vpon Leuiticus quaest 84. witnesseth that visible Baptisme did him no good because he had not the inuisible Hitherto let Luthers sayings be referred Luth. in Gen. 17 that baptisme is erected for a signe of righteousnes to all that beleeue in Christ. That the vertue of Baptisme consisteth in the vse or faith of him that receiueth it Also De Cap. Basil in 3. Ioel. that holie Baptisme is the fountaine of saluation whereof they that drinke that is In Gen. 48. beleeue the promise added doe neuer thirst And that he generally elsewhere pronounceth that the Sacrament worketh not grace without faith and hee taxeth the dreame of the papists that Baptisme profiteth thee and iustifieth thee whether thou beleeuest or not Neither saith Brentius otherwise Brentius explicat Catechis de Baptis where among other things he writeth that Baptisme is a seale whereby Christ publikely confirmeth that he deliuereth and giueth those speciall heauenly good things that are promised in the Gospell to him that beleeueth Againe that Baptisme is a royall vnction the Sacrament confirming and publishing that thing which a man before had receiued by faith for man is not then first receiued into the Lords tuition seeing before he was receiued by faith but then his admission is first confirmed by an externall signe And handling that promise He that beleeueth c. plainely saith thus Baptisme as it profiteth much if in faith it be redeemed so it doth no good if it be without faith and he maketh mention of an example out of the tripartite History lib. 11. cap. 14. of a certaine Iewe a craftie fellow who would often receiue Baptisme not for that he beleeued in Christ but that by this meanes hee might get money of Christians who albeit hee was Baptized yet was not truely made a Christian by his Baptisme The same Brentius vpon Iohn fol. 119. expressely writeth that not euery one that is Baptized is regenerated for faith must be required not to the perfection of the Sacrament but to the profite of the receiuer Chytraeus Likewise Dauid Chytreus Tract de bapt printed at Wittenberge 1580. saith That ministers doe Baptize with water pronounce the word and giue water but Christ Baptiseth with the holy Ghost and regenerateth the beleeuers Againe many being washed in water and not bringing to Baptisme true faith are Baptized not with the inspiration of the holy Ghost but with water onely as Simon Magus Ia. Andr. Col. Momp pa. 486. thes 6◠30. These things largely set downe doe shew to whom belongeth the promise of grace in Baptisme against the error and more than a dreame of certaine men to wit that regeneration is giuen to all in Baptisme beleeuers and vnbeleeuers and that if an vnbeleeuing hypocrite be Baptized he is not onely outwardly Baptized in water but inwardly also by the holy spirit yea euen Simon Magus no lesse then others receiued grace in Baptisme This doubtles is to administer Baptisme not for a Sacrament of Christ but for Christ himselfe as the Apologie of the Confession of Wittenberge casteth in the papists teeth who say the same thing that these men doe to wit that remission of sinnes is wrought by Baptisme by the very vertue of the Sacrament and Gods promise and not onely by faith Let the papists then haue the victorie and the confession of the Duke of Wittenberge will lie in the dust being ouerthrowne by the very men that ought to defend it Obiection of infants faith But what shall we say of infants Baptized Cannot Baptisme saue them without faith I answer Although we haue some men in our time who thinke that euen infants beleeue and would haue all men so to thinke yet the contrarie opinion of Augustine and other olde writers is more sincere and safe Augustine For thus Augustine vpon Iohn tract 80. Infants cannot beleeue saith This word of faith onely is of force in the Church that euen neuer so little clenseth the infant by the Church beleeuing offering blessing and touching it though the infant cannot beleeue with the hart to righteousnes and with the mouth confesse to saluation Likewise in his fourth booke of Baptisme chapter 24. hee saith Infants through want of age can neither beleeue with the heart to righteousnes nor with the mouth confesse to saluation See also his 23. epistle to Bonifacius and Iustine Martyr question 56. Barnard also alloweth the same opinion Epist 77. Infants because their age hindred them cannot haue faith The reason is plaine And why they cannot for faith presupposeth knowledge of those things that are to be beleeued And that little children do know diuine things who as yet vnderstand not humaine if wee would by words declare saith Saint Augustine also Epist 57. we must be afraide least we be thought to doe iniurie to our very senses seeing that by speaking we endeuour to perswade a thing where the euidence of the trueth is greater than all the strength and force of speech Moreouer they that maintaine the faith of little children The contrary opinions of Brentius and Andr touching the faith of infants doe not a little disagree in opinions some thinking that faith is giuen them in Baptisme and others before Baptisme Of the later opinion is Brentius Explicat Catechis where hee maketh this argument God acknowledgeth none truely in the number of his people vnles he doe beleeue and maketh his assumption of infants The infants of Gods people in olde time were part of Gods people euen before they were circumcised and therefore our infants now also pertaine to the people of God euen before they be Baptized according to the promise made to Abraham Gen. 17. I will be thy God and God of thy seede after thee Contrariwise Iacob Andree Brentius his successor defendeth the former opinion Colloq Mompel fol. 458. Before infants saith he be Baptized I cannot affirme that they doe beleeue because faith is giuen vnto them in Baptisme And streight after Infants Baptized haue the grace of adoption freely giuen them with faith and the holy Ghost Likewise Luther in 17. Gen. albeit in his booke of praying he seeme to thinke otherwise hath left it written that the children of the Israelites had this blessing that on the eight daye faith was giuen them and they were made the people of God which thing he would haue in like manner vnderstoode of the Children of Christians in their Baptisme And this opinion surely is driuen to a great straight because of infants in olde time that dyed before the eyght day when they should be circumcised and depart this life daily as yet without Baptisme being depriued of it not of any contempt but of necessitie whom yet they both doe rather reckon in the number of such as be saued seeing the couenant of God is not transgressed or made frustrate Luth. in 17. Gē Col. Momp pag. 496. But after their opinion no man be he a childe or a man
growne can bee saued without faith It followeth therefore seeing such also are saued that faith is giuen to many infants euery where euen before their Baptisme which thing Iacob Andree denied that he could auouch The same thing may be obiected of young girles among the Iewes who because they were the seede of Abraham were not excluded from the righteousnes of Abraham but obtained it by faith according to Luther in the forecited place euen in their infancie Wherefore the opinion of the faith of infants is more easily affirmed than defended D. Heerbrand Defens cont Gottard Canonicum Hereupon Doctor Heerbrand doth thus mitigate Luthers opinion that hee when hee saith that infants haue faith or doe beleeue hath not this meaning that they doe vnderstand or feele the motions of faith but that so their error is reiected who imagine infants Baptized to please God and to be saued without any action of the holy Ghost If this onely they meane who thinke that infants beleeue I fully agree with them But because it is to be feared how many of them will acknowledge that interpretation I doubt not in the meane while to iudge and speake with ancient writers that infants doe not beleeue Which simplicity of olde writers hath been also allowed of new writers Musculus Martyr and other most learned and painefull diuines as their writings testifie Obiection Aug. quaest Euang li. 1. ca. 24. Neither doe the words of Matth. chap. 18. hinder the same Who so offendeth one of these little ones that beleeue in me for that Augustine Theophilact Hilarius and others rather vnderstand of the humble and children in malice and not in age Why we must account in faults among the people of God We confesse neuertheles that our infants are rightly accounted in the bodie of the faithfull that is among the people of God both for the promise of the couenant and also after their baptisme for the sacrament of entrance into true religion and of faith as Augustine thinketh in his 23. Epistle Obiection But if infants haue no faith how are they made partakers of the grace of Baptisme and saluation For who so beleeueth not shall be condemned With the heart man beleeueth to righteousnes and without faith it is impossible to please God Mar. 16. Rom. 10. Heb. 11. Answere I answere that there is one consideration of infants another of men growne Such sayings as are in the sacred Scriptures vttered of the necessitie of faith confession hope loue mortification of the flesh such like vnto saluatiō appertain not to infants but to men growne that by reason of age are capable of such things By the neglect of this distinction many errors will necessarily ensue as Augustine lib. de haeresib proueth by the Hierachites and Barnard ad Hugonem Epist 77. and also Hom. 66. vpon the Canticles by another sect of that time dispersed throughout France As touching the infants of Christians it is sufficient that they be comprehended in the promise of the couenant For albeit adoption to bee the sonnes of God proceedeth not from the carnall birth according to which the children of the faithfull are no lesse the sonnes of wrath than the children of the vnfaithfull conceiued and borne in sinne as others be yet such is the bountie of Gods grace that infants borne of Christian parents are reckoned in the number of Gods people euen as in old time the infants were of Abrahams posteritie according to the promise I will be thy God and of thy seede after thee And Matth. 19. the Lord saith Suffer little children and forbid them not to come vnto me Why we baptise the infants of Christians and not of Turkes for to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen And for this cause in signe of Gods couenant we baptize the children of Christians and doe not baptize the children of Turkes vnles they bee alreadie able to giue an answere of their faith And if our infants being preuented by death cannot be baptized we follow the rule of Barnard ad Hugonem Epist 77. Barnards saying of infants dying before Baptisme Not a depriuing or want of baptisme but the contempt of it doth condemne one Here Augustine is ouer rigorous but beside that the schoolemen haue commonly somewhat misliked his rigor placing such children in a Limbo by themselues voide of all torment other also of great name in the middest of papistrie Gerson Cardinal Caietane Biel and other haue approued of a more fauourable opinion touching the saluation of such But of these I will speake no more The cauill of the Lords Supper answered The cauill concerning the Supper of the Lord is yet vntouched which the aduersarie in his alike foolish babling also complaineth that it shall be taken away if the vniuersalitie of redemption bee denied such as hee maintaineth But how O Huber Truly I finde from thy Thes 437. whither thou sendest backe thy reader many things after thy maner that is to say impudently and bitterly fained and little appertaining to the proofe of this false accusation set downe sauing that at length thou seemest to haue a purpose to reason after this sort for thou art so intangled in thy absurdities that here and elsewhere often it cannot easily bee perceiued what thy meaning is Thes 450. sequent Onely they for whom Christ effectually died ought to come to the Supper by our opinion as thou saist But whether Christ died for vs effectually it is vnknowne to euery one Therefore none at all shall know who ought to bee the Lords guest and so the Supper of the Lord shall be at once taken away from all men O trifler For first to bring it to an absurditie one of the propositions must be the Hypothesis or the very opinion of the aduersarie which is oppugned which here is not done For the question is about this Whether Christ died effectually for all men He saith it We denie it Secondly vnto the Maior In our Churches while the Supper is to be administred it is not the maner if thou know it not to say that they ought to come for whom Christ died Thes 450. and the rest to keep away as thou triflest but this is said that wee may celebrate the Supper of the Lord to our good and comfort before all things it is required that first wee proue ourselues Wee must proue ourselues before we come to the Lords Supper and how euery one considering with himselfe his sinnes and accursednes and trying his heart whether he beleeue the promise of grace and remission of sins for the merit of Christ alone and whether by new obedience he purpose from his heart to shew himselfe thankfull vnto God For such guests doth the table of the Lord require as for hypocrites and such as goe on still in wickednes they must abstaine from this meate which Christ hath ordained prepared for his faithfull least they make their condemnation so much the more grieuous Thirdly
is proper to his members Iesus Christ is promised who should destroy the workes of the diuell and hee being conquered should set his Christians at liberty from his power to raigne for euer with himselfe in the inheritance of the Saints Hereupon saith Paul Rom. 16. v. 20. The God of peace shall treade Satan vnder your feete shortly Where he restraineth without question the victorie against Satan vnto the faithful of whom also Colos 1. Col. 1. he saith He hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne to wit through faith without which saith Ambrose there is no going out of hell Ambrose in epist ad Col. or out the power of darkenes wherein we were held captiue of the diuell Moreouer that reparation and victorie against Satan as it is promised respecteth not onely the merite but also the efficacie of Christ whereby he maintaineth and preserueth in the conflicts of this life the saluation which he purchased for vs and strengtheneth vs against the diuell the world and our owne flesh with the vertue of his spirit vntill at length we obtaine full victorie De pass cruce Domini For it is the worke of our Sauiour saith Athanasius not onely to deliuer vs from bondage but to destroy the author thereof least he growing strong doe supplant vs and make voide the conquest of the deliuerer And now experience and Scripture teach it to be farre off from al the sonnes of Adam 1. Thes 3.3 and 5.23 to be after this sorte victors ouer Satan but that victorie God bestoweth vpon his Saints And also by those words in Moses I will put enemitie betweene thee and the woman The reprobate◠are excluded from the promise betweene thy seede and her seede the reprobates are manifestly excluded from the promise for they are ioyned to the diuell who is the head and father of reprobates and against this kingdome of Satan that is against the diuell and his members victory is promised to the Church through Christ for in the seede of the woman altogether as in the seede of Abraham the sonnes of the promise are accounted Rom. 9.8 and 4.16 But let vs see the pretie reasons of the Aduersarie First The adueraries reasons to proue reprobates to be deliuered from Satan by Christ he will haue this place to be vnderstoode of the whole repayring of whole mankinde because not onely a part of the bodie of the diuell but his head should be broken A fine reason as though the head also were not a part of the bodie Secondly because the head of the diuell was to bee broken through Christ we must needes vnderstand that so the diuell is troden down that he doth not exercise the power of death any longer against them for whom he is destroyed But this hath place onely in them who are the members of Christ He bringeth also for declaration those sayings Ioh. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. Heb. 2. Colos 2. Luk. 11. Matth. 12. that the prince of this world is cast forth that the sonne of God came to destroy the workes of the diuell that by death he hath destroyed the diuell that the diuell and all his power was triumphed ouer Also that he comming vpon the pallace of the strong armed man ouercame him and tooke away all his armour and diuided his spoyles From these he laboureth to inferre that not any one is excepted who hath been brought vnder the power of the diuell whom Christ hath not deliuered from him or else to whom the head of the diuell is not broken These words be talke but not weighty reasons For so Augustine discoursing of those things very exactly saith Tract 53. The deuill is ouercome and destroyed for the faithfull onely and in them in Ioh. The deuill possessed mankind and held them guiltie of punishments by the handwriting of sinnes he bare rule in the hearts of vnbeleeuers But by the faith of Christ through his blood which was shed for the remission of sinnes thousands of beleeuers are set free from the power of the deuill This thing he called iudgment separation and expulsion of the deuill from his redeemed ones The same man a little after God foresaw what he knew that after his passion and glorifying many people through out the world should beleeue in whose hearts the deuill was whom when they renounce through faith he is cast forth to wit out of the harts of the faithfull The Master of sentences following Augustine in like maner expoundeth those places lib. 3. dist 19. Therefore they are the beleeuers out of whom he is cast out In these he is abolished ouercome and conquered and his workes are destroyed Ephe 2. but in the vnbeleeuers in whom the prince of this world as yet is effectuall he ceaseth not to exercise a lamentable triumph 1. Ioh. 5. 2. Tim. 2. vntill they also through faith which is our victorie get out of the snare of the deuill of whō they are held captiues And this the words of Iohn do plainly confirme 1. Ioh. 3. For if he who committeth sinne be of the deuill and hee who is borne of God sinneth not surely the workes of the deuill are in very deede destroyed in none but in the regenerate Obiections 1. Cor 1◠But if Satan be abolished and conquered he is once and for all men together destroyed Answere Not so For euen the last enemie death shall be destroyed and there shall be that most famous triumph of the last day ouer Satan yet how great shall their number bee ouer whom death and he that hath the power of death the deuill shall for euer raigne Neuerthelesse all things then shall truly bee subiect vnto Christ witnesse the Apostle as euen now all things are subiect vnto him after a sort All things are subdued vnder Christ and ye◠Satan 〈◊〉 in the reprobates Contrarily how vnskilfully doth Huberus except that al things cannot be said to be subiect vnto Christ if the greatest part of Satans kingdom be not ouerthrowne by him Yea the whole kingdome of Satan shall be destroyed by him specially at the last day but for that cause there is no neede that Christ should adopt all none excepted into his kingdome of grace and glorie Reprobates and Satan are vnder his power to be damned In the meane while all reprobates with the deuill and his angels are and shall be for euer put vnder the Lords feete and hee shall take vengeance on them in vnquenchable fire as vpon subiects that are rebellious against his kingdome of power For they know The kingdom of God is takē many waies who haue read the Scriptures and ancient interpreters of them that the kingdome of God is one thing which is called the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of glorie is another thing and there is also that
men if redemption were common to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to such as shall be saued and damned Hitherto also let the wordes be referred The 9. place which follow in the same place If the blood of Bulles and Goats and the ashes of a yong Heifer sprinckling the vncleane doe sanctifie and purge the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who by the eternal spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Redemption is described by this Redemption described that it purgeth our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God But that purging of consciences and seruing of God is proper to the faithfull For by faith the hearts are purified Acts 15. Rom. 6. and being freed from sinne are made seruantes of righteousnesse through the same faith And a litle after The 10. place Therfore for that cause is he the Mediator of the new couenant that through death which came for the redemption of transgressions the Called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance Who are those Called The Called who they be Prosper li. cap. 3. to whoÌ„ belong the couenant redemption and inheritance He that wrote the booke of the calling of the Gentiles answereth for me Because saith hee some are iustified by faith others are hardened in their impiety the beleeuers are discerned from vnbeleeuers by the name of the Called and such as be voyd of faith they are shewed to bee without this calling albeit they heare the Gospell And he citeth the place 1. Cor. 1. we preach Christ crucified to the Iewes an offence and to the Gentiles foolishines but to the Called as well Iewes as Gentiles we preach him the power and wisedome of God Of these Called not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles The 11. place see more Ro. 9.23 and cap. 8.28 and in the rest Neither must we here omit that which we read writteÌ„ about the end of the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Many Christo Theophy By these Many he now meaneth those Called whereof he spake before And so Chrysostome and Theophylact expound Why said he of Mary and not of All Sai valuit vt omnes seruaventur because all doe not beleeue The death of Christ was equiualent to the perdition of all that is was of sufficient fâ—râ—e and price to haue saued all and yet it doth not take away the sinnes of all because such as resist him make his death altogether vnprofitable vnto them selues Theophylact also maketh mention of Basil to be of the same mind some of whose sayings I haue before alledged vpon the place of Matth. 26. But Aquinas of al men most clearely vpon this place writeth Aquinas He saith to take away the sinnes of many and not of all because the death of Christ albeit it bee sufficient for all yet it is not effectuall but in the respect of such as shall bee saued For all are not subiect vnto him through faith and good workes Lastly what can be spoken more briefly and forceably for the deciding of this whole controuersie The 12. place Heb. 11. than that of the Apostle Hebrewes 11. Hub. Thes 6â— and 1001. without faith it is impossible to prayse God Either this is not true or els it is false that they say often that all alke beleeuers and vnbeleeuers are freed from all sinne and condemnation and receiued into the fauour and grace of our heauenly father which thing what is it els than that al please God without respect of faith and infidelitie CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of other Scriptures of the New Testament The 1. place FOr the greater confirmation of this point we will adde also certaine other sayings of other bookes of the New Testament In the Actes chapter 5. Peter Acts 5. and the whole Colledge of the Apostles with one accord testifie these wordes The God of our fathers raysed vp Iesus and being exalted by his right hand made him a prince and sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes Repentance and remission of sinnes be iust parables and therefore they that haue the one haue the other and they be Israel Repentance and remission of sinnes are ioyned together by an in separable knot Wherefore it is as foolish a thing to affirme that remission of sinnes is giuen by Christ to all men indifferently as if a man should auouch that he giueth repentance to all What meaneth that that the prerogatiue of both those benefites is bestowed vpon Israel Vpon what Israel They that bee called of the Iewes and Gentiles according to promise they bee the true Israel saith Augustime Aug. cap. 59. Gal. 6. whereof also the Apostle speaketh And vpon the Israel of God Secondly it is the voice of Peter The 2. place Acts 10. and the testimonie of all Prophets agreeing together that euery one that beleeueth in Iesu Christ receiueth remission of sinnes through his name Vnto this Propheticall and Apostolicall consent which conteineth the summe of the Gospel of Christ is the false vangelicall commentarie of the aduersaries cleane contrary that all simply without respect of faith or vnbeliefe receiue remission of sinnes through the name of Christ Further the same Apostle 1. Epistle 1. The 3. place 1. Pet. 1. when hee speaketh of redemption by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot hee saith that hee was foreordained before the foundations of the world were laid Christ was foreordained and exhibited to the world for the beleeuers sake and was made manifest for the beleeuers sake Expressely he declareth that Christ was exhibited to the world a Sauiour for the beleeuers Therefore for the same persons in like maner he properly died and rose againe not because they beleeued already but that they might beleeue Iohn 20. and beleeuing might haue eternall life through his name Iohn also 1. Epistle 1. consenteth hereto The 4. place 1. Ioh. 1. Three things to be obserued in Saint Iohns words If wee walke in light as God is light we haue communion with him and the blood of Iesu Christ purgeth vs from all sinne If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. If we confesse our sinnes he is iust and faithfull to forgiue vs our sins and to purge vs from all iniquitie 1. Communion with God belongs not to all Therefore neither the grace of God for where the grace of God is there is also the communion of him 2. The clensing of sinnes by the blood of Christ is theirs who walke in light 3. Remission of sinnes which is propitiation it selfe as Iohn witnesseth presupposeth confession of sinnes which seeing it is not in al propitiation doth not belong to all The 5. place Apoc. 1. I come to the Reuelation of Iohn in whose
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
if the minister of the word inuite all men to faith exhort and stirre vp all to repentance But the promises of grace But the promises of grace belong to the beleeuers onely 2. Thess 3. Acts 13. wherein is offered mercie peace saluation honour glorie life and immortalitie these speaking of men growne are receiued no otherwise than by faith and faith all men haue not but whom God of his singular mercie vouchsafeth that diuine gift Further the aduersarie himselfe whether he will or not must confesse as before also we mentioned that saluation pertaineth vnto them Thes 534. who by faith abide in Christ Therefore it doth not belong to the vnbeleeuers and so to all no truly vnles a man would call againe the fable of Origene Origens fable that all men at length shall be saued Wherfore here the Antecedent is denied that the minister of the Gospell promiseth to all and preacheth the couenant of reconciliation to all as though all were comprehended alike in the couenant Zach 1.3 Ezech. 18.21 Esay 1.17 Acts 2.38 8.22 For to speake simply he promiseth to the beleeuers onely and to such as repent But to the vnbeleeuers and hypocrites he denounceth wrath because the wicked hath no peace saith the Lord neither is any thing promised vnto them but conditionally to wit if they turne and beleeue with all their heart The promise is made vnto the wicked conditionally And this condition God alone performeth in whom it pleaseth him seeing both faith and repentance bee his meere gift And in this sense it is rightly said that the promises ought to be preached and propounded vnto all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers as farre as the ministers office stretcheth that they should disperse the word of faith and saluation indifferently and publikely into the eares of all and setting forth the mercie of God in Christ who is the sacrifice for the sinnes of the world they should call whomsoeuer to imbrace the gift of grace and should inuite whomsoeuer they finde as it were to the mariage of the king Matth. 22. And it is an vngodly speech that all ought not to beleeue because the promise and saluation pertaineth not to all Nay because saluation is proper to the faithfull onely and death and condemnation to the vnfaithfull therefore ought all to repent and beleeue the Gospell that they perish not with the world but may haue eternall life Neither doth it any thing hinder this generall inuitation that it is certaine that many euer haue been and shall be contemners of grace offered seeing as the Apostle saith faith belongeth not to all 2. Thes 3. Matth. 22. Marke this and as Christ witnesseth many are called and few are chosen For the cōmandement of the king is enough and largely enough for the seruants that are the inuiters Go ye Luk. 14. Mark 16. and say ye to them that are bidden Come for all things are readie Call ye vnto the mariage whomsoeuer ye finde Againe Preach ye vnto euery creature Vnto this commandement must the faithfull preacher of righteousnes yeeld obedience whether he be receiued or reiected or els for the same endure any temporall aduersitie As also they who bee called must without delay obey their calling howsoeuer many obey not because they haue also a commandement greater then any shifting or refusall that they can make Come ye beleeue repent Psal 95. Heb. 3. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts as your fathers did in the desert Let Augustine be read touching this point against Cresconius Gram. lib. 1. cap. 5. 6. where by diuerse testimonies of Scripture he expressely sheweth The trueth must be preached to men though they will not heare it Matth. 10. that the trueth ought to be preached euen to them that will not heare The Lord saith in the Gospell When ye enter in say Peace be to this house if they bee worthie that bee therein your peace shall rest vpon them if not it shall returne to you againe Did he certifie them that they to whom they should preach that peace would receiue it Yet he gaue them to vnderstand that peace must be preached without delay euen to such as would not admit the same The Apostle also charged his Timothie 1. Tim. 4. that he should not bee slothfull in preaching for mens sakes to whom the preaching of the trueth is vnpleasant I charge thee before God and Christ Iesu Preach the word be instant in season and out of season rebuke exhort improue Therefore a faithfull workman will preach to such as are willing in season and to such as refuse out of season Christ also how many things spake he in the face of the Iewes Pharisees Saduces such as not onely would not beleeue but also greatly speake against him and persecute him And he knew surely saith Augustine because hee knew all things that these things would nothing profit them to their saluation but by his example peraduenture strengthened vs Eze. 2. 3. who cannot know before the future faith or vnfaithfulnes of men Beside we reade that the Prophets were sent to men so disobedient that God himselfe foretold the Prophets whom he sent that they to whom he sent them would not obey their words So Ezechiel was sent with the word of God to striue with the Iewes that would disobey dissent and speake against In lik maner Ieremy Iere. 1.19 7.27 to whom it was said Thou shalt speake all these words vnto them yet they will not heare thee and thou shalt call them but they will not answer thee Obiection If any man aske for what cause for what good with what fruite or effect are deafe men spoken vnto albeit the commandement of God bee sufficient against which it is a hainous offence to dispute yet other things also may be alleadged for an answer Answere Foure reasons why the word is preached to reprobates beside Gods cōmandement to doe it before set down 1. As long as men liue in this world reprobates and elect are ioyned together and cannot be discerned by the iudgement of man and therefore it is meete that the trueth bee preached indifferently to all least because of reprobates the elect be defrauded who will take profit by the preaching of the word Hereupon also Augustine de Correp grat 15. 16. Seeing wee know not who belongeth to the number of them that be predestinate and who belongeth not we ought to be so touched with the affection of charitie that we should be willing that all may be saued 2. By this meanes is cleerely shewed the miserable blindnes and great corruption of lost man and in very deede that appeareth true which Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. that the naturall man perceiueth not the things that be of the spirit of God that they be foolishnes vnto him and that he is not able truly to know them 3. The godly while they behold others left
himselfe into all men by his spirit and the fulnes of his Godhead For wee all haue receiued of his fulnes that we might know his most excellent loue Which all Not all Christians And elsewhere de his qui initiantur cap. 4. In the poole of Ierusalem one was cured euery yeare now all are healed or certainly one Christian people alone Infinite such sayings are in the writings of the fathers and in the common speech of men CHAP. IX Testimonies of the Schoolemen and other new Diuines BVt that wee may throughly bring to an end the report of our witnesses let vs proceed to the Schoolmē as they cal them who also haue spread abroad the doctrine which in this point they receiued from their forefathers Pet. Lomb lib. 3 distinct 18. Peter Lombard called the Master of Sentences speaketh of his own others opinion that Christ merited for his members redemption from the deuill and sinne and the opening of the kingdom of heauen that his fierie sword being taken away they may boldly enter thereinto In the same distinction about the end He deserued for vs by the suffering of death and passion the entrance into Paradise and redemption from sinne and the deuill For he by dying was made the sacrifice of our deliuerie But restraining this whole benefit of redemption vnto those that be Christs a little after he addeth If Adams pride was the ruine of all much more was the humilitie of Christ wherby he tasted of death able to open the gate of the kingdome of heauen for all his owne after he had fulfilled the decree of God The same man in his next distinction We are said to be iustified by the death of Christ because we are iustified by faith in his death and as in old time such as looked vpon the brasen Serpent lifted vp vpon the pole were healed of the bitings of Serpents so if we looke vpon him by a true faith who did hang vpon the crosse for vs we are loosed from the bands of the deuil that is from sinnes And in other words at large in the same place he teacheth that deliuerance from the deuill belongs to them that beleeue in Christ Innocent 3 lib. 2. de offic missae cap. 41. Innocentius 3. maketh this distinction◠that the blood of Christ was shed for the predestinate onely as touching efficiencie but for all men as touching sufficiencie and he bringeth the words of Leo before by vs recited And there is nothing more common among the Schoolmen then this distinction Hereupon Thomas in 1. Tim. 2. saith Thomas Christ is the propitiation for our sinnes for some effectually but for all sufficiently because the price of his blood is sufficient to saue all but it hath not effect but in the elect because of an impediment And more cleerely vpon 5. Apoc. he saith We speake of the Lords passion two maner of waies Either according to sufficiencie and so his passion redeemed all for it is sufficient to redeeme and saue all although there were more worlds as Anselme saith lib. 2. Cur Deus c. homo cap. 14. Or according to efficiencie and so not all are redeemed by his passion because all cleaue not to the redeemer and therefore not all haue the efficacie of redemption The same man saith Idem summ de veritate materia 26. quaest 7. The merit of Christ as touching sufficiencie is alike to all but not as touching efficiencie which happeneth partly through freewill partly through Gods election by the which the effect of Christs merits is bestowed vpon some of mercie but it is withdrawne from others by the iust iudgement of God Against the Gentiles lib. 4. cap. 55. he alleageth this cause of the foresaid distinction betweene sufficiencie and efficiencie The death of Christ saith he is as a certaine vniuersall cause of saluation as the sinne of the first man was as it were the vniuersall cause of damnation But the vniuersall cause must be applied to euery one particularly that he may receiue the effect of the vniuersal cause The effect of the sin of our first parents commeth to euery one by our fleshly birth But the effect of the death of Christ commeth to euery one by spiritual regeneration whereby man is after a sort ioyned vnto Christ and incorporated vnto him Other testimonies of this author we haue before alleaged Petrus Galatinus a most learned man Pet. Galatin de arcam Cath. verit lib. 8. cap. 14. following the same distinction writeth after this sort Albeit the passion of Christ ought to be sufficient to blot out the sinnes of all men yet it will not blot out the sinnes of all but theirs onely who shall beleeue in him and repent Therefore saith the Prophet he bare the sinnes of many Also Stapulensis Stapul in 5. Ro. Christ hath truly in himselfe the redemption of all sufficient not onely for vs but to redeeme innumerable worlds beside but not al are partakers therof because of their owne peruersnes as the light of it selfe is able to driue away the darkenes of all men albeit not all mens eies be inlightened Among our Diuines Martyr Caluin Zanchie and others admit and follow the same distinction as wee haue largely noted in the 1. booke chap. 11. Likewise in the 2. booke cha 12. we haue prooued I thinke sufficiently that the most famous and best learned Diuines of Heluetia Zuinglius Musculus Bullinger Gualther Wolfius Simlerus Lauaterus and others are in very deede of the same opinion that we defend touching the vniuersality of grace Luther tom 3. in Isa 53. To these also let vs adioyne Luther So great saith he is the righteousnesse of Christ that it is able to iustifie infinite worlds and Christ offereth his righteousnesse to all men but all that beleeue in him doe obtaine it according to that He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued Others abide vnder sinne and wrath And in the same place Christian righteousnes saith he is not receiued vnles Christ be knowen before Againe Christian righteousnesse touching the substance is nothing els then the knowledge of Christ that is faith wherewith Christ is apprehended in the hart that he hath giuen himselfe a ransome for vs and for our sinnes as Paul saith 1 Tim. 2. The word surely offereth and preacheth Christ to all as the sacrifice for our sinnes but vnlesse the holy Ghost inlighten the hearts no man can giue assent vnto this word And we assent when we apprehend the promise that in Christ is the blessing of Nations and this is the glorie of a Christian to know that it is his righteousnes to beleeue in Christ The same man as we haue seene aboue expoundeth those sayings farre otherwise then our aduersaries doe to wit God will haue all men to be saued I wil not the death of a sinner whereupon being naughtily vnderstood leaneth the opinion of our aduersaries hee vnderstandeth them of God will reuealed in his word which he
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
dead should raigne at the right hand of God make intercession for vs. So Christ as he is the Mediatour is the first and principall effect of Gods predestination 1. Pet. 1. from whom all other things flow as Peter also testifieth of that immaculate and vndefiled Lambe by whose precious blood we are redeemed that he was made manifest in the last times for the faithful sake being fore ordained before the foundations of the world were laid Notably Augustine De praedest sanct cap. 15. He being one was predestinated to be our head we being many were predestinate to be his members Hereby also appeareth The proper cause of Christs sending and suffering was the saluation of thâ— elect onely that the proper cause of the sending and suffring of the son of God was the saluation of the elect and therfore as touching the purpose of God the effect of the sending and suffring of Christ that he was properly sent and suffered onely for the elect For vnlesse hee had been ordained a Mediatour for the elect there was no cause why he should come in the flesh much lesse why he should expose himselfe to the most shamefull death of all An other effect of election as wee said is vocation Vocation the second effect of election Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 1. whereby the predestination of a man now beginneth to be fulfilled and made manifest For whom hee hath predestinated he calleth saith Paul And elsewhere He hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose grace Vocation twofolde which was giuen vs in Christ before the world Where he plainely setteth downe vocation to be the effect of the giuing of grace from euerlasting that is of predestination But that it may be vnderstood what what maner of calling that is we must distinguish between external internall calling Externall vocation twofold Naturall Psalm 19. Again the externall is there natural or else supernaturall That is to bee vnderstood of the former which the Psalmist singeth The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke There is neither speech nor language Rom. 2. where their voice is not heard And Paul writeth to the Romanes that the inuisible things of God to wit both his eternall power and also deity are perceiued by the creation of the world Acts 14. to this end that men may be made without excuse And elsewhere he left not himselfe without witnesse by doing good and giuing from heauen fruitfull seasons This testimonie of nature neuer ceaseth to declare the goodnes and power of the Lorde but by perpetual preaching sheweth the maiestie of the maker of it Supernaturall Yet because our eares are deafe at the voice of nature so that we do not heare profitablie the things wee be admonished of â—he doctrine of the law and the Gospell hath been added â—nd ministers of the word and grace haue been instituted by whom in season and out of season faith and repentance are preached as it falleth out to all elect and reprobates seeing they are mingled one with another and cannot nor ought to bee seuered by the iudgement of men Matth 22. The Lord speaketh of this calling that manie are called but few are chosen For all obey not the Gospell Esay 53. 65. Rom. 10. The inward calling that heare it For Esay saith Lord who hath beleeed our word all the daie long I haue stretched forth my hands to a rebellious and gaine saying people Therefore the inward and effectuall calling vnto Christ remaineth which is proper to the elect To whom it belongeth Rom. 8. which Paul termeth a calling according to the purpose of God We know saith he that to such as loue God all things worke for the best euen to such as be called according to his purpose And this calling is nothing else than a certaine diuine inspiration of grace What it is whereby a man is mooued to assent vnto and obey the Gospell that is to beleeue and repent And this vocation is made partly by the word How it is done partly and principally by the inspiration of the holy Ghost who inwardly inlighteneth and moueth the hartes Neither be al called at one time but some at the first houre When men are thus called Matth. â—0 August de praedest sanc cap. 3. some at the eleuenth houre of the day as it pleaseth God to dispense in them his grace The description propounded Augustine confirmeth where he largely handleth this matter That vocation saith he according to the purpose of God belongeth not to all that be called Cap. 16. but to the elect onely These God calleth to make them members of his sonne not by that calling whereby they were called that refused to come to the mariage but by that calling whereby a beleeuer is made Vnto which calling who so appertaine Cap. â— they be all taught of God and none of them can saie I haue beleeued that I might bee thus called for the mercy of God hath preuented him whereby hee is so called that he might beleeue For all that bee taught of God come to the sonne because they haue heard and learned of the father This schoole is farre remoued from the vnderstanding of the flesh wherein the father is heard and teacheth that men may come to the sonne neither dealeth he with the care of the flesh but of the heart Hereupon surely when the Gospell is preached Ibid. Aug. Marke this some beleeue not yea gainesay it For they that beleeue the preacher outwadly speaking within heare of the father and learne but they that beleeue not outwardly heare but within do not heare nor learne that is it is giueÌ„ to them to beleeue Ioh. 6. and is not giuen to the other because no man saith he commeth vnto me vnlesse the father that sent mee drawe him Which thing afterward is spoken more plainely No man commeth vnto me To be drawne what it is except it be giuen him of the father Therefore to be drawen of the father to Christ as also to heare and learne of the father that a man may come to Christ is nothing els than to receaue a gift of the father whereby he may beleeue in Christ These are the wordes of Augustine the chiefe of the soundest fathers But here we must beware of a fouresould error Foure errors The first of the Pelagians first of the Pelagians whereby they aduauncing themselues against grace and setting their face against heauen said that a man hath such strength that as of himselfe he is able to beleeue and to worke well so that the will of God be preached Aug. ad Quod vuli Deum haer 88. Faith and repentance are wrought in men by God Ioh. 6. and hereto only he is holpen of God by the law the doctrine of the Gospel that he may learne what
things he ought to do hope for So according to their opinion that should only be the calling of God which is outwardly made by the word As though hee did discerne such as heare the Gospell from such as beare not and not rather the beleeuers froÌ„ such as beleeue not who said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse it bee giuen him of the father And in many places the Scripture teacheth that faith and conuersion what good worke soeuer we haue flowe from God Lament 5. Turne vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned saith Ieremie Ierem. 31. Eze. 36. And it is promised in the Prophetes that the time shall come when God will write his law in their heartes and giue them a newe hart a fleshy hart and take away their stony that he will put a new spirit and the feare of him in their hartes and make vs to walke in his precepts In the Gospell also the Lord speaking of the fruit of righteousnes testifieth that we be able to do nothing without him Ioh. 15. Again ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and I haue appointed you to bring forth fruite and that your fruite should remaine 1. Cor. 4. And Paul saith what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued And expressely the same man affirmeth that repentance is the gift of God 2. Tim. 2. Gal. 5. Ephes 5. As he also reckoneth faith and all good workes to be the fruits of the spirit He testifieth also that we are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we should be exercised in them Ephes 1. And to take away all doubt he plainely writeth that we are elected before the foundations of the world were laid that we should be holy and blameles Therefore also the Church praieth both for Infidels and such as resist the doctrine of the Gospell that they may be conuerted vnto God also for the faithfull that they may grow in saith and perseuer therein For the things that he hath commanded to be done would not be requested of God except it were his free gifte that they were done The 2. error of the Semipelagians Other men albeit they confesse that good works and faith also according to the growth of it bee of God yet they will haue the beginning of faith to come of vs as if faith were not giuen vs of God but onely increased of him in vs by the merit of our beliefe or of our good wil and so the good will of a man should bee the cause of Gods grace and not grace the cause of our will This opinion Prosper and Hilarie attribute to the Semipelagians Epist. ad Aug. Tom. 7. or the reliques as they cal them of the Pelagian heresie And Augustine himselfe was sometime in this error as when he saith I hat we beleeue it is ours but that we do good Expos ad Rom. it is his who giues to the faithfull the holie Ghost And a little after To beleeue and to be willing is ours but to giue to the beleeuers and willers power to worke well by the holy Ghost that is Gods But he acknowledged afterward this error Lib. 1. cap. 23. passim lib. de praedest sanct and amended it in his retractions and elsewhere where he sheweth at large that not onely faith increased but also begunne in vs is Gods gift the grace of the caller preuenting our wil that we may be willing according to the sayings who first gaue to him he shal recompence him because of him Rom. 1â— Paul 1. and through him and in him are all things To you it is giuen not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake He saith simplie to beleeue not more perfectly to beleeue Rom. 12. Like as that is to the Ro. God hath distributed to euery one a measure of faith Also to the Ephe. Yee are saued by grace through faith Ephes 2. and this is not of your selues it is the gift of God that is eueÌ„ that which I said through faith is not of our selues but is the gift of God The same Apostle saith we are not fit to thinke any thing 2. Cor. 3. as of our selues then not so much as to beleeue because to beleeue is nothing els than to thinke with assente To beleeue what it is Also chap. 4. of the 1. Epistle What hâ—st thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued why doest thou brag Phil. 2. as though thou hadst not receiued Expressely also it is said of the will that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe of his good will his doubtles and not ours Therefore it remaineth firme that the will is preuented of God and that from him it is in â—â—â—led into vs that we doe beleeue Obiection But thou wilt say Gods giftes are giuen to such as pray and prayer presupposeth faith Therefore man of himselfe bringeth faith at the least the beginning of it that he may be capable of grace and the giftes of God Answere But the Maior is particular seeing God giueth some things euen to them that pray not as the beginning of faith other things no otherwise than by prayer And thus Augustine answereth this doubt chap. 16. de bono perseu alijs locis The 2. error of the Papists works of preparation Thirdly there be inuented of certaine men works I know not what morally good whereby a man before faith and repentance prepareth himselfe to grace yea deserueth grace de congruo of conueniencie as they speake And that would they prooue by the example of Cornelius who was endued with the knowledge of Christ while the Lorde respected his prayers and almes By these mens opinion that wicked sentence is maintained Aug. de praedest sanct cap 2. con 2. ep Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 19. which Pelagius himselfe in his episcopall iudgement in Palestine condemned albeit with an hypocriticall heart to wit that the grace of God is giuen according to our deserts Beside when the Apostle saith who hath seuered thee What hast thou that thou hast not receiued by these mens opinion I may say my worke doeth seuer me my endeuour Ephe 2. Heb. 11. and merite What that the scripture teacheth that we are all dead in offences sinnes before faith that without this it is impossible that we or our workes should please God Tell me I pray what good will had Paul and not rather a great wicked wil that breathing forth slaughter went forward destroying Christians in the horrible blindenesse of his minde By what merites of his will by what preparation of works did God conuert him from these euils to faith In like maner how many enemies of Christ dayly are drawen of a suddaine by the secert grace of God to Christ Lastly the
Apostle cryeth Tit. 3. Not through the works of righteousnes which wee haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs. Wherefore away with such preparations whereby men are supposed to dispose themselues for grace that they may be ingrafted into Christ De praede sanct cap. 6. Augustine plainely reciteth this error reprouing the common talke of men saying This or that man therefore deserued to beleeue because hee was good before he beleeued As for the example of Cornelius he there answereth that hee was not wholly void of faith The faith of Cornelius For how should he call vpon him in whom he did not beleeue How were his praiers and almes without faith acceptable before God yet afterward by Peters ministery he beleeued in Christ that now hee might knowe the sonne of God incarnate and might receiue the sacrament of regeneration The last error about vocation whereof wee speake The 4. error making effectuall calling to be in mans power and will is the error of certaine men that extenuate the effecacie of it as though the effect thereof were in the power of a man that if he will not God should call in vaine Yea if a man will not and goeth on to resist grace that is offered him it is most certaine that he is not as yet partaker of this calling Ioh. 6. For Christ witnesseth that this calling is most effectual Euery one that hath heard learned of the father commeth vnto me De praedest sanct cap. 8. They that heare and learne of God do come but they that come not wheÌ„ they are called haue neither heard nor learned of God Which wordes Augustine considering saith If euery one that hath heard of the father and hath learned commeth truely euery one that doeth not come hath neither heard nor learned For if he had heard and learned he would come For not any one hath heard and learned that commeth not but euery one as saith the trueth who hath heard and learned commeth This grace therefore which of the diuine bountifulnes is secretly giueÌ„ to the hearts of men is refused of no hard heart For therefore it is giuen that the hardnes of the heart might first of all be taken away according to the saying I will take from you a stonie heart and giue you a fleshly Looke vpon the same Augustine ad Simpl. li. 1. quaest 2. The effect of Gods mercie saith he cannot be in mans power that he should in vaine shew mercy if man will not Mans will cannot resist Gods call nor make his mercie in vaine because if he please to haue mercie on theÌ„ that resist him he is able so to call them as they may most fitly be mooued and may vnderstand and so followe him For albeit he calleth many yet he hath mercy on them whom he so calleth as it is fittest for theÌ„ to be called that they may follow neither hath hee mercie on any in vaine Therefore they are elected who are so called that they refuse not him that calleth them the rest are not elected because they doe not followe although they be called The same doctrine of the efficacie of this calling Luther notably confirmeth lib. de serm arbit cap. 45. Question Therefore when the question is often asked why when many heare the same word all of them are not so called that they obey their calling Answere it is not fitly answered of some because they will not For if the faithfull therefore beleeue because they are willing God hath not giuen them faith but by their willingnes they haue giuen it to themselues Some obey their calling because God maketh them willing Aug cant duaâ— epist Pelag. cap. 19. No man surely can beleeue but hee is willing thereto for howe should a man beleeue against his will But hee maketh him willing of an vnwiller who when hee draâ—eth vs wee come to Christ Therefore the elect are sundri wayes drawen to bee willing by him who knoweth inwardly to worke in the very hearts of men not that men should beleeue against their will which cannot be but that of vnwilling persons they might be made willing Question 2 Aug. de praedest saâ—nct cap. 8. 9. But why doeth he not so draw all Answere Because he hath mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will by his most iust iudgemeÌ„t doubtles because there is no vniustice in God For who so beleueth that by one man all are iustly condemned he vnderstandeth that God shal not be iustly blamed albeit he deliuer not one from thence and therefore that it is his great grace that many are deliuered and let them acknowledge in them that are not redeemed what was due to themselues that they that reioice may reioice not in their owne merites which they see equall to them that are damned but in the Lord. Question 3 And why he draweth this man doth not draw that his iudgements are vnsearchable and his wayes past finding out Therefore be vnwilling to iudge of this thing if thou wilt not erre saith Augustine in a place vpon Saint Iohn CHAP. XV. Other effects of election i. Iustification and glofication where also is intreated of the perseuerance of the Elect. The 3. effect of election Iustification BVt of vocation inough I come to the third principall effect of election to wit Iustification For by the testimonie of Paul Whom hee calleth them hee also iustifieth And how necessary this benefite is to the elect for the obtaining of their appointed ende of life and heauenly glory it is manifest to euery one For seeing we are all vnder sinne and for sinne are guiltie of wrath and eternall damnation we cannot see the kingdome of heauen vnles we be absolued from sins What it is to be iustified and accounted iust before God by the free forgiuenesse of them And this is nothing els than to bee iustified as the word is here taken So Paul Rom. 4. defineth iustification by the imputation of righteonsnesse And this he teacheth to consist in the forgiuenes of sinnes alleaging hereunto the testimonie of Dauid Psalme 32. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Iustification diuersly taken in Scripture Otherwise diuersly the word Iustification is taken in the scriptures For one while it signifieth the acknowledging and declaring of one to be good and righteous that is such a one in deed as that God is said to bee iustified in his sayings Psal 58. Luke 6. vers 29. 39. And Luke sheweth that the people when they heard Christ iustified God And Christ saith that wisedome is iustified of her children Another while it signifieth to be endued with inherent righteousnes by the infusion of new qualities and by good workes As Apoc. 22. it is written He that hurteth let him hurt as yet and he that is iust let him bee iustified as yet Thirdly
eternall fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels And chap. 10. of Matth. Chap. 10. Feare not them that kill the bodie but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who is able to destroy the bodie and soule in hell 2. Pet. 2. 2. Pet. 2. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished If therefore the damnation of hell be the worke of God he hath also foreknowne that is predestinated from euerlasting them Fulgent lib. 1. 2. ad Moâ—â—â— vpon whom he will inflict the same For his predestination is the preparation of his workes which in his eternall decree he did foreknow that he would either in mercie or iustice bring to passe Apoc. 20. Apoc. 20. The bookes were opened and iudgement was giuen of euery one according to their workes and he that was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire What that the reprobates are called vessels of wrath and prepared for destruction For to bee a vessell of wrath as Augustine expoundeth is Epist 10â— for a man to be appointed to be punished for sinnes What a vessell of wrath is who was created for the benefit of nature And Fulgentius saith Hereunto God formed the vessels of wrath whereunto he predestinated them that is not to sinne but to destruction for sinne Therefore the destruction of them that perish is the worke of God reprobating them and therefore it is the effect of reprobation Obiection 1 But thou wilt say Perdition is to bee ascribed to themselues that perish as Hos 13. saith Thy perdition is of thy self O Israel but onely in me is thy helpe Answere That is true speaking of the fault and not of the punishment For they that are damned haue in themselues the fault deseruing damnation but it is his part to punish that iudgeth the world who can tell how to condemne iniquitie but not to doe it And this is the meaning of the Prophet that God doth not punish but for sins which men haue of themselues as for deliuerance from sinne it commeth from him freely Obiection 2 and not for any workes As Paul also saith The reward of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesu Christ our Lord. Those sayings also are wont to bee obiected God made not death Wisd 1. 2. Eze. 18. Through the enuie of the deuill death came into the world Againe I will not the death of him that dieth c. But here with a deafe eare wee must not forget what elsewhere wee reade Eccles 11. Wisd 16. Deut. 32. that death and life good and euill come of God Which shew of contrarietie to take away we must vnderstand that death as well as life may bee vnderstood not two only but also three maner of waies For in the first man God created both the soule and flesh also immortall But while man sinned Three deaths of the soule bodie and hel the soule dyed and that death of the soule to wit sinne is the beginning and cause of another double death corporall and infernall The sacred Scriptures call it the first and second death Therfore God made not the death of the soule because he made not sinne but the deuill is the author of it by suggesting of sinne and by consequence he is the author also of the other kindes of death which arise from sinne to wit in respect of the vehement stirring vp of it and not that he hath power to punish as God hath Augustine distinctly saith Cont. Iulian. lib. 7. cap. 7. The deuill the deceiuer of man is the cause of death which God inflicted not as the first author but as the punisher of sinne Some vnderstand the place of the Prophet Ezechiel of that death of the soule as Fulgentius I will not the death of a sinner others referre it to the punishment of sinne vsing the distinction of the will of God hidden and reuealed So Luther de ser arbit cap. 109. He will not the death of a sinner to wit by his word while by the word of saluation he commeth to all and so he will haue all men to bee saued But he willeth the same by his vnsearchable will Which will saith he in the same booke chap. 107. is not to be searched into but with reuerence to be aâ—ored as the highest secret of Gods maiestie Againe He will not the death of him that dieth simply and as it bringeth destruction but as it is a punishment for the Lord delighteth not in the perdition of the liuing Wisâ— 1.13 as it is written But he is the punisher of sinners Now as touching the matter of forsaking blinding Of forsaking hardening and blinding Rom. 9. 11. and hardening I will produce a few testimonies of many Wee reade in the sacred Scriptures He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth The elect haue obtained it but the rest were hardened as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see cares that they should not heare See the prophesie of Esay 29. vers 10. and chap. 6. Goe and say to the children of Israel In hearing ye shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceiue harden the hearts of this people and make their heires heauie and smeere ouer their eyes least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and so bee conuerted and I should heale them Which prophesie S. Iohn alleadging affirmeth Ioh. 12. that the Iewes beleeued not in the Lord albeit they had seene many signes neither that they could beleeue because he had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts To the same vnbeleeuing Iewes the Lord said Ioh 10. Ye doe not beleeue for ye are not of my sheepe My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Againe to his disciples Matth. 13. To you saith he it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen but to others it is not giuen therefore in parables I speake vnto them Neither came it to passe without cause that in so many hundred yeares before the comming of Christ Acts 14. no light of sauing doctrine was reuealed to the Gentiles but as Paul witnesseth the liuing God that made heauen and earth passing ouer the former ages suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies vntill the comming of the time of grace he was found of them that sought him not And in Israel that was fulfilled that the Prophet saith Esay 65. All the day long I haue stretched out my hands vnto a rebellious and gainsaying people By these things it is euident that they that were not ordained to life are also reiected from the grace of faith and conuersion and are
among other things these he mentioneth Rom. 1. Therefore that is for a recompence of their error God gaue them vp into shamefull affections and into a rebate mind to do the things that were not conuenient being full of all vnrighteousnes fornication wickednes coueteousnes c. 2. Thess 2. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued God sent vnto them a strong force of error that they might beleeue a lye Isa 19. God hath cast among them the spirite of error and they haue seduced Egipt And chapter 63. why hast thou made vs O Lord to erre from thy waies hast thou hardened our hearts that we should not feare thee 1. King 22. By Gods commaundement and in his iudgement a lying spirite went forth to seduce Achab by the false Prophets He doth these things after a wonderfull and vnspeakeable maner Augustine saith Augustine who knoweth how to worke his iust iudgements not onely in the bodies but also in the harts of men who maketh not euill wills but vseth them as he will seeing he cannot will any thing vniustly Cypr ser de â—rat dom in 5 petit Cyprian also vpon the petitioÌ„ Lead vs not into teÌ„ptation or as he readeth Suffer vs not to be lead c. writeth that the aduersarie can do nothing against vs vnles God before hath permitted him The diuell hath power against vs in two respects and thence is power giuen him and that that euill one hath power against vs in two respects either to punishment when we haue sinned or els to glory when wee are tryed Which thing in so many wordes welneere our Augustine expresseth De serm Dom. in monte lib. 2. Temptations saith he are made by Sathan not by his authority but by Gods sufferance either to punish men for their sins or els to proue and exercise them of Gods mercy Therefore by all these proofes a man may after a sorte perceiue Gods hardening is not only permission but also the operation of his wrath that hardening when in the Scriptures it is attributed to God signifieth not onely permission but also the operation of Gods wrath for that I may say nothing of outward things which make to the induration of reprobates the deuill himselfe who worketh mightily in the children of disobedience is so in the power of God that he doth nothing but at his commaundement God is the reuenger and not the author of sinne And this is diligently to bee marked that whether by forsaking or by any other waie that maÌ„ can shew or not shewe God who is most highly good and vnspeakeably iust doth exercise such kind of iudgements he is not the author but the reuenger of crimes while he punisheth one sin with another For we seeke for the merite of mercie saith Augustine and we find it not Ad Sixtum Epist 105. because there is none least grace should bee made of none effect if it be not giuen freely but rendred for deserts But we seeke for the merite of hardening and we find it For for good cause the whole lumpe of sin is condemned from the first beginning of it Rom. 5. and as age increaseth so wickednes thereupon groweth through a mans owne will and thereupon also damnation Therefore the Scriptures rehearse deliuering vp into euil lustes and efficacie of error and such like as the scourges of Gods wrath and the iust recompence of reward Obiection But God worketh thou saist hardnes of heart But hardnes of heart is sin for what is it els than to resist the commaundement of God as Stephen cast the Iewes in the teeth Therefore God worketh sin Answere 1 Answere First God worketh not hardnes of hart as hath been said by instilling malice but by forsaking and deliuering vp to the lusts of the hart to the deuil himselfe Answere 2 Secondly Contra Iul. pel lib. 5. cap. 3. in the Minor there is a fallacie of the accident For as Aug. teacheth the hardnes of heart as manie other things may be considered three manner of waies to wit as it is sin as it is the punishment of former sinnes Hardnes of heart taken three waies and as it is the cause of sinnes following namely when through the error of a blind heart some euill is committed And these diuerse respects concurre accidentally in one and the same worke Therefore as farre forth as hardnes whereof wee speake is a sin it is the worke of man and the deuill and it is Gods worke no otherwise than as it is apunishment For hee is the author of euery punishment of sinne whatsoeuer it be because euery punishment of sin as it is such is good because it is iust But God is not the author of sin because it is euill And God is exceeding good and iust and cannot be the author of an euill and vniust thing as it is written Thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickednes Psalm 5. Lib. 5. Stromat And Clemens Alexandrinus citeth out of the Poet Iupiter who raigneth ouer the Gods and beholdeth all things is not the cause of euils to mortall men Hereupon dependeth an answere to an other obiection also Obiection 2 That if God hardens men they that sin They that be hardened haue no defence for it and that for two causes seeme to be made excusable For who may resist his will Answere But for two causes no place of defence or shift is left for such as be hardened First because the merit of induratioÌ„ sticketh fast in themselues as we haue seene Secondly they themselues wittingly and willingly harden their owne heart against Gods commaundement and indurate themselues as of Pharao not onely it is written that God hardened him Exod. 8. Wisd 2. but also that he hardened his owne heart And the wiseman witnesseth that the wicked erre because their own malice blindeth them For through malice they shut their owne eyes least they should see and stop their eares least they should heare like the deafe adder that stoppeth her eare Psalm 58. least she should heare the voice of the charmer CHAP. XVIII Whether God hath predestinated the infidelitie of the reprobates and sinnes in generall ANd these things of the effectes of reprobation But here further the question was wont to be asked i. Whethetr reprobates as they are said to be predestinated to suffer damnation for sins so also be predestinated to sins theÌ„selues infidelitie and others whereby they draw damnation vpon themselues or no And generally whether God predestinated any man to sin Some men surely feare not to auouch it as not repugnant vnto the trueth Anselme lib. de Concord gra lib. â—ib nor inconuenient Of which opinion is Anselme Bishop of Canterbury who was famous in the yeere 1060. for he boldlie affirmeth that there is a predestination not only of good things but may be said also to be of euill things after a sort because euill
doubt of my continuance to the end For he that beleeueth to wit continually to the end he shall be saued But if any man withdrawe himselfe my heart doth not approue him saith the Lorde Answere Vnto this exception concerning finall perseuerance ought to be opposed the cleare and vndoubted promises of God not onely of his grace for the present but also of finall perseuerance therein of all true beleeuers such as these be Him that commeth vnto me and the beleeuers come I will not cast forth Ioh. 6. Gods promises of present grace the finall perseuerance Also This is the will of him that sent me that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life And I will raise him vp at the last day Againe Ioh. 10. I know my sheepe and they shall not perish for euer neither shall any take them out of my hand And Christs sheepe bee such as heare his voice that is doe truly beleeue Againe Ioh. 14. I will praie to the father and he will giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer Luke 22. And I haue praied for thee Simon Peter that thy faith faile not And he praied for all both for such as then beleeued and also for those that should beleeue afterward Rom. 8. And Paul saith To them that loue God all things worke for the best In all things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. God is faithfull 1. Cor. 10. who doth not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength but will graunt with the temptation an issue that ye may be able to beare it I am perswaded Phil. 2. that he that hath begun in you this good worke will performe it euen to the day of Iesu Christ What place is here to speake as Cyprian doth of anguish and carefull thought who is fearefull and full of griefe considering these sayings but hee that lacketh faith and hope If thou be righteous and liue by faith if thou truely beleeuest in God why doest thou not securely imbrace the promise of the Lord God hath promised thee perseuerance and doest thou doubt and wauer Whereas certaine places of Scripture and examples of backsliders that are mentioned to haue had faith are wont to be alleaged to the contrary we haue answered elsewhere vnto them least we should do one thing twise The third way remaineth Three waies whereby a man may know his election The seale of the spirite in our hearts whereby God reuealeth vnto his Saints his election of them to wit by the seale of the holie Ghost in our hearts according vnto the saying Ephesians 1. After ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill we bee restored to libertie c. And chapter 4. Grieue not the spirite whereby ye are sealed vnto the daie of redemption 2. Cor. 1. It is God who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of the spirit in our heartes Behold the spirit of God who is giuen to all the faithfull of Christ for who so hath not the spirit of Christ Rom. 8. the same man is not his in steed of Gods seale and certaine earnest penny and who maketh vs sure of our inheritance in heauen and consequently that our names also are written in heauen in the booke of life To this ende those most sweet sentences belong whereby these metaphores are elsewhere expounded 1. Ioh. 4. Hereby we knowe that we dwell in God and he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his spirit 1. Cor. 2. We haue receiued from God the spirit that we may knowe what things are freely giuen vs of God Romans 8. If his spirit that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And there followeth in that Chapter a right golden place and very diligently to be weighed in this whole matter If ye mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit ye shall liue saith hee For as many as are lead by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For he haue not receaued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba father which spirit beareth witnesse together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and if sonnes then heires also euen the heires of God and coheires with Christ The Apostles demonstration is in this sort Whosoeuer are the sonnes of God shall obtaine the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen For if we be sonnes we be heires also But whosoeuer are guided by the holy spirite are the sonnes of God Therefore whosoeuer are guided by the holy spirite shall obtaine the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen The Assumption is proued three maner of wayes in the text 1. Because it is the part of the spirit of adoption to seale adoption in the regenerate for of these he speaketh Otherwise it is manifest that there be many gifts of the holy Ghost common to the godly and vngodly to the elect and reprobates 2. When he saith by whom we cry Abba Father hee proueth the same thing by the confession of the godly who call vpon God as their father as also wee are taught of the Lord in the beginning of that Christian prayer Our Father which art in heauen This the godly say and cry not so much in sound of voyce as in the intention of the heart which ariseth of that confidence that agreeth with the sonnes of God 3. Lest a man peraduenture might suspect that wee are deceiued in our confession he confirmeth the same thing by the witnesse of the holy Ghost For the spirite it selfe witnesseth that we are the sons of God that not in the eares of men as the father did wittnes of his sonne Matt. 3. but in the hart of man because elsewhereas the Apostle writeth the loue of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. Za. 12. The witnes of the spirit is most sure and why 1. Cor. 2. Ioh. 16. Ephe. 2. who is giuen vnto vs. Whereupon he was called of the Prophet the spirite of grace because he beareth witnesse of the grace and mercy of God in our mindes And there is nothing surer than this testimonie of the spirite For the spirite of God is not deceiued Who searcheth all things euen the deepe secrets of God neither doth he deceiue because hee is true and leadeth into all trueth These things concerning the reuealing of election are gathered out of the worde of God and are euident Hub. thes 11â—6 Therefore we are falsly accused of some as though we coueted to approach vnto election without the word of God Against this slaunder we openly professe that laying aside all curiositie By Gods word onely we must seeke to finde cut our election and so Caluin and Luther