An evident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianism Wherein is mightily cleared the…An euident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianisme Wherein is mightelie cleared the…

Neither doth it prejudice us, that Paul alleging the words of Malachi, I have hated Esau, seemeth to take hatred for the eternal decree of rejecting. For I say, this word (I have hated) in that place declareth nothing, but, I have decreed to hate: seeing Paul in that place disputeth of the decree of God, and not of the execution of the said decree. Neither doth there want sufficient testimony of Scripture to approve this exposition by. God hath chosen us, saith Paul, Ephesi. 1. a. 3. before the foundations of the world were laid: that is, he determined to Elect. For in deed thou must needs confess, that GOD in time doth execute those ⟨p. 18⟩things which before all times he ordained, So. 2. Timoth. 1. c. 9. there is given (saith he) unto us the grace of God in Christ Jesus, before all time: that is, God decreed to give us his grace in Christ Jesus before all time, which albeit in very deed he doth not give us, before that effectually he call us to him self. So he is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world. Apocalypse. 13. b. 8. that is to say, for as much as he was preordained before the world was made, which was performed in the last times, as Peter him self expoundeth. 1. Peter. 1. d. 20. But why doth the Scripture speak so? Truly that whatsoever the Lord hath decreed shall be, we may understand to be so sure, as we are sure that that is done which we see done. But yet that it is so as we say, that is, that Gods decree proceedeth in the order of causes both love and hatred, it evidently appeareth in this, that otherwise thou art constrained to appoint the causes of the divine decree in men them selves: Whereon it will follow, that either God hath not determined what he would do to men before he made them, and carelessly beheld them perishing: or if he had determined, yet afterwards the nature of man being changed, he also would change his purpose. Both the one and the other how far it is from the wisest workmaster, and endued (that I may so say) with the surest and most constant nature, there is none but may see.

Neyther dothe it preiudice vs, that Paule alleaging the wordes of Malachie, I haue hated Esau, séemeth to take hatred for the eternall decrée of reiecting. For I say, this worde (I haue hated) in that place declareth nothing, but, I haue decréeed to hate: séeing Paule in that place disputeth of the decrée of God, and not of the execution of the sayde decrée. Neyther doth there want sufficient testimonie of Scripture to approue this exposition by. God hath chosen vs, sayth Paule, Ephesi. 1. a. 3. before the foundations of the worlde were layde: that is, he determined to Electe. For in déede thou muste néedes confesse, that GOD in tyme doth execute those