profitable to all for many are the children of perdition yet it is sufficient for vs that we doe deliuer our owne soules while they perish not through our fault As the Lord saith to Ezechiel Cap. 3. When I shall say to the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou hast not warned him nor spoken to him to returne from his wicked way that he might liue that wicked man shall die but I will require his blood at thy hand But if thou hast warned him and he hath not repented of his wickednes he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thine owne soule And Paul witnesseth 2. Cor. 2. that we are the sweete sauour of Christ to God in them that are saued and in them that perish The vngodly also are made without excuse in hearing what they ought to do least they should say If I had knowne it I would haue done it therefore I did it not because I knew it not Obiection 5 The same account is to be made of praiers which the vnchangeablenes of Gods predestination and purpose maketh not any whit the more idle Whither praying be in vain if Gods purpose be vnchangeable as some naughtily suppose For albeit by prayers Gods predestination is neuer changed yet by them wee are holpen as by certaine meanes hereunto ordained of God both to attaine vnto many effects and also to the very ende of predestination according to the promise Euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall bee saued Luke 11. And in the Gospell Aske and it shall be giuen you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth And anone how much more will your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske of of him But here it must be marked that what things the Saints obtaine by praying they were so predestinated that by prayers they should bee obtained as Gregorie well said To which purpose Augustine also saith Dial lib. 1. Ang. de Ciuit. Dei l. 5. c. 10. that prayers much auaile to obtaine those things which God foreknew that he would grant to them that pray Thus a double error is excluded One is of certaine superstitious men A double error confuted as though the decree of God made concerning some man put the case of condemning him might be altered by sacrifices and prayers The tale of Traiane as the tale is of Traiane the Emperour that when he was in hell the place of reprobates he was from thence deliuered by the prayers of Gregorie The other error on the contrary faulteth as though a thing so holesome and so necessarie namely prayer the onely entercourse betweene man and God as Boethius saith should seeme to haue no force because God hath coÌ„stantly appointed whom he will saue and whom he will damne the one pertaining to his mercie the other to his iudgement And wee must not heare nor tolerate wicked men being Obiection 6 both ignorant and also hurtfull and bold Snners are not excused who when they do amisse and securely delight in sinnes flie to the necessitie of predestination as to a certaine sanctuarie and what things they wickedly commit they say must be attributed to predestination Whereby they would seeme to bee blameles and put all the fault in God as the author of sinnes as Rom. 9. such men say Why is he yet angry For who shall resist his will But Iames rightly reproueth those men that goe about to excuse themselues from God Let no man when he is tempted Iam. 1.13 say that he is tempted of God but euery one is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence Then lust after it hath conceaued bringeth forth sinne And the booke of Ecclesiasticus confuteth a double impietie with one and the same answere chapter 15. Say not thou the Lord hath caused me to sinne for thou oughtest not to doe the things that he hateth Say not thou he hath lead me into error for hee hath no neede of the wicked man The Lord hateth all abomination and they that feare him loue it not He made man from the beginning and left him in the will of his owne counsell If thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commandements Doubtles these are the fountaines of sinnes properly belonging to sinners lust and their freewill for man is not coÌ„pelled to commit euils but he doth them of his own accord and greatly liketh and alloweth them as these sayings of Scriptures testifie He would not vnderstand to doe well And they would not receiue instruction and many more like in the bookes of Scriptures But Gods predestination ought not to be accounted the fountaine of sinnes For by the helpe thereof as Augustine notably hath left in writing wee know that many are held backe from falling Ad â—rtiâ— fals impos but none caused to fall and hereby predestination is the cause that many stand and that no man falleth Therefore saith he it is a detestable opinion that supposeth God to bee the author of any euill will or euill action And when men sinne they serue their owne lusts and desires but when they auoide euill and doe good the waies of men are guided by the Lord to delight in his way And elsewhere Hypognost 6. They that are without the grace of predestination that is strangers from the purpose of God and abide in euill workes we doe not say as you thinke that they are so ordained of God the creator of all that they should perish as though hee made them to liue wickedly and cast them headlong into euery deadly worke Farre bee that from the purpose of God Neither say we as you imagine albeit they be willing to beleeue and to giue themselues to good workes yet that God will not bestow these vpon them seeing such willingnes is the gift of God c. These things that father opposed to that blasphemous spirit that railed on the truth by the Pelagians Huber thes 292 But the same spirit abideth euen at this day in the aduersaries who imagine otherwise than wee iudge as though God forced the reprobates to sinne casteth them downe carrieth them away and violently trampleth vpon them their cause vnheard O blasphemie An instance of 〈◊〉 aduerâ—â—tie But they except against vs that sinners seeme blameles that they obey not the trueth because obedience it selfe in his gift This say they we receiue not why then are wee reproued aâ— though we could giue it to ourselues and by our will will not giue it The argument is such as this is They that receiue not faith and conuersion of God seeme excusable because wee cannot haue faith and conuersion vnles God giue it vs. But such are all those that repent not Ergo. Here the Maior is false albeit it seeme goodly to humane reason because God made man vpright from the beginning and created him after his owne image but man through his owne malice and the deuill the prouoker falling from his vprightnes wherein hee
all things wherein there is found such consent ought to be blotted out of Christian Religion as erronious false foolish Turkish and heathenish As for example the Turkish religion acknowledgeth one God Almightie creator of heauen and earth also it teacheth that Christ the sonne of Marie was sent of God whose precepts euery seruant of the Gospell in iudging ought to follow and such like Therefore let Huber denie that there is one God let him denie him to be Almightie let him denie him to be the Creator of all let him denie Christ to be the sonne of Marie let him denie him to be sent of God let him denie his precepts to be kept of Christians and such like things least hee seeme to haue some thing in common with the Turkes Lastly let him goe on his head because the Turkes goe a foote And if this be ridiculous it is more than Turkish furie and madnes to condemne this proposition as Turkish A true godly proposition though the Turkes teach the same in effect That God is able surely to saue all men but he will not because he hath otherwise from euerlasting decreed What the Alcoron teacheth of this or not teacheth we nothing passe who haue not learned to draw the truth out of the stinking puddles of men but out of the cleere fountaines of Israel and we doe stand onely vnto the iudgement of the diuine Scriptures And they teach vs that God hath mercy vpon whom hee will Exod. 33. and hardeneth whom he will and that he hath raised vp Pharao Rom. 9. and by his example generally vessels of wrath conioyned vnto destruction and doth daily raise vp that in them he may shew his power and wrath as contrariwise he hath prepared vessels of mercie vnto glory that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie What that the Iudge at the last day shall say vnto them that shall be at his left hand Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire Matth. 25. prepared for the diuell and his Angels Doe these things obscurely testifie if we would rather follow the iudgement of the spirit than of the flesh that albeit God is able to saue all yet he will saue some surely of the damnable masse of mankind and damne others according to the eternall counsell of his will A Dilemma prouing that some are saued and others damned and that by the will of God Further seeing it is without all doubt that some shall be saued and some damned it must needes be done either with or against the will of God Not against his will for so he should not be omnipotent therefore with his will and because he willeth it therefore from euerlasting he willeth it vnles we would thinke that God doth any thing by chance or rashly or else that some new thing falleth into his prescience and will Aug. Enchâ—r ad Laur. cap. 103. Augustine confirmeth this reason We are by no meanes to beleeue saith he that the Almightie God would haue any thing done which is not done because without any alteration or change he hath done whatsoeuer he would in heauen and earth Psalm 115.4 as the truth declareth and therefore certainely he would not doe whatsoeuer he hath not done The same man saith De cor grat cap. 14. No free will resisteth God when he is willing to saue for so to will and to be vnwilling is in the power of the willer or niller A notable saying that it hindreth not the diuine will nor doth ouercome his power For concerning those men who doe the things that God willeth not he himselfe doth what he will Luther Luther also in praefat ad Rom. plainely writeth That all things depend of predestination who shall beleeue who not who shall be saued who damned And addeth that which I leaue to be diligently obserued of the aduersaries that the sentence is stable and the necessitie immoueable of predestination that it cannot be changed nor ouerthrowne of any creature But chiefely in his booke de seruo Arbitrio he confesseth it at large that the saluation of some and the damnation of others doe wholy arise from hence that God will haue some saued and others damned according to that saying of Paul He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth And as touching the reprobates he expressely writeth chap. 161. That God of his owne meere will forsaketh hardeneth and damneth men And addeth manifestly that this is it that greatly offendeth common sense and reason as though God were delighted with the paines and torments of miserable persons Also chap. 168. he saith that the loue of God is eternall and immutable and also the hatred of God toward meÌ„ euerlasting before the world was made And many such sayings doth that booke containe as that by his secret and fearefull will God ordaineth whom and what manner of men he will haue to be partakers of mercy that is preached and offered that the will of his maiestie reiecteth and leaueth some of purpose that they may perish that such as be forsaken or hardened by that secret will of his maiestie doe not receiue God willing speaking dooing and offering himselfe againe that willinglie he hardeneth by that vnsearcheable will c. And that admonition of his is very godly In such things it is not our parts to search out the cause of Gods will but to reuerence loue and adore it restraining the rashnes of reason seeing Christ also Matth. 11. bringeth no other cause why the Gospell is hid from the wise and reuealed vnto little ones than the good pleasure of the father This doctrine of Luther O Huber sauoreth more certainely of the spirite of God than those prophesies which thou hast drawne out of him and doest wish to be fastened vnto all the dores of the Temple and to be written in all mens hearts Why then doe ye not admit it into all your Churches and without contention engraue it in your owne and other mens mindes If yee shall doe it it is well but if yee continue to finde faulte with it in vs and after your wonted boldnes by your wicked stile and tongue banish it as Turkish or else opening the dore to Turcisme and other vnspeakeable mischiefe I aduise you consider in time whether you will cast downe the authoritie of Luther in the aduauncing whereof euen vnto heauen you haue hitherto so greatly laboured CHAP. XII Vnto the third accusation FVrthermore it is an impudent speech that the Catholike and true Church is condemned of vs which hath beleeued and alwaies with one mouth confessed that Christ died for all men The Catholike Church hath euer beleeued that Christ died for all men that beleeue in him and not otherwise Iohn 3. Acts 10. Heb. 11. We also confesse that Christ died for all men For who can denie that without distinction which diuers times is expressely set downe in the sacred Scriptures But hereof is the question
himself hath made and to punish in many what he hath not made Whereunto also that tendeth that he writeth Epist 105. ad Sixt. presbyt Albeit God make vessels of wrath vnto perdition to declare his wrath and to manifest his power whereby he well vseth the euill and to make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie which he maketh to honour yet he himselfe knew how to condemne and not to make iniquitie in the same vessels of wrath made for the merit of the lampe vnto deserued shame that is in men created for the benefit surely of nature but destinate to punishment because of their sinnes These things Augustine Reprobates are created for the good of nature and appoynted to be punished for sinne to Gods glorie and the saluation of the Elect De praedest gra c. 6. Therefore they that shall be damned are created for the good of nature and are appointed to punishment and damned for sinnes and that not as though it were to this last end that is that they might bee for euer tormented but both for the saluation of the elect and also especially for the glorie of God according to the threefold maner briefly assigned of Augustine in the words of the Apostle Of which matter elsewhere also he hath left it written that God vseth the perdition of some to the saluation of others and would haue the destruction of such as shall perish to be an argument of saluation to thē that he hath predestinate to be vessels of mercie Also Why is not grace giuen to all De bono perseuer cap. 8. I answere because God is a righteous Iudge therefore both freely grace is giuen of him and also by his iust iudgement against others it is declared that grace helpeth them to whom it is giuen and so God commendeth more freely his grace in the vessels of mercie How God could elect or reprobate men from euerlasting seeing then they were not Lastly if it trouble any man how God from euerlasting hath elected or reprobated them that as yet were not let him consider that to God all things are present for he comprehendeth with an eternall and stedfull view all times and temporarie things together Therfore before he would make vs he foreknew vs and in his foreknowledge when as yet he had not made vs he chose vs before the creatiō of the world Within the world we were made and before the world wee were elected for he foreknew vs in his prescience vnchangeably abiding whom hee in his time would create after his image and likenes and whom falling through his permission from that dignitie into the pit of sinne and death he would either deliuer through the vndeserued bountie of his mercie or els condemne through deserued and true iudgement CHAP. V. Of the causes of predestination ANd these things of the first question Let vs come to the second The materiall cause be men and the things that God hath decreed for them wherein the causes of predestination are demanded And the materiall cause surely men themselues are and those things that God decreed to doe for the predestinate as are grace faith good workes and perseuerance in goodnes c. in this present life and glorie in respect of the elect and punishment in respect of the reprobates in the life to come Further the definitions before alleaged doe shew the forme The finall cause The finall cause also both of election and reprobation is of Paul not obscurely declared when Rom. 9. he testifieth that God would shew his wrath and make knowne his power in the vessels of wrath formed to destruction but in the vessels prepared for mercie he would make knowne the riches of his glorie Whereunto tendeth that also of Pharao To this end haue I stirred thee vp that I might declare my power and that my name may be knowne in all the earth And of the elect Ephes 1. he saith He hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes to the praise of his glorious grace Briefly the last end of election and reprobation is the glorie of God as the Wiseman teacheth Prou. 16. He hath made all things for himselfe euen the wicked against the euill day But he would make manifest specially his mercie in the saluation of the elect De bono perseuer cap. 12. and his wrath in the punishment of the rest and yet his goodnes and iustice in all Because as Augustine witnesseth It is good when due debt is rendered and it is iust The chiefe question is of the impulsiue cause of election and reprobation when debt is without any mans hinderance freelie forgiuen But the question chiefly in controuersie is of the impulsiue cause of election and reprobation which is referred to the kind of efficient causes whether any cause can be assigned which might moue God to chuse and refuse To the vnderstanding of which question wee must distinguish For the question may be taken either generally Two questions The first generall why he eelected some and reiected others why he hath elected some and reiected others or particularly of the election and reprobation of euery one why he hath elected these men and reprobated those As for example why he hath elected Iacob before Esau Moses before Pharao Peter before Iudas And of the first question wee must render a reason from the things that before haue been spoken of the end of predestination For the end either is considered as it is in the things themselues and as it followeth the action and so it is properly called an end or els as being comprehended in the minde and desire it moueth the doer and so it is counted the impulsiue cause Therefore seeing in them that shall be saued God hath set downe the manifestation of his mercy to be the last cause The manifestatiō of Gods mercie and iustice is the impulsiue cause and in thē that shal be damned the manifestation of his iustice and the end as far forth as it moueth to doing is to be takē for the efficient cause therefore this manifestation both of mercie and iustice that is of the goodnes and glory of God is after a sort the efficient cause both of electiō reprobatiō of some The second particular why this man before that No reason but the onely will of God can be giuen why this man is elected and that man is reprobated shewed by two similitudes But why he hath elected these men and reprobated those wee can alledge no other reason thereof than the meere most free and most gratious will and good pleasure of God As surely in the vniuersalitie of things there may be a reason assigned why God in the beginning created one part of the first matter being in it selfe wholly of one forme vnder the forme of fire another parte vnder the forme of earth namely that so there might be a diuersitie of kinds in things naturall But why this part hath
to Aug. Tom. 7. their error being ouerthrowen by the sound Byshops specially by Augustine a notable defender of the faith as hee is worthily praysed of Hilarie certaine other sprung vp worthy and famous men in all studie of vertues sauing that the spirite of Pelagian impiety deceiued them and therefore called Semipelagians These mens declaration and profession was that all men sinned in Adams sinne and that none are saued by their workes but by the grace of God through regeneration yet notwithstanding that euery man hath so much of naturall grace left that he may attaine vnto that sauing grace by the helpe of the first grace if he wil. Therefore in respect of God that eternall life is prepared for all but in respect of free will that it is apprehended of them that shall beleeue in God willingly as of themselues and shall receiue the helpe of grace by the merite of faith Or els to speake more plainely They did defend against the Pelagians that a man is not able of himselfe to rise againe and to worke wel yet they supposed that euery one had in him a wil to rise againe which seeketh only after the phisition but can do nothing of it selfe and they said that no mans nature was so extinguished or depraued that it ought not or was not able to be willing to be healed and therefore that they obtained both increase of faith and also the whole effect of their holinesse by that merite whereby they haue beene willing and haue beleeued that they may be healed of their disease when the occasion of obtaining saluatioÌ„ is preached to them that are cast down and can neuer rise vp againe in their own strength Neuerthelesse they consented herein that no man had sufficient power of himselfe euen to begin a work much lesse to bring it to perfection For they distinguished between works and faith whereof they would haue if not the increase yet the beginning albeit slender to consist in the power of man that the beginning of saluation may bee beleeued to arise from him that is saued and not from him that saueth and that the will of a man should bee thought to procure for it selfe the helpe of Gods grace and not that grace should bee thought to subiect the will vnto it And this position being layd Marke these errors of the Semipelagians that all men haue a wil in them whereby they may either contemne or imbrace saluation offered they thought that the reason of such as are elected or reiected is soone giuen to wit that God before the creation of the world foreknew who would beleeue or who would abide or not abide in that faith that after should be holpen by his grace and according to this prescience that hee either chose such as would beleeue or els reprobated such as would not beleeue or at the least whom hee foreknewe that they would not perseuere Predestination defined by the Semipelagian at first Whereupon predestination was no other thing with these men than Gods purpose of electing such as would beleeue in time to come This was the opinion of the Semipelagians of these weightie articles namely of free will of grace and predestination And Augustine himselfe was of the same opinion in the beginning before he was a Bishop as it appeareth in his booke of expositions vpon the epistle to the Romans and in Hilaries epistle to Augustine His words are Augustine was a Semipelagian at first which also those remnants of the Pelagian prauitie obiected to be their opinion that God in his foreknowledge did elect them that would beleeue and condemne vnbeleeuers neither choosing the one for their works nor damning the other for their works but granting to their faith to doe well and hardening the impietie of others to doe euill And againe God surely in his prescience chooseth not any mans works which he freely giueth but yet he chooseth faith in his prescience that whom he foreknew would beleeue him he hath chosen c. These things said Augustine at that time In like maner many other learned meÌ„ erred being not acquainted with the Pelagian heresie that was not as yet sprung vp and being careles without an enemie De doctr Christ lib. 3. cap. 33. as else where Augustine speaketh of Ticonius Hereupon also the Commentaries vpon the Romans that are read in the Tomes of Hierome haue it written that Iacob and Esau before they were borne were separated before God by the merite of faith Also I will haue mercie vpon him So was Ierome Chrysostome and Erasmus Dial. 3. infint whom I foreknew was able to deserue mercie And Hierome himselfe to Hedibia quaest 10. seemeth to incline thereto saying that not men themselues but their wills were elected Albeit Hierome was of a better iudgement in his writings against the Pelagians wherein he speaketh very honorably of Augustine and testifieth that he resteth himselfe in his disputations against the Pelagians But Chrysostome in his exposition vpon the ninth to the Romans plainely writeth that God as he foresaw euery one to be worthie or vnworthie of his grace so either elected or reiected them In Dâ—â—tribe Hyperaspiste Among the new writers Erasmus maintaineth the same opinion Neither do they seeme to be far from the same who write in these manie words that faith is the cause of election and yet they will not be Pelagians Coll. â—omp fol. 5â—8 Let them bee then Semipelagians Such also is that that another of the same stampe writeth Huber thes 786. sequen That God foreknowing from euerlasting who would receiue grace and continue and who not put this supposition or condition vnder his election that whosoeuer beleeue in Christ should be saued What I pray differeth this opinion from the definition of the Semipelagians saying that Predestination or election is the purpose of electing those that would beleeue Or els Note if they think that herein they are farre from them because they acknowledge that faith is the worke not of nature but of the holy Ghost doe they not perceiue that they tye the knot faster and not loose it For this is the question why a liuely and constant faith to saluation is from God inspired into some and not into others But to the point Whether the foreknowledge of workes or of faith bee set downe to be the cause of election it is an error vnsufferable For euidently we are taught in the sacred Scriptures that not onely good workes Grace alone is the cause of faith and good works but also faith it selfe from whence all righteousnes beginneth and euen the beginning of faith and the will or desire to beleeue are of meere grace and not as of vs. As it is written What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Againe Without maye can doe nothing saith the trueth 1. Cor. 4. Ioh. 15. Phil. 1. And plainly
Paul to the Philip. To you saith he it is giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake How Augustine recanted his former error By these and the like testimonies of diuine Scripture Augustine being conuicted freely acknowledged his error in this point and retracted it de praedest sanct cap. 3 passimeo libro Ad Simplicianum Sancti Ambrosij successorem apud Mediol lib. 1. quaest 2. contra 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Retract lib. 1. Aug. de bono perseu cap. 12. cap. 23. lib. 2. cap. 1. For it is incident to man to fall and to erre but wittingly and willingly to continue in error is deuillish neither ought any man to bee so vniust or enuious that either he will not profit himselfe or els hinder others that are desirous to profit Fourthly The fourth opinion that the foreseene abuse of free will to infidelitie and other euill works is the cause of reprobation confuted by Augustine other confesse that the cause of election to eternall life is in God alone namely his grace and good pleasure but they suppose no lesse than the former writers that the cause of reprobation is in men themselues to wit the foreseene abuse of freewill to infidelitie and other euil works For they be afraid least any iniquitie should bee with God if some bee said to bee reiected of him without all respect of workes Therefore that they may maintaine his iustice forsooth they write that as many as bee reprobated are reprobated for finall sinne foreseene Among the Schoolemen Scotus and his disciples follow this opinion Scotus Hereupon some of that same leauen haue defined reprobation to be the eternall foreknowledge of the euill vse of freewill Thomas Argentinus his definition of reprobation Lib. 1. q. 2. by reason whereof God hath decreed to depriue some man of his grace in this present life and to punish him in the life to come with euerlasting paine But as Augustine ad Simpl. rightly iudgeth If we should graunt that reprobation dependeth of euill workes foreseene it should altogether follow on the contrarie that election also ariseth of good workes foreseene Which if it be true it is false that it is not of workes Fiftly therefore and that is the true opinion The fift opinion soundest and best as foreseene workes or faith of such as shall be saued are not the cause of their election so neither is the vnbeleefe or other sinnes foreseene of them that shall bee damned the cause of their reprobation but that they are in Christ of meere mercie elected and these are iustly from the same mercie reiected according to the purpose of Gods will which as it is most free so most iust and the very rule of all equitie and iustice CHAP. VII A demonstration of election freely arising oft h◠meere good pleasure of God FOr the defence of this trueth and the larger confutation of the contrarie opinions there be sundry arguments and testimonies of the Scriptures and those most cleere and euident from whence we will onely produce some The 1. reason 1. The cause is not later than the effect But workes and faith in vs and the very will and desire to beleeue and what good vse soeuer of freewill in vs bee later than election For all these things are temporall whereas election is eternall according to the sayings He elected vs before the creation of the world Ephe. 1. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 1. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid He hath called vs with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Obiection If they except that our workes not as done but as to be done and foreseene of God are alike eternall Answere we answere that God foresaw no good worke or will in vs which he decreed not to effect in vs and which in predestinating he prepared not for vs as it is said to the Ephes 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them And chap. 1. of the same Epistle He hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him From whence we vnderstand seeing in that we are predestinate of God to life it commeth to passe that wee doe good workes and beleeue so euen the foreknowledge of future faith in vs and of those good things which we shall doe is later then election at the least in order reason The 2. 2. To the same end it commeth if we should argue thus Good workes likewise faith and what vse soeuer of freewill to worke or to beleeue or els to thinke of any goodnes flow from the meere grace of God as the effects of Gods electiō as at large after shall be shewed Therefore neither as done neither as to be done and foreseene of God can these things be considered as the causes of election For nothing can bee both the cause and effect in respect of the same thing Ad Simpl. lib. 1. Workes saith Augustine do not beget grace but are begotten of grace Two fine similitudes The fire warmeth not that it may be hot but because it is hot Neither doth the wheele therefore runne well that it may bee round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because he hath receiued it 3. The 3. reason If our foreseene good workes were the cause of predestination to eternall saluation they should bee the cause also of our calling and iustification The later is false Therefore also the first The Maior is proued by the rule That which is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused as they speake that is of the effect But predestination is the cause of vocation and iustification as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified The Minor also is most easily proued 2. Tim. 1. seeing the holie Ghost expressely testifieth that we are saued of God and called with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Likewise Paul in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians most largely discourseth of iustification euery way freely bestowed He requireth faith surely as the meane whereby we applie righteousnes and saluation offered to vs in the Gospell but not as of our selues for it is the gift of God And therfore if euen the foreknowledge of faith Ephes 2.8 as from vs be set downe to be the cause of election it will follow that neither iustification is euery way free Otherwise it standeth firme that we are iustified by faith as by a meane yet faith is not
the Iewes The scope of the ninth chapter to the Romanes wherewith in that age the minds of many meÌ„ were greatly tempted as though Gods word either should fayle and the promise be made frustrate or else Iesus of Nazareth should not be the Sauiour promised of God for one of these twaine seemed to follow because the couenants seruice of God and promises belonged to the Israelites at large sheweth that the elect onely to wit the sonnes of the promise and not of the flesh indifferently from among the Iewes and Gentils are the true seed of Abraham and the true Israelites to whom the promised blessing and saluation in Christ do appertaine And so the Apostle entreth into the ample and profound doctrine of predestination wherein that wee may speake of the matter now in hand omitting other thing he plainely teacheth as touching the cause of predestination that God considering that he is most free electeth whome hee will of meere grace and reprobateth whom hee will in the iust albeit secret counsell of his owne will Iacob 8. Esau 1. He teacheth this by the example of Iacob and Esau of whom the one was prefered before the other by the meere fauour of God because when as they were both equall in all things being conceaued of one copulation the children as yet vnborne wheÌ„ they had done neither good nor euill an oracle was giuen vnto their mother Rebecca The elder shall serue the yonger Therefore election is not of workes but of grace And in vaine shall a man flee here vnto the cauill of foreseeing of some good in Iacob because Paul would remoue all difference from those two bretheren that wee might throughly vnderstand them to bee alike in respect of themselues 2. The Apostle expresselie bringeth backe the cause of the difference betweene Iacob and Esau and by their example in generall between the elect reprobates vnto the purpose and good pleasure of God whereby surely hee elected and reiected whom he would and because he so would Rom. 9.11 For this purpose of God is according to his election 3. The Apostle to make it more plaine addeth Not of workes but of the caller Which wordes some conster with that that goeth before that it may be a description of election free and not of works other referre them to the verbe following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was said which reading Augustine followeth ad Laur. cap. 98. whatsoeuer it be it appeareth that election and vocation which is the effect thereof is of grace and â—ot of workes And simply hee remooueth whatsoeuer respect of workes so that without anie merites of good or euill workes God loueth one and hateth the other For if he would that the future either good workes of the one or the euill workes of the other which God foresaw should be meant he would not say not of workes but he would say of future workes and thus hee would haue answered that question as Augustine noteth Enchir. ad Laur. cap. 98. and ad Simplic lib. 1. quaest â— 4. That prophetical speech teÌ„deth hereunto Iacob I haue loued and Esau I haue hated Therefore Gods election discerneth betweene the elect and reprobates And that consisteth herein saith Iohn not that we loued him but that he loued vs. 1. Ioh. 4. Neither is this anie obstacle that we knowe that God loueth all his workes and hateth not anie thing that he hath made because as it is said also before there be degrees of the loue of God and because he willeth not to all men this benefit which is eternall life therefore it is said that he loueth some Wisd 11. and hateth some 5. The same thing appeareth by his preuention Is there vnrighteousnes then with God For this question should haue no place at all vnles it were the Apostles meaning that election surely is not of anie workes done or to be done but of the alone good pleasure of God Aug. ad â—awâ— cap. 38. For if anie man be elected or reprobated of God as he foresaâ— that a man would vse wellâ— or ill his free wil humaine reason it selfe wil confesse that this is most equall But because it heareth where all things be alike that yet God according to his owne will chooseth one and refuseth another and so to them that are equall giueth vnequall things from hence ariseth that raging of mans reason against the righteousnes of God 6. Vnles it were thus the Apostle answering the obiection alleaged would not reiect it with indignation saying God forbid but thus he would or might answer the question that God destinating euery one to punishment or rewarde according to his merits at the least foreseene cannot bee thought vniust This had been a most plaine and easie defence of Gods iustice 7. He vseth a farre other answere whereby hee seemeth not so much to dissolue as to binde fast and confirme the question when he saith He said to Moses I will haue mercy on whom I wil haue mercie and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion By which sentence we are taught that God albeit in a generall speech he withdraweth his mercie from none yet according to a certaine manner of mercie he hath appoynted to haue mercie vpon some and not vpon others and that therefore because it so pleaseth him for so when we would signifie a certaine free power we are wont to say I will doe that I will doe 8. From whence also the Apostle thus out of that oracle inferreth Therefore it is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercie But if the beginning of saluation were of ourselues as they imagine that auouch that election commeth of our good workes or good will foreseene then surely it were in him that willeth and in him that runneth contrarie to the Apostles saying Neither is it any thing worth that some Semipelagian may say that grace helpeth the will being weake to accomplish that which is good yet prone thereunto and therefore it is saide It is not in the willer nor runner but in God shewing mercie as though it were saide The onely will of man is not sufficient if there be not also the mercie of God for we answere with Augustine if Enchir. ad Laur. cap. 32. ad Simpl. lib. 1. because the onely will of man doth not accomplish saluation it is well saide It is not in man that willeth but in God shewing mercie euen on the other side if the mercie of God alone doth not accomplish it it should be well said It is not in God shewing mercie but in man that willeth which godly eares cannot abide It remaineth then that for this cause it is said it is not in man that willeth and runneth An excellent saying that the whole may bee giuen to God who both prepareth mans good will that is to be holpen and doth helpe it being prepared For as it is written His mercie preuenteth vs
whole carnall Israel being separated from other people Generall was consecrated to bee the peculiar people of God of which election we reade Deut. 7. and elsewhere often For he vouchsafed all the Israelites alike the same testimonies of his grace to wit his word and Sacraments The other a speciall and secret election included in the generall Speciall when God of his meere grace according to the hidden counsell of his will chuseth for himselfe and reserueth to saluation whom pleaseth him out of the number of the children of Israel that was as the sand of the sea These things are plaine by the order of Pauls discourse and by the distinction set downe in the beginning to wit of the children of the flesh and of the promise For all saith he that be of our father Israel are not Israelites neither are all therefore sonnes because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but they that are the sonnes of promise are counted for the seede He calleth them the children of the flesh The sonnes of the flesh that come of Abraham according to the succession of the flesh who had already an excellent prerogatiue aboue other people tribes for the grace of the couenant among that people Children of promise But hee calleth them the children of promise who were freely giuen to Abraham by promise and faith in whom a farre more excellent dignitie and grace of God did raigne and florish And such truly are of the Iewes and Gentiles but now we speake peculiarly of the Iewes Obiection But this spirituall election seemeth cannot bee proued by testimonies touching the generall election of Israel and the generall reiection of the Ismaelites Idumeans and other nations Answere 1 Answere It may truly albeit not the same way so that we may without any difference take the one for the other But thus proceedeth the Apostles reason Seeing by a free promise Isaac was preferred before Ismael and Iacob before Esau that from them a chosen issue of Abraham might flow and Gods Church in the earth and that Ismael Esau might seuerally haue their nation also but a stranger frō the Church It is no marueile if God out of Israel chuse vnto himselfe at his pleasure such as he thought good to saue Answere 2 Againe some answere albeit the propheticall testimonies be properly to bee vnderstood of the posteritie of Iacob and Esau after the foresaid maner yet it is not amisse if in the very persons also of Iacob and Esau as in the heads of this double posteritie wee say that an example of particular both election and also reprobation was set forth Certainly Augustine a writer of an exquisite iudgement and greatly busied in this matter thinketh that Esau was reiected from the grace of saluation whereunto Iacob was elected His words are Esau had not the mercie Ad Simpl. lib. 1. through which Iacob was made good that he also by it might be good And by and by This mercie was withdrawne from Esau saith he that he should not so bee called that he should bee inspired with faith in his calling and beleeuing might worke well What doth not the author to the Hebrewes very confidently seeme to censure Esau But it is nothing materiall scrupulously to search out whether hee were saued or perished seeing the trueth of predestination euen without this may be defended CHAP. X. Other proofes of free election THese things being thus set downe to auoide the subtile arguing of the aduersaries let vs proceede to other testimonies of the Scriptures wherein is proued the free election of such as shall be saued according to the most free wil of the chuser Rom. 11. there is a most manifest place The Apostle saith The 1. place Rom. 11. That God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew that is predestinated for difference sake from the carnall Israel which also was the people of God by outward calling For that absurditie seemed to follow if the Iewes should bee cast away for vnbeleefe that God seemed to renounce his owne people Here Paul distinguisheth betweene the people of God called A foreknowne people and elected or as he himselfe calleth them foreknowne meaning the knowledge which is ioyned with approbation according to which they are called foreknowne whom God receiueth whom he hath separated as his own to be saued from other multitudes of men Otherwise if the phrase should bee meant of bare knowledge that restraint were in vaine seeing euen such as shall be damned cannot auoide the knowledge of God And that hee might shew whom he calleth foreknowne he added by the example of the times of Elias that among the vnbeleeuing and obstinate people there was a reseruation made according to election And by and by hee saith Israel obtained not that which hee sought for but the election obtained it and the rest were hardened Therefore in this election and in that reseruation which is made by the election of grace hee would haue a people to be meant whom therfore God had not cast away because he foreknew them De bono perseuer cap. 18. as Augustine at large expoundeth But what saith he further of that election what cause thereof doth he assigne beside the meere grace of the chuser For he saith So at this time also there is a reseruation made according to the electiō of grace that is free election after the Hebrew phrase And if it be of grace it is not now of workes els grace is no grace if of works it is not now of grace els worke were no worke Nothing could bee spoken more roundly to exclude all respect of workes in men There followeth now a notable place to the Ephe. 1. Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesu Christ The 2. place Ephes 1. who hath blessed vs with euery blessing in the heauens in Christ as he chose vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that wee should be holy and without fault before him through loue Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes through Christ Iesu in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glorious grace whereby he hath freely accepted vs in that his beloued First of all it is manifest that nothing can be set downe as the cause of predestination that is the effect of predestination no not surely as it is in the foreknowledge of God But Paul witnesseth that whatsoeuer will or good worke is in man is the effect of predestination For hee chose vs not because either we were or would in time to come be holie but that we should be holy and without spot before him Therefore no good thing in man although it should bee meant as it is in the foreknowledge of God can be the cause of predestination or election to life eternall
Beside this argument which is the principall out of this place there be others also Let the second argument then be from thence that the Apostle testifieth that we are elected in Christ They that are chosen in Christ are chosen doubtles not of their works or for any respect of their worthines properly For so they should be said to be elected in themselues and not in Christ Thirdly we are elected being not as yet borne yea before the creation of the world wheÌ„ we had done neither any good nor euill Neither can that shift haue any place touching the foreseeing of some good in vs because as I also aboue mentioned and the precedent words of the Apostle did confirme no good could be foreseene in vs but what was prepared of God by the grace of predestination Fourthly the last end of our election is the acknowledging and setting forth of the glorious grace of God by which he doth freely make vs acceptable vnto himselfe in that his beloued But this end God could not obtaine vnlesse election were euery way free For wittily and truly saith Augustine It is not grace any way A fine saying if it bee not freely bestowed euerie way Fiftly Paul expressely assigneth the cause of our predestination when he saith He hath predestinated vs according to his good pleasure he doth not say according to the purpose of our will as though God did respect our future good works or the consent of our will vnto his offered grace or else the good vse of our freewill or such like thing in ourselues The Greeke words are very significant Why God chuseth this man and not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore to such as aske the question why hath God chosen these men and not those the answere is most true and good because it so pleased him As Christ alleadgeth no other cause of the Gospell hid from the wise and reuealed to babes but the good pleasure of the father And surely if we diligently consider in the Scriptures what things are taught of the cause of predestination we shall see them come for the most part to these heads namely To the good pleasure and will of God which two words are ioyned together Eph. 1. To his purpose that is according to election Ro. 9. To his power also as the Apostle saith Hath not the potter power Lastly vnto the mercie and loue of God when he saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God shewing mercie And Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated But concerning workes done or to bee done the Scripture speaketh not a word in this matter but alwaies to exclude them as from vocation and iustification so also from election Furthermore hitherto tendeth that which the Lord saith The 3. place Ioh. 15. Ioh. 15. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And we had chosen him if according to our faith or good will election had bin If we should be chosen of God saith Augustine De praedest sanct cap. â—3 because he foresaw that we would beleeue and not that he himselfe would make vs faithfull doubtles we our selues should first chuse him by beleeuing in him that wee might deserue to bee chosen of him He taketh away this altogether who saith Ye haue not chosen me but I you CHAP. XI Of the cause of reprobation IT sufficiently then appeareth by so many proofes alleaged that God elected his Saints in Christ vnto eternall life not for any workes or through foreseeing of their faith but according to the purpose of his own will of meere grace which doth not finde Aug. hom in Io. 38 epist 106 but make them to be elected as the ancient saying is And albeit wee seeme with the same labour not obscurely to haue touched what must bee held concerning the cause of reprobation yet to make the matter more cleere wee thinke good seuerally to declare The cause of reprobation is the will and good pleasure of God and not foreseene vnbeleefe or sinnes that the cause of reprobation consisteth not in the future vnbeleefe of the reprobates or other sinnes which God foresaw but in the will of God himselfe chusing whom he pleaseth and reprobating whom hee pleaseth by his will which is surely remote from our senses yet most right and to bee adored rather than curiously searched into The 1. reason Rom. 8. Ephes 2. For if sinnes were the cause of reprobation wee had all been reprobates seeing all of vs are vnder sinne the children of wrath and eternall death that such election should adopt as abdication doth refuse And albeit the grace of the Mediatour bee offered vs in the Gospell yet it is Gods gift that we begin to haue faith and doe hold it vnto the end For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. Why then is this mercie withdrawne from the reprobates Marke this Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. that faith is not inspired into them Is it because they will not No. For so on the contrary the elect should therefore beleeue because they are willing and so God should not giue them faith but they by being willing should bestow it on themselues and should haue some thing that they had not receiued The 2. reason Further if wee should consider reprobation to slow from vnbeleefe or from malice foreseene it wil necessarily follow that election dependeth on faith or workes foreseene This reason is Augustines but that he speaketh particularly of Iacob and Esau If saith he we graunt Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. that Esau was not hated but for the desert of vnrighteousnes it followeth that Iacob was loued for the merit of righteousnes Againe If because God foresaw the future euill workes of Esau therefore he predestinated him to serue his yonger brother euen God predestinated Iacob therefore that his elder brother should serue him because he foresaw his future good workes Paul doth alike speake of both The 3. reason While the children were yet vnborne when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might stand sure according to election not of workes but of the caller it was said The elder shall serue the yonger These words Augustine weighing expressely writeth in the foresaid place that Esau was reiected for no desert because both he was vnborne and also had done nothing no not in the foreknowledge of his future euill will because so Iacob also had been approued by the foreknowledge of his future good will and in vaine it should bee said Not of workes The same things he writeth ad Laur. cap. 98. The obiection that the Apostle moueth The 4. reason Rom. 9. Is there therefore vnrighteousnes with God and the answere to that obiection and also the parable of the potter of his owne power and will making vessels to honour and vessels to dishonour fully confirme our opinion that as wee can assigne no other
not receiued it as yet But if ye be elected albeit not yet called ye shall receiue the same grace What neede is there of this speech Some of you For if wee speake to the Church of God if wee speake to the beleeuers why say wee that some of them haue receiued grace and so are supposed to doe wrong to the rest It may thus more fitly bee saide thus the predestination of Gods will standeth that ye receiuing grace are come from vnbeliefe to faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God least any man should boast But if any of you walke as yet in your sinnes repent yee awake and rise vp from the dead Also if any as yet bee not called let vs pray for them that they may be called for peraduenture they be so elected that they shall be graunted to our requests and receiue with vs the same grace Is not thus the same thing both more truely and more fitly spoken Of this matter our Augustine whom I haue often cited without controuersie a great diuine learned De bono perseuerant cap. 14. sincere and sound and a notable patron of the Catholike faith as Hilarie praiseth him hath written more at large To him therefore let them resorte that desire to know these things more exactly And these things thus farre of the eternall predestination of God who onely is wise mercifull and iust To him be honor and blessing for euer and euer Amen FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS MENTIONED IN THESE BOOKES A. ABrahams bosome 21 Absurdities of our doctrine as the aduersarie thinketh 130 Acception of persons what 266 Adam fell through his owne fault 316 Adams fall why permitted 316 Adoption what it is 106 Adoption and inheritance follow redemption 211 Ambrose his sayings 193. 215. 224 Anabaptists dotage of the saluation of Infants 219 Angels elect and reprobate 2â—6 Aduersaries opinion of Christs death for all 36 His threefold rank of reasons 47 Aduersaries contrary to themselues 216 Their opinion Anabaptisticall 219 All things for all men by the aduersarie 67 Augustine recanteth an error 216 Augustine his excellent sayings 227 Augustine his phrase of the onely cause of all men pa 225. is expounded 230 All men for al that be Christs 39 For the elect only 40. 187. 231 For all sorts of men 45 For the wicked only 41 For the multitude of both sides 64 208 Cannot be takeÌ„ for euery one 46. 2â—9 All be not Christs people 180 All and euery one had neuer the Gospell 97 All nations for the faithfull 105. 206 Not for euery one in all nations 95. 106 B. Baptisme the principall vse 161 Bap. of some without regeneration 164 by Baptisme wee are not first taken into Gods protection 163 Baptisme of Infants 165. 166 Baptisme a seale of grace to the faithfull 164 Baptizing of Simon Magus 164 Backesliders 333 Beginning of the error of the redemption of euery one 221 Begin in the spirit how many doe 123 Beleeuer knoweth himselfe to beleeue 148. 169 Benefits of two sorts 317 Benefits of the Gospel how they belong to reprobates 129 to Beleeue what 323 Blinding 335 Blotting out what 168 Booke of life what 368 Brasen serpent 206 Breaking of the serpents head for whom 100 to Beleeue to doubt are contrary 374 C. Calling threefold 320. 98 Caluerie Adams Sepulcher 136 Called who they be 197 Catholike Church what 209 Catholike Church meant by the 24. Elders 2â—0 Catholike faith of Redemption 1. 136 Certaintie of grace and election 384 Causes of redemption 23. 216 Of predestinati 269 Of Christs comming 319. 23. Christ their sacrifice whose aduocate he is 211. 188 Foreordained for the beleeuers 199 He mâ—cked not God nor men by redeâ—â—ing the elect 172 He iustifieth all how 43 He is the life of the world 78. 79 Aâ— an inlightener so a Sauiour 184 Died for all how 56. 125 Not effectually for all 179 The onely Redeemer 4. 13 Came for all in what sense by the old writers 233 Christians in name onely 112 Christians must not vse the word destinie 355 Christian kinde 227 Christian libertie many fall from 124 Church onely redeemed 201 Church iudgeth them faithfull c. that professe saith 108. 120 to be Chosen in Christ what 308 Conference and not contention becomes Gods seruants 31 Commandement of faith and repentance hindeth all 153 Contempt of the Gospell not the onely cause of damnation 175 Cornelius his saith 325 Church must take heede of falling and why 332 D. the Damned created for the good of nature 268 Damned some by Gods will 134 the Damneds destruction profiteth the elect 268 Death threefold 334 Decree of God vnchangeable 347 Deliuerance from Egypt typicall 206 Deuill ouercome for the faithfull 10â— Difference betweene power and act 238 Differences among men by God 310 a Dilemma 134 to Diuide the word aright what 152 Degrees of loue 251 Diuine his dutie 31 to be Drawne of God what it is 321 Diuerse opinions of the causes of election and reprobation 272 the Deuill hath power against vs how 339 Doubting of Gods grace 373 E. Election what 317 Election taken diuersly 249. 331 It is of some onely 256. c. How we must iudge of it â—47 It is free 297. 278 The effects of it 318 The cause of it 283 Election of Israel double 295 Elect and reprobates seuered by Gods pleasure 98 Elect called effectually 315. 351 The number certaine 349 Their fall and perseuerance neuer cut off finally 109. 329 Election and loue in God 306 Error of Marcion 17 Error of Papists 324 Euery one is to bee taken for a brother for his profession sake 115 F. Faith and repentance of God 322 Faith how necessary to saluation 217 Faith foreseene no cause of election 373. 2â—8 Historicall and infusing 110 For the doctrine of faith 109 It cureth the soule 175 a Fall grieuous proues not a man to be a reprobate 113 Fate taken diuersly 354 Faithfull their perseuerance and falles 109. 332 Fathers of the olde Testament redeemed 18 Foure thinges proper to the faithfull 195 Foreknowne with the Schoolemen 252 Future things foreknowne 355 Freewill 277. 356 Freedome of seruants 207 G. Gifts common to good and bad 114 Glorification the effect of election 328 Good workes effects of grace 273 Gods permission 316 How he loueth and hateth vs. 25 Hee must teach vs els wee cannot learne 98 He inwardly worketh what he outwardly commaundeth and that without sinne 172. 338 Gospell is properly theirs that obey it 95 God punisheth sinne with sinne 339 God is the reuenger of sinne 340 Grace and predestination agree and differ 248 Grace neuer bestowed vpon all 99 It aboundeth aboue sinne 65 Vniuersall how 201. 150. 154 It is promised to an vnbeleeuer but conditionally 151. 154 God decreed to condemne none but for sinne 304 H. Hardening 340. 335. 337 Hardnes of heart taken three waies 341 Hels foure 21 Heresie of predestination 353 Heresies denying Christs manhood 11 Hypocrites at length
for euer retained Let the same man also be weighed loco de Redemp where he saith Wee know that all men are not made partakers of this redemption Againe saith he Men reprobate and desperatly wicked receiue not redemption The contrary hereof Huber with full mouth auoucheth that all by Christ are made partakers of redemption that all receiue it but that the reprobates hauing once receiued it doe lose it againe Neuerthelesse Three reasons of Musculus why redemption is vniuersall according to the reasons assigned of Musculus this redemption is rightly termed vniuersall 1. Because it commeth not to passe by the defect of grace that many doe perish but by the defect of faith seeing grace is prepared for all to wit that do not refuse it Matth. 22. as all things were readie for the marriage 2. Because all are called vnto it 3. Because so it is appointed for all that no man without it is of can be redeemed Where now he doth vnderstand this appointing otherwise than before yet rightly because albeit many are not redeemed nor iustified yet all by Christ are redeemed and iustified because no man is redeemed but by him Of all which things it plainly appeareth that Musculus as well as others is against the aduersarie and nothing at all on his side That which he citeth out of Hemingius his Syntagma The 9. testimonie Hemingius or Treatise hath some colour to wit that Christ came not for to redeeme onely certaine selected out of mankinde but that that grace is vniuersall as touching the fatherly will of God But albeit Hemingius hath thus written because he otherwise vnderstandeth the doctrine of Predestination yet he greatly dissenteth from the deuise of the aduersaries that all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers without doubt properly and in verie deede by receiuing remission of sinnes are receiued into the bosome of grace iustified and saued by the death of Christ Contrariwise Hemingius Thes 28. testifieth which These Huber craftily hid when he alleadged the 27. that as touching the euent the grace of redemption belongeth to a few onely because few beleeue and bring forth the fruites of repentance For hee acknowledgeth and often times repeateth that albeit the Gospell offer the benefits of Christ to all men of what nation and condition soeuer they be De promiss reparat yet they are receiued by faith alone and so iustification and saluation are freely giuen to him that beleeueth De Euangelio And cleerely he saith That the condition of faith is required that the benefit may be applied that is remission of sinnes and the condition of perseuerance that it may be retayned being receiued For which thing these men say that all haue once receiued the benefit that the beleeuers abide in the same being receiued and the vnbeleeuers doe lose it againe The 10. testimonie Catackis palatin I come vnto that which is obiected out of the Catechisme of our Churches quest 37. where the words of the Catechisme haue that Christ sustained in bodie and soule the wrath of God against the sinnes of all mankinde But the exposition is all one with the place of Athanasius before where was the like speech Certainely the effect of the death of Christ is not in all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers indifferently but as our Catechisme out of the word of God teacheth quest 30. They that imbrace by a true faith Iesus to be a perfect sauiour doe possesse all things which are requisite to saluation Againe quest 20. to the demaunde Whether then saluation be giuen by Christ to all men who perished in Adam It is plainely answered Not to all men but to them onely who are ingrafted into him by a true faith and imbrace his benefits If thou canst Huber reconcile this with thy opinion which is full of error to wit that all who perished in Adam are receiued into grace by Christ iustified quickened and restored to saluation See also in the Catechisme quest 53.55.60.66 c. in all which places no other participation of Christ and his benefits is set downe than by a true faith hypocrites and vnbeleeuers being excluded But of these things enough Let the aduersarie now goe and maintaine his error by the testimonies of olde and new writers whereby he is most manifestly confuted CHAP. XIII Vnto the fourth accusation Huber pa. 20 â—7 312. THe fourth absurditie obiected vnto vs followeth That men are driuen to desperation and that no man can haue any certaintie of his saluation This malitious and false crime he tosseth too and fro The summe and effect tendeth to this that all the assurance and comfort of saluation according to our opinion leaneth vpon meere particulars whereof nothing followeth after this sorte Some men are in fauour with God and shall be saued I am a man Therefore I am in fauour with God and shall be saued As though we were so foolish and vnwise that we haue not learned better out of the word of God to comfort our selues and others For as there is of those which shall be damned so there is of such as shall be for euer saued a certaine vniuersalitie in the Scriptures neither can any man that is in his right wits denie that some shall be receiued others refused some shall be saued others shall perish in the last day Math. 24.25 the former reioycing for euer in the fathers kingdome prepared for them before the foundations of the world and these contrariwise suffering eternall torments in vnquencheable fire prepared for the diuell and his angels And albeit God knoweth them that be ordained by him to eternall life or else not ordained and all things that I may vse the words of Luther are set down in Predestination Prefat ad Rom. who shall be saued who damned yet we must not goe vnto election without the word and speculatiuely In Gen. 26. as he speaketh least we fall headlong into desperation or contempt but we must iudge of election a posteritie that is by that which followeth it as they say that is by faith The vniuersalitie of the promise of grace and by other fruites of election arising vnto the very cause it selfe Hence come those most sweete promises made vnto the beleeuers vniuersall surely Come vnto me all ye that labour I will refresh you Matth. 11. Ioh. 3. Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne shall not perish This is the will of the father that all that beleeue in the sonne should haue eternall life Hereunto beare all the prophets witnesse that all that beleeue in him receiue remission of sinnes through his name Acts 10. 13 19. By him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all that beleeue Rom. 3. 9. Whosoeuer beleeeueth in him shall not be confounded For there is one Lord of all rich towards all that call vpon him for whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued
ought to confesse and maintaine it in men of ripe yeares also for there is one and the same maner of the predestination of all men CHAP. VIII The same point is proued by testimonies of the sacred Scriptures BVt let vs come to more manifest proofes Deut. 7.6 7 8. The onely grace of God is the cause of Election Moses saith to the children of Israel Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath elected thee to be vnto him a peculiar people of all people that are vpon the face of the earth We heare the election of Israel of the cause whereof he straightway addeth Not because you were more then all people did the Lord loue you and chuse you for you were fewer then any people but because the Lord loued you and would keepe the oth that he made to your fathers he hath brought you out with a mightie hand Behold the free purpose of God is the cause of this election The same man Deut. 8.17 chap. 8. Beware least thou say in thy heart my strength and the power of my hand hath got me these riches but remember the Lord thy God because he giueth thee power that hee may confirme the couenant he sware to thy fathers Chap. 9. And chap. 9.4.5 Say not in thine heart when the Lord hath cast out these nations before thee for my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this land and for the impietie of these nations the Lord hath thrust them out before thee Not for thy righteousnesse and the vprightnes of thy heart doest thou go in to possesse their land albeit for the vnrighteousnesse of these nations the Lord thy God will expell them before thee but that the Lord may confirme his word promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob Neither is it sufficient with Moses to say that the inheritance of that land was graunted to the people of Israel not for their merits vnles he should adde Know thou that the Lord not for thy righteousnesse giueth thee that good land to possesse for an inheritance because thou art a people of a hard necke Whereby he declared them vnworthie of euery good thing Behold therefore the most ancient doctrine of grace and election according to grace confirmed by the voice of the holy Ghost in the verie beginnings of the people of Israel For clearely in one and the same place of Scripture doth the Prophet shew the goodnes and seuerity of God saying Not for the righteousnes of this people but through the grace onely of God taking pitie on them is the inheritance of the Land giuen vnto them but the nations are driuen out of the same Land for their vnrighteousnes Yet because vnrighteousnes belongeth as well to the Israelites as to the Cananites and Amorites it appeareth so much the more plainely that God saw no goodnes in them why he should aduance that nation aboue all other nations Eze. 16. And Ezechiel excellently describeth that the Lorde of meere mercie had a respect to that people from the beginning as vnto a yong maide naked defiled and polluted in euery part And how often I praie did they tempt the Lord in the desert Psalm 95. 1. Cor. 10. Acts 7. how often did he saue them from his mercy and his couenant sake when did they not resist the holy Ghost Therefore it is manifest that God chose whom he would of meere grace Obiection But there Moses speaketh of the temporall election of the Israelites that they should be the people of God and of temporall benefites following that election as were their deliuerance out of Egipt their bringing into the Land of Canaan c. Answere I answere first that that temporall election included also the eternall Temporall election includeth eternall albeit not as touching the whole body of that people yet as touching some in that body For in the assembly of them that be called alwaies there bee some elect that shall haue giuen them eternall life And specially of that people doth the Apostle confirme it From the type to the trueth the consequence is good Rom. 11. Secondly from the deliuerance out of Egipt and the bringing into the Land of Canaan the consequence is good as from the types vnto the thing signified that God doth giue freely and of meere loue redemption also from sin and eternall life to whom hee will and would from euerlasting Thirdly here a generall reason is very strong If we cannot merite temporall things much lesse eternall If these externall things depended vpon no merites of the Israelites but on the onelie purpose of God shewing mercie much more on the same doth the electiō vnto the inheritance of the kingdome of heauē depend That place also in Ecclesiasticus 33. is not to be contemned although that book is not of like authority with the canonicall Scriptures Of this booke Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. As one day excelles another by the iudgement of the Lorde so by his manifolde knowledge men are distinguished and aduanced or cast downe Because as claie is in the hand of the potter which he handleth at his pleasure so men are in the hand of God their creator to euery one of whom he rendreth as pleaseth him As good is contrary to euil and life to death so is the godly man opposite to the sinner and be sinner to the godly So in al the workes of the most highest thou maiest see two things whereof one is contrary to the other 1. We are here admonished that all men are equall and alike by nature and beginning as by nature the dayes are alike also the vessels are like one another being made of the same claie as touching their matter and originall We also all of vs are of the same claie or of one and the same lumpe for we all do draw our beginning from the earth Thereof came Adam the first that was created and of Adam we all Neither haue all mortall men the same originall onely but also the same condition of byrth because all of vs are in sin borne of Adam seeing he fell a waie from his first creation 2. We are taught in the foresaid words that whatsoeuer and what maner soeuer differences there be among mē they come from God who aduaunceth some and abaseth others blessing some and cursing others 3. There is no other cause of this difference alledged but the disposition will wisedome and iudgement of the most lightest who seeing he is the creator of all things he obtayneth the chiefest and vncontroulable soueraignetie ouer all his owne workes much more than the potter that maketh of the same claie whatsoeuer pleaseth him I proceede vnto Paul who as a learned scribe in the kingdome of heauen bringeth out of his treasure new things and old to the confirmation of this doctrine He in the 9. chapter to the Rom. willing to take away the offence arising of the vnbeliefe of
no cause to alleage beside the alone and that free and iust wil of God Thâ— very thing is meant by the distinction that some make The decree of predestination and the execution of that decree betweene the decree of predestination whereof there is no cause but the will of God and the execution of the decree the cause whereof be the sins of such as shal be damned From the meaning of which distinction that which Thomas writeth doth not disagree Expos in 9. ad Rom. That the prescience of sinnes may be called some reason of reprobation in respect of the punishment which is prepared for the reprobates to wit in as much as God purposeth to punish the wicked for sins which they haue of thâ—selues and not of God Ecâ—â—us in Chrysopass And according to Richard as Eckius reporteth The merites of men are the reason of reprobation in * Quantum ad connotatum respect of that which is notorious which is temporall bardening and future damnation but saith he there is no reason to wit in man of the preordination vnto that damnation Caluin respecting the same thing Comment in â— ad Rom. graunteth that the next cause of reprobation is that wee are all accursed in Adam by natiue corruption which is dispersed throughout all mankind which is sufficient vnto damnation As Esau saith hee was worthily reiected because naturally hee was the child of wrath yet Paul auoucheth that without respect of anie fault or vice his condition was worse than his brothers that we may learne to rest in the naked and simple good pleasure of God What neede many wordes whom God hath reprobated therefore he hath reprobated because he would But he hath reprobated that is foreordained to inflict iust punishment for sinne As Augustine also is rightly vnderstood when he saith Cont. duas epist Pela li. 1. c. 20. that God maketh some vessels of wrath according to merite for naturally we are all the children of wrath others vessels of mercie according to grace CHAP. XII A confutation of certaine obiections against the expounded doctrine of the cause of Election and Reprobation BVt the greatnes of the question which wee handle troubleth the senses of men that too proudly reason of the wil of God whereby it commeth to passe that many obiect manie things against this height of the diuine mercy and iudgement whereby when there is no diuersity nor difference of merites among men themselues one is predestinated that he might be seuered and chosen out of the masse of perdition and be made a vessell for honor and another is reprobated to be a vessell for dishonor First the very name of Election seemeth to be against it For Obiection 1 Election specially is made in respect of some qualitie whereby one excelleth or seemeth to excell another So wee are went in chusing to prefere faire things before ill fauoured sit things before vnfit and more profitable things before such as bee lesse profitable Therefore it seemeth that we must say that God also respected something in the elect for which cause hee preferred them before others Esay 55. Answere Answere The thoughts of God are not as the thoughts of men neither his waies as our waies saith the Lord. Wee men are wont to chuse after the aforesaid maner Election and loue in God is faire otherwise than in men but election and loue are farre otherwise in God than in men For the will of man is moued to loue by beholding of some good in the thing loued in respect of some good as it is said true or els in appearance it prefereth the thing it chuseth before another and counteth it deare But the will of God is the cause of al goodnes in the creature and therefore God loueth man not for any good thing that he can chuse in him What it is to loue but rather because he loueth him therfore in chusing he preferreth him before others to wit by willing that good to him which hee willeth not to another For to loue is to will good to a man Obiection 2 Secondly the Apostle saith 2. Timothie 2. In a great house there be not onely vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and earth and some surely to honour others to dishonour If therefore a man shall purge himselfe from these things hee hall bee a vessell for honour sanctified and fit for the Lords vse c. Therefore that we may bee vessels for honour or dishonor elect or reprobates it dependeth on our selues Answere But doubtles they that abuse this place must needes first with Sophysters and the enemies of grace also maintaine that the clensing of a man consisteth in the strength of free will For as long as it is the benefite of grace it abideth to be the effect of election whereby vessels for honour are made and by no meanes can be the cause of it Further the consequence is denied because in that place he handleth not the cause of predestination as Ro. 9. but onely a marke is taught whereby we may know the elect and the Saints which is a sincere and constant confession of Gods name The true sense of the Apostles words before and a studie of righteousnes For the Apostle preuenteth the offence that might arise of the Apostacy of Hymeneus and Philetus men of great worth as they had been estemed and sheweth to the comfort of the faithfull that the elect cannot perish but that they bee knowne to God and not to vs vnlesse it be by the effects and by that that followeth as wee speake according to the rule Let euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Therefore it is our part to perseuer in a true confession to imbrace righteousnes and not to ioyne with the teachers of errors and other wicked men that we may be that is in very deede may testifie that wee are the vessels of honour We are commanded 2. Peter 1. The 3. obiection to make our calling and election sure to wit by good workes as some Greeke and Latine copies haue it added and the sense of it selfe requireth it The argument will be such as this is That is the cause of election whereby it is made strong and sure But election is made sure by good workes Therefore good workes are the cause of Election Answere It is answered in respect of God election is firme in it selfe or in the purpose of God the chuser 2. Tim. 2. Rom. 9. because as the Apostle witnesseth the foundation of God standeth sure and his purpose according to electioÌ„ abideth not of works but of the caller But in respect of vs election is made sure by good works as by the effects For because we be elected that we may be holy and blamelesse not without cause is holinesse of life accounted the triall and declaration of election And this is the meaning of Peters wordes From whence an answere
thou a reason I will bee abashed at the depth Reason thou I will marueile Dispute thou I will beleeue I see the depth I cannot reach to the bottome Paul rested because he found a thing to marueile at He calleth them iudgements vnsearchable and art thou come to seeke them out Againe Serm. 254. de Temp. I confesse the counsell of God as a man I cannot declare it For with the Apostle Paul I know how to be astonied O the depth of his wisedome and knowledge To vs belong consideration admiration trembling exclamation because we cannot pearce into them but vnto him what glory for euer and euer whether it be concerning the vessels for honour or vessels for dishonour And in this place wee must bee admonished that in the things that haue been spoken Ad â—anâ— ca. 99. there is great reason rendered against certaine foolish men whom the forenamed author often nippeth who thinke that the Apostle failed in his answere and through want of rendering a reason repressed the boldnes of the gainsaier For we are called backe to the consideration of our capacitie in briefe words surely but such as bring great weight by aggrauating of names when he saith O man who art thou that reasonest with God man is opposed to God and the clay to the potter Likewise in that with trembling he crieth out O the depth how vnsearchable are the iudgements of God hee sufficiently declareth that these workes of God may be secret but cannot be vniust because they bee his iudgements who is iust and iudgeth the world and whose wil is so the chiefest rule of iustice Gods iustice vnlike to mans that what thing soeuer he willeth and doth must therefore bee counted iust because he doth it For it is not lawfull to dispute of the diuine iustice according to mans iustice or rather mans pride that hath the name of iustice De seruo arbit circa finem For as Luther notably proueth If Gods iustice were such as could bee iudged to bee iust by mans capacitie it were not diuine and it should nothing differ from mans iustice Further seeing God is wholly incomprehensible and inaccessable by mans reason for what is man compared to God what is our power knowledge substance and all that we haue to God it is meete yea necessarie that his iustice also be incomprehensible De praedest gra cap. 2. Wherefore Augustine not without cause saith Who is so mad or rather who is such a blasphemer to say that wee must dispute of the iustice of God by the rule of mans iustice which doubtles is an enemie to Gods iustice Wee must iudge soberly and reuerently of the workes of God and is vniust It is manifest that euery thing that is howsoeuer iust floweth from him who is most iust Who then shall he bee that hangeth the wisedome of God that abideth vnchangeable createth gouerneth and preserueth all things that bee vpon the pleasure of mans wisedome We must not therefore reason as vaine man thinketh best of that maiestie of the diuine wisedome God must be adored Lib. 2. contra Marc. and not iudged saith Tertullian sharply reprouing the controllers of the Deitie saying Thus God ought not to be vsed and so rather he ought to be But the foolish things of God are wiser than men And then especially is he great when to man he is small and most iust when to man he is vniust saith he But say they all these things are true and sufficient to defend the iustice of Gods election and reprobation The aduersaries defend Gods iustice in election and reprobation by presupposing of mans fall if we consider how God dealeth with vs by presupposing the fall of mankinde For whereas wee were all inthralled to eternall damnation he can bee charged with no vniustice for deliuering some from thence mercifully and punishing others iustly as pleaseth him because he may haue mercie on whom he will and at his pleasure punish whom he will How the flesh concludeth thereof to excuse it selfe But without the wil of God we had not fallen into that corruption wherinto Adam caried all his posteritie headlong with himselfe Why then is hee yet angrie why doth he lay to mens fault and punish in them those things that he hath necessarily imposed vpon them by his owne ordinance For who may resist his will Thus flesh concludeth to excuse itselfe and to lay the fault in God And it is no marueile for when Adam was corrupted after whose image wee are borne he did the same thing in Paradise But faith and the spirit iudge farre otherwise 1. We may here retort againe that of the Apostle O man The iudgement of faith and the spirite who art thou that reasonest with God Doth the pot say to the potter why hast thou made me thus 2. All Christians confesse that for the fall of our first parents in Paradise sinne and death not onely temporal but also much more eternall haue iustly runne ouer all men And against the prophanenes of the wicked the Lord himselfe will maintaine sufficiently his owne iustice by making them to condemne themselues Rom. 9. Why contend we then of his vniustice seeing his iustice is confessed 3. Man doubtles fell through his own fault and not Gods The distinction of will and permission Which thing some going about to expound flie vnto the distinction of will and permission as though mankinde fell in Adam God barely onely permitting it and not after any sort also willing it without whose will yet not so much as a sparrow falleth vpon the ground The very word of permission I doe not reiect which the Scripture also vseth Matth. 10. but I find fault with the expounding of it because God permitteth not vnwilling but willing whatsoeuer he permitteth After another maner therefore and that true and sound doth Augustine shew De Correp gra cap. 11. how man fell through his owne fault and not Gods to wit God who made all things very good had giuen man a good will How Adam fell through his owne fault and not Gods wherein he had made him righteous and after his owne image hee had giuen him also a helpe whereby hee might continue in that image if hee would And that hee might bee willing or vnwilling hereto he left it in his owne power Therefore the cause was in man himselfe and in the deuill that he was made worse In the deuill because he perswaded in man because he with a free will consented and so through freewill forsaking God hee found the iust iudgement of God that with his whole posteritie which as yet being in his loynes wholly had sinned he should bee damned Why God suffered Adam to fall Enchir. cap. 37. De Correp gra cap. 18. And whereas it was not giuen vnto him to continue in that vpright and faultles state doubtles therefore it was not giuen because God would not
iudging it to be a better thing to doe good out of euill than to permit no euill to be as Augustine saith Which thing in another place notably expounding he writeth Wee profitably confesse what we rightly beleeue that God and the Lord of all things who created all things exceeding good and foreknew that euill would arise out of good and knew that it more appertained to his almightie goodnes euen out of euill to doe good than not to suffer euill to bee had so ordained the life of Angels and men that therein he would shew first what their freewill was able to do and then what the benefit of his grace and the iudgement of his iustice could bring to passe Of this thing see also Tertullian lib. 2. contra Marcio 2. Sent. distinct 23. why God suffered man to be tempted knowing that he would fall And lib. 1. dist 45. it is learnedly declared how and how farre forth Gods permission must be referred to his will according to that of Augustine Enchir. cap. 95. Mâ—â—ke how God willeth good and euill things Nothing is done vnles the Almightie would haue it to be done either by suffering it to bee done or by doing it himselfe Where hee includeth all good and euill things that are done but with this difference that he bee vnderstood to will euill by suffering it to bee done and to will good by doing it himselfe For he suffereth doubtles not vnwilling but willing as the same Augustine saith And de praedest gra cap. 15. Enchir. ad 〈◊〉 cap. 100. he saith that all things are either done the Lord assisting or els permitted the Lord forsaking them that yet we may know Nothing is done against the Lords will and why that nothing at all is done against the Lords will Certainly if any thing be done that God simply and euery way will not haue done or els if that be not done that he willeth to be done the very beginning of our faith is in hazard wherein we confesse that we beleeue in God almightie and some God is brought in out of Epicurus his schoole Psalm 105 For our God doth in heauen and earth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Luther of this whole matter speaketh thus Lib. de ser arbit cap. 152. To them that inquire why he permitted Adam to fall when he was able to saue him it is said It is God of whose will there is no cause nor reason See how hee includeth permission vnder his will Whereupon also chap. 197. he writeth Whether God suffer or els incline a man that suffering or inclining commeth not to passe but by Gods will because the will of man cannot auoide the worke of almightie God CHAP. XIIII Of the effects of Election HEreafter now we must intreate of the effects both of election and also of reprobation And because the predestination of Saints which we call election Election what it is is a preparation of grace that is of glorie hereafter and of benefits in this world whereby as by meanes the elect are lead to the glorie appointed for them both the end and the meanes The effects of it be the ende and meanes The ende double Rom 9.23 Ephes 1.7 The meanes be al benefits and they be of two sorts be effects of election By the end we meane saluation and the glorie of the elect For in respect of them that is the end of election albeit in respect of God there is another and higher to wit the demonstration of his rich grace in the vessels of mercie to his glorie As for the meanes that bee subordinate to this end they be all benefits whatsoeuer whereby whosoeuer are deliuered are most certainly set at libertie as Augustine saith de bono perseu cap. 14. And these be of two sorts altogether some are necessary to the common saluation of all Some necessary to the common saluation of all men and infants Some peculiar to men onely men growen and infants as for example the merit of Christ iustification and regeneration by the holy Ghost Some do follow men growen onely through the want of discretion of good and euill in children as is the knowledge of Christ a true confidence in him the studie of good workes perseuerance in temptations and such like Foure principall effects of election And although there bee many and sundry effects of election yet such as bee more speciall whereunto other commonly are reduced be foure to wit Christ as the Mediatour and high Priest with the whole worke of his humiliation and glorie then vocation effectuall vnto Christ iustification also and glorification Hereof commeth that truly golden chaine of the Apostle Rom. 8. that whom God hath predestinated them he calleth and whom he calleth vnderstand that calling that is according to Gods purpose them also he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them he also glorifieth And of Christ without whom no man can be saued he straightway addeth What then shall we say to these things If God bee for vs who can be against vs who hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who is he that can condemne It is Christ who is dead yea who is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who maketh also requests for vs. The 1. effect of election Christ That we may therefore speake something of these beginning at the Mediatour and head of the elect our Lord Iesu Christ he surely is the onely foundation of our coniunction with God and therefore of all our blessednes for wee had not been capable of so great glorie whereunto wee are elected vnles our heauenly father turning his eyes from our vnworthines vpon Christ had made vs acceptable vnto himselfe in that his beloued Therefore Paul witnesseth that wee were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1. that is as himselfe interpreteth that wee were predestinate to bee adopted for sonnes and to obtaine other heauenly good things by and for Christ In which sense also he writeth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1. that grace was giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the worlds â—s if he should say that God from eternitie decreed to giue vs grace whereby wee are saued but in Christ the fountaine of grace Thus then let vs determine and iudge of a certaintie that God when hee minded to haue mercie vpon some that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie and had neede also of a fit Mediatour hereunto who might by his death and satisfaction pacifie the wrath of God and procure for them righteousnesse and life that was lost and might defend and maintaine saluation obtained ordained by his eternall and very fatherly counsell that his sonne of like substance and eternitie with the father in the fulnes of time assuming truely mans nature should dye for our sinnes and rising againe from the
things he ought to do hope for So according to their opinion that should only be the calling of God which is outwardly made by the word As though hee did discerne such as heare the Gospell from such as beare not and not rather the beleeuers froÌ„ such as beleeue not who said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse it bee giuen him of the father And in many places the Scripture teacheth that faith and conuersion what good worke soeuer we haue flowe from God Lament 5. Turne vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned saith Ieremie Ierem. 31. Eze. 36. And it is promised in the Prophetes that the time shall come when God will write his law in their heartes and giue them a newe hart a fleshy hart and take away their stony that he will put a new spirit and the feare of him in their hartes and make vs to walke in his precepts In the Gospell also the Lord speaking of the fruit of righteousnes testifieth that we be able to do nothing without him Ioh. 15. Again ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and I haue appointed you to bring forth fruite and that your fruite should remaine 1. Cor. 4. And Paul saith what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued And expressely the same man affirmeth that repentance is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2. Gal. 5. Ephes 5. As he also reckoneth faith and all good workes to be the fruits of the spirit He testifieth also that we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them Ephes 1. And to take away all doubt he plainely writeth that we are elected before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be holy and blameles Therefore also the Church praieth both for Infidels and such as resist the doctrine of the Gospell that they may be conuerted vnto God also for the faithfull that they may grow in saith and perseuer therein For the things that he hath commanded to be done would not be requested of God except it were his free gifte that they were done The 2. error of the Semipelagians Other men albeit they confesse that good works and faith also according to the growth of it bee of God yet they will haue the beginning of faith to come of vs as if faith were not giuen vs of God but onely increased of him in vs by the merit of our beliefe or of our good wil and so the good will of a man should bee the cause of Gods grace and not grace the cause of our will This opinion Prosper and Hilarie attribute to the Semipelagians Epist. ad Aug. Tom. 7. or the reliques as they cal them of the Pelagian heresie And Augustine himselfe was sometime in this error as when he saith I hat we beleeue it is ours but that we do good Expos ad Rom. it is his who giues to the faithfull the holie Ghost And a little after To beleeue and to be willing is ours but to giue to the beleeuers and willers power to worke well by the holy Ghost that is Gods But he acknowledged afterward this error Lib. 1. cap. 23. passim lib. de praedest sanct and amended it in his retractions and elsewhere where he sheweth at large that not onely faith increased but also begunne in vs is Gods gift the grace of the caller preuenting our wil that we may be willing according to the sayings who first gaue to him he shal recompence him because of him Rom. 1â— Paul 1. and through him and in him are all things To you it is giuen not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake He saith simplie to beleeue not more perfectly to beleeue Rom. 12. Like as that is to the Ro. God hath distributed to euery one a measure of faith Also to the Ephe. Yee are saued by grace through faith Ephes 2. and this is not of your selues it is the gift of God that is eueÌ„ that which I said through faith is not of our selues but is the gift of God The same Apostle saith we are not fit to thinke any thing 2. Cor. 3. as of our selues then not so much as to beleeue because to beleeue is nothing els than to thinke with assente To beleeue what it is Also chap. 4. of the 1. Epistle What hâ—st thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued why doest thou brag Phil. 2. as though thou hadst not receiued Expressely also it is said of the will that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe of his good will his doubtles and not ours Therefore it remaineth firme that the will is preuented of God and that from him it is in â—â—â—led into vs that we doe beleeue Obiection But thou wilt say Gods giftes are giuen to such as pray and prayer presupposeth faith Therefore man of himselfe bringeth faith at the least the beginning of it that he may be capable of grace and the giftes of God Answere But the Maior is particular seeing God giueth some things euen to them that pray not as the beginning of faith other things no otherwise than by prayer And thus Augustine answereth this doubt chap. 16. de bono perseu alijs locis The 2. error of the Papists works of preparation Thirdly there be inuented of certaine men works I know not what morally good whereby a man before faith and repentance prepareth himselfe to grace yea deserueth grace de congruo of conueniencie as they speake And that would they prooue by the example of Cornelius who was endued with the knowledge of Christ while the Lorde respected his prayers and almes By these mens opinion that wicked sentence is maintained Aug. de praedest sanct cap 2. con 2. ep Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. which Pelagius himselfe in his episcopall iudgement in Palestine condemned albeit with an hypocriticall heart to wit that the grace of God is giuen according to our deserts Beside when the Apostle saith who hath seuered thee What hast thou that thou hast not receiued by these mens opinion I may say my worke doeth seuer me my endeuour Ephe 2. Heb. 11. and merite What that the scripture teacheth that we are all dead in offences sinnes before faith that without this it is impossible that we or our workes should please God Tell me I pray what good will had Paul and not rather a great wicked wil that breathing forth slaughter went forward destroying Christians in the horrible blindenesse of his minde By what merites of his will by what preparation of works did God conuert him from these euils to faith In like maner how many enemies of Christ dayly are drawen of a suddaine by the secert grace of God to Christ Lastly the
among other things these he mentioneth Rom. 1. Therefore that is for a recompence of their error God gaue them vp into shamefull affections and into a rebate mind to do the things that were not conuenient being full of all vnrighteousnes fornication wickednes coueteousnes c. 2. Thess 2. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued God sent vnto them a strong force of error that they might beleeue a lye Isa 19. God hath cast among them the spirite of error and they haue seduced Egipt And chapter 63. why hast thou made vs O Lord to erre from thy waies hast thou hardened our hearts that we should not feare thee 1. King 22. By Gods commaundement and in his iudgement a lying spirite went forth to seduce Achab by the false Prophets He doth these things after a wonderfull and vnspeakeable maner Augustine saith Augustine who knoweth how to worke his iust iudgements not onely in the bodies but also in the harts of men who maketh not euill wills but vseth them as he will seeing he cannot will any thing vniustly Cypr ser de â—rat dom in 5 petit Cyprian also vpon the petitioÌ„ Lead vs not into teÌ„ptation or as he readeth Suffer vs not to be lead c. writeth that the aduersarie can do nothing against vs vnles God before hath permitted him The diuell hath power against vs in two respects and thence is power giuen him and that that euill one hath power against vs in two respects either to punishment when we haue sinned or els to glory when wee are tryed Which thing in so many wordes welneere our Augustine expresseth De serm Dom. in monte lib. 2. Temptations saith he are made by Sathan not by his authority but by Gods sufferance either to punish men for their sins or els to proue and exercise them of Gods mercy Therefore by all these proofes a man may after a sorte perceiue Gods hardening is not only permission but also the operation of his wrath that hardening when in the Scriptures it is attributed to God signifieth not onely permission but also the operation of Gods wrath for that I may say nothing of outward things which make to the induration of reprobates the deuill himselfe who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience is so in the power of God that he doth nothing but at his commaundement God is the reuenger and not the author of sinne And this is diligently to bee marked that whether by forsaking or by any other waie that maÌ„ can shew or not shewe God who is most highly good and vnspeakeably iust doth exercise such kind of iudgements he is not the author but the reuenger of crimes while he punisheth one sin with another For we seeke for the merite of mercie saith Augustine and we find it not Ad Sixtum Epist 105. because there is none least grace should bee made of none effect if it be not giuen freely but rendred for deserts But we seeke for the merite of hardening and we find it For for good cause the whole lumpe of sin is condemned from the first beginning of it Rom. 5. and as age increaseth so wickednes thereupon groweth through a mans owne will and thereupon also damnation Therefore the Scriptures rehearse deliuering vp into euil lustes and efficacie of error and such like as the scourges of Gods wrath and the iust recompence of reward Obiection But God worketh thou saist hardnes of heart But hardnes of heart is sin for what is it els than to resist the commaundement of God as Stephen cast the Iewes in the teeth Therefore God worketh sin Answere 1 Answere First God worketh not hardnes of hart as hath been said by instilling malice but by forsaking and deliuering vp to the lusts of the hart to the deuil himselfe Answere 2 Secondly Contra Iul. pel lib. 5. cap. 3. in the Minor there is a fallacie of the accident For as Aug. teacheth the hardnes of heart as manie other things may be considered three manner of waies to wit as it is sin as it is the punishment of former sinnes Hardnes of heart taken three waies and as it is the cause of sinnes following namely when through the error of a blind heart some euill is committed And these diuerse respects concurre accidentally in one and the same worke Therefore as farre forth as hardnes whereof wee speake is a sin it is the worke of man and the deuill and it is Gods worke no otherwise than as it is apunishment For hee is the author of euery punishment of sinne whatsoeuer it be because euery punishment of sin as it is such is good because it is iust But God is not the author of sin because it is euill And God is exceeding good and iust and cannot be the author of an euill and vniust thing as it is written Thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickednes Psalm 5. Lib. 5. Stromat And Clemens Alexandrinus citeth out of the Poet Iupiter who raigneth ouer the Gods and beholdeth all things is not the cause of euils to mortall men Hereupon dependeth an answere to an other obiection also Obiection 2 That if God hardens men they that sin They that be hardened haue no defence for it and that for two causes seeme to be made excusable For who may resist his will Answere But for two causes no place of defence or shift is left for such as be hardened First because the merit of induratioÌ„ sticketh fast in themselues as we haue seene Secondly they themselues wittingly and willingly harden their owne heart against Gods commaundement and indurate themselues as of Pharao not onely it is written that God hardened him Exod. 8. Wisd 2. but also that he hardened his owne heart And the wiseman witnesseth that the wicked erre because their own malice blindeth them For through malice they shut their owne eyes least they should see and stop their eares least they should heare like the deafe adder that stoppeth her eare Psalm 58. least she should heare the voice of the charmer CHAP. XVIII Whether God hath predestinated the infidelitie of the reprobates and sinnes in generall ANd these things of the effectes of reprobation But here further the question was wont to be asked i. Whethetr reprobates as they are said to be predestinated to suffer damnation for sins so also be predestinated to sins theÌ„selues infidelitie and others whereby they draw damnation vpon themselues or no And generally whether God predestinated any man to sin Some men surely feare not to auouch it as not repugnant vnto the trueth Anselme lib. de Concord gra lib. â—ib nor inconuenient Of which opinion is Anselme Bishop of Canterbury who was famous in the yeere 1060. for he boldlie affirmeth that there is a predestination not only of good things but may be said also to be of euill things after a sort because euill
Iupiter saith Thinkest thou alone O daughter deare from thee to put away vnconquerable fate And afterward The fates that stable be and do abide for aye feare neither planets thunderbolts nor any great decay The stoicall sate De Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 5. Also this opinion is commonly attributed to the Stoicke philosophers albeit Augustine doeth mitigate their opinion because they said that the knitting together of things by fate doth depend vpon Iupiter whom they supposed to be the soueraigne God For in Aulus Gellius li. 6. cap. 2. there is Chrysippus his definition of fate or destinie What fate is that it is the naturall and vnchangeable coniunction order of all things froÌ„ euerlasting Cicero de fato As Cicero also noteth the opinion of such meÌ„ as say that all things are brought to passe by a naturall binding and coupling together without interruption These dotings not only the Church but also sounder phylosophie reiecteth and condemneth both because they take from God his libertie and omnipotencie and also because they abolish the order and manner of working ordeined by Gods wisedome in second causes For some second causes bee ordeined of God to certaine and determined effectes other be not but of their owne nature are indifferent to bring forth this or that effect Fate for Gods prouidence Lib. epist 18. Other men doe terme the connexion and order of all causes hanging on the wil of God by the name of fate which we vse to call Gods prouidence So Anneus Seneca The fates leade him that is willing draw him that is vnwilling most euidently called that fate which in the same place hee had called the will of the highest father And Apuleius saith In dogmaâ—e Platonis that fate is a diuine Lawe whereby the ineuitable purposes and entreprises of God are brought to passe De caus lib 4. After the same maner Boëtius spake many things of fate For he will haue a fatall order to depend vpon the simplicitie of the diuine prouidence How Gods prouidence and fate doe dister by Boetius so that prouidence is a diuine way disposing all things but fate is a disposition inherent in moueable things that is the execution of that eternall prouidence in God And seeing fate proceedeth from the beginning of an immoueable prouidence he writeth that hence it commeth to passe that it also is immutable With such men as these bee if we credite Augustine De Ciuit. lib. 5. cap. 7. wee must not greatly contend about the worde seeing they attribute the very order of causes whereby euery thing is done that commeth to passe to the will and power of the Soueragne God whom most truely wee beleeue both that hee knoweth all things before they be done and also leaueth nothing vndisposed and all powers are from him Euill wils are not from God albeit not all wils proceede from him For euil wils are not from him because they are against nature which commeth from him Christians must not haue the word fate or destinie in their mouthes Yet because wee must speake of diuine things according to the rule of pietie it is beter to abstaine from the word fate or destinie as Augustine in the same place notably aduiseth vs chapter 1. Humane kingdomes are altogether appointed by the diuine prouidence which if a man therefore attribute to fate because he vnderstandeth thereby the very will and power of God let him hold his iudgement still but let him reforme his tongue But it is an vngodly sacrilegious thing Marke this well that some endeuour to finde fault with that order of causes which are coupled together which order is certaine with God foreknowing disposing it such men must at length needs fall to this point that they will both deny Gods foreknoweldge and also all prophecie that is clearer then the light as Cicero did de diuinat 2. For if all future things be foreknowne that they shall in that order come to passe as they are foreknowne that they shall bee And if they shall come to passe by this order the order of things is certaine with God foreknowing them And if the order of things be certaine the order of causes also is certaine For not any thing can be done before which there went not some efficient cause Obiection 3 Of freewill But in this order of causes that are ioyned one with another is there any libertie of our free will Doeth the chaine of predestination constraine the very motions also of mens mindes Answere Libertie threefold I answere there is a threefold libertie according to the common distinction libertie from coaction from sinne and from miserie Of these three libertie from coaction or compulsion is the propertie of the will that cannot be lost as Bernard sayeth that is that whatsoeuer it willeth whether it bee that which is good by the grace of God or that which is euill of it one nature it alwayes willeth it freely that is with a voluntary motion and not by compulsion Wee doe surely many things against our will and compelled yet the will it selfe can desire or chuse nothing vnwillingly and forced because if it should wil by constraint it should vnwillingly wil which implyeth a contradiction Euchir cap 30. Otherwise as it is in Augustine man naughtily vsing freewill lost both himselfe and it and hereby hee that is the seruant of sinne is at libertie to sin but to doe right cously he is not free vnles being deliuered from sinne he begin to be the seruant of righteousnesse Moreouer if by free be meaÌ„t that which is subiect to none nor dependeth vpon any other thing Libertie from subiection the will hath not or is limited in that sense wee must not doubt that there can be no libertie of mans will but that all things are done of necessitie as God hath foreknowne and worketh by his vnfallible counsel Cap. 16â— and power as Luther often mentioneth in many places in his booke of seruile will For as other things so the elections of the wils of angels and men are subiect to Gods prouidence Acts 17. in whom we liue bee and are mooued and who inclyneth the heart of a king whither souer he will Gregorie Nyssene in his booke that he wrote of man saith prouidence is of such things as be not in vs And Damascene lib. 2. orth fid writeth Damascene that God foreknoweth only the things that are in vs and doeth not foreordaine them But these are daungerous speeches and ought not or cannot be admitted but very warily as Thomas aduiseth vs Tho. cont gent. lib. 2. cap. 90. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib 5 cap â— And Augustine much better All wils are subiect to the wil of God euen all wils because they haue no power but what he granteth them Obiection But thou wilt say What is determined of God necessarily so commeth to passe as it is determined
But all actions and motions of the mindes of men are determined of God Therefore necessarily they so come to passe by the force of the consequent there is in them no libertie of our will Answere This Syllogisme being granted wee yet denie that which is inferred vpon it For we must make difference betweene the necessitie of coaction Necessities twofold and immutability That moueth violently through an externall beginning only but this imposeth surely a necessity vpon the second causes that they effect this or that thing and thereby also vpon the effects that they so come to passe Things in respect of God necessarily come to passe but in respect of second causes most things are contingent and casuall yet it taketh not away the natures of things but rather confirmeth them Therefore albeit in respect of God who foreseeth all things infallibly and vnchaungeably foreordayneth them necessarily that is infallibly and vnchaungeably all things come to passe yet in respect of the second causes them I meane that are not in their owne nature limited to certayne effects as be all the willes of Angels and men many things are done contingently and by choice And it is to be marked that seeing effects haue their names of their next causes such effects are rightly called contingent euen as they that arise of second causes necessarily working as the motions of heauen the heate of fire are and are called necessarie albeit notwithstanding in respect of God altering the order of nature as often as pleaseth him contingencie or chaunce hath also place in such Examples confirme this answere Examples hereof As for example Christ must suffer and be slaine yet he suffered and dyed willingly as it is written I lay downe my life Luke 24. that I may take it againe No man taketh it from me Iohn 1â— I haue power to lay it downe and I haue power to take it againe Also All things must bee fulfilled which were written of him yet what was more casuall considering the natures of second causes than that the souldiers cast lots for Christs coate that they brake not a bone of him and such like In the Angels also perfect spirits in heauen so mightie is the kingdome of grace that necessarily they doe not sinne shall we therfore depriue them of the libertie of their will What shall wee say of God himselfe who is vnchangeably good who must needes alwaies liue and foreknow all things Yet God forbid that we should put the life and foreknowledge of God vnder necessitie as neither is his power diminished when he is said that he cannot dye De Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 10. or bee deceiued Which example Augustine also vseth where hee answereth in like maner the foresaid question by that distinction of a twofold necessitie And chapter 9. he writeth that it doth not follow that if there bee with God a certaine order of causes therefore nothing is in our will seeing in the very order of causes euen our willes are accounted Anselme writeth at large of this matter concerning the agreement of Gods foreknowledge and predestination with freewill CHAP. XXI Answers to the other obiections Obiection 4 Whether the ministery of the worde be ouerthrowne by predestination BVt they say that by the doctrine of Gods vnchangeable predestination the ministerie of the word is ouerthrowne and cleane taken away to wit all instructions exhortations reproofes consolations and lastly all doctrine both publikely and priuatly For what things are vnchangeably predestinated of God to be done in vaine are meanes vsed in them And such is the saluation of men Therefore such meanes are vsed in vaine Answere But there is an error in the Maior which onely is true touching meanes that are not ordained of God or els without which it is manifest that hee will bring to passe those vnchangeable euents But it is of no force concerning those meanes which euen he himselfe pleaseth to vse for the ends appointed of him and hath also commanded vs to vse them And such are those meanes that are mentioned in the obiection For it is written 1. Tim. 4. Giue heede to exhortation and reading practise these continue therein take heede to thy selfe and to doctrine For if thou do this thou shalt saue thy selfe and those that heare thee Also Be instant in the word in season 2. Tim. 4. out of season rebuke reproue exhort with all trueth and doctrine watch in all things And the Lord himselfe saith Matth. 18. If thy brother sinne against thee goe and tell him his fault c. if hee heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother Iam. 5.19 Iud. vers 21. And euery where wee are commaunded to stirre vp the slothfull to reproue those that sinne that they may repent Further it is certaine Predestination comprehendeth both the end and the meanes to the end that predestination belongeth not onely to the end namely the saluation of such as be predestinate but to the meanes also leading to that end the word of God and experience bearing witnesse that it is giuen to very few to receiue the doctrine of saluation by the Lord himselfe or by Angels Aug. de bono pers cap. 19. without the preaching ministerie of man and that it is giuen to many to beleeue in God by men For God obserueth this order commonly towards his elect that whom he hath seuered from damnation by the bountifulnes of his grace for them he procureth his Gospell to bee heard and when they heare moueth them to beleeue Aug. de Cor. grat cap. 7. and to continue vnto the end in saith which worketh by loue and to repent vpon admonition if at any time they go astray Yea and some also hee bringeth backe into the way which they had forsaken without the reproofe of men But in the children of perdition it commeth to passe that is written that they hearing heare not that is De bono perseâ— cap. 14. hearing by the sense of the body they heare not with the assent of the heart De Correp grat cap. 15. In the meane while seeing wee know not who belong to the number of the predestinate who not we must be so affected with loue that we wish al to be saued warning reprouing all and euery one as occasion is offered with meekenes waiting if at one time or other God will giue them to acknowledge 2. Tim. 2. the trueth and escaping out of the snare of the deuill of whom they are held captiues to receiue a sounder minde Therefore let vs doe our dutie applying brotherly correction to all men that they perish not or destroy others but it belongeth to God to make the same profitable vnto them We must doe our dutie in â—â—rouing oâ—â—◠〈◊〉 we doe not profit them and why 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ he himselfe hath foreknowne and predestinated to bee conformable to the image of his sonne And albeit hee make it not
are cut off 125 They receiue the signe but not the thing in the Sacrament 292 Holines generall and speciall 112 How we may resist Satan telling vs that we haue no faith 149 How a receiuer of the Sacrament must proue himselfe 169 How we may be certaine of election 372 How God willeth the death of a sinner and not 170 How Christs death is effectuall to vs. 79 How mens mouthes must be stopped 313 How Christ washeth away a mans sinnes not yet borne 200. 220 How the Lord knoweth not the wicked 210 How God would haue all to bee saued 260 Hofmans dotages 238 Hubers reproches 31 His maner of disputing 178 His blasphemies 170 His false doctrine of election 255 I. Iacob and Esau 286. 293 Indulgences 12 Infants beleeue not 165 How saued 167 Infants of the faithfull part of Gods people 219 Dying before Baptisme 168 Of Heathens why we baptise not 167 Iustification and faith effects of election not the cause 327 Wherein it consisteth 327 It is proper to the elect 328 It is diuersly taken 327 to be Iustified what it is 327 the Iustice of Gods predestination 311 Iustice of God vnlike to mans 171. 314 Iudas giuen to Christ how 257 Iudge soberly of Gods workes 314 Iudgement of the flesh and spirit 315 K. Kingdome of God threefold 103 L. Life eternall they haue that be effectually redeemed 214. 215 Libertie threefold 356 Christian 124 Limbus Patrum 19. 20 Pucrorum 21 to Loue what it is 306 Luthers doctrine of predestination 303 Luther of the cause of reprobation 303 M. Many distinguisheth beleeuers from vnbeleeuers 182. 198. 229 Mahomets doctrine 132 Man makes God a lyar how 128 Masse of Perdition 253 Meanes of the certainty of election 380 the Ministerie of the Gospell hath his effect from God not hurt by predestination 359 Maner of right preaching 152 Merits of Papists against Christ 12 Members of Christ cannot finally fall 116 what Members may fall away 116 N. Necessitie twofold 357 New creâ—tâ—â—e 57 New writers of the vniuersalitie of grace 142. 236 They allow the distinction of sufficiencie and efficiencie 35. 236 Nothing done against Gods will 317 O. Our opinion of Christs death for all 38. 177 Our opinion hindereth not preaching aright 153 Origene his fable 154. 271 Opinion of the Schoolemen of the redemption of all 219 P. Pelagianisme 272. 397 Pelagian error of redemption 321 And of the cause of election 273 People of God who be 180 People foreknowne 297 Perseuerance of the Saints what 329 It is Gods gift 330 Preachers must inuite all and all must obey 155 Preaching aright 153 Predestination a hard doctrine 243 The chiefe questions of it 243 The diuerse significations 245 Vpon it all things depend 129. 134. 136 It differs from election 236 Predestination put for election 248 Predestination and foreknowledge differ 342 Predestination of Saints what 248 Predestination of grace shewed in Christ 281 How farre absolute 308 Vnchangeable 345. 147 No cause of desperation 364 Prescience of God eternall put for predestination 251 Price of Christs death how great 139. 125. 232 Prophesie of Iacob and Esau 293 Propitiation and intercession inseparable 211 Promise of grace vniuersall 263. 147 It belongs to the faithfull 154. 264 It requireth faith 148 It must be preached to all 153. 155 How a man may apply it to himselfe 148 Prouidence and fate differ 355 Prayer not vaine though Gods purpose be vnchangeable 360 R. Reasons of the aduersarie that reprobates are deliuered from the deuill 101 And redeemed 114 Reason must bee subiect to Gods word 394 Reasons why the word must be preached to all 156 Reconciliation what 57 Redemption described 114. 197. 208 When it bringeth in a man 219 It is a freedome 228 It is spirituall 3 Eternall 197 The dignitie of it 3 The maner of it 5 The time of it 14 The ends of it 27 It is double 6 Thereto Christs death and our faith are necessary 179. 180 How it belongs to all 273 It is diuersly considered 220 It is vniuersal why 43. 180. 145 Redemption of euery one is not of the holy Ghost 131 It is proper to the beleeuers 180 Redemption of euery one bringeth weak comfort 149 the Redeemed are kings and priests 200 They perish not 214 Redeemed and elect some are to vs and not to God 111. 116. 141 Remission of sinnes presupposeth confession 200 Repentance and remission inseparable 199 Reprobation what 252 The effects of it 309. 333 The cause 300 Reprobation created for the good of nature 268 Reprobates excluded from the promise 101 For a time in the Church 111 How falling away they be said to be redeemed 117 How they deny the Lord that bought them 117 a Rule of charitie and faith 112 a Rule in Logike 41 S. Sacr. seale nothing to the vnbeleeuers 218 Saints not to be worshipped 222 Sanctification visible and inuisible 128 Sanctification and redemption inseparable 212 Saints sufferings not meritorious 12. 13 Sanctification belongs not to all 213 Satan destroyed for the faithfull 101 Scape goate 107. 207 the Schoolemens of the soules of the old fathers 21 Scripture abused for Popish pardons 12 Satan raignes ouer the reprobates yet they be subiect to Christ 102 Seede of Abraham 201 Semipelagianisme 273. 274. 397. 322 Semipelagians their shift 282 Sheepe of Christ considered two waies 185 Sinnes are foreknowne only 342 Sins once forgiueÌ„ are euer forgiuen 127 a Similitude of the light 225. 236 Of a cup. 226 Of the debter 265 Of fire and a wheele 279 Of the potter 289. 303 Of the Phisition 378 a Similitude faileth 126 Stapulensis 235 State of the controuersie 32. 179 And of the question of predestination 303 Sufficiencie and efficiencie 33. 235 the Summe of our confession of redemption 207 Synecdoâ—he common in scripture 46 Synode of Argentine 238 T. Testimonies of the old Fathers on our side 222 Three generall obseruations 108 Things necessary and contingent 357 Turkes and heathens hold many things agreeable to Christian religion 133 a Turkish proposition true 133 Trueth must be preached 155 Tale of Traiane 361 V Vessels of wrath 290. 334 Vnbeliefe is blotted out if other sinnes be forgiuen 226 Vnbeliefe doth not condemne such as neuer heard of Christ. 176 Vnbeliefe only damneth some that were once saued saith Huber 173 Vnbeleeuers baptised haue not the grace of Baptisme 162 Vncleane spirit cast out how he is said to returne 103 Vniuersall conclusion doth not follow of particulars 108 Vniuersalitie threefold 40 Vniuersalitie speciall 231 Vocation what it is 320 Vs all signifieth the faithfull only 104 And the Church 192. 202 Vse of Christs death 11 Of predestination 394 Of Gods loue 24 Of the ends of redemption 29 W. Weake brother may perish how 117 Weakenes of faith ought not to cast a man downe 149 Whether reprobates contemning the word bee in worse case then the deuils 158 Whether it be better neuer to heare it if it turne to their greater iudgement 159 What to whom and how a man must preach 152 Why Christ must redeeme vs with a price and not by force 7 Why his death is a sufficient price 7. 8 Why God chose this man before that 270. 299 Why he must die to redeeme 9. 10 Why hee elected some and reiected others 270 Why hee came in the olde age of the world 15. 16 Why God punisheth me and not him 3â—2 What wee like or mislike in the aduersaries doctrine 174 Whole set downe for a part in these phrases All men All nations c. 137. 138 Whole world for the good only 228 And for the wicked only 93 It cannot be taken for euery one good and bad 93 Whole world christian and the whole world wicked 93 Whole world of the saued 222 VVorkes foreseene no cause of election 279 VVorld in three senses onely by the aduersarie 72 VVorld for the elect onely and for the reprobates onely 73. 188. 232 World of beleeuers is the Church 91 World of perdition and redemption of the damned and saued 92. 188 VVord of God preached alike to all but some only profit 97 the Word of God inuiteth all 153 VVe must be guided by it 387 VVill of God double 170. 262 It ruleth all things euen the wils of men 134 Hardeneth men 135 The cause therof we must not search 135 the Will of man is redeemed in all that be redeemed 214 VVill and permission 315 VVill of man cannot resist Gods 325. 326 Y Yeare of freedome 207 FINIS Faults escaped in the print are thus to be corrected Pag. 34. lin 30. for distiction reade distinction p 40. l. 17. for doubt reade double p. 63. l. 31. for Colledge reade College p 67. l 4. blot out he p. 131. l. 1. reade deluder p. 136 l. last saue one for misteries reade masters p. 147. l. 26. reade posteriore p. 163. l. 30. reade receiued p. 159. l. 30. r. vnworthy p. 174. l. 5. r. shaking it p. 176. l. 17. for would r. could p. 182 l. 16. for here r. there p 187 l. 23. r. by this p. 196. l. 11. for is twise r. are p. 198 l. 24 r. please p. 199 l. 7. in the margent r. inseparable p. 211. l. 22 r. seeing he p. 218. l 22. r. the p. 285. in the margent r. looke p. 229. l. 16. r. man l. 24. r. abridger p. 230. l. 11. reade necessarily p. 231. l. 26. r. surely p. 258. l. 1. r. Esau after l. 6. p. 273. l. 20. reade belongeth p. 290. l. 32. r. good 291. r. serue p. 294. l. 20 r. he and l. â—8 r. by the free p 304. l. 11. r. he also p. 310. l. 11. blot out the parenthesis p. 313. l. 19. r. vniust p. 338. l. 8. r. vnwilling p. 391. l. 26. r. deluded p. 401. l 6. r. our In the table letter F. r. iustifying in letter H. r predestinati