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
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
steadfastly to cleaue and stick to the trueth whose force effect they se alwaies to haue bene one frome the begīning The giuers of these offēses shall no doubt sustein the wo pronounced against them by Christe Iesus But yet must the childrē of God vnderstand that of necessitie it is that such offēses come that the elect may first be tryed and after be partakers of that blessing pronoūced by our master in those wor des Blessed is he that is not offended in me The cause of these my former wordes is that as Satā euer frome the beginnīg hath declared him self ennemie to the fre grace and vndeserued loue of God so hath he now in these last and moste corrupted daies most furiously raged agaīst that doctrine which attributeth all praise and glorie of oure redemption to the eternall loue and vndeserued grace of God alone By what meanes sathā first drew mākynd frome the obediēce of God the scripture doeth witnesse To wit by powring into their hartes that poison that God did not loue thē and by affirming that by transgressiō of gods cōmandemēt they might attein to felicitie and ioy so that he caused them to seke life where God had prounced death to be This same practise hath sathan euer frome the beginning vsed to infect the Church with al kynd of heresie as the writings of Moises of the Prophetes of the Apostles of the godlie in the primatiue Church do playnelie witnes But alas to such blasphemie did neuer the deuil draw mākynd as now of late daies in the which no small nōbre are become so bolde so impudent and so irreuerent that opēly they feare not to affirme God to be vniust if that he in his eternal coūsel hath elected more one sort of mē thē an other to life euerlasting in Christe Iesus our Lord which thing of late daies is more planely come to oure knowledge thē before we could haue suspected and that by the sight of a book moste detestable blasphemous cōteinyng as it is intiteled The cōfutation of the errors of the careles by necessitie with that odious name do they burden all those that either do teach ether yet beleue the doctrine of gods eternall predestination ▪ which booke writtē in the english tōgue doeth cōtein as well the lies and the blasphemies imagined by Sebastian Castalio and laid to the charge of that moste faithfull seruāt of God Iohn Caluine as also the vane reasōs of Pighius Sadoletus Georgius Siculus pestilēt Papistes expressed ennemies of gods free mercies The dispitefull railīg of w t booke the manifest blasphemies in the same cōteined togither with the earnest req̄sts of som godlie brethren moued me to prepare an answere to the same others I dowbt not might haue done it with greater dexteritie but with reuerēce feare do I lay the talēt cōmitted to my charge vpō y e table of the Lord to brīg to his church such aduātage as his godli wisdō hath appointed But lest that some shoulde thīk that my labors might better haue bene bestowed in some other exercise I thoght expediēt to admonish all brethrē charitably to requyre of thē not to esteme the mater to be of small weight importāce ▪ for seing that gods fre grace is opēly impugned disdainfully refused I iudge it the duetie of euerie man that loketh for life euerlasting to giue his confession to Christe Iesus whose glorie is by these blasphemers to y e vttermoste of their power suppressed Some do thinke that because the reason of man can not atteine to the vnderstanding how God shall be iust making in his counsel this diuersitie of mankīd that therefore better it were to kepe silēce in al such mysteries then to trouble the braynes and myndes of men with curious disputatiōs I willingly confesse that al curiositie oght to be auoided and that with great sobrietie we oght to contemplate beholde that incomprehensible mysterie of our redēption But yet I say that the doctrine of gods eternal predestinatiō is so necessarie to the Church of God that without the same can faith neither be truely taught nether surely established mā cā neuer be broght to true humilitie knowledge of him self nether yet cā he be rauished in admiration of gods eternal goodnes and so moued to praise him as apperteineth And therefor we feare not to affirme that so necessarie as it is that true faith be established in o r har tes y t we be broght to vnfined humilitie y t we be moued to praise hī for his fre graces receaued so necessary also is y e doctrin of gods eternall predestination For first there is no way more proper to buyld and establish faith thē whē we heare and vndoubtedly do beleue that our election which the Spirit of God doth seale in our hartes cōsisteth not in our selues but in the eternal and immutable good pleasure of God And that in such firmitie that it cā not be ouerthrowen nether by the raging stormes of the world nor by the assaultes of sathan nether yet by the wauering and weaknes of our own fleshe Then onely is our saluation in assurance whē we fynd the cause of the same in the bosom and counsell of God For so do we by faith apprehend life and peace manifested in Christe Iesus that by the directiō and guyding of the same faith we looke farther to wit out of what fountaine life doth procede In Christe Iesus now presētly do we fynd libertie ād life he is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes and sanctification and redēption and in the promes of his Gospel is foūded the stabilitie of our saluation But yet we haue a ioy which far surmounteth this For albeit that we should heare that the mercies the graces of God were offered vnto all men and albeit also that we should fele that our heartes were somwhat moued to beleue yet onles the very cause of our faith be knowen oure ioye and comfort cā not be full For if we shall think that we beleue ād haue embrased Christe Iesus preached because our wittes be better then the wittes of others and because that we haue a better inclination and are of nature more tractable then be the cōmon sorte of men sathan I say can easely ouer throw all comfort buylded vpon so weak a ground for as the heart of man is vain and inscrutable so may it be that those that this day be tractable and obedient hauing also som zeale toward godlines yea and also bothe sense and feling of gods mercie such I say may shortly here after become stubborn in some cases disobedient in maters of greate importance tempted with lustes and finally they may be left so barren that rather they shal tremble at the sight of gods iudgemētes thē that they can reioyse in the free adoptiō of his children And therefor I say that except our comfort be
be which deserueth praise MaÌ„ therefor falleth gods prouidence so ordeining but yet he falleth by his own fault for God of short time before had pronouÌ„ced that all which he had made were verey good frome wheÌ„ce theÌ„ came such wickednes to maÌ„ y t he so traterously declyned froÌ„ his God Lest that it might haue bene through that that it proceded frome the creation God approued by his own commendation whaâ— so euer he had made Therefor did man corrupt by his own malice that pure and clean nature which from God he had receaued aÌ„d by his fall he drew his hole posteritie to perditioÌ„ Therefor let vs rather behold the euident cause of damnatioÌ„ in the corrupt nature of mankind then that we shall pretend to searche it being his and vtterly incompreheÌ„sible in the predestination of God neither yet let vs be ashamed so far to subiect the capacitie of our vnderstanding to the incomprehensible wisdom of God that in manie of his mysteries we acknowledge and confesse our selues to be ignorant for learned and blessed is the ignorante of those thinges which to vnderstaÌ„d and know is neither lawfull neither yet possible in this life The apperance of knowledge in such thiÌ„ges is a kynd of madnes These be the wordes of this most godlie writer frome whose iudgement none of vs doeth dissent in this mater For froÌ„ him we must confesse except that we wold in concealing the trueth declare our selues to be vnthankfull that we all haue receaued comfort light and erudition as from gods good instrument who yet thus further procedeth There be thre thinges saeth he in this mater to be considered first that the eternall predestination of God by the which he had decreed what should becom of all maÌ„kynd yea and of euerie man euen befor that Adam fell was sure and appointed Secondly that Adame for his defection was iustly adiudged to death and last that in the personne of him that then was lost was damned his hole posteritie aÌ„d yet neuertheles God did frely choose of the same such as vpon whom it pleased him to bestow the â—onor of adoption and yet after in the same place he saieth when we speak of predestination I haue constantly taught and this day do teach that frome thence we oght to begin that iustly are all reprobat left in death who were dead and damned in Adame that iustly they perishe who by nature are the sonnes of wrath And therefor that none hath cause to complein of gods rigorous seueritie seing that all do bear the cause of damnation within them selues for if we shall com to the first man we shall find that willingly he fell and so by his one faule he broght perdition to all his posteritie And albeit that Adam fell not but that God both knew and ordeined thesame yet serueth that nothing nether to extenuat and excuse his crime nether yet to wrap God in societie of the same for alwaes must we looke to this that he spoiled him self of the righteousnes which he receaued from God that willingly he made him selfe seruant to sinne and to sathan that without compulsion he cast him self headlong in to destruction and death yet resteth one excuse to witt that he could not auoid nor flie that which was decreed by God but his voluntarie transgression is sufficient to his condemnation nether yet is the secrete counselle of God the proper and naturall cause of sinne but the fre and plaine will of man And there for seing that man findeth in him self the cause of his miserie what shall it profitt him to seke it in the heauen And after albeit that men by long compassing about purpose to delude them selues yet can they neuer make them selues so brutishe and dull but they shall fele the sense of sinne grauen in their heartes Therefor in vaine is it that vngodlines goeth about to absolue man whom his own conscience damneth In so far as God willing and knowing permitted man to fall the â–ª cause may be secrete and hid but vniust it can not be And yet he further writeth this saieth he is to be holden without all controuersie that sinne was euer hatefull to God for most rightely doth this commendation wherewith of Dauid he is commended aggre to him that he is a God that wold not iniquitie but rather in ordeining the fall of maÌ„ his eÌ„d and purpose was good and most right frome the which the name of sinne abhorreth howbeit I say that so he hath ordeined the fall of man that I vtterly denie him to be the author of sinne Let the indifferent reader iudge with equitie if iustly we be accused of that blasphemie which so openlie we abhorre but yet in the same book he bringeh furth a testimonie of Augustine who thus writeth These be the great workes of God saieth Augustine broght to passe in all his willes and so wisely broght to passe that whill the nature of Angell and man had sinned that is had done not that which he that is God wold but that which the self meaning the creature wold yet not the les by the same will of the creature by the which that was done which the creator wold not did he fulfill that which he wold he being infinitely good vsing well those thiÌ„ges that were euil to the damnation of them whom he iustly had appointed to paine and to the saluation of those whom mercifully he had predestinate to grace In so far as to them perteined they did the thing which God woâ—d not but as apperteining to gods omnipotencie they might by no meanes haue done that for euen in that that they did against the will of God the will of God was done in them and therefor great are the workes of the Lord broght to passe in all his willes that by a woÌ„derous and vnspeakable maner that thing should not be done without his will that yet is don agaiÌ„st his will foâ— it should not be done if he did not suffer it And of a trueth he suffered it not vnwilingly but willingly And a litil before saint Augustin saieth it is not to be doubted but that God doeth well permitting those thinges to be done which are euil for he suffered not this but in his iust iudgement Albeit therefor that these thinges which be euill in so far as they ar euill are not good yet neuertheles it is good that not onely good thinges but also that euill thinges be for if that this were not good that euil thinges should be by no meanes should they be permited to be by the omnipoteÌ„t good to whom no doubt it is a like easie not to suffer the thing which he will not to be as to do that thing which he will except we beleue this the beginning of our faith is indangered by the which we professe our selues to beleue in God the father almightiâ— c. And in the end to answer to these calumnies which ye haue taken furth of Pighius that papist
spirit that Balaam was led withall when he counselled to giue occasion of sinne to the people I know ye wil answer that I mean not so Mean what ye list and do what ye can yet this is the issue and frute of your doctrine and who so euer is thus corrupt by you without he repent he shall die the death but God shall require his bloode of your haÌ„ds Marke well your disciples how many of them endeuore theÌ„ selues to bring furth the frutes of repentance how many of theÌ„ seke for power to crucifie the flesh with the lusts and coÌ„cupiscence thereof How many of theÌ„ caÌ„ we perceaue by their conuersatioÌ„ that they haue cast of the old maÌ„ aÌ„d put on the new maÌ„ walking sincerely in their vocation aÌ„d the true feare of God but if they accustom to frequent your congregations as the papistes do the masse theÌ„ be they faithfull brethren I hold my peace of that ye vse to haue respect of persons preferring the welthie which if they be liberal thoghe they be drowned in many vices you vse to help vp such sores with this saying There is none during this life that caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be in the election be he neuer so vertuous nor any owt of the electioÌ„ be he neuer so vnrighteous after this maner ye do heall theÌ„ vp so that they nede not to indeuor them selues to bring furth the frutes of liuelie faith for the surest tokeÌ„ of their electioÌ„ they think to be that they be of your congregation but Christ saieth in that shall al meÌ„ know that ye are my disciples if you do what so euer I coÌ„maÌ„d you aÌ„d againe ye shal know theÌ„ by their frutes for a good maÌ„ owt of y e treasure of his heart bringeth furth good things yet ye say no maÌ„ caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be either in the election or owt of the election during this life and for proofe hereof ye alledge the saying of Paul â–ª the deuil doeth transforme him self into an Angel of light to which I breifly answer that God doeth neuer traÌ„sforme hiÌ„ self into an Angell of darknes wherefor so long as ye walk in darknes ye be not of God But thus ye take the most shameful meÌ„ by the had flatteriÌ„g theÌ„ so that they caÌ„ not return froÌ„ their wickednes whereby it appereth that ye be not sent froÌ„ God for ye by your doctrine giue occasioÌ„ to the people to sinne And the Lord saieth if they had bene in my couÌ„sell they had turned my people frome their euill waies aÌ„d wicked imaginations but such lippes such letuce such disciples such masters of your chief Apollos be persecutors on whoÌ„ the bloode of Seruetus crieth a veÌ„geaÌ„ce so doeth the blood of others mo whom I coulde name but forasmuch as God hath partly alredie reuenged their bloode and serued som of their persecuters with the same measure where with they measured to others I will make no mention of them at this tyme. And to declare their wickednes not to haue proceded of ignorance and humane infirmitie but of indured malice they haue for a perpetuall memorie of their crueltie sett furth bookes affirming it to be lawfull to persecute and put to death such as dissent from them in controuersies of religioÌ„ whome they cal blasphemers of God notwithstanding they afore they came to autoritie they were of an other iudgement and did bothe say and write that no man oght to be persecuted for his conscience saik but now they are not onely becom persecuters but also they haue giuen as far as lieth in them the sword into the handes of bloodie tyrantes Be these I pray you the shepe whom Christ sent furth in the middest of wolues can the shepe persecute the wolf doth Abel kil Caynâ—doeth Dauid thogh he might kill Saul shortly doeth he which is born of the spirit kill him which is born after the fleshe Mark how ye be fallen in to most abhominable tyranny and yet ye se it not Thus I am constreined euen of conscience to write That if it shal please God to awaik you owt of your dreaÌ„ that ye may perceaue how me error haeth drowned you in mo errors and hath broght you to a sleping securitie that when ye walk eueÌ„ after the lustes of your heartes thirsting after bloode and persecuting poore men for their conscience saik ye be blynded and se not your selues but say tushe we be predestinat what so euer we do we are certeÌ„ we caÌ„ not fall owt of gods fauor A wake therefor and looke what daÌ„ger ye be in and how by your poisoned doctrine ye infect the people of God and draw them to a secure ydle and careles life ANSWER The crimes laid to our charge in this mater be haynous For first we are accused that we prouoke men to a careles aÌ„d libertine life So that by vs the people do nothiÌ„g â—uteate and drink and ryse vp to play That we haue no conscience but being led with the spirit of Balaam giue occasion of sinne to the people That none other frute doeth ensue our doctrine â—ut libertie to sinne for our disciples are cruel murtheâ—ers subiect to all iniquitie respecting persones and flattering sinners And last y t by our poisoned docttrine we infect the people and bring theÌ„ to a secure ydle and careles life Because I wil omit no notable part of your booke to ouerslippe without some reasonable answer I wil folowe youre ordre althogh it be confused If you be able by plaine scriptures to proue a thirde sort of meÌ„ which nether be elect nether yet reprobat then shal we learne of you other wise to deuide But if God by his first voice pronounced in this mater made mencioÌ„ but of two sedes and if Christ Iesus wheÌ„ he shal come shall set one army on the right hand and an other vpon the left hand without mencion made of anie third sort of men we can not repent nor yet call back the trueth of our doctrine albeit that ye in despite and furie cry what can the deuil wishe his membres to teach more for the aduancement of his kingdome then this what can be inuented more to prouoke men to liue a careles and libertine life more then if they be persuaded that nether wel doing auaileth or pleaseth God nor euil doing hindreth vnto saluacion and so forthe ye procede in youre first accusacion Before I haue required and yet againe do require of Gods faithful lieutenants in earth I meane of lawful Magistrates who rule in gods feare whome ye vtterly studie to abolish and depriue of them I saie I haue required iustice to be ministred betwext vs and you without respect of persones Let the heauen and earth if men wil not yea let God and his holie Angelles in whose presence we walke beare recorde and witnes how vniustely and maciously ye accuse vs that we prouoke the people to a careles libertine life If euer it can be proued by our doctrine or
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
reprobate we remit to gods iudgement Albeit that Balaam had bene indued with greater graces then in scriptures we read that he had yet doth it not thereof follow that he had receaued y e spirit of sanctification by true faith which is giuen to y e elect onely for we fynd the power giuen to some to expell deuilles whom Christ affirmeth that he neuer knew And therefor willeth he his disciples not to reioyse in that that spirites were subiect vnto them but that their names were written in the booke of lief But yet I wonder where ye haue found that Balaam was so filled with the spirit of God the spirit of trueth the spirit of power and the spirit of grace as ye write that whom soeuer he blessed was blessed and whom he cursed he was cursed I fynd no such thing witnessed of him by y â— holie Gost. Trew it is that Balack gaue vnto him that praise and coÌ„mendation that he was assured that whoÌ„ he blessed should be happie whoÌ„ he cursed should be cursed But whether that it was the purpose of y e holie Gost to teach and assure vs therby that in very dede such graces were in him I greatly doubt yea I doubt nothiÌ„g to affirm the contrarie to witt that he nether had power spirit nor grace of God to blesse those whom God hath curssed nerher yet to curse those whom God hath blessed for so doth he him self confes And for that end is the historie written If ye vnderstand that the benediction remained vpon Iacob becaus that Balaam did so pronounce and speak you are more blynd then Balaam was for he assigneth an nother cause saying how shall I cursse where God hath not cursed or how shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested God is not as man that he shoulde lie nether as the sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it and hathe he spoken and shall he not accoÌ„plish it Behold I haue receaued commandement to blesse for hehath blessed and I can not alter it He seeth none iniquitie in Iacob nor seeth no transgression in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the ioyfull showte of a king is amongest them In these wordes I say Balaam assigneth the cause why he was compelled to blesse Israel because saith he God hath blessed them And why also he could not change his blessing because in God there is no mutabilitie nor chaÌ„ge like as there is in maÌ„ And therefor as h ehad once blessed that people by his plaine word and promes spoken and reueled to AbrahaÌ„ so shoulde he most constantly perfourme it If malice did not blynd you you should clerely se that the holie Gost meaneth nothing les then to teach that Balam was blessed of God and therefor was not at that tyme a reprobate But that Israel was so elected sosanctified and blessed of God that their very ennemis and suche as were hyred to curse them were compelled to giue testimonie against them selues that gods people was blessed But this doeth no more make Balaam to be gods elect then did that confession which the wicked spirites gaue to Christ confessing him to be the Sonne of the liuing God change their nature If you be able to proue that hole Israel so fell froÌ„ gods fauor that to none of Abrahams posteritie did he perfourm the promes made to him and to his sede then haue ye proued somwhat of your purpose to witt that God may make a promes that with an oth yet perfourm no part of it But if it be manifest that notwithstanding their grudging their rebellion their carnall lustes their idolatrie and abominations gods promes remained so sure that the same was perfourmed after many teÌ„ptations in full perfection Consider what may be coÌ„cluded against you in applying examples by similitude equalitie I wold wish in you greater wisdom then to compare Balaam one particulare person a fals prophete accursed of God and so perishing amongest the vngodlie and hole israell gods elect and chosen people so blessed of God y t not onely they were preserued in all stormes but also of them according to the flesh came that blessed sede the messias promised To Saul and to his kingdom I haue before answered to witt that one thing it is to be appointed to a temporall office and an other to be elected in Christ Iesus to lief euerlasting But yet I will adde somwhat more which is this Propoâ—ition directlie fighting against yours Saul nor his house was neuer chosen in gods eternall counsel to be kings and Reulars ouer Israel for euer If ye cry then did the holie Gost speaking in Samuel lie for he affirmed that God had prepared the reigne and kingdom of Saul vpon Israel for euer I answer Samuel speaketh not in that place what God had determined in his eternall counsel but what he him self thoght that God had determined and appointed And therefore ye may not conclude that the holie Gost doth lie except the kingdom of Saul was once appointed to haue remained ouer Israel for euer Nay so can ye not conclude But ye may say y t except that so it was y e prophet was deceaued And so no doubt he was for a ceason and did speake those wordes according to the apprehension iudgement which he had conceaued by reason of his vnction and lawfull election to his office If it appere hard to you that y e prophetes be deceaued in any thing consider I praie you what chanced vnto him after did he not at the sight of Eliab pronounce with an affirmation that before the eternall he was his anointed did the holie Gost lie because that Eliab was refused and Dauid chosen or was not rather Samuel ignorant and in an error the same might I proue by Nathan others who being gods true prophetes were yet for a ceason left in error did both speak and giue counsel otherwies than God had determined in his eternal counsel But now shortlie to proue my proposition I say that gods eternall purpose and counsel concerning the chief rewler and gouernor ouer Israel was long before pronounced by Iacob in his last testament who did appoint the crown and Sceptre royall to an other tribe then to Beniamin for thus he saieth Thou Iudah thy bretheren shall praise thee thine hand shal be in the the necke of thine ennemies thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe vnto thee c. The Sceptre shall not depart froÌ„ Iudah nether the law giuer from betwext his fete vntil Shiloh come and the people shal be gathered to him c. here I say it is plaine that many yeres before the election of Saul was the Kinglie dignitie appointed to Iuda which sentence was neuer after retracted And therefor my proposition affirming y t Saul was neuer elected in y e eternall counsel of God to reign for euer ouer Israel staÌ„deth sure and sufficientlie proued If
most feareful end and I suppose that none wil be so peruerse of iudgement as to denie that none other was appointed to be the salt of y e earth and the light of the worlde except those twelue I verilie beleue that Paule is nothing inferior to any of the chiefest Apostles in that case And so yet I affirme that nether were those wordes spokeÌ„ of all the twelue nether yet of theÌ„ onely If this can not satisfie your curiositie labor you to proue that Iudas was elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus before the fundacions of the world were laid I haue before proued that the elect can not finally refuse nor deny Christ Iesus their head and therefor I will not trouble the reader with the repetition The place of Ezechiell serueth nothing your purpose for there doth he onely intreat of such righteous men as in the beginning of the same chapter vsed this prouerbe The fathers haue eaten soure grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge signifying thereby as before we haue declared that they were iust and innoceÌ„t and that yet they did suffer punishement for the offenses of their fathers Against whom y e Prophet speaketh most sharpely affirming that the soule which did sinne shoulde die in this praising gods iustice that he wolde suffer sinne vnpunished in none of his creatures supposing that some for a time had a shew of righteousnes The prophet doeth further accuse and conuict their consciences for they knew them selues criminall in all crimes which the prophet there recited And therefore to prouoke them to repentaÌ„ce w t this exhortacion Cast away from you saieth he all your transgressioÌ„s whereby ye haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why wil you die ô house of Israel for I desire not the death of him y t dieth saith the Lord God Cause therefore one another to returne and liue ye Of this coâ—clusioÌ„ I say it easely may appere of what sort of righteous men y e Prophet speaketh not of such as being ingrafted in Christes bodie by the true sanctification of his spirit do daylie studie to mortifie their affections but of such as hauing an outward appearance or shew of holines did notwithstaÌ„ding lowse y e bridle to all impietie In very dede God can not remeÌ„bre y e iustice of any such w c is not but their sinnes must craue iust vengeance y t the rather because by theÌ„ y e name of God is blasphemed Now to y e rest of y t w c foloweth in yo r book THE ADVERSARIE This say you with many other manifest testimonies of the Scriptures ye â—osse and turne vpside dounâ— seking shiftes to maintein your errors where by you declare your self to be of the nombre of them of whom it is written in the same place which do say tush the way of the Lord is not indifferent ye will not that the Lord iudge according to this way set furth in his word but of necessitie by an immutable 〈◊〉 saue a certeÌ„ of necessâ—tie to coÌ„deÌ„ne all the rest ye must not so read gods word studying rather to teache the holy Gost then to learne your duetie of him seking meanes rather to coÌ„firme your preconceaued error then to auoid it what trueâ—â— can he learne at the word of God which worshippeth the idoll of his own phantasie and hath alredie forsaken the mynd of the trueth RemeÌ„bre that the first lessâ—Ì„ of wisdom is to be willing to learne wisdom â–ª Cast away therefor the â—doles of your heartes which made you stâ—mble in your wayes submit your selues to the word as humble and meke laÌ„bes for the lambe onelie was found worthie to open the seales of the book Trust not your error to be the-better because it hath many fauorers specially of theÌ„ which haue the name of learning for such haue bene alwaies in all ages ennemies to the trueth inuenters of sectes errors such like as Iannes and â—ambres resisted Moises so do they the trueth as the learned scribes Phariseâ—s blasphemâ—d the word of God and persecuted Christ the trueth it selfe so do they yet in hu membres And euen as the pharesies said do any of the reulers or of the phareseis beleue in him this comoÌ„ people which know not the law is cursed so say they nowdo any of our learned doctors teach so these vnlearned felowes are cursed for they caÌ„ not vnderstaÌ„d gods word they vnderstaÌ„d onely the english toÌ„gue yet wil they medle with 〈◊〉 as thogh the gifte 〈◊〉 the giftes of prophecying were so bouÌ„d together that God coulde not minister the one without the other but this is no newâ— thing for this was laid to Christ his Apostles charge â–ª that they were vnlearned â–ª But the holie Gost willeâ— vs not to iudge so marke saith Paul your calling how that not many wyse meÌ„ after the fleshe not many migthie not many of hieght degre are called but God haâ—h chosen the weake things of the worlde the vile things of the worlde thinges which are despised of 〈◊〉 reputacioÌ„ to confound the mightie to bring to naught things of reputacioÌ„ how caÌ„ such great meÌ„ beleue seing they seke tobe praised one of an other and to be preferred for their knowledge in the tongues for the multitude of their bookes which they writ such learned meÌ„ are more mete to be in Herodes hall theÌ„ in Christes stable the dore is to lowe â—hey 〈◊〉 stout they may not stowpe so lowe for the disgracing of their grauiâ—ie onely poore shepherds which are accustomed to stables are fouÌ„d mete to haue Christ reueled to them not that I dispâ—se learning or learned men for I knowe that learning is the good gift of God yeâ— as S Paul saith knowledge maketh a man to swel and many in our tyme as in all ages paste do abuse this good gift of God yet not all God forbid for som I know I prayse God to whom it hath pleased God to reuele the trueth of this mater which in perfect knowledge of the soÌ„gâ—es are to be compared with any of your Rabbes Be not deceaued therefore with vaine 〈◊〉 of learning or of worldlie wisdome ifye seke Christ seke him where he is in the poore stable and not in Annas and Caiphas pallasses wiâ—hout ye will se and heare Christ accused to such a banket peraduenture Christ may be called of the learned If you wil haue Christ ye must not go to seke him in â—he vniuersities where you may be praised for your sharp wittes and eloquent tongues but you must go forth vnto him out of the tentes and suffer rebuke with him â–ª knowe ye not that the learned phareseis and lawers coueted to talke somtime with Christ not to learne but to dispute and trap him in his sayinges and so did the learned Philosophers of Grecia with Paul Awake therefore in time be no longer deceaued with heâ—r auctoritie examyn your selues examyn
your selues I say how much ye haue increased in Christ by his doctrine what perfection it hath wroght in you how much Christ is facioned in you by it If you wil forsake this error embrase the trueth where by ye are taughâ— that God will all men to be saued ye shall God willing perceaue more increase in godlynes that shortly then euer ye could or durst loke for continuing in your error ANSWER Whether y t you or we peruert the meaning of y e holie Gost speaking in hisholie scriptures we chiefly remitte iudgement to him who shall iudge the worlde with equitie not refusing also in the mean season the iudgement of indifferent readers To your vniust accusatioÌ„s cauillations and malitious reportes I will answer no thing till the ende of this worke And then I purpose to lay before your eyes suche thinges as ye can not denie to the end that the simple may iudge which of vs do worship the Idoll of our own fantasies and haue forsaken y e mynd of the trueth Albeit that ye and your capteyn Castalio beginne now to dispyse learning yet be ye neuer able to proue that we haue dispised godlines in the most simple of our brethren howbeit we can not conceale the trueth affirming that he who hath faithfully traualed in the tongues and in the writings of godlie men is more able to auoid error and also more apt to teach the trueth and to confute the aduersarie then he which is altogither ignorant except in his naturall tongue for we know that miracles and the visible giftes of the holie Gost giuen in the dayes of the Apostles are now ceassed Therefor I say we are not so proude that we dispyse learning nether yet so malicious that we contemne the meanest gift that God hath giuen to any of our brethren If any be that boast or bragge of their knowledge in the tongues or of y e multitude of y e bookes w c they write I will coÌ„fesse them worthie of most sharpe rebuke But as for suche as be principal instrumeÌ„tes of Christ Iesus how much they haue profited the Church of God and how litle praise or coÌ„mendation they haue soght or do seke of man the day when the secretes of all heartes shal be reueled will declare and men who be most familiarly acquainted with them partly can witnes As we do not enuie y e perfect knowledge in tongues of such as you praise so do we vnfeinedly desire God so to gouerne their heartes if his good pleasure be that rather they studie to edifie Christes afflicted Churche theÌ„ to accuse sclander and traduce suche as in the vineyard of the Lord haue labored and daily do labor much more then they do That ye will vs to turn from that w e ye call our error promising vs if so we will do more perfection shortly then euer we durst haue loked for we must be first taught that our doctryne is erroneous and after for the assurance of our hope we must haue more then the promes of men Thus ye procede THE ADVERSARIE To proue that they whiche be once elect can neuer fall they alledge this saying of Christ There shall arrise fals Christes fals prophetes and shall shew great miracles woÌ„ders in so much that if it were possible the verie elect should be deceaued â–ª of this they gather that it is not possible that the elect should be deceaued this coÌ„ditionall if it were possible c. affirmeth nothing But admitting iâ— be so we must vnderstand that the thing which is verie hard difficile to be done is called vnpâ—ssible in the scripture as in that place it is easier for acamele to go throughe the eye of an â—edâ—e then for the riche to enter in to the kingdoÌ„ of God This is called impossible â–ª because it is verie hard difficile to be dâ—ne yet be there rich meÌ„ which inherite the kingdom of heauen how can you beleue saieth Christ which receaue honor one of an other â–ª this semeth vnpossible by Christes wordes yet many such were conuerted to Christ. And the same spirit of vaine glorie was amongâ—st the elect Apostles of Christ after they had continued a long time with him â–ª for they contended who should be superior among them selues can a woman forget the childe of her wombe and not pitiâ— the same whom she hath born whiche thogh it seme vnpossible for as much as it is contrarie to nature yet do women destroy and deuore their own birthes â–ª May a maÌ„ of Inde change his skinne and the cate of the mouÌ„tane her spottes no more may ye that be exercised in euill do good suche we be of our selues notwithstanding by the power of God we be regenerat we leaue of from our euill exercises and do that which is good Thus we se it is called impossâ—ble in the scriptures which is contrarie to nature which excedeth our strenght therefor is difficile and hard to be done â—ueÌ„ so it is impossible That it is a very hard thing that the elect which follow the laÌ„â—â— whether so euer he gâ—eth should be deceaued yet not withstaÌ„ding it may come to passe as Eua was the elect of God and not withstanding the Apostle wâ—â—â—esseth that she was begyled and deceaued by the Serpent Therefor warneâ— Christ the elect Apostles saing take hede that no man deceaue you If Christ had bene of your opinion that the elect could not be deceaued to what purpose should he bid his chosen take hede lest any man should deceaue them Let no man deceaue you saieth Paule to the Thessaloniens to whom he bare witnes that they were worthy of the kingdom of heauen yet was he carefull left they should be deceaued and mouâ—d from their good mynd ether by spirit or by wordes or by letter which should some to come from him And to the Ephesians Let no man deceaue you with vain wordes for because of suche thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the châ—ldren of desobedience And likewise â–ª warneth he the Romanes to marke and auoide such as with sweâ—e and flattering wordes decaued the heartes of the innocent As the old prophete which dwelled in Bethel deceaued the man of God whiche came from Iuda and propehâ—â—ed against the alter which Ieroboam buylded I am a prophete said he also as well as thow and an angell spake vnto me in the name of the Lord saing bring him againe with the into thyne own house that he may eate breade and drink water and he lied and deceaued the man of God Such lying prophetes be now a daies wihch say they be sent from God and call the people to their congregations without which they say there is no saluation for they condemne all others which be not of their sect And when they haue allured the people with fals errâ—neous doctryne they prouoke them to a careles libertyne lief apt
any of you think that these thiâ—gs are but imagined by me let him vnder his oâ—ne name impugne them and I shall shewe witnesses which at this time for diuers causes I omitte Your iesting at vs your bold iudgement and condemnation by you pronounced against vs we remitt to him who shortly shall declare which of the two sortes be drowned in infidelitie and leauing gods plaine scriptures haue folowed the vanities of their owne imaginations Now shortlie to that w c foloweth in these wordes THE ADVERSARIES An other proofbring you of that which is written 2. Reg. 24. God moued Dauid to nombre Israell Iuda To which I answer that which is write 1. Parali xi Sathan stood vp against Israel prouoked Dauid to nombre the people I am certen that if it were not for this manifest scripture you wold attribute the wicked prouocatioÌ„ of the deuil to God but here we may see agreat light to vnderstaÌ„d many other places of the scriptures which semeâ—h to affirm God to be the author of any euill for by these two places we may see that God is called to be the author of the thing which he suffered as because he suffered the obstinat resisting of Pharao he is called the author thereof So because he left Semei to the lewdnes of his owne mynd suffered him to curse Dauid God is called the author of his cursing so the partriarkes being left of God did sell their brother aÌ„d here now Dauid being left of God to noÌ„bre the people by the prouocation of the deuil whereuÌ„to he was no more moued by God theÌ„ wheÌ„ he killed Vrias to this you say that we do but flatter God wheÌ„ we do assigne any difference betwene his wâ—l his permissioÌ„ or his sufferaÌ„ce for God permitteth nothing say you but that which he will if ye meÌ„t so that God permitteth nothing but that which he will permits I would them holde your saying true But for as much as you declare you meaning to be this that what so euer God permitteth he willethe it absoutly this is an erronâ—ouse saying â–ª for God permitteth suffereth all the wickednes which is donne vpon the earths and will you say that God willeth absolutly all such wickednes God for bid the people of God should be so persuaded to beleue such abomination I say you are the Propâ—etes of the deuill which teache such filthie doctrine and ye say ye be the prophetes of God nowe of necesitie one of vs lieth for if you be the Prâ—phets of God then I lie and if you be the Prophetes of the deuill they do ye lie and if God will vs to say the trueth he will not that we lie for then he should will two contraries which is impossible yet one of vs doeth lie which must be by the permissioÌ„ and suffring of God not by his will wherof it foloweth that there is difference betwext the suffering and the will of God The Lord was angry with the careles heathen because when God was a little angry with the Israelites they did their best to destroye them Then suffered God the heathan thus to punish his people more greuously theÌ„ he willed them to do wherfor there must be difference betwene the will of God and his suffering Obed the Prophetâ—reproued the Israelites because 〈◊〉 afflicted Iuda more greuously then God wold they should haue donne â–ª 〈◊〉 must the Israeliâ—es haue donne this by the permission of God nâ— â—his will The prodigall sonne wasted all his goods riatously if you say that so was his fathers will iâ— should be a great absurditie wherfor it must nedes folowe that the father suffered that which he willed not The faâ—her willed both his soÌ„nes to go aÌ„d labor in his vineyarde yeâ— not boâ—h but one of them did his fathers will so the father sufferred the other which weÌ„t not against his will Thus we may see a great difference betwene the will and the permission of God a notable saying we haue in the prophecie of Ieremiâ— against this error which teacheâ—h â—haâ— sinne is coÌ„mitted not onely by the permission of God but also against his will they haue saieth he builded â–ª high places for Baal to vowe their sonnes daughters vnto Moloâ—h which I neuer commaÌ„ded â—hem neither came it euer in my â—hoght to make Iuda sinne with such abomination Here we se that Iuda committed that which was contrarie to gods reueled will for I neuer commanded theÌ„ saieth he and against his secrete wâ—ll for iâ— came neuer in my thoght saiteh hâ— TheÌ„ did they sinne by the permissioÌ„ of God against his wil. Thy wayes thy thoghtes broght the to â—his saieth the Lord. If it was the lordâ—s secrete wil that the Israelites should sinne and it was also the Israelites thoghtes will to sinne theÌ„ were they bothe of one mynd And as he 〈◊〉 out wardly by the word willeth theÌ„ not to do euil so they out wardlâ—e did promise to kepe gods law wourshipped him with their lippes By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semed that both in wardlie aÌ„d out wardly they were coÌ„forme to God afâ—er your opinoÌ„ wherfor he oght not to hauâ— bene offeÌ„ded with theÌ„ I am ashamed to write the abominable absurditeis which may be gathered of your poisoned doctrâ—ne The lord shall raise vp the spirit of the king of the Medes which hath alredie a desire to destroy BabiloÌ„ by what meanes 〈◊〉 the lord stirre him vp to do any thing which alredie is bent to do it â–ª but by suâ—fering him And yet is the Lord called the doer therof And â—here for it is written Let one deceaâ—full offender com against anoâ—her and one destrâ—yer 〈◊〉 me against an other â–ª for what neded God to moue the wickd â—o do 〈◊〉 kindly which being giuen ouer of God do imagine nothing buâ— wâ—ckâ—dnesand his master the deuill stepeth neuer but is alwayes with him teâ—pting him with euill thoghtes and promoking him to perfourm his wâ—ckâ—d imaginations ANSWER The more nie ye draw to the end the lesse ye proue your purpose but the more ye vtter your malice aÌ„d venim No iust caus se we why that y e place of the bookes of the kings shall be explained by that which is written in the chronicles in such sorte as you require to wit that nothing be left to God in that greuous offence of Dauid except an ydle and onely permission for the holie Gost feareth not to say The wrath of the Lord God was yet moued against Israell and stirred vp Dauid against them that he said go and nombre Israell and Iuda Here plain it is that the eternall God who was angrie against Israell dad stirre or moue Dauid to nombre them not by an ydle permission as you alledge but by such motioÌ„ as nothing repugneth to his iustice Where ye say the other place explaineth this for it affirmeth that the deuil stood vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to
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