Of predestination & election made by Iohn Lamberd minister of the church of Elham. Anno M.D.L. ✚ Non mortui laudabunt te domine. Sed nos qui vivimus benedicimus domino. I write unto you babes, how that your sins are forgiven you for Christ's sake. And now babes abide in him that when he shall appear we may be bold, & not be made ashamed of him at his coming. To the reader. O Most dear reader mine intent is not to judge any man, but that, when he hath red this little treatise, he may consult or counsel with his own conscience and so examine the same, whether he do live like a reprobate or one that is elect of God to salvation, for the deeds of a reprobate are manifest. Also likewise the deeds of the elect are not hid. Therefore my council is that no man dispute with God why he hath ordained the vessels of wrath to damnation, if he do S. Paul doth make him an answer. (Because saith he that he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had prepared unto glory) for the reprobates are ministers unto the salvation of the elect, which are God's workmanship created in Christ jesus unto good works, unto the which saith saint Paul, God ordained us before that we should walk in them: He saith more over, by grace ye are made save thorough faith that worketh by love the which faith is the gift of God, and as many as have the same gift of God have cause to praise the father and the son & the holy ghost to whom be all honour and glory. Amen. Of predestination GOd hath no beginning nor never shall have ending, Gene. 7. he may do what he will and none but he. The brightest angel that ever was, was ever in God's sight before he was: The foulest devil that ever was, was ever in God's sight before he was. To conclude all things good and bad were ever presently in the sight of God or ever they were: For God did see th'end or he did begin any thing. Also he did know by his prescience who should go the broad way that leadeth to perdition. And who should go the straight way that leadeth to eternal life. Math. 7. The Blessed and elect people of God, Ephe. 1. be and ever were in the sight of God, before the world was laid and predestinate thorough jesus Christ to be heirs unto himself. Also the reprobates such as should be despisers of gods lively word, were in his sight or ever they were borne, and or ever the world was laid, which are called the vessels of wrath ordained to damnation. Roma. 9 The elect doth humble himself like unto the puplicane referring all things to the mercy of God. saying these words. I poor sinner do believe justly that Christ died for me and for as many as with alively faith do confess him to be the son of God, and none that believe in him perish but have eternal life. Is it possible that the reprobate may have this lively faith? No, but only ashew thereof as Esau flattered with jacob to his face, but seeking means to destroy him in his heart. Gene. 27. Likewise judas kissed Christ with his mouth, Abdy. 1. yet he bore him a false heart. For such is the manner of traitors and reprobates. The pharisees in like manner asked Christ if they were blind, speaking to him yroniusly mockyngly. But Christ said unto them if ye were blind ye should have no sin. That is ye see the works of God wrought by me, yet ye believe me not and will not see, the cause is why, Ihon. 1●… ye do not believe, you be none of my sheep. So the reprobates may see carnally, and not lively, because they be the children of perdition and destitute of God's grace, 2. Cor. 2. for God's word hindereth and hurteth them for it is unto them an odour of death. But the elect are sure to have this lively faith, for they hope to be saved by the passion of Christ only and bringeth fourth the fruits of faith as they have bin taught by Christ and his word. For God's word unto them is a odour of life. 2. Cor. 2. For unto them was Christ sent in to the world to be their Saviour. For the passion of Christ can not save a reprobate, that is he that refusteth the truth and always doth strive against the holy Ghost, whose damnation is just & true. For such are damnable creatures known of God before the world was laid and are called the vessels of wrath to declare God's glory on the vessels of mercy. For these damnable creatures that do persever & continually do strive against the truth turn Goddest truth in to a lie which is blessed for ever. Amen. Roma. 1. Deus creavit Angelos quos sciebat ruituros. Augusti. Quare deus creavit illos quos sciebat esse dampnandos. Respondeo, bonaven quia si nullus creatus fuisset nisi saluandus, credidissent homines se salvari ex necessitate non ex divina gratia. Inquit, Aug. de civita. 22. melius iudicavit deus de malis ●i●ere bona quam mala non sinere. The elect also was predestinate of God to be saved, but yet was not Christ promised to be their saviour, unto such time as Adam and Eve had offended god by disobedience for after they had transgressed gods commandment god said to the Serpent. Gene. 3. Inimiticias ponam inter te et mulierem, et semen tuum et semen illius, ipsa conteret caput tuum, et tu insidiaberis caltaneo eius. That is, I will put enmytye between the and the womam, between thy seed & her seed the same shall break thy head and thou shalt tread on his heel. Here Christ was promised to break the Serpent's head for he was the very seed. Therefore if Adam and Eve had not teansgressed Christ should not have died, now seeing they did offend they and all their posterity were infected with that contagyouse poysin of sin. There was no remedy but Christ must needs die, or else we should have been dampened perpetually. Here may we se● that Adam's disobedience dampened us all, Roma. 5. yet we ourselves wrought evil. Therefore saying we were the causers of Christ's death god might have dampened us justly, although he elected us before the world was made. Gene. 2. But god will be found true and all men liars. For Christ's obedience saveth us all, Roma. 5. yet we ourselves work any good. Therefore now are we bound and double bound to give God all honour and praise and to love him above measure, because God first predestinate us & elected us in him before the world was made that we should be saints, Ephe. 1. for Christ was predestinate to be the Son of God. Peter. 1. And than being lost through sin, yet god knowing by his prescience such things would come to pass. Ephe. 1. saint Paul sayeth God ordained us before thorough jesus Christ to be heirs unto himself according to the pleasure of his will. Here God hath given us Christ to redeem us by whom we have redemption thorough his blood even the forgiveness of sins. He hath quickened us also that were dead in trespass and sin. Ephe. 2. Now shall you see that it is necessary the elect such as believe in Christ with alively faith should not blame God because he hath predestinate some to be the children of perdition, unless they would be sorry for their own salvation, he ordained some to be punished according to their deeds. The elect are punished many times with the fire of adversity to try them & to purge them, that they may bring fourth much fruit although they fall be frailty, john. 15. as none can live without sin, psal. 107. yet are they punished with mercy, john. 1. but the reprobate that doth evil of purpose and will show no mercy therefore he shall have justice without mercy. Sala. 12. james. 2. Who should have been ministers unto death of such a kings son as he was but such as were castaways ordained of God to be the children of perdition and meet for nothing else. john. 16. What should a carpenter make of rotten wood, or the potter with brutle clay that will serve for no other thing but be cast away or to be put to some other vile purpose? Who can let the carpenter or the potter to use such things as them list. notwithstanding such as we named reprobates before were ministers unto our salvation, that then were, is now, or shall believe in Christ with alively faith. Likewise Pharaoh's heart was hardened to show the glory of God and his mighty power to all the world, that were scythes that time, Exo. 9 and is to come, for in every age god hath showed his wonders because he would be knowene that there is none like unto him. Now if they had not put Christ unto death we had not been redeemed. But how may we know the reprobate now from the elect. These things do I speak unto those that profess God's truth, which are forbidden to company with fornicators, and specially from such a brother that is a fornicator an extortioner, or covetous, a reiler, or a drounkarde (saint Paul sayeth) with him that is such see that ye eat not. In this place. 1 Cor. 5. S. Paul doth separate the one fro the other, to th'intent we should put away from us all evil, for them that are without God shall judge. So I in like case here, have set up a glass to th'intent if any look thereon espy difformity upon himself it may give him an occasion to wash him self with the water of life, that is to examen his conscience with Gods lively word whether he live according to his profession or like a reprobate. The reprobate hath a sl●●●…●●●…nge spirit, and is full, o●●●●●…tye exceeding envious, 〈…〉 ●●●…e, never confirmable to honesty, Gene. 4. without repentance, ●ohn. 10. presuming to much on god's mercy, always inconstant, ●ob. 15. repungnante against the truth, Mat. 26. full of blasphemy a favorat of mammon as one that is never satisfied but always poor & needy in his heart & so dieth with nothing. All these things happen to them that God giveth up to do their own wills; for with this plague innumerable have been cast awaye. These are the very tokens of a reprobate, & with such we should not company nor eat, so long as they persever in that wicked estate. Likewise the elect are known by their fruits, for they are Gods workemanshy●…●●●●…ted in Christ jesus to good 〈…〉 unto the which God ordained them before, that they should walk in them. Therefore it is impossible that the elect should be dampened, now seeing that God will not forsake his elect such as have a lively faith in Christ his dear son, and a sure hope to receive his promises, bringing forth the fruits of faith that worketh by love: That is we labour not for reward to the intent he might make us his heirs for that is ours all ready if we believe his promises, but we must be servants to all men that be our brothers in Christ, and minister unto them the fruits of faith in all their need. Like as Christ God and man ministered unto us when we had most need, & look what tribulations or miseries they suffer, whether it be hunger, cold, poverty, or any other adversity, let us think it to be ours, and so to bear the cross of Christ patiently to gathers. Now let every man consult or counsel with his own conscience, and examine himself whether he have this lively faith or not, if he have that gift of God, it is a very sure token that he is the very elect of God. Therefore never climb any higher or search any further, why God hath predestinate some, to be the children of perdition, whereby they might put any blame in God, & think that he lacketh charity, whose justice and judgement can never be done but with love, john. 4. for he is very love itself. But rather let us praise his holy name because he hath called us to so blessed an estate, and moreover because he is Just and holy, and knoweth best what is to be done for us. Also let us give hearty thanks to Christ for our redemption: And let us sing joyfully to the holy ghost that he may give his clear light to such as be desirous to know the truth of God's lively word, to whom be all honour and glory Amen. give praise to God that worketh all, in all. The Author. I Have declared my judgement which is but small, concerning predestination and the foreknoweledge of God. Therefore gentle reader accept my good will, and where as you see a fault in my building that frames not to your mind, accept my meaning I pray you, and cavil not, for I am not obstinate, but willing to know the truth: And as nigh as I can God's lively word shall be the foundation whereon I intend to build at any time. Every good gift, and every perfit gift, is from above, and cometh down from the father of light. Therefore let us always think that the goodness that we have or shall have cometh of God and not of ourselves to whom be all honour, and glory. AMEN give the praise to God. Domine saluum fac regem. Non mortui laudabunt te domine: neque omnes qui descendunt in infernum. Sed nos qui vivimus benedicimus domino: ex hoc nunc et usque in seculum. printed at Canterbury in saint Paul's parish by I. Mychell. ✚