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 ⸪
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
¶ A BRIEFE Treatice of Election and Reprobation with certen Ansvvers to the Obiections of the Aduersaries of thys doctrine Written by Anthonie Gylbie Rom. 9. I vvill shevve mercy vpon vvhom I vvill shevv mercy and I vvill haue compassion vpon vvhom I vvill haue compassion ⸪ ¶ A briefe Treatise with certayne Ansvvers to the Obiections of the Aduersaries of this doctrine vvritten by Anthonie Gylbie VVHereas three yeeres ago dearely beloued I did write of this matter of Election Reprobation which is called Predestination in a certayn Commentarie vpon the Prophet Malachie by the occasion of this texte I haue loued Iacob and I haue hated Esau The which Treatise by the rage of persecution partly perished and parte dyd come of late to my hands accompting this doctrine so necessarie that vpon all occasions it ought with reuerence to be vttred to the glory of God which so wonderfully appeareth in this his riche mercie towards vs whom he chooseth from the filthe of sinne to serue him in righteousnesse and to the beating down of our corrupt nature which without this eyther moūteth by pride vnto presumptiō or falleth by infidelitie to desperation Bicause that without some taste of this diuine prouidence in Predestination there can be no fayth but eyther a doubtfull wauering leading to dispayre which we haue felte in the Papistrie whyles we looked to our owne weaknesse and infirmitie not able to endure one houre in the way of righteousnesse or else a vayne presumption of fayned holynesse whyles we beholde our owne beléefe and good works or the perfection that we doo imagine in our owne selues as doo the Anabaptistes Therefore I thought it good according to my simple Talent to testifie this truthe agayne vnto the worlde at the Printing of this worthy Table of the great lerned man Master Beza which is set foorth in French Latin and Italian and now into Englishe translated by our brother VV. VVhittingham wherein is most euidētly set foorth before our eyes the chiefe ground of this doctrine and the principall poyntes thereof are so déepely opened that there séemed to wante nothing that was possible in so few lines to be vttered yet for the shortnesse therein all things can not be conteyned but that some brief lessons for the vnlearned who hath not their sences fully exercised with suche déepe sentences may well be adioyned as euery man hereafter shall héerevnto be moued by the spirit of God working in their hearts that many bearing witnesse to the truthe of this most profitable doctrine nowe reuealed the mercies of God in choosing his chyldren may more and more day by day be disclosed and by the witnesse of diuers consenting togither in one God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ may be glorified For héerein chiefly standeth his prayse honor and glory that these his wonderfull mercies towarde his Electe may be praysed Nowe there is no meane more apte nor doctrine more conuenient to establish the fayth of the Saincts than to certifie by the Scriptures that God hathe chosen them before the beginning of the worlde to be holy to him selfe and so written their names in the booke of lyfe in the heauens that all their saluation resteth wholly vpon his hands and holy counsell that can by no meanes be altred or chaūged so that neyther death diuell nor hell dare nowe accuse them that are by adoption grafted in Christ who are called of the eternall purpose bicause it is God that iustifieth and who dare condemne them It is Christ that is giuen for them and howe shall not all things be giuen also to them For them that he knewe before them he ordeyned before that they should be like fashioned to the image of his sonne and whome he appoynted before those also he called and whome he called those also he iustified and whom he iustified those also he glorified that this eternall purpose and counsell of God béeing once reuealed to his Saincts by the effectuall vocation and calling whiche is the iustification of fayth wrought in their heartes by the holy spirite they can no longer doubt neyther of Election Predestination saluation or glorification Neither can any thing more beate downe mans nature and the pride of his vayne heart than to behold the maiestie of God making them by grace so farre vnlyke one to the other who were both one altogither by nature the children of wrath of vengeance damnation as the wonderfull example of Iacob and Esau of whom the Lorde pronounceth that he loueth the one and hateth the other before they were borne and the terrible sentēce agaynst Pharao whome the Scripture affyrmeth that God raysed vp to shewe vpon him his power and hardened hys hart to make his name knowne suche like which euerywhere are set before our eyes to cause man fall downe before God and to feare his iudgements doth declare But our Aduersaries obiect agaynst vs that this doctrine is an offence to many and that some abuse it to carnall libertie I doo answere that Christe is a stumbling stone to many and all the doctrine of the Gospell is likewise slaundered by the euill conuersation of others yet may we not prohibite the swéete floures from the Bées bicause Spiders sucke thence their poyson no more than wée maye stoppe the sunne to shyne bycause it hurteth sore eyes But that it may be the glad tydings of saluation to the assurance of the faith of the one and a cleare testimonie of cōdemnation of the other to the beating downe of the pride of man thys glorious coūsel of the mightie God ought vnto all in this cleare reuelation of the Gospel to be offered opened and published Wherefore by the good wyll of God we entende to speake of this greate matter none other wayes neyther in any other sorte then the open Scriptures shall approue our sayings Therfore we say with the holy Apostle Sayncte Paule Blessed be God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessings in heauenly things vnto Christe lyke as he hath elected and chosen vs in hym before the foundations of the worlde were layde that we should be holy and blamelesse before him by loue who hath predestinate vs that hée mighte fréely choose vs to bée hys chyldren by Iesus Christe Ephe. j. And thoughe there come some wicked men whiche were long before appoynted to this iudgement whiche doo turne the grace of oure God to lasciuiousnesse and wantonnesse as holy Iude saythe yet knowe we that we are chosen by Iesus Christe that the glory of his grace hys fauoure and mercy towardes vs mighte be praysed For wée are the electe and chosen kynred and hys people by purchase that wée shoulde shewe the vertue of hym whyche hathe called vs foorth of darknesse into this maruellous lighte This people ordeyned to saluation onely beléeueth Act. 13. For thys Electe people onely was Chryste sent into this worlde To them onely is the worde of saluation sente as
Peter sayth To the Elect by the foreknowledge of God the father 1. Pet. 1. Then to know what this Election of God is and what in the Scriptures it dothe signifye Wée describe and defyne Election to bée the frée choyce of the good wyll of the Almyghtie GOD appoynting and prescrybyng in the Booke of lyfe before the beginning of the world whom he will haue to be saued and compted amongest the iust Whom he will haue holy and without faulte before hym to bée his children by adoption to set foorth his glory This choyse this choosing this aforeappoynted purpose and ordinaunce of God is aboundauntlye set foorthe in the firste chapter to the Ephesians That this commeth of the frée wyll of God and hys onely grace freely without our deseruing contrary to the vayne opinion of the Papists and Anabaptists the same chapter and the nexte chapter folowing dothe plainely testifie Epe 1. 2. And most euidently the Lord in his maiestie speaking to his seruant Moyses Exod. 33. declared all this to stande of his mercy saying I will haue mercie vpon whom it liketh me and I will shew mercie where it shall be my pleasure for so is the meaning of those wordes I will haue mercy vpon whom I will haue mercy Paul also declaring in this place the woorke of God béetwixte these two children Iacob and Esau Romaynes 9. saythe thus of this frée Election wheÌ„ Rebecca was with child with one and the same father Isaac before the children were borne when they had neyther done good nor bad that the purpose of God whiche is by Election mighte stande it was sayde to her not for the cause of workes but by the grace of the caller the elder shall serue the younger As it is written saythe hée Iacob I loued but Esau I hated Of the booke of life Moyses speaketh Exod. 32. And Christ himselfe Luk. 10. Saying to his Apostles Ioy you and be glad for your names are written in the boke of life in the heauens And in the 69. Psalme it is spoken against the wicked Let them not be written amongst the Iust and put them foorth of the booke of life And agaynst the false Prophet Ezechiel 13. He shall not be in the counsaile of my people nor written in the booke of the house of Israell There be two finall causes also of this eternal purpose of the election the which Paule rehearseth in the first chapter to the Ephesians the one toucheth God the other perteineth to man He hath Elected vs béefore the foundations of the worlde sayth the Apostle that wée mighte be holy and without blame And thys answereth the wicked which would abuse the mercies of God to their lust Againe it followeth He hath Predestinate vs that he might choose vs to be hys chyldren that hys name may bée praysed And this stoppeth the mouthes of al our Aduersaries that say that thys doctrine is not to the prayse of God so that they must cease to slaunder this doctrine vnlesse they wil hinder the glory of God and denie the open Scriptures Nowe it is to be noted and marked dyligently that thys woorde Election is taken after two sortes in the Scripture some tymes as it signifieth absolutely the frée choyse will and appointment of God without the respecte of the reuelation of the woorde and message of saluatyon And thus speaketh the holy Apostle Saincte Paule of Election saying of the carnal Iacob They were enimies concernyng the Gospel for your cause but concernyng the Election they are beloued for their parents For the gyftes of God and hys callyng are suche that hée can not repente Euen as you once were mysbeléeuers from God but nowe haue attayned mercie by theyr mysbeléefe that they should attayne mercie also Thys Election expresseth absolutely the secret purpose of God without the respect oâ—â—â—uelation of the woorde or any of our workes followyng Vnder thys first kynde of Election were those hundreth and twenty thousande whiche God dyd choose and kéepe vnto hymselfe in Niniue amongst the Idolaters and the seuen thousande which God dyd leaue for hymselfe in Israel in the thirde booke of kings the. 19. chap. Yea those that yet are not are thus elect chosen and amongst al nations both Iewes in thys long blindnes banishment from their countrey amongst the Turkes in theyr Idolatrous wickednesse yea amongst the Edomites the Sabees the Indians and Ethiopians And in the late blyndnesse of the Popishe church wherein we togither wyth our fathers were altogether Idolatrous all Hypocrites and counterfaite Christians thys absolute Election whereby the mercyfull Lorde God did reserue and kéepe hys chosen vnto him in all places all ages all countreys without respect of persons dyd most euidently appeare Howbeit this secresie of election muste onely bée lefte to the Maiestie of God where when how and whom he thereby saueth and sheweth his mercy For to the blynde iudgemente of man all these people rehearsed and suche like séemeth reiect reprobate and caste away as appeareth by Ionas condemning the Niniuites by Elias coÌ„demning the Israelites and a long while vntil God had by miracle from Heauen deliuered hym from that errour vnto the chiefe Apostle Peter iudgeing all the Gentiles to bée a polluted people farre from the fauour of God. The seconde kynde of Election is set forth and knowen euident and open by the spirit of God working in the harts of the elect and chosen by fayth and trust in God his promises through Christ teaching vs that we are the children of God chosen to him selfe by Iesus Christe from the beginning and therfore preparing vs to an holy and blamelesse lyfe to the laude prayse of the grace of god The which Election besides the dayly experience of our consciences may bée approued by the testimonies of these Scriptures compared togither Esay 59. Rom. 8. Ephe. 1. Coloss 3. and a very briefe and perfecte description of thys Election 2. thess. 2. in these wordes We ought to thanke God that he hath chosen you from the beginning by the sanctifying of the spirite and the beléefe of the truth to the which he hath called you by our Gospell to attayne the glory of our Lorde Iesus Christe By this gratious election was Iacob dearely beloued in his mothers wombe and Ieremy knowne vnto God before he was fashioned in his mothers wombe Ieremie 1. And to be short all other the eleect of God are thus chosen sanctified and beloued from the beginning from before the foundations of the world froÌ„ euerlasting to euerlasting For there is no change of tyme with God séeyng that all thinges are present in his sighte For vnto him a thousande yeares are but one day but the course change of times are in vs our déedes our knowledge in mans chaungeable wisedome This Election must of necesitie driue downe the pryde we haue of our owne strength our owne power our owne nature our owne frée wil our owne merits our owne iustification of our owne workes and bryng vs
broken and brought full lowe where and when it shall like the Lorde of all fleshe by these his weake vessels And lisence must you aske as did your father the diuel executing his tyrannie vpon the good mā Iob as we reade in the first chapter of that Hystorie before you can lay hands eyther of body or goods of his chosen and therein shall you be limitted and appoynted as there appeareth how farre you shall be able to extend your violence For God holdeth your hearts in his hand be you neuer so great tyrants can soone cause you to faynt and fayle from your furie turning your hearts rounde about as him liketh best And bicause you thus blaspheme God bothe in words déedes following your father Lucifer abusing Gods creatures and despising his benefytes his tollerance and his long sufferance whiche might moue you to repentance as holy Paule warneth you treasure vp for your selues euen wrath and vengeance agaynst the day of vengeance I doo feare nothing at all to offende you with my writing neither doo you passe any thing at all what is written or spoken though you vse to sweare stampe stare for a little space in a furious rage when you heare and féele things contrarie to your poyson But the scriptures of God all good writings all truthe vnto suche dogs and hogs are vttered to this purpose that they may be a testimonie of condemnation of the light of Gods truth reiected and despised Therfore for the elect of God that they may vnderstande the course of Gods working in al his creatures reuerence his maiestie and magnisie and renoume his holy name is this written Yet doubtlesse doo I know amongst the chiefe vessels chosen children of God there be many whiche haue not attayned to this poynt of doctrine of Electiō Reprobatiō whom I am very loth to offend and therfore I desire thē for the loue of God to suffer me quietly without their grief to vtter vnto other the comforte of my conscience which I haus hereby vndoubtedly receyued like as I haue many times harkened vnto them in the cōtrarie First praying thus bothe of vs togither vnto our heauenly father knowledging our owne infirmitie and weaknesse O father in the heauens whatsoeuer we are whatsoeuer we haue whatsoeuer we knowe it is onely by thy free grace for we were by nature the children of wrath and we are not borne a newe of fleshe and bloud eyther of the séede of man or of the wyll of man fleshe and bloud can not reueale the mysteries of thy heauenly kingdome vnto vs But by thy blessed will are we that we are and by the same knowe we that we knowe therefore O father doo we commit into thy hands onely our saluation If our knowledge be small yet we doubt nothing but that we are the children of thy euerlasting kingdome and therefore by thy mightie power we shall growe when it shall be thy pleasure to a more full riper knowledge of a more perfite age wherein our fayth shall be fully able to comprehend perceyue the bredth depth height largenesse of thy great mercyes and gratious promyses But séeing this power of full knowledge and perfect reuelation passeth all power naturall and remayneth onely in thy power and the light of thy spirite O Lord Doo thou what shall please thée to opē to vs thy seruaunts children depending of thy hands so muche of the lyght of thy countenance and at such tymes as shall séeme good to thy wisdome and fatherly mercie In the meane tyme thus restyng wholy vpon thée neither can we dispaire neither will we be too muche careful although we can not attayn to the knowledge of many of thy works neither to the vnderstandyng of many places of the scriptures but we wil confesse vnto thee the weaknesse of our faith wayting alwayes for further reuelatiō of thy glorious light to be vttered vnto vs when thou shalt thinke of thy Fatherly beneuolence and goodnesse méete and conuenient knowing moste surely that thou wilt pitie our childishe infansy and cause the same to serue for thy glory and oure great commoditie séeing that we do erre and are childish as sonnes before suche a Father whiche can not put off hys Fatherly pitie but rather as thou haste broughte vs vnto thee to be the heyres of thy kingdome by the bloode of thy naturall sonne so we be moste sure that thou wilte lighten vs in the ende with the full fruition of the brighte lighte of thy contenaunce that we may see thée and knowe thée as thys thy sonne oure Redéemer knoweth thee yea see thee oure Father face to face and knowe as we be knowen Thus reste we onely of thy hande to encreace oure knowledge at thy good pleasure O mighty Lorde and moste mercifull father So be it If you can thus submitte your selues good brethren too the wisedome of God working in vs weakelinges what him lyketh All the stomblyng stockes whiche myghte offende you may easelie be remoued There bée two thynges especially whyche doo séeme too stande agaynste thys doctrine of Election and Reprobation or of God hys gouernaunce and prouidence for all is one in effect the one toucheth God the other man The fyrste and principall is leaste that the wicked do make God the aucthor of synne in the Reprobate the which doubt we may remone foure maner of wayes First by the authoritie of scriptures Secondly by the testimonie of their owne consciēces which be the Reprobate Thirdly by the nature of sinne Fourthly by the maiestie of God whiche is bounde to none of his creatures to make hym this or that vessell For the firste Sainct Iames saith Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for God as he can not be tempted with euill so neither dothe hée tempte anie man But euerie manne is tempted drawen awaye and entysed of his owne luste and concupiscence Then the luste when it hath conceyued bryngeth foorth synne Iames. 1. And euen thus it appeared in the fyrste fall of mankinde First though the Lorde oure God had warned and commaunded the contrarie oure olde enimie styrreth the concupiscēce and lust of the woman with the goodnes pleasantnesse and beautie of the apple thē hir lust cōceiuing this bringeth foorth sinne entising also hir husbande to the breaking of God hys commaundementes Gene. 3. But contrariwise sayth Iames in the same place Ia. 1. least you should erre and conceiue any euill opinion of God euery good gyfte and euerie persite gyfte is from aboue discending from the Father of light with whom is no vareablenesse nether change into darkensse that hée shoulde gyue nowe good things nowe euill nowe light nowe darkenesse No saithe the Apostle Paule let God be true and al men lyars Can God be vniuste How shall he then iudge the worlde Rom. 3. Agayne God saith by hys prophet Ezechiell I will not the death of a sinner but I wil rather that the sinner conuert
repente and liue And vnto wycked Ierusalem sayth our sauiour Christ O Ierusalem Ierusalem which slayest the Phrophets and stonest them that are sente vnto thée Howe oft would I haue gathered togither thy children as the Hen gathereth hir chickens vnder hir winges and thou wouldest not Lo thy house therefore is left desolate Math. 23. Lo héere appeareth the goodnesse of the liuing Lord so diligently calling the wicked to hym by his woord by his Prophets by his messengers and at the length by his owne sonne that hée cannot in any case be accompted the aucthor of their euill nor cause of their fall But contrariwise their owne wilfull and wicked stobbernesse is the cause of their euill and the onely occasion of theire fall as it is written Thy perdicion 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 say wyth Daniel vnto thée O Lorde belongeth ryghteousnesse and to vs the shame and coueryng of our faces Daniel 9. Secondly The testimony of the consciences of the wycked whiche shall accuse or excuse them at the greate day which is alwayes of the force and valure of a thousande witnesses which is the worme that shal neuer dye but gnawe the wycked for euer Esa. 46. This conscience I say of theyrs shall condemne the wicked and what shall God then doo Or wherin is his dreadfull maiestie to bée charged Cayne by hys owne conscience is compelled to confesse greater is my wickednes then can be remitted Thou castsest me from the face of the earth sayth he and I must hyde me from thy face Loo the iuste iudgmente of God and his worthy condemnation openly confessed Who dare then blame God Cayn dare in no wise do it Neither yet proud Pharao who condemned in hys owne harte and conscience accuseth him self and his people and iustifieth God deliuering all men from this wicked blasphemy saying openly I haue synned nowe the Lord is iuste and I and my people are wycked Exodus 9. What doth Iudas Dothe he not cry likewise I haue synned betraying thys innocent bloude Mathew 27. And to vtter in déede that thing he felts within hys breste hée is compelled to take aduengance and execute a iudgement moste terrible agaynst hym selfe vttering to all the world hym selfe moste wicked and that the iustice of God punishyng such wycked traytours and murtherers oughte moste worthily to be feared magnified and reuerenced throughout the whole world Lyke as all the other wycked and desparate persons whiche for anguishe of heart and terrour of conscience do murther them selues doth euidently and continually wytnesse vnto the worldes ende that there is a iust Lord the God of iudgemente whom they doe feare and before whose face they dare not appeare to accuse hym of any synne but rather takyng the crime blame shame and punishmente vnto them selues who worthyly by their owne conscience haue deserued it dothe thus tormente them selues and with violente handes aduenge the synne they haue â—…ommytted in theyr owne synnefull soules and bodyes Thus muste God alwayes be found iust and ouercome when he is iudged by the testimonie of our own conscience whiche shall accuse or excuse vs at the great day Roma 2. Wherefore let no man be so foolyshe to say that God is the author of euill vnlesse he will be accompted worse than Cayn more proude than Pharao more wicked than Iudas or any other the Reprobate from the beginning Thirdly the nature of sinne being defyned by the authoritie of scriptures to be a thought worde or déed contrary to the wil of god For such things onely defyle the man as Christ our master sayth Mathew 15. and therfore are onely to be accompted sinne No such thought can be attrybuted or ascrybed vnto God as can be against his will therfore no sinne can be hys woorke Neyther canne he bée the aucthor of euill whiche therefore is called God bycause hée is the aucthor and gyuer of al good and so farre from euill that hée turneth all oure euill too some good oure synne to the vttering of his grace our lyes to the declaration of his truthe No this is the perfect worke master whiche worketh all things without faulte or trespasse all other doo fayle faulte and trespasse and sinne in all their works that he may be iustified in al his dooings and al creatures fall downe before his face and presence Who though he do worke al in al things yet doth he worke the same to suche godly ende and purpose knowen onely to hys maiestie that though we be compelled to say God is the author of the fact yet must we answere but not of the crime Bicause he is the master of the house and Lorde ouer the familie and therefore may do any thing without the blame of his seruants And like as that whiche is no fault in the master of the house is a great faulte many times in any of his seruantes bicause it is the breaking of their masters commaundement Euen so doubtlesse the selfe same worke is sinne in God his seruants and creatures which to God is no sinne but an ordinary worke appoynted for some speciall purpose eyther for the manifestation of his power as was the hardening of Pharao or for the declaration of his mercy as was the fall of Dauid of Peter of Marie Magdalen and all other repeÌ„tant sinners And wherfore I pray you may not this Lord thus vse his owne seruauntes without any blame of sinne séeing that he hath created and made them all onely to serue hys glorie hys iustice and hys mercie Or howe can he be vniuste or the author of anye synne by whome all the worlde muste be iudged and broughte to the balance of iustice and equitie When the first worlde shall be condemned for their sinne and iniquitie and we nowe liuing shall be iudged for oure sinnes specially all those whiche not onely doe euyll themselues but are authors and faultors to wycked doers Romanes 1. Fourthly The maiestie of God can be subiect to no sinne bicause it can be vnder no lawe And that onely is worthely called sinne which is done agaynst a Lawe therefore no worke that God dothe oughte to be accompted euill eyther that he is the occasion of any euyll whiche onely is the minde sence spirite and power of the Lawe wythout whom no lawe of it selfe is good For euerie good lawe is the minde will 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 their 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 law of
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