¶The names of the spea­kers.

• Albion.
• Eutrapelus.
• Philalethes.
• Dydimus.

I do geue God moste harty thankes, that ye are come so sone this mornynge. For I haue many hard and doubtfull questions, to setforthe now vnto you, which haue troubled my mynde very sore. My minde was, because y^t yester­day we did talk of praying for y^e dead, [Page] where I dyd learne that all the good deedes and prayers that are done and made for them,that was don in the huntinge of purga­tory vnto death. that be once departed and gon, be nothing auaileable before God, nor yet profitable vnto them, that they be done & made for: to haue asked you, whether we ought to pray vnto the dead or not, and to call vpon them in our necessities and troubles. For my gentle men did tell me, that we oughte to praye vnto the deade sainctes, as vnto the blessed Virgyne Mary, the holy Apostles and martirs, and that by them our prayers are the soner hard, and accepted of God ours heauenly father. But now wyl I differ that matter til an other time, wh [...] we shal haue more leasure, and brin [...] forthe the questions, that haue troubled me so muche, and specially se [...] ye went away from me yester nyg [...]

We woulde b [...] glad to know, brother Albion, what is that troubleth your minde so sore For ye shall vnderstande, that we ar [...] here most ready to helpe and ease yo [...] of your trouble, if it can be possib [...] [Page] by any meane. But wer it not best to pray fyrst vnto hym that sayeth. Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wil ease you? Math. xi.

your counsayle is very good. And therfore I do not doubt, but that our brother. Albion and our neyghbour Dydimus wyl agree vnto it.

Hys counsell in this, as in al other things is so good and godly, that whosoeuer would not folow it, I would compte hym worse thā a Sarazin or a Turke.

Syth then, brother Phi­lalethes, that we be also godly agreed begynne when ye shall thinke best.

‘O almighty and most merciful lord,The praier. in whom all trea­sures of heauenly wisedome, & godly knowledge are hydden, vouchafe, we [...]eseche the, to open oure mindes, & to illuminate oure hartes, that vnder­standing y^e mysteries conteined in thy holy word, we may be able at al times to stop the mouthes of y^t vngodly blas­phemers of thy diuine and heauenly ordenaūces graunt this, o most boū ­tuous & merciful lord, for the glory of thy name sake.’

So be it. Nowe wyll I declare vnto you, what it is that my consciēce is so sore encombred withal. When I do consider wyth my selfe, how that the couenaunt of life & word of saluation is not preached vnto all natiōs and peoples in like: and again wher it is preached, that skarcelye the tenth part of them that it is offred vn­to, do embrace and receiue it: I am euē at my wittes ende, and canne not tell what I shuld say to it. For, it is wryt­ten,i. Tim. ii. that God will haue all men to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of hys truthe. If he will haue all men to be saued, and to come to the know­ledge of his truth, whye dothe he not sende his Prophets and messengers vnto all menne in like? We read that the sprite of God did forbid Paul and Silas to preach the word in Asia,Act. xvi. and that when they sought to go into Bithynia, he wold in no wise suffer thē. Again, where they were appoynted to preach, it is a wonder and a meruail [...] to see how fewe dyd receaue the gos­pel or glad tidinges of saluation, i [...] [Page] comparison of those that dyd reiecte, contemne and despise it. I haue heard you say, and I know that it is wryt­ten in the gospel of our sauiour Iesu Christ,Iohn. vi. that none come vnto the truth except our heauenly father doth draw them. Whē he him self did make that most wholesome and comfortable ser­mon of the spiritual eating and dryn­king of his flesh and bloud,Iohn. vi. they went all away from him, the twelf only ex­cepted, then did he say: No manne can come vnto me, except it be geuen vn­to him of my father. Whereby I doe learne that they whiche receiue the truth, when it is preached and offered vnto them, doe it onlye throughe the grace and gift of almightye God oure heauenly father, and not of thē selues. Why is not then this gyft geuen vn­to al men in lyke. Shall we saye that god is a partial god, and an acceptour of persons? But the holy scryptures doo testifye vnto vs that there is no parcialiatye in him. Syth then that all men generallye of their owne na­ture, are the children of wrathe and [Page] none of them seke after god,Rom. iii. but are al gon out of the wat and made vnprofitable: how doth it chaūce, that some of them, being in the same self corruptiō that other are, be cald vnto the truth, and haue grace geuen them to receiue it, and thother left in the way of per­dition? Verely these thinges do won­derfully trouble my head, when I do muse or think vpon them. Therfore, brother Philalethes, if ye can discusse me these maters, ye shal do me a great pleasure, for ye shall deliuer me from a marueylous perplexity and trouble of mynde.Predesti­natiō and the de­uine pro­uydēce of God.

Truely brother Albion, these questions are very hard & can not be discussed, except we do intreat fully of predestinatiō, and of the deuine prouidēce of god, wherwith he doth gouern, rule, & dispose al things here in this world, euen at hys owne pleasure, & as he thinketh it expediēt for his own glory, and for the saluatiō of his elect & chosen.

M [...] thinke,A commō obiection of the pa­pistes. brother Philalethes, that this matter of Predestinatiō, doth far pass [...] the capacity of mās wyt, & that it is t [...] much presumptiō to medel with such [Page] high secretes & misteries of almighty god.

It is without al doubt that this matter of Predestination is both hard, and also somwhat perillous,To whōe the Doc­trine of Predesti­natyon is pearilous specially if mē wil wade so far in it, whi­che mani times cometh of a folish curiosity of mind, which is neuer conten­ted nor satisfied with these thinges y^t be reueled & setforth vnto vs in the holy scriptures & sacred word of almighty God our heauenly father, but wil styll clime vp hier and hier, and leaue none of the seacrets of god vnserched. Therfore it is no maruail, that such men sith y^t they do so rashly and pre­sumptuously breake into the vnserch­able secreates of gods wisedome, do bring thē selues into an endlesse per­plexity, from the which they cā neuer be deliuered, but shal in their conscien­ces & mindes be miserably tormented al the daies of their life, & neuer come to the knowledge of the truth. Ther­fore it is good for al men to consider y^e God hath reueled, opened, & declared vnto vs in his holy & sacred worde, al those seacreats that he wil haue vs to know: [Page] and so much wyl he haue vs to know, as hee dyd forsee and thinke expediēt for oure saluation. We are, saith S. Augustin come into the way of faith. Let vs stedfastly kepe it.August. in y^e .xxxv. homelye vpon Iohn. It shal bring vs into the kinges chamber, wherein all treasures of knowledge and wys­dome are hidden. For the Lord Christ hym selfe, dyd not enuye hys greate and chosen disciples, when he did say. I haue many thinges to say vnto you but ye are not hable to bear thē now. We muste walcke, we muste go fore­wardes, we must encrease and grow, that oure heartes maye be able to re­ceiue those thinges, y^t we be not able to receiue now. And if the last day do fynde vs goyng forewardes, ther shal we learne the thinges that we coulde not learne here. If we coulde be once perswaded that the worde of God is the only way and meane,we ought to cōtente ourselues with god­des word for to seke and searche out those thinges that he will haue to be knowen of hym, and the only lyght, for to see, what so euer he will haue to be seene of hym, then should no such rashnesse take place in [Page] vs. For we shoulde see that assone as we be once passed the limites & boun­des of Goddes word, we must neades runne oute of the waye, and wander in darcknesse, where of necessytye we muste neades erre, stumble, and fall downe euerye fote.Where we ought to seke for the doc­trine of predesti­nation. Let vs therefore haue this lesson alwayes before oure eies, that to seke for any other know­ledge of predestination, than is sette forth vnto vs in Gods worde, it is no lesse madnes, than if a man wold run through nine wals, or se in the thicke darknes that Egipt was plaged with al. And let vs not be ashamed to be ignarant in those thinges, that god wil haue vs be ignoraunte in. Yea let vs gladly abstain from searching oute of those thinges, which can not be sear­ched and sought out wythoute greate pearil & ieoperdy. And if the wanton­nesse of our wit will not so be repres­sed & kept downe, let vs cal into oure remembrance, the saying of the wyse man. wher he saith:Pro. xxv. Eccle. iii. chapiter. he that searcheth out the maiestye of God shalbe ouer­whelmed with the glory of it. And a­gain: [Page] Seke not out the things y^t are aboue thy capacity, & search not the ground of such things, as are so mighty for thee. But loke what soeuer god hath commanded the, think vpon that alwai, & be not curious in mani of his worke, for it is not nedeful for thee to se with thine eyes the things that are secret.

Forsoth, this is the cause,In the vi. Articles. that some men wil haue no mē ­tiō at al to be made of predestination: yea ther haue ben lawes and statutes made here tofore, y^t whosoeuer did dispute or write of it, he shuld be taken for an heretyke. Whiche, me thincke was against al reason, syth y^t the scriptures do forbyd no mā to speake of it, so that it be don with due submission & reuerence, and with such sobriety as is requyred in high matters of religi­on.

In this thing thei haue gon to much on the rightsyde. For as they be prayse worthye in this, y^t they wil not haue men to go rashly about such hie misteries & secretes of almightye God: so are they greatly to blame, that they wil not suffer vs to goe and [Page] wade as far as y^e sacred word of god, wherein we haue [...] moste sure rule of vnderstanding, doth lead vs. For we must vnderstād that the holi scripture is y^e schole of the holy gost,The holy scrypture is the schole of y^e holy gost. and that as in it nothing is omitted or left vntau­ght, y^t is profitable and necessary to be known, so nothing is setforth ther but y^t it is most fruteful and profitable to be learned. What so euer therfore, the scriptures do setforth and say, of pre­destination, let vs beware y^t we kepe not the faithful from it: least we seme ether malitiously to defraude thē of so high a benefit of the lord their god, or to accuse the holy ghost, as though he had set fourth and published things, which it had bene better to kepe close. Let vs, I saye, permit Christen men to geue bothe their eares and mindes vnto all the scriptures and wordes of God, so that it be done with modera­tion, that assone as the Lord shal stop his holy and sacred mouth, they do al so cease to enquyre and search any farther. This is the best mesure or mean that we canne keepe, if in learnynge [Page] we do folow God for our schoolema­ster & teacher not desyring to be wiser than he wyll haue vs to be.

Obiectiō Yet can I not see, y^t any thinge can either he sayed or wrytten of pre­destination, but that some men wyll alwayes take occasion thereupon, to deryde, scorne, and blaspheme the most blessed and holy mysteryes or se­creates of almyghty God. Therfore, for auoydinge of suche vngodly blas­phemyes, and scornfull derisions of prophane and worldely men, after my iudgemente it were better to sup­presse all that whole matter, and to speake or write nothinge of it.

Answer. Prophane and car­nall men wyll take no lesse occasion to blaspheme when they shall heare that there bee thre persons and one God,Nothing is left vn­blasphe­med of the vngodly. than when they shall reade or heare that God dyd forsee what shuld become of manne, afore he dyd create hym. What will they thinke or saye, I praye you, when they shall vnder­stande that it is but a litle more than fyue thousand yeares a goo sens the [Page] worlde was made? Wyll they not bothe scornefullye and also blasphe­mouslye aske what God dyd all that whyle affore? and why his power and vertu was idle and vnoccupied so longe? What shall ye be able to saye or to writte, but that they will take occasion vpon it, to blaspheme God and his works? Shal we not therfore saye that oure sauiour Iesus Christ,Of this haue I written in my worke a­gainst the Arrians and the Macedo­nians. the onlye begotten sonne of God is true and naturall God, and the holy ghoste, who proceadeth from them bothe, likewise? Shall al that is writ­ten of the creation of the worlde, for auoidinge of suche vngodly blasphe­myes be hidden from the faythfull? The false Aposteles that toke occasi­on vpon Pauls preachinges and ser­mons, to blaspeme the mysterie of our redemption, coulde not stoppe hys mouth, nor make him to be a shamed of the gospell of oure sauioure Iesu Christ. The verity and truth of God, bothe in this and in all other thinges is so mightye and stronge, that it ne­deth not to feare the euill tonges of [Page] the vngodly.

I do wel a­low your sayings hetherto. And ther­fore I wil desire you to go forwardes in this matter, and to declare vnto vs, what ye do vnderstande by predes­tination. For it is a thinge that I am very desirous to know.

Some men paraduenture wil thinke,The fore knowe­ledge of God. that it were best to speake first of the foreknowledge of god, where­by he knoweth all thynges afore that they be done, or whereby all thynges that are, haue bene, and shall be, are presente vnto hym (for, vnto the knowledge of god all things are most presently present, nothinge is passed, nothinge is to come) Some mē, I say, wil thinke y^t we should speake of this foreknowledge of god, er we come to y^e matter of Predestination. But syth that they be so ioyntlye ioyned toge­ther, y^t it is impossible for any man to entreate of y^e one, but that he must en­treate of the other also, hauing geuen alredy a brief & short definition of it, which may suffise for this time, I wil come to Predestination, & shew, what [Page] because that Esaye the Prophet had sayed:Iohn. xii. he hath blynded theyr eyes, and hardened theyr hartes, that they should not see with their eyes, nor vnderstande with their hartes, least they shoulde be con­uerted, and so be healed.

As farre as I can remember, my gentyll men did tel me, Obiecti∣on that God doth ordayne them vnto sal­uation, whose merites he dothe forsee. For syth that he knoweth all things afore that they be done, it can not be but that he doth for­see how euery man shall vse hys giftes. And according to this fore knowledge that he hath of all men generallye, euen afore that they be begotten and borne, whereby he foreseeth who they be, that wyl receiue his woord and folowe his commaundementes, and who they be that wyll not, he doeth deter­mine and appoynte to saue some men, and some agayne to con­demne and cast awaye. Them doth [Page] he determine to saue, whome he knoweth before, wil receaue hys grace, and liue accordinge to hys word and commaundements. And them doth he appoynt and ordaine vnto deathe and condempnation, whom he knoweth before wil not receiue his grace, nor liue accor­ding to his blessed law and com­maundements. And for the proba­tion of this, they did bring in, that place which ye aledged fyrst out of Sainte Paule to the Romaines, where it is thus wrytten:Rom. viii Whome he knew before, them dyd he also ordain before &c. Meaning ther by, say they, that whome he knew be­fore, wold receiue his grace and the Gospel of his sonne Iesu Christe, them he did also ordain to be fashioned like vnto the shape of his only begotten sonne. Moreouer they dyd tel me, that almost in al ages, ma­ny great learned men haue bene of this opinion.Aunswer

I do not deny but that at all times, some, [Page] euen of the best learned, haue maintained this opinion: which thynge neuerthelesse ought in no wise to be preiudicial vnto vs. For in this, the truth of god is so sure that it cā not be shaken, and so cleare that it can not be darckned, or ouerwhel­med wyth the authoryty of men. When S. Paule doth affirme and say that we were chosen in Christe Iesu,Ephe, i. afore that the foundations of the world wer laide, he taketh a way al respect of our owne dignity & worthinesse. For, it is as much as if he shuld say: because that our heauenly father, could find nothing in al the hole sede of Adam, that was worthy of his election, he dyd caste his eies vpon his holy annoynted, that so he mighte chuse, as it were, certayne members of hys bodye, whome he should call to the par­taking and felowship of lyfe euer­lasting. Let therfore, al the fayth­ful be perswaded, that we are for this one only cause chose in Christ, for to bee heyres of the heauenlye [Page] kingedome, because that in oure selues there was no manner of thynge, that could haue moued God, for to electe and chuse vs: be­cause, I say, y^t there was no maner of thing in vs, y^t coulde deserue any such thinge at his handes. Which thing the Apostle dothe also sing­nifye in an other place, where he exhortethe the Collossyans vnto thankes geuing,Collo. i. because that God had made them mete to be parta­kers of the inherytaunce of the Saintes. If election dothe, doth go before this grace of rhe Lorde, that we may be made mete to obtayne the glory of life euerlastinge, what shal God, I pray you finde in vs, that shoulde moue him to elect and chuse vs? But the whole sentence, being throughly rehersed, I mene, as it lieth in the text, wil make the matter so playn, that the moste ig­norant in y^e world, if they wil take a litle hede, shalbe able to geue iudgemēt of the mater, & to vnderstand al the truth of it. God, saith the hol [...] [Page] apostle,Ephes i. Although we be chosen in Christ, a­fore the foundati­ons of the worlde wer layd, whereof we be as­sured by his word and spirit yet muste we be­ware that we geue not oure selues to vnclene­lynesse. i. Tim. i. hath chosen vs in christ Ie­su, afore that the foundatiōs of the world wer laied, that we should be holye, and withoute blame before him through loue. And hath ordai­ned vs before through Iesu Christ, to be heyers vnto him selfe, accor­dinge to the pleasure of his wil, to the prayse of y^e glory of his grace, wherewith he hathe reconciled or made vs accepted in the beloued. Here doth he set the good pleasure of God, against al our merites. For wher so euer this good pleasure of god doth raigne, there can no wor­kes or merites take place, as it ap­peareth more plainly by that, whi­che he writeth vnto Timothe, say­inge: He hath saued and called vs, with an holy calling not according to our dedes, but accordinge to his owne purpose and grace, whiche grace was geuē vs through Christ afore the worlde was made.

Me thinke that where the Apostle sayeth: that we are chosen in Christ Iesu, for to be [Page] holy and blamelesse in hys sighte, the same alone wer ynoughe for to ouerthrow al that they can bring.Paules sayinge, being wel cōsidered doth ouer throwe the ene­mies of the free election of god. For if we should saye that god did chuse vs, because that he did forsee that we shuld be holy & blamelesse, then could not the saying of Paule stand. Therefore, we may bodelye reason after this maner: yf god did chuse vs for to be holy & blamelesse in his sight, truely he did not chuse vs because that he did forsee, that we shoulde be holye and blame­lesse. For, these two are vtterlye repungnaunte one vnto an other: to haue of goddes election, that we be holye and blamelesse, and to come vnto it, I meane vnto the same election, by reason of oure owne workes and deseruynges.

Your reason is very good.The holynesse of the saints hath hys ofspringe of the election of god. For, when it is sayed that the faithfull were chosen, for to be holye and blamelesse in the sight of god, it is signified thereby that the holynesse that should be in them, hath hadde his beginnynge [Page] and of spring of the election, wher­by they haue bene chosen in Christ Iesu. For, what reason were it to saye, that those thinges, whiche do come and springe of election, haue bene y^e caussers of it. But he semeth afterwards to make his argument more strong, when he saieth: accor­ding to his pleasure, which he had purposed in him self. For,Where vnto our election ought to tende whē it is saied, that god did purpose in him selfe, it is as much as if it should be saied, that god in his election, hath respect to nō other thing but to him self. And therfore it is added there, that y^e hole som of our electiō, doth tend & pertain to this, that we may be to the praise & glory of the grace of God. Truely, the grace of God, doth not deserue, to be only magni­fied in our electiō, except it be gra­tuity & free. But how can it be gra­tuite and free, if god doth consider afore and rekene what shall be the workes and merytes of eury man? Wherfore the saying of Christ vn­to his disciples must be most true,Iohn. xv. [Page] he sayth: ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you, where he doth not only put away the me­rites that were passed, or that might haue gone before, but also declare that there was nothynge in them, wherfore they should be chosen, except he hadde preuented them with his grace.Rom. xi. And so ou­ght the sayinge of Saint Paule to be vnderstanded wher he saith: who hath geuen vnto hym fyrst, and hee shall be recompenced a­gain? Signifying therby that the goodnesse of GOD doth so pre­uent all men, that nothynge can be found in them, ether passed or to come, wherby he can be recon­ciled vnto them. But the matter is set forth more plainlye in the ninthe chapyter of the Epistle to the Romaines,mark wel this place of Paule, and learn to geue to the holye ghost that spake in him more credit, thē to the sinister expo­sition of y^e free wyll men. where the Apostle doth describe most liuelye, and as it were, set out to the eye, the condition of the electe and reprobate vnder the example of Iacob and [Page] Esau, speaking after this maner: Or the children were borne, or had done either good or euil, that the purpose of God might stande accordinge to the election, not by the deseruinge of workes, but by the grace of the caller, it was said: The greater shal serue the lesse. As it is wrytten: Iacob haue I loued, and Esau haue I hated. Heare doe we learne by the wordes of the ho­ly Apostle, that the saluation of the faithful is only grounded in the fre election of almighty God our hea­uenly father, and that the same fa­uour, is not gotten or obteyned by workes, but cometh of the free cal­ling of God. We haue a most liue­ly description of all the hole matter set forth here vnto vs. Esau and Iacob were brethren, hauinge all one father and mother, being yet in one wombe, and not born into y^e world. In them, al thinges were lyke (for they had don nether good nor euil) yet God did geue a contrary iudge­ment [Page] of them. For, the one of them did he chuse, and the other he dyd vtterly reiecte. There was onely the right of the first borne, wherin Esau did sumwhat exceade Iacob. Which neuerthelesse was vtterly neglected, & the same geuē vnto the yonger, whiche was denyed vnto y^e elder. Yea, god dyd also in many other, neglect & set at naught this right of y^e first born, y^t so he might take frō men all occasiō of bosting. For, refusinge Ismaell, he geueth his minde vnto Isaac.Gen. xxi. Ge. xlviii Also put­ting a side Manasses, he doth prefer Ephraim.

I can scarcelye think, Obiecti∣on y^t we ought to iudge of the inheritāce of y^e childrē of god, by such smal triffles, as y^e ryght of the first born is. For, who wold beleue, y^e whosoeuer is promoted to y^e digni­ty of the first born, he is also ordai­vnto lyfe euerlasting?

Answer. In dede there be some, whiche in thys thynge do neuer a whytte spare Paule, as thoughe he dothe [Page] wrast the scriptures into a wronge sence in aledging those authorities. But I answer, that the blessed Apostle S. Paule did nether mistake, nor yet misuse the same authorities of the holy scripture. For, he did see (whiche thynge they wil neyther marke nor consider) that God wold declare and bring to light with an earthly token the spiritual election of Iacob, which elsse was hidden in the secreates of his iudgemēts. For except we do refer that right of the first born, which was graūted him, vnto the worlde to come, that is to say: excepte the ryght of the fyrste born which Iacob did bie of his brother Esau,Gen. xxv. did pertaine to a better life, al the blessing, wherof here in this world he did receiue nothynge elsse but affliction, trouble, and ad­uersity, must nedes be vain and fo­lishe. Seinge then that the Lorde had by thys outward blessing te­stified and declared what manner of blessynge, he hadde prepared [Page] for his seruaunt Iacob in his king­dome, he dyd not sticke to grounde his argument vpon it, whereby he wente aboute to proue the spiritu­all election of the holy Patriarche: Iacob then is chosen and Esau is refused, and all by the mere prede­stination of god, when they had yet done nether good nor euill. And if ye will knowe the causes whye?

The cau­se of oure election & reprobation. Rom. ix. Ex. xxxiiiSaint Paule doth aunswer, that it was done, because that it had bene said vnto Moses: I wil shew mercy to whome I shew mercy, and wyll haue Compassyon, on whome I haue compassion. Wher the Lorde doth plainlye declare that he fyne­deth no manner of thynge in vs, wherefore he shoulde do vs good, but that he taketh occasion to do vs good of his mercye onlye. And that therfore our saluation is hys owne woorke and not oures. Sithe then that God doth appoynt thy saluati­on none other where, but in hym self only, why shouldest thou come [Page] down to thy self? Syth that he doth assigne vnto thee his mercy onlye, why shouldest thou runne to thine owne merites? Contente thy selfe with his mercy, and set al thy wor­kes a side. Obiectiō

Yet for all this, both Ambrose, Origene, and Hie­rome were of opinion, that God dyd dispose and deuide his grace amōg men, as he did for se, that they shuld vse it.

I doe not denye it, Answer. Li. retract. i. Cap. i. Episto. ad sextum. cix. yea I say furthermore that S. Augustine was of the same opinion also. But after that he had profited better in the knowledge of the scriptures, and word of God, he did not only reuoke it, but also dyd moste mightelye confute it, as false and erroneus. Yea, after his retrac­tion rebukinge the Pelagians, be­cause that they continue still in the same errour, he saith plainlye these wordes:Against y^e Pelagiās who woulde not meruaile that the Apostle shoulde haue wan­ted this witty vnderstanding? For, when he hadde set forthe a matter, [Page] which was to be wondred and meruailed at, touching them that were not yet borne,Rom. ix. and had made an ob­iection to him selfe, sayinge: What then? is there any vnrighteousnesse with God? he had occasiō to answer that god had forsene the merites of them both, yet he did not so, but did flie to his iudgementes and mercy. And in an other place, when he had taken awaye all the merites before our election,Home. in Ioa. 8. he saith: Here truelye the vaine reasoning of them canne take no place, whiche do defend the foreknowledge of God, against his grace, and therfore do say, that we wer chosen afore that the foundaci­ons of the world wer made, because that God did forsee that we would be good, and not that he hym selfe, should make vs good. He sayth not so, that saythe: Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you. For, if he had therefore chosen vs, because that he had forsene, that we would be good, he shuld also haue knowne [Page] before, that we woulde haue chosen him. Let this serue for them,They doe alwaies a peale vn­to the fa­thers, and yet they will fol­low none of theyr holesome doctrine. that do so gladly reast vpon the authori­ty of the fathers. But go to, let it be as thoughe, he had sayde nothynge at all, and so let vs come to the ve­ry matter it selfe. There was a ve­ry harde question moued, whether God dyd iustlye or not, in thys that he dyd geue hys grace to certayne men. Here Paule myght haue ryd hym self wyth one word, if he wold haue had any respect vnto the wor­kes and merites. For, he myghte haue answered straighte, that God dyd so, because that he dyd foresee, their merites and woorkes. But why doth he not so, but rather cōtynueth styll in a Communicatyon, whyche is of lyke difficultye and hardnesse? Shall we saye, that the holy gost, which spake by his mou­the, was obliuious or forgetful? we se, y^t he goth not about the bush, but answereth plainly, that God dothe show fauour vnto his elect, because [Page] that it is his will so to do, and that he sheweth mercy because that hys pleasure is so. For, when the Lord saith: I will shew mercy, to whome I shew mercye, and will haue com­passion, on whome I haue compas­sion,Ex. xxxiii it is as much as if he shuld say that nothing doth moue him to mercye, but onlye because that he wyll shew mercy, that is to say: that the only thinge that moueth hym to be merciful or to shew mercy and com­passion, is only his blessed wil and pleasure. Therfore, the sayinge of Saint Augustine shal remain most true,Home. in Ioa. 38. Episto. cvi. where he saith, that the grace of God doth not finde vs worthy to be chosen, but maketh vs worthy. I do here let passe the vaine subtel­ties of the schole men, which canne take no place among them, that contente them selues with the whole­some doctrine, and heauenly wise­dome of Gods worde. For, that is very true, which an olde Ecclesia­sticall wryter did wryte, sayinge, [Page] that they which do assigne,Am. de vo ca. gentium Li. 1. Ca. 1. attri­bute and adscribe the election of God vnto the merites of men, are wyser, than it behoueth.

But what wyll ye saye of the reprobate and damned? For, Question nowe I do perceyue that God doth chuse vs of his free mercy and goodnesse withoute any respecte of our owne works and deseruyngs.

We nede to go no far­ther, than to the example,Aunswer touching reproba­tion. that we brought fourth last. For, there Ia­cob hauinge yet deserued nothinge with his good workes is receaued [...]n to fauoure, and Esau reiected [...]nd cast of, though he had done yet [...] maner of euil. If we should flye [...]nto the workes, that is to saye, if [...]e shoulde affyrme, mayntayn and [...]pholde, that God dyd forsee the [...]orkes of them both, and that in [...]especte of them, he dyd chuse the [...] and refuse the other,Rho. 1. we should [...] greate iniurye and wronge vn­ [...]o Paul as though he had not sene [Page] that, which is so plain and manifest vnto vs. And verily, it is a token, that be had not seen it, syth that he dothe expressely write, that when they had yet done neyther good nor euyll, the one was chosen vnto sal­uation, and the other vtterly cast a way, there by to proue that the dy­uine Predestination of God is not grounded in mens workes & deser­uinges.Predesti­nation is not grounded on mens workes and deseruinges Agayn, when he had made this obiection, whether there was any vnrighteousnesse with God, he might for a most plain and sure de­fence of the iustice and righteous­nesse of God, haue aunswered and sayed, that God did rewarde. Esau, according to his wickednesse, whi­che he did forsee, should be in hym, but he flieth to a contrary solution affirming boldely, that the wicked are stirred vp, that the power o [...] God may be shewed on thē, and his glory and name declared through out al the hole world. And at lengthe bringeth fourth this cause: tha [...] [Page] God hath mercy on whom he wil,Ex. xxxiii. and whom he wyll he maketh hard harted. Ye see how he doth attry­bute both, to the only pleasure and wyll of God. Therefore, if we can assign none other cause, why God doth shew mercy on hys electe, but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure, we shal also be fain to confesse, that he doth reproue the other, only be­cause that it is his plesure so to do. For, when it is sayed, that God doth shew mercy on whom he wil, and whom he wyll againe, he ma­keth harde harted: men are admo­nyshed and warned thereby, that they oughte to seke for none other cause of his diuine Predestination, but onely hys blessed wil and plea­sure.

Verely, Obiectiō. Wher the cause of predesti­nation oughte to be sought thys is a very straūge doctrine, and which can sarcelye sinke in to my heade. For, why shuld god be angry with his creatures, bi whō he was neuer offended before? For, it is y^e proper­ty of a tiraunt, & not of a righteous [Page] iudge, to appoint and ordaine vnto destruction, whom he wyll. Ther­fore, men might haue a iust occasiō to complaine of God, if by his bare arbiterment and wil, and without their own merite & deseruing, they shoulde be predestinated vnto euer­lasting deathe.Aunswer.

In dede, suche obiections are made cōmonly, for to subuert the doctrine of predestina­tion, and for to make it to be hated and abhorred of all men, but we oughte not therefore to be affrayed to speake of it, as far fourth as the worde of God, and the scriptures wyl leade vs, and shew a light vn­to vs. First and foremost then, whē any suche obiections be made, or when any suche vayne thoughtes do aryse in oure heartes, we musse consyder and weyghe wyth oure selues, that the holye and blessed wyll of God,The wyl of God is the most perfecte is the moste consum­mate and perfecte rule of iustyce and equitye, and that therefore what so euer, he wyll, we muste [Page] compte it most iust and righteous, onely because that he doth wyll it.rule of iustyce. Therefore, when it is asked, sayth. Saynte Augustyne, why God dyd this thinge, or that thinge?Contra ma­di. Li. 1. Ca. 3. We muste aunswer, that he dyd it, be­cause that it was hys wyll so to do. If thou goost any farther, as­kynge, whye it was hys wyll so to do? Thou doest aske a thing, which is bothe greater and higher than the wyll of God: which thinge can not be founde oute. Let this suffise vs, least seckynge rasshelye that thin ge, whyche is not, we do not fynd out that same thing, which is. Let this, I say, suffise vs, if at least we intende to reason and talke with reuerence, of the secretes of y^e lord our god. Which though he cā sufficientely wythouste vs defende hym selfe wyth hys iustyce against the malepartenesse of the vngod­lye, whyche are not affrayed to sklaunder God openly, and to blaspheme hys holye and blessed [Page] name: when takynge awaye all maner of excuses from their owne conseyences, hee shall proue them giltye, and condempne theym: yet leaste they shoulde tryumphe to muche, hee doothe minister vn­to vs bothe armoure and wea­pones agaynste theym in hys ho­lye woorde. Therfore, when any of them shall aske vs, whye God hathe from the begynnynge or­dayned some vnto deathe, which beynge not yet borne nor gotten, coulde not deserue the iudgement and condempnation of deathe? For an aunswere, we wyll aske them agayn, wherein they thynke that God is bounde vnto manne, and what they thyncke, hee oweth vnto hym, if hee wyll consyder hym in hys owne nature? As we be all infected wyth synne, God can not byt hath vs, not of a tyrannous cruelty, but of a most iuste and ryghteous equytye.

Nowe, if all men be of their owne nature subiecte to the iudgement and condempnatyon of Deathe, what wronge canne it bee sayd, that God dothe vnto them, whom he dothe Predestinate vnto death? Let all the chyldren of Adam come fourthe, and reasonne wyth theyr maker, whye they are by his de­uine prouidence made subiect vn­to euerlastynge miserye. What shall they be able to saye, I praye you, when on the contrary, he shal call theym to the knowledge of them selues, and byd them to be­holde and looke vpon theyr owne fylthye and corrupted nature? If they be all taken oute of one in­fected lompe, it is no maruayle, that they be subiecte vnto damp­nation.Of oure owne na­ture we be al sub­iecte to deathe. Let them not therfore ac­cuse God of iniquity and vnrigh­teousnesse, because that by his e­ternall iudgement, they are ordai­ned vnto death, which of their own nature they be subiect vnto.

Obiectiō And this corruption, which ye alledge to be the cause of theyr damnation, doth come of the fall of Adam. But I haue hearde some of you say, that Adam dyd fal by the deuine Predestination and ordenaunce of almightye God. Is not God therefore vnrighteous to punishe them for the same corrup­tion that they be fallen into, by his owne Predestination & ordenaūce?

AunswerAs touchinge the fall of Adam, whereby we are all made subiecte to euerlastynge death and condempnation,Of the fall of Adam. I wyll speake of it no farther, that I am able to bringe Gods worde for my warraunte. If God did foresee that the fall of Adam shoulde be to hys glory, and that by it, not onlye hys mercy, but also his iustice should be knowen and declared through oute all the hole world, we canne lay no vnryghteousnesse to hys charge, though, by his deuine Predestina­tion and ordenaunce, Adam did fal. [Page] For,The true ende of al creatures all manner of creatures both in heauen and in earth are made to this end, that their soueraine crea­tor maye be glorified by them. But to prescribe howe God shoulde be glorifyed by his creatures, it were to much vngodlinesse.

Is it to be though that God coulde be glorified none other way but by the fall of the moste excellent crea­ture that he had here in the earthe. Question

That oughte we to refer to his incomprehensy­ble and vnsearchable wisdome,Aunswer in comparison of which, all the wys­dome of the world, is but mere fo­lishnesse. So nowe at thys present, many are not a fraid to aske, whe­ther god might not haue redeamed the world by some other waye and meane, then by the death and passi­on of his only begotten sonne oure souioure Iesu Christe. And so styll wil we enter into the vnsearchable and incomprehensible iudgements of almightye God, and know the [Page] causes of his blessed will, whyche thyng is impossible to man. But go to, let it be graunted by waye of reasoninge, that Adam dyd by the deuine Predestination and or­denaunce of God, fall into the same miserye and wretchednesse: is God to be blamed therfore? or can ther­fore any vnrighteousnesse be layde to hys charge? What shall eyther Adam, or all hys posteritye be able to say, when we shall thus answer wyth Saint Paule:Rom. ix. O thou man, what art thou, that dysputest with God? Dothe the potte saye vnto hym, whyche hathe made hym, why hast thou made me after this sort?Obiectiō

This is not to defend the iustice of GOD, but to seeke a startinge hole, as they bee wont to do, that want a iuste aun­swer. For, what other thinge, se­meth to be sayd ther, but that God is of suche a power, that he can not be letted to do what so euer he wil?

AunswerIt is not so, neighbour Dydi­mus. [Page] For, no stronger reason can bee broughte for the defence of Goddes iustice, and for to stoppe mennes mouthes, then when we are bydden, to thincke, weigh, and consider with our selues, what God is. For, sithe that he is the iudge of the worlde, how could he commit and vnrighteousnesse? or how coulde any iniquity be found in hym? It is the nature and pro­pertye of GOD to doe Iudge­mente,The na­ture of God is to do iudge­ment. therefore he dothe natu­rallye loue Iustyce and equytye, and abhoreth vnryghteousness, and iniquitye. Therefore, the A­postell dyd flye to no Startynge holes, as thought hee hadde bene caughte in a trappe, or had wan­ted a iuste aunswere. But he dyd shewe that the causes of Goddes iustyce are incomprehensible, and that they can not be measured by mannes reason, nor yet compre­hended by the base Capacytye of anye humayne wytte.

The holy Apostle doth confesse ther, that the iudgementes of God are so vn­searchable and so depe, that all mēs wits, that will rashlye breake into them, muste neades be ouerwhel­med and swallowed vp. But howe vnreasonable a thinge were it, to haue the workes of God to be brou­ght vnder that lawe, that assone as we can not show the causes of them we might boldly accuse and blame them? Let the Manicheans, & Ce­lestins with all other,We ou­ght not to be ouer beasy in seking of the causes of prede­stination. that calumniate, backbite, and sclaunder the de­uine Predestination of God come fourthe, I say with Sainte Paule that we must not seke the causes of it, because that they be incompre­hensible, and do farre exceade oure vnderstandinge. Will we haue the power of God to be so limited, and to be so kept within bondes, that he shalbe able to do no more, than our with is able to comprehende? I saye with S. Augustine,Aug. in 106. epi that God dyd create some, whome he knewe per­fectly [Page] before should go to damnati­on, and that he did it, because that it was his pleasure so to doe. But we must not aske the cause why he woule haue it so: For, we can not comprehende it: Moreouer,A most worthye lesson ge­uen, by the holye father. it is not reason that the blessed wyll of God should of vs be called into contro­uersy. For, when so euer mentyon is made of it, vnder the name of it, a most perfecte rule of equitye is na­med. Whye is then anye question moued of vnrighteousnesse and i­niquity, where a moste perfect iu­stice doth plainlye appeare? Let vs not be ashamed therefore, after the example of Paule to stop the mou­thes of the vngodly,how we ought to stop the mouthes of the vn­godly. and when so e­uer they do barcke against the de­uine Predestination of our heauen­ly father, to repeate euery fore, and say: What are ye, O wretched and miserable men, that do accuse God or lay any thing to his charge? Do­ing it therfore, because that he doth not submit the wonderous great­nesse [Page] of his workes, to the rude ca­pacity of your wytte? As thoughe they wer vniust therefore, because that they be vnknowen vnto the flesh, or because that the wisedome of the flesh can not comprehend the causes of them? If we do proceade any farther, it shal auaile nothing, for, we shall neuer be able to satis­fye theyr malepartnesse, and again God neadeth none other defence, than he did vse by his holy spirite, who spake by the mouthe of the blessed Apostle Sainte Paule. And truelye,When we cease to speake wel. Obiectiō then do wee cease to speake wel, when we wil speake otherwise, than god dothe teache vs by his holye spirite and worde.

I was once in compa­ny, wher I hard a man speake, euē these words: why shuld god blame men for those thinges, that they be faln into, of necessity, by his deuine predestination and ordenance? for, what should they do? Shoulde they striue against his decre & appoynt­ment? But it wer in vain so to do, [Page] sith that they could not preuaile a­gainste them. Therefore they are wrōgfully punished for those thin­ges, whereof the predestinatyon of god is the chief and principal cause.

Such vaine obiections,Aunswer do the wicked & vngodly make, for to ex­cuse their vngodlynes, & abhominable liuinge withall. But all is not worth a good blew pease. For,Predesti­nation is the executinge of the iustice of God. sith that predestination is nothing els, but a disposing, ordering and executinge of the deuine iustice of god, (which though it be hidden frō vs, & vnknowne to mans wisdome, yet it remaineth alwayes blamelesse) it can not be said, but they, whyche are predestinated vnto euerlasting death and dampnation, are iustlye, deseruingly, and most righteouslye ordained vnto it, so that they haue no iust occasion to complain of any iniury or wrong that is done vnto them. And thoughe it were so, that we shuld graunt, that Adam did fal by the deuine Predestination & or­denance of almighty god, yet could [Page] they laye no blame to God for it, syth that he hath made al hys crea­tures, for to be glorifyed by them. But,wherfore the fall of Adam serueth. as I saide before, to prescrybe vnto God, how he shoulde be glori­fied by his creatures, it wer to mu­che vngodlinesse. This are we sure of, that the fall of the fyrst manne, where by he dyd brynge bothe hym self, and all his posteritye vnder the thraldome and bondage of synne, doth serue for to setforth Gods mercy, and also for to declare hys iustice vnto all the hole world. Therfore, though it were so, that God did not only foresee, but also ordayne, that Adam shuld fall, what blame could we laye to him for it? Shall we let hym to be glorified by his creatu­res,That were a madde­nesse. Pro. xvi. as he hym selfe lyst? These are the woordes of the wyse man: Deus omnia propter semetipsum condidit, impi­um quoque ad diem malum. That is to saye. God did create all thynges for him selfe, and also the vngodlye a­gaynst the euyll day, or agaynst the [Page] daye of punishemente. Whereby, we do learne, that God doth by his most iuste and righteous iudgemēt appoynte and ordayne some vnto damnation and death euerlasting, that by them his might, iustice, and power may be set fourth, and hys name declared throughoute all the hole worlde. But, me thinke that it wer far better, that leauing such vayne suttylties, whereby men do go about to excuse them selues, and to accuse the iustice of God, they shoulde seke for the cause of theyr own damnation, not in the hidden iudgementes,Wher we oughte to seke for the cause of oure damnati­on. and incomprehensi­ble wayes of the Lord, but in theyr owne naturall corruption, whiche they haue of their first parent Adā. For by it, we are all made natu­rallye the children of wrathe, and consequentely the children of euer­lastynge deathe and condemnatiō. What iniquitye then or vnrighte­ousnesse can there be in God, if ac­cording to his righteous iudgemēt,[Page] he doth appointe and ordaine some of this corrupted lompe of damna­tion, vnto death euerlastinge? And least we myght impute vnto God, this naturall corruption, that A­dam dyd wrap him selfe in, and all his posteritye besydes,Gen. i. he did pro­nounce him selfe, that all thinges, that he had made, were exceadinge good. Thys testimonye and prayse gaue God vnto hys workes and creatures, that so we might learne that Adam dyd throughe his owne malitiousnesse corrupte that same pure nature, that he had receaued of the Lord, and that by hys fall he hadde brought bothe hym selfe and all hys posteritye, in to perdytion. Therefore, as I haue sayed alre­dye let vs rather beholde the euy­dente and manyfest cause of oure dampnation, in the corrupted na­ture of all mannekynde, than go aboute to seeke it (as it is hydden and comprehensyble vnto vs) in the diuyne Predestynation of al­myghtye [Page] God. And let vs not be ashamed to submytte oure wyttes vnto the wysedome of God, and to be ignoraunte in those thinges, that he wyll haue vs to be igno­raunte in. For, as the ignoraunce of those thynges,a learned igno­raunce. whyche it is nei­ther geuen nor permytted vnto vs to knowe, maye be coumpted a learned ignoraunce, so to go about to vnderstande suche thynges and to haue a knowledge of them, may be reckenned a playne furye and maddenes.

As farre as I remember,The aunswer of ecclesia­stical writers. the Eccle­siastycall wryters are wonte to aunswer thys obiectyon, that our brother Albion aledged euen now, after thys manner: The foreknowledge of God saye they doth not let, that a manne shoulde be coumpted a sinner, sith that god doth forsee in manne the euyll he shall doo, and not hys own euyll.

Wherby, I trow, they vnderstand [Page] that the foreknowledge of God, doth neyther make a man ryghte­ous nor yet vnryghteous: but as the liuynge God dothe forsee that men shalbe either righteous or vn­ryghteous, so he doth ordain thē e­ther to lyfe euerlasting, or els vnto death and condemnation. Where­fore, men haue no iust cause to com­plain of God, if accordinge to their vngodlynes that he dothe forsee in them, he dothe ordayne them to be euerlastingely damned in hell. For thys foreknowledge of God, wor­keth no necessitye, that is to saye, man is not therefore compelled of necessitye to do euyll, because that God dyd forsee that he shoulde do euyll: but the euyll that he doth, he doth it frely and of his own swing, therfore, he doth deseruingly suffer the damnation, that he is ordained vnto, by the righteous iudgemēt of almighty God.

I know that this answer they be wont to make,A reply. but it will serue lyttle or nothinge [Page] against the maleparte and crabbed wits of the vngodly. For they wil by and by replye, that God mighte had letted the same euil, which he did forsee, if he had listed: & syth he did it not, that man was of a deter­minate coūsel created for to behaue him selfe so in the earth. If then, by the prouidence of god, man is crea­ted on this condition, that he shuld do afterwardes, all that he dothe, why, saye they, shoulde he be bla­med for that, whyche he can not shun, or whiche he doth by the wil and appoyntement of God? Some do aunswere to thys, that the dy­uine prouidence of god, doth bring no maner of necessitye or compul­syon, but that God dyd rather cre­ate them so, I meane, of suche a condytion, because that he dyd for­see theyr malitious wyckednesse. Some saye agayne, that the vn­godlye do peryshe by the permys­sion, and sufferaunce of God, and [Page] not by his wyl and appoyntment. But if one should aske agayn,An other replye. why God dothe suffer them to peryshe syth that he canne let it by hys al­mightye power? What other aun­swer can all the men in the worlde make, but that God doth permytte them to go headlong in to destruc­tion, onely because that it is hys pleasure and wyll so to do? We do al our owne nature, I meane, as many as be the children of Adam, renne together headlong in to per­dition. But that God doth deliuer some from it,The wyl of God is a moste consum­mate and perfect rule of iustice. and some hee suf­freth to runne in to it, what other cause can we assigne why he dothe so, but onely, his blessed wyll and pleasure? But afore, it hath bene said, y^t the wil & pleasure of God, is a moste consummate and prefecte rule of iustice & equity. They ther­fore, that are according to y^e righte­ous iudgemēt of God, or according to his most blessed wil and plesure, ordained vnto condempnation (of whiche [Page] condempnation they muste neades graunt their naturall corruptiō to be the chief & principal cause) haue no cause at al to complaine of God, or to lay any vnrighteousnes vnto him, although they were ordained vnto it, afore the foundaciōs of the world wer laide. No more I saye, haue they a iust cause to complaine of god, or to lay any vnrightousnes to his charge, than the elect & chosē haue to boste of their owne righte­ousnesse, or to adscribe any thing to their owne merites & deseruinges, because y^t they are chosen in Christ Iesu, afore that the foundacions of the world were laid.

If the wil & pleasure of God, is the onlye cause, that he doth deliuer some, Obiectiō frō euerlasting death, & condemnation making them felow heirs with his sonne Iesu Christ, of his heauenly kingdōe, and that be suffreth other to pearishe in their owne naturall corruption, then is he, as our bro­ther Albion said before, a partiall God, and an acceptour of persons: [Page] which thing the scriptures do deny vtterly. Therfore, I may conclude, that either the worde of God dothe disagre wyth it selfe, or that in the election of God, there is some res­pect of merits & deseruings.

First & foremoste, when the scrip­ture doth testifi that ther is no res­pecte of persones with God, Answer. this worde persone, is not taken in that signification that ye wene.Howe thys worde person ought to be vnder­standed. For, it signifieth not the manne hym self, but is taken for those thinges, that being sene with the eies, do eyther get vnto a man, fauour, grace, and dignity, or elsse purchase vnto him contempt, shame and hatred, suche as be commonly: richesse, myghte, noblenesse of byrth, great offices in the common weale and other like. Such as do bring contempt, shame and hatred, are pouertye, bashnesse of byrthe, beggerlinesse, and other like thinges, which the world doth commonlye abhorre. When Peter then, and Paule also affirme, that [Page] there is no respect of persons wyth God: their meaning is,Act. x. Rom. ii. Gala. i. that God in chusing of men hath no respecte to the richesse and birth, or to the nati­on and countrye, or to anye other thing that the world hath in admi­ration, but that he chuseth as well the pore as the rich, and as wel the gentil as the Iew. Where vnto the blessed Apostle S. Iames dothe a­gre, when he saithe,Iames. i. that in iudge­ment God hath no respect vnto ri­chesse. Likewise Saint Paule doth wryte,Ephe. vi that what good so euer a man doth, he shall receiue it again of the Lord, whether he be bounde or free. Therefore, there shall be no repugnaunce nor yet contrarietye in the scriptures, though we saye, that God doth of his mere goodnes and mercye, and accordinge to hys good wyl and pleasure, chuse some vnto life euerlasting, refusing and reiecting the other. Howe be it the matter mighte be answeared more plainly thus: They be wont to ask [Page] how it cometh to passe, that of two that haue deserued in like, or rather that haue deserued nothinge yet, God in his election doth passe ouer the one, & chuse the other vnto him self?This ou­ght dily­gentely to be no­ted. I do ask them again, whether they think that ther is ani thing in him, which is chosen, y^t dyd moue God to chuse him, or not? If they cōfesse that ther was or is nothing in him worthy the election of god, which thing thei must nedes graūt and confesse, then it shal folow, that God had no respect vnto the man, but that he did take occasion in hys own merci, for to do good vnto him That therfore, God doth chuse one man, and refuseth or reproueth an other, it cometh not of any respect that he hath vnto the person, or vnto the man, but of his mere good­nesse and mercy, which truely, it is lawful for him, for to shew and de­clare, where, and whensoeuer, it pleaseth his deuine maiesty. Ther­fore, some do falsly and wyckedlye [Page] accuse god of vnrighteous dealing and of iniquity, because that in hys Predestination he doth not behaue hym self a lyke towardes all men.

Wherfore, I beseche you? If he doth fynde al men gilty, Obiectiō let hym punysh them all in like, if he finedeth them vngilty? let hym with hold the rigour of hys iustice from them al.Aunswer

What meaneth this, neighboure Dydimus? Ye deale wyth God, as though ye would that he shuld put away mercy all together, or if hee sheweth any, that he should cleane put awaye iudgemente, equitye, and iustice from hym selfe. What is it, I pray you, that ye do require? If all men be giltye, saye ye, lefte theym all suffer lyke punishment. We confesse that we bee all gyl­tye,We be al of oure owne na­ture the chyldren of damnation. and do of oure owne nature deserue euerlastynge Deathe and dampnation, but we saye, that the mercye of GOD dothe suc­coure and delyuer some, euen [Page] whome it pleaseth hym.

Whye then? Let his mercye succoure and deliuer all. Obiectiō

But we answer again, that it is mete and conuenient, Answer. and right also, that in punishyng some, he dothe declare him selfe to bee a righteous iudge. If ye can not a­bide this, what other thinge do ye, but go aboute to spoyle God of hys mercy, or if ye graunt that he may be merciful, to graunt him that he shal do it on that condition, that he shall forsake vtterly his iustice and equity? Therfore, the sayinges of s. Augustine are moste worthye to be marked. Sith (saithe he) that in the fyrste manne all the hole lompe of mankinde,Epi. cvi. did fall into condemna­tion, the vessels, that are made of it, vnto honoure, are not the vessels of theyr owne ryghteousnesse, but of the mercy of god. And that some are made vessels vnto dishonour, it ought not to be imputed vnto anye vnrighteousnesse or iniquitye, but [Page] vnto iudgement. Again, that God doth recompence due punishmente vnto them,De pre­do. gratia whome he doth reproue and geueth vndeserued grace vnto them, whome he dothe chuse he is deliuered from all blame by the si­militude of a creditoure,similitude in whose power it lyeth, to forgeue some the hole debt, and to make the other to paye to the vttermooste farthinge. Therfore, God may geue his grace to whome he wyll, because that he is merciful,De bone perseue. Cae. xii. and not geue it vnto al men, because that he is a righteous iudge. In geuinge that vnto some, whych they do not deserue, he doth shew his fre mercye and grace, and not geuing it vnto all men, he doth declare what we all do deserue.

I praye you, brother Philalethes, declare a lyttle more plainly vnto vs, the similitude of y^e creaditour and of hys debtoures.

If a man hath many debtours, that do al owe vn­ [...]o him the lyke summe of monye, [Page] doth it not lie in his power, to for­geue some of them the hole debte, & to cal vpon the other, for that, whi­che they owe vnto him, euen for the vttermost farthing? Who can laye any thing to his charge if he wil do so?

No man, I trowe, shall be able to blame hym for it.

Then mark this, brother Al­bion, we are al debtours vnto god. For, we haue all deserued euerla­sting condemnation. That then he doth of his fre mercy and goodnesse forgeue some, and some againe, he doth deale extremely withal, accor­ding to his righteous iudgement, who shall be so bolde to blame him for it?

This similitude ma­keth the matter verye plaine, and deliuereth the deuine predestinati­on of almightye GOD from all manner of blame, that menne can laye vnto it.

Yet canne I not bee satysfyed, but [Page] that this doctryne of Predestina­tion doth more harme than good.

Whye say ye so, I beseeche you?

Because that it taketh awaye al sollycytude and care of godly and vertuous lyuinge. For, Obiectiō who hea­rynge that he is by the determy­nate counsayle of GOD orday­ned eyther to be saued or to bee dampned, wyll not by and by rea­sonne wyth hym selfe after thys manner: what dothe it skill, howe thou doest behaue thy selfe heare vppon the earthe, syth that by thy liuynge and conuersatyon, thou canste neyther hynder nor yet far­ther the deuyne Predestination of God? And so all menne shall des­peratelye geue theym selues to all kynde of myschiefe and Deuelish­nesse.

In dede, as our neyghbour Dydimus doth saye, ye shal find many, which whē they be [Page] exhorted vnto good dedes and ver­tuous liuinge, or elsse rebuked for their naughtye and abhominable doinges, are wont to mocke away all manner of godly doctrine, that is brought and preached vnto thē, and to saye commonlye thus:Thus do the vngodly flatter them sel­ues. God knoweth what he hath determined to do with vs: if he hathe ordained vs vnto saluation, he wil bring vs vnto it at the time that he hath ap­poynted him self, if he hath apoyn­ted vs vnto euerlasting deathe and condemnation, we shal but in vain stryue agaynste it.

But the scryptures do not speake of the Predestination of god to this ende,Why y^e scriptu­res do speake of predesti­nation. that we shoulde take boldnesse therupon for to liue vn­godly, but rather that we shoulde learne therby, for to fear and dread his moste righteous and incompre­hensible iudgementes, and also for to embrace and loue hys mercy and goodnesse towardes vs, whome he doth frely, and without any of our [Page] own merites and deseruings, chuse vnto lyfe euerlastinge, for to be fe­lowe heyres wyth his sonne Iesu Christ, of his heauenly kingdome. This one only thing, do the godly seeke in the doctrine of Predestina­tion. How be it Saint Paul dothe sufficiently aunswer this swynysh grunting of y^e filthy Epicures, whē he saith that we are chosē in Christ Iesu afore that the foundaciōs of y^e world wer laied, for to be holy and blamelesse in his sight. Therfore, when they shal praie & tattell,Ephe. i. that we may wylter our selues here, in al kynde of vyces, in al kinde of ab­homination and dyuelishenes, syth that, if we be of the number of the elect, our vicious lyuinge can not hynder oure election, nor yet let vs from comynge vnto saluation & life euerlasting, we shal aunswer that the ende of oure election here, in thys worlde, is that we should be holy and blamelesse in the sight of hym that hathe chosen vs, and [Page] that God hath therefore delyuered vs from the handes of our enemies (wherby we may well vnderstand: synne, death and damnation) that so we myght serue hym all the dai­es of oure lyfe,Luc. i. in suche holynesse and ryghteousnesse, as is accep­table before hym. When there­fore, we do heare, that we are, by the deuine ordinaunce and ap­pointment of God, chosen vnto life euerlastinge, we are admonyshed and warned thereby, not to geue our selues, because that we are as­sured of the inherytaunce of the kingdome of heauen, vnto all kind of abhominatiō and diuelishenesse, but rather that we shoulde leade a godly life, and a Christianlyke con­uersation, suche as becometh the Saints, remēbring alwayes that we are the workemanship of God, created in Christ Iesu, vnto good works, vnto the which god ordaind vs before,Ephe. ii Obiectiō y^t we shuld walke in thē.

Yet wil they styl harpe vp­on [Page] this: that Christ hath promysed life euerlasting vnto his shepe,Iohn. x. and that they shal neuer perishe. Ther­fore, saye they, if we be of Christes flocke, what so euer we do, we shall haue lyfe euerlastinge, and neuer pearysh, for so hath our shephearde promised vnto vs.

But they should marke the words that go before.Aunswer For, Christ speaketh there on thys manner: My sheape heare my voyce, and I know them, & they fo­low me &c. Here then fyrst and fore most do we learn, that they y^e be of y^e flocke of Christ, do hear his voice. But hys voice is that oure lyghte oughte so to shyne before men that they may see our good workes,Math. v. and glorify our father, that is in heuen. Againe this is his voice: that onely they that do the wyll of his father,Math. vii shal enter into y^e kingdome of heuē. But they cānot say, y^t they hear the voice of this shephard, y^t geue them selues to all kinde of vngodlinesse, wherby they cause y^e name of oure heauenly [Page] father, to be blasphemed and euyll spoken of. Therfore, they are none of a shepe. Moreouer he saieth, that his shepe doo folowe him. But no man wyll saye, that these swynishe Epicures do folow Christ. Wher­by we maye boldlye conclude that they be none of hys flocke, and that therefore, they do aledge in vayne for them selues, the promyses that Christe dothe make vnto hys true shepe. But to come to our purpose againe, where ye saye that the re­probate shoulde lose theyr laboure and payne, if they should go about to please God with innocency and integrity of life, ye are greatly be­guiled and deceiued in that.Whence we haue a good wyll to please God. For, whence should they haue any such mynde, but of the election of God, of the whyche they be all together voyd and destituted? For, as many as be of the noumber of the repro­bate, as they be appoynted to be vessels of dishonour, so do they ne­uer cease wyth heapyng synne vp­pon [Page] sinne to prouoke styl the wra­the of God againste them, and to confirme with euident signes and tokens the iudgement of God, that is already geuen vppon them, and vpon such as they are. It is so farre of, that they should striue in vaine agaynst it.

I beseeche you, good brother Philalethes, that ye wyl now setforth briefly, and in few wordes, the hole Doctrine of Predestination, so as it may easely be remēbred and born away. For, all that hathe bene spoken of it al­ready, although it serueth veri wel for the right vnderstandinge of the matter, yet it is so diffuse & so long that few can wel bear it in minde.

Forsoth I am contente to fulfill your godlye re­quest. Fyrst and foremost then,A shorte brief and repeticiō of that whiche hath bene sayed be­fore. we did say, that Predestination is the eternall and euerlastinge decree of God, wherby he hath from the be­ginning appoynted with hym selfe to saue some men, and some againe [Page] to condemne and cast awaye. The end of this predestination is our sauiour Iesus Christ,The end of Predestination. the only begot­ten sonne of God our heauenly fa­ther. For, god did decre and apoynt to saue al those, that should haue felowship with his only begottē son our sauiour Iesu Christ, and to de­stroy, cast awaye and condemne all those that haue no fellowship with him, but are straungers from hys couenaunt and gospel. The fayth­full haue fellowship with Christe, and the vnfaithfull are straungers from him. For, as it hath bene said alreadye,Ephe. i. God hathe chosen vs in Christ Iesu afore that the founda­cions of the world were layde, that we shoulde be holye and wythoute blame before him, throughe loue.

And hath ordained vs before, throughe Iesu Christe to be heyres vnto him self, according to the pleasure of his wil, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hathe made vs accepted in the beloued.

Behold, God hath chosen vs, afore the foundacions of the world were laied, for to be holy and blamelesse, that is to say, heires of lyfe euerla­sting. Again, he hathe chosen vs in Christ. But making yet the matter more plaine, he saithe, that GOD hath ordained vs before throughe Christe Iesu, for to be heyres vnto him self, and that frely, that all the glory and praise may be geuen vnto his deuyne grace: As many therfore as be in Christ, are chosen vn­to life euerlastinge. For, Ihon the Apostle saith: He that hath the son, hathe life, but he that hathe not the sonne of God, hathe not lyfe. And wyth it dothe the Gospell agree.

For, there our sauior Iesus Christ saithe: Thys is the wyll of the fa­ther, that hath sent me,Iohn. vi. that who so euer doth se the sonne and beleueth in him, hath life euerlasting, and I shal raise him vp in the laste daye. Behold, this is the eternall wyll, and euerlastynge decree of GOD [Page] that we shuld be saued in his sonne through faith. On the contrari, the Lord speaking of them that be pre­destinated vnto death euerlastyng, and vnto condemnation, he saythe: he that beleueth not is already con­dempned,Ihon. iii. because that he dyd not beleue in the name of the onlye be­gotten sonne of God. And this is the condemnation, that the lyghte did come into the worlde, and men did loue darcknesse more than the light. Therfore, if any man should aske me nowe, whether he be cho­sen to life, or ordained vnto death, that is to saye, whether he be of the nomber of the chosen, or of the nomber of the reprobate? I would answer him plainlye out of the E­uangelicall and Apostolicall scrip­ture, that if he hathe fellowshyppe with Christe, he is ordained vnto life, and is of the noumber of the e­lect and chosen, if not: that he is or­dained vnto death and condemna­tion. For, surely all they that haue [Page] no felowship with Christe, but are straungers from him and his coue­naunt, shall vtterly be damned and cast away.

But our e­lection is hidden in God:Obiectiō how shall we then know whether we be cho­sen in Christ or not?Aunswer

God is wonte to declare at length this election of oures, wher by he hathe chosen vs vnto the par­taking of eternal life, when he do­the call vs by the preachings of his word, and inward working of hys holy spirit. And this calling of god,How god doth de­clare vn­to vs our election. which doth consist in the preaching of the gospell, and in the inwarde workynge of the holye ghoste, is of some men, called a signe, token, or testimonye of oure eleciyon. For, whome God hath ordained before, to be fashioned like vnto the shape of hys sonne, them dyd he also call,Ro. viii. and whome he hath called, theym dothe he also iustify, for to glorify them afterwardes. For, though the liuing Lord hathe ordained vs be­fore [Page] to be his children by adoption, & heirs of his heauenli glory, yet do we not enter into the possessyon of these heauenly goodes and richesse til we be called. In deede, when we be called,Ephe. i. then do we begin to haue a certain fruition of our chusing & election. For this cause, saint Paul dothe call the spirite that we do re­ceiue, the spirite of adoptyon, the seale and earnest penye of oure en­heritaunce. Because that he dothe with his testimonye stablyshe and seale vp in the heartes of the fayth­ful, the certainty of their adoption. God therfore, doth ordaine them to be his children, and apoynteth him self to be a father vnto them, whōe he hathe chosen, and by callinge of them, he dothe receiue theym into hys family and houshold, offrynge and declaring him selfe vnto them. Now, sith that the scripture dothe after this sort, ioygne the callynge of God, vnto his election, it dothe sufficiently declare therby, that we [Page] oughte to require or seeke in it, for none other thinge, but for the free mercy of God only. For, if ye shuld aske, whom god is wont to cal, the scripture doth answer you, by & by, that he doth cal them, whōe he hath chosen before.Nothing els can we fynde in oure election but the mercy of God. But if we come once to the election, there can we fynde nothing els but the mere mercye of God. So that here the sayinge of Paul is most truely verified, wher he saith: It lieth not in anye mans wil, or renning, but in the mercy of god.

And my gentle­men did tel me, y^t by this place of y^e Apostle, we do plainly learne, that ther is a certain wyll and endeuor in man, which excepte they be hel­ped by the especial grace of almighty God, can do nothing in dede, but if they be once aided & helped frō a­boue, they do farther veri much our saluatiō, wherby, as I could vnderstand, they did meane that there is of nature a certain desire & endeuor in mā, to be saued, which being hel­ped by the [Page] the mercy of God, do healpe won­derfully towardes the obtaining of euerlastinge life: and so they do ad­scribe parte of oure saluation vnto the grace and mercy of God, & part of it vnto the same will and renu­ing or endeuoure of man.

Thys doubtlesse is a mere cauillation.Enchery. ad Lau­rentium Ca. xxxi. Howbe it I haue lieuer to confute it with the words of S. Augustine, than with myne owne. If (saith he) the Apostle dyd meane none other thinge, but that it doth not only lie in the wyll and renuing of man, except the mercy­ful Lord doth healpe, we may also saye on the contrarye, that it lyeth not only in the mercy of God, without the wil and renuing of manne. But sith that it wer a plain vngodlinesse to saye so, let vs not doubte but that the apostle did attribute al thinges vnto the mercy of God, and that he did leaue no maner of thing vnto our owne will and endeuors. And in an other place these be hys [Page] woordes. Quapropter vt in deum creda­mus, & pie vmamus, Ad vita. Epi. cvii. non volentis neque currentis, sed miserentis dei est: non quia velle & currete non debemus, sed quia ipse in nobis & velle operatur & currere.

That is saye: therefore, that we should beleue in God, and liue god­ly, it lieth not in the wil or renew­ing of manne, but in the mercy of God: not that we oughte not bothe to will and to renue, but because y^t he him self doth worke in vs, bothe to wil and also to renue. The mea­ninge then of the Apostle was, be­cause that he did se, that some men did attribute parte of their saluati­on, vnto their own industry, for to reproue theyr errour in the former parte of the sentence, and after­wardes to adscribe the hole matter of saluation vnto the only mercye of God. Do not the Prophets (I be­seche you) generalli in al places set forthe earnestlye the free callynge of God? The Prophet dothe suffi­cientlye declare,Esay. lxv. whome the Lorde [Page] dothe offer his woorde to, when he saith: I am found of them y^t sought me not, and haue plainli appeared vnto them, that dyd not aske of me. Vnto the people that dyd not call vppon my name, haue I saide: Lo, here I am.Ios. xxiiii And leaste the Iewes shuld thinke that this kindnes and mercy dyd onlye pertayne vnto the gentils, he doth put them in remē ­brance, whence he did take their fa­ther Abraham, when he made hys couenaunt with him.The ly­ght of goddes word is a suffi­cient prof of his fre goodnesse and mer­ci toward vs. Euen frō the mydst of Idolatry, wherin he was ouerwhelmed wyth al hys. When the lord thē doth offer vnto vs first, the lyght of hys word, ther doth he shew a sufficient profe, testimony, & sygn of hys fre goodnes & mercy towards vs. For, thys dothe he vnto vs hauinge deserued no such thyng at hys handes. But least we should boast and crake, that we do of oure owne accorde followe hym, when he dothe call, or that we do receiue of oure owne swynge, hys mercye [Page] and grace, when he dothe offer it vnto vs, he dothe playnly affirme that we haue no eyes to see, nor eares to heare, but onely those that he dothe make and geue vnto vs. And that he dothe bothe make and geue them vnto vs, not accordinge to our gratitude or thankefulnesse, but accordinge to his election, and grace. And of this, haue we a good­ly example in Saint Luke in his boke of the Actes.Actes. xiii Where both the Iewes and the Gentyles did heare together the preachinge of Paule and Barnabas. For beynge both taught with one doctrin, I meane, bothe the Iewes and the gentyles that wer there, it is sayed, that they only did beleue, that wer ordayned before vnto lyfe euerlasting. With what face thē shal we say, that the calling of god is not free, syth that euen vnto the vttermost pointe, the election of god doth raign in it on­ly?

By this it shuld appere, that they do greatly er, y^t make mā [Page] fellowe worcker with God in the matter of his election and calling,It is an errour to make mā fellowe worker with god in the matter of election. & that they are also out of the way, that hold opinion and say, that our election doth depende of the prea­ching of the Gospel. For, as farre as I can perceiue, we are onlye by the preaching of the word, certified of it, and as it were, put in full pos­session of it.

Ye say the very truth. But as they be begiled and deceiued that saye, that our election do the hange alto­gether and depend of the preaching of the gospell: so in sekinge the cer­tainty of it, we must contente oure selues with these outwarde signes and tokens, wherby our heauenlye father is wont to certifye his chyl­dren of their election, and to bring them into y^e fruition of it. My mea­ning is this. Sith that it hath pleased God oure heauenlye father, by the outward preching of his word, and by the inward working of hys holy spirit, (whiche is the seale and [Page] earnest peny of oure adoption and enherytaunce) to certify vs of oure election, that is to say, that he hath chosen vs, for to be fellowe heyers wyth hys sonne Iesu Christ, of his heauenlye kyngdome, we oughte to contente oure selues wyth these meanes that he hath appointed vn­to vs, for to come to the sure know­ledge and certainety of oure electi­on. And none other meanes did he apoynte for it, but the outewarde preachinge of hys woorde and the inwarde workynge of hys holye spyrite, whiche testifyeth vnto our spirite that we are the chyldren of God. Let vs therefore,We ou­ght not to seeke the certainly of oure e­lection, in the hyd­den iudgements of the Lord. content our selues wyth them, and go no far­ther. For, they that wyll go about for to seeke the certaynetye of their election, in the hydden iudgements and incomprehensible waies of the LORDE, must needes be won­derfully tormented in theyr consci­ences. Which thinge Sathan doth seke aboue al other thinges. For, [Page] there is no nearer way for to bring men in to desperation, than for to make them to doubte of the fauour and loue of God towards them or of theyr election vnto lyfe euerlas­tinge. Thus commenly is Sathan wont to whysper in to the eares of ourconsciences: Thou myserable man, whence canst thou haue any saluation, but of the election of the Lord thy God? But who hathe re­ueled vnto the, or certifyed the that thou art chosen? Nowe, if we go once oute of the ryghte waye for to seeke for the certainely of our elec­tion (I saye, that we go oute of the waye, when we go not that way to woorke, that GOD him selfe hathe apoynted.) It is impossible for vs, that euer we should be dely­uered out of hys snare. And so must we needes at lengthe be broughte in to the botomelesse pytte of des­peration. Whyche is the rewarde of those, that wyll contrarye to the appointment of almighty god our [Page] heauenlye father, seeke for the cer­taintye of their election, in the hid­den Iudgementes and in compre­hensible waies of the Lorde, where the farther that a man doth wade, the farther shall he be from y^e thing that he dothe seke, til y^t at length he hathe throughe his vnsatiable cu­riositye broughte hym self into vt­termooste destruction. Whereas, if we go that waye to woorke, that God hathe appoynted, sekinge for the certaintye of our election, wher he will haue vs to seeke it, we shal finde greate consolation and com­forte.

Therefore, bro­ther Philalethes, we do all mooste hartelye desire you to shewe vnto vs, what order it is best to keepe in this matter, leaste for consolatyon and comforte, we do finde despera­tion and sorowe, with endlesse mi­serye and perplexitye of mynde.

We shal kepe a very good order in seking the cer­tainetye of oure election, if we doe [Page] begynne with the callinge of God,What order we oughte to kepe in sekynge the cer­tainety of oure elec­tion. and ende euen in the same. Syth that by it, as by a moste infallible signe and token, the Lord our God doth certifye vs of his counsell, as muche as it is lawefull for vs to know. And least we shuld thynke, that this callinge of God, whiche doth consiste in the outwarde prea­chinge of the worde, and in the in­warde workinge of the holy ghost, is but a weake testimonye of oure election, we ought to cōsyder with oure selues, how muche lyght and certenty it bryngeth vnto vs. First and foremost, if we seeke for the mercye and fauoure of God, we must fasten oure eyes vpon Christ, in whome onely the father is plea­sed. If we longe for saluation, lyfe, immortalytye, and the en­herytaunce of the kyngedome of heauen, wee muste also flye vn­to hym, and to none other, syth that he is the onely fountayne of life, the shot anchore of saluation, [Page] and the ryghte heyre onlye of the kyngdome of heauen. For, where­vnto doth our election extende, but that beyng chosen of the Lord, and receyued into the noumber of hys chyldren, we shoulde for the loue of hys sonne, obtayne saluatyon and immortalitye? Weighe the matter wyth your self as much as ye wyl, and ye shal fynde, vnderstande and perceyue, that the end of it doth ex­tend no farther. Therefore whome God doth take to hys chyldren, it is sayd that he hath chosen them,Ephe. i. but in his annoynted, that is to saye, in hys sonne Iesu Chryste: For, he coulde not loue them but onlye in hym, nor yet honor wyth the enhe­rytance of hys kyngdome, except he had made them fyrst fellowes with hym. Now if we be chosen in hym, we shall not fynde in oure selues, the certayntye of oure electyon, nor yet in God the father, yf we beholde hym wythoute hys onlye begotten sonne our sauyoure Iesu [Page] Christ. Christ then is the most sure and infallible glasse or myrroure,In Christ onely can we be­holde and see the certainety of oure elec­tion. wherein we maye beholde and see the certainty of oure election, and that maye we do, without anye de­ceit or fraude. For, sith that the fa­ther hath determined to graffe thē all in his bodye, whome he hathe from the beginninge appoynted to be hys, and doth take thē al for hys children, whome he doth recognise or acknowledge amonge hys mem­bers, if we be once graffed in Christ and haue fellowshippe with him, then haue we a most euident, plain and infallible testimonye, that we are wrytten in the booke of lyfe. But he did mooste certainlye com­municate him selfe vnto vs, or re­ceyue vs into hys fellowshyppe, when he did testifye by the Prea­chinge of the Gospell that the fa­ther did geue him vnto vs. For, to be oures with all his heauenly ry­chesse.Iohn. i. He, I saye, did testifye vnto vs, that as manye as did receiue [Page] him by faithe, they shoulde of hys heauenlye father be taken and re­ceiued for his children. If ye do re­quire more than to be compted a­monge the children of GOD, and heires of his kingdome, ye climbe aboue Christe. Nowe, if thys be oure farthest marke,It is a madnes to seeke that with oute Christ, that we haue alredye obtayned in hym. what a mad­nesse were it to seeke that thynge withoute hym, that we haue al­ready obtained and gotten in him, and whyche canne be found in him onlye? More ouer sithe that he is the eternal wisdome of the father, and the verye truth it self, we nead not to feare, that he dothe in hys woorde and Gospell varye anye thynge from the wyll and plea­sure of hys heauenlye father, whi­che we seeke to be certifyed of. For whye? he dothe declare it most faythfully vnto vs, assuring vs by hys gospel, what the will of his fa­ther hath ben from the beginning & shalbe to y^e worldes end. But this [Page] ought to comfort vs most of al, and to establish our faith in the mercye and goodnesse of almightye God, wherbi he hath freli chosē vs in his beloued, that the scriptures do eue­ry wher testify vnto vs, that whom so euer Christ doth call into the fe­lowshippe of his churche, them he doth receiue into his protectiō and sauegarde: and that whome so euer he doth receiue into his protection and sauegarde, they are committed vnto him of his heauenlye father, for to be preserued and kepte vnto life euerlasting: what wil we haue any more?Iohn. vi.xvii. Christe him selfe cryeth out with a loude voyce and sayeth: that as manye as the father wyll haue to be saued, he hath deliuered them vnto him, to kepe. Now if we wil know whether God be careful ouer our saluation or not, we must seke in his holy word and scripture whether he hath committed vs vn­to his sonne Iesu Christe or not, whome he hathe appoynted to bee [Page] the only sauioure of all his. And if we be in doubt, whether the onlye begotten sonne of God, hath recei­ued vs into his protection and sauegard, he him self,Iohn. x. wil put this dout away, sith that he offreth him selfe of his owne accord to be oure shep­heard, acknowledginge vs for hys sheape, if we will heare his voyce. Let vs therefore embrace Christe, sith that he dothe so gentlelye and louingly come forth, and offer hym selfe vnto vs. And then will he re­ceiue vs into his flock, and kepe vs safely within hys shepefolde.

But who can do this, except it be geuē him from aboue? Doth not Christ him selfe say,Iohn. vi. that no man commeth vnto hym, except hys father dothe drawe him?

And ye may wel vnderstande, that we speake of none other heare in this place. For, our hole communi­cation and talcke is of them onlye that be chosen in Christe, afore the foundacions of the world wer laid, [Page] whome God doth bringe or rather drawe vnto hys sonne, by the prea­chinge of his worde, and by the in­ward workinge of his holye spirit: wherbye he dothe illuminate, and lighten their heartes and myndes, and doth certify them of their elec­tion. For, this holy spirite of God, by whose inwarde operatyon and working we are drawn vnto christ do testify vnto oure spirite, that we are the children of God, and dothe assure vs of our saluation. Suche I say, dothe our sauior Iesus Christe receiue into his protection & saue­garde, so that they canne neuer pearishe. For, these be the woordes of the hyghe shephearde:Iohn. x. My shepe do heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they followe mee, and I geue them lyfe euerlastyng, and they shall neuer pearyshe, nor none shall take them from my hande.

Obiectiō Ro. viii. Althoughe S. Paule doth wryte, that whome God hath [Page] ordained before, them be dothe also call,Mat. xxii. yet oure sauiour Iesus Christ sheweth plainlye, that manye are called, and fewe are chosen. Ther­fore, I canne not well vnderstande howe the calling of God shoulde be suche a certificate, or so sure a te­stimonye of our election.

That this place maye the better be vnderstāded,Aunswer we must note and marke that there be thre manners of calling. First and foremooste, al men be generally called,three mā ­ners of callinge. euen those that doe not heare the worde. For, vnto them bothe hea­uen and earthe,Psal. xix Rom. i. and all the crea­tures that be comprehended therin do neuer cease to preach y^e almigh­tye power of GOD, and also hys goodnesse and mercye, so that by thys meane as the Apostle dothe testifye, all menne are vnexcusa­ble, before the maiestye of GOD: And wyth them, we may wel comprehend those, that hear the word, but because that they are deafe in [Page] theyr heartes and mindes, thoughe they be called, yet they wil geue ne­ther eares nor heede vnto the cal­ling. The second sort that be called do professe the Christian religion, and receiue the worde,Actes. viii but it hathe no true roote in them. As Symon Magus, which being conuinced in his hart that the Gospel was true, did for a time professe it, but be­cause it had no rote in him, he dyd sone fall away from it. Suche are they, to whome the Lord doth geue his holy spirit, illuminating them for a time, but afterwards he doth forsake them, because of theyr in­gratitude and vnthankfulnes, and doth strike thē with greater blind­nesse. The third maner of calling, is both particulare, and also moste effectuall. For, by it the Lord doth only call his electe and chosen, and whome he hath ordeined before vnto life euerlastinge, workinge so in them by the inwarde operation of his holi spirit, that the word which [Page] is preached vnto them, dothe take rote in theyr hartes, and bringeth forthe frute vnto eternall lyfe. He doth also by the same spirit testifye vnto them, I meane vnto their spi­rit, that they be the childrē of God, and heyres of the kingdome of hea­uen. But we wil come to the para­ble it self: when our sauioure Iesus Christ did see,Mat. xxii. that the gospell was far spreade abrode, and that it was despysed of manye, and receiued of few, he doth describe God vnto vs, vnder the person of a mighty king, which ordaining a solemne feaste, doth sende his seruauntes into all costes, for to call a great multitude vnto it. But because that they whi­che were fyrste bidden dyd refuse to come, makinge all, one excuse or o­ther: he was faine to call them that were behinde the hedges and in the Corners of the streates vnto hys feast. Hetherto is the parable vn­derstanded of the outward calling. Afterwardes he saith: that the ma­ster [Page] of the feaste (whiche is none o­ther but God him selfe) dyd enter in, for to see and cherish his gestes, and that whome he did finde there withoute the bridegromes liuery, him he did cast into vttermost darknesse, where shall be wepinge and gnashynge of teethe.They that with their mouthes do professe the gos­pel, and be not inwardelye sanctified with the holy spi­rit of god be withoute the bridgrōes lyuerey. This parte of the similitude, oughte to be vnder­standed of them, that wyth theyr mouthes do professe the Gospell, and the true Christian faithe, and so do associate and a fellowshyppe themselues with the churche and congregation of the faithful, but ar not sanctified inwardlye with the holy spirit of god, nor haue put on our sauioure Iesu Christe. Suche spottes of his church, the Lord wil not alwaies suffer, but as theyr stinckinge filthinesse doth deserue he will caste them oute at lengthe. We saye then with Christe, that manye are called, by that generall calling of God, whiche pertaineth bothe to the reprobate and cho­sen, [Page] but fewe are chosen. And vnto these fewe, doothe the particulare callinge of the Lorde pertaine on­ly. For, it bringeth with it selfe the spirite of regeneration, whiche is the earnest penye and seale of oure heauenlye enheritaunce, where by oure heartes are sealed vp againste the daye of the Lorde.

It appeareth also that al they that be chosen shall not be saued. For, Obiectiō Christe oure sauioure saith: I haue chosen you twelue,Iohn. vi. and one of you is a deuel. And this doth he speake of Iudas, whiche was one of hys Apostles, and whome he dyd sende fourth with the other, to preach his Gospell, and to woorke myracles, for the confirmation of the same. Againe, where he saithe,Ioh. xvii. that none of them dyd pearishe, that were geuen hym of the father, he dothe excepte the chylde of Perdityon.

It is to bee vnderstanded,Aunswer Two mā ners of chusinge. that there be two manners of chusinge. The one, [Page] whereby the Apostles were chosen to that moste worthy office of Apo­stleship that they were in, and the other, whereby they were chosen vnto life euerlastinge. Therefore, when Christ saith, that Iudas was chosen wyth the other Apostles, y^e same muste be vnderstanded of the office, where vnto he was chosen with the other. For, when he spea­keth of the electyon that dothe per­tayne vnto life euerlasting, and vn­to the enheritaunce of the kingdom of heauen, he doth all together ex­clude hym from the nomber of the chosen.Iohn. xiii I do not (sayth he) speake of you all I know whom I haue cho­sen.Whervn­to Iudas was geuen vnto Christ of his heauenly fa­ther. After the same maner, may we say, that Iudas was geuen Christe of hys heauenlye father, not for to be kept and preserued wyth the o­ther, vnto lyfe euerlastyng, but for to beare the offyce of an Apostle for a tyme. Whyche appeareth to bee most true by that, whiche he saythe in another place: Al that my father [Page] hath geuen me (sayth he) shal come vnto me, and him, that cometh I wyll not cast oute. The lyke maye be sayed of all those, that for a whyle do seme to be very Apostels of oure sauioure Iesu Christ, prea­chynge the gospell, to mens thin­kynge, moste syncerelye and pure­lye, but at lengthe they do cleane fall awaye from Christe, and be­come enemyes of the worde. Such were Philetus, Hymeneus and Demas. ii. Timo. ii.iiii. with many other. These were ge­uen Christ, of hys heauenlye fa­ther, for to be in such high rowmes and offyces for a tyme, but not for to be kept vnto eternall lyfe. Elles, how coulde that stande, where he sayeth: Thys is the wyl of the father, that hathe sente me,Ihon. vi. that I lose none of al those, that he hath geue me: But that I do raise thē vp again in the last dai? Heare­by thā may we conclude, that they that be geuē vnto Christ, of his fa­ther, for to be felowe heires wyth [Page] him of his heauenly kingdome, can neuer perishe, & that the place that ye aleadged, ought to be vnderstan­ded of those, that be geuen vnto Christ, for to serue him for a time. And of thys sorte are they, that turne to their olde vomit again, & to their walowing in the myre:ii. Pet. ii. or that hauing ben once lighted, not­withstanding that they haue tasted of the heauenlye gifte,Heb. vi. and are be­come partakers of the holy ghost, and haue tasted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, yet do fall away at length from the knowen truth: or that ha­uinge bene righteous for a whyle, do turne awaye vnfaithfully, and geue them selues to vnrighteous­nesse. These folke for a whyle, euen tyll they be vtterlye fallen awaye from the knowen truth,Eze. xviii. are taken for true Chrystyans, and are rec­kenned amonge the shepe of oure sauyoure Iesu Christe, and yet they be none of them. For, if they [Page] were hys shepe and of hys flocke, they coulde not peryshe. Whyche thynge may be proued by hys own wordes and sayinges, whych haue bene rehearced alredy before, and now for to make the matter more playne, maye be rehearced again: My shepe, saieth he, heare my voice and I know them,Iohn. x. and they folow me and I geue them life euerla­stinge, and they shal neuer perysh, and no man shal plucke them oute of my hand. My father, which gaue me them, is greater then al, and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hande. Here, we haue,The pro­perties of the true shepe of Christ. as it were, set out before our eyes the propertyes of the true shepe of Christ. Fyrst and foremost, they heare his voice, and folowe hym. But they that forsake the knowen truth, and turne to their olde vo­myt agayne, doo neyther heare hys voyce nor yet folowe hym. A­gain, as Christ geueth lyfe euerla­stinge vnto hys true shepe, so doth [Page] he promise, that thei shal neuer pe­rishe, and that no man shal plucke them oute of his hande. But they whiche after that they haue beene once lighted, do fall awaye againe from the good word of God,Heb. vi. wher­of they had tasted, haue not lyfe e­uerlasting (for, as the Apostle saith it is impossible that they should be renewed vnto repentaunce) they do pearyshe, and are pluckt out of the shepheardes hand. Therefore, they are none of the true sheape. And the cause whye the true sheape can not pearyshe, nor be pluckte oute of the shephardes hande is onlye this: because that the father which gaue them, is greater than all, and no manne is able to plucke them out of hys hande. If Sathan than were able, to bryng the true sheepe of Christe into perdition, we shuld be fain to cōfesse that he is greater, than the heauenly father, and that he is of more power, than the on­lye begotten sonne of God: I wold [Page] woulde wishe that they whiche do so boldlye affyrme, that the electe and chosen of God, and true shepe of oure sauioure Iesu Christ canne pearysh, would but read this place of the Gospel, where it is said, that there shal arise many false Chri­stes and false Prophettes,Math. iiii whyche shall doe greate tokens and won­ders, in so muche that if it were possyble, the verye chosen shoulde be broughte into error also. Wher we do learne, that though the elect be manye tymes tempted wyth er­roures, and wyth false and lyinge sygnes, yet they can not be pluckte awaye from the truthe of oure sa­uioure Iesu Christ. For, they that are geuen hym of hys father, can neuer pearyshe, nor yet be pluckte out of hys hand.

Why dothe Saynte Paule say then: Obiectiō i. Cor. x. Rom. xi. Let hym, that thincketh hym selfe to stand, take hede least he fall? And a­gaine: Art thou grafted in the peo­ple of God?

Be not thou hye mynded therfore, but feare. For, God is able to cutte the of agayne and to grafte other in. Feare, I say, seynge God hathe not spared the natural braunches, least he also spare not thee. More­ouer oure sauioure Iesus Christe saieth,Math. xii. that when the vncleane spi­ryte is gone oute of a manne, if he chaunce to come in again, the ende of that man shalbe worse than the beginning. Wherby we do learne, that though a man be sanctified in our sauiour Iesu Christ, and dely­uered from the spirit of infidelitye and vnbeliefe, yet he may fall into it againe. Yea, if the elect of God, can neuer pearish, what nead they to be exhorted at any tyme, or to be admonished and rebuked? What neade haue they, that Gods worde should be preached vnto theym, or that they shoulde make anye pray­ers vnto God?

AunswerAs for the fyrste place, that ye haue aledged [Page] oute of the tenthe chapyter of the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians, it shall easelye be vnderstanded, if we wyll but marke the circumstances of it. We muste consider that there Sainte Paule doth wryte agaynst certayne of the churche of Corin­thus, whyche did liue in a carnall securitye, and that beynge puft vp with a vaine confidence, did forget theyr owne infirmity and weake­nesse, and so did fall into horrible sinnes. Such vaine confidence and carnall securitye did the Prophets rebuke, in the people of Israel.

But because that Sathan the De­uel is wont to wraste thys place, for to put menne in dout of theyr saluatyon, whereby it commeth to passe that manye mennes consci­ences are horriblye tormented: we shall note and marke, that there is a certain security & confidence whi­che is most holy & godly, and which cannot be separated from the true faythe.

By it we do wholelye reast vppon the promises of God, beinge fullye perswaded in our consciences, that God as a mooste mercifull and lo­uinge father, will alwaies healpe, aid, and assiste vs. Therefore, put­ting a side al vaine dread and fear, we do reioyce and triumph against sathan the deuell, & againste sinne. Notwithstandinge, remembrynge stil our owne infirmity and weakenesse, we do withal lowlinesse and humilitye of mynde commyt oure selues vnto the mercifull kepynge and protection of almighty GOD oure heauenlye father, and abyde through faith vnder the shadowe of his winges.Rom viii Of this sure confidēce and trust doth the Apostle speake in many places, but most specially in the viii. chapiter of the Epistle to the Romains, wher he saith: Who will seperate vs from the loue of God? trouble or anguishe? persecu­tion or hunger? nakednesse or pea­rill of the swearde? I am sure, that [Page] ne­ther death nor life, neither aungell nor rule, neyther power, neyther thinges presente, nor thynges to come, nor yet any creatures either aboue or beneath, shalbe able to se­perate vs from the loue of GOD, which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde. There is an other securitye or con­fidence,Vngodly securitye and con­fidence. which dothe rise and come of a luskishnesse, when men beyng pufte vp with the giftes that they haue receiued, do behaue them sel­ues as though they were wythout all gonne shot, and were in no pea­ril at all, wherby it cometh to passe that the enemy hath them alwaies at his auauntage. Therefore, the blessed Apostle S. Paule doth dili­gently warne the Corinthians to take hede and beware of such vaine confidence, and carnal security, be­cause that he did perceiue y^t some of them were geuen to it, & did please them selues in their own conceites and folishe opinions: but he dothe not bid them to doubte of the good [Page] wil of god towardes them, or to be in feare,Against whome Paule doth speake in the .x. cha. of .i. Cor. i. as vncertain of their own saluation, which they haue throu­ghe Christe, in whome we are cho­sen afore the foundacyons of the world wer laid. To be short, Saint Paule dothe here speake agaynste those, that were hie myneded and puft vp with a vaine confidēce and trust, which was grounded vppon men, and not vpon god. But when he speaketh of the true securitye or quietnesse of minde, and of the true confidence and trust, he saith plainlye thus: Stande stedfaste, beynge grounded and roted in Christe.

Obiectiō But howe shal we vnderstande the same, that I haue a­ledged oute of the Epystle to the Romaines? For, there the Apostle dothe threaten them, whome he did confesse before to be grafted in the hope of life, that excepte they take hede, they shalbe cut of againe.

Although it [Page] is impossible, as I haue sufficient­lye declared before,Aunswer that any suche thynge should chaunce or happen vnto them, that be chosen in christ Iesu, to be fellow heirs wyth hym of hys heauenlye kyngdome, yet haue they alwaies nead of suche exhortations,The ma­lepartnes of the flesh must be tamed for to tame the ma­lepartnesse and pride of the fleshe, which as it is alwayes an ennemy of theyr saluation, so it deserueth to be putte in feare of euerlasting dampnation and of hell fyre. As farre forthe then as the true Chri­stians bee illumynated throughe faythe, and haue receiued the light of the holye spirit of God: for their assuraunce they be certified in the sacred scryptures, that the callinge of God is wythoute repentaunce. But as farre fourthe as they ca­rye aboute the fleshe,Rom. xi whych doth kycke againste the grace of God, wyth these sayinges.

Take heede that thou fall not [Page] and take hede, that thou be not cut of againe) they be taughte to hum­ble them selues, and to be lowlye, gētle, and meke, and not to be puft vp, or swel against anye man. But here we shall marke that there be three kindes of graftinge in, & two manners of cutting of.Three kyndes of graffinge in, and .ii maners. of cutting of. For, fyrste and foremooste, the children of the faithfull, vnto whome by the ver­tue of the couenaunt that is made with the fathers, the promise dothe pertaine, are grafted in. Secondly, thei are grafted in, that receiue the sede of the Gospel, but afore that it can bring forth any frute, it is cho­ked in them. Thirdly they be graf­ted in, that by the vnchaungeable purpose or decree of God, are or­dained and chosen vnto life euerla­sting. Nowe the firste are cutte of, when they do vnthanckfully refuse y^e promise, that is made vnto theyr fathers, or els wil not, of a certain malitiousnesse of minde receiue it. The second are cut of again, when [Page] the sede is choked in them, and be­cause that we are all, touching our owne nature subiecte to that mis­chief and mooste pearillous euyll, therfore, this exhortation and warning doth by good righte pertaine vnto vs all. Yet the solution of this argument shalbe the more ea­sye, if we wil consider and marke, that the blessed Apostle dothe most chiefly speake vnto them,Vnto whome the Apos­tell dyd speake most cheiflye. that dyd falsly boaste them selues, that they were grafted in the couenaunte of life, in steade of the Iewes. For, there dothe he speake to al the hole body of the gentiles in generall, a­monge whome there were manye that were but Christians in name. We must not thincke then that S. Paule goeth aboute by this sharpe warning to put vs in anye doubte of oure saluation, or to take awaye the certainty and infalliblenesse of the true Christian faith, or to anni­chilate and abolish that mooste in­fallible testimonye of the spirite of [Page] God, which testifieth vnto our spi­rit, that we are his children, & heirs throughe grace of his heauenlye kingdome, but rather that he dothe declare thereby, speakinge to the hole body of the gentils, that there were manye amonge them, that were vainlye pufte vp, and that hauing an outward shew of godlines did denye the vertue of it. And for theyr sakes, dothe he threaten the gentils that they maye be cut of a­gaine. And here vnto may be applied the parable or similitude that ye haue aledged out of the twelft cha­piter of Mathew. For, besydes all other doctrines that may be gathe­red out of it,Math. xii. we do learne ther, that if our sauiour Iesus Christe, dothe of his mere goodnesse and mercy deliuer vs once from the spirit of vn­belief, we muste not be pufte vppe therfore, nor geue our selues vnto a carnall security, which is the mo­ther of al mischief, and whiche ma­king vs to forget the iudgement of [Page] almighty God,Carnall security, mother of all mys­chyefe. dothe choke vp al­together the feare of God in oure heartes, but that we oughte ra­ther to watche and pray, acknow­ledgynge vnfaynedlye, and euen from the bottome of oure heartes, oure owne infirmity and vnable­nesse, and so submytte oure selues vnto the myghtye hande of oure heauenlye pastoure. And verelye this sharpe warnyng is verye ne­cessarye, as longe as we carye a­boute thys rebellyous loumpe of flesh, whyche is alwayes contrary vnto the spirit, and an ennemye of our saluation, that by thys meane, it maye be tamed and kept vnder, and also made to shake of, all lus­kish securitye and vain confidence. But as we must beware and take bede, that we doe not goe about by this place, to putte menne in anye doubte of theyr saluatyon, or to spoyle theym of the certaynetye of the true Christyane Faythe, [Page] (for Christe oure sauioure goeth a­bout no such thing here) so can we neuer proue by it, that the deuel or vncleane spirit canne euer haue a­gaine the true electe and chosen of God, in his possession, after y^e they be once sealed vp with his holy spirit against the daye of the Lorde.

What they be that suf­fer the vncleane spirite to come in agayne. i. Iohn. iiThey therefore, that suffer the vn­cleane spirit to come in agayne, are of the nomber of those, that fall to their old vomit againe, or to theyr walowing in the mire, and that be­ing once lighted, do moste vngodly and moste traiterouslye forsake the knowen truthe. But heare what the holy spirit of God which spake in all the holy Apostles doth say of such: They went out from vs, but they wer not of vs. For, if they had bene of vs, they would doubtlesse, haue continued with vs. As longe as they do abide amonge vs, and haue all the Common outwarde sygnes of the true election of God, we oughte not to iudge rashlye of [Page] them, but to cōmit them vnto the vnsearchable and righteous iudge­ment of him, that knoweth the hartes of al men. In dede by their fal­ling away, they do manifestlye de­clare that they were neuer of the nomber of the electe and chosen of God, that they had neuer the true Christian faith in their hearts, nor were sealed with the spirit of adop­tion, which is the earnest penny of oure heauenlye enheritaunce.

That same place, that ye haue brought in now, oute of the fyrst Epistle of the blessed E­uangelist Saint Ihon, semeth vn­to mee to make the matter verye plaine. For, thereby do we learne, that they that fal away from christ though they go away from among the elect and chosen of God, yet thei be none of the nomber of them.

For, if they were of theym, they woulde continue and abyde wyth them. Sith then that they fal awai from the knowen truthe, they doe [Page] playnelye declare therby, that they were none of the true electe and chosen of God, but were plain hypocrites, whych for a tyme dyd shyne in the churche with faygned holynesse, wheras inwardely they were fylled with all kynde of infy­delitye and vnbeliefe, whiche they cloked as longe as they coulde, tyll they were by the righteous iudge­ment of God, manyfested and ope­ned at length. And suche shall the church haue vnto the worldes end.

Obiectiō If their election be so sure, y^t they can not perysh, what neede they (as our brother Albion sayed euen now) that the gospel be prea­ched vnto them, or to make any prayers vnto God, for to obtayne such thynge as do partaine to their saluation, syth that they be so sure of it alredy?Aunswer by an o­ther question.

Nowe wyll I aske you a question neyghboure Didymus: If ye had a good peece of grounde, whiche ye knewe mooste perfectely to be [Page] fruytfull, woulde ye not tyll it styll, and sowe it, that ye mighte haue some profytte of it? Or would ye let it alone because that ye know it to be fruytfull?

If I shoulde do so, I shoulde be but a slender husband manne. I would not onely tyll it and sowe it most dilygentely, but also roote oute all noysome and hurtefull weedes: I woulde not leaue one bramble or bryer in it.

Verye well.All men of theyr owne na­ture be a barren grounde. Ye know that al men of their owne nature, are but a Barrayne, and an vnfruytefull grounde, and apt to brynge forthe nothinge elsse but Thistles, Bry­ers and Thornes, and that whome he doothe chuse from the whole lompe of vnprofytable Earthe, them he doothe make a good and a fruteful ground.

I wyll not bee a­gainst that.

But what shoulde it profytte to haue [Page] made them a good and a frutefull ground, excepte they were continu­ally tilled, and had good sede sown in them, and excepte the weedes, thornes and briers, that growe in them, were continually cut of, with the wedehoke of Gods word? wyth the whole some exhortations of the ministers,Where­fore serue exhortations to the electe of God. the elect and chosen are, as it were ploughed and tilled, and good sede is styll caste into theyr heartes, that they may bryng forth good and pleasaunte frute vnto the Lorde: when they are sharplye re­buked by the messengers of God,The pro­fyt of sharpe rebukinge. the briers, and Thornes that doe growe in them, by reason of the naturall infirmitye and weakenesse, that sticketh vnto them, as long as they cary about this body of synne, are weded oute, and destroyed. But our sauior Iesus Christe dothe set­forth the matter much more plain­lye, when he saithe: I am the true vine,Iohn. xv. and my father is an husband­man. Euery braūch that bringeth [Page] forthe frute shall he pourge, that it may bring forth more frute. Wher he doth vse a verye goodlye simily­tude. For, as the vine braunches y^e bring forthe frute are purged, that they may bring forthe more frute, which thinge is done, when suche things as be superflue in them and vnprofitable, are cut of, least they should grow to hyghe, and mar the frute: euen so, the superfluitye that is in our flesh, and the noysome vy­ces, that do daily brede and growe in it, are to be pourged and cut of, with the sweard of the spirit, whi­che is Gods worde. We maye con­clude then, that the true electe and chosen of God, as longe as they continue here in this world, and carye about this body of sinne, they haue nead still of the wedehoke of Gods woorde.

Mee thincke that by the same reason, whereby they go aboute to proue, that y^e true elect and chosen of god, haue no nead of the preachynge of [Page] Gods woorde,Thabsurditye that do ensue of the fre wyll mēs obiection because that they be sure already of their saluatiō, they might also maintain and vpholde, that they haue no nead of meat and drinke, sith that they be assured by Gods word, that they shal not die, before the time, that God hath ap­poynted. The one standeth with as good a reason as thother. For loke what the meat and drincke is vnto the body, Goddes word is the same vnto the soul.

But yet, sith that they be so sure of their electiō, Obiectiō that they cannot perish: what nede haue they to pray vnto god, and to aske those thinges that pertaine to their saluation, sithe that they be sure of it already?

Dothe not our sauiour Iesus Christ say,Aunswer that our heauenly father knoweth oure nead afore that we aske any thinge of him? Sith then that he knoweth our nead,Mash. vi. what nead we to declare it vnto him in our praiers, or to de­sire any thing of him, sithe that he knoweth what we neade, afore we [Page] aske hym? There haue bene some, which haue gon about by this say­ing of our sauiour Iesu Christe, to make men to beleue, that prayers wer altogether vnprofitable. But their doctrine maye soone be ouer­throwen. For, we do not pray vn­to God for to teach him our neade, but for to desire him, that he vouch safe according to his fatherly mer­cy and goodnesse, to healp and suc­cour vs in our necessity and neade, and also for to acknowledge ther by, that all the healpe and com­forte that we haue, commeth of him onelye, and of none other.

We do moreouer declare there by oure obedience towardes hys ho­lye Institution and ordenaunce, whereby he hathe instytuted and ordeined, that we shoulde in oure necessitye and trouble call vppon him, and so honoure him.

In lyke manner, althoughe we bee sure of oure electyon, yet oughte we, in all oure necessityes [Page] and troubles, to flye vnto our hea­uenlye father by earnest and faith­ful prayers. Fyrst because y^t it is his cōmaundement that we should so do. Secondly for to acknowledge thereby, that wythout hys father­lye healpe and succour, we be not able to wythstande oure ghostely enemye, whyche goeth aboute like a raumping Lyon, seekyng whom he maye deuoure.i. Pet. v. Was not oure sauioure Iesus Christ most sure of hys saluation? And yet we reade in the gospel, that some tyme he did contynue all the whole nyghte in prayer.

Thys oughte to suffyse vs. For, if oure sauioure Iesus Christ, whyche is the onely fountayne and well of lyfe, and the shot anchore of oure saluation, be­ing most sure alwayes of the king­dome of heauen, did pray so earnestly, what ought we to do, that cary about this sinnefull fleshe, and that be only the children of adoption?

Againe, we haue learned before, [Page] that we are not chosen of God for to breake his commaundementes,Luc. i. but for to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of oure lyfe, and also for to be holye and blame­lesse in his sight: sith then that it is his commaundemēt,Ephe. i. that we shuld in the day of our necessity and trouble call vpon him,Psal. l. and so honoure him, although we be neuer so sure of our saluation throughe faithe in oure sauioure Iesu Christe, yet ou­ghte we stil, when so euer we be in anye necessity or trouble to cal vp­on him in truthe. But yet my gen­tle menne did aledge Gregory vnto me, which sayeth, Obiectiō that thoughe we know that we be called, yet we are vncertaine of oure election, and so exhorteth all menne to feare and dreade, hauynge this sayinge styll in his mouthe:Home. xxxviii. Etiam si quales hodie si­mus sciamus, quales tamen simus futuri nescimus. That is to say: Althoughe we know what we are at this day, [Page] yet do we not knowe what we shal be. This seemeth vnto me to bee cleane contrary vnto your doctrin.

Aunswer to Gregorye.Gregory did speake, as thoughe the electyon of GOD were grounded vppon the woorkes and mearites of menne. Whiche thing we haue proued be­fore to be contrarye to all scryp­tures. And therefore, sithe that he hadde onlye a respect to the wor­kes and deseruynges of menne, as thoughe the election of God dyd holelye depend and hange of them it was easye for hym for to putte menne in doubte of theyr saluati­on, and to make them to be vncer­tayne, whether they were of the nomber of the chosen or not.

Whiche doctrine dothe not onlye brynge a contynuall tormente of conscience, but also at lengthe dry­ueth menne to vtter desperatyon, as it is dailye seene by experience where suche learnynge dothe take place.

But we haue proued al readye by many sufficient textes of the scrip­tures, that GOD oure heauenly father wythoute anye respecte of oure owne workes or merits hath chosen vs in his son Iesu Christe, afore the foundacions of the world were laid: Whereby we do learne that oure election is onlye groun­ded vppon the mercye of God, de­clared vs in his sonne Iesu Christ, for whose sake onlye he hath cho­sen and ordeined vs before, to bee heyres of hys heauenly kingdom, as the Apostle doothe testify, say­inge:ii. Tim. i. He hathe saued and called vs wyth an holye callinge, not ac­cordinge to oure deedes, but ac­cordynge to hys owne purpose, and grace, whiche was geuen vs in CHRISTE IESV, be­fore the worlde was made, but is nowe declared openlye by the ap­pearinge of oure Sauyoure Iesu Christe.

Hee hathe therefore of hys [Page] mere goodnesse and mercy, and not for oure owne workes or merites, but for hys sonne Iesu Christes sake chosen vs frely. We nead not then to be in doubte of our saluati­on, sithe that it hangeth not of the dignity or worthinesse of men, but of the fre mercy of God. And what greater comforte can there be vnto the afflicted consciences than to be certifyed by the infallible worde of God, that theyr saluation doth lye and reast only in the gratuite and free mercy of God, taken hold vpon by faithe in his sonne Iesu Christe our Lord and sauiour?

All thinges beinge wel considered, I do perceiue now and vnderstand,A shorte collection of the dysputation that go­eth before that this youre doctrine is mooste true and also most comfortable, and that they that wil ground our elec­tion, whereby we are chosen vnto life euerlastinge vppon oure owne workes and merites, as they be en­nemies vnto the fre mercy of God, so they do, as much as in them doth [Page] lie, plucke awaye from vs the cer­tainty of our Christian faithe, and also the assurance of our saluation, that we haue in the merites of the death, passion, and bloudsheddynge of our sauior Iesu Christ. And in y^e same error be they also, that hold o­pinion, that the true elect and chosē of god can perish, which I perceiue by the aunswer that ye haue made to theyr obiections, that they bee wont to make for to ouerthrow the certainty of our election, to be most false and vntrue altogether. But as oure election in Christe Iesu, is most certain, so is it impossible for vs to be certified of it by any other meane, than by the calling of god, which doth consist in the outwarde preaching of his word, & in the in­ward workinge of the holy ghoste, wherbi he doth illuminate our hartes, and testifieth vnto our spirit, y^t we are his children, & felow heyres with his sonne Iesu Christ, of hys heauenlye kyngdome.

It is [Page] euen so as ye say. For, all the elect & chosen of god,All the electe and chosen of god afore theyr cal­linge, do go astray with the other. afore their calling which is not al don at one time, for som be called at one time, som at an other, some in their youth, and som in their old age) do go astray & wā ­der in the common desert with the other, & do differ in nothing from y^e rebrobate, sauing only y^t by the ex­ceding great mercy & goodnes of al mighty god, they are preserued and kept frō vttermost perdition. If ye loke vpon thē, ye shal se in them the naturall corruption, y^t we all haue drawne of our first parent Adam: & that the pit of vngodlines doth not shut vp his mouth vpon them, it is only because y^e god hath alwais an eie vnto them & vnto their saluatiō and holdeth his merciful hand ouer them.

I haue hearde some great doctors say, y^t they haue a certain sede of their election naturally I meane, euen from theyr byrthe, grafted in them, whereby they are alwais stirred vp, and moued vnto [Page] godlines and vnto the feare of god.

They that say so, can bring no scripture for them selues, but only the imagination of their own heds again, the daily experiēce teacheth vs the contrary.

And what say ye of Paul?Obiectiō Did he not beynge yet a Pharisey, and not called to Christ, liue without blame? Again did not Cornelius please god wyth his praiers and almes dedes?

As touchinge Paule,Aunswer we will not greatly striue with them for hym: but touchinge Cornelius they are greatly beguiled. For,Act. x. it is mooste plain, that he was already illumy­nated & borne of newe, and that he did only want a plainer declaratiō of the gospel. But what shall they proue by these few examples? that al the elect and chosen of God, are alwaies ledde with the spyrite of godlinesse. No more shal they be a­ble by those fewe examples too proue the same, then shewynge and declarynge the Innocencye, [Page] and integrity, or vertuous conuer­sation of Aristides, Socrates, Xono­phon, Scipio, Curius, Camillus, and of such like, they shal be able to proue thereby, that all they that be lefte in the blynd ydolatrye, are louers of vertue and godlyenesse. What neede we many wordes? We haue the scriptures that teach vs playn­lye the contrarye. For the estate of the Ephesians afore theyr regene­tion or newe byrth, whiche Paul doth describe and set fourthe in the epistell, that he hath written vnto them, doth declare manyfestely, that there was no such sede of elec­tion in them. Ye were, sayth he, dead through trespasses & sinnes, in the which,Ephe. ii. in tymes past ye wal­ked accordinge to the course of this world, and after the prince that ruleth in the ayre, namely after the spyrit that workethe nowe in the childrē of vnbelyef. Among whom we had also oure conuersation in tyme past, in the lustes of our flesh, [Page] and dyd the wyll of our fleshe, and of the mynde and were naturallye the chyldren of wrathe, euen as wel as other. Again: Remēber that ye had no hope, and that ye were without God in this world. Againe Ye were sometimes darkenesse but now ye are light in the lord, walke as the childrē of lyght. Obiectiō

this is to be referred to the ignoraunce of the true God, which they do not denye to be in al y^t elect, afore they be called.

Wherefore then doth he by and by conclude vp­on those sayinges,Aunswer that they ought to put awaye lyinge, and to steale no more, as they had don in tymes paste? When the blessed Apostell, wrytinge to the Corinthyans had sayed,i. Cor. vi. that neyther whoremongers nor adulterers, nor thefes, nor coueteous persons, shoulde enter into the kingedome of heauen, he did adde by and by, that afore they came to Christ, they were defyled with all those detestable & enorme [Page] sinnes: but that now they wer wa­shed clene with the bloud of Christ, and deliuered by his spirit.Rom. vi. And a­gain, in the epistle to the Romains like as ye haue geuen ouer youre members (sayeth he) to the seruice of vnclenelynesse from one wicked­nesse to an other: euē so now, geue ouer your mēbers to the seruice of rightousnesse, that ye may be holy. For, what frute had ye at y^e time in those things, wherof ye are now a­shamed? What seede of election, I pray you, was then in them, when they dyd all the hole time of theyr lyfe, walow them selues, most des­perately in such abhominable and filthy sinnes? If Sainte Paule had ben of that opinion, he would haue shewed vnto thē, how much bound they wer vnto the goodnesse of god wherby they had ben preserued frō such abhominable and stynking filthynesse. Saint Peter likewyse ought to haue exhorted thē, to whi [...] he did write, vnto thankes geuing [Page] for the continual sede of theyr elec­tion, but rather he dothe write to the contrarye. For, he sayeth,i. Pet. iiii that it is ynoughe that we haue spent the tyme past of our life, to fulfyll the lustes of the heathen. But now,Iosu. ii. ii. Kīg. xxi ii. Cron. xxxiii. let vs come to the examples of the scripture. What sede of electiō was there in Rachaab the harlot, afore she was called? or in Manasses, whē he did fyll the stretes of Ierusalem wyth the innocente bloude of the prophetes? or in the thefe, which beinge at deathes dore, did then re­pent, & neuer afore? Away thē with such folyshe reasonnes and argu­mentes, whiche curious menne be wont to inuent and make without anye scripture, & let the same take place with vs, whiche the prophet did speake, saying: we haue al gone astray, like shepe, & euery one of vs hath folowed his owne waye,Esay. liii that is to saye, the waye of perdition and of death euerlasting. But whō he hath determined once to deliuer [Page] from this endlesse perdition, as he dothe commonlye suffer them for a while, to wander and goe astraye withal the residue, so doth he at the time, that he him self hathe apoyn­ted, call them to his flocke by the preaching of his word, and by the inward working of his holy spirit. Wheras on the contrarye, whome he doth stirre vp and appoynt to be the vessels of his wrath, and the ex­amples of his seuerity and iustice, them doth he for the most parte de­priue of the light of his word, or if he sendeth them his worde, it is for to blind them the more, yea and for to harden them. We haue manye examples of the fyrst: but one, whi­che in dede is mooste notable, shall suffise vs now. By the space almost of foure thousand yeares, afore the comminge of Christe, God did hide the light of his heauenly doctrine, in a manner from all generatyons and peoples. Now if any wold say, that this was don, because that god [Page] did iudge thē vnworthy of so great a benefite,How longe the light of Goddes worde hath ben hidden al most frō all natiōs of the earthe. we may right well aun­swer that they, whiche came after, were as vnworthy as they, yea, and more vnworthy to, if ye will goe to their outward liuinge and conuer­sation or to their manners and conditions. Whye did then the Lorde geue the light of his woorde rather vnto these, than he did vnto them before? he should laboure in vaine, that would seke out the cause of so high a matter, whiche is hidden in the vnsearchable iudgementes and incomprehensible waies of y^e lord. And if any man would go about by the occasion of these oure sayinges to blame the iustice of God, let him take this one aunswer for all.An Aun­swer to thē that go about to blame the iustice of God. We do affirme and say, that none do perish vndeseruinglye, or withoute a iust cause, and that againe, it com­meth of the mere mercy and good­nesse of God that some are deliue­red and saued, whiche oughte to be sufficiēt, for to set forth and declare [Page] the glorye of GOD, and also for to stoppe the mouthe of that god­lesse Porphyrius,How god maketh awaye to his Pre­destinati­on. and of all hys vngodlye Disciples and scholers. The LORDE then doth make awaye vnto his Predestynatyon, when he dothe hide hys heauen­lye lyghte from them, whome he hathe once reproued, and leaueth them in theyr blindenesse stil. And of the seconde sort, I meane, of those, that are neuer the bet­ter for the preaching of the word, but rather the woorse, we haue manye examples daily before our eyes, besides them that be con­teined in the scriptures. We see that the woorde is preached to an hundreth Personnes, and that twenty of them do receyue it glad­lye, and wyth an obedient faithe, and that all the other do passe no­thinge vppon it, but rather de­ride and laughe it to scorne, go­ing away worse then they came.

Question Their naughtines is cause [Page] of that.

I do not deanye it.Aunswer Act. xiii. But yet this is not a full answer. For, the same naugh­tinesse should be in them also, that receiue the worde, except God had taken it away.

Why dothe he geue his grace vnto these, & not vnto the other?

Saint Luke sheweth the cause, when he dothe say: And they did beleue, that were ordained before vnto lyfe euerla­sting. What shall we than saye of the other, that do not beleue? For­sothe, that this come to passe, be­cause that they be stirred vp and or deined for to be the vessels of Gods wrathe. Therefore, let vs not be a­frayde to saye wyth Sainte Augu­stine. posset deus malorum voluntatem in bonum conuertere, quia omnipotens est, Li. i. de gene ad li teram. x. Chapi. posset plane. Cur ergo non facit? Quia noluit. Cur noluerit, penes ipsum est. Debemus N non plus sapere quam oportet. That is to say: God might turne the wil of the wycked into good, because y^t he is almighty, plainly he could do it. [Page] Wherfore then doth he it not? Be­cause that he wil not. Why he wyll not, that do we leue vnto him. For, we ought not to be wiser than it be houeth.

This then is youre meaning, that God is author of no mans damnation, but that he doth only according to his vnsearchable and righteous iudgemente, leaue them, whom he hath apoynted and ordained before to be the vessels of his wrath, in their owne naturall corruptiō,reade more diligentely the scrip­tures and thou shalt ceasse to meruaile which they haue of theyr firste parent Adam. But I do mer­uail at this, that he should send hys worde vnto them, whome he wyll haue to be more blinded.

And of this we haue many examples in the scriptures. For, wherfore, was Moses sente so manye times vnto Pharao? was it because that God had any hope, that he should wyth so many messages be mollified, and wonne at lengthe? Yea rather, er the Lorde did begin, he knewe the ende of the matter, and did also tell [Page] before, what shoulde come to passe. Go thy waye, sayeth he to Moses,Exo. iiii. and shewe hym my mynde. And I will harden his heart that he shal not obey. So when he dothe raise vp Ezechiell,Eze. ii &. xii. he geueth hym war­nynge, that he dothe sende hym to a rebellious, and froward peo­ple, least perceiuyng that his prea­chinge did take no place, he shuld waxe faynte hearted.Iere. i. He dothe al­so warne Ieremye that hys Doc­trine shall be as a hote burnynge fire, wherewith the people shal be consumed and destroyed as stub­ble. But yet the Prophecye and sayinge of Esaye the Prophet is playnest of all. For,Esay. vi. the LORD doothe send hym forth wyth these woordes: Goe thy waye and tell to the Chyldren of Israel: ye shal heare in deede: but ye shal not vn­derstande, ye shall plainelye see, and not perceiue. Harden the hart of this people, stoppe theyr eares, and shutte their eies, that they see [Page] not wyth theyr eies, nor hear with their eares, nor vnderstande wyth their heartes, least they shuld turne and be healed. Beholde, he sendeth hys word vnto them, but that they maye be the more deafe, he dothe light the candel, but that they may be the blinder, he doth setforth his doctrine, but that they maye be the more beastish, he sendeth vnto them a remeady, but that they should not be healed with it. And therefore, Saint Ihon the Euangelist alled­ginge this prophecy,Iohn. xii. doth plainlye affyrme that the Iewes coulde not beleue the doctrine of Christe, be­cause that thys maledictyon and curse of God did hange ouer them: Againe: this can not be denied, but that God dothe setforthe hys doc­trine in parables, to those, whome he will not haue to be illuminated least they should take any profit by it. For Christ oure sauioure dothe plainly testify, that he dothe there­fore expound the parables vnto his [Page] Apostles, because that it was geuē them,Mat. xiii. to know and vnderstand the misteries of the kingdome of God, but not to them that wer without.

Wherfore shoulde GOD teache them, Question of whome he wyll not be vnderstanded?

Consider on­lye, whence the faut commeth,Aunswer and ye shall leaue askinge. For what obscuritye or darcknesse so euer, is in the woorde, yet there is alwaies lyghte enough for to confounde the consciences of the vngodly.

I woulde iudge that God dothe so, because that wyth theyr vngodlines, ingratitude, and abhomynable wyckednesse, they haue deserued the same at his hād.

Thys is well and truelye spoken. But yet sythe that the cause of this variety is not yet knowne, whye some beynge broughte vnto obedience, the other do styll abyde in theyr stubborne [Page] and rebellious hardenesse and con­tynuacye, in the discussinge of the matter, we shal be fayne to flye ne­cessarely vnto that,Rom. ix. whiche Saint Paul doth note oute of Moses, that is to say, that God did from the be­gynninge styrre them vp, for to de­clare by them his name throughe oute all the hole earth. That ther­fore, the reprobate do not obey the word, when it is offerd vnto them, we do well attribute the same vn­to the malyce and peruersenesse of theyr owne hearte, so that we ac­knowledge wyth it, that they are therefore geuen vp in to thys ma­lytious peruersnesse, because that they are by the ryghteous and vn­searchable iudgement of God, ray­sed or styrred vp for to set fourthe hys glory by theyr damnation. In lyke maner,i. Sam. ii when it is sayed that the sonnes of Helye woulde geue no eares vnto the wholsome coun­sayll that theyr father gaue them, because that the Lord had determi­ned [Page] to slaye them, we do not denye but that their stubburnesse and ob­stinacye did come of their own ma­lice and naughtines: But we must note with it, why they were left in their obstinacye and stubburnesse, sith that God was able by hys al­mighty power to mollify and turn their hartes: Forsothe because that they were once by the determinate counsaile and decree of God ordai­ned and appoynted vnto destructi­on. When the vngodly heare this, they murmur and grudge againste God,The grudgīge and mur­murynge of the vn­godlye. as though he should with his inordinate power, deale cruellye with his poore and miserable crea­tures. But we that know, that all men are so manye waies subiecte vnto the iudgemente of God, that being asked of a thousand thinges, they be not able to answer in one, do acknowledge and confesse, that the reprobate do suffer nothing vn­iustlye or vndeseruinglye, but are most iustly condemned by the righ­teous [Page] iudgement of almighty God our heauēly father, who (as it hath ben said before) did create al things for him self & the vngodly agaynst the euyll daye.Pro. xvi. Obiectiō

Why doth thē the scripture say, that God hath created mā to be vndestroyed, if he hathe made the vngodlye a­gainst the euyll day? Again, in the viii chapiter of the fourth booke of Esdras,iiii. Esd. viii. Aunswer it is sayed that it was not the wyll of God, that man shoulde come to naught?

In so high a mater as this is, I might lawfully refuse the authorities, that ye aled­ged euen nowe. For, the bookes whence ye had them, are not au­thentike nor yet canonical. Howbeit I wil not do so, but wyll make such an answer, I trust, that al they that aledge such places shalbe con­tent with it.Sapi. ii. The first place that ye broughte in, as farre as I remem­bre, is wrytten in the seconde cha­piter of the boke of wisdom, where [Page] we haue these wordes: god created manne to be vndestroyed, yea after the Image of his owne likenesse, made he him. Neuerthelesse throu­gh the enuy of the deuil, cam death into the world, whereby any man may easelye gather, that the wyse man doth speake there of Adam be­ing in the most perfect estate of his fyrst creation, in the which if he had continued and abiden stil, obeying the commaundement, that the lord hys God had geuen hym, neyther death nor hell could haue had anye power vppon hym, he shoulde haue bene immortal, he shoulde haue ly­ued for euer, no destructyon at all shoulde haue come neare hym, or touched him.

God then, had created hym to be vndestroyed, if he had not through disobedience broken his commaun­dement. For, it is wrytten in the booke of Iesus the son of Syrach,Eccle. xv. otherwise called Ecclesiastions, y^t [Page] Lorde gaue him his commaunde­mentes, and preceptes, sayinge: if thou wilt obserue the commaunde­mentes, and kepe acceptable faith­fulnesse for euer, they shal preserue thee. By this then it dothe plainly appeare, that by breakinge of the law, that was geuen him, he did bring both him self, and all his po­sterity into vtter perdition.

Question Mighte not the Lord throughe hys almighty power, haue letted hym from doing so?

No manne dothe denye, Answer to it. but that God myghte haue preserued him from fallinge, because that he is almighty.

And whye did he it not.

Because that he would not. But why he would not we leaue that vnto him, as we said before. For, we muste not be wyser than it behoueth. Howe be it thys matter hathe bene sufficientlye dis­cussed before, therfore we wil come againe to our argumente. Ye haue [Page] hearde alredy, that man was crea­ted to be vndestroyed, if he had not throughe dysobedience broken the cōmaundement of god, and that by his transgression and fall, he dyd bringe bothe him selfe and all that came of him in to vtter destruction, so that by reason of it all the whole lompe of mankinde, is subiect vn­to damnation and vnto death euer­lastinge. When we saye then, that God did of this lompe of dānation chuse some, euen afore the founda­cions of the world wer layed, for to be the vessels of his mercy, and for to be felowe heyers with his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenlye king­dome, and that again he did ordain and appointe som, for to be the ves­sels of his wrath and the examples of hys iustice, we do in nothynge varye from the scryptures that ye haue aleaged laste. For, those places are to bee vnderstanded of manne, beynge as God created hym fyrst, and we speake of man [Page] beyng made through his owne fo­lye,We were all in A­dams loynes when he fell. transgression and fall, the child of perdition, in whose loynes we wer all when he fell, wherby it fo­loweth, that we al are naturally y^e chylden of wrath. Therfore when he doth rayse and styrre vp some, for to be the vessels of his wrathe (as we haue sayed many times be­fore alredy) he doth thē no wrong, nothing can be layed to his charge for it. For, he doth but as they do deserue: and though he shuld with­oute any exception dampne vs all, he should do vs but ryght. Question

But syth that it was not the wyll of God (as Esdras sayeth) that man shoulde come to naught, why did he suffer hym to fall after thys sorte? I canne not yet well vnder­stande thys.

AunswerThys place muste be vnderstan­ded, as the other, that we ex­pounded euen nowe. It was not the wyll of God, that man should [Page] come to nought, if he had contynu­ed and abyden styll in the same estate, that he was created and put in, at the first. But syth that man hath contrarye to the wyll and cō ­maundemente of almightye God, broughte him selfe, throughe hys disobedience & rebellion, to naught, I meane, to endlesse myserye and calamitye, God oure heauenlye father for to declare hys mercy, did chuse some, from amonge his sede, for to enheryte eternall felicitye and life euerlastynge. And some agayne, for to declare and sette fourthe hys iustyce, he dyd ap­poynte and ordayne to be euer­lastingelye dampned in hell fyer.

And what absurditye were it, I praye you, to saye: that almyghtye God our heauenlye father, doth as a migh­tye potter, make of one lompe of claye, whych of hys owne na­ture is alredye subiecte vnto euer­lasting [Page] damnation, some vessels to honoure, and some to dyshonoure? Doth not the blessed Apostle sainte Paule wryte,Rom. ix that God willing to shew his wrathe, and to make hys power to be knowen, dothe brynge forth the vessels of wrath, whyche are ordained to damnation, that so he may declare, the richesse of hys glory on the vessels of mercy, whi­che he hath prepared vnto glory?

Ye had made me al­moste to forget a thinge, whyche I thought to haue asked our brother Philalethes.

What shoulde that bee?

He said euen now, that Adam did con­trary to Gods wil, bring him selfe to naughte, by his owne disobedy­ence and rebellion. But howe can this be? For, is it not wrytten, that no man is able to resist gods wyll?Rom. ix. Obiectiō Sith then that it was not the wyll of God, that he should be broughte to nought, how could he contrarye to Goddes will, bringe him selfe to [Page] naught?Aunswer

Ye shall vnder­stand neighbour Dydimus, that the holy scripture doth speake of Gods holy wil, two manner of wayes. Fyrst and foremost,The will of God is two manner of way con­sidered in the scrip­tures. it doth ascribe vnto him, I meane vnto God an absolute wil. And this will of God is hidden from vs, and can in no wise be resisted. For, what so euer God doth once determine, accordynge to that absolute wil of his, it shal ne­uer be altered. Again, al the whole world shall neuer be able to wyth­stand it. And therfore, we saye that God is almighty, because that he is able to do whatsoeuer he wyll. Secondly, the scripture doth speke of the deuine and blessed wil of god as it is declared and setforthe vnto vs in Gods holy word, whereby we do learne, what God will haue vs to do, and what he will haue vs to leaue vndone. We do al contrarye to this wil of our heauenly father, when we do breake his holye lawe and commaundements.

Syth then that God by geuing our fyrst parent Adam a law and com­maundement, did declare vnto him what he woulde haue hym to doe, and what he woulde haue him to leaue vndone, when he did through hys disobedyence breake the lawe and commaundemente of God, he dyd contrarye to Gods wil, brynge hym selfe to naught, and to vtter destructyon, in the whych God lea­ueth them, whome he hathe apoyn­ted and ordayned to be the vessels of hys wrathe, and the examples of his deuine iustice, for to be glorified by their damnation.

Obiectiō If God doth apoynte and ordayne some, to be the vessels of hys wrathe and examples of hys iustice, for to be glorified by theyr dampnation, whye dothe then the blessed Apostle sainte Paule saye:i. Tim. ii that God wyl haue al menne to be saued, and to com to the knowledge of his truthe? Agayne, dothe not [Page] the Lorde say, by his prophet Eze­chiell,Eze. xviii & .xxxiii. that he hathe no pleasure in the deathe of a sinner, but that he tourne vnto him and liue? Moreo­uer, it is wrytten, that GOD did shut vp all men vnder vnbelief, for to shewe mercye on all men.Rom. xi. These places, me thincke, are altogether againste you.

Some in deede,Aunswer when they haue once brou­ghte in, and aledged these places, thinck verely y^t they haue won the victory: but they are farre deceiued for, these scryptures beynge well vnderstanded, do make nothing a­gainst vs, nor yet against our doc­tryne. And fyrst of all, wher Saint Paule saythe, that God wyll haue al menne to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of hys truthe, it is mooste euident and playne, that he dothe not speake ther of al men in general, but of al estates, orders, and degrees of men.

Thys is your expo­sition. But what Scrypture doe [Page] ye bringe, for to proue that it is so as ye say?

If ye had suffe­red me, I wold haue made all thin­ges plain inough, so that al the company should haue bene content. Be like ye thincke, that we are of the nomber of those, which when they haue a peace of the scripture by the ende, whiche seemeth to make for their purpose, they do runne away withal, not considering the circumstaunces of the place, nor to what purpose, the holy ghoste hath set it forth or spoken it. The holye Apo­stle doth wryte thus:Expositi­on of the texte aleaged out of i. Tim. ii Exhort there­fore, that aboue all thinges, pray­ers, supplications, intercessiōs, and geuing of thankes be had for al mē for kinges, and for all that are in authority. And because that no mā should thincke that it was agaynst all reason to pray for such vngodly kinges and princes, as were open enemies of the truth, and persecu­tors of Christe, and of his churche: he doth aledge certain causes, why [Page] we oughte to do so. Firste, that we maye vnder them, liue a quyet and peasible life in all godlynesse and honesty. Secondly because that the same is good and acceptable in the sight of God our sauiour, who wyl haue al men to be saued, & to come to the knowledge of his truthe.

Whereby the holy Apostle vnder­standeth none other thing, but that God hath his chosen amonge all e­states, orders and degrees of men, as wel among Kinges, Prynces, rulers and gouernors as among thē, that be of an inferiour estate or condition, thoughe it seemeth neuer so vnlikely vnto mans reason. Els if we should take it vniuersally of all men, as ye will haue vs to take it, then shall we be faine to confesse that God did against his owne wil and appoyntment, when he would not suffer his woord to be preached in Bythinia, nor yet in Asia.Act. xvi. And againe, when he did almoste by the space of four thousand yeres, kepe [Page] the light of his heauenlye doctrine from all nations and peoples, sa­uing only that he did geue his law vnto the children of Israell, and sent his Prophets vnto them.

This that our brother Philalethes saythe, muste neades to be moste true. For, sythe that faith is the only meane for to come to saluation (for by it only do we take hold vppon the mercye of God) and that faithe commeth by hearing,Rom. x. and hearing by the word: when god doth kepe his word and gospel from any nation & people, it is a plain token & sign, that he wyl not haue that people to be saued, nor yet to come to the knowledge of his truth. How shoulde then the saying of the Apostle stande, if we should take it, as they do? Therfore this must be the meaning of the holy ghost: that god hath chosen of e­uery estate, condition, order, or de­gre of men, whome he wil haue to be saued, and to come to the know­ledge [Page] of his truth. Wherby we do learne, that god dothe aswel chuse the kinges as the subiects, & as wel the subiects, as the kings: aswel the rich as the pore, and as wel y^e pore as the rich: & that there is no estate or condition of life, out of the whi­ch, he wil not haue som to be saued, & to come to the knowledge of hys truth. Yet me thincke that this ob­iection might be answered another way.

Which way, I pray you? Although the answer that our brother Philalethes hathe made, hath in a maner satisfied me throughly: yet notwithstanding, woulde I be glad to hear, what ye cā say besides

Think ye,An other Aunswer to the last Obiectiō neighbor Dydimus that this word, all, is always such an vniuersal signe, that it can not be restreined to some seueral kynde of thinges?

I woulde fayne learn that of you.i. Cor. vi.

When Saint Paule saithe, that all thyn­ges are lawfull vnto him, but that all thynges bee not expedyente: [Page] shal we gather therby, because that he vseth this terme, all things, that it was lawful for him, to playe the whoremonger, to steale, and to rob or to kil and murther?

God forbid, that any man should go about to gather any such thing. But rather we ought to vnderstande, that there, in that place, he speaketh only of such things, as be lawful by the word of God, but yet not alwais expedient. As for an example, we know that all kind of meates, of them selues are cleane vnto them that beleue, and that it is lawful for them to eate, what so euer either is sold in the market, or set before them: yet it is not alwais expedient for to do it. For, the scriptures bid vs to beware that we of­fend not our weake brethren.

It is very well marked of you. Why thinke ye, is the doc­trine of the gospel, which is contei­ned both in the olde and newe Te­stament, called of the auncient wryters, [Page] catholike, that is to saye vni­uersall? Is it because that it is vni­uersally receiued of all men, throu­ghe out al the whole worlde? The true christian faith likewise, is cal­led the catholike faith. Shal we ga­ther therfore, that al men general­ly haue this faith?

We can not so doe.Why the true faith is called the Ca­tholike faythe. But rather, ought we to learn ther by that it is so called, because that it doth generally and vniuersallye pertaine vnto all the true chyldren of god, of whome only, it is recey­ued and beleued. And that likewise the true christian faith, is called the Catholike faith, because that vny­uersally, all the true chosen and e­lect of god are endued wyth it.

In lyke manner neygh­boure Dydimus, when saint Paul sayth, that God wyll haue all men to be saued, and to come to y^e knowledge of his truth: that same muste only be vnderstanded of those, whō god hath chosen in his sonne Iesu [Page] Christ afore the foundacions of the world wer laid, for to be felow hei­res with him of his heauenly kingdom of what estate, condition, or degre soeuer they be, whether thei be kinges or subiects, poore or ryche, Iewes or gentiles.

But thys troubleth me sore, that the Apostle saith, that god hath closed vp al vnder vnbeliefe, that he mighte haue mercy on al. Who wold not gather by these words, that God wil haue al men to be saued?

The holy Apostle doth sufficiently expounde him self in another place,Gala. iii. when he saith, that the scripture did shut vp al vnder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesu Christ, shuld be geuen vnto them that beleue. Here do we learn plainly, what they be, vnto whō this promise doth perteine.

It appeareth that it perteineth vnto al them, that take holde vpon it by faith, & vnto none other. But only thei that be ordeined vnto life euerlasting, can take a sure hold by [Page] faithe vppon the promises of God, as it hath bene already sufficiently proued by manye and sondrye pla­ces of the scriptures. Therfore this promise dothe pertaine vnto them onlye: And on all them that be or­dained vnto lyfe euerlastynge, and so take holde by faythe vppon the swete promyses that be offered vn­to vs in the scryptures, God wyll be merciful, wythout dout.

More ouer, we must consider, that ther, in that place, the blessed Apostle S. Paule dothe speake of the Iewes and of the gentiles, declaringe and pro­uinge vnto them, that they had no cause to boaste one agaynste an o­ther.

For, by the scriptures and word of God they wer conuinced & found to be vnder synne and vnbeliefe. But leaste they shoulde dispaire, he dothe adde by and by: that God wyll haue mercye on theym all: [Page] not that he did speake of the hole body eyther of the Iewes or of the gentiles, but of al them, that shuld beleue of them both, I meane, from among the Iewes and the gentils.

Obiectiō It cannot be denied but y^t the fyrst part of the sentence or sai­yng of Paule doth pertayne to the hole bodye, bothe of the Iewes and of the gentiles. For, it is mooste playne and euydent that they were al synners, and shut vp al vnder vnbelief. Why shuld not the last part, pertayne to the hole bodye of them both also.

Because,Aunswer that the promises of gods mercy, do pertain only vnto those, that take hold vpon them by faith. But none do flye vnto the mercy of god, and take hold vpon it by faith, sauyng only those, that god doothe lyghten and illumynate wyth hys holy spyryt: But none dothe he il­lumynate and lyghten, but those only, whome he hathe ordained vnto lyfe euerlastyng.

As for the place,An Aun­swer to the place which is aleaged oute of Eze. iii & xxxiii. that he haue a­leaged oute of the prophet Eze­chiel, it doth only declare, that God is readye to pardon and forgeue any synner, and to delyuer hym from the death, that he hath deser­ued through hys synne & trespace, if he wyll repente and turne. But what synners canne repente and turne vnfaynedlye, excepte it be geuen them of God? Ye knowe, what Sainte Iames sayeth:Iames. i. how that euery good gyfte cometh from aboue, desendinge from the father of lyghts: but to repent and turne agayne vnfaynedly vnto God, and to take sure holde vpon hys mercy throughe faythe, is a speciall good gyfte: therefore, it comethe of God, and dothe descende from the father of lyghtes. But thys specyall good gyfte dothe the Lord geue onely vnto hys electe and chosen, I meane, vnto them, whome he hathe ordayned and ap­poynted vnto saluation, from the [Page] begynninge, euen afore the foun­dacions of the worlde were layed.

we haue a no­table example of the same, in the two theues that hong with Christ. They both receaued the lyke doc­trine, & dyd see the like signes and tokens wherby they myghte haue knowen,Luc. xxiii that Christ was the true Messias, & the only begottē sōne of god. Yet one of thē only did repent and turne, the other blaspheminge styl with thē that did put our saui­our Iesu Christ to death. What o­ther cause can we bringe of this, but only, that the one was chosen, and the other was not?

I doo perceaue by youre say­inges, that the promyses of God do then take effecte, when they be re­ceaued & taken hold vpon by faith, but where no faythe is, there they be of no valewe. Obiectiō Rom. iii. Why then doth Saynt Paul saye, that the vnbelief of men, can not make the promyses of god to be of nō effect?Aunswer

What [Page] say ye, brother Albion, cā the blindnes of any man make that y^e lyght of the sun shalbe no light?

the light of the sun shalbe lighte, thou­ghe all men were blinde.

Yet ye wil not saye, that a blynde man, can receiue any profit by the lighte of the sunne.

There is a good cause why, sith that he lacketh hys eies sighte.

And yet notwyth­standing, they that haue their eies sight, do receiue profit of it, I mene they haue the fruition of the lyghte of the sun, and enioy the commodi­ties of it.

That is moste true.

So iudge ye of the promises of God: they that haue faith, & take hold vpon them by it, they receyue an vnspeakable profit of them, and by them, but they that haue no faith, but contemne & despise them, can haue no profit by them, that is to saye, the promises of god, are vn­to thē of no effect, whiche commeth not of the nature & properti of gods promises, but of mens vnfaithful­nes and vnbelief.

Nowe do I perceyue, that they onely do enioye the bene­fit of Goddes promises, that take holde vpon them by faith: but this true faith is onely geuen vnto thē, that are chosen & ordained vnto life euerlasting, wherby we may well conclude, that the promises of God do only pertain vnto thē. This thē shal be the sum of al,A shorte sum of whiche hath ben sayed be­fore. that hath ben saied before: how that god hath frō the begynninge, ordayned and ap­pointe some, for to be felow heyers with his son Iesu christ of his hea­uenly kingdome, and some againe for to be euerlastingly dampned in hell fyre: and that whome he hathe ordayned before, to enioy and pos­sesse euerlastyng life, them he hath chosen in hys sonne Iesu Christe, afore the foundacions of the world were layde, and that of hys free mercy and goodnesse, and without any respect at al of theyr owne de­seruinges or merites, for to sette forth the glory of hys grace, and to [Page] declare his mercye through out all the hole world. But whom he hath appoynted to be the vessels of hys wrath, them he hath accordynge to his righteous, and vnsearcheable iudgements stirred vp for to be the examples of his iustice, and for to be glorifyed by their dampnation, wherin he dothe them no manner of wronge, sithe that he rewardeth them accordinge to their naturall corruption, whiche they haue of their first parent Adam, whereby we are all in general, subiecte to e­uerlasting damnation, so that if he should dampne vs all, he should do vs but right, and no iuste occasyon at all could we haue to complayne of him, or of his mooste righteous iudgement. Secondly, it hath bene sufficiently declared and proued, y^t they which be once chose in Christ Iesu vnto life euerlasting, can ne­uer pearish, sith that they are com­mitted vnto the custodi and keping of the high shepheard our sauyour [Page] Iesu Christe, out of whose handes they canne not bee pluckte nor ta­ken awaye, and that therefore, as manye as do forsake Christ, and sal away from the knowne truth, they are none of the true elect and cho­sen of God, though for a time they haue all the outwarde signes and tokens of the true shepe of Christe, as it doth appeare by the examples of Iudas Iscarioth, of Simon Ma­gus, of Philetus, Hymeneus, De­mas, and Alexander the Copper smith. And truelye this oughte to be vnto vs a greate comforte,Our sal­uation is layed vp in heauen for vs. that oure saluation is not lefte in oure owne handes, but that it is in the protection and sauegard of y^e high­est, bringe layde vp and reserued in heauen for vs, whych are kepte by the power of God, as the holye Apostle saint Peter doth witnesse.i. Pet. i. For, if it were lefte in oure owne custodye and kepynge, we shoulde neuer be quiet in oure consciences, [Page] we shoulde neuer be certayne of it, we coulde none other but dispaire styll of oure saluation, sythe that we haue so manye mightye enne­myes that goe aboute to spoyle vs of it. But oure Sauyoure Iesus Christe hathe putte vs oute of all feare, when he dyd saye,Iohn. x. that the father who hath commytted vs vn­to his custody and kepinge is grea­ter than all.

Last of all, ye haue shewed vnto vs, that we are assured and certify­ed of this oure election, by the cal­linge of almighty God our heauenlye father, whyche callynge, dothe consiste in the outward preachinge of the woorde of God, and in the inwarde woorkynge of hys holye spirite, whiche dothe testifye vnto oure spirite, that we are the chyl­dren of God, and wherewith also, oure heartes are sealed vp againste the day of the Lord.

And this callinge of God, whyche doth only pertaine vnto the true e­lect and chosen, is without repen­taunce. These, I thinke are y^e chief poyntes, that ye haue entreated of already. Wherin, I am fully satis­fied, thanckes be vnto God. Ther­fore,The doctrine of gods pro­uidence. I wyll desire you, to come to the deuine prouidence of god, wherof ye said, that ye should be faine to speake, for a plainer declaration of the hole matter.

By the deuine prouidence of almighty god if it be wel vnderstanded,What cō ­forte we haue by it. our faith is wonderfully confirmed & strengthened. For, when we be once per­swaded that the hole gouernmente of al thinges, bothe in heauen, and in earth, doth pertain only to God, and that he doth rule and gouerne al manner of creatures, as it plea­seth him, and as he thinketh moste expedient for his owne glorye, and for the profit of his true electe and chosen, bringyng al things to their due end, which he him self hath ap­poynted [Page] from the beginninge: we are assured, that nothing shal chāce or happen vnto vs, wythoute hys wyl and appoyntment, though the deuel and al his angels withal the rulers and princes of thys wycked world, be neuer so desyrous to doe vs harme: though, I say, Sathan, wyth all the legions of deuels, and wyth all the rulers and prynces of darcknesse do conspire against vs, yet can they do no more, than God our heauenly father hath appoyn­ted and ordeined:Mat. x. in so muche that one only heere of our head cannot pearish without his wil, permissi­on, and sufferance. There haue ben many and sondry opiniōs touching this deuine prouidence of almigh­ty God.The va­rietye of opynions touching the prouidence of God. Some do imagine that god hathe onlye a foresighte or a fore­knowledge of all thinges, but not the gouernment of them. Some a­gaine, do attribute vnto him, a cer­taine generall ruledome, whereby he doth rule and gouerne in gene­rall, [Page] al thinges both in heauen and in earth, in the sea, & in al the depes of it. But they will in no wyse graunt, that God shoulde gouerne euery creature particularly. They are wont to call this the vniuersall prouidence of God, whereby (as they saye) the creatures are not let­ted to doe frelye what so euer they will, or that thinges shoulde hap­pen vnto theym by casualtye or chaunce. Here, I do let passe the E­picures,The Epicures do make god an ydell God. which do dreame that God is idle and carelesse, and also those that say that God ruleth all thyn­ges aboue the middle region of the aire, but that what so euer is vn­der it, I meane, vnder that myddle region, it is gouerned by fortune.

Whiche of the other opinions do ye alow best?

That same which spea­keth of the vniuersal prouidence of almighty God, is commonly recey­ued, because that it hathe some out­warde appearaunce of a truth: yet [Page] it is neither true, nor yet tolerable. For, it maketh God ruler and go­uernoure of all thinges, onlye in name, and not in deede. For,What it is to rule and go­uerne. what is it to rule and gouerne, but to bryng euery thing to his due ende, wheranto it is appoynted from the beginning? The scriptures speake so plainelye of the particulare pro­uidence of God, whereby he dothe rule and gouerne particularlye e­uerye creature that he hathe made, that I meruaile, that anye manne canne doubte of it. Hieremy cryeth out and sayde: I knowe O Lorde,Iere x. that it is not in mannes power to order hys owne wayes, or to rule hys owne steppes or goinges.

And Salomon: The LORDE (saythe he) ordereth euery mannes goynges: For, what is hee,Pro. xx. that vnderstandeth hys owne wayes? If they saye, that GOD dothe moue vs accordynge to the incly­natyon of oure owne Nature, [Page] but that we do turre that same motion or mouing, which way we list then, wil they nyll they, they shall be faine to graunte also, that it ly­eth in our power to order our own waies, whych thyng both Ieremy and also Salomon doth deny, attri­buting vnto God not only the power, but also the election & rulynge. But yet Salomon dothe setforthe the matter in an other place much more plainly, when he doth rebuke the rashnesse and temerity of them that dare enterprise thinges with­out any respect of God, as thoughe they were not ruled and gouerned by his hand.Pro. xvi. A man (saith he) maye well purpose a thinge in his heart, but the aunswer of the longe com­meth of the Lorde. As if he shoulde saye: It is a plaine madnesse, that menne shoulde go about to do anye thyng without God, syth that they can speake no manner of thing, but that he wil him self, and dothe ap­poynt them. Yet, that the scripture [Page] mighte the better expresse, that no­thing at all is done in the worlde, wythout hys appoyntment and or­denaunce, it dothe adscribe and at­tribute vnto hym those things that seme to be most casual, that seme, I say, to be of a very chaunce and for­tune. When a man is lopping of a tre, and a bowghe fallinge downe dothe kil one that goeth by, who woulde not adscribe that vnto for­tune, or vnto chaunce? Yet the lord saith, that it is euen he,Exo. xxi. that hathe deliuered him which is slaine, into the handes of hym, that slew hym. In like manner, who woulde not adscribe the fall of the lottes, vnto blinde chaunce and fortune? yet the Lorde will in no wise haue it so to be done, but wyl haue the fal of thē to be attributed and adscribed vnto him self onli.Pro. xvi. And therfore the wise man saith. The lottes are cast into the lappe, but theyr fall standeth in the Lord. He wil not haue to be ad­scribed and attributed vnto hym, y^e [Page] that they be cast into the lappe, and pulled oute of it: but the same, that dyd seme mooste to perteyne vnto fortune, that wyl he haue to be ad­scrybed vnto hym.

Ye make me to remem­ber the sayinge of our sauioure Ie­su Christe,Math. x. whiche is thys: Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing? And yet one of them, dothe not fall vpon the grounde wythoute youre father. And nowe are the heeres of your heade tolde. This place, me thincke, ought to be very comfortable vnto vs, for sith y^t the prouidēce of god, doth so wait vpon such smal birdes, which he hath created (as al other thynges) for the vse of man, that not one of them shall be killed wythout hys will & appoyntment, how much more wil he, euen in despite of the deuil, and of al his lims, kepe and preserue vs, tyll our ende be come, which he hym self hath or­dayned and appoynted?

And wil ye haue nothing to be ad­scribeed vnto chance and fortune?Question

I maye aunswere with Basilius Magnus, y^e chaunce,Basilius Magnus. The name of fortune is a word of of the heathen. and fortune, are wordes of the hea­then, and not of the Christiās. For syth that all prosperous successe is a blessynge of God, and all cala­mytye, trouble, and aduersytye, a malediction or curse that comethe from him: what place, I pray you, shall fortune or chaunce haue a­monge men? Yea Saint Augustine in his bookes, of retractions, dothe playnelye declare, that he is not well pleased wyth hym selfe, be­cause that in hys bookes, whyche he wrought against y^e Academikes, he hadde so manye times vsed thys word, fortune. Poenitet me (saith he) sic me nominasse illic fortunam, i. retra. i. quum vi­deam homines habere in pessima consue­tudine, vt vbi dici debet, hoc deus voluit, dicant: hoc voluit fortuna. That is to saye.

I do repent, that I haue so named fortune there: because I se, that mē haue in a very euill custome to say: this was fortunes wyl, where they ought to say: this was Gods wyll. But because that the weakenesse & imbecillity of men can not wel vn­derstand or comprehend such hygh misteries: we wil vse a certaine di­stinction, that the matter maye the better be perceiued. This then doe we say, that thoughe al thynges be gouerned by the deuine prouidence of almighty God, yet they be vnto vs fortuite and casual, because that we knowe not the causes of them, which for the most part, are hidden in the secreates of God, and in hys vnsearchable and incomprehensy­ble iudgements. For, being considered in theyr own nature, and accor­dynge to oure owne knowledge or iudgemente, they haue none other likelyhode. As for an example, lette vs imagine, that some marchaunt man beynge entred into a Forest, [Page] dothe vnwittinglye, and vnwares stray a way from his company, and so fal into the hands of theues, and be slaine. This mannes death was not onlye forseene with the eie of God, but also apoynted by his eter­nall and euerlastinge decree. For, God dothe not onlye foresee howe longe euery man shall liue, but al­so he hathe appoynted the Terme of euery mans life,Iob. xiiii. whiche can not be passed. Yet notwithstanding, as farre, as mannes reason can retch and comprehend, there all thinges do appeare fortuite and casuall?

What oughte a christen manne to iudge in this matter then? euē that the prouidence of God, hath brou­ght all these things, which of their owne nature seeme to be fortuite & casual, vnto their due and appoyn­ted end. And as it is in those thyn­ges that become to passe already, so is it in those thinges that are yet to come. For, though we be vncer­taine, whether they shall chaunce [Page] this waye or that waye: yet ought we to be perswaded that nothinge shall happen, but that which God hath alredye prouided before.

Obiectiō If it be so, as ye saye, what neede we thē to take so much hede fo oure selues? All the payne and laboure, that we take for to saue and preserue oure owne ly­ues, is but lost, syth that God hath appoynted how longe euery man shall lyue,The bar­king of the vn­godly a­gainst the prouy­dence of God. so that the terme of a mannes lyfe, can not be shortened, nor yet lengthened (as it dothe appeare by your sayinges) though be studye and laboure neuer so muche for it.

Agayne: whye shoulde we be af­frayed of anye paryll or daunger, sythe that nothynge can happen vnto vs, but as God hathe or­dayned and appoynted before?

Moreouer when one manne doth slaye an other, why shoulde hee bee punyshed syth that hee hathe [Page] done nothynge, but as God himselfe hathe appoynted? Whye should the thefe or robber be han­ged? Are they not mynisters of the prouydence of God, for to put that in execution, which he hathe prouyded and appointed be­fore? When the childe doth see hys father or his mother in extreame sycknesse, what neede he to sende for physicions, or to seeke for any remedye at all, sythe that no man is able to wythstande the prouy­dence of God?

This youre obiection, neyghboure Dydimus,Aunswer is verye easye to be aunswered. For, fyrste and foremoste in thynges that are yet to come, we are bounde to vse those meanes for (auoydinge parylles and daun­gers wyth other inconuenientes) that God hym selfe hathe orday­ned and apoynted:Menes ordayned of God must be vsed. elles we doo tempte hym.

For, he that hathe geuen vs oure lyfe, and hath appoynted a certayn terme of it, hathe also prescrybed vnto vs lawful waies and meanes for the keping and preseruation of it, which if we do neglect and des­pise, we do not onlye tempte God, but are also most vngodly despisers and contemners of his deuine pro­uidence:Note wel As for an example, GOD hath ordained meat and drinke for the sustenaunce of mans life. Now let some mad brayne reasone thus wyth him self: God, dothe not only know how long I shal liue, but al­so he hath prefixed the terme of my lyfe, which can not be passed, yea I cannot shorten my daies though I woulde, what neade I then to eate or to drincke, and speciallye sythe that meate and drincke can not be gotten but wyth the sweate of my owne browes? and so pine him self to death. Would ye not iudge thys man to be both rebellious againste the ordenaunce of almightye God, [Page] and also a murtherer of him selfe? Againe, if he seeth poysone before hys eyes, which he knoweth to be such poyson, that if he eate of it, he shall die presentlye the deathe, and yet wyl eat of it, saying that he can not die afore the time appoynted of God be come: can we saye that this man is obedient vnto the deuyne prouidence of almighty God?

If we should say so, we should be worse than madde. For, why doth God appoynt such thin­ges for the sauegarde and preser­uation of our own life, but that we should vse them? or whye dothe he geue vs warning of so manye pea­rils and ieopardies, but to thys end, that we should shonne them?

I wold wysh neighbour Dydimus, that both ye, and all other, that make the like obiections that ye made euen nowe, woulde but marke the example of kinge Dauid.Dauid. It is not vnknowen vnto you, that these be his wordes: [Page] My hope is in thee, o Lorde and I say,Psal. xxxi thou art my God: my tyme is in thy hād. Wherby he did declare, that he did al togeither depend and hange of the diuyne prouidence of almightye God. Yet notwithstan­dynge, when he hearde that Saule hadde sente his souldioures to hys house for to laye wayte for hym, and for to kyll hym in the mor­ninge, he soughte al meanes pos­syble for to escape oute of theyr handes: he despised not the Coun­saile of Micholl his wife, whiche bothe tolde hym, that if he shoulde not saue his life that nyghte, he muste be slaine the nexte morow, and also dyd lette hym downe throughe a windowe, that he my­ghte escape the daunger that he was in. He did not saye vnto hys wyfe. What neade we to care? Let vs lye styll.

God is able to deliuer vs ey­ther [Page] by his almightye power, or elsse by some miraculous meane: therefore we wil let hym woorke, as it pleaseth hym. But rather, as he dyd wel vnderstand that the deuine prouidence of GOD, dyd woorke, and dothe dailye woorke by certaine meanes, so knewe he, that it was hys duetye to vse them in the feare of God, and wyth all thanckes geuynge. The LORD had plainlye saide vnto Paule: Be of a good cheare. For, as thou haste testified of me at Ierusalem,Act. xxiii. Paule. so must thou testify at Rome also.

Althoughe he did doubt nothinge of the truthe of Goddes promises, nor yet of the deuine prouydence of God, yet whē hys systers sonne dyd tell hym, how the Iewes had conspyred hys deathe, he dyd sende hym pryuely to the captayn for to geue hym warnyng of it, and also for to desire him, that he wold in no [Page] wyse agree to the vnlawefull re­quest of the Iewes. And when the souldiers of the Romayns did cary him to Antypatris, where they deliuered hym to certayne horse­men, whiche conueyed him to Ce­sarea, he was well contente with it. Lykewyse when he did sayle in the sea Adriaticum, and was moste lyke to be dryuen to a shypwracke, he dyd saye vnto them that were wyth hym,Act. xxvii whyche were then fore amased, and euen at theyr wyttes ende. Nowe I exhorte you, to be of good cheare, for thers shal none of oure lyfes peryshe. For, thys night stode by me, the angel of God (whose I am and whome I serue) and sayed: feare not Paule, thou muste be broughte before the Emperoure. And lo, God hathe geuen vnto thee, all them that sayle wyth thee. Wher­fore, syrs be of good cheare, for I beleue God, that it shall come so to passe, as it was tolde me. [Page] Yet a lyttle whyle after, when the maryners wente aboute to flye oute of the shyp: Saynte Paule dyd saye vnto the souldyours and vnto theyr captayne: excepte these men do remaine in the shyp, ye can not bee saued. Zherefore, the meanes wherby God doth worke, do pertayne vnto hys diuyne pro­uidence: wherby we maye gather, that the true seruauntes of God do in no wyse neglect and dyspise thē.

The examples that ye haue broughte in euen now, Question are very playne. But why is the thiefe punyshed (as oure neighboure Dy­dimus saide a little afore) whyche hathe robbed hym, whome GOD woulde chastise with pouertye? or the murtherer hanged, whych hath slayne hym, whose lyfe was at an ende alreadye by the appoyntment of God? If al suche menne do serue vnto the wyl of God, why shoulde they be punished?

But I say plainly, that they do in no wyse serue to the wil of God,Aunswer to the Question but that they doe followe theyr naughty and deuelish mind. For, they onlye obey GOD, that beyng instructed of hys wil, do en­deuoure them selues to fulfyll it.

Who thei be that do seruice vnto God.But where shall we be instructed of his will, sauinge onlye by hys worde? Therefore, whensoeuer we gee aboute to doe anye thynge, we muste haue a respecte alwayes vn­to the will of God, as he doth set it forthe vnto vs in hys word.

God doth only require that of vs, which he doth commaund and bid. Therefore, if we do anye thinge a­gainste his commaundement, it is no obedience, but a mere transgression and stubbornnesse. Whyche oughte to be punished accordinge to that due order, that he hym selfe hathe appoynted, sayinge by hys holye Apostle Saint Paul. If thou doest euill,Rom. xiii then feare the power.

For, he beateth not the sweard for [Page] naughie. For, he is the minister of God, a taker of vengeaunce, to pu­nish him, that doth euel.

Yet this, they coulde not do, onlesse it wer the wil of god

What say ye? coulde the deuil haue done the same vnto Iob,Iob. i. which he did vnto him, without the wil of God? Or could the legyon of deuels haue entred into the herd of swine, and drowned them,Mat. viii. excepte Christ our sauioure had bene wyl­ling and consenting therto?

No verely.

As then the Deuell is a minister or instrument of God, for to do what so euer he willeth hym and appoynteth hym to do,The de­uil and hys members are ministers of God. so the limmes or members of the deuell, are the ministers or instrumentes of Goddes deuyne prouydence, for to serue him in suche thynges, as he hym selfe thyncketh meete and expedient.

And yet they can not be excused of theyr naughtinesse therefore, no [Page] more then the deuil him self can be excused, though he be faine to be a minister & an instrument of God to do such thinges as pleaseth hym.

For, whatsoeuer the deuel and his limmes do, they doe it not to please God withall, but to fulfill theyr naughtye and deuelishe mindes.

And that it is so, theyr owne con­sciences do beare them record of it. All the naughtinesse then, doth lie in them selues, so that no part of it can be adscribed vnto god,Simily­tude. no more than the stinche of a deade carkise, which is putrified and resolued by the heat of the sunne, can be adscri­bed vnto the pleasaunte beames of the same. For, God only by his vn­searcheable wisdome dothe tourne theyr deuelishnesse to suche an vse, as he thincketh moste expedient for his glory, and for the profit of hys elect and chose. Ioseph had a res­pect vnto this, when he did say vn­to his brethren:Ioseph. ge. xlv It was not you, y^t sold me into Egipte, but I was by [Page] the wyl of God sent before you, for to preserue your lyfe. Ye thoughte euel of me, but God hath turned it into good. Also Iob, when he hadde lost both hys goodes and chyldren, he acknowledged by and by, that thys was the worke of the Lorde, saying. The Lorde hathe geuen it,Iob. i. and the Lord hath taken it awaye, the name of the Lorde be blessed.

Lykewise when Semei dyd bothe reuyle Dauid,ii. Sa. xvi and also burl stones agaynst hym, he would in no wyse suffer, that anye of his companye should do hym harme, but sayd: let hym alone, for the Lord hath com­maunded hym to reuile me.

Nowe do I perceyue, that he whych is throughly instructed in the doctryne of the deuyne prouydence of almighty god,How cō ­fortable the doc­tryne of the prouidence is. hathe an exceadinge good occasyon to be alwayes pacyent what aduersitye or trouble so euer dothe happen vnto hym. For, by it dothe he vnder­stand that nothing can happen vn­to [Page] hym. For, by it dothe he vnder­stand that nothing can happen vn­to him, withoute the will and ap­poyntment of God, who wil suffer nothing, but that which is iust, and expedient.

This is one of the chiefe causes, whye the scrypture doth trauaile so muche for to proue it:Amos. iii as when Amos doth plainly af­fyrme, that there can be no plage in the city, withoute it be the Lor­des doyng: And also when Ieremy dothe so sharpely rebuke those,Lament. iii. that dyd thyncke that anye calamitye could chaunce wythout the worke of the Lord. For, when plages and calamityes do come by mens han­des, it is saide that they be sanctifi­ed for to do the worke of the Lord,Esay. xiii Eze. xii. & xvii. Psal. xvii Esay. x. Iere. i. and are called nettes, sweardes, and axes, whiche are gouerned by hys hand: they be also called the instru­mentes of the Lordes furye, and wrathe, whiche he dothe rayse and stirre vp with his whisteling only. [Page] Therefore, when Pilate and He­rode did come together for to putte Christe to deathe. It is sayde,Act. iiii. that they gathered together for to doe what so euer the hand and the counsaile of the Lorde, had determyned before to be done.Act. ii.

Item that the Iewes dyd putte Christe to deathe beynge delyue­red by the determinate Counsayle and foreknowledge of God, & that so they did fulfil, what soeuer was wrytten of him. Whiche thynges doubtlesse are set forth to this ende, that when any calamity doth hap­pen vnto vs by the wickednesse of men, we shoulde lifte vp oure eyes vnto God, and learne to acknow­ledge, that what so euer they haue commytted wickedlye againste vs, it was permitted and sente by the iust ordenaunce of almightye God our heauenly father.

Nowe, if anye calamitye dothe happen vnto vs, wythout the hādy woorke of menne, as barennesse [Page] of grounde, famyne, sondrye, and dyuers kyndes of dyseases and such lyke, the scrypture dothe call the same the curses or chasteninges of the Lord. Thys thyng beyng well consydered,Exo. xxvi Deut. xxviii. shal not only engender in vs an wonderful patience, when any trouble or aduersity doth hap­pen vnto vs, but also a greate tran­quillity and quietnesse of mynde.

How the doctrine of the dy­uine pro­uidence of God engen­dreth in vs, a qui­etnesse of minde.I pray you, good bro­ther Philalethes, that ye wyll de­clare vnto vs howe the doctryne of Gods prouydence should engender in vs such a tranquillitye, and quy­etnesse of mynde, as ye say.

What grea­ter comfort, tranquillity or quyet­nesse can there be vnto vs, than to be throughly perswaded by the in­fallyble word of God that all men, of what state or condition so euer they be, are in the power and go­uernment of the Lord? that he hath theyr heartes in hys hand, and can turne them which way he lusteth? [Page] For, whether we must obtain theyr fauoure, or elles shonne and auoid their malice and displeasure, we be sure that God is able to rule the matter, as it pleaseth hym, & as he seeth to be most expediente for his glory, & for our owne cōmodity and profytte. He is able to make vs to finde fauour not only before them, that be frendely, and beare a good wil vnto vs, but also in the eyes of the Egiptians.Exo. xiiii And as for our ene­mies he canne bridell their malyce many & sondry waies. For ether he taketh a way their right minde frō them, so that they can neyther take nor folow good coūsel, as when he did sende a lyinge sprite in to the mouthes of all the false prophets, y^t wer in Achabs court,i. Re. xxii i. Reg. xii for to deceaue him, or whē he did blinde Rehoboā with the counsel of his yong men, y^t he might through his folishenesse be spoiled of his kingdome. Other­whiles he leaueth thē in their right minde, but he doth so sore abashe, [Page] or aston them, that they dare enter­pryse nothinge: or when they haue done all that they can, he doth cut them of, & doth in no wise suffer thē to come to their pretensed purpose, as he dyd in Achitophell,ii. Sam. xvii. who had geuen a most diuelish & abhomina­ble counsaill against Dauid his a­nointed. In like maner doth he rule and gouern al maner of creatures, as he him self doth see to be expedi­ent for our commodity and profyt, yea the very deuil him self, who (as we see) durst attempte nothinge a­gainst Iob, without his permission and cōmaundement. Moreouer consider with your self, how many pa­rils & dangers we be subiect vnto,The infynit daun­gers that we be subiect vnto we do cary about with oure selues euen in oure owne bodies and flesh a thousande kynde of dyseases, so that it may be sayed that we leade a lyfe wrapped togeyther wyth deathe. We canne neyther bee a colde, nor sweat wyth out pearyl and ieopardye. Agayne, whyche [Page] waye so euer we canne turne oure selues, all maner of thynges that be aboute vs do threaten vs wyth present death. If we saile in a ship, we are but one foote from deathe: If we ryde on a horse, oure lyfe doth stande in the stumbling of one foote. If we go through the stretes of a cyty or town, as many tiles as hāg vpō houses, so many deaths do hang ouer our heds. If ther be any toole or weapon in our owne han­des or in oure frendes handes, there is hurte prepared agaynste vs. All the wylde beastes that we see, are armed to oure destruc­tion. If we wyll shutte vppe oure selues in a closed garden, where all thynges seeme pleasaunt to the eye, ther may a venimouse serpent lye lurking in the grasse, & amonge the violets & floures. Oure houses beyng continually subiect to casua­lity of fire, do in the dai time threa­tē vs with pouerti, & in y^e night time w^t destruction & death. I do here let [Page] passe, poisonninge and robbinge, with other innumerable parilles & daungers, that do cōpasse vs about both at home, and abroade. What shall we do thē in this sea of parils and daungers? Are we not, euen as thoughe we had alwaies a naked swerd hanginge ouer our neckes?

Obiectiō These things do happē ve­ry seldome. Againe, they do not chaūce vnto all mē, nor al together at once.Aunswer

Syth y^t we are war­ned by the examples of other men, that they may also chance vnto vs, & that our life ought no more to be accepted than the life of thē, to whō they do hapen daily & hourly, we cā not chuse but fear least they do also chaunce vnto vs. And what can be more miserable than such continu­all feare and dreade?

Indede, brother Philalethes, if we had none other refuge, but to our selues, it were better to be oute of this life, than in it

When the godlye, than, be once broughte to [Page] a perfctee knowledge and vnder­standinge of the diuine prouidence of almighty god our heauenly fa­ther, they be not only deliuered frō this extreme feare & anguishe, but also from all vngodly solicitude, & care. For why? They dare boldely cōmit them selues vnto the Lorde, whom they see to rule & gouern all things after such a sorte, by his al­mighty power & vnsercheable wis­dom, y^t nothing can happen wyth­out his appoyntmēt. They know y^t the lorde hath geuen charge to hys angels ouer them, so y^t nether fyre, nor water,Psal. xcl. nor any other creature can come nere them, for to harm or hurt them, without gods permissiō & leue. For, so saith the Psalmist: he shal deliuer thee, from the snare of the hunter, & from the noisome pe­stilence. He shal defend thee vnder his winges, and thou shalt be safe vnder his fethers, his faithfulnes & truth shalbe thi shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for anye [Page] terror by night, nor for the arow y^e flieth by day. Hereof cometh the re­ioysing of the saints, as when they say.Psal. Cxviii. Psa. xxvii and .lvi. The lord is my helper, I shall not fear, what flesh can do vnto me. The lord is my defendor, whereof shuld I be afraid? Thoughe a hole camp do stand against me, or thou­ghe I walcke in the myddest of the shadow of death, yet wil I not cease to hope wel. Wherof then dothe it come, that they be neuer wythoute hope and comfort: but only because that they se & learn by gods worde, that the deuill and all hys wycked limmes, are by the almighty pow­er and deuine prouidēce of almigh­tye God, so kepte and brideled in, that they can not as much as moue one fynger for to do them harme, but as farre fourthe as God dothe eyther suffer or commaund them? For, as it lieth in the power of the Lord to arme their fury, & to turne it whych way he lusteth:Iere. x. so dothe it lye in hym, to appoynte certayne [Page] boundes and limites vnto theym, which thei may not passe.Esay. vii For this cause Rasim, & the king of Israell, which semed to be ii. fire brōdes for to destroy and consume y^e hole land of Iuda, are of the Prophet called smokynge brondes, whyche can no more but shew a litle smoke.Eze. xxix. Lyke­wyse Pharao, when he dyd seeme to be moste dreadfull, by reason of hys great strengthe and power, he is lykened vnto a Whale and hys souldiours vnto fyshes. And there­fore, the Lord saith plainly, that he wil with an anglinge rod, ketche, both the captayne and the army, & draw them, which waye he wyll.

Now do I fele and perceyue,The ignoraunce of the dy­uine pro­uidence of god is the cause of all my­serye. that they that are ignoraunt of the deuine prouidence of almighty god are in extreme misery, and y^t in the knowledge & right vnderstāding of it, doth consiste and lie the greatest beatitude and felicitye, that we can haue in this world.

This doctryne beyng wel vnderstāded, must [Page] neades moue vs also,The pro­fit that ryseth of the doctrine of the di­uine pro­uidence of God. to be alwaies thanckful. For, if we receiue anye benefite at mennes hands, we shal thus consider with our selues: Ve­rely it is God, that hathe inclyned these mens harts vnto vs, and that hathe moued them to do vs good.

Wherof an earnest thāckes geuing vnto god, must neades follow. Yea we shal also reuerence and thancke those, by whome God hath done vs good, as worthy instruments & mi­nisters of his goodnes towards vs. If we receiue any profite of the in­sensible creatures we shall doe the like, as in the plenty & aboundance of frutes, I meane, of corne, and of other like thinges which the earth doth bring forth for the sustenance and vse of men. For, we shal think, that it is God, that heareth heauen that heauen may hear the earthe, & that the earth may hear her frutes, that is to say: we shal thincke none other, but that it is God onlye, that poureth the swete shours down frō [Page] heauen, that the earth may be fruteful, and so bring forth in due time & season al manner of frutes, y^e serue for the vse and sustenance of mē. In other things, we shal acknowledge that it is the blessing of god only, y^t doth prosper vs in all that we go a­boute. Who consideringe all these things, can be vnthākful?

Surely, I cannot chuse, but alowe youre sayinges. How be it, ther is yet one thing, that doth somewhat trouble my conscience.

I meruayle what the same coulde be. For, me thincke that oure brother Philale­thes hath spoken already largely i­nough of predestination, and of the deuine prouidence of almighty god euen as much, as is sufficient for y^e edifying and comfort of al faithfull beleuers, but the vaine curiosity of men canne neuer be contented, nor yet satisfied.

This that I intēd to set forthe brother Albion, cometh not of a vain curiosity, but of a fer­uent desire y^t I haue to be instruc­ted [Page] in y^e truth. Therfore, I beseche you, to pardone me, if I be bolde to moue questions in thinges that be doutful vnto me.

Say on boldly: what is it that troubleth you?

Obiectiō We do read, y^e god did repent, because y^t he had made man, & also y^t he had anoynted Saul to be king ouer Israel.Gen. vi..i. Sa. xv. Iere. xv. And in many places y^e prophets do testifye vnto vs y^e God wil repent of the plages, y^t he hath apoynted to bring vpon his people if after that warning is geuē vnto them, they wil repent & turne. Had not god threatned by the Prophet Ionas,Iona. iii. that Niniue shuld be destroied after xl. daies? yet assone as they repented, and brought forth frutes worthy of their repentance, he dyd withhold the destruction frō them. Moreouer,Esay. xxviii. had he not signified by y^e mouthe of his prophet Esay, vnto king Ezechias, that he shuld die the death? yet beynge moued wyth hys prayers and teares, he did prolong his life: Mani do gather vpon these [Page] places, that God hath not determi­ned al things from the beginnyng, but y^t he dothe dispose & order them euery day & euery hour as we do deserue, & as he thynketh mete & con­uenient.Aunswer

This must ye marke neighbor Dydi. that we cā no more adscribe repentance vnto god, than we can adscribe vnto him, ether ig­norāce, or error or vnablenes. For, if no man doth wittingly the thing wherof he shuld repent afterwards we cānot attribute repentance vn­to god, but that we must also cōfes, y^t he knew not before, what should com after, or that he could not chuse but do it, or that he did rashly & vn­aduisedly a thing, wherof he shuld by & by repent. Which is verye far frō the meaning of the holy ghost, which testifieth vnto vs eueri wher that the ordenaunce of God in the admynystration of worldlye thyn­ges, is vnchangeable and wythout al repentaunce: in so much that his very enemies,Nu. xxiii. are fayne to bear re­cord of the constancy & vnchangea­blenes [Page] of it. For, Balaam, wold he nild he, and in despite of his beard, was compelled to speake these wordes: God is not a man, that he shuld lie, nor a mans child, that he should repent of any thing. Should he say & not do? Shuld he speake, and not make it good?

What dothe the scripture then in such places, mean by the name of repentance.

It is a manner of speaking, whych of the grekes is called Anthropopathia, This fi­gure An­thropopa­thia is many times vsed in the scrip­tures. wherby the scripture dothe condes­cend, & submit it self vnto our weak capacity, describing God vnto vs, not as he is in him selfe, but as we fele him to be. Although he be without al humain passions, yet y^e scrip­tures do testifye vnto vs, that he is angry with sinners. As then, when we do hear y^e god is angri, we must not imagin, that he is subiect to a­ny passion, but that it is a manner of speaking, wherby god is set forth vnto vs, not as he is in dede, but as he semeth vnto vs to be, when he [Page] doth put his righteous iudgemēts to execution, & when he doth plage and chastise vs: so when we do hear that god doth repent him, we must not imagin straightwais, that ther is any such repentaunce in him, as is in mortal men, but that by it the chaunge and alteration of things, such as it dothe appeare vnto vs, is signified & betokened. For, sith that among men, any maner of change, is a correctinge of that, whiche did displease, & that the same amending or correcting doth come of a certain repentance, therefore, by the name of repentāce that same is signified, which god semeth to chaunge & al­ter in his workes. In the meane se­son, nether his counsell nor will is chaunged or altred.The coū ­sell and wyll of god is ne­uer alte­red. Question

For, loke what he hath decre­ed, prouided, alowed and apoynted from the beginning, the same doth he bring to passe, thoughe neuer so sodain a chaunge doth appear vnto vs to be in thinges.

What say ye then of the Niniuites whome he [Page] dyd spare, after that he had threat­ned them with destructyon? Or of kyng Ezechias, whose lyfe he dyd lengthen, after that he had caused to be sygnifyed vnto hym, that he should dye the deathe? Do not these examples declare suffyciently, that God doth some tymes chaung and alter that, which he hath determy­ned and apoynted before?

They that do ether thyncke or saye so,Aunswer to the Question do not perceyue y^t in the warninges & threatnynges of god, some conditi­on is alwayes to be vnderstanded, althoughe it bee not expressed nor mentyoned of, as it doth plainly a­pear by the end it self, that doth cō ­monly folow. For, wherfore dothe the Lord send Ionas vnto the Niniuites, for to geue them warnyng a fore hand of theyr destructyon? Or wherfore doth he shew by his pro­phet Esay, vnto Ezechias that he shuld die? Might not he haue destroied both the Niniuites and also Ezechias wythout anye warnynge? he [Page] dyd it not thē to thys end,Why the Niniuits are war­ned be­fore of theyr de­struction that they being warned of theyr destruction, should see it to come a farre of: but rather because that he woulde not haue them to be destroyed. That therfore Ionas dyd prophecye that Niniue should after forty dayes be ouerthrowne. It was done to thys end y^t it should not be ouerthrown. That hope of long lyfe was taken away from kyng Ezechias, it was also done to this end, that he might obtayne a longer lyfe. Who dothe not now see, that the Lord went a­bout by such threatnynges to call & moue them to repentaunce, that so they might escape the iudgement & condemnation, that they had deser­ued by theyr sinnes? Any man may then se and perceyue that ther was a certain condition included or conteined in those warninges & threatnynges, that we haue now spoken of. Whyche thynge, we be able to proue by lyke examples of the scriptures.

gen. xxii.When the Lord did rebuke Abime­lech, because that he had taken a­way Abrahams wife, he sayd vnto him: Behold thou shalt die because of the woman, that thou hast taken away. For, she hath a husbande.

But after that he had excused hym self, these words did the Lord speak vnto hym agayne: Restore the wo­man vnto her husbande: For, he is a Prophet, and he shall praye for thee, that thou maist liue. Els thou shalt die the death, and al that thou hast. Ye may see how sore the fyrst threatninge is, that so he myghte moue him, to make restitution: and how that he dothe in the other, de­clare plainly his wil. After y^e same manner oughte the other places to be vnderstāded. Therfore, we must not conclude by them, that god dyd alter any thinge, that he had deter­mined before, because that he dyd re [...]oke and call backe that same, that he had published already. For when the Lorde wyth threatnynge [Page] of punishement,How the lorde ma­keth a way to his dy­uine pro­uidence. dothe exhort them vnto repentaunce whō he hath de­termined to spare he dothe rather make a way vnto his diuine proui­dence, thā otherwise. For, we must not thinke y^t he doth vary either in word or dede. For, this sayinge of Esai, must be verified, wher he say­eth: If the Lorde of hostes deter­mine a thinge, who wyll disanull [...]t?Esa. xiiii And if he stretch fourth his hand who wyll holde it in agayn?

This then haue I learned by the wholsome doctrine of the di­uine prouydence of God oure hea­uenlye father,A shorte collection or gathe­ringe to­gether of the whole doctryne of the dy­uine pro­uidence of God. that the whole go­uernemente of all thynges both in heauen and in the earth dothe per­ [...]ayne vnto hym onely, and that he [...]othe rule and gouerne all maner [...]f creatures, as it pleaseth hym, and as he thynketh moste expedy­ente for hys owne glorye, and for [...]he profytte of hys true electe and [...]hosen, brynginge all thynges to theyr due ende, whyche he hym [Page] which he him self hathe appoynted from the beginninge, whereby we are assured that nothing can chāce or happen vnto vs without his wil and appoyntment, thoughe the de­uil and all his angels, wythall the princes and rulers of darckenesse be neuer so desirous to do vs harm. Wherof exceading great patience▪ wyth an vnspeakeable comforte, tranquillity and quietnes of mind, ioyned wyth continual thanckful­nesse, must neades be engendred in al faithful beleuers, which though they do depende and hange all to­gether of the deuyne prouidence of God: yet do they in no wyse tempte hym, but do thanckfully vse al maner of meanes and orders that he hath appoynted for the preseruation and sauegarde of oure owne selues. In all these things, ye hau [...] well satisfyed me, I thancke God for it. Therefore, I wyl desyre yo [...] to go take a litle repaste wyth me and then afterwardes, we wil reason [Page] of other thinges, as we shall thyncke mete and conuenient.

Sith that ye wil haue it so, we do agre to it.

Prayse, and laude be vnto the Lorde for thys most wholsome and comfortable talcke.

Amen.