Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 3 · 4 (cont.) · Sermon 4
¶ That GOD is the creatour of all thinges, and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence: where mention is alſo made of the good-will of God to vsus ward, and of Predeſtination.
¶ The fourth Sermon.
DErely beloued, it remayneth now for mée in this dayes Sermon for a cōcluſion to that, whiche I hauehave he-ther-to ſpoken concerning God, briefly to add ſomewhat of that creation or worke of God, whereby hée being the maker of all thinges, hath to mankindes commoditie wholſomely created all things, both viſible and inuiſible, & doth now as alwayes moſt wiſely gouerne & order the ſame. For by ſo doing wee ſhall obteine no ſmall knowledge of God, and many things ſhalbe more openly layed forth vntounto vsus, which we in our laſt treatiſe did but touch and away. In the ſearching out, conſidering, & ſetting forth of the creation of the whole and the partes thereof, all the diligence of all wiſe men hath béene ſett on woorke, doeth labour, and ſhalbe troubled ſo longe as this world indureth. For what is he, though he were the wiſeſt, the cunningeſt, and diligenteſt writer of the naturall hiſtorie, that leaueth not many thinges vntouched for the poſteritie to labour in, and beate their braines about? Or what is he at this day, which, although hee vſe the ayde & induſtrie of moſt learned writers, is not compelled to wonder at more and greater thinges, than either they euer did, or hee euer ſhall atteine vntounto you? The moſt wiſe Lord will alwayes hauehave wittie men, that are inriched with heauenly giftes, to bee alwayes occupied and euermore exerciſed in the ſearching out and ſetting forth the ſecretes of nature, and of the creation. But we doe ſimplie by faith conceiue that y• worldes were made of nothing, and of no heape of matter, of God thorough the woord of God, and that it doeth conſiſt by the power of the holie Ghoſte or ſpirite of God. For ſo did Pſal. 54. Heb. 1….king Dauid, and Paule the teacher of the Gentiles both beléeue and teache.
But although the order of y• whole, and the manner of the creation cannot bee knitt vpp or declared in fewe woordes, yet will I doe my endeuour to vtter ſomewhat, by which ye ſumme of thinges maye partly appeare to the diligent conſiderer. And héere I chooſe rather to vſe an other manns woordes than mine owne, eſpecially becauſe I ſuppoſe this matter cannot be more liuely expreſſed, than Tertullian in his booke De Trinitate, ſetteth it foorth as followeth: *The hiſtory of the creation cōteyned, in fewe wordes.GOD hath honge vp heauen in a loftie height, he hath made the earth maſſiue with a lowe and preſſed-downe weight, hee hath powred out the ſeas with a leuſe and thinne liquor, and hath planted all theſe, beeing decked, and full with their proper and fit inſtruments. For *The Skye and Starres.in the firmament of heauen hee hath ſtirred vpp the dawning riſings of the Sunne, hee hath filled the circle of the glittering Moone for the comforte of the night with monethly increaſings of the world, and hee lighteneth the beames of the ſtarres with ſundrie gleames of the twinckling lighte (the night he meaneth) and hee would that all theſe ſhould by appointed courſes goe about the compaſſe of the world: to make to mankind dayes, monethes, yeares, ſignes, times, and commodities.
In *The Earthe.the earth alſo hee hath lifte vpp high hilles aloft, depreſſed downe the valleyes belowe, layed the fieldes out euenly, & profitablie ordeined flockes of beaſtes for ſundrie ſeruices and vſes of men. Hee hath made the maſſiue oakes of the woodes for the behoofe of man, hee hath brought foorth fruite to feed him withal, he hath vnlocked the mouthes of ſprings and powred them into running riuers. After all whiche neceſſarie commodities, beecauſe hee would alſo procure ſomewhat for the delight of the eyes, hee cladd them all with ſundrie colours of goodly flowers to the pleaſure & delight of thoſe that beheld them.
In *The Sea.the ſea alſo, althoughe for the greatneſſe and profite thereof it were very wonderfull, hee framed many ſortes of liuinge creatures, ſome of a meane, and ſome of a monſterous bigneſſe, which doe by the varietie of the woorkemanſhipp giuegive ſpeciall notes of the woorkemans witt. And yet not beeing therewithall content, leaſt peraduenture the rage & courſe of the waters ſhould with the damage of the earthes inhabitauntes breake out and occupie an other element, hee cloaſed vp the waters limitts within the ſhoares, that thereby when the raginge waues and foaminge water did riſe vpp from the depth and chanell, it mighte turne into it ſelfe againe, and not paſſe beyond the boundes appointed, keeping ſtill the preſcribed courſe, to the ende alſo that man might bee ſo much the more readie to keepe Gods Lawes, when hee perceiued that euen the very elements did obſerue & keepe them.
Laſt of all hee ſetteth *Man.man to bee Lord ouer the world, whome he made to the likeneſſe and Image of GOD: to whome hee gaue reaſon, witt, and wiſedome that hee mighte imitate God: whoſe bodie, althoughe it were made of earth, was yet-not-withſtanding inſpired with the ſubſtaunce of the heauenly breathe and Spirite of GOD. To whome when hee had put all thinges in ſubiection, he would hauehave him alone to bee free without ſubiection.
And leaſt that libertie beeing let looſe at randon might come into perill againe, hee gaue a commaundement, by the meanes of whiche commaundement, it could not be ſaid, that euill was out of hande or by-and-by preſent in the fruite, but ſhould then be in it, when once he perceiued in the will of man the contempt of that commaundemente. For both hee ought to bee free, leaſt the Image of GOD, ſhould ſeeme to bee bonde duplicate page duplicate page bond vndecently: and alſo a lawe was to bee giuen, leaſt at any time the vnbrideled libertie ſhuld breake out to the contempt of him that gaue the libertie: that he might conſequently receiue either due rewards of obedience, or merites of puniſhment for diſobediēce, hauing that giuen him, to whether part he was willing by the motion of the minde for to incline: whereby the enuie of mortalitie doth returne to him, who when by obedience he might hauehave eſcaped it, did yet runne headlonge into it, while hee made too much haſt to become a god, &c. The ſame add in the partes aboue the firmament, whiche are not now to be beheld of our mortal eyes, that firſt there were ordeined Angels, then there were ordered ſpirituall vertues, then there were placed thrones and powers, and many other vnmeaſurable ſpaces of the heauens, and that many works of holie things were there created &c. Thus farre Tertullian.
Now the ſumme of all this is, God did by his power create of nothinge heauen, earth, and the ſea, whiche hee did immediately adorne and enriche with all kindes of good thinges. And into this world, which taketh y• name of the furniture that is in it, as in a moſt ſumptuous palace, well furniſhed with all ſort of excellent neceſſaries, it pleaſed him to bring man, to whome he did put all thinges in ſubiection: as Dauid doeth with wondering & merueyling ſet it forth, where he ſayth, O Lord our gouernour how Dauid celebrateth the creati… of the worlde.excell…t is thy name in all the world? For thy glorie is lifte vpp aboue the heauens. Out of the mouthes of verie babes and ſucklinges haſt thou ordeined ſtrength, beecauſe of thine enimies, that thou mayeſt deſtroy the enimie and the auenger. For I will conſider the heauens, euen the works of thy fingers: the moone, and the ſtarres, whiche thou haſt ordeined. What is man that thou art ſo mindefull of him, or the ſonne of man that thou haſt care ouer him? Thou madeſt him ſomewhat lower than the Angels, (or than God) thou crowneſt him with glorie and honour, thou madeſt him to hauehave dominion of the workes of thy handes. Thou haſt put all thinges in ſubiection vnderunder his feete, ſheepe and oxen, and the beaſtes of the field, the foules of the ayre, and the fiſhes of the ſea, which walke thoroughe the pathes of the ſea. O Lord our gouernour howe excellent is thy name in all the world. Pſalme. 8. The ſame againe in an other place doeth ſay, The heauens are thine, O God, & Pſal. 9.the earth is thine: thou haſt layed the foundation of the rounde world, and all that therein is. The day is thine, and the night is thine, thou haſt ordeined the lights, and the Sunne, thou layedſt al the borders of th'earth, thou haſt made both Summer and winter. Nowe who is ſo very a ſot, as that he doeth not by theſe proofes eaſilie gather howe great our GOD is, howe great the power of God is, how good, riche, and liberall to man, who neuer deſerued any ſuch thinge at his hand, our GOD is, whiche hath created ſo great riches, ſo exquiſite delights, and ſuch furniture as cānot be ſufficiently praiſed, for man alone, and hath made them all ſubiecte, and will hauehave them all to obey man as their Lord and maiſter?
But héere by the waye in the creation of the world we hauehave to conſider God gouerneth al thinges.the preſeruation and gouernement of the whole, by the ſame GOD.
For neither doeth the worlde ſtand and endure by any power of it owne, neither doe thoſe things moue and ſtirre of their owne accord, or (as wee ſaye) at all aduentures, whiche are ſtirred or moued howe ſo-euer. For the Lord in the Goſpell ſayeth: My father woorketh hetherto, and I woorke. And Paule ſayeth, God by Iohn. 5.his ſonne hath made the worlds, and Heb. 1.doeth rule and vphold them with the word of his power. And againe, By God we liue, and moue, and hauehave our Actes. 17.being. And againe, God left not himſelf without witnes, in that he ſhewed Actes. 14.his benefites from heauen, giuing vsus raine and fruitefull ſeaſons, filling our hearts with foode and gladneſſe, And Theodorete, De prouidētia, ſayeth, It is a moſt abſurd thinge to ſaye Of Gods prouidēce.that God hath created all thinges, but that hee hath no care of the thinges which he hath made, & that his creature as a boate deſtitute of a ſteirſemā is with cōtrarie winds toſſed to & fro, and knockt & crackt vppon ſhelues and rocks. Therfore in this place we hauehave to ſay ſomewhat of Gods prouidence and gouernment: which all the wicked, together with the Epicures, doe at this daye denie, ſaying in their hearts: Is it likely, that he that dwelleth in heauen, ſhuld regard ye things on earth? And doth the Almightie obſerue and marcke the very ſmalleſt of our words and works? He hath giuen to all creatures a certeine inclination and nature, which he hath made their owne, and ſo leaueth them now in the hand of their owne counſell, that they of their owne nature maye moue, increaſe, periſh, and do euen what they luſt. Tuſh God neither knoweth nor doeth greatly trouble himſelfe about theſe toyes. Thus do the wicked reaſon very wickedly: but the Scripture dothe expreſſely in many places pronounce & proue, that God by his prouidence doeth care for, and regard the ſtate of mortall men, & of all ye thinges that hee hath made for the vſe of mortall men And therefore here it is profitable and neceſſarie to cite ſome teſtimonies out of ye holy ſcriptures for the proofe of this argument. Dauid Pſal. 45.in his Pſalmes ſayth: The Lord ſhal reigne for euer, and his kingdome is a kingdome of al ages, and his dominion frō generation to generation. Loe, The kingdome of God (ſayeth he) is a kingdome of all ages, and his dominion throughout all generations. Therfore God hath not onelye created the world, and all thinges that are in the world, but doth alſo gouerne and preſerue them at this daye, and ſhall gouerne and preſerue them euen till the end. For the ſame kingly Prophete celebrating the prouidence of God about man and his eſtate, doeth ſaye: Thou, O Lord, knoweſt my downe ſitting Pſal. 139.and mine vpriſing, thou ſpieſt out all my wayes. For there is not a word in my tōgue, but thou, O lord, doeſt know it altogether. Thou haſt faſhioned me behind and before, and layed thine hand vppon me. And ſo forth as followeth in the 139. Pſalme, whiche Pſalme doeth wholie make to this purpoſe. With this doctrine of Dauid doeth the teſtimonie of Solomon agrée, where he ſayth, The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, like Prou. 21.as the riuers of water, hee may turne it whither ſoeuer he will. EueryEvery mans way ſeemeth right in his owne eyes, but the Lord driueth, or ruleth the hart. And in the goſpel the Lord ſaid, Are not two little ſparrowes ſold for a farthing? And one of them ſhal not Matth. 10.lighte on the ground without your father. Yea, euen all the haires of your head are numbered.
There are beſides theſe other euident teſtimonies alſo of the prouidēce of God. Daniel the wiſeſt man of all the Eaſte, and the moſt excellent prophete of God, doth ſay, Wiſedome & ſtrength are the Lords: It is hee that Daniel 2.chaungeth the times and ſeaſons: hee taketh away kinges, and ſetteth vpp kinges: he giueth wiſedome vntounto the wiſe, and vnderſtanding to thoſe that vnderſtand: he reuealeth the deepe & ſecrete thinges: he knoweth the thing that lyeth in darkeneſſe, for the light dwelleth in him. Moreouer Ethan the Ezrachite ſayeth, Thou Lord ruleſt Pſal. 89.the raging of the ſea, thou ſtilleſt the waues thereof, when they ariſe. Thou haſt an almightie arme, thou ſtrengtheneſt thy hand, and ſetteſt vp thy right-hand. In iuſtice and equitie is thy royall throne ſtabliſhed, goodneſſe and faith do goe before thy face. And Dauid ſayeth, Of the fruite of thy woorkes, O God, ſhall the earth Pſal. 104.bee filled. And hee bringeth foorth graſſe for cattell, and hear be for the vſe of man, and bread to ſtrengthen the heart of man, and wine to make him merrie. And immediatly after in the ſame Pſalme: All things do waite vppon thee, that thou mayeſt giuegive them their meate in due ſeaſon. Whē thou giueſt it, they gather it: & when thou openeſt thy hand they are filled with good. If thou hideſt thy face they are troubled, and if thou takeſt away their breath, they die, and are turned into their duſt. Againe, The Lord vppholdeth all ſuch as fall: and Pſal. 104.lifteth vpp all thoſe that bee downe. The Lord loſeth men from their fetters: the Lord giueth ſight vntounto the blinde. The Lord keepeth the ſtraunger, hee defendeth the fatherleſſe and widowe, and the waye of the wicked he turneth vpſidedowne. Great is our Pſal. 147.Lord and great is his power, & of his wiſedome there is none end. He telleth the number of the ſtarres, & calleth them al by their names. He couereth the heauens with clouds, & prepareth raine for the earth. Hee giueth fodder vntounto the cattell, and meate to the younge Rauens that call vppon him. He giueth ſnow as woll, & ſcattereth the hoare froſt like aſhes. Hee caſteth forth his yſe like morſels: who ſhall abide before the face of his cold? Hee ſhall ſend out his word and melt them, hee ſhall blowe with his winde and the waters ſhall flowe. And againe, I knowe that the Lord is great and that he is aboue all Godds. What Pſal.. 135pleaſed him, that hath he done in heauen and earth, and in the ſea, and in all deepe places. He lifteth vpp the cloudes from the endes of the world, and turneth lightening vntounto raine, and bringeth the windes out of their treaſuries. There are many teſtimonies like to theſe to be ſéene in the 38. and 39. Cap. of the booke of Iob, and rifely in the Pſalmes and bookes of ye holie Prophets: but theſe, that hetherto I hauehave recited, are ſufficiēt enough, teſtifying aboundantly, that God by his prouidence doeth gouerne this world, and all things that are therein, and eſpecially man him-ſelfe the poſſeſſour of the world, for whome all thinges were made.
We do héere attribute nothing to Againſt Gentili… me.deſtinie, either Stoicall, or Aſtrologicall, neither hauehave we any thing to doe with that ethnicke fortune either good or ill. We do vtterly deteſt Philoſophical diſputations in this caſe, which are contrarie to the trueth of the Prophets writings, and doctrine of the Apoſtles. We content our ſelues in the onelyonly word of God, & do therefore ſimplie beléeue & teach, y• God by his prouidence doth gouerne all things, and y• too, according to his owne good wil, iuſt iudgment, & comely order, by meanes moſt iuſte and equall: which meanes whoſoeuer deſpiſeth, and maketh his boaſt only of y• bare name of gods prouidence, it cannot be yt he ſhould rightly vnderſtand the effecte of Gods prouidence. They make this obiection: becauſe all things in the world are done by Gods prouidence, therfore we néed not to put in our oare: wee may ſnort idlely & take oure eaſe: it is ſufficient for vsus to expect the working or impelling of God. For if he néed our ayd, hée wil whether we wil or no euen impel vsus to ye worke, which he wil hauehave to be wrought by vsus. But the ſaincts in the The Saincts do not neglecte good meanes.ſcripture are layd before vsus, & ſhewed to hauehave thought, ſpoken, & iudged more ſincerely of Gods prouidēce. The Angel doth in expreſſe words ſay to Lot: Haſt thee to Zoar and ſaue thee ſelfe there: for I can do nothing vntil thou Gene. 16.art come thether. Loe here by Gods prouidence Lot wt his are ſaued, ye citizens of Sodom are deſtroyed, & of all the cities thereabout. And yet euen in the very woorke of his preſeruation, Lots labour is required, and hee biddē to doe his good-will to ſaue himſelfe. Yea, I cannot, ſaith the Lord, doe any thing till thou art come into Zoar. The king and Prophete Dauid doeth plainly ſay: I hauehave hoped in thee, O Lord, I hauehave ſaid thou art my god: my dayes are in thy hand. And yet euen Pſal. 31.he which did wholie betake himſelf to the prouidence of God, did earneſtly conſider with himſelfe, howe with his diligence and induſtrie hee might deceiue and eſcape from the layings in waite of Saul his father in law. Neither …. Sam. 19.doth he deſpiſe the ayde and ſhifts of his wife Michol. He doth not reply to her againe and ſay, All thinges are done by the prouidence of God, therefore there néedes no wyles to be… wrought. The Almightie is able to take me out of ye handes of our fathers ſouldiers, or otherwiſe to ſaue mee by ſome miraculous meanes: let vsus content our ſelues & ſuffer God to woorke his will in vsus. Hée did not argue thus, but did vnderſtand that as Gods prouidence doth procéed in a certaine order by middle meanes, ſo that it is his part to applie him-ſelfe to meanes in the feare of God, & by all aſſayes to do his beſt for his owne defence. S. Paul doeth heare the Lord flatly ſaying: As thou haſt borne witnes of me at Hieruſalem, Actes. 23.ſo muſt thou beare record of mee at Rome. And although he did nothing doubt of the trueth of Gods promiſes, and was not ignoraunt of the power of Gods prouidence, yet notwt ſtanding he did priuily ſend his ſiſters ſonne, which told him that the Iewes had cōſpired to kill him, vntounto the Tribune, to deſire of him that Paul might not be brought forth at the Iewes requeſt. Neither did he ſhew himſelfe vncourteous or vnthanckfull to the ſouldiers that carried him to Antipatridis, nor to the horſemen that went with him to Cęſarea. Againe as he ſailed in y• Adriaticke ſea, whē he was in perill of dangerous ſhipwracke, and y• all his cōpany were ſtricken wt feare, hee ſaid, Sirs, I exhort you to bee of Actes. 27.good cheare: for there ſhall bee no loſſe of any mans life among you, but of the ſhippe. For there ſtood by mee this night the Angel of God, whoſe I am, and whome I ſerue, ſaying: Feare not Paule, thou muſt be brought before Caeſar, and loe, GOD hath giuen thee all them that ſaile with thee. Wherefore, ſirs, be of good cheare. For I beleeue God, that it ſhalbe euen as it was told mee. But a while after when the mariners went about to leaue the ſhip, the ſame Paule ſaid to the Centurion, and to the ſouldiours: Vnleſſe theſe abide in the ſhipp, yee cannot be ſaued. Therefore meanes Meteores, impreſſiōs or appearaunces, which ſomtimes, for their rareneſſe and ſtrágnes, make men to maruell.doe belonge to the prouidence of God by which he woorketh: and therefore are they not to be neglected. Truely it is by Gods gouernement or prouidence, that we hauehave all theſe *impreſſions of what ſort ſoeuer, either fierie, or ayrie, or watrie. For by the power of God, and not by any power of their owne, doeth the ayre make the earth fruitefull, the waters flowe and ebb againe, and the earth doth bring forth her increaſe. And although the ſaincts thincke verily that none of all this is done for any merits ſake of theirs, becauſe the Sauiour himſelf in the Goſpell, ſayeth: The father ſendeth raine vppon the iuſt and vniuſt: yet for all Matth. 5.that they do neuer forget the woords of the Prophete where he ſayeth: If ye Eſai. 1.will be willing and obedient ye ſhall eate the good of the land: but if ye be obſtinate & rebellious ye ſhalbe deuoured with the ſwoord: For the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it. For the great Prophete Moſes longe Deut. 18.before Eſaie, had ſaid: If thou ſhalt hearken diligently vntounto the voyce of the Lord thy God, to obſerue and do all his commaundements, all theſe bleſſinges ſhall come vppon thee. Thou ſhalt bee bleſſed in the citie, & bleſſed in the field. Bleſſed ſhall the fruite of thy body bee, & bleſſed ſhall the fruit of thy ground be. The Lord ſhal open heauen vntounto thee, and giuegive raine to thy land in due ſeaſon. But if thou wilt not hearken vntounto the voice of the Lord thy God, to obſerue and doe his commaundements, then all theſe curſes ſhall come vppon thee. Curſed ſhalt thou be in the citie, and curſed in the field. The heauen aboue thy head ſhall be braſſe, and the Lord ſhall ſmite thee with many plagues, &c. And hiſtories beare record that all theſe thinges happened to the people of God, euen as they are here foretold, and that too, not without the prouidence of the Lord their God. All good ſucceſſes and proſperitie are the good bleſſings of God, and on the other ſide, all calamities and aduerſities are the curſes of God. Therefore herevppon the Saincts do gather that mens affayres and ſtate are wholie gouerned by Gods prouidence, ſo yet that they muſt not therfore ſitt (as we ſay) with their hāds in their boſomes idlely, and neglect good means, but rather watchfully and diligently walke by the grace of GOD in the wayes, and meanes, or precepts, and ordinaunces of the Lord. For the prouidence of God doeth not diſturbe the order of thinges, it doth not abrogate the offices of life, nor labour and induſtrie, it doth not take a iuſt diſpenſation and obedience, but by theſe things it worketh the health of thoſe men, which do thrugh yt help of God religiouſly apply themſelues to the decrées, purpoſe, or woorking of the Lord: to whome they doe rightly aſcribe what good ſoeuer doeth chaunce or betyde them, imputing to mans corruption, to our owne vnſkilfulneſſe, and to our ſinns, what euil ſoeuer doth happē vntounto vsus. Therfore the ſainctes acknowledge, that although warres, plagues, and diuers other calamities do by God his prouidence afflict mortal men, yet notwithſtanding that the cauſes thereof do ariſe of nothing elſe than of the ſinns of man. For God is good, which wiſheth vsus rather well than euill. Yea, oftentimes hee of his goodneſſe, turneth oure euill purpoſes vntounto good ends, as is to be ſéene by the hiſtorie of Ioſeph, in the booke of Geneſis.
Truely vponupon the earneſt conſideration of Gods prouidence al the godly Gods goodwill … learned by his pro…dence.ſort doe gather, that their good God wiſheth well vntounto man. For he hath a greate care ouer vsus, not in greate things onelyonly, but alſo in the ſmalleſt. He knoweth the number of the dayes of our life. In his ſight are all oure members, as wel within as without. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſayth, yt al the haires of our head are nūbered. He by his prouidence defendeth vsus from all manner diſeaſes and imminent perils. He féedeth, refreſheth, and preſerueth vsus. For as he made all creatures for mans health and behoofe, ſo doth he preſerue and apply them to mans good and commoditie. The doctrine of the foreknowledge Of Gods …redeſtina…on, or fore-appoyntmēt.and predeſtination of God, whiche hath a certein likeneſſe with his prouidence, doth no leſſe comfort the godly worſhippers of God. They call foreknowledge that knowledge in God, whereby he knoweth all things before they come to paſſe, and ſéeth euen preſent, all things that are, hauehave bene, and ſhall be. For to the knowledge of God all thinges are preſent, nothing is paſt, nothing is to come. And the predeſtination of God, is the eternall decrée of God, whereby he hathe ordeyned, eyther to ſaue or deſtroy men, a moſt certeine end of life and death being appointed vntounto thē. Wherevpon alſo it is elſewhere called a foreappointment. Touching theſe pointes, ſome hauehave diuerſly diſputed, and many verily curiouſly and contentiouſly enoughe, and in ſuche ſort ſurely, that not onelyonly the ſaluation of ſoules, but the glory of God alſo with the ſimple ſorte is indaungered. The religious ſearchers or interpreters of the ſcriptures, confeſſe, that here nothing is to be permitted to mans wit, but that we muſt ſimply & wholy hang vppon what ſo euer the ſcripture hath pronounced. And therfore theſe words of S. Paul, are cōtinually before their eyes, and in their mindes: O the depth of the riches of Rom. 11.the wiſdome and knowlege of God! how vnſearchable (or incomprehenſible) are his iudgementes, and his waies paſt finding out! For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde? or who was his coūſeller? Or who hath giuen vntounto him firſt? and he ſhal be recompenced. They neuer forget the admonition of the moſt wiſe man Ieſus Syrache, ſaying: Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee: Eccle. 3.neither ſearch after things which are too mightie for thee. But what God hath commaunded thee, thinke thou alwayes therevpon, and bee not too curious in many of his workes: for it is not needfull for thee to ſee, with thine eyes, the things that be ſecrete. In the meane time truly, they do not contemne, neither yet neglect thoſe things, which it hath pleaſed God, by the open ſcriptures to reueale to his ſeruants touching this matter. Of Gods foreknowledge, there are many teſtimonies, eſpecially in the prophecie of Iſaie, chapter. 41. and in the chapters following, whereby alſo the Lorde doth declare that he is the true God. Furthermore, God, by his eternall and vnchaungeable counſel, hath foreappointed, who are to be ſaued, and who are to be condēmned. Now, the end, or the decrée of life and death is ſhort, and manifeſt to al the godly. The end of predeſtination or foreappointment, is Chriſte, the ſonne of God the father. For God hath ordeydeined and decréed to ſaue all, howe duplicate page duplicate page many ſo euer hauehave communion and felowſhip with Chriſt his only begotten ſonn: and to deſtroy or condemne all, howe many ſo euer hauehave no part in the communion or fellowſhip of Chriſte his onelyonly ſonne. Nowe the faithfull verily hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt, and the vnfaithful are ſtraungers from Chriſt. For, Paule in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, ſayth: God hath choſen vsus, in Chriſte, before the foundations of the world were layd, Ephe 1.that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him through louelove: who hath predeſtinate vsus into his ſonnes, through Ieſus Chriſt into him ſelfe, according to the good pleaſure of his will, that the glorie of his grace may be prayſed, wherewith he is pleaſed with vsus in his beloued. Loe, God hath choſen vsus, and he hath choſen vsus before the foūdations of the world were layde, yea, he hath choſen vsus, that we ſhoulde be without blame, that is, to be heires of eternall life: howbeit, in Chriſte, by and through Chriſte hath he choſen vsus. And yet againe more plainer: hee hath predeſtinate vsus, ſaith he, to adopt vsus into his ſonnes, but by Chriſte, and that too hath he done fréely, to the intent that to his diuine grace glory might be giuen. Therefore, who ſo euer are in Chriſt, are choſen and elected: For Iohn the Apoſtle ſaieth: Who ſo hath the ſonne hathe life: who ſo hathe not Iohn. 5.the ſonne of god, hath not life. With the doctrine of the Apoſtles agréeth that alſo of the Goſpell. For in the Goſpell the Lorde ſayth: This is the will of him that ſent me, the father: Iohn. 6.that euerie one whiche ſeeth the ſonne, and beleeueth in him, ſhoulde hauehave euerlaſting life: and I will raiſe him vp in the laſt day. Loe, this is the will or eternall decrée of GOD, ſaith he, that in the ſonne by faith we ſhould be ſaued.
Againe, on the contrarie part, touching thoſe that are predeſtinate to death, the Lorde ſaith: He that beleeueth Iohn. 3.not, is condemned alreadie, bycauſe hee hath not beleeued in the name of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God. And this is the condemnatiō, that light is come into the world, and men hauehave loued darkneſſe more than light. Therefore if thou aſke Who is elected & predeſtinate to life.me, whether thou art elected to lyfe, or predeſtinate to death, that is, whether thou arte of the number of them that are to be damned, or that are to be ſaued, I anſwere ſimply out of the ſcripture, bothe of the Euangeliſtes and the Apoſtles: If thou haſte communion or fellowſhip with Chriſte, thou art predeſtinate to life, and thou arte of the number of the elect and choſen: but if thou be a ſtraunger from Chriſte, howe ſo euer otherwiſe thou ſeeme to flouriſh in vertues, thou arte predeſtinate to death, and foreknowledged, as they ſay, to damnation.
Higher and déeper I wil not créepe into the ſeate of Gods counſell. And here I rehearſe againe the former teſtimonies of Scripture: God hath predeſtinate vsus, to adopt vsus into his ſonnes through Ieſus Chriſte. This is the will of God, that who ſo beleeueth in the ſonne ſhould liue: and who ſo beleeueth not ſhoulde dye. Faithe therefore is a moſte aſſured ſigne that thou art elected, and whiles thou art called to the Communion of Chriſte, and art taught faith, the moſt louing GOD declareth towardes thée his election and good will.
The ſimpler ſort verily are greatly A ſo are tentation in this caſe.tempted and excéedingly troubled with the queſtion of election. For the diuell goeth about to throwe into their myndes the hate of GOD, as though he enuyed vsus oure ſaluation, and had appointed and ordeyned vsus to death. That he may the more eaſily perſuade this vntounto vsus, he laboureth tooth and nayle wickedly to inféeble and ouerthrowe our fayth, as though our ſaluation were doubtfull, whiche leaneth and is ſtayed vppon the vncerteine election of God. Againſt theſe fierie weapons the ſernauntes of GOD doe arme their heartes with cogitations and comfortes of this ſorte fetched out of the Scripture.
Gods Predeſtination is not ſtayed or ſtirred with any worthineſſe or vnworthineſſe of oures: but of the méere grace and merciemercy of GOD the father, it reſpecteth Chriſte alone. And bycauſe our ſaluation doth ſtay onelyonly vppon him, it can not but be moſt certeine. For they are wrong that thinke thoſe that are to be ſaued to life, are predeſtinate of GOD for the merites ſake or good workes whiche GOD did foreſée in them. For notably ſayeth the Apoſtle Paule: Hee hath choſen vsus in Chriſte, into him ſelf, according to the good pleaſure of his will, that the glory of his grace might bee prayſed. And againe, It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy.Rom. 9.
Againe: GOD hathe ſaued vsus, and called vsus with an holy calling, …. Tim. 1.not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, whiche was giuen vntounto vsus throughe Chriſte Ieſus, before the worlde was, but is nowe made manifeſt, by the appearing of oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſte. Fréely therefore of his meere mercy, not for our deſarts, but for Chriſtes ſake, & not but in Chriſte hath he choſen vsus, and for Chriſtes ſake doth embrace vsus: bycauſe he is our father, and a louer of men. Of whome alſo ſpeaketh the Prophete Pſal. 103.Dauid, The Lorde is full of compaſſion and mercy, ſlowe to anger, and of great kindeneſſe. And as a father hath compaſsion on his children, ſo hath the Lorde compaſsion on them that feare him: for he knoweth wherof wee bee made, and remembereth that we are but duſt. Moreouer in the Prophete Iſaie we reade: Can a Iſai. 51.woman forget her childe, and not hauehave compaſsion on the ſonne of her wombe? Though ſhe ſhould forget, yet will not I forget thee. Truely in Chriſte the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God exhibited vntounto vsus, GOD the Father hath declared what greate ſtore he ſetteth by vsus. Therevpon doth the Apoſtle gather, Who ſpared not his ſonne, but gaue him for vsus al, Rom. 8.howe can it be that he ſhoulde not alſo with him giuegive vsus all thinges? What thing therefore ſhould we not reckon vppon, and promiſe our ſelues from ſo beneficiall a father? For thou canſt not complaine that he will not giuegive vntounto thée his ſonne, or that be is not thyne, who as the Apoſtle ſaith was giuen for vsus all.
Moreouer, the Lorde him ſelfe, Matth. 1….crying out in the Goſpell, ſaythe: Come vntounto mee all ye that laboure and are heauie loaden, and I will refreſhe you.
And againe to his diſciples: Goe Marke. 16.ye in to all the worlde, and preache the Goſpell to euerie creature. Hee that ſhall beleeue and bee baptiſed, ſhall be ſaued. Wherevppon alſo Paule ſayeth: God oure Sauiour will 1. T…m. 4.that al men ſhall be ſaued, and come vntounto the knowledge of the trueth.
In olde times long agoe, it was Gene. 22.ſaide to Abraham: In thy ſeede ſhall all the tribes (or nations) of the earth be bleſſed. And Ioel ſaieth: And it Ioel. 2.ſhal be, that who ſo euer ſhall call vppon the name of the Lorde, ſhall be ſaued. The whiche Peter alſo hath repeated in the Actes, chapter, 2. and Paule to the Romanes, chapter 10. Iſaie alſo ſaith: We hauehave all gon Iſai.. 53.aſtray like ſhepe: we hauehave turned eueryevery one to his owne waye: and the Lord hath layd vponupon him the iniquities of vsus all. And therefore durſt S. Paule ſay: As by the offence of one, the faulte came on all men to condemnation: Rom. 5.Euen ſo alſo by the iuſtification of one, the benefit abounded towards all men, to the iuſtification of life. Therefore the Lorde is read in the Goſpell, to hauehave receiued ſinners & publicanes with outſtretched armes and embracings, adding moreouer theſe wordes: I came to ſeeke that which was loſt. Neyther Matth. 9.came I to call the righteous, but ſinners Luke. 19.to repentance. Al which ſayings doe hitherto belong, that being more narrowly weighed, they might confirme and eſtabliſhe vsus of Gods good will towardes vsus, who in Chriſt hath choſen vsus to ſaluation: whiche ſaluation, truely, can not but be moſt certeine, and by all meanes vndoubted: eſpecially, for that the Lord him ſelfe in the Goſpell ſaith: My ſhepe heare my voice, and I know them, and they Iohn. 10.followe me: and I giuegive vntounto them eternall life, and they ſhall neuer periſhe, neither ſhall any plucke them out of my hand. &c.
I knowe what here againe dothe ſting and grieue the minds of many. Of the drawing of thoſeThe choſen ſhéepe, ſay they, of Chriſt, do know Chriſt his voyce, & being indued that are predeſſinate to lif…with a ſtedfaſt faithe, ſticke in Chriſt inſeparably, ſince they hauehave felt that drawing, whereof the Lorde ſpeaketh in the goſpel: No man commeth Iohn. 6.to me, vnleſſe my father drawe him: as for me, as I féele no ſuch maner of drawing, ſo do I not with & ful and perfect faithe ſticke in the ſonne of God. Firſt of all verily, true faith is required of the elect. For the elect are called, and being called, they receiue their calling by faith, and frame them ſelues like him that caled them. Hee that beleeueth not, is alreadie 1. Tim. 4.condemned. Wherevpon alſo Paule ſaith: God is the ſauiour of all men, ſpecially of the faithfull. Furthermore, vnleſſe we be drawne of the heauenly father, we can not beleeue. And we muſt be verie carefull, leaſte we conceiuing vaine opinions of that diuine drawing, neglect the drawing it ſelfe. God verily drewe Paule violently, Actes. 9.but he doth not drawe all vntounto him by the haire. There are alſo other wayes of drawing, by whiche God draweth man vntounto him, but he doth not drawe him like a ſtocke or a blocke. The Apoſtle Paule ſayth: Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing Rom. 10.by the word of God. God therfore doth then drawe thée, when he preacheth vntounto thée the Goſpell by his ſeruants, when he toucheth thy hart, when he ſtirreth thée to prayer, wherby thou mayeſt call and crye for his grace and aſſiſtance, his inlightening and drawing. When thou féeleſt theſe thinges in thy minde, I woulde not wiſhe thée to looke for an other drawing, deſpiſe not thou grace offered, but vſe it whiles tune preſēt ſerueth, & pray for the increaſe of grace. For to greater and perfecter thinges thou aſpireſt godlily afterwards, in y• meane ſpace there is no cauſe why thou ſhouldeſt deſpiſe the leſſer. In ye Goſpell after S. Matthewe, they receiue large riches, who hauing receiued but a fewe talents, occupied the Matth. 25.ſame faithfully. But he that deſpiſed the talent wherewith he was put in credite, and cloaked his ſlouthfulneſſe with I wot not what care, is greatly accuſed, yea, he is ſpoiled of the monie whiche was once giuen him, and is throwne into euerlaſting torments, being bound with bondes of condemnation. For the Lorde pronounceth Matth. …3.generally, Who ſo euer hath, to him ſhall be giuen, and he ſhall hauehave aboundance. But who ſo euer hath not, from him ſhall be taken away, euen that which hee hath. He hath, who acknowledgeth, magnifieth, and reuerenceth the grace of God. To his heape of graces more is added, ſo that it is made more aboundaunt. He hath not, which doth not acknowledge the giftes of God, and imagineth other, I can not tell of what kind, in the mean time, he doth not put in vre the grace receiued & which is preſent. And theſe are wont to vſe excuſes, that that drawing came not to them as yet: and that it is a matter very daungerous, to vſe occupying, or to make merchandize of the giftes of God. But S. Paule iudging farre otherwiſe, ſaith: So we as workers together beſeeche …. Cor. 6.you, that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine. And to Timoth. I put …. Tim. 2.thee in remembraunce that thou ſtir vp the gift of God which is in thee. Not that without God we are able to doe any thing of our ſelues, but that the Lorde requireth our endeuour, which notwithſtanding, is not without his aſſiſtance and grace.
For truely ſaide the ſelfe ſame Apoſtle: God worketh in vsus both to …. 2.will and to doe, euen of his good pleaſure. Againe, Not that we 1. Cor. 3.are ſufficient of our ſelues, to thinke any thing, as of our ſelues: but al our ſufficiencie is of God.
Furthermore, I wiſh not any man to deſpaire, if by and by he féele and Faith hath her increaſinges.try not in his mynde a moſt ripe and perfect faith. The Goſpell ſaith: Of her owne accord doth the earth bring forth fruite: firſt the blade, then the eare, and afterwards full corne in the eare. For ſo likewiſe hath faith her increaſings, and therefore did the very Apoſtles of the Lord pray: Lorde Marke. 4.increaſe our faith. Furthermore, in Marke truely a woefull man cryeth vntounto our Sauiour: If thou canſt do any thing Lorde, hauehave compaſsion Luke. 11.vponupon vsus and helpe vsus: but he hearde the Lord ſtreightwayes ſaying vntounto him: If thou canſt beleeue it. All Marke. 9.things are poſsible to him that beleeueth. And this ſilly ſoule cryed out: I beleue Lord, helpe mine vnbeliefe. Loe, this wofull wretch beléeued, féeling in his minde faith giuen him of God, which notwithſtanding he perceiued to be ſo weake, that he ſtoode in néede of Gods helpe and ayde. He prayeth therefore: helpe mine vnbeliefe, that is, my faith, which, if it be compared with an abſolute and perfect faith, may ſéeme but vnbeliefe. But heare (I beſéeche you) what this faith, how litle ſoeuer it was, wrought and brought to paſſe, what an humble minde, and hanging vponupon the only merciemercy of God, was able to doe. For ſtreightwayes he healed the childe of the wofull father, and being reſtored vntounto health, & as it were rayſed vp from the deade, giueth him againe to his faithfull father. If any therefore doth feele faith in his mind, let him not deſpaire, although hée knowe that it is weake enough, God wot, and feeble: let him caſt him ſelfe wholy vponupon Gods mercy, let him preſume very little, or nothing at all, of his owne merites, let him pray inceſſantly for the increaſe of faith. In which purpoſe verily, theſe wordes of our Sauiour verie ful of comfort, out of the Goſpell, maye confirme and ſtrengthen any man moſt wholeſomly: Aske and it ſhall bee giuen you: ſeeke, and ye ſhal finde: knocke, and it ſhall be opened vntounto you. For who Matth. 7. Luke. 11.ſo euer asketh receiueth: and who ſo euer ſeeketh findeth: and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened. Is there any man among you, who, if his ſon aske him bread, wil giuegive him a ſtone? or if he aske fiſh, will giuegive him a ſerpent? If you therefore, which are euill, can giuegive good giftes vntounto your children, howe much more ſhal your heauenly father giuegive good thinges, euen the holy Ghoſt it ſelfe, if you ſhall aske of him? Theſe and ſuche like ſayings, ſet foorth vntounto vsus in the holy goſpel for our conſolation, ought more to moue and eſtabliſh our mindes, of the good, yea the right good will of God towards vsus, than the eggings of the diuell, wherwith he goeth about not onelyonly to ouerwhelme the hope of our election, but to make vsus ſuſpect and doubt of God, as though he had his creature in hatred, whome he had rather hauehave deſtroyed than ſaued. But he is wel enough knowne to the Saints by his ſubtilties and traines. For ſo he deceiued our firſt parents. Gene. 3.Let vsus kéepe it déepely printed in our breaſtes, that God hath choſen vsus in Chriſt, and for Chriſte his ſake predeſtinate vsus to life, and that therefore hee giueth and increaſeth faithe to Chriſt ward in them that aſke it, and that it is he that puts it in our harts. For all things that tend to our ſaluation, come from the grace of God, nothing is ours, but reproch and ſhame. Theſe thinges (brethren) thus farre hauehave I layde before you, concerning the maruellous and wonderful work of the creation, wrought by the eternall, true, and liuing God, without any trouble (doubtleſſe) or paines taking. For he ſpake the woorde, and they were made. He commaunded, and they were created. A little we hauehave added touching the moſt wiſe and excellent gouerning of all things by Gods diuine prouidence, which is alwayes iuſt and moſte righteous: Likewiſe, of Gods good will towards vsus, of Predeſtination, and certeine other pointes vntounto theſe belonging. All theſe things truly hauehave we rehearſed, to beautifie the glory & knowledge of God our Creatour. To whome both the perpetual and vniuerſal courſe of nature, as well of things inuiſible, as alſo viſible, beareth witneſſe. Whom the Angels worſhip, the ſtarres wonder at, the ſeas bleſſe, the earth reuerenceth, and all inferiall thinges behold. Whom the minde of eueryevery man féeleth, albeit it doe not expreſſe him. At whoſe becke al things are moued, the ſprings caſt forth their ſtreames, riuers decreaſe, the waues ariſe aloft, all things bring forth their increaſe, the windes are forced to blowe, ſhowers to fall, ſeas to rage, al things in al places to deliuer abroad their frutfulneſſe, who planted a peculiar garden of felicitie for our firſt parents, gaue them a commaundement, and pronounced ſentence againſte their ſinne: deliuered righteous Noe from the daungers of the Deluge, tranſlated Enoche into the fellowſhip of his friendſhip, did chooſe Abraham to him ſelfe, defended Iſaach, increaſed Iacob, appointed Moſes the capteine ouer his people, ſet frée from the yoke of bondage the groaning children of Iſrael, wrote a lawe, brought the ofſpring of the fathers into the lande of promiſe, inſtructed his Prophetes with his ſpirite, and by all theſe promiſed his onelyonly begotten ſonne againe, and at the ſame inſtant that he had promiſed to giuegive him, hath ſent him, through whome alſo he woulde be acquainted and come in knowledge with vsus, and hath poured foorth vppon vsus all his heauenly graces. And bycauſe of him ſelfe he is liberall and bountifull, leſt this whole world, being turned away from the riuers of his grace, ſhoulde waxe drye, hée woulde hauehave Apoſtles to be ſent by his ſonne as teachers throughout the whole worlde, that the ſtate of mankynde might acknowledge their maker, and if they followed him, might hauehave in ſtead of a GOD, one whome in their petitions and prayers, they might call Father, Whoſe prouidence hath not onelyonly extended it ſelfe and is nowe extended, not only ſeuerally vntounto men, but alſo vntounto verie townes and cities, the ends of which he foretolde by the voyces of his Prophetes, yea, throughout the whole worlde. Whoſe endes, plagues, decayes, and puniſhments for their vnbeliefe he hath deſcribed.
And leaſt any ſhould thinke, that this infatigable prouidence of GOD extended not to euerie thing, though neuer ſo ſmall, the Lorde ſayth, Of two ſparrowes, the one of them falleth not to the grounde without the will of the father. And, The haires of your head are all numbered. Whoſe care alſo and prouidence ſuffered not the garments of the Iſraelites to waxe olde, nor their ſimple ſhooes on their féete to be worne and torne. And not without good reaſon. For if this God comprehendeth that whiche conteyneth all thinges, and all thinges and the whole doth conſiſt of partes and particulars, than ſhall his care reache conſequently, euen to euerie part and particular, whoſe prouidence hath reached already to the verie whole whatſoeuer it is. To this God be all glory.