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 digrâ—sâ—ion But touching that part of Doctrine a tho 〈…〉 seâ—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 GODâ— hate So that if it bee true which they say GOD doth hate men neyther for their outward wicked Life not for their inward Dâ—vellish lust but for his owne pleasure onely The very same thing sayth KNOXE in the 14â— 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 Disâ—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.
keepe the VNITY of the Spirit in The Bond of Peace And I am perswaded that upon the deliberate and considerate Reading of these following passages Many who are not too-much Byaced in Iudgment and Affection will as I my selfe have done out of meere Conscience forbeare uncharitably and contumeliously to stander and condemne as Broachers of NEW Doctrine Those Men who labour faithfully to preserve as They concerve the OLD DOCTRINE and which I am sure was anciently taught by These first Fathers in the First times of the Blessed Reformation So desiring God by his Holy and blessed Spirit to increase his Graces of Illumination and Sanctisication in every One of us I commend These Following Pages to thy Christian Consideration and Thy selfe Body and Soule to GODS most gracious Protection and direction in the Trueth resting Thine in CHRIST IESVS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Courteous Reader In some places of this Copie the right Pointings are missed by reason of the Collectors absence which the Printer requests thy Gentlenesse to pardon and to mend these places following with thy Pen. PAge 13 Line 31 32 blot out H 〈…〉 i 〈…〉 peccatum vitare non posse quam i 〈…〉 os quieum Ioâ—iniano asseruâ—â— Pag. 50. l. 24. read Adoâ—ai From pag. 66 to pag. 89 in the Title read The Iudgement of B. Hooperâ— Pag. 71. l. 10. blot out as read By whose Passion we are made whole Pag. 73. l. 5. read Though by the Scriptures Page 73. l. 26. r. Not in the persons themselves Pag. 74. l. 20. read That Epistle Pag. 76. line 10. read Cleane delivered Pag. 76. l. 14. read His owne Body Page 79 l. 3. read They that be led and line 10. blot out Yet Pag. 82 l. 1. read Poore creature Pag. 86 In the Margin blot out First Pag. 86 line 24. read Except it be Helped Pag. 87 line 12 read Simple and plainly and line 14 read The same neere unto us Pag 88. l. 27. read Others that be Learned Pag. 95. l. 13. read Then to hearken Page â—8 l. 17. blot out Hâ—â— Pag. 100 l. 16. read For there are None THE Copie of an Answere unto a Certaine Letter Wherein the Answerer purgeth himselfe and others from Pelagius Errours and from the Errour of Free-will or Iustification of Workes wherewithall He seemeth to be Charged by the said Letter And further He sheweth wherein he differeth in Judgement from certaine English Writers and Preachers whom he chargeth with Teaching of False Doctrine vnder the Name of Predestination Published about the Second or Third yeare of Q. ELIZABETH by a Protestant Divine who florished both in the time of K. EDVVARD and Q. ELIZABETH and in the time of Q. MARY for his Conscience endured voluntary exile I desire of GOD by his Grace and Mercie to settle strengthen and establish you in the Truth of his holy Word for ever Dearely Beloved WHere you write vnto Mee that you haue often heard that I and others should hold the Errours of Pelagius whose errors you say are almost vnknowne vnto you what they areâ— and whereas further it is reported of us as you say that we should deny the Prede 〈…〉 inaâ—ion of GOD and seeke a Iustification by Free-will and by * Deserving of workes which matter you doe both understand and also have found good proofe as you suppose that wee are guilty in the same laying the whole Foundation of your Proofe upon this saying set forth in Print viz. Although there bee but Few on Earth That Rightly They * Deserve Yet Thou ô LORD for their good life The Residue Preserve With which Filthy saying to burthen Mee and others whom you Name I marvaile greatly that you could be so much abused not considering by whom it was written and seâ— forth in Print For by the Intituling you see it was Printed beyond the Seas in Q. MARIES time For that it is entituled A Prayer to GOD for hiâ— Afflicted Church in England and as it there appeareth manifestly it is the worke of one WILIIAM SAMVâ—L which is a Man to Mee of very small acquaintance But a Preacher Hee is And as for his saying that a Man may Deserve God c. which you des 〈…〉 mee to proove if I can It is a Doctrine so Abominable and Blasp 〈…〉 s as I am sure Neyther Papist nor Pelag 〈…〉 nor any other Heretique eyther Old or New hath ever written or maintained a more filthy and execrable saying For it is the flat and manifest Denying both of GOD the Father and of his Sonne CHRIST IESUS Neyther doth it require any Confutation to him that doth but Confesse that there is a GOD. And as for My selfe I doe not love my Life so dearely as I Hate this vile Saying Deadly But wonder it is that such a Sentence containing the very filthiest Dregs of all Pelagius Errors could so long stand printed and neither bee forbidden nor by any man Written against And although I deny not but some other there are which maintayning the power of Mans F 〈…〉 will and the Meritorious worthinesse of Mans deseruings doe deny the Free gift of Gods Grace in Christ Iesus and For his sake onely comprehended in the Eternall Predestination and Fore-ordinance of God and Declared vnto us in his most-Holy word Yet because I see there be many in these Dayes wrongfully and falsly accused to be the Enemies of that Blessed Predestination to bee Pelagians Iustisiers of themselves and such like and with Those bitter Termes are in Open-Auditories defaced and brought into Contempt among the Multitude who being deceived with giving over-hasâ—y Credâ—t unto such men not throughly-understanding the Matter doe use to giue Sentence before the Cause bee heard I have thought it good therefore Most-dearely Beloved Not to Them which take more Delight in the Defamation of other than in knowing the Truth themselves but to Thee which art willing to vnderstand the Matter before Thou Condemne or Iustifie eyther partie in as Few words as I possibly can to shew what shamefull Doctrine under the Name and colour of Gods Predestination is Now-a-dayes set forth and taught of Many which both I and many others mislike and have divers times with some of them in Private and Friendly talke perswaded to leaue Both because wee Iudge the Doctrine to be False and also the Destruction of all vertue to Follow thereupon For which Cause as the Manner is of Them that Feare not so much the Shipwracke of a good Conscience as they doe the losse of worldly estimation least any such Disfavourers of their Fantasie should hap to have some credit among the People with boisterous breath they blow abrâ—ad That the Mislikers of this their Doctrine are Enemies of Gods holy Predestination But right well they know that those whom they now so specially accuse to be such Haters of Gods Predestination are indeed Most intire lovers of the same and Many of Those whom They accuse to bee Popish Pelagians and Iustifiers of themselves have bestowed
both their Goods and their Lives against that Filâ—â—y and detestable Sect. And as for those Errours which Pelagius the old Hereticke with Calestinus and Iulianus his Adherents did hold and also Revoked the same in the Iudiciall Councell of Palestine I thinke it good to Rehearse them First in Latineâ— and after in English as they are gathered together by St. Augustine And then to shew according to your request what part of their Doctrine which they teach under the name of Predestination My selfe and others doe mislike To the end that you and others may the better Iudge who are indeed worthy to bee called Pelagians and whether some part of their Doctrine be not for just cause misliked The words of St. Augustine are These Obiectum est Eum dicere 1. Quia Adam sive peccaret sive non peccaret Moriturus esset 2. Et quòd Peccatum ejus Ipsum solum â—eserit Non genus Humanum 3. Et. quòd Infantes in Illo statu sunt quo Adam fuit ante praevaricationem 4. Et quòd neque per Mortem vel praevericationem Adae Omne Genus humanum moriatur neque per Resurrectionem Christi Omne Genus Humanum resurgat 5. Et Divites Baptizatos nisi Omnibus abrenuncient si quid Boni â—â—sâ— fuerint facere non Reputari illis nec cos habere posse Regnum Dei 6. Et Gratiam Dei Adjutorium non ad Singulos Actus dari sed in Libero Arbitrio esse vel in Lege atque in Doctrinâ 7. Et Dei Gratiam secundùm merita nostra dari 8. Et Filios Dei non posse vocari Nisi omninò absque peccato fuerint effecti 9. Et Non esse Liberum Arbitrium si Dei indiget Auxilio quoniam in propriâ voluntate habet vnusquisque facere aliquid vel non facere 10. Et victoriam nostram Non ex Deâ— adjutorio esse sed ex libero Arbitrio 11. Et quòd Poenitentibus venia non Detur secundùm Gratiam Misericordiam Dei sed secundùm Meritum Laborem eorum qui per Poenitentiam Digni fuerint misericordiâ Haec omnia Pelagius Anathematizavit The First of Pelagius's Errors which St. Augustine heere citeth is That ADAM should have Dyed whether hee had Sinned or not Sinned This is as you heare One of Pelagius his wicked Errors That Sinne is not the Cause of Reprobation or casting away Death sprung out of Gods Ordinance or some other way and came not of Mans Sinne. For saith Hee Whether Man had Sinned or Not sinned yet Hee should have Dyed Contrary to the Manifest Scripture which sayth That By One man Sinne entred into the world and Death by the Meanes of Sinne. And the Wiseman saith That GOD Created man to bee undestroyed And againe hee saith God hath 〈◊〉 made Death neyther hath Hee pleasure in the Destruction of the living Hee created All things that They might have their Beeing yea All the people of the Earth hath Hee made that they should have Health That there should bee no Destruction in Tlum And that the Kingdome of Hell should not bee upon the Earth For Righteousnesse in everlasting But Vnrighteousnesse bringeth Death Wicked therefore and abominable was This Error of Pelagius which affirmed That whether Man had Sinned or not Sinned Hee should have Dyed And heere in the very Beginning of Pelagius's errours I report me to Themselves even to Them I say that blow the Trumpet of Defamation against others with the Tearmes of pestilent Pelagians whether Those whom they so accuse now to bee Pelagians doe hold this Errour Or whether they Themselves which would take some Mote of Errour out of other mens Eyes have not this Pelagius Beame sticking fast in their owne Let they-themselves be Iudges or â—et their owne Doctrine Iudge both in Print and Preaching whereof some part shall bee hereafter rehearsed Yeâ— let All the world judge which haue heard the Doctrine of both parties who they are which in this point ought worthily to bee called Pelagians The Second Errour which St. Augustine rehearseth is That ADAMS Sinne did onely hurt Himselfe and not the whole generation of Man This is another vile and Detestable errour which Pelagius held That the Sinne of Adam brought not Misery and Death upon all his Posteritie Contrary to the open Scripture which sayth That By the sinne of One condemnation came upon All men And the Holy man Esdras sayth O Adam what hast thâ—n done For though it was Thou that sinned yet Thou art not fallen alone but All wee that come of thee The Third depending also upon the Second is this Thas Infants being new borne are in that state that Adam was in before his Transgression Which Errour seemeth onely or chiefly to extend to the Innocencie of Children For if his mind were that in All points Infants were in Adams state then should it bee over-Brutish For who seeth not that Babes new-borne suffer oftentimes Paine and Griefe Which Adam did not before his Transgression But to affirme that Infants are not Borne and Conceived in siâ—ne is to deny Originall sinne which is an old ard a Diveâ—â—sh errour and utterly against the Scripture which sayth plainely Behold I was borne in wiskednesse and in sinne hath my Mother conceived Mee The Fourth errour is That Neyther by the Death and Transgression of Adam All the Generation of Man dyeth nor that by the Resurrection of CHRIST All the Generation of Man doth rise againe I doe noâ— understand that Felagius here spake of the last Resurrection at the Day of Iudgement as though hee had after the manner of the Sadduces denyed the Resurrection of our Soules and Bodies at the last Day For then were all their Disputation in vaine of the Manner how wee should bee saved Whether by the Grace of GOD or by the Deserving of Man if Salvation or Resurrection had of eyther part beene denied altogether Neyther doth the Scripture attribute the last Resurrection unto CHRIST as though the Soules and Bodies of Men should have dyed like Beasts and not have rison againe unto Iudgement if CHRIST had Not come yea no Doubt all men should have risen againe and That unto the Iudgement of everlasting Damnation if CHRIST had not come But I understand that Pelagius in this Article denyed the Generaâ—â—tie of Redemption by the Death of CHRIST by which wee 〈◊〉 as it were arise from Death because of the State of Life and Salvation whereunto we are brought in Christ by Redemption like as wee were in the state of Death and Damnation in ADAM by sinne Not that any Man is purged from the Corruption of Sinne unto the Innocency of ADAM but because the Sinne is covered in Christ and pardoned for His sake And further there is to bee Noted that the First part of this Errour is manifestly the very same which is the Second and Third Errour before rehearsed and by the same
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 Reâ—â—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 palà m 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 Torâ—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 Ballanâ—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.
18. B. Esa 5. A. 3. D. 55. B. 65. A. Lament Ier. 3. Cap. Ezek. 18. c. D. 24. b. 33. c. Ioel. 2. A. 4. Esdr 1. c. 2. a. 7. c. 8. c. Math. 23. E. Act. 17. G. 1. Tim. 2. A. 4. c. 2. Pet. 3. B. The same saith St. Augustine also plainely in these words Non ergo Casuâ— Ruentium neâ— Malignitatem iniquorum neque Cupiditates Peccantium Predestinatio Dei aut EXCITAVIT aut SV ASIT aut IMPVLIT sed planè pradestinavit IV DICIV M suum quo unicuique retributurus est prout gessit sive Bonum sive Malum Quod IV DICIV M futurum Non esset Si Homines Dei VO LVNT ATE peccarent Neither the Falls of them that Fall nor the wickednesse of them that are wicked Nor the Lusts of them that offend hath the predestination of God either PROVOKED MOOVED or COMPELLED but without doubt He hath Fore-Ordainâ—d his IV DGMENT whereby He will recompense every man according as He hath done whether it bee Good or evill The which should bee no Iudgement if Men did sinne by the WILL of God And although There bee some places of Scripture whereupon They would ground this Opinion That Men should sinne By the WILL of GOD or that GOD should predestinate or ordaine men to sinne as where it is said That God hardened the Heart of Pharaoh and such like yet pertayneth it Nothing to that purpose if it bee weighed with the Rest of the Scripture For as St. Augustine saith Ipse quasi eos indurat quia Iusto Iudicio indurari sinit He doth saith St. Austin as it were Harden Them because that with his Iust Iudgment he suffereth them to be hardned And in his Booke De lib. arbitr gra C. 21. He saith Where at any time we reade in the Scripture That Men bee SEDVCED or Their Hearts HARDNED of GOD There may we not doubt but that Their wicked DESERVINGS went BEFORE Lest ye run saith he into the saying of Salomon Insipientia viri violat vias eius Deum autem causatur in corde suo The Foolishnesse of a Man Defileth his wayes but hee saith in his heart GOD is the CAVSE Of this HARDNING of Heart Melancthon in his Common-places speaketh very plainely saying Nee Figurae illae verborum offendunt c. Neyther saith he do these figurative speeches offend as I will HARDEN the Heart of Pharao and such like For it is Certaine that in the HEBREW Phrase they signifie a PERMISSION or Suffering and not an Effectuall WILL of GOD. As Leade us not into Temptation That is to say SVFFER us not to bee lead into Temptation These are Melancthons words And Marke what Hee sayth of the HEBREW Phrase For All Men know Him to be a Man Learned But to bee short It is surely to bee marvailed at that although They doe thus accuse Gods predestination to be the onely Cause of of ADAMS FALL which is indeed Not onely Sinne but also the very Well-spring of All wickednesse And the Filthy-Fountaine of all our Vncleannesse That yet THEY dare affirme THEMSELVES to bee the ONELY Friends and Lovers of Gods Predestination and All Others to be the Enemies of GODS Holy Predestination who doe not subscribe unto This their fantasticall Imagination Moreover if it should be said That They make GOD the Author of Sinne They would cry Nay and say They were slandered But whether GOD be not the Author of That whereof He is the onely Cause Let the un-corrupted Heart Iudge Also to say the Truth when They see their Time and Place They are Bould-enough yea even to use the Terme Author in that same manifest sense as in a Booke set forth by Iohn Knoxe Against an Adversarie of Gods Predestination as He calleth Him Wherein Hee Page 158. sayth thus viz. Therefore whatsoever the Ethnicks and Ignorant did attribute unto Fortune WEE assigne to the PROVIDENCE of GOD. And straight wâ—y he saith Wee shall Iudge nothing to come of Fortune but that All commeth by the Determination of His Counsell And further It Displeaseth him when we esteeme Any thing to proceed from Any other So that wee doe Not behold and know him Not-onely the Principall Cause of All Things but Also The AVTHOR appointing All things to the One-part Or to the Other by his Counsell Marke well his wordes and the very Sense thereof All commeth from God saith Hee GOD is the principall Cause and God is the Author of it whatsoever it be God appointeth All things both to the One part and to the Other both to the wicked and to the Godly All THINGS Nothing is excepted As well DAMNATION as Salvation as well Sinne as Vertue as well Wickednesse as Holinesse yea if it hap to bee MVRTHER it selfe For THAT a little before by Name Hee rehearseth Whatsoever it be it Proceedeth from None other saith Hee but from GOD. GOD so hath appointed it God is the Principall cause of it Yea not onely the principall Cause but also the Author of it Here thou seest those Plaine-termes which sometime for a little nice lisping they Cannot or will not Speake Sc. That God is the Author of all MVâ—THER and Mischiefe As for Fortune I know it to bee an Heathenish-Fable But where He saith that God is not onely the Principall Cause but Also the Author of all things without any exception and that whatsoever the Ethnicks attributed to Fortune That same wee ought to ascribe unto the Providence of God It is such a Wide WANDRING and Large BLASPHEMY as hath not beene lightly heard For who knoweth not that unto FORTVNE the Ethnickes ascribed Treason and crafty Conspiracie As where they call Her Insidiosa perfida Malefida Vnto Fortune they ascribed cruell Murder and tyrannicall Mischiefe As when they call Her Aspera Dura Sava Truculenta Vnto Fortune they ascribed filthy Lust and impudent Bawdry as when they call her Lenocinans Bruta and Impudens Vnto Fortune they ascribed scornefull Pride and Vaine-glory calling her Imperiosa Procax and Superba Vnto Fortune they ascribed beastly Blindnesse and rude Ignorance calling her Caeca and Exoculata To conclude unto Fortune the Ethnickes ascribed All perverse and Pestilent wickednesse and all abhomination Detestable calling her Nefaria Abominanda and Improba Yet say these Professours of Destinie whatsoever the Ethnickes ascribed unto Fortune That same ought wee to attribute to the Providence of GOD. Yea and GOD is the very Author the Principall cause and the Onely cause thereof But now to returne againe to Mr. CROVVLY After that hee hath written that GODS Predestination is the Onely cause of Adams Fall Then goeth hee forth in the same Booke and the same Article unto the NEXT execrable Wickednesse committed in the world saying Now what say wee of CAINE Was Hee not Predestinate to slay his Brother No say the Free-will men Here thou seest Dearely Beloved Who they are that so Odiously are noted with the Name of Free-will-men
his pleasure is Let them say therefore what they can or will This meere Necessitie which our Men doe â—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 GODâ— ordinance Or that Gods Predestination was the Cause of 〈◊〉 fall and of All wickednesse is plainly maintained in an English Booke laâ—ely set forth and 〈…〉 led Against a Prâ—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 â—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 â—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
Rocke seeking to escape the dangerous Whirle-poole For an horrible Presumption it was of Pelagius to thinke that a man by Nature had such Power to choose Good and refuse Evill That hee needed not the Grace and helpe of GOD and a Desperate opinion is this of Others to say That the Predestination of GOD worketh all thinges in Man whether it bee Good or Evill And that a man cannot-choose but doe whatsoever hee doth For no doubt this Opinion maketh a very disordered Chaos and an utter Confusion of all thinges as it were mixing and thrusting together both Heaven Earth and Hell making one confused lumpe of GOD the Divell and the World of Sinne Grace and Nature turning all doings into Dreames all Truth into Traunces all Verity into Fables all Prayer and Meditation into vaine Imagination For if GODS Predestination be the onely Cause of Adams fall and filthy Sinne and consequently the onely Cause and worker of all Evill yea even with compulsion and force as they shamefully and plainely affirme then will no man deny that on the other side GODS Predestination worketh as violently in all thinges that are Good So then if Gods Predestination worke All without all exception both in Evill and Good then all other thinges whatsoever they be although they appeare to worke and doe some thing yet doe they indeed utterly nothing So that the Divell doth nothing Man doth nothing Lawes doe nothing Doctrine dath nothing Prayer doth nothing But GODS Predestination doth altogether and is the efficient Cause yea and the onely cause of all Thinges Against this Opinion the Word of GOD is exceeding plaine and manifest not onely in the places before rehearsed but also in these following here briefly noted in the Margine yea and abundantly throughout the whole Scripture Against this evill opinion also doe All the ancient Doctors with one consent vehemently write as they themselves cannot deny except onely Augustine which because of his exceeding obscurity and darknesse in divers places liee is often alledged of both parts Also against this opinion writeth earnestly Phillip Melanchton the chiefest and best learned of all the Germans In like manner doth Bullinger the chiefest and most excellent of all the Switzers The same doth also Erasmus Sarcerius and many other of the best learned Protestants whose sayings were profitable beere to rehearse but that their Iudgement in this matter is well knowne to all the Learned and my determination is at this present rather briefly and simply to declare what part of Doctrine I and many other mistike than with long discourses and many Authorities to disproove the same Wherefore to conclude Take this one Note in this matter of Cannot choose or of Necessity both for the better understanding of the thing it selfe and also of those which write thereupon They commonly speake of two kindes of Necessitie The One is of Necessity absolute and the other of Necessity of consequence or Meere necessitie and necessity upon Condition Which division all Learned and good Authors doe use and it is very profitable to be considered For touching the One there is neyther Reason Law Counsell or Doctrine neyther Faire promise nor Sharpe threatning nor any other thing whatsoever it bee which may hâ—lpe or kinder adde or take away hurt or profit wherefore there is never any of all the aforesayd wayes or meanes used in any of all those thinges which came to passe by Absolute necessitie As for Example It is of meere Necessity that the Divell is and ever shall be Damned That the Soule of man shall be Everlasting and not come to an End like to the Life of Beasts nor the life of Beasts bee Immortall as the soule of Man and such like Wherein it were more than madnesse to endeavour eyther by Reason Law or Counsell or any other way whatsoever it were to alter change with-stand or remove any of those thinges seeing of Meere necessity they must needes bee so and cannot be altered For as Augustine sayth Omne enim quod prohibetur ideo prohibetur ne quia potest fieri fiat Si autem Fati esset non posset fieri neque prohiberetur Whatsoever is forbidden sayth AVGVSTINE therefore it is forbidden because it might be done and yet ought not to bee done But if it were of Destinie then could it not be done nor should not be forbidden These wordes of Augustine being few containe much matter if they be truly weighed Now to the necessity of Consequence or necessity of Condition whereof Melancthon sayth Neque enim haec consequentia libertatem voluntatis tollit Neyther doth this Consequence take away the liberty of the will And this necessity is not-repugnant to diligence Prayer Lawes or Doctrine For therefore that I may use againe the words of AVGVSTINE things are forbidden to bee done because they might be done but ought not to be done And this necessity groweth upon former causes granted or wrought As it is of necessity or needs must bee that Sects and Heresies shall grow in the Church because the wicked seeke their owne glory and Sathan stirreth their hearts to imagine and set forth abominable Errors wherein they serve the Devill with all the diligence of their power Wherefore it must follow that Sects and Heresies shall grow Neither doth This necessity proove that they could-not-chuse but commit such Evills But seeing they doe refuse the Light and embrace the Darknesse this must necessarily follow this must needs be the end that Heresie and much mischiefe shall spring or As when a man Presently beholdeth with his eyes Murther Theft Drunkennesse or any other wickednesse it must needs be true that such things are committed according to that which a man doth see plainely before his eyes Yet doth not follow that those wicked doers could-not-chuse but commit those outragious Crimes but seeing that they doe commit such things it must needs be true by the necessity of Consequence that such things are committed of them These two kinds of necessity doth AVGVSTINE notably declare how and in what sort they spring out of GODS Predestination First of all faith AVGVSTINE it is horrible iniquity to say that GOD doth Predestinate any thing saving onely that which is good But of Predestinations some be of binding or of bondage and others be of condition These are of Iustice and Those of Power And that it may be the more manifest it shall be declared saith he by Example which are of binding and Power and which are of condition and Iustice GOD created Heaven and Earth and Sunne and Moone Further he did Fore-ordaine or Predestinate that the Heaven should ever bee turned and the immovable Earth should be in place of a Center unto the turning heaven The Sunne and Moone should rule the day and Night the day and night should succeede one another in certaine times appointed These Predestinations are of power and of binding for Every one of these things aforesaid is so bound unto his worke by the
It fareth many times with us that we goe long to schoole in divinity and yet never good divines as it fareth in the schoole of rethorike whereas if at the beginning the scholler profit not as Aristotle saith he shall never be good orator Therefore Moses saith God gaue you not a heart to understand eyes to see nor eares to heare untill this present day Here doth Moses speake ironice and seemeth to deny the thing he would affirme As Aristotle or Cicero might say when they haue applyed all their labour and done the best they can to make their schollers learned yet profit nothing then depart out of the schoole say unto their audience I never opened unto you the science that I taught you Not that the fault was in him but in the auditors that neglected their diligence and Doctrine So doth Moses now speake of God not that the fault was in him that those unkind people understood not the doctrine hee taught but in themselues as it appeareth in the text for he useth now the rod of persecution punisheth them beateth them yea and killeth them because they would not learne the thing he taught them yea further he sheweth that his pleasure was they should choose the good and leave the ill to be in wealth and avoid the woe This argument he proveth of his owne nature which is amiable loving and holy inclined to doe well unto man and to be at peace with him But because man of his owne malice contemneth the word and doctrine of God he is not onely rigorous and severe against man but also hee waxeth so angry for sinne as he that chafeth and moveth himselfe that all men may perceive by his countenance he is offended therefore saith the text the fury of God shall smoake against the sinner Our gospellers be better learned than the Holy ghost for they wickedly attribute the cause of punishment and adversity to Gods providence which is the cause of no ill as he himselfe can do no ill and of every mischiefe that is done they say it was Gods will The Holy ghost putteth another cause that is to say Sinne in man and contempt of his holy word Further the paine is not inflicted by predestination to lose man but both predestination and the affliction extend to call man from damnation The blinde southsayers that writ of things to come are more to bee esteemed than these curious and high climing wits for they attribute the cause of ill to the ill aspects and sinister coniunctions of the planets Refuse not therefore the grace offered not once received banish it not with ill conversation If wee fall let us heare almighty God that calleth us to repentance with his word and returne let us not continue in sinne nor heape one sinne vpon another lest at last wee come to a contempt of God and his word for remission is promised to as many as repent as Moses sheweth and likewise all the scripture and examples thereof But remember what the text saith that thou must convert unto God and that by the meanes and mediation of Christ and that with all thy heart and then thou maist finde remedy Convert not to superstition and buy not a masse for thy sinnes nor loke for helpe of any Saint but onely of God as his word teacheth for he that strooke thee for sinne can heale thee againe say not in aduersity as Cicero did Except God or some good hap doe save vs wee cannot escape For there is nothing in Heaven nor Earth that saveth but God alone CHAP. 19. 6. Ignorance THe sixt let or impediment wherewith men excuse themselues from the obedience of the law of GOD is the pretence of ignorance the which they doe thinke shall excuse them Thus they say the Scripture hath so many mysteries in it selfe and is too hard for our capacity Sometime the letter sometime the spirit and sometime both must be understood Further they say the Doctors braule and chide between themselves and how should the unlearned understand it aright Who can tell saith another whether this be the true law or not If it were the true law of God then should it containe all verities haue no need of mans lawes Now the greatest part of such as have the name of Christianity say Gods lawes save no man instruct no man aright no it is not wholesome for man except it be held and ayded by the law of the Bishops This the world owes to the Bishops decrees that have called the authority of the holy Testament that containeth all trueth whose sufficiency and verity is scaled with the precious bloud of Christ into doubt and not into doubt onely but cleane abrogated it and preferred their owne lawes Conferre their preachings and ministration of the Sacramints with the holy word and law of God and see Other say I have no wit to understand the Word of GOD and if I had yet have I no leasure to learne it Against this obiection Moses answereth and saith this law is sufficient is simple and plaint easie to be understood a perfit doctrine and required of all men Thus he proueth it the Commandement that I prescribe unto thee to day is not farr above thee nor put farre from thee reade the last halfe of the chapter By the which words it appeareth that GOD hath made his will and pleasure simply and plainely open unto his people with apt sentences and open words and also put the same to us that we should not seeke it with great danger of our life to saile into the Indies for it or looke it in Heaven above as those that receive all things by revelation or apparitions of Angels or other such meanes But Moses saith it is no need of any such ambassadors and so saith Abraham For man may learne out of the Scripture what is to be done and what not to bee done what is the condition of the good and of the bad No need to seeke the knowledge thereof in Aegypt Athens or Rome But the word is present and at hand with thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou shouldest doe it By these words we see that in the greatest sinner that is is a certaine rule and knowledge to live well thereby if he did follow it So confounded St. Paul the Gentiles of sinne because they knew the evill they did was condemned by the testimony of their owne conscience For the law of God to doe well by is naturally written in the heart of every man Hee that will diligently search himselfe shall soone find the same and in case man should behold his owne Image both in body and in soule although there were no law written nor Heavens over our heads to testifie the goodnesse and the iustice of God and the equity of an honest life mans conscience would tell him when he doth well and when evill Further the iudgement and discourse of
if wee be Damned For it is written thus Deus vult owmnes homines salvos fieri God would have all men to bee saved his salvation is sufficient to save all Mankind But wee are so wicked of our selves that wee refuse the same and we will not take it when it is offered unto us and therefore he sayth Pauci verò electi Few are chosen That is few have pleasure delight in it For the most part are weary of it cannot abide it and there are some that heare it but they will abide no danger for it they love more their riches possessions than the word of God therfore Pauci sunt electi there are but a few that sticke heartily unto it and can finde in their hearts to forgoe this world for Gods sake and his holy word There are some now adayes that will not be reprehended by the Gospell they thinke themselves better than it Some againe are so stubborne that they will rather forsweare themselves than confesse their sinnes and wickednesse Such men are cause of their owne Damnation for God would have them saved but they refuse it like as did Iudas the Traytor whom Christ would have had to be saved but hee refused his salvation Hee refused to follow the Doctrine of his Master Christ. And so whosoever heareth the Word of God and followeth it the same is Elect by him And againe whosoever refuseth to heare the word of God and to follow the same is Damned So that our Election is sure if we follow the word of God Here is now taught you how to try out your Election namely in Christ. For Christ is the accompting booke and Register of God Even in the same Booke that is Christ are written all the names of the Elect Therefore wee cannot find our Election in our selves neyther yet in the high Counsell of God for Inscrutabilia sunt iudi cia altissimi where then shall I find my Election In the counting booke of GOD which is Christ For thus it is written Sic Deus dilexit mundum that is God so intirely loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but haue life Everlasting Whereby appeareth most plainely that Christ is the Booke of Life and that all that beleeve in him are in the same Booke so are chosen to Everlasting life for only those are ordained which beleeve Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ then thou art in the booke of Life and so art thou sure of thy Election And againe If thou bee without Christ and have no Faith in him neyther art sory for thy wickednesse nor have a minde and purpose to leave and forsake Sinne but rather exercise and use the same then thou art not in the booke of Life as long as thou art in such a case and therefore shalt thou goe into Everlasting fire namely if thou dye in thy wickednesse and finne without Repentance But there are none so wicked but hee may have a Remedy what is that Enter into thine owne heart and search the secrets of the same Consider thine owne life and how thou hast spent thy dayes And if thou find in thy selfe all manner of uncleannesse and abhominable sinnes and so seest thy Damnation before thine eyes what shalt thou then doe Confesse the same unto thy Lord GOD be sory that thou hast offended so loving a Father and aske mercy of him in the name of Christ and beleeve stedfastly that hee will bee mercifull unto thee in the respect of his onely Sonne which suffered Death for thee and then have a good purpose to leave all sinne and wickednesse and to with-stand and resist the affections of thine owne flesh which ever fight against the spirit and to live uprightly and godly after the will and Commandement of thy heavenly Father If thou goe thus to worke surely thou shalt be heard thy sinnes shall bee forgiven thee God will shew himselfe true in his Promise For to that end hee hath sent his onely Sonne into this world that hee might save Sinners Consider therefore I say Wherefore Christ came into this world Consider also the great Hatred and wrath that God beareth against Sinne and againe consider his great Love shewed unto thee in that hee sent his onely Sonne to suffer most cruell Death rather than that thou shouldst be damned Everlastingly Thus speaketh that Learned B. and Blessed Martyr in that place And in another place hee saith O What a pittifull thing is it That a man will not consider this and leave Sinne and Pleasure of this world and live godly but is so blind and so mad that he will rather have a momentary and a very short and smll pleasure han to hearken to the Will and pleasure of Alnighty God that might avoyd Everlasting paine and â—oe and give unto him Everlasting felicitie For that a â—reat many of us are Damned the fault is not in God for Deis vult omnes homines salvos fieri GOD would have all men to bee saved But the fault is in our selves and in oâ— owne madnesse that had rather have Damnation thâ—â— Salvation And fuâ—her in another passage the same Holy Marty writeth in this manner viz. VVEe rode in the Actes of the Apostles That when Saint Paul had made a long Sermon at Antioch then beleeve sayth the Evangelist as many as were ordaind to life Everlasting With the which saying 〈◊〉 great nuâ—ber of people have beene offended and have sayd We perceive that onely those shall come to beleeve and so to everlasting life which are chosen of God vnto it therefore it is no matter whatsoever wee doe For if we be Chosen to Everlasting life we shall have it And so they have opened a doore unto themselues of all Wickednesse and carnall liberty against the true meaning of the Scripture For if the most part bee damned the fault is not in God but in themselves For it is written Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would that all men should be saved But they themselves procure their owne damnation and despise the passion of Christ by their owne wicked and inordinate living Heere wee maâ— learne to keepe us from all curious and dangerous questions When we heare that some bee chosen and someâ—ee â—ee damned let us have good hope that we shall be among he chosen and live after this hope that is uprightly and godly then thou shalt not be deceived Thinke that God hath chosen those that beleeve in Christ and Christi the booke of life If thou beleevest in him then thou arâ—ritten in the booke of life and shalt be saved So wee need not to goe about to trouble our selves with curios questions of the Predestination of God But let us rater endeavour our selves that we may be in Christ for â—hen wee be in him then are
part Exod. 19 3. c For whom the Law was made and given Gen. 3. Gen. 6 6. Math. 25 24. Deut. 9 5. 7 8. Onely Mercy provoked God to the covenant Deut. 9 6. Gen. 3 15. 12. 3. 15 5. 1â— 4. The Death of Christ the meanes Heb. 9 28. Heb. 7. 1. Apoc. 13 8. Gen. 3 â—0 All the prom 〈…〉 seâ— made in and for Christ Iohn 10. 9. Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 1. 12. 3. 16. c. 6. 32. c. Esa 53. 4. 5. Iohn 1 29. Iohn 14 30. Rom 5 17 18. Gen 3 15. Gen. 15. 4 5. 17. 1. Galat. 3 28. Colos 3 11. Rom. 5 15. 2 Pet. 2 1. 3. Malac. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 9 13. See B. Iati 〈…〉 part 2. fol. â—2 Christ shed as much blood for Iudas as for Peter c. Ionas 1 2. Gen. 25. 23. Mal. 1. 2 3. Gen. 25. 23. 27 28 29. Rom. 9 11 c. Rom. 11. 32. Galat. 3 22 Mark 16 16. Math. 11. 28. Rom. 11. 32. 1. Tim. 2. 4. How Faith bâ—ing unperfect is accepted of God Rom. 11. 32. Galat. 3 20. Esa 53. 4 5. Iohn 1. 29. Rom. 5 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Vid. Melanet 2. part Operum pag. 268. Quanto magis Pater vester dabit sp Sanctum petentibus cum Non ait Cantemnentibus How wee are called the enemies of God Rom 8 7. Rom. 5 8. How wee are excluded from the promise of Grace that is extended to all Christ received our infirmities but not the contempt of the Law and of God The cause of Damnation in man Psal 5 4. Ose 1 3 9. The cause of mans Election Rom. 9 16. Ephes 1 5. Rom. 8 29. Rom. 8 15. 15 16. What declareth a lively Faith Iohn 6. 44. How God draweth unto Christ a Nec tamen habeut se Mens voluntas vt statua ideo diueruÌ„t â—eteres Praecedente gratia comitante voluntate bona opera fieri Melauâ—th part 2. OperuÌ„ p. 268. pag. 248. b In illo loco Ieannis decitur Omnis qui audâ—t a Patre et discit veniet ad me Discere iubet id est Audire vocem Doctrinae traditaem aâ— ipso assentiri non indulgere diâ—â—edentia Melanâ—â—h ibid. Exod. 14. 1. Sa 〈…〉 18. 11. See B Latimer part 2. fol. 54. Math. 12 32. Mark 3 29. Luk. 12 10. 1. Iohn 5 16. Heb. 10 26. Gen. 3 45. D. F. Handum pag 214. a Sinnes of Infirmity are committed against the Power of the Father Sinnes of Ignorance against the Wisdome of the Sounâ— Sins of Malice against the goodnesse and grace of the Holy Ghost 1. Sam. 15 15. Iohn 8. 26. Psal 145. 17. The iustice of God intendeth it selfe to two divers ends Ionas 2. Mat. 25. 31 c. 1. Cor. 11. 32. The fourth impediment Deut. 19. 29. Deut. 30 19. Deut. 29. 4. Deut. 30. 19. Deut. 29. 27. Ezech. 33. 1. Cor. 11 Psalm 119. Reuel 3. Esay 26. Hebr. 12. Deut. 30. 1. 2 Iohn 15. Cic. lib Epist 16. a First they of the Church of Rome b Meaning the Popes of Rome Deut. 30 1â— Enthusiasts Luk. 16 29. Rom. 1. 21. Rom. 2 15. a Nemo adeo ferus est vt non mitoscere possit Simodo c. b Hoc est nesâ—ire sine Christlo plurimasâ—irâ— Curious interpretations of Scriptures are wicked and odious Enter not into the inscrutable Mysteries of God Enter into Christ and there seeke thy Salvation Christ is the Booke of Life wherein our Names be written if we beleâ—ve in him Iohn 6. Iohn 1 3. How you shall know when you are in the Booke of life Psal 19. Rom 10 18. 1 Tim. 2 4. God would that All should be saved Our stubbornnesse and lacke of Faith is the Cause of our Damnation A right Doctrine to try our Election Iob 34. Ioh. 3 10. Christ is the Booke of Life The unbeleevers are not in the booke of Life The right way how thou maist be assured of everlasting life Idem Part. 3. sol 207. In his Sermon on the First Sunday after Epiphaniâ— 1 Tim. 2. 5. We ourselves are causes of our owne damtion I'â—m Part. 3. fol. 198. In his Sermon on the third Sunday after Epiphanic Act. 13 48. A lewd opinion of Predesti nation 1 Tim. 2. We our selves procure our owne Damnation Christ the Booke of Life How we may know when we are in the state of Salvation and when Not. Three markes whereby wee may know whether we be in the booke of Life or no. The first The second The third An evident and plaine Doctrine that sheweth you when you are out of the â—â—â—or of God Idem Part. 3. fol. 183. In his Sermon on the first Sunday after Epiphaniâ— The terme Saviour is used in sundry common speeches Iesus Christ is our onely Saviour How many wayes Christ saveth us Christs Death is onely our Salvation Si is the onely cause of Dam How wee be saved from Sinne. Christ onely is â—oyd of sinne The Power and Force of Sinne is taken away by Christ Idem Part. 2. fol. 64. In his First Sermon preached in Lincolushire Anno 1553. upon These words The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certaine King Math. 22. There is a Sin against the Holy Ghost So long as men are alive wee cannot Iudge whether they have committed the Sinne against the Holy Ghost or not Christ knew the hearts of the Pharisees and therefore iudged of them Christs promises are generall to All Mankind Ioh. 6 47. Rom. 5 20. 15 v. Mat. â—â— 28. Idem Part. 2. fol. 92. In his fourth Sermon preached in Lincolnshire upon Philipp 3. Iudas lacked beleefe and therefore was not saved Idem Part 2. fol. 132. In his eight Sermon in Line upon Luke 21 25. Erunt Signa Iohn 3. Vâ—â— In the destruction of Ierusalem c. Bzech 33 11. The Cause why God sware The reward of the Obstinate and stiâ—uecked People Idem Pag. 114. In a Sermon preached on Rom. 13. 11. Idem lib. 51. pag. 372. A plaine declaration of the Sacrifice of CHRIST B. Iewel Deâ—eus Apolog. Cap. 19. Devis 1. 〈◊〉 Oenus 〈◊〉 Mankind that is All that haue the Nature and Kind of Man in them all that are 〈…〉 ted of Men.