haue I learned by the wholsome doctrine of the diuine prouydence of God oure heauenlye father A shorte collection or gatheringe together of the whole doctryne of the dyuine prouidence of God that the whole gouernemente of all thynges both in heauen and in the earth dothe perâ—ayne vnto hym onely and that he â—othe rule and gouerne all maner â—f creatures as it pleaseth hym and as he thynketh moste expedyente for hys owne glorye and for â—he profytte of hys true electe and â—hosen brynginge all thynges to theyr due ende whyche he hym which he him self hathe appoynted from the beginninge whereby we are assured that nothing can chaÌ„ce or happen vnto vs without his wil and appoyntment thoughe the deuil and all his angels wythall the princes and rulers of darckenesse be neuer so desirous to do vs harm Wherof exceading great patience â–ª wyth an vnspeakeable comforte tranquillity and quietnes of mind ioyned wyth continual thanckfulnesse must neades be engendred in al faithful beleuers which though they do depende and hange all together of the deuyne prouidence of God yet do they in no wyse tempte hym but do thanckfully vse al maner of meanes and orders that he hath appoynted for the preseruation and sauegarde of oure owne selues In all these things ye hauâ— well satisfyed me I thancke God for it Therefore I wyl desyre yoâ— to go take a litle repaste wyth me and then afterwardes we wil reason of other thinges as we shall thyncke mete and conuenient PHILALETHES Sith that ye wil haue it so we do agre to it EVTRAPELVS Prayse and laude be vnto the Lorde for thys most wholsome and comfortable talcke DYDIMVS Amen ¶ Certaine arguments againste them that go aboute to shake the certainty of our election which we haue in Iesu Christ afore the foundacions of the worlde were laide Ier. xxxii This promise in theÌ„ that be chosen in Christ Iesus afore the foundacions of the worlde wer laied must be performed THey that do not finally fal from the fear of God cannot perish The electe and chosen of God can not finally fall from the feare of God For these are the wordes of the Lord I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them that I wil neuer turne awaye from them nor cease to do them good but put my fear in their hartes so that they shal not depart from me The elect therefore can not pearish They that are alwaies the shepe of Christ can in no wyse pearyshe The electe and chosen of God Iohn x. They of whom Christ dothe speake here wer not yet called Let these thinges be well noted are alwaies the shepe of Christ Ih. x. Other sheepe I haue also whiche are not of this fold them also must I bringe and they shall heare my voyce and there shal be one sheapefold and one shepheard Again my shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe me and I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shal neuer pearysh nether shal any plucke them out of my hande It followeth then that the electe caÌ„ in no wise pearysh As many as canne not finallye sinne can not finally pearish i. Ioh. iii. Here the holye Apostell dothe speake of the syn vnto deathe Otherwise called the sinne against the holye ghost Ioh. xvii Ioh. vi But the elect and chosen of God can not fynally sinne For thus it is wryten whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his sede remayneth in him neyther can he synne because he is borne of God therefore we may conclude that the elect can not finally pearysh They whom the father geueth â—nto the sonne shall neuer pearish But the father geueth his efect vnâ—o the sonne for thus saith Christe him self Thine they wer and thou gauest theÌ„ me Again This is the fathers wil that hath sent me that of al which he hath geueÌ„ me I shuld lose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Therefore the elect shall not pearyshe for euer They from whom God doth not take away his faythfull promise goodnesse or mercy can in no wise pearysh But God doth neuer take awaye his goodnesse or mercy and faithful promise from his elect and chosen Therefore the electe and chosen can in no wise pearish The minoure or seconde parte of the argument may be proued by the. xlix Psal Wher we haue these worde if they breake my statutes Psal xlix and kepâ— not my coÌ„maundements theÌ„ wil I visit their transgression with the roâ— their iniquitye with strokes Ye my louing kindnes wil I not take from him neither wyl I falsify mâ— truthe My couenaunte wyll I nâ— breake nor alter the thing that â—gon out my lips Again in an otheâ— place The mountains shal remoue and the hyls shal fall down Esai liiii but my mercy shal not departe froÌ„ the neither shal the couenaunt of my peace fall away saieth the lord that hath compassion on the. As for this last autority that I haue aleaged no man can denye but that it must be vnderstanded of the true churche of Christ which is the congregation of his true elect chosen And as for the other as it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded of Christ the head of the true elect chosen of god so by the wordes the go before it is euident plain that it doth pertain also to his liuely meÌ„bers which being chosen in him before the foundacions of the worlde were laied are graffed in hym by faith And so we coÌ„clude that the choseÌ„ elect of god caÌ„ in no wiseperish They froÌ„ whom god doth not fynally take away his holy spirit caÌ„ not perish But god doth not finalli take away his holy spirit froÌ„ his elect whosoeuer saith our sauior Iesus Christ drinketh of the water that I shall geue hym shall neuer be more a thirst Iohn iiii This water is the holy spirit of God Ioh. xiiii Ephe. iiii but the water that I shall geue hym shall be in him a wel of water springyng vp into euerlasting lyfe Again I wyll pray my father and he shall geue you an other comforter that he may dwell wyth you for euer And in an other place by whome ye are sealed vp against the day of redemption Therfore the electe of God can not pearyshe They whom the father doth loue as he dyd loue Christ can not pearish but the father loueth his elect as he loued Christ Ioh. xvii Thou haste loued them sayth Christ as thou hast loued me It is most euydent then that the elect can not pearysh They that are loued of Christ vnto the end can not be damned but the electe are loued of Christe vnto the ende Ioh. xiii As he loueth hys owne whiche were in the worlde saithe Ihon so vnto the end he loued theÌ„ Agayne Rom. viii None other creature can separate vs from the loue of God wherby it is must folow that the elect can not be damned They that can not finally
â—e shoulde affyrme mayntayn and â—pholde that God dyd forsee the â—orkes of them both and that in â—especte of them he dyd chuse the 〈◊〉 and refuse the other Rho. 1. we should 〈◊〉 greate iniurye and wronge vnâ—o Paul as though he had not sene that which is so plain and manifest vnto vs. And verily it is a token that be had not seen it syth that he dothe expressely write that when they had yet done neyther good nor euyll the one was chosen vnto saluation and the other vtterly cast a way there by to proue that the dyuine Predestination of God is not grounded in mens workes deseruinges Predestination is not grounded on mens workes and deseruinges Agayn when he had made this obiection whether there was any vnrighteousnesse with God he might for a most plain and sure defence of the iustice and righteousnesse of God haue aunswered and sayed that God did rewarde Esau according to his wickednesse whiche he did forsee should be in hym but he flieth to a contrary solution affirming boldely that the wicked are stirred vp that the power oâ— God may be shewed on theÌ„ and his glory and name declared through out al the hole world And at lengthe bringeth fourth this cause thaâ— God hath mercy on whom he wil Ex. xxxiii and whom he wyll he maketh hard harted Ye see how he doth attrybute both to the only pleasure and wyll of God Therefore if we can assign none other cause why God doth shew mercy on hys electe but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure we shal also be fain to confesse that he doth reproue the other only because that it is his plesure so to do For when it is sayed that God doth shew mercy on whom he wil and whom he wyll againe he maketh harde harted men are admonyshed and warned thereby that they oughte to seke for none other cause of his diuine Predestination but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure DYDIMVS Verely ObiectioÌ„ Wher the cause of predestination oughte to be sought thys is a very strauÌ„ge doctrine and which can sarcelye sinke in to my heade For why shuld god be angry with his creatures bi whoÌ„ he was neuer offended before For it is the property of a tiraunt not of a righteous iudge to appoint and ordaine vnto destruction whom he wyll Therfore men might haue a iust occasioÌ„ to complaine of God if by his bare arbiterment and wil and without their own merite deseruing they shoulde be predestinated vnto euerlasting deathe Aunswer PHI. In dede suche obiections are made coÌ„monly for to subuert the doctrine of predestination and for to make it to be hated and abhorred of all men but we oughte not therefore to be affrayed to speake of it as far fourth as the worde of God and the scriptures wyl leade vs and shew a light vnto vs. First and foremost then wheÌ„ any suche obiections be made or when any suche vayne thoughtes do aryse in oure heartes we musse consyder and weyghe wyth oure selues that the holye and blessed wyll of God The wyl of God is the most perfecte is the moste consummate and perfecte rule of iustyce and equitye and that therefore what so euer he wyll we muste compte it most iust and righteous onely because that he doth wyll it rule of iustyce Therefore when it is asked sayth Saynte Augustyne why God dyd this thinge or that thinge Contra madi Li. 1. Ca. 3. We muste aunswer that he dyd it because that it was hys wyll so to do If thou goost any farther askynge whye it was hys wyll so to do Thou doest aske a thing which is bothe greater and higher than the wyll of God which thinge can not be founde oute Let this suffise vs least seckynge rasshelye that thin ge whyche is not we do not fynd out that same thing which is Let this I say suffise vs if at least we intende to reason and talke with reuerence of the secretes of the lord our god Which though he caÌ„ sufficientely wythouste vs defende hym selfe wyth hys iustyce against the malepartenesse of the vngodlye whyche are not affrayed to sklaunder God openly and to blaspheme hys holye and blessed name when takynge awaye all maner of excuses from their owne conseyences hee shall proue them giltye and condempne theym yet leaste they shoulde tryumphe to muche hee doothe minister vnto vs bothe armoure and weapones agaynste theym in hys holye woorde Therfore when any of them shall aske vs whye God hathe from the begynnynge ordayned some vnto deathe which beynge not yet borne nor gotten coulde not deserue the iudgement and condempnation of deathe For an aunswere we wyll aske them agayn wherein they thynke that God is bounde vnto manne and what they thyncke hee oweth vnto hym if hee wyll consyder hym in hys owne nature As we be all infected wyth synne God can not byt hath vs not of a tyrannous cruelty but of a most iuste and ryghteous equytye Nowe if all men be of their owne nature subiecte to the iudgement and condempnatyon of Deathe what wronge canne it bee sayd that God dothe vnto them whom he dothe Predestinate vnto death Let all the chyldren of Adam come fourthe and reasonne wyth theyr maker whye they are by his deuine prouidence made subiect vnto euerlastynge miserye What shall they be able to saye I praye you when on the contrary he shal call theym to the knowledge of them selues and byd them to beholde and looke vpon theyr owne fylthye and corrupted nature If they be all taken oute of one infected lompe it is no maruayle that they be subiecte vnto dampnation Of oure owne nature we be al subiecte to deathe Let them not therfore accuse God of iniquity and vnrighteousnesse because that by his eternall iudgement they are ordained vnto death which of their own nature they be subiect vnto DYDIMVS ObiectioÌ„ And this corruption which ye alledge to be the cause of theyr damnation doth come of the fall of Adam But I haue hearde some of you say that Adam dyd fal by the deuine Predestination and ordenaunce of almightye God Is not God therefore vnrighteous to punishe them for the same corruption that they be fallen into by his owne Predestination ordenauÌ„ce PHILALETHES Aunswer As touchinge the fall of Adam whereby we are all made subiecte to euerlastynge death and condempnation Of the fall of Adam I wyll speake of it no farther that I am able to bringe Gods worde for my warraunte If God did foresee that the fall of Adam shoulde be to hys glory and that by it not onlye hys mercy but also his iustice should be knowen and declared through oute all the hole world we canne lay no vnryghteousnesse to hys charge though by his deuine Predestination and ordenaunce Adam did fal For The true ende of al creatures all manner of creatures both in heauen and in earth are made to this end that their
This are we sure of that the fall of the fyrst manne where by he dyd brynge bothe hym self and all his posteritye vnder the thraldome and bondage of synne doth serue for to setforth Gods mercy and also for to declare hys iustice vnto all the hole world Therfore though it were so that God did not only foresee but also ordayne that Adam shuld fall what blame could we laye to him for it Shall we let hym to be glorified by his creatures That were a maddenesse Pro. xvi as he hym selfe lyst These are the woordes of the wyse man Deus omnia propter semetipsum condidit impium quoque ad diem malum That is to saye God did create all thynges for him selfe and also the vngodlye agaynst the euyll day or agaynst the daye of punishemente Whereby we do learne that God doth by his most iuste and righteous iudgemēt appoynte and ordayne some vnto damnation and death euerlasting that by them his might iustice and power may be set fourth and hys name declared throughoute all the hole worlde But me thinke that it wer far better that leauing such vayne suttylties whereby men do go about to excuse them selues and to accuse the iustice of God they shoulde seke for the cause of theyr own damnation not in the hidden iudgementes Wher we oughte to seke for the cause of oure damnation and incomprehensible wayes of the Lord but in theyr owne naturall corruption whiche they haue of their first parent Adā For by it we are all made naturallye the children of wrathe and consequentely the children of euerlastynge deathe and condemnatiō What iniquitye then or vnrighteousnesse can there be in God if according to his righteous iudgemēt he doth appointe and ordaine some of this corrupted lompe of damnation vnto death euerlastinge And least we myght impute vnto God this naturall corruption that Adam dyd wrap him selfe in and all his posteritye besydes Gen. i. he did pronounce him selfe that all thinges that he had made were exceadinge good Thys testimonye and prayse gaue God vnto hys workes and creatures that so we might learne that Adam dyd throughe his owne malitiousnesse corrupte that same pure nature that he had receaued of the Lord and that by hys fall he hadde brought bothe hym selfe and all hys posteritye in to perdytion Therefore as I haue sayed alredye let vs rather beholde the euydente and manyfest cause of oure dampnation in the corrupted nature of all mannekynde than go aboute to seeke it as it is hydden and comprehensyble vnto vs in the diuyne Predestynation of almyghtye God And let vs not be ashamed to submytte oure wyttes vnto the wysedome of God and to be ignoraunte in those thinges that he wyll haue vs to be ignoraunte in For as the ignoraunce of those thynges a learned ignoraunce whyche it is neither geuen nor permytted vnto vs to knowe maye be coumpted a learned ignoraunce so to go about to vnderstande suche thynges and to haue a knowledge of them may be reckenned a playne furye and maddenes EVTRAPELVS As farre as I remember The aunswer of ecclesiastical writers the Ecclesiastycall wryters are wonte to aunswer thys obiectyon that our brother Albion aledged euen now after thys manner The foreknowledge of God saye they doth not let that a manne shoulde be coumpted a sinner sith that god doth forsee in manne the euyll he shall doo and not hys own euyll Wherby I trow they vnderstand that the foreknowledge of God doth neyther make a man ryghteous nor yet vnryghteous but as the liuynge God dothe forsee that men shal be either righteous or vnryghteous so he doth ordain thē ether to lyfe euerlasting or els vnto death and condemnation Wherefore men haue no iust cause to complain of God if accordinge to their vngodlynes that he dothe forsee in them he dothe ordayne them to be euerlastingely damned in hell For thys foreknowledge of God worketh no necessitye that is to saye man is not therefore compelled of necessitye to do euyll because that God dyd forsee that he shoulde do euyll but the euyll that he doth he doth it frely and of his own swing therfore he doth deseruingly suffer the damnation that he is ordained vnto by the righteous iudgemēt of almighty God PHI. I know that this answer they be wont to make A reply but it will serue lyttle or nothinge against the maleparte and crabbed wits of the vngodly For they wil by and by replye that God mighte had letted the same euil which he did forsee if he had listed syth he did it not that man was of a determinate coūsel created for to behaue him selfe so in the earth If then by the prouidence of god man is created on this condition that he shuld do afterwardes all that he dothe why saye they shoulde he be blamed for that whyche he can not shun or whiche he doth by the wil and appoyntement of God Some do aunswere to thys that the dyuine prouidence of god doth bring no maner of necessitye or compulsyon but that God dyd rather create them so I meane of suche a condytion because that he dyd forsee theyr malitious wyckednesse Some saye agayne that the vngodlye do peryshe by the permyssion and sufferaunce of God and not by his wyl and appoyntment But if one should aske agayn An other replye why God dothe suffer them to peryshe syth that he canne let it by hys almightye power What other aunswer can all the men in the worlde make but that God doth permytte them to go headlong in to destruction onely because that it is hys pleasure and wyll so to do We do al our owne nature I meane as many as be the children of Adam renne together headlong in to perdition But that God doth deliuer some from it The wyl of God is a moste consummate and perfect rule of iustice and some hee suffreth to runne in to it what other cause can we assigne why he dothe so but onely his blessed wyll and pleasure But afore it hath bene said that the wil pleasure of God is a moste consummate and prefecte rule of iustice equity They therfore that are according to the righteous iudgemēt of God or according to his most blessed wil and plesure ordained vnto condempnation of whiche condempnation they muste neades graunt their naturall corruptiō to be the chief principal cause haue no cause at al to complaine of God or to lay any vnrighteousnes vnto him although they were ordained vnto it afore the foundaciōs of the world wer laide No more I saye haue they a iust cause to complaine of god or to lay any vnrightousnes to his charge than the elect chosē haue to boste of their owne righteousnesse or to adscribe any thing to their owne merites deseruinges because that they are chosen in Christ Iesu afore that the foundacions of the world were laid DYDI. If the wil pleasure of God is the onlye cause that
DYDIMVS Yet canne I not bee satysfyed but that this doctryne of Predestination doth more harme than good PHILALETHES Whye say ye so I beseeche you DyDIMVS Because that it taketh awaye al sollycytude and care of godly and vertuous lyuinge For Obiectiō who hearynge that he is by the determynate counsayle of GOD ordayned eyther to be saued or to bee dampned wyll not by and by reasonne wyth hym selfe after thys manner what dothe it skill howe thou doest behaue thy selfe heare vppon the earthe syth that by thy liuynge and conuersatyon thou canste neyther hynder nor yet farther the deuyne Predestination of God And so all menne shall desperatelye geue theym selues to all kynde of myschiefe and Deuelishnesse EVTRAPELVS In dede as our neyghbour Dydimus doth saye ye shal find many which whē they be exhorted vnto good dedes and vertuous liuinge or elsse rebuked for their naughtye and abhominable doinges are wont to mocke away all manner of godly doctrine that is brought and preached vnto thē and to saye commonlye thus Thus do the vngodly flatter them selues God knoweth what he hath determined to do with vs if he hathe ordained vs vnto saluation he wil bring vs vnto it at the time that he hath appoynted him self if he hath apoynted vs vnto euerlasting deathe and condemnation we shal but in vain stryue agaynste it PHILALETHES But the scryptures do not speake of the Predestination of god to this ende Why the scriptures do speake of predestination that we shoulde take boldnesse therupon for to liue vngodly but rather that we shoulde learne therby for to fear and dread his moste righteous and incomprehensible iudgementes and also for to embrace and loue hys mercy and goodnesse towardes vs whome he doth frely and without any of our own merites and deseruings chuse vnto lyfe euerlastinge for to be felowe heyres wyth his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenly kingdome This one only thing do the godly seeke in the doctrine of Predestination How be it Saint Paul dothe sufficiently aunswer this swynysh grunting of the filthy Epicures whē he saith that we are chosē in Christ Iesu afore that the foundaciōs of the world wer laied for to be holy and blamelesse in his sight Therfore when they shal praie tattell Ephe. i. that we may wylter our selues here in al kynde of vyces in al kinde of abhomination and dyuelishenes syth that if we be of the number of the elect our vicious lyuinge can not hynder oure election nor yet let vs from comynge vnto saluation life euerlasting we shal aunswer that the ende of oure election here in thys worlde is that we should be holy and blamelesse in the sight of hym that hathe chosen vs and that God hath therefore delyuered vs from the handes of our enemies wherby we may well vnderstand synne death and damnation that so we myght serue hym all the daies of oure lyfe Luc. i. in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse as is acceptable before hym When therefore we do heare that we are by the deuine ordinaunce and appointment of God chosen vnto life euerlastinge we are admonyshed and warned thereby not to geue our selues because that we are assured of the inherytaunce of the kingdome of heauen vnto all kind of abhominatiō and diuelishenesse but rather that we shoulde leade a godly life and a Christianlyke conuersation suche as becometh the Saints remēbring alwayes that we are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesu vnto good works vnto the which god ordaind vs before Ephe. ii Obiectiō that we shuld walke in thē DyDI. Yet wil they styl harpe vpon this that Christ hath promysed life euerlasting vnto his shepe Iohn x. and that they shal neuer perishe Therfore saye they if we be of Christes flocke what so euer we do we shall haue lyfe euerlastinge and neuer pearysh for so hath our shephearde promised vnto vs. PHI. But they should marke the words that go before Aunswer For Christ speaketh there on thys manner My sheape heare my voyce and I know them they folow me c. Here then fyrst and fore most do we learn that they the be of the flocke of Christ do hear his voice But hys voice is that oure lyghte oughte so to shyne before men that they may see our good workes Math. v. and glorify our father that is in heuen Againe this is his voice that onely they that do the wyll of his father Math. vii shal enter into the kingdome of heuē But they cānot say that they hear the voice of this shephard that geue them selues to all kinde of vngodlinesse wherby they cause the name of oure heauenly father to be blasphemed and euyll spoken of Therfore they are none of a shepe Moreouer he saieth that his shepe doo folowe him But no man wyll saye that these swynishe Epicures do folow Christ Wherby we maye boldlye conclude that they be none of hys flocke and that therefore they do aledge in vayne for them selues the promyses that Christe dothe make vnto hys true shepe But to come to our purpose againe where ye saye that the reprobate shoulde lose theyr laboure and payne if they should go about to please God with innocency and integrity of life ye are greatly beguiled and deceiued in that Whence we haue a good wyll to please God For whence should they haue any such mynde but of the election of God of the whyche they be all together voyd and destituted For as many as be of the noumber of the reprobate as they be appoynted to be vessels of dishonour so do they neuer cease wyth heapyng synne vppon sinne to prouoke styl the wrathe of God againste them and to confirme with euident signes and tokens the iudgement of God that is already geuen vppon them and vpon such as they are It is so farre of that they should striue in vaine agaynst it ALBION I beseeche you good brother Philalethes that ye wyl now setforth briefly and in few wordes the hole Doctrine of Predestination so as it may easely be remēbred and born away For all that hathe bene spoken of it already although it serueth veri wel for the right vnderstandinge of the matter yet it is so diffuse so long that few can wel bear it in minde PHILALETHES Forsoth I am contente to fulfill your godlye request Fyrst and foremost then A shorte brief and repeticiō of that whiche hath bene sayed before we did say that Predestination is the eternall and euerlastinge decree of God wherby he hath from the beginning appoynted with hym selfe to saue some men and some againe to condemne and cast awaye The end of this predestination is our sauiour Iesus Christ The end of Predestination the only begotten sonne of God our heauenly father For god did decre and apoynt to saue al those that should haue felowship with his only begottē son our sauiour Iesu Christ and to destroy cast awaye and condemne all
those that haue no fellowship with him but are straungers from hys couenaunt and gospel The faythfull haue fellowship with Christe and the vnfaithfull are straungers from him For as it hath bene said alreadye Ephe. i. God hathe chosen vs in Christ Iesu afore that the foundacions of the world were layde that we shoulde be holye and wythoute blame before him throughe loue And hath ordained vs before throughe Iesu Christe to be heyres vnto him self according to the pleasure of his wil to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hathe made vs accepted in the beloued Behold God hath chosen vs afore the foundacions of the world were laied for to be holy and blamelesse that is to say heires of lyfe euerlasting Again he hathe chosen vs in Christ But making yet the matter more plaine he saithe that GOD hath ordained vs before throughe Christe Iesu for to be heyres vnto him self and that frely that all the glory and praise may be geuen vnto his deuyne grace As many therfore as be in Christ are chosen vnto life euerlastinge For Ihon the Apostle saith He that hath the son hathe life but he that hathe not the sonne of God hathe not lyfe And wyth it dothe the Gospell agree For there our sauior Iesus Christ saithe Thys is the wyll of the father that hath sent me Iohn vi that who so euer doth se the sonne and beleueth in him hath life euerlasting and I shal raise him vp in the laste daye Behold this is the eternall wyll and euerlastynge decree of GOD that we shuld be saued in his sonne through faith On the contrari the Lord speaking of them that be predestinated vnto death euerlastyng and vnto condemnation he saythe he that beleueth not is already condempned Ihon. iii. because that he dyd not beleue in the name of the onlye begotten sonne of God And this is the condemnation that the lyghte did come into the worlde and men did loue darcknesse more than the light Therfore if any man should aske me nowe whether he be chosen to life or ordained vnto death that is to saye whether he be of the nomber of the chosen or of the nomber of the reprobate I would answer him plainlye out of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall scripture that if he hathe fellowshyppe with Christe he is ordained vnto life and is of the noumber of the elect and chosen if not that he is ordained vnto death and condemnation For surely all they that haue no felowship with Christe but are straungers from him and his couenaunt shall vtterly be damned and cast away ALBION But our election is hidden in God Obiectiō how shall we then know whether we be chosen in Christ or not Aunswer PHILALETHES God is wonte to declare at length this election of oures wher by he hathe chosen vs vnto the partaking of eternal life when he dothe call vs by the preachings of his word and inward working of hys holy spirit And this calling of god How god doth declare vnto vs our election which doth consist in the preaching of the gospell and in the inwarde workynge of the holye ghoste is of some men called a signe token or testimonye of oure eleciyon For whome God hath ordained before to be fashioned like vnto the shape of hys sonne them dyd he also call Ro. viii and whome he hath called theym dothe he also iustify for to glorify them afterwardes For though the liuing Lord hathe ordained vs before to be his children by adoption heirs of his heauenli glory yet do we not enter into the possessyon of these heauenly goodes and richesse til we be called In deede when we be called Ephe. i. then do we begin to haue a certain fruition of our chusing election For this cause saint Paul dothe call the spirite that we do receiue the spirite of adoptyon the seale and earnest penye of oure enheritaunce Because that he dothe with his testimonye stablyshe and seale vp in the heartes of the faythful the certainty of their adoption God therfore doth ordaine them to be his children and apoynteth him self to be a father vnto them whōe he hathe chosen and by callinge of them he dothe receiue theym into hys family and houshold offrynge and declaring him selfe vnto them Now sith that the scripture dothe after this sort ioygne the callynge of God vnto his election it dothe sufficiently declare therby that we oughte to require or seeke in it for none other thinge but for the free mercy of God only For if ye shuld aske whom god is wont to cal the scripture doth answer you by by that he doth cal them whōe he hath chosen before Nothing els can we fynde in oure election but the mercy of God But if we come once to the election there can we fynde nothing els but the mere mercye of God So that here the sayinge of Paul is most truely verified wher he saith It lieth not in anye mans wil or renning but in the mercy of god ALBION And my gentlemen did tel me that by this place of the Apostle we do plainly learne that ther is a certain wyll and endeuor in man which excepte they be helped by the especial grace of almighty God can do nothing in dede but if they be once aided helped frō aboue they do farther veri much our saluatiō wherby as I could vnderstand they did meane that there is of nature a certain desire endeuor in mā to be saued which being helped by the the mercy of God do healpe wonderfully towardes the obtaining of euerlastinge life and so they do adscribe parte of oure saluation vnto the grace and mercy of God part of it vnto the same will and renuing or endeuoure of man PHILALETHES Thys doubtlesse is a mere cauillation Enchery ad Laurentium Ca. xxxi Howbe it I haue lieuer to confute it with the words of S. Augustine than with myne owne If saith he the Apostle dyd meane none other thinge but that it doth not only lie in the wyll and renuing of man except the mercyful Lord doth healpe we may also saye on the contrarye that it lyeth not only in the mercy of God without the wil and renuing of manne But sith that it wer a plain vngodlinesse to saye so let vs not doubte but that the apostle did attribute al thinges vnto the mercy of God and that he did leaue no maner of thing vnto our owne will and endeuors And in an other place these be hys woordes Quapropter vt in deum credamus pie vmamus Ad vita Epi. cvii. non volentis neque currentis sed miserentis dei est non quia velle currete non debemus sed quia ipse in nobis velle operatur currere That is saye therefore that we should beleue in God and liue godly it lieth not in the wil or renewing of manne but in the mercy of God not that
through the enuy of the deuil cam death into the world whereby any man may easelye gather that the wyse man doth speake there of Adam being in the most perfect estate of his fyrst creation in the which if he had continued and abiden stil obeying the commaundement that the lord hys God had geuen hym neyther death nor hell could haue had anye power vppon hym he shoulde haue bene immortal he shoulde haue lyued for euer no destructyon at all shoulde haue come neare hym or touched him God then had created hym to be vndestroyed if he had not through disobedience broken his commaundement For it is wrytten in the booke of Iesus the son of Syrach Eccle. xv otherwise called Ecclesiastions that Lorde gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes sayinge if thou wilt obserue the commaundementes and kepe acceptable faithfulnesse for euer they shal preserue thee By this then it dothe plainly appeare that by breakinge of the law that was geuen him he did bring both him self and all his posterity into vtter perdition DIdy Question Mighte not the Lord throughe hys almighty power haue letted hym from doing so PHILALETHES No manne dothe denye Answer to it but that God myghte haue preserued him from fallinge because that he is almighty DI. And whye did he it not PHILALETHES Because that he would not But why he would not we leaue that vnto him as we said before For we muste not be wyser than it behoueth Howe be it thys matter hathe bene sufficientlye discussed before therfore we wil come againe to our argumente Ye haue hearde alredy that man was created to be vndestroyed if he had not throughe dysobedience broken the cōmaundement of god and that by his transgression and fall he dyd bringe bothe him selfe and all that came of him in to vtter destruction so that by reason of it all the whole lompe of mankinde is subiect vnto damnation and vnto death euerlastinge When we saye then that God did of this lompe of dānation chuse some euen afore the foundacions of the world wer layed for to be the vessels of his mercy and for to be felowe heyers with his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenlye kingdome and that again he did ordain and appointe som for to be the vessels of his wrath and the examples of hys iustice we do in nothynge varye from the scryptures that ye haue aleaged laste For those places are to bee vnderstanded of manne beynge as God created hym fyrst and we speake of man beyng made through his owne folye We were all in Adams loynes when he fell transgression and fall the child of perdition in whose loynes we wer all when he fell wherby it foloweth that we al are naturally the chylden of wrath Therfore when he doth rayse and styrre vp some for to be the vessels of his wrathe as we haue sayed many times before alredy he doth thē no wrong nothing can be layed to his charge for it For he doth but as they do deserue and though he shuld withoute any exception dampne vs all he should do vs but ryght Question DIDY But syth that it was not the wyll of God as Esdras sayeth that man shoulde come to naught why did he suffer hym to fall after thys sorte I canne not yet well vnderstande thys PHILALETHES Aunswer Thys place muste be vnderstanded as the other that we expounded euen nowe It was not the wyll of God that man should come to nought if he had contynued and abyden styll in the same estate that he was created and put in at the first But syth that man hath contrarye to the wyll and cōmaundemente of almightye God broughte him selfe throughe hys disobedience rebellion to naught I meane to endlesse myserye and calamitye God oure heauenlye father for to declare hys mercy did chuse some from amonge his sede for to enheryte eternall felicitye and life euerlastynge And some agayne for to declare and sette fourthe hys iustyce he dyd appoynte and ordayne to be euerlastingelye dampned in hell fyer EVTRAPELVS And what absurditye were it I praye you to saye that almyghtye God our heauenlye father doth as a mightye potter make of one lompe of claye whych of hys owne nature is alredye subiecte vnto euerlasting damnation some vessels to honoure and some to dyshonoure Doth not the blessed Apostle sainte Paule wryte Rom. ix that God willing to shew his wrathe and to make hys power to be knowen dothe brynge forth the vessels of wrath whyche are ordained to damnation that so he may declare the richesse of hys glory on the vessels of mercy whiche he hath prepared vnto glory DyDIMVS Ye had made me almoste to forget a thinge whyche I thought to haue asked our brother Philalethes EVTRAPE What shoulde that bee DyDIMVS He said euen now that Adam did contrary to Gods wil bring him selfe to naughte by his owne disobedyence and rebellion But howe can this be For is it not wrytten that no man is able to resist gods wyll Rom. ix Obiectiō Sith then that it was not the wyll of God that he should be broughte to nought how could he contrarye to Goddes will bringe him selfe to naught Aunswer PHILA Ye shall vnderstand neighbour Dydimus that the holy scripture doth speake of Gods holy wil two manner of wayes Fyrst and foremost The will of God is two manner of way considered in the scriptures it doth ascribe vnto him I meane vnto God an absolute wil. And this will of God is hidden from vs and can in no wise be resisted For what so euer God doth once determine accordynge to that absolute wil of his it shal neuer be altered Again al the whole world shall neuer be able to wythstand it And therfore we saye that God is almighty because that he is able to do whatsoeuer he wyll Secondly the scripture doth speke of the deuine and blessed wil of god as it is declared and setforthe vnto vs in Gods holy word whereby we do learne what God will haue vs to do and what he will haue vs to leaue vndone We do al contrarye to this wil of our heauenly father when we do breake his holye lawe and commaundements Syth then that God by geuing our fyrst parent Adam a law and commaundement did declare vnto him what he woulde haue hym to doe and what he woulde haue him to leaue vndone when he did through hys disobedyence breake the lawe and commaundemente of God he dyd contrarye to Gods wil brynge hym selfe to naught and to vtter destructyon in the whych God leaueth them whome he hathe apoynted and ordayned to be the vessels of hys wrathe and the examples of his deuine iustice for to be glorified by their damnation DYDIMVS Obiectiō If God doth apoynte and ordayne some to be the vessels of hys wrathe and examples of hys iustice for to be glorified by theyr dampnation whye dothe then the blessed Apostle sainte Paule saye i. Tim. ii that God wyl haue