of necessitie the sonne of God who onely is good of nature becommeth man and taketh this office to beare the Image of God inuisible Colos 1. And to be the head of that spirituall perfection whiche was to be wrought in mankinde by his aforeappoynted purpose and becommeth the first begotten of all creatures for by him were all things created both in heauen and earth visible and inuisible maiestie Lordeship rule and power by whom and in whom al things are created and he is before all creatures and in him all things haue their béeing And he is the head of the body he is the beginning and first begotten of the head that in all things he might haue preheminence For it pleased the father that in him should dwell all fulnesse and by him to reconcile all things to him selfe And to set at peace by him through the bloud of hys crosse both things in heauen and things in earth for euen you sayth Paule whiche in times past were straungers bicause your mindes were set in euill works hath he nowe reconciled in the body of his flesh throughe deathe to make you holy and blamelesse and without fault in his sight Séeing then that this can not be denied to be the course of God his holy working to driue away this darknesse and to bring man to his light to take away sinne and to bring man to a life blamelesse the state of innocencie and his owne likenesse shal it not be moste uecessarie to haue Preachers and teachers to tel vs this same and to admonishe vs wherevnto we be called séeing of our selues and our owne reasons no suche thing can be perceyued Therefore haue we preachings and exhortations as Paule sayth for when the worlde thorough wisdome knew not God in the wisdome of God it pleased God throughe the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeued 1. Corin. 1. And as he also saythe of hym selfe in another place We do preach this rychesse in Christe the hope of your glory warning all men and teaching all men in all wisdome to make all men perfect in Christ Iesu Thus serueth then exhortations dehortations comminations and publications of the lawes and wyll of our Lorde God that he may be knowen the Lorde and gouernour ouer all the thynges hée hath created and the onely lawe maker amongst hys creatures publishyng vnto all that perfect equitie and Iustice which ought in no case to be resisted Whervnto if they can not attayne they must confesse and knowledge theyr own infirmitie and weaknesse and submit them selues vnder the mighty hande of God and so doyng they shall be receyued as children of the most louing and most mercifull father in suche degrees of perfection as he hath appoynted to the beautifying of the body of his sonne our head So that the Lorde God dothe teache all and lighten all men that come into the worlde bothe chosen and Reprobate with such a knowledge as doth the good Prince which vnto all his Subiects proclaymeth his statutes and publisheth his lawes but like a good and tender father he leadeth his children regenerate and borne a newe neyther of flesh nor bloud nor the will of man ' and guideth them with his fatherly spirite in the pathes of the same lawes writing in their hearts what is his good will and pleasure In the which course of God his wonderfull worke the wicked hathe no cause to complayne for as their father whom they doo followe is named the Prince of thys worlde so they haue the world at will and are riche roysters and welthy worldlings trampling vnder their féete poore Abell and the despised Christians neyther will they change their estate with any such no when they are called from darknesse to be partakers of light of life and the heauenly daynties layde vp in poore Christ they despise that estate excusing their purchases their marchaundise and their earthly lustes and delightes Luke 14. Wherfore in the other worlde they that héere are oppressed shall haue comforte and the other torment Suche is the order then of God his working that by the contrarietie of the Chosen and Reprobate of Iacob and Esau of Pharao and Israell and the wisedome of God and the wisedome of the worlde he wyll set foorth his maiestie his power his diuinitie his Godhead so muche as may be knowen vnto man that is to say in his wisedome iustice mercy and almightinesse For comparing his wysedome to any other wisedome nowe appeareth the contrarie that it is very foolishnesse euen darknesse compared vnto light death vnto lyfe lyes vnto truth as Paule sayth When they accompted them selues wise they were made very fooles and chaunged the truthe wyth lyes the glory of the immortall God to mortall and corruptible creatures They following their owne righteousnesse could not come to the righteousnesse of God in Iesu Christe Wherefore of necessitie God dyd shut all vnder sinne that his mercy myghte flow ouer all And that hys mighty power might appeare he hath created the heauens and earth wherein we do sée lighte and darknesse death and life shame and glory weaknesse and strength lyes and truthe righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse to serue to the setting foorth of hys glory that man maye be driuen to saye with Paule O the depthe of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of god How incomprehensible are his wayes Howe vnsearchable are his iudgemēts For who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bin his counseller Or who hath giuen him ought aforehand that he might be repayed For by him and throughe him and in him are all things to him be prayse for euer Amen And as this holy Apostle Paule dothe submitte him selfe to the great depthe of the wisedome of God and his wonderfull Regimente and Prouidence and would beate and driue downe all flesh by the consideration of the same So also al our Fathers from the beginning hath layde this the onely foundation of their faythe Wherefore Moyses beginneth to stablish the faith of man at the historie of the creatiō so foorth by the order of God hys present gouernaunce about the things made and created And Dauid for a confession of his faithe pronounceth of this prouidence Psa 95. I do know that thou art a great Lorde and a Lorde aboue all Gods. All thinges whatsouer the Lordes pleasure was he hath made in the heuēs the earth the seas the botomlesse waters Againe by the worde of God al thinges were set in their places by the spirit of his mouth all the powers that be in them And Paul considering most déepely and prououncing moste playnely thys diuine gouernaunce of the creatures and Godly prouidence of the creator in all things for his Elect and chosen sayth thus Roma 8. We knowe that all thinges woorke for the beste vnto them that loue God who also are called of purpose for those which he knewe before he also predestinate that they shoulde be like fashoned to the shape of hys
Sonne Moreouer whome he hath predestinate those hath he called whom he called them he also hath iustified whooÌ„ he hath iustifyed those also hath he glorifyed So that thys appeareth to be no new learning or vaine doctrine of Gods prouidence and Election But the only ground of faith and certaynty of concience in all conflictes agaynst the worlde the fleshe and the deuil agaynst Sinne Death and Hell as the Apostle vseth it in the latter ende 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 thaâ— the Lorde God promised to prouyde for hym and to saue him from his enemie who once had ouercome hym by the blessed séed which not by mrrites but by mercie and grace and therefore of his frée purpose before appoynted shoulde be sente vnto hym to breake the head of the Serpent Why Should Abraham haue left hys countrey and hys owne fathers house if he had not felt this diuine prouidence fatherly care frée choyse and Election of him and his seede By the whiche liuely feeling of God his careful prouideÌ„ce and frée choyse sending him séede when he was past hope of seede coÌ„cerning hys dead bodie and al the works of nature and by the stedfastnes of faith in the temptations about the same seede 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 faythul 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 Isaac his sonne that chosen séede in whom all the Nations of the earth were promised to be blessed long before the childe was borne hath this promise of enheritaunce gyuen hym by fauour that the promise might be sure to all the séede as Paule saith Rom. 14. vnto whom and his saythful seede this frée promise fatherly Election and Predestination or what else you will call it was againe reuealed and opened Genes 26. in these wordes thâ—row thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And the liuely sence and feeling of this Election and fatherly care of God for hym did then especially shine in his hart when the Lord sayd vnto him Go not into Egipte tarie here I will be with thee and wil blesse thee and thorow thy séed shal al the natioÌ„s of the earth be blessed Gen. 26. And after that greuous temptation vndoubtedly wherein he was compelled for feare of the Philistines to denie his wife and cal hir syster after the manifolde contentions with the Philistines wherin his God dyd preserue him and at the end in the woÌ„derful miracle of his children whose birthright was altered by the vnsearcheable prouidence of God the manyfest notes and tokens of the free Election and choyse 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 hee was borne and taking occasion of the necessitie of his brother séeketh the birthright ' the which God had vnto him before appoynted and promised renouncing the course of nature then doth he leaue and forsake his fathers house and paciently taketh all troubles offred vnto him In the which oftentimes 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 experiment of his fayth whereby the liuely sence and vndoubted tokens of his fauourable election after many battels victories might be made certen and sure thorough present comfort alwayes ministred vnto him eyther by secret inspiration or manifest reuelation witnessing the singuler care of his heauenly father ouer hym his dearely beloued and chosen childe as his wonderfull vision of the ladder and the Angels descending from heauen dothe declare and the other vnsion wherin the Angell did shewe him the party coloured shéepe for his portion to multiplie and encrease his substance as also when God biddeth him go into his owne countrey from this deceytfull Laban and defendeth his Iacob from him And finally the glorious victorie giuen vnto him ouer the Angell comforting him agaynst the feare 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 electing and choosing and after euermore gouerning guyding and preserning by the frée mercy of his diuine Prouidence Ieremie 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 thée and or euer thou wast borne I did sanctifie thée and ordeyned thée to be a Prophet vnto this people then felte the moste liuely signes and tokens of his Election when his fleshe repined grudged and feared to take in hande the execution of this great and daungerous 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 fensed towne a brasen wall an yron pyller agaynste the kyngs priestes and people of the lande Nowe though sometymes hys flesh doth grudge for the burthen of hys office and anguish of hart as though he had been an abiecte or Reprobate yet alwayes after the brunt of temptations vttering his weaknesse he findeth the mercifull prouidence of his heauenly father to take a contiunall care for 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 guyded and gouerned from their mothers wombe according to the saying of the pryncely Prophete Thou arte hée that takest me from my mothers wombe thou wast my hope yet when I hanged vppon my mothers brestes I haue bene left vnto thee euer since I was borne thou art my God euen from my mothers wombe And then doe they feele most sensibly liuely thys theyr Election when temptations and aduersities doth assaile and assault them in the which conflcts of the flesh and the spirite of synne and grace of lighte and darknes they are compelled to crye and cal to sigh and sobbe before theyr heauenly father for the deliueraunce of this mortall and sinful body 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 which sighteth agaynst the flesh and though I say they perceyuing this be not able to quench these raging lustes yet do they mourne
their owne heades their owne damnation treasuring and storing vp al their life long workes deseruing the wrath of God againste the day of hys wrathe 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 hys séede whome by the worde of hys eternall wisedome hée hathe accursed from the béegynnyng and appointed too euerlastyng torment The whiche woorke necessarie for the procéedyng of God hys holie pronydence Eternall and neuer ceassing Regymente and gouernaunce bicause it is the worke of the will of the mightie God whiche is the verie lawe equitie and iustice it selfe frée from all affections farre from all fault crime or sinne It ought to be knowen vnto vs all that all flesh may tremble and consider before whome it standeth euen before that great Lorde and mighty God who hath power both ouer the body and soule to cast into hell fire To whom no man may say what doest thou Being like the clay in the potters hande or the staffe or axe in the hande of the smiter Who offendeth against no law bicause his godly will is the lawe it selfe and to knowe his pleasure is to know the lawe to follow his will is to doo the lawe so that of necessitie this great Lorde is so farre and frée from all sinne that nothing is good but that which is wrought by hym nothing can be euil that he worketh in his creatures No the fall of Lucifer the father of the reprobate dothe vtter his maiestie dothe shew his iustice which olde Sathan and Father diuell was worthily cast downe into the bottome of hell and eternally condemned to euerlasting payne and torment bicause he did so ambitiously and proudly climbe vp aboue his appoynted place i◠the heauens And where the malice of this olde Serpent caused Adam the first man to mount aboue his estate ▪ to desire to knowe good and euill like a God the maruellous mercy of God inostimable loue towards mankind caused compelled this wicked worke of the Serpent to serue his glory and to turne to our great commoditie and profite in that he rayseth of the séede of man another Adam most innocent and holy agaynst whom no Diuell neyther any helly power may preuayle by whom we are not onely reconciled vnto God and doo obteyne pardon for this offence but we are borne a newe and as it were agayne created into greater glory by farre than we were at the first for the first man had onely a promise to liue in the earthly garden so long as he did not eate of the forbidden frute we haue the promise of the heauenly Paradice and euerlasting pleasures He had earthly meate and frute we haue the heauenly Manna which féedeth 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 ouercome by the Serpent we doo ouer come and triumphe ouer the Serpent Sinne Diuell Death and Hell. He had the gifte of reason and vnderstanding we haue the rich wisdome of God his holy spirite whereby we discerne our own infirmitie and weaknesse and his almightie power mercy and goodnesse To be shorte where he dyd runne from God hidde him and sowed Figge leaues to couer his shame following hys fonde fantasie We doo boldly beholde the course of Gods working in our nakednesse sinne and infirmitie and magnifie renowne and prayse oure Lorde God whiche showeth his grace by oure sinne whiche vttereth his power by our weaknesse his wisedome by our foolishnesse which setteth soorth his elect vessels his chosen Abels by Caynites the vessels of his wrath In whiche Cayn the first murtherer and therefore manifestly of the serpents séede appeareth euidently the iust iudgement of the Almightie God accursing and condemning in Satan and Cayn all sinnes and wickednesse To vtter that he abhoreth sinne and hateth it béeing so farre contrarie from his nature which is iustice it selfe contrarie from his will which is equitie and his law 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 whiche nothing had néeded neither had bin occasioned if there had not bin such a tyrāt so 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 token first of the eternall and ineuitable destruction damnation whervnto the wicked are appoynted than of the saluation assigned sealed vp for the elect chosen we do lerne héerby also the power of God whiche the very Sorcerers the enimies of God were compelled to confesse before Pharao Exod. 8. Wée doo lerne moreouer the iustice of God which iustice Pharao him selfe was compelled agaynst him selfe to denounce and affirme Exod. 9. And finally we may see 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 Lo the loue towards Iacob and the hatred towards Esau What shall we speake of Iudas and other manifestly reprobate whiche are compelled by the testimonie of their owne consciences to pronounce them selues wicked and therfore to feare god his seuere iustice and iust iudgement and to flye therefrom 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 God hauing before their eyes hathe greate cause to prayse their heauenly father through his sonne Christe who hath sent them his holy spirite 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 kind of men that be aduersaries to this doctrine of Reprobation The one sorte vttering them selues most manifestly Reprobate obstinate and wilfully wicked crying and blaspheming we will followe our lusts what neede we to care howe we lyue or ▪ what we doo If we be elected with Iacob we shall be saued if we be reiecte and cursed with Cham we shall be damned These Lucifers not submitting themselues to the gouernance of God carelesse what becommeth of them must be bette downe with the consideration of the maiestie and mightie power of God whiche suffereth not one sparrowe to fall vpon the earth without his will prouidence neither one heare to fall from the head of his elect and chosen howe fiercely so euer they shall rage agaynst them Wherefore O you Serpents séede howe soeuer you shall be offended with this that I shall speake knowe this that as the mightie God hathe made the scattered sandes able inoughe to stay the raging Seas so shall your proude waues of your boyling stomacks and ouer busie heades be
and dayly lament calling for the grace of their heauenly father which lamentations sighings and sorowyngs for theyr sinnes bée the sensible féelings and lyuely sygnes and tokens of Gods infallible and sure Election Wherefore whosoeuer shal féele these secret sighes and mournings thereby hating sinne desiring therfrō to be deliuered considering theyr owne weaknes and wishing alwaies to be of more perfection let them with all thankes géeuing vnto God reioyce knowing that this procedeth not from flesh nor bloud but frō the spirite of our head Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for his afflicted members who are hys Saincts with vnspeakeable gronings Whom though for a time he doo permit to be afflicted both in spirite and bodie as sometimes he did Iob Ionas Ieremie and other yet at the ende hée giueth vnto them most triumphant victorie according 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 autour of euill and to them which do say that thys doctriue taketh away exhortations and threatnings and the preaching of the worde Now by the grace of God we will more briefly answere to some arguments whiche they bryng foorth of the scriptures settyng aparte all such cauyllations as mans reason whiche in Gods mysteries can neuer be satisfied by the craft of the deuil doth excogitate inuent But fyrst we will speake something of good workes the true vnderstanding of those scriptures which commende thē vnto vs least we should seeme to dissuade mē from the same or extenuate the meaning of the holy ghost in such sentences as our aduersaries do wickedly peruert for the maintenāce of mans power against this doctrine of grace frée Electiō which dare affirme that by works they purchase part of their saluation the whiche as we haue said is fréely gyuen by this Election in Christe Iesu before the foundation of the worlde was layde The good works which are so in déed that is to say which procéede of the spirite of adoption the feeling of Gods mercies in electing calling iustifying first of al haue this vse the they declare the power of God to be in vs and the spirite of Christ which doth conforme vs to his Image and this is the ende whereunto we are Elected and predestinate to be conformed to the image of hys sonne Rom. 8. Elected before the foundation of the worlde to be holy and blamelesse Ephe. 〈◊〉 created vnto good workes which God hath prepared for vs too walke therein Epes 2. These haue the reward as Paule saith not only of this life but of the world to come Therfore sayth our sauiour Christe Math. 25. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you frō the beginning of the worlde I was hungry and yée gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke c. Of thys excellent commendation and rewarde of good workes we do learne the dignitie of the same not of the worthinesse of thēselues which are neuer able to stand in Gods iugdementes for our very righteousnesses are as Esay sayth as clothes filthily pulluted but of the dignitie of the grace of the promise of God who worketh them in vs For it is God saith Paul that worketh in vs both the will and also the worke euen of his purpose Phil. 2. Therfore 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 works 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 works in vs that who so glorieth should glory in the Lorde ◠Cor. ◠And where some allege this place ▪ Mat. 26. so to commende workes that they should be the cause of the Election and the fauour of God they do not consider the fyrste wordes Come you blessed of my father inherite the kyngdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world ▪ Wherin we may note that they béeing the blessed and beloued of the father are called to the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome not wonne by works but prepared by the heauenly father for hys children before they did any works at all Like as the wicked haue their place of eternall torment there named for them before prepared and appoynted And in both twayne the workes doth only declare what the trees are wherout they spring testifie what the fountaine is whence they flow according as our Sauiour Christ sayth the trée is knowē by that fruite a good man foorth of the good treasure of his heart dothe bring foorth good workes and the euill man euill workes This dothe Iames byd vs to shewe our faith of our workes and saith that Abraham did thus vtter his faith by his works and Rahab by her works and were iustified Where we are compelled with all the Godly learned to expound the worde iustified declared to bée Iuste or else we do make Iames contrary to himself contrary to Moyses whose sentence he in the same place alledgeth contrary to Paule and the whole course of Scriptures And thus muste all the generall sentence of workes bee vnderstoode that by these workes wherein God wyll haue vs to walke we are knowen to haue his spirit to bée good trées so iudged by our fruits as is the good apple trée by the apples not that the apples make hym good but testifie that hee is good and that it hath within it selfe a kindly power of good iuice and norishment So we feeling the power of the spirite woorkyng in oure hartes Godly motions and so bringyng foorth good fruites of faith and good workes doo confirme our Election vocation as Peter speaketh to our selues and others The seconde vse of workes is that God in vs by them may be glorified Whereof our sauiour Christ saith Mat. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heauen And this is the chéefe vse of good workes the laude and glorie of God whereunto we were fyrst created in the earthy Adam now are anew restored by the heauenly Adam Christ Iesu to walke in good works and to be holy blamelesse without faulte And to thys ende that God in them might be glorified doth scripture cōmend vnto vs good works and setteth foorth the crowne of glory to them that therein are exercised So runne that ye may obtayne saith the Apostle labor for the crown incorruptible 1. Cor. 9. Now bicause these latter dayes are the tymes wherein our Sauiour Christe dyd say that faith should fayle and charitie should waxe coulde we that haue so cleare reuelation of Gods great mercyes in Iesus Christe may gyue no occasion to the slouthfull fleshe eyther in our selues or others but after the example of the Scriptures we must alwayes exhorte to good workes and so tame our bodies and bring them into subiection as Paul saith least whiles we preach to others we our selues bée founde Reprobates 1. Corin. 9. the which sentence is euill alledged of the aduersaries of Election as though Paule might haue become a reprobate or as if that he had not béen certaine of his saluation but that it shoulde hang of his well doings For he sayth first in the same sentēce I do so runne not as at an vncertain thing and so fight not as one that beateth the ayre but as he saith to the Romanes chap. 8. I am sure that neyther death nor life neither Angels nor rule neither power neither things present nether things to come neither high neither low neither any other creature shall be able to depart vs from the loue of God in Christe Iesu oure Lorde Likewise they alledge foorth of the seconde chapter to the Philippians that Paule willeth vs to worke oure owne saluation but they do not consider that he streight wayes addeth that it is God which worketh bothe the wyll and the worke And in the chapter before he saith that it is God which hath begon the good worke and will finish it So that such Scriptures may neuer bée alledged for workes agaynst grace for to set vp our saluation of our selues which onely commeth of mercy in the frée Election wherby we were chosen in Christe Iesu and created a newe in him by his onely spirite to bring foorth good workes Therefore doo we conclude with Paul. Romanes 11. that we are saued and iustified fréelie by Grace not by woorkes for so grace were no grace and that all are shutte vp vnder synne that mercie may be vppon all vppon whome it pleaseth hym too shewe mercie And for the consideration of these greate mysteries of Election and Reprobation we crye with Paule O the depth of the ryches of the wisdome of god How vnsearcheable are his iudgements how incōprehensible his wayes For who hath giuen him first and he shall be recompensed For of hym and through him and for hym are al things To him therefore be glorie for euer and euer So be it ¶ IMPRINTED at London by Dauid Moptid and Iohn Mather Dwelling in Redcrosse streete nexte adioyning to S. Gylses Church without Criplegate ⸪