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
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
them and may be accounted iust before God and made the flesh and blood of Christ and adopted into the sonnes and heires of God and that these benefites appertaine to the vniuersall Church and not to strangers for the same contrariety of Luth. de capt Babyl His owne and Strangers is here of force which before was obserued out of Brentius Further Luther waighing this very place saith for you and for many said he that is who receiue and beleeue the promise of the testator for faith here maketh heires The 3. testimonie The third place is in Zacharias song Luke 1. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath lifted vp a horne of saluation in the house of Dauid his seruant as he spake by the mouth of the holy Prophets that we should be saued from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate vs that being delivered from them we should serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life First euen here we see the redemption of Christ peculiarly attributed to the people of God who be the faithfull people or the true Israelites out of euery people and nation as Theophylact witnesseth Secondly that he mentioneth the horne of saluation in the house of Dauid he respecteth the prophesie in the 132. Psalme for there the grace of Christ the king and conquerour is onely promised to the saints and poore in spirite but nothing but destruction and confusion is proclamed to his enemies as the blessed Virgin witnesseth in her song He hath put downe the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich hee hath sent emptie away Thirdly it is not onely the end but also a part of the redemption which Zacharie magnifieth to serue God in holinesse and true righteousnesse For hee saith that God by othe promised to Abraham that he would giue vnto vs that we should serue him without feare being deliuered from our enemies But it t is very plaine that very many serue not God but their belly and the world rather Therefore that spirituall redemption by Christ was not promised or wrought for all indifferently Fourthly he saith He that proceedeth from an high hath visited vs that he may appeare to thē that sit in darkenes in the shadow of death to direct our feet into the way of peace But not euery one euery where is conuerted from darkenes to light and their feete directed into the way of peace that is of righteousnesse The fourth place is Luke 2. The 4. testimonie Luke 2. Feare ye not saith the Angel to the sheepheards for behold I bring you tydings of great ioy that shal be to al people to wit that vnto you is borne this day a sauiour who is Christ the Lord. This was the first preaching of the Gospell touching the birth of the Sauiour of the world And the thing it selfe proclaimeth that the incarnation of the Lord neither was nor is ioyfull no not to all the Iewes much lesse to all other through the whole world As Matthew reporteth of Herode that he and all Ierusalem were troubled at the enquiry of the wise men concerning the king of the Iewes that was borne But this ioy and therefore the matter of it that is Christ with his whole humiliation and merite is theirs who properly be the people of God for all the Iewes are not the people of God much lesse all men but the faithful collected of all Iewes and Gentiles as Theophylact and Zachary Chrysopolit haue obserued in this place The 5. testimonie Let the fifth place be the prophesie of Simeon in the same chapter Mine eies haue seene the saluation which thou hast prepared in the eyes of all people A light for the reuelation of the Gentiles and for the glory of thy people Israel As Christ is an inlightner so also he is a Sauiour of all But it is false that all men without exception of any bee actually and in very deed inlightened by Christ Ioh. 11. hauing the eyes of their minde opened and receiuing the knowledge of the trueth Therefore in like maner it is false that all alike not one excepted be truely and in very deed saued by Christ But this is true that the witnesse of Iesu the onely Sauiour of all went out into all lands hath bin preached to all people vnto the ends of the world and as yet is preached for the gathering together and sauing of the dispersed sonnes of God To these things that also agreeth which further is spoken of that childe by Simeon Behold this child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel Simeon had not spoken this if euery one should rise through his benefite from death to life from sinne to righteousnesse The 6. testimonie The sixte place is the terrible and plaine saying of Saint Iohn Baptist than whom there is none that is borne of a woman greater Ioh. 3. He that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternal life but he that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him There is an emphasis in the word abideth He saith not that all iudgement and wrath of God is in very deed taken away from all without exception beleeuers and vnbeleeuers and that the wrath of God returneth onely through vnbeliefe vpon them that beleeue not but the wrath of God abideth saith he vpon the vnbeleeuer Augustine vrgeth this emphasis tract 14. in Ioh. Hee saith not the wrath of God commeth vpon him but abideth vpon him And what is this wrath of God which all mortall men haue with them in their birth Ephes 2. which the first Adam had wherof the Apostle speaketh wee are all the sonnes of wrath by nature as well as other As the Authour also de vocat gentium lib. 1. ca. 5. alledgeth this saying whether he be Iewe saith he or Gentile before he be iustified by faith he is shut vp vnder sinne and if hee continue in vnbeliefe the wrath of God abideth on him euen that which was brought in by Adams sin whereof the Apostle speaketh wee were also the sonnes of wrath as well as other It is therefore false that the wrath of God is vniuersally taken away and that all whether they beleeue or not be receiued into the lap of grace but this grace is theirs who beleeue in Christ who hath brought the grace of God and taken away his wrath The seuenth place is the tenth of Iohn The 7. testimonie Ioh. 10. where that good shepheard saith I lay downe my life for my sheepe my sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any man take them out of mine hand Here it appeareth that howsoeuer Christ after a sort dyed for
vnderstand and in seeing ye shall see and not perceiue Matth. 20. To sit on my right hand and on my left shall be giuen to them for whom it is prepared of my father And chap. 22. Many are called but few are chosen Therefore all are not elect to whom the Gospell is preached much lesse to whome it is not preached of whom there is at this day an infinite number Acts 14. and hath been especially in olde time When all the Gentiles were suffered to walke in their owne waies Matth. 24. Except those daies should be shortened all flesh should perish but for the elect sake they shall be shortered In the same place False Christs and false prophets shall rise and shall doe signes and miracles so that they should deceiue if it were possible euen the elect If all men therefore were elected no man could be seduced or perish against which thing in the same place it is said of two in the field that the one should be receiued the other forsaken Matth. 25. The sonne of man shall place his sheepe on his right hand but the goates on the left and shall say to them on the right hand Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laide But to them that shall bee on the left hand hee shall say Depart ye cursed into the fire that is prepared for the diuell and his angels Iohn 10. The Lord said vnto the Iewes continuing in their obstinacie Ye beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall take them out of my hand Iohn 17. The Lord separating his own from such 〈◊〉 be not his saith I pray not for the world O father but for them whom thou hast giuen me and these he saith are louâ—d of his father and that he doth manifest his name vnto them and that they are sanctified and kept vnto eternall life None of which things belongeth to that world for which he doth not pray Therefore there is a plaine difference set downe betweene the elect and reprobates Hereupon Augustine tract 107. He would haue the world for which hee praieth not to be taken for them that be not in that â—â—â—â—e of grace that they may he chosen out of the world But he praieth for them whom his father gaue him For hereby in that his father gaue them vnto him it came to passe that they pertained not to that world for which he praieth not to wit the world of such as shall be damned as the same man testifieth tract 110. For which he saith he praieth not because he is not ignorant whereunto it is predestinate In the same 17. chapter of Iohn Iudas is said to perish as the sonne of perdition the rest continued with Christ in his temptations and perished not as being elect and giuen him of the father that he might giue them eternall life In what sense Iudas is said â—o bâ— giueÌ„ Christ of his father And whereas Iudas also is reckoned among them whom the father had giuen to the sonne either it is spoken according to the opinion of men as some thinke or else it is to be taken in respect onely of the Apostleship as Augustine expoundeth it Tract 106. Further whereas Luke writeth Acts 13. That as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued hee leaueth no place for doubting but some men are others are not foreordained or predestinated vnto life But what doth Paul a chosen instrument Pauls epistle that was wrapt vp into paradise and heard words that could not be vttered How often doth hee inculcate the truth of predestination Rom. 8. he saith whom he foreknew them he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne And whom he predestinated them hee also called and whom he called them hee iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified Further what conteine the 9 10 11. chapters following but a moste cleare exposition of this present doctrine of the election of some and the reprobation of others according to the eternal purpose of God That we may take a few things onely out of the Apostles disputation chapter 9. concerning the twins Iacob and Esay coÌ„ceiued both at one time he saith while the children were yet vnborne wheÌ„ they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might stand which is according to his election not of workes but of the caller it was said to Rebecca the elder shall serue the yonger And he citeth the place of Malachie Iacob haue I loued Esay haue I hated And by and by alleaging a testimony and the example of Pharao out of Moses hee concludeth in these wordes Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Again Hath not the potter power ouer the claâ—e to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour another to dishonour And straight way addeth concerning vessels of wrath prepared vnto destruction and concerning vessels â—f mercie which he saith are prepared of God vnto glorie In the 11 chapter he testifieth that God hath alwayes in the multitude of them that perish some remnants of such as shal be saued according to election of grace of whome also hee saith The elect haue obtayned the rest were hardened as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not see and eares that they should not heare Notable also is the place Eph. 1. Blessed be God who hath blessed vs with euery spirituall blessing in heauen in Christ Iesus as he elected vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that we shuld be holy blameles before him thorow loue predestinating vs to be his adopted sonnes through Christ Iesus in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glorious grace c. To the Philippians 2. It is God that worketh in vs to will and to performe according to his good pleasure his verely and not thine as wee saw euen now in the words to the Ephes In the latter to the Thess 2. To them that perish and are punished with the efficacie of deceite that they might beleeue lyes the Apostle opposeth the beloued and electe of God who of his grace for which hee giueth there thanks to God are called by the Gospell to obtaine the glorie of our Lord Iesu Christ Of this same vocation and election he speaketh 2. to Tim. 1. God hath called vs with a holy calling not for our workes but of his purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesu before all worlds and is made manifest now through the appearing of Iesu Christ And chap. 2. of the same epistle he saith The foundatioÌ„ of God is sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his But in a great house
ought to confesse and maintaine it in men of ripe yeares also for there is one and the same maner of the predestination of all men CHAP. VIII The same point is proued by testimonies of the sacred Scriptures BVt let vs come to more manifest proofes Deut. 7.6 7 8. The onely grace of God is the cause of Election Moses saith to the children of Israel Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath elected thee to be vnto him a peculiar people of all people that are vpon the face of the earth We heare the election of Israel of the cause whereof he straightway addeth Not because you were more then all people did the Lord loue you and chuse you for you were fewer then any people but because the Lord loued you and would keepe the oth that he made to your fathers he hath brought you out with a mightie hand Behold the free purpose of God is the cause of this election The same man Deut. 8.17 chap. 8. Beware least thou say in thy heart my strength and the power of my hand hath got me these riches but remember the Lord thy God because he giueth thee power that hee may confirme the couenant he sware to thy fathers Chap. 9. And chap. 9.4.5 Say not in thine heart when the Lord hath cast out these nations before thee for my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this land and for the impietie of these nations the Lord hath thrust them out before thee Not for thy righteousnesse and the vprightnes of thy heart doest thou go in to possesse their land albeit for the vnrighteousnesse of these nations the Lord thy God will expell them before thee but that the Lord may confirme his word promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob Neither is it sufficient with Moses to say that the inheritance of that land was graunted to the people of Israel not for their merits vnles he should adde Know thou that the Lord not for thy righteousnesse giueth thee that good land to possesse for an inheritance because thou art a people of a hard necke Whereby he declared them vnworthie of euery good thing Behold therefore the most ancient doctrine of grace and election according to grace confirmed by the voice of the holy Ghost in the verie beginnings of the people of Israel For clearely in one and the same place of Scripture doth the Prophet shew the goodnes and seuerity of God saying Not for the righteousnes of this people but through the grace onely of God taking pitie on them is the inheritance of the Land giuen vnto them but the nations are driuen out of the same Land for their vnrighteousnes Yet because vnrighteousnes belongeth as well to the Israelites as to the Cananites and Amorites it appeareth so much the more plainely that God saw no goodnes in them why he should aduance that nation aboue all other nations Eze. 16. And Ezechiel excellently describeth that the Lorde of meere mercie had a respect to that people from the beginning as vnto a yong maide naked defiled and polluted in euery part And how often I praie did they tempt the Lord in the desert Psalm 95. 1. Cor. 10. Acts 7. how often did he saue them from his mercy and his couenant sake when did they not resist the holy Ghost Therefore it is manifest that God chose whom he would of meere grace Obiection But there Moses speaketh of the temporall election of the Israelites that they should be the people of God and of temporall benefites following that election as were their deliuerance out of Egipt their bringing into the Land of Canaan c. Answere I answere first that that temporall election included also the eternall Temporall election includeth eternall albeit not as touching the whole body of that people yet as touching some in that body For in the assembly of them that be called alwaies there bee some elect that shall haue giuen them eternall life And specially of that people doth the Apostle confirme it From the type to the trueth the consequence is good Rom. 11. Secondly from the deliuerance out of Egipt and the bringing into the Land of Canaan the consequence is good as from the types vnto the thing signified that God doth giue freely and of meere loue redemption also from sin and eternall life to whom hee will and would from euerlasting Thirdly here a generall reason is very strong If we cannot merite temporall things much lesse eternall If these externall things depended vpon no merites of the Israelites but on the onelie purpose of God shewing mercie much more on the same doth the electiō vnto the inheritance of the kingdome of heauē depend That place also in Ecclesiasticus 33. is not to be contemned although that book is not of like authority with the canonicall Scriptures Of this booke Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. As one day excelles another by the iudgement of the Lorde so by his manifolde knowledge men are distinguished and aduanced or cast downe Because as claie is in the hand of the potter which he handleth at his pleasure so men are in the hand of God their creator to euery one of whom he rendreth as pleaseth him As good is contrary to euil and life to death so is the godly man opposite to the sinner and be sinner to the godly So in al the workes of the most highest thou maiest see two things whereof one is contrary to the other 1. We are here admonished that all men are equall and alike by nature and beginning as by nature the dayes are alike also the vessels are like one another being made of the same claie as touching their matter and originall We also all of vs are of the same claie or of one and the same lumpe for we all do draw our beginning from the earth Thereof came Adam the first that was created and of Adam we all Neither haue all mortall men the same originall onely but also the same condition of byrth because all of vs are in sin borne of Adam seeing he fell a waie from his first creation 2. We are taught in the foresaid words that whatsoeuer and what maner soeuer differences there be among mē they come from God who aduaunceth some and abaseth others blessing some and cursing others 3. There is no other cause of this difference alledged but the disposition will wisedome and iudgement of the most lightest who seeing he is the creator of all things he obtayneth the chiefest and vncontroulable soueraignetie ouer all his owne workes much more than the potter that maketh of the same claie whatsoeuer pleaseth him I proceede vnto Paul who as a learned scribe in the kingdome of heauen bringeth out of his treasure new things and old to the confirmation of this doctrine He in the 9. chapter to the Rom. willing to take away the offence arising of the vnbeliefe of
iudging it to be a better thing to doe good out of euill than to permit no euill to be as Augustine saith Which thing in another place notably expounding he writeth Wee profitably confesse what we rightly beleeue that God and the Lord of all things who created all things exceeding good and foreknew that euill would arise out of good and knew that it more appertained to his almightie goodnes euen out of euill to doe good than not to suffer euill to bee had so ordained the life of Angels and men that therein he would shew first what their freewill was able to do and then what the benefit of his grace and the iudgement of his iustice could bring to passe Of this thing see also Tertullian lib. 2. contra Marcio 2. Sent. distinct 23. why God suffered man to be tempted knowing that he would fall And lib. 1. dist 45. it is learnedly declared how and how farre forth Gods permission must be referred to his will according to that of Augustine Enchir. cap. 95. Mâ—â—ke how God willeth good and euill things Nothing is done vnles the Almightie would haue it to be done either by suffering it to bee done or by doing it himselfe Where hee includeth all good and euill things that are done but with this difference that he bee vnderstood to will euill by suffering it to bee done and to will good by doing it himselfe For he suffereth doubtles not vnwilling but willing as the same Augustine saith And de praedest gra cap. 15. Enchir. ad 〈◊〉 cap. 100. he saith that all things are either done the Lord assisting or els permitted the Lord forsaking them that yet we may know Nothing is done against the Lords will and why that nothing at all is done against the Lords will Certainly if any thing be done that God simply and euery way will not haue done or els if that be not done that he willeth to be done the very beginning of our faith is in hazard wherein we confesse that we beleeue in God almightie and some God is brought in out of Epicurus his schoole Psalm 105 For our God doth in heauen and earth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Luther of this whole matter speaketh thus Lib. de ser arbit cap. 152. To them that inquire why he permitted Adam to fall when he was able to saue him it is said It is God of whose will there is no cause nor reason See how hee includeth permission vnder his will Whereupon also chap. 197. he writeth Whether God suffer or els incline a man that suffering or inclining commeth not to passe but by Gods will because the will of man cannot auoide the worke of almightie God CHAP. XIIII Of the effects of Election HEreafter now we must intreate of the effects both of election and also of reprobation And because the predestination of Saints which we call election Election what it is is a preparation of grace that is of glorie hereafter and of benefits in this world whereby as by meanes the elect are lead to the glorie appointed for them both the end and the meanes The effects of it be the ende and meanes The ende double Rom 9.23 Ephes 1.7 The meanes be al benefits and they be of two sorts be effects of election By the end we meane saluation and the glorie of the elect For in respect of them that is the end of election albeit in respect of God there is another and higher to wit the demonstration of his rich grace in the vessels of mercie to his glorie As for the meanes that bee subordinate to this end they be all benefits whatsoeuer whereby whosoeuer are deliuered are most certainly set at libertie as Augustine saith de bono perseu cap. 14. And these be of two sorts altogether some are necessary to the common saluation of all Some necessary to the common saluation of all men and infants Some peculiar to men onely men growen and infants as for example the merit of Christ iustification and regeneration by the holy Ghost Some do follow men growen onely through the want of discretion of good and euill in children as is the knowledge of Christ a true confidence in him the studie of good workes perseuerance in temptations and such like Foure principall effects of election And although there bee many and sundry effects of election yet such as bee more speciall whereunto other commonly are reduced be foure to wit Christ as the Mediatour and high Priest with the whole worke of his humiliation and glorie then vocation effectuall vnto Christ iustification also and glorification Hereof commeth that truly golden chaine of the Apostle Rom. 8. that whom God hath predestinated them he calleth and whom he calleth vnderstand that calling that is according to Gods purpose them also he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them he also glorifieth And of Christ without whom no man can be saued he straightway addeth What then shall we say to these things If God bee for vs who can be against vs who hath not spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who is he that can condemne It is Christ who is dead yea who is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who maketh also requests for vs. The 1. effect of election Christ That we may therefore speake something of these beginning at the Mediatour and head of the elect our Lord Iesu Christ he surely is the onely foundation of our coniunction with God and therefore of all our blessednes for wee had not been capable of so great glorie whereunto wee are elected vnles our heauenly father turning his eyes from our vnworthines vpon Christ had made vs acceptable vnto himselfe in that his beloued Therefore Paul witnesseth that wee were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1. that is as himselfe interpreteth that wee were predestinate to bee adopted for sonnes and to obtaine other heauenly good things by and for Christ In which sense also he writeth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1. that grace was giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the worlds â—s if he should say that God from eternitie decreed to giue vs grace whereby wee are saued but in Christ the fountaine of grace Thus then let vs determine and iudge of a certaintie that God when hee minded to haue mercie vpon some that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie and had neede also of a fit Mediatour hereunto who might by his death and satisfaction pacifie the wrath of God and procure for them righteousnesse and life that was lost and might defend and maintaine saluation obtained ordained by his eternall and very fatherly counsell that his sonne of like substance and eternitie with the father in the fulnes of time assuming truely mans nature should dye for our sinnes and rising againe from the
by the proprietie of the Hebrewe tongue the iudiciall signification as I may say of the word is most vsuall in the sacred Scriptures namely that to be iustified is to be absolued from guiltines the word being taken relatiuely not noting any qualitie So it is vsed Prouerb 17. vers 15. Isa 5.23 And this signification agreeth with our businesse in hand seeing the question is of the iustification of a sinfull man before God Certainely therefore are we iustified of him when wee that are in our selues guilty of hell before the iudgement seate of God are neuerthelesse by his grace discharged from all guiltines so that the aduersarie cannot any more condemne seeing he reputeth vs freely iust through redemption in Christ Iesu by faith in his blood and not of workes To him that is iustified the holy Ghost is giuen to renue his heart and to stirre him vp to good works And albeit in the iustification of a wicked man the holie Ghost is withall freely giuen to renew the heart and to infuse new qualities wherby we are stirred vp to the studie of good workes yet by this newnes the guiltines of former sinnes is not blotted out neither are we accepted then for our workes but it is needfull that first we be accepted that our works being vnperfect and defiled may be able to please him But to handle these things more specially it is not now materiall Furthermore this must bee obserued that the Apostle teacheth Iustification proper to the elect that this gift of free iustification ariseth of predestination and he maketh it proper to the elect after they haue bin partakers of a diuine vocation For he saith Whom he hath predestinate he hath called and whom he hath called them he hath also iustified He saith not as the spirit of error imagineth that all reprobates as well as elect called and not called how many soeuer are of Adam borne sinners are iustified also in Christ and receiued into grace being freed from all sin and the iudgement of God And that no doubt may remaine explaining himselfe Paul addeth What shall we say then to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne to wit Gods elect It is Christ who is dead yea who is also risen againe We heare of the elect that iustification is theirs that Christ for all them was deliuered to death Their opinion also is withall reâ—elled that say that some euen of the number of the reprobates are iustified but that reconciliation is in them made frustrate Augustine better agreeth with the meaning of the Apostles saying Contra Iulian. lib. 5. cap. 3. Those that are not in the number of the predestinate God brings none of them to sauing and spirituall repentance whereby a man is reconciled to God in Christ The like words are in the same author in Soliloquijs cap. 28. The fourth effect of election glorification The fourth effect of predestination of the elect followeth to wit glorification For whom he calleth and iustifieth them he also glorifieth saith the Apostle For he vseth verbes of the preter tense for the present tense according to the Hebrewes maner of speaking And glorification signifieth the kingdome of the Saints in the heauenly life and withall comprehendeth or presupposeth the gift of perseuerance vnto the end whereof it is said He that continueth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10. Like hereto are the promises Ioh. 6. Whatsoeuer the father giueth me commeth vnto me and him that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth And straightway This is the will of him that sent me that whatsoeuer he hath giuen me thereof I should lose nothing but that I should raise it vp in the last day Againe No man commeth vnto me except the father draw him And I will raise him vp at the last day The demonstration is plaine Whosoeuer by the drawing of the father commeth vnto Christ he shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life But all come who are giuen to Christ that is are predestinate in him Therefore all they shall be raised vp by him vnto the resurrection of life that is they shall be glorified And this perseuerance which I mentioned is Perseuerance of the Saints what it is Rom. 8.35 not to be ouercome with teÌ„ptations and as Paul describeth it at large neither by oppression nor anguish nor any other creature to bee separated from the loue of God but in all things to bee more than a conqueror through him that hath loued vs. And this is to be noted in this place concerning that great benefit of perseuerance both that all the elect haue it and also that they haue it not of themselues but from another to wit from the bountifulnes of Gods grace As for the former the testimonies are plaine Matth. 24.24 Rom. 8.35 Also 2. Tim. 2. The elect haue it Matth. 10. The foundation of God standeth sure Furthermore when the holy Ghost testifieth that saluation is laid vp for such as perseuere and the crowne of life for them that ouercome Apoc. 2. 2. Tim. 4 8.1â— Ioh. 17. Luk. 22. Aug. de Cor. gra cap. 8. they necessarily perseuere that are elected to raigne with Christ Thirdly Christ vniuersally praied for his elect and was heard no lesse than it is read that hee praied for Peter that his faith should not faile Wherein what did he els pray for but that he might haue in faith a most free strong vnconquerable and perseuering will Seeing therefore Christ praieth for the elect that their faith faile not it shall continue doubtles vnto the end neither shall the end of this life finde it otherwise than abiding Aug. de Cor. gr cap. 11. 12 It is Gods gift proued by three reasons as by Peters example Augustine gathereth And now that perseuerance is Gods gift both the feeling of our owne infirmitie and the multitude of temptations wherewith daily wee haue to fight in this present wicked age against the deuill the world and our owne flesh compell vs to confesse Who can bee safe among so many wiles and swords of the deuill vnlesse he bee sustained by the hand of God Aug. de bono pers cap. 2. Secondly the testimonies hereof are most euident in the writings of the Prophets and Euangelists Ierem. 32. saith the Lord I will put my feare in their hearts that they may not depart from me Which thing what is it else than such and so great the feare of me shall bee that I will put in their hearts that they shall cleaue vnto me continually Hos 2. I will marrie thee vnto my selfe for euer in righteousnesse and faith c. And hee hath married all the true beleeuers vnto himselfe Ioh. 10. I giue to my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish
for euer and no man shall take them out of my hand My father who gaue them me is greater than all Phil. 1. He that hath begun in you a good worke will accomplish it vnto the end Thirdly all the Saints aske perseuerance of God in praier and in the whole Lords praier almost when the Saints vse it no other thing welneere is vnderstood to be requested than perseuerance specially when we say Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And perseuerance should be in vaine desired of God if hee gaue it not For it is a meere mockerie to aske that of God that thou thinkest he doth not giue but that it is without his gift in the power of man This is Augustines reason de bono perseu cap. 2. It is obiected against perseuerance that by the witnesse of the sacred Scriptures and experience Against perseuerance the first obiection 2. Tim. 1. 4. many fall away from the faith and make shipwrack thereof Thus they reason All beleeuers are elect because as Paul saith faith is proper to the elect But some beleeuers doe fall away Therefore some elect doe fall away Answere I answere What beleeuers fall away the first proposition is onely true of a iustifying and sauing faith And that being setled on the foundation suffereth no man to perish But many fall away from an historicall and temporary faith as we call it while that after they haue imbraced the Gospell they fall away againe and cleane to the doctrines of deuils vnder the pretence of Christian profession Thus Chrysostome and Theophylact doe expound the testimonies of Paul A replie But the Scripture calleth such Apostataes the elect of God before their fall Ephes 1.4 1. Pet. 1.1 and 2.9 This instance is answered by obseruing the doubtfull signification of the word whereof I gaue warning at the first to wit Elect taken two waies that by elect sometime strictly are meant such as bee foreordained to eternall life sometime generally whosoeuer belong by outward calling to the people of God For who can denie them to be elect whom we see professe with vs the same faith and christian conuersion They bee plainly called and counted elect in the iudgement of charitie De Cor. gr cap 7. of those that know not what they shall be saith Augustine and not of him that knoweth them to be without perseuerance which leadeth the elect to a blessed life Hereupon Iohn one of the number of the predestinate who had sucked this secret out of the Lords breast pronounceth of such 1. Ioh. 2. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had been of vs they had surely continued What is this I pray you they were not of vs were not both created of God both borne of Adam were not both called and become members of the Church by receiuing of the Sacraments These things are true and in respect of all these they were of vs. De bono pers cap. 3. Why some fall away Yet in respect of another difference they were not of vs because they were not called according to the purpose of God they were not in Christ elected before the creation of the world they had not obtained an inheritance in him Why backsliders are among the godly they were not predestinate according to the purpose of him who worketh all things For if they had bin in this state they had bin of them and without doubt had continued with them But therefore God mixeth in the number of his Saints some that be not true Saints nor shall continue â— Cor. 10. least we should be secure For securitie is not expedient in the temptation of this life for the elect but he that seemeth to stand let him beware lest he fall Further vnto the assumption of the reason we answer that euen the true beleeuers and godly The faithfull and elect fall sometime grieuously but they â—â—â—e again and consequently the elect grieuously sometime fall from their profession and Christian life But partly their faith in their change iâ— rather in a deepe sleepe than quenched wholly by such falles partly it is repaired before they die and the sin which they had committed being forgiuen perseuerance vnto the end is imputed vnto them as the examples of Dauid and Peter declare And this is it that the Psalmist singeth Psalm 37. The righteous if he fall shall not bee beaten downe because the Lord vpholdeth his hand Obiection 2 For her familiar exhortations out of the holy Scriptures are obiected which carrie with them a kinde of threatning such as these Apoc. 3. 1. Cor. 10. Holde that thou hast least another take thy crowne He that seemeth to stand let him take heede least he fall Rom. 11. Art thou ingrafted into the people of God feare for if thou continue not thou shalt also be cut off These and such like seeme to leaue doubtfully the perseuerance of them to whoÌ„ they bee spoken And they be spoken to all euen to the elect and godly Answere Two causes why the church is to take heede least it fall I answere that such exhortations are vsuall in the sacred Scriptures both because in the assemblie of them that be called there be many that shall not perseuere and also because it pleaseth God to stirre vp and strengthen his elect to perseuerance by such helpes against the securitie of the flesh But here I will stand no longer because afterwards we shall entreate more hereof in the immutabilitie of election CHAP. XVI Of the effects of Reprobation BVt as the effect of election is not only that grace whereby wee are here iustified and furthered to liue well and continue in goodnes but also whereby we shall be hereafter glorified So also the effect of Gods reprobation whereby from euerlasting he by not electing hath reprobated some Two effects of reprobation forsaking or hardening to this life and damnation in the â—â—â—e to come Lib. 1. ad Moniâ—â—um cirâ—a fâ—â—â—m is considered in two respects the first what cleaueth vnto the reprobates in this life the other what shall follow and ouertake them in the world to come And these are eternall damnation and forsaking which is also called hardening and blinding where with the iust God reuengeth the vniust Hereupon saith Pulgentius Destruction is well rendered of God vnto euill men who now are iustly forsaken and hereafter shall be iustly tormented For in such men God beginneth his iudgement by desertion or forsaking them and perfectly endeth it by tormenting them But let vs heare what the Scriptures witnesse of them Matth. 25. is manifestly shewed Matth. 25 that God hath not only prepared a kingdome where the good shall reioyce but also eternall fire where the euill shall be tormented For he will say to the good Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from euerlasting and to the wicked Goe ye cursed into
the beginning is of the vnchangeablenes of predestination Where wee must consider that election and reprobation namely the decree of God concerning the either sauing of men in mercie or the punishing of them in iustice cannot be changed so that of the number of the elect any one perisheth or contrarily any of the reprobates be saued but as well the one be vnfallibly saued as the other be vnfallibly damned This opinion may be confirmed by many testimonies of the sacred Scriptures Ioh. 6. the Lord saith The elect cannot perish not the reprobates be sauâ—d because Gods decree is vnchangeable towards both proued by many places euery one that the father giueth me shall come vnto me and all that commeth vnto me I will not cast forth And chap. 10. My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish for euer and no man shall plucke them out of my hand My father who gaue them me is greater then all neither can any man pull them out of my fathers hand 1. Ioh. 2. They went of from vs but they were not of vs. For if they had been they had surely continued with vs. 2. Tim. 2. The foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale God knoweth who are his As also Apoc. 7. there is mention made of the seale of the liuing God and of the certaine number of them that are sealed in their foreheads to wit of the seruants of God whom his grace preserueth harmeles and vntouched among the midst of the stormes of calamities vpon sea and land So afterward in the same booke chapter 13. and 17. power is giuen to the Dragon and beast to seduce the whole earth yet the elect are excepted whose names are written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world Therefore the elect cannot be deceiued at the least finally As also Mat. 24. False Christs and Prophets shall arise and shall worke great signes and miracles to seduce if it might bee the very elect What meaneth that saying of Paul Rom. 8. Wee know that all things worke for good to them that loue God that is that are called of purpose In Soliloq c. 28. All things he saith euen euill things yea sinnes themselues as Augustine witnesseth And most plainly the Apostle confirming the same addeth For whom hee foreknew them hee predestinated also to bee made conformable to the image of his sonne Whom he predestinated them he hath iustified and glorified also What shall we say then to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs euen he who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shal he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall accuse the elect of God who shall condemne who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Neither death nor life c. And in the 9. chapter of the same Epistle It cannot bee that the word of God should faile On whom he will he hath mercie and whom he will hee hardeneth Who shall resist his will And chap. 11. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew which thing he there sheweth by the example of Elias times and of the Iewes of his time among whom albeit farre degenerate and enemies to the Gospell yet God reserued to himselfe a remnant according to the election of grace And he annexeth a saying worthie to bee remembred Israel obtained not that he sought for but the elect attained it and the rest were hardened And a little after Therefore as touching the Gospell they are enemies for your sakes but in respect of election they are loued for their fathers sakes For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance that is surely fixed without changing as Augustine expoundeth who also warneth vs to vnderstand this saying not of that calling whereof it is sayd Many are called c. but of that whereby the elect are called Secondly Predestination is vnchangeable The 1. reason the propounded sentence leaneth on most effectuall reasons For what things God from eternitie foreknoweth they must needes certainly and vnfallibly come to passe as they be foreknowne of him For foreknowledge is the knowledge of a thing that shall be And that which shal come to passe must needes bee done And it is confessed already that God foreknoweth who shall be saued and who shall be damned Ergo c. Further the decrees of God are vnchangeable The 2. reason But election and reprobation as it is said be the decrees of God of sauing whom he will in mercie and condemning whom hee will in iustice Therefore it cannot be but both election and also reprobation is firme and immutable so that neither the elect can perish nor the reprobates be saued For of the immutabilitie of Gods secrets it is said 1. Sam. 15 2â— Numb 23.23 The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent For he is not a man that he should repent Also God is not as a man that he should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should be changed He hath said and shall he not doe he hath spoken and shall he not accomplish And in Esay The Lord of hosts hath decreed and who can breake it Esay 14. â—4 27. The hand of the Lord is stretched out and who shal turne it away And My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my will Cap. 46.10 But in that God now and then denounceth and threatneth some things which yet afterwards he doth not A doubte by the example of the Niniuites and of Ezechias wee must vnderstand that therein the Scripture speaketh according to the nature of second causes or els with the condition secretly vnderstood of repentance and prayer as Iere. 18. such like sayings are expounded and not in respect of Gods simple and absolute decree In which sense it is well said of Gregorie The Lord knoweth how to change his saying but neuer knoweth how to change his counsell And of Augustine God knoweth how to change his saying if we would change our life Thirdly The 3. reason examples manifestly proue the infalliblenes of predestination Pharao Sehon and the kings of the Canaanites with their subiects were appointed to destruction What was done their hearts were hardened that they might fight against Israel and perish for their sinnes And it is expressely written Exod. 4. Deut 2. â—s 11. 1. Sam. 2. 2. King 12. It came of the Lord to harden their hearts to fight with Israel that he might destroy them So Elies sonnes hearkened not to the voyce of their father because the Lord had appointed to destroy them Roboam heard not the people because it pleased the Lord by that meanes to rent the kingdome 2. Sam. 7. and to pull it away from Salomons race Absalom and euery man of Israel despised the good counsell of Achitophel and heard Husai because the Lord minded to destroy Achitophels counsell to
punish Absalom Likewise nothing of the word of the Lord against Ahabs house fell to the ground 2. King 10. but the Lord accomplished as hee had spoken by his seruant Elias Gen. 37.39.41.50 On the other side how wonderfully was Ioseph when his brethren went about to kill him sent into Egypt and aduanced to the gouernment of the kingdome that the counsel of the Lord might be fulfilled What was of lesse hope in the eyes of men than Dauids raigne Yet he rose to the dignitie of the kingdome out of all his persecutions and gouerned the people by the knowledge of his hands that the Lords counsell might stand when all the deuises and counsels of the people were scattered These things are plaine and cleere Acts 2. 4. But that is more notable that wee reade of Christ himselfe Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together against him to doe whatsoeuer the hand and counsell of the Lord had before determined to bee done Chap. 13. And when by the determinate counsell and prouidence of God they had taken him being yeelded vnto them with wicked hands they crucified and slue him and fulfilled all things that the Prophets had written of him albeit all the while they went about another thing What shall we say of the Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles 1. Tim. 1. who first was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor how mightily and miraculously was he called to the Gospell Gal. 1. when it pleased God who had separated him from his mothers wombe Râ—â— 9 10. Esa â—â— And to vse not so much examples of persons as of nations the Gentiles who sought not after righteousnesse attained vnto it and the Lord was found of them who sought him not and made manifest to them that did not enquire after him But Israel did gainsay Rom. 11 and seeking his owne righteousnes was not subiect to the righteousnesse of God For the elect obtained it the rest were hardened as it is written He gaue them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare Fourthly The 4. reason the same doctrine of the vnchangeablenes of Gods predestination is in sundrie places mentioned of Augustine as cap. 7. de correp grat If any of the elect perisheth God is deceiued and is ouercome by mans sinne but none of them perisheth because God is not deceiued nor ouercome by any thing But he speaketh of such as be elected to raigne with Christ and not in that sense as Iudas was elected to the worke whereto he serued And in his answere to the Articles falsely laid to his charge The predestination of God albeit it be vncertaine with vs yet with him who made the things that shall come to passe it abideth vnchangeable neither doth he darken the things that he inlighteneth nor destroyeth what he doth build nor plucketh vp what he hath planted For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and the foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And most notably in Soliloq cap. 28. All of vs are as a menstruous cloth comming out of a corrupt and filthie lumpe but thou that only art cleane doest purifie them in whom it pleaseth thee to dwell whom without their merits thou hast predestinated before the world and chosen for thy selfe to be a holy temple whose names and number thou knowest and who cannot perish to whom all things worke for the best The Lord knoweth from euerlasting the names and number of elect and reprobates yea euen their very sinnes For when they fall they shall not fall downe because thou puttest vnder thine hand keeping all their bones that none of them bee broken But yet the death of sinners is most miserable those I meane whom before thou madest heauen and earth according to the great depth of thy iudgements being secret yet alwaies iust thou didst foreknow for eternall death whose names and merites are numbred with thee who hast numbred the sand of the sea and fadomed the bottome of the depth All things worke for the worst to reprobates yea euen their prayers whom thou hast left in their vncleannes to whom all things worke for euill yea their very praier is turned into sin that if they should ascend into heauen and make their neast among the starres they might as dunge perish and not in the end Likewise the Author of the calling of the Gentils lib. 2. cap. 10. saith All the sonnes of adoption not onely are elect at the time of their calling here in this life but also before the world was made in which election what man soeuer was not in Christ foreknowne shall by no meanes be made partaker of him And by and by The foreknowledge of God looseth nothing of the fulnes of the members of Christs bodie and the whole summe forknowne and in Christ before the world forechosen cannot bee by any hurt diminished No man can doubt that this is Luthers verie doctrine Cap. 148. that readeth his booke of seruile will where he often mentioneth that the elect are builded vp by the word Cap. 40. and made better and that the reprobates are offended and become worse that they amend their life by the holie Ghost and that the other perish without amendment Cap. 59. and if the elect bee in an error yet that before their death they do come into the right way Cap. 152. that this is necessary and that they cannot finally bee offended And praefat ad Rom. he writeth that the decree is stable and the necessitie vnmoueable of Gods predestination and he saith that this necessitie is verie necessarie for our saluation and consolation because we be so weake in our selues that if saluation stoode in vs verie few or none should be saued for the deuill would conquer all But now seeing this sure and most certaine decree of God cannot bee chaunged nor abolished by any creature wee haue hope that at length we shall ouercome sin To say that the elect may be increased or diminished is Pelagiâ—nisme Epist his ad â—â—â—st albeit now it rage in our flesh These things in that place saith Luther But as it is a point of sound doctrine to hold that the predestinate number of the chosen can neither be increased nor diminished so not to rest therein is Pelagianisme as Prosper testifieth Which Hilarie also confirmeth reporting that the remnants of the Pelagians tooke it hardly that such as were of sound faith preached that men were so predestinated both to the one and the other state that none could go from one to the other By these things then it is manifest The elect cannot perish that such as be predestinate to eternall life doe not perish yea cannot possibly and that because of the counsell of Gods will that cannot be infringed or hindred by any creature
peraduenture hee will more increase the griefe because hee seeth a sharpe purgation to be more necessary Fourthly Ambrose weighing Peters words to Simon against the Nouatians that commonly abused them Lib. de poenicent cap. 5. teacheth by many examples that that is the custome of the Scripture euen boldly to vse through a certaine simplicitie of vtterance such kinds of speaking wherein there is some shew of doubting Obiection 4 Furthermore whereas the aduersaries alleage that the certaintie of grace if men could be sure of it would be an occasion and cause of great licentiousnes and Epicurish securitie it is a meere ignorance and slander For it cannot be but the feeling of the loue of God towards vs whereby the multitude of our sinnes is gratiously couered should beget more and more in our hearts towards him againe the loue of new obedience as it is written Psal 13. 18. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Also I will loue thee O Lord my strength my tower and the horne of my saluation What if the aduersaries themselues confesse that a speciall reuelation is graunted to some of the certaintie of their saluation It will follow then by their own opinion that God doth cast such men into the danger of prophanenes and Epicurish securitie Neither doth it any whit hinder the certaintie of saluation Prou. 18. that we are commanded to be fearfull in auoiding falles not to be puffed vp nor to bee ouer wise but to feare Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 10. Marke this that he that seemeth to stand fall not For by these and such like the securitie of the flesh and not faith is condemned and the vse of the meanes subordinate to saluation is required So Paul albeit he was certified by an Angell of his owne safetie and of theirs that failed with him and beleeuing God that so it should come to passe as he had told him yet he suffered not the mariners to flie out of the ship but said vnles these men abide in the ship ye cannot be saued Acts 27. Thus the confidence of saluation and a godly care to vse the meanes and not to tempt the Lord doe very well agree together They vse also to charge our doctrine with presumption Obiection 5 Beucer de Concor aâ—t grat but in vaine For we beleeue God that promiseth Wherfore our confidence and certaintie resteth not vpon our own presumption but vpon his promise as Augustine well distinguisheth tract 22. in Ioh. Finally they wrest for their purpose what our writers plainly Obiection 6 confesse themselues that no man can exclude in this world all doubting alwaies of his owne saluation and of the care that God hath of him Whosoeuer say they doubteth of his saluation is not sure of it but all men doubt therefore no man is sure of it But this snare we easily auoide by this caution or distinction He that doubteth is not sure to wit for that time that he doubteth and in speaking of some * Idea patterne of certaintie But now doubting oftentimes ariseth but not alwaies in the minds of the godly because of the infirmitie and battell of the flesh against the spirit and they get with much adoe the vpper hand againe by this vertue and power to whom they crie with teares I beleeue Lord Mark 9. helpe my vnbeliefe And albeit this be a sufficient impediment that we can not attribute vnto the godly the * Ideam maner or forme of the certaintie of faith whereby all doubting and trembling is excluded yet there is not sufficient cause to depriue them of all certaintie of grace and saluation vnles a man would by the like reason auouch Ierem. 12. Abac. 1. Psalm 73. that euen the holy men of God Ieremie Abacuc Asaph and others were vncertaine of the prouidence of God and his righteous gouernment of all things because of some doubtings that were in them concerning that matter Therefore let it stand as a certaine thing that while wee liue in this mortalitie and banishment as it were of this world we be not without the way and meane whereby to our comfort wee may bee made sure of our saluation And while this standeth fast it necessarily followeth that wee may know and be assured of the election also of vs to eternall life For seeing saluation belongeth to the elect onely doubtles the certaintie of it cannot stand without the certaintie of Gods election which is the fountaine beginning and ground of saluation CHAP. XXIIII How and by what meanes we are made certaine of the election of vs in Christ Reuelation is needefull MOreouer the meane whereby a man may be made sure of the election of himselfe vnto eternall life dependeth vpon the reuelation not of flesh and blood but of God himselfe the chuser Rom. 11. 1. Cor. â— For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who is of his counsell Or what man knoweth the things that belong to a man but the spirit of a man that is in him So no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God And we saith the Apostle haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit that is of God that we may know what things God hath bestowed vpon vs. Seeing therfore the counsels of God cannot bee knowne without diuine manifestation what marueile is it if so great a secret I meane the predestination of vs to adoption and to eternall life cannot otherwise bee seene into of vs And if we assay speculatiuely or as they speake à priore to search into the eternall counsell of God concerning our saluation the great depth of it will swallow vs vp and hee that searcheth out Gods maiestie Prou. 25.27 shall be ouerwhelmed with the glorie of it But there is for the most parâ— a threefold reuelation of election first by the most certaine effects of election it selfe Reuelation is threefolde secondly by the word of promise and thirdly by the seale of the holy Ghost The first way therefore as I said is by the effects of election such as these are a true and liuely saith in Christ The first way wherby a man may know himselfe to be elected The effects of election ingrafting into Christ by faith iustification and the regeneration of the spirit shewing it selfe more and more by newnes of life and the studie of righteousnesse and good workes By these à posteriore wee iudge of election as the proper cause of them For strong reasons are drawne as from the cause to the effect so againe from the effect to the cause as it is knowne by the rules of Logike The Minor of this argument to wit that faith iustification conuersion c. proceede from election as the proper cause wee haue confirmed before at large when wee intreated of the effects of predestination here onely let certaine sayings of Scripture be viewed Act. 13. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued