._..: 3 50 An Expofition upon Chip. q, Doîf. Reafon. ly,fuch as fail in defe& andwant of re- verence, receiving Gods Word as the word of a man, profanely denying au- thority and obedience to them. Third - ly?, it warns us in the hearing of the word,to remember that we have to doe with God, whofoever be the inffru- ments to deliver thisunto us,All.I0.33 T a M. What other doeirine will arife from this Preface? S 1 L. That the do&rine of reproba- tion,ought by the Minifters of God to be taught unto the Church, but warily and with circumfpe&ion,as the mindes of the people be not eftranged from God by the rafh handling of it. For the do&rine of reprobation is a part of the holy Scriptnre,and is revealed therein: therefore it belongeth to us, to take knowledge ofit,Deut.29.29. Alfo this do&rin is profitable and neceffary to be known:for it ferveth well to commend Gods mercy toward the ele &, and to increafe their thankfulneffe, fince they know that he freely ele &ed them to life when they were no lefs corrupt and miferable then thofe whom he refufed. Alfo it teacheth all men to judge and fpeak aright of God,to wit,that he bath abfolute power over men to appoint them to what ends it pleafeth him,with- out any unrighteoutneffe at all. T I M. Is there any other things to be col- !Oa! out of this Preface ? S 1 L. Yea,two things:Firft that not onely the whole Bible, but every parti- cular fentence therein,is to be account- ed the Word ofGod. Laftly,it confutes fuch Papifts as fay, that the Scriptures be mute and dumbe : for God fpeaketh in them, it is a fpeaking Judge. Let Chrift judge ( faith Auguftine) and the Apoftles with him, for in them Chrift (peaks. T 1 M. What are we to learn out of the teflimory being the fecond part of the Text i' S t L. Three things:Firft, that God is the Author ofreprobation. Secondly, by what degrees and means that coun- fell is fulfilled.Thirdly,the utmoft end of this decree ofGod. T z M. How is the firft gathered from this Text? S 1 L. Becaufe it is faid il] that is, I God have lirred thee up; allo that God hated Efau,verf. s 3. and that God pre - pareth veffels to wrath, verf. 22. Adde hereunto. 1 Thef 5.10. T z M. What profit of this ? S I L. Firft, it confutes fuch as will not have reprobation depend upon the will ofGod,but upon the workes and will ofinen. Secondly, Erich asaf6rrne that there is no decree of reprobation at all. T I M. But if God for his will fake re- probate men,is he not herein unjuft ? S i L. No, becaufe between his de- cree of his reprobation,and the executi- on of it,there always goes the fin of the party,as the meritorious cau fe of their deftru &ion.Alfo God refufeth or ma holy ends:and laftly his will is the rule of righteoufneffe. T z M. What is meant by the ffurringup of Pharaoh? S z L. Itcontaines thofe degrces and means by the which Gods Counfell was performed upon Pharaoh. The de- grees be thefe : Firft,that he was created of God jnft in Adam, but in him fuffered to fall.Secondly, that God had advanced him to the Kingdome. Third - ly,that amidft the great plagues of Æ- gypt,he preferved him alive when others were deftroyed, Exod.9. 15. Fourthly, that God withdrew grace from him that he could not profit by thofe won - derfull plagues. Fiftly, that by a fecret but juft judgment, he inclined his will to rebel' againft his juftice, yet without infufing or putting into himany mo- don-of fin, for God tempts no man to e- vill,Jamer t; Sixtly, that for his former wickedneffe and malice, he was deliver- ed up to Satan, and his own lulls, to be more obduratel; which-God did as a molt jnft Judge, executingwrath for former fins. T 1 M. What Both all this concern the eounfell of reprobation? S z L. 'Very much : becaufe all thefe are fo many confequents which follow upon the decree of reprobation, and therefore ftrongly prove it. For if God had chofen him, he could not have, conti-
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