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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17121	An historicall narration of the iudgement of some most learned and godly English bishops, holy martyrs, and others (whereof III; viz. Archbishop Cranmer, B. Latimer, and Bishop Hooper, suffred martyrdome, in the dayes of Q. Mary, for the truth and Gospell of Christ Iesus) concerning Gods election, and the merit of Christ his death, &c.	J. A., of Ailward.; Ailward, John, attributed name. aut; Andrewes, John, fl. 1615, attributed name. aut	1631 (1631)	STC 4; ESTC S100399	62,871	120

that he Fore-seeth Wherefore the old Writers in Confutation of the Manichaeans laboured in nothing somuch as to prove that although God did fore-see all things Both good and evill yet did hee onely-Fore-see and Not Predestinate those things which are evill As by an Infinite Number of places out of the ancient Writers if shortnesse would suffer I could easily prove But one place of St. Augustine I will rehearse which doth not onely resolve clearly this matter Betweene Fore-sight and Fore-ordinance or betweene the Praescience and Predestination but also most plainely teacheth all that is to be said of Predestination Prosper rehearsing the words and defending the Opinion of Augustine where he prooveth that the Divell can scarce be called the Author of Sinne because it came of Mans owne Will and asketh by what Madnesse and Frensie Men doe attribute that unto God which canot be altogether ascribed to the Divell at the last hee concludeth with these words of AVGVSTINE Nihil ergo Talium Negotiorum Deus praedestinavit ut fieret Nec illam animam nequiter turpiterque victuram ad hoc ut taliter viveret praeparavit Sed Talem futur am non ignoravit de Tali Se Iustè Iudicaturum esse praescrvit Atque ita ad praedestinationem eius nihil aliud referri potest nisi quod aut ad debitam Iusticia Retributionem aut ad indebitam pertinet gratiae largitatem Therefore saith he God hath predestinate no Part of any such Doings neyther the Soule which afterwards lived wickedly and filthily hath he prepared to that end that it should so live but Hee was not ignorant that such a One it would bee and of such Hee foreknew that he himselfe would ●ustly iudge And so Nothing may bee referred to the Predestination of GOD but onely that which pertaineth to the due recompense of his Righteousnesse or to the undeserved guift of his Grace These are the words of S. Augustine which surely are marvailous full of pyth containing the whole Summe of that which may bee said in this matter of Gods predestination and are therefore most worthy to be noted yea and to bee committed to memorie For being thorowly weighed They doe plainely set forth the full resolution of all this Question But to returne againe unto Those that Contrary to the Scripture and all ancient Writers doe teach that GOD doth not onely Fore-see but also Predestinate both Good and evill as well the Murder of Cain as the Holinesse of Abel and thereby make God plainely the Author of Sinne when they perceive the outragious Blasphemy to be over-much Apparant and manifest Then doe they Sometime closly rowle it vp in a Riddle again which for the Darke speach thereof may serve at the least to Blinde the eyes of some As where among many other wayes they plainely make God the Author of Sinne Saying that God is not onely the Principall Cause but also the Author of All Things without Exception both on the One Side and on the Other if they be then urged with the Consequence That God is the Author of sinne They will Answere That in All Abomination God is the Author of the Fact but Not of the Crime As of the Fact Deede or worke of Adulterie Sodomitry Murther and Idolatry God is the Author Say They but not of the Fault or Crime This Aenigma have I heard some men use and it is also written in a Booke intitled A Briefe Treatise of Election and Reprobation lately set forth and printed in the English Tongue where He saith thus Though we be Compelled to say that God is the Author of the Fact yet wee must answere but Not of the Crime Areade Areade what is that God is the Author of the very Fact and Deede of Adultery Theft Murther Treason and yet he is not the Author of Sinne. And why The subtilty of the Riddle is This viz. Tha● Sinne is No-thing The theife is not hanged for the Deed which he hath committed For GOD is the author thereof but he is hanged for the sinne and that is For No-thing For when they say God is the author of all things Then Nothing is excepted but sinne is Nothing And therefore he is not the Author of sinne The thiefe is hanged for nothing The Murtherer is put to death for nothing The traytour looseth his Head for nothing The wicked are punished in everlasting fire for nothing A Marvelous Sophistication a strange Paradox and cautelous Riddle But to be short though many wayes this subtilty might be answered I will take only the Definition of Sin as I find it written in the same booke where he saith very Truely The Nature of Sinne is Defined by the authority of Scripture to bee a Thought Word or DEEDE Contrary to the will of GOD. Now because They say that God is the Authoof all evill DEEDES though not of the CRIMES Let us passe over the evill Thoughts and evill WORDS and speake onely of the Deede it selfe which He himselfe Defineth to be Sinne and contrary to Gods will If God then be the Author of that FACT or DEEDE which Deede is Sinne and contrary to Gods will How can Hee then say that GOD is the Author of the FACT but not of the FAVLT Seeing hee himselfe setteth forth not onely a Thought or a Word but also a DEEDE to be Sinne. And if God be the Author of that SAME DEEDE which DEEDE is Sinne Is it not a thing most plaine that God is the Author of Sinne And All this their Travell is to prove That the Ordinance and Predestination of GOD doe so carry men even Headlong unto all actions bee they never so Mischievous That of Necessity they must Needs and Cannot Choose but commit the same As though Gods Predestination were like a Tempest of winde ●o blowing in the Sayles of Mans heart That by It He is carried Headlong to all things whatsoever he doth According to the saying of the Poet Iam magis atque magis Pr●ceps agit Omnia FATVM Now more and more DESTINY hurleth all things headlong But surely This STOICALL Necessity maketh such a Confusion of all things That let them colour up the matter with as much cunning as they can and Qualifie it with as Faire words as may bee yet shall there never the State of a Common wealth in England stand if this pers●●asion may once take Perfect Roote among the PEOPLE besides that it is vtterly repugnant to the Holy Scripture and against all ANCIENT Writers a● shall bee hereafter briefely prooved And whereas They deny this Doctrine of Theirs to be the Stoicall Opinion because the STOICKS say they fained that Nature with such Order of Causes as she hath Tyed together doth bring all things to passe By Necessity But They affirme that GOD by his Fore-ordinance aternall Predestination and Providence bringeth all things to passe By a like Necessity Thus the Best-learned of them make the Difference But a plaine Delusion it is to blinde the

asfirme and confesse That Man So hath Freedome or Choice that Neverthelesse he hath continually need of the Helpe and Grace of God Who they are I say which in This point also ought worthily to be called Pelagians let All men Iudge The Case is so cleare that No lacke of knowledge but onely wilfull Blindnesse may helpe to Cloake the Matter There followeth the Tenth and Eleuenth Errours which are these That our Victory commeth not of Gods-Helpe but of Free-Choice And that Remission of sinnes is not given to them that repent according to the grace and Mercy of God but according to the Deserving and labour of them which by Repentance are worthy of Gods Mercy O Blasphemie Intolerable O Filthy Puddle and Sincke most Execrable full of stinking Errours full of Damnable Presumption like to the Pride of Lucifer most Abominable The detestable vilenesse whereofis such that rather by Exclamation I thought it Good to Re●●unce it Than with Scripture or Reason to Confute it Seeing All Reason and All Scripture giveth All glory vnto GOD and this Blasphemous Errour raketh away all the glory of all Goodnesse from the Father of all Mercy and GOD of all Consolation and giveth it unto vile and wretched Man which hath of Himselfe Nothing that is Good but doth altogether receive it from the mercy and goodnesse of GOD. Heere concludeth St Augustin with the Errours of Pelagius and saith That All these Errours He Revoked and Renounced in the generall Councell of Palestine Thus have I set forth in English these Errours of Pelagius together That thou which art willing to know the Trueth and understand the Matter even as it is mayest bee Able to Iudge who they are that hold Any of these Errours and not credit the Malice of certaine which to cloake their owne False Opinions accuse Other to bee Pelagiaus who indeed from their very Heart and Soule abhorre All these wicked Opinions and have beene many yeares willing to bestow their lives against all these Abominable Errours Yet there is One thing whereunto Pelagius was Compelled to Subscribe which I haue not rehearsed among the Errours aforesaid because the Deniall thereof is of all our Gospellers as I suppose received for no Errour The Article is This Quòd Infantes non baptisati non solùm Regnum Calorum verùm etiam vitam aeternam habere non possint Hereunto did Pelagius subscribe That Infants which are not Baptized cannot have the Kingdome of GOD nor Eternall life Which cruell Opinion That All un-baptized Children are damned St. Austin in many places of his workes doth boldly and vehemently maintaine But Calvin saith Explodendam esse Illorum Glossam palàm est qui Omnes non-Baptizatos aeternae morti adiudicant It is cleare saith hee that their Glosse is worthy with hissing and clapping of Hands to bee driven out of Doores which Condemne unto everlasting Death all those which are not Baptized And because Calvin is with so Many of us which are Gospellers in Authority fully-sufficient to encounter with Augustine I thinke it good for shortnesse in this Article to say no further There remaineth then as before I promised briefly to Note those things which I thinke worthy to be reprooved about the Doctrine of Predestination as it is Now-a-dayes taught of many VVHerein lest I should seeme to speake without assured Ground and because wordes in Preaching in Talke or Disputation wherof I have heard great abundance in this Matter may rashly passe with small advisement and eyther easily bee Denyed or soone forgotten I am determined to touch Nothing but their very words which are set forth in Print And because the taking and answering of their whole Bookes were a matter long and tedious Being commonly stuffed on the oneside with an heape of Opprobrious and outragious wordes against such Private persons as they tooke in hand to write And on the other side filled rather with obscure Subtilties than with plaine Affirmations I have thought it best therefore to take certaine Sentences which contayne manifest Affirmations out of Divers late Printed English Bookes wherin the Summe effect of this Doctrine which Many doe for iust cause mislike is Fully plainely and simply declared I reade in an English Booke set forth by Robert Crowly and entituted THE CONFVTATION OF 13. ARTICLES c. These words viz. Adam therefore being so perfect a Creature that there was in Him no lust to Sinne and yet so weake that of himselfe hee was not Able to withstand the assault of the subtile Serpent No Remedy the onely Cause of his Fall must needs bee the Predestination of GOD. Thou seest Dearely beloved in the Conclusion of this Sentence one Point declared wherein the Contreversie doth consist For where Hee plainely affirmeth That GODS Predestination is the onely Cause of Adams Fall which is the Fountaine of All sinne Others having much more Reverend opinion of GOD and of his Holy Predestination doe set their Foot or rather their Heart and Soule against their said Conclusion Esteeming it farre better to bee Tor●e in many thousand pieces than to thinke or say that Gods fore-Ordinance or Predestination is the Cause of any Sinne or Evill I beseech Thee Let not thine Eyes bee blinded nor thy Mind muffled with malice eyther against the One party or the Other but in the Ballan●e of an upright Iudgement weigh the Difference The One saith as in this Conclusion manifestly appeareth And as afterward yet more plainely hee affirmeth That the Predestination of GOD is the onely Cause of Adams sinne and so Consequently of All evill The other affirmeth directly Contrary that GOD or his predestination is the Cause of No Sinne or Evill but the onely Cause of all Goodnesse and Vertue And Herewith agreeth the Holy and Divine Apostle S. Iohn in his Epistle saying All that is in the world as the Concupiscence of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life is Not of the Father All Good things that are in the world are no doubt of GOD our Heavenly Father But what soever in the world is Concupiscence Lust Sinne Evill or Wickednesse That same it not of GOD our Heavenly Father as S. Iohn doth plainly and precisely affirme The like plainnesse useth also the holy Man Iesus the Sonne of Syrack in these words Say not Thou It is the Lords Fault that I am gone by For thou shouldest not doe the thing that GOD hateth Say not Thou Hee hath caused me to goe wrong For He hath no Need of the Vngodly The very same thing is plainly declared in these Scriptures following and in other places almost innumerable Psal 5. a. Prov. 19. a. Ierem. 7. c. 19. B. Ose 13. c. Iob. 34. b. 36. B. Rom. 7. b. c. 1. Cor. 4. F. Iam. 1. c. Exod. 34. A. Deut. 5. D. 2. King 14. b. Psal 81. c. 144. b. Prov. 1. c. Wisd 1. c. 2. D. 11. D. 12. B. C D. 15. A. Eccl. 2. D.

we well and then we my bee sure that we are ordained to Everlasting life But you will say How shall I know that I am in the bookof life How shall I try my selfe to be Elect of God to evelasting Life I answere First we may kn●w that wee may and time be in the booke and another time come ●t againe as it appeareth by DAVID which was writen in the booke of life But when he sinned hee at that same time was out of the booke of the favour of God until hee had repented and was sory for his faults So we●ay ●ay bee in the booke one time and afterward when we ●rget God and his word and doe wickedly we come out of the booke that is out of Christ which is the booke And in that Booke are written all beleevers But I will tell you how you shall know when you are in the booke And there are three especiall notes whereby wee may know the same The first note is if you know your sinne and feele your owne wretchednesse and filthinesse which is a great matter for the most part of people are so drowned in sinne that they no more feele the same for sinne greeveth them no more According to the saying of Salomon Impius quum in medium peccatorum venit contemnit That is The ungodly man when he entreth into the middest of all sinne and mischiefe despiseth the same he regardeth Sin nothing at all neither is he sory for it But as I said the first note is when you know your sinne and feele the same then are they heavy unto you and greeve you Then followeth the second point which is faith in Christ that is when you beleeve most stedfastly and undoubtedly that God the Heavenly father through his Sonne will deliver you from your sinnes When you beleeve I say that the bloud of our Saviour is shed for you for the cleansing and putting away of your sinnes and beleeving this most stedfastly with an unfained heart then you have the second Point The third point is when you have an earnest desire to amendment and hatred against Sinne study to live after Gods will and Commandements as much as is possible for you to doe then have you the third Point And when you finde these three Points to bee in you Namely first when you know your sinne and be sory for the same and afterwards beleeve to bee saved through the passion of Iesu Christ And Thirdly have an earnest desire to leave sinne and to fly the same when you find these three things in your hearts then you may be sure that your names are written in the booke and you may be sure also that you are elect and predestinate to everlasting life And againe when you see not your wickednesse and that sinne grieveth you not neither have you faith or hope in our Saviour and therefore are Carelesse and study not for amendment of life then you are in a heavy case and then you have cause to cry and lament your wretchednesse For truely you are not in the booke of life but the Devill hath power over you as long as yee are in such a state Here you see now how you shall try your selves whether you be in the booke of life or no c. And againe THe Evangelist saith hee when Iesus was borne What is Iesus Iesus is an Hebrew word and signifieth in our English tongue a Saviour and Redeemer of all Mankind borne into this world This title and name to save appertaineth properly and principally unto him for he saved us else had we beene lost for ever Notwithstanding the name of Saviour is used in common speech as the King is called a Saviour for he saveth his subiects from all danger and harme that may ensue of the Enemies Likewise the Physitian is accompted a Saviour for hee saveth the sicke man from the danger of his disease with good and wholesome medicines So Fathers and Mothers are Saviours for they save their Children from bodily harme that may happen unto them So Bridges leading over the waters Likewise Ships and Boates great and small Vessels upon the Seas are Saviours for they save us from the fury rage and tempest of the Sea So Iudges are Saviours for they save or at least should save the people from wrong and oppression But all this is not perfect saving for what availeth it to bee saved from Sicknesse Calamities and Oppression when wee shall bee condemned after our death both body and soule for ever to remaine with the Devill and his Angels Wee must therefore come to Iesus which is the right and true Saviour And he it is that hath saved us from sinne Whom hath hee saved His people how saved hee them First by Magistrates he saveth the poore from oppression and wrong The Children hee saveth through the Tuition of the Parents from danger and perill by Physitians hee saveth from sicknesse and diseases but from sinne hee saveth onely through his Passion and bloudshedding Therefore he may be called and is the very right Saviour for it is hee that saveth from all infelicitie all his faithfull people and his salvation is sufficient to satisfie for all the world as concerning it selfe but as concerning us hee saved no more but such as put their trust in him And as many as beleeve in him shall bee saved The other shall be cast out as Infidels into everlasting damnation Not for lacke of Salvation but for Infidelitie and lacke of Faith which is the onely cause of their damnation He saved us from what even from sinne Now when he saved us from sinne then hee saved us from the wrath of God from affliction and calamities from Hell and Death and from Damnation and everlasting paine for Sin is the cause and fountaine of all mischiefe Take away sinne then all other Calamities wherein mankind is wrapped are taken away and cleane gone and dispersed Therefore hee saving us from sinne saved us from all affliction But how doth he save us from sinne In this manner that sinne shall not condemne us Sinne shall not have the victory over us He saved us not so that we should be without sinne that no sinne should be left in our hearts No he saved us not so For all manner of imperfections remaine in us yea in the best of us so that if God should enter into Iudgement with us wee should all be damned For there are more nor ever was any man borne into this world which could say I am cleane from sinne except Iesus Christ Therefore he saved us not from sinne in taking cleane away the same that wee should not be inclined unto it but rather the power and strength of the same sinne he hath so vanquished that it shall not be able to condemne those which beleeve in him for sinne is remitted and not imputed unto the beleevers So likewise he saved us from sinne not taking

his pleasure is Let them say therefore what they can or will This meere Necessitie which our Men doe ●each is the very Same which the Stoickes did hold Which opinion because it destroyed the State of a Common-wealth It was banished out of Rome as St. Augustine declareth Lib. Quast vet Nov. Testam Where Hee notably refelleth that Opinion in these few words saying Quâ ratione Nati dicuntur c. By what reason saith Augustine were they borne which banished MATHEMATICOS the setters forth of Destinie out of Rome 〈◊〉 Which law was kept and they were but Heathen How were these Things done by Destinie which make against Destinie But surely if there bee a Destinie it doth nothing against It selfe saith St. Augustine For so were Destinie no Destinie Of at the least Destinie fighting against it selfe Or to speake the Same in those words which Our Men by abuse taken out of Scripture to maintaine the very same Matter If it bee GODS Predestination that men should write and speake against his Predestination as they say some doe Then is GODS Predestination a Kingdome not onely divided but also fiercely Fighting against it selfe O miserable Absurdity which any Child may perceive must needs follow If All thinges come to passe with absolute Necessitie by GODS Predestination as They teach This same Doctrine also That all 〈◊〉 springeth out of GOD● ordinance Or that Gods Predestination was the Cause of 〈◊〉 fall and of All wickednesse is plainly maintained in an English Booke la●ely set forth and 〈…〉 led Against a Pr●vie Papist c. Where among many Open and plaine Sentences upon this matter I finde an Argument made in these wordes Major Whatsoever 〈◊〉 in Adam was in Him by Gods will and Ordinance Minor But Sinne was in Adam Conclusio Ergo Sinne was in Him by Gods will and Ordinance The Maior of which Argument being understood of Adam after his ●all is manifestly false and therefore the Conclusion also is false For if it may be said of Ad 〈…〉 〈…〉 fter his Fall as by the Minor you well perceive that he so understands it Then may it also bee sayd ●ow of any Man That what execrable wickednesse soever is in Any man that same is in him by GODS Will and Ordinance Hee goeth about also to proove the same by another Argument which hee maketh speaking of the lying Spirit saying Major God commanded him to Sinne Minor But God commanded nothing which hee ordayned not Conclusio Ergo So hee ordayned him to Sinne. Which argument it is 〈…〉 vayle that Any man could be so Blinde is not to see how it might with much more Strength and Force and much more manifest Trueth be Turned against Himselfe in This sort speaking of Adam yea and of all men saying Major God commanded Adam and doth command all men to Absteyne from Sinne. Minor But He commandeth Nothing which Hee ordaineth not Conclusio Ergo God Ordained Adam and all men to absteyne from Sinne. If GOD then Ordained ADAM and all men to absteyne from Sinne Then did He not Ordeyne Adam or any man to commit Sin So was not Sinne in Adam or in any man by Gods will and Ordinance Not GODS Ordinance the Cause of Adams Fall or of any Mans Sinne. And Therefore Their Opinion is vtterly False Also if GOD in his SECRET COVNSELL doe predestinate appoint and ordaine man to Sinne and yet give unto Him a strict law and commandement Not to sinne is not then His SECRET WILL contrary to his Open WORD And his Eternall Ordinance repugnant to his WRITTEN LAW All Their Faire words and Fine framed fetches cannot avoide it Yet would I further aske them a Question Seeing it is the Decree Ordinance and Will of GOD expressed in his word That man should not sinne How crept they into That SECRET COVNSELL where God Ordained Decreed and Willed the Contrarie That is to say That man should Sinne But I heare their Answere already published in Print standing in the Third leafe and second page of the First Blast of that Traiterous Trumpet set forth against the REGIMENT of weomen Where fol. 2. pag. 2. he briefely and covertly toucheth this Close and Privie Counsell of God in these words The SECRET COVNSELL of God excepted But in fol. 3. pag. 2. he saith I am assured than God hath Reveiled to some in this our Age that it is More than a Monster in Nature That a WOMAN shall Reigne and have Empire above Man This may be the Apocalyps of some men in Our Age But sure I am it is not in the Revelation of St. Iohn the Evangelist nor of Any Other old Apostle or Prophet THESE NEW REVELATIONS which are reveyled to Men of our Age out of a SECRET COVNSELL Decree and Ordinance of God CONTRARY to the OPEN word and commandement of God are meete for Those which delight in Damnable Dreames of some doating Destinie and may well bee called the Inspirations of old Arians Revelations of blind Anabaptists or un-written Verities of Superstitious Papists rather than the secret Counsell of GOD revealed to Men of our Age. But to conclude That Angell or Spirit which contrary to the manifest WORD of GOD hath revealed unto Men of our age that a WOMAN being Right Inheritour to the Crowne of a Realme ought not to bee Ruler thereof That same Spirit and Angell of Darknesse hath Revealed unto Men of our Age that Caine was Predestinate to Murther his Brother Abel and that the most wicked Traytors Murtherers and Theeves that live are Ordayned of GOD in his SECRET Counsell contrary to his Open Word to bee wicked even as they are and to commit such Murther Theft and Treason even as they doe The same Conclusion and New Revelation is also plainly set foorth in the other late-printed English Booke before Named translated out of French into English Where anon after the Beginning speaking of GODS Will he saith By vertue whereof All thinges are Made yea even those Thinges which are Evill and Execrable Yet when hee hath plainly affirmed that by vertue of GODS Will evill and execrable Thinges are made lest the Horrible face of Sathan should be perceived in the Burning flame of Those terrible Wordes The matter is afterwards trimly covered with a cloake of unsavorie Subtiltie For hee declareth his mind to be That those evill and execrable Thinges which are wrought by the vertue of GODS will are not Evill and Execrable Sc. In That they are wrought by his Divine Counsell As if hee should say Though they bee indeed Evill and execrable thinges which the Counsell of GOD worketh yet are they not Evill in that respect or Therefore evill because GOD worketh Them But for as much saith hee as They proceed from the Prince of the Ayre c. Or to speake it in more usuall termes because the Divell or wicked Men doe worke It which neverthelesse as they plainly hold and affirme are but the Instruments of GOD appointed thereunto and in doing the

Predestination of GOD that it cannot be mooved from the same But GOD created Man and did Predestinate him That if hee were obedient and did abstaine from the taste of the forbidden Apple hee should Live but if hee were disobedient he should abide the sentence of Death This Predestination is of Condition and of Iustice For GOD before the Fall of man did not by power of binding so Predestinate him to Dye that of necessity hee must needs dye but under that condition if hee Sinned Because therefore Man did Sinne it was a righteous thing that he should Dye If he sinned not hee should not be bound to Death by any chaine of GODS Predestination All these are the wordes of AVGVSTINE And this division is often repeated and commended by the best learned of the Protestants Many thinges doe offer themselves in this matter to bee spoken but my purpose of briefenesse causeth mee to grow to an End I have thought good therefore in few wordes to note one point more of evill Doctrine which now adayes is taught and it springeth also cut of this aforesaid Proposition That GOD's Predestination causeth all sinne and wickednesse And this it is That Sinne is not the cause of Reprobation nor of GODS hatred towards the wicked which are Damned Which thing indeed to bee short I grant must needs follow if the former Conclusion bee true That Sinne commeth of GODS Predestination or that GODS Predestination was the cause of Adams Fall which was the Originall of Sinne For if Sinne or the Originall thereof came of GOD or of his Ordinance and from GOD commeth nothing but that which is Holy Iust and Good then is Sinne no sinne and cannot bee the cause of GODS hatred towards them that perish Except wee should say that GOD hateth them for that thing which is Holy Iust and good And lest I should bee thought through pretence of brevitie to passe over without plaine proofe of that which I say that this part of Doctrine is also set foorth and taught I will rehearse One sentence of theirs published in Print which is so open and manifest that it may serve as well as a Thousand I reade in the fore-named Booke translated out of French into English towards the latter end of the Booke upon this place thus noted in Figures and these very Wordes follow Rom. 9. c. 11 12 13. Hee sayth not onely that Esau was ordayned to bee hated Before hee did any Evill For in so saying hee should not seeme to Exclude any thing but actuall Sinne and Incredulitie But hee sayth Expresly before hee was Borne Whereby hee excludeth Originall Sinne and all that which might bee considered in the Person of Esau by his Birth from the cause of Hate Touching the Text whereupon it is spoken assuredly Inke serveth not 〈◊〉 to make Ivorie white than these Wordes to open the minde and sence of the Apostle as it were easie to proove if shortnesse would suffer to make a digr●s●ion But touching that part of Doctrine a tho 〈…〉 se●est that hee speaketh of two Opinions The one that Actuall Sinne or Incredulitie should bee the cause of GODS hatred towards the wicked The other that Originall Sinne is the cause of GODS hate towards them This man against them both taketh occasion upon this example of ESAU To Exclude all that is in Man eyther outward Sinne or inward eyther originall Sinne or actuall from the cause of GOD● hate So that if it bee true which they say GOD doth hate men neyther for their outward wicked Life not for their inward D●vellish lust but for his owne pleasure onely The very same thing sayth KNOXE in the 14● Page of his aforesaid Booke where his words are those Further I say That if ESAU was Hated for his Evill deserving then must needes follow That IACOB was Loved for his Well-deserving by the Argument following of the nature of Contraries As well it might be sayd It must needs follow by the contraries That if a King or Prince hate one man which hath Well-deserved his hate by stealing from him his Ring his Chaine or some great Iewell then doth hee not love any other man but hee which hath well deserved his Love by giving to him a Ring a Chayne or some great Treasure As though hee should say because Iustice worketh on the one side therefore Mercy hath nothing to doe on the other side or as though GOD were not both Iust and Mercifull Iust in Damning for theyr offence those which are damned and Mercifull in saving without their desert those which are Saved And who seeth not that neyther Simile nor Dis●imile neyther like thinges nor thinges contrary doe hold in all points For nothing is So like which in some thing is not unlike neyther any thing so contrary which doth in all thinges vary CHRIST is likened to a Lyon but did hee ever Ravish Devoure and shed any Innocent blood Latimer wisheth That All the Byshops were like Byshop Devill in diligence then ought not the Devill and a Byshop to differ in any thing And most especially and plainely doth the Scripture beate in our heads above all other thinges That the natures of Contraries doe not hold in both sides of GODS reward and Mans deserving For as they are inseparable Relatives in the one part so on the other side the one hath never any relation to the other For as GODS Hatred and Vengeance hath ever Relation to Mans ill-deserving So hath GODS Love and Mercy never any relation to Mans merit Yea all the Scripture teacheth us That GOD never Hateth or punisheth Man without his owne Deserving For as the Wise man sayth Et eum qui nullam poenam commerit 〈…〉 s sit condemnasse à tuâ potentiâ indic as alienum And thou Lord saith hee esteemest it a thing contrary to thy Power to have condemned him which hath not deserved Punishment What should bee sayd of the Caananites and the Israelites If the nature of Contraries doe alwayes hold and have such relation of the one to the other Must it not then necessarily follow as hee sayth by the nature of Contraries That if the Caananites were cast out of the fortunate-Land that flowed with Milke and Honey for theyr Evill-deserving That on the other side the Israelites were brought and Planted into that same happie and blessed rest for theyr Well deserving But what sayth the Scripture Speake not in thy heart after that the Lord thy GOD hath cast them out before thee saying For my Righteousnesse the Lord hath brought mee in to possesse this Land Nay but for the wickednesse of those Nations the Lord hath cast them out before thee So plainly speaketh the Holy Ghost here that thou mayest easily perceive how grosse and vaine their saying is which affirme That if GOD Hate an Evill man for his owne Evill deserving then must it needes follow that hee Loveth a good man for his owne Well-deserving For the hatred of GOD and

Everlasting damnation are Iust rewards of Mans Evill-deserving But the Love of GOD and Everlasting life are free guifts of GOD for CHRIST'S sake without any part of Mans owne deserving Take therefore this Saying of theirs No Sinne neyther Originall nor Actuall is the Cause of Gods hate or Eternall death and put the same into the one side of the Ballance then take and put into the other side this saying of Saint PAVL to the Romans Was that then which was good made Death unto me GOD forbid but Sinne was made Death unto me Then weigh both these Sayings together with the hand of good advisement in the indifferent Ballance of upright Iudgement and put not in above three graines of wilfull Partiality thus shalt thou plainly see that the Apostle agreeth farre better with the Maiesty of GOD and hath a much more Reverend opinion of his Iudgements than these men have yea thou shalt easily perceive whatsoever they say that neyther GODS Pleasure nor GODs Ordinance or Predestination nor none other thing that is good is made Death or the Cause of Gods hatred against any man But Sinne is the very grounded Cause why God hateth taketh vengeance and punisheth Man by Death and destruction According to that which the same Apostle sayeth Death is the reward of Sinne. And the wordes of HOSEA are also manifestly plaine where hee sayth O Israel thou doest destroy thy selfe but in Mee onely is thy helpe In which wordes of the Holy Ghost thou seest how manifestly God doth as it were purge himselfe from being the Cause or worker of Mans destruction so that the Perdition and destruction of Man is altogether to bee attributed unto Himselfe And GOD beeing cleere neyther accessary nor partaker thereof as the chiefe and high Iudge of Heaven and Earth unspotted and without blame giveth sentence of Everlasting death upon Man for his owne wicked deserving and offence But on the other side sayeth God unto Man In Me onely is thy helpe In GOD onely onely in God is our helpe and Salvation In him onely and of him altogether and not of our selves commeth our Salvation and all whatsoever belongeth thereunto The same is also set forth by all those Scriptures which are before rehearsed to proove that Sinne and Evill commeth not of Gods Predestination For upon that Conclusion dependeth also this Proposition That Sinne is not the cause of Reprobation or of GODS hatred towards Man And upon the same Article dependeth also another part of Doctrine which they Teach worthy to be misliked of All men as well for that it importeth a Sophisticall search of bottomlesse Secrets in the very Essence and Nature of GOD as also for that it clearely withdraweth us from CHRIST the onely stay and comfort of our weake Conscience delivered unto us in the Word of GOD. For that they might bee surer to hold fast the former Principle That All thinges come of GODS Predestination as Running streames out of a deepe Fountaine They affirme that the free Mercy of GOD in Christ is but an Inferiour cause of Election and that wee are taught to ascend unto a higher Cause as unto the Eternall Purpose and Predestination of GOD which hee determined onely in Himselfe So sayth the Printed Booke before named Translated out of French into English That same thing wee reade also late set foorth in English Print in the Glosse of the last Translated Bible Rom. Cap. 9. With these Words AS The onely Will and Purpose of GOD is The chiefe Cause of Election and Reprobation So his Free Mercy in CHRIST is an Inferiour cause of Salvation c. But for my part I trust in minde never to ascend unto that high cause of Election and in Heart never to taste of that Eternall Purpose or Predestination which GOD hath determined onely in Himselfe without or above his Free-mercy which is in CHRIST For surely That Eternall Purpose which commeth not of GODS free Mercy in Christ is to Destroy and not to Save Againe if that Eternall Purpose spring out of Gods Free-mercy then is that Free-mercy of GOD the Chiefe cause and not an Inferiour cause why hee purposeth to save us For a great dishonour it were to the Mercy of GOD To bee put in an Inferiour place touching Election and Salvation of Man For if Ever GODS Mercy bee above all it is in the Saving of miserable Man And Mercy there is not in God towards Man but onely in Christ. Therefore St. PAVL calleth it the Eternall Purpose which hee purposed in CHRIST IESU our Lord In CHRIST therefore was this Eternall Purpose and For his onely sake GOD the Father Eternally purposed to Elect and save us Consider and marke it well whence commeth this Purpose or Will of GOD to save us But of his free Mercy If his Purpose to save us spring out of his Free mercy why is then his Mercy inferiour to his Purpose Or how is the Fountaine inferiour to the Springs that come thereof Also what may bee sayd in GOD at any time or in any respect to bee higher or greater than his Mercy Seeing it is written That his mercy is as great as Himselfe Yea and most especially it is so to bee sayd That his Mercy passeth All when we speake of this matter For of this it is written That mercy reioyceth against Iudgement and why All the Iudgements of God in this behalfe are not to be compared unto his Mercy For though it were not true which DAVID sayth That his mercy is above all his workes Yet were in cleare that in Election Redemption and Salvation of man GODS mercy in Christ hath Ever the highest place And Those which in the Salvation of our Soules make the Free mercy of GOD an Inferiour cause how base a Roome will they assigne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy in nourishing and preserving our bodyes Let them reach as high as they can I trust to goe no further but to hold me fast by the Everlasting Mercy of GOD and by the Hemme of CHRIST's garment For the Scripture describeth GOD unto me without Christ as a wrathfull and most terrible Iudge but in Christ and for his sake as a Father whose wrath is pacified and Hee well pleased reconciled agreed and at one And to speake of a higher cause or purpose to Elect and Save onely in GOD beside or without this Free-mercy in Christ or that Christ and Gods free-mercy in him is not the chiefest Cause which worketh and obtayneth the decree and purpose of God to Elect and save it is plainly nothing else but to deny the mercy of God in Election Reconciliation Redemption and Salvation by Christ in Christ and for Christ As easily it may be perceived if a man doe but weigh and consider what Eternall purpose an Election and a Reconciliation is Seeing Christ is our Advocate Mediator Peace Reconciliation and Attonement as in these Scriptures following and many other it doth plainely appeare Psal 84. a.