restraint is it to be taken as oft as it is read in our writers that Christ suffered not for all to wit in respect of the effect of his passion which belongeth to such as are to bee saued and not to them that shall be damned to the faithfull and not to Infidels And so Beza also declareth himself Colloq Mompelg pa. 217. And there is nothing in him which is not in so many words and in the same sense written by the old writers Neither are cauillers to be regarded which say what need is there to say Huberus thes 1154. that Christ is a price sufficient for the whole world why bewitch ye men with these termes I answere this is no bewitching but the ancient and right explication of this controuersie against them that loue to bewitch the world with new opinions Huber comp thes 5. 6. But say they the word sufficiently taken in that signification wherein sacred antiquitie tooke it we refuse not but rather approue it But our Caluinists say they deuising a wrong and doubtfull signification of the word doe deceiue the simpler sort For this they meane that Christs death is so mightie that if he would helpe all men by the same he could easily doe it thes 1152. But if they would vse the word of sufficiencie in another signification as when we say against the Papists that the death of Christ is sufficient for al men that is needeth no helpe of mans works to redeeme vs or els also in this sense when we say that Christs death is sufficient for all whether men beleeue and be saued or beleeue not and perish yet that Christ hath satisfied for al we would not refuse the vse of this terme in such a signification But I thinke it is plaine enough by the things which are recited before how antiquitie hath vsed those termes of sufficiencie and efficiencie neither that wee change any thing in the sense or deceiue any by doubtfull signification In the meane while the thing it selfe proueth that the simpler sort are here beguiled by our aduersarie who when hee would seeme to allow the terme of sufficiencie in that sense wherein antiquitie accepted it yet he deuiseth of his own head significations altogether vnknowne vnto antiquitie in his propounded opposition otherwise we defend also against the Papists that the merit of Christ needeth no helpe of mans workes neither deny we that he hath satisfied for al whether they bee saued or perish to wit as touching the sufficiencie and greatnes of the price so mighty and rich for redemption that if the vniuersalitie of captiues would beleeue in him the bands of the deuill should hold back none CHAP. XII Another maner of vniuersall redemption THis also we affirme that albeit not all All taken for all that bee Christs and of his Church as many as are borne of Adam are by the death of Christ effectually borne againe redeemed and iustified rightly neuerthelesse it may be said that Christ died for all euen in respect of the effect of his death iustification regeneration and such like benefits not that they redound to all and euery man but to all who are Christs as the Apostle saith If God be for vs Rom. 8. who can be against vs who also spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Who be those all in whose mouth that saying is and faith in their hearts If God be for vs who can be against vs Truly they whom he foreknew and predestinated whom he also calleth iustifieth glorifieth the elect of God whose is saluation and eternall life whom no creature can separate from the loue of God in Christ as there it is said Who shall lay any crimes against the elect of God The author of the bookes de vocat gentium a man surely very learned and eloquent Prosper Aq. whether he were Ambrose or rather Prosper of Aquitaine lib. 1. cap. 3. writeth notably in this sort Therefore saith he the people of God haue their fulnes and albeit a great part of men either reiect or neglect the grace of the Sauiour yet in the elect and soreknowne which are seuered from the generalitie of all there is a certaine speciall vniuersalitie that out of the whole world the whole world seemeth to bee set at libertie and out of all men all men seeme to be receiued Where let vs note a doubt A three-fold vniuersalitie nay a three-fold vniuersalitie namely the generalitie of all men then the generalitie of the elect who are saued and on the other side the vniuersalitie of the reprobates who perish Of these as well elect as reprobates as the same author well obserueth the diuine stile doth so order his speech Lib. 2. cap. 1. that both those things which are spoken of one part of men seeme to appertaine to all and also whereas there bee some who perish and some who are saued yet neither part is without the name of all men the portion of rebels bearing the losse of their saluation and the dignitie of the faithfull obtaining the account of fulnes But the matter shall bee made more cleere by examples When the Lord saith Ioh. 12. When I shall be lifted vp from the earth All taken for all the elect only I will draw all things or after another reading all men vnto me doth not the conuersion of all men seeme to be promised and yet many thousands to this day do serue the deuill and the world But rightly wee vnderstand with Augustine Aug. tract 53. all that is all men predestinate to saluation of all whom none shall perish So that which is written in the Prophets Esay 54.13 Esay 31.34 Ioh. 6. All shall be taught of God and all shall know me from the least vnto the greatest are alike true of the men of Gods kingdome according to the limitation of Augustine Athanasius Tract 26. See also Athanasius of these three sayings now alleaged in Euang. de pass cruce Domini What when it is said Esay 65. All flesh shall come into my sight and worship in Ierusalem saith the Lord. Or els that Ioel. 2. And in the last daies it shall come to passe that I will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh Or this The Lord vpholdeth all that fall Psal 145.14 and lifteth vp all that are bowed downe Are not these so vttered as though no man were seuered from this gift of God Of this sort are these sayings also Vntill wee all grow into the vnitie of faith Ephes 4. 2. Cor. 5. and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man Old things are passed away behold all things are become new Matth. 26. Drinke ye all of this c. Are these things spoken of the vnbeleeuers also and such as be notoriously wicked Of the vniuersalitie of the vngodly the sacred Scriptures speake in like maner All taken for all the wicked only as
7. depart from mee yee that work◠iniquitie Tertull. Tertullian de praescrip haeret in the beginning saith An excellent saying No man is wise no man is faithfull no man is great but a Christian and no man is a Christian but he that continueth vnto the end Thou as a man knowest euery one outwardly thou iudgest as thou seest and thou seest as farre as thou hast eyes But the eyes of the Lord are high Man looketh into the face God into the heart and therefore the Lord knoweth who are his Chrysostome c Chrysostome also notably in 7 Matth. saith The raine of false doctrine doth not corrupt the Church which Christ hath founded nor the blasts of the deuill driue it away nor the force of violent floods doth moue it All that are called christians are not such indeede Aug. in Ps 48. Neither is it hereto contrarie saith he that many doe fall from the Church For not all who are called Christians are Christs but the Lorde knoweth who are his For many wearing the cloake of a Christian name as Augustine speaketh vnder the couer of religion are secretly euill hauing the name of Christ in their lips but not in their hearts of whom it is said This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Luther also in Psal 2. vpon those words Luther I haue set my king vpon Sion my holy hill putteth difference betweene generall and speciall holines Holines generall and special That is generall when some Church consisting of good and bad is wont to bee called holie but that is speciall whereby the true beleeuers truly and in very deede are sanctified before God through the holy Ghost whereas the rest are named holie and counted Saints only before men by profession and the vse of the Sacraments And in his booke de seruo arbit cap. 61. he maketh difference betweene the iudgement of Charitie and faith Charitie and faith iudge diuerselie of a man The iudgement or as he speaketh the rule of charitie calleth euery one that is baptized holy because charitie beleeueth all things and presumeth good of our neighbours but by the canon or rule of faith he is not holie saith he vnles he be declared to be such a one by a diuine iudgement CHAP. IX Certaine sayings of the Scripture are examined touching the redemption of reprobates THese things thus forewarned in stead of a generall answere now let vs runne in order through the testimonies of this classe or ranke The first is cited out of Heb. 6. The 1. place for the redemption of reprobates It can not be that they who haue been once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and haue been partakers of the holie Ghost if they fall away that they should be renued againe vnto repentance crucifying againe to themselues the sonne of God and exposing him to ignominie They that here be described are partakers of redemption and yet reprobates A particular conclusion followeth in the third figure Therefore some reprobates are redeemed I answere First the aduersarie should haue proued an vniuersall conclusion and not a particular as it hath bin said Secondly vnto the minor I say they that fall away after illumination receiued A grieuous fall proues not a man to be a Reprobate are not forthwith to bee iudged reprobates and to bee excluded from grace with Montanus and Nouatus For euen the elect fall sometime grieuously but they are lifted vp againe of the Lord. And in that the Apostle seemeth to take away hope of pardon from such as fall away omitting other expositions Chrysostome Theodorite Some of the olde writers vnderstand by renewing Heb. 6 a second baptizing Theophylact in their Commentaries and Epiphanius haeret 59. Augustine in fine exposit ad Rom. Ambrose lib. 2. de poenit cap. 2. and other ancient writers with great consent and not vnfitly vnderstand the place that the reiteration of Baptisme and not the medicine of repentance is taken out of the Church least the Iewes should thinke that sacred Baptisme is like to the Iewish washings which are vsed much and often But as once Christ died and death hath no more power ouer him so wee are once baptized into the death of Christ by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the spirit and it is impossible for vs if wee fall to bee by it renewed againe vnto repentance Which thing if a man attempt hee crucifieth againe and contemneth Christ as much as lieth in him Further vnto the maior Albeit I willingly graunt that the Apostle speaketh of such as bee redeemed or els as though they were redeemed Two proofes of the aduersarie for redemption of reprobates according to the foreshewed difference of the elect and reprobates yet the proofes brought in of the aduersarie haue no force The former of them is that illumination and participation of the holy Ghost be fruites of redemption and they that be partakers of the fruites of redemption are partakers of very redemption also Answere I answere Paul Colos 1. and elswhere defineth redemption to be the forgiuenes of sinnes Redemption is forgiuenes of sinnes but that sinnes bee forgiuen a man and therefore that he is iust before God heire of eternall life cannot hereof straightwaies be gathered because he is inlightened with the knowledge of the truth or hath receiued some other gifts of the holy Ghost The bad haue many gifts common with the good for there be many gifts of the spirit common to good and bad Mat. 7.22 and 1. Cor. 12.3 The later proofe of Huber is this That which is done againe must needes be done once alreadie but they that perish crucifie the sonne of God againe to themselues Ergo he was crucified for them alreadie before to wit to their profit and redemption Answere But this sophisme is patched together of meere fallacies compositionis dictionis and concludeth more then was in the premisses Marke this exposition of crucifying againe to themselues c. In the minor the word againe must not be construed with to themselues but with the word crucifie as it is one word in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore it onely followeth if he bee crucified againe that Christ hath been once alreadie crucified Then seeing men cannot at their pleasure crucifie the sonne of GOD indeede it is added in stead of correction that to themselues that is as much as in them lieth they crucifie him againe and the sense will bee impious altogether if a man expound that word to themselues that is for their owne profit and redemption they crucifie Christ againe as it is taken in the conclusion Another place is Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren The 2. place wee haue libertie to enter into the holie place by the blood of Iesu let vs goe with a true heart and confidence For if we shall sinne willingly after the knowledge of the trueth receiued there
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
OF THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND THREE BOOKES Wherein the controuersie of the vniuersalitie of Redemption and grace by Christ and of his death for all men is largely handled HEREVNTO IS ANNEXED A TREAtise of Gods Predestination in one booke Written in Latin by IACOB KIMEDONCIVS D. and professor of Diuinitie at Heidelberge and translated into English by HVGH INCE Preacher of the word of God BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KINGSTON for HVMFREY LOVVNES 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the Great Seale of England and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell HAuing finished the translation of this volume Right Honorable I was in doubt whether I might safely send it forth as a matter that would as it ought to be imbraced fauored of eueryone into whose hands it should come or to offer it to the view of some honorable person and to commend it to his fauourable protection and in his name to publish it If I had resolued vpon the first way as I doubt not but it should haue found many friends euen all the louers of the trueth that would gladly haue accepted it so I know it should haue had many aduersaries among vs in this land as it hath had in other countries alreadie and commeth now abroad in our owne tongue from thence greatly reproched and withstood with a spitefull enemie albeit to his shamefull foyle and disgrace in the end And therefore I thought it best to follow mine author as he offereth the knowledge and custodie of the trueth which he here maintaineth vnto a high and mightie Prince so I am bold to offer my translation of so worthie a worke vnto your honorable protection and defence against euill tongues and erronious spirits The cause that is handled here is Gods the ground that it hath is the trueth of his holy word the witnesse and testimonie thereof is the vniforme consent of the Church of Christ beleeuing and confessing the same the matter hereof is the redemption of our soules the comfort of our consciences the stay of our faith and the anchor of our hope If the certaintie of these things right Honourable be called in question and taken from vs that are mortall men what ioy can we haue in any thing that here for a time wee enioy What hope can wee haue of a better life when this fraile one shall be taken from vs and wee all shall be called to giue our account But as Satan the enemie of our saluation hath alwaies heretofore sowed tares among the wheate and corrupted the sinceritie of the trueth with errors and lyes and that vnder a faire pretence so at this day when he could not effect his purpose so farre as he desired by the late and lamentable strife that he hath raised among vs though thereby he hath quenched the zeale of many and made them fall from their first loue hath euen now in our Church as he hath done in others raised a doubt and broâ—hed a controuersie in the maine grounds of our Religion and faith to wit in the doctrine of mans Redemption by the death of Christ and of Gods eternall predestination Wherein as he doth not greatly preuaile because the gouernours of our Church and the consent of all that bee godly and learned for the most part therein are against him so that hee may proceede no further in time to come and that the mindes of men may bee setled in the trueth of their saluation I haue thought it my dutie to the Church of God to testifie my loue of the trueth and my vnfained care of the knowledge of the fame among vs and continuance thereof in our posteritie by taking paines to translate into our vulgar tongue these bookes Herein you shall plainly see that albeit the death of Christ the sonne of God as touching the greatnes of the price be sufficient for the redemption of whole mankinde in the world yea if there were many worlds of them as Anselme saith yet the proprietie of redemption belongeth to those that are not the vessels of the deuill but the members of Christ by faith and the grace of regeneration the rest who liue without faith and regeneration not belonging to this redemption from sinne and death Or which is all one you shall see it proued by infallible testimonies of Scripture by generall consent of antiquitie and of new writers and by substantiall arguments that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper to the Church and not common to all and euery one elect and reprobate beleeuer and vnbeleeuer to the saued and damned You shall plainly see I say that the Sauiour promised to the world and preached of alwaies in the Church by the mouth of all the holy prophets and Apostles is appoynted by the father to be a propitiation through faith in his blood in all and vpon all that beleeue onely and that this benefite of the restoring and redemption of mankinde albeit it be proper and peculiar to the Church as touching the efficacie of it yet it is vniuersall altogether in that sense wherein we beleeue and confesse the holy Church of Christ to be vniuersall Against this trueth the aduersarie fighteth eagerly and impudently with bitter reproches and lyes grieuous blasphemies flat contrarieties grosse absurdities peruerting the naturall sense of the sacred Scripture and abusing the ancient writers But all these his weapons wins him not the victory for either they be blunt and cannot hurt our cause or else the edge of them is turned against himselfe and his owne masters in whom he glorieth Luther Brentius and the rest whose disciple and follower he would faine be leaue him in his bad cause nay are brought in plainely reprouing and condemning his opinion as erronious and speaking for the trueth on our side Nay further it is here flatly auouched that the olde Pelagian heresie and impietie which Augustine long agoe confuted and the Church of God then condemned is the father of the birth and beginning of our aduersaries opinion As for the treatise of Predestination annexed hereto it serueth specially for the fuller euidence and greater certaintie of those things that are handled in the former bookes concerning the vniuersalitie of grace and redemption For the remnants of the Pelagians of old and at this day affirming none at all to bee excepted from the redemption of Christs blood and in respect of God maintaining eternall life to bee prepared for all are therefore fallen to the extolling of such grace because they would in no case confesse that God according to the purpose couÌ„sel of his own will in his secret iudgement but manifest worke maketh one vessell to honor and another to dishonour nor will assent hereto that the number of the predestinate can neither be increased nor diminished Both which points are fully handled and plainly proued against them in this booke Praefat. ad Rom. Luther saith notably
vndertake the charge of them The first taught them the worship of the gods and kingly instructions The second aduised theÌ„ to affect fauour the trueth in their whole life The third that they would not be ouercome with any desire but accustome themselues to liue like freemen in very deed kings ruling themselues aboue al things not seruing any desires The fourth made theÌ„ stoute least through feare they should commit any thing not beseeming their dignitie and become seruants This instructioÌ„ of one that should be a Prince florished amoÌ„g the Persians And surely they rightly iudged that he ought to be trained vp in the precepts of wisedome that is of religion and of the kingdome but that being ignorant of Gods trueth they imbraced a false religion through the magical instruction of Zoroaster An instruction not vnlike albeit euery way farre better as being taken out of the cleerest fountaines of heauenly wisedome hath happened vnto your Highnesse most gracious Prince Neither haue the praiers of Salomon been wanting both of your Highnesse which from your childhood hauing taken delight in the knowledge of profitable and good things hath beene earnest in dayly prayers with God and is vncessantly instant desiring to be indued by him with an vnderstanding heart and also of all good men who publikely and priuately haue most regarded that thing and not without cause And how much hath been effected thereby manifest experiments doe testifie and such as shall be with thankefull hearts made knowne to posteritie to the honour of God First because that noble Prince and Lord the Lord Iohn Casimire Tutor and a second parent as it were to your Highnes being lately taken out of this life your flourishing age and already ripe to gouernment and your iudgement riper than your age most excellent Frederike haue afforded vs a refuge and solace in so hard a case Then because after you had taken vpon you the gouernment of most large Dominions wee â—oyfully haue seene such trials of your great vertue and such foundations haue beene layd of good gouernment although in a lamentable and wicked time that it hath lifted vp the mindes of all men vnto a singular good expectation Goe on forwarde therefore in this minde and vertue most noble prince Elector be strong in the Lord and in his mightie power remember the Lordes exhortation in old time to Ioshua I will bee with thee as I was with Moses I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee Be of good comfort that thou mayest doe according to the Law Let not the booke of the Lawe depart from thy mouth Then thou shalt deale wisely and prosperously in all things In like maner also the holy man Dauid as we read diligently exhorted his sonne Salomon 1. Kings 2. when being as yet a child hee was now consecrated to raigne The Lorde God who taketh away Dan. 2. and appointeth Princes and from whom commeth wisedome and fortitude endue your highnes more and more with vertue from aboue But most noble prince Elector and gracious Lorde seeing these foure bookes of the Redemption of mankinde and Gods Predestination being written by me a yeere agoe should nowe come abroad vnder the authoritie of your gouernment I thought that this my duety should be acceptable to your Highnes if I should intitle and offer them most humbly vnto you and that in respect of that thankefulnesse whereunto I am many wayes bound to your Highnes I know well inough that I am not able this way to make a full recompence yet freely to professe the same is the propertie of a thankefull person Further because in these and the like Ecclesiasticall controuersies that arise from restles wits it is meete that Princes especially should haue the knowledge and custodie of the trueth to the intent that malicious detractors and deprauers may doe the lesse hurt to Christian religion At this day we are slandered of malicious men with a new crime that is fained against vs as though wee should deny that Christ died for al men An impudent reproach For according to the Scriptures we also confesse the same but we denie that thereupon it followeth that all mankinde without exceptioÌ„ of any one are by the death of Christ indeed iustified saued and restored into the bosome of grace hauing receiued the pardon of their sinnes whether they beleeue or no. This is a deuise of man and therefore to be refused if wee will retaine the consent of the Prophets and Apostles Acts 10. Ioh. 3. to wit that euery one that beleeueth in Christ Iesu receiueth remission of sinnes through his name the wrath of God abiding vpon the vnbeleeuers Now the doctrine of Predestination according to which God saueth in mercie some of the damnable lumpe of mankind and in iustice punisheth others for their sinnes being in the same lumpe vtterly forsaken is of it selfe plaine if we desire rather to follow the direction of Gods spirit than the consequences of foolish reason But reason being troubled with the depth of Gods grace and his iudgement leaueth here nothing vnassayd as we may see by the example of the Pelagians old and newe the first Augustine of old time soundly confuted and Luther the latter De ser arb alibi Therefore let those men that would be counted Lutherans looke to it how they doe agree in iudgement both against Luther the truth it selfe also with the Pelagians But I make an end praying God that vnder your Highnes the studies of peace learning and pietie may alwayes florish Amen At Heidelberge the 12. of March 1592. Your Highnesse most humbly bounden IACOBVS KIMEDONCIVS D. A table of certaine places of Scripture expounded in these Bookes GEn. 3. The seede of the woman c. 100 I will put enmitie c. 101 Gen. 12. 22. In thy seede shall all nations c. 105.201 Leuit. 16. Of the Scape Goate 107 Deut. 7. God hath chosen thee to be a people 283 Esay 53. He hath laid the iniquities of vs all c. 103. 202 Esay 62. Tell the daughter of Sion 205 Ierem. 23. In his dayes Israel shall be saued 204 Ierem. 31. I will make a couenant with the house of Israel c. 203 Ezech. 18. I will not the death of a sinner c. 335 Osea 13. Thy destruction is of thy selfe 334 Zach. 2. Reioyce O daughter Sion 204 Zach. 3. I will take away the iniquitie of that land 105 Zach. 9. Thy king commeth vnto thee 204 Psalm 2. I will giue thee the heathen for c. 106 Wisd 1. God made not death 334 Ecclesiasticus 33. As one day excelleth another 285 Matth. 1. He shall saue his people 180 Matth. 7. I neuer knew you 210 Matth. 18. Of these little ones that beleeue in me 166 The parable of the debter 126 Matth. 26. Which is shed for many 181 Luk. 1. He hath redeemed his people 182 Luk. 2. I tell you of great ioy 183 A light to lighten the
saith very cleerely The band of death drawne together by the sinne of one was loosed by the death of one who alone owed nothing vnto death His personall dignity in that he was both God and man III. The third cause which is greatest of all the death of Christ was not a meere mans death although innocent and iust but it was his death who is both true God and man in one and the same person And this exceeding great dignitie of this person is the cause that this price of his blood death although it was temporall if the continuance of it be respected yet it is of infinit force to saue them for euer who come vnto God by it Which the Author to the Hebrewes chap. 9. teacheth saying If the blood of buls and goates and the ashes of a yong heifer sprinkling the vncleane do sanctifie to the puritie of the flesh how much more doth the blood of Christ who offered himselfe by the eternall spirit without blame to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God And Acts chap. 20. Paul is witnesse that God by his owne blood redeemed his Church Not that the deitie hath flesh or blood for God is a spirit but that person which suffered death for vs is both God and man and so this blood is and is truly called the blood of God whose excellencie therfore and dignitie is exceeding great To these this is annexed that beside his power diuine His Lordship ouer vs and his neerenes in blood vnto vs. and abundantly sufficient to deliuer our commō Redeemer had also the full and perfect right of redemption both because he is Lord of all also because he is neere vnto vs in blood For by the right of Lordship it is meete that the seruant bee redeemed of the master and the subiect of his prince and by the right of kindred the father doth well redeeme the sonne one brother another and one kinsman another And hither may be referred that which we reade Leuit. 25.25 to be specially ordained touching the right of neerenes of kindred Thirdly also this hath been a question 3. question Why must we be redeemed by his death rather than by some other meanes as touching the meanes of redemption whether the deliuerance of vs could not possibly haue been by some other meanes then by the death of the Sonne of God Wee answere with Augustine lib. 13. de trinit that another way was possible to God vnto whose power all things are subiect but this was the meetest way and most fit with God to heale our miserie Or as Thomas part 3. quaest 46. decideth this doubt we do distinguish betweene possible or impossible simply and that which is after a sort To speake simply and absolutely it was possible to God to deliuer man by another meanes then by the death of Christ because nothing is impossible with God Luk. 1.37 But after a sort Because no other was possible or by supposition of Gods foreknowledge and fore appointment it was impossible as the Lords words do plainly shew Matth. 26. Father if this cup cannot passe away vnles I drinke of it thy will be done Whereupon Hilary saith Therefore the cup cannot passe vnles he drinke it because we cannot be restored but by his passion because of the decree of Gods will Moreouer it is plaine that that way is most fit with God and meetest to cure our miserie Because this way was most iust with God which God vsed through the passion of his Sonne For it was a iust thing that for the sinnes of mankinde the iudgement of God should be satisfied thorow punishmēt and that the same nature which had sinned should also giue a recompence for sin Further it was agreeable to the trueth and goodnes of God Most agreeable to his truth Gen. 2.17 to the trueth because a threatning had gone before What day so euer thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death and it was promised and euer by continuall testimonies shewed and by diuers ceremonies shadowed that the sonne of God borne of a woman should dye for vs and so should confirme the new couenant by his blood To his goodnes and mercy And to the goodnes of God it agreeth because seeing man of himselfe could not satisfie for sinnes God of his exceeding great mercie gaue vnto him a satisfier euen his only begotten sonne Whereupon it was said of Christ himself Iohn 3. Rom. 5. Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his sonne c. And Paul God doth set out his loue towards vs that when we were as yet sinners Christ died for vs. And truly this was a token of a farre more abounding mercie that he did not spare his owne sonne for vs then if he had remitted our sins without satisfaction Ephes 2. so that wee may worthily now say with the same Apostle God who is rich in mercie because of his great loue wherewith he hath loued vs euen when we were dead thorow our offences hath quickned vs together through Christ by whose grace we are saued This was most expedient to money to loue God again Besides that way of deliuerance was most expedient for our saluation For so we know by the greatest experiment of all how much God loueth vs and we are prouoked to loue God againe Then an example is giuen vnto vs of obedience loue humilitie sufferings and glorie which when all miseries are ouercome we doe expect as Peter saith 1. Epist 2. Christ suffered for vs and left vs an example that wee should follow his steps Likewise Paul Phil. 2.5 and 2. Cor. 8.9 and elsewhere To suffer afflictions for his sake propounding the example of Christ exhorteth vs to the duties of loue and other vertues Further because we are redeemed by the death of the Sonne of God To keepe our selues from sinne 1. Cor. 6. A notable saying and washed from our sinnes in his blood a greater necessitie lieth vpon vs To keep our selue from sinne 1. Cor. 6. A notable saying that we should keepe our selues to God vndefiled in bodie and soule as the Apostle saith Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and spirit which are Gods And thus much of the meanes of redemption a mysterie altogether wonderfull and vnspeakeable which the Author of Meditations in Augustine chapter 7. excellently setteth out in these words O state of wonderfull reformation A notable saying and disposition of vnspeakeable mysterie the vniust sinneth and the iust is punished the guiltie transgresseth and the innocent is beaten the vngodly offendeth and the godly is condemned what the euill deserued the good doth endure what the seruant hath done the master doth pay what man doth commit God doth suffer and abide This is a heauenly medicine O good Iesu this is the preseruatiue of thy loue CHAP. VI. The
sent me that whatsoeuer hee hath giuen me I should lose none but should raise it vp at the last day And that it pleased the father to saue vs by the offering vp of his Sonne it commeth wholly from his diuine fauour Nothing moued the father to send his son to saue vs but his meere loue and mercie to mankinde loue and goodnesse towards mankinde as the Lord witnesseth Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his Sonne Wherevpon Paul also saith Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ died for vs. And Ephes 2. God who is rich in mercie of his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead in sinnes quickened vs through Christ And most cleerely of all to Titus chap. 3. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towards men appeared and saued vs not by the righteous workes which wee had done but by his mercie The sayings of the Prophets consent hereto Esay 54.7 In a moment of my wrath I haue hid for a while my face from thee in euerlasting mercie I haue compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer I euen I am he Esay 43.12 who doth blot out thine offences for mine owne sake and I will not remember thy sins He saith for mine owne sake that is not for your sake but for my holie name as it is expounded Ezech. 36. Neither doth that tend to any other end which Esay chap. 9. prophesying of the incarnation of the Sunne and of the redemption of the Church by him from the yoke of sinne and death concludeth the whole matter with this notable sentence in the ende The zeale of the Lord of hostes shall bring this thing to passe as if he should say I foretell of great things but they be true and the almightie father enflamed with eternall loue and minding to saue them to whom he hath promised the kingdome of heauen A double vse of the loue of God Christ towards vs. will bring this thing to passe See also what Moses Deuter. 7. speaketh of the cause of the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt which was a type of this eternall deliuerance The first vse Further the vse of this consideration is that wee should humble our selues vnfainedly before God and that hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord and not in his workes or own worthines For the opposition of the mercie of God and of the righteousnes of workes is to be obserued and vrged alway in the matter or cause of saluation as Paul did oppose these things Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but by his mercie he saued vs. And the same Antithesis is repeated 2. Tim. 1. vers 9. and Dan. 9. vers 18. The second The second vse is that wee also pondring in our minde the deeper sea as Damascene speaketh of Gods loue towards vs Damas lib. 3. cap. 1. orth fid should loue God againe and that not in word nor tongue onely but in deede and trueth as he hath loued vs and giuen his life for vs 1. Ioh. 3. And chap. 4. ioyning both vses together in excellent words thus he writeth Hereby the loue of God is made manifest vnto vs that he sent his owne Sonne into the world that wee might liue thorow him In this is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And straightway addeth Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another And a little before the end We loue him because he loued vs first If any man shall say I loue God hateth his brother he is a lyar But seeing by the death of Christ we are reconciled vnto God as saith the Apostle Ephes 2. An obiection He hath reconciled vs to God thorow his crosse slaying enemitie by it How God did both loue man and hate him it seemeth to disagree with that we haue said that through the loue of God he was deliuered to death for vs. For if we were before loued of God to what end is reconciliation If any say reconciliation was needfull in respect of vs that we might cease to bee at enemitie with God and among our selues the Iewes with the Gentiles and Gentiles with Iewes Ephes 2. Colos 1. he neither saith nothing nor speaketh all by the witnesse of Paul For first of all it was the part of the reconciler to pacifie the wrath of God against vs for sinnes and to make him fauourable and gratious vnto vs. How then can it stand that God preuented this reconciliation of his free fauour and loue in giuing his sonne vnto vs The reason is thus made The same thing is not the cause and the effect But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation Therefore it is not the cause of it Answere But the maior is true in respect of one and the same thing But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation not simply as though then at the length he began to loue vs but respectiuely as farre forth as reconciliation by the blood of his sonne remoueth sinne whereby wee were made enemies of God and children of his wrath according to that saying Sap. 14. The wicked and his wickednesse are alike hated of God And Psal 5. Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie And Esay crieth Esay 59. Our iniquities haue made a separation betweene our God and vs and our sinnes are the cause that he hideth away his face from vs and heareth vs not This whole matter Augustine notably expoundeth in his 110. treatise vpon Iohn After a wonderfull and diuine maner saith he God loued vs Augustines answere God hateth sin in vs but loueth his work when he did hate vs. For he hated vs as we were such as he had not made vs that is for sinnes And because saith he our iniquitie had not altogether destroyed his worke he knew in euery one of vs both to hate what we had done and also to loue what he himselfe had made and this may be vnderstood in all men according to the saying Sap. 11. Thou hast hated nothing that thou hast made For in that which he hateth there is somewhat also that he loueth For he hateth and misliketh the fault which swarueth from the patterne as it were of his workmaâ—ship yet he loueth that which is his owne euen in such as are corrupted Furthermore seeing hee hateth nothing of those things which he hath made peculiarly as Augustine there teacheth he loueth the members of his onely sonne But specially he loueth vs as we are members of his sonne For how saith he should he not loue the members of his sonne who loueth his sonne for there is no other cause of louing his members but because he loueth him Therefore he loueth vs because we are his meÌ„bers whom he
that the Caluinists both dissemblingly and plainly denie that Christ suffered and died for all men But in the very entrance as it is said they run on ground fastning vpon vs a false opinion against which afterwards they perpetually fight For we willingly acknowledge these maner of speeches 1. Iohn 2. 1. Tim. 2. That Christ is made the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world and hath giuen himselfe the price of redemption for all men For who can denie that which the Scripture would haue to bee expressed in so many words But the question is of the meaning of the words For as hee shall not escape the note of impudencie who shall denie what the Scripture expresseth so wee are to take heede least not vnderstanding what is written we should thinke there is some repugnance in the Scripture For the same Canonicall Scripture which saith that Christ died for all and so maketh redemption after a sort common to all doth restraine in other places the proprietie of redemption vnto the Church The words of Paul are Ephes 5. Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it and present it glorious vnto himselfe And in the same place Christ is the head of the Church and the Sauiour of the bodie And 1. Tim. 4. He is called the Sauiour of all men but specially of the faithfull Also Heb. 9. For this cause he is the Mediatour of the new couenant that through death which came for the redemption of transgressions the called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance Of which called also that is rightly taken which is read in the end of the same chapter Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many What doth not Christ in his solemne intercession pray for his owne expressely and not for the world I pray not for the world Ioh. 17. saith he but for them whom thou hast giuen me Now the intercession and sacrifice of Christ for vs be inseparable parts of his priesthood Other testimonies of this sort I conceale which shall be produced in their place Therefore seeing the holy Scripture here as elsewhere requireth not contentious disputers but vnderstanding readers the ancient fathers for the explication of these Of the distinction of sufficiencie and efficiencie Aquinas haue vsed the distinction of Sufficiencie and Efficiencie Thomas Aquinas the best schooleman who florished 300. yeares agoe vpon the 5. chapter of the Apocalyps writeth of this matter thus Of the passion of the Lord saith he we speake after two sorts either according to sufficiencie and so his passion redeemed all For it is sufficient to redeeme and saue all Of the meaning of the sufficiencie of Christs death although there had been many worlds as Anselme saith lib. 2. cur Deus homo cap. 14. Or according to efficiencie and so all are not redeemed by his passion because all cleaue not vnto the redeemer and therefore all haue not the efficacie of redemption The same man part 3. summae quaest 1. artic 3. when he had said that Christ came to blot out all sinnes expounding himselfe he addeth these words Not that the sinnes of all men are blotted out which is through the fault of men who cleaue not to Christ but because he exhibited that which was sufficient to haue abolished all sins Whereunto also may be referred the things which he writeth quaest 49. art 1.3.5 Christ hath deliuered vs saith he as his members from sinnes and his passion hath his effect in them who are incorporated into him as the members into the bodie and so are partakers of his passion But such as are not ioyned vnto the passion of Christ can not receiue the effect thereof But let vs heare others also more ancient then Thomas Innocentius 3. Innocentius 3. Pope of Rome Anno Dom. 1200. repeating the same distinction lib. 2. de officio Missae cap. 41. saith The blood of Christ was shed for those only that are predestinated as touching efficiencie but for all men as touching sufficiencie For the shedding of that righteous blood was so rich in price that if the vniuersalitie of captiues would beleeue in their redeemer the tyrannicall bands of sinne and Satan could withhold none because as the Apostle saith where sinne abounded there grace did superabound This later whole sentence is Pope Leos Epist 83. and 97. which seeing Innocentius alleadgeth Leo. he sheweth apparantly that Leo was of the same minde Vnto these that is not much vnlike which Basil writeth in Psal 48. Basill Man cannot giue a propitiation for himselfe to God yet one worthie price was found out for all men euen the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which he shed for vs all And that he speaketh of the sufficiencie and dignitie of the price it appeareth by the words themselues and by that which he faith elsewhere very oftē respecting the effect that the blood of Christ was shed not for all men without exception but for many Chrysost Theoph. that is for the beleeuers Chrysostome also and Theophilact who abridged him acknowledge the same distinction as we shall see Augustine Moreouer Augustine the chiefest of the ancient sound writers doth not onely acknowledge that distiction but also doth expound it largely Tom. 7. answering vnto Articles that were falsely fathered vpon him whereof the first was that he was reported to maintaine that our Lord Iesus Christ suffered not for the redemption of all men But he distinguisheth after this maner As touching the greatnes and might of the price saith he and as touching the onely cause of mankind the blood of Christ is the redemption of the whole world and so all are well said to bee redeemed Yet because all are not pulled out of captiuitie and many are not redeemed the proprietie of redemption without doubt belongeth to them out of whom the prince of this world is cast forth and now are not the members of the deuill but of Christ whose death was not bestowed for mankind that euen they should appertaine vnto the redemption of it who should not bee regenerated but so that what was done by one example for all should be magnified in euery one by one sacrament giuen vnto them This is as much as if he had sayd As touching the sufficiencie of the price the redemption belongeth to all but as touching the effect it belongeth not to all but to the members only of Christ And anone he setteth out the matter by a similitude saying Augustines similitude The cup of immortalitie which is made of our infirmitie and the diuine power hath power in it selfe to profit all but if it bee not drunke it doth no good The new writers also allow this distinction as vsuall very ancient and profitable in this poynt diligently to be retained Stapulensis vpō the 5. to the Romanes Stapulensis similitude declaring the matter by a similitude saith As light is able to driue away infinit darknes
sense and so Augustine Euchir ad Laur. cap. 103. expoundeth He will that all men be saued that is all kinde of men seuered by what differences soeuer kings priuate men noble high and low learned vnlearned wise foolish rich poore males females children and infants in all ages in all professions and if there bee any other differences among men And this exposition agreeth throughly with the purpose of Paul For thus he reasoneth Whom God would haue to bee saued for their saluation the Church ought to pray But God would haue all that is whomsoeuer to bee saued without difference of nation sexe age order and dignitie Therefore for all that is whomsoeuer euen for kings and other kinds of men faithfull and vnfaithfull the Church ought to pray Thus rightly is that expounded which he saith that we must pray for all men For if wee should pray for all simply and without exception of any one in vaine had Iohn said There is a sinne to death I say not for that that thou shouldest pray 1. Ioh. 5. Augustine Elsewhere Augustine expoundeth these words he will that all be saued saying that all the predestinate may bee vnderstood by them because all sorts of men bee in them saith he de correp grat cap. 14. But of those words enough which if the aduersaries continue to abuse let them also call to minde the exposition of Heerbrandus Heerbrand Bidenbac Osiander Disput de praedest th 93. and of Bidenbacchius and Osiander Respons ad assertiones Iesuitarum Dilingensium where they also allow the receiued distinction of the Schoolemen of the double will of God which their Schmidlinus afterward endeuoured to confute and they interprete the words of Paul with Augustine to wit that he speaketh not of euery person of men but of all the orders of men or not of euery singular one of all sorts but of the sorts of euery one Further that which is an other reason of the aduersaries out of that place of the Apostle they captiously catch at in that he saith one Mediatour of God and men that is all men whomsoeuer that come from Adam say they because also by the name of God is vnderstood whatsoeuer is in God But this is a meere shift Paul speaketh indefinitly that Christ is the Mediatour of God and men he addeth not all and if he had added it the same restraint should take place wherof was spoken before For it is the part of a Mediatour Ambrose as Ambrose obserueth in his exposition vpon the 1. of Timothie to bee an vmpire betweene him who hath sinned and him against whom the sin is committed that this party may pardon and that man may hereafter abide in the faith of God which thing certainly Christ did not take vpon him for the reprobate world for whom he vouchsafed no not so much as to pray vnto the father Ioh. 17. Of which place also Cyrill discoursing Cyril in Ioh. lib. 11. cap. 19. plainly testifieth that Christ is the Mediatour and high Priest not of the world but of his owne and that vnto them alone is attributed rightly the benefit of the Mediatour But see the mans wit Huber thes â—3 By the word God is vnderstoode doubtles whatsoeuer is in God therefore also by men ought to be meant whatsoeuer is borne of Adam I denie the consequence they bee onely loose broomes and cords made of sand hanging no more together then if I should say God hath made a couenant with man of grace and eternall life therfore as by the word God is meant whatsoeuer belongeth to God therfore by men also ought to be meant all men that be or shall be euery where so al shall be eternally saued By this kinde of reasoning or rather trifling many things most absurd may be gathered Betweene God and the seede of Abraham there was a couenant of Circumcision Now if a man vnderstood it of whatsoeuer seede Abraham should haue because by the word God may bee meant whatsoeuer belongeth to God as well women as men should haue been circumcised in Israel What is more foolish But what shall we say to that which followeth 1. Tim. 2. Who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all The answere is plaine by the things that haue been spoken before For he truly gaue himselfe a price of redemption sufficient for all none excepted at all of the whole vniuersalitie of men but because the vnbeleeuers do not applie redemption to themselues the wrath of God abideth on them Note how Christ may be said to giue himselfe a price for all Also he gaue himself the price of reconciliation for all that belong to the vniuersalitie of the elect and to his owne bodie Again for al indefinitly that is for whomsoeuer Iewes and Gentiles high and low masters and seruants as it hath been often already said Vnto which opinion also Theophilact inclineth The â— place of the aduersarie examined out of 2. Cor. 5.15 16 17. Another place is 2. Cor. 5.15 If one died for all surely all are dead and he died for all that they which liue should hereafter not liue to themselues but to him who died for them and rose againe Therefore wee hereafter know no man after the flesh If wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh yet now know we him so no more Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature Old things are passed behold all things are become new Here it is twise said that Christ died for all Well who denieth it we say so too but the doubt is of the sense Our aduersarie saith that Christ effectually died for all so that the heauenly father in very deede hath receiued into grace all mankinde and euery one is passed from death to life from sinne to righteousnes from oldnes to newnes but Paul saith not so nay he manifestly impugneth the words of Paul For in the words following he defineth reconciliation by this that God doth not impute sinnes and that wee be made the righteousnes of God in Christ And this is done by faith For that sinnes bee not imputed Rom. 4.5 c. and that faith is imputed for righteousnes Paul vseth for one and the same thing neither will he haue any other righteousnes of God to be meant but that which is by the faith of Iesu Christ in all Rom. 3 2â— and vpon all that beleeue and not vpon all simplie whether they beleeue or not What meaneth that saying of the ministers of reconciliation in this very chapter doth it not euince the same thing We being embassadors in the name of Christ Acts 3.29 doe pray you in his steede that ye would be reconciled to God Which what other thing is it then repent and turne ye that your sinnes may be done away and so ye shall in deede be partakers of the purchased reconciliation Further it is new and vnheard of Huber thes 90. that euery man is made a new
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
place in the later sense and sheweth that therefore it is said both there all and here all because as all who die die not but in Adam so all who shall be quickened shall not be quickened but in Christ Ambrose Ambrose in Comment referreth that word all vnto the vniuersalitie of the elect As death saith he held all who came of Adam so also Christ purchased life for all who bee of his bodie To whom also Hierome subscribeth in the exposition of this place Yea this is apparantly the declaration of Paul himselfe who when hee had said that all shall be quickened in Christ immediatly added these words but euery one in his owne order the first fruits is Christ then such as are Christs at his comming Therefore he speaketh of the quickening of all those that belong to Christ The 3. place of the aduersarie Ephes 1.10 A third place is alleadged out of the first chapter to the Ephesians where it is read that it was the good purpose of the father to renew or to restore all things in Christ both which are in heauen and which are in earth Which very sentence Paul repeateth and more fully vrgeth to the Colos chap. 1.19.20 saying Colos 1.19 20. This was the good pleasure of the father that in Christ all fulnes should dwell and that he might reconcile to himselfe all things in heauen and earth making peace by that blood of his crosse And the Apostle applying that generall doctrine to the Colossians who had now admitted the faith of Christ he further saith Vers 21. to 25. Therefore you being in times past strangers and enemies hauing your mindes set on euill workes hath he now recōciled in that bodie of his flesh through death that he might present you holie and blameles and without fault before himselfe if ye continue grounded and rooted in faith and be not moued from the hope of the Gospell which ye haue heard which hath been preached vnto euery creature vnder heauen whereof I Paul am a minister reioycing now of those things which I suffer for you and fulfilling likewise the remnants of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodie which is the Church The aduersarie vrgeth the generall note all things because all things are reconciled and restored that there is nothing at all omitted among men which is not reconciled and restored by the death of Christ But he cutteth his throate with his owne sword For if wee must sticke to vniuersalitie without any restraint why doth he restraine the generall note to mankind alone and expoundeth all things that is all men Before those words of the reconciliation of all went that saying All things which are in heauen and earth were made by Christ and all things consist in him and that he was before all things and hath the rule ouer all things Why doth hee now goe from that vniuersalitie of all things repeated so often in so few words and expoundeth it of the humane nature alone that all things are said to be reconciled by Christ Doth he confesse at the length that the generall particle doth now and then require a limitation according to the circumstance of the place and matter whereof is entreated But as touching the sense of this place of the restoring and reconciliation of all things by Christ many men haue spoken diuers things of this matter yet none of the old interpreters that I know tooke the words of the Apostle in that sense wherein they are produced by the aduersarie But three expositions of any moment are brought foorth to omit other of lesse account The first is that the whole creature simplie needed the remedie of the death of Christ men truly that sinne and death being destroyed they might obtain through faith euerlasting saluation and Angels that by the repayring of men and the coniunction of earthly things with heauenly they may fully reioyce lastly the Elements and the visible creature for the deliuerie of it selfe from destruction and corruption Rom. 8. for the very creature it selfe also as Paul witnesseth shall be freed from the bondage of corruption into the libertie of the glorie of the sonnes of God This exposition is Theodorites in Comment ad Eph. 1. Col. 1. Heb. 2. Other expound it of Angels and men Hereupon August Ench ad Laur. c. 62. In Christ saith he the things in heauen are restored when the full of Angels is recompenced out of mē And the things in earth are repaired when men themselues who were predestinated vnto eternal life are renued from their old corruption And in the same place expounding the words to the Colos 1. How saith he are heauenly things pacified but in vs that is in agreeing with vs For earthly things were separated from heauenly for the contrarietie of life as Hierome hath noted vpon that place Thirdly by those things which are in heauen other vnderstand the soules of the Saints Heb. 12.23 which be now in the kingdome of heauen and by earthly things the elect who as yet are pilgrimes in the banishment of this present life as Anselme expoundeth in so many words Rightly truly For Paul saith not that peace was made betweene heauenlie and earthlie things betweene Angels and men but that God had reconciled to himselfe both the things which are in heauen and which are in earth And that so it ought to bee construed the Greeke text doth proue albeit others construe it with the verbe that is translated making peace Further the application which is added Therefore vs truly hath he now reconciled who were in times past strangers and enemies doth sufficiently declare that the proprietie of reconciliatiō belongeth to the faithfull and that the vnbeleeuers as long as they bee such are void of reconciliation and enemies of God But the aduersarie The 4 place Colos 1.23 that he may leaue no stone as they say vnmoued would faine establish his opinion of the vniuersalitie of reconciliation by this also Thes 101. that Paul exhorteth all the Colossians to continue stable in the hope of the Gospell and so signifieth that they also are reconciled who fall away or may fall away from hope and faith I answere seeing wee are to iudge charitably of others such are counted and reckoned for faithfull and elect and therefore reconciled and heires of righteousnesse and eternall life whosoeuer professe with vs the faith of Christ but then they be truly that which they are called if they continue in that for which they are so called But if they haue not perseuerance they are not truly so called as Augustine writeth de Correp grat cap. 9. But of this more at large afterward in the arguments of the second ranke or order The aduersarie also warneth vs to marke well in the words of the Apostle ad Col. 1. that he not onely said that the Gospell was preached to all the Colossians but the hope of the Gospel And yet it is in the
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
respect of all and euery one who euer haue been are or shall be which how vaine it is is taught by many testimonies of the Scriptures Act. 14.16.17.30 Eph. 2.12 Psal 147.19.20 Besides looke what wee haue spoken in the sixt chapter of this booke Secondly the Apostle saying They that haue sinned without the law shall perish also without the law and they that haue sinned in the law shall be damned by the law doth not onelie grant that the Gentiles for the most part wanted the knowledge of the law written much more the knowledge of the promises of the grace of the Gospell published by Moses and the Prophets but also alleadgeth the reason of the iust damnation of the Gentiles from the breach of the law of nature making no mention of the contemned grace of the Gospell Thirdly what shall we say of so many millions of infants without the Church who haue bin preuented by death from the beginning of the world and are daily preuented before they can heare the least tittle of the grace of the Gospel what contempt is there of grace what lothing of saluation Fourthly the Lord in the Gospell saith Ioh. 15. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now they haue nothing to cloake their sinnes withall Augustine tract 89. Augustines iudgement of this question aduiseth vs to vnderstand this place not of euery sinne but of the great sinne of vnbeleefe and mouing the question whether they vnto whom Christ commeth not nor speaketh vnto them haue excuse for their sinne answereth not truly for euery one of their sinnes but for this sinne that they haue not beleeued in Christ they haue a plaine excuse and they cannot therefore auoide damnation according to the saying Whosoeuer haue sinned without the law shall also perish without the law and whosoeuer haue sinned in the law shall be iudged by the law And such he saith are they who when they heare contemne or else gainsaying resist or with hatred pursuing them by whom they heare Also Epist 99. ad Euod speaking of such as are in hell according to his owne and the common opinion of others maketh difference between such as here would not beleeue the Gospell preached those that haue not here contemned saith he that which they would not heare and are cast into hel without any guiltines of the contempt of the Gospell The like he writeth in his booke of nature and grace lib. 4. If with these sayings of ancient fathers we compare the phrases of new Sectaries we shall see a flat contrarietie And let these be spoken for confutation of those things so much as the state of our purpose seemed to require THE THIRD BOOKE OF CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION CONSISTING IN CONFIRMATION Or a demonstration of the true opinion who be partakers of Redemption CHAP. I. The proposition and partition NOw we are come to the confirmation of true doctrine And that is The summe of our opinion touching mans redemption by the death of Christ that albeit the death of the sonne of God our Lorde Iesu Christ as touching the greatnes of the price be the redemption of whole mankinde none excepted yet the proprietie of redemption belongeth to those who are not now the vessels of the deuils but the members of Christ by faith and the grace of regeneration the rest who liue without faith and regeneration not belonging to this redemption from sinne and death T it 1. And because faith and regeneration pertaine not to all but to the elect it is truly also auouched that redemption belongs to them and not to the reprobates This opinion we purposing to proue will vse also a threefold ranke or order of proofes The first shall be of certaine testimonies of Scripture out of the old and new Testament wherein spiritual redemption purchased by Christ is restrained to the Church which certainly is not the vniuersalitie of whole mankinde but a certaine companie of mankinde chosen to eternall life out of euery tribe language nation and people In the second ranke wee will produce diuerse arguments drawne from the analogie of faith or the apostolicall and catholike rule of faith whereunto euery Ecclesiasticall exposition and decision of whatsoeuer controuersies of saith ought to be agreeable Lastly the third ranke shall haue testimonies of godly antiquitie whereby it shall more cleerly than the light appeare that nothing is here taught or produced of vs that all the best and worthiest writers of old haue not with great consent taught according to the Scriptures CHAP. II. Certaine places of the new Testament with an admonition concerning Hubers maner of disputation VVE begin the more willingly our purposed confirmation from the expresse testimonies of Scripture because the aduersarie doubted not to blab it out Thes 627. The admonition touching Hubers maner of disputing as though we had no word of our opinion in the Scriptures and went about to draw and expresse it from consequences only And that thou maist the more marueile Christian reader at the negligence and follie of the man in so great a matter it appeareth that while he was writing and daily meditating of this controuersie yet he was long in this opinion to wit till being admonished by the positions of Doctor Tossan hee saw he had neede of an appendix as if all the proofe of our opinion would come to this Enthymeme There is an eternall predestination of God wherin he hath decreed in Christ to haue mercie vpon some vnto saluation and not vpon others Ergo Christ died not for all With which error afterward being carried away his chariot regarding no bridle he raiseth vp a great dust to darken the trueth of the doctrine of predestination and that not onely in place altogether vnfit and by very straunge expositions but also by an error so full of words that for one page of places of Scripture cited by M. Pareus touching Predestination he groweth into a 100. pages and 350. Theses or positions In which whole disputation it is his continuall sleight vnfaithfully and with a craftie head to propound the arguments of our side concerning Predestination for herein he onely sticketh as I said whereas he ought to handle redemption and in stead of answers hee singeth euery where his cuckowes song de repetitione principij which the schooles of Logicke vse not to call repetition but petition that is the begging of a thing as granted which is the chiefe point in controuersie It is a part of the same nay of grosser ignorance that in his appendix to D. Tossans reasons he wonderfully pleaseth himselfe in his other cuckowes song I deny the consequent We alwaies deny the consequent O miserable disputer as bad a Logitian as he is a Diuine He doth not yet vnderstand that we must neuer answer an Enthymeme by denying the consequent but either by distinguishing or deniall of the antecedent or els by denying the consequence For it is as foolish
reason of the election of the one so of the reiection of the other but because it so pleaseth God for the manifestation of his mercie or iudgement Hereunto may be added the case of innumerable children without the Church who are preuented with death The 5. reason before they haue the iudgement of reason and cannot bee iustly reproued for the neglect of helping grace If such as dissent from vs be asked concerning these whether they thinke that none of them doe perish they dare not I suppose denie If they perish they are reckoned among those whom God hath reiected yet he could foresee in them no contempt of grace seeing they should not haue it yea he foreknew rather that they should not contemne grace Neither doth that deuice any thing helpe them that God saw what they would doe if they had recouered For God in punishing and pardoning respecteth not what any man would doe but what good or euill he hath done in his body Thus it is manifest that the reprobation of the vngodly no lesse than the election of the Saints dependeth vpon the only will of God and not vpon the foreseene good or euill wils of men Neither is it materiall that some persons defame this doctrine by this or that name and endeuour to make it odious It is the doctrine of the Scriptures and defended by Augustine constantly as we see Augustine and many other writers auouch and maintaine this doctrine of reprobatioÌ„ according to the Scriptures As also by Hilarie Prosper Primasius and others who long agoe well perceiued the naughtines of the Pelagian spirit Prospers words out of his epistle to Augustine of the remnants of Pelagian heresie are That according to Gods purpose before the world there was made a difference betweene them that were to bee elected and reiected and that some were created vessels of honor and others vessels of dishonor according to the good pleasure of the creator And againe he saith that God according to the purpose and counsell of his owne will in his secret iudgement but yet in a manifest worke made one vessell to honour another to dishonour whereas no man is iustified but by grace and no man is borne but in sinne And this saith he they of necessitie graunt that confesse that all good merits are preuented by grace and by it haue this free gift that they might be Lib. 1. dist 4â— Thom. part 1. q. 23. in 9. ad Rom. Neither is the doctrine any other of the Master of Sentences as they call him for he saith He chose whom it pleased him of his free mercie not because they would be faithfull but that they might be faithfull So also he reprobated whom he would not for future merits which he foresaw yet in most vpright trueth and beyond our vnderstanding The same opinion Thomas Aquinas and other Schoolemen of no obscure account doe follow and doe confirme it with strong reasons Looke also Luthers iudgement in his booke of seruile will where vpon the place of Malachie hee boldlie writeth these wordes Eternall and vnchangeable is the loue of God Luther de seruo arbis eternall is the hatred of God towards men before the world was made not onely before the merite and worke of frewill And he manifestly reiecteth it as a fained thing that God should bee said to hate them while they were yet vnborne because hee foreknewe that they would commit things worthy of hatred Rom. 11. Neither is this anie hindrance saith he because we reade that the Iews for the merits of their vnbeliefe were cut off from the oliue tree and that the Gentiles were graffed in by faith We knowe that men by faith are ingraffed and by infidelity cut off and that they are to be exhorted to beleene leaest they be cut off The very poynt of the controuersie of predestination But we dispute not what followeth beleeuers or vnbeleeuers but by what merite by what helpe doe men attaine to faith whereby they are ingraffed or to vnbelief whereby they are cut off This merite Paul describing vnto vs teacheth that by no worke of ours but by the onely loue hatred of God it commeth to passe All these words are Luthers The same man afterward vpon the similitude of the potter and claie answering the cauill that this potter as Erasmus in his Diatribe did interperet maketh a vessell to dishonour through precedent merits as he reiected the Iewes for vnbeliefe and receiued the Gentils for their faith If God saith he do thus why murmure they and find themselues grieued why saie they wherefore doth he complaine who shall resist his will Marke this wel what neede had Paul to represse them further where is the power that the potter hath to do what he will if being subiect to merites and lawes he is not suffered to doe what he will for the respect of merites fighteth with the power and libertie to doe what he will c. Therefore what vnreasonable dealing is it and what enuie against the truth to cast in our teeth Caluinisme because we auouch that neither the righteousnes nor maliciousnes of men but the secret will of God is the cause why grace plucketh some out of the common destruction whereunto we are all subiect by nature and doth not plucke others If this be Caluinisme what shall be done to Luther to saie nothing of the auncient writers Yet it is to be obserued that we doe not maintaine as our aduersaries spitefully doe imagine of vs The slaunders of Hub. thes 350. Zanch de nat Deâ—fol 669. Visi admon Neost pag. 113. Bez. resp 2. ad Col. Momp fol. 223. That no man is condemned for sinnes or vnbeliefe as the foregoing cause We teach the contrary and our men with one consent haue alwaies taught that God taketh punishment of none and no man shal be damned of him but for sin For punishment hath no place but in respect of sin Moreouer this is also true That as God damneth not anie but sinners and such as deserue damnation for sins so also he hath not decreed to damne anie but for sin For whatsoeuer God doth in his time also he determined froÌ„ euerlasting to do after the very same way as it is done Therefore because he damneth the reprobates and wil damne them for sins doubtles he also decreed from euerlasting to damne them for sins And from hence againe the deprauing of our doctrine by the aduersaries appeareth when they faine that wee teach that God without respect of sin Note God decreed to condemne none but for sinne of his sole and absolute will hath appointed some men to damnation Yea Gods decree is of the condemnation of sinners onely and that for sins But seeing wee bee all sinners and worthy of damnation why God hath predestinated these men to bestowe vpon them freely glory and hath predestinated others to bee punished in his iust iudgement for sins hereof wee haue
not receiued it as yet But if ye be elected albeit not yet called ye shall receiue the same grace What neede is there of this speech Some of you For if wee speake to the Church of God if wee speake to the beleeuers why say wee that some of them haue receiued grace and so are supposed to doe wrong to the rest It may thus more fitly bee saide thus the predestination of Gods will standeth that ye receiuing grace are come from vnbeliefe to faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God least any man should boast But if any of you walke as yet in your sinnes repent yee awake and rise vp from the dead Also if any as yet bee not called let vs pray for them that they may be called for peraduenture they be so elected that they shall be graunted to our requests and receiue with vs the same grace Is not thus the same thing both more truely and more fitly spoken Of this matter our Augustine whom I haue often cited without controuersie a great diuine learned De bono perseuerant cap. 14. sincere and sound and a notable patron of the Catholike faith as Hilarie praiseth him hath written more at large To him therefore let them resorte that desire to know these things more exactly And these things thus farre of the eternall predestination of God who onely is wise mercifull and iust To him be honor and blessing for euer and euer Amen FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS MENTIONED IN THESE BOOKES A. ABrahams bosome 21 Absurdities of our doctrine as the aduersarie thinketh 130 Acception of persons what 266 Adam fell through his owne fault 316 Adams fall why permitted 316 Adoption what it is 106 Adoption and inheritance follow redemption 211 Ambrose his sayings 193. 215. 224 Anabaptists dotage of the saluation of Infants 219 Angels elect and reprobate 2â—6 Aduersaries opinion of Christs death for all 36 His threefold rank of reasons 47 Aduersaries contrary to themselues 216 Their opinion Anabaptisticall 219 All things for all men by the aduersarie 67 Augustine recanteth an error 216 Augustine his excellent sayings 227 Augustine his phrase of the onely cause of all men pa 225. is expounded 230 All men for al that be Christs 39 For the elect only 40. 187. 231 For all sorts of men 45 For the wicked only 41 For the multitude of both sides 64 208 Cannot be takeÌ„ for euery one 46. 2â—9 All be not Christs people 180 All and euery one had neuer the Gospell 97 All nations for the faithfull 105. 206 Not for euery one in all nations 95. 106 B. Baptisme the principall vse 161 Bap. of some without regeneration 164 by Baptisme wee are not first taken into Gods protection 163 Baptisme of Infants 165. 166 Baptisme a seale of grace to the faithfull 164 Baptizing of Simon Magus 164 Backesliders 333 Beginning of the error of the redemption of euery one 221 Begin in the spirit how many doe 123 Beleeuer knoweth himselfe to beleeue 148. 169 Benefits of two sorts 317 Benefits of the Gospel how they belong to reprobates 129 to Beleeue what 323 Blinding 335 Blotting out what 168 Booke of life what 368 Brasen serpent 206 Breaking of the serpents head for whom 100 to Beleeue to doubt are contrary 374 C. Calling threefold 320. 98 Caluerie Adams Sepulcher 136 Called who they be 197 Catholike Church what 209 Catholike Church meant by the 24. Elders 2â—0 Catholike faith of Redemption 1. 136 Certaintie of grace and election 384 Causes of redemption 23. 216 Of predestinati 269 Of Christs comming 319. 23. Christ their sacrifice whose aduocate he is 211. 188 Foreordained for the beleeuers 199 He mâ—cked not God nor men by redeâ—â—ing the elect 172 He iustifieth all how 43 He is the life of the world 78. 79 Aâ— an inlightener so a Sauiour 184 Died for all how 56. 125 Not effectually for all 179 The onely Redeemer 4. 13 Came for all in what sense by the old writers 233 Christians in name onely 112 Christians must not vse the word destinie 355 Christian kinde 227 Christian libertie many fall from 124 Church onely redeemed 201 Church iudgeth them faithfull c. that professe saith 108. 120 to be Chosen in Christ what 308 Conference and not contention becomes Gods seruants 31 Commandement of faith and repentance hindeth all 153 Contempt of the Gospell not the onely cause of damnation 175 Cornelius his saith 325 Church must take heede of falling and why 332 D. the Damned created for the good of nature 268 Damned some by Gods will 134 the Damneds destruction profiteth the elect 268 Death threefold 334 Decree of God vnchangeable 347 Deliuerance from Egypt typicall 206 Deuill ouercome for the faithfull 10â— Difference betweene power and act 238 Differences among men by God 310 a Dilemma 134 to Diuide the word aright what 152 Degrees of loue 251 Diuine his dutie 31 to be Drawne of God what it is 321 Diuerse opinions of the causes of election and reprobation 272 the Deuill hath power against vs how 339 Doubting of Gods grace 373 E. Election what 317 Election taken diuersly 249. 331 It is of some onely 256. c. How we must iudge of it â—47 It is free 297. 278 The effects of it 318 The cause of it 283 Election of Israel double 295 Elect and reprobates seuered by Gods pleasure 98 Elect called effectually 315. 351 The number certaine 349 Their fall and perseuerance neuer cut off finally 109. 329 Election and loue in God 306 Error of Marcion 17 Error of Papists 324 Euery one is to bee taken for a brother for his profession sake 115 F. Faith and repentance of God 322 Faith how necessary to saluation 217 Faith foreseene no cause of election 373. 2â—8 Historicall and infusing 110 For the doctrine of faith 109 It cureth the soule 175 a Fall grieuous proues not a man to be a reprobate 113 Fate taken diuersly 354 Faithfull their perseuerance and falles 109. 332 Fathers of the olde Testament redeemed 18 Foure thinges proper to the faithfull 195 Foreknowne with the Schoolemen 252 Future things foreknowne 355 Freewill 277. 356 Freedome of seruants 207 G. Gifts common to good and bad 114 Glorification the effect of election 328 Good workes effects of grace 273 Gods permission 316 How he loueth and hateth vs. 25 Hee must teach vs els wee cannot learne 98 He inwardly worketh what he outwardly commaundeth and that without sinne 172. 338 Gospell is properly theirs that obey it 95 God punisheth sinne with sinne 339 God is the reuenger of sinne 340 Grace and predestination agree and differ 248 Grace neuer bestowed vpon all 99 It aboundeth aboue sinne 65 Vniuersall how 201. 150. 154 It is promised to an vnbeleeuer but conditionally 151. 154 God decreed to condemne none but for sinne 304 H. Hardening 340. 335. 337 Hardnes of heart taken three waies 341 Hels foure 21 Heresie of predestination 353 Heresies denying Christs manhood 11 Hypocrites at length
are cut off 125 They receiue the signe but not the thing in the Sacrament 292 Holines generall and speciall 112 How we may resist Satan telling vs that we haue no faith 149 How a receiuer of the Sacrament must proue himselfe 169 How we may be certaine of election 372 How God willeth the death of a sinner and not 170 How Christs death is effectuall to vs. 79 How mens mouthes must be stopped 313 How Christ washeth away a mans sinnes not yet borne 200. 220 How the Lord knoweth not the wicked 210 How God would haue all to bee saued 260 Hofmans dotages 238 Hubers reproches 31 His maner of disputing 178 His blasphemies 170 His false doctrine of election 255 I. Iacob and Esau 286. 293 Indulgences 12 Infants beleeue not 165 How saued 167 Infants of the faithfull part of Gods people 219 Dying before Baptisme 168 Of Heathens why we baptise not 167 Iustification and faith effects of election not the cause 327 Wherein it consisteth 327 It is proper to the elect 328 It is diuersly taken 327 to be Iustified what it is 327 the Iustice of Gods predestination 311 Iustice of God vnlike to mans 171. 314 Iudas giuen to Christ how 257 Iudge soberly of Gods workes 314 Iudgement of the flesh and spirit 315 K. Kingdome of God threefold 103 L. Life eternall they haue that be effectually redeemed 214. 215 Libertie threefold 356 Christian 124 Limbus Patrum 19. 20 Pucrorum 21 to Loue what it is 306 Luthers doctrine of predestination 303 Luther of the cause of reprobation 303 M. Many distinguisheth beleeuers from vnbeleeuers 182. 198. 229 Mahomets doctrine 132 Man makes God a lyar how 128 Masse of Perdition 253 Meanes of the certainty of election 380 the Ministerie of the Gospell hath his effect from God not hurt by predestination 359 Maner of right preaching 152 Merits of Papists against Christ 12 Members of Christ cannot finally fall 116 what Members may fall away 116 N. Necessitie twofold 357 New creâ—tâ—â—e 57 New writers of the vniuersalitie of grace 142. 236 They allow the distinction of sufficiencie and efficiencie 35. 236 Nothing done against Gods will 317 O. Our opinion of Christs death for all 38. 177 Our opinion hindereth not preaching aright 153 Origene his fable 154. 271 Opinion of the Schoolemen of the redemption of all 219 P. Pelagianisme 272. 397 Pelagian error of redemption 321 And of the cause of election 273 People of God who be 180 People foreknowne 297 Perseuerance of the Saints what 329 It is Gods gift 330 Preachers must inuite all and all must obey 155 Preaching aright 153 Predestination a hard doctrine 243 The chiefe questions of it 243 The diuerse significations 245 Vpon it all things depend 129. 134. 136 It differs from election 236 Predestination put for election 248 Predestination and foreknowledge differ 342 Predestination of Saints what 248 Predestination of grace shewed in Christ 281 How farre absolute 308 Vnchangeable 345. 147 No cause of desperation 364 Prescience of God eternall put for predestination 251 Price of Christs death how great 139. 125. 232 Prophesie of Iacob and Esau 293 Propitiation and intercession inseparable 211 Promise of grace vniuersall 263. 147 It belongs to the faithfull 154. 264 It requireth faith 148 It must be preached to all 153. 155 How a man may apply it to himselfe 148 Prouidence and fate differ 355 Prayer not vaine though Gods purpose be vnchangeable 360 R. Reasons of the aduersarie that reprobates are deliuered from the deuill 101 And redeemed 114 Reason must bee subiect to Gods word 394 Reasons why the word must be preached to all 156 Reconciliation what 57 Redemption described 114. 197. 208 When it bringeth in a man 219 It is a freedome 228 It is spirituall 3 Eternall 197 The dignitie of it 3 The maner of it 5 The time of it 14 The ends of it 27 It is double 6 Thereto Christs death and our faith are necessary 179. 180 How it belongs to all 273 It is diuersly considered 220 It is vniuersal why 43. 180. 145 Redemption of euery one is not of the holy Ghost 131 It is proper to the beleeuers 180 Redemption of euery one bringeth weak comfort 149 the Redeemed are kings and priests 200 They perish not 214 Redeemed and elect some are to vs and not to God 111. 116. 141 Remission of sinnes presupposeth confession 200 Repentance and remission inseparable 199 Reprobation what 252 The effects of it 309. 333 The cause 300 Reprobation created for the good of nature 268 Reprobates excluded from the promise 101 For a time in the Church 111 How falling away they be said to be redeemed 117 How they deny the Lord that bought them 117 a Rule of charitie and faith 112 a Rule in Logike 41 S. Sacr. seale nothing to the vnbeleeuers 218 Saints not to be worshipped 222 Sanctification visible and inuisible 128 Sanctification and redemption inseparable 212 Saints sufferings not meritorious 12. 13 Sanctification belongs not to all 213 Satan destroyed for the faithfull 101 Scape goate 107. 207 the Schoolemens of the soules of the old fathers 21 Scripture abused for Popish pardons 12 Satan raignes ouer the reprobates yet they be subiect to Christ 102 Seede of Abraham 201 Semipelagianisme 273. 274. 397. 322 Semipelagians their shift 282 Sheepe of Christ considered two waies 185 Sinnes are foreknowne only 342 Sins once forgiueÌ„ are euer forgiuen 127 a Similitude of the light 225. 236 Of a cup. 226 Of the debter 265 Of fire and a wheele 279 Of the potter 289. 303 Of the Phisition 378 a Similitude faileth 126 Stapulensis 235 State of the controuersie 32. 179 And of the question of predestination 303 Sufficiencie and efficiencie 33. 235 the Summe of our confession of redemption 207 Synecdoâ—he common in scripture 46 Synode of Argentine 238 T. Testimonies of the old Fathers on our side 222 Three generall obseruations 108 Things necessary and contingent 357 Turkes and heathens hold many things agreeable to Christian religion 133 a Turkish proposition true 133 Trueth must be preached 155 Tale of Traiane 361 V Vessels of wrath 290. 334 Vnbeliefe is blotted out if other sinnes be forgiuen 226 Vnbeliefe doth not condemne such as neuer heard of Christ. 176 Vnbeliefe only damneth some that were once saued saith Huber 173 Vnbeleeuers baptised haue not the grace of Baptisme 162 Vncleane spirit cast out how he is said to returne 103 Vniuersall conclusion doth not follow of particulars 108 Vniuersalitie threefold 40 Vniuersalitie speciall 231 Vocation what it is 320 Vs all signifieth the faithfull only 104 And the Church 192. 202 Vse of Christs death 11 Of predestination 394 Of Gods loue 24 Of the ends of redemption 29 W. Weake brother may perish how 117 Weakenes of faith ought not to cast a man downe 149 Whether reprobates contemning the word bee in worse case then the deuils 158 Whether it be better neuer to heare it if it turne to their greater iudgement 159 What to whom and how a man must preach 152 Why Christ must redeeme vs with a price and not by force 7 Why his death is a sufficient price 7. 8 Why God chose this man before that 270. 299 Why he must die to redeeme 9. 10 Why hee elected some and reiected others 270 Why hee came in the olde age of the world 15. 16 Why God punisheth me and not him 3â—2 What wee like or mislike in the aduersaries doctrine 174 Whole set downe for a part in these phrases All men All nations c. 137. 138 Whole world for the good only 228 And for the wicked only 93 It cannot be taken for euery one good and bad 93 Whole world christian and the whole world wicked 93 Whole world of the saued 222 VVorkes foreseene no cause of election 279 VVorld in three senses onely by the aduersarie 72 VVorld for the elect onely and for the reprobates onely 73. 188. 232 World of beleeuers is the Church 91 World of perdition and redemption of the damned and saued 92. 188 VVord of God preached alike to all but some only profit 97 the Word of God inuiteth all 153 VVe must be guided by it 387 VVill of God double 170. 262 It ruleth all things euen the wils of men 134 Hardeneth men 135 The cause therof we must not search 135 the Will of man is redeemed in all that be redeemed 214 VVill and permission 315 VVill of man cannot resist Gods 325. 326 Y Yeare of freedome 207 FINIS Faults escaped in the print are thus to be corrected Pag. 34. lin 30. for distiction reade distinction p 40. l. 17. for doubt reade double p. 63. l. 31. for Colledge reade College p 67. l 4. blot out he p. 131. l. 1. reade deluder p. 136 l. last saue one for misteries reade masters p. 147. l. 26. reade posteriore p. 163. l. 30. reade receiued p. 159. l. 30. r. vnworthy p. 174. l. 5. r. shaking it p. 176. l. 17. for would r. could p. 182 l. 16. for here r. there p 187 l. 23. r. by this p. 196. l. 11. for is twise r. are p. 198 l. 24 r. please p. 199 l. 7. in the margent r. inseparable p. 211. l. 22 r. seeing he p. 218. l 22. r. the p. 285. in the margent r. looke p. 229. l. 16. r. man l. 24. r. abridger p. 230. l. 11. reade necessarily p. 231. l. 26. r. surely p. 258. l. 1. r. Esau after l. 6. p. 273. l. 20. reade belongeth p. 290. l. 32. r. good 291. r. serue p. 294. l. 20 r. he and l. â—8 r. by the free p 304. l. 11. r. he also p. 310. l. 11. blot out the parenthesis p. 313. l. 19. r. vniust p. 338. l. 8. r. vnwilling p. 391. l. 26. r. deluded p. 401. l 6. r. our In the table letter F. r. iustifying in letter H. r predestinati