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
growne can bee saued without faith It followeth therefore seeing such also are saued that faith is giuen to many infants euery where euen before their Baptisme which thing Iacob Andree denied that he could auouch The same thing may be obiected of young girles among the Iewes who because they were the seede of Abraham were not excluded from the righteousnes of Abraham but obtained it by faith according to Luther in the forecited place euen in their infancie Wherefore the opinion of the faith of infants is more easily affirmed than defended D. Heerbrand Defens cont Gottard Canonicum Hereupon Doctor Heerbrand doth thus mitigate Luthers opinion that hee when hee saith that infants haue faith or doe beleeue hath not this meaning that they doe vnderstand or feele the motions of faith but that so their error is reiected who imagine infants Baptized to please God and to be saued without any action of the holy Ghost If this onely they meane who thinke that infants beleeue I fully agree with them But because it is to be feared how many of them will acknowledge that interpretation I doubt not in the meane while to iudge and speake with ancient writers that infants doe not beleeue Which simplicity of olde writers hath been also allowed of new writers Musculus Martyr and other most learned and painefull diuines as their writings testifie Obiection Aug. quaest Euang li. 1. ca. 24. Neither doe the words of Matth. chap. 18. hinder the same Who so offendeth one of these little ones that beleeue in me for that Augustine Theophilact Hilarius and others rather vnderstand of the humble and children in malice and not in age Why we must account in faults among the people of God We confesse neuertheles that our infants are rightly accounted in the bodie of the faithfull that is among the people of God both for the promise of the couenant and also after their baptisme for the sacrament of entrance into true religion and of faith as Augustine thinketh in his 23. Epistle Obiection But if infants haue no faith how are they made partakers of the grace of Baptisme and saluation For who so beleeueth not shall be condemned With the heart man beleeueth to righteousnes and without faith it is impossible to please God Mar. 16. Rom. 10. Heb. 11. Answere I answere that there is one consideration of infants another of men growne Such sayings as are in the sacred Scriptures vttered of the necessitie of faith confession hope loue mortification of the flesh such like vnto saluatiō appertain not to infants but to men growne that by reason of age are capable of such things By the neglect of this distinction many errors will necessarily ensue as Augustine lib. de haeresib proueth by the Hierachites and Barnard ad Hugonem Epist 77. and also Hom. 66. vpon the Canticles by another sect of that time dispersed throughout France As touching the infants of Christians it is sufficient that they be comprehended in the promise of the couenant For albeit adoption to bee the sonnes of God proceedeth not from the carnall birth according to which the children of the faithfull are no lesse the sonnes of wrath than the children of the vnfaithfull conceiued and borne in sinne as others be yet such is the bountie of Gods grace that infants borne of Christian parents are reckoned in the number of Gods people euen as in old time the infants were of Abrahams posteritie according to the promise I will be thy God and of thy seede after thee And Matth. 19. the Lord saith Suffer little children and forbid them not to come vnto me Why we baptise the infants of Christians and not of Turkes for to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen And for this cause in signe of Gods couenant we baptize the children of Christians and doe not baptize the children of Turkes vnles they bee alreadie able to giue an answere of their faith And if our infants being preuented by death cannot be baptized we follow the rule of Barnard ad Hugonem Epist 77. Barnards saying of infants dying before Baptisme Not a depriuing or want of baptisme but the contempt of it doth condemne one Here Augustine is ouer rigorous but beside that the schoolemen haue commonly somewhat misliked his rigor placing such children in a Limbo by themselues voide of all torment other also of great name in the middest of papistrie Gerson Cardinal Caietane Biel and other haue approued of a more fauourable opinion touching the saluation of such But of these I will speake no more The cauill of the Lords Supper answered The cauill concerning the Supper of the Lord is yet vntouched which the aduersarie in his alike foolish babling also complaineth that it shall be taken away if the vniuersalitie of redemption bee denied such as hee maintaineth But how O Huber Truly I finde from thy Thes 437. whither thou sendest backe thy reader many things after thy maner that is to say impudently and bitterly fained and little appertaining to the proofe of this false accusation set downe sauing that at length thou seemest to haue a purpose to reason after this sort for thou art so intangled in thy absurdities that here and elsewhere often it cannot easily bee perceiued what thy meaning is Thes 450. sequent Onely they for whom Christ effectually died ought to come to the Supper by our opinion as thou saist But whether Christ died for vs effectually it is vnknowne to euery one Therefore none at all shall know who ought to bee the Lords guest and so the Supper of the Lord shall be at once taken away from all men O trifler For first to bring it to an absurditie one of the propositions must be the Hypothesis or the very opinion of the aduersarie which is oppugned which here is not done For the question is about this Whether Christ died effectually for all men He saith it We denie it Secondly vnto the Maior In our Churches while the Supper is to be administred it is not the maner if thou know it not to say that they ought to come for whom Christ died Thes 450. and the rest to keep away as thou triflest but this is said that wee may celebrate the Supper of the Lord to our good and comfort before all things it is required that first wee proue ourselues Wee must proue ourselues before we come to the Lords Supper and how euery one considering with himselfe his sinnes and accursednes and trying his heart whether he beleeue the promise of grace and remission of sins for the merit of Christ alone and whether by new obedience he purpose from his heart to shew himselfe thankfull vnto God For such guests doth the table of the Lord require as for hypocrites and such as goe on still in wickednes they must abstaine from this meate which Christ hath ordained prepared for his faithfull least they make their condemnation so much the more grieuous Thirdly
11. and 7. vers 12. Augustine disputing against Porphyrie of the time of Christian religion in his booke de sex paganorum quaestionibus writeth that Christ did then come when he knew that men would beleeue But the enemies of grace wresting this speech Tom. 7. fol. 1228. 1243. 1269. caused Augustine to correct it partly by interpretation partly by calling it in againe CHAP. VIII The question of the redemption of the old fathers is handled and a double opinion about the same is confuted BVt hereupon another question ariseth concerning the fathers who dyed before the birth of Christ whether redemption appertained also to them The error of the Marcionits and Manichees The Marcionites and their like to wit the Manichees of old time denied it who held that no man was saued before the 15. yeare of Tiberius as Epiphanius reporteth Epiph. de haeres Manich. Whom that most filthie Seruetus followed and many other of the sect of the Anabaptists who foolishly say Tertul. lib 4. contra Marci vltra medium that the Israelites no otherwise thē as a heard of swine were satted of the Lord in the land of Canaan without any hope of heauenly immortalitie But this monstrous error is easily refuted by many places of the Scripture from which wee will onely choose a few Certainly the author to the Hebrewes tieth together a long rew of the olde fathers Heb. 11. who pleased God before Christ was exhibited to the world and were made heires of that righteousnes which is of faith Gen. 17. What meaneth that forme of the couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Exod. 3. Matth. 22. and that which was said I am the God of Abraham God of Isaac and the God of Iacob do they not shew that they were partakers of grace whereof Christ is the onely foundation Whereto also tendeth that notable saying of the Lord Ioh. 8. Abraham desired to see my daie and he saw it and reioyced Neither is any kingdome promised vnto vs in the Gospell then that wherein wee should sit with Abraham Matth. 8. Isaac and Iacob and all the elect of God that come from East and West But those fathers dyed before the comming of Christ in the flesh What then They had in the meane while the promise of Christ to come the ground of their hope and confidence Neither doth the force of the death of Christ extend it selfe vnto our times only but to the fathers also euen from the beginning of the world For Iesus Christ yesterday Heb. 13. to day and for euer is the same as the Apostle saith Heb. 13.8 Hee meaneth that Christ was not onely in times past as touching his diuinitie as it is said of him elsewhere Before Abraham was I am but such as he is now such was he of olde and now is and shall remaine for euer mercifully to saue and defend his owne In which sense also the place Apoc. 13.8 is truly read of the lambe slaine before the foundations of the world were laid to wit as touching the counsell of God and the perpetuall vertue of this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also among the old writers Ambrose taketh that saying vpon the 5. to the Romanes Yet I denie not but the Greeke text in that place may thus also be construed Whose names are not writtē from before the foundations of the world c. because of the very like place Apoc. 17.8 We conclude therefore with Augustine August de na◠gra cap. 44. that the same faith healed the righteous of olde time which healeth vs euen the faith of Iesu Christ the Mediatour of God and men the faith of his blood the faith of his crosse And in another place he saith Lib. 1. de pecca merit remiss cap. 11. The only grace of the Sauiour destroyeth the kingdome of death in euery one which grace wrought also in the old Saints whosoeuer before Christs comming in the flesh leaned vpon his helping grace and not vpon the letter of the law which commandeth onely and helpeth nothing Yet here is not to be omitted Of the fathers Limbus that many doe so extend the benefit of redemption vnto the old righteous men that they notwithstanding denie that any one entered into the kingdome of heauen before the death of Christ whereby they vnderstand that the gate of heauen was at the length opened And if a man aske whither then were the soules of the godly in old time receiued they answere into Hell that is forsooth Limbus patrum Hereupon the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmat which is fathered vpon Augustine chap. 78. and 79. defineth thus Before the passion of the Lord all the soules of the Saints were kept in hell vnder the debt of Adams transgression vntill through the vndeserued death of the Lord they were deliuered from that seruile condition but after his ascension into heauen all the soules of the Saints departing out of the bodie goe vnto Christ as the soules of sinners vnto hell And Hierome vpon Ecclesiast chap. 3. writeth that before the comming of Christ all went to hell to bee held in darknes and heauenly things were shut vp vntil Christ with the theefe vnlocked the dores of Paradise Basill also mentioneth this opinion vpon the 48. Psalme and many other of the old writers And this is almost the common opinion of the Schoolemen who adde this declaration that the holy fathers suffered in hell no punishment of sense but only punishment of losse to wit exclusion from the life of glorie And the cause of this detaining of the fathers in hell they make to bee the guiltines of all mans nature through originall sinne which none of the Saints faith or righteousnesse was able to remoue but it should bee remoued at length by the price of the blood of Christ Thomas part 3. quaest 42. artic 5. But this deuise of Limbus patrum though it hath manie founders yet it is nothing but a fained thing For there is but one way to loose vs from the guiltines of euery sinne as well actuall as originall 1. Ioh. 1. because the blood of Christ doth wash vs from all sin saith S. Iohn Not then from originall only as Paul also generally speaketh to Titus Tit. 2. He gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all sinne or iniquitie Neither doth Thomas denie it in the place before cited part 3. q. 49. art 5. Cath. archiepis lib. Romae edit◠cum priuil pap 1552. which is to be noted against the horrible blasphemie of Catharinus and such like Papists who affirme that the passion of Christ doth purge onely originall sinne and those actuall sinnes which are committed of a man before Baptisme but all other sinnes which follow are not now to be purged by that sacrifice but by the Masse Certainly Thomas writeth flatly that by the passion of Christ we are deliuered not onely from the common sinne of
sense and so Augustine Euchir ad Laur. cap. 103. expoundeth He will that all men be saued that is all kinde of men seuered by what differences soeuer kings priuate men noble high and low learned vnlearned wise foolish rich poore males females children and infants in all ages in all professions and if there bee any other differences among men And this exposition agreeth throughly with the purpose of Paul For thus he reasoneth Whom God would haue to bee saued for their saluation the Church ought to pray But God would haue all that is whomsoeuer to bee saued without difference of nation sexe age order and dignitie Therefore for all that is whomsoeuer euen for kings and other kinds of men faithfull and vnfaithfull the Church ought to pray Thus rightly is that expounded which he saith that we must pray for all men For if wee should pray for all simply and without exception of any one in vaine had Iohn said There is a sinne to death I say not for that that thou shouldest pray 1. Ioh. 5. Augustine Elsewhere Augustine expoundeth these words he will that all be saued saying that all the predestinate may bee vnderstood by them because all sorts of men bee in them saith he de correp grat cap. 14. But of those words enough which if the aduersaries continue to abuse let them also call to minde the exposition of Heerbrandus Heerbrand Bidenbac Osiander Disput de praedest th 93. and of Bidenbacchius and Osiander Respons ad assertiones Iesuitarum Dilingensium where they also allow the receiued distinction of the Schoolemen of the double will of God which their Schmidlinus afterward endeuoured to confute and they interprete the words of Paul with Augustine to wit that he speaketh not of euery person of men but of all the orders of men or not of euery singular one of all sorts but of the sorts of euery one Further that which is an other reason of the aduersaries out of that place of the Apostle they captiously catch at in that he saith one Mediatour of God and men that is all men whomsoeuer that come from Adam say they because also by the name of God is vnderstood whatsoeuer is in God But this is a meere shift Paul speaketh indefinitly that Christ is the Mediatour of God and men he addeth not all and if he had added it the same restraint should take place wherof was spoken before For it is the part of a Mediatour Ambrose as Ambrose obserueth in his exposition vpon the 1. of Timothie to bee an vmpire betweene him who hath sinned and him against whom the sin is committed that this party may pardon and that man may hereafter abide in the faith of God which thing certainly Christ did not take vpon him for the reprobate world for whom he vouchsafed no not so much as to pray vnto the father Ioh. 17. Of which place also Cyrill discoursing Cyril in Ioh. lib. 11. cap. 19. plainly testifieth that Christ is the Mediatour and high Priest not of the world but of his owne and that vnto them alone is attributed rightly the benefit of the Mediatour But see the mans wit Huber thes â—3 By the word God is vnderstoode doubtles whatsoeuer is in God therefore also by men ought to be meant whatsoeuer is borne of Adam I denie the consequence they bee onely loose broomes and cords made of sand hanging no more together then if I should say God hath made a couenant with man of grace and eternall life therfore as by the word God is meant whatsoeuer belongeth to God therfore by men also ought to be meant all men that be or shall be euery where so al shall be eternally saued By this kinde of reasoning or rather trifling many things most absurd may be gathered Betweene God and the seede of Abraham there was a couenant of Circumcision Now if a man vnderstood it of whatsoeuer seede Abraham should haue because by the word God may bee meant whatsoeuer belongeth to God as well women as men should haue been circumcised in Israel What is more foolish But what shall we say to that which followeth 1. Tim. 2. Who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all The answere is plaine by the things that haue been spoken before For he truly gaue himselfe a price of redemption sufficient for all none excepted at all of the whole vniuersalitie of men but because the vnbeleeuers do not applie redemption to themselues the wrath of God abideth on them Note how Christ may be said to giue himselfe a price for all Also he gaue himself the price of reconciliation for all that belong to the vniuersalitie of the elect and to his owne bodie Again for al indefinitly that is for whomsoeuer Iewes and Gentiles high and low masters and seruants as it hath been often already said Vnto which opinion also Theophilact inclineth The â— place of the aduersarie examined out of 2. Cor. 5.15 16 17. Another place is 2. Cor. 5.15 If one died for all surely all are dead and he died for all that they which liue should hereafter not liue to themselues but to him who died for them and rose againe Therefore wee hereafter know no man after the flesh If wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh yet now know we him so no more Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature Old things are passed behold all things are become new Here it is twise said that Christ died for all Well who denieth it we say so too but the doubt is of the sense Our aduersarie saith that Christ effectually died for all so that the heauenly father in very deede hath receiued into grace all mankinde and euery one is passed from death to life from sinne to righteousnes from oldnes to newnes but Paul saith not so nay he manifestly impugneth the words of Paul For in the words following he defineth reconciliation by this that God doth not impute sinnes and that wee be made the righteousnes of God in Christ And this is done by faith For that sinnes bee not imputed Rom. 4.5 c. and that faith is imputed for righteousnes Paul vseth for one and the same thing neither will he haue any other righteousnes of God to be meant but that which is by the faith of Iesu Christ in all Rom. 3 2â— and vpon all that beleeue and not vpon all simplie whether they beleeue or not What meaneth that saying of the ministers of reconciliation in this very chapter doth it not euince the same thing We being embassadors in the name of Christ Acts 3.29 doe pray you in his steede that ye would be reconciled to God Which what other thing is it then repent and turne ye that your sinnes may be done away and so ye shall in deede be partakers of the purchased reconciliation Further it is new and vnheard of Huber thes 90. that euery man is made a new
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
a thing if a man would denie the consequent in an Enthymeme as if one being about to answere a Syllogisme should denie the conclusion By which kinde of solutions any thing might most easily be answered by any one but that Logicke is against it But omitting these things let vs produce a few testimonies of many out of the Scripture to declare our purpose The state of the question that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper vnto the Church and not common to all whether they beleeue or not as the new opinion would haue it This is the state of the question properly which must be diligently marked For we also grant that Christ died for all but wee denie that therefore all are made partakers of the benefits of Christs death without respect of faith or vnbeleefe or els which is all one wee denie that Christ died for all effectually How Christs death may be effectuall to any the cause of the want of that efficacie being considered not in Christ but in men themselues For to make the death of Christ effectuall vnto vs for redemption his merit is not only needfull but also the application and receiuing of the same which is done by an vnfained faith Matth. 1. The 1. testimonie prouing redemption to be proper to the Church The first testimonie therefore we haue in Matthew in the words of the Angell to Ioseph Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Here we see redemption peculiarly attributed to the people of Christ And the people of Christ be his Church of all places and ages Therefore redemption is peculiar to the Church and yet vniuersall after that sort as we confesse the Church to bee vniuersall Thes 1059. All men be not the people of God proued by three reasons Huber crieth out and such is his Diuinitie saith that by the people of Christ is meant the whole ofspring of Adam and saith that al are truly called to the kingdome of God that they may be his people But the contrary is easily proued First by the name of the people of God the Scripture vseth not to comprehend al men but a certaine companie onely among whom God is acknowledged and called vpon and whom hee likewise acknowledgeth for his owne and to whom belong the couenants and promises Leuit. 26. as the Lord saith I wil walke among you and I will be your God Iere. 31. 2. Cor. 6. Ose 1. 2. and you shall be my people And I will be your God and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie As also he saith in Oseah I will call a people my people which was not mine and her beloued who was not beloued and it shall come to passe in the place where it was said vnto them Ye are not my people there they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God All which places Paul to the Romanes expoundeth of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 9. who whereas they had bin in times past alients from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world afterward obtained the adoption of grace in the kingdome of Christ Tit. 3. So vnto Titus wee reade that Christ purged a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes whom Peter also calleth a people whom God claimeth as his own 1. Pet. 2. a holy nation a royall priesthood What insolencie then is it to imagine that all men be the people of God This is nothing els than to ioyne faithful with vnfaithfull righteousnes with vnrighteousnes light with darkenes Christ with Belial the temple of God with images and to mingle sacred things with prophane Secondly if all should bee the people of Christ it should not onely follow that all must be also called Christians but also as Origene fained all should be saued and haue eternall life seeing saluation which Christ bestoweth vpon his people includeth eternall life as the chiefe fulfilling thereof Thirdly Theophylact vpon the same place thus writeth He saith he shall saue his people not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles who shall beleeue and not doubt to bee made his people Luther also in Gen. 31. Luther at large testifieth that all men are not the people of God but such as hee liketh of and accepteth and cannot be taken out of his hands But let Huber giue care vnto his Brentius especially Brentius who writeth thus in the exposition of his Catechisme Tell vs saith he to whom Iesus is Iesus that is a sauiour from their sinnes The Euangelist saith He shall saue his people He saueth not Aliants but his people They be Aliants whosoeuer beleeue not in him whether they be Iewes or Gentiles And they be his whether they be Iewes or Gentiles as many as doe acknowledge and imbrace him by faith Wherefore of what nation soeuer thou be if thou beleeue the Gospel of Christ thou art made by faith a member of his people and Iesus is in very deede made Iesus vnto thee These things he another of whose sayings also shall be cited hereafter in the seuenth Chapter Nowe let the Tubingers see whether they will condemne Brentius heere or Huber rather of an error A second testimonie we haue in the same Euangelist cha 26. When hee had taken the cup hee gaue it to them saying The 2. testimony Matt. 26. Drink ye all of this For this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes I surely knowe that some of the auncient writers respecting sufficiencie doe expound for many that is that his blood was shed for al seeing euen all are many But the sense rather agreeth by keeping the vsuall signification of Many Many distinguisheth betweene beleeuers and vnbeleeuers vnto the difference betweene the beleeuers and vnbleeuers of whom they receiuing forgiuenes of sinnes are redeemed by the grace of Christ and these are as yet voyd of redemptiō as we before shewed Basils often exposition And the Commentaries vpon Marke which are ascribed vnto Hierome haue expressely that the blood of the new Testament is said to be shed for many because it doth not make cleane all or els that there bee in the very Church some whome no sacrifice doth make cleane much more then out of the Church What that among the newe writers Brentius in his Catechisme doth no otherwise expound it Christ saith he when he said of his blood which is shed for you he addeth this also for Many to signifie that it was shed not onely for the Iewes but also for the Gentiles of whom his Church was to bee gathered And by that place and exposition he taketh here in hand to proue our very matter in hand to wit that Christ by his death hath made satisfaction for the sinnes of his that they may haue remission of
ought to confesse and maintaine it in men of ripe yeares also for there is one and the same maner of the predestination of all men CHAP. VIII The same point is proued by testimonies of the sacred Scriptures BVt let vs come to more manifest proofes Deut. 7.6 7 8. The onely grace of God is the cause of Election Moses saith to the children of Israel Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath elected thee to be vnto him a peculiar people of all people that are vpon the face of the earth We heare the election of Israel of the cause whereof he straightway addeth Not because you were more then all people did the Lord loue you and chuse you for you were fewer then any people but because the Lord loued you and would keepe the oth that he made to your fathers he hath brought you out with a mightie hand Behold the free purpose of God is the cause of this election The same man Deut. 8.17 chap. 8. Beware least thou say in thy heart my strength and the power of my hand hath got me these riches but remember the Lord thy God because he giueth thee power that hee may confirme the couenant he sware to thy fathers Chap. 9. And chap. 9.4.5 Say not in thine heart when the Lord hath cast out these nations before thee for my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this land and for the impietie of these nations the Lord hath thrust them out before thee Not for thy righteousnesse and the vprightnes of thy heart doest thou go in to possesse their land albeit for the vnrighteousnesse of these nations the Lord thy God will expell them before thee but that the Lord may confirme his word promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob Neither is it sufficient with Moses to say that the inheritance of that land was graunted to the people of Israel not for their merits vnles he should adde Know thou that the Lord not for thy righteousnesse giueth thee that good land to possesse for an inheritance because thou art a people of a hard necke Whereby he declared them vnworthie of euery good thing Behold therefore the most ancient doctrine of grace and election according to grace confirmed by the voice of the holy Ghost in the verie beginnings of the people of Israel For clearely in one and the same place of Scripture doth the Prophet shew the goodnes and seuerity of God saying Not for the righteousnes of this people but through the grace onely of God taking pitie on them is the inheritance of the Land giuen vnto them but the nations are driuen out of the same Land for their vnrighteousnes Yet because vnrighteousnes belongeth as well to the Israelites as to the Cananites and Amorites it appeareth so much the more plainely that God saw no goodnes in them why he should aduance that nation aboue all other nations Eze. 16. And Ezechiel excellently describeth that the Lorde of meere mercie had a respect to that people from the beginning as vnto a yong maide naked defiled and polluted in euery part And how often I praie did they tempt the Lord in the desert Psalm 95. 1. Cor. 10. Acts 7. how often did he saue them from his mercy and his couenant sake when did they not resist the holy Ghost Therefore it is manifest that God chose whom he would of meere grace Obiection But there Moses speaketh of the temporall election of the Israelites that they should be the people of God and of temporall benefites following that election as were their deliuerance out of Egipt their bringing into the Land of Canaan c. Answere I answere first that that temporall election included also the eternall Temporall election includeth eternall albeit not as touching the whole body of that people yet as touching some in that body For in the assembly of them that be called alwaies there bee some elect that shall haue giuen them eternall life And specially of that people doth the Apostle confirme it From the type to the trueth the consequence is good Rom. 11. Secondly from the deliuerance out of Egipt and the bringing into the Land of Canaan the consequence is good as from the types vnto the thing signified that God doth giue freely and of meere loue redemption also from sin and eternall life to whom hee will and would from euerlasting Thirdly here a generall reason is very strong If we cannot merite temporall things much lesse eternall If these externall things depended vpon no merites of the Israelites but on the onelie purpose of God shewing mercie much more on the same doth the electiō vnto the inheritance of the kingdome of heauē depend That place also in Ecclesiasticus 33. is not to be contemned although that book is not of like authority with the canonicall Scriptures Of this booke Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. As one day excelles another by the iudgement of the Lorde so by his manifolde knowledge men are distinguished and aduanced or cast downe Because as claie is in the hand of the potter which he handleth at his pleasure so men are in the hand of God their creator to euery one of whom he rendreth as pleaseth him As good is contrary to euil and life to death so is the godly man opposite to the sinner and be sinner to the godly So in al the workes of the most highest thou maiest see two things whereof one is contrary to the other 1. We are here admonished that all men are equall and alike by nature and beginning as by nature the dayes are alike also the vessels are like one another being made of the same claie as touching their matter and originall We also all of vs are of the same claie or of one and the same lumpe for we all do draw our beginning from the earth Thereof came Adam the first that was created and of Adam we all Neither haue all mortall men the same originall onely but also the same condition of byrth because all of vs are in sin borne of Adam seeing he fell a waie from his first creation 2. We are taught in the foresaid words that whatsoeuer and what maner soeuer differences there be among mē they come from God who aduaunceth some and abaseth others blessing some and cursing others 3. There is no other cause of this difference alledged but the disposition will wisedome and iudgement of the most lightest who seeing he is the creator of all things he obtayneth the chiefest and vncontroulable soueraignetie ouer all his owne workes much more than the potter that maketh of the same claie whatsoeuer pleaseth him I proceede vnto Paul who as a learned scribe in the kingdome of heauen bringeth out of his treasure new things and old to the confirmation of this doctrine He in the 9. chapter to the Rom. willing to take away the offence arising of the vnbeliefe of
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