A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell Also a summarie of the…

Of the marvellous counsel of God which is declared in the fall and the restoring of man: and wherein it is different, or like to that which he hath declared in the fall of the evil Angels, and in the conservation of the good.

Of the maruellous counsel of God which is declared in the fall and the restoring of man: and wherin it is different, or like to that which he hath declared in the fall of the euill Angels, and in the conseruation of the good.

1. 11. Peter. 2. Mat. 26. Rom. 5. 2. cor. 15.

Also his justice, his grace and his mercy had not been so well declared. For it was requisite that the Angels which did offend, should carry upon them a perpetual ⟨p. 499⟩testimony, of their transgression and rebellion, and that they should know how good a thing it was to dwell united with God, and how evil to be separated from him. Afterward man may judge what force and power he may have of himself to raise up himself, and to save himself, considering what the burden of the wrath of God is, that the Devils bear. For if these creatures which were created so excellent, cannot bear such a burden, nor of themselves discharge them of it, but that they must be swallowed up even into hell, how shall man then bear it that is but a worm of the earth,¹ and how shall he deliver himself? Further if that God have not spared that Angelical nature, and those heavenly creatures, how doth he think to escape his judgement, if it be not only through his grace and mercy? On the contrary, if he had as well suffered the one sort as the other to fall, and had left them all in like damnation, his grace, his power, and his mercy should not have bin so known as it is, and if he should have restored the one sort and ⟨p. 500⟩left the other, it mought have seemed that he had wanted power to conserve his creatures in that estate wherein he had created them: or else that he had not had so great a care for them, that he would so do, if he should have done the like in man: it should have seemed on the other side, that it had not bin in his power, or else that he had not had the care and the will to repair the creature that should have offended, but only to have conserved and maintained him in his first estate so long as he should persevere in the same. But he hath declared by the mean that he hath observed, all these things together. The first, that there is no creature whatsoever he be that can of himself be maintained, how excellent so ever he be. Further, that he hath alway power to preserve them all in their estate, if it please him, and to restore them although they had offended and transgressed, the which can be done by none other mean, but by his only power and grace.

Also his iustice, his grace and his mercy had not bene so wel declared. For it was requisite that the Angels which dyd offend, should carry vpon them a perpetual

Then, even as man may be recovered and restored to his first estate, through his grace and mercy, even so on ⟨p. 501⟩the contrary, abiding still in his nature, such as it is at this present, he may by mean of his wicked will do nothing else but evil without any constraint, other than of his own malice.

Then, euen as mā may be recouered and restored to his firste estate, through his grace and mercie, euen so on ⟨p. 501⟩the contrary, abiding still in his nature, suche as it is at this presente, he may by meane of his wicked will do nothing else but euill withoute any constrainte, other than of his owne malice.

How that all that which hath bin don as well in the fall and conservation of the Angels, as in the fall and restoring of man, tendeth to the glory of God, and how that same only reason ought to content us in the doctrine of predestination.

Hovv that al that vvhich hath bin don as vvell in the fall and conseruation of the Angells, as in the fall and restoring of man, tendeth to the glory of God, and hovv that same only reason ought to content vs in the doctrine of predestination.

T. BY that which I may understand, all that which was done in all these things, tendeth still to the glory of God, to the which we must refer all the ordinances of his providence, as to the principal end, whereunto he hath chief regard above all, in all his works, & whereunto it behoveth to frame all other purposes.

T. BY that whiche I may vnderstande, all that which was done in all these thinges, tendeth still to the glory of God, to the whiche we must referre all the ordinaunces of his prouidence, as to ye principal end, whervnto he hath chiefe regard aboue al, in all his works, & wherevnto it behoueth to frame all other purposes.

D. Thou hast well understood it & well concluded. Therefore it is written, that the Lord hath made all thing for himself, yea the wicked for the evil day: & S. Paul speaking of the eternal election of God, saith,¹ who hath before ordained us for to be adopted unto ⟨p. 502⟩himself through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Seeing it is so, what just occasion may men have of offence in the doctrine of predestination, for ought not the glory of God to be preferred to all creatures? And if that all the creatures should perish, wherefore should we think it strange, if god were glorified in their perdition, and that it did so please him?

D. Thou hast wel vnderstood it & wel cōcluded. Therfore it is writē, yt the Lord hath made all thing for himselfe, yea ye wicked for the euil day: & S. Paule speaking of ye eternall election of God, saith,¹ who hathe before ordeyned vs for to be adopted vnto ⟨p. 502⟩himselfe through Iesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to ye praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made vs accepted in the beloued. Seing it is so, what iust occasion maye men haue of offence in the doctrine of predestination, for ought not the glory of God to be preferred to all creatures? And if that al the creatures should perish, wherefore should we thinke it straunge, if god were glorified in their perdition, and that it did so please him?

1. 1Prove. 16 Ephe. 1.Proue. 16 Ephe. 1.

T. No man ought to find that strange, except he do more esteem the creature than the Creator.

T. No man ought to finde that straunge, excepte he do more estéeme the creature than the Creator.

D. Therefore it is plain that this offence which many give unto themselves in the matter of reprobation of the reprobates, proceedeth not but from a marvellous great pride and arrogance of the flesh, which esteemeth itself more than it ought to do, for if it had so small an estimation of it self as the worthiness thereof requireth, and did esteem God & his glory so much as it ought to do, he should not only not find it strange to know that god hath ordained to be glorified in the damnation ⟨p. 503⟩of some: no, although it should be done with his own person, he should glorify God in his just judgement, he would not murmur against him to wage the law with him, and to play the lawyer, and to plead against him, to maintain the cause of the reprobates, accusing him as though he should do them wrong: but rather, he would desire himself to be damned, as Saint Paul desired for his brethren the Israelites, if it were possible,¹ that it mought be done, and that God mought be the more magnified and glorified therein. From whence then come these contrary thoughts, but only of the horrible pride that is in our corrupted nature? for what are we? from whence came we? what wrong may God do unto us? wherein are we able to accuse him, or attribute unto him the fault of our offences, and of our damnation, and to set him in the place of the Devil author of sin, considering that what determination so ever he have made of us, we cannot complain that we have any other force, violence, & constraint to do evil, but only of our ⟨p. 504⟩own wicked concupiscence, unless that happily we would complain in that that he hath not made us such as could not sin, or else having sinned, that he doth not bestow upon all like grace, and that he doth not save all, forasmuch as he mought if that he would, otherwise he should not be God, nor almighty: but it hath pleased him, & that not without good and just cause, the which is continually such, albeit that we cannot understand it. Therefore we must continually say with the Prophet, that our damnation is of our selves,² and our salvation of God only, and say with S. Paul. But o thou man what art thou that pleadest against god, shall the thing that is fashioned say unto him that fashioned it, why hast thou shaped and made me thus?

The potter hath he not power of the clay to make of one very lump, one vessel to honour, and an other to dishonour? And what if God would to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffer with great patience the vessels of wrath prepared to perdition? and to show the riches of his glory ⟨p. 505⟩upon the vessels of his mercy,¹ which he hath prepared to glory? and again. O the deepness of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God: his judgements are not to be searched out, and his ways are impossible to be found.² For who is he that hath known the Lords intent? or who hath bin his counsellor? or who is he that gave to him first, and he shall be recompensed.

The potter hathe he not power of the clay to make of one very lumpe, one vessel to honoure, and an other to dishonor? And what if God wold to shewe his wrath, and to make his power knowne, suffer with great pacience the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition? and to shewe the riches of his glory ⟨p. 505⟩vppon the vessells of his mercie,¹ which he hath prepared to glorye? and agayne. O ye déepenesse of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God: his iudgementes are not to be searched out, and his wayes are impossible to be found.² For who is he that hath knowne the Lordes intente? or who hath bin his counsellor? or who is he that gaue to him firste, and he shalbe recompenced.

1. 1Rom. •1.
2. 2Isaiah. 40.Esay. 40

Howe that the vvill of man cannot by any means be constrained, no, not by the devil himself, but only of his own wickedness.

Hovve that the vvill of man cannot by any meanes be constrayned, no, not by the deuill himselfe, but only of his ovvne vvickednes.

T. For my part I grant to all that which thou hast said, but yet canst thou not deny, but that man is yet oftentimes constrained to sin by mean of the temptation and soliciting of the devil.

T. FOr my parte I graunte to all that which thou hast sayde, but yet canst thou not denye, but that mā is yet oftentimes constrained to sinne by meane of ye temptacion and soliciting of the deuill.

D. This constraint whereof thou speakest, is constraint without constraint, for it is not in the power of all the devils nor of all the creatures that are, to constrain the will of one man. Wherefore, what temptation or solicitation so ever happen unto him, if he did ⟨p. 506⟩not willingly consent thereunto, he could not be induced to do any kind of thing against his will. But it fareth with him as it doth with a harlot: for if she be solicited by bawds and whoremasters, she will give over her self unto them, which thing an honest woman will not do, but will resist all such temptations and procurements, & will overcome them. Therefore albeit that the harlot may impute some part of the cause of the offence that she hath committed, to those that did entice her and procure her thereunto, yet notwithstanding she may not say that she hath bin constrained so to do, nor may by that mean excuse her self, for if she had not agreed thereunto of her own will, she had not at all plaid the harlot, but because that she was already naturally thereunto inclined, these procurements did serve her as it were matches, oil & wood thrown into the fire, which would kindle nor flame never the sooner nor the more, if it were not naturally inclined and prompt thereunto. In like sort is man brought to evil thorough his own concupiscence, ⟨p. 507⟩the which being wakened and stirred up by the devil,¹ doth the more declare it self, and showeth more plainly what his nature is: wherefore thou seest here how that man doth continually sin of his own will, and if he will say that he hath bin constrained to do any kind of work the which he knoweth manifestly to be against the will of God, it must be considered wherein he hath bin enforced and constrained, if he have in any wise bin enforced by the force of others, so that he could not be in any wise master of his members, although he did resist it by all the means that he could, and did declare by his words and acts that his heart and will did in no wise consent thereunto, he may be excused as an honest woman may that hath bin taken of force, the which notwithstanding hath cried and resisted by all means possible against the whoremaster, and hath bin as willing to lose her life as her chastity:

D. This constraint wherof thou speakest, is cōstraint without cōstraint, for it is not in the power of al the deuils nor of al ye creatures that are, to constraine the will of one mā. Wherfore, what temptatiō or solicitatiō so euer happē vnto him, if he did

but if thou doest an evil work, either to please men, or else for fear that thou shouldest fall into their displeasure or indignation, and receive ⟨p. 508⟩any dishonour or worldly hindrance, thou mayest in such a case allege none other constraint but only that of thy wicked will: no more than Pilate might when he condemned Jesus Christ,¹ enforced by the constraint of the Jews. For if thou didst love God with all thy heart, and better than thy self, and didst more esteem his glory than thine own, and thy soul, than thy body, and the heaven more than thou doest the earth, thou moughtest be free from losing, that which thou fearest to lose,² and shouldest not lose it at all, but shouldest gain it double. For as Jesus Christ saith, he that shall loose his life for my sake, the same shall find it, and he that feareth to loose it, the same shall loose it, and therefore thou wouldest not leave God for any creature, nor wouldest change the inheritance which is prepared for thee in heaven, for no earthly inheritance, nor the blessing of God thy father, for a mess of pottage,³ as did Esau, but wouldest rather loose thy life which ought not to be so dear unto thee as the honour of God, and the salvation of thy soul.

but if thou doest an euill worke, either to please men, or else for feare that thou shouldest fall into their displeasure or indignation, and receyue ⟨p. 508⟩any dishonor or wordly hindrance, thou maist in suche a case alledge none other constrainte but only that of thy wicked wil: no more than Pilate might whē he condemned Iesus Christe,¹ enforced by the constrainte of the Iewes. For if thou didst loue God with al thy harte, and better than thy selfe, and didst more estéeme his glory than thine owne, and thy soule, than thy body, and the heauen more than thou doest the earth, thou moughtest be frée from losing, that whiche thou fearest to lose,