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
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
is apparant vnto the first proposition of the argument by a distinction By what thing election is made sure to wit in respect of God that thing is the cause of election But by our good workes election is made sure not in respect of God but of vs as by the effect and the signe as it is sayd So faith so iustificatiō so the inheritance of eternal life are made sure vnto vs by the ready and vnfained study of good works Neither yet are good workes therefore the cause of faith and iustification but the effects of them and a signe of eternal life freely to be giuen by and for Christ And generally whatsoeuer confirmeth another thing ought not foorthwith to bee counted the cause of it obie ∣ on The 4. We are expresly said to bee elected according to the foreknowledge of God the father 1. Peter 1. Answere Well but not according to the foreknowledge of our faith or of workes or of any thing inherent in vs. But God who knoweth all things from euerlasting Acts 15. when as yet wee were not chose vs according to his foreknowledge whereby hee knoweth all his future workes and hath disposed them from eternitie ob ∣ iection The fift We are elected in Christ saith the Apostle Eph. 1. Therfore we are not elected by any absolute decree or mercie of God but limited and described in Christ Answere I answere there is deceite in the worde absolute The decree of election how farre absolute or not The decree and mercie of God according to which hee chuseth some out of mankind that shal certainely be deliuered may be called absolute as touching the cause as farre foorth as nothing inherent in the elect themselues can be the cause of either the decree or mercie against which the opinion of the Pelagians and Semipelagians did set the foreseeing of workes or of faith also or vnbeliefe but in the respect of the meanes whereby he appointed to saue the elect in mercie that mercie is wholly limited in Christ the Mediator by whom God decreed to saue whosoeuer are saued To be chosen in Christ what it is Therefore the meaning is He hath chosen vs in Christ not as being in him or would be afterward as of ourselues but that we might be in him and by him might be saued And so Paul himselfe expoundeth He hath predestinated vs that he might adopt vs for sonnes thorow Christ Iesu and that according to the good pleasure of his will And this very thing is also in force concerning reprobation that God neither destroyeth nor hath purposed to destroy the reprobates by absolute iustice to wit without their desart but whom he destroyeth he destroyeth and hath purposed from euerlasting to destroy for sinnes The sixt obiection That which is the cause of iustification the same is of Election and that which is the cause of damnation is of reprobation But the cause of iustification is faith concurring with the mercie of God and apprehending it and the cause of damnation is vnbeliefe despising the grace of God offered in Christ and other sinnes Therefore c. Answere I answere there is a fault in the Maior They that be iustified be elected surely so that wee may in iudging by that which is later determine that doubtlesse they are elected who by faith lay hold vpon the mercie promised for Christes sake and doe not cast away that confidence vnto the end But it neither ought nor can be granted that the next cause of iustification and election is one and the same such as faith is in the matter of iustification For iustification is the effect of election as euen saith it selfe whereby wee are iustified according to the saying Whom he hath predestinated them hee hath called Rom. 8. Acts 13. whom hee hath called them also hee iustified Againe As many as were foreordained to eternall life beleeued And now it is manifest that the cause of the cause that is election is also the cause of the effect or the thing caused as they doe say to wit of iustification but not contrariwise because one the same thing should be the cause of it selfe Wherefore the very effects of election may be so ordered that one is the cause of another as faith of iustification iustification of glorification but no effect of election can be considered as the cause thereof and by consequent faith seeing it is the effect of election cannot be thought to be the cause of it as well as of iustification The effect of Reprobation is Gods forsaking after which follow vnbeliefe and other sinnes The 7. obiection The same wee may iudge of vnbeliefe and other sinnes which albeit properly they are not to be called the effects of reprobation yet the effect thereof is Gods forsaking after which vnbeliefe and other sinnes doe follow This whole answere is confirmed by those things which before in the 11. chapter are recited out of Luther concerning the Iewes that were through vnbeliefe cut from the Oliue tree and the Gentiles grafted in the same by faith The seuenth obiection is like vnto this We must iudge of Predestinatiō neither by reason nor by the law but by the Gospel But the Gospel witnesseth that the beleeuers are receiued in to grace saued and thereby are elect on the contrary that vnbeleeuers and such as continue in sinnes are damned and thereby reprobates Election therefore and reprobation depend on faith or vnbeliefe of men Answere But there is more in the conclusion For the Minor affirmeth nothing of the cause of predestination but sheweth only this that by the marke of faith or finall vnbeliefe the elect or reprobates are discerned Whereupon this only followeth that we must iudge also according to this testimonie of the Gospel who bee elected who reiected In the meane while the Gospel doeth not denie but manifestly affirmeth that faith obedience perseuerance are the free giftes of God and are giuen or not giuen of him to whom it pleaseth God according to his good pleasure Mat. 11. vers 25 and 13.11 Iohn 6. vers 44.45 and 65. and 10 vers 26. Ephe. 1.8.15 and the rest 2. Tim. 1.9 Heb. 8.10 Ier. 31. c. Hence in iudging according to the Gospel A Syllogisme prouing by the Gospel that God hath decreed to saue some and forsake others onely of his good pleasure and will we shall gather as the Gospell teacheth a man to bee saued or not saued so God hath appointed from euerlasting to saue or not to saue him But the Gospel not onely teacheth that a man is saued by faith and doeth perish through vnbeliefe but also teacheth that euen faith and other benefites by which as by meanes man commeth to saluation are giuen to some and not giuen to others of God euen as pleaseth him Therefore euen faith and such kinde of benefites vnto saluation God hath decreed from euerlasting to giue to some men and not to giue to others euen as it pleased
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
this forme that hath another forme it must necessarily depend doubtles vpon the simple will of the creator So also to vse another similitude from artificiall things if a man should gather many like and equall stones together and purpose to build with them a reason may easily be rendred in respect of the end why he setteth some stones in the top and some in the bottome To wit because it is requisit to the perfection of the house that there be both a foundation hauing stones belowe and a top or ridge of the wall hauing stones aboue But why among equall stones he layeth these in the toppe and those in the bottome there is no other reason but because it so pleaseth the workeman So wee must confesse also that the case is here alike and the Apostle expressely teacheth He hath mercy on whom he will and whom be wil he hardeneth And to the Eph. saith Cap. 1. that we are predestinated of him according to the good pleasure of his will Notably also the sonne of Sirach saith chap. 33. whom I mencioned before Why doth one daie excell another seeing all the light of daies proceedeth from the sunne By the Lords iudgement they be distinguished and he hath disposed the alteration of times and feasts Hee hath aduanced and consecrated some daies and other he hath put in the common order Likewise all men come of the earth and Adam was created of it but the Lord hath put a difference among them through his manifold knowledge and made their waies diuerse He hath prospered aduanced blessed some and made them neere vnto him but others he holdeth accursed and pulleth them downe As claie is in the potters hand so men are in the hand of God their creator to whom seuerally hee rendreth according to his owne iudgement These things are plaine and euident Yet because the matter is harde and handled to and fro in sundrie disputations of sound diuines and heretikes wee must entreate of it more at large CHAP. 6. Diuerse opinions are brought touching the cause of election and reprobation ANd first of all Origene Origenes his error of the forebeing of soules and of the cause of predestination in his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are full of errors following the fables of the heathen philosophers Plato and Pythagoras dreamed that God in the beginning created onely spiritual creatures and those all equal and that afterward there followed a diuersitie and inequality of creatures according to the diuersity of merites For that some of these spirituall creatures through loue did cleaue to God more or lesse and according hereunto that there bee distinct orders of Angels but that other some turned from God and sinned more or lesse and according hereunto obtained diuerse states and sunke downe into noble or vnnoble bodies as bee the heauenly bodies and the bodies of deuils and men c. The first opinion So he fained that God before the creation of the world chose some to bee adopted in Christ and appointed others to perpetuall paines according to the good or euill workes of the soules that were created together and were in the heauenly Ierusalem euen before the making of the world Hier. in 1. ca. ad â—ob q. 10. ad Hedib Aug. â—ont 2. epist. Pelag. lib. 2. c. 6. Ierome Augustine Aquinas and others make mention of this fable But this foolish and vngodly dotage is now long agoe worthily hissed out of dores because whatsoeuer it bableth of the forebeing of soules and of their merites before the bodies and of the diuersitie that followed is contary to the Apostles saying concerning Iacob and Esau That when the children were not yet borne it was said The elder shall serue the yonger that the purpose of God which is according to election not of workes but of the caller might remaine stedfast Whereunto also pertaineth that Iob. 38 4.7 that is read in Iob. Where wast thou when I founded the earth when the bright starres praised me and all the sonnes of God shouted for ioy If Origenes tale were true Iob might haue answered I was reioycing among those sonnes of God Further as Hierome also vrgeth hee that saith that the soules were elected for their holynes contradicteth the Apostle testifying that we are elected hereunto that we should bee holie and without fault before God and not because wee were such Thomas Ephes 1. against the Gentils Lib. 2. cap. 44. largely confuteth that error The errors of the Pelagians The Pelagians followed who sprung vp in the daies of Augustine when now hee was a Bishop These men contended that men by the strength of nature or free will alone was able to keepe and fulfill the commaundements of the Lord euen without grace yet more hardly than if the helpe of grace should come And not that onely but also heaping vp one impiety vpon another and raging against grace did auoch that the grace of God was giuen according to mens merites By which vnthankefull speech against God and altogether iniurious vnto his free benefites whereby wee are deliuered they did in very deede take away grace because if of merites it is not now of grace But as for the cause of election and reprobation The 2. opinion that works foreseene are the cause of predestination confuted Rom. 11. they referred it to good or euill workes foreseene that euery one was predestinated of God either to life or to death as he had foreknowne that hee would liue either well or ill But contrarily Paul testifieth that election is of grace If it be of grace now not of workes otherwise grace were not grace But if of works now not of grace otherwise workes were not workes Moreouer it sufficiently appeareth that good works themselues are the effect of election therefore they cannot be the cause of it because one the same thing cannot be the cause and the effect of it selfe For as the Apostle teacheth we were chosen not because we were but hereunto that we should be holy and without fault before God through loue Good works be effects of grace Ephe 1. Phil. 2. And it is he that worketh in vs to will and to perfourme according to his good pleasure Grace therefore belongeth to the caller but good workes belgoneth consequently to him that receiueth grace not that they should bring forth grace but by grace should be brought forth A similitude of a wheele For the wheele doth not therefore runne well that it may be round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because hee receiueth it therefore God did not foresee the good works of any man but such as he already determined with himselfe to giue him But the Catholike faith being long agoe defended against the Pelagians Epist eius ad Aug. tom 7. The errors of the Semipelagians The 3. opinioÌ„ of foreseene faith See Hilaries said Epistle Prospers also
on the other side the cause of predestination For as Aquinas teacheth well In summo expos ad Rom. if the effects of predestination bee compared among themselues there is no let but one may bee the cause of another that is the precedent of the consequent So vocation by the word Rom. 10. is the cause of faith because faith is by hearing faith is the cause of iustification iustification of good workes and of glorie in a heauenly life Yet notwithstanding the same effects of predestination considered neither seuerally nor ioyntly can bee the beginning of predestination seeing the same thing cannot be the cause and the effect The 4. reason 4. In the whole worke of saluation this especially is regarded that all humane boasting bee excluded that as it is written Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. For who separateth thee from other What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Which saying S. Cyprian vsed to follow saying We must glorie in nothing because nothing is ours But not all humane boasting should bee excluded vnlesse election which is the beginning and foundation of saluation should depend vpon the free goodwill and purpose of God without respect of any one qualitie As for example if God should be said to offer like grace vnto all Marke this well and to call al and it should be beleeued to consist in the will of man to obey his calling then surely the obedient person seuereth himselfe from the disobedient and the faithfull man from the vngodly neither can it bee said vnto him Why doest thou boast who hath separated thee what hast thou that thou hast not receiued For a proud person may say against another my faith my righteousnesse the good vsing of my free-will or any other thing The 5. reason 5. Election should bee weake and very vncertaine and therefore our saluation if it should depend on the purpose of our will For the vnstable will of man bendeth hither and thither like a reede shaken with the winde On the contrary election standeth firme and vnmoueable in the good pleasure purpose and gratious will of God towards vs in Christ Iesu as the Apostle at large sheweth Rom. 8. saying Vnto them that loue God all things worke together for good that is to them that are called of his purpose For whom he foreknew them he predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his sonne And whom he predestinated them he also called iustified and glorified And anone Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall oppression or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or the sword Yea in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loued vs. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu Therefore seeing we are men let vs not leane vpon our infirmitie but let vs commit our faith hope life and saluation to the stronger rather than to the weaker to God rather than our selues professing as the trueth is that all things depend vpon his purpose 6. Hitherto is to be referred euen the example of our Mediatour himselfe and our head Iesu The 6. reason which Augustine cannot sufficiently commend De predest sanct cap. 15. de bon perseu cap. 24. 1. He was conceaued of the holie Ghost borne of the virgin Mary by a singular conception and generation and without all sinne 2. His humane that is our nature in Christ was vnited with the Diuine in the vnitie of person the word as Augustine speaketh singularly assuming it and extolling it into the only sonne of God so that he that assumed and the thing he assumed is one person in Trinitie Which aduancing of mans nature is so great and so high that he could not aduance it higher as the deitie it selfe could not abase it selfe lower for our sakes than in that it receiued the nature of man with his infirmitie vnto the very death of the crosse But all these things mans nature in Christ singularly receiued that is our nature through none of our merits but of the onely grace of God Therefore we also are predestinated vnto eternall life not through our workes but through the purpose and grace of God predestinating vs. For there is one and the same reason of the head and the members but this is the difference that he alone is predestinate to bee our head we being many are predestinate to bee his members And therefore in the head is the fountaine of grace and from thence according to the measure of euery one he spreadeth abroad himselfe throughout all his members The 7. reason from infants dying 7. All this way whereby wee defend free predestination from the purpose of God is greatly cōfirmed by the example of children by which alone all the force of gainsayers and of those that maintaine mans merits of necessitie is ouerthrowne The argument is this Our little children dying euen in their infancie haue the promise of the kingdome of heauen Therefore they are predestinate vnto the kingdome and that either of workes or of grace not of workes because in so yong yeares workes haue no place nor any foreknowledge surely of workes For the things that neither bee nor shall be cannot be said to be foreknowne vnlesse it bee that they shall not bee Therefore of grace and by consequence the predestination of others also is the like as of the purpose of God and not of workes The shift of the Semipelagians The Pelagians held within these straites knew not how or on what side to escape Yet afterward the Semipelagians deuising a hole to get out by a new kinde of absurditie contended that infants were predestinate to life or to death for the merits they would doe if they had liued This deuise not so craftie as rash and foolish Augustine diligently and very well confuteth both elsewhere and also lib. de bono perseuer cap. 12. 13. Among other things he opposeth the saying of the Apostle Rom. 14. We shall all stand before the tribunal seate of Christ that euery one may render an account according to the things he hath done in his body whether good or euill that is according to the things he hath done in the time that he was in the bodie For otherwise the soule alone doth many things and not by the body or any member of the body pertaining neuerthelesse to punishment or reward And he said hath done he added not or els shall doe Wherevpon also Sap. 4. we reade of the iust man that is by vntimely death withdrawne from the vncertaintie of temptations He was taken away least malice should change his vnderstanding Thus the argument standeth sure from the example of infants that what we cannot denie in them touching the predestination of grace wee
spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Therefore he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were vnder the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance Where by the way is to be considered that by sins past in the saying of the Apostle to the Romanes are properly vnderstood the sinnes committed vnder the old Testament which could not be purged with the blood of goates and calues but the righteous did expect a better oblation Heb. 10.14 which should consecrate for euer those that are sanctified Acts 15.11 Whereupon Peter also said By the grace of our Lord Iesu Christ wee beleeue to be saued as well as our fathers But this whole place of redemption is large and worthie of great cōsideration to wit 1. Whence 2. By whom 3. How 4. When 5. For what cause 6. Whereto and 7. Who are redeemed All these truly haue a profitable and necessarie consideration and bee euery where taught in the Scriptures Of these propounded questions the sixe former wee will brieflie touch but the seuenth and last for which cause chieflie wee vndertake this labour wee will more fully and largely expound as the Lord shall permit CHAP. II. Whence we are redeemed THerefore as touching this question Whence we are redeemed the holy Scriptures sufficiently teach vs Our redemptiō is not corporal but spirituall and eternall from Satan sin and death that the redemption whereof we speake is not temporall from some corporall bondage or tyrannie such as the redemption was of Israel from Egypt from the house of bondage and the hand of Pharao by Moses and after from the hand of the Canaanits and Midianits and other their enemies by Gedeon and other Iudges and specially from the most grieuous 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon by Cyrus the king and Monarch of Persia but this redemption is spirituall and eternal shadowed of old by those corporall deliuerances to wit from the power of darknes and the slauerie of sinne death Coloss 1.13 Heb. 2.14 and of him who had the power of death that is the deuill And these be the enemies and haters whereof Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist maketh mention in his song greatly extolling this redemption Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Luk. 1.68 to 76. for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised vp a horne of saluation for vs in the house of Dauid his seruant as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that hee would saue vs from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate vs that being deliuered from the hand of our enemies wee might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And albeit this benefit of spirituall and eternall redemption is vsually contemned of carnall men who sauour nothing but the things of the flesh and to whom the slauerie of sinne and the world is so sweet as Satan the God of this world hath blinded their minds yet such is the greatnes and so inestimable is the dignitie thereof that they who haue rightly tasted the redemptiō of Christ whereby libertie to captiues saluation to them that perished and life to the dead is repaired do easily vnderstand that euen the riches kingdomes and pleasures of the whole world are to bee esteemed as nothing in comparison of it For what doth it profit a man Matth. 16. if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man giue for his soule CHAP. III. By whom this redemption came Our redeemer is Christ true God and man holy and righteous 1. Tim. 2.5.6 BVt now the Redeemer who hath deliuered vs from the slauerie of sinne death and the power of Satan is none other then the Mediatour of God and men our Lord Iesus Christ true God and true man like vnto vs in all things except sinne For there is one God and one Mediatour also of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a price of redemption for all as the Apostle saith And to the Romanes chap. 3. Rom. 3.24 he teacheth that wee are iustified through the redemption wrought in Christ Iesu And elsewhere the same Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption that as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. Iohn who from the breast of the Lord had receiued hidden mysteries 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 likewise testifieth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with God Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world But euery where such testimonies meete vs in the diuine Scriptures Eph. 2.20 1. Cor. 3.11 Acts 4.12 For Iesus Christ is the foundation of the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles neither is there saluation in any other nor any other name giuen vnder heauen among men whereby wee must be saued Whereupon their error is worthily to bee detested who not contented with the onely and perfect redeemer Christ seek part of their redemption and saluation elsewhere in themselues or in the Saints where as yet the holiest men vnlesse the grace of Christ had saued and redeemed them could neuer haue been able to satisfie no not for themselues Therfore also Iohn as Augustine well considered said not Augustine If any sinne ye haue an aduocate nor said ye haue me ye haue not Christ but both named Christ and not himselfe and also said we haue and not ye haue He would rather put himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ his aduocate then put himselfe aduocate in Christs stead and be found among the proud that be condemned Brethren saith he we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate with the father and he is the attonement of our sinnes Hitherto Augustine tractatu primo in 1. Epist Ioh. CHAP. IIII. Of the maner of the redemption finished NOw the maner of our redemption by Christ The maner is his abasing of himselfe to the death of the crosse and to the shedding of his blood Phil. 2.7 being a mysterie altogether and wonderfull but wholly agreeing to the iustice and trueth of God the Scripture setteth downe on this wise to wit that the eternall Sonne of God for vs and our saluation a based himselfe taking the forme of a seruant being made like vnto men and found in shape as a man and submitting himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse that by his passion and death and shedding of his most sacred blood as by the onely propitiatorie sacrifice he might redeeme our body and soule from eternall damnation and purchase for vs the grace of God righteousnes and eternall life For this cause
sent me that whatsoeuer hee hath giuen me I should lose none but should raise it vp at the last day And that it pleased the father to saue vs by the offering vp of his Sonne it commeth wholly from his diuine fauour Nothing moued the father to send his son to saue vs but his meere loue and mercie to mankinde loue and goodnesse towards mankinde as the Lord witnesseth Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his Sonne Wherevpon Paul also saith Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ died for vs. And Ephes 2. God who is rich in mercie of his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead in sinnes quickened vs through Christ And most cleerely of all to Titus chap. 3. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towards men appeared and saued vs not by the righteous workes which wee had done but by his mercie The sayings of the Prophets consent hereto Esay 54.7 In a moment of my wrath I haue hid for a while my face from thee in euerlasting mercie I haue compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer I euen I am he Esay 43.12 who doth blot out thine offences for mine owne sake and I will not remember thy sins He saith for mine owne sake that is not for your sake but for my holie name as it is expounded Ezech. 36. Neither doth that tend to any other end which Esay chap. 9. prophesying of the incarnation of the Sunne and of the redemption of the Church by him from the yoke of sinne and death concludeth the whole matter with this notable sentence in the ende The zeale of the Lord of hostes shall bring this thing to passe as if he should say I foretell of great things but they be true and the almightie father enflamed with eternall loue and minding to saue them to whom he hath promised the kingdome of heauen A double vse of the loue of God Christ towards vs. will bring this thing to passe See also what Moses Deuter. 7. speaketh of the cause of the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt which was a type of this eternall deliuerance The first vse Further the vse of this consideration is that wee should humble our selues vnfainedly before God and that hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord and not in his workes or own worthines For the opposition of the mercie of God and of the righteousnes of workes is to be obserued and vrged alway in the matter or cause of saluation as Paul did oppose these things Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but by his mercie he saued vs. And the same Antithesis is repeated 2. Tim. 1. vers 9. and Dan. 9. vers 18. The second The second vse is that wee also pondring in our minde the deeper sea as Damascene speaketh of Gods loue towards vs Damas lib. 3. cap. 1. orth fid should loue God againe and that not in word nor tongue onely but in deede and trueth as he hath loued vs and giuen his life for vs 1. Ioh. 3. And chap. 4. ioyning both vses together in excellent words thus he writeth Hereby the loue of God is made manifest vnto vs that he sent his owne Sonne into the world that wee might liue thorow him In this is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And straightway addeth Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another And a little before the end We loue him because he loued vs first If any man shall say I loue God hateth his brother he is a lyar But seeing by the death of Christ we are reconciled vnto God as saith the Apostle Ephes 2. An obiection He hath reconciled vs to God thorow his crosse slaying enemitie by it How God did both loue man and hate him it seemeth to disagree with that we haue said that through the loue of God he was deliuered to death for vs. For if we were before loued of God to what end is reconciliation If any say reconciliation was needfull in respect of vs that we might cease to bee at enemitie with God and among our selues the Iewes with the Gentiles and Gentiles with Iewes Ephes 2. Colos 1. he neither saith nothing nor speaketh all by the witnesse of Paul For first of all it was the part of the reconciler to pacifie the wrath of God against vs for sinnes and to make him fauourable and gratious vnto vs. How then can it stand that God preuented this reconciliation of his free fauour and loue in giuing his sonne vnto vs The reason is thus made The same thing is not the cause and the effect But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation Therefore it is not the cause of it Answere But the maior is true in respect of one and the same thing But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation not simply as though then at the length he began to loue vs but respectiuely as farre forth as reconciliation by the blood of his sonne remoueth sinne whereby wee were made enemies of God and children of his wrath according to that saying Sap. 14. The wicked and his wickednesse are alike hated of God And Psal 5. Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie And Esay crieth Esay 59. Our iniquities haue made a separation betweene our God and vs and our sinnes are the cause that he hideth away his face from vs and heareth vs not This whole matter Augustine notably expoundeth in his 110. treatise vpon Iohn After a wonderfull and diuine maner saith he God loued vs Augustines answere God hateth sin in vs but loueth his work when he did hate vs. For he hated vs as we were such as he had not made vs that is for sinnes And because saith he our iniquitie had not altogether destroyed his worke he knew in euery one of vs both to hate what we had done and also to loue what he himselfe had made and this may be vnderstood in all men according to the saying Sap. 11. Thou hast hated nothing that thou hast made For in that which he hateth there is somewhat also that he loueth For he hateth and misliketh the fault which swarueth from the patterne as it were of his workmaâ—ship yet he loueth that which is his owne euen in such as are corrupted Furthermore seeing hee hateth nothing of those things which he hath made peculiarly as Augustine there teacheth he loueth the members of his onely sonne But specially he loueth vs as we are members of his sonne For how saith he should he not loue the members of his sonne who loueth his sonne for there is no other cause of louing his members but because he loueth him Therefore he loueth vs because we are his meÌ„bers whom he
loueth and that we might be this thing for this cause he loued vs before wee were For he began not to loue vs since we were reconciled to him by the blood of his son but before the world was made he loued vs that with his onely begotten we might also be his sonnes before we were any thing at all Therefore that we are reconciled to God by the death of his son let it not so be receiued nor so be vnderstood as though therefore the sonne hath reconciled vs that now he might begin to loue whom hee had hated as one enemie is reconciled to another but wee are reconciled to him that already loueth vs with whom for sinnes wee were at enemitie and yet it is most truly said vnto him Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie Marke this Hitherto Augustine The summe of all is that seeing GOD hath loued vs as his worke but especiallie as the members of his Sonne before the foundations of the world were laid he of his meere and free loue being moued gaue vs his Sonne that being redeemed by his grace from sinne whereby wee were put away from the presence and fruition of God we might bee made heires of eternall life Bernard Serm. 20. of the 9. verse of the Psalme He that dwelleth c. very well saith Christ according to the time died for the wicked but in respect of predestination he died for his brethren and friends CHAP. X. Of the finall cause of redemption THere followeth that question whereunto are we redeemed wherein the question now is concerning the end of our redemption And the end is two-fold to wit Two ends of redemption the glorie of God and our saluation The former end the Apostle extolleth Ephes 1. where hee saith The first end is Gods glorie that God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid hath foreordained to adopt vs for his sonnes through the same Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will to the praise of his glorious grace whereby he hath made vs acceptable in that his beloued in whom wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenes of sins In which words he not only teacheth that the end of the eternall and free election of God is the praise of his glorious and rich grace but also sheweth that the redemption of vs by Christ is subordinate vnto the same end Prou. 16. For God hath made all things for himselfe euen the wicked against the euill day that both the benefit of their healing who are deliuered and also the iudgement of damnation in the deserued punishment of such as perish should further his glorie Wherefore wee are here warned Coloss 1. that with Paul wee giue thankes without ceasing vnto the father who hath made vs meete to be partakers of the portion of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his blood c. 1. Pet. 2. As Peter also admonisheth vs of our dutie in this point that wee should preach the vertues of him who hath called vs out of darknes into his marueilous light It is well knowne what Moses and the children of Israel did when the sea yeelded a readie passage for all his people to goe through how being protected by Gods hand and beholding that wonderfull redemption Exod. 15. Sap. 19. they leaped like lambes and sung his praise Thou O Lord art our deliuerer thou art our strength But what speake I of the old people and of the old song we haue a new song the song of the Lambe let vs standing vpon the glassie sea of this world and hauing the harps of God sing it vncessantly with the vniuersall Church Apoc. 5. 15. to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe because hee was slaine and hath redeemed vs vnto God by his blood out of euery tribe and language people and nation and hath made vs vnto our God kings and priests and we shall raigne vpon the earth The song of the vniuersall Church in the honour of Christ To thee O Sonne of God the louer of mortal men O good Lord O pacifier O rich Sauiour and a king in deed the creator and maker of all things the word and wisedome of the father the light and brightnes of the father the power arme and right hand of the father to thee be blessing and honour and glorie and strength for euer and euer Thou hast redeemed vs being captiues and seruing sinne thou hast deliuered vs by thine owne death Thou hast giuen vs the adoption of sonnes Thou becamest poore that by thy pouertie thou mightest enrich vs. Thou hast freely giuen vs the kingdome of heauen Thou hast fashioned vs a new in darknes hast inlightened vs and being dead men thou hast quickened vs thou vnloosedst the sorrowes of death and brakest the gates of brasse and doores of iron and hast broken in peeces the yoke of sinners Eccle. 15. And because praise is vncomely in the mouth of fooles and this wonderfull and altogether diuine redemption is to be published of vs not so much in words as in deedes themselues goe to let vs so be affected let vs so frame our life maners actions counsels and all our affaires that wee bee not found foullie vnthankfull to our common Redeemer to whose glorie wee ought wholly to bee consecrated and nothing better yea euery way worse then those obstinate Iewes through whom the name of God was euil spoken of among the Gentiles as it is written But let that sharpe reproofe of Moses neuer goe out of our mindes in the song in Deuteronomie Chap. 32.6 Will ye giue this recompence vnto the Lord O yee foolish and vnwise people Is not he thy father who oweth and possesseth thee hath not hee made and prepared thee The second end of redemption is our saluation The 2. end is our saluation which containeth many benefits which comprehendeth many and sundrie benefits albeit knit together in one and the same band as these especially Iustification which consisteth in the free remission of sinnes Sanctification and newnes of life Consolation yea reioycing in aduersitie vnder the hope of the glorie of God and lastly Entrance into the eternall kingdome of our God and Sauiour Iesu Christ and euerlasting ioyes in life eternall These so many and so great benefits of God are purchased for vs by the abundant grace of the death of Christ as the sayings of the Scriptures doe shew Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set forth to be a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood by the remission of sinnes And chap. 5. When wee were as yet sinners Christ died for vs. Therefore being iustified by his blood wee shall be saued now much more from wrath by him
ago He in Comment in Ioh. wherein he diligently vseth to follow Augustine thus writeth vpon this present place We take the world surely which God loued World for the elect and faithfull before and since Christ for mankinde that is quicke and dead dead truly who expected through faith Christ to come aliue who either of Iewes or Gentiles should beleeue in him For so he saith without difference of Iew or Gentile vniuersally that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life In the iudgement of Augustine this exposition is confirmed by the sentence immediatly added of Christ when he saith for God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world may be saued It is the same world doubtlesse which the father loued and which Christ came to saue And that world for whose saluation Christ came Tract 110. as Augustine witnesseth as wee cited before be the elect and beleeuers Hearken Huber and cease to be angrie if this interpretation please vs also or els if thou canst disproue it remember that thou must contend with reasons and not with railings to finde out the trueth But haue ye any reason D. Iacobus bringeth for a reason that Christ addeth in the same place This is the iudgement Coll. Momp that light is come into the world and the world loued darknes more then it Here the word world saith he cannot be vnderstood of the elect onely but specially of those who are reiected and damned But he negligently alleadged the text for it hath men loued darknes There is no mention of world Thes 119. Huberus proofe is nothing sounder Christ saith he diuideth the world into two sorts into such as receiue and such as withstand the light or of beleeuers and vnbeleeuers Therfore to both sorts of men did God send his sonne I answere the Antecedent is denied Among men truly some beleeue others doe not some loue the light others hate it but that Christ diuideth that world whereof he had said So God loued the world into two kindes it cannot be proued out of the text Thus it appeareth that there is no argument here out of the word world Further albeit it shuld bee graunted that by world there is meant al men it would not yet follow that Christ and his benefits doe therefore belong to all whether they beleeue or not seeing they are expressely restrained vnto the vniuersalitie of the beleeuers while it is added that whosoeuer beleeueth should not perish but haue eternall life What can be more cleere The 2. place Ioh. 1. As touching the place Ioh. 1.29 Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world we willingly graunt that the sacrificing of this Lambe is sufficient for all the sins of all men but as touching the effect Christ taketh away sinnes from such as confesse them and beleeue as Iohn himselfe witnesseth 1. Epist 1. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all iniquitie Againe If wee walke in light as he is the light wee haue fellowship with him and the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne He calleth it sinne in the singular number for any kinde of iniquitie And where he saith of the world he draweth the efficacie of this sacrifice indifferently vnto the redemption of Gentiles and Iewes least the Iewes should thinke that the redeemer was sent to them alone Hereupon the Saints in that song of the Lambe doe sing Apoc. 5 9. Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery tribe and language people and nation and hast made vs to our God kings and priests and wee shall raigne vpon the earth As touching the words of Christ Ioh. 6.51 The 3 place Ioh. 6. The bread which I will gâ—ue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world out of that whole Sermon it is cleerer than the noone day that not euery one is made partaker in very deede of this spirituall eternall life and also of that true heauenly bread but such as by faith come vnto him and eating his flesh and drinking his blood are incorporated into him as they bee whom the father hath giuen to the sonne For the truth saith Verely I say vnto you vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall haue no life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath euerlasting life For my flesh is meate in deede As the liuing father hath sent mee and I liue by the father so also hee that eateth mee doth liue by me Than which words what can bee spoken more cleere for the confirmation of our opinion to wit that the effect of this sacrifice whereby Christ offered himselfe to the father as a sweet smelling fauour for the life of the world belongeth not vnto all without respect of faith or vnbeleefe but vnto them who are incorporated into Christ to be partakers of the spirit Tract 26. For participation saith Augustine whereby we eate him is the cause that we liue through Christ Neither can a man liue by the spirit of Christ vnlesse he be of his bodie as my bodie liueth by my spirit and thy bodie by thine How is then Christ the life of the world 2. Obiections for he witnesseth that he giueth life vnto the world and that he will giue himselfe for the life of the world Further Christ sayd vnto all to whom he preached My father doth giue you true bread from heauen and yet many of them afterward went away from him Therefore that bread of life belongeth to al alike Hub. thes 125. to backsliders and continuers to the saued and the damned Answere to the first To the first obiection I say Rom. 4. as the Apostle writeth of Abraham that by promise he was made the heare of the world that is the father of all the faithfull so that much more Christ is rightly termed the life of the world as farre forth as he bestoweth eternall life vpon the sonnes of Abraham dispersed through the world Secondly he is also the life of the world taking now the world for all men who are haue been and shall be as farre forth as no one man of all mortall men can haue life but by him albeit notwithstanding not all in verie deede are quickened For there is not in any other saluation or life Acts 4. neither is there any other name vnder heauen which is giuen among men whereby we must be saued Thirdly he did that which lay in him offering such a sacrifice which was sufficient to haue taken away the destruction of all and to haue restored life to all but that the vnbeleeuers receiue not life they are in fault by refusing Christ as Theophilact vpon this very place and vpon the 9. to the Hebrewes teacheth The same man noteth that the life
of the world may be also vnderstood for the generall resurrection that hee gaue himselfe for the life of the world as faire foorth as his death hath procured a generall resurrection to all mankinde But this seemeth to be too much forced Answer to the second obie ∣ ction Vnto the later obiection The father giueth you heauenly bread I answere that it may be expounded two waies He giueth you that is he offereth you for Christ was in the midst of them it remaineth that you would receiue it or rather that the word you bee taken concerning the bodie of the people indefinitly and not of euery person among the people after such a like phrase altogether and opposition in the matter it selfe Matth 3. Luk. 3. as is in the saying of Iohn Baptist I truly baptise you with water but there commeth one who is stronger then I he shall baptise with the holie Ghost and fire Which thing Iohn as Luke saith spake vnto all euen to the Pharisees and Saduces as it is in the other Euangelist Yet who here but one that is too too ignorant and impudent will maintaine by the word you that all were baptised of Christ with the spirit and fire as many as had heard that word from Iohn But he that wil simply vnderstand it the sense is plaine to wit that Iohn as a minister of the outward work did baptise with water but Christ as the Lord did giue the spirit For the force of Baptisme is of God alone and not of the minister saith Ambrose Epist 217. So the sense of this place is that it belongeth not to Moses but to God to giue that true bread from heauen that Moses as a seruant in the house of God gaue them Manna corporall foode and the figure of that spiritual which God giueth and not man Whereupon it is also called by Christ the bread of God Augustine also giueth this sense and the words require it and it is confirmed with that which in the same chapter Christ saith Labour for the meate which abideth vnto eternall life which the sonne of man will giue vnto you to wit if you shall beleeue in me For seeing this meate abideth vnto eternall life it appertaines not vnto the damned who shall hunger and thirst for euer Touching the sayings I came not to iudge the world The 4. and 5. places out of Ioh. 3. and 12. 2. Cor. 5.19 but to saue it Also God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himself it appeareth plainly by the testimonies of Augustine before alleadged that they be rightly meant of the beleeuers through the whole world For that sinnes may not be imputed vnto vs but that we may bee made the righteousnesse of God in Christ as this reconciliation of the world is described of Paul a true faith in Christ is required Rom. 3. 4. Ioh. 3. but vpon the vnbeleeuers the wrath of God abideth So of that wee say Christ is the Sauiour of the world it doth not follow that all and euery one in mankind whether they beleeue or not are therefore redeemed from all sinne and condemnation and made partakers of saluation in Christ Matth. 1. but the Lord Iesus saueth his people from their sinnes that is all who hope in him And because they bee dispersed through the world In what sense Christ is the life light and sauiour of the world for this and other causes before declared he is worthily tearmed as the life of the world so also the Sauiour of the world As also he is called the light of the world yet all without difference are not pulled out of darknes by him In the meane while because all beleeuers in him haue the light of eternall life and no man can attaine to any light of grace but by him this praise rightly belongeth vnto him A comparison of the Sunne euen as the visible Sunne is the light of the world and of right is said to lighten the world euery day albeit in the meane while so many things in the world are still without light either because they be not capable of it or because abiding in darknes they come not to the light that they may enioy it The 6. place 1. Ioh. 2. The words out of Iohn 1. Epist chap. 2.2 as yet remaine Little children if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely Thes 1â—1 but also of the whole world Here Huberus is beyond measure puffed vp that this place is notable and vnanswerable It is so altogether but not in that sense for which hee so stoutly striueth And he saith that if wee can bring one place out of the Scriptures that Christ is a propitiation for some men onely that is for the beleeuers then he will assent vnto vs. But the answer is two-fold If men like to vnderstand the place of Sufficiencie wee willingly graunt that the blood of Christ is sufficient to appease God for the sinnes of all men so that there was no neede of another expiation or sacrifice for the cleansing and saluation of all so that all could and would applie to themselues by faith that satisfaction And so of the new writers Illyricus also whom our aduersaries vse greatly to aduance declareth in his glosse What if thou maist see Iacob Andree himselfe Coll. Mompel pag. 514 546. to come to that point at the length yet beside the matter altogether for he was to proue that Christ not only sufficiently but also effectually hath satisfied for the sinnes of al none at all excepted This when hee had taken in hand to proue by this present testimonie was at a set in the myre as the prouerbe is hee fled vnto the vulgar saying of the Schoolemen that Christ died for the sinnes of all men sufficiently although not efficiently Singular dexteritie of a profound disputer doubtles This then being graunted of the sufficiencie and power of this propitiation I say according to the propounded distinction that in very deed notwithstanding the blood of Christ doth profit the faithfull vnto the appeasing of Gods wrath and not the vnfaithful as it is plainly written Rom. 3.24.25 We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood And Iohn himselfe 1. Ioh. 1. If we walke in light saith he we haue fellowship with God and the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne Apoc. 5.9 After which sort also the Church out of euery tribe and tongue is described of him as vnto which the proprietie of redemption by the blood of the Lambe slaine doth appertaine Doest thou not see Huber that Christ effectiuely whereof the question is betweene vs is the propitiation of the beleeuers and not of vnbeleeuers And the words of Iohn doe well agree vnto this vniuersalitie of the beleeuers He is the propitiation for our sinnes and
reprobates the contrarietie of the elect doth shew whom the father gaue to Christ neither could D. Iacobus Andree denie this Pag. 545. Col. Mompel But for whom Christ would not so much as pray how shall we say that he died for them according to his owne purpose or how should the death of Christ profit them for redemption and sanctificatiō Surely the sacrifice of the Mediatour doth profit none Thes 9.28 but whom his intercession doth also profit Huber excepteth that Christ refuseth not to pray for the world generally but specially which thing Luthers glosse declareth and confirmeth I pray not for the world that is I pray not that thou wouldest approue the attempts and workes of the world and vnbeleeuers I answere readily from the contrarietie in the very text As farre forth as the Lord prayeth for his so farre forth and in the same respect he prayeth not for that world of reprobates but for his hee prayeth that they may be saued Tract 107. in Ioh. Therefore so farre forth he prayeth not for the reprobates Let vs heare what Augustine saith I pray not for the world but for them that thou gauest me By the world he would haue meant such as liue according to the lusts of the world and are not in that state of grace A double world that they bee chosen by it out of the world The same man tract 110. There is a world of such as are to bee damned whereof it is written Least we should be damned with the world For this world he doth not pray for he knoweth well whereto it is predestinate And there is a world of such as shall be saued as it is written That the world may be saued by him whereof the Apostle also speaketh God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe For this world he prayeth that it may beleeue and by faith be reconciled vnto God Thus farre Augustine Wherefore there is no cause that Huber should write Thes 927. that our side faineth a false interpretation of this place He faineth that obiecteth such things euen as this also is a meere deuise that all men indifferently are giuen of the father to the sonne that he may giue them life Thes 1077. 163. All power surely not onely of humane flesh but also of all creatures in heauen and earth is giuen to the sonne but it is another thing that wee are giuen him that hee may saue vs. For if all had been giuen to Christ he had prayed for all for he prayed for all that his father had giuen him But now for certaine men whom hee calleth the world he prayed not Further he giueth eternal life to all that were giuen him For so he saith that to as many as thou gauest him he might giue eternall life Tract 111. Therefore with Augustine we inferre by contraposition that they were not giuen him to whom he will not giue eternall life albeit hee who hath power giuen him ouer all flesh hath power giuen him ouer thē also In the same place Who are they saith he whom he saith are giuen him of his father Be they not they of whom he saith in another place No man commeth vnto me except the father who sent me draw him They bee they whom he receiued of the father whom he chose out of the world that now they may not be of the world as he is not of the world and yet they be euen the beleeuing world and that which knoweth that Christ was sent of God the father Againe Tract 107. The world for which he prayeth not he would haue to be taken for those that are not in that state of grace that they may bee chosen out of the world but for these whom his father gaue him he saith he prayeth for hereby that the father had giuen them alreadie vnto him it commeth to passe that they pertaine not vnto that world for which he doth not pray Hereupon Cyrill also saith Lib. 11. cap. 19. in Ioh. Saint Iohn because he was a Iew least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with the father for the Iewes onely and not for other nations also who being called did obey said of necessitie that he was a propitiation for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from them that are not his saith I pray for them onely that keepe my words and haue receiued my yoke For whose Mediatour and high Priest he is to them onely he worthily attributeth the benefit of mediation So this testimonie standeth firme against what cauils soeuer Com. vpon this place whereof Rupertus speaketh notably Woe to the reioycing world while Christ the onely begotten sonne of God praieth for his owne that is dyeth and vpon the altar of the crosse offereth himselfe a sacrifice because J pray for them sayth he whom thou gauest me and not for the world For the world is here taken for the louers of the world so contrary to them for whom Christ crucified praieth as the Aegyptians were before God from the children of Israel who marked their posts with the sacred blood of the Lambe Woe therefore to such a world because what Christ the true Lambe of God praied profiteth them nothing that with their king the prince of darknes the deuill they may quickly sinke into hell while they only whom the father gaue to the sonne doe by his crosse and blood escape The 12. testimonie Verse 19. of the 17. chap. of Iohn Twelfthly wee adde what the Lord in his prayer to his father there expresseth for them I sanctifie my selfe that they may be sanctified in the trueth They onely for whom Christ sanctified that is offered himselfe a sacrifice are by his offering sanctified in the truth but he sanctified himselfe onely for the elect of whom significantly he speaketh to discerne them from the world For them I sanctifie my self doubtles meaning his that were giuen him of his father and for whom he prayed the father Therefore the elect onely are in the trueth sanctified by Christs oblation Whereupon Paul calles all beleeuers Saints euery where whom charitie commands to account for elect because they be sanctified in the blood of Christ CHAP. III. Testimonies out of Pauls Epistles FVrthermore Paul the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles and a worthy preacher of the grace of Christ for the publishing among the Gentiles of the vnsearchable riches of Christ and reuealing vnto all men what is the communion of the mysterie that was hid from all ages doth also euery where teach that the grace of redemption pertaineth not to the vnbeleeuers but to the faithfull who now are not the vessels of the deuill but the members of Iesu Christ That of many testimonies wee may onely alleadge a few The 1. place Rom. 3. he thus writeth to the Romanes chap. 3. But now the righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law hauing witnes of the law and the Prophets to
here come together for the proofe of our opinion First Christ is called the head of the Church and that not according to creation and preheminence onely as he is the head of euery creature but after a peculiar maner as the Church is his bodie and the fulnes of him who filleth all in all As therefore such as be members of the bodie and not such as are without the bodie are quickened of the head so wee who are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones draw peculiarly from Christ spirit and life Secondly the same is the Sauiour of his bodie For no man euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it as Christ also doth his Church This is rehearsed as a document of his singular loue to his Church which thing should not so well accord if as touching the grace of redemption there were no difference betweene the Church and the world betweene the spouse of Christ and the spouse of the deuill but all alike should bee saued by Christ as these new disputers hold Amb. thes 270. Thirdly it is expressely added that Christ loued the Church and exposed himselfe for it to sanctifie it to make it glorious vnto himselfe without wrinkle or spot holy and blameles The Apostle giueth to the Church the prerogatiue of so great grace I meane redemption sanctification glorification neither doe redemption and sanctification more agree to the common vile company of men without the Church than glorification doeth To the Collossians also there is a very excellent place The 4. place Cap. 1. cha 1. We giue thankes to the Father who hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom wee haue redemption that is the remission of sinnes Foure things proper to the faithfull Foure things here be published as properly belonging to the faithfull 1. The inheritance of the Saints in light 2. Deliuerance from the power of darkenesse 3. Translation into the kingdome of Gods sonne and 4. Redemption If these be proper to the faithfull as they be for this description of grace is wholly applied to the faithfull the vnbeleeuers haue no part in them Ambrose And thus Ambrose expoundeth them whose words are these vpon the Epistle to the Collossians Being deliuered from the state of darkenes that is plucked out of hel wherein we were held by the deuill as well through our owne sinne as through the sinne of another we are translated through faith into the heauenly kingdome of Gods sonne For without the faith of Christ Hub. Thes 4â— and 41. there is no going out of hell Therefore these new Sectaries are deceiued and doe deceiue contending that there is not one excepted who is vnder the power of the deuill whom Christ hath not deliuered from the power of the deuill and hath not receiued into his kingdome Moreouer hitherto tendeth that which is written in the same chapter to the Collossians in these wordes Col. 1. The 5. place Therefore you who were in time past strangers and enemies hauing your minds set in euill workes hath hee now reconciled in that body of his flesh through death that hee might make you holy and blameles before him if ye continue grounded and firme in faith Here is an exposition of a double state of vnbeliefe and faith and the state of vnbeliefe by the doctrine of the Apostle hath estranging of the minde from God and enemitie with him but the state of faith hath reconciliation and sanctification For significantly he saith Nowe surely he hath reconciled to wit since ye beleeued in Christ The 6 place 1. Tim. 4. In the 1. to Timothie chap. 4. the Apostle writeth that God is the Sauiour of all men yet especially of the faithfull Which saying being very short and of great force wipeth away this whole controuersie whereof wee intreate if it bee considered with a calme regard For in saying who is the sauiour of all men he confirmeth the generall goodnes of God vpon all For hee suffereth his sunne to arise vpon the bad and good Matt. 5. Act. 17. and in him we are we liue and are moued This surely is a certaine common saluation to all men yea and to beasts as it is said in the psalme 36. Thou O Lord wilt saue men and beastes August tract 34 in Io. For by whome men is preserued by him also is the beastes Neither must we be ashamed to thinke this of God yea wee must so conceiue and trust so and take heede that we thinke not otherwise He that saueth vs hee saueth our horse our sheep yea to come to the least things our henne But by adding specialitie of the faithfull hee sheweth that there is a part of mankind which through faith inspired from God is aduanced by speciall benefits to high and eternal felicitie Hereupon also in the former Psalme it is read The sons of men doe trust in the shadow of thy wings They shall be satisfied with the fatnes of thy house thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuer of thy delights For with thee is the well of life and in thy light we shall see light Bring forth thy mercie for them that knowe thee and thy righteousnes for such as bee vpright in heart Therefore they receiue this speciall saluation who trust in him they doe not receiue it who doe despaire The iust receiue it the vniust and such as know not God receiue it not The 7. place Heb. 5. In the Epistle to the Hebrewes which also of many olde writers is attributed to Paul wee haue these testimonies among other Chapter 5. Albeit he was the sonne yet by those things that he suffered he learned obedience and being consecrate to wit by afflictions as it is sayd ca. 2. he is made the authour of eternall saluation to all that obey him Therefore this saluation was not brought to such as be obstinate Saluation by Christ is Eternall not temporall and short as the aduersarie seemeth to make it and refuse the grace of Christ through vnbeliefe And seeing that saluation purchased by Christ is not temporary and short as that which was wont to be brought to men being in great danger in warre but Eternall how shall it be sayd to belong to such as shall be damned whose portion shall be in the lake of vnquenchable fire So in the 9. The 8. place cap. 9. Chapter there is mention made of eternall redemption By his owne blood saith the Apostle he once entred into the holy place and hath obtained eternall redemption Eternall redemption And redemption is called eternall both because it shal be effectuall foreuer and also for that the cause of eternall good things is theirs who be partakers of the same The contrary of both might bee found in the greater part of
Epistle when he had said before that Christ came downe to be the redeemer of al to take away the sinnes of all and had abased himselfe to bring liberty to all and had taken flesh vpon him to purchase by his death resurrection for all he addeth these words He that is saith he a true freeman a true Hebrew is wholly Gods whatsoeuer he hath is libertie he hath nothing of his that for the loue of the world refuseth libertie So elsewhere he teacheth that a Lib. 2. Câ—p. â— de Cain Abel redemption belongeth to them that repent and cleaue vnto Gods commandements that b Apol. Dauid remission of sinne is through faith c De Sal. ca. vit and that by the grace of faith washing from offences is obtained d Serm. 15. in 118. Psalm that the crosse of the Lord is life to beleeuers and destruction to vnbeleeuers And in another place The e Serm. 21. ibid. crosse saith he is shame to him that is vnfaithfull but to the faithfull person it is grace to the faithfull it is redemption to the faithfull it is resurrection And all these things he setteth out in another place by a notable similitude of light A similitude of the light For Christ is the light of the world sufficient truly to inlighten and conuert all men yet not actually and in very deede driuing away all darknes but as he saith himselfe I am the light of the world that no man that commeth vnto me may abide in darknes Ambrose his words are these Serm. 19. in 118. Psalm Although he that was borne of the Virgin for all both good and bad haue a large power in all and vpon all as he maketh his Sunne to rise vpon the good and euill yet hee fauoureth him that commeth neere vnto him For as he that shutteth the windowes excludeth froÌ„ himselfe the brightnes of the Sunne so he that is turned from the Sunne of righteousnes cannot behold the brightnes therof He walketh in darknes and in the light of all men hee is the cause of blindnes to himselfe Open therefore thine eyes to see the Sunne of righteousnes arising vnto thee If a man shut the doores of his house is the fault in the Sunne that it doth not shine into his house Out of Augustine the chiefe of the soundest writers among other testimonies these we haue Tom. 7. Augustine ad articul falso impos Vnto the first article which was that Christ suffered not for the redemption of all men he giueth his iudgement of the whole controuersie distinguishing after this sort As touching the greatnes and weight of the price and as touching the onely cause of mankinde the blood of Christ is the redemption of the whole world But they that passe through this life without the faith of Christ and without the sacrament of regeneration are voide of redemption Seeing therefore by reason of the one nature and cause of all men which the Lord took vpon himselfe in trueth all may bee rightly called redeemed yet seeing all are not plucked out of captiuitie the proprietie of redemption doubtles is theirs out of whom the prince of this world is cast and they be now not the wasse â—s of the deuill but the members of Iesu Christ Whose death was not so bestowed for mankinde that they who shall not bee borne againe should belong to the redemption thereof but so that what was done by one example for all might by one sacrament be celebrated in euery one Augustines simile of the cup. For the cup of immortalitie which was made of our infirmitie and the diuine power meaning Christs death hath truly in it selfe to profit all men but if it be not drunke it doth not profit Against Faustus the Manichean lib. 11. cap. 7. Of those men for whom Christ died and rose againe and who now liue not to themselues but to him that is the people that bee renewed by faith that hee may haue in the meane while in hope what may bee accomplished afterward in very deede none of those men saith he hee knew any more after the flesh Here hee taketh them that are renewed by faith and shal be saued to be all one with those for whom Christ died and rose againe Lib. 13. cap. 15. In his booke of the Trinitie he denieth that any of them whom Christ redeemed by his bloodshed be drawne of the deuill as men intangled in the snares of sinne vnto the destruction of the second and eternall death and affirmeth that such die the death of the flesh onely and not of the spirit And most plainly remoueth from redemption such as shall be damned addeth straightwaies in expresse words that such as were foreknowne predestinate and elected before the foundation of the world pertaine to the grace of Christ and that Christ died for them The same man vpon 21. Psalme writeth That Christ suffered for the Church and that the great Church is the whole world for which he shed his blood And by and by confuting the Donatists including the Church within Africa he saith What saiest thou to me O Heretike Is he not the price of all the world Was onely Africa redeemed Thou dare not say A notable saying of August the whole world was redeemed but it is perished What inuader hath Christ suffered to destroy his goods Behold Christ died his blood was shed behold our redeemer behold our price What hath he bought All the ends of the earth shall be converted to the Lord and all nations shall worship before him Behold the Church which I shew behold what Christ hath bought behold what he hath redeemed behold for whom he gaue his blood So in his Enchiridion to Laurentius chap. 61. he saith that the Church which is among men is redeemed from all sinne by the blood of the Mediator that is without sinne and it is the voyce thereof If God be for vs who is against vs Who also spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all And in the next chapter The Apostle saith that all things in heauen and earth are epaired in Christ for in him are restored the things that bee in heauen when that that was decayed in the angels from thence was recompensed of men But things in earth are repaired when men themselues who are predestinate to eternall life are renewed from the oldnesse of corruption The same man chapter 30 witnesseth that God promised freedome and the kingdome of heauen to a part of mankinde that is to the elect Againe in his 13. Booke of the Trinitie chapter 12. and the rest when hee had sayed that by the remission of sinnes men are plucked away from the deuill through the gratious reconciliation of God straightway he sheweth at large that not all men are set free from the power of the deuil but all the faithfull and the predestinate that all men beeing carnally borne of Adam are through him alone held vnder the
What be the causes of it 3. What the effects 4. Whether it be vnfallible and vnchangeable 5. Whether and how we may bee certaine of our predestination to eternall life 6. And lastly we will speake somewhat of the vse of this doctrine against those men who thinke that albeit the things were true that we teach yet they ought not to bee disclosed but buried in silence as being against edification And the consideration of all these things shall be profitable both for other vses which shal be shewed in their places and also for the greater certaintie of those things that hitherto wee haue declared concerning the vniuersalitie of grace and redemption For the remnants of the Pelagians of old as also at this day affirming none at al to be excepted from the redemption of Christs blood and in respect of God maintaining eternall life to be prepared for al are therfore fallen to the extolling of such grace because they would auoide to confesse that God according to the purpose and counsell of his owne will in his secret iudgement but manifest worke maketh one vessell to honour another to dishonour nor would assent hereto that the number of them that be predestinate can neither be increased nor diminished CHAP. II. What is predestination where are shewed sundrie definitions of the name and the thing and a comparison of certaine words vsed in this matter and being almost of one and the same signification FIrst of all the Latin word that signifieth to predestinate from whence commeth predestination Acts 4.28 Rom. 8.29 Ephe. 5. the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from hence commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to determine to decree to ordaine a thing before a man do it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth a terme and end and beside the maner and rule and as it were the prescript whereby actions are moderated in order and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also is taken of the Grecians for to ordaine and destinate So destinare with the Latines signifieth to designe decree appoint as in Caesar the things being not done which he had destinated that is decreed to doe And Cicero in his Offices of Damon and Pythias Pythagoreans when Dionysius had destinated to one of them the day of his death and he that was appointed to die had required c. And lib. 1. de diuinat he saith The Gods are beneficiall to mankind and know what things are ordained and appointed by them that is destinated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Bude witnesseth page 710. But because the things that God hath appointed and designed with himself Acts 15. he hath appointed and ordained from euerlasting for all his workes are knowne vnto him from eternitie that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth nothing els then to appoint from before the foundations of the world or before the world As also the Apostle expressely saith 1. Cor. 2. We speake that hidden wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which God hath from eternitie decreed or destinated to reueale to our glorie Therefore if the Grammaticall signification of the word be considered The 1. signification and vse of the word predestination this word predestination may be extended generally to all things that are and are done in the world and it hath this definition to bee the eternall decree of God touching the gouernment of all things which we vse to call the diuine prouidence For nothing commeth to passe rashly or by chance but all things fall out by the fatherly counsell and will of God so that not so much as a little sparrow surely can light on the ground without him Mat. 10. Hereupon saith Daniel he doth according to his owne wil in the host of heauen Dan. 4. and in the inhabitants of the earth neither is there any man that may say vnto him what doest thou And Wisedome saith Wisd 12. There is no other God beside thee who takest care of all things and seeing thou art iust thou doest iustly gouerne all things And out of al doubt seeing al things are ruled after the wil of God he doth all things according to the eternall purpose of his will For whatsoeuer hee willeth he willeth from euerlasting So of predestination most generally writeth Damascene and Anselme also Dan lib. 2. Orthodox ◠fi◠cap. 30. Ansel lib. de conc praesci praedest The author also of the little worke concerning Gods predestination in Augustine pag. 1296. following the same generalitie of the word feareth not to say that God hath predestinated that the heauen should turne round about but the earth should in stead of the center be vnmoueable while the heauen runneth round about it and that the Sunne and Moone should rule the day and night and that the night and day should succeede each the other in certaine times The like is the saying of Ambrose that the day of iudgement shall be in a time predestinated Among the late writers Philip Melanchthon spake after the same maner of predestination in the former places Lastly saith he the diuine predestination taketh away libertie from man for all things come to passe according to Gods predestination both externall workes and also internall thoughts in all creatures There is one place onely in the holy Scriptures Act. 4. which seemeth may be after a sort applied to that signification Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentils and people of Israel assembled together against thy holy childe Iesus to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell hath * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 predestinated to be done Wherefore omitting also this most generall signification writers commonly more strictly doe speake and iudge of predestination The 2. sigfication Secondly therefore predestination is wont to be considered of some men as farre foorth as in generall it respecteth reasonable creatures that are to be saued or damned to wit Angels and men For it is manifest that some Angels bee elect some reprobates 1. Tim. 5.21 and Matth. 25.41 where eternall fire is said to bee prepared for the deuill and his angels to wit reprobate spirits euen from the foundations of the world as is expressely spoken in the same place of the kingdome prepared for the elect And predestination after this sort is nothing els than the foreordaining of a reasonable creature either to saluation or to destruction eternall To be predestinated Thom. Aqui. writeth Thomas part 1. quaest 23. art 1. as well agreeth to angels as to men albeit they were neuer miserable For it is not materiall in respect of predestination whether one be predestinated vnto eternall life from the state of miserie or no as it mattereth not in respect of making one white whether he that is whited were blacke pale or red Thirdly in speaking of the predestination of men onely The 3. signification and the vse of the word
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
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
peraduenture hee will more increase the griefe because hee seeth a sharpe purgation to be more necessary Fourthly Ambrose weighing Peters words to Simon against the Nouatians that commonly abused them Lib. de poenicent cap. 5. teacheth by many examples that that is the custome of the Scripture euen boldly to vse through a certaine simplicitie of vtterance such kinds of speaking wherein there is some shew of doubting Obiection 4 Furthermore whereas the aduersaries alleage that the certaintie of grace if men could be sure of it would be an occasion and cause of great licentiousnes and Epicurish securitie it is a meere ignorance and slander For it cannot be but the feeling of the loue of God towards vs whereby the multitude of our sinnes is gratiously couered should beget more and more in our hearts towards him againe the loue of new obedience as it is written Psal 13. 18. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Also I will loue thee O Lord my strength my tower and the horne of my saluation What if the aduersaries themselues confesse that a speciall reuelation is graunted to some of the certaintie of their saluation It will follow then by their own opinion that God doth cast such men into the danger of prophanenes and Epicurish securitie Neither doth it any whit hinder the certaintie of saluation Prou. 18. that we are commanded to be fearfull in auoiding falles not to be puffed vp nor to bee ouer wise but to feare Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 10. Marke this that he that seemeth to stand fall not For by these and such like the securitie of the flesh and not faith is condemned and the vse of the meanes subordinate to saluation is required So Paul albeit he was certified by an Angell of his owne safetie and of theirs that failed with him and beleeuing God that so it should come to passe as he had told him yet he suffered not the mariners to flie out of the ship but said vnles these men abide in the ship ye cannot be saued Acts 27. Thus the confidence of saluation and a godly care to vse the meanes and not to tempt the Lord doe very well agree together They vse also to charge our doctrine with presumption Obiection 5 Beucer de Concor aâ—t grat but in vaine For we beleeue God that promiseth Wherfore our confidence and certaintie resteth not vpon our own presumption but vpon his promise as Augustine well distinguisheth tract 22. in Ioh. Finally they wrest for their purpose what our writers plainly Obiection 6 confesse themselues that no man can exclude in this world all doubting alwaies of his owne saluation and of the care that God hath of him Whosoeuer say they doubteth of his saluation is not sure of it but all men doubt therefore no man is sure of it But this snare we easily auoide by this caution or distinction He that doubteth is not sure to wit for that time that he doubteth and in speaking of some * Idea patterne of certaintie But now doubting oftentimes ariseth but not alwaies in the minds of the godly because of the infirmitie and battell of the flesh against the spirit and they get with much adoe the vpper hand againe by this vertue and power to whom they crie with teares I beleeue Lord Mark 9. helpe my vnbeliefe And albeit this be a sufficient impediment that we can not attribute vnto the godly the * Ideam maner or forme of the certaintie of faith whereby all doubting and trembling is excluded yet there is not sufficient cause to depriue them of all certaintie of grace and saluation vnles a man would by the like reason auouch Ierem. 12. Abac. 1. Psalm 73. that euen the holy men of God Ieremie Abacuc Asaph and others were vncertaine of the prouidence of God and his righteous gouernment of all things because of some doubtings that were in them concerning that matter Therefore let it stand as a certaine thing that while wee liue in this mortalitie and banishment as it were of this world we be not without the way and meane whereby to our comfort wee may bee made sure of our saluation And while this standeth fast it necessarily followeth that wee may know and be assured of the election also of vs to eternall life For seeing saluation belongeth to the elect onely doubtles the certaintie of it cannot stand without the certaintie of Gods election which is the fountaine beginning and ground of saluation CHAP. XXIIII How and by what meanes we are made certaine of the election of vs in Christ Reuelation is needefull MOreouer the meane whereby a man may be made sure of the election of himselfe vnto eternall life dependeth vpon the reuelation not of flesh and blood but of God himselfe the chuser Rom. 11. 1. Cor. â— For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who is of his counsell Or what man knoweth the things that belong to a man but the spirit of a man that is in him So no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God And we saith the Apostle haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit that is of God that we may know what things God hath bestowed vpon vs. Seeing therfore the counsels of God cannot bee knowne without diuine manifestation what marueile is it if so great a secret I meane the predestination of vs to adoption and to eternall life cannot otherwise bee seene into of vs And if we assay speculatiuely or as they speake à priore to search into the eternall counsell of God concerning our saluation the great depth of it will swallow vs vp and hee that searcheth out Gods maiestie Prou. 25.27 shall be ouerwhelmed with the glorie of it But there is for the most parâ— a threefold reuelation of election first by the most certaine effects of election it selfe Reuelation is threefolde secondly by the word of promise and thirdly by the seale of the holy Ghost The first way therefore as I said is by the effects of election such as these are a true and liuely saith in Christ The first way wherby a man may know himselfe to be elected The effects of election ingrafting into Christ by faith iustification and the regeneration of the spirit shewing it selfe more and more by newnes of life and the studie of righteousnesse and good workes By these à posteriore wee iudge of election as the proper cause of them For strong reasons are drawne as from the cause to the effect so againe from the effect to the cause as it is knowne by the rules of Logike The Minor of this argument to wit that faith iustification conuersion c. proceede from election as the proper cause wee haue confirmed before at large when wee intreated of the effects of predestination here onely let certaine sayings of Scripture be viewed Act. 13. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued
Rom. 8 Whom he foreknew them he predestinated to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne And whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them he glorified Rom. 11. The election hath obtained it the rest were hardened Ephes 1. Hee chose vs in him before the world that wee might be holy and blameles before him through loue and hath predestinated vs to adopt vs for sonnes through Christ Iesu c. In the same Epistle chap. 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu to good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them To which end tendeth also 2. Thes 3. Tit. 1. that faith as the Apostle saith belongs not to all but to the elect of God But vnderstand a true faith and effectuall by loue the faith not of the deuil but of a Christian man which beeing placed on the foundation suffereth no man to perish as Augustine saith De fide oper cap. 18. Ioh. 6. Whatsoeuer the father giueth me commeth vnto me and him that commeth vnto me I cast not forth No man commeth to me vnles my father drawe him who sent me and I will raise him vp in the last day It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God that is saith Augustine Tract 26. All the men of that kingdome Whosoeuer therefore hath heard of the father learned coÌ„meth vnto me Ioh. 10. you beleeue not for you are not of my sheepe as I said vnto you my sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue them eternall life and they shall not perish By these places we are taught that a true faith and coÌ„uersion be gifts peculiar to the elect and doe flowe from the eternall decree of God touching his elect so that for iust cause we turne our eyes hither when we seeke for the certainety of our election Whereupon Saint Peter also aduiseth vs to make our calling and election sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1. by adding to saith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance long suffering godlines loue to the brethren c. So it shall come to passe that an entrance shall abundantly bee ministred vs into the eternall kingdome of our Lord Iesu Christ In the same sense Paul to Timoth. when he had testified of the surenes of election in it selfe that the foundation of God standeth sure Two seales of the â—urâ—es of our election one God the other outs hauing this seale God knoweth who are his forthwith addeth another seale in respect of vs Let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lorde depart from iniquitie And he addeth If a man therefore purge himselfe from these things he shall be a vessell for honour By all which wordes he meaneth that the studie of holines is the best way to know our election Further the same Paul iudging of the election of the Thesialonians and other faithfull considered it no other way Phil 1. 1. Thess 1. than by the faith loue hope and other fruites of their calling to Christ and fellowship in the Gospell Obiection But the end doubtles deceiued or ouercame this hope and iudgement of Paul in some men therefore faith hope and charity c. are not sure signes of election to eternall life Answere To this I answere that charity iudging by these signes of the election of our neighbor is sometime deceiued Marke this but this is not the cause of the error that faith and charity be not sure markes of election in them selues but because we cannot be sure of the vnfained faith of our neighbor and of his charity out of a pure heart as well as wee are of our owne Of which difference we will more fully speake hereafter when we haue finished this point The second way therefore The second way whereby a man may know himselfe to be elected whereby a man may bee certaine of the predestination of himselfe to life is the word of promise For albeit by a singular or seuerall promise God saith not to thee or me Thou art elected and shalt be kept to eternall life yet there is a generall promise in the word and that faithfull and worthy by all meanes to be imbraced of vs that whosoeuer shall beleeue in the sonne of God Marke this very well and remember it hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but shall be raised vp to the glorie of the kingdome of heauen and therefore was elected vnto that kingdome because this kingdome of the father shall not be giuen but to whom it was prepared before the foundation of the world Vnder this vniuersall promise whosoeuer is partaker of the gift of God let him assume to himselfe in his heart I am faithfull and moreouer let him conclude therefore I shall be saued and by consequence I am elected For the confirmation of this argument we must knowe that the Maior speaketh onely of a sauing or iustifying faith and such a one as worketh by loue for this faith suffreth no man to perish but not of an historicall or temporary faith as is the faith of many men who receiue the word with ioy for they are glad of some tast and vnderstanding of the truth against errors wherein they had been drowned but when oppression and persecution arise for the words sake straight waies they fal away because they haue no root in themselues but endure for a time And if it may helpe a weake minde Matth. 13. whether hee that beleueth may be sure that he is endued with a true faith in Christ let the Apostle be considered â—â—w I may be sure I haue a true faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether you bee in faith examine your selues Knowe ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you And surely one of the twayne is necessarie that either the beleeuer knoweth himselfe to beleeue or else if he know it not he is vncertaine also of his iustification seeing iustification is by faith Wee say therefore with Augustine Epist. 112. de Trin. lib. 13. cap. 2. that euery man seeth and knoweth his owne faith in himselfe specially seeing it is not the naturall disposition of faith to lye hid as it were buried but more and more daiely to declare it selfe by newenes of life and the fruites of good works Obiection But thou wilt say I find in my selfe great weakenes of faith many grieuous doubtings wherewith my faith his shaken Answere Well But the Lord is of such clemencie Rom. 14. he doth not cast away but receiue to himselfe a man that is weake in the faith neither doth he quench smoking flaxe Matth. 12. 2. Cor. 12. or breake the bruised reede And as he answered Paul His power is perfected through weakenes Onely bewayle thy infirmity and craue daily the grace of the holy Ghost Obiection Matth. 10. Heb. â—0 But I am in
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
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