his appointment and Decree proceedeth both good and euill And yet when will these disputers either perswade others or resolue themselues vpon this their reason to set Cock on hoope as themselues speake that is to sit carelesse and secure to sleepe and slâ—mber nor once trouble their mindes or bodies in the eager pursuite of the wealth and pelfe of this world because it God hath decreed or doe foresee that they shall haue wealth let them doe what they will sit still or ryot waste and lauish all they haue yet shall they sure abound seeing what God foreknoweth or fore-ordaineth shall most infallibly come to passe and if God decreeth or foreseeth that they shall be pooâ—e and miserable though they compasse Sea and Land and load themselues with all both the East and West Indian treasures yet by that vnresistable Decree of GOD they shall bee put all into bottomlesse bagges and liue and dye in a poore estate Or would not these men thinke that hee did scoffe and deride them who would in serious manner perswade them neuer to eate or drinke but rather to starue or stab themselues because if God who hath numbred all our dayes hath decreed or doth but foreknow that they shall yet liue twenty thirty or forty yeeres more doe whatsoeuer they will or can yet shall they attaine to that period prefixed or foreknowne of God and if God haue â—rdained or foreknoweth that they shall dye within a moneth or a yeere though they should eate nothing but the fruit of the Tree of Life and fill themselues with Nectar and Ambrosia yet could not all this immortall foode prolong their liues one houre or minute seeing the foreknowledge of God is without all errour and his ordinance without all change When they can by this their reason wherein they infinitely please themselues perswade either themselues or others to this carelesse nay franticke courses then may they with some colour perswade that our doctrine of the Prescience and Predestination of God will make men carelesâ—e of their eternall saluation But if laying aside the pride and wantonnesse of their owne wits they could bee content to submit their reason to the wisedome of God they should easily discerne how their whole dispute in this and all like cases relyeth on no other stay then a broken staffe of Reede For did God either foreknow or fore-ordaine any of these ends without respect vnto the meanes which doe infallibly leade therevnto then had they some shew for their pretended reason But seeing it is most certaine that God neither deâ—reeth nor foreknoweth of any that the shall bee saued but withall hee both foreknoweth and decreeth that himselfe will make him to embrace those meanes and walke in those wayes which will bring him vnto life and seeing hee neither decreeth nor foreknoweth the damnation of any but of the same hee decreeth and foreknoweth that he will leaue them destitute of his grace to be led by their owne lusts into sinne and impenitency which is the infallible meanes to bring them vnto death 〈◊〉 most cleerely hence followeth that as none doe neglect or omit the meanes but the same also doe misse of the end so neither doe any euer faile to attaine the end who doe embrace the meanes that lead therevnto Whence it comes to passe that though none of the Elect can either misse of the end or neglect the meanes of saluation God by his grace directing them in the one and thereby leading them vnto the other yet vpon that suposall which they make if they should not beleeue nor vse the meanes of life it may yea it must be said that they should neuer attaine to to the end but eternally perish Euen as Saint Paul though hee knew that God had decreed and foretold him also that all who were with him in that dangerous tempest should come safe to Land and not so much as an hayre fall from the head of any all which himselfe certainly beleeued yet when the Mariners who were to bee the meanes of their safety were ready to fly away and leaue the rest to the rage of the sea hee conditionally and truely said that if the Mariners abode not in the ship that is if they vsed not the meanes of their â—afety appointed by God there could none of them be safe notwithstanding both the Decree Praescience and Prediction of GOD for their safety Againe though in respect of Gods immutable Decree and Praescience it bee simply impossible that any of the Reprobate should either beleeue repent and leade a sanctified life or bee saued yet euen of such it may and must bee sayd that if they performe those duties which are the meanes of life they shall asluredly attaine vnto the end to which those meanes doe leade which is eternall saluation Euen as our Sauiour though hee knew that God had decreed concerning Tyrus and Sydon two heathenish proud and prophane Cities that neither himself would worke those singes among them whereby they would haue beene conuerted and repent nor that they should either repent or bee saued â— yet conditionally and truelyâ— said of those Cities that if those workes had beene done amongst them which were done in Chorazin and Bethsaida they would haue repented and so should haue haue beene saued The reason of all which and of all the like is that which the Logicians rightly teach that a conditionall proposition puts nothing in being that is requires not the being or being true of either part thereof but it onely shewes what must follow and be granted if such a condition bee admitted whether it bee true or false But leauing their disputes let now euery mans conscience iudge how vniustly they slander vs and this holy Doctine as an inticement vnto sinne and perswasion of securitie For seeing the Scriptures and the Spirit of God teach both that Predestination which wee haue deliuered and the immutabilitie thereof let them take heede lest in reuiling the teachers of this doctrine they do not blaspheme the Spirit of God himselfe For our selues wee will not desist first in generall to exhort all men to cease from doing euill and learne to doe well telling them with the Apostle Rom. 8. 13. If they liue after the flesh they shall dye but if they mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit they shall liue and with the same Apostle Galathians 6. 7. Whatsoeuer they sâ—we that shall they reape If they sowe vnto the flesh they shall reape corruption and death but if they sowe to the Spirit they shall reape life euerlasting Then for the Elect in particular Wee exhort them with Saint Paul to fight the good fight hauing faith and a good conscience with Saint Peter to gâ—ue all diligence to make their election sure and with Iohn Baptist to bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life For if they doe not this if they keepe not faith and sanctitie which are the Mariners to guide them to the
owne contempt themselues dâ—â— first reiect God and by their wilfull obstinacie refusâ— his grace when it is offered vnto them How euidently do these men oppugne the Scriptures of God For if election and reiection depend on the actions of men after they be borne how can it be true which the Apostle teacheth that we are elected before the foundation of the world and that God elected Iacob ad hated Esau before they were borne when as yet they had done neither good nor euill Is not here a reiecting of Esau before he by his owne actuall contempt reiected God or despised his grace Or did Esau more then Iacob reiect God before he was borne Or if we seeme to any to straiten their opinion though their bookes and writings do testifie this to be their sence and meaning seeing our workes committed actually in time can no way be the cause of that Decree which is eternall and before all time Let vs proceed and see if the same works being from euerlasting foreseene foreknown by God as if they had been done may truely be said as some of better note haue taught to be the cause of our election to eternall life Now if we will herein hearken to the Apostles doctrine we shall cleerely perceiue that our faith sanctitie and all our good workes are so farre from being the cause of our election that they are in truth the very effects therof For we are elected that we should be holy and without blame Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle saith of himselfe 1. Cor. 7. 25. that he obtained mercy that he might be faithfull Whence it is manifest that God did not first foresee vs good and faithfull and therefore elected vs but first he elected vs and for this cause decreed to make vs faithfull good and holy in his sight And therefore Saint Austen hauing sometimes taught that God did chuse vs because he foresaw that we would beleeue afterwards retracteth and recalleth this sentence as erronious and deliuereth a truer lesson that faith is the effect of Predestination not the cause seeing the Apostle faith not that hee obtained mercy because he was faithfull but he obtained mercy that hee might be faithfull For we are not called saith he because wee did beleeue but that we should beleeue Againe when the Apostle demandeth 1. Cor. 4. 7 Who separated thee which was an other and principall motiue to Saint Austen to retract his former errour had the cause of our election beene either our faith or good workes foreseene it would haue beene easily answered My owne faith my owne workes my owne good will to embrace Gods grace these being foreseene by God separated me and moued God to elect mee rather then others but the Apostle knowing all these to bee the gifts of God and effects of his free loue and election referres wholly our separating from the rest to the grace and good pleasure of him who saith Luk. 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome that so no man might boast of himselfe but he that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. In the 9. to the Romanes the Apostle disputing this matter of set purpose and at large sheweth that though Iacob and Esau were in themselues alike before God not hauing done either good or euill the one more then the other borne at the same time and of the same parents yet for all this equalitie God loued Iacob and hated Esau. And because this might seeme vniustin the eyes of man that of two being altogether equall and alike the one should be loued and the other hated of God the Apostle proposeth to himselfe this great difficultie as S. Austen rightly calleth it What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God Now if God had loued and elected Iacob for his good workes or faith foreseene or hated Esau for his prophanenesse which from all eternâ—tie hee did foreknow surely this question not onely might easily be answered but there were no difficulty nor doubt at all therein For what vnrighteousnesse can this sâ—eme to any that God should loue Iacob who hee knew would loue and obey him or why should he not hate Esau of whom hee foreknew that hee would be a wicked a prophane person and one that would hate the Lord But the Apostle answereth not in such wise but knowing right well that God without all respect to the good or euill actions foreseene in the one more then in the other loued Iacob and hated Esau and knowing that the good actions of the one were not causes but effects of that loue of God and of his grace which he in mercy gaue vnto him and that the euill actions of the other proceeded from the want of Gods loue and of his grace which hee in iustice denyed or would not giue vnto the other He I say knowing all this giueth another and better answere that howsoeuer this may seeme vniust to the eyes of man yet it is in truth most righteous because it is the will and the good pleasure of God so to doe For I will haue mercy saâ—th God on whom I will and whom he will he hardeneth And that we might plainely see that there is nothing at all in any one which did or could moue God to loue and elect him rather then another the Apostle addeth this Conclusion as ensuing necessarily on that testimony of God So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy The true and certaine cause then why God in particular elected these and reiâ—cted the other is no way in themselues nor in their workes either actually perfâ—rmed or foreseene and foreknowne by God but it is wholly and solely in God himselfe It is euen his good pleasure and will who as he elected vs that is pull'd vs out of that masse of perdition from the rest according to the good pleasure of his will so by the same his good pleasure and will did he leaue others in that masse of sinne whom he made vessels of wrath and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation The reason of both which is that which the Apostle expresseth Hee sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth With what reprochfull speeches this doctrine and the teachers therofare reuiled you are not ignorant their bookes are too euident witnesses thereof And no maruâ—ll if they shoot their arrowes of most venemous words against men seeing they feare not to open their mouths against heauen in the insolent folly of their wits plead against God whose most holy will Iustice in this case they seeke to ouâ—rthrow First say they It can not withstand the will of God to ordain any to be vessels of wrath or to destruction for God witnesseth and that also with an oath Ezech. 33. 11. that hee desires not nor would the death of a sinner but that the wicked
should turne from his euill way and liue according as S. Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 2 4. That God will haue all to bee saued and S. Peter 2. Epistle 3. 9. that God would haue no man to perish but would haue all to come to repentance If God say they would haue none to perish then can it not bee his will to ordaine any vnto death who professeth hee would not their death vnlesse there bee two diuerse yea euen contrary wils in God which vpon our doctrine they suppose most necessarily to follow Which reason of theirs might haue some force with Epicures and all such as make God an idle spectator of the euents in this world For then perhaps he might see their death and either not will it or winke thereat But farre be these conceits from vs who haue learned out of the Word of God that hee not onely seeth but by his counsell ordereth and gouerneth euery thing in this world so that not so much as one Sparrow can fall to the ground nor one haire from our heads without the prouidence and will of God Nay these most wicked men Herod Pontius Pilat and the other Iewes Gentiles which put Christ to death neither did not could doe ought but as Saint Peter saith Act. 4. 28. What thine hand O God and thy Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had determined before or decreed to be done Wherefore if God would not at all haue the death and destruction of those vessels of wrath which are of old ordained to condemnatioÌ„ as Saint Iude speaketh then certainly though all the armies both in heauen and earth should band themselues together yet could they not all effect the death of the meanest or weakest of them for who is able to resist his will who is Almighty And who saith of himselfe Esay 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Vnlesse then we will deny the first Article of our Faith which is the omnipotency of God wee must needs confesse that the death and damnation of those vessels of wrath coÌ„meth to passe by the will of the Almighty for if he would it not hee could nay he would haue hindred it ten thousand wayes and as St Austâ—n truely and excellently saith There is not there can not be done ought either in heauen or earth vnlesse God will haue it to be done either doing it himselfe or suffering it to bee done and he suffers it not against his will but with his will Now this wil of God though in it selfe it be but one and most simple yet in respect of vs it consisteth of two parts the one opened and reuealed in his Word the other hid and secret from our eyes neuer knowne vnto any vntill himselfe either by the euent of things or some other way make it manifest vnto vs. Both which are cleerely expressed in that true and memorable saying of Saint Austen where speaking of the sinnes of men and Angels he saith It comes to passe by a wonderfull and ineffable manner that those things are not done besides or without the will of God not without his secret and permissiâ—e will which are done against and euen contrary to the will of God contrary to his reuealed and preceptiue will All which will easily appeare if we rightly obserue the difference of the one will from the other In his reuealed will is set downe as our duties towards God and whatsoeuer he willeth that is requireth or commandeth to be done by vs according wherevnto our liues and actions are to be framed so also is set down therein the publishing and free offering of saluation vnto euery creature but still with this condition in regard whereof it 's called his conditionall will that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ and leades a sanctified life shall be saued but whosoeuer beleeueth not but abideth in sinne he is condemned already His secret will is farre otherwise For therein he hath absolutely set downe whatsoeuer euent doth fall out in the whole world and concerning the saluation of men hee therein hath particularly and without any condition decreed whom in mercy hee will haue to be saued and therefore in his due time will by his effectual grace worke faith and sanctitie in their hearts that they may be saued againe he hath therein absolutely set downe whom in iustice he will leaue in that masse of perdition into which they had cast themselues and therefore will not giue his grace vnto them but leaue them to their owne hearts lust that they may willingly runne forward in sinne and so most deseruedly fall into that pit of perdition which is prouided for them Hereof we may haue some resemblance in this manner Put case a King after the iust sentenâ—e of death passed against sundry offenders should proclaime and publish in one writing that he would freely pardon and saue all those that did bring vnto him his owne Signet and in another writing kept secret to himselfe should set downe which of those offenders in particular he would saue and therefore would send vnto them his owne Signet that they might bring 〈◊〉 vnto him and so be saued The former of these writings may well bee called his open and reuealed will the later his hid or secret Euen so it is in the will of God the conditionall part whereof is euer since the fall of Adam reuealed and published vnto men that hee will in mercy pardon and saue all those and onely those who doe bring vnto him his own Seale or Signet which is ingrauen with the image of his Sonne the print whereof is a liuely Faith working by charitie but in another part of his will as it were in an other booke which is not not can bee seene by man he hath absolutely set downe whom in particular he will saue and therefore will giue his own Signet vnto them imprinting in their hearts both faith and holinesse by which they are sealed vnto eternall life These two wils or rather two seuerall parts of Gods one and most simple will are so farre from being repugnant or contrary the one vnto the other as they ignorantly and impiously affirme that they doe most fitly and euen subordinately agree one with the other which that we may perceiue The whole will of God concerning mens saluation and damnation may bee fitly set downe in a reason or demonstration drawne from the effect to the cause The proposition whereof is this Whosoeuer shall beleeue in Christ and liue in pietie them hath God elected and them will be haue to be saued but whosoeuer doe not beleeue nor liue in piety them hath hee reiected and will in the end condemne And all this is reuealed vnto vs and it is the summe or effect of his whole reuealed will The Assumption which God maketh is this But these and these men will beleeue for I will worke faith and sanctitie in their hearts those and the other doe not