To the Right Worshipful Sir Peter Buck, Knight
To the Right Worshipful Sir Peter Buck, Knight To the Right Worshipful Sir Peter Buck, Knight; and to the virtuous lady his wife, Grace and peace from God our Father and from our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Right Worshipful, among the manifold points of Christian religion, the truth of the doctrine concerning predestination is worthy serious and sober study for the sound understanding thereof. For first, it is something difficult and obscure. Secondly, because it is by some eagerly impugned as a frivolous and forged invention of man's brain.
Thirdly, divers opinions have passed from divers men diversely about this one point, whereas notwithstanding there is but one truth and one definite and constant sentence to be found in holy writ concerning it. Fourthly, this one doctrine does give very good evidence and an ample demonstration of God's infinite mercy and exact justice. Fifthly, it affords some taste of His profound and impenetrable counsel. Sixthly, it does notably manifest His admirable wisdom and policy and the incorruptible purity of His nature who wisely disposes all things and uses even evils without injustice and the least receipt of infusion of corruption—and all for the manifestation of the glory of His name and of the splendor of His renowned properties. Seventhly, it confounds the common cavil of many desperate and infatuated atheists who would make God's predestination the pillar of their sensual security and secure
sensuality. Lastly, it ministers exceeding comfort to those who renouncing the kingdom of sin do live like saints in the kingdom of grace. First, because it is not possible for any such to sin with full consent of heart. Secondly, because no personal merits are required of them. Thirdly, because the Spirit of God abides in them, who is busy within the hive of their hearts as a bee and works them like wax.
Fourthly, because God has eternally predestinated them to eternal joys, and those also incomprehensible and ineffable. Fifthly, because
God has in abundance vouchsafed that to them being but a handful, which He has denied to whole heaps besides. Sixthly, for that they being elected can in no wise perish, for the counsel of the Lord shall stand forever (Ps. 33:11). And He loves them with an everlasting love
(Jer. 3:4). Though a mother should forget her child, yet He will not forget them, for He has graven them upon the palm of His hand (Isa.
49:15–16) Therefore, He will confirm them to the end (1 Cor. 1:8) and by His power keep them to salvation (1 Peter 1:5). He will love them constantly, though He visit their transgressions with rods (Ps.
89:32–33). He will never turn away from them (Jer. 32:40), though He take them by the neck (as Job speaks, Job 16:12) and beat them, though He cut their reins and break them, and though He pours their gall upon the ground and runs upon them like a giant. Joseph did affect his brethren entirely, though he spake roughly to them. He may also sometimes let them fall as a loving nurse may her child, but He will lift them up again. Therefore, however they may fall, yet they shall not fall away. Indeed, they may leave their first love, as the church of Ephesus did (Rev. 2:4), but they shall never leave to love at all, if ever they loved truly. For (as Paul says) "love does never fall away" (1 Cor. 13:8). It may be lessened, but it cannot be lost. In like manner, their faith may be covered as the sun with a dusky cloud in a gloomy day, or as the trees are with snow sometimes in winter. But yet it continues firmly fixed (though now and then eclipsed) in the sphere of the heart and keeps sap in the root. For the righteous man