albeit they maintaine as well as we the firmenes and certaintie of Gods election in it selfe yet they would haue it to bee vncertaine to vs as long as we liue in this mortal life whether we be in the nūber of the elect those that shall be saued yea whether in this life we bee in fauour with God neither suppose they that it cā possibly be known without especial reuelatiō such as they attribute to Paul and some few other Concil Trid. sesse 6. cap. 12. Hereupon the Councell of Trent held vnder Pope Paul the third decreed in this sort No man in this life ought so to presume of the secret misterie of Gods predestination that hee should certainely make account that he himselfe is in the number of them that be predestinated as though it were true that he that is iustified either could not sinne any more or if he hath sinned ought to promise himselfe certaine repentance For without speciall reuelation it cannot be knowne whom God hath chosen to himselfe Can. 15. And in the same Session among the Canons wherein the Trent fathers establish doubting of the forgiuenes of our sins and of the grace of God Hee is pronounced accursed whosoeuer shall say that a man regenerate and iustified is bound by faith to beleeue that he is certainely of the number of the predestinate This is the doctrine of poperie and no maruell seeing they are not subiect to the righteousnes of God but goe about to set vp their owne righteousnes of worthinesse and humaine merites For seeing they rest not in the mercie of God by and for Christes sake forgiuing sinnes to euery one that beleeueth but respect also their owne disposition worthinesse satisfactions merites to iustifie thē they doe lesse yet than becommeth thē that they so much doubt of their receiuing into grace or of their iustification For Paul without al doubting plainly pronoūceth that he knoweth nothing by himself yet hereby he is not iustified 1. Cor. 4. Gal. 5. Gal. 3. And to the Gal. Behold I Paul say vnto you ye are made voide of Christ as many as are iustified by the Law and ye are fallen from grace For as many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse And truely this doctrine of doubting of the grace of God in this life or the life to come Reasons against doubting of Gods grace greatly swarueth frō the scope of the diuine Scriptures For the Apostle saith What things are written are written for our instruction that by patience consolation we might haue hope Lib. 3. Sent. dist 26. What hope is But hope excludeth doubting because hope euen by the confession definition of the papistes themselues is a vertue whereby spiritual and eternal things are confidently expected or which is all one Hope is a certaine expectation of future blessednes proceeding from the grace and trueth of God They adde and from precedent merites because to hope for any thing without merites is not to bee called hope put presumption As though it were not presumption rather to aduance merites against grace For if of workes then not of grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11. but if of grace then not of workes Secondly a most strong argument against popish doubting is taken from this that in the scriptures we are commanded to beleeue the remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not onely historically and generally but also with the application of the promise of grace vnto vs as also euery where the holy Scriptures require vs to beleeue in Christ who died for our sinnes that he might restore vnto vs Gods grace that was lost righteousnesse and eternall life To beleeue and to doubt are contrary Now to beleeue and to doubt are manifestly contrary one to the other as we may see in Iames cha 1. If any of you want wisedom let him aske of God but with cōfidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing doubting or wauering hither and thither like the waues of the sea that are caried of the winde And the words vsed in the sacred Scriptures to expresse the force and nature of faith confirme the same thing as that to faith is attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sure perswasiō substance demonstration confidence boldnes which surely signifie not a doubting of the mind but a sure certaine assurance Whereto then tendeth the doctrine and shop of doubting with the papists but to ouerthrowe faith altogether and to turne vpside downe the vse of the Scripture vnto vs which was therefore deliuered of the holy men of God that we should beleeue that Iesus Christ and that in beleeuing we might haue life through his name Hitherto serue the expresse sayings of Scripture Matth. 8. Be of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Luk. 7. Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace The papists flee here to some speciall reuelation but as we doe not denie the same so we say that those special reuelations depend vpon the generall foundation that is the promise of grace made to beleeuers in the Gospell Mark 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned 2. Tim. 1. This also is manfest by the testimonies of Paul I knowe whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe my pledge against that day Chap. 4. Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith hereafter there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue me in that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his comming Also I am perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 5. nor Angels nor principalities nor any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu towards vs. In vaine doe they here except that Paul in those places speaketh onely of his owne assurance that he had by a singular reuelation For he speaketh in the plurall number of himselfe and others that are ingrafted into Christ by a true faith and loue his comming So elsewhere the Apostle generally testifieth Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God and wee reioyce in the hope of the glorie of God through our Lorde Iesu Christ For being now iustified through his blood we shall much more be saued from wrath by him And to the Ephesians After ye beleeued Ephes 1. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest of our inheritance against the day of redemption Iohn also hereto agreeth 1. Ioh. 3. 4. We know that we are translated from death to life And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his spirit These and such like testimonies plainly proue that a faithfull man may and ought to make certaine account that he hath
this benefit of God we receiue not but through faith by the preaching of the Gospell For albeit Christ hath redeemed mankinde from sinnes and reconciled with God yet this benefit had nothing profited mankinde if it were not preached vnto them by the Gospell And the Gospell requireth faith and is to be receiued by faith He that beleeueth not shall be condemned and he that beleeueth shall be saued Wherefore remission of sins purchased by Christ and preached in the Gospell is receiued of vs and applied vnto vs no otherwise then by faith Huber thes 19. Hereunto the assertion is contrarie that all haue receiued reconciliation and saluation whether they beleeue or not beleeue CHAP. III. Peculiar answers vnto those sayings of the Scripture which affirme that Christ died for all THe former generall answere is plaine and sound and may suffice alone yet we think good particularly to examine the sayings of the holie Scriptures touching the death of Christ for all The first place then let this be in this order 1. Tim. 2.4 5 6. The first place 1. Tim. 2. God will that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one God and one Mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus who hath giuen himselfe a raunsome for all Here they first vrge the words that God will that all be saued whereof they will haue gathered that therefore once all men none excepted are in deede saued by the redēption of Christ without any respect of faith or vnbeliefe although many afterward lose againe through vnbeleefe saluation that was obtained But the Apostle entreateth of that saluation which is by faith as Theophilact well expoundeth and the matter it selfe sheweth and not of a certaine vniuersall saluation of beleeuers and vnbeleeuers Further the Apostle knitteth saluation and the knowledge of the truth together as things most neerely ioyned between themselues He will saith he that all men be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth After the like maner therfore let them inferre that all men also none excepted come to the knowledge of the truth that is to faith and by consequence to eternall life which consisteth in the knowledge of God and Christ Thus the argument is fully answered Yet as touching the minde of Paul the place needeth interpretation as Ambrose also admonisheth For if God who verily is Almightie and doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen and earth will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth why is not his will fulfilled Neither say as the Pelagians vsed to except as Augustine witnesseth that therefore this will of God is not fulfilled because men will not For no free will doth withstand God being willing to saue as he teacheth de correp grat cap. 14. for so to will or not to will is in the power of the willer or niller that it hindereth not Gods will nor ouercommeth his power For he himselfe doth the things that he willeth concerning those men who doe not his will seeing euen of the very willes of men he doth what he will Therefore many waies surely that Apostolicall and diuine sentence may rightly be vnderstood that the very beginning of our faith shake not wherein wee professe that wee beleeue in God the father almightie Of which waies we will recite one or two First albeit none but the elect come to saluation and that effectually called by the holy Ghost The first exposition of 1. Tim. 2.4 by that vocation which is according to the purpose of God yet God by his word calleth al to beleeue and to conuert that they may be saued and not iudge themselues vnworthie of the kingdome of God For this is that good acceptable and perfect will of God that all heare the Sonne repent and beleeue the Gospel vnto saluation As also Ezechiel testifieth chap. 18. EZec. 18. 37 Why will ye die O house of Israel Turne from all your iniquities because I will not the death of a sinner Turne and ye shall liue And chap. 33. As I liue saith the Lord I will not the death of the wicked but that he turne from his way and liue For God reioyceth not in the destruction of such as perish Wised 1. Act. 17. neither approueth an vnfaithfull and vnrepentant heart but as Paul testifieth warneth all men to repent But why this gift of grace to wit conuersion without which none can be saued is not bestowed vpon all by him who would haue all to bee saued it must be referred to the hidden iudgements of Gods iustice For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who first gaue to him that he should recompence him This exposition Luther alloweth de seruo arbit handling the place of Ezech. chap. 18. Luther In that saying saith he I will not the death of a sinner we see no other thing handled then that the grace of God is preached and offered in the world which they only receiue in whom the law hath already wrought his dutie that is the knowledge of sinne The rest contemne mercie promised in that saying But why some are touched by the law and others are not touched so that they receiue these refuse grace offered it is another question and is not handled here by Ezechiel who speaketh of the preached and offered mercie of God and not of that hidden and reuerend will of God ordaining in his counsell whom and what maner of men he will haue to bee capable and partakers of the mercie preached and offered Which will is not to be sought after but with reuerence to be honoured as the secret of Gods maiestie reserued to himselfe alone and forbidden vs. And anone after God doth many things which he doth not shew vnto vs by his word and he willeth many things also which in his word he sheweth not that he willeth So he will not the death of a sinner to wit in his word but he willeth it by that his vnsearchable will But we must respect his word and leaue his vnsearchable will Againe comparing this present place of the Apostle with the place of the Prophet hee addeth If thou speake of God preached vnto vs he will that all men should be saued while he commeth to all in the word of saluation and it is the fault of our will which doth not admit him as it is said Matth 23 How oft would I gather thy children and thou wouldest not But why the diuine maiestie doth not take away this fault of our will or change it in all seeing it is not in the power of man or why he imputeth that vnto him seeing man cannot want it it is not lawfull to enquire and though thou shouldest seeke after it yet thou shalt neuer finde it These things so largely I am not ashamed to produce out of Luther because of our aduersaries The second exposition of 1. Tim 2.4 Augustine Secondly this may be the
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
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
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
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
OF THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND THREE BOOKES Wherein the controuersie of the vniuersalitie of Redemption and grace by Christ and of his death for all men is largely handled HEREVNTO IS ANNEXED A TREAtise of Gods Predestination in one booke Written in Latin by IACOB KIMEDONCIVS D. and professor of Diuinitie at Heidelberge and translated into English by HVGH INCE Preacher of the word of God BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KINGSTON for HVMFREY LOVVNES 1598. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the Great Seale of England and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell HAuing finished the translation of this volume Right Honorable I was in doubt whether I might safely send it forth as a matter that would as it ought to be imbraced fauored of eueryone into whose hands it should come or to offer it to the view of some honorable person and to commend it to his fauourable protection and in his name to publish it If I had resolued vpon the first way as I doubt not but it should haue found many friends euen all the louers of the trueth that would gladly haue accepted it so I know it should haue had many aduersaries among vs in this land as it hath had in other countries alreadie and commeth now abroad in our owne tongue from thence greatly reproched and withstood with a spitefull enemie albeit to his shamefull foyle and disgrace in the end And therefore I thought it best to follow mine author as he offereth the knowledge and custodie of the trueth which he here maintaineth vnto a high and mightie Prince so I am bold to offer my translation of so worthie a worke vnto your honorable protection and defence against euill tongues and erronious spirits The cause that is handled here is Gods the ground that it hath is the trueth of his holy word the witnesse and testimonie thereof is the vniforme consent of the Church of Christ beleeuing and confessing the same the matter hereof is the redemption of our soules the comfort of our consciences the stay of our faith and the anchor of our hope If the certaintie of these things right Honourable be called in question and taken from vs that are mortall men what ioy can we haue in any thing that here for a time wee enioy What hope can wee haue of a better life when this fraile one shall be taken from vs and wee all shall be called to giue our account But as Satan the enemie of our saluation hath alwaies heretofore sowed tares among the wheate and corrupted the sinceritie of the trueth with errors and lyes and that vnder a faire pretence so at this day when he could not effect his purpose so farre as he desired by the late and lamentable strife that he hath raised among vs though thereby he hath quenched the zeale of many and made them fall from their first loue hath euen now in our Church as he hath done in others raised a doubt and broâ—hed a controuersie in the maine grounds of our Religion and faith to wit in the doctrine of mans Redemption by the death of Christ and of Gods eternall predestination Wherein as he doth not greatly preuaile because the gouernours of our Church and the consent of all that bee godly and learned for the most part therein are against him so that hee may proceede no further in time to come and that the mindes of men may bee setled in the trueth of their saluation I haue thought it my dutie to the Church of God to testifie my loue of the trueth and my vnfained care of the knowledge of the fame among vs and continuance thereof in our posteritie by taking paines to translate into our vulgar tongue these bookes Herein you shall plainly see that albeit the death of Christ the sonne of God as touching the greatnes of the price be sufficient for the redemption of whole mankinde in the world yea if there were many worlds of them as Anselme saith yet the proprietie of redemption belongeth to those that are not the vessels of the deuill but the members of Christ by faith and the grace of regeneration the rest who liue without faith and regeneration not belonging to this redemption from sinne and death Or which is all one you shall see it proued by infallible testimonies of Scripture by generall consent of antiquitie and of new writers and by substantiall arguments that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper to the Church and not common to all and euery one elect and reprobate beleeuer and vnbeleeuer to the saued and damned You shall plainly see I say that the Sauiour promised to the world and preached of alwaies in the Church by the mouth of all the holy prophets and Apostles is appoynted by the father to be a propitiation through faith in his blood in all and vpon all that beleeue onely and that this benefite of the restoring and redemption of mankinde albeit it be proper and peculiar to the Church as touching the efficacie of it yet it is vniuersall altogether in that sense wherein we beleeue and confesse the holy Church of Christ to be vniuersall Against this trueth the aduersarie fighteth eagerly and impudently with bitter reproches and lyes grieuous blasphemies flat contrarieties grosse absurdities peruerting the naturall sense of the sacred Scripture and abusing the ancient writers But all these his weapons wins him not the victory for either they be blunt and cannot hurt our cause or else the edge of them is turned against himselfe and his owne masters in whom he glorieth Luther Brentius and the rest whose disciple and follower he would faine be leaue him in his bad cause nay are brought in plainely reprouing and condemning his opinion as erronious and speaking for the trueth on our side Nay further it is here flatly auouched that the olde Pelagian heresie and impietie which Augustine long agoe confuted and the Church of God then condemned is the father of the birth and beginning of our aduersaries opinion As for the treatise of Predestination annexed hereto it serueth specially for the fuller euidence and greater certaintie of those things that are handled in the former bookes concerning the vniuersalitie of grace and redemption For the remnants of the Pelagians of old and at this day affirming none at all to bee excepted from the redemption of Christs blood and in respect of God maintaining eternall life to bee prepared for all are therefore fallen to the extolling of such grace because they would in no case confesse that God according to the purpose couÌ„sel of his own will in his secret iudgement but manifest worke maketh one vessell to honor and another to dishonour nor will assent hereto that the number of the predestinate can neither be increased nor diminished Both which points are fully handled and plainly proued against them in this booke Praefat. ad Rom. Luther saith notably
absurdly heaped together as nothing is more absurd For if the originall of these absurdities be considered they spring not from our doctrine but froÌ„ the braine of a malitious person impudently assailing the trueth and of a wicked desire to brabble and slander babbleth foolishlie what he pleaseth according to the rule Accuse thou falsely with boldnes alwaies something taketh fast hold And the very handling is a meere Chaos and a confused heape breathing out nothing but babling and impudencie It euery where floweth with so many digressions repetitions and cuckow songs and as though he had no propounded marke he catcheth at one thing after another so that to him that readeth these things that thing will befall which happened long agoe to a king of the Lacedemonians who when hee had heard an Embassador making an oration on a time very long but confusedly answered briefly and pithily J haue forgotten the first things Huber in Comp. Thes I vnderstand not the last But it is well done that this slanderer who in his booke is carried with a desire to contend I know not whither doth in order rehearse that it maybe certaine what he meaneth those strange absurdities which he saith doe necessarily follow of the doctrine of Caluin as hee calleth it touching the redemption of mankinde for hereof is the question And these they be 1. That all Christian religion and faith is called into question 2. That the face of the Scripture is such that it is made more like to the most lying Alcaron then to the truth of the eternall God 3. That the Catholike and true Church is condemned which hath beleeued and alwaies with one mouth confessed that Christ died for all men 4. That men are driuen to desperation when no man can haue any certaintie of his saluation for that our consolation and Diuinitie consisteth of pure particulars 5. That the whole preaching of the Gospell is abrogated 6. That the Sacraments are taken away 7. That God is accused of deceit and lying 8. That Christ is accused as a deliuerer of God and men 9. That this also followeth specially if the doctrine of Predestination also as our men iudge of it bee considered that God is worthily accused which God forbid of crueltie of reioycing at other mens euils of iniustice and in a word of the vilest sinnes Oh villanies most worthie to be detested of al men Who is not astonied and greatly abashed at such hainous false accusations But let vs heare how he proueth these his absurdities and relying vpon the truth 3. Esra 4. then which nothing is more strong let vs defend our selues against the bitings of this Sycophant CHAP. XI An Apologie or answere to the first and second accusation FIrst therefore he laieth to our charge and accuseth our opinion of vniuersall redemption that thereby doubtles all Christian religion and faith is called into question Why so we require of thee Huber the proofe of so great a crime seeing that no man shall be innocent if it bee sufficient to accuse onely If any Article saiest thou bee approued in Scripture Thes 4â—8 and in the rest following and bee throughout euery side of the leafe taught and plainly declared it is this truly that Christ died for the whole world no man excepted Therefore to denie this Article is nothing else then to charge the whole Scripture with falsehood For if no credit bee giuen to these things indited so soundly and largely by the holy Ghost and containing the summe of the whole Gospell what shall be attributed to the whole Scripture I answere The antecedent is denied to wit The confutation of the first accusation that the doctrine of vniuersall redemption as Huber interpreteth it is the doctrine of the holy Ghost as though all sinnes were alike by the death of Christ forgiuen to all men beleeuers and vnbeleeuers receiuers and contemners For as we haue seene aboue this cannot be plainely shewed by the heape of testimonies which are brought but this is the testimonie of all the prophets and Apostles with one consent and the summe of the Gospell Acts 10.43 that whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus of Nazareth shall receiue remission of sinnes through his name And hereafter also when we shall come to the proofe of our true opinion we will at large make it plaine what the Scriptures teach vs of this present controuersie Wherefore it is the Gospell of men and not of Christ that euery one whether he doe beleeue or not doth receiue remission of sins through his name Therefore let those men lay aside this boasting of Scripture who so plainely contradict the foundation of the Scripture and let them take heede least their owne foote be snared in the gin they haue layed For if they are to be said to stirre vp warre against the Scripture and to ouerturne religion and Christian faith who gainesay the summe of the whole Gospell what reckoning shall the Christian world make of these men The confutation of the second The second accusation ringeth of nothing but Mahumetisme Paganisme Iudaisme by the same lying spirit whereby the Iewes raging against Christ cast in his teeth Samaritanisme and that I may so speake Satanisme Whereupon also seeing the seruant is not aboue his Lord nor the Disciple aboue his Maister we nothing regarde this reproach as other innumerable And that the vanitie of it may appeare all the colour of blame lieth in this In the Alcoran God thus speaketh to the Turkes Disciples of Mahomet If we would we could giue a good and sure way of saluation to euery nation â—â—es 2.76 but now our word is established that Hell may be filled with the society of Diuels and men Therefore it is the doctrine of Mahomet that surely God is able to saue all people nations and men but he will not and that for this cause because he hath from eternitie and vnchangeablie decreed to declare his iustice in the damnation of diuels and reprobate men But albeit this slander doth not much pertaine to this present purpose and therefore may bee omitted for the controuersie now is of Redemption not of Predestination which the aduersarie euery where mingleth by that dexteritie of method whereby he thrusteth this accusation into the second classe whereas it should belong to the third yet that all men may know this shameles person I say that it is a meere cauill and babling For as in the writings of Heathens Whatsoeuer the Turkes and heathens teach hold is not therefore to be condemned as â—â—lonious and wicked for they teach many things agreeing with the trueth of Christian religion so also in the religions of the Gentiles Turkes and others as also of heretikes a man may finde many things agreeing with the trueth of Christian Religion Which things are so farre off from making Christian faith to be in any part suspected or disabled in any poynt that on the contrarie they establish and strengthen the same Otherwise
all things wherein there is found such consent ought to be blotted out of Christian Religion as erronious false foolish Turkish and heathenish As for example the Turkish religion acknowledgeth one God Almightie creator of heauen and earth also it teacheth that Christ the sonne of Marie was sent of God whose precepts euery seruant of the Gospell in iudging ought to follow and such like Therefore let Huber denie that there is one God let him denie him to be Almightie let him denie him to be the Creator of all let him denie Christ to be the sonne of Marie let him denie him to be sent of God let him denie his precepts to be kept of Christians and such like things least hee seeme to haue some thing in common with the Turkes Lastly let him goe on his head because the Turkes goe a foote And if this be ridiculous it is more than Turkish furie and madnes to condemne this proposition as Turkish A true godly proposition though the Turkes teach the same in effect That God is able surely to saue all men but he will not because he hath otherwise from euerlasting decreed What the Alcoron teacheth of this or not teacheth we nothing passe who haue not learned to draw the truth out of the stinking puddles of men but out of the cleere fountaines of Israel and we doe stand onely vnto the iudgement of the diuine Scriptures And they teach vs that God hath mercy vpon whom hee will Exod. 33. and hardeneth whom he will and that he hath raised vp Pharao Rom. 9. and by his example generally vessels of wrath conioyned vnto destruction and doth daily raise vp that in them he may shew his power and wrath as contrariwise he hath prepared vessels of mercie vnto glory that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie What that the Iudge at the last day shall say vnto them that shall be at his left hand Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire Matth. 25. prepared for the diuell and his Angels Doe these things obscurely testifie if we would rather follow the iudgement of the spirit than of the flesh that albeit God is able to saue all yet he will saue some surely of the damnable masse of mankind and damne others according to the eternall counsell of his will A Dilemma prouing that some are saued and others damned and that by the will of God Further seeing it is without all doubt that some shall be saued and some damned it must needes be done either with or against the will of God Not against his will for so he should not be omnipotent therefore with his will and because he willeth it therefore from euerlasting he willeth it vnles we would thinke that God doth any thing by chance or rashly or else that some new thing falleth into his prescience and will Aug. Enchâ—r ad Laur. cap. 103. Augustine confirmeth this reason We are by no meanes to beleeue saith he that the Almightie God would haue any thing done which is not done because without any alteration or change he hath done whatsoeuer he would in heauen and earth Psalm 115.4 as the truth declareth and therefore certainely he would not doe whatsoeuer he hath not done The same man saith De cor grat cap. 14. No free will resisteth God when he is willing to saue for so to will and to be vnwilling is in the power of the willer or niller A notable saying that it hindreth not the diuine will nor doth ouercome his power For concerning those men who doe the things that God willeth not he himselfe doth what he will Luther Luther also in praefat ad Rom. plainely writeth That all things depend of predestination who shall beleeue who not who shall be saued who damned And addeth that which I leaue to be diligently obserued of the aduersaries that the sentence is stable and the necessitie immoueable of predestination that it cannot be changed nor ouerthrowne of any creature But chiefely in his booke de seruo Arbitrio he confesseth it at large that the saluation of some and the damnation of others doe wholy arise from hence that God will haue some saued and others damned according to that saying of Paul He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth And as touching the reprobates he expressely writeth chap. 161. That God of his owne meere will forsaketh hardeneth and damneth men And addeth manifestly that this is it that greatly offendeth common sense and reason as though God were delighted with the paines and torments of miserable persons Also chap. 168. he saith that the loue of God is eternall and immutable and also the hatred of God toward meÌ„ euerlasting before the world was made And many such sayings doth that booke containe as that by his secret and fearefull will God ordaineth whom and what manner of men he will haue to be partakers of mercy that is preached and offered that the will of his maiestie reiecteth and leaueth some of purpose that they may perish that such as be forsaken or hardened by that secret will of his maiestie doe not receiue God willing speaking dooing and offering himselfe againe that willinglie he hardeneth by that vnsearcheable will c. And that admonition of his is very godly In such things it is not our parts to search out the cause of Gods will but to reuerence loue and adore it restraining the rashnes of reason seeing Christ also Matth. 11. bringeth no other cause why the Gospell is hid from the wise and reuealed vnto little ones than the good pleasure of the father This doctrine of Luther O Huber sauoreth more certainely of the spirite of God than those prophesies which thou hast drawne out of him and doest wish to be fastened vnto all the dores of the Temple and to be written in all mens hearts Why then doe ye not admit it into all your Churches and without contention engraue it in your owne and other mens mindes If yee shall doe it it is well but if yee continue to finde faulte with it in vs and after your wonted boldnes by your wicked stile and tongue banish it as Turkish or else opening the dore to Turcisme and other vnspeakeable mischiefe I aduise you consider in time whether you will cast downe the authoritie of Luther in the aduauncing whereof euen vnto heauen you haue hitherto so greatly laboured CHAP. XII Vnto the third accusation FVrthermore it is an impudent speech that the Catholike and true Church is condemned of vs which hath beleeued and alwaies with one mouth confessed that Christ died for all men The Catholike Church hath euer beleeued that Christ died for all men that beleeue in him and not otherwise Iohn 3. Acts 10. Heb. 11. We also confesse that Christ died for all men For who can denie that without distinction which diuers times is expressely set downe in the sacred Scriptures But hereof is the question
for sinne That this definition may be more easilie vnderstoode Aug. al Simplice lib. 1. â— 2 De conâ—eâ—â— gr ca 7 â—pist item 105. Conâ—â—d as epist Pelag. lib 2 cap. 7. passim alibi we must consider that all of vs are wrapped in one and the same masse of damnation and offence and all belong to one mixture of sinners and vngodly if the grace of God be set a side From that masse of perdition whom God separateth by his grace and predestination they be elect and such as shall be saued according to the purpose of God But whom he leaueth by his iust iudgement in that damnable masse they be they whom we call reprobates and to be damned And vnto the damned is rendred their deserued punishment but vpon such as are set at liberty is bestowed an vndeserued grace that neither these should complaine that they are vnworthie nor these should boast themselues to be worthie but that he that is set free should learne of him that is not freed that he should also be punished but that grace hath relieued him CHAP. III. A confirmation of the former things to wit that some are elected some reprobated of God from euerlasting against the error of certaine men that say that all men are elected in Christ. IT cannot be denied The 1. argument that God doth all things with a determined and certaine counsell and that from euerlasting because there is nothing temporall in God otherwise hee should be mutable as the author of the calling of the Gentiles lib. 2. cap 10. hath truely written In God there is no accident motion or new will or temporall counsell neither is his minde altered with the inequalitie of mutable things but he comprehendeth all times and temporall things together with an euerlasting and stedfast regarde Therefore because God and that willingly saueth some men and damneth others for nothing can be done if hee bee simplie vnwilling and against it we must of necessitie confesse that both are done according to Gods eternall purpose And this is nothing els than that God hath chosen some and reiected others from euerlasting The 2. argument Augustines argument drawne from grace to predestination is not vnlike To whom God giueth his giftes freely I meane faith good workes perseuerance in faith and loue and such like he foreknew also that he would giue them freely and in his foreknowledge he hath disposed them from all eternitie But those gifts freely giuen are bestowed by him vpon some and are not bestowed vpon others Therefore hee foreknew from eternitie and in his prescience disposed also to bestowe them vpon some and not to bestowe them vpon others And this is the very poynt that we defend namely that God hath predestinated some vnto grace before others De bono perseuer cap. 19. These be Augustines words They saith he that so knowe that God giueth faith confession obedience perseuerance Cap. 17. c. that they are not ignorant that he foreknew that he would giue and could not be ignorant to whom he would giue doubtles they knowe predestination for to dispose his future workes in his foreknowledge which cannot be deceiued and changed is no other thing at all but predestination And anon speaking of the grace of faith and perseuerance vnto the end against certaine Semipelagians of those times saith Doe they say that happely neither those things are predestinated Therefore they are not giuen of God or else he knew not that he would giue them But if they be giuen and he foreknew that he would giue them doubtles hee did predestinate them In the same place chap. 2. The Church praieth that the vnbeleeuers may beleeue and beleeuing may perseuer God then conuerteth to faith and he giueth perseuerance vnto the end This God foreknew should come to passe This is the predestination of Saints whom he elected in Christ before the creation of the world that they should bee holie and without spot c. The 3. argument Thirdly there is a strong argument from the word Election either that there is no election or else if there be any election to eternall life it belongeth to some onely and not to all For if eternall life were prepared or destinated for all in respect of God it should surely be termed his purpose predestination and loue but not election according to the difference of these words before set downe Furthermore consider I pray thee christian reader The 4. argument Thes 1127. to what end the contrarie opinion tendeth Huber saith that all are elected and alike beloued of the father in Christ and appoynted to eternall life Yet seeing it is certaine that not all are saued Thes 735. he annexeth another speciall election to this generall which is speciall not in respect of God as though hee tooke peculiar counsell for some men but in respect of men themselues who should applie vniuersal grace to themselues Thes 7â—6 for that God did elect with the condition of faith that they that beleeue in Christ should be saued and such as beleeued not should bee damned Marke here to what ende this opinion tendeth What other thing must wee hence collect than that God determined nothing at all with himselfe to giue faith to some and not to giue it to others neither that he giueth it to some peculiarly but that he hath left it in mens power to beleeue the Gospell or not to beleeue For if he giue faith to some surely he tooke peculiar counsell concerning them and let the rest passe But if he giue not faith peculiarly to some the grace of God whereby we are saued is ouerthrowne and let the Pelagians carrie away the victory Further they that imagine so of election as hath been saide confessing in word Gods election doe in very deede take away all election for if it were so God should not choose vs but wee him by receiuing his offered grace and we should be as it were the potters and formers of Gods election Also we shuld be so elected because we beleeue Marke this well Epist 105. Testimonies of the new Testament prouing election and reprobation wheras on the contrarie we are elected that we might beleeue For electioÌ„ surely doth not finde but make men faithfull as Augustine testifieth But least we should seeme to leane onely vpon reasons we haue many and those very notable testimonies in the sacred Scriptures to proue both the election and reprobation of some men as God from euerlasting would either haue mercy or not haue mercie vpon them Christ Matthew 11. I thanke thee O father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them to babes Euen so father because it so pleased thee Matth. 13. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen but the prophesie of Esay is fulfilled in them ye shall heare with your eares and not
Paul to the Philip. To you saith he it is giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake How Augustine recanted his former error By these and the like testimonies of diuine Scripture Augustine being conuicted freely acknowledged his error in this point and retracted it de praedest sanct cap. 3 passimeo libro Ad Simplicianum Sancti Ambrosij successorem apud Mediol lib. 1. quaest 2. contra 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Retract lib. 1. Aug. de bono perseu cap. 12. cap. 23. lib. 2. cap. 1. For it is incident to man to fall and to erre but wittingly and willingly to continue in error is deuillish neither ought any man to bee so vniust or enuious that either he will not profit himselfe or els hinder others that are desirous to profit Fourthly The fourth opinion that the foreseene abuse of free will to infidelitie and other euill works is the cause of reprobation confuted by Augustine other confesse that the cause of election to eternall life is in God alone namely his grace and good pleasure but they suppose no lesse than the former writers that the cause of reprobation is in men themselues to wit the foreseene abuse of freewill to infidelitie and other euil works For they be afraid least any iniquitie should bee with God if some bee said to bee reiected of him without all respect of workes Therefore that they may maintaine his iustice forsooth they write that as many as bee reprobated are reprobated for finall sinne foreseene Among the Schoolemen Scotus and his disciples follow this opinion Scotus Hereupon some of that same leauen haue defined reprobation to be the eternall foreknowledge of the euill vse of freewill Thomas Argentinus his definition of reprobation Lib. 1. q. 2. by reason whereof God hath decreed to depriue some man of his grace in this present life and to punish him in the life to come with euerlasting paine But as Augustine ad Simpl. rightly iudgeth If we should graunt that reprobation dependeth of euill workes foreseene it should altogether follow on the contrarie that election also ariseth of good workes foreseene Which if it be true it is false that it is not of workes Fiftly therefore and that is the true opinion The fift opinion soundest and best as foreseene workes or faith of such as shall be saued are not the cause of their election so neither is the vnbeleefe or other sinnes foreseene of them that shall bee damned the cause of their reprobation but that they are in Christ of meere mercie elected and these are iustly from the same mercie reiected according to the purpose of Gods will which as it is most free so most iust and the very rule of all equitie and iustice CHAP. VII A demonstration of election freely arising oft h◠meere good pleasure of God FOr the defence of this trueth and the larger confutation of the contrarie opinions there be sundry arguments and testimonies of the Scriptures and those most cleere and euident from whence we will onely produce some The 1. reason 1. The cause is not later than the effect But workes and faith in vs and the very will and desire to beleeue and what good vse soeuer of freewill in vs bee later than election For all these things are temporall whereas election is eternall according to the sayings He elected vs before the creation of the world Ephe. 1. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 1. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid He hath called vs with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Obiection If they except that our workes not as done but as to be done and foreseene of God are alike eternall Answere we answere that God foresaw no good worke or will in vs which he decreed not to effect in vs and which in predestinating he prepared not for vs as it is said to the Ephes 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them And chap. 1. of the same Epistle He hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him From whence we vnderstand seeing in that we are predestinate of God to life it commeth to passe that wee doe good workes and beleeue so euen the foreknowledge of future faith in vs and of those good things which we shall doe is later then election at the least in order reason The 2. 2. To the same end it commeth if we should argue thus Good workes likewise faith and what vse soeuer of freewill to worke or to beleeue or els to thinke of any goodnes flow from the meere grace of God as the effects of Gods electiō as at large after shall be shewed Therefore neither as done neither as to be done and foreseene of God can these things be considered as the causes of election For nothing can bee both the cause and effect in respect of the same thing Ad Simpl. lib. 1. Workes saith Augustine do not beget grace but are begotten of grace Two fine similitudes The fire warmeth not that it may be hot but because it is hot Neither doth the wheele therefore runne well that it may bee round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because he hath receiued it 3. The 3. reason If our foreseene good workes were the cause of predestination to eternall saluation they should bee the cause also of our calling and iustification The later is false Therefore also the first The Maior is proued by the rule That which is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused as they speake that is of the effect But predestination is the cause of vocation and iustification as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified The Minor also is most easily proued 2. Tim. 1. seeing the holie Ghost expressely testifieth that we are saued of God and called with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Likewise Paul in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians most largely discourseth of iustification euery way freely bestowed He requireth faith surely as the meane whereby we applie righteousnes and saluation offered to vs in the Gospell but not as of our selues for it is the gift of God And therfore if euen the foreknowledge of faith Ephes 2.8 as from vs be set downe to be the cause of election it will follow that neither iustification is euery way free Otherwise it standeth firme that we are iustified by faith as by a meane yet faith is not
things he ought to do hope for So according to their opinion that should only be the calling of God which is outwardly made by the word As though hee did discerne such as heare the Gospell from such as beare not and not rather the beleeuers froÌ„ such as beleeue not who said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse it bee giuen him of the father And in many places the Scripture teacheth that faith and conuersion what good worke soeuer we haue flowe from God Lament 5. Turne vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned saith Ieremie Ierem. 31. Eze. 36. And it is promised in the Prophetes that the time shall come when God will write his law in their heartes and giue them a newe hart a fleshy hart and take away their stony that he will put a new spirit and the feare of him in their hartes and make vs to walke in his precepts In the Gospell also the Lord speaking of the fruit of righteousnes testifieth that we be able to do nothing without him Ioh. 15. Again ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and I haue appointed you to bring forth fruite and that your fruite should remaine 1. Cor. 4. And Paul saith what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued And expressely the same man affirmeth that repentance is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2. Gal. 5. Ephes 5. As he also reckoneth faith and all good workes to be the fruits of the spirit He testifieth also that we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them Ephes 1. And to take away all doubt he plainely writeth that we are elected before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be holy and blameles Therefore also the Church praieth both for Infidels and such as resist the doctrine of the Gospell that they may be conuerted vnto God also for the faithfull that they may grow in saith and perseuer therein For the things that he hath commanded to be done would not be requested of God except it were his free gifte that they were done The 2. error of the Semipelagians Other men albeit they confesse that good works and faith also according to the growth of it bee of God yet they will haue the beginning of faith to come of vs as if faith were not giuen vs of God but onely increased of him in vs by the merit of our beliefe or of our good wil and so the good will of a man should bee the cause of Gods grace and not grace the cause of our will This opinion Prosper and Hilarie attribute to the Semipelagians Epist. ad Aug. Tom. 7. or the reliques as they cal them of the Pelagian heresie And Augustine himselfe was sometime in this error as when he saith I hat we beleeue it is ours but that we do good Expos ad Rom. it is his who giues to the faithfull the holie Ghost And a little after To beleeue and to be willing is ours but to giue to the beleeuers and willers power to worke well by the holy Ghost that is Gods But he acknowledged afterward this error Lib. 1. cap. 23. passim lib. de praedest sanct and amended it in his retractions and elsewhere where he sheweth at large that not onely faith increased but also begunne in vs is Gods gift the grace of the caller preuenting our wil that we may be willing according to the sayings who first gaue to him he shal recompence him because of him Rom. 1â— Paul 1. and through him and in him are all things To you it is giuen not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake He saith simplie to beleeue not more perfectly to beleeue Rom. 12. Like as that is to the Ro. God hath distributed to euery one a measure of faith Also to the Ephe. Yee are saued by grace through faith Ephes 2. and this is not of your selues it is the gift of God that is eueÌ„ that which I said through faith is not of our selues but is the gift of God The same Apostle saith we are not fit to thinke any thing 2. Cor. 3. as of our selues then not so much as to beleeue because to beleeue is nothing els than to thinke with assente To beleeue what it is Also chap. 4. of the 1. Epistle What hâ—st thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued why doest thou brag Phil. 2. as though thou hadst not receiued Expressely also it is said of the will that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe of his good will his doubtles and not ours Therefore it remaineth firme that the will is preuented of God and that from him it is in â—â—â—led into vs that we doe beleeue Obiection But thou wilt say Gods giftes are giuen to such as pray and prayer presupposeth faith Therefore man of himselfe bringeth faith at the least the beginning of it that he may be capable of grace and the giftes of God Answere But the Maior is particular seeing God giueth some things euen to them that pray not as the beginning of faith other things no otherwise than by prayer And thus Augustine answereth this doubt chap. 16. de bono perseu alijs locis The 2. error of the Papists works of preparation Thirdly there be inuented of certaine men works I know not what morally good whereby a man before faith and repentance prepareth himselfe to grace yea deserueth grace de congruo of conueniencie as they speake And that would they prooue by the example of Cornelius who was endued with the knowledge of Christ while the Lorde respected his prayers and almes By these mens opinion that wicked sentence is maintained Aug. de praedest sanct cap 2. con 2. ep Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. which Pelagius himselfe in his episcopall iudgement in Palestine condemned albeit with an hypocriticall heart to wit that the grace of God is giuen according to our deserts Beside when the Apostle saith who hath seuered thee What hast thou that thou hast not receiued by these mens opinion I may say my worke doeth seuer me my endeuour Ephe 2. Heb. 11. and merite What that the scripture teacheth that we are all dead in offences sinnes before faith that without this it is impossible that we or our workes should please God Tell me I pray what good will had Paul and not rather a great wicked wil that breathing forth slaughter went forward destroying Christians in the horrible blindenesse of his minde By what merites of his will by what preparation of works did God conuert him from these euils to faith In like maner how many enemies of Christ dayly are drawen of a suddaine by the secert grace of God to Christ Lastly the