The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3
The third Chap.
¶Of the execution or fulfylling of the euerlasting counsaile, in that which is common both to the elect or chosen, and also to the reprobates or ofcastes.
The first Aphorism….
THe Lorde to the ende he might execute or fulfyll that euerlasting counsayle vntounto his glorie,VVhy man vvas created in deede good, but yet such a one as myghte of his ovvne accorde become euil. prepared him selfe away according vntounto his infinite or endlesse wisedome, which is common both to them which were to bee chosen, and also to them which were to bee ofcastes. For when as he had determined to shew forth a notable example of his merciemercy, in the saluation of the chosen: and also to make manifest his iust iudgement, in condemning the ofcastes, (1) It was of neces…itie that he shoulde shutte vp both of them vnderunder contumacie or disobedience and sinne that he might hauehave merciemercy on all the beleeuers, (2) that is, on the elect or chosen, (3) for faith is a gifte of God peculiar or proper vntounto the elect:… (4) and contra…y wise, that he might finde matter of iust dampn…tion in those, vntounto whom it is geuen neither to beleeue, neither yet to know the misteries or secretes of God.
Proues out of the word of God.
Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp al vnderunder disobedience, that he might hauehave mercy on all.
Gal 3 22. But the Scr…pture hath shut vp all things vnderunder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ, might be geuen to them that beléeue.
Act. 13 48, And the Gentiles hearing these things, reioyced, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many, as were ordeyned vntounto e…e…lasting life beléeued.
Eph. 2. 8. For ye are saued by grace through sayth, and that not of your selues, it is the gifte of God.
2. Thes. 3. 2. Fayth is not of all men, or all men, hauehave not fayth.
Tit, 1. 1. According to the fayth of Gods elect or chosen and the knowledge of the tr…th, which is according vntounto Godlynes:
2. Unto the hope of eternall lyfe, the which God that can not lye, hath promised before the world beganne.
Phil. 1. 29. For vntounto you it is geue… in Christ his cause, not onelyonly… to beleeue in him, but also to suffer for him.
Gal 3. 22. But the frute of the spirit is. louelove, ioye, peace, long suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, fayth, &c.
Math. 13. 11. For vntounto you it is not geuen to know the secréets of the kingdom of heauen, but to them it is not geuen.
loh. 12. 37. And though he had done so many myracles before them, yet they beleeued not in him:
38. That the saying of Esay the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord …oho beleued our saying, and vntounto whom …is the arme of the Lord opened?
39. Therfore they could not beléeue, becau… that Esay sayth againe,
40. He hath blynded their eyes, and hardened theyr hearts, that they should not see with theyr eyes, and vnderstand with theyr heart, and should be conuerted, and I should heale them.
The second Aphorisme.
THis therefore he did vvith such vvisdom, that the whole faultes of the reprobates or ofcastes damnation resteth in themselues: and that the vvhole praise of the saluation of the electe or chosen, is vvholie to to be referred vntounto his mercy: for he dyd not create manCreation of man. in sinne (for so, vvhichwhich God forbyd, should he him selfe hauehave beene the Author of sinne, and of his iustice he might not punishe it) but rather hee made him after his owne Image, that is, in cleanesle and holynesse.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Gen 1. 27. Therfore god created man after his owne image: after the Image of god created he him, male and female created he them.
Ephes. 4. 24. And put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousnes, and true holynes.
The thyrd Aphorisme.
HE afterwardes constrayned by none at all, and driuen also by no necessity of concupiscence or luste… as concerning his vvyl (for as yet it vvas not bond vntounto finne) of his owne accorde,corrup…ion. and freely rebelling against God, bequeathed himself vntounto sinne, and vntounto both deaths: That is, of bodie and soule.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Gen 2. 17. In the daye that thou eatest of it,*That is, thou shalt moste assuredly die. dying thou shalt dye.
Ro. 7. 20. But yet if I doo that I would not, then is it not I that doo it, but sinne that dwelleth in mée.
Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde, and death by the meanes of sinne, and so death went ouer all men, insomuch as all men hauehave sinned.
The fourth Aphorisme.
YEt vve must confesse that this fallThe fall of man coulde no… come to passe vvithout the vvy… and ordi… of God. (of man) happened not by chaunce, vvhen as the prouidence of God is stretched forth euen vntounto the verie smallest things, neither can any thing be saide to come to passe, God not knowing of it, o… else altogeather vvynking at it, for so thinking (the vvhichwhich God forbyd) vvee must be of the opinion of the*…VVho vvhere a sort of phi…losophers that among…ste other of their opinion… helde that God hath no care nor kepe of the …hinges vvhichwhich are done in the vvo…lde.Epicures.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Mat. 10. 29. Are not two sparowes sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground, without your father?
50. But the verie heyres of your hea… are all numbred.
Prou. 16. 33. The lotte is cast into the lappe, but the whole iudgement of it is from the Lorde.
The fifth Aphorisme.
NEyther yet dyd it happen, by any ba…e, and ydle pe…mission or suffering, vvhichwhich is seuered from his vvyl and decree… for when as he hath ordained the e…de, it must needes be also, that he hath appointed the causes leadinge vntounto that ende: vnlesle vvee vvyll affyrme that the same ende came to passe either at all aduentures or …lse by ca…ses …rdayned by some other God, after the opinion of the Manichees. Moreouer, it can not bee …nce so much as …ought… that any thing …ommeth to passe against the vvyll of God, and vvhether hee vvyll or n…, but that vvith great vngodl… nesse, vve must denie him to bee almighty: the which thing Augustin Aug. Euch… ad laure… …umalso lib. De correp et grat. Cap. 104.cap 9… hath plainly noted. It doeth therfore remaine that this fall did in such sort issue from the wylling motion, or sturring of Adam, as that yet it happened not against the wyl of God, vvhome after a certaine vvonderfull and vnconceiueable maner it pleaseth, that euē the same thing, vvhichwhich he doth not allow in that it is sinne, cōmeth not to passe vvith out his vvyll: and that, as vve hauehave sayde before, that the shoulde shewe the ryches of his glorie vponupon the vesselles of mercy: and declare his wrath and power in those vesselles vvhichwhich he hath made the…fore, that hee might set foorth his glorie by theyr iust dampnation.The finall end of God his counsail is neither the saluation of the electe … damnation of the reprobats, but the s…tting forth of his glory. For neyther is the saluation of the elect or chosen, nor yet the dampnation of the reprobates or ofcastes, the laste ende of the counsayles of God, but the setting forth of his glory, aswell in sauing them of mercy, as in condemning these by his iust iudgement.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Rom. 9. 21. Hath not the pot…er power ouer the clay to make of the same lump one vessel to honour, and an other to dishonour?
22. What and if God minding to shew his wrath, and to make his power knowen, did suffer with much patience the vesselles of wrath, prepared to destruction… &c.
1. Pet. 2. 8. And a stone of stumblyng, and a rocke of offence to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, vntounto the which thing they were then o… dained.
Exod. 9. 16. And in deed for this cause hauehave I appointed thee, to wytt to shewe thée my power, and to declare my name through out the whole worlde.
Prou. 16. 4. God hath made al thinges for him selfe, yea euen the wicked man, for the day of euyll.
Esa. 54. 16. Behold I hauehave created the …mith, that bloweth coles in the fire, and …ringeth forth a tole for his worke: I, I say, hauehave created the destroyer to destoy.
Rom. 9. 11. For the chyldren beeing not yeat borne when as they had done nothing neyther good, nor euyll, that the purpose of God. which is according vntounto his election, that is to say, not of workes but of him that calleth, might remaine sure, &c.
13. As it is written Iacob hauehave I loued, and Esau hauehave I hated.
17. For the scripture sayth vntounto Pharao, for this same purpose hauehave I styrred the vp, that I might shew my power in thée, and that my name might be declared thorough out all the earth.
18. Therefore hee hath merciemercy on whome he wyll, and whome he wyll he hardeneth.
The sixt Aphorisme.
THerefore that vve may auoide these blasphemies. into the vvhiche the vveakenesse of mans vvyt doth draw vsus, let vsus confesse, that the corruption of the chiefe vvorkemanshippe made by God, came to passe neither by chaunce, nor yet vvithout his vvyl, vvho of his incomprehensible or vnconceyueable vvisedome, maketh and ordreth all things to his glorie: let vsus neuerthelesse graunt, albeit that iudgemēt of man vvrestle neuer so much against it, the vvhichwhich in the begy…ning vvas both compassed about with certain bounders, and vvas also afterward miserablie corrupted or made yll, that the vvhole fault of destructiō resteth in mā, because that betweene that secreete and vnceyueable vvyll of God,God is vvholy blamed of the vvicked for their corruption, vvhere as in dede the cause is not in him, but in their ovvne vvylfull naugh…nesse. and the same corruption of mankind, which properly is the true and the first original or beginning of the destruction of the reprobat… or ofcasts, the wyl of that first man commeth in the vvhichwhich vvyl, vvheras it vvas created good, of his owne accord depraued or made it selfe naught, and therfore made open an entrie vntounto the iust iudgement of God to destroie al those, vvhom he vvyll not vouchsafe to shewe his merciemercy vntounto. Now if these pleading againe …o obiecte, that they coulde not bee a…ainst this wyll of God, well, let vsus le… …em alone vntounto their owne destruction … reason against him, who wyll easilye …efende his owne righteousnesse against …heir foolishe quarellings. Let vsus rather …euerence that thing which is aboue the …eache of our vvyt, and turne al the con…eites and imaginations of our minde to the setting forth of his merciemercy, which of his owne onelyonly goodnesse hath saused vsus, being no lesse wicked and worthie of any kinde of punishment, then they are.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Rom. 9. 13. As it is written, Iacob hauehave I loued, and Esau hauehave I hated.
14. What shall we say then? is there any vnrighteousnesse with God? God forbyd.
15. For he sayth vntounto Moyses, I wyl hauehave merciemercy on him, to whome I wyll shewe merciemercy, and I wyll hauehave compassion on him, on whome I wyll hauehave compassion.
19. Thou wylt then say… vntounto mée, why is he yet angrie? For who hath resisted his wyll?
20. But, O man… who art thou, which pleadest against God? shal the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made mee thus?