Of the redemption of mankind three bookes wherein the controuersie of the vniuersalitie of redemption and grace by Christ, and of his death for all men, is largely handled. Hereunto is annexed a treatise of Gods predestination in one booke. Written in Latin by Iacob Kimedoncius D. and professor of Diuinitie at Heidelberge, and translated into English by Hugh Ince preacher of the word of God.

CHAP. IIII. A confutation of certaine obiections.

BVt what say the aduersaries to these things? God, say they, would haue all men to bee saued, and to come to the know∣ledge of the truth. Therefore on Gods part eternall life is pre∣pared for all men, neither doth anie perish, because God will not bestow any grace vpon him, but because he hath refused grace receiued. In this opinion were those remnants of Pela∣gians in Prosper, of whom hee writeth in his epistle to Au∣gustine.

[Answere.] I answere, the Apostle saith not, that he would saue al, but he willeth all to be saued, namely, by inuiting all men to sal∣uation, and the knowledge of the truth: and also by appro∣uing of the conuersion of all. But he wil not effectually worke in all and euery one, that they may beleeue and be saued. For if he willed this, his will should be altogether fulfilled, and no man should be damned. But now he hath mercie on whom he will, and whom he will, hee hardeneth, and in his counsell hath

appoynted whom and what maner of men he will haue to be partakers of mercie preached and offered vnto them, as in these verie same words, Luther in ser. arbit. beateth into our heads: where this and the like places, I will not the death of a sinner: Ierusalem how often would I gather, &c. expoundeth after the same maner. Augustine also teacheth that the saying of the Apostle is rightly so to be vnderstood: he willeth that all men bee saued, that is, all kind of men, howsoeuer differing, kings, princes, rich, poore, base, &c. The same man elsewhere expoundeth; he willeth all men to be saued, that all the prede∣stinate be meant, because all kind of men bee in them. But of this place wee haue more largelie dealt aboue in the second booke and third chapter.

[Obiection.] A place not vnlike to this there is, 2. Pet. 3. The Lord is not slacke of his promises, as some count slacknes: but he is patient toward vs, not willing that any should perish, but that al should come to repentance. If hee willeth none to perish, it is false, that in his eternall counsell hee hath decreed, and therefore willeth, that some, yea very many should perish. Againe, if he willeth all to repent, it shall be false that God wil not, that all by repentance should be brought to Christ, and liue.

In these Huber wonderfully delighteth himselfe, but all in vaine, so long as that of the Psalmist standeth, Our God is in heauen, he doth whatsoeuer he will: and that of the Apostle, on whom he will he hath mercie, and whom he will he hardeneth.

But least we should seeme to set one Scripture against an other, to reconcile them wee must know, that the saying of Peter is not without cause expounded by learned men of the vniuersalitie of the elect, not onely because the like restraint is very often in the like phrases of the sacred Scriptures, but also because the matter it selfe seemeth here to require it. For what? is the end of the world deferred for the reprobates sake, and not rather for Gods elect sake? When they shall be∣leeue (saith Ambrose) that are predestinate vnto eternal life, the resurrection shall come. Which thing how truly it is spo∣ken, the answere testifieth in the Apocalyps, chap. 6. vers. 11. Yet if we stand in the generalitie of all men, the sense will be

that, which Thomas and others doe assigne, that hee willeth not that any should perish by his signified will, (as they speak) as farre forth as hee inuiteth all men to repentance by pre∣cepts, threatnings, rewards, and also by his patience and long sufferance, as it is written: Doest thou despise the riches of his mercie and long sufferance? Doest thou not know, that the bountifulnes of God draweth thee to repentance? But this is the question, whether faith and repentance bee not the gifts of God, which he giueth to some, and not to others, and that according to the vnsearchable counsell of his owne will? This certainly is more cleere, than that it can be denied of a∣ny one that is not a Pelagian. Therefore it is well said, That God willeth all men to repent, that is, he calleth and inuiteth all to repentance: but he effecteth it not in all, neither doth he will it surely because he hath mercie on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.

After this sort Luther also distinguisheth: He will not the death of a sinner, to wit, in his word: for in the word of salua∣tion he commeth to all: but he willeth it in his vnsearchable will. And at large there sheweth the difference between the secret and published will of God: not that properly there is a diuerse will in God, but the speech of his will is diuerse, because this name is diuersly taken. The published or reuealed will of God is, whatsoeuer from the beginning of the world, either by God himselfe immediatly, or by his ministers, hath been offe∣red to men by precepts, exhortations, menacings, and benefits. But his hidden will is that secret will in God concerning the euent of things: that is, whom, and what men endued with faith by speciall grace, he will haue to be partakers of mercie when it is preached and offered.

Brentius also followed this same distinction in 1. Sam. 2. discussing the place of the sonnes of Eli: and expli. Catechis. vpon the petition, Thy will be done.

This let the indifferent reader obserue against the outcries of some, who, though they would be heard as the right issue of Luther and Brentius, yet by cauils and sophistications they labour to make odious this distinction receiued, and

grounded in the word of God. For as it is written, that he wil that all men be saued: and, that he is patient toward vs, being vnwilling that any should perish, but to come to repentance: and that our sanctification is the will of God. Also, how often would I gather thy children, and thou wouldest not? So wee haue heard and read in the diuine Scriptures: My counsell shall stand, saith the Lord, and I will fulfill my will. Whatsoe∣uer the Lord would, that he did. He hath mercie on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. Also, Who shall resist his will?

In which places and the like, there will be great contrarie∣tie, vnlesse a distinction be vsed, according to which, we may vnderstand that something is done against the will of God, that is, against his commandement and prohibition, which yet is not done beside, and contrary to that will, which is he himselfe. For great are the workes of the Lord, and his will is perfect towards all, so that it is not done beside his will, that yet is done contrary to his will: because it could not be done, if he would not suffer it, and truly he doth not suffer it against his will but willingly, neither being good himselfe would he suffer euill to be done, vnles being almightie he were able out of euill to make that which is good, as August. saith ad Laur. ca. 100. See also lib. 1. Sentent. dist. 45. and in the other that follow, where the Master largely speaketh of the double will of God, his good pleasure, and reuealed will, as the Schoolemen call them. If any thinke good, let him also peruse Chrysostome, Hom. 18. ad Heb.

Secondly it is obiected, that the promise of grace is vni∣uersall, and therefore that none is reiected from grace, or re∣probated in respect of God.

[Answere.] I answere, the promise of grace is vniuersall in respect of the beleeuers, as farre forth doubtles, as no man of what na∣tion or condition soeuer is excluded from saluation, so that he beleeue truly in Christ. Contrariwise, vnbeleeuers of what nation or condition soeuer, are expressely shut out from the fruite of the promises, according to the sayings: He that be∣leeueth and is baptized, shall be saued, &c. Euery one that be∣leeueth

in the sonne, shall not perish. This is the will of the fa¦ther, that whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne, should haue eter∣nall life. In him whosoeuer beleeueth is iustified. The righte∣ousnes of God in all and vpon all that beleeue, for there is no difference. And oftentimes after this sort is repeated the pro∣mise of life and saluation made to euery beleeuer, the vnbe∣leeuers on the contrary being excluded. For the promise re∣quireth faith, which because it belongeth not to all, but to the elect, as Paul witnesseth, therfore the efficacie of the pro∣mises remaineth doubtles with the elect, as the Apostle also teacheth to the Romanes: That the promises of God pertaine to the true Israelites, to the spirituall seede, that is elected of God, not of workes, but through the grace of the caller. Yet here we are to bee admonished, that, albeit the promise bee proper to the beleeuers and the elect, as touching efficacie, yet it must be preached indifferently in the eares of all, faith∣full, and Infidels, elect and reprobates.

And in this sense also we grant, that the promises are vni∣uersall, to wit, in respect of externall preaching, because the minister of the word cannot or ought not to discerne the e∣lect from reprobates. In the meane while not all attaine vn∣to the grace that is preached and offered to all, but the elect obtaine it, and the rest doe not, and so (to vse Luthers words) all things depend vpon predestination, &c.

The third obiection. Whosoeuer appertain to the Church, are called elect. But to the Church pertaine as well the bad as the good. Ergo, the bad as well as the good are elected, none at all omitted.

[Answere.] But this obiection is faultie in two points. [ 1] First, it is the vse of the Scriptures to call them elect, whosoeuer belong to the account of the Church: but not all therefore are elected of God to eternal life according to his purpose. For many are elect to vs in the iudgement of charitie, and are not to God, and contrariwise, according to the diuerse signification of the word set downe before.

[ 2] Secondly, there is more in the conclusion, than in the pre∣misses. For the consequence is of no force: within the com∣passe

of the Church and of the elect, there be as well euill as good (in the sense aforesaid:) Therefore all men are elected. This is all one as if a man should say: In the Church of Christ there bee good and euill: also, in this or that citie, namely Heidelberge, Tubing, or any other, there be good and euill: Therefore the Christian Church, or this or that citie compre∣hendeth all men, none excepted. A fine consequence, as though indefinitly good men and euill, and all men were e∣quiualent and of like force, one as the other.

The fourth obiection: It appertaineth to iustice distribu∣tiue, that vnequall things be not giuen to such as bee equall: Therefore God, seeing he is most iust, doth not chuse one, and refuse another, out of the masse or lump of perdition, where∣in all of vs being considered, are alike and equall.

I answere: The antecedent hath place in those things, that are distributed of desert, and not in those things that a man distributeth of his owne accord and freely, where, as he will, and to whom he will, he may giue more or lesse without in∣iustice, so long as he withdraweth from no man his due. As for example, if thou hast two debters, and doest forgiue the debt to one, and not to the other, to that man thou truly art mercifull, and yet to this man thou art not vniust.

Augustine vsing this very similitude, saith notably: Where∣as God freely bestoweth vndeserued mercie on some that are conuerted by a free vocation, it must not bee referred to the in∣iustice of the dispenser, but to the most mercifull goodnesse of the giuer. Dare the debter charge his creditor with vniust dealing, if he shall require his debt of him, while he forgiueth another? If therefore it bee so in the bargaines of men, who may breake out into so great madnes of a prophane speech, to charge God of iniustice, if he shall giue freely to one vndeser∣ued grace, and to render to another deserued punishment?

This is the same obiection in words onely changed. Who so giueth vnequall things to them that are equall, is an accep∣ter of persons: Therefore seeing in the lumpe of perdition all of vs being considered are equall, vnlesse God equally and after one and the same maner deale towards all, he shall be

an accepter of persons. But acception of persons is one thing, and exception or electiō of men with God is another thing. For what? those manifold differences of men, that some are seene to bee princes, other subiects; some noble, other base; some rich, other poore; some are borne wittie, other slow of heart and foolish: and lasty, that some men excell others in so many and great things, whence arise they, but from the Lord? Heare the Wiseman: Why doth one day passe another, seeing all the light of the daies of the yere proceedeth from the Sunne? By the Lords iudgement they be distinguished, and he hath disposed the alteration of times and solemne feasts. He hath extolled and sanctified some daies, and others he hath put for worke daies. In like maner all men are of the ground, and Adam was made of the earth, but the Lord hath distinguished them by great knowledge, and made their waies diuerse. Some of them he blesseth and exalteth, and maketh neere to himselfe: but other he holdeth accursed, and abaseth them. Behold how God manifold waies preferreth some before others among mankinde. For, saith the Wiseman, as the clay is in the potters hand, to order it at his pleasure: so men are in the hand of God their creator, to whom seuerally he rendereth as it liketh him best. Therefore acception of persons, as that which is not in∣cident vnto God, wholly differeth from election, or the choise of some before others, which specially agreeth to God, and so agreeth, that if we spoyle him of the power and wisedome of chusing, we shall transforme him into the Idoll of fortune, by whose power all things should at all aduentures be done.

But acception of persons, as the ancient writers learnedlie expound, is there rightly said to be, where he that iudgeth, lea∣uing the desert of the cause, whereof hee giueth iudgement, fauoureth one against another, finding something in the per∣son that is worthie of honour or mercie. But if a man haue two debters, and would forgiue one his debt, and require it of the other: he giueth freely to whom he will, but he defrau∣deth no man, neither can it bee called acception of persons, because there is no iniustice. Otherwise to them that are of small vnderstanding, it will seeme to bee acception of per∣sons,

where the Lord of the vineyard made his labourers e∣quall in wages, among whom there was so much difference in labour. But what did he answer concerning this (as it were) acception of persons to such as murmured? Friend, I do thee no wrong. Take that is thine and depart: I will giue euen to this last, as vnto thee. Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne? Is thine eye euill, because I am good? Doubtles here is all iustice: this is my will, to thee (saith he) I haue paid thy reward, to this man I haue freely giuen, I haue not taken any thing from thee to giue to him, neither haue diminished or denied that which I did owe. As therefore here there is no acception of persons, because one man is so freely honoured, that another is not defrauded of his due: so when one man according to Gods purpose is called, and another is not cal∣led, to him that is called a free benefite is giuen, and to him that is not called, his deserued punishment is rendred, because all are guiltie through one man.

Fiftly, the aduersaries cauill, that by our position God shal be said to create the greater part of mankinde for eternall de∣struction. This was also obiected to Augustine, as wee may see Tom. 7. ad Art. sibi falso impos. art. 3.

[Answere.] We answer therfore in Augustines words: That God sure∣ly is the creator of all men, but that no man is therefore crea∣ted that he shuld perish, because there is one cause of our birth, and another of perishing. For that men be borne, it is a benefit, but that they perish, it is the fault of him that transgressed. For in Adam, in whom the nature of all men was first formed, all men sinned, and are bound in the same sentence wherein he was. He is therefore too vngodly and vnlearned (saith he) that discerneth not the fault of nature from the author of nature, from whom it is altogether farre off, whatsoeuer is to be con∣demned in euery one. For he createth them to be men, and with∣draweth not his worke from multiplying the successions of ge∣nerations: purposing according to the counsell of his owne good pleasure to frame againe in many, what he himself hath made, and to punish in many, what he hath not made. Whereunto al∣so that tendeth, that he writeth, Epist. 105. ad Sixt. presbyt. Al∣beit

God make vessels of wrath vnto perdition, to declare his wrath, and to manifest his power, whereby he well vseth the e∣uill: and to make knowne the riches of his glorie towards the vessels of mercie, which he maketh to honour: yet he himselfe knew how to condemne, and not to make iniquitie in the same vessels of wrath, (made for the merit of the lampe vnto deser∣ued shame) that is, in men created for the benefit surely of na∣ture, but destinate to punishment because of their sinnes. These things Augustine.

Therefore they that shall be damned, are created for the good of nature, and are appointed to punishment, and dam∣ned for sinnes, and that not as though it were to this last end, that is, that they might bee for euer tormented, but both for the saluation of the elect, and also especially for the glorie of God, according to the threefold maner briefly assigned of Augustine in the words of the Apostle. Of which matter else∣where also he hath left it written, that God vseth the perdition of some to the saluation of others, and would haue the destru∣ction of such as shall perish, to be an argument of saluation to thē that he hath predestinate to be vessels of mercie. Also, Why is not grace giuen to all? I answere, because God is a righteous Iudge, therefore both freely grace is giuen of him, and also by his iust iudgement against others, it is declared, that grace hel∣peth them to whom it is giuen, and so God commendeth more freely his grace in the vessels of mercie.

Lastly, if it trouble any man, how God from euerlasting hath elected or reprobated them that as yet were not; let him consider, that to God all things are present, for he com∣prehendeth with an eternall and stedfull view all times and temporarie things together. Therfore before he would make vs, he foreknew vs, and in his foreknowledge, when as yet he had not made vs, he chose vs before the creatiō of the world. Within the world we were made, and before the world wee were elected: for he foreknew vs in his prescience vnchange∣ably abiding, whom hee in his time would create after his i∣mage and likenes, and whom falling through his permission from that dignitie into the pit of sinne and death, he would

either deliuer through the vndeserued bountie of his mercie, or els condemne through deserued and true iudgement.

Notes

• 1. Tim. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ob∣iection.
• How God would haue all men to be saued.
• Cap. 107.
• Enchir. a••••dur. cap. 103.
• Cap. 117.
• Hub. thes. 94. & sequent.
• The meaning of Peters words
• In 1. Tim. 2.
• Thom. Com. in hunc locum, & aed Rom. 2.
• How God wil∣leth all to re∣pent.
• Luth. de ser. arb. Cap. 109. A distinction of Gods will.
• Brentius.
• 2. Tim. 2. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thess. 5. Matth. 23.
• Esay 46.10. Psalm. 115.3. Rom 9.18, 19.
• Marke this distinction.
• Voluntas bene∣placiti, & signi.
• The 2. Obiec∣tion.
• The first way how the pro∣mises of grace be vniuersall.
• Mark. 16.
• Ioh. 3. Ioh 6. Acts 13. Rom. 3.
• Rom. 9.
• Note this well.
• The 2. way.
• Rom. 11.
• The third ob∣iection.
• Hub. thes. 751. 752.
• The fourth obiection.
• A Simile.
• De praedest. & gra. cap. 3.
• Another like obiection.
• Acception of persons, and e∣lection differ.
• Ecclesiast. 33.
• ••••••ther de seruo arbit. cap. 143.
• Acception of persons what it is.
• Aug. cont. dua•• epistolas. P••lag. lib. 20. cap. 7. Primasius in 9. ad Rom.
• Matth. 20
• The fift ob∣iection.
• Augustine.
• Reprobates are created for the good of nature and appoynted to be punished for sinne, to Gods glorie, and the salua∣tion of the E∣lect. De praedest. & gra. c. 6.
• De bono perse∣uer. cap. 8.
• How God could elect, or reprobate men from euerla∣sting, seeing then they were not.