conscience shall reproue condemne them 36 when as ours being confirmed in the truth by the grace mercie of our God shall deliuer freevs 37 in the day of Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost praise glory and honour be giuen for euer SO BE IT THE PLACES AND testimonies of the Scriptures which are alleaged in this treatise marked by numbers it seemed good to place apart partly that beeing separate they might be better weighed and vnderstood and partly because they could not for the multitude thereof be coÌ„tayned in the margent of the booke And heere we haue compassed euery number within these two lines to the intent they might be more easily found out CHAP. II. 1 Rom. 11. d. 33. 2 Iob. 9. 10. 11. 12. Ro. 9. d. 20. 3 Eph. 1. b. 9. 11 Gen. 27. c. 20. Exo. 21. c. 13. Iob. 23. c. 13. Pro. 16. d. 33. in the same 20 c. 24. 21. a. 1. Esay 14. f. 27. in the same 46. a. 4. d. 10. Iere. 10. d. 23. Dav. 4. g. 32. Matth. 10. c. 29 Gala. 1. a. 4. 4 Ephe. 2. a. 2 5. Ge. 45. b. 8. in the same 50. c. 19. Exo. 4. c. 21. in the same 7. a. 3. 9. c. 12. 10. 1. 1. f. 20. g. 27. and 11. d. 10. and 14. a. 4. 8. d. 17. Deut. 2. f. 30. Ios 11. d. 20. 1 Sam. 2. e. 25. 2. Sa. 12. c. 11. in the same 16. c. 11. 24. a. 1. 1. Reg. 12. c. 15. in the same 22. d. 22 2. Reg. 18. c. 25. 2. Cro. 10. c. 15. in the same 11. a. 4. 22. c. 7. 25. f. 20. Nehem. 9. f. 37. Iob 1 b. 11. d. 21. in the same 23. c. 14. 34. d. 30. 37. b. 13. Psal 50. c. 25. Esa 10. d. 15. in the same 54. g. 16. and 63. d. 17. Ioh. 12. f. 40. Act. 2. d. 23. in the same 4. f. 28 Ro. 9. d. 18. 19. in the same 11. d. 32. with Gal. 3. d. 22. 1. Thes 3. a. 3. 6 Prou. 16. a. 4. 7 Esa 43 b. 7. Ephe. 1. b. 6. Ro. 9. c. 23. 8 Rom. 8. f. 29. 30. in the same 9. b. 8. e. 21 1. Cor. 2. b. 17. Ephes 1. a. 4. 2. Thes 2. c. 13. 1. Pet. 1 a. 2. 9 Exo. 9. d. 16. Prou. 16. a. 4. Rom. 3. a. 5. in the same 9. e. 22. Esa 54. g. 16. 10 Den. 4. f. 37. in the same 7. b. 7. 8. Ios 24. a. 2. Psal 44. a. 4. Eze. 16. a. 6. g. 60. Iohn 15. c. 16. 19. Act. 13. g. 48 in the same 22. c. 14. Ro. 5. a. 6. in the same 9. c. 11. 12. 13. 15. d. 16. 18. c. 23 in the same 11. a. 7. d. 3 1. Cor. 4. b. 7. Eph. 1 a. 4. 5. b. 11. in the same 2. b. 10. Colos 1. b. 12. 2. Tim. 1. c. 9. 11 Mat. 25. c. 34. Ioh. 6. e. 40. 45. Act. 13 g. 48. Rom. 8. f. 29. 30. in the same 9. b. 8. c. 11. 12. d. 16. c 23. in the same 11. a. 7. eph 1. a. 4. 5. b. 9. 11. 2. Tim. 2. c. 19. 1. Coriâ— 2. b. 7. c. 10. 12 Ose 13. c. 9. Ioh 3. c. 19. 13 Rom. 9. c. 23. 14 Exod. 9. c. 16. Psal 33. c. 15. Prou. 16. a. 4. Rom. 9. c. 11. 12. 13. Where he saith not onely that Esau was ordeyned to be hated before hee did any euill for in so saying he should not seeme to exclude any thing but actuall sinne and incredulitie but saith expresly before he was borne whereby he excludeth the originall sinne and all that which might be considered in the person of Esau by his birth from the cause of the hate Therfore anone after vvhen hee sheweth how the reprobate murmur and reply hee doth not say that they speake in this sort Why doth not GOD hate others alike seeing they are also borne in the same corruption that wee bee the Apostle speaketh no such words but hee saith their reason is in this sort Who can resist his vvill for heereof mans reason â—â—thereth that they are vniustly condeÌ„ned And yet S. Paul doth not answere that God would so because hee saw that they would be corrupt so consequentlie that the cause of his decree should be grouÌ„ded on their corruption the which answer had bin clear and resolute if it had been true but forasmuch as hee saith plainlie it so pleased GOD and it was not in their power to change this his good pleasure hee brideseth mans wisedome that it might reuerence and wonder at Gods mysteries as it is most iust to doe And also incourageth the elect to honour the grace of GOD which is declared and made famous by such a comparison In this sort then the other places of the scripture which conduct and lift vs vp to behold the soueraigne will of God which is the only rule of iustice ought to be expounded Esa 54. g. 16. 1. Sam. 2. c. 25. Ioh. 6. g. 64. 65. in the same 10. d. 26 in the same 12. f. 39. 1. Pet. 2. b. 8. in diuers other places 15 2. Thessa 2. c. 10. 11. 12. Rom. 11. c. 20. 2. Cor. 4. 2. 3. 4. Heb. 12 c. 17 16 Rom. 8. â— 30. Ephe. 1. a. 4. 5. CHAP. III. 1 Rom. 11. d. 32. 2 Gala 3. d. 22. 3 Act. 13. g. 48. Ephe. 2 b. 8. 2. Thes 3. a. 2. Tit. 1. a. 1. 2. Phil. 1. d. 29. Gal. 5. d. 21. 4 Mat. 13. b. 11. 5 Ioh. 12. f. 38. 39. 6 Gen. 3. 7 Eph. 4. f. 24. 8 Rom. 5. b. 11. in the same 7. d. 20. 9 Rom. 5. b. 11. c. 10 Mat. 10. c. 29. 30. Pro. 16. d. 33 11 Ro. 9. e. 21. 22. 1. Pet. 2. b. 8. Exo. 9. d. 16. Pro. 16. a. 4. 12 Exo. 9. d. 16. Prou. 26. a. 4. Esa 54. g. 16 Rom. 9. c. 11. 12. 13. d 17. 18. c. 13. Rom. 9. 13. d. 19. CHAP. IIII. 1 Ioh. 9. g. 41. 2 Ro. 1. b. 18. in the same 7. b. 14. 8. b. 17. 1. Cor. 2. b. 4. 2. Cor. 3. b. 5. Eph. 2. a. 3. 3 Rom. 7. b. 10. 4 Mat. 1. d. 20 Luk. 1. d. 35. 5 Ioh. 1. b. 14 1. Ioh. 1. a. 1. 2. 3. 6 Rom. 1. a. 3. 4. 2. Cor. 5. d. 19. Col. 2. b. 9. 7 Rom. 8. a. 3. 8 Mat. 3. d. 15. in the same 5. c. 17. Rom. 5. d. 18. 1. Cor. b. 30. 9 Esa 53. a. 4. b. 5. 7. d. 11. 10. 3. d. 25. Act. 20. f. 28 Colo. 1. c. 20. Ro. 5. d. 19. 1. Pet. 2. d. 24. in the same 3. d. 18. 2. Cor. 5. d. 21. 10 Rom. 6. a. 3. 4. 5. c Colo. 3. a. 1. in the same b. 12 Ioh. 17. c. 19. Hebr. 9. d. 13. in the same 10. c. 14. 11 Rom. 5. c. 15. 16. 17. d. 20 12 Rom. 8. f. 31. Ioh. 3. b. 16 13 Ioh. 17. a. 2. b. 6. 9. 11. 12. d. 23. 14 Gen. 3.
themselues yet notwithstanding somtimes when need requireth the scripture to make more manifest by this comparison the great power of God his patience and the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercy 13 leadeth vs vnto this high secret which by order is the first cause of their damnation of the which secret no other cause is known to meÌ„ but onely his iust will which wee must with all reuerence obey as coÌ„ming from him who is onely iust and cannot by any meanes nor of any man in any sort be comprehended 14. For we must put difference betwixt the purpose or ordinance of reprobation and reprobation it selfe Because God vvould that the secret of this his purpose should be kept close froÌ„ vs again we haue the causes of reprobation damnation which depeÌ„deth therof expressed in Gods word that is to say corruption lack of faith and iniquitie which as they be necessarie so are they also voluntary in the vessels made to dishonour 15 like as on the other part when wee describe orderly the causes of the saluation of the elect wee put difference betwixt the purpose of electing which God hath determined in himselfe and the election which is appointed in Christ in such sort that this his purpose or ordinaÌ„ce doth not onely goe before election in the degree of causes but also before all other things that follow the same 16. CHAP. III. How God putteth in execution his eternall counsell aswell towards the elect as the reprobate THe Lord God that hee might put in execution this eternall counsell to his glory prepared away according to his infinite wisedom indiffereÌ„t both to those that hee would chuse and those also which hee would refuse For when he determined to shevv his infinite mercie in the saluation of the elect and also his iust iudgement in the condemnation of the reprobate it was necessary that hee should shut vp both vnder disobedience sinne to shew his mercy to all 1 those that belieue 2. that is to say to the elect because faith is a gift of god which properly belongeth vnto theÌ„ 3 and coÌ„trariwise to haue iust cause to condemne them to whom it is not giueÌ„ to belieue 4. nor to know Gods mysteries 5. Therefore GOD did this in such sort and with such wisdome that the whole fault of the reprobates damnation lyeth in themselues and on the other side all the glory and praise of the elects saluation belongeth wholly to his onely mercy For he did not create man a sinner for then he should haue beene with reuerent feare bee it spoken the author of sinne which afterwards hee could not iustlie haue punished but rather he made him after his owne image 6 to wit in innoceÌ„cie purity holiness who notwithstanding without constraint of any neither yet forced by any necessitie of concupiscence as touching his will which as yet was not made seruaunt vnto sinne 8 willinglie and of his owne accord rebelled against God binding by this meanes the vvhole nature of man to sin and so consequently to the death of bodie soule 9. Yet we must confesse that this fall came not by chance or fortune seeing his prouidence doth stretch forth it selfe euen to the smallest things 10 neither can we say that any thing doth happen that God knoweth not or careth not for except wee would fall into the opinion of the Epicures from the which God preserue vs neither yet by any bare or idle permission or sufferance which is separate from his will and sure determination For seeing hee hath appointed the end it is necessarie also that he should appoint the causes which lead vs to the same end vnlesse we affirme with the wicked Manichees that this end happeneth at all aduentures or by meanes of causes ordained by some other God Further more wee cannot thinke that any thing happeneth contrary to Gods will except wee deny blasphemously that hee is omnipotent Almightie As Saint Augustine noteth plainly in his booke De correptione gratia chap 104. Wee conclude therefore that this full of Adam did so proceede of the motion of his will that notwithstanding it happened not without the vvill of God whom it pleaseth by a maruailous and incomprehensible mean that the thing which hee doth not allow for asmuch as it is sin shold not happen without his will And this is done as wee said before that hee might shew the riches of his glory towards the vessels of mercie and his vvrath and power vpon those vessels which hee hath made to set foorth his glory by their shame confusion 12. For the finall end of Gods counsell is neither the saluation of the elect nor the damnation of the reprobate but the setting forth of his own glory in sauing the one by his mercy and condemning the other by his iust iudgement Then to auoid al these blasphemies vnto the which the infirmitie of our wits doth draw vs let vs confesse that the corruption of the principall worke that GOD hath made which is man is not happened by chaunce nor without the will of him who according to his incomprehensible wisedome dooth make and gouerne all things to his glory Albeit wee must confesse in despight of mans iudgement which was limitted in the beginning within a certaine compasse and after was miserably corrupted that the whole fault of his damnation lieth in man forasmuch as betwixt the secret and incomprehensible will of God and that corruption of mans nature which is the verie first occasion of the reprobates damnation the wil of the first man is a mean vvhich being created good hath willingly corrupted it selfe and therby opened the doore to the iust iudgement of God to condemn al those to whom it doth not please him to shew mercie And if they would yet obiect and cauill saying that they cannot resist the will of GOD 13 let vs suffer them to their owne destruction to plead against him vvho wil be able enough to defend his iustice against their quarrelling Let vs rather reuerence that which passeth the reach and compasse of our wits turne our minds whollie to praise his mercie who by his onely grace hath saued vs when wee deserued the like punishment and damnation and were no lesse sinners and wicked then they CHAP. IIII. By what order God proceedeth to declare after a sort to execute his election WHen God had determined with himselfe the things before meÌ„tioned he by a more manifest order of causes which notwithstanding was eternall as all things are present to him disposed orderly all the degrees whereby hee vvould bring his elect vnto his king dome Forasmuch therefore as he is merciful yet could not forget his iustice before all other things it was necessary that a Mediator should be appointed by whoÌ„ man might be perfectly restored that this should bee done â—y that free mercy and grace which doth appeare in the â—aluation of his
then contrariwise to begin at the very top of this mysterie and so come downe to the foote For the brightnes of Gods maiestie sodenly presented to the eies doth so 〈◊〉 and dazle the sight that afterwards if they be not through long continuance accustomed to the same they wexe blind when they should see other things VVhat then remaineth that vvhether they beginne beneath ascend vpwards or contrariwise aboue and come downeward to the lowest degree they take alwaies heed lest omitting that which ought to bee in the midst they leape from one extreamitie to another as from the eternall purpose to saluation and much more from saluation to the eternall purpose Likewise from Gods eternall counsell to damnation or backward froÌ„ damnation to his purpose leauing the neer and euident causes of Gods iudgement Except perchance they haue to doe with open blasphemers and contemners of God who haue need of nothing else but the sharpe pricks of Gods iudgement or else with men so trayned and exercised in Gods word that there be no suspicion of any offence Finally that they neuer so propound this doctrine as if it should be applied to any one man particularly 9 although men must be vsed after diuers sorts some by gentlenesse and some by sharpnesse vnlesse some Prophet 7 of God be admonished by some speciall reuclation vvhich thing because it is out of course and not vsuall ought not lightly to be belieued When the Ministers also visite the sicke or vse familiar and priuate admonitions it is their dutie to lift vp and comfort the afflicted consciences with the testimonial of their election and againe to wound and pearce the wicked and stubborne with the fearefull iudgement of God so that they keepe a meane refrayning euer froÌ„ that last sentence which admitteth no exception nor condition For this right and jurisdiction onely appertaineth to God 8. CHAP. VIII How euery man may with profit apply this uniuersal doctrine to himselfe IT is most euideÌ„t that they which teach that mans saluation either in part or wholly dependeth and is grounded in works destroy the foundation of the Gospel of GOD 1. And contrariwise they that teach iustification freely by faith ground on a sure foundation but so that they build vpon that eternal counsell of God whereupon Christ himselfe 2 and the Apostle Paul folowing Christs steppes groundeth his doctrine 3. For seeing perseuerance in faith is requisite to saluation 4 to what purpose shall saith serue me except I be sure of the gift of perseuerance nor we need not fear least this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute for this peace of conscience whereof wee speak 5 ought to be distinct and separat froÌ„ foolish securitie and he that is the sonne of God seeing hee is mooued and gouerned by the spirit of God 9 vvill neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Then if by this doctrine we had but this one commoditie that wee might learn to assure cofirme our faith against all brunts that might happen it is manifest that they which speak against resist this article of religion either through their wickednes or else through their ignorance or some foolish blind zeale which hapneth when men will meâ—sure God according to the capacity of their own wits subuert destroy the principall ground foundation of our saluation And in very deed though some as I must coÌ„fesse do it not purposely yet doe they open notwithstanding the dore to al superstition impiety As for theÌ„ which nowadaies maliciously oppugne the truth I beseech the lord euen from my hart either to turne their mindes if so be they appertaine to the elect or else to send them a most speedy destruction that by their owne example they may confirme and establish that doctrine which so maliciously they resist These other I will desire most instantly and require them in the name of God that they would better aduise themselues what they doe Now to touch briefly how this doctrine may bee applied let vs marke that all the works of God euen the least of all are such that man cannot iudge of them but in two sorts that is either wheÌ„ they are done or else by foreseeing them to come to passe by the disposition of the second and manifest causes whose effects haue been diligently and by long vse obserued as men accustome in naturall things to do wherin notwithstanding men are wonderfully blind In this matter then which is most obscure of all others it is no maruel if mans wit be driuen into this straight that it can not otherwise vnderstand but by this meanes what is determined as touching him selfe in this secret counsell of God But because these are most high mysteries therfore stand in the obseruation of those causes which passe all naturall things wee must needs seeke farther come to Gods word which forasmuch as without all comparison it is more certain then mans comectures so it can best directvs heerein and assure vs. The Scripturne then witnesseth 7 that all those that God hath according to his counsell predestinate to be adopted his children throgh Iesus Christ are also called in their time appointed yea so effectually that they hear the voice of him that calleth and belieue it 8 so that beeing iustified and sanctified in Iesus Christ they are also glorified Wilt thou then whatsoeuer thou art be assured of predestination and so in order of thy saluation which thou lookest for against all the assaults of Satan assured I say not by doubtful coniectures or our owne fantasie but by arguments and conclusions no lesse true and certaine 9. then if thou were ascended into 〈◊〉 and had heard of Gods owne mouth his eternall decree and purpose Beware thou begin not at that most high degree for so thou shouldest not be able to sustaine the most shining light of Gods maiestie Begin therefore beneath at the lowest order and when thou shalt heare the voice of God 10 sound in thine eares and in thy hart which calleth thee to Christ the onely Mediator consider by little and little try diligently 11 if thou be iustified sanctified in Christ through faith for these two bee the effects or fruites whereby the faith is known which is their cause As for this thou shalt partly know by the spirit of adoption which cryeth within thee Abba Father 12 and partly by the vertue and effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thee As if thou fall and so declare indeede that although sinne dwell in thee yet it doth no more raigne in thee 13. For is not the holy Ghost hee that causeth vs not to let slip the bridle and giue libertie willinglie to our naughtie and vile concupiscences 14 as they are accustomed whose eyes the prince of this world blindeth 15 or else who mooueth vs to pray when we are cold and slothfull who stirreth