A09362:200
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…
A case of conscience the greatest that [sic] ever was, how a man may know, whether he be the son of God or no. Resolved by the word of God. Whereunto is added a brief discourse, taken out of Hier. Zanchius.A case of conscience the greatest taht [sic] euer was, how a man may know, whether he be the son of God or no. Resolued by the vvord of God. Whereunto is added a briefe discourse, taken out of Hier. Zanchius.
Edinburgh: printed by Robert Walde-grave, 1592Edinburgh: printed by Robert VValde-graue, 1592
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
ASSERTION. II.
Whosoever are predestinate to the end, they are also predestinate to the means, without which they cannot attain to the end: and therefore, as the elect necessarily at length do come unto the end, by reason of the certainty of their election: so also, by reason of the same certainty, it is necessary, that they should be traced through those means, which tend to the same end.
Whosoeuer are predestinate to the end, they are also predestinate to the means, vvithout vvhich they cannot attaine to the end: and therefore, as the elect necessarilie at length doe come vnto the end, by reason of the certaintie of their election: so also, by reason of the same certainty, it is necessary, that they should bee traced through those means, vvhich tend to the same end.
We must mark the end to which we are predestinate,1 & to which we say, that one day we shall be brought: for there is a double end of our election: the one concerneth the elect themselves, namely their glorification, or their eternal life and glory in heaven. Of which is spoken Rom. 8. The other concerneth God himself, which chooseth, namely, the glory of God: that is, that the glory of his grace may be known and eternally made manifest, of which, is ⟨p. 58⟩mention made. Ephes. 1. Both of them are so coupled together, that whosoever are preelected to the first, are also predestinate to the latter, and the latter followeth of the former. For the more we shall be made partakers of the grace of God, & the heavenly glory: so much also more and more shall the glory of God be made manifest in us. But because the end, which concerneth God, is almost all one in the reprobation of the wicked, and in the predestination of the Saints: namely, that as by the salvation of these, which proceedeth of his mere goodness, the glory of his grace is made manifest: so also by the just damnation of the other, the glory of his divine justice may be made known to all: Nevertheless, considering that the end, to which the elect shall attain, is far divers from that (for it is eternal life) unto which the reprobates are appointed (for that is eternal death:) therefore the end, of which we treat in this assertion, is our eternal glorification, and everlasting life in Heaven.