some good and some euill but men verily by nature are all euill but are so diffeuered by grace that many be altogither euill but many in some sort good that is for so much as Gods Spirite hath sanctified them 13 What things be of this kinde when they are in any action moued by that interior and their owne motion they are worthily sayde to do and therfore at the laste the difference of good or euill doing falleth into this kinde of instrument Nor in this respecte can they well be called instruments but rather efficient causes 14 And I call that an euill déede whiche hath not the reuealed will of God for his warrant contrarily a good which respecteth the same 15 The same albeit they are causes for asmuch as they worke by the interior and their owne mouing yet in an other respect they are called instruments that is as often for asmuch as they are moued of an other as wheÌ„ the hangmaÌ„ at the coÌ„manudement of the Magistrate killeth a man or as when by the inforcemeÌ„t of Satan some hurteth others or when in the name or at the commauÌ„dement of any one we do good or euill to any 16 In this kynde of workes euery one séeth one and the same worke to be attributed to two that is to one in dóede as inforcing and workyng by another as by an instrument and to another but to the agent himselfe for so he is an instrument as in déede he worketh by his interior and owne motion but not simply as the hammer or are in the hande of the Carpenter 17 Yea for this double respect there séemeth also to be yéelded a double worke and in déede so much as one is coÌ„mendable the other vitious as if the Magistrate deliuer the offender to the hangman euery man will worthily coÌ„mend that worke but if the hangman beyng rather moued with hatred or couetousnesse or any other wicked desire then with the iudges commaundement do put him to death truly before God he can not escape the fault of murther 18 Now therefore let vs apply these thinges to God himselfe whose power of working we proued before to come in betwéene in all things that are made without all exception and that so that by those things which he hath made as by instruments he executeth in his time whatsoeuer he hath decréed from euerlasting 19 What soeuer God doth it is good sith that no euill can procéede from the soueraigne goodnesse but he doth all things All things therefore are good for asmuch as they be done of God and that difference of good and euill hath onely place in the instruments in déede in those of whom we spake in the fouretenth proposition 20 For if these instrumeÌ„ts be good and respect the manifested will of God they do well and God doth well by them whence it is that that worke is euery way good as when the good Angels doe execute that whiche God commaundeth and holy men do folow when God calleth 21 But the euill instruments euill I say not by creation but by corruption for so much verily as they do they doe alwayes euill therefore they worthily incurre the wrath of God for asmuch as God worketh by them they serue the good will of God eyther agaynst their will or by ignorance For by what soeuer instrumeÌ„ts God worketh he doth alwayes well 22 And so God worketh by those instruments as he doth not only suffer them to worke nor only moderateth the effect but also he exciteth inforceth moueth ruleth furthermore which of al is the greatest euen createth them that by them he may accomplish that he hath determined all which God doth iustly and without all iniustice 23 For as oft as an euill man sinneth eyther agaynst himselfe or some other lyke euill God bringeth to passe without all sinne that either the wicked shal reuenge himselfe or that the wicked shall afflict the lyke with deserued punishments whiche both is the most iuste worke of God and by these examples of his iudgemeÌ„ts God doth recreat and comfort his 24 But so oft as the wicked annoy the good they in déede sinne at the last are worthily punished yet neuerthelesse the Lorde by them correcteth teacheth and confirmeth his and in déede by the very enimies of the Churche he maketh his Church glorious 25 Yet these euil instruments can not be sayd to obey God bicause albeit God doth execute his worke by them yet they so much as in them is that appertayneth there counsell and will they do not the worke of God but their owne worke for which they are worthily punished For albeit it is good whiche God worketh by the wicked yet whatsoever she euill do is euill 26 Nor auayleth the consequence God doth al things therefore he committeth sinnes For the name of sinne agreeth not but with a depraued qualitie whiche wholy is in the doyng instrument 27 But by reason of this depraued qualitie the worke which by it selfe is but one is after a sorte made two and double and that so much that one resisteth the other that is the iuste worke of God the vniust worke of man by direct contrary 28 Yet God worketh other waies by good instruments than by euill For ouer and aboue that he doth his owne worke by good instruments the good instruments also doe his worke with that strength and efficacie which God giueth them the Lorde finally doth his owne worke by theÌ„ in them he also worketh to will and doe So ofte as the Lorde executeth the iust counsels and deerâ—es of hys eternall will by the wicked as by Satan or men in that they are not negenerate he aduaunceth his owne strength and efficacie in his worke by them either not knowing or against their willes but yet in so muche as they doe his worke the Lorde worketh not in them but letteth loose the raynes of Satan whereto also he giueth the wicked to be stirred and inforced by his iuste iudgement that they may be caried by his and their owne luste 29 Therefore we repell not the name of sufferance or leaue nor was it euer in our mindes to say that God worketh in the wicked But bicause the difference of will and sufferaunce whiche Augustine no doubte tooke from the Gréekes the Sophisters drawne from Augustine and finally thou from them haue depraued bicause I say this difference is vsurped of you to appresse the truth therefore we vtterly repell it 30 For you set will agaynst sufferance wherevpon it foloweth that God suffereth those things which he doth suffer ether against his wil or in déede idlely not regarding theÌ„ But we that contrary least we either robbe God of his infinite inmesurable power or think with the Epicures we say that is the truth that God doth nothing but willingly either by instruments or permitteth to instruments that they may do yet so that whatsoeuer he do he do it mosteiustly and most iustly suffreth what soeuer he suffereth
An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes TO create to perdition is not of loue but of hatred therefore he created none to perdition REFVTATION AS this Argument dothe depende of the aforewritten so it is of necessitie that the first béeing infringed this also doe sayle Thou haste collected euill that all are beloued of God bicause that all were created in Adam But we contrarywise approue that God by his incomprehensible but yet iuste decrée hath Predestinate whom soeuer it pleased him to hys hatred and therefore to destruction neyther that that is discrepant from the nature of God whiche ought not to be measured by the common sense of men And then we shewe that that God is not moued with the hatered of any that he should vowe him to destruction but that he hath hated him whome he hath Predestinate to destruction and that truely the cause of this hatered and destruction is manifest to vs that is voluntary corruption in Adam whiche isluyng vpon all his posteritie yéeldeth also like fruictes to the tree and that to satisfie all stayed wits that albeit they know not the cause of the sacred decrée yet both bycause it is diuine and also bycause destruction is so descerned that togither the iuste causes of perdition be determined abidyng in men themselues also they confesse it to be iuste Wherfore also we haue proued that that we vse not to speake so as that we say that any one is simply created of God to destruction but therfore that by his due damnation God might shew forth his iustice But that the daÌ„nation of the Reprobate is iuste bicause their perdition doth so depende vpon the Predestination of God that yet the whole cause matter of their destruction be found in themselues These whosoeuer vnderstaÌ„deth at the least shal sée this that it is moste absurde that thou sayste that it is of hatered to create to perdition For that I say againe before the Lorde would create men we speake of the order of causes he neyther hateth or loueth but whome he createth he hath decreed from euerlasting eyther to loue in Christe or to hate in Adam Therefore to create to perdition is not of hatred but of him who hath decréed to hate to hate I saye for iust cause whiche he so annexed to the decrée of hatred that all the fault be in him whome he hateth Further if no man be therefore created that God in his due destruction might be glorified then God eyther hath determined to saue all or boroweth the causes of his counsell of the foreknowen will of men and that so that whom he knew would refuse grace offered for that cause he should vowe them to destruction and in déede shoulde suffer them to runne headlong séeing they will so But oh good Lorde howe many things be héere affirmed not alone foolishly but also wickedly For if God hath decréed to saue all as in déede he determined if he loue all howe is it that he doth not saue all Is it bicause he can not If that be so he is not omnipotent Or is it that he will not Then the Lorde altereth his counsell and when he sayth he repenteth we muste not nowe vnderstande that to be spoken of God not by translation and improperlie but properlie and in déede But and if he require the cause of hys purpose of the men them selues what workeman is he that dependeth of his worke yea what wise man euer thinketh to say that God determining to make men first considered of what forte they woulde be that thence he might consult then to haue considered wherfore he would create them Then what shall become of them to whom grace is neuer offered of which sorte we haue foreshewed that there be many Wilte thou say that all these are saued for as muche as they haue not that foreknoweÌ„ cause of refusing grace Sée for as muche as thou haste once declined from the right pathe into what absurdities thou runnest But this is the right way that God hath created all for hys owne glorie euen the wicked for the day of euill In this doctrine is no circumstance of wordes no absurditie if thou doste determine that whiche is moste true that the will of God albeit it sometimes séeme otherwise to vs yet alwayes is the soueraigne rule of iustice Agayne I pray thée how is it that thou takest such paines to defend the reprobate rather I pray thée let vs giue them ouer leaue them to the eternall Indge to be damned Let vs rather be occupied in giuing thankes to God and setting forth of his glorie who when hée also might haue predestinate vs to destruction yet rather gaue vs to his sonne by whome béeing apprehended by Faith we are fréelye saued And this benefite of God doeth wonderfullye shine forth towardes vs by the contrary destruction of reprobates and hitherto the reprobates are set to be considered of vs not that we shoulde defende theyr cause but learne in feare and trembling to reuerence the Lorde An other of the Slaunderers Arguments To creat is a worke of loue and not of hatred Therefore God created all men in loue and not in hatred REFVTATION AGAINE thou beatest againste the same rocke whiche knowest not howe to set hatred vnder the decrée that so that betwixte the decrée and hatred be interiected the cause of hatred whose gusâ—tinesse remaineth in menne themselues as I haue already saide a thousand times Againe albeit wée willing lye confesse the goodnesse of God to haue appeared in the very worke of creation nor that God hath properly hated his own worke but his corruption yet who will graunt thée that thou wouldest enfore by this argument that God bicause that for his singular goodnesse he created the reprobate therfore he did not predestinate them to his deserued hatred But I will helpe thée here For not onely in the creation of the reprobate but also in all their life a certaine vnspeakle kindenesse of God doeth often shine insomuch that if thou beholdest the presente state of thinges and ascendest no further the Lorde maye rather seeme to fauoure the wicked than the righteous which cogitation muche moued Dauid and deceyned the Epicures But what sayeth the LOKDE of all Reprobates in the person of Pharao saying Therefore sayeth hée haue I raised thée vppe that is haue broughte thée foorthe that in thée I might declare my power that is to saye in working mightily on thée Nor yet am I ignorant that there is not wanting those which otherwise expounde the word of Exciting whyche aunswereth to the Hebrue worde but the Apostles saying doeth sufficientlye declare that it is to be expounded so that it oughte to ascende to the very creation Againe what way so euer thou doest expounde it truelye it shall expresse the Lordes benefites vppon Pharao whome notwythstanding he hadde from euerlasting decréede to destroy and that bycause he woulde For why otherwise shoulde Paule ascende to the will and shoulde not rather
Creatoure doe tende Lette this bée for example GOD the father tendering the saluation of hys Electe assuredlye decréede that CHRIST for a certaine season shoulde dye This I saye so oughte to be that I affyrme it coulde not be before his houre hadde come as say the Euangelistes nor after the prefixed time was come that it coulde otherwise be whyche appertaineth to the successe In the meane time when Christe was freshe in yeares and was of excellent constitution in bodye if you respecte in parte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strengthe of Nature it was suche that he mighte haue liued manye yeares also suche was the nature of humane wyil whyche woulde haue wonderfully abhorred moste cruell death lincked with the wrathe of GOD the father and also woulde haue prayed pardon Therefore if by it selfe thou shouldest consider the power of Nature then will we saye that Christe coulde not haue dyed also if thou shouldest consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the force of Will in him that he mighte haue wished not to dye But Nature by naturall motion and will of hys owne accorde consented to the decrée of GOD that is to deathe of necessitie Therefore there is not why thou shouldest obiect to vs the Stoicall assertion whyche taketh from God a liberty to decrée and to determine seconde causes that is it bringeth GOD spoyled of his Diuinitie vnder gouernemente and to willing counsels or deliberations leaueth no place Nor is it preiudiciall to vs that I maye speake these by the waye that there séemeth force to be offered nowe and then to the seconde causes as when the Sunne stayes his course and the Sea is deuided For we saide that GOD is not bounde to seconde causes but that he may bende them whereto it pleaseth hym Nor is it to be doubted but nature willinglye would gyue place when the Creator commandeth There is more difficultie in the corrupte will of the Diuelles and all those who are not regenerate whiche it is sure doth sometimes oppose it selfe vtterly that is wittingly and willingly againste the decrâ—es of god But here is altogither apparant the in comprehensible and inâ—â— plicable condition of the counsells of God that like as the will of the deuill and his members in that it vtterlye opposeth it selfe againste God yet ignorauntlye serueth the workes of God no lesse than with willing force it should yéelde to obey him Tell me therefore that we maye amongest manye choose one singular example when Sathan endeuoured to destroy Ioseph by his brethren by whome God hadde decréed to saue the Isralites what did he truely the selfe thing that he had decréed againste whome he did oppose himselfe that is that Ioseph hauing gotten auctoritie in Egipt might prepare refuge for the Church of god Ioseph therefore respectyng Gods decrée and comforting his amayed brethren said You did not send me hether but god Therefore where I saide that the seconde causes do readily endeuour themselues to the will of God as appertaineth to the corrupt will of the wicked is thus to be vnderstoode that wée maye rather consider the issue than the forme oft hat will. But these it maye be are too far fetcht whiche yet I thought good to sette downe in moe wordes that in parte I might displaye the wickednesse and in parte the foolishnesse of him who yet shamed not to obiecte vnto vs those things which of what forte they shoulde be he verily neuer séemeth to haue vnderstoode I come to the matter We shew that all things come to passe by the eternall immutable decrée of God for that with him is neyther ignoraunce nor imbeciiltie nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 negligence nor anye alteration of counsell We also shewe this that those things that are chaunged are not changed but by the eternall and immutable couÌ„sell of god But this thyrde we haue approued which dependeth of the aforesayd that this collection is most sure this thing is so come to passe therefore it was the councel of God that it should so come to passe Of these it is easily gathered what is to be thoughte of the ende of the fyrst made man truely that which the issue sheweth he was created good but with this condicion that in certayne time of his owne accorde and by no faulte of the Creator this goodnesse béeing lost hée mighte ignorauntly prepare the way both to them that are to be saued in mercy by whose saluation God hath decréede from euerlasting to manifest his glory and also to those that should iustly be damned in whose iust destruction lykcwyse he determined from euerlasting to shew forth the inmeasurablenesse of his iustice and seueritie Adam therefore was created good so that if thou consyderest this straight of nature by it selfe that is the integritie and innocencie then he might and ought to bée saued and also his posteritie that hee was to bring forth lyke to himselfe But if thou consyderest Gods decrée that is wherefore he created him good thou shalt fynd hée neyther could remayne good which appertayneth to the successe nor that his posteritye could be borne in anye other estate then in that whereto as inthraled God from euerlasting had determined they shoulde be borne Thou demaundest whence I haue these I aunswere that I collect them of the successe or as they say of the latter nor that thou canste denye those thinges I haue spoken but that eyther thou shouldest make God varyable and inconstant or weake and ignoraunt or that appertayneth to the ordinance of causes vnoccupyed I adde also rash and vnskilfull For what before he made man did he not forsée with himselfe wherefore he would make him or at the least foreséeing the faultes defermyne what he woulde do vnto men Who I pray thée could indifferently suffer these thinges to be spoken of God whiche are not to be founde in men except suche as are destitute of all witte and reason But if he hadde with himselfe foresette anend I aske of thée what it was Thou wilte saye to blesse al men Now therefore good fellowe shewe howe the counsells of God are not vncertaine and infirme Howe God is not variable and inconstante howe not altogither weake if by no meanes he now performe that which he had determined concerning the blessed life of all men For neither causte thou saye by that thine inuention that euen those whome he saueth are not saued by thy forged decrée séeing they are saued by Grace not by nature And there is no doubt that very manye are giuen ouer to eternall forments séeing without Christ there is no saluation and Faith commeth of hearing But by his owne faulte thou wilte say I graunte it but what doth that helpe thée For if that were decréede with God to saue Adam and all his posteritie surely either God will not or he can not performe that he had decréede if he will not then he hathe changed his purpose if he cannot then is he not omnipofent But how farre off both be
in God there can be no difference of good and euill albeit for as much as he is God after his peculiar and proper manner he is cause of all and euery thing For all things in so muche as they are done by the will and decrée of God working as the Apostle sayeth Ephes 1.11 whether hée performe his worke by good or euill instruments are alwayes iust good and holy but in so muche as the instrumentes worke sometimes their actions be good and therefore acceptable to God but sometimes euill and therefore inacceptable to God and inthralled to his iust iudgement For albeit God willeth and doth all things that be done yet he willeth not all things in suche forte or executeth in such wise as the instruments will and do for the faulte is in the instrumentes not in god But nowe it is that we sée whych workes of the instrumentes bée good and whiche also euill But that that maye bée conueniently made playne wée say that the will of God is vsed in two sortes for sometimes it conteyneth onely those things whiche the Lorde dothe simply allowe that is bycause the qualitie of them is good of it selfe as when Dauid sayeth teach me to doe thy will and when wée pray the father that hys wyll may be done in carthe as it is in Heauen that is that all our life may be framed to hys wyll In these places I saye and innumerable others the will of God sheweth nothing else than that whyche the Lorde hathe manifested to vs in his word to be acceptable and pleasante to hymselfe nor in déede doe we saye that Sathan or men in that they doe euill doe the will of God but rather resist the will of God and therefore in the end to suffer iust punishmentes of theyr wickednesse And therefore we determine that they are euill whose qualitie is such that in themselues they displease God But contrarily those are good which God dothe simplye in themselues allöwe but sometymes the wyll of God doth conteyne euen those thynges whiche he dothe not simply allowe but rather reiecteth and reuengoth them which yet he dearéeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his meane and in a certayne respect do please him which when thou vndershandest not thou foolishly reprchendest For what wilt thou deny that they do heynouslie offeÌ„d which persecute the Churche but that the saincts are afflicted by the wil of God if it be so that thou denie it Peter himselfe shall refute thée in two places It is better saith be if God wil so that you be persecuted for well doing than for euil The same in the same Epistle Those saith he that by the wil of God are afflicted let theÌ„ coÌ„mit their foules to him 〈◊〉 wel doing as to 〈◊〉 faithfull creator Dost thou heare that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of will But what sayeth Paule where be handleth the same arguments Those saith he whome he knew before he predestinate to be coÌ„formed to the image of his sonne Now therefore we perceyue that the Predestination and will of God did come betwixte in the afflictions of the Sainctes Peter also in another place disputing of the Crosse of Christ which place we haue oftentimes alreadie cyted maketh mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the determinate councell and foreknowlege of God. And in another place the whole Church at Hierusalem maketh mention of the hand and councell of God but dothe God allow the wickednesse of them that persecute the Church no in déede but the wicked whyche persecute the Church shall at the last suffer deserued tormentes But God dothe dayly trye out and perfite his Church by that same thing which he worthily reueÌ„geth in his enimies and in this respecte the will councell ratified and determined decrée and finallie the very worke of the most iust and most wise God doth no lesse come betwixt than when he vseth choyse and holy instrumentes to the accomplishment of things of themselues most good and excellent If this consolation be taken from vs as in déede it is if we beléeue the dreaming I can not tell of what idle sufferaÌ„ce besides the wil and decrée of God in such as these how shall we euer remaine firme and constant nor doth he say al things which thinketh that the end issue of al such matters are gouerned of god But this ought especially to be beléeued that Sathan or Sathans instrumeÌ„ts can not practise against vs be it neuer so little that y our good father hath not from euerlasting decréed determined for our coÌ„moditie that our coÌ„solatioÌ„ might be full firme But it may be that in this kind of euil whereby the godly are afflicted thou wilt denie that Peter Paule the other holy wrighters wheÌ„ they make meÌ„tioÌ„ of the will couÌ„cel decrée hand of God do not intend those that persecute the church but them rather which suffer these things But it I shall remoue this obiection I seare least some may thinke that I do you an open iniurie who should suppose that it were possible that you should broche such foolish questions Yet I will also vndoe this doubte bycause I sée nothing of it selfe so playne and without all difficultie whiche may not gréedily of you be taken to the ende you may both incomber your selues and others First of all these things are so vnited in themselues by mutuall relation that is the actiâ—â— of those that persecute the Saintes and the sufferaunce of the afflicted Sainctes by them that he whiche saithe God will this but dothe onely suffer that may worthily séeme â—oyde euen of common reason But least I séeme to contende with thée with reasons drawen only from common sense which compasse of contention thy selfe yet séemest to haue prefixed vs go to let vs heare the Spirite of God himselfe speakyng whose authoritie I wishe thou couldest once preferre before thy fruitelesse and childishe inuentions Iob beyng giuen into the hande of Satan not for any sinne of hys but for a most excellent example both for his and our confirmation sake the Lorde saith he hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away What wouldest thou answere here good man agreeth the worde of takyng away with Iob from whom the thing was taken or rather with him who taketh the thyng For Iob neyther crieth out that he hath wrong done him or excuseth the théeues but acknowledgeth and reuerenceth the suste will of God in giuing and takyng away I say he acknowledgeth the will of god Who may not sée that Iob by the worde of taking away aswell as giuing hath intended not onely the will and purpose of giuing and taking away but euen the very selfe giuyng and taking away For the Lorde both in giuing and taking away vseth whatsoeuer instruments be pleaseth and that in nowise inforced but willingly Therfore in the like argument as we haue shewed before calleth his aduersaries albest wicked men yet the sworde and hand of god And further
layde open your impudency I will not repeate againe nowe that I haue sayde a thousand times Yet it shall be labour worth to sée what occasion thou tookest to patch this flaunder Caluin wrot in his booke of eternall Predestination against Pyghius and Siculus out of whose puddles you haue drawn your vncleane filthynesse Augustines sentence sayth he must be kept when God will any thing to be done that muste not be done but by mē willing that he togither inclineth their hartes that they become willing and worketh in their hartes not onelye by helping but also in iudging that they who had no such purpose may fulfil that counsel which his hand hath determyned And by and by here truely it may easily be gathered howe vaine and inconstant that defence of diuine tustice is That those things whiche be euill are not done by his will but only by his sufferance Truely for as much as they are euil which are done of men with an euill minde as I will set down more plainely anone I graunt they do in no case please god But whereas they fayne that he suffereth those thinges being idle whyche the Scripture pronounceth to be done not only with his will but he being authour is too fryuolous a shifte Thus farre Caluine whom indéede thou thoughtst to hold entāgled in thy snares whē thou readest these things but how foolishely I will shew anone For I will gratifye thée and alleage another like place out of Caluines booke againste the Lybertynes Chap. 14. The Lord sayth he is highly displeased when we suppose that any thing procéedeth from any other place and do not beholde him that we may acknowledge him not only as the chiefe cause of al but also as authour determining by his counsel al things by this or that mean. So therfore let vs cōclude as wel prosperity as aduersitie Raines Windes Hayles Frost fairenesse abundāce famine warre peace be the workes of God the creatures which be inferiour causes be only instrumēts whyche he hath in vse to execute his will and therefore that he vseth them as he pleaseth turneth them whyche waye soeuer he will and bringeth them to that poynte that it may altogyther be performed that he hath determyned These be Caluins words whiche if thou takese as if he sayd that God were the authour of wicked acts or willeth sinne thou certainely excéedest all impudency séeing Caluine in those places confuteth that same blasphemie And byeause manye that they maye disolue the Argument of the Lybertines do rushe out into another error not muche lesse to be reproued as those whiche determyne an idle sufferaunce of God in most matters for the action therefore before all things he hath thoughte this error to be refuted He teacheth therefore that God executeth his worke no lesse by euil instruments than by goodtand therefore séeing he alwayes worketh as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al sufficient of himselfe not as an idle beholder nor only the geuernour of the verye ende but to come in betwixt as the very authour the author I say not of the worke whiche euill instruments do wickedlye for thys thou hast added of thine owne store Sycophant but of that worke whyche God doth most fustly by them then also when they doe moste wickedlye Caluine doeth not teache that wicked actes are committed God eyther being willing or the author of them but he teacheth that whiche is moste true albeit the euil instrument sinne by cause he worketh with a depraued will yet God doth nothing lesse than sinne when he worketh well by an euill instrumente and that he is the authour of this hys moste holy worke So by Satan and the wicked he continually exerciseth and confirmeth his Churche So so ofte as he pleaseth he reuengeth the wicked by the hands of the wicked So he chastized his people by the Assyrians So he woulde by Absolom punish the adulterie of Dauid when Dauid himselfe was saued So by Iosephs bréethren he prepared a place of refuge for hys Church If thou denyest these I call thée to the testimonie of the Scriptures which indéede almost infinite we haue cited in the depelling of the thirde sclaunder that I may omitte those things whiche we haue so often described word for word out of Augustine and Caluine vppon the same matter Doest thou now Deuill acknowledge thyne owne impudencie The Sycophants Arguments to the fifth and sixth Sclaunder AGAINST the fifth and sixth they say both many other things and especially these if God willeth sinne and is the authour of sinne God himselfe is to be punished for sinne must needes be punished in the authour of it If God willeth sinne the Deuill willeth not sinne for the Deuill is contrarie to God in all thinges if God willeth sinne he loueth sinne and if he loue sinne he hateth righteousnesse If God willeth sinne he is worse than manye menne for many menne will not sinne but howe muche so euer any one commeth nearer to the nature of GOD so muche the lesse hee wylleth sinne VVhy then sayeth Paule The good that I woulde doe I doe not but the euill that I woulde not that I doe VVhy willeth not Paule that whyche God willeth or why willeth Paule that which God willeth not Finally they aske what Scripture doth witnesse that wicked actes are committed to God not onely being willing but the authour thereof THE AVNSVVERE WHat shoulde I Sycophante contende with moe wordes agaynst thée thou art out of thy wittes when thou thinkest vs so foolishe as that wée shoulde euer thynke that GOD willeth or loueth Sinne or that euils are cominitted to GOD as the Authoure But what soeuer in thys place thou hast sottishlie wrested agaynste vs who knoweth not that they are drawen from hym whome thou dost striue against Therefore thou art not only shamelesse and a lewde man but also vnthankefull which dissemblest by whom thou hast profyted The seauenth Slaunder Whatsoeuer men do when they sinne they doe it by the wyll of GOD for bycause the wyll of God oft tymes striueth with hys commaundement THE AVNSVVERE ALbeit Satan and Infidels can not execute be it neuer so little eyther against the godly or vngodlye excepte God decrée it will it and permitte it Yet it followeth not that the sinne which they do they should do it by the wil of god For albeit God willeth that same thing which Satan Insidels will yet he willeth not after the same forte and in that respect as Satan and Infidels will. For God wylleth iustly and worketh by them iustly that which these both will and do wickedly by cause they are so enforced of God that yet they do theyr owne partes that is with counsell and will depraued There is therefore greate dissention where there séemeth to be greatest agréement and of the contrarie greate agréemente where there séemeth to be much discorde Of the which matter I thinke good to adde that excellent place of Augustine that thy slaunder may be the better séene
whereby any thing is so done that no regarde be had whether it be iuste or vniuste that is done We therefore doe in déede confesse with Paule that al things are done by purpose of the Deuine will that whome he will before they be borne or euer they haue done eyther good or euill he eyther loueth or hateth and therefore in his time eyther pitieth or hardeneth but we adde this that this notwithstanding there is no iniustice with God that he whiche dothe so decrée these things dothe notwithstandying that whiche is altogither rightuous And this we proue by many reasons Firste bycause that the will of God is the soueraigne rule of Iustice neyther is it a good consequent that that is vniust bycause mans reason seeth no cause of such Iustice For what doth not the sunne shyne bicause the blinde is still in darkenesse Againe we say they deale foolishly who holde that any thing is good in it selfe before God will haue it so seyng that contrarily it is requisite that God will anything to be iuste before it can be so For the will of God dependeth not of the qualitie of things but the contrary the qualitie of things by order of causes doth folowe the will of god Thirdly wée adde also that in suche decrée whereby God from the beginnyng determined whatsoeuer vassals of his wrath he woulde that the execution of his purpose muste be distinguished from the purpose it selfe that is the purpose of reiectyng from damnation Wée vnderstande no other cause of the purpose than the very will of GOD whiche can not bée but altogyther moste iuste albeit the blynde wysedome of the fleshe thynketh otherwise But the causes of execution that is damnation the Lorde hath plentyfully and playnely shewed vs euen the voluntary corruption of Adam deriued vnto vs and the fruyctes of that corruption But here agayne mans reason inforceth it selfe Whence sayth it be the causes of this damnation haue they so come to passe agaynst the will of GOD no forsoothe for then hée shoulde not bée Almightie Therefore with hys will for he dothe not suffer vnwillingly and that is the opinion of Epicures to ordayne a carelesse foreknowledge of GOD whiche is easily ouerthrowen by infinite testimonies of Scripture But if hée haue decreed these things to be so and I coulde not resiste hys will am not I blamelesse of that faulte whiche altogither resteth in hym And this is that greate doubte whiche no man vnderstandeth saue those who out of hys worde haue learned to thynke reuerently of god Therefore Paule when he commeth to thys poynte denieth not that it was the will of God whiche the wicked coulde not resiste but their collection of this approued principle hée vtterly denieth bycause GOD can not bée vniuste and hée recalleth vs to the consideration of mannes estate that wée mighte reuerence so highe a mysterie not that wée shoulde reproue it But in déede you are wyser than the Apostle for thou takest these thyngs not to haue come to passe by the will of GOD but if it bée so then is it maruell that the Apostle dyd not remember it that he mighte haue answered the very selfe thing Neyther doest thou consider all this whyle whether thys rashnesse dothe headlong inforce thée truely to this poynt that thou mayst more more incomber thy selfe whylest thou thinkest that thou canst cōprehende the infinite wisedome of god For that we may yéelde thée that thou séekest that the causes of damnation doe chaunce without any determination of God sée how many and wicked absurdities may follow For firste if they chaunce agaynst his will thou deniest the Omnipotencie of God who coulde not withstande that whiche he woulde But if in déede thou sayst he wincketh at it howe muche doest thou differ from Epicurisme It remayneth then that he permitteth it willingly and there is one and the same difficultie For if thou sayest that eyther our sinnes foreknowen or already committed haue giuen occasion to this will thou sayest nothyng For we séeke the Originall of these sinnes that is the causes of corruption from whiche thou canste no more seclude the determination of God than when there is question of the fruictes of corruption seing that here also the same inconueniences doe accomber thée and thou arte taken in the same Labyrinth Furthermore sée howe well thou defendest Gods Iustice For truely that whiche he hath suffered albeit he hath not determined it for we will giue thée so muche yet he coulde haue letted it euen with a becke Why therfore did he not suppresse Sathan in tyme why dyd he not thorowly establish Adam and Eue or if thou list not looke backe vnto them why did he not commanund the fountayne of sinne to stay in Adam that it should not issue out vpon his posteritie was it bicause the sinnes of his posteritie deserued it But they shoulde haue had no sinne if corruption had not bene inlarged But why dothe he dayly gyue Sathan suche libertie whiche he can restrayne truly where soeuer thou turnest thée humane reason sheweth vs this that he is equally in fault who when he can preuent one from fallyng to destruction yet doth it not with him that throweth him downe headlong Therefore although that thy solution should be of force humaine reason should not surcease to déeme God vniust But thou wilt say These things are curious They are in déede and therefore we thinke it sacriledge for any vnreuerently to attempt these high mysteries of god But we say that that is curious and wicked too to demaunde howe God shoulde be without fault if he ordayne the causes of damnation Whiche question thou haste vndertooke to dissolue but we thinke with the Apostle that it is altogether impossible with humaine senses to be expressed which is curious which is passing wicked which séeketh the secret mysteries of God without his worde Is it thou which séekest a reason of the Diuine wisedome and therefore willingly and of purpose runnest headlong into daunger or I who when we come to Gods will béeing mindefull of mans imbecilitie do secretly reuerence the maiestie of god Therfore that I may briefly say this let this be the furthest reach of mans iudgement although the cause of his decrée is vnsercheable whereby God hath determined from euerlasting to create many in whose iust damnation he might manyfest the glorie of his iustice and for that cause whosoeuer are appoynted vnto death cannot but perishe in their tyme yet that God because he damneth none but the corrupt and guyltie is therefore without all blame of their damnation as he who rightly decerneth those things whiche men doe vniustly and therefore iustly punisheth But if humayne reason can not endure it yet it doth not followe that it is otherwise Rather let whatsoeuer is fleshe giue place for so I had rather than speake as thou doest that we may wholly repose our selues in the worde of god But thou wilt say Where is the worde of God Surely thou
preiudice vs that Paule alleaging the wordes of Malachie I haue hated Esau séemeth to take hatred for the eternall decrée of reiecting For I say this worde I haue hated in that place declareth nothing but I haue decréeed to hate séeing Paule in that place disputeth of the decrée of God and not of the execution of the sayde decrée Neyther doth there want sufficient testimonie of Scripture to approue this exposition by God hath chosen vs sayth Paule Ephesi 1. a. 3. before the foundations of the worlde were layde that is he determined to Electe For in déede thou muste néedes confesse that GOD in tyme doth execute those things whiche before all tymes he ordeyned So. 2. Timoth 1. c. 9. there is giuen sayth he vnto vs the grace of God in Christe Iesus before all tyme that is God decréed to giue vs his grace in Christe Iesu before all tyme whiche albeit in very déede he dothe not giue vs before that effectually he call vs to him selfe So he is called the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the world Apocalips 13. b. 8. that is to say for as muche as he was preordayned before the worlde was made whiche was perfourmed in the laste tymes as Peter him selfe expoundeth 1. Peter 1. d. 20. But why doth the Scripture speake so Truely that whatsoeuer the Lorde hath decréed shall be we may vnderstande to be so sure as we are sure that that is done whiche we sée done But yet that it is so as we say that is that Gods decrée procéedeth in the order of causes both loue and hatred it euidently appeareth in this that otherwise thou arte constrayned to appoynte the causes of the diuine decrée in men them selues Whereon it wyll followe that eyther God hath not determined what he would doe to men before he made them and carelessé behelde them perishing or if he had determined yet afterwardes the nature of man béeing chaunged he also would chaunge his purpose Bothe the one and the other howe farre it is from the wysest workemaster and endued that I maye so say with the surest and moste constante nature there is none but may sée Then if these things shoulde be so that is if GOD for the foreknowen corruption shoulde hate any of hys workes before he had ordeyned them to destruction wherefore was it néedefull for Paule to crye oute O man who arte thou whiche pleadest agaynst god c. O the deapth of the rychesse bothe of the wysedome and knowledge of God howe vnsearcheable are hys iudgementes and his wayes paste finding out Wherefore I saye shoulde God be set out to vs as a Potter whiche fourmeth what Vesselles he wyll to honour or dishonour For the solution that thou bringest is readie that it is no meruayle if God appoynt some to destruction and that causelesse they complayne of hys wyll séeing that their owne sinnes doe as it were enforce him to doe it But God forbyd that we shoulde vse anye aunswere so absurde foolishe and estraunged from the nature of god Let vs rather saye that it is the Lorde which hath done whatsoeuer he woulde and hath done all thinges rightly séeing hys wyll is the very rule of iustice Furthermore wherevnto tende all thine Argumentes Not to this ende that thou mayste shewe that God loueth all men But if this be true what remayneth that eythèr none shall be damned or else that those shoulde perishe whome God loueth For if thou doste except that God dothe hate them in the ende for their sinne and whom he loued from the beginning thou shalt runne headlong into an other great downefall For truely if hée did loue he would also saue Why therefore doth he not saue Truly bicause their sins haue caused that he should destroy those whoÌ„ before he would shold be saued O merueylous god such as in déed thou imaginest which dayly hourely should be chaunged whose determination men when it pleaseth theÌ„ may fordo the whole ende of whose counsels depende not of the eternall immutable decrée but of the second causes But truely if we should followe thine opinion the will of man shall be not the seconde but the firste and chiefe cause of Gods decrée as in lyke maner Augustine sayth right well Iudgement shoulde not be in the Potter but in the Claye Sée whereto these rustical cogitations inforce thée that it shal truely fall to thée whiche is written That it shall come to passe that they be confounded of the maiestie who béeing not contented with the manyfest worde of God doe curiouslye searche hys secretes But leaste wée séeme to dallye goe too let vs consider thyne Argumentes Thus therefore thou contendest This doctrine is agaynst the nature of GOD therefore it is false and wyckâ—d I denye the assumption whiche thou so confyrmest God causeth to bring foorth young therefore he bringeth foorth So also by a lyke God causeth liuing Creatures to loue their issue therefore he loueth his But all men are the issue of God because God is the Father of Adam of whome all menne are borne therefore God loueth all menne These be thyne Arguments Nowe heare agayne what I shall answere Fyrste of all I saye that the place of the Prophete of the issue of GOD is eyther wrested of thée maliciouslye or impudentlye For the Prophete dealeth not there of the vniuersall creation of all menne but of the onely renewing of his Churche that is of the frée adoption of the Electe in Christe What impudencie therefore is it to applie that to creation which is spoken of adoption and to enforce that to all men that onely appertayneth to the Elect that thou mayst communicate the peculiar grace of the Elect with the Reprobates and Bastards But thou wilt say Who is father of the reste Verely euen he whome Christe hath named when speaking to those counterfaits bastardly children You are sayth he of your father the diuell Nor is there cause why therefore thou shouldest exclaime that I am a Manichée For I refer this increase of children of the Deuill not in respect of creation but in respect of their depraued nature whiche God so ordayned that he be not Author thereof but rather the Diuel and the will of man which willingly hath depraued it selfe Thou wilt say therefore in respect of creation he in lyke case is their father I graunt it thou wilt adde therefore he loueth But that I vtterly denie and I will by and by proue it to be false But nowe onely I demaunde how aptly thou haste recited the testimony of the Prophete Then what madnesse this is to estéeme that what soeuer God hath giuen to liuing creatures is in God himselfe In déede it is very wonderful that thou prouest nothing that the rude multitude aloweth not except thou also faynest that God hath head armes hands a wombe too It is maruell but that thou déemest he doth in déede here sée desire meate and digeste as some haue tryfled of the Starres or
whom he pleaseth also for his own glorie he cre ateth to iuste damnation Iust damnation I saye séeeing be neuer condenmeth anye but the guyltie of Sinne. Further the place which thou citest proueth again with what faith and conscience thou vsest to auduch the scripture For how is that when yet hytherto thou hast cyted but only two testimonies of scripture thou hast so foolishly and wickedly wrested them both If you being euill saith Christ can yet giue good giftes to your chidren how much more God What gatherest thou of this that God being good createth none to miserie As though the Lord in that place did speake to all and doth not confirme his Churche that with boldenesse it mighte crye Abba father Or in déede art thou so skill esse at least that thou knowest not that this voyce is of the spirite of adopitō For so witnesseth the Apostle But that thine exposition may be in force what else canst thou gather thence but onely this that God vseth to do good to all But doth it folow theron that he neyther createth the vassals of his wrath whiche yet he suffereth most patiently nor wonteth as it pleaseth him to vse his children to his owne glorie Beléeue me if thou canst thou art more worthy for this foolishnesse in the scholes of some rusticall teacher to be ierked wyth whippes than to be one that should be delt withal by argumentes Then thou bringest Caluin for argument who thou sayest is euill We in déede are not the men who estéeme Caluin as thou with thine are wonte to gybe for a God and Caluin is he if there be at this day any other vnder heauen who hath moste hated that thou most desirest that is to say the glorie of mē But yet this testimonie we can and ought to giue to the truth that he must be passing excellent whom in these our dates none wil hate that haue bidden battayle to godlinesse and true religion or in déede who neuer knew him Finally would God it were not so certaine that the testimonie of true goodlynesse displeaseth thée and thy factiō and that thou wouldest rather repent than confirme the fincere iudgements of all good men againste thée Other arguments of the slaunderer And of the scripture they saye thus GOD sawe that all that he had made were exceeding good Therefore Man whome hee had made was exceeding good But if hee hathe created to destruction he had created that whiche was good to destruction and heé loueth to destroye that whiche is good whiche but to thinke is wicked REFVTATION ONE cryed send me to the stone quarries But I am compelled to cry who I pray you will sende this fellowe to Antycera For I pray thée if I shoulde collect so God created me whole therefore he created that I shoulde not perishe by disease who would not thinke me madde God created Man right and innocent I grant and yet to destruction First we vse not to speake so but we say that Man was created for the glorie of God and thē we distinguish the same for we affirme that God hathe created some that in sauing them by mercie others that in condemning thē by iust iudgement he might manifest his glorie as Moses Salomon I sai and Paule do testify Therefore thou sayste Hee created that whyche was good to destruction and hee loueth to destroy that whiche is good But I say that this consequent is moste foolish For thou concludest muche more than thou haste spoken and therefore reasonest as if thou shouldeste proue that Manne is created of GOD not onelye good but also that he should neuer become euill whiche latter is false For bycause the Lorde was worthilye to condemne some it was necessarie that their beginning should be good both bicause God in that he is good cannot creat any thing but that which is good and also for that if their beginning had bin euill he coulde not iustly haue damned that himselfe had made but yet so it was requisite that theyr beginning should be good that it willingly deprauing it selfe might euident the way to iust dampnation that is to the iuste execution of Gods eternall counsell Therefore the beginning also of Reprobation was good that as the Lorde decréede from the beginning so in very déed in his due time he might iustly condemne not the righteous but those that of their accorde became euil as hée who cannot but loue that whiche is good so can he not but hate and punishe that whiche is euill But also that thou by the waye maiste learne thys that for the Elects sake it was requisite that Adam for that cause shoulde be created good that he of his owne accord might become euill For when the Lorde also hadde determined to shewe forthe a more ample fauoure in sauing his electe than in the creating of Manne that is when he had decréede not of nothing to creat them to saluation but being worthy of whatsoeuer punishement fréely to make them partakers in Christe of his eternall Kyngdome What place hadde there béene to this incredible louying kindenesse it they hadde for euer continued stedfaste in Adam for he hathe no néede of this mercye that is not miserable What haue therefore the Elect to complaine of the mutable condition of Adam sith so muche the more glorious and happy is their saluation What also the Reprobate séeing that except they were corrupted in Adam they shoulde not haue bene dampned For here I repeate that I haue often sayde that so the reprobates destruction dependeth of Gods decrée that yet the whole matter fault of their damnation remaine in themselues Yet there is one excuse sayeth Caluin very well pretended that Adam coulde not escape that whiche was decréed of god But voluntarie transgression suffiseth ynough and ynough to guiltinesse For the secrete counsel of God is not the proper naturall cause of sinne but the apparant wil of man Seing man may finde with in him the cause of this euill what auayleth it to wander that he may séeke it in heauen The fault is manifesse in himselfe bycause he woulde sinne Why hath he forcing into the secrets of heauen drowned himself into a Laby-rinth For that God knowing and willing suffered man to fal the cause may be secrete but vniust it cannot Goe nowe slaunderer and exclayme that we make God a hater of good men Another Argument of the Sclaunderer God created one mā that he might place him in Paradise which is eternal life Therefore he created al men to eternal life for al men are created in one REFVTATION FIRST I demaunde whence thou hast drawen this that God created one man that he mighte place him in Paradise Verylie of some secrete reuelation in whythe thou placest the perfectiō which thou seasest not to dreame long since I reade that Adam was placed in that moste pleasant Garden but that this was the chiefe and determined purpose with the Lorde that he might place hym there I reade
in no place Yea if thou wilt stande vppon the verye wordes I rather reade that he was created to haue dominion ouer euerye liuing creature Therefore the foundation of thine argumentation is fallen as that whiche resteth not vppon the aucthoritie of Scripture but vppon thine owne fantasticall dreame God sent a sleepe vppon Adam didde he respecte that when hée made him he made him a coate of skinne but didde hée therfore creat him Séest thou how sottishly thou sholdest conclude But thou wilt say that this Paradise is a figure of eternall life But tell me from whence also haste thou that bicause the Lorde and after hym Paule and Iohn by the name of Paradise vnderstand celestiall glorie Indéede a strong Argument as thoughe the Gretians vnderstoode not by this worde al pleasant orchards and that it is vsuall in Scripture with these like earthlye shews to shadowe eternall felicitie Ierusalem in infinite places doeth shadowe the Churche is therefore euerye inhabitant of that Cittie a member of the Churche Againe if that Paradise were eternal life then shall also the Diuell Deathe and Sinne bée in eternall life and that Paradise béeyng ouer-tourned by the floud also eternall life shall vtterlye perishe Sée whether childishe shiftes doe headlong enforce thée wyth whyche thou doest féede thy selfe in suche wise as the Camelion is reported to lyue wyth the aire But leaste thou maiste complaine that I rather dally oute thine argumentes than solute them I wil shewe thée what wée are to thinke by the worde of God of thys Argument that is of the ende of the firste created man. Quadruple wise we learne to vnderstande the counsels of God one is by reuelation in the Prophets whose examples are euery where extant in Scripture Another is by peculiar reuelation of the spirite as we reade of Simeon and also of all faithfull to whose spirite the spirite of God beareth witnesse what be their giftes by Christ For that is it which we call Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assured perswasion which cause by the example of Paule that we are so sure that we are fréely electe of GOD in Christe as if we had bin present in his eternall counsell The thirde is by our obseruing the sequele of naturall causes as ofte times the naturall and wise men and suche as are skilfull in humane things do foretell manye things But this coniecture in many things is deceitful and vncertaine bicause that God oftentymes ordereth the meane causes according to his secreate will. But the fourth is the moste sure meane and wythoute al exception the most sure bicause it iudgeth as they say of the latter I therefore say there are two things which not only the worde of GOD but also common reason doth shewe vs One is that God is neuer chaunged and therefore that that thing commeth to passe by the eternal and immutable decrée of Gods counsell that thinges are often altered For God not onely decréeth those thinges whiche are of stayed nature of which forte there be very fewe but also those thinges that for the moste parte are chaunged euery houre but not without assigned rules of alteration by him For example sake the Lorde blessed the earthe which he made whiche after Adams sinne he cursed But is God changed no indéede but in the beginning only for a time he blessed that which being fulfilled he had determined to curse the same for the sin of man If any aske me whence I haue them I wil answere that I haue it from the successe For séeing God is not chaunged and that it came so to passe as I saide of necessitie it is we confesse that it was so determined with God from the beginning Also the Lorde gaue the ceremonies of the lawe to hys Churche by Moses who notwithstanding by the Apostle pronounceth afterwardes if you be circumcised Christe prosyteth you nothing But dothe the Lorde chaunge his purpose that he shoulde allowe that whiche before he disallowed no indéede For he ordained the ceremonies but for a time that is to the preaching of Christe at whose comming it was requisite that they should vanish away as darkenesse in the day spring Also he assigned Saule King ouer Israell but for a time whiche albeit he did not manifest at the beginning yet he sufficiently hathe proued it when he receiued him And togither when he decréed that he woulde reiect hym he determined the cause iustely and he would take from him his kingdome for his owne faulte all which are certainly collected by the successe And the other is this whiche common reason doth shewe vs that nothing is done which God knoweth not or against his will or he being idle for neither ignoraunce nor imbecilitie is agréeable with the nature of God nor an idle foreknowledge may be attributed to him specially in the gouernment of so excellent a worke that is to saye of Man but that for the moste part the wicked assertion of Epicures wil be confirmed That God careth not for men For it wil bée that he being ydle that is dooyng nothing he suffered Adam to be circumuented of Sathan and at laste as one awaked out of sléepe endeuoureth to giue remedy The Scripture saith muche otherwise whiche affyrmeth that al things are gonerned of God euen those that séeme moste casuall It testifyeth that the verye Sparrowes do not fall to the earthe without the heauenly fathers will and that all the haires of oure heade be numbred Sathan indéede cannot touche Iob except God sée it so good and for that cause permitte it Sathan yea the Diuells truely coulde not rage againste the swyne excepte leaue be asked of Christe whyche hée graunted not againste hys will but willinglye It resteth then wée saye that all thinges are done if God will and therefore as we sée anye thyng come to passe let vs saye that it came to passe not withoute the iust eternall and immutable decrée of GOD But if anye manne will exclame here that we enforce the Stoycall necessitie Indéede I grante with Augustine or rather with the truth it selfe that the wil of GOD is the necessitie of things but this Stoicall I deny Nor doe we binde GOD to the seconde causes as Homer bringeth in his Iupiter complayning that when he woulde resiste destinye he coulde not We I saye acknowledge no suche destiny but wée saye that there is a sure and immutable successe of all thinges whiche the Lorde hathe fréelye wisely iustlye from euerlasting determined Yet we saye that the seconde causes are not enforced of Gods decrée except when he pleaseth to bridle his ennimies but they are willingly carried to the ende determined of God. Finallye both méere naturall and voluntarie motions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of frée choice wée not onelye not take awaye but accompte them as principall amongest seconde causes that is whiche as we saide euen nowe are of theyr owne accorde enclined to that ende whereto the counsells of the moste wise frée and iuste GOD the
whose fall he did not onely foresee but would it with an eternall and secrete decree and ordeyned that he should fall which that it mighte come to passe in his time he appointed an Apple the cause of the fall The censure of the Sycophant SO they say that the second Article is the Deuils doctrine and they require of vs Caluine that we shewe them where it is written in the diuine bookes THE REFVTATION IN patchyng of thys sclaunder thou hast kept thyne inclination for thy selfe hast forged that thou brablest of Adam predestinat to damnation and of the Apple that God sette before him These I say thou hast impudentlye faygned that it shall not néede to aunswere any thing to them And how reuerently and religiously Caluine vsed to thynke and write of the fall of Adam maye appeare by these testimonies whyche I haue written out worde for worde partly of hys Institutions of Christian Religion and partly of hys Booke of eternall Predestination So dependeth the destruction of the reprobate sayeth he of the Predestination of God that the cause and matter be founde in themselues for the firste man did fall for that the Lord did so sée it expedient Why he so determined we knowe not yet it is assured that he determined no otherwayes but bycause he sawe it good that the glorye of hys owne name shoulde bée aduanced thereby Where thou hearest mention of the glory of GOD thynke there to bée iustice for it must bée iust that deserueth prayse man therefore falleth Gods prouidence so ordeyning but he falleth through his owne faulte The Lorde hadde pronounced a little before that all thyngs that hée made was very good whence therefore commeth thys wickednesse to man that he shoulde fall from hys GOD least it shoulde hée déemed to bée by creation God by hys worde approoued whatsoeuer hadde procéeded from hym therefore hys owne malice corrupted the pure nature whiche hée hadde receyued of the Lorde and by hys fall inforced all hys posteritie to destruction wyth hym wherefore we shall rather sée the apparante cause of damnation in the corrupte nature of man than séeke out the secrete and wholly incomprehensible in the predestination of God. Nor let it gréeue vs thus farre to submitte oure iudgemente to the immeasurable wisedome of God that it sayleth in manye of hys secretes for if those thynges which is not permitted or lawfull to know the ignorance is learned the shew of knowledge is a kind of madnesse These Sicophant be Caluines words which alone shall plentifullye suffice all gouerned wittes to deface thy slaunder But we will also adde these of abundance that your impudencie may more and more appeare There be sayeth he thrée things to be noted Firste the eternall predestination of God to be firme and ratified wherby he determined what should come to passe of all mankinde of euery man before Adam fell Then that Adam hymselfe for the worthinesse of his defection is inthralled to death and finally in his person being nowe desperate and a castaway that all his progeny was so damned that whome afterwards God did fréely elect he shoulde dignifie with the honor of Adoption But also a little after in the same place when saith he there is anye spéeche had of Predestination I haue euer constantly taught and thys day do teach that there they must beginne that all the reprobate whiche are cast away and damned in Adam are worthelie lefte in deathe that they perishe worthely who are by nature the children of wrath so that no man haue cause to complayne of Gods too muche seueritie séeyng that all menne carrie the guiltinesse shutte vp in themselues If we returne to the first man when he was created innocente that he fell willingly and thereby that it came to passe that by his owne faulte he broughte vppon hym and his destruction Nowe albeit that Adam fell no otherwayes than God knowying and so ordeyning hée lost both hymselfe and hys posteritie yet that maketh nothyng eyther to the deminishing of hys faulte or charging of God wyth the cryme for thys is euer to bée consydered that hée depriued hym selfe of that innocencie whyche he receyued of GOD hée voluntaryly vowed hymselfe into the bondage of sinne and Satan willingly gaue himself headlong to destruction One excuse is pretended that he could not auoyde that which was decreed of god But volumtary transgression suffiseth inough and too much to guiltinesse For the secrete counsell of God is not the proper and naturall cause of sinne but the manifest will of man The foolish complaint of Medea is of the olde Poet worthily derided Vtinam ne in nemore pelio c. She beyng taken with the surious loue of a straunger and vnknowen man betrayed hir countrey when she was in hir self guiltie of infidelitie and barbarous crueltie when the scourge of inchastitie doth afllict hir she foolishly turneth hir selfe to causes a farre off when man findeth within himself the cause of euill what auayleth it to wander that he may séeke it in heauen The faulte is manifest in that that he would sinne why doth he rushing into the passages of heauen drowne himselfe in a Labarinth Albeit that menne wandering by infinite fetches do indeuour to deceaue thēselues they shall neuer so amase themselues but they shall receyue the sense of sinne grauen in their hartes vngodlinesse therefore laboureth in vaine to deliuer man whome his owne conscience condemneth And for that God wittingly and willingly did suffer man to fall the cause may be secrete but vniuste it cannot be This is Caluines sentence of Adams fall whiche why it should displease thée thou shouldest rather haue shewed then to haue so impudently slaundred it but there be twoo things whiche you vse to pretende to the whiche I will answere apart First yée complaine as you are men very religious that by this meanes God becommeth the author of all sinnes sith by the fall of Adam all haue succéeded whose offence is to be attributed vnto him if in déede Adam fell by his ineuitable decrée Then you requyre the expresse worde of GOD whereby that doctrine may be ratified That which belonggeth to the firste thou hast heard already wherefore thys thy consequence is naughte worth God ordeyned thys therefore he is in the fault Caluine sheweth a reason out of Augustine in these words This sayth he without controuersie is to be holden that God hath euer hated sinne for indéede this prayse whereby he is glorifyed of Dauid is incident to him that he is a God that will no iniquitie but rather in ordeyning the fall of man he had a most excellent and iust end from which the very name of sinne is estraunged Although I so affirme him to haue ordeyned it as I graunt not that he was the proper author thereof doest thou héere Sycophant Caluine excellently refuting that very blotte of blasphemy whiche falsely and maliciously you obiect against him but yet these things satisfye thée not Be it
commaundements and not that onely but that they are gouerned with Gods hande and that all things are done by his power So when we beholde the course of earthly things al things to be attributed to God but the creatures are to be iudged as instruments in hys band which he will apply to the worke howsoeuer it pleaseth him The Scripture oftentimes toucheth this vniuersall prouidence that we may learne to giue glory to God in all his workes And God especially commendeth to vs this his power that we may acknowledge the same in our selues to the ende we may be ridde froÌ„ arrogancie which so soone as we forget that we be in his hande dothe vse by and by to surmount in vs To this it is that Paule sayde at Athens In him we liue moue and haue our beyng for he doth testifie vnto them that excepte he do sustayne vs with his hande for neuer so litle moment of time we can not continew seing we remayne in him and as the soule disperseth his power thorowe all the bodie dothe inforce the members that so we be quickened of God of whome we obtayne whatsoeuer strength and abilitie is in vs Yet this vniuersall working of God dothe not let but that all creatures bothe in heauen and earth may receyue their qualitie and nature and folowe their proper inclination The other way whereby God worketh in his creatures is that he compelleth them to the obedience of his goodnesse iustice and iudgement euen as be will nowe helpe his seruaunts nowe punishe the guiltie nowe trie the patience of the faythfull or chasten them with a fatherly affection So when he will bestowe aboundance of fruytes he giueth Raynes in his time sendeth warmth by his Sunne and lightsome and sayre dayes then also he vseth other naturall meanes as instruments of hys louyng kindnesse But when he dothe withdrawe his hande unto himselfe the heauen becommeth as it were brassie the earth as ironie Therefore it is he that maketh Thunders Froste Hayles and Tempestes and he causeth barraÌ„nesse Therfore whatsoeuer the Ethniques ignoraÌ„t attribute to fortune we must ascribe to the diuine prouidence not so much to that vniuersall power wherof we haue spoken but to his speciall moderation wherby he gouerneth al things as seemeth best and most to his glory And that he teacheth when he sayeth by the prophets that he createth light and darkenesse sendeth lyse death that nothing good or euil coÌ„meth but from his hand in so much that he saith that he gouerneth also lots and other things which séeme casual But if some one be casually slaine not by fore practice that he is cause of hys death and hath so appoynted least we shoulde denie any to fall by chaunce but all things by the determination of his counsell And he is vehemently offended when we thinke that any thyng roÌ„meth from other where and do not looke upon him that we may acknowledge him not onely as the principall cause of all but also as the Author determinyng by this or that meane all things by his counsell So therefore let us conclude that as wel prosperitie as aduersitie Raynes Windes Hayles Froste Brightnesse Aboundance Famine Warre and Peace are the workes of God and that the creatures whiche be inferiour causes be onely instruments whiche he hath in use to execute hys will and therfore vieth theÌ„ at hys pleasure turneth those thyngs which way soeuer it pleaseth him bringeth them to that passe that that vndoubtedly may be done whiche he hath determined There is further to be noted that he vseth not onely sencelesse creatures in thys sorte that by theÌ„ be may worke and performe his will but euen men themselues also the Diuel In so much that euen Sathan and the wicked are executers of the Diuine will. Euen as he vsed the Egyptians to afflict hys people and a litle whyle after he stirred up the Assyrians and others lyke that he mighte punish theyr offences We sée he vsed the Diuell that he might torment Saule deceyue Achab and when néede is to exercise his iudgements against al the wicked or on the otherside to proue the coÌ„stancie of his owne people wherof Iob is an example unto us Whiche things when the Libertines here rashly and vnaduisedly breakyng out nor lookyng any further they conclude that the creatures doe nothyng else So they horribly confounde all things For they confound not onely heauen with earth but God with the Diuell And that commeth so to passe bycause they obserue not twoo exceptions muche necessarie The first is that Sathan and the wicked are not so Gods instrumentes but they also play there owne partes For wée muste not so immagine that GOD worketh so by a wicked manne as by a stone or blocke but as by a reasonable creature accordyng to the qualitie of nature which he hath gyuen hym When therefore we say that God worketh by creatures that booteth not why the wicked for there parte shoulde not worke too whiche also the Scripture dothe manifestly shewe For as it pronounceth that GOD will hysse and as it were sounde with a Trumpette that hée maye brynge out the Infidelles to battell that he will barden and inflame their hartes so it ceasseth not to shewe theyr owne counsell and of what will they are and ascribeth vnto them that worke which by Gods decrée they execute The other exception wherof these vnhappie men haue no vnderstanding is this That there is great oddes betwirt the worke of God and the worke of a wicked maÌ„ sich God vseth him but insteede of an instrument The wicked is incited to his worke with his couetousnesse or ambition or enuie or crueltie and he regardeth no other end Therefore of that roote that is of the affection of minde and ende whiche he respecteth the worke taketh his qualitie and is worthely iudged cuill But God hath altogither respect of contrary things that is to witte that he may exercise his iustice to befend the good that he may vse his grace and mercie towardes the faythfull and correct those that deserue euill Sée in what sort we must discerne betwirt God and men that hence we may beholde in the selfe worke his suffice goodnesse and iudgement thence the malice of the Diuell and Infidels but let vs take an excellent and lightsome glasse wherein we may beholde these When worde was brought to Iob of so great losse of his goods of the death of his children and of so many â—uils which vefell him he acknowledged that God did vid visits him saying the Lorde hath giuen me all these things and he hath taken them And in déede so the truth was but in the meane time did be not know that the Diuell did cause this euill vpon vnderstoode he not that the Chaldées had briuen away hys heardes and cattle did he commende those robbers and théenes or did he excuse the Diuell bicause that affliction came out from God No I trowe For he vnderstood
of the Northeast or a rocke in the sea to be beaten with contrarie windes Beholde nowe gentle friende what thou mayst aunswere to them of whom thou receyuest this brabling argument Now let vs procéede to the rest The seconde Argument of the Sycophante to the thirde Slaunder They bring also many euident examples of the difference of sufferance and wil namelie out of the .20 Chapter of Ezechiel where GOD after he had in many wordes vpbraided his people bicause they would not obey his precepts at the last he concludeth thus Go serue you euerie one his dunghil God seeing that you obey not me As if he would saye this I suffer you to followe your owne luste seeing you wil not obey my preceptes REFVTATION LOE thou stumblest againe at the same stone and imaginest monsters to thy selfe whiche thou mayest withstand to the ende thou mayst be thought some other Hercules For bycause we say as the truth is that is that God neyther against his will not idlely beholdeth but willing and alwayes iustlye and wiselye decréeing mens matters doth what soeuer he doth commandeth whatsoeuer he commaundeth and suffereth whatsoeuer he suffereth bycause no outrage of the instruments can preiudice the wisedome iustice of God by any meanes therevpon thou streyght wayes gatherest that we inteÌ„d that whatsoeuer God willingly suffereth that he simply by it selfe should allow But seeing that that withmany others thou dreamest waking go too if it please thée wrastle with thine owne dreames that all men maye know that this is not oure forgery For we affirme that God neuer willeth iniquitie no not euen then when for secrete causes albeit yet for most iuste causes he letteth loose the raines of the wicked or giueth them to be Satans bondslaues That which in respect of the instruments is iniquitie in respecte of Gods iudgement neyther doth he allowe it simplye but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a sorte and therefore it is permitted which in another respect he condemneth and hateth and worthyly punisheth in the instruments for it is a iust thing before God that he punishe sinne with sinne as we haue plentifully shewed out of the worde of God and also out of Augustine a little before Therefore Sycophant albeit this place of Ezechiel were not otherwayes to be taken than thou thinkest yet it shoulde not make against vs For neither say we that Idolatry is acceptable to GOD albeit by his iuste iudgemente hée will and also bringeth to passe by Satan and what soeuer instrumentes hée will that those who haue refused the trueth shoulde embrace falsehoode and finallye might breake out into whatsoeuer filthynesse But all these good Sir belong nothing to this place And here also thou bewrayest thy passing grosse ignoraunce For neyther he that speaketh so as the Lorde doeth in thys place doeth eyther commaunde or permitte any thyng but rather with a most sharpe scoffe doeth vpbraide the falsehoode and vnthankefull mynde that if it maye be they whych are reproued may at the last with shame returne into the waye The lyke kinde of speaking the LORDE vsed when Iudas euen nowe being at hande hée sayde to his Disciples sléeping and in vayne béeing so often warned to watche and pray sléepe take your reste For indéede it is so farre off that he shoulde with this spéech persmade theÌ„ to sléepe or giue theÌ„ leaue to sléepe that contrarily he fiercely chideth and wyth a moste sharpe reprehension awaketh them with the sight of the present peril whereof he had in vaine admonished them Therefore when I weyed this thyne Argument I maruelled in good sooth that it was possible that such a rudesbie and a man so sottish shouldst vndertake to teach others The Sycophants third Argument to the thirde Slaunder This seemeth to be the same which he spake a little before in the same Chapter bycause they haue refused mine ordinaunces I haue giuen them precepts which be not good But God gaue not to the Israelits preceptes that were not good for all the preceptes of God be good But bycause they refused the good preceptes of God he left them and they being lefte of God fell headlong into euil preceptes as that prodigall sonne hauing lefte his father or rather beeing lefte of his father fell into ryote and as Paule teacheth bycause men loued not the trueth God sente them the spirite of erroure that they mighte beleeue lyes REFVTATION THAT which is reported of Balaam that is that he blessed Israel whoÌ„ he was hired to curse the same I can affirme of thée who defeÌ„dest our cause which thou hast vndertoke to withstand For what is it to sende that spirite of error â—or dost thou thinke that this sheweth no other thing thaÌ„ to accompt as one forsaken Or he that sendeth one for some certain cause either sendeth him against his wil or condemneth nothing but to what man that is not mad shalt thou euer perswade this But we wil speake of this in the refutation of the next Argument And that whiche thou triflest of the leauing of the prodigall sonne is nothing For what dost thou thinke that the sonne was forsaken of his father regarding nothing or againste his will If none of both be true surely he forsooke him willingly nor dyd he cast awaye all care of hym but would at the laste that he shoulde as they saye smell of his expences and then he thought most of him when he séemed to haue forsaken him of the which thing we wyll speake in the depelling of the the sixte Argumente Therefore this doeth not make against vs but against thée which separatest sufferaunce from wil. But thou bewraiest thy shameful ignoraunce in the explication of this place of Ezechiel For to giue precepts that be not good doth not shewe to lyue so as thou mayst runne into euill preceptes but the Lorde calleth euil preceptes trybutes burthens lawes finally whatsoeuer the conquering Chaldeis were to lay vpon the captiues As if the Lorde should say ye would not obey my most holy and iust commaundementes but for this your infidelitie I wil seuerely punish you for I wyl giue you to be ruled of others who shall enioyne you whatsoeuer most iniust harde and fylthy thyngs shall inforce you to performe them This exposition if not out of the Latyn interpreters yet truely thou mightest haue learned of the Hebrewes except thou art wonte to contemne and despise all writers But dothe not this your tradition declare that idle forsaking Verily thou shalte neuer make any beléeue this which hath neuer so superficially séene the Prophetes and this is no lesse foolishe and doltish than if thou shouldest saye that men that be malefactours conuict contemned are not of a willing magistrate deliuered to the hangman but only forsaken The Sycophants fourth Argument to the thirde slaunder The like seemeth to be that of Amos in his 4. Chapter Go to Bethell and sinne seeing that you loue to do so So at this day bicause men
straightway he sayeth But it will come to passe when the Lord hath perfected his work in mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude hearte of the King of Assur and the glorie of his high lookes whiche afterwardes the same prophete prosecuteth more largely in the thirtéenth Chapiter But lette vs also suppose the wicked themselues to vnderstande that it is the commandement of God yet that they in the execution of Gods commaundement can do nothing else but sinne For example The Magistrate giueth ouer euerye offender lawfully conuict and condemned to the Executioner The Executioner who otherwise is an enimie afflicteth that man with that same kind of torment that was appointed him but moued with hatred or couetousnesse not setting béefore him the Iudges commandement but this one thing that he maye satisfie his minde Wilte thou thinke hym innocent before the Lorde who séeth the thoughtes of the hart not rather guilty of murther yea euē of sacriledge who abuseth that sacred iudgemēt of that Magistrate to satisfy his owne luste Suche was Sathans faulte when not by the bare sufferaunce of God as thou wilte but by expresse commaundement he was sent to ver Iob and also to deceiue Achab. And it is very like that the Idumeans did no otherwise whiche are reprehended of Obadia séeing it is probable that they were not ignorant of those things which the Prophets hadde preached againste the Iewes Therefore that we may strike saile at the laste indéede thou thinkest righte that thou thinkest that the wicked are enforced by the will of God againste those whome God by them will punishe But here thou arte deceiued two waies and that with a deadly error Firste in that thou thinkest they do not sinne except it be so that they excéede measure whiche we haue proued to be false Againe bycause thou thinkest they can goe beyonde the boundes and limits which God hath set them which erroure lincked with wonderfull blasphemie it remaineth that I reproue I say therefore that the Lorde so oft as he decréeth anye thing and he firste decréeth with what punishementes he maye corect the sinnes of men is wont also to determine all things as it were with ratified and set limits of places of times and of persons Also I saye that all thinges are so firme and ratified which God hath decréed that séeing he is neuer chaunged the issue also muste néedes followe of all thinges whyche hée hath appointed and altogither suche as he hath appointed But I dispute not here of secōd causes least thou shouldest accuse me after thy maner as a defēder of Stoical destiny I dispute of those gouerned endes whyche GOD hathe decréed and determined Those endes in déede thou thinkest cannot be remoued without vnspeakeable wickednesse I thinke thou arte taken conuict of double blasphemie when thou saiest this For I graunte that if they might be auoyded that hée whyche doeth this were guiltie of sacriledge and hée séemeth guiltie of offending the diuine Maiestie but that GOD permitteth anye thing to be done againste that he hathe decréed I denye bycause hée shoulde disagrée from himselfe Againe this I deny that it is not in anye mans power to passe those endes whyche God hath sette and determined He that shall deny these I say is guiltie of sacriledge is blasphemous wicked and a madde manne For what maner of God shal we estéeme him whose sentence is not firme and ratified and whose decrée and will shoulde depende vppon seconde causes For whereas thou supposest that thou canste escape these inconueniences when thou sayest that the endes which GOD hathe prescribed cannot be passed excepte hée suffering but not willing it that is leaste his wil séeme inconstant doth euidently prone thy foolishnesse For if he suffer againste his will it followeth that some thing is dono whiche God woulde not shoulde be done Where then is his omnipotencie For if thou doest except that he woulde not it shoulde be done but that he did not lette it and therefore his omnipotencie not to be imperiled whiche coulde but woulde not oppose it selfe neither in déede shall this helpe thée but from Silla thou runnest headlong to Charibdis For so it shoulde come to passe that to suffer shoulde signifye all one thing as not to hinder as if one suffer a streame to runne headlong downe a hill whiche he can stay But if God doe not let any thing therefore he letteth it not bycause that either he woulde it should be done or of the contrarie that he would it should not be done or finally that he careth not whether that thing be done or not Choose whiche of these pleaseth thée beste If thou saye that GOD will haue that done whiche hée suffereth thou makest with vs or rather with the LORDE hymselfe who testifyeth that euen the Sparrowes fall not to the grounde wythoute the Heauenlye fathers will nor therefore is there daunger leaste thou make GOD the Authour of Sinne as wée haue plentifullye made plaine before But if thou thinkest that he suffereth something bycause hée woulde not it shoulde be done who will not thinke thée without common sense for he woulde rather forbid that than suffer it And truely common reason telleth as the onelye will of God sufficeth that anye thyng be done so also that anye thing be not done it sufficeth bycause GOD will not that it be done There remaineth a thirde that he suffer something to come to passe whiche he willeth it be either done or not done as that be careth not whether it be done or no. But who knoweth not that this doctrine is Epicurious Furthermore who I praye thée besides thée alone knoweth not that the omnipotencie of God standeth not only in this that be can do what he liste but in this also that all the power and strength of all inferioure causes dependeth of him But whence is this strength but from a willing God For neither can it be wreasted from the beginning neither procéede nor issue as out of the hands of an ydle God that inferior causes shoulde be enforced not by his but by their owne determination For I denye not but that the instruments are in déede enforced which are endeued wyth will according to their owne liking but bycause it is carried to the ende ordained of god For bycause as Augustine hathe excellently and truely written the will of God is the necessitie of things nor that Stoycall which thou falsely obiectest against vs but which taketh not awaye the voluntarie mouing of will as the same writer hath plainely manifested in his bookes entituled of the Cittie of god Therefore when thou sayste that God nilling but suffering the limits maye be passed which he hath set thou either spoilest him of his omnipotēcie or makest him light and inconstant and finally contrarie to himselfe But this thy blasphemy euen all dumb creatures do reprehēd with open mouth which haue continued so many thousād yeres in their estate they plainly confesse that
approued in all the worlde In déede I graunte it one thing to bid or commaund but another thing to permitte that this or that be done but I say that common sense doth shew to euery one that wil is ioyned with an inseparable bonde both with commaundement and with sufferaunce albeit sometimes men ouercome with necessitie or importunitie do commaunde or suffer to be done that whiche otherwayes they woulde not But for as murhe as thou requirest similitudes go too let vs declare these with examples dilated Those that performe their businesse by others it is of necessitie that they giue them authoritie to doe whatsoeuer apperteyneth to the accomplishmente of that businesse as the procuratour maye deale by commaundement But who besids thée alone did euer thinkâ— to saye that this sufferaunce was contrarie to will séeing that this whole sufferance procéedeth of méere wyll and so much the more of choyce But the maner of working is no other which the lord vseth in that doing of those things whiche are done euerye daye For firste he hathe giuen to euerye not onlye sorte but also scuerall that vniuersall power and facultie whyche thou mayest sée manifolde Then he applyeth this same power euery moment to singular particular actions eueÌ„ as by his eternall and inchangeable counsel he doth not onely foreknow and gouerne but also willeth and decreeth all things And he vseth as we said before both good and also cuill instruments whiche destruction began not from the creation but corruption but so he vseth them that if there be anys vice in the instruments this contagion come not so farre as vnto him For he rightly decréeth willeth and permitteth not onely those things which the voluntarie instruments will and doe iustly but also those whiche wicked instruments wil do wickedly as we haue plentifullye made plaine before But all these not otherwise than by the willing sufferaunce of God doe that whiche they do For what thing in heauen or in earth hathe of it selfe either this power or vse of this power whether he vse it rightly or no Therefore I professe that I cannot sée what common sense can shewe thée that sufferaunce can be separated from will or that God can suffer any thing againste his will. Yet I confesse that there is otherwise greate oddes betwixte God and men vsing the helpe and procuration of men For that we say nothing of the lewd counsells of men that which for the moste parte men do being enforced with necessity â—â—â—â—cause they cannot accomplishe their owne nor other mens matters God doeth it with moste frée will séeing otherwise he is of hymselfe Omnipotent and in himselfe altogither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient Men oft times either by feare or force or by some other meane constrained rather than prouoked do permit many things whiche they woulde not vndone But God alone decréeing with moste frée will permitteth that whiche he doeth permit Bycause Apollo in the Poets sweareth rashly by the law of an oth after a sorte he is constrained to graunte the Chariot to Phaeton perishing Yet he willing graunteth the Chariot bycause the regarde of an othe preuailed more with him than the certaine perill of his sonne Iupiter complaineth in Homer with teares bicause he coulde not when he would denuer his Saâ—pedo from present death Herode swearing rashely when he hearde the heade of Iohn Baptiste to be required and being heauie aduised with himselfe whether he had rather the maide being reiected fall into the crime of periurie or kill moste cruelly the moste innocent man not shewing cause why and at the laste not so muche I thinke for conscience which was none as moued wyth vaine glorie and ambition leaste he shoulde séeme to haue sworne vnaduisedly or in performing an othe inconstant doth not only suffer but commaundeth the heade of Iohn being cut off to be giuen the maide in hir hands as Mark very wel noteth A sicke man fearing his life giueth himselfe to the Chirurgion to be cutte yet not againste hys will yet not altogither with frée will. The same we maye thinke of the Merchaunte who in a greate tempest doth not onely suffer his marchandize to be caste ouer boorde but also he with his owne handes doeth caste them ouer Beholde thou many eramples of sufferaunce in al which yet Wil cannot be secluded from Sufferance Be it farre from vs yet to conceiue any like things of God bycause neither rashenesse nor ignoraunce nor repentaunce take place in him nor is he enthralled to any necessitie For as Augustine sayeth wel and learnedly the life of God and the foreknowledge of God we putte not vnder necessitie if we say it is of necessitie that God liue euer and know all thinges as his power is not lessened séeing he is saide not to can dye or be deceiued For thus he cannot this thing that indéede he were rather if he coulde of lesse power Yet he is rightlye called Omnipotent who cannot dye nor be deceiued For he is called Omnipotent by dwing what he will and not in suffering what he will not Therefore that I maye dispatche at once a waye to Anticyra with that thy common sense and there if thou causte hauing drunke a gallon of Helleborus learne at the laste to be wise and so to dispute of common sense that we may vnterstand thée to be indued with some sense For where thou sayest that Christe was wonte to teache diuine matters according to common sense who will euer graunte it thée excepte he be voice of all Christian religion Christe vseth I graunte familiar kinds of speaking but where didst thou euer knowe that diuine matters did agrée with oure common sense and therefore that they coulde be taught according to oure common sense Paule cryeth that the naturall man perceiueth not those things that are of God the same witnesseth that To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisedome of the fleshe is enmitie againsts God the same professeth that he teacheth that doctrine which should of the Gentiles be takeÌ„ for foolishnesse The same cryeth O Man who arte thou and O the déepth of Gods iudgementes and Christe praising Peters confession Flesh and bloude sayeth he haue not reuealed that to thée But thou on the contrary vrgest vs to coÌ„mon sense as the supreame iudge of Gods mysteries Shew vs therfore moste pregnant fellowe why the Lorde protracted the calling of the Gentiles so long howe the worde coulde become fleshe howe Christe is borne of a Virgin how he can féede vs in earth with his quickening fleshe whiche is in Heauen howe the Lorde wil whiche thou haste foolishly denyed that many should be borne to miserie that he might be glorified in them as by the example of him that was borne blinde and by Christes owne wordes we haue taughte why the calling of manye shoulde be deferred to the laste tyme of theyr lyfe Howe may it be that the greatest parte of menne shoulde heare nothyng at all of CHRIST
dissentest from thy selfe carrye flintie heartes to harden declareth not not to mollifie but to make something of harde harder Séeing this hardenesse is from the birth in vs and is enlarged vppon vs not by creation but by coruption and therefore God worthily detesteth it and euen by his insâ—e iudgement dubleth it howe is it that you feare to graunte that the hardening was the iust worke of God the punisher and auenger Verily thou canste not denye that the spirite of GOD doeth not speake otherwise For in howe many places is GOD saide to harden to blinde to shutte vppe the eares to make grosse the haâ—te to holde the hearte to tourne the harte to giue ouer into a reprobate sense to sende a strong delusion and manye like Howe often do they come in reading But of sufferaunce in these thinges there is not indéede the least mention in the sacred Bookes as muche indéede as I can call to mentorte except in one onely place where it is saide that the Lord in times paste suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes But neither this-place nor any like if it be so that thou findest anye doe any whit relieue thée séeing that in Sufferaunce is necessarilye included Will much lesse that these shoulde be repugnant betwéene themselues as we haue shewed in his place But it is labor-worth to shewe the selfe wordes of Caluine that here also thy lewdnesse may be manifested These therefore be Caluines wordes The heart of Pharao is hardened of God saith Moses In vaine here doe they flie to sufferaunce as if God maye be saide to haue done that be onely hathe suffered to be done For Moses plainly affyrmeth that that hardnesse was the worke of God These saith Caluine But thou moste lewde Sycophant writest that the whole rebellion of Pharao was by Caluines sentence ascribed to god As thoughe indéede thys thy lye cannot be conuinced by that same sclaunder which thou adioynedst by and by The ninth Sclaunder The will of God is the chiefe cause of the hardening of men THE AVNSVVERE WHome he will he hardneth sayeth the Apostle But if also thou séekest some higher thing than the will of God thou maiste in deede wander without God we rest in this bound with the Apostle Further he that saith that the will of God is the chiefe or the highest cause of the hardening of men can he ascribe to God the whole rebellion of Pharao For if it be the onelye cause why is it called the Chief If behoueth a lyar to be mind full Sycophant The Sycophants Argumentes to the eight and ninth Sclaunder In the eigth and ninth articles they aske what Moses meant when he writeth And Pharao hardened his hearte But is it so to be interpreted Pharao hardned his hearte that is God hardned Pharaos hearte That shall be much more violent than if thou shouldest say God hardened Pharaos hearte that is hee suffered Pharao in the naturall hardenesse of hys hearte bycause Pharao refused to obey hym Then they aske of that Thys daye if you will heare hys voyce harden not youre heartes But if they haue so expounded it GOD will not harden youre heartes it will be moste absurde for he should commaunde menne that whiche is Gods For if it be the Lordes to harden heartes it cannot be enioyned to menne that they shoulde either harden or not harden the heartes no more than that they shoulde adde or take awaye from their stature one cubite THE REFVTATION Indéede this is the piller and foundation of thy goodlye disputation againste Predestination whiche thou hast inserted in thy Annotations of the ninth Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes whiche howe firme it is lette us sée I praye thée therefore Good man who euer besides thée alone made blinde by the iuste indgement of God was so senselesse and madde that when the highest cause is assigned he woulde suppose the inferiors to be moued or not rather to be established Make to your selues a new hearte and a newe spirite saith the lord Wilt thou gather thereof that it is not the Lord that should giue a new harte and create a cleane spirite whiche shoulde take awaye the stony hearte and giue a heart of fleshe If thou doe these things saith Paule writing to Timothie thou shalte saue thy selfe Wilte thou gather of this that wée are not saued of God by Christe Fathers of families are saide to féede their families and he that liueth by his laboure is said to nourish himselfe also breade and meate are saide to nourish vs Doeth not therefore God féed vs yea al these as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things sette in theyr order doe very wel accorde For being coÌ„uerted of God we conuert being urged of God we do God blessing vs wée liue by our endeuor Séest thou therefore Asse that they are foolish and ridiculous whatsoeuer thou hast imagined that thou mightest discountenance the truth for neyther as he sayth is there any councell againste the Lord and so vseth the iust iudge to besotte them whiche doe not stay themselues in his worde Induration therefore is the iust worke of God who hardneth whome he pleaseth and yet not otherwise than iustly hated séeing they bée corrupt Induration is also the worke of Sathan by whome in déede the Lord worketh in the heartes of infidels as it is written The Spirite of the Lorde departed from Saule and an euill spirit sente from the Lorde dyd trouble him It is also the worke of the false Prophetes whome themselues also the Lorde seduceth by Sathan that one may inforce another into iust condemnation as it is written If a Prophet deceyued speake the worde I the Lorde haue deceyued that Prophet as also it appeared in the Magicall Egiptians and in Sedechia the false Prophet Finallie the hardning is also their work which are hardned bycause by their natiue wickednesse they being enforced by the lust of Sathan the false Prophets and their owne they do harden themselues therefore by an indoubted and inseparable coniunction they cleaue togither which thou absurdly déemedst to be contrarie in themselues But I will adde héereto the wordes of Caluine himselfe that thy lewdenesse maye the better appeare It doth not hinder sayth he that is spoken in another place that Pharao did harden his owne heart bycause we neyther ymagine that the heartes of men are enforced with outward means that they should be forcibly driuen nor do we transferre the cause of hardning vpon God as if of their owne accorde and by their proper malice being barbarous and hard harted they dyd not stirre vp themselues to wickednesse but that whych men doe wickedly the Scripture teacheth that it is not otherwise done but when God doth iustly decrée it to be as is reported in another place that all excepte the inhabitants of Gybeon opposed themselues against Israell that it was of the Lorde whiche made obstinate theyr hearts These sayth Caluine in that very place whyche thou
much therefore as this slaughter springeth from this beginning that is from God iustly inforcing the will of the théefe albeit it be euill and directing the hand and weapon of the théefe yet is neyther the inforcement euil nor the worke euill but it is counted of God iust and holye which punisheth the théefe with iust torments For God did neyther inforce the théef nor gaue him wickednesse but the will of the théefe whiche was euill alreadie hée well and iustly stirred to a good and holye worke But for as muche as this slaughter procéedeth from an other beginning that is of the will of the théefe which is so inforced not as a stone or blocke but as a wil which also it selfe is so vrged that it worketh and is so mourd that it moueth it selfe with an inward motion and that his owne thus farre I say both thys motion springing from an euil beginning is euill and endeth into an euil action that is manslaughter whiche it is so farre off that it shoulde please God that contrarilye he can not but punishe it But goe too let vs put this example also wherby this diuersitie of beginnings maye be vnderstoods Let vs suppose that thou arte a crooked Asse whom I as a Muletor shall inforce into the milne with whippes For as muche as this action procéedeth from me as from a beginning it cannot be reprehended if it be reasonable but for as much as it procéedeth from thée it is in it selfe a great fault For indéed I am to thée the cause of going but all the haultyng is of thy selfe whose begynning was in thy selfe albeit I hadde not stirred thée forwarde Wilte thou that I speake more playnely that thou mayste not complayne of darkenesse Thou arte made by nature to slaunder those things whiche thou doest not so muche as vnderstande or dissemblest that thou vnderstandest Yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poyson is not so much nature as the deprauation of nature Therfore is not his efficient but rather deficient cause to be sought for whiche indéede séeing we all féele to cleaue faste in our entrailes there is no cause why we shoulde accuse GOD in very déede as author of these things and of sinnes But for that bycause man is corrupt therefore the LORDE by hys power wherewith he gouerneth without exception and enforceth to foreordayned endes hath abasterdized from himselfe that whiche apperteyneth to hym No indéede He therfore vseth euē sinning instruments and bringeth them to an ende determyned of himselfe And that indéede so that hée doeth not sinne anye thing neyther in mouing nor directing the instrument For the action is of himselfe but the defecte is of the instrumente whiche also selfe thing by an inwarde mouing doth inforce it selfe and when it is corrupt it hath depraued motions Séeing therfore God hath made choyse especiallie of al others in these partes of thée alone by the deprauation of nature enuious and a slaunderer by whom partly hée might exercise his owne people and partly punish those who hauing despised the offered trueth of the Gospell do folowe lyes and slaunders so ofte as he séeth good hée sēsibly stirreth vp in this thy depraued nature those motions vsing both the ministery of Satan of others also thyne own lewdnes which motions afterwards by litle litle breake out into those blasphemies those contumelyes in refelling wherof we now take paynes But when in the yeares paste we reproued these things and when also we reproue them nowe what do we else but that we daylye more and more pricke thée forewarde that thou mayst procéede to siaunder and to forge blasphemies Yet be it farre away that when we say thou arte moued and inforced of God we shoulde ascribe to God any of thy sins Be it also far awai that there may worthily be layd vpon vs any blame bicause being prouoked with our wrytings Thou becomest euerye daye worse and worse for that our diligence is exercised with thy lewde speaking for that by this meane the hipocrisie of manye is dayly manifested for that by thy slaunders is stirred vp in vs a desire to knowe the truth and defend it for that the iust iudgement of God against those who haue preferred trueth before falsehoode or abused the knowledge of the Gospell is so set before vs to be séene as in a most cleare glasse in this thy strength of lying and error we acknowledge that we are bound to God for this which moueth and directeth thy lewdenesse to these vses And whereas thy deceytes are nowe espich of many whose simplicity other ways thou mightest haue deceyued for that thyne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtfulnesse is nowe hated of many for that nowe those sauage purposes whiche thou haddest taken to oppresse the truth are nowe apparaunt to all when without respect thou wouldest that heretikes shoulde be borne withall for that in some forte all men doe knowe what is thyne impudencie in peruepting the worde of God godly men also doe acknowledge that they are bounde to God for this and with a thankefull minde they acknowledge that our diligence was somewhat in that mater so far it is off that we shoulde sustaine any blame for that being offended with our writings thou rushest headlong in worse and that by thine owne faulte for there is no fault in vs for that many weake ones are offended by thée bycause the course of Gospel is hindered of thée for that thou blasphemest the name of GOD for that without cause the credite of the faithful seruaunts of God is hindered finally for that thou procurest to thy self others whō thou drawest to the destruction these finally al men ascribe to Satan with whose furies thou art driuē and to thy lewdenesse and impudencie But sée nowe Sycophant as I thinke an example sufficiently manyfest and apparaunte whereby thou mayste vnderstand that God doth so prompte the will and affections to the very wicked that al these motions for as much as they are ministred of him are both iust and honest as they appertayne to a iust and good worke For the cause of sin is in our selues but at what time and against whom it ought to breake out it is in the power of God which instilleth not a new malice but according to his infinite wisedome when and howe it pleaseth him he moueth gouerneth bendeth guydeth and finally ordereth to the aduauncement of the glory of his owne name that whiche is bred in men euen the wicked not knowing of it so much the rather determining a quite contrary counsel with themselues This is our iudgement of the preuidence of God in this argument which we handle which it remayneth that we confirme with the authoritie of the word of God and the fathers Here to we saye it appertayneth that the Lord is so often sayde in Scriptures to haue hardened burthened and helde the hartes of Pharao Sehon the Cananytes and the Egyptians and the rather turned them into the hatred of
from him who of all men shall hée moste miserable Doest thou not heare howe Paules teaching was accepted at Athens Doest thou not heare Paule crying out that the natural man conceiueth not those things which are of God What sayst thou to these goodman For indéede so the matter standeth The Lorde communicated the benefite of the Gospell with all people whome therefore the Prophet calleth vpon to aduance the glorie of god For neither wil the Lord be praised of euery one but only of the Saints as it is written O ye righteous reioyce in the Lorde it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull And in an other place God said to the vngodly man why doest thou make mention of myne ordinaunces and takest my lawes in thy mouth It is therefore necessarie that that thankesgiuing whiche is acceptable and pleasaunte to God procéede from sayth séeing that without sayth nothing can please god And fayth cōprehendeth God not such as we conceyue him by our common sense for as Iohn sayth darkenesse doth not cōprehend the light but such as he hath set forth himselfe to be beholden and loked vpon in his worde in whose hartes the day starre hath shined But séeing now by almoste infinite testimonies of both testaments wée haue so manifestlye proued that not all things vniuersally but euen euery thing is gouerned by the prouidence and eternall decrée of God euen so muche that God willeth iustlye and accomplisheth also those things iustlye whiche both Satan and men wil iniustly and performe vniustly and that no infection of the mouings or actions may reache vnto the first cause but bicause it procéedeth from the depraued beginnings of the instruments there also it remayneth finally séeing we haue manifestly shewed that there is vtterly nothing done which redoundeth not to the glorie of God in so much that euen by our lye the truth of God is aduaunced what remayneth but the thou packe hence with thy moste foolishe and false argument And that which thou pratest of a bearde and one hauing a bearde doth it not manifestly proue what mind thou broughtest to handle these secretes of God For what hath a beard or one bearded to do with the kingdom of God Yea who wil not thinke that these so foolish things are rather vttered of a childe being an infante than of a bearded man But in déede thou diddest miserably feare least thou shouldest loose the pleasant scoffe Yet I wil aunswere thée in few words least thou complain the we deride those Arguments which we can not scriously confute A beard is of a méere naturall motion sinne of a voluntarie motion and therfore corrupt bycause that wil is corrupte iudgement corrupt vnderstanding corrupt appetyte corrupt and finally whole man enbondaged to sinne Yet that thing causeth not as we haue shewed by the testimonie of Scripture alreadie set downe that the Lorde should abandon himself from the soueraigntie of his effectuall prouidence wherby it is that he no lesse iustlye rightly inclyneth bendeth and directeth euen the euil wils whether soeuer it pleaseth him than if they were not corrupte But sée thou of what iudgemente it is to compare things so dissonant as if they were vtterly like that is that which is méere naturall which is voluntarie The Sycophants seuenth Argument to the eleuenth Sclaunder If Caluin shal say that this is the secret iudgement of God and to vs vnknowen we answere that in deede there be certaine secrets of God which we knowe not but that which belongeth to iustice that is knowen to vs and manifested in the Gospel according to which reuealed Gospel as Paul teacheth not after that secret iudgement of Caluin wil God iudge the world and so it shal follow from al as wel godly as vngodly for as wel the godly as vngodly shal see that it is iust that those that haue not obeyed the trueth not secrete such as is Caluines but reuealed such as is the Gospels may bee punished those which haue obeyed may receiue reward THE REFVTATION There wants somewhat in this thy writing but it is his fault to whom thou cōmittedst thy booke to be writtē For otherwise in déede with greate trustinesse all thinges are printed out of that very coppie whiche thou sentest to Paris to be printed there by stealth But to the matter Why I pray thée makest thou mention of these things For do we saye that there is another rule of good and euill of iuste and vniuste than the lawe of God Do wée shewe another waye of saluation than the Gospell of the sonne of God so as it remaineth written Or do we saye it shall come to passe that God shall iudge the world by any other prescription than by his worde Or rather are not we the men which not only haue auouched the auctoritie of the worde of God for oure vttermoste against the Papistes but also against thy selfe thrée yeres ago when thou biddest that newe reuelations be looked for bycause the word of God such as is deliuered vs by the Prophets Apostles suffiseth not to decide the controuersies of the Churches But arte not thou the verye man whiche in thy Commentaries vppon the first Epistle to the Corinthians affyrmest that Paule hath but onely taughte vs the rudimentes of religion and that he had an other more perfect doctrine whiche he cōmmunicated with certaine his perfect Schollers Howe is it therefore that being so suddainely chaunged thou risest againste vs as if we rested not in the onely words of God Is it that thou maist shewe that thou haste repented But truelye we be the same men we were nor haue we learned at anye time to reste anye where but in the onely worde of god God shall iudge the worlde by the Gospell that is whosoeuer he shall finde embracing Christe by faith whiche indéede will appere by their fruits be wil forgiue declare them Coheires with Christe the reste being worthily condemned he shall giue ouer to be tormented in eternall flames By this will of the heauenly father I say Christe shall iudge the quicke and the deade But what madnesse is this to gather of that that al the counsels or iudgements or all the iustice and will of God are manifest to vs that is whatsoeuer he doeth is manifest vnto vs and whatsoeuer he hathe decréed of euerie one and in euerie one from euerlasting But arte not thou verie he whiche canste expresse vnto vs the reasons of all Gods counsells or also of his iustice whiche he hathe vsed both to wardes the gooly and also towardes the vngodlye from since the foundations of the worlde were laide and also hereafter shall vse doest not thou I saye knowe all these secreats of Gods eternall prouidence Yea thou wilte say I grant that there are certaine secreates of God whiche we know not but al his iustice I saye is manifest to vs But a little before thou denyedst that any wil of God was vnknowen But doe not the secreates of God
inclination the same also proceedeth of the wil of God. THE AVNSVVER WE haue sayde in no place eyther that man dothe sinne by the liking of God as then doest expounde that is so as sinne doeth please him or that sinne is committed at aduenture than the which there can be nothing spoken more filthie Those moÌ„sters be thine owne but that sinnes do procéede from the will of God as they are sinnes if it had but euen come in our minds that we should haue sayd or written we would confesse our selues worthy of all torments But what punishmente are thou worthy of whiche doest thus Sclaunder the faythfull seruaunt of God and a sette enimie to the Lyhertines But of necessitie what hath bin Augustines iudgement which indéede we willingly embrace as most agréeable to the word of God appeareth by many places sufficiently The will of God saith he is the necessitie of things And agayne So God hath created inferioure causes that that may be of them whose causes they be but is not of necessitie but the higher and remoued he hath so kept secret in himselfe that it is of necessitie to be of them that he hathe made by them that it might be But that this doth not of necessitie hinder the voluntarie motion of will the same Augustine teacheth thus We say not that all things are done by Destinie yea we say y nothing is done by Destinie bycause that wher the name of Destinie is vsed to be put of those that speake it that is that in the constitution of Starres whereby euery one is conceyued or borne bycause the thing it selfe is auouched unprofitably wée shewe to be nothing worth but we neither deny the order of causes where the wyll of God auayleth most nor doe we call it by the name of Destinie least it myght be that we vnderstand the Fatum destinie is named of Fando that is of speaking for we can not denye that it is written in the holy Scriptures God spake once for that it is sayde hée spake once it is vnderstoode irremoueably that is hée spake inchangeably so as hée inchangeably knewe all thynges whyche shoulde come to passe and whyche he himselfe is to do By thys meane therefore we maye call Fatum destinie of Fando speakyng excepte thys name is alreadie wont to be understoode in another matter whereto we will not that the heartes of men be enclined And it is no consequente that if the order of all causes be certayne to God therefore there is nothyng in the determination of oure wyll And they euen our willes are in the order of causes whyche is certayne to God and is helde in his foreknowledge bycause also mens willes are the causes of mens workes Also in the same place oure willes are auayleable so muche howe muche God woulde they shoulde be auaileable and foreknewe it and therefore whatsoeuer they can they can it truly and whatsoeuer themselues shall doe they shall vtterlie doe it bycause he foreknewe they shoulde can and doe whose foreknowledge cannot be deceyued And againe if that be defined to be necessitie according to the whiche we say it is of necessitie that something bée so or be so done I knowe not wherefore wée should feare it least it take from vs the fréedome of will. Hitherto I haue reported the wordes of Augustine and what Caluine thinketh of necessitie and casuals it playnelie appeareth by hys owne wordes For when hée hadde taughte out of the worde of God that God directeth wyth hys councels those thynges whiche séeme most casuall and had shewed that as Augustine once so also hymselfe is muche vnworthilie charged wytly the Sclaunder of Stoycall Destinie At the last hée addeth these farewell the Stoykes with their Destinie to vs let the frée will of God be gouernour of all things but that casuals be taken out of the worlde dothe séemâ— absurde I lette passe the distinctions whiche are vsed in Scholes that whiche I will bring shall be in my iudgemente simple and in no wise forced and also applyed to the benefite of life So is it of necessitie that that come to passe which God hath determined that yet it neyther be precisely nor of his owne nature necessarie I haue a familiar example in the bones of Christe The Scripture witnesseth that Christ put vpon himselfe a body vtterly like oures wherefore to graunte that he had bones that might be broken no wise man wyll doubt But there séemeth to me to be another question and that aparte whether any bone of his could be broken for it was requisite of necessitie that they all remayne whole and vnhurte bycause it was so determined by the immoueable decrée of god But I speake not so as of the customarie kindes of speaking of necessitie by his meane or absolute Also I abhorre the consequent and consecutionâ— but least any deuice séeme to annoy the readers but that euery rudesbiâ— may knowe it to be true that I say Therefore if in the bones of Christe thou consider nature they were brittle but if thou consider the decrée whiche was manifested in his time they were no more endaungered to breaking than the Angels to the miseries of men But now séeyng it standeth vs on to beholde the order of nature disposed from aboue I do in no sort reiect casualtie as it apperteyneth to our sense These saith Caluin so in déed plainâ—ie and enidently that he whiche can stagger in these may séeke a fault where none is But least thou shouldest any way complayne of our obscurenesse bycause there in scarce any slaunder whiche they haue more osuallie in mouth and which men do more impudently laye to our charge namely the ignorant than this of the necessitie of the Stoycall destiny I will at once that it bée plentifully and euidently made plaine what we thinke of these things and that not with my words but of the most learned and by manye degrées moste excellent man P. Martyre who albeit he hath not published those thinges which I am to describe that were takeÌ„ out of his lectures yet this also I truste he wil graunte to his Beza not vnwilling that his helpe being gotten it may euery where be vsed to the putting downe of a lye Thus therefore thought P. Martyre when he firste shoulde expounde in the most excellent Church at Tigurine the first booke of Samuell many very godly learned men being present approuing it The questioÌ„ is saith he whether Gods prouidence be inchangeable Why not For it is the rule of al things the are done I am the Lord saith he and am not chaunged with whome there is no change nor shadowe of alteration And in the Prouâ—â— There be many thoughts in the hearte of man but the Lords counsel standeth Esai 46. I saye the worde and my counsell abideth and I doe all things whatsoeuer I will. For séeing the prouidence is the wil and knowlege of God and these appertaine to the essence of God it cannot
faile excepte God hymselfe shoulde be chaunged In déede the seconde causes séeing they are diuers they oft times hinder themselues which we sée doth come in vse in the passages of Heauen that some be hindered of others But the will of God can be hindred by no force But once he allowed the Iewish Ceremonies afterwardes he willed them to be abandoned Howe then is not the prouidence of GOD changeable I aunswere that there is in GOD altogither one and the selfe same will but that he foresawe from euerlasting what was conuenient for diuers times Augustine sayeth to Marcellinus That the husbandman doeth at one tyme sowe and at another time mowe at an other time dung his land yet that the trade of Husbandrie is not therefore chaungeable Vinditianus saith he a certain Phisition gaue to a sicke man a potion and recouered him He after many yeres being fallen againe into the same diseaseâ— the Phisition not knowyng of it tooke the same potionâ—â— But when he selte himselfe worse he came to the phisition he shewed him the matter and began to complaine of the potion Then Vinditianus it is no maruell saith he for I gaue thée not that Here when others maruelled and thought that he had vsed to adde some magical force there is saith he no such thing he is of another age hath other humors than who I dyd firste giue him that potion But for that cause shall the Phisicke be inconstant So vtterly God albeit he foreséeth all thinges yet he hath not decréed that all thinges shall be done at one time Now let vs come to the matter it selfe if the prouidence of God be certaine may it suffer any chaunce Here first I wil vse two distinctions and then I wil answere There is one simple necessitie an other by supposition For whoÌ„ we say that there is a God that God is wise and iâ—ste we vnderstande that that is simply and absolutely necessarie Other thinges he necessarie by supposition as that which is taught in Schooles that whiche is in somuch as it is is necessarie Christe and the Prophets preach that Ierusalem shal be destroyed therefore it shall be destroyed of necessitie not bycause that necessitie is in the nature of the Cittie but bycause Christe and the Prophets haue foretolde it which coulde not be deceiued There must be heresies saith Paule And Christ saith It is necessarie that offence come For these causes being set that is the corrupt wits of menne and the diuels hatred against mankind the end being sét also that the elect shall be tryed by supposition it is necessarie that these things come Also things may be considered two wayes either as they are secreat in the causes as they stande oute in acte so they haue the reason of necessity For they are no more indeterminate as to write or not to write is casuall But if thou write alreadie it is no more casuall but of necessitie Therfore we say the knowlege of senses is certaine bycause the very things can not be are themselues otherwise But also things maye be coÌ„sidered as they are secret in their causes And for that the causes are somtimes of power somtimes not of power to bring forth effects therfore there is no necessary working force in theÌ„ But if the things theÌ„selues be referred to God there is a far other reasoÌ„ For he calleth those things whiche are not as thoughe they were For bycause he coÌ„passeth al time hath neither beginning nor ending also all things whiche shall be hereafter by time indeterminable are yet present to him Hereto also coÌ„meth the will of god For bare knowlege hath no place in him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working And by this means I say that things theÌ„selues haue the maner of necessitie August vpon Genes to the Let. in the 6. booke 15. Chap. There be many means by which man other things might be made of God those means had some possibilitie not necessitie This also is of the wil of God whose will is the necessitie of thinges And albeit such things being referred to God are of necessitie yet we are to oftéeme theÌ„ of the interior proper cause to terme theÌ„ Casualls For it is of necessitie the such as is the efficient cause such be also the effect If thou demauÌ„dest why these two kindes of causes be in the nature of things some limited necessarie some infinite and casual there can be answered no other thing than that God hathe enioyned these orders to al things And God produceth limiteth and boundeth all things yet not that hée might confound dispecse the nature of things Boetius in his Topicks sayth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destinie is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of drawing and yéelding consequentlye GOD indéede draweth all thynges but so hée after a sorte yeeldeth that he disordereth nâ—thing So albeit that thinges of their owne nature remayne indifferent vnto bothe parts yet of GOD they are more inclined into the one The will of Saule was by hys nature no more enclined to goe that to tarrye But when GOD woulde send him to Samuell he beganne to encline his will into the one parte Therefore GOD setteth before his vnderstanding the will of his father and bringeth to passe that that mighte vrge and effectuallye enforce his minde that all other desires of flouth and ydlenesse if anye were whiche mighte deceiue him shoulde faile Therefore it came to passe that the will of Saule shoulde obey the prouidence of god Yet in the meane time the nature of the thing is not violated but that the will of Saule was equallye frée to bothe partes Hence it appeareth what néede we haue of the grace of god For oure will as it is depraued in all respectes it tourneth all into the worse parte Also there be manye thinges whiche woulde dull and make blinde oure vnderstanding that will shoulde not easilye encline GOD therefore setteth before oure vnderstanding that whiche is good then be kindleth oure confidence and stirreth vppe the dulnesse that we maye will effectuallye But thou wilte say wherefore is any thing called Casuall séeing it is already decréed of God into the one parte and so is made of necessitie I aunswere euerye thing by his owne proper beginning is casuall but the prouidence whyche bryngeth necessitie is a forraine cause from whiche the name shoulde not be gyuen to thinges I knowe there be many that determine those thynges whiche cannot thereto be brought of God by mans strength that our wil can either choose or refuse that there the prouideÌ„ce of God doth stay neyther procéedeth further and when God fore sawe what euery one would choose and what refuse that his foreknowledge is nothing hindered But these do not sufficiently accorde with Diuine Scriptures For they teach that God doth not so prouide for things that he may leaue them but as we haue sayde that he maye bring them to their determinate endes
predestinat to life from euerlasting whome he pleased yet he saueth them not except iustifyed in Christ otherwise he should be vniust So also he predestinate to death froÌ„ euerlasting whome he would yet he dothe not abandon them to desruction except corrupt in Adam to whiche corruption also come the other frutes of contumacie and corruption For God ordeyned to destruction but to iust destruction and therefore albeit he ordeyned not to destruction for corruption and that frutes thereof but bycause he so saw it good whose will albeit secret yet it is alwayes iust yet he damneth not except for corruption and the frutes of corruption for that he hathe submitted these causes to the execution of his eternall purpose What is therefore thine ignorance what madnesse Sclaunderer when thou mingless damnation with the purpose of reiecting and in some place settest damnation before the purpose of reiecting that is the end before the beginning and art thou not ashamed to dispute of things vnknowen and whiche thou vnderstandest not Finallie whereas thou sayest it is gathered out of our doctrine that God inforceth men to sinne what doth it bewray but that thine incredible impudencie That men sinne of necessitie vntill they be deliuered from the bondage of sinne we fréelie professe out of the word of god But necessitie signifyeth none other thing to thée than enforcement So shall it be that bycause all dye of necessitie thou mayst also say that all are enforced to dye when yet Christ willingly offered hymselfe selfe to death and manye Martyrs at this day doe willingly dye for Chryste What more The Deuill also in thée shall not willingly be wicked nor willingly shall sinne but enforced and by constreynt He that speaketh thus Sclaunderer may he séeme to haue but euen a very little of that common sense to whose order and rule thou desirest that we trie the wisedome of God and yet darest thou dispute of the nature of the true and false God but how aptly thou doest it go too let vs consider The nature of the false God by the false supposition of the Sclaunderer I False God is flowe to mercie and swift to wrath whiche created the greatest part of the world to destruction and predestinat them not only to damnation but to the cause of damnation therefore he hath decréede from euerlasting and he will and causeth that they sinne of necessitie so that no theftes nor adulteries nor murthers are committed except by his wil and enforcement for he ministreth vnto them wicked and vnhonest affertions not only by sufferance but effectually and he hardneth them so that wheÌ„ they liue wickedly they do Gods worke rather than their owne and they can not otherwise do He causeth Sathan to be a lyer so that not now Sathan but Caluine God is father of lyes as he which often carieth one thing in his mind and another thing in his mouth The nature of the true God after the opinion of the Sclaunderer BUt that God whom nature and reason and Scriptures teach is flat contrarie to him for he is readye to forgiue and slow to wrath whiche created man from whome all men procéeded to his â—wne likenesse like to himselfe that he might place him in Paradise and enrich him with eternall life This God wil that all men bee saued nor that any perish therfore he sent his sonne into the earthe whose righteousnesse hathe superabounded wheresoeuer sinne hathe abounded the brighteneâ—â—e of whose righteousnesse dothe lighten all men that come into this world and cryeth Come to me all yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you This ministreth good and honest affections and deliuereth men from the necessitie of sinne into the whiche they hadde cast themselues headlong by disobedience and he healeth euery griefe and disease amongst the people in so much that he nâ—uer denyed to any maÌ„ a benefite that asked if But this God is come to destroy the workes of that Caluinian God and cast him out at the dores But these two Gods as they are betwéene themselues by nature contrarie so also they beget children contrarie among themselues that is he vnmercifull proude sauage disdeynefull blouâ—ie sclaunderers counterfayte bearing one thing in theyr heart another in their mind impatient malicious seditious contentious ambitious couetous louers of pleasures more than of God finallie full of all lewde and vnhonest affections whiche their father dothe minister to them But the other God begetteth mercifull men modest milde wel willing doers of good workes lothing crueltie playne speaking the truth from the abundance of the heart patient louing quiet peacemakers lothing chidings and contentions despisers of honoure liberall louing God more than pleasures finallie full of all honest affections whyche theyr Father dothe minister to them THE REFVTATION WHO is thy God and the God of thy faction we shal sée héereafter For first I will resell your Sclanders and then I will sette before you in his coulours youre I doll We haue not said in any place that God is slow to forgiue and swift to wrath whiche continuallie sée the contrarie both in our selues and also in the most bitter enimies of the Church as we haue taught largely in the refutation of the third and also of the tenth Argumente to the first Sclaunder That God hath created the greatest part of the world to perdition how it is to be taken and what is your falsehode in that matter we haue expounded in the suppressing of the same first Sclander Whereas thou addest that God hathe predestinate whome hée woulde not only to damnation but to the causes of damnation We in déede with Paule acknowledge it to hée true whiche maketh mention of vessels made to destruction but that he in déede is iust bycause he ordeyned by the same decrée iust causes leading to destruction Yea also if God should not haue created one man to saluation who art thou that therefore thou shouldest call him cruell séeing all are borne in Adam the children of wrath And whereas thou adioynest that God by our doctrine hath decréed from euerlasting both the will and the déede that finne might be committed of necessitie it is a forgerie as almost in euerie side of lease we haue shewed except thou addest that sinnes in that they are sinnes procéede not from God but from SathaÌ„ and the lewde will of man as the very naturall causes of sinne and for as much as they are eyther the punishmentes of sinne or exercises of the rightuous they are iustly and holyly ordesned of god It is like that thou addest that offences are committed by the will and inforcemente of God séeyng we testifie euery where that iniquitie can not please God which he punisheth with iust tormentes but that the motions also of the wicked are gouerned by the iuse Prouidence of God the forgerie therefore of ministring wicked affections is whollie thine owne as we haue prooued in his place For God also iustlie moueth the hearts of the wicked that
by wickedly resisting the will of God they may doe the iust will of God whereby if commeth to passe that God albeit he execute his worke by them yet he iustly punishe them as disobediente and Rebels God maketh not Sathan a lyer nor is he the father of lyes but he iustly vseth euen as it pleaseth him the Deuil albeit a lyer and father of lyes both to exercise his and to scourge the wicked And he that hath sayde that God beareth one thing in hearte and another in mouth let him be accurssed Yet we denye that the Lorde dothe make knowen all his councels but so farre onely as it is méete as hathe appeared in the ciuill warre taken in hande againste the Beniamites But also we distinguishe those things whiche the Lord saith for tryall reprouing and threatning sake of those things whych he simply commaundeth to be done all which bycause thou vnderstandest not therefore thou patchest false consequents togither and doest verily snare thy selfe whyle thou wouldest intangle vs. But go to nowe let vs beholde thine Idoll and firste what maner of God I pray thée hadst thou determined to paynt out vnto vs forsooth such a one as nature and reason do teach But we owe all idolatrie to this thy nature and reason as Paule witnesseth and that disputing not of euerie one but of the wysest of all men The same cryeth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the wisedome of the fleshe is nothing else but the hatered of God that they are passing wicked whyche are not conceyued in the couenant that the worlde hath not knowen God by wisedome that the Gospell is a stumbling blocke to the Iewes to the Gentiles foolishnesse that the naturall man perceyueth not those things whyche are of God that we are not apte so muche as to thinke anye good Christe euerye where damneth oure blindâ—â—esse beating into vs regeneration and the denyall of oure selues Finallie euen they with whome God talked most familiarlie doe crye that the heygth and profoundnesse of God is infinite and that hys wayes are past findyng out What shall we more The Philosophers do fréely confesse themselues when they come to God to hée blynde But thou contrarilie requirest no other maysters to obteyne the knowledge of God than nature and reason whyche verilie when thou doest thou doest euen sâ— as if thou shouldest commit the iudgemente of couloures to none other but to blynde men Thou addest yet in the thyrde place the holy Scriptures whereof forsooth nature and reason shoulde bée holpen as also long agoe thy Pelagius sayde But I aske howe if can be that thou shouldest couple lyghte wyth darkenesse as if wée shoulde not rather become fooles than bée able to tast the wisedome of god For Christ sayth These thyngs thou hast hydde from the wise and reuealed them to babes And reasoning of the Scribes and Pharises who were gréeued wyth thys same disease If yée were blynde saith hée that is if you dyd perceyue youre selues to bée blynde in déede you shoulde sée Doest thou sée Sclaunderer what bée the principles of thy Diuinitie But goe too lette vs heare in what Schole thou hast learned and wyth what couloures of darkenesse thou canst paynte out the lighte Thou sayest therefore that God is swift to forgiue and slows to wrath In déede thou gessest truely séeyng thou hast drawen these out of the worde of God and reason maye easilie séeme to admitte it bycause hée séemeth not to terrifye hir But it wyll also appeare by and by that thou peruertest thys truth of God when wée come to the dispensation of hys mercie Thou addest therefore that God created the man from whome all menne sprong after hys owne similitude lyke to hymselfe that hée myghte place hym in Paradise and enriche hym wyth an happye lyfe That thou alleadgest of the creation of Man I graunte and nature and reason myghte after a sorte dyrecte thée for it willinglye suffereth it selfe to bée praysed and aduaunced But in the ende of man I dissente from thée when especiallye thou considerest not Adam as some singular vndeuided thyng but as the shewe of man bycause all menne shoulde bée comprchended in hym And that I maye lette passe that foolishe dreame of Paradise whyche the vanitie of nature and thy mynde hathe taughte thée and we haue refuted in hys place but whence indéede didst thou learne so to iudge of Gods purpose to make man for thou shalte fynde no suche thyng in the sacred Scriptures but thou shalte synde this that God created all things for hys owne glorye euen the wicked agaynste the daye of euill Therefore thy reason and thyne vnderstandyng hathe taughte thée thys lye for sayest thou otherwyse God shoulde bée cruell and worse than any Wolfe if he shoulde haue created anye to myserie What if I shoulde denye that he were cruell whyche for iust causes determineth any thyng albeit it be harde and bitter so that the sharpenesse excéede not the rule of iustice Wilte thou denye thys I thynke not What it I shoulde adde that the wyll of God is the rule of iustice not the contraric thou wilte condescende to it I thynke Howe is it therefore that when the holy Scriptures doe witnesse that God created all thynges for his owne glorie euen the wicked againste the day of euill thou contrarilie supposest that God created all in Adam to the ende that he mighte enriche them with an happy life was it for that thou knowest not with what causes God being moued should worthilie ordeyne them to miserie that are not yet borne forsooth reason dothe tel thée this but most foolishly for thou takest that which is most sottish and vtterly repugnant to the very nature of God that is that God knoweth no reason of his counsels so oft as men can not comprehend it But how much better shouldest thou haue done if thou hadst caused nature and reason to kéepe themselues within their bonds and to haue drawen their reynes so ofte as they durst kicke against the holy Ghost But farther also let vs sée how that vayne reason of man doth dispatch it selfe for not euen that same whyche a little before enforceth vs to iudge otherwise of the ende of man than the worde of God may suffer iudge if to be most foolish that that should not be lawfull to God the Creator in creating whatsoeuer things whiche all men graunt to the Potter in making his vessels for trulie God dothe farre more excéede his Angels than the Potter his Clay But I also demaunde this of thée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most reasonable creature doth God séeme to thée always like himselfe omnipoÌ„teÌ„t I thinke he doth how is it then the thou admittest that ordinance which once being set he can neither be always like himselfe nor almighty For if he created all men with that purpose that he mighte sane all why dothe he not sane them is it bycause hée wyll not nowe sane those whome he made in the beginning Then he