11 Errors
according to the foreknowledge of infidelity or the contempt of the gospel.
11 Errors This platform is in very truth (so far as I can judge of it by the Scriptures) a mere invention of man's wit, which will appear by the manifold errors therein contained.
Error 1. First, by this platform or groundwork there follows a certain universal reprobation, and that a very absurd and strange one. For if there be (as they do affirm) a universal election whereby
God wills that all men shall be saved indefinitely, if they do believe, He wills also by the like reason that all and each one should be damned if they do not believe. But this reprobation is nowhere to be found in the Scriptures. Yea, hence it follows that God being alike affected to all and seriously willing the conversion and salvation of all does neither choose nor refuse any man.
Error 2. From hence also it follows that God has in vain propounded with Himself the supreme and absolute end of His counsels, which is to communicate His goodness in true felicity even to every man. For if we consider the event, He does not communicate
His goodness and eternal life to very many which is otherwise than He purposed—namely, to those that are damned. But we are in no case to say that the supreme end of God's counsels either have an uncertain event or are in vain propounded.
Error 3. Thirdly, this platform attributed to God a certain ordered and fitted will which does wholly depend on man's will. You say that God wills that all men whatever should be saved by Christ. Very well.
Tell me therefore why they are not saved. They themselves will not,
you say. Yea, but what is this but to set the creature in the throne of almighty God the Creator against the order of nature and of all causes? For the first cause, which indeed is God's will, ought to order and dispose the act of the second cause. And therefore we must not give to God a will that is ordered by the will of the creature, especially considering that all order in heaven and in earth whatever proceeds from Him. That which orders all things is ordered of none.
Moreover, men after this sort are elected of themselves by receiving of God's grace being offered by the assistance of common grace and are also rejected of themselves by refusing of grace offered, and men themselves shall be the makers and framers of their own election and reprobation. And God, who chooses, is not so much to be praised as the men that do receive and embrace the blessing offered.
Error 4. Fourthly, this platform lays down a determinate foreknowledge about the evil of fault, without any decree going before concerning the event of the fault, which cannot be. A definite foreknowledge is not the cause of that thing which is to be, but the thing which shall be is the cause of the foreknowledge thereof. For the thing which shall be follows not the foreknowledge of it, but foreknowledge follows the thing which shall be, as Justinus taught.
For God does first decree a thing as touching the event. Then afterward He does foreknow by His definite foreknowledge that it shall be. And Anselm: "In that," says he, "a thing is said to be foreknown, it is by that pronounced that it shall be."151 And Augustine before his time affirmed "that God does foreknow that which shall be." Hence it follows that a thing must exist with God before it can be precisely and definitely known before. And everything exists and is, because God did will and decree to do it if it be good or to suffer it to be done if it be evil, have respect always to the good that is joined with it. Unless we shall hold and grant this, it will follow that something has being of itself—that is, that something
is a god. Therefore, the existence or being of things does not go before, but out of all doubt follows the decree of God. For first of all, there is a foreknowledge or (as it pleases others) a knowledge of beholding, whereby God beholds and sees what is possible to be and what not. Then follows the decree either of God's operation or of His voluntary permission, and consequently of the event of the thing.
And this decree being once laid down, the definite foreknowledge is conceived whereby it is known what shall come to pass infallibly.
Error 5. The fifth defect in this platform is that it teaches that Christ for His part has redeemed and reconciled all and every man to God, and that very many of them for all that as touching the event are damned, which is very absurd. For if this were so, sin, Satan, death, and hell should be more mighty than Christ the Redeemer, and (as Augustine says), vitia humano vincitur Deus—God is overcome by man's sin. If you will say that God is not overcome, yet I say, and that according to this platform, that He is altered; for He has decreed and seriously willed to save all men, and yet notwithstanding another sentence being given He wills to destroy those which will not incline and bend themselves to this counsel.
Error 6. This platform makes saving grace (which indeed is supernatural) to be altogether universal. But this opinion (to speak no harder of it) is a plausible device of man's brain. For first of all, hereby the special covenant made with Abraham and the greatness of God's mercies toward the Gentiles is abolished. And there is no mystery of the vocation of the Gentiles if all and every particular man were by certain means called to Christ from the beginning. For those which shall by the help of common grace, which they shall receive, give assent to God calling them, whether it be by extraordinary instinct or by the ministry of the word preached—they shall be accounted among the members of the church and shall belong to the
special covenant of the gospel. Moreover, if the first grace be universal, it is either faith actually or in power. For without faith it is impossible to please God and to attain salvation. But actual faith is not common to all. The power of faith is double. The first is that whereby you have received power to be able to believe if you will. But this is not sufficient to salvation, because now after Adam's fall free will in spiritual things is wanting, especially in the conversion of a sinner. And therefore further grace is required whereby a man may be able to will to believe. "No man can come to Christ, but he which is drawn of the Father" (John 6:44). Now, they are not drawn which have received power to believe if they will, but those who oftentimes willing are made actually willing. The second power is that whereby a man has received power to will to believe, but this is not common to all men. "To you," says Christ to His disciples, "it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but not so to them, because the Father has hidden them from the wise" (Matt. 11:15). Again:
"Therefore could they not believe, because Isaiah foretold this" (John 12:39). Furthermore, if this power were common to all and to each person, faith were common to all. For the will and the deed flows from one and the selfsame grace. "It is God who worketh in you the will and the deed, even of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).
"Whosoever has heard and learned of the Father, cometh to Christ"
(John 6:45). But whoever has power to will to believe has heard and learned, as being drawn of God. Therefore, whoever has power to will to believe comes to Christ. Well says Augustine, "It follows not that he which can come does come, unless he both will and do it; but everyone that has learned of the Father has not only power to come, but also he does come. Where now there is a passivilitai, profectalus,
& voluntatas affectus, & effectus est." So it appears that to will to believe and actually to believe are most nearly conjoined. Yea, seriously to will to believe is in very deed to believe. The publicans and harlots and those which are held captive at the devil's will do
repent and are converted; and therefore they do not only receive power if they will, but of nillers155 and stubborn repugners they are made actually willing.
Thirdly, there are and have been many nations which have had no knowledge of the faith or which have not kept it, and without this knowledge there is not any saving grace. Answer is wont to be made that man receiving natural light is not to be excused for the want of supernatural knowledge, because if he would do by God's assistance that which lies in him, God would enlighten him with supernatural grace. For thus the schoolmen do usually speak. "Although no man is able by the ministry of men to know the nature of faith if he never heard anything of it, yet he may by God's help if he live morally according to God's law so much as in him lies to do. For then God will succor him either by Himself or by some other—to wit, either man or angel by propounding of faith to him. For as in nature all things, so in supernatural God does minister grace when man is not wanting to himself." I answer that this is false. For if grace be given to him which does that which lies in him to do by the strength of nature, it is given either by merit or promise. Not by merit, because there is no merit before faith; and we do nothing acceptable to God before we have faith. Augustine: "You bring in a kind of men which can please God without the faith of Christ by the law of nature. This is the cause why the Christian church does especially detest you."157
And it is not given by promise, because there is no promise or divine law to be found in the Scriptures, that grace should by and by be given to him that does that which lies in him to do. It is also false to say that God does minister all things that make for the felicity of nature of this present life. For some are born leprous, blind, foolish, very poor, unmeet for this temporary felicity, neither do they ever attain to it. This opinion also is against experience, because many die in their infancy, and many are foolish and died all their life long,
upon whom we cannot say that this universal grace is bestowed. It is also contrary to most plain places of Scripture. "Salvation is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy. And, He has mercy on whom He will, and whom He will He hardeneth. It is given to the disciples to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them is not given; the wind bloweth not in all, but where it listeth; the Son does not reveal the Father to all, but to whom He will. All do not believe, but those which are drawn and predestined to life; all do not hear, but those to whom ears are given to hear (Matt. 13:14; John 3:8; John 6; Acts 13:49). Furthermore, it is some impairing of effectual and Christian grace so to place it in man's power, that he may, if he will, receive it; and that he may also, if he will not, refuse and despise it; and to say that God has given to men no other grace than that against which the flesh or perverse will may prevail in all men, and against which it does prevail indeed in the greatest part of mankind, because God will not restrain it. To conclude, let us also hear the testimonies of the fathers. The author of the calling of the Gentiles says thus: "If so be that the grace of the Father do pass by some (as we see it does), it is to be referred to the hidden judgments of divine justice." Augustine: "Nothing deliveres us from this wrath whereby we are all under sin, saving the grace of God by Jesus Christ. Why this grace comes to that infant, and not to this, the cause may be unknown, but not unjust." Again: "It was by divine dispensation that Pharaoh did not tractably consent, but obstinately resist, because that there was not only a just punishment, but a just punishment evidently prepared for such a heart. Whereby those which fear God may be corrected."159 Again: "The judgments are unsearchable, wherefore of the wicked men being of years aged one should be called so, as that he should follow the caller, and the other should either not be called at all or not called so as that he should follow him that calls him." And again: "He gives to whom He will, because He is merciful, which though He should not give, yet He
is just."161 Again, He does not give to them to whom He will not, "that He might make known the riches of His glory upon the vessels of mercy; for by giving to some who deserve not, He will have it to be
His free and by this also His true grace and favor." Again: "Whoever are set apart from original damnation through the bounty of God's grace, it is no doubt but that it shall be procured for them to hear the gospel and to believe when they hear it." Again: "We know that God's grace is not given to all men."163 And again: "Why one man is so exhorted that he is persuaded, and why it is not so with another; O the depth of the riches!" Thomas: "As He does not open the eyes of all that are blind nor cure all that are crazy, that in those His power might appear and that in the other the order of nature might be preserved, even so He does not by His help prevent all that hinder grace, but some in whom He wills that His mercy should appear, so also that the order of justice should be manifested in others."165
Isidore: "Spiritual grace is not distributed to all, but is only given to the elect." Again: "It is given to him, because he is evil that would be good; another neither wills, neither is it given him that he might be good." Cameravensis: "Although God be a universal agent over all, so as that He gives to all some gifts of grace, as being, life, knowledge, etc., yet He gives some gifts of special grace to one, which He gives not to another, as namely faith, and the grace which makes us gracious and such like which are the effects of predestination."
Finally, Augustine and almost all the schoolmen make two kinds of infidelity: the one negative in those which never heard the gospel; the other privative in those that refuse and contemn the message which they have heard of Christ. And it is to be noted that by this distinction they do confess that God has not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling to every man.
Objection 1. The promise of the seed of the woman is made in Adam to all and to every man. Answer. It is made to Adam's posterity,
indefinitely, not universal. "When salvation is promised to all men, all men are named for a part of men." The heads of the nations, Cain,
Shem, Esau, etc., knew the promised Messiah; but those which came after knew Him not, neither had they the means how to know Him.
So says Isaiah: "Me have they not known, of Me have they not heard"
(52:15). The nations also next adjoining to the Jews peradventure heard something and had proselytes, but the nations afar off seated in the uttermost parts of the earth had no affairs with the Jews and no proselytes. And therefore it is false which some affirm—to wit, that the choosing of the people of Israel was only a kind of greater courtesy showed to this nation or a more gentle entreating of it, and no peculiar and divers favor whereby He showed Himself to be their
Father and Redeemer only. And to make or maintain a hidden and invisible church among the Gentiles before the coming of Christ is altogether to contend against the word: "God is only known in Judah" (Psalm 76). The Israelites only are called "My people" in Hosea (ch. 1); and they only were "Christ's sheepfold" (John 10:16;
Eph. 2:14), because Christ when He came made one sheepfold of the Jews and Gentiles.
Objection 2. There is enfolded in God's providence that care of God touching all those things which concern the blessedness of man. But the Gentiles knew this providence of God, and that His goodness was so great that He would pass by nothing which might make for the happiness and salvation of man. Therefore, the Gentiles did after a sort obscurely and by an enfolded knowledge know the doctrine concerning the redemption of mankind. Answer. This faith of things unknown is a mere fiction. For faith of the own nature is a certain knowledge. Moreover, although the general do include in itself the species or kinds and the whole his members, yet he which knows the general and the whole does not by and by know all the kinds and parts thereof. The mind may so know the general that yet for all that
it may in the meantime be ignorant of the special kinds thereof. We must therefore beware of the schoolmen's opinion who say that salvation was given before Christ's coming for the implicit or enfolded faith concerning the Redeemer in general—namely, when men did believe that there is a God, and that He is a rewarder and the giver of all gifts which concern the good either of soul or body, especially the remedy of sin. But this is nothing else than to imagine a certain saving faith and church which has no word of God at all either written or any other way revealed. Furthermore, this is to accuse Paul of falsehood, who teaches the contrary in these words:
"Seeing the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Cor. 1:21). It is also most certain that we ought to know
Christ the Redeemer in special. "This is life eternal that they know Thee to be the only very God and whom Thou hast sent, Jesus Christ"
(John 17:3). The same affirm the ancient fathers. Irenaeus: "They being ignorant of that Emmanuel, who is born of the virgin, are deprived of His gift, which is life eternal."169 Jerome: "We cannot be
His sons before, unless we receive the faith and understanding of His Son Jesus Christ." Augustine says "that those which were just in old time, whatever they were, were delivered only by that faith whereby we are delivered—to wit, by the faith of Christ's incarnation."171
Again: "Whatever truth you say was in those which were just in old time, the faith only of the Mediator saves them, who shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins."
Objection 3. A. (Propositio) The power of God is known to the Gentiles (Romans 1). B. (Assumption) Christ is the power of God. C.
(Conclusion) Therefore, Christ is known to the Gentiles. Answer. I distinguish of the proposition. The power of God is either the power of creation or of redemption. The power of God in the creation was known to the Gentiles, but not the power of God in the redemption,
which is Christ Himself, the preaching of whom is foolishness to the world.
Objection 4. The fathers say that saving grace is universal. First, I answer that the sayings of the fathers are to be understood of the grace of the last time which is common to all men and nations.
Irenaeus: "The Lord has reconciled us in the last times by His incarnation, being made a mediator between God and man, reconciling the Father to all … giving to us that conversion which is to our Creator." Origen says: "God has a greater care to save men than the devil has to destroy them.… The only begotten, the Son of God Himself (I say), is present with us. He defends, keeps, and draws us to Himself … for He says in another place, When I shall be lifted up I will draw all things to Me." Chrysostom: "Grace is shed abroad over all. It passes by and displays neither Jew or Grecian, nor Barbarian nor Scythian. It is alike affected to all. It shows itself gentle to all. It calls all with equal honor. And let those who neglect the help of grace ascribe this their blindness to themselves. For considering that a way to enter in lies open to all and is forbidden to none, some desperately wicked do refuse to enter through their own corruption." Cyril says, "He is the true light and sends forth His brightness to all. But (as Paul says) the God of this world has blinded the minds of unfaithful men that the light of God's knowledge may not shine in them."174 Ambrose: "The earth is full of the mercy of God, because pardon of sins is given to all. The mystical Son of Righteousness is risen to all, is come to all, has suffered for all, and has risen again for all. And if any believe not in Christ, he deprives himself of this general benefit.… He shuts out the grace of common light from himself." Gregory says, "The medicine which is from God meets us in every place, because He hath both given unto man commandments not to sin, and has also given remedies to him that sins, lest he should despair."176 Theodolus Presbyter: "He has said
that both Jews and Gentiles should be partakers of grace, yet not all, but those that believe, and because grace is common to all, not without cause."
Answer 2. Secondly, they speak of natural vocation or of the grace of nature consisting in the relics of natural light and understanding in the common gifts of virtues and outward blessings, which are testimonies of God's providence and goodness. The author of The Calling of the Gentiles: "For this cause verily the nations may be excused, which being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, void of hope, and without God in this world have perished under the darkness of ignorance, because this abundance of grace, which does now water the whole world, did not flow so plentifully before. For there is evermore showed to all men a certain measure of doctrine from above, which albeit it proceeds from a more sparing and hidden grace, yet it is sufficient (in the Lord's judgment) for a remedy to some, and a witness to all." Again: "Who may not easily perceive that He never denied His divine goodness to the posterity of this brother slayer, if he consider how profitable so long patience of God, such plentiful store of temporal blessings, and such a universal increase of multiplied fruitfulness might have been to them? Which benefits, although they wrought no cure and amendment in those whose hearts were hardened, yet they prove that their apostasy was not caused by God."179 Again: "In the farthest parts of the world there be some nations to which the light of saving grace has not as yet dawned
… to whom that parcel of general assistance is not denied, which is always from above granted to all men. Although the nature of man has received so sharp a wound that it is not possible for any man to come to the knowledge of God by the help of his own voluntary contemplation, unless the true light dispel the darkness of the heart, which the just and good God in His unsearchable judgment has not so shed abroad in times past, as He does in these last days."
Thirdly, the fathers speak of the universal, whereby man's will being by God's ordinary dispensation prevented and helped by the Holy
Ghost may believe and be converted, which notwithstanding a stone, stock, or beast cannot. Augustine: "A possibility to have faith is given of nature." Again he says "that man's nature is capable of justification by the grace of the Holy Spirit."182 Again: "Men may keep God's commandments and believe in God if they will, because that light enlightens every man which comes into this world."
Prosper: "To be able to have faith is the nature of men, but to have faith is the grace of the faithful." Augustine: "This difference there is between wicked men and the devils, that men though they be exceedingly wicked may be reconciled, if God will show mercy; but there is no conversion reserved for the devils."184
Now as concerning Christian grace whereby a will to be converted and to believe actually in Christ is given to men, the fathers have not so much as dreamed that it is common to all and every one, which notwithstanding some are not now afraid to affirm in their writings.
Error 7. This platform teaches that God's foreknowledge of our faith and infidelity is the rule of predestination, which is utterly false. For first of all, the very will is a rule to itself and the divine counsels. "We were predestinated according to His purpose, who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Eph. 1:5, 11). Secondly, God's election is the rule of faith that is to be given or not given (Rom.
11:5). A reformation is made according to the election of grace.
Thirdly, the foreknowledge of faith and infidelity does not extend itself so far as predestination, which belongs to all men whatever, many of whom notwithstanding never so much as heard of Christ.186 Now these cannot have faith nor privative infidelity, but only a negative. The same I say of those which die in their infancy being within the covenant, who we believe are saved by the tenure of
the same covenant, who for all that are neither elected for faith nor according to faith, which they as yet had not. But if the foreseeing of faith were the rule or square of election or reprobation, the thing foreseen should belong to all men without exception; for the rule must not be straighter than that which is ruled by it. Fourthly, foreseen faith is the effect of election; therefore, it is not the rule of it.
"Who has predestinated us to adoption by Christ" (Eph. 1:5) and therefore also to faith, which receives the benefit of adoption.
Augustine: "Let us therefore" says he, "understand188 that calling whereby they are chosen, who are chosen not because they did believe, but that they should believe; for if they were for that cause chosen because they did believe, they themselves verily had chosen
Him before by believing in Him, that they might deserve to be chosen." Again: "Lest any man should say, My faith190 or some such like thing does distinguish me from other men, the teacher of the Gentiles meeting with such conceits asks, What have you that you have not received, and of whom but of Him who distinguishes you from him, so whom He has not given that which He has given to you." Lombard: "God has elected those whom it pleased Him to elect of His own free mercy, not because they were to be believers, but that they should be believers." Again: "Grace is the effect of predestination." Fifthly, if God did elect according to foreseen faith, tell me why He did foresee faith in one man rather than in another— tell me, I say? For here whether you will or no, you must have recourse to the mere will of God. For God does foresee nothing which is good in any, besides that which He Himself of His pleasure will first make. And what is the cause why He foresees faith in one man rather than in another? But only because it is His will to give one man faith and not another. Lastly, the rule is uncertain; for faith, as appears by this platform, may be utterly lost. And therefore the thing ruled—to wit, predestination—is made uncertain. This a certain author plainly confesses in his exposition of the epistle to the
Romans, where he teaches unadvisedly that God's decree may be changed, and that election and reprobation have recourse one to another, because (as he says) they depend upon the conditions of faith and infidelity.
Error 8. Furthermore, this platform teaches that true and saving faith may perish and be lost either wholly or forever, which notwithstanding is not true.
Reason 1. "Upon this rock will I build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against (κατισχύσουσιν) it" (Matt. 16:18). Here three questions must be asked: what the rock is? What is meant by building on the rock? And what is that which is promised to those which are built upon it? The rock is either faith itself or Christ apprehended by faith. Chrysostom: "Upon this rock—that is," says he, "upon the faith of confession."192 Again: "He sets our feet upon the rock—that is, upon faith; for faith in Christ may well be said to be that which cannot be broken." Again: "Christ being wise has built His house—that is, His church upon a rock, that is, upon the fortitude of faith, or a strong faith." Now if faith be a rock, it remains constant and immovable. To be built upon the rock is to perceive the doctrine of the gospel, to embrace Christ our Savior with a true faith, and to cleave fast to Him with the heart. For the Corinthians are said to be
Paul's building, because he brought them to the faith. And the Ephesians are said to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, because Paul came and preached to them the gospel of peace. The certainty and firmness of the doctrine of the gospel may also be called a rock. Epiphanius: "They shall not prevail against the rock, that is to say, against the truth."194 Hillary: "This is your blessed rock of faith, which Peter has confessed with his mouth."
Augustine: "Upon this rock which you have confessed, I will build My church." Now no man can be built upon the confession and upon the
truth, but by faith. Hence I do conclude thus: those that are built upon the rock cannot fall away utterly. But those which truly believe are built upon the rock. Therefore, those which truly believe do not utterly and wholly fall away. Thirdly, the promise made to them that are built upon the rock is that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them (κατισχύσουθαι. κατισχύσουσιν). From hence it follows necessarily that the devils can but make a flourish and show their strength and power against the faith, and that they shall never be able to overcome and conquer. Let us here also weigh the judgments of the fathers. Cyprian: "Lord, to whom shall we go … signifying that the church, which believes in Christ and which keeps that which it has once known, does at no time altogether depart from Him, and that they are the church who do abide in God's house. But that they are not of God the Father's planting, whom we do see to be void of the steadfastness and mass soundness of corn and like to chaff fanned or blown about with the wind of the winnowing enemy—of whom also John speaks in his first epistle, saying, "They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they had surely remained with us" (1 John 2:19). Augustine: "Love which may be lost was never true."197 Again: "To believe truly is to believe constantly, steadfastly, valiantly, and firmly, so as that you may not now return to yours and forsake Christ." Again: "Those which are truly saints being predestinated to reign with God by His grace have not only given them now a power to persevere if they will, but perseverance itself." Again: He which makes men good, maketh them to persevere in that which is good."199 And again: "The church loses none on the earth but those which are wicked and admits none to heaven but those that are good." Again: "As the ark was built of foursquare timber, so the church is built of saints; for that which is foursquare will stand steady on whichever side you set it; and the saints continue steadfast in every temptation." Chrysostom: "This is the property of faith, that however things may fall out contrary to the
promises, yet it never falls away utterly and is never wholly confounded."201 Again: "Let us keep faith, which is a firm and sure rock; for neither the floods, nor the winds can do us any hurt, though they drive hard against us, because we stand steadfast upon a rock.
So also if in this life we will choose that true foundation, we shall abide without any detriment or loss (penitius omnine)." Again: "You cannot overcome one faithful man. O devil, you know not what the martyrs have done to you—the flesh often faints in the torments, and the strength of faith fails not. Hence it is that in any same place He speaks after this sort. If you make war with man, you shall, it may be, overcome, or perhaps you shall be overcome; but no might can overcome the church."203 Furthermore: "The church is far stronger than the earth, yea and stronger than heaven." Again: "Faith in God is a certain secure anchor." Gregory: "Because the light of the elect is not extinguished by temptation, we do not say there is a night made but an evening—namely, because temptation does oftentimes hide the light of righteousness in the hearts of the elect, but it does not put it quite out. It makes it as it were twinkle and look wan, but it does not extinguish it."205 Angelome: "The observation of God's commandments, being established in the hearts of the elect by faith, hope, and love of that heavenly recompense, can by no let of temporal things be dissolved." Again: "The hearts of the elect are compared to a foursquare figure, which have learned so to remain in the strength of faith, that they cannot be removed from the certainty of their estate, by any repugnance of those things they meet with, no not by death itself."207 Andreas: "Those are found to be abortive or untimely born children who have departed from the true light, which is Christ." Thomas: "If we by the revelation of our heavenly Father shall then confess—namely, when our conversation is in the heavens
—that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, and if it shall be said to us, You are Peter, for everyone that follows Christ is a rock; but he against whom the gates of hell prevail is neither to be termed the
rock whereon Christ does build His church, neither the church, nor a part of the church which Christ builds upon the rock."209 And again:
"Although you must be lifted a little, yet you have the seed of faith hidden in you. Though the leaves be blown down with the tempter's wind, yet the root is fresh."
Second reason: "Lead us not into temptation," etc. (Matt. 6:13)—that is, "Do not utterly forsake us and deliver us up to Satan." Augustine:
"God leads a man into temptation when He suffers him to be tempted, that He may try him and not destroy him. And He delivers from evil when He suffers us not to be tempted beyond our power."211 Gregory: "The grace of the Holy Ghost qualifies the temptations of the adversary by dispensation, that those which may be may but search with their heat and not burn up with their fire."
Hence I thus reason: whatever we ask according to God's will, it shall be given us. But we ask according to God's will that we may not be utterly forsaken in temptation, for our Advocate taught us so to pray.
Therefore, that we be not utterly forsaken in temptation shall be given of God. Now whom God does not utterly forsake, he does not utterly fall away. And this Christ takes for granted in the elect: "So as that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect" (Matt.
24:24).
Third reason, if there be a total or utter falling away from a true faith, then is there also required a second engrafting into Christ and consequently a seal of the second engrafting, baptizing anew—that is to say, Anabaptism; for so often as we are born again, we are to be baptized. This is Augustine's ground: "As the carnal generation is one, neither can a man enter into the womb again, even so is spiritual regeneration. For we are once born, and we are also once born again. Therefore, also it is requisite that the sacrament of regeneration be once received. If it chance to fall out by sin that some
are weakened who are regenerated, they have need of cure by repentance and not by baptism." But those that do utterly or wholly fall away from faith and grace are the second time to be engrafted into Christ; and consequently they are not once regenerated but again, and therefore they are oftener than once to be baptized.
Fourth reason: "whosoever is born of God commiteth not sin, because His seed remaineth in him" (1 John 3:9). We must here mark that he says his seed remains in him—that is to say, that it does not depart nor vanish away. And this seed is the very word of God, which remains in us by faith and does not remain faith being utterly lost. This seed also is immortal, because it will never perish if it be truly sown in our hearts.
A fifth reason is taken out of the sixth [chapter] to the Romans.
Propositio, if Christ having once died cannot die any more, then we which are His members being dead together with Him, shall not die any more in sin. Assumptio:
But Christ having once died cannot die any more. Conclusion:
Therefore we which are His members shall not die any more in sin.
The proposition is in the eighth verse and has a manifest ground. For by the virtue of the mystical communion, which is had with Christ by faith, His spiritual life, which cannot perish, flowing into His members makes them in like manner that they die no more in sin.
The assumption is in the ninth and tenth verse; the conclusion, in the eleventh. Moreover, those which are the members of Christ's body shall grow up to a perfect man (Eph. 4:12–13; 1 John 2:29). But all those which have a true faith are members of Christ's body.
Therefore, those which have a true saving faith shall grow up to a perfect man, and therefore those which do truly believe shall not perish but obtain salvation.
For the better understanding of this doctrine, two things must be sought for: first, whence it is that faith perishes not? Answer. If we consider faith by itself—that is, in the own nature—it may perish and be lost. But if we consider the confirming grace which God has promised to them that believe, saving faith does not perish. It is by reason of the second grace freely promised that the first grace does not perish. "To you it is given for Christ, that ye should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29). One of these
(says Augustine) belongs to the beginning, the other to the end; but both are God's gift, because both are given. A Christian man's beginning is to believe in Christ, and the best end he can make is to suffer for Christ. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will never depart from them, to do them good"—lo the everlasting forgiveness of sins—"and I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jer. 32:40). Behold the perseverance of faith, and regeneration that shall never be lost. "He that has begun this good work in you will finish it to the end" (Phil. 1:6).
Secondly, it may be demanded how far forth the faithful lose grace and the Holy Spirit? Answer. Distinguish the faithful, and distinguish grace. There be four sorts of believers. The first are they which hear the word and understand it. The second are they which do hear, understand, and for a time approve it. The third are those who do hear, understand, approve, and bring forth some fruits. The fourth are such as do hear, understand, approve, bring forth some fruits, and lay hold upon Christ the Redeemer by the hand of a lively faith to salvation. These are true believers and cannot utterly either fall away from God or perish. However all other besides these, both may and use to fall away and perish. Furthermore, grace is either the first or second. The first is the free favor of God, who embraces those that are His being in Christ to everlasting life. From this grace the faithful are said to fall after this fashion. As soon as they have committed
some heinous sin against the law of God, they do grievously offend Him. God being offended changes the effects of grace into the effects of a certain hatred, not against the faithful themselves, but against their sins, and this both within and without. Within, when He makes them to feel an accusing conscience and witnessing that God is displeased and that they are made guilty of death by their sin.
Without, when they taste of God's anger against them in the outward chastisements of the body. And thus far they fall from His fatherly love and are become the enemies of God after a sort. I say after a sort, because God does not lay down His fatherly affection and does not alter His purpose of adoption and eternal life. Although the faithful do fall away, so much as lies in them, yet God remains a father in Christ; and they also as touching right to eternal life remain sons. "They shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand" (John 10:28). Here some do say that the sheep cannot be plucked out, but yet they may of their own accord slink away, but without reason, for the sheep which revolts is plucked away by the devil when it does revolt. And as he which continues in Christ's word is verily His disciple, so he that does not fall away, but abides a sheep, is verily a sheep. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. 8:35). "The gifts and calling of God are ἀμεταμέλητα without repentance" (11:29). "The foundation of God remaineth sure, and has this seal, The Lord knoweth who are His" (2 Tim. 2:19).
Second grace is either imputed or inherent. Imputed is justification, a part whereof is remission of sins. And this remains and shall forever remain sure as touching sins passed. That saying of the schoolmen is most true: sins once forgiven continue so always. But when that any faithful man shall fall grievously, the pardon of that fall is granted in God's decree, notwithstanding no pardon is actually given of God or received of man until he do repent. Yea, if he should never repent (which notwithstanding is impossible) he should be
damned as being guilty of eternal death by this offence. For there is no pardon of any new sin without a new act of faith and repentance.
Inherent grace is either faith or the gift which follows faith. In saving faith we must consider the act and the habit. The act of faith is the very action of apprehending or an unfeigned apprehension of Christ.
Now this faith may be lost according to some act (αυπόκριτος). The very habit also or power of faith may in itself be lost, but by reason of confirming grace faith does not perish as touching the essence thereof, but it is lessened and abated according to some degree. And hence it follows that our communion with Christ may be diminished, but that our union cannot be dissolved. There remained in David after his fall the seed of true faith and regeneration, as appears by his words, "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). It is also the judgment of the ancient fathers that the root of faith in Peter's fall
"was not taken away and abolished, but only moved; and that it did as it were wax dry, that it was only shaken and trodden on," and that it did not utterly vanish. Here also we are to give ear a while to Gratian, who consents with us and to this purpose has gathered many testimonies together out of the fathers. "Has love," says he,
"taken root? Be secure; no evil can proceed."215 Again: "Love does utterly estrange the mind, wherein it has once taken possession from the delights of the world." Again: "Love is joined to God and united inseparably and is always invincible in all." Again: "Love is an invisible unction which stands as it were instead of a root to him in whomever it shall be, which cannot wither though the sun do parch.
Whatever is rooted is nourished with the heat of the sun and does not wither." Again: "He looks back after the plow who after that he has begun to do good works returns to evil, which he did forsake.
Which in no wise befalls to the elect." Again: "All the elect do so go forward to good things that they do not return to the committing of evil." And again: "The fitting and moving of the Spirit may be thus
understood. For as touching some virtues it does always abide in the hearts of the saints, but according to other it comes as that which will return and returns as purposing to come. For as concerning faith, hope, and charity and other graces, without which it is not possible to come to that heavenly country (as namely, humility, chastity, justice, and mercy), it never forsakes their hearts that are upright.
But as touching the virtue of prophecy, the eloquence of doctrine, and working of miracles, it is sometimes present with the elect, and sometimes it withdraws itself."
The schoolmen allege Augustine to the contrary opinion, where he says that "doubtless if the man which is renewed and justified do fall back by his own will to an evil life, he cannot say I have not received, because he has by his own free will to evil lost the grace of God which he did receive." And again: "That God does not give the gift of perseverance to some of His children whom He did regenerate in Christ, and to whom He gave faith, hope, and love."217 But he speaks not these things of those which are indeed the sons of the promise, but of those which are so called of us and which bear the name and profession of sons. Furthermore, he speaks of such as have faith and love in opinion and imagination (κατὰδόκησιν), and truly also as touching outward practice. For Augustine in the same place has so expounded his meaning: "We must believe that some of the sons of perdition do begin to live, and for a time faithfully and justly in the faith that works by love, and afterward fall." Thirdly, he speaks of faith and love as they are imperfect virtues and as it were lately sprung up, and not as they are found perfect and true—to wit, as touching the truth of their essence. So Augustine: "Love is sprung up with you, but it is not yet perfected. Do not despair, but nourish it, lest it be stifled." And Gratian: "This love which was an herb in Peter before his denial and which springs up in everyone is lost and repaired before it be strengthened and made perfect."220 And
indeed for the manifesting of the truth of faith and love there is required perseverance, by which it might be known that these and such like virtues have taken deep root in the heart and are grounded upon an earnest and constant affection, that they may never be overcome of temptations.
Objection 1. Sin and the grace of the Holy Spirit cannot stand together. Answer. This is true of the sin that reigns or which is committed with full consent of will, but the regenerate do not sin with a whole or full will. And I lay this foundation of this our judgment. In temptation, we must consider two things: the beginning or ground and the degrees. The ground is our own concupiscence—that is, our inbred corruption. The subject thereof is the whole man, but especially the faculties of man's soul: the mind, will, and affections. And in these it does immediately exist and reign alone before a sinner be converted. And a man being not regenerated, be he what he will be, he is flesh every lot of him. But after that a man is regenerated, the flesh is no more alone or severed by itself, but mixed with the Spirit, and the Spirit with the flesh, although both these qualities remain as touching nature distinct in one subject—as in the twilight the light does not appear alone, but with darkness, and darkness is not alone but with the light. And the man that is regenerated is not only flesh, nor only spirit, nor flesh in one part, and spirit in another, but the whole man is flesh in every part, and the whole man is spirit in every part. And because those things which are contrary cannot consist together in the highest degrees, therefore albeit the whole man be flesh, yet he is not flesh in the highest degree, nor spirit in the highest degree, but in remiss and lower degrees partly flesh and partly spirit—as lukewarm water is remissly and indifferently cold throughout and remissly also hot throughout. Hence, it follows that concupiscence may exist and be
with the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that it bear not rule. The degrees of temptation are, as James teaches (1:14–15), in number five.
The first, abstraction or drawing away (τὸ εξέλκείν), when the mind receives a thought cast into it about the committing of evil and by this means suffers herself to be drawn away from her duty to other things.
The second is inescation or enticing (τὸ δελεάζσιν), when the mind conceives a morose thought for the committing of sin together with a certain delectation of the affection—as when fishes delight themselves with the bait hanging upon the hook. Thus far all divines think a regenerate man may come, and it is most certain. For hence it is that Paul complains that he was held captive of sin (Rom. 7:23).
The third degree is conception, (τὸ τυλλαμζαίειν) namely, when there is a will, consent, and a purpose to commit evil. And when corruption does come thus far, there be some that say that all repentance and faith is driven out and gone, but not truly. There is indeed in the unregenerate in whom sin reigns a full consent, but in the regenerate, in whom the flesh and the spirit are two contrary foundations of actions, the consent is more remiss and imperfect; for they do so will, as that they will, and so nill as that they will, as Paul has taught by his own example.
The fourth degree (τὸ τίκτειν) is birth of sin, when after consent an evil is actually committed. And in this act the same man being regenerate does at the same instant both sin and not sin. He sins only according to the flesh; and in that part wherein he is renewed he does not sin, but before and after the fact detests his sin. And as when the Spirit prevails, the action is not free from all pollution of the flesh; so when the flesh prevails, the action is not so corrupt in the regenerate as it is in those in whom sin reigns. Nevertheless, I
confess that in every grievous fall the flesh does get the mastery, and that the gift of true faith after the receipt of the wound lies flat and in a swoon for a time, but that it is not for all that abolished and quite put out.
The last degree is perfection (τὸ αποτελεῖν)—namely when sin being persisted and ripened by often iteration and custom groweth as it were to a habit. So says Gregory. "Sin always is finished in a work by those same four ways. For first the sin is committed closely; after that it is discovered in the sight of men without blushing at the fault.
Then it is brought into a custom. And at the last either it is nourished with the deceit of vain hope or with the obstinacy of wretched despair." And Isidore: "Action brings forth custom; and custom, necessity. And so a man being fettered with these links lies fast bound as it were with a chain of vices." This last degree befalls not the regenerate, and if it did, faith and the Holy Spirit should be shaken out and banished.
Objection 2. Adam when he was void of corruption fell wholly away.
Therefore, much more they who being born and regenerated after Adam shall believe. Answer. The reason is unlike. "For we have," says
Augustine, "by this grace of God in the receiving of that which is good and in the constant keeping of the same not only power to do that which we will, but also will to do that which we can, which Adam wanted. For one of these was in him, but the other was not. For to receive good he wanted not grace, because as yet he had not lost it.
But to continue in it he wanted the help of grace, without which he was not able at all to do it. And he received power if he would, but he had not will answerable to his power; for if it had been in him he should have persevered."
Objection 3. Propositio: The member of a harlot cannot be the member of Christ. Assumptio: But he which believes truly, who is actually a member of Christ, may be the member of a harlot.
Conclusion: Therefore, one that truly believes may come to be no member of Christ. Answer. The member of Christ is diversely distinguished, for there is either a true or an apparent member. An apparent member is that which is not a member according to election, nor in itself, but in show only—that is, judged by means of outward profession to be in the visible church. And it is like a wooden leg fastened to the body by art. A true member is either by destination and appointment, or now actually one. Members by appointment are all those who are elected, although they be not as yet regenerated or born. An actual member is either one that is lively or half dead. A lively member is that which is according to election and in very deed engrafted into Christ and ruled by His Spirit. That is a half-dead member which does indeed belong to God's election and is engrafted into Christ, but yet being hurt by some grievous fall has so much as in it is lost the grace of the Holy Spirit. Now I answer to the proposition. First, a member of Christ in show may be the member of a harlot, as a wooden foot which is indeed the member of some image may be an apparent member of a man's body whereto it is fitted by art. Secondly, a member of Christ by appointment (in God's decree) may be the member of a harlot, as Paul, who was separated from the womb, was for a time a member of Satan persecuting the church (Gal. 1:15). Thirdly, he which is a lively and active member of Christ and so continues cannot be the member of a harlot, but a member that is crazy and half dead may be. For however he remains in Christ in respect of incorporation and the mystical union, yet he is out of Him as touching the force and efficacy of the Spirit, which for a time through his own default he does not perceive, until he do repent. A leg that is troubled with the palsy or receives no nourishment is a true leg, because in respect of union it is
incorporated into the body, however it has almost lost all communion and fellowship with the rest of the members (παρά λυσις ἀτρορία). Neither must this which I say seem strange that the members of Christ may in some sort be the member of a harlot, because the conjunction is not of the same kind. The conjunction with Christ is spiritual, but that which is with a harlot is corporal.
Error 9. This platform gives to every man a free will flexible and inclinable to both parts by grace and teaches that it is in man's will to apply himself to grace being given by the help of universal grace or to reject the same through the weakness of corrupt nature. But this is false; for the first, universal grace is not effectual, unless it be confirmed by the second grace following it. As for example, if a man shall receive power to believe if he will, yet he shall never actually and indeed believe, except there be also given the help of the other grace, which brings the former into act. But this second grace is not given to all and every one. Moreover, this opinion is repugnant to very plain places of Scripture. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, and I will put My fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from Me"
(Jer. 32:40). Again: "God shall confirm you to the end blameless:
God is faithful by whom ye are called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:8–9). It is also contrary to Christ's speech: "Every man that has heard and has learned of the Father cometh to Me" (John 6:45). "This grace," says Augustine, "which is secretly infused into men's hearts by God's liberality is refused of no hard heart."223 And afterward: "If it had pleased the Father to teach them to come to Christ who accounted the word of the cross foolishness, without all doubt they also would have come. Why does
He not teach all? If we shall say, because they will not learn whom He does not teach, it will be answered us; and where is that which is said to Him, Thou O Lord, convertest and quickenest us." Again:
"The effect of God's mercy cannot be in man's power so as that He should show mercy to him in vain if man be unwilling, because if He would have mercy on them, He could call them so as they should be fitted to move, understand, and follow."225 And again: "God shows mercy to none in vain, but to whom He shows mercy, him He calls so, as He knows to be fitting for him, that he may not reject Him who calls him." Neither do I here respect the distinction of sufficient and effectual grace; for I acknowledge no grace sufficient for the conversion of a sinner which is not effectual, as I have already said before, because free will is altogether wanting in spiritual things. We are stark dead in sins, and our sufficiency is wholly from God.
Therefore, there is in us beside the want of original righteousness a threefold impotency. The first is that whereby we are unable to receive or desire supernatural grace offered by God. The second is that whereby we are unable to use it lawfully. The third is that whereby we are unable to retain and keep it. And therefore there are certain degrees of grace to be bestowed in the true conversion of a sinner, in respect of which Augustine makes a fivefold grace: preventing, preparing, working, coworking, and the gift of perseverance. Preventing grace, praeveniens, is that whereby God inspires into the mind of the sinner that is to be converted good thoughts, a good purpose, and a desire of supernatural grace. The means whereby preventing grace is given is the voice and preaching of the gospel, by the which being heard and thought upon the Holy
Ghost does show forth His efficacy and power. For hence it is that the gospel is called the "ministry of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:6). And that,
"faith is said to be by hearing" (Rom. 10:17). Therefore, they which are out of the church do want the preventing grace, unless it be extraordinarily conferred, which yet is very seldom done. Preparing grace, praeparans, is that whereby it is given us to consent to God offering grace, or whereby the mind and will are prepared that they may yield assent and obedience to the Holy Spirit. For as all
supernatural grace in respect of God's donation is altogether from Him, even so we obtain our consentment and power to receive grace conferred no otherwise than by the gift of God. Working grace, operans, is that whereby we are delivered from the dominion of sin and are renewed in mind, will, and affection, having received power to obey God. Coworking grace, cooperans, is that whereby God confers and persists the grace of renewing being received. And without this grace following, the first is unprofitable. For when grace is given by God and received of us by the second grace, we do not use it lawfully but by this third grace. Augustine says well: "If in so great weakness of this life the will renewed should be so left to the regenerate that they may remain in God's help if they themselves will, and if God should not make them for to will among so many and so mighty temptations the will would faint by reason of the weakness thereof. Man's weakness therefore is relieved, that through the grace of God there should be will inseparably annexed to the power, and therefore the will though it be but weak, yet should not for all that faint and be overcome by adversity." Again: "Therefore, that we may will He works without us; but when we will, and so will that we do also, He coworks with us. Yet notwithstanding without Him working that we may will, or coworking when we do will, we have no power to perform the good works of godliness." The gift of perseverance is that whereby after that we have received the grace of renovation, we do also receive a will to persevere and continue constantly in that good which we can do. Jerome: "That suffices me not which He has once bestowed. I ask that I may receive, and when I shall receive, I ask again."229 These five graces spoken of even now, being taken severally and asunder by themselves, are not sufficient to salvation
(for the preventing grace is nothing available without the preparing grace, and the working grace without the coworking grace), yet being joined together they are sufficient. And hence it plainly appears that there is not any grace truly sufficient to the salvation of a sinner that
is stark dead in sins, the which is not also effectual. If so much strength were given to one that would lift up a mighty burden as were sufficient, that is, so much as did exceed the weight of the thing that is to be lifted up, out of all doubt motion would follow, it would come up—so if God do give so much grace as is sufficient—that is, as would overcome the hardness of the heart—the corruption thereof could not possibly hinder it from being converted. Moreover, if these five graces do concur in the conversion of a sinner, the regenerate person shall not have free will flexible alike either to good or evil, neither shall it be in our choice to obey or resist the motion of the Spirit. Yea, from hence it follows that it multiplies grace and that the will is so effectually ruled by it in those that are truly converted as that they follow faith and godliness with an inflexible and steadfast affection. The Spirit promised us of God does not enable us to walk if we will, but makes us walk indeed (Ezekiel 36–37). Those which are drawn have not only power to run if so be that they themselves will, but they run indeed after Christ (1 John 3:9). He which is born of God sins not; yea, he cannot sin. Furthermore, perseverance in faith does wholly depend upon God's will, as these words of Paul do show:
"I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, which have not bowed the knee to Baal" (Rom. 11:4). And those which do truly believe have received of God both power to persevere in grace if they will and also will to do that which they have power to do. So Augustine: "There is in us by this grace of God (which is by Christ) in receiving of good and in the constant keeping of the same not only power to do that which we will, but will to do that which we have power to do." Therefore, those that do truly believe cannot but persevere.
Objection 1. "O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and ye men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard: what could I have done any more to My vineyard that I have not done to it? Why have I looked that it
should bring forth grapes, and it bringeth forth wild grapes?" (Isa.
5:3). These Jews therefore had the help of God, which was thoroughly sufficient to conversion and the leading of a life acceptable to God. Answer. God speaks in this place of the sufficiency of outward means—that is, of the preaching of His word, of His benefits, and chastisements whereby they were sufficiently invited and led to salvation, but that they were of such peevish and perverse dispositions. God therefore did that to this wicked vineyard which if He had done in a good vineyard, it would have brought forth the fruit of obedience. And here he speaks not of the sufficiency of inward grace whereby an evil vineyard might be changed into a good vineyard. You will say that God then has no just cause to expostulate with the Jews that they brought not forth fruit, because He gave them not grace to repent and bring forth fruit, which could by no means be had if He do not give it. I answer that God could not justly have expostulated with the Jews if He had owed them grace and being bound to give it had not given it, if they had not cast away the grace which they received in their first parents by which they might have brought forth fruit beseeming repentance, if He had denied them being anew desirous to receive the grace which now is lost. But God is bound to no man; and we have cast away that grace which was bestowed in Adam; and we do not desire or care for it being cast away. Therefore, God does most justly expostulate with us, if we bring not forth fruit.
Objection 2. "How often would I have gathered thy children together, and thou wouldst not" (Matt. 23:37). How did Christ will, and so will that He complains of those who would not, if He had not through His help made them able to will whom He knew could not will? Answer.
Christ is here said to have willed to gather them together not by the will of His good pleasure, (Voluntate beneplaciti. Voluil. Signi), which may never be refitted but by His signifying or revealed will.
For He is said to will to gather all unto Himself, because by the preaching of the word He calls all in common unto salvation and prefixes to Himself this end of preaching, that they should commit themselves to His protection and fidelity. By this will therefore He may will to gather the Jews together, though in the meantime He do not help them, that they themselves may be able to will. And He does also justly complain of those that will not, because men's impotency to that which is good and their bondage under sin whereby they are made to nill and unable to will that which is good comes not from the Creator, but from him who of his own accord fell away from the Creator. Secondly, I say that Christ is here said to have willed not as He is God effectually mollifying and converting the hearts of men, but as He was a minister of the circumcision (Rom. 15:8) while He sought the conversion of the Jews by preaching. A place altogether like is in Acts 7:51, where the Jews are said "to have rushed against" or "resisted the Holy Ghost" (ἀντιπίπτετε). But these words are to be understood not in regard of the inward and effectual operation of the spirit, but in respect of the outward ministry of the prophets. It pleased Lombard also to interpret this place, "How often would I have gathered thy children, and thou wouldst not?" thus: "So many as I have gathered together, I did it by My effectual will, you being unwilling."
Objection 3. "I stand at the door and knock, if any shall open it to Me I will come in to him" (Rev. 3:20). Therefore, all at whose door Christ knocks have sufficient grace whereby they are able to open if they will. He is unwise that knocks at the door, if he know assuredly that there is nobody within that is able to open it. Answer. This place favors not universal grace, for these at whose door Christ knocks are those which believe and are converted; and He knocks at their hearts partly by His word, partly by afflictions, that He might stir up their languishing faith and increase and confirm His fellowship with them.
You may read the like in Song 5:1–2: "Open to me my sister, my love, my dove."
Error 10. Tenthly, this platform disagrees with itself. For it says that God does confer to all men all the helps of nature and grace, and that he is not wanting to any so but that he may obtain salvation. But I say, and that out of this platform, that God is wanting to some offenders, because He gives them only a power to persevere in faith if they will—or (if you had rather) a power to will to persevere (posse velle perseverare)—and makes them not to persevere actually and indeed. And unless this grace be given, it is not possible that they should obtain salvation by persevering. For it is a most sure rule: a man does not that good thing which by grace he is able for to do, unless God make him to do it, as He has made him able to do it if he will. Therefore, he to whom the very act of perseverance is not given, being smitten with the violence of some grievous temptation, without delay will fall away from faith and shall be damned.
Error 11. Lastly, this hypothesis or platform is but the varnishing and fresh trimming over of certain opinions which the church in former ages did condemn. The Pelagians taught that all men were redeemed by Christ, but not made free because God distributed His gifts according to the capableness of them which came to receive them. The same did Faustus the Pelagian also affirm: "How has
God," says he, "redeemed all the world? Do we not see men to live still in their sins? How shall we think that they are ransomed whom we do see still to continue captives? Let us gather that which is here meant by using a similitude—as, for example, if any ambassador or priest purposing to make intercession for a city taken by war shall bestow a very great ransom and set free from his servitude who is the chief commander of all the multitude which is in captivity, insomuch that they are altogether delivered from all constraint or necessity of
bondage. And then if happily either their usual delight or some soothing slave shall so instantly urge some of the captives as that everyone turning servant and slave to his own will shall refuse that freely bestowed benefit—shall we say that the contempt of the unthankful captive has lessened the estimation of the ransom? Or that he which refuses liberty does any way diminish the good will of him that ransoms? Surely no. For even as he which returns may be well accepted with him that does ransom him, so is he guilty of contempt who did not return." Thus we see that the Pelagians did forge or frame a redemption through Christ without deliverance. And what else do they who publish in their pamphlets, that all and every one on God's part are redeemed, but not saved, because they will not believe? And now let us hear the confutation of this opinion.
Augustine says, "You say they are redeemed, but they are not delivered. They are washed, but they are not cleansed. These be your monstrous opinions. These are the paradoxes of the Pelagian heretics, etc. But I pray you, tell me how can this redemption be understood, if He do not redeem from evil, which redeemed Israel from all their sins? For wherever we make mention of redemption, there also is understood a ransom; and what is that but the precious blood of the immaculate lamb Christ Jesus? And concerning this ransom, why should we ask any other wherefore it was given? Let him that gave the ransom, let him that paid the price make the answer. This is, says He, My blood which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Proceed, I pray proceed, and as you say in the sacrament of our Savior, men are baptized, but they are not saved.
They are redeemed, but they are not delivered. So say you also.
Christ's blood is shed for them for the remission of sins, but they are cleansed by the remission of no sin. They are wonderful, strange, and untrue things which you affirm.234 Concerning the redemption of Christ's blood, by reason of the exceeding errors which have grown in respect thereof, insomuch that some, even as their own writings do
witness, do hold that it was shed even for those ungodly ones who from the beginning of the world until the passion of our Lord were dead in their ungodliness and punished with eternal damnation, contrary to that saying of the prophet, O death, I will be your death, and your sting O hell—we do decree that it ought simply and faithfully to be held and taught according to the evangelical and apostolic truth that we judge that this ransom was given for them of whom the Lord Himself says, Even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone which believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. So God loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone that believed in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. And the apostle says, Christ was once offered for the taking away of the sins of many."
Prosper ascribes this platform of general grace to the Pelagians.
"This is," says he, "their very opinion and profession, that Adam sinning, every man sinned, and that no man is saved by his own works but by the grace of God in regeneration. And yet that the reconcilement which is in the sacrament of Christ's blood is without exception offered to all men, so that whoever will come to faith and baptism may be saved, and that God did foreknow before the creation of the world who should believe or who should remain in that faith which must afterward be propped and helped by His grace, and that He predestinated them to His kingdom who being freely called He foresaw that they would be worthy of election and that they would depart out of this life making a good end. And that therefore every man is provoked to believe and do good by godly institutions, that no man may despair of the attainment of eternal life, seeing that there is a reward prepared for a voluntary devotion." The difference I confess consists in this, that the Pelagians do either wholly ascribe to nature the ability to do well, or else partly to nature and partly to
grace. But this platform ascribes all things wholly to grace, which indeed is very right. But while they go about to ordain universal grace, they do not free themselves but are rather more entangled. For most true is that saying of Peter Martyr: "While these men make grace so common to all, they turn grace into nature."237 And I would willingly be certified whether they who have received this grace be regenerate or no. If they be regenerate, then all men are regenerate.
If they be not regenerate, then have all men power to believe and to attain salvation if they will—yea, even while they remain unregenerate. But this power, if it be in man before his conversion, will not differ much from nature. And if so be that grace extend as far as nature, we must not pray more for grace than for nature, neither need we any more pray for the conversion of unbelievers, because it is in their own power by reason of general grace to be converted if they will. Prosper also ascribes this platform to the Pelagians in these verses:
Thus we determine of that grace that makes Us God's own people, and to Him full dear:
But ye affirm that no man it forsakes, But that the world from sin it freeth clear,
And passing none, does proffer mere salvation To all without exception; yet they come Guided by their own list to this vocation,
And motions of the mind, directing some, To the embracing of that offered light
Which to all that will, does clear the sight.
But afterward he condemneth it in this sort:
Let's see how you can prove, that Christ His grace Proffers God's kingdom and true blessedness
To all men born, letting none overpass, To whom it granteth not this happiness.
When even at this time through the whole world's frame And compass of the earth, wherein we live,
Christ's Gospel is not known, nor yet His name; I cannot say but that He could it give Even at the first, to all that breathe on earth
Or ever in this world received birth.
And again, he says:
If no man be whom He will not redeem, No doubt but that His will shall be effected,
But of a great part He makes no esteem, Who in infernal darkness live rejected.
Now if the divers motions of the mind,
And a peculiar perfect liberty Do make a different cause, to all mankind God's will most free from inability Either receiveth strength, from human pleasure
Or wanteth strength, when will attains that treasure.
And again, he answers the Pelagians, who say that by willing it we are able to attain God's grace, or else to resist it by nilling it, after this manner:
How falls it out that this Almighty grace Which saveth all, rejects the work it wrought,
When neither cause, condition, time, nor place, Can for a hindrance thereunto be brought?
And again:
What would you say when you do plainly see How Christ His grace in twins a difference makes,
And those who at one time conceived be, And whom the world into her bosom takes It does distinguish, granting one heaven's bliss;
The other hell, where grief and horror is?
To say the will directs, you speak amiss.
And again:
No man can hold them justly culpable Or guilty of this sin to whom God's might Did never show itself so favorable As to appear, no not in glimmering light.
Faustus, the semi-Pelagian, accused the Catholics in that they said that our Lord Jesus Christ "did not take upon Him man's flesh for all men, nor died generally for all." And on the other side, the Catholics accuse the Pelagians "in that they say that God repels none from eternal life, but is willing indifferently that all men should be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."240 And again, that "they say that our Lord Jesus Christ died for all mankind, and that no man is utterly exempted from the redemption of His blood, although he lead all this his life estranged from Him, because that the sacrament of God's grace appertains to all men, whereby many are not therefore regenerated because they are foreknown that they have not a will to be regenerated, and that therefore on God's part eternal life is prepared for all men, but in respect of the freedom of the will they say that they only attain everlasting life who do of their own accord believe." And again they say that "they will not admit of that exposition of that saying which is alleged out of Augustine, which is that unless He will have all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2)."241 And again: "Not only those which appertain to the number of the saints, but all men altogether, without exception of any."