sufficient to proue what so euer we haue affirmed that is that gods couÌ„sell loue and goodnes towardes his churche is immutable For the example and the similitude which he bringeth in are most plane and euident The waters haue neuer vniuersally ouer floweÌ„ the earth synce the dayes of Noah to whoÌ„ he made his couenant to the contrarie and yet no les iniquitie yea greter hath reigned in all aeges synce then did before What is the the cause that the like or greater vengeance is not taken The certentie no doubt of his promes which he hath made to his churche in Christe Iesus his onelie welbeloued The montanes we se in all teÌ„pestes and stormes do kepe their place they do not flitte neither yet are they shaken with the vâ—hemencie of windes But if they should saieth the eternall my goodnes shall not leaue thee ô mercie without measure neither shall the couenant of my peace shake nor wauer Thus I suppose that the godlie reader doth perceaue aÌ„d se that we lack not scripture as ye affirme to proue that gods loue and counsell towardes his elect is stable and that because it is grounded vpon him self and not vpon vs as to your coÌ„demnation if by tymes ye repent not ye falsly imagin But yet lest that ye shall complain that these scriptures be not plane yhough I will bring in yet one and so end this parte Heare me ô house of Iacob and all you residue of the house of Israel who are borne of me frome the wombe and borne of me from the birth and euen to the aege I am he the same God and euen to the whyte heares I shal bear I haue done aÌ„d I shall bear yea I shall bear and deliuer What wordes can be more vehement and more plaine to proue that the loue of God can neuer change from his elect For that is his conclusion which he collected vpon the former partes Saing I shall bear and I shall dâ—lyuer And why because I haue born you Is this a good reason that God shall delyuer because that he hath once born How so euer it seme to the Anabaptist it semeth good to the holie Gost. And Dauid and Iob did with the like remembrance comforte them selues in their greatest tribulations The one saying Thow art he that hast drawen me furth of my mothers wombe In thee haue I trusted hanging vpon my mothers breastes vpon the was I cast from the birth frome my mothers wombe thow art my God In these wordes Dauid did arme him selfe against the horrible tentations which did assault him in those moste greuous persecutioÌ„s which vnder Saul he susteined For so must not that Psalme be interpreted of Christe and his passion that Dauid had no portioÌ„ of it by the which when to his own iudgement and to the iudgement of all men also he appered to haue ben oppressed he gathered new strength and comfort by y e benefits of God which before he had receaued And so he concludeth here Thow that art the author of my life thow that didst norish and preserue me euen in the midest of darknes wilâ— continue my God still and so shalt thow deliuer me What is the reason of this conclusion Dauid him self doth expres it saying O Lord thy mercie is euerlasting thow shalt not leaue the workes of thyne haÌ„des In which wordes Dauid frome the midest of troubles is lift vp to the contemplation of gods nature who as he chuseth of fre mercie and bestoweth his giftes vpon his children before that either they can deserue theÌ„ or yet know them so doth he continue the same moste constantly to the end vnto the membres of Christes bodie and vpon this same ground alone stayed the faith of Iob in his most extreme anguishe for in these wordes he doeth as it were complayne to God Thy handes haue made me and facioned me wholy round aboute and wilt thow destroy me Remember I pray the that how hast fashioned me as the Potter doth his clay and wilt thou bring me into dust againe Hast thou not poured me oute as milk and turned me to cruddes like chese Thou hast clothed me with skinne aÌ„d flesh and ioyned me together with bones and synewes Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy visitatioÌ„ hath preserued my spirite Thogh thou hast hid these things in thyne heart I know thaâ—â—t is so with the â–ª Here it is plain that Iob fighteth against desperation which vehemently did assauâ—t him by reason of his paines intollerable And in his battell he appreheÌ„deth this holde God hath begon to shew mercie vnto me which in many things I haue felt and I still depend and hang vpon the same therefor my God may not dispyse the workes of his handes And so farre procedeth he in this disputation till that he maketh this coÌ„clusion which God after did approue I know saieth Iob that my reuenger liueth whom I shall se yea my nâ—cis shal se him and none other Vpon what ground I say did this faith of Iob stand No doubt vpon this that gods counsell is stable and that his loue is immutable towardes such as once he had taken in to his sauegarde And if ye doubt that this is rather our collection then the plaine sentence of the holie Gost conferre oure proposition with the former wordes of Isaiah and let it be iudged by them And if that yet ye crye that we haue broght furth no plaine scripture affirming that the counsell of God is immutable then heare what the same Prophete saieth It is I saieth he that frome the beginning shew the things that be last and from the beginning those thinges that be not done It is I that do speak and my counsell is stable and what so euer I will that I do Consider and beholde that the Prophet affirmeth the counsell of God to be stable yea to be so immutable that neither could the tyranny of the ennemies neither yet the former sinnes of the people neither yet their present vnthankfulnes stoppe God from shewing his mercie Becaus that his infinite goodnes founde awaye euen in the midest of death to manifest his own glorie Such as by malice be not altogither blinded hauing any exercise in the scripptures of God may easely perceaue that I haue wrested no parte of the Prophetes mynde For continually one thing doth he beat in their eares to witt that God will shew mercie will deliuer and will be Sauiour vnto them for his Names sake for his promes made to Abraham and for the glorie of him self But now shortly let vs heare two or three places of the new testament spoken to the same purpose and so let vs put end to this part Our master Christ Iesus plainely affirmeth that all which the father gaue him shoulde come vnto him pronouncing that who soeuer cometh he â—old not cast him furth but will rayse him vp and giue him life For this saieth he is the will of the Father
equall in dignitie all men should be free and that all their goodes should be vsed indifferently as well of one as of an other Wherby the common people began to leaue of labor and to be ydle aÌ„d what thiÌ„g soeuer any lacked that y t they toke by violeÌ„ce froÌ„ other y t abouÌ„ded These maners he vsed for a space wheÌ„ the coÌ„mon people husbaÌ„d men were in armour through Sueuia Franconia to the number of fortie thousand had destroied the greatest part of their nobilitie had pulled downe and burned many Castels towres theÌ„ putte he to his haÌ„d also thinking that y e most coÌ„uenient time to bring his purpose to passe And making inginnes of warre in the gray friers church the greater part of the people he broght furth of y e cuÌ„trie in hope of a praye of more welth He had a coÌ„panion of meruelous audacitie who was of all his counsell whose name was Phifer this man attributed much to dreames visions of the night and amongest other thinges he chanced to boast that he saw in his slepe in a certeÌ„ stable a meruelous great multitude of mise that he did driue them all away By which dreame he vnderstode that God commanded him to take his armour and go furth with an armie to destroy all the nobilitie But Muncer althugh he preached vehemently to the people yet was he some what colder nether listed he to aduenture the prosperous estate that he was in alredy before al they that were about him were in armour And to bring the mater more easilie to passe he sent leters to the workeme that digged for metalles in the cuÌ„trie of Mansfeld earnestly admonishing them to fall vpon the Princes without doubting of the mater for it should come to passe that they which were in a readines in Franconia shall come nerer to Turingia In the meane time Phifer that loued not to linger long in any mater went out with his men and destroied the cuntrie of Isfeld adiacent vnto them he spoiled the Castels and temples destroyed many of the nobles and toke certen of them prisoners whom he bound in chaines After he returned home with a greate praye Whose prosperous successe encouraged greatly the heartes of the common people especially because the countreis also about them were vp and had inuaded the cuntrie of Mansfeld So Muncer thinking now that all mens heartes had failed them on 〈…〉 came with 300. men to Mulhusium and ioined him self to the FraÌ„cusians At that same time died Friderike Duke of Saxon without issue for he liued a sole life whose successor was Ihon his brother germane While these thinges were in doing Albert the countie of Mansfeld gathered with all expedition a company of horsemen and violently comming vpon them he slew 300 wherwith they being feared durst procede no further but fled to Francusium where they taried waiting for a greater armie wherby onely their assaute was deferred In the time of this delay the Princes that were there about gathered horsemen to the number of a fiftene hundred but no greate multitude of footemen These were the Princes of Saxon Ihon Elector George his cosin germane Philippe Lantgraue of Hesse and Henri Duke of Brunswicke The bowres that is husband men remained vpon a hill not farre from Francusium who had gathered their cartes and sette them so nigh together to fence them withall that with much difficultie could they be come vnto But they were nether well furnished with harnes nether yet with ordinaÌ„ce and they were all for the most part vnexpert in the feates of warre wherwith the Princes were so moued to compassioÌ„ that they sent messingers to exhort them to deliuer the authors of the sedition to lay awaye their weapoâ—s to depart home without hurte But Muncer considering his owne danger came furth into the assemblie with graue coutenance said Ye brethern felow souldiours do see tyraÌ„nes not farre from you who althogh they haue conspired against vs to take away our liues yet are they of so smal a courage that they dare entreprise nothing against vs. They offer foolish and fond conditions to the intent to spoile you of yo r armour And now it is manifest to you all that I began this dede but not of any priuate authoritie of my own nether did I euer go about such a thing but by the commandement of God which thing being so it becometh both me and you to obey not once to moue out of this place wherin God hiÌ„self hath sette vs who in times past commanded Abraham to offer his sonne whose precept without resistance Abraham obeied albeit he was ignorant what should come of it And therfor did God both preserue his sonne and also highly rewarded his faith in like maner oght we which are in the same state to perseuere committiÌ„g the issue vnto God for withoute doubt all thinges shal be euen as we wold haue it Ye your selues shall behold the manifest helpe of God and who so euer is our ennemie him shall we suppresse on euery side Nether is it in one place of the scripture onely where God promiseth succour to the afflicted to destroye the wicked This promes most assuredly apperteineth vnto vs. for we are poore and in miserie because we desire to reteine and publish the knowledge of God there is no doubte but that we shall ouercome and be conquerors On the other side lette vs consider the condition of our ennemies I coÌ„fesse they are called PriÌ„ces but in dede they be tyraÌ„nes nether haue they any care of you at all but deuoure all meÌ„s goodes and spend them most wickedly In that people which sometime God chose peculiarly vnto him self he ordeined that kinges should not spend any time in waste yea he commaÌ„ded that they should loke diligently in the boke of the lawes which he had giuen them But what do our tyrannes or how are they occupied They think the common welth is no part of their charge they know nothing of poore mens causes they care not for iustice they suffer the wayes to be besette with theues they punish not robbers nether any other vice they helpe not the widdow nether yet the fatherles They loke not to the good education of youth As for the honoring of gods Name they do not onely theÌ„ selues neglect it but also they hinder it Thus onely they applie to draw all mens goodes to them selues and therfore do they euery day deuise new wayes to gette money by extortioÌ„ Nether sette they their mindes vpon defending or mainteining of peace but that being enriched aboue measure they may abound in al kinde of riotte and pride It is to manifest how greate tumultes and warres they raise for very light and foolish causes whereby all that remaineth to the poore people is lost and destroied Behold these are the excellent vertues and policies of your noble princes wherin they exercise them selues Therfor let none think that God
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
be thy cogitations of the eternall God head when thou saiest God must loue his birthes becaus he hath giuen a naturall inclination to all beastes to loue their birthes If thy reason be good then must God forget some of his birthes in their youth and reiecte all care of theÌ„ For that same nature giueth God to som fowles as y e book of Iob doth witnes in these wordes speaking of the Estrich which leaueth his egges in the earth and maketh them hote in the dust aÌ„d forgetteth that the foote might scatter them or that the wilde beast might breake them He sheweth him self cruell vnto his young ones as they were not his and is withoute feare as if he traualed in vain For God hath depriued him of wisdome and hath geuen him no parte of vnderstanding If thy reason I say be good God must loue his birth because he causeth all other beastes loue their birthes Then I say it must also folow God shall forgett and hardly intreat som for such nature and inclination hath he giuen to som of his creatures as is plainely proued I do mean thow wilt say of loue onely but the scripture which either ignorantly orels maliciously thow corruptest declareth the contrarie for thow wilt make God to beare because he causeth others to beare That scripture I say thow doest peruerte as thow doest all the rest For what the Prophete of God applieth to the miraculous restauration of the church whiche then was most afflicted that thow doest alledge to make God haue like asrections with brute beastes And that neither thou nor any other shall haue occasion to reporte that I accuse the wrongfully I will recite the hole wordes of the Prophete who thus speaketh Before she hath traueled of child birth she hath borne and before that doloure come she broght furth a man who hath heard the like or who hath sene the like vnto this was y e earth builded he meaneth set in order in one day was there euer a nation borne at once and yet Zion hath traualed of child birth and at once hath she broght furth hir children he addeth the cause of this supernaturall multiplication and felicitie Saying shall I bring to a strait and shall I not cause to bear saveth the eternall shall I cause to beare aÌ„d shall make restraiÌ„te saith thy God They are more then blynd which do not se that God in these wordes hath neither respect to the naturall inclination of beastes neither yet to any common loue that he beareth to his creatures But to that incomprehensible and vnchangeable loue which he beareth to his churche the multiplication the ioy and felicitie whereof he will at once bring furth in such sort that his elect shall neuer remember to their grief that they susteined any passion or paine Let the indifferent reader compare this interpretation with the plane wordes of the Prophete and so let thy self iudge how irreuerently thow doest abuse the moste confortable wordes of the holie Gost to establish thy error But let it be that thow didst mean of loue and of no affection els Art thow becume so bolde and impudent that thow darrest subiect God to the law lymites and boundes of nature To speake the mater more planely I ask of the first if thow wilt denie the loue of God to be perfecte except that he do for all maner of men that whiche beastes naturally do for their birthes Secondarely if thow filthie earth darest burden God in his presence with crueltie as now thow doest in thy blind raige if he hath not created and made all men of equall estate condition and dignitie Thirdly if thow shalt stand in iudgement and lay iniustice to his charge if he shew mercie to whoÌ„ he will and also indurate aÌ„d make hard who he will For all these thre will I planely proue that God doeth first y t he doth not for his dearest children to our iudgement that which beastes naturally do for their birthes I trust thy self will easely confes For the Tygar the bear the Lyon and others do so tender their whelpes that euen against the strength of man were he neuer so valiant will they fight for defence of their young ones but we do se that God comonly doth so permit his dearest children to the cruel appetites of the most wicked men that for a season he appereth to haue forgotten them and to haue turned his face and countenance frome them And shall we therefor think that gods loue is not perfect or that his power is diminished or his good will towardes his childreÌ„ chaÌ„ged God forbid But this say you doth not offend vs but that God should reprobat any man whom he created to his own image and similitude that we caÌ„ not beare for it repugneth to his loue and iustice Well of your first reason which you drawe frome nature I suppose we haue obteined that God is not bound in all things to folow the natural loue of his creatures For he doeth often suffer and I trust ye will not say that he is enforced so to do his dearest children most cruelly to be handled which no beast willingly will do Now let vs wey your seconde reason man sayeth your book is the birthe and child of God created to his own image and similitud as the Prophet saieth wherefor God loueth his own birth that is maÌ„ Then did he not reprobate and cast away man afore he was for that were a proof that he hated and abhorred Omitting your ignorance by the whiche ye applie generally to all men those promesses which the Prophete Malachie spake to the people of God Let it be granted vnto you that as all men were created in Adam so God som maner of way is their father what will or can ye thereof conclude That God loueth all say you If you vnderstand and affirme that equally God loueth all because all were created by him the common experience aÌ„d the diuersitie of gods giftes shall reproue your vanitiâ—for vnto one man we see greater giftes giuen then vnto other som we se verteouse and others giuen to nothing but to iniquitie If you say he loueth them in that he offereth vnto theÌ„ his grace which when they refuse then beginneth he to hate them you haue proued nothing of your intent and further the plain scripture confuteth this your error and first I say that before ye can proue your conclusion to be good ye must proue that all men stode do stand and be born in the same perfection that Adame was created in For it doth not folow that God still loueth all men because he loued Adam created to his own image and similitude The reason is Adam did fall from that image became rebellious inobedieÌ„t and slaue to the deuill And in the same damnation wrapped all his posteritie So that now from Adam we can clame nothing but sinne wrath death and hatred as the apostle affirmeth
be which deserueth praise MaÌ„ therefor falleth gods prouidence so ordeining but yet he falleth by his own fault for God of short time before had pronouÌ„ced that all which he had made were verey good frome wheÌ„ce theÌ„ came such wickednes to maÌ„ y t he so traterously declyned froÌ„ his God Lest that it might haue bene through that that it proceded frome the creation God approued by his own commendation whaâ— so euer he had made Therefor did man corrupt by his own malice that pure and clean nature which from God he had receaued aÌ„d by his fall he drew his hole posteritie to perditioÌ„ Therefor let vs rather behold the euident cause of damnatioÌ„ in the corrupt nature of mankind then that we shall pretend to searche it being his and vtterly incompreheÌ„sible in the predestination of God neither yet let vs be ashamed so far to subiect the capacitie of our vnderstanding to the incomprehensible wisdom of God that in manie of his mysteries we acknowledge and confesse our selues to be ignorant for learned and blessed is the ignorante of those thinges which to vnderstaÌ„d and know is neither lawfull neither yet possible in this life The apperance of knowledge in such thiÌ„ges is a kynd of madnes These be the wordes of this most godlie writer frome whose iudgement none of vs doeth dissent in this mater For froÌ„ him we must confesse except that we wold in concealing the trueth declare our selues to be vnthankfull that we all haue receaued comfort light and erudition as from gods good instrument who yet thus further procedeth There be thre thinges saeth he in this mater to be considered first that the eternall predestination of God by the which he had decreed what should becom of all maÌ„kynd yea and of euerie man euen befor that Adam fell was sure and appointed Secondly that Adame for his defection was iustly adiudged to death and last that in the personne of him that then was lost was damned his hole posteritie aÌ„d yet neuertheles God did frely choose of the same such as vpon whom it pleased him to bestow the â—onor of adoption and yet after in the same place he saieth when we speak of predestination I haue constantly taught and this day do teach that frome thence we oght to begin that iustly are all reprobat left in death who were dead and damned in Adame that iustly they perishe who by nature are the sonnes of wrath And therefor that none hath cause to complein of gods rigorous seueritie seing that all do bear the cause of damnation within them selues for if we shall com to the first man we shall find that willingly he fell and so by his one faule he broght perdition to all his posteritie And albeit that Adam fell not but that God both knew and ordeined thesame yet serueth that nothing nether to extenuat and excuse his crime nether yet to wrap God in societie of the same for alwaes must we looke to this that he spoiled him self of the righteousnes which he receaued from God that willingly he made him selfe seruant to sinne and to sathan that without compulsion he cast him self headlong in to destruction and death yet resteth one excuse to witt that he could not auoid nor flie that which was decreed by God but his voluntarie transgression is sufficient to his condemnation nether yet is the secrete counselle of God the proper and naturall cause of sinne but the fre and plaine will of man And there for seing that man findeth in him self the cause of his miserie what shall it profitt him to seke it in the heauen And after albeit that men by long compassing about purpose to delude them selues yet can they neuer make them selues so brutishe and dull but they shall fele the sense of sinne grauen in their heartes Therefor in vaine is it that vngodlines goeth about to absolue man whom his own conscience damneth In so far as God willing and knowing permitted man to fall the â–ª cause may be secrete and hid but vniust it can not be And yet he further writeth this saieth he is to be holden without all controuersie that sinne was euer hatefull to God for most rightely doth this commendation wherewith of Dauid he is commended aggre to him that he is a God that wold not iniquitie but rather in ordeining the fall of maÌ„ his eÌ„d and purpose was good and most right frome the which the name of sinne abhorreth howbeit I say that so he hath ordeined the fall of man that I vtterly denie him to be the author of sinne Let the indifferent reader iudge with equitie if iustly we be accused of that blasphemie which so openlie we abhorre but yet in the same book he bringeh furth a testimonie of Augustine who thus writeth These be the great workes of God saieth Augustine broght to passe in all his willes and so wisely broght to passe that whill the nature of Angell and man had sinned that is had done not that which he that is God wold but that which the self meaning the creature wold yet not the les by the same will of the creature by the which that was done which the creator wold not did he fulfill that which he wold he being infinitely good vsing well those thiÌ„ges that were euil to the damnation of them whom he iustly had appointed to paine and to the saluation of those whom mercifully he had predestinate to grace In so far as to them perteined they did the thing which God woâ—d not but as apperteining to gods omnipotencie they might by no meanes haue done that for euen in that that they did against the will of God the will of God was done in them and therefor great are the workes of the Lord broght to passe in all his willes that by a woÌ„derous and vnspeakable maner that thing should not be done without his will that yet is don agaiÌ„st his will foâ— it should not be done if he did not suffer it And of a trueth he suffered it not vnwilingly but willingly And a litil before saint Augustin saieth it is not to be doubted but that God doeth well permitting those thinges to be done which are euil for he suffered not this but in his iust iudgement Albeit therefor that these thinges which be euill in so far as they ar euill are not good yet neuertheles it is good that not onely good thinges but also that euill thinges be for if that this were not good that euil thinges should be by no meanes should they be permited to be by the omnipoteÌ„t good to whom no doubt it is a like easie not to suffer the thing which he will not to be as to do that thing which he will except we beleue this the beginning of our faith is indangered by the which we professe our selues to beleue in God the father almightiâ— c. And in the end to answer to these calumnies which ye haue taken furth of Pighius that papist
Iohn Caluin concludeth if euer I had said that it came to passe by the instruction or motion of the spirit of God that the first man did alienat him self frome God and not that rather I haue in al places defended that man was pricked thereto by instigation of the deuill and by the motion of his own heart theÌ„ meritably might Pighius and his coÌ„plices haue railed agaiÌ„st me But seing that I remouing froÌ„ God the verey cause of the actioÌ„ do also remoue from him all crime so that man onely is subiect aswell to the crime as to the punishment wickedly and maliciously is this laid to my charge that I should say that mannes defection and fall is one of gods workes But yet lest y t one thing should appere to lacke of our full doctrine I will recite his wordes which he writeth against the libertines in the 14 chapter of that worke we do not deny saieth he but that all thinges are done by the will of God In so much that wheÌ„ we declare wherefor he is called omnipotent we geue to him an effectuall power in all his creatures and we teach that as once he created the vniuersall world so also that he gouerneth the same And that his haÌ„d is alwaies at the work that he might kepe all thinges in their estate and dispose them after his will And to the end that I may expreâ—â—e the same more easely I say that God is to be considered thre maner of waies to work in the administration or his creature first there is an vniuersall operation by the which he directeth all creatures according to the conditioÌ„ and proprietie which he gaue to euerie one when he formed them and this gouernemeÌ„t is nothing els but that which we call the order of nature for albeit the vnfaithfull know nothing in the disposition of the world but that which they se with their eies And therefor they make nature as she were a goddesse to haue impire and dominion ouer all yet is this praise to be giuen to the will of Godâ— that it onely doeth moderat aÌ„d gouern all thinges Wherefor when we se the son the moon and the sterres fulfill their course Let vs vnderstand that they obey God that they execuâ—e his commandement yea and that they are guided by the hand of God And also when we se the course of earthlie thiÌ„ges all thinges are to be ascribed to God The creatures are to be estemed but as instruments in his haÌ„d which he applieth to the work euen as pleaseth him The scripture doeth often make mention of this vniuersall prouidence that we may learn in all his workes to giue glorie vnto God But chiefly in vs doeth God commeÌ„d this his power that we shall know it in our selues to the end that we may be purged of arrogancie which sodanly vseth to arise in vs how son we forgett our selues to be in his haÌ„des Hereunto apperteineth that which Paul said to those of Athenes It is he in whom we liue are moued and haue our being By the which he wold admonish vs that except God vp hold vs by his hand that vnable it is for vs to stand the least moment of time for euen as the soule dispersing her streÌ„gthe throughe the hole bodie moueth the meÌ„bres so are we qwickened of God form whome onely we obtein what so euer strength or power we haue But this vniuersall operation of God impedeth not but that euery â—reature in heauen and in earth retein their own nature and qualitie and also do folow their own inclination The second maner by the which God worketh in his creatures is that he appointeth them in obedience of his goodnes iustice and iudgement somtymes to help his seruantes somtymes to punishe the wicked and somtimes to examin the pacience of his seruantes or to correct and chasten them with a fatherly affectâ—on as when he will giue vs aboundance of frutes he giueth rain in his time he sendeth heat by the son and bright and clear daies as also he vseth all other naturall meanes as instruments of his liberalitie But when he pulleth back his hand the heauen is made like brasse the eaâ—th is yron and so it is he that sendeth thonder frost hale and also it is he that is the cause of sterilitie and barennes Therefor what so euer the Ethnicks and ignorant did attribute to fortune we assigne to the prouideÌ„ce of God Not onely to that vniuersall operation of the which we haue before spoken but to his especiall ordinance by the which he gouerneth all as he knoweth it to be most expedieÌ„t and profitable and this he teacheth when by his Ptophetes he saieth that he created darknes aÌ„d light that he sendeth death and lief that neither good nor euill can chaÌ„ce but froÌ„ his haÌ„d In so much that he saieth that he doeth gouern aÌ„d direct the lottes Yea if that any maÌ„ by chaÌ„ce and not of set purpose be slain he auoweth him self to be the cause of his death and that so he had appointed that we shall iudge nothing to com of fortune but that all cometh by the determination of his counsell And further it displeaseth him wheÌ„ we esteme any thing to procede from any other so that we do not behold him and know him not onely the principall cause of all thinges but also as the author appointing all thinges to the one part or the other by his counsell Thus let vs then conclude that prosperitie and aduersitie rayn wyndes hale frost fare wether aboundance hunger warre or peace to be the workes of God and that the creatures which be the inferior causes are onelie instrumeâ—tes which he hath in redines to execute his will which he so vseth at his pleasure that he leadeth and moueth them to bring to passe what so euer he hath appointed Moreouer it is to be noted that not onlie he thus vseth his insensible creatures that by them he worketh his will but also men them selues yea and also deuilles insomuch that sathan and wicked men are executers of gods will as he vsed the Egypâ—ians to punishe his people and a litle after he raised vp the Assyrians and other such to reuenge the sinnes of his people we se that he vsed the deuil in tormenting Saul and in deceauing Achab. which thinges when the libertines doheare rashely and without iudgement beholding no further they conclude That now the creatures do no more work and so horribly do they confound all things nether do they onelie mingle and mixt the heauens with the earth but also they ioyn God with the deuil aÌ„d that chanceth vnto them becaus they do not obserue two most necessarie exceptions The former is that Sathan and the wicked are not so the instrumentes of God but that they also do theire own partes Nether must we imagin that God so worketh by wicked men as by a stock or a stone but as by a creature participant of reason c. When we say
to perfourme but by the euil as by sathan and wicked meÌ„ in so far as they are not regenerat as oft as God doth execute the iust counselles and decreis of his eternall will he declareth his own strength and efficacie in his work by them which they do ether ignoraÌ„tly orels against their purpose And yet in so far as they worke God worketh not in theÌ„ but he louseth the bridle to sathan to whom by his iust iudgement he giueth them ouer to be moued and possessed forwarde to all iniquitie that they may be caried to perdition euen by the instigation of the deuil and by their own propre will Thus haue you briefly the som of our doctrin in this mater which if ye be able by manifest scriptures or yet by good argumeÌ„tes from the same deduced to improue theÌ„ caÌ„ we not refuse to make satisfactioÌ„ as the Church of Christ Iesus shall require of vs. But if that vniustly ye haue accused vs and haue further imputed crueltie vpon God by reason that his iudgemeÌ„tes most iust in them selues are to your senses incompreheÌ„sible theÌ„ can we not of conscience cease to require of you a greater modestie aÌ„d also of the lawfull Magistrate an ordre to be takeÌ„ that your malice aÌ„d vennon may be repressed assuring them that if by tymes your interprises be not impeded that they shall shortly fele what confusion ye haue of long fostered in your breastes your poison is more pestilent theÌ„ that of the papistrie was in the beginning God for his mercies saik preserue his Churche and purge your heartes to his glorie Towching the secrete will of God which so oft ye lay to our charge we shall after speak as also how God will that all repent and that all be saued Before I haue declared that this difference must we make betwext God and man be he neuer so poteÌ„t that God hath such power ouer his creatures that he reuleth them at his pleasure and is not a simple law giuer which onely can deuise good lawes and giue commandement that they may be kept but can not thogh he wold frame the heartes of his subiectes to obedience Such imperfection I say can we not admitt in our God who doth aÌ„d hath done what so euer he will in heauen and in earth And so your similitude of the king commaÌ„ding and of the poorest sclaue offending halteth aÌ„d is imperfect for God hath greater power ouer all creatures yea euen ouer the king him self theÌ„ the king hath ouer his sclaue for the sclaue when he hath offended by som meanes he may escaip the kinges handes and so the punishemeÌ„t of his lawes But so can not the king the handes of God Consider the inequalitie betwext God and maÌ„ I say and then I trust your iudgemeÌ„t shall ether be reformed or els ye coÌ„streined to deuise more solide reasoÌ„s I haue not learned in the scriptures to call the corruption of our nature by the which we rebell against gods commandement power but rather impotentie and thraldome But ceasing to contend or striue for termes I wonder what ye meaÌ„ by your conditional which thus ye forme otherwies that is if we had no power to offend against gods will we should all obserue the will of God and be saued and so do you conclude there should be no reprobation I will not commonly scoffe at you as your foolishnes deserueth but here I must say that this your reason is no better then if I shuld affirme that there is no difference betwext fowles of the ayr and the rest of the creatures of the earth because that if all creatures had winges and lyke agilitie that then all creatures shuld flie aswell as the fowles and so should there in that case be no difference Your reason hath no greater strengthe for it standeth onely vpon conditionalles whereof ye iustly can conclude nothing Proue if ye can that it was and is the immutable couÌ„sel of God that all should be saued aÌ„d theÌ„ ye may proue that there shal be none reprobate But now we followe as ye procede THE ADVERSARIE As for the sentence of Paule God willing to shew his wrathe to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vesselles of wrath ordeined to damnation c. it is direct contrarie to your error not withstanding ye abuse it to maintein the same For seing as Paul saieth God suffered them with greate pacieÌ„ce he is sorie for them if he be sorie theÌ„ hath he no pleasure in their destructioÌ„ aÌ„d that wherein he hath no pleasure he willeth it not and that w c he willeth not he doth not ordein it Wherefor seing God suffered theÌ„ with greate pacieÌ„ce to fall he hath not ordeined theÌ„ to fall y n dispisest saieth S. Paule y e riches of gods goodnes aÌ„d patieÌ„ce aÌ„dloÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce not knowing that y e kindnes of God leadeth the to repeÌ„taÌ„ce behold here the cause why God suffered with long pacience is that we should repent and amend If they had ben absolutely ordeined to damnation afore the foundation of the world â–ª then God knew they should neuer repent and amend to what purpose then suffered he them with loÌ„g pacience Notwith standing this is plaine ynowgh â–ª aÌ„d conform to the word â–ª yet ye dispising what so euer is contrarie to your mynd ye stik fast to the literall sense of thâ—se wordes ordeined to damnation which wordes be spoken after the common maner of speaking as they be called after the common phrase of speach ordeined to damnatioÌ„ whose end is damnation we vse to say of a man that is cast to be hanged this man was born to be hanged not with standing it was not his mothers mynd to beare him to be haÌ„ged Such phrases haue we verey many in the scriptures as Exod. 11 Pharao harkened not vnto you that many wonders may be done in the land of Egipt forasmuch as the wonders done in Egipt were greuous to Pharao he did not disobey the intent that mo wonders which were plagues should com vpon him but this was the issue of his obstinat inobedienco Exod. the XIX who so euer giueth his sede vnto Moloch let him be slayn because he hath geuen of his sede vnto Moloch to defyle my Sanctuarie and to pollute my holie Name The Israelites did not sacrifice their children to Moloch to defyle the lordes sanctuarie and to dishonor the Name of God but to worship Moloch notwithstanding that was the issue and end of their sacrifice vnto Moloch that the Lordes sanctuarie was defiled and his Name dishonored Thereby Ieroboam made the two golden claues wherby he made Israel sinne to anger the Lord God of Israel The cause why Ieroboam made the two golden claues and his intention was not to anger God but he thoght that if the people should go vp aÌ„d do sacrifice in the howse of the Lorde at IerusaleÌ„ there heartes shulde return to Roboam king of Iuda wherefor he made
certen securitie And therefor the wordes of our master spoken to his disciples and the admonition of Paul to the Churches in his daies doth much profit comfort and confirme vs for by the same we are so armed against offences and sclanders which daily do chance that albeit we se that froÌ„ amongest our selues arise such as bring in damnable sectes which lead many to perdition yet we do not therefor detest nor ahbore Christs simple veritie but being prouoked by that fall deiection of others with great solicitude and care we call for the assistance of gods holie spirit en those most miserable and most wicked daies That ye affirme vs to be lieng prophetes not seÌ„t of God but such as runne of our selues calling to our coÌ„gregation the people whom after we prouoke to a careles libertine life we answer not to you but to our God Iudge vs ô Lord in this cause according to our innocencie according to the puretie which thy spirit hath formed in our heartes destroy all lyeng lippes and confound thou those that of malice trouble thy afflicted flock Let your frieÌ„des enemies to gods eternall trueth proude boasters of their own iustice and suppressers to their power of Christes glorie giue eare if they list to your admonition absenting them selues from all well reformed congregations We will not cease to exhort all the faithfull to frequent and hant the places wher Christes Euangil is truely and openly preached his holie sacrementes rightely ministered according to his own ordinance and institution And also where disciplyne is put in practise according to that ordre which he him self hath commanded Nether yet will we cease to affirme that your priuie assemblies and all those that in dispyte of Christes blessed ordinance do frequent y e same are accursed of God We do not deny but that Iudas Achitophell BalaaÌ„ and many mo willingly and of determined purpose did wickedly most vnthankfully offend but what is this to your mater It resteth alwaies to be proued that they were elected in Christ Iesus by the eternal counsel of God Your foolish question demanding if Adam or any other maÌ„ can be saued by Christ. which doth forsaik him I haue before answered plainely prouing that the elect children can not finally forsaik and conteÌ„ne the ordinance of their father Nether yet can the membres refuse the lief whiche they receaue froÌ„ their head And that because the Spirit of God drawing them to Christ maketh them to fele their necessitie which they haue of him And therefor with al thank fulnes and ioy do they receaue him who is made to vs from God wisedom iustice satisfaction redeÌ„ption and lief To me it appereth a very foolish questiâ— if any should demand if a man perfect in witt memorie and reason feling him elf so pressed which honger or thirst that of necessitie he must perish except nature were supported to ask I say if such a man willingly and obstinatly wold refuse holsom meat and drink appereth foolish and vaine And such is your question for the elect children do fele their own miserie honger thirst and pouertie yea they labor vnder the burden of their sinnes which they hate of the which they wold be releued And therefor they can not refuse the iustice lief and assured redemption which is offered to theÌ„ in Christ Iesus To whom be all praise glorie and honor for euer The place of the Apostle I haue before answered and therfor I shortlie com to that wich ye call THE ADVERSARIE The third error of the careles by necessitie God hath two maner of willes one reueled will and a secret will which is onely knowen â—o him self â–ª by gâ—ds reâ—â—led will men should not com to nought but they which porâ—sh 〈◊〉 perishe by his secrete will in respect of gods commandement It was nâ—t gods will that Adam should sinnâ— but in respect of gods secrete will God wold Adam to fall ANSWER How maliciously ye peruerte our wordes and how impudently ye forge vpon vs a form of doctryne which did neuer enter into our thogthes shall appere God willing bv answering to that which ye call the confutacion of our third error which thus beginneth THE ADVERSARIE The authors of this wicked opinion when they could not sufficiently confirme their errors by the auctoiite of gods word they inuented a new shift to approue it by gods secrete will for say they Thogh God by his reueled will will all men to be saued yet by hiâ— secrete will he willeth many to be damned by his reueled will he will no wickâ—dnes but by his secrete will he will Pharao to be hard hearted Sâ—mâ—â— to curs Dauid the patriarkes to sell their brother Ioseph c. by his reueled will he wold 〈◊〉 that Adam should full but by his sâ—cret will be willeth Adam to ful I maruel much where ye haue founde out this maner of doctrine for nâ—ther Moses and the prophetes nether Christ and his Apostles vse any such maner of doctrine further what profit do yeto the peâ—ple wiâ—h this dâ—â—trine Sure I am that 〈◊〉 cause many to conceaue an euill opinioÌ„ of God hereby But now for asmuch as the secrete will of God â—â—kâ—oweâ— to none but â—o him self alone who hath râ—â—eled it to you how can ye sâ—y this is godâ— secrete will â—f it was gods secâ—eâ—â— will â—hat Adâ— should fall and you 〈◊〉 it then it is both secrete and 〈◊〉 both reueled and unreueled both knowen unknowen what greate absurditie is this can a maÌ„ call that which he knoweth vnknowen or that which is secret reueled so may a maÌ„ say hearing is not hearing light â—s no light By this straÌ„ge doctrine you wolde be counted wyse but you are so much from the right way that you are become foolish you can not content your self with such thinges as it hath pleased God to reuele in his word for our comfort but will nedes knowe gods secret will Search not saith Sirach out the ground of things as are to mightie for the but looke what God hath commanded the and looke vpon that alwaies and be not curious in many of his workes for it is not nedefull for the to se with thine eyes thinges that are secret the medling with such thinges hath beguyled many a man and tangled their wits in vanitie And in the Prouâ—rbeâ— Eyke as it is not good to eate to much honie euen so he that will searche out hiegh thinges it shal be to heauie for him wo be vnto them saith the Lord that are wyse in their own sight and think them selues to haue vnderstanding for he that presumeth to know the secret will of God and thereby will confirme his error he can not be reformed by gods reueled will which is the worde Be not wise saieth Paul in your own opinions And the holie Gost be not wise in your own conceat but fâ—are the Lord and depart from euill
any of you think that these thiâ—gs are but imagined by me let him vnder his oâ—ne name impugne them and I shall shewe witnesses which at this time for diuers causes I omitte Your iesting at vs your bold iudgement and condemnation by you pronounced against vs we remitt to him who shortly shall declare which of the two sortes be drowned in infidelitie and leauing gods plaine scriptures haue folowed the vanities of their owne imaginations Now shortlie to that w c foloweth in these wordes THE ADVERSARIES An other proofbring you of that which is written 2. Reg. 24. God moued Dauid to nombre Israell Iuda To which I answer that which is write 1. Parali xi Sathan stood vp against Israel prouoked Dauid to nombre the people I am certen that if it were not for this manifest scripture you wold attribute the wicked prouocatioÌ„ of the deuil to God but here we may see agreat light to vnderstaÌ„d many other places of the scriptures which semeâ—h to affirm God to be the author of any euill for by these two places we may see that God is called to be the author of the thing which he suffered as because he suffered the obstinat resisting of Pharao he is called the author thereof So because he left Semei to the lewdnes of his owne mynd suffered him to curse Dauid God is called the author of his cursing so the partriarkes being left of God did sell their brother aÌ„d here now Dauid being left of God to noÌ„bre the people by the prouocation of the deuil whereuÌ„to he was no more moued by God theÌ„ wheÌ„ he killed Vrias to this you say that we do but flatter God wheÌ„ we do assigne any difference betwene his wâ—l his permissioÌ„ or his sufferaÌ„ce for God permitteth nothing say you but that which he will if ye meÌ„t so that God permitteth nothing but that which he will permits I would them holde your saying true But for as much as you declare you meaning to be this that what so euer God permitteth he willethe it absoutly this is an erronâ—ouse saying â–ª for God permitteth suffereth all the wickednes which is donne vpon the earths and will you say that God willeth absolutly all such wickednes God for bid the people of God should be so persuaded to beleue such abomination I say you are the Propâ—etes of the deuill which teache such filthie doctrine and ye say ye be the prophetes of God nowe of necesitie one of vs lieth for if you be the Prâ—phets of God then I lie and if you be the Prophetes of the deuill they do ye lie and if God will vs to say the trueth he will not that we lie for then he should will two contraries which is impossible yet one of vs doeth lie which must be by the permissioÌ„ and suffring of God not by his will wherof it foloweth that there is difference betwext the suffering and the will of God The Lord was angry with the careles heathen because when God was a little angry with the Israelites they did their best to destroye them Then suffered God the heathan thus to punish his people more greuously theÌ„ he willed them to do wherfor there must be difference betwene the will of God and his suffering Obed the Prophetâ—reproued the Israelites because 〈◊〉 afflicted Iuda more greuously then God wold they should haue donne â–ª 〈◊〉 must the Israeliâ—es haue donne this by the permission of God nâ— â—his will The prodigall sonne wasted all his goods riatously if you say that so was his fathers will iâ— should be a great absurditie wherfor it must nedes folowe that the father suffered that which he willed not The faâ—her willed both his soÌ„nes to go aÌ„d labor in his vineyarde yeâ— not boâ—h but one of them did his fathers will so the father sufferred the other which weÌ„t not against his will Thus we may see a great difference betwene the will and the permission of God a notable saying we haue in the prophecie of Ieremiâ— against this error which teacheâ—h â—haâ— sinne is coÌ„mitted not onely by the permission of God but also against his will they haue saieth he builded â–ª high places for Baal to vowe their sonnes daughters vnto Moloâ—h which I neuer commaÌ„ded â—hem neither came it euer in my â—hoght to make Iuda sinne with such abomination Here we se that Iuda committed that which was contrarie to gods reueled will for I neuer commanded theÌ„ saieth he and against his secrete wâ—ll for iâ— came neuer in my thoght saiteh hâ— TheÌ„ did they sinne by the permissioÌ„ of God against his wil. Thy wayes thy thoghtes broght the to â—his saieth the Lord. If it was the lordâ—s secrete wil that the Israelites should sinne and it was also the Israelites thoghtes will to sinne theÌ„ were they bothe of one mynd And as he 〈◊〉 out wardly by the word willeth theÌ„ not to do euil so they out wardlâ—e did promise to kepe gods law wourshipped him with their lippes By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semed that both in wardlie aÌ„d out wardly they were coÌ„forme to God afâ—er your opinoÌ„ wherfor he oght not to hauâ— bene offeÌ„ded with theÌ„ I am ashamed to write the abominable absurditeis which may be gathered of your poisoned doctrâ—ne The lord shall raise vp the spirit of the king of the Medes which hath alredie a desire to destroy BabiloÌ„ by what meanes 〈◊〉 the lord stirre him vp to do any thing which alredie is bent to do it â–ª but by suâ—fering him And yet is the Lord called the doer therof And â—here for it is written Let one deceaâ—full offender com against anoâ—her and one destrâ—yer 〈◊〉 me against an other â–ª for what neded God to moue the wickd â—o do 〈◊〉 kindly which being giuen ouer of God do imagine nothing buâ— wâ—ckâ—dnesand his master the deuill stepeth neuer but is alwayes with him teâ—pting him with euill thoghtes and promoking him to perfourm his wâ—ckâ—d imaginations ANSWER The more nie ye draw to the end the lesse ye proue your purpose but the more ye vtter your malice aÌ„d venim No iust caus se we why that y e place of the bookes of the kings shall be explained by that which is written in the chronicles in such sorte as you require to wit that nothing be left to God in that greuous offence of Dauid except an ydle and onely permission for the holie Gost feareth not to say The wrath of the Lord God was yet moued against Israell and stirred vp Dauid against them that he said go and nombre Israell and Iuda Here plain it is that the eternall God who was angrie against Israell dad stirre or moue Dauid to nombre them not by an ydle permission as you alledge but by such motioÌ„ as nothing repugneth to his iustice Where ye say the other place explaineth this for it affirmeth that the deuil stood vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to
God so is Baptisme also when the wicked man sweareth he abuseth the true name of God and if the name of God be not true to him then he offendeth not he that killeth robbeth or spoileth he trasgresseth the commandement of God but if the commaÌ„dement of God be not true vnto him he sinneth not Euen so if the first baptisme be nothing then the receauers of it haue not offended Wherefor then do they so much detest the first baptisme as a wicked thing where as notwithstanding they affirme it to be nothing Also if the mariages in times past oght to be takeÌ„ as whoredom and adulterie as they say because they were contracted of them that wanted faith I pray you do they not coÌ„fesse them selues to be the children of harlottes Now if they be bastardes and vnlawfully begotten how cometh it to passe that they inioye their Citie and the possession of their fore fathers It were mete therefore â–ª seiÌ„g they be such that they should haue no enteres into y â— heritages of their ancesters but that in this new kiÌ„de of mariage that they are entred into they should gett vnto them selues new goods and richesse which might beare a more honest title for it is vncomelie for these holie and religious men that they should liue with the goods of harlottes and miscreantes or that they should winne them to them selues frome others by violence and robberie And as touching their kingdome w c is to be laughed at there is so much wickednes in it and so manifest that we shall not nede to make many wordes of it And truely for those things whereof we haue spoken as we haue treated more then inough so also more then nede considering that it hathe bene so plentifully and largely set furth by others Now when they in the Citie were come into this case that diuerse of theÌ„ daily died for hunger and that many also departed from thence and came out so weake and feble that the ennemies had pitie vpon them the captaine sent worde to y e townes meÌ„ that if they wolde deliuer to them the king certen others they them selues should be perdoned The citezins althogh they had good will so to do yet durst they not go about it the crueltie of the king was so great and the watch was kept so streitly for the king was so obstinate that as long as there remained any thing for him to eate and a few others he was fully bent not to yelde for which cause the captaines sent word againe and commaÌ„ded them that from theÌ„ce furth they should not send any furthe of their citie not so much as children or women This was in the caleÌ„des of Iune the day folowing they made vniuste compleining that their cause might not lawfully be heard and that they were wroÌ„gfully afflicted aboue measure also profering them selues to submission if any could shew them wherein they offended fuâ—ther more they expounded a certen place of Daniel as of the fourth beast much more cruel then the others the conclusion of their leters was this That God aiding them they wold stand to the trueth which they had confessed but all this was written at the kings commaÌ„dement Now when all things were come to the extremitie in y e Citie there were two that fled from thence of which one was taken of the soldiours the other came to the Bishope vnder safe conducte both these shewed how the Citie might be taken The Bishope the general captain hearing the words of these two fugitiues and weying the mater the xxii of Iune they talked with them of the Citie aduertising them to yelde them selues into their hands and to saue the multitude which perished with hunger Answer was made in the presence of the king by Roteman that in no wise they wold giue ouer frome that w c they had begonne Two daies after about theâ— xi houre in the night the armie came nere to the Citie without making any noise by the aduice of the two fugitiues certen chosen soldiours passed the diâ—ch and came to the trench killing the watchemeÌ„ other folowed after these which founde a litle gate open through which they entred into the Citie to the noÌ„bre of fiue hundreth with certein capteines and standerds TheÌ„ they of the Citie came ruÌ„ning vnto that place and with great paine kept they y e residue of the armie out which wolde haue entered and shutting the gate they fel vpoÌ„ them that were come in w t a great rage and killed many of theÌ„ And when the coÌ„flict betwene them had indured two houres verie sharp and furious the soldiours that were inclosed did burâ—t open the next gate which was not kept with any great strength â–ª and so made they an entres in for their felowes which streight way entered in by a great coÌ„pany The citizens resisted them a litle at the first brunt but they gathered theÌ„ selues together in y e market place being in dispaire of any victorie many of them being slayn at y e first bursting in they desired and intreated for mercie w c was graÌ„ted vnto theÌ„ The king and knipperdolin were taken the same tyme Roteman disparing of his life ranne amoÌ„g y e heape of y e ennemies was so thrust through rather theÌ„ he wolde fall a liue into their haÌ„des WheÌ„ y e Citie was takeÌ„ y e Bishope tooke to hiÌ„ self half y e spoile y e ordinaÌ„ce afterward he discharged y e armies reseruing onely to hiÌ„ self two ensignes for defeÌ„ce TheÌ„ was there an other coÌ„ueÌ„tion of the Empire at Wormes y â— fiftenth of Iulie wherein king FerdinaÌ„dus by his embassador proposed demaÌ„ded whether any thiÌ„g els were to be done concerning y â— rooting out of y â— Anabaptistes seing y e towne was alreadie takeÌ„ he also aduertised them that the Princes oght to aske couÌ„sel of the Bishope of Rome wherunto they answered that it was alredie prouided by certen edictes what was best to be done to the Anabaptistes and that the Emperour had asked couÌ„sell of the Bishop ofter then once nether could he do any more in the mater In the same conuention the Bishop of Monstere desired his charges losses to be recompeÌ„sed compleining that the money promised was not payd but when no thing els could be determined few of the nobles being present an other conuention was called in the same place the first of Nouembre wherein the things concerning the warre and the charges thereof might be knowen wherein also it might be decreed what forme of common welth were after to be established at Monstere When the day was come the Embassadour of king FerdinaÌ„dus briefly repeted the causes of that present conuention to witt that amoÌ„g other things it might also be deliberated how y e Citie newly conquered might from thence forthe continue in the olde religion After these things the Bishoppes legate sheweth what great charges he was at al the warre tyme how greatly he was indebted how it