seme worthy to please at leastwyse in somme behalfe Answete Most falfe is this consequence For God cannot no not euen of couenant allow any other rightuousnes as worthye of that name than such as is fully answerable to the law in all pointes except he wil be repugnant too himselfe which thynge were a sinne to say Thus therefore oughtest thou too haue gathered The woorkes of the regenerated do please God though they bee vnperfect â—rgo God is exceeding mercifull Question Besydes this there is mention made euerywhere of hyre wages reward requiting and recompence An. The name of Wages hath a larger scope than the name of euerlastinge life And it is certain that God of his passinge liberality rendereth temporal blissinges euen too the vngodly be they neuer so vnworthy Againe whither you referre the name of wages too eternall life or too other benifites yet doth it not folow that the same is payde as dewe det But rather this dooth most of all commend Gods mercy that he vout saueth to geue the name of Wages or hyre too the vndew reward which he bestoweth vpon vs of his owne mere grace in Christ too the end y we although we bee but vnprofitable seruantes for who is able too bestow any thing vpon god might notwithstandinge perceiue that wee haue not lost our labour Finallye although this wages be promised fréely and geuen fréely yet is it geuen too hym that woorketh and therefore it is called a wages or hyre Quest If it bee geuen too him that worketh ergo it is geueÌ„ him for his works An. Nay rather if it bée geuen wée bee sure it is not payde as a dewtye Agayn there is farre difference betwéen geuing too a woorker and geuinge for workes I may well say therefore that eternall life is geuen to them worke bicause faith shall bée esteemed by the frutes of it and rightuousnesse by faith but not payde them for theyr works sakes And after this manner must that text bée expownded where it is sayde Euery man shal bee iudged accordinge to the thinges that he hath done in his body and suche other like sentences Quest VVhy so Ans Bycause good woorkes make not men rightuouse but folowe him that be leeueth and that is aredy becom rightuous in Christe like as good fruytes make not a tree too bee good but a tree is knowen to be good by the good fruites of it Que. But alitle afore you fetched good works not out of iustificatioÌ„ but out of Sanctification An. I graunt it For there is no man iustified by imputation of Christes rightuousnes but he is also sanctified by his spirit Quest Say you then that good woorkes bee needefull to saluation An. If faith bee needefull too saluation and woorkes doo of necessity accompany treâ—e faith as whiche cannot bee ydle surely the other foloweth also that good woorks bee needefull to saluation how beeit not as a cause of saluation for we bee iustified and therfore also do liue by faith only in Christ but as a thinge that of necessity cleaueth vnto trew faith So saith Paule that those bee Goddes childreÌ„ which are led by gods spirite Iohn saith that those be rightuous which work rightuousnes And Iames also declaring not by what meanes we be iustified but wherby trew faith insticatioÌ„ are discerned proueth by Abrahams exaÌ„ple y those are not iustified which vtter no workes of faith For in such wise must Iames be made to agree with Paule too the ende it may playnely appeere how they bee but brabblers which condemne the necessity of good workes for false doctrine Question VVhat if a man should neuer be endewed with fayth tyl the laste instant of his death for so it seemeth too haue happened too the theefe that hunge by Christ VVhat manner of good works â—halll such a one bee able to bring forth An. Uerely the faith of that théefe was vnspeakably workful in that short time â—or he rebuked the blasphemies and wicked dooinges of the other theefe he detested his owne crimes with an assured and passing wonderfull faith he acknowledged Christ for the euerlasting kinge euen in the reprochefulnes of his crosse when all his disciples hilde their peace he called vppon him as his sauiour and finallye hée openlye reprooued the mercilesse cruelty and wicked spéeches of the â—ewes But the acknowledginge of sin the callinge vpon god the father in christ and thankesgeuinge are the excellentest woorkes of the firste table whiche cannot bée vtterly seperated from fayth in no man And admitte that some man beeing preuented with death is able too shewe no woorkes of the seconde table Yet is not the faith in him therefore too be counted ydle because that althoughe it haue not Charitie in actuall deede yet is it accompanied with it in possibilitie Quest I haue yet one doubt more behinde VVhy any man shoulde be damned for euill woorkes if no man be iustified for good woorkes Ans The reasone is manifest namely because that euen the lightest sin that is deserueth althoughe not the extreamest paines in euerlastinge death yet euerlastinge death it selfe whiche generallye is the hyre of sinne but no rightuousnesse can worthely deserue eternal lyfe except it be suche a rightuousnes as the law requireth that is to wit a perfect and sound state Therefore shew me one that fulfilleth the law as there is none found which is not a breaker of the lawe and I will graunt the foresaide argument Quest Saye you then that there shal bee oddes in the punishements of the damned sort An. Althoughe this matter bee to be inquired of verye soberlye yet haue I not spoken it vnaduisedly For besides that the order of Iustice requireth that hee whiche hathe sinned more greeuouslye should be more greuously punished considering that all sinnes are not alike heynous sauing so farforthe as they matche in generalitie for it is a Paradoxe of the Stoykes not of christians to auouch that all sins bee equal christ himself witnesseth the same thing expresly saying y the case of the Sodomites shal bee more tolerable in the day of iudgement than the case of them that had reiected him Quest Then shall therebe oddes in the glory of those that shal be saued An. Verelye so doothe the reason of contraries require And wheras the Apostle sayeth that suche as haue sowen sparelie shall reape sparelye it séemeth not that the same shoulde be restrained to temporall blessinges onely Quest But of sowinge cometh reapinge ergo rightuousnes and life proceede of good workes An. Truely similitudes must neuer bée racked further than the nature of the thinges that are treated of and the purpose of him that vseth the similitudes will beare For else ther wil ensew most fond false things out of nomber which thing wheÌ„ vnskilful interpreters marke not they must néedes setforth manye foolishe and false thinges But in the foresaide place the Apostle
wherof we spake afore which taketh awaye but the one parte of our sins And we haue found both these releases in Christ whom wee haue taken holde on by faith who not onlie hath suffered for all those sins of ours but also hath fullye sanctified our nature in himselfe for vs fulfilled all rightuousnes therein for vs so as wee not only bee set free by hym from death but also obteine the rewarde of euerlastinge lyfe in hym Question You conclude then that all thinges necessarye for our saluation are founde in Christ alone too whom wee cleaue by faith so as ther is no damnation for theÌ„ that be greffed in Christ Ans I conclude so in déede yea and also that the same is the onely knowledge of saluation Quest You say also that this faith is the gift of god bestowed vpoÌ„ vs of his owne mere grace therfore that the first enteraÌ„ce of it is of god not of our selues Ans I say so Quest Then I pray let vs serche to whoÌ„ it is geeuen For the thinge it selfe wytnesseth that it is not geuen vnto al men in asmuch as the beleeuers haue alwayes bin so feawe An. Yet doth it not folowe but that it is offered vntoo all men And therefore it séemeth y we shoulde first séeke whither it bee offered too all or no. Whiche demaunde wyll leade vs to the very headspringes that is too witte too prouidence and predestination Quest Bee it so and therfore I pray you shew me what you call Prouidence Ans I meane by it not onely that vnspeakable power wherby it commeth to passe that God hath foreséene all thinges from euerlastinge and most wisely prouided for all thinges beefore hande but also that eternal decrée or Ordinaunce of the most wise and rightuous god whereby euerye thinge that hathe bin hathe bin and euerye thinge that is is and euerye thinge that shalbée shal bee accordinge as it lyked hym too appoyncte from euerlastinge Que. Say you then that this ProuideÌ„ce is the brynger to passe and the disposer of all thinges Ans It is so and that in such wise as it deserueth some excellenter name than to be called a cause For this is it that ordereth all causes and ruleth euen the particularest fallings out of them so as they may bee guyded to theyr appointed endes Quest But there bee some Angels euill and men are euill by nature and what so euer procedeth from either of these except it be from meÌ„ that be regenerated must needes bee euill as the thing that procedeth froÌ„ an euill begiÌ„ning but god caÌ„not be the author of euil things Ergo he is not the author of all thinges considering that so many euill thinges are to bee excepted Ans As well eche one of the Angels for there can no offpring bee graunted in a spiritual nature as also the first persons of mankinde that is too wit Adam and Eue were created good And therefore none of them both are too bee displaced out of Gods ordinance Quest Admit it bee so as touching that originall and first state of theirs But seing they be nowe corrupted and full of lewdenes how can ye bring them within the compasse of that eternall ordinance of god whiche is so workefull but you must wrape god vp in their naughtinesse Ans Do you suppose it could stand with equitie euen by the iudgement of themselues bee they deuilles or bée they the wickedest sort of men that they shoulde therfore be exempted from subiection too their maker bicause they haue bin stubborne ageinste him And yet muste this néedes follow vppon your sayinge But thus standeth y case I pray you did you neuer beholde a clocke wherin a certein wheele greater than the rest turneth to y right hand and carieth all the rest aboute with him some to the right hande and other some too the left hand with a mere contrary motion one too another Quest Yes truly I haue wondered oftentimes that mannes cunning shoulde be able to represent too mine eyes the thinge that mannes minde is scarce able too atteyne vntoo in the compasses of the skyes An. Assure thy self that y same is a trew image of the diuine prouidence so thou except this thing whervnto nothing can bee found fully like no not euen in the compasses of the skies and much lesse in those handwrought Instruments bycause nothing is equal no nor to speake properly like vnto the highest namely that God almighty whome I nowe compare too the greatest wheele which is the mouer of all the rest is in suche wise in the worlde as that he is no parte of the worlde and yet hath geuen selfmouing too eche one of the wheeles that mooue themselues and that in suchwise as he himselfe is by no meanes mooued and yet mooueth al things according too his eternall prouidence And this mistery of Gods prouidence was represented to vs by gods appointment in the vision of Ezechiell wherin wee haue this to mark further that those fourfold images were ouercouered with wings the wheeles folded one within another and that God was plased highest aboue al things least wee might surmize the mouer himselfe to be moued togither with the causes or least wee might ouercuriously imagine ourselues able to perceyue the reason of those seueral mouings This foundation being laid I Answer three things The first is that the instruments which haue life are endued with reason of which sort bee Angells and men are so styred by god their maker as that they also stirre themselues by an inward selfmouing of theyr owne and therfore that in the bringing to passe of one action there mete two causes that is to wit god who is disseuered from the Instrumente and yet geueth y Instrument beginning to moue it selfe and the very instrument moouing it selfe Another is that these instruments are so mooued by God as that he himselfe stirreth alwayes well but the instruments if they be euil go a contrary motioÌ„ that is to say alwaies amisse but if they be good so as the first author who mooueth alwaies well and the instrument which mooueth it doo agree then foloweth a good and commendable worke The third is that god so mooueth the euil instruments for it is they only whoÌ„ we haue now in questioÌ„ they on the other side are so moued by theÌ„selues that by reason of the dublemâ—ning beginninge there is also a dubble work which seemeth notwithstanding to bee but all one and the same is good in respect of the good beginning and euil in respect of the euill beginning Quest I would haue these things inlightened with some examples Ans I will so and that with assured and euident examples but first I will put to this distinction That God the notable workmaister vsing the euil instrumentes well whatsoeuer they be doth either match theÌ„ one againste another or benefite the good by y seruice of them whither of these two
vpon christ offered vnto â— both at once For the cause of a thinge â—nnot bée woorkinge in verye déede vnâ—se the effecte of it come foorth together with it But if yee looke too the ordâ—â— of causes I graunt that the traynmeâ—â— of faith yea of trewe fayth goeth befoâ—â— the taking holde vppon Christe andâ— consequently is geueÌ„ not to them y aâ—â— already greffed but to them the are â—â— the poynt too bee greffed intoo him Yâ—â— foloweth it not therevpon that fayth 〈…〉 not geuen vntoo vs in Christe consiâ—â—ringe that the heauenly father settyâ— his determination in his onely Sonnâ— dooth not then first behold vs in Chrisâ— when wee be geuen vnto him but haâ—â— chosen vs knowen vs and loued vs 〈…〉 him yea euen before the foundations 〈…〉 the worlde were layde muche rathâ—â— when as yet wee hated him like 〈…〉 Christe himself also toke hold of vs first to the ende that wee might take holdâ— him afterward Again loke what is begon in vs by grace that we migh therbâ— bee greffed into Christ and therfore 〈…〉 in respecte of the order of causes is doâ—â— before our takinge holde vppon Christâ— the same is increased and strengthenâ—â— in vs afterwarde by the same grace iâ— Christ whom wee haue now taken hâ—â— on by faith Quest VVhat then are the things that wee atteine in Christ An. Paule concludeth this whole matter most plainly and also most briefelye when he sayeth that God the father hath made Christe our wysedome Iustificaâ—ion Sanctification and Redemption Que. What meene you by being made â—ur wisedome An. The selfesame thinge that zacharie â—â—eeneth when he sayeth that his owne â—â—â—nne Iohn Baptist is sent to shewe the â—nowledge of saluation that is too saye â—o shew Christe himselfe For the onlye â—rewe wisedome is this which Christe â—â—acheth vntoâ— men namelye when hee â—iscloseth himselfe vntoo them whiche â—â—inge the father also hath testified with lowde voice from heauen saying heere â—ee him Quest Recken you this among the gifts â—hat wee receiue by Christ Answere My méeninge is that Christe hymselfe 〈…〉 so géeuen vntoo vs to bée the onely teaâ—er of that trew and natiue wisedome â—â— that hee teacheth himselfe vntoo vs For he is both the teacher and the thinge that this is taught And therefore amonge Christes giftes the verye foremost and chiefest is that he géeueth himselfe vnto vs when he furnisheth vs with the knowledge of himselfe Quest VVhat doth Paule cal iustification in this place Ans That wherby we bée made rightuous that is to saye so farfoorth perfecte sounde faultlesse and vnblamable as not onelye there is quite wyped out of vs whatsoeuer vncleanenesse is in vs from top too to wherby God who is singulerly pure maye by anye meanes be offended but also there is moste plentuouslye founde in vs whatsoeuer may so muche delight him in this humaine nature as he of his good will maye voutchesaue to crowne wyth euerlastinge lyfe And of that rightuousnesse whereby a man iâ— accounted ryghtuous béefore God the certeine squéer and inuariable rule iâ— Gods owne law And the lawe not only forbiddeth the thinges that are not to be done threatning euerlasting death for a penaltie but also inioyneth the perfect louig of god and our neighbor Therfore that a man may be accounted rightuous afore god there be two things required of necessitye that is to say the vtter absence of all sinne and the fulfilling of all right according to the lawe Que. But this was neuer founde in any mortall wight An. Sauing Christ who not onely neuer sinned but also performed y who le lawe to the full Que. Tell me I pray you was not christ perfectly rightuous euen from the very moment of his conception Ans In respect of his Godhead he not onely was rightuous from euerlasting but also the very rightuousnes it self y is to say the souereine and most perfect purenesse And in respect of his manhod he was indewed with singular holines yea euen farre aboue the Angels euen from the very instant of the conception of his fleshe But now by the name of rightuousnesse wee meene that which foloweth vppon the perfect performing of gods law which rightuousnesse christ had not in effect vntill he had finished the whole woorke that was inioyned him For this is the rightuousnes by the imputation whereof wee bee iustified or made righteous and not the foresayd essentiall rightuousnes which is proper to the godhead nor yet the other naturall purenes of Christes fleshe wherof wee will intrete seuerally by it selfe for want of which distinction Osiander hath ouershot himselfe to fowly Question But I see not yet how this rightuousnesse may suffice For inasmuch as we not only performe not the lawe but also are ouercouered with innumerable sinnes howe shal wee bee accounted as though we had neuer sinned that is to say to be vndefiled of our sinnes if the spots of our sinnes be not first washed out and that caÌ„not be don without suffering of the punishments dew to them Answere Thou sayest righte Therefore whereas I sayde that Christ not onely brake not the lawe but also dyd most fully and perfectly performe the lawe thou must take his so dooing to comprehende in especially a satisfaction for al the sinnes of them that beleue for euery man is bounde by the lawe to loue god and his neyghbour perfectly not indefinitely but defynitelye that is to saye as hauinge regarde of hys owne peculiar callynge As for examples sake if a magistrate loue God but as some other priuate person dooth hée cannot bée saide too haue done his duetie because he is bound to loue god as a magistrate whiche maner of dealinge is too bée vnderstoode of all other kinde of callinges And Christ was sent to suffer for vs the punishmentes dew for our sinnes which thinge hee performed all his life longe but specially in that Sacrifice of his wherin he béecame obedient to hys father vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Therefore by woorkinge in sufferinge and by offeringe himselfe for vs he both fulfilled the lawe for vs and also made satisfaction for our sinnes Quest But in respecte that Christe is beecome man it seemeth he was bound by nature to performe the rightuousnesse of the lawe that is to saye too loue God and his neighbour perfectlye because the said law is laid vpon the very nature of maÌ„kind And therfore it semeth that his fulfilling of the lawe was not for vs but for himself that he might purchace himself life which thing cannot be said of the punishmentes that were to be indured by him for our sinnes An. Althoughe we should say that christ as touching his flesh purchased himselfe eternall life by fulfillinge the lawe whervnto hée was bounde yet were it no absurditie to saye also that the force of this desert is so great that it floweth also eueÌ„ vnto the beleuers But the former parte cannot well be iustified
setteth foorth the proporcionable resemblance of woorkes and glory and not y cause of glory For in all places he stedfastlye defendeth that rightuousnesse is the mere gyfte of God without the woorkes of the lawe and is not payde as a dew det but bestowed vppon the beléeuers as a grace Que. He meaneth but the works of the Ceremoniall lawe Ans A fond answer For hys matchinge of duty grace one againste another caÌ„not stand onles all the workes of the lawe bee excluded without exception and yet I wil ouerpasse other argumeÌ„ts of paules which are bent directlye against the very law of the tenne hests bent I say not toâ— deface the law which is the madnes of the Manichees but too take away from it the power of iustifiyng Again I besech you if works may be thanked for any maner of rightuousnes why should yee exclude the ceremonies y bée rightlye vsed For truly they be compreheÌ„ded in y sowerth commaundement of the ten hestes as longe as they were rightlye vsed they were most excellent workes Quest But ceremonies be abolished by the comming of Christ An. I confesse they be abolished because they bée fulfilled in Christ But the matter it self declareth that where Paule disputeth of the causes of Iustification his reasons tend not to proue that the Ceremonies bee abolished but too shew that saluatioÌ„ rested alwaies in the only rightuousnes ef christ imputed to theÌ„ that beleue for confirmation therof among other things he alledgeth y examples of Abraham and Dauid Quest Then may wee say that paule excludeth but onely the good works that go before the grace of Iustification An. No lesse fond is this answere also For besides that the Apostle alledgeth manifeestly the examples testimenies of them that were iustified namely of Abraham and Dauid to the intent I may â—et passe his other reason grounded vppon the very nature of the lawe what a madnesse were it to busie a mannes self aboute the excludinge of those thinges whiche are not at all for why to déeme that they wiche are not iustified can dâ—o anye good woorkes it is no lesse folie than if a man should say that a tree can bringe forth good fruite before it be gâ—od â—t selfe Quest But although the hyre of eternal life be not dew for the worthines of the very workes yet is it dew at leastwise by couenant An. What couenant meene you I beseeche you Quest The couenant of the lawe which is Do this and thou shalt liue And if thou wilt enter into life kepe the commundementes An. How this couenant is to be vnderstoode it is to bée sene by the threatning which is set against the promyse And that is this by the witnes of the apostle cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all the thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe that he may kepe theÌ„ But the law requireth perfect loue And no man but onely Christ hath euer performed the law to the full therefore life is dew to none by the couenant but only vnto Christ As for vs we haue it giuen vs by mere grace from out of him who also is himselfe giuen vnto vs by mere grace Quest VVherfore call you them good woorkes then if they deserue not eternall lyfe An. Surely the Latin diuines yea euen the auÌ„cient sort of them haue vnproperly vsed the word Merit or Deserue in sted of Obtein and the woord Desirt or deseruing or Merit for a good worke whiche thinge ye shall neuer finde in the holye scriptures Now although the works of y regenerate are not so good as thei shold deserue eternall life yet are they good so farforth as they proceede from the good spirit of God from a hart y is clensed by faith And agein they be good bicause y by theÌ„ the lorde is glorified our neighbor helped and we our selues also reape this excellent fruite of theÌ„ that they bee witnesses vnto vs of our faith and consequently of our election Quest Let thus far then suffice concerning both the partes of Sanctification Now remayneth that which the Apostle saith also namely that Christ is become our redemption Ans By the woorde redemption the Apostle meeneth in that place not the verye act of redeeming but the effect of it that is too say the end whervnto the sayde Iustification and Sanctification lead vs the which is this that being redeemed from synne and death by Christ we should also be made partakers of eternal life in him whose pledge and earnest penny wee haue euen in this lyfe that is to wit the holy Ghost by whom we bee sealed vp Que. But Dauid grouÌ„deth this redemption and blesing in the release of sins VVhy then adde you also the imputation of the sanctificatioÌ„ that sticketh in Christ and his fulfilling of the law An. What if I shold incounter thee with these textes Blessed are the cleane in hart blessed are the blameles in y way and suche other like woldest thou gather here vpon y the releasing of sinnes is excluded I think not So now then sanctification is ment by the terme of iustification bycause these twoo go neuer a sunder And why maye I not make answer thus also that somtimes there is mention made but onely of y releasing of sinnes not to the ende to exclude all other pates that make men blessed but by cause the rest are couerfly comprehended vnder it And if thou wilt vrge mee yet further I may also fitly answer that aâ— the other are ment by y releasing of sins For who can denye but that euen originall sin hath néede of clensinge Ergo it is compreheÌ„ded in the releasinge of sins Also who can saye that he only is too bee taken for an offender y doth some thinge which he is forbiddeÌ„ not he also which performeth not that which is inioyned him Ergo not to haue fulfilled the lawe is also sin whiche also hath néede too be released Now remaine the sinnes that is to say the déedes that are don ageynst the law wherof there is no question but they haue néede too bee satisfied for All these are released by Christes satisfaction whiche is imputed too vs all Nowe let vs come too the name of Release That man is properly saide to release a dette whiche fréely yea and vtterly dischargeth his detter so as hee reserueth no action too himselfe ageinst him Now then wee bee all of vs the children of wrath not onely bycause we be corrupted or bycause wee fulfill not the lawe or bycause wee doo the thynges that are forbidden vs but also bycause wee ought too appeare pure béefore God such as he made vs and not only not too be transgressors of the law but also to be performers of the law Therfore too she ende that we who else must perish may haue full perfecte release of all sinnes this foresaide release muste of necessitye matche with the other release
woord of the Gospell pertayneth too euery seuerall persone Wherfore as touching those that wee speake of there is found in them no stubbornnesse against the Gospell but onely originall corruption whiche notwithstanding is euen of it self alone sufficient to damne the reprobates Besides this although the condition of beléeuing bee annexed yet doth not the ordinance hang vpon that but rather that hangeth vppon the ordinaunce as which goeth in order before all other inferior causes Else see howe false and vnreasonable thinges insew For it will folowe that God in deuising with himselfe did firste set before him his whole woork as already finished and that accordinge as he saw his woorke should bée disposed of itselfe and not by him that made it he should therupon take occasion too determine that is too say too appoynt eyther too saluation or damnation Or if yee like better that god himselfe was vncerteine how the performing or not performinge of the condition woulde fall out Then must it bée concluded that Gods ordinance hangeth in suspence and that the determination of the case as Austin trimly sayeth is not in the power of the potter but of the clay And herevpon wil be grounded another false opinioÌ„ namely that faith hath not his beginnyng of God but of the will of man if it bee so that Gods foresight gaue him cause too determin vpon his choise Neither is it too the purpose to obiect that faith is not foresene forasmuch as it is a gift of god that commeth in by the waye but that corruption and vnbeleefe are foresene which are naturall in man after his fall For the reason of the contraries requireth in any case that loke in what degrée faith is placed in the ordinance of Election euen in the same degree must faithlesnesse or vnbeeleefe bee placed in the ordinance of reprobation Therefore if ye make faith foreknowen too bee the cause of the ordinance of election which is vtterlye a poynte of a Pelagian and therefore repealed by Austin you must needes deeme the same also of vnbeleefe in the contrarye ordynance of reprobation And on the othersyde if yee submit faith vnto the sayd ordinance as you needes must for wee be chosen to the intent to beleue and not bicause wee wold or should beleue you must nedes also in the contrary member submit vnbeleefe to the ordinance of reprobation Quest VVill you then make the ordinance of reprobation to be the cause of vnbeleeue as wel as you make the ordinance of election too bee the cause of faith Answer No. For the ordinance of election is in déede the efficient cause of faith But corruption or vnbeleefe with the fruites therof are in such wise put vnder the ordinance of reprobation as that the will of man is the first efficient cause of them and yet notwithstanding they be subiect too the ordinance bycause that although it bee not throughe the ordynance yet is it not besydes the ordynance nor without the ordynance that those thinges happen whereof the fayling cause and not the efficient cause is grrounded in God as I sayde afore For like as they onely beléeue in whom God createth fayth euen so through Gods forsaking of mannes wil sinne is krepte into mankynde and there abydeth yelding ill fruit in as manye as God listeth too leaue vp too their owne lustes that they may bee the cause of theyr own damnation whervntoo they are also inregestred and appoyncted from euerlastinge Furthermore that I may retyre vntoo the other question whatsoeuer is sayde of the forenamed condition whiche is annexed too the ordinaunce as who should saye that the ordinance depended vppon the condition it is vnfitly spoken .. For the ordinance of sauinge the elect sort is another thinge than the verye glorifiynge of the elect and the ordinance of dampning the Reprobates is another thinge than the verye damninge of them in somuche as the ordinaunce it selfe must needes bee distinguished from the execution of it The execution than of the ordinaunce of election that is too wyt the saluation of the chosen dependeth vppon faythe that taketh holde of Christe and the execution of the ordinaunce of Reprobation that is too wyt the dampnation of the castawaies dependeth vppon synne â—nd there fruites thereof accordinge tâ—o this saying of the Prophet thy destruction O Israell commeth of thy selfe And of this ordinance of choosinge some men too bee saued by grace and of refusing othersome too bee dampned through their owne sinnes we know none other cause but this one namely that the Lord who is both incomparablye mercyfull and incomparablye rightfull will bee glorifyed in that wise He that holdes not himselfe contented with this for asmuche as hee seeketh some hygher thynge and some rightfuller thinge than Goddes will hee is worthely reprooued by the Apostle for a â—rabler Quest Ergo God hateth some not for their sinnes sake but because he listeth so too doo An. This is a slaunderous obiectioÌ„ For it is certeine that God hateth no maÌ„ but for sinne for otherwise he had hated hys owne work But it is one thing to hate and another thing to ordeine one to iuste hatred For the cause of the hatred is manifest namely euen sinne but why God appoynteth whoÌ„ he listeth vntoo iust hatred thoughe the cause bee hid from vs sauinge too the ende hee may bee glorified yet cannot it not be vnrightuous toÌ„sideringe that the will of God is the only rule of rightfulnes For if wee speake of this soueraigne will of God which ordereth disposeth the causes of all thinges wée must not say that a thinge ought too be rightful before God should wil it but contrarywise that God must firste wyll the thynge beefore it can bee ryghtfull whiche who so considereth not shall reason but confusedly of this matter Quest But yet for all this God seemeth too bee a regarder of persons if he yelde not alike vnto all that haue done alyke For in this poincte all men are like that they bee corrupted by nature spred into them from Adam An. Nay trulye it foloweth not of necessitye that whosoeuer yeeldeth not alyke vnto like shoulde bee an accepter of persons but he onlye whiche yeldeth not alyke vnto lyke because hee is parciallye mooued by some circumstaunces that accompany the person it self as if two men were offenders alike the iudge shoulde acquit the one of them bicause he is rich or his kinsman or his countrieman For these be the persons that may not bee regarded of him that will iudge vncorruptlye But I pray you let vs put the case y two men bee indetted vnto you both in like somme and both vppon like conditions Nowe if of your liberalitie you forgiue the one his dette and exact the other mans dette accordinge too extremity of law shall there bee any excepting of persons in this behalfe What if some souereigne hauing a cupple that offend alike doo of his meere grace parden