teach vs. Cal. li. 3. Iust cap. 24. sect 3. and dangerous questions of the secret counsels of God we enquire not but by the expresse word of God of his gracious will and loue towards vs whereby hee hath chosen vs in Christ before the world And that thou mayest not doubt Christian reader behold the testimonies of two notable writers of this point I meane Caluin and Luther who haue most diligently taught the doctrine of predestination Thus then Caluin saith That we may bee made sure of our saluation wee must begin at the word of God therewith we must be content for our assurance that we may call God father For some men preposterously that they may be certaine of the counsell of God which is neere vs in our mouth and in our hearts desire to flee aboue the cloudes That rashnes must be bridled by the sobrietie of faith that God who is the witnesse of his secret grace may content vs in his externall word And in the next Sectiō We shall obserue the best order if in seeking out the certainty of our election we rest our selues in those latter signes which are the certaine witnesses thereof and doe not inquire after our election without the way By inquiring without the way I meane when wretched man goeth about to pearce into the hidden secrets of Gods wisedome to vnderstand It is very dangerous to seeke for our election without the word what is determined of him before Gods iudgement seate But as they plunge themselues into a deadly gulfe that search into the eternall counsell of God without his word to bee certified of their election so they that seeke for it rightly and orderly as it is shewed in the worde receiue from thence great fruite of consolation In Gen. 16. And Luther intreating of this matter writeth after this sort Such thoughts as search out any high misterie aboue and without the reuelation of God are altogether deuillish whereby no other good commeth than our headlong destruction because they lay before vs an vnsearcheable obiect that is God vnreuealed And at large in that place he reproueth that horrible disease as they cal it whereby men go on to search out God speculatiuely and rush at length into desperation contempt Contrariwise Luther teacheth Try thy faith and the fruites of it if thou wilt know thy election that this examination Whether thou bee predestinated or no dependeth on faith in Christ and the fruites of a true faith saying If thou heare the sonne and be baptized in his name and loue his word then surely thou art predestinated and certaine of thy saluation Also If thou beleeuest in God reuealed and receiuest his worde thou shalt by little and little know God also who is secret yea euen now thou knowest him And interlasing a few words he saith Thou ought certainely and without doubting to make account of God that he is mercifull vnto thee for Christs sake that thou art redeemed and sanctified through the precious blood of the sonne of God and so thou shalt be sure of thy predestination without all curious and dangerous questions of the secret counsels of God Behold thou hast the sonne he that beleeueth and is baptized is written in the booke of life c. Our election must be found a posteriore And this way of finding out our election a posteriore that is by that which cōmeth after he elegātly compareth with the vision of Moses to whom when he desired to see Gods face the Lord answered I will shew thee my backe partes but thou canst not see my face Exod 33. as though God should say to euery one of vs by Luthers exposition I will shew thee plainely my foreknowledge and predestination but not by way of natural searching and carnall wisedome being God vnreuealed I will bee reuealed and yet I will abide the same God still I will send my sonne heare thou him behold him what he doeth and what hee saith if thou heare him thou art certainly predestinated Concerning this vision of the Lord wee may vse that saying of Bernard O place of true rest this vision doth not terrifie but comfort it doth not stirre vp restles curiositie but doth alay it neither doth it weary a man but giue him ease here is true quietnes a peaceable God calmeth all things and to behold him peaceable is to be at rest and quiet Further this caueat also must not bee omitted that A needefull admonition if any man finde not as yet in himselfe these later signes whereof we haue spoken he ought not therefore despaire of the predestination of himselfe to life For there bee twelue houres of the day and he that is not called in the morning or about the third houre may bee called of God at the sixt or ninth peraduenture euen at the eleuenth houre Albeit wee ought not in the meane while to deferre repentance as it is written Put not off from day to day to turne to the Lord Eccles 5. neither make any delay for his wrath will come suddenly and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee And in the Psalme Psalm 95. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts CHAP. XXV What is meete for vs to iudge of the election of other men FVrthermore by the grounds that hitherto haue been laid open concerning the certaintie of our election it is no hard thing to iudge what we are to thinke being Christians of the election of others in Christ according to the rule of Christ that is Charitie to wit we ought not onely to be sure of the predestination of our selues in Christ but also to iudge the same thing of our brethren in Christ and not to despaire of others before their death We here make a difference betweene brethren that professe with vs the same faith and those that are without who are vnbeleeuers as yet and strangers from the societie of a holy brotherhood As touching our brethren albeit a faithfull man cannot iudge so certainly of others as of himselfe ye the ought to account and acknowledge them for elect In whom we see faith and repentance we must count them for elect so long as the contrary doth not appeare The reason is because faith and conuersion be signes of election Therefore whom we iudge to be partakers of faith conuersion those also must we needs comprehend in election And of this iudgement we haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors 1. Pet. 1. Eph. 1. 1. Thes 1. where Paul saith Wee know brethren beloued that ye are chosen of God because our Gospell was among you not in word only but in power in the holy Ghost and in much assurance And 2. Thes 2. We thanke God brethren beloued of the Lord because God hath chosen you vnto saluation from the beginning through the sanctification of the spirit and faith in the trueth Obiection But many such often happen to fall
all mans nature both as touching the offence and also the guiltines of the offence he paying a price for vs but also from the proper sinnes of euery one of vs who communicate with his passion through faith charitie and the sacrament of faith part 3. q. 52. art 5. Reasons against the old fathers being in Limbo or Hell But the holy fathers as the same Thomas confesseth in old time while they liued were freed from the guiltines of the punishment of actuall sinnes through faith in Christ Therefore by the same faith they were also freed from the guiltines of the punishment of originall sinne of necessitie or els if they were detained in hell being excluded from glorie and suffered the punishment of losse as they speake for originall sin it must be alike confessed also that they were punished with the paine of sense for their actuall sinnes Further Who reueiled vnto them that originall sinne in hell is punished only with the paine of losse and not of sense that is to say with the exclusion onely from the life of glorie without feeling of any sorrow Beside this we reade Luk. 16. that poore Lazarus was caried by Angels into Abrahās bosome where he had ioy and that the rich man in hell lifting vp his eyes saw Lazarus a farre off and also that Abraham said Betweene vs and you there is a great gulfe firmely set It is absurd as Augustine noteth ad Euod Epist 99. that only two Abraham and Lazarus were then in that memorable bosome of rest If saith he there were more then two there who dare say that the Patriarches and Prophets were not there From hence thus I reason The Patriarches and Prophets and the rest that were righteous in old time were receiued into Abrahams bosome therfore not into hell The consequence is proued because hell in the Scripture is no where taken in good part But that bosome of Abraham is vsed in good part as the habitation of a memorable and certaine secret rest Therefore we must not beleeue that that bosome was some part of hell This reason is wholly Augustines vnto Euodius And the same he proueth by the words of our highest teacher saying that Abraham said Between vs and you there is set a great gulfe wherof sufficiently appeareth saith Augustine that the bosome of so great felicitie is not any part or member as it were of hell He addeth also this proofe If the Scripture saith he had said that Christ being dead came into that bosome of Abraham not naming hell and the sorowes thereof no man durst haue affirmed that therefore he descended into hell Now let the reader consider The Schoolemens fained deuises of foure hels whether these reasons drawne by Augustine out of the Scripture deserue more credite then the trifling words of the Schoolmen who haue deuised foure hels that is the hell of the damned Purgatorie and the two Limboes one for Infants the other where the holie fathers were before Christ which last they make a part of hell contrary to the reasons brought out of Augustine Hereunto may bee added that a man may see the deuisers of Limbus patrum to be much troubled in assigning the deliuerance of the godly soules out of that prison For sometime they attribute it to the passion of Christ whereby he loosed the guiltines of the punishment of originall sinne wherein the fathers as they thinke were detained in hell and opened the gate of the kingdome of heauen Sometime they teach that it was needful for the soule of Christ to descend into the hell of the fathers that it might absolue there all the Saints who were bound with originall sinne where they almost make Christs descension penall vnto him as Aquinas part 3. quaest 52. art 1. teacheth that it was meete for Christ to descend into hell because he came to beare our punishment and that was saith he not onely the death of the bodie Bonau dist 22. quaest 6. lib. 3. Gabr. ead q. artic 3. Thom. part 3. q. 52. 57. but also descension in hell Sometime againe they decree masterlike that albeit those soules were made blessed in Christs descension and so heauen was straightway set open vnto thē as touching the reward of blisse yet it was not open as touching the place till Christ ascending into heauen took them together with him But why dissent they from the old writers whose opinion they would seeme to follow for Hierome as wee cited would haue heauen onely shut vp A doubt propounded to the schoolmen to be resolued till Christ with the theefe vnlocked the gates of paradise Further if they would seeme very skilfull in heauenly secrets let them shew vs where then did the soules of the Saints abide all that space of 40. daies betweene the resurrection and ascension of the Lord For being loosed from the band of original sinne wherewith they were tied in hell they could not bee detained there any longer but with their iniurie and the iniurie of Christs blood through whom libertie to enter into the Sanctuarie was obtained and yet as they wil haue it they were not in heauen Where then wandred they The same may bee obiected of the soules of the godly as many as slept in the said space of 40. dayes CHAP. IX Of the impulsiue cause of mans redemption BVt to speake of other things this also commeth to be considered for what cause the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ tooke vpon him the redemption of man But the question now is not of the finall cause whereof wee will speake something in the next chapter but of the impulsiue cause as they call it that is to say what moued him that he being the workman and Lord would for his works sake Two causes moued Christ to redeeme vs 1. His loue to vs. 2. His obediēce to his father taking vpon him the nature of it humble himselfe vnto the most base and shamefull death of the crosse for vs and our saluation The answere is readie and plaine that it was done of our Sauiour to shew his loue towards vs and his willing obedience towards his father Of the loue of the Sonne towards vs in the whole worke of his humiliation Paul speaketh both elsewhere Of the first and also to the Phil. 2. where he exhorteth to the loue of our neighbour that no man should seeke his owne but the things of others and confirmeth his exhortation by the example of Christ commanding that the same affection be in vs which was in Christ Iesu who when hee was in the forme of God abased himselfe for our sake of his meere loue towards vs as the Apostle there exhorteth vs to follow him Of the second And of his obedience towards his father Christ himselfe witnesseth Ioh. 5. I seeke not my will but his that sent me euen the fathers And more cleerely chap. 6. I came downe from heauen to doe not my will but the fathers will who
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life And a little after Neither that alone but also wee reioyce in God through our Lord Iesu Christ by whom wee haue now obtained reconciliation Againe If death raigned by one offence much more those who doe receiue that abundant grace gift of righteousnes shall raigne in life To Titus chap. 2. He gaue himselfe for vs to redeeme vs from all sinne and to purge vs a peculiar people for himselfe zealous of good workes Peter also ioyneth these things together 1. Epist chap. 2. when he saith that our Lord bore our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree that we being dead to sinnes might liue to righteousnes Of these things there ought to bee a daily consideration The true vse of the former ends if they be well weighed Ephes 1. that we may vnderstand the greatnes of the gift of Christ and giue him thanks without ceasing weighing with ourselues what is the breadth and length and depth as Paul speaketh of the grace of God and what is the hope of his calling and the riches of his glorie in his Saints Further the daily meditation hereof is profitable and necessarie partly to nourish in vs faith and hope and partly to stirre vp and strengthen in vs more and more newnes of life Hauing saith the Apostle Heb. 10. libertie to enter into the holie place by the blood of Iesu and hauing an high priest who is ruler ouer the house of God let vs come with a true heart and a sure perswasion of faith and let vs hold the confession of hope without wauering And as touching the framing of our life we are commanded to walke worthie of the Lord Colos 1. who when wee were the seruants of sinne to death hath deliuered vs from sinne and made vs seruants of righteousnesse Hereupon are those exhortations of Paul Rom. 6. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body and giue not your members weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as such as are aliue from the dead and your members weapōs of righteousnes vnto God Againe As you haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie for iniquitie so now giue your members seruants of righteousnesse vnto holinesse Certainly seeing we are the freemen of Christ we ought to liue vnto him who hath redeemed vs Tit. 2. and would haue vs his peculiar people and followers of good workes neither ought we as forgetfull of our Redeemer retyre vnto the campes of Satan and the world our enemies and submit againe our bodies and soules vnto the yoke of our old bōdage frō whence we were redeemed with the blood of the Sonne of God O mad men O vile traytors and the wickeddest of all mortall men who so greatly reproch a Christian name nay Christ the Redeemer and doe little lesse then tread the blood of the couenant vnder their feete CHAP. XI WHO BE REDEEMED BY CHRIST The controuersie of the question propounded is rehearsed and briefly expounded For whom Christ died THese things being declared let vs come to the question reserued to the last place Who they be whom Christ the Mediatour of God and men redeemed by his death or for whom he died And this matter shall be more largely handled then the former questions as farre as the Lord shall assist vs for their sakes that are desirous to learne and for the defence of the truth of the Gospell seeing not long agoe by occasion of the Conference at Mompelgart the matter hath growne into a grieuous contention Huberus and a certaine man inflamed with anger and seeming to be mad hath too too bitterly and reprochfully in his writings which he hath spersed abroad both in Latine and Dutch blowne the same with the fanne of contention as though there had not been before discords and strifes more then enough in this our corrupt age in the Church of Christ with often and most grieuous offences of the weake He ouerwhelmeth such as dissent from him with all kinde of reproches and railing words as come into his mouth The shamefull reproches and slanders of Huber against vs the truth That they come neere to Mahometisme and Paganisme That they maintaine Satanicall blasphemie are franticke desire to extinguish the name of Christ and that they are hereunto inclined to driue away Christ first out of the hearts then out of the Scripture and lastly out of the Church it selfe And hee termeth them seducers Pharisees Scribes a subtill poysoned and false sort of men and grieuously abuseth innocent persons with other hard words as often as pleaseth him according to that his passing christian zeale towards the Church of God supposing by his brasen forehead as I thinke to get himselfe credit with the reader to thinke it written truly what he should write impudently forgetting altogether the admonition of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2.24 The dutie of a Diuine That the seruant of the Lord must not be contentious but gentle towards all apt to teach forbearing euill men with meekenes instructing those that are contrary minded This is the dutie of a Diuine As for reproches railing speeches mockes biting taunts ill reports back-biting and all other doggish eloquence let scoffers and iesters take them to themselues In 2. cap. 2. ep ad Timot. A notable speech of Ambrose against contention Conference saith Ambrose and not contention ought to be among the seruants of God For strife must needes wring out something nay many things which are spoken against conscience so so that inwardly he looseth in his minde when outwardly he goeth away with the victorie For no man suffereth himselfe to be ouercome although hee know the things to be true which hee heareth Therefore let vs speake of the thing itselfe For to railing words and reproches he will answere who hath said Vengeance is mine Deut. 32. Rom. 12. I will repay vnto whom for Christs sake who hath pardoned vs our sinnes wee heartily pray that hee would forgiue our aduersaries those grieuous wrongs they doe vnto vs that he would take away discord and plant loue and peace in the truth among the Churches that with one mouth wee may glorifie God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and receiue one another as Christ hath receiued vs to the glorie of God Rom. 15. Therefore comparing matter with matter and cause with cause The state of the controuersie Huberus Thes 1. let vs begin at the state of the controuersie The question is Whether Christ suffered for the redemption of all or not Here straightway those men crie out that the Caluinists so they call vs for the hatred of the truth raging against the passion of the Lord Iesus Christ doe openly denie that hee died for the sins of the whole world Compend Thes 1. and his Dutch booke in the preface Againe
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
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
Neither that onely 2 Thes 3. Tit. 1. but euen true beleeuers seeing all men haue not a liuely faith in Christ but the elect are kept by the power of God vnto saluation through faith 1. Pet. 1. Ier. 32.39 40. as Peter testifieth And this is the meaning of the promises I wil giue vnto them one heart and one way and I will make an euerlasting couenant with them I will put my feare in their harts that they may not depart from me Also I will plant them in their land Amos 9.15 neither shall they bee any more rooted out of their land saith the Lord. Who are these but the faithfull planted in the courts of the Lord and ingrafted into Christ by a true faith And by the testimonie of Iohn He that is borne of God sinneth not because the seede of God abideth in him 1. Iohn 3. 1. Pet. 1. neither can he sinne because he is borne of God For wee are not borne againe of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of the liuing God who abideth for euer Hubâ—â— thes 29. 1. Tim. 1 4. Objection Which thing seeing it is so that word being once by regenerating faith apprehended and receiued into the hart abideth for euer and can no more fall away as Luther hath well obserued vpon that place Answere As for that which is obiected Faith for the doctrine of faith Aduers Anthrop morph cap. 9. that some fall away from the faith and make shipwracke of it wee must vnderstand that faith is often taken for the doctrine of faith And so many doe fall from faith going backe from the doctrine which they did professe also cleauing vnto doctrines of deuils while they would seeme to follow Christ as Chrysostome and Theophylact expound those places and Cyrill of Alexandria also hath it that Hymeneus and Alexander made shipwrack concerning faith because they said that the resurrection was past alreadie To this end serueth the answere that an historicall faith is one thing Diuerse significations of faith Credere Deo credere Deum credere in DeuÌ„ Aug de Tempore Serm. 181. and a iustifying and sauing faith is an other thing or that it is one thing credere Deo and another thing credere Deum and another thing credere in Deum that is to beleeue God to beleeue that he is God and to beleeue in God To beleeue God is to beleeue that the things bee true which he speaketh which many euill men can doe And to beleeue that he is God euen the deuils may But to beleeue in God they onely know who loue him and who are Christians not onely in name but also in deedes and life For faith without loue is the deuils faith vaine but with loue it is the faith of a Christian And this faith of a Christian setled in the foundation suffereth no man to perish as Augustine writeth which thing a certaine glosse also of Luthers vpon the 7. De fide operibus cap. 18. of Matth. confirmeth in these words That faith which is effectuall by workes purifieth the heart and such vertue standeth vnmoueable against all the force of windes and the power of hell because it is grounded vpon the rocke Christ. Otherwise is the state of those that haue an historicall deuillish and dead faith onely and therefore counterfeite and not true because it is not liuely notwithstanding it may bee called true as touching true notions or knowledge and agreeable to diuine reuelations These things as touching the perseuerance of the elect and truly beleeuers Heerbrandus Disputatione Tubingensi de electione plainly confirmeth which I here produce that these new disputers who now out of the same schoole sow contrarie opinions may be lesse angrie with vs. For thus it hath determined that those who are predestinated to life do not fall away finally and that such are they who vnderstand themselues to be ingrafted into Christ by a true faith And whereas many doe fall away who are in writing recorded to haue had faith that they had onely a temporarie faith without true regeneration of the heart These things saith he in the foresaid disputation thes 40.45 47. Of the fall of reprobates that were in the Church Now as touching the other part concerning reprobates who for a time haue a place in the Church among the sonnes of God that rule is well to bee marked in the second chapter of the first of Iohn verse 19. They went out from vs Tract 3. in epist. Io. but they were not of vs for if they had been of vs they had surely continued with vs. He speaketh of them as Augustine doth notably set foorth this place who by chance going out returne not againe who also when they are within are not of vs How reprobates are called beleeuers and partakers of redemption Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Ephe. 1. Col. 1. Phil. 1.7 nor as members are within the bodie of Christ but as euill humours sith that his bodie is as yet in curing and the health of it shall not be perfect till the resurrection of the dead In the meane time because such persons are not manifest vnto men they are plainly called beleeuers conuerted iustified sanctified redeemed disciples and members of Christ temples and the sonnes of God yea the elect of God plainly I say they haue these termes whom we see to professe with vs the same faith and Christian conuersation albeit in the meane while they be not oftentimes that in very deede which they are called before him who discerneth the intents and thoughts of the heart Hebr. 4. Ambrose and vnto whose eyes all things are knowne and manifest Ambrose lib. 1. Com. in Luc. cap. 1. saith very well Not euery one who is iust before men is iust before God Men see one way God seeth another men in the face God in the heart euen he is the iudge of the minde and the fact Therefore it is perfect praise to be iust before God And this very thing doth Augustine largely teach Augustine de correp grat cap. 7. 9. and citeth hither the saying of Christ If ye shall abide in my word ye shall be truly my disciples For al that giue their names to Christ are vsually called his disciples and Christians of Christ by reason of their profession but they be in deed that which they be called who abide in his word As the Apostle also saith We are the house of Christ Hebr. 2. if we hold that confidence and hope wherof we reioyce sure vnto the end And anon We are made partakers of Christ if wee hold sure vnto the end that beginning whereby we are sustained If not we are called before men partakers of Christ of his household sonnes and heires of God citizens of the Saints redeemed and beleeuers but wee are not the same truly before the Lord who will say in time to come I neuer knew you Matth.
7. depart from mee yee that work◠iniquitie Tertull. Tertullian de praescrip haeret in the beginning saith An excellent saying No man is wise no man is faithfull no man is great but a Christian and no man is a Christian but he that continueth vnto the end Thou as a man knowest euery one outwardly thou iudgest as thou seest and thou seest as farre as thou hast eyes But the eyes of the Lord are high Man looketh into the face God into the heart and therefore the Lord knoweth who are his Chrysostome c Chrysostome also notably in 7 Matth. saith The raine of false doctrine doth not corrupt the Church which Christ hath founded nor the blasts of the deuill driue it away nor the force of violent floods doth moue it All that are called christians are not such indeede Aug. in Ps 48. Neither is it hereto contrarie saith he that many doe fall from the Church For not all who are called Christians are Christs but the Lorde knoweth who are his For many wearing the cloake of a Christian name as Augustine speaketh vnder the couer of religion are secretly euill hauing the name of Christ in their lips but not in their hearts of whom it is said This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Luther also in Psal 2. vpon those words Luther I haue set my king vpon Sion my holy hill putteth difference betweene generall and speciall holines Holines generall and special That is generall when some Church consisting of good and bad is wont to bee called holie but that is speciall whereby the true beleeuers truly and in very deede are sanctified before God through the holy Ghost whereas the rest are named holie and counted Saints only before men by profession and the vse of the Sacraments And in his booke de seruo arbit cap. 61. he maketh difference betweene the iudgement of Charitie and faith Charitie and faith iudge diuerselie of a man The iudgement or as he speaketh the rule of charitie calleth euery one that is baptized holy because charitie beleeueth all things and presumeth good of our neighbours but by the canon or rule of faith he is not holie saith he vnles he be declared to be such a one by a diuine iudgement CHAP. IX Certaine sayings of the Scripture are examined touching the redemption of reprobates THese things thus forewarned in stead of a generall answere now let vs runne in order through the testimonies of this classe or ranke The first is cited out of Heb. 6. The 1. place for the redemption of reprobates It can not be that they who haue been once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and haue been partakers of the holie Ghost if they fall away that they should be renued againe vnto repentance crucifying againe to themselues the sonne of God and exposing him to ignominie They that here be described are partakers of redemption and yet reprobates A particular conclusion followeth in the third figure Therefore some reprobates are redeemed I answere First the aduersarie should haue proued an vniuersall conclusion and not a particular as it hath bin said Secondly vnto the minor I say they that fall away after illumination receiued A grieuous fall proues not a man to be a Reprobate are not forthwith to bee iudged reprobates and to bee excluded from grace with Montanus and Nouatus For euen the elect fall sometime grieuously but they are lifted vp againe of the Lord. And in that the Apostle seemeth to take away hope of pardon from such as fall away omitting other expositions Chrysostome Theodorite Some of the olde writers vnderstand by renewing Heb. 6 a second baptizing Theophylact in their Commentaries and Epiphanius haeret 59. Augustine in fine exposit ad Rom. Ambrose lib. 2. de poenit cap. 2. and other ancient writers with great consent and not vnfitly vnderstand the place that the reiteration of Baptisme and not the medicine of repentance is taken out of the Church least the Iewes should thinke that sacred Baptisme is like to the Iewish washings which are vsed much and often But as once Christ died and death hath no more power ouer him so wee are once baptized into the death of Christ by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the spirit and it is impossible for vs if wee fall to bee by it renewed againe vnto repentance Which thing if a man attempt hee crucifieth againe and contemneth Christ as much as lieth in him Further vnto the maior Albeit I willingly graunt that the Apostle speaketh of such as bee redeemed or els as though they were redeemed Two proofes of the aduersarie for redemption of reprobates according to the foreshewed difference of the elect and reprobates yet the proofes brought in of the aduersarie haue no force The former of them is that illumination and participation of the holy Ghost be fruites of redemption and they that be partakers of the fruites of redemption are partakers of very redemption also Answere I answere Paul Colos 1. and elswhere defineth redemption to be the forgiuenes of sinnes Redemption is forgiuenes of sinnes but that sinnes bee forgiuen a man and therefore that he is iust before God heire of eternall life cannot hereof straightwaies be gathered because he is inlightened with the knowledge of the truth or hath receiued some other gifts of the holy Ghost The bad haue many gifts common with the good for there be many gifts of the spirit common to good and bad Mat. 7.22 and 1. Cor. 12.3 The later proofe of Huber is this That which is done againe must needes be done once alreadie but they that perish crucifie the sonne of God againe to themselues Ergo he was crucified for them alreadie before to wit to their profit and redemption Answere But this sophisme is patched together of meere fallacies compositionis dictionis and concludeth more then was in the premisses Marke this exposition of crucifying againe to themselues c. In the minor the word againe must not be construed with to themselues but with the word crucifie as it is one word in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore it onely followeth if he bee crucified againe that Christ hath been once alreadie crucified Then seeing men cannot at their pleasure crucifie the sonne of GOD indeede it is added in stead of correction that to themselues that is as much as in them lieth they crucifie him againe and the sense will bee impious altogether if a man expound that word to themselues that is for their owne profit and redemption they crucifie Christ againe as it is taken in the conclusion Another place is Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren The 2. place wee haue libertie to enter into the holie place by the blood of Iesu let vs goe with a true heart and confidence For if we shall sinne willingly after the knowledge of the trueth receiued there
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
For he that had his debt forgiuen him was for his crueltie towards his fellow seruant deliuered to the tormenters till he should pay the whole debt I answere that so great an agreement is not graunted to a similitude in disputing that it may be applied in euery respect vnto the thing whereto it is to bee vsed Otherwise a similitude were not a similitude but the thing it selfe The minde and scope of Christ is to bee considered who meant not to teach whether sinnes once remitted were retained or not but he sheweth it is required that wee forgiue our brethren their offences if wee would obtaine the pardon of our offences at Gods hands Whereupon Christ also concludeth that parable thus So also my heauenly father shall doe vnto you vnles ye forgiue euery one his brother from the heart their offences that is as Christ himselfe Matth. 6. largely teacheth If we shall forgiue men their offences our heauenly father will also forgiue vs but if we forgiue not neither will the father forgiue vs. But whether sinnes forgiuen bee retained wee may reade the opinion of the Schoolemen 4. sent dist 22. part 3. Thom. quaest 88. As there we may see Whether sins once pardoned be againe retayned Rom. 8. they dispute the matter very doubtfully and confusedly but there be farre more plainer testimonies of the sacred Scriptures Whom he hath predestinated them he hath called whom he called them he hath also iustified whom he hath iustified them he hath also glorified I will remember their sinnes no more saith the Lord. Iere. 31. Esay 44. 38. Mica 7. That he also blotteth out as a clowde their sinnes to whom he is mercifull and casteth them behinde his backe yea into the bottome of the sea These speeches doe sufficiently shew What sinnes God once forgiueth he euer forgiueth that when God pardoneth sinnes he so pardoneth that he for euer forgetteth them and bringeth them as it were into smoke and to nothing and therefore what sinnes he forgiueth he doth foreuer forgiue But Huber is twise foolish that I say not after his maner Thes 270. mad who out of the said parable would faine haue it to bee meant that the sinnes of all alike are pardoned and that the reprobates are as well saued by Christ as any other whomsoeuer Doth he not see the contrary in that seruant that remission of sinnes belongeth not to all but to them who confesse their sins and in humble maner craue pardon for them being readie also from their hearts to pardon their fellow seruants One only place remaineth 1. Ioh. 5. The 13. place 2. Iohn 5.10 That they who beleeue not God make him a lier Out of which saying this champion collecteth that the promises of grace and life in Christ doe appertaine to the vnbeleeuers and reprobates also Contrariâ—â—se Iohn expressely restraineth the promise of life vnto the beleeuers Ephes 2. when he saith He that hath the sonne hath life But the vnbeleeuers haue neither the father nor the sonne but do liue without Christ and God in the world being strangers from the couenants of promise and haue no hope as Paul witnesseth Is this it whereby the reprobates and vnbeleeuers receiue life in the sonne of God as this trifler saith And the man very confident in so grosse ignorance pleaseth himself and like proud Goliah challengeth all men to shew how the vnbeleeuers as it is in Iohn in whose place he setteth the reprobates doe make God a lier if they receiue not life in his sonne As though here I know not what sharpnes of wit were requisite They that beleeue not God make him a lier But such as beleeue not the Gospell beleeue not God Ergo they make him a lier The maior is euident The minor is proued by the text because the Gospell is the testimonie of God concerning his sonne that beleeuers in him may haue eternall life They therefore who either are touched with no care of saluation or else seeke the same without Christ How a man maketh God a lyar or some other way are incredulous vnto the Gospell beleeue not God himselfe and therefore as much as in them lieth they make him a lier as contrariwise such as receiue his testimonie do as it were subscribe with their hands and seales that God is true Iohn 3. Obiection But saist thou to whom the benefits of the Gospel redemption righteousnes and life eternall do not belong they are not bound to beleeue the Gospell Thes 266. 484. nay they make God true in not beleeuing in kicking against it and in blaspheming it for so this vile spirit speaketh But vnto the reprobates the benefits of the Gospell belong not by our supposition Therfore they are not bound to beleeue Answere Yea Mary this is an argument vnanswerable The benefits of the Gospell belong not to reprobates as they doe enâ—â—y them but as they are inuited to them â—y the Gospell preached But I distinguish the minor Albeit the benefits of the Gospell belong not by fruition to the reprobates and vnbeleeuers whomsoeuer as farre forth as they are such and that through their owne fault yet they belong vnto them by inuitation so farre forth as all alike without difference of elect and rebrobates are commanded to repent and beleeue the Gospell with an vniuersal promise Whosoeuer beleeueth shall haue euerlasting life And this is enough for this present purpose Very well saith Luther whom alone these fellowes admire in other things but here doe extreamely contemne in in his preface to the Romanes Luther Vpon the onely sentence of predestination depend all things who shall receiue the word and who not who shall beleeue and who not who shall be deliuered from sinne and who blinded who shall be damned and who iustified Notwithstanding he aduiseth that curious persons be bridled who before they learne Christ and the vertue of his crosse doe search into the depth of predestination But thou saith he learne the knowledge of Christ wrestle daily with thy flesh by faith and then thou shalt perceiue how full predestination is of consolation And euery where he teacheth In Gen. cap. 26. 43. Item desâ—â—arbit in Psal 5 that wee must iudge of God and of his wil and good pleasure towards vs not by that which goeth before but by that which commeth after and is the later as we speake we must execute what God commandeth we must behold the sonne incarnate and simplie rest in his reuealed word according to that in the third of Ecclesiasticus Vers 21. Seeke not thou the things that bee too high for thee nor search into them that be aboue thy reach but such things as be commanded thee of God meditate religiously vpon them for the eye of the bodie are not needfull for the vnderstanding of secret mysteries VNTO THE ARGVMENTS OF THE THIRD RANKE CHAP. X. LEt vs come now to the third Classe which containeth absurdities so
for euer retained Let the same man also be weighed loco de Redemp where he saith Wee know that all men are not made partakers of this redemption Againe saith he Men reprobate and desperatly wicked receiue not redemption The contrary hereof Huber with full mouth auoucheth that all by Christ are made partakers of redemption that all receiue it but that the reprobates hauing once receiued it doe lose it againe Neuerthelesse Three reasons of Musculus why redemption is vniuersall according to the reasons assigned of Musculus this redemption is rightly termed vniuersall 1. Because it commeth not to passe by the defect of grace that many doe perish but by the defect of faith seeing grace is prepared for all to wit that do not refuse it Matth. 22. as all things were readie for the marriage 2. Because all are called vnto it 3. Because so it is appointed for all that no man without it is of can be redeemed Where now he doth vnderstand this appointing otherwise than before yet rightly because albeit many are not redeemed nor iustified yet all by Christ are redeemed and iustified because no man is redeemed but by him Of all which things it plainly appeareth that Musculus as well as others is against the aduersarie and nothing at all on his side That which he citeth out of Hemingius his Syntagma The 9. testimonie Hemingius or Treatise hath some colour to wit that Christ came not for to redeeme onely certaine selected out of mankinde but that that grace is vniuersall as touching the fatherly will of God But albeit Hemingius hath thus written because he otherwise vnderstandeth the doctrine of Predestination yet he greatly dissenteth from the deuise of the aduersaries that all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers without doubt properly and in verie deede by receiuing remission of sinnes are receiued into the bosome of grace iustified and saued by the death of Christ Contrariwise Hemingius Thes 28. testifieth which These Huber craftily hid when he alleadged the 27. that as touching the euent the grace of redemption belongeth to a few onely because few beleeue and bring forth the fruites of repentance For hee acknowledgeth and often times repeateth that albeit the Gospell offer the benefits of Christ to all men of what nation and condition soeuer they be De promiss reparat yet they are receiued by faith alone and so iustification and saluation are freely giuen to him that beleeueth De Euangelio And cleerely he saith That the condition of faith is required that the benefit may be applied that is remission of sinnes and the condition of perseuerance that it may be retayned being receiued For which thing these men say that all haue once receiued the benefit that the beleeuers abide in the same being receiued and the vnbeleeuers doe lose it againe The 10. testimonie Catackis palatin I come vnto that which is obiected out of the Catechisme of our Churches quest 37. where the words of the Catechisme haue that Christ sustained in bodie and soule the wrath of God against the sinnes of all mankinde But the exposition is all one with the place of Athanasius before where was the like speech Certainely the effect of the death of Christ is not in all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers indifferently but as our Catechisme out of the word of God teacheth quest 30. They that imbrace by a true faith Iesus to be a perfect sauiour doe possesse all things which are requisite to saluation Againe quest 20. to the demaunde Whether then saluation be giuen by Christ to all men who perished in Adam It is plainely answered Not to all men but to them onely who are ingrafted into him by a true faith and imbrace his benefits If thou canst Huber reconcile this with thy opinion which is full of error to wit that all who perished in Adam are receiued into grace by Christ iustified quickened and restored to saluation See also in the Catechisme quest 53.55.60.66 c. in all which places no other participation of Christ and his benefits is set downe than by a true faith hypocrites and vnbeleeuers being excluded But of these things enough Let the aduersarie now goe and maintaine his error by the testimonies of olde and new writers whereby he is most manifestly confuted CHAP. XIII Vnto the fourth accusation Huber pa. 20 â—7 312. THe fourth absurditie obiected vnto vs followeth That men are driuen to desperation and that no man can haue any certaintie of his saluation This malitious and false crime he tosseth too and fro The summe and effect tendeth to this that all the assurance and comfort of saluation according to our opinion leaneth vpon meere particulars whereof nothing followeth after this sorte Some men are in fauour with God and shall be saued I am a man Therefore I am in fauour with God and shall be saued As though we were so foolish and vnwise that we haue not learned better out of the word of God to comfort our selues and others For as there is of those which shall be damned so there is of such as shall be for euer saued a certaine vniuersalitie in the Scriptures neither can any man that is in his right wits denie that some shall be receiued others refused some shall be saued others shall perish in the last day Math. 24.25 the former reioycing for euer in the fathers kingdome prepared for them before the foundations of the world and these contrariwise suffering eternall torments in vnquencheable fire prepared for the diuell and his angels And albeit God knoweth them that be ordained by him to eternall life or else not ordained and all things that I may vse the words of Luther are set down in Predestination Prefat ad Rom. who shall be saued who damned yet we must not goe vnto election without the word and speculatiuely In Gen. 26. as he speaketh least we fall headlong into desperation or contempt but we must iudge of election a posteritie that is by that which followeth it as they say that is by faith The vniuersalitie of the promise of grace and by other fruites of election arising vnto the very cause it selfe Hence come those most sweete promises made vnto the beleeuers vniuersall surely Come vnto me all ye that labour I will refresh you Matth. 11. Ioh. 3. Ioh. 6. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne shall not perish This is the will of the father that all that beleeue in the sonne should haue eternall life Hereunto beare all the prophets witnesse that all that beleeue in him receiue remission of sinnes through his name Acts 10. 13 19. By him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all that beleeue Rom. 3. 9. Whosoeuer beleeeueth in him shall not be confounded For there is one Lord of all rich towards all that call vpon him for whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued
in vnbeleefe vnto whom notwithstanding the doctrine is common doe acknowledge so much the more the mercie of God towards themselues whereby they turne and are saued To this end the Lord said Ioh. 6. No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him as it is written in the Prophets They shall bee all taught of God Whosoeuer therefore hath heard and learned of the father commeth vnto me Also Matth. 13. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen but not vnto them but in them is the prophecie fulfilled that they hearing heare not to wit hearing with the sense of the body heare not with the assent of the heart as Augustine expoundeth But why some haue eares to heare and others not that is why it is giuen to some of the father to come vnto the sonne and to others it is not giuen who knoweth the minde of the Lord who hath been of his counsell or who art thou O man that reasonest with God saith Augustine de bono perseuerantiae lib. 2. cap. 14. 4. The vngodlie are made vnexcusable in hearing the word of God that they cannot pretend ignorance seeing they performe not so much as outward things which they bee able to doe as it is said in Ezechiel Eze. 2. Whether they will heare or leaue off speake thou vnto them and they shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them And Christ saith Ioh. 15 2â— If I had not come and spoken they should haue no sinne but now they haue no excuse And elsewhere he saith Matth. 24. that the Gospell of the kingdome must bee preached in all the earth for a witnes vnto all nations As also he foretold his Apostles Matth. 10. that they should bee brought before rulers and kings for a witnes to them and to the Gentiles that is to their reproofe and condemnation who beleeue not as Theophylact interpreteth both places I will adde hereunto because of the aduersarie who findeth great fault with this vse of the word the testimonies both of Augustine and also of Luther Augustine tract 81. in Ioh. saith They that contemne or els deride and impugne the commandements of God vnto them the words of Christ shall not be a benefit but a testimonie against them And de praedest sanct cap. 9. he writeth that the saluation of religion from the beginning of the increase of mankind vnto the end is preached to some for a reward to some for iudgment Also de Correp grat cap. 13. Correction is to bee vsed towards all as a medicine albeit the health of the sicke person be vncertaine that if hee who is corrected pertaine to the number of the predestinate the correction may bee vnto him a holesome medicine but if he pertaine not it may be a penall torment Luther Tom. 3. in 3. cap. Ioâ—lis The Gospell is preached saith he to all men and though all doe not greatly beleeue the word yet it is preached as wel to the vngodly as to the godly to these it is the power of God to saluation to the other to iudgement See also lib. 1. sentent dist 47. about the end of the distinction Hub thes 300. The first cauill of the aduersarie But let vs heare Huber First it is a lie that is fained vpon our side that the reprobates are called to no other end but to be hardened and made without excuse for many ends are alreadie rendred He citeth Beza Responsione altera ad Colloq Mompel fol. 149. 95. Item 96. but the exclusiue is ill fained vpon our men and often repeated of Huber but it is not found in Beza Thes 477. Then as he is practised in cauilling he excepteth that to preach faith and repentance to such as shall not beleeue as being by the iust iudgement of God not predestinated vnto faith is as absurd as if a man should preach repentance to the very deuils But there is very great vnlikenes betweene men reprobate and those reprobate spirits albeit in this they agree that eternall fire remaineth for both For the elect and reprobates of men are in this life mingled together neither can we know who shall beleeue who not beside the other things we spake of speciallie the commandement of God whereby the Gospell is ordained for euery humane creature Further he cauilleth If the hearing of the word turne to the reprobates vnto their greater iudgement Thes 478. that they are in worse case then the deuils who from the Gospell preached bring no such iudgement vpon themselues Answere This is a false argument taken from that which is spoken in part To speake simply the deuils are more vnhappie because they be worse and wickedder Ephes 6. whereupon by Paul they are called spiritual wickednes In the meane while it nothing hindereth reprobate men to be in worse condition in part that is to be guiltie of iudgement for some cause wherein the deuils are not guiltie as for example for the contempt of the word preached vnto them and for the vnworthy receiuing of the Lords Supper because vnworthie receiuers eate and drinke their owne damnation But this hath no place in deuils albeit neuertheles as enemies of all righteousnes and order appointed of God and so also as contemners of the word and Sacraments after their maner they shal not escape the iudgement of God Thirdly he cauilleth impudently If the matter so stand Thes â—04 it shall bee better neuer to goe to the word for if they must wholly perish and burne the lesse they doe heare that they may despise the lesse they shall be beaten Be silent cruell tongue and lippes that speake iniquitie What resteth O Huber but by the like reason thou maist conclude seeing many in the Supper of the Lord eate and drinke iudgement to themselues that it shall be also better for vs to abstaine from it But that all men may vnderstand such like sophistrie on both sides this onely followeth to wit that it is better not to come to the Supper of the Lord then to come vnworthily also not to heare the word of God then not to receiue it being heard or els to reiect and tread it vnder our feete after wee haue receiued it but such as bee blessed haue kept the meane For because both they that knowing his will and yet doe not the same and also they that are ignorant of it shall be beaten specially if it bee affected ignorance disdaining to heare the word of God being offered it is our parts both to heare and to keepe the word of God and so to prepare our selues Luk. 11. that wee may worthily receiue the Sacraments So surely we shall best prouide for our selues and not if we iudge our selues vnworthily of the kingdome of God by refusing his word and Sacraments Fourthly that the aduersarie may here also proue to the reader the scoffing wherein hee excelleth if yet it may or ought to bee approued of
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
a thing if a man would denie the consequent in an Enthymeme as if one being about to answere a Syllogisme should denie the conclusion By which kinde of solutions any thing might most easily be answered by any one but that Logicke is against it But omitting these things let vs produce a few testimonies of many out of the Scripture to declare our purpose The state of the question that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper vnto the Church and not common to all whether they beleeue or not as the new opinion would haue it This is the state of the question properly which must be diligently marked For we also grant that Christ died for all but wee denie that therefore all are made partakers of the benefits of Christs death without respect of faith or vnbeleefe or els which is all one wee denie that Christ died for all effectually How Christs death may be effectuall to any the cause of the want of that efficacie being considered not in Christ but in men themselues For to make the death of Christ effectuall vnto vs for redemption his merit is not only needfull but also the application and receiuing of the same which is done by an vnfained faith Matth. 1. The 1. testimonie prouing redemption to be proper to the Church The first testimonie therefore we haue in Matthew in the words of the Angell to Ioseph Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Here we see redemption peculiarly attributed to the people of Christ And the people of Christ be his Church of all places and ages Therefore redemption is peculiar to the Church and yet vniuersall after that sort as we confesse the Church to bee vniuersall Thes 1059. All men be not the people of God proued by three reasons Huber crieth out and such is his Diuinitie saith that by the people of Christ is meant the whole ofspring of Adam and saith that al are truly called to the kingdome of God that they may be his people But the contrary is easily proued First by the name of the people of God the Scripture vseth not to comprehend al men but a certaine companie onely among whom God is acknowledged and called vpon and whom hee likewise acknowledgeth for his owne and to whom belong the couenants and promises Leuit. 26. as the Lord saith I wil walke among you and I will be your God Iere. 31. 2. Cor. 6. Ose 1. 2. and you shall be my people And I will be your God and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie As also he saith in Oseah I will call a people my people which was not mine and her beloued who was not beloued and it shall come to passe in the place where it was said vnto them Ye are not my people there they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God All which places Paul to the Romanes expoundeth of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 9. who whereas they had bin in times past alients from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world afterward obtained the adoption of grace in the kingdome of Christ Tit. 3. So vnto Titus wee reade that Christ purged a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes whom Peter also calleth a people whom God claimeth as his own 1. Pet. 2. a holy nation a royall priesthood What insolencie then is it to imagine that all men be the people of God This is nothing els than to ioyne faithful with vnfaithfull righteousnes with vnrighteousnes light with darkenes Christ with Belial the temple of God with images and to mingle sacred things with prophane Secondly if all should bee the people of Christ it should not onely follow that all must be also called Christians but also as Origene fained all should be saued and haue eternall life seeing saluation which Christ bestoweth vpon his people includeth eternall life as the chiefe fulfilling thereof Thirdly Theophylact vpon the same place thus writeth He saith he shall saue his people not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles who shall beleeue and not doubt to bee made his people Luther also in Gen. 31. Luther at large testifieth that all men are not the people of God but such as hee liketh of and accepteth and cannot be taken out of his hands But let Huber giue care vnto his Brentius especially Brentius who writeth thus in the exposition of his Catechisme Tell vs saith he to whom Iesus is Iesus that is a sauiour from their sinnes The Euangelist saith He shall saue his people He saueth not Aliants but his people They be Aliants whosoeuer beleeue not in him whether they be Iewes or Gentiles And they be his whether they be Iewes or Gentiles as many as doe acknowledge and imbrace him by faith Wherefore of what nation soeuer thou be if thou beleeue the Gospel of Christ thou art made by faith a member of his people and Iesus is in very deede made Iesus vnto thee These things he another of whose sayings also shall be cited hereafter in the seuenth Chapter Nowe let the Tubingers see whether they will condemne Brentius heere or Huber rather of an error A second testimonie we haue in the same Euangelist cha 26. When hee had taken the cup hee gaue it to them saying The 2. testimony Matt. 26. Drink ye all of this For this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes I surely knowe that some of the auncient writers respecting sufficiencie doe expound for many that is that his blood was shed for al seeing euen all are many But the sense rather agreeth by keeping the vsuall signification of Many Many distinguisheth betweene beleeuers and vnbeleeuers vnto the difference betweene the beleeuers and vnbleeuers of whom they receiuing forgiuenes of sinnes are redeemed by the grace of Christ and these are as yet voyd of redemptiō as we before shewed Basils often exposition And the Commentaries vpon Marke which are ascribed vnto Hierome haue expressely that the blood of the new Testament is said to be shed for many because it doth not make cleane all or els that there bee in the very Church some whome no sacrifice doth make cleane much more then out of the Church What that among the newe writers Brentius in his Catechisme doth no otherwise expound it Christ saith he when he said of his blood which is shed for you he addeth this also for Many to signifie that it was shed not onely for the Iewes but also for the Gentiles of whom his Church was to bee gathered And by that place and exposition he taketh here in hand to proue our very matter in hand to wit that Christ by his death hath made satisfaction for the sinnes of his that they may haue remission of
reprobates the contrarietie of the elect doth shew whom the father gaue to Christ neither could D. Iacobus Andree denie this Pag. 545. Col. Mompel But for whom Christ would not so much as pray how shall we say that he died for them according to his owne purpose or how should the death of Christ profit them for redemption and sanctificatiō Surely the sacrifice of the Mediatour doth profit none Thes 9.28 but whom his intercession doth also profit Huber excepteth that Christ refuseth not to pray for the world generally but specially which thing Luthers glosse declareth and confirmeth I pray not for the world that is I pray not that thou wouldest approue the attempts and workes of the world and vnbeleeuers I answere readily from the contrarietie in the very text As farre forth as the Lord prayeth for his so farre forth and in the same respect he prayeth not for that world of reprobates but for his hee prayeth that they may be saued Tract 107. in Ioh. Therefore so farre forth he prayeth not for the reprobates Let vs heare what Augustine saith I pray not for the world but for them that thou gauest me By the world he would haue meant such as liue according to the lusts of the world and are not in that state of grace A double world that they bee chosen by it out of the world The same man tract 110. There is a world of such as are to bee damned whereof it is written Least we should be damned with the world For this world he doth not pray for he knoweth well whereto it is predestinate And there is a world of such as shall be saued as it is written That the world may be saued by him whereof the Apostle also speaketh God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe For this world he prayeth that it may beleeue and by faith be reconciled vnto God Thus farre Augustine Wherefore there is no cause that Huber should write Thes 927. that our side faineth a false interpretation of this place He faineth that obiecteth such things euen as this also is a meere deuise that all men indifferently are giuen of the father to the sonne that he may giue them life Thes 1077. 163. All power surely not onely of humane flesh but also of all creatures in heauen and earth is giuen to the sonne but it is another thing that wee are giuen him that hee may saue vs. For if all had been giuen to Christ he had prayed for all for he prayed for all that his father had giuen him But now for certaine men whom hee calleth the world he prayed not Further he giueth eternal life to all that were giuen him For so he saith that to as many as thou gauest him he might giue eternall life Tract 111. Therefore with Augustine we inferre by contraposition that they were not giuen him to whom he will not giue eternall life albeit hee who hath power giuen him ouer all flesh hath power giuen him ouer thē also In the same place Who are they saith he whom he saith are giuen him of his father Be they not they of whom he saith in another place No man commeth vnto me except the father who sent me draw him They bee they whom he receiued of the father whom he chose out of the world that now they may not be of the world as he is not of the world and yet they be euen the beleeuing world and that which knoweth that Christ was sent of God the father Againe Tract 107. The world for which he prayeth not he would haue to be taken for those that are not in that state of grace that they may bee chosen out of the world but for these whom his father gaue him he saith he prayeth for hereby that the father had giuen them alreadie vnto him it commeth to passe that they pertaine not vnto that world for which he doth not pray Hereupon Cyrill also saith Lib. 11. cap. 19. in Ioh. Saint Iohn because he was a Iew least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with the father for the Iewes onely and not for other nations also who being called did obey said of necessitie that he was a propitiation for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from them that are not his saith I pray for them onely that keepe my words and haue receiued my yoke For whose Mediatour and high Priest he is to them onely he worthily attributeth the benefit of mediation So this testimonie standeth firme against what cauils soeuer Com. vpon this place whereof Rupertus speaketh notably Woe to the reioycing world while Christ the onely begotten sonne of God praieth for his owne that is dyeth and vpon the altar of the crosse offereth himselfe a sacrifice because J pray for them sayth he whom thou gauest me and not for the world For the world is here taken for the louers of the world so contrary to them for whom Christ crucified praieth as the Aegyptians were before God from the children of Israel who marked their posts with the sacred blood of the Lambe Woe therefore to such a world because what Christ the true Lambe of God praied profiteth them nothing that with their king the prince of darknes the deuill they may quickly sinke into hell while they only whom the father gaue to the sonne doe by his crosse and blood escape The 12. testimonie Verse 19. of the 17. chap. of Iohn Twelfthly wee adde what the Lord in his prayer to his father there expresseth for them I sanctifie my selfe that they may be sanctified in the trueth They onely for whom Christ sanctified that is offered himselfe a sacrifice are by his offering sanctified in the truth but he sanctified himselfe onely for the elect of whom significantly he speaketh to discerne them from the world For them I sanctifie my self doubtles meaning his that were giuen him of his father and for whom he prayed the father Therefore the elect onely are in the trueth sanctified by Christs oblation Whereupon Paul calles all beleeuers Saints euery where whom charitie commands to account for elect because they be sanctified in the blood of Christ CHAP. III. Testimonies out of Pauls Epistles FVrthermore Paul the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles and a worthy preacher of the grace of Christ for the publishing among the Gentiles of the vnsearchable riches of Christ and reuealing vnto all men what is the communion of the mysterie that was hid from all ages doth also euery where teach that the grace of redemption pertaineth not to the vnbeleeuers but to the faithfull who now are not the vessels of the deuill but the members of Iesu Christ That of many testimonies wee may onely alleadge a few The 1. place Rom. 3. he thus writeth to the Romanes chap. 3. But now the righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law hauing witnes of the law and the Prophets to
onely who should beleeue in him and repent For that cause he saith And he shall beare the sinnes of many Luther also vpon that saying Luther in Is 53. My righteous seruant by the knowledge of himselfe c. defineth Christian righteousnes to be nothing els than to know Christ and this onely to be the way of our deliuerance from death and sinnes and that this knowledge doth free vs and that there is no other comfort Therefore it is an error to claime for al men simply freedome from sinne and death The same thing plainly appeareth by the forme of the new couenant Ier. 31. and Heb. 8. Behold the daies shal come The 3. place Ierem. 31. saith the Lord when I will make a new couenaÌ„t with the house of Israel and with the house of Iuda not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt but this is the couenant which I will strike with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my lawes in their minde and in their heart will I write them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people Neither shall euery one teach his neighbour saying know the Lord for al shal know me from the least to the greatest among them and I will be merciful to their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more Hence wee see that remission of sinnes which is wrought by the death of the Mediatour is the benefit of the new couenant Whereupon it followeth The benefits of the couenant belong to the sonnes of the couenant that it appertaineth to the sonnes onely of the couenant But how that all are not the sonnes of the couenant first from hence it is plaine that these promises I will put my lawes in their mindes I will bee their God and they shall be my people they shall all know me agree not simply vnto all men Then because it is flatly sayd that this couenant is made with the house of Israel and with the house of Iuda which thing must be vnderstood of the Church of the Iewes and Gentiles that true Iuda and Israel whereof the Apostle also speaketh Gal. 3. Ye are all one in Christ Iesu and because ye are Christs ye are Abrahams seede and heires by promise Ier. 23. 33. The 4. place The like promise we haue Iere. 23. and 33. Behold the daies shall come saith the Lord that I will raise vp to Dauid a righteous branch and a king shall raigne in whose daies Israel shal be saued and Iuda shall dwell boldly We see here also the redemption of the Messiah peculiarly attributed to his people because Luk. 1. as the Angell Gabriel testifieth he raigneth ouer the house of Iacob that is the Church and of his raigne and his peace there shall be no end Euery where also in the Prophets when they foretell of the comming of the Redeemer and of saluation to be wrought by him the word of promise is peculiarly directed vnto the Church vnder the name of Sion Zach. 2. The 5. place as Zachar. 2. Reioyce and be glad O daughter Sion for I will come and dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord and many nations shall be gathered together in that day and they shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee and the Lord shall possesse Iuda his portion in the holy land and shall choose as yet Ierusalem That this must bee vnderstoode of the Church collected from euery place the things that we reade 2. Cor. 6. ver 16. and Apoc. 21. vers 2. will not suffer vs to doubt at all Zach. 6. The 6. place And in the 9. chapter of the same Prophet it is said Reioyce greatly O daughter Sion shout for ioy O daughter Ierusalem Behold thy king coÌ„meth vnto thee who is iust a Sauiour poore â—iding vpon an asse and he shall speake peace to the Gentiles and his dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the flood to the ends of the earth Ephes 2. For the Catholike Church of Christ is dispersed through the whole world which Christ as Paul witnesseth is our peace and hath made both Iewes and Gentiles one abolishing enmitie through his flesh that he might make one man of two in himselfe and hath reconciled both in one bodie vnto God by his crosse slaying enmitie by it and comming hath preached peace both to them that were farre off and to them that were neere Agreeable to this is the word of promise Esay 62. Esay 62. Behold the Lord proclaimeth vnto the vtmost parts of the earth Tell ye the daughter of Sion Behold thy saluation shall come behold his reward is with him and his worke is before him and they shall call them a holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called a citie sought for and not forsaken What was this citie but the high Ierusalem which is the mother of vs all for it is written Reioyce thou barren that bearest not Gal 4. breake forth and crie thou that trauellest not for the desolate woman hath more children than she that hath an husband After which sort also the citie of God the spirituall Sion and Ierusalem with her sonnes dispersed among all nations is gloriously described in the 87. Psalme And these bee they of whom speaketh this propheticall word here They shall call them a holy people the redeemed of the Lord. Wherefore seeing the prerogatiue of so great dignitie is proper to the sons of the Church and the household of God it is iniuriously extended to those that are without But that we may not go farre it is certaine Acts 10. as Peter sheweth that all the Prophets doe witnesse that whosoeuer beleeueth in him receiueth remission of sinnes through his name And as Paul affirmeth the righteousnesse of God is approued by the testimonie of the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3. the righteousnesse of God I say in all and vpon all that beleeue Col. 1. Now the righteousnesse of God and remission of sinnes is redemption it selfe Colos 1. Wherefore by the one consent of all the Prophets redemption is proper to the beleeuers and nothing at all belongeth to the vnbeleeuers CHAP. VI. The same thing is proued by some types of the old Testament I Will onely annexe certaine typicall or shadowed things of the old Testament wherein now long agoe the very same thing hath been declared The redemption of Israel out of Egypt and Babel And first it is manifest enough that the redemption of the people of Israel out of Egypt and after out of the captiuitie of Babel were as certaine shadowes and figures of this true redemption and grace gotten by Christ as here and there wee may see in the Prophets Tuitiens hath this similitude vpon Ioh. 17. Therefore looke how much difference there is betweene the Egyptians perishing with
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
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
power of the deuill yet through Christ alone none but they all are set free that be regenerated by spirituall grace In the same booke chapter 18. he saith The Christian kinde That he that ouercame the first Adam and held mankinde captiue was ouercome of the second Adam and lost the Christian kinde which was out of Mankinde set free from the sinne of man through him who had no sinne though he was of our kinde The same in his 53. treatise vpon Saint Iohn saith The deuill therefore possessed mankinde and held them guiltie of punishment through the hand writing of sinnes But by the faith of Christ which was ratified by his death and resurrection through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are deliuered from the deuill An argument and are coupled to the body of Christ In all these places there is this or the like argument What kinde of freedome redemption is Redemption is a freedome from the power of the deuill and such a freedome as whereby it commeth to passe that the deuill cannot draw any of these with him to the destruction of eternall death through the snares of sinnes whom Christ hath redemed with his blood But all men haue not freedome from the power of the deuill Therefore almen are not redeemed but as freedome so redemption is proper to the beleeuers and predestinate according to Augustine and the trueth of this point The world that is precestinate to life Christ came to saue but not the world predestinate to damnation Hitherto belongeth that which in the fore mentioned treatise as also in the 110. and 111. Treatises the same writer constantly expoundeth the world that Christ came to saue and reconcile to God of the good and such as bee predestinate to eternall life being dispersed throughout the whole world that this world of an enemie is made a friend but that the worlde that is predestinate to damnation abideth an enimie neither of this world must it be vnderstood that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe So in the 48. Treatise vpon the saying ye beleeue not for ye are not of my sheepe he saith This he spake because he saw them predestinate to eternall destruction and not prepared by the price of his blood to eternall life And a litle after he is assured of the number of his sheepe because hee knoweth what hee gaue for them And elsewhere Whom God redeemed by the blood of the Mediator he maketh for euer after good De corrept gra cap. 11. But these bee testimonies inough out of Augustine For who can rehearse euery thing hee writeth of this matter Hieromie Furthermore the Commentaries vpon Marke ascribed to Hieromie expresly say that the blood of the newe Testament is sayd to be shed for Many because it doth not cleanse all that there is euen in the Church some whom no sacrifice clenseth As Remigius also as Thomas citeth him Cate. aurea vpon this very place warneth vs to obserue that hee saith not for few or for all but for Many my blood shal be shed because he came not to redeeme our nation onely but Many of all Nations Hilarius in Matthew cap. 7. Hilarie The saluation of the Gentiles saith he is wholly of faith and in the Lordes commandements is the life of all men He saith not the reprobates and vnbeleeuers are as well saued by Christ as any other as these newe sectaries thinke good to speake Chrysostome homil 39. vpon 1. Chrisost Cor. expounding the words of the Apostle touching the quickening of all men by Christ denieth that it is to be vnderstood of the righteousnes of all men as though whosoeuer are made sinners in Adam are made righteous in Christ Hub. thes 49. 53. which yet our aduersaries would haue The same maner homil 17. vpon the Hebrewes confirmeth the distinction that Christ died for all as touching Sufficiencie and not for all as touching Efficiencie His words are these Why is hee said to be offered to take away the sinnes of Many and not of all because all beleeue not He died for all as much as in him lay that his death is of that waight as is the perdition of all and it is of force enough that no man might perish His arbidger Theophylact vseth the same distinction in 2. and 9. ad Heb. and vpon the saying Iohn 6. Theophylact the bread which I giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world where he writeth albeit all haue not receiued sanctification and a spirituall life yet Christ may bee vnderstood to die for the satisfaction of all as touching the vertue of his death Of the same opinion is Basil as Theophylact sheweth in 9. ad Heb. for thus hee writeth All of vs that beleeue Basil Exhort ad baptis how many soeuer we be are redeemed by the grace of God from sins through his onely sonne who said this is my blood euen the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes The exposition is also twise repeated in the next sermon of Baptisme for Many that is the beleeuers was the blood of Christ shed Notwithstāding in respect of the sufficiencie of his merite it is true that elswhere he saith in Psalme 48. For all men wholly was there one onely worthie price found euen the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which he shed for vs al. Cyrill Cyrill in Io. li. 11. ca. 19. reconciling that shew of repugnancie that is between the words of Christ I pray not for the world and the wordes of Iohn He is the propitiation of the whole world consenteth to our opinion after this sort Saint Iohn saith he because he was a Iewe least the Lord should seeme to be with his father an aduocate for the Iewes onely cessarily hath added that hee is the propitiation of the whole world that is saith he for all who are called and through faith attaine to righteousnes and sanctification But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from such as be none of his for them saith he onely doe I pray who keepe my words and receiue my yoke For whose mediator and high Priest he is to them onely not without cause doth he attribute the benefite of meditation 2. Cor. 5. In the same place he doth alleage for that matter the saying of Paul God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe that is saith he Christ as the Mediator receauing all that come to God by faith and offering himselfe to the father reconcileth the world to God But let vs returne to the Latine writers among whom Prosper of Aquitaine answering the Articles of the French men Prosper chap. 9. plainely approueth this phrase or maner of speaking that Christ died onely for them that shall be saued which our aduersaries slander as blasphemous and Saracenicall His wordes are these Therefore although our
there hath been also a double vse of that word For one while the word predestination is applied vnto both elect and reprobates and as wel these as the other are called predestinate but these that they may bee vessels of wrath prepared for destruction the other that they may be vessels of mercie prepared by God to glory So Augustine manifestly vseth the word predestination August Enchir ad Laur. cap. 100. when he saith That God as highly good doth well vse euen the wicked to their damnation whom he hath iustly predestinated to punishment and to their saluation whom mercifully he hath predestinated to grace The same man tract 110. in Ioh. There is a world of those that shall be damned whereof it is written Least we should be condemned with the world For this world Christ prayeth not for he is not ignorant whether it is predestinated to wit to suffer eternall torments with the deuill as the same man writeth elsewhere But especially Fulgentius to Monimus lib. 1. Aug. de Ciuit. dei lib. 15. cap. 3 at large intreateth of a double predestination one of the good to glory the other of the wicked to paine Fulgent Whereupon in the beginning of the second booke he thus defineth predestination Gods predestination saith he is nothing els than the preparation of his workes which in his eternall disposition he foreknew to doe either in mercie or in iustice that is predestination is the eternall decree of God whereby he hath purposed to saue some out of mankinde of meere grace through Christ and to reiect others from the same grace in his righteous iudgement and for their sinnes to damne them for euer Thus predestination shall comprehend both election and reprobation But sometime the name of predestination is vsed for election onely whereunto on the contrary The 4. signifition and vse of the word reprobation is opposed And thus the Scripture euery where almost speaketh of predestination Whom he foreknew saith the Apostle Ro. 8. the same he predestinated whom he predestinated them he called and whom he hath called them he hath iustified whom he hath iustified them hath he glorified And he addeth Who shall lay any crime to the charge of Gods elect Where he expressely nameth them elect whom hee had called predestinate The same Apostle Ephes 1. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid and hath predestinated vs that hee might adopt vs to bee his sonnes by Christ Iesus in himselfe De predest Sanct. cap. 10. Augustine also for the most part speaketh of predestination in this sense taking it for the eternall free election of God which sometime for difference sake he calleth predestination which is in good and the predestination of Saints But most often and euery where almost when he speaketh of election and the elect he mentioneth simply the predestinate and predestination And in the schoole Diuines also albeit vnder the same name of predestination they intreate both of election of the saued and also of the reprobation of the damned yet scarse may a man finde the words predestination and predestinate otherwise vsed than for election and the elect And taking the word after this maner which is most vsuall as I haue said wee will with Augustine define predestination to bee a preparation of grace De predest Sanct. cap. 10. Predestination of the Saints what it is For this saith he is the onely difference betweene grace and predestination that predestination is the preparation of grace but grace is now the gift it selfe Wherefore also de fide ad Pet. Diacon cap. 35. he defineth predestination to bee the preparation of a free gift And by grace he vnderstandeth as well future glorie as al the benefits of God in this present life whereby as by meanes the predestinate or elect are directed and lead vnto that end Hereupon cap. 14. de bono perseuer he thus defineth it Predestination of the Saints is nothing els than the prescience and preparation of Gods benefits whereby as many as are deliuered are most certainly deliuered the rest being left in the masse of perdition by the iust iudgement of God To the same end is it that elswhere he interpreteth predestination to be a purpose of shewing mercie according to the saying I wil haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and I will haue compassion Eâ—xod 3â— Rom. 9. on whom I will haue compassion Moreouer this predestination of the Saints is in the Scriptures of God for the most part called Election Election diuersly taken in Scripture Many are called but few are elect saith the Lord Matth. 20. And Paul Ephe. 1. testifieth of the election of the faithfull in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Yet wee must not be ignorant that there be diuers elections of God wherof the sacred Scriptures make mention For some are for the execution of some certaine office Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall namely the office of a King Priest Prophet or Apostle So Aaron was approued to be the elect priest of God by the miracle of the rod that budded Num. 17.5 Deut. 21.5 So his posteritie who had the Priesthood in Israel are called the elect of the Lord. Likewise Saul in respect of the kingdome is called the elect of the Lord. Besides 1. Sam. 10 24 2. Sam. 21.6 1. Sam. 16. of the sonnes of Isai none but Dauid was elect of the Lord to the kingdome We reade also in the Gospell that it was said of the Apostles Io. 6. Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill Whereof also see Luk. 6.13 Act. 1.2 Further Gods election is taken for election to saluation and that two maner of waies either that which was from euerlasting or els that which is made in time which floweth from the former lying hid in the minde of God and is the effect and execution therof to wit when a man is now actually chosen out of the world and ingrafted into Christ and regenerated to eternall life Of such Christ speaketh Ioh. 15. Ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you De praedest sanct cap. 17 Of this double election thus saith Augustine Wee are elected before the creation of the world by predestination wherein God foreknew his future workes but we are elected out of the world by vocation wherby God fulfilleth that that he hath predestinated There is beside this vse also of the word that they are called Elect in generall whosoeuer by outward calling belong to the people of God So Deut. 4. vers 37. and 7. vers 6. and 14. vers 2. all Israel is said to haue been chosen of the Lord namely to be a holie people and peculiar to the Lord their God out of all people in the whole world As also in Peter they are called elect whosoeuer are called to the bodie of the Church and are
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
a man should say In the Church of Christ there bee good and euill also in this or that citie namely Heidelberge Tubing or any other there be good and euill Therefore the Christian Church or this or that citie comprehendeth all men none excepted A fine consequence as though indefinitly good men and euill and all men were equiualent and of like force one as the other The fourth obiection The fourth obiection It appertaineth to iustice distributiue that vnequall things be not giuen to such as bee equall Therefore God seeing he is most iust doth not chuse one and refuse another out of the masse or lump of perdition wherein all of vs being considered are alike and equall I answere The antecedent hath place in those things that are distributed of desert and not in those things that a man distributeth of his owne accord and freely where as he will and to whom he will he may giue more or lesse without iniustice so long as he withdraweth from no man his due A Simile As for example if thou hast two debters and doest forgiue the debt to one and not to the other to that man thou truly art mercifull and yet to this man thou art not vniust Augustine vsing this very similitude saith notably De praedest gra cap. 3. Whereas God freely bestoweth vndeserued mercie on some that are conuerted by a free vocation it must not bee referred to the iniustice of the dispenser but to the most mercifull goodnesse of the giuer Dare the debter charge his creditor with vniust dealing if he shall require his debt of him while he forgiueth another If therefore it bee so in the bargaines of men who may breake out into so great madnes of a prophane speech to charge God of iniustice if he shall giue freely to one vndeserued grace and to render to another deserued punishment This is the same obiection in words onely changed Another like obiection Who so giueth vnequall things to them that are equall is an accepter of persons Therefore seeing in the lumpe of perdition all of vs being considered are equall vnlesse God equally and after one and the same maner deale towards all he shall be an accepter of persons Acception of persons and election differ But acception of persons is one thing and exception or electioÌ„ of men with God is another thing For what those manifold differences of men that some are seene to bee princes other subiects some noble other base some rich other poore some are borne wittie other slow of heart and foolish and lasty that some men excell others in so many and great things whence arise they but from the Lord Ecclesiast 33. Heare the Wiseman Why doth one day passe another seeing all the light of the daies of the yere proceedeth from the Sunne By the Lords iudgement they be distinguished and he hath disposed the alteration of times and solemne feasts He hath extolled and sanctified some daies and others he hath put for worke daies In like maner all men are of the ground and Adam was made of the earth but the Lord hath distinguished them by great knowledge and made their waies diuerse Some of them he blesseth and exalteth and maketh neere to himselfe but other he holdeth accursed and abaseth them Behold how God manifold waies preferreth some before others among mankinde For saith the Wiseman as the clay is in the potters hand to order it at his pleasure so men are in the hand of God their creator to whom seuerally he rendereth as it liketh him best â—â—â—ther de seruo arbit cap. 143. Therefore acception of persons as that which is not incident vnto God wholly differeth from election or the choise of some before others which specially agreeth to God and so agreeth that if we spoyle him of the power and wisedome of chusing we shall transforme him into the Idoll of fortune by whose power all things should at all aduentures be done Acception of persons what it is But acception of persons as the ancient writers learnedlie expound is there rightly said to be where he that iudgeth leauing the desert of the cause whereof hee giueth iudgement fauoureth one against another finding something in the person that is worthie of honour or mercie Aug. cont duaâ— epistolas Pâ—lag lib. 20. cap. 7. Primasius in 9. ad Rom. But if a man haue two debters and would forgiue one his debt and require it of the other he giueth freely to whom he will but he defraudeth no man neither can it bee called acception of persons because there is no iniustice Otherwise to them that are of small vnderstanding it will seeme to bee acception of persons where the Lord of the vineyard made his labourers equall in wages among whom there was so much difference in labour But what did he answer concerning this as it were acception of persons to such as murmured Friend Matth. 20 I do thee no wrong Take that is thine and depart I will giue euen to this last as vnto thee Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne Is thine eye euill because I am good Doubtles here is all iustice this is my will to thee saith he I haue paid thy reward to this man I haue freely giuen I haue not taken any thing from thee to giue to him neither haue diminished or denied that which I did owe. As therefore here there is no acception of persons because one man is so freely honoured that another is not defrauded of his due so when one man according to Gods purpose is called and another is not called to him that is called a free benefite is giuen and to him that is not called his deserued punishment is rendred because all are guiltie through one man Fiftly the aduersaries cauill The fift obiection that by our position God shal be said to create the greater part of mankinde for eternall destruction This was also obiected to Augustine as wee may see Tom. 7. ad Art sibi falso impos art 3. Answere We answer therfore in Augustines words Augustine That God surely is the creator of all men but that no man is therefore created that he shuld perish because there is one cause of our birth and another of perishing For that men be borne it is a benefit but that they perish it is the fault of him that transgressed For in Adam in whom the nature of all men was first formed all men sinned and are bound in the same sentence wherein he was He is therefore too vngodly and vnlearned saith he that discerneth not the fault of nature from the author of nature from whom it is altogether farre off whatsoeuer is to be condemned in euery one For he createth them to be men and withdraweth not his worke from multiplying the successions of generations purposing according to the counsell of his owne good pleasure to frame againe in many what he
no cause to alleage beside the alone and that free and iust wil of God Thâ— very thing is meant by the distinction that some make The decree of predestination and the execution of that decree betweene the decree of predestination whereof there is no cause but the will of God and the execution of the decree the cause whereof be the sins of such as shal be damned From the meaning of which distinction that which Thomas writeth doth not disagree Expos in 9. ad Rom. That the prescience of sinnes may be called some reason of reprobation in respect of the punishment which is prepared for the reprobates to wit in as much as God purposeth to punish the wicked for sins which they haue of thâ—selues and not of God Ecâ—â—us in Chrysopass And according to Richard as Eckius reporteth The merites of men are the reason of reprobation in * Quantum ad connotatum respect of that which is notorious which is temporall bardening and future damnation but saith he there is no reason to wit in man of the preordination vnto that damnation Caluin respecting the same thing Comment in â— ad Rom. graunteth that the next cause of reprobation is that wee are all accursed in Adam by natiue corruption which is dispersed throughout all mankind which is sufficient vnto damnation As Esau saith hee was worthily reiected because naturally hee was the child of wrath yet Paul auoucheth that without respect of anie fault or vice his condition was worse than his brothers that we may learne to rest in the naked and simple good pleasure of God What neede many wordes whom God hath reprobated therefore he hath reprobated because he would But he hath reprobated that is foreordained to inflict iust punishment for sinne As Augustine also is rightly vnderstood when he saith Cont. duas epist Pela li. 1. c. 20. that God maketh some vessels of wrath according to merite for naturally we are all the children of wrath others vessels of mercie according to grace CHAP. XII A confutation of certaine obiections against the expounded doctrine of the cause of Election and Reprobation BVt the greatnes of the question which wee handle troubleth the senses of men that too proudly reason of the wil of God whereby it commeth to passe that many obiect manie things against this height of the diuine mercy and iudgement whereby when there is no diuersity nor difference of merites among men themselues one is predestinated that he might be seuered and chosen out of the masse of perdition and be made a vessell for honor and another is reprobated to be a vessell for dishonor First the very name of Election seemeth to be against it For Obiection 1 Election specially is made in respect of some qualitie whereby one excelleth or seemeth to excell another So wee are went in chusing to prefere faire things before ill fauoured sit things before vnfit and more profitable things before such as bee lesse profitable Therefore it seemeth that we must say that God also respected something in the elect for which cause hee preferred them before others Esay 55. Answere Answere The thoughts of God are not as the thoughts of men neither his waies as our waies saith the Lord. Wee men are wont to chuse after the aforesaid maner Election and loue in God is faire otherwise than in men but election and loue are farre otherwise in God than in men For the will of man is moued to loue by beholding of some good in the thing loued in respect of some good as it is said true or els in appearance it prefereth the thing it chuseth before another and counteth it deare But the will of God is the cause of al goodnes in the creature and therefore God loueth man not for any good thing that he can chuse in him What it is to loue but rather because he loueth him therfore in chusing he preferreth him before others to wit by willing that good to him which hee willeth not to another For to loue is to will good to a man Obiection 2 Secondly the Apostle saith 2. Timothie 2. In a great house there be not onely vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and earth and some surely to honour others to dishonour If therefore a man shall purge himselfe from these things hee hall bee a vessell for honour sanctified and fit for the Lords vse c. Therefore that we may bee vessels for honour or dishonor elect or reprobates it dependeth on our selues Answere But doubtles they that abuse this place must needes first with Sophysters and the enemies of grace also maintaine that the clensing of a man consisteth in the strength of free will For as long as it is the benefite of grace it abideth to be the effect of election whereby vessels for honour are made and by no meanes can be the cause of it Further the consequence is denied because in that place he handleth not the cause of predestination as Ro. 9. but onely a marke is taught whereby we may know the elect and the Saints which is a sincere and constant confession of Gods name The true sense of the Apostles words before and a studie of righteousnes For the Apostle preuenteth the offence that might arise of the Apostacy of Hymeneus and Philetus men of great worth as they had been estemed and sheweth to the comfort of the faithfull that the elect cannot perish but that they bee knowne to God and not to vs vnlesse it be by the effects and by that that followeth as wee speake according to the rule Let euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Therefore it is our part to perseuer in a true confession to imbrace righteousnes and not to ioyne with the teachers of errors and other wicked men that we may be that is in very deede may testifie that wee are the vessels of honour We are commanded 2. Peter 1. The 3. obiection to make our calling and election sure to wit by good workes as some Greeke and Latine copies haue it added and the sense of it selfe requireth it The argument will be such as this is That is the cause of election whereby it is made strong and sure But election is made sure by good workes Therefore good workes are the cause of Election Answere It is answered in respect of God election is firme in it selfe or in the purpose of God the chuser 2. Tim. 2. Rom. 9. because as the Apostle witnesseth the foundation of God standeth sure and his purpose according to electioÌ„ abideth not of works but of the caller But in respect of vs election is made sure by good works as by the effects For because we be elected that we may be holy and blamelesse not without cause is holinesse of life accounted the triall and declaration of election And this is the meaning of Peters wordes From whence an answere
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
profitable to all for many are the children of perdition yet it is sufficient for vs that we doe deliuer our owne soules while they perish not through our fault As the Lord saith to Ezechiel Cap. 3. When I shall say to the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou hast not warned him nor spoken to him to returne from his wicked way that he might liue that wicked man shall die but I will require his blood at thy hand But if thou hast warned him and he hath not repented of his wickednes he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thine owne soule And Paul witnesseth 2. Cor. 2. that we are the sweete sauour of Christ to God in them that are saued and in them that perish The vngodly also are made without excuse in hearing what they ought to do least they should say If I had knowne it I would haue done it therefore I did it not because I knew it not Obiection 5 The same account is to be made of praiers which the vnchangeablenes of Gods predestination and purpose maketh not any whit the more idle Whither praying be in vain if Gods purpose be vnchangeable as some naughtily suppose For albeit by prayers Gods predestination is neuer changed yet by them wee are holpen as by certaine meanes hereunto ordained of God both to attaine vnto many effects and also to the very ende of predestination according to the promise Euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord shall bee saued Luke 11. And in the Gospell Aske and it shall be giuen you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth And anone how much more will your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske of of him But here it must be marked that what things the Saints obtaine by praying they were so predestinated that by prayers they should bee obtained as Gregorie well said To which purpose Augustine also saith Dial lib. 1. Ang. de Ciuit. Dei l. 5. c. 10. that prayers much auaile to obtaine those things which God foreknew that he would grant to them that pray Thus a double error is excluded One is of certaine superstitious men A double error confuted as though the decree of God made concerning some man put the case of condemning him might be altered by sacrifices and prayers The tale of Traiane as the tale is of Traiane the Emperour that when he was in hell the place of reprobates he was from thence deliuered by the prayers of Gregorie The other error on the contrary faulteth as though a thing so holesome and so necessarie namely prayer the onely entercourse betweene man and God as Boethius saith should seeme to haue no force because God hath coÌ„stantly appointed whom he will saue and whom he will damne the one pertaining to his mercie the other to his iudgement And wee must not heare nor tolerate wicked men being Obiection 6 both ignorant and also hurtfull and bold Snners are not excused who when they do amisse and securely delight in sinnes flie to the necessitie of predestination as to a certaine sanctuarie and what things they wickedly commit they say must be attributed to predestination Whereby they would seeme to bee blameles and put all the fault in God as the author of sinnes as Rom. 9. such men say Why is he yet angry For who shall resist his will But Iames rightly reproueth those men that goe about to excuse themselues from God Let no man when he is tempted Iam. 1.13 say that he is tempted of God but euery one is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence Then lust after it hath conceaued bringeth forth sinne And the booke of Ecclesiasticus confuteth a double impietie with one and the same answere chapter 15. Say not thou the Lord hath caused me to sinne for thou oughtest not to doe the things that he hateth Say not thou he hath lead me into error for hee hath no neede of the wicked man The Lord hateth all abomination and they that feare him loue it not He made man from the beginning and left him in the will of his owne counsell If thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commandements Doubtles these are the fountaines of sinnes properly belonging to sinners lust and their freewill for man is not coÌ„pelled to commit euils but he doth them of his own accord and greatly liketh and alloweth them as these sayings of Scriptures testifie He would not vnderstand to doe well And they would not receiue instruction and many more like in the bookes of Scriptures But Gods predestination ought not to be accounted the fountaine of sinnes For by the helpe thereof as Augustine notably hath left in writing wee know that many are held backe from falling Ad â—rtiâ— fals impos but none caused to fall and hereby predestination is the cause that many stand and that no man falleth Therefore saith he it is a detestable opinion that supposeth God to bee the author of any euill will or euill action And when men sinne they serue their owne lusts and desires but when they auoide euill and doe good the waies of men are guided by the Lord to delight in his way And elsewhere Hypognost 6. They that are without the grace of predestination that is strangers from the purpose of God and abide in euill workes we doe not say as you thinke that they are so ordained of God the creator of all that they should perish as though hee made them to liue wickedly and cast them headlong into euery deadly worke Farre bee that from the purpose of God Neither say we as you imagine albeit they be willing to beleeue and to giue themselues to good workes yet that God will not bestow these vpon them seeing such willingnes is the gift of God c. These things that father opposed to that blasphemous spirit that railed on the truth by the Pelagians Huber thes 292 But the same spirit abideth euen at this day in the aduersaries who imagine otherwise than wee iudge as though God forced the reprobates to sinne casteth them downe carrieth them away and violently trampleth vpon them their cause vnheard O blasphemie An instance of 〈◊〉 aduerâ—â—tie But they except against vs that sinners seeme blameles that they obey not the trueth because obedience it selfe in his gift This say they we receiue not why then are wee reproued aâ— though we could giue it to ourselues and by our will will not giue it The argument is such as this is They that receiue not faith and conuersion of God seeme excusable because wee cannot haue faith and conuersion vnles God giue it vs. But such are all those that repent not Ergo. Here the Maior is false albeit it seeme goodly to humane reason because God made man vpright from the beginning and created him after his owne image but man through his owne malice and the deuill the prouoker falling from his vprightnes wherein hee
was first made became wicked Is God a debter vnto vs to restore vs because we lost grace receiued Or shall it not therefore be lawfull for him to require againe of vs that which is his owne He hath power to exact it and hath power also to remit it But of whom it must bee exacted and to whom it must be remitted it belongs to the Lord to iudge and not to the debters Obiection But say they the reprobates while God forsaketh and hardeneth them cannot auoide sinnes And it seemeth vniust if God should punish a man for those things that he cannot auoide Answere I know surely that this seemeth vniust to Albert Pighius and other Sophisters whose wisedome God hath made foolishnes but how vniustly it is manifest for if that reason were any thing worth God could not without a token of crueltie and iniustice punish originall sinne which certainly no man can auoide in his birth Obiection They obiect this also He that foreseeth sinne and doth not hinder it when he may is not without fault God foreseeth sins and doth not hinder them when he might most easily Therefore c. Answere Hereunto some make answere that God doth not put away sinnes because hee will haue his reasonable creature to retaine his libertie and choise of good and euil which otherwise he should lose But if that reason were forcible either Gods grace should be destroyed whereby the godly and elect auoide sinnes or els they must be said to want the choise of good and euill Therefore to answer more truly we must here remember that wee ought not to dispute of the righteousnes of God after the rule of mans righteousnes The first proposition taketh place concerning men and not concerning God For men both by the societie of nature Gods law are bound one to â—nother that one should procure the welfare of another and hinder the destruction But God is bound to none and he may doe with his creature what hee will without the iniurie of the creature as Lord of all and hauing full dominion ouer his owne goods Further because of his omnipotent goodnes and wisedome he can tell how to worke good euen of euill which men cannot doe Which things seeing they stand thus let no man in his heart accuse God who will render to euery one according to his workes Psalm 102. but let euery one blame himselfe when he sinneth and let him say when he is damned Thou art iust O Lord in all that thou doest vnto vs and all thy iudgements are true And whosoeuer is set free let him say Psalm 144. The Lord is mercifull and full of compassion he hath not recompenced vs according to our sinnes Obiection 7 As for that that was added touching despaire that it was bred in the mindes of men by the doctrine of the constant and vnchangeable purpose both of Gods election and reprobation Predestination is 〈◊〉 ground of our comfort and no cause of despeâ—ation it is also a meere slaunder Nay it is the most true ground of all our comfort and saluation that we know that God hath chosen his owne in Christ before the foundation of the world who beleeue in him and hath predestinated them vnto adoption according to the good pleasure of his owne will and that this purpose of free election and predestination is so firme that neither it can bee changed of any creature neither doth God euer repent him of his gifts and calling This thing the places of Scripture euery where confirme which speake of predestination as what the Apostle saith â— Tim. 2. The foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his Doubtles the Scripture speaketh this to our consolation least wee should be troubled for the reuolt of some men from the Gospell and for other offences And more fully Rom. 8. We know that all things work for the best to them that loue God that is to them who are called of purpose For whom he foreknew them he predestinated also to be made conformable to his image c. And thus concludeth I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor any creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu We see how the Apostle armeth vs against all temptations of this world with this perswasion that election is sure and stable whereby wee are chosen in Christ vnto eternall life freely and of his meere loue as the Lord also in the Gospell comforteth vs therewith Matth. â—3 Ioh. 10. Luke 10 11. that the elect cannot be seduced that he suffereth not his sheepe to bee pluckâ— out of his hand that our names are written in heauen Also feare not little flocke for it pleaseth your father to giue you a kingdome And in Iohn Ioh. 6. least the faithfull should be offended through the obstinacie of the vnbeleeuers what soeuer the father giueth me saith he commeth vnto me and he that commeth vnto me I will not cast him forth because I came downe from heauen to doe his will that sent me Therefore by the view of these sayings of Scripture it appeareth that the doctrine of the firmenes of Gods election is reuealed vnto vs for this cause that it might bee the foundation of all certaintie against all kinde of temptations which arise either in respect of our infirmitie among so many dangers of the godly or of the vnbeliefe or apostacie of others from the faith or in respect of other thing Hereof saith Luther notably when he had auouched Praefat. ad Rom. that the decree of predestination is sure and vnmoueable addeth moreouer that this necessitie is most necessarie vnto saluation and consolation He assigneth the reason because we be so wâ—â—ke in our selues that if our saluation consisted in our owne stregth very few or none should bee saued for the deuill would ouercome all men But now saith he seeing Gods decree is sure and most certaine and cannot be altered by any creature wee haue hope to ouer come sinne at the length Luth. de ser arb cap. 144. Hee teacheth the same thing at large and amplifieth it by the consideration of so many perils and deuils daily assaulting vs. Aâ—â—de praedâ—st sanct cap. â— And surely it is a wonder among so many streites wherewith our life is beset that any man had rather betake himselfe to his owne infirmitie than to the certainety of Gods promise and grace Obiection I am vncertaine of my election which maketh me sad But thou wilt say the will of God concerning my selfe is vncertaine vnto me And this is it that maketh me sad and sorowfull that seeing there is a certaine and sealed number of them that be predestinate which cannot be increased nor diminished I am vncertaine whether I belong to that number if I knew this I would rest my selfe in that sure foundation Answere Answere This is one question whence we may knowe our selues to be elect
Rom. 8 Whom he foreknew them he predestinated to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne And whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them he glorified Rom. 11. The election hath obtained it the rest were hardened Ephes 1. Hee chose vs in him before the world that wee might be holy and blameles before him through loue and hath predestinated vs to adopt vs for sonnes through Christ Iesu c. In the same Epistle chap. 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu to good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them To which end tendeth also 2. Thes 3. Tit. 1. that faith as the Apostle saith belongs not to all but to the elect of God But vnderstand a true faith and effectuall by loue the faith not of the deuil but of a Christian man which beeing placed on the foundation suffereth no man to perish as Augustine saith De fide oper cap. 18. Ioh. 6. Whatsoeuer the father giueth me commeth vnto me and him that commeth vnto me I cast not forth No man commeth to me vnles my father drawe him who sent me and I will raise him vp in the last day It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God that is saith Augustine Tract 26. All the men of that kingdome Whosoeuer therefore hath heard of the father learned coÌ„meth vnto me Ioh. 10. you beleeue not for you are not of my sheepe as I said vnto you my sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue them eternall life and they shall not perish By these places we are taught that a true faith and coÌ„uersion be gifts peculiar to the elect and doe flowe from the eternall decree of God touching his elect so that for iust cause we turne our eyes hither when we seeke for the certainety of our election Whereupon Saint Peter also aduiseth vs to make our calling and election sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1. by adding to saith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance long suffering godlines loue to the brethren c. So it shall come to passe that an entrance shall abundantly bee ministred vs into the eternall kingdome of our Lord Iesu Christ In the same sense Paul to Timoth. when he had testified of the surenes of election in it selfe that the foundation of God standeth sure Two seales of the â—urâ—es of our election one God the other outs hauing this seale God knoweth who are his forthwith addeth another seale in respect of vs Let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lorde depart from iniquitie And he addeth If a man therefore purge himselfe from these things he shall be a vessell for honour By all which wordes he meaneth that the studie of holines is the best way to know our election Further the same Paul iudging of the election of the Thesialonians and other faithfull considered it no other way Phil 1. 1. Thess 1. than by the faith loue hope and other fruites of their calling to Christ and fellowship in the Gospell Obiection But the end doubtles deceiued or ouercame this hope and iudgement of Paul in some men therefore faith hope and charity c. are not sure signes of election to eternall life Answere To this I answere that charity iudging by these signes of the election of our neighbor is sometime deceiued Marke this but this is not the cause of the error that faith and charity be not sure markes of election in them selues but because we cannot be sure of the vnfained faith of our neighbor and of his charity out of a pure heart as well as wee are of our owne Of which difference we will more fully speake hereafter when we haue finished this point The second way therefore The second way whereby a man may know himselfe to be elected whereby a man may bee certaine of the predestination of himselfe to life is the word of promise For albeit by a singular or seuerall promise God saith not to thee or me Thou art elected and shalt be kept to eternall life yet there is a generall promise in the word and that faithfull and worthy by all meanes to be imbraced of vs that whosoeuer shall beleeue in the sonne of God Marke this very well and remember it hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but shall be raised vp to the glorie of the kingdome of heauen and therefore was elected vnto that kingdome because this kingdome of the father shall not be giuen but to whom it was prepared before the foundation of the world Vnder this vniuersall promise whosoeuer is partaker of the gift of God let him assume to himselfe in his heart I am faithfull and moreouer let him conclude therefore I shall be saued and by consequence I am elected For the confirmation of this argument we must knowe that the Maior speaketh onely of a sauing or iustifying faith and such a one as worketh by loue for this faith suffreth no man to perish but not of an historicall or temporary faith as is the faith of many men who receiue the word with ioy for they are glad of some tast and vnderstanding of the truth against errors wherein they had been drowned but when oppression and persecution arise for the words sake straight waies they fal away because they haue no root in themselues but endure for a time And if it may helpe a weake minde Matth. 13. whether hee that beleueth may be sure that he is endued with a true faith in Christ let the Apostle be considered â—â—w I may be sure I haue a true faith 2 Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether you bee in faith examine your selues Knowe ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you And surely one of the twayne is necessarie that either the beleeuer knoweth himselfe to beleeue or else if he know it not he is vncertaine also of his iustification seeing iustification is by faith Wee say therefore with Augustine Epist. 112. de Trin. lib. 13. cap. 2. that euery man seeth and knoweth his owne faith in himselfe specially seeing it is not the naturall disposition of faith to lye hid as it were buried but more and more daiely to declare it selfe by newenes of life and the fruites of good works Obiection But thou wilt say I find in my selfe great weakenes of faith many grieuous doubtings wherewith my faith his shaken Answere Well But the Lord is of such clemencie Rom. 14. he doth not cast away but receiue to himselfe a man that is weake in the faith neither doth he quench smoking flaxe Matth. 12. 2. Cor. 12. or breake the bruised reede And as he answered Paul His power is perfected through weakenes Onely bewayle thy infirmity and craue daily the grace of the holy Ghost Obiection Matth. 10. Heb. â—0 But I am in
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