Your proposition is that albeit the election is sure and made without all condition in Christ Jesus, yet is there none so elected in him to lief everlasting, but that he may fall to perdition, and become a reprobate. And for the probation hereof before the enter to your examples, yet use two reasons. The former, without Christ (say you) there is nether election, nor salvation: and this we confess and most steadfastly do believe, adding that election and salvation are so sure in him, that so many as be elected in him to lief everlasting, shall by grace attain to y• same. Ye proceed in your reason, further man is made sure in the election by the promise of God in Christ Jesus, of which promise when he is made partaker, he entereth in covenant with God▪ but when he breaketh the covenant, he forsaketh the promise, and when he forsaketh the promise, be refuseth Christ, in refusing Christ, he falleth out of the election, notwithstanding the Election abideth sure in Christ. This is your first reason. To the which I shortly & plainly answer, that because ye suppose an impossibility to be possible, therefore ye conclude a great absurdity. for ye suppose, that the members of Christs body elected in him to life everlasting, may so forsake the promise, so refuse Christ their head, and so break the covenant, that to the end of their lives they contemn and despise it, which is a thing impossible, as before I have proved, and therefore your conclusion availeth nothing. when ye shall prove that Christs ⟨p. 265⟩sheep, committed to his charge by his heavenly father, can become wolves or dogs to bark against their pastor, and that so they continue to the end, I will study to answer you other wise: but unto such time as you learn to prove your purpose more substantially, I must say that because there is no member of your reason which hath a sure ground, that therefore I will not greatly study to confute the same: for man is not made sure in the election by any promise of God, but the election which before was secrete in gods eternal counsel, is by the promise and word of grace notified unto man, so that tolerably it may be spoken, man is assured of his election by the promise, which he willingly embraceth, but to be sure in the election by the promise, is not the phrase of the holy Ghost: further of this we shall examine in your second reason which is this,
Your proposition is that albeit the election is sure and made without all condition in Christ Iesus, yet is there none so elected in him to lief euerlasting, but that he may fall to perdition, and becom a reprobate. And for the probation hereof before ye enter to your exemples, yet vse two reasones. The former, without Christe (say you) there is nether electiō, nor saluation: and this we confesse and most stedfastly do beleue, adding that election and saluation are so sure in him, that so many as be elected in him to lief euerlasting, shal by grace attein to y• same. Ye procede in yor raison, further man is made sure in the election by the promes of God in Christ Iesu, of which promes whē he is made par•aker, he entreth in couenāt with God▪ but whē he breaketh the couenant, he forsaketh the promes, and when he forsaketh the promes, be refuseth Christ, in refusing Christ, he falleth out of the election, notwithstanding the Election abydeth sure in Christ. This is your first reason. To the wc I shortly & plainely answere, yt because ye suppose an impossibilitie to be possible, therefor ye conclude a greate absurditie. for ye suppose, that the membres of Christes bodie elected in him to life euerlasting, may so forsake ye promes, so refuse Christ their head, and so breake the couenant, that to ye end of their liues they contemne and despyse it, which is a thing impossible, as before I haue proued, and therefor your conclusion auaileth nothing. when ye shal proue yt Christes ⟨p. 265⟩shepe, committed to his charge by his heauenly father, can becom wolues or dogges to bark against their pastor, and that so they continue to the ende, I wil study to answer you other wise: but vnto such time as you learne to proue your purpos more substācially, I must say that because there is no membre of your reason which hath a sure ground, that therefor I will not greatly study to confute the same: for man is not made sure in the election by any promes of God, but ye electiō which before was secrete in gods eternall counsell, is by the promes and worde of grace notified vnto mā, so that tollerably it may be spoken, man is assured of his election by the promes, which he willingly embraseth, but to be sure in the election by the promes, is not the phrase of the holie Gost: further of this we shal examine in your seconde reason which is this,
