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
draweth thee to repentance But this is the question whether faith and repentance bee not the gifts of God which he giueth to some and not to others and that according to the vnsearchable counsell of his owne will This certainly is more cleere than that it can be denied of any one that is not a Pelagian How God willeth all to repent Therefore it is well said That God willeth all men to repent that is he calleth and inuiteth all to repentance but he effecteth it not in all neither doth he will it surely because he hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Luth. de ser arb Cap. 109. A distinction of Gods will After this sort Luther also distinguisheth He will not the death of a sinner to wit in his word for in the word of saluation he commeth to all but he willeth it in his vnsearchable will And at large there sheweth the difference between the secret and published will of God not that properly there is a diuerse will in God but the speech of his will is diuerse because this name is diuersly taken The published or reuealed will of God is whatsoeuer from the beginning of the world either by God himselfe immediatly or by his ministers hath been offered to men by precepts exhortations menacings and benefits But his hidden will is that secret will in God concerning the euent of things that is whom and what men endued with faith by speciall grace he will haue to be partakers of mercie when it is preached and offered Brentius Brentius also followed this same distinction in 1. Sam. 2. discussing the place of the sonnes of Eli and expli Catechis vpon the petition Thy will be done This let the indifferent reader obserue against the outcries of some who though they would be heard as the right issue of Luther and Brentius yet by cauils and sophistications they labour to make odious this distinction receiued and grounded in the word of God For as it is written 2. Tim. 2. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thess 5. Matth. 23. that he wil that all men be saued and that he is patient toward vs being vnwilling that any should perish but to come to repentance and that our sanctification is the will of God Also how often would I gather thy children and thou wouldest not Esay 46.10 Psalm 115.3 Rom 9.18 19. So wee haue heard and read in the diuine Scriptures My counsell shall stand saith the Lord and I will fulfill my will Whatsoeuer the Lord would that he did He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Also Who shall resist his will In which places and the like there will be great contrarietie vnlesse a distinction be vsed according to which Marke this distinction we may vnderstand that something is done against the will of God that is against his commandement and prohibition which yet is not done beside and contrary to that will which is he himselfe For great are the workes of the Lord and his will is perfect towards all so that it is not done beside his will that yet is done contrary to his will because it could not be done if he would not suffer it and truly he doth not suffer it against his will but willingly neither being good himselfe would he suffer euill to be done vnles being almightie he were able out of euill to make that which is good as August saith ad Laur. ca. 100. See also lib. 1. Sentent dist 45. and in the other that follow Voluntas beneplaciti signi where the Master largely speaketh of the double will of God his good pleasure and reuealed will as the Schoolemen call them If any thinke good let him also peruse Chrysostome Hom. 18. ad Heb. Secondly it is obiected The 2. Obiection that the promise of grace is vniuersall and therefore that none is reiected from grace or reprobated in respect of God Answere I answere The first way how the promises of grace be vniuersall the promise of grace is vniuersall in respect of the beleeuers as farre forth doubtles as no man of what nation or condition soeuer is excluded from saluation so that he beleeue truly in Christ Contrariwise vnbeleeuers of what nation or condition soeuer are expressely shut out from the fruite of the promises according to the sayings Mark 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued c. Euery one that beleeueth in the sonne Ioh. 3. Ioh 6. Acts 13. Rom. 3. shall not perish This is the will of the father that whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne should haue eternall life In him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God in all and vpon all that beleeue for there is no difference And oftentimes after this sort is repeated the promise of life and saluation made to euery beleeuer the vnbeleeuers on the contrary being excluded For the promise requireth faith which because it belongeth not to all but to the elect as Paul witnesseth therfore the efficacie of the promises remaineth doubtles with the elect as the Apostle also teacheth to the Romanes Rom. 9. That the promises of God pertaine to the true Israelites to the spirituall seede that is elected of God not of workes but through the grace of the caller Yet here we are to bee admonished Note this well that albeit the promise bee proper to the beleeuers and the elect as touching efficacie yet it must be preached indifferently in the eares of all faithfull and Infidels elect and reprobates The 2. way And in this sense also we grant that the promises are vniuersall to wit in respect of externall preaching because the minister of the word cannot or ought not to discerne the elect from reprobates Rom. 11. In the meane while not all attaine vnto the grace that is preached and offered to all but the elect obtaine it and the rest doe not and so to vse Luthers words all things depend vpon predestination c. The third obiection The third obiection Whosoeuer appertain to the Church are called elect But to the Church pertaine as well the bad as the good Hub. thes 751. 752. Ergo the bad as well as the good are elected none at all omitted Answere But this obiection is faultie in two points First it is the vse of the Scriptures to call them elect whosoeuer belong to the account of the Church but not all therefore are elected of God to eternal life according to his purpose For many are elect to vs in the iudgement of charitie and are not to God and contrariwise according to the diuerse signification of the word set downe before Secondly there is more in the conclusion than in the premisses For the consequence is of no force within the compasse of the Church and of the elect there be as well euill as good in the sense aforesaid Therefore all men are elected This is all one as if
text neither be ye moued away from the hope of the Gospell which ye haue heard Therefore it is a marueilous attention of the man who bids vs marke here that which is not found at all in the text neither if it were found could make any thing for the matter Heb. 2.2 Luk. 11.28 Hieron in comment For the hope of the Gospell pertaineth not to the hearers but to the beleeuers and as Hierome saith they that liue contrary to the Gospell cannot expect the hope of the Gospell That thing rather ought here to bee marked that Paul sheweth that the Colossians are reconciled to God no otherwise but as men alreadie conuerted and beleeuing You which in times past saith he were strangers hath he now reconciled For in these words there is a manifest contrarietie of their double state to wit of faith and infidelitie Before being strangers and enemies now they were reconciled in that bodie of the flesh of Christ Where then is that generall reconciliation euen of those that beleeue not nor euer will beleeue In the Conference at Mompelgart is also cited the place to the Rom. chap. 11. God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe The 5. place of the aduersarie Rom. 11.32 that he might haue mercie vpon all But the speech there is of two people Iewes and Gentiles whom striuing together it pleaseth God by course to bring vnto faith to wit that as the stubbornnes of the Iewes gaue occasion of the conuersion of the Gentiles so the Iewes afterward prouoked with emulation of the mercie bestowed vpon the Gentiles will themselues also beleeue in Christ and so all shall be partakers of Gods mercie that is both the people of the Iewes and Gentiles Wee cannot referre this to particular persons in both people seeing it is without all doubt that faith and repentance which Paul noteth out here vnder the word mercie belongeth not to all and euery one The 6. place Ioh. 17.2 One place of this order remaineth Ioh. 17. Thou hast saith Christ giuen me power ouer all flesh that whatsoeuer thou hast giuen me Thes 161. I may giue vnto them eternall life Hence Huberus inferreth that there is nothing more certaine then that God is reconciled to al. Nay nothing more vncertaine Let a syllogisme bee made and the false conclusion will straightway appeare For the maior is false taken vniuersallie as it ought to bee taken that ouer whomsoeuer Christ hath power giuen him they are reconciled to God For he hath power giuen him ouer oxen asses and all creatures in heauen and earth euen ouer the deuils also But what if we stay only in mankinde after this sort What men soeuer are giuen of the father to Christ they be therefore giuen that he might giue them eternall life Now all men are giuen of the father to Christ because he hath giuen him power ouer all flesh to wit humane Therefore al men are therefore giuen vnto him that hee might giue them eternall life I deny the minor in that sense as here and elsewhere often that maner of speech is taken to bee giuen to Christ For proofe I answere it is another thing that power is said to bee giuen ouer al flesh to Christ than that al men are giuen to him Which things because they bee confounded of this disputer let vs heare Augustine in Ioh. tract 111. Augustine Who are they whom hee saith are giuen him of his father are they not they of whom elsewhere it is said No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the father who sent me draw him They are then those whom he hath receiued of the father whō he also chose out of the world that now they may not be of the world and yet they are also the world beleeuing and knowing that Christ was sent of God the father For so be saith Thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that is all men that all that thou hast giuen him he might giue vnto them eternall life Where he sheweth that he hath receiued power ouer all men to deliuer whom he will and condemne whom he will but that those are giuen vnto him to all whom he may giue eternall life For so he saith that all that thou hast giuen him he may giue vnto them eternall life Therfore they are not giuen vnto him to whom he will not giue eternall life although he hath power ouer them also who hath power giuen him ouer all flesh These things saith he being the best approued of the old writers And surely the words of the text are so plaine that it is a manifest error and more then an error that all are indifferently giuen to Christ For the truth saith I haue made knowne thy name vnto the men that thou gauest me out of the world I pray for them I pray not for the world Ioh. 17. but for them whome thou hast giuen mee Holy father saue them whom thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are Father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me may bee with me where I am Whatsoeuer the father giueth me shall come vnto me and this is the will of him that sent me that whatsoeuer he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Who but one that is willingly blinde doth not see here that the Lord by that speech would distinguish his owne from such as bee not his and those that shall be saued from such as shall be damned Neither is that any hinderance to this which is obiected of the sonne of perdition Whom thou hast giuen me I haue kept and none of them is lost but that lost sonne that the Scripture may be fulfilled For that is rightly taken of the election vnto the Apostleship and so also Augustine sheweth tract 106. Therefore here the phrase is taken in another sense as there is also a third sense found and that most generall All things are giuen to the sonne of the father Ioh. 3. Matth. 11. CHAP. V. An examination of places wherein there is mention made of the World in this matter I Proceede to testimonies wherein mention is made of the World in the Scriptures in the matter of saluation which likewise by the aduersaries are drawne for the confirmation of the error of the vniuersalitie of grace in regard of particular persons in mankinde Ioh. 3. 1. 6. 3. 12. 2. Cor. 5.19 Such as these bee So God loued the world Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world The bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world I came not to condemne the world but that I might saue it Ioh. 4.42 and 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Ioh. 2.2 And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself He is also called the Sauiour of the world and the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world In these and such like places wheresoeuer the
doctrine or to slāder it either opēly or in corners much lesse to withdraw others from it as the little book testifieth which is intituled Ordinatio ceremonia pro ministris Ecclesiae Argentinensis c. A. ij pag. ij Which things seeing they stand thus with what forehead with what shame dare the aduersarie openly write that our opinion of Redemption was neuer heard of among the people of God vntill the time of the Conference at Mompelgard O whorish audacitie of falsely accusing and witnesse of extreame ignorance if not of malice CHAP. X. Wherein the originall and predecessors of our aduersaries opinion are laid open BVt truly he that speaketh what he will shall heare what he would not as the old prouerbe is Seeing therefore hitherto it hath been shewed that the opinion which we maintaine is plentifully taught in the word of God and hath been receiued in the Church in all times and faithfully euen vnto our daies continued I neither can nor ought I to ouerpasse and leaue out here on the contrary part the discouerie of the originall of our aduersaries opinion The Pelagian heresie is the father of the aduersaries doctrine Tom. 7. apud August I auouch therefore and professe that it hath not the spirit of God or the worthie sayings thereof vnderstood in their naturall sense but the spirit of Pelagian impietie to be the father of the birth and beginning of it Which thing that I seeme not to vtter without mine author Prosper of Aquitane in his Epistle to Augustine of the reliques of the Pelagian heresie among other errors of that naughtines The doctrine of the Pelagians concerning grace freewill and predestination assigneth this also namely that they would affirme that our Lord Christ died for whole mankinde and that no man at all is excepted from the redemption of his blood although he should leade his whole life in all impietie that is although he continue in infidelitie be damned because the sacramēt of Gods mercie belongeth to all men that is the promise of grace as now men speak Therfore in respect of God that life eternall is prepared for all but in respect of freewill that it is laid hold on by them that shall willingly and of their owne accord beleeue in God And he addeth That they are fallen to the extolling of such grace because they would auoide to confesse that God according to the purpose and counsell of his owne will in his secret iudgement but in his manifest work maketh one vessell to honour and another to dishonour neither would giue their assent that the predestinate number of the elect can neither be increased nor diminished These things hee euidently surely and in liuely colours not so much setting out the reliques of Pelagian heresie in that age as painting Pelagianisme in our aduersaries in this our time Hofman Now that wretch Hofman in the memorie of our fathers of whom lately I spake what was hee but a monster of Pelagian filthie dregges and of other heresies And him doth Huber so resemble in respect of our matter in hand as one egge is not more like to another For he auouched that all be elected all redeemed by Christ without exception of any one Both which Huber thes 1001. pleaseth to set downe thus That all men after Adams fall were in Christ elected and receiued into grace because of the blessed seede in whom the sinnes of all men were to be satisfied And not so onely but also that he may follow him throughly hee commeth foorth furnished with the same places of Scripture and testimonies naughtily wrested as Hofman did cloke his error withall as we haue before briefly shewed Moreouer Pacuuius in this our age one Parcuuius manifestly professing Pelagian impietie not onely maintaineth that Christ is alike as the creator so the redeemer of all and euery one and that all are borne in the state of saluation and grace and therefore happie so that they doe not bring vnto themselues destruction through vnbeleefe that election also and grace is generall c. but also he plainly professeth and boasteth that the Diuines of Wittenberge the successors of Luther but greatly reuolting from Luthers doctrine in this point doe consent with him in the substance of the matter But let them take to themselues all Pacuuians and Hofmans and Pelagians old and new wee haue the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord for our authors and the one agreeing consent of the best approued writers whosoeuer in all ages This is Christian reader the true simple and sound and modest exposition without bitternes and railing of the doctrine of the redemption of mankinde by Christ who is set forth vnto vs of the father to bee a propitiator and aduocate through faith for the pardon of our sinnes in his blood which the Prophets haue so deliuered the Apostles haue preached and the holy men of God haue confirmed Let vs therefore hold it also and abide therein constantly omitting oppositions of knowledge falsely so called and strife of wordes whereupon ariseth enuie strife euill speaking naughtie surmisings wicked practises of men of corrupt mindes and voide of trueth who count gaine to be godlines And specially seeing without faith it is impossible to please God let vs labour to goe to the throne of grace with a true heart and perswasion of faith that wee may obtaine mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede and also by the light of a true faith in Christ Iesu let vs so frame our whole life alwaies euery one of vs doing and meditating this that we may bee found acceptable to our common redeemer to whose glorie we ought wholly to bee consecrated with holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of our life To him bee honour and glorie and blessing for euer and euer Amen A BOOKE OF GODS PREDESTINATION CHAP. I. The preface and diuision of the doctrine in hand THE disputation of Predestination is of it selfe weightie and difficult and by reason of the curiositie and boldnes of mans wit it is besides not a little intricate and very dangerous while mans reason thrusting it selfe into the secrets of Gods iudgements and wisedome either seeketh into things forbidden or contemneth and scorneth those things he vnderstandeth not yea cannot surely perceiue because they be foolishnes vnto him and are as the Apostle saith spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 1. For who hath known the minde of the Lord that he might instruct him But we haue the minde of Christ who being in the bosome of his eternall father hath gratiously reuealed vnto vs in his worde all the counsell of God as much as concerneth vs to know in this point as in other things to our saluation Therefore following this rule of trueth and righteousnes and nothing fearing the ill report of detractors through the helpe of God Wisd 7.16 in whose hand both wee and also our words are we will consider of Predestination 1. What is predestination 2.
Beside this argument which is the principall out of this place there be others also Let the second argument then be from thence that the Apostle testifieth that we are elected in Christ They that are chosen in Christ are chosen doubtles not of their works or for any respect of their worthines properly For so they should be said to be elected in themselues and not in Christ Thirdly we are elected being not as yet borne yea before the creation of the world wheÌ„ we had done neither any good nor euill Neither can that shift haue any place touching the foreseeing of some good in vs because as I also aboue mentioned and the precedent words of the Apostle did confirme no good could be foreseene in vs but what was prepared of God by the grace of predestination Fourthly the last end of our election is the acknowledging and setting forth of the glorious grace of God by which he doth freely make vs acceptable vnto himselfe in that his beloued But this end God could not obtaine vnlesse election were euery way free For wittily and truly saith Augustine It is not grace any way A fine saying if it bee not freely bestowed euerie way Fiftly Paul expressely assigneth the cause of our predestination when he saith He hath predestinated vs according to his good pleasure he doth not say according to the purpose of our will as though God did respect our future good works or the consent of our will vnto his offered grace or else the good vse of our freewill or such like thing in ourselues The Greeke words are very significant Why God chuseth this man and not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore to such as aske the question why hath God chosen these men and not those the answere is most true and good because it so pleased him As Christ alleadgeth no other cause of the Gospell hid from the wise and reuealed to babes but the good pleasure of the father And surely if we diligently consider in the Scriptures what things are taught of the cause of predestination we shall see them come for the most part to these heads namely To the good pleasure and will of God which two words are ioyned together Eph. 1. To his purpose that is according to election Ro. 9. To his power also as the Apostle saith Hath not the potter power Lastly vnto the mercie and loue of God when he saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God shewing mercie And Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated But concerning workes done or to bee done the Scripture speaketh not a word in this matter but alwaies to exclude them as from vocation and iustification so also from election Furthermore hitherto tendeth that which the Lord saith The 3. place Ioh. 15. Ioh. 15. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you And we had chosen him if according to our faith or good will election had bin If we should be chosen of God saith Augustine De praedest sanct cap. â—3 because he foresaw that we would beleeue and not that he himselfe would make vs faithfull doubtles we our selues should first chuse him by beleeuing in him that wee might deserue to bee chosen of him He taketh away this altogether who saith Ye haue not chosen me but I you CHAP. XI Of the cause of reprobation IT sufficiently then appeareth by so many proofes alleaged that God elected his Saints in Christ vnto eternall life not for any workes or through foreseeing of their faith but according to the purpose of his own will of meere grace which doth not finde Aug. hom in Io. 38 epist 106 but make them to be elected as the ancient saying is And albeit wee seeme with the same labour not obscurely to haue touched what must bee held concerning the cause of reprobation yet to make the matter more cleere wee thinke good seuerally to declare The cause of reprobation is the will and good pleasure of God and not foreseene vnbeleefe or sinnes that the cause of reprobation consisteth not in the future vnbeleefe of the reprobates or other sinnes which God foresaw but in the will of God himselfe chusing whom he pleaseth and reprobating whom hee pleaseth by his will which is surely remote from our senses yet most right and to bee adored rather than curiously searched into The 1. reason Rom. 8. Ephes 2. For if sinnes were the cause of reprobation wee had all been reprobates seeing all of vs are vnder sinne the children of wrath and eternall death that such election should adopt as abdication doth refuse And albeit the grace of the Mediatour bee offered vs in the Gospell yet it is Gods gift that we begin to haue faith and doe hold it vnto the end For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4. Why then is this mercie withdrawne from the reprobates Marke this Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. that faith is not inspired into them Is it because they will not No. For so on the contrary the elect should therefore beleeue because they are willing and so God should not giue them faith but they by being willing should bestow it on themselues and should haue some thing that they had not receiued The 2. reason Further if wee should consider reprobation to slow from vnbeleefe or from malice foreseene it wil necessarily follow that election dependeth on faith or workes foreseene This reason is Augustines but that he speaketh particularly of Iacob and Esau If saith he we graunt Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. that Esau was not hated but for the desert of vnrighteousnes it followeth that Iacob was loued for the merit of righteousnes Againe If because God foresaw the future euill workes of Esau therefore he predestinated him to serue his yonger brother euen God predestinated Iacob therefore that his elder brother should serue him because he foresaw his future good workes Paul doth alike speake of both The 3. reason While the children were yet vnborne when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might stand sure according to election not of workes but of the caller it was said The elder shall serue the yonger These words Augustine weighing expressely writeth in the foresaid place that Esau was reiected for no desert because both he was vnborne and also had done nothing no not in the foreknowledge of his future euill will because so Iacob also had been approued by the foreknowledge of his future good will and in vaine it should bee said Not of workes The same things he writeth ad Laur. cap. 98. The obiection that the Apostle moueth The 4. reason Rom. 9. Is there therefore vnrighteousnes with God and the answere to that obiection and also the parable of the potter of his owne power and will making vessels to honour and vessels to dishonour fully confirme our opinion that as wee can assigne no other
left in their owne obstinacie while they either bee depriued of the meanes to heare the word or else if they doe heare it are not so called as that they are become fit to follow it Wee speake now of totall blinding as I may so call it which hath ioyned with it finall impenitencie and not of euery particular one which happeneth to the predestinate also whom God now and then before and after their conuersion suffereth to fall into sins yet so as all things worke vnto their saluation The vse of these things is that wee may vnderstand what great thankes are to bee giuen to God for his mercie Aug. ad Simpl. lib. 1. q. 2. The vse of all who sheweth in the punishment of some what he freely bestoweth vpon others CHAP. XVII How God is said to harden and blinde IT remaineth now that we consider how blinding and hardening of the vngodly is attributed vnto God For vnlesse this be rightly vnderstood God shall seeme to bee accused of iniustice and contrariwise sinners excused according to the saying Why is hee yet angrie for who shall resist his will Some to auoide these rockes doe expound Diuerse opinions of Gods hardening a man that God hardeneth by permitting onely and all seeme not to take this permission after one sort some referre it to the long suffering and lenitie of God so that he is said to harden when he doth not forthwith chasten sinners and to haue mercie when by and by he inuiteth them to repentance by afflictions Others say that permission here is the priuation of grace so that to harden is all one with not to soften by grace The former exposition is referred of Erasmus to Origene and Hierome Collat. de lib. arbit De ser arbit ca. 139. seq But it is confuted by Luther by most strong reasons For that ouermuch libertie of interpreting tendeth to confound all things by a new and vnheard of Grammer as when God saith I will harde the heart of Pharao The first opinion confuted as false changeing the persons a man should take it Pharao hardeneth him selfe by my lenitie God hardeneth our heart that is wee harden our selues while God deferreth punishment So that God sheweth mercie doth not signifie to giue grace to forgiue sinnes to iustifie or to deliuer from euils but contrarily it signifieth to punish and to chastise This is nothing else than of mercie to make wrath of wrath mercie by an altogether crosse kinde of speech And if then God bee said to harden when hee doth good and forbeareth and to haue mercie when he afflicteth and chastiseth then God shall not bee said to haue hardened Pharao but contrariwise to haue had mercie on him For what omitted hee in afflicting chastening and calling Pharao to repentance These and many other things saith Luther in that place Augustine also reproueth Iulian the Pelagian of an error for this Lib. 5. cap. 3. that he thought that hardening pertained onely vnto Gods patience and not to his power as God did not harden but by shewing his patient goodnesse when euils bee done What is it saith he that we daily say Leade vs not into tempration but that we bee not deliuered ouer vnto our lusts Doe we happely aske this of God that his goodnes be not patient towards vs What man in his right wits so meaneth Because so wee should not call for his mercie but rather prouoke his anger The second opinion better but vnperfect Their iudgement is somwhat fuller who albeit they also make mention of permission in this matter yet they take hardening for the withdrawing and depriuing of grace And this is it that is read in Augustine De prâ—â—l graâ—ca 4. Epist 1â—5 Lib. 1. cap 2. God is saide to harden to blinde to turne away him whome hee will not soften inlighten and call Neither doth God harden by bestowing malice but in not bestowing mercy Also to Simplician Gods hardening is that he is vnwitting to shew mercie so that he giueth not any thing to a man to make him worse but onely giueth him nothing to make him better And by and by he bestoweth not vpon some sinners his mercie to iustifie them and therefore he is said to harden some sinners because he hath not mercie on them and not because he compelleth them to sinne In this sense Lombard also and Aquinas speake of induration oâ— hardening Lom lib. 1. dist 4. c. 4. q. â— 2. q. 29. God moueth mens hearts to good and euil but diuerslie yet alwaies iustly Albeit this exposition be tollerable yet the same Aquinas in his exposition vpon the 9. to the Rom. vpon the saying he hardeneth whom hee well freely confesseth that something more must bee vnderstood herein and he addeth that men are moued of God to good or euill by a certaine inward motion but diuersely For a man is stirred vp to good of God directly and of him selfe as of the author of goodnes but vnto euill by occasion Here with may those things be compared that Luther hath in his booke of seruile free will cap. 150. and 154. and Brentius vpon 1. Sa. 2. of Elies sonnes writeth thus Brentius To the intent they might be punished worthily according to their deserts the Lord by his secret power brought it to passe that they should not repent at their fathers admonition and should perish to wit inwardly working what outwardly hee forbiddeth by his word And this is not to be the author or cause of maliciousnes but it is to inflict iust punishment for the same These things he De gra lib. arâ— cap. 1. But especially Augustine at large proueth and declareth that God worketh as pleaseth him euen in the hearts of wicked men by rendring vnto them according to their deserts So God saith he wrought in the heart of Amasia 2. King 14. with whome doubtles God was iustly angrie for his Idolatrie that he should not heare good counsell but contemning it should goe to warre where with his whole army he might be destroyed And in the Psalmes it is said of the Egiptians what God did vnto them Psalm 105. He turned their hearts that they hated his people and dealt deceitefully with his seruants Of these and such like places of the holy Scripture he afterward concludeth God worketh in mâ—ns hearts to bow their wills to good or euill that God worketh in the hearts of men to bowe their willes whither soeuer it pleaseth him either to good of his mercy or to euill according to their deserts in his iudgement doubtles sometime manifest sometime hidden but alwaies iust In like maner against Iulian Lib. 5 cap. 3. Many things saith he we could rehearse wherby it might plainely appeare that by the secret iudgement of God the hart is made peruerse God punisheth sinne with sinne that a man heareth not the truth and therupon sinneth for a punishment of some former sin And
503. 1097 lib. germ fol. 8. vnheard of before in the eares of Christians if it be lawfull to beleeue it it brake forth about sixe yeares a goe namely in a Conference held at Mompelgard in the yeare of our Lord 1586. O miserable ignorance of antiquitie ioyned with marueilous licentiousnes and malice and very true is that which is commonly said Ignorance is rash and bold First with what face doth he accuse of noueltie a doctrine so grounded in the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scriptures that is in the canon of the trueth that whosoeuer rusheth against this oke against this inuincible wall he is broken all to peeces himselfe We say nothing but such things which the Prophets and Moses Act. 10.23 26.18 Euangelists and Apostles haue testified with one accord to wit that euery one that beleeueth in the name of Christ and not the vnbeleeuers receiueth remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified If this doctrine be slandered of noueltie by them that be themselues the authors and fauourers of new opinions wee must beare it with Paul Act. 17. whose doctrine also we reade in the Acts seemed new to the Athenians that were ignorāt of the truth and drowned in Idolatrie The consent of all antiquitie on our side Further that the vanitie of this fable may more appeare goe too indifferent readers bring hither your eyes and eares and weigh with me the agreeing consent of antiquitie Testimonies These be the words of the Church of Smyrna in the epistle of the martyrdome of Polycarpus their Bishop The church of Smyrna which is recited of Eusebius Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 15. Christ suffered for the saluation of the whole world of them that shall bee saued therefore he must bee worshipped and adored as the sonne of God but the martyrs must as disciples and followers of the Lord be worthily loued for their inseparable good will toward their king and master and not bee worshipped To what purpose is it that the world of them that shall be saued is speciallie expressed if as touching effect Christ suffered alike for all the damned and those that shall bee damned as for Peter Paul and all them that are saued or shall be saued Iustine the holy martyr of Christ of the same time and age with Polycarpus Iustine martyr and in the same heate of persecution crowned with martyrdome by M. Aurel. Antoninus and Lucius Commodus Ver. Emper. in the booke of the trueth of Christian religion saith Christ is made an oblation for all sinners that are willing to turne and repent And in the same booke beyond the middest Our Christ suffered and was crucified he lay not vnder the curse of the law but shewed cleerely that he onely would deliuer them that would not fall away from his land that is all the faithfull And as the blood of the Passeouer deliuered them that were saued in Egypt so the blood of Christ shall deliuer them that beleeue from death And in this sense in the same place anone he addeth that saluation happened to mankinde by the blood of Christ to wit as farre forth as all beleeuers throughout the world are freed from death by him but not as though all men without difference of faithfull and vnfaithfull were translated from sinne to righteousnes from death to life and saluation by him as our aduersaries dreame The same man about the end of the same booke denieth that sinnes are forgiuen to impenitent vncleane foolish and desperate persons alleadging the example of Dauid whose sinne was then forgiuen when he repented Againe in the beginning of the booke almost he witnesseth that such as repent are clensed through the blood of Christ by faith who died for the same cause Ireneus saith The word of God incarnate was hanged on the tree that he might briefly comprise all things in himselfe I Ireneus lib. 5. saith he when I shall be lifted vp from the earth will draw all things or all men vnto mee This he sayd signifying what death he should dye Christ in his passion hanging on the crosse alone saueth all men that doe not depart from the land of promise that is the faithfull continuing in grace to the end The same writer lib. 4. cap. 37. saith We are saued as Rahab the harlot by the faith of the scarlet signe that is by the passion and blood of Christ through faith They that make no account of this signe of scarlet like Pharisees haue no part in the kingdome of heauen And lib. 2. cap. 39. he saith Christ came to saue all men by himselfe all I say that by him are borne again in God infants children boyes yong men and old men Origene vpon Leuit. The high Priest and aduocate Christ praieth for them onely that be the Lords portion Origene who waite for him without who depart not from the temple where they giue themselues to fasting and praier Againe Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 24. Christ hath brought libertie to them that lawfully readily and heartily serue him and brought eternall perdition to such as contemne and rebell against God cutting them off from life Ambrose de fide ad Gratianum Augustum lib. 4. cap. 1. Ambrose If thou beleeuest not Christ came not downe for thee he suffered not for thee The same man vpon 1. Cor. 15. As Adam sinning found death and all that come of him die so Christ not sinning and hereby ouercomming death hath purchased life for all that are of his body The same restraint he vseth vpon the saying Rom. 5. that the righteousnes of one redoundeth vpon all men to the iustification of life The righteousnes saith he of Christ onely iustifieth all beleeuers and by his obedience many and not all are made righteous Neither saith he this onely but also he expressely reiecteth the deuise of the aduersaries of so generall a iustification as condemnation is generall Hub. thes 49. The same writer vpon the 8. of Luke saith Albeit Christ died for all yet for vs specially he suffered because he suffered for his Church How specially for the Church and yet for al but because the fruites of his passion reconciliation libertie adoption inheritance pertaine properly to the Church Hereupon Epist 20. the same father saith Christ is good meate for all faith is good meate mercie is sweete meate grace is pleasant meate the spirit of God is good meate forgiuenes of sinnes is good meate But the people of the Church eate these meates And more cleerely in 73. Epist After that the fulnes of time came and Christ is come wee are not now seruants but freemen if we beleeue in Christ Where faith is there is libertie For the seruant is vnder feare but a freeman is of faith where libertie is there is grace there is the inheritance But where is no libertie there is no grace where no grace no adoption where no adoption there is no succession Also in his first
to Aug. Tom. 7. their error being ouerthrowen by the sound Byshops specially by Augustine a notable defender of the faith as hee is worthily praysed of Hilarie certaine other sprung vp worthy and famous men in all studie of vertues sauing that the spirite of Pelagian impiety deceiued them and therefore called Semipelagians These mens declaration and profession was that all men sinned in Adams sinne and that none are saued by their workes but by the grace of God through regeneration yet notwithstanding that euery man hath so much of naturall grace left that he may attaine vnto that sauing grace by the helpe of the first grace if he wil. Therefore in respect of God that eternall life is prepared for all but in respect of free will that it is apprehended of them that shall beleeue in God willingly as of themselues and shall receiue the helpe of grace by the merite of faith Or els to speake more plainely They did defend against the Pelagians that a man is not able of himselfe to rise againe and to worke wel yet they supposed that euery one had in him a wil to rise againe which seeketh only after the phisition but can do nothing of it selfe and they said that no mans nature was so extinguished or depraued that it ought not or was not able to be willing to be healed and therefore that they obtained both increase of faith and also the whole effect of their holinesse by that merite whereby they haue beene willing and haue beleeued that they may be healed of their disease when the occasion of obtaining saluatioÌ„ is preached to them that are cast down and can neuer rise vp againe in their own strength Neuerthelesse they consented herein that no man had sufficient power of himselfe euen to begin a work much lesse to bring it to perfection For they distinguished between works and faith whereof they would haue if not the increase yet the beginning albeit slender to consist in the power of man that the beginning of saluation may bee beleeued to arise from him that is saued and not from him that saueth and that the will of a man should bee thought to procure for it selfe the helpe of Gods grace and not that grace should bee thought to subiect the will vnto it And this position being layd Marke these errors of the Semipelagians that all men haue a wil in them whereby they may either contemne or imbrace saluation offered they thought that the reason of such as are elected or reiected is soone giuen to wit that God before the creation of the world foreknew who would beleeue or who would abide or not abide in that faith that after should be holpen by his grace and according to this prescience that hee either chose such as would beleeue or els reprobated such as would not beleeue or at the least whom hee foreknewe that they would not perseuere Predestination defined by the Semipelagian at first Whereupon predestination was no other thing with these men than Gods purpose of electing such as would beleeue in time to come This was the opinion of the Semipelagians of these weightie articles namely of free will of grace and predestination And Augustine himselfe was of the same opinion in the beginning before he was a Bishop as it appeareth in his booke of expositions vpon the epistle to the Romans and in Hilaries epistle to Augustine His words are Augustine was a Semipelagian at first which also those remnants of the Pelagian prauitie obiected to be their opinion that God in his foreknowledge did elect them that would beleeue and condemne vnbeleeuers neither choosing the one for their works nor damning the other for their works but granting to their faith to doe well and hardening the impietie of others to doe euill And againe God surely in his prescience chooseth not any mans works which he freely giueth but yet he chooseth faith in his prescience that whom he foreknew would beleeue him he hath chosen c. These things said Augustine at that time In like maner many other learned meÌ„ erred being not acquainted with the Pelagian heresie that was not as yet sprung vp and being careles without an enemie De doctr Christ lib. 3. cap. 33. as else where Augustine speaketh of Ticonius Hereupon also the Commentaries vpon the Romans that are read in the Tomes of Hierome haue it written that Iacob and Esau before they were borne were separated before God by the merite of faith Also I will haue mercie vpon him So was Ierome Chrysostome and Erasmus Dial. 3. infint whom I foreknew was able to deserue mercie And Hierome himselfe to Hedibia quaest 10. seemeth to incline thereto saying that not men themselues but their wills were elected Albeit Hierome was of a better iudgement in his writings against the Pelagians wherein he speaketh very honorably of Augustine and testifieth that he resteth himselfe in his disputations against the Pelagians But Chrysostome in his exposition vpon the ninth to the Romans plainely writeth that God as he foresaw euery one to be worthie or vnworthie of his grace so either elected or reiected them In Dâ—â—tribe Hyperaspiste Among the new writers Erasmus maintaineth the same opinion Neither do they seeme to be far from the same who write in these manie words that faith is the cause of election and yet they will not be Pelagians Coll. â—omp fol. 5â—8 Let them bee then Semipelagians Such also is that that another of the same stampe writeth Huber thes 786. sequen That God foreknowing from euerlasting who would receiue grace and continue and who not put this supposition or condition vnder his election that whosoeuer beleeue in Christ should be saued What I pray differeth this opinion from the definition of the Semipelagians saying that Predestination or election is the purpose of electing those that would beleeue Or els Note if they think that herein they are farre from them because they acknowledge that faith is the worke not of nature but of the holy Ghost doe they not perceiue that they tye the knot faster and not loose it For this is the question why a liuely and constant faith to saluation is from God inspired into some and not into others But to the point Whether the foreknowledge of workes or of faith bee set downe to be the cause of election it is an error vnsufferable For euidently we are taught in the sacred Scriptures that not onely good workes Grace alone is the cause of faith and good works but also faith it selfe from whence all righteousnes beginneth and euen the beginning of faith and the will or desire to beleeue are of meere grace and not as of vs. As it is written What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued Againe Without maye can doe nothing saith the trueth 1. Cor. 4. Ioh. 15. Phil. 1. And plainly
Paul to the Philip. To you saith he it is giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake How Augustine recanted his former error By these and the like testimonies of diuine Scripture Augustine being conuicted freely acknowledged his error in this point and retracted it de praedest sanct cap. 3 passimeo libro Ad Simplicianum Sancti Ambrosij successorem apud Mediol lib. 1. quaest 2. contra 2. Epist Pelag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Retract lib. 1. Aug. de bono perseu cap. 12. cap. 23. lib. 2. cap. 1. For it is incident to man to fall and to erre but wittingly and willingly to continue in error is deuillish neither ought any man to bee so vniust or enuious that either he will not profit himselfe or els hinder others that are desirous to profit Fourthly The fourth opinion that the foreseene abuse of free will to infidelitie and other euill works is the cause of reprobation confuted by Augustine other confesse that the cause of election to eternall life is in God alone namely his grace and good pleasure but they suppose no lesse than the former writers that the cause of reprobation is in men themselues to wit the foreseene abuse of freewill to infidelitie and other euil works For they be afraid least any iniquitie should bee with God if some bee said to bee reiected of him without all respect of workes Therefore that they may maintaine his iustice forsooth they write that as many as bee reprobated are reprobated for finall sinne foreseene Among the Schoolemen Scotus and his disciples follow this opinion Scotus Hereupon some of that same leauen haue defined reprobation to be the eternall foreknowledge of the euill vse of freewill Thomas Argentinus his definition of reprobation Lib. 1. q. 2. by reason whereof God hath decreed to depriue some man of his grace in this present life and to punish him in the life to come with euerlasting paine But as Augustine ad Simpl. rightly iudgeth If we should graunt that reprobation dependeth of euill workes foreseene it should altogether follow on the contrarie that election also ariseth of good workes foreseene Which if it be true it is false that it is not of workes Fiftly therefore and that is the true opinion The fift opinion soundest and best as foreseene workes or faith of such as shall be saued are not the cause of their election so neither is the vnbeleefe or other sinnes foreseene of them that shall bee damned the cause of their reprobation but that they are in Christ of meere mercie elected and these are iustly from the same mercie reiected according to the purpose of Gods will which as it is most free so most iust and the very rule of all equitie and iustice CHAP. VII A demonstration of election freely arising oft h◠meere good pleasure of God FOr the defence of this trueth and the larger confutation of the contrarie opinions there be sundry arguments and testimonies of the Scriptures and those most cleere and euident from whence we will onely produce some The 1. reason 1. The cause is not later than the effect But workes and faith in vs and the very will and desire to beleeue and what good vse soeuer of freewill in vs bee later than election For all these things are temporall whereas election is eternall according to the sayings He elected vs before the creation of the world Ephe. 1. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 1. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid He hath called vs with an holy calling according to his purpose and grace which is giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Obiection If they except that our workes not as done but as to be done and foreseene of God are alike eternall Answere we answere that God foresaw no good worke or will in vs which he decreed not to effect in vs and which in predestinating he prepared not for vs as it is said to the Ephes 2. We are his worke created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them And chap. 1. of the same Epistle He hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him From whence we vnderstand seeing in that we are predestinate of God to life it commeth to passe that wee doe good workes and beleeue so euen the foreknowledge of future faith in vs and of those good things which we shall doe is later then election at the least in order reason The 2. 2. To the same end it commeth if we should argue thus Good workes likewise faith and what vse soeuer of freewill to worke or to beleeue or els to thinke of any goodnes flow from the meere grace of God as the effects of Gods electiō as at large after shall be shewed Therefore neither as done neither as to be done and foreseene of God can these things be considered as the causes of election For nothing can bee both the cause and effect in respect of the same thing Ad Simpl. lib. 1. Workes saith Augustine do not beget grace but are begotten of grace Two fine similitudes The fire warmeth not that it may be hot but because it is hot Neither doth the wheele therefore runne well that it may bee round but because it is round So no man therefore worketh well that he may receiue grace but because he hath receiued it 3. The 3. reason If our foreseene good workes were the cause of predestination to eternall saluation they should bee the cause also of our calling and iustification The later is false Therefore also the first The Maior is proued by the rule That which is the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused as they speake that is of the effect But predestination is the cause of vocation and iustification as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he called whom he called them he iustified whom he iustified them also he glorified The Minor also is most easily proued 2. Tim. 1. seeing the holie Ghost expressely testifieth that we are saued of God and called with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace giuen vs in Christ Iesu before the world Likewise Paul in his Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians most largely discourseth of iustification euery way freely bestowed He requireth faith surely as the meane whereby we applie righteousnes and saluation offered to vs in the Gospell but not as of our selues for it is the gift of God And therfore if euen the foreknowledge of faith Ephes 2.8 as from vs be set downe to be the cause of election it will follow that neither iustification is euery way free Otherwise it standeth firme that we are iustified by faith as by a meane yet faith is not
is apparant vnto the first proposition of the argument by a distinction By what thing election is made sure to wit in respect of God that thing is the cause of election But by our good workes election is made sure not in respect of God but of vs as by the effect and the signe as it is sayd So faith so iustificatiō so the inheritance of eternal life are made sure vnto vs by the ready and vnfained study of good works Neither yet are good workes therefore the cause of faith and iustification but the effects of them and a signe of eternal life freely to be giuen by and for Christ And generally whatsoeuer confirmeth another thing ought not foorthwith to bee counted the cause of it obie ∣ on The 4. We are expresly said to bee elected according to the foreknowledge of God the father 1. Peter 1. Answere Well but not according to the foreknowledge of our faith or of workes or of any thing inherent in vs. But God who knoweth all things from euerlasting Acts 15. when as yet wee were not chose vs according to his foreknowledge whereby hee knoweth all his future workes and hath disposed them from eternitie ob ∣ iection The fift We are elected in Christ saith the Apostle Eph. 1. Therfore we are not elected by any absolute decree or mercie of God but limited and described in Christ Answere I answere there is deceite in the worde absolute The decree of election how farre absolute or not The decree and mercie of God according to which hee chuseth some out of mankind that shal certainely be deliuered may be called absolute as touching the cause as farre foorth as nothing inherent in the elect themselues can be the cause of either the decree or mercie against which the opinion of the Pelagians and Semipelagians did set the foreseeing of workes or of faith also or vnbeliefe but in the respect of the meanes whereby he appointed to saue the elect in mercie that mercie is wholly limited in Christ the Mediator by whom God decreed to saue whosoeuer are saued To be chosen in Christ what it is Therefore the meaning is He hath chosen vs in Christ not as being in him or would be afterward as of ourselues but that we might be in him and by him might be saued And so Paul himselfe expoundeth He hath predestinated vs that he might adopt vs for sonnes thorow Christ Iesu and that according to the good pleasure of his will And this very thing is also in force concerning reprobation that God neither destroyeth nor hath purposed to destroy the reprobates by absolute iustice to wit without their desart but whom he destroyeth he destroyeth and hath purposed from euerlasting to destroy for sinnes The sixt obiection That which is the cause of iustification the same is of Election and that which is the cause of damnation is of reprobation But the cause of iustification is faith concurring with the mercie of God and apprehending it and the cause of damnation is vnbeliefe despising the grace of God offered in Christ and other sinnes Therefore c. Answere I answere there is a fault in the Maior They that be iustified be elected surely so that wee may in iudging by that which is later determine that doubtlesse they are elected who by faith lay hold vpon the mercie promised for Christes sake and doe not cast away that confidence vnto the end But it neither ought nor can be granted that the next cause of iustification and election is one and the same such as faith is in the matter of iustification For iustification is the effect of election as euen saith it selfe whereby wee are iustified according to the saying Whom he hath predestinated them hee hath called Rom. 8. Acts 13. whom hee hath called them also hee iustified Againe As many as were foreordained to eternall life beleeued And now it is manifest that the cause of the cause that is election is also the cause of the effect or the thing caused as they doe say to wit of iustification but not contrariwise because one the same thing should be the cause of it selfe Wherefore the very effects of election may be so ordered that one is the cause of another as faith of iustification iustification of glorification but no effect of election can be considered as the cause thereof and by consequent faith seeing it is the effect of election cannot be thought to be the cause of it as well as of iustification The effect of Reprobation is Gods forsaking after which follow vnbeliefe and other sinnes The 7. obiection The same wee may iudge of vnbeliefe and other sinnes which albeit properly they are not to be called the effects of reprobation yet the effect thereof is Gods forsaking after which vnbeliefe and other sinnes doe follow This whole answere is confirmed by those things which before in the 11. chapter are recited out of Luther concerning the Iewes that were through vnbeliefe cut from the Oliue tree and the Gentiles grafted in the same by faith The seuenth obiection is like vnto this We must iudge of Predestinatiō neither by reason nor by the law but by the Gospel But the Gospel witnesseth that the beleeuers are receiued in to grace saued and thereby are elect on the contrary that vnbeleeuers and such as continue in sinnes are damned and thereby reprobates Election therefore and reprobation depend on faith or vnbeliefe of men Answere But there is more in the conclusion For the Minor affirmeth nothing of the cause of predestination but sheweth only this that by the marke of faith or finall vnbeliefe the elect or reprobates are discerned Whereupon this only followeth that we must iudge also according to this testimonie of the Gospel who bee elected who reiected In the meane while the Gospel doeth not denie but manifestly affirmeth that faith obedience perseuerance are the free giftes of God and are giuen or not giuen of him to whom it pleaseth God according to his good pleasure Mat. 11. vers 25 and 13.11 Iohn 6. vers 44.45 and 65. and 10 vers 26. Ephe. 1.8.15 and the rest 2. Tim. 1.9 Heb. 8.10 Ier. 31. c. Hence in iudging according to the Gospel A Syllogisme prouing by the Gospel that God hath decreed to saue some and forsake others onely of his good pleasure and will we shall gather as the Gospell teacheth a man to bee saued or not saued so God hath appointed from euerlasting to saue or not to saue him But the Gospel not onely teacheth that a man is saued by faith and doeth perish through vnbeliefe but also teacheth that euen faith and other benefites by which as by meanes man commeth to saluation are giuen to some and not giuen to others of God euen as pleaseth him Therefore euen faith and such kinde of benefites vnto saluation God hath decreed from euerlasting to giue to some men and not to giue to others euen as it pleased
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
there are not onely vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and earth and some to honour some to dishonour Apoc. 13. and 17. it is said of the beast that all the inhabitants of the earth whose names are not written in the books of life from the foundations of the world should worship and haue it in high estimation The reprobates and such as perish are expressed in many words against whome the elect are opposed whose names are written in the booke of life before the creation of the world and whom Gods mercie doth so defend that they cannot be seduced at the least finally Iude also in his epistle testifieth that seducers were of old ordained or forewritten to this condemnation which the Glosse and Aquinas least any man should blame our men to bee the makers of such Glosses do expound that they were from euerlasting in the fore knowledge of God foreseen for this iudgement of present reprobation that they should waxe vile themselues and cast others into vncleanenes In the bookes of the old Testament we read the same doctrine to be taught for the Lord saith to Moses Testimonies of the olde Testament Exod. 33. I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion And of Pharao the Scripture saith Exod. 9. for this cause haue I raised thee vp to shew in thee my power and that my name might be declared in all the earth Other such testimonies are mencioned in the disputation of Pauls epistle to the Romans Whereunto adde that which is Prouerbs 16. God made all things for his owne sake euen the vngodly against the euill day And 1. Sam. 2. it is said of Elies sonnes that they would not heare the voice of their father because the Lord would slaie them Again 2. Chron. 25 vers 16. the prophet saith to king Amasia I knowe that God hath purposed to destroie thee because thou hast not obeyed my worde By these and the like sentences of the sacred scriptures all men perceiue that loue the truth more than contention that election comprehendeth not whole mankind but that some among them are elected to saluation others are reiected from the same according to the eternal counsell and good pleasure of God The same men also vnderstand that the definition of predestination which is brought of some men is insufficient as though predestination of the Saints or election were nothing else than the decree of God touching the maner of obtayning saluation through Christ and reprobation were no other thing than his decree of the daÌ„ning of vnbeeleuers and such as abide without Christ There is no doubte but God hath so decreed and keepeth these things but the proofes and testimonies alledged do further strongly prooue that God hath also decreed to whom he will giue or not giue faith whereby wee are ingrafted into Christ for saluation in him and through him CHAP. IIII. A confutation of certaine obiections BVt what say the aduersaries to these things God say they would haue all men to bee saued 1. Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 obiection and to come to the knowledge of the truth Therefore on Gods part eternall life is prepared for all men neither doth anie perish because God will not bestow any grace vpon him but because he hath refused grace receiued In this opinion were those remnants of Pelagians in Prosper of whom hee writeth in his epistle to Augustine Answere I answere the Apostle saith not that he would saue al but he willeth all to be saued namely by inuiting all men to saluation How God would haue all men to be saued and the knowledge of the truth and also by approuing of the conuersion of all But he wil not effectually worke in all and euery one that they may beleeue and be saued For if he willed this his will should be altogether fulfilled and no man should be damned But now he hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will hee hardeneth and in his counsell hath appoynted whom and what maner of men he will haue to be partakers of mercie preached and offered vnto them as in these verie same words Cap. 107. Luther in ser arbit beateth into our heads where this and the like places I will not the death of a sinner Ierusalem how often would I gather Enchir. aâ—â—dur cap. 103. c. expoundeth after the same maner Augustine also teacheth that the saying of the Apostle is rightly so to be vnderstood he willeth that all men bee saued that is all kind of men howsoeuer differing kings princes rich poore base c. Cap. 117. The same man elsewhere expoundeth he willeth all men to be saued that all the predestinate be meant because all kind of men bee in them But of this place wee haue more largelie dealt aboue in the second booke and third chapter Obiection A place not vnlike to this there is 2. Pet. 3. The Lord is not slacke of his promises as some count slacknes but he is patient toward vs not willing that any should perish but that al should come to repentance If hee willeth none to perish it is false that in his eternall counsell hee hath decreed and therefore willeth that some yea very many should perish Againe if he willeth all to repent it shall be false that God wil not that all by repentance should be brought to Christ and liue In these Huber wonderfully delighteth himselfe Hub. thes 94. sequent but all in vaine so long as that of the Psalmist standeth Our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer he will and that of the Apostle on whom he will he hath mercie and whom he will he hardeneth But least we should seeme to set one Scripture against an other to reconcile them wee must know The meaning of Peters words that the saying of Peter is not without cause expounded by learned men of the vniuersalitie of the elect not onely because the like restraint is very often in the like phrases of the sacred Scriptures but also because the matter it selfe seemeth here to require it For what is the end of the world deferred for the reprobates sake and not rather for Gods elect sake In 1. Tim. 2. When they shall beleeue saith Ambrose that are predestinate vnto eternal life the resurrection shall come Which thing how truly it is spoken the answere testifieth in the Apocalyps chap. 6. vers 11. Yet if we stand in the generalitie of all men the sense will be that Thom. Com. in hunc locum aed Rom. 2. which Thomas and others doe assigne that hee willeth not that any should perish by his signified will as they speak as farre forth as hee inuiteth all men to repentance by precepts threatnings rewards and also by his patience and long sufferance as it is written Doest thou despise the riches of his mercie and long sufferance Doest thou not know that the bountifulnes of God