burdē God with iniustice in defending his own innocētie At which reasons Elihu offended after that the other three were put to silēce takīg vpō him to reproue Iob affirmeth that the wisdom the power the iustice and the iudgementes of God were incomprehensible that God could do nothing vniustly how that euer it appered to mannes iudgement and amongest other thinges he saieth wilt thou say vnto a king thou art wicked or vnto princes ye are vngodlie How muche les to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes and regardeth not the riche more then the poore For they be all the worke of his handes They shall dye sodenly and the people shal be trobled at midnight and they shall passe furth and take away the mightie withoute hand for his eies are vpon the wayes of man and he seeth al his goings Thus haue I noted partly y t none shall think that these wordes may seme to fauor your error and partly that your vntruethe in wrasting such places may more manifestly appere Ignorance of the tongues may be some caus in you but in some of you I can manifestly proue that malice blindeth knowledge and compelleth you to speake and write against your vnderstanding God touche your heartes with true repentance and giue you his holie spirit with greater reuerence to intreat his scriptures But now to the scriptures that ye alledge God say you hath no respect of persōs Ergo wil ye cōclude he hath no election Your conclusion is fals and my reason is becaus that gods fre election depēdeth not vpon the persones of men but vpon his own promes and good will ▪ But to make this mater more sensible I wil make an argumēt directly against yours God respecteth not the persons of men But yet amongest men is found great diuersitie bothe in vertue ād in vice Therefor there must be som cause from whence this diuersitie procedeth Of the first part I know ye doute not and the secōd parte is confirmed by common experience and by euidēt scriptures for how diuerse be the inclinatiōs of mē none cā be ignorāt except such as do not obserue the same Such as attribute the caus of such diuersitie to the sterres and to the influence of the Planetes are more then vaine education and vp bringing doeth somwhat bow nature in that case but neither of bothe is the cause of such diuersitie for how many haue bene norished in vertue togither and yet haue after fallen to moste horrible vices and in the same perished And contrarie wies how many haue bene wickedly broght vp and yet by grace atteined to an holie conuersation If the cause of this diuersitie I say shal be inquired and soght it shall not be found in nature for thereby were and are we all borne the sonnes of wraith if in education and vp bringing we se how oftē that faileth The cause thereof thē must be of necessitie without man To make the mater yet more plaine by an exēple Paule preached Christ Iesus to be the onely Sauior of the world both amongest the Iewes and gentiles to som his preaching was the sauour of lief and to others it was the sauour of death from whence commeth this diuersitie from the obedience will and faith of the one say you and frome the stubborne inobedience and infidelitie of the other you say somewhat but not all for true it is that faith and an obedient will is that which we call Causam propinquam that is the next cause to our apprehension but what is the cause that the will of one is obedient and the will of the other stubborne that the one doeth beleue and the other doeth blaspheme How so euerye do shift the holie Gost in many places plainely affirmeth the cause not to be in nature nor yet to procede of man nor of his fre will but to be the fre grace of the caller as Christ Iesus doeth witnes None can com vnto me excepte my Father draw him No mā can se the kingdom of God except he be borne againe and that neither of blood neither of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God who toucheth and openeth the heartes of so many as he hath ordeined to lief to aduerte and beleue the thinges that be truely preached As those that be the shepe of Christe Iesus who heare his voice and know the same These and many places mo do most plainely declare what is the cause that some beleue and others beleue not to witt that som are born of God and som are left in nature som are shepe som are goates the heartes of som are touched and opened by the finger and Spirit of God as it was said to Peter flesh and bloode hath not reueled this vnto the but my Father which is in the heauen and the heartes of others left in their own blindnes and hardnes If ye demand how is it then that God respecteth not the person of man I answer if ye did vnderstād a right what is mēt by acceptation of persons or what it is to respect persons ye should not doute in this behalf Acceptatiō of persons is when an vnworthie person is preferred to a worthie either by corrupt affection of those that do preferre him either yet for some qualitie or externall beautie that appereth in man As if to the office of a king or of a bushope should one be elected that neither hath godlynes knowledge wisdom nor yet the spirit of gouernement because he is riche noble of bloode fare and lustie and the persons hauing giftes much more excellent should be contemned this is called acceptation of persons As Samuel seing Eliab and considering his beautie and stature doeth boldly pronounce in his own heart assuredly before the Lord this is his anoīted Such acceptation of persons is not with God for neither looketh he to blood riches nobilitie vertue strength nor beautie temporall in his eternall election but onely to his own good will and eternall purpose by the which he hath elected vs in Christe Iesus If ye shall consider the same place depely ye shall find that none within the hole scriptures of God more confuteth your error then it doeth For as God respecteth not the person of mā so respecteth he nothing that is or can be within man as the chief cause of his election For what can God forese consider or know to be in man that good is which floweth not from his fre mercie and goodnes as it is written we are not sufficient of our selues to think any thing that good is but all our sufficiencie is of God who worketh in vs bothe to will and performe Then if all vertue what so euer be in vs be the work of God can the work folowing be the cause of gods eternall purpose If the cause and the effectes proceding of the same be things diuerse then are our vertues and fruites not
passions God hath in him self as ye do For so appereth in this your question Wil ye say that God werieth him self suffering and sorowing for them whom he had reprobated before the world Surlie I think that thogh ye hitherto haue vnaduisedly said so ye will from hence furth say so no more And so ye end this portion with a prayer To the which we answere in few wordes that albeit we will not take vpon vs to define what after this shal your cogitations be yet will we not cease to pray to God that your heartes beiÌ„g humbled with greater reuerence ye may not onely think but also speak of gods hie Maiestie of his iudgements most holie most iust and vtterlie in this life in comprehensible to our dull senses But now we go forward to that which foloweth THE ADVERSARIE Now must we declare the saing of S. Luke so many as were ordeined vnto life did beleue where we must vnderstand that as they that will not obey the trueth are called in the scriptures ordeined to damnation as is sufficiently proued before so they which willingly receaue the trueth and coople the word with faith working by charitie are called ordeined to life Where ye do replie so predestination is without any condition I grant predestination to lief is the verie fre gift of God without any condition Notwithstanding we can not com to life but by the way which leadeth vnto life As he which receaued the one talent of his master receaued it of a fre gifte without his deseruing but because he did not walk in the way appointed by his master his talent was taken from him againe And as afore by the fre benefitt of his master he was chosen vnto life so now because he did not walk in the way which leadeth vnto life he is ordeined to â—damnation The prodigall sonne is receaued of his father not for â—his deseruing but of the fre goodnes and beneuolence of his father â—et is it required of him that he walk hereafter as an obedient sonne which if he did not the latter fall should be worse then the first Predestination therefor is the mere gifte of God afore the foundation of the world at the which time nothing could be commanded vnto vs yea afore we either haue faith orâ—ls by hearing of the worde we may haue faith no spiritual comandemeÌ„t is giueÌ„ vs but wheÌ„ by hearing we may receiue faith theÌ„ is the way of saluatioÌ„ opened vnto vs in w c we must walk if we wil be saued And yet foloweth it not we must walk in the way which leadeth vnto saluation Ergo for walking the way of saluation we are chosen and accepted for S. Paul saieth I am giltie to my selfe in nothing but therefor I am not iustified If a learned Phisician seing one in danger of death whom he can and may helpe offereth Phisick to the pacient able to restore him to his healthe and therwith prescribed the pacient a diet now that the phisicion giueth phisick to the pacient it cometh onely of his owne goodnes But if the pacient do not order him self according to the prescript of the Phisition the phisick shall not help him And thoghe he obserue good diet yet oght he not to repute the receauing of his healthe to him self but to the Phisicion for thogh it lieth in the pacientes power to hinder his healthe yet it is not in his power to giue him selfe healthe So Christ our Phisition offereth healthfull phisick to vs all and there with prescribeth our diet which if we do not obserue the Phisick shall not auale vs. And thoghe we obserue it yet oght we not to attribute our healthe to our selues but to the liberalitie of our Phisition Christ which of his mere mercie hath made vs hole wherefor to return to our argument they are ordeined vnto life so many as will gladly walk in the way which leadeth vnto life that is true obedience and they do beleue as S. Luke saieth ANSWER The place of saint Luke which ye studie to corrupt is written in the 13. chapter of the Actes of the Apostles The light whereof is so clere that you be neuer able to obscure the same And therefor I will not spend much tyme in coÌ„futation of your vanitie for the simple trueth of the historie shall disclose the same Paule comming to Antioche in Pisidia did vpoÌ„ the Sabboth eÌ„ter in to the Sinagoge of the Iewes aÌ„d therein preached a sermoÌ„ most profound â–ª most effectuall and most comfortable In the which by plaine scriptures he proued that the same Iesus which was crucified at Ierusalem was the Messias promised and the onely Sauior of the world At which doctrine many of the Iewes being offended and yet som embrasing the same Paule the next Sabboth preached to the hole multitude of the Iewes and Gentiles assembled together But when plaine contradiction was made by the Iewes who did blaspheme Christ Iesus Paule and Barnabas taking boldnes said to the Iewes first it behoued to speake to you the word of God but becaus ye reiect it and iudge your selues vnworthie of the life euerlastiÌ„g behold we are turned vnto the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded vs. At which wordes the Gentiles reioysed and glorified the word of the Lord and did beleue saieth the text so many as were ordeined to the life euerlastiÌ„g Who is be so blynd that doeth not se that in these wordes the holie Gost assigneth the plaine cause why some do beleue and others do blaspheme and remaine vnfaithfull The cause why som beleue is becaus they are ordeined to the life euerlasting as they that are the shepe of Christ Iesus therefor they heare and beleue his voice the others as they are left in the power of the deuiÌ„ll as they that are neuer giuen to Christ to the eÌ„d that they may receaue life remaine in blyndnes and so by contradiction and blasphemies declare them selues whose chilren and generation they are None of vs do nor yet euer did deny but that the elect of God do willingly receaue and obey the trueth and that the spirit of God so worketh in their heartes that not onely they beleue but that also they are made frutefull yea and that frome iustice they procede to iustice But as the hole praise of this we giue to God arrogatiÌ„g no part of it to our selues so we constantly affirme that nether faith neither workes neither yet any qualitie that is or that God forsaw to be in vs is the caus of our predestination or electioÌ„ to life euerlasting as before we haue sufficiently proued Ye are so inconstaÌ„t now granting predestination to be the fre and mere gift of God without any condition of our workes and immediatly after ascribing it to our obedience and walking in the way that leadeth to life In this your inconstancie say I can not tell how to handle you One thing I se to my great comfort that the glorie of
him all feare indewing him with an heroicall and bold spirite as God him selfe saith I girded the thogh thou hast not knowen me and giuing to him so fortunate succes that all was subiecte to his empire And therefor albeit tenne thousand times ye will aske What nedeth God to mouâ— the wicked to do wickedly which being giuen ouer of God imagineth nothing but wickednes his master the deuill slâ—peth neuer Yet will I answere that as to destroye Babylon in so farre as it was gods worke it was no wicked dede but his most iust iudgement So albeit Cyrus had neuer bene so much enraged against Chaldea ether by his owne pride ether yet by sathan that nether of both could haue broght any thing to passe except that the Lord had decreed to perfourme his worke in Babylon as he him selfe did threaten saying Behold I come vnto the o â— thou destroying mountaine saith the Lord which destroyest all the earth I will stretche oute myn hand vpon thee and rolle the downe from the rockes and will make the a burnt mountaine They shall not take of the a stone for a corner nor a stone for fundations but thou shalt be destroyed for euer saith the Lord c. If you see nothing in these and other such threateninges of God but a permission onely I can not cease to say that you are more then blinde But now to that which folo weth in these wordes THE ADVERSARIE To that which ye alledge of the Prophet Isai harden the heartes of this people c. for the better vnderstanding of thaâ— place we must note that which is written in the chapter going afore howe the Lord had chosen this people and planted them as a vineyarde and called all Israel to be iudge betwext him and his vâ—neyard what more could haue bene donne for it then he had donne and yet when he looked for frute of equitie and rightâ—ousnes to there was wrong and mysâ—rie where vpon followed their induraâ—sâ— for they were hardened of the lord that is as afoâ— is sade God gaue them ouer to their own heartes lustâ—s Further where he saieth to the Prophet hardâ— their heartes we must alwaies consider that their heartes were alredye hardened which their wickednes did plainely declare yet hath he coÌ„manded the Prophet to do his office not to make their heartes hard for that belongeth â—nelie to Godâ— who giuing them â—uer to their heartes lustes hath alredy haâ—dnede them but the office of a Propheâ—e was toâ— shew them the hardnes of their harâ—es so when he saiethe harden their heartes it iâ— as muche as shew and declare vnto them the hardnes of their heartes The like phrase of speaâ—che haue we in Leâ—it 13. If the priest see that the scab is growne abrâ—de in the skiâ—me the priest shall make him vncleane how should the priest make him vncleane who is alredye vncleane and whose fleshe he durst not touche but by declaring him to be vncleane So how should the Prophet harden their heartes whose heartes were hardened alredy and whose heartes he could not touche but by declaring â—hem to be hard hearâ—ed So saieth the Lord to Ieremie driue this people away that they may go oute of my sight sâ—m to death som to the swerd some to hunger some to captiuâ—tâ—e this was not the office of the Prophet which the Caldes executed but the Prophet was here commanded to shew that for their wickednes they should be driuen away some to death some to the swerd some to hunger and some to captiuitie So Ieremie tooke the cuppe out of the lordes hand and made all people drinke thereof â—nto whom the Lord sent him where there be mâ— nations recâ—ned then euer Ieremiâ— did see with his corpâ—rall eyes this place therefore must be vnderstand as the others conforme to the office of the Propheâ— which was to shewe them that for their wickednes they should drink of the cuppâ— of the â—ordes wrathe which appereth more plainely by that which followeth where he sayeth if they will not receaus the cuppe of thy hand and drâ—nck it that is if they will not take warning by the c. This interpretation is conforme to the phrase of the scripture nether is it contrary to any part of the word but if any man hath a better vnderstanding lett him vse is tâ— the glory of God Of these thinges alredy spoken â—t is sufficiently proued that God hath reprobat and cast away no man before the foundation of the world but as he hath creaâ—ed man like vnto his own image so he will the deathe of none but that all should be saued nether is he â—he author or mouer to any euill which with long pacience suffereth wickednes to drawe men to repentance nether willeth he any thing contrary to that which is expressed in his word for at God is constant and immutable of this his holy will he haâ—he vttered and declared vnto man to knowe the rest reserued he vnto him seâ—f for as much as no man is able to câ—preheÌ„d the prâ—funditie and depth thereof therefor oght no man to go about to proue or improue any thing by that which is vnknowen to him wherefor they which affirme and teache that â—od haâ—h ordeâ—ned men a fore the fundation of the world to be damned so that by no meanes they can be saued for suche is his secrâ—te will not with standing be declareth the coÌ„trary in hâ—s word they must nedes haue an euill opinion of God and therefore oght all men of duetie to abhoâ—re their deuilishe doctrine And because I haue said that they haue an euill opinion of God I haue added here a discription of â—hose careles libertines â—â—d conforme to their doctrine in all pointes and a discription of the true God wherby it may appere euen vnto the simple howe abhominable their doctrine and opinion in this mater is ANSWER What soeuer shal be redde in the hole scriptures you shall neuer be able to proue that in these wordes of Isaie Go and harden the heartes of this people is nothing els meant but that the Prophete was onely commanded to declare vnto them their blindnes and hardnes of heart for wher soeuer mention is made of the difference betwext the elect and the reprobate this vertue is attributed to the word that it doth illuminate the eyes and mollifie the heartes of the one by the power of the holy Gost and by the contrarie that it doth excecate and more harden the other by reason of their corrupt nature to the which they are iustly left The Euangelist saint Iohn making mention that the Iewes did not beleue in Christ Iesus albeit that they had sene his wonderous workes addeth this cause therefore saithâ— he they could not beleue because Isaiah had said He hath blinded their eyes hardened their heartes that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand in their heartes and be conuerted that I may heale them Here
and an other I will pray to God to open his Eies that he if gods good pleasure be may se the light that so brightly shyneth Other places for this present I omitte For of these precedents I suppose it be euident that in the eternall counsel of God there was a difference of mankynd euen before the creation which by his own voice is most plainely declared to vs in tyme. Now to that obiection which Pighius that pestilent and peruers Papist and you all after him doth make To witt that God did predestinate according to the workes and faith which he foresawe to be in man I might obiecte to the contrary that if Predestination procedeth from gods purpose and will as the Apoâ—â—le affirmeth it doth that theÌ„ the purpose and will of God being eternall can not be moued by our workes or faith which be temporall And that if the purpose of God be stable and sure that then can not our workes being vnsure be the cause thereof But to auoid prolixitie and tediousnes I will by plaine scriptures proue that of fre grace did God electe that of mere mercie doeth he call and of his onelie goodnes without all respect had to our dignitie as to be any cause first mouing him doeth he perfourme the worke of our saluatioÌ„ And for the proofe of the same let vs take Abraham and his posteritie for example Plaine it is that he and his sede were preferred to all the nations of the earth the benediction was established to spring frome them the promes of the land of Canaan was made vnto them and so were they extolled to the honour aÌ„d dignitie of gods peculiar people But let vs consider what either faith or obedience God found in them which might haue moued him thus to preferre them to other naâ—ions Let vs heare Moises The Lord they God saieth he hath chosen the that thow shoul dest be a peculiare people to him aboue all the peoples which are vpon the face of the earth God hath not so vehemently loued you and chosen you because you are mo in nombre then other nations seing ye are fewar then all other people but because he hath loued you and wold kepe the othe which he made to your fathers And after it foloweth Say not in thy heart my power my streÌ„gth aÌ„d my hand haue prepared this aboundance to me and think not in thy heart it is for my iustice that the Lord hath broght me into this land Of these places it is plaine that Moises leaueth no cause neither of gods election neither yet of perfourmance of his promes in maÌ„ but establisheth it altogether vpon gods fre loue and good pleasure The same did Iosua in that his last and most vehement exhortation to his people a litle before his death in which plainely he affirmeth that Abraham and his father were idolaters before they were called by God w c place Ezechiel the Prophete most euidently declareth rebuking the vnthaÌ„kfull defection of the Iewes from God who of mercy had giueÌ„ theÌ„ life honour and dignitie they of all others being the most vnworthy For the saieth Thus saieth the Lord God to IerusaleÌ„ Thy habitatioÌ„ aÌ„d they kiÌ„red is of CanaaÌ„ thy father was an amorrhean and thy mother an Hittite and in thy natiuitie wheÌ„ thow wast born thy nauill was not cutt thow was noâ— washed wiâ—h water to soften the thow was not salted with salt neither yet was thow swadled in clowtes By the which the Prophete signifieth that all was imperfect all was filthie all was corrupt and stinking as touching their nature he procedeth none â—ie pitied the to do any of these vnto the for to haue compassioÌ„ vpon the but thou wast cast oute in the open field to the contempt of thy person in the day that thow wast borne And when I passed by the I saw the polluted in thine own blood aÌ„d I said vnto y e wheÌ„ thou wast in thy blood y t is in thy filthie sinnes y u shalt liue And this he repeteth to the eÌ„d y t he may beat it more deply in their myndes I saieth the Lord said vnto the beiÌ„g in thy bloode thou shalt liue and so he procedeth declaring how that God did multiply them did giue vnto them beautie streÌ„gth honour and dignitie These thre places do plainely witnes what perfection God did find in this people whom thus he did preferre to all others And what obedience did they render vnto him after the vocation of Abraham the hole Histories do witnes for perfection and obedience was not found in Abraham him self yea neither in Moises nor in Aaron but contrarie wise the inobedience of all we find noted to the same end y t Moises hath before spokeÌ„ to witt that none shall boast that either iustice proceding or folowing was the cause why God did choose and elect that people For how shall God choose for that which the holie Gost plainely denieth to be in any man discending of the corrupt sede of Adam For Isaiah plainely doeth affirme that all our iustice is as a clothe most polluted and spotted If our iustice be polluted as the Prophete affirmeth it to be and God did predestinate vs for our iustice what foloweth but that God did predestinate vs for that which was filthy and imperfecte But God forbid y t such cogitations shoulde take place in our heartes God did choose vs in his eternall purpose for his owne glorie to be manifested in vs aÌ„d that he did in Christ Iesus in whoÌ„ onely is oure full perfection as before we haue said But let vs yet heare som testimonies of the new testament sainct Paul to his disciple Timothie saieth Be not ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord neither be thow ashamed of me who am his prisoner but be thow partaker of the afflictions of the EuaÌ„gile according to the power of God who hath made vs safe and hath called vs with an holie vocation not according to our workes but according to his purpose and fre grace which was giuen to vs by Christe Iesus before all tymes but now is made patent by the appering of our Sauiour Iesus Christe Here plaine it is that neither are we called neither yet saued by workes much les can we be predestinate for them or in respect of them Trew it is that God hath prepared good workes thaâ— we should walk in them but like trew it is that first must the tree be good before it bring furth good fruite and good can neuer the tree be except that the hand of the gardiner haue planted it To vse herein the plaine wordes of saint Paule he witnesseth that we are elected in Christ to the end that we should be holie aÌ„d without blemishe Now seing that good workes spring furth of election how can any man be so foolish as to affirme that they are the cause of the same Can the streame of water flowing from the fountaine be the cause of the
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
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
you pretēd ye cā not but vnderstand this answere to be sufficiet to dissolue what so euer ye haue vnreuerently collected But yet to make it more sēsible to the simple I say y t in this proposition God can not wil two contraries and in the conclusion which you make vpon the same you oght to haue made a distinction betwene those thinges w c God simply or as ye spake before absolutely will and betwene those thinges which he will for a certein end and purpose which doeth not appere in the external actiōs For certen thinges there be as in an other place I haue entreated which God will euen for them selues such as be mercie iustice temperance chastitie and all other vertues which he wil haue to shyne in his elect and please him in Christ Iesus his Sonne And yet neuertheles he also will crueltie iniustice excesse filthie life blindnes induration to be in others as iust punishmētes of their sinnes and causes of their condēnation The last I say will God to be in the reprobate not for the wicked actes sake which do euer displease his Maiestie but for such endes as his wisedom hath appointed Let this be explained by examples some natural and some takē frō gods scriptures There is no mā except he be of a most cruel nature that considering the incōmodities of warre and of battell doeth will it for the selfe And yet a godly prince persewed by externall ennemies doeth not onely will his soldiours to fight and to mainteine the warre but also he prouoketh he encourageth and exhorteth his subiectes to the same And why is it because y t warre or battell pleaseth him in the self or for the self No but because with out such trauaill such danger and hasard his subiectes can not lyue in quietnes and the estate of his commō wealth can not be preserued The same may I say of godlie magistrates punishing murtherers adulterers and blasphemers w t death and yet nether willing the death of any mā neither yet deliting in the sheding of their blood In these similitudes I grāt somwhat to be vnlike for gods power is not subiect to such incōmodities vnwillingly as be the powers of men But yet these similitudes suffice to explaine the chief purpose w c is y t man may will two contraries for diuers respectes without any contrarietie in him self For peace and warre are cōtraries to kill to saue the life are likewise cōtraries and yet one man euen at one time may will both the one and the other for diuers respectes and diuers endes He may will peace for the cōfortable quietnes and felicitie y t ther of springeth and at the same instāt without all cōtrarietie in him self he may wil warre to withstād the furie of the ennemie y t wold oppresse his subiectes And may not these thinges w c we perceaue to be in creatures be in God in greater perfectiō althogh we perceaue not the causes Let vs trie the answere both by the examples of gods seruātes and last by the exāple of God him self Lot no doubte did agree with gods wil in that he loued chastitie sobrietie and temperāce and hated filthie life riotous chere and excesse For the holy Gost boareth him this record that he was pure and cleane both in eares and eyes But what will had he when he did offer his two daughters to be defloured and abused by those vilanous persons was it cōtrarie to his formar will Did he now beginne to delyte in that execrable filthines assured I am he did not But being oppressed with the present necessitie reteining the same loue wil and minde to chastitie and honest conuersation soght y e next remedie that to him appered able to haue staied the rage of that furious multitude vpon God I grāt falleth no such necessitie But let the chief scope be obserued and we shall vnderstand that for diuers respectes to will two thinges wherof the one is contrarie to the other is not to will contrarietie But let vs come to God him self God willeth mercy iustice all other vertues as before we haue said and these he will at all times and before all times But is it not possible therfor that he can will crueltie oppression blood sheding murther and death Who then sent Nabuchadnezer to destroy not onely the Iewes but also the Moabites and other nations Who pronounced this sentence Cursed be he that doeth the Lordes worke negligently and he that withdraweth his swerd from blood Who did create the smithes with their hammers to break downe the hornes which had dispersed Israel And finally who gaue his owne sonne to the cruell death Who hath subiected the deare spouse of Christe Iesus to afflictions and temporall calamities Dare you denie but that it was and is the eternall God by whose good will all these thinges were appointed and decreed or were any of them done agaīst his almightie will I think you wil not so affirme For the scripture witnesseth that God gaue his Sonne to the world euē of determined purpose that he should dye orels who could haue compelled his Maiestie therunto if his will had bene repugnant Peter affirmeth that blessed are we that suffre for y e name of Christe adding this comfortable sentēce By them y t is by the persecuters is y e name of God blasphemed but by you it is glorified And therfor let such saith he as be afflicted by y e will of God lay doune their soules in well doīg as in the handes of a faithfull keper Paul witnesseth y t those whom God hath elected in Christe Iesu he hath also predestinate and before appointed to be like fashioned to the image of his owne Sonne Of which testimonies it is plaine that the greuous destruction the aboundance of the bloodshed amōg diuers natiōs the cruell death of Christ Iesus and the most fearefull afflictions of his dearely beloued Church did procede from gods will in so much as he did not onely suffer them but also for most iust causes respectes and endes which often before I haue recited he did will and appoint them and yet in God was there no contrarietie For in the destruction of Ierusalem ād of others he had not respect simply to the ruine and vastatiō of those places but to his iust iudgementes which were prouoked to take vengeance vpon the multitude of their sinnes which lōg he had suffered When our Master Christe Iesus did suffre he had no delite in the crueltie of those enraged dogges who did crucifie him which as he hated so after he did most seuerely punish but his pleasure ād delite was in the redēption of man which by none other sacrifice could haue bene perfited And this day and from the beginning he hath had no pleasure in the blood which is shed neither in the tyrānie which is vsed against his simple and smal flock but because he wil haue the members like y e head he doeth a
stabilitie of faith Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 14. 6 1. Cor. 1. 30 Ro 1. 26 The vnmouable ground of faith Rom. 8. 29 Ephes. 1. 14 2. Thes. 2. 13 2. Pet. 1. 2. 20 Rom. 11. 29 Rome 8 Ham. Ishmael Esau Abshalom Achitophel Iudas The Niniuites Manasses Paul Magdelene The thiefe What humilitie is Ephes. 2. 8 1. Cor. 1. 30 1. Iohn 4. 10 Ephes. 1. 22 The first section Cap. 14. SectioÌ„ 40 Libr. ad bonifa 2. Cap. 6. 40. Retract lib. 1. cap. 2. Stoiâ—â—â— necessitie Cap. 1. 2 â–ª 3. 4. 5. 〈…〉 Why the Anabap. mystlyketh the doctryn of predestination PrescieÌ„ce Prouidence Ioan. 10. Prouerb 20. Prouâ—r 16. Matth. 10 â–ª 29. PredestinatioÌ„ The second sectioÌ„ Liers are the deuilles sonnes Institut Cap. 14. Sect. 5. De aeterna Dei praedestinatioÌ„ Inâ—titu Cap. 14. Sect. 14. Caluin vpon Isaiah The schoeles of Papistes full of blasphemies Inst. cap. 14. sect 17. The third section Two chiefe propositioÌ„s Ephes. 1. Isâ—i 44. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 54 The constancie of Gods promâ—s Isaia 46. Psal. 2â— Isal. 138. Iob. 10. Isaia 46. Iohn 6. Ioan. 17. Rom. 6. 1. Ioan. 4. The fourth section Zach. 3. Act. 17. Isaiah 45 The sayeng of a blaspphemous mouthe Iob. 39. What the aduersary will saye Isaia 66. The workes of God can not be subiect to our reason The reasoÌ„ of Anabaptistes Answer The aduersarie falsly and vnreuereÌ„tly alledgeth this word birth Answer Malac. 2. What we haue in Adam Error of Anabaptistes The affirmations of the trew ChristiaÌ„s Gen. 3. Question Answer The churche of Christe and the serpenteâ—i sede De bono perseueraÌ„t Reply of the aduersary Question Gods purpose was from the beginning to make a difference in mankinde The seâ—â—â—â—de diffâ—â—eÌ„ce This is the cause why all the prophetes almost do de clare gods wrath against Esan and Edome Psea 137 Esaie 34. Ier. 49. Obad. 1. Rom. 9. How S. Paul applieth the wordes of Moises Gene. 25. Promes inade to Isaak Vessels of mercie prepared vnto glorie Gods election dependeth not vpon man Iohn 8. Why the Iewes beleued not in Christe Christe maketh a diffâ—reÌ„rence of one sort from an other Iohn 17. What Christ did for his Christe praied not for the world An answere to the papistical and pestilent obiection of Pighius aÌ„d others his like Deut. 7. Deut. 9. Iosue 24. Ezec. 16 God did not for our workes predestinate vs. 2. Ti. 1. Question 1. Cor. 4. Apoca. 4. 5. A brief rehearsal what is before sufficiently proued The fyft section Isaia 45. Isaia 30. Matt. 7. Psal. 144 Esaia 54 Psal. 29. Isaiah 49 Isaiah 30 Isâ—ia 49 Matt. 7. Luc. 11. The blasphemy of Anabaptistes 〈◊〉 3. Psal. 145 Note the plain difference Exod. 20. Howgods mercy is greater then his wrath The six te sectioÌ„ To the 1. To the 2. 3. 4. 5. Deut. 19. To the 6. The seuenth section To the 1. â— 3. Blindnes and hardnes of hart are effectes reprobation Why God treated maÌ„ good whoÌ„ he ordeyned neuertheles to fall The eight section Ephes. 1. Psal. 49. Iob. 34. 4. Esdr. 8 Sapient 2 Sapien. 9 Matth. 12 The ground of the Anabaptistes error An argument 〈◊〉 prouâ—th that in Adam we could not stand Answer to the scriptures shamefully abused by the aduersaries Matt. 11. The aduersarie wrasteth the scripture in Iob. Iob. 34. Act. 10. An argument directly against the aduersaries argument Influence of the sterres EducatioÌ„ The cause is not in nature of our faethfull obedieÌ„ce What is the cause that some beleue and some remayn vnfaithfull How God respecteth not persoÌ„s 1. Sa. 16. That God hath not respect of persons most euidently coÌ„futeth the error of the aduersaries of gods predestination The cause and effect are diuerse Dâ—ut 7. Rm. 9. Neither was nor is in vs any thing whereby we should deserue to be elected The bookes called Apocryphes Reuâ—reÌ„ce vnto gods holie worde Reade the prologue of Ecclesiasticus and the end of the last chap. of the second booke of Machab. Sap. 2. Deut. 2. Lyke as there be degrees betwext election and glorification euen so there be degrees betwext reprobatioÌ„ and coÌ„demnation The nynte section Galat. 2. Ephes. 1. Ephes. 1. To the. 2. All be not Saintes nor blessed with spiritual benediction Oure regeneration to good workes is by the grace of God The teÌ„th section To 〈…〉 Iob. 36. Castalio is translation The eleueÌ„th section To the 1. To the 2. The iust causes of reprobatioÌ„ are hid in gods eternall counsel but the causes of death and damnatioÌ„ are euideÌ„t in the scriptures The iudgementes of God are a deuoring depth The twelth section The thirteÌ„th section Esaia 50 Esaia 48 To the 1. Ephe. 1. To the 2. Iohn 1. To the 3. Rom. 1. To the 4. Isaiah 55. Iohn 6. To the 5. An argument against the aduersaries forged diuision of gods election To the 6. Matth. 16 Rom. 8. To the 7. Iohn 6. The fre wil meÌ„ iudge rashly To the 8. The perfecdtioÌ„ that the aduersaries pretend in this lyfe Philip. 3. How stroÌ„g the aduersaries wolde seme to be To the 9. The fourteÌ„th section Isaia 48 Esdr. 9. Iâ—rem 2. Esaia 42. 43. The scriptures affirme that there be many fals Christes fals Prophetes But Iesus Christe is our onely Sauior without whome there is no saluation To the 1. Institu 2. Cap. â—ec 78. De eterna Dei proedestinatione To the. 2. Rom. 〈◊〉 To the 3. To the 4. Luk. 16 To the 5. The fiftenth section The 2. argument Rom. 8. Reade the scriptures better be ashamed of your argument Rom. 9. The difference of gode fore knowledge Matth. 7. The six tenthe section Ezech. 18 Reade the first sectioÌ„ The 17. Section O prowde lucifer that darest compare thy knowledledge to the prescieÌ„ce of God To the 1. Galat. 1. 1 Tim. 1 God worketh both in his elect and in the reprobate but in diuâ—rse maner To the â— Read the praier of the Apostles Act. 4. What power Ananias had of his land Act. 5. The eightene section 1. Re. 23. Whence haue ye your assurance To the 1. 2. 3. Matt. 26. Iohn 13. The nynteÌ„th section To the 1. Difference betwext the libertie of Chriâ—tes will and the fredoÌ„ of Adams will Gods prescience is not to be seperated from his will Rom. 9. Prouer. 16. When violence is doÌ„ to the will of a creature The grud geing of the reprobat Rom. 9. Why creatures offeÌ„d wheâ— they most serue gods couÌ„sâ—l Luk. 22. Gods will is fre althogh it chaÌ„ge not as occasion is offered by mens doings The 20 Section Rom. 9. Malach. â— To the 1. Themynd of the Apostle in the 9. câ—apit to the Romains concerning Iacob and Esaw To the â— Esaw som maner of way serued Iacob in the fleshe Gen. 27. 2. Reg. 8. Gen. 28. The place of the Prophete Malachie Why the Apostle maketh neither meâ—tion of Abraham nor of Isaak but of Iacob and of Iacob being in his mothers wombe The grace of
steadfastly to cleaue and stick to the trueth whose force effect they se alwaies to haue bene one frome the begīning The giuers of these offēses shall no doubt sustein the wo pronounced against them by Christe Iesus But yet must the childrē of God vnderstand that of necessitie it is that such offēses come that the elect may first be tryed and after be partakers of that blessing pronoūced by our master in those wor des Blessed is he that is not offended in me The cause of these my former wordes is that as Satā euer frome the beginnīg hath declared him self ennemie to the fre grace and vndeserued loue of God so hath he now in these last and moste corrupted daies most furiously raged agaīst that doctrine which attributeth all praise and glorie of oure redemption to the eternall loue and vndeserued grace of God alone By what meanes sathā first drew mākynd frome the obediēce of God the scripture doeth witnesse To wit by powring into their hartes that poison that God did not loue thē and by affirming that by transgressiō of gods cōmandemēt they might attein to felicitie and ioy so that he caused them to seke life where God had prounced death to be This same practise hath sathan euer frome the beginning vsed to infect the Church with al kynd of heresie as the writings of Moises of the Prophetes of the Apostles of the godlie in the primatiue Church do playnelie witnes But alas to such blasphemie did neuer the deuil draw mākynd as now of late daies in the which no small nōbre are become so bolde so impudent and so irreuerent that opēly they feare not to affirme God to be vniust if that he in his eternal coūsel hath elected more one sort of mē thē an other to life euerlasting in Christe Iesus our Lord which thing of late daies is more planely come to oure knowledge thē before we could haue suspected and that by the sight of a book moste detestable blasphemous cōteinyng as it is intiteled The cōfutation of the errors of the careles by necessitie with that odious name do they burden all those that either do teach ether yet beleue the doctrine of gods eternall predestination ▪ which booke writtē in the english tōgue doeth cōtein as well the lies and the blasphemies imagined by Sebastian Castalio and laid to the charge of that moste faithfull seruāt of God Iohn Caluine as also the vane reasōs of Pighius Sadoletus Georgius Siculus pestilēt Papistes expressed ennemies of gods free mercies The dispitefull railīg of w t booke the manifest blasphemies in the same cōteined togither with the earnest req̄sts of som godlie brethren moued me to prepare an answere to the same others I dowbt not might haue done it with greater dexteritie but with reuerēce feare do I lay the talēt cōmitted to my charge vpō y e table of the Lord to brīg to his church such aduātage as his godli wisdō hath appointed But lest that some shoulde thīk that my labors might better haue bene bestowed in some other exercise I thoght expediēt to admonish all brethrē charitably to requyre of thē not to esteme the mater to be of small weight importāce ▪ for seing that gods fre grace is opēly impugned disdainfully refused I iudge it the duetie of euerie man that loketh for life euerlasting to giue his confession to Christe Iesus whose glorie is by these blasphemers to y e vttermoste of their power suppressed Some do thinke that because the reason of man can not atteine to the vnderstanding how God shall be iust making in his counsel this diuersitie of mankīd that therefore better it were to kepe silēce in al such mysteries then to trouble the braynes and myndes of men with curious disputatiōs I willingly confesse that al curiositie oght to be auoided and that with great sobrietie we oght to contemplate beholde that incomprehensible mysterie of our redēption But yet I say that the doctrine of gods eternal predestinatiō is so necessarie to the Church of God that without the same can faith neither be truely taught nether surely established mā cā neuer be broght to true humilitie knowledge of him self nether yet cā he be rauished in admiration of gods eternal goodnes and so moued to praise him as apperteineth And therefor we feare not to affirme that so necessarie as it is that true faith be established in o r har tes y t we be broght to vnfined humilitie y t we be moued to praise hī for his fre graces receaued so necessary also is y e doctrin of gods eternall predestination For first there is no way more proper to buyld and establish faith thē whē we heare and vndoubtedly do beleue that our election which the Spirit of God doth seale in our hartes cōsisteth not in our selues but in the eternal and immutable good pleasure of God And that in such firmitie that it cā not be ouerthrowen nether by the raging stormes of the world nor by the assaultes of sathan nether yet by the wauering and weaknes of our own fleshe Then onely is our saluation in assurance whē we fynd the cause of the same in the bosom and counsell of God For so do we by faith apprehend life and peace manifested in Christe Iesus that by the directiō and guyding of the same faith we looke farther to wit out of what fountaine life doth procede In Christe Iesus now presētly do we fynd libertie ād life he is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes and sanctification and redēption and in the promes of his Gospel is foūded the stabilitie of our saluation But yet we haue a ioy which far surmounteth this For albeit that we should heare that the mercies the graces of God were offered vnto all men and albeit also that we should fele that our heartes were somwhat moued to beleue yet onles the very cause of our faith be knowen oure ioye and comfort cā not be full For if we shall think that we beleue ād haue embrased Christe Iesus preached because our wittes be better then the wittes of others and because that we haue a better inclination and are of nature more tractable then be the cōmon sorte of men sathan I say can easely ouer throw all comfort buylded vpon so weak a ground for as the heart of man is vain and inscrutable so may it be that those that this day be tractable and obedient hauing also som zeale toward godlines yea and also bothe sense and feling of gods mercie such I say may shortly here after become stubborn in some cases disobedient in maters of greate importance tempted with lustes and finally they may be left so barren that rather they shal tremble at the sight of gods iudgemētes thē that they can reioyse in the free adoptiō of his children And therefor I say that except our comfort be
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
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
the cause of gods election but are the effect and fruit which of the same procede and spring as the Apostle doeth witnes saing God hath chosen vs that we should be holie aÌ„d without blame And Christ Iesus saieth you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and haue appointed you to go and to bring furth fruite This I am compelled oft to repete becaus in it most shamefully ye erre arrogating to your seluses that which is proper to gods onely mercie and fre grace If you vnderstand this former place of scripture which affirmeth that God hath no respect of persons as your book doeth witnes to witt that God careth a like for all that he no more loueth the one theÌ„ the other except that it be for their obedience the hole scripture of God doeth witnes against you Was the loue of God no greater to Abraham and to his posteritie then it was to the rest of the nations Moises and Dauid do witnesse the contrarie Saying he hath not done so to any nation and his iudgemeÌ„ts he hath not shewed to them onely the hath he chosen of all nations and people that be vpon the face of the earth that thow shouldest be vnto him a peculiar people And what was the cause of this their dignitie and prerogatiue before we haue declared to witt no vertue no obedience no good qualitie that was in them but onely his fre loue fre grace and vndeserued mercie as he hiÌ„ self doeth plainely affirme I will haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie and saint Paule it is neither of the willer neither yet of the runner but of God that sheweth mercie to such as pleaseth him And thus I say you can not iustly nor rihtly conclude that God hath neither chosen nor reprobated any man becaus he hath no respect of persons for as before I haue said his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man neither yet vpon any thing that is within maÌ„ but is purposed in him self and established in Christ Iesus in whom we are elected becaus that in our selues there neither was neither yet could be any worthines which could merite or deserue such honour and dignitie And so God respecteth not the persons of men their vertues nor qualities in their election but finding them all equall in creation and corruption maketh difference betwext them according to his eternall purpose respecting Christ Iesus and not their merites How that euer the prowde and vngodlie storme at this I nothing doute but the children of God do thereof receaue moste singular consolation as that it is the chefest cause why that without all trembling and feare they stoupe before his Maiestie and giuing thankes for these inestimable benefits do craue of his mercie such a puretie of lief as becometh his children To your scriptures which ye alledge from the book of wisdom and frome Esdras his fourth booke I will shortly answere That albeit ye will ten thousand tymes deck aÌ„d decore them with the title of the holie Gost I wil not the more creditt them Not that I deny but that in them there be thinges conteined profitable to edification but if that therefore ye will vpon any place written within them conclude a doctrine contrarie to the rest of the canonicall scriptures I will answer with the ancient writers that they were not written that vpon them should our faith be established Lett theÌ„ serue if so please you to exhortation but for confirmation of any doctrine shall they neuer serue vnto me Neither yet this do I say that I do think any of these places rightly vnderstand to make any thing for your purpose but that I will by gods grace giue euer that reuerence vnto the veritie of God that the voices of men shall not with me be coÌ„parable vnto it It may be greatlie suspected what som men now a daies do meaÌ„ to ascribe that to y â— holie Gost which the authors them selues did onely ascribe to their own diligence and trauelle and were also compelled to ask perdon of the readers that they could not atteine no not euen to the proprietie of the toÌ„gue in the which they did write Vseth the holie Gost I pray you whose power lowseth the tongues of the dombe in that maner to be suppliaÌ„t vnto meÌ„ and for his imperfection to begge pardon at their handes Consider and impute nothing vpon the holie Gost which becometh not the Maiestie of God but lest that ye should complain that yet your scriptures are not resolued I will giue you a generall answer to all which is this That neither the booke of wisdom neither yet Ecclesiasticus neither yet Esdras in these places that be alledged do intreat any thing of election or reprobation but the writers in all those places which ye alledge do studie to amend the corrupt maners of their aeges and to impose sileÌ„ce to the wicked tongues of many of whom som accused God as author of sinne which entred in by malice of the deuill who did corrupt the good creature of God created to his own image to reule in equitie and iustice who doeth not se but that this writer who so euer he was reteineth him self within the reache of mannes vnderstanding laboring to conuict their coÌ„science which maliciously imputed vnto God that which he did not worke in them But that they of their own fre will did follow aÌ„d obey iniquitie and that therefor they should suffer their iust condemnation And that this my interpretation of their myndes is true let their own wordes witnes for thus it is writeÌ„ They haue said with them selues not righteously iudgeiÌ„g our lief is troblesom aÌ„d short neither is there any remedie against the death of maÌ„ neither hath he bene knoweÌ„ that hath returned from the helles we were bâ—rn without purpose and we shal be as we neuer had ben â—or the spirit is but a smoke in our nosethrels c. in proâ—es of tyme our name shall com to obliuion neither yet shal any man remember our workes Therefor let vs vse the present prosperitie Let vs oppresse the poore man being iust let vs not spare the widowe neither yet lett vs reâ—erence the loÌ„g aeged aÌ„d white heares of the ancient but let the strength of our power be the law of iustice and so far furth he accuseth their open tyranny and then concludeth these thinges they thoght and did erre for they were blinded by their own malice neither haue they knoweÌ„ the mysteries of God I wonder that ye marked not this place neither haue they hoped for the reward of holynes for God created maÌ„ to immortâ—litie here I note your falshode for ye write God created man to be vndestroyed and made him to his own similitude Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether you or I do nerer attein to the mynd of the wryter you I say that do affirme that he denieth that God hath either elected or reprobated any man or I
the deuill which did manifestly ganesay gods reueled will And therefor do we affirme that neither was the purpose nor counsell of God any cause of sinne but we say with the Apostle that by one man did sinne enter into the world The cause whereof was the malice of the deuill and that fre consent of man to rebelliō whose will was neither inforced neither yet by any violence of gods purpose compelled to consent but he of fre will and redie mynd left God ād ioyned with the deuil Conuict vs now if ye can that we make gods absolute ordinance which maner of speaking I say we abhorre to be the principall cause of sinne Albeit that ye wold be sene subtill in adding your ▪ Logicall termes Causa causae ād Causa causata yet doeth your similitude which ye bring furth for demonstration of your purpose declare that either ye haue not learned orels that ye haue forgottē the chief and principall point of right reasoning which all reasonable men confesse to be rightly to diuide For if ye can not diuide betwext the will of God working all thinges for his own glorie ād the operation of creatures be they Son Moone sterres rayn or dew who can work nothing but as God hath appointed I will not folow you as a God We say not that gods ordinance is the cause of reprobation but we affirme that the iust causes of reprobation are hid in the eternall counsell of God and knowen to his godlie wisdō alone but the causes of sinne of death and damnation are euident and manifestly declared to vs in the scriptures to witt mānes fre will consenting to the deceiuable persuasiō of the deuill wilfull sinne and volūtarie rebellion by which entred death into this world the cōtempt of graces and gods mercies offered with the heaping vp of sinne vpon sinne till damnation iustly came These causes I say of sinne death and damnation are plainely noted vnto vs in gods holie scriptures But why it pleased God to shew merice to som and deny the same to others becaus the iudgementes of God are a deuoring depthe we enter not in reasoning with him but with all humilitie render thankes to his Maiestie for the grace and mercie which we doubt not but of his fre grace we haue receaued in Christ Iesus our onely head When you shall further charge vs that we make God autor of euill we haue good hope plainely to conuict your vennemous tongues of a most malicious lie Now to your wordes THE ADVERSARIE The Lord reasoneth with the inobedient Israelites which did forsake him saing O my people what haue I done vnto the or wherein haue I hurt the giue me answer If the Israelites had ben so well learned as you they might haue answered Lord thow hast preordinate us by thy immutable decre to fall away frome the so that of necessitie we must perish in this hast thow hurt vs with an vncurable wounde ANSWER How so euer we be learned if ye betimes repent not your vnreuerēt skoffing ād iesting at gods eternal predestination ye shall learn in experience that the immutable decre of God is most iust by the which y e fyre which neuer shall be quenched is prepared for the deuill and his angels and for all such as with trembling do not fear his godlie Maiestie and with sobrietie do not contemplat his iudgementes incomprehensible And thus I leaue your blasphemous boldnes to be repressed by the power of him whose iudgementes you mocke THE ADVERSARIE Now I intend with the helpe of God to answer to the arguments which they that be intangled with this error vse to alledge for the proof thereof leauing such as be ▪ but vaine and ingender rather contention then edefying answering to such as some most weghtie collected of certen places of the scriptures wherby it may be thoght that they may be deceaued beseching the gentill reader to wey the mater with an indifferent balance and first heare before thow refuse and God willing thow shalt not repent the of thy labor but forasmuch as the autor ād maīteners of this error do often make mention of election whereby they wold cloke their absurditeis I will first declare how election is taken in the scriptures thre maner of waies that is generally specially and most specially of all first we be all chosen and created in Christe Iesu as Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians in the first and second chapter and conforme to this election he lightned all them that cam into the world and calleth all men to repentance bothe greate and small riche and poore Iew and gētil male and female of all estates without respect of any person And all that be thirstie he calleth to come to the water of lief Secondly he commandeth them which com at the first calling to renounce father ād mother wief and childe with all other earthlie thinges yea and them selues also This is the secounde election where there departed an innumerable multitude which will not forsaik such thinges but for their own lustes Here departed Cayn with the monstrouse Giātes cruell tyrants and bloodie hypocrites and all persecuters which shed innocent bloode here departed Epicurus with all his bellie gods among which was the riche glotton which dispised Lazarus there departed Sardanapalus accompanied with venus and all that be drowned in the lustes of the fleshe Among which was Herodias There departed Cresus with many rich welthie persons among which was the rich yong man of whom we read in the Gospell that with a sorie countenance he departed frō Christe There departed Tarquinius the proude with such as be puft vp with the Pompe glorie of this world Among which was Herode◠of whom we read in the Actes of the Apostles that for his pryde he was striken of God and eaten of lyse There departed Demetrius the siluer smithe with such as will not forsak◠their filthie lucre Amongest which were the maister and mastres of the damsell possessed with a spirit that prophecied There departed a hole band of Stoikes with their destinie plaing fastor loose and that of necessitie which passeth all iuglers coming Among them are all such as defend that of mere necessitie a few nōber must be saued and of mere necessitie all the rest of the world must be condemned Who so abideth this seconde election and calling Christ commandeth them to take vp their crosse and folow him And thus to continue to the end this is the third and last election of which saieth the Lord I haue chosen the in the fire of tribulation here the seuentie disciples departed for they can not abyde this hard saing here doeth Iudas trudge they which remayn suffer greate assaultes in so much that som tyme they turn there backes to their enemies as the Apostles did when Christ was taken and there do worthie soldiours stagger stumble and fall as Peter when he denied his master and swore he knew him not And Thomas
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
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
no difference betwext those two dictions or wordes The Lord of his mercie preserue his Churche frō so bolde so deceatfull teachers If altogither thou haddest bene ignorant with sorow of heart I could haue lamēted thy foolishenes but pererauing y e of set purpose and malice willingly to corrupt gods plaine scriptures that thow may blynd the more easely the eies of the simple with grief ād dolor I say that better it had bene for the neuer to haue bene born thē thus obstinatly to fight agaīst gods plaine trueth And that in such furie that where from the scriptures thou canst haue none assurance for thy error yet so thow darest wrest them y t they may seme to serue thy purpose Where so euer thou cāst wrest any place that it may be translated by this englishe To there thow ashamest not to affirm y t it is the self same phrase with this of S. Paule vesselles of wrathe prepared or ordeined to destruction This is sufficient to shew to the learned yea euen to such as do but vnderstand the firstprinciples of their grammer thy infidelitie ād craftie deceat in this mater But because such as vnderstand nothing in the latin tongue can not hastely espie thy craft I will trauale to make it so sensible as I can If I should say I am appointed to death to fele the punyshement of sinne and so to make sinne to cease will thow therefor say that this particle To in the former place where I say I am appointed to death and in the second place where I say to sele the punishement of sinne and to make sinne to cease are all one phrase and oght a like to be resolued I suppose thow wilt not for in the first place it cā be none other wies resolued but thus I am appointed to death that is I must nedes die but in the secōd place two causes of death be assigned for where I say to fele the punishemen◠of sinne I vnderstand that one cause of death is that I and all mē may fele how horrible is sinne before God and in this last I vnderstād that death so putteth an ēd to sinne that after it may not trooble the elect of God The phrase of S. Paule is much more different from all that thow adducest then be these phrases before alledged one differen◠frome an other for where he saieth vesselles of wrath ordeined to destruction he signifieth the final end of the vessels of wrath to be ordeined and before determined in gods eternall counsell And in all these places to prouoke the Lord to anger to defyle my Sanctuarie to kyndle gods wrath against Israel to make Israel sinne and such like are their actions signified to be the causes of gods anger gods wrath and why he reputed his Sanctuarie polluted Thus thy frowardnes causeth me to trooble the simple reader The place of leremie tho v maliciously doest peruerte for it cā be in nowies so trāslated But what tōgue so euer thow doest follow thow must say wo be to me O my mother that thus hast born me a man that am a brawler and a man of contention in the hole land The place of Paule 1. Cor. 11. serueth nothing for thy purpose for albeit there be a preposition ad which truely may be translated To yet that speach is far differente from the former speach of the Apostle for where he saieth Eat at home that ye come not togither to condemnation he doth admonish them of the danger which they know not w c was that such inordinat and riatouse banqueting ioyned with the cōtēpt of the poore without repentance must bring condemnation if thow list replie alledge that thow stickest not somuch to the termes as to the mater ▪ for in all these former speaches man pretēded one thing but an other thing ensued What cāst thow thereof conclude but that gods purpose sentence and mynd is not subiect to mannes purpose and intention True it is that nether Pharao did resist Moises of purpose to be plagued nether did Ieroboam erect the calues that Israel should be destroied but yet becaus God had so before pronounced ineuitably plagues and destruction did follow their inobedience If hereof ye will conclude as ye seme to do that those whose end is condemnatiō receaue not that by y e will of God because ye cōclude that which neither ye haue proued neither yet go about in this place to proue I will not trouble my self with answering for this present But whē ye shal go about to proue that God will all men to be saued as ye affirme I hope by gods grace to answer sufficiently For as we doubt not but gods iudgemētes are holie and most iust so we know that the conscience of the wicked shall fele in them selues and no where elles the causes of their condemnation Neither yet did any of vs euer hold beleue or affirme that any reprobate shall haue that libertie in the hell to quarell with God of the secrete causes of his condemnatiō for the bookes shall be opened and the secretes of all heartes shall be reueled To the suffering pacience and sorowing of God I haue before answered in the beginning of this your last confused gradation and so I will not trouble the reader with the repetition of the same The wordes of Ieremie which ye alledge can haue no such sentence as ye do gather for he doeth not speak of any passion that was in God as touching his eternall Godhead but onely doeth appeall to the conscience of the people how oft God had not onely rebuked but also from time to time corrected them euer calling them to repētance and suspēding their last punishment how beit that they continually from euil fell backward vnto worse And so at length was God werie oftener to repent that is to say at once he wold powre furth his iust vēgeāce which before so oft he had threatned Let the first chapter of Isaiah be commentarie to this place and I trust the sentence shall be plaine For there he affirmeth that in that people there was no hole part that is all order and policie was almost confounded Ierusalem was in a maner left desolate by the manifest plagues which had apprehended it but yet there was no trew conuersion vnto God And here he saieth thow hast left me saieth the Lord and I haue therefor lifted vp myn hād vpon the and haue scattered the. I am werie in repenting that is that I haue spared the so long I shall scatter them with the fan euen vnto the gates of the earth that is to the vttermost parte I haue made my people desolate and I haue destroyed them neuertheles they haue not turned frō their waies I trust y t euerie reasonable man will cōsider y t those wordes be rather spoken to admonish the people how God by all meanes had prouoked them to repentance then to declare vnto vs what nature or
from God and this thy open blasphemie spoken against his eternall trueth and against such as most constantly did suffer for testimonie of the same haue so broken and desolued all familiaritie which hathe bene betwext vs that althogh thou were my natural brother I durst not conceale thy iniquitie in this case But now to the mater I haue before proued you malicious and vennemous liers therefor vnworthie to bear testimonie against vs. Now resteth to be proued that ye are blasphemers of God and persones defamed â–ª Salomon affirmeth that he that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the innocent are alike abomible before God Which sentence is not to be vnderstaÌ„d of iudges onelie but is to be referred to euerie man for of euerie one doth God require that he hate and in his heart and mouth condemne that which God him self hath coÌ„demned and also that he allow and iustifie that which God pronouÌ„ceth iust lawfull and holie And if the contrarie be founde euen in a multitude God doth not onelie punishe the chief offenders but also vpon their fauorers mainteiners and iustifiers doth he comonly powre the same plagues and vengeance And hereof is that rare and fearefull punishment taken vpon Dathan and Abiram sufficient proofe for they ioyned with Corah were the authors of the conspiracie raised against Moises and Aaron But did they alone sustein the veÌ„geance No but their housholds children wyues tentes and substance in the same conteined did the earth in a moment deuore and swallow vp And why because they did iustifie the cause of those wicked and in so far in as in them lay did maintein the same No man I trust will deny but that he who killeth an innoceÌ„t maÌ„ is a murtherer althogh it be vnder the cloke of iustice But that he who hauing lawfull auctoritie to kill and yet suffereth the murtherer to liue is a murtherer in this perchance som men may doubt But if the law of God be diligently searched this doubt shall easely be resolued For it will witnes that no les oght the murtherer the blasphemer and such other to suffer the death then that the meke and the fearer of God should be defended And also that such as maintein and defend the one are no les criminal before God then those that oppresse the others One example I will adduce for all God gaue in to the handes of Achab Benhadad king of Syria who was great enemie to Israel whom he vpon certen coÌ„ditions of amitie sent home to his countrie But what sentence was prononunced aginst Achab Thus saieth y â— eternall becaus thow hast let go oute of thy handes a man whom I appointed to die thy soule that is thy lief shal be in the place of his life and thy people in y â— place of his people Now to you iustifiers of Seruetus Seruetus was an abominable blasphemer against God and you are iustifiers of Seruetus Therefor ye are blasphemers before God like abominable as he was The maior I intend shortly to proue so far as shal be sufficieÌ„t at this tyme. The minor ye do not denie for some by appologies som by bookes and all by your toÌ„gues do iustifie his cause and the conclusion is infallibly gathered of the former wordes of the holie Gost. Ye will not easely admitt that Seruetus be conuicted of blasphemie for if so be ye must be coÌ„pelled to confesse except that ye will refuse God that the sentence of death executed against him was not crueltie nether yet that the iudges who iustly pronounced that sentence were murtherers nor persecuters but that this death was thâ— execution of gods iudgement and they the true and faithfull seruantes of God who when no other remedie was fouÌ„de did take away iniquitie from amongest them That God hath appointed death by his law without mercie to be executed vpon the blasphemers is euident by that which is written Leuiticus 24. But what blasphemie is may some perchance dout If righteously we shal consider wey the scriptures we shal fynd y t to speak basphemie or to blaspheme God is not onely to denie that there is a God but that also it is lightly to esteme the power of the eternal God to haue or to sparse abrode of his maiestie such opinions as may make his God head to be douted of To depart froÌ„ y e true honoring religion of God to the imagination of mans inuentions Obstinatly to maintein and defend doctrine diabolicall opinions plainely repugning to Gods trueth To iudge those thinges which God iudgeth necessarie for our saluation not to be necessarie And finaly to persecute the trueth of God and the membres of Christes bodie Of the first and second sort both was Sennacherib and proud Rabsases who comparing God with the Idoles of the Gentiles did not onely lightly esteme his godly power but also so far as in theÌ„ was studied to take out of the heartes of the Israelites all right and perfect opinion of God At whom the Prophet in the person of God demandeth this questioÌ„ whom hast y u blasphemed Of the third sort were bothe Israél and Iuda declining to idolatrie against Gods expresse commandmeÌ„t whom the Prophetes so often do affirme to blaspheme the holy one of Israel Because saieth Isaiah they haue repudiated the Lawe of the Lord of hostes and the worde of the holie one of Israel contumeliously haue they blasphemed And Ezechiel after that he hath most sharply rebuked the Israelites for their idolatrie he addeth yet in this your fathers haue blasphemed me thogh they had before grieuously transgressed against me for when I had broght them into the land for the which â— lifted vp my haÌ„d to giue it theÌ„ they sawe euery hie hill and all the thicke trees and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented their offering c. Of the fourth sort were Hymeneus and Alexander whom Paul gaue to the deuil that they shoulde learne not to blaspheme Of the â—ift sort were the multitude of the Iewes who iudged and to this day do iudge the death of Christ Iesus his blessed ordinance the publike preaching of his Euangil and the administration of his Sacrements to be nothing necessarie to our saluation And of the last doeth not Paul denie him self to haue bene a blasphemer and a persecuter before his coÌ„uersion Now if I shal plainely proue the most parte yea all these except ye will say he shed no mans blood to haue bene in your great prophete Seruet â— yea yet to be in you all of the Anabaptisticall sort haue I not sufficiently proued both him and you blasphemers Albeit I be more nere of his and your counsel theÌ„ any of you doeth knowe or suspect yet wil I not vtter at this present all that I can but wil abide till such oportunitie as God shal offer vnto me to notifie his and your poison to the Church of God that of the
serue the Lord what profit haue we for keping his commandements â–ª Therefore may weâ— say that the proude are happie aâ—d that they which deale with vngodlines are set vp Such a spâ—rit haue ye carâ—les libertins as your doctrine wel declareth did not God threaten Adam that in what daye so euer he shoulde eat of the frute he shoulde dye the death not onely corporall but also eternall They which forsake the commandements of God forsake God him self as the Prophetes saye th they are not the Lords for they haue vnfaithfully forsaken him Wherefore Adam when he forsoke God was not the Lords but the seruant of death and sinne to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruants to obeye saieth Paul his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or obedience vnto righteousnes And againe if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his and nâ—ther AdaÌ„ nor Dauid were led by the spirit of Christ when they sinned for the spirit of Christ dwelleth not insuch as forsake him obey the deuil except Christ saith the Apostel dwel in you ye are cast away then AdaÌ„ Dauid were cast à waies that is reprobates wheÌ„ they sinned for nether were they in Christ nor Christ in theÌ„ in whoÌ„ the electioÌ„ of God was is but to what purpose shoulde I thus conteÌ„d with you that AdaÌ„ did fâ—lle out of the electioÌ„ seing in this ye agre not your selues for your coÌ„gregatioÌ„ which is aâ— Genâ—ua in the confession of their faith say that of the lost sonnes of AdaÌ„ God elected som to life and the rest he refused Eâ—her improue their beâ—efe or els confâ—sse with them that all the children of Adam were lost by traÌ„sgression If they were lost â–ª then were they out of the eleâ—tion with their father â–ª Adam from thâ— transgression vnto the promâ—s was made Therefore saieth Paul damnatioâ— came of one sinne vnto condemnatioÌ„ in an other place like as by Adam all dye euen so by Christ â–ª shal all be made aliue Here doeth the Apostles witnes plaâ—nely â–ª that we all by Adam do dye S. Iohn saieth hâ— that beleueth not is alredie condemnedand the wrath of God abideth on him Then were Adam and Dauid and all such workers of iâ—â—quitie for that tym that they siâ—â—ed alredie condemned being void of faith And coulde they be in the â—â—ate of condâ—mnation election both together â–ª Harken what followeth and â–ª the wrath of God abideth on 〈◊〉 as Adam from the traâ—sgression vâ—to thâ— promes felt the force of the wrath of God Thus we 〈◊〉 thaâ— Adam and Dauid and all other 〈◊〉 they sinned â—hey be out of the louâ— and fauâ—r and election of God vnto they repenâ— and be bâ—rnâ— a nâ—w for otherwisâ— can they neuer enter intâ— the kingdome of heauen Again S Iohn saith ye knowe that no manslâ—yâ— are hath etâ—rnâ—l lieâ— abiding in him Dauid was a man killâ—r wherefore he had not eterâ—al lief abiding in him Buâ— during the timâ— of his wickedâ—es he was the childe of death as the Prophet Nathan shewâ—d him Dauid gâ—uing iudgement against him self â–ª without faith it can not bâ— that any man shouldâ— please God Adam and Dauid when they sinned they were without faith then pleasâ—d they not God If they pleased him not they displeased him so that they were fallen from the loue and fâ—uor of God ANSWER Albeit that I perceaue y t ether ignoraÌ„ce doeth so impede you orels that malice doeth so blynd you y t nether ye wil nor can vnderstand y t which in y e self is most sensible plaine I wil neuer theles yet once againe repete that w c before I haue said to the eÌ„d that we may giue testimonie aswâ—ll to those y t now liue as vnto y e posteritie to com what doctrine it is w c ye so furiously impugne If ignorance be the cause why thus ye rage against vs ye may be taught if ye list to bestowe your eares to heare your eyes to read heartes to vnderstand for o â— doctrine is not as som of you do complein darke nor obscure except y t it be to those to whom y e Apostle affirmed y t his EuaÌ„gill was hid But if that malice w c ye haue coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st the eternal trueth of God doth so blynd you that ye wil not se y e bright son in y e midday there resteth no more to vs but to desire of God ether to remoue this your deuelish malice I write as knoweth God euen froÌ„ y e grief of heart orels so to stay brydle it y â— it trooble not his afflicted Church Ye accuse vs as y t we made no differeÌ„ce betwext vice vertue sinne and iustice nether yet betwext AdaÌ„ and Dauid as they were elected in Christ Iesus before y e fouÌ„dacions of the worlde were laid and betwext Adam transgressing and Dauid committing adulterie and murtheâ— Ye further seme to charge vs as we should affirme that God hated not sinne nether yet that he respected vice If our short plaine and vnfeined coÌ„fessioÌ„ be able to satisfie you in these thre dowtes I haue good hope y t after this ye shall haue no occasion to suspect vs in such causes first before God before his holie Angelles in heaueÌ„ before his coÌ„gregatioÌ„ in earthe we protest acknowledge y t sinne vice and all kind of iniquitiâ— is and euer hath bene so odious in y e presence of God y t he neuer suffered y e same vnpunished in any of his elect childreÌ„ That for y e same not onelie death but also coÌ„moÌ„ calamities hath appreheÌ„ded all man kynd eueÌ„ sitheÌ„ce the first trasgression That vertue iustice and ciuil honestie besydes the iustice of the regenerat children hath so pleased God â–ª that for loue of the same he hath mainteined and to this day doth maintein coÌ„mon welthes albeit that many grieuous crymes be commited in the same As God we say and affirme loueth equitie iustice chastitie trueth mercie and teÌ„peraÌ„ce so doth he in som sort hieghly reward the same and hateth vnrighteousnes filthie life deceat excesse crueltie and riaâ—ous liuing which often he punisheth euen in manneâ— eyes And this difference we say God maketh euen amongest those that be not regenerate nether were euer called to y e true knowledge of saluation And this much briefly for the first secoÌ„d and 3. This difference we make betwext Adam and Dauid elected in Christ Iesus and Adam and Dauid transgressing gods holie commaÌ„demeÌ„t and wil reueled â–ª Adam and Dauâ—d elected in Christ Iesus before the foundations of the worlde were laid were so loued in the same Lord Iesus their head that when they had most horribly fallen and offended yet did God seke Adam call vpon him gently reason with him and at length conuicting his conscience of his offence did make vnto him that most ioyfull promes of recoÌ„ciliation of the same loue we say
our frayle bodies do we hold the secrete will of God for a ruele of all equitie perfection and sufficiencie teaching and affirming that if any man of vaine curiositie or of deuelish pride presume to define or determine vpon these or others his inscrutable secretes the causes whereof other then his secret but most iust will is not neither shal be reueled till the full glory of the sonnes of God be manyfested when the wisdome goodnes iustice and mercie of God shall so euidently appere to the full contentation of his electe to the most iust conuicting of the conscieÌ„ces of the very reprobate to whome shall be left no place of excuse but in their owne consciences they shall receaue the iust sentence of their most iust condemnation and so shall they in tormentes glorifie the most iust most seuere iudgement of God and his vnspeakable hatered against sinne conceaued We teach and affirme I say that if any man in this life trauale to searche out other causes of these foresaid works of God then his secrete will that the same man hedlongs casteth him selfe in to horrible coÌ„fusion which he can not eskape without spedie repentance And against such men are al the scriptures by you alledged spoken and written and not against vs who as we affirme nothing which gods worde doeth not plainely teache vs so do we cease curiously to inquire any cause of his workes other theÌ„ it hath pleased his godlie wisedome and mercie to reuele vnto vs by his holie spirit plainely speaking in his holie scriptures And therefor to you it shal be most profitable to trye and examine this mater with greater indiffereÌ„cie then hitherto you haue done and to ponder and wey whether it be ye or we that be wise in our owne conceate sight or opinion or that go about to finde out the almightie that is to subiecte his Maiestie and wisdome to the iudgemeÌ„t of our corrupt reason You I say who vpon his words plainely spoken by the holie Gost and vpoÌ„ his works which he neither fearerh nor eshameth to attribute and clame to him selfe dare make these blasphemous conclusioÌ„s Then is he more cruel then a wolf then is he a dissembler then beareth he hoÌ„ny in his mouthe gaule in his breast then is he author of sinne him self theÌ„ is he vniust coÌ„trarious to him self or we y t coÌ„miÌ„g but onely to the sight of gods incoÌ„prehensible iudgements with all treÌ„bliÌ„g reuereÌ„ce fall done before his Maiestie w t the Apostle do crye Oh y e depnes of y e riches wisdome and knowledge of God howe inscrutable are his iudgementes and vnsearcheable are his waies who hath knowen y e minde of the Lord or who hath bene of his counsell or who hath giuen vnto him first that he should recompence him for of him and by him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Be you your selues iudges I say whether you or we do search out thinges that be aboue the reache of our capacities and by that meanes studie to bring God as it were in boÌ„dage to our reasons but now that which foloweth in these wordes ADVERSARIE Thy worde sayeth Dauid is a lanterne to my fete and a light vnto my steppes when thy worde goeth forth it giueth light and vnderstanding euen Vnto babes all the wordes of the Lord are pure and cleane it is a shilde to them that put their trust in it And the Prophet Esaya if any maÌ„ lacke light â—et him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie we must not leaue the word and seke to establish our phantasies ether by reason or gods secret will for we are commanded that we turne not from the word nether to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest sayeâ—h thâ— holye Gost haue vnderstanding in all that thou takest in hand This is sufficient for vs and this we oght for to do But we knowe say you euen by the worde that God hath a secret will whereby he worketh all that pleaseth him verie well and can you proue thereby that God hath two willes God hath reueled so much of his will as is profitable for vs to vs to knowe the rest which is nether necessarie nor mete for vs to know he hath not reueled Is it therefore an other will or is that which is not reueled contrarie to that which is reueled then shal there be contrarietiâ— in God which is fals if God in respect of his reueled will wold not that Adam shoulde fall but in respect of his secret will he wold Adam should fall then did God will two contraries which is impossible was there euer any such monsterous doctrine taught God abhorreth a double heart which speaketh one thing and thinketh and other and yet abhorre you not to charge God with that which he cannot abide in his creatures that is that he should speak one thing as that Adam should not haue fallen and think and will the contrarâ—e that Adam should haue fallen ANSWER The wil of God plainely reueled in his holie scriptures we do not onely followe as a bright lanterne shining before vs for the directing of our pathes walking in the darknes of this mortalitie but also we affirme it to be of such sufficiencie that if an Angell froÌ„ the heauen with wonders signes and miracles wolde declare to vs a will repugning to that which is alredie reueled persuading vs vpon that to ground our faith or by that to rule the actions of our liues we wold hold him accursed and in no wise to be heard and therefore yet once againe I caÌ„ not cease to exhort you if by late reuelations ye I mean some of your faction hath receaued any newe knowledge of gods will by the which you persuade others that man in this life shal be pure and clean with out sinne that God shall expell it not onely in the resurrection but euen while we walk compassed with this corruptible flesh euen as the bright sunne chaseth away the darck cloudes that the children of God shal so beare dominion ouer the wicked in this earth that all the proud tyrannes and oppressors shall be come slaues to the godlie and that shal be their hell and punishment as the earthlie reigning of the others shal be their heauen and ioye promised Examin I say your selues if that any of you be infected with these and others mo grosse and foolish fantasies which by gods reueled will you be neuer able to proue But as for vs we haue proued and offer to proue at all times by the reueled will of God what so euer we teach affirme or beleue of gods eternal electioÌ„ or of his most iust reprobatioÌ„ for we coÌ„fesse euen the self same thing which you alledge vs to say which is that by the word of God we knowe that God hath a secret will whereby he worketh all that pleaseth him in heauen and in
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
God whom we do reuerence in whom we trust and most stedfastly beleue whose Sonne Christ Iesus we preach to be the onely sauiour of his Church and whose eternall veritie we mainteine not onely against Iewe Turke and Papist but also against you enraged anabaptistes who can admitte in God no iustice which is not subiect to the reach of your reason Darest thou and thy conspiracie stand vp and accuse God of crueltie because that in these his workes thou canst not deny but that mo were punished then were preserued mo were left in darknes then were called to the true light Shall not his mercie excede all his workes except that he saue the Deuill aÌ„d those that iustely be reprobated as he is Stoupe Sathan vnder the empire of our Soueraigne God whose will is so free that nothing is able to constreigne or binde it For that is onely libertie that is not subiect to mutabilitie to the inconstancie or appetites of others as most blasphemously you wold imagin God to be in his election and most iust reprobation by the which in despite of SathaÌ„ of thee his slaue and sonne and of all thy sect he will declare his glorie as well in punishing with tormentes for euer such blasphemers as you be as in shewing the riches of his glorie to the members of his deare Sonne who onely depend vpon Christe Iesus and vpon his iustice To purge my God from that iniustice or from those absurdities which thou woldest impute vpon his eternall maiestie I will â—ot labor lest that ether I should seme to doubte of our owne cause ether yet to be sollicite for the defense of our eternall God And therfor seing that ye declare your selues not men ignorant willing to Iearne but deuilles enraged against God against his eternall and infinite iustice as I began so do I finish The Lord confound thee Sathan The Lord confound you enraged dogges which so impudently dare barcke against the most iust iudgementes of God And thus leauing you to the handes of him who sodanely shall reuenge his iustice from your blasphemies For the cause of the Simple I say First that most maliciously ye accuse vs as that we should affirme God to be slow to mercy and readie to wrath which blasphemy we protest before God before his holy Angelles in heauen and before his Church here in earth did neuer enter into our heart For the contrarie thereof we daily see and perceaue not onely in our selues to whom most mercifully he remitteth the multitude of our sinnes but also in the most cruell ennemies of his Church We do not define what nombre God hath elected to life nether yet what nombre presently God hath reprobated Onely we stand content with that which the holy Gost hath reueled openly to witte that their be both elect and reprobate That the elect can not finally perish nether yet that the reprobate can euer be saued we constantly affirme But we adde the causes to wit that because the one sort is giuen to Christ Iesus by y e free gift of God his father before all times therfor in time they come vnto hiÌ„ by power of whose spirit they are regenerate their darkenes is expelled and from vertue they procede to vertue till finally they attein to the glory promised As y e other sorte is left in their own corruption so can they do nothiâ—g but obey their father y e deuil in whose boÌ„dage they iustely are left And so where ye burden vs that we say let the reprobate do what they can yet they must be daÌ„ned ye do most shamefully belie vs. For we saye and teach that who so euer declineth from euill and constantly to the end doth good shall most certenly be saued But our doctrine is thiâ— that because the reprobate haue not the spirite of regeneration therfor they can not do those workes that be acceptable before God How God is almightie and omnipoteÌ„t we haue before confessed to witt that as he in his eternall wisedom foreseeth and appointeth all thinges so doth his power put all thinges in execution how and when it best pleaseth him Neither can his wisedom will nor counsels be subiect to any mutabilitie vnstablenes or chaÌ„ge For if it so were then his godly wil and counsels did not depend vpon him self but vpon his creatures which is more then absurd Nether to Pharao neither to Semei neither yet to any other reprobate did or doth God giue either wicked commandement or euill thoght But those wicked thoghtes and euill motions which be in them of their euill nature and are stirred vp by the instigation of the deuill as he doeth not purge them so doth his wisedom vse them well to his owne glorie to the exercise of his children and to the comfort of his Church In so much that the verie tyranny of Pharao the cursing of Semei and the incest of Absalom in so farre as they were gods workes they were iust and holy because they were iust punishmentes of their sinnes an exercise for his children and some part also of his fatherly correction for their offenses To the rest of your vanitie I will not answere not because I feare your sophisticall subtilitie but because I will not except that yet I be further prouoked nether by tongue nether yet by penne once name or expresse your horrible blasphe mies Which manifestly do witnes and declare that you as dogges enraged without all reuerence do barke against God because his workes do surmount your capacitie The Lord speadely call you to repeÌ„tance or els so bridle your venemous tongues that they be not able further to infect Now to the rest THE ADVERSARIE The properties of the true God God his mercie exceadeth all his workes he hath made man like to hâ—â— own image in Christe Iesus in whom is no damâ—ation he is slâ—we vnto wrathe and readie to foregiue he wil be intreated of all so that â—e biddeth all men euerie where to repâ—nt and â—ffereth faith to all men he is omnipotent and may do and leaue vndone what so euer shal be his good pleasure â—ether is it his pleasure wil tâ—at eiher Pharaâ— Semei or any other do sinne and come to destruction for he willeth the deathe of no creature but willeth all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth he hath but one will which is euer onely good reueled in his word to them that feare him and kepe his commandementes nether hath he any secret will contray to this but will performe what so euer goeth outâ— of his mouthâ— he tempteâ—th no man to sinne he is the fuâ—her of ligâ—t and cometh to destroye the workes of the careles libertynes God for be abhorreth all wickednes aÌ„d al wicked dâ—â—â—s ANSWERE In this description of your God whom you do terme the true God I do woÌ„der of three thinges First that in this your description ye dissent from your greate angel Castalio Secondely how