Predestination, Treatise
THE ORDER OF PREDESTINATION, as it is collected out of the Scriptures by the Author.
PRedestination is the counsell of God touching the last end or estate of man out of this temporall or natural life. For as touching 1. Co…. 15. 46natural life we are all alike: and this kind of life is in the counsell of God onelyonly a preparation and step vntounto the spirituall and heauenly life. The supreme end of predestination is the manifestation of Gods glorie, partly in his merciemercy, and partly in his iustice. And this hath bin the doctrin of the Fathers. S. Austen saith, that one of those two societies De Ciuit. …Dei lib. 1…of men, which wee mystically call two cities, is that which is predestinated to raigne eternally with God: and the other to suffer eternall punishment with the diuell. Fulgentius saith also, That in Gods predestination there Ad Monymum. lib. 1.is prepared either a mercifull remission of sins, or a iust punishing. And Gregorie saith, That God being a iust Creator vntounto all after Comment. in 1. Reg. Cap. 4.an admirable manner, hath foreelected some, and forsaken others in their corruptions. And the more learned Schoolemen vse to say, that God for the more full manifestation of his perfection hath predestinated some in manifesting his goodnes by the rule of merciemercy, and damned others, in representing his perfection by the rule of iustice.
The common meanes of accomplishing this counsell is two-fold; the creation, and the permission of the fall. Creation, is that by which God made ye whole man of nothing according to his owne image; but yet changeable, and endued with a naturall life. The permission of the fall is, whereby God did iustly suffer Adam and his posteritie to fall away, in that he did not hinder them when he was able; as being indeed bound to none to hinder. And God is said not to hinder euill, when he ceaseth after a sort from his operation, not illuminating the minde, and not inclining the will to obey his voyce. This permission of the euill of fault is by Gods foreknowledge and will, but yet only for the greater good of all: which would bee hindred if God did not suffer euill. For if there were not sinne, there should bee no place for the patience of Martyrs, and for the sacrifice of Christ offered vponupon the crosse, which doth infinitely exceede all the sinne of the whole world. Augustine saith well: God hath iudged it better to doe Enchir. cap. 27.good with euils, than to permit no euill to be. In like manner Gregorie saith: In his seuere Expos. …. Reg. cap. 4.iudgement he suffereth euill to be done, but withall he doth in merciemercy forecast, what good things he may bring to passe, by these euils, which hee doth ordaine by his iudgement. For what greater sinne is there than that by which we doe all die? and what greater goodnesse than that by which we are deliuered from death? And doubtlesse but that Adam sinned, our Redeemer should not hauehave taken our flesh vponupon him—. Whiles God was to be borne man, the Almightie did foresee that hee would make of that euill, for which they were to die, a good which should be greater than that euill. The greatnesse of which good what faithfull man is there who doth not see how wonderfully it doth excell? Surely great are the euils, which we suffer by the desert of the first fault: but what faithfull man would not rather endure worse, than to be without so great a Redeemer? And in this respect elsewhere he calleth the fall of Adam, foelicem culpam, a happie fault. That In benedict. Cerci Pasc.which I hauehave said of the permission of the fall, I doe also say of the fall permitted; sauing that the permission is a meanes of the decree by it selfe, but the fall is a meanes (of accomplishing the decree) onelyonly by the ordination of God, who draweth good out of euill.
This fall permitted commeth not to passe but God being willing, neither doth it come to passe contrariwise or otherwise than God permitteth, neither can it any further be than hee doth permit. Yet the will of God is not the cause of the fall, but the will of man left vntounto it selfe by God, and moued by the suggestion of Sathan; which will appeare by this similitude: I build a house subiect to change and falling, which notwithstāding would continue many yeeres, if it might bee free from the annoyance of windes: yea, if I would but vnderprop it, when the storme commeth, it would continue stable. But as soone as the windes begin to rage, I do not vnderprop it, and it is my will not to vnderprop it, because it is my pleasure so to doe, thereupon the house being weatherbeaten falleth downe. I see the fall, and in part I will it, because now when I could very easily hauehave hindred the fall, yet I would not. And although thus farre I doe will the fall, in so much as it is my will not to hinder it: yet the cause of the fall is not to be imputed vntounto me, that did not vnderproppe it, but to the winds which cast it downe. So God leauing Adam vntounto himselfe, that hee might be prooued by tentation, and that it might appeare what the creature is able to doe, the Creator ceasing for a time to helpe and guide, is not to bee accounted the cause of this fall. For he did not encline the minde to sinne, hee did not infuse any corruption, neither did he withdraw any gift, which he did bestow in the creation: onelyonly it pleased him to deny or not to conferre confirming grace. The proper cause of the fall was the diuell attempting our ouerthrow, and Adams will, which when it began to bee prooued by tentations, did not desire Gods assistance, but voluntarilie bent it selfe to fall away.
Predestination hath two parts, the decree of election, and the decree of reprobation, So Isidore saith: There is a double predestination, either of the elect vntounto rest, or of the reprobate vntounto death: and both are De summo bo. lib. 2. cap. 6.done by God, that he might make the elect alwaies to follow after heauenly and spirituall things, and that he might suffer the reprobate, by for saking them, to bee delighted alwaies with earthly and outward things. And Angelome saith: Christ by his secret dispensation Jn lib. 1. Reg. cap. 8.hath out of an vnfaithfull people predestinated some to cuerlasting liberty, quickning them of his free merciemercy: and damned others in euerlasting death, in leauing them by his hidden iudgement in their wickednes.
The decree of election is that whereby God hath ordained certaine men to his Eph. 1. 5.glorious grace in the obtaining of their saluation and heauenly life by Christ.
In the decree of election according These acts are vsually called the decree and the execution of the decree.to Gods determination there is (as wee conceiue) a double act. The former concernes the end, the latter concernes the meanes tending to the end. This the holy Ghost seemeth to me to hauehave taught very euidentlie, Rom. 9. 11. That the purpose which is according to election might remain. Heere wee see that Paul distinguisheth Gods eternall purpose and election, and placeth in his decree a certaine election in the first place before the purpose of damning or sauing. And in Rom. the 8. 29. 30. Those which he knew before, he also predestinated to bee made like to the image of his son—.Whom he predestinated, them also he called—.In which wordes Paul distinguisheth betwene the decree, and the execution thereof, which he maketh to bee in these three, Vocation, Iustification, and Glorification. Moreouer he distinguisheth the decree into two acts, foreknowledge, whereby hee doth acknowledge some men for his owne, before the rest: and predestination, whereby he hath determined from eternitie to make them like vntounto Christ. In like manner Peter teacheth, 1. Pet. 1. 2, where hee saith, that the faithful are elected according to the foreknowledg of God the father vntounto sanctification of the spirit. If any man shall say that by foreknowledge in these places wee must vnderstand (as many would) the foreknowledge or foreseeing of future faith, he is manifestly deceiued. For whom God foreknew, them hee did predestinate that they should bee like to Christ, that is, that they should bee made iust, and the sonnes of God: for Paul addeth, Rom. 8. 29. That he might be the first borne among many brethren. But those, which are predestinated to be iust, and to be the sonnes of God, are also predestinated to beleeue, because Adoption and Righteousnes are receiued by faith. Now we cannot rightly say, that God doth first foreknow that men will beleeue, and afterwards predestinate thē to beleeue; because that God hath therfore foreknowne that those shall beleeue, whom hee did foreknow would beleeue, because hee did decree that they should beleeue. So Iustin Martyr calleth Cont. …riph.those elect, who were foreknowne that they should beleeue. And Lumbard: Whom hee Comment. in cap. 8. ad Rom: Cognosc…. scio.hath foreknowne, them he hath predestinated, that is, by grace conferred hee hath prepared that they should beleeue the word preached. Moreouer the word (know) when it is giuen vntounto God speaking of the creature, doth very often signifie to imbrace or approue. Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish. Matth. 7. 23. Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie, I neuer knew you. Furthermore, the prescience & purpose of God are by the holy Ghost put for one and the same thing. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure—the Lord knoweth who are his: Rom. 11. 2. Those whom God foreknew are said to be elected according to the election of grace, vers. 5. And therefore the foreknowledge mentioned by Paul doth not signifie the foreknowledge of faith, or of any other vertue in those which were to bee elected. It is also the iudgement of Augustine, that predestination De perseu. sanct. lib. cap. 18. Rom. 11. 1. 2is sometimes vnderstood by prescience, euen in the foresaid place. Hath God cast away his people which hee knew before? And he saith that, Those are sonnes in Gods foreknowledge, whose names are written in their fathers register, so as they shall neuer be raised out. Cyrill saith also that Christ knoweth his sheepe, electing and foreseeing them Expos. in Ioh. 7. cap. 6vntounto euerlasting life. As the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 12. God hath not cast away his people which hee knew before. For as the Lord is said not to know those, whom he doth reiect: as when he answered the foolish virgins saying, Matth. 25. 12. Verilie I say vntounto you, I know you not: so hee is said to know those, whom he doth predestinate and fore-appoint vntounto saluation. And Thomas expoundeth that place in the 8. to the Romanes after Idem Hugo de sanct. …ict. in annot. in Rom. et Ioachim. in Reuel. par. 1.this sort: Whom he foreknew in his knowledge of approbation, these he hath also predestinated: And he will also hauehave an effectuall will of conferring grace to bee included in the knowledge of approbation.
In the decree of election the first act is a purpose, or rather a part and beginning 1. Pet. 2. 9. People which God challengeth vntounto himselfe foreign.of the diuine purpose, whereby God doth take certaine men which are to be created vntounto his euerlasting louelove and fauour passing by the rest, and by taking maketh them vessels of merciemercy and honour: and this act is of the sole will of God, without any respect either of good or euill in the creature. And God doth wrong none, although hee chuse not all; because hee is tied to none: & because he hath absolute soueraigntie and authoritie ouer all creatures. We that are but men giuegive leaue vntounto men, especially vntounto our friends, to do at their pleasure in many things as they themselues list, and to vse their owne discretions. The rich man is kinde to which poore person hee pleaseth; and of beggers he doth adopt one, and will not adopt another, and that without offring any iniurie. Now that libertie, which wee yeeld vntounto man, must much more bee granted vntounto God.
The second act is the purpose of sauing or conferring glorie, whereby hee doth ordaine or set apart the very same men, which were to fall in Adam, vntounto saluation and celestiall glorie. This act is in no wise to be seuered from the former, but to be distinguished in the minde (for orders sake and for the better vnfolding of it) for as by the former men were ordained vntounto grace: so by this latter the meanes are subordained whereby grace may be conferred and manifested: and therefore this latter maketh a way for the execution and accomplishing of the former. Moreouer, this act hath no impulsiue cause ouer and beside the good pleasure of God: and it is with regard to Christ the Mediatour, in whom all are elected to grace and saluation; and to dreame of any election out of him is against all sense: because hee is the foundation of election to bee executed, in regard of ye beginning, the meanes, and the end. Lastly, this act is not of men to bee created as was the former, but of men falne away. Therfore in this act God respecteth the corrupted masse of mankind.
Furthermore in this second act there are fiue degrees, the ordaining of a Mediatour, the promising of him being ordained, the exhibiting of him being promised, the applying of him being exhibited, or to bee exhibited, and the accomplishment of the application. It is not vnlike which Bernard saith, The kingdome of De verbis libri sapientiae.God is granted, promised, manifested, perceiued. It is granted in predestination, promised in vocation, manifested in iustification, perceiued or receiued in glorification.
The ordaining of a Mediatour is that whereby the second person being the Sonne of God, is appointed from all eternitie to bee a Mediatour betweene God himselfe and men. And hence it is that Peter saith, that Christ was foreknowne before 1. Pet. 1. 20 foreign.the foundation of the world. And well saith Augustine, that Christ was predestinated to be our head. For howsoeuer as he is (foreign) the substantiall word of the Father, or the Sonne, he doth predestinate with the Father, and the holy Ghost; yet as hee is the Mediatour, hee is predestinated himselfe.
The promising is that, whereby Christ being from eternitie ordained for the saluation and spirituall life of men, is reuealed and offred vntounto them, together with grace to be obtained by him: this promise is vniuersall in respect of all and eueryevery one that doe beleeue. Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world, that he hath giuen his foreign.onelyonly begotten sonne, that eueryevery one that beleeueth in him should not perish. Ioh. 6. 47. Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting. Matth. 11. 28. Come vntounto me all yea that are wearie and laden, and I will ease you. Mark. 16: 16. He that shall beleeue and bee baptised, shal be saued: but he that will not beleeue shall be damned. Act. 10. 43. That thorough his name all that beleeue in him, shall receiue remission of sinnes. Act. 13. 39. By him eueryevery one that beleeueth, is iustified. Rom. 1. 16. The Gospell is the power of God to saluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth. Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousnes vntounto eueryevery one that beleeueth. Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder sin, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue.
With the promise there is ioyned an exhortation, or commandement to beleeue: which is more generall than the promise; because the promise is made onelyonly to beleeuers; but the commandement is giuen to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers also. For the elect are mingled with the wicked in the same assemblies: and therefore the Ministers of the Gospell ought indifferently to exhort all and eueryevery one to repent, considering that they are altogether ignorant, who, and how many be elected, and be to be conuerted; moreouer God by exhortations to repentance, meaneth to leaue those without excuse, whom he doth see will neuer repent. So Abbat Ioachim saith: It behooueth In Reuel. p. 3. l. 2.them to preach for the elects sake, and to declare vntounto men the words of life, that their light may shine before men, and that they may fatten the hearts of the elect, by anoynting them with the oyle of spirituall doctrine: but for the reprobate, ligare aquam coelo, to … the water in the clowdes. And againe, Lest the reprobate should hauehave excuse, and for the Part. 4. t. 7.elect which are among them, the messenger himselfe shall bee sent, who doth not onelyonly preach this in secret as it were for feare, but crieth also with a loude voyce, which may bee heard farre off, and of all men also. Some are wont to say, that Gods commandement by this meanes doth ouerthwart his decree: because he commandeth that, which he willeth not to effect. But I answere, first that God in his commandements and promises doth not vtter whatsoeuer hee hath decreed, but doth in part onelyonly so farre forth propound his will, as he knoweth it expedient for the saluation of the elect, and the gouerning of all. By his commandements therefore he sheweth what he liketh, and what hee willeth that we should doe to him, not what hee will doe to vsus or in vsus. And God who willeth not all things alike in all, doth will conuersion in some only in respect of approbation, exhortation and meanes: in others he willeth it also as touching the decree of working it. Here is no disagreement in the wils, but sundrie degrees of willing in regard of vsus, according to which God is said both to will and to nill.
Secondly I answere, that the reuealed foreign.will is neuer contrarie to the will of his good pleasure, or to the decree of God, (with the which it doth alwaies agree both for the beginning, as also in the end and scope) but that it is notwithstanding often diuers, and that in shew it seemeth sometimes contrarie if wee consider the manner wherein it is propounded. God commanded Isaiah to declare vntounto Hezekiah his death: and hee did also denounce Esa. 38.destruction vntounto the Niniuites Ion. 3. 4.within fourtie daies: and yet he had decreed to put neither of them both in execution. The humane wil of Christ did with Mat. 26. 3.an holy dissention in some sort will deliuerance from the agony of death, which notwithstāding the diuine willed not. Abraham Gen. 28.prayed without doubt by diuine inspiration, & therefore with faith that the Sodomites might be spared, and yet he knew that in Gods decree they were appointed to destruction. Neither must this seeme strange; for one good thing as it is and remaineth good, may bee different from another thing that is good. Thirdly, thou biddest thy debter pay his debt, though in the meane time thou dost not make him able: why may not God therfore for iust causes command that, which he himselfe will not do?
The exhibiting of the Mediator is that, whereby the Sonne of God being borne foreign.man in the fulnes of time doth pay the price of redēption to God for the sins of men. The vertue and efficacie of this price being paid, in respect of merit and operation is infinite; but yet it must be distinguished, for it is either potentiall or actuall. The potentiall efficacie is, wherby the price is in it selfe sufficient to redeeme eueryevery one without exception from his sins, albeit there were a thousand worlds of men. But if we consider that actuall efficacie, the price is payd in the counsell of God, and as touching the euent only for those which are elected and predestinated. For the Sonne doth not sacrifice for those, for whom hee doth not pray: because to make intercession and to sacrifice are conioyned: but hee prayeth onelyonly for the elect and for beleeuers, Ioh. 17. 9. and by praying he offereth himselfe to his Father. verse 19. For (as Illyricus hath well obserued) this whole prayer in the 17. chapter is indeed (as he speaketh) an oblatory and expiatory prayer, or (as the Papists call that blasphemous forme) a Canon or rule of sacrifice, by which Christ hath offered himselfe a sacrifice to the Father for the sinnes of the world. Therefore the price is appointed and limited to the elect alone by the Fathers decree, and the Sons intercession and oblation. Secondly Christ bare their person, and stood in their roome vponupon the crosse, for whom he is a mediator: and consequently, whatsoeuer Christ did as a redeemer, the same did all Ephes. 1. 6. Coloss. 3. 1.those in him & with him which are redeemed: Christ dying, rising again, ascending & sitting at the right hand of the Father, they also die with him, rise againe, ascend and sit at the right hand of God. Now that all these things can be truly said of the elect only, and of such as beleeue, I proue it thus. To say that any one of the wicked, which are to perish for euer, is raised vp in Christ rising againe, is flat against the truth: because the raysing vp of Christ is (that I may so speake) his actuall absolution from their sins for whom he died: for euen as the Father by deliuering Christ to death, did in very deede condemne their sins imputed vntounto Christ, for whom he died; so by raysing him vp from death, euen ipso facto he did absolue Christ from their sinnes, and did withall absolue them in Christ: but being absolued from their sins they shall not perish, but be saued. Therefore that wicked man which perisheth for his sin, cannot be said to hauehave risen againe with Christ: and therefore Christ did not beare his person vponupon the crosse. Thirdly the expiatory sacrifice sanctifieth those, for whom it is a sacrifice, as the holie Ghost plainly and absolutely auoucheth, Heb. 9. 13. 14. The sacrifice and sanctification appertaine to the same persons: and Christ is their perfect Sauiour, whom he saueth not only by meriting their saluation, but also by working it effectually. But Christ doth sanctifie only the elect and such as beleeue: therefore he was a sacrifice only for them. And this was the iudgment of the ancient Church in this point. Augustine saith, He which spared not his Jn Iohan. tract. 45.owne Sonne, but gaue him for vsus all, how hath he not also with him giuen vsus all good things? but for what vsus? for vsus which are foreknown, Tract. 2.predestinated, iustified and glorified. Againe, Those whom he pleased to make his brethren, De recta fide ad Regin. In Ioan. lib. 11. cap. 14.he hath released and made fellow heires. Cyril saith, If God who is most worthy, was in the flesh, he was of right sufficient to redeeme the whole world. Againe, The Lord Iesus separating his owne from those which were not his, saith, I pray only for those which keepe my word and cary my yoke. For he doth make them alone, and that iustly, partakers of the benefit of his mediation, whose Mediator and high Priest he is. Gregorie saith, The author 2. Hom. in Ezek. lib. 1.of life gaue himselfe to death for the life of the elect. Againe, The Lord will redeeme In Psal. 33.the soules of his seruants, to wit, with his precious blood, because he which beleeueth rightly In Ephes. cap. 1.in him, is redeemed from the due thraldome of his sins. Sedulius: All things are restored, which are in the earth, *Or when.seeing that the men themselues, who are predestinated vntounto eternall life, are renewed from the corruption of the old man. Beda: The flesh of the Hom. in sab. post reminise.Lord is furnished with spirituall vertue, that it might be a sweet sauor sufficient for the saluation of the whole world. Againe, Our Lord Hom in vigil. P…s….and redeemer to the elect-whom he knew to be placed in his flesh: yea and to vsus also, whom he foresaw should beleeue in the last times, he Jn Reuel. part. 1.hath procured the remedie of saluation by his death and resurrection. Ioachim the Abbat: The word All, which for the most part is vniuersall, doth not alwaies signifie so much as it seemeth, as in that place, When I shall be lift Col. 1. 19. 20vp I will draw all things to my selfe. And by him he hath pleased that all things should be reconciled in him. It seemeth that in these In 2. Reg. cap. 7.places Elect Things onelyonly are vnderstood. Angelomus: What other nation is there in the earth besides the elect people, for which God the Son of God vouchsafed to come into this world, as it were into Aegypt, that taking vponupon him the forme of a seruant, he might with the merchandize of his blood redeeme vntounto himselfe an acceptable people zealous of good workes. Ruper…us: In that houre he washed those only from sin, whom his death Jn Exod. lib. 2. cap. 6.findeth faithfull, whether dead or liuing. Againe, The passion of Christ is the iudgement In Ioan. cap. 12.of the world, that is, saluation seuering the whole number of the elect, which were from the beginning of the world to the houre of the same passion, from the reprobate. And the casting out of the prince of this world, is the reconciliation of the nations of the elect. Againe, I will draw all things to my selfe: what all things? namely All Elect Things, as all the members follow their head. Haimo: Christ hath taken away in the Elect not onelyonly originall, In cap. 5, ad Rom.but all actuall sins also, and hath ouer and besides giuen them eternall life. Radulphus: The blood of the high Priest Christ, was the purgation of all beleeuers. Innocentius: In Leuit. lib. 17. cap. 2 Lib. 4. de Myst. Missae. cap. 4.Christ blood was shed effectually for those only who are predestinated, but for all men in regard of sufficiencie: for the shedding of the blood of that iust one for the vniust, was so rich in price, that if eueryevery one had beleeued in the redeemer, none at all had been held captiue of the diuell. Arnoldus Carnotensis: He redeemeth none but those whom he calleth Ben…allis tract. 7. de verbis Domini.and washeth by grace; neither doth the Spirit sanctifie Any but Those, who are cleansed and dead to sinne: Redemption, washing away, and sanctification are partakers together.
The Application is, when as Christ is giuen vntounto vsus of God the Father by the Spirit, in the lawfull vse of the Word and Sacraments; and is receiued of vsus by the instrument of a true faith. And Christ being giuen, is made vntounto vsus of God wisdome, righteousnes, sanctification and redemption.1. Cor. 1. 30.
The accomplishment of the application is Glorification, whereby God shal be all in all by Christ in all the elect.
By this which hath been said, it is apparent, that the decree of election is the cause and foundation of all good giftes and workes in men. From hence is true faith. Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained vntounto eternall life beleeued. And calling: Rom. 8. whom he predestinated, them he called. And: who are called of his purpose. Hence Adoption: Eph. 1. predestinated to Adoption. And sanctification: Eph. 1. He hath chosen vsus that we should be holie and blamelesse. Hence good workes: Ephes. 2. Which he hath prepared, that we should walke in them. And perseuerance: Ioh. 6. All that the Father giueth me, shall come vntounto me, and …. 6. 37. 39him that commeth to me I cast not away. Againe, And this is the Fathers will, that of all which he hath giuen me, I should lose nothing. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this seale, the Lord know…te who are his. Excellent is that saying of Augustine: He did choose no man worthie, but by chusing he made him worthie. Againe, Cont. Iul. Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 3. In Psal. 41.It is the grace of God, whereby he doth elect me, not because any worthines is in me, but because it doth vouchsafe to make me worthie. Againe, And did not they also afterwa…ds chuse him, and preferre him before all the good things of this life? but they did chuse him because they were chosen; they were not chosen, because they chused him. And thus much of the decree of election.
The decree of reprobation is a worke of Gods prouidence, whereby he hath decreed to passe by certaine men, in regard of supernaturall grace for the manifestation of his iustice and wrath in their due destruction: or, it is his will, whereby he suffreth some man to fall into sinne, and inflicteth the punishment of condemnation for sinne.
It hath in like manner two actes. The first is the purpose to forsake some men, and to make knowen his iustice in them. This act hath a finall cause, but no impulsiue cause out of God. For it ariseth of Gods meere good pleasure, no respect had of good or euill in the creature. For the will of God is the cause of causes: therfore we must make our stand in it, and out of or beyond it no reason must be sought for: yea indeed there is nothing beyond it. Moreouer eueryevery man (as Paul Rom. 9. 21.auerreth) is vntounto God, as a lumpe of clay in the potters hand: and therefore God according to his supreme authoritie doth make vessels of wrath, he doth not find them made. But hee should not make them, but find them made, if we say that God willed in his eternall counsell, to passe by men only as they are sinners, and not as they are men for causes most iust, though vnknowen to vsus. Thirdly, if God did reiect men, because he foresaw that they would reiect him, reprobatiō should not depend vponupon God, but vponupon men themselues. And this is all one, as if a man should say, that God foresaw that some would chuse him, and others refuse him. And the contempt of the Gospell doth not befall infants, which die out of the couenant of the Gospell. Fourthly, Paul, who was a most skilful defender of Gods iustice, doth exclude all workes in the first place, out of this wonderfull election of one from another, made in the counsell of God: Not by worke…, saith he; and therefore excludeth all respect of sinne; then Rom. 9. 11.afterwards being rauished with admiration, he quieteth himselfe in the alone will of God, Who hath resisted his will? But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against Rom. 9. 19. 20. Rom. 11. 33God? Againe, O the deepenes of the riches, both of the wisedome and knowledge of God: how vnsearchable are his iudgments, and his waies past finding out! To conclude▪ if it be demaunded why God created this world and no more, we must hauehave recourse … …he meere will of God: and why must we not doe so, if it be demaunded why God electeth this man, and forsaketh that man or another? Author de vec. gent. A part of mankinde is redeemed, a part perisheth. But who can tell, why God doth not pity them, and pitieth these? the reason of the distinction is vnknowen, but the distinction or separation it selfe is not knowen.
The second act is the ordaining of them to punishment or due destruction. This ordination in respect of the diuerse consideration thereof, may be distinguished: and so it is either simple or comparatiue. The simple ordination is that, wherby this man, suppose Peter or Iohn, is ordained to punishment. And this ordination is of the most iust will of God, yet not without respect of originall and actuall sinnes. For as men are actually damned for sin: so God hath decreed to damne them for the same sinne. Yet notwithstanding sin is not the cause of the decree of reprobation, but in regard of order it goeth before in Gods fore-knowledge, not that former, but this latter act. The ordination which stands in comparison is that, whereby one man and not another, and this man rather then that being in the like condition, is ordeined to punishment. This serueth to shew the libertie of Gods will, in the dispensation of supernaturall benefits. For in that God chuseth this man and not that, it declareth the libertie and very great perfection of God: and therefore vnderunder the name of an housholder, he challengeth the same vntounto himselfe, when he saith: May I not do… Ma…. 20. 15.with my own what I list? And verely though God destroy and condemne all those whom he doth forsake, yet should he not be iniust. For we our selues in the daily killing and slaughtering of beasts will not be counted vniust, neither indeed are we: and yet in comparison of God we are not so much worth, as a flie is in respect of vsus. If it be lawfull for thee to receine in, or to thrust out any out of thine house, because thou wilt; it were a point of desperate boldnes to take the same right from God in his house.
The cause of this comparatiue ordination, is the sole wil of God, yea euen without respect of any sinne at all. So Augustine: God deliuereth no man but of his free mercy, and condemneth no man but m…st righteously. Now why he deliuereth this man rather then that, let him search, who can diue into the great depth of his iudgements. Againe, why is it thus to this man, and otherwise Lib. 1. ad Simpl. q. 2.to this? O man, who art thou that thou darest dispute with God? And Gregorie: Let Expos. in Ioan. ca. 37.no man desire to search, wherefore one should bee elected when another is reiected▪ because his iudgements are vnsearchable, and his waies past finding out. In this second act of reprobation there be two degrees, a iust desertion or forsaking, & damnation for sinne. So Fulgentius: In such (saith he) Lib. a… Mo….God begins his iudgement by forsaking, and ends it in …ormenting. Diuine desertion is twofold. The first is that, whereby God doth forsake man, only in regard of his assistance and strengthning, by omitting the confirmation of the creature, and by not conferring the second grace, wherby the first might be made effectuall to resist temptations, and to perseuere in goodnesse. Desertio explora…i… nis.This is the desertion of triall, and may happen to them, who hauehave not thē selues as yet forsaken God. For it was in the first man Adam, who receiued of God power to do that which he would, but not will to do that which be could. So Augustine: He receiued (saith he) power if he willed: De correp. & grat. cap. 11.but he had not will answerable to his power, for if he had had he should hauehave perseuered. Againe, He was able also to perseuere; if he would: and in that he would not it proceeded offree will, which then was so free, that he was able to will well and ill. The cause of this desertion was, that Adam and his posterity might know that they could fall by themselues, but that they could not stand, much lesse rise againe: and therefore that they should wholly depend on Gods mercy. Heere also it must be remembred, that betweene this desertion and Adams sin, there came also Adams will, whereby he being left to his owne strength, did by and by perceiue the very same, his conscience telling: and yet for all that he willed his owne fall by the free motion of his will.
The second desertion is a priuation and leesing of the gifts, wherwith the mind is adorned, and a deliuering into the power of Sathan, that he may seduce men, and more and more lead them into sinne. This is a desertion of punishment, and therefore Desertio poenae.it followeth sinne. And of this desertion, and not of the former, is the rule to be vnderstood, A Deo deserti Deum priores deserunt, those which are forsaken of God, do themselues first forsake God.
And this is our doctrine of Predestination, which sauoreth neither of the errors of the Manichees, Stoickes, Pelagians, nor of Epicurisme, but is (as I am perswaded) agreeable to the truth, and orthodoxall: but yet it is oppugned by sundrie criminations, or false accusations, which I will striue with all my strength to ouerthrow, and that briefely.