But they be not cast away, the which ⟨image 51⟩made afeard by God's word, do believe Christ: but rather Christ draweth them to him self, saying, Come to me all you which labour and be burdened and laden, and I will refresh you. But thou wilt say: The proper work of god is to favour and to have mercy, and therefore he will revoke his sentence. It is true. for it is a strange work to him to be angry: for verily, he would not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. But under this condition, he will revoke his sentence, if we knowledge our since:1 whereby we have provoked god to wroth, and do repent. If the wicked do repent. &c. But Repentance is conversion and turning of the wicked man, whose two parts be contrition & faith. ⟨image 51⟩Contrition, is to knowledge the sin, and by the judgement and sentence of god, truly to be made afraid, saying, We have sinned only to thee: behold,2 thou art angry. Also, I am he which have sinned. But Faith is a constant trust of mercy, by the which we decree and reckon surely, that our since be forgiven us for Christs sake: Then shall god revoke his sentence, when there is yet time to pacify god. as we read in Jonah of the drowning of the Ninevites. And the word of god was spoken to Isaiah: Go and say to Hezekiah, This saith the lord god of David thy father, I have hard thy prayer, and seen thy tears & weepings, behold, I will add and put to thy days fifteen years &c. So Christ did set forth the ⟨image 52⟩faith of the woman of Canaan, which before he seemed to put away. Is god therefore to be esteemed mutable? no: for although he revoketh the sentence, which he willeth to be secrete and hid from us, yet he doth not change his eternal counsel: but for this cause those things be done by the godly providence of god, that the faith of the righteous might be proved. Therefore the decreed purposes of god be irrevocable, and can not be called again. nor any man living can break or disappoint the decree and purpose of god, as Isaiah witnesseth, saying. The lord of hosts hath decreed it,3 who can break or make it void? he hath put forth his hand, who can turn him again? So Nam.4 Who can stand before the ⟨image 52⟩face of his wroth and indignation? And, who is able to resist in the wroth of his fury? Surely, no man nor creature can break the decreed appointment of god, or resist his wroth.
But they be not cast away, the whiche ⟨image 51⟩made aferde by goddes worde, do beleue Chryst: but rather Christe draweth them to hym self, saieng, Come to me all you which labour and be burdened and ladē, and I wyll refreshe you. But thou wylt saye: The proper worke of god is to fauour and to haue mercy, and therfore he wyll reuoke his sentence. It is trewe. for it is a strāge worke to hym to be angry: for verely, he wolde not the deathe of a synner, but rather that he shulde be conuerted and liue. But vnder this condition, he wyl reuoke his sentence, if we knowlege our synnes:1 wherby we haue prouoked god to wrothe, and do repent. If the wycked do repent. &c. But Repentaunce is conuertion and turnynge of the wycked man, whose two partes be contricion & faith. ⟨image 51⟩Contrition, is to knowledge the synne, and by the iudgement and sentence of god, truely to be made afrayde, sayinge, We haue sinned onely to the: beholde,2 thou art angrye. Also, I am he whiche haue synned. But Fayth is a constante truste of mercy, by the whiche we decree and recken surely, that our synnes be forgyuen vs for Chrystes sake: Then shall god reuoke his sentēce, when there is yet time to pacyfie god. as we rede in Ionas of the drownynge of the Niniuites. And the word of god was spoken to Esai: Go and say to Ezechias, This sayth the lorde god of Dauid thy father, I haue hard thy prayer, and seene thy teares & wepynges, beholde, I wyll adde and put to thy days fyftene yeres &c. So Chryste dyd set forthe the ⟨image 52⟩fayth of the woman of Chananie, whiche before he semed to put awaye. Is god therfore to be estemed mutable? no: for althoughe he reuoketh the sentence, whiche he wylleth to be secrete and hydde from vs, yet he doth not chaunge his eternall councell: but for this cause those thynges be doone by the godly prouydence of god, that the feyth of the ryghtuouse might be proued. Therfore the decreed purposes of god be irreuocable, and can not be called ageyne. nor any man lyuynge canne breake or disapointe the decree and purpose of god, as Esai witnesseth, saying. The lorde of hostes hath decreed it,3 who cā breke or make it voide? he hath put forthe his hande, who can turne hym ageyne? So Naum.4
- 1Ezech. 18.
- 2Psal. •0.
- 3Isaiah. 14.Esai. 14.
- 4Nam. 1.Naum. 1.
