to offer to the Idoll they afterward in detestation of their former act would bee avenged of their hands which offered by the burning of their whole bodies I proceed to the application of this storie unto Pauls time VERS 5. Vers 5 Even so at this present time there is a remnant through the election of grace THis Application containes foure points 1. The time of this preservation this time 2. The number a remnant 3. The meanes efficient and ground of preservation the election 4. The impulsive cause of election grace and not workes I begin with the time whence the observation is Doct. That God doth at all times preserve a Church that embraceth the true worship of God In Isa 6. ult There shall be desolation in the midst of the land but yet in it shall be a tenth and shall returne c. The Assyrians may make the people of Ierusalem so few that a childe may tell them Isa 10.19 yet the remnant shall returne even the remnant of Iacob vers 21. Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation in Ioel 3.20 whereby is signified that there shall be some of Gods Church preserved to the end of the world and if ever God had wanted a Church it would surely have beene in the time of those ten bloudy persecutions begun under Nero Onpbius Fast lib. 2. in the yeare of Christ 65. when Peter and Paul were beheaded continued under Domitian when Iohn was banisht into Pathmos under Trajane when Ignatius Bishop of Antioch under Antoninus when Polycarpe under Severus when Leonides father of Origen was martyred Quo tempore universus orbis sacro martyrum cruore insectus erat Neque unquam maâ—ri triumpho vic mus quam ciâ—n decimorum annorum strage non potuimus vinci untill the the time of Dioclesian When the world did swim with the bloud of Martyrs Neither over came wee ever with a greater triumph than when we could not be overcome with ten yeares slaughter Or if ever the Church could have beene quite pulled downe it would have beene in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes when he entred the temple at Ierusalem burned the bookes of Moses and the Prophets proclaimed feasting and riot in the house of God and put to death young and old Carion Chron. lib. 2. that would not renounce the Law which Moses had delivered The reason Reason because God is constant and sure in the promise which he hath made touching the continuall keeping of his Church I will marrie thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 yea in faithfulnesse to shew that hee will never part with his Spouse againe vers 21. From whence we may take just occasion to answer the objection of the Papists Vse 1 who tell us that wee are surely not the Church because the Church was ever but we never till the time of M. Luther My reply that the Apostles and the Primitive Church for almost six hundred yeares after Christ taught as we doe and since those times hath Poperie had her growth and ever since some have maintained our religion till this day In matter of supremacie they taught as we doe till after Gregories times which was six hundred yeares after Christ yea Gregorie writing against Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Lib. 6. Epist 30. If any calleth himselfe universall Bishop he is Antichrist In matter of the Sacrament Th. Aquin. in 1 Cor. 11. Lect. 6. for a thousand yeares together the people received the wine as well as the bread Secondly to stay the malice of the Churches enemies for they labour but in vaine Vse 2 God is on her side Rom. 8.31 And when she hath none to take her part the Lord himselfe will doe it Isa 59.16 Thirdly a comfort for all good and religious hearts Vse 3 to thinke that howsoever they may bee punisht for their sinnes and enemies may bring them to the sword yet some of them shall continue and stand to see the enemies fall religion shall not quite goe downe So I come to the number a remnant There is a remnant Those that belong unto God are not many which must not bee simply understood for in themselves they be many even an hundred fortie and foure thousand Apoc. 7.4 among the Tribes of Israel and among the Gentiles a multitude which no man could number of all nations and languages stood before the Lord and before the Lambe with long white robes and palmes in their hands c. vers 9. But in comparison of those that shall be cast away they are but few as Matth. 20.16 the Apostle is peremptorie Though Israel were as the sand yet a remnant shall be saved there is much chaffe but little wheat many stones but few pearles If a man should divide the world into three parts with Ptolomie or into foure with some later writers or into six with our last Geographers as Quade and others Lib. 1. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 and you shall not finde one of seven that professeth Christ aright they are all confined into a narrow corner in the Northwest And in this corner remove Atheists Heretiques Neutrals Worldlings Hypocrites and the remainder will be verie small and there â—e doth Christ call it a little flocke Luk. 12.32 and the gate a strait gate Luk. 13.24 and the way a narrow way Matth. 7.14 And if you should but looke upon the lives and actions of most men and see how everie man wastes his life in sinne and vanitie you would joyne with mee and say there are not many that can be saved if you doe but see how all care for earth and few for heaven you will say that surely verie few can bee saved how everie man lives and rots in one sinne or other dandles and hugs one Dalilah or other you will say that few can be saved how everie man spends his dayes in libertie and loosenesse both of life and conscience how they gather and build upon earth and strive how they may continue their names here never dreaming of a building in heaven of writing their names in heaven you will say surely few can be saved What use may wee make of this but to see Vse that the ordinarie pace and course which men take can never bring a man to heaven If then we will ever bee saved and bee of that remnant 1. Wee must learne the way to heaven perfectly 2. When we know it we must walke in it 3. We must cast off all luggage and superfluitie that hinder us in it And so I proceed to that which is the foundation and ground of this preservation viz. the election of grace S. Origen in his wandring speculation Origen in Rom. 11. would here make a difference betweene those which are called by grace viz. those that beleeve in Christ and those which are called by election of grace which beside faith in Christ have good workes as if true saith could ever be without them and Chrysostome that they were elected of
the divine Oracles let the truth be adjudged on their sides Lib. 5. And Optatus disputing against Parmenian the Donatist presses him thus A Christian cannot be judge betweene us he is one partie a Pagan cannot he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie a Iew cannot In iis quae apertè positasunt in Scripturis inveniuntur illaomnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi spemscilicet atque charitatem Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9 Eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 7. he is an enemie to baptisme quaerendus è coelo judex we must seeke for a judge from heaven And yet to what end should wee knocke at heaven when wee have one in the Gospell If they will beleeve the authoritie of Austen it is plaine In those things which are openly set downe in Scriptures are found all those doctrines which containe faith and manners of living to wit hope and charitie And the Emperour Constantine made this speech to the Bishops of the Nicene Councell as Theodoret reports it Laying aside all contentions let us out of the divinely inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things we seeke for See Augustine against Maxim Arian Bishop Booke 3. Chap. 14. Nec ego Nicenum nec tu Arimense concilium c. And therefore this serveth to blame our adversaries of Rome for denying this truth Vse 1 The Papists confuâ—ed and making not Scripture but the Church and that Church the Pope to bee supreme Iudge of all controversies The causes of this I conceive to bee two 1. That they make themselves Iudges in their owne cause for who sees not that if the Church be Iudge and rule and themselves the Church which way the verdict will goe especially when they see the Pope with infallible judgement mounted upon the Tribunall and made Interpreter of all evidence that can be brought in When Scriptures Fathers Councels must all bee expounded by his judgement for by the Church we meane her head that is to say Tom. 3. disput 1. quaest 1. punct 1. the Roman Bishop saith Gregorie Valence Yea the whole authoritie of the Church universall abides in him saith Aquinas In briefe â—a â—ae quaest 11. Art 2. this is it that they would have that no triall may passe unlesse you be resolved to stand to the word of themselves that are arraigned 2. Because they know and confesse the most and greatest points of their religion yea welnigh all wherein they dissent from us have no foundation on the Scripture Orthodox Explic lib. 2. but as Andradius speakes would reele and stagger if tradition supported them not Therefore Brislow in his last Motive dealt surely and circumspectly for his Romish faith where teaching his Schollâ—r how to deale with his adversarie he bids him first get the proud heretique out of this castle of onely Scriptures into the plaine field of Traditions Miracles Councels Fathers and then like Cowards they cannot stand And it is most true that put Scripture to silence set up the Pope as Iudge give him authoritie to make and repeale Lawes use Traditions approve Councels expound Fathers and Councels make something of nothing use his will for a reason let us say as they doe and then the Protestants must needs be convicted In that one assertion of Bristow I note 1. That the most of their religion hangs only up on Tradition 2. It is but vaine to alleage Scripture for they grant that it cannot be proved but by Tradition and therfore Saunders was surely in some Irish fit when he cried out so vehemently wee have most plaine places of Scripture for all points of our faith I should here defend the perfection of Scripture without Tradition but I rather draw a word of use for you and so proceed viz. The second Vse is Vse 2 to commend unto you the carefull reading and studying of Scriptures for if we be in doubt which way we must walke this is that lampe to our feet c. Psal 119.105 If we want wisdome that is your wisdome and understanding Deut. 4.6 If you be not resolved of the truth this will resolve you for it is the word of truth Ephes 1.13 If you doubt of life they will restore it for it is the word of life Acts 5.20 If you doubt of your reconciliation this will seale it for it is the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 If thou bee not as yet regenerate this will worke it 1 Pet. 1.23 this is the field where the Merchant may finde treasure Matth. 13.44 O then let this Booke bee alwayes about us as Alexander kept Homers Iliads pro viatico rei militaris for his fellow and companion in all wars Let us not spare to be ambitious of that commendation which Eusebius gives of S. Origen Histor Eccles lib. 6. cap. 2. that hee could repeat all the Scriptures at his fingers end let us follow the advice of Macrina Basil Epist 74. foster-mother to S. Basil who would have Parents to bring up their sonnes after the example of Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 Let us not spend more time in reading the writings of men than in perusing the Tables of God nor spend that time in reading of Playes and unprofitable Pamphlets which wee might spend in reading the Scriptures which would make us wise unto salvation nor plod more upon the Lawes of men than of God but devoure this Booke as the Angell commanded Iohn Apoc. 10.9 feed upon this rowle as the Prophet Ezek. 3.3 Bee carefull to performe in deed as much as God gave Ioshua in charge Iosh 1.8 c. And in regard wee have all these blessings by the Scripture let us ever blesse God for giving us such a glorious light and desire of God never to take away this mercie from us And so I come to the request that Elias makes unto God against Israel He makes request unto God against Israel Exposition There is saith P. Martyr a double expostulation of men with God In Rom. 1. When they lament in Gods hearing the sinne and impietie of the people and signifies how highly they are grieved when the people start away from God 2. When men carried with too much zeale doe as it were charge God of negligence in his owne cause and seeme to be offended that God suffers the wicked so far to prevaile against his Church The one was surely in the Prophet and it is well if not the other and againe hee makes request not out of hatred as desiring of God their everlasting ruine for surely hee was acquainted with Samuels rule 1 Sam. 12.23 But out of the nature of the Prophets saith Soto In Rom. 11. who many times by the phrase of praying against doe prophesie what shall come against a people as Ierem. 18.21 22 23. Deliver up their children and let them drop away by the sword forgive not their iniquitie put not out their sinne but deale with them in anger And yet is it not unlawfull to pray
good fruit the other what they are engrafted into the right olive tree where you may note how God bestowes upon the Gentiles a threefold grace and benefit first an engrafting into the right root secondly made partaker of the root made of the same nature with the root thirdly made partaker of the fatnesse that is of all the privileges and benefits of the covenant made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob I beginne first with the condition of the Iewes some of the bracnhes be broken off First they were such as thought themselves branches good enough because outwardly as faire and freth as any other And from thence note Wicked men seeke no further than to have the outward privileges of Gods children Secondly no outward privilege can acquit a sinful people from Gods anger nor prove them to be the people of God either proposition is before handled upon the first verse of this Chapter Secondly they are but some of the branches whence note two points first none that are within the covenant are broken off finally Secondly all the Iewes are not within the covenant made with Abraham see likewise on the first verse of the said Chapter Doct. Thirdly They are broken off God hath not so tied his promises and graces to any mans seed but some of them may be cast off if they degenerate though God made the promise to Abraham and his seed yet Ishmael hath no right unto it Cast out the Bondwoman and her sonne for the sonne of the Bondwoman shall not bee heire with my sonne Isaac Gal. 4.30 The same confirmed to Isaac and yet I loved have Iacob and hated Esau Mal. 1.3 the same confirmed to Iacob yet with many of them God was not pleased Rom. 10.5 The Iewes say they came of Abram and yet Christ hath censured them to be sonnes of Satan Ioh. 8.44 But this I meet hereafter I proceed to the twofold estate of the Gentiles The first is what they were oleaster a wilde olive tree quasi olea sterilis a barren olive-tree There be two kinds of olive trees that be barren the one made as Plinie reports Plin Nat. Hist lib. 17. cap. 24. that if a goat doe but licke it it presently becomes barren and never bears olives more the other naturally barren and is here called the wilde olive which hath the shape the leafe the bough of the true olive but it wants the generous juyce it wants the fruits Such were the Gentiles they had outwardly the same image and similitude with the people of God they had some morall vertues like unto leaves outwardly resembling the good workes of Gods children but wanting that generous juyce that is the graces of Gods spirit without which there is nothing that God accepts The first thing that may be gathered is Doct. The remembrance of former wildenesse wherein once we were should curbe us from growing proud of that estate wherein now we are We were once wilde and must not now insult ouer those that are as we were It is the counsell of God himselfe Isai 51.1 Looke unto the rocks whence you were hewen and to the hole of the pit whence yee were digged Amos was once an herdman Peter a fisherman Paul a maker of tents Iacob a keeper of sheepe and you reade not that when Amos became a Prophet Peter an Apostle Paul a Doctor of the Gentiles and Iacob a Lord in his Countrey that ever they forgat their former estate and meane condition wherein they had lived Amos as milde when he was a Prophet as when he was a herdman Peter as lowly when he is an Apostle as when he was a fisherman Paul as courteous when he is a Doctor as when he was a tent-maker and Iacob as humble when he is a Master and Lord as when he was a servant and keeper of sheepe This manner of perswading doth God often use to his people You shall love the stranger for you were strangers in the land of Aegypt Deut. 10.19 Thou shalt not pervert the right of the stranger nor the fatherlesse but remember that thou wast a servant in Aegypt Deut. 24.17 18. The remembrance of what we have beene should keepe us from being proud of what we are Thou camest naked from thy mother remember this and bee not proud of thy wealth Thou wast polluted in Adam remember this and bee not proud of thy holinesse Thou wast a servant remember this and bee not proud of thy greatnesse Thou wast a stranger remember this and bee not proud of thy privileges Thou wast a prodigall remember this and be not proud of thy new favour Nebuchadnezzar was once amongst beasts Iob once on the dunghill the Governours once low 1 Sam. 2.8 A lesson as little practised as any other Herodotus in Euterp Arist pelit lib. 3. most men are like to Amasis in Herodote who being of meane descent yet at last growing great tooke a silver bason c. or like to Fabius in Plutarch who being advanced to a Consulship when his owne father came to him in a message from the Romane Senate would give no answer till his father should light and come on foot to him or like unto the Israelite who was a long time a servant oppressed in Aegypt a long time almost starved in the wildernesse but being come to Canaan grow proud on a sudden and forget not only their former misery wherein they had beene but the hand that made them and the God that delivered them He that should have beene upright when he waxed fat spurned with the heele c. Deut. 13.19 Or like to Pharaohs Butler who being in favour soone forgot that ever he had been in prison Gen. 40.23 If rich wee forget that ever we were poore if in honour that ever we were base if masters that ever we were servants if free that ever we were strangers It is strange to see that man who is but dust and every handfull of dust that flies hits him in the teeth with his basenesse should bee altogether made of drie dust that 's so easily blowne and carried aloft into the aire above his fellowes though they have the same father God and the same mother the Church and hope for the same kingdome heaven borne alike and die like come with nothing and goe away with nothing The greatest will have no cause to bee proud if hee remember whence he came from Adam the most honourable no cause to be proud if he remember whither he goes to the earth the wisest no cause to be proud if he remember what he is dust the richest no cause to be proud if he remember whither he must returne againe â—â— thalan o grandoribus literis inscripta babuit Willegesi Willegest recole unde veneris Becolcerus in Anno. 10 11. to the dust of the earth Gen. 3.19 We should be like to Willegesius who being the son of a Carpenter and afterward Bishop of Moguntia had this written in his Bed-chamber with great letters Willegesius Walligesius
hath honoured him So in the parable of the Pharisee that trusted in himselfe and despised others Luk. 18. from the 9. to the 13. Doe you despise the Church of God and shame them that have not shall I praise you in this I praise you not 1 Cor. 11.22 Thus the Apostle instructs his Corinthians Who hath separated thee and what hast thou that thou hast not received Nullis opportunis insidiatur quà m quibus laus j sta debetur c. 1 Cor. 4.7 God knowes full well that none are so subject to this sinne as they that have the best gifts according to that of Prosper Epist advirginem Demetriadem He insnareth none better than those to whom iust praise is due And therefore he charges them especially to take heed of this sinne that his people be not proud of their temporall blessings see Deut. 8.14 Take heed that thy heart be not lifted up not of spirituall graces for what hast thou which thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. Other vices in sins Caetera vitiâ— in peccatâ—â— superâ—â— in 〈…〉 Superbia bones op ribus insidiatur ut pereant Ad Dioscor Epist 56. Epist 109. ad Monachas pride in deeds well done is most to be feared saith August Pride seekes to destroy good works When we have escaped common sins in dong evill God would have us take heed that we grow not proud of doing well many times the devill cannot keepe man from doing some good which yet shall never bee but upon record and so hee makes him proud of what he hath done and so in other sins Will you have a reason First Reason 1 there is no readier way to hinder a mans growing in grace than his proud conceit of what he hath already It is a true saying which Ludovicus Vives writes out of Seneca Multos pervenire potuisse ad sapâ—â—ttam rusi cò se pervenisse pâ—tarent De Causis Corrupt Artium l. 2. Many might have attained to wisdome but that they thinke they have attained it already * Ineus existens prohibet alienâ— That which is already within forbids the receiving any more The heart may be so full with a conceit that it wil sooner burst than receive any more It is impossible that ever he should be wise who thinks himselfe wise enough already impossible for him to learn that conceits his learning to be great enough already They that will grow in wisdome must come to say with So crates a Hoc 〈…〉 I know this one thing Reason 2 that I know nothing Secondly this keepes a man farre from God and malâ—es him unfit to come neere him that which brings a man neere is humility * Hec 〈…〉 sursun tendaâ— Aug de Civit. Det. lib. 14 cap 13. This is a wonder of humility that pride rends downewards humility upwards saith Augustine And to Dioscorus he saith Epist 56. that that which Demosthenes answered one that asked what in the precepts of Rhetoricke is first to be observed answered Pronuntiation what in the second place Pronuntiation what in the third place Pronuntiation may bee most truly said of humilitie So Hierome of Paula a Minima suit ut esset maxima quanto magis se d â—â—â—ciebat tanto magis à Christosuble vebatur latebat non latchat She was least that she might bee greatest by how much more she humbled herselfe by so much the more by Christ was she exalted she lay hid and yet she lay not hid b 〈…〉 gloriam assiquebatur Aug. de Civit. Det lib. 5. cap 12. By shunning glory he attained glory So Augustine of Cato Thirdly thou hast not these gifts because thou art better by nature than they for thou art a childe of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3 nor of thy selfe but of Gods favour and God can and often doth for pride and unthankfulnesse Reason 3 both lessen and take away his gifts and graces and so he may doe with thee Which serves to take downe the pride of a number of conceited professors amongst us Vse 1 who because they exceed others perhaps in sharpnesse and quicknesse of apprehension perhaps but only in a talking vaine and habit of disputation about questions that cannot edifie use to swell and grow bigge with conceit of their owne perfection and in comparison of their grace conscience obedience and knowledge doe not sticke both to contemne and condemne their brethren others carnall men they spirituall others luke-warme themselves zealous professors others to bee blinde they to see the truth Iane à tergo quem nulla ciconia pinsit There are few men whom they can preferre before themselves their brethren are either more ignorant or more cold or more easily yeeld to Church orders but they thanke God they are not like other men So more they are for many that speake a great deale lesse doe a great deale 〈◊〉 good many that make lesse shewes have better hearts and many that boast lesse have better cause than they have To conclude the more wisdome a man hath the more humble it will make him not more proud the more learning and knowledge a man hath the more meeke and gentle it should make him not more haughty and censorious and ther 's good reason for it they that have least wisdome least knowledge least grace commonly thinke they have most and they that have mose seotheir want By seeing much they see how much they lacke and that which they have being nothing to what they want makes them thinke that of all others they have the least So I come from the proposition to the reason Thou bearest not the root but the root thee Which is taken from an absurdity that would follow It were absurde for him that must be carried to boast against him that carries him as if the armes should boast against the feet the chariot against the wheele the branches against the root whereon they are sustained Or iâ— may be from the unseemlinesse of it it is an unbonest part to receive a multitude of blessings and never to acknowledge it and wretched unthankfulnesse to receive a blessing at ones hands and crow over him that gave it but if the Gentiles insult over the Iewes then the branches rejoyce over the tree that beares them the hands against the body that sustaines them the chariot against the wheeles whereon it is borne and the roofe of the house against the pillars whereon it stands But the conclusion which may be inferred is first in the position How much men are beholding to their holy ancestors and children to be borne of holy parents they are holy for the promise made unto their fathers as in verse 16. Secondly Doct. in supposition The Gentiles are in many respects inferiour to the Iewes howsoever for the present they are cast off and pluckt from the vine Reason 1 For first we have our religion and doctrine the foundation beginning and establishment of our Church from them as
ordinarie way which men take cannot bring them on to God therefore Paul presses egerly Phil. 3. David runs swiftly Gloria habitat in rupibus Strom. lib. 4. Psal 119.32 It was the speech of Clemens Alexandrinus Glory dwelleth in the rocks Secondly Vse 2 take paines to learne perfectly the way unto God Bee like Alexander in Plutarch with his Homers Iliads Lib. 6. cap. 2. like Origen in Eusebius who in his young yeeres devoted himselfe wholly to Gods service Thirdly cast off that luggage whereby men are so much letted and hindred in the way Fourthly Vse 4 if thou bee once set forward in an holy profession Bee constant in it unto the end Observe these and thou shalt surely finde mercie at the last Secondly Of universall grace here I have fit occasion to dispute a little about universall grace I finde concerning this point foure severall opinions Some have thought Gods saving grace to bee so generall that it reacht unto all both men and Devils which errour is ascribed unto Origen and is confuted at large by S. Augustine De Civit. Dei 10.21 cap. 17. ad 24. Some have holden that God ordained grace and mercie for all and was not in any sense the cause of mans reprobation this was the old heresie of the Pelagians and is not without her well-willers at this day The third is of the Papists who deny not that reprobation doth proceed in some sense from the decree and will of God But that it is Gods act so formally and so properly as election is The fourth only is according to godlinesse That predestination is both of the elect to salvation all reprobates to damnation I will not waken the first which is the dead error of Origen I will deale only with the Papist and the Pelagian who are Iebusites yet alive in the Canaan of the Church The Rhemists position on Rom. 9. Annot. 5. on vers 17. is this God intends no mans damnation directly and absolutely but in respect of their demerits and it is their marginall note upon vers 22. That God is not the cause of any mans damnation or reprobation otherwise than for the punishment of his sinnes of the same opinion is Bellarmine who maketh God the Author of reprobation farre otherwise than of election and excludes it out of the definition of predestination De grat lib. arbit lib. 2. c. 9. Their arguments are taken from 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to bee saved and come to the knowledge of the truth The 2 Pet. 3.9 God would have no man to perish but would have all come to repentance The 18. Ezek. 23. God will not the death of a sinner Therefore the death and condemnation of man stands not properly with the will of God To which it may briefly be answered thus First God is said not to will the death of a sinner not because in his secret will he hath not decreed it but because God in mans condemnation hath respect to his owne glorie that is it which principally hee wills both in his election and reprobation that which God chiefly and principally wils is his glory and this glory is gotten by electing of some out of the masse of corruption and leaving of others Secondly God will have all saved that is de generibus fingulorum all kindes of people Euchir cap. 103. it is Augustines exposition Thirdly Gods will is that all the elect shall be saved as we say all goe in at the doore of the house not because all men goe into that house but because all that goe into the house goe that way Fourthly All in regard of sufficiencie not in respect of efficiencie in regard of the worthinesse of the price not in regard of the propertie of redemption God wils with the will of his signe not of his decree that is of his commandement not of his good pleasure Fifthly in regard of his revealed will who offereth unto all the outward means of salvation not with the will of his good pleasure and decree The Conclusions in briefe are these 1. God as hee hath made all men so hee hath freely disposed of their end according to the counsell of his owne will ordaining some to be vessels of honour some vessels of wrath And this is most just to save some and reject others whereas he might condemne all Nemo injustitia Deum arguat si uni indebitum donaverit gratiam alteri debitam reddiderit poenam A. g. de praedest Sanct. lib. 1. cap 4. Let no man accuse God of injustice if hee shall give to one undeserved grace shall render to another deserved punishment saith Augustine 2. Nothing must make us thinke that God condemnes any without their owne fault hee ordaines none to condemnation which they have not justly deserved by their sin and that God only hath decreed and willed their punishment but not the sinne that brings them to it If now you demand whether this reprobation depend only upon Gods absolute will or there were in it a respect view of mans sin I have discussed this before when I handled the second verse of this Chapter And so I come from the Papist to his brother the Pelagian and others begotten of them both It was the tenent of Pelagius That the grace of God was not only in respect of the outward meanes generally offered to all but in Gods eternall decree and purpose ordained for all if they would receive it and Th. Aquinas and Bellarmine seeme to confute the opinion yet in other words they affirme as much If the bloud of Christ were to be given to all for whom it was shed then it were to be given to all men to the Turkes Sisanguis Christi omnibus danduus effct pro quibus susus est cum dandus esset omnibus omninò hominibus etiam Turcis Iudaeis Ethuicis sauguis etenim ille pro omnibus siâ—â—us est De Eucharist lib 4. cap. 25. Iewes Heathens for that bloud was shed for all in his answer to the argument of Luther I have observed three severall opinions The first that Christ without difference died for the sinnes of all men without any respect of faith or infidelitie yet all are not saved because some despise this grace offered and so are deprived of the reconciliation purchased by Christ The second that all are saved by grace and have faith in Christ The third that it is the purpose of God to save all but the condition being kept if they beleeve The first applying Christs death to all as well beleevers as unbeleevers impugnes that Scripture God so loved the world c. Ioh. 3.16 The second making faith a naturall gift is contrarie to the word for that which is naturall is common to all But all men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 The third ascribing power to mans will to receive and apprehend grace when it is offered gaine sayes that Scripture which saith Without me yee can doe nothing