The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 24
The .xxiiii. Chapter. ¶ That Election is stablished by the callyng of God; but that the reprobrate do bryng vponupon themselues the iust destruction wherunto they are apoynted.
BUt, that the matter maye more plainely appere, we must entreate bothe of the callyng of the elect, and of the blinding and hardening of the wicked. Of the first of these I hauehave already spoken somwhat▪ when I confuted their errour, whiche thing that the generalnesse of the promises extendeth egally to all mankinde. But this election which otherwise God hath hidden with himselfe he doth not without choyse at length disclose by his callyng, which a man maye therefore call the testifieng of it.Rom. v… xxix. For, whome he hath foreknowen, them he hath also fore apointed to be fashioned like the image of his sonne: whome he hath fore apointed, them he hath also called: whome he hath called, them he hath also iustified, that in time to come he maye glorifie them. When the Lord hath by electing already adopted his into the number of his children: yet we see how they entre not into possession of so great a benefit, but when they be called: on the other side, how beyng called they do nowe enioye a certaine communicatyng of his election. For whiche reason Paule calleth the Spirit whiche they receiue,Ro. v…i….xv Eph. i.x… bothe the Spirit of adoption, and the seale, and earnest of the inheritance to come: namely bicause it doeth with the testimonie thereof stablish and seale to their heartes the assurednesse of the adoptiō to come. For though ye preachyng of the Gospell spryng out of the fountayne of election: yet bycause it is also cōmon to the reprobate, therfore it could not by it it selfe be a sure profe thereof. But God effectually teacheth his elect, that he may bryng them to fayth: as we hauehave before alleged out of the wordes of Christ.Ih. xi.xlvi A…. xv….v… Ioha ….xliiii. Lib. de Grat. Chris…t. …tra Pelag. & Caelest. ca. …4. & …1. Whoe so is of God, he & none other seeth the Father▪ Againe, I hauehave shewed thy name to the men whome thou haste geuen me: Wheras he sayth in an other place, No man can come to me, vnlesse my Father drawe him. Whiche place Augustine wisely weyeth, whose wordes are these. If (as Truthe sayth) eueryevery one that hath learned, cōmet: whosoeuer cōmeth not, certainely neyther hath he learned. It doth not therefore folow that he which can come, also cōmeth, vnlesse he hauehave bothe willed and done it. But eueryevery one that hath learned of the father, not only can come, but also cōmeth, whē now there is present bothe the profit of comming, and the affection of willyng, and the …eled with this light, that they should refuse to loke vponupon electiō? Yet in the meane time I denie not, that to the ende we maye be certayne of our saluation, we must beginne at the word, and that our affiance ought therewith to be contented, that we maye call vponupon God by the name of Father. For some quite contrarie to righte order, that they maye be certified of the counsell of God (which is nere vntounto vsus, in our mouth and in our heart) do couet to flie aboue the cloudes.Deut. x…x.xiiii. Therefore that rashnesse is to be restrained with sobrietie of faith, that it maye suffice vsus that God in his outward worde is a witnesse of his hidden grace: to that the conduit pipe out of whiche there floweth water largely for vsus to drinke, doe not hinder but that the springhed maye hauehave his due honor.
Therefore as they do wrongfully, whiche hang the strength of election vponupon the faith of the gospel, by which faith we fele that electiō perteyneth to vsus: so we shall kepe the beste order, if in sekyng the certaintie of our election, we sticke fast in these later signes, whiche are sure witnessinges of it. Satan do…: with no tētation either more greuously, or more dangerously astonish the faithful, than when disquieting them with doubt of their election he doth also moue them with a peruerse desire to seke it out of the way. I cal it loking out of the way, when a wretched man enterpriseth to breake into the hidden secretes of the wisedome of God, and to pearce euen to the hi…st eternitie to vnderstand what is determined of himself at the iudgemēt seate of God. For then he throweth himselfe hedlong to be swallowed vp into the depth of the vnmeasurable deuouryng pit, then he wrappeth himselfe with innumerable snares and such as he cā not winde out of: then he ouerwhelmeth himselfe with the bottōlesse depth of blinde darknesse. For so is it rightfull that the foolishnesse of the wit of mā be punished with so horrible ruine, when he attempteth of his owne force to rise vp to the height of the wisedome of God. And so much more deadly is this tentation, as there is none to which we are cōmonly all more bēt. For there is most rarely any man to be foūd, whose minde is not somtime striken with this thought. Whens… hast thou saluation, but of the Election of God? And of Election what reuelation hast thou? whiche thought, if it hauehave ones taken place in any man, eyther perpetually vexeth the miserable man with terrible tormentes, or vtterly dismayeth him. Truely I would hauehave no surer argument than this experiēce to proue, howe wrongfully such men imagine of predestination. For the minde can be infected with no error more pes…ilent, thā that which plucketh downe and thrusteth the conscience from her peace and quietnesse toward God. Therefore if we feare shipwreck, we muste diligently beware of this rocke, whiche is neuer stryken vponupon without destruction. And though the disputyng of predestination bee estemed like a dangerous Sea, yet in passyng through it there is found a safe and quiet yea and pleasant saylyng, vnlesse a man doe wilfully couet to be in danger. For as they do drowne themselues in the deadly bottomlesse depth, whiche to be certified of their election doe enquire of the secret Counsell of God without his worde: so they whyche doe rightly and orderly searche it in suche sorte as it is conteyned in the worde, receyue thereof a singular frute of comfort. Let this therefore be our way to searche it, that we beginne at the calling of God, & ende in the same. Howebeit this withstandeth not, but that the faithfull may thinke that the benefites whiche they dayly receiue at the hande of God,Esa. xx… ▪ doe descend from that secret adoption: as they saye in Esaye, Thou haste done maruels, thy thoughtes are olde, true, and faithfull: for asmuch as by that adoption as by a token, the Lordes will is to cōfirme so much as is lawful to be knowē of his coūsel. But least any man should think this a weake testimonie, let vsus consider how much bothe clearenesse and certaintie it bringeth vsus. Of whiche thing Bernard speaketh fitly. For after that he had spoken of the reprobate, he sayth: The purpose of God standeth, the sentence of peace standeth vponupon them that feare him, bothe coueryng their euels, and rewarding their good thynges: so as to them after a maruellous manner not only good thinges, but also euell doe worke together vntounto good. Whoe shall accuse the elect of God? It sufficeth me to all righteousnesse, to hauehave him alone mercifull, to whome alone I hauehave sinned. All that he hath decreed not to impute to me, is so as yf it neuer had ben. And a litle after: O place of true reste, and to whiche not vnworthily I maye geue the name of a bedchamber, in whiche God is seene not as troubled with wrath, not as withholden with care, but his wil is proued in him good, and well pleasyng, and perfect. This sight doth not make afrayde, but calmeth: doth not stirre vp vnquiet curiousnesse, but appeaseth it: doth not wery the senses, but quietet them. Here is quiet truely taken. God beyng appeased, appeaseth all thynges: and to beholde him quiet, is to be quiet.
First if we seke a fatherly kindenesse and fauorable minde of God, we must turne our eyes to Christ,Matt. iii, xvii… in whome alone the soule of the father resteth. If we seke saluation, lyfe, and the immortalitie of the heauenly kingdome, we muste then also flee to no other: for asmuch as he alone is bothe the fountayne of lyfe, and author of saluation, and heir of the kingdome of Heauen. Nowe whereto serueth election, but that beyng adopted of the heauenly Father into the degree of chyldren, we maye by his fauour obteyne saluation and immortalitie? Howe so euer in sekyng thou tosse it and shake it, yet thou shalt finde that the vttermoste marke of it extendeth no further. Therefore whome God hath taken to his children, it is not sayd that he hath chosen them in themselues,Eph. i.ii… but in his Christ: bycause he could not louelove them but in him, nor geue them the honour of the inheritance of his kingdome, vnlesse they had firste ben made partakers of him. If we be chosen in him▪ we shall not finde in our selues the certaintie of our election: no, nor yet in God the Father, yf we imagine him naked without the Sonne. Christ therefore is the mirrour, in whome we bothe muste, and without deceite maye behold our election. For sithe it is he into whose bodie the Father hath apoynted to graffe all them whome from eternitie he hath willed to be his, that he maye take for his chyldren so many as he reknowlegeth amonge his members: we hauehave a witnesse playne and sure enough▪ yt we are written in the boke of life, if we cōmunicate with Christ. And yt sure cōmuniō of himself he gaue vsus, when by the preaching of the Gospel he testified that he was geuen to vsus of the father, that he with all his good thinges should be oures.Rom. viij.xxxi. Ih. iii.xv. Ih. v.xxviiii Iohn. vi.xxxv. We are sayd to put on him, & to growe together into him, that we maye liue: bicause he liueth. So oft is this doctrine repeted, The Father spared not his only begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleueth in him, maye not perish. But he that beleueth in him, is sayd to hauehave passed from death into life. In which sense he calleth himself the bred of life, which who so eateth, he shal not die for euer. He (I say) hath bē a witnesse to vsus, that they shalbe receyued of the heauenly Father in place of his children, of whome he hath ben receiued by fayth. If we couet any more than to be accompted among the children and heires of God, then we maye climbe aboue Christ. If this be our vttermoste marke: how much be we mad in sekyng without him that whiche we hauehave already obteined in him, and which maye be found in him alone▪ Moreouer sithe he is the eternal wisedome, the vnchangeable truth, and faste settled counsell of the Father: it is not to be …eared least that which he declareth to vsus in his word, should varie any thing be it neuer so litle from that will of the father whiche we seke: but rather he faithfully openeth it vntounto vsus, such as it was from the beginnyng, and euer shalbe. The practise of this doctrine ought also to be in vre in prayers. For though the faith of electiō doth encourage vsus to cal vpō God: yet when we make our prayers, it were vnorderly done to thrust it into the presence of God, or to couenant with this condition▪ Lord, if I be elected, heare me: for asmuch as he willeth vsus to be cōtent with his promises, and no where els to seke whether he wil be entreatable to vsus or no. This wisedome shall deliuer vsus from many snares, if we can skill to applie that to a right vse whiche hath ben rightly written: but let vsus not vndiscretely draw hether and thether that which ought to hauehave ben restrayned.
There is also for stablishyng of our affiance an other staye of election, whiche we hauehave sayd to be ioyned with our callyng. For, whome Christ taketh beyng enlightened with the knowlege of his name into the bosome of his Church, them he is sayd to receiue into his faith & protection.Iohn. vi.xxxvii. and x…i.v…. And whome so euer he receiueth, they are sayd to be committed to him of the father, and deliuered to his trust, that they maye be kept into eternall life. What meane we? Christ crieth out with a lowde voyce, that so many as the Father willeth to be saued, he hath deliuered them into his protection. Therefore if we list to know whether God hauehave care of our safetie, let vsus seke whether he hath committed vsus to Christ, whome he hath made the onelyonly sauior of all his. Nowe if we dout whether we bee receyued of Christ into his fayth and kepyng, he preuenteth our doutyng, when he voluntarily effreth himself to be our shepeheard, and pronounceth that we shalbe in the number of his shepe if we heare his voyce.Ioh. x.iii. Let vsus therefore embrace Christ, beyng liberally set open for vsus, and cōming to mete vsus: he shal number vsus in his flocke, and shall kepe vsus enclosed with in his folde. But there entreth into vsus a carefulnesse of our state to come.Rom. viii.…xx. Mat. xxii.xiiii. i. Cor. x.xii. For as Paul teacheth that thei are called, which were before chosen: so Christ sheweth that many are called, but few are chosen▪ yea and also Paule himselfe in an other place dishorteth vsus from carefulnesse: Let him that standeth (sayth he) loke that he fall not. Againe, Art thou grafted into the people of God? Be not proude, but feare: for God is able to cut the of againe that he maye graffe other. Finally wee are sufficiently taught by experience it selfe, that calling and faith are of smale value, vnlesse there be adioyned continuance which happeneth not to al mē. But Christ hath deliuered vsus from thys care: for verily these promyses hauehave respect to the time to come.Ihon. vi.xxxvii… xi All that my Father geueth mee, shall come to me: and him that shall come to mee, I will not cast him oute of doers. Againe, This is the will of him that sente me, the Father, that I lose nothing of al things that he hath geuen me, but may raise them vp againe in the last day.Io. x.xvii. Againe▪ My shepe heare my voice and thei folowe me: I knowe them, and I geue them eternall life, and thei shall not perishe for euer, neither shall any man take them out of my hande. The Father which gaue them to me, is greater then all: and no man can take them out of the hande of my Father.Matt. xv.xiii. Now when he pronoū ceth, EueryEvery tree whiche my Father hathe not planted, shall be plucked vp by the roote: he signifieth on the cōtrary side, that thei can neuer be plucked from saluation, which hauehave roote in God. Wherewith agreeth that saieng of Ihon,i. Ihon. ii.xix. Rom. viii.xxxviii. If thei had ben of vsus, thei had not at all gone out from vsus. Herevpon also commeth that noble glorieng of Paul against Life and Death, present thinges and thinges to come: which glorieng must nedes be grounded vponupon the gift of continuance. Neyther is it any doubt that he directeth this saieng to all the faithfull. In an other place the same Paul saith.Philip. i.xvi. He that hath begonne in you a good worke, shal ende it euen vntil the day of Christ. As also Dauid, when his faith fainted, leaned vponupon this stay: Thou shalt not forsake the worke of thy handes.Psalm. ….xxxviii.viii And nowe neither is this doubtfull, that Christ when he prayeth for all the faithfull, asketh the same thinge for them whiche he asketh for Peter,Luc. xxi….xxxi… that their faith maye neuer faint. Whereby we gather, that thei are out of danger of falling awaie, bycause the sonne of God, askinge stedfaste continuance for their godlinesse, suffered no deniall. What woulde Christe hauehave vsus to learne hereby, but that wee shoulde truste that we shall perpetually be safe, bicause we are ones made his?
But it dayly happeneth, that thei whiche semed to be Christes, do agayne reuolt from him & fal, yea & in the very same place where he affirmeth that none had perished of them which were geuen him of the Father,Ihon. xvi.xii. yet he excepteth the sonne of perditiō. That is true in dede: but this is also as certaine, that such did neuer clea…e to Christ with that a…fiance of heart wt whiche I sate yt the assurednesse of our election ys stablished. Thei went out from vsus (saith Ihon) but thei were not of vsus. For if thei had ben of vsus,i. Ih. ….xix▪ thei had still taried with vsus. Neither do I deny that thei hauehave like signes of calling as the elect hauehave: but I do not graunt that thei hauehave that sure stablishment of election which I bidde the faithfull to fetche out of the worde of the Gospell. Wherfore let not suche examples moue vsus but that we quietly reste vponupon the promise of the Lord, where he pronounceth,Ih. iii.xvi. &. vi.xxxix yt al thei are geuen to him of the Father, which receiue him with true faith, of whom sith he is their keper & Pastor, none shal perishe. Of Iudas we shal speake hereafter. Paule doth not counsell Christians from assurednesse altogether, butte from carelesse and loose assurednesse of the fleshe, whiche draweth wyth it, pride, presumptiō, and disdaine of other, and quencheth humilitie and the reuerence of God, & bringeth forgetfulnes of grace receiued. For he speaketh to ye Gentiles, whome he teacheth, yt thei ought not proudly & vngently to reproche yt Iewes for this, that the Iewes beinge disherited, thei were set in their stede. Feare also he requireth, not wherewt thei sholde be dismaied & stagger, but whych framing vsus to ye humbler receiuing of the grace of God, shold abate nothing of ye affiance therof, as we hauehave said in an other place. Beside yt, he doth not there speake to eueryevery mā particularly, but to ye sectes thēselues generally. For when ye Churche was diuided into two parts, & enuie bred dissensiō, Paul putteth ye Gētiles in minde yt their beīg supplied into ye place of ye peculiar & holy people, ought to bee to thē a cause of feare & modesty. And amōg thē ther wer many puffed vp wt glory, whose vaine bostīg it was profitable to beat downe. But we hauehave in an other place shewed, yt our hope is extended to ye time to come euen beyonde death, & yt nothing is more contrarye to the nature of it, than to doubte what shall become of vsus.
That saieng of Christ, of many being called but few chosen, is very il takē after yt māner. Ther shalbe nothing doubtful if we hold faste yt which ought to be clere by ye things aboue spokē, yt ther ar two sorts of calling. For ther is an vniuersal calling wherby through ye outward preaching of ye word, God calleth al together to him, euen them also to whom he setteth it forth vntounto yt sauour of death, & vntounto matter of more greuous cōdemnatiō. The other is a special calling whiche for ye most part he vouche saueth to geue only to ye faithful, whē by ye inward enlightning of his spirit he maketh yt the word preached is setled in their hearts. Yet somtime he maketh thē also partakers of it whō he enlightneth but for a time, & afterward by ye deseruīg of their vnthankefulnes forsaketh thē & striketh thē wt greater blindenes. Nowe when ye Lorde sawe ye Gospel to be published far & wide, & to be despised of many, but to be had in due price of fewe: he describeth to vsus God vnderunder the persō of a Kinge,Mat. xxii. which preparinge a solemne feaste sendeth his messingers rounde about to bidde a greate multitude to be his gestes, and yet can get but a fewe, bicause eueryevery one allegeth lettes for his excuse, so that at length he is compelled vponupon their refusal, to cal out of the hie waies eueryevery one that he meteth. Hetherto eueryevery man seeth that the parable must be vnderstand of the outward callinge. He addeth afterward that God doth like a good maker of a feast, which goeth aboute the tables, to chere his gestes. If he finde any not clothed with a weddinge garment, he wil not suffer him with his vncleanlines to dishonoure the solemnitie of the feast. This part of the parable, I grant, is to be vnderstand of them which enter into the Church by the profession of faithe, but are not clothed with the sanctification of Christ. Suche dishonors and as it were botches of his Churche, the Lorde wyll not suffer for euer: but, as their fylthinesse deserueth he wil caste them out. Therfore few ar chosen out of a great numbre of them yt are called, but yet not wt ye calling by which we say yt the faithfull ought to iudge their election. For, that general calling is also common to the wicked: but this special Calling bringeth wt it ye spirit of regeneratiō, which is ye earnest & seale of ye inheritance to come, wherwt our hearts are sealed vp agaīst ye day of ye lord.Eph. i.xiii In a sūme sith hypocrites boast of godlines as wel as ye true worshipers of god, Christ pronoūceth yt at length thei shalbe cast out of the place which thei wrongfully possesse:Psa. xv.i. as it is said in ye psalm, Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? The innocent in handes, & the man of a pure heart.Psa. xxiiij Againe in an other place. This is the generation of thē that seke God, of them that seeke the face of the God of Iacob. And so dothe ye Spirite exhorte the faithful to sufferance, that thei take it not greuously yt the Israelites be mingled wt thē in ye Church: for at length their visor shalbe plucked from them & thei shalbe cast out with shame.
The same reason is of the exception euen now alleged, where Christ saith yt none perished but ye sonne of perdition.Ihō. xvii.xii. It is in dede an vnpropre speache, but yet not darke. For he was not accompted among the shepe of Christe, for yt he was one in dede, but bicause he kept ye place of one.Ihon. vi.lxx. Ihon. xiii And where in an other place ye Lorde affirmeth yt hee was chosen wt the Apostles, yt is spokē onli in respect of ye ministerie. Twelue (saith he) hauehave I chosen, & one of them is a Deuel: yt is, he had chosen him to ye office of an Apostle. But when he speaketh of choosing to saluacion, he denieth him far away frō the numbre of ye choosen saieng: I speake not of al:Ihon. xiii …iii. I know whome I hauehave choosen. If a man do in bothe places confound ye word of Choosing, he shal miserably entangle himselfe: if he make differēce,Homil. 38. nothing is more plaine. Therfore Gregory teacheth very ill & pestilently when he saith yt we know only our calling, but are vncertaine of our election: wherby he moueth al men to feare & trembling: vsing also this reasō, but bicause we know what we be to day, but what we shalbe we know not. But in ye place he sufficiently declareth, how he stumbled at this blocke. For, bicause he hanged election vpō ye merites of works, he had mater enough & more to discourage ye minds of men: but he colde not strengthen thē, which did not remoue thē from thēselves to ye affiance of ye goodnes of God. Herof ye faithful hauehave som taste of yt which we hauehave determined at ye begīning: ye predestinatiō, if it be rightly thought vpō, bringeth not a shaking of faith, but rather the best strengthening of it. And yet I denie not, yt the holy ghoste frameth his talke to ye smale measure of oure sense.Eze. xiii.ix. As whē he saith. In ye secret of my people thei shal not be, & in ye rowle of my seruants thei shal not be writen. As though God did beginne to write in ye booke of life, them whom he reckeneth in ye numbre of his: wheras yet we know, euen by ye witnesse of Christe,Phil. iiii.iii. yt the names of the children of God are from the beginning written in ye boke of life. But in these wordes is only expressed the casting away of them which semed the chefe among the electe: as it is saide in the Psalme.Psa. lxix.xxix. Let them be blotted out of the boke of life, and let them not be written with the righteous.
But the electe are neither immediatly from the wombe, nor al at one time, by calling gathered together into the flocke of Christe, but as it pleaseth God to distribute his grace to them. But ere thei be gathered together to that chefe shepeherd, thei are scattered abroad and s…ray in the common deserte, and differ nothinge from other, sauing that they be defended by the singular merciemercy of God, from fallinge into the extreeme hedlong downefall of deathe. Therefore if you loke vponupon them selues, you shall see the offspring of Adam, which fauoreth of the cōmon corruption of the whole masse. That they be not carried into extreeme and dispe…red vngodlynesse, this com̄eth not to passe by any goodnesse naturally planted in them: but bicause the eye of God watcheth, and his hand is stretched out to their saluation. For thei ye dreame that frō their very natiuitie there is planted in their heartes I wote not what sede of election, by ye vertue whereof thei are alwaie enclined to godlynes & to ye feare of God, thei both are not holpē to proue it by ye authoritie of Scripture, & also are confuted by experience it selfe. Thei do in dede bring forth a fewe examples to proue yt the elect euen before their enlightning, were not vtterly strangers from religiō: that Paul in his being a Pharisee liued vnreprouable,Phil. iii.v Act. x.ii. that Cornelius was by almes & praiers accepted of God: & such other. Of Paul, we grant to them: of Cornelius, wee saye that they are deceiued. For it appeareth yt he was then already enlightned & regenerate, so that he wanted nothing but the clere reueling of the Gospel. But what wil thei wring out by these fewe examples? that al the elect are alway endued wt the spirit of godlinesse? No more than if a man by shewing ye vprightnesse of Aristides, Socrates, Zenocrates, Scipio, Curius, Camillꝰ, & other, sholde therof gather that al thei that are left in blindnesse of idolatrie, wer desirous folowers of holines & honestie. Yea and the Scripture in more places than one, openly crieth out againste them. For, ye state which Paul describeth of ye Ephesiās before their regeneraciō,Eph. ii.ii. sheweth not one grain of this sede. Ye were (saith he) deade wt defaultes & sinnes, in which ye walked according to ye time of this worlde, according to ye prince of the …yre, which now worketh in ye obstinate children: among whome we all also were somtime conuersant in ye lustes of our flesh, doing those thinges yt liked oure fleshe & minde. And we were by nature the children of wrath,Ep. v.viii Eph. iiii.xxiii. as other also were. Again, Remembre yt ye were somtime wtout hope, & lacked God in the world. Againe. Ye were somtime darkenesse: but now ye are light in the lord: walke as ye children of light. But paraduenture thei wil hauehave these thinges to be referred to ye ignorance of ye true God, wherewt thei denie not yt the elect are holden before yt they be called. Albeit this were a shamelesse cauilling, sith he therof concludeth, that thei ought nowe noe more either to lie or to steale: yet what will thei answer to other places?i. Cor. vi.ix. as is that place to the Corynthians, where when he had pronounced that neither whoremongers, nor idolatrers, nor adulterers, nor weakelinges, nor buggerers, nor theues, nor couetous men, shalbe heires of ye kingedome of God: he by & by addeth that thei wer wrapped in the same haynous offenses before that thei knew Christ: but now that thei are bothe washed by his bloode & made free by his Spirit.Rom. ….xix. Againe an other place to the Romaines. As ye hauehave geuen your membres bond to vncleannesse, & to iniquitie vntounto iniquitie, now yeld them in bondage to righteousnesse. For what frute had you of those thinges, in whiche ye are nowe worthily ashamed. &c.
What manner of seede of election, I praie you, dyd then budde in them, whiche bring manifoldly defiled in all their life, as it were wyth desperate wickednesse, wallowed in the most abhominable and accursed sinne of all? If he woulde hauehave spoken after their opinion, he shold hauehave shewed how much thei were bound to the bountifulnesse of God, by which thei had ben preserued from slyding into so great filthinesse. So Peter also shoulde hauehave exhorted his to thankefulnesse for ye perpetual sede of election.i. Pet. iiij.iii. But hee contrary wise putteth them in mynde that ye time past sufficed to make an ende of the lustes of the Gentiles. What ende of the lustes of the Gentiles.Ios. ii.i.ii. kin. xii.xvii. Luk. xxii.xvi. What if we come to examples? What budde of righteousnesse was there in Rahab the harlot, before faith? in Manasse, when Hierusalem was dipped and in a manner drowned in the bloode of the Prophetes? in the Thefe, which amonge his laste gaspinges beganne to thinke of repentance? Away therfore with these argumentes, whiche silly curious men do rashely deuise to themselues without the Scripture. But let that abide certaine with vsus, which the Scripture hathe, that all hauehave straied like loste shepe, eueryevery one hathe swarued into his owne waye,Esa▪ liii.vi. that is, perdition. Out of this goulfe of perdition, whome the Lorde hath determined ones to plucke forthe, them he differreth tyl hys fyt time: onelyonly he preserueth them, that they fall not vntounto vnpardonable blaspheme.
As the Lorde by the effectualnesse of hys callinge towarde the electe, maketh perfecte the saluation, wherevnto he hadde by eternall counsell appoynted them: so he hathe hys iudgementes againste the reprobate, whereby he executeth his counsel of them. Whome therefore he hath created vntounto the shame of life, and destruction of deathe, that thei shoulde be instrumentes of his wrathe, & examples of his se…eritie: frō thē, yt they may com to their end, somtime he taketh awaie ye power to heare his word, & somtime by the preachinge of it hee more blyndeth & amaseth thē. Of the fyrst māner, wheras there be innumerable examples, lette vsus choose out one more cleare and notable than all the reste. There passed awaye about fower thousande yeares afore Christe, in whyche hee hydde from all the Gentiles the lyghte of hys healthe bringing doctrine. If any mā aunswer that he therefore made them not to enioye so greate a benefit bycause he iudged them vnworthy, they whiche come after shall not be proued any more woorthy. Of whiche thynge, byside the experience,Mala. iiii i. Malachie is a substantiall wytnesse, wich reprouinge infidelitie mingled with grosse blasphemies, yet declareth that there shall come a redeemer. Why therefore is hee rather geuen to these than to those? He shal trouble hymselfe in vaine, yt shal here search for a cause hyer than the secret & vnsearchable counsell of God. Neither is it to bee feared least any scholer of Porphirie, shoulde freely gnaw at the righteousnesse of God while we answer nothing in defense of it. For when we say that none perishe vndeseruing, and that it is of the free bountyfulnesse of God that some be deliuered, ther is largely enoughe saide for the setting forth of his glorie, so that it needeth not our shyftinge. The soueraigne iudge therefore maketh awaie for his predestination, when whom he hath ones reiected, them beinge depriued of the communicatinge of his lyghte hee leaueth in blindenesse. Of the other manner there are bothe dayly examples, and also many conteined in the Scripture. One selfe same preachinge is commonly made to a hundred, twenty receiue it with ready obedience of faith: the rest do either set naught by it, or scorne it, or hisse it out, or abhorre it. If any man aunswer that this diuersitie proceedeth of theyr malice and peruersnesse, he shall not yet satisfie vsus: bycause the others witte also shoulde be possessed with the same malice, vnlesse God dyd amende it with his goodnesse. Therfore we shal still be encombred, vnlesse we call to mynde that whiche Paule saith,i. Cor. iiii, vii. Who maketh thee to differ? Wherby he signifieth that some excell other some, not by theyr owne vertue, but by the onelyonly grace of God.
Why therfore dothe he in graunting grace to those passe ouer these? Of those Luke sheweth a cause,Act. xiij.xlviij. Bycause they are ordeined to life. Of these, what shal we think, but bicause thei are the vessels of wrath vntounto dishonor? Wherfore let it not greue vsus to saye with Augustine. God (sayth he) might turne the will of the euell into good,De Gen. ad liter. lib. 2 cap. 10. bicause he is almighty. He mighte in dede. Why therefore doth he it not? bicause he wold not. Why he wold not, is in himself. For we ought to be no more wise than we ought to be. And that is much better, than to shift with Chrysostome,Homil. de co…uers. Pauli. and say that he draweth him that is willing & reacheth his hand, that the difference may not seme to stand in the iudgemēt of God, but in the only wil of men. Truely it so standeth not in the propre motion of man, that euen the godly & they that feare God hauehave neede of a singular instruction of yt Spirit.Act. xvi.xiiij. Lydia ye purple seller feared God, and yet it behoued that her heart shold be opened, that she might harken to the doctrine of Paul, & profit in it. This is not spokē of one woman alone, but that we shold know that the profiting of eueryevery man in godlinesse is the secret worke of the Spirit. This verily can not be brought in questiō, that ye lord sendeth his word to many, whose blindnesse he will hauehave to be more enforced. For, to what purpose doth he hidde so many cōmaūdements to be carried to Pharao? was it bicause he hoped yt with often repeted messages he wold be appeased? No, but before he beganne, he foreknew & foretolde ye end. Goe (sayd he to Moses) & declare to him my wil:God. xxi. Ezech. ij.iij. & xij.ii. but I wil harden his heart, that he obey not. So when he stirreth vp Ezechiel, he warneth him aforehand that he sendeth him to a rebellious and stubborne people: to the end that he should not be afrayde if he perceiue himself to singe to defmen. So he foretelleth to Ieremie,Ier. i.x. yt his doctrine shold become a fier, to destroye & wast the people like stuble.Esa. vi.ix. But the prophecie of Esaye yet more enforceth it. For he is thus sent of the Lord: Goe and saye to the children of Israell: With hearyng heare ye, and vnderstande not: With seyng see ye, and know not. Make obstinate the heart of this people, & make heauy their eares, and ouer playster their eyes: least paraduenture they maye see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their heart, that beyng turned they may be healed. Behold he directeth his voice to them, but that they maye waxe more deff, he lighteth a light, but that they maye be made more blinde: he sheweth forth doctrine, but that thei may be made more dul: he layeth to thē a remedie,Ioh. xij.xxxix. but not that thei may be healed. And Iohn alleging this prophecie, affirmeth yt the Iewes could not beleue the doctrine of Christ, bicause this curse of God lay vpō them. Neither can this also be in cō trouersie, that whom God will not hauehave …o be enlightened, to them he deliuered his doctrine wrapped vp in darke speches, that thei may nothing profit thereby but to be thrust into greater dulnesse. Christ also testifieth,Mat. xiii.xi. that he doth therefore expound only to the Apostles the parables in whiche he had spoken to the multitude, bycause to them it was geuen to know the misteries of the kingdome of God, but to the common people not so. What meaneth the Lorde (wilt thou saye) in teachynge them, of whome he prouideth that he maye not bee vnderstanded? Consider whense is the faulte, and thou wilt cesse to aske. For in the worde how great darknesse soeuer there be, yet there is alwaie light enough to conuince the conscience of the wicked.
Now remaineth for vsus to see, why ye lord doth ye which it is plaine yt he doth. If it be answered yt it is so done bicause men hauehave so deserued by their vngodlinesse, wickednesse, & vnthankfulnesse: ye same shall in dede be wel & truely saide: but bicause there appeareth not yet ye reasō of this diuersitie, why when some are bowed to obedience, other some continue hardened,Rom. i… ▪xvii. in searching it we must nedes go to yt which Paule hath noted out of Moses, namely that God hath raised them vp from the beginning, yt he might shew his name in ye whole earthe. Whereas therfore ye reprobate do not obey the word of God opened vntounto them, that shalbe wel imputed to the malice & peruersenesse of their heart, so that this be therwithal added yt thei are therfore geuen into this peruersnesse, bicause by the righteous but yet vnsearchable iudgement of God thei are raised vp to set forth his glorie wt their damnation. Likewise when it is said of ye sonnes of Heli,i. Sam. ii.xxv. yt thei harkened not to holsome warninges, bicause ye lord willed to kil them: it is not denied yt the stubbornesse proceded of their own naughtinesse: but it is therwtal touched why thei were lefte in stubbornesse, when ye Lord might hauehave softened their heartes, namly bicause his vnchangeable decree hadde ones appointed them to destruction.Ihon. xii.xxxviii. To the same purpose serueth yt saieng of Ihon, When he had done so great signes, no man beleued in him: that ye word of Esaie might be fulfilled, Lorde, whoe hath beleued our hearing? For though he do not excuse ye stifnecked frō blame, yet he is content wt that reasō, yt the grace of God is vnsauorie to men, till the holy ghost bring taste. And Christ alleging ye prophecie of Esaie,Ihon. vi.xlv. Thei shall al be taught of God, lendeth to no other end but to proue yt the Iewes ar reprobate & strāgers frō ye Church, bicause they ar vnapt to learne: & he bringeth no other cause therof but for yt the promise of God dothe not perteine to thē.i. Cor. i.xxiii. Which thīg this saieng of Paul cōfirmeth, y• Christ which to ye Iewes is an offense, & to ye gentiles foolishnes, is to ye called ye strength & wisedome of God. For when he hath tolde what cōmonly happeneth so ofte as the Gospel is preached, namly y• some it maketh more obstinate, & of some it is despised, he saith yt it is had in price of the only which at called. He had in dede a little before named thē beleuers, but he meant not to take away ye due degree frō ye grace of God which goeth before faith, but rather he added this seconde saieng by waie of Correction, yt thei which had embraced ye Gospel shold geue ye praise of their faith to the calling of God. As also a litle after he teacheth yt they are chosen of God. When ye vngodly heare these thinges, thei crie oute that god wt inordinate power abuseth his poore creatures for a sporte to his crueltie. But we which know y• al men are so many waies endā gered to the iudgment seate of God, yt being asked of a thousand thynges thei can not satisfie in one, doe confesse yt the reprobate suffer nothing which agreeth not wt ye most iust iudgment of God. Whereas we do not clerely atteine ye reasō therof, let vsus not be discōtēt to be ignorāt of somwhat, wher ye wisedō of god lifteth vp it self into so great heigth.
But forasmuch as ther ar a few places of scripture wont to be obiected, in which God semeth to denie yt it is done by his ordinance that she wicked do perish, but by this yt, he crieng out agaīst it, thei wilfulli …ing death vponupon themselues: let vsus by brefely declaring these places, shewe that thei make nothing again the sentence aboue set. Ther is brought forth a place of Ezechiel, that God wil not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may be touc…ed & liue.… If thei wil extende this to all mankinde: why doth he not moue many to repentance, whose mindes are more pliable to obediēce, than theirs which at his dayly allurements ware harder & harder?Mat. xjii.xxiii. With the Sodomites (as Christ witnesseth) the preaching of ye Gospel & miracles wold hauehave brought forth more frute than in Iurie. How commeth it to passe therfore, if God wil al to be saued, that he openeth not the gate of repentance to those miserable mē that wold hauehave been more ready to receiue grace? Hereby we see yt the place is violently wrested, if the will of God, whereof the Prophet maketh mention, be set against his eternall counsel, whereby he hathe seuered the elect from the reprobate. Now if we seke for the true natural meaning of the Propet: his purpose is to bryng hope of pardon to the penitent. And this is ye summe, yt it is to be douted but yt God is readie to forgeue so sone as the sinner turneth. Therefore he willeth not his death, in so much as he willeth his repentāce. But experience teacheth that he so wylleth them to repent whome he generally calleth to him, yt yet he toucheth not al their heartes. Yet is it therfore to be said that he dealeth deceitfully, bicause although yt outward voice do but make them vnexcusable which heare & do not obey it, yet it is truly accōpted the testimonie of ye grace of God, by which testimonie he reconcileth mē to himself. Therfore let vsus holde this for ye meaninge of the Prophet, yt the death of a sinner pleaseth not god: yt the godly may hauehave affiāce, yt so soue as thei shal be touched wt repentance, there is pardō ready for thē wt God: & the wicked may fele yt their fault is doubled, because they answer not to so great mercifull kindenesse & gentlenesse of God. The merciemercy of God therfore wil alwaie mete repentance, but to whome repentance is geuen, both al the Prophetes, & Apostles, & Ezechiel himsefe do plainely teach. Secondly ther is alleged a place of Paul, wher he saith yt God willeth al mē to be saued,i. Tim. ii.iiii. which although it hauehave a diuerse meaning from ye other, yet in somthing thei agre together. I answer, first yt by ye rest of the texte it is made plaine howe he willeth. For Paul coupleth together, yt he willeth thē to be saued, & to come to ye acknowledginge of the trueth. If they will hauehave this to bee determined by ye eternal counsel of God,Deut. iiii.vii. yt thei receaue ye doctrine of saluaciō: what meaneth that sayenge of Moses, What nation is so noble, that God commeth neare to it as hee dothe to thee? Howe came it to passe that God restrained from many peoples the lyghte of the Gospell, whiche order enioyed? How came it to passe that the pure knowledg of godlynesse neuer came to some, and some scarscely tasted so muche as any darke prynciples of it? Hereof yt shall nowe be easye to gather, whereto Paule tendeth. He hadde commaunded Timothee to make solemne prayers in the Churche for kinges and prynces. But when it seemed somewhat an absurditie that prayers shoulde bee made to God for a kynde of menne in a manner despeired (bycause they were not onelyonly strangers frō the body of Christe, but also endeuored with al theyr forces to expresse his kingdom) he added, yt the same is acceptable to God which willeth al mē to be saued. Wherbi verily he signifieth nothig els but that he hath stopped vp yt way vntounto saluation to no degree of mē: but rather that he hath so powred out his merciemercy yt he willeth no man to be voide of it. The other sentēces do not declare what God hath by his secret iudgement determined of al men: but do shewe that there is pardon redy for al sinners which do only turne themselues to require it. For if they more stifly stande vponupon this that it is sayd that he will hauehave merciemercy vponupon all, I will on the contrarie side answer them with that whiche is written in an other place,Ps. cxv.ii… That our God is in heauen where he doeth whatsoeuer he wil. This word therfore must so be expounded yt it may agree with the other,Exo. xxxiij xix. I wil hauehave merciemercy vpō whom I wil hauehave merciemercy, and I wil shew merciemercy to whom I wil shew merciemercy. He that chooseth out them whō he will hauehave merciemercy on, doth not geue it to all. But sithe it clearely appereth that in that place is spoken not of all particular men, but of degrees of men, we will make no longer disputing about it. Howbeit it is also to be noted, that Paule doth not affirme what God doth alway and eueryevery where & in all men: but leaueth it to him at his libertie at length to make Kinges & magistrates partakers of the heauēly doctrine, although by reason of their blindenesse they do now rage against it. They seme to presse vsus more strōgly with obiecting the place of Peter, that God willeth none to perish, but receyueth al to repentance. But the vndoyng of this knot doth by & by offer selfe in the second worde, bycause the will to receyue can not be vnderstāded to be any other than that which is eueryevery where taught. Truely the turning is in the hand of God:Eze. xxxvi xxvi. whether he wil turne all or no, let himselfe be asked, when he promiseth that he will geue to a certayne fewe men a fleshly heart, leauyng to other some a stony heart. It is true in deede, that vnlesse he were ready to receyue them whiche call vponupon his merciemercy,Zach. i.iii this sayeng should be false, Turne to me, and I wil turne to you. But I saye that none of all mortal men doth come to God but he that is preuented of God. And if repentance were in the will of man,ii. Tim. ii xxv. Paule would not say, If paraduenture he geue them repentance. Yea vnlesse the same God which with word exhorteth al mē to repentance, did with secret mouyng of his spirit bryng the chosen to it:Ier. xxxi.xviii. Ieremie would not say, Turne me, Lorde, and I shalbe turned: for when thou hast turned me, I hauehave repented.
But (thou wilt say) yf it be so, there shalbe smal truthe in the promises of the gospel, which when they testifie of the wil of God, affirme yt he willeth yt which is against his inuiolable decree. Not so. For howesoeuer the promises of saluation be vniuersall, yet they nothyng disagree with the predestination of the reprobate, so that we direct our myndes to the effect of them. We knowe that then and not till then the promises are effectuall to vsus, when we receyue them by fayth, on the other side when fayth is made voyde, the promyse is therewithall abolished. If this be the nature of them, let vsus then see whether these thynges disagree together: that it is sayde that God hath from eternitie ordeyned whome he will embrace with louelove, and vponupon whome he will exercise wrath: and that he promiseth saluation to al without difference. Truely I say that they agree very well. For in so promisyng he meaneth nothing els than yt his merciemercy is set open for al which do couet & craue it: which thing none do but they whō he hath enlightned. And them he enlightueth, whom he hath predestinat to saluaciō. Thei (I saie) hauehave ye truth of ye promises sure & vnshaken, so as it can not be said yt there is any disagreement betwene ye eternal election of God, & the testimonie of his grace which he offereth to the …. But why nameth he Al? verily yt the cōsciences of ye godly may ye more sa…ely rest, when thei vnderstand yt ther is no dyfference of synuers, so … be presēt: & that ye wicked may not cauil for their excuse, yt thei … sāctuary whervnto thei may wtdrawe themselues from ye bondage of sinne, when wt their owne vnthankfulnesse thei refuse yt being offred thē. Therfore when ye merciemercy of God is by ye Gospel offred to both sortes, it is faith, yt is to say ye enlightnīg of god, which maketh difference betwene ye godly & vngodly, so as ye one sort feleth ye effectualnesse of ye gospel, & the other sort obteine no frut therof. The enlightning it self also hath ye eternal electiō of God for ye rule thereof. The cō plaint of Christ,Mat. xxiij xxxvii. which thei allege, Ierusalē, Ierusalem, howe oft hauehave I willed to gather together thy chickens, but ye woldest not? maketh nothing for thē. I grant ye Christ ther speaketh not only in ye person of mā, but also reprocheth them yt in al ages thei hauehave refused his grace. But we must define ye wil of God which is entreated of. For neither is it vnknowen, how diligently God endeuored to kepe stil yt people, & wt how great stifenesse thei euen from ye first to ye last being geuen to theyr wādering desires refused to be gathered together: but it foloweth not therof that ye counsel of God was made voide by ye malice of mē. They answer & say that nothing lesse a greeth wt the nature of God than to hauehave a doble wil in him. Which I grant to thē, so that thei fitly expoūd it. But why do thei not consider so many testimonies, where God putting vpō him the affections of man descēdeth beneath his owne maiestie? He saith that he hath wt stretched out armes called the rebellious people,Esa. …v.ii that he hath early & late trauailed to bring them backe to him. If thei wil applie al these things to god, & not consider the figure, ther shal arise many superstuous cōtentions, which this one solution bringeth to agrement, yt the propretie of mā is figuratiuely applied to god. Howbeit the solution whiche we hauehave brought in an other place largely sufficeth, that although the will of God be, as to our sense manifold: yet he doth not in himselfe dyuersly will this and that, but accordinge to hys wisedome,Eph. iii.x which is diuersly manifolde (as Paul calleth it) he amaseth oure senses, till it shall be geuen vsus to knowe that he marueylously willeth that which now semeth to be against his will. Thei also mocke with cauillations, that sith God is the father of al, it is vnrighteous that he shold disherit any that hath not before wt his own fault deserued this punishment. As though the liberalitie of God streacheth not euen to Hogges & dogges. But if they speake onli of mankinde, let them aunswer why God bounde himself to one people, to be the father therof: & why also out of the same people he pricked a smal numbre as it were a floure. Butte their owne luste of euel speakynge hindereth these railers that they consider not that God so bringeth forthe his sunne to shine vponupon the good and euell, that the inheritance is laied vp for a fewe,… to whome it shall one day be sayd, Come ye blessed of my Father, possesse the kingdom. &c. Thei obiect also that God hateth none of these thinges that he hath made. Which although I graunte them, yet this remaineth safe whiche I teache, that the reprobate are hatefull to God, and that very rightfully, bicause thei beinge destitute of his Spirit can bring forth nothing but cause of curse. Thei saue further, that there is no difference of the Iewe and the Gen…ile, and therfore that the grace of God is wythout difference set before all menne: namely if thei grant (as Paule determineth) that God calleth as well out of the Iewes as out of the Gentiles,Rom. ix.xxiiij. accordynge to hys good pleasure, so that he is bounde to no man. After this māner also is that wyped awaie whiche thei obiect in an other place,Rom. xi.xxii. that God hathe enclosed al thinges vnderunder sinne, that he may hauehave merciemercy vponupon all: namely bicause he will that the saluacion of all them that are saued be ascribed to his merciemercy, although this benefite be not common to al. Now when many thinges are alleaged on both partes, let this be our conclusion, to tremble with Paule at so great depth, and if wanton tongues shall be busie,Ro. ix.ix. De praede. & gra…i. cap. 2. that we be not ashamed of thys his crieng out, O man, what arte thou that striuest with God? For Augustine truely a stirmeth that thei do peruersly which measure the righteousnesse of God by the measure of the righteousnesse of man.