An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 30
THE ADVERSARIE.
The Apostle saieth, God hath frome the begining chosē you to saluatiō through sanctifiyng of the the spirit and through beleuing the trueth here we do learn that they which be chosen to saluatiō they be sanctified by the spirit and beleue the trueth,The 30. section. and that such may fall it appereth by tha… which is writen in the Epistle to the Hebrues,Hebr. 1… how much more suppose you shall he be punished which treadeth vnderunder fete the Sonne of God, and counteth the blood of the testament, wherewith he was sanctified as an vnholie th…ng and doth dishonor the spirit…of grace, also he exhorteth them▪ not t… cast away their confidence and not to withdraw them selues vntounto damnation, h… which withdraweth him self vntounto damnation was a fore in the state of saluation as he that withdraweth him self vntounto saluation was afore in the state of damnation. of this change speaketh Paule to the Ephesians: remember that ye being in tymes past without Christ being aliens and strangers from the testament of promes hauing no ho…e and being without God in this world. but now by the meanes of Christ Iesu y… which som tyme were far of, are made nie by the bloode of Christ. And againe now therefor ye are no strangers and foroners, but Citezens with the Sainctes of the houshold of God.
Here doth Paule write to the elect, whom he affirmeth in tymes past to hauehave bene without Christ: and we are sure that without Christ there is no election: he saieth also that they were without the testament of promes; and all they which be elect pertein to the promes but now (saieth he) ye be citezens with the saintes and of the houshold of God, This is a change frome death vntounto lief, frome the bondage of the deuil to libertie in Christ Iesu, frome the wrath of God to the fauor and exceding louelove of God, frome the infernall preson to the the hauenlie Ierusalē. of the cōtrarie exchange and m…tation,He…r. 6 it is writen to the Hebr. where it is declared, how they which were once lightened and had tasted of the heauēlie gi…te, and were bec… ̄ partakers of the holie Gost and had tasted of the good will of God, and of the power of the world to com, that they may fall away, and crucifie the sonne of God a fr…she and make a mock of him. I can not tell what cā be more plainely spoken cōtrarie to you, which affirme that they which be once elect can neuer fall out of the same election, vnt… condemnation. for if these wordes were not wr…tten in the scriptures, if I or any other should speak thē, ye wold say they were fals and we liers And yet I am sure rather thē ye will submit your self to the trueth ye had rather seke an narrow bore to crepe out at, what will ye say, if ye deni… such one as receaued all these cheif benefites, that any man can receaue i… this world yea no mā can be participāt of no greater giftes during this lief if ye denie such one I say to be elect, surely ye are of a peruerse repro…ate mynd, for asmuch as ye plainely resist the holie Gost, think you that God giueth these his chief talētes which he such as no creature can receaue any greater in this world. think you I say, that God did bestow thē mea…ing, to receaue no frute of them? but to bestow thē in vaine & if God did bestow them vponupon hym whom he reprobated afore the fundation of the world. whom he knew that of necess…tie he should perishe then did he intend bestowe them in vain which is fals for asmuche as the holie Gost willeth and exhorteth vsus not to receaue the grace of God in vaine, we may abusing his grace receaue it in vain otherwise in vain did Paule exhort us not to receaue the grace of God in vaine.2. Cor. 6 of suche doth also Peter speak▪ that after they were cleane escaped frome the filthy…e… of the worlde,2. Per. 2 throughe the knoledge of our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therin and ouercome whose latter end… is wors then the beginning. And suche one is compared to a dogge which returneth to his own vomite againe, And to a sow which wa… washed, and now returneth and walloweth in the mire. I praye you whether were these elected or repro…ate, of whom Peter speaketh If you say reprobate yt were they clean escaped from the filthines of the world through the knowledge of the trueth, and had vomited their poyson, & were washed clean If you say they were elect, then marke how they be tāgled againe, returned to their vomite, & to the filthie myre, but you will say they cā not yet finally perishe▪ Peter knew what he wolde say, and therfore maketh you answere afore hand saing. their latter end is worse thē the beginning Brethren saith S. Iames if any of you do erre frome the trueth,Iacob 5 & a nother cōuerte him, let the same know that he which conuerteth the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue asoule frō death. what be they whō Iames saieth, they do erre frō the trueth? If ye say reprobate, consider how they be conuerted to the trueth, and saued from death. If you say they be elect you se how that they (being in error) were ord…inied to death Otherwise how can they be saued from death which nether be dead nor yet cā die.…. Tim. … Paul willeth Timothie to informe with all meaknes them which resist the trueth, if God at any tyme will giuegive them repentace for to know the trueth and that they may com to them selues againe out of the snare which are holden captiue of him at his will. If thou say that these be elect to whom Paule writeth, se you not how they by s…ared of the deuil yea …nd are holden captiue of the deuil at his will. If you say they be reprobates thē marke well how they by repētance may escaip the snare of the de…il. but what should I speak of repentāce▪ if your opinion be true thē the preaching of repentance is vaine. for asmuche as the elect can not finally perish, nether fall owt of the electiō & fauor of God. what nede hauehave they then of repenta…ce, And the reprobate cā by no meanes attein vntounto saluation for what purpose should they repent? Then this is no sounde doctrine, which ye t…ach. The lord planted his v…yard hedged it and walled it and planted it with goodlie grapes,Iesa. 5 lere. … If they were goodlie grapes and of a good roote, as we read in Ieremie, then were they no repr…ba…es. for there the lord witnesseth that there could no more be done for his vineyarde then he had done, then had he not preordina…e them to destruction. But (as he saieth) I made the o… Israel that thow might serue me ye… became they reprobates, and perished by this we se that the elect and ch…sen become reprobates through their noughtines and wikednes. The lord will be mer…ifull vntounto Iacob▪ Isa. 14and will yet ch…se Israel againe, and set them in their own land, Seing the lord doth chose them againe, then were they fall…n out of their former election when Israel was yong I loued him and called my sonne owt of the land of Egypt, forasmuch as Israel was the sonne of God, and that also beloued insomuch that the lordled them with cordes of friendship, and bondes of louelove they must nedes, be …he elect of God, yea because they prouoked the lord through their abominations, they are cast away▪ and the lord rewarde…h them according to their desertes.
ANSWER.
If I should labor to the end of this your most confused worke, to reduce euerie scripture by you wrested and abused to the true meaning and vnderstanding of the holie Gost as hitherto I hauehave done in the most parte of them, which ye hauehave alledged, my trauale should be great ād the work should excede a iust measure. Therefor seing that sufficiently, by the plaine scriptures of God, I hauehave confirmed the doctrin, which we teach, beleue, and maintein: ād by the same trueth of gods worde I hauehave confuted your error, from hencefurth I intēd, onelyonly to to…che the proposition, which ye maintein: and by confuting the same, briefly ether by scripture, orels by exemple to shew in what sorte ye wrongfully apply the sc…iptures, to maintein your error offring yet to satisfie, to my power, such as charitably shall ask of me, by word or writing further explanation of any scripture by you alledged, & by me at this tyme not fully resolued.
The chief propositiō which ye maītein to ye end of this your book, is that the elect may fall frō their election To the which I answer, that if ye vnderstand, that those whom God the father hath elected in his eternall counsel, to lief euerlasting in Christ Iesus,The anabaptistes holde that the elect may fall from their election. Iohn 6 Iohn 10 may so fall from their election, that finally they perish, if this (I say) be your vnderstanding, then I feare not to affirme, that proposition to be vtterlie fals, erroneous, and dānable, as it that doeth expressedly repugne to gods plaine scriptures. for Christ Iesus doeth affirme that so many as his father hath giuen to him, shal come vntounto him, And to such as do come, he promiseth life euerlasting which he hath in him self, for the saluatiō of his flock, whereof none shal perish, for furth of his hands, can none be pulled away.
But because this before is largely intreated I come shortly to the scriptures which ye abuse.To the 1 2 & 3
First ye proue, that those which be elected, be sanctified by the spirit,2. The 2 He…r. 10. and through beleuing of the trueth which we confesse to be most true. Thereafter ye alledge that such, as be sanctified, may after dishonor the spirit of grace tredde doune the blood of the testament, & so drawe to damnation. I answer, the cause of your error is, that ye make no difference betwext the sanctification, and liuely faith, which is proper onelie to the sonnes of God, which once begonne, is perpetuall, and that sanctification, and faith, which is common to the reprobate, and therefore it is but temporall.
If this distinctiō displeaseth you, quarel with ye holie Gost, and not with vsus: for of his plaine workes, & wordes euidēt, hauehave we receaued it. for all Israel were sanctified to be ye kinglie priesthode, all were circūcised, yea & did drink of yt spirituall drink: and yet were they not all inwardly sāctified vntounto saluatiō & life euerlasting. The hole tribe of Leuie were sāctified to y• seruice of ye Lord, in his tabernacle, but how many of thē did stil remaine prophane persōs, y• scripture cōcealeth not. Euē so all yt great multitude, whō Christ fed in ye wildernes, yea all those yt adhered for a time to his doctrine, were after som maner sanctified, that is seperated, & deuided frō ye rest of ye world. But that sanctification was but temporall, like as also was their faith. we do not denie but that the reprobate hauehave som maner of faith, ād som sort of sanctification for a time, that is, that they are compelled euē by the impire of the Spirit of God, to confesse and acknowledge that all thinges spokē in gods sciptures, are true. And yt therefor their conscience in afeare, and terror do seke som meanes to please God for the auoiding of his vēgeāce. For as this is nother the true faith iustifying neither yet the perfect sanctification of the Spirit of God which reneweth ye elect, in the inwarde man: so doth nether of both long cō …inue, for they returning to their natural prophanation and darknes, do leaue the waye of light and life and drawe them selues to death and damnation. But hereof without the contumelie of the Sōne of God and without abnegation of his plaine veritie, ye can not conclude that the elect membres of his bodie,It is impossible that christe should lese any of the mēbr… of his bodie. can be rest out of his hands, that those for whom solēnely he hath prayed, that they shoulde be sanctified in the veritie, and that they should be one with him, as he is one with his father, may come to finall prophanation, and so to perditiō. we feare not to affirm that to be a thing no les impossible, then that it is, that Christ Iesus shall cease to be head of his Churche, and the sauiour of his bodie.
In the wordes of the Apostle writē in the second chapter to the Ephesians,To the 4 5 & 6 ye seme not to vnderstand his meaning, where he saieth: ye were sōtimes without Christ, …for saye you) we are sure, that without Christ there is no election. In which wordes, thow that writest, plaiest with the simple ignorant reader,The aduersarie plai…th the fol…sh …hister. the vile sophister, confounding by the inglishe word, without, that whiche in latine is moste euidently distincted. Doth Paule say? Eratis aliquando extra Christū? or saieth he not? Eratis sine Christo? To make the mater sensible to you (my deare brethren) be you neuer so simple, where he saieth without Christ, there is no election, that proposition is …rue, if it be vnderstand, that man was neuer elected to lief euerlasting, but in Christ Iesus onlie. But if he will affirme that none are elected in Christ Iesus, without Christ, that is to say, before that they come to the true, and perfect knowledge of gods mercies in Christ, that proposition is most fals and doth repugne (as plainely ye may se) to the mynde and wordes of the Apostle. for he affirmeth, that we were elected in Christ Iesus, before the fundation of ye world was laid, yea whē we were dead by sinne, ignorant of him, strangers from the testament of his promes which S. Paule calleth to be without Christ, without God in this world, & without the league of the testament. And by these wordes doth the Apostle magnifie the superaboundāt mercies of God shewed to the world in Christ Iesus. By the which he receaued not onelyonly the Iewes who long had continued in league with God, but also the Gentiles to the participation of his glorie: albeit that from the daies of Abrahā, they had liued as dispised & reiected of God. Let the reader now iudge how strongly ye conclude. To the place of the A…postle, touching the illumination of such, as after vtterly fall back, I hauehave before answered, ye vniustly accuse vsus, yt we seke shiftes and narrow bores, to the end yt we shall not be subiect to the trueth. For this is our plaine confession, which we simply and boldly do affirme, that this is a stable and immutable foundation: the Lord knoweth his own, that no creature is able to seperat his elect frome his louelove,Rom. …. which in Christ Iesus, he beareth to them.
Where boldly ye affirme vsus to be of a peruers and reprobat mynd,To the 7 8. 9. & 10. if we deny them to be elect, who hauehave receaued from God such graces, as man in this life can receaue no greater. It may seme that because ye delyte to speak what ye please, ye take libertie to lay to our charge what soeuer semeth good to you.
I trust ye be neuer able to proue that any of vsus, hath affirmed that he who had receaued of the fre gift of God a true vnfeined and liuelie faith, is not the elect of God, and that faith we knowe do gods children, which cum to aige and discretion receaue in this life, as Peter did: against the which, did Christ pronounce, that the gates and portes of hell should not preuaile. But it appereth to me that your doubt, is ether to witt, whether God bestoweth his great and riche talentes vponupon the reprobate. for if so he should do, ye asffirme yt he bestoweth them in vaine, meaning, to receaue no frute of them. That God bestoweth great talentes vponupon the verie reprobate, the scriptures manifestly do witnes, to speake nothing of lief, reason, corporall health, richesse, and honors, which the reprobate in greatest abundance do possesse, doth not Christ witnes; that many shall cry, Lord in thy name we hauehave prophecied, we hauehave cast owt deuils, and in thy name hauehave we done many wonderous workes? And yet shall Christ answer I neuer knew you. Doth not Paule affirme that albeit he knew all mysteries, had all prophecie, and knowledge, and all faith (suche he meaneth, as by the which miracles are wroght) yet without he had charitie he were nothing? But yet I pray you, do prophecie, knowledge, the gift of tōgues and of miracles cease to be the good and riche talētes of God? ye crie yet are they bestowed without hope of frute to be receaued, & in vaine, if they be bestowed vponupon the reprobate. That of you is boldly and most blasphemously affirmed. for God knoweth the frute which his Churche shall receaue, not onelyonly of those spiritual talentes how wicked that euer they be (to whose dispensation, they are committed) but also of the corporall and temporall benefit, yea of very tyranny, doth his wisedom and goodnes cause a frute and commoditie com, and spring out to his Churche. By the tyranny of Nabuchadnezer, he punished the proude contemners, and tried, and partly purged his children, who before were slothfull, and negligent. by that great conquest and victorie, whiche he gaue to Cyrus, he procured the dedeliuerāce of his people from bondage. By the great abundāce of victuales, giuen in the daies of Pharao, were Iacob and his children susteined. And think you that with out frute and all togither in vaine, were these and the like benefites bestowed? althogh that the most part of these were idolatrers, cruel murtherers, and reprobate, to whose custodie, these talētes were cōmitted. ye are to bolde thus to controle God. for his wisdome will not in all thinges be subiect to your foolishnes. The diuersitie of creatures here beneth in earth, may teach you more sobrietie. How many cratures I pray you appere to our iudgement to be supernuouse and vainely created, not onelie because they profitt not man, but becaus they are vnprofitable to them selues? but shall we therfore accuse gods wisdom, by whom they are cre…ted? God forbidde. for besides the omnipotencie of his power, and wisdom manifested in their creation, he alone knoweth their vse, profitt and commoditie, which eueryevery creature receaue of an other, how dull so euer our senses be. And the same oght you to considre, in all talentes, and giftes committed to m… ̄, how wicked so euer they be, to whom they are committed. for not onelyonly therin is gods goodnes to be praised wc extēdeth ye self, in some cases euē to his enemies, but also som profitt doth euer arise to his Church, by his graces, how so euer they be abused, by the reprobat.Gods t… lentes in the very repr…bate do profit g…s Church. The pregnāt witt and subtill ingin of Iulian the apostatate, serued the Churche, in stede of aspurre in his tyme, and caused the godlie learned more diligently to searche the scriptures of God, then before they had done. And the same doth your peruerse iniquite this day towarde vsus: Where ye say, that it is fals, th… God did intend to best…w his talē …es in v…ine▪ for asmuch as the holie G…st willeth and exhort…th vsus not t… receaue the grace of God in vaine, yet not withstāding God willeth not vsus to rec…aue his grace in vaine, we may abusing his grace▪ receaue it in vaine other wies in vaine did Paule exh…rte vsus, n…t t… receaue his graece in vaine. These be yor wordes & this is your reason wc I leaue to be iudged vpō, by y• godlie reader for we do not say that God bestoweh his giftes in vaine (albeit the reprobate be participant thereof) but it is you yt affirm that in vaine and without frute they are bestowed, except that all be elect to life euerlasting yt receaue them▪ which doctrine is so strange to vsus, that we doubt not to affirme, with the hasard of our liues, that by gods scriptures,2. Cor. 6 it can not be mainteined. The wordes of the Apostle in the place by you alledged, nether affirmeth what man may do, nether yet what he may not do: but he declareth how diligently & carefully not onelyonly by preaching, but also by exhortation and praier he trauailed, that his labors myght be frutefull amongest them, and so that they should not receaue ye grace of God in vain. But admitting that he had said, I commande you not to receaue the grace of God in vaine, could ye thereof conclude any more then ye may do of these wordes, be you holie, for I am holie, saieth the lord? There is a precept geuen, but in whom standeth power to perfourme the same? If it stand not in man, say you, in vain is the precept giuen. how you be able to proue that, I remitt to your better aduisemēt. To me is nothing vaine that God speaketh or commandeth. for I am assured yt ether by gods will reueled are the elect instructed, how they oght to walke, or els are the reprobate in their consciences cōuict,The pla… of the 2. chap. of Peter … that knowing gods holie will, obstinatly they rebell against the same: and so are they witnesses to their own iust damnation.
The place of Peter doth manifestly fight against you: for how soeuer the dogge hath vomited the corruption of his stinking stomocke: and how so euer the sow hath appered to hauehave bene clensed: yet nether of both chāge theire owne nature. But ye dogge remaineth the dogge, and therfor can do none other thing, but to returne to his vomite, and the sow remaining the sow, must nedes returne to wallowe in the myre. But (say you) Peter affirmeth, that they were verely escaped. I answer, as touching the trueth and nature of the doctryne which they professed, so they were▪ for it was the verye true knowledge of God, which was offered vntounto them, and whiche apperantly they had receaued. In wc if they had cōtinued, they should verely hauehave bene fre frome all bondage, according to Christes promes. But becaus they were none of his chosen shepe, nor peculiar flocke, they did decline frō ye holie cōmandemēt, and so were their last wors then their first. because yt the seruant knowing the will of the master and not doing the same is worthie many stripes. All this I know doth please you, except, yt I affirme that they were neuer of Christes chosen nōbre, no not euē whē they professed most boldly, whē they liued most streitly, and when most they appered to hauehave bene purged. I will not bynd you to beleue myn affirmation, except that I bring ye witnessing of the holie Gost,1. I…n 2. S. Iohn saieth, they hauehave passed out frō vsus (he speaketh of antichristes) but they were not of vsus, for if they had bene of vsus, of a trueth they should hauehave remained wt vsus &c. These wordes nede no cōmētarie: for saieth he, they hauehave passed out frome vsus. And why? because they were not of vsus, no not euē whē they professed most earnestly &c: Shut vp your own eyes as ye li…t, this light shall ye neuer be able to obscure, much lesse to extinguish.To the 11. 12. & 13 The place of S. Iames, and of ye Apostle Paule to Timothe. 2. Timoth. 2. do teach not onelyonly the ministers of ye word, but also euerie faithfull man, how carefully one should procure the saluation of an other. And to make all mē more diligent, in doing their duetie, he declareth in what extreme danger stand such, as do erre frō the trueth, or that remaine in bondage of Satā, as also, what acceptable seruice vntounto God, do such, as by whom God calleth others from the way of damnation.
That this is the simple meaning of both the Apostles, I trust euerie godlie man, yt diligently will read the text, shall confesse with me. your foolish questions demanding, whether they were elect or reprobate, ofwhom the Apostle speaketh, and your academical reasons grounded vpō your own fantasies, I omitt as vnworthie to be answered: for ye Apostle speaketh to no one particulare sort, but proposeth a cōmō and general doctrine, for the endes which I hauehave rehearsed before. And albeit ye feare not now to affirme, that the preaching of repentance is in vaine, if our opinion be true, the day shall com, when ye shall know, that nether was the sharp preaching of Iohn, nether yet the glad tydinges and amiable voice of Christ Iesus, blowen to the worlde in vaine, albeit that the Scribes and Pharesies remained still the generation of vipers, and that they could nether feare nor beleue the promes of saluation, because they were not of God, but of the deuil, whose children they were.
The places of Isaiah and Ieremie,Isaiah 5 I hauehave before declared, & therefor in few wordes I will touche ye purpose of the holie Gost, which was not to instruct that people whom, when, or how many God had elected to lief euerlasting in Christ Iesus his Sonne, or whom for iust causes, he had reprobated, but to conuict them of their manifest, and most vnthankfull defection, and to take from them, all excuses, both the prophetes do declare, how gently God had entreated them, yea how beneficial he had bene to their fathers, whom he called from ignorance, whom he norished in …is own knowledge, and at length planted, and hedged them about with all munition and necessarie defence. So that now the children declining to Idolatrie could hauehave no excuse. for their fathers Abraham, Isaak, Iacob, and Dauid, whom he calleth the faithfull sede, gaue vntounto them no such example.Ierem. 2 But how saieth he, art thow now changed, to be vntounto me a degenerate vineyard? what maketh this, I praye you, for your purpose, or for to proue, that these, that be elected in Christ Iesus, to lief euerlasting, may becom reprobates? If I should answere, that the stocke which was planted faithfull, remained faithfull, but that it produced many rotten, and vnfrutefull branches, which therefor, must nedes be cut of, none of your sect were able to confute me. for I should hauehave the Apostle for my warrant. But I delyte in nothing somuche, as in the simple and natiue meaning of the scriptures, as they be alledged in their own places by the holie Gost.To the 14 The places of the prophetes Isaiah, and Hoseas, hauehave not both one end. for Isaiah in the 14 chapter doth promes in the person of God, that he wold shew merciemercy to Iacob, and that he wold choose Israel againe: yea that he wold destroy Babylon, for their saik, and so wold choose his people to him self againe, whom for a tyme, he appered to hauehave reiected, so that other lordes then he, did beare rule ouer them.Hoseas 11 But Hoseas in the contrarie sense affirmeth, that because they had abused the long pacience of God, and had not righteously considered, howtenderly he had intreated them, that therefor should the sword r…sh… in into the citie, that it should destroy, and deuore, so that none should be found to releue them. This I dout not, is the meaning of both the prophetes. O but you crie, here is mention made, that God will choose his people againe therefor he had once reiected, whom before he had chosen. I trust ye …ll not, that gods Maiestie shalbe subiect to periurie, for the establishement of your error. he had before solemnely sworn not onelyonly to Abraham but also to Dauid, that he wold for euer, be the God of that people, and that of the frute of his loynes should one fitt vponupon his seate, and that for euer▪ If he had so reiected his people, that no election had remained, nether yet that he had made any differēce betwext them, and the prophane natiōs, before the cōming of Christ Iesus, where was the stabilitie of this former promes? we know, yt the giftes, and vocation of God, are without repentāce in him self, yt he casteth not away such, as he be foreknew to be his own, but that in ye greatest extremitie, his promes abideth stable, as in this people he most euidently declared. for he did not so disperse them, so reiect them, and as it were in his anger cast them of, and giuegive them ouer to the appetites of theire ennemies, but that still he did knowe, and auowe them to be his people, yea euen in their greatest calamitie. As in these wordes he doth witnes, saying, when they shalbe in the land of theire ennemies I will not refuse them, nether yet will I dispyse them, so that I will vtterly destroy them, or make my couenante with them, to be of none effect, for I am the lord their God. for then I shall remembre myne old couenant, which I made with thē when I led them furth of the land of Egypt, in the presence of the Gentiles, that I might be their God, I the eternall. And in the same prophete, in many places mo, the same is most euident. for thus he writeth foreseing their captiuitie:Isai. 44 Yet now heare ô Iacob my seruāt and Israel, whō I hauehave chosen, thus saieth the Lord that made the, and formed the, from the wombe: he will help thee, feare not ô Iacob my seruant (aduerte that yet he doth acknowledge Iacob to be his seruant, euen in his greatest miserie) and thow righteous whom I hauehave chosen, for I shall powre owt waters vponupon the thirstie, & floodes vponupon the drie grounde: I shall powre furth my spirit vponupon thy sede, and my blessing vponupon thy buddes. And in the same Chapter, after that he hath reproued the vanitie of idolaters, he saieth: Remembre these (ô Iacob and Israel) for thou art my seruant, I hauehave formed thee to this purpose, that thou shouldest be my seruant:Isaiab 48. ô Israel forget me not &c. For my names saike will I differ my wrath, and for my praise will I refrein it frome the, that I cut the not of &c. Lift vp your eyes to the heauens,Isaiab 51. and beholde the earth beneth, for the heauens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax olde like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall perish in like maner, but my saluation shalbe for euer (he meaneth the deliuerance, which he had promised to that people) and my righteousnes shal not be abolished &c.Isai. 54. For a litle whyle hauehave I forsaken thee, but with great compassion shal I gather thee &c. And the sonnes of strangers shall buyld vp thy walles,Isaia. 60 and their kinges shall serue thee. for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my merciemercy I had compassion on thee &c. For Zions sake I wil not hold my tongue,Isa. 62 and for Ierusalems sake I wil not rest, vntill the righteousnes thereof breake furth, as the light,Isaia. 61 and the saluacion thereof, as a burning lamp &c. And their sede shalbe knowen amongest the Gentiles, and their buddes among the people: All that se them shall know them, that they are the sede, which the Lord hath blessed. These and many places mo, do manifestly witnesse, that God did neuer before the comming of Christ Iesus in the flesh vtterly reiect and refuse that people (as that they did not appertein vntounto him) but that he did auowe them to be his chosen, his peculiar people and his inheritance, euen whē they were in greatest miserie. Yea further God had continually of the sede of Abraham, during the tyme of the Law, and the prophetes, som nombre openly to glorifie his name in the eyes of the world. And therefore consider with your self, how iustly ye gather vponupon these wordes of the prophet, God shal yet againe choose Israel, that therefore God had vtterly reiected all Israel, yea euen from the life euerlasting. for except that so ye conclude, ye hauehave proued nothing of your purpose, for the controuersie standeth not betwext vsus and you, whether that God doth somtymes choose, and promote a man, or a people to honor and dignitie in this life, & thereafter iustly depriue him or them from the same. for this did we neuer denie. But the hole controuersie consisteth in this point, whether that such as God in his eternall counsel, hath elected in Christ Iesus to life euerlasting, can after be reprobated, and so finally perish and that shal ye neuer be able to proue. That the simple reader may the better vnderstand the meaning of y• prophete, this I adde The people in the captiuitie of Babylon were so oppressed, and so destitute of all hope euer to be restored to any dignitie or libertie againe. That to them it appered a like possible to raise the dead carkases of such, as were buried in their graues, as to deliuer them, from the handes of the proud, and pu…sant Babylonians. And therefore doth not onlie Isaiah, who long afore saw their bondage, & the redemption from the same, but also Ieremiah & Ezechiel, who did se it with their eyes, with great boldnes & cōstācie affirme, that they shoulde be deliuered from that bōdage, yt they shoulde be maried wt God & so shoulde be chosen againe, as or Prophet here speaketh, wc is not to be referred to y• part of God,How God di… choose Israel again. but to the apprehension of the people who thoght them selues vtterly forsaken and reiected of God. Against this temtatiō, ye prophet saith: God shall choose Israel againe, that is shal restore them to ye former dignitie, yea to a greater. And yt shoulde he do in such sort, yt they should know yt he was God merciful cōstant, and immutable of his promes. And so the renouatiō of the league in such sort, that the worlde might se that God fauored Israel, is called the new election, & new mariage, not that God had euer in him self decreed and purposed, that the Messias and blessed sede shoulde descend of any other nation, but of the sede of Abrahā and house of Dauid, but that the people, in the tyme of their affliction, had receaued such a wounde, by reason of their grieuous plagues, and former offences that they thoght yt God had vtterly reiected them, let ye prophetes be redde with indifferent iudgement. And this I dowbte not shall appere most true. Now to the rest of your scriptures.