And therefore I doubt not to affirm, but that the fall of man and the remedy for the same, was not only foreseen but also before determined, and the fruit which of the same should ensue concluded and appointed in gods eternal counsel before that ever Adam was created. the reason and probation ⟨p. 293⟩hereof we have before declared to be the issue of all things, as we are taught by gods manifest word, yea by most evident experience. for who needeth now to doubt, that it was gods eternal counsel, that man should fall from that perfect image in which he was created and so become subject to the death, to the end that the faithful might receive perfection, justice and life in Christ Jesus alone, seeing that scripture so manifestly affirmeth that we were elected in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world were laid that God hath wrapped all nations in disobedience that he might have mercy upon all,1 upon all I say which refuse not the remedy, from all beginning prepared, which is Christ Jesus, as the Apostle witnesseth, saying: in him & by him, are all things created, & he is before all things,2 & all things consist or abide by him, and he is the head of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, the first begotten of the dead, that in all things he may hold the preeminence. for it hath pleased the father that all fullness should dwell in him▪ and to reconcile, by him all things to him self. This counsel I say was not temporal, as taken and devised after the fall of man, but it was eternal, as the same Apostle witnesseth in these words:3 God hath called us by an holy vocation, not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace, which was given to us by Jesus Christ before eternal times, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our saviour Jesus Christ. But mark well that the Apostle sayeth that grace was given to the faithful by Christ Jesus from the eternity of times which thus to Titus he doth confirm saying,4 Paul the servant of God, and an Apostl• of Jesus Christ according to the faith of gods elect, and the knowledge of the verity, which is according to godliness in the hope of eternal life, which he hath promised, which is God that can not lie, before the world began, and hath opened his word at the time appointed ⟨p. 294⟩through preaching &c.
And therefor I doubt not to affirme, but that the fall of mā and the remedie for ye same, was not onelie forsene but also before determined, and the frute which of the same should ensue cōcluded and appointed in gods eternall counsell before that euer Adam was created. the reason and probation ⟨p. 293⟩hereof we haue before declared to be the issue of all things, as we are taugh by gods manifest word, yea by most euident experience. for who nedeth nowe to doubt, that it was gods eternall counsell, that man should fall from that perfecte image in which he was created and so become subiect to the death, to the end that the faithfull might receaue perfection, iustice and life in Christ Iesus alone, seing that scripture so manifestly affirmeth that we were elected in Christ Iesus before the foundations of the worlde were laid that God hath wrapped all nations in disobediēce that he might haue mercie vpon all,1 vpon all I say which refuse not the remedie, frō all begining prepared, which is Christe Iesus, as ye Apostle witnesseth, saying: in him & by him, areal things created, & he is before al things,2 & al things consist or abide by him, and he is the head of the bodie of the Churche, who is the beginning, the first begotten of the dead, that in all things he may hold the preeminēce. for it hath pleased the father that all fulnes should dwell in him▪ and to reconcile, by him al things to him self. This counsell I say was not temporal, as taken and deuised after the fall of man, but it was eternall, as the same Apostle witnesseth in these words:3 God hath called vs by an holie vocation, not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace, which was giuen to vs by Iesus Christ before eternall times, but is nowe made manifest by the appering of our sauiour Iesus Christ. But mark well that the Apostle saieth that grace was giuen to the faithfull by Christ Iesus from the eternitie of times which thus to Titus he doth confirme saying,4 Paule the seruant of God, and an Apostl• of Iesus Christ according to the faith of gods electe, and the knowledge of the veritie, which is according to godlines in the hope of eternall life, which he hath promised, which is God that cā not lie, before the world began, and hath opened his worde at ye tyme appointed ⟨p. 294⟩
- 1Rom. 11
- 2Colo. 1.
- 3Ti••. 2
- 4Tit. 1.
