Vi. Of The Last And Ful Execution And Accomplishment Of God'S Eternal Counsell, As Vvell Tovvards The Elect As The Repro
The sixth Chapter.
Of the last and ful execution and accomplishment of God's eternal counsell, as vvell tovvards the Elect as the Reprobate.
FOR as much as God is justice itself, it is necessary that he should save the just, and condemn the unjust. Now they amongst men are only just, who being by faith joined to Christ (1), grafted (2), rooted in him (3), and made one body with him (4), are justified and sanctified in him, and by him: whereof it followeth, that the glory to the which they are destinate (5), to the glory of God (6), appertaineth to them as by a certain right or title. On the other part, they which remain in Adam's pollution and death, are justly hated of God: and so condemned by him, not excepting so much as them which die before they sin, as Adam did (7). But both these manners of executing God's judgments, as well in these as in the other which are elected are in three sorts: whereof we have already declared the first. For the Elect in that same moment that they have received the gift of faith, have after a certain sort passed from death to life (8), whereof they have a sure pledge (9). But this their life is hid in Christ, till this corporal death make them to step a degree further, and that the soul being loosed out of the bands of the body, enter into the joy of the Lord (10). Finally, in the day appointed to judge the quick and the dead (11), when that which is corruptible and mortal shall be clad with incorruptibleness and immortality, and God shall be all in all things, then they shall see his majesty face to face, and shall fully enjoy that unspeakable comfort and joy, which before all beginning was prepared for them, which is also the reward that is due to the righteousness and holiness of Christ: who was given for their sins, and raised again from death for their justification: by whose virtue and spirit they have proceeded and gone forward from faith to faith, as shall manifestly appear by the whole course of their life, and good works (12). Whereas altogether contrary, the Reprobate conceived, born, and brought up in sin, death, and wrath of God (13), when they depart out of this world, they fall into another gulf of destruction, and their souls are plunged in that endless pain (14), until the day come that their bodies & souls being joined again, they shall enter into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels (15). Then by these two ways (which are clean contrary one to another) the last issue and end of God's judgments shall set forth manifestly his glory to all men, forasmuch as in his Elect he shall declare
himself most just and most merciful. Most just, I say, for that he hath punished with extreme rigor and severity the sins of his elect in the person of his son, neither did receive them into the fellowship of his glory, before he had fully and perfectly justified and sanctified them in his son. And most merciful, for as much as he freely appointed with himself to elect them, and according as he had purposed, chose them freely in his son, by calling, justifying, and glorifying them, by means of that same faith which he had given them through the same grace and mercy. On the other side, touching the Reprobate, their corruption and infidelity, with such fruits as come thereof, and testimony of their own conscience, shall so reprove and accuse them, that although they resist and kick against the prick: yet the most perfect justice of God shall be manifest and shine by all men's confession in their just condemnation.
Notes of the sixth chapter.
(1) John 17.21. (2) Rom. 6.5. (3) Col. 2.7. (4) 1 Cor. 10.16. (5) Rom. 8.30; 1 Cor. 1.30; 2 Cor. 5.5; Rom. 9.23. (6) Rom. 3.25, 26. (7) Rom. 5.14; Eph. 2.3;
John 3.36. (8) & (9) John 5.24; 2 Cor. 1.21, 22; 5.5; 1 Cor. 1.6-8; Rom. 8.25; Eph. 1.13,14; in the same 2.6; Rom. 5.2. (10) Luke 23.43; Matt. 22.31, 32;
Luke 16.22; Phil. 1.23. (11) & (12) 2 Tim. 4.1; Acts 3.21; Rom. 8.21; 1 Cor.
15; 1 Cor. 13; Matt. 25.34; Rom. 4.25; 1.17. (13) Rom. 5.12; 7.14; Eph. 2.3.
(14) Luke 16.2, 23, 24. (15) Matt. 25.41.