But when one desireth to bee assured whether he be ordained to saluation or no let him hold himselfe to the reuealed word of God and according to the command thereof beleeue in Christ and repent And then need he not further search whether he be elected to euerlasting life or not for all they that beleeue in Christ without hypocrisie are chosen to life euerlasting as it is written All that beleeue in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Now Doctor Muller confesseth In the brothership of the Protestant Churches Thes 141.142 Pag. 85. 86. 87. Pag 87. that this confession is right Onely he saith wee lest out something therein Some man might say what is that that saith he To whom God will giue the gift of faith and to whom he will not giue it whether his will stands so that he will bestow faith on all those who are called by the Gospell or only to saue few namely only those which he foresaw and chose to euerlasting life from euerlasting freely out of his meere good pleasure This saith he is the Bride for whom the dance is prouided About this question consists the maine point onely Therein the poore brothership of the Psaltzgrauians are as still as a mouse Answere This is the maine point What is the maine question in this matter and that alone is about this question whether God will only giue faith to them to whom he hath determined to giue the same freely out of meere pleasure Or whether from euerlasting God found and saw any where any cause in vs wherefore hee would giue faith to vs before others This doe we affirme But that we should haue purposely omitted the same in our faithfull Admonition and haue beene therein as still as the mouse to this do we say no. And we appeale to the eye sight Our words about this question are these And so is faith nothing lesse then a worke of free will but a meere free gift of God which gift no man hath deserued of God it so being that all men are sinners But God giues such grace freely by grace to whom hee will But those whom he presently will those hath hee willed from euerlasting according to the saying of Iames From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his workes Therefore floweth faith from this spring euen the euerlasting foreknowledge of God and the faithfull haue no cause to ascribe it to themselues but to praise God that they doe beleeue Doe you call that as still as the mouse do we not set both the affirmatiue and negatiue that is which is the cause or is not wherefore God determined to bestow faith on vs before others from euerlasting Is not the negatiue cleare no man hath deserued such a gift of God Is not the affirmatiue also cleere But God giues such grace freely by grace to whom he will but those whom hee presently will those hath he willed from euerlasting Could not Doct. Muller see there that wee set downe a free meere good pleasure of God Then you confesse might some man say that God freely out of meere pleasure did chuse some men before others to this end that hee would giue them faith Answere What needeth much questioning It standeth cleerly there in our faithfull Admenition No man hath deserued it of God but hee giues it to whom he will freely by meere grace That is indeed a free meere good pleasure And wherefore should wee bee ashamed of this confessiō which is so manifest in the word of God By grace are yee saued through faith saith Paul and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe Ephes 2.8.9 Also It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 Also therefore he hath mercy on whom he will Rom 9.18 And the Sonne of God himselfe knowes not to giue any other witnesse of the cause wherefore God did hide the Gospell from the wise and men of vnderstanding and opened it to babes but the meere good pleasure of God It is so saith he O father because thy good pleasure was such Matth. 11.26 How should we poore sinners then finde any where and shew any other cause Well then saith Doctor Muller whilest you confesse that that God giueth the gift of faith to some men out of meere good pleasure and giues it not to others therefore can wee not acknowledg you for brethren For that is a very abominable doctrine Pag. 90. lin 7. whereby the foundation of faith cannot stand pure and stable Pag. 89. lin 15. 16. and Doctor Luther neuer taught so in all his life but the Caluinists diuels hose stinke thus But this is the true sould doctrine of the Lutherans saith Doctor Muller further that Gods free election hath his reference vnto faith that is Pag. 95. lin 15. 16. 17. as hee plainely exsed his mind in others of his writings which writings as also the agreeable writings of Hunnius are witnessed by Doctor Daniel Hofman professor of Helmstadt in his Apologie Pag. 46 vnto 67. that God foresaw from euerlasting who would beleeue in Christ. And those did he predestinate to euerlasting life For though no man of himselfe can fully beleeue in Christ yet could euery man doe so much out of naturall strength which when he doth God will vndoubtedly giue him faith For euery man can by the power of nature heare and meditate in the word of God Also desire to beleeue Also to remoue the thornes and thistles out of the heart which hindreth faith and in short make himself so qualified as his should be to whom God wil giue faith And such faith was for seen of God and his election founded thereupon Therefore is not Gods election a free meere decree of God but the cause is in man wherefore he chuseth one and not the other Doctor Mar. Luther of the cause why God did chuse one man before another Answere Then heare peace-louing Reader Doctor Luther himselfe if that bee his doctrine In no sort saith Doctor Luther But this is my doctrine Euen as a man before he was created did adde nothing nor endeauoured thereunto that he might bee a creature c. but it befell onely by the will of Diuine power and goodnesse c. So before a man be regenerate and become a new creature by the spirit and faith hee doth nothing thereunto neither can he striue any thing whereby he may prepare himselfe to the spirituall new birth and to the kingdome of God Tom. 6. Witt. Germ. fol. 548. B. Also If not we our selues but God worketh our saluation in vs then cannot we doe any blessed worke before such time as his worke is there though wee doe frame our selues and worke it the best wee can fol. 479. B. Also Wee haue there the pretious cleare words which sound thus he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will hee
amongst others cites Marlorat vpon the 11. Chapter of Iohn where these words stand to be read Wherby it stands vnreuokeable whom God hath chosen out of the world he can neuer vtterly perish Note 〈◊〉 by â—â—ncluded words did Doct. Mylius leaue out of â—t purpose and in the stead the 〈◊〉 he 〈…〉 c. Thes 172. Pag. 117. for no man can take them out of the hand of the shepheard But who so to reprobated by God hee can neuer bee saued though hee had all the good workes of the of the Saints together on an heape So little change is there in the councell of God Ouer these words Doctor Mylius make himselfe exceeding merrie and saith heare O you louing Psaltzgranians you haue your conclusion Now these very words are not the words of a Caluinist but they are the words of Brentius who died an enemy of the Caluinists as his Testament declareth as the desirous Reader may see the truth the words being printed at Hagenaw Anno 1534. in the Exegesi of Bremius in the 260. leafe And Marlorat did not onely write them out of Brentius but he set his euen Brentius his name thereby with an R. as he vsed to doe This could not the strife sicke blind man perceiue but thought that he would then set a blocke in the way of the Caluinists when he himselfe and his factious companion did doe it themselues Is not this a liugâ— example how they â—eale with the Caluinists and how their citationes or testimonies are to bee â—steemed by which they would haue them taken for hereticks The matter in it selfe consisting â—â—maines all one as we haue written in our faithfull Admonition We say indeed that the elect cannot be lost 〈…〉 And why should we not say so Christ saith it himselfe Mat. 24 ch And Doctor Luther saith so also in innumerable many places a Yet the Papist◠〈…〉 lib 2. de 〈◊〉 cap 10. §. 4. 1. Pet. 1.5 Luk. 22.31 Ephes 1 4.5 Rom. 8.30 Ezek 36 27. But that we should say that the elect cannot perish with this addition doe they what they will that will neuer be shewed in our writings But this is our opinion and for that wee say that the elect cannot perish because God keepeth them by his power in saith to saluation and though they sometimes fall yet they lie not therein but he raiseth them againe by repentance For whom God hath elected to euerlasting life those hath hee not otherwise elected then with this condition that hee would giue them faith in Christ and that by his holy spirit hee would make them new cr â—tures and such people as should walke in his Commandements Therefore they are no elect that doe what they will but onely they that haue a hearty purpose and an earnest intent to doe what God will this is our opinion herein Which opinion the aboue written doctrine of the bare councell of God doth not contradict at all For wee name the gratious election not therfore a free bare councell of God that God will make vs saued freely and barely Est absolutum decretum â—à priori noâ— Ã posteriori without faith and repentance without Christ without word and Sacraments as the enemies of peace doe construe it But therefore name wee the gratious election a free bare councell of God whilest God did finde no caus in vs wherefore hee should elect vs before others and dignifie vs with faith in Christ Therefore Doctor Mylius hath no cause to triumph so much and say that wee renounce and cast off our former confession Wee doe not renounce and cast off our former Confession but wee onely guard off those lies which formerly were throwne vpon vs. And we hope that honest vnderstanding God fearing and peace-louing people shall haue no cause of complaint any further against vs for this point CHAP. IX That wee doe not beleeue and teach otherwise of holy Baptisme then as Doctor Luther of happy memory did teach thereof in the Smalkaldes Articles and in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament the holy Baptisme an 1519 THe fourth and last point of doctrine which after the blessed death of Doctor Luther was brought into controuersie by vnpeaceable people to separate the Protestant Churches daily more and more is of the holy Baptisme Whereof our aduersaries say that the washing away of sinnes which is effected by the blood of Christ is not onely betokened and sealed to the faithfull and their children through the holy Baptisme as wee say but that there is a secret power adioyned or affixed to the water of Baptisme also whereby it washeth away sinnes and regenerateth a man As is to bee seene in the conference at Mompelgart Pag. 430. and 433. Now indeed there are some sayings to be found in the writings of Doctor Luther which beare a shew for such a construction But there withall there is such an exposition added thereunto which is flat opposite to the aboue mentioned idolatrous opinion As in the Smalkaldes Articles in the third part in the 5. article saith he Tom. 6. Ien. fol. 519. lib. conc fol. 149. B. The Baptisme is nothing else then Gods word in the water commanded by his institution Or as Saint Paul saith Lauacrum in verbo As also Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum fit sacramentum Note Originall of the Vbiquitists opinion of Baptisme when the word comes to the element then it becomes a Sacrament and therefore we doe not assent vnto Thomas Aquinus and to the preaching Friers who forget Gods word his institution and God hath founded a spirituall power in the water which washeth away sins by the water Also not to Scotus and the barefoote Monkes who doe teach that the Baptisme washeth away sinnes by the accompanying ef the Diuine will so that this purging is effected onely through the will of God nothing at all through the word or water Behold Reader there is the opinion of the Vbiquitists expresly disclaimed about the secret power which should be hidden in the water of Baptisme and testified that such an opinion was sprung from the Monkes which Doctor Luther will not ratifie What then is the true vnderstanding about Baptisme that declareth Doctor Luther very notably in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament of holy Baptisme de Anno 1519. Tom. 1. Ien. fol. 183. c. where amongst other words he saith What Baptisme is Baptisme is an outward token or watchword which maketh a separation betwixt vs and all other Heathen men whereby we may be knowne to be people belonging to our captaine Christ vnder which standard that is the holy Crosse we fight resolutely against sinne Three things to be considered in Baptisme 1. The token Therefore we must haue respect vnto three things the token the signification and faith The token consisteth therein that the person bee put into the water in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but hee is not suffered
one truth and that all differences amongst vs are almost onely in such matters as concerne not the life of religion but the exteriour shape and garment thereof And this by the guidance of our inuisible head Iesus Christ and his blessed spirit of truth in better and in a more excellent maner then they by their visible Iudge the pretended vicar of Christ vpon earth And touching the second that neither directly wee teach nor indirectly may bee deduced from our doctrines that God is the author of sinne is so euidently and sincerely discouered in this booke as none that readeth the same with aduisement can but account our aduersaries notorious callumniaters to lay so soule a crime to our charges vpon so silly a ground but no maruell seeing slandering and lying is one of the chiefe pillars of their kingdome These bee the profitable vses that may be made of this booke Now the God of all mercie direct all our thoughts words and works to the aduancement of his glorie and the edification of his Church And thus commending this booke to thy fauourable acceptance I commend thee to the grace of Christ Iesus Thine in the Lord and the poore seruant of Iesus Christ Thomas Beard Doctor of Diuinitie THE CONTENTS OF THIS DECLARATION FIrst there is placed a Preface of the cause and end of this Declaration After followeth the Declaration it selfe wherein are ten Chapters Containing as followeth The 1. Chapter That we haue not such a detestable faith as is measured to vs abroad The 2. Chapter What our faith is in very truth The 3. Chapter That we haue not founded and learned such our faith from blind reason much lesse from the reuelation of Satan as some calumniate vs also not out of the writings of failable men but onely and alone out of the infallible word of God through the gratious inlightning of his holy spirit The 4. Chapter That Doctor Luther of happie memorie did euen beleeue and teach as we beleeue and teach except that only one point of the holy supper And that also we differ not in the same point so much as many imagine The 5. Chapter Wherefore we cannot hold with Doctor Luther in all things about the point of the holy Supper The 6. Chapter That we do not beleeue and teach otherwise of the person of Christ then as Doctor Luther of happy memory did beleeue and teach excepting the vbiquitie of the body of Christ which he also at last renounced himselfe The 7. Chapter That wee doe not belieue and teach otherwise of the foreknowledge and almightie prouidence of God ouer all creatures and of the originall of sinne then as Doctor Luther of happie memory hath beleeued and taught thereof The 8. Chapter That we belieue and teach no otherwise of the euerlasting Predestination of God or of the free election by grace of the children of God to euerlasting life or which is all one from whence faith springeth then as Doctor Luther of happie memorie did beleeue and teach The 9. Chapter That we beleeue and teach no otherwise of holy Baptisme then as Doctor Luther of happie memorie published in the Smalkaldish Articles and in the Sermon of the blessed Sacrament of holy Baptisme anno 1519. deliuered his opinion The 10. Chapter That the Ceremonies which wee vse in our Churches are neither against the word of God nor Christian liberty These are the Chapters of this Declaration vpon which this conclusion followeth that for the same they haue no iust cause to condemne vs as heathens The Vollumes of Luther mentioned are his Dutch Vollumes OF THE END AND CONTENTS OF THIS DECLARATION CHristian louing Reader it cannot bee vttered what mischiefe the contention about the Sacrament hath done and yet dailie doth and is to be feared will doe more and more in the Protestant Churches Now we for our parts are not only readie to imbrace peace continually and for that ende haue tried all meanes to purchase the same whatsoeuer any Christians are bound to doe therein but so there are also many God fearing people on the aduerse part both of high and low degree who desire peace as gladly euen as we doe and would further it to the vttermost of their powers who also acknowledge that the meanes thereto propounded by vs that we namely whilest we agree in the foundation of faith should not condemne each other for difference in opinion about by-questions considering that it is vnpossible in this life that the perfection and vniforme confession of all the misteries of God should be holden by all members of Christ in all things as the Scripture witnesseth and experience hath alwaies manifested are Christian and agreeable to the word and will of God Onely they are hindrered by part of their portly preachers who say and write that it standeth not alone vpon some few by-questions but also that there is difference in opinion in the foundation of Christian faith and that we haue so many detestable errours that no Christian man can with good conscience acknowledge vs for brethren in Christ and according to the same hold peace and brothership with vs. That now this obstacle may bee remooued and that good-hearted people may know what to trust vnto about vs wee are willing once more adding to full measure to declare what we beleeue or doe not beleeue of all and euery point of doctrine and thereby also declare what wee vse for Ceremonies or doe not vse in our Churches with the causes added thereto wherefore we doe the one and not the other The merciful true God and Father be pleased to bestow his grace and blessing on such a work that the eies of many people may be opened thereby to the honor of him and benefit of his Churches Amen A FVLL DECLARATION OF THE FAITH AND CEREMOnies of the Pfaltzgraues Churches CHAP. I. That we haue not such a detestable faith as is measured to vs abrode by peace-hating people NOw to begin We protest before God and whole Christendome that wee haue not in any sort such a detestable faith as peace-hating people ascribe vnto vs whereas they say That we denie Gods omnipotency The 〈◊〉 thes◠〈◊〉 is to the◠〈◊〉 Cha◠〈◊〉 That we make God the authour of sinne That we make God to be a tyrant That we denie the Godhead of Christ That we denie the personall vnion of both the natures in Christ That wee say that the diuine and humane natures in in Christ haue in no sort any actuall and working fellowship one with the other That we denie originall sinne That wee say that the sonne of God died not for vs indeed and in truth but onely a bare man That we denie the power of the death of Christ That we denie the necessity of beleeuing in Christ and say that the vnbeleeuing heathens can be saued as well as the Christians That we make holy Baptisme of no effect That we deny the blisse making eating and drinking of the body and blood of
honour and our saluation shal require Euen as a generall doth who cannot determine all things at one time what hee will doe afterwards but must daily consult according as occasion is administred If our contradictors be of this opinion then doe wee roundly confesse that wee are not of their opinion For we do not beleeue in such an vnmighty God who might order and change his councels according to the willes and purposes of his creatures But we doe beleeue in such an almighty God after whose councell and will all creatures must bee ordered whether they doe it gladly or not wittingly or ignorantly This is our faith and we trust no man that doth know God shall lay any blame vnto vs for the same Also vnto this is commonly drawne the disputation about the fall of our first parents and it is demanded whether such a fâ—ll were before from euerlasting ordained by God and determined that it should come to passe or no and whether accordingly it must so come to passe Now it were much better that wee on both sides troubled our selues how wee might bee raised againe from this heauie fall then that wee should much dispute how wee came into the same But yet for all that to the end that nothing be kept in silence by vs we doe plainly confesse that wee doe not beleeue that God did create man at a venturous haphazard but wee are thus perswaded that God first and before hee created man did consider all things well not only how he would create them but also how hee would gouerne them and what hee would make or in what manner hee would vse them to his honour For if God also careth so for the sparrowes whereof two are sold for a farthing that not one of them shall fall to the ground without his will Mat. 10.29 How much more hath hee then so cared for mankind which hee created after his owne image from euerlasting that nothing could befall vnto him without his will And wee reade expresly also in the holy Scripture that God hath from euerlasting decreed with himselfe the disposition or order 1. Pet. 1.20 Mat. 20.16 Ephes 1.3.4.5 6.7.8.9.10.11.12 Rom. 9.21.22.23 how he would deale with the fallen posterity of mankind Namely that he would giue them his Sonne to be a Mediatour and would conuert many of them to him and shew his mercy and grace to them but vnto the other his iust anger against sinne How can we then doubt that hee also did purpose and determine in himselfe from euerlasting to permit the fall yea that hee created the same humane race euen for that disposition and order sake which he would hold in the gouernment of mans posterity for it is vnpossible that God should not attaine vnto the end which hee purposed in himselfe in the creating of man or else he must not be an almighty God Then is there now no need to prie and search into the secret councell of God what hee decreed from euerlasting therin about the creation and gouernment of the posterity of mankind The issue thereof demonstrateth it plainely enough were we now but so humble that wee would suffer our selues to bee tutored by God and desired not to tutor him But whereas some will conclude hence that if the fall of mankind were ordained of God from euerlasting then could it not possibly faile but hee must bee a causer thereof that doth not follow at all Euen as little as God is the cause that Iudas did betray Christ though indeed he determined that it should come to passe Luk. 22.22 The cause why it followes not is this for that God did not determine that he would himselfe found and worke the fall of mankind but onely that hee would permit the diuell to bee founder of it and man to set it a worke as it also came to passe The diuell hath founded the fall our first parents haue set it a worke all out of free will Therefore is not the guilt to bee ascribed to God the Lord but onely to themselues Which yet is such a wise and almighty God who could establish from euerlasting his owne vnfallible councels euen also of the same which his creatures would doe out of free will And so much also of this point CHAP. VIII That wee doe not bebeeue and teach otherwise of Gods euerlasting Election or of the free election by grace of the children of God to euerlasting life or which is all one of the ofspring of faith then as Doctor Luther of happy memory did beleeue and teach THe third point which is brought to the lights after the death of Doct. Luther and aboue other points at this present day is most eagerly pursued and encountred is about the euerlasting election of God or of the free election by grace of the children of God to euerlasting life Or which is all one of the fountaine from whence faith springeth Whereof we thus expressed our minds in the faithfull Admonition That mankind is so corrupted through the fall Pag 35. that he is neuer able to beleeue in Christ Now in English in pag. 14. Luth. or to come vnto him by his owne power though he be called to him by the Gospell but that hee may vnderstand and receiue the Gospell of Christ God together with the outward preaching of the Gospell must also inwardly open his vnderstanding and turne his heart to Christ by his holy spirit And so is faith nothing lesse then a worke of free will but a meere free gift of God which gift no man hath deserued of God it so being that all men are sinners But God giues such grace freely by grace to whom hee will But those whom he presently will those hath hee willed from euerlasting according to the saying of Iames From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his workes Therefore floweth faith from this spring euen the euerlasting foreknowledge of God And the faithfull haue no cause to ascribe it to themselues but to praise God that they doe beleeue The vnbeleeuers also cannot ascribe the fault to God but to themselues that they do not beleeue For though all men are so corrupted by nature that they cannot of themselues beleeue in Christ yet hath not God so corrupted them but they haue so corrupted themselues seeing that through the diuels prouocatioÌ„ they fel willingly from God About which fal no man hath cause to complaine against God though he should leaue all men in their destruction and vnbeleefe together And therefore that he doth helpe onely some out of the same for that they are to magnifie his mercy and not to dispute with him about the rest But when as one desireth to know whether God hath foreseene and chosen him to eternal life or not Then shal hee not search into the secret councell of God for such a searching is but in vaine and tendeth to no other end then to serue to bring another to dispaire or indeed vnto fleshly security
can effect as much of himselfe and by his owne naturall power in Diuine matters change himselfe or begin to regenerate himselfe worke or partake in working euen as much as a stone blocke or hedge For though hee bee able to gouerne the outward members and to heare and ponder the Gospell in some measure and also speake thereof as is to be seene in the hypocrisie of the Pharesies yet doth he esteeme for follie and will not beleeue it Carying himselfe therein worse then a blocke because hee is an enemy and contradictor of the will of God if so be the holy Ghost be not powerfull in him and doe not worke and kindle in him faith and other vertues and obediences well pleasing to the Lord. Euen as the holy Scriptures doe not ascribe to the humane power of the naturall free will either part or whole little or more share thereof about conuersion to beleeue in Christ to be new borne to bee changed and whatsoeuer else appertaineth to the beginning and accomplshing of the same worke but in Solidum that is wholly and altogether ascribeth the same only to the Diuine working and to the holy Ghost fol. 269. B. Behold Reader so teacheth the Concordien booke of this matter And so it sets in effectu euen as well as we an an absolute decree that is a free meere councell of God whereby hee hath elected some whom hee would enlighten to beleeue in Christ And saith God did not find any cause of such his councell in vs. Of reprobation Onely for so much as concerneth reprobation therin is it not a meere set councell but there is in him a manifest and well knowne cause of reprobation namely sin which wee also yeeld the true construction vnto For God condemneth no man but for sinne and therfore hath he not ordained any man to damnation but in respect of sin And in that respect the councell of reprobation is indeed not a meere free councell But when it shall be demanded that whilest all men are sinners and that no man hath ability aboue others to furnish and frame himselfe to Gods gratious election wherefore then doth God passe by these in the election and not others To this doe we say that there can bee no cause shewed And the Concordien booke doth euen confesse the very same also for it teacheth expresly as was presently shewed that no man hath power before others to furnish and frame himselfe to Gods gratious election And therefore we accord in this point and that wholly with the Concordien booke except it be so that it discordeth with it selfe Which contrariety to be in it will neuer bee yeelded vnto by Doctor Daniel Hofman who was a famous Lutheran and a principall subscriber of the Concordien booke but hee saith this is the constant and proper doctrine of the Concordien book that God did not find any cause of election in vs and that Doctor Hunnius and Mylius who doe say that God did foresee from euerlasting who they were that would fit and prepare themselues before all others to faith in Christ and vpon the same he directed his election are fallen away from Doctor Luther yea and indeed from the whole true beleeuing Churches and that they haue brought in such a doctrine into Wittenberge which is not only pure Popery but is indeed much more grosse then is the doctrine of the Papists for the Papists are not gone so far as yet that they said that men could by naturall power qualifie and fitly furnish himselfe to Gods election And that hee is sorrie from his heart that those who sit in the chaire of Luther should so lamentably alter his doctrine Doctor Hunnius and Doctor Mylius had borrowed this matter out of Mumpelgartes conference and learnt the same from Doct. Iacob Andreas But they built most falsly who did not partake with these folke For to winne the whole world thereby did hee not know how to obtaine the meere grace and mercy of God by such a doctrine This saith Doct. Hofman and inlargeth it very much in his Apologia or answere vpon Doctor Hunnius and Doctor Mylius their letter of excommunication from the 46. leafe vnto the 67. Lib. 2. de grat Cap. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. And it is the truth For Bellarmine the Archpapist set these two propositions in his strife writings and sheweth them notably first that there is no cause of election in vs for the second that the cause of the reprobation of the wicked is in part the meere will of God and partly the foreseene sinnes The bare will of God as farre forth as all men are sinners Therefore there can bee no cause shewed wherefore he makes this man iust and leaueth that sticking fast in his sinne The sinne so farre forth as God hath determined to condemne no man but in respect of sinne This saith the Archpapist Bellarmine And he saith right therein That now there should bee a more offensiue doctrine in the Cathedra of Luther against the meere good grace of God then the Papists doe maintaine that is indeed to be lamented saith Doctor Hofman And verily this is a cause which ought to moue the Protestant Princes and Lords most necessarily by the better furtherance of faithfull God fearing people both of spirituall and temporall estates well to con der the same how those three or foure contentâ—â—â—s spirits which bring in such stuffe into the Churches of God might bee bridled by sufficient and timely councels For else if they be suffered to proceed as they haue laid the frame of their worke then they will bring forth a monstrous shape Pag 66. As Doctor Daniel Hofman againe calleth to mind most truly and well where he saith You shall yet see wonderfull contention and separation in the Churches of God if so bee that Doctor Hunnius and his Wittenbergers doe not giue place and giue the honour to God Wee haue done our duties he that will bee blind let him bee euer blind Concerning the blasphemous consequents wherwithall the contentious burthen ours and Doctor Luthers Scripture like doctrine of Gods gratious free election as if namely God did not wish all men saluation and the like wee doe also esteeme not worthie of any other answere then that which Doctor Hofman giues vpon it Pag 16. where he saith And Doctor Mylius should not also presently conclude Si Deus distinxit ergo non omnes dignatur misere cordia if God make difference of men then doth hee not wish all men saluation For the word of God is worthie of greater reuerence as that it should bee compared with the sudden speeches of men One thing yet must we needs put the Christian Reader in mind of for the conclusion of this Chapter Doctor Mylius will afterwards auouch that the Caluinists should teach That the elect can neuer perish though they liue as they list And to proue this vpon them to be so Thes 172. Pag 116. he