is 〈◊〉 causantiuÌ„ causarum the cause of al causings and of all causes when we here it is Gods purpose so to be shal we not think eâ—…en this purpose of god the causer to be cause sufficient but we will seke for other causes in the causes inferior things that themselues are caused What absurditie were this in man and what presumption ahainst god sith we heare it is gods purpose and we are not content therwith Well say the Papists be it the cause be only in God and not in man nor any creature that he purposed to bestowe this benefite on the world yet she we me a cause in god himselfe that moued him hereunto Why is not this a sufficient cause of it selfe that we haue sayd al this while it was Gods purpose If this will not suffise thee what will suffise thee Shall I say it is Gods determination that is al one with purpose Shal I say it is Gods appoyntmente this is all one also Shall I say it is his good wil and pleasure what is this but in effecte the same also what shall I saye then that shall contente them Surely neyther I nor all the world shal be able to say any thing that can satisfie a warbling Papist in this matter For how should we satisfie him that is not satisfied with the purpose determination appointment wil and pleasure of God but he will needes know why God purposed determined and appointed why it was his will and pleasure But see euen here if this will content the Papist wee haue a further cause expressed in the firste begynnyng of this sentence Sic dilexit So God loued the Worlde Lo loue is the cause therof Yea but what made him loue the worlde saith the Papist nothing yes euen bycause hee would vouch safe so to doo Why sayeth he this commeth to the former cause hee loued it bicause he would But wherfore woulde he loue it Here the Papist setteth mee I confesse neyther will I search nor can I find any further cause than this neyther am I ashamed to be so sette of a Papist that I can go no further wheÌ„ I come to the loue good wil of God of which if it were so easy a matter to shew a further cause why was not S. Paul ashamed when he came to the alleaging of Gods will to crye oute that the Iudgementes of God were vnsearchable and durste goe no further after he had alleaged it to be Gods wil bycause beyond this cause he coulde fynde no cause hygher his fadome coulde reache no further Heere was abyssus abyssum inuocat Here was sette the Cherubin and the flamyng sworde to stoppe the entrie into this vnsearcheable Paradyse Here were the boundes of Gods Mountayne Sina limited that the people nor the Priestes nor any else durste or coulde enter into but onely our heauenly Prophete lyke to Moyses Iesus Christe not only man but GOD himself also And wil a beast a Papist a brutishe fleshly man presume to come neare thys mountayn yea to go beyond the boundes appoynted Shall not a dart be cast through him that dare presume thus beastely What is man that he should not be content when he heareth platte and playne it is Gods wyll but he wil demaund a reason of the same Iob neuer durste presume thus farre as the Papists doo yet when in the anguishe of his mynde hee wente beyonde hys reache The Lorde out of the whyrle wynde sayde Whoe is thys that darkeneth the counsell by woordes without knowledge Gyrde vp now thy loynes lyke a manne I wyll demaunde of thee and declare thou vntoo mee Where waste thow when I layde the foundations of the earthe Declare yf thou haste vnderstandynge c. Wylte thou disanull my Iudgemente or wylte thou condemne mee that thou mayste bee iustified or haste thou an arme lyke GOD or doest thou thunder wyth a Voyce lyke hym Decke thy selfe nowe wyth Maiestie and excellencye and arraye thy selfe wyth Beautie and glorye Caste abroade the indignation of thy wrathe and beholde euery one that is prowde and abase hym looke on euery one that is arrogante and bryng hym lowe and destroye the wycked in theyr place hyde them in the duste together and bynde theyr faces in a secrete place then wyll I confesse vnto thee also that thy ryghte hande can saue thee Thys presumption then not to bee content wyth the expressed good wyll of GOD but to searche further causes of his wyll then hee hath expressed that is his loue is euen to make our owne right hande our Sauiour as the Papistes doo Let vs therefore be content with this cause of Gods purpose that it is his good wil and procedeth of his mere loue And that his loue is the very and onely cause hereof as oure Sauioure Chryste hathe sayde Sic Deus dilexit mundum GOD so loued the worlde The loue of God is the cause of the Worldes saluation than the whyche what can bee a more notable cause and more comfortable herein than the loue and good wyll of god But the Papist whose mouth is not yet stopped nor hys ambitious mynde contented groynethe hereat that all shoulde proceede from the good wyll and loue of GOD Did not wee saithe he loue him before and then he loued vs No Papist we loued him not wee hated him as is already she wed In hoc est charitas non ê™ nos dilexerimus Deum sed quod ipse dilexit nos Loue consisteth herein sayeth S. Iohn not that we loued him but that he loued vs Prior dilexit nos he loued vs before and not we him before for then were all this in vayne then were the cause in vs not in God then were it no godamercie to God that we are saued but gramercie myne owne selfe for God requited me but loue for loue What a pawne checkemate were this to the loue of God But herein commendat charitatem suam Deus in nobis quoniam cum adhuc peccatores esâ—…emus God not onely loueth vs but herein he maruellously setteth out the glory and praise of his infinite loue vnto vs that euen when we were sinners when we were enemies he loued vs The only and whole cause then of Gods purpose to our saluation is the fauour loue of god Wherfore was Iacob preferred before hys brother Esau Iacob dilexi I loued Iacob Wherefore chose he the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be hys people for any merite of these their fathers which were holy patriarkes No Quia dilexit patres tuos forbicause hee loued their fathers Wherfore saith God vnto the Israelites The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a precious people vnto hym selfe aboue all people that are vpon the earthe The Lorde did not set his loue vpon you nor chose you bicause ye were mo in number than any people for ye were the fewest of al people but bicause the Lord loued you Wherfore is the
reward giuen for of good conscience by right and iustice he deserueth somwhat euen of dutie Therfore if hee wrought any thing in this matter of the cause of his owne saluation he deserueth then somewhat euen of dutie to the obteyning of his owne saluation Neither let the Scholemen go so gingerly to worke with theyr threefolde distinction of deseruyng Merito digni condigni congrui by the merite of dignitie condignitie congruitie descanting by which of these three they shoulde make their clayme least they shoulde seeme to attribute too muche to manne A good playne fellowe that coulde scarse vnderstand these quaint termes what woulde he thynke hearing of desert but that it is plain debt and dutie ▪ Yea what could he thinke otherwise and why should he not clayme for his due somuch as he deserued for his worke And doth not saint Paul here without any such nicenesse go as plain ly to the matter and saye if it be of worke it is of duetie And againe Dignus est operarius mercede sua The workman is worthy of his rewarde He must be payde it he is worthy of it it is his dutie daly not with him in termes muche lesse tell hym it is free gift it proceedeth of gracious fauour of mere loue curtesy Thou liest it is his own euen of dutie he hath earned it wel and truly and therfore it is not gift nor fauour nor loue ▪ nor curtesy nor free nor grace but euen playn debt and dutie And shal we now say that of dutie we deserue heuen or deserue some part of our saluation of dutie that God is in our debt This were Iacke sauce in dede to claime debt of God to chalenge God of dutie but thou must nedes do thus if thou puttest in workes for any part of the cause of thy saluation Neither canst thou delude god on this wise by ioyning these two together as who shoulde saye thou wilt not ascribe all to thy selfe lyke the priest at Masse but like a good felow let God haue som part with the. Ha sut◅le foole Sim suttle deceued himself Thinkest thou thus to mo◅k God Thou mayst so bleare and deceiue a blinde Papist But Deus non irridetur God is not mocked no nor any that hearken to S. Paule that sayth These two can not be ioyned togither The olde bottell wyll holde no new wine the olde coate will not be pieced with new cloth for so the rent is worse so the bottels are burst and the wine is spilt This is an busit matche of mans workes and Gods grace in the cause of our saluation This is worse than Iugum ducere cum infidelibus To drawe the yoake with infidels This were euen Christe and Belial together For what is man but the child of Belial before God geue him his grace and wylte thou ioyne mans works and the grace of God togither to be cause of thy saluation nay S. Paule hath sued such a diuorce alredy betwene these two that if thou wilte haue grace to be a doer grace must be all the doer farewel works If thou wilt bring in works adiew fauor grace is clean gone These two cānot be ioyned together in the causes of saluation For sayth S. Aug. Si vllis bonis meritis datur iam non gratis datur sed debita redditur ac per hoc non vero nomine gratia nuncupatur vbi mer ces c. If it be geuen for any good merits then is it not geuē free but is of duty rendred and hereby it is not called grace by a true name sith that as the same apostle sayth reward is accompted not after grace or fauor but by debt But if that it may be fauor that is to say free it findeth nothyng in man whereunto it may be rightly indebted whiche is also truely vnderstode that is said Euen for nothing shalte thou make them safe then truly fauor giueth merites fauour is not giuen for merits then fauor goeth before faith it selfe from whom all works haue their beginning To conclude therefore as it commethe not by works alone nor chiefly so not ioyntlye neither with the fauoure and loue of God neither in partnor parcell nor any whyt by works at all for if it shoulde grace is expelled challenge is made of duty debt is claimed reioising is made but not with god but it commeth all of fauor Gratia saluati estis yee are saued by grace challenge dare not be made of dutie Dimitte nobis debita no◅tra Forgiue vs our deseruings Debt is damnation Nobis cō fusio faciei Unto vs belōgeth confusion of our faces Vbi est igitur gloriatio tua ▪ exclusa est Per quam legem factorum non s◅d per legem fidei arbitramur enim iustificari hominem per fidem absque operibus legis Where is then thy reioicing It is excluded By what lawe of workes No But by the law of Faith. Therfore wee deeme that a man is iustified by Faith without the workes of the lawe If then workes are thus by S. Paul in the matter of Iustification thrust clean out of the dores by the heade and shoulders shall wee suffer the Papists to bring them in and shoulder out grace and the fauour of God in the cause of his election and of our saluation But needes wyll the Papistes ioyne these two that can not be ioyned the merits of man and the fauour or loue of god Now syth they will needes ioyne them together whether wer it fitter to haue the better ende of the staffe to be the greater cause of the twain the cause proceding from god or the cause proceeding from man a reasonable man would think say without any studie for the matter surely the greater cause is in god Were he not then vnresonable and too too wicked that durst affirm the greater cause of our saluation to be in man Well what say the Papists to this question Man shal be saued why so Bicause God loues him as ye haue alredy proued yea but answere me precisely to this point wherfore thinkest thou God loues him Forsoth bicause that eyther he is a good man a iust man a vertuous man a man that loueth and feareth God or bicause he foreseeth he shuld so be and therfore he loueth him Why then mās goodnes is the cause of Gods loue But Vnumquodque propter quid illud magis Euery thing loke wherfore it is done and the thing wherfore it is done is greater than the thing that tendeth thereto I eate my meate wherefore To nourishe my bodye then is the nourishement of my bodye a greater cause than my meat as sayth Saint Paule Esca ventri The meate is made for the belly and not the bellie for the meate I take Physicke when I am sicke wherfore to recouer my health the r◅couery then of my health is greater than phisicke I laye mee downe to slepe why so to rest
thyng for the abuse Thys doctryne beeyng ryghtlye vsed is so farre from anye inducemente to dispayre or presumption that it is the moste excellente Triacle that canne bee receyued to expell the vyolence of bothe these poysons there is no suche medicine but maye bee so euell geuen or taken that it maye worke a contrarye effect but take the medicine as it should be taken and no wise or learned man wil disalow it The Corinthians dyd so vnworthely receaue the Lordes Supper that they eate and dranke theyr owne damnation And for this cause many were sick and weake among them and many died shal none therfore receaue it yea shall it not be offered to all so many abuse this doctrine of Gods election and reprobation euen to their owne damnation shall we not therfore receaue it at al yea had not all the more daunger the more nede to knowe howe to receyue it rightly The Papists snatche at the ensamples of those that haue hurt them selues by it and alledge gladly against vs what inconueniences may ensue hereof but they tell not of the good that coÌ„meth of it and howe many are confirmed in their faith therby where as the euyl is not of this doctrine but of the diuell and their abusage Euen as Christe him selfe is an offence and stomblyng blocke an occasion of warre and persecution not of himself but by the wickeds not taking or mistaking of him This doctrin rightly taughte and so receaued firste sheweth vs what of our selues we be children of wrathe enimies of God an heape of sin deseruers of damnation and euen a worlde of wickednesse we are the worlde This consideration is terrible and woulde bring vs in deede to desperation if it wente no further but it goeth further it sheweth vnto vs the comfortable sight of Gods mercie that hath taken vs out of the world and made vs inheritours of another worlde Neither that this matter hangs in doubt but is already certainely doone and ratified in the booke of life Gods eternall purpose that cannot be changed Nowe for me to doubte that cannot be changed now for me to doubtewhether I am one of this choise number or no I haue no sutche cause lest of all to thinke I am one of the reprobate and so dispaire I learne no sutch thinge by this doctrine neither ought I to iudge my self at all mutch lesse before the time of iudgemeÌ„t come and then let Chryst be my iudge in the meane time I haue good cause to hope the beste where I know not the worste for I haue Christ on my side if he be with vs who can be against vs Christ iustifieth who can condemne And for warrant of Christ I haue his word and Sacramentes I heare them and receaue them And Christ hath sayde Qui ex Deo est Verba Deâ—… audit propterea nos non auditis quia ex Deo noÌ„ estis In whiche wordes he not only comforteth me by an infallible token that I heare his word which reprobates doo not but also confirmeth my fayth in this Article that I heare it bycause I am of god I am not of God bicause I heare it for then myghte I haue cause to doubte if my beeing of God depended on my hearyng but my beeyng of God is grounded on him and therof springeth my obedience of hearing his worde to bee a witnesse to confirme me that I am of god Yea I â—…ecken so muche the more that I am of God that the diuel tempteth me to despaire He saith to me Thou art of the number of the damned and although in the secrete iudgements of God he know no more than I knowe no nor so mutche bycause I feele Gods spirite testifying to my spirite the assurance of Gods fauour Yet bicause he assayleth me with this most sharpe temptation I knowe he is mine enimie and he being mine enimie I know I am none of his I am Gods betweene whome and Belial there is no conuention but enimitie and tentation Now then he thus assayling me as I feare him not being in the hande of Christe and thence can not hee nor all the diuels in hell fetche me I reason boldely out of the hande of Christe that the diuel my tempter is a lier and was from the begynnyng chiefely when hee speakethe his owne but this is his owne when he sayth I am damned from whence hath he it he is not Gods counsellour therfore it is his owne deuise euen therfore it is a lie and it being a lye it foloweth then am I the elect childe of God to be saued And thus his temptation driueth not me to desperation but makes me so much the more surer of my saluation But now that the diuell can not doo by desperation he assayeth by presumption For euen thus he assaulted Iesus Christ first to driue hym to dout whether he were the sonne of God in his fauour or no and to make him feare that he should perish Wherin when he preuayled not but was ouerthrowne euen by this confidence that wee ought to haue of the prouidence of GOD then hereon he tooke occasion to tempte Christ by presumption That where he certainly assured hym selfe to be the chylde of God and so depended on his prouidence that he knewe hee coulde not perishe Upon this woulde the diuell haue drawne hym to presume by presumption of the certentie of Gods protection to haue hurled downe hym self hedlong and forsake the meanes of descending downe that God hadde appoynted But Chriâ—…te confuted him saying Non tentabis dominum â—…euÌ„ tuum Thou shalte not tempt the Lorde thy God And euen thus when he can not by this doctrine breede wanhope in vs as he dothe to sominâ—… and the Papistes woulde bring vs all to the nerâ—…e dore by of continuall doubte then he sturreth vs vp to presumption that if we bee chosen alreadie and our names enrolled the matter purposed and ratified and can not be changed then needest thou not feare to doe what thou wilte to liue as thou lust What nedest thou take paynes why suffrest thou affliction what nedest thou to praye why sholdest thou go to sermons what nedest thou do any good why ensuest thou not thy pleasure why liuest thou in nede why killest thou not thy selfe thou art sure of Heauen alredy and shalt streight ways be in glory whatsoeuer thou lust to do thus doth the Deuil tempt the children of God euen by this holsom doctrin many that ar amoÌ„g vs but not of vs Exâ—…eruÌ„t è nobis sed noÌ„ fueâ—…uÌ„t è nobis for if they had beÌ„ of vs they wold haue coÌ„tinued with vs These whom the diuel setteth on this hil top hee maketh in dede to presume as he himself once did plucketh theÌ„ down hedloÌ„g into al mischief as he himself was hurled doun into al misery â–ª this he doth I grant and herein the Papists sar true that he doth it by occasioÌ„ of this
doctrin I arâ—…uÌ„t also but that this doctrine is the directe 〈◊〉 hereof that is euen more than the deuels â—…tioÌ„ the Papists malicious sâ—…laÌ„der of this doctrin Was the fast of Christ the directe cause of the diuels temptation and yet here on the diuell picked his occasion of tempting christ There is nothing ordeined of God to so good purpose but the diuell will seeke occasion therby to worke some euil successe so farre as he can But let him tempt as hee did Christ let him sift as he did Peter let him buffet as he did Paule let hym stryke as he did Iob let him go roaryng lyke a Lion as he doth about vs all Christe shall driue him away Peters faith shall preuayle yea the gates of hell shall not preuaile againâ—…e it Gods vertue in Paule shall be stronger in infirmitie Iob shall neuer let go thys trustie saying Etiam si interfecerit me sperabo in euÌ„ Although he kill me yet will I truste in him And al we that haue this firme belefe of Gods election shall neuer bee confounded Spes non pudefacit What shall we say then to these things If God be on our syde who can be agaynst vs who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not giue vs all things with him also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne It is Christe whiche is dead yea or rather whiche is risen agayn who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguishe or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sworde as it is written For thy sake are we killed all daye long we are counted as shepe for the slaughter neuer the lesse in all these things we are more thaÌ„ conquerors through him that loued vs For I am persuaded that neither deathe nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor power nor things preseÌ„t nor things to com nor heighth nor depthe nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde And shall I now feare the sclander of a rayling Papist to driue me from this houlde and fortresse builte on the worke of Gods eternall election founded thus in Iesus Christ go now Papist and sclander this doctrine to be presumption to be the neglecte of all vertue to be the inticement to all vice and licentious lyuinge Thou lyest Papist it is but thy sclaunder it is but the Diuels temptation And euen as before in the temptation to dispaire so now euen for his temptation and thy sclaunders I ground my selfe the faster thereon I will spit on my fingers and take better holde on the mercifull election of God than I did before hurling awaye all brittle sticks and rotten posts of mans merits and leaue only to the myghtie bulwarkes and strong battlements of Gods eternall purpose of my saluation Neyther shall I fall downe headlong neyther tempte I God for trusting to his mercie for I know he that hath ordayned me to the ende of eternall lyfe hathe ordained also the meanes for me to go thether And as I thank hym hartly for the one so I will by his grace obey him humbly in the other looke what soeuer hee commaundeth me his grace I truste shall not be in vayne in me but make me able to doe all good workes to the glory of him that hath electe mee Haec est spes mea reposita in sinu meo Go go now sclandering Papist and say this is presumption But let the Papist go and let vs here set downe our firste standâ—…d againste the tempting Deuell against the wicked worlde against the tremblinge fleshe against the sclandering Papist and stay our selues on this first parte Hic murus aheneus esto Lette this be a brasen wall vnto vs that all theire gunshotte shall neuer batter downe the eternall purpose of almightie God before the foundations of the worlde were layde that the worlde not the wicked worldlings nor euery particuler maÌ„ in the world but the elect of god y he hath chosen out of the world shold not perish but haue eternall life The Seconde parte THe seconde parte that I deuided this treatise into is to consider the cause of this Gods goodnes towards the world a passing great benefite is this of God that he wold not suffer the world to perish that we ar traÌ„slated from death we shal not be damned but a farre more passing benefit is this that he hath translated vs from death to lyfe that we shal not only not perish by damnation but haue lyfe and that eternal To the which benefit no worldly blessings of god nor al the riches felicity of the whole world is coÌ„parable For what shold it profite me to win all the world and lose myne own soule or what shold I geue to redeme my soul withal From whence then proceded this surmounting goodnes of almightie God vnto the world was there no cause mouing him thervnto â–ª yes verily that a great cause Here the Papists chiefly the ScholemeÌ„ labor meruellously to serch out the cause that moued God to bestowe on the world this excellent benefite of eternal life wherin so it be done reuerently according to the maiestie of sutche a matter their trauell were not disalowable but wheÌ„ they presume to go beyoÌ„d their bounds to curiously no meruel if they be striken as was Vzias for his vnreuerent presumptioÌ„ to touch the arke of god WheÌ„ they go quite an other way wheÌ„ they seke the causes there where the causes be not when wil they finde the cause thereof but mistake the cause as the blind Sodomites coulde not finde Lots dore as the blynded Syrians were mis led to Samaria and euen like the blinded Hob runne vp and downe about the house catching at euery thing commeth next to hande crying this is it that is it wearying them selues neuer finding the cause in dede therof Semper discentes nuÌ„quaÌ„ auteÌ„ ad viaÌ„ veritatis peruenientes â–ª always learning but neuer attaining to the way of the truth bicause thei take NoÌ„ causas pro causis no causes for causes which is the gretest error in Philosophie that can be mutch more in this high mistery of diuinitie and the causes of Gods doings that passeth all mannes Philosophie The Philosophers say nothyng is thoroughly knowne whereof the causes are vnknowne and to know eche thing by the causes of it is the true and perfect knowlege Herin they said true but alas their selues neither knewe the thinges nor the causes of them they neyther knew them selues nor God we must not searche then the cause hereof by Philosophers and yet they did as muche as carnall men can do but Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei the fleshly man perceyueth not
nor anye thing that a Prince canne deuise in yearthe to defende hym selfe and saue his honoure by is of more value than this one thyng the Subiectes faythful loue Neyther hath the subiecte a greater earthly treasure gyuen hym of GOD than a godly and louyng Prince nor a greater scourge in thys lyfe can there be than when Propter peccata populi facit hypocritam regnare For the peoples wyckednesse God sendes an hypocrit a false worshipper of God a setter vp of superstition and idolatrie an hatefull and cruel tyrant that loueth not his subiectes to raigne ouer them Consyder then with your selues how exceedingly we the people of Englande are bounde in this greate benefite among infinite other to Almightie God that wee be subiects vnder sutche a most gracious Prince that without suspition of lie or flattery we may truely saye Non taliterfecit omni nationi He hath not dealte so with anye nation as he hath dealte with vs Looke thorough out all Christendome comparisons are odious ye shall fynd no countrey no kingdom no realme no citie no state nor any people to enioy all those benefites all that whyle and after that sorte that we haue doone and long shall doo I trust vnder our most blessed Soueraigne The Lorde that hathe wroughte these benefytes to vs by her bee blessed for her and as in a stretched out arme he hath by her deliuered vs from the bōdage of Egipt Pharaos tirannie as hee hath to the preseruing gathering together and feeding vs poore strayed scattered famished weryed sheepe of his folde stirred her vp to be our shepherde deliuered her and vs from the Beare and the Lion as he hathe infeoffed her not onely with royall honoure and supreme gouernement but also endowed her with sutch princely qualities and excellente vertues that other people wonder at her as a myrror other Princes lerne at her as a patterne and we feele the benefit of her as a mother So God that for hys glorie and oure profite hathe giuen her to vs and vs to her for his mercie and truthes sake vouche safe to continue encrease blesse defende and prosper her long to raigne ouer vs and of a yong Lady make her an olde lustie mother amongst vs that hath suche motherly loue vnto vs What now remayneth on our partes to her but lyke faythfull subiectes to honour and obey her with all our industrie lyke louing and naturall children to loue her with all our hartes like Godly Christians with all prayer and supplication to praye for her and lyke true Englishemen to fyghte for her with all our mighte to healpe her with all our goods yea and nede were to die for her also For this I durst saye for her that if neede were as God forbidde or if her deathe coulde doe vs good as it can not but bring vs greatest hurte she woulde not sticke to suffer death either for Gods cause or for ours And this shee shewed full well when tyme was howe readie she was to become a constant mar◅ir for the truthe euen to the very pinche of deathe She went with Christ ouer Cedron into the garden and there slept not as som of the disciples did but sawe euen the cup and horrour of death before her So well she toke his crosse and followed him But God deliuered and exalted her to restore his truth and God preserue her to maintein it Amen Let vs therfore welbeloued of God and loued of her render loue for loue againe vnfainedly And al false harlots all doggish Doegs all dissembling Papists among vs that saye Amen from their teeth and wold if they could eate her with their teeth God turne their harts for his mercy or for his Iustice detect and roote them out that she our louing prince we her louing subiects maugre al Gods hers our enemies may long time liue and loue in God together Amen for Iesus sake Amē But what is this loue also were it neuer so vnfained or any of all these loues or all these loues and put them altogether and adde on the heade of al these loues the loue that we owe to God aboue all things which is most principally to be cōsidered to loue God with all our harte with all our soule with all our might and in respecte of this loue to set all other loues aside yea to hate oure selues in comparisō of this loue of God yet al the loues that we are able to bere one to another and all to God we are bound to them by so many causes that they are all rather dueties than loue And our loue whē it commeth to his most perfection is so imperfecte and hath so many bracks and blots till this corruptible shal put on incorruption and this mortall put on immortalitie yea when that which is perfect is com the imperfect abolished and that faith and hope shal cease only loue continue yet shal it neuer com nere this incomparable loue of god to vs wherby So God loued the world that for y worlds saluatiō he gaue his only begottē son Why sir may not a prince here in this world so loue his people to geue also his only begotten sonne for them and that for naughty caitiues theues wicked ones and traitors to him and to their countrey and that by the laws they ought to suffer a most reprochefull deathe yet may not this prince minding the iustice of the law shal passe so feruently loue those malefactours that he will not spare to geue his only begotten sonne to the laws seueritie and bitter deathe for the redemption of those trāsgressors so entierly beloued of him surely this were a maruelous harde case we can not put a harder no though he died him selfe for them We neuer redde of any sutche prince The ensample of Codrus that procured his owne deathe to saue the Athenians The ensample of the Philenian brethren that voluntarily were buried quicke for the enlarging their countrie bounds The ensample of the Decij and Curtius and such as gaue them selues to deathe for the preseruation of their coūtries this was maruelous great loue that moued them but nothing like the case here put How beit this is nothinge like to Gods case neither For if the prince bare sutche loue to those malefactors no great loue in any creature could com with out greate causes on their partes either that they had don for the prince or might doe for him that moued him to beare them this exceding loue But in God the creatour there was no cause at all as is alreadie declared on the worlds behalfe wherefore he shold loue the world neither benefite nor personage nor any thing besides the loue it selfe of god The Prince in this case might not fauoure his sonne or loue those offenders more than he did his sonne but the sonne of God is his best beloued neither did he this to his sonne as not louing his sonne or lesse louing his
Neyther is the handling worthie of any name although the matter can not be named worthily inough For the matters sake therfore not for the manner of it I shoued it out when I could not holde it in and among others chéefely commend it to your good Lordship whome as God hath made not onely a singular succourer and especiall setter forth of his truth and al good letters but also a publike patrone therevnto and euen a father to our moother and nourice of learning the renounted vuiuersitie of Cambridge that now God be praysed for it flourisheth vnder your protectioÌ„ so he vouchsafe to his glory your ioy and our comfort long to blesse and prosper your honour therin Your Lordships humble to commaundâ—… in Christ Iohn Brigges Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loued the worlde that hée gaue his only begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perishe but haue Euerlasting lyfe RIGHT Honorable and deare beloued in the Lord Iesus This sentence is the entrie into that portion of Scripture that is appoynted to be red for the Gospell this daye and a parcell of the disputation whyche Nichodemus hadde in the nyght with Christe A shorte sentence and for the vnderstanding plaine and easy but for the contente of the matter a most notable sentence comprehending in briefe wordes both all things and the causes of them all God the Creator and al the world created the mercifull loue of God the miserable perdition of Mankind Gods election without beginning mans saluation without ending the most singular gifte of God without comparison the Eternall life of man without merites To be briefe what is not conteyned in this sentence the whole scope and argument whereof standeth on the causes of our saluation euen the groundeworke and principles of Christianitie the locke and keye of our Religion Whiche being opened all controuersies at this day in question betwene vs and our aduersaries as depending hereon are apparant and soone decided For my playner and easyer processe herevppon I purpose to diuide this sentence into foure parts Wherof the first shal be of gods eternall purpose to the world In these two endes Vt non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternaÌ„ that it shold not perish but haue eternal life The second shal be of the cause that moued Almightye God to this purpose of the worlds saluation that is to say Sic dilexit euen the only ioue of god The thirde part shall be to consyder the meanes that God being thus purposed and moued wrought this benefite by that is to say Vt daret filium suum vnigenitum He gaue his only begotten sonne to worke it The fourth and the last part shall be to consider wyth what effertuall instrument we receyue and apply those causes of our saluation to our benefite that is to wit Qui credunt in eum By a stedfast Faith in hym Wherein are comprehended these foure causes The originall cause and fountain of mans saluation Gods eternall purpose the motiue cause inducyng hym therevnto Gods loue the efficiente and formall cause thereof the Sonne of GOD the 〈◊〉 and instrumentall cause of the same Gods gifte of Faith in Manne Thus this whole sentence So God loued the worlde c. beeing 〈◊〉 and deuided orderly into these foure partes lette vs make oure entrie into the seuerall consyderations of them with faythfull and humble Prayer Precatio You haue hearde deare Christians whereon I purpose to proceede euen on this sentence Sic Deus c. Yee haue hearde what notable matter it conteynethe what is the summe and argument thereof and howe I haue distributed the same Wherof the fyrst part hath to behold the eternal purpose of Almightie God in these endes that the world should not perishe but haue euerlasting lyfe This parte hath two things principally to consider Whereof the syrste is these two endes perdition and lyfe eternall The seconde is these two parties God and the worlde God that deliuereth from perdition and giueth eternall life the world that is deliuered from perdition and receiueth eternall lyfe The former is comprehended in these woordes Vt non pereat sed habeat aeternam vitam that it should not perishe but haue Eternall lyfe Whiche wordes are placed last and are the ende of the sentence and lyke wise are the last end that wee shall come vnto But bicause the drifte whereto the sentence tendeth and we also directe the leuell of all oure life is to escape perdition and to obteyne life eternall not vnorderlye it commeth to bee fyrst consydered For although the ende is laste in practise yet in mynde the ende is fyrste of all Hee that is aboute to buylde an house fyrste hath his generall ende and purpose wherefore he wold build and or euer he set on the building he deuiseth his platforme how he shal be able to compasse the same Quis ex vobis c. Which of you sayeth Christ disposed to buylde a Toure sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to perfourme it least after he hath layde the foundation and is not able to perfourme it all that beholde hym begynne to mocke him saying This man began to buylde and was not able to make an ende Or what Kyng going to make battaile againste an other Kyng sitteth not downe fyrst and casteth in his mynde whether he be able with tenne thousande to meere him that commeth against him with twentie thousande c. What man hauing a iourney to goe first considereth not the place whether the entent wherefore and the manner howe he wil trauaile thether and then he setteth on his Iorney and last of all commeth there This is the differnce of the foole and wise as our Prouerbe sayth to looke or we leape As Esope telleth of the two Froggs that in a dry Sommer sought for water and when they came to a deepe pit Here sister sayth the one is a good place for vs to abide in here is water inough nay softe quod the other Frog let vs viewe a litle ere we leape in if water shoulde faile here also howe should we get out again The wise therfore geue this councell Quicquid agas prudenter agas respice finem Whatsoeuer thou doest doe it warily and forecast the ende therof Beholde howe Christ commendeth the steward whiche otherwise was a wicked man for this his industrie in prouidyng for the ende O that the children of life were halfe so wise so prouident and forecastyng as the children of this worlde in their generation be O that rashe youthe amongst vs wolde consider this order in their vnaduised enterprises being caried aware in the headstronge wilfull delight of present pleasures and will not se the wretched ende Qui ducit ad interitum that hurlethe them headlong into destruction and all bicause they wolde not forsee the sequele and ende thereof Voluptates specta abeuntes non accedentes Looke not on pleasures face but
is they that of this interrogatiue Nō potest saluare te sine te can not God saue thee without thee do make an affirmatiue Non potest saluare te sine te God cannot saue thee withoute thee It is they that make Gods will to depende on mannes wyl It is they that will tye Gods wyll to causes in manne and yet to man will giue free will bynding Christ and letting Barrabas go free but as they see not the miserable bondage of mans wil which S. Paule saith helde him captiue vnder the lawe of sinne so they shewe howe muche lesse they see the will of GOD whiche the more he hathe reuealed to them and they see it not they shewe them selues to haue eyes and see not to bee euen blyn◅ed of God and repreb◅te and what so◅uer they prattle of Gods wyll to other that it stretchethe not to them For were they not wilfull blinde herein S. Augustines sober distinctions aboue rehersed ▪ on this worde Omnes All. myght haue suffised them by restraining all to all degrees and sorts of men not to euery particular man that is manifest sh◅l not be saued Neither deuised S. Augustine this distinetion of his own head as they do theirs but considering the circumstance of the place euen the text doth giue it ▪ For where as S. Paul had willed Prayers and supplications to be made for all men chiefly for Princes and those that are in authoritie that we might liue a quiet life ▪ in al godlinesse honestie vnder them to proue that no sort and degree of men is excluded from prayer he inferreth this reson For god wold al mē to be sau◅d what meaneth this illatiō here but as who shold say For there is no state or degree amōg men but is capable of the state of eternall life and therfore pray for al as this is a playn and true vnderstanding and no cauillation so the other of S. Augustine is also a true and easie exposition by conuersion of the sentence to inferre the meaning therof God would all should be saued that is none shuld be saued but whome God would should be saued and all that God wold should be saued shall be saued for his will shall not be hindered not that he would euery body to be saued Neyther is this so farre fet an interpretation but that our selues vse it commonly As if I would say All men go from England by shippe to Fraunce must this needes inferre that euery man goth by ship to Fraunce This schoole master teacheth all the Children in the towne must it nedes follow that euery childe in the towne is taught of him who will not renot restrayne this word All in this and all such other sayings to all sutch as go thether to all such as are taughte and not to all simply and to euery body These expositions then of Sainct Augustine or rather of the texte it selfe and of our common phrases beeing sufficient to any that is not disposed to wrangle bothe to confirme Gods elections and to proue no alteration in Gods wil yet if these wolde not satisfie them why shoulde they not rather admitte that distinction of Gods will whiche the auncient and godly learned Fathers vsed of Voluntas signi and Voluntas beneplaciti the will of the signe and the will of the acceptable pleasure of GOD then to deuise such a former and after will as maketh contrarietie infirmitie vnaduisednesse repentance and alteration in the nature and will of God and all to wreste Gods will to take awaye Gods election For although God wold so farre as the signe stretcheth that euen the reprobate shold be partakers of the worde and Sacramentes that are the sygnes of Gods Churche euen so well as his electe which is a great good will of God vnto thē And though he would they should receaue diuers graces therby yet followeth it not that euer God woulde that hereby they shoulde bee inheritours of hys gracious fauour and euerlasting glorie In this distinction is no variablenesse for God euer knew who were his what he woulde do how he wold do that he purposed to doe to whome he woulde and he would not do it howe farre it should take place in these and howe farre in those and as hee willed for euer so it was so it is so it shal be so it must be none can alter nor defeat his will whatsoeuer he wil His will be doone in earthe as it is in Heauen his wil be blessed for euer euer Amen Wel say the Papists how true soeuer this doctrine be it is a perillous doctrine to be taught vnto the people ye ought not to preache it and why so since it is truthe Truthe neuer shames his mayster Truthe wyll euer preuayle and what shoulde we teache in matters of saluation but the Truthe and all the truthe and nothyng but the truth Wold they haue vs teache lies like them or would they haue vs to conceale the truthe in so weighty a matter and so necessary to be throughly knowen as the causes of our saluation Why God the Father reuele it and his prophets endite it Why did Christ so openly and playnly preache it and his Euangelists and apostles put it in writing to be couered with a bushell or to be setin a candelstick doth God giue vs that that wil brede more hurt than good more peril than profit surely they blaspheme God that so saye eyther of this or any other doctrine in the scripture Omnis scriptura diuinitus inspirata It is written by the very finger of God the holy Ghost not only to enstruct vs but to confute them They say it will breede nothing in vs but desperation or presumption but they she we a greate desperate presumption in them selues thus impudentely to sclaunder the worde of God although were it not the veritie of God they were the more to bee borne withall bycause they measure it by their owne doctrine they that be in hel think there is no other heauen The Papists thynke this doctrine to breede presumption or desperation bycause theirs dothe so Doth not theirs bring a man euen to the pit brink of desperation that maketh a man alwayes mystrusting lest he shal be damned What an anguish and torment of mind is this As the Poets feigne how the Egle alwayes gnaweth Prometheus his hearte as Sisiphus is punished still to roll vp the restlesse stone that alwayes falleth downe the hill againe so that man can neuer quiet his mynde hanging euer betwene dispaire and hope Is not this the very porche of hell and yet they say we muste all our lyfe stande in this doubtfull perpleritie neyther can wee haue any assuraunce of the fauoure and loue of god And this is al their doctrines consolation Who would haue thought that the Papistes are so neare H◅ll and Desperation as this Doctrine bryngeth them vnto But no meruaile As they brewe so they muste drynke as their clothe will
those thinges that pertaine to the spirite of god Here Simonides was at his witts ende and required respite Here Anaxagoras poynted vp to heauen with his finger but he coulde tell what it was in hys heart Here Democâ—…itus eyes so lette him that hee put them bothe out Here Cato cried Mitte arcana dei coelumque inquirere quid sit here Socrates durst affirme nothing but this one thing that he knew nothing Heere Aristotle confesseth he hadde but owles eyes And shall wee then make his metaphysiks good diuinitie as our Scholemen more blynde than those phylosophers did to confirme this matter withal but they haue so rooted them in the diuinitie of their god Aristotle that they can not lift vp themselues from themselues to search this cause of Gods benefite in God from whom it proceedeth but will seeke in them selues to fynde the causes of it Lette vs looke on them therfore a litle and see how busily or rather howe bussardly they looke in them selues to fynde oute the cause thereof For if they ransacked well all corners in themselues they shuld fynde many a slouenly corner and a full sluttish house many a fylthy synke of durt many an heape of dust raked vp many a rotten post many a foule copweb many an adders nest and euen a caue of Cacus a Cerberus denne a foule carrion of the body a fouler horrour of the soule frâ—…ught with sinne and wretchednesse how soeuer lyke a Phariseys cup like a painted sepulcher it carrie an outwarde countenance But doo they not se this in serching them selues or if they see it howe can they abyde the syght thereof nay verily they se it not Ther is a beame in their eyes called Philautia selfe loue and this little preatie moate dothe so hinder their syght forsoothe that they see no suche thing nor smell any such stench they are so acquainted with it nor fynde any suche fault in themselues neyther is that the thing they seke for and therfore although they sawe it they let that alone and passe by it with the Priest and the Leuite as though they sawe it not but they seeke for the contrary What merite what vertue what cause is in them selues wherefore God should bestow this so great a benefite vpon man No doubt there is a cause in man say they wherfore God did thus vnto man He sawe some thing in man that moued him thervnto peraduenture we haue founde the cause euen here had not the worlde done some good turne to God and so gifte gafte one good turne asketh another clawe me clawe thee the worlde might haue done so muche for God that God was indebted to the worlde he coulde not but euen of his Iustice Merito digni vel condigni vel congrui By the merite of dewty or worthinesse or congruitie requite the world with this benefite Stoode the case thus betwixte the worlde and God for then here is cause inoughe in man no Papist the case was nothing so nor so NoÌ„ ex operibus quae fecimus nos not of the works that we haue wrought Non secunduÌ„ opera nostra not acording to our works Ex operibus legis non iustificatur omnis caro no flesh shal be iustified no not by the works of Gods law for why ê™ erat legi impossibile The la we could not performe it it wrought but wrathe in vs and encreased our sin bicause we were sinners coulde not fullfil it and therefore became giâ—…ty and accursed by it If God then should worke by iustice Domine quis sustinebit Lorde who should abide it we had not done any good to him before at all that he shoulde recompence Quis prior dedit illi et retribuetur ei Who gaue him ought aforehand that he shoulde make him retribution in a pitifull case were we before he vouch safed for to choose vs wilt thou see what thou wast before God chose the either for any thing in thy parents or in thee euen from the first houre thou waste borne Looke the sixteenth chapter of Ezechiell before cited The woorde of the Lorde came vnto me saying Sonne of manne cause Hierusalem to knowe hâ—…r abhominations and say Thus sayeth the Lorde God vnto Hierusalem thine habitation and thy kinrede is of the lande of Canaan thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother an Hethite and in thy natiuitie when thou waste borne thy nauell was not cut thou waste not washed in water to soften thee thou wast noâ—… salted with salte nor swadled in cloutes none eye pitied thee to do any of these things vnto thee for to haue compassion vpon thee but thou wast cast out in the open fielde to the contempte of thy persone in the day when thou wast borne and when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thyne owne bloud and I sayde vnto thee when thou waste in thy bloud thou shalte liue euen when thou waste in thy bloud I sayde vnto thee Thou shalte liue Lo the pickle that euen the Churche and choyse of GOD was in beefore the Lorde dydde choose her If thou sayest yet peraduenture hee dydde thys for her frendes sake shee came of good parentage and was well allyed to those whom God hyghly fauoured and to whom God made a great promise to be good to them and to theyr seede after them True in deede hee dydde so but yet in this respecte see howe hee renounceth thys for anye cause also and vpbraydeth to her euen her father and mother and all the whole stocke shee came of Thou arte thy mothers daughter that hath caste off her husbande and her chyldren and thou arte the syster of thy systers whyche forsooke theyr husbandes and theyr chyldren youre mother is an Hethite and youre father an Ammorite and thyne elder syster is Samaria and her daughters that dwelle at thy lefte hande and thy yong syster that dwellethe at thy ryghte hande is Sodome and her daughters And as more sharpelye in Esaye hee callethe the Iewes the seede of the wycked corrupte chyldren the sonnes of Witches the seede of the adulterers and of the whore rebellious children false sede the egges of the Aspis the webbes of Spyders the generation of Uipers boasting in vaine of Abrahams parentage who himself also before he was called was an heathen was an idolater till God redemed and called him and therfore neither they nor he had deserued this benefite of eternall lyfe that God dyd purpose to them What then was the cause that moued God herevnto was not this the cause therof that although they had done no such good turnes to God by dutie or coÌ„gruitie to moue him to recompence yet they had not offended him nor displeased him And therfore God mighte the easyer be induced to bestow this benefit on them But had not euen the electe of God offended God were they not of olde Adam In quo omnes peccauerunt in whom all haue sinned that came of him are
endorsed with a curâ—…e on the contrary not only of putting the disobedient childe to death but if this lawe were not at all yet the parents curse should pull vp the house by the roots â—…nsaÌ„ple the cursed seede of Cham ensample the late storie if it bee be true that is written of credible authors to be done in Germanie within this twenty yeres of a father that hauyng â—…idden his chylde goe on his his errand when the chylde stoode still and would not goe the vnaduised father in his fumish anger cuâ—…sed him and said Standest thou still stand still then so still standing I pray God thou mayst abide And euen sodeinly so soone as the curse was spoken the childe stode still and so standing there aboade till the day of his death A terrible ensample of the wrathe of GOD against childrens disobedience and to the confirmation of the authoritie that God hath giuen the parentes ouer their children For of our parents we haue not only our bodily goods but euen our bodies and al. And shal we not then loue them by whose loue we haue our being our life our norishing and vnder God the beginnings of all wee haue Many fathers and mothers now a days complain of the disobedieÌ„ce wilfullnesse and lacke of loue in their children more than they had wont to do What is the cause here of first this is a general obseruatioÌ„ although in particulers it be not altogether true that the parents loue is greter to his child than the childs loue is to his parents where of the townsmen of 〈◊〉 set vp a monument For wher as on a time they had condemned a father and his sonne for certain notorious crimes committed on muche entreatie made to the senate for theÌ„ it was at length graunted that but one of them shoulde die and that on this condition that the one shoulde do the execution on the other and he that executed the other shoulde him selfe escape agree on the matter as they could which of them should suffer The sonne being asked refused to die for the father and had rather execute his father thaÌ„ his father shold execute him The father being demaunded was conteÌ„t to suâ—…fer death him self of his sonnes hand though his sons vnnaturalnesse did greue him rather thaÌ„ he wold put his sonne to death Whervppon this monument was erected for a perpetuail memorie the pictures of bothe father and sonne the son behâ—…dding his father engrauen in marble and this poesie writen vnderneth Amor descendit nâ—…n asceÌ„dit Loue descendeth but not ascendeth And so the ryuers course descendeth but not ascendethe A stone naturally descendeth not ascendeth And the scripture coÌ„mendeth many fathers vnto vs that ful entierly haue loued their sons but few sons like Isaac Ioseph and Tobie are commended vnto vs for the like loue againe vnto their fathers This naturall loue wrought not in the vnnaturalâ—… sonne Absalon but it wrought so deepe in the father Dauid that he cryed out againe Absalon fili mi fili mi Absalon fili mi c. O Absalon my sonne my son Absalon my sonne woulde to God I myghte die for thee O Absalon my sonne my sonne The seconde reason of the sonnes disobedyence is the fathers cockeryng And that was the cause of Dauids weepyng and Absalons destruction euen hys fathers indulgence Thys destroyed Hely and his sonnes also And hathe broughte many foolyshe fathers to their graue with heauinesse and hath brought many sonnes to the Gallowes wyth wrâ—…tchednesse Remember the Fable of the chylde that bitte of his mothers nose when hee went to hanging bicause she would not bite his breche with a good rod when he went to filching A great many mothers nowe a dayes can not abide to 〈◊〉 their children beaten and a number of fathers as wise as the mothers the Schoolemaster that shoulde fetche bloudde of theyr chylde oute alas It were a pityfull syghte But were it not a more pitifull syghte to see howe myserablye the one destroyeth the other they thinke it loue it is more than mortaâ—…l hatrede this foolyshe coâ—…heryng of theyr chyldren Whiche if they feele not in the miseries of this life wherby repentance may saue the soule howesoeuer the body abye the follie of this hatefull cockering loue if not yet after this life the father and mother may mete the sonne in helle and there repeate those heauie and horrible curses that Gregorie teâ—…s of Cuâ—…sed be the houre sayth the father that euer thou wast borne Cursed be the tyme sayeth the sonne that euer thou begattest me and thus the one shall curse baâ—… the other and al bicause of this their cursed cockering Dye fathers and morhers especially you of this noble citie of London shaâ—…e not youre Citie vndoe not youre children and youre selues also We are thorough out all the Realme called cockneys that are borne in London or in the sounde of Bow bell this is your shame recouer this shame as god be praised ye do more than euer was wont to be done It had went to be an olde saying that fewe or none but were vnthâ—…ifts and came to nothing that were cockneys borne for so are we termed abroade But God be praised this is nowe a false rule and hath ben a good while since chiefly since the Gospels light hath shined on this noble citie it hath brought for the many worthy gouernors â–ª not able preachers godly pastors wise couÌ„selors pregnaÌ„t wits graue students welthy citiâ—…ens and is ful of maruellous towardes youth God blesse them and I trust will euery day more and more so blesse this renoumed citie that where before for wâ—…nton bringing vp it hath bene althoughe in other thyngs famous inâ—…ug he yet in this poynt of our births place a speck of blushing a terme of cockney a note of nipping vs It shall hereafter by Godly education be a thing to glory in that we borne in sutche a glorious citie as not only God hath made the hed of other in welth and honor but also a myrror of other in godlinesse and religion And that this may be loue your children but hate cockering Read and reade ouer twentie times and write it in steele and iron as Iob saith that is graue it in youre memorye that woorthie chapter in this pointe the thirtie chapter of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and there thou shalt see what the cockering of the chyld will bring bothe father and chyide vnto and what the contrary The third cause of childrens disobedience is the yll ensample of their parentes soone crookes the tree that good camocke will bee It soone prickes wil be a thorne the yong cockrel will learne easily to crow as he heareth the old cocke A great many suche crauen cockes there are that crowe full yll fâ—…uoredly and teach their cockrels to do the same scarse ere they be out of the shell We are prone inough and to proue of our selues to all vice without a teacher and
Faythe and take holde of Chryste No sayeth Christe hymselfe Hoc est opus Dei vt credatis in eum This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whome hee hathe sente It is not your worke Donum Dei est It is Gods gift Then man hath nothyng at all in hym selfe not so mutche as to put out his hande and receyue this gifte excepte GOD geue hym this gyfte also to receaue it except God geue him this hand to put out howe can he put out that he hath not it muste needes bee then that those that receyue this gift the sonne of GOD are euen the elect of god Crediderunt quotquot praeoidinati fuerunt ad vitam aeternam Euen so many beleued as were ordeyned to eternall lyfe And further then thys we will not we dare not we can not wade howe soeuer the diuell the worlde the fleshe the Papists doo startle hereat but moste humbly lette vs prayse and magnifie God for this and saye with Christe Confiteor tibi pater c. I giue thee thankes O Father Lorde of Heauen and earth bicause thou haste hidden these thyngs from the wyse and prudent and haste opened them vnto babes it is so father bycause thy good pleasure was such It is not so bicause it was oure pleasure oure will oure merite our worke our preparatiue or any thyng in vs But GOD hath only of his mere mercyful loue begunne it wrought it and performed it in his choyse vessels of mercie thorough his onely begotten sonne oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe Thus haue I derely beloued in the lord a great deale to long I graunt deteined your pacience but the matter for me I hope wil pleade my pardon A matter of no lesse momente in it selfe than conteyning the weyghtiest poynts of our religion the chiefest controuersies of oure contention and all the causes of our saluation Neither myghte wee passe through these matters hauing to deale with suche crafty and warbling aduersaries so soone as the ordinarie time in this place dothe require but I haue presumed in this extraordinarie Sermon or rather was driuen thereto to driue out the time extraordinarily for the aduersaries to step their mouths and if it please God to win their harts also at least for our selues to confirme strengthen ours against all theyr cauillations Which effect that it may worke in them and vs let vs neuer forget this most worthie sentence So god loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue in him shold not perishe but haue eternall life Let vs remember all the foure parts into the which I deuided this sentence In the firste let vs seriously set before vs these two endes Euerlasting death and Euerlasting life Secondly these two parties God and the world chiefly considering the eternall purpose and election of God the first cause and originall of our saluation In the second parte let vs consider what moued God to elect vs to life euerlasting nothing in the world but all in him selfe euen only his owne mere loue Wherin remember withall howe greatly they haue abused you or rather abused God by little and litle in taking all from God and let vs render all to him from whose loue all procedes to vs In the third parte consider by what meanes god hath wrought it euen by Iesus Christ His only begotten sonne What a passing loue thys was surmounting all kindes of loue what an excellente gifte it was and how the Papists trode it vnder foote and let vs beware least we misuse this gifte by securitie of life as they by false doctrine dyâ—… deface it Laste of all let vs receaue thys gifte by faith the only meanes we take it by and take hede of them for in euery thing they haue shewed them selues to God and man vnfaithfull neither know they what faith meanes and therefore are they suche enemies of this doctrine that only a stedfast faithe apprehending The sonne of God doth make vs acceptable vnto the father But let vs leauing them to Gods iudgemeÌ„ts to come vpon them admit and beleue this his eternall truth and prayse God for these his vnspeakable mercies poured on vs in Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one most perfecte and euerliuing Godhed be all prayse and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS 1. Cor â–ª 2. Luc. 14. Philip. 3. Prou. 2. Rom. 6. Ludouiâ—… Viues Eccl 7. 3. Reg. 2. Osee. 13. Rom. 6. Math. 16. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 9. Matth. 20 Matth. 2â—… Mark 9. Luc. 16. Matth. 15. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Ierem. 7. 2. Pet. â—… Matt. 22. Mat. 22. Luc. 12. 1. Peter 4. Hebr. 10. Apoc. 3. Matth. 24 Matth. 25. Matth. 10. 1 Iohn 5. â—… Ion. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 1 Mare 16. Legenda in vita S. Francis. Iohn 17. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 7. Iohn 6. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 13. Iohn 5. 1 Cor. 6. Gen. 3. Gala. 6. Iohn 12 Iohn 17. Rom. 10 Marc. 16. Rom. 10. Gala. 3. Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 2. Lbi. 1. Dâ—… doct christiana 1. Tim. 2. Rom 9. Prouer. 15. Rom 9. Rom. 9. Matth. 26. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Aug li. 50. Homiliâ—…r Homili 17. Act. 9. Psalm 117 Phil. â—… Iohn 6. Iohn 17. Ephes. â—… Rom. 9. Ezech. 33. 1. Tim. 2. Matth. 23. Psalm 17. Exod. 6. Malach. 3. Rom. 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. Exod. 3. 2 Cor. â—… Lâ—…c â—… Rom. 8. Psalm 13. 1. Tim. â—… Matth. 6. Matth. 5. â—… Tim. 3. Ierem 2. Iohn 4. Gen 3. Rom. 13. Esa 48 Prouer. 25 1 Pet 4. 1 Cor. 13. â—… Cor. 11. Matth. 22. Matth. 10. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 8. Matth. 4. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 4. Luc. â—…2 Iob. 1. â—… Pet 5. Matth. 16. 2. Cor. 12. Iob. 13. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Collos. 1. Marc. 8. 2 Reg. 6. Gen. 19. 4 Reg 6. 2. Tim 3. Luc 10. 2. Tim. â—… 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 3. Rom 8. Rom 4. Psalm 126 Rom. 11. Ezech. 16. Ezech. 16. Esai 1. 57. Gen 12. Iosu. 24. â—…sa 59. Act. 7. Rom. 5. Gal. 5. Rom. 3. Rom. 3. Rom 6. Gal. 3. Gen. 18. Rom. 7. Matth 7. Luc. 6. Iohn 15. Ephes. 1. 1 Cor. 2. Psalm 48 Psalme 31. 2. Cor. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 7. Iacobi 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 7. Matth 12. Poueâ—…b 〈◊〉 Matth. 15. Ierem 17. Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psalm 13. Pigghius de origin peccato Rom 5. 1. Iohn 3. Iob. 14. Psal. 50. Ruth 4. 1. Cor 7 â–ª Heb. 1â—… Iohn 3. Gen. 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 6. Iohn 8. Rom 8. Rom 8. Rom 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 1. Gala. 3. Tit 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…phes 2. Gala. 5. Ad 〈◊〉 lib. quâ—…st 2 De â—…ide operibus cap 14 â—… Thâ—…ss 2 Rom 9. 〈◊〉 13. 1. Cor. 2. Augu in Psal. 6â—… Psaâ—…m 1â—… Iob. 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. â—…xod 9. Rom 9. Psalm 77. Iud epist. Psalm 15. Gen 3. Heb. 12. Exod. 19. Iob