Cities that haue beene are and shall be can not shew such dignities such royalties and such immunities giuen them by man as I haue shewed to belong to Gods Elect and obedient children The consideration of these benefits and priuiledges should mooue vs First to acknowledge and lawd Gods infinite loue Secondly in way of thankefulnes to dedicate our soules and bodyes and all that we haue vnto GOD. Thirdly to admire the condition of Gods children Fourthly to be afrayd to disgrace them whom the Lord doth so grace and countenance Fiftly to vndergoe couragiously all aduerse blasts and all the crosses of this life Sixtly to alienate our hearts from the world Seuenthly to roll our care vpon God and to rely vpoÌ„ his prouidence Eightly to desire the comming of Christ and not to feare death too múch The sooner we dye the sooner we come to our crownes Lastly the coÌ„sideration of these benefits and priuiledges should stir vs vp to seeke by all meanes to be enrolled amongst them and neuer to rest till we be in some measure certaine certainly perswaded that we are elected and preordained to saluation WheÌ„ Ahashuerosh had honoured Mordecai and shewed fauour vnto the Iewes the Scripture sayth Hest. 8. 7 that much people of the land became Iewes So seeing the Lord hath thus dignified the Elect let vs behaue our selues like them and labour to be accounted of their company Claudius Lysias gaue a great summe of money for the freedome Act. 22. 28. of the Romanes how much more ought we to seeke for these freedomes and royalties which do more surpasse the other then the heauen doth the earth and the precious pearle doth the poorest pibble They are not indeed to be named or compared together and yet these may be had without money though they can not be had by money And thus much for the Priuiledges I come now briefly to set downe the notes of Election vnto life and to shew how a man may come to be truly perswaded in his conscience that he shall be saued Let a man that would attaine to the knowledge of his election vnto saluation 1. heare the word of God often and attentiuely For faith whereby wee Rom. 10. 17. are perswaded of Gods speciall grace vnto vs is ordinarily wrought by hearing of the word preached 2. Let him wage warre with his infidelity and let him not listen to Sathan tempting him to doubting or desperation 3. Let him beware of pride and presumption neither trusting to his owne goodnes nor obliuious of Gods infinite iustice 4. Let him often and earnestly pray for this benefit and desire that GOD would giue him his Spirit which may witnes with him that hee is the chosen childe of God 5. Let him reuerently receiue the Sacrament and meditate often of his Baptisme For the Sacraments are pledges of Gods loue and serue to increase our faith Hee that receiueth them with an honest and humble heart may assure himselfe of the remission of his sinnes and of the saluation of his soule Lastly let him expend and duly 6. Consider diligently Gods â—atherly d 〈◊〉 g with thee consâ—der the notes of Election to eternall life by the which a man may know that hee is ordâ—ined to be saued Noâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iaylour demaunding 〈◊〉 Paul and Silas what hee â—â—ould do to be â—â—â—ed they made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beâ—eeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Secondly Act. 16. 〈◊〉 â—â—ue oâ— our 〈◊〉 for theyr 〈◊〉 ty We know sayâ—h Iohn that we are transl 〈◊〉 d fâ—om death to life because we 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 14. loue the brethren Thirdly the feare of God whereâ—y wee are loth to offend him chiefly because we loue him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is the man that feareth Psa. â—12 1. the Lord 〈◊〉 Blessed then Elected 〈◊〉 y hâ—rty confeâ—sion and lothing of 〈◊〉 sâ—nnes He that confesseth and forsaketh Prou. 28 13. his sinnes shall finde mercy But God voucâ—â—afeth his speciall mercy only to his 〈◊〉 people Fifâ—ly confidence and affiancâ— in God O Lord of hosts blessed is Psal 84. 12. the man that 〈◊〉 in thee The condition of Reprobates is cuâ—â—ed â—he Apostle sayth Our confidence hath great Heb. 10. 35. recompence oâ— reward Sixtly sincere and true calling vpon the nâ—me of God For Paul sayth Whosoeuer shall call vpon Rom. â—0 13. the Name of the Lord shall be saued Seuenthly carefull and constant indeuâ—uring to keepe all â—he commandements of God â—oâ— Blessed are they that do hâ—â— Reuel 22. 14. commandements that their right may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the â—ity As the Lord promised to establish the kingdome of Salomon if 1. Chron. 28. 7. he did constantly indeuour 〈◊〉 keepe his commandements so the 〈◊〉 e Lord will establish vs for euer in the kingdome of heauen if we will indeuour constantly to serue and obey him Eightly pâ—â—ient bearing of affliction for the truths â—â—ke Blessed are they sayth Christ which suffer Math. 〈◊〉 10. persecution for righteousnes sâ—kâ— for theirs â—s the kingdome of heauen Nintâ—â—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nest and harty desire to be wâ—â—hed in the bloâ—d of Christ and to be inuâ—sted in the white robes of his righteousnesse Blessed Math. 5. 〈◊〉 are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled To him that Reuel 21. 6. is a thirst I will giue of the well of the water of life freely Tenthly Christian humilitie and pouertie of spirit when a man seemeth naked and base in his owne sight and ascribeth all to Gods grace Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Eleuenthly a lusting Math. 5. 3 and longing after the comming of Christ. Paul sayth that the righteous Iudge will giue a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 vnto all those that loue his appearing Twelfthy Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh the Lord who shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest on his holy mountaine and receiued answere as it were by oracle froÌ„ God that he shall who walks vprightly and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth froÌ„ his heart And Peter hauing coÌ„manded vs to make our election and calling sure addeth saying that if we do These things wee shall neuer fall but shall be sure and certaine Now 2. Pet. 1. 10. what these things are he sheweth to wit that we adorne our hearts and liues with 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. vertue knowledge teÌ„perance godlines loue To coÌ„clude he that is sure of his Adoption may be also certaine of his Election for none are adopted but such as are elected Now a man may know his Adoption if he find in himselfe the properties of an obedieÌ„t louing son I will set downe some 1. Property As a little child whether in learning good or leauing euill is either woon by a faire word or awed by a check or feared by a
hath also giuen remedies to him that sinneth lest hee should despaire Tâ—eodulus Presbyter Hee hath said that both Iewes and Gentiles should be Comment in Rom. cap. 3. partakers of grace yet not all but those that beleeue and because grace is common to all not without cause Secondly they speake of naturall vocation Answer 2. or of the grace of nature consisting in the reliques of naturall light and vnderstanding in the common gifts of vertues and outward blessings which are testimonies of Gods prouidence and goodnesse The Author of the calling of the Gentiles Lib. 2. c. 14. For this cause verily the nations may bee excused which being aliants from the common wealth of Israel voyde of hope and without God in this world haue perished vnder the darkenesse of ignorance because this abundance of grace which doth now water the whole world did not slow so pentifully before For there is euermore shewed vnto all men a certaine measure of doctrine from a Chrysostoâ— saith that the preseruing in the Atke is superna gratia grace froÌ„ aboue aboue which albeit it proceede from a more sparing and hidden grace yet it is sufficient in the Lords iudgement for a b For the outward reformatâ—â— of the life Horn. 25. in Gen. Lib. 2. 6. 4. remedy vnto some and a witnesse vnto all Againe who may not easily perceiue that hee neuer denied his diuine goodnes to the posteritie of this brother slayer if he consider how profitable so long patience of God such plentifull store of temporall blessings and such an vniuersall increase of multiplied fruitfulnesse might haue been vnto them which benefits although they wrought â—o cure and emendment in those whose harts were hardned â—et they proue that their apostasie was not caused by God Again In the farthest parts of the world there bee some nations vnto which the light of sauing Lib. 2. cap. 〈◊〉 grace hath not as yet dawned vnto whom that paercell of general assistance is not denied which is alwaies from aboue granted vnto ad men Although the nature of man hath receiued so sharp a wound that it is not possible for any man to come to the knowledge of God by the helpe of his owne voluntarie contemplation vnlesse the true light dispell the darknesse of the heart which the tust and good God in his vnsearchable iudgement hath not so shed abroad in times past as he doth in these last daies Thirdly the fathers speake of the vniuersall aptnesse whereby mans will being by Gods ordinarie dispensation preuented and helped by the holy Ghost may beleeue and bee conuerted which notwithstanding a stone stocke or beast cannot Augustine Apossibilitie to haue faith Depraed 〈◊〉 5 is giuen of nature Againe hee saith that mans nature is capable of iustification by the grace of the holy spirit Againe Men may Conâ— â—ul l. 2 keepe Gods commandements and beleeue in God if they will because that light enlighteneth euery man which commeth into this world Prosper To be able to haue faith is De gen contra Manich. lib. 1. cap. 3. the nature of men but to haue faith is the grace of the faithfull Augustine This difference there is betwixt wicked men and the diuels that men though they be exceedingly Ad art Sibi falso imp 6. wicked may bee reconciled if God will shew mercie but there is no conuersion reserued for the diuels Now as concerning Christian grace whereby a will to bee conuerted and to beleeue actually in Christ is giuen vnto men The fathers haue not so much as dreamed that it is common vnto all and euery one which notwithstanding some are not a For they say that God hath giuen euery â—aÌ„ without exception power to beleeue if hee will himselfe now afraid to affirme in their writings * Error 7. This platforme teacheth that Gods foreknowledge of our faith and iusidelitie is the rule of predestination which is vtterly false For first of all the very will is a rule vnto it selfe and the diuine counsels Ephes. 1. 5. 11. We were predestâ—â—ated according to his purpose who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne â—â—ll Secondly Gods election is the rule of faith that is to be giue or not giuen Rom. 17. 5. A resoruation is made according to the election of grace Thirdly the foreknowledge of faith and infidelitie doth not extend it selfe so farre as predestination which belongs vnto all men whatsoeuer many of whom notwithstanding neuer so much as heard of Christ now these Aug. de cor grat c. 10 12. cannot haue faith not * contempt of the Gospell priuatiue infidelitie but only a negatiue The same I say of those which die in their infancie being within the couâ—nant who we beleeue are saued by the â—â—nour of the same couenant who for all that are neither elected for saith nor according to faith which they as yet had not But if the foreseeing of faith were the rule or square of electioÌ„ or reprobation the thing foreseen should belong to all men without exception for the rule must not bee 〈◊〉 ter than that which is ruled by it Fourthly foreseene faith is the effect of election therefore it it is not the rule of it Ephes 1. 5. Who hath predestinated us vnto Adoption by Christ and therefore also to faith which receiueth the benefit of adoption Augustine Let vs therefore saith he vnderstand ' that â—ib de praed c. 17. c. 5. * God will it the first rule in contingents Cling in loc com l. 1. c. 6. And Fraâ—cis Maronis saith that Gods will is the principall in contingeÌ„ts and that it is ruled and directed of none Lib. 1. aisâ— 4â— q. 〈◊〉 Lib. 〈◊〉 dist 4â— calling whereby they are chosen who are choson not because they did beleeue but that they should beleeue for if they were for that cause chosen because they did beleeue they themselues verily had chosen him before by beleeuing in him that they might deserne to be chosen Againe Lest any man should say My faith or some such like thing doth distinguish me from other men the teacher of the Gentiles meeting with such conceits asketh What thou hast that thouhast not receiued and of whom but of him who distinguisheth thee from him to whoÌ„ he hath not giuen that which he hath giueÌ„ to thee Lumb God hath elected those whom it pleased him to elect of his owne free mercâ—â— not because they were to be beleeuers but that they should bee beleeuers Again Grace is the effect of predestination Fiftly if God did elect according In epist. 〈◊〉 Rom. cap. 8. to foreseene faith tell me why he did foresee faith in one man rather then in another tell me I say for here whether thou wilt or no thou must haue recourse to the meere will of God For God doth foresee nothing which is good in any besides that which hee himselfe of his pleasure will first make And what is the
themselues but against their sinnes and this both within and without Within when hee maketh them to feele an accusing conscience witnessing that God is displeased and that they are made guiltie of death by their sinne Without when they taste of Gods anger against them in the outward chastisemeâ—â—s of the bodie And thus far they fall from his â—â—herly loue and are become the enemies of God after a sort I say Aâ—â—er a sort because God doth not lay downe his fatherlie affection and doth not alter his purpose of Adoption and eternall life Although the faithfull do fall away so much as 〈◊〉 h in them yet God remaineth a father in Christ and they also as touching right vnto eternall life remaine sonnes Ioh. 10. 28. They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand Here some doe say that the sheepe cannot be pluckt out but yet they may of their owne accore s 〈◊〉 cke away but without reason for the sheepe which reuolteth is pluckt away by the diuell when it doth reuolt And as he which continueth in Christs word is verily his disciple so he that doth not fall away but abides a sheepe is verilie a sheepe Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 10. 29. The gifts and calling of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Second grace is either imputed or inherent imputed is in iustification a part whereof is remission of sinnes And this remaineth and shall foy euer remaine sure as touching sinnes passed That saying of the Schoolemen is most true Sinnes once forgiuen continue so alwaies But when that any faithful man shall fall grieuously the pardon of that fall is granted in Gods decree notwithstanding no pardon is actually giuen of God nor receiued of maÌ„ vntill he doe repent yea if he should neuer repent which notwithstanding is impossible he should be damned as being guiltie of eternall death by this offence For there is no pardon of any new sinne without a new act of faith and repentance Inherent grace is either faith or the gift which followeth faith In sauing faith we must consider the act and the habit The act of faith is the very action of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprehending or an vnfained apprehension of Christ. Now this faith may be lost according to some act The very habit also or power of faith may in it selfe bee lost but by reason of confirming grace faith doth not perish as touching the essence thereof but it is lesned and abated according to some degree And hence it followeth that our communion with Christ may bee diminished but that our vnion cannot be dissolued There remained in Dauid after his fall the seed of true faith and regeneration as appeareth by his words Psal. 51. 11. Take not thy holy spirit from me It is also the iudgement of the Greg. lib. 25 in lob in Eleb Homil. 15. Tertull. lib. de Persec Chrysoft hom 2â— in Math. auncient fathers that the roote of faith in Peters fall was not taken away and abolished but only mooued and that it did as it were waxe drie that it was onely shaken and troden on and that it did not vtterly vanish Here also we are to giue eare a while to Gratian who consenteth with vs and to this purpose hath gathered many testimonies together out of the fathers Hath loue saith hee taken roote bee secure no euill can proceed Againe Loue doth vtterly Decret 2. pars c. 33. q. 3. sine de poenit d. 2. estrange the mind wherein it hath once taken possession from the delightes of the world Againe Loue is ioyned to God and vnited inseparably and is alwaies inuiâ—cible in all Againe Loue is an inuâ—sible vâ—ction which staâ—ds as it were in stead of a roote to him in whom sâ—â—uer it shall be which cannot wither though the s 〈◊〉 e doe parch whatsoeuer is r 〈◊〉 d is nourished with the heate of the 〈◊〉 and doth not wâ—rher Againe Hee lookes backe after the plough who after that hee hath begun to doe good workes returnes to euilâ— which he did forsake Which in no wise befalleth to the elect Againe All the elect doe so goe forward vnto good things that they do not returne to the committing of euill And againe The fitting and mouing of the spirit may be thus vnderstood For as touching some virtues it doth alwaies abide in the hearts of the Saints but according vnto other it comes as that which will returne and â—eturnes as purposing to come For as c 〈◊〉 ning faith hope and charitie and other graces without which it is not possible to come to that heauenly countrie as namely humilitie Chastitie iustice and mercie it neuer forsaketh their hearts that are vpright But as touching the vertue of prophecie the eloquence of doctrine and working of miracles it is sometimes present with the elect and sometimes it withdrawes it selfe The Schoolemen alledge Augustine to the contrary opinion where hee saith De cor grat cap. 6. 8. That doubtlesse if the man which is renewed and iustified doe fall backe by his owne will vnto an euill life he cannot say I haue not receiued because he hath by his owne free will vnto euill lost the grace of God which hee did receiue And againe That God doth not giue the gift of perseuerance vnto some of his Cap 9. children whom he did regenerate in Christ and to whom hee gaue faith hope and loue But he speaketh not these things of those which are indeede the sonnes of the promise but of those which are so called of vs and which beare the name and profession of sonnes Furthermore he speaketh of such as haue faith and loue in opinion and imagination and truely also as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching outward practise â—or Augustine in the same place hath so expounded his meaning We must beleeue that some of the Cap. 13. sonnes of perdition doe * He speaketh of the iustice of life and not of the inwarde righteousnes of the heart Tract 5. in Iob. epist. begin to liue and for a time faithfully and iustly in the faith that worketh by loue and afterwards fall Thirdly he speaketh of faith and loue as they are imperfect vertues and as it were lately sprung vp and not as they are sound perfect and true to wit as touching the truth of their essence So Augustine Loue is sprung vp within thee but it is not yet persiâ—ed doe not despaire but nourish it lest it be stiâ—â—ed And Gratian This loue which was an herbe in Peter before his deniall Ibid. cap. 24 and which springeth vp in euery one is lost and repaired before it be strengthened and made perfect And indeed for the manifesting of the truth of faith and loue there is required perseuerance by which it might bee knowne
A C 〈◊〉 N AND 〈◊〉 E TREATISE OF THE manner and order of Predestination and of the largenes of Gods grace FIRST WRITTEN IN LATINE by that Reuerend and faithfull seruant of God Master William Perkins late Preacher of the Word in Cambridge AND CAREFVLLY TRANSLATED into English by FRANCIS CACOT and THOMAS TVKE Romanes 8. vers 29. 30. For those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be â—he first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them be also glorified AT LONDON Printed for WILLIAM WELEY and Martin Clarke 1606. To the Right VVorshipfull Sir Peter Buck Knight And to the vertuous Lady his Wife Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. RIght Worshipfull amongst the manifold points of Christian Religion the trueth of the Doctrine coÌ„cerning Predestination is worthy serious and sober study for the sound vnderstanding thereof For first it is something difficult obscure Secondly because it is by some eagerly impugned as a friuolous and forged inuention of mans braine Thirdly diuers opinions haue passed from diuers meÌ„ diuersly about this one point whereas notwithstanding there is but one truth and one definite and constant sentence to be found in holy writ concerning it Fourthly this one doctrine doth giue very good euidence and an ample demonstration of Gods infinite mercie and exact iustice Fiftly it affordeth some taste of his profound and impenetrable counsell Sixtly it doth notably manifest his admirable wisdome and policie and the incorruptible purity of his nature who wisely disposeth all things and vseth euen euils without iniustice and the least receipt or infusion of corruption and all for the manifestation of the glory of his Name and of the splendour of his renowmed properties Seuenthly it confoundeth the common cauill of many desperate and infatuated Atheists who would make Gods predestination the pillar of their sensuall security and secure sensualitie Lastly it ministreth exceeding comfort vnto those who renouncing the kingdome of Sinne do liue like Saints in the kingdome of Grace First because it is not possible for any such to sinne with full consent of heart Secondly because no personall merits are required of them Thirdly because the Spirit of God abideth in them who is busy within the hiue of their hearts as a Bee and worketh them like waxe Fourthly because God hath eternally predestinated them to eternall ioyes and those also incomprehensible and ineffable Fiftly because God hath in abundance vouchsafed that to them being but an handfull which hee hath denyed to whole heapes besides Sixtly for that they being elected can in no wise perish for the counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer Psal. 33. 11. And hee loueth them with an euerlasting loue Ieremy 3. 4. Though a Mother should forget her Child yet he will not forget them for he hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hand Isay 49. 15 16. therefore hee will confirme them vnto the end 1. Cor. 1. 8. and by his power keepe them vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1. 5. He will loue them coÌ„stantly though he visit their transgressions with rods Psal. 89. 32 33. He will neuer turne away from them though he Iere. 32. 40. Ioh. 16. 12. take them by the neck as Iob speaketh and beat them though he cut their reines and breake them and though he powreth their gall vpon the ground and runneth vpon them like a Gyant Ioseph did affect his brethren entirely though hee spake roughly to them Hee may also sometimes let them fall as a louing Nurse may her child but he will lift them vp againe therefore howsoeuer they may fall yet they shall not fall away Indeed Piptein they may leaue their first loue as the Ecpiptein Church of Ephesus did but they shall neuer leaue to loue at all if euer they loued Reu. 2. 4. truly For as Paul sayth Loue doth neuer fall away it may be lessened but it cannot 1. Cor. 13 8. be lost In like manner their faith may be couered as the Sunne with a duskie cloud in a gloomy day or as the trees are with snow sometimes in winter but yet it continueth firmely fixed though now and then eclipsed in the sphaere of the heart and keepeth sap in the roote For the righteous man is as a tree planted by the riuers of waters Psal. 1. 3. and is built by that great builder of heauen and earth vpon a rock Math. 16. 18. These comforts will this one doctrine affoord being throughly pondered and vnderstood And no doubt these and the like considerations mooued that holy and learned man of blessed memory to publish this present treatise for the benefit of the Church and the same haue also incited vs to turne it out of the toong wherein he wrote it into the English for their profit who are ignorant in the other and the rather because it is contriued and penned very plainely soundly and succinctly as the subiect will permit The which Right Worshipfull assuring our selues of your vnfeigned loue vnto the truth we do present and dedicate to you in token of deserued gratitude for vndeserued kindnesse not doubting of your courteous and kinde acceptance And thus we humbly take our leaues recommending you and all yours to the protection of Iehoua Rochester this 19. of February 1605. Your Worships in all dutie Francis Cacott and Thomas Tuke ¶ To the Right VVorshipfull Master Iohn Hayward Maior And the Worshipfull Iurates his Brethren And the whole Communaltiâ— of the Towne and Libertie of Fauersham RIght Worshipfull as many other wholsome and heauenly doctrines grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God haue beene and are to this day contradicted and impugned euen so it fareth with the diuine and deepe doctrine of Gods Predestination a doctrine not more heauenly then wholsome nor more commodious then comfortable yet as heauenly as commodions as any doctrine whatsoeuer which the Scriptures do affoord The Pelagians held that God predestinated men to life or death as he did foresee that they would by their naturall free will receiue or reiect grace offered They taught that it was in mans power to beleeue or not to beleeue they placed the causes of saluation in men themselues out of God and held that the Elect might fall from grace and perish Others hold that albeit the Lord electeth some of his meere mercy without respect of any thing in them that yet he reiecteth those which are reiected because he did foresee that they would reiect his grace offered vnto them in the Gospell Some Vbiquitaries hold that Adams fall came to passe without Gods decree or any ordination of 〈◊〉 secondly that no decree of God dependeth vpon his sample will concerning the saluation of the godly or the reiection of the Reprobate thirdly that God doth vtterly nill the reprobation of 〈◊〉 y
whereupon Priuil 23 if they lay all their prescribed sacrifices they shall be accepted of God as smelling sweetly in his nostrils But the Reprobate and all their sacrifices are odious and abominable in his sight They want our Altar Christ Iesus who should purge and sanctify theyr offerings and by whom they should offer them vnto the Father and therefore their goodly sacrifices are but goodly sinnes God giueth his holy Spirit to his Elect only who in Gods appointed time maketh Priuil 24 his habitation in them who doth also sweep the floores of their spirits with the hand of his grace and the beesome of his word and trimmeth vp the houses of their hearts with the sweet and pleasant flowres of his spirit and adorneth them with the costly tapestry and precious ornaments of his orient and excellent graces He perfumeth them as it were with frankincense and coales of Iuniper He buildeth windowes within them that they may receiue the bright and beawtifull beames and louely light which do shine from the Sun of righteousnes Hee constituteth a kingdome within them hee ruleth them with the strength of his arme and the scepter of his word He stablisheth his throne with iustice and mercy he fostereth the part regenerate he bridleth and tameth the rebell euen the rebellious corruption of the heart and by little and little consumeth it As for the Reprobate their hearts are the dens of the Diuell and the cabins of sinne stincking loathsomly like a dead carryon There is indeed a kingdome within them but the Diuell is the King Sinne is the Queene His Throne is wickednes his Scepter is iniquity his Lawes are the liberty of the flesh his rewards are death and they are his slaues and vassals As the Elect may haue Grace so it is possible for theÌ„ to grow in grace therefore Priuil 25. 2. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Peter exhorteth vs To grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ and sheweth also how we may grow But for the Reprobate as they are void of all true lauing grace so they grow not there in for they can not increase in that which they want A man cannot grow in bignes vnlesse he haue a body A man caÌ„ not grow rich vnlesse he haue â—iches They may increase in sin and grow in wickednes as clay doth in hardnes wheÌ„ the weather is dry or as the riuers do in depth bredth wheÌ„ the tide commeth Againe whereas the Lord doth very often giue the reines to the Reprobate and suffers them to rush headlong into horrible enormities as the Gadarens Swine did into the Sea hee doth mercifully preserue his owne people and graciously keepeth them oftentimes from declining and falling and whensoeuer they either stumble or fall they may recouer themselues by serious and sound repentance But God hath not vouchsafed the gift of godly sorow and true repentance to the Reprobate It belongs only to Gods Elect. Wee may reade of Dauids repentance of Peters falling and rising of Pauls conuersion but wee neuer read of any true * â—o turne truly is to returne from all sinne vnto God turning that euer any reprobate made If any of them repent it is but for fashion sake or for feare of punishment It is not for loue to God or for the hatred of sinne for sinne or for the consideration of Gods loue vnto them As lead being cast into the water can not but sinke so the Reprobate can not but sinne And as a Mill-stone lying in the bottome of the Sea can not come vp so the Reprobate beeing ouerwhelmed in the bottomlesse pit of iniquitie can not repent Though it were possible to remoue a Mountayne out of his place yet it were more impossible to remoue a Reprobate from his corruptions Hee may mooue but hee will not remooue Hee may turne but hee cannot returne As it is impossible for him to reuiue who is ordained to perpetuall death so it is impossible for him to reuiue from sinne whom the fountaine of all life hath righteously forsaken and deliuered for euer vnto Sathan to hold captiue in the graue of sinne and in the darke and deadly dungeon of iniquity The children of God haue the spirit of prayer and with boldnesse may approach Priuil 26. vnto the throne of his grace and put vp their suites vnto him The King will permit a true subiect to come into his presence and speake vnto him when a rebell or traytour shall finde no such fauour A Kings sonne may speake vnto his father when others are not permitted so to do We are the sonnes of God and the seruants of his sonne therefore we may boldly in the name of our elder brother present our selues before him and put vp our supplications to him and the rather because he knoweth and approoueth vs. For as the Apostle sayth The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are 2. Tim. 2 19. his But the Reprobate and their prayers are abominable in his sight They want the spirit of prayer and either can not pray at all or not in the right manner Neither can they approach with boldnesse vnto GOD seeing they haue no part in Christ nor Christ in them They cannot pray with coÌ„fidence to be heard seeing they are destitute as well of faith as of the fauour of God GOD accepteth the sincere will and Priuil 27. feruent desires of his faithfull and elect children to beleeue repent and obey for faith repentance obedience For As Psa. 103 13. a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him He will spare them as a man Mala. 3. 17. spareth his owne sonne But fathers vse to take in good part their childrens works so they do them with care and diligence though not so perfectly and exactly as indeed were meet In like manner if we will and with an honest heart desire to do well though we do it very weakely God doth notwithstanding take all in good part and regardeth not the imperfection of the worke A desire of grace is one degree of grace and a will to do well is with God accounted doing well Therefore Paul sayth If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man 2. Cor. 8. 12. hath and not according to that he hath not That which he saith of giuing almes is true in the performance of all other duties If there be in a man a ready and willing mind to beleeue repent and obey though he do not these things perfitly or so well as many of his brethren do yet God for the merits and intercession of his Sonne accepteth both of him and his imperfit works and in mercy rewardeth him Dauid besides his dayly infirmities did thrice grieuously offend God and yet he told Salomon that if he 〈◊〉 Chron. 7. 17. would walke before him as Dauid his father he would establish the throne of
operation is infinite but yet it must be distinguished for it is either potentiall or actuall The potentiall efficacie is wherby the price is in it selfe sufficient to redeeme euery one without exception from his sins albeit there were a thousand worlds of men But if we consider that actuall efficacie the price is payd in the counsell of God and as touching the euent only for those which are elected and predestinated For the Sonne doth not sacrifice for those for whom hee doth not pray because to make intercession and to sacrifice are conioyned but hee prayeth onely for the elect and for beleeuers Ioh. 17. 9. and by praying he offereth himselfe to his Father verse 19. For as Illyricus hath well obserued this whole prayer in the 17. chapter is indeed as he speaketh an oblatory and expiatory prayer or as the Papists call that blasphemous forme a Canon or rule of sacrifice by which Christ hath offered himselfe a sacrifice to the Father for the sinnes of the world Therefore the price is appointed and limited to the elect alone by the Fathers decree and the Sons intercession and oblation Secondly Christ bare their person and stood in their roome vpon the crosse for whom he is a mediator and consequently whatsoeuer Christ did as a redeemer the same did all Ephes. 1. 6. Coloss. 3. 1. those in him with him which are redeemed Christ dying rising again ascending sitting at the right hand of the Father they also die with him rise againe ascend and sit at the right hand of God Now that all these things can be truly said of the elect only and of such as beleeue I proue it thus To say that any one of the wicked which are to perish for euer is raised vp in Christ rising againe is flat against the truth because the raysing vp of Christ is that I may so speake his actuall absolution from their sins for whom he died for euen as the Father by deliuering Christ to death did in very deede condemne their sins imputed vnto Christ for whom he died so by raysing him vp from death euen ipso facto he did absolue Christ from their sinnes and did withall absolue them in Christ but being absolued from their sins they shall not perish but be saued Therefore that wicked man which perisheth for his sin cannot be said to haue risen againe with Christ and therefore Christ did not beare his person vpon the crosse Thirdly the expiatory sacrifice sanctifieth those for whom it is a sacrifice as the holie Ghost plainly and absolutely auoucheth Heb. 9. 13. 14. The sacrifice and sanctification appertaine to the same persons and Christ is their perfect Sauiour whom he saueth not only by meriting their saluation but also by working it effectually But Christ doth sanctifie only the elect and such as beleeue therefore he was a sacrifice only for them And this was the iudgment of the ancient Church in this point Augustine saith He which spared not his Jn Iohan. tract 45. owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how hath he not also with him giuen vs all good things but for what vs for vs which are foreknown Tract 2. predestinated iustified and glorified Againe Those whom he pleased to make his brethren De recta fide ad Regin In Ioan. lib. 11. cap. 14. he hath released and made fellow heires Cyril saith If God who is most worthy was in the flesh he was of right sufficient to redeeme the whole world Againe The Lord Iesus separating his owne from those which were not his saith I pray only for those which keepe my word and cary my yoke For he doth make them alone and that iustly partakers of the benefit of his mediation whose Mediator and high Priest he is Gregorie saith The author 2. Hom. in Ezek. lib. 1. of life gaue himselfe to death for the life of the elect Againe The Lord will redeeme In Psal. 33. the soules of his seruants to wit with his precious blood because he which beleeueth rightly In Ephes. cap. 1. in him is redeemed from the due thraldome of his sins Sedulius All things are restored which are in the earth * Or when seeing that the men themselues who are predestinated vnto eternall life are renewed from the corruption of the old man Beda The flesh of the Hom. in sab post reminise Lord is furnished with spirituall vertue that it might be a sweet sauor sufficient for the saluation of the whole world Againe Our Lord Hom in vigil Pâ—sâ— and redeemer to the elect-whom he knew to be placed in his flesh yea and to vs also whom he foresaw should beleeue in the last times he Jn Reuel part 1. hath procured the remedie of saluation by his death and resurrection Ioachim the Abbat The word All which for the most part is vniuersall doth not alwaies signifie so much as it seemeth as in that place When I shall be lift Col. 1. 19. 20 vp I will draw all things to my selfe And by him he hath pleased that all things should be reconciled in him It seemeth that in these In 2. Reg. cap. 7. places Elect Things onely are vnderstood Angelomus What other nation is there in the earth besides the elect people for which God the Son of God vouchsafed to come into this world as it were into Aegypt that taking vpon him the forme of a seruant he might with the merchandize of his blood redeeme vnto himselfe an acceptable people zealous of good workes Ruperâ—us In that houre he washed those only from sin whom his death Jn Exod. lib. 2. cap. 6. findeth faithfull whether dead or liuing Againe The passion of Christ is the iudgement In Ioan. cap. 12. of the world that is saluation seuering the whole number of the elect which were from the beginning of the world to the houre of the same passion from the reprobate And the casting out of the prince of this world is the reconciliation of the nations of the elect Againe I will draw all things to my selfe what all things namely All Elect Things as all the members follow their head Haimo Christ hath taken away in the Elect not onely originall In cap. 5 ad Rom. but all actuall sins also and hath ouer and besides giuen them eternall life Radulphus The blood of the high Priest Christ was the purgation of all beleeuers Innocentius In Leuit. lib. 17. cap. 2 Lib. 4. de Myst. Missae cap. 4. Christ blood was shed effectually for those only who are predestinated but for all men in regard of sufficiencie for the shedding of the blood of that iust one for the vniust was so rich in price that if euery one had beleeued in the redeemer none at all had been held captiue of the diuell Arnoldus Carnotensis He redeemeth none but those whom he calleth Ben 〈◊〉 allis tract 7. de verbis Domini and washeth by grace neither doth the Spirit
those that are saued from those that are damned who were enwrapped in one lumpe of corruption by one common cause from the beginning Chrysostome saith The grace of God commeth vnto euery one but it remaineth Lib. de compunâ—â— cord with them who doe worthily fulfill those things which are in their power departing quickely from them which doe not wel behaue themselues neither doth it at all come vnto those who doe not so much as begin to turne vnto the Lord. Gregorie saith The Gentiles did not any way worship God neither shewed they any signe or token of any good worke for indeede they were * But if grace be vniuersall there had alwaies been some Church among the Gentiles although secret and hidden for it is not likely that all had cast away grace or that they had vsed it â—uilly Expos. in 1. Reg. cap. 14. forsaken Amongst whoÌ„ because there was no lawgiuer nor no one that did according to reason seeke after God there was not as it were a man but all liued as it were like beasts And afterwards he saith When our redeemer came he so receiued the calling of grace as that there was not before in it the life of prophecie And againe Teachers holding their tongues the diuels goe into their place because none doe perish by the silence of the pastours but they who are not predestinated vnto eternall life For they are places for the diuels because in Gods foreknowledge they are not preordained vnto Gods taberâ—acle Hereupon is it said that when the Pâ—stours did preach as manie as were predestinated vnto eternall life did beleeue And hereupon saith Paul whom hee hath predestinated those hath he called HerevpoÌ„ it is that the Apostles desirous to go into Asia were forbidden by the holy Ghost They therefore which are not predestinated whether they heare the words of the preachers or whether they do not heare them cannot be called vnto Gods tabernacle And againe Sometimes the preachers are silent by Gods dispensation that they holding their peace they which are not the Lordes may be receiued of euill spirits Beda saith He goeth to Lib. 1. in Isâ—i cap. 1. visit and enlighten their harts whom he hath predestinated to eternall life forsaking those whom he kneweth to be none of his owne Anastasius saith The Church in the former Lib. 1. contemp in Hexam l. 10 state of error being without eyes and blind did neither see from the beginning neither was it seene aâ— all by God And againe All other kindes of faith which are in the world are dead as â—â—so the motions of those people and gentiles which are dead as they which had not in them him who said I am the life Neither doe they regenerate and quicken their people and children by the wombe of water and the spirit but are fruitlesse and bereâ—â— of the well of life and nâ—t enioying the water which is liuely and streameth vnto eternall life Therefore that Church which is his is onely termed the life and mother of all the liuing Hugo de Sanct. vict saith In Iâ—◠〈◊〉 â—5 Some of those who were before the comming of Christ if they had not had some other sinne they should noo haue been damned for that they did not beleeue in Christ because they haue an excuse for that sinne And againe What if thou shouldest enter into In Soliâ—oquio dearra 〈◊〉 consideration how many and how excellent in comparison of thee are cast awaies which could not attaine vnto this grace which is giuen vnto thee Surely thou hast heard how many generations of men from the beginning euen vntill this day haue passed away who are all without the knowledge of God and the price of his redemption tumbled downe into the gulfe of euerlasting destruction Thy redâ—emer and louer hath preferred thee before all those in as much as he hath giuen thee this grace which none of them was worthâ—e 〈◊〉 receiue And what wilt thou say wherfore doest thou think that thou are preferred before them all hast thou been more valiant hast thou bin more wise hast thou â—inne more noble hast thou â—in more rich then they all because thou hast obtaitained this speeâ—all fauour aboue them all how many valiant men how many wise men how many noble men how many rich men haue there bin and yet they are all forsaken and haue pâ—â—â—shed like cast 〈◊〉 ayes Thou only 〈◊〉 receiued before them all and yet thou canâ—â— â—ot finde out any cause why thou shouldest thus be 〈◊〉 withall besides the free faâ—our of thy Saniour Hitheâ—â—â— I haue opened and defended our opinion of predâ—stination I will now â—riâ—fely examine another diâ—â—enting with this in many things hauing taken it with as much diligence as I could out of the publique writings of many â—â—en and to this end I doe thus briefly propound it First God created all and euery man in 〈◊〉 to eternall life Secondly he foresavâ— the fall Thirdly because he is by nature gentle and good he doth â—eriooshe will that all men after the fall should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth and therefore willeth to giue all the furtheâ—ances both of nature and grace that they may be saued but yet indefinitely if they themselues shall beleeue This will of God they say is predesâ—ination and the same with the writteÌ„ Gospell The rule of this wil is Whosoeuer shal beleeue shal be saued He that wil not beleeus shall be dâ—mned Lastly Election is according to the foreknowledge of future faith which notwithstanding may be lost vtterly for a time as some say or finallie and for euer as some others will and reprobation is according to the foreknowledge of infidelitie or the contempt of the Gospel This platforme is in very truth so far as I can iudge of is by the scriptures a meere inuention of mans wit which will appeare by the manifold errours therein contained First by this platforme or groundwork Error 1. there followeth a certaine vniuersall reprobation and that a very absurd and strange one For if there bee as they doe affirme an vniuerfall election whereby God willeth that all men shall be saued in definitely if they doe beleeue he willeth also by the like reason that all and each one should be daÌ„ned if they do not beleeue But this reprobation is no where to be found in the scriptures Yea hence refolloweth that God being alike affected to all and seriously willing the conuersion and saluation of all doth neither chuse nor refuse any man From hence also it followeth that God Error 2. hath in vaine propounded with himselfe the supreme absolute end of his counsels which is to communicate his goodnesse in true selicitie euen to enery man For if we consider the cuent he doth not communicate his goodnesse and eternall life vnto very many which is otherwise than he purposed namely vnto those that are damned But we are in no case to say that the supreme end of
is iâ— very deede to beleeue The publicanâ— and ha 〈◊〉 t s and those which are held captiue at the diuels will doe repent and are conuerted and therefore they doe not onely receiue power if they will but of â—illers and stâ—bborâ—e râ—pugners they are made actually willing Thirdly there are and haue been many nations which have had no knowledge of the faith or which haue not kept it and without this knowledge there is not any sauing grace Answer is wont to be made that man receiuing naturall light is not to bee excused for the want of supernaturall knowledge because if he would doe by Gods assistance that which liech in him God would enlighten him with supernaturall grace For thus the schâ—olemen do vsually speake Although no man is able by Gregâ—â—d Vaâ— the ministry of men to know the nature of faith of â—e neuer heard any thing of it yet he may by Gods helpe if hee liue morally according to Gods law so much as in him lieth to doe For then God will succour him either by himselfe or by some other to wiâ— either man or Angell by propounding of faith vnto him For as in naturall things so in supernaturall God doth minister grace when man is not wanting to himselfe I answere that this is false For if grace be giuen to him which doth that which lieth in him to do by the strength of nature it is giuen either by merite or promise Not by merit because there is no merit before faith and we do nothing acceptable vnto God before wee haue faith Augustine Thou bringest in a kind of men which can please God without the f 〈◊〉 th of Christ by the law of nature This is Cont. Jul. the cause why the Christian Church doth especially detest you And it is not giuen by promise because there is no promise or diuine law to bee found in the scriptures that grace should by and by bee giuen vnto him that doth that which lieth in him to doe It is also false to say that God doth minister all things that make for the felicitie of nature or this present life For some are borne leprâ—us blinde foolish very poore vnmeet for this temporarie felicitie neither do they euer attaine vnto it This opinion also is against experience because many die in their infancie and many are foolish and mad all their life long vpon whom we cannot say that this vu 〈◊〉 fall grace is bestowed 〈◊〉 also coÌ„â—rary to most plaine places of 〈◊〉 ture Saluation is not in him that willeth 〈◊〉 in him that runneth but in God that sâ—â—weth mercy And he hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth It is g 〈◊〉 uen to the disciples to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Mat. â—3 〈◊〉 The wind bloweth not in all but where it Ioh. 3. 8. listeth The sonne doth not reueale the father Ioh. 6. vnto all but to whom he will All doe not beleeue but those which are drawne and predestinated Acts 13. 49. unto life All doe not heare but those to whom eares are giuen for to heare Furthermore it is some impayring of effectuall and Christian grace so to place it in mans power that hee may if hee will receiue it and that he may also if he will not refuse and despise it and to say that God hath giuen vnto men no other grace then that against which the flesh or peruerse will may preuaile in all men and against which it doth preuaile indeede in the greatest part of mankind because God will not restraine it To conclude let vs also heare the restimonies of the fathers The author of the calling of the Gentiles saith thus If so bee that the grace of the saâ—er doe passe by some as we see it doth it is to be referred to the hidden iudgements of diuine iustice Augustine Nothing deliuereth vs from this wrath whereby wee are all vnder sinne sauing the grace of Lib. de pâ—â— â—erit c. 21. God by Iesus Christ. Why this grace commeth to that infant and not vnto this the cause may be vnknowne but not vniust Againe It was by diuine dispensation that Pharaoh did not tractably consent but obstinately resist because that there was not only In Exâ—d quâ—st 18. a iust punishment but a iust punishment euidently prepared for such a heart whereby those which feare God may be corrected Againe The iudgements are vnsearchable wherefore of two wicked men being of yeeres Lib. de hon â—ers cap. 8. aged one should bee called so as that he should follow the caller and the other should either not be called at all or not called so as that he should follow him that calls him And again He giueth to whoÌ„ he will because he is mercifull Cap. 12. which though he should not giue yet he is iust Againe he doth not giue to the to whom he will not that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie for by giuing vnto some whâ— deserue nor he will haue it to be his free and by this also his true grace and fa 〈◊〉 r. Againe Whosoeuer are set apart from originall Ibid. cap. 7. damnation through the bounâ—â—e of Gods grace it is no doubs but that it shall he procured for them to heare the Gospell and to beleeue when they heare it Againe We know that Gods grace is not giuen vnto all men Epist. ad Uital 107. Lib. de spirit liâ— c. 34. And againe Why one man is so exhorted that he is perswaded and why it is not so with another O the depth of the riches Thomas As he doth not open the ere 's of all that Câ—nâ— gent. lib. 3. c. 161. are blinde nor cure all that are crazie that in those his power might appeare and that in the other the order of nature might hee preserued euen so he doth not by his helpe preuent all that â—inder grace but some in whom he willeth that his mercie should 〈◊〉 so also that the order of iustice should be manifested in others Isidore Spirituall grace Sent. lib. 2. cap. 5. 6. is not distributed to all but is only giuen to the elect Againe It is giuen to him because he is euill that would be good another neither willeth neither is it giuen him that he might be good Cameracensis Although God be an vniuersal agent ouer all so as that In lib. sent 1 q. 12. art 2. he giueth vnto all some gifts of grace as being life knowledge c. yet he giueth some gifts of speciall grace vnto one which he giueth not to another as namely faith and the grace which makes vs gracious and such like which are the effects of predestination Finally Augustine and almost al the Scholemen make two kindes of infidelitie the one negatiue in those which neuer heard the Gospell the other priuatiue in those that refuse and contemne the