¶ A BRIEFE Treatice of Election and Reprobation, with certen Ansvvers to the Obiections of the Aduersaries of thys doctrine: Written by Anthonie Gylbie.

Rom. 9.

I vvill shevve mercy vpon vvhom I vvill shevv mercy, and I vvill haue compassion vpon vvhom I vvill haue compassion. (∵)

¶ A briefe Treatise, with certayne Ansvvers to the Obiections of the Aduersaries of this doctrine, vvritten by Anthonie Gylbie.

VVHereas three yeeres ago, dearely beloued, I did write of this matter of Election & Reprobation, which is called Predestination, in a certayn Commentarie vpon the Prophet Malachie, by the occasion of this texte:

I haue loued Iacob, and I haue hated Esau.

The which Treatise by the rage of persecution, partly perished, and parte dyd come of late to my hands: accompting this doctrine so necessarie, that vpon all occasions it ought with reuerence to be vttred to the glory of God, which so wonderfully appeareth in this his riche mercie towards vs, whom he chooseth from the filthe of sinne, to serue him in righteousnesse, and to the beating down of our corrupt nature, which without this, eyther moūteth by pride, vnto presumptiō, or falleth by infidelitie to desperation. Bicause that without some taste of this diuine prouidence in Predestination, there can be no fayth, but eyther a doubtfull wauering, leading to dispayre, which we haue felte in the Papistrie, whyles we looked to our owne weaknesse and infirmitie, not able to endure one houre in the way of righteousnesse: or else a vayne presumption of fayned holynesse, whyles we beholde our owne beléefe and good works, or the perfection that we doo imagine in our owne selues, as doo the Anabaptistes. Therefore I thought it good according to my simple Talent, to testifie this truthe agayne vnto the worlde, at the Printing of this worthy Table of the great lerned man, Master Beza, which is set foorth in French, Latin, and Italian, and now into Englishe, translated by our brother VV. VVhittingham: wherein is most euidētly set foorth before our eyes the chiefe ground of this doctrine, and the principall poyntes thereof are so déepely opened, that there séemed to wante nothing that was possible in so few lines to be vttered, yet for the shortnesse therein all things can not be conteyned, but that some brief lessons for the vnlearned (who hath not their sences fully exercised with suche déepe sentences) may well be adioyned, as euery man hereafter shall héerevnto be moued by the spirit of God working in their hearts (that many bearing witnesse to the truthe of this most profitable doctrine nowe reuealed) the mercies of God in choosing his chyldren may more and more, day by day be disclosed: and by the witnesse of diuers consenting togither in one, God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ may be glorified. For héerein chiefly standeth his prayse, honor, and glory, that these his wonderfull mercies towarde his Electe may be praysed. Nowe there is no meane more apte, nor doctrine more conuenient to establish ...