owne contempt themselues dâ—â— first reiect God and by their wilfull obstinacie refusâ— his grace when it is offered vnto them How euidently do these men oppugne the Scriptures of God For if election and reiection depend on the actions of men after they be borne how can it be true which the Apostle teacheth that we are elected before the foundation of the world and that God elected Iacob ad hated Esau before they were borne when as yet they had done neither good nor euill Is not here a reiecting of Esau before he by his owne actuall contempt reiected God or despised his grace Or did Esau more then Iacob reiect God before he was borne Or if we seeme to any to straiten their opinion though their bookes and writings do testifie this to be their sence and meaning seeing our workes committed actually in time can no way be the cause of that Decree which is eternall and before all time Let vs proceed and see if the same works being from euerlasting foreseene foreknown by God as if they had been done may truely be said as some of better note haue taught to be the cause of our election to eternall life Now if we will herein hearken to the Apostles doctrine we shall cleerely perceiue that our faith sanctitie and all our good workes are so farre from being the cause of our election that they are in truth the very effects therof For we are elected that we should be holy and without blame Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle saith of himselfe 1. Cor. 7. 25. that he obtained mercy that he might be faithfull Whence it is manifest that God did not first foresee vs good and faithfull and therefore elected vs but first he elected vs and for this cause decreed to make vs faithfull good and holy in his sight And therefore Saint Austen hauing sometimes taught that God did chuse vs because he foresaw that we would beleeue afterwards retracteth and recalleth this sentence as erronious and deliuereth a truer lesson that faith is the effect of Predestination not the cause seeing the Apostle faith not that hee obtained mercy because he was faithfull but he obtained mercy that hee might be faithfull For we are not called saith he because wee did beleeue but that we should beleeue Againe when the Apostle demandeth 1. Cor. 4. 7 Who separated thee which was an other and principall motiue to Saint Austen to retract his former errour had the cause of our election beene either our faith or good workes foreseene it would haue beene easily answered My owne faith my owne workes my owne good will to embrace Gods grace these being foreseene by God separated me and moued God to elect mee rather then others but the Apostle knowing all these to bee the gifts of God and effects of his free loue and election referres wholly our separating from the rest to the grace and good pleasure of him who saith Luk. 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome that so no man might boast of himselfe but he that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. In the 9. to the Romanes the Apostle disputing this matter of set purpose and at large sheweth that though Iacob and Esau were in themselues alike before God not hauing done either good or euill the one more then the other borne at the same time and of the same parents yet for all this equalitie God loued Iacob and hated Esau. And because this might seeme vniustin the eyes of man that of two being altogether equall and alike the one should be loued and the other hated of God the Apostle proposeth to himselfe this great difficultie as S. Austen rightly calleth it What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God Now if God had loued and elected Iacob for his good workes or faith foreseene or hated Esau for his prophanenesse which from all eternâ—tie hee did foreknow surely this question not onely might easily be answered but there were no difficulty nor doubt at all therein For what vnrighteousnesse can this sâ—eme to any that God should loue Iacob who hee knew would loue and obey him or why should he not hate Esau of whom hee foreknew that hee would be a wicked a prophane person and one that would hate the Lord But the Apostle answereth not in such wise but knowing right well that God without all respect to the good or euill actions foreseene in the one more then in the other loued Iacob and hated Esau and knowing that the good actions of the one were not causes but effects of that loue of God and of his grace which he in mercy gaue vnto him and that the euill actions of the other proceeded from the want of Gods loue and of his grace which hee in iustice denyed or would not giue vnto the other He I say knowing all this giueth another and better answere that howsoeuer this may seeme vniust to the eyes of man yet it is in truth most righteous because it is the will and the good pleasure of God so to doe For I will haue mercy saâ—th God on whom I will and whom he will he hardeneth And that we might plainely see that there is nothing at all in any one which did or could moue God to loue and elect him rather then another the Apostle addeth this Conclusion as ensuing necessarily on that testimony of God So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy The true and certaine cause then why God in particular elected these and reiâ—cted the other is no way in themselues nor in their workes either actually perfâ—rmed or foreseene and foreknowne by God but it is wholly and solely in God himselfe It is euen his good pleasure and will who as he elected vs that is pull'd vs out of that masse of perdition from the rest according to the good pleasure of his will so by the same his good pleasure and will did he leaue others in that masse of sinne whom he made vessels of wrath and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation The reason of both which is that which the Apostle expresseth Hee sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth With what reprochfull speeches this doctrine and the teachers therofare reuiled you are not ignorant their bookes are too euident witnesses thereof And no maruâ—ll if they shoot their arrowes of most venemous words against men seeing they feare not to open their mouths against heauen in the insolent folly of their wits plead against God whose most holy will Iustice in this case they seeke to ouâ—rthrow First say they It can not withstand the will of God to ordain any to be vessels of wrath or to destruction for God witnesseth and that also with an oath Ezech. 33. 11. that hee desires not nor would the death of a sinner but that the wicked
should turne from his euill way and liue according as S. Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 2 4. That God will haue all to bee saued and S. Peter 2. Epistle 3. 9. that God would haue no man to perish but would haue all to come to repentance If God say they would haue none to perish then can it not bee his will to ordaine any vnto death who professeth hee would not their death vnlesse there bee two diuerse yea euen contrary wils in God which vpon our doctrine they suppose most necessarily to follow Which reason of theirs might haue some force with Epicures and all such as make God an idle spectator of the euents in this world For then perhaps he might see their death and either not will it or winke thereat But farre be these conceits from vs who haue learned out of the Word of God that hee not onely seeth but by his counsell ordereth and gouerneth euery thing in this world so that not so much as one Sparrow can fall to the ground nor one haire from our heads without the prouidence and will of God Nay these most wicked men Herod Pontius Pilat and the other Iewes Gentiles which put Christ to death neither did not could doe ought but as Saint Peter saith Act. 4. 28. What thine hand O God and thy Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had determined before or decreed to be done Wherefore if God would not at all haue the death and destruction of those vessels of wrath which are of old ordained to condemnatioÌ„ as Saint Iude speaketh then certainly though all the armies both in heauen and earth should band themselues together yet could they not all effect the death of the meanest or weakest of them for who is able to resist his will who is Almighty And who saith of himselfe Esay 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Vnlesse then we will deny the first Article of our Faith which is the omnipotency of God wee must needs confesse that the death and damnation of those vessels of wrath coÌ„meth to passe by the will of the Almighty for if he would it not hee could nay he would haue hindred it ten thousand wayes and as St Austâ—n truely and excellently saith There is not there can not be done ought either in heauen or earth vnlesse God will haue it to be done either doing it himselfe or suffering it to bee done and he suffers it not against his will but with his will Now this wil of God though in it selfe it be but one and most simple yet in respect of vs it consisteth of two parts the one opened and reuealed in his Word the other hid and secret from our eyes neuer knowne vnto any vntill himselfe either by the euent of things or some other way make it manifest vnto vs. Both which are cleerely expressed in that true and memorable saying of Saint Austen where speaking of the sinnes of men and Angels he saith It comes to passe by a wonderfull and ineffable manner that those things are not done besides or without the will of God not without his secret and permissiâ—e will which are done against and euen contrary to the will of God contrary to his reuealed and preceptiue will All which will easily appeare if we rightly obserue the difference of the one will from the other In his reuealed will is set downe as our duties towards God and whatsoeuer he willeth that is requireth or commandeth to be done by vs according wherevnto our liues and actions are to be framed so also is set down therein the publishing and free offering of saluation vnto euery creature but still with this condition in regard whereof it 's called his conditionall will that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ and leades a sanctified life shall be saued but whosoeuer beleeueth not but abideth in sinne he is condemned already His secret will is farre otherwise For therein he hath absolutely set downe whatsoeuer euent doth fall out in the whole world and concerning the saluation of men hee therein hath particularly and without any condition decreed whom in mercy hee will haue to be saued and therefore in his due time will by his effectual grace worke faith and sanctitie in their hearts that they may be saued againe he hath therein absolutely set downe whom in iustice he will leaue in that masse of perdition into which they had cast themselues and therefore will not giue his grace vnto them but leaue them to their owne hearts lust that they may willingly runne forward in sinne and so most deseruedly fall into that pit of perdition which is prouided for them Hereof we may haue some resemblance in this manner Put case a King after the iust sentenâ—e of death passed against sundry offenders should proclaime and publish in one writing that he would freely pardon and saue all those that did bring vnto him his owne Signet and in another writing kept secret to himselfe should set downe which of those offenders in particular he would saue and therefore would send vnto them his owne Signet that they might bring 〈◊〉 vnto him and so be saued The former of these writings may well bee called his open and reuealed will the later his hid or secret Euen so it is in the will of God the conditionall part whereof is euer since the fall of Adam reuealed and published vnto men that hee will in mercy pardon and saue all those and onely those who doe bring vnto him his own Seale or Signet which is ingrauen with the image of his Sonne the print whereof is a liuely Faith working by charitie but in another part of his will as it were in an other booke which is not not can bee seene by man he hath absolutely set downe whom in particular he will saue and therefore will giue his own Signet vnto them imprinting in their hearts both faith and holinesse by which they are sealed vnto eternall life These two wils or rather two seuerall parts of Gods one and most simple will are so farre from being repugnant or contrary the one vnto the other as they ignorantly and impiously affirme that they doe most fitly and euen subordinately agree one with the other which that we may perceiue The whole will of God concerning mens saluation and damnation may bee fitly set downe in a reason or demonstration drawne from the effect to the cause The proposition whereof is this Whosoeuer shall beleeue in Christ and liue in pietie them hath God elected and them will be haue to be saued but whosoeuer doe not beleeue nor liue in piety them hath hee reiected and will in the end condemne And all this is reuealed vnto vs and it is the summe or effect of his whole reuealed will The Assumption which God maketh is this But these and these men will beleeue for I will worke faith and sanctitie in their hearts those and the other doe not
nor will they beleeue nor liue in pietie for I will harden them as I hardened Pharaoh not giuing my grace nor working faith and sanctitie in them And this is part of the secret will of God not reuealed vnto vs but onely in the elect themselues and some few whom God hath witnessed in his Word either to be heires of life or to be partakers of eternall death Of these two premises which are parts the one of the reuealed the other of the secret will this conclusion is inferred which is the absolute decree of God Therefore these and these haue I elected and will in mercy saue Those and the other haue I refused and will at the last day in iustice condemne and cast into euerlasting fire Thus you see that the one will doth no way contrary the other but with a sweet harmony they both concurre in one Demonstration wherein from the effect of Gods will which in giuing his grace is our beleeuing and in not giuing his grace is our not beleeuing wee proceed vnto the cause of both which is the absolute will of God in electing these and the absolute will of God in reiecting or leauing the others Nor is that in any sort to bee allowed which some of later times following the fancy of Iulianus the Pelagiâ— Heretick doe affirme and teach that God vseth not his absolute but oâ—ely his conditionall will in this case of mens saluation so that if men doe beleeue and repent they shall then be saued leauing it to mens owne will and choise whether they will beleeue and repent or no For then would our Sauiour neuer haue said It is your Fathers wil to gliue you the Kingdom but rather he would haue said It is your own wil in that ye belieue for which God doth and wil giue the Kingdome vnto you Nor could that be true which againe he saith You have not chosen mee but I haâ—e chosen you seeing if his will were in this case onely conditionall he should neuer chuse man before man had first chosen God by choosing to beleeue in God yea the saluation of each man should by this means depend wholly on him that runneth him that willeth and the Apostles words so cleerely and certainly set down should be vntrue It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy By which words is cleerely signified that the onely cause why this man rather then another is chosen vnto life stands not in the will of man but of God who by his absolute will decreeth to giue his grace vnto one and thereby make him to beleeue and runne the race of piety and so be saued and by his like absolute will decreeth to harden that is not to giue his grace to another so leaue him to runne on the race of his own wickednesse vnto eternall perditioâ— This being obserued it is not hard to answere those places of Scripture Where it is said that God would haue all men to come to repentance and be saued For if these and the like speeches be vnderstood not of all sorts or degrees of men as besides others St Austen often expounds them but as they take them of all men without exception of any then can they no way be meant of the absolute will of God seeing then it were impossible that any at all should perish for if they did the will or wickednesse of man should make frustrate the wil and Counsell of God And who is able to resist his will Of which himselfe saith 46. 10. I will doe whatsoever I will and of which S. Austen saith that many are not saued non quia ipfi sed quia Deus non vult and quia nolit saluos fieri not because they would not but because God wil not that they shal be saued or he had absolutely willed that euery one without exception should be saued how could Saint Paul haue said of those vessels of wrath that they are prepared or Saint Iude that they are ordained or as Saint Austen and after him Fulgentius and others often speake predestinate to destruction and coudemnation For none can doubt but what God prepareth ordaineth and predestinateth that also he willeth seeing predestination is his very will Hence it is that some considering that those testimonies could not be meant as they suppose of the absolute will of God seeing by it he will haue many to perish doe expound them of his reuealed which is called his conditionall will for by it God wil haue his Gospel preached and saluation conditionally offered vnto all and so all conditionally to be saued to wit all who performe that condition of faith and sanctitie which is required of all But I rather assent to the iudgement of others and specially of Saint Austen who by those generall speeches of all and none vnderstand not all men without exception but all Gods Elect and chosen children expounding the places in this manner that God would haue all to come to repentance and be saued namely all his chosen of what degree or condition soeuer they be and againe he would haue none to perish to wit none that beleeue in him none of his elected seruants of what degree soeuer Which restriction is the more agreeable seeing Christ himselfe seemeth of set purpose to set it downe Math. 18. 14 saying It is not your Fathers wil that any of these little ones should perish He said not It is not Gods will that any should perish but granting this of some hee saith It is not Gods will that any of these little ones of these chosen ones who are little meane and contemptible in the eyes of the world that any of these should perish And the very circumstances in Saint Peter Who is an expositor of Exechiel do enforce the same limitation For besides that hâ— writeth this to the elect of God who had obtained like precious faith with himselfe he giueth this as a reason of the long patience of God and his slacknesse in comming vnto ludgement because God would haue no man to perish but would haue all to come to repentance Now the reason of Gods slacknesse is not the repentance and saluation of all men without exception for if he stayed for that he should neuer come vnto ludgement but the reason thereof is the expecting and waiting till the elect be all effectually conuerted and their number fulfilled as it is most manifest Reu. 6. 10 11. where those blessed soules vnder the Altar crying vnto God How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud receiue this very answere that here S. Peter giueth that they must rest and stay yet for a little season till the number of their fellowâ— seruants and brethren were accomplished Wherefore though God will haue none of these his chosen children and of their fellow seruants to perish for whose