grace Chrysost ibid. whom God foresaw would beleeve and the Pelagians of grace that is they who have chosen grace both of them ascribing too much to mans will The meaning is that this remnant is reserued according to the election of grace not whereby men chose grace but whereby God of his meere grace hath chosen men saith Iunius Iun. in Rom. 11. and there is in them an Hebraisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the election of grace for according to free election saith Beza and Aquinas Beza Aquin. In them I note 1. The foundation and ground of salvation and that is Gods election 2. The impulsive cause of Gods election grace not in us but in God as Pareus and Soto Pareus Soto In the handling whereof and here note 1. what it is Election is that part of Gods eternall predestination Election described whereby hee decreed before all eternity that they whom he loved in Christ should be called to the adoption of sonnes iustified by faith should doe good workes bee glorified and made conformable to the image of his Son which conformity is begun when we are justified increased daily by good workes finished in eternall glory and all this that God may shew upon them the riches of his mercy that it is of those whom hee loved in Christ it is manifest for whatsoever good we have of God it is by and through Christ 2. That they should be called So the Apostle hee hath chosen us to be adopted through Iesus Christ unto himselfe Epes 1.5 3. That they should bee justified See Rom. 8.30 whom hee called them he justified 4. To be glorified Ibid. 5. That they may bee conformable to the image of his Sonne See Paul 8.29 Out of all these arise three conclusions 1. God did elect and chose because hee looked mercifully vpon vs in Christ 2. Whomsoever hee did chose unto glory he did predestinate to be holy Homines non producit Deus ad gloriam per scelera flagitiae Peter Martyr God brings not men to glory by villanies and wickednesse saith Martyr as aboue 3. All our hope of glory depends meerely vpon our election in Christ that we are or shall be called and iustified and in the end glorified Rom. 8.29 30. This election is the first and most ancient charter that Gods children can shew for their right to their Fathers inheritance for though by vocation we be manifested to be the sonnes of God by iustification ingrafted in Iesus Christ and made partaker of all that is his and by glorification we be entred into our Fathers inheritance yet is our election the foundation of all these as 2. Tim. 2.19 Our hope that we are of his Church for onely the elect are the Church and the univocall members of Christ the head though it bee denied by Bellarmine in opposition to Wickliffe Hus and Calvin Bellarm. de Eccles mil tant lib. 3. cap. 7. Our hope that our calling is true and effectuall for they only are effectually called who are eternally elected as may appeare in the golden chaine whom hee did predestinate them hee called Rom. 8.30 Our hope that we shall never be cast off that we are preserved by Christ and shall bee raised up at the last day Iohn 6.39 That we are kept by the power of God the father through faith unto salvation prepared but showed in the last times 1. Pet. 1.5 If all depend on this let us learne whether wee belong unto it or no that we may know whether we shall ever bee glorified or no. There is no way to know it but by the fruits as 2. Pet. 1.10 The fruits are many I will note for your comfort some 1. good workes 2. a conscionable care of the meanes of salvation 3. The spirit of prayer 4. Abalienation from the world 5. Hungring and thirsting after righteousnes 6. Conflict betweene the flesh spirit 7. New obedience 8. Love to Gods ministers 9. A longing for the fulnesse and complement of Christs comming as above and so I come to the impulsive cause of election Grace Amongst men they are said to have grace Cui favet populus Who have the good will and love of the people And so with God they are said to have grace who have found grace with God But here is a manifest difference men favour none but in whom they finde something whereby they may bee allured to love them but God loved not because he saw vs to be lovely for hee loved us first and by loving us gave us that which pleaseth him So that the name of grace in Scripture is used two wayes 1. For the free love and favour of God wherewith hee imbraceth the elect Ephes 1.6 We are predestinate to the praise of the glory of his grace 2. Grace signifies the gifts freely bestowed upon us by God as Rom. 11.29 The gifts that is the graces of God are without repentance as Aquinas hath well distinguisht Quaest 110. Artic. 1. By understanding of which distinction it will appeare with what difference the Protestant and the Papist agree in this tenent that man is justified by grace as the same schooleman 2a 2ae quaest 113. Artic. 2. But the Papist by grace understands the gifts of grace conferred upon them that bee justified as the infused habit of faith good workes c. We by grace in the act of justification understand not the workes of grace which by our faults and sinnes bee made imperfect and not able to satisfie Gods justice but the good will the love which God shewes unto us out of his meere mercie Lib. 2. distinct 26. Peter Lombard hath distinguisht grace into working and co-working and fathers it upon S. Augustine Degratin lib. Arbit Cap. 7. But these bee the same grace distinguisht onely in the effects for grace doth first cure the will and so it is working 2. It caused the will being cured to doe rightly and so it is co-working In the first mans will concurs with grace passively and grace only workes but in the other when mans will is regenerate it concurres both actively and passively and so grace and mans will be co-operant I will not trouble you with those distinctions into prevenient and subsequent which are but one and by the same grace hee prevents us that wee may will hee followes us by making us to doe he prevents us by moving us to good workes hee followes us by giving perseverance nor with that of grace into grace freely given and making acceptable Grace freely given is whereby one man workes with another to salvation and is called grace freely given because it is granted to man above the facultie of nature Grace making acceptable by which man is joyned to God as Th. Aquinas Th. Aquin. quaest 12. Art 1. That which is here meant by grace is his free mercie and love from whence the point is That which moveth God to
and hath this seale The Lord knowes who are his I doe not at this time meane to dispute the question for then I should prevent my selfe hereafter I use but that place of Peter for conclusion and come to the Vse it is in 1 Pet. 1.5 All the elect are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation which is prepared to be shewed in the last times if kept by God who can hurt them if unto salvation who can hinder them if prepared for them who can either take them from it or it from them and with that of David Psal 121. The Lord is thy keeper the Lord preserves thy soule 7. and this keeper will neither slumber nor sleepe Venit Diabolus ut seriat caput manus Dei sub capite ut eripiat animam sed dextra ejus me amplectitur Aug. in Psal 1.1 4. His left hand is under thy necke and his right hand embraceth thee Cant. 2.6 The Davill commeth that he may strike my head but the hand of God is under my head that he may take away my soule but his right hand embraceth mee saith Augustine To stay the trembling hearts of many of Gods people in the day of temptation Vse for though they may fall yet shall they rise againe The just falleth seven times a day Prov. 24.16 The dearest of his servants are subject to such foule slips David was a man after Gods heart before hee came to the Kingdome when Samuel told Saul that David should be King 1 Sam. 13.14 but commits both murther and adulterie long time after 2 Sam. 11. Peter beloved of God and blessed For blessed art thou Simon for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this but my Father yea then Peter had so much faith that Christ gives him this commendation Thou art Peter and on this rocke viz. which thou by faith hast confessed will I build my Church Matth. 16.17 18. Peter had the spirit No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Spirit of God and Peter saith here Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God Matth. 16.16 and it was a long time after that Peter denyed him yea Peter after his effectuall calling plyed the hypoerite and dissembled Gal. 2.12.13 If therefore thou canst sinde inwardly by the witnesse of the Spirit Rom. 8.16 and outwardly by the fruits of true faith 2 Pet. 1.10 that thou art within the Covenant then if thou sinne with David repent with David if thou sinne with Peter repent with Peter if thou bee drunke with Noah repent with Noah God will bee entreated and his mercie shall appeare Though thou run from God he will follow thee though thou forsake him he will overtake thee though thou breake with God yet God is faithfull in his Covenant and will not breake with thee I come to the second Conclusion All that are Iewes and carrie the name Doct. are not within the Covenant which God hath made with Abraham in Rom. 9.6 All they are not Israel which are of Israel vers 7. They are not all children which came of Abraham for in Isaac shall thy seed be called And vers 27. Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sand of the sea a remnant shall be saued And vers 29. Except the Lord of Hosts had reserved a seed we had beene as Sodom and like unto Gomorrha Though God set his heart upon that people to doe them good Deut. 32. As the Eagle stirreth up her nest c. Yet there were some that crucified his Sonne and some that spit in his face and some that were mad upon him till they saw him dead and some that mocked him some that cryed Away with with him and some cry out His bloud bee upon us some that came of Ishmael and bee the children of Hagar aswell as of Sara and Isaac but this point I meet directly in the fourth verse I proceed therefore from the proposition of Pauls answer to the three Arguments The 1. is taken from his owne person where by one particular instance being negative hee infringeth their universall affirmative That all the Iewes were cast off as if in an Enthymeme he should thus dispute I Paul an Israelite of the seed of Abraham am not cast off Therefore not all the Iewes Hee describes himselfe 1. In generall an Israelite 2. That they might not thinke that he was only a Proselyte turned to the Iewes religion Serm. in monte lib. 2. as there were many as Augustine And our Saviour Matth. 23.15 Yee compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte hee tells them that he is a Iew by birth as well as by profession of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Benjamin a famous Tribe for Benjamin and Ioseph were not of the hand-maids but of Rachel but I rather thinke that by noting his Tribe to be Benjamin hee would have us to remember that storie in Iudg. 20. and the three last verses where we finde that the other Tribes fighting against Benjamin slew at one time 25000. onely there escaped some few and yet of these few God will save some So that the argument seemes to run thus Though the most men of Benjamin be slaine though the remnant be but few yet even some of those few will God save for I am one and if God take me out of that one Tribe then it is likely that in those Tribes where the people are greater the number of the elect is also greater And if some amongst so few then are not all cast off Before I come to these particulars we must observe 1. That his nation is no disparagement to his election and future happinesse Doct. and thence with Hunnius observe In Roman That God doth never cast off any nation so generall but such of it as doe beleeve and repent shall be saved The Apostle in Heb. 11.31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not when shee had received the Spies peaceably this was it that Peter taught Cornelius in Acts 10.34 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in everie nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with God that Paul taught the Romans to everie man that doth good shall bee glorie and honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Rom. 1.7 9. God will receive the Iewes that repent at the preaching of Peter the Gentiles that repent at the preaching of Paul the men of Achaia that repent at the preaching of Andrew of Asia that repent at the preaching of Iohn of India that repent at the preaching of Thomas for thither were they sent to preach the faith saith Gregorie upon the foure Gospels Homil 17. there is nothing that can prejudice a mans salvation if he beleeve in Iesus Christ not his wicked nation for Paul was a lew nor his meane condition for Peter a poore Fisher nor his ignoble parentage for Amos an herds man Amos 7.14 nor sex
in all the elect So that our point is this God did predestinate all that shall bee saved both to grace and glorie for his good pleasures sake not for any faith that he did foresee should bee in them Faith sore-seene no causes of election nor for any workes which hee knew they would does and wee can confirme it by these reasons following First Reason 1 from Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God might remaine according to election not of workes but of him that calleth that is of the sole good pleasure of him that calleth from whence the argument may bee collected thus If election were for fore-seene faith then not of the sole good purpose of him that calleth but that is contrarie to the words of the Apostle Secondly Reason 2 Faith is a fruit of election and therfore must come after it therefore did God chuse us not because wee were about to beleeve but that we might beleeve See Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world not because wee were but that wee might bee holy So in Tit. 1.1 it is called sides electorum Dei the faith of Gods elect In Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Thirdly Reason 3 Faith is the gift of God by grace are ye saved through faith which is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 And Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given for Christs sake that you should beleeve in him Initiorum sidei incrementique lagitor Deus Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 2. cap. 1. and suffer for his sake God is the giver of the beginnings and encrease of faith Now this being granted it followes that God was not moved by foreseene faith to elect for that which God in electing did give to man could not bee the cause that moved God to elect man I might urge the argument of Augustine De predest Sanct. lib c. 16. Workes foreseene no cause of election That grace goes before faith in the order of nature as the cause precedes the effect I come to shew that God had not respect to mens workes I will not stand to shew how Bellarmine Bellarm. de gratia libero Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. Sect. 9. affents unto my proposition and consirmes it contrarie to the Rhemists upon the Hebrewes who bring for themselves that in Heb. 5.9 He is made the Author of salvation to all that obey Hence they say a man is not elected without condition of obedience And that in 2 Tim. 2.20 21. in a great house there are not onely vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood c. and if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a vessell of honour where say they by free will and good workes a man is made a vessell of honour whereto I will shape them no other answer than that which is given by Bellarmine Deorâ—â—â—e lib. 2. cap. 13. For answer to the second testimony the Apostle faith not That a man by purging himselfe is made a vessell of honour but is a vessell of honour that is shall by this be knowen to bee a vessell of honour as if hee should say there bee two seales of mans being a vessell of honour one inward which cannot bee seene of us in this life that is the knowledge of divine approbation The other outward the avoyding of sinne and iniquitie that is by these it appeares that wee are surely predestinate and so wee are exhorted by Peter to make our calling and election sure Now the reasons whereby I prove my proposition are these 1. That which is the effect of election cannot be the cause Reason 1 But all good workes are fruits and effects of election as appeareth Ephes 1.4 upon which words Augustine Elegit nos ut essen us sanch non quia crornus secundum voluntatem suam non nostram quae bonaesse non possit nisi isse ut siat bona sabveniat Hee chose us that wee might be holy not because we were about to be holy and according to his will not ours which cannot bee good except hee helpe it that it may bee made good And verie excellent is that of the same Father against I ulianus the Pelagian He chose no man worthy but by chusing made him worthy 2. Lib. 5. cap. 3. Reason 2 Our election is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Rom. 9.16 but of God shewing mercie but if it were for our fore-seene workes it were not of mercie but of him that willeth and runneth Liberautur per gratiam aicnutur non vasa suorum meritorum sedm sericor diae August dexatura gratia lib. 5. cap. 1. They are freed by grace and are said to be vessels not of their owne merits but of mercie Yea the Rhemists upon Rom. 9.14 have confessed that election is a worke of Gods meere mercie contrarie to themselves and if of meere mercie then without all respect of our workes or fore-seene faith 3. Reason 3 It may be proved from Luc. 12.32 It is the Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome And Ioh. 15.16 Yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you but if God should chuse men for good workes then they had first chosen him nor doth God chuse men because hee sees that men will doe good but chuseth men that hee make them workers of good and to persevere in good as Bellar mine proves it sufficiently Degratia lib. Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. If any man be scrupulous and doubtfull let him but looke Aug. Epist 105. to Sixtus Epist 46. to Valentinus and Bellar mine in the place before noted I come to see what the adversarie hath against this doctrine that we may soone shape them an answer and shake them off The first may be out of Rom. 8.29 Object 1 Those whom he knew before he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne therefore Gods prescience of men to be like c. is the cause of Predestination whereto I answer first that their prescience is put for the proegumenicall cause that is his free mercie and the meaning is that whom God lookt upon in mercie hee did also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne by righteousnesse and holinesse So the word is used Iob. 10.14 Psal 1.6 Secondly the Apostle saith not he knew them to be like and therefore did predestinate them but did predestinate them that they might be like Secondly they dispute from Matth. 20.8 Object 2 Call the Labourers and give them their hire therefore Heaven is ordained for mens good workes Whereto I answer first that the place sheweth that good workes are the way wherein men must walke that come to Heaven but they doe not prove that God in his decree had respect unto them There is a difference betweene the decree of predestination and the execution Good workes goe before the possession of Heaven but not before the purpose
the Lord fore-warned Israel In Deut. 9. When thou shalt passe over Iordan and possesse cities walled up to Heaven say not thou in thine heart for my rightteousnesse the Lord hath brought mee in to possesse this land vers 4. Say not it was for mine upright heart vers 5. Say not it was for mine holinesse vers 6. If God give Israel a victorie they are ready to say Our high hand and not the Lord hath done this Deut. 32.27 If the Canaanite be cast out and Israel be come in his stead Israel ascribes all to his owne merit If Israel bee cast off and the Gentile come in his stead the Gentile ascribes all to his owne deserts Whereto you must marke the answer of God Deut. 9.5 Thou didst not enter for thine owne righteousnesse but he was cast off for his owne wickednesse A fault whereof the Papist is most guiltie who as the Rhemists doe confesse affirme Gods election to be because of faith fore-seene in us Rhem. Annot. in Heb. 5. or works foreseene both against Scripture For first that which is the fruit cannot be the cause of election But good workes are fruits and effects of it as Ephes 1.4 S. Augustine speakes thus Elegit noâ— non quiasanctieramus sed ut sancti essemus nen inem elegit dignum sed eligendo effecit dignuÌ„ Aug. contra Iulian Pelag. l. 5. cap. 3. Liberantur per gratiam dicâ—nâ—ur non vasa suorum mer. torâ—â—â— sed vasa misericordiae Aug. de natura gratia lib. 5. cap. 1. Hee chose us not because we were holy but that wee might bee holy hee chose none being worthy but by chusing made him worthy Secondly our election is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Rom. 9.16 Vpon which words Augustine speakes thus They are freed by grace and are called not vessels of their owne deserts but vessels of mercie 3. In Luk. 12.32 It is your fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome and Luk. 15.16 You have not chosen mee but I have chosen you whereas if God should elect men for faith and workes then should they chuse him first by beleeving in him and doing good workes to please him a point so grosse that Bellarmine himselfe disclaimes it De natura gratia lib. 2. cap. 10. and answers the objection from 2 Tim. 2.20 21. If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessel of honor as if by free will good works he were made a vessell of honour in his answer to the second testimony That the Apostle saith not he is made a vessell of honor but he is a vessell as if he should say There be two seales of election or being a vessell of honor The first inward the knowledge of divine approbation The second outward the purging of our hearts from sin and iniquitie and thus Peter exhorts us to make it sure 2 Pet. 1.10 I meet the further use in the next verse and therefore come from the Gentiles plea to the Apostles reply in vers 20 21. VERS 20. Vers 20 Well through unbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith Be not high minded but feare THe reply hath foure parts 1. A deniall that the Iewes were cast off because the Gentiles should be received It was their infidelitie through unbeleefe the branches are broken off 2. A deniall that the Gentile was grassed in for his worth thou standest by faith 3. To take downe their swelling and proud conceit hee affrights them with Gods justice in dealing both with the naturall and engrafted branches for if God spare not c. vers 21. 4. The gemination of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exhortation Bee not high minded but feare I begin with the first Insidelitie was the cause of the rejection of the Iewes Quomodo excidit eos Dominus Tum Dominus exâ—â—idit quando propâ—â—r mâ—râ—â—u liâ—aâ—em Evangelium auseâ—t Sacraâ—entâ— they beleeved not the Gospell that was preached unto them nor in the Messias that was borne amongst them How doth the Lord out them off then hee cuts them off when for their incredulitie hee takes from them the Gospell and the Sacraments saith Olevianus The points are many 1. There is no sin wherewith God is more angrie than want of faith to beleeve the Gospell when it is preached Doct. 1 This will appeare in this one instance because for this sin he takes the Gospell quite away from them as Acts 13.46 It was necessarie that the word should first be preached unto you as vers 11. and hearing the Gospell without prosit and faith is the forerunner of destruction as in Eli his sonnes They hearkened not to their fathers voyce because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 I never read without astonishment the seventh of Ieremy from vers 13. to vers 17. I rose up early and spoke unto you but you would not heare as vers 8. I come to a second point Insidelitie or want of faith makes a divorce Doct. 2 and makes a separation betweene God and man It is most true of all sinne as Isa 59. Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God vers 2. But most true of this as Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there bee in any of you an evill heart and unfaithfull to depart away from the living God The foulenesse of this sinne will appeare if wee consider 1. That all things they meddle with are foule and uncleane unto the unbeleeving nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 2. How they became Infidels that is by Satans strong hand in blinding them as 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that are lost 3. If we consider the judgements gone out against them 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the truth that they might be saved therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleevelies that is one and that all they might be damned which beleeve not the truth that is another 4. If wee consider the end What shall bee theend of them which obey not the Gospell as if it would bee some strange end 1 Pet. 4.18 It shall bee tribulation and anguish and woe Rom. 2.5 If wee consider the effects of it in Adam and Eve it excluded them out of Paradise in Israel it excluded them out of Canaan and in all that heare the Gospell and beleeve not it excludes them out of Heaven For he that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Lastly if wee consider it to bee the mother and breeder of all the sinnes that are done against God according to that of Augustine of faith to Peter Qualitas malae vitaeâ—in â—â—uâ—â— liabet ab infidelitate chap. 3. The qualitie of an evill life hath beginning from infidelitie It will make a man part with Heaven for any trifle as Esau did with his birth-right For if a man beleeve neither the judgements nor the promises then
to feare againe Rom. 8.15 nor of the consistencie of servile and filiall feare in the same subject That which comes most fitly in my way is the clearing of that great and maine point to wit Whether man to whom God hath given saving grace and is justified by faith can fall away from God finally and totally and in the end die and perish eternally Adillam commentitiam fidem quae est divinae benevolentiae numquam amittendae certa persuasie quam hodie drâ—tissimè compleni sunt haretici manifesic invicte valet Stapl. Antid pag. 723. This one Text saith Stapleton To that counterfeit faith which is a sure perswasion of Gods good will never to bee lost which at this day the heretiques have embraced most strictly doth mvuifeslly and invincibly prevaile * Multis datur gratia quibus perseverare non datur Thom. Aquin. Sam. 1 a. 2 ae Quest 109. Art 10. To many grace is given to whom persiverance is not given saith Thomas Aqalnas To this head tend the writings of Bellarmine of the losing of grace of Tompson in his Diatriba whose whole booke is but froth and swelling sophistrle without any soundnesse or cleere and evident light Observe first some premises and grounds which shall bee like the Delphicke sword to take away all scruples and doubts 1. Is that of Augustine a Est quaedam votatio quaÌ„ vocatisunt qui noluerunt adnuptias est quaedam qâ—d vocati veniunt sednon benè parati Aug. de praedest Sanctorum cap. 16. There is a kinde of caling by which they are called who would not come to the marriage and there is a kinde whereby they that are called doe come but not well prepared as that guest that had not on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 This is onely externall where of it is said Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen whereas it may bee objected How hee doth call those whom hee knowes will not come To which Augustine thus answers b Dispusere vie mecum miraromccum clama O altitudo ambe consentiamus in timma Aug. de verbis Dom. Serm. 11. wilt thou dispute with mee wonder with mee and crie O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 and so let us both agree infeare There is a certaine calling according to purpose mentioned Rom. 8.28 which is the execution of Gods purpose in setting those apart in time whom he in decree had set apart for himselfe from eternitie of whom saith Augustine c Nec quae illuminavit obcoecat nec quae adisicavit destruit nec quae plantavit euellit Aug. de pradest Sanct. lib. cap. 16. Neither doth hee blinde those which hee hath enlightned nor throw downe those which he hath built up nor plucke up those which he hath planted And Origen d Impossibile est quod semel vivificavit Deus ab eodem vel alio occidi Orig. It is impossible that that which God hath quickened should be destroyed either by the same or by another And they that have this cannot possibly misse of glorie because of that of the Apostle Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called c. 2. That there is a two-fold election 1. To execute some charge or office as Saul to a Kingdome Iudas to the Apostleship to a worke which hee served saith Augustine * Iudas electus ab eo qui novit etiam malis benè uti ut per cos opus damnabile Christiopus venerabile compleratur Aug. de corrept grat cap. 7. Iudas was chosen of him who knew also how well to use those that were evill that by them might bee fulfilled a damnable worke the honourable worke of Christ And therefore when wee heare that speech of Christ Ioh. 6.70 I have chosen you twelve We must understand that the rest were elected by mercie hee by judgement the rest to obtaine a Kingdome hee to shed his bloud But thou wilt say Iudas heard that speech of Christ Matth. 19.28 Yee shall sit upon twelve seats c. It is true but marke how Christ saith not you twelve but you that have followed mee in the regeneration c. Iudas followed onely in body not in heart Adde saith Christ twelve seats per mysteriune by a mysterie Aug. in Psal 90. saith Augustine non ad defâ—â—iendam numerum not to define the number not to note that whole number and no moe for this excludes Paul who laboured more than they all he would not have no seat sed ad significandam universitatem but to signifie the universalitie of them and Christ Ioh. 13.18 I speake not of you all I know whom I have chosen There is another to a kingdome and life eternall of these it is said Your names are written in heaven Luc. 10.20 Of this the Apostle Hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 3. Faith in Scripture is sometimes taken for the doctrine of faith as 1 Tim. 4.1 In the latter times many shall depart from the faith that is from the true doctrine So it is taken in Galat. 1.22 He now preacheth the faith which before he destroyed So in Acts 6.7 A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith So in Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may bee sound in the faith In all these places is meant the mysterie of faith which a man may have and yet with it have an uncleane heart and impure conscience as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Tim. 1.18 19. Fight a good fight having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith have made shipwracke Sometimes it is taken as Calvin well notes Inslit lib. 3. c. 2. for a temporarie sense of divine grace in reprobates grounded upon that Luk. 8.13 When they have heard they receive the word with joy but they have no root which for a while beleeve which proposition must beare these limitations 1. Solidè percipere vim spiritualis gratiae Reprobates doe not solidly receive the vertue of spirituall grace but that God may leave them without excuse a Insinuat se in corum mentes quatenies sine spiritu adoptionis gustari potest ejus bonitas He insinuates himselfe into their mindes how farre his goodnesse may bee tasted without the spirit of adoption 2. They never receive but the confused sense of grace because they never apprehend the particular remission of their sinnes nor can they apply Christ to their owne hearts b Semetem primordia quaedam fiati justifi cantis habent reprobi ad germen ad herbam fortasse ad spicam procedunt sed ad veram frumenti conditionem naturam nunquà m pertingunt Reprobates proceed to the seed sowen and some first beginnings of justifying faith to the branch to the herb perchance to the eare but they never reach to