A briefe institution of the common places of sacred divinitie. Wherein, the truth of every place is proved, and the sophismes of Bellarmine are reprooved. Written in Latine, by Lucas Trelcatius, and Englished by Iohn Gawen, minister of Gods word.

OF THE CALLING OF MAN vnto Salvation. The Confuting Part.

Distinctions in defence of the Efficient Cause.

I.

THe Vniversall Calling, which is cōmonly called Naturall, is one;

and the Politicall or Ecclesiasticall, which is called Personall, is another; Lastly, the saving is another: of which we treate in this place: yet of all these, the Principall, and onely Efficient, is God.

II.

THere is one calling Immediate; a∣nother Mediate: Extraordinary, & Ordinary: That, God effecteth by him∣selfe: This, by the Ministery of men.

III.

OF the Efficient cause of all callings, there is commonly had a two-fold notice: the one according to the be∣ginning, the other according to the In∣strument: that, is properly of the cause; this of ther 1.1 fellow cause.

In Defence of the Matter, against the Ʋniversality of Effectuall Grace.

I.

THe grace, and good will of God is, eyther noted generally, whereby

God doth benefite all men; or particu∣larly, whereby hee doth good to the E∣lect in Christ: but this vniversall, and generall grace ought to bee discerned from the singular, and particular: as al∣so the vniversall, and common benefits towards all, as they are men, from the Particular towardes men, as they are Christians.

II.

THe Affirmation is Inconsequent, from the Generall to all Particu∣lar things: for all ought not to bee ta∣ken vniversally of every man, but gene∣rally of all sorts of men.

III.

THe Argumentation holdeth not from the communion of Nature, to the communion of Grace.

IIII.

THe quantity of Actiue vertue, ought to bee knowne by the Effect of the quantity.

V.

THere is one Efficacy of calling out∣ward, another inward; the outward is, when the sences, and corporal things are touched, & moved by the outwarde Ministery: the inward, when the vn∣derstanding, and will are touched, and moved: Both these Efficacies againe are two-fold: the one saving, proper to the Elect; the other not saving, but, leading the way according to the gene∣rall order, and generally belongeth vn∣to all that are called.

The Places.

1. Tim 4 10. Ans. The benefites of Christ, in the saving of men, are distinct by two degrees: the one is common to all: the other is peculiar to the Church, and saving to the faithful. Adde further, that the word of (saving) importeth sometimes the benefites of God in this life, and sometimes that eternall benefite of salvation aequivocally.

Ezek. 28.26. God two wayes is called the God of men, eyther vniver∣sally, and commonly, according to na∣ture; or particularly, according to Grace, whereby hee chose them from everlasting in Christ.

In Defence of the Formall CAVSE.

I.

THere is one Calling by grace natu∣rall; and another by Grace super∣naturall.

II.

THe Calling, which is common to all, by naturall Grace, is wrought by God according to thea 1.2 being of Nature, (as the Schoole-men speake) generally: but that, which happe∣neth to those that are called Supernatu∣rally, is concluded in two partes: for it proceedeth generally from the caller, & belongeth particularly to the called.

III.

THe Formall of the calling, ought to bee distinguished from the Materi∣all thereof: because the Subject of that, is particular; but the Subject of this, belongeth to all men alike.

Notes

• r 1.1

  Concausa.
• a 1.2

  Esse na∣turae.