alwayes see beyonde these present things that we may keepe our selues therin in such sorte that we be not holden heere beneath But Iacob contenteth not him selfe that Esau hath simply solde him his birthright but hee will haue an othe Esau sweareth this is all one to him and heerein we see howe God threwe him vnder his feete For although that hunger oppressed him so hardly that he was constrained to renounce his birthright yet when he came to sweare and that the name of God was taken to witnesse and protested that God should be his iudge punish him if he were forsworne and disobedient kept not his promise when all this was doone and he not ignorant what his birthright was worth it must needs be saide that the deuil had altogither blinded him But heerby we are admonished that whē we haue once begun to starte away and to turne our backs to God it must needes bee that so much the more we be indurate and hardened to haue no more vnderstanding of God then brute beastes And when we haue after a sorte renounced the inheritance of saluation it shall come to passe that wee shall renounce it an hundred a thousand times yea the deuil wil finde an hundred meanes in one day to plunge vs in the gulfe of perdition whereout we shall neuer be able to helpe our selues Mark then what we haue yet to obserue vpon this place but by the way we haue to cōsider Iacobs abstinence Beholde an example of true fast and not as the Papists imagine It is true that fastes are commaunded vnto vs in the holy scripture for diuers causes For they serue to tame our carnall affections and we must so cut off our drinking our eating that the temperance which God requireth of vs may be as a continuall fast for the whole time of our life but yet it is oftētimes required that we should lessen our portion And why so To the ende wee may bee the better disposed to prayer And againe when we are afflicted there is no question then of banquetting and making greate cheere if God threaten vs and that he will shewe vs some signe of his wrath as he sayth by his Prophet I then call you to mourning and weeping and if we loose the raines to our desires it is as if wee should bid him battaile and despite him Marke then howe fasting serueth to humble vs before God and to make vs as wretched malefactors acknowledging that we haue offended him Moreouer the fast whereof mention is made heere is that which causeth a man to abstaine yea from eating and drinking if the same hinder him from seruing God and which maketh him rather to forsake his owne life then to bee turned away from Gods will. For as wee haue already said Iacob suffered asmuch as his brother Esau It is very true that he had not trauersed and runne so farre that day in the fieldes and woodes hee had tarryed in the house after his accustomed manner but albeit that he had made ready his dinner hee was an hungred and had an appetite to eate but howsoeuer it was hee lyked better to abstaine to captiuate him selfe and to renounce his dinner and as it were his owne life then to lose this occasion which hee had that his birthright might be confirmed vnto him So then wee haue heere to make comparison betwixt Iacob and Esau and to make our profite of the exhortation which wee haue alledged that is to say that we bee not prophane But contrary wise it is sayd of Esau That hee did eate and drinke and rose vp and wente his way The speach heere at the firste sight is simple but it carryeth much with it For it was not enough that hee had saide that Esau without any further thinking of the matter had emptied his dish was gone but Moyses sayth that he did eate drink that he tooke his refection wholly at his ease and that he was wel filled as though his birthright had beene nothing vnto him And this is the conclusion which he setteth downe That he contemned his birthright But before wee come to this it is saide that hee did eate that he drank rose vp wente his way wherein it is shewed that Esau was abashed at nothing but he was as a Dog that did nothing but shake his eare after he had eaten drunk Then he went his way and pleaded not the matter against his brother as they which repent themselues and are better aduised when they haue doone any vnaduised acte They consider Alas what haue I doone What shall become of me How farre haue I ouershotte my selfe Esau thinketh nothing of all this but he leaueth his brother after he was full he rose vp had no care of any thing Now therfore we haue heere to beholde how the Deuil when he hath taken possession of a man maketh him so senseles blockishe that hee hath no feeling of sorrowe in himselfe no remorse nor scruple although hee see that he be as it were cut off and banished from the kingdome of God yet hee is no whit moued with it But this which I haue touched ere while is yet better expressed that is that alwayes we fall from one euil to another when the deuil hath gotten vs into his snares hee so entangleth vs in them that we can neuer winde out But we must gather this generall doctrine of this historie that is that we alwayes thinke vpon that which is said by our Lorde Iesus Christ That first of all we seeke for the kingdome of God and that the rest shal be cast vnto vs. Now when he speaketh of the kingdome of God this is not onely to be vnderstood of life euerlasting but this also is cōprised in it For the kingdom of God is that God be gloryfied in vs that hee be serued and worshipped that we bee his people as also he hath mutually sanctified vs as he hath spoken thereof by his Prophet Esaie Sanctifie the Lord of Hostes and he will sanctifie you and will be your strength When we shall therefore seeke that God may bee honored that we labour to dedicate our selues to him to be as it were liuing sacrifices then shall all other thinges be giuen vnto vs that is to say as Saint Paule also hath declared God will shewe himselfe a father aswell of our bodyes as of our soules For he sayth vnto Timothie that if we walke in the feare of God thinking more vppon Heauen then vppon the earth We haue the promises howsoeuer it be of this present life aswell as of the life to come It is very true that the promises belonging vnto this present life are accessories that is no other then that which followeth and dependeth therevpon but it is so much that if we leane vpon the bountie of GOD and striue thither whether he hath called vs that is to say to the saluatiō which he hath so dearely
the euill that is in vs we delight in that which is good When then we haue this it is certaine that if wee be not harder then yron and steele wee ought to haue all rebellion shiuered and broken and that we bee inflamed with the loue of God haue our mouth open to blesse and prayse that so excellent magnificent grace which he hath shewed towards vs See then the marke that the scripture setteth before vs Now in the meane time these varletes will not sticke to say O shall God bee an accepter of persons Forsooth as if God regarded in his election rich or poore as if he regarded a noble man more then a poore man or a wise man more then an Idiot For marke what it is to accept persons This word Person in the holy scripture importeth Looke or countenaunce as also the Scripture vseth it But God chooseth vs not for our fayre eyes Who is it that discerned thee wee alleadged yesterday that of S. Paule When God therefore chooseth these whom it pleased him it is in his euerlasting councell and in him selfe that is to say he hath his secrets which we ought to reuerence without farther inquiry why seeing this is so it is certain that we cannot say that he accepteth persons And they which so speake are doltes besides the malice that is in them Now then they will say And how is it that the one shal be saued by faith and not the other if all depend vpon the election of God But yet heerein they shew to grosse beastlynesse For from whence proceedeth faith it selfe but from the election of God They say ô the promises of God are generall and God calleth all the world to saluation It followeth therefore that all the worlde shal be saued Yea he would that al the world shuld be saued but this is to make the reprobate inexcusable For the promises of God do vndoutedly coÌ„taine our saluation and wee shall not be deceiued leaning vpon them But what We must knowe from wheÌ„ce the faith is which we haue For when the gospel is preached why is it that one sort profite therin receiue it with due reuerence humilitie of hart the other doe not but rather become worse by it This is forasmuch as they which were ordained to saluation saith S. Luke speaking of the preaching of S. Paule they saith he did beleeue Marke S. Paul who preached it is certain that if euer there were dexteritie in a faithful teacher it was S. Paule that had it and yet all were not good scholers there was but one parte that receued his doctrin Whence came this was it of their industrie was it because they were euill disposed It is very true that God disposeth But that this coÌ„meth not from them S. Luke sheweth preuenteth heere al mens dotages and saith that they which were ordained to saluation beleeued And mark also wherfore our Lord Iesus Christe saith That those that his heauenly father had giuen him shoulâ— not perishe but that he would keepe them to the ende Now when he saith they which are giuen mee of my father he calleth vs to that eternal election He sayeth also in an other place Thine they were thou gauest them vnto me And wherfore is it that the one belong vnto God not the other This is not in respect that they are mortall men For our nature is alike we are all created by one father but the one belongeth vnto God and the other are cast off from him because it so pleased him Hee acknowledgeth and accepteth the one for his owne the other although they be his creatures neuertheles they haue no acquaintaÌ„ce with him he accepteth them not of his houshold in asmuch as he hath shut them out from his election We se then heere how faith is a speciall gifte of God which proceedeth not from our free wil not that we can of our selues goe forward and that some are more able to coÌ„prehend then others but for that it hath pleased God to reueale his secrets to those whome he hath elected And therfore see also why it is said in Esaie Who is he that will beleeue our hearing For Esay had preached of the death and resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ as if he had desplayed the banner to declare that euery one should come to bee reconcyled to God that poore sinners should be receiued to mercy that their satisfaction righteousnes is altogither redy that God desireth nothing but to bee mercifull to those that seeke him hath Esay preached so but he crieth out forthwith Who will beleeue our hearing And why so For he saw in spirit the presumptioÌ„ rebellion of vnbeleuers because they caÌ„not yeeld theÌ„selues to be ordred by God but are wild haue always their mouth opeÌ„ to reply against God forthwith they haue a waÌ„dring faÌ„tasie they may not obay He sheweth that his doctrin shal not be receiued of the greatest nuÌ„ber and addeth the reasoÌ„ that the arme of god that is to say his strength power is not reueled to al he sheweth there that it is not in our selues that we haue â—either mouing â—or entrance nor preparatioÌ„ nor any thing whatsoeuer it be but that it must be God that must worke therein Nowe if it be so in generall it must followe then that faith commeth from this roote of the election of god Now touching the rest when wee shall haue knowne this there is no question that wee should bury all that instruction which our Lord hath giuen vs in the holy Scripture For after that he hath declared to vs his will he exhorteth vs he reprooueth vs hee threateneth vs If we were as these rennagate spirits which say To what purpose do you preach so much vnto vs If God haue elected and chosen vs vnto himselfe we cannot perish and if we be reprobate what shall all the doctrine that shall euer be heard auayle vs yea but all agreeth very well when we exceede not our bounds We haue already sayd that faith coÌ„meth from election Then like as God hath chosen vs so also he calleth vs in time as afterwards shal be handled more at large For the place wil serue there more fitly But howe soeuer it bee God is not contrary to himselfe and like as he testifieth vnto vs that it is by his free mercy that he enlighteneth vs by the faith of his Gospel and in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ so wil he that we walk in feare carefulnes that we be touched with his threatnings that we be gathered vnto him al this he willeth And in deed mark these two senteÌ„ces that men with their impudencie rashnes would weene to be contrary and neuertheles they agree very well one with the other Iesus Christ saith Come vnto me all you that labour and are heauy loaden I wil refresh you you shall finde rest to your soules See howe
God hath chosen vs in our Lord Iesus Christ that he hath called vs to the faith of his Gospel hath imprinted in our harts the testimonie of his fatherly loue we wil alwaies defie our enemyes although we be poore and feeble yea though we be nothing in the common opinion of men yet we shall not cease to be grounded vppon this promise That the greater shall serue the lesse and younger And seeing it is so let vs not desire to bee great after the worlde for although that we be cōtemptible despised yet this hindreth vs not from beeing the heires of the world although we neither haue landes nor possessions yet doe all things belong vnto vs contrariwise the wicked haue an horrible and heauie accounte to make for that they in such sorte deuoure Gods benefites and reioyce so much concerning those riches which he hath giuen them and yet glorifie not God in them But they must pay full dearely for them and as for vs although we bee stripped of all riches that we be in opprobrie reproch to be short that there is nothing but pouertie in vs yet seeing we know that hee hath his hād stretched out to vpholde vs we may boast our selues against all our enemies And in the meane time let vs remember that which is saide in Esay that we are as a precious crowne in the hand of the Lord and as the ring of his finger and as his seale and that neither Egypt nor Assyria that is to say the greatest Monarchies of the world are so highly esteemed of him as we are not for any value that is in vs as I haue said alredy but because it hath pleased him to chose vs to reserue vs in the number of those whome he will haue to him selfe and wee knowe this forasmuch as we see through faith and hope that he hath drawen vs from those gulfes in which we were to the end he might bring vs to an euerlasting inheritance Now let vs fall downe before the face of our good God in acknowledging our offences praying him that he will in such sorte make vs to feele them that it may be to spoile vs of all wicked lusts and rebellions and that wee may be so renewed that we may ratifie our vocation in lyuing holyly confirming our selues wholly to his righteousnes and that he wil so supporte vs in our infirmities that he suffer vs not howsoeuer wee bee compassed about with so many enemyes that we neuer faile but that he wil supply all our weakenesses to the ende that his election may declare his power euen to the end that we may in such sort feele the frute thereof that we may haue wherein to glorifie him both in life and death And so let vs all say ô Almightie God heauenly Father wee acknowledge and confesse in our selues as the truth is that we are not worthy c. ⧠The fourth Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 25. 24 Therefore when the dayes of her deliueraunce was come beholde twinnes were in her wombe 25 So hee that came out firste was redde hee was all ouer as a rough garmente and they called his name Esau 26 And afterwarde came his brother out and his hand held Esau by the heele therefore his name was called Iacob Nowe Isaack was threescore yeeres olde when Rebecca bare them 27 And the boyes grewe and Esau was a cunning hunter and was a man of labour but Iacob was a simple man and dwelled in tents 28 And Isaack loued Esaw for Venison was his meate but Rebecca loued Iacob BEcause the election of GOD is secret in it selfe it is necessary that it shewe it selfe with the time as God caused his workes to come to perfection For it sufficeth not that God haue once chosen vs and that he haue marked vs but he must also cōtinewe this to the ende and that he declare that his election is not in vain but that he hath his strength and power to conduct vs to saluation Now hee doth this after diuerse sortes For God is not bound to keepe alwayes one course he hath his meanes such as it pleaseth him to appoynt Sometime he sheweth his election very quickly sometime he deferreth it for a long space and they that thinke that there is a certaine seede in all those whome God hath elected so as men may discerne them from other because they are enclyned to good and haue some affectiō to serue God they fouly ouershoote themselues and are also conuinced by experience Iohn Baptist was sanctified from the wombe of his mother but it is farre otherwise in many others For God suffereth his electe sometimes to be as scattered sheepe and they seeme as though they were altogether lost and this is to the ende to giue the greater glory to his grace As wee see now some signe in Iacob that God had chosen him and reiected his brother Esau For Iacob held the heele of his brother as if he had fought against him And this came not to passe by chaunce neither was it doone by nature but God shewed as it were with the finger that Esau was the firste borne and yet was neuerthelesse put back and Iacob who was the inferiour in his birth should yet in time be preferred Mark then what we haue to learne vpon this place that is that God will approue that which he hath pronounced as we saw yesterday That the greater shall serue the lesser and And this hath already beene shewed in the birth of twoo infantes But of this example we haue to gather in generall that those whome God hath chosen he hath preuented by this meanes doth ratifie his counsell and decree when his execution appeareth And so though we can not enter so farre to knowe who they are that were elected before the foundation of the world notwithstanding our election shal be testified vnto vs so farre foorth as shall be necessary For if God as a man woulde say doe keepe the protocoll or originall draught thereof with him selfe it followeth not but that hee doth giue vs such testimonie thereof that we may be assured that he both is and will be a father vnto vs to the end that we should call vpon him in this affiance For it is not saide heere albeit there were a vocatiō as the holy scripture speaketh that is to say that he had declared vnto Iacob that he had elected him This wil com with the time ▪ but it is said simply that God had shewed it as it were to the eye that the answere which he had giuē to Rebecca was not in vain Why so the effect appeared in this that Iacob helde the heele of his brother But heere by the way God would shewe by this figure that his electe come not to their ende without many combates It is true that Iacob knewe not what this ment and his age also did not suffer it but this notwithstanding muste serue to teach vs and
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 vpon 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 shal be forgotten vnlesse it bee in immortall shame opprobry Let vs not therfore be discouraged but holde fast the trueth of our good God with feare and reuerence let vs seeke after those things he hath reuealed vnto vs 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 mercie 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 vs in which without further inquirie we ought to rest acknowledging him to be only good wise ▪ most righteous who is shal be 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 vnto 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 haue also home writers that haue 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 vnder 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 haue your ioy there despysing this worlde and liuing to righteousnes and true holynesse And this will the Lorde in mercie bestowe vpon 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 loue 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 vnto 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
their mother bare them in one belly yet that one is receiued and the other reiected one is chosen and the other refused So then we see that they who for a time haue place in the church beare the title of the faithful of the children of God may wel be so accoūted before men but they are not writtē in the boke of life God knoweth them not nor auoucheth them for his Hereby we are admonished not proudly to vaunt our selues nor to be drunken with sottish presumption whē God shall shew vs this fauour to bring vs into his church but let vs walke in puritie labor to make sure our electiō to haue the testimonie thereof in our heartes by the holy Ghost not to trust only to the outwarde title apparaunce which wee may pretende before the world see what we haue heere too marke And moreouer wee are taught a farre greater thinge and that is in the first place that albeit God had established his couenaunt with Abraham yet notwithstanding he would declare that this was not all to haue made offer of his grace but that it behoued that hee chuse according to his libertie such as he thought good that the rest should remaine in their cursed state And therfore S. Paule alledgeth this place to apply it to the secret election of God through which before the foundation of the world he chose those as seemed good vnto him Now this is a very high and profound matter but when it shal be farther declared euery one may make his profite of it so that we be attentiue vnto it And for the remnaunt let vs receiue that which the holy scripture sheweth vnto vs with sobrietie let vs not desire to be wiser thē is lawful for vs but let vs rest in that which God shal speak vnto vs moreouer let vs be hūble not to reply against him nor to bring forth our fantasies before him as though we would pleade against God but acknowledging that his iudgemēts are bottomles let vs not search farther therein then is permitted vnto vs Now it behoueth that wee handle these things in such sort that that which at the first shew semeth to be dark be made more easie to vs We haue alredy sene that God hath chosen Abrahams sede Now if a man wold aske whye or by whom he was brought so to do he shall not finde that Abraham was any worthier then others as we haue alredy largely inough handled this matter Lo thē a priuiledge which was giuen to a certain familie not flowing frō any merite neither for that God found any thing in their persons wherfore they ought to be preferred for they were no better nor more excellent then others but it pleased him so Nowe it is very true that this will be harde for vs to digest if wee bring in our owne iudgement as there are a great sort of fantastical heades which cannot abide this doctrine For it seemeth good to them to reply against God But what profite they thereby in the end We haue alleadged that herein we must bring with vs an humilitie for to reuerence that which is hiddē from vs And indeed S. Paule hath well shewed vs this by his example For instead of disputing the matter he cryeth out ▪ ô how wonderfull are the iudgements of God Beholde S. Paule who was altogether amased hee found himselfe astonished he that had beene rapte vp aboue the heauens he that had seene the secrets of God which was not lawful for man to vtter Saint Paule then who was as a man would say a companion of Angelles was founde in this case to meruell and to be altogether confounded and what shall become of these Scullions who haue scarcely licked with the tippe of their tongue one word of the law and Gospel and yet neuerthelesse would go beyond S. Paule And yet men shal find this pride in very many But for our parte let vs returne to that which is heere shewed vs O man who art thou When therefore we will make comparison betwixt God and vs who is God within what compasse shall we inclose him Shall it bee within the compasse of our braine And wee haue scarcely half an ounce of wit and in meane season God who closeth his fiste to holde the whole world as a grain of dust as Esay the prophet saith and is not comprehended neither in heauen nor in earth who hath an infinite power an infinite iustice and wisdome and who hath incomprehensible counsayles and yet for al that we must come to make him subiect to our foolish fantasie And whereto will this grow Moreouer who are we Men saith S. Paul. By which word he meaneth that we are nothing at all as if he should say must it be that thou presume so much as to dare to enquire of the bottomlesse secretes of God seeing thou art nothing but clay doung And againe what is thy vnderstanding Thou art full of sinne and iniquitie thou art a poore blinde one and yet thou wilt that God shal make an account to thee and wilt thou conclude that if thou finde not that which he doeth good and reasonable that thou mayest accuse him and must he needes holde vp his hande at thy barre Nowe let vs marke this admonition in the first place and let vs knowe that our Lorde Iesus Christ teacheth vs that we cannot doe amisse to hearken and open our eares to enquire and search after that that it hath pleased him we shoulde knowe but let vs take heede that we goe not beyonde it For there is no rage so great and outragious as when wee wil knowe more then God doeth shewe vs And moreouer we shall haue spunne a faire threed if wee apply all our sences and all our studyes thereto whether is it that wee shall come ▪ This shall be alwayes to inwrappe vs so muche the more in a Labyrinth and maze vnlesse wee haue the direction of God too shewe vs the way Let vs therfore keepe this meane that is to say to hearken to that which God doeth propounde vnto vs and as soone as hee shall once shutte his mouth let vs haue all our vnderstandings locked vp captiue and let vs not enterprise to knowe more then that he shal haue pronounced vnto vs Nowe therefore see howe the stocke of Abraham was chosen before al the rest of the worlde forasmuch as God so would but this was not yet enough For it behoueth that his free election be yet better confirmed vnto vs And this is it that is here shewed vnto vs in the person of two brethrē For beholde Rebecca which bare Iacob Esau was the one better thē the other S. Paule expoūding this place saith And they were not yet beene How then could they haue obtayned fauour and grace before God for their merites for Iacob had done neither good not euill no more then Esau Why then doth God make him the greater It behoueth not
venim and that there was nothing in vs but matter of wrath of the vēgeance of God and that wee are altogither confounded and ful of poyson and iniquitie Loe Iacobs case aswell as Esaus For what shall wee finde in the race of Adam but all corruption Wee are therefore infected before God and in asmuch as the roote is accurssed and vitious and altogither rotten it muste needes bee that the fruites bee of the same sorte So then when God shall leaue vs such as wee are it must needes be that we all perish and that there remaine not one but that wee be all loste and consumed To be short this doctrine is common enough in the holy Scripture that we are all the children of wrath It followeth then that there was no diuersitie in Esau and Iacob and that God had not distinguished the one from the other for that hee found or foresawe any good either in the one or other For what could he forese but this corrupted masse of Adam that brings forth no other fruite but malediction See therefore what he forsawe aswel in the one as in the other indifferently It followeth thē that he had put in Iacob that which is found in him and that he lefte Esau such a one as his birth brought him foorth See also why it is said in another place That God hath chosen vs to the end that we should be holy vnblamable before him He sayth not because God foresaw that we should be holy he hath chosen vs but contrariwise he deriueth all our holynesse and righteousnesse and all the good which shal be found in vs he deriueth it from this roote to wit from the election of God to the end we should walke in his feare that we should haue some integritie in vs that wee shoulde haue some zeale and affection to doe well If this be so it followeth then that God hath foreseene nothing in vs For let vs take away election and what shall there remaine As we haue declared we remaine altogither lost and accursed And not without cause For God saw nothing in vs but corruption and it must needes be that he must dissalowe vs renounce vs as it is said that he repented that hee had made man Behold then what we may alledge on our part So then this is too tryfling a folly to say that God hath chosen his according as he foresawe they should become afterwardes for it must needes be that he put in them that which is good and place it there because hee hath chosen them Marke therefore the first step whereby wee must begin that is to say that wee nothing differ one from another vnlesse in this that God hath discerned vs Mark also for what cause S. Paule dissanulleth all the glory the which mē may vsurpe Who is it saith he that doth discerne thee hee hath nothing but this word there to beate downe dissanul all pride And why so For hast thou any thing saith he which is thine owne Heereby hee sheweth that men cannot chuse their owne place to say I will dispose my selfe to doe good God shall haue pitie vpon me and I wil com vnto his grace I will haue a good motion I will haue this preparation Now S. Paule excludeth all this in saying that we are all lost that one with another we must be all throwen downe and enter into the gulfe of hel except it please God to discerne vs Loe from whence all our dignitie and excellencie commeth that is for that it pleaseth God to lend vs his hand Againe let vs holde fast this principle and apply all this doctrine which we haue rehearsed to this purpose how God hath set forth vnto vs in Iacob Esau a glasse to looke into Likewise let vs content our selues that these two persones may bee vnto vs as two liuely images to shew vs that the worlde in it selfe is of like condition but that one sort is called and not the other because it hath so pleased god And specially as I haue noted Iacob was the yoūger it seemed rather that hee should be subiect to his brother according to the order of nature notwtihstāding mark that he was placed in the degre of the first borne and Esau not onely was put vnder him but he was vtterly reiected For in the end he had no part nor portion in the church This thing sheweth very wel vnto vs that God would holde vs alwayes conuicted that there is no question of bringing any thing before God on our parte to thrust in our selues there as if we had any valure and woorthynesse in vs For God is not contrary to himselfe neuerthelesse he would shew heere a certaine kinde of repugnancie and contraryetie It is he which ordayned that the first borne of the house should be the head Nowe he set downe this lawe and yet in the meane time he ouerthroweth it but as I haue sayd all this agreeth very wel For God is aboue his ordinary law yet he wold change that which was accustomed by a common rule he doth it to the end that we should knowe that it is 〈◊〉 as S. Paule also hath said neither of the willer nor of the rūner but onely of him which sheweth mercie Nowe when S. Paule saith that it is neither of him that willeth nor of him that runneth hee meaneth not that wee may haue some good will of our selues as he hath declared in another place For it is God which giueth it and also hee meaneth not that we can inforce our selues but he sheweth that men haue nothing and therefore they can bring nothing to God. There is nothing then but his mercye alone For if men had any thing to sette against it there must bee a parting of stakes and that must bee knowen which is from God and that which is from men And then it might bee said that wee haue not all from the onely mercie of God but that therein there is our good will our good running and our good zeale Men might so speake But Sainte Paule woulde heere make frustrate whatsoeuer men might bringe of them selues and shewe that nothing hath dominion heerein but the onely mercy of god It is very true that many people will inforce them selues yea and they alledge the example of the Iewes who were swolne as Todes with a diuelish kinde of pride thinking that God was bound as it were to them and who would bee accounted righteous according to their woorkes but heerein they deceiue them selues and shall doe nothing but goe backe in steade of going forwarde When men presume so of them selues it is certaine that they rob God of his honour See then these sacrilegious persons and worse then theeues and moreouer vntill God shall haue renued vs whatsoeuer goodly shew we haue it is certaine that there is nothing in vs but stinch and wee shall bee as vile vermine before GOD. So then let vs not pretende that
we can either will or runne but it behooueth that God finde vs as lost and that hee recouer vs from that bottomlesse pitte and that hee separate vs from them with whome wee were lost and to whome wee were alike For as I haue sayde the condition of mankinde is all one It is true that the one sorte are the Children of wrath and the other God blesseth But from whence commeth this separation and this diuorse From mercie And wee must not goe to enquire any farther but wee must content our selues with this worde alone in stead of all reason Marke then for what cause namely the first-borne was caste out from his place and in the meane season Iacob who was the inferiour was set in his place yea to remaine the onely heyre When Malachie the Prophet speaketh of this he reprocheth vnto the Iewes their ingratitude It is true that this was for an outwarde signe that GOD had chosen Iacob rather then Esau for asmuche as hee had giuen the lande of Canaan to be his inheritance and that Esau was sent farre off amiddest the Mountaynes but this is not the sentence wherevppon the Prophete resteth hee looketh vnto a thing much higher Saint Paule also when hee vseth this testimonie of his seeing that GOD had taken vnto him selfe the stocke of Iacob hee attributeth all this to his meere mercie But the Prophet sayeth And Esau was hee not the brother of Iacob As if hee shoulde say You are ful of pryde and obstinacie yea you burst your selues therein and it costes you nothing to say ô we are of the holy sacred stocke of Abraham wee are the Church we are the people whome God hath blessed and sanctified yea from whence haue you this saith he For was not Esau Iacobs brother You see the Idumeans your brethren are they the people of God you say that they are straungers from the Church although they haue circumcision yet notwithstanding God hath cut thē off And whence commeth this saith hee Who is it that hath so separated them If you will goe from age to age very well you shall finde howe you are the Children of Iacob And Esau whose childe was he I pray you Did not he discend frō Abraham and Isaack aswel as you But heere hee speaketh not onely of the land of Canaan but hee goeth farther and sayth That hee loued Iacob hated Esau And this loue which he bare vnto Iacob frō whence proceeded it It is certaine that Iacob could not be accepted of him as we haue said being cōsidered in himself For behold him the child of wrath bringing nothing from the wombe of his mother but this horrible cursse which was cast vpon all mankind notwithstanding God did loue him Now God loueth not iniquitie he hateth sinne as we know How thē loued he Iacob This was for that he drew him from that perdition wherin he was And why did he hate Esau Nowe it is very true that there is iuste cause why God should hate all mankinde For as wee haue said there is nothing in vs but vice and iniquitie but yet when wee will goe farther and that wee will demaunde why God before hee created the worlde and before the fall of Adam why this shoulde be that hee would hate or loue heere we must holde our selues mute and still Heere wee must not lifte vp our hornes For what shall wee gaine when we will enter into debate and question with God It is certaine that wee shall cast stones vppon our owne heades and they will fall neither heere nor there they cannot reach vnto the maiestie of God but they shall returne vppon our owne pates and it must be that we be crusshed and brused therewith Beholde then what wee shall gaine when wee open our throte to caste foorth blasphemyes against God For we shall but cast out our dartes stones into the ayre but they shall not reach vnto him it shal be rather that we be pearced and wounded by them and that we remaine confounded in that our rashnesse and ouerweening Thus let vs content our selues with that which God hath pronounced that is to say that hee hath hated Esau and loued Iacob Now by this the Children of Iacob were aswell conuinced that they had nothing whereof they might glory in them selues and that there rested nothing but that they made an acknowledgement vnto God of such a liberall and bountiful goodnesse which hee had vsed towardes them and whereof none coulde finde any reason vnlesse in this that it so pleased him But notwithstāding they were ful of impietie against God and woulde holde this priuiledge but God sheweth them that it doth not belong vnto them and that if they accoūted him for their father they must be his children But heereby we are admonished that although our saluation proceede from the only grace of God and that therin it consisteth to the ende Notwithstanding it followeth not that vnder the shadowe heereof wee can let loose our selues to euill and giue ouer our selues therto But there are villaines dogges that barke against God there are also Hogges which ouerthrow this doctrine of election by their loose and lewde life For there are two sortes of people that are enemyes to this doctrine The one are as dogges the other as Hogges The one which are they they which will and come to shewe their teeth and who despite God by their wicked questions as wee see at this day in those villaines who make no scruple to rend in peeces all the holy Scripture to corrupt peruert falsifie adulterate all so that they may darken the election of God to witte to make nothing of all And marke whervnto this tēdeth to make this doctrine odious For they wil say that they that thus speake they put no more any difference betwixt good and euil that God by this meane shoulde become vnrighteouse if he should put any difference betweene one and an other that there should bee acceptaunce of persones in him Beholde then the dogges that barke and whet their teeth against this doctrine Nowe there are also Hogs which will not despite in such sorte against it but wil say very wel If I be elected I may do as much euil as I wil For God knowes wel how to keepe me and I can neuer perish and contrarywise if I be reprobate why shoulde I torment my selfe so much to doe well seeing that I can neuer be saued These then as I haue already sayd come not to spue vp their contradictions to ouerthrowe the trueth of God but they wallowe there and remayne in their sinnes as brute beastes But wee must take heede bothe of the one and the other And for this cause as I haue saide the Prophet Malachie shewing to the people that all that he had done vnto them came of the meere free bountie of God exhorteth them to holynesse of life And therefore as it is said vnto vs that God
with some puffe wee bee not mooued and troubled and that our thoughts doe not wander that we do not conceiue many thinges at randon and that wee haue not many disputes bothe on the one side and on the other to be shorte that wee be not tossed as if there were some kinde of tempest whirlewind which carryed vs about We can not haue our spirites altogither quiet nor so well guyded that they shall haue no troubles And this is declared vnto vs in Rebecca when shee sayeth If it bee so to what end I or why doe I liue She desireth death and yet shee is the mother of the faithfull Shee representeth the Church Now if this were in her that bare in her belly the hope of the saluation of the worlde what shal be in vs So considering that we haue our mindes so ready to conceiue follyes and vanities and moreouer so ready also to cast vs off the hinges in the end so subiect to make vs storme against God so much the rather it standeth vs in hande to search out the remedy Now that is heere giuen vs in Rebecca For she fodes not her selfe in her sadnesse shee byteth not vpon the brydle as many doe who sticke there which seeke to haue no meane wherein to content themselues nor to make them quiet setled but they wander this way and that way and alwayes adde fantasies to fantasies plunge them selues so deepe in their imaginations that the Deuill afterwards possesseth them and driueth them by all violence and fury against god Rebecca doth not so But when she felt that this was an intolerable greefe vnto her she withdraweth her self vnto God she enquireth of him and answere was giuen vnto her by and by She had therfore whervpon to rest her selfe when she knewe that so was the good pleasure of GOD and when shee sawe what hee demaundeth and that one of her owne children should bee cut off from the Church and the other reserued shee knowing this it behoueth that she rest there and submit her selfe thervnto the which thing she doth For she striueth not against god Likewise we read not that at any time after she murmured but we see that she hearkened vnto God and brought forth children afterwards and alwayes she rested her selfe in that which had bene said vnto her and set her minde and affection vpon Iacob And why so Because she knewe that hee was ordained of God to be the blessed seed which she had hoped for so as she behaued her self more manfully in this respect then Isaack her husband Now this is to shew vs that when wee are in any trouble wee must straightway haue our recourse to god For our spirits are not able enough too knowe these hidden things yea wee see that in the moste easyest things in the world as seemeth vnto vs we shal be many times rauished astonished And what shal it be then when the question shal be of the iudgements of God which are incomprehensible and which are of so high and profounde matter that the holy Ghoste teacheth vs in steade of curious searching after thē that we must adore them shall men presume of their reason of that they shall builde vpon their good lyking and shall they examine all after their owne fantasie and opinion It is certain that such presumption shall not remaine vnpunished it is seene also For wherfore is it that so many dogges at this day spue out their blasphemies against this doctrine of predestination It is because they vouchsafe not to enquire at the mouth of God but they wil giue sentence as their braine wil beare forsooth as though we were fit and sufficient So then let vs followe the example of Rebecca that is to say when all these questlons shall come before our eyes and that we shall be tormented on euery side in thinking And how is it possible that the moste parte of the world shall perish and the rest be saued Howe commeth it to passe that one is elected and another reiected Howe is it that the greateste number goe to destruction and that there is but an handfull of people which God reserueth to him selfe When we shall bee thus tormented let vs haue recourse vnto God that is to say let vs hearken to that which is shewed vs in the holy Scripture let vs pray God that hee will open our eares and our eyes to the ende we may vnderstand his will. And farther haue wee this It behoueth vs altogither to rest therein and to bee quiet For there is no cause of disputing any farther when God hath once pronounced his sentence To be short this is dayly to shewe vs that wee can not euer dispose our selues to receiue the instruction of the holy Scripture and to seeke all our wisedome there vnlesse we haue this modestie and humilitie in vs not to desire to vnderstand or knowe any thinge but that which is contayned therein Wee neede not any reuelation from heauen at this day as Rebecca had It is very true that some coniectured that she went vnto some Prophet but they were thin sowen in the worlde then For a man may easily perceiue that Melchezedech was dead and that there was not any moe then Abraham and Isaack This then is a Dreame to thinke that shee went to the schooles of the Prophets but she had a reuelation as our text heere sheweth And our condition at this day is not altogither like and neither haue we also such neede thereof For then there was neither the Lawe nor the Gospel At this day wee haue all perfection of doctrine For God in olde time hath spoken vnto our Fathers and not in secrete nor in obscuritie as sayeth Esaie the Prophet And this was not in vaine that hee sayde that men should seeke him as Moyses protesteth Beholde the way walke in the same I haue sette before you this day the waye of saluation and Heauen and Earth are witnesses vnto mee that I haue declared vnto you what you muste doe to come vnto euerlasting life And afterwardes although God haue his secretes saith he in an other place yet notwithstanding this that is to say the summe of the lawe is for you and for your children to the ende that you shoulde bee taught in the way of saluation But besides this wee haue yet the Gospel wherein our Lord Iesus Christ hath shined vnto vs in all fulnesse For he is that sonne of righteousnesse Seeing therefore wee haue so sufficient testimonyes shall we demaunde that Angels come downe from Heauen and that God will yet open vnto vs that is hidden from vs But let vs as I haue already said content our selues with the holy Scripture And when there is any cause of inquiring after God if we will haue him for our maister let vs come to the holy Scripture let vs remember that which Moyses saith Thou shalt not say Who is he that shall ascend aboue the Cloudes Who is he
that shall descend into the deapth Who is hee that shall goe ouer the sea The worde of the Lord is in thy heart and in thy mouth saith he And seeing it is so that Moyses hath protested this in his time at this day wee haue lesse occasion to wander heere and there and to runne at all aduenture to inquire after the will of god For as I haue already sayd the Gospel contayneth all perfection of doctrine and also beholde the onely meane whereby we may bee thorowly satisfyed and haue our mindes setled and stayed that is to say that we hearken to God speaking and shew our selues teachable to receiue that which he shall say For it is certaine that as he hath answered to our mother Rebecca that which hee knew to bee expedient So the Scripture likewise will not deceiue in this poynt for it pronounceth cleerely and manifestly that God hath chosen vs in Iesus Christ before the creation of the worlde according to his good pleasure the which hee hath purposed in himselfe There needes no glose beholde God speaketh after this sort that the most rude and ignorant may know what there is contayned therin God then hath chosen vs saieth S. Paule and heereby he sheweth that he hath discerned vs from those which perish And mark howe his mercie towards vs hath the greater glory For what letted that wee shoulde not remaine in the same perdition that others did but that God was mercifull vnto vs without any deferre of ours But the better to expresse all Saint Paule sayth that he did chuse vs in Iesus Christe it followeth then that this is out of our persons If we had byn chosen in our selues God should haue found some matter in vs to haue bene induced to loue vs and to haue beene enclined to haue called vs to saluation But what Wee are chosen without our selues that is to say God had no regarde to that we were or might be but our election is founded in Iesus Christ And moreouer hee yet giueth a more ample declaration that is according to his good purpose which he had determined in himselfe it is certaine that all that is according to the purpose of man is manifestly excluded and again when he sayth in himselfe this is to admonish vs that if we would knowe the cause why it is as if wee would make an Anatomie of God and goe euen into his hart sound all his secrets And can we do thus What ouerweening is this So then whē we shal suffer our selues to be taught of God it is certaine that he will answere vs in such sorte as shal be necessary for vs concerning that which belongeth to our saluation and namely wee shall know that which surmounteth all mans vnderstāding howe the one sorte are elected and the other reiected and why the one haue no doctrine as the Papistes and other infidels whom God leaueth as poore blinde ones why the other are enlightened through the Gospel And farther concerning those to whom the Gospel is preached the one receiue it with obedience they are touched therwith to the quick and perseuer in it to the end the other remaine blockish or rather will be ful of outrage to striue against God or else will be fickle and giue them selues ouer to all iniquitie throwing of the yoke when they shall bee brought into the good way And frō whence cōmeth this diuersitie We must come to this foūtain that the holy scripture sheweth vs that is that the like grace hath not byn shewed to all So then beholde our true wisdome that is that we be Gods good scholers we shall then be hisscholers when we seeke to know nothing but that he knoweth to be good expedient for our saluation and when we shal rest there learne to bring into captiuitie all our senses to keepe an hard hand vppon them Then say I if we shall speake of the secrete election of God howe hee hath predestinated these whome hee would to saluation and howe he hath cast off others we shal neuer be troubled And why so because we hauing inquired of Gods wil we wil cōclude that we must keepe ourselues to that which sheweth vs to that which the scripture importeth where he hath giuen vs sufficiēt testimonie of that which he knoweth to be good for vs Finally there are so many testimonies of Scripture to cerfie vs of this doctrin that it must needes be that all they that cānot rest there must be as it were impoisoned of sathan that they haue cōceued the spirit of venim of pride and rebellion to the end not to be ordred vnder the wil of god that to be short they would despite all doctrine and instruction and close vp their eyes against the ful light haue their eares stopped albeit God hath spoken loude and cleerely and that they haue occasion to content themselues somuch the more To heape vp all the testimonyes is not needefull but this is sufficient that we haue had a summe yea moste euident as I haue already briefely shewed Againe we haue also whereof to blesse God to comforte our selues in him when wee knowe rightly to apply this doctrine as it behoueth For in stead that these fantasticall lightbraynes who would seeme to bee so subtile sharpe in fighting against god against his trueth in stead that they search how they may gainsay him we must mark how God doth satisfie vs and to what end he directeth this doctrine to what purpose he would haue it serue vs that is to knowe that wee are elected and not all For in the first place when we see that we cannot receiue the Gospel vnlesse it be by the speciall gift of God this serueth to make vs so much the more to magnifie his goodnesse towards vs and to see his iust iudgement against the reprobate when hee depriueth them of this doctrine as wee see in the Papacy that men are as brute beasts who erre wander through deserts without keeping way or path Now concerning vs wee haue a sure testimonie which ought so much the more to stirre vs vp to esteeme this singular grace towards vs And also whēwe see some that haue deafe eares although it bee dayly declared vnto them familiarly and that which is requisite for their saluation bee as I may say chawed vnto them they continue alwaies in their estate or rather they are not a whitte touched they passe not to giue ouer themselues to al licenciousnes of life as it were in despite of God When wee see this it is certaine that our Lord hath so much the more bound vs vnto him for that it hath pleased him to make vs feele his goodnesse and that wee haue taken suche a taste of the hope of saluation which he hath propounded vnto vs that we haue renounced the worlde and whatsoeuer weakenes ther be in vs howsoeuer we are ful of vices and corruption neuerthelesse wee hate
which God had giuen that Iacob must gouerne Now therfore we see heere how the husband and the wife are at strife and that in such a matter of importaunce as wherevpon depended the saluatioÌ„ of the world For the question is here of the eternal electioÌ„ of God the questioÌ„ is of the whole church of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the head thereof and beholde some crooked controuersies betwixt Isaack and his wife Yet this meaneth not that Isaack ment to ouerthrowe all but he vnderstoode it not and was confounded in him selfe Likewise therefore when through ignorance and errour it shall sometimes come to passe that wee shal be in trouble and that the deuil shall thrust in his foote and that we shall not bee able to speake with one and the same mouth notwithstanding we must alwayes keepe the principall that is we must alwayes agree in this that we holde God for our father and that wee knowe that there is no true holy vnitie but in Iesus Christe that wee holde I say the principles of our faith and if we cannot coÌ„prehend all things so distinctly as were to bee wished let the ignoraunt and weake bee humbled and let them not be discouraged Likewise let them that are more frowarde beare with the weake wayting when God wil turne theÌ„ and take from them these opinions wherin they are so troubled This is that which Saint Paule sayth vnto the Philippians For hee showeth how we ought to bee knit togither and what the knot of our concorde and brotherhood is Nowe hauing shewed that he coÌ„cludeth that therfore there shuld not be diuersities of opinions amongst vs that our speaches likewise should not be diuers But yet saith he If you cannot come to such pefection that some go as it were halting cannot ouertake others which are not so quicke to comprehend all Wayte sayth hee vntill GOD reueale it vnto you Marke then the first thing that we haue to do that is to agree in the pure and simple trueth of god But forasmuch as it is not geuen to all at the firste dash to haue certaine vnderstanding of all points of religion very wel if there bee any ignorance let them reach out their hand to them who are so besotted yea let them take heede that they bee not wilfull on their partes For somtimes yea moste commonly a man shall see that the blindest are boldest and rashest and further there will be such a wilfulnesse that a man can gain nothing of them But S. Paule to remedie this mischiefe saith Waite till God reueale it vnto you This then is that wee haue to learne but let vs also remember that which hee setteth downe namely that when we shal agree in our Lord Iesus Christ that we respect nothing but his glorie that alwayes we keepe our course and if there bee some little strife that this seperate vs not one from another For it shall bee enough when we haue this keye though in many other thinges we bee not so resolued as were necessary yet if wee bee not quite withdrawen and turned from our Lord Iesus Christ it is enough Besides when we shall tende to his glory euery one shall knowe yea the most forwarde that they are yet farre of What is the cause that those which are learned and exercised in the scripture doe disdaine their brethren when they see them ignorant It is forasmuch as it seemeth vnto theÌ„ that there is nothing wanting in them selues but if wee knowe what it is to aspire to our Lord Iesus Christ and to come to the glory of his resurrection wee will say alwayes with Saint Paule that wee haue not attayned vnto it When therefore euery one shall knowe that there is yet something lacking in him self it shall doe vs no hurt we shall not think it straunge to call our brethren although it bee a farre off Goe to let vs goe forward It is true that there is great difference betwixte them that haue the gift of interpreting the Scriptures and those that are poore and simple idiotes they wil know well that there is one God who is their father by our Lorde Iesus Christe but yet they cannot expounde a place of holy Scripture yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to walke on in one the same path those which are the most forward although they come sooner to the goale yet they must alwayes waite for the other Mark then how we haue to doe according as it is shewed vnto vs how we may learne it by the example which is heere contayned But nowe let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging of our faultes praying him that hee will in such sorte make vs to feele them that it may be to the end we may be displeased therewith and that we alwayes may haue an eye to our condition which is so miserable to the ende to haue our refuge to his mercie and that it wil please him to receiue vs to mercie and so to gouerne vs by his holy spirite that we may be rid of all earthly passions And seeing there are so many vices hidden in vs that wee may take the greater payne to examine our selues to the ende alwayes to haue recourse vnto him who is able to cleanse vs and that wee maye so fight against whatsoeuer thinge doeth hinder vs from dedicating our selues wholly to his seruice that in the meane time we know that it is farre of that our conflictes doe deserue to bee approued of him but so farre foorth as hee beareth with our weakenesse And also that we may haue recourse vnto his power knowing the neede that wee haue to be succoured of him that by this meanes we learne onely to reioyce in him and not to doubte but that as he hath once reached vs the hande he wil likewise continue more and more to strengthen vs vntill that wee haue ouercome bothe the Deuill and all the assaultes that he can assayle vs withall That not onely c. ⧠The fifth Sermon of Iacob and Esau Genesis 25. 29 Nowe as Iacob was seething Pottage Esau came out of the fielde and was hungry 30 Wherefore Esau sayde vnto Iacob Suffer mee to kâ—eele foorth of this Pottage so red for I am weary Therefore euery one called his name Edome 31 But Iacob aunsweared Sell mee now thy birth-right 32 And Esau said Beholde I hasten too death what auayleth this birthright vnto me 33 To whome Iacob sayd Sweare vnto me this day who sware vnto him So hee solde his birthright vnto Iacob 34 Then Iacob gaue Esau breade and pottage of Lentills and he did eate and drinke and rose vp and went his way and Esau contemned his birthright WE said yesterday that God approueth and ratifieth his election when hee gouerneth his Children by his holy spirit and that hee maketh them to striue vp to the heauenly life and giueth them an affection to despise the world and to looke
purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ God will not only become the father of our soules but also of our bodyes Wee are thorowly assured of this and ought to bee resolued in it But now howsoeuer it be if we must be ready to renounce this present life and all the commodities which are heere If wee muste renoūce our own life by a stronger reason we must renoūce to liue Now we cannot liue heere without eating and drinking but yet it behoueth that we be ready to suffer hunger and thirst rather then to be turned away from our calling and not only this but when the question shall be of death wee must offer our liues to God doing him this homage and alwayes desiring rather a pretious and blessed death before him then all the liues that might bee imagined in this worlde which he shal accurse Beholde then the rule that is giuen to all Christians wherby they are tryed if they be the true children of God that is when the worlde hindreth them not to serue God but they alwayes march on forwards by that path which is shewed them by the holy Scripture When I say that the worlde letteth them not I vnderstande not onely those wicked lustes as drunkennes whordom couetousnes and such like ▪ but also those desires that are not vtterly condemned as eating drinking when it shal be permitted vs of God and yet if eating and drinking shall hinder vs frō seruing God then we must so striue that our desires may bee tamed Now this may be better vnderstoode by the cōmon experience we haue There is a man which may liue in delights and pleasures he hath to eate to the full yea of all maner of dainties delicates and exquisite meates but he must hange his consciēce as they say vpon the rack or rather be prophaned with the wicked worlde For there are a great many cōditions offred to many which areas the intysing baites of Sathan Thervpon they will think ô if I were in such a place I might gather a great deale of good afterwardes I should be in great honour all the world would croutch vnto me In the meane seasō I should haue my table wel furnished I should haue wherewith to nourish me to my desire yea in mine olde age whē I should haue gathered togither my liuelode rents I shuld be assured to liue at mine ease But I cānot attain vn to it But wherto tendeth this Euen hetherto that I cannot doe this without beeing in great danger to bring my self to great wickednes yea and without vtter estranging my self frō God Howsoeuer it be I cannot serue God purely as hee hath commaunded me But if any man be temped with this it is certaine that he is like vnto Esau if he make choyse of this condition which shal be more agreable to the worlde and in the meane time shall forsake the meanes he hath to serue God and to liue in the peace and tranquilitie of a good conscience For hee considereth not I am a weake man and haue much a doe to holde my selfe in the feare of GOD although I bee euery day exhorted vnto it yea and thoughe I doe giue my selfe wholly vnto it and inforce my self thervnto and what shall become of mee when I shall haue no worde of God that I shall not be exhorted to doe my duetie and that I shall bee intangled with many businesses and affayres of the worlde If a man thinke not of all this and that he make choyse of a good table that is to say if he rather choose an estate whereby hee may enrich him selfe it is certaine that he shal be resembled vnto Esau Contrariwise when wee shall think Goe too it is true that we shal be at our ease if we wil forsake God or rather departe frō him and wil decline be it neuer so litle from a good way But what The deuil wil by by find new sleights to bring vs wholly to wickednesse in such sorte that we shall be as a desperate people But let vs preuent such a danger and rather let vs loue hunger thirst yea and to feede straightly and not to haue any great pompe and great superfluitie Let vs choose rather I say not to haue so great an estate and holde our selues in sobrietie then to be rich and wealthy and notwithstanding to forget our selues and to haue all our ioy here beneath When wee shall so behaue our selues heerein loe how we followe the example of our father Iacob But as I haue sayd already the question is not onely of forsaking our ease and commoditie but also when neede shal be of our owne life For if so be wee must dye to make confession of our faith suche as God requireth of vs to glorifie the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and must passe that way we must likewise also forsake our owne life and all that belongeth vnto it and if we do it not we showe that we know not what it is to haue tasted of spirituall blessings but that we haue loste all taste of them forasmuch as the deuil hath made vs drunken with his poisons and hath bewitched vs and made vs senselesse and blockish We see heere by the way howe profitable this history is vnto vs For besids that we haue said already that God hath ratified his election hath discouered that which was in Esau Iacob heere our father Iacob reacheth out his hand vnto vs and sheweth vs that all the pleasures of this worlde ought to bee nothing vnto vs no not our very nourishment when there shal be any questiō to be as poore starued people that we rather forsake to eate and drinke when all shal be made ready yea specially when the smell shall haue prouoked vs that we imagine to haue the morsels already in our mouthes and to haue swallowed them downe when we shal be come so farre neuerthelesse that we enter into such a combate against our selues that we renounce our naturall inclination and specially that which is not vtterly condemned amongst men if it let vs from cōming vnto God if it hinder vs or intangle vs heere beneath in any corruptions Beholde what we ought to doe And moreouer that wee take good heede on the otherside that we be not like vnto Esau and that wee alledge not this and that as many say ô wee muste liue We way well haue our excuses before men but when we shall come to render a reckoning before that great Iudge who hath declared vnto vs that hee will haue vs to sette such price vppon the treasure of our saluation that he hath offered vs in the Gospel that we learne to withdraw our selues from the worlde that al that is in it be nothing in comparison of it But this thing is practised after sundry sortes and manners For when a Christian man shal haue plentie if he be sober in eating and drinking and do not so gorge
so too languish But there is no queston of that which is past but of that which was to come Thou shalt dwel there yea and the worde whiche Moses vseth signifieth to dwell as it were in a straunge countrie as one that were still going Loe Isaack then who had a Lordship vpon the earth yet had not one foote therof but must remaine there by leaue and must be subiect to many troubles and tryalls which were bent towardes him and yet hee had not one foote of lande vnlesse it were the burying place wherof mention is made before To be short wee haue to gather heere that God would haue Isaack wholly to rest vpon his word as lykewise it is the foundation wherevpon wee must builde all the dayes of our life yea and in death too For if wee should haue all that wee desire what shoulde wee neede any more fayth or hope It behoueth therefore that the benefites which wee waite for from God that they bee hidden from vs and notwithstanding that we beholde them onely by faith that we do God this honour to account him sure in all that he hath spoken although hee shewe vs not the effecte and trueth of his promises vvhich vve apprehend not after our reason and carnall feling notwithstanding vve must say it suffiseth vs that he hath spoken it he vvil performe it When therefore vve can fetch all our contentment from the vvord of God only thē let vs assure our selues of a right tryall of all that vvhich vvee proteste that vve beleeue in him but if wee vvill alwayes haue a gage and haue all that vvee desire it is certaine that the worde of God shal not be esteemed of vs and we can not exercise ourselues sufficiētly ynough in this meditation And therfore as often as we see God to haue spoken to his seruaunts and not to haue shewed them the accomplishment execution of his woorde let vs know that this is rehersed vnto vs to the end that we should learne to cal vpon God when he shal leaue vs in suspēce yea and that we shal fainte and be stripped of that which should haue beene in our hande that wee learne to say O Lorde seeing wee haue thy promise wee shal not bee frustrate in waiting for it When God promiseth Isaack to be with him that he will giue him the rest this lykewise is too shew vs that the principallest of all benefites that we can desire is that God haue care ouer vs and that he thinke of our necessities and that we find him at hand when we cal vppon him For vnlesse that wee haue him merciful vnto vs although he giue vs in al fulnesse and abundaunce that wee aske of him yet it should be nothing but we must beginne at this point that is to say we must be wel perswaded that God loueth vs and that hee is fauourable vnto vs Whē we haue attained to thisto resolue our selues that GOD wil alwaies bee merciful vnto vs and ready too succour vs when nede shal require that he wil neuer forsake vs thē shal we easely waite for the rest but if wee knowe not that hee is with vs that is too say that hee wil make vs feele his presence and in feeling it will withdrawe vs from those daungers wherein wee are and in withdrawing vs will lifte vs vp when we shall be falne wil leade vs there where as there is no path and wil there giue vs an issue and way to escape where there is nothing else but confusion If wee haue not I say attayned to this there is no true foundation but if wee haue once obtayned it wee muste stay therevpon and hope for the reste For if God loue vs it is certaine that he hath wherwith to sucocur help vs in all and thorow all and he wil doe it And this is the cause why Moyses beginneth at this poynt I will be with thee And afterwardes he sayth That hee will multiply his seede that he will blesse is and that his seede shal be as the starres of Heauen It is true that the benefites which God will bestowe vpon vs they shall not alwayes fall out to our desires as wee haue declared For oftentimes we shall want them to the ende wee may be the more egar to pray and also he will try vs and shewe vs that we haue no such affiaunce in him as wee ought and our vnthankfulnesse many times depriueth vs of that that GOD otherwise was ready to bestowe vpon vs For wee are not alwayes capable to receiue that which he offereth vnto vs Hee hath an open hand but we haue a close mouth that is to say we are shut vp in vnbeliefe distrust And therfore see the cause why we must so oftentimes wait but so much there is that if we be resolued in this poynt he is with vs and we are blessed of him in that which he knoweth to be expedient for vs we shal lack nothing Touching this promise That all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in Isaacks seede this was speciall to him as it was to Abraham this respecteth our Lorde Iesus Christe as it hath beene expounded For it was necessary that Iesus Christe should be the fountaine of this blessinge the which shoulde flowe vpon all the linage of Abraham It is true that the faithfull which descended of him were blessed and partakers of this promise but this was by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christe So then if he had beene separated from the seede of Abraham it is certaine that he had beene barraine and dry and that he should not haue had one drop of the blessing But at this day forasmuch as God would by his infinite goodnesse that his onely begotten sonne should belong vnto vs we were ioyned to the true naturall Children of Abraham howsoeuer wee were of the nations of the earth who were then strayed from the Church of God and who were altogither departed farre from it yet at this day we are blessed aswell as they For if it were saide to him I will blesse thy seede and that God had added nothing this had at this day byn a very slender comforte vnto vs But when he sayeth That all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the seede of Abraham we are of that number Marke then wherein we haue specially to reioyce knowing that after our Lord Iesus Christ appeared vnto vs this promise is to bee applyed vnto vs It is true that it is oftentimes sayd in the holy scripture that men shal be blessed by men as for example when they shall set him before thē for a paterne and example and that men will say desiring to be blessed ô that God wold do vnto me as he hath doone vnto this man heere or vnto that man there but the interpretatiō of S. Paule sheweth vs that that which was aswell spoken to Abraham as to Isaack was not onely to be vnderstoode in
that when wee shall obay him hee will accepte this as a sacrifice of sweet smelling sauour and yet notwithstanding all that wee doe is nothing there is no strength in vs neuerthelesse if God wil honour vs so without any worthynesse of ours must we therfore be sluggish and not thorowly imploy all our powers to his seruice especially according to that grace which hee shall haue giuen vs and according to our strength and yet without all indenting or couenaunting with him Marke then how the faithfull ought to be prouoked and that this also is to teach vs alwaies to continue to walke on in feare and carefulnesse when our Lord sheweth vs that they whome hee hath called oftentimes make and shew themselues vnwoorthy of their calling To the ende therefore that we doe not tempt him that we may be ready to receiue that which he teacheth vs marke wherefore it is said that he rewardeth our seruices not because we merite any rewarde For as I haue already sayde wee muste not heere reason of that which we can doe For we can doe nothing at al and specially that which wee haue doone by the grace of God deserueth no rewarde For God can iustly condemne it But the question is that God accepteth that which we doe of his meere liberalitie to the end to make vs more couragious And euery one ought to apply this to his profite when we feele that we are slow to doe wel through our negligence and slouthe Loe then briefely what wee haue to learne heere Nowe when it is saide that Abraham obeyed the voyce of God this is to shewe vs the true rule howe to liue wel to the end that euery one frame not vnto him selfe deuotions aparte as we are accustomed to doe For when men will serue God what do they They take libertie to liue after their owne deuice and they contemne whatsoeuer God commaundeth What is that that men may call the seruice of God in the papacie That which men haue diuised of their owne folish braine For when men shall haue diligently gathered all their iuglings togither which they play there if it bee said that God be wel serued and honoured yet they doe nothing of all that God hath commaunded and that they doe despise him It falleth out therevppon euen as he himself complayneth therof to wit that men for their traditions reiecte that which was ordained for them Seeing then that so it is that we are so inclyned too sette out our owne foolish imaginations let vs learne that when the holy Scripture speaketh vnto vs of liuing well and holyly when it speaketh of the perfection which GOD alloweth that is to obay his voyce as also he sheweth vs by his Prophet Haue I demaunded you to offer mee any sacrifice Nowe it is very certaine that GOD had required it And why then doth Ieremie speake thus It is to shewe vs that God resteth not there Where then That we obay his voyce saith he Marke then the principall and where wee must beginne and which also is the end whereto we must striue and contende that is to say that God hath authoritie to rule vs and that wee bee his subiectes But notwithstanding wee shall finde it straunge that is heere spoken that Abraham kepte the Commaundementes Statutes Ordinaunces and Lawes of the Lorde And yet hee had not so much as one worde of all the Lawe in wryting For wee knowe howe longe a time there was betwixt the calling of Abraham and the law to witte foure hundred and thirtie yeeres How is it then that God now sayth that Abraham kept his Commaundements statutes ordinaunces and lawes This is as we haue seene before in the 18. Chapiter for albeit hee had yet nothing written yet notwithstanding Abraham was not ignorant of that which God should afterwardes teach his people For he had two manner of wayes to gouerne his people but yet this was not for that in respect of himselfe he was chaungeable God therfore had not alwayes one and the same way too teach the faithfull but howsoeuer it was yet the rule was one whether it were written or inspired to them whome he reserued to himselfe So howsoeuer Abraham had not yet the Law written yet he had sufficient instruction to know how he ought to serue god This therefore is that we ought to learne off this place But howsoeuer it bee GOD in the meane while sheweth that if we bee ready to obay him and to bee subiect vnto him that on his parte hee will neuer fayle vs to shewe vs the way wherein we ought to walke walking therin we shall not be deceiued But if before there were euer any scripture Abraham had statutes cōmandements lawes and ordinaunces at this day by a stronger reason when God hath declared himself so familiarly by Moyses to whom he hath further ioined the Prophets to the ende they might there haue a more easie vnderstanding of the law and seeing he hath spoken in the Gospel so cleerely shall wee doubt that hee doth not the office of a good maister to shewe vs all that is good right and iust But what The ingratitude of the worlde is suche that it wil not be subiect nor brought into order vnder him and this is asmuch as if men would be more wise then is permitted vnto them would haue a wisedome by themselues as though it had neuer beene sayd To God who is onely wise be honour and glory When S. Paule sayth that God is only wise this was not only for him but this was to the end that wee shoulde search for all wisedome in him For when wee will not accept this for the onely rule which he hath giuen vs this is as if we should say God knewe not all that was necessary for vs it must needes bee that wee inuent of our owne braine yet some what more and say this will bee better And what blasphemie is this O when we serue God after this sort it is as a man woulde say to spit in Gods face So then let vs note that when Moyses after he had spoken of the voyce of God addeth his commaundements his statutes and his ordinaunces it is to shew vs that God will not in any poynt faile all those who shal be his disciples and shall come to be ordered by him to hearken to his voyce And in deede this is not onely in this place no nor in that we come to alledge but as it were thorowe out all where our Lorde recommendeth his law vnto vs and sheweth vs that it contayneth all that is necessary to leade men rightly the way to saluation And thus much concerning the words that are touched in this place So then when we will walke as it becommeth vs let vs marke that there is but one onely Iudge to whome wee haue to render account But what is it that this Iudge demandeth Not that euery one should be driuen by his owne fantasie or that our
truste in him and who fight not but vnder his banner Marke then cōcerning the diuersitie we reade betwixt Abraham and Isaack Now it is said That the King sawe Isaack sporting himselfe with Rebecca his wife and that afterwardes he called him and sayd vnto him For a trueth that is thy wife By this we may see that there was a great deale more integritie at that time thā there is at this day and that whordomes and dissolute liues were not so common For some men at the first dash would haue set vp a sinister iudgement against Isaack It must needes be therefore that men had more honestie then is to bee seene in our time And seeing there is no doubt that Isaack getting this reputation amongst al that he was no villain nor whoremonger that vnder couler of saying she was his sister caried a whore after him There is no doubte I say but when both hee and his manner of life was knowen but that euery one was perswaded that he was an holy man and fearing God and that he was not giuen to any such vices and enormities And this is a poynte which wee oughte well to marke For there is no man that woulde not bee counted an honeste man and so soone as men doe conceiue any euill of vs wee think that they doe vs greate wrong and yet in the meane while we regarde not to vse the meane that should not cause vs to be ill thought of and how to auoid that men shoulde not charge vs with blames and faultes The meane were so to beare and order our selues that all might haue their mouthes stopped that firste of all the feare of God beare rule in vs next that wee haue our conuersation with men in loue in vprightnesse euen as God hath commanded vs the same If we haue this it is certaine that we shall stop vp many wicked mouthes But it is very true that the holiest and godlyest men can not many times let the wicked to speake euill of them For was not the Sonne of GOD himselfe subiecte vnto slaunders and opprobryes Was it not vpbraide him that hee blasphemed against GOD his father But yet for all this the Scripture sayeth not without cause that then wee stoppe the mouthes of the wicked when we shunne all offences and when we doe not only labour to abstaine from euill but also from all shew of euill Wherfore they that haue so great care of their credite and reputation that they cannot abide to be abased either in one respect or other et thē haue regarde to the meane that is to say let them preuent that they be not iustly blamed herein they follow the example of Isaack For we see that being a straunger in a barbarous Countrie where there was nothing but Idolatrie neuerthelesse so it is that he is yet estemed for a man fearing God and that they could not rayse vppe an euill iudgement of him And why so Because they were conuinced of the contrary by his good life and honestie Let vs doe the like it is certaine that we shall stop many slanders and many reproches But yet we haue further to note that thē there was such honestie amongst men that if a man sported familiarly with his wife it was in mariage But now a dayes all is so ouerflowed that a man must shut his eyes against the greatest vilanyes of the worlde Let a man goe into Courtes ô it is certaine that therein the wickednesses are so vnruly as a man can beholde nothing more And especially if a husband see his wife to bee allured with an other mans eye and that some doe abuse her thereby as though she were an harlot he must set a good countenaunce vpon it for if hee shewe any signe that he is greeued therewith and that hee doe not laugh at it as others doe ô say they he is a iealous foole a dizarde Loe how it is in this case For men are come euen to the heape of iniquite in somuch that they haue loste all shamefastnesse beecause they are giuen to such beastly libertie that there is no more honestie amongst them And I woulde to God this mischiefe were in no place else but in these courtes But it is euen a deluge or floude which a man shall see in all estates yea euen to the least such iestures of incontinencie dissolute wantonnesse that it is pittie to beholde But let vs marke how farre off wee be from these men which were as it were miserable blinde ones hauing no knowledge of God hauing no lawe writtē no nor yet any reuelation yet notwithstanding they had this honestie that none ticked nor toied ouer familiarly with another mās wife nor had any gestures whereby any euil might be suspected as we see heere For trueth saith he this it thy wife And wherevpon doth he conclude it It is because that vice was not accustomed there and it was not come in vse nor in possession amongest men in such sorte but that they might easily discerne betwixt mariage and whoredome Now this teacheth vs so to behaue our selues ech towardes others that there bee no vnchaste lookes no vicious gestures but that we be in such sort pure from all euill that euen before men wee giue no occasion to speake euill nor yet to thinke euill of vs It is true that he speaketh here of some gesture which was ouer familiar to a straunge man For it needeth not that we should bee so austere that wee can not liue togither without giuing occasion of euill and yet in the meane time liuing in familiaritie yea and sporting our selues with all honestie shewing that wee haue chaste hartes chaste eyes and all our senses chaste But when Isaack played thus with his wife he made some signe of a husband to his wife so that it might bee iudged either this man is a whoremonger or else hee must needes be her husbande Nowe to think him a whoremonger they could not because he had behaued himselfe honestly in the feare of God and with the good wil of euery one in the countrie of Gerar he must therfore be esteemed for her husband But heerevpon Isaack confesseth his faulte but hee confesseth it alleadging that he feared lest he shoulde haue beene killed Here things are rehearsed more briefely then we haue seene before For Abraham was rebuked more sharpely likewise he maketh a more long excuse therof I did knowe saith he that there was no feare of God in this Countrie Onely Isaack sayeth I feared least they would kil mee Now he sheweth heere that although Rebecca were his sister neuertheles seeing that his purpose was to cloke the trueth it was to be condemned So likewise when we will be very subtile for a time let vs not bee so obstinate as altogither too maintaine all that wee haue sayde and done although there be some fault in vs but let vs frankly acknowledge it For Isaack might haue sayd yea shee is my
sister But notwithstandinge that which he had sayde he addeth that he was to be blamed as also Abimilech did For hee sawe iust cause to condemne Isaack and therefore hee sayth vnto him Wherefore haste thou doone this thinge Nowe wee haue to note on the one side that which was alleadged before that is to say that God had reproued and chastised the kings because of his seruauntes albeit they were but a fewe in number albeit they were as poore wandring people in the lande of Canaan And seeing GOD maintained their quarel and set himselfe againste all the violence and euill that could bee doone vnto them heereby hee sheweth the singular fauour that he did beare vnto them And also the Prophet addeth that for this cause he sayth Touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophetes no harme It is true that there was in Abraham and Isaack excellent vertue and holynesse but howsoeuer it be yet so it is that we at this day are also annoynted to bee vnder the keeping of God and we succeede to all the promises which were giuen vnto them So then though we shal be neuer so small a number and as a poore despysed people as Sheepe in the throte of Wolues yet let vs not doubt but that GOD hath wherewith to defende vs and that hee will display his power asmuch as shall bee necessary yea and that against the mightiest Kings of the world For sometimes God hath indeede suffred that those of the meaner and common sorte of people haue vexed and molested his seruants as we shall see heereafter that very shortly Which what soeuer it be when he hath declared that he foreseeth the warre that hee setteth him selfe in order against the Kinges Heereby hee hath shewed that the life of his seruants is deere and precious vnto him Let vs therfore hope the like and wee shall not be deceiued And when we shall see the mightiest of the world to be our enemyes and shall dayly heare rumours of many tumults troubles let vs not doubt but that our Lord wil remedie all wil alwayes be our buckler to put back al our blowes whē it shall be moste like that they must fall vpon our heades Loe what we haue to put in practise by the example of Isaack And although heere God afflicted not Abimilech as before that he reproued him not as he had doone the king of Egypt neuerthelesse he keepeth him bridled and holdeth him as it were in fear so that although Rebecca were faire yet it fell so out that the king of the countrie desired her not no albeit hee imagined that it had byn laweful for him to haue taken her to wife Loe then on the one side what we haue to mark on the other this that neuerthelesse God humbled Isaack suffred not his infidelitie to remaine altogither vnpunished yet the punishment is very gentle But howsoeuer it was he was reformed Nowe if nothing had happened vnto Isaack and that it had not beene perceiued that Rebecca had beene his wife he had not returned from it neither had hee euer remembred his fault which hee had committed and specially he had pleased himselfe heerein bicause the euent was good and as he would haue wished and therfore he woulde haue thought that God woulde haue allowed it For men when their faultes are not shewed them flatter and harden thēselues in them But God woorketh our good and saluation when hee maketh vs to feele oure sinnes and correcteth vs in such sorte that wee are euen compelled to thinke vpon them Marke then how it fel out herein to Isaack It is very true that God did beare with him very much whē he suffred nothing to be attempted against his wife that the very king of the countrie called so gently for him and complained to him as too his equal and compagnion Loe a wonderful supporte hereby we see that God hath pitie vppon his not trying them further then they are able to beare But whatsoeuer it is yet so it is that Isaack commeth too acknowledge his sinne And who is iudge thereof euen a poore panim an Idolater God might rather haue sent an Angel from heauen or else haue giuen him some reuelation to haue said vnto him what doost thou But hee leaueth him there For hee was not woorthie too bee taught so honorably but the blinde ones must discouer his euill and condemne him Loe then the shame that was done vntoo him too the ende that hee might be the more humbled thereby and too the ende that he might learne for euer after better to trust in God and no more to fall into that fault This is that we haue to marke And with all let vs take good heed vnto ourselues and let vs not care that men reproue vs but let vs take in good parte all correctiōs that God sendeth vs by his word For what honor doth he vnto vs when he prouoketh vs to come vnto him when with doctrine he ioyneth exhortations And after when he seeth that we are too slow and besides that we are as it were incorrigible he vseth more sharp reprehensions But whatsoeuer it be all this is doone in his name that when wee reade in the holy Scripture and that we come to the Sermon and that there he summoneth vs hee is alwayes our Iudge And loe also why our Lorde Iesus Christ speaking of the preaching of the Gospell sayeth When the holy Ghoste shall come he shall iudge the worlde The spirit of God therefore exerciseth his iurisdiction vpon vs and to what ende It is to the ende that when wee haue beene condemned so that wee doe passe willinge condemnation and that wee bee apte to learne and that wee aske pardon he is ready to giue vs So then seeing that GOD hath doone vs this honour to iudge vs as it were in his house and priuately by our selues when hee sheweth vs our faultes are not wee ouermuch hardened if wee doe not bowe downe our necke and become apte to learne and bee ready to bee refourmed by him For if wee will rebell so against him God will suffer that we come to an other schoole that euen the wicked and vnbeleeuers condemne vs We shal finde very many euen in this case that fret themselues and gnashe their teeth if a man scratch their scabbes rub them on the gall when they come to the Sermon For see their replyes was the Scripture made to spur poore people in such sort and is this the manner to teach to cry out after such a fashion It seemeth that he woulde lighten against vs But in the ende God teacheth them after another sorte that is that his trumpet muste sounde and that their shame must bee published in euery place and in the ende they must goe to the schoole of the Gibet And moreouer when wee make not our profite of the corrections which are dayly set before vs it must needes be that wee bee condemned an hundred miles
giue him a sure holde to leane vppon that he would giue him such a rest as he might by the vertue of the worde which shall afterwardes be added fight against whatsoeuer euil might happen vnto him Nowe it is saide that God exhorted him that he should not feare and hee giueth him a reason why I am saith hee with thee yea I the God of Abraham thy father When he sayth Feare not we haue expounded this already before that God meaneth not too exempte those too whome hee speaketh from all feare For howsoeuer the fathers were Conquerours against all the defiaunces which coulde bee made agaynst them yet were they not insensible Abraham was tempted but hee was not ouercome Therefore we must remember this point that they that became Conquerours thorough the power of the spirite of GOD fought notwithstanding Nowe what strife or combate can there bee vnlesse there bee some feeling of it For if Abraham had not felt this in him selfe See I am in daunger hee would neuer haue called vppon GOD and hee would neuer haue had recourse vnto him if hee had not bene pressed with the griefes which hee endured hee would not haue made his requests and complaints vnto God to be eased lightened of them So then we may not think that God would haue them to be without all feeling too whom hee hath sayde Feare not but it was too holde them so faste vnto him selfe that they should not bee vnmeasurably afrayde as wee vse too bee vnlesse wee haue our rest vppon God For the least blast of winde in the world is inough to shake vs and to make vs so at our wits ende that we can not tell which waye to turn vs as it is said of Achas that he was afraid and shooke as a leafe of a tree and Esay to remedy this euil saith Husht holde thy peace before God. And this is the common style of the holy scripture So then marke what this worde importeth where it is said Feare not that is to say howsoeuer we haue occasion to feare to be astonished yet let vs resist and waite with patience til god shal succor vs let not this feare oppresse vs quite stifle vs but let vs indeuour to recouer our selues keepe the right path And albeit we be disquieted and tossed hither thither let vs alwayes remaine fast vpon our feet seeing we are groūded vpō the promise of god But it is sayd expressely I am with thee to shew that when we haue God on our side this ought to suffise vs though all the world mischieuously practise our ruine that looke how many men so many enimies there are yea that it seemeth that all creatures haue conspired against vs notwithstanding so that God take our part it shal make vs too ouercome al feare And in deed wee see howe the Prophet Dauid did practise this doctrine and Sainct Paule also giueth vs example thereof Seeing God saieth hee is for mee I will not feare though I were compassed about with an hundred thousande men when I shall see all the deathes in the worlde I will assure my selfe vppon Gods shepheardes crooke Loe howe hee speaketh in the three and twentie Psalme O Lord thy hooke that is to say the staffe which thou erectest as a shephearde For hee taketh a similitude from the shepheard who will haue his staffe or his hooke too leade his sheepe Lord saith hee soe that I may haue some signe too assure mee that thou accomptest mee one of thy flocke I will walke in the shadowe of death and yet I will comfort my selfe For I will accompte my selfe ynough comforted so that I may be groūded vpon thy grace And afterwards in another place seeing that God is with mee I defie all those which shall come too assaile mee What is that that fleshe shall do vntoo me so that God take my part sayeth he He scorneth there the weaknesse of men shewing that God blowing vpon them he can ouerthrowe them all and bring them to nothing and notwithstanding if hee bee armed with strength from aboue all the threates which the Deuil shal be able to bende against him shal be nothing And this is it that Saint Paule teacheth vs If God be with vs who shal be against vs Not that we shall not haue many things against vs albeit that God bee the keeper of our life but notwithstanding wee may boaste our selues agaynst all our enemies and against all that the Deuil shal deuise against vs so that God be fauourable vntoo vs So that it is not without cause that this worde is couched in to take away al feare when he saith I am with thee Feare not therefore Now altogether like as we are taught to rest our selues vppon the onely goodnesse of God and in his fatherly fauour so contrariwise we haue to marke that without it we are alwayes as a people that are euen sowning And this also is that we haue touched erewhile to witte that if God doo not testifie vnto vs the loue that he beareth vs though we shuld be in an earthly paradise we should bee in a hell and contrariwise though we vvere in some hell that is to say in some gulffe so that we feele that God is mercifull vnto vs and that in the ende hee wil take pitie vpon vs and that wee bee assured of his ayde an hell will alwayes fall out too bee a paradise And this is the thing we haue to obserue in this place That when a man knoweth not howe it standeth with him in respect of God that is to say hee can not assure him selfe that God beareth a fatherly affection vnto him he must needes tremble and be alwayes shaken on euery side and haue manie prickes to vexe and torment him without knowing any cause why and that very ofte he shal be in great perplexitie Loe then in what case the vnbeleeuers are not that they are not bolde ynough yea euen to despite God For it seemeth too them that they are escaped his hand that if he should thunder from heauen that he can not touch them The wicked then and those that are contemners of God will in deede be so far bold in their pride but notwithstanding God giueth them prickes within so that they haue as a man woulde say blinde assaults that they know not from whence they come and neuerthelesse it is God that maketh warre against them with their owne vnbeliefe And this is the reward of all those that rest not only in God and knowe not that all our safetie all our ioye and felicitie is to be in his keping All they therefore that presume of their ovvne strength and vertues all they that so occupie their mindes in these earthly creatures they must in the ende be payde home with their owne foolish presumption bicause they haue not giuen vnto God that honor that belongeth vnto him that is they must find thēselues as poore sowning people And therfore let
vs learne albeit that God giue vs our desires and all the pleasures that are possible to bee wished for that we doo not in such sorte reste vppon them that we turne away from him but rather let vs learne too keepe our selues in that fauor and testimonie that we haue that in that hee hath adopted vs for his children he will alwayes shew him selfe a father towardes vs When then wee shall bee thus thorowly perswaded it is certaine that wee shall ouercome all feares but contrariwise when we shall imagine too be assured without the protection of God it must needes be that hee shewe vs what our follie and ouerweening is And this brieflie is that wee haue too beare awaye in this place And so let vs ioyne these two thinges togyther as inseparable and not to be sundred That GOD is with vs and that wee are well assured agaynst all euill For if hee bee farre from vs Alas we are more then miserable albeit we were in a paradise as I haue sayde alreadie but when hee is with vs though wee walke in the shadowe and darknesse of death and that it seemes wee must perishe euery minute of an howre yet vve leaue not of too comfort oure selues knowing vvell that death shall be turned to vs into lyfe that al shall fall out to our saluatiō Againe vvee haue too note this that hee sayeth That hee is the God of Abraham For by this vvoord hee calleth too Isaacks remembrance all the promises the which hee had learned of his father If hee had not bene instructed and that Abraham had not done his dutie too saye vnto him My Sonne GOD hath giuen mee this priuiledge aboue all men that hee hath declared vnto mee and sayde vnto me that my stocke shall be as his heritage and that hee will blesse vs and we shal be separated and sanctified from all the rest of the world but yet marke howe it behooueth vs too woorship him marke howe wee must call vppon him See howe wee must serue him If therefore Abraham had not faythfully taught his sonne Isaack this woorde should haue bene of no force I am the God of Abraham and in deed it had imported nothing but superstition And so let vs marke well that by this word God would giue a cōfirmatiō to Isaack of that whiche he had learned before of his father The Papistes make a buckler of this whē they wil keepe themselues to their filthinesses errors For they haue that from other fathers ancestors which they followe they haue not inuēted it at this day it seemeth therfore vnto thē that this is ynough to beate backe yea euen whatsoeuer god himself hath shewed by his word so that they follow their fathers elders Well but whē god is named the God of Abrahā he presupposed this one thing to wit that Abrahā had a faith ruled by the doctrine which had bin taught him And wherefore is it that he nameth not him self the god of Nachor And why is it that hee calleth not him selfe the God of Thare For this had bene somewhat more The Papistes will not say It is an hundred yeeres since that that which we call the seruice of God amongst vs was vsed amongest men but they will saye What There is a thousande yeeres since the worlde was so gouerned Loe then them selues in possession to despite God as seemeth vnto them when they alledge a thousand yeares Nowe then if the question were simply of Antiquitie he must haue said I am thy god of Thare and of Nachor or rather hee must haue gone further vntill he had come to those that went before But there is no question of speaking in that sorte God had called Abraham and Abraham was dead of late the others had bin a great deale more auncient what distinction shall wee make heere wee muste not forge it according too our owne braine but we must looke vnto that marke whervnto God would direct Isaack There is no doubt but this was bicause Abraham as we haue sayde alreadie had a full certaintie of faith that he had not an opinion onely as had the rest of the world to saye I imagine so I thinke so but he was fully certified that God had spoken vnto him Lo then in what respect and for what cause it is now said I am the God of Abraham thy father And so let vs wel marke what fathers we ought to follow that we be not deceiued therin For if our fathers had byn duely taught and that they had bene framed vnto the trueth of God it had nowe bene a good helpe vnto our faith For when vvee haue guides too shewe vs the way this is much to our aduantage and we ought not to despise it but if wee haue had fathers who were not the children of God wherevppon all paternitie and parentage dependeth as Saint Paule sayeth then must wee shut our eyes For when God hath not his soueraigne degree of being the father and euery thing be not referred to him then woe vpon al parentages and bondes which we shal haue in this world for they are so many nettes of Sathan So let vs marke wel that as it is said in this place that God is the God of Abrahā Isaacks father so it is saide on the contrarie by the Prophet Ezechiel Walke not in the rightuousnes of your fathers And why so These fathers followed not Abrahās steppes but departed therefrom and therefore they were no longer worthy of so honourable a title of fathers forasmuch as they were not at a very woord the children of god And so let vs feare least that be spoken vnto vs that S. Stephen hath spoken Ye vncircumcised of heart ye haue alwayes resisted God and his holy spirit as did your fathers also But if there were any ignorance or rebellion in our fathers let vs forsake it to the end wholly to resigne vp our selues too our heauenly father and notwithstanding whereas the Papists crie The fathers fathers let vs learne to discerne and let vs not bee beastes as they are too take oure fathers from some stewes as they take all those for their fathers who haue peruerted and corrupted the simplicitie both of the Lawe and the Gospell too witte these Dottards and rabble of Friars and Monkes who haue beene the falsifiers of the holy Scripture To the ende therfore we be not in such wise bereued and spoyled of our senses let vs know that our fathers must be the children of God of whome dependeth all parentage as wee haue alleadged out of S. Paule Loe then shortly what we haue to learne out of this place that is to say that Isaack was admonished to acknowledge and call to his remembrance whatsoeuer hee had learned before and that this was for too confirme his faith when GOD sayde that hee had manifested him selfe vnto his father Abraham And nowe at this daye wee haue too put this doctrine in practise as often as wee shall haue neede
profite and oftentimes they weene to blesse and they cursse And wherefore Because it must needes be that the vengeaunce of God be prepared for all contemners The Gospel is preached to the end we might find God merciful to vs al but there are many that through their contempt and ingratitude heape vpon themselues their owne damnation For the gospel shal be vnto them a sauour of death vnto death as Saint Paule saith that is to say a deadly sauour that only the breath shall be inough to swallowe them vp as we see yet at this day that God worketh by the ministers of his vvord that some are altogither blinde other are blinde in parte For the hyerlings of whome we haue spoken they are altogither blockishe and knowe nothing But the good and faithfull Ministers although it so bee that they knowe that they haue their eyes dimme yet they are ignorant howe God wil make their labour to profite or in what sort and oftentimes their purpose is quite ouerthrowen This then is that we haue too learne And in the meane tyme seing god hath declared vnto vs that his vvord is the opē way to the heauenly life and that he wil ratifie al that which shal bee pronounced heere by men in his name let vs keepe vs too that and not doubte whatsoeuer want shal bee in vs aswell concerning him that speaketh as him that heareth that yet neuertheles when we shal receiue this word by faith it shal be faithfully in trueth handled vnto vs we shal be partakers of this blessing And herein wee may see the beastlinesse of al those false wretches of the papacie for marke whervpon they haue founded that Idol which they haue to make a god of a morcel of bread they say if a Priest haue no intentiō to consecrate it is nothing in that the bread is turned into god it is by the intētiō of him which cosecrateth ▪ so as they must be Idolaters in all their Masses I speake of their owne doctrine if they make not this condition For what know wee say they whether the Priest which consecrateth doth his busines as hee ought whether his minde bee vpon his kitchin or chābermaid for in so dooing the bread remaineth bread there is no GOD and why so For say they if his intentiō be not there it is nothing But it is very true that they shevve very vvel how one errour draweth another for bicause it seemeth to them that there is a chaunge made of the bread into the substance of our Lord Iesus Christe for which they haue inuented that same charme they adde straight way the intention but notwithstanding we see that they knowe nothing of the nature of the Sacramentes I leaue nowe to speake of this conuersion which they imagine cal trāsubstantiation but if he that ministreth the sacrament hath this charge and calling holde the people bound to his intention what shall this be A wicked man that shal baptise he may mock God and by this meanes quite make frustrate the sacrament and after when he shall minister the sacrament of the Supper the poore people shall therin be mocked who come thither to seeke a pledge of their saluation he therein manifestly despiteth god To be short they must holde the power of God which he most notably setteth foorth in the sacraments shut vp in their fist And what a blasphemy is this how detestable But see how far they are come For it is certain that in the Masse if they had an Angell there yet it shoulde neuer cease to be a diuelish thing but cōtrariwise if there were a deuil in the supper which is ministred yet it could not let God from accōplishing his work We must not looke to the woorthynessse of him which giueth the bread or the wine in the supper But God hath so instructed vs therin that he hath giuen power to the visible signe It is he that worketh by his holy spirit so as we bee not deceiued when we come thither but shall bee truely vnited and ioyned vnto him Loe then what we haue to beare away vpon this place too make our profite therof But now let vs come to the blessing which Isaack gaue After he had kissed his sonne he sayeth Loe the sauour of my sonne is at the sauour of a fielde which God hath blessed Albeit we see that he was deceiued yet vnder the sauour of this borrowed garment he accepteth Iacob his sonne as if he had beene his first borne Loe then how the sauour whereby we are accepted vnto God proceedeth from him which is the first borne in the house to wit from our Lord Iesus Christ Moreouer he addeth The Lord giue thee the dewe of Heauen and the fatnesse of the earth abundaunce of wheate and wine Heere at the first shew a man would iudge that this blessinge imported nothinge but that Iacob should be fat and well nourished For Isaack mentioneth not here any spirituall giftes as wee haue shewed before that it was not for any earthly cōmodities nor for riches profite or pleasures that Iacob must be blessed How shal these things therfore be reconciled But we haue to holde this rule that is giuen vs in the holy Scriptures to wit that the grace of God was alwaies clothed as it were with some figures vntil that our lord Iesus Christ came For when the fathers would obtain pardon of their sinnes they had some beast slaine and the blood was shed sometime the fat was burned and the blood was sprinckled And could a brute beast I beseech you blotte out our sinnes whereof wee And in this respecte was the lande of Canaan as a pledge gage vnto them that God had appointed a better inheritaunce for them then in this worlde For they might haue returned too the coūtrie where they were borne which was more fertile then this of Iudaea as may appeare Marke Abraham and Isaack pinched with famine and if they had loked to nothing but to haue bin nourished heere vpon earth they woulde haue forsaken that lande of promise But they rested there And wherefore to inioy it after their death Of necessitie therefore muste they thinke of a more high thing then this visible earth and they muste take it in another respecte to say wee haue heere all that we can desire But they tooke the land of Canaan as a pledge that God gaue them vntil they shoulde come into the possession of that heauenly life So then when we see in this blessing of Iacob that he speaketh of the deaw of heauen and of the fat of the earth of abūdaunce of corne and wine it meaneth not that Isaack would onely pray for this that his sonne might be fed as an Hog in a sty and that he should be fatte and full heere beneath but he folowed the order that God had appointed at that time to witte that he did giue vnto them pledges of a thing that was much more excellent
our iudge that asking mercy in him wee may there finde it in him and that it be not onely to the ende that he enter not into accompt with vs to impute vnto vs our iniquities and offences but that by his holy spirite he wil purge vs and that wee may bee more and more reformed and that he awaken vs that wee be not obstinate in our faults but that wee thinke vppon all the corrections whereby he woulde drawe vs from the euill way wherein we haue strayed and that wee make such profite of all the aduertisementes which hee giueth vs that wee be not ashamed to bee condemned of him to the ende to obtayne mercie That not onely hee will shewe this fauour vnto vs but too all peoples and nations of the Earth c. The ende of these xiii Sermons concerning Iacob and Esau Rom. 9. O man who art thou that pleadest against God shall the thinge formed say to him that formed it why haste thou made me thus ¶ An Answeare to certaine slaunders and blasphemyes wherewith certaine euill disposed persons haue gone aboute to bring the doctrine of Gods euerlasting Predestination into hatred DEarely beloued brethren we must not be amased if the article of the euerlasting predestinatiō of God be so assaulted and fought against by Sathans mayntainers seeing it is the foūdation of our saluation and also serueth for the better magnifying of the free goodnesse of God towards vs On the other side those Dogs which bark against it thinking to haue a good and fauourable cause are therin more hardye as in very trueth there is nothinge more contrary to mans vnderstanding then to place the cause of our saluation in the good will of God in saying that it belongeth to him alone to chuse vs without finding of any thing in vs wherefore hee should choose vs and after hee hath chosen vs to giue vs faith through which we should be iustified But what In asmuch as he is not bound to the person it is good reason that he be left in his meere libertie to giue grace vnto whome he will and to leaue the rest in his perditiō But I deferre my self to intreate more largely of this matter because you maye haue large discourse thereof in those Bookes which are imprinted which ought too content you Concerning the writing which was scatered about to abolish this article of our faith in very truth it deserueth no answere being on the one side so ful of ignorāce beastlines that euery one ought easily to iudge thereof on the other side so ful of impudencie that it is a wonder how these troublecoasts shameles deceiuers abusing so vilainously the holy Scriptures should be hearkened vnto notwithstāding because I haue vnderstode that there are yet some simple weake ones that are trobled therwith I therfore thought good to take the payn to shew thē that wil shew themselues teachable how they ought to resolue themselues to the end they might be no more deceiued by these deceiuers In the firste place hee that hath made that writing were it Sebastian Chastalio or som such like to shew that God hath created all the world to be saued he alledgeth that he laboureth to draw vnto him all that went astray the whiche I confesse in respect of the doctrine of faith and repentaunce the which he propoundeth to all in generall be it to draw his elect vnto him or to make other inexcusable God then calleth euery one to repentance and promiseth all those that returne vnto him too receiue them to mercie But this meaneth not that he toucheth to the quick by his holy spirit al those to whom he speaketh as it is said by Isay in the 53. chapter His arme is not reuealed to al those that heare To which agreeth the sentēce of our lord Iesus Christ None can come vnto me except my father draw him And the holy scripture sheweth throughout that conuersion is a speciall gifte of god And in deede the place of Ezechiel whereof this troublecoast maketh his buckler very wel confirmeth my saying For the Prophet hauing saide that God wll not the death of a sinner addeth but rather will that hee returne and liue Whereby he signifieth that God biddeth and exhorteth all which are gone astray too returne to the right way But not that in deede he leadeth them all to himselfe by the power of his spirit The which hee promiseth not but to a certain nūber which appeareth aswel in the 31. chapter of Ieremie as in the 37. of Ezechiel and in the 11. and throughout the whole scripture The seconde reason of this wryting is that all menne are created too the image of GOD the which hee saieth not to haue beene abolished but onely subiected to euil As though it behooued man at aduenture to beleeue his simple saying But contrariwyse the Scripture sheweth that albeit there remain yet some trace of the image of God in vs yet that the whole is disfigured so as reason is blinde and the hearte peruerse wherfore by nature wee are wholly accursed Wee see therefore at the least that by the wil and decree of God we haue bin al subiect to euerlasting dānatiō through the fall of one man Concerning that which this troublecoaste addeth that if wee beleue we are deliuered through Christ by the power of the gospel of the holy ghost that serues for nothing but to confirme our doctrin For it behoueth that we alwayes come thither that none beleeue vnlesse those which are ordayned to saluation Acts 13. all the scripture is full therof Wherfore this is as much as if he should say that the elect of God are deliuered from that common damnation through faith The third article contayneth an horrible blasphemie that if God haue created men to dampne them his will and the Diuels is all one They that speake so shew playnly enough that they are altogither mockers of God and despysers of all religion It pleased God that Iob shoulde be robbed and spoyled to be shorte all that is there attributed to the Deuill and to those theeues and robbers it is sayde plainely that it came not too passe but by the good pleasure of god Muste wee therfore conclude that Gods wil and the Deuils are all one But they that knowe that the iudgementes of God are bottomlesse and shall haue once knowen their owne weakenesse will adore them with all reuerence and humilitie and know well too put a difference although that GOD willeth the same thing that the deuil doth yet that this is indeede in diuerse respectes And so that he deserueth alwayes to be acknowledged righteous although that his counsell be incomprehensible vnto vs. Afterwardes too abolishe the Election of GOD seeming as though he woulde confesse it he answereth that God hath not cteated nor predestinated any man not to beleeue seeing he calleth euery one Wherein hee shewed that hee neuer yet learned the ABC of Christians seeing he knoweth not
how to distinguish betwene the outward preaching which is done by the mouth of men the secret calling of God whereby he toucheth the hartes within Now when it is cōmaunded in the last of Marke to preach the Gospell too all this importeth not that God therfore worketh in all by the power of his spirit and when it is said in the second Chapter of the first too Timothie that God would all men to be saued the solution is added by and by that come too the knowledge of his trueth Wherefore then is it that he him selfe would not at that present time that the gospel should be preached to all so farre of is it that he hath enlightened all the world in the faith It is maruelous that this shameles forhead is not ashamed too alledge for him self the 10. to the Romanes where the text expressely setteth forth that all beleeue not the Gospel because that Isay saith that the arme of the Lord is not reuealed to all Also the 6. chap. of S. Iohn where Iesus Christe expressely pronounceth that all that are giuen him of his father come vnto him And touching that that he saith that all shal be taught of God it is a speciall promise made to the Church as also the Lord Iesus Christ was a faithfull expositour therof saying He therefore that hath heard and learned of my father shall come vnto me Whereby he sheweth that all are not inwardly called According as a little after also hee confirmeth the same Therefore I haue said vnto you that none can come vnto mee vnlesse it be giuen him from God my father Notwithstanding this Rustick imagineth he hath well escaped hauing spoken a word of predestinatiō without making any semblance of the text so expressely set foorth wher it is said that God wil haue mercie vpon him on whō he wil haue mercy that our saluation is of the same mercy not of the willer nor of the runner and that before the two twinne◠were borne whē they had neither done good nor euill to the end the purpose of his electiō might stād sure he had chosen the one reiected the other Also whē we beleue that this proceedeth of that that God hath chosen vs Therevpon it foloweth that the rest of the world remaineth blinde But because it would be to long to alledge all consider those places whiche are gathered in a little booke that our brother master Beza hath made thereof and you shal be fully satisfied therein To shew that the hardening of Pharao proceded not of God he alledgeth that which is said in the third and fourth of Exod. I haue commanded thee to let my people depart and thou wouldest not But it foloweth not therevpon that God had not ordeyned Pharao to be glorified in his obstinacie hardnes as he protesteth Exodus 9. chapter And Saint Paule alledgeth it in this sense in the 9. chapter to the Romaines This therefore is sottishly concluded of this impudent fellowe that our will is the first and chiefe cause of euill I confesse in deede that it is the neere cause and the true roote of our condemnation But too the ende a man may graunt him hee alledgeth the authoritie of Amerbachius who is a lawier and as skilfull a Diuine as a Poticarie is a good butcher Concerning Melancthon if this Rustike rested not him selfe vppon him as hee protesteth but vppon the Gospell howe prooueth hee by the Gospel that God hath not ordeyned of his creatures Touching that hee imputeth vnto vs that we put a fatall necessitie as the Stoikes doo it is a verie vilanous slaunder For the Stoikes they made god him selfe subiect to such necessities making a net of obscure causes wherein God was entangled But wee set the Lorde and maister in full libertie attributing the soueraigne Empire too his prouidence too dispose of all things Concerning that this Clowne babbleth of Free will it is sufficiently reiected throughout the whole Scripture For Freedome and bondage are contraries Nowe that wee are the seruauntes yea the slaues of sinne there needeth not that we aledge one place alone seeing the whole Scripture are full thereof Notwithstanding too gyue some colour too his errour hee alledgeth that Ierusalem woulde not receyue the grace of God yea as though this prooued Free will too choose good or euill You shall finde throughout all my bookes howe I haue taught that wee must not seeke the cause of our perdition any where else but in our selues and in our peruerse will. But it follovveth not that it is in vs too chaunge our will which is altogither giuen too euill You shall also finde that I haue taught that which this troublecoast setteth down here to put out the whole light to witte that our wil is the cause or meane to come to saluation Wherfote it nedeth not to alledge that Abraham beleued God that it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes For in very trueth it must needes bee that a man must accept the grace of god But the question is of knowing what is the first cause And this is the power of the holy ghost thorow which we are drawē to the obedience of god according as he hath chosen and adopted vs for his children before the foūdation of the world Nowe in this behalfe this vile dogge sheweth sufficiently ynough that he makes no accōpt of the holy scripture the which asmuch as lies in him he would abolish or tread vnder his feete For in going about to declare how Abrahā was saued by his wil he saith that this was of that wil which God had put in man creating him after his owne image Whereby he vtterly abolisheth the whole grace of the holy ghost and goeth beyonde not only the Papistes but also some of the Paynims in this impietie For the Papistes keepe such a measure in magnifying their Freewill that they confesse being corrupted and depraued wee can do nothing if God through his spirit supernaturall grace do not helpe driue and direct vs But concerning the holy scripture it sheweth vs that we shal alwaies be rebelles against God vntil that he shal haue chaunged renewed vs And loe why Moyses said to the people Deutero 29. that God had not yet giuen them an vnderstanding hart and seeing eyes And therfore to the ende hee might be obeied he saith that he would giue them a newe heart taking away that stonie heart Ieremie in the 31 Ezechiel in the 11. 37 S. Paule in the 2. to the Philipp that God giueth both too wil to performe And in the first of S. Iohn it is said that they which beleeue are not of the wil of flesh nor blood but renewed of god And S. Luke speaking of the woman sheweth wel how all are drawen vnto faith to wit that God openeth the heart to the end his word may be vnderstoode Now it is certaine that these things are not spokē of the cōmon order of nature And yet this