doctrine or to slāder it either opēly or in corners much lesse to withdraw others from it as the little book testifieth which is intituled Ordinatio ceremonia pro ministris Ecclesiae Argentinensis c. A. ij pag. ij Which things seeing they stand thus with what forehead with what shame dare the aduersarie openly write that our opinion of Redemption was neuer heard of among the people of God vntill the time of the Conference at Mompelgard O whorish audacitie of falsely accusing and witnesse of extreame ignorance if not of malice CHAP. X. Wherein the originall and predecessors of our aduersaries opinion are laid open BVt truly he that speaketh what he will shall heare what he would not as the old prouerbe is Seeing therefore hitherto it hath been shewed that the opinion which we maintaine is plentifully taught in the word of God and hath been receiued in the Church in all times and faithfully euen vnto our daies continued I neither can nor ought I to ouerpasse and leaue out here on the contrary part the discouerie of the originall of our aduersaries opinion The Pelagian heresie is the father of the aduersaries doctrine Tom. 7. apud August I auouch therefore and professe that it hath not the spirit of God or the worthie sayings thereof vnderstood in their naturall sense but the spirit of Pelagian impietie to be the father of the birth and beginning of it Which thing that I seeme not to vtter without mine author Prosper of Aquitane in his Epistle to Augustine of the reliques of the Pelagian heresie among other errors of that naughtines The doctrine of the Pelagians concerning grace freewill and predestination assigneth this also namely that they would affirme that our Lord Christ died for whole mankinde and that no man at all is excepted from the redemption of his blood although he should leade his whole life in all impietie that is although he continue in infidelitie be damned because the sacramēt of Gods mercie belongeth to all men that is the promise of grace as now men speak Therfore in respect of God that life eternall is prepared for all but in respect of freewill that it is laid hold on by them that shall willingly and of their owne accord beleeue in God And he addeth That they are fallen to the extolling of such grace because they would auoide to confesse that God according to the purpose and counsell of his owne will in his secret iudgement but in his manifest work maketh one vessell to honour and another to dishonour neither would giue their assent that the predestinate number of the elect can neither be increased nor diminished These things hee euidently surely and in liuely colours not so much setting out the reliques of Pelagian heresie in that age as painting Pelagianisme in our aduersaries in this our time Hofman Now that wretch Hofman in the memorie of our fathers of whom lately I spake what was hee but a monster of Pelagian filthie dregges and of other heresies And him doth Huber so resemble in respect of our matter in hand as one egge is not more like to another For he auouched that all be elected all redeemed by Christ without exception of any one Both which Huber thes 1001. pleaseth to set downe thus That all men after Adams fall were in Christ elected and receiued into grace because of the blessed seede in whom the sinnes of all men were to be satisfied And not so onely but also that he may follow him throughly hee commeth foorth furnished with the same places of Scripture and testimonies naughtily wrested as Hofman did cloke his error withall as we haue before briefly shewed Moreouer Pacuuius in this our age one Parcuuius manifestly professing Pelagian impietie not onely maintaineth that Christ is alike as the creator so the redeemer of all and euery one and that all are borne in the state of saluation and grace and therefore happie so that they doe not bring vnto themselues destruction through vnbeleefe that election also and grace is generall c. but also he plainly professeth and boasteth that the Diuines of Wittenberge the successors of Luther but greatly reuolting from Luthers doctrine in this point doe consent with him in the substance of the matter But let them take to themselues all Pacuuians and Hofmans and Pelagians old and new wee haue the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord for our authors and the one agreeing consent of the best approued writers whosoeuer in all ages This is Christian reader the true simple and sound and modest exposition without bitternes and railing of the doctrine of the redemption of mankinde by Christ who is set forth vnto vs of the father to bee a propitiator and aduocate through faith for the pardon of our sinnes in his blood which the Prophets haue so deliuered the Apostles haue preached and the holy men of God haue confirmed Let vs therefore hold it also and abide therein constantly omitting oppositions of knowledge falsely so called and strife of wordes whereupon ariseth enuie strife euill speaking naughtie surmisings wicked practises of men of corrupt mindes and voide of trueth who count gaine to be godlines And specially seeing without faith it is impossible to please God let vs labour to goe to the throne of grace with a true heart and perswasion of faith that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede and also by the light of a true faith in Christ Iesu let vs so frame our whole life alwaies euery one of vs doing and meditating this that we may bee found acceptable to our common redeemer to whose glorie we ought wholly to bee consecrated with holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life To him bee honour and glorie and blessing for euer and euer Amen A BOOKE OF GODS PREDESTINATION CHAP. I. The preface and diuision of the doctrine in hand THE disputation of Predestination is of it selfe weightie and difficult and by reason of the curiositie and boldnes of mans wit it is besides not a little intricate and very dangerous while mans reason thrusting it selfe into the secrets of Gods iudgements and wisedome either seeketh into things forbidden or contemneth and scorneth those things he vnderstandeth not yea cannot surely perceiue because they be foolishnes vnto him and are as the Apostle saith spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 1. For who hath known the minde of the Lord that he might instruct him But we haue the minde of Christ who being in the bosome of his eternall father hath gratiously reuealed vnto vs in his worde all the counsell of God as much as concerneth vs to know in this point as in other things to our saluation Therefore following this rule of trueth and righteousnes and nothing fearing the ill report of detractors through the helpe of God Wisd 7.16 in whose hand both wee and also our words are we will consider of Predestination 1. What is predestination 2.
reprobates the contrarietie of the elect doth shew whom the father gaue to Christ neither could D. Iacobus Andree denie this Pag. 545. Col. Mompel But for whom Christ would not so much as pray how shall we say that he died for them according to his owne purpose or how should the death of Christ profit them for redemption and sanctificatiō Surely the sacrifice of the Mediatour doth profit none Thes 9.28 but whom his intercession doth also profit Huber excepteth that Christ refuseth not to pray for the world generally but specially which thing Luthers glosse declareth and confirmeth I pray not for the world that is I pray not that thou wouldest approue the attempts and workes of the world and vnbeleeuers I answere readily from the contrarietie in the very text As farre forth as the Lord prayeth for his so farre forth and in the same respect he prayeth not for that world of reprobates but for his hee prayeth that they may be saued Tract 107. in Ioh. Therefore so farre forth he prayeth not for the reprobates Let vs heare what Augustine saith I pray not for the world but for them that thou gauest me By the world he would haue meant such as liue according to the lusts of the world and are not in that state of grace A double world that they bee chosen by it out of the world The same man tract 110. There is a world of such as are to bee damned whereof it is written Least we should be damned with the world For this world he doth not pray for he knoweth well whereto it is predestinate And there is a world of such as shall be saued as it is written That the world may be saued by him whereof the Apostle also speaketh God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe For this world he prayeth that it may beleeue and by faith be reconciled vnto God Thus farre Augustine Wherefore there is no cause that Huber should write Thes 927. that our side faineth a false interpretation of this place He faineth that obiecteth such things euen as this also is a meere deuise that all men indifferently are giuen of the father to the sonne that he may giue them life Thes 1077. 163. All power surely not onely of humane flesh but also of all creatures in heauen and earth is giuen to the sonne but it is another thing that wee are giuen him that hee may saue vs. For if all had been giuen to Christ he had prayed for all for he prayed for all that his father had giuen him But now for certaine men whom hee calleth the world he prayed not Further he giueth eternal life to all that were giuen him For so he saith that to as many as thou gauest him he might giue eternall life Tract 111. Therefore with Augustine we inferre by contraposition that they were not giuen him to whom he will not giue eternall life albeit hee who hath power giuen him ouer all flesh hath power giuen him ouer thē also In the same place Who are they saith he whom he saith are giuen him of his father Be they not they of whom he saith in another place No man commeth vnto me except the father who sent me draw him They bee they whom he receiued of the father whom he chose out of the world that now they may not be of the world as he is not of the world and yet they be euen the beleeuing world and that which knoweth that Christ was sent of God the father Againe Tract 107. The world for which he prayeth not he would haue to be taken for those that are not in that state of grace that they may bee chosen out of the world but for these whom his father gaue him he saith he prayeth for hereby that the father had giuen them alreadie vnto him it commeth to passe that they pertaine not vnto that world for which he doth not pray Hereupon Cyrill also saith Lib. 11. cap. 19. in Ioh. Saint Iohn because he was a Iew least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with the father for the Iewes onely and not for other nations also who being called did obey said of necessitie that he was a propitiation for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from them that are not his saith I pray for them onely that keepe my words and haue receiued my yoke For whose Mediatour and high Priest he is to them onely he worthily attributeth the benefit of mediation So this testimonie standeth firme against what cauils soeuer Com. vpon this place whereof Rupertus speaketh notably Woe to the reioycing world while Christ the onely begotten sonne of God praieth for his owne that is dyeth and vpon the altar of the crosse offereth himselfe a sacrifice because J pray for them sayth he whom thou gauest me and not for the world For the world is here taken for the louers of the world so contrary to them for whom Christ crucified praieth as the Aegyptians were before God from the children of Israel who marked their posts with the sacred blood of the Lambe Woe therefore to such a world because what Christ the true Lambe of God praied profiteth them nothing that with their king the prince of darknes the deuill they may quickly sinke into hell while they only whom the father gaue to the sonne doe by his crosse and blood escape The 12. testimonie Verse 19. of the 17. chap. of Iohn Twelfthly wee adde what the Lord in his prayer to his father there expresseth for them I sanctifie my selfe that they may be sanctified in the trueth They onely for whom Christ sanctified that is offered himselfe a sacrifice are by his offering sanctified in the truth but he sanctified himselfe onely for the elect of whom significantly he speaketh to discerne them from the world For them I sanctifie my self doubtles meaning his that were giuen him of his father and for whom he prayed the father Therefore the elect onely are in the trueth sanctified by Christs oblation Whereupon Paul calles all beleeuers Saints euery where whom charitie commands to account for elect because they be sanctified in the blood of Christ CHAP. III. Testimonies out of Pauls Epistles FVrthermore Paul the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles and a worthy preacher of the grace of Christ for the publishing among the Gentiles of the vnsearchable riches of Christ and reuealing vnto all men what is the communion of the mysterie that was hid from all ages doth also euery where teach that the grace of redemption pertaineth not to the vnbeleeuers but to the faithfull who now are not the vessels of the deuill but the members of Iesu Christ That of many testimonies wee may onely alleadge a few The 1. place Rom. 3. he thus writeth to the Romanes chap. 3. But now the righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law hauing witnes of the law and the Prophets to
shall raigne vpon the earth The Minor But vnto the Church properly belongeth this dignitie to be a chosen stocke a royall priesthood a holy nation witnes Peter 1. Epist 2. which also the words out of the Reuelation chap. 5 now cited doe confirme where the voice and confession of the Church is Thou hast made vs to our God kings and priests The conclusion Therefore it followeth that the proprietie of redemption is in the possession of the Church The 12. reason From the vse of the Sacraments The 12. argument from the vse of the Sacraments Vnto whom nothing is sealed in he vse of the Sacraments vnto them the promise of grace in the word belongeth not For the nature of the promise is all one both in the audible and visible word But in the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper nothing is sealed to such as be aliants from Gods couenant and vnbeleeuers Therefore neither doeth the promise of grace in the word belong vnto them For the proofe of the assumption let the things be considered that we haue of that matter spoken before in the Confutation The 13. reason The 13. and last argument If all men wholy bee receiued into the grace and fauour of God by the death and grace of the Sauiour Hub. Thes 157. 536. so that no man shall euer perish now after his redemption vnles he despise the grace of God Hub. thes 157. 136. Marke this reason agaynst the aduersarie and through vnbeliefe shake off and forsake his redemption It will follow that all the children of al Thalmudists Mahumetists Turks Tartarians and such as feed on mens flesh called Anthropophagi and such like as long as they want the vse of reason and therefore actuall sinne and be not yet subiect to the contempt of grace are in the state of saluation and dying in that age of what nation soeuer they be in the Church or out of it are eternally saued which thing is manifestly and Anabaptisticall dotage of those men I say that follow the pauilions of Mennon Mennon Theod Phil. Hofman and Theodorike Philip vp and downe the Low Countries which they haue drawen vnto them from the sinke as it seemeth of Melchior Hofman For Theodore Phillippi is of this opinion and plainely writeth Lib. de baptismo Because Christ the Lambe of God hath taken away the sinnes of the world by his death and blood that no man can be damned for the sinne of Adam and therefore that the kingdome of heauen belongeth to all children indifferently that al are innocents and reputed without sinne before God seeing no sinne beside Adams can be imputed vnto them and that the same is satisfied and taken away vniuersally by the death of Christ so that infantes for Adams transgression cannot be iudged or condemned And the Pelagians also as Augustine witnesseth laboured to bring some such thing in to wit August lib. 2. de nuptijs concup cap. 33. that litle children are innocent and without all guiltines after that Christ had died for them But the Scripture teacheth vs to put here a difference betweene the infants of Gods people Infants of the faithfull differ from others and the infants of vngodly nations and reiected of God And the infantes truely of Gods people Gen. 17. 1. cor 7. Math. 19. albeit as the rest by their carnall natiuitie they bee borne vnder sinne and wrath haue a promise that they belong to the number of Gods people and of the Saints and so to the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen More arguments I will not here alledge A doubt wheÌ„ redemption beginnes in vs. for by those which haue beene brought our purpose I trust is more than sufficiently declared Onely one doubt remaineth If the beleeuers onely are to be accounted for the redeemed of Christ doeth therefore their redemption begin when they begin to beleeue Answere I answere The redemption of the Church by Christ may diuersly be considered Tit. 1. 1. Tim. 1. First in respect of Gods purpose and predestination according to which grace is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Secondly in respect of the merite and satisfaction perfourmed of Christ Foure waies redemption is to be considered Comment in Apoc. 1. when vpon the altar of the crosse hee tooke away enmities and reconciled the whole Church of Iewes and Gentiles to God in one body through the crosse as Paul testifieth Ephesians 2. Then surely as Rupertus writeth he redeemed and washed in his blood from their sinnes not onely these men that now are beleeuers or had beleeued but also those that should beleeue in time to come as farre foorth as hee gaue them power to be washed For he washed them not then actually but in power For they could not in very deed be washed who were not yet borne or els as yet had not beleeued Thirdly redemption is considered as farre foorth as we are made partakers of it by faith whose force and necessitie is so great for reconciliation before and after the worke of redemption performed in the flesh of Christ that as it hindred not the olde fathers which beleeued from their deliuerance in that Christ had not as yet suffered so now it nothing profiteth the vnbeleeuers for their deliuerance that Christ long agoe the iust for the vniust was deliuered to death Lastly redemption is considered as farre forth as we enioy full and perfect redemption for euer all our enemies being vtterly destroyed and euen death it selfe which is of the Apostle called the last enemie of which redemption Christ witnesseth Luke 21.28 and Paul Ro. 8.23 But of this enough THE THIRD RANKE OF PROOFES CONTAINING THE TESTIMOnies of Antiquitie CHAP. VIII TO these things hitherto alleadged out of the Scripture whereunto as to the anchor and prop of our faith wee must flye in all things Atâ—â—â—s in Synopsi that we may be in safetie the testimonies of antiquitie seeme now needfull to bee brought in to this end that the trueth may more and more cleerly appeare by that consent and the mouthes of the aduersaries may bee stopped who reasoning and debating I know not what vngodly nouelties endeuour to reproue vs as though wee spake some new thing Tom. 10. de verb. apost ser 14. as Augustine of old complained of his and the Churches aduersaries For a man may see them grow to such craking if not ignorance that they boldly complaine that our opinion of this controuersie was neuer heard in any time among that people Hub. thes 18. where the name of Christ hath been preached that what they auouch leaneth vpon the consent of all Christianitie forsooth Thes 19. for that the Catholike and true Church hath alwaies beleeued and with one mouth euer confessed that Christ died for all men vnderstand effectually Compend thes 27. whereof the question is betweene vs and our aduersaries As touching this new opinion Thes
vnderstand and in seeing ye shall see and not perceiue Matth. 20. To sit on my right hand and on my left shall be giuen to them for whom it is prepared of my father And chap. 22. Many are called but few are chosen Therefore all are not elect to whom the Gospell is preached much lesse to whome it is not preached of whom there is at this day an infinite number Acts 14. and hath been especially in olde time When all the Gentiles were suffered to walke in their owne waies Matth. 24. Except those daies should be shortened all flesh should perish but for the elect sake they shall be shortered In the same place False Christs and false prophets shall rise and shall doe signes and miracles so that they should deceiue if it were possible euen the elect If all men therefore were elected no man could be seduced or perish against which thing in the same place it is said of two in the field that the one should be receiued the other forsaken Matth. 25. The sonne of man shall place his sheepe on his right hand but the goates on the left and shall say to them on the right hand Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laide But to them that shall bee on the left hand hee shall say Depart ye cursed into the fire that is prepared for the diuell and his angels Iohn 10. The Lord said vnto the Iewes continuing in their obstinacie Ye beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall take them out of my hand Iohn 17. The Lord separating his own from such 〈◊〉 be not his saith I pray not for the world O father but for them whom thou hast giuen me and these he saith are louâ—d of his father and that he doth manifest his name vnto them and that they are sanctified and kept vnto eternall life None of which things belongeth to that world for which he doth not pray Therefore there is a plaine difference set downe betweene the elect and reprobates Hereupon Augustine tract 107. He would haue the world for which hee praieth not to be taken for them that be not in that â—â—â—â—e of grace that they may he chosen out of the world But he praieth for them whom his father gaue him For hereby in that his father gaue them vnto him it came to passe that they pertained not to that world for which he praieth not to wit the world of such as shall be damned as the same man testifieth tract 110. For which he saith he praieth not because he is not ignorant whereunto it is predestinate In the same 17. chapter of Iohn Iudas is said to perish as the sonne of perdition the rest continued with Christ in his temptations and perished not as being elect and giuen him of the father that he might giue them eternall life In what sense Iudas is said â—o bâ— giueÌ„ Christ of his father And whereas Iudas also is reckoned among them whom the father had giuen to the sonne either it is spoken according to the opinion of men as some thinke or else it is to be taken in respect onely of the Apostleship as Augustine expoundeth it Tract 106. Further whereas Luke writeth Acts 13. That as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued hee leaueth no place for doubting but some men are others are not foreordained or predestinated vnto life But what doth Paul a chosen instrument Pauls epistle that was wrapt vp into paradise and heard words that could not be vttered How often doth hee inculcate the truth of predestination Rom. 8. he saith whom he foreknew them he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne And whom he predestinated them hee also called and whom he called them hee iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified Further what conteine the 9 10 11. chapters following but a moste cleare exposition of this present doctrine of the election of some and the reprobation of others according to the eternal purpose of God That we may take a few things onely out of the Apostles disputation chapter 9. concerning the twins Iacob and Esay coÌ„ceiued both at one time he saith while the children were yet vnborne wheÌ„ they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might stand which is according to his election not of workes but of the caller it was said to Rebecca the elder shall serue the yonger And he citeth the place of Malachie Iacob haue I loued Esay haue I hated And by and by alleaging a testimony and the example of Pharao out of Moses hee concludeth in these wordes Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Again Hath not the potter power ouer the claâ—e to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour another to dishonour And straight way addeth concerning vessels of wrath prepared vnto destruction and concerning vessels â—f mercie which he saith are prepared of God vnto glorie In the 11 chapter he testifieth that God hath alwayes in the multitude of them that perish some remnants of such as shal be saued according to election of grace of whome also hee saith The elect haue obtayned the rest were hardened as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not see and eares that they should not heare Notable also is the place Eph. 1. Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with euery spirituall blessing in heauen in Christ Iesus as he elected vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that we shuld be holy blameles before him thorow loue predestinating vs to be his adopted sonnes through Christ Iesus in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glorious grace c. To the Philippians 2. It is God that worketh in vs to will and to performe according to his good pleasure his verely and not thine as wee saw euen now in the words to the Ephes In the latter to the Thess 2. To them that perish and are punished with the efficacie of deceite that they might beleeue lyes the Apostle opposeth the beloued and electe of God who of his grace for which hee giueth there thanks to God are called by the Gospell to obtaine the glorie of our Lord Iesu Christ Of this same vocation and election he speaketh 2. to Tim. 1. God hath called vs with a holy calling not for our workes but of his purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesu before all worlds and is made manifest now through the appearing of Iesu Christ And chap. 2. of the same epistle he saith The foundatioÌ„ of God is sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his But in a great house
Paul to the Philip. To you saith he it is giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake How Augustine recanted his former error By these and the like testimonies of diuine Scripture Augustine being conuicted freely acknowledged his error in this point and retracted it de praedest sanct cap. 3 passimeo libro Ad Simplicianum Sancti Ambrosij successorem apud Mediol lib. 1. quaest 2. contra 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Retract lib. 1. Aug. de bono perseu cap. 12. cap. 23. lib. 2. cap. 1. For it is incident to man to fall and to erre but wittingly and willingly to continue in error is deuillish neither ought any man to bee so vniust or enuious that either he will not profit himselfe or els hinder others that are desirous to profit Fourthly The fourth opinion that the foreseene abuse of free will to infidelitie and other euill works is the cause of reprobation confuted by Augustine other confesse that the cause of election to eternall life is in God alone namely his grace and good pleasure but they suppose no lesse than the former writers that the cause of reprobation is in men themselues to wit the foreseene abuse of freewill to infidelitie and other euil works For they be afraid least any iniquitie should bee with God if some bee said to bee reiected of him without all respect of workes Therefore that they may maintaine his iustice forsooth they write that as many as bee reprobated are reprobated for finall sinne foreseene Among the Schoolemen Scotus and his disciples follow this opinion Scotus Hereupon some of that same leauen haue defined reprobation to be the eternall foreknowledge of the euill vse of freewill Thomas Argentinus his definition of reprobation Lib. 1. q. 2. by reason whereof God hath decreed to depriue some man of his grace in this present life and to punish him in the life to come with euerlasting paine But as Augustine ad Simpl. rightly iudgeth If we should graunt that reprobation dependeth of euill workes foreseene it should altogether follow on the contrarie that election also ariseth of good workes foreseene Which if it be true it is false that it is not of workes Fiftly therefore and that is the true opinion The fift opinion soundest and best as foreseene workes or faith of such as shall be saued are not the cause of their election so neither is the vnbeleefe or other sinnes foreseene of them that shall bee damned the cause of their reprobation but that they are in Christ of meere mercie elected and these are iustly from the same mercie reiected according to the purpose of Gods will which as it is most free so most iust and the very rule of all equitie and iustice CHAP. VII A demonstration of election freely arising oft h◠meere good pleasure of God FOr the defence of this trueth and the larger confutation of the contrarie opinions there be sundry arguments and testimonies of the Scriptures and those most cleere and euident from whence we will onely produce some The 1. reason 1. The cause is not later than the effect But workes and faith in vs and the very will and desire to beleeue and what good vse soeuer of freewill in vs bee later than election For all these things are temporall whereas election is eternall according to the sayings He elected vs before the creation of the world Ephe. 1. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 1. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid He hath called vs with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Obiection If they except that our workes not as done but as to be done and foreseene of God are alike eternall Answere we answere that God foresaw no good worke or will in vs which he decreed not to effect in vs and which in predestinating he prepared not for vs as it is said to the Ephes 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them And chap. 1. of the same Epistle He hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him From whence we vnderstand seeing in that we are predestinate of God to life it commeth to passe that wee doe good workes and beleeue so euen the foreknowledge of future faith in vs and of those good things which we shall doe is later then election at the least in order reason The 2. 2. To the same end it commeth if we should argue thus Good workes likewise faith and what vse soeuer of freewill to worke or to beleeue or els to thinke of any goodnes flow from the meere grace of God as the effects of Gods electiō as at large after shall be shewed Therefore neither as done neither as to be done and foreseene of God can these things be considered as the causes of election For nothing can bee both the cause and effect in respect of the same thing Ad Simpl. lib. 1. Workes saith Augustine do not beget grace but are begotten of grace Two fine similitudes The fire warmeth not that it may be hot but because it is hot Neither doth the wheele therefore runne well that it may bee round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because he hath receiued it 3. The 3. reason If our foreseene good workes were the cause of predestination to eternall saluation they should bee the cause also of our calling and iustification The later is false Therefore also the first The Maior is proued by the rule That which is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused as they speake that is of the effect But predestination is the cause of vocation and iustification as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified The Minor also is most easily proued 2. Tim. 1. seeing the holie Ghost expressely testifieth that we are saued of God and called with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Likewise Paul in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians most largely discourseth of iustification euery way freely bestowed He requireth faith surely as the meane whereby we applie righteousnes and saluation offered to vs in the Gospell but not as of our selues for it is the gift of God And therfore if euen the foreknowledge of faith Ephes 2.8 as from vs be set downe to be the cause of election it will follow that neither iustification is euery way free Otherwise it standeth firme that we are iustified by faith as by a meane yet faith is not
whole carnall Israel being separated from other people Generall was consecrated to bee the peculiar people of God of which election we reade Deut. 7. and elsewhere often For he vouchsafed all the Israelites alike the same testimonies of his grace to wit his word and Sacraments The other a speciall and secret election included in the generall Speciall when God of his meere grace according to the hidden counsell of his will chuseth for himselfe and reserueth to saluation whom pleaseth him out of the number of the children of Israel that was as the sand of the sea These things are plaine by the order of Pauls discourse and by the distinction set downe in the beginning to wit of the children of the flesh and of the promise For all saith he that be of our father Israel are not Israelites neither are all therefore sonnes because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but they that are the sonnes of promise are counted for the seede He calleth them the children of the flesh The sonnes of the flesh that come of Abraham according to the succession of the flesh who had already an excellent prerogatiue aboue other people tribes for the grace of the couenant among that people Children of promise But hee calleth them the children of promise who were freely giuen to Abraham by promise and faith in whom a farre more excellent dignitie and grace of God did raigne and florish And such truly are of the Iewes and Gentiles but now we speake peculiarly of the Iewes Obiection But this spirituall election seemeth cannot bee proued by testimonies touching the generall election of Israel and the generall reiection of the Ismaelites Idumeans and other nations Answere 1 Answere It may truly albeit not the same way so that we may without any difference take the one for the other But thus proceedeth the Apostles reason Seeing by a free promise Isaac was preferred before Ismael and Iacob before Esau that from them a chosen issue of Abraham might flow and Gods Church in the earth and that Ismael Esau might seuerally haue their nation also but a stranger frō the Church It is no marueile if God out of Israel chuse vnto himselfe at his pleasure such as he thought good to saue Answere 2 Againe some answere albeit the propheticall testimonies be properly to bee vnderstood of the posteritie of Iacob and Esau after the foresaid maner yet it is not amisse if in the very persons also of Iacob and Esau as in the heads of this double posteritie wee say that an example of particular both election and also reprobation was set forth Certainly Augustine a writer of an exquisite iudgement and greatly busied in this matter thinketh that Esau was reiected from the grace of saluation whereunto Iacob was elected His words are Esau had not the mercie Ad Simpl. lib. 1. through which Iacob was made good that he also by it might be good And by and by This mercie was withdrawne from Esau saith he that he should not so bee called that he should bee inspired with faith in his calling and beleeuing might worke well What doth not the author to the Hebrewes very confidently seeme to censure Esau But it is nothing materiall scrupulously to search out whether hee were saued or perished seeing the trueth of predestination euen without this may be defended CHAP. X. Other proofes of free election THese things being thus set downe to auoide the subtile arguing of the aduersaries let vs proceede to other testimonies of the Scriptures wherein is proued the free election of such as shall be saued according to the most free wil of the chuser Rom. 11. there is a most manifest place The Apostle saith The 1. place Rom. 11. That God did not cast away his people whom he foreknew that is predestinated for difference sake from the carnall Israel which also was the people of God by outward calling For that absurditie seemed to follow if the Iewes should bee cast away for vnbeleefe that God seemed to renounce his owne people Here Paul distinguisheth betweene the people of God called A foreknowne people and elected or as he himselfe calleth them foreknowne meaning the knowledge which is ioyned with approbation according to which they are called foreknowne whom God receiueth whom he hath separated as his own to be saued from other multitudes of men Otherwise if the phrase should bee meant of bare knowledge that restraint were in vaine seeing euen such as shall be damned cannot auoide the knowledge of God And that hee might shew whom he calleth foreknowne he added by the example of the times of Elias that among the vnbeleeuing and obstinate people there was a reseruation made according to election And by and by hee saith Israel obtained not that which hee sought for but the election obtained it and the rest were hardened Therefore in this election and in that reseruation which is made by the election of grace hee would haue a people to be meant whom therfore God had not cast away because he foreknew them De bono perseuer cap. 18. as Augustine at large expoundeth But what saith he further of that election what cause thereof doth he assigne beside the meere grace of the chuser For he saith So at this time also there is a reseruation made according to the electiō of grace that is free election after the Hebrew phrase And if it be of grace it is not now of workes els grace is no grace if of works it is not now of grace els worke were no worke Nothing could bee spoken more roundly to exclude all respect of workes in men There followeth now a notable place to the Ephe. 1. Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesu Christ The 2. place Ephes 1. who hath blessed vs with euery blessing in the heauens in Christ as he chose vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that wee should be holy and without fault before him through loue Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes through Christ Iesu in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glorious grace whereby he hath freely accepted vs in that his beloued First of all it is manifest that nothing can be set downe as the cause of predestination that is the effect of predestination no not surely as it is in the foreknowledge of God But Paul witnesseth that whatsoeuer will or good worke is in man is the effect of predestination For hee chose vs not because either we were or would in time to come be holie but that we should be holy and without spot before him Therefore no good thing in man although it should bee meant as it is in the foreknowledge of God can be the cause of predestination or election to life eternall
iudging it to be a better thing to doe good out of euill than to permit no euill to be as Augustine saith Which thing in another place notably expounding he writeth Wee profitably confesse what we rightly beleeue that God and the Lord of all things who created all things exceeding good and foreknew that euill would arise out of good and knew that it more appertained to his almightie goodnes euen out of euill to doe good than not to suffer euill to bee had so ordained the life of Angels and men that therein he would shew first what their freewill was able to do and then what the benefit of his grace and the iudgement of his iustice could bring to passe Of this thing see also Tertullian lib. 2. contra Marcio 2. Sent. distinct 23. why God suffered man to be tempted knowing that he would fall And lib. 1. dist 45. it is learnedly declared how and how farre forth Gods permission must be referred to his will according to that of Augustine Enchir. cap. 95. Mâ—â—ke how God willeth good and euill things Nothing is done vnles the Almightie would haue it to be done either by suffering it to bee done or by doing it himselfe Where hee includeth all good and euill things that are done but with this difference that he bee vnderstood to will euill by suffering it to bee done and to will good by doing it himselfe For he suffereth doubtles not vnwilling but willing as the same Augustine saith And de praedest gra cap. 15. Enchir. ad 〈◊〉 cap. 100. he saith that all things are either done the Lord assisting or els permitted the Lord forsaking them that yet we may know Nothing is done against the Lords will and why that nothing at all is done against the Lords will Certainly if any thing be done that God simply and euery way will not haue done or els if that be not done that he willeth to be done the very beginning of our faith is in hazard wherein we confesse that we beleeue in God almightie and some God is brought in out of Epicurus his schoole Psalm 105 For our God doth in heauen and earth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Luther of this whole matter speaketh thus Lib. de ser arbit cap. 152. To them that inquire why he permitted Adam to fall when he was able to saue him it is said It is God of whose will there is no cause nor reason See how hee includeth permission vnder his will Whereupon also chap. 197. he writeth Whether God suffer or els incline a man that suffering or inclining commeth not to passe but by Gods will because the will of man cannot auoide the worke of almightie God CHAP. XIIII Of the effects of Election HEreafter now we must intreate of the effects both of election and also of reprobation And because the predestination of Saints which we call election Election what it is is a preparation of grace that is of glorie hereafter and of benefits in this world whereby as by meanes the elect are lead to the glorie appointed for them both the end and the meanes The effects of it be the ende and meanes The ende double Rom 9.23 Ephes 1.7 The meanes be al benefits and they be of two sorts be effects of election By the end we meane saluation and the glorie of the elect For in respect of them that is the end of election albeit in respect of God there is another and higher to wit the demonstration of his rich grace in the vessels of mercie to his glorie As for the meanes that bee subordinate to this end they be all benefits whatsoeuer whereby whosoeuer are deliuered are most certainly set at libertie as Augustine saith de bono perseu cap. 14. And these be of two sorts altogether some are necessary to the common saluation of all Some necessary to the common saluation of all men and infants Some peculiar to men onely men growen and infants as for example the merit of Christ iustification and regeneration by the holy Ghost Some do follow men growen onely through the want of discretion of good and euill in children as is the knowledge of Christ a true confidence in him the studie of good workes perseuerance in temptations and such like Foure principall effects of election And although there bee many and sundry effects of election yet such as bee more speciall whereunto other commonly are reduced be foure to wit Christ as the Mediatour and high Priest with the whole worke of his humiliation and glorie then vocation effectuall vnto Christ iustification also and glorification Hereof commeth that truly golden chaine of the Apostle Rom. 8. that whom God hath predestinated them he calleth and whom he calleth vnderstand that calling that is according to Gods purpose them also he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them he also glorifieth And of Christ without whom no man can be saued he straightway addeth What then shall we say to these things If God bee for vs who can be against vs who hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who is he that can condemne It is Christ who is dead yea who is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who maketh also requests for vs. The 1. effect of election Christ That we may therefore speake something of these beginning at the Mediatour and head of the elect our Lord Iesu Christ he surely is the onely foundation of our coniunction with God and therefore of all our blessednes for wee had not been capable of so great glorie whereunto wee are elected vnles our heauenly father turning his eyes from our vnworthines vpon Christ had made vs acceptable vnto himselfe in that his beloued Therefore Paul witnesseth that wee were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1. that is as himselfe interpreteth that wee were predestinate to bee adopted for sonnes and to obtaine other heauenly good things by and for Christ In which sense also he writeth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1. that grace was giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the worlds â—s if he should say that God from eternitie decreed to giue vs grace whereby wee are saued but in Christ the fountaine of grace Thus then let vs determine and iudge of a certaintie that God when hee minded to haue mercie vpon some that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie and had neede also of a fit Mediatour hereunto who might by his death and satisfaction pacifie the wrath of God and procure for them righteousnesse and life that was lost and might defend and maintaine saluation obtained ordained by his eternall and very fatherly counsell that his sonne of like substance and eternitie with the father in the fulnes of time assuming truely mans nature should dye for our sinnes and rising againe from the
by the proprietie of the Hebrewe tongue the iudiciall signification as I may say of the word is most vsuall in the sacred Scriptures namely that to be iustified is to be absolued from guiltines the word being taken relatiuely not noting any qualitie So it is vsed Prouerb 17. vers 15. Isa 5.23 And this signification agreeth with our businesse in hand seeing the question is of the iustification of a sinfull man before God Certainely therefore are we iustified of him when wee that are in our selues guilty of hell before the iudgement seate of God are neuerthelesse by his grace discharged from all guiltines so that the aduersarie cannot any more condemne seeing he reputeth vs freely iust through redemption in Christ Iesu by faith in his blood and not of workes To him that is iustified the holy Ghost is giuen to renue his heart and to stirre him vp to good works And albeit in the iustification of a wicked man the holie Ghost is withall freely giuen to renew the heart and to infuse new qualities wherby we are stirred vp to the studie of good workes yet by this newnes the guiltines of former sinnes is not blotted out neither are we accepted then for our workes but it is needfull that first we be accepted that our works being vnperfect and defiled may be able to please him But to handle these things more specially it is not now materiall Furthermore this must bee obserued that the Apostle teacheth Iustification proper to the elect that this gift of free iustification ariseth of predestination and he maketh it proper to the elect after they haue bin partakers of a diuine vocation For he saith Whom he hath predestinate he hath called and whom he hath called them he hath also iustified He saith not as the spirit of error imagineth that all reprobates as well as elect called and not called how many soeuer are of Adam borne sinners are iustified also in Christ and receiued into grace being freed from all sin and the iudgement of God And that no doubt may remaine explaining himselfe Paul addeth What shall we say then to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne to wit Gods elect It is Christ who is dead yea who is also risen againe We heare of the elect that iustification is theirs that Christ for all them was deliuered to death Their opinion also is withall reâ—elled that say that some euen of the number of the reprobates are iustified but that reconciliation is in them made frustrate Augustine better agreeth with the meaning of the Apostles saying Contra Iulian. lib. 5. cap. 3. Those that are not in the number of the predestinate God brings none of them to sauing and spirituall repentance whereby a man is reconciled to God in Christ The like words are in the same author in Soliloquijs cap. 28. The fourth effect of election glorification The fourth effect of predestination of the elect followeth to wit glorification For whom he calleth and iustifieth them he also glorifieth saith the Apostle For he vseth verbes of the preter tense for the present tense according to the Hebrewes maner of speaking And glorification signifieth the kingdome of the Saints in the heauenly life and withall comprehendeth or presupposeth the gift of perseuerance vnto the end whereof it is said He that continueth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10. Like hereto are the promises Ioh. 6. Whatsoeuer the father giueth me commeth vnto me and him that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth And straightway This is the will of him that sent me that whatsoeuer he hath giuen me thereof I should lose nothing but that I should raise it vp in the last day Againe No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him And I will raise him vp at the last day The demonstration is plaine Whosoeuer by the drawing of the father commeth vnto Christ he shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life But all come who are giuen to Christ that is are predestinate in him Therefore all they shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life that is they shall be glorified And this perseuerance which I mentioned is Perseuerance of the Saints what it is Rom. 8.35 not to be ouercome with teÌ„ptations and as Paul describeth it at large neither by oppression nor anguish nor any other creature to bee separated from the loue of God but in all things to bee more than a conqueror through him that hath loued vs. And this is to be noted in this place concerning that great benefit of perseuerance both that all the elect haue it and also that they haue it not of themselues but from another to wit from the bountifulnes of Gods grace As for the former the testimonies are plaine Matth. 24.24 Rom. 8.35 Also 2. Tim. 2. The elect haue it Matth. 10. The foundation of God standeth sure Furthermore when the holy Ghost testifieth that saluation is laid vp for such as perseuere and the crowne of life for them that ouercome Apoc. 2. 2. Tim. 4 8.1â— Ioh. 17. Luk. 22. Aug. de Cor. gra cap. 8. they necessarily perseuere that are elected to raigne with Christ Thirdly Christ vniuersally praied for his elect and was heard no lesse than it is read that hee praied for Peter that his faith should not faile Wherein what did he els pray for but that he might haue in faith a most free strong vnconquerable and perseuering will Seeing therefore Christ praieth for the elect that their faith faile not it shall continue doubtles vnto the end neither shall the end of this life finde it otherwise than abiding Aug. de Cor. gr cap. 11. 12 It is Gods gift proued by three reasons as by Peters example Augustine gathereth And now that perseuerance is Gods gift both the feeling of our owne infirmitie and the multitude of temptations wherewith daily wee haue to fight in this present wicked age against the deuill the world and our owne flesh compell vs to confesse Who can bee safe among so many wiles and swords of the deuill vnlesse he bee sustained by the hand of God Aug. de bono pers cap. 2. Secondly the testimonies hereof are most euident in the writings of the Prophets and Euangelists Ierem. 32. saith the Lord I will put my feare in their hearts that they may not depart from me Which thing what is it else than such and so great the feare of me shall bee that I will put in their hearts that they shall cleaue vnto me continually Hos 2. I will marrie thee vnto my selfe for euer in righteousnesse and faith c. And hee hath married all the true beleeuers vnto himselfe Ioh. 10. I giue to my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish
man corrupted thinking that no nature is so depraued or extinguished that it ought not or cannot will it selfe to bee healed And vpon this ground to wit that such a will remained in all men whereby a man was able either to contemne or to obey they supposed that a reason is soone rendered of the elect and reprobates Gods foreknowledge chusing such as would beleeue and condemning vnbeleeuers Vnto which error that is not vnlike which some in our time goe about to maintaine that euery one hath such strength in him that he is able to beleeue sauing that they say that this strength commeth not from any remnants of our corrupt nature but of renouation which they by a new error affirme to be common to all none excepted As though God gaue vs onely ability to beleeue and not rather faith it selfe whereby beleeuers are separated and discerned from vnbeleeuers But not to stand now vpon this point this is certaine Marke this well so long as we say that there is somwhat in vs whether the beginning of faith or the good vse of freewill or of that common grace also or whatsoeuer it be whereby we are discerned from the rest beside the onely grace of God the Pelagians alwaies will conclude that grace is giuen according to our merites and that saying of Cyprian will faile that we must glorie in nothing because nothing is ours And that of the Apostle who doth put thee apart from others or what hast thou 1. Cor. 4. that thou hast not receiued For are some men discerned from others by these giftes which whether of nature or by grace are common to all And that grace may be grace The orthodexall saith we must needes confesse as the truth is laying aside all respect of our owne worthynes and disposition that it is onely Gods gift and that free altogether not onely that grace is offered vs but also much more that we assent by faith to grace offered and refused of others and in faith perseuere vnto the end to saluation as the Apostle claymeth this wholly for God Phil. 1. 2. both that he hath begunne in vs a good worke and also that he finisheth it against the day of Christ Iesu and worketh in vs to will and to do of his good pleasure And the Lords saying is most plaine Ioh. 15. without me ye can do nothing And if al these things depend of the grace of the giuer he also foreknew from al eternity to whom he would giue them to whom not and disposed that is predestinated theÌ„ in his foreknowledge which cannot be deceiued nor changed For as it hath bin said before that grace the predestination of the Saints differ only herein Aug. de praedest sanct cap. 10. that predestination is the preparation of grace whereby they are most certainely freed whosoeuer shall be freed but grace is now the gift it selfe and effect of predestination Whereupon the Apostle also annexing predestination to grace saith ye are saued by grace through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God and not of â—orks least any man should bâ—ast For we are his worke created in Christ Iesu to good works which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them 2. Tim. 1. Againe to Tim. he hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not through our works but of his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Therefore to gainesaie predestination and to wish it were suppressed is a signe of too much contention if we do confesse sincerely as is meet the grace of God whereby alone we are put a part from such as perish that he that glorieth may glorie in the Lord. The 3. reason Thirdly this also is the vse of the doctrine of predestination that it instructeth vs to patience and armeth vs with a true and liuely faith in afflictions and whatsoeuer temptations of this wretched life Hereupon the Apostle wee know that all things worke for good to such as loue God euen to such as are called according to purpose For whom he foreknew he predestinated them he predestinated he called c. If therefore God be for vs who can be against vs who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall persecution or daunger And in many places to this very end doth the Scripture inculcate predestination that we might haue a sure hope in God and euen in the maddest of oppressions may reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God as at large before hath been shewed against slaunderers as though this doctrine conteyned more matter of desperation than consolation The 4. reason Fourthly it serueth to stirre vp in vs the loue of God and the studie of good workes For why should wee not with all our haâ—t loue God who first hath loued vs and passing by very many others with whom we had alike deserued damnation hee hath chosen vs freely before the foundations of the world were laid in Christ his beloued sonne And he hath spread abroade in our hearts by the holy Ghost the feeling both of his loue and also election Further it cannot be but we should be stirred vp to the studie of good workes when we consider that wee were predestinated not onely to the end but also to the meanes such as these be faith and good workes which as Paul testifieth God hath prepared Ephes 2. that we should walke in them And what is more effectuall to moue the faithfull to leade their life aright as becommeth them than if they daily remember that they are the sonnes and heires of the most high and that they were predestinated to so high and great a glorie before they were borne and called when they were straungers iustified when they were condemned quickened when they were dead in offences and sinnes and that for no merit of theirs forebeeing or foreseene but of the onely grace of the caller Who would not thinke himselfe bound to GOD for so great benefites to bee thankefull in all dueties Thus let it bee sufficient to haue touched these things concerning the vtility and necessity of this doctrine If any man desire to knowe more let him reade Bucer in 1. cap. ad Eph. Zanchie li. 3. Miscell cap. 5. and Luthers booke de ser arbit cap. 38. and so in order Where against Erasmus he largely defendeth that the doctrine of seruile will and predestination must not be concealed but publikely and freely preached notwithstanding the iudgement of mans reason to the contrary For in that vngodly reason telleth vs The obiections of Reason that this doctrine is against the profite of preaching as though it maintayned slothfulnes and the lustes of the flesh blunted the edge of exhortations prouoked men to despaire excused sinnes and which God forbid laieth vniustice to the Lords charge besides making him the author of sin and establisheth a fatall necessity these and such like are
Gentiles 184 Luk. 11. Of the strong man armed 103 Luk. 24. The Gospell must be preached c. 95 Ioh. 1. He lighteneth euery man that commeth 42 Of his fulnes we all receiue Behold the Lambe of God that taketh c. 76 Ioh. 3. So God loued the world 74 The wrath of God abideth c. 184 Ioh. 3. 12. I came to saue the world 79 Ioh. 6. I will giue my flesh for the life 77 My father giueth you a heauenly bread 78 Ioh. 10. I lay downe my life for my sheepe 185 Ioh. 11. That he might gather the sonnes of God 186 Ioh. 12. When I am lifted vp I will draw 187 Ioh. 15. That a man should lay downe his life for his friends 187 If I had not come they had had no sinne 175 Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world 188 For them I sanctifie my selfe 190 Thou hast giuen me power ouer all flesh 70 None of them is lost but the lost childe 71 Act. 5. To giue remission of sinnes to Israel 199 Act. 10. To him giue all the prophets witnesse 199 Act. 20. God hath redeemed his Church with his owne blood 9 Rom. 2. Whosoeuer sinned without the Law 175 Rom. 3. The righteousnes of God vpon all that beleeue 191 Rom. 5. He died for his enemies 188 Vers 19. Through the obedience of one c. 8 Vers 18. The benefit redounded to all men to the iustification of life 63 Rom. 8. He gaue him for vs all 58 192 Rom. 9. The place of predestination is discussed 286 The elder shall serue the younger 291 Iacob I haue loued Esau I haue hated 293 O man who art thou c. 313 Rom. 11. He hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew 297 Of the Iewes cut off through vnbeleefe 125 That he might haue mercy vpon all 69 Rom. 14. Destroy not him with meate for whom Christ died 116 Rom. 14. According to the things he hath done in the body 282 Rom. 16. The Gospell declared to all nations 96 1. Cor. 3. If any destroy the temple of God 116 1. Cor. 8. Thy brother shall perish for whom Christ died 117 1. Cor. 12. He worketh all in all 42 1. Cor. 15. All shall be quickened 66 2. Cor. 5. Reconciling the world 79 One died for all 56 Galath 3. When ye began in the spirit 122 Galath 5. Stand in the libertie 124 Ye are fallen from grace 122 Ephe. 1. As he chose vs in him 297 All things are restored in Christ 66 Ephe. 5. He gaue himselfe for his Church 194 Col. 1. I fulfill the afflictions of Christ 12 He hath reconciled all things in heauen 66. 67 He hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes 195 Ye that were sometime strangers 195 If ye continue stable in the hope 69 1. Tim. 1. 4. Of such as fall from faith 109 1. Tim. 2. He will haue all men to be saued 51. 53. 54 He gaue himselfe for all 56 1. Tim. 4. He is the Sauiour of all specially of the faithfull 196 2. Tim. 2. If any man purge himselfe 306 Tit. 3. The grace of God hath appeared to all men 96 Heb. 2. All things subiect to Christ 59 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified 60 He tasted death for all 61 Heb. 5. He is made the author of saluation to all that obey him 196 Heb. 6. It is impossible for them that were once inlightened to be renued by repentance 113 Heb. 9. Of Redemption of sins vnder the former Testament 2 If the blood of goates c. 197 That the Called might receiue c. 197 He tooke away the sinnes of many 198 Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren we receiue libertie 115 1. Pet. 1. Elect according to foreknowledge 308 Reuealed for the beleeuers 199 1. Pet. 2. Whereunto they were appointed 122 2. Pet. 1. He is blinde and hath forgotten 119 2. Pet. 1. Make your election sure 307 2. Pet. 2. They deny the Lord that bought them 117 Of such as returne to filthines 117 2. Pet. 3. He will haue none to perish 261 1. Ioh. 1. The blood of Christ clenseth vs. 199 1. Ioh. 2. We haue Christ our aduocate 80 For the sinnes of the whole world 80 They were not of vs. 111. 333 1. Ioh. 3. That he might destroy the workes of the deuill 212 1. Ioh. 5. They that beleeue not make God a lyar 127 Apoc. 1. He hath washed vs from our sinnes 200 Apoc. 5. He hath redeemed vs to God 200 OF THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND BY CHRIST The first Booke CHAP. I. Wherein is shewed the summe and diuision of this doctrine THE mysterie of the Redemption of mankinde by the onely begotten Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ the Apostles faithfullie and most sincerelie haue testified at large The summe of the Catholike saith and confession of the redemption of man first by liuely voyce and then by writings both to the Iewes and Gentiles to wit that the eternall word Rom. 15.8.9 which is the eternall Sonne of God to confirme the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles should glorifie God for his mercie in the last daies when the fulnes of time was come Galath 4.4 took vpon him the true nature of man of the Virgin Mary his mother by the operation of the holy Ghost and in the forme of a seruant Phil. 2 7. was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse that by his precious blood 1. Pet. 1.19 as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie vs a peculiar people vnto himself Tit. 2.14 zealous of good workes The same Apostles haue also witnessed that to the end we may be partakers of this redemption a true faith in Christ is required of vs whereby as it were by a hand we may apprehend him and apply him with all his merits and benefits vnto our selues This is the Catholike faith and confession which the Apostles taught the Martyrs confirmed and the faithfull as yet do keepe For so the holie Apostle Paul describing this whole mysterie in few but cleere words saith Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace thorow the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sinnes past that he might be iust and a iustifier of him which is of the faith of Iesu And the Author to the Hebrewes writeth on this maner Heb. 9.11 to 16 But Christ comming a high priest of good things to come by his owne blood entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption For if the blood of buls and goates sanctifieth the vncleane to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without
spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Therefore he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were vnder the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance Where by the way is to be considered that by sins past in the saying of the Apostle to the Romanes are properly vnderstood the sinnes committed vnder the old Testament which could not be purged with the blood of goates and calues but the righteous did expect a better oblation Heb. 10.14 which should consecrate for euer those that are sanctified Acts 15.11 Whereupon Peter also said By the grace of our Lord Iesu Christ wee beleeue to be saued as well as our fathers But this whole place of redemption is large and worthie of great cōsideration to wit 1. Whence 2. By whom 3. How 4. When 5. For what cause 6. Whereto and 7. Who are redeemed All these truly haue a profitable and necessarie consideration and bee euery where taught in the Scriptures Of these propounded questions the sixe former wee will brieflie touch but the seuenth and last for which cause chieflie wee vndertake this labour wee will more fully and largely expound as the Lord shall permit CHAP. II. Whence we are redeemed THerefore as touching this question Whence we are redeemed the holy Scriptures sufficiently teach vs Our redemptiō is not corporal but spirituall and eternall from Satan sin and death that the redemption whereof we speake is not temporall from some corporall bondage or tyrannie such as the redemption was of Israel from Egypt from the house of bondage and the hand of Pharao by Moses and after from the hand of the Canaanits and Midianits and other their enemies by Gedeon and other Iudges and specially from the most grieuous 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon by Cyrus the king and Monarch of Persia but this redemption is spirituall and eternal shadowed of old by those corporall deliuerances to wit from the power of darknes and the slauerie of sinne death Coloss 1.13 Heb. 2.14 and of him who had the power of death that is the deuill And these be the enemies and haters whereof Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist maketh mention in his song greatly extolling this redemption Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Luk. 1.68 to 76. for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised vp a horne of saluation for vs in the house of Dauid his seruant as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that hee would saue vs from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate vs that being deliuered from the hand of our enemies wee might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And albeit this benefit of spirituall and eternall redemption is vsually contemned of carnall men who sauour nothing but the things of the flesh and to whom the slauerie of sinne and the world is so sweet as Satan the God of this world hath blinded their minds yet such is the greatnes and so inestimable is the dignitie thereof that they who haue rightly tasted the redemptiō of Christ whereby libertie to captiues saluation to them that perished and life to the dead is repaired do easily vnderstand that euen the riches kingdomes and pleasures of the whole world are to bee esteemed as nothing in comparison of it For what doth it profit a man Matth. 16. if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man giue for his soule CHAP. III. By whom this redemption came Our redeemer is Christ true God and man holy and righteous 1. Tim. 2.5.6 BVt now the Redeemer who hath deliuered vs from the slauerie of sinne death and the power of Satan is none other then the Mediatour of God and men our Lord Iesus Christ true God and true man like vnto vs in all things except sinne For there is one God and one Mediatour also of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a price of redemption for all as the Apostle saith And to the Romanes chap. 3. Rom. 3.24 he teacheth that wee are iustified through the redemption wrought in Christ Iesu And elsewhere the same Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption that as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. Iohn who from the breast of the Lord had receiued hidden mysteries 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 likewise testifieth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with God Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world But euery where such testimonies meete vs in the diuine Scriptures Eph. 2.20 1. Cor. 3.11 Acts 4.12 For Iesus Christ is the foundation of the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles neither is there saluation in any other nor any other name giuen vnder heauen among men whereby wee must be saued Whereupon their error is worthily to bee detested who not contented with the onely and perfect redeemer Christ seek part of their redemption and saluation elsewhere in themselues or in the Saints where as yet the holiest men vnlesse the grace of Christ had saued and redeemed them could neuer haue been able to satisfie no not for themselues Therfore also Iohn as Augustine well considered said not Augustine If any sinne ye haue an aduocate nor said ye haue me ye haue not Christ but both named Christ and not himselfe and also said we haue and not ye haue He would rather put himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ his aduocate then put himselfe aduocate in Christs stead and be found among the proud that be condemned Brethren saith he we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate with the father and he is the attonement of our sinnes Hitherto Augustine tractatu primo in 1. Epist Ioh. CHAP. IIII. Of the maner of the redemption finished NOw the maner of our redemption by Christ The maner is his abasing of himselfe to the death of the crosse and to the shedding of his blood Phil. 2.7 being a mysterie altogether and wonderfull but wholly agreeing to the iustice and trueth of God the Scripture setteth downe on this wise to wit that the eternall Sonne of God for vs and our saluation a based himselfe taking the forme of a seruant being made like vnto men and found in shape as a man and submitting himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse that by his passion and death and shedding of his most sacred blood as by the onely propitiatorie sacrifice he might redeeme our body and soule from eternall damnation and purchase for vs the grace of God righteousnes and eternall life For this cause
vse of the former doctrine for the confutation of certaine errors BY the doctrine alreadie expounded Heretikes denying Christ to be true man are confuted by the former doctrine Leo epist 85 97. those men are confuted which haue denied the trueth of mans substance in Christ as Eutyches Apollianaris Manichaeus Marcion and other old Heretikes and at this day certaine Anabaptists who haue wallowed in the vngodly errors of old Heretikes Pope Leo vrging these men saith Let them speake with what sacrifice they are reconciled let them speake with what blood they are redeemed who is he that hath giuen himselfe an oblation to God So are the popish merits of Saints these paâ—ker of pardons the upon brought in wherby Christs merits are prophaned and a sacrifice of a sweete sauour Furthermore by this same doctrine the Papists are refelled who ioyne the sufferings of the Saints to the passions of Christ and thereof haue confusedly made their fained treasure of pardons Neither are they ashamed to boast of the superfluitie of merits and humane satisfactions that the Saints haue suffered more then they ought for their sinnes and heaping one error vpon another haue fained that this their superabundance pertaineth not only to the quick but also to the dead in purgatorie This is a meere mockerie of Satan and a prophanation of the blood of Christ as Pope Leo notably sheweth in the forenamed Epistles against the Papists of these times whose words are these A notable saying of Pope Leo against the meritorious suffrings of Saints Albeit saith he the death of many Saints hath been precious in the sight of God yet the slaying of no guiltles person hath been the propitiation of the world The righteous haue receiued they haue not giuen crownes and from the fortitude of the faithfull examples of patience haue sprong and not gifts of righteousnes For there were peculiar deaths in euery one neither hath any man by his end paied the debt of another seeing among the sonnes of men there hath been one alone our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all are crucified all are dead all are buried and all are also raised vp againe And before Leo Pope Gaius of the countrie of Dalmatia being in that Sea about the yeare of our Lord 284. wrote the same thing elegantly vnto Bishop Felix the doctrine of which ancient Bishops I would to God the Romane Church had kept inuiolablie A saying of Augustine to the same end Vpon the same point Augustine writeth in his 84. treatise vpon Iohn Albeit we brethren die one for another yet the blood of no martyr is shed for the remission of sinnes which Christ did for vs and bestowed it not vpon vs that wee should imitate it but that we should be thankefull for it The trifling Pardoners or more truly sacrilegious deceiuers obiect the words of the Apostle to the Colossians Colos 1.24 Scripture abused by popish pardoners I reioyce in those things which I suffer for you and I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodie which is the Church But the true sense of that place they might haue learned euen of Aquinas who part 3. of his Summae quaest 48. artic penult disputing that only Christ is our redemption obiecteth this place and thus expoundeth it The sufferings of the Saints profit the Church not by way of redemption but by way of example and exhortation according to that 2. Cor. 1. Whether we be afflicted it is for your exhortation and saluation Which is very well sauing that for exhortation a man may better translate the Greeke word Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in that the afflictions of the Saints are called the rest of the afflictioÌ„s of Christ he doth not meane that the passion of Christ was vnperfect farre off be such blasphemie but therefore that is spoken because Christ suffereth daily as yet in his members but to a farre diuerse end and after another maner But those men are not ashamed such is their wickednesse to bragge of the superabundance as I said of humane merits and satisfactions Our sufferings are not meritorious Rom. 8.18 which redoundeth to the quicke and dead What doth not the Scripture plainly testifie that the things which wee suffer in this present life are not equall to the glorie that shall bee shewed in the sonnes of God What that none can redeeme his brother nor giue the price of his raunsome to God For the redemption of the soule is precious Psalm 49.8.9 as the Psalmist singeth Vpon which place Basil in his gloses noteth Basils sayings thereof worthie remembrance that the whole world is not the price of a soule And tom 1. vpon the same Psalme saith Man hath no abilitie at all to offer a reconciliation to God for a sinner because he himselfe is guiltie of sinne For all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu Therefore no man can giue his owne appeasement and the price of his soule to God neither ought to seeke his brother to redeeme him but one who surpasseth our nature that is not man only but the man God Iesus Christ who alone is able to giue himselfe to be a reconciliation to God for vs all These things he Therefore all men must hope in him alone We must then rest vpoÌ„ Christ alone for redemption propitiation and saluation who onely is the Mediatour of God and man the redemption propitiation and saluation of all men Let our heart say vnto him I will loue thee O Lord my strength my rocke my tower my deliuerer my shield and the horne of my saluation I will trust in thee and I shall neuer be ashamed Hauing an high priest saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes which is mercifull Chap. 2. 4. and faithfull in things concerning God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs goe with confidence to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie Let vs goe in a true heart and certaine perswasion of faith Chap. 10.19.20.22 hauing libertie to enter into the Sanctuarie by the blood of Iesu by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh There is no cause there is no cause I say why we should doubt to goe by him vnto God If wee haue committed grieuous things we haue found a worthie Phisition wee receiue the soueraigne medicine of his grace And not that onely but also we trust that he which hath not spared his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 but giuen him for vs all will also with him bestow vpon vs all things CHAP. VII Of the time of the Redemption purchased IT followeth that we consider diligently of the time also of this redemption purchased for vs by Christ And it is manifest by the historie of the Gospell
loueth and that we might be this thing for this cause he loued vs before wee were For he began not to loue vs since we were reconciled to him by the blood of his son but before the world was made he loued vs that with his onely begotten we might also be his sonnes before we were any thing at all Therefore that we are reconciled to God by the death of his son let it not so be receiued nor so be vnderstood as though therefore the sonne hath reconciled vs that now he might begin to loue whom hee had hated as one enemie is reconciled to another but wee are reconciled to him that already loueth vs with whom for sinnes wee were at enemitie and yet it is most truly said vnto him Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie Marke this Hitherto Augustine The summe of all is that seeing GOD hath loued vs as his worke but especiallie as the members of his Sonne before the foundations of the world were laid he of his meere and free loue being moued gaue vs his Sonne that being redeemed by his grace from sinne whereby wee were put away from the presence and fruition of God we might bee made heires of eternall life Bernard Serm. 20. of the 9. verse of the Psalme He that dwelleth c. very well saith Christ according to the time died for the wicked but in respect of predestination he died for his brethren and friends CHAP. X. Of the finall cause of redemption THere followeth that question whereunto are we redeemed wherein the question now is concerning the end of our redemption And the end is two-fold to wit Two ends of redemption the glorie of God and our saluation The former end the Apostle extolleth Ephes 1. where hee saith The first end is Gods glorie that God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid hath foreordained to adopt vs for his sonnes through the same Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will to the praise of his glorious grace whereby he hath made vs acceptable in that his beloued in whom wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenes of sins In which words he not only teacheth that the end of the eternall and free election of God is the praise of his glorious and rich grace but also sheweth that the redemption of vs by Christ is subordinate vnto the same end Prou. 16. For God hath made all things for himselfe euen the wicked against the euill day that both the benefit of their healing who are deliuered and also the iudgement of damnation in the deserued punishment of such as perish should further his glorie Wherefore wee are here warned Coloss 1. that with Paul wee giue thankes without ceasing vnto the father who hath made vs meete to be partakers of the portion of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his blood c. 1. Pet. 2. As Peter also admonisheth vs of our dutie in this point that wee should preach the vertues of him who hath called vs out of darknes into his marueilous light It is well knowne what Moses and the children of Israel did when the sea yeelded a readie passage for all his people to goe through how being protected by Gods hand and beholding that wonderfull redemption Exod. 15. Sap. 19. they leaped like lambes and sung his praise Thou O Lord art our deliuerer thou art our strength But what speake I of the old people and of the old song we haue a new song the song of the Lambe let vs standing vpon the glassie sea of this world and hauing the harps of God sing it vncessantly with the vniuersall Church Apoc. 5. 15. to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe because hee was slaine and hath redeemed vs vnto God by his blood out of euery tribe and language people and nation and hath made vs vnto our God kings and priests and we shall raigne vpon the earth The song of the vniuersall Church in the honour of Christ To thee O Sonne of God the louer of mortal men O good Lord O pacifier O rich Sauiour and a king in deed the creator and maker of all things the word and wisedome of the father the light and brightnes of the father the power arme and right hand of the father to thee be blessing and honour and glorie and strength for euer and euer Thou hast redeemed vs being captiues and seruing sinne thou hast deliuered vs by thine owne death Thou hast giuen vs the adoption of sonnes Thou becamest poore that by thy pouertie thou mightest enrich vs. Thou hast freely giuen vs the kingdome of heauen Thou hast fashioned vs a new in darknes hast inlightened vs and being dead men thou hast quickened vs thou vnloosedst the sorrowes of death and brakest the gates of brasse and doores of iron and hast broken in peeces the yoke of sinners Eccle. 15. And because praise is vncomely in the mouth of fooles and this wonderfull and altogether diuine redemption is to be published of vs not so much in words as in deedes themselues goe to let vs so be affected let vs so frame our life maners actions counsels and all our affaires that wee bee not found foullie vnthankfull to our common Redeemer to whose glorie wee ought wholly to bee consecrated and nothing better yea euery way worse then those obstinate Iewes through whom the name of God was euil spoken of among the Gentiles as it is written But let that sharpe reproofe of Moses neuer goe out of our mindes in the song in Deuteronomie Chap. 32.6 Will ye giue this recompence vnto the Lord O yee foolish and vnwise people Is not he thy father who oweth and possesseth thee hath not hee made and prepared thee The second end of redemption is our saluation The 2. end is our saluation which containeth many benefits which comprehendeth many and sundrie benefits albeit knit together in one and the same band as these especially Iustification which consisteth in the free remission of sinnes Sanctification and newnes of life Consolation yea reioycing in aduersitie vnder the hope of the glorie of God and lastly Entrance into the eternall kingdome of our God and Sauiour Iesu Christ and euerlasting ioyes in life eternall These so many and so great benefits of God are purchased for vs by the abundant grace of the death of Christ as the sayings of the Scriptures doe shew Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set forth to be a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood by the remission of sinnes And chap. 5. When wee were as yet sinners Christ died for vs. Therefore being iustified by his blood wee shall be saued now much more from wrath by him
Philip. 2. All seeke their owne Ioh. 3. No man receiueth his testimonie If no man to what purpose came he from heauen Therefore none of a certaine sort because there is a certain people prepared for the wrath of God to be damned with the deuils none of this sort receiueth the testimonie of Christ saith August Tract 14. Many other examples the author of the calling of the Gentiles bringeth By all which is plainly shewed that All men are very often in the Scriptures named for a part of men the discerning of whom notwithstanding the Scripture soone openeth that the vnderstanding of the reader may be caried from the generall terme vnto that part which is to be vnderstood Herevpon Logicians giue a rule of restrayning an vniuersall note or signe vnto the subiect matter according to the rule A rule in Logike Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur esse à suis subiectis that is Such are the things that are vttered as they are permitted to be by their subiect matter Which precept hath not onelie place in this case of elect and reprobates beleeuers and vnbeleeuers but also elsewhere very often as when it is sayd All things are pure to the pure All things are lawfull for me c. CHAP. XIII Some other waies of the vniuersalitie of redemption All that are redeemed are redeemed by Christ MOreouer we affirme that by the vse of the Scripture and godly antiquitie it is rightly sayd that Christ died for all and that all are redeemed and saued by his death by a fit distribution as they say that is so farre forth as all who are redeemed and saued haue redemption and saluation in none other but in Christ by his blood Cyr. de lap hominis For all redemption as Cyrill speaketh is in Christ and through him commeth euery good gift 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 5. Epist 28. In this sense those sayings of the Apostle All are quickened and iustified in Christ Augustine euery where expoundeth as we shall see at large hereafter Because saith he as all men who die die not but in Adā so all men who are quickened shall be quickened in none other but in Christ And in this very kinde of speech the same man de pec merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 25. expoundeth that saying in Iohn chap. 1. He inlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world Therefore saith he is this spoken because no man is inlightened but by that light of the truth I know that Theophilact and some other referre that saying to the light of reason as of the inward eye of which exposition also Augustine maketh mention But this is enough for vs seeing the other way also the words of the Euangelist may be well taken to haue shewed the vse of this maner of speaking We haue a more manifest example 1. Cor. 12. He worketh all in all Where we haue neede of a double restraint All that is he worketh all powers gifts whatsoeuer in whomsoeuer For hee giueth all to no man much lesse all to all men but whatsoeuer grace or spirituall power is in any whomsoeuer is from him Philip. in paruis logical bringeth an example out of the 1. of Iohn Of his fulnes all we haue receiued and he warneth that it bee taken exclusiuely for the vniuersall signe is drawne to a certaine kinde and there is signified the shutting out of others As many of vs as haue receiued grace all of vs haue receiued it from Christ alone As if we should say of a Augustines similitudes de nat grat cap. 41. one schoolemaster in a citie This man teacheth all here letters or of some one b De pec mer. lib. 1. 28. midwife in a citie She receiueth all or as wee may say c Contr. Iuli. lib. 6. cap. 12. Christ iustifieth all in what sense Ad Bonif. lib. 1. cap. 7. alibi All enter into the house by one gate There all and such like are well spoken yet we may not vnderstand all men but such as learne letters and such as bee borne in that citie or els enter into the same house In like maner Christ iustifieth all men as farre forth as none is iustified but by him And this Augustine diligently vrgeth against the Pelagians who thought that not all but many are deliuered by Christ for they would haue some to be saued also without Christ by nature and freewill and the law whether naturall or giuen by Moses although in the meane while they would confesse that the way of saluation by Christ is more readie and commodious According to this sense Hilarie also writeth Comment in Matth. Canon 7. All the saluation of the Gentiles is of faith Hilarie and the life of al is in the precepts of the Lord. Ambrose But Ambrose somewhat more cleerely lib. 9. Epist 71. saith The Lord Iesus comming hath pardoned all men their sinne which no man could auoide and hath taken away the sinne of the whole world as Iohn testifieth Therefore let no man reioyce in workes because none shall be iustified by his deedes but he that is iust hath a free gift because after washing he is iustified Therefore it is faith saith he which deliuereth through the blood of Christ Iesus He saith expressely that Christ hath pardoned all their sinne but expounding himselfe he meaneth not that al and euery one in very deed are deliuered by Christs blood without respect of faith or infidelitie for he doth manifestly restraine the proprietie of redemption vnto the beleeuers but this he meaneth that they who are deliuered from sinne are deliuered by the free gift of Christ and not by their workes Of the later new writers Wolfgangus Musculus in his common places expoundeth it in this very sense Musculus that the redemption of Iesu Christ is well called vniuersall because no man is nor can be redeemed without it because there is saluation in none other Act. 4. nor any other name vnder heauen giuen to men whereby wee may be saued The same man alleadgeth this reason also of vniuersall redemption to wit because it is prepared for all and all are called vnto it that is as he himselfe titulo de remiss peccatorum quaest 2. expoundeth because albeit the grace of redemption doth not happen to all yet it is preached to all and set forth and all are indifferently inuited vnto it as in the Gospell the royall mariage was prepared for all Matth. 22. and all were bidden although not all alike were made partakers of the mariage because the mariage was in deede made readie for all but they which were called were not worthie for many are called but few chosen As touching therefore externall vocation Christ with all his benefits is set forth vnto all with this annexed thereto that all beleeue in him Mark 16. and as the Lord commanded the Gospell is preached to euery creature and repentance and remission of sinnes is preached in
Champion of this conflict trusting to this triple ranke dealeth no more modestlie nor lesse boasteth himselfe and singeth the triumph before the victorie then euen that fierce Goliath 1. Sam 17. 2. Paral. â—2 1. â—eg 20. arrogant and stout by reason of his sworde speare and shield or that proud Sanherib or glorious Benhadad trusting in their horses and chariots to the reproach of Israel For he boasteth boldly that all attempt is in vaine of ouerthrowing those rankes Comp. thes 14. vnles first they that assaie it doe accuse and conuince the scripture of falsehoode But oh sirtha of good fellowship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sing not your triumph before the victorie and as it is set downe in the sacred Scriptures Let not him that putteth on his armor boast as he that putteth it off as we learne that Ahab long agoe wisely answered Benhadad 1. Reg. 20.21 The Scripture with vs is of vndoubted credit and constant authoritie But the question is not of the trueth of the Scriptures which who so beleeueth not is a Pagan and no Christian but of the trueth of mans opinion which too boldly truely thou doest defend vnder pretence of Gods word as we shall see Wherefore we nothing regarde as well thine armies as thy triumphs CHAP. II. VNTO THE ARGVMENTS OF THE FIRST ORDER A generall answer to testimonies of the death of Christ for all THe first order or ranke as farre as I obserue consisteth in a fourefold kinde of testimonies as a foureparted rescuing armie of souldiers for the places of Scripture of the olde and new Testament are brought wherein either Christ is said to die for all or the fruite of his death seemeth to be extended to all without exception or mention of the world is made in the matter of saluation or lastlie the gospell is said to appertaine vnto all Of all these we will speake in order First of all as touching the testimonies of the death of Christ for all we graunt also after a sort that Christ suffered and died for all men as many as haue been are and shall be What then Shall it thereof follow that all and euery one whether they beleeue or not beleeue are in very deede reconciled iustified quickened renewed saued and that all iudgement and wrath of God is truely and properlie taken away in all men and that all together are set free from all sinne and condemnation vndoubtedly and receiued as sonnes into the fauour and bosome of God This thing this stout defender maintaineth in these very words in his Theses but we denie and vtterly denie these consequences For that they may be admitted this of necessitie must be the Maior of the Syllogisme For whomsoeuer Christ suffered and dyed The opinion of the aduersarie drawne into a syllogisme they vndoubtedly are freed from all sinne and condemnation and are in deede made partakers of saluation reconciliation iustification regeneration and other benefits purchased by Christs death without any respect of faith and vnbeliefe The assumption followeth Christ is dead for all Therefore c. Answere But the Maior taken so absolutely is most false and full of reproach euery way against all the trueth of Christian religion and the very passion and death of the sonne of God But it is true conditionally that they for whom he died be partakers of the rehearsed benefits if they beleeue in Christ and obey him For it is impossible that a man should please God Heb. 11. who is without faith And Christ plainely maketh such a difference As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes Ioh. 3. so must the sonne of man be lift vp that euery one that beleeueth should haue euerlasting life And straight waies So God loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life Againe in the same place For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world by him might be saued He that beleeueth is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie And about the end of the chapter Iohn Baptist saith He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life but he that beleeueth not in the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Neither doth Paul acknowledge any to be iustified by the redemption of Christ Rom. 3. but such as beleeue All saith he haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whoÌ„ God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood This answere vseth Theophilact vpon Heb. 2. Theoph. whom Anselmus there seemeth to follow His words are these He tasted death not for the faithfull only but for the whole world For albeit all are not saued in very deed yet he a Peregit quod suâ intererat wrought that which was his part to do See how it doth not follow that if Christ died for all all are straightway saued which is the diuinitie of Huberus thes 270. Vpon the 9. chapter to the Hebr. the same interpreter hath left it thus written He hath taken away the sinnes of many Why said he of many and not of all Because all mortall men haue not beleeued The death of Christ surely was equiualent to the perdition of all that is was of value sufficient that all should not perish and it was paied for the saluation of all and * Quantum in eo fuit as much as lay in him he died for all yet he tooke not away the sinnes of all because they that resist him make the death of Christ altogether vnprofitable vnto themselues These things he Stapulensis The foresaid answere Stapulensis an interpreter among the late writers not to bee despised confirmeth vpon the 2. chapter to the Hebr. in these words Christ truly suffered for all men and his death is of value for the redemption of all but then his death hath freed vs from the feare of death and from the feare of bondage hath restored vs into the libertie of life when wee follow him willingly And vpon the 10. chapter he writeth that by the oblation of Christ there is a most full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world which haue been are and shall be but their sins are remitted who comming vnto Christ doe aske grace which he vouchsafed to obtaine of the father for them but their sins are not pardoned who refuse his grace and contemne the vniuersal fountaine of the washing away of sinnes not knowing or being vnwilling to purge themselues in him And Brentius doth so declare it Brentius Catechis artic de remiss peccat We are iustified saith he by the meere mercie of God only for the redemption wherwith Christ hath redeemed mankind from sinnes and for that reconciliation which he hath obtained and not for any merit of man But
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
of the world may be also vnderstood for the generall resurrection that hee gaue himselfe for the life of the world as faire foorth as his death hath procured a generall resurrection to all mankinde But this seemeth to be too much forced Answer to the second obie ∣ ction Vnto the later obiection The father giueth you heauenly bread I answere that it may be expounded two waies He giueth you that is he offereth you for Christ was in the midst of them it remaineth that you would receiue it or rather that the word you bee taken concerning the bodie of the people indefinitly and not of euery person among the people after such a like phrase altogether and opposition in the matter it selfe Matth 3. Luk. 3. as is in the saying of Iohn Baptist I truly baptise you with water but there commeth one who is stronger then I he shall baptise with the holie Ghost and fire Which thing Iohn as Luke saith spake vnto all euen to the Pharisees and Saduces as it is in the other Euangelist Yet who here but one that is too too ignorant and impudent will maintaine by the word you that all were baptised of Christ with the spirit and fire as many as had heard that word from Iohn But he that wil simply vnderstand it the sense is plaine to wit that Iohn as a minister of the outward work did baptise with water but Christ as the Lord did giue the spirit For the force of Baptisme is of God alone and not of the minister saith Ambrose Epist 217. So the sense of this place is that it belongeth not to Moses but to God to giue that true bread from heauen that Moses as a seruant in the house of God gaue them Manna corporall foode and the figure of that spiritual which God giueth and not man Whereupon it is also called by Christ the bread of God Augustine also giueth this sense and the words require it and it is confirmed with that which in the same chapter Christ saith Labour for the meate which abideth vnto eternall life which the sonne of man will giue vnto you to wit if you shall beleeue in me For seeing this meate abideth vnto eternall life it appertaines not vnto the damned who shall hunger and thirst for euer Touching the sayings I came not to iudge the world The 4. and 5. places out of Ioh. 3. and 12. 2. Cor. 5.19 but to saue it Also God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himself it appeareth plainly by the testimonies of Augustine before alleadged that they be rightly meant of the beleeuers through the whole world For that sinnes may not be imputed vnto vs but that we may bee made the righteousnesse of God in Christ as this reconciliation of the world is described of Paul a true faith in Christ is required Rom. 3. 4. Ioh. 3. but vpon the vnbeleeuers the wrath of God abideth So of that wee say Christ is the Sauiour of the world it doth not follow that all and euery one in mankind whether they beleeue or not are therefore redeemed from all sinne and condemnation and made partakers of saluation in Christ Matth. 1. but the Lord Iesus saueth his people from their sinnes that is all who hope in him And because they bee dispersed through the world In what sense Christ is the life light and sauiour of the world for this and other causes before declared he is worthily tearmed as the life of the world so also the Sauiour of the world As also he is called the light of the world yet all without difference are not pulled out of darknes by him In the meane while because all beleeuers in him haue the light of eternall life and no man can attaine to any light of grace but by him this praise rightly belongeth vnto him A comparison of the Sunne euen as the visible Sunne is the light of the world and of right is said to lighten the world euery day albeit in the meane while so many things in the world are still without light either because they be not capable of it or because abiding in darknes they come not to the light that they may enioy it The 6. place 1. Ioh. 2. The words out of Iohn 1. Epist chap. 2.2 as yet remaine Little children if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely Thes 1â—1 but also of the whole world Here Huberus is beyond measure puffed vp that this place is notable and vnanswerable It is so altogether but not in that sense for which hee so stoutly striueth And he saith that if wee can bring one place out of the Scriptures that Christ is a propitiation for some men onely that is for the beleeuers then he will assent vnto vs. But the answer is two-fold If men like to vnderstand the place of Sufficiencie wee willingly graunt that the blood of Christ is sufficient to appease God for the sinnes of all men so that there was no neede of another expiation or sacrifice for the cleansing and saluation of all so that all could and would applie to themselues by faith that satisfaction And so of the new writers Illyricus also whom our aduersaries vse greatly to aduance declareth in his glosse What if thou maist see Iacob Andree himselfe Coll. Mompel pag. 514 546. to come to that point at the length yet beside the matter altogether for he was to proue that Christ not only sufficiently but also effectually hath satisfied for the sinnes of al none at all excepted This when hee had taken in hand to proue by this present testimonie was at a set in the myre as the prouerbe is hee fled vnto the vulgar saying of the Schoolemen that Christ died for the sinnes of all men sufficiently although not efficiently Singular dexteritie of a profound disputer doubtles This then being graunted of the sufficiencie and power of this propitiation I say according to the propounded distinction that in very deed notwithstanding the blood of Christ doth profit the faithfull vnto the appeasing of Gods wrath and not the vnfaithful as it is plainly written Rom. 3.24.25 We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood And Iohn himselfe 1. Ioh. 1. If we walke in light saith he we haue fellowship with God and the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne Apoc. 5.9 After which sort also the Church out of euery tribe and tongue is described of him as vnto which the proprietie of redemption by the blood of the Lambe slaine doth appertaine Doest thou not see Huber that Christ effectiuely whereof the question is betweene vs is the propitiation of the beleeuers and not of vnbeleeuers And the words of Iohn doe well agree vnto this vniuersalitie of the beleeuers He is the propitiation for our sinnes and
not for ours onely to wit who now beleeue but also for the sinnes of the whole world that is of the beleeuers now and of such as shall beleeue hereafter in his name vnto the end of the world As also Christ the high priest of our profession whose words Iohn seemeth to haue followed of purpose in his last most feruent prayer Ioh. 17. prayed his father not onely for the beleeuers then but also for them who afterward should beleeue Tract 110. whom also as wee obserued before out of Augustine he in the same place calleth the world when he saith that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me And of this very world of beleeuers out of all nations and of all times that is The world of beleeuers is the Church throughout the world of the Church throughout the whole world Augustine expoundeth this very place of Iohn Tract 1. Epist 48. in these words The whole world is set in euill because of the tares which are through the whole world And Christ is the propitiation of our sinnes and not onely of ours but of the whole world because of the wheate which is through the whole world And more fully Tract 87. in Ioh. The vniuersall Church saith he is most commonly called by the name of the world euen as that is God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe And that The sonne of man came not to iudge the world but to saue the world And Iohn in his Epistle saith We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation of our sinnes and not of ours onely but of the whole world The whole world therefore is the Church and the world of perdition doth hate the world of redemption These things Augustine Cyrill also vpon Iohn lib. 11. cap. 19. reconciling the words of Christ I pray not for the world with the saying of Iohn writeth after this sort Iohn seemeth to differ from our Sauiour For our Sauiour refuseth here to pray for the world but Iohn affirmeth that he is a propitiation and aduocate not for our sinnes only but for the whole world But S. Iohn because he was a Iew least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with his father for the Iewes onely and not also for other Gentiles which being called doe obey necessarily added for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from such as are not his saith for them onely who keepe my words and receiue my yoke doe I pray For whose Mediatour and high priest he is to them onely he attributeth worthily the benefit of mediation These things Cyrill In like maner the author of the calling of the Gentiles lib. 2. cap. 1. expoundeth the saying of Iohn no otherwise but of the fulnes of the faithfull whereof there is accounted a certaine speciall vniuersalitie that out of the whole world the whole world seemeth to be deliuered and out of al men all men seeme to be taken and that according to the vse of the Scriptures naming for a part of the earth all the earth and for a part of the world all the whole world and for a part of men all men as plentifully the same man sheweth lib. 1. cap. 3. Further the Church of Smyrna in the Epistle of the life of Polycarpus which Eusebius reciteth speaking of Christ saith Euseb hist. eccl lib. 4. c. 15. that he suffered for the saluation of the whole world of them that are to bee saued Coll. Momp pag. 546. Hereupon againe the great rashnes of Iacob Andreas appeareth who boldly affirmeth that this is most certaine and vndoubted of among all truly godly sincere teachers that the words of Iohn ought to be vnderstood of all men none excepted By these men which I haue produced being without controuersie godlie and sincere teachers of the Church it appeareth that it is most false But Iohn set downe the vniuersall particle of the whole world As though that world of good men had not his vniuersalitie Certainly the same Apostle feared not to say the whole world lieth in euill that is 1. Ioh. 5.19 because of the tares which are through the whole world And in the Gospell after Iohn the Pharisees say Ye see that wee profit nothing Iohn 12.19 behold the world goeth after him Where so old an interpreter as Nonnus the Greeke Paraphrast and Luthers Dutch translation reade with the vniuersall particle the whole world followeth him Shall we say as these men doe that all men none excepted followed Christ What were more foolish So Matth. 8.34 The whole citie went out to meete Christ And Luk. 7.29 The whole people and publicans iustified God The Kings of the whole world were gathered by vncleane spirits to fight Apoc. 16.14 and 13. there The whole earth followed the beast This vsuall kinde of speaking in the Scriptures interpreters commonly doe imitate So Augustine Tract 4. in Ioh. writeth that the whole world is Christian Marke this and the whole world is wicked because through the whole world there be vngodly and through the whole world there be godly The same man in Psal 22. vpon those words In the great Church will I confesse vnto thee the great Church is the whole world and for this whole world that is for the Church dispersed euery where he saith that the blood of Christ was shed and it was wholy redeemed and not onely Aphrica as the Donatists did shut vp the Church in a part of Aphrica I omit others and returne to the examples of the Scripture adding this vnto the former that in Luke 2. it is read that there went out an edict from Augustus Caesar that the whole world should be taxed Seeing here diuers nations being associated through the author tie of the onely Romane Empire haue the name of the whole world what maruell is it that the fulnes of the Gentiles being called vnto the vnitie of the faith and the body of Christ doth obtaine the account of the whole world De vocat gent. lib. 2. cap. 6. For Christian grace is not contented to haue those limits that Rome had but it hath alreadie subdued many people vnto the scepter of the crosse of Christ whom Rome by his weapons brought not vnder subiection Wherfore the vniuersall terme nothing hurteth the exposition before alleadged as neither doth that preiudice it which Huber writeth Thes 135. of an argument from the generall to the speciall or from the speciall to indiuiduaes or singulars Certainly from the generalitie of the faithfull Marke this the argument proceedeth to thee to me that if any man sinneth and beleeueth in Christ there is an attonement purchased for him through faith in the blood of Christ And these things thus farre of the testimonies wherein mention is made of the world in the matter of grace CHAP. VI. Answers vnto the sayings of the Scripture touching the vniuersalitie of the preaching of the
Gospell THere bee also other places of the Scripture cited which teach that the Gospell belongeth to all as that which Paul Rom. 16. testifieth that that mysterie was kept secret from al eternitie and was declared in his time to all nations by the decree of the eternall God And Colos 1. of the same mysterie hid from the world and the former ages he saith that it was then reuealed by God to his Saints to whom hee would make knowne what are the riches of this glorie among the Gentiles Of the same sort also is that which is alleadged out of Acts. 17. The times of this ignorance God regarded not but now it is preached to all men euery where that they repent And to Tit. 2. The grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared Againe Luk. 24. Thus it is written and thus ought Christ to suffer and that repentance and remission of sins must be preached in his name among all nations Such places as these are brought not so much to proue an vniuersall redemption of all men as many as come of Adam as to hurt and with cauils to shift off the doctrine of Gods predestination which in many places is taught in the word of God and so fortified with euident testimonies as that it may bee pressed it cannot bee oppressed But of predestination wee haue purposed to speake in another place wee will not here vndiscreetly mingle things together Yet three things I will briefly giue admonition of First as I said because the Gospell is preached to all Three admonitions worthie obseruation it can not be gathered thereof that redemption and righteousnesse and other riches of the grace of Christ therefore belong to all by proprietie and fruition but the riches of the Gospell are properly theirs who obey the Gospell For they are called blessed of Christ who heare the word of God and obserue it Luk. 11. But in whom the word of the Gospel is not mixed with faith hearing doth not profit them Heb. 4. as is fully shewed in the epistle to the Hebrewes by the example of the old people Secondly I say that it is foolish and false The 2 admonition Hub. thes 104. 107. which these men meane that the Gospell of saluation doth precisely belong to all and euery one and that the riches of the grace of Christ bee equally exhibited to euery man among all nations no man excepted at least as touching externall preaching They proue it because the Apostle witnesseth Colos 1. Rom. 16. Luk. 24. that the mysterie of the Gospell had been alreadie preached in his time among al nations and declared to euery creature vnder heauen Also because Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations In these places they would haue meant by all nations euery one in all nations which is a very marueilous glosse I answere that by comparing of the like phrases All nations is not taken in Scripture for euery one in all nations and by the thing it selfe the falshood of that glosse as too grosse and intolerable is easily confuted We reade 1. Paral. 14. the last verse that the fame of Dauid went out into all the earth and that the feare of him was vpon all people And Psal 118. he there complaineth that all nations compassed him Also we reade that all nations were subiect to Nebuchadnezzar to serue him Iere. 27. vers 7. and that his dominion was in euery place and ouer all men and beasts Dan. 2.38 As also those sayings are Ye shall be hated of all nations Matth. 10. Teach ye all nations and baptise them Matth. 28. He suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies Act. 14. And of Paul Rom. 1.5 that the Apostleship was giuen vnto him for the obedience of the faith among all nations In like maner of the whore of Babylon Apoc. 18.3 and 23. that all nations haue drunke of the wine of her fornication and that all nations were seduced with her witchcraft What monstrous absurdities will arise if in these and such like places by all nations should be vnderstood euery one in all nations Obiection The matter it selfe also many waies is against this exposition whereby they would haue all nations to bee taken for euery one of all nations For the Apostle saith that alreadie in his time the Gospell was declared vnto all nations For it is most certaine Very many nations long after the Apostles time and in their time neuer heard of the Gospell that long after the Apostles times there were innumerable nations among whom the Gospell was not as yet preached much lesse that while the Apostles liued it was preached to euery one of all nations Augustine witnesseth Epist 80. that there were innumerable barberous nations in Aphrica to say nothing of so many other nations vnder heauen lately conuerted to the faith of Christ But Paul saith that the Gospell in his time was preached to all nations and to euery creature vnder heauen That is true but in that kinde of speaking wherein the former places in the holy Scriptures are vttered and wherein all Iudea is said to go out vnto Iohn and was baptised of him As also Hierome expoundeth the saying of Paul that he taught all men in all wisdome that is the Iewes and Gentiles For he were mad that would think that the Apostle taught the doctrine of the Gospell to euery one euery where But as for that that the grace of God which bringeth saluation is said to haue shined to all men it is very well expounded of Hierome in Comment to be said to all men because no condition is excepted neither is there any difference of bond and free Grecian Barbarian circumcised vncircumcised but wee are all one in Christ and all of vs are called vnto the kingdome of God to be reconciled after we haue sinned not for our merits but through the grace of our Sauiour God neuer sent the preaching of the Gospell to all and euery one euery where Reasons And that it may also more appeare that God doth not vouchsafe all and euery one the externall preaching of the Gospell what shall wee say of so many thousand children who daily die and haue died hitherto before they had the vse of reason or els at the least before they heard any thing at all of the grace of the Gospel What that among men growne and of iudgement and discretion there be innumerable in all ages to whom the light of the Gospell doth not shine but are suffred to remaine in darknes by the iust iudgement of God Of which thing let the reader peruse Augustine ad Euodium Epist 99. Further if it were very true that now in the time of grace the gift of hearing the Gospell were equally exhibited to euery one among all nations what shall we say of the former ages in the times of ignorance wherein all nations were suffered to
walke in their owne waies Surely God left not himselfe without witnesse among the Gentiles Acts. 14.16 by doing them good and giuing them from heauen raine and fruitfull seasons filling mens hearts with foode and gladnesse which all continually preached the clemencie of the free giuer Notwithstanding the Apostle affirmeth that the mysterie Colos 1. Rom. 16. whereof wee speake was kept secret in the ages and generations that are past And of old the mercie of the Lord which is not wanting in any generation was set out vnto all nations by the testimonies of nature but the doctrine of the Law and Prophets directed none but the house of Iacob and some few other who laboured to haue part in the calling of the Gentiles which should come at the length The third thing that seemeth worthie of consideration here is this The 3. admonition The word is preached alike but all profit not thereby and they that doe haue not the like measure of grace Ioh. 5. that albeit by the ministers of the word and of the grace of God the one truth and the same grace is preached to all and the same exhortation is vsed yet the like fruit followeth not in all For some profit by the hearing of the Gospell others doe not nay they be hardened and all that profit attaine not to the same measure of increase Whence commeth so great vnlikenes but from the vnequall grace of the caller No man commeth vnto me saith the Lord vnles the father draw him Euery one that hath heard and learned of the father commeth to mee And if all that haue heard and learned of the father The Lord must be our teacher or els we cannot learne come we gather with Augustine de praedest sanct cap. 8. that euery one truly who doth not come hath neither heard nor learned of the father For this schoole as the same man notably saith is farre off from the senses of the flesh wherein the father is heard and teacheth that men may come to the sonne There is also the sonne himselfe because he is his word through which he so teacheth neither dealeth he with the eare of the flesh but of the heart 1. Cor. 3. He onely must giue encrease or else all is in vaine But we heare also the Apostle saying Wee are Gods husbandrie and Gods building And Paul planteth Apollo watereth but neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing but God who giueth the increase From him is the beginning the progresse and the accomplishment of euery good worke Phil. 1. 2. He must begin to build vs and he must finish the worke as the Apostle saith He that hath begun in you this good worke will make it perfect vnto the day of Christ Iesu And againe It is God who worketh in you to will and to do And least peraduenture a man should aske why are these speciall benefits of grace giuen to some and denied to others he addeth in the same place Gods good pleasure is the cause that some haue grace giuen them others haue not that he doth so of his good pleasure To which sentence the words also Colos 1. doe manifestly giue testimonie where Paul saith that the mysterie kept secret from all ages is now reuealed vnto his Saints to whom it pleased God to make it knowne As if he should say that no not at this present is this mysterie made manifest to all and euery one but vnto the Saints of God that is to the Apostles and to such who by their meanes haue beleeued And least thou should aske why it hath been and is reueiled daily to his Saints and not to the rest he addeth straightwaies to whom he pleased as Theodorite and Theophilact haue well considered in the exposition of this place By all these things it is very plaine that the workes and gifts of the diuine grace are neuer bestowed alike vpon all A threefold calling but differ very greatly For wee see a three-fold calling One generall of all by the voyce of nature which neuer ceaseth an other speciall by the voyce of the Gospell which also alreadie is made common to all since the Gospell is preached in the New Testament to euery nation and thirdly whereby the elect are called whereof it is said Rom. â— Whom he hath predestinated them also he called not verely with that calling saith Augustine De perseu sanct lib. 1. cap. 16. whereof it is said Many are called few are chosen but with that whereunto whosoeuer belong they are taught of God Neither can any one say I haue beleeued that so I may be called because the mercie of God preuenting him he is so called that he might beleeue and none of these perisheth For whatsoeuer the father hath giuen me saith the sonne commeth vnto me and I will lose none of them Of this varietie of the grace and gifts of God soundly and plenteously intreateth the author of the bookes of the calling of the Gentiles whose words among other are these lib. 2. cap. 3. The height of the rich wisedome and knowledge of God whose iudgements are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out hath alwaies so tempered mercie and iudgement that by the most secret will of his eternall counsell he will not haue the same and like measure of his gifts to bee in all throughout all generations and among all men For he hath after one maner benefited those whom he thought meete to know him by the testimonies of heauen and earth and another way those for whom he would prouide not only by the seruice of the elements but also by the doctrine of the Law the oracles of the Prophets the signes of miracles and the workes of the Angels But what should be the cause or the reasons of these differences vnder the same grace while the Scripture is silent who shall speake saith he Let men with patience and quiet mindes be ignorant of a secret so farre from the thought of man wherein the knowledge of Paul the Apostle passeth from disputing to wondring Let a fuller handling of this argument concerning calling which whether it worke in euery man or people and among men generally is appointed from aboue and greatly to bee considered be fetched from the same author who was a man as the verie matter sheweth and Erasmus in his preface iudgeth diligently exercised in the sacred Scriptures and of a sound and sharpe wit CHAP. VII Testimonies of the old Testament are examined LEt vs proceede to the places of the olde Testament First the promise is cited Gen. 3. Gen. 3. The seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head This promise is to be taken saith this disputer of whole mankind and of the whole repayring of the whole kind Thes 33. But this disputer is farre wide extending the blessing which is proper to the Church vnto strangers for the sonne of the virgin The breaking of the Serpents head by Christ
is proper to his members Iesus Christ is promised who should destroy the workes of the diuell and hee being conquered should set his Christians at liberty from his power to raigne for euer with himselfe in the inheritance of the Saints Hereupon saith Paul Rom. 16. v. 20. The God of peace shall treade Satan vnder your feete shortly Where he restraineth without question the victorie against Satan vnto the faithful of whom also Colos 1. Col. 1. he saith He hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne to wit through faith without which saith Ambrose there is no going out of hell Ambrose in epist ad Col. or out the power of darkenes wherein we were held captiue of the diuell Moreouer that reparation and victorie against Satan as it is promised respecteth not onely the merite but also the efficacie of Christ whereby he maintaineth and preserueth in the conflicts of this life the saluation which he purchased for vs and strengtheneth vs against the diuell the world and our owne flesh with the vertue of his spirit vntill at length we obtaine full victorie De pass cruce Domini For it is the worke of our Sauiour saith Athanasius not onely to deliuer vs from bondage but to destroy the author thereof least he growing strong doe supplant vs and make voide the conquest of the deliuerer And now experience and Scripture teach it to be farre off from al the sonnes of Adam 1. Thes 3.3 and 5.23 to be after this sorte victors ouer Satan but that victorie God bestoweth vpon his Saints And also by those words in Moses I will put enemitie betweene thee and the woman The reprobate◠are excluded from the promise betweene thy seede and her seede the reprobates are manifestly excluded from the promise for they are ioyned to the diuell who is the head and father of reprobates and against this kingdome of Satan that is against the diuell and his members victory is promised to the Church through Christ for in the seede of the woman altogether as in the seede of Abraham the sonnes of the promise are accounted Rom. 9.8 and 4.16 But let vs see the pretie reasons of the Aduersarie First The adueraries reasons to proue reprobates to be deliuered from Satan by Christ he will haue this place to be vnderstoode of the whole repayring of whole mankinde because not onely a part of the bodie of the diuell but his head should be broken A fine reason as though the head also were not a part of the bodie Secondly because the head of the diuell was to bee broken through Christ we must needes vnderstand that so the diuell is troden down that he doth not exercise the power of death any longer against them for whom he is destroyed But this hath place onely in them who are the members of Christ He bringeth also for declaration those sayings Ioh. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. Heb. 2. Colos 2. Luk. 11. Matth. 12. that the prince of this world is cast forth that the sonne of God came to destroy the workes of the diuell that by death he hath destroyed the diuell that the diuell and all his power was triumphed ouer Also that he comming vpon the pallace of the strong armed man ouercame him and tooke away all his armour and diuided his spoyles From these he laboureth to inferre that not any one is excepted who hath been brought vnder the power of the diuell whom Christ hath not deliuered from him or else to whom the head of the diuell is not broken These words be talke but not weighty reasons For so Augustine discoursing of those things very exactly saith Tract 53. The deuill is ouercome and destroyed for the faithfull onely and in them in Ioh. The deuill possessed mankind and held them guiltie of punishments by the handwriting of sinnes he bare rule in the hearts of vnbeleeuers But by the faith of Christ through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are set free from the power of the deuill This thing he called iudgment separation and expulsion of the deuill from his redeemed ones The same man a little after God foresaw what he knew that after his passion and glorifying many people through out the world should beleeue in whose hearts the deuill was whom when they renounce through faith he is cast forth to wit out of the harts of the faithfull The Master of sentences following Augustine in like maner expoundeth those places lib. 3. dist 19. Therefore they are the beleeuers out of whom he is cast out In these he is abolished ouercome and conquered and his workes are destroyed Ephe 2. but in the vnbeleeuers in whom the prince of this world as yet is effectuall he ceaseth not to exercise a lamentable triumph 1. Ioh. 5. 2. Tim. 2. vntill they also through faith which is our victorie get out of the snare of the deuill of whō they are held captiues And this the words of Iohn do plainly confirme 1. Ioh. 3. For if he who committeth sinne be of the deuill and hee who is borne of God sinneth not surely the workes of the deuill are in very deede destroyed in none but in the regenerate Obiections 1. Cor 1◠But if Satan be abolished and conquered he is once and for all men together destroyed Answere Not so For euen the last enemie death shall be destroyed and there shall be that most famous triumph of the last day ouer Satan yet how great shall their number bee ouer whom death and he that hath the power of death the deuill shall for euer raigne Neuerthelesse all things then shall truly bee subiect vnto Christ witnesse the Apostle as euen now all things are subiect vnto him after a sort All things are subdued vnder Christ and ye◠Satan 〈◊〉 in the reprobates Contrarily how vnskilfully doth Huberus except that al things cannot be said to be subiect vnto Christ if the greatest part of Satans kingdom be not ouerthrowne by him Yea the whole kingdome of Satan shall be destroyed by him specially at the last day but for that cause there is no neede that Christ should adopt all none excepted into his kingdome of grace and glorie Reprobates and Satan are vnder his power to be damned In the meane while all reprobates with the deuill and his angels are and shall be for euer put vnder the Lords feete and hee shall take vengeance on them in vnquenchable fire as vpon subiects that are rebellious against his kingdome of power For they know The kingdom of God is takē many waies who haue read the Scriptures and ancient interpreters of them that the kingdome of God is one thing which is called the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of glorie is another thing and there is also that
which is commonly called the kingdome of power Psal 145. wherein the vngodly euery one with the deuils are comprehended But the faithfull be that kingdome of grace which is here vnto the end of the world albeit not from hence because we are strangers in the world and it hath the tares mingled with it vnto the haruest saith Augustine tract 115. in Ioh. As touching the parable of the strong armed man Luk. 11. albeit I denie not that he may be said to be cast euē out of the world as farre forth as after the passion of Christ people through the whole world beleeued as before Augustine declared yet he is not described as altogether cast out of the house that is the world but as bound rather therein Neither be al his armour all men but it is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complete harnesse in Greeke out of the which Satan is so stripped by that strong man that came vpon him that without his becke he cannot so much as moue himselfe And whereas the vncleane spirit is said to returne into him from whom he went out that commeth to passe because many renounce the deuill more in tongue then in heart and in a true faith and vnder the cloke of religion they are secretly euill whom it is no maruell that we see to fall againe and that their last end is worse then their beginning See Augustine in Psal 48. There is another place Esay 53. Esay 53. We all as sheepe haue gone astray and euery one hath turned aside into his owne way and the Lord hath laid the iniquities of vs all vpon him Therefore the sinnes of all men whether they beleeue or not beleeue are satisfied purged in very deed by the sacrifice of Christ Vnto the antecedent is answered that the words of the text may bee taken as the voice of the faithfull the Prophet in his owne and in the person of such as are like him speaking of vs all as in Paul also Abraham is called the father of vs all Rom. 4. Gal. 4. and Ierusalem the mother of vs all Certainly Augustine de peccasorum merit remiss lib. 1. The true meaning of vs all in the words of Esay 53. cap. 27. writeth thus It is the voice of all the members of Christ wee all as sheepe haue gone astray and he was giuen for our sinnes Likewise S. Peter applieth this place of the Prophet vnto the faithfull saying 1. Epist 2. Ye were as sheepe going astray but ye are returned vnto the pastor and bishop of your soules And certainly that confession We all haue gone astray like sheepe is not the propertie of men that perseuere and abide in sinnes to say nothing that it is spoken in the time past we haue gone astray as of men conuerted alreadie vnto the shepheard of their soules And it is a very childish cauill that the aduersarie would haue the words not to be spoken of the vniuersalitie onely of the faithfull because the hearers of Esay were not all faithfull For this was no let but the Prophet in those words might expresse the benefit of grace which belongeth vnto the vniuersalitie of the faithfull What shall wee say of Paul had he onely the faithfull about him or is he heard or read at this day of the elect onely And yet nothing fearing such captious wresting he writeth as of the faithfull and elect the father of vs all the mother of vs all Secondly though we graunt that the iniquities of all men were laid vpon Christ we denie the consequence that therfore by the sacrifice of Christ the sinnes of all be in very deed clensed and that all are iustified and receiued into grace For to the entent that the sacrifice and merit of Christ may profit vs to righteousnes and grace before God we neede application by faith Rom ◠Heb. 11. For being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God and without faith it is impossible to please God Herevpon it is added in Esay My righteous seruant by the knowledge of him shall iustifie many and he shall beare their iniquities Albeit therefore he hath borne the sinnes of all by sufficiencie yet properly they bee accounted his redeemed ones in whom the true knowledge or faith of Christ shineth But of this place more in the next booke following There is obiected besides that which the Lorde saith Zach. 3. I will take away the iniquities of this earth or land in one day But it may bee vnderstoode of Iudea that being at one with his people he will at length deliuer them from the vexations and molestations of their enemies which hitherto they haue indured while God was angrie with their sinnes Which exposition that restraint which is added confirmeth of this earth Further if we like better to expound it of the whole earth there will be the same sense which was before in the sayings of the redemption and attonement of the world Apoc. 13. Certainely Apoc. 13. It is read that the whole earth followed the beast Yet it cannot bee thence inferred that all and euery man in the whole world haue fallen from God and that Christ hath not had his Church remayning among mankind Further Huber th 179. Gen. 12. 23. there is brought forth the promise made to Abraham Gen 12. and 23. In thy seede all the Nations of the earth shall bee blessed Where the aduersarie will haue that blessed seede to be meant of all men without exception This that he may wrest out he expoundeth all Nations euery one of all Nations But whether should we beleeue Huber or Paul the Apostle of Iesu Christ Therefore of faith is the inheritance saith Paul Rom. 4. that it may be sure to the whole seede not to that only which is of the Law All Nations taken for the faithfull in all Countries but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all as it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations And Rom. 9. Not they that are the sonnes of the flesh are the sonnes of God but the children of promise are counted for the seede And the same sense he at large repeateth Gal. 3. The Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Nations through faith preached the Gospell before to Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Therefore they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham What either ignorance then or malice is it to gainesay so plainely the exposition of the Apostle and shamefullie to reuile them as enemies of that blessed seede who by seede doe vnderstand with Paul the faithfull euery where of all Nations and countries Paul then is an enemie of that seede Fie vpon that Augustine is an enemie tract 1. in primam Ioh. Ambrose in Luc. lib. 3. and the whole companie of the fathers But by all nations euery one of all nations doe follow vniuersally This glosse doth not alwaies
remaineth no sacrifice for sins And a little after Of how greater punishment thinke ye shall he be thought worthie who shall tread vnder his feet the sonne of God and shall count the blood of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified a prophane thing and shall despite the spirit of grace This place Huber simplie vnderstandeth of reprobates but they are not straightwaies to be counted for reprobates and to bee barred of all hope of pardon with the Nouatians who after the knowledge of the trueth wittingly and willingly peraduenture fall And in that it is said that there remaineth vnto them no sacrifice for sins but an expectation of iudgement of this there is diuersitie of opinions I take it as most simple An exposition of the words there is no more sacrifice for sin c. that there be no more sacrifices for sinne as of old vnder the shadowes of the Law that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many and will not come againe to die for sins the second time but to iudgement for their saluation doubtles that looke for him but for their punishment that sinne specially that sinne willingly after they haue receiued the knowledge of the truth Vnderstand notwithstanding conditionally to wit vnles they repent as Theophylact well expoundeth and the vse of the Scriptures requireth 1. Corin. 6.9 Apoc. 22.15 Iere. 18.7 Certainly I easily graunt We must take euery one in the Church for a brother and redeemed for his profession sake till the contrarie appeare that these of whom the Apostle intreateth are to bee placed in the number of the redeemed vpon the foundation before set downe to wit as farre forth as they professing the same faith and conuersation with vs we are bound to account them for our brethren for the household and heires of God and for such as are sanctified by the blood of Christ vntill happily they bee made knowne not to bee of vs. All these things certainly the text plainly sheweth to bee spoken of the Apostle in respect of faith which a man seemeth to haue and not of vnbeleefe much lesse of reprobation The third place is 1. Cor. 3. Ye are the temple of God The 3. place 1. Cor. 3. and the spirit of God dwelleth in you Jf any destroy the temple of God him will God destroy That he shuld speake here of reprobates as Huber thinketh it is vnlikely for he speaketh of the Church which he had called Gods building and now calleth it Gods temple as elsewhere this spirituall building and habitation of the liuing God is at large described Ephes 2.21 1. Pet. 2.5 As for the threatning it belongeth to the authors of schismes who through meere ambition by factions distracted and prophaned the Church of Corinth which God had cōsecrated to be a temple for himselfe The like place commeth againe chapter 6. Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the holie Ghost who is in you There speaking to each beleeuer he calleth them the temples of the holy Ghost as also the members of Christ saying Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ that thereby they might with greater care auoide all pollutions of the flesh True members of Christ can neuer finally fall away yet they may sinne grieuouslie Psalm 37.24 Iohn 10. Rom. 11.29 2 Cor. 4.9 But hereupon it doth not follow that some being truly the members of Christ and the temples of the holy Ghost shal perish foreuer It cōmeth to passe surely that such fearefully somtime defile thēselues but not finally An exāple hereof is the repentance of Dauid and the promises beare witnes If the righteous falleth he is not cast away because the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand No man shall take my sheep out of my hand And in Paul The gifts and calling of God are without repentance We are cast downe but we perish not What members may perish saith Paul But that they perish in their sins who were accounted the members of Christ and the temples of God it is no new thing but if they had been of the true members of the Church they had doubtles continued with vs 1. Iohn 3. as Iohn saith For there bee sonnes of God saith Augustine who are not as yet such vnto vs De Correp grat ca. 9. A notable saying and there be some againe who for the grace which they haue receiued for a time are called of vs the sonnes of God but yet are not such with God And as the sons so also the temples of God and members of Christ are to be accounted The 4. place Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. The same answere serueth vnto the sayings Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died neither destroy the worke of God for meate sake Also Shall thy weake brother perish through thy knowledge for whom Christ died As touching the elect we graunt that the true beleeuers How a weake brother may be said to perish and be destroyed Rom. 14.5 How Reprobates falling from the truth and perishing are said to be redeemed but weake in faith are very often grieuously shaken with offences yea destroyed and lost as touching the authors of offences through whom there is no let but they should perish Yet the Lord is able to establish them and also will establish them though they bee inconstant and wauer But a◠touching the reprobates falling away from the trueth for offences and other causes and vtterly perishing they are called redeemed iustified by the death of Christ as farre forth as in the iudgement of the Church they obtaine for a time a place among the iustified and redeemed of Christ as I haue often said alreadie In like sort is that to bee vnderstood which 2. Pet. 2. The 5. place 2. Pet. 2. How the Lord hath bought Reprobates 1. Pet. 1. Acts 20. wee reade of false prophets that perish that they denie the Lord who bought them Doubtles the Lord is said to buy them as farre forth as they are numbred for a time among the faithfull whom he hath redeemed not with siluer and golde but with his precious blood For out of the Church it selfe shall arise rauening wolues not sparing the flocke and speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after thē But what saith Iohn They went out from vs but they were not of vs for verely they had continued with vs if they had been of vs. Further How they are said to denie him that bought them this is rightly referred to the boasting of the false prophets that him in very deede they denie whom they call their Lord and redeemer and bragge of libertie when in trueth they bee the seruants of corruption and sinne as Peter himselfe declareth and the Epistle of Iude confirmeth For these seducers secretly crept in are thus there described that they turne the grace of our God into wantonnes and denie God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ But
grace must be preached to euery creature Mark 16. but the enioying of it abideth with the vniuersalitie of the beleeuers wherein there is no difference of Iewe or Gentile Rom. 3. maister or seruant male or female but the righteousnes of God is in all and vpon all that beleeue But they that beleeue not shall not see life Iob. 3. but the wrath of God abideth on them And this is enough that thou maiest safely and oughtest to beleeue that Christ dyed for thee and thy saluation because we are commaunded all to repent and beleeue the Gospell hauing this promise added that he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned The aduersarie cauilleth Huber thes 83. that it is not sufficient for vs to say that we must beleeue that Christ profiteth all men who beleeue in him for straightwaies is asked what shall I beleeue What is promised vnto me before I beleeue What Thou hast the rule of faith the Apostles Creede and doest thou not know what thou oughtest to beleeue And as touching the promise it is true that vnles a promise goe before faith cannot follow seeing faith commeth by hearing the promise I say therefore that the grace of God saluation and eternall life in Christ are promised to a man not as yet beleeuing but conditionally if he shall beleeue Luther Here Luther in Gen. 48. If thou beleeuest thou hast if thou wilt not beleeue thou shalt haue nothing For so much thou hast as thou doest beleeue If thou beleeuest now thou canst doe and possessest all things but if thou doest not beleeue thou hast nothing CHAP. XIIII A discussing of the fift absurditie FVrthermore the first absurditie raised vp by this contentious quareller is this that by the deniall of vniuersall redemption as he vnderstandeth it that is by the not graunting of the vniuersalitie of grace and saluation by Christ in all and vpon all without any difference of faith or vnbeleefe elect or reprobates there followeth the abrogation of the whole ministerie of the Gospell because no man can know if we credite him what must be preached to any man Is it euen so But we see Christ and his Apostles from whom we must draw the patterne of sound doctrine What must be preached to whom and how Ioh. 9 41. Luk 14 47. Act. 2.38 10.43 to follow this way of teaching that they reproue all of sinne they exhorte all to repentance and faith they lift vp consciences afflicted with the feeling of sinne and terrified with the feare of iudgement by the promises of the Gospell contrariewise they affray with the Lawe secure persons and briefly they open to the beleeuers Rom. 1.2.3 and shut to the vnbeleeuers the kingdome of God These authors if wee will imitate and wee must bee thereto willing we shall know What is to diuide the word aright what to whome and how we must preach and making choyce betweene careles persons and them that are pricked in their hearts we shall preach grace and remission of sinnes vnto them who acknowledge themselues to haue sinnes and doe desire to be deliuered from them but vnto them who securely goe on in sinnes we shall propound the Lawe that by the curse they may be terrified and brought by this meanes vnto the feare of God This is to diuide the worde of God rightly that God may bee acknowledged both mercifull vnto them that confesse their sinnes and beleeue in his sonne and also angrie with careles persons and so euery one may learne to feare God and to leane vpon his mercie which he hath declared in the sending of his sonne This difference not obserued it commeth to passe that they who were to bee comforted by the Gospell are crucified by the Lawe and they who were to bee terrified by the Lawe Tom. 2. fol. 123. tom 4. fol. 104. are hardened by the Gospell as Luther doth very well aduise vs of all these things in Gen. 18. and vpon that saying of Matthew chap. 9. Be of good comfort sonne thy sins are forgiuen thee Where also among other things he noteth that Christ offered the Gospell to the man afflicted with the palsey but reproued the Pharisees for blasphemers and wicked men Why saith he thinke ye euill He doth not say to the man sicke of the palsey why doest thou thinke euill Nor to the Pharisees Be of good comfort c. most rightly cutting the word of God Not our opinion but our aduersaries disturbeth the order of preaching aright Here now let it bee considered whether doctrine disturbeth this order Ours whereby out of the commaundement of God all are commanded to repent and beleeue and to all and euery beleeuer is preached forgiuenes of their sins from God for the merits of Christ as often as by a true faith they imbrace the promise of the Gospell but contrariwise to all vnbeleeuers and hypocrites is denounced that the wrath of God and eternall condemnation doe so long abide vpon them as they continue to be such men Or els the doctrine of Huber rather Thes 60. who being caried away in the chariot of contention through vaine paradoxes preacheth to all men as well to secure as to the afflicted as well to vnbeleeuers as to beleeuers that all iudgement and wrath of God is in verie deede truly and properly taken away and remoued who vndoubtedly auoucheth that all men together are freed from all sinne Thes 65. and that whole mankinde in very deede without exception of any one is receiued into the grace and bosome of the father by the death of his sonne Who also affirmeth that righteousnes and the worke of saluation by Christ pertaineth to all them that were lost in Adam Thes 46. and defendeth with as great contention and impudencie as his wit and stile will yeeld him Thes 270. that al reprobates as well as any other whomsoeuer are saued by him Wherefore let him rather acknowledge his owne fault then so boldly blame other men He obiecteth If the grace of God pertaine not to all Obiection Thes 475. sequent with what mouth with what forehead dare the minister and preacher of reconciliation in publishing the Gospell call all and euery one to the grace of God Jf he inuite all promise to all exhort all to repentance he shal lie because grace belongeth not to all by this supposition and vnto whom the promise grace doe not belong they also neither ought nor can possiblie beleeue Answere I answere that in this argument diuers things are mingled together the commandement of repentance that is the inuitation to conuersion and faith and the promise of grace Therefore a distinction is needfull The commandemēt of faith and repentance bindeth all Mar. 1. As touching the precept of conuersion and faith that bindeth all men simplie according to the saying Repent ye and beleeue Wherefore no lye shall here bee committed
if the minister of the word inuite all men to faith exhort and stirre vp all to repentance But the promises of grace But the promises of grace belong to the beleeuers onely 2. Thess 3. Acts 13. wherein is offered mercie peace saluation honour glorie life and immortalitie these speaking of men growne are receiued no otherwise than by faith and faith all men haue not but whom God of his singular mercie vouchsafeth that diuine gift Further the aduersarie himselfe whether he will or not must confesse as before also we mentioned that saluation pertaineth vnto them Thes 534. who by faith abide in Christ Therefore it doth not belong to the vnbeleeuers and so to all no truly vnles a man would call againe the fable of Origene Origens fable that all men at length shall be saued Wherfore here the Antecedent is denied that the minister of the Gospell promiseth to all and preacheth the couenant of reconciliation to all as though all were comprehended alike in the couenant Zach 1.3 Ezech. 18.21 Esay 1.17 Acts 2.38 8.22 For to speake simply he promiseth to the beleeuers onely and to such as repent But to the vnbeleeuers and hypocrites he denounceth wrath because the wicked hath no peace saith the Lord neither is any thing promised vnto them but conditionally to wit if they turne and beleeue with all their heart The promise is made vnto the wicked conditionally And this condition God alone performeth in whom it pleaseth him seeing both faith and repentance bee his meere gift And in this sense it is rightly said that the promises ought to be preached and propounded vnto all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers as farre as the ministers office stretcheth that they should disperse the word of faith and saluation indifferently and publikely into the eares of all and setting forth the mercie of God in Christ who is the sacrifice for the sinnes of the world they should call whomsoeuer to imbrace the gift of grace and should inuite whomsoeuer they finde as it were to the mariage of the king Matth. 22. And it is an vngodly speech that all ought not to beleeue because the promise and saluation pertaineth not to all Nay because saluation is proper to the faithfull onely and death and condemnation to the vnfaithfull therefore ought all to repent and beleeue the Gospell that they perish not with the world but may haue eternall life Neither doth it any thing hinder this generall inuitation that it is certaine that many euer haue been and shall be contemners of grace offered seeing as the Apostle saith faith belongeth not to all 2. Thes 3. Matth. 22. Marke this and as Christ witnesseth many are called and few are chosen For the cōmandement of the king is enough and largely enough for the seruants that are the inuiters Go ye Luk. 14. Mark 16. and say ye to them that are bidden Come for all things are readie Call ye vnto the mariage whomsoeuer ye finde Againe Preach ye vnto euery creature Vnto this commandement must the faithfull preacher of righteousnes yeeld obedience whether he be receiued or reiected or els for the same endure any temporall aduersitie As also they who bee called must without delay obey their calling howsoeuer many obey not because they haue also a commandement greater then any shifting or refusall that they can make Come ye beleeue repent Psal 95. Heb. 3. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the desert Let Augustine be read touching this point against Cresconius Gram. lib. 1. cap. 5. 6. where by diuerse testimonies of Scripture he expressely sheweth The trueth must be preached to men though they will not heare it Matth. 10. that the trueth ought to be preached euen to them that will not heare The Lord saith in the Gospell When ye enter in say Peace be to this house if they bee worthie that bee therein your peace shall rest vpon them if not it shall returne to you againe Did he certifie them that they to whom they should preach that peace would receiue it Yet he gaue them to vnderstand that peace must be preached without delay euen to such as would not admit the same The Apostle also charged his Timothie 1. Tim. 4. that he should not bee slothfull in preaching for mens sakes to whom the preaching of the trueth is vnpleasant I charge thee before God and Christ Iesu Preach the word be instant in season and out of season rebuke exhort improue Therefore a faithfull workman will preach to such as are willing in season and to such as refuse out of season Christ also how many things spake he in the face of the Iewes Pharisees Saduces such as not onely would not beleeue but also greatly speake against him and persecute him And he knew surely saith Augustine because hee knew all things that these things would nothing profit them to their saluation but by his example peraduenture strengthened vs Eze. 2. 3. who cannot know before the future faith or vnfaithfulnes of men Beside we reade that the Prophets were sent to men so disobedient that God himselfe foretold the Prophets whom he sent that they to whom he sent them would not obey their words So Ezechiel was sent with the word of God to striue with the Iewes that would disobey dissent and speake against In lik maner Ieremy Iere. 1.19 7.27 to whom it was said Thou shalt speake all these words vnto them yet they will not heare thee and thou shalt call them but they will not answer thee Obiection If any man aske for what cause for what good with what fruite or effect are deafe men spoken vnto albeit the commandement of God bee sufficient against which it is a hainous offence to dispute yet other things also may be alleadged for an answer Answere Foure reasons why the word is preached to reprobates beside Gods cōmandement to doe it before set down 1. As long as men liue in this world reprobates and elect are ioyned together and cannot be discerned by the iudgement of man and therefore it is meete that the trueth bee preached indifferently to all least because of reprobates the elect be defrauded who will take profit by the preaching of the word Hereupon also Augustine de Correp grat 15. 16. Seeing wee know not who belongeth to the number of them that be predestinate and who belongeth not we ought to be so touched with the affection of charitie that we should be willing that all may be saued 2. By this meanes is cleerely shewed the miserable blindnes and great corruption of lost man and in very deede that appeareth true which Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. that the naturall man perceiueth not the things that be of the spirit of God that they be foolishnes vnto him and that he is not able truly to know them 3. The godly while they behold others left
any man of sound iudgement he malapertly saith Thes 489. that the Caluinian ministers are the hangmen of the reprobates who draw them vnto exquisite torments that were from euerlasting condemned and doe hew them in peeces if that bee true that they heare the word of God vnto condemnation What then In what reckoning will he haue the Prophet Esay to bee to whom it was said when he saw the glorie of God Esay 6. Goe make fat the heart of this people and shut their eies Which place surely of the Prophet is repeated not rashly in the New Testament sixe times of the blinding of the Iewes Shall we therefore with a Huberian scoffe call either the Prophet or Christ Iesus whose glorie then Esay saw hangmen Farre be this malapertnes from a Christian heart 2. Cor. 2. But rather by the witnes of the Apostle we are the sweet sauour of Christ to God both in them that perish and in those that are saued to the one the sauour of death to death but to the other the fauour of life to life yet alwaies to God the sweete sauour of Christ in both respects Lastly it must be noted that it maketh no matter here whether it so come to passe either by the foreappointment or by the foreknowledge onely of God that the preaching of the Gospell vnto the reprobates turneth vnto their iudgement For both the foreknowledge and also the foreappointment of God is vnfallible Wherefore seeing the aduersarie cannot denie at the least foreknowledge in God for their more grieuous condemnation who will not obey the word the cauils already alleadged must of necessitie fall vpon his owne head And of these enough CHAP. XV. To the sixt absurditie I Proceed to that which was obiected of the Sacraments to wit Thes 37. The 6. absurditie that Baptisme is taken away That the Sacraments are taken away vnlesse with hand and foote as they say we bee of Hubers opinion touching the vniuersalitie of redemption Of Baptisme he giueth this reason that no certaine grace and saluation is promised to the baptized His argument will be thus By whose opinion no certaine grace and saluation is set forth vnto such as are baptized by their opinion Baptisme is taken away But by their opinion who think that by the death of Christ all men are sufficiently but not effectually redeemed so as al and euery one haue remission of sinnes and are receiued into the grace of God iustified and saued whether they beleeue or not by the opinion of these I say no certaine grace and saluation is propounded to such as are baptized Ergo by their opinion Baptisme is taken away Vnles the argument bee thus framed I see not how any thing can bee concluded to the purpose But the minor is denied Huber surely thes 1019. sendeth vs vnto the things which hee hath from his 386. thes vnto the 431. but if those be looked into and examined it will appeare that nothing is there contained sauing an extrauagant and idle heape of certaine questions ilfauouredly tumbled together concerning Baptisme But without such long circumstances O Huber this thou shouldest proue that vpon the setting downe of the contradictorie of thine opinion of the generalitie of redemption there would follow the ouerthrow of Baptisme and that therefore because no certaine grace and saluation can then bee promised to them that bee baptized This this shew if thou canst omitting thy manifold digressions whereby thou vsest miserably to intangle thy reader and turne him away from the point Surely as for vs The principall vse of Baptisme wee haue learned out of the diuine Scriptures and do constantly teach that the vse of sacred Baptisme tendeth to this end and that principally that it may seale and confirme vnto vs the promise of grace and eternall life For take away the promise of grace from baptisme and thou shalt take away the nature of a Sacrament because according to the vsuall definition of Augustine Augustine dâ—fition of it A Sacrament is a visible forme of inuisible grace Hereupon are those promises He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Mar. 16. And in the words of Peter Act. 2. Repent ye and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesu Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Also 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs. And Tit. 3. Of his mercie he saued vs through the lauer of regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost and such like which are read in the Scriptures of the vertue of Baptisme Which things Basill in his exhortation to Baptisme wittily seemeth to comprehend Baptisme saith he is the releasing of captiues and debt the death of sinne the renuing of the mind the shining garment the way of heauen the getting of the kingdome of heauen and the grace of adoption For holy Baptisme is the seale of so many things to the faithfull Rom. 4. as the Apostle speaketh of Circumcision that it was giuen to Abraham for a seale of the righteousnes of faith teaching that Circumcision was not giuen for righteousnes but for a seale of righteousnes which is by faith And I say to the faithfull because neither the word nor Baptisme promiseth any thing to or profiteth the vngodly and vnbeleeuers For it is a word of promise He that beleeueth and is baptized Vnbeleeuers are not partakers of the grace of Baptisme although they be Baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned whether he be baptized or not And Ephes 5. wee reade that the Church is sanctified of Christ the bridegrome and washed in the fountaine of water in the word Why in the word Because euen in the water the word cleanseth and not the water it selfe as Augustine Tract 80. vpon Iohn expoundeth And the same man addeth Whence commeth so great force of water that it toucheth the bodie and washeth the heart but by the word which doth it and that not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued The same man vpon the 77. Psalme writeth thus of the Iewes Whereas the Sacraments were common to all grace was not common which is the vertue of the Sacraments So now also the lauer of regeneration is common to all that are baptized but grace it selfe whereby the members of Christ with their head are regenerated is not common to all Againe lib. 5. cont Donatist cap. 24. he saith that Baptisme may be without the spirit and that some of those that are baptized doe put on Christ while they are receiuing of the Sacrament others by continuing in holines of life That is common to good and euill and this is proper to the good and godly And truely it is in the schooles receiued and allowed Many testimonies prouing that Baptisme doth profit the beleeuer onely that such as come without faith and fainedly receiue the Sacrament and not the thing by the example of Simon Magus of whom Augustine
wit the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no difference For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes through the remission of sinnes The Apostles iudgement is that all mortall men simplie are vnder sinne and haue neede of the glorie of God but he ascribeth not righteousnes to euery one that sinneth as our aduersaries opinion is Hub. thes 45. For he expressely defineth the righteousnes of God to come through faith in Iesu Christ and more plainly addeth that wee are iustified freely by the redemption wrought by Christ and that he is set forth vnto vs of the father to be a propitiation but through faith Hereupon the author of the Commentarie in Hierome vpon this place saith Ierome Christ is in a readines set before the eyes of men to bee a propitiator that he that will bee redeemed may come Brentius Brentius also whom I cite very often because of the aduersaries weighing this place writeth very truly that it is manifest that Christ our redemption and propitiation is not receiued nor appropriated vnto vs but by faith And therefore that there is no other instrument beside faith to receiue the benefits of God and of his sonne which we must enioy And seeing Christ and his benefit are not receiued but by faith it remaineth that wee are not iustified but by faith that is made acceptable to God acquitted from sinnes and reputed iust before God These things he explicatione Catechis of iustification Therefore by what right or wrong is this propitiation extended to all and bee all said to be freed from all sinne and condemnation and in very deede receiued into the lap of grace that is iustified whether they beleeue or beleeue not This is not Gods righteousnes but fained by men of a reprobate minde to the reproach of the Gospell preached of the Apostles and confirmed by the witnes of the Law and the Prophets Righteousnes in all and vpon al that beleeue Moreouer reiecting that fained vniuersalitie the Apostle establisheth the true vniuersalitie of righteousnes and grace in all and vpon all that beleeue that is as Theophylact interpreteth such a righteousnes whereby God maketh vs righteous commeth vnto all men by faith and all Iewes as well as Gentiles bringing faith are made righteous For there is no difference neither is he the God of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentiles for it is one God that iustifieth circumcision of faith vncircumcision through faith For there is neither Iew nor Gentile Gal. 3. bond nor free male nor female but we are all one in Christ all the sonnes of God and heires according to promise through faith in Christ Iesus The 2. place Rom. 8. In the same Epistle to the Rom. there is another notable famous place chap. 8. What shall we say then If God be for vs who can be against vs who hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs all how shall he not also with him giue vs all things Vs all taken for the church proued by the Scripture and by Augustine He saith not barely for all but for vs all with limitation as that limitation also is elsewhere taken in the sacred Scripture Rom. 4. Abraham is the father of vs all So Ierusalem that is aboue is called the mother of vs all Gal. 4. 1. Cor. 12. the Apostle saith that by one spirit we all bee baptized into one bodie whether we bee Iewes or Gentiles bond or free and are all made to drinke into one spirit Also in the forecited place to the Galathians ye are all one in Christ Iesu Ad Laur. ca. 61. Doubtles this is the voyce of the Church If God be for vs who can be against vs This Augustine obserueth saying The Church that is among men which he speaketh to make a difference of the Church which is among the holy Angels and powers of God is redeemed from all sinne by the blood of the Mediatour who is without sinne and it is the voyce of the same If God be for vs who can be against vs The voice of the Church who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all This saying elsewhere he confirmeth two maner of waies from the text Tract 45. in Io. by the precedents and the consequents For there goeth before Whom he foreknew them he also predestinated whom he predestinated them he called c. Of whom also it followeth Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God who iustifieth c. What is then He gaue him for vs all To which vs To the foreknowne to the predestinate to the iustified and glorified The Lord knoweth who bee his they bee sheepe Sometime they know not themselues but the shepheard knoweth them saith Augustine in the place alleaged Besides that Christ for whom he died according to purpose and efficacie for them also he is an aduocate ceasing not to make intercession that the grace of the fathers reconciliation may more and more be bestowed vpon them and to vse the words of Ambrose he saueth them being the ware that his blood hath bought For how can he condemne him Ambr. lib. 1. â—â— Iac. cap. 6. whom he hath redeemed from death for whom he offered himself whose life he knoweth to be the reward of his death Marke this Shall he not say what profit is in my blood if I damne him whom I haue saued Wherefore the Apostle Rom. 8. Who is he that shall condemne It is Christ who is dead nay who is also raised againe who also is at the right hand of God who also prayeth for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall oppression shall anguish shall persecution shall famine or nakednes or danger or sword Nay in all these wee are more than conquerors De vocat gent. lib. 1. cap. vlt. through him who hath loued vs c. So the loue of Christ maketh them vnconquerable and vnseparable that is perseuerers vnto the very end for what is else to perseuere then not to be ouercome in tentation Wherefore they that perseuere vnto the end and bee saued be doubtles the beloued and redeemed of God The 3. place Ephes 5. Thirdly we reade to the Ephesians That Christ is the head of the Church and the sauiour of the body that he loued his Church and exposed himselfe for it to sanctifie it clensing it in the lauer of water by the word that he may make it for himselfe glorious that is not hauing wrinckle or spot or any such thing but that it may be holy and blameles Three proofes out of the Text for our opinion Ephes â— Many things
deliuered from all sinne and condemnation all then of necessitie are or haue beene sometime the Church Than which thing what is more absurd Hub. thes 65. Iohn 15. Iohn 4. Ephes 2. Matt. 16. Iohn 10. For such as bee selected out of the world are the Church being borne of God and built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and vpon the rocke and being the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce Therefore the world and the Church in the world doe differ as Brentius doth well aduise vs in his Catechisme expounding the Article I beleeue the holy Church There are some saith hee that thinke that the whole world or all men in the world bee the people of God The whole world is not the Church yet among all men in the world God hath his people and the Lordes Church but this Article of our faith doeth teach vs that the whole world is not the Church nor all meÌ„ the elect people of God but that among al men in the world God hath his people scattered abroad in respect of their outward coÌ„uersation but gathered together by the same Gospel in one faith And as the whole world is not the Church of God so neither is any whole citie or towne but in cities and townes God hath his Church Thes 1001.1059 c. 4â— c. These things saith he with whom how well Huber agreeth otherwise a follower of Brentius his opinion let him looke vnto it For he is litle or nothing at all from auouching all men to be Gods elect his people and kingdom and therefore his Church For in this life the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of heauen is the Church Aug. li. 20. cap. 9. de ciuit Dei as Augustine largely teacheth The 3. reason The third argument The redeemed are knowen and doe please God at the least in respect of the time and state of redemption But to those that shal be damned the Lord openly professeth saying Mat. 7. I neuer knew you depart from me all ye that worke iniquitie Chrysost in Matt. He saith plainely Neuer But we must vnderstand as Christome aduiseth vs that the Lord knoweth not such not that he is altogether ignorant of them who knoweth all meÌ„ but that he knoweth them not to be his nor loueth them as the Lord is said to know that is to loue and approue the way of the righteous Psalme 2. Therefore such as shal be damned are not of the number of them that Christ hath redeemed The 4. reason The fourth argument is agreeable to the former They that haue not the spirite of Christ are none of his Ro. 8. But most haue not the spirit of Christ For if all men should haue the spirit of God dwelling in them the bodies of all mortall men should also be quickened by the same spirite that raised vp Christ from the dead Besides this as Christ saith in the Gospel the world cannot receiue that spirite of trueth because it knoweth him not nor seeth him Hereupon it followeth that most men are not Christ and by consequence neither Christ nor his benefites are theirs The 5. reason The fifth argument from the adiunct of redemption or the thing that is neerely knit vnto it whose aduocate Christ is their only propitiation is he But he is not the aduocate of the vnbeleeuers and reprobates but of the faithfull and elect therefore also he is not to them a propitiation but to the faithfull and elect The reason of the Maior is because it is the office of one and the same high Priest both to pray and to sacrifice for the people The office of the high Priest and both are required to obtaine for vs the fauour and grace of God Whereupon also Iohn 1. Epistle 2. ioyning these together maketh him our propitiator whom he calleth our aduocate As also a man may see them ioyned together Ro. 8 34 And that Christ is onely for them an aduocate who beleeue or shall beleeue and in a word for his elect hee himselfe hath not dissembled it Iohn 17. I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast giuen me Which place wee haue before largely expounded And if hee did not then pray for the world hee doeth not pray for it now but onely for the elect The same thing is very cleare Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God who iustâ—fieth Who shall condemne It is Christ who died and rose againe and sitteth at the right hand of the father and maketh intercession for vs that is for the elect of whom onely he speaketh in that text Neither doth Iohn speake of any other 1. Epistle 2. Litle children if any man sin we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation of our sinnes And the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chapter 7. Because he hath an euerlasting Priesthood he is able altogether to saue those that come vnto God by him he seeing euer liueth to make intercession for them to wit for those that come vnto God by him In like sort the authour of the 62. sermon in Ambrose vpon the saying of Saint Iohn obserueth that Christ is an aduocate vnto Christians and a iudge altogether to Iewes and other infidels Origene also vpon Leuiticus For them onely doeth the high Priest Christ our aduocate and propitiator pray that be the Lords inheritance that waite for him without that depart not from the temple but giue themselues to fasting and prayer The sixt argument from the things that follow redemption as are the adoption and inheritance The 6. reason Where redemption is there is adoption and inheritance Adoption and inheritance follow redemption But all are not sonnes and heires to wit the heires of God and coheires with Christ Therefore neither are all redeemed The Minor is proued out of Paul who accounteth them the sonnes of God that are led by the spirit of God and doe mortifie the actions of the body by the spirit to say nothing now of so many places of Scripture that attribute adoption as proper to the beleeuers Iohn 1 As many as receiued him to them bee gaue this power or dignitie to be the sonnes of God Ambro. in 5. Rom. euen to them that beleeue in his name See also 1. Iohn 3.1 Hereupon Ambrose also writeth vpon the 5. to the Romans Such of vs as beleeue Christ to bee the sonne of God are adopted of God for sonnes For he could not bestow any more vpon the beleeuers than that they might be called the sonnes of God while the vnbeleeuers are forsaken For we are called the sonnes of God but they not worthy to be called seruants And Epistle 74. Hee closeth vp his whole argument very briefly saying Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie where is no libertie there no grace where no grace there no adoption where no adoption there is
whom he would call them he would iustifie glorifie Can he possibly forsake them whom he hath pursued with his so many and great benefits But there is feare least the Iudge be too seuere Consider what iudge thou hast to wit Christ Can he condemne thee whom he hath redeemed from death for whom he hath offered himselfe whose life he knoweth is the reward of his death Will he not say Aug. de Trinit lib. 13. cap. 16. What profit is in my blood if I condemne him whom I my selfe haue saued See also if ye please Augustine confirming this very argument Hereupon it riseth that some vnder pretence of vniuersall redemption haue thought that all at length shall be saued Of which mad error Caluin vpon 1. Ioh 2. Bucer in the Acts of the Conference had at Argentine with Melchior Hofman A booke published in the dutch tongue at Argent 1553. doe make mention and also Wolfgange Musculus in the place concerning the redemption of mankinde warning vs to take heede least vnderstanding amisse the vniuersalitie of redemption we say with frantike men that no man is damned and perisheth for euer These our men with whom we deale deny that thing truly but what auaileth it to denie it seeing neuerthelesse they stifly maintaine that principle from whence that error springeth They except that the redeemed doe not perish vnles they cast away and tread vnder foote redemption once receiued But contrariwise the testimonies of Scripture euen now alleaged doe teach that such as are effectually redeemed and alreadie iustified by the gift of God shall certainly haue life and heauenly glorie and cannot possibly by any meanes be pluckt away from the loue of God towards them in Christ Iesu And as for some examples and places to the contrary they haue been sufficiently answered in the second booke before If all sinner be blotted out and satiâ—fied then vnbeâ—iefe is blotted and it shall not condemne vs. Furthermore how agree these things together that all the sinnes of all men are satisfied for and in very deede blotted out and yet that the greater part of men are damned for vnbeliefe For if all sinnes are forgiuen all men then vnbeliefe also is forgiuen How then shall it damne any man Thus it euer abideth vnmoueable that all at length shall be saued if all men together bee effectually made partakers of redemption The 10. reason The tenth argument is drawne from the causes of redemption two whereof are the principall efficient causes one farther off The causes of redemption to wit the grace of God giuing his sonne vnto vs the other most neere vs the sonne himselfe finishing the worke of redemption in the nature of man which hee tooke vpon him The materiall cause is the passion and death of the righteous for the vnrighteous The instrumentall efficient cause is likewise two-fold to wit 1. The word of grace that offereth Christ vnto vs with his benefits and serueth to stirre vp faith in vs for faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God 2. And faith it selfe wherewith as it were a hand wee receiue grace offered and are made partakers thereof Herevpon the Apostle Rom. 3. saith We haue all sinned but we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption made in Iesu Christ whom God hath set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes Where we see among other causes of redemption faith required as the instrument wherewith wee may applie vnto vs redemption gotten for vs by his blood and may become partakers thereof to the blotting out of our sinnes Therefore the vnbeleeuers haue nothing to doe with redemption and propitiation And that the necessitie of faith may the more appeare in euery matter of saluation Faith how necessarie to saluation the Apostle Heb. 11. expressely testifieth that it is impossible without faith to please God producing for this point most notable examples of antiquitie who are shewed to please God through faith and to haue obtained righteousnes which is according to faith Notably saith Augustine in Euang. Ioh. serm 60. The medicine for all wounds The great necessitie and profit of faith and the onely attonement for the sinnes of men is to beleeue in Christ Neither can any man at all bee clensed either from originall sinne or the sinnes which he hath done vnles by faith he be vnited and ioyned to his bodie For they that beleeue in him are the sonnes of God because they are borne of God by the grace of adoption which is in the faith of our Lord Iesu Christ for in beleeuing we are made the sons of God as it is written He hath giuen them prerogatiue to be made the sonnes of God while they beleeue in him And serm 181. de temp Faith is the ground of all good things Aug. de temp ser 181. and the beginning of mans saluation without this none can bee of the number of Gods sonnes and without it in this world neither doth man attaine the grace of iustification nor hereafter shall possesse eternall life and whoso walketh not by faith shall not come to see God In these testimonies of the Scriptures and our Elders according to the Scriptures if wee meane to stand and wee ought to rest therein away with the deuise of the righteousnes of all men and the operation of saluation in all Hub. thes 49. 65. and the receiuing of all men into grace and their purging from sins whether they beleeue or not The aduersaries doe except that they thinke not that the merit of Christ is applied without faith or that any man without it can be made partaker of the fatherly will of God Thes 72. 1112 I answere therefore they bee manifestly contrary to themselues that say such things The aduersaries contrarie to themselues Thes 65.270.168 and yet stifly maintaine that all men none excepted faithfull and vnfaithfull before and after Christs birth are set free by the blood of Christ truly and vndoubtedly from all sinne and condemnation and are receiued into the grace and fauour of God that all alike are saued iustified and quickened that all pertaine to the communion of saluation and the kingdome of grace and such like For if no man can be partaker of the grace of God righteousnes life and saluation in Christ vnles he applie those good things to himselfe and the application cannot be but by faith how belong those things to all vnfaithfull as well as faithfull The 11. reason The Maior The 11. Argument from another consequent Redemption is such a benefit whereby of seruants of sinne wee are made the sonnes of God of children of wrath the children of grace of strangers and vnknowne we are made a royall and priestly stock as it is written Apoc. 1. and 5. He hath loued vs and redeemed vs to God by his blood and hath made vs to our God kings and priests and wee
counted faithfull And 1. Cor. 1. saith the Apostle Paul Ye see your calling bretheren that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish and base things in the world Where we see that they that be called to the societie of the Church and the chosen or elect are taken for one and the same For as Augustine de correp grat cap. 7. 9. saith Who will denie them to bee elect that beleeue and are baptized They are plainely called elect but of them that know not what they shall be and not of God who knoweth them For there be sonnes of God who are not yet such to vs and are already to God and againe there be some that are called of vs the sonnes of God for some temporall grace receiued and yet are not to God such of whom Iohn speaketh they went out from vs but they were not of vs. For if they had been of vs verely they had continued with vs. The same thing Ambrose also confirmeth vpon the 8. chapter to the Romans and the Apostle himselfe while in the 11. chapter of that epistle hee maketh difference betweene the people of God so in generall called in respect of vocation and profession and betweene the remnant in the common assemblie and as it were bodie of that people which remnant is saued according to the election of grace and the rest doe perish And of that election of such as shall bee saued and haue beene predestinate vnto eternall life from all eternitie do we nowe intreate And it is in very deed all one with the predestination of Saints as I haue said but that in some respect it differeth How predestination and election differ For Predestination noteth an eternall firme purpose in God of bestowing grace glory vpon whom he wil but Election addeth something namely as farre forth as hee willeth eternall life to some before others seeing he reprobateth some Thom. 1. quest 23. art 4. as Thomas very well and after him other schoole men haue obserued It is also called Loue according to that Romans 9. Iacob I haue loued but Esau haue I hated God surely loueth all men For he loueth all things that bee Election is called Loue. and abhorreth nothing that he hath made and hath mercie vpon all and spareth all as it is in the 11. of Wisedome Degrees of loue But there be degrees of loue For he loueth some as his creatures others as members of his sonne as Augustine at large sheweth Tra. 110. in Ioh. And very fitly Thomas in the foresaid place Art 3. God loueth all men yea all creatures as farre foorth as he willeth any good to all Yet hee willeth not euery good thing to all How he is 〈◊〉 to haue Therefore in as much as to some men hee willeth not this good thing which is eternall life hee is sayd to hate and reprobate them How Gods election and loue diâ—â—â—er And Art 4. he assigneth a difference betweene the election the loue of God which differ only in reason and in God are really one and the same The predestination of some to eternall saluation saith he presupposeth that God willeth their saluation and thereunto appertaineth election and loue Loue truely in respect that he willeth vnto them this benefite of eternall saluation For to loue is to will some good to one But election in respect that be willeth this good to same aboue others seeing he reprobateth some These things saith he in that place and repeateth the same distinction vpon the 9. to the Rom. vpon the saying Iacob haue I loued Therefore if hee would saue all it should be called Purpose and Predestination and Loue but not Election But this also we must marke with Augustine De bono per. sâ—uer cap. 18. that election or predestination which is in good is sometime signified also by the name of prescience or foreknowledge as saith the Apostle Rom 8. Whom he foreknewe Prescience the same he hath predestinated that they should be made conformable to the image of his sonne and chap. 11. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknewe that is whom he predestinated which thing the circumstance of the text sheweth for he speaketh of the remnants of the Iewes which were saued according to the election of grace the rest perishing Of whom also in the same place he addeth that Israel obtained not the thing he sought for but the elect haue obtained it and the rest were hardened After the same sorte the old fathers also seeme to haue taken prescience for predestination as Augustine there witnesseth Whereof hee bringeth this reason because this word may both be more easilie vnderstoode and also it is not repugnant yea it is consonant vnto the trueth that is taught of the predestination of grace Yet as much as concerneth the proprietie of these words to foreknowe is more generall than to predestinate How foreknowledge and predestination differ for predestination cannot bee without foreknowledge but foreknowledge may bee without predestination for by predestination God foreknew the things that he would doe but he may foreknow the things that he doeth not as all sinnes whatsoeuer For albeit there be some things that are so sins as that they be also punishments of sinnes whereupon it is said he gaue them vp into a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 to doe those things that are not conuenient yet there it is not sinne in God but his iudgement as Augustine largely teacheth these things in his booke of the predestination of Saints the tenth chapter Origene expounding that saying of Paul whom he foreknew them he also predestinated to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne saith not amisse that prescience cannot be taken for naked and simple knowledge seeing God comprehendeth the vngodly also in his prescience whom yet he doth not predestinate to be made conformable to the image of his sonne He saith therefore that that knowledge signifieth affection and loue wherewith God embraceth some 2. Tim. 2. as Paul saith to Timothie The Lord knoweth who be his Foreknowne And whereas in schoole diuinitie by the foreknowne the reprobates commonly are meant it is an abuse of the worde against the vse of the Scriptures which is wont to call the elect as it hath been said predestinate and foreknowne and not reprobates that are neere the curse like the ground that bringeth forth thornes and thistles Reprobation And reprobation as the schoolemen define it is the foreknowledge of the iniquitie of some and the preparation of their damnation Lib. 1. dist 4. that is reprobation is an eternall will in God in his iust iudgement not to haue mercy vpon some of mankinde after that with others they should fall into sinne and damnation but to reiect them from the communion of saluation in Christ and to cast them into the punishments that are due
for sinne That this definition may be more easilie vnderstoode Aug. al Simplice lib. 1. â— 2 De conâ—eâ—â— gr ca 7 â—pist item 105. Conâ—â—d as epist Pelag. lib 2 cap. 7. passim alibi we must consider that all of vs are wrapped in one and the same masse of damnation and offence and all belong to one mixture of sinners and vngodly if the grace of God be set a side From that masse of perdition whom God separateth by his grace and predestination they be elect and such as shall be saued according to the purpose of God But whom he leaueth by his iust iudgement in that damnable masse they be they whom we call reprobates and to be damned And vnto the damned is rendred their deserued punishment but vpon such as are set at liberty is bestowed an vndeserued grace that neither these should complaine that they are vnworthie nor these should boast themselues to be worthie but that he that is set free should learne of him that is not freed that he should also be punished but that grace hath relieued him CHAP. III. A confirmation of the former things to wit that some are elected some reprobated of God from euerlasting against the error of certaine men that say that all men are elected in Christ. IT cannot be denied The 1. argument that God doth all things with a determined and certaine counsell and that from euerlasting because there is nothing temporall in God otherwise hee should be mutable as the author of the calling of the Gentiles lib. 2. cap 10. hath truely written In God there is no accident motion or new will or temporall counsell neither is his minde altered with the inequalitie of mutable things but he comprehendeth all times and temporall things together with an euerlasting and stedfast regarde Therefore because God and that willingly saueth some men and damneth others for nothing can be done if hee bee simplie vnwilling and against it we must of necessitie confesse that both are done according to Gods eternall purpose And this is nothing els than that God hath chosen some and reiected others from euerlasting The 2. argument Augustines argument drawne from grace to predestination is not vnlike To whom God giueth his giftes freely I meane faith good workes perseuerance in faith and loue and such like he foreknew also that he would giue them freely and in his foreknowledge he hath disposed them from all eternitie But those gifts freely giuen are bestowed by him vpon some and are not bestowed vpon others Therefore hee foreknew from eternitie and in his prescience disposed also to bestowe them vpon some and not to bestowe them vpon others And this is the very poynt that we defend namely that God hath predestinated some vnto grace before others De bono perseuer cap. 19. These be Augustines words They saith he that so knowe that God giueth faith confession obedience perseuerance Cap. 17. c. that they are not ignorant that he foreknew that he would giue and could not be ignorant to whom he would giue doubtles they knowe predestination for to dispose his future workes in his foreknowledge which cannot be deceiued and changed is no other thing at all but predestination And anon speaking of the grace of faith and perseuerance vnto the end against certaine Semipelagians of those times saith Doe they say that happely neither those things are predestinated Therefore they are not giuen of God or else he knew not that he would giue them But if they be giuen and he foreknew that he would giue them doubtles hee did predestinate them In the same place chap. 2. The Church praieth that the vnbeleeuers may beleeue and beleeuing may perseuer God then conuerteth to faith and he giueth perseuerance vnto the end This God foreknew should come to passe This is the predestination of Saints whom he elected in Christ before the creation of the world that they should bee holie and without spot c. The 3. argument Thirdly there is a strong argument from the word Election either that there is no election or else if there be any election to eternall life it belongeth to some onely and not to all For if eternall life were prepared or destinated for all in respect of God it should surely be termed his purpose predestination and loue but not election according to the difference of these words before set downe Furthermore consider I pray thee christian reader The 4. argument Thes 1127. to what end the contrarie opinion tendeth Huber saith that all are elected and alike beloued of the father in Christ and appoynted to eternall life Yet seeing it is certaine that not all are saued Thes 735. he annexeth another speciall election to this generall which is speciall not in respect of God as though hee tooke peculiar counsell for some men but in respect of men themselues who should applie vniuersal grace to themselues Thes 7â—6 for that God did elect with the condition of faith that they that beleeue in Christ should be saued and such as beleeued not should bee damned Marke here to what ende this opinion tendeth What other thing must wee hence collect than that God determined nothing at all with himselfe to giue faith to some and not to giue it to others neither that he giueth it to some peculiarly but that he hath left it in mens power to beleeue the Gospell or not to beleeue For if he giue faith to some surely he tooke peculiar counsell concerning them and let the rest passe But if he giue not faith peculiarly to some the grace of God whereby we are saued is ouerthrowne and let the Pelagians carrie away the victory Further they that imagine so of election as hath been saide confessing in word Gods election doe in very deede take away all election for if it were so God should not choose vs but wee him by receiuing his offered grace and we should be as it were the potters and formers of Gods election Also we shuld be so elected because we beleeue Marke this well Epist 105. Testimonies of the new Testament prouing election and reprobation wheras on the contrarie we are elected that we might beleeue For electioÌ„ surely doth not finde but make men faithfull as Augustine testifieth But least we should seeme to leane onely vpon reasons we haue many and those very notable testimonies in the sacred Scriptures to proue both the election and reprobation of some men as God from euerlasting would either haue mercy or not haue mercie vpon them Christ Matthew 11. I thanke thee O father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them to babes Euen so father because it so pleased thee Matth. 13. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen but the prophesie of Esay is fulfilled in them ye shall heare with your eares and not
draweth thee to repentance But this is the question whether faith and repentance bee not the gifts of God which he giueth to some and not to others and that according to the vnsearchable counsell of his owne will This certainly is more cleere than that it can be denied of any one that is not a Pelagian How God willeth all to repent Therefore it is well said That God willeth all men to repent that is he calleth and inuiteth all to repentance but he effecteth it not in all neither doth he will it surely because he hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Luth. de ser arb Cap. 109. A distinction of Gods will After this sort Luther also distinguisheth He will not the death of a sinner to wit in his word for in the word of saluation he commeth to all but he willeth it in his vnsearchable will And at large there sheweth the difference between the secret and published will of God not that properly there is a diuerse will in God but the speech of his will is diuerse because this name is diuersly taken The published or reuealed will of God is whatsoeuer from the beginning of the world either by God himselfe immediatly or by his ministers hath been offered to men by precepts exhortations menacings and benefits But his hidden will is that secret will in God concerning the euent of things that is whom and what men endued with faith by speciall grace he will haue to be partakers of mercie when it is preached and offered Brentius Brentius also followed this same distinction in 1. Sam. 2. discussing the place of the sonnes of Eli and expli Catechis vpon the petition Thy will be done This let the indifferent reader obserue against the outcries of some who though they would be heard as the right issue of Luther and Brentius yet by cauils and sophistications they labour to make odious this distinction receiued and grounded in the word of God For as it is written 2. Tim. 2. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thess 5. Matth. 23. that he wil that all men be saued and that he is patient toward vs being vnwilling that any should perish but to come to repentance and that our sanctification is the will of God Also how often would I gather thy children and thou wouldest not Esay 46.10 Psalm 115.3 Rom 9.18 19. So wee haue heard and read in the diuine Scriptures My counsell shall stand saith the Lord and I will fulfill my will Whatsoeuer the Lord would that he did He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Also Who shall resist his will In which places and the like there will be great contrarietie vnlesse a distinction be vsed according to which Marke this distinction we may vnderstand that something is done against the will of God that is against his commandement and prohibition which yet is not done beside and contrary to that will which is he himselfe For great are the workes of the Lord and his will is perfect towards all so that it is not done beside his will that yet is done contrary to his will because it could not be done if he would not suffer it and truly he doth not suffer it against his will but willingly neither being good himselfe would he suffer euill to be done vnles being almightie he were able out of euill to make that which is good as August saith ad Laur. ca. 100. See also lib. 1. Sentent dist 45. and in the other that follow Voluntas beneplaciti signi where the Master largely speaketh of the double will of God his good pleasure and reuealed will as the Schoolemen call them If any thinke good let him also peruse Chrysostome Hom. 18. ad Heb. Secondly it is obiected The 2. Obiection that the promise of grace is vniuersall and therefore that none is reiected from grace or reprobated in respect of God Answere I answere The first way how the promises of grace be vniuersall the promise of grace is vniuersall in respect of the beleeuers as farre forth doubtles as no man of what nation or condition soeuer is excluded from saluation so that he beleeue truly in Christ Contrariwise vnbeleeuers of what nation or condition soeuer are expressely shut out from the fruite of the promises according to the sayings Mark 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued c. Euery one that beleeueth in the sonne Ioh. 3. Ioh 6. Acts 13. Rom. 3. shall not perish This is the will of the father that whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne should haue eternall life In him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God in all and vpon all that beleeue for there is no difference And oftentimes after this sort is repeated the promise of life and saluation made to euery beleeuer the vnbeleeuers on the contrary being excluded For the promise requireth faith which because it belongeth not to all but to the elect as Paul witnesseth therfore the efficacie of the promises remaineth doubtles with the elect as the Apostle also teacheth to the Romanes Rom. 9. That the promises of God pertaine to the true Israelites to the spirituall seede that is elected of God not of workes but through the grace of the caller Yet here we are to bee admonished Note this well that albeit the promise bee proper to the beleeuers and the elect as touching efficacie yet it must be preached indifferently in the eares of all faithfull and Infidels elect and reprobates The 2. way And in this sense also we grant that the promises are vniuersall to wit in respect of externall preaching because the minister of the word cannot or ought not to discerne the elect from reprobates Rom. 11. In the meane while not all attaine vnto the grace that is preached and offered to all but the elect obtaine it and the rest doe not and so to vse Luthers words all things depend vpon predestination c. The third obiection The third obiection Whosoeuer appertain to the Church are called elect But to the Church pertaine as well the bad as the good Hub. thes 751. 752. Ergo the bad as well as the good are elected none at all omitted Answere But this obiection is faultie in two points First it is the vse of the Scriptures to call them elect whosoeuer belong to the account of the Church but not all therefore are elected of God to eternal life according to his purpose For many are elect to vs in the iudgement of charitie and are not to God and contrariwise according to the diuerse signification of the word set downe before Secondly there is more in the conclusion than in the premisses For the consequence is of no force within the compasse of the Church and of the elect there be as well euill as good in the sense aforesaid Therefore all men are elected This is all one as if
to Aug. Tom. 7. their error being ouerthrowen by the sound Byshops specially by Augustine a notable defender of the faith as hee is worthily praysed of Hilarie certaine other sprung vp worthy and famous men in all studie of vertues sauing that the spirite of Pelagian impiety deceiued them and therefore called Semipelagians These mens declaration and profession was that all men sinned in Adams sinne and that none are saued by their workes but by the grace of God through regeneration yet notwithstanding that euery man hath so much of naturall grace left that he may attaine vnto that sauing grace by the helpe of the first grace if he wil. Therefore in respect of God that eternall life is prepared for all but in respect of free will that it is apprehended of them that shall beleeue in God willingly as of themselues and shall receiue the helpe of grace by the merite of faith Or els to speake more plainely They did defend against the Pelagians that a man is not able of himselfe to rise againe and to worke wel yet they supposed that euery one had in him a wil to rise againe which seeketh only after the phisition but can do nothing of it selfe and they said that no mans nature was so extinguished or depraued that it ought not or was not able to be willing to be healed and therefore that they obtained both increase of faith and also the whole effect of their holinesse by that merite whereby they haue beene willing and haue beleeued that they may be healed of their disease when the occasion of obtaining saluatioÌ„ is preached to them that are cast down and can neuer rise vp againe in their own strength Neuerthelesse they consented herein that no man had sufficient power of himselfe euen to begin a work much lesse to bring it to perfection For they distinguished between works and faith whereof they would haue if not the increase yet the beginning albeit slender to consist in the power of man that the beginning of saluation may bee beleeued to arise from him that is saued and not from him that saueth and that the will of a man should bee thought to procure for it selfe the helpe of Gods grace and not that grace should bee thought to subiect the will vnto it And this position being layd Marke these errors of the Semipelagians that all men haue a wil in them whereby they may either contemne or imbrace saluation offered they thought that the reason of such as are elected or reiected is soone giuen to wit that God before the creation of the world foreknew who would beleeue or who would abide or not abide in that faith that after should be holpen by his grace and according to this prescience that hee either chose such as would beleeue or els reprobated such as would not beleeue or at the least whom hee foreknewe that they would not perseuere Predestination defined by the Semipelagian at first Whereupon predestination was no other thing with these men than Gods purpose of electing such as would beleeue in time to come This was the opinion of the Semipelagians of these weightie articles namely of free will of grace and predestination And Augustine himselfe was of the same opinion in the beginning before he was a Bishop as it appeareth in his booke of expositions vpon the epistle to the Romans and in Hilaries epistle to Augustine His words are Augustine was a Semipelagian at first which also those remnants of the Pelagian prauitie obiected to be their opinion that God in his foreknowledge did elect them that would beleeue and condemne vnbeleeuers neither choosing the one for their works nor damning the other for their works but granting to their faith to doe well and hardening the impietie of others to doe euill And againe God surely in his prescience chooseth not any mans works which he freely giueth but yet he chooseth faith in his prescience that whom he foreknew would beleeue him he hath chosen c. These things said Augustine at that time In like maner many other learned meÌ„ erred being not acquainted with the Pelagian heresie that was not as yet sprung vp and being careles without an enemie De doctr Christ lib. 3. cap. 33. as else where Augustine speaketh of Ticonius Hereupon also the Commentaries vpon the Romans that are read in the Tomes of Hierome haue it written that Iacob and Esau before they were borne were separated before God by the merite of faith Also I will haue mercie vpon him So was Ierome Chrysostome and Erasmus Dial. 3. infint whom I foreknew was able to deserue mercie And Hierome himselfe to Hedibia quaest 10. seemeth to incline thereto saying that not men themselues but their wills were elected Albeit Hierome was of a better iudgement in his writings against the Pelagians wherein he speaketh very honorably of Augustine and testifieth that he resteth himselfe in his disputations against the Pelagians But Chrysostome in his exposition vpon the ninth to the Romans plainely writeth that God as he foresaw euery one to be worthie or vnworthie of his grace so either elected or reiected them In Dâ—â—tribe Hyperaspiste Among the new writers Erasmus maintaineth the same opinion Neither do they seeme to be far from the same who write in these manie words that faith is the cause of election and yet they will not be Pelagians Coll. â—omp fol. 5â—8 Let them bee then Semipelagians Such also is that that another of the same stampe writeth Huber thes 786. sequen That God foreknowing from euerlasting who would receiue grace and continue and who not put this supposition or condition vnder his election that whosoeuer beleeue in Christ should be saued What I pray differeth this opinion from the definition of the Semipelagians saying that Predestination or election is the purpose of electing those that would beleeue Or els Note if they think that herein they are farre from them because they acknowledge that faith is the worke not of nature but of the holy Ghost doe they not perceiue that they tye the knot faster and not loose it For this is the question why a liuely and constant faith to saluation is from God inspired into some and not into others But to the point Whether the foreknowledge of workes or of faith bee set downe to be the cause of election it is an error vnsufferable For euidently we are taught in the sacred Scriptures that not onely good workes Grace alone is the cause of faith and good works but also faith it selfe from whence all righteousnes beginneth and euen the beginning of faith and the will or desire to beleeue are of meere grace and not as of vs. As it is written What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Againe Without maye can doe nothing saith the trueth 1. Cor. 4. Ioh. 15. Phil. 1. And plainly
dead should raigne at the right hand of God make intercession for vs. So Christ as he is the Mediatour is the first and principall effect of Gods predestination 1. Pet. 1. from whom all other things flow as Peter also testifieth of that immaculate and vndefiled Lambe by whose precious blood we are redeemed that he was made manifest in the last times for the faithful sake being fore ordained before the foundations of the world were laid Notably Augustine De praedest sanct cap. 15. He being one was predestinated to be our head we being many were predestinate to be his members Hereby also appeareth The proper cause of Christs sending and suffering was the saluation of thâ— elect onely that the proper cause of the sending and suffring of the son of God was the saluation of the elect and therfore as touching the purpose of God the effect of the sending and suffring of Christ that he was properly sent and suffered onely for the elect For vnlesse hee had been ordained a Mediatour for the elect there was no cause why he should come in the flesh much lesse why he should expose himselfe to the most shamefull death of all An other effect of election as wee said is vocation Vocation the second effect of election Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 1. whereby the predestination of a man now beginneth to be fulfilled and made manifest For whom hee hath predestinated he calleth saith Paul And elsewhere He hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose grace Vocation twofolde which was giuen vs in Christ before the world Where he plainely setteth downe vocation to be the effect of the giuing of grace from euerlasting that is of predestination But that it may be vnderstood what what maner of calling that is we must distinguish between external internall calling Externall vocation twofold Naturall Psalm 19. Again the externall is there natural or else supernaturall That is to bee vnderstood of the former which the Psalmist singeth The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke There is neither speech nor language Rom. 2. where their voice is not heard And Paul writeth to the Romanes that the inuisible things of God to wit both his eternall power and also deity are perceiued by the creation of the world Acts 14. to this end that men may be made without excuse And elsewhere he left not himselfe without witnesse by doing good and giuing from heauen fruitfull seasons This testimonie of nature neuer ceaseth to declare the goodnes and power of the Lorde but by perpetual preaching sheweth the maiestie of the maker of it Supernaturall Yet because our eares are deafe at the voice of nature so that we do not heare profitablie the things wee be admonished of â—he doctrine of the law and the Gospell hath been added â—nd ministers of the word and grace haue been instituted by whom in season and out of season faith and repentance are preached as it falleth out to all elect and reprobates seeing they are mingled one with another and cannot nor ought to bee seuered by the iudgement of men Matth 22. The Lord speaketh of this calling that manie are called but few are chosen For all obey not the Gospell Esay 53. 65. Rom. 10. The inward calling that heare it For Esay saith Lord who hath beleeed our word all the daie long I haue stretched forth my hands to a rebellious and gaine saying people Therefore the inward and effectuall calling vnto Christ remaineth which is proper to the elect To whom it belongeth Rom. 8. which Paul termeth a calling according to the purpose of God We know saith he that to such as loue God all things worke for the best euen to such as be called according to his purpose And this calling is nothing else than a certaine diuine inspiration of grace What it is whereby a man is mooued to assent vnto and obey the Gospell that is to beleeue and repent And this vocation is made partly by the word How it is done partly and principally by the inspiration of the holy Ghost who inwardly inlighteneth and moueth the hartes Neither be al called at one time but some at the first houre When men are thus called Matth. â—0 August de praedest sanc cap. 3. some at the eleuenth houre of the day as it pleaseth God to dispense in them his grace The description propounded Augustine confirmeth where he largely handleth this matter That vocation saith he according to the purpose of God belongeth not to all that be called Cap. 16. but to the elect onely These God calleth to make them members of his sonne not by that calling whereby they were called that refused to come to the mariage but by that calling whereby a beleeuer is made Vnto which calling who so appertaine Cap. â— they be all taught of God and none of them can saie I haue beleeued that I might bee thus called for the mercy of God hath preuented him whereby hee is so called that he might beleeue For all that bee taught of God come to the sonne because they haue heard and learned of the father This schoole is farre remoued from the vnderstanding of the flesh wherein the father is heard and teacheth that men may come to the sonne neither dealeth he with the care of the flesh but of the heart Hereupon surely when the Gospell is preached Ibid. Aug. Marke this some beleeue not yea gainesay it For they that beleeue the preacher outwadly speaking within heare of the father and learne but they that beleeue not outwardly heare but within do not heare nor learne that is it is giueÌ„ to them to beleeue Ioh. 6. and is not giuen to the other because no man saith he commeth vnto me vnlesse the father that sent mee drawe him Which thing afterward is spoken more plainely No man commeth vnto me To be drawne what it is except it be giuen him of the father Therefore to be drawen of the father to Christ as also to heare and learne of the father that a man may come to Christ is nothing els than to receaue a gift of the father whereby he may beleeue in Christ These are the wordes of Augustine the chiefe of the soundest fathers But here we must beware of a fouresould error Foure errors The first of the Pelagians first of the Pelagians whereby they aduauncing themselues against grace and setting their face against heauen said that a man hath such strength that as of himselfe he is able to beleeue and to worke well so that the will of God be preached Aug. ad Quod vuli Deum haer 88. Faith and repentance are wrought in men by God Ioh. 6. and hereto only he is holpen of God by the law the doctrine of the Gospel that he may learne what
Apostle cryeth Tit. 3. Not through the works of righteousnes which wee haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs. Wherefore away with such preparations whereby men are supposed to dispose themselues for grace that they may be ingrafted into Christ De praede sanct cap. 6. Augustine plainely reciteth this error reprouing the common talke of men saying This or that man therefore deserued to beleeue because hee was good before he beleeued As for the example of Cornelius he there answereth that hee was not wholly void of faith The faith of Cornelius For how should he call vpon him in whom he did not beleeue How were his praiers and almes without faith acceptable before God yet afterward by Peters ministery he beleeued in Christ that now hee might knowe the sonne of God incarnate and might receiue the sacrament of regeneration The last error about vocation whereof wee speake The 4. error making effectuall calling to be in mans power and will is the error of certaine men that extenuate the effecacie of it as though the effect thereof were in the power of a man that if he will not God should call in vaine Yea if a man will not and goeth on to resist grace that is offered him it is most certaine that he is not as yet partaker of this calling Ioh. 6. For Christ witnesseth that this calling is most effectual Euery one that hath heard learned of the father commeth vnto me De praedest sanct cap. 8. They that heare and learne of God do come but they that come not wheÌ„ they are called haue neither heard nor learned of God Which wordes Augustine considering saith If euery one that hath heard of the father and hath learned commeth truely euery one that doeth not come hath neither heard nor learned For if he had heard and learned he would come For not any one hath heard and learned that commeth not but euery one as saith the trueth who hath heard and learned commeth This grace therefore which of the diuine bountifulnes is secretly giueÌ„ to the hearts of men is refused of no hard heart For therefore it is giuen that the hardnes of the heart might first of all be taken away according to the saying I will take from you a stonie heart and giue you a fleshly Looke vpon the same Augustine ad Simpl. li. 1. quaest 2. The effect of Gods mercie saith he cannot be in mans power that he should in vaine shew mercy if man will not Mans will cannot resist Gods call nor make his mercie in vaine because if he please to haue mercie on theÌ„ that resist him he is able so to call them as they may most fitly be mooued and may vnderstand and so followe him For albeit he calleth many yet he hath mercy on them whom he so calleth as it is fittest for theÌ„ to be called that they may follow neither hath hee mercie on any in vaine Therefore they are elected who are so called that they refuse not him that calleth them the rest are not elected because they doe not followe although they be called The same doctrine of the efficacie of this calling Luther notably confirmeth lib. de serm arbit cap. 45. Question Therefore when the question is often asked why when many heare the same word all of them are not so called that they obey their calling Answere it is not fitly answered of some because they will not For if the faithfull therefore beleeue because they are willing God hath not giuen them faith but by their willingnes they haue giuen it to themselues Some obey their calling because God maketh them willing Aug cant duaâ— epist Pelag. cap. 19. No man surely can beleeue but hee is willing thereto for howe should a man beleeue against his will But hee maketh him willing of an vnwiller who when hee draâ—eth vs wee come to Christ Therefore the elect are sundri wayes drawen to bee willing by him who knoweth inwardly to worke in the very hearts of men not that men should beleeue against their will which cannot be but that of vnwilling persons they might be made willing Question 2 Aug. de praedest saâ—nct cap. 8. 9. But why doeth he not so draw all Answere Because he hath mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will by his most iust iudgemeÌ„t doubtles because there is no vniustice in God For who so beleueth that by one man all are iustly condemned he vnderstandeth that God shal not be iustly blamed albeit he deliuer not one from thence and therefore that it is his great grace that many are deliuered and let them acknowledge in them that are not redeemed what was due to themselues that they that reioice may reioice not in their owne merites which they see equall to them that are damned but in the Lord. Question 3 And why he draweth this man doth not draw that his iudgements are vnsearchable and his wayes past finding out Therefore be vnwilling to iudge of this thing if thou wilt not erre saith Augustine in a place vpon Saint Iohn CHAP. XV. Other effects of election i. Iustification and glofication where also is intreated of the perseuerance of the Elect. The 3. effect of election Iustification BVt of vocation inough I come to the third principall effect of election to wit Iustification For by the testimonie of Paul Whom hee calleth them hee also iustifieth And how necessary this benefite is to the elect for the obtaining of their appointed ende of life and heauenly glory it is manifest to euery one For seeing we are all vnder sinne and for sinne are guiltie of wrath and eternall damnation we cannot see the kingdome of heauen vnles we be absolued from sins What it is to be iustified and accounted iust before God by the free forgiuenesse of them And this is nothing els than to bee iustified as the word is here taken So Paul Rom. 4. defineth iustification by the imputation of righteonsnesse And this he teacheth to consist in the forgiuenes of sinnes alleaging hereunto the testimonie of Dauid Psalme 32. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Iustification diuersly taken in Scripture Otherwise diuersly the word Iustification is taken in the scriptures For one while it signifieth the acknowledging and declaring of one to be good and righteous that is such a one in deed as that God is said to bee iustified in his sayings Psal 58. Luke 6. vers 29. 39. And Luke sheweth that the people when they heard Christ iustified God And Christ saith that wisedome is iustified of her children Another while it signifieth to be endued with inherent righteousnes by the infusion of new qualities and by good workes As Apoc. 22. it is written He that hurteth let him hurt as yet and he that is iust let him bee iustified as yet Thirdly
left in their owne obstinacie while they either bee depriued of the meanes to heare the word or else if they doe heare it are not so called as that they are become fit to follow it Wee speake now of totall blinding as I may so call it which hath ioyned with it finall impenitencie and not of euery particular one which happeneth to the predestinate also whom God now and then before and after their conuersion suffereth to fall into sins yet so as all things worke vnto their saluation The vse of these things is that wee may vnderstand what great thankes are to bee giuen to God for his mercie Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. 2. The vse of all who sheweth in the punishment of some what he freely bestoweth vpon others CHAP. XVII How God is said to harden and blinde IT remaineth now that we consider how blinding and hardening of the vngodly is attributed vnto God For vnlesse this be rightly vnderstood God shall seeme to bee accused of iniustice and contrariwise sinners excused according to the saying Why is hee yet angrie for who shall resist his will Some to auoide these rockes doe expound Diuerse opinions of Gods hardening a man that God hardeneth by permitting onely and all seeme not to take this permission after one sort some referre it to the long suffering and lenitie of God so that he is said to harden when he doth not forthwith chasten sinners and to haue mercie when by and by he inuiteth them to repentance by afflictions Others say that permission here is the priuation of grace so that to harden is all one with not to soften by grace The former exposition is referred of Erasmus to Origene and Hierome Collat. de lib. arbit De ser arbit ca. 139. seq But it is confuted by Luther by most strong reasons For that ouermuch libertie of interpreting tendeth to confound all things by a new and vnheard of Grammer as when God saith I will harde the heart of Pharao The first opinion confuted as false changeing the persons a man should take it Pharao hardeneth him selfe by my lenitie God hardeneth our heart that is wee harden our selues while God deferreth punishment So that God sheweth mercie doth not signifie to giue grace to forgiue sinnes to iustifie or to deliuer from euils but contrarily it signifieth to punish and to chastise This is nothing else than of mercie to make wrath of wrath mercie by an altogether crosse kinde of speech And if then God bee said to harden when hee doth good and forbeareth and to haue mercie when he afflicteth and chastiseth then God shall not bee said to haue hardened Pharao but contrariwise to haue had mercie on him For what omitted hee in afflicting chastening and calling Pharao to repentance These and many other things saith Luther in that place Augustine also reproueth Iulian the Pelagian of an error for this Lib. 5. cap. 3. that he thought that hardening pertained onely vnto Gods patience and not to his power as God did not harden but by shewing his patient goodnesse when euils bee done What is it saith he that we daily say Leade vs not into tempration but that we bee not deliuered ouer vnto our lusts Doe we happely aske this of God that his goodnes be not patient towards vs What man in his right wits so meaneth Because so wee should not call for his mercie but rather prouoke his anger The second opinion better but vnperfect Their iudgement is somwhat fuller who albeit they also make mention of permission in this matter yet they take hardening for the withdrawing and depriuing of grace And this is it that is read in Augustine De prâ—â—l graâ—ca 4. Epist 1â—5 Lib. 1. cap 2. God is saide to harden to blinde to turne away him whome hee will not soften inlighten and call Neither doth God harden by bestowing malice but in not bestowing mercy Also to Simplician Gods hardening is that he is vnwitting to shew mercie so that he giueth not any thing to a man to make him worse but onely giueth him nothing to make him better And by and by he bestoweth not vpon some sinners his mercie to iustifie them and therefore he is said to harden some sinners because he hath not mercie on them and not because he compelleth them to sinne In this sense Lombard also and Aquinas speake of induration oâ— hardening Lom lib. 1. dist 4. c. 4. q. â— 2. q. 29. God moueth mens hearts to good and euil but diuerslie yet alwaies iustly Albeit this exposition be tollerable yet the same Aquinas in his exposition vpon the 9. to the Rom. vpon the saying he hardeneth whom hee well freely confesseth that something more must bee vnderstood herein and he addeth that men are moued of God to good or euill by a certaine inward motion but diuersely For a man is stirred vp to good of God directly and of him selfe as of the author of goodnes but vnto euill by occasion Here with may those things be compared that Luther hath in his booke of seruile free will cap. 150. and 154. and Brentius vpon 1. Sa. 2. of Elies sonnes writeth thus Brentius To the intent they might be punished worthily according to their deserts the Lord by his secret power brought it to passe that they should not repent at their fathers admonition and should perish to wit inwardly working what outwardly hee forbiddeth by his word And this is not to be the author or cause of maliciousnes but it is to inflict iust punishment for the same These things he De gra lib. arâ— cap. 1. But especially Augustine at large proueth and declareth that God worketh as pleaseth him euen in the hearts of wicked men by rendring vnto them according to their deserts So God saith he wrought in the heart of Amasia 2. King 14. with whome doubtles God was iustly angrie for his Idolatrie that he should not heare good counsell but contemning it should goe to warre where with his whole army he might be destroyed And in the Psalmes it is said of the Egiptians what God did vnto them Psalm 105. He turned their hearts that they hated his people and dealt deceitefully with his seruants Of these and such like places of the holy Scripture he afterward concludeth God worketh in mâ—ns hearts to bow their wills to good or euill that God worketh in the hearts of men to bowe their willes whither soeuer it pleaseth him either to good of his mercy or to euill according to their deserts in his iudgement doubtles sometime manifest sometime hidden but alwaies iust In like maner against Iulian Lib. 5 cap. 3. Many things saith he we could rehearse wherby it might plainely appeare that by the secret iudgement of God the hart is made peruerse God punisheth sinne with sinne that a man heareth not the truth and therupon sinneth for a punishment of some former sin And
It is plaine also that the number of such as shall bee saued is sure and certaine with the Lorde who knowes his owne Their number is certaine and numbereth the sand of the sea Whereunto Augustine de Correp gra cap. 13. The number of them that be predestinated to the kingdome of God is so certaine that nothing may bee added to them nor taken from them Againe ad Laur. cap. 29. The number of the blessed whether it be that which is or that which shall be is in the eye of that workeman that calleth things that bee not as though they were and disposeth all things in number weight and measure And whereas some thinke that the number of the elect is precisely so great as there be deuils that fell from the society of the Angels it is surely curiosity Augustines opinion is better in the place now alleaged who albeit hee acknowledge that the elect among men doe come in the place of the Angels that fell to restore the city of GOD yet hee saith nothing of the equality of the number yea hee leaueth it in doubt as a secret knowen to God For to what purpose should a man auouch a thing with perill that safely he may be ignorant of CHAP. XX. Answeres to such obiections as are wont to be made against the vnchaungeablenes of Predestination BVt some obiect vnto vs in this place The summe of the obiections of both kinds that a windowe is opened to impiety by making as it were sides whereto neither must anything be added nor any thing detracted fatall necessity is brought in the free will of man denied the ministerie of the word and praiers taken away sinners are excused and which God forbid God is accused as the author of sin and men are prouoked to despaire and such other like whereby subtil detractors openly vaunt themselues as the Pelagians did in old time by the report of Prosper and Hilarie Further beside these consequences of mans reason naughtily wrested there bee some places of Scripture obiected but in vaine as we shall see Obiection 1 First therefore they cauill that a windowe is opened to hainous offences because men thus thinke It must needes be done that God hath predestinated Therefore whether I do well or ill if I be predestinated to Gods kingdome I shall be saued if I be not I shall be damned Answere I answeare What ignorant men I will not say Epicures thinke or not thinke it is nothing to vs. For manie abuse euen the doctrine of grace and thinke because we are iustified freely men must giue themselues to sin that grace may abound Rom. 3. whose iudgement is iust saith Paul But that must not bee imputed to the doctrine but to the abuse of it For first it belongeth not to vs to giue sentence of Gods secretes but the will of God reuealed in his word is to be followed And that commaundeth vs to heare the sonne to repent and to beleeue the Gospell that we may be saued So Luther represseth those wicked speeches on the 26 of Genesis and elsewhere For it is all one as if a man said what God hath appointed must be therefore all care of our soules and all our labour is vncertaine and to no purpose Predestination not onely appointeth the end but the meanes to the end Rom. 8. Ephes 1. Secondly predestination not onely appointeth the ende but also the meanes vnto the end as the Apostle saith whom hee hath predestinated them also hee hath called iustified and glorified Also Hee hath chosen vs in him that wee should bee holy and without blame before him Wherefore it is a platting of a contradiction that he who is predestinated can will and do euill finally Yea rather as Augstine writeth they that be of the number of the chosen predestinate albeit they leade a bad life for a time Contra. Iâ—l lib. 6. cap 3. yet through the goodnes of God they are brought to repentance and are not taken out of this life in their sins for predestination is the preparation of Gods benefites whereby as many as be deliuered are most certainely deliuered Therefore that vaine and idle reason as it is called doth not trouble vs which if wee should obey it is to no purpose whatsoeuer we do in our life But let the obiection be turned vpon them that so bring in predestination that they separate the means from the end In old time such was the heresie of the Predestinati who The heresie oâ— the predestinati as Sigebert witnesseth in Chron sprung vp vnder Honorius the Emperor and Pope Zosimus were so called of the doctrine they held because naughtily vnderstanding predestination and grace they auouched that neither the study of good works profited them that liued well if they were predestinated of God to death nor that the vngodly were hurt by wicked liuing if they were predestinated of God to life By which assertion they withdrew good men from good things and stirred vp euill men to wickednes Another obiection was of destiny The second obiection of fate or desteny that it was brought in if all things depend on the stable immutable decree of Predestination as for example who shall receiue the word who not who shall beleeue who shall not and thereby who shall be saued who damned I answere We preach not destinie but the depth of Gods grace whereby the difference is made of the elect from the lumpe of perdition the rest in the same lumpe being forsaken by the iust iudgement of God And whereas the order of Gods grace and his iudgement is vnmoueable that maketh nothing for fate or destinie vnlesse peraduenture we should take fatum to be deriued of fando which is of speaking For we cannot denie that God once spake that is vnmoueably and vnchangeably decreed what things he would doe as he knew vnchangeably all things that should bee in which respect as Augustine writteth wee may say De Câ—uit Dei lib. 5. cap. 9. The Mathematicall fate fatum hath his name of fando But this name was wont to be vnderstood in another matter For in the commoÌ„ vse of speaking by fate men vnderstand the force of the position of the starres and planets as it falleth out when a man is borne or conceaued or newly formed Naturall and poeticall fate this is the Mathematicall fate Also those things are of many writers called fatal which happen beside the will of God and men by the necessitie of a certaine order as that verse sheweth What once prepared is to be Surmounteth Ioue his high degree And in Homer the prince of Poetes Iupiter lamenteth that he could not deliuer from death his deare sonne Sarpedon whom fate compelled to die Likewise Neptune mourneth because he could not hinder the returne of Vlisses into his countrey that he might reuenge Cyclops his sonne for the sates had decreed that Vlisses should returne into Ithaca And in Ouid the same
albeit they maintaine as well as we the firmenes and certaintie of Gods election in it selfe yet they would haue it to bee vncertaine to vs as long as we liue in this mortal life whether we be in the nūber of the elect those that shall be saued yea whether in this life we bee in fauour with God neither suppose they that it cā possibly be known without especial reuelatiō such as they attribute to Paul and some few other Concil Trid. sesse 6. cap. 12. Hereupon the Councell of Trent held vnder Pope Paul the third decreed in this sort No man in this life ought so to presume of the secret misterie of Gods predestination that hee should certainely make account that he himselfe is in the number of them that be predestinated as though it were true that he that is iustified either could not sinne any more or if he hath sinned ought to promise himselfe certaine repentance For without speciall reuelation it cannot be knowne whom God hath chosen to himselfe Can. 15. And in the same Session among the Canons wherein the Trent fathers establish doubting of the forgiuenes of our sins and of the grace of God Hee is pronounced accursed whosoeuer shall say that a man regenerate and iustified is bound by faith to beleeue that he is certainely of the number of the predestinate This is the doctrine of poperie and no maruell seeing they are not subiect to the righteousnes of God but goe about to set vp their owne righteousnes of worthinesse and humaine merites For seeing they rest not in the mercie of God by and for Christes sake forgiuing sinnes to euery one that beleeueth but respect also their owne disposition worthinesse satisfactions merites to iustifie thē they doe lesse yet than becommeth thē that they so much doubt of their receiuing into grace or of their iustification For Paul without al doubting plainly pronoūceth that he knoweth nothing by himself yet hereby he is not iustified 1. Cor. 4. Gal. 5. Gal. 3. And to the Gal. Behold I Paul say vnto you ye are made voide of Christ as many as are iustified by the Law and ye are fallen from grace For as many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse And truely this doctrine of doubting of the grace of God in this life or the life to come Reasons against doubting of Gods grace greatly swarueth frō the scope of the diuine Scriptures For the Apostle saith What things are written are written for our instruction that by patience consolation we might haue hope Lib. 3. Sent. dist 26. What hope is But hope excludeth doubting because hope euen by the confession definition of the papistes themselues is a vertue whereby spiritual and eternal things are confidently expected or which is all one Hope is a certaine expectation of future blessednes proceeding from the grace and trueth of God They adde and from precedent merites because to hope for any thing without merites is not to bee called hope put presumption As though it were not presumption rather to aduance merites against grace For if of workes then not of grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11. but if of grace then not of workes Secondly a most strong argument against popish doubting is taken from this that in the scriptures we are commanded to beleeue the remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not onely historically and generally but also with the application of the promise of grace vnto vs as also euery where the holy Scriptures require vs to beleeue in Christ who died for our sinnes that he might restore vnto vs Gods grace that was lost righteousnesse and eternall life To beleeue and to doubt are contrary Now to beleeue and to doubt are manifestly contrary one to the other as we may see in Iames cha 1. If any of you want wisedom let him aske of God but with cōfidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing doubting or wauering hither and thither like the waues of the sea that are caried of the winde And the words vsed in the sacred Scriptures to expresse the force and nature of faith confirme the same thing as that to faith is attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sure perswasiō substance demonstration confidence boldnes which surely signifie not a doubting of the mind but a sure certaine assurance Whereto then tendeth the doctrine and shop of doubting with the papists but to ouerthrowe faith altogether and to turne vpside downe the vse of the Scripture vnto vs which was therefore deliuered of the holy men of God that we should beleeue that Iesus Christ and that in beleeuing we might haue life through his name Hitherto serue the expresse sayings of Scripture Matth. 8. Be of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Luk. 7. Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace The papists flee here to some speciall reuelation but as we doe not denie the same so we say that those special reuelations depend vpon the generall foundation that is the promise of grace made to beleeuers in the Gospell Mark 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned 2. Tim. 1. This also is manfest by the testimonies of Paul I knowe whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe my pledge against that day Chap. 4. Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith hereafter there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue me in that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his comming Also I am perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 5. nor Angels nor principalities nor any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu towards vs. In vaine doe they here except that Paul in those places speaketh onely of his owne assurance that he had by a singular reuelation For he speaketh in the plurall number of himselfe and others that are ingrafted into Christ by a true faith and loue his comming So elsewhere the Apostle generally testifieth Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God and wee reioyce in the hope of the glorie of God through our Lorde Iesu Christ For being now iustified through his blood we shall much more be saued from wrath by him And to the Ephesians After ye beleeued Ephes 1. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest of our inheritance against the day of redemption Iohn also hereto agreeth 1. Ioh. 3. 4. We know that we are translated from death to life And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his spirit These and such like testimonies plainly proue that a faithfull man may and ought to make certaine account that he hath
doubt of my continuance to the end For he that beleeueth to wit continually to the end he shall be saued But if any man withdrawe himselfe my heart doth not approue him saith the Lorde Answere Vnto this exception concerning finall perseuerance ought to be opposed the cleare and vndoubted promises of God not onely of his grace for the present but also of finall perseuerance therein of all true beleeuers such as these be Him that commeth vnto me and the beleeuers come I will not cast forth Ioh. 6. Gods promises of present grace the finall perseuerance Also This is the will of him that sent me that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life And I will raise him vp at the last day Againe Ioh. 10. I know my sheepe and they shall not perish for euer neither shall any take them out of my hand And Christs sheepe bee such as heare his voice that is doe truly beleeue Againe Ioh. 14. I will praie to the father and he will giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer Luke 22. And I haue praied for thee Simon Peter that thy faith faile not And he praied for all both for such as then beleeued and also for those that should beleeue afterward Rom. 8. And Paul saith To them that loue God all things worke for the best In all things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. God is faithfull 1. Cor. 10. who doth not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but will graunt with the temptation an issue that ye may be able to beare it I am perswaded Phil. 2. that he that hath begun in you this good worke will performe it euen to the day of Iesu Christ What place is here to speake as Cyprian doth of anguish and carefull thought who is fearefull and full of griefe considering these sayings but hee that lacketh faith and hope If thou be righteous and liue by faith if thou truely beleeuest in God why doest thou not securely imbrace the promise of the Lord God hath promised thee perseuerance and doest thou doubt and wauer Whereas certaine places of Scripture and examples of backsliders that are mentioned to haue had faith are wont to be alleaged to the contrary we haue answered elsewhere vnto them least we should do one thing twise The third way remaineth Three waies whereby a man may know his election The seale of the spirite in our hearts whereby God reuealeth vnto his Saints his election of them to wit by the seale of the holie Ghost in our hearts according vnto the saying Ephesians 1. After ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill we bee restored to libertie c. And chapter 4. Grieue not the spirite whereby ye are sealed vnto the daie of redemption 2. Cor. 1. It is God who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of the spirit in our heartes Behold the spirit of God who is giuen to all the faithfull of Christ for who so hath not the spirit of Christ Rom. 8. the same man is not his in steed of Gods seale and certaine earnest penny and who maketh vs sure of our inheritance in heauen and consequently that our names also are written in heauen in the booke of life To this ende those most sweet sentences belong whereby these metaphores are elsewhere expounded 1. Ioh. 4. Hereby we knowe that we dwell in God and he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his spirit 1. Cor. 2. We haue receiued from God the spirit that we may knowe what things are freely giuen vs of God Romans 8. If his spirit that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And there followeth in that Chapter a right golden place and very diligently to be weighed in this whole matter If ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit ye shall liue saith hee For as many as are lead by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For he haue not receaued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba father which spirit beareth witnesse together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes then heires also euen the heires of God and coheires with Christ The Apostles demonstration is in this sort Whosoeuer are the sonnes of God shall obtaine the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen For if we be sonnes we be heires also But whosoeuer are guided by the holy spirite are the sonnes of God Therefore whosoeuer are guided by the holy spirite shall obtaine the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen The Assumption is proued three maner of wayes in the text 1. Because it is the part of the spirit of adoption to seale adoption in the regenerate for of these he speaketh Otherwise it is manifest that there be many gifts of the holy Ghost common to the godly and vngodly to the elect and reprobates 2. When he saith by whom we cry Abba Father hee proueth the same thing by the confession of the godly who call vpon God as their father as also wee are taught of the Lord in the beginning of that Christian prayer Our Father which art in heauen This the godly say and cry not so much in sound of voyce as in the intention of the heart which ariseth of that confidence that agreeth with the sonnes of God 3. Lest a man peraduenture might suspect that wee are deceiued in our confession he confirmeth the same thing by the witnesse of the holy Ghost For the spirite it selfe witnesseth that we are the sons of God that not in the eares of men as the father did wittnes of his sonne Matt. 3. but in the hart of man because elsewhereas the Apostle writeth the loue of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. Za. 12. The witnes of the spirit is most sure and why 1. Cor. 2. Ioh. 16. Ephe. 2. who is giuen vnto vs. Whereupon he was called of the Prophet the spirite of grace because he beareth witnesse of the grace and mercy of God in our mindes And there is nothing surer than this testimonie of the spirite For the spirite of God is not deceiued Who searcheth all things euen the deepe secrets of God neither doth he deceiue because hee is true and leadeth into all trueth These things concerning the reuealing of election are gathered out of the worde of God and are euident Hub. thes 11â—6 Therefore we are falsly accused of some as though we coueted to approach vnto election without the word of God Against this slaunder we openly professe that laying aside all curiositie By Gods word onely we must seeke to finde cut our election and so Caluin and Luther
meere false accusations and haue been fully before confuted in their places Obiection But say they albeit these conclusions of mans reason are ill drawen from the determined sentence of Gods will Whither this doctrine must be concealed because it offendeth some touching those that shall be saued and damned which we terme Predestination yet for their sakes who are offended this doctrine albeit true ought to be concealed rather than taught and propounded The reason is this The truth ought often to be concealed for their sakes that cannot comprehend it by the example of Christ I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them away now and of the Apostle I could not speake vnto you as spirituall but as vnto carnall euen as to babes in Christ I haue giuen you milke and not strong meate for ye were not yet able for it neither as yet ye be A Syllogisme But it is confessed that many cannot comprehend the doctrine of predestination Therefore for their sakes it ought to be concealed namely least we should make them worse who do not vnderstand it while we would make them better learned that do vnderstand it Answere De bono perseu cap. 16. Vnto this argument long agoe often vsed of the Semipelagians doth our Augustine answere And hee answereth to the Maior which is onely particular and then is of force when a man runneth into daunger by speaking onely the truth and not also by concealing it I will set it downe in Augustines words When the trueth may be concealed It were tedious to seeke out or alleage all the causes of concealing the truth yet this is one least we make them worse that vnderstand it not while wee desire to make them better learned that doe vnderstand it who though wee should conceale such a thing are neither the better learned nor worse But when a truth standeth thus that he that cannot vnderstand it is made worse by our speaking of it and he that can is made worse by our concealing of it When the trueth must be taught and not concealed ought not the truth rather to be spoken that he that is able to vnderstand it may vnderstand it than to be concealed that not onely both may not comprehend it but also that he that is of a better vnderstanding may become worse who if he should vnderstand it more men by him might learne Let the truth therefore be spoken specially where some doubt forceth vs to speake it and let them vnderstand it that are able least peraduenture when it is concealed for their sakes that cannot vnderstand it such as are able are not onely defrauded of the truth but also intangled in falsehood Luthers answere albeit in other wordes is all one with this de seruo arbit cap. 40. And this differēce is most easily confirmed Are not many at this day offēded The Apostles taught the trueth though many were offended at it Rom. 3. 6. long ago were offended at the doctrine of grace iustificatiō by only faith in Christ Iesu that they spoke euil of the very Apostles falsly reported thē to say Let vs doe euill that good may come thereof let vs sin that grace may abound And yet for that cause ought not the true doctrine of grace the iustification of a man be suppressed with one silence neither must we be an occasion of any mans perishing that is deluded with a false perswasion of his workes and merites So 1. Cor. 1. as Paul testifieth Christ crucified was a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Grecians Did Paul therefore slacke any whit of his wonted diligence in preaching the worde of the crosse yea because by foolish preaching it pleased God to saue such as beleeue he determined to know nothing but Christ Iesu crucified Farwell then that preprosterous warynes of those men that suppose that the doctrine of predestination ought to be buried in silence because it agreeth not with the iudgement of the flesh We on the contrary stand to the iudgement of the spirit and say that reason must be commaunded both euery where else in causes of faith and also especially in this So it shall come to passe that the mysteries of heauenly doctrine may be layd open and made sweete vnto vs. Obiection And whereas it was alleaged besides that the more ancient fathers before Augustine had defended the Catholike faith for so many yeeres euen without this defining of predestination hereunto it is answered Answere to the obiection concerning the fathers before Augustine that the ancient fathers were not altogether silent in this matter For euen they preached the true grace of God as it ought to be preached that is before which do goe no merites of man De bono perseu cap. 19. Which thing Augustine sheweth plainely by the testimonies of Cyprian Ambrose and others That is an excellent saying of Cyprian We must glorie in nothing seeing nothing is ours But Ambrose sayd Our heart and thoughts are not in our owne power Also Amb. in Luc. in expos proamij the will of men is prepared of God and whatsoeuer is honourable in the saints the same is of his grace The same writer vpon Luke intreating of the Samaritans that would not receiue Christ withall learne saith he that he would not receiue hollow hearted conuerts for if he would he would haue made them deuout that had no deuotion in them For whom he vouchsafeth he calleth Greg. Naz. whom he will he maketh religious Gregorie Nazianzene also is cited of Augustine who witnesseth that both giftes come from God both to beleeue in God and also to confesse what wee beleeue Besides it is the consent of the whole Church which neuer wanted this thing in her prayers For when did not the Church pray for vnbeleeuers for her enemies that they might beleeue and for the faithfull that they might grow from faith to faith and continue therein to the ende Neither doe the faithfull aske any other thing in the Lordes prayer specially when they say leade vs not into temptation but that they may through the gift of God continue in a holy obedience As therefore the Church was borne hath growen and nowe increaseth in these prayers so also in this faith to beleeue that the grace of God is giuen not according to the merites of them that receiue it seeing the Church would not pray that faith might be giuen to vnbeleeuers and perseuerance in faith to the faithfull vnlesse she had alwayes beleeued of a certainety that they be the giftes of God And who wil say that those fathers and the vniuersal Church did so confesse the grace of God that they durst deny his foreknowledge which not only the learned but also the vnlearned confesse Futher if they so knew that God gaue these things as that they were not ignorant of his foreknowledge that he would giue to whom he would giue out
not receiued it as yet But if ye be elected albeit not yet called ye shall receiue the same grace What neede is there of this speech Some of you For if wee speake to the Church of God if wee speake to the beleeuers why say wee that some of them haue receiued grace and so are supposed to doe wrong to the rest It may thus more fitly bee saide thus the predestination of Gods will standeth that ye receiuing grace are come from vnbeliefe to faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God least any man should boast But if any of you walke as yet in your sinnes repent yee awake and rise vp from the dead Also if any as yet bee not called let vs pray for them that they may be called for peraduenture they be so elected that they shall be graunted to our requests and receiue with vs the same grace Is not thus the same thing both more truely and more fitly spoken Of this matter our Augustine whom I haue often cited without controuersie a great diuine learned De bono perseuerant cap. 14. sincere and sound and a notable patron of the Catholike faith as Hilarie praiseth him hath written more at large To him therefore let them resorte that desire to know these things more exactly And these things thus farre of the eternall predestination of God who onely is wise mercifull and iust To him be honor and blessing for euer and euer Amen FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS MENTIONED IN THESE BOOKES A. ABrahams bosome 21 Absurdities of our doctrine as the aduersarie thinketh 130 Acception of persons what 266 Adam fell through his owne fault 316 Adams fall why permitted 316 Adoption what it is 106 Adoption and inheritance follow redemption 211 Ambrose his sayings 193. 215. 224 Anabaptists dotage of the saluation of Infants 219 Angels elect and reprobate 2â—6 Aduersaries opinion of Christs death for all 36 His threefold rank of reasons 47 Aduersaries contrary to themselues 216 Their opinion Anabaptisticall 219 All things for all men by the aduersarie 67 Augustine recanteth an error 216 Augustine his excellent sayings 227 Augustine his phrase of the onely cause of all men pa 225. is expounded 230 All men for al that be Christs 39 For the elect only 40. 187. 231 For all sorts of men 45 For the wicked only 41 For the multitude of both sides 64 208 Cannot be takeÌ„ for euery one 46. 2â—9 All be not Christs people 180 All and euery one had neuer the Gospell 97 All nations for the faithfull 105. 206 Not for euery one in all nations 95. 106 B. Baptisme the principall vse 161 Bap. of some without regeneration 164 by Baptisme wee are not first taken into Gods protection 163 Baptisme of Infants 165. 166 Baptisme a seale of grace to the faithfull 164 Baptizing of Simon Magus 164 Backesliders 333 Beginning of the error of the redemption of euery one 221 Begin in the spirit how many doe 123 Beleeuer knoweth himselfe to beleeue 148. 169 Benefits of two sorts 317 Benefits of the Gospel how they belong to reprobates 129 to Beleeue what 323 Blinding 335 Blotting out what 168 Booke of life what 368 Brasen serpent 206 Breaking of the serpents head for whom 100 to Beleeue to doubt are contrary 374 C. Calling threefold 320. 98 Caluerie Adams Sepulcher 136 Called who they be 197 Catholike Church what 209 Catholike Church meant by the 24. Elders 2â—0 Catholike faith of Redemption 1. 136 Certaintie of grace and election 384 Causes of redemption 23. 216 Of predestinati 269 Of Christs comming 319. 23. Christ their sacrifice whose aduocate he is 211. 188 Foreordained for the beleeuers 199 He mâ—cked not God nor men by redeâ—â—ing the elect 172 He iustifieth all how 43 He is the life of the world 78. 79 Aâ— an inlightener so a Sauiour 184 Died for all how 56. 125 Not effectually for all 179 The onely Redeemer 4. 13 Came for all in what sense by the old writers 233 Christians in name onely 112 Christians must not vse the word destinie 355 Christian kinde 227 Christian libertie many fall from 124 Church onely redeemed 201 Church iudgeth them faithfull c. that professe saith 108. 120 to be Chosen in Christ what 308 Conference and not contention becomes Gods seruants 31 Commandement of faith and repentance hindeth all 153 Contempt of the Gospell not the onely cause of damnation 175 Cornelius his saith 325 Church must take heede of falling and why 332 D. the Damned created for the good of nature 268 Damned some by Gods will 134 the Damneds destruction profiteth the elect 268 Death threefold 334 Decree of God vnchangeable 347 Deliuerance from Egypt typicall 206 Deuill ouercome for the faithfull 10â— Difference betweene power and act 238 Differences among men by God 310 a Dilemma 134 to Diuide the word aright what 152 Degrees of loue 251 Diuine his dutie 31 to be Drawne of God what it is 321 Diuerse opinions of the causes of election and reprobation 272 the Deuill hath power against vs how 339 Doubting of Gods grace 373 E. Election what 317 Election taken diuersly 249. 331 It is of some onely 256. c. How we must iudge of it â—47 It is free 297. 278 The effects of it 318 The cause of it 283 Election of Israel double 295 Elect and reprobates seuered by Gods pleasure 98 Elect called effectually 315. 351 The number certaine 349 Their fall and perseuerance neuer cut off finally 109. 329 Election and loue in God 306 Error of Marcion 17 Error of Papists 324 Euery one is to bee taken for a brother for his profession sake 115 F. Faith and repentance of God 322 Faith how necessary to saluation 217 Faith foreseene no cause of election 373. 2â—8 Historicall and infusing 110 For the doctrine of faith 109 It cureth the soule 175 a Fall grieuous proues not a man to be a reprobate 113 Fate taken diuersly 354 Faithfull their perseuerance and falles 109. 332 Fathers of the olde Testament redeemed 18 Foure thinges proper to the faithfull 195 Foreknowne with the Schoolemen 252 Future things foreknowne 355 Freewill 277. 356 Freedome of seruants 207 G. Gifts common to good and bad 114 Glorification the effect of election 328 Good workes effects of grace 273 Gods permission 316 How he loueth and hateth vs. 25 Hee must teach vs els wee cannot learne 98 He inwardly worketh what he outwardly commaundeth and that without sinne 172. 338 Gospell is properly theirs that obey it 95 God punisheth sinne with sinne 339 God is the reuenger of sinne 340 Grace and predestination agree and differ 248 Grace neuer bestowed vpon all 99 It aboundeth aboue sinne 65 Vniuersall how 201. 150. 154 It is promised to an vnbeleeuer but conditionally 151. 154 God decreed to condemne none but for sinne 304 H. Hardening 340. 335. 337 Hardnes of heart taken three waies 341 Hels foure 21 Heresie of predestination 353 Heresies denying Christs manhood 11 Hypocrites at length
text neither be ye moued away from the hope of the Gospell which ye haue heard Therefore it is a marueilous attention of the man who bids vs marke here that which is not found at all in the text neither if it were found could make any thing for the matter Heb. 2.2 Luk. 11.28 Hieron in comment For the hope of the Gospell pertaineth not to the hearers but to the beleeuers and as Hierome saith they that liue contrary to the Gospell cannot expect the hope of the Gospell That thing rather ought here to bee marked that Paul sheweth that the Colossians are reconciled to God no otherwise but as men alreadie conuerted and beleeuing You which in times past saith he were strangers hath he now reconciled For in these words there is a manifest contrarietie of their double state to wit of faith and infidelitie Before being strangers and enemies now they were reconciled in that bodie of the flesh of Christ Where then is that generall reconciliation euen of those that beleeue not nor euer will beleeue In the Conference at Mompelgart is also cited the place to the Rom. chap. 11. God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe The 5. place of the aduersarie Rom. 11.32 that he might haue mercie vpon all But the speech there is of two people Iewes and Gentiles whom striuing together it pleaseth God by course to bring vnto faith to wit that as the stubbornnes of the Iewes gaue occasion of the conuersion of the Gentiles so the Iewes afterward prouoked with emulation of the mercie bestowed vpon the Gentiles will themselues also beleeue in Christ and so all shall be partakers of Gods mercie that is both the people of the Iewes and Gentiles Wee cannot referre this to particular persons in both people seeing it is without all doubt that faith and repentance which Paul noteth out here vnder the word mercie belongeth not to all and euery one The 6. place Ioh. 17.2 One place of this order remaineth Ioh. 17. Thou hast saith Christ giuen me power ouer all flesh that whatsoeuer thou hast giuen me Thes 161. I may giue vnto them eternall life Hence Huberus inferreth that there is nothing more certaine then that God is reconciled to al. Nay nothing more vncertaine Let a syllogisme bee made and the false conclusion will straightway appeare For the maior is false taken vniuersallie as it ought to bee taken that ouer whomsoeuer Christ hath power giuen him they are reconciled to God For he hath power giuen him ouer oxen asses and all creatures in heauen and earth euen ouer the deuils also But what if we stay only in mankinde after this sort What men soeuer are giuen of the father to Christ they be therefore giuen that he might giue them eternall life Now all men are giuen of the father to Christ because he hath giuen him power ouer all flesh to wit humane Therefore al men are therefore giuen vnto him that hee might giue them eternall life I deny the minor in that sense as here and elsewhere often that maner of speech is taken to bee giuen to Christ For proofe I answere it is another thing that power is said to bee giuen ouer al flesh to Christ than that al men are giuen to him Which things because they bee confounded of this disputer let vs heare Augustine in Ioh. tract 111. Augustine Who are they whom hee saith are giuen him of his father are they not they of whom elsewhere it is said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the father who sent me draw him They are then those whom he hath receiued of the father whō he also chose out of the world that now they may not be of the world and yet they are also the world beleeuing and knowing that Christ was sent of God the father For so be saith Thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that is all men that all that thou hast giuen him he might giue vnto them eternall life Where he sheweth that he hath receiued power ouer all men to deliuer whom he will and condemne whom he will but that those are giuen vnto him to all whom he may giue eternall life For so he saith that all that thou hast giuen him he may giue vnto them eternall life Therfore they are not giuen vnto him to whom he will not giue eternall life although he hath power ouer them also who hath power giuen him ouer all flesh These things saith he being the best approued of the old writers And surely the words of the text are so plaine that it is a manifest error and more then an error that all are indifferently giuen to Christ For the truth saith I haue made knowne thy name vnto the men that thou gauest me out of the world I pray for them I pray not for the world Ioh. 17. but for them whome thou hast giuen mee Holy father saue them whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me may bee with me where I am Whatsoeuer the father giueth me shall come vnto me and this is the will of him that sent me that whatsoeuer he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Who but one that is willingly blinde doth not see here that the Lord by that speech would distinguish his owne from such as bee not his and those that shall be saued from such as shall be damned Neither is that any hinderance to this which is obiected of the sonne of perdition Whom thou hast giuen me I haue kept and none of them is lost but that lost sonne that the Scripture may be fulfilled For that is rightly taken of the election vnto the Apostleship and so also Augustine sheweth tract 106. Therefore here the phrase is taken in another sense as there is also a third sense found and that most generall All things are giuen to the sonne of the father Ioh. 3. Matth. 11. CHAP. V. An examination of places wherein there is mention made of the World in this matter I Proceede to testimonies wherein mention is made of the World in the Scriptures in the matter of saluation which likewise by the aduersaries are drawne for the confirmation of the error of the vniuersalitie of grace in regard of particular persons in mankinde Ioh. 3. 1. 6. 3. 12. 2. Cor. 5.19 Such as these bee So God loued the world Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world The bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world I came not to condemne the world but that I might saue it Ioh. 4.42 and 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Ioh. 2.2 And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself He is also called the Sauiour of the world and the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world In these and such like places wheresoeuer the
world is spoken of whereupon God hath bestowed his grace they maintaine that the word cannot otherwise bee taken then indifferently for all men beleeuers and vnbeleeuers For of many significations of the World they acknowledge onely three chiefe wherein they say the rest may easily be included as that the word World is taken for the frame and vniuersall compasse of heauen and earth then for the common multitude of all men good and bad lastly for that part of men which comprehendeth the reprobates and vnbeleeuers Of these significations the first and the third agree not with those places It remaineth then that all those places bee taken in the second signification I answere that the reckoning was insufficient in the maior For as the world in the holie Scriptures is taken for the reprobates and vnbeleeuers only so also it is often vsed for the elect and faithfull dispersed throughout the whole world There be many plaine testimonies to proue this Ioh. 14.31 he ioyneth both those significations together in those words of Christ The prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in me but that the world may know that I loue the father and that I doe as the father hath commanded rise let vs goe hence Of this world also is that Ioh. 17.21 that the world may know that thou hast sent me Which is that world which shal know Christ and beleeue in him but that which is discerned from the world of reprobates For of these about the end of the same chapter he speaketh Righteous father Vers 25. the world doth not know thee but I know thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent me and I haue manifested thy name vnto them and will manifest it to wit vnto them of whom hee had spoken that the world may beleeue that I am sent of thee So Rom. 4. the promise is said to bee made to Abraham that he should be the heire of the world that is the father of all beleeuers circumcised and vncircumcised as Paul himself declareth And chap. 11. he saith that the fall of the Iewes is the riches of the world and the casting away of them the reconciliation of the world that is of the Gentiles to whom he saith saluation happened by the ruine of the Iewes that they might bee prouoked to follow them Where wee see the word world also restrained for them that appertain vnto that fulnes of the Gentiles which is appointed to come into the roome of the Iewes Therefore it is idle and impudent wrangling to say Huber thes 143 where be we able to finde and plainly shew in the whole Scripture that the world is taken onely for a certaine kinde of men whom God hath chosen to be saued But goe to let vs annexe to these the testimonies of Augustine the very chiefe of the old Diuines Augustine and most practised in such questions against the Pelagians He tract in Ioh. 110. vpon that saying that the world may beleeue The word world attributed sometime to the reprobates onely sometime to the elect and faithfull onely writeth after this sort Behold he that said I pray not for the world doth pray for the world that it may beleeue because there is a world whereof is written that wee may not bee condemned with the world For this world he praieth not for he knoweth whereto it is predestinated And there is a world whereof it is written The sonne of man came not to condemne the world but that the world by him may be saued Whereupon the Apostle also saith God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe for this world he prayeth saying That the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me The same man in the next tract saith Who are those whom he saith are giuen him of his father They be those whom he receiued of the father and whom he himself chose out of the world that they might not be of the world and yet they themselues are the beleeuing and knowing world that Christ was sent of God the father that so the world may be deliuered from the world and that the world which is reconciled to God may not bee damned with the world that is enemie to God And about the end of the same Tract vpon that saying The world doth not know thee he saith The world surely which is predestinated to damnation by desert doth not know but the world which he reconcileth to himselfe through Christ doth know not of desert but of grace Againe tract 53. Euill men are called the world because they bee scattered through the whole earth and good men also are called the world because they likewise bee dispersed through the whole earth Wherevpon the Apostle saith God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe And in this sense in the same place hee expoundeth the saying Now is the iudgement of this world to wit the iudgement not of damnation but of separation whereby it shall come to passe that farre and wide sins shall bee pardoned and thousand thousands shall be deliuered through faith from the power and rule of the deuill and reconciled vnto God Ambrose Likewise Ambrose saith in Psal 118. serm 12. The whole world is truly in the Church wherein there is not the Iew only nor Grecian Barbarian Scythian bond or free but we are all one in Christ Iesu By these sayings it appeareth that it is a very rotten foundation that the word world wheresoeuer it is expressed in the Scripture in the matter of grace doth note out an vniuersalitie of all mankinde none at all excepted The first place Ioh. 3. World taken for mankinde indefinitly Now let vs consider the places by themselues seuerally As touching the words Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world we say that by the name of world mankinde indefinitly is meant as Christ saith Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world that is for the reprobates but onely for them whom the father gaue vnto him and should beleeue in him Rom 8. Paul also to the Romanes declareth that the loue of God in Christ is so great that the beloued of God are made vnconquerable against things present and to come and against all the temptations of the world which thing certainly cannot be spoken of all men Therefore that loue belongs not to all albeit generally God hateth nothing of those things hee hath made as wee haue seene before But goe to let vs answere the contrary reasons whereby they endeuour to proue that the word world which is verie doubtfull in the Scripture is here necessarily taken for the whole masse of mankinde altogether say they as it is taken Rom. 5. By one man sinne came into the world and death by sinne D. Iacob Andreas Colloq Mompel appealeth vnto the iudgement and one consent of all writers and interpreters old and new Great rashnes certainly which to suppresse I will produce one of many euen Rupertus Tuitiensis who florished about 400. yeres