Thirteen Sermons on Free Election in Jacob and Reprobation in Esau, Title page – Errata

Thirteen Sermons on Free Election in Jacob and Reprobation in Esau · Title page – Errata

Thirteene SERMONS OF Maister Iohn Caluine, Entreating of the Free Election of God in Iacob, and of reprobation in Eſau.

A treatiſe wherin eueryevery Chriſtian may ſee the excellent benefites of God towardes his children, and his maruelous iudgements towards the reprobate, firſte publiſhed in the French toung, & now Tranſlated into Engliſhe by Iohn Fielde, For the comfort of all Chriſtians.

Rom. 11.33.

O the deepenes of the riches, both of the vviſdome and knovvledge of God! Hovve vnſearcheable are his iudgements, and his vvayes paſt finding out.

Imprinted at London for Thomas Man and Tobie Cooke. 1579.

To the right Honorable and my verie good Lorde, the Earle of Bedford, one of her Maieſties moſt honorable priuie Councell, and to the Honorable, godly, and vertuous Ladie, the Counteſſe his wife: Iohn Fielde wiſheth encreaſe of godlines and conſtancie by Ieſus Chriſt for euer. AMEN.

BEcauſe I can not (my very good Lord and Ladie, whom the Lord I ſay by the profeſsiō of his glorious Goſpell hathe made right Honorable) by anye other meanes teſtifie the dutie that I owe you, but in ſuch poore ſorte as this is, I moſt humbly beſeeche you to accept of it. Looke not vponupon it as it is in it ſelf: but value it according to the hartie affectiō of the giuer, who with all duetie proteſteth his humble ſeruice towards your Honor, to the vttermoſt that he ſhall be able for the aduauncement of your knowledge, encreaſe of godlines and ſpiritual gaine, in the true practiſe of Gods bleſſed & holy trueth, the greateſt benefit that euer God in merciemercy could hauehave beſtowed vpō you. I am ſorie that my skill is no better, to helpe you forwarde in that ſo excellent a woorke: but foraſmuch as God accepteth vsus according to that meaſure we hauehave receiued, I hope you of your Honorable curteſie, will likewiſe take it well, that I ſhewe this remembrance of you in preſenting ſuch a preſent as he hath beſtowed vponupon me. And this I will ſaye: though in reſpect of my labour it bee homely, yet in reſpect of the matter it is moſt excellēt: a work of one of the rareſt inſtruments whō god hath raiſed vp, in theſe laſt tymes to giuegive light amidſt our great ignorance, & to draw many to that bleſſed knowledge, which I beſeech God we may both thankfully accept of: & alſo diligently cōforme ourſelues with all obedience, to liue according to it: that the Lord do not either take this bleſsing from vsus, or els bring vponupon vsus ſeuere iudgements, for abuſing ſo excellent a treaſure. I know ſome vnthākful wretches, puffed vp with pride & a vaine opiniō of them ſelues, wil hardly endure that I ſhould ſpeak thus either of the woork, or of this ſingular inſtrument of God. For the nature of mens corruption is ſuch, and ſpecially of ſuch as ſeke to be magnified one of another, that they tread vnderunder their feete Gods glorie: and being behinde others in giftes, they powte and ſwell againſt them whoſe ſhoe latchets they are not worthy to looſe: Beſides that they are ſo corrupt, either being open Papiſtes, counterfeite profeſſours or manifeſt heretiques, that they cā abide no ſinceritie. Of the firſt ſort I wil not ſay much, becauſe nowe I minde not at large to diſpute with thē, as being the open & hopeles enimies of God (I meane the obſtinate ones) who ſet thēſelues not only againſt his ſeruants, but againſt his holy word. For what ſhould a mā ſay to ſuch, whō nothing can pleaſe, but that they hauehave receiued either frō their own brains, or els frō their ſottiſh doctors, who are deſtitute of al truth & god lines? what they tell thē, be it neuer ſo ſillie, nay ſo falſe, they wil receiue with al griedines: No Legende ſo lying, no opinion ſo groſſe, no motiue ſo light no life ſo vilainous, as they wil not accept of, maintain & defend, both with tooth & nayle, if it come frō themſelues & frō their own polſhorne generation. But a lack it ſhould be otherwiſe, if they would be content to hauehave all things tried by that vndeceiuable touchſtone that god hath appointed: If the euerlaſting word of god which of right (proceding frō god) ought to hauehave his prehemīnēce of perfection to iudge al) did beare the bel, as alſo god hath appointed it ſhuld do, this matter would be ſoone at an end. For what ſoeuer building ſhould be found, either in the one or the other, that had not his foūdation therin, it ſhould quickly vaniſh, & eueryevery mans work ſhould appeare. But if men wil come with preiudicate minds, to be admirers of mens Perſons, & wil only look to a perſonal & local ſuccesſion and bee caried away with the emptie & bare titles of their names and profesſions, without examination of that they bring, men ſhall eaſily offende both in the one and in the other. Let all men therefore be examined, let the word of God diſcuſſe according to her prerogatiue: when God ſpeaketh let all men hold their peace, and if he teach, let all fleſh be confounded. In matters of faith and religion, let that word onelyonly be heard which is the true iuſtructer, hauing bin ſet down by men as writers, yet by the holy ghoſt the true inditer, who came not to ſuggeſt a peece, & ſo to leaue an imperfect work, but to lead vsus into al truth, & to teach vsus whatſoeuer was neceſſary for our ſaluatiō; not leauing things doutfully to be receaued frō hand to hād by way of traditiō, but plainly written to remain to all the ſonnes of God as gods ſufficient & perpetual Teſtamēt. Fy vponupon theſe blaſphemous mouthes that wil accuſe God of infidelitie, of crueltie of lack of care to his Church in prouiding for his: that like high traytors dare clippe & adulterate his coine, wringing the ſcepter of his kingdom out of his hand, & bounding his gouernment to ſome one people, citie & countrie, as did the Donatiſts: chalenging to them ſelues with the olde Chatariſts, and new Anabaptiſts and ſuch as are of the Family of louelove, that they cannot erre, when the moſte of their Popes (and ſpecially ſuch as followed him that proudly to ſhewe him ſelfe Antichriſt, chalenged the name of vniuerſall Biſhop) were Sorcerers, Coniurers, Whoremongers and inceſtuous lyuers, Heretiques, Murtherers, Sodomiters, couetous Harlots, and cruel blapſhemers in all their doings. I ſtand not to cite the places out of their owne ſtories, they are manifeſt, and all the worlde may knowe them. And as for their Councelles they were nothing but wranglinges and repeales one of anothers Lawes and Canons: their cuſtomes drawne from mennes errors, and therefore (as Cyprian ſayth) beeing without trueth, though they were neuer ſo olde, are but olde errors. And yet wee leaue the fountaine, and goe too the ſtinking puddles that they hauehave digged vntounto them ſelues: we muſt leaue the light of God, and goe to the darkeneſſe of men: the inſtruction of the holy Ghoſte, & reſt vponupon theſe Dunces, that knowe not what they ſay, nor whereof they affirme, The word of God muſt be drawen in and out by them as they thinke good, and therefore they ſpeake moſte deſpightfully of it. They call it a deade letter, a noſe of Waxe, a Shipmans hoſe, a Schoole miſtreſſe of error, darke, harde, inſufficient of it ſelfe, and I cannot tell what. And yet as I ſaide, if any thinge come from their Dunces, they receiue it and neuer diſtruſt it. The name of a Catholique is inough to authoriſe vntounto them any thing be it neuer ſo falſe, abſurde, peeuiſh and contrary to the knowen and expreſſe trueth of God. They cry the Church, the Church, no otherwiſe then craftie ſtrumpets that wil moſte ſcolde for their honeſtie, when they neuer came where it grewe. And then they brable with vsus about the tranſlation, O it is corrupted, it is not according to the Hebrew text, & to diſcredit that which maketh moſt againſt them: beſides that, they forbidde the people the reading of it, they beare the worlde in hande, that they hauehave obſerued ſo manye and ſo manye faultes, when all men of learning and iudgement knowe that the time wherin their errors were moſt palpable & rife, all kind of good learning was worne out, the knowledge of tongues decreaſed, they whom they moſt ſpited were the lighters of their Candles before all the world. For to themſelues Hebrewe letters though (as they ſay) they were as bigge as Okes, yet they were Pitchforkes and ſtaples: and as for Greeke, they were ſo farre from vnderſtanding of it, that not one amongeſt a thouſande coulde reade it. I ſpeake not of the latter times, for now good learning beeing brought to light, with the knowledge of the Goſpel many of them hauehave tinded their Candles at our lights, and many (thankes be to God) are conuerted, and more ſhould be, had not God in his iuſtice for their wicked Rebellion made the meanes fruitleſſe, reſeruing them to a farther iudgement.

But let vsus ſee, where they euer amended any thing they blamed. Their common tranſlation hath bin amended by vsus, to which yet ſo obſtinate they are, that all vppon payne of the blacke curſe in their conſpiracie of Trent, muſt be bound onelyonly to holde them ſelues: when as in many places for their liues, they are not able to make any cōſtruction or ſenſe of it. But the obſcurer it was, the better liked of them, and the more to their profite: and therfore they kept it vnderunder & forbad the reading of it, leſt the light thereof ſhould diſcouer their faultes and filthy corruptions. And this is the principall cauſe that Caluine and ſuch notable men are ſo yll liked, and with ſuch violence condempned amongſt them. But what ſhould good men looke for other of theſe blinde Balamites, but ſuch condemnation? The other ſort are thoſe, that hauing once taſted of the ſweete doctrine of the Goſpel, are yet through an indiſciplinate kinde of life, beeing alſo deuoyde of true humilitie, caryed away from the ſinceritie of the trueth, ſome ſlugging ſtill in darke ignoraunce, and foding them ſelues in their owne perſwaſions, beleeuing nothing but that which they can compaſſe, & receiuing nothing but that which ſtandeth to the lyking of their humors & graueled conſciences, following like Swine their owne beaſtly and carnall appetites. Theſe men would be awakened. And when the Lord ſhal open their eyes, they ſhal ſee that the profesſiō of the goſpel of God, conſiſteth not in a bare cōfesſion, they ſhall finde that the councell of God in parte reuealeth it ſelfe, by our vocation: which alſo is from him, & then they ſhall knowe them ſelues to be effectually called, when they finde ſanctification as a continuall companion in them: which is approued and knowen by mortifying the olde Adam in vsus, and by quickening the inwarde man, in that dayly reparation that maketh vsus as deere Children too reſemble our heauenly father. Indeede we ſhall come ſhorte in the perfection therof, but he that is perfect ſhall ſupply our wantes, bothe ſtrengthening vsus to will and performe what ſoeuer is good, & alſo perfecting in himſelfe that which is imperfect in vsus. Theſe men would be warned not to abuſe the Goſpel of grace, and the glad tydings of their euerlaſting ſaluation too their owne perdition: who whilſt they ſpeake of Chriſt ſhould indeuour to knowe him as he is: that his bare name deceaue them not, too lull them a ſleepe in ſinne, and whilſt they ſeeke to comforte the oppreſſed, ſhould likewiſe take heede that they ſtrengthen not the wicked, to continue in their curſed ſecuritie and fleſhly libertie. It is very true that in Chriſt we hauehave all things, but Chriſt withall his riches onelyonly belongs to his children, and to them hee is applyed with all his benefites, through a true and liuely faith: and he hath ſundrye offices, to which, his muſt ſubmit themſelues. They muſte acknowledge his kingdome to be ruled by his word, and they muſt be ſubiect to his lawe, who hath thorowly and continually prouided for their gouernment. They muſt reſt in that which he teacheth, becauſe he is their onelyonly Prophet, their onelyonly Prieſte, in whoſe onelyonly ſacrifice the father is pacifyed and well pleaſed. And Chriſte is the marke to whome the lawe leadeth, the end and perfection thereof, that they in him ſhould walke in obedience. The laſt ſorte which are as ill as the worſt, I meane either open or elſe cloſe and craftie Heretiques, they can as ill brooke the ſincere worde of God as any of the others, bleating alſo againſte his gouernment and diſcipline, becauſe it reſtrayneth, correcteth and bridleth their hereticall opinions and manners. They alledge ouermuch ſeueritie, continually abuſing his merciemercy, and like fantaſticall wretches, becauſe they would be left to them ſelues to ſpew out their hereſyes, they continually barke againſt this wholeſome correction and holy obedience. Theſe fellowes pick many quarrels, making it ſubiect to the inconſtant willes of Popes and ignorant Princes, as though it were a Shipmans hoſe, to be altred and changed at their pleaſure. But alack they doe but catch the winde in a net: For it muſt needes be that Chriſtes ſcepter bruſe them, and it preuayle. And ſpecially they cannot abide ſuch men as this good Caluine was, becauſe hee rubbed them on the gawle, and brake euen the ſkull (as I may ſay) of their hereticall corruptions. For ſome of them are Arians, other ſome Anabaptiſts, and Seruetians, Dauidians and Syluaniſts, Pelagians, & Freewil men, Libertines and of the Familie of LoueLove, ioyning with them infinite hereſies, and ſecretly in this ſecuritie of the Church, diſperſe their poyſon, which I feare me, wil one day ſo breake foorth when we leaſt thinke of it, too the trouble of the whole Church of God, that it will bee a long time or euer it be purged and appeaſed. I would to God there were none in England, I woulde to God they had fewer fauourers, and wee more iudgement and zeale too defende the ſincere trueth of our God, then ſhould they not giuegive ſuch euident tokens of the venim that is within them, in defending Seruetus that Dogge that hath renewed all the olde hereſies of the Arrians, that ſomuch troubled the Church in time paſt: neither would they them ſelues in their own fantaſies with ſuch impudencie condemne the deere ſeruants of God, for procuring and calling vponupon the magiſtrate for his lawful execution againſt Heretiques and empoyſoners of the Church. They would not make a maſh & hotchpotch of the ciuill and eccleſiaſticall ſtate, and ſo iumble them togither. They would not deny the power of the magiſtrates ſword, committed to his miniſters not in vaine, but to be vſed in cutting off the rotton members therof, for the preſeruation of the whole body. They would not bark ſo like Dogges againſt the euerlaſting predeſtination and election of God, the moſt cōfortable doctrine that can be, being the foundation of all the reſt, where it is wiſely taught according to the worde, and learned within that ſober cōpaſſe that it is preſcrybed: ioyning and iumping ſo neere with Anabaptiſts, the ſprituall illuminate, Pelagians, and other merite mongers, who howſoeuer they differ in ſome particular markes, yet are birdes of one and the ſame fether. This ſhall alwayes be found true that they followe the corrupteſt men of our age in all theſe matters. But whatſoeuer they ſay, Gods trueth is of ſufficient power to ouercome all their hereticall blaſphemies. Moyſes rod ſhall deuour their Sorcerers ſerpentes. Dagon ſhall breake his neck where his trueth is receiued. And this ſunne aryſing ſhall ſcatter all their darkeneſſe. Theſe excellent inſtrumentes ſhall liue when they ſhalbe forgotten, vnleſſe it bee in immortall ſhame & opprobry. Let vsus not therfore be diſcouraged but holde faſt the trueth of our good God, & with feare and reuerence, let vsus ſeeke after thoſe things he hath reuealed vntounto vsus. There can be no daunger if we keepe our ſelues within the cōmpaſſe of the holy Scriptures. For this doctrine of Gods eternall election and Predeſtination is moſte comfortable. O, but ſay they with the olde Heretiques, if I be elected and predeſtinated, what neede I too auoyde euill woorkes, they ſhall neither further nor hinder mee: God is ſure and what neede I torment and vexe my ſelfe to doe well & to leade a ſtraight and a godly life, wee like not theſe pepered conſciences! Such heretiques there were long agoe that ſo wrote and taught that occaſioned Saint Augustine too write that excellent worke of the Predeſtination of Gods Saintes, confuting ſuch caytifes as theſe. Saint Auguſtine therefore annſweareth them, that this doctrine is a moſte comfortable doctrine, neceſſary to be knowen, too bee publiſhed and preached to the people in his due time and place. For it is that ſame euerlaſting and vnchangeable decree of GOD, whereby hee hath vndoubtedly determined in the time that hee him ſelfe beſt knoweth, to cal his elect to the knowledge of his trueth, that his merciemercy and glory might bee declared in them. And this hath the Scripture confirmed Rom. 8. verſe. 30. Whome he hath predeſtinate thoſe hee hath called, and whom he hath called thoſe he hath iuſtified. And againe in the firſt Chapter to the Epheſians, wee are elected before the foundations of the worlde, and in the 9. to the Romains ſpeaking of Eſau and Iacob (of whome theſe Sermons eſpecially intreate) he ſaith that one was electted and the other reiected before they had doone either good or euil. The foūdation heereof, is only the purpoſe of his wil: not forſeeing (as the Papiſts ſay) any worthynes or vnworthines of man: but for iuſt cauſes known to himſelf, & in himſelf not in vsus in which without further inquirie we ought to reſt, acknowledging him to be only good, wiſe▪ & moſt righteous, who is & ſhalbe bleſſed and iuſtified for euer. Now for them that are either reiected or elected, we wade no farther to iudge of thē then may appeare by the effectes, neither doe we iudge abſolutely of them, but with condition vnleſſe vppon thoſe peculiar loſte ones of whō God himſelf in his word hath pronoūced. Read Ephe. 1. & 1. Pet. 1. Now if any Potſhard wil reaſon with the potter, which not reſting in his will, would wade further to know the ſecrete cauſes of this, we ſay vntounto him with the Apoſtle: O wretched man who art thou that diſputeſt with God. Shal the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? For further ſatiſfaction in this queſtion, I referre al Chriſtians to the Bookes that are written heereof, & namely to theſe excellent Sermons: M. Knox hath learnedly anſweared the obiections of the aduerſaries in a Booke printed at Geneua. Wee hauehave alſo home writers, that hauehave delt fully and plainly therein, as Veron of Predeſtination, and M. Crowley in his booke againſte Cerberus, rightly ſo called for his barking blaſphemyes, againſte this moſt comfortable and excellent doctrine: others that are learned may further ſatiſfie thēſelues, with thoſe learned anſweres of M. Beza againſt that impure Apoſtata Caſtalio.

And nowe to returne to your Honours, I moſt humbly beſeech you to acccept my poore labours, which I offer vnderunder your Honours names to the whole Church of God. And I beſeech your honours, as God hath called you to the knowledge of his glorious Goſpel, which is a token of your election, ſo goe forwarde more and more in the grouth therof: that the Goſpel being truely rooted in your hearts, it may bring forth ſanctification, the true ſeale of your adoptiō, that you may feele his goodnes in the aſſurance of that euerlaſting and bleſſed inheritance. God hath called you to high honor, not ſo much by your places & calling amongſt men (which yet is ſomwhat, becauſe it is a great benefite of God) but in that he hath made you his adopted children, it is that you ſhould ſhewe obedience, in that hee hath made you heyres with his ſonne, and Citizens with his Saintes, it is that you ſhould looke vp to Heauen and hauehave your ioy there deſpyſing this worlde, and liuing to righteouſnes and true holyneſſe. And this will the Lorde in merciemercy beſtowe vponupon you, thereby ſealing your election, if you ſeperate your ſelues from the corruption of the world: I ſay not that you ſhould go out of the worlde, but that you ſhould departe from euill, and be followers of God as deare children, walking in louelove, euen as he hath loued you. Beware of theſe twoo Cankers that corrupte the whole worlde, and is moſte likely to aſſayle Nobilitie, I meane Pride and Couetouſneſſe, Let them not once bee named amongeſt you as becommeth Saintes. A day wyll come, when the Lorde will fulfill your hope in better thinges then all this worlde can geue you. Stand faſt in his trueth in theſe ſlipperie daies, and aboue all thinges let his glory, and the aduauncement of his woorde, bee deare and precious vntounto you. In Gods matters, let his will bee the rule thereof, and not your owne wiſedome and affections. Examine your ſelues often by it, and neglect not holy exerciſes. Let other Gallantes of this worlde, followe theyr fooliſh and fadyng pleaſures, delight you in his lawe, and be good examples to others. Care not for the contempt of the worlde, but holde faſt a good conſcience that you may be approued before GOD. The Lorde Ieſus bleſſe you both, that as he hath knit you togeather, ſo you may drawe on forwardes in one yoke towardes his kingdome, that that may bee your aime and mark in all your deedes, woordes, and thoughtes. Amen.

October 25. 1579. Your Honours moſt humble and faithfull euer to commaund in Chriſte, Iohn Fielde.

Faultes eſcaped.