whom he would call them he would iustifie glorifie Can he possibly forsake them whom he hath pursued with his so many and great benefits But there is feare least the Iudge be too seuere Consider what iudge thou hast to wit Christ Can he condemne thee whom he hath redeemed from death for whom he hath offered himselfe whose life he knoweth is the reward of his death Will he not say Aug. de Trinit lib. 13. cap. 16. What profit is in my blood if I condemne him whom I my selfe haue saued See also if ye please Augustine confirming this very argument Hereupon it riseth that some vnder pretence of vniuersall redemption haue thought that all at length shall be saued Of which mad error Caluin vpon 1. Ioh 2. Bucer in the Acts of the Conference had at Argentine with Melchior Hofman A booke published in the dutch tongue at Argent 1553. doe make mention and also Wolfgange Musculus in the place concerning the redemption of mankinde warning vs to take heede least vnderstanding amisse the vniuersalitie of redemption we say with frantike men that no man is damned and perisheth for euer These our men with whom we deale deny that thing truly but what auaileth it to denie it seeing neuerthelesse they stifly maintaine that principle from whence that error springeth They except that the redeemed doe not perish vnles they cast away and tread vnder foote redemption once receiued But contrariwise the testimonies of Scripture euen now alleaged doe teach that such as are effectually redeemed and alreadie iustified by the gift of God shall certainly haue life and heauenly glorie and cannot possibly by any meanes be pluckt away from the loue of God towards them in Christ Iesu And as for some examples and places to the contrary they haue been sufficiently answered in the second booke before If all sinner be blotted out and satiâ—fied then vnbeâ—iefe is blotted and it shall not condemne vs. Furthermore how agree these things together that all the sinnes of all men are satisfied for and in very deede blotted out and yet that the greater part of men are damned for vnbeliefe For if all sinnes are forgiuen all men then vnbeliefe also is forgiuen How then shall it damne any man Thus it euer abideth vnmoueable that all at length shall be saued if all men together bee effectually made partakers of redemption The 10. reason The tenth argument is drawne from the causes of redemption two whereof are the principall efficient causes one farther off The causes of redemption to wit the grace of God giuing his sonne vnto vs the other most neere vs the sonne himselfe finishing the worke of redemption in the nature of man which hee tooke vpon him The materiall cause is the passion and death of the righteous for the vnrighteous The instrumentall efficient cause is likewise two-fold to wit 1. The word of grace that offereth Christ vnto vs with his benefits and serueth to stirre vp faith in vs for faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God 2. And faith it selfe wherewith as it were a hand wee receiue grace offered and are made partakers thereof Herevpon the Apostle Rom. 3. saith We haue all sinned but we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption made in Iesu Christ whom God hath set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes Where we see among other causes of redemption faith required as the instrument wherewith wee may applie vnto vs redemption gotten for vs by his blood and may become partakers thereof to the blotting out of our sinnes Therefore the vnbeleeuers haue nothing to doe with redemption and propitiation And that the necessitie of faith may the more appeare in euery matter of saluation Faith how necessarie to saluation the Apostle Heb. 11. expressely testifieth that it is impossible without faith to please God producing for this point most notable examples of antiquitie who are shewed to please God through faith and to haue obtained righteousnes which is according to faith Notably saith Augustine in Euang. Ioh. serm 60. The medicine for all wounds The great necessitie and profit of faith and the onely attonement for the sinnes of men is to beleeue in Christ Neither can any man at all bee clensed either from originall sinne or the sinnes which he hath done vnles by faith he be vnited and ioyned to his bodie For they that beleeue in him are the sonnes of God because they are borne of God by the grace of adoption which is in the faith of our Lord Iesu Christ for in beleeuing we are made the sons of God as it is written He hath giuen them prerogatiue to be made the sonnes of God while they beleeue in him And serm 181. de temp Faith is the ground of all good things Aug. de temp ser 181. and the beginning of mans saluation without this none can bee of the number of Gods sonnes and without it in this world neither doth man attaine the grace of iustification nor hereafter shall possesse eternall life and whoso walketh not by faith shall not come to see God In these testimonies of the Scriptures and our Elders according to the Scriptures if wee meane to stand and wee ought to rest therein away with the deuise of the righteousnes of all men and the operation of saluation in all Hub. thes 49. 65. and the receiuing of all men into grace and their purging from sins whether they beleeue or not The aduersaries doe except that they thinke not that the merit of Christ is applied without faith or that any man without it can be made partaker of the fatherly will of God Thes 72. 1112 I answere therefore they bee manifestly contrary to themselues that say such things The aduersaries contrarie to themselues Thes 65.270.168 and yet stifly maintaine that all men none excepted faithfull and vnfaithfull before and after Christs birth are set free by the blood of Christ truly and vndoubtedly from all sinne and condemnation and are receiued into the grace and fauour of God that all alike are saued iustified and quickened that all pertaine to the communion of saluation and the kingdome of grace and such like For if no man can be partaker of the grace of God righteousnes life and saluation in Christ vnles he applie those good things to himselfe and the application cannot be but by faith how belong those things to all vnfaithfull as well as faithfull The 11. reason The Maior The 11. Argument from another consequent Redemption is such a benefit whereby of seruants of sinne wee are made the sonnes of God of children of wrath the children of grace of strangers and vnknowne we are made a royall and priestly stock as it is written Apoc. 1. and 5. He hath loued vs and redeemed vs to God by his blood and hath made vs to our God kings and priests and wee
for euer retained Let the same man also be weighed loco de Redemp where he saith Wee know that all men are not made partakers of this redemption Againe saith he Men reprobate and desperatly wicked receiue not redemption The contrary hereof Huber with full mouth auoucheth that all by Christ are made partakers of redemption that all receiue it but that the reprobates hauing once receiued it doe lose it againe Neuerthelesse Three reasons of Musculus why redemption is vniuersall according to the reasons assigned of Musculus this redemption is rightly termed vniuersall 1. Because it commeth not to passe by the defect of grace that many doe perish but by the defect of faith seeing grace is prepared for all to wit that do not refuse it Matth. 22. as all things were readie for the marriage 2. Because all are called vnto it 3. Because so it is appointed for all that no man without it is of can be redeemed Where now he doth vnderstand this appointing otherwise than before yet rightly because albeit many are not redeemed nor iustified yet all by Christ are redeemed and iustified because no man is redeemed but by him Of all which things it plainly appeareth that Musculus as well as others is against the aduersarie and nothing at all on his side That which he citeth out of Hemingius his Syntagma The 9. testimonie Hemingius or Treatise hath some colour to wit that Christ came not for to redeeme onely certaine selected out of mankinde but that that grace is vniuersall as touching the fatherly will of God But albeit Hemingius hath thus written because he otherwise vnderstandeth the doctrine of Predestination yet he greatly dissenteth from the deuise of the aduersaries that all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers without doubt properly and in verie deede by receiuing remission of sinnes are receiued into the bosome of grace iustified and saued by the death of Christ Contrariwise Hemingius Thes 28. testifieth which These Huber craftily hid when he alleadged the 27. that as touching the euent the grace of redemption belongeth to a few onely because few beleeue and bring forth the fruites of repentance For hee acknowledgeth and often times repeateth that albeit the Gospell offer the benefits of Christ to all men of what nation and condition soeuer they be De promiss reparat yet they are receiued by faith alone and so iustification and saluation are freely giuen to him that beleeueth De Euangelio And cleerely he saith That the condition of faith is required that the benefit may be applied that is remission of sinnes and the condition of perseuerance that it may be retayned being receiued For which thing these men say that all haue once receiued the benefit that the beleeuers abide in the same being receiued and the vnbeleeuers doe lose it againe The 10. testimonie Catackis palatin I come vnto that which is obiected out of the Catechisme of our Churches quest 37. where the words of the Catechisme haue that Christ sustained in bodie and soule the wrath of God against the sinnes of all mankinde But the exposition is all one with the place of Athanasius before where was the like speech Certainely the effect of the death of Christ is not in all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers indifferently but as our Catechisme out of the word of God teacheth quest 30. They that imbrace by a true faith Iesus to be a perfect sauiour doe possesse all things which are requisite to saluation Againe quest 20. to the demaunde Whether then saluation be giuen by Christ to all men who perished in Adam It is plainely answered Not to all men but to them onely who are ingrafted into him by a true faith and imbrace his benefits If thou canst Huber reconcile this with thy opinion which is full of error to wit that all who perished in Adam are receiued into grace by Christ iustified quickened and restored to saluation See also in the Catechisme quest 53.55.60.66 c. in all which places no other participation of Christ and his benefits is set downe than by a true faith hypocrites and vnbeleeuers being excluded But of these things enough Let the aduersarie now goe and maintaine his error by the testimonies of olde and new writers whereby he is most manifestly confuted CHAP. XIII Vnto the fourth accusation Huber pa. 20 â—7 312. THe fourth absurditie obiected vnto vs followeth That men are driuen to desperation and that no man can haue any certaintie of his saluation This malitious and false crime he tosseth too and fro The summe and effect tendeth to this that all the assurance and comfort of saluation according to our opinion leaneth vpon meere particulars whereof nothing followeth after this sorte Some men are in fauour with God and shall be saued I am a man Therefore I am in fauour with God and shall be saued As though we were so foolish and vnwise that we haue not learned better out of the word of God to comfort our selues and others For as there is of those which shall be damned so there is of such as shall be for euer saued a certaine vniuersalitie in the Scriptures neither can any man that is in his right wits denie that some shall be receiued others refused some shall be saued others shall perish in the last day Math. 24.25 the former reioycing for euer in the fathers kingdome prepared for them before the foundations of the world and these contrariwise suffering eternall torments in vnquencheable fire prepared for the diuell and his angels And albeit God knoweth them that be ordained by him to eternall life or else not ordained and all things that I may vse the words of Luther are set down in Predestination Prefat ad Rom. who shall be saued who damned yet we must not goe vnto election without the word and speculatiuely In Gen. 26. as he speaketh least we fall headlong into desperation or contempt but we must iudge of election a posteritie that is by that which followeth it as they say that is by faith The vniuersalitie of the promise of grace and by other fruites of election arising vnto the very cause it selfe Hence come those most sweete promises made vnto the beleeuers vniuersall surely Come vnto me all ye that labour I will refresh you Matth. 11. Ioh. 3. Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne shall not perish This is the will of the father that all that beleeue in the sonne should haue eternall life Hereunto beare all the prophets witnesse that all that beleeue in him receiue remission of sinnes through his name Acts 10. 13 19. By him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all that beleeue Rom. 3. 9. Whosoeuer beleeeueth in him shall not be confounded For there is one Lord of all rich towards all that call vpon him for whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued
by his secret power brought it to passe that they should not repent at their fathers admonition and should perish God is not the author but reuenger of sin punishing sins with sins he surely working inwardly what by word he forbiddeth outwardly and his power inwardly hindring that which by his manifest will he outwardly commanded to bee done And this is not to be the author or cause of wickednes but it is to inflict iust punishment for the same But how it commeth to passe that the Lord by his secret power worketh inwardly or hindreth that which he forbiddeth or commandeth outwardly in his manifest word it is a higher point then that mans capacitie can finde out These things Brentius Obiection And whereas it is further obiected that vnles by the death of Christ all faithfull and vnfaithfull be forgiuen and in very deed and properly be restored to grace and saluation Christ is charged to haue deluded God and men by a false passion it is a vaine and vnsauourie deuise Com. thes 37. For there is a flat begging of the question in the antecedent seeing the aduersarie thus reasoneth Christ himselfe confesseth that he died not for a few onely but for the whole world to wit for all mankinde Wherefore if it was the counsell of his father that he should die for the elect onely Christ hath mocked God first and then men holding them in suspense with so great hope as though he died for all Where I beseech doth the Lord confesse that he effectually died or would die for all or that he would that all should haue the effect of his death to wit reconciliation righteousnes saluation none at al excepted of the whole vniuersalitie of maÌ„kind whether they imbrace by faith the Sauiour or by vnbeleefe refuse him Christ witnesseth the contrary Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast giuen me It is a wonder if he hath pacified the iudgement and wrath of his father for them for whom he surely did not vouchsafe to pray And in the same chapter For them I sanctifie my selfe that they also may bee sanctified Therefore for whom he praied for them also he offered himselfe a sacrifice to redeeme them effectually from sinne and death and to sanctifie them for euer and so contrariwise CHAP. XVII Of this that only vnbeleefe condemneth and not other sinnes but whosoeuer is condemned for only vnbeleefe he is condemned ALL these things being made plaine Hubers opinion is now spoyled and his threefold ranke scattered here and there whereto he in vaine trusting and furnished more with number then with strength of arguments hath bid this battel vnto the trueth But yet before we make an end of this point wherein we haue taken in hand the confutation of a new and erronious doctrine of Redemption we must not omit what these new Sectaries teach of the cause of damnation to wit how it commeth to passe that whereas they auouch that by the passion of Christ all without exception are discharged from the iudgement and wrath of God Marke this doctrine of the aduersaries How all are not eternally saued that yet were redeemed and saued by Christs death as they say and receiued into the fauour and bosome of God and that the reprobates as well as the elect are saued yet all are not saued for euer This therefore is the cause say they because some abide by faith in saluation receiued others through vnbeleef refuse contemne and cast away saluation gotteÌ„ for them and so by neglecting and despising their saluation make themselues reprobates and therefore onely are damned because they despise grace and through incredulitie doe binde themselues againe in the guiltines of all sinnes These things are in so many words extant in Hubers Thes 19.69.155.245 And also in his Thes 187. he writeth that such as beleeue not tread vnder foote their redemption and propitiation for their sinnes shaking from them through vnbeleefe and so their vnbeâ—eefe is vnto them the onely cause of damnation In like sort Iacob Andree Col. Mompel pag. 548. saith that men are not therefore damned because they haue sinned but because they will not by faith imbrace Iesu Christ who suffered was crucified and died no lesse for the sinnes of the damned than for the sinnes of Peter Paul and all the Saints noting there these words in the margent onely vnbeleefe damneth men What we like in the aduersaries doctrine As touching this doctrine it is confessed if any man truly beleeue in Christ the sinnes of all the world are not able to cast him downe into hell and contrarily if a man haue not faith he shall be damned albeit the righteousnes of all the world were his owne Mar. 16. For he that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned saith that faithfull and true witnesse De verb. Dom. sec Ioh. serm 60. enar Ps 109. And Augustine writeth that onely the sinne of vnbeleefe shutteth the doore against all other sinnes that they are not released by the grace of God as by beleeuing all sins are remitted What we mislike iustly The first faulte or error against the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Yet two things in the said opinion doe iustly displease vs. One is that whereas this opinion is forced to acknowledge that the saluation of Gods kingdome happeneth not but by faith yet it dare auouch that there is remission of sinnes freedome from the iudgement and wrath of God and power of the deuill yea and saluation it selfe without faith For it will haue all these things to come to all men indifferently by Christs death whether they beleeue or not otherwise than all Prophets and Apostles doe testifie Acts 10. that he that beleeueth in Christ through his name receiueth the remission of sinnes the wrath of God abiding vpon the vnbeleeuers Ioh. 3. This is a farre other opinion than if a man should say as Huber doth that all together are set free from all sinne and all iudgement and wrath of God is taken away and blotted out in all men yea in vnbeleeuers onely through vnbeleefe they be againe bound with the guiltines of their sinnes and doe fall againe vnder the wrath of God Serm. 60. Augustine saith well in the forecited place The medicine of all the wounds of the soule and the onely propitiation for the sinnes of men is to beleeue in Christ and by faith we are borne of God and made the sonnes of God as it is written to them that beleeue in his name he hath giuen power to become the sonnes of God The other thing which is worthily reproued in the alleadged opinion is this The second fault or error confuted by foure reasons that it precisely setteth downe the contempt or lothing of the grace of the Gospell through vnbeleefe to bee the cause of damnation For first this opinion presupposeth the offering of the grace of the Gospell in
himself hath made and to punish in many what he hath not made Whereunto also that tendeth that he writeth Epist 105. ad Sixt. presbyt Albeit God make vessels of wrath vnto perdition to declare his wrath and to manifest his power whereby he well vseth the euill and to make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie which he maketh to honour yet he himselfe knew how to condemne and not to make iniquitie in the same vessels of wrath made for the merit of the lampe vnto deserued shame that is in men created for the benefit surely of nature but destinate to punishment because of their sinnes These things Augustine Reprobates are created for the good of nature and appoynted to be punished for sinne to Gods glorie and the saluation of the Elect De praedest gra c. 6. Therefore they that shall be damned are created for the good of nature and are appointed to punishment and damned for sinnes and that not as though it were to this last end that is that they might bee for euer tormented but both for the saluation of the elect and also especially for the glorie of God according to the threefold maner briefly assigned of Augustine in the words of the Apostle Of which matter elsewhere also he hath left it written that God vseth the perdition of some to the saluation of others and would haue the destruction of such as shall perish to be an argument of saluation to thē that he hath predestinate to be vessels of mercie Also Why is not grace giuen to all De bono perseuer cap. 8. I answere because God is a righteous Iudge therefore both freely grace is giuen of him and also by his iust iudgement against others it is declared that grace helpeth them to whom it is giuen and so God commendeth more freely his grace in the vessels of mercie How God could elect or reprobate men from euerlasting seeing then they were not Lastly if it trouble any man how God from euerlasting hath elected or reprobated them that as yet were not let him consider that to God all things are present for he comprehendeth with an eternall and stedfull view all times and temporarie things together Therfore before he would make vs he foreknew vs and in his foreknowledge when as yet he had not made vs he chose vs before the creatiō of the world Within the world we were made and before the world wee were elected for he foreknew vs in his prescience vnchangeably abiding whom hee in his time would create after his image and likenes and whom falling through his permission from that dignitie into the pit of sinne and death he would either deliuer through the vndeserued bountie of his mercie or els condemne through deserued and true iudgement CHAP. V. Of the causes of predestination ANd these things of the first question Let vs come to the second The materiall cause be men and the things that God hath decreed for them wherein the causes of predestination are demanded And the materiall cause surely men themselues are and those things that God decreed to doe for the predestinate as are grace faith good workes and perseuerance in goodnes c. in this present life and glorie in respect of the elect and punishment in respect of the reprobates in the life to come Further the definitions before alleaged doe shew the forme The finall cause The finall cause also both of election and reprobation is of Paul not obscurely declared when Rom. 9. he testifieth that God would shew his wrath and make knowne his power in the vessels of wrath formed to destruction but in the vessels prepared for mercie he would make knowne the riches of his glorie Whereunto tendeth that also of Pharao To this end haue I stirred thee vp that I might declare my power and that my name may be knowne in all the earth And of the elect Ephes 1. he saith He hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes to the praise of his glorious grace Briefly the last end of election and reprobation is the glorie of God as the Wiseman teacheth Prou. 16. He hath made all things for himselfe euen the wicked against the euill day But he would make manifest specially his mercie in the saluation of the elect De bono perseuer cap. 12. and his wrath in the punishment of the rest and yet his goodnes and iustice in all Because as Augustine witnesseth It is good when due debt is rendered and it is iust The chiefe question is of the impulsiue cause of election and reprobation when debt is without any mans hinderance freelie forgiuen But the question chiefly in controuersie is of the impulsiue cause of election and reprobation which is referred to the kind of efficient causes whether any cause can be assigned which might moue God to chuse and refuse To the vnderstanding of which question wee must distinguish For the question may be taken either generally Two questions The first generall why he eelected some and reiected others why he hath elected some and reiected others or particularly of the election and reprobation of euery one why he hath elected these men and reprobated those As for example why he hath elected Iacob before Esau Moses before Pharao Peter before Iudas And of the first question wee must render a reason from the things that before haue been spoken of the end of predestination For the end either is considered as it is in the things themselues and as it followeth the action and so it is properly called an end or els as being comprehended in the minde and desire it moueth the doer and so it is counted the impulsiue cause Therefore seeing in them that shall be saued God hath set downe the manifestation of his mercy to be the last cause The manifestatiō of Gods mercie and iustice is the impulsiue cause and in thē that shal be damned the manifestation of his iustice and the end as far forth as it moueth to doing is to be takē for the efficient cause therefore this manifestation both of mercie and iustice that is of the goodnes and glory of God is after a sort the efficient cause both of electiō reprobatiō of some The second particular why this man before that No reason but the onely will of God can be giuen why this man is elected and that man is reprobated shewed by two similitudes But why he hath elected these men and reprobated those wee can alledge no other reason thereof than the meere most free and most gratious will and good pleasure of God As surely in the vniuersalitie of things there may be a reason assigned why God in the beginning created one part of the first matter being in it selfe wholly of one forme vnder the forme of fire another parte vnder the forme of earth namely that so there might be a diuersitie of kinds in things naturall But why this part hath
to Aug. Tom. 7. their error being ouerthrowen by the sound Byshops specially by Augustine a notable defender of the faith as hee is worthily praysed of Hilarie certaine other sprung vp worthy and famous men in all studie of vertues sauing that the spirite of Pelagian impiety deceiued them and therefore called Semipelagians These mens declaration and profession was that all men sinned in Adams sinne and that none are saued by their workes but by the grace of God through regeneration yet notwithstanding that euery man hath so much of naturall grace left that he may attaine vnto that sauing grace by the helpe of the first grace if he wil. Therefore in respect of God that eternall life is prepared for all but in respect of free will that it is apprehended of them that shall beleeue in God willingly as of themselues and shall receiue the helpe of grace by the merite of faith Or els to speake more plainely They did defend against the Pelagians that a man is not able of himselfe to rise againe and to worke wel yet they supposed that euery one had in him a wil to rise againe which seeketh only after the phisition but can do nothing of it selfe and they said that no mans nature was so extinguished or depraued that it ought not or was not able to be willing to be healed and therefore that they obtained both increase of faith and also the whole effect of their holinesse by that merite whereby they haue beene willing and haue beleeued that they may be healed of their disease when the occasion of obtaining saluatioÌ„ is preached to them that are cast down and can neuer rise vp againe in their own strength Neuerthelesse they consented herein that no man had sufficient power of himselfe euen to begin a work much lesse to bring it to perfection For they distinguished between works and faith whereof they would haue if not the increase yet the beginning albeit slender to consist in the power of man that the beginning of saluation may bee beleeued to arise from him that is saued and not from him that saueth and that the will of a man should bee thought to procure for it selfe the helpe of Gods grace and not that grace should bee thought to subiect the will vnto it And this position being layd Marke these errors of the Semipelagians that all men haue a wil in them whereby they may either contemne or imbrace saluation offered they thought that the reason of such as are elected or reiected is soone giuen to wit that God before the creation of the world foreknew who would beleeue or who would abide or not abide in that faith that after should be holpen by his grace and according to this prescience that hee either chose such as would beleeue or els reprobated such as would not beleeue or at the least whom hee foreknewe that they would not perseuere Predestination defined by the Semipelagian at first Whereupon predestination was no other thing with these men than Gods purpose of electing such as would beleeue in time to come This was the opinion of the Semipelagians of these weightie articles namely of free will of grace and predestination And Augustine himselfe was of the same opinion in the beginning before he was a Bishop as it appeareth in his booke of expositions vpon the epistle to the Romans and in Hilaries epistle to Augustine His words are Augustine was a Semipelagian at first which also those remnants of the Pelagian prauitie obiected to be their opinion that God in his foreknowledge did elect them that would beleeue and condemne vnbeleeuers neither choosing the one for their works nor damning the other for their works but granting to their faith to doe well and hardening the impietie of others to doe euill And againe God surely in his prescience chooseth not any mans works which he freely giueth but yet he chooseth faith in his prescience that whom he foreknew would beleeue him he hath chosen c. These things said Augustine at that time In like maner many other learned meÌ„ erred being not acquainted with the Pelagian heresie that was not as yet sprung vp and being careles without an enemie De doctr Christ lib. 3. cap. 33. as else where Augustine speaketh of Ticonius Hereupon also the Commentaries vpon the Romans that are read in the Tomes of Hierome haue it written that Iacob and Esau before they were borne were separated before God by the merite of faith Also I will haue mercie vpon him So was Ierome Chrysostome and Erasmus Dial. 3. infint whom I foreknew was able to deserue mercie And Hierome himselfe to Hedibia quaest 10. seemeth to incline thereto saying that not men themselues but their wills were elected Albeit Hierome was of a better iudgement in his writings against the Pelagians wherein he speaketh very honorably of Augustine and testifieth that he resteth himselfe in his disputations against the Pelagians But Chrysostome in his exposition vpon the ninth to the Romans plainely writeth that God as he foresaw euery one to be worthie or vnworthie of his grace so either elected or reiected them In Dâ—â—tribe Hyperaspiste Among the new writers Erasmus maintaineth the same opinion Neither do they seeme to be far from the same who write in these manie words that faith is the cause of election and yet they will not be Pelagians Coll. â—omp fol. 5â—8 Let them bee then Semipelagians Such also is that that another of the same stampe writeth Huber thes 786. sequen That God foreknowing from euerlasting who would receiue grace and continue and who not put this supposition or condition vnder his election that whosoeuer beleeue in Christ should be saued What I pray differeth this opinion from the definition of the Semipelagians saying that Predestination or election is the purpose of electing those that would beleeue Or els Note if they think that herein they are farre from them because they acknowledge that faith is the worke not of nature but of the holy Ghost doe they not perceiue that they tye the knot faster and not loose it For this is the question why a liuely and constant faith to saluation is from God inspired into some and not into others But to the point Whether the foreknowledge of workes or of faith bee set downe to be the cause of election it is an error vnsufferable For euidently we are taught in the sacred Scriptures that not onely good workes Grace alone is the cause of faith and good works but also faith it selfe from whence all righteousnes beginneth and euen the beginning of faith and the will or desire to beleeue are of meere grace and not as of vs. As it is written What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Againe Without maye can doe nothing saith the trueth 1. Cor. 4. Ioh. 15. Phil. 1. And plainly
Paul to the Philip. To you saith he it is giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake How Augustine recanted his former error By these and the like testimonies of diuine Scripture Augustine being conuicted freely acknowledged his error in this point and retracted it de praedest sanct cap. 3 passimeo libro Ad Simplicianum Sancti Ambrosij successorem apud Mediol lib. 1. quaest 2. contra 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Retract lib. 1. Aug. de bono perseu cap. 12. cap. 23. lib. 2. cap. 1. For it is incident to man to fall and to erre but wittingly and willingly to continue in error is deuillish neither ought any man to bee so vniust or enuious that either he will not profit himselfe or els hinder others that are desirous to profit Fourthly The fourth opinion that the foreseene abuse of free will to infidelitie and other euill works is the cause of reprobation confuted by Augustine other confesse that the cause of election to eternall life is in God alone namely his grace and good pleasure but they suppose no lesse than the former writers that the cause of reprobation is in men themselues to wit the foreseene abuse of freewill to infidelitie and other euil works For they be afraid least any iniquitie should bee with God if some bee said to bee reiected of him without all respect of workes Therefore that they may maintaine his iustice forsooth they write that as many as bee reprobated are reprobated for finall sinne foreseene Among the Schoolemen Scotus and his disciples follow this opinion Scotus Hereupon some of that same leauen haue defined reprobation to be the eternall foreknowledge of the euill vse of freewill Thomas Argentinus his definition of reprobation Lib. 1. q. 2. by reason whereof God hath decreed to depriue some man of his grace in this present life and to punish him in the life to come with euerlasting paine But as Augustine ad Simpl. rightly iudgeth If we should graunt that reprobation dependeth of euill workes foreseene it should altogether follow on the contrarie that election also ariseth of good workes foreseene Which if it be true it is false that it is not of workes Fiftly therefore and that is the true opinion The fift opinion soundest and best as foreseene workes or faith of such as shall be saued are not the cause of their election so neither is the vnbeleefe or other sinnes foreseene of them that shall bee damned the cause of their reprobation but that they are in Christ of meere mercie elected and these are iustly from the same mercie reiected according to the purpose of Gods will which as it is most free so most iust and the very rule of all equitie and iustice CHAP. VII A demonstration of election freely arising oft h◠meere good pleasure of God FOr the defence of this trueth and the larger confutation of the contrarie opinions there be sundry arguments and testimonies of the Scriptures and those most cleere and euident from whence we will onely produce some The 1. reason 1. The cause is not later than the effect But workes and faith in vs and the very will and desire to beleeue and what good vse soeuer of freewill in vs bee later than election For all these things are temporall whereas election is eternall according to the sayings He elected vs before the creation of the world Ephe. 1. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 1. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid He hath called vs with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Obiection If they except that our workes not as done but as to be done and foreseene of God are alike eternall Answere we answere that God foresaw no good worke or will in vs which he decreed not to effect in vs and which in predestinating he prepared not for vs as it is said to the Ephes 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them And chap. 1. of the same Epistle He hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him From whence we vnderstand seeing in that we are predestinate of God to life it commeth to passe that wee doe good workes and beleeue so euen the foreknowledge of future faith in vs and of those good things which we shall doe is later then election at the least in order reason The 2. 2. To the same end it commeth if we should argue thus Good workes likewise faith and what vse soeuer of freewill to worke or to beleeue or els to thinke of any goodnes flow from the meere grace of God as the effects of Gods electiō as at large after shall be shewed Therefore neither as done neither as to be done and foreseene of God can these things be considered as the causes of election For nothing can bee both the cause and effect in respect of the same thing Ad Simpl. lib. 1. Workes saith Augustine do not beget grace but are begotten of grace Two fine similitudes The fire warmeth not that it may be hot but because it is hot Neither doth the wheele therefore runne well that it may bee round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because he hath receiued it 3. The 3. reason If our foreseene good workes were the cause of predestination to eternall saluation they should bee the cause also of our calling and iustification The later is false Therefore also the first The Maior is proued by the rule That which is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused as they speake that is of the effect But predestination is the cause of vocation and iustification as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified The Minor also is most easily proued 2. Tim. 1. seeing the holie Ghost expressely testifieth that we are saued of God and called with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Likewise Paul in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians most largely discourseth of iustification euery way freely bestowed He requireth faith surely as the meane whereby we applie righteousnes and saluation offered to vs in the Gospell but not as of our selues for it is the gift of God And therfore if euen the foreknowledge of faith Ephes 2.8 as from vs be set downe to be the cause of election it will follow that neither iustification is euery way free Otherwise it standeth firme that we are iustified by faith as by a meane yet faith is not
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
things he ought to do hope for So according to their opinion that should only be the calling of God which is outwardly made by the word As though hee did discerne such as heare the Gospell from such as beare not and not rather the beleeuers froÌ„ such as beleeue not who said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse it bee giuen him of the father And in many places the Scripture teacheth that faith and conuersion what good worke soeuer we haue flowe from God Lament 5. Turne vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned saith Ieremie Ierem. 31. Eze. 36. And it is promised in the Prophetes that the time shall come when God will write his law in their heartes and giue them a newe hart a fleshy hart and take away their stony that he will put a new spirit and the feare of him in their hartes and make vs to walke in his precepts In the Gospell also the Lord speaking of the fruit of righteousnes testifieth that we be able to do nothing without him Ioh. 15. Again ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and I haue appointed you to bring forth fruite and that your fruite should remaine 1. Cor. 4. And Paul saith what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued And expressely the same man affirmeth that repentance is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2. Gal. 5. Ephes 5. As he also reckoneth faith and all good workes to be the fruits of the spirit He testifieth also that we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them Ephes 1. And to take away all doubt he plainely writeth that we are elected before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be holy and blameles Therefore also the Church praieth both for Infidels and such as resist the doctrine of the Gospell that they may be conuerted vnto God also for the faithfull that they may grow in saith and perseuer therein For the things that he hath commanded to be done would not be requested of God except it were his free gifte that they were done The 2. error of the Semipelagians Other men albeit they confesse that good works and faith also according to the growth of it bee of God yet they will haue the beginning of faith to come of vs as if faith were not giuen vs of God but onely increased of him in vs by the merit of our beliefe or of our good wil and so the good will of a man should bee the cause of Gods grace and not grace the cause of our will This opinion Prosper and Hilarie attribute to the Semipelagians Epist. ad Aug. Tom. 7. or the reliques as they cal them of the Pelagian heresie And Augustine himselfe was sometime in this error as when he saith I hat we beleeue it is ours but that we do good Expos ad Rom. it is his who giues to the faithfull the holie Ghost And a little after To beleeue and to be willing is ours but to giue to the beleeuers and willers power to worke well by the holy Ghost that is Gods But he acknowledged afterward this error Lib. 1. cap. 23. passim lib. de praedest sanct and amended it in his retractions and elsewhere where he sheweth at large that not onely faith increased but also begunne in vs is Gods gift the grace of the caller preuenting our wil that we may be willing according to the sayings who first gaue to him he shal recompence him because of him Rom. 1â— Paul 1. and through him and in him are all things To you it is giuen not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake He saith simplie to beleeue not more perfectly to beleeue Rom. 12. Like as that is to the Ro. God hath distributed to euery one a measure of faith Also to the Ephe. Yee are saued by grace through faith Ephes 2. and this is not of your selues it is the gift of God that is eueÌ„ that which I said through faith is not of our selues but is the gift of God The same Apostle saith we are not fit to thinke any thing 2. Cor. 3. as of our selues then not so much as to beleeue because to beleeue is nothing els than to thinke with assente To beleeue what it is Also chap. 4. of the 1. Epistle What hâ—st thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued why doest thou brag Phil. 2. as though thou hadst not receiued Expressely also it is said of the will that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe of his good will his doubtles and not ours Therefore it remaineth firme that the will is preuented of God and that from him it is in â—â—â—led into vs that we doe beleeue Obiection But thou wilt say Gods giftes are giuen to such as pray and prayer presupposeth faith Therefore man of himselfe bringeth faith at the least the beginning of it that he may be capable of grace and the giftes of God Answere But the Maior is particular seeing God giueth some things euen to them that pray not as the beginning of faith other things no otherwise than by prayer And thus Augustine answereth this doubt chap. 16. de bono perseu alijs locis The 2. error of the Papists works of preparation Thirdly there be inuented of certaine men works I know not what morally good whereby a man before faith and repentance prepareth himselfe to grace yea deserueth grace de congruo of conueniencie as they speake And that would they prooue by the example of Cornelius who was endued with the knowledge of Christ while the Lorde respected his prayers and almes By these mens opinion that wicked sentence is maintained Aug. de praedest sanct cap 2. con 2. ep Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. which Pelagius himselfe in his episcopall iudgement in Palestine condemned albeit with an hypocriticall heart to wit that the grace of God is giuen according to our deserts Beside when the Apostle saith who hath seuered thee What hast thou that thou hast not receiued by these mens opinion I may say my worke doeth seuer me my endeuour Ephe 2. Heb. 11. and merite What that the scripture teacheth that we are all dead in offences sinnes before faith that without this it is impossible that we or our workes should please God Tell me I pray what good will had Paul and not rather a great wicked wil that breathing forth slaughter went forward destroying Christians in the horrible blindenesse of his minde By what merites of his will by what preparation of works did God conuert him from these euils to faith In like maner how many enemies of Christ dayly are drawen of a suddaine by the secert grace of God to Christ Lastly the
meere false accusations and haue been fully before confuted in their places Obiection But say they albeit these conclusions of mans reason are ill drawen from the determined sentence of Gods will Whither this doctrine must be concealed because it offendeth some touching those that shall be saued and damned which we terme Predestination yet for their sakes who are offended this doctrine albeit true ought to be concealed rather than taught and propounded The reason is this The truth ought often to be concealed for their sakes that cannot comprehend it by the example of Christ I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them away now and of the Apostle I could not speake vnto you as spirituall but as vnto carnall euen as to babes in Christ I haue giuen you milke and not strong meate for ye were not yet able for it neither as yet ye be A Syllogisme But it is confessed that many cannot comprehend the doctrine of predestination Therefore for their sakes it ought to be concealed namely least we should make them worse who do not vnderstand it while we would make them better learned that do vnderstand it Answere De bono perseu cap. 16. Vnto this argument long agoe often vsed of the Semipelagians doth our Augustine answere And hee answereth to the Maior which is onely particular and then is of force when a man runneth into daunger by speaking onely the truth and not also by concealing it I will set it downe in Augustines words When the trueth may be concealed It were tedious to seeke out or alleage all the causes of concealing the truth yet this is one least we make them worse that vnderstand it not while wee desire to make them better learned that doe vnderstand it who though wee should conceale such a thing are neither the better learned nor worse But when a truth standeth thus that he that cannot vnderstand it is made worse by our speaking of it and he that can is made worse by our concealing of it When the trueth must be taught and not concealed ought not the truth rather to be spoken that he that is able to vnderstand it may vnderstand it than to be concealed that not onely both may not comprehend it but also that he that is of a better vnderstanding may become worse who if he should vnderstand it more men by him might learne Let the truth therefore be spoken specially where some doubt forceth vs to speake it and let them vnderstand it that are able least peraduenture when it is concealed for their sakes that cannot vnderstand it such as are able are not onely defrauded of the truth but also intangled in falsehood Luthers answere albeit in other wordes is all one with this de seruo arbit cap. 40. And this differēce is most easily confirmed Are not many at this day offēded The Apostles taught the trueth though many were offended at it Rom. 3. 6. long ago were offended at the doctrine of grace iustificatiō by only faith in Christ Iesu that they spoke euil of the very Apostles falsly reported thē to say Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof let vs sin that grace may abound And yet for that cause ought not the true doctrine of grace the iustification of a man be suppressed with one silence neither must we be an occasion of any mans perishing that is deluded with a false perswasion of his workes and merites So 1. Cor. 1. as Paul testifieth Christ crucified was a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Grecians Did Paul therefore slacke any whit of his wonted diligence in preaching the worde of the crosse yea because by foolish preaching it pleased God to saue such as beleeue he determined to know nothing but Christ Iesu crucified Farwell then that preprosterous warynes of those men that suppose that the doctrine of predestination ought to be buried in silence because it agreeth not with the iudgement of the flesh We on the contrary stand to the iudgement of the spirit and say that reason must be commaunded both euery where else in causes of faith and also especially in this So it shall come to passe that the mysteries of heauenly doctrine may be layd open and made sweete vnto vs. Obiection And whereas it was alleaged besides that the more ancient fathers before Augustine had defended the Catholike faith for so many yeeres euen without this defining of predestination hereunto it is answered Answere to the obiection concerning the fathers before Augustine that the ancient fathers were not altogether silent in this matter For euen they preached the true grace of God as it ought to be preached that is before which do goe no merites of man De bono perseu cap. 19. Which thing Augustine sheweth plainely by the testimonies of Cyprian Ambrose and others That is an excellent saying of Cyprian We must glorie in nothing seeing nothing is ours But Ambrose sayd Our heart and thoughts are not in our owne power Also Amb. in Luc. in expos proamij the will of men is prepared of God and whatsoeuer is honourable in the saints the same is of his grace The same writer vpon Luke intreating of the Samaritans that would not receiue Christ withall learne saith he that he would not receiue hollow hearted conuerts for if he would he would haue made them deuout that had no deuotion in them For whom he vouchsafeth he calleth Greg. Naz. whom he will he maketh religious Gregorie Nazianzene also is cited of Augustine who witnesseth that both giftes come from God both to beleeue in God and also to confesse what wee beleeue Besides it is the consent of the whole Church which neuer wanted this thing in her prayers For when did not the Church pray for vnbeleeuers for her enemies that they might beleeue and for the faithfull that they might grow from faith to faith and continue therein to the ende Neither doe the faithfull aske any other thing in the Lordes prayer specially when they say leade vs not into temptation but that they may through the gift of God continue in a holy obedience As therefore the Church was borne hath growen and nowe increaseth in these prayers so also in this faith to beleeue that the grace of God is giuen not according to the merites of them that receiue it seeing the Church would not pray that faith might be giuen to vnbeleeuers and perseuerance in faith to the faithfull vnlesse she had alwayes beleeued of a certainety that they be the giftes of God And who wil say that those fathers and the vniuersal Church did so confesse the grace of God that they durst deny his foreknowledge which not only the learned but also the vnlearned confesse Futher if they so knew that God gaue these things as that they were not ignorant of his foreknowledge that he would giue to whom he would giue out
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
vse of the former doctrine for the confutation of certaine errors BY the doctrine alreadie expounded Heretikes denying Christ to be true man are confuted by the former doctrine Leo epist 85 97. those men are confuted which haue denied the trueth of mans substance in Christ as Eutyches Apollianaris Manichaeus Marcion and other old Heretikes and at this day certaine Anabaptists who haue wallowed in the vngodly errors of old Heretikes Pope Leo vrging these men saith Let them speake with what sacrifice they are reconciled let them speake with what blood they are redeemed who is he that hath giuen himselfe an oblation to God So are the popish merits of Saints these paâ—ker of pardons the upon brought in wherby Christs merits are prophaned and a sacrifice of a sweete sauour Furthermore by this same doctrine the Papists are refelled who ioyne the sufferings of the Saints to the passions of Christ and thereof haue confusedly made their fained treasure of pardons Neither are they ashamed to boast of the superfluitie of merits and humane satisfactions that the Saints haue suffered more then they ought for their sinnes and heaping one error vpon another haue fained that this their superabundance pertaineth not only to the quick but also to the dead in purgatorie This is a meere mockerie of Satan and a prophanation of the blood of Christ as Pope Leo notably sheweth in the forenamed Epistles against the Papists of these times whose words are these A notable saying of Pope Leo against the meritorious suffrings of Saints Albeit saith he the death of many Saints hath been precious in the sight of God yet the slaying of no guiltles person hath been the propitiation of the world The righteous haue receiued they haue not giuen crownes and from the fortitude of the faithfull examples of patience haue sprong and not gifts of righteousnes For there were peculiar deaths in euery one neither hath any man by his end paied the debt of another seeing among the sonnes of men there hath been one alone our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all are crucified all are dead all are buried and all are also raised vp againe And before Leo Pope Gaius of the countrie of Dalmatia being in that Sea about the yeare of our Lord 284. wrote the same thing elegantly vnto Bishop Felix the doctrine of which ancient Bishops I would to God the Romane Church had kept inuiolablie A saying of Augustine to the same end Vpon the same point Augustine writeth in his 84. treatise vpon Iohn Albeit we brethren die one for another yet the blood of no martyr is shed for the remission of sinnes which Christ did for vs and bestowed it not vpon vs that wee should imitate it but that we should be thankefull for it The trifling Pardoners or more truly sacrilegious deceiuers obiect the words of the Apostle to the Colossians Colos 1.24 Scripture abused by popish pardoners I reioyce in those things which I suffer for you and I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodie which is the Church But the true sense of that place they might haue learned euen of Aquinas who part 3. of his Summae quaest 48. artic penult disputing that only Christ is our redemption obiecteth this place and thus expoundeth it The sufferings of the Saints profit the Church not by way of redemption but by way of example and exhortation according to that 2. Cor. 1. Whether we be afflicted it is for your exhortation and saluation Which is very well sauing that for exhortation a man may better translate the Greeke word Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in that the afflictions of the Saints are called the rest of the afflictioÌ„s of Christ he doth not meane that the passion of Christ was vnperfect farre off be such blasphemie but therefore that is spoken because Christ suffereth daily as yet in his members but to a farre diuerse end and after another maner But those men are not ashamed such is their wickednesse to bragge of the superabundance as I said of humane merits and satisfactions Our sufferings are not meritorious Rom. 8.18 which redoundeth to the quicke and dead What doth not the Scripture plainly testifie that the things which wee suffer in this present life are not equall to the glorie that shall bee shewed in the sonnes of God What that none can redeeme his brother nor giue the price of his raunsome to God For the redemption of the soule is precious Psalm 49.8.9 as the Psalmist singeth Vpon which place Basil in his gloses noteth Basils sayings thereof worthie remembrance that the whole world is not the price of a soule And tom 1. vpon the same Psalme saith Man hath no abilitie at all to offer a reconciliation to God for a sinner because he himselfe is guiltie of sinne For all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu Therefore no man can giue his owne appeasement and the price of his soule to God neither ought to seeke his brother to redeeme him but one who surpasseth our nature that is not man only but the man God Iesus Christ who alone is able to giue himselfe to be a reconciliation to God for vs all These things he Therefore all men must hope in him alone We must then rest vpoÌ„ Christ alone for redemption propitiation and saluation who onely is the Mediatour of God and man the redemption propitiation and saluation of all men Let our heart say vnto him I will loue thee O Lord my strength my rocke my tower my deliuerer my shield and the horne of my saluation I will trust in thee and I shall neuer be ashamed Hauing an high priest saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes which is mercifull Chap. 2. 4. and faithfull in things concerning God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs goe with confidence to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie Let vs goe in a true heart and certaine perswasion of faith Chap. 10.19.20.22 hauing libertie to enter into the Sanctuarie by the blood of Iesu by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh There is no cause there is no cause I say why we should doubt to goe by him vnto God If wee haue committed grieuous things we haue found a worthie Phisition wee receiue the soueraigne medicine of his grace And not that onely but also we trust that he which hath not spared his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 but giuen him for vs all will also with him bestow vpon vs all things CHAP. VII Of the time of the Redemption purchased IT followeth that we consider diligently of the time also of this redemption purchased for vs by Christ And it is manifest by the historie of the Gospell
creature through Christ seeing the Apostle writeth so expresselie If any man be in Christ that is hath admitted the faith of Christ and beleeueth in him as Hierome Theophylacte and other ancient writers obserue he is a new creature And Augustine saith Contr. faust lib. 11. cap. 8. Therefore euery new creature that is the renewed people by faith in Christ hath now cause to hope in him Therefore such as are and remaine without Christ neither are nor euer were new creatures and whereas Paul saith We know no man hence forth after the flesh the meaning is not that euery one is renewed by the benefit of Christ as the aduersarie wresteth the saying but this he meaneth that all not regenerate be to him as though they were not yet borne that he respecteth or praiseth no carnall thing in any man but approueth him who is made a new creature by the faith of Christ that he may liue henceforth to him and not to the world Augustine and Theophylacte restraine that word no man to the beleeuers in sense somewhat diuerse from that we now spake of Hereof it is manifest that the opinion of the vniuersall redemption and renewing of all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers is cleane contrary to the words of the Apostle Goe to then thou wilt say How saith hee that Christ died for all I answer because the benefit of Christ is sufficient of it selfe to saue all although it haue effect in those onely who cleaue vnto Christ as members vnto the head by the holy Ghost August Theophylact. Augustine in the place before cited and Theophylact in his comment respecting efficiencie restraine the generall terme according to the custome of the scripture vnto the faithfull for euen they alone are dead to sinne and liue to Christ who died and rose for them And Augustine bringeth the place Ephes 2. Confirming this opinion where the Apostle saith When we were dead because of sinnes he hath quickened vs together with Christ by whose grace ye are saued and hath raised vs and placed vs together in heauen that he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace towards vs for ye are saued by grace thorow faith and ye are the worke of God created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes The 3. place Rom. 8.31 32. Thirdly the place Rom. 8. is obiected If God be for vs who can be against vs Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all c. But here nothing is proued concerning the generalitie of men simplie but of the vniuersality of the faithfull and elect seeing the generall terme All is restrained vnto such as when the same Apostle writeth of Abraham that he is the father of vs all Rom. 4. Gal. 4. and of that high Ierusalem that it is the mother of vs all verilie he would not haue it vnderstoode of all men but of all the faithfull The same restraint is here for vs all and many things concurre if we consider what goeth before and what followeth which most plainely confirme this opinion Certainely these are the words of beleeuers and such as insult ouer the world which they ouercome by faith If God be for vs who can be against vs How shall hee not bestow vpon vs all things who hath not spared his owne sonne for vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ In all things we are more then conquerors thorow him that loued vs. Againe Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect August It is God who iustifieth Hereupon Augustine de correp grat cap. 7. writeth that this is a saying concerning the kingdome of the elect If God be with vs who can be against vs and the rest that follow But it is obiected that Paul speaketh to all to whom he wrote his epistle among whom there were some not elected but to be cut off with the vnbeleeuers That is likely to be true but it is meete and right according to the nature of charitie that Paul should iudge of all the sonnes of the Church at Rome and elsewhere so long as the contrarie did not appeare as of the beloued and elect of God as he witnesseth of himselfe Phil. 1.7 and 1. Thess 1.4 The sayings euen now cited are examples thereof Gal. 4.26 Rom. 4.16 and 8.18 Fourthly it is said Hebr. 2.8 The 4. place of aduersary Hebr. 2.8 to 17. 9 c. Thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete And in that he put all things vnder him he omitted nothing that is not subiect vnto him But now as yet we see not all things subiect vnto him but we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour who was made for a little while inferior to the Angels for the suffering of death that by the benefit of God he might taste of death for all For it was meete that he for whom are all these things and by whom are all things should by bringing many sonnes vnto glorie consecrate the prince of their saluation thorough afflictions For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one For which cause he was not ashamed to call them bretheren saying I will declare thy name vnto my bretheren in the middest of the Church will I sing praise vnto thee And againe I will trust in him And againe Beholde I and the children whom God hath giuen me Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also was made partaker of the same that by death he might abolish him who had the power of death that is the deuill and might deliuer as many as thorough feare of death were all their life subiect vnto bondage For verely he tooke not vpon him the Angels but the seede of Abraham Thes 168. Out of these words Huberus frameth certaine arguments which let the reader iudge and weigh with me First thus he inferreth All things are subiect vnto Christ without exception therefore also the reprobates and by consequence they ought also to belong to the communion of saluation and the kingdome of grace I answer that all things are subiect vnto Christ 1. Cor. 15. â— 26. 55. but not vnto the communion of Saluation otherwise the diuell also with his Angels sinne death and hell it selfe should be receiued vnto the fellowship of saluation and grace according to the minde of this disputer But all things are subiect vnto him because he hath rule ouer all is Lord of all whether they be beleeuers or vnbeleeuers of these to death of the other to life as Faber Stapulensis hath well written vpon this place To that that he writeth that the reprobates are subiect vnto Christ as their Sauiour that is that they might bee saued wee will then consent when he hath taught that al things are subiect vnto Christ for saluation euen sheepe and oxen and the very deuils Truly all things are subiect vnto Christ the Sauiour Matth. 28. but not as to
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
The promise requireth faith And often elsewhere after this sort is the promise of saluation and eternall life made vnto the beleeuers repeated For the promise requireth faith and in respect of the beleeuers it is vniuersall as Ambrose also well expoundeth it lib. 1. de poenit ca. 10. Ambrose He that hath faith hath eternall life he is not excluded from pardon whosoeuer beleeueth shall not perish When he saith whosoeuer no man is excluded no man excepted All saith he that is of what state soeuer of what fall soeuer if he beleeueth let him not be afraide of perishing Now out of this vniuersall ground this is the argument wherewith we ouercome the world the diuell sinne death and hell A Syllogisme shewing how a man ought to applie to himselfe the generall promise Whosoeuer shall beleeue in Christ shall be saued by his grace and not be ashamed for euer The faithfull person assumeth I beleeue Lord. The conclusion followeth Therefore I shall be saued by the grace of God and not be ashamed for euer The maior of the Syllogisme is plaine by the promises produced before He that beleeueth hath in himselfe the proofe of the minor The beleeuer knoweth himselfe to haue faith and how for he certainely knoweth himselfe to beleeue his owne minde so telling him and his ready and vnfayned studie of new obedience witnessing the same whereupon faith is knowne as the tree by the fruites For as Iohn saith 1. Epist. 2. By this we are sure we know him if we keepe his commaundements He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar and the trueth is not in him Hereupon also Augustine hath left it in writing that euery one most certainely seeth his faith if he haue the same Which saying of his Luther in Galat. 4. cap. Luther also alloweth as right and godly Yea the Apostle himselfe prescribeth this rule 2. Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether you be in faith examine your selues Wherein he sufficiently declareth that such as be ingraffed into Christ by a true faith may haue the knowledge therof in themselues Marke this But if Satan as if he is a lyar and murtherer from the beginning dare denie vnto thee that thou beleeuest yeelde not vnto him whosoeuer thou art O man who throughly perceiuest the tokens of faith in thy selfe but contrariwise goe most boldlie and say vnto him Goe behinde me Satan Matth. 16. 2. Tim. 1. for thou sauourest not the things which are of God I know whome I haue beleeued and I am perswaded 1. Thess 5. that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day He is faithfull who hath called me who also will effect it A weake faith ought not to cast a man downe Neither is there any cause why thou shouldst bee troubled and cast downe in minde for the imperfection of faith and for those contrary motions feare doubtings heauines and manifolde temptations wherewith we daily fight as long as we carrie about this bodie of death For we know him who hath said Beholde my seruant whom I haue chosen my beloued Esay 24. Matth 12. he shall not breake a brused reede and smoking flaxe hee shall not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victorie Matth. 14.31 16 8. How often hath the Lord testified by notable examples in the Gospell towards his disciples and others greatly weake in faith how he doth not cast off but with great loue and lenitie receiue and cherish such as are weake in faith and daily maketh them more stronger Faith therefore although it be faint Rom. 14.3 so long as it is true and sincere shall not fayle of his effect Onely let him who feeleth himselfe to doubte exercise his faith If thou doubt doe this and wrestle against doubting let him say with the father of the child that had the dumbe spirit I beleeue Lord Mark 9. Luk. 17. helpe mine vnbelefe and let him pray with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Is this to driue men to desperation Is this to reason from pure particulars And what other consolation I pray you may be brought whereby a man may be made certaine of his saluation to wit that he is iust before God and heire of eternall life Certainely if we haue no other ground of comfort than that such as shall bee saued and damned the elect and reprobates are all alike redeemed by Christ we shall fall headlong into desperation Therefore madde and foolish he must needes be that thus concludeth They that are saued and damned The weake and wofull comfort that ariseth from the redemption of all and euery one without exception are all alike redeemed by Christ Ergo it will come to passe that I shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Therefore it appeareth that that vniuersalitie of men redeemed no one at all excepted which the aduersarie so greatly talketh of is not the proper ground of Christian consolation but we must come to faith which putteth difference betweene those that shall be saued and damned For by faith we receiue the merite of Christ and applie it to our selues and therefore he that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he that beleeueth not in the sonne Iob. 3. shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And hitherto at the length is the aduersarie brought will he nill he to the intent he may assigne some thing certaine of the certaintie of saluation We saith he The aduersarie himselfe confesseth the truth Thes 534. Doe knowe that saluation is certaine vndoubted and constant and we say that it pertaineth vnto them who by faith abide in Christ and we say that they shall abide in faith who suffer not the word of vniuersall grace vpon all The faithfull shall continue Luke 22. Ioh. 17. to be taken frō themselues We also say the same thing and further say that they shall perseuer in the word and assurance of grace who are once ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuelie faith he praying for them and giuing them this freely that their faith shall not fayle For this foundation being once remoued of the perseuerance of true beleeuers what certainty can any man haue of the grace of God in time to come and therefore of his saluation What that the vniuersalitie of the promise which they so greatly vrge must then needes fall Flat contraries For these are flat contrarie that all beleeuers are saued and that some beleeuers doe fall away and perish But if saluation pertaine to them as it doth which by faith abide in Christ what shall we say of vnbeleeuers they are excluded Therefore let him looke to it Huber Thes 266. sequent who auoucheth that they are alike saued by Christ as well as any other and that the promises of grace and life belong to them also Obiection But grace is vniuersall Answere I answer
a thing if a man would denie the consequent in an Enthymeme as if one being about to answere a Syllogisme should denie the conclusion By which kinde of solutions any thing might most easily be answered by any one but that Logicke is against it But omitting these things let vs produce a few testimonies of many out of the Scripture to declare our purpose The state of the question that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper vnto the Church and not common to all whether they beleeue or not as the new opinion would haue it This is the state of the question properly which must be diligently marked For we also grant that Christ died for all but wee denie that therefore all are made partakers of the benefits of Christs death without respect of faith or vnbeleefe or els which is all one wee denie that Christ died for all effectually How Christs death may be effectuall to any the cause of the want of that efficacie being considered not in Christ but in men themselues For to make the death of Christ effectuall vnto vs for redemption his merit is not only needfull but also the application and receiuing of the same which is done by an vnfained faith Matth. 1. The 1. testimonie prouing redemption to be proper to the Church The first testimonie therefore we haue in Matthew in the words of the Angell to Ioseph Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Here we see redemption peculiarly attributed to the people of Christ And the people of Christ be his Church of all places and ages Therefore redemption is peculiar to the Church and yet vniuersall after that sort as we confesse the Church to bee vniuersall Thes 1059. All men be not the people of God proued by three reasons Huber crieth out and such is his Diuinitie saith that by the people of Christ is meant the whole ofspring of Adam and saith that al are truly called to the kingdome of God that they may be his people But the contrary is easily proued First by the name of the people of God the Scripture vseth not to comprehend al men but a certaine companie onely among whom God is acknowledged and called vpon and whom hee likewise acknowledgeth for his owne and to whom belong the couenants and promises Leuit. 26. as the Lord saith I wil walke among you and I will be your God Iere. 31. 2. Cor. 6. Ose 1. 2. and you shall be my people And I will be your God and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie As also he saith in Oseah I will call a people my people which was not mine and her beloued who was not beloued and it shall come to passe in the place where it was said vnto them Ye are not my people there they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God All which places Paul to the Romanes expoundeth of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 9. who whereas they had bin in times past alients from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world afterward obtained the adoption of grace in the kingdome of Christ Tit. 3. So vnto Titus wee reade that Christ purged a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes whom Peter also calleth a people whom God claimeth as his own 1. Pet. 2. a holy nation a royall priesthood What insolencie then is it to imagine that all men be the people of God This is nothing els than to ioyne faithful with vnfaithfull righteousnes with vnrighteousnes light with darkenes Christ with Belial the temple of God with images and to mingle sacred things with prophane Secondly if all should bee the people of Christ it should not onely follow that all must be also called Christians but also as Origene fained all should be saued and haue eternall life seeing saluation which Christ bestoweth vpon his people includeth eternall life as the chiefe fulfilling thereof Thirdly Theophylact vpon the same place thus writeth He saith he shall saue his people not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles who shall beleeue and not doubt to bee made his people Luther also in Gen. 31. Luther at large testifieth that all men are not the people of God but such as hee liketh of and accepteth and cannot be taken out of his hands But let Huber giue care vnto his Brentius especially Brentius who writeth thus in the exposition of his Catechisme Tell vs saith he to whom Iesus is Iesus that is a sauiour from their sinnes The Euangelist saith He shall saue his people He saueth not Aliants but his people They be Aliants whosoeuer beleeue not in him whether they be Iewes or Gentiles And they be his whether they be Iewes or Gentiles as many as doe acknowledge and imbrace him by faith Wherefore of what nation soeuer thou be if thou beleeue the Gospel of Christ thou art made by faith a member of his people and Iesus is in very deede made Iesus vnto thee These things he another of whose sayings also shall be cited hereafter in the seuenth Chapter Nowe let the Tubingers see whether they will condemne Brentius heere or Huber rather of an error A second testimonie we haue in the same Euangelist cha 26. When hee had taken the cup hee gaue it to them saying The 2. testimony Matt. 26. Drink ye all of this For this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes I surely knowe that some of the auncient writers respecting sufficiencie doe expound for many that is that his blood was shed for al seeing euen all are many But the sense rather agreeth by keeping the vsuall signification of Many Many distinguisheth betweene beleeuers and vnbeleeuers vnto the difference betweene the beleeuers and vnbleeuers of whom they receiuing forgiuenes of sinnes are redeemed by the grace of Christ and these are as yet voyd of redemptiō as we before shewed Basils often exposition And the Commentaries vpon Marke which are ascribed vnto Hierome haue expressely that the blood of the new Testament is said to be shed for many because it doth not make cleane all or els that there bee in the very Church some whome no sacrifice doth make cleane much more then out of the Church What that among the newe writers Brentius in his Catechisme doth no otherwise expound it Christ saith he when he said of his blood which is shed for you he addeth this also for Many to signifie that it was shed not onely for the Iewes but also for the Gentiles of whom his Church was to bee gathered And by that place and exposition he taketh here in hand to proue our very matter in hand to wit that Christ by his death hath made satisfaction for the sinnes of his that they may haue remission of
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
men if redemption were common to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to such as shall be saued and damned Hitherto also let the wordes be referred The 9. place which follow in the same place If the blood of Bulles and Goats and the ashes of a yong Heifer sprinckling the vncleane doe sanctifie and purge the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who by the eternal spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Redemption is described by this Redemption described that it purgeth our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God But that purging of consciences and seruing of God is proper to the faithfull For by faith the hearts are purified Acts 15. Rom. 6. and being freed from sinne are made seruantes of righteousnesse through the same faith And a litle after The 10. place Therfore for that cause is he the Mediator of the new couenant that through death which came for the redemption of transgressions the Called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance Who are those Called The Called who they be Prosper li. cap. 3. to whoÌ„ belong the couenant redemption and inheritance He that wrote the booke of the calling of the Gentiles answereth for me Because saith hee some are iustified by faith others are hardened in their impiety the beleeuers are discerned from vnbeleeuers by the name of the Called and such as be voyd of faith they are shewed to bee without this calling albeit they heare the Gospell And he citeth the place 1. Cor. 1. we preach Christ crucified to the Iewes an offence and to the Gentiles foolishines but to the Called as well Iewes as Gentiles we preach him the power and wisedome of God Of these Called not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles The 11. place see more Ro. 9.23 and cap. 8.28 and in the rest Neither must we here omit that which we read writteÌ„ about the end of the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Many Christo Theophy By these Many he now meaneth those Called whereof he spake before And so Chrysostome and Theophylact expound Why said he of Mary and not of All Sai valuit vt omnes seruaventur because all doe not beleeue The death of Christ was equiualent to the perdition of all that is was of sufficient fâ—râ—e and price to haue saued all and yet it doth not take away the sinnes of all because such as resist him make his death altogether vnprofitable vnto them selues Theophylact also maketh mention of Basil to be of the same mind some of whose sayings I haue before alledged vpon the place of Matth. 26. But Aquinas of al men most clearely vpon this place writeth Aquinas He saith to take away the sinnes of many and not of all because the death of Christ albeit it bee sufficient for all yet it is not effectuall but in the respect of such as shall bee saued For all are not subiect vnto him through faith and good workes Lastly what can be spoken more briefly and forceably for the deciding of this whole controuersie The 12. place Heb. 11. than that of the Apostle Hebrewes 11. Hub. Thes 6â— and 1001. without faith it is impossible to prayse God Either this is not true or els it is false that they say often that all alke beleeuers and vnbeleeuers are freed from all sinne and condemnation and receiued into the fauour and grace of our heauenly father which thing what is it els than that al please God without respect of faith and infidelitie CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of other Scriptures of the New Testament The 1. place FOr the greater confirmation of this point we will adde also certaine other sayings of other bookes of the New Testament In the Actes chapter 5. Peter Acts 5. and the whole Colledge of the Apostles with one accord testifie these wordes The God of our fathers raysed vp Iesus and being exalted by his right hand made him a prince and sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes Repentance and remission of sinnes be iust parables and therefore they that haue the one haue the other and they be Israel Repentance and remission of sinnes are ioyned together by an in separable knot Wherefore it is as foolish a thing to affirme that remission of sinnes is giuen by Christ to all men indifferently as if a man should auouch that he giueth repentance to all What meaneth that that the prerogatiue of both those benefites is bestowed vpon Israel Vpon what Israel They that bee called of the Iewes and Gentiles according to promise they bee the true Israel saith Augustime Aug. cap. 59. Gal. 6. whereof also the Apostle speaketh And vpon the Israel of God Secondly it is the voice of Peter The 2. place Acts 10. and the testimonie of all Prophets agreeing together that euery one that beleeueth in Iesu Christ receiueth remission of sinnes through his name Vnto this Propheticall and Apostolicall consent which conteineth the summe of the Gospel of Christ is the false vangelicall commentarie of the aduersaries cleane contrary that all simply without respect of faith or vnbeliefe receiue remission of sinnes through the name of Christ Further the same Apostle 1. Epistle 1. The 3. place 1. Pet. 1. when hee speaketh of redemption by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot hee saith that hee was foreordained before the foundations of the world were laid Christ was foreordained and exhibited to the world for the beleeuers sake and was made manifest for the beleeuers sake Expressely he declareth that Christ was exhibited to the world a Sauiour for the beleeuers Therefore for the same persons in like maner he properly died and rose againe not because they beleeued already but that they might beleeue Iohn 20. and beleeuing might haue eternall life through his name Iohn also 1. Epistle 1. consenteth hereto The 4. place 1. Ioh. 1. Three things to be obserued in Saint Iohns words If wee walke in light as God is light we haue communion with him and the blood of Iesu Christ purgeth vs from all sinne If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. If we confesse our sinnes he is iust and faithfull to forgiue vs our sins and to purge vs from all iniquitie 1. Communion with God belongs not to all Therefore neither the grace of God for where the grace of God is there is also the communion of him 2. The clensing of sinnes by the blood of Christ is theirs who walke in light 3. Remission of sinnes which is propitiation it selfe as Iohn witnesseth presupposeth confession of sinnes which seeing it is not in al propitiation doth not belong to all The 5. place Apoc. 1. I come to the Reuelation of Iohn in whose
503. 1097 lib. germ fol. 8. vnheard of before in the eares of Christians if it be lawfull to beleeue it it brake forth about sixe yeares a goe namely in a Conference held at Mompelgard in the yeare of our Lord 1586. O miserable ignorance of antiquitie ioyned with marueilous licentiousnes and malice and very true is that which is commonly said Ignorance is rash and bold First with what face doth he accuse of noueltie a doctrine so grounded in the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures that is in the canon of the trueth that whosoeuer rusheth against this oke against this inuincible wall he is broken all to peeces himselfe We say nothing but such things which the Prophets and Moses Act. 10.23 26.18 Euangelists and Apostles haue testified with one accord to wit that euery one that beleeueth in the name of Christ and not the vnbeleeuers receiueth remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified If this doctrine be slandered of noueltie by them that be themselues the authors and fauourers of new opinions wee must beare it with Paul Act. 17. whose doctrine also we reade in the Acts seemed new to the Athenians that were ignorāt of the truth and drowned in Idolatrie The consent of all antiquitie on our side Further that the vanitie of this fable may more appeare goe too indifferent readers bring hither your eyes and eares and weigh with me the agreeing consent of antiquitie Testimonies These be the words of the Church of Smyrna in the epistle of the martyrdome of Polycarpus their Bishop The church of Smyrna which is recited of Eusebius Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 15. Christ suffered for the saluation of the whole world of them that shall bee saued therefore he must bee worshipped and adored as the sonne of God but the martyrs must as disciples and followers of the Lord be worthily loued for their inseparable good will toward their king and master and not bee worshipped To what purpose is it that the world of them that shall be saued is speciallie expressed if as touching effect Christ suffered alike for all the damned and those that shall bee damned as for Peter Paul and all them that are saued or shall be saued Iustine the holy martyr of Christ of the same time and age with Polycarpus Iustine martyr and in the same heate of persecution crowned with martyrdome by M. Aurel. Antoninus and Lucius Commodus Ver. Emper. in the booke of the trueth of Christian religion saith Christ is made an oblation for all sinners that are willing to turne and repent And in the same booke beyond the middest Our Christ suffered and was crucified he lay not vnder the curse of the law but shewed cleerely that he onely would deliuer them that would not fall away from his land that is all the faithfull And as the blood of the Passeouer deliuered them that were saued in Egypt so the blood of Christ shall deliuer them that beleeue from death And in this sense in the same place anone he addeth that saluation happened to mankinde by the blood of Christ to wit as farre forth as all beleeuers throughout the world are freed from death by him but not as though all men without difference of faithfull and vnfaithfull were translated from sinne to righteousnes from death to life and saluation by him as our aduersaries dreame The same man about the end of the same booke denieth that sinnes are forgiuen to impenitent vncleane foolish and desperate persons alleadging the example of Dauid whose sinne was then forgiuen when he repented Againe in the beginning of the booke almost he witnesseth that such as repent are clensed through the blood of Christ by faith who died for the same cause Ireneus saith The word of God incarnate was hanged on the tree that he might briefly comprise all things in himselfe I Ireneus lib. 5. saith he when I shall be lifted vp from the earth will draw all things or all men vnto mee This he sayd signifying what death he should dye Christ in his passion hanging on the crosse alone saueth all men that doe not depart from the land of promise that is the faithfull continuing in grace to the end The same writer lib. 4. cap. 37. saith We are saued as Rahab the harlot by the faith of the scarlet signe that is by the passion and blood of Christ through faith They that make no account of this signe of scarlet like Pharisees haue no part in the kingdome of heauen And lib. 2. cap. 39. he saith Christ came to saue all men by himselfe all I say that by him are borne again in God infants children boyes yong men and old men Origene vpon Leuit. The high Priest and aduocate Christ praieth for them onely that be the Lords portion Origene who waite for him without who depart not from the temple where they giue themselues to fasting and praier Againe Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 24. Christ hath brought libertie to them that lawfully readily and heartily serue him and brought eternall perdition to such as contemne and rebell against God cutting them off from life Ambrose de fide ad Gratianum Augustum lib. 4. cap. 1. Ambrose If thou beleeuest not Christ came not downe for thee he suffered not for thee The same man vpon 1. Cor. 15. As Adam sinning found death and all that come of him die so Christ not sinning and hereby ouercomming death hath purchased life for all that are of his body The same restraint he vseth vpon the saying Rom. 5. that the righteousnes of one redoundeth vpon all men to the iustification of life The righteousnes saith he of Christ onely iustifieth all beleeuers and by his obedience many and not all are made righteous Neither saith he this onely but also he expressely reiecteth the deuise of the aduersaries of so generall a iustification as condemnation is generall Hub. thes 49. The same writer vpon the 8. of Luke saith Albeit Christ died for all yet for vs specially he suffered because he suffered for his Church How specially for the Church and yet for al but because the fruites of his passion reconciliation libertie adoption inheritance pertaine properly to the Church Hereupon Epist 20. the same father saith Christ is good meate for all faith is good meate mercie is sweete meate grace is pleasant meate the spirit of God is good meate forgiuenes of sinnes is good meate But the people of the Church eate these meates And more cleerely in 73. Epist After that the fulnes of time came and Christ is come wee are not now seruants but freemen if we beleeue in Christ Where faith is there is libertie For the seruant is vnder feare but a freeman is of faith where libertie is there is grace there is the inheritance But where is no libertie there is no grace where no grace no adoption where no adoption there is no succession Also in his first
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
power of the deuill yet through Christ alone none but they all are set free that be regenerated by spirituall grace In the same booke chapter 18. he saith The Christian kinde That he that ouercame the first Adam and held mankinde captiue was ouercome of the second Adam and lost the Christian kinde which was out of Mankinde set free from the sinne of man through him who had no sinne though he was of our kinde The same in his 53. treatise vpon Saint Iohn saith The deuill therefore possessed mankinde and held them guiltie of punishment through the hand writing of sinnes But by the faith of Christ which was ratified by his death and resurrection through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are deliuered from the deuill An argument and are coupled to the body of Christ In all these places there is this or the like argument What kinde of freedome redemption is Redemption is a freedome from the power of the deuill and such a freedome as whereby it commeth to passe that the deuill cannot draw any of these with him to the destruction of eternall death through the snares of sinnes whom Christ hath redemed with his blood But all men haue not freedome from the power of the deuill Therefore almen are not redeemed but as freedome so redemption is proper to the beleeuers and predestinate according to Augustine and the trueth of this point The world that is precestinate to life Christ came to saue but not the world predestinate to damnation Hitherto belongeth that which in the fore mentioned treatise as also in the 110. and 111. Treatises the same writer constantly expoundeth the world that Christ came to saue and reconcile to God of the good and such as bee predestinate to eternall life being dispersed throughout the whole world that this world of an enemie is made a friend but that the worlde that is predestinate to damnation abideth an enimie neither of this world must it be vnderstood that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe So in the 48. Treatise vpon the saying ye beleeue not for ye are not of my sheepe he saith This he spake because he saw them predestinate to eternall destruction and not prepared by the price of his blood to eternall life And a litle after he is assured of the number of his sheepe because hee knoweth what hee gaue for them And elsewhere Whom God redeemed by the blood of the Mediator he maketh for euer after good De corrept gra cap. 11. But these bee testimonies inough out of Augustine For who can rehearse euery thing hee writeth of this matter Hieromie Furthermore the Commentaries vpon Marke ascribed to Hieromie expresly say that the blood of the newe Testament is sayd to be shed for Many because it doth not cleanse all that there is euen in the Church some whom no sacrifice clenseth As Remigius also as Thomas citeth him Cate. aurea vpon this very place warneth vs to obserue that hee saith not for few or for all but for Many my blood shal be shed because he came not to redeeme our nation onely but Many of all Nations Hilarius in Matthew cap. 7. Hilarie The saluation of the Gentiles saith he is wholly of faith and in the Lordes commandements is the life of all men He saith not the reprobates and vnbeleeuers are as well saued by Christ as any other as these newe sectaries thinke good to speake Chrysostome homil 39. vpon 1. Chrisost Cor. expounding the words of the Apostle touching the quickening of all men by Christ denieth that it is to be vnderstood of the righteousnes of all men as though whosoeuer are made sinners in Adam are made righteous in Christ Hub. thes 49. 53. which yet our aduersaries would haue The same maner homil 17. vpon the Hebrewes confirmeth the distinction that Christ died for all as touching Sufficiencie and not for all as touching Efficiencie His words are these Why is hee said to be offered to take away the sinnes of Many and not of all because all beleeue not He died for all as much as in him lay that his death is of that waight as is the perdition of all and it is of force enough that no man might perish His arbidger Theophylact vseth the same distinction in 2. and 9. ad Heb. and vpon the saying Iohn 6. Theophylact the bread which I giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world where he writeth albeit all haue not receiued sanctification and a spirituall life yet Christ may bee vnderstood to die for the satisfaction of all as touching the vertue of his death Of the same opinion is Basil as Theophylact sheweth in 9. ad Heb. for thus hee writeth All of vs that beleeue Basil Exhort ad baptis how many soeuer we be are redeemed by the grace of God from sins through his onely sonne who said this is my blood euen the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes The exposition is also twise repeated in the next sermon of Baptisme for Many that is the beleeuers was the blood of Christ shed Notwithstāding in respect of the sufficiencie of his merite it is true that elswhere he saith in Psalme 48. For all men wholly was there one onely worthie price found euen the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which he shed for vs al. Cyrill Cyrill in Io. li. 11. ca. 19. reconciling that shew of repugnancie that is between the words of Christ I pray not for the world and the wordes of Iohn He is the propitiation of the whole world consenteth to our opinion after this sort Saint Iohn saith he because he was a Iewe least the Lord should seeme to be with his father an aduocate for the Iewes onely cessarily hath added that hee is the propitiation of the whole world that is saith he for all who are called and through faith attaine to righteousnes and sanctification But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from such as be none of his for them saith he onely doe I pray who keepe my words and receiue my yoke For whose mediator and high Priest he is to them onely not without cause doth he attribute the benefite of meditation 2. Cor. 5. In the same place he doth alleage for that matter the saying of Paul God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe that is saith he Christ as the Mediator receauing all that come to God by faith and offering himselfe to the father reconcileth the world to God But let vs returne to the Latine writers among whom Prosper of Aquitaine answering the Articles of the French men Prosper chap. 9. plainely approueth this phrase or maner of speaking that Christ died onely for them that shall be saued which our aduersaries slander as blasphemous and Saracenicall His wordes are these Therefore although our
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
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
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
him CHAP. XIII A wicked eye without cause suspecteth God of vniustice Obiection THat obiection now followeth which arising from the rashnes that I may not say the impietie of humaine reason greatly troubleth the mindes of the simple And that is that the wicked eye of mans wit suspecteth God of iniquitie if without any merites of good or euill men he chuse one The reasons of the obiection and refuse another of his meere will for it seemeth vniust in distributions if wee distribute vnequally to them that be equall But men if we set aside the difference of merits are equall Therefore if without difference of merites God doth vnequally distribute chusing one and refusing another it seemeth that there is vnrighteousnes with him Further how shall we defende the righteousnes of God if of his meere will he hath predestinated so many thousands of men not moued with any merite or worke of theirs vnto eternall torments This seemeth vniust cruell and intollerable to iudge of God and herewith so many and great men in so many ages haue been offended and who would not be offended saith Luther De ser arbit Answere to the first reason of the obiection when he had largely answered this very obiection Concerning inequalitie already before I haue answered that it appertaineth to iustice in those things that be distributed of duty that vnequall things be not distributed to them that be equall but not in those things which a man of his owne accord and of fauour distributeth without any iniurie of another As that householder reproued them that murmured Friend I doe thee no wrong take that thine is and goe thy way I will giue to this last as vnto thee May I not doe what I will with mine owne Is thine eye euill because I am good Let them therefore learne to restraine that wicked eye who murmur against God as vniust and an acceptor of persons Obiection But say they it is an vniust thing that in one and the same euill cause one man is deliuered and another punished because it is a iust thing that both be punished Answere Yea both are iust whether the creditor require his debte or forgiue his debter so it be without defrauding any man but it is vniust onely to require that which is not due August epist. 105. Therefore Let vs as Augustine godly aduiseth vs giue thankes to our Sauiour seeing that we see not that rendred vnto vs that we knowe in the damnation of thē that are like vs to haue bin also due vnto vs. Neither let vs be vnthankefull De bono perseuer cap. 8. that our mercifull God according to his good pleasure to the praise of his glorious grace hath freed so many from so deserued destruction that if hee should deliuer none from thence yet he should not be vniust Answer to the second reason Further as for the multitude of such as perish I answere that neither in respect of them is there any vnrighteousnes in God For on whom there is no mercie shewed Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 99. them God iudgeth he dealeth not vniustly with them And as vndeserued grace is giuen to such as are freed so no other but due punishment is rendred to them that are damned that neither they can boast themselues to bee worthie nor these complaine that they are vnworthie Epist 105. For because the whole lumpe is worthily condemned iustice rendereth due dishonour and grace bestoweth due honour not through the prerogatiue of desert nor by necessitie of destinie nor by rash fortune but through the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God De bono perseu cap. 8. epist 106. If therefore Gods goodnes bee vnderstood in forgiuing debt and his equitie in requiring it there is no way iniquitie found in God He commendeth mercie that is set free and he that is punished blameth not iudgement Do praedest grat cap. vlt. I will say somewhat more with Augustine If mankinde that at the first was created of nothing should be borne without the due originall of death and sinne yet the omnipotent creator would for euer condemne some of them to destruction who could say to the Almightie Creator why hast thou done thus For he that freely gaue them their being when they were not had power to appoint to what end they should be Neither could the rest say why should Gods will vary all mens merits being alike because the potter hath power of the clay But now seeing iust punishment is rendered to such as shall be damned and vndeserued grace is bestowed vpon such as bee saued what man forgetting mans condition may discusse the secrets of Gods minde Obiection But some man will say Why will he in the same matter punish me rather then him or free him rather than me Answere I answere that it is in Gods will and not in ours as it is not in their will that bee debters but in his to whom a debt is due that he either requireth Ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. 2. or forgiueth the debt Hereupon Augustine In Adam we all die and we are one lumpe of sin owing punishment to the diuine and high iustice which whether it bee exacted or pardoned there is no vnrighteousnesse And it is an arrogant part in debters to iudge of whom it is to be required and to whom it is to bee remitted It belongeth to God to require it of whom it pleaseth him and to forgiue it to whom it pleaseth him who doth not require that which is not due neither forgiueth that which is none of his The same writer elsewhere Epist 105. Why God doth thus to one man and otherwise to another his waies are vnsearchable and his iudgements past finding out the great depth whereof we ought rather to reuerence than curiously to search out that wee may escape a dangerous downfall Therefore repressing the impudencie of this question let vs say with the Apostle Rom. 11. O the depth of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements How the mouthes of wicked men must be stopped about this doctrine and his waies past finding out Also O man who art thou that reasonest with God Doth the pot say to the potter why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power ouer the clay Neither let it grieue vs thus to stop the mouthes of exclaimers For if they be not ashamed to gainsay not vs but Paul why should it irke vs to tell them this againe and againe that the Apostle hath said De verbis Apost serm 20. Augustine notably following the Apostle saith Thou man expectest from me an answere and I am a man Therefore let vs both heare him that saith O man who art thou Better is faithfull ignorance than vndiscreet knowledge Seeke for deserts thou shalt finde nothing but punishment O height Peter denieth the theefe beleeueth Marke this notable saying O the depth Seekest