Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII. That election is confirmed by the calling of God, & that the reprobate do bring vponupon them ſelues the iuſt iudgement whereto they are appointed.
The profe of Election1 ANd God by his calling doeth make election manifeſt.The order of election For whom he knewe before, them alſo he hath ordained before, whom he hath ordained; them alſo he called: whom he called them he iuſtified, that he may in time to come glorifie thē*. Such calling is made partly by the preaching of the word of God,Rom. 8.26. partly by the power of the Spirit, who is called the ſeale and earneſt of the inheritance to come*.
Ih. 15. Eph. 1.11Queſt. Why doth he not teach all men, that they may come to Chriſt?
An. Whome he teacheth them he teacheth in merciemercy: whom he doth not teach, he doth not teach in iudgement,Rom. 9.13 Calling is free. becauſe he hath merciemercy on whom he will, and hardeneth whom he will*. For his calling is free.
2 And we hauehave and ſee in the Prophet, to whom he offereth his word*: I am founde of thoſe which ſought me not: I hauehave plainely appeared to thoſe, which did not aske me.
3 Obiect. God giueth vsus his Spirit that we may beleeue.
An. Wee doe not ſo make man Gods fellowe labourer.
Obiect. We muſt hang election vponupon faith, for it is doubtfull and vneffectuall, vntill it bee confirmed by faith.
An. Election doth not depende vppon faith,Whence ſaith cometh. but faith, which we receiue when we be inlightened by preaching, and the brightnes of the holie ghoſt maketh vsus not to doubt of our election.
4 Thereby it commeth to paſſe that we remaine ſtable againſt the greeuous and dangerous temptations wherewith Satan ſtriketh the faithfull,Whence our ſtabilitie cometh. whiles that diſquieting them with doubting of their election, he doth alſo prouoke them to a wicked deſire to ſeeke the ſame out of the way.
5 Therfore if we ſeek to be ſure of our election,Mat. 3.17. we muſt turne our eies vntounto Chriſt, in whom alone the ſoul of the father reſteth, and not in our ſelues*.
6 There is alſo another ſtay of our election to eſtabliſh our confidence, which wee ioyne with our calling. For whom Chriſt receiueth into the boſom of his church, after he hath illuminate them, them he receiueth into his tuition and cuſtodie: & whom he receiueth, being commi…ted to him of his father,Ioh. 6.37.39. &. 17.6.12. them he keepeth vntounto eternall life*.
Queſt. Howe ſhould calling aſſure vsus of our election, ſeeing manie are called, and fewe choſen*1 Cor. 10.12..Mat 22.14. Alſo let him that ſtandeth well, take heede that hee fall not*.
An. Chriſt hath deliuered vsus frō that care, ſaying, I know my ſheepe, and I giuegive them eternall life, neither ſhall they periſh for euer,Ioh. 10.27. neither ſhall anie man take them out of mine hands*.
7 Obiect. But thoſe which ſeemed to be Chriſts doe oftentimes fall away: and where Chriſt affirmeth that none of all thoſe hath periſhed which were giuen him of his father*, hee excepteth the ſonne of perdition.Ioh. 17.12.
An. Such did not ſticke to Chriſt with that affiance of heart, wherby the certaintie of our election is confirmed vntounto vsus. They went out from among vsus ſaith Iohn, but they were not of vsus. For if they had been of vsus, they would hauehave tarried with vsus*.
1 Cor. 10.12.Obiect. Let him that ſtandeth well, take heede leaſt he fall*.
Effects of ſecuritie.An. Paul diſſwadeth from the careleſſe and diſſolute ſecuritie of the fleſh, which bringeth with it arrogancie, extinguiſheth humilitie, and bringeth forgetfulneſſe of grace receiued.
Callinge is double.8 But there is a double kinde of calling, vniuerſall, whereby God through the outward preaching of the worde, biddeth all men come to him, as well good as euill.Vniuerſall. And there is alſo an other ſpecial calling,Speciall. whereof for the moſt part hee vouchſafeth the faithfull onlie, when as hee bringeth to paſſe by the inward illumination of the ſpirite, that the worde preached doth take roote and ſettle in their hearts: and yet he doth ſometimes make thoſe alſo partakers thereof, whom hee doth illuminate onlie for a ſeaſon: then afterward he forſaketh them for their vnthankefulneſſe, and ſtriketh them with greater blindneſſe.
9 That is the reaſon for which Chriſt ſaith, that none is periſhed but the loſt childe*.Ioh. 17.12.
Obiect. The Lord ſaith that hee had choſen him with the Apoſtles*.Ioh. 6.70.
An. That is onelie referred vntounto his miniſterie.Hom. 38. Gregories error.
Obiect. Gregorie ſaith that we are certaine onelie of our calling, and vncertaine of our election.
An. He was deceiued, becauſe he hanged election vponupon the merites of works.
10 Furthermore,The diuerſe callinge of the faithfull. the elect are neither forthwith ſo ſoone as they are borne, neither all at one time, gathered into the ſheepfold of Chriſt by calling, but as it ſeemeth good to God to diſtribute his grace vntounto them. And before that time they wander in the common wilderneſſe, neither do they any whit differ from other men, ſaue onlie that they are defended by the ſingular merciemercy of God, that they runne not headlong into vtter deſtruction.
Obiect. Paul in the time of his Pharizaiſme liued vnreproueable*.Ph. 3.5.
An. I graunt: but he was not therefore more acceptable to God, then Ariſtides, Socrates, the Curij, &c. whoſe integritie is commended.
Obiect. Cornelius his almes and praiers were accepted of God*.Act. 10.2.
An. It appeareth that he was then alreadie illuminate and regenerate,How Cornelius his almes and prayers were acceptable. Eph. 2.12. ſo that he did want nothing beſides the euident reuelation of the Goſpell. Yee were ſaith Paul once darknes, but now light in the Lord: walke as the children of light*1 Pet. 4.3.
11 What manner ſeede of election was there in thoſe which wallowed in vnſpeakable wickednes*?Ioh. 2.1. What bud of righteouſnes in Rahab the harlot before faith*, in Manaſſes*, in the Theefe*?*2 Kin. 21.16*Luk. 23.42.
12 Therefore as God finiſheth the ſaluation toward his elect, whereto he had appointed them in his eternall counſell, through the force of his calling: ſo he hath his iudgemēts againſt the reprobate, whereby he executeth his counſell concerning thē. For ſomtimes he depriueth them of power to heare his word: ſometimes he doth make them more blind by the preaching thereof. Of the former we hauehave an example in the nations, from which God hyd the wholeſome light of his wholeſome doctrine about foure thouſand yeeres before the cōming of Chriſt.
An example of wante of the worde.Ob. They were not made partakers of ſo great a benefite, becauſe they were not worthie.
An. Their poſteritie was neuer a whit more worthy,Mal. 4.1. which thing beſides experiēce the prophet doth plentifullie witneſſe*, who reprouing incredulitie, mixed with groſſe blaſphemies, doeth notwithſtanding auouche that there ſhoulde a Redeemer come.
Queſt. Why is it rather giuen to the poſteritie then to their fathers?
An. He may torment himſelfe in vaine, who ſeeketh a cauſe heere higher then the vnſearchable counſell of God.Examples of blindnes. Of the other member wee hauehave examples daily, & alſo there be manie extant in ſcripture: There is a ſermon made before an hundred, twentie embrace it, the reſt make ſmall account of it, or els laugh at it, or loath it.
Ob. Such diuerſitie proceedeth frō their malice.
An. The nature of the other ſhould be poſſeſſed with like malice,Cor. 4.7. vnleſſe God did refourme it by his goodneſſe.
13 Queſt. Why doth he giuegive grace to the one and omit the other?
Act. 33.48.An. Luke ſheweth a cauſe of thoſe which imbrace the worde: becauſe they are ordeined to life*: wee hauehave an example in Lidia the purple ſeller*. What ſhall we then think of the other, ſaue only that they are veſſelles of wrath vntounto diſhonour?Act. 16.14 Such was Pharao*Exod. 4.21., ſuche were the Iewes in Chriſte his time*Ioh. 12.39..
14 Queſt. But why doe theſe continue obſtinate when the other are framed to obedience?
An. Becauſe as Paul anſwereth, the Lord raiſed them vp from the beginning,Rom 9.7. that he might ſhew his name in all the earth*.
15 Obiect. God will not the death of a ſinner, but that he may be conuerted and liue*.Ezech. 34.12.
An. If he will, who ſhall let him? but hee will put the penitent in hope of pardon: becauſe he is readie to pardon, ſo ſoone as a ſinner ſhall bee conuerted. Therefore he will not his death, becauſe he willeth repentance.
Obiect. God will hauehave all to be ſaued.1 Tim. 2.4.
An. That is, he hath ſhut the way to ſaluation againſt none order of men.
Obiect. God will hauehave mercy vponupon all.
An. I will hauehave merciemercy on whom I will hauehave merciemercy: and I will ſhewe merciemercy to whom I will ſhewe merciemercy*.Exod. 33.19.
Obiect. God receiueth all to repentance, neither will he hauehave anie to periſh.2 Pet. 3.9.
An. But conuerſion is in the hand of God. He giueth a fleſhie heart but to a few*.Ezech. 36.26
Obiect. Turne you vntounto me, and I will be turned vntounto you*.Zach. 1.3.
An. No man commeth vntounto God, vnleſſe he be preuented of him. Wherupon Ieremie ſaith*,Ier. 31.18 Turn mee O Lorde, and I ſhall be turned: for ſo ſoone as thou turnedſt me I repented.
16 Obiect. If the caſe ſo ſtande the promiſes of the Goſpel ſhall carrie but ſmall credite, which auouch that God willeth that which is contrarie to his decree, which cannot be broken.
An. The generall promiſes of ſaluation,The vniuerſal promiſe of ſaluation. doe nothing diſagree with the predeſtination of the reprobate. And they are made effectuall to vsus, when wee receiue them by faith: on the other ſide when faith is made void, the promiſe is therewithall aboliſhed.
Queſt. But why doth he name all?
An. That the conſciences of the godlie may the more ſafelie reſt, when they vnderſtande that there is no difference of ſinnes, ſo faith bee preſent: and that the wicked may not obiect that they want a fortreſſe, whither they may repaire from the ſlauerie of ſinne, when as through their vnthankfulnes they refuſe it when it is offered.
Obiect. There is nothing more diſagreeing with the nature of God,The double will of god. then that there ſhould be in him a double will.
An. Though the will of God bee manifolde as concerning our ſenſe & vnderſtanding, yet hee willeth not ſometimes this, ſometimes that in himſelf: but according to his wiſedome which is diuerſlie manifold,Eph. 3.10. as Paul calleth it*, doth make our ſenſes amazed, vntil it ſhalbe graunted vsus to know, that he will that wonderfullie which now ſeemeth contrarie to his will.
Obiect. Seeing God is a father, it is an vniuſt thing that hee ſhoulde caſt off anie, ſaue him who through his owne fault hath deſerued this before.
An. As if Gods liberalitie did not reache euen vntounto ſwine and dogs: who bringeth foorth the ſunne vponupon the good and the euill,Mat. 3.45. Mat. 25.34. yet the inheritaunce is laid vp but for a few, to whom it ſhall be ſaid, Come yee hleſſed, &c.
Obiect. God hateth nothing of that which hee hath made.
An. God hateth the reprobate: becauſe being deſtitute of his ſpirite, they can bring foorth nothing but cauſe of curſe.Why the reprobate are hated.
Obiect. There is no difference between the Iew and the Gentile*, therefore the grace of God is ſet before all indifferently.
An. God calleth aſwell of the Iewes as of the Gentiles according to his good pleaſure, ſo that he is bound to none.
Obiect. God hath ſhut vp all thinges vnderunder ſinne,Rom. 11.22 that he may hauehave merciemercy vponupon all*.
An. Namelie, becauſe he will hauehave the ſaluation of all thoſe which are ſaued to be aſcribed vntounto his merciemercy: although this benefite be not common to all. Let vsus crie out at ſuch depth, O man, who art thou that diſputeſt with God*. For Auguſtine doth trulie affirme that they deal peruerſlie,Rom. 9.20 which meaſure Gods righteouſneſſe by the meaſure of mans righteouſneſſe.