our iudge that asking mercy in him wee may there finde it in him and that it be not onely to the ende that he enter not into accompt with vs to impute vnto vs our iniquities and offences but that by his holy spirite he wil purge vs and that wee may bee more and more reformed and that he awaken vs that wee be not obstinate in our faults but that wee thinke vppon all the corrections whereby he woulde drawe vs from the euill way wherein we haue strayed and that wee make such profite of all the aduertisementes which hee giueth vs that wee be not ashamed to bee condemned of him to the ende to obtayne mercie That not onely hee will shewe this fauour vnto vs but too all peoples and nations of the Earth c. The ende of these xiii Sermons concerning Iacob and Esau Rom. 9. O man who art thou that pleadest against God shall the thinge formed say to him that formed it why haste thou made me thus ¶ An Answeare to certaine slaunders and blasphemyes wherewith certaine euill disposed persons haue gone aboute to bring the doctrine of Gods euerlasting Predestination into hatred DEarely beloued brethren we must not be amased if the article of the euerlasting predestinatiō of God be so assaulted and fought against by Sathans mayntainers seeing it is the foūdation of our saluation and also serueth for the better magnifying of the free goodnesse of God towards vs On the other side those Dogs which bark against it thinking to haue a good and fauourable cause are therin more hardye as in very trueth there is nothinge more contrary to mans vnderstanding then to place the cause of our saluation in the good will of God in saying that it belongeth to him alone to chuse vs without finding of any thing in vs wherefore hee should choose vs and after hee hath chosen vs to giue vs faith through which we should be iustified But what In asmuch as he is not bound to the person it is good reason that he be left in his meere libertie to giue grace vnto whome he will and to leaue the rest in his perditiō But I deferre my self to intreate more largely of this matter because you maye haue large discourse thereof in those Bookes which are imprinted which ought too content you Concerning the writing which was scatered about to abolish this article of our faith in very truth it deserueth no answere being on the one side so ful of ignorāce beastlines that euery one ought easily to iudge thereof on the other side so ful of impudencie that it is a wonder how these troublecoasts shameles deceiuers abusing so vilainously the holy Scriptures should be hearkened vnto notwithstāding because I haue vnderstode that there are yet some simple weake ones that are trobled therwith I therfore thought good to take the payn to shew thē that wil shew themselues teachable how they ought to resolue themselues to the end they might be no more deceiued by these deceiuers In the firste place hee that hath made that writing were it Sebastian Chastalio or som such like to shew that God hath created all the world to be saued he alledgeth that he laboureth to draw vnto him all that went astray the whiche I confesse in respect of the doctrine of faith and repentaunce the which he propoundeth to all in generall be it to draw his elect vnto him or to make other inexcusable God then calleth euery one to repentance and promiseth all those that returne vnto him too receiue them to mercie But this meaneth not that he toucheth to the quick by his holy spirit al those to whom he speaketh as it is said by Isay in the 53. chapter His arme is not reuealed to al those that heare To which agreeth the sentēce of our lord Iesus Christ None can come vnto me except my father draw him And the holy scripture sheweth throughout that conuersion is a speciall gifte of god And in deede the place of Ezechiel whereof this troublecoast maketh his buckler very wel confirmeth my saying For the Prophet hauing saide that God wll not the death of a sinner addeth but rather will that hee returne and liue Whereby he signifieth that God biddeth and exhorteth all which are gone astray too returne to the right way But not that in deede he leadeth them all to himselfe by the power of his spirit The which hee promiseth not but to a certain nūber which appeareth aswel in the 31. chapter of Ieremie as in the 37. of Ezechiel and in the 11. and throughout the whole scripture The seconde reason of this wryting is that all menne are created too the image of GOD the which hee saieth not to haue beene abolished but onely subiected to euil As though it behooued man at aduenture to beleeue his simple saying But contrariwyse the Scripture sheweth that albeit there remain yet some trace of the image of God in vs yet that the whole is disfigured so as reason is blinde and the hearte peruerse wherfore by nature wee are wholly accursed Wee see therefore at the least that by the wil and decree of God we haue bin al subiect to euerlasting dānatiō through the fall of one man Concerning that which this troublecoaste addeth that if wee beleue we are deliuered through Christ by the power of the gospel of the holy ghost that serues for nothing but to confirme our doctrin For it behoueth that we alwayes come thither that none beleeue vnlesse those which are ordayned to saluation Acts 13. all the scripture is full therof Wherfore this is as much as if he should say that the elect of God are deliuered from that common damnation through faith The third article contayneth an horrible blasphemie that if God haue created men to dampne them his will and the Diuels is all one They that speake so shew playnly enough that they are altogither mockers of God and despysers of all religion It pleased God that Iob shoulde be robbed and spoyled to be shorte all that is there attributed to the Deuill and to those theeues and robbers it is sayde plainely that it came not too passe but by the good pleasure of god Muste wee therfore conclude that Gods wil and the Deuils are all one But they that knowe that the iudgementes of God are bottomlesse and shall haue once knowen their owne weakenesse will adore them with all reuerence and humilitie and know well too put a difference although that GOD willeth the same thing that the deuil doth yet that this is indeede in diuerse respectes And so that he deserueth alwayes to be acknowledged righteous although that his counsell be incomprehensible vnto vs. Afterwardes too abolishe the Election of GOD seeming as though he woulde confesse it he answereth that God hath not cteated nor predestinated any man not to beleeue seeing he calleth euery one Wherein hee shewed that hee neuer yet learned the ABC of Christians seeing he knoweth not
that sense but it is said else where that the faithfull shal be blessed in god So it is saide nowe that they shall bee blessed in the seede of Abraham But we haue to search all our good and saluation in him alone who is the fountaine thereof as it is said in the 36. Psalme But because there is so great distance and that we cannot sore vp so high our Sauiour Christe hath approched neere vnto vs and wee haue the liuing waters in him there wantes nothing but that wee come to drinke as he sayth Come vnto me and whosoeuer thirsteth let him come vnto mee For I haue the liuing waters and whosoeuer shall drinke thereof hee shall not onely haue to quench his thirste but also liuing waters shall flowe out of his belly yea and fountaines of liuing waters that hee may giue thereof vnto others When therefore we see that God will familiarly communicate with vs all his benefites in the person of his onely begotten Sonne so much the lesse excuse is there if wee come not to receiue parte of this blessinge the which is propoūded vnto vs Moreouer it is not only said that all nations of the earth shal be blessed but it is said they are blessed not for that we can compasse or attain to this blessing of our selues or by our own power and diligence but it behoueth that euery one be blessed in Iesus Christ through faith For altogither like as he is presēted vnto vs by the gospel so likewise we must accept him and if we remaine vnbeleeuers this is because wee shut the doore as it were against all his graces Then seeing it is so that God hath prepared all so long time before that belongeth to our saluation and that in the fulnesse of time as Saint Paule calleth it Iesus Christ hath appeared and hath sufficiently witnessed that he was that blessed seede wherein wee must seeke all benefits Let vs likewise come with the like readynesse of faith and with such zeale that we be not shut out through our owne malice and vnbeleefe to the end God accomplish not that in vs which is heere pronounced that we goe not to him to haue the ratification of his promise let vs I say take heede that none hinder himselfe through his owne fault and vice Finally it is said That God will ratifie his othe with Isaack forasmuch as Abraham had obeyed the voyce of God and had kept his obseruations commaundements statutes lawes Heere the othe is yet reiterated for the greater and more sure confirmation of vs all For we can not giue any faith vnto God vnlesse wee haue stoutly fought against distrust to which wee are so naturally inclined and forasmuch as we are yet so tickle as is pittiful For this cause God sweareth so much the more to assure vs But it is true as hath beene shewed before that this is worthy of greate blame in vs that wee should constrayne God to sweare For we doe not honour a mortall man if wee content not our selues with the simple worde that he shall speake if wee count him not for an honest man contenting our selues in that he shall haue promised vs but when we say I will that you sweare vnto me heerein Beholde this is a greate signe of distrust and will not bee wel borne amongst men But if we shall notwithstanding doe that dishonour to God to require an othe of him besides his worde must it not needes be that we bee too too villanouse But if so be that God neuerthelesse doe in this behalfe take pittie vpon vs although it bee an intollerable vice that we would haue him sweare farther then he hath pronounced yet heerein hee doth apply him selfe vnto vs What can we demaund more And nowe what excuse shall there be when we would yet that his promises should be assured vnto vs by an othe This worde then of an othe ought to pearce vs to the very heart as often as it offereth it selfe before vs yea and when there is any question of certifying vs of the good will of GOD and of that singular loue which he beareth vnto vs But let vs come to that poynt where he sayth That this was for asmuch as Abraham obeyed the voyce of God. It shoulde seeme heere that GOD attributed the accomplishment of his promises to Abrahams vertue and to his merites but we haue declared already that this coulde not bee neither ought so to be vnderstoode as though the obedience which Abraham yeelded to God had beene the cause why God should be bounde vnto him to perfourme that he had spoken For wee haue shewed already that this was altogither free in god When Abraham was drawen out of the Idolatrie wherein hee was as it is declared by Iosua What was it that mooued him too doe it Afterwardes when hee kept Abraham to the ende this was not because hee obeyed him For contrarywise hee had sayde vnto him longe before I will blesse thee I will bee with thee I wil be thy large recompence Thy seede shal be multiplyed as the starres of heauen and in it all nations of the Earth shall bee blessed All this was spoken to Abraham before Isaack was borne and when Abraham woulde haue sacrificed his sonne Isaack it was sayde vnto him because thou hast not spared thy onely Sonne but wast ready to sactifize him for the loue of me beholde I wil blesse thee and this was spoken to him longe before wee see then that that whiche is free in God and that which hee giueth vs of his meere liberalttie hee attributeth to the seruice which wee doe vnto him not to minister vnto vs any matter of pride but this is onely so muche the more to prouoke stir vs vp with cheerfulnes and courage to serue him Marke then the purpose of God It is not to the ende to rob himself of the praise which is due vnto him to the ende men should vsurpe it but it is because hee knewe that they haue neede of spurres and must haue aydes and helpes to serue him for otherwise we should be colde and dull They therefore which seeke heere for merits would darken the meere praise of Gods goodnesse to exalte men as though they were the cause of their owne saluation it is certaine they would ouerthrowe all yea and ouerrurne the purpose of God as muche as lyeth in them Likewise let vs learne that when it is saide that God will establish his couenant with Isaack because Abraham had obayed his voyce that it was not to note the cause why but it was onely to shewe that the seruice which Abraham yeelded vnto him was acceptable to him to the ende that Isaack should followe him and conforme himself therevnto Heereby therefore we haue to stirre vp our selues as often as wee feele any slownesse in our selues and when wee shall not bee so disposed as were requisite to giue our selues fully to the obedience of God and that we thinke What It is said
familie that is that God helde to himself those that he thought good For Iacob was as the roote of this stock which sprong afterwardes And farther marke for what cause all the elect were figured in his person and that God setteth forth vnto vs that they haue not that of them selues which he through his onely goodnesse giueth vnto them and that they cannot brag that this was of their owne moouing that they attayned to saluation but that they were drawen to it yea in asmuch as they were chosen before the creation of the worlde and consequently before their birthe Beholde wherefore S. Paule in this place that we haue aledged for the more ful declaration adioyneth the testimonie of Moyses I wil haue mercie on him on whome I wil haue mercie I wil haue compassion on him on whom I wil haue compassion It shoulde seeme that this is a broken speech and from the purpose but it is of great importaunce For it is asmuch as if GOD had sayde I knowe whome I will reserue and there is no neede that any come in this case too pleade with mee For this consisteth in my libertie Whē we shall mark our common speach this shall not be darke at all For if a man say I wil doe that I wil doe that is to say I wil doe that which I think good to do by this he sheweth that he wil not submit him selfe to any person hee sheweth that he is neither tied nor bound to open his counsel purpose in that he hath to do So God saieth I will shew mercie to him that I wil shewe mercie as if he should say My mercie dependeth neither vppon this or that neither must the cause bee sought in any other nor I bound to any lawe For I knowe what I ought to do in the meane time my mercie shall haue place and I wil shewe mercie to whom I will shew mercie That is to say I mark not who is woorthy of it For there is not one But yet I will not cease to shew mercie to some to witte to such as I shall haue chosen Marke then how precisely God speaketh and this is to beate downe whatsoeuer men can alledge to shutte the doore against all curiositie and set a barre against all presumption that we doe simply reuerence him leauing that to him which hee hath reserued to himself that is to say when hee saueth it is of his free goodnes and whē he condemneth that we shoulde not enterprise to barke against God but that we shut vp our mouth vnlesse it bee to glorifie him Now let vs mark that this was spoken by Moyses whē the people already multiplied after that God had brought thē out of Egypt Behold a Church descended from the race of Iacob For from this same barren house and which was as it were desolate GOD had drawen so greate a multitud therefrom that this seemed rather to bee a notorious miracle that this promise was verified that Abrahams seede should be at the starres of Heauen Was not this in a goodly shewe in respect of men God sayth of this multitude heere I wil retaine as many as I shall think good I will shewe mercy to whome I will shewe mercie and let no man aske the reason therof It is true in deede that God hath reason but it followeth not therefore that we can comprehend it or that we must break out beyond our boūds into his secrets We must therefore knowe that in respecte of vs there is no reason but the counsaile of God ought to be vnto vs in all respectes the rule of righteousnesse wisedome and equitie Mark therefore how the exposition of S. Paule agreeth very well to that which is heere pronounced that is to wit that there were two peoples in the belly of Rebecca and that frō her bowels twoo nations should bee deuided and this was asmuch as if God had testified that there should be such a diuorse that yet the stocke of Iacob should remaine blessed Not altogither without exception but those whome it shoulde please GOD to keepe to himselfe as hee had chosen them before the creation of the world See thē the summe of that which is contayned heere But before we goe any farther let vs wel note that which hath beene saide that is to say that the principall thing which we haue to obserue is this that God will haue the whole praise of our saluation to bee attributed to him For what is the roote beginning of the church It is his election See whereto Moyses calleth vs yea according to the interpretation of S. Paule and the texte also heerein is moste plaine For heere as I haue saide there is not any question of any earthly or transitory inheritance it is of euerlasting life that Abrahā had hoped for according to that he had receiued through the promise Now see Iacob an heire and why so was it because he put himself in the fauour of God or for that hee had purchased fauour for any thing hee brought It was not so See then Moyses text without any glose which sheweth sufficiently that the Church springeth from the pure grace of God so that all the prayse of our saluation must wholly be reserued to himself Nowe for all this they that would ouerthrowe and darken this doctrine say although that God knew no merite in Iacob yet he foresaw wel inough that he shuld be such a one Behold for what cause they say he was chosen and Esau reiected To be short inasmuch as a great sort of those Dogs dare not openly and flatly deny the election of God they would that there should be a superiour cause to wit his foreknowledge And what is that foreknowledge It is that God foreseeth what manner of one euery one muste bee and hee choseth say they those whome hee hath foreseene to be of a good nature and affection and it is no maruell if he accept them before others For hee knoweth the good which appeereth not yet but is to come But such kinde of men haue no drop of the feare of god For they manifestly blaspheme against the holy ghost who hath spokē by the mouth of S. Paule and these mocke at that which S. Paul hath spoken as if it were a fable For if a man accept their solution thē hath S. Paul spoken as an ignorāt vnaduised man For he taketh this reasō he found neither good nor euil neither in Isaack nor in Esau nor in Iacob Notwithstanding God chose the one and reiected the other But the reply shall be easye in the opinion of these fantastical persons And how It is true that there was neither good nor euill but there must bee either good or euil and God did so foresee it But S. Paule presupposeth that this be true to wit that we are all damned and that vntill that God had chosen vs it must needs be that we should remaine as Serpents full of
him that is that though he be small in 〈◊〉 worlde though he bee afflicted tormeÌ„ted … ured and that men doe him many iniuries it 〈◊〉 all one vnto him so that this inestimable treasure be reserued vnto him that is to say that of his race shal come the saluation of the world that withall he is made of the company and fellowship of Gods children Touching Esau his answere we see already that which the Apostle saith and that which we haue also alledged that he was altogither a prophane man I haste to death to what purpose saith he shall my birthright serue me In saying that he hasteth to death and that his birthright serued him to no purpose we see that he was altogither dul and blockish and that it was all one to him so that he might passe this present life And loe also what this worde Prophane importeth for it is contrary to the word Holy. And what meaneth this word Holy To be holy is when wee are separated and put a parte to serue God For all the worlde is ful of filthines and iniquitie as Saint Paule saith And when we shall haue our conuersation heere beneath after the common manner this is to defile our selues with all filthynesse But to thâ— end we may be holden for the children of God it behoueth that we bee separated euen as S. Paule speaketh therof in the first chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians It behoueth that God gather vs vnto himselfe For if we walke among thornes that is but to scratch vs euery minute â–ª if we goe through durte and clay that is to beray vs It behoueth theÌ„ that we be seperated But as I haue said the worde Prophane is contrary and opposite vnto this Whâ—â—â—â—en must we do This is it that a man take good â—eede to himself yea euen to his body For eueÌ„ like as there are two parts in vs to wit the body and the soule so the spirituall life is when we know whervnto God hath called vs and whervnto he dayly biddeth vs to wit that we should be heyres of the kingdome of heauen See what it is to sanctifie our selues as it is said Purifie your selues yea all you that beare the Lordes vessels And S. Paule alledging this place saith Hauing therfore such promises That is that God accounteth vs for his seruants children Let vs take heede that we cleanze our selues from all filthinesse aswel of the body as the soule But beholde Esau who hath no care but for his belly and that he sheweth very wel when he saith Beholde I haste to death what shall this birthright auayle me Yea but it was for euerlasting life it was for an heauenly inheritance hee hath no regarde to all this So then we see that he did eate as a Dogge or rather as a Hogge that had his nose alwayes in the swil trough and sought for nothing but meat Beholde then the disposition of Esau which is declared vnto vs in these words And so the exhortation of the Apostle ought wel to be practised of vs when he sayth Let vs not be prophane men as Esau was For see what is the cause that maketh vs to forgoe the hope of that saluation that God hath giuen vs when we are snared in our owne sense and in our carnall desires it is certaine that wee are quite out of taste with that which appertaineth to the saluatioÌ„ of our soules that hath no sauour with vs so that there is neither word of God nor promise nor any thing which we doe not lightly esteeme when we are so prophane Now then let vs take good heede when we are prouoked with some desire to think Goe to God hath not placed 〈◊〉 in this world to perish as Asses horses he hath giuen vs a soule wherin he hath engrauen his owne image So then it behoueth vs alwayes to labour and to aspire vnto this heauenly immortalitie and specially to inforce our selues to fight against all our affections and not to bee so holden heere belowe that we striue not alwayes to breake and vndoe these cordes that hinder vs that we cannot come directly vnto god Marke then what we haue heere to learne That wee bee not like vnto Esau saying I haste to death whereto shall my birthright serue me What shall wee doe such dishonor vnto the dignitie nobility which God hath placed in vs forasmuch as he hath giuen vs immortal soules that we say we are not of this worlde our place is aboue our right is aboue in the meane while shall we rest be entangled heere So then though wee should perishe an hundred times yet let vs knowe that God hath reserued a better life for vs and that there is our soueraign good that we ought to esteme albeit that we want haue need of traÌ„sitorie benefits which onely serue to maintaine vs heere beneath yet let vs beare it patiently and let vs alwayes marke if I dye not to say I perish or I am vtterly lost caste away For this is but a passage by death to goe froÌ„ one life to another We must therefore looke vp thither And this is the summe of that we haue to marke heere But howsoeuer it be we see here how God hath laid open the beastlynes of Esau hath shewed that he was alredy forsaken of him was not gouerned by his holy spirite as the wisest of the worlde albeit it seeme they pearce thorowe the cloudes yet are they so dull and blockishe that thy regarde nothing but that which is present vnto them and therto they wholly giue them selues We shall see therfore the wittiest those whom men so greatly magnifie which looke to nothing but to builde their houses Now I say not onely to builde goodly palaces but also to get greate reuenewes for their children to aduance themselues to becom great states to liue at ease to be feared honored that all the world may be constrained as it were to passe through their hands and in the meane time as for God they do not much remember him and they are in such sorte vnthankfull that it were much better to be a Hog or an Asse than to be like vnto them And why so A Hogge hath but his naturall appetites when his belly is full he will sleepe or hee will wallowe in dunge and he is well contented with it But men what desires haue they It is certaine that there can bee founde no greater greife to torment them withall more cruelly than their owne appetites So then for this cause they are in continuall vexation and torment inasmuch as they respect nothing but this life and if they once dye why with them as it seemeth all is deade Likewise wee see in all the reprobate that they haue not any taste of the Heauenly life And therefore wee muste so much the more pray vnto God that he will open our eyes to the ende we may
further that which is heere giuen vs let vs apply for our helpe too make vs run on the more swiftly but if there bee any thing that hinder vs yea though it were our very eye as our Lord Iesus Christ saith that our eye may rather bee plucked out and wee rather desire too enter into the kingdome of Heauen blinde then hauing al our senses sounde to go into euerlasting destruction So then to conclude let vs rather loue hunger thirst then to cramme and stuffe our bellies and in the meane time not to regarde euerlasting lyfe For wee must not bee so snared in these corruptible and transitorie thinges that wee can not alwayes lift vp our senses and affections on high to the end through hope to be Citizens of the kingdome of heauen But nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our offences praying him that it will please him in such sorte to make vs to feele them that it may serue to make vs there to open them and that wee may learne in such sorte to fight against all temptations that if wee must indure many pouerties and miseryes in this worlde howsoeuer it bee that this doe not turne vs to wickednesse and make vs to decline from the right pathe but that euery one maye heere resiste bothe him selfe as also all his desires and all his passions and that wee may serue our GOD in such sorte that if it will please him to proue our patience in leauing vs destitute of meanes and of the commodities of this worlde that wee may beare all with a quiet and peaceable courage vntill wee be receiued into this blessed inheritaunce where we shall not lacke any thing what soeuer it bee but there wee shall haue the fulnesse of all ioy and happynesse That not onely c. ⧠The sixth Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 26. 1 Now there was a great famine in that land farre greater then that first famine that was in the daies of Abraham Wherefore Isaack went vnto Abimelech the King of the Philistines into Gerar 2 For the Lorde appearing vnto him had sayde Goe not downe into Egypt but dwel in the land which I shall tel thee 3 Be a straunger in this land and I will be with thee and blesse thee For to thee and thy seede I will giue all these countryes that I may establish the othe which I haue sworne to Abraham thy father 4 I will multiply thy seede that it may bee infinite as the starres of Heauen and I will giue vnto thy seede all these Countryes and all the nations of the Earth shall repute them selues blessed in thy seede 5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voyce and obserued my ordinaunce my commaundementes my statutes and my lawes WEE sawe yesterday howe Iacob forsooke his meate for that spirituall benefite which GOD had promised vnto him and heereby it appeareth that he had more care of his soule than of his body Here we haue an example though not altogither like in Isaack his father yet cōming very neere it For we see how Isaack had more regarde to the spirituall inheritance than to all that concerned this brittle and transitorie life Hee was oppressed with famine there is no doubt but that it was not his ease to goe into Egypt But when he was let by an expresse commaundement it was a signe that his courage tended thitherwardes because his commoditie likewise drew him God staieth his iourney and hee obeyeth Wee see then that Isaack lefte not onely a messe of Pottage but hee seeing that hee coulde endure much woe for a yeeres space notwithstanding hee withhelde himselfe and sought no refuge in Egypte and remayned in the land of Gerar which specially coulde not be altogither exempted frō pouertie which was a parte of that countrie For it is impossible when there is any famine but that the neighbour and neere places must also feele it It may easily be gathered that then there was no dearth in Egypt So that Isaack heere sheweth vs that although temptations be great if we bee destitute of that which is necessary to maintaine vs that yet notwithstanding we must alwaies hold vs to the wil of God and rather forget all our cases and prepare our selues patiently to suffer al wante and necessitie than to seeke our commodities as it were against the will of god This is the first poynt that we haue to marke in this history Nowe it is sayde There was a great famine in the land a greater then that former that was in the dayes of Abraham For there had beene twoo that Moyses already had rehearsed vnto vs Assoone as Abraham was arriued into the land of Canaan hee was faine to depart this was a very hard combate vnto him seeing that God had shewed him that land that he had cōceiued great ioy for that he shuld be put in possessiō therof now a little after he must be chased out and become as it were a poore vagabond and go downe into Egypt because he found not any succour else where The secōd time he also withdrewe himselfe into the lande of the Philistines which was of the very same countrie that was promised vnto him and vnder the Kinge of Gerar not he of whom now mention is made for all called him Abimilech which is asmuch to say as My father the king this was not only an honorable title but also expressed that kings gouerned not by tyranny did deuoure vp their subiectes but had a fatherly care ouer them whom God had committed to their charge When then it is saide that this famine came as the other this is to shewe vnto vs that altogither like as God had proued the faith of Abraham and his constancie so likewise he would call his sonne to the like tryall For as Isaack was heyre of the promise so also must it needes be that he succeed his father in that which was promised to the childrē of God For we must shewe by the effect that we so esteeme heauenly benefites to which God hath called vs that we passe through the worlde and that we faile not howsoeuer we be afflicted after diuers sundry maners Marke then wherto Moyses hath regarde when he compareth these two famines that is to shewe vs that when Abraham was tempted it was not onely for his owne cause but his sonne also muste be like him But by the way we are called the sōnes of Abraham and of Isaack it behoueth then that our faith be examined as it shall seeme good vnto god It is very true that wee shal be more confounded and that is because we haue not receiued so great a measure of strength Marke therefore the cause why God supporteth our infirmitie but yet this is not to the ende that our faith shoulde bee idle So then we are heere warned by the spirit of God that beeing in this worlde wee must be subiect to many miseryes and
vs learne albeit that God giue vs our desires and all the pleasures that are possible to bee wished for that we doo not in such sorte reste vppon them that we turne away from him but rather let vs learne too keepe our selues in that fauor and testimonie that we haue that in that hee hath adopted vs for his children he will alwayes shew him selfe a father towardes vs When then wee shall bee thus thorowly perswaded it is certaine that wee shall ouercome all feares but contrariwise when we shall imagine too be assured without the protection of God it must needes be that hee shewe vs what our follie and ouerweening is And this brieflie is that wee haue too beare awaye in this place And so let vs ioyne these two thinges togyther as inseparable and not to be sundred That GOD is with vs and that wee are well assured agaynst all euill For if hee bee farre from vs Alas we are more then miserable albeit we were in a paradise as I haue sayde alreadie but when hee is with vs though wee walke in the shadowe and darknesse of death and that it seemes wee must perishe euery minute of an howre yet vve leaue not of too comfort oure selues knowing vvell that death shall be turned to vs into lyfe that al shall fall out to our saluatiō Againe vvee haue too note this that hee sayeth That hee is the God of Abraham For by this vvoord hee calleth too Isaacks remembrance all the promises the which hee had learned of his father If hee had not bene instructed and that Abraham had not done his dutie too saye vnto him My Sonne GOD hath giuen mee this priuiledge aboue all men that hee hath declared vnto mee and sayde vnto me that my stocke shall be as his heritage and that hee will blesse vs and we shal be separated and sanctified from all the rest of the world but yet marke howe it behooueth vs too woorship him marke howe wee must call vppon him See howe wee must serue him If therefore Abraham had not faythfully taught his sonne Isaack this woorde should haue bene of no force I am the God of Abraham and in deed it had imported nothing but superstition And so let vs marke well that by this word God would giue a cōfirmatiō to Isaack of that whiche he had learned before of his father The Papistes make a buckler of this whē they wil keepe themselues to their filthinesses errors For they haue that from other fathers ancestors which they followe they haue not inuēted it at this day it seemeth therfore vnto thē that this is ynough to beate backe yea euen whatsoeuer god himself hath shewed by his word so that they follow their fathers elders Well but whē god is named the God of Abrahā he presupposed this one thing to wit that Abrahā had a faith ruled by the doctrine which had bin taught him And wherefore is it that he nameth not him self the god of Nachor And why is it that hee calleth not him selfe the God of Thare For this had bene somewhat more The Papistes will not say It is an hundred yeeres since that that which we call the seruice of God amongst vs was vsed amongest men but they will saye What There is a thousande yeeres since the worlde was so gouerned Loe then them selues in possession to despite God as seemeth vnto them when they alledge a thousand yeares Nowe then if the question were simply of Antiquitie he must haue said I am thy god of Thare and of Nachor or rather hee must haue gone further vntill he had come to those that went before But there is no question of speaking in that sorte God had called Abraham and Abraham was dead of late the others had bin a great deale more auncient what distinction shall wee make heere wee muste not forge it according too our owne braine but we must looke vnto that marke whervnto God would direct Isaack There is no doubt but this was bicause Abraham as we haue sayde alreadie had a full certaintie of faith that he had not an opinion onely as had the rest of the world to saye I imagine so I thinke so but he was fully certified that God had spoken vnto him Lo then in what respect and for what cause it is now said I am the God of Abraham thy father And so let vs wel marke what fathers we ought to follow that we be not deceiued therin For if our fathers had byn duely taught and that they had bene framed vnto the trueth of God it had nowe bene a good helpe vnto our faith For when vvee haue guides too shewe vs the way this is much to our aduantage and we ought not to despise it but if wee haue had fathers who were not the children of God wherevppon all paternitie and parentage dependeth as Saint Paule sayeth then must wee shut our eyes For when God hath not his soueraigne degree of being the father and euery thing be not referred to him then woe vpon al parentages and bondes which we shal haue in this world for they are so many nettes of Sathan So let vs marke wel that as it is said in this place that God is the God of Abrahā Isaacks father so it is saide on the contrarie by the Prophet Ezechiel Walke not in the rightuousnes of your fathers And why so These fathers followed not Abrahās steppes but departed therefrom and therefore they were no longer worthy of so honourable a title of fathers forasmuch as they were not at a very woord the children of god And so let vs feare least that be spoken vnto vs that S. Stephen hath spoken Ye vncircumcised of heart ye haue alwayes resisted God and his holy spirit as did your fathers also But if there were any ignorance or rebellion in our fathers let vs forsake it to the end wholly to resigne vp our selues too our heauenly father and notwithstanding whereas the Papists crie The fathers fathers let vs learne to discerne and let vs not bee beastes as they are too take oure fathers from some stewes as they take all those for their fathers who haue peruerted and corrupted the simplicitie both of the Lawe and the Gospell too witte these Dottards and rabble of Friars and Monkes who haue beene the falsifiers of the holy Scripture To the ende therfore we be not in such wise bereued and spoyled of our senses let vs know that our fathers must be the children of God of whome dependeth all parentage as wee haue alleadged out of S. Paule Loe then shortly what we haue to learne out of this place that is to say that Isaack was admonished to acknowledge and call to his remembrance whatsoeuer hee had learned before and that this was for too confirme his faith when GOD sayde that hee had manifested him selfe vnto his father Abraham And nowe at this daye wee haue too put this doctrine in practise as often as wee shall haue neede
too assure our selues or rather when our spirit is troubled and wee tossed with some wauering and vncertaintie wee must haue oure recourse thither That is too followe our father Abraham to conforme our selues too followe that rule which hee hath shewed vnto vs And why so For wee are certaine that GOD was manifested vnto him Loe then a good direction and which shall not turne vs out of the path of our saluation when wee shall be conformed and fashioned too our father Abraham who was adopted of GOD and who receyued the pledge of our saluation that is too saye all these promises wherevppon wee ought at this daye to be grounded And such accompt ought wee too make of all the rest of the faithfull For although they no whit appertayne vnto vs concerning the fleshe yet notwithstanding wee ceasse not too bee their children And therefore it is not without cause that the Apostle in the eleuenth Chapter too the Hebrues setteth before vs this thicke cloude of witnesses when as hee would shewe vs that wee are very vnkinde if we followe not those whome GOD hath set forth vnto vs for an example Loe sayeth hee a great and thicke cloude of witnesses who calles vs too GOD that would seeme as if a man would saye too stoppe vp our eyes We will be offended with a man when hee shall seduce vs wee will imagine too bee excused by saying O hee did therein asmuch as I wee neede no more but a small flie too make vs too turne awaye from the feare of God and his obedience and notwithstanding that GOD shall set before vs so many witnesses too prooue our fayth that wee ought therewith bee satisfied yet wee come not to him And if this profite vs nothing and wee bee not confirmed thereby what is the cause thereof but oure owne vnthankfulnes And so then so often as our faith shal be weake that wee shall haue ouerthwartings of ignorāce as it were stormes let vs think And what hath God begun but yesterday and to day to speake Spake he not vnto Abraham And was not his truth certaine frō that time forwarde and besides al the faithful which came afterwards al the holy kings prophets and others are they not so many witnesses whō God shewed vnto vs Let vs therefore ioyne them too this holy assembly nowe For howe often soeuer the Gospell hath bene preached vnto vs according as the Apostle hath entreated thereof it is not onely too gather vs togither with al the faythful which are liuing at this daye but also into the fellowship and companie of all the holy spirites whom GOD hath taken out of this worlde We are therefore at this daye ioyned in fellowship with all the holy Patriarkes and Prophetes as often as GOD speaketh vnto vs But wee shall be so much the more without excuse bycause we know not howe too make our profite of all this seeing that GOD hath yet reuealed it more cleerely vnto vs and in a more familiar sorte in the persone of his onely begotten Sonne For hee is not onely named at this day the GOD of Abraham but also the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe In asmuch therefore as wee haue the full and perfecte reuelation of whatsoeuer is profitable vnto vs for our saluation in this liuely image in whome GOD is set foorth it is certayne that wee haue no colour that wee can alledge why wee shoulde not haue such a certaintie of faith that wee should neuer straye hither and thither and when the worlde chaungeth it selfe an hundred thousande tymes yet neuerthelesse that we should remayne stedfast in that wee haue receyued of God knowing that his trueth is vnchaungeable This therefore shortly is that whiche wee haue too beare awaye concerning this texte And further let vs likewise note that woorde of the Lorde Iesus Christ when he saith I goe too my God and to your God to my Father and to your Father See the Sonne of God who is the euerlasting God neuerthelesse to the end to gather vs vnto himself to keepe vs sure there in such sorte that we shuld neuer be seduced from that foundation which hee hath giuen vnto vs of his trueth he sayth that we haue one God togither with him inasmuch as hee is man and in that he is our brother that we haue the same God who is his God and the same father who is his father When we heare these things is there any farther cause for vs to doubt or to be shaken As there are many who will saye at this day O I knowe not what to holde there are so many sundrie opinions that I am confounded likewise I can beleeue nothing I know not what to followe But it can not be chosen but that such people are possessed of the Deuil when they tread vnder their feete the trueth of God which is as a most vndoubted light to guide vs and to shewe vs the way of saluation So then seeing God hath shewed him selfe since Abraham and Noah and appointed Moyses too bee the conductour of his Church and that he hath knit vs altogither when in the ende he sent his onely begotten Sonne in whose persone he hath gathered vs all to him self let vs learn to kepe our selues in that vnitie of faith which he hath giuen vs and let vs not doubt but that he wil alwaies auow vs for his childrē Now we haue to note that which God saith That he wil blesse Isaac and wil multiplie his seede For this serueth to shewe that the fauour which god beareth to those whom he hath called to himselfe is not vaine nor idle but that it bringeth forth his fruite and effect in time It is therefore very certaine that when God shal be mercifull vnto vs hee will giue vs so many good things as he knoweth to be good for vs it is true that this shall not be according to our desire but howsoeuer it be prosperitie shal always be coupled with the fauour loue of god Now we knowe that he hath all in his hand he is no nigard that he will not giue to his children whatsoeuer he knoweth to be meete for them Let vs learne therfore to wayte for al prosperitie free fauour of our God when it shall please him to testifie vnto vs that he loueth vs and that he is with vs as I haue said already and in the meane while notwithstāding although that we haue many aduersities which trouble molest vs and that they be hard bitter vnto vs yet let vs neuer giue ouer to hold vs fast vnto his promise And when we receiue any grace frō the hand of God let vs applie the same alwaies to strēgthen our faith to haue this vndoubted perswasiō that we shal trie that to be true which is spokē here I wil be with thee and I wil blesse thee And certaine it is that if we would cōsider wel the benefits of God that we daily receiue from him
how to distinguish betwene the outward preaching which is done by the mouth of men the secret calling of God whereby he toucheth the hartes within Now when it is cōmaunded in the last of Marke to preach the Gospell too all this importeth not that God therfore worketh in all by the power of his spirit and when it is said in the second Chapter of the first too Timothie that God would all men to be saued the solution is added by and by that come too the knowledge of his trueth Wherefore then is it that he him selfe would not at that present time that the gospel should be preached to all so farre of is it that he hath enlightened all the world in the faith It is maruelous that this shameles forhead is not ashamed too alledge for him self the 10. to the Romanes where the text expressely setteth forth that all beleeue not the Gospel because that Isay saith that the arme of the Lord is not reuealed to all Also the 6. chap. of S. Iohn where Iesus Christe expressely pronounceth that all that are giuen him of his father come vnto him And touching that that he saith that all shal be taught of God it is a speciall promise made to the Church as also the Lord Iesus Christ was a faithfull expositour therof saying He therefore that hath heard and learned of my father shall come vnto me Whereby he sheweth that all are not inwardly called According as a little after also hee confirmeth the same Therefore I haue said vnto you that none can come vnto mee vnlesse it be giuen him from God my father Notwithstanding this Rustick imagineth he hath well escaped hauing spoken a word of predestinatiō without making any semblance of the text so expressely set foorth wher it is said that God wil haue mercie vpon him on whō he wil haue mercy that our saluation is of the same mercy not of the willer nor of the runner and that before the two twinne◠were borne whē they had neither done good nor euill to the end the purpose of his electiō might stād sure he had chosen the one reiected the other Also whē we beleue that this proceedeth of that that God hath chosen vs Therevpon it foloweth that the rest of the world remaineth blinde But because it would be to long to alledge all consider those places whiche are gathered in a little booke that our brother master Beza hath made thereof and you shal be fully satisfied therein To shew that the hardening of Pharao proceded not of God he alledgeth that which is said in the third and fourth of Exod. I haue commanded thee to let my people depart and thou wouldest not But it foloweth not therevpon that God had not ordeyned Pharao to be glorified in his obstinacie hardnes as he protesteth Exodus 9. chapter And Saint Paule alledgeth it in this sense in the 9. chapter to the Romaines This therefore is sottishly concluded of this impudent fellowe that our will is the first and chiefe cause of euill I confesse in deede that it is the neere cause and the true roote of our condemnation But too the ende a man may graunt him hee alledgeth the authoritie of Amerbachius who is a lawier and as skilfull a Diuine as a Poticarie is a good butcher Concerning Melancthon if this Rustike rested not him selfe vppon him as hee protesteth but vppon the Gospell howe prooueth hee by the Gospel that God hath not ordeyned of his creatures Touching that hee imputeth vnto vs that we put a fatall necessitie as the Stoikes doo it is a verie vilanous slaunder For the Stoikes they made god him selfe subiect to such necessities making a net of obscure causes wherein God was entangled But wee set the Lorde and maister in full libertie attributing the soueraigne Empire too his prouidence too dispose of all things Concerning that this Clowne babbleth of Free will it is sufficiently reiected throughout the whole Scripture For Freedome and bondage are contraries Nowe that wee are the seruauntes yea the slaues of sinne there needeth not that we aledge one place alone seeing the whole Scripture are full thereof Notwithstanding too gyue some colour too his errour hee alledgeth that Ierusalem woulde not receyue the grace of God yea as though this prooued Free will too choose good or euill You shall finde throughout all my bookes howe I haue taught that wee must not seeke the cause of our perdition any where else but in our selues and in our peruerse will. But it follovveth not that it is in vs too chaunge our will which is altogither giuen too euill You shall also finde that I haue taught that which this troublecoast setteth down here to put out the whole light to witte that our wil is the cause or meane to come to saluation Wherfote it nedeth not to alledge that Abraham beleued God that it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes For in very trueth it must needes bee that a man must accept the grace of god But the question is of knowing what is the first cause And this is the power of the holy ghost thorow which we are drawē to the obedience of god according as he hath chosen and adopted vs for his children before the foūdation of the world Nowe in this behalfe this vile dogge sheweth sufficiently ynough that he makes no accōpt of the holy scripture the which asmuch as lies in him he would abolish or tread vnder his feete For in going about to declare how Abrahā was saued by his wil he saith that this was of that wil which God had put in man creating him after his owne image Whereby he vtterly abolisheth the whole grace of the holy ghost and goeth beyonde not only the Papistes but also some of the Paynims in this impietie For the Papistes keepe such a measure in magnifying their Freewill that they confesse being corrupted and depraued wee can do nothing if God through his spirit supernaturall grace do not helpe driue and direct vs But concerning the holy scripture it sheweth vs that we shal alwaies be rebelles against God vntil that he shal haue chaunged renewed vs And loe why Moyses said to the people Deutero 29. that God had not yet giuen them an vnderstanding hart and seeing eyes And therfore to the ende hee might be obeied he saith that he would giue them a newe heart taking away that stonie heart Ieremie in the 31 Ezechiel in the 11. 37 S. Paule in the 2. to the Philipp that God giueth both too wil to performe And in the first of S. Iohn it is said that they which beleeue are not of the wil of flesh nor blood but renewed of god And S. Luke speaking of the woman sheweth wel how all are drawen vnto faith to wit that God openeth the heart to the end his word may be vnderstoode Now it is certaine that these things are not spokē of the cōmon order of nature And yet this
we can either will or runne but it behooueth that God finde vs as lost and that hee recouer vs from that bottomlesse pitte and that hee separate vs from them with whome wee were lost and to whome wee were alike For as I haue sayde the condition of mankinde is all one It is true that the one sorte are the Children of wrath and the other God blesseth But from whence commeth this separation and this diuorse From mercie And wee must not goe to enquire any farther but wee must content our selues with this worde alone in stead of all reason Marke then for what cause namely the first-borne was caste out from his place and in the meane season Iacob who was the inferiour was set in his place yea to remaine the onely heyre When Malachie the Prophet speaketh of this he reprocheth vnto the Iewes their ingratitude It is true that this was for an outwarde signe that GOD had chosen Iacob rather then Esau for asmuche as hee had giuen the lande of Canaan to be his inheritance and that Esau was sent farre off amiddest the Mountaynes but this is not the sentence wherevppon the Prophete resteth hee looketh vnto a thing much higher Saint Paule also when hee vseth this testimonie of his seeing that GOD had taken vnto him selfe the stocke of Iacob hee attributeth all this to his meere mercie But the Prophet sayeth And Esau was hee not the brother of Iacob As if hee shoulde say You are ful of pryde and obstinacie yea you burst your selues therein and it costes you nothing to say ô we are of the holy sacred stocke of Abraham wee are the Church we are the people whome God hath blessed and sanctified yea from whence haue you this saith he For was not Esau Iacobs brother You see the Idumeans your brethren are they the people of God you say that they are straungers from the Church although they haue circumcision yet notwithstanding God hath cut thē off And whence commeth this saith hee Who is it that hath so separated them If you will goe from age to age very well you shall finde howe you are the Children of Iacob And Esau whose childe was he I pray you Did not he discend frō Abraham and Isaack aswel as you But heere hee speaketh not onely of the land of Canaan but hee goeth farther and sayth That hee loued Iacob hated Esau And this loue which he bare vnto Iacob frō whence proceeded it It is certaine that Iacob could not be accepted of him as we haue said being cōsidered in himself For behold him the child of wrath bringing nothing from the wombe of his mother but this horrible cursse which was cast vpon all mankind notwithstanding God did loue him Now God loueth not iniquitie he hateth sinne as we know How thē loued he Iacob This was for that he drew him from that perdition wherin he was And why did he hate Esau Nowe it is very true that there is iuste cause why God should hate all mankinde For as wee haue said there is nothing in vs but vice and iniquitie but yet when wee will goe farther and that wee will demaunde why God before hee created the worlde and before the fall of Adam why this shoulde be that hee would hate or loue heere we must holde our selues mute and still Heere wee must not lifte vp our hornes For what shall wee gaine when we will enter into debate and question with God It is certaine that wee shall cast stones vppon our owne heades and they will fall neither heere nor there they cannot reach vnto the maiestie of God but they shall returne vppon our owne pates and it must be that we be crusshed and brused therewith Beholde then what wee shall gaine when wee open our throte to caste foorth blasphemyes against God For we shall but cast out our dartes stones into the ayre but they shall not reach vnto him it shal be rather that we be pearced and wounded by them and that we remaine confounded in that our rashnesse and ouerweening Thus let vs content our selues with that which God hath pronounced that is to say that hee hath hated Esau and loued Iacob Now by this the Children of Iacob were aswell conuinced that they had nothing whereof they might glory in them selues and that there rested nothing but that they made an acknowledgement vnto God of such a liberall and bountiful goodnesse which hee had vsed towardes them and whereof none coulde finde any reason vnlesse in this that it so pleased him But notwithstāding they were ful of impietie against God and woulde holde this priuiledge but God sheweth them that it doth not belong vnto them and that if they accoūted him for their father they must be his children But heereby we are admonished that although our saluation proceede from the only grace of God and that therin it consisteth to the ende Notwithstanding it followeth not that vnder the shadowe heereof wee can let loose our selues to euill and giue ouer our selues therto But there are villaines dogges that barke against God there are also Hogges which ouerthrow this doctrine of election by their loose and lewde life For there are two sortes of people that are enemyes to this doctrine The one are as dogges the other as Hogges The one which are they they which will and come to shewe their teeth and who despite God by their wicked questions as wee see at this day in those villaines who make no scruple to rend in peeces all the holy Scripture to corrupt peruert falsifie adulterate all so that they may darken the election of God to witte to make nothing of all And marke whervnto this tēdeth to make this doctrine odious For they wil say that they that thus speake they put no more any difference betwixt good and euil that God by this meane shoulde become vnrighteouse if he should put any difference betweene one and an other that there should bee acceptaunce of persones in him Beholde then the dogges that barke and whet their teeth against this doctrine Nowe there are also Hogs which will not despite in such sorte against it but wil say very wel If I be elected I may do as much euil as I wil For God knowes wel how to keepe me and I can neuer perish and contrarywise if I be reprobate why shoulde I torment my selfe so much to doe well seeing that I can neuer be saued These then as I haue already sayd come not to spue vp their contradictions to ouerthrowe the trueth of God but they wallowe there and remayne in their sinnes as brute beastes But wee must take heede bothe of the one and the other And for this cause as I haue saide the Prophet Malachie shewing to the people that all that he had done vnto them came of the meere free bountie of God exhorteth them to holynesse of life And therefore as it is said vnto vs that God
is the author of our saluation and that we can bring nothing to serue in that matter and that yet wee must alwayes be kept vnder his garde and that hee must perfect accomplish that which he hath begunne let not this bee to the ende to let loose the brydle to our vices but rather to keepe vs in his feare And in very deede when S. Paule saith that these are the hidden letters that it is an incōprehensible secret to knowe who be the children of God hee addeth Whosoeuer calleth vppon the name of God let him departe from all iniquitie Let vs marke then that GOD woulde giue vs no occasion to doe euill when hee chose vs without any regarde to our merites and that hee also maintaineth vs by his meere goodnesse but this is to the end that we should honour him and we should walke in so much the greater carefulnesse And therefore let vs returne to that we haue touched to wit that he hath chosen vs to the ende that wee shoulde bee holy and without blame before his face It is true that he hath not chosen vs for that he found vs such but when he chose vs it was to the end we should be such It behoueth therefore that we march thither and that this be the Mark that wee aime at all the dayes of our life But nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good GOD in acknowledging of our faultes praying him that he will in such sorte make vs to feele them that it may bee to humble vs and to drawe vs to true repentaunce to the ende we may renounce all our fleshly lustes and affections and that beeing so cast downe in our selues wee may bee enlightened by the power of his holy spirite to the ende to serue and honour him all the time of our life and that by this meanes wee may so much the more bee styrred vp to giue our selues wholly to him knowing that we holde all of his meere goodnesse and that this may bee to glorifie his holy name not onely in mouth but in our whole life That not only c. ⧠The third Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 25. 21 Now when Rebecca had conceaued The Children stroue within her belly And she said If it be so to what end is it or why doe I liue and shee went to aske councell of the Lord. 22 And the Lord sayde vnto her there are two peoples in thy wombe and two nations brought forth out of thy wombe shal be deuided of whom one shal be mightier then the other and the elder shall serue the younger IT is a thinge that much troubleth mens spirites when they see the estate of the worlde so confused that the moste parte doe manifestly despite God and it seemeth that they haue cōspired with the deuill to the end to giue ouer them selues to all mischiefe For this is thought a thing greatly against reason that GOD should create men to destroy them Wherfore then is it that he suffereth the greatest number so to fall If it bee saide that this ought to bee imputed not to God but to those that of their owne accorde throwe them selues so to perdition yet this maketh no whit to the appeasing of those troubles that we may cōceiue For could not God remedie it Why is it then that he doeth it not They that alleadge a simple permission that God layeth the bridle vpon euery mans necke and that euery one guideth himself according to his owne free will yet they cannot well vndoe this knot to witte why God hath not created men of another sorte and wherefore hee hath suffered that they should be so weake yea and enclyned to euill and corruption and seeing that hee knewe their infirmitie wherefore is it that hee doth not help them and prouide them some remedie This therefore is to entangle our selues in great torments troubles But it behoueth that we goe yet farther For it is certaine as the Scripture declareth that there is nothing which doeth not perishe sauing that which God preserueth through his meere goodnesse and free bountie But now how commeth it to passe that God choseth onely the tenth or the hundreth parte of men and leaueth all the rest knowing well that they are swallowed vp in hell and lost Wherefore doeth he not reach out his hand to helpe them yea why hath hee ordayned them to destruction as the Scripture speaketh For marke the very woordes of Solomon Beholde a sentence which driueth vs from such hard questions and many are therein entangled as it were among thornes And further they thrust in themselues so farre that they are altogither confounded But yet there is a tentation farre greater For besides that generalitie of the worlde the like is seene also in the Church that is that when the Gospel hath beene preached to a whole people there are then many Hypocrites the others are rebels others become wholly brutish in such sort that they profite but very little in this schoole although God note all without exception to whom he speaketh And beyond all these a man shall finde many who through contēpt ingratitud wil shut against themselues the gate of saluation will reiect all the graces of God and not onely this but men shall finde deadly enemies of the doctrine although they be of the houshold And in very deed the prophet Esay hauing said that god wold gather his church out of the world that he wold haue so great a people as should be wōderful in stead of reioycing he afterwards addeth Alas my bowels Now by this he sheweth that when it shall seeme that all must flourish prosper that God must be glorified both of great small that his banner must be displaied to gather togither the whole world to the ende that with one accorde all may serue God then he discouereth a secret mischiefe For the Prophet cryeth not onely alas the hands alas the legges but he cryeth out alas my bowels as though he would say this mischiefe is so rooted in the church that it must be as it were mingled of so sūdry sortes of men that she must nourish in her owne belly her own enemies as we haue seene by the figure in Rebecca Now what is to bee doone therin Euery one seeth that if we enter into such fantasies we cannot haue any resolution the deuil wil thrust in himselfe amongst to the ende to make vs blaspheme against God or else to put such a bitternesse into our heart that we shal seeme rather to be blocks of wood then resonable creatures formed according to Gods image as we do see the experience therof in many people who do becōe as it were mad raging against god because they cānot rid thēselues from difficulties douts It is necessary therefore to search out a remedie Now it is true that we cannot exempt fully our selues from all passions that at the first blush and as it were