to repentance offereth light of saluatioÌ„ to all so that God refuseth none except such as vtterly refuse light or such as haue bene partakers of gods grace and do forsaik the couenant of the Lord. for besides the euident testimonies of the scriptures the common experience froÌ„ the begiÌ„ning doeth witnes that God in that maner hath not illuminated euery man for how many do perish in their mothers bellies how many sodenly die before their reason can iudge of good and euill how many are depriued of natural reason vnderstanding Yea how many remaine wylde brutishe liuiÌ„g like beastes and eating one another how many do continewe all their life without any other knowledge of God theÌ„ the visible creatures of God do teach them which I think ye will not affirme to be sufficieÌ„t illuminatioÌ„ to prouoke them to repentance or to atteine to life I pray you what light had Esau refused when God pronounced this sentence the elder shal serue the yonger vpoÌ„ the which the Apostle as before we haue declared doeth conclude that yer the children had donne either good or badde the one was loued the other was hated That God doeth nothing without a iust cause most willingly we coÌ„fesse But that there is no iustice in God to the groud whereof your blind reason doeth not pearse we constantly deny And therfor we must nedes affirme that to seke an other cause of gods workes then his holy will is more theÌ„ impietie for the causes be knowen to his wisedom alone why some he hath chosen to life euerlasting in Christe Iesus his SoÌ„ne and why that others are left in perdition the cause may be secrete as Augustine speaketh but vniust can it not be because it procedeth from gods will which is the perfecte rule of al iustice and equitie If that ye crye till that the mountaines resound againe the obstinat iniquitie of the reprobate will not be reformed and â—hat is he cause of their induration in fewe and sobre wordes we aÌ„swere That in maÌ„ there is no wickednes which God may not reforme if so be his godlie wil and good pleasure Albeit of these your wordes God may haue mercie when he will on whome he will and that besides his couenante some suspition may arise that greatly you do not esteme that inestimable benefite granted vnto vs in Christe Iesus his onely SoÌ„ne yet will I so fauorably interprete your wordes as I can If ye vnderstand that such as this day be ignorant of God ennemies to his trueth persecuters of his saintes may sodenly or after this be called to the trew knowledge of y t communioÌ„ which is betwext God and man by Christ Iesus I do fully agre with you for so was Abraham so was Paule and so were the Gentiles who long did liue without trew knowledge of God and without as touching their owne apprehension the assurance of his couenant and league But if you vnderstaÌ„d that God can or will receaue to mercie at any time such as he hath not elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus his Sonne before all times we vtterly abhorre that error as a pestilence most perniciouse Now to that which foloweth ADVERSARIE That place of the booke of â—he kinges The Lord commandeth Semei to curse Dauid I vnderstaÌ„d so forasmuch as God is the author of all goodnes â–ª aÌ„d of no euill he gaue not a wicked mynd to Semei But willing to exercisâ— his seruant Dauid vnder the crâ—sse and finâ—ing Semei a naughtie and euill mynded man specially towards Dauid he gaue him the bridell which being left of God he by the intisement of the deuill which was alredie in his heart did curse Dauid â–ª and Dauid being gouerned by the spirite of God did paciciently suffer the wicked to curse him hâ—ping that God wolde turne his cursing into blessing â–ª for this did Dauid knowe that without the permission and suffering of God Semei coulde no more curse him then Balaam might curse the Israelites it foloweth not therfor that God did effectually mâ—ue Semei to do the wicked dede but onely sâ—ffered 〈◊〉 yet if ye will seke to the litterall sense of this place and aâ—â—â—rm that Gâ—d did effectually command Semei to curse Dauid then I must go this way to work with you all that the Lord commandeth is iust if 〈◊〉 be iust to â—â—mmand to curse It is iust to obey to curse for the righâ—â—ousnes of the dede is knowen by the righteousnes of the commandemeÌ„t as it is uniust to obey an vniust coÌ„mandemeÌ„t so is it iust to obey a iust coÌ„mandemeÌ„t wherefor Semei obeing the coÌ„mandement of God which is iust did iustly you wil say thaâ— Semei did not obedienâ—ly thaâ— is to obey God but of an euill mynd cursed Dauid I answer you after your ownâ— saying that this was also the wâ—ll of God that Semei should haue an euill mynd and not to please God cursed Dauid â–ª for you say that God gaue him an euill mynd to curse Dauid wherfor in thaâ— he of a disobedient mynd cursed Dauid he was obedient to God and aâ— we haue said to obey God it is iust I pray you then why commandeth Dauid his sone Salomon to punishe Semei for this iust acte they which feare â—hey hore frost saieâ—h Iob the snowe shall fall vpon them likwies so long as you stick to your error when you think to auoyd one danger you shall fall into a greater ANSWER You do euer decline from the principall scope and so mak ye a fals conclusion for we do not deny but God finding in Semei at that time a wicked mynd towardes Dauid did lowse the bridle to his corrupted affections but in two things do you and we differre The first is that whether he found any wickednes in him which his godly power might not haue remoued if so he had determined to haue donne from the beginning And secondarily if so he gaue him the bridle that he might not haue impeded the sâ—me if such had bene his godly will and therefore where you affirme that God did effectually moue Semei to that wicked dede if you vnderstand that in so farre as the dede was wicked the Spirit of God I meane the holy Gost did not moue him therunto I subscribe with you for so outrageously to curse Dauid in the day of his great calamitie he was moued by that venime which loÌ„g had lurked in his breast and by the instigatioÌ„ of the deuill But if thereupon you conclude as that you seme to do by your manifest wordes that God did nothiÌ„g elles but onely suffer him Because I say that such ydle permissioÌ„ can neither agre with gods power nor with his iustice we must nedes affirme that when God giueth ouer the wicked into a lewd aÌ„d reprobate mynde that theÌ„ as iustly he punisheth sinne by sinne so doeth he more theÌ„ onely suffer There is more required that a fact be iust aÌ„d iustly and obediently
â–ª this notwihstanding I say we vse not boldly to pronounce whether of the nobres shal be the greater but w t all sobrietie we exhorte the people coÌ„mitted to our charge not to folowe y â— multitude to iniquitie For if they do there is no multitude that can preuale against God And so to vs in this behalf ye are greatly iniurious But yet in y e secoÌ„d parte your malice is more manifest for ye burdeÌ„ vs that we should affirme that the end of the creation of the reprobate was none other but their eternall perditioÌ„ From which calumnie master Caluin clearly purgeth vs in these wordes All oght to know saieth he that which Salomon saieth y t God hath created all for him self aÌ„d the wicked also to the euill day CoÌ„sider aÌ„d mark that we instructed by the holie Gost do first affirme that the cause and end why the reprobate were created neither was nor is not their onlie perdition as ye burden vs but that the glorie of God must nedes appere and shyne in all his workes And secondarely we teach that their perdition doeth so depend vpon gods predestinatioÌ„ that the iust cause and mater of their perditioÌ„ is found within them selues and that albeit the decre and couÌ„sel of God be incomprehensible to mens vnderstaÌ„ding yet neuertheles it is most iust and most holie And thus haue I so plainely and in so few wordes as conueniently I could expound in what pointes ye are malicious liers what ye haue added of hatred to our wordes and what ye suppresse that the equitie of our cause should not appere to men God grant you if his good pleasure be with greater modestie to write and with more humilitie to reason in those hieghe mysteries which far surmount the reatch of mannes capacitie But now I procede to the preface of your confutation which thus beginneth THE ADVERSARIE The confutation of the first error To proue this true they can bring furth no plane testimonie of the worde For there is no such saieÌ„g in the holie scripture that God hath reprobate man afore the world But the senteÌ„ces which they alledge be far set and forged coÌ„trarie to the meaning of the holie Gost as God willing it shal planely appere And where scripture will not serue they patch their tale with vnreasonable reasons for theire hole intention is contrarie to true reason ANSWER In verie dede if all were true w c ye haue heaped vp in your vniust accusation I for my parte wold not ashame to confesse that more were affirmed then plane scriptures do teach but your additioÌ„s which before we haue touched being remoued and that added which of malice ye haue omitted I hope that our propositioÌ„ shal be so plane and simple that the reasonable man if he be godlie shall neither lacke good reason nor plane scriptures to confirm the same Albeit that ye are bold to affirme that we haue neither scripture nor good reason and that our whole inteÌ„tion is contrarie to true reason But now let vs forme our own propositioÌ„s God in his eternall and immutable counsels hath once appointed and decreed whom he wold take to saluatioÌ„ aÌ„d whoÌ„ also he wold leaue in ruyne aÌ„d perditioÌ„ Those whome he elected to saluation he receaueth of fre mercie without all respect had to their own merites or dignitie but of vndeserued loue gaue theÌ„ to his onelie son to be his inheritaÌ„ce aÌ„d theÌ„ in tyme he calleth of purpose who as his shepe obey his voice aÌ„d so do they attein to y â— ioy of that kingdom which was prepared for them before the foundations of the world wer laide But to those whom he hath decreed to leaue in perdition is so shut vp the entrie of life that either they are left continually corrupted in their blindnes orels if grace be offered by them it is oppugned and obstinatly refused or if it seme to be receaued that abideth but for a tyme onely aÌ„d so they returne to their blindnes aÌ„d croked nature aÌ„d infidelitie agane in which finally they iustly perishe Becaus the hole coÌ„trouersie standeth in this whether God hath chose any to lief euerlastiÌ„g before the begiÌ„niÌ„g of al tymes leuiÌ„g others in their iust perditioÌ„ or not my purpose is first by plane scriptures to proue the affirmatiue and after in weying the same aÌ„d other scriptures that by Gods grace shal be adduced so planely as I caÌ„ to shew vnto you what horrible absurditie ineuitably foloweth vpon your error in which ye affirme that God hath chosen no man more one then an other â–ª that either your blindnes remoued ye may turne with all humilitie to the eternall soÌ„ne of the eternall God against whom you arm your selues orels that your damnation may be the more so dayne and iust for your refusall of the plaine light offered That God hath chosen before the foundation of the world witnesseth the Apostle saing Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christe who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenlie things by Christe as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world was laid that we should be holie and without blame before him by loue Here the Apostle in expresse wordes affirmeth that God hath chosen a certeiÌ„ nombre for he speaketh not to the hole world as you either ignorantly orels maliciously do after alledge but to his beloued congregation of Ephesus who with all obedience had receaued the word of lief offered and with great pacience had continewed in the same euen after the departure of their Apostle from them yea after his boÌ„des and impresonnement Such I say doeth the Apostle affirme that God hath chosen and that before the foundatioÌ„s of the world were laid So that we haue Gods election before all beginning planely proued Here might I bring furth many places but I hauing respect to breuitie stand content with this one place That this he hath done once in his eternall and immutable couÌ„sell without respect to be had to our merites or workes which you alledge to be causes of Gods election witnesseth the same Apostle proceding as foloweth who haeth prâ—destinat vs that he should adoptat vs in children by Iesus Christe according to the good pleasure of his will that the glorie of his grace by the which he hath made vs deare by that beloued may be praised In whom we haue redemption and by his blood remission of sinne according to his aboundant grace of the which he hath plentifully poured vpon vs all wisdom and prudence opening to vs the secrete of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him self to the dispeÌ„sation of the fulnes of tymes summarely to restore all things by Christe bothe those that be in the heauens and those that be in the earth by whom we are chosen in a portion or lott predestinate according to the purpose of him by whose power are all thinges made according to the
euidently declared in Isaakes two sonnes being yet in their mothers boson â–ª before they had done either good or bad as the Apostle affirmeth It was said by the voice of God the elder shall serue the younger By which voice of God reueled did Isaak aÌ„d Rebecca plainely vnderstand what was the cause of the battell which the mother felt in her bosom aÌ„d wombe to witt that because from her wombe were two peoples and nations to procede which could not be of equall honour and dignitie For the one had he determined in his eternall counsell to elect for his peculiar people the other to reiect and to leaue them in the common corruption as the other nations as the sequel in processe of tyme did euidently declare For the Edomites discending of Esau were cut of from the bodie of the church and became manifest enemies to the posteritie of Iacob becaus that their father was subiect to Iacob and pronounced to be his seruant Such as vnderstand this place of corporall seruice and worldlie riches or dignitie onely do nothing els but shew their own ignoraÌ„ce corrupting the meaning of the holie Gost. For sainct Paul in the 9. chapter to the Romains after that he hath affirmed that the promes and â—lection of God were sure albeit that many of the carnall sede had refused Christe preached he bringeth in this former sentence to remoue all sclaÌ„der Saing All are not sonnes because they are the sede of Abraham that is those that be y e soÌ„nes of the fleshe are not therefor the soÌ„nes of God but those that be the sonnes of promes are accompted for sede And so to proue that which before he had affirmed to witt hat all were not Israelites that came of Israel he added these wordes Not onely this but also wheÌ„ Rebecca had coÌ„ceiued of one our father Isaak while the children were not borne while they had neither done good nor cuill that the purpose of God shoulde by de according to electioÌ„ not of workes but of the caller it was said to her The elder shall serue the younger Such as be not more then blind may easely perceiue that the Apole looketh to an other end then to worldlie dignitie For his purpose was not in that place to dispute and reason who should be riche in this world and who should be poore who should be lordes temporall and who shoulâ— be seruants but his purpose and mâ—nd was to declare tâ— whom did that benediction promised vnto Abraham appertein and to whom it did not apperteine So that the holie Gost speaking by sainct Paule is a commentarie of the wordes spokeÌ„ to Rebecca And I doubt not but so she did vnderstaÌ„d them To witt that y t promes which appered to haue ben common with all the sede of Isaak of whom it was spoken In Isaak shall thy sede be called was now restreined and made proper to one head and to the people discending of him that is to Iacob who after obteined the name of Israel So that bothe the peoples neither were reputed neither yet in very dede were the Church aÌ„d chosen people of God but the one was chosen and the other was refused The one by grace and of the caller was honored with the name and priuiledge of his churche The other was cast owt as strangers vpon the one remained the benediction of the which the other was depriued In this maner I say did bothe Isaak Rebecca yea Iacob and Esau in proces of tyme vnderstand this oracle of God But yet becaus this former place of the Apostle is by many euill vnderstand and by som maliciously wrested from the simple meaning of the holie Gost in as few and plain wordes as I can I purpose to declare how aptly and properly the Apostle vseth the testimonie and wordes of Moises Christ beiÌ„g preached to the iewes who were reputed the chosen people of God to whom and for whose comfort and deliuerance the Messiah was especially promised The most part of the iewes remained vnfaithfull refused the Sauiour who was sent blasphemed him and cruelly did persecute him and his meÌ„bres This could not be withoute a greate offeÌ„se aÌ„d sclaÌ„der to many thousandes bothe of the Iewes and gentiles The Iewes puffed vp with pride because they were the peculiare people because to them were giuen the law promesses aÌ„d oracles did brag and boast that God could not reiect theÌ„ except â—hat he should be found a lier For to Abraham and to his sede had he made a promes And the geÌ„tiles might be troubled with the like cogitations for they might think if God shall refuse his own people which so many yeares he tenderly had norished what stabilitie can we loke for thogh we should receyue this Christ preached Against bothe these sortes of men most valiaÌ„tâ—y fighteth the Apostle and most aptly alledgeth the scriptures to the confutatipn of the one and comfort of the other First against the Iew he reasoneth that albeit they be Israelites after the flesh yet it may be y t they be not the verey israelites of God neither yet is God endebâ—ed vnto theÌ„ thogh they be discended of Abraham The reason is that God made no promes to the hole sede of Abraham but to a parte of it to Isaak And if they should say but we are of Isaak he granting that doeth neuertheles proue that God doeth not choose y e hole sede of Isaak but in the mothers woÌ„be as said is by his own decre he made the differeÌ„ce And if further they should replie ô but we are of Iacob he then commeth to the proof of his first proposition affirming that albeit they were of Iacob yet did it not thereof folow that they were all the elect people of God for what prerogatiue wold he say can Iacob haue aboue his father Isaak or what can Isaak haue aboue Abraham Abraham who many yeres faithfully obeyed God could not obtein that all his posteritie no not Ismael for whom he prayed should be reconed to be his sede Neither could Isaak obtein the same but God appointed and did chose whom it pleased him And shall Iacob haue greater prerogatiue theÌ„ had they bothe shall he that of grace was preferred to his brother when neither the one had done good neither the other had done euill giue that priuiledge to all his posteritie that without exception they shal be the chosen people of God No will the Apostle conclude but God noâ— after the reuelation of his dear Sonne Christ Iesus doeth make the same difference in the posteritie of â—acob that somtymes he made in the sede of Abraham aÌ„d Isaak That is he chooseth whom it pleaseth him aÌ„d reiecteth also such as in whom he hath no pleasure aÌ„d that not onely amongest the Iewes but also amongest the gentiles and that to make the riches of his glorie knoweÌ„ towardes y e vessels of mercie which he had prepared vnto glorie whoÌ„ he hath called euen
what difference there is betwext the cause and the effect Election in which I include the fre grace and fauor of God is the fountaine frome which springeth faith and faith is the mother of all good workes But what foolishnes were it therefor to reason My workes are the cause of my faith and my faith is the cause of my election Thus gently I put you in mynd with greater reuereÌ„ce and circuÌ„spection to interpret aÌ„d applie the sacred word of God Thus ye procede THE ADVERSARIE Their fourth argument Hath not the potter power ouer the clay euen of the same lompe to make one vessel vnto honor aÌ„d an other vnto diâ—honor of this they inferre that God hath ordeined and made som to saluation and som to destruction and damnation But for the more perfect vnderstanding of this place afore thow go any further reade the xviii chapter of leremie and thowsâ—alt perceaue this to be the meaniÌ„g As the Potter hath the clay in his hand so hath God all men in his power and as the potter breaketh the vessell wherin is found an incurable faulte so God destroieth the man in whom there is found obstinate wickednes which can not be amended It is not the meaning of this place that God without any iust cause doeth make any man to destruction for as the Potter maketh no vessel to breake yet not withstanding he may but he will not lose both his clay and his labor but onely breaketh such as will not frame to be good notwithstaÌ„ding he made them to be good As euerie good artificer wold his work were good so God created no man to lose him but onely loseth them which will not be good whom he created to be good as the Lord saieth I planted the a noble vyne aÌ„â— a good roote whose sede is all faithfull how art thow then turned into bitter vnfrutefull and strange grapes God wold all men were good and that all men should be saued forasmuch as he is good himself and all that he maketh is good But as the Potter maketh of the same clay som vessels to serue at the table som in the kitchen or in the priuey so God hath som men to be in the bodie of Christ as eies eares and hands as Princes Prophetes Apostles som to be as fete and other secrete partes as laborers and other of the inferior sorte for whom he hath not besâ—towed so many and so excellent gyftes yet musâ—t thow vnderstand that it is not all one thing to be made to be broken and to be made to vnhonestvses Euerie vessel which is eâ—ill is broken whether it be made to honest or dishonest vses yea thogh it were made of gold And as it appereth plainely in Ieremie where the Lord saieth so thogh Conias the son of Ioacim King of Iâ—da were the signet of my right hand yet will I pluk him of aÌ„d therafter this maÌ„ Conias â—halbe lyke an image robbed and torne in peces hath a maÌ„ any thiâ—g appointed for a more honest vse theâ— his signet yet seest thow that if it becom noght it shall be broken distroied Againe euerie good vessell whether it be made to honest or diâ—honest vses it is kept and not broken Asâ—e the Potter and he shall answer the ihat he will be lothe to break any vessell but if any chance to be naught he sheweth his power in breaking of it Ask the husbond man and he shall answere the that he planted no frute tre to be barren but if it chance to be barren he cutteth it doune and plaÌ„teth an other in stede of it Ask the Magistrate aÌ„d be shall answer the that it is not his will to kill any of his subiectes for he wold that they were all good but if any becom a theif and murtherer he sheweth his power eueÌ„ ouer him in killing him Euen so saieth God I will not the death of the sinner but rather that he conuerte and liue I will not that any man be euill and therefor I forbyd all euil but if any man contrarie to my commandement and will of his own fre chose and mynd refufe the good which he might haue accepted and doeth the euill which he might haue left vndone then do I shewe my power ouer him in that I caâ—t him away like the shardes of a naughtie Pott which serueâ—h to no good vse ANSWER Why for the more perfect vnderstanding of Paules mynd any man should rather read the wordes of Ieremie writreÌ„ in the xviii chapter of his prophecie then the wordes written in xlviii chapter of the Prophete Isaiah I se no iust cause for plaine it is that the Prophete Ieremiâ— in that place hath no respect to gods eternall Election he disputeth not why God hath appointed in his eternall couÌ„sell â—om to lief and some to death but reteineth him self within the limites and boundes of the mater which theâ— he intreated Which was to assure the Iewes that God wold eieâ—â— them from that same land which to Abraham he had promised and had giuen to his posteritie and yet wold he preserue theâ— to be a people such as he thoght good This doctrin was strange and to many incredible for it appereth to repugne to gods promes who had pronouÌ„ced that to Abrahaâ— aÌ„d his sede he wold giue y t laÌ„d for euer Much trooble ad coÌ„tradiction as may be sene did y e Prophet suffer for the teaching and affirming this former doctrine And therefor it pleased the mercie and wisdom of God by dyuers meanes to strengthen and confirme him in the same AmoÌ„gest w c this was one V t coÌ„manding hiÌ„ to go downe to a potters house he promised to speak w t him there That is to giue vnto hiÌ„ further knowledge and reuelatioÌ„ of his will who when he cam found the potter as is writeÌ„ making a clay pott vpon his roteâ— and turning whele which Pot in his presence did break but the Potter immediatly gathering vp the Pot sherdes did fashion and for me it a new and made it a nother vessell euen as best pleased him And theÌ„ came the worde of y e Lord vpoÌ„ y e Prophete saing may I not do vnto you ô house of Israel euen as this Potter doeth Behold ye are in my hand ô house of Israelâ— euen â—as the clay â—is in the hand of the Potter By which fact sene and wordes after heard was the Prophet more confirmed in that which before he had taught To witt that God for iust causes wold destroy ad break downe the estate and policie of that common welthe and yet neuertheles wold repair and build it vp againe to such an estate as best pleased his wisdome as the sequele did declare for that great multitude corrupt with sin he hrak downe dispersing and scattering them amongest diuerse nations and yet after he did collect gather them togither and so made them a people of whome the head of all iustice Christ Iesus did spring But what hath
whether ye will be worde or writiÌ„g y â— I haue hieghly offended in calliÌ„g you detestable liers But if ye be neuer able to shew any such wordes vsed by vs as plane it is ye be not theÌ„ yo r master Castalio aÌ„d you bothe are far from y t perfectioÌ„ to speake no more bitterly w t ye preteÌ„d For ye are manifest liers aÌ„d whose soÌ„nes they are called you can not be ignoraÌ„t accusing meÌ„ of that they neuer meÌ„t For thus formeth Castalio his first fals accusacion against Master Caluin God hath created to perdition the most part of the world by the naked bare and pure pleasure of his own wil. And this same ye affirme in mo wordes more impudently patched â–ª so bothe you and he do adde to our wordes of your own malicious mynd These sentences God hath created the most parte of the world which is an innumerable multitude to perdicion onely becaus it so pleased him you steall from our wordes and suppresse that which euer we ioyne wheÌ„ we make mention of gods predestination to witt that he hath created all thiÌ„ges for his own glorie That albeit the cause of gods will be incoÌ„prehensible secret and hid froÌ„ vs wheÌ„ of y â— same masse he ordeyned som vesselles to honor aÌ„d soÌ„ to destructioÌ„ yet it is moste iust most holie aÌ„d most to be reuerenced Now to y â— further declaratioÌ„ aswel of o r mynd as of your shameles malice I shall recite som sÌ„eteÌ„ces of master CaluiÌ„ as doth that godlie and learned maÌ„ Theodorus Beze against the craftie surmyse of your master Castalio I say faieth Iohn Caluin with Augustin that of God they were created whom without doute he fore knew to go to perdition and that was so done becaus so he wold Why he wold it apperteineth not to vs to inquire who caÌ„ not comprehend it neither yet is it conuenient that the will of God shall discend and come downe to be decided by vs. Of the which so oft as mention is made vnder the name of it is the supreme and most hie rule of iustice nominated And further we affirme that which the scripture clearly sheweth to wit that God did once by his eternall and immutable counsel appoint whom somty me he should take to saluation and also whom he should condemne to destruction We affirm those whom he iudgeth worthie of participation of saluation to be adoptate and chosen of his free mercie for no respect of their own dignitie but whom he giueth to condemnation to the same he shuteth vp the entres to life by his incomprehensible iudgement But yet by that iudgemeÌ„t that neither can not may be reproued And in another worke If we be not ashamed saieth he of the Gospell it behoueth vs to confes that which therin is manifestly taught that is that God of his aeternall good pleasure whose cause dependeth vpon none other hath destinate to saluation whom it pleased him the rest being reiected And whom he hath honored with his free adoption those he illuminateth by his Spirit that they may receaue the life offered in Christ Others by their own will so remaning vnfaithfull that being destitute of the light of faith they continue in darknes Also that which sainct Augustine writeth So is the will of God the hieghest rule of iustice that what so euer he will in so far as he willeth it it is to be holden iust Therefor when the questioÌ„ is why did God so It is to be answered Because so he wold But if thow procede asking why he wold thow sekest a thiÌ„g greater and more hie then Gods wil which can not be founde And after saieth he We must euer returne to the pleasure of his will the cause whereof is hidde within him self But to make this mater more euident I will adduce one or two places mo and so put end to this your forged accusacion for this tyme. In his book which he wriâ—â—th of the eternal predestination of God thus he saieth Albeit that God before the derection of Adam had determined for causes hid to vs what he was to do yet in scriptures we read nothing to be condemned or him except sinne And so it resteth that he had iust causes but hid from vs in reiecting a part of men for he hateth nor damneth nothing in man but that which is contrarie to his iustice Also writing vpon Isaie the 23. chap. vpon these wordes The Lord of hoostes hath decreed to prophane the pryde of all the noble ones c â–ª he saieth let vs learn of this place that the prouidence of God is to be considered of vs that to him we may giue the glorie and praise of his omnipotecie for the wisdom and the iustice of God are to be ioyned with his power Therefore as the scriptures teach vs that God by his wisdom doth this or that so do they teach vs a certen end why he doth this or that for the imagination of the absolute power of God which the scholemen haue inuented is an execrable blasphemie for it is as much as they should say that God were a tyrant that appointed things to be done not according to equitie but according to his inordinat appetite With such blasphemies be the scholes replenished neither yet differ they from the Ethnicks who did affirme that God iested or did sporte in the maters of men But we are taught in the schole of Christe that the iustice of God shyneth in his workes what so euer they be y t the mouthes of all men may be stopped and glorie may be geuen to him alone And therefor the Prophet rehearseth iust causes of this destruction meaning of the destruction of Tyrus that we shall not thinke that God doth any thing without reason Those of Tyre were ambitious proude auaricious lecherous dissolute What is he so simple which may not now consider and vnderstand what was your malice and deuiâ—ish intenion â–ª in patching vp this your first accusation not the zeale of gods glorie as you falsly pretend but the hatred which ye haue conceaued against them who haue soght your saluation For if ye had ment any thing simply ye should not haue added that which ye be neuer able to shew in our writinges neither yet can ye laufully proue that we haue spoken the same in reasoning with any of you We so taught by the scriptures with reuereÌ„ce do affirme that God for iust causes albeit vnknoweÌ„ aÌ„d hid to vs hath reiected a parte of men But you making no mention of any cause affirme that we holde that he hath created the most part of the world which is innumerable to no other end but to perdiction in which shameles lie your malice paâ—â—eth measure For neither do we rashly define the nomber of the one nor of the other howbeit the scripture in dyuers places affirmeth Christes â—â—ocke to be the little flocke the nomber to be few that findeth the way that leadeth to life
originall spring I think no man will so holde nor affirme euen so it is in this mater for faith and a godlie life that ensueth our vocation are the fruites proceding from oure election but are not to the causes of the same And therefor the Apostle to beat downe all pryde asketh what hast thow ◠mā which thow hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued it why gloriest thow as thogh thow hadst not receaued it The Apostle in that place speaketh not of one or two graces but what so euer is necessarie to saluation that he affirmeth to be receaued and that of fre grace as he yet more plainely doeth witnes sayeng Of grace are ye saued by faith and that not of your selues it is y e gift of God ād not of works lest any should glorie Now if man hath nothing but that which he receaueth of grace of fre gift of fauour and mercie what odious pryde and horrible vnthankfulnes is this that man shall imagine that for his faith and for his workes God did electe and predestinate him to that dignitie euen as if two or thre beggers chosen from the nomber of many were of the liberall mercie of a Prince promoted to honour should after brag and boast that their good seruice was the cause that the Prīce did choose them Shuld not euerie wise man mocke their vanitie yea might not the Prince iustly depriue them for their arrogant vnthankfulnes Might not the Prince haue left them in their wretched estate And what then shoulde haue become of their seruice Is it not euē so with mā lost in Adam whose fall in gods prescience and purpose was before his creation of which masse or lompe God of his owne fre grace did choose ād predestinate vessels of his mercie prepared vnto glorie that they should be holie as before is said shall these thē that finde mercie to worke good wordes boast as thogh workes were the cause thereof God forbyd For if the posteritie of Abraham did not obteine the inheritāce of the land of Canaan for any iustice that was in them yea if God did not choose them neither to the temporall nor eternal felicitie but of loue and fre grace onely as Moises doth witnes how shall we thinke that the Eternall inheritāce or gods election to the ioy and life euerlasting dependeth vpon any qualite within vs. Wonder it is that the Apostle sainct Paul intreating this mater of gods fre election was ignorant of this cause if it be sufficient For by that meanes in few wordes he might haue put silence to many dogges which then as men do now barked against this doctrine For if he had said God hath chosen afore all tymes to the participatiō of life a certein nomber because he foresaw that they should be faithfull obedient to his commandemēts and holie in cōuersation and vpon the other parte he hath reiected and reprobate others because he foresaw that they should be vnfaithfull disobediēt and vnclean of life this I say if those causes had been sufficient had ben a sensible maner of doctrine But the Apostle alledgeth no such reason but first beateth doune the pryde of man as before we haue touched and there after brusteth furth in this exclamation O the hieght of the riches of the wisdō and knowledge of God how incōprehensible are his iudgements and how vnsear cheable are his wayes This exclamatiō I say had bene vaine if either workes or faith foresene had bene the cause of gods electiō S. Augustin doeth mock the sharpe sight of mē that in his daies begā to se more depely then did y e holie Gost speaking in y e Apostle And we fear not to affirme that the men w c this day do attribute electiō or predestination to any vertue or qualitie within man do holde defend to their greate dāger that which none inducd with the Spirite of God hath left to vs written within the holie scriptures either yet that any of the chosē shal cōfes in their greatest gloric Let the hole Scriptures be red and diligently marcked and no sentence rightly vnderstand shal be founde that affirmeth God to haue chosen vs in respect of our workes or because he fore sawe that we should be faithfull holie and just But to the contrarie many places shall we finde yea euē so many as intreat of that mater that plainely affirme that we that we are frely chosen accordīg to the purpose of his good will ād that in Christ Iesus And what shall be the confession of the hole bodie assembled when they shall receaue the promissed glorie is expressed in these wordes of the 24 elders who casting their crownes before him that sitteth vpon the throne do say Worthy art thow o Lord ād our God to take honour and glorie and power For thow hast created all things and by thy will they are and were created And after they fall before the lambe ād sing a new song saying Worthie art thow to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thow wast killed and hast redemed vs to God by thy bloode and hast made vs to our God kings ād priestes ād we shall reigne vpon the earth No mention is here made of any worthines of man the creation is geuē to God and that all thinges are in that perfecte state which thē the chosen shall possesse is attributed to his will The death of the lambe is assigned to be the cause of the redemption yea of that great dignitie to which they are promoted I am fully persuaded that if any cause of gods electiō and of the fruite proceding of the same were or could be in mā that the holie Gost who is authour of all iustice wold not haue defrauded man of any thing which of right did appertein vnto him But seing that in no place the holie Gost doeth attribute any parte of mannes saluation to his owne merites or worthines I fear not to affirme that this pestilēt opinion is the instigation of sathan laboring by all meanes to obscure the glorie of Christ Iesus and to retein man in bōdage whom he infected with that first venom which he made hī to drink Saing ye shal be as gods Thus far with such plain simplicite as it pleased God to minister vnto me for the tyme haue proued y t gods electiō is Eternal y t it is stable y t he hath made a difference betwext one sort of mē and an other w c differēce althogh it came to know ledge of mā in time yet was it in gods purpose ād counsel before all tyme no les thē his creatiō was And last y t gods electiō depēdeth neither vpō o r workes nor vpō our faith but procedeth frō his Eternal wisdō mercie ād goodnes ād therefor is it īmutable ād cōstāt Now shortly will I go throughe if God permi me y e reasons of yo r booke Nothing vpō y e one parte y e imperfectiōs of y
The first argument of them which abuse gods holie predestination is easely soluted their argument is this where so euer there is election ther is also reprobation of the same sorte But God elected som men afore the foundations of the world Ergo he reprobated som other men afore the world The first part of this argument is false That wher so euer there is election there is also reprobatioÌ„ of the same sorte for gods election afore the world hath no respect vnto his coÌ„trarie reprobation afore the world Yea there is no such word nor phrase in the hole scripture but gods election afore the world is generall to all men as his calling is generall without respect of persons This is all redie sufficiently proued yet som of you do grant gods calling to be generall but not his election And in this ye accuse God of hypocrisie you wold make him a dissembler lyke vnto your selues which often times with your mouth do offer and promes that which ye mind neuer to perfourme But God is faithfull which is willing to perfourme all that he promiseth euen to them that refuseth him And thogh they attein not the promes because of their vnbeleue yet all the tyme of their calling be they in the generall election as those whom the king called to the mariage Notwitstanding they came not yet were they chosen to be partakers of the mariage and the seruant to whom the master forgaue all his debtes was chosen notwithstanding he atteined not that wherunto he was chosen but became a reprobate abusing the goodnes of his master God is no hypocrite which calleth men owtwardly and forgeueth debtes onely with the mowth but eueÌ„ from the hearte willing to giue salâ—ation to all them to whom he offereth it And the cause why such do perish is their obstinatnes to gods grace and as the Lord saieth their stifneck which hath an yron vaine and their browes of brasse which dispyse the goodnes of God they became cast awayes Becaus as saint Iohn saieth they loue darknes better then light And as Esdras saieth thei kept not that which was soweÌ„ in them whereof we may gather that they becom reprobates because they rather refuse the grace offered and grafted in them then that they are refâ—sed NotwithstaÌ„ding both may be conueniently spoken for because they haue forsaken me I will also forsake them saieth the Lord. And agane saieth the holie Gost. Cometh not this vnto the because thow hast forsaken the Lord thy God further that this is vntrew where so euer there is election ther is also reprobation of the same kynd it may be easelie proued by the inconuenieÌ„ce which cometh therof Christ is the elect and chosen of God As then Behold this may seruant vpon whoÌ„ I lean my elect in whom my soule is pacified And in an other place Thow art my witnes saieth the lord and my seruant whom I haue chosen and wile you say therefor that there be mo Christes which be reprobate for ether this saying where so euer there is election there is also reprobation of the same kynd is false orels there must be mo Christes That were much lyke to the saing of a Iew which when he had talked with a faithfull man verie much concerning the temporall and worldlie dominion and honour of Messias the christian proued by the prophecie of Daniel aÌ„d also by the prophecie of Isaiah that Messias should be euill entreated euen of the Iewes and put to death as an offender Here the Iew being driuen to a narrow shift rather then he wold applie and confesse the trueth he rather confessed that there should com two Messias of whom the one should be dispysed and the other magnified And if ye be so mynded that rather then ye will departe from your error ye had leuer confesse mo Christes of which som be chosen and the others reprobate Surelie then I think it is no faithful mans duetie to reason with you ANSWERE Easie it is in dede to solute those argumeÌ„tes w c in our names ye falsly forge either by adding such patches as in our writings caÌ„ neuer be fouÌ„d orels by so peruerting our mindes yea and the minde of the holie Gost that if possible it were ye wold obscure the brightnes of the son aÌ„d take frome creatures the benefitt of the same to the end that in your darknes ye might still remaine And therefor â— can not but complain of your deuilish malice which causeth you to peruerte aÌ„d writhe wordes well spokeÌ„ and reasons godly and substancially made Shew if ye can in any of our writings that we affirm that where so euer there is election there is also reprobation of the same sorte Shew that clause I say of the same sorte and I will confesse that ye haue red more then I haue done of that mater which neuertheles I hardly can beleue But to the end that the simple reader may vnderstaÌ„d how we do reason of election and reprobation by the contrarie effectes I will adduce not our reasons lately inuented but twentie yeres ago committed vnto writing by that notable instrument of God Iohn Caluin who thus speaketh wonder it is saieth he that Chrisostom did not call to mynd that it is the election of God w c maketh difference betwext men We feare not to grante that which S. Paule in greate coÌ„stancie doeth affirm To witt that all together are wicked and giuen to malice but with him we adde That by the mercie of God it cometh to passe thaâ— we abyde not in wickednes Therefor seiÌ„g that naturally we all labor w t a like sicknes These onely receiue health and amend to whom it hath pleased the Lord to put to his curing hand others whom by his iust iudgement he passeth by do languishe in their corruptioÌ„ till they be consumed Neither yet from any where els doeth it com that som continue to the end and others fall in to the curse which was begonne for because that persuerance it self is the gift of God which is not commonly giuen to al but he frely giueth it to whom it pleaseth him If the cause of the difference be soght why som constantly continue and why others fall away by instabilitie none other cause may be assigned but that the eternall God susteineth and streÌ„gthneth the one sort by his own power that they perishe not and vnto the others he giueth not the strength that they may be documeÌ„tes and witnes of maÌ„s incoÌ„staÌ„cie c. Thus vse we to reason by y e diuersitie w c we sein meÌ„ y t one sort are elect and others are reprobate and not as ye ymagin vs to do We say that nature hath made vs equall as concerning corruption and yet we se great diuersitie amoÌ„gest men We ask what is y e cause of this If ye answere education w c som Philosophers do that will be prouen fals as before I haue declared if ye say mans fre will
we procede demanding who giueth the good will if ye alledge man him self the scripture proueth you liers saing it is God that worketh the will and the perfourmance if God be granted as he can not be denied to be the onely author of all goodnes then ask we why giueth he the good will to the one and not to the other If ye answer becaus the one receaueth grace and the other doeth refuse it ye haue said nothing to the purpose for we still demaÌ„d if God may not if so it pleased his eternall wisdom frame and forme the will of the one to as great obedience as the will of the other fret and fume as ye list this ye caÌ„ not denie except that ye will be blasphemous deniers of his omnipotent power Now of this manifest diuersitie which we se in mankinde we conclude that God hath aswell his elect whom of mercie he calleth by faith iustifieth and by his holie Spirit sanctifieth and in knowledge of him self and of his Sonne Iesus preserueth to the end and so in the end shall he glorifie them as also that he hath his reprobate whom for iust causes he leaueth to them selues to laÌ„gwish in their corruption to passe from iniquitie to iniquitie till that they com to perdition as they that are prepared vessels of wraith If this ye be not able to conuince I send you to fight with your own shadow for our reasons do stand as I haue shortly rehearsed which you be neuer able to moue Trew it is that Iohn Caluin thus writeth Inter electos reprobos mutua est relatio That is betwext the elect and the reprobrate saieth he there is a mutuall relation that is the one hath a contrarie respect to the other so that the election of the which the Apostle speaketh caÌ„ not staÌ„d except we should grante that God hath set apart one sort of men whom it pleased him from an other sorte You heare no meÌ„tion in these wordes of your patch Ther is reprobation of the same sorte which I know either ye orels your Master Castalio forged Becaus ye wold not forgett your merie tale of your Iew ye boldly denie that gods election hath respect to his contrarie reprobation But when ye should come to the plaine demoÌ„stration thereof ye are compelled to flie to this shift There is no such word or phrase in the scripture if such a reason should be made before a reasonable man I think it iustly might be reiected for if this be a good reason Election hath no respect to his contrarie reprobation because the wordes nor phrase are not in the scripture then is this reason good also Lot sinned not committing incest with his daughters for in the hole scriptures there is neither such worde nor phrase that in plaine wordes affirmeth that Lot sinned commiting incest with his daughters Consider the vanitie of your reasons and be ashamed Ye can not denie but this word Election is redde in the scriptures And so oft I say can ye not denie except that willingly ye will corrupt the mind of the holie Gost but that it hath respect to his contrarie reprobation as by the phrases which ye impudently denie to be in the scripâ—ures is most euident As when Paul saieth hath God then reiected or refused his people God forbyd God hath not refused his people whom he knew before And so alledgeing the like to haue bene in the daies of Helias he saieth euen so in this tyme there were a residue or a few nomber left according to the electioÌ„ of grace that is according to the fre election and not accordiÌ„g vnto workes And after he saieth that which Israel seketh it hath not atteined vnto but the election hath atteined vnto it but the rest were blinded whether that this phrase doeth not plainely proue that election in this place hath respect to his contrary reprobation let the indifferent reader iudge The election saieth saint Paule hath atteined vnderstanding the illumination which God did promise but the rest were bliÌ„ded If ye will not suffer that this blinded rest whom God iustly had reiected shall be called reprobat studie ye for a more geÌ„tle worde for we must vse such as the holie Gost hath taught vs. But yet one phrase or two mo I shall haue mercie saieth God to Moses vpon whom I will haue mercie And Paul feareth not to adde his contrarie saing and whom he will he maketh hard hearted And agane what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen hath suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath made redie to damnation and that he might declare the riches of his glorie on the vessels of mercie which he had prepared vnto glorie If mercy lief the vessels of mercie and glorie haue contrarie respect to seueritie to destruction to the vessels of wraith and of dishonor then can it not be denied but that election from the which all these former graces flow to the elect hath contrarie respect to reprobation I omitte the rest of the phrases which be common in scripture and make plaine difference betwext the elect and reprobat because before I haue noted diuerse and after must be compelled to repete the same How sufficieÌ„tly ye haue proued your generall speciall and most speciall election let the readers iudge by that which is answered to your eight vnreasonable reason aÌ„d to your 13. vanitie That impudent blasphemie which maliciously ye lay to our charge shall God without spedie repentance sodenly reuenge vpon your own heades blasphemous mouth I write to thee whose corrupt maners frâ—indly aÌ„d secretly I haue rebuked but whose malice I now know Canst thow not be vnthankfull vnto man except that also thow powre furth thy vennom against gods Maiestie Impudent lier which of vs hath promised vnto the or vnto any of thy pestilent sect that which he hath not perfourmed Examin thy conscience and denie if thow canst but more hath bene perfourmed vnto the then euer was promised yea euen when thow diddest deserue to haue bene abhorred of all honest men and yet without fear or shame doest thow accuse vs that we should accuse God of hypocrisie and that we wold make him a dissembler like vnto our selues The Lord for his great Names saik either purge thy heart or sodenlie represse that vennome in the and in that pestileÌ„â— sect to his own glorie and to the coÌ„fort of his Church Repent repent I say orels shortly shal thow fele what it is to contristate and make â—orowfull the Spirit of God be the instruments in whom he worketh neuer so weak If of euerie Parable aÌ„d similitude ye will coÌ„clude as largely as ye do here to wit y t because in a Parable it is said that a kinge called many to the mariage Ergò God elected all by his generall election Then it shall folow that all lords and masters shall alow and praise their stewardes and seruants that deceaue
them for so is affirmed in a parable that one lord did to his steward If we shall rather beleue Christ Iesus then you then we shall thus conclude Many are called but few chosen wonder it is that ye can not se the difference betwext these wordes The king called many and God chose all I am ashamed of your ignorance Of gods coÌ„stant fidelitie of his promises of the causes why y e reprobate are more aÌ„d more blynded we haue before somwhat spoken and after will haue occasion to repete the same When ye wold be sene most craftie and subtill then appereth most your ignoraÌ„ce and vanitie To proue an absurditie in our doctrine thus ye reason If where so euer election be there is also reprobation of the same kynd this last patch I say is your malicious addition but let it stand for a testimonie of your vntrueth if then say you Christ be the elect and chosen of God as the scriptures affirme him to be then must it nedes folowe that there be mo Christes of whome â—ome must be reprobate and thereupon ye bring in your foolishe tale of your Iew. First I answer you according to your merie disposition which I perceaue did titill you in writing this part That if ye can make no difference betwext election and elect then I wold ye were commited agane to som quick and sharpe Pedagoge who with sharp roddes wold let you fele what difference there is betwext Agentem Patientem Assuredly your vnreuereÌ„t iesting in these secrete mysteries of our redemption and these scoffing tantes in malice casten out against the eternall Sonne of God and his vndoubted veritie deserue none other answer but yet partly to let your ignorance appere and partly for the instructioÌ„ of the simple I will prepare my self to answer with greater modestie then your malice deserueth I haue said before that this patch vpon the which ye gather your absurditie is none of our doctrine for we haue neither written nor yet taught that where so euer is election there must also reprobation be of the same kynd but simply we say that election hath respect to his contrarie reprobation But to grant you somwhat and not to hold you so streit let it be that so we had written what should rightly thereof folowe that there must be mo Christes of whoÌ„ som must be reprobate say you becaus that Christ is called the elect of God I answer in this your argument ye vse two fallaces that is fals and deceatfull apperances of a trueth which are but manifest lies The former you change the termes putting elect and reprobate in the minor and in the conclusion where we put election and reprobation in the Maior which is not lawfull in a good argument for where we say as ye affirme where so euer is Election there must also reprobation be ye infer Christ is the elect of God Ergo there must be mo Christes of whom som must be reprobate Who seeth not here the changing of the termes Let your argument procede in order and coâ—clude what ye list Where so euer is electioÌ„ there must also be reprobation And add if ye list of the same kynd but Christ is election thus must you procede if that ye kepe the forme of a good argument Proue your Minor and conclude what ye please Thus doeth your vaine and foolishe sophistrie compell me to trouble the simple with the termes of the artes which most vnwillingly I do The seconde fallaâ— and deceat lieth in the ambiguitie and doubtfull vnderstanding of this patch which ye craftelie forge of the same kynd for if we had so spoken or written yet is our vnderstanding far other then you imagine That is we applie not these wordes of the same kynd to the particularitie of persons and of euerie especiall man that is elect but to the hole masse as by saint Paule we are taught To make the mater more sensible I will lay my self for exeÌ„pell for I will not nor dare not so â—rreuereÌ„tly iest w t the maiestie of my God and of his dear son Christ Iesus as ye do You reason against vs as that we did vnderstand your addition of the same kynd of euerie particulare person a part as thus I Iohn knoxe do constantly beleue that as of mercie and fre grace it hath pleased the goodnes of my God in tyme to call me to his knowledge aÌ„d so to remoue my blyndnes and vnbeliefe that in a part I se his fatherlie loue towardes me in Christ Iesus his Sonne so do I most certenlie beleue that in the same Christ Iesus of fre grace he did elect and choose me to lief euerlasting before the fouÌ„dation of the world was laid Ergo by your vnderstanding I must also beleue that there is another Iohn knoxe of the same kynd hauing the same substance with the same qualiteis proprieties and conditions that I haue that was reprobated and so must be damned Who seeth not here your vanitie yea your most malicious cauilation who labor to impute vpon vs that which did neuer enter into our heartes We with all reuereÌ„ce and feare beleue and teach that God of one masse that is of Adam hath prepared som vessels of mercie honour and glorie and som he hath prepared to wrathe and destruction To the vessels of his mercie in his eternall counsell before all tymes he did appoint a head to reule and giue lief to his elect that is Christ Iesus our Lord whom he wold in tyme to be made like vnto his brethren in all thinges sinne except Who in respect of his humaine nature is called his seruante the iust sede of Dauid and the elect in whom his soule is well compleased Because as I haue said he is appointed onely head to giue lief to the bodie without whom there is neither electioÌ„ saluatioÌ„ nor lief to man nor to Angell And so in respect of his humanitie froÌ„ the w c he in no wies can be seperated he is called y e elect CoÌ„clude now if you caÌ„ there must be mo Christes of whoÌ„ soÌ„ must be reprobate I will make a more sure and more trew conclusion then you do which is this God of one masse hath elected some men to lief in Christ Iesus Ergò there was left of the saâ—me masse an other sort vnder an other head the deuil who is the father of lies and of all such as continue in blasphemie against God Gather now what absurdities ye caâ— THE ADVERSARIE An other argument gather they furth of gods prescience but I will first borow an argument of them concerning the prescience of God And then God willing I shall answere to theirs Paul saieth Those which God knew before he also ordeined them before that they should be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the first begotten Sonne among many bretheren but God knew all men before Ergo be ordeined all men before that they should
to passe of necessitie for as God doeth foresee that men will do 〈◊〉 so doeth he also foresee that they may leaue the euill vndone and as God foreseeth that men will not do well so he foreseeth that they be not compelled thereto but might do well if they list As for example Christ could and might haue obteined more then twelue legions of Angels and yet God did know that he should not obtein them also God did know that Christ should not pray for twelue legions of Angels and yet he might haue praied as he saieth him self Of this it is manifest that notwithstanding the for knowledge of God things may com to passe otherwiese then they do Wherefor it foloweth that Gods foreknowledge causeth no necessitie Pilate had power to crucifie Christ or to let him go which Christ denied not but rather affirmed it saing he had that power srome aboue aÌ„d althogh Pilate did not delyuer Christ notwithstanding he might haue done it Ananias solde his possession and yet he might haue not sold it he broght a parte of the price thereof to the Apostles which he might haue reteined to him as Peter witnesseth that the price therof was in his own power Many such other exemples may I bring furth whereby it should appere manifest that notwithstanding the fore knowledge of God things be done which might not be done and things be not done which might be done ANSWERE Albeit that ye be so blinded that ye can put no difference betwext the foreknowledge will and power of God which all are perfect in him self as is his eternall God head and the foreknowledge will and power of man or creatures which he imperfect and weak by reason of maÌ„nes corruption yet I doubt nâ—t but that all reasonable men shall sodanly espie your vanitie who dare be so bold as to affirme that because your knowledge was not the cause that Paul was a persecutor that therefor the foreknowledge of God his eternal purpose couÌ„sell and will w c we neuer seperate did no more in that mater then did your bare knowledge by the same reason ye may conclude â— t God wroght no more w t Paule in preaching to the Gentiles theÌ„ did your knowledge for y e reasoÌ„ is a lik stroÌ„g But he him self will not be so vnâ—hankfull but will confesse that from his mothers wombe he set him a parte and called him by his grace to the end that he might reuele his Sonne Christ Iesus by him for the which he vnfeanedly thanked the goodnes of God who made him strong in Christ Iesus to be faithfull in that office and ministerie I am not ignoraÌ„t that other waies doeth God worke in the heartes of his elect the work of their saluation and other waies in the reprobaâ—e for in the heartes of his elect effectually and by the power of his spirit doeth he so worke in them the motions that be aggreable to his holie commandments that they striue and contend against their natural corruption but iustly leauing the reprobate to them selues and to sathaÌ„ their father they willingly folow without all violence or compulsion of gods parte iniquitie and sinne and so finally the way of perdition to the which â—hey naturally are inclyned But yet if any will affirme that therefor gods fore knowledge doeth but Idly behold that they will do and that in his eternall purpose counsell and will he will one thing aÌ„d they will an other so that their will preuale against his he shall not escap the cryme of horrible blasphemy as before I haue said aÌ„d here after also must more largely entreat Of your knowledge what shall com in Iulie aÌ„d of your libertie to write I onely answer this that albeit God did not compell you to write for there to your wicked will was beÌ„t yet becaus he foreknew and also hath fore spoken that of necessitie it was that heresies should com that the elect might be tried it was not altogither against his will that ye should manifest your self aÌ„d that we should patiently suffer your vniust accusations Your wrastling and wrangling with the wordes of our master Christ Iesus to Peter is so far from the purpose of the holie Gost that I am partly ashamed in your behalf Doeth Christ in that place absolutely affirme that either he might pray for xii legions of Angells either yet that his Father wold or might giue them to him then to deliuer him or doeth he not rather by this interrogation Beleuest thow not that I may pray my Father rebuke the bold and foolish interprise of Peter who rashly pretended to defende by his sworde him whome the Father had giueÌ„ into the haÌ„des of his ennemies of determined purpose to die for our sinnes and so did he coÌ„clude contrarie to your mynd to witt that impossible it was that either he should pray for any Angels to delyuer him at that tyme either â—et that his Father should send any for that purpose for becaus it was other waies determined in his eternall and immutable counsell as 〈◊〉 plaine wordes he witnesseth saing But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled in which it is fore spoken that so it behoueth to be In the wordes of Pilate and in Christes answer ye shew the like ignorance as before for there vpon ye conclude what Pilate might haue done and yet did not the same where as the purpose of Christe Iesus was to reproue the proode arrogancie of the vaine man who did vsurpe to him self authoritie rendring vnto God neither honor nor glorie but boasting him self of his power he thoght all thinges lawfull which it pleased him to do Against which pride and vniust vnthaÌ„kfulnes Christ absolutely denieth that he should haue had any power ouer him except it had bene giueÌ„ to him frome aboue By which wordes and sentence he did put him in minde that he should make accomptes what iudgement he pronounced not to the Emperor onely but to the soueraigne God who as he hath appointed and established autoriteis so shall he seuerely require of their haÌ„ds an accompt if vnder his name they vse tirannie or pronounce fals iudgemeÌ„t This I doubt not is y e true aÌ„d simple meaniÌ„g of y e text aÌ„d not as ye ignoraÌ„tly orels maliciously collect y t Christ affirmed that Pilate had power not to adiudge him to be crucified but to deliuer hiÌ„ The holie Gost affirmeth y e direct coÌ„trarie saiÌ„g of a trueth in this citie haue coÌ„uened against thy holie SoÌ„ne whome thow hast anointed Herode aÌ„d PoÌ„tius Pilate with the gentiles and the people of Israel to do what so euer thy hand and counsell haue before decreed to be done Now let the indifferent reader iudge which of our collections and conclusions is most strongly proued Ye affirme that Pilate had power not to crucifie Christ and I say that he was appointed in the immutable counsell of God to be one of the wicked instrumentes by whome the Sonne of God
referred to the subsequentes your malicious myndes compell me often to repete one thing Your reasoning of the preterit and future tence is so foolishe that it nedeth no confutation For we confesse that God spake not those wordes to Rebecca but that the Prophete as is declared spake them after by the which he sendeth them to the ancient loue of God which begaÌ„ before that euer their father could know or serue God In which is to be noted that he maketh neither meÌ„tioÌ„ of Aâ—raham nor of Isaak but of Iacob and of Iacob in his mothers wombe to pull doune this pryde which ye with the Pelagians and Papistes haue conceaued of your workes going before and foresene by God to folow in you But the Prophete of God did so dauÌ„ton the stowt heartes of that his people were they in other thinges neuer so wicked that they did not alledge that any cause was either in their father or in them why that they or he should be preferred to other nations and specially to the Edomites who discended from Esau in all thinges like to Iacob gods onely grace excepted I praise God that so far ye will confes of gods eternall trueth that it was not for their righteousnes that Israel receaued the inheritance but onely becaus God frely loued their fathers But why so sodanly ye slyde frome the principall purpose leauing Esau and his posteritie aâ—d do enter to speak why y e Cananites were cast furth â— se no iust cause for neither doeth Moses in the first oracle of God neither the Prophete Malachie in explaning the same neither yet our Apostle in applying boeth those places to the spirituall benediction lay the sede of Iacob against the Cananires but Iacob is set against Esau and the people discending frome the one against the people that discended from the other The question there might iustly haue bene demanded what prerogatiue hath Iacob aboue Esau Moises the Prophete and the Apostle do answer assuredly none except onely grace which made difrence betwext them whom nature in all thinges had made equall for bothe were come of Abraham bothe of one father both of one mother both conceaued at once both fostered vnder one climate region influence of sterres and yet it was said The elder shall serue the yonger We know that the Cananites came of a cursed father whom if Paule should haue compared with the Israelites they should haue complained of iniurie done vnto themâ— And his reasons had bene easely dissolued for if he had said y e electioÌ„ of God is fre aÌ„d hath respect to no workes and had broght in the sede of Abraham elected and the sede of Cham reiected and accursed for probation of the same they sodanly should and iustly might haue replied C ham mocked his father and therefor was he and his posteritie accursed and so had God respect to workes But the Apostle loketh more circumspectly to so graue a mater and therefor did choose such an example as wherin the witt nor reason of man can find no cause of inequalitie Of this I thoght good to put you and the readers in mind lest perchance ye should imagin that as greate cause of reprobation was found in Esau before he was born as Moses laieth to the charge of the Cananites And so I perceaue in a part ye do for in the end and after ye haue affirmed that the cananites were cast owt of the land by reason of their wickednes ye return to Esau repenting your selues I trust that so imprudentlie ye had slipped froÌ„ one linage to an other And these wordes ye affirme That Esau is hated it commeth of his own euill deseruing conforme to the saying of the Lord Thy destruction â— Israell is of thy self and thy health cometh of me In which affirmation and pretensed probation of the same I fynd no les negligence in you then before I haue sheweÌ„ aÌ„d proueÌ„ for as most impudeÌ„tly before ye coÌ„founded y e sede of Abraham who by gods own mowth was blessed with the sede of Cham who in expressed wordes was accursed so here ye confound Israel elected of God to be his people in Iacob with Edom reiected from that honor in their father Esau before that either the one did good or the other did euill The wordes of the Prophete which ye bring to proue that Esau was hated for his euill deseruing were neither spoken to him nor to his posteritie but they were spoken to that people whom God had preferred to all nations of the earthe to whom he had shewen his manifold graces and to whom he had bene saluation and help euen in their most desperate calamitie But then fore their defection from him and for their Idolatrie committed were become most afflicted and miserable dailie teÌ„ding to further destructioÌ„ To these I say aÌ„d not to Esau nor yet to his posteritie did God say ô Israell thow hast destroied thy self or ô Israell it hath destroyed the for so is the hebrew text for in me is thy health In w c wordes he repressed the grudgeing aÌ„d y e murmuriÌ„g of the people who in their miserie did rather accuse God of crueltie theÌ„ repeÌ„t or acknowledge their sinnes and Idolatrie to be the cause of their ruyne as in Ezechiel well may be sene to such God saieth Israel thow art in moste extreme miserie thy honor is decayed and the glorie of thy former aige is now turned to ignominie and shame What is the cause it lieth not in me for as I am eternall and immutable so is not my hand shortned this day neither yet my power diminished more then when I did deliuer the frome the bondage of Egipt In me is thy health now as it was then yf that thy sinnes did not make seperation betwext the and me Plaine it is first that here no mention is made of Esau nor Edom but of Israel onely and secondarely that God speaketh nothiâ—g in this place why he did first elect Iacob and reiect Esau but why it was that Israel which some tymes was honorable aÌ„d feared of all nations was then becom most miserable and afflicted on all sides Except that you be able to proue that Esau committed as manifest Idolatrie before he was borne and before that Iacob was preferred vnto him as Israel did before they came to destruction yâ— haue proued nothiÌ„g of your affirmation further I say that if Esau was hated for his euill deseruing then must it nedes follow that Iacob was loued for his well deseruing by the argument folowing of the nature of the contraries But that directly repugneth to the wordes of Moises to the interpretation of all the Prophetes and to the mind and strong reasons of the Apostle who plainely denie workes by past or to cum to be any cause of gods fre election Trew it is we be elected in Christ Iesus to be holie and to walk in good workes which God hath prepared But euerie reasonable man knoweth
his vessell plaÌ„te a tre to be barren or kil any of his subiects we send you as befor to ask couÌ„sel at the plaine scriptures whether â—in God there is not a greater knowledge greater power aÌ„d a iustice more perfect althogh it be incoÌ„preheÌ„sible to o r dulseÌ„ses theÌ„ y t their is in y e potter husboÌ„d maÌ„ or Magistrate How that God wil not the death of the sinner but rather that he may conuerte and liue we shall shortlie God wiliÌ„g after speak And therefor omitting that which indigestly you heape togither I procede to that which foloweth THE ADVERSARIE Where ye replie w t that it lieth not in maÌ„nes will or ronning but in the mercie of God I answer by the same senteÌ„ce y t we may both will aÌ„d roÌ„ne which is coÌ„trarie to your hole purpose aÌ„d doctrine aÌ„d yet saieth the Apostle our saluatioÌ„ depeÌ„deth of the mercie of God for it is his fre gift The GeÌ„tiles w c for their wickednes wer reiect of God in vaine should they either wil or ronne w tout God exteÌ„ded his mercie towardes theÌ„ as he doeth now preseÌ„tly Lyke as on the other side the Iewes which for their sinnes be now abiect in vaine should they either wil or roÌ„ne without it pleased God to extend his mercie ouer theÌ„ as he shal do after that the fulnes of the GeÌ„tiles become in as witnesseth Paul â–ª for there we must vnder staÌ„d that wheÌ„ it pleased God to offer vs his mercie yet without we both will and ronne we shall not obtein the reward notwithstanding neither for our willing or ronning are we worthie to receaue saluation for it is the fre gift of God which he giueth to vs onely for his own mercies saik God offered saluation to Ierusalem not for the deseruing but of his mâ—rcie yet obteined they not saluation because they wold neither will nor ronne As Christ saieth how often wold I haue gathered thy children as the hendoeth her chekens and thow woldest not so the scribes and the Phariseis made the counsell of God towardes them of none effect for they dispised it Gods will was to saue them but they wold neither will nor ronne but kepe still their old passeâ— so they perished Wherefor vnto our saluation is required chiefly the mercie of God as the onely sufficient and the efficient cause thereof wherby we being vnworthie and his ennemies be reconciled and receaued vnto the feloship of the saintes Secondly is required that we both will and ronne not as the cause but rather as the effect anâ— frute of our reconciliaâ—ion declaring our selues to be thankfull for the benefits which we haue frely without our merits receaued otherwies the kingdoâ— shal be â—aken from vs againe and geuen to such as shall boâ—h will and ronne bringing furth the fruts thereof ANSWER Your ancient father Pelagius coniured ennemie to the fre grace of God did bragge and boast as you do that in man there was a will and a ronning But the probation of bothe is one that is to say your affirmation must suffice for auctoritie You boldly write that of those wordes of the Apostle neither it is of him that willeth neithâ—r yet of him that ronneth but of God hauing mercie it is plaine that we bothe will and ronne But how is this proued your long discourse in which it semeth that ye haue forgotten your self proueth no part of your purpose for the question is not what either the Iew or y e geÌ„till doeth ImeaÌ„ after they haue receaued the grace of God For theÌ„ we confesse that they haue yet not of theÌ„ selues a will aÌ„d studie to walk in godlines but the question is whether this wil aÌ„d studie which now by grace they haue receaued was anie cause of their election the contrarie whereof we haue before proued We do not imagine the faithfull meÌ„bres of Christes bodie to be stockes or stones insensible without will or studie of godlines â–ª but we affirme that it is God that worketh in vs the good will and the good thoght for of our selues we are not sufficient to think one good thoght We further affirme that except with all humilitie the fre grace offered with thankes giuing be receaued that they serue nothing to the saluation of the coÌ„temners But therewith we adde that it is God onely who taketh away the stonie and stubborne heart and giueth to vs a fleshie heart In which he by the power of his holie Spirit writeth his law maketh vs to walk in his wayes draweth vs to his Sonne Christ Iesus giueth vs into his protection I mean as faith assureth vs in our conscience aÌ„d so we acknowledge God alone by Christ Iesus his sonne to be the beginning the middes and the end of our sanctification godlie lief and saluation I for my part do yet againe praise God that his veritie is of that strength that somtymes it will compell the verie ennemies to bear testimonie to it And I pray God to retein you in that mynd that vnfeanedly you may beleue aÌ„d coÌ„fes that what vertues or good motions that euer be in you be the onely effects or fruites as ye call them of your reconciliation and neither cause of your election nor yet of your iustification That Ierusalem and the scribes refused grace and therefor iustly were condemned we consent with you but that euer it was the eternall couÌ„sell aÌ„d will of God to giue them life euerlasting that we constantly deny Our reasons we haue before alledged and after will haue occasion to repete som againe And therefor we procede Thus ye write THE ADVERSARIE Here with great vehemencie ye alledge these wordes of Paule who hath ben able to resist his wil of which saying ye inferre that God without any cause knowen to vs hath reprobated and damned many against which wil no man can resist These wordes did Paule write because he did foresee that of his former sainges som deuelish disposed persons wold take occasion to burden God with vnrighteousnes as ye do making him the author of euill for ye say that God hath a secrete will whereby he willeth the most parte of the world to be condemned which will because it can not be resisted therefor of mere necessitie by the immutable decre of God so many do perish further ye this affirming God to be the cause of damnation onely because it so hath pleased him ye cause many other to burst owt and say Sithe his will and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self and not to vs if any sinne be committed and surely for my parte were it not I abhorre your horrible doctrine wherwith ye cruelly affirme gods ordinaÌ„ce to be the cause of damnation I wold not medle further in this mater but with reuereÌ„ce behold the workes of God forasmuch as I se thankes be to God no work of God wheriÌ„ his mercie doeth not clerely shyne But if your saying were true
earth and that also he hath reueled vnto vs so much as is profitable for vs to knowe ether yet necessarie for our saluacion for the which we praise his eternal goodnes and infinit wisdom do affirme further as before we haue said that such as staÌ„d not content with that which is reueled but arrogaÌ„tly list to mouÌ„t vp to search the secretes of gods counsel shal be beateÌ„ downe againe by the brightnes of his glorie to eternal confusion in a iust recompence of their presumpteous boldnes And thus much with you we wil willingly coÌ„fesse but where vpon certen questions you make such conclusions as pleaseth you we cannot but accuse in yon that vnreuerent yea deuelish boldenes and pride which in all men we condemne But let vs heare your own wordes Can you proue thereby that God hath two willes or is that which is not reueled contrarie to that which is reueled then shoulde there be coÌ„trarietie in God which is false if God in respect of his reueled will wold not that Adam should fall but in respect of his secret will he wolde Adam shoulde fall Then did God will two contraries which is impossible These be your wordes and seuerall reasons most blasphemously spoken not against vs but against gods eternall wisdome against vs I say ye cannot speak them for no such doctrine haue we euer taught for we most constantly affirme that the secret wil of God and his will reueled is alwaies one which is the manifestation and declaratioÌ„ of his own glorie althogh it seme diuers in y e instrumentes as before I haue most manifestly decâ—ared and thus most iustly might I send you to debate your cause with him whose iustice wisdom cannot be subiect to the vanitie of your reason But yet because no small part of this coÌ„trouersie betwext you vs consisteth in this that you can admit no will in God the reason and cause whereof ye cannot see perceaue nor vnderstand and affirming the contrarie say that of gods secret will can nether man nor Angell perceaue assigne or vnderstand any other reason or cause but his holie will onelie and therefore with all reuerence do they stoupe and couering their eyes crie iust and righteous art thou oh Lord in all thy workes holie holie holie Lord God of armies The vniuersall earth is replenished with the glorie of his Maiestie Because I say a great part of our controuersie standeth in this point I wil go through your questions and seuerally answer to euerie one first you aske if God haue two willes by reason that he hath a secret will and a reueled wil. I answere that as God in his eternal God head is simple and one so is his will in respecte of him selfe from all beginning simple and one which is the declaration of his owne glorie But because the instrumentes in which gods glorie is and must be for euer manifested and knowen be diuers therefor hath gods will w c in him selfe is one diuers considerations effectes endes in respect of the diuers instrumentes for example God will the vessels of his mercies to be extolled to the glorie of the kingdome with Christ Iesus but he will the vesselles of wrath to be adiudged to the fire inquenchable prepared for the deuill all his Angelles Who doth not see but in respecte of these diuers instrumeÌ„ts the will of God hath diuers respectes and diuers endes and iustly may be called two willes or a dooble will for it is one will to saue and an other will to condemne as touching the instrumentes creatures saued or condemned But in respecte of God the wil is one and simple which is as before is said the manifestation of his glorie which no lesse shyneth in the iust punishmeÌ„t of the one sort then in the mercifull deliuerance of the other And this much for the first SecoÌ„dly ye ask if y t w c is not reueled be coÌ„trary to that w c is reueled To the w c I answere as before that in respecte of God there is no coÌ„trarietie betwext y e will reueled and the will vnreueled But yet may the creatures to whome God doeth notifie his will by commandement rebuke or exhortation apprehend vnderstand one thing and yet it may be that God in his eternall counsell hath determined the expresse contrarie if this to you at the first sight seme strange yet my good hope is that examples in the scriptures proposed shall make the mater sensible ynough to the godlie and sobre reader What do we think that Dauid did apprehend of that most sharp and vehement rebuke giuen vnto him by Nathan theÌ„ Prophete in the name of God No dowt that he was the sonne of death that God wold break the league and couenant with him as he had done to Saule his predicessor But was it therfor the eternall purpose of God that so it should be The end and issue declareth the contrarie Ezechias receaued the very sentence of present death from the mouthe of the Prophet Isaiah who no doute came not with message at all aduenture but at the expresse commandement of God for so he affirmeth sayinge Thus saieth the lord put ordre to thy house for thou shalt die and shalt not liue But was not therefor the coÌ„trarie to witt that he should afterward liue fiftene yeres determined in the immutable couÌ„sell of God The same might I declare by many other exhortations commandementes but with one I wil staÌ„d contented which shall adde light to the former Abraham was commanded by God to take his sonne Isaak whome he loued his onelie sonne in whome the promes stode and to go to the mounteine which God wold appoint there to offer him in sacrifice What will of God did Abraham apprehend in this commandement during the iourney of thre dayes God him selfe beareth recorde that Abraham did so vnderstand gods will that his owne haÌ„d was stretched out to kill his sonne yea that in his heart he had killed him for so saith the Angell because thou hast donne this and hast not spared thy onelie sonne I shall blesse the. but whether had God in his eternall counsell deâ—ermined that AbrahaÌ„ should kill his sonne as Abraham did vnderstand by his will reueled who so euer dare so affirme maketh God subiecte to mutabilitie and denieth him to be God whose wisdome knowledge purpose and couÌ„selles be stable and appointed from all eternitie if with reuereÌ„ce the causes hereof be searched inquired y e holie Gost will answer y t good it was to Dauid thus to be humbled that profitable it was not onely to Ezechias but also to the hole Church of God after him to coÌ„me to the knowledge of his infirmitie and of the agonye battel which he susteined fighting as it were agaiÌ„st gods iudge meÌ„tes That by Abrahams great obedieÌ„ce be we all instructed to obey God in all things which he coÌ„maÌ„deth and to subiecte not onely our lustes and
such as remained obstinate did and shall glorifie God in so farre as his iust iudgemeÌ„tes were and shal be executed against theÌ„ If you feare no punishemeÌ„t rage as you list To your blasphemies I haue before answered for none of vs doeth impute vpoÌ„ God that he punisheth any man for thing that he prouoketh him to do for iniquitie commeth not of gods prouocation motion nor holy Spirit as that before we haue declared aÌ„d therfor as God hath reueled to vs a more assured knowledge in his holy scriptures then the Philistians priestes had so are we bold to affirme that which was hid from theÌ„ which also you can not abide to witt that al creatures are compelled to serue to gods glory in such sorte as his wisedom hath appointetd them and yet that the willes of men are neither violently moued nor enforced by God to committe iniquitie to the which all men are redy bent of naturall corruption Amongest many foolishe and moste disagreing similitudes which your captaine Castalio vseth for probation of his purposes for in such doeth stand the chief grouÌ„d of his diuinitie none caÌ„ be more foolish nor further repugniÌ„g to that which he and you wold proue then is this If God should punish a man because he hath a beard should any glory redound to God there of â–ª seing he hath giuen vs beards him seis Here of you wil inferre that if God punishe sinne which he hath willed or appointed to be then can he not be iust But let vs examine if your Simile doeth agree euen in the chief pointes in the which if it proue any thing it must agre first we knowe that the beard of maÌ„ was created by God But who amoÌ„gest vs did yet euer affirme that sinne and iniquitie was made or created by God Sinne we coÌ„fesse was forsene yea and ordeined in the incomprehensible counsell of God and that for the most iust and the most righteous end and purpose But that it was made or created by God that are ye not able to proue by our doctrine Thus doeth your similitiude halt in the chief membre for they must be both a like gods creatures and creation if God shal be bound no more to punishe man for hauing of the one then for hauing of the other moreouer the beard of maÌ„ so springeth groweth and abideth of a mere natural motion y t albeit men slepe eate drink do or what so euer actioÌ„s pleaseth them not taking care or solicitude of their beard it cometh neuertheles to that state and perfection that nature will suffer But hath man sinne none otherwayes then thus Doeth ma sinne I say hauing neither will mynd nor appetite to sinne or doeth not sinne procede from so voluÌ„tary and corrupt motioÌ„ that the will the iudgemeÌ„t the vnderstanding and appetites yea the hole man and all his cogitations are subiecte to sinne and bent vpon in iquitie at all tymes â–ª Be iudges your selues how well do y e partes of your similitudes agree Thus with greater modestie haue I answered your foolishnes theÌ„ your scoffing scurrilitie deserueth Where you affirmethat albeit there be some secretes of God vnknowen to vs yet is the iudgement of God knowen aÌ„d made manifest to vs in the word I wold ask of you if ye caÌ„ by y e plaine word assigne causes of all gods iudgementes from the beginning and of those iudgements which that day shal be put in execution wheÌ„ y e secretes of al heartes shal be reueled And if you be able so to do yeshould be profitably occupied as I thiÌ„k if by your plaine and simple writing ye wold studie to put end to this controuersie the chief point where of staÌ„deth in this that we affirme that causes able to satisfie the curiositie of man caÌ„ not be assigned from gods plaine scriptures why God permitted a great nombrâ— of his Angels to fal of whome he hath redemed none but reseruâ—th them to iudgement why God did suffer man to fall and yet of one masse elected som vesseles of mercie to honor and appointed others for sinne to damnation And finally as before I haue said why God deferred the sending of his SoÌ„ne so long and why also that his againe comming is so long delayed If ye will answer y t these two last are resolued by the scriptures the one to be as the Apostle writeth lest that the fathers should haue bene made perfect with out vs and the other that the nomber of gods elect children might be fully complete â–ª which we coÌ„fesse to be a reasone most strong and sufficient for all gods children neither yet do we require any other but yet the curious braine will not so be quieted but it wil still demaÌ„d may not God in one momeÌ„t if so it please him fulfill the noÌ„bre of his chosen children as well as he of nothing did creat the heauen and the earth and shortly in the space of six naturall dayes set all things in perfect ordre Consider with your selues what you do take in haÌ„d if ye wil affirme that all gods iudgemeÌ„ts be so knowen that a sufficient reason of euery one may be assigned from the word aÌ„d if you say there be some things secrete The consider I beseche you that the holie Gost hath neuer made mention of any greater secret then that which lieth hid in gods most iust iudgemeÌ„tes which Paule affirmeth to be incoÌ„prehensible and Dauid saieth they are depe and so profouÌ„d that neither can the vnderstanding of man nor of Angell reach to the bottom of the same Why ye should accuse vs that we should affirme that God shall iudge the world not according to Christes Euangell plainely reueled but according to some other secret will I see neither cause nor reason for no men do more constantly abyde by that which is written and reueled no men do lesse care to seke for newe reuelations or vncerten authorities then we do Oure continuall doctrine is that God shall absolue from damnation such as by true faith embrase his dear Sonne Christe Iesus and shall condemne to fire inextinguible all infideles and such as delyte in manifest impietie and wickednes and this iudgement do we beleue that God shall pronounce by his Sonne Christe Iesus to whom all iudgement is giuen And for none other secrete will in that mater do we search But if I lust I coulde lay to some of your charges that which none of you can be able to deny to witt that some of you haue written besides your priuie informations that there is a doctrine more perfect then euer Saint Paule committed to writing yea and further that some of you haue called the hole scriptures of God in doubte and some do affirme that none is able by the word written to decide the controuersies that this day be in religion And therefor that we must haue new Prophetes and newe reuelations from heauen before that any publicke and generall reformatioÌ„ shal be made if
to perdition which ende was appointed vnto them not against gods will but by his will â—mmutable in his eternall counsell For no lesse will he that the seueritie of his iudgementes be sene in the vessels of wrath theÌ„ that the riches of his grace be praised in the vessels of mercie Storme and rage spew furth your venom and blaspheme till ye prouoke gods vengeance at once to be powred forth vpon your owne heades this sentence will he neuer retracte He will haue mercie vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he maketh hard hearted That God in him selfe hath but one will which is holy iust and permanent that in him there is no contraritie that he is faithfull and doth perfourme what soeuer he doth promise What we vnderstand by gods secrete will and how he tempteh no man I haue before sufficiently declared And therefore I will not truble the reader with the repetitioÌ„ of the same Now let vs heare what is your iudgement of vs and how ye extolle your selues THE ADVERSARIE As these goddes be of contrarie nature so do they begette children of a contrarie nature the fals God begetteh vnmercifull proud ambicrouse and enuifull children bloody persecutors of others for their conscience saik euill speakers â—mpacient contenciouse and seditious children And they be like vnto their father in that they speake one thing with their mouth and think an other with their heart They can neuer be without filthy thâ—ghtes wicked 〈◊〉 for such poyson do they receaue of their father The trew God begetteth mercifull humble lowlye and louing children abhorring from blood persecuting no man good speakers patient detesting all 〈◊〉 chiding and brawling and they be like vnto their father in that what soeuer they speak with their mâ—uth they think with their heart they be alwaies moued with good thoghtes and gâ—dly reuelations for such grace receaue they 〈…〉 of their father ANSWER It may seme by the description of these your two goddes for nether of both as ye describe them is the true liuing eternall God that ye studie to renew the daÌ„nable error of the Manichies who imagined two beginners the one of all goodnes and of all good creatures the other of all iniquitie and of wicked creatures affirming further that the good and the mercifull God was ouercome for a time by him that was wicked and euill And because that the plaine scriptures did confute these blasphemâ—es therefor did they denie the authoritie of Moises and the certentie of all other scriptures that made any thing against their error If manifestly ye did take vpon you the defense of those your fathers as that ye do of Pellagius of Donatus and of the Papistes for of all these adulterous fathers ye be adulterous children then wolde I from Augustine whom God stirred vp no doubte in the daies of darckenes most learnedly and most plainely by infallible scriptures to cofute those heresies from him I say I might take artilerie all ready prepared able inough to ouerthrow your buildinges and munitions appere they neuer so strong But because as before I haue said my purpose is not to burden you further then you do confesse I onely admonish the reader to be ware of such pestilences as beginne to call the trueth of God reueled in his holy word in doubt and do persuade men to credite dreames and reuelations how soeuer they appere to repugne to that which is reueled in the word Of such men I say â–ª oght Christes flock to take hede as also of those who make of eguall authoritie such bookes as yet the holy Gost hath neuer coÌ„mended to the Church of Christe with these that are written by Moises the Prophetes the Euangelistes and Apostles and that by inspiration of the holy Gost. That some of you be infected with this most pestilent poison I am able to proue by mo argumentes then one Being at London the the winter before the death of king Edward one â–ª of your faction required secrete communication of me in which after that earnestly he had required of me closenes and fidelitie because that the maters that he had to communicate with me were so weightie and of such importance as sythence the daies of the Apostles the like was neuer opened vnto man In the ende after many wordes which I nether gladly heard nether yet will now write he gaue me a boke written as he said by God euen as well as was any of the EuaÌ„gelistes This his booke he adiured me as it were to reade and required to haue my iudgement of it My answer was that at his request I wold reade it so that he wold be coÌ„tent to reason with me of the chiefe pointes in the same conteined but to pronounce sentence or iudgement that could I not vsurpe being but one man farre inferior to many of my brethern y e preachers of gods word in that realme Alwaies he vrged me to reade his booke And I woÌ„dering what mysteries it should coÌ„teine called to me a faithfull brother who then as pleased God was present with me named HeÌ„ry Farrour marchaÌ„t to whom I opened the mater by whose counsell and in whose presence I beganne to reade his boke The first proposition wherof was God made not the world nether yet the wicked creatures in the same conteined but they had their beginning from a nother that is from the deuill who is called the Prince of the world which proposition plainly repugning to gods word I did impugne and begaÌ„ne to declare vnto him for what cause Sathan had that title to be called the Prince of y e world But he vtterly denying ether to reasoÌ„ and dispute ether yet to be reformed in any point that there was written commaÌ„nded me to reade forward to beleue howbeit I did not vnderstand To whom when I had gentilly said Can any reasonable man will me to beleue thinges directly fighting against gods veritie and plaine word reueled Tusch said he for your written word we haue as good and as sure a word and veritie that teacheth vs this doctrine as ye haue for you and your opinioÌ„ And theÌ„ I did more sharpely answere saing ye deserue the death as a blasphemous person and denier of God if ye preferre any word to that which the holy Gost hath vttered in his plaine scriptures At which wordes he toke pepper in nose and snatching his boke furth of my hand departed after he had thus spoken I will goo to the ende of the world but I will haue my boke confirmed and subscribed with better learned men then you be In me I coÌ„fesse there was greate negligeÌ„ce that nether did reteine his boke nether yet did present him to the Magistrate But yet this argument I haue that your faction is not altogether cleane from the heresie of the Manichies I could name and point forth others who labour in the same disease but so long as their venom doth remaine secrete within them selues I am