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
deliuered from all sinne and condemnation all then of necessitie are or haue beene sometime the Church Than which thing what is more absurd Hub. thes 65. Iohn 15. Iohn 4. Ephes 2. Matt. 16. Iohn 10. For such as bee selected out of the world are the Church being borne of God and built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and vpon the rocke and being the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce Therefore the world and the Church in the world doe differ as Brentius doth well aduise vs in his Catechisme expounding the Article I beleeue the holy Church There are some saith hee that thinke that the whole world or all men in the world bee the people of God The whole world is not the Church yet among all men in the world God hath his people and the Lordes Church but this Article of our faith doeth teach vs that the whole world is not the Church nor all meÌ„ the elect people of God but that among al men in the world God hath his people scattered abroad in respect of their outward coÌ„uersation but gathered together by the same Gospel in one faith And as the whole world is not the Church of God so neither is any whole citie or towne but in cities and townes God hath his Church Thes 1001.1059 c. 4â— c. These things saith he with whom how well Huber agreeth otherwise a follower of Brentius his opinion let him looke vnto it For he is litle or nothing at all from auouching all men to be Gods elect his people and kingdom and therefore his Church For in this life the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of heauen is the Church Aug. li. 20. cap. 9. de ciuit Dei as Augustine largely teacheth The 3. reason The third argument The redeemed are knowen and doe please God at the least in respect of the time and state of redemption But to those that shal be damned the Lord openly professeth saying Mat. 7. I neuer knew you depart from me all ye that worke iniquitie Chrysost in Matt. He saith plainely Neuer But we must vnderstand as Christome aduiseth vs that the Lord knoweth not such not that he is altogether ignorant of them who knoweth all meÌ„ but that he knoweth them not to be his nor loueth them as the Lord is said to know that is to loue and approue the way of the righteous Psalme 2. Therefore such as shal be damned are not of the number of them that Christ hath redeemed The 4. reason The fourth argument is agreeable to the former They that haue not the spirite of Christ are none of his Ro. 8. But most haue not the spirit of Christ For if all men should haue the spirit of God dwelling in them the bodies of all mortall men should also be quickened by the same spirite that raised vp Christ from the dead Besides this as Christ saith in the Gospel the world cannot receiue that spirite of trueth because it knoweth him not nor seeth him Hereupon it followeth that most men are not Christ and by consequence neither Christ nor his benefites are theirs The 5. reason The fifth argument from the adiunct of redemption or the thing that is neerely knit vnto it whose aduocate Christ is their only propitiation is he But he is not the aduocate of the vnbeleeuers and reprobates but of the faithfull and elect therefore also he is not to them a propitiation but to the faithfull and elect The reason of the Maior is because it is the office of one and the same high Priest both to pray and to sacrifice for the people The office of the high Priest and both are required to obtaine for vs the fauour and grace of God Whereupon also Iohn 1. Epistle 2. ioyning these together maketh him our propitiator whom he calleth our aduocate As also a man may see them ioyned together Ro. 8 34 And that Christ is onely for them an aduocate who beleeue or shall beleeue and in a word for his elect hee himselfe hath not dissembled it Iohn 17. I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast giuen me Which place wee haue before largely expounded And if hee did not then pray for the world hee doeth not pray for it now but onely for the elect The same thing is very cleare Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God who iustâ—fieth Who shall condemne It is Christ who died and rose againe and sitteth at the right hand of the father and maketh intercession for vs that is for the elect of whom onely he speaketh in that text Neither doth Iohn speake of any other 1. Epistle 2. Litle children if any man sin we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation of our sinnes And the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes chapter 7. Because he hath an euerlasting Priesthood he is able altogether to saue those that come vnto God by him he seeing euer liueth to make intercession for them to wit for those that come vnto God by him In like sort the authour of the 62. sermon in Ambrose vpon the saying of Saint Iohn obserueth that Christ is an aduocate vnto Christians and a iudge altogether to Iewes and other infidels Origene also vpon Leuiticus For them onely doeth the high Priest Christ our aduocate and propitiator pray that be the Lords inheritance that waite for him without that depart not from the temple but giue themselues to fasting and prayer The sixt argument from the things that follow redemption as are the adoption and inheritance The 6. reason Where redemption is there is adoption and inheritance Adoption and inheritance follow redemption But all are not sonnes and heires to wit the heires of God and coheires with Christ Therefore neither are all redeemed The Minor is proued out of Paul who accounteth them the sonnes of God that are led by the spirit of God and doe mortifie the actions of the body by the spirit to say nothing now of so many places of Scripture that attribute adoption as proper to the beleeuers Iohn 1 As many as receiued him to them bee gaue this power or dignitie to be the sonnes of God Ambro. in 5. Rom. euen to them that beleeue in his name See also 1. Iohn 3.1 Hereupon Ambrose also writeth vpon the 5. to the Romans Such of vs as beleeue Christ to bee the sonne of God are adopted of God for sonnes For he could not bestow any more vpon the beleeuers than that they might be called the sonnes of God while the vnbeleeuers are forsaken For we are called the sonnes of God but they not worthy to be called seruants And Epistle 74. Hee closeth vp his whole argument very briefly saying Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie where is no libertie there no grace where no grace there no adoption where no adoption there is
plaine to euery one by the text that that vpbraiding pertaineth not to true beleeuers whose faith is effectuall by loue but vnto false Christians who hereby that they shew not their faith by works doe sufficiently declare that they are not indued with true faith but are blind and see nothing Certainly it is plaine deceit willingly to confound together those two most diuers sorts of men which Peter purposely seuereth and not to regard what agreeth fitly to either First vnto those that are truly conuerted and indued with a liuely faith in Christ belongeth that setting out of grace that the diuine power hath giuen vnto them all things belonging to life and godlines that they are called to glorie and vertue that they haue obtained great and precious promises and are made partakers of the diuine nature being escaped out of corruption in the world These things are spoken of them who had obtained like precious faith with Peter and his like which surely cannot be spoken of them who haue only an historicall and dead faith that is the faith of deuils and not of Christians Secondly by way of exhortation he carefully seuereth a liuely and a dead faith that they who haue a liuely faith doe shew it by workes and by adding to faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance long suffering godlines loue are not found idle and vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Iesu Christ Contrarily he pronounceth them blinde and such as see nothing but haue forgotten their purging from their old sinnes who haue not good workes Where now by Antithesis he directeth his stile against hypocrites and false Christians Iames 1. and 2. who as Iames painteth them out are hearers onely of the word and not doers deceiuing themselues and seducing their owne hearts And albeit they seeme religious yet their religion is meere vanitie and their faith dead But what is this to the true beleeuers are they therefore in danger of damnation because hypocrites perish in their vanitie Nay it is so farre off that the Apostle should teach that the true beleeuers are damned that contrariwise hee witnesseth that such as bee fruitfull in the knowledge of the Lord doe more and more confirme their vocation and election and that it shall come to passe that they shall neuer fall but haue a plentifull entrance into the kingdome of heauen That whcih is beside obiected out of 1. Pet. 2. that the reprobates also were laid vpon the corner stone Christ The 7. place 1. Pet. 2. we simply deny as being farre from Peters words who writeth of the disobedient Iewes who were offended at Christ that they were * Ad hoc positos esse non dicit impositos Christo The 8. place Gal. 3. 5. ordayned to this he doth not say that they were laid vpon Christ Out of the Epistle to the Galathians two places also are cited as that chap. 3. Paul warneth the Galathians Are ye so mad that when ye haue begun in the spirite ye would now end in the flesh Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine Also chap. 5. Therefore stand in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled againe in the yoke of bondage Behold I Paul say vnto you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing ye are made voide of Christ as many as are iustified by the law are fallen from grace Of these words it seemeth to follow that they may be reprobated who haue been redeemed and set at libertie by Christ and who were truely iustified and regenerated and ingraffed into Christ as liuely members Expos epist. ad Gal. First I answere that it is not manifest that the Galathians fell away finally nay in the iudgement of Augustine they had not yet fallen or yeelded to the seducers but were wauering and did not fall away But yet not to contend about that whereabout I see interpreters disagree this is certaine that if they were already caried away with the error of the false Apostles Cap. 5.10 yet they erred not finally according to the saying of the Apostle J am perswaded of you in the Lord that ye will not be otherwise minded Whereupon also hee saith not flatly ye haue suffered so many things in vaine but by way of correction addeth which thing Huber of purpose concealeth if yet in vaine signifying that he is perswaded of better things and such as accompanie the saluation of the Galathians although he speake very sharpely to reproue them Question Why then doth he so intreate them as men that be in the extreame danger of saluation Answere Because those horrible euils which those seducers labour to insnare them in were greater than could be vttered and that sharpenes was good for the Galathians to keepe them in the doctrine of faith by the consideration of destruction Secondly the consequence of the propounded argument is denied which Huber would faine seeme to proue three waies First because some beginning in the spirite doe ende in the flesh The Syllogisme will be thus They that begin in the spirite are iustified and redeemed But some beginning in the spirite are reprobated because after they haue begun in the spirite they end in the flesh Therfore some of the number of reprobates were iustified and redeemed Here the Maior taken vniuersally is denied therefore the conclusion is of pure particulars The Maior is true onely of such as haue the spirit of iustification and regeneration But God doth not suffer those who haue so begun in the spirit to end in the flesh Phil. 1. but he maketh perfect in them his own good worke vnto the day of Christ Iesu Notwithstanding many begin in the spirit How many begin in the spirit as far forth as they professe the doctrine of the spirit or of the Gospell touching free iustification by Christ or else haue receiued also some spirituall gifts who whiles they returne not from their errors repugnant to the Gospell whereinto they fell or otherwise by their vnthankefulnes are depriued of those gifts of the spirit are said to bee perfected in the flesh whereas they began in the spirite His second proofe leaneth on the saying Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine But the Maior is false vniuersallie taken namely this That whosoeuer suffer for the Gospell in vaine they are reprobates hauing once receiued the grace of iustification 1. Cor. 13. For it may be as the Apostle witnesseth that they who haue not charitie and therefore neither true faith and iustification may yet suffer aduersitie but all in vaine Thirdly thus he proueth it As many as be of the works of the Law or would be iustified by works are subiect to the curse But some redeemed from the curse of the Law do fal againe into the Pharisaicall error of the righteousnes of workes Therefore some once redeemed are againe insnared in the curse Here the answere vnto the minor is manifest that they who are truely made
any man of sound iudgement he malapertly saith Thes 489. that the Caluinian ministers are the hangmen of the reprobates who draw them vnto exquisite torments that were from euerlasting condemned and doe hew them in peeces if that bee true that they heare the word of God vnto condemnation What then In what reckoning will he haue the Prophet Esay to bee to whom it was said when he saw the glorie of God Esay 6. Goe make fat the heart of this people and shut their eies Which place surely of the Prophet is repeated not rashly in the New Testament sixe times of the blinding of the Iewes Shall we therefore with a Huberian scoffe call either the Prophet or Christ Iesus whose glorie then Esay saw hangmen Farre be this malapertnes from a Christian heart 2. Cor. 2. But rather by the witnes of the Apostle we are the sweet sauour of Christ to God both in them that perish and in those that are saued to the one the sauour of death to death but to the other the fauour of life to life yet alwaies to God the sweete sauour of Christ in both respects Lastly it must be noted that it maketh no matter here whether it so come to passe either by the foreappointment or by the foreknowledge onely of God that the preaching of the Gospell vnto the reprobates turneth vnto their iudgement For both the foreknowledge and also the foreappointment of God is vnfallible Wherefore seeing the aduersarie cannot denie at the least foreknowledge in God for their more grieuous condemnation who will not obey the word the cauils already alleadged must of necessitie fall vpon his owne head And of these enough CHAP. XV. To the sixt absurditie I Proceed to that which was obiected of the Sacraments to wit Thes 37. The 6. absurditie that Baptisme is taken away That the Sacraments are taken away vnlesse with hand and foote as they say we bee of Hubers opinion touching the vniuersalitie of redemption Of Baptisme he giueth this reason that no certaine grace and saluation is promised to the baptized His argument will be thus By whose opinion no certaine grace and saluation is set forth vnto such as are baptized by their opinion Baptisme is taken away But by their opinion who think that by the death of Christ all men are sufficiently but not effectually redeemed so as al and euery one haue remission of sinnes and are receiued into the grace of God iustified and saued whether they beleeue or not by the opinion of these I say no certaine grace and saluation is propounded to such as are baptized Ergo by their opinion Baptisme is taken away Vnles the argument bee thus framed I see not how any thing can bee concluded to the purpose But the minor is denied Huber surely thes 1019. sendeth vs vnto the things which hee hath from his 386. thes vnto the 431. but if those be looked into and examined it will appeare that nothing is there contained sauing an extrauagant and idle heape of certaine questions ilfauouredly tumbled together concerning Baptisme But without such long circumstances O Huber this thou shouldest proue that vpon the setting downe of the contradictorie of thine opinion of the generalitie of redemption there would follow the ouerthrow of Baptisme and that therefore because no certaine grace and saluation can then bee promised to them that bee baptized This this shew if thou canst omitting thy manifold digressions whereby thou vsest miserably to intangle thy reader and turne him away from the point Surely as for vs The principall vse of Baptisme wee haue learned out of the diuine Scriptures and do constantly teach that the vse of sacred Baptisme tendeth to this end and that principally that it may seale and confirme vnto vs the promise of grace and eternall life For take away the promise of grace from baptisme and thou shalt take away the nature of a Sacrament because according to the vsuall definition of Augustine Augustine dâ—fition of it A Sacrament is a visible forme of inuisible grace Hereupon are those promises He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued Mar. 16. And in the words of Peter Act. 2. Repent ye and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesu Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Also 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs. And Tit. 3. Of his mercie he saued vs through the lauer of regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost and such like which are read in the Scriptures of the vertue of Baptisme Which things Basill in his exhortation to Baptisme wittily seemeth to comprehend Baptisme saith he is the releasing of captiues and debt the death of sinne the renuing of the mind the shining garment the way of heauen the getting of the kingdome of heauen and the grace of adoption For holy Baptisme is the seale of so many things to the faithfull Rom. 4. as the Apostle speaketh of Circumcision that it was giuen to Abraham for a seale of the righteousnes of faith teaching that Circumcision was not giuen for righteousnes but for a seale of righteousnes which is by faith And I say to the faithfull because neither the word nor Baptisme promiseth any thing to or profiteth the vngodly and vnbeleeuers For it is a word of promise He that beleeueth and is baptized Vnbeleeuers are not partakers of the grace of Baptisme although they be Baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned whether he be baptized or not And Ephes 5. wee reade that the Church is sanctified of Christ the bridegrome and washed in the fountaine of water in the word Why in the word Because euen in the water the word cleanseth and not the water it selfe as Augustine Tract 80. vpon Iohn expoundeth And the same man addeth Whence commeth so great force of water that it toucheth the bodie and washeth the heart but by the word which doth it and that not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued The same man vpon the 77. Psalme writeth thus of the Iewes Whereas the Sacraments were common to all grace was not common which is the vertue of the Sacraments So now also the lauer of regeneration is common to all that are baptized but grace it selfe whereby the members of Christ with their head are regenerated is not common to all Againe lib. 5. cont Donatist cap. 24. he saith that Baptisme may be without the spirit and that some of those that are baptized doe put on Christ while they are receiuing of the Sacrament others by continuing in holines of life That is common to good and euill and this is proper to the good and godly And truely it is in the schooles receiued and allowed Many testimonies prouing that Baptisme doth profit the beleeuer onely that such as come without faith and fainedly receiue the Sacrament and not the thing by the example of Simon Magus of whom Augustine
vpon Leuiticus quaest 84. witnesseth that visible Baptisme did him no good because he had not the inuisible Hitherto let Luthers sayings be referred Luth. in Gen. 17 that baptisme is erected for a signe of righteousnes to all that beleeue in Christ. That the vertue of Baptisme consisteth in the vse or faith of him that receiueth it Also De Cap. Basil in 3. Ioel. that holie Baptisme is the fountaine of saluation whereof they that drinke that is In Gen. 48. beleeue the promise added doe neuer thirst And that he generally elsewhere pronounceth that the Sacrament worketh not grace without faith and hee taxeth the dreame of the papists that Baptisme profiteth thee and iustifieth thee whether thou beleeuest or not Neither saith Brentius otherwise Brentius explicat Catechis de Baptis where among other things he writeth that Baptisme is a seale whereby Christ publikely confirmeth that he deliuereth and giueth those speciall heauenly good things that are promised in the Gospell to him that beleeueth Againe that Baptisme is a royall vnction the Sacrament confirming and publishing that thing which a man before had receiued by faith for man is not then first receiued into the Lords tuition seeing before he was receiued by faith but then his admission is first confirmed by an externall signe And handling that promise He that beleeueth c. plainely saith thus Baptisme as it profiteth much if in faith it be redeemed so it doth no good if it be without faith and he maketh mention of an example out of the tripartite History lib. 11. cap. 14. of a certaine Iewe a craftie fellow who would often receiue Baptisme not for that he beleeued in Christ but that by this meanes hee might get money of Christians who albeit hee was Baptized yet was not truely made a Christian by his Baptisme The same Brentius vpon Iohn fol. 119. expressely writeth that not euery one that is Baptized is regenerated for faith must be required not to the perfection of the Sacrament but to the profite of the receiuer Chytraeus Likewise Dauid Chytreus Tract de bapt printed at Wittenberge 1580. saith That ministers doe Baptize with water pronounce the word and giue water but Christ Baptiseth with the holy Ghost and regenerateth the beleeuers Againe many being washed in water and not bringing to Baptisme true faith are Baptized not with the inspiration of the holy Ghost but with water onely as Simon Magus Ia. Andr. Col. Momp pa. 486. thes 6◠30. These things largely set downe doe shew to whom belongeth the promise of grace in Baptisme against the error and more than a dreame of certaine men to wit that regeneration is giuen to all in Baptisme beleeuers and vnbeleeuers and that if an vnbeleeuing hypocrite be Baptized he is not onely outwardly Baptized in water but inwardly also by the holy spirit yea euen Simon Magus no lesse then others receiued grace in Baptisme This doubtles is to administer Baptisme not for a Sacrament of Christ but for Christ himselfe as the Apologie of the Confession of Wittenberge casteth in the papists teeth who say the same thing that these men doe to wit that remission of sinnes is wrought by Baptisme by the very vertue of the Sacrament and Gods promise and not onely by faith Let the papists then haue the victorie and the confession of the Duke of Wittenberge will lie in the dust being ouerthrowne by the very men that ought to defend it Obiection of infants faith But what shall we say of infants Baptized Cannot Baptisme saue them without faith I answer Although we haue some men in our time who thinke that euen infants beleeue and would haue all men so to thinke yet the contrarie opinion of Augustine and other olde writers is more sincere and safe Augustine For thus Augustine vpon Iohn tract 80. Infants cannot beleeue saith This word of faith onely is of force in the Church that euen neuer so little clenseth the infant by the Church beleeuing offering blessing and touching it though the infant cannot beleeue with the hart to righteousnes and with the mouth confesse to saluation Likewise in his fourth booke of Baptisme chapter 24. hee saith Infants through want of age can neither beleeue with the heart to righteousnes nor with the mouth confesse to saluation See also his 23. epistle to Bonifacius and Iustine Martyr question 56. Barnard also alloweth the same opinion Epist 77. Infants because their age hindred them cannot haue faith The reason is plaine And why they cannot for faith presupposeth knowledge of those things that are to be beleeued And that little children do know diuine things who as yet vnderstand not humaine if wee would by words declare saith Saint Augustine also Epist 57. we must be afraide least we be thought to doe iniurie to our very senses seeing that by speaking we endeuour to perswade a thing where the euidence of the trueth is greater than all the strength and force of speech Moreouer they that maintaine the faith of little children The contrary opinions of Brentius and Andr touching the faith of infants doe not a little disagree in opinions some thinking that faith is giuen them in Baptisme and others before Baptisme Of the later opinion is Brentius Explicat Catechis where hee maketh this argument God acknowledgeth none truely in the number of his people vnles he doe beleeue and maketh his assumption of infants The infants of Gods people in olde time were part of Gods people euen before they were circumcised and therefore our infants now also pertaine to the people of God euen before they be Baptized according to the promise made to Abraham Gen. 17. I will be thy God and God of thy seede after thee Contrariwise Iacob Andree Brentius his successor defendeth the former opinion Colloq Mompel fol. 458. Before infants saith he be Baptized I cannot affirme that they doe beleeue because faith is giuen vnto them in Baptisme And streight after Infants Baptized haue the grace of adoption freely giuen them with faith and the holy Ghost Likewise Luther in 17. Gen. albeit in his booke of praying he seeme to thinke otherwise hath left it written that the children of the Israelites had this blessing that on the eight daye faith was giuen them and they were made the people of God which thing he would haue in like manner vnderstoode of the Children of Christians in their Baptisme And this opinion surely is driuen to a great straight because of infants in olde time that dyed before the eyght day when they should be circumcised and depart this life daily as yet without Baptisme being depriued of it not of any contempt but of necessitie whom yet they both doe rather reckon in the number of such as be saued seeing the couenant of God is not transgressed or made frustrate Luth. in 17. Gē Col. Momp pag. 496. But after their opinion no man be he a childe or a man
no succession But where faith is there is libertie adoption and inheritance The 7. reason The Maior The seuenth argument from another consequent that is from sanctification and conuersion Whosoeuer are redeemed are also sanctified conuerted and regenerated according to the promise A deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away iniquities from Iacob and this is my couenant with them Sanctification and conuersion necessarily follow redemption when I shall take away their sinnes saith the Lord. Which place out of the 59. of Isaie Paul Rom. 11. applieth to the conuersion of Israel and from thence sheweth that conuersion is ioyned with deliuerance or redemption Whereto also pertaineth the saying of Iohn 1. Epistle 3. Hee that committeth sinne is of the deuill but for this cause was the sonne of God reuealed that he might destroy the workes of the deuill Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not He speaketh of practising righteousnes as whereby the sonnes of God were discerned from the sons of the deuill such as sinne are of the deuill such as do righteousnesse are of God thorow Christ who destroyeh in vs the workes of the deuill not onely by forgiuing sinnes but also by renewing our corrupt nature to doe the workes of righteousnes The circumstance of the words and the scope do teach this exposition and Augustine confirmeth it in Hypognosticâ— lib. 3. where withal he alleageth that which is written Heb. 9. that the blood of Christ who by his eternall spirit offered himselfe to God doth purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God See also in Zacharies song Luk. 1. vers 74. Tit. 2. vers 14. 1. Cor. 1. vers 30. Eph. 5.26 Act. 5. ver 31.74 Tit. 2. vers 14. 1. Cor. 1. vers 30. Eph. 5.26 Act. 5. ver 31. in Peters words and in his 1. Epistle 2. ver 24. but most plentifully of all Rom. 6. and 7. chapters All which places without gainsaying doe witnesse that the sanctification or renouation of a man to practise righteousnes and good workes are necessarily ioyned with the gift of redemption Here now let vs set downe the assumption The Minor which the holy Scripture and experience doe plainly and sufficiently conuince that not all men bee endued with the spirit of sanctification for their conuersion and renewing of their life It is proued Because this sanctification is not without the free giuing of the holy spirit but the world cannot receiue that spirit Ioh. 14. Further this gift consisteth herein 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 8. 7. Luk. 1. that being dead to sinnes wee should liue to righteousnesse and should serue God in his sight with holines and righteousnesse all the daies of our life And is this giuen to all men nay it properly belongeth to the sonnes of promise and of the new couenant as the Lord saith I will put my lawes in their minds and in their hearts will I write them and all shall know me Iere. 31. Heb. 8. and I will be mercifull to their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more Also I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit within you and I will take away your stonie heart Eze. 36. will giue you a fleshy heart and I will make you to walke in my precepts and to keepe my iudgements and ye shall bee my people and I will be your God Which things seeing they be thus we conclude also The conclusioÌ„ that redemption belongeth not to all men but to the children of the promise onely Now the aduersary two maner of waies runneth a ground about this argument Hub. thes 1089 first in that be laboureth to wrest sanctification indifferently vnto the whole progenie of men and yet alleageth no fit testimonie of Scripture to proue it which as we haue seene plainly declareth the contrarie Thes 1096. Secondly in that he either craftily depraueth the force of the argumeÌ„t or els doth not vnderstand it to wit as though froÌ„ the coherence of the double benefit of redeÌ„ption and sanctification we reasoned thus God requireth sanctification of his redeemed ones therefore the greatest part is not redeemed because it doth not practise godlines But our reasoning is not drawne from our dutie but from Gods benefit promising that he will giue to the redeemed a new heart and a new spirit and so will cause them to walke in his waies by putting and writing them in their mindes not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in stony tables but in the tables of the heart The 8. reason The 8. Argument neerely agreeth with the seuenth In the redeemed ones the will also is redeemed by Iesu Christ The will is redeemed and set free in all those that be redeemed otherwise the best thing in man was not redeemed Therefore by graunting the redemption of all faithfull and Infidels it should follow that the will also in all is redeemed and healed and so free will should bee established in all whomsoeuer whereas yet they that are ignorant of Christ and beleeue not in him doe serue sinne and are not able to will or goe about any thing that is good as Luther hath notably proued in his booke de seruo arbitrio The 9. reason The 9. Argument from another consequent which is blessednes and eternall life Eternall life Eâ—â—â—â—â—lessedâ—â—s to low â—â—ose that be redeemed effectually Whosoeuer are effectually redeemed shall not perish but shall haue eternall life But the vnbeleeuers doe perish for hee that beleeueth not shall be damned Therefore the vnbeleeuers are not effectually redeemed The Maior is fully proued by these sayings Being iustified by his blood we shall now much more bee saued from wrath by him For if when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more now shal we be saued by his life Rom. 5. And chap. 8. Whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth Againe If God be for vs who is against vs euen he that hath not spared his own sonne but giuen him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead yea rather who is also risen againe and maketh intercession for vs. Paul is manifestly of this iudgement that they shall neuer be damned for whom Christ dyed rose againe and maketh intercession Notably saith Ambrose Ambr. de Iacob vita beata lib. 1. cap 6. He that hath giuen vs the author of all excepteth nothing There is nothing then that we may feare can possibly be denied vs there is nothing wherein we ought to bee doubtfull of the continuance of Gods bountifulnes whose plentie hath been of so long continuance An excellent saying and of great comfort to a penitent heart if it be oft remembred and alwaies ready so that first he would predestinate then he would call and
503. 1097 lib. germ fol. 8. vnheard of before in the eares of Christians if it be lawfull to beleeue it it brake forth about sixe yeares a goe namely in a Conference held at Mompelgard in the yeare of our Lord 1586. O miserable ignorance of antiquitie ioyned with marueilous licentiousnes and malice and very true is that which is commonly said Ignorance is rash and bold First with what face doth he accuse of noueltie a doctrine so grounded in the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures that is in the canon of the trueth that whosoeuer rusheth against this oke against this inuincible wall he is broken all to peeces himselfe We say nothing but such things which the Prophets and Moses Act. 10.23 26.18 Euangelists and Apostles haue testified with one accord to wit that euery one that beleeueth in the name of Christ and not the vnbeleeuers receiueth remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified If this doctrine be slandered of noueltie by them that be themselues the authors and fauourers of new opinions wee must beare it with Paul Act. 17. whose doctrine also we reade in the Acts seemed new to the Athenians that were ignorāt of the truth and drowned in Idolatrie The consent of all antiquitie on our side Further that the vanitie of this fable may more appeare goe too indifferent readers bring hither your eyes and eares and weigh with me the agreeing consent of antiquitie Testimonies These be the words of the Church of Smyrna in the epistle of the martyrdome of Polycarpus their Bishop The church of Smyrna which is recited of Eusebius Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 15. Christ suffered for the saluation of the whole world of them that shall bee saued therefore he must bee worshipped and adored as the sonne of God but the martyrs must as disciples and followers of the Lord be worthily loued for their inseparable good will toward their king and master and not bee worshipped To what purpose is it that the world of them that shall be saued is speciallie expressed if as touching effect Christ suffered alike for all the damned and those that shall bee damned as for Peter Paul and all them that are saued or shall be saued Iustine the holy martyr of Christ of the same time and age with Polycarpus Iustine martyr and in the same heate of persecution crowned with martyrdome by M. Aurel. Antoninus and Lucius Commodus Ver. Emper. in the booke of the trueth of Christian religion saith Christ is made an oblation for all sinners that are willing to turne and repent And in the same booke beyond the middest Our Christ suffered and was crucified he lay not vnder the curse of the law but shewed cleerely that he onely would deliuer them that would not fall away from his land that is all the faithfull And as the blood of the Passeouer deliuered them that were saued in Egypt so the blood of Christ shall deliuer them that beleeue from death And in this sense in the same place anone he addeth that saluation happened to mankinde by the blood of Christ to wit as farre forth as all beleeuers throughout the world are freed from death by him but not as though all men without difference of faithfull and vnfaithfull were translated from sinne to righteousnes from death to life and saluation by him as our aduersaries dreame The same man about the end of the same booke denieth that sinnes are forgiuen to impenitent vncleane foolish and desperate persons alleadging the example of Dauid whose sinne was then forgiuen when he repented Againe in the beginning of the booke almost he witnesseth that such as repent are clensed through the blood of Christ by faith who died for the same cause Ireneus saith The word of God incarnate was hanged on the tree that he might briefly comprise all things in himselfe I Ireneus lib. 5. saith he when I shall be lifted vp from the earth will draw all things or all men vnto mee This he sayd signifying what death he should dye Christ in his passion hanging on the crosse alone saueth all men that doe not depart from the land of promise that is the faithfull continuing in grace to the end The same writer lib. 4. cap. 37. saith We are saued as Rahab the harlot by the faith of the scarlet signe that is by the passion and blood of Christ through faith They that make no account of this signe of scarlet like Pharisees haue no part in the kingdome of heauen And lib. 2. cap. 39. he saith Christ came to saue all men by himselfe all I say that by him are borne again in God infants children boyes yong men and old men Origene vpon Leuit. The high Priest and aduocate Christ praieth for them onely that be the Lords portion Origene who waite for him without who depart not from the temple where they giue themselues to fasting and praier Againe Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 24. Christ hath brought libertie to them that lawfully readily and heartily serue him and brought eternall perdition to such as contemne and rebell against God cutting them off from life Ambrose de fide ad Gratianum Augustum lib. 4. cap. 1. Ambrose If thou beleeuest not Christ came not downe for thee he suffered not for thee The same man vpon 1. Cor. 15. As Adam sinning found death and all that come of him die so Christ not sinning and hereby ouercomming death hath purchased life for all that are of his body The same restraint he vseth vpon the saying Rom. 5. that the righteousnes of one redoundeth vpon all men to the iustification of life The righteousnes saith he of Christ onely iustifieth all beleeuers and by his obedience many and not all are made righteous Neither saith he this onely but also he expressely reiecteth the deuise of the aduersaries of so generall a iustification as condemnation is generall Hub. thes 49. The same writer vpon the 8. of Luke saith Albeit Christ died for all yet for vs specially he suffered because he suffered for his Church How specially for the Church and yet for al but because the fruites of his passion reconciliation libertie adoption inheritance pertaine properly to the Church Hereupon Epist 20. the same father saith Christ is good meate for all faith is good meate mercie is sweete meate grace is pleasant meate the spirit of God is good meate forgiuenes of sinnes is good meate But the people of the Church eate these meates And more cleerely in 73. Epist After that the fulnes of time came and Christ is come wee are not now seruants but freemen if we beleeue in Christ Where faith is there is libertie For the seruant is vnder feare but a freeman is of faith where libertie is there is grace there is the inheritance But where is no libertie there is no grace where no grace no adoption where no adoption there is no succession Also in his first
himselfe into all men by his spirit and the fulnes of his Godhead For wee all haue receiued of his fulnes that we might know his most excellent loue Which all Not all Christians And elsewhere de his qui initiantur cap. 4. In the poole of Ierusalem one was cured euery yeare now all are healed or certainly one Christian people alone Infinite such sayings are in the writings of the fathers and in the common speech of men CHAP. IX Testimonies of the Schoolemen and other new Diuines BVt that wee may throughly bring to an end the report of our witnesses let vs proceed to the Schoolmē as they cal them who also haue spread abroad the doctrine which in this point they receiued from their forefathers Pet. Lomb lib. 3 distinct 18. Peter Lombard called the Master of Sentences speaketh of his own others opinion that Christ merited for his members redemption from the deuill and sinne and the opening of the kingdom of heauen that his fierie sword being taken away they may boldly enter thereinto In the same distinction about the end He deserued for vs by the suffering of death and passion the entrance into Paradise and redemption from sinne and the deuill For he by dying was made the sacrifice of our deliuerie But restraining this whole benefit of redemption vnto those that be Christs a little after he addeth If Adams pride was the ruine of all much more was the humilitie of Christ wherby he tasted of death able to open the gate of the kingdome of heauen for all his owne after he had fulfilled the decree of God The same man in his next distinction We are said to be iustified by the death of Christ because we are iustified by faith in his death and as in old time such as looked vpon the brasen Serpent lifted vp vpon the pole were healed of the bitings of Serpents so if we looke vpon him by a true faith who did hang vpon the crosse for vs we are loosed from the bands of the deuil that is from sinnes And in other words at large in the same place he teacheth that deliuerance from the deuill belongs to them that beleeue in Christ Innocent 3 lib. 2. de offic missae cap. 41. Innocentius 3. maketh this distinction◠that the blood of Christ was shed for the predestinate onely as touching efficiencie but for all men as touching sufficiencie and he bringeth the words of Leo before by vs recited And there is nothing more common among the Schoolmen then this distinction Hereupon Thomas in 1. Tim. 2. saith Thomas Christ is the propitiation for our sinnes for some effectually but for all sufficiently because the price of his blood is sufficient to saue all but it hath not effect but in the elect because of an impediment And more cleerely vpon 5. Apoc. he saith We speake of the Lords passion two maner of waies Either according to sufficiencie and so his passion redeemed all for it is sufficient to redeeme and saue all although there were more worlds as Anselme saith lib. 2. Cur Deus c. homo cap. 14. Or according to efficiencie and so not all are redeemed by his passion because all cleaue not to the redeemer and therefore not all haue the efficacie of redemption The same man saith Idem summ de veritate materia 26. quaest 7. The merit of Christ as touching sufficiencie is alike to all but not as touching efficiencie which happeneth partly through freewill partly through Gods election by the which the effect of Christs merits is bestowed vpon some of mercie but it is withdrawne from others by the iust iudgement of God Against the Gentiles lib. 4. cap. 55. he alleageth this cause of the foresaid distinction betweene sufficiencie and efficiencie The death of Christ saith he is as a certaine vniuersall cause of saluation as the sinne of the first man was as it were the vniuersall cause of damnation But the vniuersall cause must be applied to euery one particularly that he may receiue the effect of the vniuersal cause The effect of the sin of our first parents commeth to euery one by our fleshly birth But the effect of the death of Christ commeth to euery one by spiritual regeneration whereby man is after a sort ioyned vnto Christ and incorporated vnto him Other testimonies of this author we haue before alleaged Petrus Galatinus a most learned man Pet. Galatin de arcam Cath. verit lib. 8. cap. 14. following the same distinction writeth after this sort Albeit the passion of Christ ought to be sufficient to blot out the sinnes of all men yet it will not blot out the sinnes of all but theirs onely who shall beleeue in him and repent Therefore saith the Prophet he bare the sinnes of many Also Stapulensis Stapul in 5. Ro. Christ hath truly in himselfe the redemption of all sufficient not onely for vs but to redeeme innumerable worlds beside but not al are partakers therof because of their owne peruersnes as the light of it selfe is able to driue away the darkenes of all men albeit not all mens eies be inlightened Among our Diuines Martyr Caluin Zanchie and others admit and follow the same distinction as wee haue largely noted in the 1. booke chap. 11. Likewise in the 2. booke cha 12. we haue prooued I thinke sufficiently that the most famous and best learned Diuines of Heluetia Zuinglius Musculus Bullinger Gualther Wolfius Simlerus Lauaterus and others are in very deede of the same opinion that we defend touching the vniuersality of grace Luther tom 3. in Isa 53. To these also let vs adioyne Luther So great saith he is the righteousnesse of Christ that it is able to iustifie infinite worlds and Christ offereth his righteousnesse to all men but all that beleeue in him doe obtaine it according to that He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued Others abide vnder sinne and wrath And in the same place Christian righteousnes saith he is not receiued vnles Christ be knowen before Againe Christian righteousnesse touching the substance is nothing els then the knowledge of Christ that is faith wherewith Christ is apprehended in the hart that he hath giuen himselfe a ransome for vs and for our sinnes as Paul saith 1 Tim. 2. The word surely offereth and preacheth Christ to all as the sacrifice for our sinnes but vnlesse the holy Ghost inlighten the hearts no man can giue assent vnto this word And we assent when we apprehend the promise that in Christ is the blessing of Nations and this is the glorie of a Christian to know that it is his righteousnes to beleeue in Christ The same man as we haue seene aboue expoundeth those sayings farre otherwise then our aduersaries doe to wit God will haue all men to be saued I wil not the death of a sinner whereupon being naughtily vnderstood leaneth the opinion of our aduersaries hee vnderstandeth them of God will reuealed in his word which he
onely grace of the caller attained to that place whither Esau did not attaine neither came it to passe by the merites of the one or the other that the one should be preferred before the other and should bee deputed to Lordship or seruitude to loue or hatred Here it maketh no great matter whether wee vnderstand the wordes of the oracle concerning spirituall Lordship and seruitude or corporall Which thing in like maner is of force touching loue and hatred If we please to vnderstand the saying concerning temporal Lordship and seruitude as far forth as the Idumeans who were to come of Esau were in subiection in the time of Dauid and Salomon albeit that sense and meaning bee very slender yet the argument will bee strong from the lesser after this sort Argumentum à â—inori If it came to passe not for the merites of the one or other that the posteritie of Iacob had dominion ouer the posteritie of Esau but because it so pleased God how much more ought wee esteeme the calling of some before others vnto true Lordship and a heauenly kingdome by the onely grace of the caller and not by workes Secondly it is euidently prooued out of the very text that the Prophet in that saying The elder shall serue the yonger speaketh not of temporall things onely For thus stands the Oracle Gen. 25. Two people shal be diuided out of thy wombe and one people shall ouercome the other and the elder shall serue the yonger Here manifestly two people are discerned the one is receiued into the grace of God although it be the yonger that it may be Gods people as it was prooued by the euent it selfe the other is repelled from that grace But to be taken for the people of God or not to bee taken pertaineth not to temporall good or euill things onely but to all things For our God is not onely the God of temporall things but of all things Psalm 144. The true meaning of the prophesie of Iacob and Esau whereupon the Psalmographe praiseth that people to bee happy to whom the Lord is God And that is the meaning of the prophecie that the posteritie of Iacob and not of Esau was chosen of the Lord wherein his Church should be and the true worship of God his worde blessing promise of Christ his spirit and eternall kingdome which thing also the Scripture afterwardes more largely confirmeth where it describeth how Iacob is blessed The blessing of Iacob and that he receiueth both the promises and the kingdome for hitherto tendeth Isaaks blessing pronounced vpon Iacob Gen 27. not that the holy Patriarche would include the hope of his sonne in the worlde which he himselfe contemning waited for a better countrey to wit a heauenly but that hee might testifie towardes him the fauour of God in all things and might make him that prince and head ouer a holy and an elect people All which things Paul briefly declareth sending vs to Moses that handleth these things more fully so that we may say that the testimonies which Paul citeth doe disagree more strongly in their places than in Paul To the same end pertaineth the saying of Malachie which Paul ioyning with the former sufficiently testifieth that one meaning is to be sought for in both He saith therefore Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated Wherein is signified Iacob I haue loued that God of his free loue hath so seuered Iacob from Esau that in his posteritie the Church should be conserued and continued and that God also made knowne his loue towards the Israelites by giuing them that good land and by the restoring of the people into the same out of the captiuitie of Babilon when no such thing happened to Esaus posteritie Let those things be compared with these which Moses Deut. 7.6 inculcateth of the election and loue of Israel And whereas we say that Iacobs seede was chosen to be the Church the Idumeans and other nations reiected from that dignitie it must be vnderstood for the time of the old Testament and that indefinitely definitely as of the body of the people not of euery one that should come of Esaus posterity or of other nations Thes 644. sequent Which thing while Huber obserueth not hee faulteth here fouly in wresting certaine sayings of Beza as though no man but one carnally comming of Iacob could be saued in olde time or as yet may What shamefull dealing is this what pleasure of falsly accusing a man Why doth he not faine the same thing in Paul Acts 14.16 Ephes 2. For he saith that the Gentiles were strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and being without God and Christ But both these answeres already brought are Luthers confuting Erasmus so that it is maruell that any Lutherans shuld be found who rather than they would yeeld to the trueth would seeke after Erasmus his shiftes meanes to escape and would not rest themselues in Luthers sounde answeres for the trueth He surely whom wee mentioned euen now heates himselfe and laboureth how he migh shewe that Iacobs dominion loue blessing pertaine to corporall and temporall things and not to spiritual and eternall which thing by Luthers iudgement is not true Hubers exceptions The same person vrgeth this also to the intent wee may seeme not onely to match but to surpasse the industrie of Erasmus in seeking shiftes to escape that Iacob and Esau are not opposed as two singular persons but that the posteritie of these twaine collectiue are noted Neither that onely but also by the name of Esau he comprehendeth all nations and thus expoundeth Thes 6 35. 〈◊〉 I haue hated Esau that is the Gentiles I haue loued Iacob that is the Iewes that the sense may be that free and iust will of God the Israelites in olde time were beloued and chosen to be the people of God the Gentiles being ouerpassed and left out as on the contrary in the time of the new Testament the Gentiles were elected to this end and the Iewes reiected Whereof hee laboureth to inferre that Paul doeth not entreate of precise election or reprobation to life or death eternall Answere I answere Concerning the antecedent we easily graunt that vnder the name of Iacob and Esau the posteritie of both is to be vnderstoode neither doe our writers dissemble it so that there was no neede for the aduersarie almost in 50. propositions to set himselfe on worke about this that is not in question But granting that we deny the consequence For this is the Apostles meaning and hitherto he aymeth that for all the vnbelief and abiection of the greater part of the Iewes God doth not cast away his people whom he foreknew but saueth them according to the election of grace as chap. 11. Rom. in plaine words that distinction is expressed A double election of Israel So he considereth a double election of Israel one generall and externall wherby the
by the proprietie of the Hebrewe tongue the iudiciall signification as I may say of the word is most vsuall in the sacred Scriptures namely that to be iustified is to be absolued from guiltines the word being taken relatiuely not noting any qualitie So it is vsed Prouerb 17. vers 15. Isa 5.23 And this signification agreeth with our businesse in hand seeing the question is of the iustification of a sinfull man before God Certainely therefore are we iustified of him when wee that are in our selues guilty of hell before the iudgement seate of God are neuerthelesse by his grace discharged from all guiltines so that the aduersarie cannot any more condemne seeing he reputeth vs freely iust through redemption in Christ Iesu by faith in his blood and not of workes To him that is iustified the holy Ghost is giuen to renue his heart and to stirre him vp to good works And albeit in the iustification of a wicked man the holie Ghost is withall freely giuen to renew the heart and to infuse new qualities wherby we are stirred vp to the studie of good workes yet by this newnes the guiltines of former sinnes is not blotted out neither are we accepted then for our workes but it is needfull that first we be accepted that our works being vnperfect and defiled may be able to please him But to handle these things more specially it is not now materiall Furthermore this must bee obserued that the Apostle teacheth Iustification proper to the elect that this gift of free iustification ariseth of predestination and he maketh it proper to the elect after they haue bin partakers of a diuine vocation For he saith Whom he hath predestinate he hath called and whom he hath called them he hath also iustified He saith not as the spirit of error imagineth that all reprobates as well as elect called and not called how many soeuer are of Adam borne sinners are iustified also in Christ and receiued into grace being freed from all sin and the iudgement of God And that no doubt may remaine explaining himselfe Paul addeth What shall we say then to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne to wit Gods elect It is Christ who is dead yea who is also risen againe We heare of the elect that iustification is theirs that Christ for all them was deliuered to death Their opinion also is withall reâ—elled that say that some euen of the number of the reprobates are iustified but that reconciliation is in them made frustrate Augustine better agreeth with the meaning of the Apostles saying Contra Iulian. lib. 5. cap. 3. Those that are not in the number of the predestinate God brings none of them to sauing and spirituall repentance whereby a man is reconciled to God in Christ The like words are in the same author in Soliloquijs cap. 28. The fourth effect of election glorification The fourth effect of predestination of the elect followeth to wit glorification For whom he calleth and iustifieth them he also glorifieth saith the Apostle For he vseth verbes of the preter tense for the present tense according to the Hebrewes maner of speaking And glorification signifieth the kingdome of the Saints in the heauenly life and withall comprehendeth or presupposeth the gift of perseuerance vnto the end whereof it is said He that continueth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10. Like hereto are the promises Ioh. 6. Whatsoeuer the father giueth me commeth vnto me and him that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth And straightway This is the will of him that sent me that whatsoeuer he hath giuen me thereof I should lose nothing but that I should raise it vp in the last day Againe No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him And I will raise him vp at the last day The demonstration is plaine Whosoeuer by the drawing of the father commeth vnto Christ he shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life But all come who are giuen to Christ that is are predestinate in him Therefore all they shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life that is they shall be glorified And this perseuerance which I mentioned is Perseuerance of the Saints what it is Rom. 8.35 not to be ouercome with teÌ„ptations and as Paul describeth it at large neither by oppression nor anguish nor any other creature to bee separated from the loue of God but in all things to bee more than a conqueror through him that hath loued vs. And this is to be noted in this place concerning that great benefit of perseuerance both that all the elect haue it and also that they haue it not of themselues but from another to wit from the bountifulnes of Gods grace As for the former the testimonies are plaine Matth. 24.24 Rom. 8.35 Also 2. Tim. 2. The elect haue it Matth. 10. The foundation of God standeth sure Furthermore when the holy Ghost testifieth that saluation is laid vp for such as perseuere and the crowne of life for them that ouercome Apoc. 2. 2. Tim. 4 8.1â— Ioh. 17. Luk. 22. Aug. de Cor. gra cap. 8. they necessarily perseuere that are elected to raigne with Christ Thirdly Christ vniuersally praied for his elect and was heard no lesse than it is read that hee praied for Peter that his faith should not faile Wherein what did he els pray for but that he might haue in faith a most free strong vnconquerable and perseuering will Seeing therefore Christ praieth for the elect that their faith faile not it shall continue doubtles vnto the end neither shall the end of this life finde it otherwise than abiding Aug. de Cor. gr cap. 11. 12 It is Gods gift proued by three reasons as by Peters example Augustine gathereth And now that perseuerance is Gods gift both the feeling of our owne infirmitie and the multitude of temptations wherewith daily wee haue to fight in this present wicked age against the deuill the world and our owne flesh compell vs to confesse Who can bee safe among so many wiles and swords of the deuill vnlesse he bee sustained by the hand of God Aug. de bono pers cap. 2. Secondly the testimonies hereof are most euident in the writings of the Prophets and Euangelists Ierem. 32. saith the Lord I will put my feare in their hearts that they may not depart from me Which thing what is it else than such and so great the feare of me shall bee that I will put in their hearts that they shall cleaue vnto me continually Hos 2. I will marrie thee vnto my selfe for euer in righteousnesse and faith c. And hee hath married all the true beleeuers vnto himselfe Ioh. 10. I giue to my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish
peraduenture hee will more increase the griefe because hee seeth a sharpe purgation to be more necessary Fourthly Ambrose weighing Peters words to Simon against the Nouatians that commonly abused them Lib. de poenicent cap. 5. teacheth by many examples that that is the custome of the Scripture euen boldly to vse through a certaine simplicitie of vtterance such kinds of speaking wherein there is some shew of doubting Obiection 4 Furthermore whereas the aduersaries alleage that the certaintie of grace if men could be sure of it would be an occasion and cause of great licentiousnes and Epicurish securitie it is a meere ignorance and slander For it cannot be but the feeling of the loue of God towards vs whereby the multitude of our sinnes is gratiously couered should beget more and more in our hearts towards him againe the loue of new obedience as it is written Psal 13. 18. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Also I will loue thee O Lord my strength my tower and the horne of my saluation What if the aduersaries themselues confesse that a speciall reuelation is graunted to some of the certaintie of their saluation It will follow then by their own opinion that God doth cast such men into the danger of prophanenes and Epicurish securitie Neither doth it any whit hinder the certaintie of saluation Prou. 18. that we are commanded to be fearfull in auoiding falles not to be puffed vp nor to bee ouer wise but to feare Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 10. Marke this that he that seemeth to stand fall not For by these and such like the securitie of the flesh and not faith is condemned and the vse of the meanes subordinate to saluation is required So Paul albeit he was certified by an Angell of his owne safetie and of theirs that failed with him and beleeuing God that so it should come to passe as he had told him yet he suffered not the mariners to flie out of the ship but said vnles these men abide in the ship ye cannot be saued Acts 27. Thus the confidence of saluation and a godly care to vse the meanes and not to tempt the Lord doe very well agree together They vse also to charge our doctrine with presumption Obiection 5 Beucer de Concor aâ—t grat but in vaine For we beleeue God that promiseth Wherfore our confidence and certaintie resteth not vpon our own presumption but vpon his promise as Augustine well distinguisheth tract 22. in Ioh. Finally they wrest for their purpose what our writers plainly Obiection 6 confesse themselues that no man can exclude in this world all doubting alwaies of his owne saluation and of the care that God hath of him Whosoeuer say they doubteth of his saluation is not sure of it but all men doubt therefore no man is sure of it But this snare we easily auoide by this caution or distinction He that doubteth is not sure to wit for that time that he doubteth and in speaking of some * Idea patterne of certaintie But now doubting oftentimes ariseth but not alwaies in the minds of the godly because of the infirmitie and battell of the flesh against the spirit and they get with much adoe the vpper hand againe by this vertue and power to whom they crie with teares I beleeue Lord Mark 9. helpe my vnbeliefe And albeit this be a sufficient impediment that we can not attribute vnto the godly the * Ideam maner or forme of the certaintie of faith whereby all doubting and trembling is excluded yet there is not sufficient cause to depriue them of all certaintie of grace and saluation vnles a man would by the like reason auouch Ierem. 12. Abac. 1. Psalm 73. that euen the holy men of God Ieremie Abacuc Asaph and others were vncertaine of the prouidence of God and his righteous gouernment of all things because of some doubtings that were in them concerning that matter Therefore let it stand as a certaine thing that while wee liue in this mortalitie and banishment as it were of this world we be not without the way and meane whereby to our comfort wee may bee made sure of our saluation And while this standeth fast it necessarily followeth that wee may know and be assured of the election also of vs to eternall life For seeing saluation belongeth to the elect onely doubtles the certaintie of it cannot stand without the certaintie of Gods election which is the fountaine beginning and ground of saluation CHAP. XXIIII How and by what meanes we are made certaine of the election of vs in Christ Reuelation is needefull MOreouer the meane whereby a man may be made sure of the election of himselfe vnto eternall life dependeth vpon the reuelation not of flesh and blood but of God himselfe the chuser Rom. 11. 1. Cor. â— For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who is of his counsell Or what man knoweth the things that belong to a man but the spirit of a man that is in him So no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God And we saith the Apostle haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit that is of God that we may know what things God hath bestowed vpon vs. Seeing therfore the counsels of God cannot bee knowne without diuine manifestation what marueile is it if so great a secret I meane the predestination of vs to adoption and to eternall life cannot otherwise bee seene into of vs And if we assay speculatiuely or as they speake à priore to search into the eternall counsell of God concerning our saluation the great depth of it will swallow vs vp and hee that searcheth out Gods maiestie Prou. 25.27 shall be ouerwhelmed with the glorie of it But there is for the most parâ— a threefold reuelation of election first by the most certaine effects of election it selfe Reuelation is threefolde secondly by the word of promise and thirdly by the seale of the holy Ghost The first way therefore as I said is by the effects of election such as these are a true and liuely saith in Christ The first way wherby a man may know himselfe to be elected The effects of election ingrafting into Christ by faith iustification and the regeneration of the spirit shewing it selfe more and more by newnes of life and the studie of righteousnesse and good workes By these à posteriore wee iudge of election as the proper cause of them For strong reasons are drawne as from the cause to the effect so againe from the effect to the cause as it is knowne by the rules of Logike The Minor of this argument to wit that faith iustification conuersion c. proceede from election as the proper cause wee haue confirmed before at large when wee intreated of the effects of predestination here onely let certaine sayings of Scripture be viewed Act. 13. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued
Gentiles 184 Luk. 11. Of the strong man armed 103 Luk. 24. The Gospell must be preached c. 95 Ioh. 1. He lighteneth euery man that commeth 42 Of his fulnes we all receiue Behold the Lambe of God that taketh c. 76 Ioh. 3. So God loued the world 74 The wrath of God abideth c. 184 Ioh. 3. 12. I came to saue the world 79 Ioh. 6. I will giue my flesh for the life 77 My father giueth you a heauenly bread 78 Ioh. 10. I lay downe my life for my sheepe 185 Ioh. 11. That he might gather the sonnes of God 186 Ioh. 12. When I am lifted vp I will draw 187 Ioh. 15. That a man should lay downe his life for his friends 187 If I had not come they had had no sinne 175 Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world 188 For them I sanctifie my selfe 190 Thou hast giuen me power ouer all flesh 70 None of them is lost but the lost childe 71 Act. 5. To giue remission of sinnes to Israel 199 Act. 10. To him giue all the prophets witnesse 199 Act. 20. God hath redeemed his Church with his owne blood 9 Rom. 2. Whosoeuer sinned without the Law 175 Rom. 3. The righteousnes of God vpon all that beleeue 191 Rom. 5. He died for his enemies 188 Vers 19. Through the obedience of one c. 8 Vers 18. The benefit redounded to all men to the iustification of life 63 Rom. 8. He gaue him for vs all 58 192 Rom. 9. The place of predestination is discussed 286 The elder shall serue the younger 291 Iacob I haue loued Esau I haue hated 293 O man who art thou c. 313 Rom. 11. He hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew 297 Of the Iewes cut off through vnbeleefe 125 That he might haue mercy vpon all 69 Rom. 14. Destroy not him with meate for whom Christ died 116 Rom. 14. According to the things he hath done in the body 282 Rom. 16. The Gospell declared to all nations 96 1. Cor. 3. If any destroy the temple of God 116 1. Cor. 8. Thy brother shall perish for whom Christ died 117 1. Cor. 12. He worketh all in all 42 1. Cor. 15. All shall be quickened 66 2. Cor. 5. Reconciling the world 79 One died for all 56 Galath 3. When ye began in the spirit 122 Galath 5. Stand in the libertie 124 Ye are fallen from grace 122 Ephe. 1. As he chose vs in him 297 All things are restored in Christ 66 Ephe. 5. He gaue himselfe for his Church 194 Col. 1. I fulfill the afflictions of Christ 12 He hath reconciled all things in heauen 66. 67 He hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes 195 Ye that were sometime strangers 195 If ye continue stable in the hope 69 1. Tim. 1. 4. Of such as fall from faith 109 1. Tim. 2. He will haue all men to be saued 51. 53. 54 He gaue himselfe for all 56 1. Tim. 4. He is the Sauiour of all specially of the faithfull 196 2. Tim. 2. If any man purge himselfe 306 Tit. 3. The grace of God hath appeared to all men 96 Heb. 2. All things subiect to Christ 59 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified 60 He tasted death for all 61 Heb. 5. He is made the author of saluation to all that obey him 196 Heb. 6. It is impossible for them that were once inlightened to be renued by repentance 113 Heb. 9. Of Redemption of sins vnder the former Testament 2 If the blood of goates c. 197 That the Called might receiue c. 197 He tooke away the sinnes of many 198 Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren we receiue libertie 115 1. Pet. 1. Elect according to foreknowledge 308 Reuealed for the beleeuers 199 1. Pet. 2. Whereunto they were appointed 122 2. Pet. 1. He is blinde and hath forgotten 119 2. Pet. 1. Make your election sure 307 2. Pet. 2. They deny the Lord that bought them 117 Of such as returne to filthines 117 2. Pet. 3. He will haue none to perish 261 1. Ioh. 1. The blood of Christ clenseth vs. 199 1. Ioh. 2. We haue Christ our aduocate 80 For the sinnes of the whole world 80 They were not of vs. 111. 333 1. Ioh. 3. That he might destroy the workes of the deuill 212 1. Ioh. 5. They that beleeue not make God a lyar 127 Apoc. 1. He hath washed vs from our sinnes 200 Apoc. 5. He hath redeemed vs to God 200 OF THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND BY CHRIST The first Booke CHAP. I. Wherein is shewed the summe and diuision of this doctrine THE mysterie of the Redemption of mankinde by the onely begotten Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ the Apostles faithfullie and most sincerelie haue testified at large The summe of the Catholike saith and confession of the redemption of man first by liuely voyce and then by writings both to the Iewes and Gentiles to wit that the eternall word Rom. 15.8.9 which is the eternall Sonne of God to confirme the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles should glorifie God for his mercie in the last daies when the fulnes of time was come Galath 4.4 took vpon him the true nature of man of the Virgin Mary his mother by the operation of the holy Ghost and in the forme of a seruant Phil. 2 7. was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse that by his precious blood 1. Pet. 1.19 as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie vs a peculiar people vnto himself Tit. 2.14 zealous of good workes The same Apostles haue also witnessed that to the end we may be partakers of this redemption a true faith in Christ is required of vs whereby as it were by a hand we may apprehend him and apply him with all his merits and benefits vnto our selues This is the Catholike faith and confession which the Apostles taught the Martyrs confirmed and the faithfull as yet do keepe For so the holie Apostle Paul describing this whole mysterie in few but cleere words saith Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace thorow the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sinnes past that he might be iust and a iustifier of him which is of the faith of Iesu And the Author to the Hebrewes writeth on this maner Heb. 9.11 to 16 But Christ comming a high priest of good things to come by his owne blood entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption For if the blood of buls and goates sanctifieth the vncleane to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without
spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Therefore he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were vnder the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance Where by the way is to be considered that by sins past in the saying of the Apostle to the Romanes are properly vnderstood the sinnes committed vnder the old Testament which could not be purged with the blood of goates and calues but the righteous did expect a better oblation Heb. 10.14 which should consecrate for euer those that are sanctified Acts 15.11 Whereupon Peter also said By the grace of our Lord Iesu Christ wee beleeue to be saued as well as our fathers But this whole place of redemption is large and worthie of great cōsideration to wit 1. Whence 2. By whom 3. How 4. When 5. For what cause 6. Whereto and 7. Who are redeemed All these truly haue a profitable and necessarie consideration and bee euery where taught in the Scriptures Of these propounded questions the sixe former wee will brieflie touch but the seuenth and last for which cause chieflie wee vndertake this labour wee will more fully and largely expound as the Lord shall permit CHAP. II. Whence we are redeemed THerefore as touching this question Whence we are redeemed the holy Scriptures sufficiently teach vs Our redemptiō is not corporal but spirituall and eternall from Satan sin and death that the redemption whereof we speake is not temporall from some corporall bondage or tyrannie such as the redemption was of Israel from Egypt from the house of bondage and the hand of Pharao by Moses and after from the hand of the Canaanits and Midianits and other their enemies by Gedeon and other Iudges and specially from the most grieuous 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon by Cyrus the king and Monarch of Persia but this redemption is spirituall and eternal shadowed of old by those corporall deliuerances to wit from the power of darknes and the slauerie of sinne death Coloss 1.13 Heb. 2.14 and of him who had the power of death that is the deuill And these be the enemies and haters whereof Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist maketh mention in his song greatly extolling this redemption Blessed be the Lord God of Israel Luk. 1.68 to 76. for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised vp a horne of saluation for vs in the house of Dauid his seruant as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that hee would saue vs from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate vs that being deliuered from the hand of our enemies wee might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And albeit this benefit of spirituall and eternall redemption is vsually contemned of carnall men who sauour nothing but the things of the flesh and to whom the slauerie of sinne and the world is so sweet as Satan the God of this world hath blinded their minds yet such is the greatnes and so inestimable is the dignitie thereof that they who haue rightly tasted the redemptiō of Christ whereby libertie to captiues saluation to them that perished and life to the dead is repaired do easily vnderstand that euen the riches kingdomes and pleasures of the whole world are to bee esteemed as nothing in comparison of it For what doth it profit a man Matth. 16. if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man giue for his soule CHAP. III. By whom this redemption came Our redeemer is Christ true God and man holy and righteous 1. Tim. 2.5.6 BVt now the Redeemer who hath deliuered vs from the slauerie of sinne death and the power of Satan is none other then the Mediatour of God and men our Lord Iesus Christ true God and true man like vnto vs in all things except sinne For there is one God and one Mediatour also of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a price of redemption for all as the Apostle saith And to the Romanes chap. 3. Rom. 3.24 he teacheth that wee are iustified through the redemption wrought in Christ Iesu And elsewhere the same Apostle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption that as it is written He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. Iohn who from the breast of the Lord had receiued hidden mysteries 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 likewise testifieth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with God Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world But euery where such testimonies meete vs in the diuine Scriptures Eph. 2.20 1. Cor. 3.11 Acts 4.12 For Iesus Christ is the foundation of the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles neither is there saluation in any other nor any other name giuen vnder heauen among men whereby wee must be saued Whereupon their error is worthily to bee detested who not contented with the onely and perfect redeemer Christ seek part of their redemption and saluation elsewhere in themselues or in the Saints where as yet the holiest men vnlesse the grace of Christ had saued and redeemed them could neuer haue been able to satisfie no not for themselues Therfore also Iohn as Augustine well considered said not Augustine If any sinne ye haue an aduocate nor said ye haue me ye haue not Christ but both named Christ and not himselfe and also said we haue and not ye haue He would rather put himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ his aduocate then put himselfe aduocate in Christs stead and be found among the proud that be condemned Brethren saith he we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate with the father and he is the attonement of our sinnes Hitherto Augustine tractatu primo in 1. Epist Ioh. CHAP. IIII. Of the maner of the redemption finished NOw the maner of our redemption by Christ The maner is his abasing of himselfe to the death of the crosse and to the shedding of his blood Phil. 2.7 being a mysterie altogether and wonderfull but wholly agreeing to the iustice and trueth of God the Scripture setteth downe on this wise to wit that the eternall Sonne of God for vs and our saluation a based himselfe taking the forme of a seruant being made like vnto men and found in shape as a man and submitting himselfe became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse that by his passion and death and shedding of his most sacred blood as by the onely propitiatorie sacrifice he might redeeme our body and soule from eternall damnation and purchase for vs the grace of God righteousnes and eternall life For this cause