saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. Ye are not your owne 1. Cor. 6.20 ye are bought with a price be net the seruants of men But with what price S. Peter answereth not with siluer and gold 1. Pet. 1.18.19 or other transitorie things which nothing at all profit vs to the eternall redemption of our soules but with the precious blood of Christ as a lambe without spot who did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth and who bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree 1. Pet. 3.18 and suffered the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs vnto God being dead in the flesh but quickned in the spirit Which opinion these sayings also confirme Ephes 6.2 Ephes 1.7 He gaue himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of a sweete sauour to God In him we haue redemption through his blood Tit. 2.14 euen the remission of sinnes of his rich grace He gaue himselfe for vs to redeeme vs from all sinne and to purge vs a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works Heb. 9.14 Also By the eternall spirit he offered himselfe to God without fault that wee being purged from dead workes should serue the liuing God And in the same chapter Once in the end of the world hath he been made manifest by the sacrifice of himselfe to put away sinne Vers 26. And many other things pertaining to this point doth the Apostle in that place exactly debate as that he gathereth from the proprietie and nature of a Testament that Christ must needes dye because the death of the Testator is required that the Testament may be ratified And confirming the same from the rite of the old Testament he addeth that that was not dedicated without blood and that all things almost according to the Law were purified with blood and that the paternes of heauenly things were purged with the blood of sacrifices but the heauenly things themselues required a better sacrifice and a better blood namely the same whereof Christ himselfe purposing forthwith to fulfill the New Testament witnessed This is my blood of the New Testament Matth. 26. which is shed for many for remission of sinnes Likewise his beloued disciple saith The blood of the Sonne of GOD clenseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 But now wee speake of the meanes of redemption accomplished in the first comming of Christ For there is another to be performed in his second comming whereof is spoken Luk. 21. Lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nigh And Paul speaketh of the same Rom. 8.23 and 1. Cor. 1.30 This shall be as the fulfilling and consummation of the former for now wee are saued in hope but not as yet in deede as the Apostle writeth Rom. 8.24 CHAP. V. The answering or taking away of certaine Questions about the maner or meanes of redemption BVt there is a question in this place 1. question Why he must needs redeeme vs by a price not take vs out of Satans power by force who did vniustly hold vs captiues what neede was there of the paiment of a price by the Sonne of God that wee might be redeemed who were the slaues of Satan for it seemeth more conuenient that he who is violently and vniustly detained of another bee taken away from him by a superiour power euen without any price And the deuill had vniustly inuaded vs. I answere this price was not paied to the deuill but to God who had power ouer vs to condemne vs and had made vs subiect to the power of the deuill by his iust iudgement For as touching the deuill he vniustly possessed man but man in the meane while was iustly made subiect as a slaue to Satan through his owne sinne and the righteous iudgement of God Therefore Christ satisfied God and reconciled vs offering himselfe vnto him by his eternall spirit Heb. 9. and so now the kingdome of Satan is necessarily destroyed concerning vs that be reconciled to God whom by our sins we had offended Notwithstanding Ambrose lib. 9. epist 77. writeth that the price of our deliuerance by the blood of our Lord Iesu was paied vnto him to whom we were sold by our sinnes that is to the deuill But that is a very hard saying For whereas it was not lawfull to offer sacrifice but vnto God alone how much more ought this peculiar sacrifice to be offered to none but to God alone which the eternall high priest offered vpon the Altar of the crosse by the sacrifice of his flesh and effusion of his blood and which onely is the propitiation for the sinnes of the world Further it is a question 2. question Why his death is a price sufficient for redemption from whence that dignitie of the passion and death of Christ ariseth that it is a price sufficient for the redemption of mankind There be many causes concurring to that effect I. Cause 1. His willing obedience The willing obedience of the Sonne to the death of the crosse Phil. 2.8 for the passion of Christ had not been satisfactorie vnlesse it had been voluntarie Hereof the Apostle Rom. 5. saith As by the disobedience of one many are made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous And he speaketh as Theophilact well expoundeth of the obedience of Christs death by which obedience death being destroyed wee are deliuered from the damnation of death And for this cause the Euangelists with one consent describing the historie of Christs passion haue diligently noted many circumstances which declare that he suffered willingly For hee was offered Esay 53.10 because hee was willing as Esay saith chap. 53. II. The death and whole humiliation of Christ was not onely voluntarie His innocency 1. Pet. 2. 2. Cor. 5.21 but also he suffered death when he was altogether innocent as a man who had committed no sinne and in whose mouth there was found no guile For such an high priest became vs Heb. 7.26 as was godly innocent vndefiled separated from sinners who had no neede to offer first for his owne sinnes and then for the sinnes of the people Therefore because the iust suffered for the vniust 1. Pet. 3. his blood as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot is worthily counted precious to worke our redemption as it is in Peter 1. Epist 1. Augustine largely vrgeth this cause in his 13. booke of the Trinitie chap. 14. He died saith he who alone was free from the debt of death Therefore it was iust that debters should be let goe free beleeuing in him who died without any debt The same man chap. 15. The blood of Christ because it was his who had no sinne at all was shed for the remission of our sinnes And in the chapter following The deuill held our sinnes and for them worthily bound vs in death he who had none of his owne discharged them and was by him vnworthily drawne vnto death Also Pope Leo
the Minor of the argument is false for he that hath knowledge knoweth himselfe to beleeue as before hath been shewed And whosoeuer beleeueth A man may know himselfe to haue faith and so to haue Christ Luk. 22. Matth. 26. is partaker of the merits of the death and humiliation of our Lord Iesus Christ as he saith this is my body which is giuen for you and this is my blood the blood of the New Testament which is shed for you as Luke hath or as Matthew saith which is shed for many for remission of sinnes Why saith he for many Because albeit the blood of Christ be shed for all as touching sufficiencie yet it was shed for the regenerate onely as touching efficiencie as I shewed before out of Innocentius Whereupon Basil saith All of vs as many as do beleeue Exhortat Baptis are redeemed from sinnes by the grace of God which is through his onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who said This is my blood the blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes which exposition he twise repeateth in his Sermon following of Baptisme for many that is for all beleeuers the blood of Christ was shed CHAP. XVI An answere to the residue of the Absurdities HVber goeth on and that he may maintaine any way his opinion he obiecteth also other absurdities so horrible that a godly minde cannot but tremble in thinking of them as Hubers blasphemies that God is accused of fraud and lying Of fraud in that he saith one thing and thinketh another Of lying in that by word he offereth and commandeth to receiue things which in the meane while by his irreuocable iudgement he forbiddeth to receiue Also that Christ by his passion hath mocked God and men and that the mightie and holy Lord of hosts is worthily accused of crueltie iniustice reioycing at mens harmes and of other great euils agreeing rather to a most cruell tyrant then to God For such and so many words doth his rude and shameles mouth vtter often or rather roreth out But these be the sleights of the aduersarie issuing out of the same forge that his other lyes and slanders doe too too presumptuous truly But because those obiections and mocks excepting only the last saue one respect not so fitly the doctrine of Redemption as of Predestination which treatises Huber here and there without order confoundeth and are long agoe largely confuted by Doctor Luther in his booke of seruile freewill I will not suffer my selfe in refuting them to be carried beside the matter I haue in hand One or two places onely of Luther I will alleadge for their sakes who depend vpon that mans authoritie that they may vnderstand that the doctrine of Luther is wounded through our sides He therefore in his answere to the place of Ezech. 18. Luther de seruo arbit cap. 107. seq J will not the death of a sinner confirmeth the receiued distinction of a double will in God which truly was wont to bee so distinguished for our capacitie And one will he one while calleth secret fearefull and vnsearchable other while the most reuerend secret of Gods maiestie sometime the hidden God but the other will A double will in God he calleth one while the reuealed will other while the word preached sometime God preached and worshipped How God willeth and willeth not the death of a sinner Eze. ca. 18. and proceedeth after this sort God doth many things which he hath not shewed vs in his word and he willeth many things which in his word he doth not shew that he willeth So he will not the death of a sinner in his word that is in his will reuealed in his word but he willeth it by his vnsearchable will Therefore it is well said If God will not the death of a sinner wee must impute it to our will that we perish well I say if it bee vnderstood of God preached For he willeth that all men be saued while he commeth vnto all by the word of saluation and it is the fault of the will which doth not admit God as Matth. 25. it is said How often would I gather thy chickens and thou wouldest not But why Gods maiestie taketh not away this fault of our wil or changeth it in all or why he doth impute it vnto man seeing he cannot want it we may not inquire and if thou wouldest inquire yet thou shalt neuer finde it as Paul Rom. 9. saith Who art thou then that reasonest with God Againe it is sufficient saith Luther to know that God so willeth and this will it is meete we should reuerence loue and adore restraining the rashnes of our reason Here Luther sufficiently sheweth that it pertaineth to his reuealed will that God willeth the conuersion and saluation of all and to his hidden will that he neither giueth nor purposeth to giue conuersion and saluation to all but to whom he will according to his meere good pleasure Neither are these cōtrarie one to another The hid and reuealed will are not contradictorie therefore no suspition of fraude or lying in God as though God spake one thing and thought another when we say that he willeth that is commandeth that all repent and beleeue the Gospell to saluation and yet that he will not worke in all men faith and repentance Euen children may perceiue that here is no contradiction because of the diuers signification of the word will The same man cap. 160. God is not vniust or one that reioyceth at mans miserie This surely offendeth common sense and naturall reason that God of his meere will forsaketh hardeneth and damneth men as though he who is said to be of so great mercie and goodnes delighted in the great and eternall paines and torments of miserable persons This seemeth wicked cruell and intolerable to imagine of God But here the most mercifull God ought to be honoured and reuerenced and wee must referre freely some thing vnto his diuine wisedome that he may bee beleeued to be iust A notable saying where he seemeth to vs to bee vniust For if such were his iustice as might be iudged by mans capacitie to bee iust it should not be altogether diuine and should differ nothing from humane iustice But seeing God is true and one wholly incomprehensible and inaccessible by mans reason it is meete yea necessarie that his iustice also be incomprehensible c. Therefore what peruersenes is this that wee should destroy the iustice and iudgement of God These and many other such things hath Luther against such as contend with their maker Esay 45. Brentius in 1. Sam. 2. v. 25. Brentius also vpon those words touching Elies sonnes They heard not the voyce of their father because the Lord would slay them subscribeth vnto this doctrine and concludeth this whole question in these words Therefore that they may be punished according to the worthines of their deserts the Lord
a thing if a man would denie the consequent in an Enthymeme as if one being about to answere a Syllogisme should denie the conclusion By which kinde of solutions any thing might most easily be answered by any one but that Logicke is against it But omitting these things let vs produce a few testimonies of many out of the Scripture to declare our purpose The state of the question that redemption from sinnes righteousnes and saluation are benefits proper vnto the Church and not common to all whether they beleeue or not as the new opinion would haue it This is the state of the question properly which must be diligently marked For we also grant that Christ died for all but wee denie that therefore all are made partakers of the benefits of Christs death without respect of faith or vnbeleefe or els which is all one wee denie that Christ died for all effectually How Christs death may be effectuall to any the cause of the want of that efficacie being considered not in Christ but in men themselues For to make the death of Christ effectuall vnto vs for redemption his merit is not only needfull but also the application and receiuing of the same which is done by an vnfained faith Matth. 1. The 1. testimonie prouing redemption to be proper to the Church The first testimonie therefore we haue in Matthew in the words of the Angell to Ioseph Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Here we see redemption peculiarly attributed to the people of Christ And the people of Christ be his Church of all places and ages Therefore redemption is peculiar to the Church and yet vniuersall after that sort as we confesse the Church to bee vniuersall Thes 1059. All men be not the people of God proued by three reasons Huber crieth out and such is his Diuinitie saith that by the people of Christ is meant the whole ofspring of Adam and saith that al are truly called to the kingdome of God that they may be his people But the contrary is easily proued First by the name of the people of God the Scripture vseth not to comprehend al men but a certaine companie onely among whom God is acknowledged and called vpon and whom hee likewise acknowledgeth for his owne and to whom belong the couenants and promises Leuit. 26. as the Lord saith I wil walke among you and I will be your God Iere. 31. 2. Cor. 6. Ose 1. 2. and you shall be my people And I will be your God and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie As also he saith in Oseah I will call a people my people which was not mine and her beloued who was not beloued and it shall come to passe in the place where it was said vnto them Ye are not my people there they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God All which places Paul to the Romanes expoundeth of the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 9. who whereas they had bin in times past alients from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise hauing no hope and being without God in the world afterward obtained the adoption of grace in the kingdome of Christ Tit. 3. So vnto Titus wee reade that Christ purged a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes whom Peter also calleth a people whom God claimeth as his own 1. Pet. 2. a holy nation a royall priesthood What insolencie then is it to imagine that all men be the people of God This is nothing els than to ioyne faithful with vnfaithfull righteousnes with vnrighteousnes light with darkenes Christ with Belial the temple of God with images and to mingle sacred things with prophane Secondly if all should bee the people of Christ it should not onely follow that all must be also called Christians but also as Origene fained all should be saued and haue eternall life seeing saluation which Christ bestoweth vpon his people includeth eternall life as the chiefe fulfilling thereof Thirdly Theophylact vpon the same place thus writeth He saith he shall saue his people not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles who shall beleeue and not doubt to bee made his people Luther also in Gen. 31. Luther at large testifieth that all men are not the people of God but such as hee liketh of and accepteth and cannot be taken out of his hands But let Huber giue care vnto his Brentius especially Brentius who writeth thus in the exposition of his Catechisme Tell vs saith he to whom Iesus is Iesus that is a sauiour from their sinnes The Euangelist saith He shall saue his people He saueth not Aliants but his people They be Aliants whosoeuer beleeue not in him whether they be Iewes or Gentiles And they be his whether they be Iewes or Gentiles as many as doe acknowledge and imbrace him by faith Wherefore of what nation soeuer thou be if thou beleeue the Gospel of Christ thou art made by faith a member of his people and Iesus is in very deede made Iesus vnto thee These things he another of whose sayings also shall be cited hereafter in the seuenth Chapter Nowe let the Tubingers see whether they will condemne Brentius heere or Huber rather of an error A second testimonie we haue in the same Euangelist cha 26. When hee had taken the cup hee gaue it to them saying The 2. testimony Matt. 26. Drink ye all of this For this is the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes I surely knowe that some of the auncient writers respecting sufficiencie doe expound for many that is that his blood was shed for al seeing euen all are many But the sense rather agreeth by keeping the vsuall signification of Many Many distinguisheth betweene beleeuers and vnbeleeuers vnto the difference betweene the beleeuers and vnbleeuers of whom they receiuing forgiuenes of sinnes are redeemed by the grace of Christ and these are as yet voyd of redemptiō as we before shewed Basils often exposition And the Commentaries vpon Marke which are ascribed vnto Hierome haue expressely that the blood of the new Testament is said to be shed for many because it doth not make cleane all or els that there bee in the very Church some whome no sacrifice doth make cleane much more then out of the Church What that among the newe writers Brentius in his Catechisme doth no otherwise expound it Christ saith he when he said of his blood which is shed for you he addeth this also for Many to signifie that it was shed not onely for the Iewes but also for the Gentiles of whom his Church was to bee gathered And by that place and exposition he taketh here in hand to proue our very matter in hand to wit that Christ by his death hath made satisfaction for the sinnes of his that they may haue remission of
power of the deuill yet through Christ alone none but they all are set free that be regenerated by spirituall grace In the same booke chapter 18. he saith The Christian kinde That he that ouercame the first Adam and held mankinde captiue was ouercome of the second Adam and lost the Christian kinde which was out of Mankinde set free from the sinne of man through him who had no sinne though he was of our kinde The same in his 53. treatise vpon Saint Iohn saith The deuill therefore possessed mankinde and held them guiltie of punishment through the hand writing of sinnes But by the faith of Christ which was ratified by his death and resurrection through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are deliuered from the deuill An argument and are coupled to the body of Christ In all these places there is this or the like argument What kinde of freedome redemption is Redemption is a freedome from the power of the deuill and such a freedome as whereby it commeth to passe that the deuill cannot draw any of these with him to the destruction of eternall death through the snares of sinnes whom Christ hath redemed with his blood But all men haue not freedome from the power of the deuill Therefore almen are not redeemed but as freedome so redemption is proper to the beleeuers and predestinate according to Augustine and the trueth of this point The world that is precestinate to life Christ came to saue but not the world predestinate to damnation Hitherto belongeth that which in the fore mentioned treatise as also in the 110. and 111. Treatises the same writer constantly expoundeth the world that Christ came to saue and reconcile to God of the good and such as bee predestinate to eternall life being dispersed throughout the whole world that this world of an enemie is made a friend but that the worlde that is predestinate to damnation abideth an enimie neither of this world must it be vnderstood that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe So in the 48. Treatise vpon the saying ye beleeue not for ye are not of my sheepe he saith This he spake because he saw them predestinate to eternall destruction and not prepared by the price of his blood to eternall life And a litle after he is assured of the number of his sheepe because hee knoweth what hee gaue for them And elsewhere Whom God redeemed by the blood of the Mediator he maketh for euer after good De corrept gra cap. 11. But these bee testimonies inough out of Augustine For who can rehearse euery thing hee writeth of this matter Hieromie Furthermore the Commentaries vpon Marke ascribed to Hieromie expresly say that the blood of the newe Testament is sayd to be shed for Many because it doth not cleanse all that there is euen in the Church some whom no sacrifice clenseth As Remigius also as Thomas citeth him Cate. aurea vpon this very place warneth vs to obserue that hee saith not for few or for all but for Many my blood shal be shed because he came not to redeeme our nation onely but Many of all Nations Hilarius in Matthew cap. 7. Hilarie The saluation of the Gentiles saith he is wholly of faith and in the Lordes commandements is the life of all men He saith not the reprobates and vnbeleeuers are as well saued by Christ as any other as these newe sectaries thinke good to speake Chrysostome homil 39. vpon 1. Chrisost Cor. expounding the words of the Apostle touching the quickening of all men by Christ denieth that it is to be vnderstood of the righteousnes of all men as though whosoeuer are made sinners in Adam are made righteous in Christ Hub. thes 49. 53. which yet our aduersaries would haue The same maner homil 17. vpon the Hebrewes confirmeth the distinction that Christ died for all as touching Sufficiencie and not for all as touching Efficiencie His words are these Why is hee said to be offered to take away the sinnes of Many and not of all because all beleeue not He died for all as much as in him lay that his death is of that waight as is the perdition of all and it is of force enough that no man might perish His arbidger Theophylact vseth the same distinction in 2. and 9. ad Heb. and vpon the saying Iohn 6. Theophylact the bread which I giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world where he writeth albeit all haue not receiued sanctification and a spirituall life yet Christ may bee vnderstood to die for the satisfaction of all as touching the vertue of his death Of the same opinion is Basil as Theophylact sheweth in 9. ad Heb. for thus hee writeth All of vs that beleeue Basil Exhort ad baptis how many soeuer we be are redeemed by the grace of God from sins through his onely sonne who said this is my blood euen the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes The exposition is also twise repeated in the next sermon of Baptisme for Many that is the beleeuers was the blood of Christ shed Notwithstāding in respect of the sufficiencie of his merite it is true that elswhere he saith in Psalme 48. For all men wholly was there one onely worthie price found euen the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which he shed for vs al. Cyrill Cyrill in Io. li. 11. ca. 19. reconciling that shew of repugnancie that is between the words of Christ I pray not for the world and the wordes of Iohn He is the propitiation of the whole world consenteth to our opinion after this sort Saint Iohn saith he because he was a Iewe least the Lord should seeme to be with his father an aduocate for the Iewes onely cessarily hath added that hee is the propitiation of the whole world that is saith he for all who are called and through faith attaine to righteousnes and sanctification But the Lord Iesus separating his owne from such as be none of his for them saith he onely doe I pray who keepe my words and receiue my yoke For whose mediator and high Priest he is to them onely not without cause doth he attribute the benefite of meditation 2. Cor. 5. In the same place he doth alleage for that matter the saying of Paul God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe that is saith he Christ as the Mediator receauing all that come to God by faith and offering himselfe to the father reconcileth the world to God But let vs returne to the Latine writers among whom Prosper of Aquitaine answering the Articles of the French men Prosper chap. 9. plainely approueth this phrase or maner of speaking that Christ died onely for them that shall be saued which our aduersaries slander as blasphemous and Saracenicall His wordes are these Therefore although our
saith very cleerely The band of death drawne together by the sinne of one was loosed by the death of one who alone owed nothing vnto death His personall dignity in that he was both God and man III. The third cause which is greatest of all the death of Christ was not a meere mans death although innocent and iust but it was his death who is both true God and man in one and the same person And this exceeding great dignitie of this person is the cause that this price of his blood death although it was temporall if the continuance of it be respected yet it is of infinit force to saue them for euer who come vnto God by it Which the Author to the Hebrewes chap. 9. teacheth saying If the blood of buls and goates and the ashes of a yong heifer sprinkling the vncleane do sanctifie to the puritie of the flesh how much more doth the blood of Christ who offered himselfe by the eternall spirit without blame to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God And Acts chap. 20. Paul is witnesse that God by his owne blood redeemed his Church Not that the deitie hath flesh or blood for God is a spirit but that person which suffered death for vs is both God and man and so this blood is and is truly called the blood of God whose excellencie therfore and dignitie is exceeding great To these this is annexed that beside his power diuine His Lordship ouer vs and his neerenes in blood vnto vs. and abundantly sufficient to deliuer our commō Redeemer had also the full and perfect right of redemption both because he is Lord of all also because he is neere vnto vs in blood For by the right of Lordship it is meete that the seruant bee redeemed of the master and the subiect of his prince and by the right of kindred the father doth well redeeme the sonne one brother another and one kinsman another And hither may be referred that which we reade Leuit. 25.25 to be specially ordained touching the right of neerenes of kindred Thirdly also this hath been a question 3. question Why must we be redeemed by his death rather than by some other meanes as touching the meanes of redemption whether the deliuerance of vs could not possibly haue been by some other meanes then by the death of the Sonne of God Wee answere with Augustine lib. 13. de trinit that another way was possible to God vnto whose power all things are subiect but this was the meetest way and most fit with God to heale our miserie Or as Thomas part 3. quaest 46. decideth this doubt we do distinguish betweene possible or impossible simply and that which is after a sort To speake simply and absolutely it was possible to God to deliuer man by another meanes then by the death of Christ because nothing is impossible with God Luk. 1.37 But after a sort Because no other was possible or by supposition of Gods foreknowledge and fore appointment it was impossible as the Lords words do plainly shew Matth. 26. Father if this cup cannot passe away vnles I drinke of it thy will be done Whereupon Hilary saith Therefore the cup cannot passe vnles he drinke it because we cannot be restored but by his passion because of the decree of Gods will Moreouer it is plaine that that way is most fit with God and meetest to cure our miserie Because this way was most iust with God which God vsed through the passion of his Sonne For it was a iust thing that for the sinnes of mankinde the iudgement of God should be satisfied thorow punishmēt and that the same nature which had sinned should also giue a recompence for sin Further it was agreeable to the trueth and goodnes of God Most agreeable to his truth Gen. 2.17 to the trueth because a threatning had gone before What day so euer thou shalt eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death and it was promised and euer by continuall testimonies shewed and by diuers ceremonies shadowed that the sonne of God borne of a woman should dye for vs and so should confirme the new couenant by his blood To his goodnes and mercy And to the goodnes of God it agreeth because seeing man of himselfe could not satisfie for sinnes God of his exceeding great mercie gaue vnto him a satisfier euen his only begotten sonne Whereupon it was said of Christ himself Iohn 3. Rom. 5. Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his sonne c. And Paul God doth set out his loue towards vs that when we were as yet sinners Christ died for vs. And truly this was a token of a farre more abounding mercie that he did not spare his owne sonne for vs then if he had remitted our sins without satisfaction Ephes 2. so that wee may worthily now say with the same Apostle God who is rich in mercie because of his great loue wherewith he hath loued vs euen when we were dead thorow our offences hath quickned vs together through Christ by whose grace we are saued This was most expedient to money to loue God again Besides that way of deliuerance was most expedient for our saluation For so we know by the greatest experiment of all how much God loueth vs and we are prouoked to loue God againe Then an example is giuen vnto vs of obedience loue humilitie sufferings and glorie which when all miseries are ouercome we doe expect as Peter saith 1. Epist 2. Christ suffered for vs and left vs an example that wee should follow his steps Likewise Paul Phil. 2.5 and 2. Cor. 8.9 and elsewhere To suffer afflictions for his sake propounding the example of Christ exhorteth vs to the duties of loue and other vertues Further because we are redeemed by the death of the Sonne of God To keepe our selues from sinne 1. Cor. 6. A notable saying and washed from our sinnes in his blood a greater necessitie lieth vpon vs To keep our selue from sinne 1. Cor. 6. A notable saying that we should keepe our selues to God vndefiled in bodie and soule as the Apostle saith Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and spirit which are Gods And thus much of the meanes of redemption a mysterie altogether wonderfull and vnspeakeable which the Author of Meditations in Augustine chapter 7. excellently setteth out in these words O state of wonderfull reformation A notable saying and disposition of vnspeakeable mysterie the vniust sinneth and the iust is punished the guiltie transgresseth and the innocent is beaten the vngodly offendeth and the godly is condemned what the euill deserued the good doth endure what the seruant hath done the master doth pay what man doth commit God doth suffer and abide This is a heauenly medicine O good Iesu this is the preseruatiue of thy loue CHAP. VI. The
vse of the former doctrine for the confutation of certaine errors BY the doctrine alreadie expounded Heretikes denying Christ to be true man are confuted by the former doctrine Leo epist 85 97. those men are confuted which haue denied the trueth of mans substance in Christ as Eutyches Apollianaris Manichaeus Marcion and other old Heretikes and at this day certaine Anabaptists who haue wallowed in the vngodly errors of old Heretikes Pope Leo vrging these men saith Let them speake with what sacrifice they are reconciled let them speake with what blood they are redeemed who is he that hath giuen himselfe an oblation to God So are the popish merits of Saints these paâ—ker of pardons the upon brought in wherby Christs merits are prophaned and a sacrifice of a sweete sauour Furthermore by this same doctrine the Papists are refelled who ioyne the sufferings of the Saints to the passions of Christ and thereof haue confusedly made their fained treasure of pardons Neither are they ashamed to boast of the superfluitie of merits and humane satisfactions that the Saints haue suffered more then they ought for their sinnes and heaping one error vpon another haue fained that this their superabundance pertaineth not only to the quick but also to the dead in purgatorie This is a meere mockerie of Satan and a prophanation of the blood of Christ as Pope Leo notably sheweth in the forenamed Epistles against the Papists of these times whose words are these A notable saying of Pope Leo against the meritorious suffrings of Saints Albeit saith he the death of many Saints hath been precious in the sight of God yet the slaying of no guiltles person hath been the propitiation of the world The righteous haue receiued they haue not giuen crownes and from the fortitude of the faithfull examples of patience haue sprong and not gifts of righteousnes For there were peculiar deaths in euery one neither hath any man by his end paied the debt of another seeing among the sonnes of men there hath been one alone our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all are crucified all are dead all are buried and all are also raised vp againe And before Leo Pope Gaius of the countrie of Dalmatia being in that Sea about the yeare of our Lord 284. wrote the same thing elegantly vnto Bishop Felix the doctrine of which ancient Bishops I would to God the Romane Church had kept inuiolablie A saying of Augustine to the same end Vpon the same point Augustine writeth in his 84. treatise vpon Iohn Albeit we brethren die one for another yet the blood of no martyr is shed for the remission of sinnes which Christ did for vs and bestowed it not vpon vs that wee should imitate it but that we should be thankefull for it The trifling Pardoners or more truly sacrilegious deceiuers obiect the words of the Apostle to the Colossians Colos 1.24 Scripture abused by popish pardoners I reioyce in those things which I suffer for you and I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodie which is the Church But the true sense of that place they might haue learned euen of Aquinas who part 3. of his Summae quaest 48. artic penult disputing that only Christ is our redemption obiecteth this place and thus expoundeth it The sufferings of the Saints profit the Church not by way of redemption but by way of example and exhortation according to that 2. Cor. 1. Whether we be afflicted it is for your exhortation and saluation Which is very well sauing that for exhortation a man may better translate the Greeke word Consolation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in that the afflictions of the Saints are called the rest of the afflictioÌ„s of Christ he doth not meane that the passion of Christ was vnperfect farre off be such blasphemie but therefore that is spoken because Christ suffereth daily as yet in his members but to a farre diuerse end and after another maner But those men are not ashamed such is their wickednesse to bragge of the superabundance as I said of humane merits and satisfactions Our sufferings are not meritorious Rom. 8.18 which redoundeth to the quicke and dead What doth not the Scripture plainly testifie that the things which wee suffer in this present life are not equall to the glorie that shall bee shewed in the sonnes of God What that none can redeeme his brother nor giue the price of his raunsome to God For the redemption of the soule is precious Psalm 49.8.9 as the Psalmist singeth Vpon which place Basil in his gloses noteth Basils sayings thereof worthie remembrance that the whole world is not the price of a soule And tom 1. vpon the same Psalme saith Man hath no abilitie at all to offer a reconciliation to God for a sinner because he himselfe is guiltie of sinne For all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu Therefore no man can giue his owne appeasement and the price of his soule to God neither ought to seeke his brother to redeeme him but one who surpasseth our nature that is not man only but the man God Iesus Christ who alone is able to giue himselfe to be a reconciliation to God for vs all These things he Therefore all men must hope in him alone We must then rest vpoÌ„ Christ alone for redemption propitiation and saluation who onely is the Mediatour of God and man the redemption propitiation and saluation of all men Let our heart say vnto him I will loue thee O Lord my strength my rocke my tower my deliuerer my shield and the horne of my saluation I will trust in thee and I shall neuer be ashamed Hauing an high priest saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes which is mercifull Chap. 2. 4. and faithfull in things concerning God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs goe with confidence to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie Let vs goe in a true heart and certaine perswasion of faith Chap. 10.19.20.22 hauing libertie to enter into the Sanctuarie by the blood of Iesu by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh There is no cause there is no cause I say why we should doubt to goe by him vnto God If wee haue committed grieuous things we haue found a worthie Phisition wee receiue the soueraigne medicine of his grace And not that onely but also we trust that he which hath not spared his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 but giuen him for vs all will also with him bestow vpon vs all things CHAP. VII Of the time of the Redemption purchased IT followeth that we consider diligently of the time also of this redemption purchased for vs by Christ And it is manifest by the historie of the Gospell
loueth and that we might be this thing for this cause he loued vs before wee were For he began not to loue vs since we were reconciled to him by the blood of his son but before the world was made he loued vs that with his onely begotten we might also be his sonnes before we were any thing at all Therefore that we are reconciled to God by the death of his son let it not so be receiued nor so be vnderstood as though therefore the sonne hath reconciled vs that now he might begin to loue whom hee had hated as one enemie is reconciled to another but wee are reconciled to him that already loueth vs with whom for sinnes wee were at enemitie and yet it is most truly said vnto him Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie Marke this Hitherto Augustine The summe of all is that seeing GOD hath loued vs as his worke but especiallie as the members of his Sonne before the foundations of the world were laid he of his meere and free loue being moued gaue vs his Sonne that being redeemed by his grace from sinne whereby wee were put away from the presence and fruition of God we might bee made heires of eternall life Bernard Serm. 20. of the 9. verse of the Psalme He that dwelleth c. very well saith Christ according to the time died for the wicked but in respect of predestination he died for his brethren and friends CHAP. X. Of the finall cause of redemption THere followeth that question whereunto are we redeemed wherein the question now is concerning the end of our redemption And the end is two-fold to wit Two ends of redemption the glorie of God and our saluation The former end the Apostle extolleth Ephes 1. where hee saith The first end is Gods glorie that God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid hath foreordained to adopt vs for his sonnes through the same Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will to the praise of his glorious grace whereby he hath made vs acceptable in that his beloued in whom wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenes of sins In which words he not only teacheth that the end of the eternall and free election of God is the praise of his glorious and rich grace but also sheweth that the redemption of vs by Christ is subordinate vnto the same end Prou. 16. For God hath made all things for himselfe euen the wicked against the euill day that both the benefit of their healing who are deliuered and also the iudgement of damnation in the deserued punishment of such as perish should further his glorie Wherefore wee are here warned Coloss 1. that with Paul wee giue thankes without ceasing vnto the father who hath made vs meete to be partakers of the portion of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his blood c. 1. Pet. 2. As Peter also admonisheth vs of our dutie in this point that wee should preach the vertues of him who hath called vs out of darknes into his marueilous light It is well knowne what Moses and the children of Israel did when the sea yeelded a readie passage for all his people to goe through how being protected by Gods hand and beholding that wonderfull redemption Exod. 15. Sap. 19. they leaped like lambes and sung his praise Thou O Lord art our deliuerer thou art our strength But what speake I of the old people and of the old song we haue a new song the song of the Lambe let vs standing vpon the glassie sea of this world and hauing the harps of God sing it vncessantly with the vniuersall Church Apoc. 5. 15. to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe because hee was slaine and hath redeemed vs vnto God by his blood out of euery tribe and language people and nation and hath made vs vnto our God kings and priests and we shall raigne vpon the earth The song of the vniuersall Church in the honour of Christ To thee O Sonne of God the louer of mortal men O good Lord O pacifier O rich Sauiour and a king in deed the creator and maker of all things the word and wisedome of the father the light and brightnes of the father the power arme and right hand of the father to thee be blessing and honour and glorie and strength for euer and euer Thou hast redeemed vs being captiues and seruing sinne thou hast deliuered vs by thine owne death Thou hast giuen vs the adoption of sonnes Thou becamest poore that by thy pouertie thou mightest enrich vs. Thou hast freely giuen vs the kingdome of heauen Thou hast fashioned vs a new in darknes hast inlightened vs and being dead men thou hast quickened vs thou vnloosedst the sorrowes of death and brakest the gates of brasse and doores of iron and hast broken in peeces the yoke of sinners Eccle. 15. And because praise is vncomely in the mouth of fooles and this wonderfull and altogether diuine redemption is to be published of vs not so much in words as in deedes themselues goe to let vs so be affected let vs so frame our life maners actions counsels and all our affaires that wee bee not found foullie vnthankfull to our common Redeemer to whose glorie wee ought wholly to bee consecrated and nothing better yea euery way worse then those obstinate Iewes through whom the name of God was euil spoken of among the Gentiles as it is written But let that sharpe reproofe of Moses neuer goe out of our mindes in the song in Deuteronomie Chap. 32.6 Will ye giue this recompence vnto the Lord O yee foolish and vnwise people Is not he thy father who oweth and possesseth thee hath not hee made and prepared thee The second end of redemption is our saluation The 2. end is our saluation which containeth many benefits which comprehendeth many and sundrie benefits albeit knit together in one and the same band as these especially Iustification which consisteth in the free remission of sinnes Sanctification and newnes of life Consolation yea reioycing in aduersitie vnder the hope of the glorie of God and lastly Entrance into the eternall kingdome of our God and Sauiour Iesu Christ and euerlasting ioyes in life eternall These so many and so great benefits of God are purchased for vs by the abundant grace of the death of Christ as the sayings of the Scriptures doe shew Rom. 3. We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set forth to be a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood by the remission of sinnes And chap. 5. When wee were as yet sinners Christ died for vs. Therefore being iustified by his blood wee shall be saued now much more from wrath by him
is proper to his members Iesus Christ is promised who should destroy the workes of the diuell and hee being conquered should set his Christians at liberty from his power to raigne for euer with himselfe in the inheritance of the Saints Hereupon saith Paul Rom. 16. v. 20. The God of peace shall treade Satan vnder your feete shortly Where he restraineth without question the victorie against Satan vnto the faithful of whom also Colos 1. Col. 1. he saith He hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne to wit through faith without which saith Ambrose there is no going out of hell Ambrose in epist ad Col. or out the power of darkenes wherein we were held captiue of the diuell Moreouer that reparation and victorie against Satan as it is promised respecteth not onely the merite but also the efficacie of Christ whereby he maintaineth and preserueth in the conflicts of this life the saluation which he purchased for vs and strengtheneth vs against the diuell the world and our owne flesh with the vertue of his spirit vntill at length we obtaine full victorie De pass cruce Domini For it is the worke of our Sauiour saith Athanasius not onely to deliuer vs from bondage but to destroy the author thereof least he growing strong doe supplant vs and make voide the conquest of the deliuerer And now experience and Scripture teach it to be farre off from al the sonnes of Adam 1. Thes 3.3 and 5.23 to be after this sorte victors ouer Satan but that victorie God bestoweth vpon his Saints And also by those words in Moses I will put enemitie betweene thee and the woman The reprobate◠are excluded from the promise betweene thy seede and her seede the reprobates are manifestly excluded from the promise for they are ioyned to the diuell who is the head and father of reprobates and against this kingdome of Satan that is against the diuell and his members victory is promised to the Church through Christ for in the seede of the woman altogether as in the seede of Abraham the sonnes of the promise are accounted Rom. 9.8 and 4.16 But let vs see the pretie reasons of the Aduersarie First The adueraries reasons to proue reprobates to be deliuered from Satan by Christ he will haue this place to be vnderstoode of the whole repayring of whole mankinde because not onely a part of the bodie of the diuell but his head should be broken A fine reason as though the head also were not a part of the bodie Secondly because the head of the diuell was to bee broken through Christ we must needes vnderstand that so the diuell is troden down that he doth not exercise the power of death any longer against them for whom he is destroyed But this hath place onely in them who are the members of Christ He bringeth also for declaration those sayings Ioh. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. Heb. 2. Colos 2. Luk. 11. Matth. 12. that the prince of this world is cast forth that the sonne of God came to destroy the workes of the diuell that by death he hath destroyed the diuell that the diuell and all his power was triumphed ouer Also that he comming vpon the pallace of the strong armed man ouercame him and tooke away all his armour and diuided his spoyles From these he laboureth to inferre that not any one is excepted who hath been brought vnder the power of the diuell whom Christ hath not deliuered from him or else to whom the head of the diuell is not broken These words be talke but not weighty reasons For so Augustine discoursing of those things very exactly saith Tract 53. The deuill is ouercome and destroyed for the faithfull onely and in them in Ioh. The deuill possessed mankind and held them guiltie of punishments by the handwriting of sinnes he bare rule in the hearts of vnbeleeuers But by the faith of Christ through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are set free from the power of the deuill This thing he called iudgment separation and expulsion of the deuill from his redeemed ones The same man a little after God foresaw what he knew that after his passion and glorifying many people through out the world should beleeue in whose hearts the deuill was whom when they renounce through faith he is cast forth to wit out of the harts of the faithfull The Master of sentences following Augustine in like maner expoundeth those places lib. 3. dist 19. Therefore they are the beleeuers out of whom he is cast out In these he is abolished ouercome and conquered and his workes are destroyed Ephe 2. but in the vnbeleeuers in whom the prince of this world as yet is effectuall he ceaseth not to exercise a lamentable triumph 1. Ioh. 5. 2. Tim. 2. vntill they also through faith which is our victorie get out of the snare of the deuill of whō they are held captiues And this the words of Iohn do plainly confirme 1. Ioh. 3. For if he who committeth sinne be of the deuill and hee who is borne of God sinneth not surely the workes of the deuill are in very deede destroyed in none but in the regenerate Obiections 1. Cor 1◠But if Satan be abolished and conquered he is once and for all men together destroyed Answere Not so For euen the last enemie death shall be destroyed and there shall be that most famous triumph of the last day ouer Satan yet how great shall their number bee ouer whom death and he that hath the power of death the deuill shall for euer raigne Neuerthelesse all things then shall truly bee subiect vnto Christ witnesse the Apostle as euen now all things are subiect vnto him after a sort All things are subdued vnder Christ and ye◠Satan 〈◊〉 in the reprobates Contrarily how vnskilfully doth Huberus except that al things cannot be said to be subiect vnto Christ if the greatest part of Satans kingdom be not ouerthrowne by him Yea the whole kingdome of Satan shall be destroyed by him specially at the last day but for that cause there is no neede that Christ should adopt all none excepted into his kingdome of grace and glorie Reprobates and Satan are vnder his power to be damned In the meane while all reprobates with the deuill and his angels are and shall be for euer put vnder the Lords feete and hee shall take vengeance on them in vnquenchable fire as vpon subiects that are rebellious against his kingdome of power For they know The kingdom of God is takē many waies who haue read the Scriptures and ancient interpreters of them that the kingdome of God is one thing which is called the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of glorie is another thing and there is also that
wit the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no difference For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes through the remission of sinnes The Apostles iudgement is that all mortall men simplie are vnder sinne and haue neede of the glorie of God but he ascribeth not righteousnes to euery one that sinneth as our aduersaries opinion is Hub. thes 45. For he expressely defineth the righteousnes of God to come through faith in Iesu Christ and more plainly addeth that wee are iustified freely by the redemption wrought by Christ and that he is set forth vnto vs of the father to be a propitiation but through faith Hereupon the author of the Commentarie in Hierome vpon this place saith Ierome Christ is in a readines set before the eyes of men to bee a propitiator that he that will bee redeemed may come Brentius Brentius also whom I cite very often because of the aduersaries weighing this place writeth very truly that it is manifest that Christ our redemption and propitiation is not receiued nor appropriated vnto vs but by faith And therefore that there is no other instrument beside faith to receiue the benefits of God and of his sonne which we must enioy And seeing Christ and his benefit are not receiued but by faith it remaineth that wee are not iustified but by faith that is made acceptable to God acquitted from sinnes and reputed iust before God These things he explicatione Catechis of iustification Therefore by what right or wrong is this propitiation extended to all and bee all said to be freed from all sinne and condemnation and in very deede receiued into the lap of grace that is iustified whether they beleeue or beleeue not This is not Gods righteousnes but fained by men of a reprobate minde to the reproach of the Gospell preached of the Apostles and confirmed by the witnes of the Law and the Prophets Righteousnes in all and vpon al that beleeue Moreouer reiecting that fained vniuersalitie the Apostle establisheth the true vniuersalitie of righteousnes and grace in all and vpon all that beleeue that is as Theophylact interpreteth such a righteousnes whereby God maketh vs righteous commeth vnto all men by faith and all Iewes as well as Gentiles bringing faith are made righteous For there is no difference neither is he the God of the Iewes onely but also of the Gentiles for it is one God that iustifieth circumcision of faith vncircumcision through faith For there is neither Iew nor Gentile Gal. 3. bond nor free male nor female but we are all one in Christ all the sonnes of God and heires according to promise through faith in Christ Iesus The 2. place Rom. 8. In the same Epistle to the Rom. there is another notable famous place chap. 8. What shall we say then If God be for vs who can be against vs who hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs all how shall he not also with him giue vs all things Vs all taken for the church proued by the Scripture and by Augustine He saith not barely for all but for vs all with limitation as that limitation also is elsewhere taken in the sacred Scripture Rom. 4. Abraham is the father of vs all So Ierusalem that is aboue is called the mother of vs all Gal. 4. 1. Cor. 12. the Apostle saith that by one spirit we all bee baptized into one bodie whether we bee Iewes or Gentiles bond or free and are all made to drinke into one spirit Also in the forecited place to the Galathians ye are all one in Christ Iesu Ad Laur. ca. 61. Doubtles this is the voyce of the Church If God be for vs who can be against vs This Augustine obserueth saying The Church that is among men which he speaketh to make a difference of the Church which is among the holy Angels and powers of God is redeemed from all sinne by the blood of the Mediatour who is without sinne and it is the voyce of the same If God be for vs who can be against vs The voice of the Church who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all This saying elsewhere he confirmeth two maner of waies from the text Tract 45. in Io. by the precedents and the consequents For there goeth before Whom he foreknew them he also predestinated whom he predestinated them he called c. Of whom also it followeth Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God who iustifieth c. What is then He gaue him for vs all To which vs To the foreknowne to the predestinate to the iustified and glorified The Lord knoweth who bee his they bee sheepe Sometime they know not themselues but the shepheard knoweth them saith Augustine in the place alleaged Besides that Christ for whom he died according to purpose and efficacie for them also he is an aduocate ceasing not to make intercession that the grace of the fathers reconciliation may more and more be bestowed vpon them and to vse the words of Ambrose he saueth them being the ware that his blood hath bought For how can he condemne him Ambr. lib. 1. â—â— Iac. cap. 6. whom he hath redeemed from death for whom he offered himself whose life he knoweth to be the reward of his death Marke this Shall he not say what profit is in my blood if I damne him whom I haue saued Wherefore the Apostle Rom. 8. Who is he that shall condemne It is Christ who is dead nay who is also raised againe who also is at the right hand of God who also prayeth for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall oppression shall anguish shall persecution shall famine or nakednes or danger or sword Nay in all these wee are more than conquerors De vocat gent. lib. 1. cap. vlt. through him who hath loued vs c. So the loue of Christ maketh them vnconquerable and vnseparable that is perseuerers vnto the very end for what is else to perseuere then not to be ouercome in tentation Wherefore they that perseuere vnto the end and bee saued be doubtles the beloued and redeemed of God The 3. place Ephes 5. Thirdly we reade to the Ephesians That Christ is the head of the Church and the sauiour of the body that he loued his Church and exposed himselfe for it to sanctifie it clensing it in the lauer of water by the word that he may make it for himselfe glorious that is not hauing wrinckle or spot or any such thing but that it may be holy and blameles Three proofes out of the Text for our opinion Ephes â— Many things
men if redemption were common to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to such as shall be saued and damned Hitherto also let the wordes be referred The 9. place which follow in the same place If the blood of Bulles and Goats and the ashes of a yong Heifer sprinckling the vncleane doe sanctifie and purge the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who by the eternal spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Redemption is described by this Redemption described that it purgeth our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God But that purging of consciences and seruing of God is proper to the faithfull For by faith the hearts are purified Acts 15. Rom. 6. and being freed from sinne are made seruantes of righteousnesse through the same faith And a litle after The 10. place Therfore for that cause is he the Mediator of the new couenant that through death which came for the redemption of transgressions the Called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance Who are those Called The Called who they be Prosper li. cap. 3. to whoÌ„ belong the couenant redemption and inheritance He that wrote the booke of the calling of the Gentiles answereth for me Because saith hee some are iustified by faith others are hardened in their impiety the beleeuers are discerned from vnbeleeuers by the name of the Called and such as be voyd of faith they are shewed to bee without this calling albeit they heare the Gospell And he citeth the place 1. Cor. 1. we preach Christ crucified to the Iewes an offence and to the Gentiles foolishines but to the Called as well Iewes as Gentiles we preach him the power and wisedome of God Of these Called not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles The 11. place see more Ro. 9.23 and cap. 8.28 and in the rest Neither must we here omit that which we read writteÌ„ about the end of the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Many Christo Theophy By these Many he now meaneth those Called whereof he spake before And so Chrysostome and Theophylact expound Why said he of Mary and not of All Sai valuit vt omnes seruaventur because all doe not beleeue The death of Christ was equiualent to the perdition of all that is was of sufficient fâ—râ—e and price to haue saued all and yet it doth not take away the sinnes of all because such as resist him make his death altogether vnprofitable vnto them selues Theophylact also maketh mention of Basil to be of the same mind some of whose sayings I haue before alledged vpon the place of Matth. 26. But Aquinas of al men most clearely vpon this place writeth Aquinas He saith to take away the sinnes of many and not of all because the death of Christ albeit it bee sufficient for all yet it is not effectuall but in the respect of such as shall bee saued For all are not subiect vnto him through faith and good workes Lastly what can be spoken more briefly and forceably for the deciding of this whole controuersie The 12. place Heb. 11. than that of the Apostle Hebrewes 11. Hub. Thes 6â— and 1001. without faith it is impossible to prayse God Either this is not true or els it is false that they say often that all alke beleeuers and vnbeleeuers are freed from all sinne and condemnation and receiued into the fauour and grace of our heauenly father which thing what is it els than that al please God without respect of faith and infidelitie CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of other Scriptures of the New Testament The 1. place FOr the greater confirmation of this point we will adde also certaine other sayings of other bookes of the New Testament In the Actes chapter 5. Peter Acts 5. and the whole Colledge of the Apostles with one accord testifie these wordes The God of our fathers raysed vp Iesus and being exalted by his right hand made him a prince and sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes Repentance and remission of sinnes be iust parables and therefore they that haue the one haue the other and they be Israel Repentance and remission of sinnes are ioyned together by an in separable knot Wherefore it is as foolish a thing to affirme that remission of sinnes is giuen by Christ to all men indifferently as if a man should auouch that he giueth repentance to all What meaneth that that the prerogatiue of both those benefites is bestowed vpon Israel Vpon what Israel They that bee called of the Iewes and Gentiles according to promise they bee the true Israel saith Augustime Aug. cap. 59. Gal. 6. whereof also the Apostle speaketh And vpon the Israel of God Secondly it is the voice of Peter The 2. place Acts 10. and the testimonie of all Prophets agreeing together that euery one that beleeueth in Iesu Christ receiueth remission of sinnes through his name Vnto this Propheticall and Apostolicall consent which conteineth the summe of the Gospel of Christ is the false vangelicall commentarie of the aduersaries cleane contrary that all simply without respect of faith or vnbeliefe receiue remission of sinnes through the name of Christ Further the same Apostle 1. Epistle 1. The 3. place 1. Pet. 1. when hee speaketh of redemption by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot hee saith that hee was foreordained before the foundations of the world were laid Christ was foreordained and exhibited to the world for the beleeuers sake and was made manifest for the beleeuers sake Expressely he declareth that Christ was exhibited to the world a Sauiour for the beleeuers Therefore for the same persons in like maner he properly died and rose againe not because they beleeued already but that they might beleeue Iohn 20. and beleeuing might haue eternall life through his name Iohn also 1. Epistle 1. consenteth hereto The 4. place 1. Ioh. 1. Three things to be obserued in Saint Iohns words If wee walke in light as God is light we haue communion with him and the blood of Iesu Christ purgeth vs from all sinne If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. If we confesse our sinnes he is iust and faithfull to forgiue vs our sins and to purge vs from all iniquitie 1. Communion with God belongs not to all Therefore neither the grace of God for where the grace of God is there is also the communion of him 2. The clensing of sinnes by the blood of Christ is theirs who walke in light 3. Remission of sinnes which is propitiation it selfe as Iohn witnesseth presupposeth confession of sinnes which seeing it is not in al propitiation doth not belong to all The 5. place Apoc. 1. I come to the Reuelation of Iohn in whose
very entrance we reade that redemption is declared and consecrated with these golden words Iesus Christ that faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes through his blood and hath made vs kings and priests to God and his father They that be redeemed are kings priests to God and such onely the faithfull be To whom redemption belongs they are kings and priest to God the father but it belongs to the beleeuers and not to the vnbeleeuers witnesse Peter 1. Pet. 2. Ye are a chosen stocke a royall Priesthood a holy nation a people whom God hath purchased to himselfe as his owne that ye might shew forth his vertues who hath called you out of darknes into his marueilous light Therefore the vnbeleeuers are voide of redemption Lib. 1. coment in Apoc. Rupertus Tuitiensis saith very well Therefore he hath washed vs that is all his Church from our sinnes For he hath not only washed them who now were beleeuers or had bin but also who should beleeue and these surely hee washed not them actually but in power because they could not be washed who were not yet borne or else had not yet beleeued but he gaue them power to be washed The 6. place Apoc. 5. The like place meeteth vs Apoc. 5. where the 24. Elders and the foure beasts sing a new song vnto the Lambe saying Thou art worthie to receiue the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast slaine hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood The Catholike Church ment by the 24. Elders and foure beasts in the Apoc. out of euery tribe language people and nation and hast made vs kings and priests to our God and we shall raigne vpon the earth Here by the 24. Elders and 4. beasts is meant the vniuersall Church of men called Catholike as partly wee may see by the words out of euery tribe language people and nation and partly by the scope of the whole chapter For a threefold companie or armie is in that chapter brought in to blesse and praise the Lambe The first company is the whole Church of men represented as I said by the Elders and beasts The second is the blessed Angels The third is the creatures besides in heauen vpon the earth and vnder the earth Marke this reason Herevpon thus I reason This new song Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs is proper to the Church which is gathered out of all mankinde for in the two testimonies which follow of the multitude of Angels and of euery creature that forme is of purpose not obserued therefore the only Church of men is redeemed by the blood of Christ This is Ruperts argument vpon this very place Other things also concurre with this as that the redeemed by the blood of Christ are made to their God kings priests whereof we spake a little before Also that they shall raigne vpon the earth that is the land of the liuing as of olde when the Canaanites and Amorites were cast out for their sinnes the Israelites raigned in the land of promise But this raigne in the true land of promise wee know all shall not haue but the elect onely to whom the sonne of man will say when he commeth in his glorie Come ye blessed Matth. 25. possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world CHAP. V. Testimonies out of the Law and Prophets NOw also the bookes of the old Testament are full of testimonies concerning the grace of our Sauiour proper to the beleeuers and so farre foorth vniuersall as he hath his owne who feare him and worke righteousnes in euery nation and Tribe Hitherto first of all tendeth the promise made to Abraham and his seede The 1. place Gen 12. 22 Gen. 12. and 22. In thy seede all nations of the earth shall be blessed A Syllogisme It is certaine that they be counted strangers from the blessing of Abraham who are not the seed of Abraham But many among mankind and namely the vnbeleeuers are not the seede of Abraham Therfore they are strangers from the blessing of Abraham The Minor Paul very often proueth For manifestly Ro. 9. he teacheth that al the posteritie of Abraham are not accounted in this seede much lesse all the whole ofspring of Adam but onely the sonnes of promise Rom. 4. And in the fourth chapter of the same Epistle he referreth this whole seede to the beleeuers of the Iewes and Gentiles His words are Therefore is the inheritance by faith that it may be sure to the whole seede that is not onely to that which is of the law but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all to wit the father of all the beleeuers being vncircumcised and the father of Circumcision that is to them who are not onely circumcised but who also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham Gal. 3. which he had being vncircumcised Likewise Gal. 3. he declareth that they who are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham because the Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith preached before hand the Gospell to Abraham saying In thee shall all nations be blessed Whereupon also in that place he saith to the faithfull All ye are one in Christ Iesu and if ye be be Christs Vers 14. then are ye Abrahams seede and heires according to promise See also the 14. verse of the same chapter Esay 53. The 2. place Among the Prophets Esay chap. 53. wherein he so euidently setteth out not onely the vse of the Lords passion but the historie also that he seemeth rather to be an Euangelist than a Prophet confirmeth the same thing saying Vs all in the Prophet taken for the faithful onely proued by the text We all like sheepe haue erred euery one hath declined after his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all It is spoken with limitation as concerning the vniuersalitie of the faithfull after that kinde of phrase wherein Abraham is called the father of vs all and Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all that is of the beleeuers And that we may nothing doubt at all the Prophet addeth he was smitten for the transgression of my people Againe My righteous seruant shall by the knowledge of himselfe iustifie many and he shall beare their sinnes And aboue he hath borne the sinnes of many He expressely testifieth that the fruit of the Lords passion to wit righteousnes and redemption belongeth not to all indifferently but to many that is to the beleeuers Pet. Gal. de arcan Caâ—â—â—l â—erit lib. 8. ca. â—4 Euen as also Petrus Galatinus hath very well written vpon those words of Esay Albeit saith he the passion of Christ ought to be sufficient to blot out the sinnes of all yet it will not blot out all mens sinnes but theirs
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
11. and 7. vers 12. Augustine disputing against Porphyrie of the time of Christian religion in his booke de sex paganorum quaestionibus writeth that Christ did then come when he knew that men would beleeue But the enemies of grace wresting this speech Tom. 7. fol. 1228. 1243. 1269. caused Augustine to correct it partly by interpretation partly by calling it in againe CHAP. VIII The question of the redemption of the old fathers is handled and a double opinion about the same is confuted BVt hereupon another question ariseth concerning the fathers who dyed before the birth of Christ whether redemption appertained also to them The error of the Marcionits and Manichees The Marcionites and their like to wit the Manichees of old time denied it who held that no man was saued before the 15. yeare of Tiberius as Epiphanius reporteth Epiph. de haeres Manich. Whom that most filthie Seruetus followed and many other of the sect of the Anabaptists who foolishly say Tertul. lib 4. contra Marci vltra medium that the Israelites no otherwise thē as a heard of swine were satted of the Lord in the land of Canaan without any hope of heauenly immortalitie But this monstrous error is easily refuted by many places of the Scripture from which wee will onely choose a few Certainly the author to the Hebrewes tieth together a long rew of the olde fathers Heb. 11. who pleased God before Christ was exhibited to the world and were made heires of that righteousnes which is of faith Gen. 17. What meaneth that forme of the couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede Exod. 3. Matth. 22. and that which was said I am the God of Abraham God of Isaac and the God of Iacob do they not shew that they were partakers of grace whereof Christ is the onely foundation Whereto also tendeth that notable saying of the Lord Ioh. 8. Abraham desired to see my daie and he saw it and reioyced Neither is any kingdome promised vnto vs in the Gospell then that wherein wee should sit with Abraham Matth. 8. Isaac and Iacob and all the elect of God that come from East and West But those fathers dyed before the comming of Christ in the flesh What then They had in the meane while the promise of Christ to come the ground of their hope and confidence Neither doth the force of the death of Christ extend it selfe vnto our times only but to the fathers also euen from the beginning of the world For Iesus Christ yesterday Heb. 13. to day and for euer is the same as the Apostle saith Heb. 13.8 Hee meaneth that Christ was not onely in times past as touching his diuinitie as it is said of him elsewhere Before Abraham was I am but such as he is now such was he of olde and now is and shall remaine for euer mercifully to saue and defend his owne In which sense also the place Apoc. 13.8 is truly read of the lambe slaine before the foundations of the world were laid to wit as touching the counsell of God and the perpetuall vertue of this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also among the old writers Ambrose taketh that saying vpon the 5. to the Romanes Yet I denie not but the Greeke text in that place may thus also be construed Whose names are not writtē from before the foundations of the world c. because of the very like place Apoc. 17.8 We conclude therefore with Augustine August de na◠gra cap. 44. that the same faith healed the righteous of olde time which healeth vs euen the faith of Iesu Christ the Mediatour of God and men the faith of his blood the faith of his crosse And in another place he saith Lib. 1. de pecca merit remiss cap. 11. The only grace of the Sauiour destroyeth the kingdome of death in euery one which grace wrought also in the old Saints whosoeuer before Christs comming in the flesh leaned vpon his helping grace and not vpon the letter of the law which commandeth onely and helpeth nothing Yet here is not to be omitted Of the fathers Limbus that many doe so extend the benefit of redemption vnto the old righteous men that they notwithstanding denie that any one entered into the kingdome of heauen before the death of Christ whereby they vnderstand that the gate of heauen was at the length opened And if a man aske whither then were the soules of the godly in old time receiued they answere into Hell that is forsooth Limbus patrum Hereupon the booke de Ecclesiasticis dogmat which is fathered vpon Augustine chap. 78. and 79. defineth thus Before the passion of the Lord all the soules of the Saints were kept in hell vnder the debt of Adams transgression vntill through the vndeserued death of the Lord they were deliuered from that seruile condition but after his ascension into heauen all the soules of the Saints departing out of the bodie goe vnto Christ as the soules of sinners vnto hell And Hierome vpon Ecclesiast chap. 3. writeth that before the comming of Christ all went to hell to bee held in darknes and heauenly things were shut vp vntil Christ with the theefe vnlocked the dores of Paradise Basill also mentioneth this opinion vpon the 48. Psalme and many other of the old writers And this is almost the common opinion of the Schoolemen who adde this declaration that the holy fathers suffered in hell no punishment of sense but only punishment of losse to wit exclusion from the life of glorie And the cause of this detaining of the fathers in hell they make to bee the guiltines of all mans nature through originall sinne which none of the Saints faith or righteousnesse was able to remoue but it should bee remoued at length by the price of the blood of Christ Thomas part 3. quaest 42. artic 5. But this deuise of Limbus patrum though it hath manie founders yet it is nothing but a fained thing For there is but one way to loose vs from the guiltines of euery sinne as well actuall as originall 1. Ioh. 1. because the blood of Christ doth wash vs from all sin saith S. Iohn Not then from originall only as Paul also generally speaketh to Titus Tit. 2. He gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all sinne or iniquitie Neither doth Thomas denie it in the place before cited part 3. q. 49. art 5. Cath. archiepis lib. Romae edit◠cum priuil pap 1552. which is to be noted against the horrible blasphemie of Catharinus and such like Papists who affirme that the passion of Christ doth purge onely originall sinne and those actuall sinnes which are committed of a man before Baptisme but all other sinnes which follow are not now to be purged by that sacrifice but by the Masse Certainly Thomas writeth flatly that by the passion of Christ we are deliuered not onely from the common sinne of
sent me that whatsoeuer hee hath giuen me I should lose none but should raise it vp at the last day And that it pleased the father to saue vs by the offering vp of his Sonne it commeth wholly from his diuine fauour Nothing moued the father to send his son to saue vs but his meere loue and mercie to mankinde loue and goodnesse towards mankinde as the Lord witnesseth Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his Sonne Wherevpon Paul also saith Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ died for vs. And Ephes 2. God who is rich in mercie of his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead in sinnes quickened vs through Christ And most cleerely of all to Titus chap. 3. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towards men appeared and saued vs not by the righteous workes which wee had done but by his mercie The sayings of the Prophets consent hereto Esay 54.7 In a moment of my wrath I haue hid for a while my face from thee in euerlasting mercie I haue compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer I euen I am he Esay 43.12 who doth blot out thine offences for mine owne sake and I will not remember thy sins He saith for mine owne sake that is not for your sake but for my holie name as it is expounded Ezech. 36. Neither doth that tend to any other end which Esay chap. 9. prophesying of the incarnation of the Sunne and of the redemption of the Church by him from the yoke of sinne and death concludeth the whole matter with this notable sentence in the ende The zeale of the Lord of hostes shall bring this thing to passe as if he should say I foretell of great things but they be true and the almightie father enflamed with eternall loue and minding to saue them to whom he hath promised the kingdome of heauen A double vse of the loue of God Christ towards vs. will bring this thing to passe See also what Moses Deuter. 7. speaketh of the cause of the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt which was a type of this eternall deliuerance The first vse Further the vse of this consideration is that wee should humble our selues vnfainedly before God and that hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord and not in his workes or own worthines For the opposition of the mercie of God and of the righteousnes of workes is to be obserued and vrged alway in the matter or cause of saluation as Paul did oppose these things Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but by his mercie he saued vs. And the same Antithesis is repeated 2. Tim. 1. vers 9. and Dan. 9. vers 18. The second The second vse is that wee also pondring in our minde the deeper sea as Damascene speaketh of Gods loue towards vs Damas lib. 3. cap. 1. orth fid should loue God againe and that not in word nor tongue onely but in deede and trueth as he hath loued vs and giuen his life for vs 1. Ioh. 3. And chap. 4. ioyning both vses together in excellent words thus he writeth Hereby the loue of God is made manifest vnto vs that he sent his owne Sonne into the world that wee might liue thorow him In this is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And straightway addeth Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another And a little before the end We loue him because he loued vs first If any man shall say I loue God hateth his brother he is a lyar But seeing by the death of Christ we are reconciled vnto God as saith the Apostle Ephes 2. An obiection He hath reconciled vs to God thorow his crosse slaying enemitie by it How God did both loue man and hate him it seemeth to disagree with that we haue said that through the loue of God he was deliuered to death for vs. For if we were before loued of God to what end is reconciliation If any say reconciliation was needfull in respect of vs that we might cease to bee at enemitie with God and among our selues the Iewes with the Gentiles and Gentiles with Iewes Ephes 2. Colos 1. he neither saith nothing nor speaketh all by the witnesse of Paul For first of all it was the part of the reconciler to pacifie the wrath of God against vs for sinnes and to make him fauourable and gratious vnto vs. How then can it stand that God preuented this reconciliation of his free fauour and loue in giuing his sonne vnto vs The reason is thus made The same thing is not the cause and the effect But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation Therefore it is not the cause of it Answere But the maior is true in respect of one and the same thing But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation not simply as though then at the length he began to loue vs but respectiuely as farre forth as reconciliation by the blood of his sonne remoueth sinne whereby wee were made enemies of God and children of his wrath according to that saying Sap. 14. The wicked and his wickednesse are alike hated of God And Psal 5. Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie And Esay crieth Esay 59. Our iniquities haue made a separation betweene our God and vs and our sinnes are the cause that he hideth away his face from vs and heareth vs not This whole matter Augustine notably expoundeth in his 110. treatise vpon Iohn After a wonderfull and diuine maner saith he God loued vs Augustines answere God hateth sin in vs but loueth his work when he did hate vs. For he hated vs as we were such as he had not made vs that is for sinnes And because saith he our iniquitie had not altogether destroyed his worke he knew in euery one of vs both to hate what we had done and also to loue what he himselfe had made and this may be vnderstood in all men according to the saying Sap. 11. Thou hast hated nothing that thou hast made For in that which he hateth there is somewhat also that he loueth For he hateth and misliketh the fault which swarueth from the patterne as it were of his workmaâ—ship yet he loueth that which is his owne euen in such as are corrupted Furthermore seeing hee hateth nothing of those things which he hath made peculiarly as Augustine there teacheth he loueth the members of his onely sonne But specially he loueth vs as we are members of his sonne For how saith he should he not loue the members of his sonne who loueth his sonne for there is no other cause of louing his members but because he loueth him Therefore he loueth vs because we are his meÌ„bers whom he
that the Caluinists both dissemblingly and plainly denie that Christ suffered and died for all men But in the very entrance as it is said they run on ground fastning vpon vs a false opinion against which afterwards they perpetually fight For we willingly acknowledge these maner of speeches 1. Iohn 2. 1. Tim. 2. That Christ is made the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world and hath giuen himselfe the price of redemption for all men For who can denie that which the Scripture would haue to bee expressed in so many words But the question is of the meaning of the words For as hee shall not escape the note of impudencie who shall denie what the Scripture expresseth so wee are to take heede least not vnderstanding what is written we should thinke there is some repugnance in the Scripture For the same Canonicall Scripture which saith that Christ died for all and so maketh redemption after a sort common to all doth restraine in other places the proprietie of redemption vnto the Church The words of Paul are Ephes 5. Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it and present it glorious vnto himselfe And in the same place Christ is the head of the Church and the Sauiour of the bodie And 1. Tim. 4. He is called the Sauiour of all men but specially of the faithfull Also Heb. 9. For this cause he is the Mediatour of the new couenant that through death which came for the redemption of transgressions the called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance Of which called also that is rightly taken which is read in the end of the same chapter Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many What doth not Christ in his solemne intercession pray for his owne expressely and not for the world I pray not for the world Ioh. 17. saith he but for them whom thou hast giuen me Now the intercession and sacrifice of Christ for vs be inseparable parts of his priesthood Other testimonies of this sort I conceale which shall be produced in their place Therefore seeing the holy Scripture here as elsewhere requireth not contentious disputers but vnderstanding readers the ancient fathers for the explication of these Of the distinction of sufficiencie and efficiencie Aquinas haue vsed the distinction of Sufficiencie and Efficiencie Thomas Aquinas the best schooleman who florished 300. yeares agoe vpon the 5. chapter of the Apocalyps writeth of this matter thus Of the passion of the Lord saith he we speake after two sorts either according to sufficiencie and so his passion redeemed all For it is sufficient to redeeme and saue all Of the meaning of the sufficiencie of Christs death although there had been many worlds as Anselme saith lib. 2. cur Deus homo cap. 14. Or according to efficiencie and so all are not redeemed by his passion because all cleaue not vnto the redeemer and therefore all haue not the efficacie of redemption The same man part 3. summae quaest 1. artic 3. when he had said that Christ came to blot out all sinnes expounding himselfe he addeth these words Not that the sinnes of all men are blotted out which is through the fault of men who cleaue not to Christ but because he exhibited that which was sufficient to haue abolished all sins Whereunto also may be referred the things which he writeth quaest 49. art 1.3.5 Christ hath deliuered vs saith he as his members from sinnes and his passion hath his effect in them who are incorporated into him as the members into the bodie and so are partakers of his passion But such as are not ioyned vnto the passion of Christ can not receiue the effect thereof But let vs heare others also more ancient then Thomas Innocentius 3. Innocentius 3. Pope of Rome Anno Dom. 1200. repeating the same distinction lib. 2. de officio Missae cap. 41. saith The blood of Christ was shed for those only that are predestinated as touching efficiencie but for all men as touching sufficiencie For the shedding of that righteous blood was so rich in price that if the vniuersalitie of captiues would beleeue in their redeemer the tyrannicall bands of sinne and Satan could withhold none because as the Apostle saith where sinne abounded there grace did superabound This later whole sentence is Pope Leos Epist 83. and 97. which seeing Innocentius alleadgeth Leo. he sheweth apparantly that Leo was of the same minde Vnto these that is not much vnlike which Basil writeth in Psal 48. Basill Man cannot giue a propitiation for himselfe to God yet one worthie price was found out for all men euen the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which he shed for vs all And that he speaketh of the sufficiencie and dignitie of the price it appeareth by the words themselues and by that which he faith elsewhere very oftē respecting the effect that the blood of Christ was shed not for all men without exception but for many Chrysost Theoph. that is for the beleeuers Chrysostome also and Theophilact who abridged him acknowledge the same distinction as we shall see Augustine Moreouer Augustine the chiefest of the ancient sound writers doth not onely acknowledge that distiction but also doth expound it largely Tom. 7. answering vnto Articles that were falsely fathered vpon him whereof the first was that he was reported to maintaine that our Lord Iesus Christ suffered not for the redemption of all men But he distinguisheth after this maner As touching the greatnes and might of the price saith he and as touching the onely cause of mankind the blood of Christ is the redemption of the whole world and so all are well said to bee redeemed Yet because all are not pulled out of captiuitie and many are not redeemed the proprietie of redemption without doubt belongeth to them out of whom the prince of this world is cast forth and now are not the members of the deuill but of Christ whose death was not bestowed for mankind that euen they should appertaine vnto the redemption of it who should not bee regenerated but so that what was done by one example for all should be magnified in euery one by one sacrament giuen vnto them This is as much as if he had sayd As touching the sufficiencie of the price the redemption belongeth to all but as touching the effect it belongeth not to all but to the members only of Christ And anone he setteth out the matter by a similitude saying Augustines similitude The cup of immortalitie which is made of our infirmitie and the diuine power hath power in it selfe to profit all but if it bee not drunke it doth no good The new writers also allow this distinction as vsuall very ancient and profitable in this poynt diligently to be retained Stapulensis vpō the 5. to the Romanes Stapulensis similitude declaring the matter by a similitude saith As light is able to driue away infinit darknes
albeit the eyes of all are not inlightened so Christ hath in himselfe the redemption of all The new writers allow the distinction of sufficiency and efficiency not sufficient for vs only but to redeeme innumerable worlds also albeit all through their owne peruersenes are not made partakers thereof Neither otherwise doth Caluin Beza Grineus and other Diuines of our confession who are hatefully spoken of by our aduersaries as though simply without al distinction they should auouch that Christ died not for all Which to be falsely layd to their charge he shall confesse whosoeuer shall weigh the places of the authors of whom now we haue spoken Caluin in 1. Ioh. 2. Beza in 2. Cor. 5.15 and often in the second part of his answer to the Acts of the Conference at Mompelgart fol. 217. 221. Gryneus in Thesauro the fium class 1 thes 13. Tossan thes 31. in disput de loco Pauli 1. Cor. 15.22 Zanch. lib. 2. Miscel pa. 312. Pet. Mart. loco de praedest ad Rom. 9. In these places the forenamed writers as many other writers of our side in their bookes doe retaine with one accord the common distinction of Sufficiencie and Efficiencie not to be refused doubtles in this disputation Onely let the termes sufficiently and efficiently bee rightly and truly vnderstood Sufficiently Sufficiently that is by Augustines interpretation as touching the greatnes of the price or as Thomas sheweth as farre forth as hee exhibited that which was sufficient to take away all sinnes Effectually Efficiently or as others speake effectually let it bee vnderstood in respect of the effect which is found in the onely members of Christ all the rest being without redemption who liue without faith and regeneration as Augustine also hath learnedly left in writing The opinion of our aduersaries But this is the opinion of our aduersaries that Christ without any difference died for the sinnes of all men and that all the sinnes of all men are satisfied and clensed by sacrifice not onely sufficiently but also effectually Which thus they doe declare that our heauenly father hath instituted and ordained in very deede a reconciliation with all and euery man without any respect of faith or vnbeleefe But in them it abideth effectuall who by faith receiue that reconciliation with God ratified by Christ his sacrifice and in those who refuse it by vnbeleefe The aduersaries simile it is abolished and taken away no otherwise then if a common bath were erected for many sick persons wherin all in very deed are restored to health and some of thē by intemperance do lose againe their former health which continueth in others which liue soberly Which similitude truly much differeth in sense from those which Augustine and Stapulensis vsed before Furthermore they professe and write plainly that Christ suffered was crucified dead and hath satisfied no lesse for the sinnes of all which alreadie are damned and hereafter to bee damned then for the sinnes of Peter Paul and of all the Saints that is to say that Christ not onely gaue that which was sufficient to haue taken away the sinnes of all men but also that in very deede the sinnes no lesse of the damned Marke this strange doctrine and such as shal be damned then of those that are saued and shal bee saued are washed away in his blood And they auouch that it commeth to passe that neuerthelesse the former sort are condemned not for their sinnes for they are indeed clensed by Christ but for vnbeleefe alone whereby they destroy againe and make vneffectuall that reconciliation which was made and done for them This was the opinion of Iacob Andreas in the Conference at Mompelgart which Huberus thes 19. setteth downe in this maner to wit That Christ suffered and died not for some men only but for al the posteritie of Adam none and to speake it most plainly none at all excepted out of the whole vniuersalitie of mankinde whether he receiue to himselfe saluation by faith and continue in saluation obtained or els through vnbeleefe refuse saluation wrought for him and therefore perish againe for euer We see that he boldly auoucheth that indifferently all and euery one beleeuers and vnbeleeuers haue obtained in very deede saluation in Christ but that some in beleeuing continue in saluation receiued others are depriued againe of the same by not beleeuing The same man in compendio thes 10. saith Wee boldly affirme that Christ by his death hath mercie vpon all men in very deed and in truth and gaue himself a sacrifice for sins no lesse for euery infidell then for euery faithfull man to wit that he may deliuer from death the deuill and hell all men whosoeuer they be he meaneth in very deede and in truth as wee vse to speake and not sufficiently onely And that nothing may be obscure he maintaineth that the worke of saluation by Christ belongeth to all sinners and that such as by Adā haue sinned thes 49. haue righteousnes by Christ imputed vnto them and that all iudgement thes 60. and wrath of God is taken away and abolished from all men in very deede and properlie thes 65. and that all are truly and vndoubtedly together deliuered by the death of Christ from all sinne and condemnation and whole mankinde receiued in deede into the fauour and bosome of the father thes 168. and that all doe belong to the communion of saluation and kingdome of grace lastly thes 270. that all reprobates and elect are alike saued by Christ whether they beleeue or not and other like things altogether raw new and strange doe meete vs here and there dispersedly in reading him Vnto this opinion as new and vnheard of and many waies erronious as it shall appeare we cannot subscribe but following the old distinction wee affirme that Christ surely exhibited that which was sufficient to haue taken away all sins and so they are taken away Our opinion of the death of Christ for all men and that all are redeemed as touching the sufficiencie or greatnes and power of the price as Augustine expoundeth But as touching efficiencie we say that by the death of Christ the sinnes onely of the elect are blotted out who beleeue in him and sticke vnto him as the members to the head Christ effectually died for the elect and faithfull onely proued but such as are not incorporated into Christ cannot receiue the effect of his passion For as the Lord saith God so loued the world that he gaue his sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life He that beleeueth is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Ioh. 3. Which in that place Iohn Baptist confirming testifieth He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life but he that beleeueth not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And in this sense and not absolutely and without
Philip. 2. All seeke their owne Ioh. 3. No man receiueth his testimonie If no man to what purpose came he from heauen Therefore none of a certaine sort because there is a certain people prepared for the wrath of God to be damned with the deuils none of this sort receiueth the testimonie of Christ saith August Tract 14. Many other examples the author of the calling of the Gentiles bringeth By all which is plainly shewed that All men are very often in the Scriptures named for a part of men the discerning of whom notwithstanding the Scripture soone openeth that the vnderstanding of the reader may be caried from the generall terme vnto that part which is to be vnderstood Herevpon Logicians giue a rule of restrayning an vniuersall note or signe vnto the subiect matter according to the rule A rule in Logike Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur esse à suis subiectis that is Such are the things that are vttered as they are permitted to be by their subiect matter Which precept hath not onelie place in this case of elect and reprobates beleeuers and vnbeleeuers but also elsewhere very often as when it is sayd All things are pure to the pure All things are lawfull for me c. CHAP. XIII Some other waies of the vniuersalitie of redemption All that are redeemed are redeemed by Christ MOreouer we affirme that by the vse of the Scripture and godly antiquitie it is rightly sayd that Christ died for all and that all are redeemed and saued by his death by a fit distribution as they say that is so farre forth as all who are redeemed and saued haue redemption and saluation in none other but in Christ by his blood Cyr. de lap hominis For all redemption as Cyrill speaketh is in Christ and through him commeth euery good gift 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 5. Epist 28. In this sense those sayings of the Apostle All are quickened and iustified in Christ Augustine euery where expoundeth as we shall see at large hereafter Because saith he as all men who die die not but in Adā so all men who are quickened shall be quickened in none other but in Christ And in this very kinde of speech the same man de pec merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 25. expoundeth that saying in Iohn chap. 1. He inlighteneth euery man that commeth into the world Therefore saith he is this spoken because no man is inlightened but by that light of the truth I know that Theophilact and some other referre that saying to the light of reason as of the inward eye of which exposition also Augustine maketh mention But this is enough for vs seeing the other way also the words of the Euangelist may be well taken to haue shewed the vse of this maner of speaking We haue a more manifest example 1. Cor. 12. He worketh all in all Where we haue neede of a double restraint All that is he worketh all powers gifts whatsoeuer in whomsoeuer For hee giueth all to no man much lesse all to all men but whatsoeuer grace or spirituall power is in any whomsoeuer is from him Philip. in paruis logical bringeth an example out of the 1. of Iohn Of his fulnes all we haue receiued and he warneth that it bee taken exclusiuely for the vniuersall signe is drawne to a certaine kinde and there is signified the shutting out of others As many of vs as haue receiued grace all of vs haue receiued it from Christ alone As if we should say of a Augustines similitudes de nat grat cap. 41. one schoolemaster in a citie This man teacheth all here letters or of some one b De pec mer. lib. 1. 28. midwife in a citie She receiueth all or as wee may say c Contr. Iuli. lib. 6. cap. 12. Christ iustifieth all in what sense Ad Bonif. lib. 1. cap. 7. alibi All enter into the house by one gate There all and such like are well spoken yet we may not vnderstand all men but such as learne letters and such as bee borne in that citie or els enter into the same house In like maner Christ iustifieth all men as farre forth as none is iustified but by him And this Augustine diligently vrgeth against the Pelagians who thought that not all but many are deliuered by Christ for they would haue some to be saued also without Christ by nature and freewill and the law whether naturall or giuen by Moses although in the meane while they would confesse that the way of saluation by Christ is more readie and commodious According to this sense Hilarie also writeth Comment in Matth. Canon 7. All the saluation of the Gentiles is of faith Hilarie and the life of al is in the precepts of the Lord. Ambrose But Ambrose somewhat more cleerely lib. 9. Epist 71. saith The Lord Iesus comming hath pardoned all men their sinne which no man could auoide and hath taken away the sinne of the whole world as Iohn testifieth Therefore let no man reioyce in workes because none shall be iustified by his deedes but he that is iust hath a free gift because after washing he is iustified Therefore it is faith saith he which deliuereth through the blood of Christ Iesus He saith expressely that Christ hath pardoned all their sinne but expounding himselfe he meaneth not that al and euery one in very deed are deliuered by Christs blood without respect of faith or infidelitie for he doth manifestly restraine the proprietie of redemption vnto the beleeuers but this he meaneth that they who are deliuered from sinne are deliuered by the free gift of Christ and not by their workes Of the later new writers Wolfgangus Musculus in his common places expoundeth it in this very sense Musculus that the redemption of Iesu Christ is well called vniuersall because no man is nor can be redeemed without it because there is saluation in none other Act. 4. nor any other name vnder heauen giuen to men whereby wee may be saued The same man alleadgeth this reason also of vniuersall redemption to wit because it is prepared for all and all are called vnto it that is as he himselfe titulo de remiss peccatorum quaest 2. expoundeth because albeit the grace of redemption doth not happen to all yet it is preached to all and set forth and all are indifferently inuited vnto it as in the Gospell the royall mariage was prepared for all Matth. 22. and all were bidden although not all alike were made partakers of the mariage because the mariage was in deede made readie for all but they which were called were not worthie for many are called but few chosen As touching therefore externall vocation Christ with all his benefits is set forth vnto all with this annexed thereto that all beleeue in him Mark 16. and as the Lord commanded the Gospell is preached to euery creature and repentance and remission of sinnes is preached in
ago He in Comment in Ioh. wherein he diligently vseth to follow Augustine thus writeth vpon this present place We take the world surely which God loued World for the elect and faithfull before and since Christ for mankinde that is quicke and dead dead truly who expected through faith Christ to come aliue who either of Iewes or Gentiles should beleeue in him For so he saith without difference of Iew or Gentile vniuersally that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life In the iudgement of Augustine this exposition is confirmed by the sentence immediatly added of Christ when he saith for God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world may be saued It is the same world doubtlesse which the father loued and which Christ came to saue And that world for whose saluation Christ came Tract 110. as Augustine witnesseth as wee cited before be the elect and beleeuers Hearken Huber and cease to be angrie if this interpretation please vs also or els if thou canst disproue it remember that thou must contend with reasons and not with railings to finde out the trueth But haue ye any reason D. Iacobus bringeth for a reason that Christ addeth in the same place This is the iudgement Coll. Momp that light is come into the world and the world loued darknes more then it Here the word world saith he cannot be vnderstood of the elect onely but specially of those who are reiected and damned But he negligently alleadged the text for it hath men loued darknes There is no mention of world Thes 119. Huberus proofe is nothing sounder Christ saith he diuideth the world into two sorts into such as receiue and such as withstand the light or of beleeuers and vnbeleeuers Therfore to both sorts of men did God send his sonne I answere the Antecedent is denied Among men truly some beleeue others doe not some loue the light others hate it but that Christ diuideth that world whereof he had said So God loued the world into two kindes it cannot be proued out of the text Thus it appeareth that there is no argument here out of the word world Further albeit it shuld bee graunted that by world there is meant al men it would not yet follow that Christ and his benefits doe therefore belong to all whether they beleeue or not seeing they are expressely restrained vnto the vniuersalitie of the beleeuers while it is added that whosoeuer beleeueth should not perish but haue eternall life What can be more cleere The 2. place Ioh. 1. As touching the place Ioh. 1.29 Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world we willingly graunt that the sacrificing of this Lambe is sufficient for all the sins of all men but as touching the effect Christ taketh away sinnes from such as confesse them and beleeue as Iohn himselfe witnesseth 1. Epist 1. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all iniquitie Againe If wee walke in light as he is the light wee haue fellowship with him and the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne He calleth it sinne in the singular number for any kinde of iniquitie And where he saith of the world he draweth the efficacie of this sacrifice indifferently vnto the redemption of Gentiles and Iewes least the Iewes should thinke that the redeemer was sent to them alone Hereupon the Saints in that song of the Lambe doe sing Apoc. 5 9. Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euery tribe and language people and nation and hast made vs to our God kings and priests and wee shall raigne vpon the earth As touching the words of Christ Ioh. 6.51 The 3 place Ioh. 6. The bread which I will gâ—ue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world out of that whole Sermon it is cleerer than the noone day that not euery one is made partaker in very deede of this spirituall eternall life and also of that true heauenly bread but such as by faith come vnto him and eating his flesh and drinking his blood are incorporated into him as they bee whom the father hath giuen to the sonne For the truth saith Verely I say vnto you vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall haue no life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath euerlasting life For my flesh is meate in deede As the liuing father hath sent mee and I liue by the father so also hee that eateth mee doth liue by me Than which words what can bee spoken more cleere for the confirmation of our opinion to wit that the effect of this sacrifice whereby Christ offered himselfe to the father as a sweet smelling fauour for the life of the world belongeth not vnto all without respect of faith or vnbeleefe but vnto them who are incorporated into Christ to be partakers of the spirit Tract 26. For participation saith Augustine whereby we eate him is the cause that we liue through Christ Neither can a man liue by the spirit of Christ vnlesse he be of his bodie as my bodie liueth by my spirit and thy bodie by thine How is then Christ the life of the world 2. Obiections for he witnesseth that he giueth life vnto the world and that he will giue himselfe for the life of the world Further Christ sayd vnto all to whom he preached My father doth giue you true bread from heauen and yet many of them afterward went away from him Therefore that bread of life belongeth to al alike Hub. thes 125. to backsliders and continuers to the saued and the damned Answere to the first To the first obiection I say Rom. 4. as the Apostle writeth of Abraham that by promise he was made the heare of the world that is the father of all the faithfull so that much more Christ is rightly termed the life of the world as farre forth as he bestoweth eternall life vpon the sonnes of Abraham dispersed through the world Secondly he is also the life of the world taking now the world for all men who are haue been and shall be as farre forth as no one man of all mortall men can haue life but by him albeit notwithstanding not all in verie deede are quickened For there is not in any other saluation or life Acts 4. neither is there any other name vnder heauen which is giuen among men whereby we must be saued Thirdly he did that which lay in him offering such a sacrifice which was sufficient to haue taken away the destruction of all and to haue restored life to all but that the vnbeleeuers receiue not life they are in fault by refusing Christ as Theophilact vpon this very place and vpon the 9. to the Hebrewes teacheth The same man noteth that the life
of the world may be also vnderstood for the generall resurrection that hee gaue himselfe for the life of the world as faire foorth as his death hath procured a generall resurrection to all mankinde But this seemeth to be too much forced Answer to the second obie ∣ ction Vnto the later obiection The father giueth you heauenly bread I answere that it may be expounded two waies He giueth you that is he offereth you for Christ was in the midst of them it remaineth that you would receiue it or rather that the word you bee taken concerning the bodie of the people indefinitly and not of euery person among the people after such a like phrase altogether and opposition in the matter it selfe Matth 3. Luk. 3. as is in the saying of Iohn Baptist I truly baptise you with water but there commeth one who is stronger then I he shall baptise with the holie Ghost and fire Which thing Iohn as Luke saith spake vnto all euen to the Pharisees and Saduces as it is in the other Euangelist Yet who here but one that is too too ignorant and impudent will maintaine by the word you that all were baptised of Christ with the spirit and fire as many as had heard that word from Iohn But he that wil simply vnderstand it the sense is plaine to wit that Iohn as a minister of the outward work did baptise with water but Christ as the Lord did giue the spirit For the force of Baptisme is of God alone and not of the minister saith Ambrose Epist 217. So the sense of this place is that it belongeth not to Moses but to God to giue that true bread from heauen that Moses as a seruant in the house of God gaue them Manna corporall foode and the figure of that spiritual which God giueth and not man Whereupon it is also called by Christ the bread of God Augustine also giueth this sense and the words require it and it is confirmed with that which in the same chapter Christ saith Labour for the meate which abideth vnto eternall life which the sonne of man will giue vnto you to wit if you shall beleeue in me For seeing this meate abideth vnto eternall life it appertaines not vnto the damned who shall hunger and thirst for euer Touching the sayings I came not to iudge the world The 4. and 5. places out of Ioh. 3. and 12. 2. Cor. 5.19 but to saue it Also God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himself it appeareth plainly by the testimonies of Augustine before alleadged that they be rightly meant of the beleeuers through the whole world For that sinnes may not be imputed vnto vs but that we may bee made the righteousnesse of God in Christ as this reconciliation of the world is described of Paul a true faith in Christ is required Rom. 3. 4. Ioh. 3. but vpon the vnbeleeuers the wrath of God abideth So of that wee say Christ is the Sauiour of the world it doth not follow that all and euery one in mankind whether they beleeue or not are therefore redeemed from all sinne and condemnation and made partakers of saluation in Christ Matth. 1. but the Lord Iesus saueth his people from their sinnes that is all who hope in him And because they bee dispersed through the world In what sense Christ is the life light and sauiour of the world for this and other causes before declared he is worthily tearmed as the life of the world so also the Sauiour of the world As also he is called the light of the world yet all without difference are not pulled out of darknes by him In the meane while because all beleeuers in him haue the light of eternall life and no man can attaine to any light of grace but by him this praise rightly belongeth vnto him A comparison of the Sunne euen as the visible Sunne is the light of the world and of right is said to lighten the world euery day albeit in the meane while so many things in the world are still without light either because they be not capable of it or because abiding in darknes they come not to the light that they may enioy it The 6. place 1. Ioh. 2. The words out of Iohn 1. Epist chap. 2.2 as yet remaine Little children if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely Thes 1â—1 but also of the whole world Here Huberus is beyond measure puffed vp that this place is notable and vnanswerable It is so altogether but not in that sense for which hee so stoutly striueth And he saith that if wee can bring one place out of the Scriptures that Christ is a propitiation for some men onely that is for the beleeuers then he will assent vnto vs. But the answer is two-fold If men like to vnderstand the place of Sufficiencie wee willingly graunt that the blood of Christ is sufficient to appease God for the sinnes of all men so that there was no neede of another expiation or sacrifice for the cleansing and saluation of all so that all could and would applie to themselues by faith that satisfaction And so of the new writers Illyricus also whom our aduersaries vse greatly to aduance declareth in his glosse What if thou maist see Iacob Andree himselfe Coll. Mompel pag. 514 546. to come to that point at the length yet beside the matter altogether for he was to proue that Christ not only sufficiently but also effectually hath satisfied for the sinnes of al none at all excepted This when hee had taken in hand to proue by this present testimonie was at a set in the myre as the prouerbe is hee fled vnto the vulgar saying of the Schoolemen that Christ died for the sinnes of all men sufficiently although not efficiently Singular dexteritie of a profound disputer doubtles This then being graunted of the sufficiencie and power of this propitiation I say according to the propounded distinction that in very deed notwithstanding the blood of Christ doth profit the faithfull vnto the appeasing of Gods wrath and not the vnfaithful as it is plainly written Rom. 3.24.25 We are iustified freely by the redemption made in Christ Iesu whom God set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood And Iohn himselfe 1. Ioh. 1. If we walke in light saith he we haue fellowship with God and the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne Apoc. 5.9 After which sort also the Church out of euery tribe and tongue is described of him as vnto which the proprietie of redemption by the blood of the Lambe slaine doth appertaine Doest thou not see Huber that Christ effectiuely whereof the question is betweene vs is the propitiation of the beleeuers and not of vnbeleeuers And the words of Iohn doe well agree vnto this vniuersalitie of the beleeuers He is the propitiation for our sinnes and
their prince and the children of Israel marking their doore posts with the sacred blood of the Lambe and so escaping so much differeth the world of the vnbeleeuers from the world or people of the faithfull that with their king the prince of darknes the deuill they may sooner be drowned in the bottome of hell than that the redemption by Christ that true Lambe of God should do them any good at all Esay 43.3 Also as the redeemer of Israel tooke his seruant Iacob and the seede of Abraham and brought them out of Babel into the land of the forefathers giuing the Egyptians the Ethiopians and other wicked people as it were the price for the redemption of the people of God Ier. 30. v. 11.23 so the Lord is with his Church to saue it while the storme abideth still vpon the head of the vngodly The brasen serpent Num 21. Againe in the desert the brasen Serpent lifted vp by Moses at the commandement of God was the onely remedie against the fierie serpents that whosoeuer should looke vpon it should not die but liue and that not for the thing seene but for God the sauiour of all whose word did heale as the Wiseman saith Sap. 16.7 As therefore they that were stung of Serpents then did not liue vnles they looked vpon the signe of health so the crosse of Christ is redemption and life to such as beleeue in him but not to vnbeleeuers And this is it that Christ auoucheth of himselfe Ioh. 3. As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Moreouer Exod â—1 The 〈…〉 in the yeare of Iubilie among the Iewes there was a general freedome of all seruants in the yeare of Iubilee as farre forth as the law of libertie gaue leaue to all Hebrewes But as then they that willingly continued in bondage felt not the force of offred libertie so they feele not the efficacie of Christs redemptioÌ„ who abide addicted vnto the world Lib. 1. Ep. 1. Ambrose rehearsing this figure saith excellently He that is a true freeman a true Hebrew is wholly Gods all that he hath is libertie hee hath nothing of his who refuseth libertie saying I loue my master his wife and children I will not be free Hitherto tendeth the scape goate The scape goate Leuit. 16. vpon whose head the high Priest euery yeare vsed to lay the curse of all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their sinnes and trespasses and so sent him out into the wildernes and he bore all the sinnes of the people of Israel If this was a figure of Christ to come and of the attonement that he should make as truly it was we must needes confesse that Christ properly maketh satisfaction for the sins of his people as the goate was properly appointed for the people of God the children of Israel to make an attonement for all their iniquities For this cause also Heb. 2. Heb. 2. he is called mercifull and a faithfull high priest to appease Gods wrath for the sins of the people And in the 13. chapter Cap. 13. the Apostle respecting the whole legall sacrifice saith And Iesus suffered without the gate to sanctifie the people by his blood so that we that are his people may boldly say he hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the tree and with his stripes wee are healed 1. Pet. 2. Concluding therefore the first ranke of our arguments The summe of all that hath been said and it is worthie to be obserued we affirme beleeue and confesse that the Sauiour promised to the world the Christ of God preached alwaies in the Church by the mouth of all the holy Prophets and Apostles is appointed by the father to be a propitiation through faith in his blood in all and vpon all that beleeue and that this benefite of the restoring and redemption of mankinde albeit it bee proper and peculiar to the Church as touching the efficacie of it yet it is vniuersall altogether in that sense wherein wee beleeue and confesse the holy Church of Christ to bee vniuersall CHAP. VII Of the second order of proofes The first reason drawne from the definition of redemption IN this ranke we will vse reasons drawne from the analogie of faith and first I reason from the definition Iustification belongeth to the beleeuers and not to vnbeleeues But Redemption is the same that Iustification is Therefore Redemption belongeth to beleeuers and not to vnbeleeuers The Assumption is proued out of Paul Ephesians 1. Col. 1. where he defineth redemption to be remission of sinnes In another place to wit Rom. 4. he will haue the iustification of a man before God to consist in the forgiuenes of sinnes alleaging that of the Psalme Psal 32. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered The Maior or first proposition is the doctrine of the Apostle largely handled and proued Rom. 3 4 and 5. chapters and Gal. 2. and 3. chapters to wit that man is iustified by faith in Christ Iesus To which doctrine nothing is more contrary than to imagine iustification to be so generall and largely spreading as condemnation is generall in all and vpon all men simply Thouching the words Ro. 5. we haue answered before least any should thinke that they may be obiected to maintaine so generall a iustification Ambroses exposition of all men Rom. 5. which also Ambrose vpon that place openly reiecteth and expoundeth that grace aboundeth vpon all men to the iustification of life as touching the beleeuers of whom there is a certaine proper vniuersalitie subiect to Christ and partaker of his grace no lesse than the vniuersality of mankind draweth from Adam sinne and death The second argument The 2. reason There is no remission of sinnes out of the Church Therefore neither redemption which Paul as I said defineth to be remission of sinnes The Antecedent Augustine proueth saying In 1. Epist Io. tract vlt. Where there is remission of sinnes there is the Church And from thence in the same place hee gathereth against the Donatists who shut vp the Church in a part of Africa that the Church of Christ is scattered through the whole world because remission of sinnes in the new Testament is despersed through all nations beginning at Hierusalem What is the Catholike Church For this is the Catholike Church that is the people of God throughout all nations accounting and reckening all the saints withal that were before the birth of Christ who yet were knit to the same body whereof he is the head while they beleeued in him who was preached of before Cap. 3. de cate Ruâ—iâ—bus as the same Augustine writeth in another place Here the same illation is of force If redemption be so vniuersall that as our aduersaries suppose all are truely and vndoubtedly
whom he would call them he would iustifie glorifie Can he possibly forsake them whom he hath pursued with his so many and great benefits But there is feare least the Iudge be too seuere Consider what iudge thou hast to wit Christ Can he condemne thee whom he hath redeemed from death for whom he hath offered himselfe whose life he knoweth is the reward of his death Will he not say Aug. de Trinit lib. 13. cap. 16. What profit is in my blood if I condemne him whom I my selfe haue saued See also if ye please Augustine confirming this very argument Hereupon it riseth that some vnder pretence of vniuersall redemption haue thought that all at length shall be saued Of which mad error Caluin vpon 1. Ioh 2. Bucer in the Acts of the Conference had at Argentine with Melchior Hofman A booke published in the dutch tongue at Argent 1553. doe make mention and also Wolfgange Musculus in the place concerning the redemption of mankinde warning vs to take heede least vnderstanding amisse the vniuersalitie of redemption we say with frantike men that no man is damned and perisheth for euer These our men with whom we deale deny that thing truly but what auaileth it to denie it seeing neuerthelesse they stifly maintaine that principle from whence that error springeth They except that the redeemed doe not perish vnles they cast away and tread vnder foote redemption once receiued But contrariwise the testimonies of Scripture euen now alleaged doe teach that such as are effectually redeemed and alreadie iustified by the gift of God shall certainly haue life and heauenly glorie and cannot possibly by any meanes be pluckt away from the loue of God towards them in Christ Iesu And as for some examples and places to the contrary they haue been sufficiently answered in the second booke before If all sinner be blotted out and satiâ—fied then vnbeâ—iefe is blotted and it shall not condemne vs. Furthermore how agree these things together that all the sinnes of all men are satisfied for and in very deede blotted out and yet that the greater part of men are damned for vnbeliefe For if all sinnes are forgiuen all men then vnbeliefe also is forgiuen How then shall it damne any man Thus it euer abideth vnmoueable that all at length shall be saued if all men together bee effectually made partakers of redemption The 10. reason The tenth argument is drawne from the causes of redemption two whereof are the principall efficient causes one farther off The causes of redemption to wit the grace of God giuing his sonne vnto vs the other most neere vs the sonne himselfe finishing the worke of redemption in the nature of man which hee tooke vpon him The materiall cause is the passion and death of the righteous for the vnrighteous The instrumentall efficient cause is likewise two-fold to wit 1. The word of grace that offereth Christ vnto vs with his benefits and serueth to stirre vp faith in vs for faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God 2. And faith it selfe wherewith as it were a hand wee receiue grace offered and are made partakers thereof Herevpon the Apostle Rom. 3. saith We haue all sinned but we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption made in Iesu Christ whom God hath set foorth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes Where we see among other causes of redemption faith required as the instrument wherewith wee may applie vnto vs redemption gotten for vs by his blood and may become partakers thereof to the blotting out of our sinnes Therefore the vnbeleeuers haue nothing to doe with redemption and propitiation And that the necessitie of faith may the more appeare in euery matter of saluation Faith how necessarie to saluation the Apostle Heb. 11. expressely testifieth that it is impossible without faith to please God producing for this point most notable examples of antiquitie who are shewed to please God through faith and to haue obtained righteousnes which is according to faith Notably saith Augustine in Euang. Ioh. serm 60. The medicine for all wounds The great necessitie and profit of faith and the onely attonement for the sinnes of men is to beleeue in Christ Neither can any man at all bee clensed either from originall sinne or the sinnes which he hath done vnles by faith he be vnited and ioyned to his bodie For they that beleeue in him are the sonnes of God because they are borne of God by the grace of adoption which is in the faith of our Lord Iesu Christ for in beleeuing we are made the sons of God as it is written He hath giuen them prerogatiue to be made the sonnes of God while they beleeue in him And serm 181. de temp Faith is the ground of all good things Aug. de temp ser 181. and the beginning of mans saluation without this none can bee of the number of Gods sonnes and without it in this world neither doth man attaine the grace of iustification nor hereafter shall possesse eternall life and whoso walketh not by faith shall not come to see God In these testimonies of the Scriptures and our Elders according to the Scriptures if wee meane to stand and wee ought to rest therein away with the deuise of the righteousnes of all men and the operation of saluation in all Hub. thes 49. 65. and the receiuing of all men into grace and their purging from sins whether they beleeue or not The aduersaries doe except that they thinke not that the merit of Christ is applied without faith or that any man without it can be made partaker of the fatherly will of God Thes 72. 1112 I answere therefore they bee manifestly contrary to themselues that say such things The aduersaries contrarie to themselues Thes 65.270.168 and yet stifly maintaine that all men none excepted faithfull and vnfaithfull before and after Christs birth are set free by the blood of Christ truly and vndoubtedly from all sinne and condemnation and are receiued into the grace and fauour of God that all alike are saued iustified and quickened that all pertaine to the communion of saluation and the kingdome of grace and such like For if no man can be partaker of the grace of God righteousnes life and saluation in Christ vnles he applie those good things to himselfe and the application cannot be but by faith how belong those things to all vnfaithfull as well as faithfull The 11. reason The Maior The 11. Argument from another consequent Redemption is such a benefit whereby of seruants of sinne wee are made the sonnes of God of children of wrath the children of grace of strangers and vnknowne we are made a royall and priestly stock as it is written Apoc. 1. and 5. He hath loued vs and redeemed vs to God by his blood and hath made vs to our God kings and priests and wee
shall raigne vpon the earth The Minor But vnto the Church properly belongeth this dignitie to be a chosen stocke a royall priesthood a holy nation witnes Peter 1. Epist 2. which also the words out of the Reuelation chap. 5 now cited doe confirme where the voice and confession of the Church is Thou hast made vs to our God kings and priests The conclusion Therefore it followeth that the proprietie of redemption is in the possession of the Church The 12. reason From the vse of the Sacraments The 12. argument from the vse of the Sacraments Vnto whom nothing is sealed in he vse of the Sacraments vnto them the promise of grace in the word belongeth not For the nature of the promise is all one both in the audible and visible word But in the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lordes Supper nothing is sealed to such as be aliants from Gods couenant and vnbeleeuers Therefore neither doeth the promise of grace in the word belong vnto them For the proofe of the assumption let the things be considered that we haue of that matter spoken before in the Confutation The 13. reason The 13. and last argument If all men wholy bee receiued into the grace and fauour of God by the death and grace of the Sauiour Hub. Thes 157. 536. so that no man shall euer perish now after his redemption vnles he despise the grace of God Hub. thes 157. 136. Marke this reason agaynst the aduersarie and through vnbeliefe shake off and forsake his redemption It will follow that all the children of al Thalmudists Mahumetists Turks Tartarians and such as feed on mens flesh called Anthropophagi and such like as long as they want the vse of reason and therefore actuall sinne and be not yet subiect to the contempt of grace are in the state of saluation and dying in that age of what nation soeuer they be in the Church or out of it are eternally saued which thing is manifestly and Anabaptisticall dotage of those men I say that follow the pauilions of Mennon Mennon Theod Phil. Hofman and Theodorike Philip vp and downe the Low Countries which they haue drawen vnto them from the sinke as it seemeth of Melchior Hofman For Theodore Phillippi is of this opinion and plainely writeth Lib. de baptismo Because Christ the Lambe of God hath taken away the sinnes of the world by his death and blood that no man can be damned for the sinne of Adam and therefore that the kingdome of heauen belongeth to all children indifferently that al are innocents and reputed without sinne before God seeing no sinne beside Adams can be imputed vnto them and that the same is satisfied and taken away vniuersally by the death of Christ so that infantes for Adams transgression cannot be iudged or condemned And the Pelagians also as Augustine witnesseth laboured to bring some such thing in to wit August lib. 2. de nuptijs concup cap. 33. that litle children are innocent and without all guiltines after that Christ had died for them But the Scripture teacheth vs to put here a difference betweene the infants of Gods people Infants of the faithfull differ from others and the infants of vngodly nations and reiected of God And the infantes truely of Gods people Gen. 17. 1. cor 7. Math. 19. albeit as the rest by their carnall natiuitie they bee borne vnder sinne and wrath haue a promise that they belong to the number of Gods people and of the Saints and so to the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen More arguments I will not here alledge A doubt wheÌ„ redemption beginnes in vs. for by those which haue beene brought our purpose I trust is more than sufficiently declared Onely one doubt remaineth If the beleeuers onely are to be accounted for the redeemed of Christ doeth therefore their redemption begin when they begin to beleeue Answere I answere The redemption of the Church by Christ may diuersly be considered Tit. 1. 1. Tim. 1. First in respect of Gods purpose and predestination according to which grace is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Secondly in respect of the merite and satisfaction perfourmed of Christ Foure waies redemption is to be considered Comment in Apoc. 1. when vpon the altar of the crosse hee tooke away enmities and reconciled the whole Church of Iewes and Gentiles to God in one body through the crosse as Paul testifieth Ephesians 2. Then surely as Rupertus writeth he redeemed and washed in his blood from their sinnes not onely these men that now are beleeuers or had beleeued but also those that should beleeue in time to come as farre foorth as hee gaue them power to be washed For he washed them not then actually but in power For they could not in very deed be washed who were not yet borne or els as yet had not beleeued Thirdly redemption is considered as farre foorth as we are made partakers of it by faith whose force and necessitie is so great for reconciliation before and after the worke of redemption performed in the flesh of Christ that as it hindred not the olde fathers which beleeued from their deliuerance in that Christ had not as yet suffered so now it nothing profiteth the vnbeleeuers for their deliuerance that Christ long agoe the iust for the vniust was deliuered to death Lastly redemption is considered as farre forth as we enioy full and perfect redemption for euer all our enemies being vtterly destroyed and euen death it selfe which is of the Apostle called the last enemie of which redemption Christ witnesseth Luke 21.28 and Paul Ro. 8.23 But of this enough THE THIRD RANKE OF PROOFES CONTAINING THE TESTIMOnies of Antiquitie CHAP. VIII TO these things hitherto alleadged out of the Scripture whereunto as to the anchor and prop of our faith wee must flye in all things Atâ—â—â—s in Synopsi that we may be in safetie the testimonies of antiquitie seeme now needfull to bee brought in to this end that the trueth may more and more cleerly appeare by that consent and the mouthes of the aduersaries may bee stopped who reasoning and debating I know not what vngodly nouelties endeuour to reproue vs as though wee spake some new thing Tom. 10. de verb. apost ser 14. as Augustine of old complained of his and the Churches aduersaries For a man may see them grow to such craking if not ignorance that they boldly complaine that our opinion of this controuersie was neuer heard in any time among that people Hub. thes 18. where the name of Christ hath been preached that what they auouch leaneth vpon the consent of all Christianitie forsooth Thes 19. for that the Catholike and true Church hath alwaies beleeued and with one mouth euer confessed that Christ died for all men vnderstand effectually Compend thes 27. whereof the question is betweene vs and our aduersaries As touching this new opinion Thes
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
Epistle when he had said before that Christ came downe to be the redeemer of al to take away the sinnes of all and had abased himselfe to bring liberty to all and had taken flesh vpon him to purchase by his death resurrection for all he addeth these words He that is saith he a true freeman a true Hebrew is wholly Gods whatsoeuer he hath is libertie he hath nothing of his that for the loue of the world refuseth libertie So elsewhere he teacheth that a Lib. 2. Câ—p. â— de Cain Abel redemption belongeth to them that repent and cleaue vnto Gods commandements that b Apol. Dauid remission of sinne is through faith c De Sal. ca. vit and that by the grace of faith washing from offences is obtained d Serm. 15. in 118. Psalm that the crosse of the Lord is life to beleeuers and destruction to vnbeleeuers And in another place The e Serm. 21. ibid. crosse saith he is shame to him that is vnfaithfull but to the faithfull person it is grace to the faithfull it is redemption to the faithfull it is resurrection And all these things he setteth out in another place by a notable similitude of light A similitude of the light For Christ is the light of the world sufficient truly to inlighten and conuert all men yet not actually and in very deede driuing away all darknes but as he saith himselfe I am the light of the world that no man that commeth vnto me may abide in darknes Ambrose his words are these Serm. 19. in 118. Psalm Although he that was borne of the Virgin for all both good and bad haue a large power in all and vpon all as he maketh his Sunne to rise vpon the good and euill yet hee fauoureth him that commeth neere vnto him For as he that shutteth the windowes excludeth froÌ„ himselfe the brightnes of the Sunne so he that is turned from the Sunne of righteousnes cannot behold the brightnes therof He walketh in darknes and in the light of all men hee is the cause of blindnes to himselfe Open therefore thine eyes to see the Sunne of righteousnes arising vnto thee If a man shut the doores of his house is the fault in the Sunne that it doth not shine into his house Out of Augustine the chiefe of the soundest writers among other testimonies these we haue Tom. 7. Augustine ad articul falso impos Vnto the first article which was that Christ suffered not for the redemption of all men he giueth his iudgement of the whole controuersie distinguishing after this sort As touching the greatnes and weight of the price and as touching the onely cause of mankinde the blood of Christ is the redemption of the whole world But they that passe through this life without the faith of Christ and without the sacrament of regeneration are voide of redemption Seeing therefore by reason of the one nature and cause of all men which the Lord took vpon himselfe in trueth all may bee rightly called redeemed yet seeing all are not plucked out of captiuitie the proprietie of redemption doubtles is theirs out of whom the prince of this world is cast and they be now not the wasse â—s of the deuill but the members of Iesu Christ Whose death was not so bestowed for mankinde that they who shall not bee borne againe should belong to the redemption thereof but so that what was done by one example for all might by one sacrament be celebrated in euery one Augustines simile of the cup. For the cup of immortalitie which was made of our infirmitie and the diuine power meaning Christs death hath truly in it selfe to profit all men but if it be not drunke it doth not profit Against Faustus the Manichean lib. 11. cap. 7. Of those men for whom Christ died and rose againe and who now liue not to themselues but to him that is the people that bee renewed by faith that hee may haue in the meane while in hope what may bee accomplished afterward in very deede none of those men saith he hee knew any more after the flesh Here hee taketh them that are renewed by faith and shal be saued to be all one with those for whom Christ died and rose againe Lib. 13. cap. 15. In his booke of the Trinitie he denieth that any of them whom Christ redeemed by his bloodshed be drawne of the deuill as men intangled in the snares of sinne vnto the destruction of the second and eternall death and affirmeth that such die the death of the flesh onely and not of the spirit And most plainly remoueth from redemption such as shall be damned addeth straightwaies in expresse words that such as were foreknowne predestinate and elected before the foundation of the world pertaine to the grace of Christ and that Christ died for them The same man vpon 21. Psalme writeth That Christ suffered for the Church and that the great Church is the whole world for which he shed his blood And by and by confuting the Donatists including the Church within Africa he saith What saiest thou to me O Heretike Is he not the price of all the world Was onely Africa redeemed Thou dare not say A notable saying of August the whole world was redeemed but it is perished What inuader hath Christ suffered to destroy his goods Behold Christ died his blood was shed behold our redeemer behold our price What hath he bought All the ends of the earth shall be converted to the Lord and all nations shall worship before him Behold the Church which I shew behold what Christ hath bought behold what he hath redeemed behold for whom he gaue his blood So in his Enchiridion to Laurentius chap. 61. he saith that the Church which is among men is redeemed from all sinne by the blood of the Mediator that is without sinne and it is the voyce thereof If God be for vs who is against vs Who also spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all And in the next chapter The Apostle saith that all things in heauen and earth are epaired in Christ for in him are restored the things that bee in heauen when that that was decayed in the angels from thence was recompensed of men But things in earth are repaired when men themselues who are predestinate to eternall life are renewed from the oldnesse of corruption The same man chapter 30 witnesseth that God promised freedome and the kingdome of heauen to a part of mankinde that is to the elect Againe in his 13. Booke of the Trinitie chapter 12. and the rest when hee had sayed that by the remission of sinnes men are plucked away from the deuill through the gratious reconciliation of God straightway he sheweth at large that not all men are set free from the power of the deuil but all the faithfull and the predestinate that all men beeing carnally borne of Adam are through him alone held vnder the
7. depart from mee yee that work◠iniquitie Tertull. Tertullian de praescrip haeret in the beginning saith An excellent saying No man is wise no man is faithfull no man is great but a Christian and no man is a Christian but he that continueth vnto the end Thou as a man knowest euery one outwardly thou iudgest as thou seest and thou seest as farre as thou hast eyes But the eyes of the Lord are high Man looketh into the face God into the heart and therefore the Lord knoweth who are his Chrysostome c Chrysostome also notably in 7 Matth. saith The raine of false doctrine doth not corrupt the Church which Christ hath founded nor the blasts of the deuill driue it away nor the force of violent floods doth moue it All that are called christians are not such indeede Aug. in Ps 48. Neither is it hereto contrarie saith he that many doe fall from the Church For not all who are called Christians are Christs but the Lorde knoweth who are his For many wearing the cloake of a Christian name as Augustine speaketh vnder the couer of religion are secretly euill hauing the name of Christ in their lips but not in their hearts of whom it is said This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Luther also in Psal 2. vpon those words Luther I haue set my king vpon Sion my holy hill putteth difference betweene generall and speciall holines Holines generall and special That is generall when some Church consisting of good and bad is wont to bee called holie but that is speciall whereby the true beleeuers truly and in very deede are sanctified before God through the holy Ghost whereas the rest are named holie and counted Saints only before men by profession and the vse of the Sacraments And in his booke de seruo arbit cap. 61. he maketh difference betweene the iudgement of Charitie and faith Charitie and faith iudge diuerselie of a man The iudgement or as he speaketh the rule of charitie calleth euery one that is baptized holy because charitie beleeueth all things and presumeth good of our neighbours but by the canon or rule of faith he is not holie saith he vnles he be declared to be such a one by a diuine iudgement CHAP. IX Certaine sayings of the Scripture are examined touching the redemption of reprobates THese things thus forewarned in stead of a generall answere now let vs runne in order through the testimonies of this classe or ranke The first is cited out of Heb. 6. The 1. place for the redemption of reprobates It can not be that they who haue been once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and haue been partakers of the holie Ghost if they fall away that they should be renued againe vnto repentance crucifying againe to themselues the sonne of God and exposing him to ignominie They that here be described are partakers of redemption and yet reprobates A particular conclusion followeth in the third figure Therefore some reprobates are redeemed I answere First the aduersarie should haue proued an vniuersall conclusion and not a particular as it hath bin said Secondly vnto the minor I say they that fall away after illumination receiued A grieuous fall proues not a man to be a Reprobate are not forthwith to bee iudged reprobates and to bee excluded from grace with Montanus and Nouatus For euen the elect fall sometime grieuously but they are lifted vp againe of the Lord. And in that the Apostle seemeth to take away hope of pardon from such as fall away omitting other expositions Chrysostome Theodorite Some of the olde writers vnderstand by renewing Heb. 6 a second baptizing Theophylact in their Commentaries and Epiphanius haeret 59. Augustine in fine exposit ad Rom. Ambrose lib. 2. de poenit cap. 2. and other ancient writers with great consent and not vnfitly vnderstand the place that the reiteration of Baptisme and not the medicine of repentance is taken out of the Church least the Iewes should thinke that sacred Baptisme is like to the Iewish washings which are vsed much and often But as once Christ died and death hath no more power ouer him so wee are once baptized into the death of Christ by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the spirit and it is impossible for vs if wee fall to bee by it renewed againe vnto repentance Which thing if a man attempt hee crucifieth againe and contemneth Christ as much as lieth in him Further vnto the maior Albeit I willingly graunt that the Apostle speaketh of such as bee redeemed or els as though they were redeemed Two proofes of the aduersarie for redemption of reprobates according to the foreshewed difference of the elect and reprobates yet the proofes brought in of the aduersarie haue no force The former of them is that illumination and participation of the holy Ghost be fruites of redemption and they that be partakers of the fruites of redemption are partakers of very redemption also Answere I answere Paul Colos 1. and elswhere defineth redemption to be the forgiuenes of sinnes Redemption is forgiuenes of sinnes but that sinnes bee forgiuen a man and therefore that he is iust before God heire of eternall life cannot hereof straightwaies be gathered because he is inlightened with the knowledge of the truth or hath receiued some other gifts of the holy Ghost The bad haue many gifts common with the good for there be many gifts of the spirit common to good and bad Mat. 7.22 and 1. Cor. 12.3 The later proofe of Huber is this That which is done againe must needes be done once alreadie but they that perish crucifie the sonne of God againe to themselues Ergo he was crucified for them alreadie before to wit to their profit and redemption Answere But this sophisme is patched together of meere fallacies compositionis dictionis and concludeth more then was in the premisses Marke this exposition of crucifying againe to themselues c. In the minor the word againe must not be construed with to themselues but with the word crucifie as it is one word in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore it onely followeth if he bee crucified againe that Christ hath been once alreadie crucified Then seeing men cannot at their pleasure crucifie the sonne of GOD indeede it is added in stead of correction that to themselues that is as much as in them lieth they crucifie him againe and the sense will bee impious altogether if a man expound that word to themselues that is for their owne profit and redemption they crucifie Christ againe as it is taken in the conclusion Another place is Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren The 2. place wee haue libertie to enter into the holie place by the blood of Iesu let vs goe with a true heart and confidence For if we shall sinne willingly after the knowledge of the trueth receiued there
remaineth no sacrifice for sins And a little after Of how greater punishment thinke ye shall he be thought worthie who shall tread vnder his feet the sonne of God and shall count the blood of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified a prophane thing and shall despite the spirit of grace This place Huber simplie vnderstandeth of reprobates but they are not straightwaies to be counted for reprobates and to bee barred of all hope of pardon with the Nouatians who after the knowledge of the trueth wittingly and willingly peraduenture fall And in that it is said that there remaineth vnto them no sacrifice for sins but an expectation of iudgement of this there is diuersitie of opinions I take it as most simple An exposition of the words there is no more sacrifice for sin c. that there be no more sacrifices for sinne as of old vnder the shadowes of the Law that Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many and will not come againe to die for sins the second time but to iudgement for their saluation doubtles that looke for him but for their punishment that sinne specially that sinne willingly after they haue receiued the knowledge of the truth Vnderstand notwithstanding conditionally to wit vnles they repent as Theophylact well expoundeth and the vse of the Scriptures requireth 1. Corin. 6.9 Apoc. 22.15 Iere. 18.7 Certainly I easily graunt We must take euery one in the Church for a brother and redeemed for his profession sake till the contrarie appeare that these of whom the Apostle intreateth are to bee placed in the number of the redeemed vpon the foundation before set downe to wit as farre forth as they professing the same faith and conuersation with vs we are bound to account them for our brethren for the household and heires of God and for such as are sanctified by the blood of Christ vntill happily they bee made knowne not to bee of vs. All these things certainly the text plainly sheweth to bee spoken of the Apostle in respect of faith which a man seemeth to haue and not of vnbeleefe much lesse of reprobation The third place is 1. Cor. 3. Ye are the temple of God The 3. place 1. Cor. 3. and the spirit of God dwelleth in you Jf any destroy the temple of God him will God destroy That he shuld speake here of reprobates as Huber thinketh it is vnlikely for he speaketh of the Church which he had called Gods building and now calleth it Gods temple as elsewhere this spirituall building and habitation of the liuing God is at large described Ephes 2.21 1. Pet. 2.5 As for the threatning it belongeth to the authors of schismes who through meere ambition by factions distracted and prophaned the Church of Corinth which God had cōsecrated to be a temple for himselfe The like place commeth againe chapter 6. Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the holie Ghost who is in you There speaking to each beleeuer he calleth them the temples of the holy Ghost as also the members of Christ saying Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ that thereby they might with greater care auoide all pollutions of the flesh True members of Christ can neuer finally fall away yet they may sinne grieuouslie Psalm 37.24 Iohn 10. Rom. 11.29 2 Cor. 4.9 But hereupon it doth not follow that some being truly the members of Christ and the temples of the holy Ghost shal perish foreuer It cōmeth to passe surely that such fearefully somtime defile thēselues but not finally An exāple hereof is the repentance of Dauid and the promises beare witnes If the righteous falleth he is not cast away because the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand No man shall take my sheep out of my hand And in Paul The gifts and calling of God are without repentance We are cast downe but we perish not What members may perish saith Paul But that they perish in their sins who were accounted the members of Christ and the temples of God it is no new thing but if they had been of the true members of the Church they had doubtles continued with vs 1. Iohn 3. as Iohn saith For there bee sonnes of God saith Augustine who are not as yet such vnto vs De Correp grat ca. 9. A notable saying and there be some againe who for the grace which they haue receiued for a time are called of vs the sonnes of God but yet are not such with God And as the sons so also the temples of God and members of Christ are to be accounted The 4. place Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. The same answere serueth vnto the sayings Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died neither destroy the worke of God for meate sake Also Shall thy weake brother perish through thy knowledge for whom Christ died As touching the elect we graunt that the true beleeuers How a weake brother may be said to perish and be destroyed Rom. 14.5 How Reprobates falling from the truth and perishing are said to be redeemed but weake in faith are very often grieuously shaken with offences yea destroyed and lost as touching the authors of offences through whom there is no let but they should perish Yet the Lord is able to establish them and also will establish them though they bee inconstant and wauer But a◠touching the reprobates falling away from the trueth for offences and other causes and vtterly perishing they are called redeemed iustified by the death of Christ as farre forth as in the iudgement of the Church they obtaine for a time a place among the iustified and redeemed of Christ as I haue often said alreadie In like sort is that to bee vnderstood which 2. Pet. 2. The 5. place 2. Pet. 2. How the Lord hath bought Reprobates 1. Pet. 1. Acts 20. wee reade of false prophets that perish that they denie the Lord who bought them Doubtles the Lord is said to buy them as farre forth as they are numbred for a time among the faithfull whom he hath redeemed not with siluer and golde but with his precious blood For out of the Church it selfe shall arise rauening wolues not sparing the flocke and speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after thē But what saith Iohn They went out from vs but they were not of vs for verely they had continued with vs if they had been of vs. Further How they are said to denie him that bought them this is rightly referred to the boasting of the false prophets that him in very deede they denie whom they call their Lord and redeemer and bragge of libertie when in trueth they bee the seruants of corruption and sinne as Peter himselfe declareth and the Epistle of Iude confirmeth For these seducers secretly crept in are thus there described that they turne the grace of our God into wantonnes and denie God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ But