A Briefe Declaration of the chiefe points of Christian religion set forth in a Table Made by THEODORE BEZE GAL. III. D. The Scripture hath shut vp all vnder sin to the intent that the promise by the faith in Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that belieue At London Printed for Tho Man 1613. GOD the eternall purpose to elect Christ An effectuall vocation Free mercie faith Iustification and sanctification Glorification to life everlasting By mercie and uustice The Iudgement of God the last end of Gods councell is his glory The creation of man Corruption loue hate to forsake Adam no vocation hardening of hart no knowledge of the Gospell Iniustice and pollution Condemnation to death euerlasting By iudgement The Iudgement of God the last end of Gods councell is his glory contempt of the Gospell an vnprofitable vocation prescience or foreknowledge A briefe Declaration of the Table of Predestination CHAP. I. The question of Gods eternall Predestination is not curious or vnprofitable but of great importance and very necessary in the Church of God SAint Augustine in his booke of The profit of Perseuerance chap. 14. saith that they which were against him as Aduersaries in this question did alleadge that this doctrine of Predestinaon did hinder the preaching of Gods word coused that it could not profit As if saith he this doctrine had hindered the Apostle Saint Paul to doe his dutie vvho so oftentimes dooth commend vnto vs and teach Predestination and yet neuer ceaseth to preach the vvord of God Also saith moreouer As hee that hath receiued the gift can better exhort and preach so hee that hath receiued this gift dooth heare the Preacher more obediently and with greater reuerence c. VVee doe therefore exhort and preach but they onely which haue eares to heare doe heare vs quietlie and to their comfort in those that haue them not this sentence is fulfilled that hearing with their eares they doe not heare for they heare with the outward sense but not with the inward consent Now why some men haue these eares and others not it is because it is giuen to some to come and to others not Who knew Gods counsell must that bee denied which is plaine and euident because that cannot bee knowne which is hid and secret Again in the 15. chap. I pray you saith hee if some vnder the shadow of Predestination giue themselues to slothfull negligence and as they are bent to flatter their flesh so followe their owne lusts must wether foreiudge that this which is written of the fore-knowledge of God is false Now surelie this is verie handsome and to the purpose that vvee shall not speak that which by the Scripture is lawfull to speak Oh wee 〈◊〉 say you least he should be offended which is not able to vnderstand and take it And shal we not feare say I lest whiles we hold our tongue he that is able to take the truth be taken and snared with falshood and error Also in the 20 chapter of the same book he writeth in this sort If the Apostles Doctors of the Church vvhich came after them did the one and the other both teaching the eternal election of God purely and truly and also retaining the faithfull in godly life and manners what moueth these our Aduersaries seeing they are ouercome with the manifest and inuincible truth to thinke they speake wel saying Although this doctrine of Predestination bee true yet it ought not to be preached to the people Nay so much the rather it is good to be throughly preached that he that hath eares to hear may heare And who hath them but hee that hath receiued them of God who promiseth to giue them And as for him that doth not receiue it let him refuse it if he wil so that he that doth receiue it may take it drinke it be suffised and haue life For as wee must preach the feare of God to the end that God may be truly serued so must we preach predestination that he which hath eares to heare may hear reioyce in God not in him selfe for the grace of GOD towards him This is the mind of that excellent Doctor as touching this point Which notwithstanding bindeth vs to two conditions the one is that wee speake no further heerein then Gods word doth limit vs the other that we set forth the same thing which the Scripture teacheth accordingly and to edification Wherefore vvee will briefly speake of both these parts first of the doctrine it selfe and next of the vse and applying of the same CHAP. II. Of the eternall counsell of God hid in himselfe the vvhich afterwards is known by the effects thereof GOd whose iudgements no man can comprehend whose waies cannot be found out and whose vvill I ought to stoppe all mens mouthes 2 according to the determinate vnchangable purpose of his wil by the vertue vvhereof all things are made 3 yea eueÌ„ those things which are euill and execrable not in that they bee wrought by his diuine couÌ„sell but forasmuch as they proceede of the Prince of the aâ—re that spirit which worketh in the children 4 of disobedience hath determined 5 from before all beginning with himselfe to create all things in their time for his glory 6 namely men whoÌ„ he hath made after two sorts cleane contrary one to the other Whereof hee maketh the one sort which it pleased him to chuse by his secret will and purpose partakers of his glory through his mercie 7 and these vvee call according to the word of God the vessells of honour the elect the children of promise and predestinat to saluation 8 and the others whom likewise it pleased him to ordain to damnation that hee might shew foorth his wrath and power to be glorified also in them wee doe call the vessels of dishonour and wrath the reprobat and cast off from all good works 9. This election or predestination to euerlasting life being considered in the will of God that is to say this selfe same determination or purpose to elect is the first fountaine and chiefe originall of the saluation of Gods children neither is it thereon grounded as some say because God did foresee their faith or good workes but onely of his owne good will 10 from whence afterwards the election the faith the good workes spring foorth Therefore when the Scripture will confirme the children of God in fuâ—l and perfit hope it doeth not stay in alledging the testimones of the second causes that is to say in the fruites of faith nor in the second causes themselues as faith calling by the Gospell neither yet sometimes in Christ himselfe in whom notwithstanding we are as in our head elected and adopted but ascendeth higher euen vnto that eternall purpose vvhich GOD hath determined onely in himselfe 11. Likewise when mention is made of the damnation of the reprobate although the whole fault thereof bee in
themselues yet notwithstanding somtimes when need requireth the scripture to make more manifest by this comparison the great power of God his patience and the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercy 13 leadeth vs vnto this high secret which by order is the first cause of their damnation of the which secret no other cause is known to meÌ„ but onely his iust will which wee must with all reuerence obey as coÌ„ming from him who is onely iust and cannot by any meanes nor of any man in any sort be comprehended 14. For we must put difference betwixt the purpose or ordinance of reprobation and reprobation it selfe Because God vvould that the secret of this his purpose should be kept close froÌ„ vs again we haue the causes of reprobation damnation which depeÌ„deth therof expressed in Gods word that is to say corruption lack of faith and iniquitie which as they be necessarie so are they also voluntary in the vessels made to dishonour 15 like as on the other part when wee describe orderly the causes of the saluation of the elect wee put difference betwixt the purpose of electing which God hath determined in himselfe and the election which is appointed in Christ in such sort that this his purpose or ordinaÌ„ce doth not onely goe before election in the degree of causes but also before all other things that follow the same 16. CHAP. III. How God putteth in execution his eternall counsell aswell towards the elect as the reprobate THe Lord God that hee might put in execution this eternall counsell to his glory prepared away according to his infinite wisedom indiffereÌ„t both to those that hee would chuse and those also which hee would refuse For when he determined to shevv his infinite mercie in the saluation of the elect and also his iust iudgement in the condemnation of the reprobate it was necessary that hee should shut vp both vnder disobedience sinne to shew his mercy to all 1 those that belieue 2. that is to say to the elect because faith is a gift of god which properly belongeth vnto theÌ„ 3 and coÌ„trariwise to haue iust cause to condemne them to whom it is not giueÌ„ to belieue 4. nor to know Gods mysteries 5. Therefore GOD did this in such sort and with such wisdome that the whole fault of the reprobates damnation lyeth in themselues and on the other side all the glory and praise of the elects saluation belongeth wholly to his onely mercy For he did not create man a sinner for then he should haue beene with reuerent feare bee it spoken the author of sinne which afterwards hee could not iustlie haue punished but rather he made him after his owne image 6 to wit in innoceÌ„cie purity holiness who notwithstanding without constraint of any neither yet forced by any necessitie of concupiscence as touching his will which as yet was not made seruaunt vnto sinne 8 willinglie and of his owne accord rebelled against God binding by this meanes the vvhole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of bodie soule 9. Yet we must confesse that this fall came not by chance or fortune seeing his prouidence doth stretch forth it selfe euen to the smallest things 10 neither can we say that any thing doth happen that God knoweth not or careth not for except wee would fall into the opinion of the Epicures from the which God preserue vs neither yet by any bare or idle permission or sufferance which is separate from his will and sure determination For seeing hee hath appointed the end it is necessarie also that he should appoint the causes which lead vs to the same end vnlesse we affirme with the wicked Manichees that this end happeneth at all aduentures or by meanes of causes ordained by some other God Further more wee cannot thinke that any thing happeneth contrary to Gods will except wee deny blasphemously that hee is omnipotent Almightie As Saint Augustine noteth plainly in his booke De correptione gratia chap 104. Wee conclude therefore that this full of Adam did so proceede of the motion of his will that notwithstanding it happened not without the vvill of God whom it pleaseth by a maruailous and incomprehensible mean that the thing which hee doth not allow for asmuch as it is sin shold not happen without his will And this is done as wee said before that hee might shew the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercie and his vvrath and power vpon those vessels which hee hath made to set foorth his glory by their shame confusion 12. For the finall end of Gods counsell is neither the saluation of the elect nor the damnation of the reprobate but the setting forth of his own glory in sauing the one by his mercy and condemning the other by his iust iudgement Then to auoid al these blasphemies vnto the which the infirmitie of our wits doth draw vs let vs confesse that the corruption of the principall worke that GOD hath made which is man is not happened by chaunce nor without the will of him who according to his incomprehensible wisedome dooth make and gouerne all things to his glory Albeit wee must confesse in despight of mans iudgement which was limitted in the beginning within a certaine compasse and after was miserably corrupted that the whole fault of his damnation lieth in man forasmuch as betwixt the secret and incomprehensible will of God and that corruption of mans nature which is the verie first occasion of the reprobates damnation the wil of the first man is a mean vvhich being created good hath willingly corrupted it selfe and therby opened the doore to the iust iudgement of God to condemn al those to whom it doth not please him to shew mercie And if they would yet obiect and cauill saying that they cannot resist the will of GOD 13 let vs suffer them to their owne destruction to plead against him vvho wil be able enough to defend his iustice against their quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence that which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits turne our minds whollie to praise his mercie who by his onely grace hath saued vs when wee deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked then they CHAP. IIII. By what order God proceedeth to declare after a sort to execute his election WHen God had determined with himselfe the things before meÌ„tioned he by a more manifest order of causes which notwithstanding was eternall as all things are present to him disposed orderly all the degrees whereby hee vvould bring his elect vnto his king dome Forasmuch therefore as he is merciful yet could not forget his iustice before all other things it was necessary that a Mediator should be appointed by whoÌ„ man might be perfectly restored that this should bee done â—y that free mercy and grace which doth appeare in the â—aluation of his
elect But â—an besides that hee is so â—eake that it is not possible â—â—r him to sustain the weight â—f Gods wrath doth also so â—uch flâ—tter himselfe in that â—is most miserable blindnes 〈◊〉 he cannot perceiue it 1 â—ecause he is wholly in bonâ—age to sinne 2 so that the lavv of GOD is to him as death 3 so farre is he vnable of himselfe to recouer his libertie or to satisfie the law of God in the very least â—ote God therefore the most mercifull father of the elect moderating in such sort his iustice with his infinite mercie appointed his onely son who was the very same substance and God eternal with him that at the time determined he shold by the power of the holy 4 ghost bee made very man 5 to the end that both the natures beeing ioyned in Iesus Christ alone 6 first all the corruption of man shold be fully healed in one man 7 who should also accomplish all iustice 8 and moreouer should bee able enough to sustaine the iudgment of God and be a priest sufficient worthy of himselfe to appease the wrath of God his father in dying as a iust and innocent for them that were vniust and sinners couering our disobedience and purging all our sinnes which were laid vpon him 9. And finally with one onely offering and sacrifice of himselfe should sanctifie all the elect mortifying burying sinne in them by the partaking of his death buriall and quickning them into newnes of life by his resurrection 10 so that they should finde more in him then they had lost in Adam 11. And to the intent this remedie should not be found and ordayned in vaine the lord God determined to giue this his sonne with all things appertaining to saluation 12 to them whom hee had determined in himself to chuse and on the other side to giue them vnto his Sonne that they beeing in him and hee in them 13 might bee consummate and made perfit in one by these degrees that follow after according as it pleased him to bring forth euery one of his elect into this world For first when it pleaseth him to disclose that secret which he had purposed from before all beginning 14 at such time as men least looke for it 15 as men are blinded and yet thinke they see most cleare 16 when as in verie deed death daÌ„nation hangeth ouer their head 17 hee commeth sodenly setteth before their eyes the great danger wherin they are and that they might be touched more sharply and liuely hee addeth to the witnes of their owne conscience beeing as it were asleepe and dead the preaching of his law 18 and the examples of his indgements to strike theÌ„ with the horror of their sins not that they should remaine in that feare but rather that be holding the great danger thereof should flie to that onely Mediator Iesus Christ 19 in whoÌ„ after the sharpe preaching of the law hee setteth forth the sweet grace of the Gospell but yet with this condition that they belieue in him 20 vvho onelie can deliuer them from coÌ„demnation 21 and giue them right and title to the heauenly inheritance 22 Yet all these things were but vaine if he should onelie set before mens eyes these secrets by the externall preaching of his word written published in the Church of God which notwithstanding is the ordinarie means wherby Iesus Christ is communicated vnto vs 23 therfore as touching his elect 24 vnto the external preaching of his word he ioyneth the inward working of his holy Spirit the which doth not restore as the Papists imagine the remnants or residue of free will for what power soeuer of free will remaineth in vs serueth to no other vse but willingly to sinne 25 to flee from God 26 to hate him 27 and so not to heare him 28 nor to belieue in him 29 neither yet to acknowledge his gifts 30 no not so much as to thinke a good thought 31 and finally to be children of wrath and malediction but contrariwise changeth their hard harts of stone into soft harts of flesh 32 draweth them 33 teacheth them 34 lighteneth their eyes 35 and openeth their sense 36 their heart their eares and vnderstanding first to make them to knowe as wee haue said before their owne miserie and next to plant in them the gift of faith whereby they may performe that condition which is ioyned to the preaching of the Gospell And that standeth in two points the one whereby wee knowe Christ in general in belieuing the storie of Christ and the Prophecies which are writ of him 37 the which part of faith as vvee shall declare in due place is sometimes giuen to the reprobate The other which is proper and onely belongeth to the elect consisteth in applying Christ who is vniuersally and indifferentlie preached to all men to our selues as ours and that euery man make himselfe sure of his election which hath been hid before all time in Gods secret 38 and afterwards reuealed vnto vs partly by the inward testimonie of our conscience through the holy Ghost ioyned to the externall preaching of Gods word 39 and partly also by the vertue and power of the same spirit who deliuering the elect from the seruitude of sin 40 perswadeth and conducteth them to will and vvorke the things which please God These then be the degrees whereby it pleaseth God to create and forme by his especiall grace that precious and peculiar gift of faith in his elect to the intent that they may imbrace their saluation in Iesus Christ But because this faith in vs is yet weake onely begun to the end that we may not onely perseuere in it but also profit vvhich thing is most necessary for al men to do first according to the time that our adoption is reuealed vnto vs this faith is sealed in our harts by the sacrament of Baptisme and after euery day more more is confirmed and sealed in vs by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper of the which two Sacraments the principall end is that they be sure and effectuall signes and pledges of the communion of the faithfull vvith Christ 41 who is their wisedome iustice sanctification and redemption 42. For this occasion it is so oftentimes mentioned with Saint Paul that wee beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God 43 for whosoeuer hath obtained the gift of true faith hath also by the same grace and liberalitie of God obtained the gift of perseuerance 44. So that in all maner of temptations and afflictions hee doubteth not to call vpon God vvith sure confidence to obtaine his request as farre as it is expedient for him knowing that hee is of the number of Gods children who cannot faile him 45. Moreouer he neuer swarueth so from the right way but at length by the benefit of Gods grace he returneth againe for although faith sometime seeme in the elect