A case of conscience the greatest that [sic] ever was, how a man may…A case of conscience the greatest taht [sic] euer was, how a man may…

the sun when it shineth upon us, and after a sort looketh us in the face, it doth after such a sort imprint an image of his light in our eyes, that we also in like manner being made partakers of his light, may look again upon the sun it self, and upon his light; for the light of the Sun, and his beams being sent down upon us, are beaten back and reflected again towards the sun. So in like manner, the foreknowledge of god by which he hath and would acknowledge us for his, from all eternity; it always ⟨p. 43⟩resteth in God, and cannot of it self be perceived of us. But yet whilst God doth acknowledge us for his, he doth portrait in us his elect, a certain form and image of his foreknowledge: by which, he maketh us, renouncing all other gods, to acknowledge him for our only true God. Thus it cometh to pass, that through this true knowledge of God, which he vouchsafeth us, and by which we do acknowledge God, for our God and Father: we may after a sort, behold in God himself his foreknowledge, by which he hath foreknown us for his sons. For first of all, God doth acknowledge us for his, and then the elect being made partakers of this his light and knowledge, he causeth us in like manner to acknowledge him. To this purpose serveth that, which our Saviour Christ saith: first, (saith he) I know my sheep, after he addeth, and again,¹ I am known of mine. As though he should say, whiles I acknowledge them for my sheep, I make them, by means of this my light & knowledge, that they also can acknowledge me for their pastor. So the Apostle saith to the Galatians: When ye shall know God, or rather are known of him: he teacheth therefore, that God knew the Galatians, because he had first acknowledged ⟨p. 44⟩them for his, in his eternal Predestination: And by giving unto them this his wisdom,² he made them acknowledge the true God, for their God. The same may be said of the love of God, by which he loved us in Christ to everlasting life, before the foundation of the world; God by loving us doth print in our hearts the Image of his love, by which we may love him again from our hearts: and as it were, by the reflection of the sun-beams, sent down into our hearts, we may be provoked to love again. For the love of god to us being eternal, and causing eternal life, begetteth in the time appointed, a certain love in us, serving for his eternal glory.