17 2. The obie&iionvrgedottt ofEcclef.9.1. anfwered. thenifelues into all finneand wickedneffe, are not to doubt but that they areworthie ofGods anger andheauiedifplea- fure ; why thereforeon the otherfide may not thofe whoare trulie conuertedvnto God, and indued with a h uch e faith which worketh by loue,be alluredofGods loue andfauour, feeing hee hathaffured themhereofin his word ? Nay in the famechapter verf.7.their corrupt expofition is ouerthrowne; for there hebiddethvs to eate our breedwith ioy,and to drinks our winewith a cheerefullhart,far Godno*accepter') our works. Now, though God did indeede accept our works, yetwee couldnot be moued to ioyand cheerefulneffeofheart here- by, vnleffe alto wemight be alluredofhisacceptation. Theexpofition But let vsexamine thefe words and thew the true fenfe of ofEcclef.9.I. them.Thereare twoexpofitions giuen,whichmay (landwith the analogie offaith and the circumflances ofthe text. For fome vnderfland thefe words not of Gods loue or hatred, but ofmans loue towards thofe things he delires, and ofhis hatred towards thofethings hee flieth ; and then this is the fenfe oftheplace ; Aman knoweth not whether thofe things whichhe loueth, as pleafures, honours and riches, or thofe things which hee hateth,namelie,croffes and afflictions (hall happen vnto him,becaufe theyare not difpofedbyhis owne power,but by the prouidenceofGodwho giueth thefe out- ward things indifferently to all both iufl andvniufl.So that if the words are thus to be vnderflood, there is no thew ofrea- fon in thePapifls expofition. Secondlie,let it beegranted that it is to be vnderflood of Gods loue towardsvs,yet it will makenothing for theirpurer pole : for then this is theplaine fenfe ofthe words; Noman can know whetherhee bee loued or hated ofGodby thefe common outward things whichhappen alike to al,and in re- fpe&whereof there is the famecondition to the iva and the wicked,and to the pure andpolluted, to thofe that worfhip God and thofe that wor(hip him not : there is no iudge- ment that canbee giuen, either ofour felues or others in re- fpect ofour outward (late, for fometime the it'll are poorc, thevniull rich, the wicked aduanced to honor, and thegod- lie a:Pii ed add perfecuted. For example, Efatienjoyed his delights 4
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