The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion, Treatise 4
¶A briefe Treatise, wit… certayne Answers to the Obiections of the Aduersaries of this doctrine, written by Anthonie Gylbie.
…Hereas three yeeres ago, dearely beloued. I did write of this matter of Election & Reprobation, whiche is called Predestination, in a certayn Commentarie vponupon the Prophet Malachie, by the occasion of this text:
I hauehave lou…d Iacob, and I hauehave hated Esau. The whiche Treatise by the rage of persecution, partly perished, and part dyd come of late to my handes: accompting this doctrine so necessarie, that vppon all occasions it ought with reuerence to bee vttred to the glory of God, whiche so wonderfully, appeareth in this his riche merciemercy towarde vsus, whome he chooseth from the fylthe of sinne, to serue him in righteousnesse, and to the beating downe of our corrupt nature, whiche without this, eyther moūteth by pride, vntounto presumption, or falleth by infidelyty to desperation. Because that without some taste of this diuine prouidence in Predestination, there can bee no fayth, but eyther a doubtfull wauering, leading to dispayre, which wée hauehave lefte in the Papisterye wyles wée looked to our owne weakenesse and infirmitie, not able to endure one houre in the way of righteousnesse: or else a vayne presumption of feyned holynesse, whyles wee beeholde our owne beleefe and good works, or the perfection that we doo imagine in our owne selues, as doo the Annabaptistes. Therefore I thoughte it good according to my simple Talent, to testifie this truthe agayne vntounto the worlde, at the Printing of this worthy Table of the great lerned man, Master Beza, which is set forth in French, Latin, and Italian, and now into Englyshe, translated by our brother VV. VVhittingham: wherein is most euidēntly set forth before our eies the chyefe ground of this doctryne, and the principall poyntes thereof are so deepely opened, that there seemed to wante nothing that was possible in fewe lynes to be vttered, yet for the shortnesse therein all thinges can not be conteyned, but that some briefe lessons for the vnlearned (who hath not theyr sences fully exercised wyth such déepe sentences) may well be adioyned, as eueryevery man hereafter shall héerevnto be moued by the spirit of God working in their hartes (that many bearing wytnesse to the truthe of this most profitable doctrine nowe reuealed) the mercies of God in choosing his chyldren, may more and more, daye by daye be disclosed: and by the witnesse of dyuers consentyng togyther in one, God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ may be gloryfyed. For heerein chyefly standeth his prayse, honor, and glory, that these his wonderfull mercyes toward hys Electe maye be praysed. Nowe there is no meane more apte, nor doctrine more conuenient to establysh the fayth of the Sayncts, than to certyfye by the Scryptures, that God hath chosen them before the begynnyng of the world… to be holy to hym selfe, and so wrytten theyr names in the booke of lyfe in the heanens, that all theyr saluatyon resteth wholy vponupon his handes and holy counsell that can by no meanes be altered or chaū ged, so that neyther death, Diuell, no… …ell, 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 condempne them? It is Christ that is giuen for them, & how shall not all things with him be geuen to them also? For them that he knew before, them he ordeyned before, that they should be lyke fashioned to the image of his sonne, and whome hee appoynted before, those also hee called, and whome hée called those also he iustified, and whom he iustifyed those also be glorifyed, that his eternall purpose and counsell of God, béeing once reuealed to his Saincts, by the effectuall vocation and calling, whiche is the iustifycation of fayth wrought in their heartes by the holy spirite, they can no longer doubt neyther of Election, Predestination, saluation, or glorifycation. 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 bothe one, altogither by nature the chyldren of wraths of vengeance, & damnation: as the wonderful example of Iacob & Esau doeth declare, of whom the Lord pronounceth that he loueth the one, & hateth the other, before they were borne, and the terrible sentence agaynst Pharao, whome the Scripture affyrmeth that God raysed vp to shewe vppon him his power, and hardened hys hart, to make his name knowne, and such like, which eueryevery where are set before our eyes, to cause man to fall downe before God, and to feare his iudgementes. But our Aduersaries obiect agaynst vsus, that this doctrine is an offence to many, and that some abuse it to carnall lybertie. I doo answere, that Christe … …umbling stone to many, and all the … of the Gospell is lykewise slaundered by the euill conuersation of others: yet may we not prohibite the sweete 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 bée the glad tydings of saluation to the assurance of the fayth of the one, and a cleare testymony of cōdemnation of the other, to the beating downe of the pryde of man, thys glorious counsel of the mightie God, ought vntounto all in this cleare reuelation of the Gospell, to bee offered, opened, and publyshed.
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 bee God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whiche hath blessed vsus with all spirytuall blessinges in heauenlye thinges vntounto Christ, lyke as he hath elected and ch…sen vsus in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde, that wée shoulde be holy and blamelesse before him by louelove, who hath predestinate vsus, that hee myghte freely choose vsus to bee hys chyldren by Iesus Christ. Ephes.…. And thoughe there come some wycked men, whiche were long before apoynted to this iudgement, whiche doo turne the grace of our God to lasciuiousnesse & wantonnesse, as holy Iude saythe: yet knowe wée that wée are chosen by Iesus Christe that the glory of his grace, hys fauour and mercy towards vsus might be praysed. For we are the electe and chosen kyndred, and hys people by purchase, that we shoulde shewe the vertue of him whiche hath called vsus foorth of darknesse into this maruellous lyght.
This people ordayned to saluation only beleeueth. Act. 13. For this Electe people onelyonly was Christ sent into this world. To them onelyonly is the worde of saluation sent, 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 doth signifye. We describe and define election to bée the frée choyce of the good wyll of the almighty God, appoynting and prescribing in the booke of lyfe before the begynning of the worlde, whome he wyll hauehave to bée saued, and coumpted amongest the iust. Whome hée will hauehave holy and without faulte before him to be his children, by adoption to set forth his glory. This choyse, his choosing, this aforeappoynted purpose and ordinaunce of God, is aboundauntlye set forthe in the first chapter to the Ephesians. That this commeth of the free wil of God and his onelyonly grace, freely without our deseruing (contrary to the vayne opinion of the Papists and Anabaptists) …he same chapter and the next chapter folowing dothe plainly testifie. Ephe. 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 hauehave mercy vponupon whome it liketh me, and I will shew mercy where it shall be my pleasure, for so is the meaning of those wordes, I wyll hauehave mercy vppon whome I will hauehave mercy. Paul also declaring in this place the worke of God beetwixte these twoo children Iacob and …sa…. Romaines. 9. saythe thus of this fr… Election, whē Rebeca was with child with one and the same father Isaack, before …he 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 hir, not for the cause of workes, but by the grace of the caller, the elder shal serue the younger. As it is written, saythe hée: Iacob I loued, but Esau I hated. Of the booke of lyfe, 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 booke 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 forth of the booke of life. And agaynst the false Prophet. Ezechiel. 13. Hée shall not bee in the counsaile of my people, nor written in the booke of the house of Israell. There be two finall causes also of this eternall purpose of the election, the whiche Paule rehearseth in the first chapter to the Ephesians, the one toucheth God, the other perteyneth to man. He hath El…cted vsus bee fore the foundations of the worlde (sayth the Apostle) that wée mighte be holy & without blame. And this an…wereth the wicked, which woulde abuse the mercies of God to their lust. Againe it followeth. He hath Predestinate vsus, that he myght choose vsus to be his chyldren, that his name may be praysed. And this stoppeth the mouthes of all our aduersaryes that saye, that this doctrine is not to the prayse of God: so that they must cease to sclaunder this doctrine, vnlesse they wyll hynder the glory of God, and denye the open Scriptures.
Now it is to bée noted and marked dylligently, that this worde election is taken after two sortes in the Scripture, sometymes as it sygnifyeth absolutely the free choyse, wyll, and appoyntment of God, without the respecte of the reuelation of the worde and message of saluation. And thus speaketh the holy Apostle Saint Paul of Election, saying of the carnall Iacob: They were enimyes concerning the gospell for your cause, but concerning the Election, they are beloued for their parents. For the gyftes of God, and his calling are suche, that he can not repent. Euen as you once were mysbeléeuers from God, but nowe hauehave attayned mercy, by theyr mysbeléefe, that they should attayne merciemercy also.
This Election expresseth absolutely the secret purpose of God, without the respect of reuelation of the woorde, or any of our workes following. Under this first kinde of Election were those hundreth and twentye thousande, whiche God dyd choose and kéepe vntounto hymselfe in Niniuie amongst the Idolaters, and the seuen thousande which God dyd leaue for himselfe in Israell, in the third booke of Kings the. 19. chap. Yea, those that yet are not, are thus elect, chosen and amongst al nations both Iewes in this long blindnes, & banishmente from their cuntrey amongst the Turkes in theyr Idolatrous wickednes, yea amongst the Edomites, the Sabees, the Indians, and Ethiopians.
And in the late blyndnesse of the Popishe church, wherein wee togither wyth our fathers were altogether Idolatrous, all Hypocrites and counterfaite Christians, thys absolute Election whereby the mercyfull Lord God did reserue and kepe his chosen vntounto hym in all places, all ages, all countreys, without respect of personnes dyd most euydently appeare. Howbeit this secreete of Election must onelyonly …ee lefte to the Maiestie of God, where, when, howe, and whome he thereby saueth and sheweth his mercy. For, to the blynde iudgement of man all these people rehearsed, and suche lyke seemeth reiect, reprobate and cast awaye, as appeareth by Ionas condempning the Niniuites, by Elias condempning the Israelites, and a long whyle, vntyll God had by myracle from Heauen delyuered hym from that errour, vntounto the chyefe Apostle Peter, iudging all the Gentyles to bee a polluted people, farre from the fauour of God.
The seconde kynde of Election is set …oorth and knowne, euydent and open by the spirite of God, working in the harts of the Elect and chosen by fayth, and trust in God his promyses through Christ, teaching vsus that we are the chyldren of God chosen to him selfe by Iesus Christ, from the begynning, and therefore preparing vsus to an holy and blamelesse lyfe, to the lawde & prayse of the grace of God. The which Election besydes the dayly e…perience of our consciences maye bee approued by the testymonies of these Scryptures compared together. Esa. 59. Rom 8. Ephesi. 1. Colos. 3. and a verie bryefe and perfecte description of thys Election. 2. Thes. 2. in these wordes. Wée ought to thanke God that he hath chosen you from the begynning, by the sanctifying of the spyrite and the beleefe of the trueth, to the which he hath called you by our Gospell, to attayne the glorye of our Lorde Iesus Christ. By this gratious election was Iacob dearelye beloued in his Mothers wombe, and Ieremie knowne vntounto God before hée was fashioned in his Mothers wombe. Ieremie. 1. And to bee short, all other the Electe of God are thus chosen, sanctified, and beloued from the begyning from before the foundations of the world, frō euerlasting to euerlasting. For there is no chaunge of tyme with God, seeing that all thinges are present in his syght. For vntounto him a thousande yeares are but one day, but the course & change of times are in vsus, our déedes, our knowledge, in mans chaungeable wisdome.
This Election must of necessitie driue downe the pryde wée hauehave of our owne strength, our owne power, our owne nature, our owne frée wil, our owne merites, our owne iustification of our owne workes, and bryng vsus to the feelynge of the mighty power of God, which worketh all in all things, to the restoring of all things in our Christ, both in Heauen and Earth, by whome wée are called into this state, long before appointed accordyng to his purposed pleasure, by whose power all things are wrought, that we may boldly say wyth the Apostle, who dare laye any thing to the charge of the Elect of God? It is God that iustifieth, who is hée that can condemne? Who can seperate vsus (whiche are this chosen Iacob) from the louelove of God.
Can affliction? Can anguish? Can persecution? Can hunger? Can nakednes? Can peryll? Can the sword? For I am perswaded, sayeth he, that neyther death nor life, nor Angel, nor power, nor things present, eyther thinges to come, neyther heyght, nor depth, neyther any creature can separate vsus frō the louelove of God in Christ Iesu our Lorde. Loe, this is the louelove wherwith the Lorde loueth his Iacob, whereby we saye: O heauenly Father, Lord of heauen and earth, it hath pleased thée that thou myght shewe thy great goodnesse most lyberally and freely towards vsus, before that we were, and therfore before we had done eyther good or euyl, without any our merytes or deseruinges onelyonly through thy frée mercy to elect and choose, ordaine and appoint vsus heyres of euerlasting lyfe, and thereby to make all things pertayning to our saluation, so fyrme and sure, that they cannot stagger, wauer, nor fayle. Where contrariwise if they dyd hang of our worthynesse, we should euer be doubtfull, because eueryevery man is a lyar, & al our righteousnesse is lyke a spotted cloath, and nothing but counterfayte hypocrisie, wayed in the ballaunce of thy seuere iustice. But the grace of this thy frée Election maketh vsus most certaine & sure, séeing no creature is able to take out of thy hande, O God. Wherefore wée doo lawde and magnifye thy name, worlde without ende. So bee it.
Now after this doctrine of election, and louelove of God towarde Iacob, the hating and Reprobation of Esau, must lykewise be declared, and though the aduersaries of this doctrine doo seeme to denie that there is any such Reprobation of the wycked, yet the wordes are so plaine in Malachie and Romanes. 9. that nothing can be more euident. For what can be more plainely spoken for this purpose, then that God shoulde saye before the chyldren were borne, that he hated Esau. What was this b…tred, but the Reprobation, Reiection, and condemnation by God his owne mo…th of this wicked Esau, lyke as in the last verse of the fyrst Psalme, where it is sayde, that the Lorde knoweth the wayes of the ius…e… (that is) he hath them wrytten in his booke in the Heauens, …e loueth them as is sayd of Iacob, he hath such care ouer them, that they can not fall, but vntounto the glorye of God, and theyr owne commodity, and by the course of the contraries compared together in that Psalm: it should be added, the Lord knoweth not the wicked, like as Christ sayth it shall bée answered vntounto them, I knowe you not: the latter parte of the verse is that the way of the wicked shall perishe, so that it appeareth to bee all one, not to bee elected, accepted, and knowne of God, and to perish, and to be as a Reprobate condemned. And Felinus foorthe of Kimhy doth note, that that parte of the laste verse of the. 2. Psalme: God beeing angrye, you shall perishe foorthe of the waye, dothe expounde this of the fyrste Psalme, so that the Election, knowledge, louelove, and fauour of God, and eternall saluation cannot be separate: Like as his anger and hatred, reprobation and condemnation consequently doo followe, in Caine, Esau, Pharao, Iudas, the Pharisées, and lyke obdurate persons, so manifestly vttering them selues to bée of that sort whome God alwayes hated: The chyldren not of Abraham, but as Christ answereth vntounto them, of their father the deuyl, who was a murtherer from the begynning, lyke as his chyldren hauehave bene also euer syth the begynning of the world, and therefore must of necessitie be hated of the most mercifull Lorde, who is compelled by the order of his workes, to vse these wicked roddes and cruel scourges, for the chastisement of his childrē, doing many times the works straunge from his nature, that he may doo his worke of his mercy, peculyar vntounto his nature: And than vtterly breake, hate, reiect, and cast away into euerlasting fyre & vtter destruction this rodde and scourge, lyke a most merciful Father, fauoring his children and hating the rodde. Lyke as he sayth by his prophet: Woo vntounto Assur the rodde of my fury, and the staffe of my indignation, and after promyseth to breake the staffe and cast away the rodde. Psal. 10. Suffering in the meane season, yet these instruments of his wrath prepared vntounto destruction, with great patience, for this ende that he maye vtter the ryches of his glory, towards the vessels of glory, which he hath prepared vntounto glory.
Thus was Pharao the manifest scourge and rodde of God, to correct, to chastice, & to exercyse the Israelytes, and to spreads the power of God through all the worlde. Therefore was Moyses sent vntounto him, with the rodde of God his mighty mercy, to breake in sunder this rodde of chastisement. And the Lorde sayd vntounto Moyses, I hauehave appoynted thée to bée the God of Pharao, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophete, thou shalt speake vntounto him all that I commaunde thée. And he shall speake vntounto Pharao, to let go the chyldren of Israel forth of his lande. But I wyll harden his harte, sayeth the Lorde, and I wyll, multyplie my sygnes and wonders in Egypt, and hée shall not heare you. And I wyll bryng myne Armie and people …oorth of the Lande of Egypte, by most greate iudgementes, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. Exod 12.
Againe the Lorde sayth, Nowe shall I stretche my hande to stryke thée, and thy people with a plague, and thou shalt peryshe from the earth, for therefore hauehave I caused thée to stande (for so is the Hebrewe worde) that I maye shewe in thée my strength, and that my name maye bée renowned through all the earth. Exod 9. Then the Lorde sendeth a great hayle, so that feelyng the hande of God the tenth tyme, Pharao was compelled to crye: The Lorde is iuste, and I and my people are synners, as followeth in the same Chapter. Yet for all this the Lorde hardeneth his harte, that hée pursueth the chyldren of Israel to his owne destruction. Exod. 14. So that resysting the power of God, he perysheth in this worlde, and in the worlde to come, hee is appoynted to the euerlasting fyre, prepared for the Deuyll and his Angelles, by the iust iudgement of the almighty Lorde: who being refused and so openly resysted, iustlye doeth geue ouer the wycked to theyr owne Reprobate myndes, with greedynesse to fulfyll theyr fleshlie desyres, and obstinate purpose to prosecute that which the Deuyll and the worlde wylleth them to doo, and causeth them to heape vponupon theyr owne heades theyr owne dampnation, treasuring and storing vp al theyr lyfe long, workes deseruing the wrath of God against the daye of his wrath and vengeaunce, as the Apostle sayth to the Romaines.
This Reprobation then is the declaration of God his seuere iustice and iust iudgement, against the Serpent and his séede, whome, by the worde of his eternall wisedome hée hath accursed from the begynning, and appoynted to euerlasting torment. The which worke necessarie for the procéeding of God his holy prouidēce, Eternall and neuer ceasing regyment, and gouernaunce, because it is the worke of the wyll of the myghtie God, which is the verie lawe, equity, and iustice it selfe, frée from all affections, farre from all faulte, cryme or sinne: It ought to bee knowne vntounto vsus all, that all fleshe maye tremble, and consider before whome it standeth, euen before that great Lord and mighty God, who hath power both ouer the bodie and Soule to cast into hell fyre. To whome no man may saye: what doest thou? Being lyke the claye in the Potters hande, or the staffe or axe in the hande of the smyter. Who offendeth against no lawe, bicause his godly wyll is the lawe it selfe, and to knowe his pleasure, is to know the lawe, to follow his wyl, is to doo the lawe, so that of necessitye this great Lorde is so farre & frée from al sinne, that nothing is good but that which is wrought by him, nothing can be euyll that he worketh in his creatures. No, the fall of Lucifer the father of the reprobate, doth vtter his maiestie, doth shew his iustice, which olde Satan and Father Deuyl, was worthily cast downe into the bottome of Hell, and eternally condempned to euerlasting payne and torment, because he dyd so ambiciously and proudly climbe vp aboue his apointed place in the heauens. And where the mallice of this olde serpent, caused Adam the first man to mount aboue his estate, to desyre to know good & euyl, lyke a God, the maruellous mercy of God, and inestimable louelove towardes mankind caused & compelled this wicked worke of the Serpent to serue his glory, and to turne to our great commodity and profyte, in that he rayseth of the seede of man another Adam, most innocent and holy, agaynst whom no Diuel, neyther any helly power may preuayle, by whome we are not only reconciled vntounto God, and doo obteyne pardon for this offence, but wée are borne a newe, and as it were agayne created into greater glory by farre, than wée were at the first: for the first man had onelyonly a promise to lyue in … earthly garden to long as … dyd … of the for bidden frute, wée hauehave the … of the heauenly Paradice, and euerlasting pleasures. He had earthly meate and fru…, we hauehave the heauenly … which … deth into life euerlasting. He was created to worke in the Garden workes naturall, we are renewed vntounto workes supernaturall, aboue nature, heauenly and celestiall. He was … by the Serpent… wee doo ouercome and triump…e ouer the Serpent, s…nne, Diuell Death, and Hell. He had the gifte of reason and vnderstanding, we hauehave the rich wisdome of God his holy spirite, whereby wée discerne our owne infirmity and weaknesse, and his almightie power, mercy, and goodnesse. To bee shorte, where hee dyd runne from God, …id him… & sowed Figge leaues to couer his shame, following his …ond fantasie. We doo boldly beholde the course of Gods working in our nakednesse, sinne, and infirmitie, and magnifie, renowme, and prayse our Lord God, which sheweth his grace by our sinne, which vttereth his power by our weaknesse, his wisedome by our foolishnesse, which setteth forth his elect vessels, his chosen… Abels, by Caynits ye vessels of his wrath. In which Cayn the first murtherer, and therfore manifestly of the serpentes seede, appeareth euidently the iust iudgement of the Almightie God, accu…sing and condemning in Satan and Cayn, all sinnes and wickednesse. To vtter that he abhorreth sinne, and hateth it, béeing so farre contrarie from his nature, which is iustice it selfe, contrarie from his wyll, which is equitie, and his lawe which is iudgement. In Pharao a childe of the same father, reprobate, indurate, and accursed, whome God stirred vp for the declaration of his great power and mightie arme, as well in the manyfolde myracles wrought for his people, which nothing had needed, neither had ben occasioned, if there had not bene such a tyraunt soo indurate and so obstinate, to withstande God & his seruants, as also by the subuersion & drouning of him & his people in the red Sea, a signe & taken first of the eternall and i…e…itable destruction & damnation, whervnto the wicked are appoynted, than of the saluation assigned & sealed vp for the elect & chosen… we do learne héerby also y• power of God, which the very Sorcerers, the enimies of God were compelled to confesse before Pharao. Exod. 8. Wée doo learne moreouer the iustice of God, which iustice Pharao him selfe was compelled agaynste him selfe, to denounce and affirme. Exod. 9. And finally wée may sée expressed moste manifestly the fatherly mercy of the God of Iacob, whiche dyd giuegive the king and the whole people of Egypt a pryce for his chosen Iacob. …o the louelove towardes Iacob, and the hatred towardes Esa…. What shall wee speake of Iudas and other, manifestlye reprobate, whiche are compelled by the testimonye of theyr owne consciences to pronounce them selues wicked, and therefore to feare god his seuere iustice and iust iudgement, & to flye the refrom by the terrour of their euill consciences, which is more sore than a thousand witnesses, agaynst suche as God doth leaue to their owne selues The which terrible examples, the elect of God… hauing before their eyes, hath great cause to prayse their heauēly father, through his sonne Christ, who hath sent them his holy spirit of comfort, which will neuer suffer them to be tempted aboue that they are able to suffer and to beare.
But where we hauehave two kinde of men that be aduersaries to this doctrine of Reprobation. The one sorte vttering them selues most manifest Reprobate, obstinate, and wylfully wicked, crying and blaspheming: we wyll followe our lusts, what neede we to care howe we lyue, or what we doo? If we be elected with Iacob, wee shall bée saued, if wée bée reiecte and cursed with Cham, wée shall bée damned. These Lucifers, not submitting themselues to the gouernance of God, carelesse what becommeth of them, must be heat… downe with the consideration of the maiestie and mightie power of God, whiche suffereth not one sparrowe to fall vppon the earth without his wyll & prouidence, neyther one hear to fall from the head of his elect and chosen, howe fiercely so euer they shall rage agaynst them.
Wherefore (O you Serpentes 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 our busie, heades, be broken and brought full lowe where and when it shall like the Lorde of all fleshe by these his weake vessels. And licence must you aske, as did your father the diuel… executing his tyrannie vponupon 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 hartes in his hand be you neuer so great tyrants, & can soone cause you to faynt & fayle from your furie, turning your harts round about as him liketh best. And bicause you thus blaspheme God in words & déedes, following your father Lucifer, abusing Gods creatures, and despising his benefytes, his tollerance, and his long sufferan…e, which might moue you to repentance (as holy Paule warneth) you treasure vp for your selues, euen wrath & vengeance agaynst the day of vengeance. I doo feare nothing at all to offende you with my writing, neither do you passe any thinge 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 feele things contrarie to your poyson. But the scriptures of God, all good writinges, all truthe, vntounto suche dogs and hogs are vttered to this purpose, that they may be a testimony of condemnation of the light of Gods truth reiected and despised. Therefore for the elect of God that they may vnderstand the course of Gods working in al his creatures, & reuerence his maiestie, and magnifie and renoume his holy name is this written. Yet doubtlesse doo I know amongst the chiefe vessels & chosen children of God, there bée many whiche hauehave not attayned to this poynt of doctrine of Electiō & Reprobatiō, whom I am very loth to offend, and therfore I desire thē for the louelove of God to suffer me quietly without their griefe to vtter vntounto other the cōfort of my conscience, which I hauehave hereby vndoubtedly receyued: like as I hauehave many times harkened vntounto them in the cōtrarie. First praying thus both of vsus together vntounto our heauenly father, knowledging our owne infirmitie & weaknesse. O father in the heauens, whatsoeuer we are, whatsoeuer we hauehave, whatsoeuer we knowe, it is onelyonly by thy frée grace, for we were by nature the childrē of wrath, & we are not borne a new of fleshe & blood, eyther of the séede of man, or of the wyl of man, flesh & blood can not reueale the misteries of thy heauenly kingdome vntounto vsus. But by thy blessed wyl, are we that we are, & by the same knowe we that we know: therefore (O father) doo we commyt into thy handes onelyonly our saluation. If our knowledge be small, yet we doubte nothing but that we are the chyldren of thy euerlasting kyngdome, and therefore by thy mightye power, we shall growe when it shall be thy pleasure, to a more full and ryuer knowledge of a more perfyte age, wherein our fayth shall bee fully able to comprehend and receyue the breadth, depth, heyght, & largenesse of thy great mercyes, and gracious promyses. But séeing this power of full knowledge and perfecte reuelation, passeth all power naturall, and remayneth onelyonly in thy power, and the light of thy spirite (O Lord). Doo thou what shall please thée, to open to vsus thy seruaunts and chyldren, depending of thy handes, so much of the lyght of thy countenaunce, and at such tymes as shall seeme good to thy wisedome and fatherly mercye. In the meane tyme thus re…tyng wholy vponupon thée, neyther can we dispaire, neyther wyll we …be too much carefull, although wee can not attayne to the knowledge of many of thy workes, neyther to the vnderstanding of many places of the scriptures, but we wyll confesse vntounto thé… the weakenesse of our fayth, wayting alwayes for further reuelation of thy glorious lyght to be vttred vntounto vsus, when thou shalt think of thy Fatherly beneuolence & goodnesse méete and conuenient, knowing most surely that thou wylt pitie our chyldishe infanci…, and cause the same to serue for thy glory and our greate commoditie, séeing that we doo erre and are chyldishe, as sonnes before such a Father which can not put off his Fatherlye pytie, but rather as thou hast brought vsus vntounto thée, to be the heyres of thy kingdome by the blood of thy naturall sonne, so we bée most sure that thou wylt lighten vsus in the end, with the full fruition of the bryght lyght of thy countenaunce, that we maye see thée and know thée as this thy sonne our redéemer knoweth thée, yea, sée thée our Father, face to face, and know as we be knowne. Thus rest wée onelyonly of thy hande to increase our knowledge at thy good pleasure, O mighty Lorde and most mercyful Father. So be it.
If you can thus submytte your selues, good brethren, to the wisedome of God, working in vsus weakelyngs what him lyketh. All the stumblyng stockes whiche might offend you, may eas…ly be remoue…. There be two things especially which doo séeme to stande against this doctrine of Election and Reprobation, or of God his gouernaunce and prouidence, for all is one in effect, the one toucheth God, the other man. The fyrst and pryncipall is, leaste that the wicked doo make God the Aucthour of synne in the Reprobate… the which doubt, we maye remoue fowre maner of wayes.
Fyrst, by the aucthoritie of Scriptures. Secondlye, by the testimonie of theyr own consciences which be the reprobate. Thirdly, by the nature of sinne. Fowrthly, by the maiestie of God, which is bound to none of his creatures, to make hym this or that vessell. For the fyrst, Saint Iames sayeth: Let no man saye when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God, for God, as he can not bée tempted with euyll, so neyther doeth hée tempte any man. But euerye man is tempted, drawne awaye, and entysed of his owne luste and concup…scence. Then the luste when it hath conceyued, bryngeth foorth synne. Iames. …. And euen thus it appeared in the fyrste fall of mankynde. Fyrste, though the Lorde our God had warned and commaunded the contrary, oure olde enemye styrreth the concupiscence and lust of the Woman, with the goodnesse, pleasauntnesse and beautie of the Apple, then her lust conceyuing this, bringeth foorth synne, entysing also her husband, to the breaking of God his commaundementes. Genes. 3. But contrarywise, sayeth Iames in the same place. Iam. 1. least you should erre and conceyue any euyll opinion of God, eueryevery good gyfte and euerie perfyte gyfte is from aboue, descending from the Father of lyght, with whom is no variablenesse, neither change into darkenesse, that hée shoulde geue nowe good things, nowe euyll, now lyght, nowe darkenesse. No, sayth the Apostle Paule, let God be true, and all men lyars. Can God be vniust? Howe shall he then iudge the worlde? Rom. 3. Againe, God sayeth by his Prophete Ezechiel: I wyll not the death of a sinner, but I wyl rather that the sinner conuert, repent and lyue. And vntounto wicked Ierusalem sayth our sauiour Christ: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which slayest the Prophetes, and stonest them that are sent vntounto thée: Howe ofte would I hauehave gathered together thy chyldren, as the Hen gathereth her Chickins vnderunder her wings, and thou wouldest not. Loe, thy house therefore is left desolate. Mat. 23. Loe, héere appeareth the goodnesse of the lyuing Lord, so dillygently callyng the wicked to him by his worde, by his Prophetes, by his messengers, and at the length by his owne sonne, that he can not in any case be accoumpted the Aucthor of theyr euyl, nor cause of theyr fal. But contrary wise, theyr owne wylfull and wycked stubbernesse is the cause of their euyl, and the onelyonly occasion of theyr fall, as it is written: Thy perdition and destruction is of thine owne selfe, but onelyonly of me is thy saluation. And infinite scriptures to the same purpose appertayning. That wée may saye with Daniel: vntounto thée O Lord, belongeth ryghteousnesse, and to vsus the shame and couering of our faces. Daniel. 9. Secondly, The testimony of the consciences of the wycked, which shall accuse or excuse them at the great day… which is alwayes of the force and valure of a thousande wytnesses, which is the worme that shall neuer dye, but gnawe the wycked for euer. Esai. 46. This conscience, I say, of theyrs shall condempne the wycked, and what shall God then doo? Or wherein is his dreadfull maiestie to bée charged? Caine by his owne conscience, is compelled to confesse: greater is my wickednesse then can be r…ytted. Thou castest mée from the face of the earth, sayth hée, and I must hyde mée from thy face. Loe, the iust iudgement of God, and his worthy condempnation, openly confessed. Who dare then blame God? Caine dare in no wyse doo it. Neyther yet prowde Pharao, who condempned in his owne harte and conscience, accuseth him selfe and his people, and iusti…yeth God, delyuering all men from this wicked blasphemy, saying, openlye: I hauehave sinned nowe, the Lord is iust, and I and my people are wycked. Exo. 9. What doeth Iudas? Doeth hee not crye lykewyse, I hauehave synned, betraying this innocent blood. Math. 27. And to vtter in d…de that thing he felt within his br…ast, he is compelled to take aduengaunce, and execute a iudgement moste terryble against him selfe, vttering to all the world him selfe most wicked, and that the iustice of God, punishing suche wycked Traytours and murtherers, ought most worthily to bée feared, magnifyed, and re…erenced, throughout the whole worlde. Lyke as all the other wycked and desperate persons, which for anguishe of harte, and terrour of conscience, doo murther themseluos, doth euidently and continually witnesse vntounto the worldes ende, that there is a iust Lorde, the God of iudgement, whome they doo feare, and before whose face they dare not appeare to accuse him of any sinne, but rather taking the crime blame, shame, and punishment, vntounto them selues, who worthily by theyr owne conscience, hauehave deserued it, doeth thus torment themselues, and with violent hande… aduenge the sinne they hauehave commytted in theyr owne synfull soule… and bodyes. Thus must God alwayes bée founde iust, and ouercome when he is iudged, by the testimony of our owne conscience, which shall accuse or excuse vsus at the great daye. Roma 2. Wherefore let no man be so foolyshe to saye, that God is the Author of euyll, vnlesse he wyll bée accompted worse than Cain, more proude than Pharao, more wycked than Iudas, or any other the Reprobate from the begynning…
Thirdly, the nature of sinne being de…yned by the authorytie of Scriptures, to bée a thought, worde, or deede, contrary to the wyl of God. For such things onelyonly defyle the man, as Christ our master sayth, Math. 15. And therefore are onelyonly to bée accompted sinne. No such thought can bée attrybuted or ascrybed vntounto God, as can be against his wyll, therefore no sinne can bée his worke. Neyther can he bée the Aucthour of euyll, which therefore is called God, because he is the Aucthour and geuer of all good, and so farre from euyll, that he turneth all our euyll to some good, our sinne to the vttering of his grace, our lyes to the declaration of his trueth. No, this is the perfit workemaster which worketh all things without fault or trespasse, all other doo fayle, faul…e, & …espasse and sinne in al their workes, that he may be iustifyed in all his dooings, and al creatures fal down before his face & presence. Who though he doo worke al in al things, yet doth he worke the same to such godlye ende and purpose, knowne onelyonly to his maiestie, that though we be compelled to say, God is the author of the fa…t, yet must we answere: but not of the cryme. Because he is the Maister of the house, and Lorde ouer the family, and therefore may doo any thing without the blame of his seruaunts.
And lyke as that which is no faulte in the maister of the house, is a great faulte many tymes in any of his seruaunts, because it is the breaking of theyr maisters commaundement: Euen so doubtlesse the selfe same worke is sinne in God his seruaunts and creatures, which to God is no …nne, but an ordinary worke appoynted …or some speciall purpose, eyther for the manifestation of his power, as was the hardeninge of Pharao, or for the declaration of his mercye, as was the fall of Dauid, of Peter, of Marie Magdalen, and all other repentant sinners. And where…ore, I pray you, may not this Lorde thus vse his owne seruauntes, without any blame of sinne, seeing that hée hath created and made them all onelyonly to serue hys glorye, hys iustice, and hys mercye. Or howe can hee bee vniuste, or the authour of anye synne, by whome all the worlde muste bee iudged and broughte to the balance of iustice and equitye. When the first worlde shall be condemned for their sinne and iniquitye, and wée nowe lyuinge shall bee iudged for …ure sinnes: specially all those whiche not onelyonly doe euyll them selues, but are Authors and …aultors to wicked doers. Romaines. 1.
Fourthly, The maiestie of God can bée subiect to no sinne, bicause it can be vnderunder no lawe. And that onelyonly is worthely called sinne whiche is done agaynst a Lawe, therefore no worke that God dothe oughte to be accompted euyll, eyther that he is the occasion of any euyll, whiche onelyonly is the minde, sence, spirite, and power of the Lawe, wythout whome no lawe of it selfe is good. For euerie good lawe is the minde, wyll, and commaundement of God, and what so euer lawe is not the mynde, wyll, and commaundement of God (as was the lawes of the Scribes and Phariseys, and of the cursed Papists) the same be wicked: who of necessitie were set vp the body of Antichrist, to vtter theyr vnrighteousnesse, that Christe the sonne of righteousnesse, the head of his body, in his manyfolde mercies, more playnely might appeare, and shine with more glory. Agayne to define sinne to be the affection, motion, or operation of any reasonable creature, agaynst the lawe of God: his maiestie must needes be secluded and excused, who is the lawe maker, the creator, no creature, hauing no euill motion, nor ledde with any affection, whiche mighte make his worke euyll. Like as the creature is for the most part blame worthie because euen when it doth the best of all. It is subiect to some affection, eyther selfeloue, or hatred of some other, yea the Lorde God maye vse any of his creatures in any worke, without the blame of any euill, as well as the Smith may make his coles to flame, or to quenche them, eyther the same peece of yron, sometimes his hammer, sometime his tongs or stithy.
Wherefore though very muche might be sayde in this parte, that as the potter may make of one peece of clay what hym liketh, the Smith mays make of hys yron diuers instrumentes, yet following the godly wisdome of S. Paule… I thinke it more meete to beate downe mans subtilties, with the contemplation of the Maiestie of the mightie God, pronouncing boldly that suche as saye (if my lyes and sinne set foorth his glory, why am I then iudged as a sinner, let vsus doo euyll that good may come, and so in their wycked words dare make God the author of euyl) hath their worthy damnation alreadye, as Paule sayth. Rom. 3. For of necessitye whiche their eyes can not sée, suche diuersitie of sinne and grace, of righteousness… and vnrighteousnesse, of the contrarietie and chaunge of things, must be in this wō derfull creation of heauen and earth, by the high maiestie of God appoynted and ordeyned. For what needed the goodly creature of lyghte? If there had bene no darknesse, or howe shoulde this benefite hauehave bene felt or perceyued? what matter or cause of vttering iustice mighte hauehave bene found without sinne and vnrighteousnesse? how should grace hauehave bene shewed, if no wrath had bene deserued? No the mightie God thereby most euidently vttereth his maiestie, in that he sheweth how the heauens fal into darknesse without him, the earth into dust, the Angels into deuyls, the men into sinne, and so finally without him all thinges to come to nought, that he might be magnified, creating all things, his sonne our sauiour renowmed, who hath redéemed vsus all, hys holy spirite exalted, who hath renewed all vsus that be his elect and chosen. Nowe to what creature is the maiestie of God bounde and founde debter of his spirite. If he withholde it from any, his dreadfull maiestie may rightly withhold it, for who hath giuen him first, to aske any thinge agayne of debt or dutie? If his maiestie doo giuegive his spirite, it is of his free mercy and grace. If the earth fal into dust, if man fal into sinne, that all things may be knowne to be nothing without God: what blame deserueth God, or who dare accuse hym? No, let all flesh fall downe before his maiestie and confesse: All thinges doth onelyonly rest vponupon thee, O Lorde, thou hast created all things of nothing, so that without thee they all do fall to their originall, to she we them selues vayne and nothing worth…, weake, wretched, & miserable, wherfore if we hauehave any good thing it commeth of thy mercy, if we hauehave any weaknesse, sinne, or infirmitie, it commeth of our owne con… piscence, lusts, & vanity, our perditiō is of our selues, our sinne is of our selues, onelyonly of thée is our saluation, thou made vsus clay, potts & vessels to thine vse. Do thou with vsus as thou shalt think good in thine eyes, and the shame shall fall vponupon our own faces. The second cause which concerneth man (wherby many mistake this doctrin) is that God exhorteth man alwayes in his Scriptures to good, and forbiddeth euyll with many terrible threatnings, whiche things seemeth not to be needful (say they) seeing the Ele…e shall be saued, & the Reprobate condēned, by decree & sentence giuen vponupon them before they be borne. To this we do answere, that these exhortatiōs and cōmunications are very necessary to both twaine, bicause God leadeth vsus men alwayes like reasonable creatures, not like insensible ste…ks or stones. And to the Elect they are most necessarie prickes and spurres, to stirre the dull flesh toward his dutie, as all good men feeleth & can beare witnesse. To the Reprobate they are testimonies of the good wyll of the almighty God to them opened and vttered, but openly resisted, and refused, and reiected, accordinge to the saying of oure Sauioure Christ: If I had not come and spoken to them, they had had no sinne, but nowe they hauehave no pretence or excuse for theyr sinne. Paraduenture you wyll answere mée: They can not obey vntounto it. What is the cause thereof I pray you? bicause they lacke the spirite of Christe to leade them, you wyll say: I dare easily graunt you, but wyll they graunt this? wyll they (thinke you) submite them selues vnderunder poore Christe, and the foolyshnesse of the crosse, and not rather boast and brag their wisedome, their knowledge, and their vpright dealyng, and righteousnesse. Are not these the men that dare thus boast? Wée knowe as well as the Preacher can tell vsus. Is the spirite of God departed from vsus to speake with him? As was sayde to Micha. 2. of the Kings. 22. chapter. Or as the Pharisies did answere vntounto Christe: are we blynde? To whome our Sauiour sayth agayne: If you were blinde you had no sinne, but nowe you say you see, therefore your sinne remayneth. Ioh. 9. Thus doubtlesse they are so farre from the submission & subiection to poore Christ, that contrariwise they doo willingly and naturally followe their Father Lucifer, who did lift him selfe arrogantly aboue Christ the sonne of righteousnesse, and euermore fyghteth against Christ, though the mightie power and high wisedome of God turneth his euyll wyll and all theyrs to his glory & good purposes. None other wayes than bodily and naturall darknesse, which by the wonderfull wisdome of God, clearly setteth forth the bright Sunshyne, and yet laboureth by continuall course to shadowe the Sunne, and to couer the whole earth. Wherefore the Lord God to driu… away this naturall darknesse from man, exhorteth to iustice and equitie, which is his nature, and the Image which man ought to counterfayte. And alwayes commaundeth thinges therevnto agréeable. And forbyddeth that hee is not, that is to s…ye, iniquitie, and dehorteth therefrom by his Prophetes and Preachers, publyshing his wyll and pleasure, which is the lyght and lawe most perfecte to man his noble creature, whome he hath made for his honour and glory, whome he hath appointed to beare his Image vponupon earth, of iustice, righteousnesse & innocency. But because this Image could by no creature perfectlye bée expressed, vnlesse the same were fully replenished with the self same Godhead, because that all things besidesfoorth had some imperfection, bewraying theyr originall the darknesse, as Iohn calleth it, the Tohu and Bohu, as Moyses doeth it name. The vaine vanitie, and wylde deformitie, whence they were by creation altered, recouered, and brought into lyght and lyfe, as appeared in Adam fallyng from trueth to lyes, straight at the begynning: nowe of necessitie the sonne of God (who onelyonly is good of nature) becommeth man, and taketh this office to beare the Image of God inuisible. Colo. 1. And to be the head of that spyrituall perfection which was to be wrought in mankinde, by his aforeappointed purpose, and becommeth the fyrst begotten of all creatures, for by him were all thinges created both in heauen and earth, visible and inuisible, maiestie, Lordshyp, rule, & power, by whome, and in whome all things are created, and hée is before all creatures, and in him all thinges hauehave their beeing. And he is the head of the bodie, he is the begynning and first begotten of the head, that in all things he might hauehave preheminēce. For it pleased the father that in him should dwell al fulnesse, and by him to reconcyle all thinges to himselfe. And to set at peace by him through the blood of his crosse, both things in heauen and things in earth: for euen you, sayth Paule, which in tymes paste were straungers, because your minds were set in euyl works, hath he now reconcyled in the body of his flesh through death, to make you holye and blamelesse, and without fault in his sight. Seeing then that this cannot be denied to be the course of God his holy working, to dryue away this darknesse, and to bring man to his lyght, to take away sinne, & to bring man to a lyfe blamelesse, the state of innocencie… and his owne likenesse: shal it not bee most necessarye to hauehave Preachers & Teachers, to tell vsus the same, and to admonishe vsus wherevnto we be called, seeing of our selues and our owne reasons no such thing can be perceyued? Therefore hauehave we preachings & exhortations, as Paule sayth: for when the worlde thorowe wisdome knew not God in the wisdome of God, it pleased God through the foolyshnesse of Preaching, to saue them that beleeued. 1. Corin. 1. And as hee also sayth of him selfe in another place: Wée doo Preach this ryches in Christ the hope of your glory, warning all men, and teaching all men in all wisedome, to make all men perfyte in Christ Iesu.
Thus serueth then exhortations, dehortations, comminations, and publycations of the lawes and wyll of our Lorde God: that hee maye bee knowne the Lord and gouernour ouer all the thynges hée hath created, and the onelyonly lawe maker amongst his creatures, publyshing vntounto all that perfecte equitie and iustice, which ought in no case to be resysted. Whervnto if they can not attayne, they must confesse and knowledge their owne infirmity and weakenesse, and submyt them selnes vnderunder the mightie hande of God, and so dooing they shall be receyued as chyldren of the most louing and most mercyfull father, in suche degrées of perfection as hee hath appoynted to the beautifying of the bodie of his sonne our head. So that the Lorde God doeth teache all, and lyghten all men that come into the worlde, bothe chosen and Reprobate, with such a knowledge as doth the good Prince, which vntounto all his Subiects proclaimeth his statutes, and publysheth his lawes: but lyke a good and tender father, he leadeth his children, regenerate and borne a newe, neyther of fleshe nor blood, nor the wyll of man, and guydeth them with his fatherly spyrite, in the pathes of the same lawes, wryting in theyr hartes what is his good wyll and pleasure.
In the which course of God his wonderfull worke, the wicked hath no cause to complayne, for as theyr father whom they doo followe, is named the Prince of this world, so they hauehave the world at wyll, and are riche roysters and welthy worldlings, tramplyng vnderunder theyr feete, poore Abel, and the despysed Christians: neyther wyl 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 despised that estate, excusing their purchases, theyr marchaundice, and their earthly lustes and delyghtes. Luke. 14. Wherfore in the other worlde they that héere are …ppressed shall hauehave comfort, and the other forment.
Such is the order then of God his working, that by the contrarietie of the chosen and reprobate, of Iacob and Esau, of Pharao and Israel, and the wisedome of God, and the wisedome of the world, he wyl set for…h his maiestie, his power, his diuinity… his Godhead, so much as may be knowne vntounto man (that is to say) in his wisdome, iustice, mercy, & almightynesse. For, comparing his wisedome to any other wisedome, nowe appeareth the contrarie, that it is very foolishnesse, euen darknesse compared vntounto lyght, death vntounto lyfe, lyes vntounto trueth, as Paule sayth: When they accoumpted themselues wyse, they were made very fooles, and chaunged the trueth with lyes: the glory of the immortal God, to mortall & corruptyble creatures. They following their owne righteousnesse could not come to the ryghteousnesse of God in Iesu Christ.
Wherefore of necessitye God dyd shut all vnderunder synne, that his merciemercy myght flow ouer all. And that his mighty power myght appeare, hée hath created the heauens and earth, wherein we doo see lyght and darknesse, death and lyfe, shame and glorye, weaknesse and strength, lyes and trueth, ryghteousnesse and vnryghteousnesse, to serue to the settying foorth of his glorie, that man may bée dryuen to saye with Paule: O the depth of the ryches of the wisdome and knowledge of God. How incomprehensyble are his wayes? Howe vnsearchable are his iudgemēts? For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde? Or who hath bene his coūseller. Or who hath giuen him ought aforehand, that he might bée repayed? For by him, and through him, and in him, are all things, to him bee prayse for euer. Amen.
And as this holy Apostle Paule doeth submytte him selfe to the great depth of the wysdome of God, and his wonderfull Regiment and prouidence, and woulde …eate and dryue downe all fleshe by the consideration of the same. So also all our Fathers from the begynning hath layde this the onelyonly foundation of theyr fayth: Wherefore Moyses beginneth to stablish the fayth of man at the historie of the creation, and so foorth by the order of God his present gouernaunce about the things made and created. And Dauid for a confession of his fayth, pronounceth of this prouidence. Psalm. 95. I doo knowe that thou art a great Lord, and a Lord aboue all Gods. All thinges whatsoeuer the Lordes pleasure was, hée hath made in the Heauens, the earth, the Seas, and the bottomlesse waters. Againe, by the worde of God all things were set in their places, and by the spyrite of his mouth all the powers that be in them. And Paule consydering m…st déepely, and pronouncinge moste playnlye this diuine gouernaunce of the creatures, and godly prouidence of the creatour, in all things for his Electe and chosen, sayth thus. Roma. 8. Wée knowe that all thinges worke for the best vntounto them that louelove God, who also are called of purpose: for those which he knewe before, he also predestinate, that they should be like fashioned to the shape of hys Sonne. Moreouer, whome he hath predestinate, those hath he called, & whome he called, thē he also hath iustified, whome hee hath instifyed, those also hath hee glorifyed.
So that thys appeareth to be no newe learning or vaine doctrine of Gods prouidence and Election. But the only ground of fayth and certainty of conscience in al conflictes agaynst the worlde, the fleshe and the deuil, agaynst Sinne, Death, and Hell, as the Apostle vseth it in the latter end of the same chapter, and all the Fathers from the beginning hath felt it. For how coulde Adam by any other worke or creature, eyther by comfort of any other doctrine, stay hys conscience? But in that the Lorde God promised to prouyde for hym, and to saue him from his enemye (who once had ouercome hym) by the blessed seed, which not by merites, but by merciemercy and grace, and therfore of his frée purpose before appoynted, shoulde bée sente vntounto hym, to breake the headde of the Serpent: Why? Should Abraham hauehave lefte hys countrey and his owne Father… house, if he had not felt this diuine prouidence: fatherly care, frée choyse, and Election of him and his s…de? By the whiche liuely feling of God his careful prouidēce, and frée choyse, sending him seede when he was past hope of seede (cōcerning his dead bodye all the workes of nature) and by the stedfastnes of faith in the temptations about the same …éede, to be made a slayne sacrifice, other gréeuous temptations and aduersities from time to time layde vponupon hym, this chosen vessell Abraham is called the father of all faythful. As by his hystorie appereth a fatherly care of our God, for all his people, both for bodies & soules for wife and childe, and all togither. And Isack his sonne, that chosen seed, in whom all the Nations of the earth were promised to be blessed longe before the chylde was borne, hath this promise of enheritaunce gyuen hym by fauour, that the promise mighte be sure to all the séede as Paule sayth Rom. 14. vntounto whome and his faythful seede, this frée promise & fatherly Election and Predestination (or what else you wyll call it) was againe reuealed and opened Genes 26. In these wordes: thorowe thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And the liuely sence and feelyng of this Election and fatherly care of God for him, did then especially shine in his hart, when the Lord said vntounto him: Go not into Egipt, …arie heere, I wyll be with …hée, and wyl blesse thee, & thorow thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Ge. 26. And after that greeuous temptation vndoubtedly wherein he was compelled for feare of the Philistines, to denye his wife and call her sister, & after the manifolde contentions with the Philistines, wherin his God dyd preserue him, and at the ende, in the wonderfull myracle of his chyldren, whose byrthright was altered by the vnsearcheable prouidence of God, the manyfest notes and tokens of the free Election and choyce of God dyd appeare. And Iacob chosen and beloued in his mothers wombe, felte thys free worke of God his great fauour, who had chosen hym before h…e was borne, and takynge occasion of the necessitie of his brother, seeketh the byrthright, the which God had vntounto him before appoynted and promysed, renouncing the course of nature, then doth hée leaue and forsake his fathers house, and paciently taketh all troubles offred vntounto him. In the which often tymes vndoubtedly he féeleth the heauy and gréeuous temptations that his fathers Abraham and Isaac had before (for no creature more often suffereth trouble than the very Elect of God) for the experyment of his fayth, whereby the lyuely sence and vndoubted tokens of his fauourable election after many battels and victories, might be made certaine & sure, thorough present comfort alwayes ministred vntounto him, eyther by secrete inspiration or manifest reuelation, witnessing the singular care of his heauenly Father ouer him his dearely beloued and chosen chylde, as his wonderful vision of the ladder and the Angels descending from heauen doth declare, and the other vision wherein the Angell dyd shewe him the partie coloured sheepe for his portion, to multiplie and encrease his substaunce: as also when God biddeth him goe into his owne countreye from his d…eytfull Laban, and defendeth hys Iacob from hym: And finally the glorious victory giuen vntounto him ouer the … gell, comforting him agaynst the feate of his brother Esau, dooth bring foorth vntounto his heart and conscience the assured signe and token of the fauour of his heauenly father, first election and choosing, and after euermore gouerning, g…i…ing, and preseruing by the frée mercy of his diuine prouidence.
Ieremye also chosen in his Mothers wombe, as appeareth in the first chapter of his Prophecie, where it is sayd from the mouth of God: before I fashioned thée in thy Mothers wombe I did know thee, and or euer thou wast borne I did sanctifie thée and ordeyned thee to be a Prophet vntounto this people, then felte the moste lyuely signes and t…kens of his Election, when his …leshe repined, grudged and feared to take in hande the execution of this greate and da…ngerous embassage, & the power of God his spirite dothe touche his heart, and openeth his mouthe to the planting and rooting vp of all people and kingdoms to breake, destroy, and make waste, and raysed hym as a fenced towne, a brasen wall, and yron pyller agaynst the kinges, priestes, and people of the lande. Nowe though sometymes hys flesh doth grudge for the burthen, of his offyce, and anguishe of hart, as though he had beene an abiecte or Reprobate, yet alwayes after the brunt of temptations vttering his weaknesse, he findeth the mercyfull prouidence of his heauenly father, to take a continuall care of hym, and not onelyonly comforte and assist hym, but also most euidently to punish his enimies.
And to be short, all the electe of God are thus chosen and called, guided, and gouerned from their mothers wombe, according to the sayinge of the princely Prophete: Thou arte hée that takeste mée from my Mothers wombe, thou wast my hope, yet when I hanged vppon my Mothers brestes. I hauehave bene left vntounto thée euer since I was borne, thou art my God euen from my Mothers wombe. And then doe they féele most sensibly & liuely this theyr Election, when temptations and aduersities doth a…aile and assault them, in the which conflicts of the flesh, and the spirite, of sinne and grace, of lighte and darknes, they are compelled to crye and call, to sigh and sobbe before theyr heauenly Father for the deliueraunce of this mortall and sinful booy subdued to vanitie: and though they do most euidently perceyue how they are called from darknesse to lighte, from louelove of iniquitie, to the hatred of the same, from obedience somtime giuen to Sathan and to the lustes of the flesh, to the obedience of the spirit, whiche fighteth against the flesh, and though, I say, they perceyuing this, be not able to quench these raging lustes yet do they mourne and dayly lament, calling for the grace of their heauenly father, which lamentations, sighings and sorowyngs of theyr sinnes, bée the sensible féelings and liuely signes and tokens of Gods infallible and sure Election. Wherefore whosoeuer shal féele these secret sighes and mournings, thereby hating …nne & desiring therfrō to be delyuered, considering theyr owne weaknes, and by the fruite, and a good man forth of the good treasure of his harte doth bring foorth good workes, & the euyll man euyl works. This doth Iames byd vsus, to shewe our fayth of our workes, and sayth, that Abraham did thus vtter his faith by his works, and Rahab by her workes, and were iustifyed. Where we are compelled with all the godly learned to expounde the worde iustifyed, declared to bée iust, or else we doo make Iames contrary to him selfe, contrary to Moyses, whose sentence he in the same place alledgeth, contrarie to Paule, and the whole course of Scriptures. And thus muste all the generall sentence of woorkes bée vnderstoode, that by these woorkes wherein God wyll hauehave vsus to walke, we are knowne to hauehave his spirite to be good trees, & so iudged by our fruites: as is the good Apple tree by the Apples, not that the Apples make hym good, but testifye that hee is good, and that it hath within it selfe a kindly power of good iui… and norishment. So we féeling the power of the spyryte workinge in our hartes. Godlye motions, and so brynging forth good fruites of fayth and good workes, doo cōfirme our Election and vocation, as Peter speaketh, to our selues and others.
The seconde vse of workes is, that God in vsus by them may be gloryfied. Whereof our sauiour Christ sayth, Mat. 5. Let your lyght so shine before men, that they séeing your good works, may glorifie your father which is in heauen. And this is the chiefe vse of good workes, the laude and glorye of God, where vntounto wée were fyrst created in the earthy Adam, & now are a new restored by the heauenly Adam, Christ Iesu, to walke in good works, & to be holy, blamelesse and without fault. And to this ende, that God in them might bee gloryfied, doth scripture commend vntounto vsus good works, & setteth forth the crowne of glory to them that therin are exercised. So rūne that ye may obtaine, sayth the Apostle, labor for the crowne incorruptible. 1. Cor. 9.
Nowe because these latter dayes are the tymes wherein our Sauiour Christ dyd saye, that …ayth should fayle, and charytie shoulde ware colde, we that hauehave so cleare reuelation of Gods great mercyes wishing alwaies to be of more perfection, let them with all thankes geeuinge vntounto 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 his Sainctes) with vnspeakeable gronings. Whome though for a time hee doo permit to be afflicted, both in spirite and bodie, as sometimes he did Iob, Ionas, Ieremie, and other: yet at the ende hee giueth vntounto them most triumphant victorie, accordinge to the euerlasting purpose of his diuine prouidence, who is to be feared, reuerenced, renowmed and praysed for euer. So be it.
Heretofore hauehave we answered generally to them that woulde make God the Author of euyll, and to them which do say, that this doctrine taketh away exhortations and threatninges, and the preachyng of the worde. Nowe by the grace of God, we wyl more briefly answere to some arguments whiche they bryng foorthe of the scriptures, setting aparte all such cauyllations as mans reason (whiche in Gods mysteries can neuer bée satisfyed) by the craft of the deuyl doth excogitate, & inuēt. But first we wyl speake somthing of good workes, & the true vnderstanding of those scriptures which commend them vntounto vsus, lest we should seeme to dissuade men from the same, or exte…ate the meaning of the holy ghost in such sentences as our aduersaries doo wickedly peruert for the maintenance of mans power against this doctrine of grace & free Election, which dare affirme that by works they purchase part of theyr saluation, the which (as we hauehave sayde) is freely geuen by this Election in Christ Iesu before the foundation of the world was lay….
The good works which are so in déede, that is to say, which proceede of the spirite of adoption, & the feeling of Gods mercies in electing, calling & iustifying, fyrst of all hauehave this vse, y• they declare the power of God to bee in vsus, and the spyrite of Christ, which doth conforme vsus to his image: and this is the ende whervnto we are Elected and Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his sonne. Rom. 8. Elected before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blamelesse. Eph. 1. Created vntounto good workes, which God hath prepared for vsus to walke therein. Eph. 2. These hauehave the reward, as Paul sayth, not onelyonly of this lyfe, but of the world to come. Therefore sayth our Sauiour Christ. Math. 25. Come ye blessed of my father, possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the begynning of the world. I was hungry, and ye gaue me meate: I was thyrstie, and ye gaue me drinke. &c.
Of this excellent commendation and rewarde of good workes, we do learne the dignity of the same, not of the worthinesse of thēselues, which are neuer able to stand in Gods iudgementes: for our very righteousnesses are, as Esay sayth, as clothes fylthily polluted, but of the dignitie of the grace of the promise of God, who worketh them in vsus. For it is God, sayth Paul, that worketh in vsus both the wyll and also the worke, euen of his purpose. Phi. 2. Therefore all is of grace, not of works, least any should glory. Ephes. 2. For if there were any power in our selues, or dignity in the workes, then had we some thing to glory, but now that all is confessed to be of Gods free mercies, and nothing of our selues, we conclude that God crowneth and rewardeth his owne workes in vsus, that who so gloryeth should glory in the Lord. 1. Cor. 1. …n… where some …edge this place. Ma. 26 so to commende workes that they shoulde bee the cause of the Election and the fauor of God, they doo not consyder the fyrst wordes: Come you blessed of my Father, inheryte the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Wherin we may note, that they beeing the blessed and beloued of the father, are called to the inheritance of the heauenly kingdom, not wonne by works, but prepared by the heauenly Father for his children, before they dyd any works at all: Lyke as the wicked hauehave theyr place of eternal torment, there named for them before, prepared and appoynted. And in both twayne the workes both only declare what the trées are where out they spring, and testifie what the fountaine is whence they flowe: according as… our sauiour Christ saith: the trée is known in Iesus Christ maye geue no occasion to the slouthfull fleshe, eyther in our selues or others: but after the example of the Scriptures, we must alwayes exhort to good workes, and so tame our bodyes and bring them into subiection (as Paul sayth) least whyles we preach to others, we our selues be founde Reprobates. 1. Corin. 9. The which sentence is euil aledged of the aduersaries of Election, as though Paule myght hauehave become a Reprobate, or as if that he had not bene certaine of his saluation, but that it shoulde hang of his well dooings. For he saith first in the same sentence, I do so rūne, not as at an vncertain thing, and so fyght, not as one that beateth the ayre: but as he sayth to the Romaines. chap. 8. I am sure that neyther death nor lyfe, neyther Angels, nor rule, neyther power, neyther thinges present, neyther things to come, neither high, neither low, neither any other creature, shalbe able to depart vsus from the louelove of God in Christ Iesu our Lorde. Lykewise they alledge foorth of the seconde Chapter to the Phillippians, that Paule wylleth vsus to work… our owne saluation: but they doo not consider that he streight wayes addeth, that it is God whiche worketh bothe the wyll and the worke. And in the chapter before, he saith, that it is God which hath begon y• good work, and wyll finish it. So that such Scriptures maye neuer bee alledged for workes agaynste grace, for …o set vp our saluation of our selues, which onelyonly commeth of mercy in the free Election, wherby we were chosen in Christe Iesu, and created a newe in him, by his onelyonly spirite to bring foorth good workes. Therefore doo we conclude with Paule. Romaines. 11. that wée are saued and iustified freelye by grace, not by workes, for so grace were no grace, and that all are shutte vp vnderunder synne, that mercye may be vppon all, vppon whome it pleasethe hym to shewe mercye. And for the consideration of these greate mysteryes of Election and Reprobation, we crye wyth Paule: O …he depth of the ryches of the wisedome …f God. How vnsearchable are his iudgements? & how incōprehensible his wayes? For who hath geuen him first, and he sh… be recompensed? For of him, and throug… him, and for him are all thinges. To him therefore be glorye… for euer and euer. So be it.
Rom. 9. ¶I wyll shewe merciemercy vponupon whome I wyll shewe merciemercy… and I wyll hauehave compassion vponupon whome I wyll hauehave compassion.
Imprinted at London for Thomas Woodcocke, d… ling in Poules Church yarde, at the sygne of the blacke Beare.
End of the text · Theodore Beza, The Treasure of Truth Touching Salvation and the Christian Religion (1576)