Ye instantly require that we will show any testimony of the scripture that hath reprobate any before the foundations of the world. If it be the pleasure of God to give ⟨p. 81⟩unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation by the knowledge of him self, that the eyes of your mind may be illuminated that ye may know what is the hope to the which he hath called you, and how rich is the glory of that inheritance, which he hath prepared for his saints, ye shall require no place more plain, nor more evident then the same, which most ignorantly, or else most maliciously ye do abuse, for if there be any difference betwixt the saints, the faithful, that be blessed with all spiritual benediction, betwixt those (I say) that were elected in Christ Jesus before all times, that in time be called, and by the power of the holy spirit do give obedience to the caller, and so are made citizens with the saints and household of God, as they that are builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles: if any difference (I say) be betwixt these former, and these in whom the prince of this world doeth work all filthiness and rebellion, whom he holdeth captive at his pleasure, who can not repent their detestable lives, and therefore are reputed strangers from the common wealth of Israel. And further if ye will believe Christ Jesus affirming and rejoicing that it pleased his Father to hide the secretes of his kingdom from the prudent and wife, and to reveal the same to little ones,1 and that because it was his pleasure: I trust ye shall confess that those scriptures be plain enough to prove that as some were elected before the foundation of the world was laid, so likewise were there others reprobated, as the final end of both doeth witness: But how ye wrestle against this argument we shall after hear: and how plainly I have proved son to be elected and others to be reprobated, read before and judge with indifferency. If ye will conclude that God hath §4no certain election, neither yet that he hath reprobated any, because that he hath no respect of persons, and because he calleth the world from the rising up of the son to the going down of the same, because he made both small and great, and careth (as ye falsely allege) for both a like, your affirmation may well be bold, but I think, that your probation shall be slender.
Ye instantly require that we will shew any testimonie of the scripture that hath reprobate any before the foū dations of the world. If it be the pleasure of God to giue ⟨p. 81⟩vnto you the spirite of wisdom and of reuelation by the knowledge of hī self, that the eies of your mynd may be illuminated that ye may know what is the hope to the which he hath called you, and how rich is the glorie of that inheritance, which he hath prepared for his saintes, ye shall require no place more plaine, nor more euident then the same, which most ignorantly, orels most maliciously ye do abuse, for if there be any differēce betwext the saintes, the faithfull, that be blessed with all spirituall benedictiō, betwext those (I say) yt were elected in Christe Iesus before all tymes, that in tyme be called, and by the power of the holie spirite do giue obediēce to the caller, and so are made citizens with the saintes and houshold of God, as they that are builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes ād Apostles: if any differēce (I say) be betwext these former, and these in whom the prince of this world doeth worke all filthynes and rebelliō, whom he holdeth captiue at his pleasure, who can not repent their detestable liues, and therefor are reputed strangears from the common welth of Israel. And further if ye will beleue Christ Iesus affirming and reioising that it pleased his Father to hyde the secretes of his kingdome from the prudent and wife, and to reuele the same to litle ones,1 ād that becaus it was his pleasure: I trust ye shall confesse that those scriptures be plaine ynough to proue that as some were elected before the foūdatiō of the world was laid, so likewies were there others reprobated, as the finall end of bothe doeth witnes: But how ye wrestle against this argumēt we shall after heare: ād how plainely I haue proued sō to be elected and others to be reprobated, reade before ād iudge with indifferēcie. If ye will cōclude that God hath §4no certen election, neither yet that he hath reprobated any, becaus that he hath no respect of persones, and becaus he calleth the world from the rising vp of the son to the going doune of the same, becaus he made both small and great, and careth (as ye falsly alledge) for bothe a like, your affirmatiō may well be bolde, but I think, that your probation shalbe sclender.
- 1Matt. 11.
