ashes but yet it continueth in the heart The fish may be in the water though she floate not alwayes aloft There is sap in the roote when the leaues are faine off and the top naked and in appearance withered So faith liueth though it haue lost some signes of life The Sâ—â—ne and the Moone may be indeed eclipâ—eâ—â— euen so the eye of faith may be dimmed But as the Sun and Moone do not perish in their eclipses nor lose their light for euer euen so faith doth not perish when it is eclipsed It may indeede receiue a buffâ—t whereby it may as it were reele and stagger and fall to the ground and there for a time lye like a man in a â—woone or fit of the falling sicknes but it cannot dye because God the welâ—pâ—ing as well of spirituall life as of naturall will neuer forsake it The Thâ—mâ—s may suffer an ebbe but it is not stâ—rke dry at any time so faith may come to a very low ebbe but yet it will haue water alâ—â—yes in the bottome As a great riuer may befrozen ouer with hard ice for a time and so couered with snow as that it seemeth rather a Rock then a Riuer or like to other ground euen so faith may be as it were frozen ouer with thicke yâ—e and so hild with the snow of sinne as that it may not bee seene at all for a time But as there is water in the Riuer which is deepe notwithstanding the frost though it be not seene euen so there is life in faith though for a time it do not appeare But when the weather is broken when the holy Ghost begins to make a thawe with the fresh fire of his grace when the South wind blowes hard and when the Sunne of righteousnes hath melted the ice then Faith will appeare and flow amayne as a Riuer after rayne and as the waters do after a thawe Then grace which was couered before will shine bright and cleare as the Sunne doth after a showre as is euident by the repentance of Dauid and Peter Moreouer our Sauiour sayeth that his sheepe shall i Iohn 10. 28. neuer perish The k Isa. 40. 11. Lord sayth Esay shall feede his flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome Hee l Psal. 23. 2. maketh them to rest in greene pastures and leadeth them by the still waters m Psa. 41 12. He vpholdeth them in their integrity and doth set them before his face for euer As n Zach. 4. 9. Zerubbabel layed the foundation of the Temple and did finish it so o Phil. 1. 6. God that hath begun his good worke in the temple of our hearts will finish it vnto the end They can not be taken from him by strong hand p Iohn 10 29 30. For hee is greater then all and his will to saue them is answerable to his power therefore hee sayth q Iohn 10 28. Hee giueth vnto them euerlasting life adding also that none shall pluck them out of his hands Master Tindaâ— sayth well Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds neither canst thou be damned except he be damned with thee They cannot perish by seduction for the Elect cannot be r Mat. 24. 24. seduced Neither can they of themselues fall away For s Iere. 32. 40. God hath put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him A man may for a time cease to laugh but he cannot lose the faculty of laughing The drunkard loseth sometimes the vse of reason but the faculty neuer so the graces of God may be crazed but yet they are not vtterly abolished Finally God forsaketh not them For his loue is t â—â—re 31. 3. euerlasting those whom he loueth once he u Ioh. 13. 1. loueth to the end w Rom. 8. 39. Nothing can separate vs from hiâ— loue It is like the x Deut. 29. 〈◊〉 Israeâ—ites shooes which waxed not old It is like the tree of life he that once truly tâ—stâ—th of it shall not dye eternally As a Father doth not reiect his Child when he hath broken his face by falling but rather seekes a playster he will it may be lash him but he will not leaue to loue him Euen so our heauenly Father dealeth with his Children For he hath sayd that hee will y Iere. 32. 40. neuer depart from them to do them good hee z Heb. 13 6. will not faile them nor forsake them but a 1. Thess. 5. 23 24 will saâ—ctifie them throughout and keepe them sâ—fe vnto the comming of Christ. Indeed our enemies may wound vs but they shall not win they may vex vs but they shall not vanquish they may perhaps presse vs but they shall not oppresse vs they may cut vs but they cannot kill vs. For GOD who is greater then all will not suffer vs to be 1. Cor. 10. 13. Psa 127 4. Priuil 30. Ioh. 1. 12 Math. 14 31. Rom. 4. 20. 2. Cor. 5. 1. tempted aboue our power and is very vigilant for vs. For he that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth The Elect may assuredly be perswaded in this life that they shall be saued in the life to come For a speciall and certaine perswasion of Gods mercy is the very heart and marow the life and soule of true faith Therefore Paul sayth We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God that is an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens Furthermore if it be not possible for men to know that they shal be saued how could Saint Iohn say These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life To conclude if it were impossible for a man to be in his conscience assured that hee is the elect and faithfull seruant of God effectually called in time ordeâ—ned to glory before time to what end should Dauid inquire who of all professors are the true meÌ„bers Psal. 15. of the Church miliâ—aÌ„t on earth and shall be of the Church triumphant in the heauens and to what end shuld he set down y â— marks wherby they may be discerned And to what purpose should Paul exhort vs to prooue our selues whether we are in the faith Or why should he speake after this maner vnto vs Know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you 2. Cor. 13. 5. 2. Peâ— 1. 10. except ye be reprobates And wherefore should Peter bid vs be diligent to make our calling election sure It remaineth therfore as an vndoubted truth that the elect may be truly assured of their election and may assuredly know without speciall reuelation that they shall be saued Now this is a very great prerogatiue and the greater first because it may be iuioyed to the end secondly because the longer it is inioyed
message which they haue heard of Christ. And it is to be noted that by this distinction they doe consesse that God hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling to euery man Obiect I. The promise of the seed of the woman is made in Adam to all and to euery man Answer It is made to Adam's posterirle indefinitely not vniuersallie When saluation is promised to all men all De vocat gent. statuit lib. 1. cap. 3. men are named for a part of men The heads of the nations Cain Cham Esan c. knew the promised Messiah but those which came after knew him not neither had they the meanes how to know him So saith Isaias Me haue they not knowne of me haue Jsai 52. 66. they not heard The nations also next adioyning to the Iewes peraduenture heard somthing and had Proselytes but the nations a fat off seated in the vttermost parts of the earth had no affaires with the Iewes and no Proselytes And therefore it is false which some affirme to wit that the chusing of the people of Israel was onely a kind of greater curtesie shewed to this nation or a more gentle entreating of it and no peculiar and diuers fauour whereby hee shewed himselfe to be their father and redeemer onely And to make or maintaine a hidden and inuisible Church among the Gentiles before the comming of Christ is altogether to contend against y â— word God is only knowne in Iudah The Israelites onely are called my Psal. 76. People in Hosea And they only were Hos. 1. Christs sheepfold because Christ when hee Ephes. 2. 14. Iob. 10. 16. came made one sheepfold of the Iewes and Gentiles Obiect II. There is infolded in Gods prouidence that care of God touching all those things which concerne the blessednesse of man But the Gentiles knew this prouidence of God and that his goodnes was so great that hee would passe by nothing which might make for the happinesse and saluation of man Therefore the Gentiles did after a sort obscurely and by an infolded knowledge know the doctrine concerning the redemption of mankind Answer This faith of things vnknowne is a â—â—cere siction For faith of the owne nature is a certaine knowledge Moreouer although the generall doe include in it selfe the species or kinds and the whole his members yet hee which knoweth the generall and the whole doth not by and by know all the kinds and parts thereof The mind may so know the generall that yet for all that it may in the meane time bee ignorant of the speciall kinds thereof Wee must therefore beware of the Schoolemens opinion who say that saluatioÌ„ was giuen before Christs comming for the implicite or infolded faith concerning the redeemer in generall namely when men did beleeue that there is a God and that hee is a rewarder and the giuer of all gifts which concerne the good either of soule or bodie especially the remedie of sinne But this is nothing else then to imagine a certaine sauing faith Church which hath no word of God at all either written or any other way reuealed Furthermore this is to accuse Paul of falsehood who teacheth the 1. Cor. 1. 21. contrarie in these words Seeing the world by wisedâ—me know not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue It is also most certaine that wee ought to know Christ the redeemer in speciall This is Iob. 17. 3. life eternall that they know thee to be the only very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The same affirme the auncient fathers Ireneus They being ignorant of that Lib. de haeres 3. c. 21. Emmanuel who is borne of the Virgin are depriued of his gift which is life eternall Hietome We cannot bee his sonnes before Jn Eph. 1 vnlesse wee receiue the faith and vnderstanding of his son Iesus Christ. Augustine saith that those which were iust in old time whatsoeuer they were were deliuered onely by that faith whereby we are deliuered to wit by the faith of Christs incarnation Againe What trueth soeuer thou saâ—â—t was in those which Lib. 2. cont 2. epist. Pel. cap. 21. were iust in old time the faith only of the mediatour saueth them who shed his bloud for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Obiect III. a PropositioÌ„ The power of God is known vnto the Gentils Rom. 1. b Aâ—â—iâ—mptio Christ is the power of God c Conclusion Therefore Christ is knowne to the Gentils Answer I distinguish of the proposition The power of God is either the power of creation or of redemption The power of God in the creation was knowne vnto the Gentiles but not the power of God in the redemption which is Christ himselfe the preaching of whom is foolishnesse vnto the world Obiect IIII. The fathers say that sauing grace is vniuersall First I answere that the sayings of the fathers are to bee vnderstood of the grace of the last time which is common to all men and nations Ireneus The Lord hath reconciled vs in the De haeres lib. 5. cap. 17 last times by his incarnation being made a mediatour betweene God and man reconciling the father vnto all giuing vnto vs that coÌ„uersion which is to our Creatour Origen saith God hath a greater care to saue Hom. 20 in Num. men then the diuell hath to destroy them The onely begotten the sonne of God himselfe I say is present with vs hee defendeth keepeth and draweth vs vnto himselfe for he saith in another place When I shal be lifted vp I will draw all things vnto me Chrysostome Grace is shed abroad ouer all it passeth by and disdayneth neither Iew nor Grecian nor Barbarian nor Soythian it is alike affected vnto all it sheweth it selfe gentle vnto all it calleth all with equall honour and lee those who neglect the helpe of grace ascribe this their blindnesse vnto themselues For considering that a way to enter in lieth open vnto al and is forbidden to none some desperately wicked doe refuse to enter through their owne corruption Cyrill saith He is the true Lib. 1. in Job cap. 15. light and sendeth forth his brightnesse vnto all but as Paul saith the God of this world hath blinded the minds of vnfaithfull men that the light of Gods knowledge may not shine in them Ambrose The earth is full of Serm. 8. in Psal. 1 18. the mercie of God because pardon of sinnes is giuen vnto all The mysticall sonne of righteousnesse is risen vnto all is come vnto all hath suffred for all and hath risen againe for all And if any beleeue not in Christ he depriues himselfe of this generall benefit Hee shutteth out the grace of common light from himselfe Gregorie saith The â—edioine which In Iob. l. 35. cap. 14. is from God meeteth vs in euery place because hee hath both giuen vnto man commandements not to sinne and
Cities that haue beene are and shall be can not shew such dignities such royalties and such immunities giuen them by man as I haue shewed to belong to Gods Elect and obedient children The consideration of these benefits and priuiledges should mooue vs First to acknowledge and lawd Gods infinite loue Secondly in way of thankefulnes to dedicate our soules and bodyes and all that we haue vnto GOD. Thirdly to admire the condition of Gods children Fourthly to be afrayd to disgrace them whom the Lord doth so grace and countenance Fiftly to vndergoe couragiously all aduerse blasts and all the crosses of this life Sixtly to alienate our hearts from the world Seuenthly to roll our care vpon God and to rely vpoÌ„ his prouidence Eightly to desire the comming of Christ and not to feare death too múch The sooner we dye the sooner we come to our crownes Lastly the coÌ„sideration of these benefits and priuiledges should stir vs vp to seeke by all meanes to be enrolled amongst them and neuer to rest till we be in some measure certaine certainly perswaded that we are elected and preordained to saluation WheÌ„ Ahashuerosh had honoured Mordecai and shewed fauour vnto the Iewes the Scripture sayth Hest. 8. 7 that much people of the land became Iewes So seeing the Lord hath thus dignified the Elect let vs behaue our selues like them and labour to be accounted of their company Claudius Lysias gaue a great summe of money for the freedome Act. 22. 28. of the Romanes how much more ought we to seeke for these freedomes and royalties which do more surpasse the other then the heauen doth the earth and the precious pearle doth the poorest pibble They are not indeed to be named or compared together and yet these may be had without money though they can not be had by money And thus much for the Priuiledges I come now briefly to set downe the notes of Election vnto life and to shew how a man may come to be truly perswaded in his conscience that he shall be saued Let a man that would attaine to the knowledge of his election vnto saluation 1. heare the word of God often and attentiuely For faith whereby wee Rom. 10. 17. are perswaded of Gods speciall grace vnto vs is ordinarily wrought by hearing of the word preached 2. Let him wage warre with his infidelity and let him not listen to Sathan tempting him to doubting or desperation 3. Let him beware of pride and presumption neither trusting to his owne goodnes nor obliuious of Gods infinite iustice 4. Let him often and earnestly pray for this benefit and desire that GOD would giue him his Spirit which may witnes with him that hee is the chosen childe of God 5. Let him reuerently receiue the Sacrament and meditate often of his Baptisme For the Sacraments are pledges of Gods loue and serue to increase our faith Hee that receiueth them with an honest and humble heart may assure himselfe of the remission of his sinnes and of the saluation of his soule Lastly let him expend and duly 6. Consider diligently Gods â—atherly d 〈◊〉 g with thee consâ—der the notes of Election to eternall life by the which a man may know that hee is ordâ—ined to be saued Noâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iaylour demaunding 〈◊〉 Paul and Silas what hee â—â—ould do to be â—â—â—ed they made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beâ—eeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Secondly Act. 16. 〈◊〉 â—â—ue oâ— our 〈◊〉 for theyr 〈◊〉 ty We know sayâ—h Iohn that we are transl 〈◊〉 d fâ—om death to life because we 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 14. loue the brethren Thirdly the feare of God whereâ—y wee are loth to offend him chiefly because we loue him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is the man that feareth Psa. â—12 1. the Lord 〈◊〉 Blessed then Elected 〈◊〉 y hâ—rty confeâ—sion and lothing of 〈◊〉 sâ—nnes He that confesseth and forsaketh Prou. 28 13. his sinnes shall finde mercy But God voucâ—â—afeth his speciall mercy only to his 〈◊〉 people Fifâ—ly confidence and affiancâ— in God O Lord of hosts blessed is Psal 84. 12. the man that 〈◊〉 in thee The condition of Reprobates is cuâ—â—ed â—he Apostle sayth Our confidence hath great Heb. 10. 35. recompence oâ— reward Sixtly sincere and true calling vpon the nâ—me of God For Paul sayth Whosoeuer shall call vpon Rom. â—0 13. the Name of the Lord shall be saued Seuenthly carefull and constant indeuâ—uring to keepe all â—he commandements of God â—oâ— Blessed are they that do hâ—â— Reuel 22. 14. commandements that their right may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the â—ity As the Lord promised to establish the kingdome of Salomon if 1. Chron. 28. 7. he did constantly indeuour 〈◊〉 keepe his commandements so the 〈◊〉 e Lord will establish vs for euer in the kingdome of heauen if we will indeuour constantly to serue and obey him Eightly pâ—â—ient bearing of affliction for the truths â—â—ke Blessed are they sayth Christ which suffer Math. 〈◊〉 10. persecution for righteousnes sâ—kâ— for theirs â—s the kingdome of heauen Nintâ—â—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nest and harty desire to be wâ—â—hed in the bloâ—d of Christ and to be inuâ—sted in the white robes of his righteousnesse Blessed Math. 5. 〈◊〉 are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled To him that Reuel 21. 6. is a thirst I will giue of the well of the water of life freely Tenthly Christian humilitie and pouertie of spirit when a man seemeth naked and base in his owne sight and ascribeth all to Gods grace Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Eleuenthly a lusting Math. 5. 3 and longing after the comming of Christ. Paul sayth that the righteous Iudge will giue a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 vnto all those that loue his appearing Twelfthy Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh the Lord who shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest on his holy mountaine and receiued answere as it were by oracle froÌ„ God that he shall who walks vprightly and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth froÌ„ his heart And Peter hauing coÌ„manded vs to make our election and calling sure addeth saying that if we do These things wee shall neuer fall but shall be sure and certaine Now 2. Pet. 1. 10. what these things are he sheweth to wit that we adorne our hearts and liues with 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. vertue knowledge teÌ„perance godlines loue To coÌ„clude he that is sure of his Adoption may be also certaine of his Election for none are adopted but such as are elected Now a man may know his Adoption if he find in himselfe the properties of an obedieÌ„t louing son I will set downe some 1. Property As a little child whether in learning good or leauing euill is either woon by a faire word or awed by a check or feared by a
frowning looke or allured by a trifling gift or stilled by seeing an other beateÌ„ before him or else quieted by a rod eueÌ„ so Gods childreÌ„ are either affected by his promises or allured by his mercies or awed by his threats or skared by his frowning couÌ„tenaÌ„ce or humbled by his correcting of others or by his rod which is vpoÌ„ their owne backs 2. A good and wise child is very desirous to know his fathers minde or will that so he may best know how to please humour him and such is y e disposition of Gods child Iob maketh it the note of a wicked maÌ„ to affect y â— ignoraÌ„ce Iob. 21. 14. of Gods waies 3. A good child knowing that he hath vniustly grieued his father will not be quiet till they be good friends againe 4. He laboureth to resemble his father in his rare and excellent vertues 5. Hee will beare a blow at his fathers hands though he skorne to put it vp at an other mans and wheÌ„ his father hath chidden or corrected him he will not run for comfort to his fathers desperate sworne enemies 6. He â—â—uiâ—th not a seruant or brother that is 〈◊〉 ore laborious and circumspect in his fathers businesse then himselfe is 7. He caryeth a thankful heart toward his father for his fatherly gifts 8. He is glad to know his fathers pâ—â—roâ—atiâ—es his lands leaâ—es if there be any specially if he be an h 〈◊〉 e. 9. He longeth to seâ— his father and to heare often of him in 〈◊〉 absence 10. He maketh much of those loue-tokens which his father hath giueÌ„ him to keep for a remembrance of him or for a signe of his loue 11. He cannot without griefe indure to see his father inâ—ured or abused by any 12. He hath a sp 〈◊〉 all regard of his fathers credit 13. He reioyceth at his fathers prosperity 14. He â—â—keth his fathers company he listeneth to his words loueth to talke vnto him 15. He loueth his mother entirely he affecteth his brethreÌ„ and sisters though it be but for his fathers sake 16. He hateth the fellowship of his fathers inturious and vniust enemies be is a friend to all his fathers faithfull friends he contemne nâ—t theâ— companies 17. He cleâ—â—eth vnto his father in the time of troâ—ble and doth not cast him off These are properties of gracious wife and godly childre◠〈◊〉 being applied to tâ—e purpose in 〈◊〉 â—hey are so many infallible notes of Godâ— dutifull and louing child Those which find them in their hearts liues may truly and infallibly assure themselues and know that they are the sons and daughters of God elected before the foundation of the world to euerlasting life and happinesse Those which after diligent search finde them not to be in them must not despaire though they may iustly indeed suspect and bewaile their estates but let them flye to the throne of grace with hungry hearts and incessantly desire faâ—our remembring also to vse all meanes whereby all these foresaid graces and gracious conditions may be generated nourished and augmented in them These things right Worshipfull and Beloued I haue here set downe as a Preface to the treatise following for your furtherance and encouragement and being the first fruits of my labours in this kind I do present and giue them vnto you in testimony of mine hearty loue and earnest desire of your Christian progresse in knowledge and in godlinesse The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make you perfect in all good works to do his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen Fauers-ham Iune 20. 1606. Your Worships in Christ Iesus Thomas Tuke Master Perkinses Epistle to the Reader THE doctrine of Predestination and Gods Grace is to be founded vpon the Written Word of God and not vpon the iudgements of men For as Hilarie sayth well God cannot be vnderstood but by God And De Triâ— lib. 5. againe Wee must learne of God what wee are to vnderstand of God because he is the only author of our knowledge of him It is also requisite that this Doctrine agree with the grounds of common reason and of that knowledge of God which may be obtained by the light of nature and such are these which follow 1. GOD is alwayes iust albeit men do not vnderstand how he 〈◊〉 must 2. GOD is not gouerned of much lesse doth he depend vpon second causes but doth â—ustly order them euen then when they worke 〈◊〉 3. GOD workâ—th 〈◊〉 ly to wit propounding vnto himself is certaine end he is ignorant of nothing he doth not 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 that which he cannot effect hee doth not â—dly behold what 〈◊〉 ll be or what may be done but hee dis 〈◊〉 th all things vnto his glory and therefore he hath 〈◊〉 to do so 4. GOD is not changed and those things which are changed are not changed 〈◊〉 his â—â—changeable decree all circumstances being certaine and sure 5. The 〈◊〉 and vnsearchable iudge 〈◊〉 s of GOD are to be honoured and acknowledged Augustine It 〈◊〉 me thou sayest that he perâ—sheth and another De verb. Apost 〈◊〉 11. is baptized it 〈◊〉 oueth me it moâ—ueth me as as man If thou wilt heare the truth it also 〈◊〉 th me because i am a man nut of thou bâ—â—st 〈◊〉 man I am also a man let vs both heare him that saith O man Verily if we be therefore mooued because we are men the Apostle speaketh to humane nature it self being weake and feeble saying O man Who art thou which pleadest against GOD Rom. 9. 20. Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus If a beast could speake and did say to God Why hast thou made him a man and me a beast mightest thou not iustly be angry and say O beast who art thou and thou art a man but in comparison of God thou art a beast 6. No good thing can be done vnlesse GOD doth absolutely will and worke it and we do that which is good so farre-forth as God doth worke in vs more or lesse 7. No euill can be auoyded vnlesse GOD do hinder it and we auoyd euill so farre-forth as God doth more or lesse hinder it 8. The will of GOD is knowne not only by the written word or by reuelation but also by the euent For that which commeth to passe doth therefore come to passe because God hath willed that it should come to passe 9. A man doth not that good thing which by grace he is able to do vnlesse God make him do it as he hath made him able to do it if he will 10. Not a part only but the whole gouernment of the world and the execution of iustice is to be ascribed to God as to the author I do now exhibit vnto
themselues but against their sinnes and this both within and without Within when hee maketh them to feele an accusing conscience witnessing that God is displeased and that they are made guiltie of death by their sinne Without when they taste of Gods anger against them in the outward chastisemeâ—â—s of the bodie And thus far they fall from his â—â—herly loue and are become the enemies of God after a sort I say Aâ—â—er a sort because God doth not lay downe his fatherlie affection and doth not alter his purpose of Adoption and eternall life Although the faithfull do fall away so much as 〈◊〉 h in them yet God remaineth a father in Christ and they also as touching right vnto eternall life remaine sonnes Ioh. 10. 28. They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand Here some doe say that the sheepe cannot be pluckt out but yet they may of their owne accore s 〈◊〉 cke away but without reason for the sheepe which reuolteth is pluckt away by the diuell when it doth reuolt And as he which continueth in Christs word is verily his disciple so he that doth not fall away but abides a sheepe is verilie a sheepe Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 10. 29. The gifts and calling of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Second grace is either imputed or inherent imputed is in iustification a part whereof is remission of sinnes And this remaineth and shall foy euer remaine sure as touching sinnes passed That saying of the Schoolemen is most true Sinnes once forgiuen continue so alwaies But when that any faithful man shall fall grieuously the pardon of that fall is granted in Gods decree notwithstanding no pardon is actually giuen of God nor receiued of maÌ„ vntill he doe repent yea if he should neuer repent which notwithstanding is impossible he should be damned as being guiltie of eternall death by this offence For there is no pardon of any new sinne without a new act of faith and repentance Inherent grace is either faith or the gift which followeth faith In sauing faith we must consider the act and the habit The act of faith is the very action of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprehending or an vnfained apprehension of Christ. Now this faith may be lost according to some act The very habit also or power of faith may in it selfe bee lost but by reason of confirming grace faith doth not perish as touching the essence thereof but it is lesned and abated according to some degree And hence it followeth that our communion with Christ may bee diminished but that our vnion cannot be dissolued There remained in Dauid after his fall the seed of true faith and regeneration as appeareth by his words Psal. 51. 11. Take not thy holy spirit from me It is also the iudgement of the Greg. lib. 25 in lob in Eleb Homil. 15. Tertull. lib. de Persec Chrysoft hom 2â— in Math. auncient fathers that the roote of faith in Peters fall was not taken away and abolished but only mooued and that it did as it were waxe drie that it was onely shaken and troden on and that it did not vtterly vanish Here also we are to giue eare a while to Gratian who consenteth with vs and to this purpose hath gathered many testimonies together out of the fathers Hath loue saith hee taken roote bee secure no euill can proceed Againe Loue doth vtterly Decret 2. pars c. 33. q. 3. sine de poenit d. 2. estrange the mind wherein it hath once taken possession from the delightes of the world Againe Loue is ioyned to God and vnited inseparably and is alwaies inuiâ—cible in all Againe Loue is an inuâ—sible vâ—ction which staâ—ds as it were in stead of a roote to him in whom sâ—â—uer it shall be which cannot wither though the s 〈◊〉 e doe parch whatsoeuer is r 〈◊〉 d is nourished with the heate of the 〈◊〉 and doth not wâ—rher Againe Hee lookes backe after the plough who after that hee hath begun to doe good workes returnes to euilâ— which he did forsake Which in no wise befalleth to the elect Againe All the elect doe so goe forward vnto good things that they do not returne to the committing of euill And againe The fitting and mouing of the spirit may be thus vnderstood For as touching some virtues it doth alwaies abide in the hearts of the Saints but according vnto other it comes as that which will returne and â—eturnes as purposing to come For as c 〈◊〉 ning faith hope and charitie and other graces without which it is not possible to come to that heauenly countrie as namely humilitie Chastitie iustice and mercie it neuer forsaketh their hearts that are vpright But as touching the vertue of prophecie the eloquence of doctrine and working of miracles it is sometimes present with the elect and sometimes it withdrawes it selfe The Schoolemen alledge Augustine to the contrary opinion where hee saith De cor grat cap. 6. 8. That doubtlesse if the man which is renewed and iustified doe fall backe by his owne will vnto an euill life he cannot say I haue not receiued because he hath by his owne free will vnto euill lost the grace of God which hee did receiue And againe That God doth not giue the gift of perseuerance vnto some of his Cap 9. children whom he did regenerate in Christ and to whom hee gaue faith hope and loue But he speaketh not these things of those which are indeede the sonnes of the promise but of those which are so called of vs and which beare the name and profession of sonnes Furthermore he speaketh of such as haue faith and loue in opinion and imagination and truely also as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching outward practise â—or Augustine in the same place hath so expounded his meaning We must beleeue that some of the Cap. 13. sonnes of perdition doe * He speaketh of the iustice of life and not of the inwarde righteousnes of the heart Tract 5. in Iob. epist. begin to liue and for a time faithfully and iustly in the faith that worketh by loue and afterwards fall Thirdly he speaketh of faith and loue as they are imperfect vertues and as it were lately sprung vp and not as they are sound perfect and true to wit as touching the truth of their essence So Augustine Loue is sprung vp within thee but it is not yet persiâ—ed doe not despaire but nourish it lest it be stiâ—â—ed And Gratian This loue which was an herbe in Peter before his deniall Ibid. cap. 24 and which springeth vp in euery one is lost and repaired before it be strengthened and made perfect And indeed for the manifesting of the truth of faith and loue there is required perseuerance by which it might bee knowne
operation of the spirit but in respect of the outward ministery of the Prophets It pleased Lumbard also to interpret this place How often would I haue gathered thy children and thou wouldst Lib. 1. dist 16. not thus So many as I haue gathered together I did it by my effectuall will thou being vnwilling Obiect III. Reuel 3. 20. I stand at the dore and knocke if any shall open it vnto me I will come in vnto him Therefore all at whose dore Christ knocketh haue sufficient grace whereby they are able to open if they will Hee is vnwise that knocketh at the dore if he know assuredly that there is no bodie within that is able to open it Answere This place fauoureth not vniuersall grace for these at whose dore Christ knocketh are chose which beleeue and are conuerted and hee knocketh at their hearts partly by his word partly by afflictions that hee might stir vp their languishing faith and increase and confirme his fellowship with them You may read the like in Cant. 5. 1. 2. Open vnto me my sister my loue my doue Tenthlie this platforme disagreeth with it selfe For it saith that God doth Error 10. conferre vnto all men all the helpes of nature and grace and that he is not wanting to any so but that he may obtaine saluation But I say and that out of this platforme that God is wanting to some offendors because he giueth them onlie a power to perseuere in faith if they will or if you had rather a power to will to perseuere Posse velle perseuerare and maketh theÌ„ not to perseuere actually and indeed And vnlesse this grace be giuen it is not possible that anie should obtaine saluation by perseuering For it is a most sure rule A man doth not that good thing which by grace he is able for to doe vnlesse God make him to doe it as he hath made him able to doe it if hee will Therefore hee to whom the verie act of perseuerance is not giuen being smitten with the violence of some grieuous temptation without delay will fall away from faith and shall bee damned Lastly this hypothesis or platforme is Error 11. but the varnishing and fresh trimming ouer of certain opinions which the Church in former ages did condemne The Pelagians taught that all men were redeemed Aug. cont Iul. Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 3. by Christ but not made free because god distributed his gifts according to the capablenes of theÌ„ which came to receiue them The same did Faustus the Pelagian also affirme How hath God saith he redeemed Lib. degrat lib. arb 1 cap. 16. all the world doe wee not see men to line still in their sinnes How shall wee thinke that they are ransomed whom wee doe see still to continue captiues Let vs gather that which is here mens by vsing a similitude as for example If any embassadour or priest purposing to make intercession for a citie taken by warre shall bestow a very great ransome and set free from his seruitude who is the chiefe Commander all the multitude which is in captiuitie in so much that they are altogether deliuered from all constraint on necessitie of bondage and then if happily either their vsuall delight or some soothing slaue shall so instantly vrge some of the captiues as that euery one turning seruant and slaue to his owne will shall refuse that freely bestowed benefit shall weâ— say that the contempt of the vnthankefull captiue hath lessened the estimation of the ransome or that he which refuseth libertie doth any way diminish the good will of him that ransometh surely no. For euen as hee which returneth may bee well accepted with him that doth ransome him so is hee guiltie of contempt who did not returne Thus we see that the Pelagians did forge or frame a redemption through Christ without deliuerance And what else doe they who publish in their pamphlets that all and euery one on Gods part are redeemed but not saued because they will not beleeue And now let vs heare the confutation of this opinion Augustine saith You say they are redeemed Cont. Iul. lib. 3. cap. 3. but they are not deliuered they are washed but they are not clensed these bee your monstrous opinions these are the paradoxes of the Pelagian heretikes c. but I pray thee tell me how can this redemption be vnderstood if he doe not redeeme from euill which redeemed Israel from all their sinnes for wheresoeuer we make mention of redemption there also is vnderstood a ransome and what is that but the precious blood of the immaâ—ulate lambe Christ Iesus and concerning this ransome why should we aske any other wherefore it was giuen let him that gaue the ransome let him that paid the price make the answere This is saith he my blood which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Proceede I pray proceede and as you say in the Sacrament of our Sauiour men are baptized but they are not saued they are redeemed but they are not deliuered so say you also Christs blood is shed for them for the remission of sinnes but they are clensed by the remission of no sinne They are wonderfull strange and vntrue things which you affirme * Concil Valent Anno 85â— cap. 4. Concerning the redemption of Christs blood by reason of the exceeding errors which haue growne in respect thereof in so much that some euen as their owne writings doe witnesse doe hold that it was shed euen for those vngodly ones who from the beginning of the world vntill the passion of our Lord were dead in their vngodlinesse and punished with eternall damnation contrarie to that saying of the Prophet O death I will be thy death and thy sting O Hell we do decree that it ought simply and faithfully to be held and taught according to the Euangelicall and Apostolicall truth that we iudge that this ransome was giuen for them of whom the Lord himselfe saith Euen as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp that euery one which beleeueth in him may not perish but haue eternall life So God loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one that beleeued in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life And the Apostle saith Christ was once offered for the taking away of the sinnes of many Prosper ascribes this platforme of generall Spist. ad August grace vnto the Pelagians This is saith he their very opinion and profession That Adam sinning euery man sinned and that no man is saued by his owne workes but by the grace of God in regeneration And yet that the reconcilement which is in the sacrament of Christs blood is without exception offered vnto all men so that whosoeuer will come vnto faith and baptisme may be saued and that God did foreknow before the creation of the world who should beleeue or who should remaine in that faith which
for orders sake and for the better vnfolding of it for as by the former men were ordained vnto grace so by this latter the meanes are subordained whereby grace may be conferred and manifested and therefore this latter maketh a way for the execution and accomplishing of the former Moreouer this act hath no impulsiue cause ouer and beside the good pleasure of God and it is with regard to Christ the Mediatour in whom all are elected to grace and saluation and to dreame of any election out of him is against all sense because hee is the foundation of election to bee executed in regard of y e beginning the meanes and the end Lastly this act is not of men to bee created as was the former but of men falne away Therfore in this act God respecteth the corrupted masse of mankind Furthermore in this second act there are fiue degrees the ordaining of a Mediatour the promising of him being ordained the exhibiting of him being promised the applying of him being exhibited or to bee exhibited and the accomplishment of the application It is not vnlike which Bernard saith The kingdome of De verbis libri sapientiae God is granted promised manifested perceiued It is granted in predestination promised in vocation manifested in iustification perceiued or receiued in glorification The ordaining of a Mediatour is that whereby the second person being the Sonne of God is appointed from all eternitie to bee a Mediatour betweene God himselfe and men And hence it is that Peter saith that Christ was foreknowne before 1. Pet. 1. 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of the world And well saith Augustine that Christ was predestinated to be our head For howsoeuer as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantiall word of the Father or the Sonne he doth predestinate with the Father and the holy Ghost yet as hee is the Mediatour hee is predestinated himselfe The promising is that whereby Christ being from eternitie ordained for the saluation and spirituall life of men is reuealed and offred vnto them together with grace to be obtained by him this promise is vniuersall in respect of all and euery one that doe beleeue Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely begotten sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him should not perish Ioh. 6. 47. Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all yea that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Mark 16 16. He that shall beleeue and bee baptised shal be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Act. 10. 43. That thorough his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Act. 13. 39. By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Rom. 1. 16. The Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue With the promise there is ioyned an exhortation or commandement to beleeue which is more generall than the promise because the promise is made onely to beleeuers but the commandement is giuen to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers also For the elect are mingled with the wicked in the same assemblies and therefore the Ministers of the Gospell ought indifferently to exhort all and euery one to repent considering that they are altogether ignorant who and how many be elected and be to be conuerted moreouer God by exhortations to repentance meaneth to leaue those without excuse whom he doth see will neuer repent So Abbat Ioachim saith It behooueth In Reuel p. 3. l. 2. them to preach for the elects sake and to declare vnto men the words of life that their light may shine before men and that they may fatten the hearts of the elect by anoynting them with the oyle of spirituall doctrine but for the reprobate ligare aquam coelo to 〈◊〉 the water in the clowdes And againe Lest the reprobate should haue excuse and for the Part. 4. t. 7. elect which are among them the messenger himselfe shall bee sent who doth not onely preach this in secret as it were for feare but crieth also with a loude voyce which may bee heard farre off and of all men also Some are wont to say that Gods commandement by this meanes doth ouerthwart his decree because he commandeth that which he willeth not to effect But I answere first that God in his commandements and promises doth not vtter whatsoeuer hee hath decreed but doth in part onely so farre forth propound his will as he knoweth it expedient for the saluation of the elect and the gouerning of all By his commandements therefore he sheweth what he liketh and what hee willeth that we should doe to him not what hee will doe to vs or in vs. And God who willeth not all things alike in all doth will conuersion in some only in respect of approbation exhortation and meanes in others he willeth it also as touching the decree of working it Here is no disagreement in the wils but sundrie degrees of willing in regard of vs according to which God is said both to will and to nill Secondly I answere that the reuealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will is neuer contrarie to the will of his good pleasure or to the decree of God with the which it doth alwaies agree both for the beginning as also in the end and scope but that it is notwithstanding often diuers and that in shew it seemeth sometimes contrarie if wee consider the manner wherein it is propounded God commanded Isaiah to declare vnto Hezekiah his death and hee did also denounce Esa. 38. destruction vnto the Niniuites Ion. 3. 4. within fourtie daies and yet he had decreed to put neither of them both in execution The humane wil of Christ did with Mat. 26. 3. an holy dissention in some sort will deliuerance from the agony of death which notwithstāding the diuine willed not Abraham Gen. 28. prayed without doubt by diuine inspiration therefore with faith that the Sodomites might be spared and yet he knew that in Gods decree they were appointed to destruction Neither must this seeme strange for one good thing as it is and remaineth good may bee different from another thing that is good Thirdly thou biddest thy debter pay his debt though in the meane time thou dost not make him able why may not God therfore for iust causes command that which he himselfe will not do The exhibiting of the Mediator is that whereby the Sonne of God being borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man in the fulnes of time doth pay the price of redēption to God for the sins of men The vertue and efficacie of this price being paid in respect of merit and
operation is infinite but yet it must be distinguished for it is either potentiall or actuall The potentiall efficacie is wherby the price is in it selfe sufficient to redeeme euery one without exception from his sins albeit there were a thousand worlds of men But if we consider that actuall efficacie the price is payd in the counsell of God and as touching the euent only for those which are elected and predestinated For the Sonne doth not sacrifice for those for whom hee doth not pray because to make intercession and to sacrifice are conioyned but hee prayeth onely for the elect and for beleeuers Ioh. 17. 9. and by praying he offereth himselfe to his Father verse 19. For as Illyricus hath well obserued this whole prayer in the 17. chapter is indeed as he speaketh an oblatory and expiatory prayer or as the Papists call that blasphemous forme a Canon or rule of sacrifice by which Christ hath offered himselfe a sacrifice to the Father for the sinnes of the world Therefore the price is appointed and limited to the elect alone by the Fathers decree and the Sons intercession and oblation Secondly Christ bare their person and stood in their roome vpon the crosse for whom he is a mediator and consequently whatsoeuer Christ did as a redeemer the same did all Ephes. 1. 6. Coloss. 3. 1. those in him with him which are redeemed Christ dying rising again ascending sitting at the right hand of the Father they also die with him rise againe ascend and sit at the right hand of God Now that all these things can be truly said of the elect only and of such as beleeue I proue it thus To say that any one of the wicked which are to perish for euer is raised vp in Christ rising againe is flat against the truth because the raysing vp of Christ is that I may so speake his actuall absolution from their sins for whom he died for euen as the Father by deliuering Christ to death did in very deede condemne their sins imputed vnto Christ for whom he died so by raysing him vp from death euen ipso facto he did absolue Christ from their sinnes and did withall absolue them in Christ but being absolued from their sins they shall not perish but be saued Therefore that wicked man which perisheth for his sin cannot be said to haue risen againe with Christ and therefore Christ did not beare his person vpon the crosse Thirdly the expiatory sacrifice sanctifieth those for whom it is a sacrifice as the holie Ghost plainly and absolutely auoucheth Heb. 9. 13. 14. The sacrifice and sanctification appertaine to the same persons and Christ is their perfect Sauiour whom he saueth not only by meriting their saluation but also by working it effectually But Christ doth sanctifie only the elect and such as beleeue therefore he was a sacrifice only for them And this was the iudgment of the ancient Church in this point Augustine saith He which spared not his Jn Iohan. tract 45. owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all how hath he not also with him giuen vs all good things but for what vs for vs which are foreknown Tract 2. predestinated iustified and glorified Againe Those whom he pleased to make his brethren De recta fide ad Regin In Ioan. lib. 11. cap. 14. he hath released and made fellow heires Cyril saith If God who is most worthy was in the flesh he was of right sufficient to redeeme the whole world Againe The Lord Iesus separating his owne from those which were not his saith I pray only for those which keepe my word and cary my yoke For he doth make them alone and that iustly partakers of the benefit of his mediation whose Mediator and high Priest he is Gregorie saith The author 2. Hom. in Ezek. lib. 1. of life gaue himselfe to death for the life of the elect Againe The Lord will redeeme In Psal. 33. the soules of his seruants to wit with his precious blood because he which beleeueth rightly In Ephes. cap. 1. in him is redeemed from the due thraldome of his sins Sedulius All things are restored which are in the earth * Or when seeing that the men themselues who are predestinated vnto eternall life are renewed from the corruption of the old man Beda The flesh of the Hom. in sab post reminise Lord is furnished with spirituall vertue that it might be a sweet sauor sufficient for the saluation of the whole world Againe Our Lord Hom in vigil Pâ—sâ— and redeemer to the elect-whom he knew to be placed in his flesh yea and to vs also whom he foresaw should beleeue in the last times he Jn Reuel part 1. hath procured the remedie of saluation by his death and resurrection Ioachim the Abbat The word All which for the most part is vniuersall doth not alwaies signifie so much as it seemeth as in that place When I shall be lift Col. 1. 19. 20 vp I will draw all things to my selfe And by him he hath pleased that all things should be reconciled in him It seemeth that in these In 2. Reg. cap. 7. places Elect Things onely are vnderstood Angelomus What other nation is there in the earth besides the elect people for which God the Son of God vouchsafed to come into this world as it were into Aegypt that taking vpon him the forme of a seruant he might with the merchandize of his blood redeeme vnto himselfe an acceptable people zealous of good workes Ruperâ—us In that houre he washed those only from sin whom his death Jn Exod. lib. 2. cap. 6. findeth faithfull whether dead or liuing Againe The passion of Christ is the iudgement In Ioan. cap. 12. of the world that is saluation seuering the whole number of the elect which were from the beginning of the world to the houre of the same passion from the reprobate And the casting out of the prince of this world is the reconciliation of the nations of the elect Againe I will draw all things to my selfe what all things namely All Elect Things as all the members follow their head Haimo Christ hath taken away in the Elect not onely originall In cap. 5 ad Rom. but all actuall sins also and hath ouer and besides giuen them eternall life Radulphus The blood of the high Priest Christ was the purgation of all beleeuers Innocentius In Leuit. lib. 17. cap. 2 Lib. 4. de Myst. Missae cap. 4. Christ blood was shed effectually for those only who are predestinated but for all men in regard of sufficiencie for the shedding of the blood of that iust one for the vniust was so rich in price that if euery one had beleeued in the redeemer none at all had been held captiue of the diuell Arnoldus Carnotensis He redeemeth none but those whom he calleth Ben 〈◊〉 allis tract 7. de verbis Domini and washeth by grace neither doth the Spirit
hath giuen a great price and bought those whoÌ„ he quickneth And again Of whose mercie is it but of his who hath sent Iesus Christ into this world to saue sinners Denat grat cont Pel. cap. 5. whom he hath both foreknowne and predestinated and called and iustified and glorified Bernard saith Christ needed none of Ser. 4. de natali these neither did hee any of these things in regard of himselfe but rather in regard of the elect they were not directly the Iewes to whom he was sent but the Elect for whom hee was sent Haimo saith Euen as by one man death sin came generally to our condemnation Comment in Rom. c. 5. so by the one iustice of man which is of Christ to all men elected and predestinated to eternall life came grace to the iustification of life And againe He tooke not away in the Ibid. elect onely originall but also actuall sinnes and therefore grace and the gift through grace did 〈◊〉 downe vnto the elect Aquin as Summa de verit Mâ—t. 26 q 7. faith Christ merit according to the sufficiencie carrieth it selfe indifferently to all but not according to the efficacy Which happeneth partly by Gods election through which the effect of Christs me its is mercifully bestowed on some and partly by the iust iudgement of God withdrawne from other some Obiect I. Against this it is thus obiected The Scripture affirmeth that Christ redeemed the world Whereto I answer That this word world in the writings of the Apostles doth not signifie both all and euery man that descended from Adam but all nations in this last age of the world God saith Paul was recoÌ„ciling the world vnto him in Christ. What meaneth 1. Cor. 15. cap. 18. this word world in this place Surely not all men of al ages but the Gentiles which were to bee called after the ascension of Christ as Paul plainly explaining his own minde sheweth Rom. 11. 12. Wherefore if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their abundance be And againe in the 15. verse If the casting away of them that is of the Iewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiuing be but life from the dead In these very words he plainly sheweth that the reconciliation of the world is the reconciliation of the Gentiles after the casting away of the Iewes And hereby it is most manifest that all the like places of Scripture which many doe think to make for the vniuersall redemption of all and euery one are to be vnderstood of some men to be called but of euery nation and countrie after the death of Christ. And hereunto also let vs ioyne the answere of Augustine He calleth oftentimes euen the Tract 87. in Ioan. Church it selfe by the name of the worldâ— according vnto that God was reconciling the world vnto himselfe in Christ and againe the Son of man came not to iudge the world but that the world might be saued through him And Iohn saith in his Epistle Wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciler of our sinnes and not onely of ours but also of the whole world Therefore the whole world is the Church and the whole world hateth the Church Therefore the world hateth the world the malignant world the reconciled world the damned the saued and the defited that which is cleansed But this world which God in Christ reconcileth vnto himselfe and which by Christ is saued and to which all sin is through Christ pardoned is elected out of the malignant damned and defiled world Rupertus saith The world surely which God Comment in Ioan. lib. 3. cap. 3. In 〈◊〉 Cor. 〈◊〉 loued we vnderstand to be mankinde that is the liuing and the dead the dead which in faith looked for his comming the liuing who should beleeue in him whether they were of the Iewes or of the Gentiles For so he saith without any distinction either of Iew or Gentile vniuersally that euery one that beleeueth in him shall not porish but haue life euerlasting And the common glosse expoundeth the world those that be the elect of the world Obiect II. Saint Paul saith that God 1. Tim. 2. 4. will that all men bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth I answere first that the place is not to be vnderstood of al the posteritie of Adam but properly of those which liue in the last age of the world This I proue by coÌ„ferring of the like places wherein Paul doth plentifullie shew his meaning Act. 17. 30. And the time of this ignorance God regarded not but * Mark well the restâ—aining forme of speech for it is as much as if he had said God now willeth that all me shuld repent Now hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent Rom. 16. 25. by the reuelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began 26. But Now is opened and published for the obedience of faith among all nations Coloss. 1. â—6 The mysterie which was hid since the world began and from all ages is Now made manifest vnto the Saints 27. To whoÌ„ God would make knowne Christ whom we preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man that we may present all men perfect in Christ Iesus And in the second epistle to the Corinth the 6. chap. and the second verse he expoundeth that place of Isaias where it is said In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee and I will preserue thee and will giue thee for a couenant of the people that thou maist raise vp the earth that thou maist say to the prisoners goâ— foorth after this fashion Behold Now saith hee the accepted time that is the time of the new Testament behold Now the day of saluation Saint Peter saith Saluation 1. Pet. 2. 20. ordained to bee declared in the last times concerning which the Prophets which did prophecie of the grace which should afterward come to you haue searched and inquired And Christ himselfe saith most plainly of all When I shall be lifted vp from Ioh. 12. 32. the earth I will draw all things vnto me I therefore grant that God willeth that all should be saued but that God both willeth and that he hath Alwaies willed that all men in all ages should bee saued I vtterly denie neither hath Paul said so much and among the ancient writers they which seeme to affirme so much doe notwithstanding in these kinde of speeches doubtfully affirme it I doe imagine that it may with reason and religion bee beleeued Auth. de vocat gent. l. 2 cap. 8. Bellar 〈◊〉 de grat lib. arb lib. 3. cap. 5. I doe not thinke it irreligion to beleeue it It may propably and religiously bee beleeued Secondly I answer That God will that all men bee
is iâ— very deede to beleeue The publicanâ— and ha 〈◊〉 t s and those which are held captiue at the diuels will doe repent and are conuerted and therefore they doe not onely receiue power if they will but of â—illers and stâ—bborâ—e râ—pugners they are made actually willing Thirdly there are and haue been many nations which have had no knowledge of the faith or which haue not kept it and without this knowledge there is not any sauing grace Answer is wont to be made that man receiuing naturall light is not to bee excused for the want of supernaturall knowledge because if he would doe by Gods assistance that which liech in him God would enlighten him with supernaturall grace For thus the schâ—olemen do vsually speake Although no man is able by Gregâ—â—d Vaâ— the ministry of men to know the nature of faith of â—e neuer heard any thing of it yet he may by Gods helpe if hee liue morally according to Gods law so much as in him lieth to doe For then God will succour him either by himselfe or by some other to wiâ— either man or Angell by propounding of faith vnto him For as in naturall things so in supernaturall God doth minister grace when man is not wanting to himselfe I answere that this is false For if grace be giuen to him which doth that which lieth in him to do by the strength of nature it is giuen either by merite or promise Not by merit because there is no merit before faith and we do nothing acceptable vnto God before wee haue faith Augustine Thou bringest in a kind of men which can please God without the f 〈◊〉 th of Christ by the law of nature This is Cont. Jul. the cause why the Christian Church doth especially detest you And it is not giuen by promise because there is no promise or diuine law to bee found in the scriptures that grace should by and by bee giuen vnto him that doth that which lieth in him to doe It is also false to say that God doth minister all things that make for the felicitie of nature or this present life For some are borne leprâ—us blinde foolish very poore vnmeet for this temporarie felicitie neither do they euer attaine vnto it This opinion also is against experience because many die in their infancie and many are foolish and mad all their life long vpon whom we cannot say that this vu 〈◊〉 fall grace is bestowed 〈◊〉 also coÌ„â—rary to most plaine places of 〈◊〉 ture Saluation is not in him that willeth 〈◊〉 in him that runneth but in God that sâ—â—weth mercy And he hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth It is g 〈◊〉 uen to the disciples to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Mat. â—3 〈◊〉 The wind bloweth not in all but where it Ioh. 3. 8. listeth The sonne doth not reueale the father Ioh. 6. vnto all but to whom he will All doe not beleeue but those which are drawne and predestinated Acts 13. 49. unto life All doe not heare but those to whom eares are giuen for to heare Furthermore it is some impayring of effectuall and Christian grace so to place it in mans power that hee may if hee will receiue it and that he may also if he will not refuse and despise it and to say that God hath giuen vnto men no other grace then that against which the flesh or peruerse will may preuaile in all men and against which it doth preuaile indeede in the greatest part of mankind because God will not restraine it To conclude let vs also heare the restimonies of the fathers The author of the calling of the Gentiles saith thus If so bee that the grace of the saâ—er doe passe by some as we see it doth it is to be referred to the hidden iudgements of diuine iustice Augustine Nothing deliuereth vs from this wrath whereby wee are all vnder sinne sauing the grace of Lib. de pâ—â— â—erit c. 21. God by Iesus Christ. Why this grace commeth to that infant and not vnto this the cause may be vnknowne but not vniust Againe It was by diuine dispensation that Pharaoh did not tractably consent but obstinately resist because that there was not only In Exâ—d quâ—st 18. a iust punishment but a iust punishment euidently prepared for such a heart whereby those which feare God may be corrected Againe The iudgements are vnsearchable wherefore of two wicked men being of yeeres Lib. de hon â—ers cap. 8. aged one should bee called so as that he should follow the caller and the other should either not be called at all or not called so as that he should follow him that calls him And again He giueth to whoÌ„ he will because he is mercifull Cap. 12. which though he should not giue yet he is iust Againe he doth not giue to the to whom he will not that he might make knowne the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie for by giuing vnto some whâ— deserue nor he will haue it to be his free and by this also his true grace and fa 〈◊〉 r. Againe Whosoeuer are set apart from originall Ibid. cap. 7. damnation through the bounâ—â—e of Gods grace it is no doubs but that it shall he procured for them to heare the Gospell and to beleeue when they heare it Againe We know that Gods grace is not giuen vnto all men Epist. ad Uital 107. Lib. de spirit liâ— c. 34. And againe Why one man is so exhorted that he is perswaded and why it is not so with another O the depth of the riches Thomas As he doth not open the ere 's of all that Câ—nâ— gent. lib. 3. c. 161. are blinde nor cure all that are crazie that in those his power might appeare and that in the other the order of nature might hee preserued euen so he doth not by his helpe preuent all that â—inder grace but some in whom he willeth that his mercie should 〈◊〉 so also that the order of iustice should be manifested in others Isidore Spirituall grace Sent. lib. 2. cap. 5. 6. is not distributed to all but is only giuen to the elect Againe It is giuen to him because he is euill that would be good another neither willeth neither is it giuen him that he might be good Cameracensis Although God be an vniuersal agent ouer all so as that In lib. sent 1 q. 12. art 2. he giueth vnto all some gifts of grace as being life knowledge c. yet he giueth some gifts of speciall grace vnto one which he giueth not to another as namely faith and the grace which makes vs gracious and such like which are the effects of predestination Finally Augustine and almost al the Scholemen make two kindes of infidelitie the one negatiue in those which neuer heard the Gospell the other priuatiue in those that refuse and contemne the
must afterward be propped and helped by his grace and that hee predestinated them vnto his kingdome who being freely called he foresaw that they would be worthie of election and that they would depart out of this life making a good end And that therefore euery man is prouoked to beleeue and doe good by godly institutions that no man may despaire of the attainement of eternall life seeing that there is a reward prepared for a voluntarie deuotion The difference I confesse consists in this that the Pelagians doe either wholly ascribe vnto nature the abilitie to do well or else partly to nature and partly to grace but this platforme ascribeth all things wholly vnto grace which indeede is very right but whilest they goe about to ordaine vniuersall grace they doe not free themselues but are rather more entangled For most true is that saying of Peter Martyr Whilest these men make grace so common to all they turne grace into nature And I would willingly Ioâ— Com. class 3. c. 1. be certified whether they who haue receiued this grace be regenerate or no if they be regenerate then all men are regenerate if they bee not regenerate then haue all men power to beleeue and to attaine saluation if they will yea euen whilest they remaine vnregenerate But this power if it bee in man before his conuersion will not differ much from nature And if so be that grace extend as farre as nature wee must not pray more for grace than for nature neither neede wee any more pray for the conuersion of vnbeleeuers because it is in their owne power by reason of generall grace to be conuerted if they will Prosper also ascribeth this platforme to the Pelagians in these verses Lib. car de ingratis Thus we determine of that grace that makes Vs Gods owne people and to him full deere But yee affirme that no man it forsakes But that the world from sinne it freeth cleere And passing none doth proffer meere saluation To all without exception yet they come Guided by their owne list to this vocation And motions of the mind directing some To the embracing of that offred light Which vnto all that will doth cleere the sight But afterwards he condemneth it in this sort Le ts see how you can prooue that Christ his grace Prossers Gods kingdome and true blessednesse To all men borne letting none ouerpasse To Whom it granteth not this happinesse WheÌ„ euen at this time thorough the whole worlds frame And compasse of the earth wherein we liue Christ Gospell is not knowne nor yet his name I cannot say but that he could it giue Euen at the first to all that breathe on earth Or euer in this world receiued birth And againe he saith If no man bee whom he will not redeeme No doubt but that his will shall be effected But of a greate part he makes no esteeme Who in infernall darkenesse liue reiected Now if the diuers motions of the mind And a peculiar perfect libertie Doe make a different cause to all mankind Gods will most free from inabilitie Either receiueth strength from humane pleasure Or wanteth strength when will attaines that treasure And againe hee answereth the Pelagians who say that by willing it wee are able to attaine Gods grace or else to resist it by nilling it after this manner How falls it out that this almightie grace Which saueth all reiects the worke it wrought When neither cause condition time nor place Can for a hindrance thereunto be brought And againe What would you say when you doe plainely see How Christ his grace in twins a difference makes And those who at one time conceiued be And whom the world into her bosome takes It doth distinguish granting one heauens blisse The other Hell where griefe and horror is To say the will directs you speake amisse And againe No man can hold them iustly culpabâ—s Or guiltie of this sinne to whom Gods might Did neuer shew it selfe so fauourable As to appeare no not in glimmering light Faustus the Semipelagian accused the Lib. 1. de lib arb cap. 19. Catholiques in that they said that our Lord Iesus Christ did not take vpon him mans flesh for all men nor died generally for all And on the other side the Catholiques accuse the Pelagians in that they say that God repelleth none from eternall life but is willing * Prosper ep â—d August indifferently that all men * should be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth And againe that they say that our Lord Iesus Christ died for all mankind and that no man is vtterly exempted from the redemption of his blood although he leade all this his life estranged from him because that the sacrament of Gods grace appertaineth vnto all men whereby many are not therefore regenerated because they are foreknowne that they haue not a will to be regenerated and that therefore on Gods part eternall life is prepared for all men but in respect of the freedome of the will they say that they onely attaine euerlasting life who doe of their owne accord beleeue And againe they say that they will not admit of that exposition of that saying which is alledged out of Augustine which is that vnlesse bee will haue all men to be saued And againe not onely those which appertaine vnto the number 1. Tim. 2. of the faints but all men altogether without exception of any I wish also that thing were marked Hilar. epist. ad August namely that the Catholiques are accused by the Pelagians that vnder the name of predestination they did establish a certeine fatall necessitie and that they made a kind of violent preordination Which accusation hath also been laid against vs. And the like crime sheweth the like cause Lastly this platforme doth passing wel agree with that doctrine concerning predestination which is generally maintained in the schooles and Synagogues of the Papists yea verily to speake the truth it seemeth to bee borrowed euen from thence For if we well consider of the matter what else hath Pighius taught What else hath Cartharinus maintained and else at this day doe the grosse fat Monckes maintaine who imparke Gods actions in the case of predestination within these pales First say they God foresaw the natures and sinnes of all men Then prepared he Christ the redeemer Afterward he willed for the merit of Christ foreseene to bestow sufficient helpes of Grace vpon all men whereby they might bee saued through Christ And hee would it euen in this so much as in him was that all men might bee saued his will preceding Lasily he did mercifullie predestinate those whom he did see would end their liues in Gods fauour and hee did iustly reiect othersome either for originall or actuall sins in which he foresaw they would end their liues A Corolarie or addition A most certaine theoreme or vndoubted truth GOD HATH NOT REVEALED Christ vnto all and euery man The Proofes This is euident