Anselmus It Comment in Math. c. 11. is not ours to know why God demeth grace to them which would gladly receiue and consent to grace and neglecteth another that would so well consent vnto it This is onely In Rom. cap. 11. knowne â—â—to God Againe No creature is able to search out why he is mercifull to this man rather than to another x The same doe other Summ. 1. par quae 23. art 5. Schoolmen affirme in â—e midst of Papacie Gregorius Ariminensis laieth downe sixe conclusioÌ„s coÌ„cerning Predestination First that there is no bodie predestinated for the well vsing of freewill which God forâ—knew that he should haue Secondly that no man is predestinaâ—ed because he was foreknowne to coÌ„tinue to the end without Cont. Gent. lib. 1. c. 44. any let of habitual grace 3. That whomsoeuer God predestinated â—â—m hee did predestinate freely purposedlie and of his pure mercie Fourthly that no man is reiected for the euill vsing of free-will which God foresaw he would be tainted with Fiftly that there is not any reiected because hee was foreknowne to haue finally an impedimeÌ„t of diuine grace Sixtlie that whomsoeuer God reiected him hee did reiect without anie cause in him The very same conclusions hath Petrus de Alliaco lib. 1. sent quaest 12. art 2. and Marsilius of Inghen lib. 1. dist 42. q. 4. Some of whose words I will set downe He is predestinated saith he to whom God hath purposed to giue euerlasting life And he is reiected on whom God hath determined not to bestow the same as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 9. Againe No man that is predestinated is predestinated for any thing which should bee in him in time to come so also there is no reprobate reiected for any cause which was to be in him in time to come And euery one that is predestinate is predestinated only by grace by Gods mercifull disposition not for any cause either actuall or priuatiue to bee found in him whiles hee liueth Againe To reiect is to nill to shewe mercie and this is not for the euill workes of In sent lib. 1. quae 22. art 2. any creature for how holy soeuer the workes were God would shew mercie as he listed So also Francis Mar. lib. x. q. 31. art 2. 3. saith that there are foure signes necessarie for the vnderstaÌ„ding of the proceeding of predestination and reprobation First in which Peter Iudas are offred to the diuine will as to neither of theÌ„ both And â—hen the diuine will 〈◊〉 preordaine Pâ—ter vnto glâ—â—ie but it had no posiâ—ne act about Iudas according to â—uâ—ustine The second sâ—gne is in which hee preordained Peter to grace and theÌ„ he had â—o posiâ—â—ue act as yet about Iudas The thâ—â—d signe 〈◊〉 in which they are left to themselues and botâ— oâ— them doe fall into sinne The fourth sâ—gne is that in which Peter riseth againe â—or he cannot continue because he is predestinated by the first signe But Judas riseth not againe because he hath not God to raise him vp therefore hee is reiected D. Bannes in 1. Thom. qâ— 23. The cause and reason of the whole worke of reprobation cannot be said to bee in the reprobates for sinne it selfe cannot be the cause of that pennission of sinne for which a man is damned whether it bee originall or actuall as it appeareth in infants who die only with originall sinne which verely howsoeuer it may be the cause why infants are forsaken in it yet neuerthelesse it cannot bee the cause and reason why the whole nature of man should be suffered to fall in Adam And Ferrariensis in Thom. cont Gent. pag 603. saith that foure things are found in a reprobate to wiâ— a sufferance to fall into sinne the sin it selfe Gods forsaking not raising him from sin and the punishment or damnation Now reprobation is not alike but diuersly affected to all these For if we consider sinne in it self reprobation is not caused by iâ— Although nothing on our parts to wit no worke of ours bee the cause of the whole work of reprobatioÌ„ for of al these together namely of the permission forsaking and punishment the manifestation of Gods iustice is the alone cause considering that no worke of ours is the cause of the permission yet notwithstanding our wicked working or sinne is the cause why wee are damned and punished Againe We denie that God is cruell for we say that God doth not punish and torment the reprobate for the fulfilling as it were of his owne fancie but for sinne eternally foreknowne which he determined so to dispose of by punishing of it that his iustice might be made manifest Thomas Why hee eleâ—teth these vnto glorie and reiecteth those he hath â—o reason but the diuine will Againe The difference of those which are to be saued from them that are to be damned proceedeth from the principall â—â—â—ention of the first Ag 〈◊〉 Againe Wee 〈◊〉 not enquire why he conuerieth these and not those For this commeth of his owne meere will And Augustine vpoÌ„ Iohn Why Lib. 3. c. 161. hee draweth this man and not that do not desire to iudge if thou wouldest not erre Neuerthelesse reprobation in regarde of the second act that is in respect of the purpose to damne is not absolute but for sinne For no man perisheth but thorough his owne default and no man is absolutely ordained to hell or destruction but for his sinne hauing also receiued before in Adam power whereby hee was able to liue holily and happely if so be that hee would And therefore I say that that which they alleage is a very calumnie Secondly I answer that God did not simply create man to destroy him but that he might manifest his iudgement by the iust destruction of the sinner Now it is one thing to will the destruction of a man as hee is man and another thing to will the deserued destruction of a man as he is a sinner Heere also the iudgemeÌ„t of CameraceÌ„sis a iudicial Scholeman is to bee heard and obserued According to the Scripture saith hee although God should punish or afflict some creature eternally or vtterly abolish it without any sinne in it yet he should not deale vniustly or cruelly with it Whence it is Wisedome 12. 12. Who dare accuse thee if the nations perish which thou hast made God is not bound to lawes created as if any thing were iust before God did will iâ— whereas indeed the contrarie is true The third Crimination is That the Stoicall predestination and fate is brought in by vs because as they say wee teach that all things come to passe by the necessarie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powerfull in working energetical decree of God yea euen the fall of Adam the which say they God according to our opinioÌ„ did decree and will Answere We say that Adams fall came to passe God not only foreknowing but also willing and decreeing it and that without blasphemie if thou wilt
sanctifie Any but Those who are cleansed and dead to sinne Redemption washing away and sanctification are partakers together The Application is when as Christ is giuen vnto vs of God the Father by the Spirit in the lawfull vse of the Word and Sacraments and is receiued of vs by the instrument of a true faith And Christ being giuen is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. 30. The accomplishment of the application is Glorification whereby God shal be all in all by Christ in all the elect By this which hath been said it is apparent that the decree of election is the cause and foundation of all good giftes and workes in men From hence is true faith Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued And calling Rom. 8. whom he predestinated them he called And who are called of his purpose Hence Adoption Eph. 1. predestinated to Adoption And sanctification Eph. 1. He hath chosen vs that we should be holie and blamelesse Hence good workes Ephes. 2. Which he hath prepared that we should walke in them And perseuerance Ioh. 6. All that the Father giueth me shall come vnto me and 〈◊〉 6. 37. 39 him that commeth to me I cast not away Againe And this is the Fathers will that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knowâ—te who are his Excellent is that saying of Augustine He did choose no man worthie but by chusing he made him worthie Againe Cont. Iul. Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 3. In Psal. 41. It is the grace of God whereby he doth elect me not because any worthines is in me but because it doth vouchsafe to make me worthie Againe And did not they also afterwaâ—ds chuse him and preferre him before all the good things of this life but they did chuse him because they were chosen they were not chosen because they chused him And thus much of the decree of election The decree of reprobation is a worke of Gods prouidence whereby he hath decreed to passe by certaine men in regard of supernaturall grace for the manifestation of his iustice and wrath in their due destruction or it is his will whereby he suffreth some man to fall into sinne and inflicteth the punishment of condemnation for sinne It hath in like manner two actes The first is the purpose to forsake some men and to make knowen his iustice in them This act hath a finall cause but no impulsiue cause out of God For it ariseth of Gods meere good pleasure no respect had of good or euill in the creature For the will of God is the cause of causes therfore we must make our stand in it and out of or beyond it no reason must be sought for yea indeed there is nothing beyond it Moreouer euery man as Paul Rom. 9. 21. auerreth is vnto God as a lumpe of clay in the potters hand and therefore God according to his supreme authoritie doth make vessels of wrath he doth not find them made But hee should not make them but find them made if we say that God willed in his eternall counsell to passe by men only as they are sinners and not as they are men for causes most iust though vnknowen to vs. Thirdly if God did reiect men because he foresaw that they would reiect him reprobatioÌ„ should not depend vpon God but vpon men themselues And this is all one as if a man should say that God foresaw that some would chuse him and others refuse him And the contempt of the Gospell doth not befall infants which die out of the couenant of the Gospell Fourthly Paul who was a most skilful defender of Gods iustice doth exclude all workes in the first place out of this wonderfull election of one from another made in the counsell of God Not by workeâ— saith he and therefore excludeth all respect of sinne then Rom. 9. 11. afterwards being rauished with admiration he quieteth himselfe in the alone will of God Who hath resisted his will But O man who art thou which pleadest against Rom. 9. 19. 20. Rom. 11. 33 God Againe O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgments and his waies past finding out To conclude if it be demaunded why God created this world and no more we must haue recourse 〈◊〉 â—he meere will of God and why must we not doe so if it be demaunded why God electeth this man and forsaketh that man or another Author de vec gent. A part of mankinde is redeemed a part perisheth But who can tell why God doth not pity them and pitieth these the reason of the distinction is vnknowen but the distinction or separation it selfe is not knowen The second act is the ordaining of them to punishment or due destruction This ordination in respect of the diuerse consideration thereof may be distinguished and so it is either simple or comparatiue The simple ordination is that wherby this man suppose Peter or Iohn is ordained to punishment And this ordination is of the most iust will of God yet not without respect of originall and actuall sinnes For as men are actually damned for sin so God hath decreed to damne them for the same sinne Yet notwithstanding sin is not the cause of the decree of reprobation but in regard of order it goeth before in Gods fore-knowledge not that former but this latter act The ordination which stands in comparison is that whereby one man and not another and this man rather then that being in the like condition is ordeined to punishment This serueth to shew the libertie of Gods will in the dispensation of supernaturall benefits For in that God chuseth this man and not that it declareth the libertie and very great perfection of God and therefore vnder the name of an housholder he challengeth the same vnto himselfe when he saith May I not doâ— Maâ— 20. 15. with my own what I list And verely though God destroy and condemne all those whom he doth forsake yet should he not be iniust For we our selues in the daily killing and slaughtering of beasts will not be counted vniust neither indeed are we and yet in comparison of God we are not so much worth as a flie is in respect of vs. If it be lawfull for thee to receine in or to thrust out any out of thine house because thou wilt it were a point of desperate boldnes to take the same right from God in his house The cause of this comparatiue ordination is the sole wil of God yea euen without respect of any sinne at all So Augustine God deliuereth no man but of his free mercy and condemneth no man but mâ—st righteously Now why he deliuereth this man rather then that let him search who can diue into the great depth of his iudgements Againe why is
thee a view and picture of this Doctrine composed of these principles and do publish the same that I might to my power help out * Theologia fludiâ—ses those that stick in the difficulties of this doctrine of Predestination and that I might cleere the truth that is as they call it the Caluinists doctrine of those reproches which are cast vpon it and that I might mitigate and appease the mindes of some of our Brethren which haue beene more offended at it then was fit For I do willingly acknowledge and teach vniuersall redemption and grace so farre as it is possible by the word My mind is to pursue after peace which is departing from vs and I would haue all men so interpret my fact I alleadge the testimonies of the auncient euery where not but that euen one euident and perspicuous sentence of sacred Scripture coÌ„cerning any point of Doctrine and Faith is of more value and force then all the testimonies of the Doctours and Schoole-men but because I hold it necessary that there should be had an example of consent and concord in that doctrine which is expounded in holy bookes and is propagated to all posterity And I hope I shall sufficiently perswade an indifferent iudge that these things haue not beene lately hatched at home which wee deliuer in our Congregations and Schooles but that we haue also deriued and fetched them from the Fathers themselues VVilliam Perkins THE ORDER OF PREDESTINATION as it is collected out of the Scriptures by the Author PRedestination is the counsell of God touching the last end or estate of man out of this temporall or natural life For as touching 1. Coâ— 15. 46 natural life we are all alike and this kind of life is in the counsell of God onely a preparation and step vnto the spirituall and heauenly life The supreme end of predestination is the manifestation of Gods glorie partly in his mercie and partly in his iustice And this hath bin the doctrin of the Fathers S. Austen saith that one of those two societies De Ciuit. â—Dei lib. 1â— of men which wee mystically call two cities is that which is predestinated to raigne eternally with God and the other to suffer eternall punishment with the diuell Fulgentius saith also That in Gods predestination there Ad Monymum lib. 1. is prepared either a mercifull remission of sins or a iust punishing And Gregorie saith That God being a iust Creator vnto all after Comment in 1. Reg. Cap. 4. an admirable manner hath foreelected some and forsaken others in their corruptions And the more learned Schoolemen vse to say that God for the more full manifestation of his perfection hath predestinated some in manifesting his goodnes by the rule of mercie and damned others in representing his perfection by the rule of iustice The common meanes of accomplishing this counsell is two-fold the creation and the permission of the fall Creation is that by which God made y e whole man of nothing according to his owne image but yet changeable and endued with a naturall life The permission of the fall is whereby God did iustly suffer Adam and his posteritie to fall away in that he did not hinder them when he was able as being indeed bound to none to hinder And God is said not to hinder euill when he ceaseth after a sort from his operation not illuminating the minde and not inclining the will to obey his voyce This permission of the euill of fault is by Gods foreknowledge and will but yet only for the greater good of all which would bee hindred if God did not suffer euill For if there were not sinne there should bee no place for the patience of Martyrs and for the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse which doth infinitely exceede all the sinne of the whole world Augustine saith well God hath iudged it better to doe Enchir. cap. 27. good with euils than to permit no euill to be In like manner Gregorie saith In his seuere Expos. 〈◊〉 Reg. cap. 4. iudgement he suffereth euill to be done but withall he doth in mercie forecast what good things he may bring to passe by these euils which hee doth ordaine by his iudgement For what greater sinne is there than that by which we doe all die and what greater goodnesse than that by which we are deliuered from death And doubtlesse but that Adam sinned our Redeemer should not haue taken our flesh vpon him Whiles God was to be borne man the Almightie did foresee that hee would make of that euill for which they were to die a good which should be greater than that euill The greatnesse of which good what faithfull man is there who doth not see how wonderfully it doth excell Surely great are the euils which we suffer by the desert of the first fault but what faithfull man would not rather endure worse than to be without so great a Redeemer And in this respect elsewhere he calleth the fall of Adam foelicem culpam a happie fault That In benedict Cerci Pasc. which I haue said of the permission of the fall I doe also say of the fall permitted sauing that the permission is a meanes of the decree by it selfe but the fall is a meanes of accomplishing the decree onely by the ordination of God who draweth good out of euill This fall permitted commeth not to passe but God being willing neither doth it come to passe contrariwise or otherwise than God permitteth neither can it any further be than hee doth permit Yet the will of God is not the cause of the fall but the will of man left vnto it selfe by God and moued by the suggestion of Sathan which will appeare by this similitude I build a house subiect to change and falling which notwithstaÌ„ding would continue many yeeres if it might bee free from the annoyance of windes yea if I would but vnderprop it when the storme commeth it would continue stable But as soone as the windes begin to rage I do not vnderprop it and it is my will not to vnderprop it because it is my pleasure so to doe thereupon the house being weatherbeaten falleth downe I see the fall and in part I will it because now when I could very easily haue hindred the fall yet I would not And although thus farre I doe will the fall in so much as it is my will not to hinder it yet the cause of the fall is not to be imputed vnto me that did not vnderproppe it but to the winds which cast it downe So God leauing Adam vnto himselfe that hee might be prooued by tentation and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe the Creator ceasing for a time to helpe and guide is not to bee accounted the cause of this fall For he did not encline the minde to sinne hee did not infuse any corruption neither did he withdraw any gift which he did bestow in the creation onely it pleased
for orders sake and for the better vnfolding of it for as by the former men were ordained vnto grace so by this latter the meanes are subordained whereby grace may be conferred and manifested and therefore this latter maketh a way for the execution and accomplishing of the former Moreouer this act hath no impulsiue cause ouer and beside the good pleasure of God and it is with regard to Christ the Mediatour in whom all are elected to grace and saluation and to dreame of any election out of him is against all sense because hee is the foundation of election to bee executed in regard of y e beginning the meanes and the end Lastly this act is not of men to bee created as was the former but of men falne away Therfore in this act God respecteth the corrupted masse of mankind Furthermore in this second act there are fiue degrees the ordaining of a Mediatour the promising of him being ordained the exhibiting of him being promised the applying of him being exhibited or to bee exhibited and the accomplishment of the application It is not vnlike which Bernard saith The kingdome of De verbis libri sapientiae God is granted promised manifested perceiued It is granted in predestination promised in vocation manifested in iustification perceiued or receiued in glorification The ordaining of a Mediatour is that whereby the second person being the Sonne of God is appointed from all eternitie to bee a Mediatour betweene God himselfe and men And hence it is that Peter saith that Christ was foreknowne before 1. Pet. 1. 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of the world And well saith Augustine that Christ was predestinated to be our head For howsoeuer as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantiall word of the Father or the Sonne he doth predestinate with the Father and the holy Ghost yet as hee is the Mediatour hee is predestinated himselfe The promising is that whereby Christ being from eternitie ordained for the saluation and spirituall life of men is reuealed and offred vnto them together with grace to be obtained by him this promise is vniuersall in respect of all and euery one that doe beleeue Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely begotten sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him should not perish Ioh. 6. 47. Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all yea that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Mark 16 16. He that shall beleeue and bee baptised shal be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Act. 10. 43. That thorough his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Act. 13. 39. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Rom. 1. 16. The Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue With the promise there is ioyned an exhortation or commandement to beleeue which is more generall than the promise because the promise is made onely to beleeuers but the commandement is giuen to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers also For the elect are mingled with the wicked in the same assemblies and therefore the Ministers of the Gospell ought indifferently to exhort all and euery one to repent considering that they are altogether ignorant who and how many be elected and be to be conuerted moreouer God by exhortations to repentance meaneth to leaue those without excuse whom he doth see will neuer repent So Abbat Ioachim saith It behooueth In Reuel p. 3. l. 2. them to preach for the elects sake and to declare vnto men the words of life that their light may shine before men and that they may fatten the hearts of the elect by anoynting them with the oyle of spirituall doctrine but for the reprobate ligare aquam coelo to 〈◊〉 the water in the clowdes And againe Lest the reprobate should haue excuse and for the Part. 4. t. 7. elect which are among them the messenger himselfe shall bee sent who doth not onely preach this in secret as it were for feare but crieth also with a loude voyce which may bee heard farre off and of all men also Some are wont to say that Gods commandement by this meanes doth ouerthwart his decree because he commandeth that which he willeth not to effect But I answere first that God in his commandements and promises doth not vtter whatsoeuer hee hath decreed but doth in part onely so farre forth propound his will as he knoweth it expedient for the saluation of the elect and the gouerning of all By his commandements therefore he sheweth what he liketh and what hee willeth that we should doe to him not what hee will doe to vs or in vs. And God who willeth not all things alike in all doth will conuersion in some only in respect of approbation exhortation and meanes in others he willeth it also as touching the decree of working it Here is no disagreement in the wils but sundrie degrees of willing in regard of vs according to which God is said both to will and to nill Secondly I answere that the reuealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will is neuer contrarie to the will of his good pleasure or to the decree of God with the which it doth alwaies agree both for the beginning as also in the end and scope but that it is notwithstanding often diuers and that in shew it seemeth sometimes contrarie if wee consider the manner wherein it is propounded God commanded Isaiah to declare vnto Hezekiah his death and hee did also denounce Esa. 38. destruction vnto the Niniuites Ion. 3. 4. within fourtie daies and yet he had decreed to put neither of them both in execution The humane wil of Christ did with Mat. 26. 3. an holy dissention in some sort will deliuerance from the agony of death which notwithstāding the diuine willed not Abraham Gen. 28. prayed without doubt by diuine inspiration therefore with faith that the Sodomites might be spared and yet he knew that in Gods decree they were appointed to destruction Neither must this seeme strange for one good thing as it is and remaineth good may bee different from another thing that is good Thirdly thou biddest thy debter pay his debt though in the meane time thou dost not make him able why may not God therfore for iust causes command that which he himselfe will not do The exhibiting of the Mediator is that whereby the Sonne of God being borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man in the fulnes of time doth pay the price of redēption to God for the sins of men The vertue and efficacie of this price being paid in respect of merit and
it thus to this man and otherwise Lib. 1. ad Simpl. q. 2. to this O man who art thou that thou darest dispute with God And Gregorie Let Expos. in Ioan. ca. 37. no man desire to search wherefore one should bee elected when another is reiected because his iudgements are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out In this second act of reprobation there be two degrees a iust desertion or forsaking damnation for sinne So Fulgentius In such saith he Lib. aâ— Moâ— God begins his iudgement by forsaking and ends it in â—ormenting Diuine desertion is twofold The first is that whereby God doth forsake man only in regard of his assistance and strengthning by omitting the confirmation of the creature and by not conferring the second grace wherby the first might be made effectuall to resist temptations and to perseuere in goodnesse Desertio exploraâ—iâ—nis This is the desertion of triall and may happen to them who haue not theÌ„selues as yet forsaken God For it was in the first man Adam who receiued of God power to do that which he would but not will to do that which be could So Augustine He receiued saith he power if he willed De correp grat cap. 11. but he had not will answerable to his power for if he had had he should haue perseuered Againe He was able also to perseuere if he would and in that he would not it proceeded offree will which then was so free that he was able to will well and ill The cause of this desertion was that Adam and his posterity might know that they could fall by themselues but that they could not stand much lesse rise againe and therefore that they should wholly depend on Gods mercy Heere also it must be remembred that betweene this desertion and Adams sin there came also Adams will whereby he being left to his owne strength did by and by perceiue the very same his conscience telling and yet for all that he willed his owne fall by the free motion of his will The second desertion is a priuation and leesing of the gifts wherwith the mind is adorned and a deliuering into the power of Sathan that he may seduce men and more and more lead them into sinne This is a desertion of punishment and therefore Desertio poenae it followeth sinne And of this desertion and not of the former is the rule to be vnderstood A Deo deserti Deum priores deserunt those which are forsaken of God do themselues first forsake God And this is our doctrine of Predestination which sauoreth neither of the errors of the Manichees Stoickes Pelagians nor of Epicurisme but is as I am perswaded agreeable to the truth and orthodoxall but yet it is oppugned by sundrie criminations or false accusations which I will striue with all my strength to ouerthrow and that briefely The first Crimination is That we teach that certaine men and those but few are elected Answere Certaine men we say For all the elect are knowne vnto God and their number can neither be increased nor diminished Few we do not say but after a prescript and certaine manner For to omit the Angels if you consider the elect by themselues they are many Matth. 8. 11. I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Reuel 7. 9. I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindreds people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe clâ—athed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Yea there is as it were a world of elect Augustine The Church which is De doctr Chr. lib. 3. cap. 34. without spot and wrinkle and gaethered together out of all nations and which shall reigne with Christ for euer euen she is the land of the blessed and the land of the liuing Againe The reconciling world shal be deliuered out Tract in Joâ—n 111. Hist. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 15. of the maligning world Eusebius Christ suffred for the saluation of the world of those which are to be saued The Author of the booke de vocat gen lib. 1. In those which are elected foreknowne and seuered from the multitude of men there is a certaine speciall vniuersalitie counted that the whole world may seeme to be deliuered out of the whole world and that all men may seeme to be taken out of all men Beda calleth those a world to 〈◊〉 Tobiam be enlightned and healed who were predestinated to eternall life Thomas The crue light enlighteneth those who come into the world of In Catena in 1. Ioan. ex Orig. vertues not those which come into the world of vices Neuerthelesse if those same elect be compared with them that are iustly damned wee say according to the Scriptures that they are few Matth. 7. 13. 14. The gate is narrow and the way streight which leadeth vnto life and few there be which find it Againe Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 20. 16. The second Crimination is That we teach that God ordained men to hell fire and created them to the end that he might destroy them Answere Here the distinction of the double act in reprobation must bee repeated and retained First therefore I answere that reprobation in regard of the former act is absolute that is in regard of the purpose to forsake the creature and to manifest Iustice in it so we teach and beleeue For we cannot so much as imagine a cause in the creature why it was Gods wil to passe by it and to suffer some to fall finally from their blessed estate Yea sinne is it selfe after the desertion and iust permission of God and therefore it can by no meanes be the cause of the permission and desertion Whence it is that Lumbard the Lib. 1. dist 41. Master of all the Schoolemen saith that God hath reiected whom he would not for any future merits which he did foresee but yet most righteously though we cannot conceiue the reason thereof And Ierome long before him dothd thus expound y â— place of Paul Ad Hebid. quaest 10. Rom. 9. 11. Ere the children were borne and wheÌ„ they had neither done good nor euill If Esau saith hee and Iacob were not yet borne neither had done good or euill whereby they might winâ—â— Gods fauour or offend him and if their election and reiection doth not shew their seuerall deserts but the will of the Elector and Reiector what shal we say Afterwards If we grant this that God doth what soeuer hee will and that he either chuseth or condemneth a man without desert and workes it is not therefore in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Againe Therefore it is in vaine asked seeing that it is in his power and will either to chuse or to refuse a man without good and euill workes
Thus therefore I answere That sinne in the causes and circumstances thereof fully and exactly weighed is two waies to be considered First we consider sinne not as it is sinne but so farre foorth as it hath some respect vnto good with God which decreeth it And this way taking sinne although God willeth it not simply and by it selfe yet he decreeth it and willeth it as touching the euent Moreouer sinne hath respect vnto God two manner of waies first because it is in that which is good secondly because it tendeth to that which is good I say it is in that which is good because euery euill is in that which is good as in the subiect Now in respect of the subiect that is as sinne is a motion an inclination or an action God both willeth and effecteth the same Moreouer sin tendeth to that which is good because God ordaineth it to good and from thence draweth the good either of triall chastisement or punishment And we say that God is so farre foorth willing that sinne should come to passe as hee is able and will by his wonderfull wisedome from thence to draw foorth that which is good Secondly we consider sinne according God did nâ—t decree the fall of Adam nor any sin as it is 〈◊〉 vnto God to the propertie and naturall being thereof that is sinne as it is sinne And this way also we weigh sinne either so far forth as it is sinne in it selfe in regard of men or as it is sinne to God But God himselfe neither willeth nor approueth nor effecteth sinne as it is sinne in it selfe in regard of the creatures that offend and yet hee willeth as touching the euent not simplie as those things that are good in themselues but only by willing to permit that it may be For there is a threefold action of Gods wil the first is that whereby God willeth any thing by willing it that is when he willeth it with his whole and absolute will as Tertullian saith and this way he willeth that which is good in it selfe The second action is that whereby he nilleth any thing by nilling it as that which shall neuer come to passe because God doth vtterly nill the being thereof The third and last action is remisse and in the middest betweene both whereby hee willeth some thing by nilling it slackely or remissely that is when hee partly willeth it and partly nilleth it or else so far forth wills it as that for iust causes he nills it And after this sorte wee say that God willeth the euent of euill as it is euill in it selfe in respect of men because euill as it is euill after this sorte is not absolutely euill and God draweth good out of euill as it is euill in the nature thereof or in it selfe as hee brought forth light out of darkenesse euen as it was darkenesse in it selfe And if so be that euill were absolurely euill as God is absolutely good he would in no wise will the euent of euill neither should there be any euill existent at all For that which God vtterly nilleth hath not any being or existence But sin as it is sin to God now that is a sinne to God which is in it selfe sinne in his decree whereby all things are ordained as it considereth sinne hee neither willeth it nor approueth it nor worketh it no in this respect he doth not so much as permit it I doe not denie but that God permitteth and suffreth euill as it is euill in it selfe otherwise there were not euill properly and naturally but I denie that he permitteth it because it is euill For God neuer suffreth euill for it selfe but for the good that is therewith conioyned And this is the meaning of that saying of Beza The Lord neuer permitteth sins as they are sins â—ib cont Castel de prâ—dest yea rather be euermore forbiddeth and hindreth them And againe Sinnes so farre forth as they are permitted by God being thereto willing are not sinnes but the punishments of sinne And thus vsing this exposition is the mind and iudgement of Master Caluin of blessed memorie to bee vnderstood where as he saith that all the sons of Adam did fall away by Gods will And againe that it was decreed by God that Adam should perish by his owne falling away Instit. lib. 3. cap. 23. 5. 4. 5. 7. And againe it was the secret counsell of God in which the fall of man was ordained And againe Adam did not fall away but according to Gods knowledge and ordinance Opuâ—â— â—05 8. 616. In these and such like maner of speeches his purpose was to ouerthrow the opinion of the Schoolemen who would haue his permission seuered from his will It were good therefore for them better to consider of the matter who without either chatitie or humanitie doe with the blasphemies of the Manichees slaunder and bely this holy man Secondly they vse to obiect that God willeth things contrarie if hee will that that should come to passe which hee forbiddeth in his law Answer It is true indeed if he should will one and the same thing to come to passe and not to come to passe in one and the same respect and manner but God forbiddeth euill as it is euill and willeth it to come to passe as it hath respect vnto good Heereupon Aquinas saith That euill be and that euill bee not are contradictorilie opposed but that Summ. q. 9. art 9. God willeth euill to be and that God willeth euill not to be are not contradictorily opposed seeing both are affirmatiue Thirdly they obiect thus That thing which being graunted another thing necessarilie followeth is the cause of that selfe same thing that doth follow but this being granted that God willed the fall of Adam to come to passe the same came to passe necessarily and infallibly Therfore the will of God was in this respect the cause of sinne Whereto I answere that the first proposition of this argument is not generall for in admitting the creation of the world both the place and the time or continuance thereof are infallibly and without doubt also to bee admitted and yet the creation of the world is not the cause of the continuance thereof and of the place where it now consisteth And that this proposition may be true it is thus to be framed That thing which being granted another thing infallibly followeth no other cause comming betweene is the cause of the very same thing that followeth And the second proposition also sitted to this former is vntrue For this being granted that God willeth sin to happen sin shall not come to passe immediatly but by the meanes of mans free wil although it come to passe infallibly on Gods part which decreeth it yet it comes to passe freely on mans part for it had been possible for man not to haue sinned when hee did sinne if hee had would As may appeare by this Similitude God forsaketh man by not conserring
and bestowing on him necessarie and sufficient helpe for the auoyding of sinnes now man being forsaken by him sinneth necessarily And yet the fault is not to be laid on God because that in this his forsaking him the will of man commeth betweene For God forsaketh man being willing to bee forsaken and not against his will and mind Secondly I answere to the aforesaid reproch of our doctrine that wee say not that sinne is from the decree or of the decree of God as from the efficient materiall formall or finall cause But wee doe teach and auâ—rre that sinne commeth to passe according to the prouidence or decree of God as the sole consequent thereof For wee assuredly thinke and iudge that the decree of God doth so go before the sinne of man as that it hath no respect vnto any cause vnlesse it be of such a one as is a failing and deficient cause So saith Augustin Therefore truely the great works Enchir. cap. 101. of the Lord are exquisite in all his wills so that after a wonderfull and vnspeakable manner that is not done beside his will which notwithstanding is done contrary to his will Againe it is obiected He that saith that the decree of God is the energeticall operatiue beginning of all things necessarilie maketh the decree of God the beginning also of sinne Whereunto I answer That the holy Ghost himselfe saith that the decree of God is the beginning of all things being and existent Eph. I. cap. II. verse God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And againe in the 17. of the Acts In him we liue we moue and haue our being Augustine saith The will of God is the very cause of all things which are Hugo De gene cont Manic lib. 〈◊〉 c. 2 de S. Vict. saith There is no cause of the will of God which is the cause of all things And this very thing common reason will teach vs because there must first some certaine ground be laid from whence euery thing should haue or take the being and existence thereof and this ground is euen the very will of God For a thing is not first and then afterward God willeth it to come to passe but because God hath decreed that a thing should come to passe or be done therefore it is And yet shall not God therefore bee the cause of sinne because sinne is not properly a thing action or being but a defect only and yet neuerthelesse it is not therefore nothing For whatsoeuer hath a being is either Eâ—s Realâ— Rationale Really and positiuely or else in Reason onely And vnder those things which are in Reason are contained not only notions and relations but also priuations because they haue not a reall matter and forme out of the vnderstanding But sinne hath not a positiue and reall being yet it hath a being in Reason as they terre it For so farre forth it is in the nature of things being as it may cause a true composition in the mind and although it doe not exist positiuely that is by matter or forme created yet it is priuatiuely because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by the remoue or taking away of originall righteousnesse that doth immediatly and truly follow and exist Neither doth it follow as some other naturall habit or as a pure negation but as a certaine thing betweene both that is a want and absence of the contrarie good Some vse to obiect that wee doe teach that God doth incline vnto sinne and that hee doth positiuely harden the heart Whereto I answere that wee allow not a bare permission seuered vtterly from his will neither doe we atribute a positiue or naturall action vnto God as though hee did infuse corruption and sinne and yet we say that hee doth actiuely harden the heart The action of Gods Prouidence as saith Suidas in the works of men is threefold The first is according to his good pleasure whereby God willeth any work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alloweth it effecteth it and is therewith delighted this action is onely in good workes which haue their beginning in vs from the holy Ghost The second action of Gods prouideÌ„ce is of sustaining wherby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God vpholdeth and maintaineth the being and all the faculties motions actions and passions of nature which offendeth Act. 17. 28. In him we liue and moue and haue our being And although God do sustaine nature offending and the action of nature yet is hee free from fault because he vpholdeth the creature onely as it is a creature not as it is euill For the second cause as the will of man can by it selfe doe euilly and corruptly yet it can doe nothing by it selfe vnlesse the effect thereof bee reduced to the first cause As may appeare more plainly by this similitude A man doth hault by reason that his legge is out of ioynt now heere are two things to be considered the very walking or motion it selfe and his haulting the haulting proceedes onely from his legge out of ioynt the walking both from his legge and also from the facultie of mouing In like manner a man sinning in that he doth it is of God but in that he doth euilly it is of himself We must therfore heere know that God doth vphold order as it is of nature but furthereth not the will violently breaking out against the order of the morall law The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 action of Gods prouidence is according vnto concession whereby God in the euil worke of man worketh some things holily and this last action is threefold The first is permission whereby God forsaketh especially the wicked by withdrawing from them his grace and by leauing them according to their deserts vnto their owne wickednesse which hee had before restrained that it might not breake forth to so immoderate libertie And wee vse commonly to say that he which permitteth doth and effecteth some thing as when the rider giueth the reines vnto his wanton and sporting horse wee say that hee doth moue and encourage him and wee say that the hunter doth put his dog on the game when as hee letteth him slip The second action as I may so terme it is occasionall whereby God by proffered occasions in themselues good or indifferent outwardly draweth foorth stirreth vp and bringeth out sinne in those who of themselues openly runne into wickednesse to the intent that hee may either iustly punish their knowne impietie or else discouer it being closely shrouded The like haue wee ordinarily euen among our selues for the Physitian by his preseruatiue medicine stirreth vp inflameth and draweth foorth the humours out of the corruption of the bodie Admit a house be weakely timbred which being almost now already falne wilere loÌ„g fall and that I doe not with any engines or instruments throw or beate down the same but onely take away the outward hindrances and on euery side as it were open a way for the
to worse maketh a necessitie to sinne and yet the necessitie although it be voluntarie is not able to excuse the will nor the will although it bee enticed to exclude necessitie If any man shall say that by this our platforme many are tied by an ineuitable necessitie to bee damned I would haue him giue care to Augustine who saith Hold this most stedfastly and doubt not in De fide ad Pet. cap. 35. any wise that any can perish whom God before the creation of the world hath of his free goodnesse made vessels of mercie or that any of them whom he hath not predestinated to eternall life can by any meanes be saued And yet I say that the decree of reprobation doth not cause a necessitie of damnation in any man For the first act thereof which is a purpose not to shew mercie causeth not this necessitie in men but goeth before it as an antecedent and man himselfe verily hath brought vpon himselfe this necessitie with his owne most free yet rebelling will Now the second act of Reprobation which is a purpose of condemning causeth not any necessitie of damnation but by the sinne of man comming betweene Moreouer the necessitie of damnation followeth after the same manner by the foreknowledge of God and yet this neuer seemed a thing strange vnto any one But some will say that the foreknowledge of God doth neuer cause in men any necessitie of damnation although it doe assuredly foresee the same And I say also that Reprobation doth either not at all cause damnation in man or that it doth not cause it but for sinne But it may be obiected They that are predestinated vnto damnation cannot be freed by repentance although they would Whereto I answere with Augustine As they did fall by their will so by their will they are content to lie and he that turneth himselfe Arâ— 15. away from God hath both depriued himselfe of will to doe that which is good and also of power It doth not therefore follow as they imagine which obiect such things that God hath taken repentance from those to whom he gaue it not and hath throwne downe those whom he hath not taken vp Moreouer the selfe same necessitie followeth of their hypothesis who affirme a bare permission For that which God permitteth the selfe same thing will hee not hinder and euill if God hinder not cannot bee auoyded and that which cannot be auoyded shall come to passe infallibly And therfore euill permission being once graunted of necessitie coÌ„meth to passe although most freely on mans part Whereupon it is plaine that the decree of God is not more ineuitable than is the very permission separated from the decree I doe wish that they would well weigh and coÌ„sider this who obiect vnto vs either the Stoicall fate or the doâ—ages of the Manichees For we differ from them as much in certaine iudgement opinion as whosoeuer doe differ most For first the Stoickes doe tie God vnto the second causes so that he cannot doe otherwise then the nature of them will suffer wee on the other side doe hold that all second causes do depend vpon and are ordered by God Secondly the Stoickes say that neither God nor second causes can doe otherwise by their nature than they doe wee say that some second causes are by Gods ordinance mutable othersome immutable and that God himselfe can either not doe that which hee doth or else doe it otherwise But now to come to the Manichees who make two coeternall gods we but one They of their two Gods make one good and another euill we say that there is one absolutely good iust God Thirdly they wil haue one of their Gods to bee the cause and worker of good things and the other of euil we make one true God the creatour and ruler of all things and working nothing but that which is most good and most iust Fourthly they say that they which are created by their good God cannot sinne we say that God doth most freely conuert whom hee will and when they are conuerted they can neuer in this life perfectly be free froÌ„ sinnes but doe sometimes run into such sinnes as doe grieuously wound the conscience Fiftly they say that they that are created by the euil God simply cannot be conuerted wee say that vncleane spirites and men were created both good and holy but yet they fell by their owne will and fault and not by any fault but the iust permission of the Creatour and brought vpon themselues a necessitie of sinning And although it be true that man cannot withhold himselfe from sinning vnlesse God giue him that grace yet doth he not sin of necessitie that is of compulsioÌ„ but willingly And the will hath sufficient libertie if by it selfe or the nature therof it be inclinable to the coÌ„trary of that which it chooseth and doth of the owne accord choose that which it chooseth although the same liberty bee gouerned and one way limited by God Wherefore I am flat of Anselmus opinion who saith Although Lib. de concor grat lib. arbitr it bee of necessity that those things do come to passe which are foreknowne and predestinated yet some things foreknowne and predestinated doe not come to passe by that necessitie which goeth before a thing and causeth is but by the same necessitie which followeth a thing For God doth not cause although he doth praedestinate them by forcing the will as by resisting it but by leauing them in the power thereof And I am also of Gaudentius his opinion who saith The Iewes Ser. 3. ad Neophy were willing to doe that euill which they did And verily if they had bin vnwilling to doe it they had not done it And it is a grosse sinne but to thinke that God who is not onely good and righteous but also goodnesse and righteousnesse it selfe doth either command or compel any thing to be done which he condemneth when it is done But that I may in a word fully deliuer my opinion if it bee demanded how the will of God carrieth it selfe to good or euill I answere that in a good act God carrieth himselfe positiuely For first he determineth the euent of good by willing effectually to worke it and secondly hee inwardly inclineth the will of the creature to doe that good which it doth Thirdly he sometimes laieth a necessitie of immutabilitie on him that doth well but yet it is ioyned with an exceeding freedome After this sort the elect Angels doe necessarily obey God yet not by constraint but greatly coueting and with all the strength of their will desiring it not being thereunto compelled In an euill act I say that God carrieth himselfe priuatiuely not by a logical but a natural priuation foregoing the habit For first he willeth that euill come to passe not by doing it himselfe but by willing not to hinder it to be done by others Secondly he doth not inwardly incline the will to doe euill but