And the same sayeth Peter speaking of our redemption by Christs precious blood,1 who certainly was preordinate, sayeth he, before that the world was made, but was manifested in the last times. Having these I say most evident scriptures to assure our conscience that redemption, remission of our sins, grace, and reconciliation, were appointed for us, yea and were given unto us before all times, what need we to doubt, what was the counsel of God in mans creation, or what was his secret will in giving to him the commandment of not eating the fruit, and therefore you do not only foolishly, but also injuriously in thus railing upon us, what strange and monstrous doctrine is this? to say things be secrete, and unsecret, known, and unknown, revealed and unrevealed, as man should say hearing? is not hearing and light is not light. No such absurdity can justly be gathered upon our doctrine, for simply we say that things sometimes kept secrete in the counsel of God, and unknown to the sons of men, were after disclosed. and made manifest to the world, in so much, that light expelled darkness from the hearts of the sons of light, and knowledge removed ignorance from those, that were appointed to life. If these things do not satisfy you, yet my good hope is, that the godly reader shall perceive, that most unjustly you accuse us, as if in our doctrine were plain contradiction. And yet as touching the secrete will of God we moreover affirm, that our eternal election, in Christ Jesus, our temporal falling in Adam, our restitution to life, by the promise made, are not secret, but manifestly revealed. But why that so it pleased his infinite wisdom, and goodness to dispose, and before ordain the mystery of our salvation: that first we should bear the image of the earthly and carnal Adam, before that we should bear the image of the heavenly and spiritual: that first we should be all wrapped in sin, and by reason thereof in misery & death, before that we should be perfect just, and come to felicity, and life everlasting, ⟨p. 295⟩and finally why that it pleased his Majesty to choose some: and of this same mass to reject others, we say is not revealed, neither yet shall be revealed before that Christ Jesus appear in his glory, when the books shall be opened and all secretes shall be disclosed.
And the same saieth Peter speaking of our redemption by Christes pretious blood,1 who certeinly was preordinate, sayeth he, before that ye world was made, but was manifested in the last times. Hauing these I say most euidēt scriptures to assure our conscience that redemption, remission of our sinnes, grace, and recōciliation, were appointed for vs, yea and were giuen vnto vs before all times, what nede we to doubt, what was the counsell of God in mans creation, or what was his secret will in giuing to him the commādement of not eating the frute, and therefor you do not onely folishly, but also iniuriously in thus raling vpon vs, what strange and monsterous doctrine is this? to say things be secrete, and vnsecret, knowen, and vnknowene, reueled and vnreueled, as man should say hearing? is not hearing and light is not light. No such absurditie cā iustly be gathered vpō our doctrine, for simply we say yt thīgs somtimes kepte secrete in ye counsell of God, and vnknowen to the sonnes of mē, were after disclosed. and made manifest to the world, in so much, that light expelled darcknes from the heartes of the sonnes of light, and knowledge remoued ignorance from those, that were appointed to life. If these things do not satisfie you, yet my good hope is, that ye godlie reader shall perceaue, that most vniustly you accuse vs, as if in our doctrine were plaine contradiction. And yet as touching the secrete will of God we moreouer affirme, that our eternal election, in Christ Iesus, our temporall falling in Adam, our restitution to life, by the promes made, are not secret, but manifestly reueled. But why that so it pleased his infinite wisdome, and goodnes to dispose, and before ordeine the mysterie of our saluation: that first we should beare the image of the earthlie and carnall Adam, before that we should beare the image of the heauenlie and spirituall: that first we shuld be all wrapped in sinne, and by reason thereof in miserie & death, before that we should be perfecte iust, and come to felicitie, and life euerlasting, ⟨p. 295⟩ād finally why yt it pleased his Maiestie to choose some: ād of this same masse to reiecte others, we say is not reueled, neither yet shalbe reueled before yt Christ Iesus appere in his glorie, whē the bookes shalbe opened and all secretes shalbe disclosed.
- 11. Pet. 1.
