The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAPTER V.
THis much being ſpoken, of the ſubſtance of the Decree. we are next to conſider, what is the cauſe that moved God to make this Decree. Where we are to obſerve, that we doe not ſpeak of the final cauſe: which is the prayſe of the glorie of Gods grace. neither yet of the Materiall cauſe, and that which in the ſchooles is called cauſa procataretica, that is the formoſt after the firſt, or after the beginning: which in the ſubſtance of Gods Decree, we hauehave already declared, to be Chriſt. but the cauſe we inquire of, is that, which in the ſchooles is called proegumena, that is to ſay, which goeth before all cauſes, and doth leade, order, & guide al the reſt. Which the Apoſt. ſetteth down in theſe words: according to the good pleaſure of his will. by which words, it is evident, that nothing, either in Chriſt as Mediator, or in Man himſelf, or any thing els, without God: but only Gods owne will in him ſelfe, was the cauſe that did move God, to predeſtinate ſuch as are predeſtinate, and to predeſtinate them vntounto that wherevnto they are predeſtinate, that is adoption: and to predeſtinate them to be adopted, by no other Meane, except through Ieſus Chriſt alone. ſo that both Gods action of decreeing, & the perſons who are predeſtinate, and the thing wherevnto they are predeſtinate, & the Meanes whereby they are predeſtinate, doth depend vpō no cauſe without God, but vponupon the cauſe that is in God him ſelf: and vponupon no cauſe in God him ſelfe, except only his will. Which ſometimes is called in the ſcriptures his MercieMercy, his love, his grace, his purpoſe, his gift, his good pleaſure and counſell of his will. And for the clearer vnderſtanding of this point, we are carefully to marke, theſe two phraſes, conteyned in the deſcription of predeſtination. The firſt is, that God is ſaid to have predeſtinate vsus in him ſelfe. The ſeconde is, that he is ſaid to hauehave predeſtinate vsus according to the good pleaſure of his owne wil. By the firſt of theſe ſayings, the ſpirit of God would teach vsus, that God went not without him ſelfe, neither conſulted with anie thing but him ſelf, neither looked to any thing that was not in him ſelf: when he did predeſtinate vsus. and ſo cōſequently that the Decree of God, or predeſtination, is an action of God, not in Chriſt the Mediator, nor in vsus that are his members, but in God him ſelf. For the benefites of God towards Mankinde, and the fruites of his love to the veſſels of honour, are clearely diſtinguiſhed in ſcripture, in three degrees.
The firſt is, of thoſe things, which God doth in him ſelfe. of which kinde are, his purpoſe, foreknowledge & predeſtination.
The ſecond is, of thoſe things which he doth in Chriſt the Mediator. of which kinde are our election, redemption, and bleſſing of vsus with all ſpirituall bleſſings, &c.
The third is, of thoſe thinges which he doeth in vsus through Chriſt. of which kinde are our adoption or calling, our iuſtification, and ſanctification, and glorification, &c.
By the ſecond pharſe, the ſpirit of God would teach vsus, that albeit in God, there be many things ſet downe in ſcripture, to be conſidered, as the fountaynes of Gods working: as namely his infinite wiſedome, his omnipotent power, his infinite goodnes, &c. yet this action of predeſtinating vsus to adoption, is only attributed to the will of God. which limiteth the infinitenes, both of his wiſedome, power, & goodnes, in all his actions outward, toward the creatures: both in their creation and government, & diſpenſation of all bleſſings towards vsus, both bodily & ſpirituall. Heereby we may learne, that our bleſſednes, if wee ſhall examine it, in the cauſe: doth ſurmount all reaſon, and all the capacitie of the reaſon, of man and Angell: ſeeing it is builded vponupon no reaſon of any creature, or ground of reaſon in any creature: but vponupon the will of the Creator. which is not mooved, directed, or ruled by any thing, that is in the creature, but by it ſelfe alone: and is the rule of all reaſon, in the creature, and of things done by the Creator, vntounto the creature.
This ſhall yet be more eaſily perceyved, if we ſhall ſeverally conſider it, in thoſe three pointes of the ſubſtance of Gods Decree, before mentioned: that is in the perſons predeſtinate, in the thing whereto they are predeſtinate, and the Meane whereby.
Concerning the perſons: who can give a reaſon why Iacob ſhould be beloved, and Eſau hated, before any of them, had done either good or evill: except onelyonly the Will of God? as it is written. I will shew merciemercy to whom I will shew merciemercy: and will hauehave compaſsion vponupon whom I will hauehave compaſsiō, Exod. chap. 33. ver. 19. Rom. chap. 9. ver. 15. And the ſpirit of the Lord, giving the reaſon, why the Lord did ſet his louelove vponupon Iſraell, and did chooſe them: doth remove all reſpectes, which can bee conſidered in them. Firſt their number, Deut chap. 7. ſaying: The Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a precious people vntounto him ſelfe above all people that are vponupon the earth: the Lord did not ſet his louelove vponupon you, nor chooſe you, becauſe you were more in number, then any people, for you were the fewest of all people. Secondly, he removeth their power and ſtrength, Deutero. chap. 8. ſaying: Beware leaſt thou ſay in thy heart, My power and the ſtrength of myne owne hande, hath prepared me this aboundance. And thirdly, he remoueth their righteouſnes, Deut. chapt. 9. ſaying: Speake not thou in thine heart, ſaying: For my righteouſnes, the Lord hath brought me in to poſſeſſe this Land. And ſhortly after in the ſame chap. Vnderſtand therefore, that the Lord thy God, giveth thee not, this good Lande to poſſeſſe it, for thy righteouſnes, for thou art a ſtiffnecked people. Fourthlie, he cleareth this ground moſt evidently in the 10. chapter of Deutero. by removing all praerogative and reſpect of right, or reaſon in reſpect of right, why the Lord ſhould hauehave choſen thē aboue any other people, all people being alike belonging to the Lord, ſaying: Behold heaven, and the heaven of heavens, is the Lord thy Gods: and the earth, and all that therein is: notwithſtanding the Lord ſet his delight in thy Fathers, to louelove them, and did chooſe their ſeed after them, even you, above all people, as appeareth this day.
Moreover, the ſame point is yet further cleared by the Lord him ſelfe in the Propheſie of Ezechiel, chap. 16. by removing all reſpect of their worthines, or perfection, declaring their wretched eſtate, in them ſelues, in filthines, and naturall corruption, in the very tyme, when the Lord did chooſe them, ſaying: In thy nativitie, when thou waſt borue, thy navell was not cut, &c. And when I paſſed by thee, I ſaw thee polluted in thy owne blood, and ſaide vntounto thee: When thou waſt in thy blood, thou shalt live, &c.
And this ground, is made cleare, by Chriſt him ſelfe, Math. chap. 11. verſ. 25. 26. when he ſpeaketh of the perſons vponupon whō the Lord beſtoweth his grace, and of the reaſon moving him thereto, ſaying: I thanke thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou hast hid theſe things from the wiſe and men of vnderſtanding: and hast opened them vntounto babes, It is ſo Father, becauſe thy good pleaſure was ſuch. Theſe wordes doe plainely teach vsus, that the will of God onelyonly, without any reaſon in the creature: yea which is more, contrarie to all reaſon that may ſeeme to bee in the creature, is the cauſe of Gods mercy towards man. When the ſimple are preferred to the wyſe: the weake, to the ſtrong: the poore, to the rich: the vyle, to the honorable: and which is yet more ſtrange: the ſicke, to the whole: and ſinners, to the righteous. Therefore to conclude this point, we ſhall ſee ſufficiently the evidēce of it, by comparing the firſt of Iohn. verſ. 13. with the firſt of Iames, verſ. 18. in the 1. of Iohn it is ſaid, That the prerogative to bee the fonnes of God, is given to thoſe who are borne, not of bloods, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And in Iames it is ſaid: That of his owne will, God begate vsus. Of which it appeareth evidently, that the perſons who are ordayned vntounto adoption, are pre deſtinate, choſen and called: for no cauſe without God, either in Chriſt as Mediator, or in them ſelves: but only of Gods free will, & good pleaſure. For it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God, that ſheweth mercy, Rom. chap. 9. ver. 16.