owne contempt themselues dâ—â— first reiect God and by their wilfull obstinacie refusâ— his grace when it is offered vnto them How euidently do these men oppugne the Scriptures of God For if election and reiection depend on the actions of men after they be borne how can it be true which the Apostle teacheth that we are elected before the foundation of the world and that God elected Iacob ad hated Esau before they were borne when as yet they had done neither good nor euill Is not here a reiecting of Esau before he by his owne actuall contempt reiected God or despised his grace Or did Esau more then Iacob reiect God before he was borne Or if we seeme to any to straiten their opinion though their bookes and writings do testifie this to be their sence and meaning seeing our workes committed actually in time can no way be the cause of that Decree which is eternall and before all time Let vs proceed and see if the same works being from euerlasting foreseene foreknown by God as if they had been done may truely be said as some of better note haue taught to be the cause of our election to eternall life Now if we will herein hearken to the Apostles doctrine we shall cleerely perceiue that our faith sanctitie and all our good workes are so farre from being the cause of our election that they are in truth the very effects therof For we are elected that we should be holy and without blame Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle saith of himselfe 1. Cor. 7. 25. that he obtained mercy that he might be faithfull Whence it is manifest that God did not first foresee vs good and faithfull and therefore elected vs but first he elected vs and for this cause decreed to make vs faithfull good and holy in his sight And therefore Saint Austen hauing sometimes taught that God did chuse vs because he foresaw that we would beleeue afterwards retracteth and recalleth this sentence as erronious and deliuereth a truer lesson that faith is the effect of Predestination not the cause seeing the Apostle faith not that hee obtained mercy because he was faithfull but he obtained mercy that hee might be faithfull For we are not called saith he because wee did beleeue but that we should beleeue Againe when the Apostle demandeth 1. Cor. 4. 7 Who separated thee which was an other and principall motiue to Saint Austen to retract his former errour had the cause of our election beene either our faith or good workes foreseene it would haue beene easily answered My owne faith my owne workes my owne good will to embrace Gods grace these being foreseene by God separated me and moued God to elect mee rather then others but the Apostle knowing all these to bee the gifts of God and effects of his free loue and election referres wholly our separating from the rest to the grace and good pleasure of him who saith Luk. 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome that so no man might boast of himselfe but he that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. In the 9. to the Romanes the Apostle disputing this matter of set purpose and at large sheweth that though Iacob and Esau were in themselues alike before God not hauing done either good or euill the one more then the other borne at the same time and of the same parents yet for all this equalitie God loued Iacob and hated Esau. And because this might seeme vniustin the eyes of man that of two being altogether equall and alike the one should be loued and the other hated of God the Apostle proposeth to himselfe this great difficultie as S. Austen rightly calleth it What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God Now if God had loued and elected Iacob for his good workes or faith foreseene or hated Esau for his prophanenesse which from all eternâ—tie hee did foreknow surely this question not onely might easily be answered but there were no difficulty nor doubt at all therein For what vnrighteousnesse can this sâ—eme to any that God should loue Iacob who hee knew would loue and obey him or why should he not hate Esau of whom hee foreknew that hee would be a wicked a prophane person and one that would hate the Lord But the Apostle answereth not in such wise but knowing right well that God without all respect to the good or euill actions foreseene in the one more then in the other loued Iacob and hated Esau and knowing that the good actions of the one were not causes but effects of that loue of God and of his grace which he in mercy gaue vnto him and that the euill actions of the other proceeded from the want of Gods loue and of his grace which hee in iustice denyed or would not giue vnto the other He I say knowing all this giueth another and better answere that howsoeuer this may seeme vniust to the eyes of man yet it is in truth most righteous because it is the will and the good pleasure of God so to doe For I will haue mercy saâ—th God on whom I will and whom he will he hardeneth And that we might plainely see that there is nothing at all in any one which did or could moue God to loue and elect him rather then another the Apostle addeth this Conclusion as ensuing necessarily on that testimony of God So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy The true and certaine cause then why God in particular elected these and reiâ—cted the other is no way in themselues nor in their workes either actually perfâ—rmed or foreseene and foreknowne by God but it is wholly and solely in God himselfe It is euen his good pleasure and will who as he elected vs that is pull'd vs out of that masse of perdition from the rest according to the good pleasure of his will so by the same his good pleasure and will did he leaue others in that masse of sinne whom he made vessels of wrath and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation The reason of both which is that which the Apostle expresseth Hee sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth With what reprochfull speeches this doctrine and the teachers therofare reuiled you are not ignorant their bookes are too euident witnesses thereof And no maruâ—ll if they shoot their arrowes of most venemous words against men seeing they feare not to open their mouths against heauen in the insolent folly of their wits plead against God whose most holy will Iustice in this case they seeke to ouâ—rthrow First say they It can not withstand the will of God to ordain any to be vessels of wrath or to destruction for God witnesseth and that also with an oath Ezech. 33. 11. that hee desires not nor would the death of a sinner but that the wicked
complaine of his wrong But the Almighty did owe thee nothing nor was he obliged to shew thee the least fauour And though hee was not yet to leaue thee vvithout all excuse hee enriched thee with his free bounty and thou hadst greatly tasted of his fauours in that hee gaue thee thy being when hee might haue suffered thee to continue in Nothing in that he made thee a man when if it had pleased him hee might haue made thee a beast yea haue made thee a Toad and especially in that hee created thee after his owne image decking thee with righteousnesse and true bolinesse setting thee in a most glorious and happy estate and giuing vnto thee free will power and abilitie to haue continued so for euer if thou wouldest thy selfe Now feeing thou and all mankind by their owne will and wilfull disobedience didst depriue thy selfe of all that glory and pulledst downe his iust wrath and vengeance vpon thee Why doest thou now repine against so good and gracious a God or how canst thou imagine any colour of iniustice in his doings though hee shew not to thee that vndeserued mercy which hee doth vnto others to whom he giueth both grace and glory As one of those malefactors before mentioned caunot iustly complaine that the King doth wrong him because he did not pardon him as he did some other in the like offence and condemnation So though God deale in iustice with thee and not in mercy as he doth with others yet he doth no wrong vnto thee seeing he ought thee nothing and to shew vndeserued fauour is mercy and loue but not to shew it is no iniustice no wrong at all Whence also may fully be cleered the iustice of God in his reiecting of the transgressing angels There is I confesse great oddes and difference in the reiection of them and of men All mankind was included in one common roote whence all the rest should be propagated so were not the angels All mankinde in that common roote had sinned and willingly depriued themselues of blessednesse and made themselues subiect to the eternall hatred of God so had not the angels In electing men God vsed an act of mercy I will haue mercy on whom I will Now mercy presupposeth sinne and misery so in electing of them God in mercy puld them out of sinne and misery and in mercy gaue both grace and glory vnto them In electing the Angels he cannot be said to haue vsed this Act of mercy seeing they were then neither sinfull nor miserable His act in electing them was onely an act of free loue and bounty in giuing such grace vnto them as that they should neuer sinne neuer â—e willing to sinne nor euer fall from that most blessed estate wherein they were created In reiecting men God vsed an act of iustice and that act was both Negatiue decreeing not to giue such grace vnto them as should free them from sinne and misery as hee did to the elect and positiue decreeing for that sin into which they wilfully now had runne to inflict eternall punishment vpon them All which God himselfe expresseth saying of that reiected person I haue hated Esau that is I haue both in iustice decreed not to shew such loue and mercy to him as I doe to Iacob and in iustice also decreed to inflict that punishment on him which his sinne most iustly hath deserued In reiecting the Angels God can not be said to haue vsed this Act of Iustice seeing hee could not decree to leaue them either in sinne or misery into neither of which as yet they were falne His act of reiecting them was onely Negatiue decreeing not to giue that grace vnto them which hee gaue to the elect Angels such as would preserue them from sinning but to leaue them wholly to themselues and permit them of their owne accord to fall into sinne and his decreeing to punish their sinne was an act of his iustice on the parties reiected rather then an act of his reiection of them In all which Gods dealing to haue been most iust if wee rightly consider thereof will be cleere and manifest For had God at the Creation either made mankinde or Angels sinfull or hauing made them iust had he left them impotent or vnable to stand in that blessed estate if they would or had hee himselfe thrust them forward into sinne compelling or causing them to transgresse then might they haue iustly complained indeed of God Complained first of want of goodnesse in God who had either made them euill or forced them to be euill and then complained of his iniustice who would punish them for doing that euill whereof himselfe had beene the cause and author vnto them But Gods proceeding herein was farre otherwise It was euery way most iust and most equall For he not onely created mankinde and all Angels in perfect righteousnesse and innocency exceeding good and complete in all goodnesse which was sit for their natures but withall he gaue vnto them that which was requisite to reasonable creatures such a freedome of will and so great assistance and aboundance of his grace that by these they might for euer haue perseuered in pietie and continued in blessednesse if themselues had beene willing And although God might further haue giuen both to the wicked angels and to all mankinde such an ouerplus of grace as he gaue to the elected Angels and dayly giues to the elect which are regenerate and sanctified that they should not onely bee able to perseuere if they would but that they should also be willing so to perseuere yet seeing he was no way bound to giue this grace vnto them seeing that grace was meerely his owne to giue it or not giue it vnto whom he would neither can mankinde nor any of the reiected angels complaine of iniustice in God for not giuing such grace vnto them May not I doe with my owne what I will May not I giue my grace to whom I will and withhold it from whom I will Is thy eye euill because I am good For seeing that grace was due to none of them all if he giue it to any that 's his bounty and a surplusage of his loue but in not giuing it to others seeing hee ought it not to any he doth no wrong at all vnto them In the very like sort when first the wicked angels and after them all mankinde had by their owne wils and most voluntary transgression cast off the loue of God and so not onely depriued themselues of that glory which if they had been willing they might for euer haue enioyed but made themselues lyable to Gods wrath and eternall condemnation what wrong or iniustice can this seeme to any not to pull them out of that pit of perdition into which with open contempt of God both those angels and all mankinde of their owne accord and most willingly had now cast themselues If he had for euer left all mankinde as
he did all the transgressing angels in that wofull and wretched state hee had done no wrong to any seeing hee was not bound to shew his mercy or fauour vnto any In that he puls out some it 's a superaboundance of his loue and mercy towards them In that hee leaues the rest to destruction it 's truely iustice on Gods part and on theirs most deserued punishment for to giue vndeserued fauour is mercy but not to giue it or to render deserued punishment is no wrong Now whereas in the last place they accuse God not onely of inuistice but for tyranny and cruelty for creating so many whom hee would permit to fall into sinne and then inflict endlesse and insupportable torments vpon them whereas if it had pleased him he might haue giuen vnto them all such grace as would haue preuented not onely their destruction but their sinne also which was the cause thereof they doe herein bewray themselues not onely to be besotted in errour but such as Gyant-like doe maliciously fight against God Art thou wiser then the Almighty or wilt thou prescribe a Law vnto God whom or how many hee should create or what measure of grace he should giue vnto them Art thou able to answere him one for a thousand Was 't not sufficient to giue both to all mankinde and to all angels so much grace and power as that thereby they might for euer haue stood in integritie and haue inherited eternall felicitie if they would themselues In which one gift consists the effect of all that which the oppugners of this truth either doe or can say to cleere the iustice of Godâ— or free hish from that cruelty which against vs they obiect Or had God entended their death or destruction before he foresaw their most wilfull rebellion then might they haue had some colour for their impious and blasphemous declaiming against the Lord. But seeing no thought of punishing either men or Angels euer entred into the heart of God but in order though not of time yet of nature and reason after his foresight of their voluntarie disobedience and rebellion against him why should they count it either iniustice or cruelty to inflict that deserued punishment on them which they wilfully puld downe vpon themselues Or was God bound to giue them such an antidote of his preuenient grace as would haue preserued them from sinne Besides that he was not so obliged to any in the infinitenesle of his wisedome he saw it was not fit he should giue that vnto them for by giuing such grace vnto all it would haue beene thought that it had been their own and their naturall power which now by not giuing it to some is declared to bee due vnto none and by bestowing it on others is knowne to bee his free and supernaturall gift and grace vnto them Nay by giuing such grace vnto all hee had for euer both damm'd vp all passage to his iustice and mercy and the greatnesse of his loue wisedome and goodnesse had for euer beene obscured And therefore first heâ— would let them know what of themselues and by their owne will they would doe euen runne into destruction that afterwards hee might make euident and knowne all the exceeding riches of his glory The riches of his mercy which could neuer haue beene seene if he had suffered none to fall into misery whence afterwards himselfe would deliuer them by mercy The riches of his iustice who is now seene to be so infinitely iust as that he hath an infinite hatred against all iniustice and therefore iustly inflicteth an infinite punishment vpon it and who therefore would not in mercy pardon all as he might haue done lest it might seeme that hee who is Righteousnesse it selfe had not in a iust and perfect manner hated vnrighteousnesse The riches of his wisedome who is now seene to be so infinitely wise as that he could finde a most blessed meanes both fully euen to the vtmost farthing to punish the offences and so to satisfie his infinite iustice and yet wholly to pardon the offenders and so to manifest his infinite mercy that euery one might with the Prophet say vnto God Mercy and iudgement will I sing vnto thee The riches of his power and goodnesse which both are now seene to be so infinite that hee is able to turne the greatest euill to our greatest good and euen out of sinne to worke saluation and out of death to effect eternall life The riches of his lone to the elect the infinite greatnesse whereof could neuer haue beene conceiued if they had not seene in the iust punishment of others from what infinite and endlesse torments they are freed themselues and freed by his onely loue either most louingly preuenting them vvith his grace that they should not fall into sinne as hee did the elected Angels or most louingly deliuering them by his grace when they were falne into sinne as he did all the elect of mankinde In regard of all which it may truely bee faid with Saint Austen that God being both most powerfull and most good would neuer haue suffered euill to haue beene vnlesse hee had beene so infinitely good and powerfull that he was able euen out of euill to bring good and vnlesse he had knowne that it was a farre more glorious worke and would turne to his farre greater glory when some had sinned euen out of sinne to worke saluation then not to suffer them to sinne at all But what though we in the shallownesse of our vnderstanding either cannot giue or cannot comprehend the reason of Gods will herein Shall we therefore presume to exclaime against the Lord or accuse him for thus doing Doth not the Apostle put to silence the insolency of this folly when hee saith O man who art thou that disputest with God Who art thou that darest aske a reason of his will whose very will is the rule of al reason Much rather oughtest thou here euen with amazement and admiration cry out with the same Apostle O the depth of the richesâ— both of the wisedom and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Yet euen by this little which we haue now said you doe cleerely see both the will of God to bee most holy and his iustice most vpright and both his will and iustice to be without all blame in that his whole Decree whereby hee elected some to giue freely vnto them both grace and glory and left others in their owne sinne to bee led thereby into euerlasting perdition Howsoeuer then blasphemous mouthes doe barke against Heauen against their Creator yet let vs all Gods seruants not onely acknowledge but magnifie as in those whom he refuseth his Iustice so in our selues his exceeding and vnexpresseable mercy let vs cast all our crownes before his footstoole and sing an hymne of praise vnto him who not onely hath made vs of nothing but which is the
celestiall Hauen they will certainly make shipwracke of their saluation the Spirit of GOD assuring them that bee that beleeueth not is condemned already and that euery Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be â—ewne downe and cast into the fire As for the rest wee cannot speake to any one in particular as one retected of God for neither can any knew of another no nor of himselfe neither that hee is a Reprobate seeing at the last watch yea euen at the last gaspe God may effectually call and conuert him and wee in charitie are both to iudge and hope the best of all Yet euen them also if wee know any to bee such wee would not cease to stirre vp vnto all the duties of a Christian life assuring them that if they will beleeue and liue in fanctitie and holinesse they shall be crowned with glory God himselfe saying to Cain whom hee knew to bee a Reprobate If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and Christ proclaiming that whosoeuer beleoueth shall baue euerlasting life Besides which vnto them both whether they be Elect or reprobate it may be further said that as by their refraining from sinne and doing that which is good in either of both estates they shall be sure to gaine so by their pursuing of sinne and heaping vp iniquitie they shall in either estate bee sure to lose thereby For if they bee elect though by reason of Gods ordinance they bee sure to obtaine remission of sinnes and eternall life and to bee in the number of those heauenly starres yet because euen in that eternall life there are many and diuers mansions and one Starre differeth from another in glory the moe and the more hainous sinnes that they doe commit the lesse portion and weight of that eternall glory shall bee giuen vnto them as there is lesse light and glory in those which they call obscure or cloudy starres and those of the fift or sixt magnitude whereas if their liues had here shined in sanctitie in innocencie in faith in purity and in sinceritie then themselues also should haue shined like those prime and fairest starres or like the Sunne in his strength and glory In like sort If they be reiected of God though by reason of their owne peruerse wils beeing hardened in sinne they are sure to runne into etnerall death and perdition yet because euen in that eternall death there are diuersities and degrees of punishments for some fewer for others moe and more bellish stripes the more they restraine themselues from sinne and the more they practise those workes of iustice and temperance which for the substance of the worke are good and such as Heathen men and Reprobates may performe euen by this they shall gaine thus much that their stripes and punishments shall bee farre more easie then if by their wallowing in sinne and letting loose the reines to impietie they had treasured vp wrath against the day of wrath Seeing then whether soeuer they be Sheepe or Goates they are sure by impietie to lose and by good workes to gaine both of them in Tanto though neither of both in Toto euen in this respect if there were no other it behoues them both to labour and striue to represle sinne and doe that which is good that if they be elect their reward may bee more glorious and if they bee not elect their punishment may bee lesse grieuous Lastly in whom I pray you doth or can this holy doctrine breed securitie and carelesnesse Not in them who know or thinke themselues to bee elect For this very perswasion of Gods loue in whomsoeuer it is doth cause a more feruent loue and more earnest seruing of the Lord who hath vouchsafed them so great and vnexpressible mercy euen as the Apostles who knew that their names were written in heauen were most ready and desirous to doe and suffer all things for the loue they had vnto God the loue of Christ constraining them therevnto For as Saint Austen saith Hee is too churlish and â—nkinde qui amorem si nolit impendere nolit rependere who if hee will not bestowe loue vpon God will not yet requite the loue of God freely bestowed on him Not in them vvho thinke themselues Reprobates For seeing they doe not nor can know themselues to bee such why should they deiect their mindes and not rather hope by repentance faith and and sanctitie to obtaine fauour with God and bee found in the number of those of whom the Apostle faith 2. Tim. 2. 21. If any man purge himselfe from these he shall bee a vessell vnto honour Euen as in their bodily sicknesse and worldly estate they labour and toyle neglecting no meanes to attaine health wealth and welfare because they know no other but that God hath decreed an happy successe and to giue a blessing to those meanes vvhich are commanded and ordained by himselfe So because they know no other but that God hath decreed to giue saluation and eternall glory vnto them why should they not labour by faith sanctitie and all holy meanes to attaine vnto life and leaue the successe vnto him vvho hath said and assured them Ezekiel 18. 31. Returne and cast away all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not bee your destruction So many wayes is that their cauill of securitie cleerely refuted by which as by the chiefest engine which their wits could deuise they seeke to ouerthrow both the whole doctrine of Gods Predestination and that certainty or assurance of our election of which we now entreat But they further oppose the Scriptures against vs and against that assurance which we before declared seeing Dauid Psal. 69. 28 desireth of God that hee would wipe his enemies out of the Booke of Life Now if any may be wiped out whom God hath once enrolled among his elect then is not our election so sure and immutable as wee haue taught For answere whereunto I say with Saint Austen God neuer wipes out any whom hee writ in that Booke for if a wretched man was so constant that hee would not alter his writing but said What I haue written I haue written what indignitie were it to Almighty God to thinke him so wauering that hee will write and blot out againe which a sinfull man Pontius Pilate was ashamed to doe Those enemies then of God of whom Dauid speaketh who vnder the colour of an outward profession cloaked their inward hatred to God and his Prophets were written in the Booke of God or seemed so to be onely by the iudgement of men who saw no more then their outside and fained profession they were neuer written there in truth nor according to his knowledge who tryeth the hearts and reines And Dauid to whom Gods Spirit had reuealed their hypocrisie and deepe dissimulation among other curses prayeth that this also may befall vnto them that whereas themselues or other men thought them to bee