An answer to a great nomber of blasphemous cauillations written by an Anabaptist, and aduersarie to Gods eternal predestination. And confuted by Iohn Knox, minister of Gods worde in Scotland. Wherein the author so discouereth the craft and falshode of that sect, that the godly knowing that error, may be confirmed in the trueth by the euident Worde of God

ANSWER.

Albeit that I perceaue y^t ether ignorāce doeth so im∣pede you, orels that malice doeth so blynd you, y^t ne∣ther ye wil nor can vnderstand y^t, which in y^e self is most sensible & plaine, I wil neuer theles yet once againe re∣pete, that w^c before I haue said to the ēd, that we may gi∣ue testimonie, asw••ll, to those y^t now liue, as vnto y^e pos∣teritie to com, what doctrine it is, w^c ye so furiously im∣pugne. If ignorance be the cause why thus ye rage aga∣inst vs, ye may be taught, if ye list to bestowe your eares to heare, your eyes to read, & heartes to vnderstand. for o^• doctrine is not as som of you do complein, darke nor obscure, except y^t it be, to those to whom y^e Apostle affir∣med, y^t his Euāgill was hid. But if that malice w^c ye haue cōceaued agaīst the eternal trueth of God,* 1.1 doth so blynd you that ye wil not se y^e bright son in y^e midday, there resteth no more to vs, but to desire of God ether to remo∣ue this your deuelish malice (I write as knoweth God e∣uen frō y^e grief of heart): orels so to stay & brydle it, y^• it trooble not his afflicted Church. Ye accuse vs, as y^t we made no differēce betwext vice & vertue, sinne, and iu∣stice, nether yet betwext Adā, and Dauid, as they were e∣lected in Christ Iesus before y^e foūdacions of the worlde were laid, and betwext Adam transgressing, and Dauid committing adulterie, and murthe••.

Ye further seme to charge vs as we should affirme, that God hated not sinne, nether yet that he respected

vice. If our short, plaine, and vnfeined cōfessiō, be able to satisfie you in these thre dowtes I haue good hope y^t af∣ter this ye shall haue no occasion to suspect vs in such causes.* 1.2 first before God, before his holie Angelles in hea∣uē, & before his cōgregatiō in earthe, we protest & ack∣nowledge, y^t sinne, vice, and all kind of iniquiti••, is, and euer hath bene so odious, in y^e presence of God, y^t he ne∣uer suffered y^e same vnpunished, in any of his elect chil∣drē. That for y^e same not onelie death, but also cōmō ca∣lamities hath apprehēded all man kynd euē sithēce the first trasgression. That vertue,* 1.3 iustice, and ciuil hone∣stie (besydes the iustice of the regenerat children) hath so pleased God▪ that for loue of the same, he hath mainteined and to this day doth maintein cōmon wel∣thes, albeit that many grieuous crymes be commited in the same. As God (we say and affirme) loueth equitie, iustice, chastitie, trueth, mercie, and tēperāce, so doth he in som sort hieghly reward the same, and hateth vnri∣ghteousnes, filthie life deceat, excesse, crueltie, and ria∣••ous liuing, which often he punisheth euen in manne•• eyes. And this difference, we say God maketh euen a∣mongest those, that be not regenerate, nether were euer called to y^e true knowledge of saluation. And this much briefly for the first secōd and 3. This difference we ma∣ke betwext Adam and Dauid elected, in Christ Iesus, and Adam and Dauid transgressing gods holie commāde∣mēt, and wil reueled▪ Adam and Dau••d elected, in Christ Iesus before the foundations of the worlde were laid, were so loued in the same Lord Iesus their head, that when they had most horribly fallen and offended, yet did God seke Adam, call vpon him gently reason with him and at length conuicting his conscience of his of∣fence, did make vnto him, that most ioyfull promes of recōciliation: of the same loue (we say it proceded) that God did send the Prophete Nathā to Dauid, the offen∣der, that by the fiction of an other person, he letteth him se the horror of his sinne, that he did first terrifie, and beate downe his conscience: and after most tender∣ly

did erect, and lift it vp from the pitt of desperation. All these graces (say we) proceded frome gods immu∣table loue which did remaine cōstant,* 1.4 both towardes the one and towardes the other, euen in the tyme of their greatest vnthank fulnes. And that because they nether were beloued, nor elected in them selues, but in Christ Iesus their head, who nether did transgresse nor offend in any iote, against the wil of his heauenlie father.

But Adam and Dauid transgressing and horribly fal∣ling from God, were so hated in them selues, and for their sinnes, that first behoued the innocent Sonne of God, by his death to make a satisfaction▪ for their sin∣nes▪ as also for the sinnes of all gods children. And se∣condarely we say, preache write, and maintein, that the sinne was so odious before God, that his iustice could do none other, but inflict vpon Adam, and his posteritie•• The penaltie of death corporall,* 1.5 the punishemētes, and plagues, which daily we do se apprehend gods children. that vpon Dauid, he did execute his iust iudgement, which in these wordes he pronounced. Now therefor y^e sworde shall neuer departe from thyne house, because, thow hast despysed me, and taken the wife of vriah the Hittite, to be thy wife. Thus saieth the lord: behold I wil raise vp euill against the oute of thyne own house, and I shall take thy wiues before thyne eyes and giue them vnto thy neighbour and he shall lye with thy wy∣ues in the sight of sunne. for y^u didest it secretely, but I shall do this thing before all Israel, and before y^• sunne. This sentence,* 1.6 I say, most iustly pronounced, was after most sharply, and yet most iustly) for sinne commited) put in▪ execution. And so do we affirm that none of gods children be they neuer so deare, shall escaip punishe∣ment, if contempteously they transgresse.

I suppose y^t this our confession nothing doth offend you, except in this one thing y^t we affirme that God still loued Adā and Dauid after their sinne, before y^t his holie Sprit wroght in their heartes any true repentance. And

yet I wonder why this should offend you, seing y^t we assi∣gne the cause, not to be them selues, nether any vertue with in them selues, but Christ Iesus, in whom they were elected and chosen. The signes of gods loue, we haue e∣uidētly proued, and y^• end and issue did witnes y^t gods lo¦ue was not mutable. If you require scriptures, for the pro∣batiō of y^e same. Behold they are redie. if whē we were en∣emies we were recōciled vnto God, by the death of his sone, much more we being recōciled shalbe saued by his life.* 1.7 And a little before in the same chapter. Whē we were sinners Christ died for vs, &c. And y^e Apostle Iohn: herein appereth the loue of God towardes vs, y^• his onelie be∣gotten sonne hath he sent in to the world, that we may liue by hym: herein is loue, not that we loued God, but that he loued vs. And hath sent his Sonne in the mer∣cieseat▪ for our sinnes. These are verey plaine, and we think that no reasonable man wil denie to Adam and to Dauid, that which the holie Gost maketh common to all gods elect children, to witt, to be beloued of God▪ euen when they were ennemies, dead in sinne, drowned in idolatrie, and polluted with all filthines, as witnesseth the Apostle in these wordes: And you when ye were dead by sinne,* 1.8 in the which ye somtymes walked, accor∣ding to this worlde, accordīg to y^• prince, to whom pow∣er is the ayre, which is the spirit now working in the rebellious children,* 1.9 amongest whom we all had somty∣mes conuersation, in the lust••s of our flesh, doing those thinges, which pleased the fleshe, and the mynd, and we∣re of nature the sonnes of wrathe like as others. But God who is riche in mercie, for his own great loue, by the which he loued vs, euen when we were dead by sin∣nes (marke, and if ye be offended, complein vpon the ho¦lie Gost) hath qwickened vs togither with Christ (by gra¦ce ye are saued) and hath raised vs vp togither with him, and to gither with him, hath caused vs to sit amongest y^• heauenlie, by Christ Iesus, to shew in y^e ages to com, his most rich grace in his liberalitie, by Christ Iesus. God

open your eyes that you may se the light, and mollifie your heartes, that ye may magnifie with gods children his superaboundant loue and mercie bestowed euen v∣pon the most vnworthie.

If ye think y^t this loue hath onelie place before that man offend, you se the holie Gost plainely repugneth to your sentēce, for he speaketh to them that had bene polluted & defiled with all sinnes.* 1.10 If yet ye replie, but that was during the tyme of their ignorāce and not af∣ter they were illuminated by grace, ye haue said nothīg against our confession. for we affirme that God loueth sinners being wrapped in death and damnatiō by sinne.* 1.11 and y^t we haue plainely proued. But yet for your satisfa∣ctiō, and instructiō (for I take to record the Lord Iesus y^• I wold bestow my own life, to ioyne you fully to Christ Iesue) I will procede a litle further with you▪ Do ye think that the sinne of Dauid touching the nature and qua∣litie of y^e sinne it self, was more horrible and odious be fore God, then were all the sinnes committed in Ephe∣sus, by those, to whom the Apostle writeth? yea then the ••innes which were done amongest y^e hole Gētiles? I trust ye will not think it. and we clerely see that God loued y^• elect in Ephesus and amongest the Gentiles when they were drouned in all kynd of iniquitie. If still ye replie Dauid was vnthankfull who after so many benefites re∣ceaued, so traterously declined frome God, followīg his own appetites, and of purposed coūsell, murthering his innocent seruant, and y^• with great ignominie of God. This nether do, nether yet euer did we denie. but yet as y^• question is other, so is not our cōfe••••ion proued fals, Albeit Dauid was vnthankfull (yea and after Adā most vnthankfull, of any of gods children to his daies). for herein standeth the doubt, whether y^• the vnthankful∣nes of gods childrē, after they haue once receaued mer∣cie, grace, and large benefites from gods hands, doth so alienat the mynd of God, from them, that he beareth to them no maner of loue, till they turn to him by repen∣tance

The contrarie hereof, we hold, and affirme, not fea∣ring to auowe, that repentance,* 1.12 as it is ioyned with faith which is the fre gift of God, so is it the effect of gods cōstant loue toward them, and no cause of the same. And for the more ample declaration hereof, let vs compare the deniall of Peter, and y^e defection of all the Apostles, with the sinne of Dauid. Albeit Peter was not called to be a wordlie prīce, as Dauid was, yet I thīk ye wil not denie, but to be called to the office of an Apostle, to be Chri∣stes scoller the space of thre yeres, to be so familiare with Christ, y^t he alone with other two did se Christ their master trāsfigured, did heare y^• ioyfull voice frome hea∣uen▪ did se Moises and Helias speak with him, my trust is, I say,* 1.13 y^t ye will not denie, but that those were graces no thing inferior to Dauids kingdom temporall: and yet how horribly y^t Petet did denie Christ Iesus, ye are not ignorante. Yea but say ye, Peter wept, and soght grace with repētance. But I ask when? the holie Gost doth ans∣were, y^• it was after the cocke had crowen, and that Christ Iesus had looked vnto him. Proceded y^t looke I besech you from loue, or hatered? It should seme in dede, by the effect, that it came from loue. for then it is said that Peter remembered the wordes of his master and so wēt furth and wept bitterly. By all liklihode, then were his masters vordes before qwyte blotted oute of his memo∣rie. But God be praised, we nede not to depend vpon vn∣certen coniectures. The fall and deniall of Peter (as in an other place we haue declared) came not by chance, as a thīg, whereof Christ Iesus was ignorāt. He did fore∣se it, and before speaketh it. And what cōfort gaue Christ Iesus vnto him▪ before he pronounced that sharp senten∣ce, before y^e cock crowe thow shalt denie me thries. This comfort I say, which oght of all faithfull most to be ex∣••olled: Simon, Simō, beholde Satā hath desired you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I haue prayed for the,* 1.14 that thy faith faile not: and thow being conuerted confir∣me thy bretheren. Did Christ pray for Peter, knowing

that he should denie him? so he affirmeth. Doth the praier of Christ Iesus and the effect thereof vanish in a moment? God for bid, that such impietie take pla∣ce īn our heartes. The Apostle doth witnes that as his sacrifice is euer recent before God, so is his praier ef∣fectuall euer for his elect. Doth God vtterly hate de∣test, and abhorre such, as for whom Christ Iesus praieth? yea commendeth to his mercie, before they fall i••n to danger? my hope is that the godlie will not so iudge. The same I might proue by the stowte denial of Tho∣mas (besides the defection of all the rest) who after that the glad tydings of Christes resurrection,* 1.15 was con∣firmed by the testimonie of many, did obstinatly say, except that I put my fingers in the holes, &c. I wil not beleue. Here ye se was no repentance of his former infidelitie, but rather an augmentation, and increase of the same. And did it procede frome loue, or from hate∣red, that Christ cometh vnto him, and doth offer to sa∣tisfie his curiositie, in all thinges, willing him to be faithfull and not to remaine an infidele?

Consider now how simply and plainely, we haue ope∣ned our myndes vnto you, God grāt you his holie Spi∣rit rightly to vnderstand, and charitably to interprete the thinges that be spoken, &c.

Now will I briefly go throughe these scriptures which ye abuse, and violently wrest against vs not ma∣king so long discourse to amend your iudgemēt, as I ha∣ue done to fore. For if things alredie spoken shall not profit, I must confesse my self destitute of counsell, for this tyme. The wordes of the prophete (where necgli∣gently ye name Zacharie for Malachie),* 1.16 nether serue your purpose, nether yet are verefied in vs. for we be not as the priestes, who in those daies permitted plaine ini∣quitie, and contempt of God, and of his statutes, vniuer∣saly to be done by the people, and yet they did not op∣pone them selues to the same. Read the Prophete and con••ict vs of those thinges if ye can.

We are sorie, that ye haue no better opinion of vs,* 1.17 then that our hole studie should be to entyse the people to sinne. Not that we do muche feare, that by your wordes, ye can persuade any, except your own faction▪ (and hard∣ly those) to credit you in that behalf. for all praise be to God, our liues, doctryn, and correctiō of vice, do wit∣nesse the contrarie. but our greatest sorow is, for your condemnation, which doubtles must ensue suche wic∣ked iudgement, if hastely ye repent not.

As the Sunne is not to be blamed,* 1.18 albeit the carion by the heate thereof, be more and more corrupted: so is not our doctrine, althogh that carnall men, thereof take carnal libertie. for that ye knowe did ensue the doctrine of S. Paule.

We do no les affirme both in worde and writing thē here you do affirme, to wit: That he who committeh sinne, is of the deuil. but herein I suppose standeth the difference, that you and we vnderstand not that phrase alike. we vnderstand that the man cōmitteh sinne,* 1.19 whose hole studie, mynd, and purpose frome tyme, to tyme, is bent vpon iniquitie: and suche do we affirme to be of the deuil, who sinneth from the beginning. If you vn∣derstand, that euerie action committed against the law of God, maketh a man the sonne of the deuil, we must liberally speak that so we do not vnderstand the mynd of the Apostle. for plaine it is that he meaneth not of actiōs particulare, be they neuer so grieuous, whereof a man after repenteth, ād from the same desisteth: but of a continual exercise, delite, and studie, whiche man hath in sinne. And this is plaine I say,* 1.20 by the wordes which immediatly procede and go before, he that exerciseth iustice (saieth he) is iust euē as he is iust: he y^t cōmitteth sinne is of the deuil. for frome the beginning the deuil sinneth. Here is the exercise of iustice put in contrarie∣tie to the committing of sinne. An exercise we know requireh a continual studie and practyse. I think ye will not say, that one iust worke maketh a man iust, and so

consequently the son of God, except he procede frome iustice to iustice. The same say we must be vnderstand of the committing of sinne: for nether Adame,* 1.21 nor Da∣uid did any longer committ their former sinnes, then by grace they began to repent. And so did they not re∣maine vnclean persons, nor in bondage of the deuil. Neither yet can it be proued, that euer they were mem∣bres of the deuil, nor of his kingdom, albeit willingly they made them selues slaues to him: whom Christ Ie∣sus notwithstanding did vendicate to him self,* 1.22 and de∣lyuer from that thraldome. Because of the fre gift of God his father, they did appertein to his kingdome: ne∣ther euer be you able to proue by any of these senten∣ces, that euer they were out of the election, as before is declared.

The place of the prophete Oseas is of you euill vn∣derstād▪* 1.23 the lacke of the hebrew tongue may be the cause of your error. And albeit your great, and perfect an∣gell Castalio pretēd great knowledge in that tongue, yet in that, as in many other places a childe may espie his negligence. Trewe it is that in the hebrew, this word A∣dam is in that place. But if we shall vnderstand that word wheresoeuer it is founde in the scripture, for the person of Adam our first father, we shall make a mad translatiō, and a sense more mad. Suche as haue, but mean vnder∣standing in that tongue do know, that that worde is oftē common for any man, as in the prophetes is most eui∣dent.

The veritie of the text is this, they haue transgressed the couenante,* 1.24 as the couenante of a man, they haue re∣belled against me &c. God compleineth vpon Ephraim and Iuda, that they had no further respect, reuerence nor regard to that most excellent couenante and league, whiche God had made with them, to wit, that he wold be their God, and they should be his people. for God had preferred them to all nations of the earth, and had set them a part from others, to serue and honor him in

holynes of lief, and to offer vnto him rather spiritual thē carnall sacrifice. But they serued him at their plea∣sure: yea, and in that land which they had receaued of gods most liberal benediction, they did decline to Ido∣latrie. for that he meaneth, where that he saieth: there haue they rebelled, that is, where that they most oght to be obedient. This I doubt not shall euerie man, who diligently marketh the scope of the prophete perceaue to be his verie meaning.

Otherwies,* 1.25 and more sharply I might haue answe∣red your ignorance, who can se no difference betwext Adam once sinning, and yet shortly after by grace cal∣led to a new, and more sure league with God (whiche with all gladnes and thankfulnes he did receaue) and the manifest contemners of God, which do nothing els, but delyte in sinne. forme the whiche albeit, that ten thousand tymes they be called, yet contemning all so∣cietie with God, their pleasure is, to remaine in vani∣tie, and so finally in death. This difference, I say ye oght to haue obserued, and then I doute not, but that ye wold haue exempted Adam, from the rancke of suche as contempteously crie, it is but labor lost to serue God. If diligently ye shall consider what is writen in Iob,* 1.26 and in Malachie the third cha. ye shall easely vnderstād that the prophete there deuideth y^e hole multitude, in these two sortes of men, to wit, in those that be proud obstina∣te contēners, and in them y^t feared the Lord, whō he cal∣leth his peculiare people, whom he promised to spare, as a man spareth his son that serueth him. And one of this last sorte vnderstand we Adam to haue bene all his daies, after his fall, and recōciliation by grace. The lord purge your heartes (if his good pleasure be) from y^t ve∣nom, which so oft moueth you to spew furth your own shame, sometymes crying: that we be led with the spirit of Balaam: and now affirming▪ that we be careles liber∣tynes. To w^c blasphemies because I can nether answere without y^e sorow & grief of heart, nether without som

offence of godlie eares, I will remit iudgement to him, to whō as he hath frome the beginning, opened thinges that for a tyme lay hid in darknes, so I dout not, but that he will, yea and that shortly reuele vnto the world with what spirites both you and we be led. when more occasiō shall be offered, I purpose, if so it please the mer∣cie of my God to assist me, to notifie with what spirites you and your sect haue bene led here to fore.

What soeuer ye gather of the wordes of the Apostle it is altogither out of y^e purpose. for in none of all those places doth he define & determin what Adam,* 1.27 and Da∣uid were, whan they had sinned, but plainely he decla∣reth, what tryall oght euerie mā to take of him self▪ whē Christ Iesus is preached vnto him, affirming that if any haue not the spirit of Christ Iesus, that he is not of his. but y^e spirit of Christ remaineth not in vnclean and pro∣phane persons, say you. but yet I affirme that Adam and Dauid oght not to be nōbred in that band. for althogh they sinned, and that most horribly, yet did they not abyde in that estate. And albeit they were not led with the spirit of Christ, whē they sinned, yet they were both led, drawen, and gouerned by his omnipotent spirit, when they repented. And so can ye neuer be able to proue them to be reprobates,* 1.28 no not euen when they sinned: except that ye be able to proue, that they finally perished in sinne. for this principall do I still hold, that true faith and true repentance (which the reprobate ••••∣uer haue) be the frutes of Election. The place of the Apostle written in the 13. chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians, is neither well marked, nor rightly applied by you, neither yet will it suffer any suche con∣clusion as ye gather of it. The mynd of the Apostle is this: After the departing of Paule from Corinthus, w∣here after many stormes susteined, he had established the forme of a Churche, did enter in fals Prophetes, whose chief studie was to eleuate the auctorite of Paule and so to deface his hole labor, affirming that he was

not worthie to be called an Apostle. for he was neuer in the companie of Christ, others were of greater estimatiō and faour then he was.

And as a multitude is euer more redie to receaue poy∣son thē holsom medicine, agreate nōber began to giue eare vnto them: and so began litle to esteme, what so e∣uer Paul had labored amongest them. Against which vnthankfulnes▪ the Apostle very sharpley writeth, as in bothe his epistles doth appere. And amongest other his argumentes, which he vseth to proue that he was an Apostle, nothing inferior to the greatest, he adduceth thē selues for a testimonie, saing: Trie your selues if ye be in the faith,* 1.29 proue your selues. know ye not your selues, that Iesus Christ is in you, except y^t ye be repro∣bates? By these wordes most sharp, and most vehement he laboreth to conuict their conscience, that he was an Apostle, and that the prooffe of his Apostleship (as in an other place he doth affirme) was declared in them, as he should say: your fals Apostles aff••rme, that I am not worthie of the name of an Apostle. but if the office of an Apostle be to preach Christ Iesus, and if the true si∣gne,* 1.30 that decerneth the true Apostle from the fals be, that Christ so potently worketh by his ministerie, that Christ Iesus taketh possession in the heartes of the hea∣rers by the true preaching of his word, then be iudges your selues whether I be an Apostle or not. Call your cōscience to examination, in what estate I did find you. were ye not drowned in all sortes of iniquite? did ye not walk in darkenes, without any true light of God? And in what estate did I leaue you? Trie and examin your selues in what estate ye do yet stand, you can not be vnsensible, you can not be so ignorant, but ye must know, whether that Christ dwelleth in you or no. If you will acknowledge, and cō••es that Christ dwelleth in you, then must ye nedes confes, that I am an Apostle. For by my labors and preaching did you receaue Christ Iesus. And if to deface my labors, and to defraud me of

that honor, which God, of his mercie hath giuē vnto me ye list deny, that ether ye receaued Christ Iesus, ether yet that he remaineth in you, then do ye confes your selues reprobates.

Paule doth not absolutely define that they were re∣probates, but putteth in to their choise, whether they wold confes, that Christ Iesus did remaine in them by faith, which they had receaued by the preaching of Paule, and so wold admitt him to be an Apostle: or to grante, that they had nothing to do with Christ, and so to confes them selues reprobates. Now let the indiffe∣rent reader iudge whether that ether faithfully ye cyte the text, ether that righteously ye conclude vpon the same. The Apostle saieth not, except that Christ dwell in you, yow are reprobates, but saieth, as before I haue alledged, do ye not know your selues that Christ Iesus is in you? except that in som what ye be reprobates. And albeit that the wordes were such, as ye recite, how can you therof conclude, Dauid, and Adam were reprobates, when they sinned? seing that Paule in that place ma∣keth mencion of no other sinne, except of the denial of Christ, to remain in them, of their ingratitude towar∣des him, whom God had appointed preacher vnto them and of giuing eare & credite to fals Apostles, sclāderers of Christes true messingers▪ how iustly I might turn Pau¦les wordes vpō your heades, you easely may espie: but all such reasoning I do from my heart abhorre. If ye can be able to proue that Adam refused the grace offered, or that Dauid did storme against Nathan, ether affir∣ming or suspecting him to be a fals prophete, then had your argument som probabilitie. for onely of such, and to suche speaketh the Apostle in that place. Thus doth ••ther your ignorance, or malice wresting the scriptures against their natiue sense, compell me to trouble the reader muche more then I wold, if any sinceritie were found in you.

We do constantly affirme,* 1.31 that by the sinne of one

man did death enter in to the world. for Adam did not onely lose him self, but also did with him self wrap all his posteritie in sin, death and damnation, so that A∣dam and all his sonnes were in him lost. But thereof it doth not follow (as ye affirme) that therefor they were out of the election, from the transgression vnto the pro¦mes. for as before we haue plainely proued, they were e∣lected in Christ Iesus before the foundaciōs of y^• world were laied, in whom they did stand elected, and beloued euen whē they fell in Adā at which time y^e electiō which from all eternitie was kept in the counsell of God, be∣gan to be notified, and manifested to mannes knowled∣ge. The fall and sinne of man was the way and meanes, by the which gods election did appere, but was not the cause,* 1.32 why that it was destroied. And so if with reuerēce ye coulde consider the mysterie of our redemption in Christ Iesus, ye shoulde plainely se, that it behoued all to die in Adam, that the elect might receaue life in Christ Iesus alone.

The wordes of Christ Iesus our master,* 1.33 rehearsed by the Euangelist S. Iohn,* 1.34 ye do shamefully abuse for in that place he intreateth not, whether a sinner durīg the time of his blindnes and sinne, is appointed to damna∣tion or not, nether yet whether such as before haue had knowledge, as Adam and Dauid had, be altogether void of faith, by reason of sinne after committed. None of these two poi••tes I say doth our Master in that place in∣treat. But vnto Nichodemus he plainely declareth, that the cause of life is faith, and the cause of condemnati∣on is incredulitie and vnbe leif. Not that Christ Ie∣sus affirmeth, that euerie man that is vnfaithfull at any tyme is or shalbe condemned. for God hath wrapped all vnder vnbelief. y^t he may haue mercie vpō all, as S. Paul confesseth him self to haue bene a persecuter, and vn∣faithfull. But the true meaning of Christ is y^t such as di∣spyse y^e light offered, & remaine invnbelief to y^e ēd, haue

their condemnation alredie appointed, as contrary wise who so euer with full obedience do steadfastly beleue the same shall haue the life euerlasting, not withstan∣ding the manifest tran sgressions of the law.

The rest of this part is be fore answered and therefor•• I will not with repeticion trouble the reader. for ye be neuer able to proue,* 1.35 that Adame and Dauid were so, out of the loue of God, that he did not loue them in Christ his Sonne, in whom they were elected. Dauid was no suche mankiller as was Cayn, of whom, Saint Iohn speaketh, who delited in blood to the end. Nether did Nathā shew, nor Dauid pronounce any suche iudgemēt against him self, as ye imagin, but being conuicted in in his own conscience, how horribly he had offended, he did heare not withstanding that ioyfull sentence: The Lord hath taken a way thy sinne, thow shalt not die &c. Which sentence no doubt proceded frome that im∣mutable loue, w^c was reserued to him in Christ Iesus, euen when he was fardest declined from God. It will be hard for you to proue by euident scriptures, that Da∣uid was altogither void of faith. but granting, that he, as concerning his own sense, and feling, was vtterly dead, yet doth it not thereof follow, that so he displea∣sed God, that he fell from the loue and fauor of God, as touching his electiō. for the Apostle (vpon whose wor∣des ye seme to grounde your reason) meaneth not, that the lack of faith,* 1.36 in all persons, at all tymes, and in all respectes, doth so displease God, that he hateth them, and reiecteth them to death euerlasting. For childrē for a tyme lacke faith, and yet Crist pronounceth that their Angelles do se the face of his father, and that the kingdō of heauen apperteineth to such. Thomas was vn¦faithfull euen after Christes resurrectiō. And yet did he not so displease his maister, as before we heaue tou∣ched, but that he did seke•• him, and did remoue his in∣credulitie. And Christ Iesus did rebuke the vnbelief of his disciples, and the hardnes of their heartes. but

yet did he not vtterly dispyse them. But now to the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ans∣wer. to the ••. 2. 3.
• * 1.2

  Our con¦fession touhing sinne.
• * 1.3

  T••••¦ching v••rtue and iu∣stice ••••∣uil.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 and i•• whom God lo∣ueth sin∣••ers euē when ••hey ha∣ue off••n∣••ed.
• * 1.5

  How ••∣dious is sin in g••ds pr••∣sence.
• * 1.6

  ••. Sam. 12
• * 1.7

  Rom. 5▪
• * 1.8

  Ephe. ••
• * 1.9

  The vn¦spea••ka∣ble lo•••• of God towar∣des his elect.
• * 1.10

  ••epli••
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.12

  Faith & repentā∣ce are the eff••∣ct••s of gods lo••e which he beare••h to his e∣lect in Chri•••• le¦sus.
• * 1.13

  Dauids offence cōpared with Peters d••niall of Christ
• * 1.14

  Luk ••2
• * 1.15

  God can not hate such as Christ praieth for.
• * 1.16

  Mala. 2.
• * 1.17

  To the 3
• * 1.18

  To the 4 Th•• sun¦ne is not blamed becaus the cari¦on stin∣keth
• * 1.19

  Rom. 6 To the 5▪ ••. I••a. •• What it is to com¦mitt sin∣ne.
• * 1.20

  The mea∣ning of the place alleged 1. Iohn 3
• * 1.21

  To the. 5.
• * 1.22

  To the. 6.
• * 1.23

  Os•• 6.
• * 1.24

  How ••his wor¦de Adā in 6. cha. of ••seas ogh•• to be vnder¦stand.
• * 1.25

  To the••
• * 1.26

  Iob 21 Mal••••. 3
• * 1.27

  To the 8 9. & ••0
• * 1.28

  How A¦dā and Dauid wer•• ne¦uer re∣pr••bates
• * 1.29

  2. Cor▪ 1••
• * 1.30

  The pl••¦ce of th•• 13. chap. 2. Corin. declared
• * 1.31

  To the 11
• * 1.32

  It beh••∣ued all men to dye in Adam.
• * 1.33

  To the 12.
• * 1.34

  Iohn:
• * 1.35

  To the, 13▪ 14. 15 &. 16.
• * 1.36

  The lac¦ke of faith in all persōs d••••th not so disple¦ase God that he vtterly reie∣••teth thē