contest in the man about whom the apostle is treating, which contest cannot take place in a man who is unregenerate." Answer. In this passage, the contest between this man and sin is not described ; but the dominion of sin, and the servi- tude of the man himself under sin, are demonstrated from the proper effect of a servant by purchase, which effect, in reality, is not produced by this man without much reluctance of con- science and great mental struggles, which precede the very production of the act ; but this deed is not committed except by a mind which is conquered and overcome by the force of sin. Then I deny the preceding affirmation that, in an unre- generate man, of what description soever he may be, there is discovered no contest of the mind or conscience with the in- clinations and desires of the flesh and of sin. ]Sray, I further 254: JAMES AEMINItrS. assert and afiSrm , that, in a man who is under the law, there is necessarily a conflict between the mind and conscience on the one part, that prescribe those things which are just and honest, and the inclinations or motions of sin, on the other, which impel the man to things that are unlawful and forbid- den. For the Scriptures describe to us a two-fold conflict against sin — the first, that of the flesh, and of the mind or the conscience — the second, that of the flesh or sin, and of the Spirit. The former of these obtains in all those who have a knowl- edge of what is righteous and iniquitous, of what is just and unjust, " in whose hearts is written the work of the law, and whose thoughts, in the mean while, either accuse or excuse one another," as it is recorded in Eomans ii, 15, " who hold the truth in unrighteousness," (i, 18,) whose consciences are not yet seared as with a hot iron, who are not yet " past all feeling," (Ephes. iv, 19,) and who know the will of their Lord, but do it not. (Luke xii, 47.) 3. This view of the matter is confirmed to us by St. Au- gustine, in his book " The Exposition of certain propositions in the Epistle to the Eomans," (cap. 3,) in which he says, " Before the law, that is, in the state or degree before the law, we do not fight ; because we not only lust and sin, but sins have also our approval. Under the law we fight, but are overcome ; for we confess that those things which we do, are evil ; and, by making such confession, we intimate that we would not do them. But, because we have not yet any grace we are conquered. In this [gradu] condition it is shewn to us, in what situation we lie ; and while we are desirous of ri- sing up, and still fall down, we are the more grievously af- flicted," &c. This is likewise acknowledged by Peter Martyr, who observes, on Eomans v, 8, " We do not deny that there is occasionally some contest of this kind in unregenerate men ; not because their minds are not carnal and inclined to vi- cious pursuits, but because in them are still engraven the laws T)f nature, and because in them shines some illumination of the Spirit of God, though it be not such as can justify them, or can produce a saving change." DISSEETATION. 255 The LA.TTER contest, that between the flesh and the Spirit, obtains in the regenerate alone. For in that heart in which the Spirit of God neither is nor dwells, there can be no con- test — though some persons are said to ''resist the Holy Spirit," and to " sin against the Holy Ghost," which expressions have another meaning. The difference between these two contests is very manifest from the diversity of the issue or consequence of each : For, in the firsts the flesh overcomes ; but, in the latter^ the Spirit usually gains the victory and becomes the conqueror. This may be seen by a comparison of this passage with Gal. v, 16, 17 — a comparison which w^e will afterwards undertake. But from the proper efiects of the law itself, it may be most certainly demonstrated that a contest against sin is carried on within a man who is so under the law as that it has discharged all its ofiice towards him, and has exerted all its powers in him. For it is the eflect of the law to convict a man, already convicted of sin, of the righteousness of God, to incite him to obedience, to convince him of his own weakness, to inflame him with a desire to be delivered, and to compel him to seek for deliverance. It is well known, however, that these efiects cannot be completed without a contest against indwelling sin. But we have already said that about such a man as this the apostle treats in this passage — one who is in this manner under the law. If any man will yet obstinately maintain, that all unregene- rate persons in general perpetrate that to the commission of which, sin and the flesh persuade, with full consent and with- out any reluctance, let him not view it as a grievance if I demand proof for his assertion, since it is made against express testimonies of Scripture, and since many examples may be adduced in proof of the contrary, such as that of Balaam, who, against his own conscience, obeyed the king of Moab — that of Saul, who, against his conscience, persecuted David — that of the Pharisees, who, through obstinate malice, resisted the Holy Spirit, &c. But even that very common distinction, by which sins are distinguished into those of ignorance^ infirmity and malice^ is likewise by this method destro^^ed, if all unre- 256 JAMES AEMINTDS. generate persons commit sin with full assent and without any struggle or reluctance. I am desirous also, on this occasion, to bring to the recollection of the adverse party, the steps or degrees by which God is accustomed to convert his children to himself from wickedness of life, and which, if they will diligently and without prejudice consider, they will perceive that the contest between the mind and the flesh, which is ex- cited by the law, must of necessity be placed among the beginnings and the precursors of regeneration. YEKSE THE SIXTEENTH. 1. He consents to the law that it is gcod ; a consectary deduced. 2. An objection answered, 3. A second objec- tion. 1. From what has preceded, a consectary or consequence is deduced for the excuse of the law, in the following words : " If then, I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good." In this verse nothing is said, which may not, in the best possible manner and without any controversy, agree with one who is under the law. For unless a man under the law yields his assent to it that it is good, he is not at all under the law : For this is the first effect of the law in those whom it will subject to itself — to convince them of its equity and justice ; and when this is done, such consent necessarily arises. It is also apparent from the first and second chapters of the epistle to the Romans, and from the tenth chapter, in which " a zeal of God touching the law" is attributed to the Jews, that this consent is not peculiar to a regenerate man, nor is it the proper efiect of the regenerating Spirit. 2. If any one say, " The subject in this passage is that assent by which a man assents to the whole law of God, and which cannot be in those who do not understand the whole law, but none among the unregenerate understands the entire law of God," DISSEETATION". 257 I reply, fikst, it can never be affirmed with truth, that " none among the unregenerate understands the entire law," while the following passages exclaim against such an assertion : " That servant who knew his Lord's will and did not accord- ing to it, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke xii, 47.) " Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, it profi- teth me nothing ;" (1 Cor. xiii, 2 ;) " Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth ;" (1 Cor. viii, 1 ;) " For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn fi'om the holy com- mandment delivered unto them." (2 Peter ii, 21.) Secondly, ^^^either can this affirmation be truly made in every case : " I^o man assents to the entire law unless he un- derstands the whole of it ;" for he assents to the whole law who knows it to be from God and to be good, though he may not particularly understand all things which are prescribed and forbidden in the law. And where, among the regenerate, is that man to be found who dares to claim for himself such a knowledge of the whole law ? Thirdly. That which is appropriately subservient to this purpose, is, a denial that this passage has any reference to that consent by which a man assents to all the precepts of the law as being specially understood ; for neither do the words themselves indicate any such thing, nor does the analogy of the connection permit it. Because it is concluded from the circumstance of his doing what he would not^ that he " con- sents unto the law that It is good," which conclusion cannot be deduced from this deed if it be said, that this expression relates to the consent which arises from a special acquaintance with and an understanding of all the precepts of the law. For that which this man here says that he does, is a particular deed ; it is, therefore, prohibited by some special precept of the law, the knowledge and approval of which is the cause why he who does that deed does it \}iolen8\ with reluctance. Hence, as from a consequent, it is concluded from this deed thus performed, (that is, committed with a mind crying out S58 JAMES AHMINIUS. and striving against it,) that lie who commits the deed in this manner, consents to the law that it is good. 3. But some one will perhaps rejoin and say, " This pas- sage does not relate to the consent of general estimation^ which may be possessed, and is so, in reality, by many of the unre- generate. But it has reference to the consent of pa/rticular approbation^ which is the peculiar act of the regenerating Spirit." Such an objector ought to know that those things which are confidently uttered without any attempt at proof, may, with equal freedom, be rejected without offering the smallest reason. The thing itself, however, evinces the con- trary ; for, to consent to (he law that it is good, is not to approve in particular a deed which has been prescribed by the law; for ilih consent of particular approbation cannot con- sist with the perpetration of a deed which is particularly dis- approved. But the commission of such an act agrees well with the consent about which the apostle here treats. YEESE THE SEYENTEENTH. 1. He no longer himself j^erpetrates this evil, but it is done by sin that dtoelleth in him, a second Consectary deduced. 2. From this verse are drawn two arguments for the con- trary opinion, both of which are ref uted — the first argu- ment, and a rejphj to it. 3. The second argument and a rejply. 4. An argument from this verse in favor of the true opinion. 5. On the word dwelling, or inhabiting, according toils signification, and the usage of Scripture, with quotations from Zanchius, Bucer, Peter Martyr, and Muscidus. 1. Fkom the preceding verses is deduced another consectary, by which this man transfers to sin all the blame of this mat- ter — not to excuse himself, that be far from him, for the law has been given and written on his heart, that " his thoughts may accuse or else excuse one another, but to point out his DISSERTATION. 259 ftervile condition under the dominion of sin. In this consec- taiy, therefore, nothing can be contained which does not agree with a man who is under the law. If it were otherwise, the consectary would contain more than was to be found in the premises, which, it has been demonstrated, agree extremely well with a man who is under the law. 2. But let us see the words of the consectary : "Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me," that *M8, sin that dwelleth in me, does this." From these words, the opposite party seem capable of eliciting two arguments in support of the opinion which affirms that the apostle is here treating about a regenerate man and one who is f laced under grace. The FIRST of these arguments is of this kind : — " It cannot be said of unregenerate men when they sin, that they do not commit it themselves^ hut that it is committed hy nn luhich dwells in thera. But this is most appropriately said about the regenerate : Therefore, the man about whom the apostle here treats, is " not an ijnregeneeate m.an, but one who is regenerate." Answer. The antecedent must be examined ; for, when it is either granted or denied, the consequence is also granted or denied. (1.) It is evident, that it cannot sim>]ply be affirmed con- cerning any man, whatever his condition may be, that he does not himself commit the sin which he commits / for this is a contradiction in the adjunct ; and the apostle declares, that this man " does evil." Therefore, if this can be said with truth, the expression must be understood relatively and in a certain respect. But this relation or respect ought to be founded either in the man himself who perpetrates the offijnce, or in the perpetration itself, (i.) If this respect be founded in the man himself, it must be thus generally explained and enunci- ated — The sin which this man commits, he does as he is such a one ; and he does not as he is such a one." (ii.) If the respect be founded in the perpetration and the effecting of the sin, then it must be taken from the varied relation of causes of the same kind to the effect. But in this passage, the apostle 260 JAMES AHMmrus. is treating on the efficient cause of sin, whicli is here allowed to be two fold — the man, and six dwelling in him, but so as this may be said to be effected by indwelling sin, and not by the man. Wherefore, this effect must be taken from the distribution of the efficient cause, by which it is distributed into that which is primary and principal, and that which is secondary and less principal. (2.) It can by no means be said by him who is inspired with a sincere love of truth, that this two-fold respect is applicable only to a man who is regenerate and jjlaced under grace, but that it does not at all appertain to a man placed under the law or does not in the least agree with him. For as this respect or relation is two-fold in the eegenerate, on account of the imperfection of regeneration in this life, and the remains of " the old man," according to which respect it may be said concerning a regenerate man, that " as he is regenerate he does this, and as he is not regenerate he does it not or does not do it perfectly so, likewise, in a man under the law, the respect is two-fold on account of [advenium] the coming in of the law ; for he is " carnal" and " the servant of sin," and is under the law, that is, " he consents to the law that it is good," which consent is neither of the flesh nor according to the flesh, that is, it is not from depraved nature. "Wherefore, it may be said concerning a man under the law, that he commits sin, not as lie is under the law^ nor as he consents to the law that it is good.) but as lie is carnal and the servant of sin. (3.) The second respect (according to which the effect, that has simply proceeded from two concurrent causes, is taken away from one of them and ascribed to the other) seems to hold the chief place in this passage, as it does also in this say- ing of the apostle, " I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Cor. XV, 10.) For it is well known to be a very general practice to ascribe the effect to the principal and primary of two con- current causes, at the same -time taking away the same effect from the secondary cause ; especially if by some means, either beyond nature, or against the will and by the force of the su- perior cause, the secondary one has been drawn forth to effi- DISSERTATION. 261 ciencj. Thus, an ambassador who manages the cause of his prince, is not said himself to act, but his prince, who makes use of his services. Thus, much more appropriately, if a ser- vant, who is oppressed by a tyrannical lord, does something against his own will at the command and through the com- pulsion of his lord, he will not himself be said to do this, but his lord who has the dominion over him. And it is most manifest, to every one who will look upon these words of the apostle [irretortis] with unjaundiced ej-es, that they convey this meaning ; as is apparent from the epithet which is attribu- ted to sin, the perpetrator of this evil, and by which the do- minion of sin is denoted, that is, "sin that dwelleth in me does it." (4.) It is no matter of wonder, that " he does it not, but sin does it for " when the law came, sin revived and he died." (Hom. vii, 9.) Therefore, the cause of actions, is that which lives, and not that which is dead. It is apparent, then, that the first part of the antecedent in this argument is false, and on this account the second part is not reciprocal ; therefore, the conclusion eannot be deduced from it by good consequence, which consequence concludes [that the apostle is here treating] about a regenerate m.an, to the exclusion of the unregenerate, 3. The second argument is drawn from the adverbs of time, now^'' and " no more^'' which are used in this verse ; and from which a conclusion is thus drawn in favor of the same opinion: " These adverbs have respect to time antecedent; but the time antecedent is the time when the man was not re- generate. As though he had said. Formerly^ when I was not yet regenerated^ I committed sin / hut now I no longer do this^ because I am regenerated. Therefore, it is apparent that this present time, which is signified by the adverb " now^^^ must be understood concerning the state of regeneration, since it cannot be said concerning an unregenerate man, that " though he formerly coinmitted sin, he commits it no moreP Answer. — I grant it to be a great truth, that these adverbs denote relation to time antecedent, and that in fact the passage is thus commodiously explained : Formerly indeed I jperjpe- 262 JAMES AEMINIDS. trated evil^ hut now I no longer do this. But I deny that tlie time, antecedent embraces the entire state before regeneration 5 for the state of nnregeneracj, or that which is prior to regen- eration, is distinguished by our author, the apostle himself, into another two-fold state — hefore or without the law^ and under the law ^ as it is expressed in the ninth verse of this very chapter. And the antecedent time, in reference to which it is said " now^^ and " ?io more^'^ comprises the state withovi the law but the present time [described by the two adverbs] comprises the state under the law. As if he had said, For- merly, when I was vnthout thelaw^ I committed sin, but now, when I am under the law^ I no longer commit it, but sin that dwelleth-in me." This is in unison with what is said in the ninth verse : " For I was alive without the law once," or for- merly ; " but when the commadment came, sin revived, and I died." For, while " he was alive without the law," he com- mitted evil without any reluctance of mind or of will. There- fore, at that tirne.) he did evil ; but now.^ being placed under the law, he undoubtedly commits sin, but he does it againsi his conscience and not without resistance on the part of his will. Wherefore, the cause and culpability of sin must be as- cribed, not so much to the man himself, as to the violent im- pulse of sin. 4. Thus far we have perceived, that this verse contains no- thing w^hich can afford support to the opposite opinion. Let us further see whether an argument may not be elicited frotn it, for establishing the truth of the other opinion, which de- clares that it must be understood concerning an unregenerato man, and one who is placed under the law : The apostle says that sin dwelleth in this man." But sin does not dwell in those who are regenerate. Therefore, the apostle is not, in this passage, treating about the regenerate or those who are placed under grace, but about the unregenerate and those who are under the law. One of the premises of this syllogysm is in the text : the other must be demonstrated by us. I am aware indeed, that this seems wonderful to those who are accustomed to the dis* tinction of sin, by which one kind is called ruling or govern^ DISSERTATION. 263 ing,, and another receives the appellation of sin existi'ng with- in us^ or of iadwelling and inhabiting sin, and who snppose that the former of these epithets is peculiar to the un regene- rate, and the latter to the regenerate. But if any one require a proof of this distinction, those who ought to give it will evince a degree of hesitation. But is not one kind of sin ru- ling or reigning^ and another existing within and not reign- ing^ and is not the former peculiar to the unregenerate, and the latter to the regenerate? Who can deny, when the Scrip- tares affirm, that there are in us the remains of sin and of the old man as long as we survive in this mortal life ? But wdiat man, conversant with the Scriptures, shall distinguish reign^ ing from indwelling or inhahiting sin, and will account in- dwelling sin to be the same as the sin existing within f In- deed, indwelling sin is reigning sin, and reigning is indwell- ing^ and therefore sin does not dwell in the regenerate, be- cause it does not domineer or rule in them. I prove the first part of this, both from the very signification of the word to inhabit or dwell, and from the familiar usage of the Scrip- tures. 5. (1.) Concerning the signification of the word, Zanchius observes, in his treatise On the Attributes of God, God is not said to dwell in the wdcked, but he dwells in the pious. For what is it to dwell in any place? It is not simply to be there, as people are at inns and places of entertainment during journeys ; but it is to reign and have the dominion at hi pleasure as if in his own residence." (Lib. ii, cap. 6, quest. 3.) On Ephesians iii, IT, the same Zanchius says, " In this proposition, Christ dwells in your heart by faith, the word to dwell is undoubtedly put metaphorically ; the metaphor be- ing taken, not from those persons who, as tenants or lodgers, and as strangers or travelers, tarry for a season in the house or inn belonging to another ; but it is taken from masters of families, who, in their own proper dwelling-houses live at lib- erty, work, govern the family, and exercise dominion." BucER observes, on the very passage wdiich is the subject of our meditation, "He says that this destructive force or power dwells in him, that is, it entirely occupies him and has 264 JAMES AEMXNTTS. the dominion, as is the manner of those who are at their own house, in their proper dwelling and domicil. The apostle Paul, and all Scripture, frequently employ this metaphor of inhabitation or residing ; and by it they usually signify the dominion and the certain presence, \_fere ad solidum] almost perpetually, of that which is said to inhabit." And this is one of his subsequent remarks : TThen, in this manner, sin re- sides in us, it completely and more powerfully besieges us and exercises dominion.'' Peter Maktye says, on Pomans viii, 9, " The metaphor of habitation, or indwelling, is taken from this circumstance — that they who inhabit a house, not only occupy it, but also govern in it and order [all things in it] at their own option." The subjuined remark is from Xuscrxus on this passage : " And that he may evidently express this tyranny and vio- lence of sin, he does not say, * Sin exists in me,' but ' Sin dwells in me.' For by the word to dwell or inhabit^ he shews that the dominion of sin is complete in him : and that sin has, as it were, fixed his seat, or taken up his residence, in him. Evil reigns in no place with greater power than in the place where it has fixed its seat : that is what we see in the case of tyrants. Thus, in a contrary manner, God is said to have dwelt in the midst of the children of Israel ; because among no other people did he declare his goodness with such strong evidence, as he did among them, according to this expression of the Psalmist — He hath not dealt so with an y nation, (cxlvii, 20.) In this sense, the word to inhabit or to dwells is very often used in the Scriptures. When, therefore, the apostle wished to declare the power and tyranny of sin in him, he said that it dwelt in him, as in its proper domicil, and thus fully reigned.*' Caevin', in his Institutes^ says (lib. iv, cap. 6, sec. 11,) that we are circumcised in Christ, with a circumcision not made by hands, having laid aside the body of sin which dwelt in our flesh ; which he calls the circumcision of Christ. (2.) What I have said, in accordance with Bucer, about the usage of Scripture, is plain from the following passages : " My Father and I will come unto him, and make our abode with DISSERTATION. ■ 2G5 liiiii." (Jolm xiv, 23.) " But if tlie Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Eom. viii, 11.) "For ye are the temple of the living God ; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Cor. vi, 16.) "That Christ may dwell in yom^ hearts by faith." (Ephes. iii, 17.) " When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grand-mother Lois, and thy mother Eunice ; and, I am persuaded, in thee also." (2 Tim. i, 5.) "That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." (i, 11:.) " Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain. The Spirit that dioelleth in us lusteth to envy f (James iv, 5.) " Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Pet. iii, 13.) " Thou has not de- nied my faith, even in those days Vv^herein Antipas was my faith fulmartyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwell- eth." (Rev. ii, 13.) According to this usage, the saints are said to be " a habitation of God througli the Spirit." (Ephes. ii, 22.) It is manifest, therefore, from the signification of the word and its most frequent usage in the ITol^^ Scriptures, that in- dioelling sin is exactly the same as reigning sin. But it is easy now, likewise, to demonstrate the second pre- mise in the syllogism, (p. 53,) which is, "Sin does not dwell in those who are regenerate." For [according to the passages of Scripture quoted in the preceding paragraph] the Holy Spirit dwells in them. Christ, also, dwells in their hearts by faith ; and they are said to be " a habitation of God through the Spirit ;" therefore, sin does not dwell in them ; because no man can be inhabited by both God and sin at the same time ; and when Christ has " overcome the strong man arm- ed," he binds him hand and foot and casts him out, and thus occupies his house and dwells in it. Sin does not dwell in those who are "dead to ein," and "in whom Christ liveth." But the regenerate " do not live in sin," but are " dead to it ;" 18 TOL. U. / 266 JAMES AKMINIUS. (Korn. vi, 2 ;) and in tliem Christ dwelleth and livetli ; (Gal. ii, 20 ;) therefore, sin does not dwell in the regenerate. Let the two subjoined passages of Scripture be compared together : " IsTow then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me (Kom. vii, IT :) " I live ; yet no more I, but Christ liveth in me." (Gal. ii, 20.) We shall be able by this comparison most fully to demonstrate, that in thi^ verse the apostle has not been speaking about himself, but has ta- ken upon himself to personate the character of a man who lives to sin, and in whom sin lives, dwells and operates. Yet it does not follow from this, that no sin is in the regenerate ; for it has already been shewn, that to le in any place, and there to dwell^ to have the dominion^ and to reign, are two different things. DISSERTATIOIT. 26T THE EIGHTEENTH AND NINETEENTH VERSES. 1. " In this man^ {that is^ in his fleshy) duoelUth no good thing^'' (^c. 2. An argumeiit for the contrary opinion is proposed from the eighteenth verse — the answer to it. 3. A reply and its rejoinder, 4. Another reply and its re- joinder, 5. An argument from the same words in favor of the true opinion. 6. 2'he second "part of tlie eighteenth verse " To will is present with this man^ hut how to p>er- form that whioh is good^ he finds not^"^ 7. An argument for the contrary opinion from the second part of this verse • — the answer to it^ with distinctions between each kind of willifig and nilling^ with extracts from St. Augustine^ Zanchius and Bucer. 8. An argument for the true opin- ion^ from the eighteenth and nineteenth verses — the proof of the major proposition,^ which alone can he called in question. 9. An objection and the answer to it, 10. A71- other reply and its rejoinder — not only some other things^ hut likewise those which precede things,^ that are saving^ have a place in some of the wiregenerate^ with extracts in confirmation from St, Augustine^ and references to Calvin^ Beza and Zanchius, 11. The dissimilar appellations hy which the Scriptures distinguish those who are under con- straint through the law^ from those who are renewed or re- generated hy the grace of the gospel, 1. Let the eighteenth verse now be brought under consider- ation, in which the apostle follows up the same rendering of a cause, and the proot of it. The rendering of the cause is, For I know that in me, (that is, in mj flesh,) dwelletk no good thing by which words the same thing is signifled,. aa. by the following : " I am carnal." For he is carnal, in whom no good thing dwelleth. The proof is contained in these words : " For to will is present with me ; but how to perform that which is good, I find not." 2. From this rendering of the cause, some persons hare in- 268 JAMES ARMINIUS. stituted an argument for the support of their opinion, in the following terms : " In this man, about whom the apostle is treating, are the flesh, and some other thing either distinct or differing from flesh ; otherwise, the apostle would not have corrected himself by saying, In me^ that is, in my flesh. " But in unregenerate ]3ersons, there is nothing else but the flesh ; Therefore, the man about whom the apostle here treats, is a regenerate person." Answer. I grant, that, " in this man is some other thing diverse or distinct from the flesh for this is to be seen in the apostolical correction. But I deny, that "in unregenerate persons is nothing else beside the flesh"— m those unregene- rate persons, I say, icho are under the laio, and about whom we are engaged in this controversy. I adduce this reason for the justness of my negation ; be- cause in 7nen who are under the law is a mind which knows gome truth concerning God and " that which may be known of God," (Eom. i, 18, 19,) which has a knowledge of that which is just and unjust, and whose " thoughts accuse or else excuse one another," (ii, 1-15,) w^hich kn'ows that the indul- gence of carnal desires is sinful, (vii, 7,) wdiich says that "men must neither steal nor commit adulter}-," (ii, 21, 22,)