sent me that whatsoeuer hee hath giuen me I should lose none but should raise it vp at the last day And that it pleased the father to saue vs by the offering vp of his Sonne it commeth wholly from his diuine fauour Nothing moued the father to send his son to saue vs but his meere loue and mercie to mankinde loue and goodnesse towards mankinde as the Lord witnesseth Ioh. 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his Sonne Wherevpon Paul also saith Rom. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ died for vs. And Ephes 2. God who is rich in mercie of his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead in sinnes quickened vs through Christ And most cleerely of all to Titus chap. 3. The goodnes and loue of God our Sauiour towards men appeared and saued vs not by the righteous workes which wee had done but by his mercie The sayings of the Prophets consent hereto Esay 54.7 In a moment of my wrath I haue hid for a while my face from thee in euerlasting mercie I haue compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer I euen I am he Esay 43.12 who doth blot out thine offences for mine owne sake and I will not remember thy sins He saith for mine owne sake that is not for your sake but for my holie name as it is expounded Ezech. 36. Neither doth that tend to any other end which Esay chap. 9. prophesying of the incarnation of the Sunne and of the redemption of the Church by him from the yoke of sinne and death concludeth the whole matter with this notable sentence in the ende The zeale of the Lord of hostes shall bring this thing to passe as if he should say I foretell of great things but they be true and the almightie father enflamed with eternall loue and minding to saue them to whom he hath promised the kingdome of heauen A double vse of the loue of God Christ towards vs. will bring this thing to passe See also what Moses Deuter. 7. speaketh of the cause of the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt which was a type of this eternall deliuerance The first vse Further the vse of this consideration is that wee should humble our selues vnfainedly before God and that hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord and not in his workes or own worthines For the opposition of the mercie of God and of the righteousnes of workes is to be obserued and vrged alway in the matter or cause of saluation as Paul did oppose these things Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but by his mercie he saued vs. And the same Antithesis is repeated 2. Tim. 1. vers 9. and Dan. 9. vers 18. The second The second vse is that wee also pondring in our minde the deeper sea as Damascene speaketh of Gods loue towards vs Damas lib. 3. cap. 1. orth fid should loue God againe and that not in word nor tongue onely but in deede and trueth as he hath loued vs and giuen his life for vs 1. Ioh. 3. And chap. 4. ioyning both vses together in excellent words thus he writeth Hereby the loue of God is made manifest vnto vs that he sent his owne Sonne into the world that wee might liue thorow him In this is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And straightway addeth Beloued if God so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another And a little before the end We loue him because he loued vs first If any man shall say I loue God hateth his brother he is a lyar But seeing by the death of Christ we are reconciled vnto God as saith the Apostle Ephes 2. An obiection He hath reconciled vs to God thorow his crosse slaying enemitie by it How God did both loue man and hate him it seemeth to disagree with that we haue said that through the loue of God he was deliuered to death for vs. For if we were before loued of God to what end is reconciliation If any say reconciliation was needfull in respect of vs that we might cease to bee at enemitie with God and among our selues the Iewes with the Gentiles and Gentiles with Iewes Ephes 2. Colos 1. he neither saith nothing nor speaketh all by the witnesse of Paul For first of all it was the part of the reconciler to pacifie the wrath of God against vs for sinnes and to make him fauourable and gratious vnto vs. How then can it stand that God preuented this reconciliation of his free fauour and loue in giuing his sonne vnto vs The reason is thus made The same thing is not the cause and the effect But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation Therefore it is not the cause of it Answere But the maior is true in respect of one and the same thing But the loue of God is the effect of reconciliation not simply as though then at the length he began to loue vs but respectiuely as farre forth as reconciliation by the blood of his sonne remoueth sinne whereby wee were made enemies of God and children of his wrath according to that saying Sap. 14. The wicked and his wickednesse are alike hated of God And Psal 5. Thou hast hated all that worke iniquitie And Esay crieth Esay 59. Our iniquities haue made a separation betweene our God and vs and our sinnes are the cause that he hideth away his face from vs and heareth vs not This whole matter Augustine notably expoundeth in his 110. treatise vpon Iohn After a wonderfull and diuine maner saith he God loued vs Augustines answere God hateth sin in vs but loueth his work when he did hate vs. For he hated vs as we were such as he had not made vs that is for sinnes And because saith he our iniquitie had not altogether destroyed his worke he knew in euery one of vs both to hate what we had done and also to loue what he himselfe had made and this may be vnderstood in all men according to the saying Sap. 11. Thou hast hated nothing that thou hast made For in that which he hateth there is somewhat also that he loueth For he hateth and misliketh the fault which swarueth from the patterne as it were of his workmaâ—ship yet he loueth that which is his owne euen in such as are corrupted Furthermore seeing hee hateth nothing of those things which he hath made peculiarly as Augustine there teacheth he loueth the members of his onely sonne But specially he loueth vs as we are members of his sonne For how saith he should he not loue the members of his sonne who loueth his sonne for there is no other cause of louing his members but because he loueth him Therefore he loueth vs because we are his meÌ„bers whom he
Champion of this conflict trusting to this triple ranke dealeth no more modestlie nor lesse boasteth himselfe and singeth the triumph before the victorie then euen that fierce Goliath 1. Sam 17. 2. Paral. â—2 1. â—eg 20. arrogant and stout by reason of his sworde speare and shield or that proud Sanherib or glorious Benhadad trusting in their horses and chariots to the reproach of Israel For he boasteth boldly that all attempt is in vaine of ouerthrowing those rankes Comp. thes 14. vnles first they that assaie it doe accuse and conuince the scripture of falsehoode But oh sirtha of good fellowship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sing not your triumph before the victorie and as it is set downe in the sacred Scriptures Let not him that putteth on his armor boast as he that putteth it off as we learne that Ahab long agoe wisely answered Benhadad 1. Reg. 20.21 The Scripture with vs is of vndoubted credit and constant authoritie But the question is not of the trueth of the Scriptures which who so beleeueth not is a Pagan and no Christian but of the trueth of mans opinion which too boldly truely thou doest defend vnder pretence of Gods word as we shall see Wherefore we nothing regarde as well thine armies as thy triumphs CHAP. II. VNTO THE ARGVMENTS OF THE FIRST ORDER A generall answer to testimonies of the death of Christ for all THe first order or ranke as farre as I obserue consisteth in a fourefold kinde of testimonies as a foureparted rescuing armie of souldiers for the places of Scripture of the olde and new Testament are brought wherein either Christ is said to die for all or the fruite of his death seemeth to be extended to all without exception or mention of the world is made in the matter of saluation or lastlie the gospell is said to appertaine vnto all Of all these we will speake in order First of all as touching the testimonies of the death of Christ for all we graunt also after a sort that Christ suffered and died for all men as many as haue been are and shall be What then Shall it thereof follow that all and euery one whether they beleeue or not beleeue are in very deede reconciled iustified quickened renewed saued and that all iudgement and wrath of God is truely and properlie taken away in all men and that all together are set free from all sinne and condemnation vndoubtedly and receiued as sonnes into the fauour and bosome of God This thing this stout defender maintaineth in these very words in his Theses but we denie and vtterly denie these consequences For that they may be admitted this of necessitie must be the Maior of the Syllogisme For whomsoeuer Christ suffered and dyed The opinion of the aduersarie drawne into a syllogisme they vndoubtedly are freed from all sinne and condemnation and are in deede made partakers of saluation reconciliation iustification regeneration and other benefits purchased by Christs death without any respect of faith and vnbeliefe The assumption followeth Christ is dead for all Therefore c. Answere But the Maior taken so absolutely is most false and full of reproach euery way against all the trueth of Christian religion and the very passion and death of the sonne of God But it is true conditionally that they for whom he died be partakers of the rehearsed benefits if they beleeue in Christ and obey him For it is impossible that a man should please God Heb. 11. who is without faith And Christ plainely maketh such a difference As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes Ioh. 3. so must the sonne of man be lift vp that euery one that beleeueth should haue euerlasting life And straight waies So God loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life Againe in the same place For God sent not his sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world by him might be saued He that beleeueth is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie And about the end of the chapter Iohn Baptist saith He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath life but he that beleeueth not in the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Neither doth Paul acknowledge any to be iustified by the redemption of Christ Rom. 3. but such as beleeue All saith he haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whoÌ„ God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood This answere vseth Theophilact vpon Heb. 2. Theoph. whom Anselmus there seemeth to follow His words are these He tasted death not for the faithfull only but for the whole world For albeit all are not saued in very deed yet he a Peregit quod suâ intererat wrought that which was his part to do See how it doth not follow that if Christ died for all all are straightway saued which is the diuinitie of Huberus thes 270. Vpon the 9. chapter to the Hebr. the same interpreter hath left it thus written He hath taken away the sinnes of many Why said he of many and not of all Because all mortall men haue not beleeued The death of Christ surely was equiualent to the perdition of all that is was of value sufficient that all should not perish and it was paied for the saluation of all and * Quantum in eo fuit as much as lay in him he died for all yet he tooke not away the sinnes of all because they that resist him make the death of Christ altogether vnprofitable vnto themselues These things he Stapulensis The foresaid answere Stapulensis an interpreter among the late writers not to bee despised confirmeth vpon the 2. chapter to the Hebr. in these words Christ truly suffered for all men and his death is of value for the redemption of all but then his death hath freed vs from the feare of death and from the feare of bondage hath restored vs into the libertie of life when wee follow him willingly And vpon the 10. chapter he writeth that by the oblation of Christ there is a most full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world which haue been are and shall be but their sins are remitted who comming vnto Christ doe aske grace which he vouchsafed to obtaine of the father for them but their sins are not pardoned who refuse his grace and contemne the vniuersal fountaine of the washing away of sinnes not knowing or being vnwilling to purge themselues in him And Brentius doth so declare it Brentius Catechis artic de remiss peccat We are iustified saith he by the meere mercie of God only for the redemption wherwith Christ hath redeemed mankind from sinnes and for that reconciliation which he hath obtained and not for any merit of man But
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
albeit they maintaine as well as we the firmenes and certaintie of Gods election in it selfe yet they would haue it to bee vncertaine to vs as long as we liue in this mortal life whether we be in the nūber of the elect those that shall be saued yea whether in this life we bee in fauour with God neither suppose they that it cā possibly be known without especial reuelatiō such as they attribute to Paul and some few other Concil Trid. sesse 6. cap. 12. Hereupon the Councell of Trent held vnder Pope Paul the third decreed in this sort No man in this life ought so to presume of the secret misterie of Gods predestination that hee should certainely make account that he himselfe is in the number of them that be predestinated as though it were true that he that is iustified either could not sinne any more or if he hath sinned ought to promise himselfe certaine repentance For without speciall reuelation it cannot be knowne whom God hath chosen to himselfe Can. 15. And in the same Session among the Canons wherein the Trent fathers establish doubting of the forgiuenes of our sins and of the grace of God Hee is pronounced accursed whosoeuer shall say that a man regenerate and iustified is bound by faith to beleeue that he is certainely of the number of the predestinate This is the doctrine of poperie and no maruell seeing they are not subiect to the righteousnes of God but goe about to set vp their owne righteousnes of worthinesse and humaine merites For seeing they rest not in the mercie of God by and for Christes sake forgiuing sinnes to euery one that beleeueth but respect also their owne disposition worthinesse satisfactions merites to iustifie thē they doe lesse yet than becommeth thē that they so much doubt of their receiuing into grace or of their iustification For Paul without al doubting plainly pronoūceth that he knoweth nothing by himself yet hereby he is not iustified 1. Cor. 4. Gal. 5. Gal. 3. And to the Gal. Behold I Paul say vnto you ye are made voide of Christ as many as are iustified by the Law and ye are fallen from grace For as many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse And truely this doctrine of doubting of the grace of God in this life or the life to come Reasons against doubting of Gods grace greatly swarueth frō the scope of the diuine Scriptures For the Apostle saith What things are written are written for our instruction that by patience consolation we might haue hope Lib. 3. Sent. dist 26. What hope is But hope excludeth doubting because hope euen by the confession definition of the papistes themselues is a vertue whereby spiritual and eternal things are confidently expected or which is all one Hope is a certaine expectation of future blessednes proceeding from the grace and trueth of God They adde and from precedent merites because to hope for any thing without merites is not to bee called hope put presumption As though it were not presumption rather to aduance merites against grace For if of workes then not of grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11. but if of grace then not of workes Secondly a most strong argument against popish doubting is taken from this that in the scriptures we are commanded to beleeue the remission of sinnes and eternall life and that not onely historically and generally but also with the application of the promise of grace vnto vs as also euery where the holy Scriptures require vs to beleeue in Christ who died for our sinnes that he might restore vnto vs Gods grace that was lost righteousnesse and eternall life To beleeue and to doubt are contrary Now to beleeue and to doubt are manifestly contrary one to the other as we may see in Iames cha 1. If any of you want wisedom let him aske of God but with cōfidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing doubting or wauering hither and thither like the waues of the sea that are caried of the winde And the words vsed in the sacred Scriptures to expresse the force and nature of faith confirme the same thing as that to faith is attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sure perswasiō substance demonstration confidence boldnes which surely signifie not a doubting of the mind but a sure certaine assurance Whereto then tendeth the doctrine and shop of doubting with the papists but to ouerthrowe faith altogether and to turne vpside downe the vse of the Scripture vnto vs which was therefore deliuered of the holy men of God that we should beleeue that Iesus Christ and that in beleeuing we might haue life through his name Hitherto serue the expresse sayings of Scripture Matth. 8. Be of good cheere my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Luk. 7. Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace The papists flee here to some speciall reuelation but as we doe not denie the same so we say that those special reuelations depend vpon the generall foundation that is the promise of grace made to beleeuers in the Gospell Mark 16. He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be damned 2. Tim. 1. This also is manfest by the testimonies of Paul I knowe whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe my pledge against that day Chap. 4. Againe I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the faith hereafter there is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue me in that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his comming Also I am perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 5. nor Angels nor principalities nor any other creature is able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu towards vs. In vaine doe they here except that Paul in those places speaketh onely of his owne assurance that he had by a singular reuelation For he speaketh in the plurall number of himselfe and others that are ingrafted into Christ by a true faith and loue his comming So elsewhere the Apostle generally testifieth Rom. 5. Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God and wee reioyce in the hope of the glorie of God through our Lorde Iesu Christ For being now iustified through his blood we shall much more be saued from wrath by him And to the Ephesians After ye beleeued Ephes 1. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest of our inheritance against the day of redemption Iohn also hereto agreeth 1. Ioh. 3. 4. We know that we are translated from death to life And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs that he hath giuen vs of his spirit These and such like testimonies plainly proue that a faithfull man may and ought to make certaine account that he hath
Gentiles 184 Luk. 11. Of the strong man armed 103 Luk. 24. The Gospell must be preached c. 95 Ioh. 1. He lighteneth euery man that commeth 42 Of his fulnes we all receiue Behold the Lambe of God that taketh c. 76 Ioh. 3. So God loued the world 74 The wrath of God abideth c. 184 Ioh. 3. 12. I came to saue the world 79 Ioh. 6. I will giue my flesh for the life 77 My father giueth you a heauenly bread 78 Ioh. 10. I lay downe my life for my sheepe 185 Ioh. 11. That he might gather the sonnes of God 186 Ioh. 12. When I am lifted vp I will draw 187 Ioh. 15. That a man should lay downe his life for his friends 187 If I had not come they had had no sinne 175 Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world 188 For them I sanctifie my selfe 190 Thou hast giuen me power ouer all flesh 70 None of them is lost but the lost childe 71 Act. 5. To giue remission of sinnes to Israel 199 Act. 10. To him giue all the prophets witnesse 199 Act. 20. God hath redeemed his Church with his owne blood 9 Rom. 2. Whosoeuer sinned without the Law 175 Rom. 3. The righteousnes of God vpon all that beleeue 191 Rom. 5. He died for his enemies 188 Vers 19. Through the obedience of one c. 8 Vers 18. The benefit redounded to all men to the iustification of life 63 Rom. 8. He gaue him for vs all 58 192 Rom. 9. The place of predestination is discussed 286 The elder shall serue the younger 291 Iacob I haue loued Esau I haue hated 293 O man who art thou c. 313 Rom. 11. He hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew 297 Of the Iewes cut off through vnbeleefe 125 That he might haue mercy vpon all 69 Rom. 14. Destroy not him with meate for whom Christ died 116 Rom. 14. According to the things he hath done in the body 282 Rom. 16. The Gospell declared to all nations 96 1. Cor. 3. If any destroy the temple of God 116 1. Cor. 8. Thy brother shall perish for whom Christ died 117 1. Cor. 12. He worketh all in all 42 1. Cor. 15. All shall be quickened 66 2. Cor. 5. Reconciling the world 79 One died for all 56 Galath 3. When ye began in the spirit 122 Galath 5. Stand in the libertie 124 Ye are fallen from grace 122 Ephe. 1. As he chose vs in him 297 All things are restored in Christ 66 Ephe. 5. He gaue himselfe for his Church 194 Col. 1. I fulfill the afflictions of Christ 12 He hath reconciled all things in heauen 66. 67 He hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes 195 Ye that were sometime strangers 195 If ye continue stable in the hope 69 1. Tim. 1. 4. Of such as fall from faith 109 1. Tim. 2. He will haue all men to be saued 51. 53. 54 He gaue himselfe for all 56 1. Tim. 4. He is the Sauiour of all specially of the faithfull 196 2. Tim. 2. If any man purge himselfe 306 Tit. 3. The grace of God hath appeared to all men 96 Heb. 2. All things subiect to Christ 59 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified 60 He tasted death for all 61 Heb. 5. He is made the author of saluation to all that obey him 196 Heb. 6. It is impossible for them that were once inlightened to be renued by repentance 113 Heb. 9. Of Redemption of sins vnder the former Testament 2 If the blood of goates c. 197 That the Called might receiue c. 197 He tooke away the sinnes of many 198 Heb. 10. Seeing therefore brethren we receiue libertie 115 1. Pet. 1. Elect according to foreknowledge 308 Reuealed for the beleeuers 199 1. Pet. 2. Whereunto they were appointed 122 2. Pet. 1. He is blinde and hath forgotten 119 2. Pet. 1. Make your election sure 307 2. Pet. 2. They deny the Lord that bought them 117 Of such as returne to filthines 117 2. Pet. 3. He will haue none to perish 261 1. Ioh. 1. The blood of Christ clenseth vs. 199 1. Ioh. 2. We haue Christ our aduocate 80 For the sinnes of the whole world 80 They were not of vs. 111. 333 1. Ioh. 3. That he might destroy the workes of the deuill 212 1. Ioh. 5. They that beleeue not make God a lyar 127 Apoc. 1. He hath washed vs from our sinnes 200 Apoc. 5. He hath redeemed vs to God 200 OF THE REDEMPTION OF MANKIND BY CHRIST The first Booke CHAP. I. Wherein is shewed the summe and diuision of this doctrine THE mysterie of the Redemption of mankinde by the onely begotten Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ the Apostles faithfullie and most sincerelie haue testified at large The summe of the Catholike saith and confession of the redemption of man first by liuely voyce and then by writings both to the Iewes and Gentiles to wit that the eternall word Rom. 15.8.9 which is the eternall Sonne of God to confirme the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles should glorifie God for his mercie in the last daies when the fulnes of time was come Galath 4.4 took vpon him the true nature of man of the Virgin Mary his mother by the operation of the holy Ghost and in the forme of a seruant Phil. 2 7. was obedient to his father vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse that by his precious blood 1. Pet. 1.19 as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie vs a peculiar people vnto himself Tit. 2.14 zealous of good workes The same Apostles haue also witnessed that to the end we may be partakers of this redemption a true faith in Christ is required of vs whereby as it were by a hand we may apprehend him and apply him with all his merits and benefits vnto our selues This is the Catholike faith and confession which the Apostles taught the Martyrs confirmed and the faithfull as yet do keepe For so the holie Apostle Paul describing this whole mysterie in few but cleere words saith Rom. 3.23 24 25 26. All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace thorow the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation thorow faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sinnes past that he might be iust and a iustifier of him which is of the faith of Iesu And the Author to the Hebrewes writeth on this maner Heb. 9.11 to 16 But Christ comming a high priest of good things to come by his owne blood entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption For if the blood of buls and goates sanctifieth the vncleane to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without
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
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
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
taught to the common people in sermons may easily bee confuted For it becommeth vs not to bee wiser than Christ himselfe his holy Apostles and Prophets who all haue freely witnessed to learned and vnlearned the true doctrine of predestination how hard soeuer it may seeme to the flesh As for example Christ said Many are called and few chosen And again Al that the father giueth me coÌ„meth vnto me My sheep heare my voyce but you beleeue not because ye are not of my sheepe Paul certainly not in a corner but publikely and before the whole world saith It is not in the willer nor in the runner but in God that sheweth mercie c. And againe God willing to make knowne his goodnes c. All these things forsooth are such if wee beleeue these moderators as nothing can be spoken more vnprofitably Marke this speech if the â—â—â—tiâ—oâ— well But say I If God will haue such things spoken and published abroad and that it is not to bee respected what may follow or what carnall wisedome shall inferre thereupon who art thou O man that doest forbid them As who say thy creator shall learne of thee his creature what is profitable what is vnprofitable to be preached Or what shall seeme tolerable in the iudgement of men vnskilfull surely I will not say commonly most vngodly that onely shall be profitable and what is contrariwise that shall straight be reputed vnprofitable and pernicious What is more foolish than to make Gods word so subiect to the pleasure of men Let rather the whole earth bee silent before the Lord and let all the inhabitants of the earth reuerence the words of his mouth CHAP. XXVII That the doctrine of predestination is profitable and necessary with the answers to such obiections as haue been made against it Obiection WHat profit then or what necessity moueth men to publish such things seeing so many euils and offences seeme to arise from thence to the troubling of the hearts of such as be simple and vnlearned Answere I answere It were sufficient to say because so it pleased God in whose will we must simply rest ascribing the glorie to him that seeing he is most wise and most iust he doth no man wrong â— Cor. 1. and cannot doe any thing foolishly and rashly whatsoeuer the flesh supposeth For the foolishnes of God is wiser than men and likewise the vnrighteousnes of God is more righteous than men With this answere the godly are content Yet for the greater confusion of this error alreadie ouerthrowne Predestination is profitable and necessarie to be taught The 1. reason and that we may be the more instructed in the trueth I will briefly shew it not onely to bee profitable but also necessary that the doctrine of predestination be taught and preserued among Christian people And first it is profitable and necessarie for this cause that the true God may be rightly knowne as he reuealeth himself in his word that is to say how that he hath mercie on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will and of the same lumpe maketh one vessell to honour and another to dishonour that is he hath decreed to bestow vndeserued grace vpon vessels of mercie prepared of himselfe by whom being seuered from the corrupt and damnable lumpe of mankinde they might be saued while the rest in the same masse of perdition are forsaken and shall bee condemned for sinne whereof the one belongs to his mercie the other to his iustice whose iudgement mercie the Church often singeth Psalm 101. Dan. 4.32 Rom 9. Matth. 20. De ser arbit cap. 143. And who is he that may say vnto him why dost thou so Shall the pot say to the potter why doest thou make me thus Hath not the pottter power ouer the clay Is thine eye euill because the Lord is good Such a God doth the sacred Scripture declare vnto vs. But God being spoyled as Luther auoucheth of power and wisedome to chuse what shall he be but an Idoll of fortune by whose power all things should come to passe at all aduentures And at length it will come to this that men are saued and damned God not knowing it as one that hath not appointed by a sure election such as shall be saued and shall be damned but offering to all his generall goodnes and mercie hath left it at mens pleasures whether they will bee saued or damned while he in the meane space perchance goeth to the Ethiopians banket as Homer speaketh of his Iupiter The doctrine of predestination is profitable and necessarie to be preached to know the grace of God against the â—elagians The 2. reason and Semipelagians and so to humble vs that he that glorieth may glorie in the Lord. Augustine saw this when he sayd Either predestination must so be preached as the sacred Scripture euidently speaketh of it De bono perseu cap. 16. that the gifts and calling of God in them that bee predestinate may be without repentance or els it must bee confessed that the grace of God is giuen according to our merits which sauoureth of Pelagianisme And in the next chapter Exhortations are not hindred if faith and perseuerance and good workes themselues be said to be Gods gifts and that foreknowne that is predestinated to be freely giuen but rather that dangerous error is hindered and subuerted by the preaching of predestination when the grace of God is sayd to be giuen according to our merits that he that glorieth may glorie not in the Lord but in himselfe Hereupon the same father chapter 20. of the same booke testifieth that he was vrged of necessitie to write largely of predestination because of the Pelagians who sayd that the grace of God was giuen according to our merits which thing saith he is nothing els than a flat deniall of grace The opinion of the Pelagians The Pelagians imagined that grace was offered indifferently to all men and that in respect of God eternall life was prepared for all but that it was in the power of men to refuse or receiue grace and saluation offered And that some are saued because they imbrace grace as of themselues and through their owne free will And that others be damned because when they may yet they will not receiue grace when it is offered What other thing is this than to make warre both against grace and predestination The doctrine of the Semipelagians Now such among them as would seeme more moderate and did not so much make a shew of Pelagianisme as secretly and a farre off onely follow it as those reliques of the Pelagians of whom Prosper and Hilarie write did confesse surely that no man is sufficiently able of himselfe euen to begin any good worke much lesse to performe it the nature of man is so ouerthrowne but they would haue yet some endeuour and will which onely may seeke after the Phisition and is not able of it selfe to doe any thing to remaine in