Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 8 · Dialogue 27
DIAL. XXVII.
Verse 30. Whome he hath predestinate them he hath called: whome he hath called them hee hath iustified: and whome he iustifieth them he glorifieth.
Tim.
VVHat doth this text contayne?
Silas.
The seuerall actions and effects whereby God doth witnes his eternall louelove to his elect ones, and by which (as meanes) hee bringeth them to their purposed and promised blessednes. Here is the golden chain wherby men chosen are drawne vp, and ascend to heauen: here be the steps and degrees whereby Gods eternall louelove, descends to his chosen, and whereby they climbe to their decreed felicity, to which none can come but through these meanes, by which means the elect are sure to attaine it; yea though they be afflicted here: which causeth them to bear afflictions more patiently and valiantly, in that they perceiue their saluation to be of God, by so many excellent works of his grace, so certainely and vndeceiueably procured and effected.
Tim.
What are the degrees whereby the elect arise and climbe to blessednesse in heauen?
Silas.
Foure: 1. predestination, 2. vocation, 3. iustification, and glorification: the first of these is done afore all times, the three last of them be performed in time.
Tim.
What doe ye call predestination?
Silas.
It is an action of God, peculiar to all the elect which are purposed vntounto saluation, the rest of mankinde being passed by and left to their corruption and iust perdition. This action of God is not done in time, but from euerlasting, God fore-ordaining his elect, both to the end which is eternall life, and vntounto the meanes leading thither, (to wit) vocation, faith, iustification, sanctification, the Crosse, also death eyther naturall or violent. The very worde (predestinate) is taken foure times in Scripture in this sence, as Rom. 8, 29, 30. Ephe. 1, 5, 11. But yet the matter and doctrine it selfe is handled in very many places, as Rom. 9, and 11. Ephe. 1. Mat. 11, 25. Iohn, 6. and 17, 6. Acts, 13, 48. 1. Thes. 5. 1. Pet. 1, 2. Iude, 4. Reuel. 17, 8. and else-where often.
Tim.
Some thinke this doctrine should not bee taught, and therefore raile at the teachers of it, what thinke ye, do they well?
Sil.
No verily, for it ought to be taught to Gods people, and Gods Ministers should sinne if they passed by it. My reasons for this be these: First, because Christ and his Apostles taught it, and their example is warrant enough for Gods ministers. For as the Apostles were followers of Christ in doctrine and life, so ought other Ministers. Secondly, it is a part of Gods reuealed will, and therfore belongs vntounto vsus, Deut. 29, 29. Thirdly, it is a speciall ground-worke of comfort and patience vnderunder the Crosse to knowe our predestination to bee so vnchangeable, strong and firme, as our Apostle doth heere aduertise vsus …at afflictions though many and great cannot hinder, …t further our saluation.
Fourthly, it is the Mother of all godlinesse, to which a man or woman doth then (and neuer before) seriously and chearfully apply themselues, when they vnderstand by Faith Gods eternall louelove towards them in their free predestinating to life, 1 Iohn 4, 10. We louelove him, because he loued vsus first. Lastly, it begetteth true and ioyfull thankfulnesse, which we will not offer vntounto God, except wee know that all good comes of his eternall purpose, without any respect to our worthinesse.
Tim.
But the conceite of Predestination, and that the Predestinate persons must be saued, dooth take away from men all care of Faith, Ministery, Prayer and Good workes, vse of Sacraments, &c.
Silas.
This is a verie slanderous vntrueth, because the Doctrine of Predestination doth necessarily put & commend vntounto vsus all these meanes; so farre off it is from destroying them, or extinguishing the care & vse of them: because it is taught, that whome God predestinateth, them he calleth, iustifieth, and glorifieth. Thus vnlikely it is, that Predestination should exclude Christ, the Gospell, Faith, Calling, Iustification, Holinesse of life, as it doth include and inferre all these necessarily. The reason heereof is, because it is wholesomly taught & beleeued, according to Scripture, that God predestinating vntounto the end, hath also fore-ordained to the meanes which bring vsus vntounto such an end, and that immutably and most freely. And therefore it is a grosse error to say this Doctrine breedeth either desperation or licentiousnes.
Tim.
What is heere meant by Calling?
Sil.
It is that meane or worke of God, wherein his eternall louelove in predestinating vsus to eternall life, doth first appeare and shew it selfe vntounto vsus, for till the time of our Calling, the decree of predestination is secret and hidden in Gods counsell: but by our Calling it is made knowne to the elect themselues. For if God doe call all those in time whom he ordained to life before all times, then such as be called, may thereby know they are predestinated, as the cause is knowne by the effect, the roote by the fruit, the fountain by the riuer, so Gods eternal louelove by calling.
Tim.
Yet it is written Math. 20. 16. that many are called but few chosen; whereby it should seeme, that calling is no sure marke of election, and predestination vntounto glory.
Silas.
It is true, there is an outward calling by the Gospell onelyonly, which wants the inward grace of the Spirite, to make it effectuall; this is common to many reprobates, and is no sure token of election, because it brings no further then to the bare knowledge and profession of Christ, and to some generall and sleight reformation, such as an hypocrite may hauehave; but not to Christ himselfe by faith in the gospel. But the calling which is both a fruite, and a certain note of predestination, is such a calling, which together with the outward preaching of the word, hath the inward working of the holy Spirite to be get faith in the Gospell; whereby a man is carried to Christ himselfe to be planted in him, and ioyned to him as a true member, and to be gouerned by his spirit, working in vsus obedience to our caller: of this calling our text speakes.
Tim.
What instructions are to bee learned from this which hath beene sayd of calling?
Sil.
First, how needfull a thing it is for vsus to hauehave the gospell and the preaching thereof, seeing persons of yeares are not ordinarily called vntounto the faith of Christ without it, Rom. 10. 14. Secondly, that no Christian must rest in an outward generall calling and knowledge (though it be a great mercy) but striue and labour after that especiall and effectuall calling, which is euer coupled with faith and obedience to the Gospell. Thirdly, such as hauehave this calling, hauehave exceeding cause to reioyce and be glad, and to bee thankfull to God; because they hauehave receiued an vndoubted pledge of Gods louelove and their owne saluation, in such sort as they may glory in God, yea euen in tribulations.
Tim.
But what shall we thinke of Infants that cannot heare the Gospell, cannot they hauehave an effectuall calling?
Silas.
Yea, all predestinate Infants (and such wee are to take all the infants of Christian Parents to be, for that they belong to the Couenant, and we know nothing to the contrary,) they hauehave an inward calling by the Spirit, though not after the same manner, as persons of discretion and yeares. For the Apostle heere speakes of the meanes, how all the elect are brought to blessednesse: therefore seeing infants are predestinate, as no doubt many be, they must of necessity bee iustified and hauehave a Calling. For whom hee predestinateth, them he calleth, &c. it is some vnvtterable and vnconceiueable worke of the holy Ghost, drawing them to Christ, either by Faith or Analogie.
Tim.
What is the instruction that ariseth from hence?
Silas.
That elect infants which dye in their infancie, are endued with a true Faith: for this is the end of calling Scmen aut igniculi Fidel in insantibus.to bring to faith, & elect infants are called, therefore they hauehave Faith.
Tim.
What profit is to be made of this instruction?
Silas.
It serueth greatly to comfort beleeuing Parents, whose children are taken away being young, that they be not perplexed with doubt about their saluation. Secondly, it highly commends the merciemercy of God in that the grace of Election and Faith be extended to vsus & our children. The promise is to you and to your Children, Acts 2. I will be the God of thy seede, Gen. 17, 3.
Tim.
What is the next fruite of Predestination?
Silas.
It is our Iustification or being iustified, which signifies to be absolued from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes, and to be accounted iust by imputation of Christes obedience through Faith, Acts 13, 48. Rom. 4, 4, 5, 6.
Tim.
How proue you that Faith is necessarie to Iustification?
Sil.
First, because there is nothing but faith alone, which goes betweene Calling and Iustifying. Secondly, Scriptures doe fully teach that our Iustification is by Faith: but yet Faith is not the cause why we are iustified no more than workes. It is onelyonly the Instrument to apprehend Christs Iustice: the true & proper causes thereof How faith doeth iustisie, & not iustify. See 3. Chap.be Gods foreknowledge, election, predestination, & calling, Faith beeing but the Organ and helping cause (as I said before) verse 22. chap. 3.
Tim.
What Instruction are we to take from hence?
Silas.
That wee are freely iustified by Faith without workes: the reason heere of is, because we are iustified at the very instant of our calling, at what time wee beleeue, before we hauehave done any good worke at all: also because elect Infants which can do neuer a good worke, are both called and iustified, as infants elect, which dye in their infancy.
Tim.
What profit is to be made of this point?
Silas.
It confutes the Papists, which ascribe iustification to good workes, which are fruites following iustification, therefore they cannot bee causes going before our iustification. Secondly, it conuicteth them of error, which would hauehave any persons in time iustified before they beleeue. Lastly, it commends vntounto vsus the necessitie and excellency of Faith, without the which wee cannot be partakers of Christ, nor hauehave our sinnes pardoned by his death, nor be accounted iust before God, nor be reconciled to God, nor hauehave peace in our selues.
Tim.
What is the last degree & fruite of predestination?
Silas.
Glorification: which signifies both the beginning and perfection of our glory.
Tim.
What meane you by the beginning, as also by the perfection of our glory?
Silas.
By the beginning of our glory, I meane Sanctification Sanctificatio est gloria inchoata: Glorificatio cst sanct ficatio consummata.or holinesse of life in earth, which therefore is termed glory by the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3, 18. because Sanctification is glory, as touching the inchoation and beginning of it; and by the perfection of glory, I meane eternal ioy and blessednesse in heauen, in the presence of God.
Tim.
What is our instruction from hence?
Silas.
That neuer any person shall bee crowned with glory in heauen, which is not first sanctified by grace on earth, enabled by the Spirite to leade a iust and holy life, which is both the entrance and the right way vntounto celesti all glory.
Tim.
What profit is to be made of this instruction?
Silas.
It reproues of solly such as liue loosely and prophanely, and yet expect saluation in heauen. Secondly, it giues great encouragement to all godly persons, to proceede and encrease in holinesse, seeing their sanctification is sure to end in glorification, euen in eternall blessednesse: and that is the reason why the Apostle writeth in the preterperfect tēce rather than in the present tence, to note the certainty of it; which causeth Paul to write as if it were already done; He hath called, he hath iustified, he hath glorified.
Tim.
Nowe wee hauehave examined eueryevery particular worde, tell vsus what we are further to learne in general, from this whole verse?
Silas
First, what the holy Catholike Church is; to wit, a company of men gathered together, not by fortune, or humane reason and policy, or any worthines of their own; but by the meere mercy and goodnesse of God, soreknowing, louing, predestinating, and calling them, that he may iustifie and glorifie them through his Sonne Christ. Secondly, that predestination is not cōmon to all, because allElection not vniuersall. be not called nor iustified; and therefore we further learn that all shall not be saued. Thirdly, that the elect cannot fall from grace and glory, because Gods purpose in bringging them through all the meanes to glory, is immutable and infallible. Fourthly, that predestination is most free,Predestination free. and not depending vponupon foreseene workes and faith: but vponupon Gods eternall foreknowledge and louelove, vponupon which faith and good workes doe depend. Lastly, that it proceeds either from ignorance or malice, to say, that men pre destinated may liue as they list, or that they neede not care for the worde or …; for God ordaines them to the meanes as well as to the end: nay there is no attaining to their ende, but by passing thorough … meanes as be appointed for the effecting of the righteous counsell of God. Touching the predestination of reprobates, no cause why Christians should trouble themselues therewith, both because Paul passeth by it here, and it doth no whit pertaine to our comforts.