Declaration of the Chief Points of Christian Religion, Chapter 1
A Briefe Declaration of the chiefe points of Chriſtian religion ſet forth in a Table.
Made by THEODORE BEZE.
GAL. III. D.
The Scripture hath ſhut vp all vnderunder ſin, to the intent that the promiſe by the faith in Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be giuen to them that belieue.
At London, Printed for Tho: Man. 1613.
GOD
the eternall purpoſe
to elect
Christ
An effectuall vocation
Free merciemercy
faith
Iustification and ſanctification
Glorification to life everlasting
By merciemercy and uuſtice
The Iudgement of God
the laſt end of Gods councell is his glory
The creation of man
Corruption
louelove
hate
to forsake
Adam
no vocation
hardening of hart
no knowledge of the Goſpell
Iniuſtice and pollution
Condemnation to death euerlaſting
By iudgement.
The Iudgement of God
the laſt end of Gods councell is his glory
contempt of the Goſpell
an vnprofitable vocation
preſcience or foreknowledge
A briefe Declaration of the Table of Predeſtination.
CHAP. I.
The queſtion of Gods eternall Predestination is not curious, or vnprofitable, but of great importance, and very neceſſary in the Church of God.
SAint Auguſtine in his booke of The profit of De bono perſeuerantiae.Perſeuerance, chap. 14. ſaith, that they which were againſt him as Aduerſaries in this queſtion, did alleadge that Obiect.this doctrine of Predeſtinaon, did hinder the preaching of Gods word, & couſed that it could not profit. As if Anſwer.(ſaith he) this doctrine had hindered the Apoſtle Saint Paul to doe his dutie: vvho ſo oftentimes dooth commend vntounto vsus and teach Predeſtination, and yet neuer ceaſeth to preach the vvord of God.
Alſo ſaith moreouer. As hee that hath receiued the gift, can better exhort and preach: ſo hee that hath receiued this gift, dooth heare the Preacher more obediently, and with greater reuerence &c. VVee doe therefore exhort and preach; but they onelyonly which hauehave eares to heare, doe heare vsus quietlie, and to their comfort: & in thoſe that hauehave them not, this ſentence is fulfilled, that hearing with their eares, they doe not heare, for they heare with the outward ſenſe, but not with the inward conſent. Now, why ſome men hauehave theſe eares, and others not, it is, becauſe it is giuen to ſome to come, and to others not. Who knew Gods counſell? muſt that bee denied which is plaine and euident, becauſe that cannot bee knowne which is hid and ſecret? Again in the 15. chap. I pray you (ſaith hee) if ſome vnderunder the ſhadow of Predeſtination giuegive themſelues to ſlothfull negligence, and as they are bent to flatter their fleſh, ſo followe their owne luſts, muſt wether foreiudge, that this which is written of the fore-knowledge of God is falſe? Now ſurelie this is verie handſome, and to the purpoſe, that vvee ſhall not ſpeak that which by the Scripture is lawfull to ſpeak. Oh wee … (ſay you) leaſt he ſhould be offended, which is not able to vnderſtand and take it. And ſhal we not feare (ſay I) leſt whiles we hold our tongue, he that is able to take the truth, be taken and ſnared with falſhood and error? Alſo in the 20 chapter of the ſame book, he writeth in this ſort. If the Apoſtles, & Doctors of the Church vvhichwhich came after them, did the one and the other, both teaching the eternal election of God purely and truly, and alſo retaining the faithfull in godly life and manners: what moueth theſe our Aduerſaries (ſeeing they are ouercome with the manifeſt and inuincible truth) to thinke they ſpeake wel, ſaying, Although this doctrine of Predeſtination bee true: yet it ought not to be preached to the people. Nay, ſo much the rather it is good to be throughly preached, that he that hath eares to hear, may heare. And who hath them, but hee that hath receiued them of God, who promiſeth to giuegive them?
And as for him that doth not receiue it, let him refuſe it if he wil; ſo that he that doth receiue it, may take it, drinke it, be ſuffiſed, and hauehave life. For as wee muſt preach the feare of God, to the end that God may be truly ſerued: ſo muſt we preach predeſtination, that he which hath eares to heare may hear, & reioyce in God, not in him ſelfe, for the grace of GOD towards him.
This is the mind of that excellent Doctor, as touching this point. Which notwithſtanding bindeth vsus to two conditions: the one is, that wee ſpeake no further heerein, then Gods word doth limit vsus: the other, that we ſet forth the ſame thing which the Scripture teacheth, accordingly, and to edification. Wherefore vvee will briefly ſpeake of both theſe parts: firſt of the doctrine it ſelfe, and next of the vſe and applying of the ſame.