thine hand Ios. 11. 19. 20. There was not a Citie which made peace with the children of Israel besydes the Hiuites the inhabitantes oâ— dwellers in Gibeon all other they 〈◊〉 by battell For it came of the Lorde to harden theyr heartes to come against Israel in battell 1. Sam. 2. 25. And they hearde not the voyce of theyr Father because the Lord was minded to slaye them 2. Sam. 12. 11. So sayd the Lord behold I wyll rayse vp euyll against thée out of thine house wil take thy wiues before thine eyes and geue them to thy neighbour and he shal lye with thy wyues in the sight of this sonne 2. Sam. 24. 1. And the wrath of the Lord was moreouer angry against Israel and he styrred vp Dauid against them saying goe number Israel and Iuda 1. King. 12. 15. And the King heard not the people for the cause was from the Lorde that he might performe his word which he had spoken by the hand of Ahiiah the Silonite vnto Ieroboam the soÌ„ne of Nebat 1. King. 22. 23. Nowe therefore behold the Lorde hath put a spirite of lying in the moâ—th of all these thy Prophetes 2. Kin. 18. 25. And now haue I comen vp against this place without the Lord to destroy it The Lord sayd vnto mee goe vp against this Land and destroy it 2. Chron. 11. 4. Thus sayd the Lorde Goe not vp nor fyght against your brethren returne euery man vnto his own house for this thing is done of mee 2. Chro. 22. 7. And the treading down of Ochozias came of God. 2 Chron. 25. 20. And Amazias held not him selfe contented for it was of God that hee myght delyuer them into the hande of the enemie Nehem 9. 36. 37. Beholde we are seruants this day that in the land which thou gauest vnto our Fathers c. And it yéeldeth much fruit vnto the Kings which thou hast set ouer vs for our sinnes Iob. 1. 21. The Lorde hath geuen and the Lorde hath taken away the name of the Lorde be blessed Iob. 34. 30. Because a man that is an hypocrite raigneth and because of the offence of the people Psal. 105. 25. He turned their heart that they should hate his people and practise disceypt against his seruauntes Esa. 10. 15. Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that he weth therewith or shall the sawe set vp it selfe against him that moueth it as if the rodde should lift vp it selfe against him that taketh it vp or as if the staffe should exalt it selfe as though it were no woodde Esa. 54. 16. Beholde I haue created the Smyth that bloweth the coales in the fyre and him that bringeth forth an instrument for his worke I I saye haue created the destroyer to destroy Esa. 63. 17. Lorde why hast thou made vs to erre froÌ„ thy wayes and made vs to depart from thy feare Iohn 12. 40. and Esa. 6. 10. He hath blinded theyr eyes hardened theyr hearts least they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with theyr heart and should turne and I should heale them Iere. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligentlie and cursed bee hee whiche kéepeth backe his sworde from blood Act. 2. 23. Him I saye when you had â—aken being delyuered by the determiâ—ed counsell and prouidence of God ye haue slayne with wycked handes being fastened to the crosse Act. 4. 27. 28. For doubtlesse against â—hine holy sonne Iesus whom thou haddest annoynted both Herode and Ponâ—tius Pilate with the Gentiles and theâ— people of Israel were gathered together â—to doo whatsoeuer thine hand thy couÌ„sell had determyned before to be done Rom. 9. 18. Therefore he hath mercy on whome he wyll haue mercy and hardeneth whome he wyll harden 19. Thou wylt saye then vnto mée why is ye yet angrie for who hath resysted his hyll Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in disobedience that he might haue mercy on all Gal. 3. 22. For the scripture hath shut vp all thinges vnder sinne that the promyse by the fayth of Iesus Christ might be geuen to them that beléeue â— Thes. 3. 3. That no man should bée moued in these afflictionsâ— For ye your selues knowe that wee are appoynted there vnto Rom. 8. 29. For whome he knew before those hee also Predestinated to bee made lyke the image of his sonne 1. Pet. 3. 17. For it is better if the wyll of God wyll so haue it that ye suffer for euyll doing 1. Pet. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according vnto the wyll of God commytte their soules vnto him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creatour The seconde Aphorisme THe selfe same God from euerlasting hath purposed and decreed in himselfe to create all things at their seasons to his glorye but namely men and that after two sorts altogether diuers the one to the other to wyt in such maner that some whome it pleaseth him according vnto his secreete wyl he maketh through mercy partakers of his glorie whom out of the word of God we do call vesselles of honour elect or chosen soÌ„nes of the promise and Predestinate or fore-ordained vnto saluation and in other whome also it pleaseth him to styrre vp to that ende he sheweth his wrath and his power that in them also he might be glorified whome lykewise we call vessels of dishonour and wrathâ— and vnapte to euerie good worke Proues out of the worde of God. Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for an euyll daye Esa. 43. 6. I wyll say vnto the North geue and vnto the South kéepe not back Bring my sonnes froÌ„ farre my daughters froÌ„ the vttermost part of the earth 7. All shal be called by my name and I created them for my glory I formed them and also made them Eph. 1. 5. 6. Who hath predestinate or foreordayned vs whome he would adopt or chose into his sonnes through Iesus Christ vnto him selfe according to the good pleasure of his wyl vnto the praise of his glorious grace wherwith he hath made vs to be accepted or to be lyked of in that his beloued Rom. 9â— 23. And that he might make known the ryches of his glory towards the vesselles of his mercie the which he hath prepared vnto glory Rom. 8. 29. For whome he hath foreknown those also hath he Predestinate that they might bée made lyke the Image of his sonne Rom. 9. 7. 8. But in Isaac shal thy séede be called that is not they which are the children of the fleshe are the children of God but they whiche are the sonnes of the promise are coumpted in the séede Ro. 9. 21. Hath not the Potter power ouer the claye to make out of the same lumpe one vessel vnto honour and another vnto dishonour 1. Cor. 2. 7. But we speake the wisdom of God lying in a mistery that is euen the hyd wisedome which God had determyned
that some of them â—re whollie euyll and some of them are â—n part good to wyt so farre as the spirit â— God hath saÌ„ctified or made them holy ¶ Such thinges aâ— are of this sort â—hen as in any action they are moued â—y theyr owne inwarde mouing are â—orthelie sayde to worke and therefore â—â— this kinde of instruments onely falâ—th the difference of well or yll doing â—nd in this respecte they can not proâ—erly be called instruments but rather efficient or working causes Now I call that an euyl action whiâ—â— hath not the reuealed or opened wyll 〈◊〉 God for the end and contrariwise I câ—â— it a good action which hath respect or lâ—â—keth to the wyll of God. ¶ The same albeit they be causes 〈◊〉 farre as they worke by theyr owne proper motion yet in another respect theâ— are called instruments to wyt as ofteâ— and so farre forth as they are moued bâ— another As when the hangman by thâ— commaundement of the Magistrate kylleth a man or when as by impulsioâ— or setting on of the Deuyll men hurtâ— one another or when as the commaundement and in the name of any we doâ— eyther good or euyll vnto any man. ¶ In this kinde of actions all men sâ—â— that one the same worke is attributed vnto two to wyt vnto the one as to him that moueth and worketh by another as by an instrument and to the other as to him that worketh himselfeâ— for hee is in such sort an instrument that hee also worketh by his owne inwarde motion and not simplie as the hammer or Are in the hande of the Smith ¶ Yea for this double respecte a double worke séemeth sometime to bée done in so much that the one maye bée laudable or praise worthy and the other wicked 〈◊〉 if the Magistrate delyuer a man that is an offendor vnto the hangman to be executed there is no man but wyll worthely praise this worke but if the hangman being moued with hatred or couetousnesse or any other wicked luste rather than looking vnto the commaundement of the Iudge doo kyll the same offendor certainly before God bé◠can not escape the crime of murther ¶ Now let vs apply these things vnto God whose efficacy or streÌ„gth we haue proued before to steppe in in all things â—hat are done without exception and in such sort that by those thinges which he hath created as by instruments he doth execute or performe in his tyme whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 hath decreed from euerlasting ¶ Whatsoeuer God doeth is good séeing from him whiche is the chiefe good no euyl can procâ—â— But he dotâ— all thinges All thinges therefore arâ— good so farre forth as they are done by god And that difference of good and euyll hath onely place in the instrumentes and in those of whome we haue spoken in the thyrtéenth proposition ¶ For â—hese instrumentes be good and 〈◊〉 â—ooke vnto the opened wyll of God they worke well and God also worketh well by them whereby it commeth to passe that that worke is alwayes good as when good Angels doo that which God commaundeth and holie men followe God calling them ¶ Euyll instrumentes euyll I saye not by creation but by corruption in so farre as they worke they doo alwayes worke euyl and therefore they worthelye incurre or runne into God his anger but so farre forth as God worketh by them they do serue to the gâ—â— workâ— of God eyther against theyr wylles or else of ignoraunce For God by what instrumentes soeuer he worketh worketh alwayes well ¶ Nowe hée so worketh by those instruments as he doeth not onely suffer them to worke neither onely moderate or rule the euent or thing that falleth out but also hée rayseth them vp styrreth moueth guideth and that which is greatest of all he createth theÌ„ to the end that he might worke by them which he hath appointed all which thinges God â—oth rightly and without any iniustice ¶ For as often as one euyll man sinneth either against him selfe or against another wicked person God without any sinne maketh eyther that the euyll man taketh vengeaunce vpon himselfe or that euyll men shall punishe other euyl men with such punishment as they haue deserued both which workes of God are most righteous and by such examples of his iudgementes God lyfteth vp comforteth those that are his ¶ But so often as wicked men do hurt the good the wicked men sinne in the ende suffer such punishmentes as they haue deserued yet neuerthelesse by them y Lord chastneth instruâ—â—eth and strengthneth his owne and 〈◊〉 by the open enemyes of his Church maketh his Church glorious Yet can not these euyl instrumentes be sayde to obey God because all be it God by them bryngeth byâ— worke to passe yet they so farre as in them is and as concerning their owne counsel and wyll do not the worke of God but their owne worke for the whiche they are iustly punished For all be it what soeuer God worketh by the wicked 〈◊〉 good yet what soeuer the wicked worke is euyll ¶ Neyther is this consequent or reason good God worketh all thynges therefore hee worketh sinneâ— For the paine of sinne agreeth not but to the vicious and saultie qualytie which is wholy in the working instrument ¶ By reason of this â—â—â—rupted quality the worke whiche of itselfe is but one is made some maner of 〈◊〉 twâ—â—old and double insomuch that the one that is the iust worke of God directly fighteth againste the other◠〈◊〉 the â—niust worke of man. ¶ Yet God worketh otherwise by the good instrumentes then by the euyl for besides y hée worketh his worke by the good instruments the good instruments also do worke their owne worke by the same force effiacy which the Lord geueth vnto theÌ„ finally the Lord worketh his worke by them and also worketh in them to wyll to performe But by the wicked as by SataÌ„ or by men in so far as they are not regenerate or borne anew as often as the Lorde executeth or perfourmeth the iust counselles and decrees of his euerlasting wyll hée in deede sheweth forth his strength and efficacy in his worke by them eyther not knowing oâ— it or against their wylles and purposes but yet in so farre as they worke their owne worke the Lord worketh not in them but letteth lose the reines vnto Sathan to whome by hys iust iudgement he geueth them ouer being wicked to be moued and stirred forward that they maye be caried away of their owne wyll and his ¶ Therefore we doo not refuse this terme suffering or graunting neyther yet came it in our mindes to says that God so worketh in the euyll as hee doeth in the good But because that Sophisters haue corrupted the difference of wyll and sufferaunce which Augustine no doubt tooke of the Gréekes and they receyued from Augustine therfore doo we sâ—atly refuse it ¶ For the Sophisters set wyll against permission or sufferaunce wherof doth follow y God sufferth the things
which he suffreth eyther against his wyl or at lest wise being idle not caring for theâ—â— But contrarywise least we shoulde eyther take from God his endles and vnmeasurable power or after the opinion of the Epicures say as the thing indéede is that God neither worketh any thing by instruments but wyllyngly nor yet suffereth the instrumentes to worke but wyllingly yet in suche forte that what soeuer hee worketh hee worketh most iustly and what soeuer he permitteth or suffreth he most iustly suffereth ¶ And God worketh in respeâ—â—â—e of his owne worke and permitteth or suffereth in respecte of the worke that the euyll instrumentes doo of their ownâ— accorde worke or in so farre as they are actiue and not passiue instrumentes that wée may keepe the termes vsed in the scholes Yet doth God iustly suffer the thing that these instrumentes vniustly worke for because that sinnes in so farre as they are suffered by God that wylleth are not sinnes but punishmentes of sinne For with God it is a iust thing to punish sinnes with sinnes But these selfe same actions in so farre as they come from Sathan and euyll men prouoked by Sathan and their owne concupisence or lust are so farre sinnes which the Lord in his time doth iustly punish For the Lord doth neuer suffer sinnes so far as they are sinnes nay he doth alwayes forbid them ¶ Neyther is this consequence or reason good God wylleth all thinges therefore he aloweth all things For he wylleth many thinges and therefore suffereth them not because hée simplye aloweth of them but after a certaine sort for he aloweth them so farre as hee suffereth them euen so farre as they are no sinnes as we sayde euen nowe But he disaloweth punisheth them so farre as he hath respect or loketh vnto the euyl instrumentes whose actions they are These are Augustines wordes Enchirid ad Laurent Cap. â—00 Great are the vvorkes of the Lorde for they are excellent in all his vvylles so that after a wonderful and vnspeakable maner that commeth not to passe besides his vvyll vvhich is done against his vvyll because it should not come to passe if he vvould not suffer it and doubtles he suffereth it not vnwylling but vvylling The same Augustine Lib. 5. Contr. Iulian. Cap. 3. When as he had of purpose disputed against them which make an ydle foreknowledge or sufferaÌ„ce at length he bursteth forth into these wordesâ— VVe doubtles sayeth hée if vve suffer those ouer vvhome vvee haue power to doo vvickednesse before our eyes shall be guiltie vvith them But howe innumerable thinges doeth hée suffer speaking of God To bee done before his eyes vvhich doubtles if he vvoulde not â—e vvould by no meanes suffer And yet he is both iust and good The whole Scripture beareth wytnesse and verie common sence or reason â—oeth tell vs that without the wyll of God nothing is done no not of those things which séeme most chiefly to come to passe by chance or fortune as Gen. 27 20. God is sayd quickly to haue brought the praye vnto Iacob his handes And â—xod 21 â—3 As often as murther is committed at vnwares the Lorde sayeth Moyses caused him to come into thine handes The selfe same thing is taught â—s concerning the falling out of Lottes Prouerb 16. 33. As concerning all the â—ounselles of men Dan. 4. 32. Of the falling of Sparrowes Math. 10. 29. To bee shorte of all thinges without exception Ephe. 1. 11. ¶ And that the wyll of God yea and the same most effectually doth then also â—teppe in when as hée worketh by thâ— wicked may plainly appeare almost iâ— euery leafe of the scripture So is â—e saiâ— to haue sent Ioseph into Egipt Gen. 45â— 8. So he stirred vp Pharao to declare hiâ— power in him Exod. 4. 21. So he gauâ— Dauid his wyues vnto his sonne Absolom 2. Sam. 12. 11. So he moued the heart of Dauid to number the people 2. Sam. 24. 1. So he commaunded Semei to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16. 10. So Dauid calleth his enemies the sword hand of the Lord Psal. 17. 13. 14. So the Lorde calleth the Medes and Persians his sanctified and the instrumentes of his wrath Esa. 10. 5. and 13. 6. So he calleth the falling away of the ten Tribes his worke 2. Paralip 11. 4. So Iob sayth the Lord geneth and the Lorde hath taken awaye Iob. 1. 21. So the King of Babilon is compared vnto an Are and a Sawe to wyt because the Lorde executed or brought to passe his worke by him thinking on no such thing Esa. 10. 1â— So the godly are afflicted or troubled by the wyll and Predestination or foreordayning of God Rom. 8. 29. and. 1 Pet. 3. 17. and. 4. 19 So there is no euyll in the Cittie wâ—â—ch the Lord hath not done Amos. 3. 6. and Ierem. Lament 3. 37. 38. Who is â—he then â—ayeth he which hath sayde and it commeth to passe and the Lorde 〈◊〉 not commaunded out of the mouth of the Lorde procéedeth there not good and euyll ¶ Goe to then let for example bée chosen the most excellent and also the 〈◊〉 wicked deede that euer was The mâ—st excellent if we beholde eyther hâ—â— the endlesse iustice and mercie of 〈◊〉 Father or the infinite obedience and loue of the Sonne But the most wycked if we consider the instruments themselues to wyt Satan Iudas the Iewes Pylate and Herode This déede vvee speake of is the death of the â—â—nne of God full of crueltie and reâ—â—â—che In this facte if we denie the euerlasting counsel of God to haue steppâ—d in wée shall be conuinced or proued to speake false by infinite testymonies of the Scripture For sure it is that wée were not chosen before the foundations of the worlde were layde but onlye in him appoynted to dye Ephes. 1â— 4â— and. 1. Peter 1. 20. Wherefore he is also called the Lambe slaine from the begynning of the world Apoc. 13. 8. Tâ—wyt not onely by the fore knowledge but especially by the determined counsell of God in so much that Herode and Pylate altâ—ough thinkyng of no suâ—h thing yet therefore came togeatherâ— to fulfyll such thinges as the hande and counsell of the Lorde had decreede to be done Act. 4. 28. Therefore he could not be taken but at his howre Iohn 7. 30. and 8. 29 and. 12 27. For he was delyuered by the determyned counsell oâ— God and decrée before going Act. 2. 29â— And was wounded of God for our iniquityes Esai 53. 5. For God is he who spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all Rom. 8. 32. Therefore if there were but this one example of God his euerlasting prouidence which neuer is ydle it were abundantly inough to suffice to coÌ„uince or reproue al those which falsely crye out that God is made the Authour of sinne when as we saye that nothing commeth to passe but by the righteous wyll of God. ¶ And yet doo we not therfore excuse but rather most sharply accuse
of Israel to his owne destruction Exod. 14. So that resysting the power of God he perysheth in this worlde and in the worlde to come hee is appoynted to the euerlasting fyre prepared for the Deuyll and his Angelles by the iust iudgement of the almighty Lorde who being refused and so openly resysted iustlye doeth geue ouer the wycked to theyr owne Reprobate myndes with greedynesse to fulfyll theyr fleshlie desyres and obstinate purpose to prosecute that which the Deuyll and the worlde wylleth them to doo and causeth them to heape vpon theyr owne heades theyr owne dampnation treasuring and storing vp al theyr lyfe long workes deseruing the wrath of God against the daye of his wrath and vengeaunce as the Apostle sayth to the Romaines This Reprobation then is the declaration of God his seuere iustice and iust iudgement against the Serpent and his séede whome by the worde of his eternall wisedome hée hath accursed from the begynning and appoynted to euerlasting torment The which worke necessarie for the procéeding of God his holy prouideÌ„ce Eternall and neuer ceasing regyment and gouernaunce because it is the worke of the wyll of the myghtie God which is the verie lawe equity and iustice it selfe frée from all affections farre from all faulte cryme or sinne It ought to bee knowne vnto vs all that all fleshe maye tremble and consider before whome it standeth euen before that great Lord and mighty God who hath power both ouer the bodie and Soule to cast into hell fyre To whome no man may saye what doest thou Being lyke the claye in the Potters hande or the staffe or axe in the hande of the smyter Who offendeth against no lawe bicause his godly wyll is the lawe it selfe and to knowe his pleasure is to know the lawe to follow his wyl is to doo the lawe so that of necessitye this great Lorde is so farre frée from al sinne that nothing is good but that which is wrought by him nothing can be euyll that he worketh in his creatures No the fall of Lucifer the father of the reprobate doth vtter his maiestie doth shew his iustice which olde Satan and Father Deuyl was worthily cast downe into the bottome of Hell and eternally condempned to euerlasting payne and torment because he dyd so ambiciously and proudly climbe vp aboue his apointed place in the heauens And where the mallice of this olde serpent caused Adam the first man to mount aboue his estate to desyre to know good euyl lyke a God the maruellous mercy of God and inestimable loue towardes mankind caused compelled this wicked worke of the Serpent to serue his glory and to turne to our great commodity and profyte in that he rayseth of the seede of man another Adam most innocent and holy agaynst whom no Diuel neyther any helly power may preuayle by whome we are not only reconciled vnto God and doo obteyne pardon for this offence but wée are borne a newe and as it were agayne created into greater glory by farre than wée were at the first for the first man had onely a promise to lyue in 〈◊〉 earthly garden to long as 〈◊〉 dyd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the for bidden frute wée haue the â—â— of the heauenly Paradice and euerlasting pleasures He had earthly meate and fruâ—â— we haue the heauenly 〈◊〉 which â—â—deth into life euerlasting He was created to worke in the Garden workes naturall we are renewed vnto workes supernaturall aboue nature heauenly and celestiall He was 〈◊〉 by the Serpentâ— wee doo ouercome and triumpâ—e ouer the Serpent sâ—nne Diuell Death and Hell. He had the gifte of reason and vnderstanding we haue the rich wisdome of God his holy spirite whereby wée discerne our owne infirmity and weaknesse and his almightie power mercy and goodnesse To bee shorte where hee dyd runne from God â—id himâ— sowed Figge leaues to couer his shame following his â—ond fantasie We doo boldly beholde the course of Gods working in our nakednesse sinne and infirmitie and magnifie renowme and prayse our Lord God which sheweth his grace by our sinne which vttereth his power by our weaknesse his wisedome by our foolishnesse which setteth forth his elect vessels his chosenâ— Abels by Caynits the vessels of his wrath In which Cayn the first murtherer and therfore manifestly of the serpentes seede appeareth euidently the iust iudgement of the Almightie God accuâ—sing and condemning in Satan and Cayn all sinnes and wickednesse To vtter that he abhorreth sinne and hateth it béeing so farre contrarie from his nature which is iustice it selfe contrarie from his wyll which is equitie and his lawe which is iudgement In Pharao a childe of the same father reprobate indurate and accursed whome God stirred vp for the declaration of his great power and mightie arme as well in the manyfolde myracles wrought for his people which nothing had needed neither had ben occasioned if there had not bene such a tyraunt soo indurate and so obstinate to withstande God his seruants as also by the subuersion drouning of him his people in the red Sea a signe taken first of the eternall and iâ—eâ—itable destruction damnation whervnto the wicked are appoynted than of the saluation assigned sealed vp for the elect chosenâ— we do learne héerby also y power of God which the very Sorcerers the enimies of God were compelled to confesse before Pharao Exod. 8. Wée doo learne moreouer the iustice of God which iustice Pharao him selfe was compelled agaynste him selfe to denounce and affirme Exod. 9. And finally wée may sée expressed moste manifestly the fatherly mercy of the God of Iacob whiche dyd giue the king and the whole people of Egypt a pryce for his chosen Iacob â—o the loue towardes Iacob and the hatred towardes Esaâ— What shall wee speake of Iudas and other manifestlye reprobate whiche are compelled by the testimonye of theyr owne consciences to pronounce them selues wicked and therefore to feare god his seuere iustice and iust iudgement to flye the refrom by the terrour of their euill consciences which is more sore than a thousand witnesses agaynst suche as God doth leaue to their owne selues The which terrible examples the elect of Godâ— hauing before their eyes hath great cause to prayse their heaueÌ„ly father through his sonne Christ who hath sent them his holy spirit of comfort which will neuer suffer them to be tempted aboue that they are able to suffer and to beare But where we haue two kinde of men that be aduersaries to this doctrine of Reprobation The one sorte vttering them selues most manifest Reprobate obstinate and wylfully wicked crying and blaspheming we wyll followe our lusts what neede we to care howe we lyue or what we doo If we be elected with Iacob wee shall bée saued if wée bée reiecte and cursed with Cham wée shall bée damned These Lucifers not submitting themselues to the gouernance of God carelesse what becommeth of them must be heatâ— downe with the consideration of the
before the worlde vnto our glorye Eph. 1. 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the fouÌ„dations of the world were layd that wee should be holy and without eame before him in loue 2. Thes. 2. 13. But we ought to gyue thankes alwayes to God for you brethren beloued of the Lorde because God hath chosen you from the beginning vnto saluation through sanctificatioÌ„ of the spirite and faith geuen to the trueth 1. Pet. 1. 2. Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the spirite Exod 9. 16. And in déede for this cause haue I appointed thée to wytte to shew thée my power and that they should declare my name throughout the whole worlde Prouerb 16. 4. The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for an euyll daye Rom. 9. 22. What and if God minding to declare his wrath and to make his power known hath suffered with much gentlenesse the vesselles of wrathâ— couched together to destruction The thirde Aphorismâ— THis election and chosing or Predestination and forcordaining vnto saluation being considered in the purpose of God it selfe that is to saie the decree it selfe and purpose of electing or chosing is the first fountaine of the saluation of the Sonnes of God and doeth not spring as some woulde haue it from the forâ—knowledge eyther of their faith or workes but rather of that onelie which is in the good pleasure of God it selfe from the which afterwarde doo both election or chosing and also faith and all good workes spring Proues out of the worde of God. Deut. 4 37. And because he loued thy Fathers he chose their seede after them and hath brought thée out of Egipt before him by his most mightie power Deut. 7. 7. 8. God hath not loued you and chosen you because you were more in number then al other people but because the Lorde loued you c. Ios 24. 2. And Iosua sayde to all the people Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel your Fathers dwelled beyonde the floodde in olde tyme as Thare the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor and serued other Gods c. Psal. 44. 3. For they possessed not the Lande with their owne sworde neither dyd their owne arme saue them but thy ryght hande and thy arme and the light of thy countenannce because thou â—aâ—oâ—â—edst them Iohn 15. â—6 You haue not chosen mée but I haue choseÌ„ you and ordained you that ye goe and bring forth fruite c. Act. 13. 48. And when the Gentyles heard these things they reioyced and glorified the worde of the Lord and beleued as manie as were ordeined vnto euerlasting lyfe Act. 22. 14. And he sayd the God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest knowe his wyl and see that iust one shouldest heare the voice of his mouth Rom. 5 6. For Christ when we were yet of no strengthe at his tyme dyed for the vngodlye Ro. 9. 11. 12. For the children being not yet borne wheÌ„ as they had done neither good nor euyll that the purpose of God which is according vnto his electioÌ„ that is to say not of workes but of him y calleth might remaine sure it was said vnto her the elder shal serue the younger 13. As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau. 14. What shall we say then Is there any vnrighteousnesse with God God forbyd 15. For he sayth vnto Moyses I wyll haue mercie on him on whome I wyll haue mercy I wyl haue compassion on him on whome I wyl haue compassion 16. So then Election is not in him that wylleth neyther in him that runneth but in god that sheweth mercie 18. Therfore he hath mercy on whome he wyl and whome he wyl he hardneth 25. And that he might make knowne the ryches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercie which hée hath prepared vnto glorie Rom 11. 7. What then Israell hath not obtained that which he séeketh but the Elect haue obtained it and the rest haue beene hardened 35. Or who hath geuen vnto him first and it shall be geuen vnto him againe 1 Cor. 4â—7 For who separateth thee and what hast thou that thou hast not â—eceaued If thou hast receyued it why reioycest thou as though thou haddest not receyued it Eph. 1. 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundatioÌ„ of the world were laide that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him in loue 5. Who hath Predestinate or foreordained vs whome hée woulde adopt or chose into sonnes through Iesus Christ vnto him selfe according to the good pleasure of his wyll 11. In whom also we are chosen when we were Predestinate or foreordayned according to the purpose of him which worketh al things after the counsell of his owne wyll Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Colos. 1. 12. Geuing thankes vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to bée partakers of the inheritaunce of the Saintes in lyght 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according vnto our works but according vnto his owne purpose and grace which was geuen vs in Christe Iesus before the tymes of the worlde The fowrth Aphorismâ— THerefore the Scripture as ofâ—en as it vvyll strengthen the sonnes of God vvith assured hope stayeth not eyther in the testimonies or vvitnesses of the second causeâ— that is to saye in the ftuites of faith nor yet in the seconde and next causes them selues to wyt faith and vocation or calling but ascendeth or clymeth vp vnto Christ him selfe in whom notwithstanding as in the head we are in very deede electe and adopted and afterward goeth vp euen vnto that euerlasting purposeâ— vvhich God hath purposed in no other than in him selfe Proues out of the worde of God. Math. 25. 3 Then shal the King say vnto them which shall be at his right hand come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world were layde Iohn 6. 40. And this is the wyl of him which sent mée that euery one which sâ—â—th the sonne beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting lyfe and I wyll rayse him vp at the last daye Act. 13. 48. And the Gentyles hearing these thinges reioyced and glorified the word of the Lord beléeued as many as were ordayned vnto euerlasting lyfe Rom. 8. 29. For whome he hath foreknowen the same also hath he Predestinate or foreordained that they should be lyke the Image of his sonne Rom. 9. 8 Not they which are the children of the flesh are the children of God but they which are the chyldren of the promise are coumpted in the seede 11. For the chyldren not being yet born when as they had done neyther good nor euyl that the purpose of God which is according vnto his election that is to
say not by workes but by him that calleth myght remaine sure c. 16. So then the election is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that taketh mercy 23. And that he might make knowne the ryches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorye 11. What then that Which Israell séeketh c. Ephes. 1. 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundacions of the world were layde c. â—5 Who hath predestinat or fore ordeined vs whom he woulde adopte or chose into his sonnes through Iesus Christ vnto him selfe 9. The mysterie of his wyll beynge reuealed vnto vs acording vnto his frée good will which he hath purposed in him selfe 11. In whome also wear chosen c. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Yeat the foundacion of God remaineth sure haâ—ing this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christe departe from iniquitie 1. Cor. 2. 7. But we speake the wisdom of God lying hid in a mistery euen that hyd wisdome which God had determined before the world vnto our glorie 10. But God hath reueled those things vnto vs by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all thinges yea the deepe thinges of God. 1. Pet. 1. 19. 20. But being redéemed with his pretious blood as of a Lambe without spotte and vndefiled to wyt Christ which was foreordained before the fouÌ„dations of the world were layd but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes The fifth Aphorisme ALso wheÌ„ there is intreated of the destruction of the reprobats or ofcasts 1 albeit the whole fault remaine within them selues 2 yet sometimes as often as it is so needefull the spirite of God to make known the ryches of his glorie vpon the vesselleâ— of mercie and his excellent power and also gentlenesse the better by comparison lifteth vs vp euen vnto that highe misterie vvhich in order goeth before all the causes of their damnation Of vvhich secreete doubtlesse there is no other cause known vnto men besides his righteous vvyll the which we ought reuerently to receaue as comming vndoubtedly from him vvhâ— is naturally iust and can no other vvay be conceyued of men nor of any other Proues out of the worde of God. Hos. 13. 9. Thy iniquity hath destroied thee O Israel but in mee is thy helpe Iohn 3. 19. And this is the condempnation that lyght is come into the worlde but men haue loued rather darkenesse than lyght Rom 9. 23. And that hée might make knowne the ryches of his glory vppon the vessels of mercy the which he hath ordained vnto glory Exod. 9. 16. And in déede for this cause I haue appointed thée euen to shew thee my power and that they should declare my name in the whole earth Psa. 33. 15. Which hath fashioned their heartes euery one considering al theyr workes Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked man for an euil day Rom 9. 11. For the children not being yeat borne when as they had done neyther good nor euyll that the purpose of God according vnto his electon that is not by works but by him that calleth might remaine sure c. 13. As it is writteÌ„ I haue loued Iacob but hated Esau. Where he doth not onlye say that Esau before he had done any good was ordeined vnto â—atred for after this sorte he might seeme to touch none but actual sinnes as they say or vnbelefe but faith plainlie before he was borne By which words he excludeth or shâ—tteth out froÌ„ the cause of hatred original sinne also whatsoeuer in the person of Esau might be reckoned from his very birth Therfore wheras a litle after he bringeth in the reprobates or ofcastes parting here against he doth not attrybute vnto them such like kind of speach why doth not God beare the same hatred towards others also for asmuch as they are borne in y same corruption that we are I saye there is no such thing read in the word of the Apostle but he setteth this theyr exception against it who shal withstande his wyll For herevppon mannes reason gathereth that they are vnworthely condempned Neyther doth Paul auâ—swere that God dyd so wyll it because he dyd foresée that they woulde bée corrupted and so that the cause of the decree was grounded vppon theyr wickednesse which defence was plaine and readie if it had béene true but whylste he confesseth that it so pleased God and that it was not in their wyll to chaunge it doubtlesse hée abateth the pryde of mannes wisedome that it maye reuerentlye esteeme of the secréetes of God as is most meete But the electe or chosen he exhorteth to beholde the grace of God the which he setteth foorth with suche comparison So therefore must other testymonies be expounded in the which wee goe vp vnto the hyghest wyll of God which is the onely rule of iustice Esa. 54. 16. Beholde I haue made the Smyth that bloweth coales in the fyre and bryngeth forth an instrument for his worke I I saye haue made the destroyer to destroye Ioh. 6. 44. No man can come vnto mée vnlesse the Father that sent mée drawe him Iohn 10. 26. But you beléeue not for you are not of my shéepe as I saydâ— vnto you Ioh. 12. 39. 40. and Esa. 6. 10 Therfore they coulde not beleeue because â—saias hath sayde againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardened theyr hearts least they should sée with their eyes and vnderstande with their hearts and should turne and I should heale them 1. Pet. 7. 8. And a stone to stumble at a rock of offeÌ„ce vnto them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained And in many other places Iud. 1. 4. For there haue crept in certaine men being before of olde ordained vnto this condempnation The sixt Aphorisme FOr vvee must make a difference betweene the purpose of reprobating or ofcasting and betweene reprobation or ofcasting it selfe For the misterie or secrete of that God would haue to be hyd from vs But of this and of the destruction also that dependeth or hangeth vpon it vve haue causes expressed in the word of God to vvyt the corruption vnbeleefe and sinne the vvhich are necessary or must needes bee in respect of the falling out of them of the vesselles madâ— vnto dishonour Proues out of the worde of God. 2. Thes. 2. 9. The coÌ„ming of the which wicked man is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders 10. And with all deceyuâ—ablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe for that they receyued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued 11. And therefore God shal send them strong delusion that they should beléeue â—yes 12. That all they might be dampned which haue not beleeued the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 11. 20. Well through vnbeléefâ— they are broken
did repent Luc. 24. 4. 5. Then he opened their â—â—ind that they might vnderstand the scriptures Act. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lydia which solde purple in the Citie of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she gaue heede vnto the thinges which Paule spakeâ— 1. Cor. 2. 10. But vnto vs hath God reuealed or opened them by his spyriteâ— For the spirite searcheth al things eueâ— the depthes of God. 11. For what man hath knowen theâ— thinges of man but the spyrite of manâ— which is in him So also the thinges which are of God no man knoweth but the spyrite of God. 12. And we haue not receaued the spirite of the worlde but the spyrite which is of God that we maye knowe those things which God hath geuen vnto vs. 16. For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde that he might instruct him But we haue the minde of Christ. Colo. 1. 26. To wyt the mysterie or secréete hyd since the world began and from all ages but nowe is it made manifest vnto his Saints 27. Unto whome God woulde make knowen what is the ryches of his glorious mysterie or secréete amonge the Gentyles that is of Christ in you who is that hope of glorie Ephes. 1. 16. Making mention of you 〈◊〉 my prayers 17. That the God of our Lorde Iesus â—hrist the Father of glorie would geue â—nto you the spyrite of wisedome and â—euelation through the knowledge of â—im 18. That the eyes of your minde beâ—ng lyghtened you may knowe what is â—hat hope of his calling and what are â—he ryches of the glorie of his heritage â—n the Saintes â— Ioh. 3. 24. For hée that kéepeth his â—ommaundementes dwelleth in him and he in him and by this doo we know â—hat hée dwelleth in vs to wyt by the spyrite which he hath geuen vs. â— Ioh. 5. 20. But we knowe that the sonne of God is commen and hath geuen vs a minde to knowe him which is â—râ—e and wee are in him that is true that is in his sonne Iesus Christ he is verie God and lyfe euerlasting Rom. 8. 15. For you haue not receaued the spyrite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receaued the spyrite of adoption by whiche wée crye Abba that is to say father 16. The which very spirit witnesseth together with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God. Gal. 4. 6. And because you are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your heartes crying Abba that is to say Father Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are ledde by the spirit of God these are the sonns of God. 1. Ioh. 3. 10. By this are the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the Deuyl manifesâ— whosoeuer doth not exercise righteousnes is not of God nor he whiche loueth not his brother 1. Ioh. 4. 13. By this do we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath geuen vs of his spirit 14. And we haue seene and beare witnes that the Father hath sent his soÌ„ne to be the Sauiour of the world Phi. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to wyl and to doo or both the wyll and the deede euen of his frée good pleasure Rom. 6. 18. And being made frée from â—nnne ye are made the seruants of righâ—eousnes The eleuenth Aphorisme THese are therefore the degrees or steppes by vvhiche it pleaseth the Lorde freelie to create in his electe or chosen that precious and peculyar gifte of faith vvhereby they maie laye hold on theyr saluation in Christe But because faith is onelie begunne in vs to the ende vvee maie bee able not onelie to perseuere or continue in it but also to profite vvhich thing is altogeather necessarie 1 for this cause fyrste of all vvee are imitiated or entred as it vvere into Relygion by the Sacramente of Baptisme moreouer besides the hearing of the vvorde that fayth is 2 againe â—ealed â—n vs by the sacrament of the Lord his Supper of the which Sacraments this verily is the chiefe end that they are certaine and effectual seales also charters of the faithfull communicating or partaking with Christ 3 vvho is made vnto them vvisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 4 VVherfore it is verie often rehearsed in Paule that vve being iustified or made righteous by faith haue peace Proues out of the worde of God. Mar. 16. 16. He that beléeueth and is baptized shall be saued Act. 2. 38. Repente and be euery one of you baptized in the name of Iesus Christ vnto remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes and ye shall receyue the gifte of the holy ghost Rom. 6. 3. Know ye not that as many of vs as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death 4. We are buried then togeather with hym through baptysme into his death that as Christe was raysed vp from the dead vnto the glorie of his Father so we also shoulde walke in a new lyfe Gal 3. 27. For all ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. Româ— 4 11. And he receyued the signe of circumcision which should seale the 〈◊〉 righteousnes of fayth which was in the uncyrcumcision Cololâ— 2. 12. Being buryed with him through baptisme by which also ye haue rysen againe with him through the faith of God working effectually who raysed 〈◊〉 vp from the dead Ephes. 5. 25. 26. Lyke as Christ loued â—â— congregation and gaue him selfe for 〈◊〉 sanctifie it or make it holy clensing 〈◊〉 with the washing of water throâ—gh the worde 1. Pet. 3 21. To the which the figure of baptisme now agréeing saueth vs also not in that the filth of the flesh is cast away but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God by the resurrectâ—â—n or rising againe of Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 10. 16. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of 〈◊〉 body of Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who is made vnto vs of God wisdom and righteousnes and sanctification and redemtion Rom. 3. 21. But now the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the law being approbated both of the lawe and of the Prophetes 22. The righteousnesse I say of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto al and vpon all whiche beléeue for there is no dyfference c. 24. And they are iustified or made righteouse fréely that is to saye by his grace through the redemption made in Christ Iesus 25. Whome God hath set forth to bée an appeasement through fayth in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the forgeuenesse of the sinnes that are passed Rom. 4. 2. For if Abraham were iustified or made righteouse by workes hee hath whereof he may glory but not with God. Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being iustified or made righteous by fayth we haue peace towardes God through our Lord Iesus
Christ. The twelfth Aphorisme FOR 1 whosoeuer hath obtained the gifte of true faith the same also trusting vnto the lyke lyberalitie of God ought in deede to bee carefull for perceuerance or continuance to the ende but not to stande in doubt of the same but rather in all kinde of temptations and afflictions to call vppon God 2 vvith assured hope to obtaine that which hee asketh so farre forth as is expedient or meete for asmuch as hee knoweth him selfe to be the sonne of God who cannot disceaue him 3 Furthermore he doth neuer goe so farre astray out of the right waye but that through the benefite of the same grace at the length hee commeth into the way againe But be it that sometimes faith lye buried in the chosen for a season insomuch that it may seeme to be wholie extinguished or quenched to wyt that thereby they maye knowe their owne imbicilitie or weaknesse yet it neuer goeth so farre awaie that the loue of God and their neighbour is vtterlie plucked out of their mindes For no man is iustified or made righteous in Christ but hee is also sanctified or made holie in him 4 yea and moreouer is created vnto good vvorkes the vvhich the Lord hath ordained that vve should vvalke in them Proues out of the word of God Numb 23. 19. God is not man that he can lye nor the sonne of man that he can repent hath he sayd and shal he not doo it Hath he spoken and shall he not performe it Psal. 23. 6. Yet kindnesse and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my lyfe and I shall remaine in the house of the Lord along season Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my saluation of whom shall I be afraid the Lord is the strength of my lyfe of whome shall I stand in feare 3. Though they pitch Tentes against me my heart shall not feare if warre be raysed agaist mée I doo trust in him Ioh. 6. 37. What soeuer my father geueth mee shall come vnto mée and him that commeth vnto mée doo I not cast forth Ioh. 17. 15. I pray not that thou take theÌ„ out of the world but that thou kéepe them from euyll Ioh. 10. 28. And I geue vnto them euerlasting lyfe and they shall not perish for euer neither shal any man take them out of my hande 29. My father which gaue them vnto mee is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Rom. 5. 2. Through whom also we had this entrance by faith into this grace by the which we stand and doo glory vnder hope of the glory of God. 3. And not that only but also we doo glory in afflictions knowing that affliction worketh patience 4. And patience experience and experyence hope 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because that the loue of God is shed abrode is geuen vnto vs. Rom. 11. 20. Thou standest by faith be not hye minded but feare 1. Cor. 2. 12. But we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of God that we maye knowe what things God hath fréelie bestowed vpon vs. 16. For who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde that he wyll instruct him but we haue the minde of Christ. 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that seemeth vnto him selfe to stande let him take héede least he fall Eph. 1. 9. The mysterie or secréete of his wyll being opened vnto vs according vnto his frée good pleasure which he had purposed in him selfe Phil. 1. 6. Being perswaded of this same thing that hee that hath begonne this good worke in you wyll performe it vntyll the day of Iesus Christ. 1. Thes. 5. 24. Hée is faithfull which hath called you which also wyll bring it to passe 2. Cor. 1. 21 Moreouer it is God which confirmeth or strengthneth vs with you into Christ which hath annointed vs. Heb. 4. 16. Let vs approche therfore with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace that wée may obtaine mercie and finde fauour to helpe in tyme of néede Heb. 10. 22. Let vs drawe néere with a true heart and certaine perswasion of fayth hauing our heartes pure from an euyll conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water 23. Let vs kéepe the confession of our faith without wauering for he is faithfull which hath promised Iam. 1. 6. But let him aske in fayth doubting nothing I. Ioh. 5. 14. And this the boldnesse whiche we haue with God to wyt that hée heareth vs if we aske any thing according vnto his wyll 15. But if wée knowe that hée heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the requests that we haue asked of him So erred Abraham Moyses Aaron Dauid Peter c. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. If wée saye wée haue no â—â—nne we disceaue our selues and theyr is no truth in vs. 10. If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in vs. Luc. 22. 32. But I haue prayed for thée that thy fayth should not fayleâ— therefore when thou art conuerted strenghthen thy brethren I. Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God committeth not sinne because that his seade abideth in him and he can not sinne because he is borne of God. 10. By this are the sonnes of God and the soÌ„nes of the Deuyl manifest Whosoeuer exerciseth not righteousnesse is not of God nor he which loueth not his brother Rom. 6. 1. What shall we say then shall we remayne in sinne that grace may the more abounde 2. God forbid we that are dead in sinne howe shall we yet liue in it c. 1. Ioh. 4. 20 If a man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a lyar for hee that loueth not his brother whome hee hath séene how can he loue God whome he hath not seene 2. Pet. 1. 5. And geuing all dylygence vnto this thing ioyne vertue vnto your fayth vnto vertue knowledge 6. And vnto knowlege temperance and vnto temperaunce patience And vnto patience godlynesse 7. And vnto godlynesse brotherly kindnes vnto brotherly kindnes loue 8. For if these things bée among you â—houÌ„d they wyl make you that you neither shal be idle nor vnfruitful vnto the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. 9. For he that hath not these things is â—lynd séeing nothing farre of forgetting that he was clensed from his old sinnes Ephes. 1. 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world were layd that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him through loue Eph. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes the whiche God hath ordeyned that we should walke in them The thirtene Aphorisme THis therefore is the vvaie vvhereby God ordaineth those his elect or chosen vnto the full execution or perfourmance of his counselles vvhome it pleaseth him to bring vp amongste men so long tyll they growe vp to full age But as touching those vvhome he calleth out vnto his
kingdome being yet scarce borne or in their first yeares the vvaie is more compendious or shorter 1 For vvhen as hee comprehendeth in his free conenaunt vvhereof Christ is mediator not onely the faithfull but also their posteritie vnto a thousande generations so that hee doeth plainlie pronounce it to bee holie there is no doubte but that he hath geuen the children of holie men vvhich pertaine vnto his election whom he alone doth know vnto his sonne who surelie vvyll not cast forth these also Proues out of the worde of God. Gen. 17. 7. And I wyll establishe my coueâ—aunt betweene mee and thée and betweene they seede after thée in theyr â—â—eration with an euerlasting coueâ—â—nt to wyt to be God vnto thée and 〈◊〉 séede after thée â—â— Exod. 20. 6. And shewing mercie vnâ—â—thousandes that loue mee and keepe 〈◊〉 commaundements â— Cor. 7. 14. For the vnbeléeuing husâ—ande is sanctified by the wyfe and the â—â—nbeléeuing wyfe is sanctified by her â—usbande else doubtlesse were your â—hildren vncleane but nowe are they â—olye Ioh. 6. 37. Whatsoeuer my Father â—eueth mée shall come vnto mée and â—â—im that commeth vnto mée doo I not â—cast forth The fifth Chapter ¶ In what order the Lorde doeth beginnâ— to execute or fulfyll and in deede are effectuallie to declare his counsell of reprobation or of casting The first Aphorisme IT may easily be vnderstaÌ„ded by those thinges vvhich vve haue sayde before howe the Lorde doeth bring to passe 1 that they maye goe vnto their owne place 2 whome he hath created therefore that he might be glorifyed in their iust condemnation 3 For lyke as Christ the seconde Adam from heauen is the foundation and whole substaunce of the saluation of the electe or chosen so also the fyrst Adam from the earth because he fell is therefore the fyrst causer of hatred and destruction the vvhich shall come vpon the reprobates or ofcastes Proues out of the worde of God. Act. 1 25. That hée maye take the rowme of this mynisterie and Apostlewyppe from which Iudas hath gone astraye to goe to his owne place Rom. 9 22. But what if he mynding to declare his wrath to make knowne his power hath suffered with muche gentlenesse the vesselles of wrath ordained to destruction Math. 25. 41. Then shall he also say to them that shall be on his left hande ye cursed depart from mee into euerlasting â—yre which is prepared for the Dâ—â—â—and his Aungelles Rom. 5. 18. Lykewise then as by one â—offence the faulte came on all men to condempnation so by one iustifying the benefite abounded on all men vnto the iustification of lyfe â— Cor 15. 21. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection or rysing againe from the dead 22. For as in Adam all dye euen so in Christ shall all be made a lyue The second Aphorisme FOr when as the Lorde being moued therevnto vvith such causes as hee alone knewe 1 had purposed to create them to this ende that he might shewe foorth his vvrath and power in them vvith all hee ordained as it vvere by degrees and steppes those causes by the vvhich it shoulde come to passe that the whole blame of their destruction should lye in them selues according as vve haue shewed before Man therefore falling vvyllinglie and of his owne accorde into that miserable estate 2 the Lorde whâ—â— vvorthelie hateth the reprobate or ofâ—castes for so much as they are corrupteâ— sheweth forth his iust anger vpon someâ— of them so sone as they are borne Proues out of the worde of God. Rom. 9. 17. For the scripture sayth vnto Pharao for this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shew my power in thée and that my name might be declared through out all the earth 22. What and if God would to shewe his wrath and make his power knowen suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to distructionâ— Exod. 20. 5. I the Lord the God am a gealous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thyrde fowrth generation of them that hate mée Ephes. 2. 3. Among whome also wée al had our conuersation in times past in the lustes of our â—lesh doing such things as lyked our fleshe and myndes and were the sonnes of wrath as well as others Rom. 5. 14. But death reigned from Adam vnto Moises euen ouer them also which had not synned after the lyke manner of the transgression of Adam which was the fygure of him that was to come The thirde Aphorisme BVt in them that are growen to full age he obserueth or vseth two other vvayes altogether diuerse and contrarye one to the other for hee vouchsaueth not some once this much fauour as to heare any thing at all of Christe 1 in vvhome alone is saluation 2 But letteth them goe in their owne vvayes and to make haste vnto assured destruction 3 For such testimonies or vvitnesses of his Godhead as hee hath left vnto them are of force onelye thus farre that they haue nothing to pretend or alleadge for their excuse 4 yet through their owne faulte for asmucâ—â— as this their selfe same ignoraunce anâ—â— slaggishnesse in vvhich they are is a puâ—nishment of that same corruption wherâ— in they vvere borne And truelie vvhatsoeuer they can see in matters touchingâ— God by this light or rather darkness ofâ— nature albeit they dyd not faint in theâ— midle of their race yet it is such as it can by no meanes be suffycient vnto saluation 5 For it is necessarie vnto saluation that we know God not only as God but also as a father in Christ 6 the whiche secreete fleshe and blood doeth not reueale or open but the Sonne him selfe to those onelie vvhome he hath receaued of his Father Proues out of the word of God. Mat. 1. 21. And she shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue his people from their sinnes Act 4. 12. Neyther is theyr saluation in any other For there is no other name vnder heauen which is geuen among men by which we must be saued Act 14 16. Who in the ages that are passed suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore also God gaue them ouer vnto the lustes of their owne hartes to vncleanesse c. Ephes. 2. 11. Remember that you were sometimes Gentyles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision c. â— That you I say were at that time without Christ and were alians from the common wealth of Israell straungers from the couenaunts of promiseâ— c. Rom. 1. 19. For that which may bee knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them Act. 14. 17. Albeit he hath not suffered him selfe to be without witnesse by doâ—â— good vnto vs c. Act. 17. 27. That they should séeke God if paraduenture they might finde him by feeling c. Rom. 1. 20. For his inuisible things
24. Reade the Parrable of the Sower Act. 1. 16. Men and brethren this Scripture must needes haue beene fulfylled which the holie ghost foretolde by the mouth of Dauid as concerning Iudas c. 17. For he was numbred with vs and had obtained part of his ministerie Ioh. 6. 37. Whatsoeuer my Father geueth mee shall come vnto mee and him that coÌ„meth vnto mée I cast not away Ezec. 13. 9. And mine hande shall be vpon the Prophets that sée vanity and diuine lyes they shall not bée in the assemblye of my people neither shal they be written in the writing of the house of Israell c. 1. Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had béene of vs they would doubtles haue continued with vs c. Ioh. 8. 34. Uerily veryly I say vnto you whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne Rom. 5. 12. Therefore like as by one man sinne hath entred into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men in as much as al men haue sinned Rom. 6. 20. For when as ye were serâ—auntes of sinne ye were fréede from righteousnesse Rom. 7. 14. We know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall or fleshly sould to be subiect vnto sinne Rom. 8. 7. Because that the vnderstanding of the fleshe is enmitie against god For it is not subiecte vnto the lawe of God neyther in deede can bée 2. Pet. 2. 22. But it happeneth vnto theÌ„ which is wont to be sayd in the prouerb the dogge is turned againe vnto his vomyt and the sowe that was washed to hyr wallowing in the myre 1. Tim. 4. 1. For the spirit sayth plainly that it shall come to passe that in the latter times some shall fall from the fayth geuing héede vnto disceauing spirites and vnto doctrines of Deuyls Math. 12. 43. Read the parable of the seuen spirites Rom. 9. 19. Thou wilt then say vnto mee why is he yet angry For who hath withstood his wyll 2. Thes. 2. 6. Whose comming is by the working of Sathan with al power and signes and lying wonders 10. And wyth all diceit of vnrighteousnes in them that perish for that they haue not receaued the loue of the truth that they might be saued 11. And therefore God shall sendâ— them strengthe of disceyuing that they should beleeue lyes Ioh. 3. 19. And this is the condemnation that light is commen in the worlde but men haue loued darknes more then light because their workes are euyl Esa. 63. 1â— Wherefore hast thou O Lorde made vs to goo a straye from thy wayes thou haste made our hearte goo backe from thy feare Exod. 4. 21. Sée that thou doo all the wonders before Pharaoh which I haue put in thine hande and wyll harden his hearte that hée shall not let the people goe ¶ There are also moeâ— places vvhiche vve haue rehearted aboue Chap. 2. Aphorisme 1. Esa. 6. 10. Harden the hearte of this people and make his eares heauy and daube his eyes leste happyly he should see with his eyes and heare with his eares and his heart should vnderstand and when he is conuerted there should 〈◊〉 â—â—aling vnto him Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all 〈◊〉 vnder dissobedience that he might 〈◊〉 mercy on all Exod. 8 32 And Pharaoh hardened his 〈◊〉 this time also and let not the 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 9â— 8. Harden not your heartes as 〈◊〉 Meriâ—ah as in the day of Massah in the Wildernesse Act. 7. 42. And God turned him selfe away and gaue them vp into the seruice of 〈◊〉 hoast of heauen as it is written in booke of the prophets Rom. 1. 29. Wherefore the Lord gaue thâ—â— ouer vnto filthy lustes 2. Reg. 22. 23. Now therefore beholde 〈◊〉 Lord hath put a spirit of lying in the 〈◊〉 of al thy Prophets and the Lord 〈◊〉 spoken euil vpon thee â—oh 1. 3. 2. The Deuyll put in the heart of Iudas to betray Iesus 2. Cor. 43. 4. But if our gospell bée hidden it is hidden in them that perish in whome the God of this worlde hath â—â—nded their mindes that is to say in the Infidelles or vnbeléeuers that the lyght of the glorious gospell of Christ who is the Image of God shoulde not shine vpon them 2. Tim 2. 26. And that being escaped out of the snare of the Deuyl by whome they are kepte prisoners they might receyue health of minde to his wyll 1. Tim. 1. 19. Hauing fayth and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning fayth haue made â—hypwracke Prouer. 16. 4. God hath made al things for him selfe yea euen the wicked man for an euyll daye Exod. 9. 16. And truely for this cause haue I ordayned thée that I might shew vnto thée my power and that they shoulde declare my name in the whole yearth Rom. 9. 21. Hath not the potter power ouer the clay to make of the same lump one vessell vnto honour and an other to dishonour 22. What and if God wyllyng to shew forth his wrath and to make knowen â—is power suffered with much gentleâ—esse the vesselles of wrath prepared to â—estruction The sixt Chap. Of the laste and full execution or performing of the counsell of Godâ— both in the chosen and also in the ofcastes The first Aphorisme FOrasmuch as God is verie righteousnesse it selfe it is meete that he should saue the ryghteous and condempne the vnrighteous 1 But they onelie amongste men are righteous vvho being vnyted and graffed in Christe by saith yea and also rooted in him and being made one bodie vvith him 2 are in him and by him iustifyed and sanctified that is made righteous and holie VVhereby it is proued 3 that the lyfe wherevnto they are ordained to the glorie of God doeth by a certaine right appertaine vnto them onelie Proues out of the word of God. Ioh. 17. 21. That all may be one as thou Father arte in mee and I in thee that they also maye bee one in vs that the worlde maye beleeue that thou hast sent mee Rom. 9. 5. For if being planted with him we haue growne in the likenesse of his death euen so shall we growe in the lykenesse of his resurrection or rysing againe Col. 2. 7. Rooted and buylt in him and stablished in the faith as ye haue beene taught abounding therein with thankes geuing 1. Cor. 10. 16. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ Rom. 8. 50. And whome he hath predestinated or foreordained these also hath he called and whome he hath calâ—ed those also hath hée iustified or made â—ighteous And whome he hath iustified 〈◊〉 made righteous those also hath hee â—â—lorifyed 1 Cor. 1. 30. But ye are of him in Christ â—esus who of God is made vnto vs wisâ—om and righteousnesse and sanctiuÌ„caâ—on and redemtion 2 Cor. â— 5.
Sathan workyng in the disobedient chyldren Eph. 2. 2. Euen then also when as the Lorde most effectually or strongly and most iustly bringeth his worke to passe both by Satan him selfe and also by the bonde slaues of Satan 2. Tim. 2. 26. Wherefore wée doo euerye where acknowledge and reuerence the goodnesse and iudgements of God albeit the reason of them many tymes doo not to vs appeare And wée condempne both the instruments which are â—uyll and also naughtie wicked actions to wyt al the counsels and subtilties of Satan the enuie of Iosephes brethren and the selling of theyr brother the vngodlines and hardnesse of Pharao Absalom his mynde bent to kyll his Father and his detestable incest the vnaduisednesse also of Dauid him selfe the wickednesse of Semei the malyce and treacherie of Dauid his enemies the wycked fallyng away of Ierâ—boam and the tenne Trybes the rauennie of the Chaldeans the vnsatiable couetousnesse incredible Leacherie intollerable arrogancie of the Babylonians to be short all the wicked counselles and most sauage crueltâ—e of the vngodlye against the Church ¶ It is also manifest by very many and most plaine testymonies of the Scripture that God doeth punishe sinnes with sinnes and that with no ydle but very strong and effectuall yet notwithstanding most iuste permission or sufferaunce For it is hee that geueth Kinges in his anger Nehem. 9. 37. and Iob 34. 30. It is hee that causeth to erre Esa. 63. 17. Because he mingleth among them the spyrite of erroâ—r Esai 19â— 14. It is hée which hardeneth and turneth the hartes which blindeth the eyes which maketh druncke with the wyne of gyddinesse Exod. 4. 21. and 7. 3. and. 9. 12. and. 10. 1. and. 11. 10. and 14. 4. Deut. 2 29. Ios. 11. 20. and. 1. Sam 2. 2 and. 2. Paral. 22. 7. Psal. 105. 25. It is hâ—â— that punisheth his contempt geuing men vp into a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 28. And sending the strength of â—rrour to beleeue a lye 2. Thes. 2. 11. It is hee which disceaueth Prophetes Ezech. 14. 9. Finally it is hee that sendeth also euyll spyrites geuing them commaundement to hurt and graunting them also efficacie or power to disceaue as 1. King. 22. 22. 23. and. 2. Chro. 18. 21. 22. Iob. 1. 12. and. 2. 16. These thinges being thus manyfest by these so playne testimonies let the Pellagians Freewyllians Annabaptystes Papistes and the rest of that fylthie rabble crye out if they lyst tyll they waxe hoarse and their heartes ake agayne that wée make God the Authour of sinne from which blasphemie wee are as farre as they are voide of Christian charitie in so iudging of vs ascribyng vnto God his prouidence the whole swinge in all thinges which as they procéede from him as hath béene shewed before are verie good albeit in respecte of the instrumentes whereby it pleaseth him in iustice sometyme to worke by they maye bee verie euyll FINIS Notes appertayning to the matter of Election gathered by the godly and learned Father â— Foxe AS touching the doctrine of Election thrée thinges must be considered Fyrst what Gods election is and what is the cause thereof Secondly how Gods election procéedeth in working our saluation Thyrdly to whome Gods election pertayneth and howe a man maye bee certayne thereof Betweene Predestination and election this difference there is Predestination is as well to the reprobate as to the elect Election onely pertayneth to them that are saued Predestination in that it respecteth the reprobates is called reprobationâ— in that it respecteth the saued is called election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternal decréemeÌ„t of God purposed before in himself what shal befall on al men eyther to salâ—ation or damâ—ation Election is the frâ—e mercie and grace of God in his owne wyll through faith in Christ his sonne chosing and preferring to lyfe such as pleaseth him In this definition of election fyrst goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes thereof whereby are excluded all workes of the lawe and merytes of deseruing whether they goe before fayth or come after So was Iacob chosen and Esau refused before eyther of them began to worke c. Secondly in that this mercy and grace of God in this definition is sayde to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and working of God not to bee bounde to any ordinary place or to any succession of chayre not to state and dignitye of personne nor to worthynesse of blood c. But all goeth by the meere wyll of his owne purpose As it is written Spiritus vbi vult spirat c. And thus was the outwarde race and stocke of Abraham after the flesh refused Which â—â—â—med to haue the préeminence â—nd theyr â—â—â—de after the spyrite raysed â—p to Abraham of the stones that is of 〈◊〉 Gentiles So was the outwarde Temple of Hierusalem and chayre of Mâ—yses which seemed to be of price forsaken and Gods chayre aduaunced in other actions So was talle Saule refused and lyttle Dauid accepted The rytche the prowde the wyse of this worlde reiected and the worde of salâ—ation dayly opened to the poore and myserable abiectes The hye Mountaynes cast vnder and the lowe valleys exalted c. Thyrdly where it is added in his owne wyll by this falleth downe the free wyll and purpose of man with al his actions counsayles and strength of nature According as it is written Non est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis dei c. It is not in him that wylleth nor in hym that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So we sée howe Israel ranne long and yet got nothing the Gentyles vnneth began to set out and yet got the game So they which came at the fyrst howre dyd labour more and yet they whiche came last were rewarded with the fyrst Mat 20. The wyll of the Pharisée séemed better but yet the Lordes wyll was rather to iustifie the Publicane Luke 18. The elder sonne had a better wyll to tarry by his Father and so dyd indeede and yet the â—atte Calfe was geuen to the younger sonne that ranne awaye Luke 15. Whereby we haue to vnderstand howe the matter goeth not by the wyll of man but by the wyll of God as it pleaseth him to accept According as it is written Non ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex deo nati sunâ— c. Which are borne not of the wyll of the fleshe nor yet of the wyll of man but of god Furthermore as all then goeth by the wyll of God onlye and not by the wyll of man So againe heere is to bee noted that this wyl of God neuer goeth without fayth in Christ Iesus his sonne And therefore fowrthlye is this clause added in the diffinition through â—ayth in Christe his sonne which fayth in Christ to vs warde maketh altogeather For fyrste it certifyeth vs of Gods election for
conceyue any euyll opinion of God euery good gyfte and euerie perfyte gyfte is from aboue descending from the Father of lyght with whom is no variablenesse neither change into darkenesse that hée shoulde geue nowe good things nowe euyll now lyght nowe darkenesse No sayth the Apostle Paule let God be true and all men lyars Can God be vniust Howe shall he then iudge the worlde Rom. 3. Againe God sayeth by his Prophete Ezechiel I wyll not the death of a sinner but I wyl rather that the sinner conuert repent and lyue And vnto wicked Ierusalem sayth our sauiour Christ O Ierusalem Ierusalem which slayest the Prophetes and stonest them that are sent vnto thée Howe ofte would I haue gathered together thy chyldren as the Hen gathereth her Chickins vnder her wings and thou wouldest not Loe thy house therefore is left desolate Mat. 23. Loe héere appeareth the goodnesse of the lyuing Lord so dillygently callyng the wicked to him by his worde by his Prophetes by his messengers and at the length by his owne sonne that he can not in any case be accoumpted the Aucthor of theyr euyl nor cause of theyr fal But contrary wise theyr owne wylfull and wycked stubbernesse is the cause of their euyl and the onely occasion of theyr fall as it is written Thy perdition and destruction is of thine owne selfe but onely of me is thy saluation And infinite scriptures to the same purpose appertayning That wée may saye with Daniel vnto thée O Lord belongeth ryghteousnesse and to vs the shame and couering of our faces Daniel 9. Secondly The testimony of the consciences of the wycked which shall accuse or excuse them at the great dayâ— which is alwayes of the force and valure of a thousande wytnesses which is the worme that shall neuer dye but gnawe the wycked for euer Esai 46. This conscience I say of theyrs shall condempne the wycked and what shall God then doo Or wherein is his dreadfull maiestie to bée charged Caine by his owne conscience is compelled to confesse greater is my wickednesse then can be râ—â—ytted Thou castest mée from the face of the earth sayth hée and I must hyde mée from thy face Loe the iust iudgement of God and his worthy condempnation openly confessed Who dare then blame God Caine dare in no wyse doo it Neyther yet prowde Pharao who condempned in his owne harte and conscience accuseth him selfe and his people and iustiâ—yeth God delyuering all men from this wicked blasphemy saying openlye I haue sinned nowe the Lord is iust and I and my people are wycked Exo. 9. What doeth Iudas Doeth hee not crye lykewyse I haue synned betraying this innocent blood Math. 27. And to vtter in dâ—â—de that thing he felt within his brâ—ast he is compelled to take aduengaunce and execute a iudgement moste terryble against him selfe vttering to all the world him selfe most wicked and that the iustice of God punishing suche wycked Traytours and murtherers ought most worthily to bée feared magnifyed and reâ—erenced throughout the whole worlde Lyke as all the other wycked and desperate persons which for anguishe of harte and terrour of conscience doo murther themseluos doth euidently and continually witnesse vnto the worldes ende that there is a iust Lorde the God of iudgement whome they doo feare and before whose face they dare not appeare to accuse him of any sinne but rather taking the crime blame shame and punishment vnto them selues who worthily by theyr owne conscience haue deserued it doeth thus torment themselues and with violent handeâ— aduenge the sinne they haue commytted in theyr owne synfull souleâ— and bodyes Thus must God alwayes bée founde iust and ouercome when he is iudged by the testimony of our owne conscience which shall accuse or excuse vs at the great daye Roma 2. Wherefore let no man be so foolyshe to saye that God is the Author of euyll vnlesse he wyll bée accompted worse than Cain more proude than Pharao more wycked than Iudas or any other the Reprobate from the begynningâ—â— Thirdly the nature of sinne being deâ—yned by the authorytie of Scriptures to bée a thought worde or deede contrary to the wyl of god For such things onely defyle the man as Christ our master sayth Math. 15. And therefore are onely to bée accompted sinne No such thought can bée attrybuted or ascrybed vnto God as can be against his wyll therefore no sinne can bée his worke Neyther can he bée the Aucthour of euyll which therefore is called God because he is the Aucthour and geuer of all good and so farre from euyll that he turneth all our euyll to some good our sinne to the vttering of his grace our lyes to the declaration of his trueth No this is the perfit workemaster which worketh all things without fault or trespasse all other doo fayle faulâ—e â—â—espasse and sinne in al their workes that he may be iustifyed in all his dooings and al creatures fal down before his face presence Who though he doo worke al in al things yet doth he worke the same to such godlye ende and purpose knowne onely to his maiestie that though we be compelled to say God is the author of the faâ—t yet must we answere but not of the cryme Because he is the Maister of the house and Lorde ouer the family and therefore may doo any thing without the blame of his seruaunts And lyke as that which is no faulte in the maister of the house is a great faulte many tymes in any of his seruaunts because it is the breaking of theyr maisters commaundement Euen so doubtlesse the selfe same worke is sinne in God his seruaunts and creatures which to God is no â—â—nne but an ordinary worke appoynted â—or some speciall purpose eyther for the manifestation of his power as was the hardeninge of Pharao or for the declaration of his mercye as was the fall of Dauid of Peter of Marie Magdalen and all other repentant sinners And whereâ—ore I pray you may not this Lorde thus vse his owne seruauntes without any blame of sinne seeing that hée hath created and made them all onely to serue hys glorye hys iustice and hys mercye Or howe can hee bee vniuste or the authour of anye synne by whome all the worlde muste bee iudged and broughte to the balance of iustice and equitye When the first worlde shall be condemned for their sinne and iniquitye and wée nowe lyuinge shall bee iudged for â—ure sinnes specially all those whiche not onely doe euyll them selues but are Authors and â—aultors to wicked doers Romaines 1. Fourthly The maiestie of God can bée subiect to no sinne bicause it can be vnder no lawe And that onely is worthely called sinne whiche is done agaynst a Lawe therefore no worke that God dothe oughte to be accompted euyll eyther that he is the occasion of any euyll whiche onely is the minde sence spirite and power of the Lawe wythout whome no lawe of it selfe is good For euerie good lawe is the minde wyll and
commaundement of God and what so euer lawe is not the mynde wyll and commaundement of God as was the lawes of the Scribes and Phariseys and of the cursed Papists the same be wicked who of necessitie were set vp the body of Antichrist to vtter theyr vnrighteousnesse that Christe the sonne of righteousnesse the head of his body in his manyfolde mercies more playnely might appeare and shine with more glory Agayne to define sinne to be the affection motion or operation of any reasonable creature agaynst the lawe of God his maiestie must needes be secluded and excused who is the lawe maker the creator no creature hauing no euill motion nor ledde with any affection whiche mighte make his worke euyll Like as the creature is for the most part blame worthie because euen when it doth the best of all It is subiect to some affection eyther selfeloue or hatred of some other yea the Lorde God maye vse any of his creatures in any worke without the blame of any euill as well as the Smith may make his coles to flame or to quenche them eyther the same peece of yron sometimes his hammer sometime his tongs or stithy Wherefore though very muche might be sayde in this parte that as the potter may make of one peece of clay what hym liketh the Smith mays make of hys yron diuers instrumentes yet following the godly wisdome of S. Pauleâ— I thinke it more meete to beate downe mans subtilties with the contemplation of the Maiestie of the mightie God pronouncing boldly that suche as saye if my lyes and sinne set foorth his glory why am I then iudged as a sinner let vs doo euyll that good may come and so in their wycked words dare make God the author of euyl hath their worthy damnation alreadye as Paule sayth Rom. 3. For of necessitye whiche their eyes can not sée suche diuersitie of sinne and grace of righteousnessâ— and vnrighteousnesse of the contrarietie and chaunge of things must be in this woÌ„derfull creation of heauen and earth by the high maiestie of God appoynted and ordeyned For what needed the goodly creature of lyghte If there had bene no darknesse or howe shoulde this benefite haue bene felt or perceyued what matter or cause of vttering iustice mighte haue bene found without sinne and vnrighteousnesse how should grace haue bene shewed if no wrath had bene deserued No the mightie God thereby most euidently vttereth his maiestie in that he sheweth how the heauens fal into darknesse without him the earth into dust the Angels into deuyls the men into sinne and so finally without him all thinges to come to nought that he might be magnified creating all things his sonne our sauiour renowmed who hath redéemed vs all hys holy spirite exalted who hath renewed all vs that be his elect and chosen Nowe to what creature is the maiestie of God bounde and founde debter of his spirite If he withholde it from any his dreadfull maiestie may rightly withhold it for who hath giuen him first to aske any thinge agayne of debt or dutie If his maiestie doo giue his spirite it is of his free mercy and grace If the earth fal into dust if man fal into sinne that all things may be knowne to be nothing without God what blame deserueth God or who dare accuse hym No let all flesh fall downe before his maiestie and confesse All thinges doth onely rest vpon thee O Lorde thou hast created all things of nothing so that without thee they all do fall to their originall to she we them selues vayne and nothing worthâ— weake wretched miserable wherfore if we haue any good thing it commeth of thy mercy if we haue any weaknesse sinne or infirmitie it commeth of our owne conâ—â—piscence lusts vanity our perditioÌ„ is of our selues our sinne is of our selues onely of thée is our saluation thou made vs clay potts vessels to thine vse Do thou with vs as thou shalt think good in thine eyes and the shame shall fall vpon our own faces The second cause which concerneth man wherby many mistake this doctrin is that God exhorteth man alwayes in his Scriptures to good and forbiddeth euyll with many terrible threatnings whiche things seemeth not to be needful say they seeing the Eleâ—â—e shall be saued the Reprobate condeÌ„ned by decree sentence giuen vpon them before they be borne To this we do answere that these exhortatioÌ„s and coÌ„munications are very necessary to both twaine bicause God leadeth vs men alwayes like reasonable creatures not like insensible steâ—ks or stones And to the Elect they are most necessarie prickes and spurres to stirre the dull flesh toward his dutie as all good men feeleth can beare witnesse To the Reprobate they are testimonies of the good wyll of the almighty God to them opened and vttered but openly resisted and refused and reiected accordinge to the saying of oure Sauioure Christ If I had not come and spoken to them they had had no sinne but nowe they haue no pretence or excuse for theyr sinne Paraduenture you wyll answere mée They can not obey vnto it What is the cause thereof I pray you bicause they lacke the spirite of Christe to leade them you wyll say I dare easily graunt you but wyll they graunt this wyll they thinke you submite them selues vnder poore Christe and the foolyshnesse of the crosse and not rather boast and brag their wisedome their knowledge and their vpright dealyng and righteousnesse Are not these the men that dare thus boast Wée knowe as well as the Preacher can tell vs Is the spirite of God departed from vs to speake with him As was sayde to Micha 2. of the Kings 22. chapter Or as the Pharisies did answere vnto Christe are we blynde To whome our Sauiour sayth agayne If you were blinde you had no sinne but nowe you say you see therefore your sinne remayneth Ioh. 9. Thus doubtlesse they are so farre from the submission subiection to poore Christ that contrariwise they doo willingly and naturally followe their Father Lucifer who did lift him selfe arrogantly aboue Christ the sonne of righteousnesse and euermore fyghteth against Christ though the mightie power and high wisedome of God turneth his euyll wyll and all theyrs to his glory good purposes None other wayes than bodily and naturall darknesse which by the wonderfull wisdome of God clearly setteth forth the bright Sunshyne and yet laboureth by continuall course to shadowe the Sunne and to couer the whole earth Wherefore the Lord God to driuâ— away this naturall darknesse from man exhorteth to iustice and equitie which is his nature and the Image which man ought to counterfayte And alwayes commaundeth thinges therevnto agréeable And forbyddeth that hee is not that is to sâ—ye iniquitie and dehorteth therefrom by his Prophetes and Preachers publyshing his wyll and pleasure which is the lyght and lawe most perfecte to man his noble creature whome he hath made for his honour and glory whome he hath appointed
all things were set in their places and by the spyrite of his mouth all the powers that be in them And Paule consydering mâ—st déepely and pronouncinge moste playnlye this diuine gouernaunce of the creatures and godly prouidence of the creatour in all things for his Electe and chosen sayth thus Roma 8. Wée knowe that all thinges worke for the best vnto them that loue God who also are called of purpose for those which he knewe before he also predestinate that they should be like fashioned to the shape of hys Sonne Moreouer whome he hath predestinate those hath he called whome he called theÌ„ he also hath iustified whome hee hath instifyed those also hath hee glorifyed So that thys appeareth to be no newe learning or vaine doctrine of Gods prouidence and Election But the only ground of fayth and certainty of conscience in al conflictes agaynst the worlde the fleshe and the deuil agaynst Sinne Death and Hell as the Apostle vseth it in the latter end of the same chapter and all the Fathers from the beginning hath felt it For how coulde Adam by any other worke or creature eyther by comfort of any other doctrine stay hys conscience But in that the Lorde God promised to prouyde for hym and to saue him from his enemye who once had ouercome hym by the blessed seed which not by merites but by mercie and grace and therfore of his frée purpose before appoynted shoulde bée sente vnto hym to breake the headde of the Serpent Why Should Abraham haue lefte hys countrey and his owne Fatherâ— house if he had not felt this diuine prouidence fatherly care frée choyse and Election of him and his sâ—de By the whiche liuely feling of God his careful prouideÌ„ce and frée choyse sending him seede when he was past hope of seede coÌ„cerning his dead bodye all the workes of nature and by the stedfastnes of faith in the temptations about the same â—éede to be made a slayne sacrifice other gréeuous temptations and aduersities from time to time layde vpon hym this chosen vessell Abraham is called the father of all faythful As by his hystorie appereth a fatherly care of our God for all his people both for bodies soules for wife and childe and all togither And Isack his sonne that chosen seed in whom all the Nations of the earth were promised to be blessed longe before the chylde was borne hath this promise of enheritaunce gyuen hym by fauour that the promise mighte be sure to all the séede as Paule sayth Rom. 14. vnto whome and his faythful seede this frée promise fatherly Election and Predestination or what else you wyll call it was againe reuealed and opened Genes 26. In these wordes thorowe thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And the liuely sence and feelyng of this Election and fatherly care of God for him did then especially shine in his hart when the Lord said vnto him Go not into Egipt â—arie heere I wyll be with â—hée and wyl blesse thee thorow thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Ge. 26. And after that greeuous temptation vndoubtedly wherein he was compelled for feare of the Philistines to denye his wife and call her sister after the manifolde contentions with the Philistines wherin his God dyd preserue him and at the ende in the wonderfull myracle of his chyldren whose byrthright was altered by the vnsearcheable prouidence of God the manyfest notes and tokens of the free Election and choyce of God dyd appeare And Iacob chosen and beloued in his mothers wombe felte thys free worke of God his great fauour who had chosen hym before hâ—e was borne and takynge occasion of the necessitie of his brother seeketh the byrthright the which God had vnto him before appoynted and promysed renouncing the course of nature then doth hée leaue and forsake his fathers house and paciently taketh all troubles offred vnto him In the which often tymes vndoubtedly he féeleth the heauy and gréeuous temptations that his fathers Abraham and Isaac had before for no creature more often suffereth trouble than the very Elect of God for the experyment of his fayth whereby the lyuely sence and vndoubted tokens of his fauourable election after many battels and victories might be made certaine sure thorough present comfort alwayes ministred vnto him eyther by secrete inspiration or manifest reuelation witnessing the singular care of his heauenly Father ouer him his dearely beloued and chosen chylde as his wonderful vision of the ladder and the Angels descending from heauen doth declare and the other vision wherein the Angell dyd shewe him the partie coloured sheepe for his portion to multiplie and encrease his substaunce as also when God biddeth him goe into his owne countreye from his dâ—â—eytfull Laban and defendeth hys Iacob from hym And finally the glorious victory giuen vnto him ouer the â—â—gell comforting him agaynst the feate of his brother Esau dooth bring foorth vnto his heart and conscience the assured signe and token of the fauour of his heauenly father first election and choosing and after euermore gouerning gâ—iâ—ing and preseruing by the frée mercy of his diuine prouidence Ieremye also chosen in his Mothers wombe as appeareth in the first chapter of his Prophecie where it is sayd from the mouth of God before I fashioned thée in thy Mothers wombe I did know thee and or euer thou wast borne I did sanctifie thée and ordeyned thee to be a Prophet vnto this people then felte the moste lyuely signes and tâ—kens of his Election when his â—leshe repined grudged and feared to take in hande the execution of this greate and daâ—ngerous embassage the power of God his spirite dothe touche his heart and openeth his mouthe to the planting and rooting vp of all people and kingdoms to breake destroy and make waste and raysed hym as a fenced towne a brasen wall and yron pyller agaynst the kinges priestes and people of the lande Nowe though sometymes hys flesh doth grudge for the burthen of his offyce and anguishe of hart as though he had beene an abiecte or Reprobate yet alwayes after the brunt of temptations vttering his weaknesse he findeth the mercyfull prouidence of his heauenly father to take a continuall care of hym and not onely comforte and assist hym but also most euidently to punish his enimies And to be short all the electe of God are thus chosen and called guided and gouerned from their mothers wombe according to the sayinge of the princely Prophete Thou arte hée that takeste mée from my Mothers wombe thou wast my hope yet when I hanged vppon my Mothers brestes I haue bene left vnto thée euer since I was borne thou art my God euen from my Mothers wombe And then doe they féele most sensibly liuely this theyr Election when temptations and aduersities doth aâ—aile and assault them in the which conflicts of the flesh and the spirite of sinne and grace of lighte and darknes they are
compelled to crye and call to sigh and sobbe before theyr heauenly Father for the deliueraunce of this mortall and sinful booy subdued to vanitie and though they do most euidently perceyue how they are called from darknesse to lighte from loue of iniquitie to the hatred of the same from obedience somtime giuen to Sathan and to the lustes of the flesh to the obedience of the spirit whiche fighteth against the flesh and though I say they perceyuing this be not able to quench these raging lustes yet do they mourne and dayly lament calling for the grace of their heauenly father which lamentations sighings and sorowyngs of theyr sinnes bée the sensible féelings and liuely signes and tokens of Gods infallible and sure Election Wherefore whosoeuer shal féele these secret sighes and mournings thereby hating â—â—nne desiring therfroÌ„ to be delyuered considering theyr owne weaknes and by the fruite and a good man forth of the good treasure of his harte doth bring foorth good workes the euyll man euyl works This doth Iames byd vs to shewe our fayth of our workes and sayth that Abraham did thus vtter his faith by his works and Rahab by her workes and were iustifyed Where we are compelled with all the godly learned to expounde the worde iustifyed declared to bée iust or else we doo make Iames contrary to him selfe contrary to Moyses whose sentence he in the same place alledgeth contrarie to Paule and the whole course of Scriptures And thus muste all the generall sentence of woorkes bée vnderstoode that by these woorkes wherein God wyll haue vs to walke we are knowne to haue his spirite to be good trees so iudged by our fruites as is the good Apple tree by the Apples not that the Apples make hym good but testifye that hee is good and that it hath within it selfe a kindly power of good iuiâ—â— and norishment So we féeling the power of the spyryte workinge in our hartes Godlye motions and so brynging forth good fruites of fayth and good workes doo coÌ„firme our Election and vocation as Peter speaketh to our selues and others The seconde vse of workes is that God in vs by them may be gloryfied Whereof our sauiour Christ sayth Mat. 5. Let your lyght so shine before men that they séeing your good works may glorifie your father which is in heauen And this is the chiefe vse of good workes the laude and glorye of God where vnto wée were fyrst created in the earthy Adam now are a new restored by the heauenly Adam Christ Iesu to walke in good works to be holy blamelesse and without fault And to this ende that God in them might bee gloryfied doth scripture commend vnto vs good works setteth forth the crowne of glory to them that therin are exercised So ruÌ„ne that ye may obtaine sayth the Apostle labor for the crowne incorruptible 1. Cor. 9. Nowe because these latter dayes are the tymes wherein our Sauiour Christ dyd saye that â—ayth should fayle and charytie shoulde ware colde we that haue so cleare reuelation of Gods great mercyes wishing alwaies to be of more perfection let them with all thankes geeuinge vnto God reioyce knowing that this procedeth not from flesh nor bloud but froÌ„ the spirite of our head Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for his afflicted members who are his Sainctes with vnspeakeable gronings Whome though for a time hee doo permit to be afflicted both in spirite and bodie as sometimes he did Iob Ionas Ieremie and other yet at the ende hee giueth vnto them most triumphant victorie accordinge to the euerlasting purpose of his diuine prouidence who is to be feared reuerenced renowmed and praysed for euer So be it Heretofore haue we answered generally to them that woulde make God the Author of euyll and to them which do say that this doctrine taketh away exhortations and threatninges and the preachyng of the worde Nowe by the grace of God we wyl more briefly answere to some arguments whiche they bryng foorthe of the scriptures setting aparte all such cauyllations as mans reason whiche in Gods mysteries can neuer bée satisfyed by the craft of the deuyl doth excogitate inueÌ„t But first we wyl speake somthing of good workes the true vnderstanding of those scriptures which commend them vnto vs lest we should seeme to dissuade men from the same or exteâ—â—ate the meaning of the holy ghost in such sentences as our aduersaries doo wickedly peruert for the maintenance of mans power against this doctrine of grace free Election which dare affirme that by works they purchase part of theyr saluation the which as we haue sayde is freely geuen by this Election in Christ Iesu before the foundation of the world was layâ—â— The good works which are so in déede that is to say which proceede of the spirite of adoption the feeling of Gods mercies in electing calling iustifying fyrst of all haue this vse y they declare the power of God to bee in vs and the spyrite of Christ which doth conforme vs to his image and this is the ende whervnto we are Elected and Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his sonne Rom. 8. Elected before the foundation of the world to be holy and blamelesse Eph. 1. Created vnto good workes which God hath prepared for vs to walke therein Eph. 2. These haue the reward as Paul sayth not onely of this lyfe but of the world to come Therefore sayth our Sauiour Christ. Math. 25. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the begynning of the world I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thyrstie and ye gaue me drinke c. Of this excellent commendation and rewarde of good workes we do learne the dignity of the same not of the worthinesse of theÌ„selues which are neuer able to stand in Gods iudgementes for our very righteousnesses are as Esay sayth as clothes fylthily polluted but of the dignitie of the grace of the promise of God who worketh them in vs For it is God sayth Paul that worketh in vs both the wyll and also the worke euen of his purpose Phi. 2. Therefore all is of grace not of works least any should glory Ephes. 2. For if there were any power in our selues or dignity in the workes then had we some thing to glory but now that all is confessed to be of Gods free mercies and nothing of our selues we conclude that God crowneth and rewardeth his owne workes in vs that who so gloryeth should glory in the lord 1. Cor. 1 â—nâ— where some â—â—edge this place Ma. 26 so to commende workes that they shoulde bee the cause of the Election and the fauor of God they doo not consyder the fyrst wordes Come you blessed of my Father inheryte the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Wherin we may note that they beeing the blessed and beloued of the father are called to the inheritance of the heauenly kingdom not wonne by