A Golden Chain, Chapter 54 – Chapter 56
CHAP. 54. Concerning a newe deuised doctrine of Predestination, taught by some new and late Diuines.
CErtaine newe Diuines of our age, hauehave of late erected vp a new doctrine of Predestination, in which, fearing belike, least they should make God both vniust, and vnmercifull, they doe in the distribution of the causes of saluation and damnation, turne them vpside down; as may appeare by their description in this table.
But this their doctrine hath some foule errours and defects, the which I, according as I shall be able, will briefly touch.
The I. errour.
There is a certaine vniuersall or generall election, wherby God, without any either restraint, or exception of persons, hath decreed to redeeme by Christ, and to reconcile vntounto himselfe all mankind wholly, fallen in Adam, yea eueryevery singular person, as well the Reprobate, as the Elect.
The Confutation.
The very name of Election doth fully confute this: for none can be said to be elected, if so be that God would hauehave all men elected in Christ. For he that electeth, or maketh choice, cannot be said to take all: neither can he that accepteth of all, be said to make choice onelyonly of some.
Obiect. Election is nothing els but dilection, or louelove: but this we know, that God loueth all his creatures; therefore he electeth all his creatures.
Answer. I. I denie that to elect is to louelove, but to ordaine and appoint to louelove. Rom. 9.13. II. God doth louelove all his creatures, yet not all equally, but eueryevery one in their place.
Furthermore, this position doth flatly repugne the most plaine places of holy Scripture. Tit. 2.14. Who gaue himselfe for vsus, that he might redeeme vsus from all i…iquitie, and purge vsus to be a peculiar people vntounto himselfe. Ioh. 10. I giuegive my life for my sheepe. Exception. All men are the sheepe of Christ. Answer. Iohn addeth, And my sheepe heare my voice, and I knowe them, and they followe me, and I giuegive vntounto them eternall life, neither shall they perish. Eph. 5.23. Christ is the head of the Church, and the same is the Sauiour of his body. vers. 25. Christ loued the Church, and gaue himselfe for it. Redemption and remission of sins, is the inheritance of the Saints, and of such as are made heires of the kingdome of Christ. Coloss. 1.13.
Againe, looke for whom Christ is an Aduocate, and to them onelyonly is he a Redeemer; for redemption and intercession, which are parts of Christs priesthood, the one is as generall and large as the other, and are so surely vnited and fastened togither, as that one cannot be without the other. But Christ is only an Aduocate of the faithfull. Ioh. 17. in that his solemne praier, he first praieth for his own, namely his disciples elected not only to the Apostleship but also to eternall life: and then vers. 20. he praieth likewise for them that should beleeue in him by their worde. Nowe against these, he opposeth the worlde, for which he praieth not that it may attaine eternall life. And Rom. 8. Who shall accuse Gods elect? Christ sitteth at the right hand of the father, and maketh intercess…on for vsus. Furthermore, the members of Christs Church, are called the Redeemed of the Lord, Psalme 87. Therefore this priuiledge is not giuen to all alike.
Exception. This vniuersall reconciliation is not in respect of man, but God himselfe, who, both made it for all, and offereth it to all. Ans. If Christ became once before God a reconciliation for all mens sinnes, yea and also satisfied for duplicate page duplicate page them all, it must needes followe that before God al those sinnes must be quite blotted out of his remembrance. For the actuall blotting out of sinnes, doth inseparably depend vponupon reconciliation for sinnes: and satisfaction doth infer by God, and that necessarily, the very reall and generall abolishment of the guilt and punishment of sinne.
Obiect. I. Christ tooke vponupon him mans nature: therefore he redeemed mans nature generally. Answer. I. It followeth not, except we would say that Christ redeemed his owne humanitie, which cannot be any waies possible. II. EueryEvery woman doth partake the humane nature of eueryevery man, yet is not eueryevery man each womans husband, but hers alone, with whome by the couenant in matrimorie, he is made one flesh: and in like sort Christ did by his incarnation (foreign) take also vponupon him mans nature, and that common to all Adams progenie, yet is he the husband of his Church alone, by another more peculiar coniunction, namely, the bond of the spirit and of faith. And by it the Church is become flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. Eph. 5.20. And therefore shee alone may iustly claime title to the death of Christ and al his merits.
Obiection. II. Christs redemption is as generall, as Adams fall was: and therfore it appertaineth to all Adams posteritie. Answer. Adam was a type of Christ, and Christ a counter-type correspondent to Adam. Adam was the roote of all his successors, or all that should come of him, from the which first Adam, was sinne and death deriued: againe, Christ he is also a roote, but of the elect onelyonly, and such as beleeue, to whome, from him, proceede righteousnes, and life eternall. He cannot be said to bee the roote of all, and eueryevery singular man, because that all doe not drinke and receiue this his righteousnesse, and life neither are they actually by him made righteous. Romans 12.17.19. Obiect. The benefit of Christs death redounded to all. Answer. It did, to all that beleeue. For as Adam destroyed all those that were borne of him: so Christ doth iustifie and saue all those that are borne anewe by him, and none other. Obiect. If tha… Adams sinne destroyed all, and Christs merit doth not saue all: then is Adams sinne more forcible to condemne, then Christs merciemercy is to saue. Answer. We must not esteeme of the merciemercy of Christ by the number of men which receiue merciemercy (for so indeede I grant, that as Adams fall made all vniust, so the merciemercy of Christ and his redemption should actually iustifie all) but we mu…t rather measure it by the efficacie and dignitie thereof, then by the number on whom it is bestowed. For it was a more easie thing to destroy all by sinne, then by grace to saue but one. Man, being but meere man, could destroy all: but to saue euen one, none could doe it, but such an one as was both God and man.
Obiect. III. Many places of Scripture there are which affirme this, that the benefit of Christs death doth appertaine vntounto all. Rom. …1. God hath shutte vp all vnderunder sinne, that he might hauehave merciemercy vponupon all. 1. Tim. 2.4. God would hauehave all men to bee saued. 2. Pet. ….9. God would not hauehave any to perish, but all come to repentance. Answer. I. You must vnderstand all that beleeue, as it is Math. 11.28. All that are wearie and heauie laden. Ioh. 3.6. All that beleeue. Gal. 3.23. The Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ, should be giuen to them which beleeue. Act. 10.43. All which beleeue. And surely there is as well a generalitie of them that beleeue, as of the whole world. II. We may vnderstand by [all] of all sorts some, not eueryevery singular person of all sorts. So, Reuel. 5.9. Christ is said to hauehave redeemed some out of eueryevery kinred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And Gal. 3.28. There is neither Iew nor Grecian, neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Iesus. Matth. 4. Christ is said to hauehave healed eueryevery disease, that is, eueryevery kind of disease. And Augustine to this purpose hath a fit rule. All is often vsed for many, as Rom. 5.18,19. Augustine in his Manuel to Laur. chap. 103. It is thus saide (saith Augustine) God would hauehave all to be saued, not because there was no man which he would hauehave damned, who therefore would not doe miracles amongst them, which would as he saith, hauehave repented, if he had done miracles, but that by all men we should vnderstand all sorts of men, howsoeuer distinguished, whether Kings, priuate persons, &c. And in his booke de Corrept. & gratia, chap. 14. It is saide, he would hauehave all to be saued, so as we must vnderstand all such as are predestinate to be saued, because amongst them there are all sorts of men, as he said to the Pharises, You tythe eueryevery hearb. III. These two, to be willing to saue man, and that he should come to the sauing knowledge of the truth, are inseparably vnited together. 1. Tim. 2.4. But the second we see doth not agree to all and eueryevery singular person: therefore the first cannot.
Obiect. IV. In many places of Scripture Christ is said to redeeme the world, as 1. Ioh. 2.2. He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world. Ans. This word world, signifieth, I. the frame of heauen and earth. II. All men both good and bad together. III. The companie of vnbeleeuers, and malignant haters of Christ. IV. The congregation of the Elect, dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth, and to be gathered out of the same. In this fourth signification we must vnderstand such places as are aboue mentioned. Abraham is called the heire of the world, Rom. 4.13. that is, of many nations. Gen. 17.45.
Obiect. V. God will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and liue, Ezech. 18.23. Answer. Augustine in his 1. booke to Simplicius, 2. quest. answereth this question. You must, saith he, distinguish betwixt man, as he is borne man, and man, as he is a sinner. For God is not delighted with the destruction of man, as he is mā, but as he is a sinner: neither wil he simply the death of any as he is a sinner, or as it is the ruine and destruction of his creature: but in that, by the detestation and reuenge of sinne with eternall death, his glorie is exceedingly aduanced. God therefore will the death of a sinner, but as it is a punishment, that is, as it is a meanes to declare and set out his diuine iustice: and therfore it is an vntruth for a man to say that God would hauehave none condemned. For whereas men are once condemned, it must be either with Gods will, or without it: if without it, then the will of God must needes suffer violence, the which to affirme is great impietie: if with his will, God must needes change his sentence before set downe, but we must not presume to say so.
Obiect. VI. God is the Father of all, Malach. 2.10. Ans. This place is meant of Gods Church, out of which, all men, standing in that corrupt estate by Adā, are the children of wrath, and of the deuill. Eph. 2.2. Ioh. 8.44.
Obiect. VII. If God did elect some, and reiect others, he must needes be [foreign] a respecter of persons. Ans. I. One is said then to accept, or hauehave respect of persons, when as he by some circumstances inherent in the person, is mooued to doe this or that. Now, as for God, he did vponupon his meere pleasure elect some, and reiect others eternally, not mooued or vrged thereunto by any thing whatsoeuer, out of himselfe. II. He is debter to none, but may by good right doe with his creatures what seemeth good vntounto him in his owne eyes. III. It is one thing with God to accept of persons, and another to make choice of men. This if we should not graunt, it would follow that God must be deemed blame-worthie, because he made not all his creatures most glorious Angels.
Obiect. VIII. If God decreed to reiect certaine men, then did he hate his creature. Answ. God decreed to reiect his creature and workmanship, not because he hated it, but because he appointed it to hatred. And it is one thing to hate, and another to appoint to hatred. And indeede God doth not actually hate any thing, but for sinne. That saying of Augustine to Simplicius is fitte for this purpose. When God maketh the wicked, whome he doth not iustifie, vessells of wrath, he doth it not to hate that which he made: for in that he made them vessels, they hauehave their vse, namely, that by their paines to which they were ordained, the vessels of honour might reape profit. God therefore doth not hate them, in that they are men, or vessels, neither any thing that he made in them by creation, or ordination. For God hateth nothing which he hath made. But in as much as he made them vessels of destruction, he did it to instruct others. As for their impietie, which he neuer made, that he hateth vtterly. As therfore a iudge hateth theft in a mā, but he doth not hate his punishment that he is sent to worke in the mines. For the theefe doth the first, the iudge the latter: so God, whereas of the companie of them which perish, he maketh vessels of perdition, he doth not therefore hate that which he doth, that is, the cōdemnation of those which perish in their due punishment for sinne.
Obiect. IX. The reprobates are said in many places of Scripture to be redeemed by Christ, as 2. Pet. 2.1. Ans. First, we must not vnderstand such places meant of all reprobates, but of such as are for a time in the Church. II. They are saide to be redeemed, iustified, and sanctified, both in their owne iudgements, and the Churches also, in as much as they make an externall profession of the faith. But this is a iudgement of charitie, not of certentie.
Obiect. X. God might be thought cruell, if that he had ordained the greatest part of the world to destruction. Answer. God could well enough hauehave decreed, that euen all men should vtterly hauehave beene reiected, and yet he should hauehave beene neuer a whit either cruell or vniust. Reasons. I. He adiudged all and eueryevery one of those soule and wicked spirits which fell from him, to eternall torments. II. He decreed also, as is apparant by the euent, that men should liue by the slaughter of beasts; and yet God is not therefore cruell against them: and surely God is no more bounden vntounto man, then vntounto the very bruit beasts.
Exception. God appointed all to be saued, with this caueat and condition, If they beleeue. Answer. This is absurd to affirme: for, I. by this meanes the decree of God should depende vponupon the will of man… when as contrarily Gods decree doth limit and order all inferiour causes. II. It quite taketh away the certaintie of Gods decree, because a conditionall proposition doth set downe nothing as beeing, or, it doth not certainly affirme any thing.
Obiect. If the merit of Christ did not extend it selfe as farre as the fall of Adam, then is not the head of the Serpent broken, nor Satans kingdome abolished by Christ. Ans. This brusing of the Serpents head, is seene in them onelyonly which are at enimitie with the Serpent, namely in such as truly beleeue. Gen. 3.15. compared with Rom. 16.20.
To conclude, that is not true which they say, namely, that this opinion of an vniuersall and effectuall redemption of eueryevery singular man, is a notable remedie to comfort afflicted consciences. For I appeale to the iudgement of all men, whether there is in this manner of consolation, any great comfort to the conscience afflicted.
Christ died for all men:
Thou art a man:
Therefore Christ died for thee.
The II. errour.
God did foreknow the fall of Adam, but he did not by his eternall decree foreordaine the same: and therefore that his fall was without the agent permission of God.
The Confutation.
It is false. For, I. there is not the least thing in nature, but it commeth to passe by the decree and will of God. Math. 10.30. Wherefore such as affirme, that God did onelyonly foreknow this, or that, they doe either quite ouerturne the prouidence of GOD, or at the least imagine that it is a very idle prouidence. II. The fact of Herod and Pilate in deliuering Christ against their own consciences, to be crucified, may seeme to be as heinous as was Adams fall, and yet they are said to hauehave done that, which the hand of the Lord had fore-ordained to be done. Act. 4. 28. Againe, the fall of Adam was two manner of waies by Gods actiue, or rather operatiue permission. I. In as much as the fall was an action: for in God alone we liue, we mooue, and hauehave our beeing. II. In as much as that his fall was but a bare triall of his loyaltie to God, whereby God would trie both the power, and will of his creature.
The III. errour.
God, by reason that he did foresee the disobedience of some, or, that they would contemne the Gospel, did decree their destruction and condemnation.
The Confutation.
We vtterly denie, that the foreseeing of the contempt of grace in any, was the first and principall cause of the decree of reprobation. Reasons. I. Paul, Rom. 1. doth deriue the common condemnation of the Gentiles from hence, namely, that they withheld the truth in vnrighteousnes, that is, because they did wittingly extinguish that light of nature, by their wicked doings, which they had of the knowledge of God and would not obey their consciences inwardly checking them for the same. II. If that faith foreseene, be not the cause of the decree of Election, it can not be that the want of faith foreseene, should be the cause of the decree of reprobation; but rather as faith doth in order of causes follow after election, so must incredulitie reprobation. For there is the like reason or proportion of contraries. III. Many infants depart this life, both beeing out of the true Church, and before they hauehave any vse of reason: and againe many there are, which albeit they liue long, yet being either idiots and fooles, or borne deafe, they cannot come to the true vse of reason: in all which, it is not credible that their should be suspected any contempt of the Gospel which they could not learne. IV. Esau was hated of God for none other cause, but for that it so pleased him. Rom. 9.18. V. If this opinion should be true, then would it follow that men should be condemned for nothing else but incredulitie: the which is not so. Ioh. 3.36. Christ speaking of vnbeleefe, saith not that for it the wrath of God came vponupon man, but remaineth vponupon him. And why should we daily aske pardon for our sinnes, if nothing but incredulitie or vnbeleefe condemned vsus? nay, although that there were neuer any contempt of the Gospell, yet that corruption of originall sinne, were sufficient enough to condemne men. VI. Also that admiration which Paul hath, Rom. 9.20. O man, who art thou which disputest with God… doth plainly shew that the cause of the decree of God in reiecting some, is vnsearchable: and that it doth not at all depend vponupon any foreseene contumacie towards the grace of God offered in the Gospel. For if it were otherwise, we might easily giuegive a reason of Gods decree. August. epist. 105. saith very well. Who (saith he) created the reprobates, but God? and why, but because it pleased him? but why pleased it him? O man, who art thou that disputest with God!
Some Diuines perceiuing that this is an hard sentence, they goe about to mitigate it in this sort. The matter, say they, or obiect of predestination, is a reasonable creature, and that not simply or absolutely considered, but partly as it fell, partly as of it selfe it was subiect to fall: and thereupon God preordaining men from euerlasting, considered them, not simply as he was to make them men, but as they were such men as might fall into sinne, and againe be redeemed by Christ, and after called to the light of the Gospel. The efficient or first motiue cause, was not any foreknowne cause either this or that, but the meere will of God. For he disposeth all things not of, and by his foreknowledge, but rather according to the same. But these things albeit they may seeme to be subtile deuises, yet are they not altogether true. Reasons. I. The potter when he purposeth to make some vessell, doth not consider the clay, and regard in it some inherent qualitie, to make such a vessell, but he maketh it of such and such a forme, to this or that vse, euen of his alone free-will and pleasure. II. Rom. 9.21. Hath not the potter power to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour, and another to dishonour? In which place we may not vnderstand by the name lumpe, all mankinde corrupted, and fallen, and so to be redeemed in Christ: for then Paul would not hauehave said that God made vessels of wrath, but rather that he did forsake them after they were made. III. This seemeth preposterous, that God did first foreknow mankind, created, fallen, and redeemed in Christ: and that afterward he ordained them so foreknown, to life or to death. For the ende is the first thing in the intention of the agent: neither will a most skilfull workman first prepare meanes by which he may be helped to doe a thing, before he hath set downe in his minde all the endes, both such as are most neere, and them that are very farre off. Now we know this, that mans creation; and his fall in Adam, are but meanes to execute Gods predestination, and therefore are subordinate vntounto it: but the ende of Gods decree is the manifestation of his glorie in sauing some, and condemning others. Therefore we may not once imagine that God did first consult of the meanes whereby he determined to execute his decree, before he deliberated of the election, and reprobation of man.
The IIII. errour.
Gods calling to the knowledge of the Gospell is vniuersall, yea of all men and eueryevery singular person, without exception.
The Confutation.
This is a very vnreasonable position. Reasons. I. God would not hauehave all men called, Math. 20.16. Many are called, but few are chosen. He saith not that all, but many are called. Christ in his Disciples first ambassage, chargeth them that they should not preach to the Gentiles of his comming: and to the Cananitish woman he saith, It is not lawfull to giuegive that which is holy vntounto dogges. Mat. 13.11. It is not giuen to eueryevery one to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God. Rom. 16. 25. The mysterie of the Gospel (whether it be meant of Christ, or the calling of the Gentiles) was kept secret from the beginning of the world. II. There be many millions of men, which hauehave not so much as heard of Christ. Act. 14.16. God in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies. III. The greatest part of the world hath euer beene out of the Couenant. Eph. 2. 12. Ye were, I say, at that time without Christ, and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the couenants of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world: but now ye are no more strangers and forrenners, but citizens with the Saints.
Obiect. They are said to be [foreign] not simply alienated, but abalienated from God: now how could they be abalienated, except either they or their predecessors had beene in the couenant? Ans. The Gentiles are not said to be abalienated from the couenant, but from the common-wealth of Israel: because that God had then by certaine lawes, rites, and ceremonies, vtterly seuered, and distinguished the people of the Iewes from all other nations.
Obiect. This generall calling is not to be vnderstood simply of the ministerie of the word, but of the will of God, deliuered presently after the fall in his vnwritten word, but afterward in his written word: and this all men ought to know, although many, through their owne default, know it not. Ans. But the Scriptures were committed to the custodie of the Church of God, and eueryevery one was not credited with them. Rom. 3.2. VntoUnto the Iewes were of credit committed the Oracles of God. 1. Tim. 3. 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth. Psal. 147. 19. He shewed his words vntounto Iacob, and his statutes and lawes to the house of Israel. 20. He hath not dealt so with eueryevery nation: therefore they hauehave not knowne his law…s. Psal. 76. 1. The Lord is famous in Iudea, and in Israel is his name great.
Obiect. The couenant of Grace was made with Adam and Eue, and in them all mankind was receiued both into the Church, and couenant, and also called to the knowledge of God. Ans. I. This reason wanteth euen common reason and sense, to say that God giuing his promise in the daies of Adam and Noah, did in them call all mankind that should come after. II. Adam before his fall, did indeede receiue the grace both for himselfe, and for others also: and in the fall, he lost it both for himselfe, and for all others: but after the fall, he receiued the promise for himselfe alone, and not for the whole world, otherwise the first Adam should not onelyonly hauehave beene a liuing creature, but a quickning spirit, the which is proper to the second Adam. 1. Cor. 15.45.
The conclusion.
If we should graunt this doctrine to be true, then must we needes allow of these absurdities in diuinitie, which follow. I. That God would hauehave all, and each singular man to be saued: and withall he would hauehave some ordained to hatred, and perdition: or, That in regard of God, all men are elected, and redeemed, but in regard of the euent many perish. II. The guilt of Adams sinne must not be imputed to any one of his posteritie, because that God, hauing merciemercy of all generally in Christ, did take into the couenant of reconciliatiō all mankind. Now if but the guiltines of Adams fall be taken away, the punishment forthwith ceaseth to be a punishment, and corruption it selfe is by little and little abolished in all men.
CHAP. 55. Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead.
THe death of the Reprobate, is a separation of the bodie and the soule: of the bodie, that for a time it may lie dead in the earth: of the soule, that it may feele the torments of hell, euen vntill the time of the last iudgement: at which time the whole man shall be cast into the most terrible and feareful fire of hell. 1. Pet. 3.19. By the which he also went and preached vntounto the spirits that are in prison. Luk. 8. 2. Pet. 2.4. For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darknes to be kept vntounto damnation, &c.
The reprobate when they die, doe become without sense and astonished, like vntounto a stone: or els they are ouerwhelmed with a terrible horrour of conscience, and despairing of their saluation, as it were, with a gulfe of the sea ouer turning them. 1. Sam. 25.37. Then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal, his wife told him those wordes, and his heart died within him, and he was like a stone. 38. And about ten daies after the Lord smote Nabal that he died. Mat. 27.5. And when he had cast downe the siluer pieces in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged himselfe.
CHAP. 56. Of the condemnation of the Reprobates at the last iudgement.
IN the last iudgement, at the sound of the trumpet, the liuing beeing striken with horrour and feare, shall be changed in a moment, the dead shall rise againe to condemnation: both the liuing and the dead shall then hauehave immortall bodies, but without glorie: and they standing vponupon the earth at the left hand of Christ the Iudge, shall heare the sentence of condemnation: Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the deuil and his angels. Ioh. 5.29. And they shall come forth that hauehave done good, vntounto the resurrection of life: but they that hauehave done euill, vntounto the resurrection of condemnation. Matth. 25. 41. 1. Thess. 4. 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17. Then shall we, which liue and remaine, be caught vp with thē also in the cloudes, to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shal we be euer with the lord,