to perdition which ende was appointed vnto them not against gods will but by his will â—mmutable in his eternall counsell For no lesse will he that the seueritie of his iudgementes be sene in the vessels of wrath theÌ„ that the riches of his grace be praised in the vessels of mercie Storme and rage spew furth your venom and blaspheme till ye prouoke gods vengeance at once to be powred forth vpon your owne heades this sentence will he neuer retracte He will haue mercie vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he maketh hard hearted That God in him selfe hath but one will which is holy iust and permanent that in him there is no contraritie that he is faithfull and doth perfourme what soeuer he doth promise What we vnderstand by gods secrete will and how he tempteh no man I haue before sufficiently declared And therefore I will not truble the reader with the repetitioÌ„ of the same Now let vs heare what is your iudgement of vs and how ye extolle your selues THE ADVERSARIE As these goddes be of contrarie nature so do they begette children of a contrarie nature the fals God begetteh vnmercifull proud ambicrouse and enuifull children bloody persecutors of others for their conscience saik euill speakers â—mpacient contenciouse and seditious children And they be like vnto their father in that they speake one thing with their mouth and think an other with their heart They can neuer be without filthy thâ—ghtes wicked 〈◊〉 for such poyson do they receaue of their father The trew God begetteth mercifull humble lowlye and louing children abhorring from blood persecuting no man good speakers patient detesting all 〈◊〉 chiding and brawling and they be like vnto their father in that what soeuer they speak with their mâ—uth they think with their heart they be alwaies moued with good thoghtes and gâ—dly reuelations for such grace receaue they 〈…〉 of their father ANSWER It may seme by the description of these your two goddes for nether of both as ye describe them is the true liuing eternall God that ye studie to renew the daÌ„nable error of the Manichies who imagined two beginners the one of all goodnes and of all good creatures the other of all iniquitie and of wicked creatures affirming further that the good and the mercifull God was ouercome for a time by him that was wicked and euill And because that the plaine scriptures did confute these blasphemâ—es therefor did they denie the authoritie of Moises and the certentie of all other scriptures that made any thing against their error If manifestly ye did take vpon you the defense of those your fathers as that ye do of Pellagius of Donatus and of the Papistes for of all these adulterous fathers ye be adulterous children then wolde I from Augustine whom God stirred vp no doubte in the daies of darckenes most learnedly and most plainely by infallible scriptures to cofute those heresies from him I say I might take artilerie all ready prepared able inough to ouerthrow your buildinges and munitions appere they neuer so strong But because as before I haue said my purpose is not to burden you further then you do confesse I onely admonish the reader to be ware of such pestilences as beginne to call the trueth of God reueled in his holy word in doubt and do persuade men to credite dreames and reuelations how soeuer they appere to repugne to that which is reueled in the word Of such men I say â–ª oght Christes flock to take hede as also of those who make of eguall authoritie such bookes as yet the holy Gost hath neuer coÌ„mended to the Church of Christe with these that are written by Moises the Prophetes the Euangelistes and Apostles and that by inspiration of the holy Gost. That some of you be infected with this most pestilent poison I am able to proue by mo argumentes then one Being at London the the winter before the death of king Edward one â–ª of your faction required secrete communication of me in which after that earnestly he had required of me closenes and fidelitie because that the maters that he had to communicate with me were so weightie and of such importance as sythence the daies of the Apostles the like was neuer opened vnto man In the ende after many wordes which I nether gladly heard nether yet will now write he gaue me a boke written as he said by God euen as well as was any of the EuaÌ„gelistes This his booke he adiured me as it were to reade and required to haue my iudgement of it My answer was that at his request I wold reade it so that he wold be coÌ„tent to reason with me of the chiefe pointes in the same conteined but to pronounce sentence or iudgement that could I not vsurpe being but one man farre inferior to many of my brethern y e preachers of gods word in that realme Alwaies he vrged me to reade his booke And I woÌ„dering what mysteries it should coÌ„teine called to me a faithfull brother who then as pleased God was present with me named HeÌ„ry Farrour marchaÌ„t to whom I opened the mater by whose counsell and in whose presence I beganne to reade his boke The first proposition wherof was God made not the world nether yet the wicked creatures in the same conteined but they had their beginning from a nother that is from the deuill who is called the Prince of the world which proposition plainly repugning to gods word I did impugne and begaÌ„ne to declare vnto him for what cause Sathan had that title to be called the Prince of y e world But he vtterly denying ether to reasoÌ„ and dispute ether yet to be reformed in any point that there was written commaÌ„nded me to reade forward to beleue howbeit I did not vnderstand To whom when I had gentilly said Can any reasonable man will me to beleue thinges directly fighting against gods veritie and plaine word reueled Tusch said he for your written word we haue as good and as sure a word and veritie that teacheth vs this doctrine as ye haue for you and your opinioÌ„ And theÌ„ I did more sharpely answere saing ye deserue the death as a blasphemous person and denier of God if ye preferre any word to that which the holy Gost hath vttered in his plaine scriptures At which wordes he toke pepper in nose and snatching his boke furth of my hand departed after he had thus spoken I will goo to the ende of the world but I will haue my boke confirmed and subscribed with better learned men then you be In me I coÌ„fesse there was greate negligeÌ„ce that nether did reteine his boke nether yet did present him to the Magistrate But yet this argument I haue that your faction is not altogether cleane from the heresie of the Manichies I could name and point forth others who labour in the same disease but so long as their venom doth remaine secrete within them selues I am
them which he had chosen to be captaines he promised much more largely that they should be lordes and gouernours ouer many things naming the Towres and land that he wold giue to eche of them Also he said that only the Lantgraue should be pardoned because he hoped that he wold take his part We spake before of the Conuention appointed at Confluence of the noble men in the prouince of the Rhine in the moneth of DeceÌ„ber Vnto which companie of his owne good will the Duke of Saxon Elector Iohn Frederick ioyned him selfe In this Session it was concluded that for the present ayding of the Bishop there should be appointed furth 300. horsemen and 3000. foote men for sixe monethes The CouÌ„tie of ObersteÌ„ named Vlrik was made general captaine ouer this armye â–ª and of the whole warres It was also there ordeined that the whole estates of the Empire should be desired to ayde in this mater â–ª and because the Emperour was in Spaine that FerdinaÌ„dus the king should be desired for this mater to appoint a coÌ„uention in y e moneth of Aprile And also they sent leters vnto the Citie besieged willing them to giue oner their entreprise being so vnhonest and wicked as nothing could be more which thing if they wold not nether submit them selues againe vnder their lawfull magistrates they should be sure that the Bishoppe which now kept the siege should haue the whole helpe of the Empire against them This was about the end of December They gaue answere the 13. of Ianuarie in the yere of our Lord 1535. with manie wordes but nothing to the purpose yet so that they praysed and defended their entreprise and as touching that which was laid to cheir charge for their creating of a king they made no answere at all but in priuate leters written to the Lantgraue they laboured to excuse them selues speaking many wordes of the slawghter and destruction of the wicked and of the deliuerance and reigne of the godly in this life with these letters they sent also vnto him the boke wherof we spake before called the restitution and aduertised him to repent and not to make warre as did the other wicked Princes against them which were innocent men and the people of God The Lantgraue when he had red their leters their boke he noted those pointes that were not alowable in the same and gaue charge to certen of his learned men that they should answere them And because they in feaw wordes and verie darkely affirmed their king to be more chosen of God then by them he asked them why they shewed not y e places of scripture w c made theÌ„ think it lawfully done why they coÌ„firmed it not before by some miracles signes aboue nature For said he God shewed by all the prophetes long before of the comming of Christe so that it was not onely euideÌ„t of what house and linage he should come but also in what time and where he should be borne They did also desire that their cause might come in question Vnto y e which the Lantgraue answered that it was to late seing y t they had taken the power of the sworde into their handes and had bene the authors of so great calamitie For said he all men may plainly see what is their meaning to wit the ruine of all lawes and common wealthes and as their beginning is wicked cursed so also is the desiring of their mater to come in question nothing but feined and dissembled also that he had sent vnto them faithful Ministres by whome they were wel and godly instructed but seing they had refused their doctrine giuing ouer obedience to Magistrates possessing other mens goods hauing manie wiues chosing vnto them a new king denying Christe to haue taken the nature of man of the virgin Marie affirming man to haue fre wil forcing men to put their goods in common denying pardon to those hat sinne all these opinioÌ„s to be vtterly repugnant both to the law of God and of maÌ„ After they had receiued this answere they answered againe in writing withall they sent a boke set forthe in the dutch toÌ„gue of the mysteries of the scripture In their Epistle they published their cause againe anew and defended their doctrine to be good in their forsaid hoke They deuided the whole course and ages of the world into 3. partes and the first age as from Adam vntill Noach to haue perished with the flood the seconde in which now we be to perish with fyre the third they saye shal be new in the which righteousnes shal reigne But before that the last age shal be reueled this that now is must be purged with fire But that say they shal not come to passe before Antichrist be disclosed and his power be vtterly put downe Then shal the ruined seate of Dauid be erecâ—ed againe and Christe shall reigne vpon the earth and all the writings of the Prophetes shal be fulfilled And as touching this present age it is like to the time of the which Isai speaketh For iustice is put to silence in it and the godly are afflicted But now the time of libertie and deliuerance from so many and great calamities is come as it came vnto the Israelites being in the captiuitie of Babylon and the wicked shal receaue the full reward of their wickednes as it is prophecied in the Apocalypse but this restitution to go be fore the world to come to the end that all the wicked being oppressed the seat of iustice might be prepared When the Lantgraue had redde ouer their boke hegaue charge to certen Ministers of his Church to answere vnto it In Februarie the famine was so great in y e Citie that diuers perished with hunger One of the kinges wiues being striken with pitie towardes the people spake by chance vnto the other womeÌ„ and said that she thoght it was not the wil of God that the people should so dye for lacke of sustenance The king which had good prouision in the house not onely to serue his necessitie but also to waste superfluously knowing of this he broght her into the market place with all the residue of his wiues and there commanded her to knele downe vpon her knees and then he cutt of her head from her shoulders and yet not so content after her death he defamed her with whoredome This being done his other wiues beganne to sing and to giue praises to the heauenly father Then dansed they and the king led the dance he exhorted the people also which had no other victualles left saue onely bread and salt that they should dance and be of good chere Now when the day of Ester was come and that there appered no signe of deliuerance the king which had made them so many goodly and large promises that he might finde some meanes to excuse him selfe with all he feined him selfe to be sicke sixe daies togethers â–ª which dayes being ended he came furth vnto the market
was necessarie y e Citie being now takē for the auoiding of tumultes and other dangers to build two Castles in the Citie with strong holdes ▪ al which thinges he desired to be considered To these thīgs answer was made y t y e Bishoppe had taken the greater parte of the spoile with all the ordinance and goods of the citizens which wholie apparteined to the commō welthe of the Empire therefore that it was reason the value should be counted and communicated with the charges what other things were necessarie besides should also be considered After it was determined that the Bishoprike of Monstere should be vnder the Empire after the ancient custome and that al the nobilitie should be restored and the citizens also which had departed to other places so they were not Anabaptistes that the Bishoppe should set forthe the religion according to the decre of the Empire that in the beginning of the next spring the embassadours of the Princes should go to Monstere to know the state of the citizens and to kepe them in sauegard to pull doune all the forteresses which the Anabaptistes had erected and that the Bishop also should pul doune the Castles which he had builded in the citie that he should without delay put to death the king with knipperdoling Crechting y e prisoners without reteining them any lōger As for that which we said was determined of religion the duke of Saxone the Lātegraue Wirtemberg and Anhold testified openly that they wold not cōsent to it the citezins also professed the same nether wold they haue the old forteresses of the towne distroied but they consented to the pulling downe of the new The king and his two felow captiues were caried hither thither to the Princes to be gased and laughed at by which occasiō the preachers of the Lantgraue talked and disputed with the king chiefly of these pointes of the the kingdome of Christe of Magistrates of iustificatiō of Baptisme of y e supper of the Lord of the incarnation of Christe of Mariage and they preuailed so muche by the testimonie of the Scriptures that althogh they did not altogither conuert him yet they so bowed and confounded him notwithstanding his repugnance and defending his opiniōs that at the last he granted to the most part of al which neuertheles is thoght that he did but to saue his life for when they came to him the seconde tyme he promised so he might be pardoned to bring to passe that all the Anabaptistes which were in great nombre through all Holand Braband England and Friseland should kepe silence and in all thinges obey the Magistrates Those same men also disputed w t the kinges felowes bothe by communication and writing of mortificatiō of the Baptisme of infantes of the communion of their goods and of the kingdome of Christe When they were come to Telgate the Bishoppe asked the king by what auctoritie he arrogated to him self such libertie ouer his Citie people who asked him againe who gaue hī auctoritie power in y t Citie and whē the Bishopp answered that he obteined that iurisdiction by the consent of the congregation and people euen so saith he was I called thereunto of God Thē were they caried backe againe to Monstere the twentie of Ianuary where eche of them were put in a seuerall prison The same day came the Bishop thither with the archbishop of Collē and the embassadours of the Duke of Cleaue with him two daies after they were exhorted by godlie admonitions to conuert from their errors And in dede the king aknowledged his sinne and made his recourse to Christe by praier the other two wold not confesse that they had offended at all but obstinatly defended their fals opiniōs the next day after the king was brought forth into an high place and bound to a poste where were present two executioners with fyrie tongues to torment them with all the king at the thre first pyntches of the tongues held his peace afterward crying to God incessantly for mercie When he had bene torne on this maner for the space of an houre and more he was thrust through the breast with a sharp sword and died The same punishment also had his felowes which being all dead they were eche of them bound in yron cofers and hōg vp in the toppe of the towre of the Citie the king in the middest higher then his fellowe◠by the stature of a man This fearefull tragedie in which gods most iust iudgemētes are declared doth teach vnto vs two things The former what may the innocēt and the godlie looke for if ye may bring your enterprises to passe and secondarely what doeth the worlde the rulers now in earth for the most part deserue As touching you how so euer for a time ye cloke your crueltie what simplicitie so euer ye declare in your externall gesture what so euer ye speake of charitie and loue and how so euer ye seme to be zealous ouer the trueth yet shall you in the end produce no other frute then these yours fathers haue done before you If y t I liste to note particular exāples I might shew in your sect and amongest you to haue bene so horrible enormities as more horrible were neuer from the beginning but lest I might seme to take any pleasure in accusing particular persōs I wil not at this presēt write al that I know Onely I say that the Church of God may looke for no other thing at your hand but for confusion of all gods ordinances and for more cruel persecution then euer yet it did susteine since the daies of the Apostles for what your fathers began in Monster in their purpose you do performe and finish and to that end do you write your bookes some calling all the Scriptures of God in doubt some affirming that there is a more perfect knowledge then that which is cōteined or expressed in the worde some plainely denying the God heade of Christ Iesus and of the holy Gost some claiming liberbertie that no man should be troubled for his conscience cloking vnder that title all blasphemie and diabolicall doctrine And you now last in accusing vs of these most odious crimes whereof we be most innocent ye and your brethern I say in teaching this your pestilent doctrine and accusing vs who gainstand your deuilish errors do plainely declare what ye haue already intended if God by his great power bridle not your furie And assuredly the world and the Rulers of the earth for the most part most iustly deserue so to be entreated As for y e Church of God it must be subiect to the crosse euen vntill the comming of the Lord Iesus from the heauens But the world I say and the Princes of the earth which is the◠seconde point which we haue to marke in this former historie most iustly deserue to be punished with suche confusion as ye intend For the one and the other I meane the
be thy cogitations of the eternall God head when thou saiest God must loue his birthes becaus he hath giuen a naturall inclination to all beastes to loue their birthes If thy reason be good then must God forget some of his birthes in their youth and reiecte all care of theÌ„ For that same nature giueth God to som fowles as y e book of Iob doth witnes in these wordes speaking of the Estrich which leaueth his egges in the earth and maketh them hote in the dust aÌ„d forgetteth that the foote might scatter them or that the wilde beast might breake them He sheweth him self cruell vnto his young ones as they were not his and is withoute feare as if he traualed in vain For God hath depriued him of wisdome and hath geuen him no parte of vnderstanding If thy reason I say be good God must loue his birth because he causeth all other beastes loue their birthes Then I say it must also folow God shall forgett and hardly intreat som for such nature and inclination hath he giuen to som of his creatures as is plainely proued I do mean thow wilt say of loue onely but the scripture which either ignorantly orels maliciously thow corruptest declareth the contrarie for thow wilt make God to beare because he causeth others to beare That scripture I say thow doest peruerte as thow doest all the rest For what the Prophete of God applieth to the miraculous restauration of the church whiche then was most afflicted that thow doest alledge to make God haue like asrections with brute beastes And that neither thou nor any other shall haue occasion to reporte that I accuse the wrongfully I will recite the hole wordes of the Prophete who thus speaketh Before she hath traueled of child birth she hath borne and before that doloure come she broght furth a man who hath heard the like or who hath sene the like vnto this was y e earth builded he meaneth set in order in one day was there euer a nation borne at once and yet Zion hath traualed of child birth and at once hath she broght furth hir children he addeth the cause of this supernaturall multiplication and felicitie Saying shall I bring to a strait and shall I not cause to bear saveth the eternall shall I cause to beare aÌ„d shall make restraiÌ„te saith thy God They are more then blynd which do not se that God in these wordes hath neither respect to the naturall inclination of beastes neither yet to any common loue that he beareth to his creatures But to that incomprehensible and vnchangeable loue which he beareth to his churche the multiplication the ioy and felicitie whereof he will at once bring furth in such sort that his elect shall neuer remember to their grief that they susteined any passion or paine Let the indifferent reader compare this interpretation with the plane wordes of the Prophete and so let thy self iudge how irreuerently thow doest abuse the moste confortable wordes of the holie Gost to establish thy error But let it be that thow didst mean of loue and of no affection els Art thow becume so bolde and impudent that thow darrest subiect God to the law lymites and boundes of nature To speake the mater more planely I ask of the first if thow wilt denie the loue of God to be perfecte except that he do for all maner of men that whiche beastes naturally do for their birthes Secondarely if thow filthie earth darest burden God in his presence with crueltie as now thow doest in thy blind raige if he hath not created and made all men of equall estate condition and dignitie Thirdly if thow shalt stand in iudgement and lay iniustice to his charge if he shew mercie to whoÌ„ he will and also indurate aÌ„d make hard who he will For all these thre will I planely proue that God doeth first y t he doth not for his dearest children to our iudgement that which beastes naturally do for their birthes I trust thy self will easely confes For the Tygar the bear the Lyon and others do so tender their whelpes that euen against the strength of man were he neuer so valiant will they fight for defence of their young ones but we do se that God comonly doth so permit his dearest children to the cruel appetites of the most wicked men that for a season he appereth to haue forgotten them and to haue turned his face and countenance frome them And shall we therefor think that gods loue is not perfect or that his power is diminished or his good will towardes his childreÌ„ chaÌ„ged God forbid But this say you doth not offend vs but that God should reprobat any man whom he created to his own image and similitude that we caÌ„ not beare for it repugneth to his loue and iustice Well of your first reason which you drawe frome nature I suppose we haue obteined that God is not bound in all things to folow the natural loue of his creatures For he doeth often suffer and I trust ye will not say that he is enforced so to do his dearest children most cruelly to be handled which no beast willingly will do Now let vs wey your seconde reason man sayeth your book is the birthe and child of God created to his own image and similitud as the Prophet saieth wherefor God loueth his own birth that is maÌ„ Then did he not reprobate and cast away man afore he was for that were a proof that he hated and abhorred Omitting your ignorance by the whiche ye applie generally to all men those promesses which the Prophete Malachie spake to the people of God Let it be granted vnto you that as all men were created in Adam so God som maner of way is their father what will or can ye thereof conclude That God loueth all say you If you vnderstand and affirme that equally God loueth all because all were created by him the common experience aÌ„d the diuersitie of gods giftes shall reproue your vanitiâ—for vnto one man we see greater giftes giuen then vnto other som we se verteouse and others giuen to nothing but to iniquitie If you say he loueth them in that he offereth vnto theÌ„ his grace which when they refuse then beginneth he to hate them you haue proued nothing of your intent and further the plain scripture confuteth this your error and first I say that before ye can proue your conclusion to be good ye must proue that all men stode do stand and be born in the same perfection that Adame was created in For it doth not folow that God still loueth all men because he loued Adam created to his own image and similitude The reason is Adam did fall from that image became rebellious inobedieÌ„t and slaue to the deuill And in the same damnation wrapped all his posteritie So that now from Adam we can clame nothing but sinne wrath death and hatred as the apostle affirmeth
that deny that to be any parte of his mynd but say he reproueth mannes malicious blasphemy and manifest impietie The argument which ye gather of the nynthe chapter of the same book and wold seme to confirm by the wordes of Christe spoken in the seuenth of Mathew hath no greater force then the former for the writer defineth not what God had determined in his secrete and eternall counsell but what he hath expressedly coÌ„mitted to mannes charge by his law and by his holie Spirit speaking in his Prophetes and that him self doeth plainly witnesse For after that he hath asked wisdom righteously to iudge the people committed to his charge he thus speaketh what man is he that knoweth the counsell of God or that can comprehend in his mynd what God wold The cogitations of mortall men are fearefull and our opinions deceauable c. scarsly by coÌ„iecture can we attein to the thiÌ„gs that be in earth and w t trauale fynd we those things w t be amoÌ„gest our haÌ„des But who shal searche oute those thiÌ„gs y t be in the heaueÌ„s and who knoweth they couÌ„sell except that thow shall giue wisdom and from the hiest places shall send thy holie Spirit for so the wayes of those that dwell vpon earth haue bene directed and they haue learned those things that haue pleased the. Cry now as pleaseth you that because man was made lord ouer creatures in earth for that is the veritie of the text to reule the world in holynes That therefor there was no man reprobated and he writer will answer for him self and will affirme that he searcheth not what God hath determined in his eternall counsell and what shall become of euerie man for that confesseth he to be incomprehensible but he declareth what God commandeth in his law and what he hath expressed by his holie Prophetes To the which if man be found inobedient resteth no excusation seing that gods will is manifestly declared as Moises saieth in these wordes The secretes appertein to the Eternall our God but those things that be reueled appertein to vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the wordes of this law Your argumentes which ye think most strong gathered of these wordes in the 7. aÌ„d 12. of Mathew are most weak and vaine For as we do not denie that man was created iust so do we coÌ„stantly affirme that in iustice he stood not but became altogether vniust and therefor God did not condemne man before he was giltie as you falsly gather of our doctrine Wonder it is that ye se not degrees and iust causes which com betwext the purpose of reprobation and the iust condemnation of man This is your argument God purposed to reiect man before he was created Ergò he did damne him before he was criminall or glitie Your consequent is fals far no part of gods iudgements was put in execution before man did sinne for grace was offered to AdaÌ„ after his fall Cayn was admonished aÌ„d rebuked of his crueltie his posterities aÌ„d sede had raged in their furie and finally all flesh had corrupted their waies befor that gods vengeance and most iust iudgement were poured furth and put in execution against the rebellious and vnthankfull world If you be able to proue that the sentence of death was executed vpon Adam before he offended or that Cayn was accursed by gods mouth before he had murthered then hath your argumeÌ„t som apperance but if the iust causes of condemnation be found in man and so founde in man that God in vowies can thereof be accused then oght you to be ashamed to burden vs with that which ye your selues most folishly collecte And further ye shall vnderstand that as the Apostle putteth certen degrees and causes which are sensible vnto vs betwext the eternall election of gods childreÌ„ aÌ„d their glorification euen so put we the contrarie degrees and causes betwext the reprobation and the iust condemnation of the wicked for as those whom God hath chosen before all tymes in time he calleth aÌ„d that of purpose to Christe Iesus his soÌ„ne aÌ„d whoÌ„ thus he calleth he iustifieth and that more and more vntill that flesh and the corrupt affectioÌ„s thereof being mortified they attein to their glorie So by the contrarie be the reprobate either left all together in blindnes neuer called to the light and knowledge of gods fre mercie or if they be called they either do condeÌ„ne it orels sodanly fall from the same and so abiding in their corruption do still heap sinne vpon sinne till at the last their measure being full God executeth this most iust iudgements against their continuall rebellion Inferre now as many absurdities as please you vpon our doctrine you procede THE ADVERSARIE You say that God reprobated and ordeined man to damnation the most parte of the world afore the foundatioÌ„s of the world were laid and yet in the creation God made all meÌ„ after his own image good and righteous as the scripture witnesseth for as we were all created in one man that is Adam So were we all created in one estate that is after the image of God to lief then if your opinion be true the ordinaÌ„ce of God in his election afore the world is not coÌ„forme to his ordinance in the creation And the hâ—lie Gost saieth If I buyld vp agane that which I haue cast doune before I declare my self to be a transgressor if God created man to his own image vnto lief whom before the creatioÌ„ he had reprobat aÌ„d cast away declareth he not thereby him self to be inconstant and a traÌ„sgressour Ye can not escaip here with your bare solutioÌ„ where ye say afore the world God hath not ordeined all but som vnto damnation for in our creation all were ordeined vnto lief for so much as we were all created after the image of God of the ordinance of God in our electioÌ„ afore the world The Apostle writeth thus we be blessed saieth he with al maner of spirituall blessinges in heauenlie thinges by Christe according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that we should walk in theÌ„ Here do we learn that gods ordinance in his electioÌ„ afore the world and also his ordinance in the creation is alwaies one For as we are chosen in Christe Iesu so we are created in Christe Iesu and as we are chosen to be holie and without blame so are we created vnto good workes Wherefor gods ordinaÌ„ce in his holie electioÌ„ and his mightie creatioÌ„ is one aÌ„d of like streÌ„gth and surenes further seing we be as the Apostle saieth bothe elect and created in Christe Iesu. and forasmuche as there is no damnation to them that are in Christe Iesu then is there no damnation either in the election or creation ANSWERE Because that aswell your forged lies as the vanitie of your reasons haue ben declared I will not trooble the reader with repetition of the
could in no wies beleue that Christe was risen and had obteined victorie yet they which at the voice of their capteyn ryse vp and turne againe and fight laufully euen vnto the end they are chiefly aboue all others called elect and chosen because they continuing vnto the end obtein that whereuÌ„to they are chosen and they folow the lambe whether so euer he goeth it is a hard thing that any such be deceaued and fall away forasmuch as they first are illuminated from abâ—ue and haue forsaken all yea them selues and haue altogither submitted them selues to the gouâ—rnance of their Lord and capiteÌ„ Christe They daily obtein such victorie of their ennemies that their warfare is now becom easie And in hope they haue to subdue by the aid and counsell of their Lord all their ennemies their ioy and comfort is so great that they esteme all earthlie pleasure which should draw them back but vane foolishe displeasante and beastâ—lyke happie is he which vnderstandeth this to be true not onely by spâ—culation but also by experience These thre kindes of election are plainelie set surth in the historie of Gedeon which being wâ—ll and duely vnderstanded confyr to the world ANSWER Before ye enter to confute our argumentes as ye boldly promes ye affirme that electioÌ„ is takeÌ„ in the scriptures thre maner of waies That is as you say Generally specially and most especially of all which diuision with the probation of the same is so foolishe so fals aÌ„d so far from the purpose that onles ye should haue occasion to caluÌ„niat that so much of your book I passed ouer with out answer I wold not spend the moment of an hour in answering the same For how litle do the wordes of Paule serue for your generall election in the confirmation of your eight reason â–ª and after also I haue declared And I leaue to be proued of your parte by the euident testimonie of any scripture that God so oft electeth to lief euerlastiÌ„g as he commandeth man to refuse him self orels as he giueth his further grace to such as he hath called to the knowledge of him self and of his onely beloued Sonne Christ Iesus That there is a generall vocatioÌ„ by the which the world by som maner of meanes is called to the knowledge of God and a vocation of purpose which apperteâ—neth to gods children onely I fynd in scriptures But that there is any election to lief euerlasting except that which is and was in Christ Iesus in the eternall counsell of God before the foundation of the world I am assured that neither scripture affirmeth neither iustly can it be gathered vpon any sentence of the same That the true light which is Christ Iesus illuminated all men commyng in to this world we confes but what will ye thereof conclude Ergò say ye all are elected in him to lief euerlasting I deny your consequence And say that albeit man be indewed w t the light of reason and vnderstaÌ„ding which no doubt procedeth from Christe and is not of nature onely yet doeth it not therefore consequently folow that euerie man that hath reason is elected in Christ to the lief euerlasting if ye ask for what purpose then doeth their lightning and illumination serue theÌ„ the Apostle doeth answer you that they may be inexcusable w c reason if it satisfie not your curiositie quarell with the holie Gost. If you be able to proue that all that be called do earnestly repent and that all be thirstie to whom the waters of lief are offered ye haue said somewhat to proue a generall election But and if it be euident that a great nombre do rather repyne against the trueth nor repent their iniquitie which it reproueth and that mo do either seme to haue no thirst to righteousnes orels do drink of the stinking pudles of mannes doctryne then that they will receaue those holsome waters of lief w c Christe Iesus giueth to his Churche then haue you proued no part of your purpose And woÌ„der it is y t in y e wordes of y e Prophet aÌ„d in y e wordes of our master Christ Iesus also ye se not a plaine differeÌ„ce made for y e Prophete calleth not al indifferently to drink of these waters but such as do thirst And Christ restreineth his generalitie to such as did trauale and were burdened w t sinne such I say he confesseth him self to call to repentance But to such as were iust and hole he affirmeth that he was not sent And so yet once agane I affirme that the scriptures of God make but mention of one Election to lief euerlasting I am not ignorant that Saule was elected to be king ouer Israel and Iudas also to the office of an Apostle but whether thereof you be able to conuince that they were both elected to the lief euerlasting in Christe Iesus before that they did offeÌ„d for so you affirme I remitt you to your proofe I feare not to proue that by the veritie him self Iudas is called the deuill long before that the holie Gost maketh any meÌ„tion that it entred in to his heart to betray his master It may appere to some that in heaping of your exemples and histories which ye adduce for your especiall election as ye terme it ye rather delyte to renew your memoire then substancially to proue your purpose For if a maÌ„ should thus reason against you The shepe of Christe which by the eternall purpose of God be especially elected to lief heare his voice and with reuerence do know and obey the same But these whom ye rehearse did heare the voice as ye alledge but neither did they know nor obey it Ergo they were not the shepe elected and especially chosen if thus I say any man should reason prepare for your answer And farther how ye be able to proue that Sardanapalus Croesus and Tarquinius the proude can be placed in this rank of your especially elected I can se no good reason for except that calamitie and gods iust vengeance did folow their insolencie filthie lief and pryde I fynd in histories no speciall message sent vnto them from God But this ye may vnderstand by som secrete reuelation which ye haue receaued of late in your perfection That ye place vs with the hole band of the Stoikes who with their destinie play fast or loose and that of necessitie which as you say passeth the conning of all iuglers Althogh we do not greatlie feare the force of your sentence yet must we appeale to a more righteous and indifferente iudge that is to the Lord Iesus to whom all iudgemeÌ„t is giueÌ„ aÌ„d in y e meaÌ„ tyme we further must require such as be indifferent in this mater to iudge betwext you aÌ„d vs whether y t we or ye be those y t play fast or loose in that which ye skoffingly call destinie and stoicall necessitie and we call gods eternall election and purpose immutable We
should innocently suffer the death of the crosse But how litle doeth this releue the wilfull sinne of Pilate shall after be declared EueÌ„ such libertie and power as ye had to write these former and subsequeÌ„t blasphemies had Ananias of his land and money receiued for the same For as you being infected with heresie malice and enuie did willingly write and vtter your veÌ„nom so he being auaricious and a dissembling hypocrite did of a fre consenting heart reserue a portion to him self offering a parte to the Churche of God with protestatioÌ„ that it was the hole some thinking therebie to haue obteined the commendation and praise which hypocrites deserue not But what was gods purpose counsell and will in that behalf is euident to witt that we shall abhorre and auoid hypocrisie that we shall not abuse the simplicitie of our brethren neither yet make protestation of that thing before men affirming that to be trew which our own conscience knoweth to be fals But now to the rest THE ADVERSARIE Here I think it is good to answere to their obiectioÌ„s which they collect of Peters denying of his master If these thinges which God foreseeth to com to passe say they may be left vndone then notwithstanding that Christ did foresee that Peter should denie him Peter might yet haue not denied him I answer that notwithstanding Christ did foresee that Peter should denie him yet was not Peter compelled thereto but might haue not denied Christ well say they then should Christ haue ben a lier for he said that Peter should denie him I answer that notwithstanding that Christ so said â–ª yet might Peter haue not denied himâ— aÌ„d Christ notwithstanding should haue ben no lier the like example haue we in the first book of Samuel Dauid asked counsel at the Lord if Saul wold come to Keyla and the Lord said he will com downe then said Dauid will the men of keyla delyuer me and the men that are with me into the hands of Saul And the Lord said they will betray you Then Dauid with his men departed from key la which when Saul heard he left of from his interprise and com not to Keyla Here we se that neither gods foreknowledge which is also conforme to his saing neither yet his prophecyeing did take libertie frome Saul from the men of keyla neither from Dauid and his mâ— nother did Saul come to keyla neither the men of keyla betraied Dauid as the Lord had spoken And Dauid had libertie with his men to auoid the danger notwithstanding God had spoken it should come to passe so all they had libertie yea euen after God had pronounced what shoulde be done In so much that their doings were plaine contrarie to the prophecie of God And yet was God true for he did foresee that if Dauid did not departe frome keyla vsing such libertie as God had giuen him he with his men should be betrayed into the hands of Saule and I pray you might not Peter like wise vsing his libertie auoyd the bushopps howse and so neuer bene tempted to denie Christe Yes I am sure as well as Dauid auoided Keyla ANSWER If you be able to proue that Dauid stoode in also hote a contention against God as Peter did against his master Christ Iesus that Dauid affirmed the expressed contrarie to that which God had pronounced and that God had appointed the certen time aswell when Saule should come as when the men of keyla should betrey him then might ye haue had som coulor to haue compared and matched the deniall of Peter with the flieÌ„g of Dauid But if Peters deniall was with a dooble affirmation pronounced by the mowth of Christe Iesus and if the sentence of God bothe touching the comming of Saule and touching the vnthankfulnes of the men of keyla was conditionall ye be more theâ— bold that take vpoâ— you to ioyn togither things so diuerse Christes wordes to Peter were neither spoken nor ment vnder any condition but were pronounced as foloweth Verelie verelie I say vnto the that the cock shal not crowe till thow shall denie me thrise Which wordes leaue neither libertie fredome nor power to Peter to prouide for him self that this senteÌ„ce should not be true but the wordes and answers spoken to Dauid were according to his questions which were first if that brute of Saules coÌ„ming was true aÌ„d if the men of keyla to whom he had shewen such thankfulnes of late before should becom so ingrate that they should betrey him into the haÌ„des of Sauleâ— And God did answere that Saule should come downe and that the citezens of keyla should betray him But I trust ye will not be so impudent as to denie but that both these affirmations were spoken conditionally to assure Dauid of his doubâ—es and to giue him aduertisment that neither he shoulde abyde the hasard of Saules comming neither yet coâ—mit him self and his meÌ„ of warre to the fidelitie of those that were in keyla Be iudges now your selues how far different be the wordes spokeÌ„ to Peter and the wordes spoken to Dauid Ye procede THE ADVERSARIE But now to returne to our purpose if I shall grante that all thinges of mere necessitie must come to passe according to the prescience and fore knowledge of God then had Adam afore the traâ—sgâ—â—ssion no fre will but of mere necessitie did he offend forasmuch as God did foresee his fall Then had Christ no fre will for God did foresee all that Christ was to do then is God bound him self aÌ„d hath no libertie to do nor leaue vndone that which he doeth forasmuch as he foreseeth all his own workes This belike you will make a goodlie wise God God saue vs frome such dangerous aÌ„d horrible errors and giue vs stedfast and perfect faith to beleue not onely that he is but also that he is an omnipotent God Which frely after his own good pleasure doeth and may do or leaue vndone what so euer pleaseth him ANSWER Before I answer to the absurdities which of our doctrine ye collect I must in few wordes put you in minde that verie foolishely ye ioyn the fre will of Adame with the free will of Christe Iesus and with the libertie of God for Adams will was neuer so free but that it might as that it did coÌ„ to thraldom which weaknes you be neuer able to proue at any tyme to haue bene in Christes will further the will of Adam was alwaies vnder the impire and threatning of a law to which subiectioÌ„ I thiâ—k ye wil not bring God But now to your absurdities If say you I shall grante that all thinges of mere necessitie must com to passe according to the prescience and foreknowledge of God then had Adam afore his transgression no fre will your illation or consequence is fals for the fore knowledge and prescience of God did neither take away fre will from Adam neither yet did
no difference betwext those two dictions or wordes The Lord of his mercie preserue his Churche frō so bolde so deceatfull teachers If altogither thou haddest bene ignorant with sorow of heart I could haue lamēted thy foolishenes but pererauing y e of set purpose and malice willingly to corrupt gods plaine scriptures that thow may blynd the more easely the eies of the simple with grief ād dolor I say that better it had bene for the neuer to haue bene born thē thus obstinatly to fight agaīst gods plaine trueth And that in such furie that where from the scriptures thou canst haue none assurance for thy error yet so thow darest wrest them y t they may seme to serue thy purpose Where so euer thou cāst wrest any place that it may be translated by this englishe To there thow ashamest not to affirm y t it is the self same phrase with this of S. Paule vesselles of wrathe prepared or ordeined to destruction This is sufficient to shew to the learned yea euen to such as do but vnderstand the firstprinciples of their grammer thy infidelitie ād craftie deceat in this mater But because such as vnderstand nothing in the latin tongue can not hastely espie thy craft I will trauale to make it so sensible as I can If I should say I am appointed to death to fele the punyshement of sinne and so to make sinne to cease will thow therefor say that this particle To in the former place where I say I am appointed to death and in the second place where I say to sele the punishement of sinne and to make sinne to cease are all one phrase and oght a like to be resolued I suppose thow wilt not for in the first place it cā be none other wies resolued but thus I am appointed to death that is I must nedes die but in the secōd place two causes of death be assigned for where I say to fele the punishemen◠of sinne I vnderstand that one cause of death is that I and all mē may fele how horrible is sinne before God and in this last I vnderstād that death so putteth an ēd to sinne that after it may not trooble the elect of God The phrase of S. Paule is much more different from all that thow adducest then be these phrases before alledged one differen◠frome an other for where he saieth vesselles of wrath ordeined to destruction he signifieth the final end of the vessels of wrath to be ordeined and before determined in gods eternall counsell And in all these places to prouoke the Lord to anger to defyle my Sanctuarie to kyndle gods wrath against Israel to make Israel sinne and such like are their actions signified to be the causes of gods anger gods wrath and why he reputed his Sanctuarie polluted Thus thy frowardnes causeth me to trooble the simple reader The place of leremie tho v maliciously doest peruerte for it cā be in nowies so trāslated But what tōgue so euer thow doest follow thow must say wo be to me O my mother that thus hast born me a man that am a brawler and a man of contention in the hole land The place of Paule 1. Cor. 11. serueth nothing for thy purpose for albeit there be a preposition ad which truely may be translated To yet that speach is far differente from the former speach of the Apostle for where he saieth Eat at home that ye come not togither to condemnation he doth admonish them of the danger which they know not w c was that such inordinat and riatouse banqueting ioyned with the cōtēpt of the poore without repentance must bring condemnation if thow list replie alledge that thow stickest not somuch to the termes as to the mater ▪ for in all these former speaches man pretēded one thing but an other thing ensued What cāst thow thereof conclude but that gods purpose sentence and mynd is not subiect to mannes purpose and intention True it is that nether Pharao did resist Moises of purpose to be plagued nether did Ieroboam erect the calues that Israel should be destroied but yet becaus God had so before pronounced ineuitably plagues and destruction did follow their inobedience If hereof ye will conclude as ye seme to do that those whose end is condemnatiō receaue not that by y e will of God because ye cōclude that which neither ye haue proued neither yet go about in this place to proue I will not trouble my self with answering for this present But whē ye shal go about to proue that God will all men to be saued as ye affirme I hope by gods grace to answer sufficiently For as we doubt not but gods iudgemētes are holie and most iust so we know that the conscience of the wicked shall fele in them selues and no where elles the causes of their condemnation Neither yet did any of vs euer hold beleue or affirme that any reprobate shall haue that libertie in the hell to quarell with God of the secrete causes of his condemnatiō for the bookes shall be opened and the secretes of all heartes shall be reueled To the suffering pacience and sorowing of God I haue before answered in the beginning of this your last confused gradation and so I will not trouble the reader with the repetition of the same The wordes of Ieremie which ye alledge can haue no such sentence as ye do gather for he doeth not speak of any passion that was in God as touching his eternall Godhead but onely doeth appeall to the conscience of the people how oft God had not onely rebuked but also from time to time corrected them euer calling them to repētance and suspēding their last punishment how beit that they continually from euil fell backward vnto worse And so at length was God werie oftener to repent that is to say at once he wold powre furth his iust vēgeāce which before so oft he had threatned Let the first chapter of Isaiah be commentarie to this place and I trust the sentence shall be plaine For there he affirmeth that in that people there was no hole part that is all order and policie was almost confounded Ierusalem was in a maner left desolate by the manifest plagues which had apprehended it but yet there was no trew conuersion vnto God And here he saieth thow hast left me saieth the Lord and I haue therefor lifted vp myn hād vpon the and haue scattered the. I am werie in repenting that is that I haue spared the so long I shall scatter them with the fan euen vnto the gates of the earth that is to the vttermost parte I haue made my people desolate and I haue destroyed them neuertheles they haue not turned frō their waies I trust y t euerie reasonable man will cōsider y t those wordes be rather spoken to admonish the people how God by all meanes had prouoked them to repentance then to declare vnto vs what nature or
from God and this thy open blasphemie spoken against his eternall trueth and against such as most constantly did suffer for testimonie of the same haue so broken and desolued all familiaritie which hathe bene betwext vs that althogh thou were my natural brother I durst not conceale thy iniquitie in this case But now to the mater I haue before proued you malicious and vennemous liers therefor vnworthie to bear testimonie against vs. Now resteth to be proued that ye are blasphemers of God and persones defamed â–ª Salomon affirmeth that he that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the innocent are alike abomible before God Which sentence is not to be vnderstaÌ„d of iudges onelie but is to be referred to euerie man for of euerie one doth God require that he hate and in his heart and mouth condemne that which God him self hath coÌ„demned and also that he allow and iustifie that which God pronouÌ„ceth iust lawfull and holie And if the contrarie be founde euen in a multitude God doth not onelie punishe the chief offenders but also vpon their fauorers mainteiners and iustifiers doth he comonly powre the same plagues and vengeance And hereof is that rare and fearefull punishment taken vpon Dathan and Abiram sufficient proofe for they ioyned with Corah were the authors of the conspiracie raised against Moises and Aaron But did they alone sustein the veÌ„geance No but their housholds children wyues tentes and substance in the same conteined did the earth in a moment deuore and swallow vp And why because they did iustifie the cause of those wicked and in so far in as in them lay did maintein the same No man I trust will deny but that he who killeth an innoceÌ„t maÌ„ is a murtherer althogh it be vnder the cloke of iustice But that he who hauing lawfull auctoritie to kill and yet suffereth the murtherer to liue is a murtherer in this perchance som men may doubt But if the law of God be diligently searched this doubt shall easely be resolued For it will witnes that no les oght the murtherer the blasphemer and such other to suffer the death then that the meke and the fearer of God should be defended And also that such as maintein and defend the one are no les criminal before God then those that oppresse the others One example I will adduce for all God gaue in to the handes of Achab Benhadad king of Syria who was great enemie to Israel whom he vpon certen coÌ„ditions of amitie sent home to his countrie But what sentence was prononunced aginst Achab Thus saieth y â— eternall becaus thow hast let go oute of thy handes a man whom I appointed to die thy soule that is thy lief shal be in the place of his life and thy people in y â— place of his people Now to you iustifiers of Seruetus Seruetus was an abominable blasphemer against God and you are iustifiers of Seruetus Therefor ye are blasphemers before God like abominable as he was The maior I intend shortly to proue so far as shal be sufficieÌ„t at this tyme. The minor ye do not denie for some by appologies som by bookes and all by your toÌ„gues do iustifie his cause and the conclusion is infallibly gathered of the former wordes of the holie Gost. Ye will not easely admitt that Seruetus be conuicted of blasphemie for if so be ye must be coÌ„pelled to confesse except that ye will refuse God that the sentence of death executed against him was not crueltie nether yet that the iudges who iustly pronounced that sentence were murtherers nor persecuters but that this death was thâ— execution of gods iudgement and they the true and faithfull seruantes of God who when no other remedie was fouÌ„de did take away iniquitie from amongest them That God hath appointed death by his law without mercie to be executed vpon the blasphemers is euident by that which is written Leuiticus 24. But what blasphemie is may some perchance dout If righteously we shal consider wey the scriptures we shal fynd y t to speak basphemie or to blaspheme God is not onely to denie that there is a God but that also it is lightly to esteme the power of the eternal God to haue or to sparse abrode of his maiestie such opinions as may make his God head to be douted of To depart froÌ„ y e true honoring religion of God to the imagination of mans inuentions Obstinatly to maintein and defend doctrine diabolicall opinions plainely repugning to Gods trueth To iudge those thinges which God iudgeth necessarie for our saluation not to be necessarie And finaly to persecute the trueth of God and the membres of Christes bodie Of the first and second sort both was Sennacherib and proud Rabsases who comparing God with the Idoles of the Gentiles did not onely lightly esteme his godly power but also so far as in theÌ„ was studied to take out of the heartes of the Israelites all right and perfect opinion of God At whom the Prophet in the person of God demandeth this questioÌ„ whom hast y u blasphemed Of the third sort were bothe Israél and Iuda declining to idolatrie against Gods expresse commandmeÌ„t whom the Prophetes so often do affirme to blaspheme the holy one of Israel Because saieth Isaiah they haue repudiated the Lawe of the Lord of hostes and the worde of the holie one of Israel contumeliously haue they blasphemed And Ezechiel after that he hath most sharply rebuked the Israelites for their idolatrie he addeth yet in this your fathers haue blasphemed me thogh they had before grieuously transgressed against me for when I had broght them into the land for the which â— lifted vp my haÌ„d to giue it theÌ„ they sawe euery hie hill and all the thicke trees and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented their offering c. Of the fourth sort were Hymeneus and Alexander whom Paul gaue to the deuil that they shoulde learne not to blaspheme Of the â—ift sort were the multitude of the Iewes who iudged and to this day do iudge the death of Christ Iesus his blessed ordinance the publike preaching of his Euangil and the administration of his Sacrements to be nothing necessarie to our saluation And of the last doeth not Paul denie him self to haue bene a blasphemer and a persecuter before his coÌ„uersion Now if I shal plainely proue the most parte yea all these except ye will say he shed no mans blood to haue bene in your great prophete Seruet â— yea yet to be in you all of the Anabaptisticall sort haue I not sufficiently proued both him and you blasphemers Albeit I be more nere of his and your counsel theÌ„ any of you doeth knowe or suspect yet wil I not vtter at this present all that I can but wil abide till such oportunitie as God shal offer vnto me to notifie his and your poison to the Church of God that of the
same the godlie may be ware For this present I say first that Seruetus whom you iustifie did maintein and by worde and writing dispersed abrode wicked and most deuilishe opinions of God which might not onely make his Godhead to be dispised but also called in doubt and question He iudged those things nothing necessarie to saluation w c Christ hathe commanded and ordeined And last that impugning the true religioÌ„ he did most obstinatly maintein his diabolical erros did resist the plaine trueth to y e death His erroneous opinioÌ„s of God of his eternal Godhead were these Whosoeuer beleueth any trinitiâ— in the essence of God hath not y e perfect God but goddes imagined and elusion of deuils That Christ is the Sonne of God onely in so far as he is be gotten of God in the wombe of the virgin and that not onely by the power of the holy Spirit but because that God begat him of his owne substance That y e worde of God descending from the heauen is now the flesh of Christ so y t the flesh of Christ is from the heauen â–ª further that y â— bodie of Christ is the bodie of the Godhead the flesh of God godlie and heauenlie as it that is begotten of the substance of God That the soule of Christ is God and that the flesh of Christ is God and that aswel the flesh as the soule were in the verie substance of the Godhead from all eternitie That God is the father of the holie Gost. That Christ hauing the participation of the Godhead or of God and participacion of man may not be called a creature but one that doth participat with creatures As the worde descended into the flesh of Christ so did the holie Gost descend in to the soules of the Apostles That Christ so long as he was conuersant in the flesh receaued not the new spirit which he was to receaue after his resurrection That in all men from the beginning is ingrafted the spirit of the Godhead euen by the breath of God yet may the spirit by the which we be illuminated That the substanciall Godhead is in all creatures That the soule of man althogh it be not God it is made God by the spirit which is God him self That the soule is made mortall by sinne euen as the flesh is mortal not that the soule returneth to nothiÌ„g as nether doth the flesh but that it dyeth wheÌ„ that it is depriued of liuelie actions And that it is holden in hel languishing as that it should neuer after liue but these that be regenerated haue another soule then that they had before because of the substance which is renewed for the godhead which is ioyned That a like it is to baptise an infant as to baptise aâ— asse or a stone That there is no mortale sinne committed before the age of twentie yeares These I haue thoght sufficient to produce at this present to let the reader vnderstand that it is not without cause that I say that Seruetus whom ye iustifie is a blasphemer I haue omitted things more horrible grieuous to auoid the offence of godlie readers which sodaÌ„ly I am not minded to manifest except y t I shal vnderstaÌ„d that your vennemous tongues be not stayed by these I appeale to the coÌ„scieÌ„ce of Castalio him self if in euerie one of these former propositions which concerne y e Godhead there be not conteined horrible blasphemie For what is more blasphemous then to affirme that such as beleue in the Godhead three distinct persons haue no true God but the illusion of the deuilles That Christ Iesus is not the eternal son of the eternal father that there is no distinction betwext the father and the Sonne but in imagination onely That Christ hath no participation of mans nature but that his flesh is from heauen yea that it is the flesh of the Godhead That in Stockes stones and all creatures is the substantiall Godhead If these I saâ—e be not blasphemies worthie of ten thousand deathes especially being obstinatly mainteined against all holsom admonition let all those that feare God iudge yea euen you your selues how furious that euer ye be iudge in the mater eueÌ„ as ye wil answer before the throne of y e Lord Iesus That coÌ„tempteously he spake of baptising of the childreÌ„ of y e publyke preaching of the Euangill and of the administration of the Lordes supper that haue you common w t him for this is your glorie and persuasion to all your scolers that these things be nothing necessarie to saluation yea most streitly ye inhibit all of your sect to frequent any coÌ„gregatioÌ„ but your own And whether this be blasphemie of your parte or not to affirme those thiÌ„gs nothiÌ„g necessarie which Christ Iesus hath established and commanded to be vsed in remembrance of him to his againe comming I am content that iudgement be referred euen to those that be most indifferent betwext vs and you To supersede the rest of your blasphemies I return to your booke because that after I purpose to speake of your holie conuersation and of the great perfection y t is founde in you Ye accuse vs that we haue written bookes in a perpetuall memorie of our crueltie affirming it to be lawful to put to death such as dissent from vs in religion Notwith standing that some of vs were of an other mynd before they came to auctoritie â–ª and further that we haue giuen the sworde in to the haÌ„des of bloodie tyrannes Trew it is that bookes are written bothe by you by vs. for your master Bellius affirmeth that lawfull it is not to the ciuil magistrat to vse the sworde against heretikes To whome that godlie learned maÌ„ Theodorus Beza hath answered In which if you or your master thinke not your selues fully answered ye may put pen to the paper when you list looking to receaue answer with conuenient expidicion Iohn Caluin hath besides committed to writing the examination of Seruetus and the cause of his miserable death which bookes albeit to you they be a perpetual memorie of crueltie yet I haue good hope that to our posteritie they shal be profitable as now to vs be the godlie labors of those that before vs haue foghten the same battel against the obstinate heretikes And further seing bothe you and we must abyde the sentence of one iudge we can not greatlye feare the preiudice of your faction Where ye aske if these be y e shepe which Christ sent furth in the middes of wolues And if the shepe can per secute the wolues and I demand for answer whether Moses was a shepe or a wolf wether that fearefull slaughter executed vpon idolaters without respect of persons was not as great a persecution as the burning of Seruetus and Ioan of kent To me it appereth greater for to them was granted no place of repentance no admonition was giuen vnto them but with out further delay or
aduertisement of those coÌ„gregations no les then that which is conteined in these words by you rehearsed Then let vs heare what is writen and spoken by him in this mater I sawe saith he foure Angelles standing vpon the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the windes shoulde not blow vpon the earth c. And I saw an other angell ascending from the vprising of the sonne c. And he cryed with a loude voice to the foure Angelles to whom power was giuen to hurt the earth the sea saying hurt not the earth nether the sea nether yet the trees vntil we haue sealled the seruantes of our God in their foreheades I pray you why were these who were to be marked in the foreheades more called the seruantes of God by the voice of the Angell then others I knowe you will answer because of their good workes and godlie intentions But from whence I praie you did it procede that y e workes and intention of the one sort were good and of the other wicked If you say from their own fre wil and power the holie Gost doth proue you liers as before I haue declared and our Apostle assigneth also an other cause saing And power was giuen to the beast vpon all tribes tongues and natioÌ„s and all those that dwelt vpon the earth did worship him whose names are not writen in the book of life of the lambe who was killed from the beginning of the worlde Here it is plaine that our Apostle against your affirmation teacheth that some do worship the beast and so do finally perish and other do not worship him and attein to life â–ª that because the names of the one are written in the booke of life and the names of the others are not written and that more plainely he speaketh in these wordes Then I loked and lo a lambe standing on the mount Zion w t him a hundreth fortie foure thousand hauing his fathers name written in their foreheades c. and they sang as it were a newe songe before y e throne and before the foure beastes the elders none coulde learne the song except those hundreth fortie and foure thousand which were boght from the earth c. and aftre in the 17 chapt is mencioned of these inhabitantes of the earth who shall wonder vpon the beastwhose names are not written in the book of life from y e creation of the worlde if in these places I say y e Apostle maketh no differeÌ„ce betwext one sort of men an other let y e reader iudge if there be differeÌ„ce betwext boght not boght writteÌ„ in y e book of life not writteÌ„ to learn y e newe â—og not to learne y e same theÌ„ no dowt o r Apostle putteth as plaine a differeÌ„ce as we do yea y e hole scope of his reuelatioÌ„ is to declare y t there is a noÌ„bre of y â— elect called y e spouse of y e laÌ„be whoÌ„ it behoueth to be coÌ„plete before y â— coÌ„sumatioÌ„ of all thiÌ„gs com before y t y e iÌ„noceÌ„t blood that hath bene shed be reueÌ„ged vpoÌ„ those y t dwell vpon the earth and therefore aduise with your selues how ye be able to proue that S. Iohn taught no such doctrine as we teach But admitting that he had neuer spoken nether yet of any nombre chosen that can not fall vtterly from their election nether yet of any nombre reprobate who must nedes be apprehended with the beast and with him be cast into the lake of fyre Is it therefore a good argument that all those that teach such maner of doctryne be fals teachers or that no such doctryne is conteined in the holie Scriptures I wil make the like reason Nether Moises nether Iohn the Baptist in any expressed wordes haue left to vs written â–ª that Christ Iesus shoulde be born of a virgin that he shoulde suffer in Ierusalem â–ª that his disciples should all be sclaÌ„dered and flee from him that he shoulde rise againe and ascending into the heauen shoulde send the holie Gost visibly vpon his Apostles nether Moises I say nether yet Iohn who were excellent teachers haue taught in expressed wordes any such doctrine Ergo the teachers of it be fals teachers it is not written in gods scriptures your argument is no better admitting that the Apostle had neuer made meÌ„tion of any sort elected But now shortly to answer to all which without purpose ye heape to gether in this place I say first ye oght to haue made a difference betwext those seuen congregations where Christ Iesus had bene preached and receaued and the rest of the worlde w c theÌ„ remained or after was to remaine in blindenes error for to those y t haue by publicke profession receaued Christ Iesus be they elect or be they reprobate do appertein exhortations threatning y e doctrine of repeÌ„taÌ„ce consolatioÌ„ propheciiÌ„g reuelatioÌ„ of thiÌ„gs to com but to those y t yet remaine manifest enemies of the trueth apperteine onelie y e coÌ„mon calling to eÌ„brace the trueth with the threatniÌ„g of destructioÌ„ if they contiune vnfaithfull And therefore becaus these former coÌ„gregatioÌ„s as said is had professed them selues to be of gods housholde they were intreated as his domestical seruantes If any aske the cause why are som so amiably and others so strangely intreated I answer no other cause can be assigned but that it pleased gods infinit wisdome and goodnes to make that plaine and euident difference betwext those that once be receaued in his houshold be it by externall profession onely and those that remaine in blindenes that the one he commonly doth visit but the other he doth as it were neglect and destroy for what other cause can we assigne that God so louingly did often call to repentaÌ„ce the people of Israel so often offending from the daies of Moises vnto y e comming of Christ Iesus that he sent vnto them Prophetes to exhort to rebuke and to declare the estate of things to come and in this mean ceason the space of two thousand yeres permitted the Gentiles to walke in their own waies And now after the reiection of the Iewes what cause can we assigne that among vs Gentiles God vseth to stirre vp now one countrie now an other to receaue the trueth to detest and abhorre our former superstition Idolatrie and wickednes and of so long coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce hath left bothe y e Iewes turkes drowned still in their blindnes damnable errors we shall find none other cause I suppose then did the Apostle se when that he said to God are knowen all his workes euen froÌ„ the beginning and that he will reuele his secretes to such as please him ye do not heare in all this reuelation of Iohn that Babilon is exhorted to repeÌ„tance y t the blasphemous beast is rebuked ether of his tyranny ether of his blasphemie with any promes made to
stabilitie of faith Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 14. 6 1. Cor. 1. 30 Ro 1. 26 The vnmouable ground of faith Rom. 8. 29 Ephes. 1. 14 2. Thes. 2. 13 2. Pet. 1. 2. 20 Rom. 11. 29 Rome 8 Ham. Ishmael Esau Abshalom Achitophel Iudas The Niniuites Manasses Paul Magdelene The thiefe What humilitie is Ephes. 2. 8 1. Cor. 1. 30 1. Iohn 4. 10 Ephes. 1. 22 The first section Cap. 14. SectioÌ„ 40 Libr. ad bonifa 2. Cap. 6. 40. Retract lib. 1. cap. 2. Stoiâ—â—â— necessitie Cap. 1. 2 â–ª 3. 4. 5. 〈…〉 Why the Anabap. mystlyketh the doctryn of predestination PrescieÌ„ce Prouidence Ioan. 10. Prouerb 20. Prouâ—r 16. Matth. 10 â–ª 29. PredestinatioÌ„ The second sectioÌ„ Liers are the deuilles sonnes Institut Cap. 14. Sect. 5. De aeterna Dei praedestinatioÌ„ Inâ—titu Cap. 14. Sect. 14. Caluin vpon Isaiah The schoeles of Papistes full of blasphemies Inst. cap. 14. sect 17. The third section Two chiefe propositioÌ„s Ephes. 1. Isâ—i 44. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 54 The constancie of Gods promâ—s Isaia 46. Psal. 2â— Isal. 138. Iob. 10. Isaia 46. Iohn 6. Ioan. 17. Rom. 6. 1. Ioan. 4. The fourth section Zach. 3. Act. 17. Isaiah 45 The sayeng of a blaspphemous mouthe Iob. 39. What the aduersary will saye Isaia 66. The workes of God can not be subiect to our reason The reasoÌ„ of Anabaptistes Answer The aduersarie falsly and vnreuereÌ„tly alledgeth this word birth Answer Malac. 2. What we haue in Adam Error of Anabaptistes The affirmations of the trew ChristiaÌ„s Gen. 3. Question Answer The churche of Christe and the serpenteâ—i sede De bono perseueraÌ„t Reply of the aduersary Question Gods purpose was from the beginning to make a difference in mankinde The seâ—â—â—â—de diffâ—â—eÌ„ce This is the cause why all the prophetes almost do de clare gods wrath against Esan and Edome Psea 137 Esaie 34. Ier. 49. Obad. 1. Rom. 9. How S. Paul applieth the wordes of Moises Gene. 25. Promes inade to Isaak Vessels of mercie prepared vnto glorie Gods election dependeth not vpon man Iohn 8. Why the Iewes beleued not in Christe Christe maketh a diffâ—reÌ„rence of one sort from an other Iohn 17. What Christ did for his Christe praied not for the world An answere to the papistical and pestilent obiection of Pighius aÌ„d others his like Deut. 7. Deut. 9. Iosue 24. Ezec. 16 God did not for our workes predestinate vs. 2. Ti. 1. Question 1. Cor. 4. Apoca. 4. 5. A brief rehearsal what is before sufficiently proued The fyft section Isaia 45. Isaia 30. Matt. 7. Psal. 144 Esaia 54 Psal. 29. Isaiah 49 Isaiah 30 Isâ—ia 49 Matt. 7. Luc. 11. The blasphemy of Anabaptistes 〈◊〉 3. Psal. 145 Note the plain difference Exod. 20. Howgods mercy is greater then his wrath The six te sectioÌ„ To the 1. To the 2. 3. 4. 5. Deut. 19. To the 6. The seuenth section To the 1. â— 3. Blindnes and hardnes of hart are effectes reprobation Why God treated maÌ„ good whoÌ„ he ordeyned neuertheles to fall The eight section Ephes. 1. Psal. 49. Iob. 34. 4. Esdr. 8 Sapient 2 Sapien. 9 Matth. 12 The ground of the Anabaptistes error An argument 〈◊〉 prouâ—th that in Adam we could not stand Answer to the scriptures shamefully abused by the aduersaries Matt. 11. The aduersarie wrasteth the scripture in Iob. Iob. 34. Act. 10. An argument directly against the aduersaries argument Influence of the sterres EducatioÌ„ The cause is not in nature of our faethfull obedieÌ„ce What is the cause that some beleue and some remayn vnfaithfull How God respecteth not persoÌ„s 1. Sa. 16. That God hath not respect of persons most euidently coÌ„futeth the error of the aduersaries of gods predestination The cause and effect are diuerse Dâ—ut 7. Rm. 9. Neither was nor is in vs any thing whereby we should deserue to be elected The bookes called Apocryphes Reuâ—reÌ„ce vnto gods holie worde Reade the prologue of Ecclesiasticus and the end of the last chap. of the second booke of Machab. Sap. 2. Deut. 2. Lyke as there be degrees betwext election and glorification euen so there be degrees betwext reprobatioÌ„ and coÌ„demnation The nynte section Galat. 2. Ephes. 1. Ephes. 1. To the. 2. All be not Saintes nor blessed with spiritual benediction Oure regeneration to good workes is by the grace of God The teÌ„th section To 〈…〉 Iob. 36. Castalio is translation The eleueÌ„th section To the 1. To the 2. The iust causes of reprobatioÌ„ are hid in gods eternall counsel but the causes of death and damnatioÌ„ are euideÌ„t in the scriptures The iudgementes of God are a deuoring depth The twelth section The thirteÌ„th section Esaia 50 Esaia 48 To the 1. Ephe. 1. To the 2. Iohn 1. To the 3. Rom. 1. To the 4. Isaiah 55. Iohn 6. To the 5. An argument against the aduersaries forged diuision of gods election To the 6. Matth. 16 Rom. 8. To the 7. Iohn 6. The fre wil meÌ„ iudge rashly To the 8. The perfecdtioÌ„ that the aduersaries pretend in this lyfe Philip. 3. How stroÌ„g the aduersaries wolde seme to be To the 9. The fourteÌ„th section Isaia 48 Esdr. 9. Iâ—rem 2. Esaia 42. 43. The scriptures affirme that there be many fals Christes fals Prophetes But Iesus Christe is our onely Sauior without whome there is no saluation To the 1. Institu 2. Cap. â—ec 78. De eterna Dei proedestinatione To the. 2. Rom. 〈◊〉 To the 3. To the 4. Luk. 16 To the 5. The fiftenth section The 2. argument Rom. 8. Reade the scriptures better be ashamed of your argument Rom. 9. The difference of gode fore knowledge Matth. 7. The six tenthe section Ezech. 18 Reade the first sectioÌ„ The 17. Section O prowde lucifer that darest compare thy knowledledge to the prescieÌ„ce of God To the 1. Galat. 1. 1 Tim. 1 God worketh both in his elect and in the reprobate but in diuâ—rse maner To the â— Read the praier of the Apostles Act. 4. What power Ananias had of his land Act. 5. The eightene section 1. Re. 23. Whence haue ye your assurance To the 1. 2. 3. Matt. 26. Iohn 13. The nynteÌ„th section To the 1. Difference betwext the libertie of Chriâ—tes will and the fredoÌ„ of Adams will Gods prescience is not to be seperated from his will Rom. 9. Prouer. 16. When violence is doÌ„ to the will of a creature The grud geing of the reprobat Rom. 9. Why creatures offeÌ„d wheâ— they most serue gods couÌ„sâ—l Luk. 22. Gods will is fre althogh it chaÌ„ge not as occasion is offered by mens doings The 20 Section Rom. 9. Malach. â— To the 1. Themynd of the Apostle in the 9. câ—apit to the Romains concerning Iacob and Esaw To the â— Esaw som maner of way serued Iacob in the fleshe Gen. 27. 2. Reg. 8. Gen. 28. The place of the Prophete Malachie Why the Apostle maketh neither meâ—tion of Abraham nor of Isaak but of Iacob and of Iacob being in his mothers wombe The grace of