A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Touching the persons. Whereas she deceived not all men, but the servants of God (for here is a plain distinction of men) this increaseth her fault, because they belonged unto God. But here two questions may be moved: First, why some men are the servants of God, and some are not. Secondly, whether the servants of God may be seduced by false teachers. To the first some answer, that God would have all men […] be his servants, and for his part doth all things needful unto all men, to make them his servants; redeeming them, and giving them sufficient grace hereunto: yet some are not his servants, because they themselves will not, but wilfully reject his grace that is offered unto them. But this doctrine is against common reason, and doth much derogate from the glory of God: for hereby they make every man an emperor, and God an underling, subject unto man; they make Gods good pleasure to depend upon mans pleasure, and the accepting of his grace to depend upon mans will. But God is the first cause of all things, his will overruleth mans will: and therefore it is absurd to say, some men are not Gods servants, because they themselves will not. The true cause hereof is Gods good pleasure, electing some, and they alone become his servants because he hath chosen them. But God did never choose all men first to grace, & then to glory: and therefore as Luke saith, ^(a)so many as were ordained to everlasting life, believed. So we may say: so many as are elected of God to grace and salvation, they become his servants.

Touching the persons. Whereas shee deceiued not all men, but the seruants of God (for here is a plaine distinction of men) this encreaseth her fault, because they belonged vnto God. But here two questions may bee mooued: First, why some men are the seruants of God, and some are not. Secondly, whether the seruants of God may bee seduced by false teachers. To the first some answere, that God would haue all men 〈…〉 bee his seruants, and for his part doth all things needfull vnto all men, to make them his seruants; redeeming them, and giuing them sufficient grace hereunto: yet some are not his seruants, because they themselues will not, but wilfully reiect his grace that is offered vnto them. But this doctrine is against common reason, and doth much derogate from the glorie of God: for hereby they make euery man an emperour, and God an vnderling, subiect vnto man; they make Gods good pleasure to depend vpon mans pleasure, and the accepting of his grace to depend vpon mans will. But God is the first cause of all things, his will ouerruleth mans will: and therefore it is absurd to say, some men are not Gods seruants, because they themselues will not. The true cause hereof is Gods good pleasure, electing some, and they alone become his seruants because hee hath chosen them. But God did neuer chuse all men first to grace, & then to glorie: and therfore as Luke saith,