Rocke seeking to escape the dangerous Whirle-poole For an horrible Presumption it was of Pelagius to thinke that a man by Nature had such Power to choose Good and refuse Evill That hee needed not the Grace and helpe of GOD and a Desperate opinion is this of Others to say That the Predestination of GOD worketh all thinges in Man whether it bee Good or Evill And that a man cannot-choose but doe whatsoever hee doth For no doubt this Opinion maketh a very disordered Chaos and an utter Confusion of all thinges as it were mixing and thrusting together both Heaven Earth and Hell making one confused lumpe of GOD the Divell and the World of Sinne Grace and Nature turning all doings into Dreames all Truth into Traunces all Verity into Fables all Prayer and Meditation into vaine Imagination For if GODS Predestination be the onely Cause of Adams fall and filthy Sinne and consequently the onely Cause and worker of all Evill yea even with compulsion and force as they shamefully and plainely affirme then will no man deny that on the other side GODS Predestination worketh as violently in all thinges that are Good So then if Gods Predestination worke All without all exception both in Evill and Good then all other thinges whatsoever they be although they appeare to worke and doe some thing yet doe they indeed utterly nothing So that the Divell doth nothing Man doth nothing Lawes doe nothing Doctrine dath nothing Prayer doth nothing But GODS Predestination doth altogether and is the efficient Cause yea and the onely cause of all Thinges Against this Opinion the Word of GOD is exceeding plaine and manifest not onely in the places before rehearsed but also in these following here briefly noted in the Margine yea and abundantly throughout the whole Scripture Against this evill opinion also doe All the ancient Doctors with one consent vehemently write as they themselves cannot deny except onely Augustine which because of his exceeding obscurity and darknesse in divers places liee is often alledged of both parts Also against this opinion writeth earnestly Phillip Melanchton the chiefest and best learned of all the Germans In like manner doth Bullinger the chiefest and most excellent of all the Switzers The same doth also Erasmus Sarcerius and many other of the best learned Protestants whose sayings were profitable beere to rehearse but that their Iudgement in this matter is well knowne to all the Learned and my determination is at this present rather briefly and simply to declare what part of Doctrine I and many other mistike than with long discourses and many Authorities to disproove the same Wherefore to conclude Take this one Note in this matter of Cannot choose or of Necessity both for the better understanding of the thing it selfe and also of those which write thereupon They commonly speake of two kindes of Necessitie The One is of Necessity absolute and the other of Necessity of consequence or Meere necessitie and necessity upon Condition Which division all Learned and good Authors doe use and it is very profitable to be considered For touching the One there is neyther Reason Law Counsell or Doctrine neyther Faire promise nor Sharpe threatning nor any other thing whatsoever it bee which may hâ—lpe or kinder adde or take away hurt or profit wherefore there is never any of all the aforesayd wayes or meanes used in any of all those thinges which came to passe by Absolute necessitie As for Example It is of meere Necessity that the Divell is and ever shall be Damned That the Soule of man shall be Everlasting and not come to an End like to the Life of Beasts nor the life of Beasts bee Immortall as the soule of Man and such like Wherein it were more than madnesse to endeavour eyther by Reason Law or Counsell or any other way whatsoever it were to alter change with-stand or remove any of those thinges seeing of Meere necessity they must needes bee so and cannot be altered For as Augustine sayth Omne enim quod prohibetur ideo prohibetur ne quia potest fieri fiat Si autem Fati esset non posset fieri neque prohiberetur Whatsoever is forbidden sayth AVGVSTINE therefore it is forbidden because it might be done and yet ought not to bee done But if it were of Destinie then could it not be done nor should not be forbidden These wordes of Augustine being few containe much matter if they be truly weighed Now to the necessity of Consequence or necessity of Condition whereof Melancthon sayth Neque enim haec consequentia libertatem voluntatis tollit Neyther doth this Consequence take away the liberty of the will And this necessity is not-repugnant to diligence Prayer Lawes or Doctrine For therefore that I may use againe the words of AVGVSTINE things are forbidden to bee done because they might be done but ought not to be done And this necessity groweth upon former causes granted or wrought As it is of necessity or needs must bee that Sects and Heresies shall grow in the Church because the wicked seeke their owne glory and Sathan stirreth their hearts to imagine and set forth abominable Errors wherein they serve the Devill with all the diligence of their power Wherefore it must follow that Sects and Heresies shall grow Neither doth This necessity proove that they could-not-chuse but commit such Evills But seeing they doe refuse the Light and embrace the Darknesse this must necessarily follow this must needs be the end that Heresie and much mischiefe shall spring or As when a man Presently beholdeth with his eyes Murther Theft Drunkennesse or any other wickednesse it must needs be true that such things are committed according to that which a man doth see plainely before his eyes Yet doth not follow that those wicked doers could-not-chuse but commit those outragious Crimes but seeing that they doe commit such things it must needs be true by the necessity of Consequence that such things are committed of them These two kinds of necessity doth AVGVSTINE notably declare how and in what sort they spring out of GODS Predestination First of all faith AVGVSTINE it is horrible iniquity to say that GOD doth Predestinate any thing saving onely that which is good But of Predestinations some be of binding or of bondage and others be of condition These are of Iustice and Those of Power And that it may be the more manifest it shall be declared saith he by Example which are of binding and Power and which are of condition and Iustice GOD created Heaven and Earth and Sunne and Moone Further he did Fore-ordaine or Predestinate that the Heaven should ever bee turned and the immovable Earth should be in place of a Center unto the turning heaven The Sunne and Moone should rule the day and Night the day and night should succeede one another in certaine times appointed These Predestinations are of power and of binding for Every one of these things aforesaid is so bound unto his worke by the
reason desireth not onely to live iustly in this world but also to live for ever in eternall felicity without end and that commeth by the similitude of God which yet remaineth in the soule after the sinne of Adam Whereby we see plainely that those excuses of ignorance be damnable when man seeth hee could doe well if he followed the iudgement of his owne conscience So that we see that the law of God is eyther outwardly or inwardly or both wayes opened unto man and by Gods grace yee might doe the good and leaue the evill if it were not of malice and accustomed doing of sinne The which excuseth the mercy and goodnesse of God and maketh that no man shall be excused in the latter judgement how subtilly soever they now excuse the matter and put their evill doings from them and lay it uppon the predestination of GOD and would excuse it by ignorance or say he cannot be good because he is otherwise destinied This Stoicall opinion reprehended Horace No man is so cruell saith he but may waxe meeke so that he give a willing care to Discipline Although thou canst not come to so farre knowledge in the Scripture as other that beleeved by reason thou art unlearned or else thy vocation will not suffer thee all dayes of thy life to be a student yet maiest thou know and upon paine of damnation art bound to know the Articles of thy faith to know God in Christ and the holy Catholike Church by the word of God written the tenne Commandements to know what workes thou shouldest doe and what to leave undone the Pater Noster Christs prayer which is an abridgement epitome or compendious collection of all the Psalmes and prayers written in the whole Scripture In the which thou prayest for the remission of sinne as well for thy selfe as for all other desirest the grace of the holy Ghost to preserve thee in vertue givest thankes for the goodnesse of God towards thee and all other Hee that knoweth lesse than this cannot be saved and he that knoweth no more than this if hee follow his knowledge cannot be damned There be two common verses that all men in manner know and doubtlesse worthy that teach us that to know Christ though we know no more is sufficient That is to say To be ignorant is to know many things without Christ If thou know Christ well it is sufficient though thou be ignorant of all other things Thus farre the Iudgement of B. HOOPER THE IVDGEMENT OF B. LATIMER B. LATIMER Sermons Part. 3. Fol. 213. In his Sermon upon Septuagesima MVlti sunt vocati pauci verò Electi That is Many are called and few are chosen These wordes of our Saviours are very hard to understand and therefore it is not good to bee too Curious in them as some vaine fellowes doe who seeking Carnall liberty pervert tosse and turne the Word of GOD after their owne mind and purpose Such I say when they reade these wordes make theyr Reckoning thus saying What need I to mortifie my body with abstaining from all sinne and wickedneis I perceive God hath Chosen some and some are reiected now if I bee in the number of the Chosen I cannot be Damned But if I bee accompted among the condemned number then I cannot be Saved For GODS Iudgements are immutable Such foolish and wicked reasons some have which bringeth them eyther to Desperation or else to carnall Liberty Therefore it is as needfull to beware of such reasons or Expositions of the Scriptures as it is to beware of the Divell himselfe But if thou art desirous to know whether thou art chosen to Everlasting life Thou mayest not begin with God for God is too high thou canst not comprehend him the Iudgements of God are unknowne to Man therefore thou mayest not begin there But begin with Christ and learne to know Christ and wherefore that hee came namely that hee came to save Sinners and made himselfe a Subiect to the Law and a fulfiller of the same to deliver us from the wrath and danger thereof and therefore was Crucified for our Sinnes and rose againe to shew and teach us the way to Heaven and by his Resurrection to teach us to arise from sinne So also his Resurrection teacheth and admonisheth us of the generall Resurrection Hee sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us and giveth us the Holy Ghost that comforteth and strengthneth our Faith and daily assureth us of our Salvation Consider I say Christ and his comming and then begin to try thy selfe whether thou art in the booke of life or not If thou findest thy selfe in Christ then thou art sure of everlasting life If thou be without him then thou art in evill case For it is written Nemo venit ad patrem nisi per me that is No man commeth unto the Father but through me Therefore if thou knowest Christ then thou mayest know further of thy Election But when we are about this matter and Troubled within our selves whether we be elect or no wee must ever have this Maxime or principall Rule before our eyes namely that GOD beareth a good will towards vs. God loveth us God beareth a fatherly heart towards us But you will say how shall I know that or how shall I beleeve that We may know Gods will towards us through Christ God hath opened himselfe unto us by his Sonne Christ. For so saith Iohn the Evangelist Filius qui est in sinu Patris ipse revelavit that is The Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed Therefore we may perceive his good will and love towards us hee hath sent the same his Sonne into this world which hath suffered most painefull death for us Shall I now thinke that God hateth me or shall I doubt of his love towards me Here you see how you shall avoyd the scrupulous and most dangerous question of the Predestination of God For if thou wilt inquire his counsayles and enter into his consistory thy wit will deceive thee for thou shalt not be able to search the counsailes of God But if thou beginne with Christ and consider his comming into the world and doest beleeve that God hath sent him for thy sake to suffer for thee and to deliver thee from sinnz death the Devill and Hell Then when thou art so armed with the knowledge of Christ then I say this simple question cannot hurt thee for thou art in the booke of life which is Christ himselfe Also wee learne by this sentence Multi sunt vocati That many are called c. That the Preaching of the Gospell is universall that it appertaineth to All mankind that it is written In omnem terram exivit sonus corum Through the whole earth their sound is heard Now seeing that the Gospell is universall it appeareth that hee would have all Mankind saved and that the fault is not in him
his pleasure is Let them say therefore what they can or will This meere Necessitie which our Men doe â—each is the very Same which the Stoickes did hold Which opinion because it destroyed the State of a Common-wealth It was banished out of Rome as St. Augustine declareth Lib. Quast vet Nov. Testam Where Hee notably refelleth that Opinion in these few words saying Quâ ratione Nati dicuntur c. By what reason saith Augustine were they borne which banished MATHEMATICOS the setters forth of Destinie out of Rome 〈◊〉 Which law was kept and they were but Heathen How were these Things done by Destinie which make against Destinie But surely if there bee a Destinie it doth nothing against It selfe saith St. Augustine For so were Destinie no Destinie Of at the least Destinie fighting against it selfe Or to speake the Same in those words which Our Men by abuse taken out of Scripture to maintaine the very same Matter If it bee GODS Predestination that men should write and speake against his Predestination as they say some doe Then is GODS Predestination a Kingdome not onely divided but also fiercely Fighting against it selfe O miserable Absurdity which any Child may perceive must needs follow If All thinges come to passe with absolute Necessitie by GODS Predestination as They teach This same Doctrine also That all 〈◊〉 springeth out of GODâ— ordinance Or that Gods Predestination was the Cause of 〈◊〉 fall and of All wickednesse is plainly maintained in an English Booke laâ—ely set forth and 〈…〉 led Against a Prâ—vie Papist c. Where among many Open and plaine Sentences upon this matter I finde an Argument made in these wordes Major Whatsoever 〈◊〉 in Adam was in Him by Gods will and Ordinance Minor But Sinne was in Adam Conclusio Ergo Sinne was in Him by Gods will and Ordinance The Maior of which Argument being understood of Adam after his â—all is manifestly false and therefore the Conclusion also is false For if it may be said of Ad 〈…〉 〈…〉 fter his Fall as by the Minor you well perceive that he so understands it Then may it also bee sayd â—ow of any Man That what execrable wickednesse soever is in Any man that same is in him by GODS Will and Ordinance Hee goeth about also to proove the same by another Argument which hee maketh speaking of the lying Spirit saying Major God commanded him to Sinne Minor But God commanded nothing which hee ordayned not Conclusio Ergo So hee ordayned him to Sinne. Which argument it is 〈…〉 vayle that Any man could be so Blinde is not to see how it might with much more Strength and Force and much more manifest Trueth be Turned against Himselfe in This sort speaking of Adam yea and of all men saying Major God commanded Adam and doth command all men to Absteyne from Sinne. Minor But He commandeth Nothing which Hee ordaineth not Conclusio Ergo God Ordained Adam and all men to absteyne from Sinne. If GOD then Ordained ADAM and all men to absteyne from Sinne Then did He not Ordeyne Adam or any man to commit Sin So was not Sinne in Adam or in any man by Gods will and Ordinance Not GODS Ordinance the Cause of Adams Fall or of any Mans Sinne. And Therefore Their Opinion is vtterly False Also if GOD in his SECRET COVNSELL doe predestinate appoint and ordaine man to Sinne and yet give unto Him a strict law and commandement Not to sinne is not then His SECRET WILL contrary to his Open WORD And his Eternall Ordinance repugnant to his WRITTEN LAW All Their Faire words and Fine framed fetches cannot avoide it Yet would I further aske them a Question Seeing it is the Decree Ordinance and Will of GOD expressed in his word That man should not sinne How crept they into That SECRET COVNSELL where God Ordained Decreed and Willed the Contrarie That is to say That man should Sinne But I heare their Answere already published in Print standing in the Third leafe and second page of the First Blast of that Traiterous Trumpet set forth against the REGIMENT of weomen Where fol. 2. pag. 2. he briefely and covertly toucheth this Close and Privie Counsell of God in these words The SECRET COVNSELL of God excepted But in fol. 3. pag. 2. he saith I am assured than God hath Reveiled to some in this our Age that it is More than a Monster in Nature That a WOMAN shall Reigne and have Empire above Man This may be the Apocalyps of some men in Our Age But sure I am it is not in the Revelation of St. Iohn the Evangelist nor of Any Other old Apostle or Prophet THESE NEW REVELATIONS which are reveyled to Men of our Age out of a SECRET COVNSELL Decree and Ordinance of God CONTRARY to the OPEN word and commandement of God are meete for Those which delight in Damnable Dreames of some doating Destinie and may well bee called the Inspirations of old Arians Revelations of blind Anabaptists or un-written Verities of Superstitious Papists rather than the secret Counsell of GOD revealed to Men of our Age. But to conclude That Angell or Spirit which contrary to the manifest WORD of GOD hath revealed unto Men of our age that a WOMAN being Right Inheritour to the Crowne of a Realme ought not to bee Ruler thereof That same Spirit and Angell of Darknesse hath Revealed unto Men of our Age that Caine was Predestinate to Murther his Brother Abel and that the most wicked Traytors Murtherers and Theeves that live are Ordayned of GOD in his SECRET Counsell contrary to his Open Word to bee wicked even as they are and to commit such Murther Theft and Treason even as they doe The same Conclusion and New Revelation is also plainly set foorth in the other late-printed English Booke before Named translated out of French into English Where anon after the Beginning speaking of GODS Will he saith By vertue whereof All thinges are Made yea even those Thinges which are Evill and Execrable Yet when hee hath plainly affirmed that by vertue of GODS Will evill and execrable Thinges are made lest the Horrible face of Sathan should be perceived in the Burning flame of Those terrible Wordes The matter is afterwards trimly covered with a cloake of unsavorie Subtiltie For hee declareth his mind to be That those evill and execrable Thinges which are wrought by the vertue of GODS will are not Evill and Execrable Sc. In That they are wrought by his Divine Counsell As if hee should say Though they bee indeed Evill and execrable thinges which the Counsell of GOD worketh yet are they not Evill in that respect or Therefore evill because GOD worketh Them But for as much saith hee as They proceed from the Prince of the Ayre c. Or to speake it in more usuall termes because the Divell or wicked Men doe worke It which neverthelesse as they plainly hold and affirme are but the Instruments of GOD appointed thereunto and in doing the
Scriptures plainly condemned But to make the Latter part of this Errour more Plaine it was Necessary and thought good of St. Augustine to rehearse the First againe That by the comparison of Condemnation in ADAM and Redemption in CHRIST it might the more plainly bee perceived that Christ was not inferiour to Adam nor Grace inferiour to Sinne And that as All the generation of Man is condemned in Adam so is All the generation of Man redeemed in Christ And as generall a Saviour is Christ by Redemption as Adam is a Condemner by Transgression Which comparison is taken out of St. Paul his Epistle to the Romanes where hee saith Likewise then 〈◊〉 by the Sinne of ONE Condemnation came upon All men even so by the Iustifying of ONE commeth the Righteousnesse which bringeth Life uppon All men Yet sâ—all not All men bee Condemned by Adam Eternally For there is ordained of GOD againe a way to Life which way is Christ. Neyther shall All be eternally saved by Christ For there is of GOD declared a way againe unto Death which way is Sinne and the wilfull Consempt of GODS Mercy in CHRIST But this appeareth to bee oaâ— of Pelagius's damnable Errours That Christ was not a generall Saviour That Christ offered not â—p the Sacrifice of Redemption for All the whole World Contrary to the manifest Scripture which saith Hee it is that obtayned Grace for our sinnes and not for our Sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world The same is also manifestly declared in these Scriptures following and many other Iohn 1. a. b. f. and 12. g. Rom. 5. d. 1. Cor. 8. d. 2. Cor. 5. c. Heb. 2. c. and 2. Pet. 2. a. And heere it is worthy to bee noted againe how iustly this Errour of Pelagius reboundeth againe into the Bosomes of those which so falsely accuse Others to be guilty of the Pelagian Errours Be indifferent dearely Beloved in the Lord I beseech thee and weigh the matter as it is I desire No more The Fift of Pelagius Errours was That Râ—â—h men being baptised except they did vtterly renâ—â—nce and for sake all their Riches Though they seemed to doe some good Yet it is not Acceped neyther can they have the kingdome of God A filthy and Abominable Errour directly repugnant both to the State of a Common wealth and also to the word of God which â—aith Charge them that be Rich in this world that they bee not exceeding wise c. and that they dâ—e good and bee râ—â—h in good workes c. The Sixt Errour is That the grace of GOD and the Helpe of God is not given to euery One of our workes but that it is in Free choyce or by the law and 〈◊〉 Doctrine This Errour is exceeding wicked and execrable That Man by the law by Doctrine or by Free choyce is able to doe any Manner of good worke whatsoever it be without the Grace and Helpe of God For as St. Paul saith Wee are not sufficient of our selves to Thinke Any thing as of our selves but our Ablenesse commeth of God And Againe It is God that worketh in us both the Will and Deed even of his good will The seuenth Errour is That the Grace of God is given according vnto our Deserving Vile and Abominable is this Errour Also and Contrary to the Manifest Mind and words of the Apostle which saith If it bee of workes then it is no more of Grace For then were Deserving no more Deserving The eight Errour is That None can bee called the Children of God except they are altogether made without sinne This Errour is alike-wicked with the rest directly repugnant to the open Scripture where it is written If we say we haue no sinne we deceive our selves and the Trueth is not in us For as St. Iames saith of Himselfe and of all others In many things we sinne All. The Ninth Errour is That there is no Free Choyce if so be a Man have need of Gods Helpe Seeing it is in a Man 's owne will to Doe a thing or Not to Doe it This was also the wicked opinion of Pelagius That if it be granted that a Man hath need of Gods Helpe then it must needs follow saith Pelagius that Hee hath no Choyce in Doing of things but whatsoeuer a Man doth that must Hee needs doe and cannot Choose but Doe This is the Devils onely way above all other to leade men to Destruction not to suffer them to walke in the plaine-path of the Lord but to Turâ—e them to some Extremity eyther on the left hand or else on the Right eyther into the wide way of Lewd Liberty or into the Blind path of crooked Superstition eyther to seeke Iustification by Deserving of workes or by an Onely-Faith not-mighty in Love by Operation Such like Extremity doth the Devill use in this point of Doctrine Driving Men eyther into the Doating Dreames of Destinie or into the Absolute Free will of Papistrie eyther Affirming All things So to be Ordayned of God that whatsoever a Man doth bee it Good or Evill He must Needs and cannot choose but of Meere Necessity by the Ordinance of God Commit the same or else affirming that Man by Free-will or Naturall strength can doe the will of God and walke in his lawes without the Continuall helpe and Grace of God which two Extremities St. Augustine doth very plainly Condemne in these words following Liberâ—m sic confitemur arbitriuÌ„ vt Dicamus Nos semper Deâ— indigere auxilio tà m Illos errare qui cum Manichaeo dicunt Hominem peccatuÌ„ vitare non posse quam Illos qui Cum Ioviniano asserunt Hominem non posse peccare We doe sayth Hee So confesse * Free Choicâ— That wee say A Man hath alwayes Need of the helpe of GOD And That as well they erre which say with Manichaeus that a man Can not escheâ— Sinne as also They which say with Iovinian that a Man can not Commit sinne Thus saith St. Augustine To conclude therefore This is Numbred among the wicked Errours of Pelagius That if a Man have Free Choice then He hath no Need of the â—race or Helpe of God Contrary to the Manifest and open Scripture which saith by the Mouth of St. Paul I c 〈…〉 doe All things by the Helpe of Christ which strengthneth mee And Esdraâ— saith They that have abhorred my law while they had yet Freedome and Open roome of Amendment and Conversion and vnderstood Not but despised it The same must know it after Death in paine And heere yet once againe I desire Thee to Marke who they are which with Pelagius fall into this Extremity to asfirme That if a Man have Free Choice Then he hath no Need of Gods Helpe or if hee have Need of Gods helpe Then Hee hath no Free Choice at all And who they are which on the other Side with St. Austin against Pelagius doe
not onely the Papist against whom Hee pretendeth there to write but Namely all Those that say GOD Hath not predestinate any Manto commit Murther or such-like wicked Abhomination These They call FREE-Will-Men These They call Pelagians Indeed Such as So maintaine Free-will That a Man by Free-will without the Grace and Helpe of GOD may absteine from Evill or doe Good As the blind Papists doe and as before is proved that Pelagius did hold or as before rehearsed William Samuel saith That men may Deserve God Those I say might worthily bee called Pelagians because They hold eyther All or Some part of His Errours But Those which Teach that all Murthâ— and Mischiefe springeth out of GODS Fredestination or That Any Man-slayer is predestinate of GOD to kill his Neighbour or any Adulterer to lye with his Neighbours wife or any Traitor predestinate of God to Conspire against his Prince or any Rebell to Rise against his Soveraigne as These men most plainely affirme They hold in this poynt the Error of the Manicheans Which was as yee heard before by the words of Saint Augustine Hominem peccatum vitare non posse That a Man cannot eschew Evill or cannot choose but commit sinne These Men I say which affirme That Cain was predestinate to murther his Innocent Brother Abel and as in the same Booke and same Article also he saith that The most wicked Persons that have beene were of GOD Appointed to be Wicked even as They were They hold the Errour both of the Stoicks and also of the Maniâ—heans That is to say as AVGVSTINâ— declareth That evill hath his Originall of Gods Ordinance and not of mans Free-will For if Murtherers Adulterers Theeves Traytors and Rebels be of GOD Predestinate and Appointed to be Wicked even as they are and cannot choose but of meere Necessity by the Ordinance of GOD commit all such wickednesse even as they doe Then what is our life but a meere Destiny All our Doings Gods Ordinances and All our Imaginations Branches of Gods Predestination And I doubt not but the Stoicks and Manichaeans would also Temper the matter with great Discretion of words as These men will say that wee must speake more Reverently of the Matter But seeing they plainely hold these Principles and when they see their Time speake plainely thereof Themselves as you may well perceive by that which hath beene already and shall yet more at large be rehearsed I see no cause why it should not of All men be plainly declared Againe if it be a Truth why should it not bee plainely spoken If it bee a Truth that Traytors are predestinate of GOD to Conspire the Destruction of their Princes and Rebels predestinate of God to make insurrection against their Soveraignes If I say it bee a Truth that GOD hath so Predestinate them and that They must of Necessitie and cannot choose but commit such wickednesse why should it not bee plainely spoken Except a man should bee ashamed to speake the Truth But in what Scripture is That written Or is it not rather written For thy life shame not to say the Truth And surely to say as it is I see not well How any man can speake more plainely in this matter than they themselves doe For what can bee more plainely spoken than that Gods Predestination is the onely cause of Adams Fall And That Cain was predestinate to slay his Brother And That God is both the principall Cause and also the Author of All things both on the One side and on the Other appointing all things to All men And whatsoever Ethnicks ascribed to Fortune that same wee ought to attribute unto the Providence of GOD And That that the most wicked persons that have beene were of GOD appointed to bee wicked even as they were And further in the same Booke and same Article hee sayth Yea I am sure that you will grant that if God doe Predestinate a man to doe things rashly and without any deliberation He shall not Deliberate at all but runne headlong upon it bee it Good or Evill that hee doth He makes also an argument after this sort saying Maior What soever God foreseeth and predestinateth must Necessarily come to passe for his Prescience and Predestination are infallible Minor But He Fore-seeth and Predestinateth all Things Conclusio Ergo. All things must come to passe of Necessitie The Minor of which Argument is apparantly false For Though GOD fore-seeth all Things yet doth hee not predestinate all things For His Fore-sight doth extend Both to Good and Evill But His Predestination is ONELY of things that bee Good As the Scriptures and all ancient Writers prove And here againe it is to bee noted also how plainely they make GOD the Author of Sinne. For if this Maior be True viz. That GOD doth not onely fore-see but also predestinate all things yea even Sinne and Evill As the fall of Adam the Murther of Cain and the wickednesse of all them that have beene most wicked Then may this Minor be truely annexed viz. That GOD is the Author of all that he predestinateth And so must this Conclusion needes follow viz. That GOD is the Author of all Sinne and Evill The First Part viz. That GDD predestinateth all Things Or all that hee Fore-seeth is a Proposition of their owne Assertion without any Ambiguity or doubtfull meaning The Second Part viz. That GOD is the Author of all that he predestinateth is My affirmation which is so True and Manifest that they have scarce any manner of Colour to Deny it For what is it to predestinate any thing But First to Purpose Decree Appoint and Ordaine it to bee done Now Hee which First Purposeth Decreeth Appointeth Ordaineth or Inventeth a Thing to be done is not Hee The Author of the same Or is not Hee rightly called Causa Origo Fons Radix Principium Author The Cause Originall Fountaine Roote Beginning or Author of the same He which first Purposeth Decreeth Appointeth and Ordaineth an Insurrection or Rebellion to be made against his Prince is not he to be Apprehended as the very Author of all the Sedition And worthily or Rightly so to be judged and called What man can bee so Ignorant as not to perceive it For all the world knoweth that for None other Cause One is sayd to bee the Author of any thing but onely for that eyther Hee is the first Inventor or else the first Purposer Appointer and Ordainer of the same And also whosoever is the first Inventor or else the first Ordainer of any Thing most properly Hee is said to bee the Author of the same Maior Now marke againe the Argument and see how the Conclusion followeth God Predestinateth All things yea even Sinne and Evill Minor And God is the Author of all that he predestinateth as hath beene plainely prooved Ergo. Conclusio He is the Author of Sinne. This must needs follow if the first Proposition be granted viz. That GOD predestinateth or ordaineth all things or All
that he Fore-seeth Wherefore the old Writers in Confutation of the Manichaeans laboured in nothing somuch as to prove that although God did fore-see all things Both good and evill yet did hee onely-Fore-see and Not Predestinate those things which are evill As by an Infinite Number of places out of the ancient Writers if shortnesse would suffer I could easily prove But one place of St. Augustine I will rehearse which doth not onely resolve clearly this matter Betweene Fore-sight and Fore-ordinance or betweene the Praescience and Predestination but also most plainely teacheth all that is to be said of Predestination Prosper rehearsing the words and defending the Opinion of Augustine where he prooveth that the Divell can scarce be called the Author of Sinne because it came of Mans owne Will and asketh by what Madnesse and Frensie Men doe attribute that unto God which canot be altogether ascribed to the Divell at the last hee concludeth with these words of AVGVSTINE Nihil ergo Talium Negotiorum Deus praedestinavit ut fieret Nec illam animam nequiter turpiterque victuram ad hoc ut taliter viveret praeparavit Sed Talem futur am non ignoravit de Tali Se Iustè Iudicaturum esse praescrvit Atque ita ad praedestinationem eius nihil aliud referri potest nisi quod aut ad debitam Iusticia Retributionem aut ad indebitam pertinet gratiae largitatem Therefore saith he God hath predestinate no Part of any such Doings neyther the Soule which afterwards lived wickedly and filthily hath he prepared to that end that it should so live but Hee was not ignorant that such a One it would bee and of such Hee foreknew that he himselfe would â—ustly iudge And so Nothing may bee referred to the Predestination of GOD but onely that which pertaineth to the due recompense of his Righteousnesse or to the undeserved guift of his Grace These are the words of S. Augustine which surely are marvailous full of pyth containing the whole Summe of that which may bee said in this matter of Gods predestination and are therefore most worthy to be noted yea and to bee committed to memorie For being thorowly weighed They doe plainely set forth the full resolution of all this Question But to returne againe unto Those that Contrary to the Scripture and all ancient Writers doe teach that GOD doth not onely Fore-see but also Predestinate both Good and evill as well the Murder of Cain as the Holinesse of Abel and thereby make God plainely the Author of Sinne when they perceive the outragious Blasphemy to be over-much Apparant and manifest Then doe they Sometime closly rowle it vp in a Riddle again which for the Darke speach thereof may serve at the least to Blinde the eyes of some As where among many other wayes they plainely make God the Author of Sinne Saying that God is not onely the Principall Cause but also the Author of All Things without Exception both on the One Side and on the Other if they be then urged with the Consequence That God is the Author of sinne They will Answere That in All Abomination God is the Author of the Fact but Not of the Crime As of the Fact Deede or worke of Adulterie Sodomitry Murther and Idolatry God is the Author Say They but not of the Fault or Crime This Aenigma have I heard some men use and it is also written in a Booke intitled A Briefe Treatise of Election and Reprobation lately set forth and printed in the English Tongue where He saith thus Though we be Compelled to say that God is the Author of the Fact yet wee must answere but Not of the Crime Areade Areade what is that God is the Author of the very Fact and Deede of Adultery Theft Murther Treason and yet he is not the Author of Sinne. And why The subtilty of the Riddle is This viz. Thaâ— Sinne is No-thing The theife is not hanged for the Deed which he hath committed For GOD is the author thereof but he is hanged for the sinne and that is For No-thing For when they say God is the author of all things Then Nothing is excepted but sinne is Nothing And therefore he is not the Author of sinne The thiefe is hanged for nothing The Murtherer is put to death for nothing The traytour looseth his Head for nothing The wicked are punished in everlasting fire for nothing A Marvelous Sophistication a strange Paradox and cautelous Riddle But to be short though many wayes this subtilty might be answered I will take only the Definition of Sin as I find it written in the same booke where he saith very Truely The Nature of Sinne is Defined by the authority of Scripture to bee a Thought Word or DEEDE Contrary to the will of GOD. Now because They say that God is the Authoof all evill DEEDES though not of the CRIMES Let us passe over the evill Thoughts and evill WORDS and speake onely of the Deede it selfe which He himselfe Defineth to be Sinne and contrary to Gods will If God then be the Author of that FACT or DEEDE which Deede is Sinne and contrary to Gods will How can Hee then say that GOD is the Author of the FACT but not of the FAVLT Seeing hee himselfe setteth forth not onely a Thought or a Word but also a DEEDE to be Sinne. And if God be the Author of that SAME DEEDE which DEEDE is Sinne Is it not a thing most plaine that God is the Author of Sinne And All this their Travell is to prove That the Ordinance and Predestination of GOD doe so carry men even Headlong unto all actions bee they never so Mischievous That of Necessity they must Needs and Cannot Choose but commit the same As though Gods Predestination were like a Tempest of winde â—o blowing in the Sayles of Mans heart That by It He is carried Headlong to all things whatsoever he doth According to the saying of the Poet Iam magis atque magis Prâ—ceps agit Omnia FATVM Now more and more DESTINY hurleth all things headlong But surely This STOICALL Necessity maketh such a Confusion of all things That let them colour up the matter with as much cunning as they can and Qualifie it with as Faire words as may bee yet shall there never the State of a Common wealth in England stand if this persâ—â—asion may once take Perfect Roote among the PEOPLE besides that it is vtterly repugnant to the Holy Scripture and against all ANCIENT Writers aâ— shall bee hereafter briefely prooved And whereas They deny this Doctrine of Theirs to be the Stoicall Opinion because the STOICKS say they fained that Nature with such Order of Causes as she hath Tyed together doth bring all things to passe By Necessity But They affirme that GOD by his Fore-ordinance aternall Predestination and Providence bringeth all things to passe By a like Necessity Thus the Best-learned of them make the Difference But a plaine Delusion it is to blinde the
Same doe nothing else but that which GOD hath Ordained them to doe and SO ordayned that they Cannot choose but Doe it Even as they doe Which opinion Prosper defending the Sentence of St. Augustine writeth against in these wordes Pradestinationem Dei sive ad Malum sive ad Bonum c. That the Predestination of GOD saith he doth worke in All men eyâ—her unto Good or unto Evill is most foolishly said As though a Certaine NECESSITY should DRIVE men unto BOTH Seeing in good Things the Will is to be understood not-with-out-Grate And in evill Things the Will is to bee understood with-out-Grace But that which PROSPER and AVGVSTINE doe Heere most truely call a most-Foolish saying The same doe These men call the most High and profound Wisedome For GOD say They predestinateth all things Ergo All Things must come to passe of Necessitie And further M. Crowly in the said booke of Confutation before named and in the same Article using the very same Terme of DRIVING He saith That Gods Predestination hath DRIVEN them unto it And yet not therewith content anon after he sayeth Wee are compelled by the Necessity of Gods Predestination to doe those Things for which wee are Damned But To repeate the whole sentence To This must wee Answer saith Hee in This wise If God were an Inferiour to any Superior Power To the which Hee ought to render an Accompt of his Doings or if any of us were not his Creatures but of another Creation besides his workemanship Then might wee charge him with Tyranny because Hee condemneth us and appointed us to be punished for the Things wee doe by Compulsion through the necessity of his Predestination Marke heere 〈◊〉 by the way How all Rulers are charged with Tyranny for punishing Malefactors First grant this Proposition which Hee affirmeth Sc. That all offenders as Murtherers Theeves and Traytors doe commit their offences by the compulsion of Predestination Secondly This assumpted Minor which he also affirmeth viz. That it is Tyranny for one that is an Inferiour Power and not their Creatour to punish Them which doe commit Crimes by such Compulsion Then must it Needs follow that all Rulers are Tyrants which punish Malefactors and are no Creators but Inferior powers Because All Malefactors could not choose but commit such wicked offences beeing DRIVEN thereunto by Compulsion thorough the Necessity of Predestination Woe worth the Sinfull Generation of our age Which hath bred and brought forth such a Noysome Novelty and strange Paradoxe To whom the hands of GODS mercy are stretched out all the Day long and yet They are ever defying him to the Face as the Prophet saith Esa 65. Consider I beseech Thee not the Persons of them that Speake bee they never so High never so Wise never so Many but Marke the Opinion it selfe even in thy Conscience and in the sight of GOD whether Any thing may be spoken more Repugnant to the Nature of GOD More contrary to the Word of GOD More defacing the Iustice and Mercy of GOD Than to say That GOD punisheth man with the Torments of Hell in everlasting Fire for doing Those thinges which Hee himselfe hath Predestinate Ordained Decreed determined appointed willed and Compelled him to Doe and That which A man Cannot choose but hee must needes doe by the Force and Compulsion of his Predestination All which Thinges in those plaine Tearmes THEY most-evidently Teach in divers parts of Their writings But of all other This is most odious and horrible where they affirme that Men Sinne by Compulsion thorough the Necessity of GODS Predestination And the very same saith Knoxe in the 317. side of his Booke before-named Affirming likewise in Those plaine tearmes That the Wicked are not onely left by GODS Suffering but Compelled to Sinne by his Power And hee citeth it as the Saying of St. AVGVSTINE against IVLIAN Lib. 3. Cap. 5. But very falsely as I suppose For I haue sought the same place in Saint Augustine and He hath neyther those wordes nor any such like that import the same or the like Matter Wherefore till such time as they make better proofe I must thinke they have forged a lye in AVGVSTINES name supposing thereby to give authority to falshood But to Conclude whether it were the saying of Augustine or not you see it is plainely their Opinion not onely that men cannot choose but doe what wickednesse or mischiefe soever they doe but also they are Compelled with the power force or compulsion of GODS Predestination to commit all those evils and wicked Crimes for the which they are executed with the Temporall sword or demned with Everlasting torments Against which Errour cryeth out the Wordof GOD in a multitude of places manifestly prooving that through the Grace and helpe of GOD men may choose and are neyther driven by absolute necessity nor compelled by GODâ— Predestination to commit Murther Theft Treason or any such Flagitious offence nor any manner of Sinne or evill whatsoever it bee As for Example MOSES sayth Therefore choose Life Deut. 30. And IOSâ—AH sayth Choose whom you will serve And after when the People promised to serve the Lord onely hee sayth unto them You are witnesses unto your selves that yee have chosen the Lord to serve him But afterward when the people forsooke the Lord againe and chose other Gods The Lord sayth unto them Go cry unto the Gods which yee have chosen Iud. 10. CHRIST sayth MARY hath chosen her that good part which shall not be taken from her DAVID sayth I have chosen the way of trueth and againe in the same Psalme I have chosen thy Commandements But the Lord saith by his Prophet Isaiah They did wickednesse before mine eyes and chose the thing that pleased mee not And in the next Chapter hee sayth Et Elegerunt quae Ego Nolui And they have chosen those thinges which I would not Thus it is plaine that as chooâ—e and cannot-choose agree together so doth their opinion agree with the Scripture For such direct contrariety is betweene Choâ—se and meere Necessitie betweene violent Compulsion and Christian liberty that Blacke and White may with more Possibilitie be coupled in a subiect But it is marvaile to see how scrupulous some men are in these words of Choyce I doubt whether they dare reade these and many such like places of Scripture which so plainely speake of Choyce But perhaps they alwayes skip over that Word or reade some other in stead thereof as the Iewes doe ADONAY in stead of IEHOVAH For surely many are so afraid of Free-will that they fall as the Proverbe sayth Out â—f the Lyme-keele into the Cole-pit from high Presumption into deepe Desperation fiercely following that old Spirit of wicked PELAGIVS as before it is touched in the Ninth of his Divellish Errours Where hee affirmeth That if a Man have need of GODS helpe then hath hee no freedome or choyce at all Thus doe they breake theyr Ship upon the perilous
shall be damned Howbeit wee know by the Scripture that notwithstanding this imperfection of Faith many shall be saved And likewise notwithstanding that Gods promise be generall unto all people of the World yet many shall be damned These two Points therefore must be diligently discussed First how this faith being unperfect is accepted of GOD. Then how we be excluded from the promise of Grace that extendeth to all men I will not rehearse now the mindes of other but as briefly and as simply as I can declare the minde of the Scripture in this matter Saint Paul calleth this servitude of Sinne naturally remaining in our Nature corrupted some times Apeitheian then Amartian at another time Asthenian The first word signifieth an Impersuability diffidence incredulity contumacy or inobedience The second signifieth Errour sinne or deceit The third betokeneth Weaknesse imbecility or imperfection So writeth Paul Mans body to be first borne in imbecility Also that God concludeth all men under infidelity In another place That the Scripture doth conclude All men under Sinne. In those three places thou mayest see the three wordes that I rehearsed before By which PAVL describes the infirmities of Man which infirmities are translated into CHRIST Not so that wee should be delivered from them as though they were dead in our nature or our nature changed or should not provoke vs any more to ill but that they should not damne us because Christ satisfied for them in his Body And Paul sayth That Christ dyed for Sinners that were infirme and calleth those sinners the Enemies of God Howbeit he calleth not them Theostygas in the Scriptures to wit Contemners of GOD. Every man is called in the Scripture Wicked and the enemy of God for the privation and lacke of Faith and love that hee oweth to GOD. Et impij vocantur qui non omninò sunt pij That is they are called wicked that in all thinges honour not GOD beleeve not in God and observe not his Commandements as they should doe which wee cannot doe by reason of this naturall infirmity or hatred of the Flesh as Paul calleth it against God In this sence taketh Paul this word Wicked when he saith that Christ dyed for the wicked So must we interpret St. Paul and take his wordes or else no man should bee damned Now we know that Paul himselfe Saint Iohn and Christ damneth the Contemners of GOD or such as willingly continue in sinne and will not Repent Those the Scripture excludeth from the generall promise of Grace Thou seest by the places afore rehearsed that though we cannot beleeve in God as undoubtedly as is required by reason of this our naturall sicknesse and disease yet for Christs sake in the iudgement of God we are accounted as faithfull beleevers for whose sake this naturall disease and sicknesse is pardoned by what name soever St. Paul calleth the Naturall infirmity or originall sinne in Man And this imperfection or naturall sicknesse taken of Adam excludeth not the person from the promise of God in Christ except we transgresse the limits and bounds of this Originall sinne by our owne folly and malice and eyther of a contempt or hate of Gods word we fall into sinne transforme our selves into the Image of the Divel Then â—ee exclude by this meanes our selves from the promises and merites of Christ who onely received our infirmities and originall disease and not the contempt of him and his Law Further the Promises appertaine to such as Repent Therefore Esay sayd without exception That the infirmities of all Men were cast upon his blessed shoulders It is our office therefore to see wee exclude not our selves from the generall Grace promised to all men It is not a Christian mans part to attribute his salvation to his owne free-will with the Pelagian extenuate originall Sin Nor to make God the author of ill and our damnatioÌ„ w th the Manichee Nor yet to say God hath written fatall Lawes as the Stoicke and with necessity of Destiny violently pulleth one by the haire into Heaven and thrusteth the other headlong into Hell But assertaine thy selfe by the Scripture what be the causes of Reprobation and what of Election The cause of Reiection or damnation is Sinne in Man which will not heare neyther receive the Promise of the Gospell or else after he hath received it by accustomed doing of ill falleth eyther into a contempt of the Gospell and will not study to live thereafter or else hateth the Gospell because it condemneth his ungodly life and would there were neyther God nor Gospell to punish him for doing of ill This sentence is true howsoever Man judge of Predestination God is not the cause of Sinne nor would not have Man to sinne Thou art not the GOD that willeth sinne And it is sayd Thy perdition O Israel is of thy selfe and thy succour onely of me The cause of our Election is the Mercy of God in Christ. Howbeit he that will be partaker of this Election must receive the Promise in Christ by faith for therefore wee be elected because afterward we are made the members of Christ. Therefore as in the justification or remission of Sinne there is a cause though no dignity at all in the receiver of his justification and so we judge him by the Scripture to bee Iustified and hath remission of his sinne because he received the Grace promised in CHRIST So wee iudge of Election by the event or successe that hapneth in the life of Man those onely to be elected that by Faith apprehend the mercy promised in Christ otherwise wee should not judge of Election For Paul sayth plainly That they that beleeve by the spirit of God are the Children of God and that the spirit of God doth testifie with our spirits that wee are the children of God being admonished therefore by Scripture wee must leave sinne and doe the workes commanded of God or else it is a carnall opinion that we have blinded our selves withall of fatall Destinie and yet will not save us And in case there follow not in our knowledge of Christ amendment of life it is not lively Faith that wee have but rather a vaine knowledge and meere presumption Iohn sayth No man commeth to me except my Father draw him Many men understand these wordes in a wrong sence as though God required in a reasonable man no more than in a dead poast and marketh not the wordes that follow Every man that heareth and learneth of my Father commeth to me GOD draweth with his Word and the Holy Ghost but Mans duty is to heare learne That is to say Receive the grace offered consent to the Promise and not repugne the God that calleth GOD doth promise the Holy Ghost unto them that aske him and not to them that contemne him We have the Scripture daily in our hands reade it and heare
It fareth many times with us that we goe long to schoole in divinity and yet never good divines as it fareth in the schoole of rethorike whereas if at the beginning the scholler profit not as Aristotle saith he shall never be good orator Therefore Moses saith God gaue you not a heart to understand eyes to see nor eares to heare untill this present day Here doth Moses speake ironice and seemeth to deny the thing he would affirme As Aristotle or Cicero might say when they haue applyed all their labour and done the best they can to make their schollers learned yet profit nothing then depart out of the schoole say unto their audience I never opened unto you the science that I taught you Not that the fault was in him but in the auditors that neglected their diligence and Doctrine So doth Moses now speake of God not that the fault was in him that those unkind people understood not the doctrine hee taught but in themselues as it appeareth in the text for he useth now the rod of persecution punisheth them beateth them yea and killeth them because they would not learne the thing he taught them yea further he sheweth that his pleasure was they should choose the good and leave the ill to be in wealth and avoid the woe This argument he proveth of his owne nature which is amiable loving and holy inclined to doe well unto man and to be at peace with him But because man of his owne malice contemneth the word and doctrine of God he is not onely rigorous and severe against man but also hee waxeth so angry for sinne as he that chafeth and moveth himselfe that all men may perceive by his countenance he is offended therefore saith the text the fury of God shall smoake against the sinner Our gospellers be better learned than the Holy ghost for they wickedly attribute the cause of punishment and adversity to Gods providence which is the cause of no ill as he himselfe can do no ill and of every mischiefe that is done they say it was Gods will The Holy ghost putteth another cause that is to say Sinne in man and contempt of his holy word Further the paine is not inflicted by predestination to lose man but both predestination and the affliction extend to call man from damnation The blinde southsayers that writ of things to come are more to bee esteemed than these curious and high climing wits for they attribute the cause of ill to the ill aspects and sinister coniunctions of the planets Refuse not therefore the grace offered not once received banish it not with ill conversation If wee fall let us heare almighty God that calleth us to repentance with his word and returne let us not continue in sinne nor heape one sinne vpon another lest at last wee come to a contempt of God and his word for remission is promised to as many as repent as Moses sheweth and likewise all the scripture and examples thereof But remember what the text saith that thou must convert unto God and that by the meanes and mediation of Christ and that with all thy heart and then thou maist finde remedy Convert not to superstition and buy not a masse for thy sinnes nor loke for helpe of any Saint but onely of God as his word teacheth for he that strooke thee for sinne can heale thee againe say not in aduersity as Cicero did Except God or some good hap doe save vs wee cannot escape For there is nothing in Heaven nor Earth that saveth but God alone CHAP. 19. 6. Ignorance THe sixt let or impediment wherewith men excuse themselues from the obedience of the law of GOD is the pretence of ignorance the which they doe thinke shall excuse them Thus they say the Scripture hath so many mysteries in it selfe and is too hard for our capacity Sometime the letter sometime the spirit and sometime both must be understood Further they say the Doctors braule and chide between themselves and how should the unlearned understand it aright Who can tell saith another whether this be the true law or not If it were the true law of God then should it containe all verities haue no need of mans lawes Now the greatest part of such as have the name of Christianity say Gods lawes save no man instruct no man aright no it is not wholesome for man except it be held and ayded by the law of the Bishops This the world owes to the Bishops decrees that have called the authority of the holy Testament that containeth all trueth whose sufficiency and verity is scaled with the precious bloud of Christ into doubt and not into doubt onely but cleane abrogated it and preferred their owne lawes Conferre their preachings and ministration of the Sacramints with the holy word and law of God and see Other say I have no wit to understand the Word of GOD and if I had yet have I no leasure to learne it Against this obiection Moses answereth and saith this law is sufficient is simple and plaint easie to be understood a perfit doctrine and required of all men Thus he proueth it the Commandement that I prescribe unto thee to day is not farr above thee nor put farre from thee reade the last halfe of the chapter By the which words it appeareth that GOD hath made his will and pleasure simply and plainely open unto his people with apt sentences and open words and also put the same to us that we should not seeke it with great danger of our life to saile into the Indies for it or looke it in Heaven above as those that receive all things by revelation or apparitions of Angels or other such meanes But Moses saith it is no need of any such ambassadors and so saith Abraham For man may learne out of the Scripture what is to be done and what not to bee done what is the condition of the good and of the bad No need to seeke the knowledge thereof in Aegypt Athens or Rome But the word is present and at hand with thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou shouldest doe it By these words we see that in the greatest sinner that is is a certaine rule and knowledge to live well thereby if he did follow it So confounded St. Paul the Gentiles of sinne because they knew the evill they did was condemned by the testimony of their owne conscience For the law of God to doe well by is naturally written in the heart of every man Hee that will diligently search himselfe shall soone find the same and in case man should behold his owne Image both in body and in soule although there were no law written nor Heavens over our heads to testifie the goodnesse and the iustice of God and the equity of an honest life mans conscience would tell him when he doth well and when evill Further the iudgement and discourse of
if wee be Damned For it is written thus Deus vult owmnes homines salvos fieri God would have all men to bee saved his salvation is sufficient to save all Mankind But wee are so wicked of our selves that wee refuse the same and we will not take it when it is offered unto us and therefore he sayth Pauci verò electi Few are chosen That is few have pleasure delight in it For the most part are weary of it cannot abide it and there are some that heare it but they will abide no danger for it they love more their riches possessions than the word of God therfore Pauci sunt electi there are but a few that sticke heartily unto it and can finde in their hearts to forgoe this world for Gods sake and his holy word There are some now adayes that will not be reprehended by the Gospell they thinke themselves better than it Some againe are so stubborne that they will rather forsweare themselves than confesse their sinnes and wickednesse Such men are cause of their owne Damnation for God would have them saved but they refuse it like as did Iudas the Traytor whom Christ would have had to be saved but hee refused his salvation Hee refused to follow the Doctrine of his Master Christ. And so whosoever heareth the Word of God and followeth it the same is Elect by him And againe whosoever refuseth to heare the word of God and to follow the same is Damned So that our Election is sure if we follow the word of God Here is now taught you how to try out your Election namely in Christ. For Christ is the accompting booke and Register of God Even in the same Booke that is Christ are written all the names of the Elect Therefore wee cannot find our Election in our selves neyther yet in the high Counsell of God for Inscrutabilia sunt iudi cia altissimi where then shall I find my Election In the counting booke of GOD which is Christ For thus it is written Sic Deus dilexit mundum that is God so intirely loved the World that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne to that end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but haue life Everlasting Whereby appeareth most plainely that Christ is the Booke of Life and that all that beleeve in him are in the same Booke so are chosen to Everlasting life for only those are ordained which beleeve Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ then thou art in the booke of Life and so art thou sure of thy Election And againe If thou bee without Christ and have no Faith in him neyther art sory for thy wickednesse nor have a minde and purpose to leave and forsake Sinne but rather exercise and use the same then thou art not in the booke of Life as long as thou art in such a case and therefore shalt thou goe into Everlasting fire namely if thou dye in thy wickednesse and finne without Repentance But there are none so wicked but hee may have a Remedy what is that Enter into thine owne heart and search the secrets of the same Consider thine owne life and how thou hast spent thy dayes And if thou find in thy selfe all manner of uncleannesse and abhominable sinnes and so seest thy Damnation before thine eyes what shalt thou then doe Confesse the same unto thy Lord GOD be sory that thou hast offended so loving a Father and aske mercy of him in the name of Christ and beleeve stedfastly that hee will bee mercifull unto thee in the respect of his onely Sonne which suffered Death for thee and then have a good purpose to leave all sinne and wickednesse and to with-stand and resist the affections of thine owne flesh which ever fight against the spirit and to live uprightly and godly after the will and Commandement of thy heavenly Father If thou goe thus to worke surely thou shalt be heard thy sinnes shall bee forgiven thee God will shew himselfe true in his Promise For to that end hee hath sent his onely Sonne into this world that hee might save Sinners Consider therefore I say Wherefore Christ came into this world Consider also the great Hatred and wrath that God beareth against Sinne and againe consider his great Love shewed unto thee in that hee sent his onely Sonne to suffer most cruell Death rather than that thou shouldst be damned Everlastingly Thus speaketh that Learned B. and Blessed Martyr in that place And in another place hee saith O What a pittifull thing is it That a man will not consider this and leave Sinne and Pleasure of this world and live godly but is so blind and so mad that he will rather have a momentary and a very short and smll pleasure han to hearken to the Will and pleasure of Alnighty God that might avoyd Everlasting paine and â—oe and give unto him Everlasting felicitie For that a â—reat many of us are Damned the fault is not in God for Deis vult omnes homines salvos fieri GOD would have all men to bee saved But the fault is in our selves and in oâ— owne madnesse that had rather have Damnation thâ—â— Salvation And fuâ—her in another passage the same Holy Marty writeth in this manner viz. VVEe rode in the Actes of the Apostles That when Saint Paul had made a long Sermon at Antioch then beleeve sayth the Evangelist as many as were ordaind to life Everlasting With the which saying 〈◊〉 great nuâ—ber of people have beene offended and have sayd We perceive that onely those shall come to beleeve and so to everlasting life which are chosen of God vnto it therefore it is no matter whatsoever wee doe For if we be Chosen to Everlasting life we shall have it And so they have opened a doore unto themselues of all Wickednesse and carnall liberty against the true meaning of the Scripture For if the most part bee damned the fault is not in God but in themselves For it is written Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri God would that all men should be saved But they themselves procure their owne damnation and despise the passion of Christ by their owne wicked and inordinate living Heere wee maâ— learne to keepe us from all curious and dangerous questions When we heare that some bee chosen and someâ—ee â—ee damned let us have good hope that we shall be among he chosen and live after this hope that is uprightly and godly then thou shalt not be deceived Thinke that God hath chosen those that beleeve in Christ and Christi the booke of life If thou beleevest in him then thou arâ—ritten in the booke of life and shalt be saved So wee need not to goe about to trouble our selves with curios questions of the Predestination of God But let us rater endeavour our selves that we may be in Christ for â—hen wee be in him then are
part Exod. 19 3. c For whom the Law was made and given Gen. 3. Gen. 6 6. Math. 25 24. Deut. 9 5. 7 8. Onely Mercy provoked God to the covenant Deut. 9 6. Gen. 3 15. 12. 3. 15 5. 1â— 4. The Death of Christ the meanes Heb. 9 28. Heb. 7. 1. Apoc. 13 8. Gen. 3 â—0 All the prom 〈…〉 seâ— made in and for Christ Iohn 10. 9. Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 1. 12. 3. 16. c. 6. 32. c. Esa 53. 4. 5. Iohn 1 29. Iohn 14 30. Rom 5 17 18. Gen 3 15. Gen. 15. 4 5. 17. 1. Galat. 3 28. Colos 3 11. Rom. 5 15. 2 Pet. 2 1. 3. Malac. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 9 13. See B. Iati 〈…〉 part 2. fol. â—2 Christ shed as much blood for Iudas as for Peter c. Ionas 1 2. Gen. 25. 23. Mal. 1. 2 3. Gen. 25. 23. 27 28 29. Rom. 9 11 c. Rom. 11. 32. Galat. 3 22 Mark 16 16. Math. 11. 28. Rom. 11. 32. 1. Tim. 2. 4. How Faith bâ—ing unperfect is accepted of God Rom. 11. 32. Galat. 3 20. Esa 53. 4 5. Iohn 1. 29. Rom. 5 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Vid. Melanet 2. part Operum pag. 268. Quanto magis Pater vester dabit sp Sanctum petentibus cum Non ait Cantemnentibus How wee are called the enemies of God Rom 8 7. Rom. 5 8. How wee are excluded from the promise of Grace that is extended to all Christ received our infirmities but not the contempt of the Law and of God The cause of Damnation in man Psal 5 4. Ose 1 3 9. The cause of mans Election Rom. 9 16. Ephes 1 5. Rom. 8 29. Rom. 8 15. 15 16. What declareth a lively Faith Iohn 6. 44. How God draweth unto Christ a Nec tamen habeut se Mens voluntas vt statua ideo diueruÌ„t â—eteres Praecedente gratia comitante voluntate bona opera fieri Melauâ—th part 2. OperuÌ„ p. 268. pag. 248. b In illo loco Ieannis decitur Omnis qui audâ—t a Patre et discit veniet ad me Discere iubet id est Audire vocem Doctrinae traditaem aâ— ipso assentiri non indulgere diâ—â—edentia Melanâ—â—h ibid. Exod. 14. 1. Sa 〈…〉 18. 11. See B Latimer part 2. fol. 54. Math. 12 32. Mark 3 29. Luk. 12 10. 1. Iohn 5 16. Heb. 10 26. Gen. 3 45. D. F. Handum pag 214. a Sinnes of Infirmity are committed against the Power of the Father Sinnes of Ignorance against the Wisdome of the Sounâ— Sins of Malice against the goodnesse and grace of the Holy Ghost 1. Sam. 15 15. Iohn 8. 26. Psal 145. 17. The iustice of God intendeth it selfe to two divers ends Ionas 2. Mat. 25. 31 c. 1. Cor. 11. 32. The fourth impediment Deut. 19. 29. Deut. 30 19. Deut. 29. 4. Deut. 30. 19. Deut. 29. 27. Ezech. 33. 1. Cor. 11 Psalm 119. Reuel 3. Esay 26. Hebr. 12. Deut. 30. 1. 2 Iohn 15. Cic. lib Epist 16. a First they of the Church of Rome b Meaning the Popes of Rome Deut. 30 1â— Enthusiasts Luk. 16 29. Rom. 1. 21. Rom. 2 15. a Nemo adeo ferus est vt non mitoscere possit Simodo c. b Hoc est nesâ—ire sine Christlo plurimasâ—irâ— Curious interpretations of Scriptures are wicked and odious Enter not into the inscrutable Mysteries of God Enter into Christ and there seeke thy Salvation Christ is the Booke of Life wherein our Names be written if we beleâ—ve in him Iohn 6. Iohn 1 3. How you shall know when you are in the Booke of life Psal 19. Rom 10 18. 1 Tim. 2 4. God would that All should be saved Our stubbornnesse and lacke of Faith is the Cause of our Damnation A right Doctrine to try our Election Iob 34. Ioh. 3 10. Christ is the Booke of Life The unbeleevers are not in the booke of Life The right way how thou maist be assured of everlasting life Idem Part. 3. sol 207. In his Sermon on the First Sunday after Epiphaniâ— 1 Tim. 2. 5. We ourselves are causes of our owne damtion I'â—m Part. 3. fol. 198. In his Sermon on the third Sunday after Epiphanic Act. 13 48. A lewd opinion of Predesti nation 1 Tim. 2. We our selves procure our owne Damnation Christ the Booke of Life How we may know when we are in the state of Salvation and when Not. Three markes whereby wee may know whether we be in the booke of Life or no. The first The second The third An evident and plaine Doctrine that sheweth you when you are out of the â—â—â—or of God Idem Part. 3. fol. 183. In his Sermon on the first Sunday after Epiphaniâ— The terme Saviour is used in sundry common speeches Iesus Christ is our onely Saviour How many wayes Christ saveth us Christs Death is onely our Salvation Si is the onely cause of Dam How wee be saved from Sinne. Christ onely is â—oyd of sinne The Power and Force of Sinne is taken away by Christ Idem Part. 2. fol. 64. In his First Sermon preached in Lincolushire Anno 1553. upon These words The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certaine King Math. 22. There is a Sin against the Holy Ghost So long as men are alive wee cannot Iudge whether they have committed the Sinne against the Holy Ghost or not Christ knew the hearts of the Pharisees and therefore iudged of them Christs promises are generall to All Mankind Ioh. 6 47. Rom. 5 20. 15 v. Mat. â—â— 28. Idem Part. 2. fol. 92. In his fourth Sermon preached in Lincolnshire upon Philipp 3. Iudas lacked beleefe and therefore was not saved Idem Part 2. fol. 132. In his eight Sermon in Line upon Luke 21 25. Erunt Signa Iohn 3. Vâ—â— In the destruction of Ierusalem c. Bzech 33 11. The Cause why God sware The reward of the Obstinate and stiâ—uecked People Idem Pag. 114. In a Sermon preached on Rom. 13. 11. Idem lib. 51. pag. 372. A plaine declaration of the Sacrifice of CHRIST B. Iewel Deâ—eus Apolog. Cap. 19. Devis 1. 〈◊〉 Oenus 〈◊〉 Mankind that is All that haue the Nature and Kind of Man in them all that are 〈…〉 ted of Men.