owne contempt themselues dâ—â— first reiect God and by their wilfull obstinacie refusâ— his grace when it is offered vnto them How euidently do these men oppugne the Scriptures of God For if election and reiection depend on the actions of men after they be borne how can it be true which the Apostle teacheth that we are elected before the foundation of the world and that God elected Iacob ad hated Esau before they were borne when as yet they had done neither good nor euill Is not here a reiecting of Esau before he by his owne actuall contempt reiected God or despised his grace Or did Esau more then Iacob reiect God before he was borne Or if we seeme to any to straiten their opinion though their bookes and writings do testifie this to be their sence and meaning seeing our workes committed actually in time can no way be the cause of that Decree which is eternall and before all time Let vs proceed and see if the same works being from euerlasting foreseene foreknown by God as if they had been done may truely be said as some of better note haue taught to be the cause of our election to eternall life Now if we will herein hearken to the Apostles doctrine we shall cleerely perceiue that our faith sanctitie and all our good workes are so farre from being the cause of our election that they are in truth the very effects therof For we are elected that we should be holy and without blame Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle saith of himselfe 1. Cor. 7. 25. that he obtained mercy that he might be faithfull Whence it is manifest that God did not first foresee vs good and faithfull and therefore elected vs but first he elected vs and for this cause decreed to make vs faithfull good and holy in his sight And therefore Saint Austen hauing sometimes taught that God did chuse vs because he foresaw that we would beleeue afterwards retracteth and recalleth this sentence as erronious and deliuereth a truer lesson that faith is the effect of Predestination not the cause seeing the Apostle faith not that hee obtained mercy because he was faithfull but he obtained mercy that hee might be faithfull For we are not called saith he because wee did beleeue but that we should beleeue Againe when the Apostle demandeth 1. Cor. 4. 7 Who separated thee which was an other and principall motiue to Saint Austen to retract his former errour had the cause of our election beene either our faith or good workes foreseene it would haue beene easily answered My owne faith my owne workes my owne good will to embrace Gods grace these being foreseene by God separated me and moued God to elect mee rather then others but the Apostle knowing all these to bee the gifts of God and effects of his free loue and election referres wholly our separating from the rest to the grace and good pleasure of him who saith Luk. 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome that so no man might boast of himselfe but he that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. In the 9. to the Romanes the Apostle disputing this matter of set purpose and at large sheweth that though Iacob and Esau were in themselues alike before God not hauing done either good or euill the one more then the other borne at the same time and of the same parents yet for all this equalitie God loued Iacob and hated Esau. And because this might seeme vniustin the eyes of man that of two being altogether equall and alike the one should be loued and the other hated of God the Apostle proposeth to himselfe this great difficultie as S. Austen rightly calleth it What shall we say then is there vnrighteousnesse with God Now if God had loued and elected Iacob for his good workes or faith foreseene or hated Esau for his prophanenesse which from all eternâ—tie hee did foreknow surely this question not onely might easily be answered but there were no difficulty nor doubt at all therein For what vnrighteousnesse can this sâ—eme to any that God should loue Iacob who hee knew would loue and obey him or why should he not hate Esau of whom hee foreknew that hee would be a wicked a prophane person and one that would hate the Lord But the Apostle answereth not in such wise but knowing right well that God without all respect to the good or euill actions foreseene in the one more then in the other loued Iacob and hated Esau and knowing that the good actions of the one were not causes but effects of that loue of God and of his grace which he in mercy gaue vnto him and that the euill actions of the other proceeded from the want of Gods loue and of his grace which hee in iustice denyed or would not giue vnto the other He I say knowing all this giueth another and better answere that howsoeuer this may seeme vniust to the eyes of man yet it is in truth most righteous because it is the will and the good pleasure of God so to doe For I will haue mercy saâ—th God on whom I will and whom he will he hardeneth And that we might plainely see that there is nothing at all in any one which did or could moue God to loue and elect him rather then another the Apostle addeth this Conclusion as ensuing necessarily on that testimony of God So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy The true and certaine cause then why God in particular elected these and reiâ—cted the other is no way in themselues nor in their workes either actually perfâ—rmed or foreseene and foreknowne by God but it is wholly and solely in God himselfe It is euen his good pleasure and will who as he elected vs that is pull'd vs out of that masse of perdition from the rest according to the good pleasure of his will so by the same his good pleasure and will did he leaue others in that masse of sinne whom he made vessels of wrath and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation The reason of both which is that which the Apostle expresseth Hee sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth With what reprochfull speeches this doctrine and the teachers therofare reuiled you are not ignorant their bookes are too euident witnesses thereof And no maruâ—ll if they shoot their arrowes of most venemous words against men seeing they feare not to open their mouths against heauen in the insolent folly of their wits plead against God whose most holy will Iustice in this case they seeke to ouâ—rthrow First say they It can not withstand the will of God to ordain any to be vessels of wrath or to destruction for God witnesseth and that also with an oath Ezech. 33. 11. that hee desires not nor would the death of a sinner but that the wicked
nor will they beleeue nor liue in pietie for I will harden them as I hardened Pharaoh not giuing my grace nor working faith and sanctitie in them And this is part of the secret will of God not reuealed vnto vs but onely in the elect themselues and some few whom God hath witnessed in his Word either to be heires of life or to be partakers of eternall death Of these two premises which are parts the one of the reuealed the other of the secret will this conclusion is inferred which is the absolute decree of God Therefore these and these haue I elected and will in mercy saue Those and the other haue I refused and will at the last day in iustice condemne and cast into euerlasting fire Thus you see that the one will doth no way contrary the other but with a sweet harmony they both concurre in one Demonstration wherein from the effect of Gods will which in giuing his grace is our beleeuing and in not giuing his grace is our not beleeuing wee proceed vnto the cause of both which is the absolute will of God in electing these and the absolute will of God in reiecting or leauing the others Nor is that in any sort to bee allowed which some of later times following the fancy of Iulianus the Pelagiâ— Heretick doe affirme and teach that God vseth not his absolute but oâ—ely his conditionall will in this case of mens saluation so that if men doe beleeue and repent they shall then be saued leauing it to mens owne will and choise whether they will beleeue and repent or no For then would our Sauiour neuer haue said It is your Fathers wil to gliue you the Kingdom but rather he would haue said It is your own wil in that ye belieue for which God doth and wil giue the Kingdome vnto you Nor could that be true which againe he saith You have not chosen mee but I haâ—e chosen you seeing if his will were in this case onely conditionall he should neuer chuse man before man had first chosen God by choosing to beleeue in God yea the saluation of each man should by this means depend wholly on him that runneth him that willeth and the Apostles words so cleerely and certainly set down should be vntrue It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy By which words is cleerely signified that the onely cause why this man rather then another is chosen vnto life stands not in the will of man but of God who by his absolute will decreeth to giue his grace vnto one and thereby make him to beleeue and runne the race of piety and so be saued and by his like absolute will decreeth to harden that is not to giue his grace to another so leaue him to runne on the race of his own wickednesse vnto eternall perditioâ— This being obserued it is not hard to answere those places of Scripture Where it is said that God would haue all men to come to repentance and be saued For if these and the like speeches be vnderstood not of all sorts or degrees of men as besides others St Austen often expounds them but as they take them of all men without exception of any then can they no way be meant of the absolute will of God seeing then it were impossible that any at all should perish for if they did the will or wickednesse of man should make frustrate the wil and Counsell of God And who is able to resist his will Of which himselfe saith 46. 10. I will doe whatsoever I will and of which S. Austen saith that many are not saued non quia ipfi sed quia Deus non vult and quia nolit saluos fieri not because they would not but because God wil not that they shal be saued or he had absolutely willed that euery one without exception should be saued how could Saint Paul haue said of those vessels of wrath that they are prepared or Saint Iude that they are ordained or as Saint Austen and after him Fulgentius and others often speake predestinate to destruction and coudemnation For none can doubt but what God prepareth ordaineth and predestinateth that also he willeth seeing predestination is his very will Hence it is that some considering that those testimonies could not be meant as they suppose of the absolute will of God seeing by it he will haue many to perish doe expound them of his reuealed which is called his conditionall will for by it God wil haue his Gospel preached and saluation conditionally offered vnto all and so all conditionally to be saued to wit all who performe that condition of faith and sanctitie which is required of all But I rather assent to the iudgement of others and specially of Saint Austen who by those generall speeches of all and none vnderstand not all men without exception but all Gods Elect and chosen children expounding the places in this manner that God would haue all to come to repentance and be saued namely all his chosen of what degree or condition soeuer they be and againe he would haue none to perish to wit none that beleeue in him none of his elected seruants of what degree soeuer Which restriction is the more agreeable seeing Christ himselfe seemeth of set purpose to set it downe Math. 18. 14 saying It is not your Fathers wil that any of these little ones should perish He said not It is not Gods will that any should perish but granting this of some hee saith It is not Gods will that any of these little ones of these chosen ones who are little meane and contemptible in the eyes of the world that any of these should perish And the very circumstances in Saint Peter Who is an expositor of Exechiel do enforce the same limitation For besides that hâ— writeth this to the elect of God who had obtained like precious faith with himselfe he giueth this as a reason of the long patience of God and his slacknesse in comming vnto ludgement because God would haue no man to perish but would haue all to come to repentance Now the reason of Gods slacknesse is not the repentance and saluation of all men without exception for if he stayed for that he should neuer come vnto ludgement but the reason thereof is the expecting and waiting till the elect be all effectually conuerted and their number fulfilled as it is most manifest Reu. 6. 10 11. where those blessed soules vnder the Altar crying vnto God How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud receiue this very answere that here S. Peter giueth that they must rest and stay yet for a little season till the number of their fellowâ— seruants and brethren were accomplished Wherefore though God will haue none of these his chosen children and of their fellow seruants to perish for whose
in that truth and point out vnto them euery part of that path which leadeth vnto euerlasting life Yet let vs euen herein also behold and admire the wisedome and the mercies of our most gracious God that howsoeuer those things for the continuall exercise of Gods children are wrapped vp in sundry difficulties so that an Elephant may swimme therein yet withall they are so tempered by Gods Spirit and fitted for our capacities that neither this nor any one point of all our faith is without such euident cleere proofes in the Word of God as that for the most a Lambe may wade in them and for them all such as best serue for the instructing of Gods people and the full satisfying of any Christian and beleeuing soule For thy word is a light vnto our feet and a Lanthorne vnto our steppes it giueth wisedome and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple And it is truely said by Saint Austen that whatsoeuer belongs either to our Faith or good life that is plainely set downe in the Scriptures of God Wherefore they which affray the people of God with these difficulties do no otherwise then those Messengers and Spyeâ— which Moses sent to see the Land of Canaan Surely said they the Land floweth with Milke and Honey but the people are strong that dwell in the Land they be Gyants and the sonnes of Anak and the Cities are walled and exceeding great we be not able to goe vp against them for they are stronger then we So they brought an euill report of the Land causing the people to be faint-hearted and murmure against the Lord So these men hauing like diligent Spyes considered and viewed euery part of this doctrine know right well that it is a doctrine of exceeding comfort and that it floweth with Milke and Hony but they bring an euill report vpon it and vpon the Word of God when they affray Gods people from entring hereunto with the greatnesse of those difficulties as it were with so many Gyants and sonnes of Anak which they haue â—pyed and seene herein Let not vs with those euill Spyes prouoke the wrath of God by our distrust diffidence but with Caleb Ioshua men in this action highly renowned of God himselfe let vs harten and encourage the people and in confidence and assurance of the aide of our God say vnto them Let vs goe vp at once and possesse the Land for vndoubtedly we shall ouercome it Let vs then in the name and feare of God enter into this doctrine beeing guided though not with Caleb and Ioshua yet with the Prophets and Apostles and euen led by the hand of our Sauiour Christ who all by their teaching and preaching of this doctrine haue chalked out the way vnto vs how we may enter into it and take full possession of those ioyes and comforts which are contained in the knowledge and meditation thereof In handling this doctrine of Election I commend to your godly consideration these three points out of these words of the Apostle The first our Election it selfe The second the certainty and assurance of our Election both of them set down in these words Giue all diligence to make your Election sure The third the meanes of this assurance one of which beeing sanctitie and holinesse of life the Apostle expresseth in these words For if yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall Concerning Election it selfe two things are to be obserued First the parties who are Elected Secondly the cause of their Election Touching the parties elected I shall not need to stay long in refuting that no lesse impious then senselesse opinion of some who teach that Gods election before the world is generall to all men so that euery one is alike chosen by him vnto eternall life which conceit of theirs as it is directly controuled by the expresse words of the Scripture wherein is mention of some who are vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation so is it repugnant euen to common sence and reason For who doth not know that to elect or chuse implyeth a reiecting and refusing of some others This very word of Election signifying nothing else but a separating and culling out of some from the rest as our Sauiour saith of his Disciples that hee chose them out of the world Seeing then it is most â—leere that some are chosen and elected by God vnto saluation certain it is that God separated them for a peculiar people vnto himselfe and pickt them out from the rest which he refused and left in their sinne to be led by their owne lusts into that destruction which is ordained for them Now as errOur neuer wanteth some colour and shew of truth so these men to maintaine this fancy alledge the words of Saint Paul Rom. 8. 29. where hee saith that whom God knew before them also be did predestinate to be made like to his Sonne Seeing thâ—n say they God knew all men without exception before the beginning of the world it must needs follow that he did also predestinate and elect them all vnto eternall life In which reason as if it were insoluble they boast and triumph but without all truth and substance of reason For they might easily haue obserued a double knowledge of God mentioned in the holy Scripture The one of beholding and seeing onely which is a knowledge of appreâ—ension of which the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 13. that euery creature is manifest in his â—ight and all things are naked and open to his eyes the other is a knowledge of louing and liking which the Schoolemen rightly tearme a knowledge of approbation of which it is said Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the wayes of the righteous not onely the seeing and beholding them for so he doth know the wayes of the wicked also but he knoweth the wayes of the righteous by louing allowing and approuing their wayes in which sort hee neuer knoweth the way of any wicked man seeing both himselfe and his wayes are an abomination vnto God Now it is most certain that all men euen the Reprobate are foreknown of God by his former kinde of knowledge for all things are manifest and naked before his eyes But this knowledge of apprehension can not possibly be ment by the Apostle in the 8. to the Romans For whom God knoweth in that place them he both iustifyeth in this and gLorifieth in the life to come as the Apostle expressely witnesseth in the same place Now seeing hee doth not iustifie and glorifie all but will say to some Goe into euerlasting fire who shall haue their portion in that Lake which burneth with fire And brimstone it remaineth euident that the Apostle speaketh not of that former knowledge of apprehension but of the later of approbation by which I may truely say vnto you that God neuer knew any Reprobate or vngodly person our Sauiour teaching in plaine tearmes the same Mat. 7. 23.
sake hee slacketh his comming yet as before we haue proued it is the absolute will and decree of God concerning the reprobate and refuse of the world that they shall perish in their sinnes and runne headlong of their owne accord into the pit of destruction prouided and ordained for them O but say they this can not stand with the Iustice of God that he should ordaine any or create them vnto everlasting death and that for no other cause but that it is his will and pleasure For death is the reward of sinne and not of Gods ordinance or decree Wretched men who being besotted with a spirit of blindnesse and daring to reprehend that which they do not comprehend doe most ignorantly confound those two acts of Gods decree which in this cause of the Reprobation of men are diligently and necessarily to be distinguished The former is Negatiue and that is the eternall purpose and decree of God not to shew mercy nor giue his grace vnto them nor to pull them out as we doth the elect but leaue them in that masse of sinne and most wofull state whereinto both they and the elect vvere now together falne The other is Positiue and that is the eternall purpose and decree of God to inflict that euerlasting punishment vpon them which is most instly deserued by that sinne into which they wilfully fall and in which they stil abide pursuing sinne with all greedinesse We neuer say nor so much as once think that God either condemneth any or appoints them vnto death without their owne most iust deserts God himselfe teacheth vs this lesson Hos. 13. 9. Thyperdition O Israel is of thy selfe and the Apostle saying Rom. 6. 23. that the wages of sinne is death cleerely witnesseth vnto all that eternall death is as duely earned by the wicked and paid vnto them for their iust recompence and hire as is the wages by any master to his labourer or seruant And herein is that true which S. Austen saith God is both good and iust Hee may without our good deserts free vs because he is good but hee cannot without our ill deserts condemne vs because he is iust Yea in that last and great Day when God shall sit in his Throne of iudgement the wicked and reprobate forced to confesse their faults written in their conscience as in a large booke shall then acknowledge both their owne deserts and the Iustice of God in rewarding them with the due wages of their sinnes It is not then the will and pleasure of God as they maliciously slander but their owne great and hainous transgressions for which they are punished and for which God from all eternitie decreed to punish them sinne onely is the cause of this later and positiue act in Gods decree But for the former Negatiue act in their reiection whereby God ordained that when all mankinde was alike guilty before him all included in that one and the selfesame masse of perdition into which by their owne voluntary transgression all mankinde had plunged it selfe for in â—Adam all men sinned and so death and Gods wrath went ouer all that hee would not then in mercy pull these out of that masse and make of them vessels of glory but in iustice leaue them in that their sinfull and wofull estate to be vessels of wrath leaue them to their owne lusts destitute of his grace that so they might runne out the race of their sinnes and be as it were fatted for the day of slaughter the cause of this act I say is the very will of God which though we may not doubt but that being his will who is most wise it is also most reasonable grounded both vpon most iust wise and diuine reasons such as perhaps in the life to come shall be made euidenâ— vnto vs yet hereof no other reason can possibly be giuen by vs nor ought to bee sought for in this mortall life but onely this I will haue mercy on whom I will and whom he will he hardneth that is he wil not shew mercy vnto them Now why should this seeme vniust vnto thee O thou disputer against God It is as the Apostle tels thee the will of God whose will seeing he is infinitely wise is euer most iust yea it is the very rule of all perfect iustice Again in that thou art a creature thou art none of thine owne but thou art wholly Gods Is it not lawfull for me to doe with my owne what I will saith the hous-holder in the Gospell and shall it not be lawfull for God to doe and to dispose of his owne as it best pleaseth him Shall the Potter without controulement frame of the same lumpe of clay one vessell to honour another to dishonour onely because it so pleaseth him and wilt thou which art but dust and ashes aske a reason of God why of that one lumpe of sinne fit for nothing at all but to make vessels of dishonour he made thee rather then another a vessell of dishonour which of a silly Potter thou wouldest blush and be ashamed to aske Nay the Apostle saith of the Potter that he hath not only power but euen authoritie a rightfull power for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth to frame the clay as he listeth and of what part thereof he wil to make a vessel either for honor or dishonour How much more is there authoritie and a rightfull power in God ouer all men For the Potter made not the clay but God made yea created vs of nothing and the Potter though by much and many degrees he excell the clay yet still the oddes and difference is finite But God infinitely excelleth all mankinde and therefore his authoritie is infinitely more ouer vs all then is the Potter ouer the least parcell of Clay Yea thou thy selfe wilt for thy own pleasure sport or glory kill and slay of thy Deere and fat of thy beasts which thou wilt for slaughter and yet because thou thinkest they are thy owne death it were for any of thy seruants to say to thee no lesse then to the man of sinne Domine cur ita facis yet thy beasts had no way offended thee but beene good and seruiceable vnto thee so that thou hadst onely the power of a Lord ouer them but thou hadst no cause of wrath and anger against them How much more may the Almighty for his glory designe or leaue which of all mankinde he pleaseth for the day of slaughter seeing both they all had by their rebellion against God incensed his wrath and prouoked his iust indignation against them and hee being the Lord of all Lords and Creator of heauen and earth hath infinitely more authority ouer them all then thou hast or canst haue ouer the least and meanest thing that thou doest possesse Lastly if God had beene indebted vnto thee or bound to shew thee mercy and fauour then mightst thou haue had some cause to
he did all the transgressing angels in that wofull and wretched state hee had done no wrong to any seeing hee was not bound to shew his mercy or fauour vnto any In that he puls out some it 's a superaboundance of his loue and mercy towards them In that hee leaues the rest to destruction it 's truely iustice on Gods part and on theirs most deserued punishment for to giue vndeserued fauour is mercy but not to giue it or to render deserued punishment is no wrong Now whereas in the last place they accuse God not onely of inuistice but for tyranny and cruelty for creating so many whom hee would permit to fall into sinne and then inflict endlesse and insupportable torments vpon them whereas if it had pleased him he might haue giuen vnto them all such grace as would haue preuented not onely their destruction but their sinne also which was the cause thereof they doe herein bewray themselues not onely to be besotted in errour but such as Gyant-like doe maliciously fight against God Art thou wiser then the Almighty or wilt thou prescribe a Law vnto God whom or how many hee should create or what measure of grace he should giue vnto them Art thou able to answere him one for a thousand Was 't not sufficient to giue both to all mankinde and to all angels so much grace and power as that thereby they might for euer haue stood in integritie and haue inherited eternall felicitie if they would themselues In which one gift consists the effect of all that which the oppugners of this truth either doe or can say to cleere the iustice of Godâ— or free hish from that cruelty which against vs they obiect Or had God entended their death or destruction before he foresaw their most wilfull rebellion then might they haue had some colour for their impious and blasphemous declaiming against the Lord. But seeing no thought of punishing either men or Angels euer entred into the heart of God but in order though not of time yet of nature and reason after his foresight of their voluntarie disobedience and rebellion against him why should they count it either iniustice or cruelty to inflict that deserued punishment on them which they wilfully puld downe vpon themselues Or was God bound to giue them such an antidote of his preuenient grace as would haue preserued them from sinne Besides that he was not so obliged to any in the infinitenesle of his wisedome he saw it was not fit he should giue that vnto them for by giuing such grace vnto all it would haue beene thought that it had been their own and their naturall power which now by not giuing it to some is declared to bee due vnto none and by bestowing it on others is knowne to bee his free and supernaturall gift and grace vnto them Nay by giuing such grace vnto all hee had for euer both damm'd vp all passage to his iustice and mercy and the greatnesse of his loue wisedome and goodnesse had for euer beene obscured And therefore first heâ— would let them know what of themselues and by their owne will they would doe euen runne into destruction that afterwards hee might make euident and knowne all the exceeding riches of his glory The riches of his mercy which could neuer haue beene seene if he had suffered none to fall into misery whence afterwards himselfe would deliuer them by mercy The riches of his iustice who is now seene to be so infinitely iust as that he hath an infinite hatred against all iniustice and therefore iustly inflicteth an infinite punishment vpon it and who therefore would not in mercy pardon all as he might haue done lest it might seeme that hee who is Righteousnesse it selfe had not in a iust and perfect manner hated vnrighteousnesse The riches of his wisedome who is now seene to be so infinitely wise as that he could finde a most blessed meanes both fully euen to the vtmost farthing to punish the offences and so to satisfie his infinite iustice and yet wholly to pardon the offenders and so to manifest his infinite mercy that euery one might with the Prophet say vnto God Mercy and iudgement will I sing vnto thee The riches of his power and goodnesse which both are now seene to be so infinite that hee is able to turne the greatest euill to our greatest good and euen out of sinne to worke saluation and out of death to effect eternall life The riches of his lone to the elect the infinite greatnesse whereof could neuer haue beene conceiued if they had not seene in the iust punishment of others from what infinite and endlesse torments they are freed themselues and freed by his onely loue either most louingly preuenting them vvith his grace that they should not fall into sinne as hee did the elected Angels or most louingly deliuering them by his grace when they were falne into sinne as he did all the elect of mankinde In regard of all which it may truely bee faid with Saint Austen that God being both most powerfull and most good would neuer haue suffered euill to haue beene vnlesse hee had beene so infinitely good and powerfull that he was able euen out of euill to bring good and vnlesse he had knowne that it was a farre more glorious worke and would turne to his farre greater glory when some had sinned euen out of sinne to worke saluation then not to suffer them to sinne at all But what though we in the shallownesse of our vnderstanding either cannot giue or cannot comprehend the reason of Gods will herein Shall we therefore presume to exclaime against the Lord or accuse him for thus doing Doth not the Apostle put to silence the insolency of this folly when hee saith O man who art thou that disputest with God Who art thou that darest aske a reason of his will whose very will is the rule of al reason Much rather oughtest thou here euen with amazement and admiration cry out with the same Apostle O the depth of the richesâ— both of the wisedom and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Yet euen by this little which we haue now said you doe cleerely see both the will of God to bee most holy and his iustice most vpright and both his will and iustice to be without all blame in that his whole Decree whereby hee elected some to giue freely vnto them both grace and glory and left others in their owne sinne to bee led thereby into euerlasting perdition Howsoeuer then blasphemous mouthes doe barke against Heauen against their Creator yet let vs all Gods seruants not onely acknowledge but magnifie as in those whom he refuseth his Iustice so in our selues his exceeding and vnexpresseable mercy let vs cast all our crownes before his footstoole and sing an hymne of praise vnto him who not onely hath made vs of nothing but which is the