If you understand this former place of scripture which affirmeth that God hath no respect of persons as your book doeth witness, to wit, that God careth a like for all, that he no more loveth the one, than the other, except that it be for their obedience, the hole scripture of God doeth witness against you. Was the love of God no greater to Abraham and to his posterity, then it was to the rest of the nations? Moses and David do witness the contrary: Saying: he hath not done so to any nation, and his judgements he hath not showed to them,1 only thee, hath he chosen of all nations and people, that be upon the face of the earth, that thou shouldest be unto him a peculiar people. And ⟨p. 86⟩what was the cause of this their dignity and prerogative before we have declared, to wit, no virtue, no obedience, no good quality that was in them, but only his free love, free grace, and undeserved mercy, as he him self doeth plainly affirm?2 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and saint Paul: it is neither of the willer, neither yet of the runner, but of God that showeth mercy to such as pleaseth him. And thus I say you can not justly nor rightly conclude, that God hath neither chosen nor reprobated any man, because he hath no respect of persons. for as before I have said, his eternal election dependeth neither upon man, neither yet upon any thing that is within man,3 but is purposed in him self, and established in Christ Jesus, in whom we are elected, because that in our selves there neither was neither yet could be any worthiness, which could merit or deserve such honour and dignity. And so God respecteth not the persons of men, their virtues, nor qualities in their election, but finding them all equal in creation, and corruption maketh difference betwixt them, according to his eternal purpose, respecting Christ Jesus and not their merits. How that ever the proud and ungodly storm at this, I nothing doubt, but the children of God do thereof receive most singular consolation as that it is the chefest cause why that without all trembling and fear, they stoop before his Majesty, and giving thanks for these inestimable benefits do crave of his mercy such a purity of lief as becometh §5his children.
If you vnderstand this former place of scripture which affirmeth that God hath no respect of persons as your book doeth witnes, to witt, that God careth a like for all, that he no more loueth the one, thē the other, except that it be for their obedience, the hole scripture of God doeth witnes against you. Was the loue of God no greater to Abraham and to his posteritie, then it was to the rest of the nations? Moises and Dauid do witnesse the contrarie: Saying: he hath not done so to any nation, and his iudgemēts he hath not shewed to them,1 onely the, hath he chosen of all nations and people, that be vpon the face of the earth, that thow shouldest be vnto him a peculiar people. And ⟨p. 86⟩what was the cause of this their dignitie and prerogatiue before we haue declared, to witt, no vertue, no obedience, no good qualitie that was in them, but onely his fre loue, fre grace, and vndeserued mercie, as he hī self doeth plainely affirme?2 I will haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie, and saint Paule: it is neither of the willer, neither yet of the runner, but of God that sheweth mercie to such as pleaseth him. And thus I say you can not iustly nor rihtly conclude, that God hath neither chosen nor reprobated any man, becaus he hath no respect of persons. for as before I haue said, his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man, neither yet vpon any thing that is within mā,3 but is purposed in him self, and established in Christ Iesus, in whom we are elected, becaus that in our selues there neither was neither yet could be any worthines, which could merite or deserue such honour and dignitie. And so God respecteth not the persons of men, their vertues, nor qualities in their election, but finding them all equall in creation, and corruption maketh difference betwext them, according to his eternall purpose, respecting Christ Iesus and not their merites. How that euer the prowde and vngodlie storme at this, I nothing doute, but the children of God do thereof receaue moste singular consolation as that it is the chefest cause why that without all trembling and feare, they stoupe before his Maiestie, and giuing thankes for these inestimable benefits do craue of his mercie such a puretie of lief as becometh §5his children.
- 1D•ut. 7.
- 2Rm. 9.
- 3Neither was nor is in us, any thing whereby we should deserve to be electedNeither was nor is in vs, any thing whereby we should deserue to be elected
