those that haue no fellowship with him but are straungers from hys couenaunt and gospel The faythfull haue fellowship with Christe and the vnfaithfull are straungers from him For as it hath bene said alreadye Ephe. i. God hathe chosen vs in Christ Iesu afore that the foundacions of the world were layde that we shoulde be holye and wythoute blame before him throughe loue And hath ordained vs before throughe Iesu Christe to be heyres vnto him self according to the pleasure of his wil to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hathe made vs accepted in the beloued Behold God hath chosen vs afore the foundacions of the world were laied for to be holy and blamelesse that is to say heires of lyfe euerlasting Again he hathe chosen vs in Christ But making yet the matter more plaine he saithe that GOD hath ordained vs before throughe Christe Iesu for to be heyres vnto him self and that frely that all the glory and praise may be geuen vnto his deuyne grace As many therfore as be in Christ are chosen vnto life euerlastinge For Ihon the Apostle saith He that hath the son hathe life but he that hathe not the sonne of God hathe not lyfe And wyth it dothe the Gospell agree For there our sauior Iesus Christ saithe Thys is the wyll of the father that hath sent me Iohn vi that who so euer doth se the sonne and beleueth in him hath life euerlasting and I shal raise him vp in the laste daye Behold this is the eternall wyll and euerlastynge decree of GOD that we shuld be saued in his sonne through faith On the contrari the Lord speaking of them that be predestinated vnto death euerlastyng and vnto condemnation he saythe he that beleueth not is already condempned Ihon. iii. because that he dyd not beleue in the name of the onlye begotten sonne of God And this is the condemnation that the lyghte did come into the worlde and men did loue darcknesse more than the light Therfore if any man should aske me nowe whether he be chosen to life or ordained vnto death that is to saye whether he be of the nomber of the chosen or of the nomber of the reprobate I would answer him plainlye out of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall scripture that if he hathe fellowshyppe with Christe he is ordained vnto life and is of the noumber of the elect and chosen if not that he is ordained vnto death and condemnation For surely all they that haue no felowship with Christe but are straungers from him and his couenaunt shall vtterly be damned and cast away ALBION But our election is hidden in God Obiectiō how shall we then know whether we be chosen in Christ or not Aunswer PHILALETHES God is wonte to declare at length this election of oures wher by he hathe chosen vs vnto the partaking of eternal life when he dothe call vs by the preachings of his word and inward working of hys holy spirit And this calling of god How god doth declare vnto vs our election which doth consist in the preaching of the gospell and in the inwarde workynge of the holye ghoste is of some men called a signe token or testimonye of oure eleciyon For whome God hath ordained before to be fashioned like vnto the shape of hys sonne them dyd he also call Ro. viii and whome he hath called theym dothe he also iustify for to glorify them afterwardes For though the liuing Lord hathe ordained vs before to be his children by adoption heirs of his heauenli glory yet do we not enter into the possessyon of these heauenly goodes and richesse til we be called In deede when we be called Ephe. i. then do we begin to haue a certain fruition of our chusing election For this cause saint Paul dothe call the spirite that we do receiue the spirite of adoptyon the seale and earnest penye of oure enheritaunce Because that he dothe with his testimonye stablyshe and seale vp in the heartes of the faythful the certainty of their adoption God therfore doth ordaine them to be his children and apoynteth him self to be a father vnto them whōe he hathe chosen and by callinge of them he dothe receiue theym into hys family and houshold offrynge and declaring him selfe vnto them Now sith that the scripture dothe after this sort ioygne the callynge of God vnto his election it dothe sufficiently declare therby that we oughte to require or seeke in it for none other thinge but for the free mercy of God only For if ye shuld aske whom god is wont to cal the scripture doth answer you by by that he doth cal them whōe he hath chosen before Nothing els can we fynde in oure election but the mercy of God But if we come once to the election there can we fynde nothing els but the mere mercye of God So that here the sayinge of Paul is most truely verified wher he saith It lieth not in anye mans wil or renning but in the mercy of god ALBION And my gentlemen did tel me that by this place of the Apostle we do plainly learne that ther is a certain wyll and endeuor in man which excepte they be helped by the especial grace of almighty God can do nothing in dede but if they be once aided helped frō aboue they do farther veri much our saluatiō wherby as I could vnderstand they did meane that there is of nature a certain desire endeuor in mā to be saued which being helped by the the mercy of God do healpe wonderfully towardes the obtaining of euerlastinge life and so they do adscribe parte of oure saluation vnto the grace and mercy of God part of it vnto the same will and renuing or endeuoure of man PHILALETHES Thys doubtlesse is a mere cauillation Enchery ad Laurentium Ca. xxxi Howbe it I haue lieuer to confute it with the words of S. Augustine than with myne owne If saith he the Apostle dyd meane none other thinge but that it doth not only lie in the wyll and renuing of man except the mercyful Lord doth healpe we may also saye on the contrarye that it lyeth not only in the mercy of God without the wil and renuing of manne But sith that it wer a plain vngodlinesse to saye so let vs not doubte but that the apostle did attribute al thinges vnto the mercy of God and that he did leaue no maner of thing vnto our owne will and endeuors And in an other place these be hys woordes Quapropter vt in deum credamus pie vmamus Ad vita Epi. cvii. non volentis neque currentis sed miserentis dei est non quia velle currete non debemus sed quia ipse in nobis velle operatur currere That is saye therefore that we should beleue in God and liue godly it lieth not in the wil or renewing of manne but in the mercy of God not that
haue I learned by the wholsome doctrine of the diuine prouydence of God oure heauenlye father A shorte collection or gatheringe together of the whole doctryne of the dyuine prouidence of God that the whole gouernemente of all thynges both in heauen and in the earth dothe perâ—ayne vnto hym onely and that he â—othe rule and gouerne all maner â—f creatures as it pleaseth hym and as he thynketh moste expedyente for hys owne glorye and for â—he profytte of hys true electe and â—hosen brynginge all thynges to theyr due ende whyche he hym which he him self hathe appoynted from the beginninge whereby we are assured that nothing can chaÌ„ce or happen vnto vs without his wil and appoyntment thoughe the deuil and all his angels wythall the princes and rulers of darckenesse be neuer so desirous to do vs harm Wherof exceading great patience â–ª wyth an vnspeakeable comforte tranquillity and quietnes of mind ioyned wyth continual thanckfulnesse must neades be engendred in al faithful beleuers which though they do depende and hange all together of the deuyne prouidence of God yet do they in no wyse tempte hym but do thanckfully vse al maner of meanes and orders that he hath appoynted for the preseruation and sauegarde of oure owne selues In all these things ye hauâ— well satisfyed me I thancke God for it Therefore I wyl desyre yoâ— to go take a litle repaste wyth me and then afterwardes we wil reason of other thinges as we shall thyncke mete and conuenient PHILALETHES Sith that ye wil haue it so we do agre to it EVTRAPELVS Prayse and laude be vnto the Lorde for thys most wholsome and comfortable talcke DYDIMVS Amen ¶ Certaine arguments againste them that go aboute to shake the certainty of our election which we haue in Iesu Christ afore the foundacions of the worlde were laide Ier. xxxii This promise in theÌ„ that be chosen in Christ Iesus afore the foundacions of the worlde wer laied must be performed THey that do not finally fal from the fear of God cannot perish The electe and chosen of God can not finally fall from the feare of God For these are the wordes of the Lord I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them that I wil neuer turne awaye from them nor cease to do them good but put my fear in their hartes so that they shal not depart from me The elect therefore can not pearish They that are alwaies the shepe of Christ can in no wyse pearyshe The electe and chosen of God Iohn x. They of whom Christ dothe speake here wer not yet called Let these thinges be well noted are alwaies the shepe of Christ Ih. x. Other sheepe I haue also whiche are not of this fold them also must I bringe and they shall heare my voyce and there shal be one sheapefold and one shepheard Again my shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe me and I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shal neuer pearysh nether shal any plucke them out of my hande It followeth then that the electe caÌ„ in no wise pearysh As many as canne not finallye sinne can not finally pearish i. Ioh. iii. Here the holye Apostell dothe speake of the syn vnto deathe Otherwise called the sinne against the holye ghost Ioh. xvii Ioh. vi But the elect and chosen of God can not fynally sinne For thus it is wryten whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his sede remayneth in him neyther can he synne because he is borne of God therefore we may conclude that the elect can not finally pearysh They whom the father geueth â—nto the sonne shall neuer pearish But the father geueth his efect vnâ—o the sonne for thus saith Christe him self Thine they wer and thou gauest theÌ„ me Again This is the fathers wil that hath sent me that of al which he hath geueÌ„ me I shuld lose nothing but should raise it vp at the last day Therefore the elect shall not pearyshe for euer They from whom God doth not take away his faythfull promise goodnesse or mercy can in no wise pearysh But God doth neuer take awaye his goodnesse or mercy and faithful promise from his elect and chosen Therefore the electe and chosen can in no wise pearish The minoure or seconde parte of the argument may be proued by the. xlix Psal Wher we haue these worde if they breake my statutes Psal xlix and kepâ— not my coÌ„maundements theÌ„ wil I visit their transgression with the roâ— their iniquitye with strokes Ye my louing kindnes wil I not take from him neither wyl I falsify mâ— truthe My couenaunte wyll I nâ— breake nor alter the thing that â—gon out my lips Again in an otheâ— place The mountains shal remoue and the hyls shal fall down Esai liiii but my mercy shal not departe froÌ„ the neither shal the couenaunt of my peace fall away saieth the lord that hath compassion on the. As for this last autority that I haue aleaged no man can denye but that it must be vnderstanded of the true churche of Christ which is the congregation of his true elect chosen And as for the other as it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded of Christ the head of the true elect chosen of god so by the wordes the go before it is euident plain that it doth pertain also to his liuely meÌ„bers which being chosen in him before the foundacions of the worlde were laied are graffed in hym by faith And so we coÌ„clude that the choseÌ„ elect of god caÌ„ in no wiseperish They froÌ„ whom god doth not fynally take away his holy spirit caÌ„ not perish But god doth not finalli take away his holy spirit froÌ„ his elect whosoeuer saith our sauior Iesus Christ drinketh of the water that I shall geue hym shall neuer be more a thirst Iohn iiii This water is the holy spirit of God Ioh. xiiii Ephe. iiii but the water that I shall geue hym shall be in him a wel of water springyng vp into euerlasting lyfe Again I wyll pray my father and he shall geue you an other comforter that he may dwell wyth you for euer And in an other place by whome ye are sealed vp against the day of redemption Therfore the electe of God can not pearyshe They whom the father doth loue as he dyd loue Christ can not pearish but the father loueth his elect as he loued Christ Ioh. xvii Thou haste loued them sayth Christ as thou hast loued me It is most euydent then that the elect can not pearysh They that are loued of Christ vnto the end can not be damned but the electe are loued of Christe vnto the ende Ioh. xiii As he loueth hys owne whiche were in the worlde saithe Ihon so vnto the end he loued theÌ„ Agayne Rom. viii None other creature can separate vs from the loue of God wherby it is must folow that the elect can not be damned They that can not finally
A FRVTEFVL treatise of Predestination and of the deuyne prouidence of god as far forth as the holy scriptures and word of god shal lead vs and an answer made to all the vain and blasphemous obiections that the Epicures and Anabaptistes of our time canne make ¶ Set forth Dialoge wise by Ihon Veron To the most Godlye vertuous and mighty Princesse Elizabeth by the grace of God Quene of England Fraunce and Irelande defendor of the faith and supreme gouernor of this realme aswell in causes Ecclesiastical as temporal her humble subiect Ihon Veron wysheth grace long life and encrease of honour from God the father through hys sonne Iesu Christe our Lord. SOm peraduēter mooste myghtie princes wil meruail and wonder that I beyng but a pore strāger dwellinge here wythin your graces dominion dare be so bold to dedicate any maner of booke vnto your maiestye beynge so seriously occupied in the waighty affayres of the common weale and also so earnestlye geuen that to the greate comforte of all youre louinge subiectes that heare of it to the study of deuine letters and diligent reading of the godlye and learned workes of the auncyente fathers of the primitiue churche But they shall I truste cease from meruailing when they shall both call to remembraunce thys saying of Paul there is neyther Iewe nor Grecian ther is nether bond nor free Gala. iii. there is nether man nor womanne For ye are all one in CHRIST IESUS and also when they shall sette before theyr eyes the exceadynge greate Clemency and Princelye goodnesse that your grace is most richly endued withall Whyche onlye at thys presente haue so comforted mee that puttinge all vaine feare a syde I dare nowe wyth all due submyssyon and subiecte lyke reuerence offer thys my rude laboure vnto youre soueraygne Maiestye not doubtinge but that youre Grace wyll accordynge to youre wonte and accustomed bountuousnesse accept this my good wil that I beare both to your person and also to the faithfull congregation of Gods people For whose sake I haue at thys time enterprised and taken in hand to wryte and setforthe thys small treatyse of Predestination and of the deuine prouidence of God to this end that I might enarm and fence the true churche of God againste the pestiferous sect of the fre wil men of oure time Why the free wyll men are enemies vnto the doctine of Predestination which are for non other cause enemies vnto the most comfortable doctrine of Predestination which is plainlye inough if men wil haue eyes to see setforth vnto vs in the infallible worde of God and sacred scriptures conteined in the canonicall bokes of the old and new Testament but because that they wyll haue part of our saluation to be attributed vnto oure selues to the merites of oure owne workes and not the hole glorye thereof to be geuen vnto Christ and vnto the merites only of his death passion and bloudshedding Suche hathe bene alwayes the subtyl and crafty wilynesse of that most ancient serpente who deceyued in times past oure fyrste Parentes Adam and Eue for to make vs before the deuine maiestye of God rancke sacriledges I mene traitors robbers of Gods glory For whatsoeuer of our saluation we doe adscribe eyther vnto our selues or vnto our owne merites and deseruyngs the same we do most sacrilegiously plucke take away frō the gratuite and mere mercye of god from the merits of the death passion bludsheding of his son Iesu christ our lord sauior I do here let passe that by thimpugnyng of this doctrin sathan the deuil goeth about as much as in him lieth to ouerthrow the infalliblenesse By what meanes we are certifed of oure election and certainty of our election wherof we be certified by the preaching of Gods word by thinward workyng of the holy ghoste and also by iustification which we do obtain frely by faith in the only begotten son of god For take away the right vnderstāding of the matter of predestination the assurance of our saluatiō which springeth of the fre electiō of god wherby we are chosen in Christ Iesu afore the foūdacions of the world wer laid is clean ouerthrowne Ephe. i. the whole doctrine of iustification by faith as builded vp on a sandy grounde is moste easy to be blowne downe by the daungerous blaste of the wicked temptation of the spirit of mistrust misbeleue or of wauering doubtfulnes I know most gracius princes that I shal haue many ennemies for wrytīg of this work but I wil desire thē all in the bowels of our sauioure Iesu Christ that they will vouchsafe to read the whole tretise through with patiēce sobriety and iudgemēt and then I do not dout but that their āger will be pacified their mindes satisfied if at least thei be so reasonable that eyther the scriptures or the authorities of the ancient fathers can in any wise satisfy them And as for those Obiectiō that do obiect that this doctrin of predestinatiō doth hinder the preaching of gods word causeth that it cānot profit Aunswer August de bono perseuerantia cap. xiiii I wil answer them by s Augustine who wryteth on this manner As though this doctrin had hindred the Apostle s Paule to do his duetye who so often times did commend vnto vs and teache the doctrine of Predestination yet neuer ceased to preache the worde of god Againe As he that hath receiued the gift cā better exhort preache so he that hathe receiued the gyfte doth hear the preacher more obediently and with greater reuerence And a little after we do therfore exhort preache but they onli which haue eares to hear do hear vs quietly or obediently to theyr owne comforte and in those that haue them not thys sentence is fulfilled that hearing with their eares they do not hear for they hear wyth the sēce of the body but not with the consent of the hart Now that some haue eares to hear some haue not it is because that it is geuen of the father to some of them to come vnto the sonne and to thother not geuen Rom. xi Who knewe the meaninge of God or who was a counsell with him What mā art thou that doste aunswer God Rom. ix Muste that be denyed whych is plaine because that can not be knowne whych is hidden and secreat And in a other place I pray you saith this holy father if som vnder the shadow of predestination Augu. de bono per se ca. xv geue them selues to slouthful negligence and as they are bent to flater their own flesh so followe their owne lustes must we therfore iudge that this which is wrytten of the foreknowledge of god is fals Now surely this is very hansome and to the purpose that we shal not speake that whiche by the scripture is lawful to speake But we feare wyll some say least he shuld be offēded which is not able to
election we ought to cōsyder with oure selues how muche lyght and certenty it bryngeth vnto vs. First and foremost if we seeke for the mercye and fauoure of God we must fasten oure eyes vpon Christ in whome onely the father is pleased If we longe for saluation lyfe immortalytye and the enherytaunce of the kyngedome of heauen wee muste also flye vnto hym and to none other syth that he is the onely fountayne of life the shot anchore of saluation and the ryghte heyre onlye of the kyngdome of heauen For wherevnto doth our election extende but that beyng chosen of the Lord and receyued into the noumber of hys chyldren we shoulde for the loue of hys sonne obtayne saluatyon and immortalitye Weighe the matter wyth your self as much as ye wyl and ye shal fynde vnderstande and perceyue that the end of it doth extend no farther Therefore whome God doth take to hys chyldren it is sayd that he hath chosen them Ephe. i. but in his annoynted that is to saye in hys sonne Iesu Chryste For he coulde not loue them but onlye in hym nor yet honor wyth the enherytance of hys kyngdome except he had made them fyrst fellowes with hym Now if we be chosen in hym we shall not fynde in oure selues the certayntye of oure electyon nor yet in God the father yf we beholde hym wythoute hys onlye begotten sonne our sauyoure Iesu Christ Christ then is the most sure and infallible glasse or myrroure In Christ onely can we beholde and see the certainety of oure election wherein we maye beholde and see the certainty of oure election and that maye we do without anye deceit or fraude For sith that the father hath determined to graffe thē all in his bodye whome he hathe from the beginninge appoynted to be hys and doth take thē al for hys children whome he doth recognise or acknowledge amonge hys members if we be once graffed in Christ and haue fellowshippe with him then haue we a most euident plain and infallible testimonye that we are wrytten in the booke of lyfe But he did mooste certainlye communicate him selfe vnto vs or receyue vs into hys fellowshyppe when he did testifye by the Preachinge of the Gospell that the father did geue him vnto vs. For to be oures with all his heauenly rychesse Iohn i. He I saye did testifye vnto vs that as manye as did receiue him by faithe they shoulde of hys heauenlye father be taken and receiued for his children If ye do require more than to be compted amonge the children of GOD and heires of his kingdome ye climbe aboue Christe Nowe if thys be oure farthest marke It is a madnes to seeke that with oute Christ that we haue alredye obtayned in hym what a madnesse were it to seeke that thynge withoute hym that we haue already obtained and gotten in him and whyche canne be found in him onlye More ouer sithe that he is the eternal wisdome of the father and the verye truth it self we nead not to feare that he dothe in hys woorde and Gospell varye anye thynge from the wyll and pleasure of hys heauenlye father whiche we seeke to be certifyed of For whye he dothe declare it most faythfully vnto vs assuring vs by hys gospel what the will of his father hath ben from the beginning shal be to the worldes end But this ought to comfort vs most of al and to establish our faith in the mercye and goodnesse of almightye God wherbi he hath freli chosē vs in his beloued that the scriptures do euery wher testify vnto vs that whom so euer Christ doth call into the felowshippe of his churche them he doth receiue into his protectiō and sauegarde and that whome so euer he doth receiue into his protection and sauegarde they are committed vnto him of his heauenlye father for to be preserued and kepte vnto life euerlasting what wil we haue any more Iohn vi xvii Christe him selfe cryeth out with a loude voyce and sayeth that as manye as the father wyll haue to be saued he hath deliuered them vnto him to kepe Now if we wil know whether God be careful ouer our saluation or not we must seke in his holy word and scripture whether he hath committed vs vnto his sonne Iesu Christe or not whome he hathe appoynted to bee the only sauioure of all his And if we be in doubt whether the onlye begotten sonne of God hath receiued vs into his protection and sauegard he him self Iohn x. wil put this dout away sith that he offreth him selfe of his owne accord to be oure shepheard acknowledginge vs for hys sheape if we will heare his voyce Let vs therefore embrace Christe sith that he dothe so gentlelye and louingly come forth and offer hym selfe vnto vs. And then will he receiue vs into his flock and kepe vs safely within hys shepefolde ALBION But who can do this except it be geuē him from aboue Doth not Christ him selfe say Iohn vi that no man commeth vnto hym except hys father dothe drawe him PHI. And ye may wel vnderstande that we speake of none other heare in this place For our hole communication and talcke is of them onlye that be chosen in Christe afore the foundacions of the world wer laid whome God doth bringe or rather drawe vnto hys sonne by the preachinge of his worde and by the inward workinge of his holye spirit wherbye he dothe illuminate and lighten their heartes and myndes and doth certify them of their election For this holy spirite of God by whose inwarde operatyon and working we are drawn vnto christ do testify vnto oure spirite that we are the children of God and dothe assure vs of our saluation Suche I say dothe our sauior Iesus Christe receiue into his protection sauegarde so that they canne neuer pearishe For these be the woordes of the hyghe shephearde Iohn x. My shepe do heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe mee and I geue them lyfe euerlastyng and they shall neuer pearyshe nor none shall take them from my hande ALBION Obiectiō Ro. viii Althoughe S. Paule doth wryte that whome God hath ordained before them be dothe also call Mat. xxii yet oure sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth plainlye that manye are called and fewe are chosen Therfore I canne not well vnderstande howe the calling of God shoulde be suche a certificate or so sure a testimonye of our election PHILALETHES That this place maye the better be vnderstāded Aunswer we must note and marke that there be thre manners of calling First and foremooste al men be generally called three māners of callinge euen those that doe not heare the worde For vnto them bothe heauen and earthe Psal xix Rom. i. and all the creatures that be comprehended therin do neuer cease to preach the almightye power of GOD and also hys goodnesse and mercye so that by thys meane as the Apostle dothe testifye all menne are
were hys shepe and of hys flocke they coulde not peryshe Whyche thynge may be proued by hys own wordes and sayinges whych haue bene rehearced alredy before and now for to make the matter more playne maye be rehearced again My shepe saieth he heare my voice and I know them Iohn x. and they folow me and I geue them life euerlastinge and they shal neuer perysh and no man shal plucke them oute of my hand My father which gaue me them is greater then al and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hande Here we haue The properties of the true shepe of Christ as it were set out before our eyes the propertyes of the true shepe of Christ Fyrst and foremost they heare his voice and folowe hym But they that forsake the knowen truth and turne to their olde vomyt agayne doo neyther heare hys voyce nor yet folowe hym Again as Christ geueth lyfe euerlastinge vnto hys true shepe so doth he promise that thei shal neuer perishe and that no man shal plucke them oute of his hande But they whiche after that they haue beene once lighted do fall awaye againe from the good word of God Heb. vi wherof they had tasted haue not lyfe euerlasting for as the Apostle saith it is impossible that they should be renewed vnto repentaunce they do pearyshe and are pluckt out of the shepheardes hand Therefore they are none of the true sheape And the cause whye the true sheape can not pearyshe nor be pluckte oute of the shephardes hande is onlye this because that the father which gaue them is greater than all and no manne is able to plucke them out of hys hande If Sathan than were able to bryng the true sheepe of Christe into perdition we shuld be fain to cōfesse that he is greater than the heauenly father and that he is of more power than the onlye begotten sonne of God I wold woulde wishe that they whiche do so boldlye affyrme that the electe and chosen of God and true shepe of oure sauioure Iesu Christ canne pearysh would but read this place of the Gospel where it is said that there shal arise many false Christes and false Prophettes Math. iiii whyche shall doe greate tokens and wonders in so muche that if it were possyble the verye chosen shoulde be broughte into error also Wher we do learne that though the elect be manye tymes tempted wyth erroures and wyth false and lyinge sygnes yet they can not be pluckte awaye from the truthe of oure sauioure Iesu Christ For they that are geuen hym of hys father can neuer pearyshe nor yet be pluckte out of hys hand ALBION Why dothe Saynte Paule say then Obiectiō i. Cor. x. Rom. xi Let hym that thincketh hym selfe to stand take hede least he fall And againe Art thou grafted in the people of God Be not thou hye mynded therfore but feare For God is able to cutte the of agayne and to grafte other in Feare I say seynge God hathe not spared the natural braunches least he also spare not thee Moreouer oure sauioure Iesus Christe saieth Math. xii that when the vncleane spiryte is gone oute of a manne if he chaunce to come in again the ende of that man shal be worse than the beginning Wherby we do learne that though a man be sanctified in our sauiour Iesu Christ and delyuered from the spirit of infidelitye and vnbeliefe yet he may fall into it againe Yea if the elect of God can neuer pearish what nead they to be exhorted at any tyme or to be admonished and rebuked What neade haue they that Gods worde should be preached vnto theym or that they shoulde make anye prayers vnto God PHILALETHES Aunswer As for the fyrste place that ye haue aledged oute of the tenthe chapyter of the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians it shall easelye be vnderstanded if we wyll but marke the circumstances of it We muste consider that there Sainte Paule doth wryte agaynst certayne of the churche of Corinthus whyche did liue in a carnall securitye and that beynge puft vp with a vaine confidence did forget theyr owne infirmity and weakenesse and so did fall into horrible sinnes Such vaine confidence and carnall securitye did the Prophets rebuke in the people of Israel But because that Sathan the Deuel is wont to wraste thys place for to put menne in dout of theyr saluatyon whereby it commeth to passe that manye mennes consciences are horriblye tormented we shall note and marke that there is a certain security confidence whiche is most holy godly and which cannot be separated from the true faythe By it we do wholelye reast vppon the promises of God beinge fullye perswaded in our consciences that God as a mooste mercifull and louinge father will alwaies healpe aid and assiste vs. Therefore putting a side al vaine dread and fear we do reioyce and triumph against sathan the deuell againste sinne Notwithstandinge remembrynge stil our owne infirmity and weakenesse we do withal lowlinesse and humilitye of mynde commyt oure selues vnto the mercifull kepynge and protection of almighty GOD oure heauenlye father and abyde through faith vnder the shadowe of his winges Rom viii Of this sure confidēce and trust doth the Apostle speake in many places but most specially in the viii chapiter of the Epistle to the Romains wher he saith Who will seperate vs from the loue of God trouble or anguishe persecution or hunger nakednesse or pearill of the swearde I am sure that nether death nor life neither aungell nor rule neyther power neyther thinges presente nor thynges to come nor yet any creatures either aboue or beneath shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde There is an other securitye or confidence Vngodly securitye and confidence which dothe rise and come of a luskishnesse when men beyng pufte vp with the giftes that they haue receiued do behaue them selues as though they were wythout all gonne shot and were in no pearil at all wherby it cometh to passe that the enemy hath them alwaies at his auauntage Therefore the blessed Apostle S. Paule doth diligently warne the Corinthians to take hede and beware of such vaine confidence and carnal security because that he did perceiue that some of them were geuen to it did please them selues in their own conceites and folishe opinions but he dothe not bid them to doubte of the good wil of god towardes them or to be in feare Against whome Paule doth speake in the .x. cha of .i. Cor. i. as vncertain of their own saluation which they haue throughe Christe in whome we are chosen afore the foundacyons of the world wer laid To be short Saint Paule dothe here speake agaynste those that were hie myneded and puft vp with a vaine confidēce and trust which was grounded vppon men and not vpon god But when he speaketh of the true securitye or quietnesse of
vnderstande take it And shall we not in the meane season fear least while we holde our tonge he that is able to take the truth be taken snarde with falshode error Moreouer thus he doth wryte in the same self boke Sith the apostles doctors of the church Capi. xx which came after theÌ„ did the one the other both teaching purely sincerly the grace of god which without ani merits is geueÌ„ frelye vnto vs and also reteining or keping the faithful in godly obedience lyfe maÌ„ners what moueth these our aduersaries being ouerthrowne with the manifest inuincible truth to think thei say wel affyrming that although this doctrine of predestinatioÌ„ be true yet it ought not to be preached vnto the people yea so much the rather it oughte to be throughly preched that he that hathe eares to heare may hear Mani other notable sayinges myght I aledge out of his boke which is intituled De bono perseuerantiae except I should feare to be ouer tedious vnto your maiesty The godlye warning of Saint August This onlye will I adde howe that thys holy ancient father doth warne vs of two thynges in teaching this doctrin of predestination The one is that we wade in it no farther theÌ„ the scripture worde of God doth lead vs. The other that we hide nothing froÌ„ the true church of god that is reueled vnto vs in the boke of God but faithfully set it forth to the edifying and comfort of gods people Whiche ii poyntes I trust I haue most diligently obserued as it shal apear vnto al theÌ„ that shal with iudgement with a single eie read ouer the hole boke markinge well the methode or order of teachinge that I haue vsed throughout the whole work Thus I make an end humbli beseching your most excelleÌ„t maiesty of your gracious and benygne goodnesse to accept this mi simple trauel waying rather the faithfulnes of my true hart toward your highnes then the smalnes of this my gifte that so it maye passe forth through your highnes name permissyon into the handes of your vnfained and faithfull subiects to the more full streÌ„gth in the knowledge of god and of his holy and deuine misteries and also to the more perfect assuraÌ„ce of their saluation in Christ Iesu who of his tender merci and goodnes vouchsafe to defend and preserue your most gracious highnesse from al your ennemies and with his holy spirit so to fil strengthen and comfort your princely harte that ye may at al times boldly set forth his glory and maintain it vnto your liues end Whiche the Lorde longe continue to hys honor ¶ A frutefull treatise of predestination and of the deuine prouidence of God as farre fourth as the holy scriptures and word of God shall lead vs and an answere made to all the vaine and blasphemous obiections that the Epicures and Anabaptistes of our time can make ¶ Set forth Dialoge wise by Ihon Veron ¶ The names of the speakers Albion Eutrapelus Philalethes Dydimus ALBION I do geue God moste harty thankes that ye are come so sone this mornynge For I haue many hard and doubtfull questions to setforthe now vnto you which haue troubled my mynde very sore My minde was because that yesterday we did talk of praying for the dead where I dyd learne that all the good deedes and prayers that are done and made for them that was don in the huntinge of purgatory vnto death that be once departed and gon be nothing auaileable before God nor yet profitable vnto them that they be done made for to haue asked you whether we ought to pray vnto the dead or not and to call vpon them in our necessities and troubles For my gentle men did tell me that we oughte to praye vnto the deade sainctes as vnto the blessed Virgyne Mary the holy Apostles and martirs and that by them our prayers are the soner hard and accepted of God ours heauenly father But now wyl I differ that matter til an other time whâ—… we shal haue more leasure and brinâ— forthe the questions that haue troubled me so muche and specially seâ— ye went away from me yester nygâ— PHILALETHES We woulde bâ— glad to know brother Albion what is that troubleth your minde so sore For ye shall vnderstande that we arâ— here most ready to helpe and ease yoâ— of your trouble if it can be possibâ— by any meane But wer it not best to pray fyrst vnto hym that sayeth Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wil ease you Math. xi EVTR APELVS your counsayle is very good And therfore I do not doubt but that our brother Albion and our neyghbour Dydimus wyl agree vnto it DYDIMVS Hys counsell in this as in al other things is so good and godly that whosoeuer would not folow it I would compte hym worse thaÌ„ a Sarazin or a Turke ALBION Syth then brother Philalethes that we be also godly agreed begynne when ye shall thinke best PHILALETHES O almighty and most merciful lord The praier in whom all treasures of heauenly wisedome godly knowledge are hydden vouchafe we â—eseche the to open oure mindes to illuminate oure hartes that vnderstanding the mysteries conteined in thy holy word we may be able at al times to stop the mouthes of that vngodly blasphemers of thy diuine and heauenly ordenauÌ„ces graunt this o most bouÌ„tuous merciful lord for the glory of thy name sake ALBION So be it Nowe wyll I declare vnto you what it is that my conscieÌ„ce is so sore encombred withal When I do consider wyth my selfe how that the couenaunt of life word of saluation is not preached vnto all natioÌ„s and peoples in like and again wher it is preached that skarcelye the tenth part of them that it is offred vnto do embrace and receiue it I am eueÌ„ at my wittes ende and canne not tell what I shuld say to it For it is wrytten i. Tim. ii that God will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of hys truthe If he will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth whye dothe he not sende his Prophets and messengers vnto all menne in like We read that the sprite of God did forbid Paul and Silas to preach the word in Asia Act. xvi and that when they sought to go into Bithynia he wold in no wise suffer theÌ„ Again where they were appoynted to preach it is a wonder and a meruailâ— to see how fewe dyd receaue the gospel or glad tidinges of saluation iâ— comparison of those that dyd reiecte contemne and despise it I haue heard you say and I know that it is wrytten in the gospel of our sauiour Iesu Christ Iohn vi that none come vnto the truth except our heauenly father doth draw them WheÌ„ he him self did make that most wholesome and comfortable sermon of the spiritual
eating and drynking of his flesh and bloud Iohn vi they went all away from him the twelf only excepted then did he say No manne can come vnto me except it be geuen vnto him of my father Whereby I doe learne that they whiche receiue the truth when it is preached and offered vnto them doe it onlye throughe the grace and gift of almightye God oure heauenly father and not of theÌ„ selues Why is not then this gyft geuen vnto al men in lyke Shall we saye that god is a partial god and an acceptour of persons But the holy scryptures doo testifye vnto vs that there is no parcialiatye in him Syth then that all men generallye of their owne nature are the children of wrathe and none of them seke after god Rom. iii. but are al gon out of the wat and made vnprofitable how doth it chauÌ„ce that some of them being in the same self corruptioÌ„ that other are be cald vnto the truth and haue grace geuen them to receiue it and thother left in the way of perdition Verely these thinges do wonderfully trouble my head when I do muse or think vpon them Therfore brother Philalethes if ye can discusse me these maters ye shal do me a great pleasure for ye shall deliuer me from a marueylous perplexity and trouble of mynde PredestinatioÌ„ and the deuine prouydeÌ„ce of God Philalethes Truely brother Albion these questions are very hard can not be discussed except we do intreat fully of predestinatioÌ„ and of the deuine prouideÌ„ce of god wherwith he doth gouern rule dispose al things here in this world euen at hys owne pleasure as he thinketh it expedieÌ„t for his own glory and for the saluatioÌ„ of his elect chosen DyDIMVS Mâ— thinke A commoÌ„ obiection of the papistes brother Philalethes that this matter of PredestinatioÌ„ doth far passâ—… the capacity of maÌ„s wyt that it is tâ— much presumptioÌ„ to medel with such high secretes misteries of almighty god PHI. It is without al doubt that this matter of Predestination is both hard and also somwhat perillous To whoÌ„e the Doctrine of Predestinatyon is pearilous specially if meÌ„ wil wade so far in it whiche mani times cometh of a folish curiosity of mind which is neuer contented nor satisfied with these thinges that be reueled setforth vnto vs in the holy scriptures sacred word of almighty God our heauenly father but wil styll clime vp hier and hier and leaue none of the seacrets of god vnserched Therfore it is no maruail that such men sith that they do so rashly and presumptuously breake into the vnserchable secreates of gods wisedome do bring theÌ„ selues into an endlesse perplexity from the which they caÌ„ neuer be deliuered but shal in their consciences mindes be miserably tormented al the daies of their life neuer come to the knowledge of the truth Therfore it is good for al men to consider the God hath reueled opened declared vnto vs in his holy sacred worde al those seacreats that he wil haue vs to know and so much wyl he haue vs to know as hee dyd forsee and thinke expedieÌ„t for oure saluation We are saith S. Augustin come into the way of faith Let vs stedfastly kepe it August in the .xxxv. homelye vpon Iohn It shal bring vs into the kinges chamber wherein all treasures of knowledge and wysdome are hidden For the Lord Christ hym selfe dyd not enuye hys greate and chosen disciples when he did say I haue many thinges to say vnto you but ye are not hable to bear theÌ„ now We muste walcke we muste go forewardes we must encrease and grow that oure heartes maye be able to receiue those thinges that we be not able to receiue now And if the last day do fynde vs goyng forewardes ther shal we learne the thinges that we coulde not learne here If we coulde be once perswaded that the worde of God is the only way and meane we ought to coÌ„tente ourselues with goddes word for to seke and searche out those thinges that he will haue to be knowen of hym and the only lyght for to see what so euer he will haue to be seene of hym then should no such rashnesse take place in vs. For we shoulde see that assone as we be once passed the limites boundes of Goddes word we must neades runne oute of the waye and wander in darcknesse where of necessytye we muste neades erre stumble and fall downe euerye fote Where we ought to seke for the doctrine of predestination Let vs therefore haue this lesson alwayes before oure eies that to seke for any other knowledge of predestination than is sette forth vnto vs in Gods worde it is no lesse madnes than if a man wold run through nine wals or se in the thicke darknes that Egipt was plaged with al. And let vs not be ashamed to be ignarant in those thinges that god wil haue vs be ignoraunte in Yea let vs gladly abstain from searching oute of those thinges which can not be searched and sought out wythoute greate pearil ieoperdy And if the wantonnesse of our wit will not so be repressed kept downe let vs cal into oure remembrance the saying of the wyse man wher he saith Pro. xxv Eccle. iii. chapiter he that searcheth out the maiestye of God shal be ouerwhelmed with the glory of it And again Seke not out the things that are aboue thy capacity search not the ground of such things as are so mighty for thee But loke what soeuer god hath commanded the think vpon that alwai be not curious in mani of his worke for it is not nedeful for thee to se with thine eyes the things that are secret EVTRA. Forsoth this is the cause In the vi Articles that some men wil haue no meÌ„tioÌ„ at al to be made of predestination yea ther haue ben lawes and statutes made here tofore that whosoeuer did dispute or write of it he shuld be taken for an heretyke Whiche me thincke was against al reason syth that the scriptures do forbyd no maÌ„ to speake of it so that it be don with due submission reuerence and with such sobriety as is requyred in high matters of religion PHILA In this thing thei haue gon to much on the rightsyde For as they be prayse worthye in this that they wil not haue men to go rashly about such hie misteries secretes of almightye God so are they greatly to blame that they wil not suffer vs to goe and wade as far as the sacred word of god wherein we haue 〈◊〉 moste sure rule of vnderstanding doth lead vs. For we must vnderstaÌ„d that the holi scripture is the schole of the holy gost The holy scrypture is the schole of the holy gost and that as in it nothing is omitted or left vntaught that is profitable and necessary to be known so nothing is setforth ther
DYDIMVS Yet canne I not bee satysfyed but that this doctryne of Predestination doth more harme than good PHILALETHES Whye say ye so I beseeche you DyDIMVS Because that it taketh awaye al sollycytude and care of godly and vertuous lyuinge For Obiectiō who hearynge that he is by the determynate counsayle of GOD ordayned eyther to be saued or to bee dampned wyll not by and by reasonne wyth hym selfe after thys manner what dothe it skill howe thou doest behaue thy selfe heare vppon the earthe syth that by thy liuynge and conuersatyon thou canste neyther hynder nor yet farther the deuyne Predestination of God And so all menne shall desperatelye geue theym selues to all kynde of myschiefe and Deuelishnesse EVTRAPELVS In dede as our neyghbour Dydimus doth saye ye shal find many which whē they be exhorted vnto good dedes and vertuous liuinge or elsse rebuked for their naughtye and abhominable doinges are wont to mocke away all manner of godly doctrine that is brought and preached vnto thē and to saye commonlye thus Thus do the vngodly flatter them selues God knoweth what he hath determined to do with vs if he hathe ordained vs vnto saluation he wil bring vs vnto it at the time that he hath appoynted him self if he hath apoynted vs vnto euerlasting deathe and condemnation we shal but in vain stryue agaynste it PHILALETHES But the scryptures do not speake of the Predestination of god to this ende Why the scriptures do speake of predestination that we shoulde take boldnesse therupon for to liue vngodly but rather that we shoulde learne therby for to fear and dread his moste righteous and incomprehensible iudgementes and also for to embrace and loue hys mercy and goodnesse towardes vs whome he doth frely and without any of our own merites and deseruings chuse vnto lyfe euerlastinge for to be felowe heyres wyth his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenly kingdome This one only thing do the godly seeke in the doctrine of Predestination How be it Saint Paul dothe sufficiently aunswer this swynysh grunting of the filthy Epicures whē he saith that we are chosē in Christ Iesu afore that the foundaciōs of the world wer laied for to be holy and blamelesse in his sight Therfore when they shal praie tattell Ephe. i. that we may wylter our selues here in al kynde of vyces in al kinde of abhomination and dyuelishenes syth that if we be of the number of the elect our vicious lyuinge can not hynder oure election nor yet let vs from comynge vnto saluation life euerlasting we shal aunswer that the ende of oure election here in thys worlde is that we should be holy and blamelesse in the sight of hym that hathe chosen vs and that God hath therefore delyuered vs from the handes of our enemies wherby we may well vnderstand synne death and damnation that so we myght serue hym all the daies of oure lyfe Luc. i. in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse as is acceptable before hym When therefore we do heare that we are by the deuine ordinaunce and appointment of God chosen vnto life euerlastinge we are admonyshed and warned thereby not to geue our selues because that we are assured of the inherytaunce of the kingdome of heauen vnto all kind of abhominatiō and diuelishenesse but rather that we shoulde leade a godly life and a Christianlyke conuersation suche as becometh the Saints remēbring alwayes that we are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesu vnto good works vnto the which god ordaind vs before Ephe. ii Obiectiō that we shuld walke in thē DyDI. Yet wil they styl harpe vpon this that Christ hath promysed life euerlasting vnto his shepe Iohn x. and that they shal neuer perishe Therfore saye they if we be of Christes flocke what so euer we do we shall haue lyfe euerlastinge and neuer pearysh for so hath our shephearde promised vnto vs. PHI. But they should marke the words that go before Aunswer For Christ speaketh there on thys manner My sheape heare my voyce and I know them they folow me c. Here then fyrst and fore most do we learn that they the be of the flocke of Christ do hear his voice But hys voice is that oure lyghte oughte so to shyne before men that they may see our good workes Math. v. and glorify our father that is in heuen Againe this is his voice that onely they that do the wyll of his father Math. vii shal enter into the kingdome of heuē But they cānot say that they hear the voice of this shephard that geue them selues to all kinde of vngodlinesse wherby they cause the name of oure heauenly father to be blasphemed and euyll spoken of Therfore they are none of a shepe Moreouer he saieth that his shepe doo folowe him But no man wyll saye that these swynishe Epicures do folow Christ Wherby we maye boldlye conclude that they be none of hys flocke and that therefore they do aledge in vayne for them selues the promyses that Christe dothe make vnto hys true shepe But to come to our purpose againe where ye saye that the reprobate shoulde lose theyr laboure and payne if they should go about to please God with innocency and integrity of life ye are greatly beguiled and deceiued in that Whence we haue a good wyll to please God For whence should they haue any such mynde but of the election of God of the whyche they be all together voyd and destituted For as many as be of the noumber of the reprobate as they be appoynted to be vessels of dishonour so do they neuer cease wyth heapyng synne vppon sinne to prouoke styl the wrathe of God againste them and to confirme with euident signes and tokens the iudgement of God that is already geuen vppon them and vpon such as they are It is so farre of that they should striue in vaine agaynst it ALBION I beseeche you good brother Philalethes that ye wyl now setforth briefly and in few wordes the hole Doctrine of Predestination so as it may easely be remēbred and born away For all that hathe bene spoken of it already although it serueth veri wel for the right vnderstandinge of the matter yet it is so diffuse so long that few can wel bear it in minde PHILALETHES Forsoth I am contente to fulfill your godlye request Fyrst and foremost then A shorte brief and repeticiō of that whiche hath bene sayed before we did say that Predestination is the eternall and euerlastinge decree of God wherby he hath from the beginning appoynted with hym selfe to saue some men and some againe to condemne and cast awaye The end of this predestination is our sauiour Iesus Christ The end of Predestination the only begotten sonne of God our heauenly father For god did decre and apoynt to saue al those that should haue felowship with his only begottē son our sauiour Iesu Christ and to destroy cast awaye and condemne all
we oughte not bothe to will and to renue but because that he him self doth worke in vs bothe to wil and also to renue The meaninge then of the Apostle was because that he did se that some men did attribute parte of their saluation vnto their own industry for to reproue theyr errour in the former parte of the sentence and afterwardes to adscribe the hole matter of saluation vnto the only mercye of God Do not the Prophets I beseche you generalli in al places set forthe earnestlye the free callynge of God The Prophet dothe sufficientlye declare Esay lxv whome the Lorde dothe offer his woorde to when he saith I am found of them that sought me not and haue plainli appeared vnto them that dyd not aske of me Vnto the people that dyd not call vppon my name haue I saide Lo here I am Ios xxiiii And leaste the Iewes shuld thinke that this kindnes and mercy dyd onlye pertayne vnto the gentils he doth put them in remēbrance whence he did take their father Abraham when he made hys couenaunt with him The lyght of goddes word is a sufficient prof of his fre goodnesse and merci toward vs. Euen frō the mydst of Idolatry wherin he was ouerwhelmed wyth al hys When the lord thē doth offer vnto vs first the lyght of hys word ther doth he shew a sufficient profe testimony sygn of hys fre goodnes mercy towards vs. For thys dothe he vnto vs hauinge deserued no such thyng at hys handes But least we should boast and crake that we do of oure owne accorde followe hym when he dothe call or that we do receiue of oure owne swynge hys mercye and grace when he dothe offer it vnto vs he dothe playnly affirme that we haue no eyes to see nor eares to heare but onely those that he dothe make and geue vnto vs. And that he dothe bothe make and geue them vnto vs not accordinge to our gratitude or thankefulnesse but accordinge to his election and grace And of this haue we a goodly example in Saint Luke in his boke of the Actes Actes xiii Where both the Iewes and the Gentyles did heare together the preachinge of Paule and Barnabas For beynge both taught with one doctrin I meane bothe the Iewes and the gentyles that wer there it is sayed that they only did beleue that wer ordayned before vnto lyfe euerlasting With what face thē shal we say that the calling of god is not free syth that euen vnto the vttermost pointe the election of god doth raign in it only DyDI. By this it shuld appere that they do greatly er that make mā fellowe worcker with God in the matter of his election and calling It is an errour to make mā fellowe worker with god in the matter of election that they are also out of the way that hold opinion and say that our election doth depende of the preaching of the Gospel For as farre as I can perceiue we are onlye by the preaching of the word certified of it and as it were put in full possession of it PHILALETHES Ye say the very truth But as they be begiled and deceiued that saye that our election do the hange altogether and depend of the preaching of the gospell so in sekinge the certainty of it we must contente oure selues with these outwarde signes and tokens wherby our heauenlye father is wont to certifye his chyldren of their election and to bring them into the fruition of it My meaning is this Sith that it hath pleased God oure heauenlye father by the outward preching of his word and by the inward working of hys holy spirit whiche is the seale and earnest peny of oure adoption and enherytaunce to certify vs of oure election that is to say that he hath chosen vs for to be fellowe heyers wyth hys sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenlye kyngdome we oughte to contente oure selues wyth these meanes that he hath appointed vnto vs for to come to the sure knowledge and certainety of oure election And none other meanes did he apoynte for it but the outewarde preachinge of hys woorde and the inwarde workynge of hys holye spyrite whiche testifyeth vnto our spirite that we are the chyldren of God Let vs therefore We ought not to seeke the certainly of oure election in the hydden iudgements of the Lord. content our selues wyth them and go no farther For they that wyll go about for to seeke the certaynetye of their election in the hydden iudgements and incomprehensible waies of the LORDE must needes be wonderfully tormented in theyr consciences Which thinge Sathan doth seke aboue al other thinges For there is no nearer way for to bring men in to desperation than for to make them to doubte of the fauour and loue of God towards them or of theyr election vnto lyfe euerlastinge Thus commenly is Sathan wont to whysper in to the eares of ourconsciences Thou myserable man whence canst thou haue any saluation but of the election of the Lord thy God But who hathe reueled vnto the or certifyed the that thou art chosen Nowe if we go once oute of the ryghte waye for to seeke for the certainely of our election I saye that we go oute of the waye when we go not that way to woorke that GOD him selfe hathe apoynted It is impossible for vs that euer we should be delyuered out of hys snare And so must we needes at lengthe be broughte in to the botomelesse pytte of desperation Whyche is the rewarde of those that wyll contrarye to the appointment of almighty god our heauenlye father seeke for the certaintye of their election in the hidden Iudgementes and in comprehensible waies of the Lorde where the farther that a man doth wade the farther shall he be from the thing that he dothe seke til that at length he hathe throughe his vnsatiable curiositye broughte hym self into vttermooste destruction Whereas if we go that waye to woorke that God hathe appoynted sekinge for the certaintye of our election wher he will haue vs to seeke it we shal finde greate consolation and comforte ALBION Therefore brother Philalethes we do all mooste hartelye desire you to shewe vnto vs what order it is best to keepe in this matter leaste for consolatyon and comforte we do finde desperation and sorowe with endlesse miserye and perplexitye of mynde PHILALETHES We shal kepe a very good order in seking the certainetye of oure election if we doe begynne with the callinge of God What order we oughte to kepe in sekynge the certainety of oure election and ende euen in the same Syth that by it as by a moste infallible signe and token the Lord our God doth certifye vs of his counsell as muche as it is lawefull for vs to know And least we shuld thynke that this callinge of God whiche doth consiste in the outwarde preachinge of the worde and in the inwarde workinge of the holy ghost is but a weake testimonye of oure
vnexcusable before the maiestye of GOD And wyth them we may wel comprehend those that hear the word but because that they are deafe in theyr heartes and mindes thoughe they be called yet they wil geue nether eares nor heede vnto the calling The second sort that be called do professe the Christian religion and receiue the worde Actes viii but it hathe no true roote in them As Symon Magus which being conuinced in his hart that the Gospel was true did for a time professe it but because it had no rote in him he dyd sone fall away from it Suche are they to whome the Lord doth geue his holy spirit illuminating them for a time but afterwards he doth forsake them because of theyr ingratitude and vnthankfulnes and doth strike thē with greater blindnesse The third maner of calling is both particulare and also moste effectuall For by it the Lord doth only call his electe and chosen and whome he hath ordeined before vnto life euerlastinge workinge so in them by the inwarde operation of his holi spirit that the word which is preached vnto them dothe take rote in theyr hartes and bringeth forthe frute vnto eternall lyfe He doth also by the same spirit testifye vnto them I meane vnto their spirit that they be the childrē of God and heyres of the kingdome of heauen But we wil come to the parable it self when our sauioure Iesus Christ did see Mat. xxii that the gospell was far spreade abrode and that it was despysed of manye and receiued of few he doth describe God vnto vs vnder the person of a mighty king which ordaining a solemne feaste doth sende his seruauntes into all costes for to call a great multitude vnto it But because that they whiche were fyrste bidden dyd refuse to come makinge all one excuse or other he was faine to call them that were behinde the hedges and in the Corners of the streates vnto hys feast Hetherto is the parable vnderstanded of the outward calling Afterwardes he saith that the master of the feaste whiche is none other but God him selfe dyd enter in for to see and cherish his gestes and that whome he did finde there withoute the bridegromes liuery him he did cast into vttermost darknesse where shall be wepinge and gnashynge of teethe They that with their mouthes do professe the gospel and be not inwardelye sanctified with the holy spirit of god be withoute the bridgrōes lyuerey This parte of the similitude oughte to be vnderstanded of them that wyth theyr mouthes do professe the Gospell and the true Christian faithe and so do associate and a fellowshyppe themselues with the churche and congregation of the faithful but ar not sanctified inwardlye with the holy spirit of god nor haue put on our sauioure Iesu Christe Suche spottes of his church the Lord wil not alwaies suffer but as theyr stinckinge filthinesse doth deserue he will caste them oute at lengthe We saye then with Christe that manye are called by that generall calling of God whiche pertaineth bothe to the reprobate and chosen but fewe are chosen And vnto these fewe doothe the particulare callinge of the Lorde pertaine only For it bringeth with it selfe the spirite of regeneration whiche is the earnest penye and seale of oure heauenlye enheritaunce where by oure heartes are sealed vp againste the daye of the Lorde ALBION It appeareth also that al they that be chosen shall not be saued For Obiectiō Christe oure sauioure saith I haue chosen you twelue Iohn vi and one of you is a deuel And this doth he speake of Iudas whiche was one of hys Apostles and whome he dyd sende fourth with the other to preach his Gospell and to woorke myracles for the confirmation of the same Againe where he saithe Ioh. xvii that none of them dyd pearishe that were geuen hym of the father he dothe excepte the chylde of Perdityon PHILALETHES It is to bee vnderstanded Aunswer Two māners of chusinge that there be two manners of chusinge The one whereby the Apostles were chosen to that moste worthy office of Apostleship that they were in and the other whereby they were chosen vnto life euerlastinge Therefore when Christ saith that Iudas was chosen wyth the other Apostles the same muste be vnderstanded of the office where vnto he was chosen with the other For when he speaketh of the electyon that dothe pertayne vnto life euerlasting and vnto the enheritaunce of the kingdom of heauen he doth all together exclude hym from the nomber of the chosen Iohn xiii I do not sayth he speake of you all I know whom I haue chosen Whervnto Iudas was geuen vnto Christ of his heauenly father After the same maner may we say that Iudas was geuen Christe of hys heauenlye father not for to be kept and preserued wyth the other vnto lyfe euerlastyng but for to beare the offyce of an Apostle for a tyme. Whyche appeareth to bee most true by that whiche he saythe in another place Al that my father hath geuen me sayth he shal come vnto me and him that cometh I wyll not cast oute The lyke maye be sayed of all those that for a whyle do seme to be very Apostels of oure sauioure Iesu Christ preachynge the gospell to mens thinkynge moste syncerelye and purelye but at lengthe they do cleane fall awaye from Christe and become enemyes of the worde Such were Philetus Hymeneus and Demas ii Timo. ii iiii with many other These were geuen Christ of hys heauenlye father for to be in such high rowmes and offyces for a tyme but not for to be kept vnto eternall lyfe Elles how coulde that stande where he sayeth Thys is the wyl of the father that hathe sente me Ihon. vi that I lose none of al those that he hath geue me But that I do raise thē vp again in the last dai Heareby thā may we conclude that they that be geuē vnto Christ of his father for to be felowe heires wyth him of his heauenly kingdome can neuer perishe that the place that ye aleadged ought to be vnderstanded of those that be geuen vnto Christ for to serue him for a time And of thys sorte are they that turne to their olde vomit again to their walowing in the myre ii Pet. ii or that hauing ben once lighted notwithstanding that they haue tasted of the heauenlye gifte Heb. vi and are become partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come yet do fall away at length from the knowen truth or that hauinge bene righteous for a whyle do turne awaye vnfaithfully and geue them selues to vnrighteousnesse These folke for a whyle euen tyll they be vtterlye fallen awaye from the knowen truth Eze. xviii are taken for true Chrystyans and are reckenned amonge the shepe of oure sauyoure Iesu Christe and yet they be none of them For if they
wyth them Sith then that they fal awai from the knowen truthe they doe playnelye declare therby that they were none of the true electe and chosen of God but were plain hypocrites whych for a tyme dyd shyne in the churche with faygned holynesse wheras inwardely they were fylled with all kynde of infydelitye and vnbeliefe whiche they cloked as longe as they coulde tyll they were by the righteous iudgement of God manyfested and opened at length And suche shall the church haue vnto the worldes end DIDY Obiectiō If their election be so sure that they can not perysh what neede they as our brother Albion sayed euen now that the gospel be preached vnto them or to make any prayers vnto God for to obtayne such thynge as do partaine to their saluation syth that they be so sure of it alredy Aunswer by an other question PHILALETHES Nowe wyll I aske you a question neyghboure Didymus If ye had a good peece of grounde whiche ye knewe mooste perfectely to be fruytfull woulde ye not tyll it styll and sowe it that ye mighte haue some profytte of it Or would ye let it alone because that ye know it to be fruytfull DIDYMVS If I shoulde do so I shoulde be but a slender husband manne I would not onely tyll it and sowe it most dilygentely but also roote oute all noysome and hurtefull weedes I woulde not leaue one bramble or bryer in it PHILALETHES Verye well All men of theyr owne nature be a barren grounde Ye know that al men of their owne nature are but a Barrayne and an vnfruytefull grounde and apt to brynge forthe nothinge elsse but Thistles Bryers and Thornes and that whome he doothe chuse from the whole lompe of vnprofytable Earthe them he doothe make a good and a fruteful ground DIDYMVS I wyll not bee against that PHILALETHES But what shoulde it profytte to haue made them a good and a frutefull ground excepte they were continually tilled and had good sede sown in them and excepte the weedes thornes and briers that growe in them were continually cut of with the wedehoke of Gods word wyth the whole some exhortations of the ministers Wherefore serue exhortations to the electe of God the elect and chosen are as it were ploughed and tilled and good sede is styll caste into theyr heartes that they may bryng forth good and pleasaunte frute vnto the Lorde when they are sharplye rebuked by the messengers of God The profyt of sharpe rebukinge the briers and Thornes that doe growe in them by reason of the naturall infirmitye and weakenesse that sticketh vnto them as long as they cary about this body of synne are weded oute and destroyed But our sauior Iesus Christe dothe setforth the matter much more plainlye when he saithe I am the true vine Iohn xv and my father is an husbandman Euery braūch that bringeth forthe frute shall he pourge that it may bring forth more frute Wher he doth vse a verye goodlye similytude For as the vine braunches the bring forthe frute are purged that they may bring forthe more frute which thinge is done when suche things as be superflue in them and vnprofitable are cut of least they should grow to hyghe and mar the frute euen so the superfluitye that is in our flesh and the noysome vyces that do daily brede and growe in it are to be pourged and cut of with the sweard of the spirit whiche is Gods worde We maye conclude then that the true electe and chosen of God as longe as they continue here in this world and carye about this body of sinne they haue nead still of the wedehoke of Gods woorde EVTRAPELVS Mee thincke that by the same reason whereby they go aboute to proue that the true elect and chosen of god haue no nead of the preachynge of Gods woorde Thabsurditye that do ensue of the fre wyll mēs obiection because that they be sure already of their saluatiō they might also maintain and vpholde that they haue no nead of meat and drinke sith that they be assured by Gods word that they shal not die before the time that God hath appoynted The one standeth with as good a reason as thother For loke what the meat and drincke is vnto the body Goddes word is the same vnto the soul DIDY But yet sith that they be so sure of their electiō Obiectiō that they cannot perish what nede haue they to pray vnto god and to aske those thinges that pertaine to their saluation sithe that they be sure of it already PHI. Dothe not our sauiour Iesus Christ say Aunswer that our heauenly father knoweth oure nead afore that we aske any thinge of him Sith then that he knoweth our nead Mash vi what nead we to declare it vnto him in our praiers or to desire any thing of him sithe that he knoweth what we neade afore we aske hym There haue bene some which haue gon about by this saying of our sauiour Iesu Christe to make men to beleue that prayers wer altogether vnprofitable But their doctrine maye soone be ouerthrowen For we do not pray vnto God for to teach him our neade but for to desire him that he vouch safe according to his fatherly mercy and goodnesse to healp and succour vs in our necessity and neade and also for to acknowledge ther by that all the healpe and comforte that we haue commeth of him onelye and of none other We do moreouer declare there by oure obedience towardes hys holye Institution and ordenaunce whereby he hathe instytuted and ordeined that we shoulde in oure necessitye and trouble call vppon him and so honoure him In lyke manner althoughe we bee sure of oure electyon yet oughte we in all oure necessityes and troubles to flye vnto our heauenlye father by earnest and faithful prayers Fyrst because that it is his cōmaundement that we should so do Secondly for to acknowledge thereby that wythout hys fatherlye healpe and succour we be not able to wythstande oure ghostely enemye whyche goeth aboute like a raumping Lyon seekyng whom he maye deuoure i. Pet. v. Was not oure sauioure Iesus Christ most sure of hys saluation And yet we reade in the gospel that some tyme he did contynue all the whole nyghte in prayer ALBION Thys oughte to suffyse vs. For if oure sauioure Iesus Christ whyche is the onely fountayne and well of lyfe and the shot anchore of oure saluation being most sure alwayes of the kingdome of heauen did pray so earnestly what ought we to do that cary about this sinnefull fleshe and that be only the children of adoption Againe we haue learned before that we are not chosen of God for to breake his commaundementes Luc. i. but for to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of oure lyfe and also for to be holye and blamelesse in his sight sith then that it is his commaundemēt Ephe. i. that we shuld in the day of our necessity
and trouble call vpon him Psal l. and so honoure him although we be neuer so sure of our saluation throughe faithe in oure sauioure Iesu Christe yet oughte we stil when so euer we be in anye necessity or trouble to cal vpon him in truthe But yet my gentle menne did aledge Gregory vnto me which sayeth Obiectiō that thoughe we know that we be called yet we are vncertaine of oure election and so exhorteth all menne to feare and dreade hauynge this sayinge styll in his mouthe Home xxxviii Etiam si quales hodie simus sciamus quales tamen simus futuri nescimus That is to say Althoughe we know what we are at this day yet do we not knowe what we shal be This seemeth vnto me to bee cleane contrary vnto your doctrin PHILALETHES Aunswer to Gregorye Gregory did speake as thoughe the electyon of GOD were grounded vppon the woorkes and mearites of menne Whiche thing we haue proued before to be contrarye to all scryptures And therefore sithe that he hadde onlye a respect to the workes and deseruynges of menne as thoughe the election of God dyd holelye depend and hange of them it was easye for hym for to putte menne in doubte of theyr saluation and to make them to be vncertayne whether they were of the nomber of the chosen or not Whiche doctrine dothe not onlye brynge a contynuall tormente of conscience but also at lengthe dryueth menne to vtter desperatyon as it is dailye seene by experience where suche learnynge dothe take place But we haue proued al readye by many sufficient textes of the scriptures that GOD oure heauenly father wythoute anye respecte of oure owne workes or merits hath chosen vs in his son Iesu Christe afore the foundacions of the world were laid Whereby we do learne that oure election is onlye grounded vppon the mercye of God declared vs in his sonne Iesu Christ for whose sake onlye he hath chosen and ordeined vs before to bee heyres of hys heauenly kingdom as the Apostle doothe testify sayinge ii Tim. i. He hathe saued and called vs wyth an holye callinge not accordinge to oure deedes but accordynge to hys owne purpose and grace whiche was geuen vs in CHRISTE IESV before the worlde was made but is nowe declared openlye by the appearinge of oure Sauyoure Iesu Christe Hee hathe therefore of hys mere goodnesse and mercy and not for oure owne workes or merites but for hys sonne Iesu Christes sake chosen vs frely We nead not then to be in doubte of our saluation sithe that it hangeth not of the dignity or worthinesse of men but of the fre mercy of God And what greater comforte can there be vnto the afflicted consciences than to be certifyed by the infallible worde of God that theyr saluation doth lye and reast only in the gratuite and free mercy of God taken hold vpon by faithe in his sonne Iesu Christe our Lord and sauiour ALBION All thinges beinge wel considered I do perceiue now and vnderstand A shorte collection of the dysputation that goeth before that this youre doctrine is mooste true and also most comfortable and that they that wil ground our election whereby we are chosen vnto life euerlastinge vppon oure owne workes and merites as they be ennemies vnto the fre mercy of God so they do as much as in them doth lie plucke awaye from vs the certainty of our Christian faithe and also the assurance of our saluation that we haue in the merites of the death passion and bloudsheddynge of our sauior Iesu Christ And in the same error be they also that hold opinion that the true elect and chosē of god can perish which I perceiue by the aunswer that ye haue made to theyr obiections that they bee wont to make for to ouerthrow the certainty of our election to be most false and vntrue altogether But as oure election in Christe Iesu is most certain so is it impossible for vs to be certified of it by any other meane than by the calling of god which doth consist in the outwarde preaching of his word in the inward workinge of the holy ghoste wherbi he doth illuminate our hartes and testifieth vnto our spirit that we are his children felow heyres with his sonne Iesu Christ of hys heauenlye kyngdome PHI. It is euen so as ye say For all the elect chosen of god All the electe and chosen of god afore theyr callinge do go astray with the other afore their calling which is not al don at one time for som be called at one time som at an other some in their youth and som in their old age do go astray wāder in the common desert with the other do differ in nothing from the rebrobate sauing only that by the exceding great mercy goodnes of al mighty god they are preserued and kept frō vttermost perdition If ye loke vpon thē ye shal se in them the naturall corruption that we all haue drawne of our first parent Adam that the pit of vngodlines doth not shut vp his mouth vpon them it is only because the god hath alwais an eie vnto them vnto their saluatiō and holdeth his merciful hand ouer them DyDI. I haue hearde some great doctors say that they haue a certain sede of their election naturally I meane euen from theyr byrthe grafted in them whereby they are alwais stirred vp and moued vnto godlines and vnto the feare of god PH. They that say so can bring no scripture for them selues but only the imagination of their own heds again the daily experiēce teacheth vs the contrary DyDI. And what say ye of Paul Obiectiō Did he not beynge yet a Pharisey and not called to Christ liue without blame Again did not Cornelius please god wyth his praiers and almes dedes PHI. As touchinge Paule Aunswer we will not greatly striue with them for hym but touchinge Cornelius they are greatly beguiled For Act. x. it is mooste plain that he was already illumynated borne of newe and that he did only want a plainer declaratiō of the gospel But what shall they proue by these few examples that al the elect and chosen of God are alwaies ledde with the spyrite of godlinesse No more shal they be able by those fewe examples too proue the same then shewynge and declarynge the Innocencye and integrity or vertuous conuersation of Aristides Socrates Xonophon Scipio Curius Camillus and of such like they shal be able to proue thereby that all they that be lefte in the blynd ydolatrye are louers of vertue and godlyenesse What neede we many wordes We haue the scriptures that teach vs playnlye the contrarye For the estate of the Ephesians afore theyr regenetion or newe byrth whiche Paul doth describe and set fourthe in the epistell that he hath written vnto them doth declare manyfestely that there was no such sede of election in them Ye were sayth he dead through trespasses sinnes in
parent Adam whereby we are all in general subiecte to euerlasting damnation so that if he should dampne vs all he should do vs but right and no iuste occasyon at all could we haue to complayne of him or of his mooste righteous iudgement Secondly it hath bene sufficiently declared and proued that they which be once chose in Christ Iesu vnto life euerlasting can neuer pearish sith that they are committed vnto the custodi and keping of the high shepheard our sauyour Iesu Christe out of whose handes they canne not bee pluckte nor taken awaye and that therefore as manye as do forsake Christ and sal away from the knowne truth they are none of the true elect and chosen of God though for a time they haue all the outwarde signes and tokens of the true shepe of Christe as it doth appeare by the examples of Iudas Iscarioth of Simon Magus of Philetus Hymeneus Demas and Alexander the Copper smith And truelye this oughte to be vnto vs a greate comforte Our saluation is layed vp in heauen for vs. that oure saluation is not lefte in oure owne handes but that it is in the protection and sauegard of the highest bringe layde vp and reserued in heauen for vs whych are kepte by the power of God as the holye Apostle saint Peter doth witnesse i. Pet. i. For if it were lefte in oure owne custodye and kepynge we shoulde neuer be quiet in oure consciences we shoulde neuer be certayne of it we coulde none other but dispaire styll of oure saluation sythe that we haue so manye mightye ennemyes that goe aboute to spoyle vs of it But oure Sauyoure Iesus Christe hathe putte vs oute of all feare when he dyd saye Iohn x. that the father who hath commytted vs vnto his custody and kepinge is greater than all Last of all ye haue shewed vnto vs that we are assured and certifyed of this oure election by the callinge of almighty God our heauenlye father whyche callynge dothe consiste in the outward preachinge of the woorde of God and in the inwarde woorkynge of hys holye spirite whiche dothe testifye vnto oure spirite that we are the chyldren of God and wherewith also oure heartes are sealed vp againste the day of the Lord. And this callinge of God whyche doth only pertaine vnto the true elect and chosen is without repentaunce These I thinke are the chief poyntes that ye haue entreated of already Wherin I am fully satisfied thanckes be vnto God Therfore The doctrine of gods prouidence I wyll desire you to come to the deuine prouidence of god wherof ye said that ye should be faine to speake for a plainer declaration of the hole matter PHILA By the deuine prouidence of almighty god if it be wel vnderstanded What cōforte we haue by it our faith is wonderfully confirmed strengthened For when we be once perswaded that the hole gouernmente of al thinges bothe in heauen and in earth doth pertain only to God and that he doth rule and gouerne al manner of creatures as it pleaseth him and as he thinketh moste expedient for his owne glorye and for the profit of his true electe and chosen bringyng al things to their due end which he him self hath appoynted from the beginninge we are assured that nothing shal chāce or happen vnto vs wythoute hys wyl and appoyntment though the deuel and al his angels withal the rulers and princes of thys wycked world be neuer so desyrous to doe vs harme though I say Sathan wyth all the legions of deuels and wyth all the rulers and prynces of darcknesse do conspire against vs yet can they do no more than God our heauenly father hath appoynted and ordeined Mat. x. in so muche that one only heere of our head cannot pearish without his wil permission and sufferance There haue ben many and sondry opiniōs touching this deuine prouidence of almighty God The varietye of opynions touching the prouidence of God Some do imagine that god hathe onlye a foresighte or a foreknowledge of all thinges but not the gouernment of them Some againe do attribute vnto him a certaine generall ruledome whereby he doth rule and gouerne in generall al thinges both in heauen and in earth in the sea in al the depes of it But they will in no wyse graunt that God shoulde gouerne euery creature particularly They are wont to call this the vniuersall prouidence of God whereby as they saye the creatures are not letted to doe frelye what so euer they will or that thinges shoulde happen vnto theym by casualtye or chaunce Here I do let passe the Epicures The Epicures do make god an ydell God which do dreame that God is idle and carelesse and also those that say that God ruleth all thynges aboue the middle region of the aire but that what so euer is vnder it I meane vnder that myddle region it is gouerned by fortune ALBION Whiche of the other opinions do ye alow best PHILA That same which speaketh of the vniuersal prouidence of almighty God is commonly receyued because that it hathe some outwarde appearaunce of a truth yet it is neither true nor yet tolerable For it maketh God ruler and gouernoure of all thinges onlye in name and not in deede For What it is to rule and gouerne what is it to rule and gouerne but to bryng euery thing to his due ende wheranto it is appoynted from the beginning The scriptures speake so plainelye of the particulare prouidence of God whereby he dothe rule and gouerne particularlye euerye creature that he hathe made that I meruaile that anye manne canne doubte of it Hieremy cryeth out and sayde I knowe O Lorde Iere x. that it is not in mannes power to order hys owne wayes or to rule hys owne steppes or goinges And Salomon The LORDE saythe he ordereth euery mannes goynges For what is hee Pro. xx that vnderstandeth hys owne wayes If they saye that GOD dothe moue vs accordynge to the inclynatyon of oure owne Nature but that we do turre that same motion or mouing which way we list then wil they nyll they they shall be faine to graunte also that it lyeth in our power to order our own waies whych thyng both Ieremy and also Salomon doth deny attributing vnto God not only the power but also the election rulynge But yet Salomon dothe setforthe the matter in an other place much more plainly when he doth rebuke the rashnesse and temerity of them that dare enterprise thinges without any respect of God as thoughe they were not ruled and gouerned by his hand Pro. xvi A man saith he maye well purpose a thinge in his heart but the aunswer of the longe commeth of the Lorde As if he shoulde saye It is a plaine madnesse that menne shoulde go about to do anye thyng without God syth that they can speake no manner of thing but that he wil him self and dothe appoynt them Yet that the scripture
be deceiued can not finally pearish But the elect cā not finally be deceiued The wordes of the scriptures are plaine which be these Ma. xxiiii there shal arise false Christes and false Prophets and shal shew greate sygnes and wonders so that if it were possible they shoulde deceiue the verye electe And in the reuelation Re. xvii we learne that they only can be deceyued whose names are not wrytten in the boke of life It is easye then to perceiue that the elect canne not pearish For their names are wrytten in the boke of life afore the foūdations of the world were laid They to whome life euerlastyng is both promised and geuen of him that can not lie afore all worldes can in no wyse pearyshe But vnto the elect life euerlastynge is bothe promysed and geuen of hym that that can not lie ii Ti. i. afore all worldes he hath saued vs saithe s Paule and called vs wyth an holy calling not accordinge to oure owne workes Tit. i. but accordynge to hys owne purpose and grace whyche was geuen to vs through Iesu Christ before the worlde was Again we are vnder the hope of eternal lyfe whyche God that can not lye hath promysed before the world began The elect then can in no wise pearyshe Augusti de correptione et gratia Not all that be called are chosen How thei that are chosen AS manye as are chosen they are also called but not as many as are called consequently are chosen They therfore are chosen which as it hath ben oftē said are called according to the purpose which also are predestinated and foreknowen If any of them do perishe God is deceiued but none of them pearysheth For God is not deceiued If any of them do perish God is ouercomd with mans syn or vice It anye whōe god hath chosen vnto God lyfe euerlastyng can pearish then is God ouer comde by mans sin Wherfore Iudas was chosen But none of them pearysheth for God can be ouercommed wyth nothing They are chosen to raigne with Christe not as Iudas was chosen to the woorke that he was mete for For he was chosen of him that can vse wel euyl men that by his dampnable worke that venerable work that he was come for might be fulfilled When therfore we do hear haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuil we ought to vnderstande that they were chosen throughe grace and that he was chosen throughe iudgement He dyd therefore chuse them that they mighte obtayn his kyngdom but hym he dyd chuse for to shed hys bloude and for to bringe him to hys passion ¶ Other certaine argumentes whereby it is proued that the reprobate can not be saued THey for whome Christ doth not vouchsafe to pray Ihō xvii The worlde is here takē for the reprobate and wyeked world linges them God wyll not vouchsafe to saue but Christe dothe not vouchsafe to praye for the reprobate I sayth he do pray for them I pray not for the worlde but for theym whome thou haste geuen me For they are thine God therefore wyl not vouchsafe to saue the reprobate They to whom it is not geuen to beleue in Christ can not be saued it is not geuen vnto the reprobate to beleue in Christ the wordes are playne Iohn vi therfore sayde I vnto you that no man can come vnto me Iohn xii excepte it be geuen vnto hym of my father Againe Therefore coulde they not beleue because that Esaias said he hathe blyneded theyr eyes and hardened theyr hart that they should not se with theyr eyes nor vnderstand with theyr hearte and shoulde be conuerted and I should heale them The reprobate then can not be saued The chosen only shal finallye abide and remayne in the Churche of Christe For i. Iohn ii if they had bene of vs truelye they shoulde haue abyden wyth vs The reprobate are not chosen for they wer not of vs. Therefore the reprobate shall not abyde and remayne finallye in the church of God But they that shall not finally remain in the church of God can not be saued He that was of God ordayned vnto euerlastynge punyshmente coulde not bee saued Act. i. But Iudas was such a one he hath saythe Peter gone astraye Act. iiii that he myghte go into hys owne place Agayne they gathered them selues together to do what so euer thine hande and thy counsayle had determyned before to be done Read psalme xlix Therefore Iudas coulde not be saued They from whom the misteries and secreates of the kyngdome of heauen by the wil of God are hidden can not be saued but the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are by the will of god hydden from the reprobate Christe hym selfe saying Mat. xi I geue the thanckes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and from men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes It is so O father because thi good pleasure was such Therfore the reprobate can not be saued They that be not from the beginning of the worlde wrytten in the boke of life therefore do worshyp the beast can not be saued but the reprobate are not wrytten in the boke of life from the beginning of the world and therfore do worship the beast whose names saithe he Re. xvii are not wrytten in the boke of life It followeth then that the reprobate can not be saued They that are made to this end that they shoulde pearyshe can not be saued but the false Prophets Pro. xvi other reprobate are made to thys end that they should pearish God saith the wise man hath created al thinges for him self and the vngodly against the euil day i. Pet. ii or agaynste the day of punishment Againe he is the stone to stumble at and the rock of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the whiche thinge they were euen ordeined Therfore the false prophets and other reprobate can not be saued They that sinne against the holy ghost can not be saued Mat. xii Mar. but the scribes and Pharises and other reprobate do sin haue synned and shall sin against the holy ghost Therefore they can not be saued August de predestinati sanctorum li. Capi. viii WHen the gospel is preached some beleue and some do not beleue But they that beleue whiles the Preacher preacheth outwardly do heare and learne of the father inwardlye Whereas they that beleue not doe heare outwardlye but they do neither heare nor learne inwardlye That is to saye Ihon. vi to them it is geuen that they beleue but to theese it is not geuen For no man saithe he commeth vnto me excepte the father that hath sent me doth drawe hym Whych thing is spoken more plainely afterwardes Iesus saith the Euangelist knew from the begynnynge who they were that dyd not beleue and who shoulde betray hym