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A19550 A sermon of predestination preached at Saint Maries in Oxford: by Ri: Crakanthorp. Crakanthorpe, Richard, 1567-1624. 1620 (1620) STC 5980; ESTC S109016 48,771 52

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in that truth and point out vnto them euery part of that path which leadeth vnto euerlasting life Yet let vs euen herein also behold and admire the wisedome and the mercies of our most gracious God that howsoeuer those things for the continuall exercise of Gods children are wrapped vp in sundry difficulties so that an Elephant may swimme therein yet withall they are so tempered by Gods Spirit and fitted for our capacities that neither this nor any one point of all our faith is without such euident cleere proofes in the Word of God as that for the most a Lambe may wade in them and for them all such as best serue for the instructing of Gods people and the full satisfying of any Christian and beleeuing soule For thy word is a light vnto our feet and a Lanthorne vnto our steppes it giueth wisedome and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple And it is truely said by Saint Austen that whatsoeuer belongs either to our Faith or good life that is plainely set downe in the Scriptures of God Wherefore they which affray the people of God with these difficulties do no otherwise then those Messengers and Spye● which Moses sent to see the Land of Canaan Surely said they the Land floweth with Milke and Honey but the people are strong that dwell in the Land they be Gyants and the sonnes of Anak and the Cities are walled and exceeding great we be not able to goe vp against them for they are stronger then we So they brought an euill report of the Land causing the people to be faint-hearted and murmure against the Lord So these men hauing like diligent Spyes considered and viewed euery part of this doctrine know right well that it is a doctrine of exceeding comfort and that it floweth with Milke and Hony but they bring an euill report vpon it and vpon the Word of God when they affray Gods people from entring hereunto with the greatnesse of those difficulties as it were with so many Gyants and sonnes of Anak which they haue ●pyed and seene herein Let not vs with those euill Spyes prouoke the wrath of God by our distrust diffidence but with Caleb Ioshua men in this action highly renowned of God himselfe let vs harten and encourage the people and in confidence and assurance of the aide of our God say vnto them Let vs goe vp at once and possesse the Land for vndoubtedly we shall ouercome it Let vs then in the name and feare of God enter into this doctrine beeing guided though not with Caleb and Ioshua yet with the Prophets and Apostles and euen led by the hand of our Sauiour Christ who all by their teaching and preaching of this doctrine haue chalked out the way vnto vs how we may enter into it and take full possession of those ioyes and comforts which are contained in the knowledge and meditation thereof In handling this doctrine of Election I commend to your godly consideration these three points out of these words of the Apostle The first our Election it selfe The second the certainty and assurance of our Election both of them set down in these words Giue all diligence to make your Election sure The third the meanes of this assurance one of which beeing sanctitie and holinesse of life the Apostle expresseth in these words For if yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall Concerning Election it selfe two things are to be obserued First the parties who are Elected Secondly the cause of their Election Touching the parties elected I shall not need to stay long in refuting that no lesse impious then senselesse opinion of some who teach that Gods election before the world is generall to all men so that euery one is alike chosen by him vnto eternall life which conceit of theirs as it is directly controuled by the expresse words of the Scripture wherein is mention of some who are vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and as Saint Iude saith ordained to condemnation so is it repugnant euen to common sence and reason For who doth not know that to elect or chuse implyeth a reiecting and refusing of some others This very word of Election signifying nothing else but a separating and culling out of some from the rest as our Sauiour saith of his Disciples that hee chose them out of the world Seeing then it is most ●leere that some are chosen and elected by God vnto saluation certain it is that God separated them for a peculiar people vnto himselfe and pickt them out from the rest which he refused and left in their sinne to be led by their owne lusts into that destruction which is ordained for them Now as errOur neuer wanteth some colour and shew of truth so these men to maintaine this fancy alledge the words of Saint Paul Rom. 8. 29. where hee saith that whom God knew before them also be did predestinate to be made like to his Sonne Seeing th●n say they God knew all men without exception before the beginning of the world it must needs follow that he did also predestinate and elect them all vnto eternall life In which reason as if it were insoluble they boast and triumph but without all truth and substance of reason For they might easily haue obserued a double knowledge of God mentioned in the holy Scripture The one of beholding and seeing onely which is a knowledge of appre●ension of which the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 13. that euery creature is manifest in his ●ight and all things are naked and open to his eyes the other is a knowledge of louing and liking which the Schoolemen rightly tearme a knowledge of approbation of which it is said Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the wayes of the righteous not onely the seeing and beholding them for so he doth know the wayes of the wicked also but he knoweth the wayes of the righteous by louing allowing and approuing their wayes in which sort hee neuer knoweth the way of any wicked man seeing both himselfe and his wayes are an abomination vnto God Now it is most certain that all men euen the Reprobate are foreknown of God by his former kinde of knowledge for all things are manifest and naked before his eyes But this knowledge of apprehension can not possibly be ment by the Apostle in the 8. to the Romans For whom God knoweth in that place them he both iustifyeth in this and gLorifieth in the life to come as the Apostle expressely witnesseth in the same place Now seeing hee doth not iustifie and glorifie all but will say to some Goe into euerlasting fire who shall haue their portion in that Lake which burneth with fire And brimstone it remaineth euident that the Apostle speaketh not of that former knowledge of apprehension but of the later of approbation by which I may truely say vnto you that God neuer knew any Reprobate or vngodly person our Sauiour teaching in plaine tearmes the same Mat. 7. 23.