the diuine eleccion neither quench or diminishe the diuine charitie Yea hereof our sinnes toke occasion to be shewed with excesse of more loue Roma v. We are not by this inuited to more Idlenes nor to watche when we shall haue Manna from heauē neither to be wickedly occupyed but we are drawē and moued so much more to loue him as he is discouered to vs by more bountie and charitie But those that are not by Christe regenerate are of so base vyle a mind through sinne that they can not thinke God to be so liberall as to geue heauē without our workes But they ought at the leaste to thinke that to bye it the bloud of Christ is sufficiēt without adioyning therto their workes to boote which surely are rych iuels to be mingled with his God is so frāke that he hath geuen vs Christ Roma viii and in him al thinges and canst not thou thinke he hath geuen the heauen It is also our greater glorie that God hath loued vs somuche that his owne selfe hath wylled to take the care charge of our saluation And so to that ende hath wylled his only sonne to die vpon the crosse so that if with all our trauaile we might enter into heauen by our selues the glorie only of the crosse is a far greater glory then any other which by our selues we could attaine Yea there is no other trew glory then to glorie to be so much loued of God that he hath to saue vs put his sonne vpon the crosse He may not dwel in his owne loue that willeth to be happy and only glory in God If we myght glorye of ourselues we should haue wherof to waxe proude and prefer our selues afore oure brethern where otherwyse we should haue occasion to be humble and geue to God all honoure and glorye as to him it apperteineth i. Timo. i. And further such as beleue thē selues to be by grace elected saued sonnes of God heyres and sure therof not only because ther remaineth no more to get God in Christ hauing geuen them all but also by the great vnderstanding they haue of the goodnes of the Lord they are cōstrained to worke as childrē for the glori of their father and not for their owne gaine and so also sure of their saluacion with Christ they turne them with al their force to seke the saluacion of their brother they demaund also grace with a bolder spirite and confidence sence they axe it not for their owne lucre but for he honor of God Ephesi i. Rom. vi Psal xxxii and to his laude and gloy so that in the worldes to come may be sene aboūdant riches of his fre mercy Moreouer such hope to be hard for that thei thinke not to deserue grace Rom. iiii Gala. iii. ii Cor iii. Ioh. iii. neither put their trust in their owne workes but in the goodnes of God being inspired and moued therto by the holy gost Suche also as feele that our saluacion dependeth not vpon vs but oure damnacion and that it standeth wholye in the hande of God are forced to turne their backes to them selues and theyr faces to God Where as the cōtrary belefe wold make the contrary operacion they would withdraw them from God and seke to reste with hope in them selues also if God had elected vs with this condicion Ephe. i. If we wolde do well we should be vnder the lawe contrary to Paul neither we should be saued for the law saueth not but worketh wrathe and is the minister of cursing and damnacion Let him therfore that lusteth haue Christ for his iudge for I wyl none of him but as a sauiour If our eleccion by fre mercy dyd harme vs he wold not thē haue elected vs so But note them that thinke to haue theyr eleccion in their owne handes thou shalt se that thei are in their owne loue and trust presumtuous and full of vyce and yet for all thys they be so blynd and arrogant that they wyll haue heauen by iustice But let vs praye to the Lorde that he gyue them knowledge to the ende they may render to God all laude honour and glorye throughe oure Lorde Iesus Christe Amen ¶ Howe excellent oure eleccion is the seconde Sermon PAul magnifieth our eleccion fyrste in his behalfe that hath elected vs sayinge Wee are elected neyther by man nor Aungell but by God Hyer cā not he go Then cōcernynge hym that elected vs oure eleccion is moste excellente And lykewyse concernynge the circumstaunce of tyme although aboue there is properlye no course of tyme. He elected vs as Paull wryteth before the constitucion of the worlde Ephe. i. meanynge from wythoute begynnynge sooner coulde he not electe vs. And moreouer he saythe that he elected vs which are most base most vile most abiect wormes in comparison of him Bi the sinne of Adam we were all defyled infected in firme frayle blynd malingnaunte full of venim contrari to god enemies and rebels so that a thinge more miserable coulde not haue binne chosen Paule doth also magnifye oure election in respect of the dignittie to the whiche we are elected and sayth he hath not chosen vs to be hys seruauntes or frendes but to be hys children nothyng to god can be more nyghe entire and dere thē his children nether is it possible to imagine a greater dignitie It doth include al other vertues and goodnes it is so hyghe and excellent Being then elected from so miserable an estate to be the sōnes of god He hath also chosen vs to be the brethren of Christe therby with him coheires of god Rom. viii yea the worlde is oures Chryst with al his gyftes al that is the fathers is the sonnes therfore al is ours that is gods whose goodes we mai dyspose as children their fathers And bycause we should shame to be the sonnes of god not hauing the maners graces and vertues conueient to suche a dygnitie therfore not onlye oure heauenlye father hath chosen vs to be his sonnes but hath blessed vs not wyth wordes onlye but wyth effectes not as Isaac blessed Iacob or Esau but wyth all spirituall bless nge in thinges celestiall And so accordyng to Paule Ephe. i. Collo i hathe made vs mete to be partakers of the feloweship of lyght delyuering vs frō the power of darkenes hath ledde vs into the kingedome of his beloued sonne God then with oute beginninge did determyne to iustifye glorifye and magnyfie those that he hadde elect and euen so he hath done Rom. vii◠as Paule wryteth who also exaltyth our election for that cause sainge that it was not our good worckes which God forsawe wythout beginning that were the cause of our electiō but he chose vs by mere mercie accordynge to the decreed purpose of his owne wyll to the laud and glorie of his mercie we were not then chosen bycause we were Holye but bycause we shoulde be holly bi his election and to
shewe in the worldes to come Ephe. i .ii the abundante riches of his grace Paule also shewyth the worthines of our electiō by respecte of the dignitie of the person by whose meanes we are chosen and saithe he hath willed that betwene vs and him there shuld be one mediator nether he wold it to be an angel but Christ the sōne of God i. Timo. ii Ephe. i. He meaneth not onlie a mediator with wordes but with his owne bloud and death Paul doth exalt our electiō as concerning the end For bicause he hathe elected vs for his sonnes to the end we may taste not only in the life to come but also in this present things so highe happye riche and pure that the eie hath not sene nor the eare hath not hard nor into the hart of man being carnal hath at any tyme entred i. Cor. ii he hath then elected vs to the ende that regenerate bi Christe Iesu we shuld walke to God by good workes Ephe. ii that we may be hollie and inreprehēsible before his presence Our election is also excellente by the suertye therof for that the elect are in the handes of God Ephe i. Ihon. x. Therefore shal not thei perishe as Christ sayth yea they can not peryshe euen as they can not bee pluckte oute of his handes Therfore oure election is moste happye so that nothynge oughte so muche to bee reioysed in as to bee the elected and chosen of God Therfore it is read the disciples returning to Christ and reioisinge with greate gladnes that euen the veray deuelles were subiecte to them Luke x. Chryst amonge the reste of wordes bade them thei shulde not reioyse of the subiection of the deuels but that their names were written in heauen by which wordes he did shew that we ought to make a singuler Ioye of our elecciō for that includeth and bringeth with it the sūme of all our wealth since then that our eleccion is so excellent ryche sure and hapy Let vs pray to God to geue vs lighte and grace to perceyue it to th ende that tastinge in it with the spirite the myghtie goodnes of God we may rēder him al laude honor and glorye by Iesu Christe our Lorde ¶ If wee maie knowe in this present lyfe This hole sermon must be warely red wel vnderstanded or els it must be taken but as persuasiu◠not as doctrine whether we be in the grace of God one of his electe or not and in what maner the thyrd Sermon IT is not to be douted that God seeth all thinges specially his legittimate childrē sēce he himself hath chosen them to that dignitie ii Timo. ii Ephe. i. Christ also knoweth knew thē alwaies that which was very cōueniēt sence his father had geuē thē to him for that he shulde be theyr gouernor shepherd brother and that he shuld saue thē with his own death he knew thē doth know his shepe euen as himselfe sayd Ihon. vii Iohn vi yea frō the beginning he knew who should beleue But it is not now conuenient Math. xiii that we may or can deserue distinctlye the elect from the reprobate to the ende we may be more fervent in exercisinge charite with all men as if they were brethern with vs in Christ the which we would not do towarde the reprobate if we knewe thē distinctly But in the ende the tares shal be seperate frō the good wheat none then beinge in this present lyfe knoweth certenly of his neighbour if he be of the elect or not nor also whether he be in the fauour of God we may only haue therof an obscure confused vncertein and faylyng knowledge by cōiecture of the outward lyfe and workes of whom Christ speaking sayd Math. vii Ye shall knowe them by their fruites But forasmuch as we see not the hertes of men i. Cor. ii Luke xvi which often times although within they are vngodly and abhominacion it selfe in the syght of God neuertheles coueringe them with the veyle of hipocrisie maskinge therin they apeare to be sainctes Therfore without speciall oracle we can haue no certeine knowledge therof But I saye that euery elect whyle he is in this present lyfe beinge come to the yeres of discression maye and ought to know it of himself not by natural lyght by meanes wherof thinges supernaural can not be perceiued as the excellent diuine wyl toward vs but by faithe without other speciall priuilege And this not with hauing respect to them selues where is nothing sene but worthy damnacion neither with cōsideringe or beholding thē selues in God without Christe for in that case he must shew himself to vs a iust iudgeful of wrath then we neither se our selues his sōnes nor in fauour But with liuely fayth beholding both our selues God in Christ we se our selues to be in the fauour of god his elect sonnes god to be pacified with vs in loue and our only father Such then as liuely beleue that Christ for thē hath died vpō the crosse haue the holy gost within them are in the fauour of God bicause that faith doth purifie the hert This muste be warly red and well vnderstāded or it is not true But if thou vnderstande what it is to beleue in christ with a liuely faith thē there is no daunger at al. i. Iho. v. And further I say that al they which in this present lyfe to beleue liuely in Christ yea were it for a moment of time shal be sauid Thei are electe and sonnes of God and may be suer and certeine of their saluation And that this is true the wordes of sainte Ihon ought to suffise which saith that he is the sonne of God therfore electe and sauid who so beleueth Iesu Christe to be the sonne of God And also Christ sayde who so beleueth in me hath lyfe euerlasting neuerthelesse it may clearlye be prouid that none beleueth liuelye in Chryste but he that but he that beleueth Chryst to be wholy his rightwisenes and that he is saued thorowlye by him and he that seethe this wyth supernatural vnderstāding hauing no respect to him selfe nor his workes but only to the goodnes of God discouered in Christ vpō the Crosse can not by any meanes be disceiued bicause the light which he hath to be in the fauor of God elect to saluaciō cā not grow but onlye of the bounty of God considered in Christ wherof can spring no false nor deceitfull knowledge Full well may he be begiled and shal be that doth behold his workes and by them thinketh that he is in the fauour of God and his sōne But seing him selfe in Chryst saued chosen in the fauour of God it muste nedes be said that he seeth the truthe and that which is once trewe although it were but for the twincke of an eie must be saide to be euer true he then whiche beleueth in Christe were it
flye such an euell I haue iudged it good to shewe that it is not so It is no doute that god hath created the world for his electe so that if god had forsene that none should haue bene saued he would not haue created it For thē also he dyd preserue it Hebre. i. i Cor. i. Rom. viii to them he hath geuen the Aungels for kepers and of them as a father he hath moste singuler care prouidēce God wyl not suffer that they be tēpted aboue their power yea eueri thyng worketh serueth well to their saluaciō Prou. xxiiii Seuē times in a day the iust shal fal ryse againe because God is with thē and helpeth them in such sorte that the more thei are in great perils necessitie so muche the more is god beneficial to them For thē god gaue the lawe to the world sent Moses and the Prophetes them he calleth inwardly in suche maner that they heare his voice and answere him of them he molifieth the herte and draweth them to Christ as the adamāt doth Iron If they erre he dothe correcte and chasten them as chyldren as it is read of Dauid Psal xxxi Ihon. x. Ihon. ix to them he doth not impute their sinne he doth quicken and glorify them and finally al that god hath wrought and shall worke for hym selfe is for the electe for thē he sent Christ and when he came for them he toke vpon hym theyr sinnes only for thē he prayed for them he wepte preached and dyd miracles for them he shed his bloude dyed rose ascended in to heauen sent the holye goste and shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead yea all that he hath suffered wrought and shall worcke is for the electe whom he loueth in so excessiue maner that he doth attribute to him selfe al that is done to them Ihon. x. God then beyng gratified with the electe in Christ doth geue vnto them his spirite the lyuely lyghte of hym faythe hope with all the reste of vertues graces essencial necessary to saluacion And moreouer he geueth them grace to vse in the honor of god and be serued in his glorye of all the gyftes and graces which maye be comune both to the good to the euel to be vsed wel euel as riches honour dignitie healthe long lyfe chyldrē frindes sciēce the giftes of the tonge to do miracles and suche lyke Of them in parte Paule made mencion wryting to the Corinthes i. Cor. xii And also geueth them grace to vse in his glorie pouertie ignominie infamie infirmitie with all aduersitie and the priuacion of lyke gyftes euen to the death god geueth them suche grace that with euery wind they saile to the porte and they knowe that they are no lesse bounde to thanke god when they are without such giftes and in all aduersitie then when they haue suche thinges wyth the prosperitie of the world sence that bithe grace which god geueth them all thinges worke to good Therfore they are euer contented to bee in the state which pleaseth the Lorde neither wolde they chaunge it if they myght without the wyll of god and onlye for that they fele the diuine goodnes no lesse in aduersitie then in the worldly prosperitie In th end when they are fallen to any sinne god openeth theyr eies maketh thē se not only the euell that they haue done but also that he hath so permitted it for their benefite to th end they maye the better know theyr owne miseries and the bountie of god But speaking of the reprobate I saye that it is enough for vs to knowe that god is not bonde nor necessited to geue them his grace for theyr good worckes because that the grace findeth not good worckes but doth make them to be done God neither hath nor may haue any bonde wyth his creatures The bondes are all oures wyth god and so muche the more as that we beyng all loste in Adam he myghte iustly not only abandon vs but damne and punyshe vs. He is not also compelled of hys perfecte goodnes mercie and charitie to not haue created the worlde he myghte nowe brynge it to nothinge and dispose all creatures after his owne waye beinge styl moste perfectlye iuste as he is nowe and was from without beginning before he did create the worlde God maye geue of his grace as much as it pleaseth him Math. xx when to whome he thinketh good yea and not to geue it without beyng vniust or doinge any minrie God also hath ben of power without doyng any vnrighteousnes to create the reprobate foreseynge theyr damnacion to serue his owne turne and to vse them for instrumentes or exercise the elect in vertue to the ende that their victories and triumphes and likewise Christes myght be the more glorious and finally all for his owne greater glorye And moreouer I saye that Christe hydeth hym selfe and his grace manye times frome persons Iho. vii Proue i. so that althoughe they seeke hym crie after hym and recommend them selues to hym they fynde him not nor he heareth them not notwythstandynge those such as are not moued to seke him or cōmit them selues to him by the spirite nor for the zeale of the honoure of God but for their proper interest yea and mani times he doth blinde and indurate the people and all is most iustlie done And although it be writtē that God hath cure of all calleth all wolde saue al died for al doth illuminate al dothe raine and power his grace vpon all lyke sentences I saye it is to be vnderstand that he hath cure of al ingeneral but of the elect in special and so he calleth al with a vocacion vniuersall but the elect with an inward and singuler When Paule saide also that he wold saue all he vnderstode that to be of euerie sorte of persones His death also was sufficient to saue all but it is not effectuons but to the elect and so where it is written that he doth illuminate and geue grace to al it is vnderstand of the elect of those that are illuminate Math. xiii Ephe. ii ii Tessa ii Therfore saide Christe to the Apostels to you it is geuen to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of heauen Paule said likewise that the saith which is the gifte of God is not al mēs It is well true also that God doth illuminate al in asmuch as there is no person that hath not had some lighte knowledge of God Let vs then geue him thanckes sence that of his mere goodnes he hath cōnumerat vs among the elect and praye we him that he geue vs so much light of his goodnes that in euery place and time we mai render him perfecte lande honoure and glorye by Ihesu Christe oure Lorde Amen ¶ If man haue libertie or not and in what maner the .xiii. Sermō SOme myght thinke it superfluous for a christiane to thynke whether he be fre or not but that
for that onlye benefite feele so muche the greate goodnes of God that we myght be sure and certayne of our saluacion And nowe he in euery creature dothe sparkle towardes vs loue with innumerable benefites yea in Christe vpon the Crosse casteth he the flame of perfecte charitye and shall not wee feele so muche the goodnes of God that wee should beleue to be his electe If one onlye shulde be saued I wold truste suerly to be he if al the men angells wold tel me that I were dampned I cold not beleue them althoughe thei did alledge al the reasonnes possible but I wolde euer giue more truste to Christe alone who vpon the crosse with his bloude and deathe doeth tel me I am saued thē I wold to al the rest for he alone hath more power in me thē al the reasons authorities without him Prouided only that I se him with liuely fayth dead for my saluacion Yea in that case seing my selfe Gala. i. by Christ to be the sōne of God I wold with Paule excōmunicate the very angels as superior to them if thei wold saie the cōtrary or gainesaie the gospel and the great loue and benefit which in that case I shuld fele by Christ Paraduenture thou wilt say it semeth me not that I cā be suer of mi saluacion because I am fre to do euell so mai I sinne be dāpned Our life is in such sort variable that to giue a certeine iudgement we must tarye the end for euery one wolde haue thoughte that Iudas shuld haue bene saued when he was called of Christ yet it is sene that it is contrarye I answere thou begilest thy selfe in thinkinge thy saluacion dependeth vpon the likelyhod of thy worckes Ephe. i. Paule affirmeth that God hath elected vs by his mere mercy in Christ not bicause we were holy or for that he foresawe oure good workes but because we should be holy and should do good workes and perseueryng in thē we should dye in his fauour and grace Inwardly doth God cal his eelecte geueth them knowledge of him Roma viii and doth iustifie glorifie them Therfore doth Paul adde and say if God be with vs who cā be against vs And he ment if we be once electe we can no more lose our selues meanyng there is nothing that can let the eleccion of God Yea euery thing serueth to saluacion euen sinne Therfore where thou saieste thou mayst sinne it is true and peraduēture thou shalt sinne Neuertheles if thou be the electe thou shalt algates ryse againe and be saued wherof thou mayst be certein and sure so that once at the least thou haue perceyued thy selfe in Christ and by Christ saued neither thou oughtest so much to dispayre in thy selfe as that thou shuldest not much more trust in the goodnes of god knowyng that the Gospel is not the law but mercie and know thou that when the electe fall in any sinne whiche God doth not permitte but for the benefite of them and the other electe whilest they are in that erroure they fele in them selues a certeine hyddē vertue whiche withholdeth and refrayneth them from doyng worsse it biteth nippeth and reprehēdeth them of the euel fact and doth enduce and spurre them to conuert There remaineth euer a certeine hate of sin although they be sometime ouercome of frailtye So that they neuer turne frō God with al their power nor run wholy to vice with a lose bridell God hath them euer for his owne and gouerneth them as his lawefull Childrene And speaking oftē in their herts he saith that which he said to his Apostles Luke xii feare not litle flocke for it hath pleased youre father to giue you his kingdom of his mere goodnes although you be vnworthy And if thou woldest bring in Salomō who sayth none knoweth whether he be worthy of hate or loue I answere It is clere chyflie by the wordes whych folow that he ment that man were he neuer so iust wise was so blinde in this world that he cannot know by the workes of God that is by prosperity or aduersity whether of him self he be worthi of hate or loue And this is bicause God giueth his giftes so indifferently to the good and euell to the electe and reprobat Thou wilt say yet Paul said i. Cor. xiiii my cōsciēce doth not reproue me yet am I not therby iustified before God therfore it can not be knowen But I answere that th entent of Paul was to saye that thoughe by grace of the Lorde he had ministred the Gospel in suche sorte that his conscience dyd not rebuke him of any erroure whiche was imputed vnto hym for a sclaunder of false christians neuertheles he held not him selfe iuste for this neither was he iuste he iudged him selfe iuste by Christe and not by preaching the Gospel irreprehensibly in the syght of man but yet not in the presence of God for that he hath not preached it with the whole force of spirit fayth loue So that here Paul did condēne the opiniō of them which iudge thē selues iuste by theyr owne workes but he doth not reproue the iudgemēt of those which iudge thē selues righteous saued by the bountie of God death of his only begotten sōne but doth approue it With Paule also agreeth Iob Iob. ix when he sayde that although he were iuste he durste not iudge him selfe so that is he durste not holde hym for ryghteous by his owne proper ryghteousnes and workes but by the iustice of Christe Sence then that it maye and oughte to bee knowen of vs that wee are in the fauoure of God and hys electe lette vs force vs continuallye to encrease in more knoweledge of the Goodnesse of God so that firmely establyshed in the lyuelye faythe of oure saluacion we maye as chyldren render hym all honoure laude and glorye by Iesus Christ oure Lorde Amen ¶ Vvhether it be good or euel to beleue that we are electe the fourthe Sermon SOme saye that it is euel to beleue that we are electe bycause that as the beliefe to be reprobate bringeth men in dispeyre so the beliefe of eleccion is cause of presumpcion But the iuste and the holy flye bothe the one and the other extremitie They are not exalted in presumpcion beleuing to be electe nor fallen in the botomles pyite of dispeyre wyth beliefe of dampnacion but kepe the meane waye euer standing betwene both And I say that it is true that none ought to dispeyre or yet to presume but assuredlye to hope and beleue to be saued and elected Mary by oure owne workes this is an euyll vyce and ought to be fled But to beleue to be elected and saued by the liberalitie of God by the deathe of Christe vpon the crosse and hys workes thys is no presumpcion but a hope whych hath regard as diuine theological vertue not to oure merites but onlye to God by Christe And as we cā not loue him
chifelie for that I am happye onlie bi that faythe of the whiche whosoeuer is voide is not yet entred in to the kingdome of God where is nothinge but ryghtuousnes peace and Ioie Rom. iiii Finalli Paule beleued to be elected as in many places he saythe yea he gloried therin neuerthelesse in God and so to beleue he induced others the which if it had bene euel he wolde not haue done Therfore if it be not euel let vs also with Paule glori vs by God in Christe who likewyse induced the Apostles Luke x. Math. xv Math. xvi to beleue that theyr names were writē in heauen that theyr heauenli reward was plētuous that they shulde iudge the xii tribes therby brought them to beleue thei were electe and that is also suer that if that belefe had bene euell he wold not haue caused it Thou wilt saie thou oughtest not to compare thy selfe equall wyth the sainctes I saie it is true that I oughte not to presume to be like them or holy by myne owne worckes for while I presume of my selfe I muste of force become a deuell but it is not euell to compare with the saintes in veritie for they were humble and in beleuing that they were elect they gaue to God all laude and glorye bicause they did not beleue to be of the electe for their merites but for Christes And wold to God I mighte beleue that firmelye and with stedfast fayth the sacred scriptures are ful that we ought not to despeire of our saluacion but that we ought to hope and beleue to be all readye saued and dayly to certifie oureselues therof bi doing good worckes ii Pet. i. i. Iohn iiii which are a testimonie to vs of oure election and that we shulde also increase in charitye to take from vs all feare of oure dampnaciō to the end we may serue God without feare in rightuousnes and holinesse as zacharie sayde Luke i. And likewise wee ought to demaūd perseueraūce in the good with faith to obtein it Therfore to trust to be saued of the elected to hope beleue to be saued of the electe is not euel Paul also saithe oure hope was neuer confounded nor dyd shame to them that had it And lykewyse that fayth was neuer beguiled Wherfore then is it euyll that I beleue stedfastly to be saued by Christ Let vs beholde then wyth open eyes of liuely fayth Christe vpon the crosse in whome we se presentlye the goodnes of God in the face in suche sorte as we maye beyng pilgrimes to th ende wee may render to him al laud honor glory through Iesus Christe oure Lorde Amen ¶ Vvhether it be necessarye to saluacion to beleue that we are elected or not the fyft Sermon Hebr. xi Mar. xvi Iohn iii. FAyth is very necessarye because that withoute it not onlye God cānot bee pleased but he that beleueth not shall be condempned and is already iudged But it is also impossible that one that doth not beleue to be elected should beleue as he ought to do any of the articles nceessarie to saluaciō And to proue that this is true if thou beleuest not that thou art one of the elect thou beleuest not in God in the maner that thou arte bounde bicause that it suffiseth not to haue a certeine dead opinion that Godi◠but thou muste effectuously beleue that he is thy God that he loueth the that he is propiciatory to the that he is cōtinually beneficial to the that he hath most special cure of the causeth euery thinge to serue the to saluacion therfore that thou arte electe Yea who so beleueth not that he is electe doeth not fele in spirite the benefite of Christe Therfore beinge without Christ Ephe. i. Gala. iiii he is with oute God and knoweth him not as Paule wryteth Then howe is it possible that thou mayste beleue perfectli that he is thy father if thou do not beleue that thou arte his son and therfore his heire saued Gala. iiii Thou canst also neuer earnestlie beleue that God is omnipotente if thou vnderstande not that continually he vseth his omnipotēcie towards the in doinge the good Whiche when with the spirite thou didest proue thou shuldest of force beleue thy selfe to bee his heyre if thou beleue not thou arte elect howe causte thou beleue that God hathe created the heauens and thearthe that he susteineth gouerneth all to thy behofe hauing of the moste singuler cure it is nedefull that with liuely sayth imbrasinge al the world for thy owne thou perceiue effectuallye the goodnes of God in euerye creature And when that is thou shalt be inforced to beleue that thou arte the sonne of God Thou canste not also beleue in Iesu that is that he is to the Iesus and sauioure if thou beleue not that thou arte saued nether canste thou beleue that he is thy Christe that is to saye a Prophete kinge and prieste if thou fele not in spirite that he doth illuminate and lighten the as a prophet rule the as a king and as an onlye prieste is offered for the vpon the crosse The which if thou didest beleue thou shuldest also beleue to be elected How shalt thou beleue that Iesus is the only begotten sonne of God thi Lord come into the world to saue the and geuen to the with al his deuine treasures and graces if thou dost not beleue thy selfe to be one of his lambes thou causte not beleue as thou arte bounde to do that he died for the nor perceiue his excessiue charitie so that with Paule thou maist saye Rom. viii nothing can seperate me from the charitie of God It is necessarye to beleue that Christ vpon the crosse hath satisfied for thy sinnes and that he hath reconciled the satisfied to his father and saued the and therfore that thou art the sōne of God he that beleueth as he ought that Christ is rysē to iustifie vs doth also know him selfe saued so he that perfectly doth vnderstand that Christe our head is ascēded into heauē entred for vs in possessiō of paradise Philli. iii. perceiueth him self risen with Christ alredy bi hope being ascended into heauē Ephe. ii practiseth with that minde in Paradise where Christ is sitting in peaceable possessiō of thinges celestial he saieth with Paul we are made safe by hope Rom. viii it suffiseth not to beleue that he shal iudge the quicke the dead the which also the deuils beleue but that the sētence shal be al in thi fauour hauing to thi iudge him that died vpō the crosse for thee We cā not liuely beleue the sēding of the holy ghoste if we fele it not in oure selues and if we do feale it we shal be forced with Paule to saye the spirite of God rendrethe testimony to oure spirite that we are the sonnes of God therfore heires and saued Roma viii Neyther is it inoughe that there is
a church of God but thou muste beleue to be a porcion therof one of the lyuely stones therfore one of the electe And to beleue the cōmunion of sainctes thou must feele that as a mēber of Christ he doth perticipate his grace with the and that thou art therby saued thou must also beleue that remissiō of sinnes that is not only that he dothe pardon sinnes but that he hathe pardoned the thine and so elected the. Euen so thou must beleue that thou shalt rise glorious and haue life euerlasting Then ther is no article of our faith that can be beleued in suche sorte as it ought to be of those whiche do not beleue they are elected To the Christian it is then necessary to beleue that God is his God and father that he worcketh all for his benefite and that Chryste is come was borne hath liued died and risen againe for his saluacion so that with liuely faith he imbraceth Christ wholi for his own with al his treasur and grace And likewise al his life death resurrection assention and glorye and perceiueth the charitie of God in Christe as if there hadde bene no mo but onlye him selfe in the world and that Christ for him onlye wold haue wrought and suffered no les then he hath done The which when thou dost beleue thou shalt perceyue thou arte elect Yea he that beleueth not he is electe can not praye as he oughte beinge withoute faithe withoute the whiche after Paul we can not effecteously recommende vs to god Roma x. Iaco. i. bicause that we must aske in faith if we wil aske in veriti be hard now if thou beleue not to be his sōne heire how cāst thou as Christ taughte say our father as a sonne with cōfidence aske him grace Praier may wel be made of infidels and Ipocrites but lyke folishe scoffers and mockers When thou saiest halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thou must haue in the the spirit of adoption of the sonne of God And as the sōne is moued of vehemente loue pure and sincere to desire the kingdome and glory of the father so must thou seinge the the sonne of God with a deuine spirite by the force of loue aske and desyre that thy heauenlie father be honored and reigne in his elect with oute rebellion Likewyse shalte thou neuer thancke God with all thy herte if thou beleue not to be one of the elect yea if thou shalt doubte therin or thinke to be dampned in thy harte and in thy lyfe and paraduenture also with thy wordes thou wilte dispraise him that he hath giuen the a beinge that he hath create the world sente Chryste and so the rest his benefites and wilt saie If I am not saued what do these thinges profit me it had ben better for me that I had neuer ben Mar. xiiii as Christ said of Iudas If I shal be dampned the death of Christ serueth me not but doth inflame burne with al the rest of his benefites thou canst not in perfection thē thācke god if thou feare dampnaciō Rom. viii But who so beleueth he is one of the elect therby that al things serue him to saluacion euen the verye troubles he holdeth for a speciall grace and benefite in them perceiuinge the goodnes of God he giueth him thanckes with all his herte Who shal he be that committeth him selfe holy to the gouernaunce of God as euery one oughte to do if he beleue not that God is his father that he pardoneth him doth take of him most singuler cure Other wise they shal neuer trust in God but with Adam shall feare him and flye sekinge to hide him selfe from the face of God nether is it possible to loue God in veritie honor him as he ought to be honored and approue for iuste and hollye all his worckes and so delite wholye in him if he fele not in Christe so much the goodnes of God Gala. iiii that he se him selfe hys sonne also heire If he know not him selfe to be a sonne he shal feare as aseruaunt and in all his worckes haue respecte to him selfe his paines displeasures incommodites dishonoures and hel or els to this paradice and not to the glorye of God As he that seeth him selfe a sonne lord of al and heire and suer therof such a one worketh only by strength of spiirt vehemēcie of loue to the glory of God to whome he hath turned his whole intent to that ende ordreth his whole lyfe Also it can not be possible to loue thy neighbour as thi selfe as a brother in Christ and mēber with the of the same bodie if thou do not beleue to be in the nomber of the sonnes of God And finalli ther can not one good worcke be done but of them that are regenerate sonnes of God members of Christe and haue in them the holy spirite which testifieth in their hertes that they be the sonnes of God And mai parteli be sene howe false and vngodlye is the doctrine of the antechristians that where as it is cheiflye necessarie to beleue that we are elected also aboue all thinges most commodious thei force thē selues to withdraw euery one frō this fayth perswading them to stand in doubte as thoughe they had wherin to mistruste the goodnes of God Osee xiii vpon whome onlie dependeth oure saluation as our dāpnacion doth of our selues But let vs praye to God to open our eyes to the ende they maye no longer blaspheme but render to God all honor laude and glorie by Iesu Christe our Lorde ☞ Amen ☜ ¶ If it be good to seeke to know wherfore God hath some electe and some reprobate the syxt Sermon THy desyre maye be wycked as it is in many to whō it apeareth that it should haue ben better if God who being of power as he is had elected all men and semeth thē that in this God hath lacked of charitie yea in theyr language they say in their herrte secretly If we had bene God we would haue elected all and would haue had more charitie thē he Now behold whether this be vngodly folyshe proude blasphemy or not They Imagine to haue more loue to the soules then he that for to saue them gaue his onely begotten and dearly beloued sonne vpon the crosse i. Iohn iiii There are some other to whom it semeth on the one syde that god can not erre and on the other parti hearinge that he hath reproued many they thinke the cōtrary They are not certeine by fayth that God can not erre and that al that he willeth must nedes be iuste Therfore to make it clere they go searchyng wherfore he hath not elected all men and they would fynd a cause where is none If such were godly they shuld quiete and satisfie thē selues shuld haue their felicitie in the deuine plesure wtout searching to assēd any hler It is euyl thē to seke wherfore god