tâ— aduertyse one another of our affairâ— in this life is truely no poynte of praâ—ing vnto men or of thrusting in mediâ—tours in Christes steade as they do bâ— rather a callinge vpon oure common â—ther together wyth our brethren in tâ—â— name of the one mediator aforesayâ— the whyche one myndednes is a most â—…eptable Sacrifice vnto God. Question But the holy Ghost himselfe is saide to â—ake intercession for vs with vnspeakble groninges Aunswere That is because hée teacheth vs too â—one and to praye aright accordinge alâ—… as the same Apostle maketh hym too â—…ye out Que. But when shal this intercession be â—â— an ende An. Truely neuer for euen at such time â—â— it shall appeare that we be with god â—ur cleauinge vnto him shall not be but â—y the steppinge in of oure meane and â—…ediator and consequently of oure head â—…esus christ whose reigning and préestâ—d are euerlasting in the same respect â—et not withstandinge the whole maner â—rulinge and gouerninge the Churche â—…at is now vsed shall vtterly cease after â—…at y last enemie that is to wit death 〈…〉 put away and al the chosen are taken 〈…〉 with their head into euerlastinge life â—…d so god shal be all in all Quest But Paule sayeth that this kingâ—â—me or reigning shal bee yelded vp to â—â—e father and that Christ shal become â—…iect vnto him An. Paule verely hauinge an eye vnto Christ as too the sonne of god in deede howbeit as manifeste in the fieshe and ioyned with his meÌ„bers dooth worthely attribute the chiefe glory to the godhead which shall at that time be moste of all disclosed when all enemies be ouercomâ— And truele this subiection beetokeneth some thing inferior to the godhead for the creature shall neuer be made equall with the creator no not euen in christe but yet it doth vs to vnderstand that the chiefe blessednesse next vnto that which is peculiar to the Godhead consisteth in this poynt that God acceptinge vs and our head togither in respecte that he is man for his déere and faithful subiects will then at length géeue vs the fulness of felicitie and punish the rest as rebelâ— with endlesse paines Quest But wheras it is saide that he will come at the last daye to iudge both the quick and the dead ther is som hardnes in that saying For it appereth by many places of the Scriptures specially by the Story or parable of the rich gluttoÌ„ that euery mannes iudgement lighteth vpon him immediately after his departure out of this life whither he be godly or vngodly An. God dooth after a sorte execute hys iudgement euen theÌ„ insomuche as it is not to be doubted but that the soules of the Godly whom Christ doth gladly receiue haue a foretaste of the eternal happines and contrariwise that the soules of the vngodly haue a forefeling of the horriblenes of eternal death NotwithstaÌ„ding besides that the said fore iudgement hath respect only too their soules while their bodies lye still a sléepe in the duste the ful declaratioÌ„ and executing of the iudgement whereby the whole man shall eyther be made owner of eternall lyfe or els be caste into endlesse torment is delayed to the last daye of the generall Resurrection Quest By the deade then thou meanest not them that shal be dead at such time as they shal be iudged but such as haue ben dead before and shall then be risen againe VVhich then be the quick ones that thou matchest against the deade ones An. They be those whome Christe shall then finde stil aliue in this world at that seconde comminge of his whiche shalbée most glorious The sodaine chaunginge of whiche men intoo the one state or y other of the life to come that is to wit either of endlesse death or of euerlastinge life shal be vnto theÌ„ in stéede of bodily death risinge againe as the Apostle teacheth Qu How are they saide to be dampned to endlesse death who notwithstaÌ„ding are risen againe neuer to die any more An. Because that to liue in so horrible torments both of soule body deserueth not the name of life but rather of death Quest But the Resurrection is it not in generall of gods goodnes yea and that in Christ who is the first fruites of them that rise An. Like as the father created all things in the Sonne so also shall the wicked receiue life againe in him that is to saye by the operation of his power And yet for all that the blessinge of life shall turne to a curse in the vngodly like as al other things doo The wicked therfore shal not rise againe by the benefyte and vertue of Christes resurrection for this resurrection is knit vnto blissed life with an vnseparable knot and therefore none but only suche as beleeue in Christe and are â—uely graffed into him are made partaâ—ers of that But by the power and aucâ—hority of the Sonne as he is a Iudge who at the same time that he pronounâ—ed the sentence of dubble death and speâ—ially of eternall death against all mankinde did euen then condemne all men â—n the penaltie of rising againe sauinge those whom he himself shoulde preserue from death For how should the punishment of the wicked be euerlasting as it must néedes be if their bodies should coÌ„tinew for euer in the dust vtterly voyde of all feeling Quest Neuertheles seing that the bodie mooueth not of it selfe but onely is the Iustrument of the soule it seemeth to stande with equitie that the whole punishment of sin or the whole glorie of rightuousnesse should haue cleaued to mennes soules Aunswere The whole scripture speaketh against it as often as it maketh mentioÌ„ of the resurrectioÌ„ which doutles agréeth not properly to the soule Again although the body sin not of it self alone yet doth the whole man sin and therefore hee is iustly punished whole And christ were not a perfecte redeemer if hee should let the bodyes of his seruaunts lye still in rottennesse Neither had he néeded to haue takeÌ„ a body vnto him if he had come to deliuer no more but our soules Quest But what maner of life shall that eternal life be and what maner of death shal that eternall death bee Ans It is to no purpose to searche for these thinges not onely because such curiousenesse is to bee condempned as driueth men too demaunde the thinges that the lorde hath as yet hidden from vs but also beecause it is a pointe of extreame madnesse to be desirous to comprehende that whiche a manne is not able to conceiue If wee were nowe able to conceyue that blisfulnesse wee shoulde already after a sort possesse it in asmuch as y vnderstanding of man doth at leastwise so farforth enioy the thing that is to be vnderstoode as it conceiueth it in vnderstandinge The lyke also is too bée thoughte of the euerlastynge paynes whereof wée see that euen a very light conceyte of
as I thinke we shall doo that more conueniently another time In the meane while if you bee satisfied in the thinges you haue demaunded I am very glad and I would with you too minde these thinges earnestly night and â—aye ¶ All honor glory praise and thankes bee onely vntoo God the Father through our Lorde Iesus Christe Amen ⸫ ¶ EINIS Rom. 1. 21. Iohn 17. 3 Gods word Ephe. 2. 20. Rom. 10. 8 2. tim 3. 16 2. Pet. 1. 20. Actes 2. 11. 1. Cor. 1. 17 18. 19. 20 21. 22. 23. 24. Luke 21. 15 Acts. 6. 10 Iohn 5. 30 Actes 17. 11 2. Cor. 4. 3 Iohn 6. 45 Acts. 13. 48 Phil. 1. 29 Acts. â—6 14 2 tim 3. 17. Being or substance Deut. 6. 4. Mat. 28. 19 what the esseÌ„ce or substaÌ„ce of god is what the persons of the godhead bee The distinction of the persons in the godhed Reuerence to be geuen to gods misteries Knowledge of God. Rom. 8. 15. 16. 17. c. â—bm 38. 39 Gal. 4. 6. 7 Iohn 16. 17. c. Exo 20. 5. 6 Ex. 34. 6. 7. What gods iustice is What gods mercy â—â— How iustice and mercy may matche Iohn 1. 14 16. 13 17. 3. Rom. 8. 14. 1. Ioh. 4. 13. Math. 1. 21. Mark 2. 7 Gal. 4. 45 Heb. 2. 9 14. 15 Christes Incarnation Iohn 1. 14 Heb. 2. 16 1. Iohn 1. 7 Vnion A DiscriptioÌ„ of vnion or vnitinge of two thinges into one The vnion of the two natures in Christ Reuerence of heauenly misteries The orderly proceding of gods iust Heb. 2. 14 15. 16. 17 Rom 8. 3 â— Cor. 5. 19 Rom. 5. 8 Christs maÌ„hod moste pure without sinne Math. 1. 20 Rom 8. 3 1. Pet. 3. 18 Christ suffered as a borow or sueâ—tie not as an offender 2. Cor. 5. 21 Obiection agaiÌ„st christes full redeeming of the whole man by his death Gal. 3. 13. Christ suffereth the whole dew for our sins Why Christ deliuered vs by dying Heb. 2 14 Esay 53. 8 c. Ose 13. 14 why the chosen die still Rom. 5. 15 c. 1. cor â–ª 15. 35 How the power of christ vttred tselfe Math. 28. 2. 3. c. Actes 2. 24. Rom. 6. 4 what Christes Resurrection witnesseth vnto vs Rom. 6. 10. 1. Cor. 15. 3. 4. c. The cause of Christes Assention how be is absent from vs Ephe. 4. 8. 9. 10. 1. cor 15 20 Iohn 14. 2 Col. 3. 1 Mat. 28. 20 Christ fitting at the right hand of the father Phi. 2. 9 Col. 2. 9. Mat. 28. 18. Phil 2 â— 0. Heb. 2. 8. 9 1. cor 15. 17 Essential properties Luk. 24. 39 A right papistical obiectioÌ„ wheron they builde their deuilish masse Colo. 3. 1 Ihon. 3. 13. what propertie is That is to say partaking made apertaining to the one as vvel as to the other made coÌ„moÌ„ or indiffereÌ„â— to both Hovve eche of christes natures coÌ„municate their properties vnto other The great force of the vnion of natures vvhat is meÌ„t by communicâ—tinge of properties Hovv christ is present vvith vs To vvhat purpose Christes bodily absence â—erueth Mat. 28 18 Iohn 17. 2 Mat. 28 â–ª 20 Iohn 15. 4 Gal 2. 20 Ephe. 1. 11. Christes intercession Obieccion against christes mediation in both his natures Difference betvvene a meane a mediator or meanmaker Christe is bothe a meane and a mediator vvhat is to be thought of the office of intercession Of praying to Saincts Angels Mat. 11. 22. Iohn 19 11 The good intentes of the popish praying to Sainctes Another obiection of the Papistes for praying to sainctes 2 Thes 3. 1. Rom. 8. 26 How the holy ghost prayeth for vs Rom. 8. 15. Christs intercession for vs is and shal be euerlasting 1. cor 15 28 Of the yelding vp of christs kingdom to god the father Of christes comming to eudgement 2. tim 4. 1. Luk 16 19. Luke 16. 9. 23. 24. Actes 7. 60 Phil. 1. 23 Mat. 25. 3â— The dead 1 cor 15. 51 52. 1. thes 4. 15. Endles daÌ„pnation Obection against the generalnesse of the resurrection 1. cor 15. 22 Gen. 2. 17 Gen. 3. 19 Obiection agaynste the punishment of the bodie for the souls offences 1. cor 35. c 1. thes 5. 25. Heb. 2. 14 Eternall life and eternall death The onely way to eternall life Ioh. 20. 7. 1 The distinction of true faithe Rom. 8. 37 c. Whens true faith commeth Mat. 16. 17. Ioh 1. 19. 18. 17. 15 1. Cor. 2. 9 19. 14. Col. 22. 1. Thes 1. 5 Of mans corruption Corruption of the body in substance Iohn 3. 6 Ephe. 2. 5 That is to vvit both of soule and bodye Corruptione of the soul in qualities and vvhich those qualities bee Error in opinioÌ„ about original sin vvhat is meÌ„t by qualities in the soule The soule is not corrupted in substance but in qualities for othervvise it should die as the body doth Neither reason nor Wil is taken away by Adams fall but both of them be vtterly defaced and corrupted Rom. 1. 20 Namely will. Rom. 7. 18. 19. Ro. 7. 8. 9 10. c. Reason vnreformed sucketh alwayes vppoÌ„ vntruth Obiection Of freewill Naturall reason counseleth nothiÌ„g but euill 1. â—or 2. 14 Hovv necessity and free vvil or willingnes may frame together Necessitie Willingnes Compulsion Freenesse Mannes freenesse before his fall Ioh. 8. 36 Rom. 6. 16 8. 15. Of preuenting grace Rom. 5. 10 Tit. 3. 5 1. Ioh. 4. 19 The woorking of naturall vvitte vvith preueÌ„tinge grace Grace effectuall by grace Of Merit or deseruing Rom. 4. 4 1. Cor. 4. 7 Mat. 25. 14 Rom. 4. 5 Of the spreding of originall sinne into al mankinde By learning it one of an other or by folowing one anothers example Rom. 5. 14. Rom. 6. 23 Obiection that the death of the bodie shold be but naturall and not a penaltie of sinne Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. Rom. 5. 12. Of the conueying of the soule Bezaz opinion of the creation of soules Rom. 5. 12 c. To be made one with christ is the only remedi of sin death damnatioÌ„ That is to say partakiÌ„g of christ or being made one thinge with Christ Esay 9. 5. Rom. 8. 32 1. cor 10. 16 Eph. 5. 30 Iohn 17. 11 21. 22 A cauill against ouâ— ownering or possessig of Christ Iohn 13. 3. 17. 10 1. cor 6. 20. 7. 23. â—om 7.1 â— c. â— cor 11. 2 â— ph 5. 15 Ephe. 5. 30 why our communiting with christ is called spirituall Acts. 4. 31 Ephe. 4. 15 16. Ephe. 5. 32 Ephe. 5. 30 Christs being one with vs and wee with him Ephe. 5. 32 The fruit of our beinge one with Christ Eph. 1 18 6. 9. c. Eph 3. 8. 9 19. Gal 4. 4 Math. 3. 15 Rom. 5. 19 Phil. 2. 8 Rom. 8 3. 4 Rom. 6. 6 Gal. 2. 20. Imputation 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ioh. 17. 20. 21. c. Against the doctrine of Transubstantiation Ep. 4. 15. 16 Ephe. 5. 23 Christs righ
thinges so euer he doth no man the is in his right wittes wil deny but it is good namely either to punishe the bad or to benefite the good Now let vs alledge examples That Ioseph came by Gods prouidence intoo Egipte and was aduaunced there vntoo great preheminence that hee might bee the preseruer of the Churche both hee himselfe sayeth it and the matter it selfe declares it And what instrumentes did the lorde vse too the compassinge of the matter Euen Sathan who stirred his brethren againste their most innocent brother the very wicked inteÌ„t of the same brethren the couetousnesse of the merchantmen and the lust of a moste mischeuous woman All these sinned most gréeuously in asmuche as they were the beginners of their owne doings But God vsing wel those moste vngracious instrumentes which thought vppon no such thinge defended his seruauntes from the famine settled them in a fruiteful soile nurtured his faithfull seruaunt Ioseph and finallye aduaunced him too the highest degrée of honour Is it not a moste rightfull worke of gods iustice that naughty persons shoulde fordoo themselues So punished he the Madianits vsinge thervntoo the spirit of discorde and the vngracious wilfulnes of the murtherers themselues so as they made assaulte one vpon another doubtles with a wicked minde but yet by the rightful iustice of god It was good that Dauid shoulde bee chastised euen after his sinne was acknowledged and forgiuen It was good also that Achitophilles trecherie Absolons trayterous minde shoulde bee discouered and sorely punished To the performance of these matters y lord vseth the outrage of sathaÌ„ Achitophells own falshartednes and Absolons owne traiterous ambition horrible lecherie and vnnaturalnes by which euill instruments the lord executed many thinges excéeding well For hee shewed howe muche hée mislyketh whooredome and craftinesse hée chastised Dauid fatherly hee punished Achitophell by his owne handes and finally he made Absolon to cast away himself The scripture beareth witnesse y our being tryed and consequently our chastisement is of the good wyll of our heauenly father that thereby he maye be glorified and his power made perfect in our weakenes And except we bee of that minde what comfort is there for the godly in so great myseries For in the triall of Iob after this maner there is vsed the spitefulnesse of Sathan and the couetousnes and excessiue crueltie of the robbers Sathan therfore dyd sinne in heaping so manye myseries vpon the seruaunt of god and the robbers did wickedly in stealinge awaye another mannes goodes But the Lorde did excéeding well in triynge his seruant and in shewinge the all sathans attemptes againste the churche are in vaine Finallye you will not denye but that the excellentest of all Gods workes was the re-emption of maÌ„kinde For the father deâ—uered his owne sonne for our sinnes â—y his foredetermined purpose and by â—he foreappointment of his eternall orâ—inance according as Peter the church â—f Ierusalem saye and the father is hée â—hat hath not spared his owne sonne for â—ur sakes And what maner of instrumeÌ„â—es hath he put too the performinge of so great a matter Surely the woorst that â—oulde be for no good maÌ„ could haue fouÌ„d â—n his hart too pursew a giltles person â—nd much lesse to betraye him condemne him crucifice him Namely euen the malice of Sathan who was entered into the harte of Iudas the cursed couetousnes and treason of Iudas himselfe the moste desperate enuye and vnrecouerable malice of the Iewes and finally Pilates nicenesse and vntowarde dealinge So is there none of these whiche sinned not moste heynouslye and all of them were payde afterwarde wyth most sore punishement at Gods hand for the same And yet in the meane whyle by thys selfesame worke he saued vs from sinne and death Que. But hereby there seemeth not any other thing to be gathered thaÌ„ that the purposes of euill persones are turned by God to a contrary ende An. Yes hereby also it is coÌ„cluded that God mooueth euen the euill wel effectually to bring his owne worke to pasâ—e by them But you must beare in minde that whiche I haue sayde namely y god dooth in suche wiâ—e mooue euill persons well too bringe his owne good worke about not as a hammer or a hatchet in aworkemans hand which are tooles that can do nothinge at all of themselues but in suche wise as the euill persons doo also mooue themselues ill too will amisse and to do amisse bicause that they themselues are the woorkinge causes of their owne euill dooinges Nowe also this muste bee added that God truely worketh in the good and by the good and that hée woorkes by the euill but not in the euill Quest VVhat difference then is there in these little woordes Ans Vndoubtedly greate For God vseth both the one and the other as instruments as ofte as he listeth and therfore he is rightly sayde too woorke his worke as well by the one as by y other But God worketh in those only whom he breatheth vppon with his holy spirit and whom he ruleth with his holy spirit eyther strengthening them in goodnes namely the Angells and the men that bee regenerated or else indewing them with new goodnesse as when he sanctiâ—teth his seruantes first of all But as for the rest he worketh not in them by doâ—ing any thing within them himself but giueth them vp to be moued and misruled partly by their own lustes and partly by the deuill howbeit in such wise as theyr lewdnesse can neyther will nor worke any thing but that which he â—ath most rightfully ordeined Question VVhat thinke you then of the name of permission or sufferance Answere If by the name of Sufferance there bee ment that difference which I spake of euen nowe namely that God woorketh not in the euyll persones but leaueth them vp to Sathan and to their owne lustes I myslyke it no whit But if Sufferance bee matched agaynâ—â— willingnes I reiect it first as false anâ— secondly as vtterly against reason That it is false it is manifest by this that iâ— god suffer anything to bee done againâ—â— his will then surely is he not God that is to say Almighty But if he be said to suffer a thinge as though he were recheâ— lesse how farre are wée of from the opinion of Epicure It remayneth then that looke what he suffereth to bee doone he suffereth it willyngly Willyngenesse therefore is not to bée matched agaynst Sufferance Agayne if it bee false it must néedes also be against reason And I say that this absurditie may appeare sufficiently too any héedefull person by this that the Aucthors of the distiction wherby Sufferance is matched agaynst willingnesse doo by that meane not only not attein to that which they would that is to wit that god should not be accounted the author of euill which thinge wee acknowledge with al our harts but also bryng the flatte contrary
lykewise in asmuche as the cause it selfe requireth that whereas some bee chosen vntoo life the refidewe must bee vnderstode too be appoynted vntoo death Furthermore seinge that the vessels of glory bee said too bee predestinated too glory the ouersetting of flatte contraries doth vtterly require that wee should conster the vessels of wrath to bee such as are predestinated vntoo death Quest But here it is noted that when the Apostle intreateth of the vessels of glory he vseth a woord that importeth doing when he speaketh of the vessels of wrath he vseth a woord that importteth suffering Ans I graunt that if it be demaunded of the middle causes whereby the vessells of wrath are caried too the wrath that is appointed for them they themselues are the onlycause of theyr owne damnation But truly this distruction is toyish For Luke iutreating of y elect vseth a participle of the passiue voyce saying as many as were ordayned to euerlasting life What was that of themselues and not rather of the mere grace of god Besides this it is nothing to the matter For we intreat not of saluation or damnation but of the ordinaunce too Saluation or dampnation which disposeth ordereth the very causes of executing theÌ„ therefore in no wise hangeth vpon them for that is altogether aboue the skies as the old prouerb sayeth To be short whither is it harder to say y some bee predestinated to dampnatioÌ„ than to saye y they bee registred to daÌ„pnatioÌ„ long agoe as sainct Iude speaketh or to say y they be appointed to wrath as Paule speaketh Lastly I said not y the dampnation of the reprobates is the ende y god purposed vpon in his fore ordinance but his owne glorye Neither also did I simply saye y the Reprobates were appoincted to daÌ„pnation but I saide they were ordeined too Iust damnatioÌ„ shewing therby that although no man be dampned but such as the lord hath ordayned to damnation for otherwise the aforesaide blasphemies that I spake of wold folow of necessity yet are none damned but such as are founde too haue in themselues iust causes of dampnatioÌ„ What falsnes theÌ„ or what roughnes hath my foresaid sayinge in it Quest You seme to be disproued by this saying God will haue almen saued and by such other like vniuersall sentences An. Then say thou that some bee dampned whither God will or no or else confesse that the saide text must bee taken otherwise which thinge the promises also doo shew namely which thâ—â—ge euen the scholemeÌ„ themselues haue espied y therby must be ment not the particulars of all kinds but all kindes of particulars 〈…〉 speake more plainly so as it may be not an vniuersall but an indefinite proposition which ought to be interpreted thus rather that is to wit that god will haue anye maner of men too bee saued which self kinde of spéeche Mathew vseth when he sayeth that the Lorde healed all sykenesses and diseases that is to say al sorts or kindes of diseases accordinge as bothe Latinmen and Englishemen doo nowe and then speake For I praye you dare anye man saye that God will haue all men saued yea euen thoughe they continewe in vnbeléefe too the verye laste gaspe Truelye no. For if it bée the fathers wyll that hée whiche beléeueth in the Sonne shoulde not perishe it foloweth that it is his will also that whiche beléeueth not in the Sonne shoulde perishe And therefore those two thinges namely Too bee saued and too come to the knowledge of the truthe must bee yoked together so as it maye bee vnderstoode that God will haue those onely too be saued whom he vouchsaueth to com to the knowledge of the truth But faith which is this trewe knowledge lyghteth neyther vppon all men nor yet vppon the ronner or willer as the Apostle witnesseth but commeth of Gods mercye and lighteth vpon them only which as Luke sayeth are ordeined to euerlastinge life and whose harts as the same Luke writeth God openeth so as they take heede to his word Then must we vnderstand that gods predestination extendeth to all sortes of men that is too wit both Iewes and Gentiles priuate persons and magistrates men and women olde men and yongmen slaues and gentlemeÌ„ suche as bee giltye of manye sinnes and suche as be giltye offeawer sinnes For these only suchâ— other like are the circumstances y are included in y foresaid sentence Quest VVill you then make electioÌ„ to bee particular Ans And I woulde fayne knowe if the man bee in hys right wyttes that imagineth Election too bee vniuersall For trulye he that taketh all maketh no choyce and hee that chooseth a thinge out froÌ„ two other things or mo must needes bee saide too refuse or forsake the things that he chooseth not Quest But surely the calling and promis are vniuersall Ans Understande them too bee indefinite yea and that in respecte of certaine circumstances of whiche I haue spoken and thou shalt thinke the rightlyer And so altogether are those things also too bee taken whiche diuerse lerned men of our time haue written about this controuersie Or else see how very reason of necessity confuteth that vniuersall callinge For if yee meane it of the calling by the preaching of the woorde it is not trewe that all men are or euer were yea or euer shal bee called so seuerallye hereafter For howe manye haue died doo dye and shall die before they haue hard aught at all of this woorde But if ye take it to bee ment of the other calling whiche hath a muche larger scope namely of the beeholding of nature wherby is vnderstoode that whiche may be knowen of god not euen this nother is so vniuersally trew as that it comprehendeth euery seuerall person For how many haue died dayly doo dye in such age as is vtterly vnfit for that contemplation There can not nor may not any calling and muchlesse any election bee warranted too bee vniuersall but onely too bee indefinite and that must also be only with an exclusion of these certein circumstances aforesaid Quest But what if wee say that all men are called vniuersally to saluation vnder condition that they beleue therfore that saluation is offered vniuersally as in respect of God which calleth and that the fault why this calling is not vniuersally of effect is not in God but in the stubbornnes of the vnbeleuers which refuse the good turne that is offred them Ans This doubtlesse is trew in some respect For no doubt but the stubbornnes of the vnbeleeuers is the thinge that disappointeth the application and efficacy of the promises that bee offered No dout also but calling hath a larger scope than election But yet your supposalls are neither truly ynough nor fitly enough spoken For first wee haue shewed that not euen the outward calling whither yee looke to that which is naturall or to that which is doone by the
too his rightfull vengeance for to whom is he detter either he destroyeth them out of hande or else pacientlye giuing them respit that they maye not bée altogether without taste of his goodnes either he voutsaueth not too call theÌ„ at all or he calles them no further but too make them the more vnexcusable Herevpon it commeth to passe that being left vp too their owne lustes they harden themselues vntill they haue filled vp the full measure of wickednes and then they passe awaye vntoo iudgement In what wyse these causes of the dampnation of the reprobates doo come to passe besides the ordinance of God who forsaketh the reprobates and deliuereth them vp too Sathan and too themselues as that the whole blame doth notwithstaÌ„ding sticke altogether in themselues I haue shewed already in dew place Quest Then must the vessels of mercye praise the lord and the vessels of wrath blame themselues But whither maye I flee for succour in the perilous temptation of perticular election Ans Unto the effectes whereby the spirituall life is certeinlye discerned and so consequently our electioÌ„ like as the lyfe of the bodye is perceiued by feelinge and mouing For wee that walowe as yet in the puddle of this worlde are not able too lyfte vp our selues vntoo that souereyne lyght excepte wee mount vp by those steppes whereby God draweth his chosen vntoo him accordinge too hys foresaid euerlasting ordinance as whom he hath created to his own glory Therefore that I am chosen I shall perceiue first by y holinesse or sanctificationbegon in mée that is to say by my hating of sin and by my louing of rightuousnes Here vnto I shall adde the witnes of the holy ghost comforting my concience like as Dauid said why art thou heauye O my soule why doost thou gréeue thy selfe Put thy trust in the lord Hereto perteineth the earnest minding of Gods benefytes which though it rather frayeth vs than comforteth vs for a time whyle we thinke therwithall vppon our owne vnthankefulnesse yet at the length it must néedes lyft vs vp forasmuch as therein are alwayes too bée séene the manifest tokens of his free and vnchangeable fatherlye loue towardes vs not shadowed but playnelye expressed Upon this Sanctifycation and comforte of the holye Ghoste wee gather fayth And therby wee ryse vp vntoo Christe to whom whosoeuer is geeuen is of necessitye chosen in hym from afore all worldes and shall neuer bee thruste oute of the doores Question VVhat if those witnessinges be faint Answere Then it beheueth vs too knowe that wée bée tryed and therfore that our sluggishnesse is then most too be found fault with Yet withstanding our hartes must not in any wise shrinke but wee must strengthen theÌ„ with those indefinite promises and throw dartes at our aduersarie agein For although the incounter of the fleshe ageinst the spirit doo comber our consciences with great doubtinges of the trewnes of our fayth specyally as ost as the spirit seemeth too quayle and in a manner too bee quite quenched yet notwithstandyng it is certeyne that thys spirite whiche setteth it selfe truelye thoughe but faintlye ageynst the assaultes of the fleshe is the spirit of adoption the gift whereof is not too bee repented of For otherwyse the electe myght peryshe and they that bee once iustifyed myght fall away from Christ Wherevppon it woolde folowe either that God is chaungeable or that the sallyng out of his ordynance is vncertein wherof none of both can bee imputed too God without blasphemie Quest But the garlond is geueÌ„ to those onely that holde out Ans I graunt so And therfore whosoeuer is elected craueth perseuerance and obtaineth it Quest Think you then that the spirit of adoption is neuer shaken of Ans I confesse that the spirit is now and then interrupted in sore temptations that the testimonies of his dwellinge in vs are oftentimes so brought a sleepe that hee seemeth to bee quite gone from vs for a time But yet for all that I say he is neuer quite taken away for needs must gods determination of sauing his seruaunts stand sure and therfore when â–ª time serues at length the mistes of the fleshe are chaced away and the gladnesse of the lordes sauinge health alwayes restored which shyneth as the Sonne into the troubled consciences of the elect Finally I say that trewe fayth and the effectes thereof are in likewise interrupted in the elect as the powers of y mind bee hindered in them that haue the sleepye disease or in drunkenmen in whom the soule is not taken awaye for there is great oddes betwene the sleepy disease or drunkenuesse and very death and yet that they which haue the spirit of Adoption haue an assured pledge of eiernall life Therefore in this most daungerous incounter the same thing wherwith Satan assayleth vs both can and must warrant vs assured victory For except the spirit of adoption which is also the spirite of holiâ—â—esse rightuousnesse faith and life were present in vs there should bee no striuing in vs but sin should reygne quietly at his pleasure For the man that is not indued with that spirit saith thus I doo the euill that I haue a mind vnto I do no good nor I haue no list too do it But the man that is regenerated and so consequently elected howbeit as yet still wrestling sayeth thus I doo the euill that I wold not I do not the good that I woold doo Wo is mee who shall deliuer me out of the body of this death And in crying out in this wise the elect person casteth hys Anchor in the verye Throne of God the father whom he beholdeth in the preached woord and in the Sacramentes Finally when the elect shall haue gotten the full victorye in the other world he shall say thus I doo the good that I woold doo and I doo none euill nor none I list to doo Question VVhat if a man neuer feele the testimonies of such spirit in himselfe Answere Yet must it not bee deemed that he is one of the number of the reprobates For the lord calleth those that bee his at what time he himself listeth And therefore such manner of men must bee sent away too the woord and the Sacramentes where they maye heere God speaking and alluryng synners vntoo hym For although they receyue not the fruite and operacion of those thynges for a tyme yet must they incorage themselues and also bee diligently styred vp by others too continewe in heeringe the word of God euen ageinst their wills then one tyme or other they shall obteinâ— that whiche the Lorde as yet deferreth not too the intent too cast them of but contrarywise too sharpen their desyrâ— and earnestnesse Quest I would therefore that wee might talke amonge ourselues concerning the Sacramentes also about the which in especiallye there is nowe adayes so greate strife betweene the churches Ans Truly I refuse not so to doo Notwithstandinge