The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion, Treatise 1 · Chapter 5
The fifth Chapter.
¶In what order the Lorde doeth beginn… to execute or fulfyll, and in deede are effectuallie to declare his counsell of reprobation or of casting.
The first Aphorisme.
IT may easily be vnderstāded by those thinges vvhichwhich vve hauehave sayde before howe the Lorde doeth bring to passe, (1) that they maye goe vntounto their owne place, (2) whome he hath created therefore, that he might be glorifyed in their iust condemnation. (3) For lyke as Christ the seconde Adam from heauen,The olde Adam is the foundation of reprobation or ofcasting in acte or deede. is the foundation and whole substaunce of the saluation of the electe or chosen, so also the fyrst Adam from the earth, because he fell, is therefore the fyrst causer of hatred and destruction, the vvhichwhich shall come vponupon the reprobates or ofcastes.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Act. 1 25. That hée maye take the rowme of this mynisterie and Apostlewyppe, from which Iudas hath gone astraye, to goe to his owne place.
Rom. 9 22. But what if he mynding to declare his wrath, & to make knowne his power, hath suffered with muche gentlenesse the vesselles of wrath ordained to destruction?
Math. 25. 41. Then shall he also say to them that shall be on his left hande: ye cursed, depart from mee into euerlasting …yre, which is prepared for the D… …and his Aungelles?
Rom. 5. 18. Lykewise then as by one …offence the faulte came on all men to condempnation, so by one iustifying, the benefite abounded on all men, vntounto the iustification of lyfe.
…. Cor 15. 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection or rysing againe from the dead.
22. For as in Adam all dye, euen so in Christ shall all be made a lyue.
The second Aphorisme.
FOr when as the Lorde, being moued therevnto vvith such causes as hee alone knewe, (1) had purposed to create them to this ende, that he might shewe foorth his vvrath and power in them, vvith all hee ordained as it vvere by degrees and steppes, those causes, by the vvhichwhich it shoulde come to passe that the whole blame of their destruction should lye in them selues, according as vve hauehave shewed before*Cap. …. God his iudgemen… vponupon lytle children.. Man therefore falling vvyllinglie and of his owne accorde into that miserable estate. (2) the Lorde wh… vvorthelie hateth the reprobate or of…castes,The fyrst declaration of reprobation or ofcasting. for so much as they are corrupte… sheweth forth his iust anger vponupon some… of them, so sone as they are borne.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Rom. 9. 17. For the scripture sayth vntounto Pharao: for this same purpose hauehave I stirred thee vp, that I might shew my power in thée, and that my name might be declared through out all the earth.
22. What and if God would, to shewe his wrath and make his power knowen suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to distruction…
Exod. 20. 5. I the Lord the God am a gealous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vponupon the children vntounto the thyrde & fowrth generation of them that hate mée.
Ephes. 2. 3. Among whome also wée al had our conuersation in times past in the lustes of our …lesh, doing such things as lyked our fleshe and myndes: and were the sonnes of wrath, as well as others.
Rom. 5. 14. But death reigned from Adam vntounto Moises, euen ouer them also which had not synned after the lyke manner of the transgression of Adam, which was the fygure of him that was to come.
The thirde Aphorisme.
BVt in them that are growen to full age, he obserueth or vseth two other vvayes,No vocation or calling vntounto the gospell. altogether diuerse and contrarye one to the other: for hee vouchsaueth not some once this much fauour, as to heare any thing at all of Christe, (1) in vvhome alone is saluation:Some of the reprobates or of castes are neuer called vntounto the gosell. (2) But letteth them goe in their owne vvayes, and to make haste vntounto assured destruction. (3) For such testimonies or vvitnesses of his Godhead, as hee hath left vntounto them, are of force onelye thus farre, that they hauehave nothing to pretend or alleadge for their excuse, (4) yet through their owne faulte, for asmuc… as this their selfe same ignoraunce an… slaggishnesse, in vvhichwhich they are, is a pu… nishment of that same corruption wher… in they vvere borne. And truelie vvhatsoeuer they can see in matters touching… God, by this light or rather darkness of… nature, albeit they dyd not faint in the… midle of their race, yet it is such, as it can by no meanes be suffycient vntounto saluation. (5) For it is necessarie vntounto saluation that we know God not only as God, but also as a father in Christ, (6) the whiche secreete fleshe and blood doeth not reueale or open, but the Sonne him selfe, to those onelie vvhome he hath receaued of his Father.
Proues out of the word of God.
Mat. 1. 21. And she shall bring forth a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iesus. For he shall saue his people from their sinnes.
Act 4. 12. Neyther is theyr saluation in any other. For there is no other name vnderunder heauen which is geuen among men, by which we must be saued.
Act 14 16. Who in the ages that are passed, suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes.
Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore also God gaue them ouer vntounto the lustes of their owne hartes to vncleanesse, &c.
Ephes. 2. 11. Remember that you were sometimes Gentyles in the flesh, which were called vncircumcision, &c.
…. That you I say were at that time without Christ, and were alians from the common wealth of Israell, & straungers from the couenaunts of promise… &c.
Rom. 1. 19. For that which may bee knowne of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it vntounto them.
Act. 14. 17. Albeit he hath not suffered him selfe to be without witnesse, by do… good vntounto vsus, &c.
Act. 17. 27. That they should séeke God, if paraduenture they might finde him by feeling, &c.
Rom. 1. 20. For his inuisible things or his thinges which cannot be seene, that is to saye, his euerlasting power… and Godhead, are séene by the creation of the… world whylest that they are vnderstood… by the things that are made: to this end… that they should be vnexcusable.
Rom. 2 12. Whosoeuer hauehave sinned without the lawe, shall perish also wyth out the lawe, &c.
Rom… 1. 21. Because that when as they knew God, yeat they did not glorysie God, nor gaue him thankes, &c.
22. When they counted them selues wise, they became fooles.
Ioh. 17. 3. And this is euerlasting life, that they know thée alone to be the true God.
Ioh. 3. 36. He that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting lyfe: but hée that beléeueth not the sonne, shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth vponupon him.
Math. 11. 17. All thinges are geuen me of my Father, &c.
Math. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona…, because flesh and blood hath not opened this vntounto thee, but my Father which is in heauen.
Ioh. 1. 13. Which are borne not of blood, nor of the luste of the fleshe, nor of the lust of man, but of God.
The fowrth Aphorisme.
BVt of some the fall is (1) greater,A calling not effectuall. (2) to wyt, of them whome he vouchsaueth in deede to hauehave the externall or outward preaching of the word, (3) but they being called, yet neither wyll nor can answere, (4) for that they doo so please them selues in their own blindnesse, that they saie they see? vntounto whome also it is not geuen to imbrace the spyrite of trueth, and to beleeue.Sinne in the reprobates or ofcastes in necessary, that is such as cā nor be auoyded, but yet they sinne vvyllinglie and vvyttinglie. Therefore albeit their stubburnnesse be necessarie, yet is it wylling or of then owne accorde: (6) vvhereof it commeth to passe that being bidden vntounto the feast, they refuse to come, (7) insomuch that the worde of life is vntounto them foolisnesse and a stumbling blocke, yea finallie, a deadly fauour vntounto death.
Proues out of the worde of God.
Luk. 12. 47. But that seruaunt which knoweth his masters will, and hath not prepared him selfe, nor done according to his wyll, shall bée beaten with many strypes.
Math. 22. 14. Many are called but few are chosen.
Luk. 13. 34. Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent vntounto thée, how often would I hauehave gathered thy Children together, &c.
Luke 19. 42. If thou haddest euen knowne, at lest in this thy day, &c.
…erem 7. 28. And thou shalt saye vntounto them, this is the Nation whiche hath not obeyed the voice of the Lorde theyr God… &c.
Prouerbs. 1. 24. Because that I hauehave called, and ye hauehave refused, I hauehave stretched forth my hand, and ther… was none that gaue any heede.
Ioh. 9. 41. If you were blinded you should hauehave no sinne: but now you saye, we see, and therefore your sinne remaineth.
Ioh. 14. 17. That spirit of truth which the world cannot receaue, because it doth not see him, nor knowe him, but ye know him, because he remaineth with you, and wyll be in you.
Ioh. 12. 39 40. Esai. 6. 10.Therefore could they not beleeue because Esaias hath sayd againe, he hath blinded their eyes and hath hardened their hearts, &c.
Thes. 3. 2. And that we may be delinered from froward and euyll men, for all men hauehave not fayth.
Math. 13. 11. For vntounto you it is geuen to knowe the mysteryes or secréetes of the kingdom of heauen, but vntounto them it is not geuen.
Math. 22. 2. The kingdom of heauen, is like vntounto a certaine king which made a marriage for his sonne, &c.
Luc. 14. 16. A certaine man made a great supper, and called many, &c.
1. Cor. 1. 18. For the preaching of the crosse is in déede to them that perish, folishnes: but vntounto vsus that are saued, it is the power of God.
23. We preach Christ crucified, vntounto the Iewes a stumbling blocke, and vntounto the Gréekes foolishnesse.
2. Cor. 2. 15. For we are vntounto God the swéete sauour of Christ, in them that are saued, and in them that perishe.
16. To the one we are the sauour of death: and to the other we are the sauor of lyfe, vntounto lyfe.
The fyfth Aphorisme.
THere are others besides these, vvhose vnderstanding he styrreth vp to perceyne and beleeue the things which they heare: (1) But this is wrought by that generall faith, wherewith all the Deuylles also being indued, doo notwithstanding tremble.
Proues out of the word of God.
Iam. 2. 19. Thou beléeuest that there is one God, thou doest well: the Deuyls also beléeue, and tremble.
The sixt and seuenth Aphorisme.
LAste of all, they vvhiche are of all men moste vnhappie, doo also clyme …he hygher, that they maye hauehave the …greater fall, (1) for by the benefite of a …ertaine grace they are entred thus farre,The verie reprobates or ofcastes sometimes doo seeme for a season to bee planted in the Church of God, and do reach others the… vvaie to saluation. …hat they are also somewhat mooued to …ast of the heauenlie gift, (2) in so much …hat for a tyme, hauing receyued the …eede, they doo seeme to bee planted …n the Churche of God, (3) and doo also …hewe vntounto others the vvaie to saluati…n. But this is certaine that, that spi…ite of adoption, (4) vvhichwhich vvee saide to bee proper vntounto them vvhichwhich are neuer caste forth, (5) and vvhichwhich are vvrit…en in the secreete of the people of God, …vvas neuer communicated… Reade Mar: 7. verse. 21. 22. 23.or imparted vvith them, (6) for if they vvere of the elect or chosen, they shoulde doubtlesse remaine with the electe or chosen.
All these therefore,The cause vvhy some of the reprobates or ofcastes, vvhichwhich seemed for a time to bee of the Church of God, are fynallie destroied, is their vvylling departure from that state vvhichwhich before they vvere in, vntounto vvieked…es and sinne. (7) because n… cessarylie, but yet voluntarylie, or vvyllynglie, as they vvho are vnderunder the kingdome of synne, (8) doo turne agayne vntounto their vomytte, (9) and fall from fayth, and are therefore pulled vppe by the roote, to bee caste into …he …yre. They are forsaken (I saye) of God? (10) vvho being moued with h… owne wyll, the which no man can with… stande, (11) and with their corruption… and wickednesse notwithstanding, (12) …doeth harden them, maketh fatte they… heart, stoppeth their eares, fynallie blin… deth their eyes, (13) and for the performaunce of this thing, vseth partlie their… owne euyll lustes, wherevnto hee geueth them vp to the gouerned,The means vvhichwhich God vseth in … dening the ofcastes. (14) partlie by that same spirite of lying, which keepeth them bound in chaines, to wyt, because of their corruption, out of the which, as cut of a certaine spring, there yssueth out a contine wall streame of infidelytie or vnbeleefe, ignoraunce, and iniquitie: (15) vvhereof it commeth to passe that they hauing made shipwrack, as touching faith: can neuer escape the daye appointed for theyr destruction, (16) that God maye be glorified in their iust dampnation.
Proues out of the word of God,
Heb. 6 4. For it is impossible, that they which hauehave beene one lyghtened, and hauehave tasted of the heauenlie gyfte, and hauehave beene made partakers of the holie ghost.
5. And hauehave tasted to the good worde of God, and of the powers of the worlde to come.
6. If they fall a waiel, shoulde be renewed againe by repentaunce: as who hauehave crucified againe vntounto them selues the sonne of God, &c.
Act. 8 13. And Simon also him selfe beléeued: and being baptized, abode with Phillip. &c.
Math. 13. 24. Reade the Parrable of the Sower.
Act. 1. 16. Men and brethren, this Scripture must needes hauehave beene fulfylled, which the holie ghost foretolde, by the mouth of Dauid, as concerning Iudas, &c.
17. For he was numbred with vsus, and had obtained part of his ministerie.
Ioh. 6. 37. Whatsoeuer my Father geueth mee, shall come vntounto mee, and him that cōmeth vntounto mée, I cast not away.
Ezec. 13. 9. And mine hande shall be vponupon the Prophets that sée vanity, and diuine lyes: they shall not bée in the assemblye of my people, neither shal they be written in the writing of the house of Israell, &c.
1. Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus: for if they had béene of vsus, they would doubtles hauehave continued with vsus, &c.
Ioh. 8. 34. Uerily, veryly I say vntounto you, whosoeuer committeth sinne, is the seruaunt of sinne.
Rom. 5. 12. Therefore like as by one man sinne hath entred into the world, and by sinne death: and so death went ouer all men, in as much as al men hauehave sinned.
Rom. 6. 20. For when as ye were ser…auntes of sinne, ye were fréede from righteousnesse.
Rom. 7. 14. We know that the law is spirituall, but I am carnall or fleshly, sould to be subiect vntounto sinne.
Rom. 8. 7. Because that the vnderstanding of the fleshe is enmitie against God. For it is not subiecte vntounto the lawe of God, neyther in deede can bée.
2. Pet. 2. 22. But it happeneth vntounto thē,Prou. 26. … which is wont to be sayd in the prouerb, the dogge is turned againe vntounto his vomyt, and the sowe that was washed, to hyr wallowing in the myre.
1. Tim. 4. 1. For the spirit sayth plainly, that it shall come to passe that in the latter times some shall fall from the fayth, geuing héede vntounto disceauing spirites, and vntounto doctrines of Deuyls.
Math. 12. 43. Read the parable of the seuen spirites.
Rom. 9. 19. Thou wilt then say vntounto mee, why is he yet angry? For who hath withstood his wyll?
2. Thes. 2. 6. Whose comming is by the working of Sathan, with al power, and signes, and lying wonders.
10. And wyth all diceit of vnrighteousnes in them that perish: for that they hauehave not receaued the louelove of the truth, that they might be saued.
11. And therefore God shall send… them strengthe of disceyuing, that they should beleeue lyes.
Ioh. 3. 19. And this is the condemnation, that light is commen in the worlde, but men hauehave loued darknes more then light: because their workes are euyl.
Esa. 63. 1…. Wherefore hast thou O Lorde made vsus to goo a straye from thy wayes? thou haste made our hearte goo backe from thy feare.
Exod. 4. 21. Sée that thou doo all the wonders before Pharaoh, which I hauehave put in thine hande: and wyll harden his hearte, that hée shall not let the people goe.
¶There are also moe… places vvhiche vve hauehave rehearted aboue. Chap. 2. Aphorisme. 1.
Esa. 6. 10. Harden the hearte of this people and make his eares heauy, and daube his eyes: leste happyly he should see with his eyes, and heare with his eares, and his heart should vnderstand, and when he is conuerted, there should … …aling vntounto him.
Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all … vnderunder dissobedience, that he might … mercy on all.
Exod. 8 32 And Pharaoh hardened his … this time also, and let not the …, &c.
…. 9…. 8. Harden not your heartes as … Meri…ah, as in the day of Massah in the Wildernesse.
Act. 7. 42. And God turned him selfe away, and gaue them vp into the seruice of … hoast of heauen, as it is written in booke of the prophets.
Rom. 1. 29. Wherefore the Lord gaue th… ouer vntounto filthy lustes.
2. Reg. 22. 23. Now therefore beholde … Lord hath put a spirit of lying in the … of al thy Prophets, and the Lord … spoken euil vponupon thee.
…oh. 1. 3. 2. The Deuyll put in the heart of Iudas, to betray Iesus.
2. Cor. 43. 4. But if our gospell bée hidden, it is hidden in them that perish: in whome the God of this worlde hath …nded their mindes, that is to say, in the Infidelles or vnbeléeuers, that the lyght of the glorious gospell of Christ, who is the Image of God shoulde not shine vponupon them.
2. Tim, 2. 26. And that being escaped out of the snare of the Deuyl, by whome they are kepte prisoners, they might receyue health of minde to his wyll.
1. Tim. 1. 19. Hauing fayth and a good conscience, which some hauehave put away, and as concerning fayth, hauehave made …hypwracke.
Prouer. 16. 4. God hath made al things for him selfe, yea, euen the wicked man for an euyll daye.
Exod. 9. 16. And truely for this cause hauehave I ordayned thée, that I might shew vntounto thée my power, and that they shoulde declare my name in the whole yearth.
Rom. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power ouer the clay, to make of the same lump one vessell vntounto honour, and an other to dishonour?
22. What and if God wyllyng to shew forth his wrath, and to make knowen …is power, suffered with much gentle…esse the vesselles of wrath, prepared to …estruction?