in Adam and therefore abiected Be it so for so it is in déede But howe doest thou beholde them as yet beyng in Adam no in déede in that thou sayest not that God was but is the Father of all nor to haue loued but to loue all Thou muste therefore séeke some other outscape verily euen this as thou mayste say that GOD neuerthelesse loueth all bycause he offereth hys grace to all But if this be so in déede the foreséene corruption hath not caused that the Lorde shoulde reiect some seyng he loueth all notwithstandyng they are corrupte that hée offereth them the fauour of lyfe and that so that hée giueth them grace to receyue grace offered bycause that otherwayes the Lorde should séeme to vs as I afterwardes shall speake in his place not to deale faythfully with menne But furthermore it shall be requisite to conioyne contumacie with corruption that is furthermore to refuse grace offered But if it shoulde bée so wée shoulde not be borne the chyldren of wrathe and death but wée shoulde become so after we should refuse grace offered In lyke case after Pelagius teache the Anabaptistes and thy companion Seruetus that chyldren stoode not in néede of the grace of GOD in Christe saying that they were not reiected by nature Fynally what is it to take away Originall sinne or at the leaste so to extetenuate it that there bée no iuste cause of reprobation if this bée not what sayeth Dauid to the contraric Behosde sayth he I am conceyued in iniquitie Shewe then that all iniquitie dothe not deserue death before god But what sayeth the Lorde himselfe that sayeth be whiche is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and the fleshe is enimie to God bycause those that are in the fleshe can not please god Eyther proue therefore that no themselues seyng all are equally the chyldren of wrath what more vntowardnesse might God sée in these than in them wherefore he shoulde offer grace to the one and denie it to the other that he should take pitie on the one and harden the other or in déede as you say should suffer to be hardned Therfore of foreséene corruption or incredulitie or foreknowen sinnes it is a foolish inuention and therfore it is néedeful that thou confesse this difference to depend of the will of God albeit the reason of this iustice is vnknowen to men Lette vs set downe an other more manifest example God is indifferently the father of Esau and Iacob and that not onely in Adam but also in Isaac with whom he made a couenaunt of peculiar blessing But wilt thou dare affirme that God is no otherwayes the Father of Esau than of Iacob for we would graunt thée this that Esau may haue God his father if thou darest affirme this the Lorde from heauen shall refell thée crying the elder shall scrue the yonger and least thou mayst wrangle that this is to be vnderstande of euery seruitude the Lorde is yet agaynst thée testifying that the excellencie of Iacob was ioyned with bys loue and the reprobation of Esau with his hatered whereof it was an assured signe that he loste the promisse of the lande of Canaan seyng that was the earnest of the heauenly blessyng and adoption It remayneth then that we graunt thée that God also loued Esau as a Father yet that he loued Iacob far otherwayes But tel me whence is this differēce but of him that pitieth whom he pleaseth and hardneth whome hée will as the Apostle saith For if thou returnest to the foreknowen frowardnesse of Esau the Apostle resisteth who hauing called Iacob beloued and therefore elect before he was borne that we might knowe election not onely in tyme as that which is eternall but also in the order of causes to preuent all things and so that vtterly no place be left for foresight for faith or works as those whiche are not causes but fruites of election So when he commeth to the opposite member he vtterly sheweth by the like reason that Esau was hated and therefore vowed to destruction before he was borne or had done any evill That verely we also maye vnderstande in this behalfe not onely an eternall purpose of reiecting but that it is superiour to all causes of destruction And that héere is lefte no place to foresight or corruption or incredulitie or of euill workes For these in déede be causes of damnation so onely adherent to Esau that God by no meanes be guyltie of the cryme but yet are they causes of the eternall decrée of Reprobation not for going but folowing Other wise if these wordes of Paule Before they were borne or euer they had done good or euill you doe otherwise in one parte expounde than in another ouer and beside that generall principle that contraries haue all one discipline shall plentifully refell thée there is none who wyll not sée that apparant force is offered to the Apostles wordes if one and the same sentence and in the selfe wordes should be racked into diuers expositions Which in déede shall be if in one parte you say that foresight is excluded and in the other notwithstanding reserued Finally if the purpose of reiecting shoulde haue stoode vpon foresight ouer and besides that the selfe things of necessitie muste haue béene foreséene on both partes whence at the last the obiections whiche folowe shoulde haue sprong in foredoing of which the Apostle so forceably contendeth For neither should the Elect haue had whereof to complayne except they would complayne of mercie nor also the reprobate if for their foreséene desertes they had bene reiected But it is one thyng to aske why God hath hated an other thing to aske why he hath Predestinate to hatered All whiche least happily thou thinkest I haue deuised heare what Augustine hath thought of the same matter in his Enchiridion to Laurentius Cap. 98. Paule sayth he supposing that which is spoken as it might be to moue those which could not reach to vnderstand the profoundnesse of grace What therefore shall we say sayth he is there iniquitie with God God forbydde For it séemeth an vniuste thing that without the merite of good or euyll works God loueth one and hateth another In whiche thing if God would the workes to come eyther good of this or euil of that to come to be vnderstoode as he did foreknow them he would not haue sayde of workes but of workes to come and so haue dissolued this question yea he would haue giuen no question néedefull to be dissolued These Augustine It remayneth therefore that albeit if God maye be sayde indifferently to be the Father of all men in Adam yet can it not be sayde indifferently that he loueth men yea nor that he loueth all men and therefore that all this thy reasoning is vayne and foolishe because the purpose of God standeth not in the loue or hatred from this common benefite of creation but of the eternall and albeit secrete yet the moste righteous will of God.
whom he pleaseth also for his own glorie he cre ateth to iuste damnation Iust damnation I saye séeeing be neuer condenmeth anye but the guyltie of Sinne. Further the place which thou citest proueth again with what faith and conscience thou vsest to auduch the scripture For how is that when yet hytherto thou hast cyted but only two testimonies of scripture thou hast so foolishly and wickedly wrested them both If you being euill saith Christ can yet giue good giftes to your chidren how much more God What gatherest thou of this that God being good createth none to miserie As though the Lord in that place did speake to all and doth not confirme his Churche that with boldenesse it mighte crye Abba father Or in déede art thou so skill esse at least that thou knowest not that this voyce is of the spirite of adopitō For so witnesseth the Apostle But that thine exposition may be in force what else canst thou gather thence but onely this that God vseth to do good to all But doth it folow theron that he neyther createth the vassals of his wrath whiche yet he suffereth most patiently nor wonteth as it pleaseth him to vse his children to his owne glorie Beléeue me if thou canst thou art more worthy for this foolishnesse in the scholes of some rusticall teacher to be ierked wyth whippes than to be one that should be delt withal by argumentes Then thou bringest Caluin for argument who thou sayest is euill We in déede are not the men who estéeme Caluin as thou with thine are wonte to gybe for a God and Caluin is he if there be at this day any other vnder heauen who hath moste hated that thou most desirest that is to say the glorie of mē But yet this testimonie we can and ought to giue to the truth that he must be passing excellent whom in these our dates none wil hate that haue bidden battayle to godlinesse and true religion or in déede who neuer knew him Finally would God it were not so certaine that the testimonie of true goodlynesse displeaseth thée and thy factiō and that thou wouldest rather repent than confirme the fincere iudgements of all good men againste thée Other arguments of the slaunderer And of the scripture they saye thus GOD sawe that all that he had made were exceeding good Therefore Man whome hee had made was exceeding good But if hee hathe created to destruction he had created that whiche was good to destruction and heé loueth to destroye that whiche is good whiche but to thinke is wicked REFVTATION ONE cryed send me to the stone quarries But I am compelled to cry who I pray you will sende this fellowe to Antycera For I pray thée if I shoulde collect so God created me whole therefore he created that I shoulde not perishe by disease who would not thinke me madde God created Man right and innocent I grant and yet to destruction First we vse not to speake so but we say that Man was created for the glorie of God and thē we distinguish the same for we affirme that God hathe created some that in sauing them by mercie others that in condemning thē by iust iudgement he might manifest his glorie as Moses Salomon I sai and Paule do testify Therefore thou sayste Hee created that whyche was good to destruction and hee loueth to destroy that whiche is good But I say that this consequent is moste foolish For thou concludest muche more than thou haste spoken and therefore reasonest as if thou shouldeste proue that Manne is created of GOD not onelye good but also that he should neuer become euill whiche latter is false For bycause the Lorde was worthilye to condemne some it was necessarie that their beginning should be good both bicause God in that he is good cannot creat any thing but that which is good and also for that if their beginning had bin euill he coulde not iustly haue damned that himselfe had made but yet so it was requisite that theyr beginning should be good that it willingly deprauing it selfe might euident the way to iust dampnation that is to the iuste execution of Gods eternall counsell Therefore the beginning also of Reprobation was good that as the Lorde decréede from the beginning so in very déed in his due time he might iustly condemne not the righteous but those that of their accorde became euil as hée who cannot but loue that whiche is good so can he not but hate and punishe that whiche is euill But also that thou by the waye maiste learne thys that for the Elects sake it was requisite that Adam for that cause shoulde be created good that he of his owne accord might become euill For when the Lorde also hadde determined to shewe forthe a more ample fauoure in sauing his electe than in the creating of Manne that is when he had decréede not of nothing to creat them to saluation but being worthy of whatsoeuer punishement fréely to make them partakers in Christe of his eternall Kyngdome What place hadde there béene to this incredible louying kindenesse it they hadde for euer continued stedfaste in Adam for he hathe no néede of this mercye that is not miserable What haue therefore the Elect to complaine of the mutable condition of Adam sith so muche the more glorious and happy is their saluation What also the Reprobate séeing that except they were corrupted in Adam they shoulde not haue bene dampned For here I repeate that I haue often sayde that so the reprobates destruction dependeth of Gods decrée that yet the whole matter fault of their damnation remaine in themselues Yet there is one excuse sayeth Caluin very well pretended that Adam coulde not escape that whiche was decréed of god But voluntarie transgression suffiseth ynough and ynough to guiltinesse For the secrete counsel of God is not the proper naturall cause of sinne but the apparant wil of man Seing man may finde with in him the cause of this euill what auayleth it to wander that he may séeke it in heauen The fault is manifesse in himselfe bycause he woulde sinne Why hath he forcing into the secrets of heauen drowned himself into a Laby-rinth For that God knowing and willing suffered man to fal the cause may be secrete but vniust it cannot Goe nowe slaunderer and exclayme that we make God a hater of good men Another Argument of the Sclaunderer God created one mā that he might place him in Paradise which is eternal life Therefore he created al men to eternal life for al men are created in one REFVTATION FIRST I demaunde whence thou hast drawen this that God created one man that he mighte place him in Paradise Verylie of some secrete reuelation in whythe thou placest the perfectiō which thou seasest not to dreame long since I reade that Adam was placed in that moste pleasant Garden but that this was the chiefe and determined purpose with the Lorde that he might place hym there I reade
bonde of causes and of a certaine intricate order which is contemned in nature but we determine God the arbiter and moderator of all things who in his eternall wisedome hath before all worlde 's decreed that hée would doe and now in his power accōplisheth that he decreed wherevpon we affirme that not onely heauen and earth and insensible creatures but also the purposes and myndes of men to be so gouerned by his prouidence that they are brought to that ende whiche is determined of the same And then he addeth by what meanes if thou shouldest consider the seconde causes by themselues any thyng may come bothe at aduenture and vnlooked for Whiche disputations if thou vnderstandest not thou oughtest to blame thy selfe who at the least knowest not by Cicero and Plutarche what was the controuersie of Chrysippus and Diodorus But what of these verily that all may sée howe muche credite is to be gyuen to that accuser whiche so shamefully lyeth in the very begynnyng saying that euery and the very worste in that part of their speache are wonte to pretende some shewe of honestie For that whiche concerneth the matter it selfe wée will further examine in his place At laste thou addest that wherein veryly thou haste excéeded thy selfe and in déede thou séemest to haue well obserued this principle of Rothorique that those thyngs whiche wée would moste firmely shoulde bée kepte in minde with the auditours may bée spoken in the laste place There are caried aboute thou sayest of this argument certaine Articles gathered out of thy bookes which I will tumultuously sette downe And is it so a greate chaunter of the truthe that thou shouldest take suche paynes to make tumultes in the Churche of GOD Is it so I say waste thou not well in thy wittes that thou shouldest forgette to aske of these rogues that carrie aboute these Slaunders whether they woulde firste with sufficient witnesses proue these thyngs they caried to be true For tell mée what wouldest thou answere if I shoulde onely say that all these are false whiche are obiected against Caluine Truely thou wouldest eyther suddenly confesse thy selfe a false accuser whiche thou clokest as well as thou canste or truely thou wouldest be constrayned thy selfe to accuse thyne owne foolishnesse whiche wilt thynke that thou oughtest to inquyre whether the accusation were iuste or vniuste then whether it were true or false And in déede as thou shalte shortly vnderstand the moste parte of these Articles as thou callest them is suche stuffe that bare deniall is sufficient But goe too that great care to reconcile the Churche hath euen nourisht thée And those that knowe thée say thou arte a simple man so that often tymes thou knowest not whether thou speake with or agaynst thy selfe therefore in déede it shall not bée amisse that wée beare with thy infirmitie of nature Moreouer thou beyng so good a manne and so muche our friende thou couldest not choose but bée muche chaffed when thou heardest those Churches wherein thou haste bene nourished and those menne whose liberalitie hath long done thée good to be charged with such impietie Therfore thou diddest that is too muche proper to fumishe men sodaynly to sette thy self to shuffle in our cause and when thou hadst no sufficient defence thou wouldest certifie vs of the whole mater So it is that the greatest matter escaped thée that is to approue how true the accusation was It were pitie but thou shouldest be pardoned of this too But I pray thée what meanest thou by this to deale Tus multuously in so waighty a cause Beware in déede that some suspect thée not as men be no fooles now to doe nothing in this matter in very good sooth and in earnest But no doubte as thou arte craftie inough thou haste an answere readie publishe it therefore that whilest thou indeuourest to pleasure thy friends thou lose the credite both of wisedome and honestie The title of the Slaunders ARTICLES gathered out of the Latine and Frenche bookes of Iohn Caluine vpon Predestination ANSVVERE THOV oughtst neither to vse this Title Slaunders impudently and malitiously ascribed to Iohn Caluine of certayne ignorant and malitious men The first Article that is the firste Slaunder GOD in the bare and alone determination of his vvill hath created the greatest parte of the vvorlde to perdition REFVTATION HOW false this slaunder is it shal appeare by the very selfe writing of Caluine For thus he saith I say saith he with Augustine that the Lorde created some whome he vndoubtedly foreknew should be damned and that it was so bycause he would so But wherefore he would so it appertayneth not to vs to enquire who are not able to comprehende it nor is it lawfull that the deuine will should be called in question of vs whereof so ofte as any mention is made the very soueraigne rule of Iustice is vnder that title named Againe bycause saith he the scripture doth playnely shew it we say that the Lorde in his eternal and vnchangeable counsel hath once determined whom in their time he would receyue vnto life whome also he would giue ouer vnto death Those to whome he vouchsafeth eternall life we say to be adopted by his frée mercie in no respect of their owne worthinesse Whom he giueth ouer vnto death those truly in his iuste and irreprehensible but that also incomprehensible iustice he abridgeth the way of lyfe Againe if we sayth he are not ashamed of the gospel it is requisite that we acknowlege whatsoeuer is therein manifestly set downe that God in his eternal decrée whose cause dependeth vpō none other refusing others hath ordayned whom he saw good to eternall life and whom by his frée adoption he vouchsaueth to lighten with his holy spirite that they may receyue eternall life offred in Christ that others beyng of themselues vnbeleuing destitute of the eyes of faith may remaine in darknesse Againe as Augustine writeth so farforth saith he the wil of God is the very soueraigne rule of Iustice that whatsoeuer he will euē in that he wil it is to be holden rightuous Therefore when soeuer it is demaunded why the Lorde hath done so it is to be answered bicause he wil but if thou procéedest in asking why he wil so thou séekest some greater or higher thing than the will of God which cannot be found Also we must euer returne saith he to the alone determination of his wil the cause wherof is secrete in himselfe Againe the Apostle sought not starting hooles as if he were taken tardie but shewed that the consideration of Gods Diuine iustice is more soueraigne than that it may either be measured after any humayne sorte or be comprehended with the weakenesse of mans witte These sayth Caluine and many others euery where of lyke sorte whereof I say it may be easily gathered that it is Slander ously spoken of thée whatsoeuer thou speakest of the bare determination of god For they call that a bare determination
An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes TO create to perdition is not of loue but of hatred therefore he created none to perdition REFVTATION AS this Argument dothe depende of the aforewritten so it is of necessitie that the first béeing infringed this also doe sayle Thou haste collected euill that all are beloued of God bicause that all were created in Adam But we contrarywise approue that God by his incomprehensible but yet iuste decrée hath Predestinate whom soeuer it pleased him to hys hatred and therefore to destruction neyther that that is discrepant from the nature of God whiche ought not to be measured by the common sense of men And then we shewe that that God is not moued with the hatered of any that he should vowe him to destruction but that he hath hated him whome he hath Predestinate to destruction and that truely the cause of this hatered and destruction is manifest to vs that is voluntary corruption in Adam whiche isluyng vpon all his posteritie yéeldeth also like fruictes to the tree and that to satisfie all stayed wits that albeit they know not the cause of the sacred decrée yet both bycause it is diuine and also bycause destruction is so descerned that togither the iuste causes of perdition be determined abidyng in men themselues also they confesse it to be iuste Wherfore also we haue proued that that we vse not to speake so as that we say that any one is simply created of God to destruction but therfore that by his due damnation God might shew forth his iustice But that the daÌ„nation of the Reprobate is iuste bicause their perdition doth so depende vpon the Predestination of God that yet the whole cause matter of their destruction be found in themselues These whosoeuer vnderstaÌ„deth at the least shal sée this that it is moste absurde that thou sayste that it is of hatered to create to perdition For that I say againe before the Lorde would create men we speake of the order of causes he neyther hateth or loueth but whome he createth he hath decreed from euerlasting eyther to loue in Christe or to hate in Adam Therefore to create to perdition is not of hatred but of him who hath decréed to hate to hate I saye for iust cause whiche he so annexed to the decrée of hatred that all the fault be in him whome he hateth Further if no man be therefore created that God in his due destruction might be glorified then God eyther hath determined to saue all or boroweth the causes of his counsell of the foreknowen will of men and that so that whom he knew would refuse grace offered for that cause he should vowe them to destruction and in déede shoulde suffer them to runne headlong séeing they will so But oh good Lorde howe many things be héere affirmed not alone foolishly but also wickedly For if God hath decréed to saue all as in déede he determined if he loue all howe is it that he doth not saue all Is it bicause he can not If that be so he is not omnipotent Or is it that he will not Then the Lorde altereth his counsell and when he sayth he repenteth we muste not nowe vnderstande that to be spoken of God not by translation and improperlie but properlie and in déede But and if he require the cause of hys purpose of the men them selues what workeman is he that dependeth of his worke yea what wise man euer thinketh to say that God determining to make men first considered of what forte they woulde be that thence he might consult then to haue considered wherfore he would create them Then what shall become of them to whom grace is neuer offered of which sorte we haue foreshewed that there be many Wilte thou say that all these are saued for as muche as they haue not that foreknoweÌ„ cause of refusing grace Sée for as muche as thou haste once declined from the right pathe into what absurdities thou runnest But this is the right way that God hath created all for hys owne glorie euen the wicked for the day of euill In this doctrine is no circumstance of wordes no absurditie if thou doste determine that whiche is moste true that the will of God albeit it sometimes séeme otherwise to vs yet alwayes is the soueraigne rule of iustice Agayne I pray thée how is it that thou takest such paines to defend the reprobate rather I pray thée let vs giue them ouer leaue them to the eternall Indge to be damned Let vs rather be occupied in giuing thankes to God and setting forth of his glorie who when hée also might haue predestinate vs to destruction yet rather gaue vs to his sonne by whome béeing apprehended by Faith we are fréelye saued And this benefite of God doeth wonderfullye shine forth towardes vs by the contrary destruction of reprobates and hitherto the reprobates are set to be considered of vs not that we shoulde defende theyr cause but learne in feare and trembling to reuerence the Lorde An other of the Slaunderers Arguments To creat is a worke of loue and not of hatred Therefore God created all men in loue and not in hatred REFVTATION AGAINE thou beatest againste the same rocke whiche knowest not howe to set hatred vnder the decrée that so that betwixte the decrée and hatred be interiected the cause of hatred whose gusâ—tinesse remaineth in menne themselues as I haue already saide a thousand times Againe albeit wée willing lye confesse the goodnesse of God to haue appeared in the very worke of creation nor that God hath properly hated his own worke but his corruption yet who will graunt thée that thou wouldest enfore by this argument that God bicause that for his singular goodnesse he created the reprobate therfore he did not predestinate them to his deserued hatred But I will helpe thée here For not onely in the creation of the reprobate but also in all their life a certaine vnspeakle kindenesse of God doeth often shine insomuch that if thou beholdest the presente state of thinges and ascendest no further the Lorde maye rather seeme to fauoure the wicked than the righteous which cogitation muche moued Dauid and deceyned the Epicures But what sayeth the LOKDE of all Reprobates in the person of Pharao saying Therefore sayeth hée haue I raised thée vppe that is haue broughte thée foorthe that in thée I might declare my power that is to saye in working mightily on thée Nor yet am I ignorant that there is not wanting those which otherwise expounde the word of Exciting whyche aunswereth to the Hebrue worde but the Apostles saying doeth sufficientlye declare that it is to be expounded so that it oughte to ascende to the very creation Againe what way so euer thou doest expounde it truelye it shall expresse the Lordes benefites vppon Pharao whome notwythstanding he hadde from euerlasting decréede to destroy and that bycause he woulde For why otherwise shoulde Paule ascende to the will and shoulde not rather
whose fall he did not onely foresee but would it with an eternall and secrete decree and ordeyned that he should fall which that it mighte come to passe in his time he appointed an Apple the cause of the fall The censure of the Sycophant SO they say that the second Article is the Deuils doctrine and they require of vs Caluine that we shewe them where it is written in the diuine bookes THE REFVTATION IN patchyng of thys sclaunder thou hast kept thyne inclination for thy selfe hast forged that thou brablest of Adam predestinat to damnation and of the Apple that God sette before him These I say thou hast impudentlye faygned that it shall not néede to aunswere any thing to them And how reuerently and religiously Caluine vsed to thynke and write of the fall of Adam maye appeare by these testimonies whyche I haue written out worde for worde partly of hys Institutions of Christian Religion and partly of hys Booke of eternall Predestination So dependeth the destruction of the reprobate sayeth he of the Predestination of God that the cause and matter be founde in themselues for the firste man did fall for that the Lord did so sée it expedient Why he so determined we knowe not yet it is assured that he determined no otherwayes but bycause he sawe it good that the glorye of hys owne name shoulde bée aduanced thereby Where thou hearest mention of the glory of GOD thynke there to bée iustice for it must bée iust that deserueth prayse man therefore falleth Gods prouidence so ordeyning but he falleth through his owne faulte The Lorde hadde pronounced a little before that all thyngs that hée made was very good whence therefore commeth thys wickednesse to man that he shoulde fall from hys GOD least it shoulde hée déemed to bée by creation God by hys worde approoued whatsoeuer hadde procéeded from hym therefore hys owne malice corrupted the pure nature whiche hée hadde receyued of the Lorde and by hys fall inforced all hys posteritie to destruction wyth hym wherefore we shall rather sée the apparante cause of damnation in the corrupte nature of man than séeke out the secrete and wholly incomprehensible in the predestination of God. Nor let it gréeue vs thus farre to submitte oure iudgemente to the immeasurable wisedome of God that it sayleth in manye of hys secretes for if those thynges which is not permitted or lawfull to know the ignorance is learned the shew of knowledge is a kind of madnesse These Sicophant be Caluines words which alone shall plentifullye suffice all gouerned wittes to deface thy slaunder But we will also adde these of abundance that your impudencie may more and more appeare There be sayeth he thrée things to be noted Firste the eternall predestination of God to be firme and ratified wherby he determined what should come to passe of all mankinde of euery man before Adam fell Then that Adam hymselfe for the worthinesse of his defection is inthralled to death and finally in his person being nowe desperate and a castaway that all his progeny was so damned that whome afterwards God did fréely elect he shoulde dignifie with the honor of Adoption But also a little after in the same place when saith he there is anye spéeche had of Predestination I haue euer constantly taught and thys day do teach that there they must beginne that all the reprobate whiche are cast away and damned in Adam are worthelie lefte in deathe that they perishe worthely who are by nature the children of wrath so that no man haue cause to complayne of Gods too muche seueritie séeyng that all menne carrie the guiltinesse shutte vp in themselues If we returne to the first man when he was created innocente that he fell willingly and thereby that it came to passe that by his owne faulte he broughte vppon hym and his destruction Nowe albeit that Adam fell no otherwayes than God knowying and so ordeyning hée lost both hymselfe and hys posteritie yet that maketh nothyng eyther to the deminishing of hys faulte or charging of God wyth the cryme for thys is euer to bée consydered that hée depriued hym selfe of that innocencie whyche he receyued of GOD hée voluntaryly vowed hymselfe into the bondage of sinne and Satan willingly gaue himself headlong to destruction One excuse is pretended that he could not auoyde that which was decreed of god But volumtary transgression suffiseth inough and too much to guiltinesse For the secrete counsell of God is not the proper and naturall cause of sinne but the manifest will of man The foolish complaint of Medea is of the olde Poet worthily derided Vtinam ne in nemore pelio c. She beyng taken with the surious loue of a straunger and vnknowen man betrayed hir countrey when she was in hir self guiltie of infidelitie and barbarous crueltie when the scourge of inchastitie doth afllict hir she foolishly turneth hir selfe to causes a farre off when man findeth within himself the cause of euill what auayleth it to wander that he may séeke it in heauen The faulte is manifest in that that he would sinne why doth he rushing into the passages of heauen drowne himselfe in a Labarinth Albeit that menne wandering by infinite fetches do indeuour to deceaue thēselues they shall neuer so amase themselues but they shall receyue the sense of sinne grauen in their hartes vngodlinesse therefore laboureth in vaine to deliuer man whome his owne conscience condemneth And for that God wittingly and willingly did suffer man to fall the cause may be secrete but vniuste it cannot be This is Caluines sentence of Adams fall whiche why it should displease thée thou shouldest rather haue shewed then to haue so impudently slaundred it but there be twoo things whiche you vse to pretende to the whiche I will answere apart First yée complaine as you are men very religious that by this meanes God becommeth the author of all sinnes sith by the fall of Adam all haue succéeded whose offence is to be attributed vnto him if in déede Adam fell by his ineuitable decrée Then you requyre the expresse worde of GOD whereby that doctrine may be ratified That which belonggeth to the firste thou hast heard already wherefore thys thy consequence is naughte worth God ordeyned thys therefore he is in the fault Caluine sheweth a reason out of Augustine in these words This sayth he without controuersie is to be holden that God hath euer hated sinne for indéede this prayse whereby he is glorifyed of Dauid is incident to him that he is a God that will no iniquitie but rather in ordeyning the fall of man he had a most excellent and iust end from which the very name of sinne is estraunged Although I so affirme him to haue ordeyned it as I graunt not that he was the proper author thereof doest thou héere Sycophant Caluine excellently refuting that very blotte of blasphemy whiche falsely and maliciously you obiect against him but yet these things satisfye thée not Be it
commaundements and not that onely but that they are gouerned with Gods hande and that all things are done by his power So when we beholde the course of earthly things al things to be attributed to God but the creatures are to be iudged as instruments in hys band which he will apply to the worke howsoeuer it pleaseth him The Scripture oftentimes toucheth this vniuersall prouidence that we may learne to giue glory to God in all his workes And God especially commendeth to vs this his power that we may acknowledge the same in our selues to the ende we may be ridde froÌ„ arrogancie which so soone as we forget that we be in his hande dothe vse by and by to surmount in vs To this it is that Paule sayde at Athens In him we liue moue and haue our beyng for he doth testifie vnto them that excepte he do sustayne vs with his hande for neuer so litle moment of time we can not continew seing we remayne in him and as the soule disperseth his power thorowe all the bodie dothe inforce the members that so we be quickened of God of whome we obtayne whatsoeuer strength and abilitie is in vs Yet this vniuersall working of God dothe not let but that all creatures bothe in heauen and earth may receyue their qualitie and nature and folowe their proper inclination The other way whereby God worketh in his creatures is that he compelleth them to the obedience of his goodnesse iustice and iudgement euen as be will nowe helpe his seruaunts nowe punishe the guiltie nowe trie the patience of the faythfull or chasten them with a fatherly affection So when he will bestowe aboundance of fruytes he giueth Raynes in his time sendeth warmth by his Sunne and lightsome and sayre dayes then also he vseth other naturall meanes as instruments of hys louyng kindnesse But when he dothe withdrawe his hande unto himselfe the heauen becommeth as it were brassie the earth as ironie Therefore it is he that maketh Thunders Froste Hayles and Tempestes and he causeth barraÌ„nesse Therfore whatsoeuer the Ethniques ignoraÌ„t attribute to fortune we must ascribe to the diuine prouidence not so much to that vniuersall power wherof we haue spoken but to his speciall moderation wherby he gouerneth al things as seemeth best and most to his glory And that he teacheth when he sayeth by the prophets that he createth light and darkenesse sendeth lyse death that nothing good or euil coÌ„meth but from his hand in so much that he saith that he gouerneth also lots and other things which séeme casual But if some one be casually slaine not by fore practice that he is cause of hys death and hath so appoynted least we shoulde denie any to fall by chaunce but all things by the determination of his counsell And he is vehemently offended when we thinke that any thyng roÌ„meth from other where and do not looke upon him that we may acknowledge him not onely as the principall cause of all but also as the Author determinyng by this or that meane all things by his counsell So therefore let us conclude that as wel prosperitie as aduersitie Raynes Windes Hayles Froste Brightnesse Aboundance Famine Warre and Peace are the workes of God and that the creatures whiche be inferiour causes be onely instruments whiche he hath in use to execute hys will and therfore vieth theÌ„ at hys pleasure turneth those thyngs which way soeuer it pleaseth him bringeth them to that passe that that vndoubtedly may be done whiche he hath determined There is further to be noted that he vseth not onely sencelesse creatures in thys sorte that by theÌ„ be may worke and performe his will but euen men themselues also the Diuel In so much that euen Sathan and the wicked are executers of the Diuine will. Euen as he vsed the Egyptians to afflict hys people and a litle whyle after he stirred up the Assyrians and others lyke that he mighte punish theyr offences We sée he vsed the Diuell that he might torment Saule deceyue Achab and when néede is to exercise his iudgements against al the wicked or on the otherside to proue the coÌ„stancie of his owne people wherof Iob is an example unto us Whiche things when the Libertines here rashly and vnaduisedly breakyng out nor lookyng any further they conclude that the creatures doe nothyng else So they horribly confounde all things For they confound not onely heauen with earth but God with the Diuell And that commeth so to passe bycause they obserue not twoo exceptions muche necessarie The first is that Sathan and the wicked are not so Gods instrumentes but they also play there owne partes For wée muste not so immagine that GOD worketh so by a wicked manne as by a stone or blocke but as by a reasonable creature accordyng to the qualitie of nature which he hath gyuen hym When therefore we say that God worketh by creatures that booteth not why the wicked for there parte shoulde not worke too whiche also the Scripture dothe manifestly shewe For as it pronounceth that GOD will hysse and as it were sounde with a Trumpette that hée maye brynge out the Infidelles to battell that he will barden and inflame their hartes so it ceasseth not to shewe theyr owne counsell and of what will they are and ascribeth vnto them that worke which by Gods decrée they execute The other exception wherof these vnhappie men haue no vnderstanding is this That there is great oddes betwirt the worke of God and the worke of a wicked maÌ„ sich God vseth him but insteede of an instrument The wicked is incited to his worke with his couetousnesse or ambition or enuie or crueltie and he regardeth no other end Therefore of that roote that is of the affection of minde and ende whiche he respecteth the worke taketh his qualitie and is worthely iudged cuill But God hath altogither respect of contrary things that is to witte that he may exercise his iustice to befend the good that he may vse his grace and mercie towardes the faythfull and correct those that deserue euill Sée in what sort we must discerne betwirt God and men that hence we may beholde in the selfe worke his suffice goodnesse and iudgement thence the malice of the Diuell and Infidels but let vs take an excellent and lightsome glasse wherein we may beholde these When worde was brought to Iob of so great losse of his goods of the death of his children and of so many â—uils which vefell him he acknowledged that God did vid visits him saying the Lorde hath giuen me all these things and he hath taken them And in déede so the truth was but in the meane time did be not know that the Diuell did cause this euill vpon vnderstoode he not that the Chaldées had briuen away hys heardes and cattle did he commende those robbers and théenes or did he excuse the Diuell bicause that affliction came out from God No I trowe For he vnderstood
some good and some euill but men verily by nature are all euill but are so diffeuered by grace that many be altogither euill but many in some sort good that is for so much as Gods Spirite hath sanctified them 13 What things be of this kinde when they are in any action moued by that interior and their owne motion they are worthily sayde to do and therfore at the laste the difference of good or euill doing falleth into this kinde of instrument Nor in this respecte can they well be called instruments but rather efficient causes 14 And I call that an euill déede whiche hath not the reuealed will of God for his warrant contrarily a good which respecteth the same 15 The same albeit they are causes for asmuch as they worke by the interior and their owne mouing yet in an other respect they are called instruments that is as often for asmuch as they are moued of an other as wheÌ„ the hangmaÌ„ at the coÌ„manudement of the Magistrate killeth a man or as when by the inforcemeÌ„t of Satan some hurteth others or when in the name or at the commauÌ„dement of any one we do good or euill to any 16 In this kynde of workes euery one séeth one and the same worke to be attributed to two that is to one in dóede as inforcing and workyng by another as by an instrument and to another but to the agent himselfe for so he is an instrument as in déede he worketh by his interior and owne motion but not simply as the hammer or are in the hande of the Carpenter 17 Yea for this double respect there séemeth also to be yéelded a double worke and in déede so much as one is coÌ„mendable the other vitious as if the Magistrate deliuer the offender to the hangman euery man will worthily coÌ„mend that worke but if the hangman beyng rather moued with hatred or couetousnesse or any other wicked desire then with the iudges commaundement do put him to death truly before God he can not escape the fault of murther 18 Now therefore let vs apply these thinges to God himselfe whose power of working we proued before to come in betwéene in all things that are made without all exception and that so that by those things which he hath made as by instruments he executeth in his time whatsoeuer he hath decréed from euerlasting 19 What soeuer God doth it is good sith that no euill can procéede from the soueraigne goodnesse but he doth all things All things therefore are good for asmuch as they be done of God and that difference of good and euill hath onely place in the instruments in déede in those of whom we spake in the fouretenth proposition 20 For if these instrumeÌ„ts be good and respect the manifested will of God they do well and God doth well by them whence it is that that worke is euery way good as when the good Angels doe execute that whiche God commaundeth and holy men do folow when God calleth 21 But the euill instruments euill I say not by creation but by corruption for so much verily as they do they doe alwayes euill therefore they worthily incurre the wrath of God for asmuch as God worketh by them they serue the good will of God eyther agaynst their will or by ignorance For by what soeuer instrumeÌ„ts God worketh he doth alwayes well 22 And so God worketh by those instruments as he doth not only suffer them to worke nor only moderateth the effect but also he exciteth inforceth moueth ruleth furthermore which of al is the greatest euen createth them that by them he may accomplish that he hath determined all which God doth iustly and without all iniustice 23 For as oft as an euill man sinneth eyther agaynst himselfe or some other lyke euill God bringeth to passe without all sinne that either the wicked shal reuenge himselfe or that the wicked shall afflict the lyke with deserued punishments whiche both is the most iuste worke of God and by these examples of his iudgemeÌ„ts God doth recreat and comfort his 24 But so oft as the wicked annoy the good they in déede sinne at the last are worthily punished yet neuerthelesse the Lorde by them correcteth teacheth and confirmeth his and in déede by the very enimies of the Churche he maketh his Church glorious 25 Yet these euil instruments can not be sayd to obey God bicause albeit God doth execute his worke by them yet they so much as in them is that appertayneth there counsell and will they do not the worke of God but their owne worke for which they are worthily punished For albeit it is good whiche God worketh by the wicked yet whatsoever she euill do is euill 26 Nor auayleth the consequence God doth al things therefore he committeth sinnes For the name of sinne agreeth not but with a depraued qualitie whiche wholy is in the doyng instrument 27 But by reason of this depraued qualitie the worke which by it selfe is but one is after a sorte made two and double and that so much that one resisteth the other that is the iuste worke of God the vniust worke of man by direct contrary 28 Yet God worketh other waies by good instruments than by euill For ouer and aboue that he doth his owne worke by good instruments the good instruments also doe his worke with that strength and efficacie which God giueth them the Lorde finally doth his owne worke by theÌ„ in them he also worketh to will and doe So ofte as the Lorde executeth the iust counsels and deerâ—es of hys eternall will by the wicked as by Satan or men in that they are not negenerate he aduaunceth his owne strength and efficacie in his worke by them either not knowing or against their willes but yet in so muche as they doe his worke the Lorde worketh not in them but letteth loose the raynes of Satan whereto also he giueth the wicked to be stirred and inforced by his iuste iudgement that they may be caried by his and their owne luste 29 Therefore we repell not the name of sufferance or leaue nor was it euer in our mindes to say that God worketh in the wicked But bicause the difference of will and sufferaunce whiche Augustine no doubte tooke from the Gréekes the Sophisters drawne from Augustine and finally thou from them haue depraued bicause I say this difference is vsurped of you to appresse the truth therefore we vtterly repell it 30 For you set will agaynst sufferance wherevpon it foloweth that God suffereth those things which he doth suffer ether against his wil or in déede idlely not regarding theÌ„ But we that contrary least we either robbe God of his infinite inmesurable power or think with the Epicures we say that is the truth that God doth nothing but willingly either by instruments or permitteth to instruments that they may do yet so that whatsoeuer he do he do it mosteiustly and most iustly suffreth what soeuer he suffereth
in God there can be no difference of good and euill albeit for as much as he is God after his peculiar and proper manner he is cause of all and euery thing For all things in so muche as they are done by the will and decrée of God working as the Apostle sayeth Ephes 1.11 whether hée performe his worke by good or euill instruments are alwayes iust good and holy but in so muche as the instrumentes worke sometimes their actions be good and therefore acceptable to God but sometimes euill and therefore inacceptable to God and inthralled to his iust iudgement For albeit God willeth and doth all things that be done yet he willeth not all things in suche forte or executeth in such wise as the instruments will and do for the faulte is in the instrumentes not in god But nowe it is that we sée whych workes of the instrumentes bée good and whiche also euill But that that maye bée conueniently made playne wée say that the will of God is vsed in two sortes for sometimes it conteyneth onely those things whiche the Lorde dothe simply allowe that is bycause the qualitie of them is good of it selfe as when Dauid sayeth teach me to doe thy will and when wée pray the father that hys wyll may be done in carthe as it is in Heauen that is that all our life may be framed to hys wyll In these places I saye and innumerable others the will of God sheweth nothing else than that whyche the Lorde hathe manifested to vs in his word to be acceptable and pleasante to hymselfe nor in déede doe we saye that Sathan or men in that they doe euill doe the will of God but rather resist the will of God and therefore in the end to suffer iust punishmentes of theyr wickednesse And therefore we determine that they are euill whose qualitie is such that in themselues they displease God But contrarily those are good which God dothe simplye in themselues allöwe but sometymes the wyll of God doth conteyne euen those thynges whiche he dothe not simply allowe but rather reiecteth and reuengoth them which yet he dearéeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his meane and in a certayne respect do please him which when thou vndershandest not thou foolishly reprchendest For what wilt thou deny that they do heynouslie offeÌ„d which persecute the Churche but that the saincts are afflicted by the wil of God if it be so that thou denie it Peter himselfe shall refute thée in two places It is better saith be if God wil so that you be persecuted for well doing than for euil The same in the same Epistle Those saith he that by the wil of God are afflicted let theÌ„ coÌ„mit their foules to him 〈◊〉 wel doing as to 〈◊〉 faithfull creator Dost thou heare that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of will But what sayeth Paule where be handleth the same arguments Those saith he whome he knew before he predestinate to be coÌ„formed to the image of his sonne Now therefore we perceyue that the Predestination and will of God did come betwixte in the afflictions of the Sainctes Peter also in another place disputing of the Crosse of Christ which place we haue oftentimes alreadie cyted maketh mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the determinate councell and foreknowlege of God. And in another place the whole Church at Hierusalem maketh mention of the hand and councell of God but dothe God allow the wickednesse of them that persecute the Church no in déede but the wicked whyche persecute the Church shall at the last suffer deserued tormentes But God dothe dayly trye out and perfite his Church by that same thing which he worthily reueÌ„geth in his enimies and in this respecte the will councell ratified and determined decrée and finallie the very worke of the most iust and most wise God doth no lesse come betwixt than when he vseth choyse and holy instrumentes to the accomplishment of things of themselues most good and excellent If this consolation be taken from vs as in déede it is if we beléeue the dreaming I can not tell of what idle sufferaÌ„ce besides the wil and decrée of God in such as these how shall we euer remaine firme and constant nor doth he say al things which thinketh that the end issue of al such matters are gouerned of god But this ought especially to be beléeued that Sathan or Sathans instrumeÌ„ts can not practise against vs be it neuer so little that y our good father hath not from euerlasting decréed determined for our coÌ„moditie that our coÌ„solatioÌ„ might be full firme But it may be that in this kind of euil whereby the godly are afflicted thou wilt denie that Peter Paule the other holy wrighters wheÌ„ they make meÌ„tioÌ„ of the will couÌ„cel decrée hand of God do not intend those that persecute the church but them rather which suffer these things But it I shall remoue this obiection I seare least some may thinke that I do you an open iniurie who should suppose that it were possible that you should broche such foolish questions Yet I will also vndoe this doubte bycause I sée nothing of it selfe so playne and without all difficultie whiche may not gréedily of you be taken to the ende you may both incomber your selues and others First of all these things are so vnited in themselues by mutuall relation that is the actiâ—â— of those that persecute the Saintes and the sufferaunce of the afflicted Sainctes by them that he whiche saithe God will this but dothe onely suffer that may worthily séeme â—oyde euen of common reason But least I séeme to contende with thée with reasons drawen only from common sense which compasse of contention thy selfe yet séemest to haue prefixed vs go to let vs heare the Spirite of God himselfe speakyng whose authoritie I wishe thou couldest once preferre before thy fruitelesse and childishe inuentions Iob beyng giuen into the hande of Satan not for any sinne of hys but for a most excellent example both for his and our confirmation sake the Lorde saith he hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away What wouldest thou answere here good man agreeth the worde of takyng away with Iob from whom the thing was taken or rather with him who taketh the thyng For Iob neyther crieth out that he hath wrong done him or excuseth the théeues but acknowledgeth and reuerenceth the suste will of God in giuing and takyng away I say he acknowledgeth the will of god Who may not sée that Iob by the worde of taking away aswell as giuing hath intended not onely the will and purpose of giuing and taking away but euen the very selfe giuyng and taking away For the Lorde both in giuing and taking away vseth whatsoeuer instruments be pleaseth and that in nowise inforced but willingly Therfore in the like argument as we haue shewed before calleth his aduersaries albest wicked men yet the sworde and hand of god And further
of the people he might make a way to his iuste iudgementes What reprouest thou here Sathan inciteth Dauid to this not that he shoulde obey God but that God might be offestded and if it may be that Dauid and al the people might perish Dauid himselfe it may be being prouoked wyth pride or ambition commaundeth the people to be numbred But is this to attribute to God that which belongeth to the Diuel Art not thou rather a blasphemous mouth which for the most parte destroyest the prouideÌ„ce of god The Second and third argument to the eleuenth Sclaunder If God do prompte in euil vnhonest affections yet commaundeth vs to resist euill affections he commaundeth vs to resist himselfe he is contrarie to himselfe Euerie good gifte is from aboue commeth downe from the father of lights But are also euil affections a good gift or descend darkenesse for euil affections are in deede darkenesse from the father of al light THE REFVTATION WE worthyly referre the lewdenesse of affections not to the first cause which alwayes doth most iustly but to those beginnings whence they procéede that is to Satan and the corruption of man Therfore we say that no affections are ministred in that they are euil But thou when thou sayste that they are permitted of GOD doest indéede attribute to GOD whiche is moste estraunged from his nature albeit we shoulde graunt thée that there is this idle sufferaunce For of what sort is Gods iustice if by any meanes he suffer sins in that they are sins or affections in that they are euill Thou therefore caytife stranglest thy selfe with thyne owne sworde and when thou indéede gatherest these things thou doest in great earnest approue thy selfe a wicked and blasphemous wretch The Slaunderers fourth argument to the eleuenth Slaunder Iames writeth plainly that no man is tempted of God but euery one of his owne lust THE REFVTATION IT is of necessitie that whether thou wilt or no thou confesse that the word of tempting is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying many things For it is plainely written in Deuteronomie of the euill Prophete The Lord tryeth your and in the same booke the Lorde sayth that he tempted the people forty yeres in the wildernesse and in another place God tempteth Abraham Yea men also are sayde to tempte God and Paule aduiseth that we trye our selues Yet Iames denyeth that any is tempted of the Lord but rather of his owne luste that is of the meane wherby Satan tempteth vs or we are tempted of other men or of our selues For the Lord is sayde after his manner to tempt vs that is to aproue that laying before vs the occasion of manifesting of our mind to be manifested eyther our selues may vnderstand what we be least flattetering our selues we deceyue our selues but that rather when we knowe our weakenesse we may beginne to repent or that our dissembling may be manifest to others Hence it is that by the name of Temptation is eftsones vnderstoode affliction bycause it tryeth our fayth So Paule aduiseth vs that we trye our selues that is examyne diligently whether we be in the fayth as himselfe doeth verye well interprete So we are forbiddent to tempte GOD that is to séeke to finde out hys mynde as if wée doubted of hys faythe and by this meane to prouoke his patience to anger Also Sathan tempteth and therefore he is called a Tempter We also tempte one an other and concupiscence is sayde to teâ—pt vs All which when they are spoken the name of Téptation agréeth not with God sith it declareth nothing else but a soliciting to euil which by no means can haue place in god Yet God is said to leade into teÌ„ptation that is when he vseth the work of Satan or of some other that he may accomplish his decrée dothe he therefore tempt in no wise For euen then he is not the Authouc of euill except it be that he is to be thought euill when he executeth his iudgements or vseth our falles to the listing vp and finallye consirming of vs and instruction of the whole Church So not without the ordinance of God was Adam tempted of Sathan so much ouercoÌ„med but that he might vse that fal to expresse the riches of his goodnesse much more apparantly in the redemption than in the creation also that he might make way to his iuste iudgements So many of the sainctes long agoe by the commaundement and will of God himselfe haue fallen and continually doe fall into moste grieuous temptations but with theyr greate profitte and by no faulte of God as the samctes themselues confesse So an euill spirite from the Lorde exasperateth Saule and there is no doubt but this spirite enforced him headlong into those horrible euils Did therefore the Lorde tempt Saule that is solicite him to euill No in no wise but he exercised Saule with iuste punishments For the euill procéedeth from the beginning of the euil instruments and the good whiche is drawne out of the very euill is al due to god Finally therfore as a certain right learned writer hath noted God tempteth not that is in that forte that the Diuell and wicked men are wont to teÌ„pt And the reason is that God is not tempted of euill For hée that tempteth an other to euill is firste himselfe tempted and ouercome of euill The Diueli therefore and wicked menne doe tempte that is thinking wickedlye and hauyng foresette a wicked ende to themselues they make sharpe their lewdenesse and enforce to euil But God tempteth vs to an other ende that wée may vnderstand oure infirmities or our strength that wée maye fall into some great calamitie and so maye beginne to repent that finally when it is requisite he maye punish sinnes with sins and with other iust punishments He that saith this Selaunderer doth he attibute to God that whiche belongeth to our concupiscence But there remaineth a question why Iames making no mention of Sathan shoulde saye that we are tempted of our luste Indéede bycause that albeit Sathan coth sollicite vs and some do pricke forwards others yet all these appertaine to that ende that the concupiscence whiche is in vs maye be kindled And this interior motion is the true proper beginning of our affections and therfore of our actions Séeing then that Adam albeit the Diuell prompting him yet in the beginning didde depraue himselfe of his owne accorde and properly and men be gotten of him doe in like sorte properly of their own accorde moue themselues with this wicked concupiscence and become dayly worse than themselues why should they lay anye fault vppon God séeing they cannot properly accuse euen Sathan or any other thoughe fellowes of these mischiefes yet as the causes of their destruction But to what ende be all these Lette vs heare Caluine himselfe whose writing doth confeunde thée beaste He therefore expressing those selfe sacred wordes And leade vs not into temptation The name of Temptation saith he is
whereby any thing is so done that no regarde be had whether it be iuste or vniuste that is done We therefore doe in déede confesse with Paule that al things are done by purpose of the Deuine will that whome he will before they be borne or euer they haue done eyther good or euill he eyther loueth or hateth and therefore in his time eyther pitieth or hardeneth but we adde this that this notwithstanding there is no iniustice with God that he whiche dothe so decrée these things dothe notwithstandying that whiche is altogither rightuous And this we proue by many reasons Firste bycause that the will of God is the soueraigne rule of Iustice neyther is it a good consequent that that is vniust bycause mans reason seeth no cause of such Iustice For what doth not the sunne shyne bicause the blinde is still in darkenesse Againe we say they deale foolishly who holde that any thing is good in it selfe before God will haue it so seyng that contrarily it is requisite that God will anything to be iuste before it can be so For the will of God dependeth not of the qualitie of things but the contrary the qualitie of things by order of causes doth folowe the will of god Thirdly wée adde also that in suche decrée whereby God from the beginnyng determined whatsoeuer vassals of his wrath he woulde that the execution of his purpose muste be distinguished from the purpose it selfe that is the purpose of reiectyng from damnation Wée vnderstande no other cause of the purpose than the very will of GOD whiche can not bée but altogyther moste iuste albeit the blynde wysedome of the fleshe thynketh otherwise But the causes of execution that is damnation the Lorde hath plentyfully and playnely shewed vs euen the voluntary corruption of Adam deriued vnto vs and the fruyctes of that corruption But here agayne mans reason inforceth it selfe Whence sayth it be the causes of this damnation haue they so come to passe agaynst the will of GOD no forsoothe for then hée shoulde not bée Almightie Therefore with hys will for he dothe not suffer vnwillingly and that is the opinion of Epicures to ordayne a carelesse foreknowledge of GOD whiche is easily ouerthrowen by infinite testimonies of Scripture But if hée haue decreed these things to be so and I coulde not resiste hys will am not I blamelesse of that faulte whiche altogither resteth in hym And this is that greate doubte whiche no man vnderstandeth saue those who out of hys worde haue learned to thynke reuerently of god Therefore Paule when he commeth to thys poynte denieth not that it was the will of God whiche the wicked coulde not resiste but their collection of this approued principle hée vtterly denieth bycause GOD can not bée vniuste and hée recalleth vs to the consideration of mannes estate that wée mighte reuerence so highe a mysterie not that wée shoulde reproue it But in déede you are wyser than the Apostle for thou takest these thyngs not to haue come to passe by the will of GOD but if it bée so then is it maruell that the Apostle dyd not remember it that he mighte haue answered the very selfe thing Neyther doest thou consider all this whyle whether thys rashnesse dothe headlong inforce thée truely to this poynt that thou mayst more more incomber thy selfe whylest thou thinkest that thou canst cōprehende the infinite wisedome of god For that we may yéelde thée that thou séekest that the causes of damnation doe chaunce without any determination of God sée how many and wicked absurdities may follow For firste if they chaunce agaynst his will thou deniest the Omnipotencie of God who coulde not withstande that whiche he woulde But if in déede thou sayst he wincketh at it howe muche doest thou differ from Epicurisme It remayneth then that he permitteth it willingly and there is one and the same difficultie For if thou sayest that eyther our sinnes foreknowen or already committed haue giuen occasion to this will thou sayest nothyng For we séeke the Originall of these sinnes that is the causes of corruption from whiche thou canste no more seclude the determination of God than when there is question of the fruictes of corruption seing that here also the same inconueniences doe accomber thée and thou arte taken in the same Labyrinth Furthermore sée howe well thou defendest Gods Iustice For truely that whiche he hath suffered albeit he hath not determined it for we will giue thée so muche yet he coulde haue letted it euen with a becke Why therfore did he not suppresse Sathan in tyme why dyd he not thorowly establish Adam and Eue or if thou list not looke backe vnto them why did he not commanund the fountayne of sinne to stay in Adam that it should not issue out vpon his posteritie was it bicause the sinnes of his posteritie deserued it But they shoulde haue had no sinne if corruption had not bene inlarged But why dothe he dayly gyue Sathan suche libertie whiche he can restrayne truly where soeuer thou turnest thée humane reason sheweth vs this that he is equally in fault who when he can preuent one from fallyng to destruction yet doth it not with him that throweth him downe headlong Therefore although that thy solution should be of force humaine reason should not surcease to déeme God vniust But thou wilt say These things are curious They are in déede and therefore we thinke it sacriledge for any vnreuerently to attempt these high mysteries of god But we say that that is curious and wicked too to demaunde howe God shoulde be without fault if he ordayne the causes of damnation Whiche question thou haste vndertooke to dissolue but we thinke with the Apostle that it is altogether impossible with humaine senses to be expressed which is curious which is passing wicked which séeketh the secret mysteries of God without his worde Is it thou which séekest a reason of the Diuine wisedome and therefore willingly and of purpose runnest headlong into daunger or I who when we come to Gods will béeing mindefull of mans imbecilitie do secretly reuerence the maiestie of god Therfore that I may briefly say this let this be the furthest reach of mans iudgement although the cause of his decrée is vnsercheable whereby God hath determined from euerlasting to create many in whose iust damnation he might manyfest the glorie of his iustice and for that cause whosoeuer are appoynted vnto death cannot but perishe in their tyme yet that God because he damneth none but the corrupt and guyltie is therefore without all blame of their damnation as he who rightly decerneth those things whiche men doe vniustly and therefore iustly punisheth But if humayne reason can not endure it yet it doth not followe that it is otherwise Rather let whatsoeuer is fleshe giue place for so I had rather than speake as thou doest that we may wholly repose our selues in the worde of god But thou wilt say Where is the worde of God Surely thou
preiudice vs that Paule alleaging the wordes of Malachie I haue hated Esau séemeth to take hatred for the eternall decrée of reiecting For I say this worde I haue hated in that place declareth nothing but I haue decréeed to hate séeing Paule in that place disputeth of the decrée of God and not of the execution of the sayde decrée Neyther doth there want sufficient testimonie of Scripture to approue this exposition by God hath chosen vs sayth Paule Ephesi 1. a. 3. before the foundations of the worlde were layde that is he determined to Electe For in déede thou muste néedes confesse that GOD in tyme doth execute those things whiche before all tymes he ordeyned So. 2. Timoth 1. c. 9. there is giuen sayth he vnto vs the grace of God in Christe Iesus before all tyme that is God decréed to giue vs his grace in Christe Iesu before all tyme whiche albeit in very déede he dothe not giue vs before that effectually he call vs to him selfe So he is called the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the world Apocalips 13. b. 8. that is to say for as muche as he was preordayned before the worlde was made whiche was perfourmed in the laste tymes as Peter him selfe expoundeth 1. Peter 1. d. 20. But why doth the Scripture speake so Truely that whatsoeuer the Lorde hath decréed shall be we may vnderstande to be so sure as we are sure that that is done whiche we sée done But yet that it is so as we say that is that Gods decrée procéedeth in the order of causes both loue and hatred it euidently appeareth in this that otherwise thou arte constrayned to appoynte the causes of the diuine decrée in men them selues Whereon it wyll followe that eyther God hath not determined what he would doe to men before he made them and carelessé behelde them perishing or if he had determined yet afterwardes the nature of man béeing chaunged he also would chaunge his purpose Bothe the one and the other howe farre it is from the wysest workemaster and endued that I maye so say with the surest and moste constante nature there is none but may sée Then if these things shoulde be so that is if GOD for the foreknowen corruption shoulde hate any of hys workes before he had ordeyned them to destruction wherefore was it néedefull for Paule to crye oute O man who arte thou whiche pleadest agaynst god c. O the deapth of the rychesse bothe of the wysedome and knowledge of God howe vnsearcheable are hys iudgementes and his wayes paste finding out Wherefore I saye shoulde God be set out to vs as a Potter whiche fourmeth what Vesselles he wyll to honour or dishonour For the solution that thou bringest is readie that it is no meruayle if God appoynt some to destruction and that causelesse they complayne of hys wyll séeing that their owne sinnes doe as it were enforce him to doe it But God forbyd that we shoulde vse anye aunswere so absurde foolishe and estraunged from the nature of god Let vs rather saye that it is the Lorde which hath done whatsoeuer he woulde and hath done all thinges rightly séeing hys wyll is the very rule of iustice Furthermore wherevnto tende all thine Argumentes Not to this ende that thou mayste shewe that God loueth all men But if this be true what remayneth that eythèr none shall be damned or else that those shoulde perishe whome God loueth For if thou doste except that God dothe hate them in the ende for their sinne and whom he loued from the beginning thou shalt runne headlong into an other great downefall For truely if hée did loue he would also saue Why therefore doth he not saue Truly bicause their sins haue caused that he should destroy those whoÌ„ before he would shold be saued O merueylous god such as in déed thou imaginest which dayly hourely should be chaunged whose determination men when it pleaseth theÌ„ may fordo the whole ende of whose counsels depende not of the eternall immutable decrée but of the second causes But truely if we should followe thine opinion the will of man shall be not the seconde but the firste and chiefe cause of Gods decrée as in lyke maner Augustine sayth right well Iudgement shoulde not be in the Potter but in the Claye Sée whereto these rustical cogitations inforce thée that it shal truely fall to thée whiche is written That it shall come to passe that they be confounded of the maiestie who béeing not contented with the manyfest worde of God doe curiouslye searche hys secretes But leaste wée séeme to dallye goe too let vs consider thyne Argumentes Thus therefore thou contendest This doctrine is agaynst the nature of GOD therefore it is false and wyckâ—d I denye the assumption whiche thou so confyrmest God causeth to bring foorth young therefore he bringeth foorth So also by a lyke God causeth liuing Creatures to loue their issue therefore he loueth his But all men are the issue of God because God is the Father of Adam of whome all menne are borne therefore God loueth all menne These be thyne Arguments Nowe heare agayne what I shall answere Fyrste of all I saye that the place of the Prophete of the issue of GOD is eyther wrested of thée maliciouslye or impudentlye For the Prophete dealeth not there of the vniuersall creation of all menne but of the onely renewing of his Churche that is of the frée adoption of the Electe in Christe What impudencie therefore is it to applie that to creation which is spoken of adoption and to enforce that to all men that onely appertayneth to the Elect that thou mayst communicate the peculiar grace of the Elect with the Reprobates and Bastards But thou wilt say Who is father of the reste Verely euen he whome Christe hath named when speaking to those counterfaits bastardly children You are sayth he of your father the diuell Nor is there cause why therefore thou shouldest exclaime that I am a Manichée For I refer this increase of children of the Deuill not in respect of creation but in respect of their depraued nature whiche God so ordayned that he be not Author thereof but rather the Diuel and the will of man which willingly hath depraued it selfe Thou wilt say therefore in respect of creation he in lyke case is their father I graunt it thou wilt adde therefore he loueth But that I vtterly denie and I will by and by proue it to be false But nowe onely I demaunde how aptly thou haste recited the testimony of the Prophete Then what madnesse this is to estéeme that what soeuer God hath giuen to liuing creatures is in God himselfe In déede it is very wonderful that thou prouest nothing that the rude multitude aloweth not except thou also faynest that God hath head armes hands a wombe too It is maruell but that thou déemest he doth in déede here sée desire meate and digeste as some haue tryfled of the Starres or
in no place Yea if thou wilt stande vppon the verye wordes I rather reade that he was created to haue dominion ouer euerye liuing creature Therefore the foundation of thine argumentation is fallen as that whiche resteth not vppon the aucthoritie of Scripture but vppon thine owne fantasticall dreame God sent a sleepe vppon Adam didde he respecte that when hée made him he made him a coate of skinne but didde hée therfore creat him Séest thou how sottishly thou sholdest conclude But thou wilt say that this Paradise is a figure of eternall life But tell me from whence also haste thou that bicause the Lorde and after hym Paule and Iohn by the name of Paradise vnderstand celestiall glorie Indéede a strong Argument as thoughe the Gretians vnderstoode not by this worde al pleasant orchards and that it is vsuall in Scripture with these like earthlye shews to shadowe eternall felicitie Ierusalem in infinite places doeth shadowe the Churche is therefore euerye inhabitant of that Cittie a member of the Churche Againe if that Paradise were eternal life then shall also the Diuell Deathe and Sinne bée in eternall life and that Paradise béeyng ouer-tourned by the floud also eternall life shall vtterlye perishe Sée whether childishe shiftes doe headlong enforce thée wyth whyche thou doest féede thy selfe in suche wise as the Camelion is reported to lyue wyth the aire But leaste thou maiste complaine that I rather dally oute thine argumentes than solute them I wil shewe thée what wée are to thinke by the worde of God of thys Argument that is of the ende of the firste created man. Quadruple wise we learne to vnderstande the counsels of God one is by reuelation in the Prophets whose examples are euery where extant in Scripture Another is by peculiar reuelation of the spirite as we reade of Simeon and also of all faithfull to whose spirite the spirite of God beareth witnesse what be their giftes by Christ For that is it which we call Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assured perswasion which cause by the example of Paule that we are so sure that we are fréely electe of GOD in Christe as if we had bin present in his eternall counsell The thirde is by our obseruing the sequele of naturall causes as ofte times the naturall and wise men and suche as are skilfull in humane things do foretell manye things But this coniecture in many things is deceitful and vncertaine bicause that God oftentymes ordereth the meane causes according to his secreate will. But the fourth is the moste sure meane and wythoute al exception the most sure bicause it iudgeth as they say of the latter I therefore say there are two things which not only the worde of GOD but also common reason doth shewe vs One is that God is neuer chaunged and therefore that that thing commeth to passe by the eternal and immutable decrée of Gods counsell that thinges are often altered For God not onely decréeth those thinges whiche are of stayed nature of which forte there be very fewe but also those thinges that for the moste parte are chaunged euery houre but not without assigned rules of alteration by him For example sake the Lorde blessed the earthe which he made whiche after Adams sinne he cursed But is God changed no indéede but in the beginning only for a time he blessed that which being fulfilled he had determined to curse the same for the sin of man If any aske me whence I haue them I wil answere that I haue it from the successe For séeing God is not chaunged and that it came so to passe as I saide of necessitie it is we confesse that it was so determined with God from the beginning Also the Lorde gaue the ceremonies of the lawe to hys Churche by Moses who notwithstanding by the Apostle pronounceth afterwardes if you be circumcised Christe prosyteth you nothing But dothe the Lorde chaunge his purpose that he shoulde allowe that whiche before he disallowed no indéede For he ordained the ceremonies but for a time that is to the preaching of Christe at whose comming it was requisite that they should vanish away as darkenesse in the day spring Also he assigned Saule King ouer Israell but for a time whiche albeit he did not manifest at the beginning yet he sufficiently hathe proued it when he receiued him And togither when he decréed that he woulde reiect hym he determined the cause iustely and he would take from him his kingdome for his owne faulte all which are certainly collected by the successe And the other is this whiche common reason doth shewe vs that nothing is done which God knoweth not or against his will or he being idle for neither ignoraunce nor imbecilitie is agréeable with the nature of God nor an idle foreknowledge may be attributed to him specially in the gouernment of so excellent a worke that is to saye of Man but that for the moste part the wicked assertion of Epicures wil be confirmed That God careth not for men For it wil bée that he being ydle that is dooyng nothing he suffered Adam to be circumuented of Sathan and at laste as one awaked out of sléepe endeuoureth to giue remedy The Scripture saith muche otherwise whiche affyrmeth that al things are gonerned of God euen those that séeme moste casuall It testifyeth that the verye Sparrowes do not fall to the earthe without the heauenly fathers will and that all the haires of oure heade be numbred Sathan indéede cannot touche Iob except God sée it so good and for that cause permitte it Sathan yea the Diuells truely coulde not rage againste the swyne excepte leaue be asked of Christe whyche hée graunted not againste hys will but willinglye It resteth then wée saye that all thinges are done if God will and therefore as we sée anye thyng come to passe let vs saye that it came to passe not withoute the iust eternall and immutable decrée of GOD But if anye manne will exclame here that we enforce the Stoycall necessitie Indéede I grante with Augustine or rather with the truth it selfe that the wil of GOD is the necessitie of things but this Stoicall I deny Nor doe we binde GOD to the seconde causes as Homer bringeth in his Iupiter complayning that when he woulde resiste destinye he coulde not We I saye acknowledge no suche destiny but wée saye that there is a sure and immutable successe of all thinges whiche the Lorde hathe fréelye wisely iustlye from euerlasting determined Yet we saye that the seconde causes are not enforced of Gods decrée except when he pleaseth to bridle his ennimies but they are willingly carried to the ende determined of God. Finallye both méere naturall and voluntarie motions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of frée choice wée not onelye not take awaye but accompte them as principall amongest seconde causes that is whiche as we saide euen nowe are of theyr owne accorde enclined to that ende whereto the counsells of the moste wise frée and iuste GOD the
mans iudgemente how shall God be without fault if man so left by his determination and prostitute to the fraude of Sathan that the workemaister did idlely from Heauen sée him fall who yet coulde haue vpholden him with hys only becke when he was falling nor had any cause why he should hate him Thou séest I thinke into what dangerous downefalles they of necessity plunge themselues whosoeuer like Giants had rather practise a way to heauen than to rest vpon the simple word of God by whych we vnderstand that God is in Heauen who doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him and dothe all things iustly albeit oure flesh determine otherwayes For bycause he is God hée can not be vniust and he is in such wise iust as that hys iustice surpasseth all our vnderstanding The thirde sclauuder THE sinnes that are committed are done not only by his sufferance but also by his will for it is friuolous to assigne a difference betwixte the sufferance and will of God for as muche as perteyneth to him whosoeuer doth this will pacifie God with smooth speeches and flatterie THE AVNSVVERE NOw at the last we are come to that whereof you are wonte to triumph as though we did make God the author of sinne for of the twelue Articles which remayne I sée them pertayne to this one purpose that is to the ende you may séeme in a matter neuer so absurde and of it selfe almost incredible to imagine no falsehoode especially to those men who haue not either leasure or will inough to reade our writings But so I truste I shall answeare that all men though very vnlearned or els thy very friendes in nothyng more then this one may easily perceyue thyne impudencie and ignorance For séeing their be twoo sortes of men whiche vrge agaynst vs this blemishe one of them whiche confesse in déede that we do not say so but that yet we set downe those things of which it is necessarily gathered and the other of them who are not ashamed to say wryte that we plainely affirme this same it shall be sufficient to teache those that they knewe not but in déede the shamelesse impudeÌ„cie of these is worthy to be more sharply suppressed Yet I will doe my best that all men may sée that I rather weigh what may be come vs then thée Seyng therefore there be onely twoo things whereby men may be decerned of men that is to say déedes and wordes vnder whiche also I comprehende writings say I pray thée if thou canst that the demenours of Caluine or any of vs be such as that the least suspition of suche blasphemie may fall vpon vs For he muste not onely be alyed to some one small faulte or cryme whiche shoulde amoue all difference betwirte good and euill filthinesse and honestie but vtterly gyuen ouer to all wickednesse and wonderfully practised without all shame in euery kynde of mischiefe euen so muche that as the Logitians say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affection hath procéeded in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into an habite But that we may confesse our selues willingly and of our owne accorde to bée by almoste infinite distaunce farre from that perfection which thou dreamest yet by Gods benefite so haue we liued to this present day in the Churche of God that whiche I wishe be spoken without all shewe of boastyng no man hath yet bene founde whiche hath thought our lyse worthie hys reproofe of whome all good men had rather not be reprehended then praysed And truely I thinke thou shalt not perswade any wise man that it can be possible that if we were in that opinid that we shoulde thinke that God beyng the author wée might sinne vnpunished hauing willingly left our coutâ—y and despised those things which most men be in loue withall and finally not regardyng all those things whose assistance they séeke for who haue determined to walow theÌ„selues in the filthe of pleasures we had rather almost in the sight of the whole world indure what so euer miseries amongst whiche I accompt this the chiefe that we haue continuall conflicts with like monsters as thou arte had rather I say suffer al these calamities so many yéeres and to procure the crueltie of all men against vs then yéelde to those things whereto not only nature it selfe but also selfe will and reason would draw vs But that which appertaineth the writings of Caluine whome alone before others you thinke you must gnawe vpon how am I afrayde good man cast with this your fact you will most coÌ„sirme to vs that very same doctrine whiche you fight agaynst For what wise man thinkest thou who when he shall reade but the very titles of Caluines bookes and shall knowe that you lay to his charge this sclaunder will not straight way thinke that all memozie and reason is quite taken from you by Gods iuste iudgement For what furious madnesse is this to attribute thys Heresie to Caluine whiche beyng in our memorie renewed of the Libertines your selues well knowyng it yea euen thy selfe Sycophant beyng conuersant in the same Citie and it may bée in the same house hée hath so vehemently and plentifully refuted Therefore that it may be euidently séene euen of all blynde men what is your securitie impudencie and leawdenesse that it maye appeare to men and Angels what wroÌ„g you do not so much to Caluine or our Churches as to the very truth of God and lastly that all at once may vnderstand what is oure iudgemente of these things goe to let vs heare with howe strong how true and how sounde arguments euen eleuen yeares agoe he hath refuted in his booke written and published thys blasphemie of the Libertines and those selfe offences which you shame not to obiect to the faithfull seruant of God heare therefore Sycophant how true it is that Caluine maketh God the author of sinne ¶ Foure Chapters gathered out of Caluines Booke againste the Libertines OF the opinion of the Libertines whereby they thinke that the alone immortall Spirite doth all things which poyson lurketh vnder this sentence Chap. xiij AFter they haue ymagined the alone spirite according to their owne will when they haue destroyed and abolished the natures both of Angels of Deuils and also of soules they say that this Spirite doth all things not that they may signifie that which the Scripture teacheth of him saying all creatures as they do remayne in him that so they are gouerned of him and are subiect to his prouidence and that euery one in his order is obediente to his will but that whatsoeuer is in the world must directly be iudged hys worke So they attribute no will vnto maÌ„ as if he were a stone and they take away all difference of good and euill that by their iudgenieÌ„t nothing can be done wickedly séeing God is author of all things but that the matter maye be shewed more apparantly I will sette downe some example of their iangling When that Swyne Quintinus once as it was came into a place
where one did lye slayne and a certayne godly man was there present who said for very horror wo is me who hathe done this wicked acte he aunswered by and by in hys Picardian tong I if thou wilt know haue done it Then the other as one astonished said hast thou art thou so wicked Quintinus aunswereth I am not he but it is god How sayth the other are the offences to be imputed to God which he cōmandeth to be punished Then began this filthy fellow the more to vomit out his poison saying so the matter standeth thou thy selfe hast cōmitted it I haue cōmitted it God hath committed it For that which I and thou do God doth also what God doth we do for he is in vs This being granted this sinne should be imputed to God or it is to be cōcluded that there is no sinne done in the world sith there is nothing which is not made of God so all difference of good and euill is taken away whereon it wyll followe that we may not reprooue any thing as euill séeing all be the workes of God and it shall be lawfull for men as it were with reynes let loose to doe whatsoeuer commeth in their mind not only bycause we are without the dāger of sinning but also bycause to restreyne any desire is to hinder god For example hath one committed whoredome he is not to be blamed for there shoulde be inforced blasphemie against god Hath some one desired his neyghbours wife let him haue hir if he can for hée knoweth certaynely that he doth nothing but the will of god That apperteyneth to riches he that can get them by force or by anye craftie meanes let him do it boldly for he shall vndertake nothing whiche is not alowed of god He that hath violently taken whatsoeuer he could lette him not muche trouble himselfe about restoring of them for it is not beseting that God shoulde be corrected The some turne these fiue speculatiōs to their profite for whatsoeuer it be they will neyther that themselues be touched nor that God whome they immagine do any thing that may be hurt to them If any one haue suffered detrimente agaynste hymselfe or losse of goodes they laugh and say that all those be excellent euen that they contende wyth God who accuse the authors of michiefe but if their least finger bée neuer so little touched forgetfull of these fyne reasons they breake out into choller and are not more vehemently chafed agaynste any Héere I wyll sette downe a pleasant Hystorie whereby I will shewe what these dotages doe them good when they haue most néede There was at Paris a certayne Cobler so forced with the poyson of thys secte that hée iudged nothyng to bée euill It came to passe that when hée woulde on a tyme visite Stephanus a Fabrica wyth whome hée hadde some dealing and founde hym sadde for hys seruaunte whyche hauyng runne from hym hadde taken with him certayne money but the chiefe cause of hys heauinesse was that hée feared least he shoulde in some other place abuse hys name amongst hys Chapmen The Cobler asked what was amisse wyth hym he aunsooered in thrée wordes as hée was a man of fewe wordes incontinente the cobler exalting hymselfe as if with displayed wings he woulde flye aboue the Cloudes he reproued Stephanus as blaspheming God for that hée called hys worke wickednesse and bycause GOD dyd all thynges nothyng is to bée iudged euill Stephanus knowyng that hée coulde profite nothyng by reasoning wyth hym in one worde hée cutte of hys talke Within fewe dayes after it came to passe as God woulde that a certayne seruaunte committed thefte agaynste thys smatering Philosophicall Cobler hée as one halfe madde running this way and that way desired in greate hast to heare somewhat of his Seruaunte When he coulde not fynde the man hée came to Stephanus hys house that wyth howling and complayning hée myghte ease hys minde nowe hée beganne to cast vppon that théefe heapes of raylings and was procéeding further When Stephanus thus interrupted hys talke what sayeth hée is it good to blaspheme or maye wée accuse God if hée haue done thys hée is rather to be praysed the frantike fellowe béeyng auercome wyth hys wordes whyche hymselfe hadde vsed before and béeyng stricken wyth shame hée departed and yet for all that he repented not By thys example we are taughte howe the Lorde dothe confounde those madde men wyth experience it selfe and yet that dothe not profite them whereby they shoulde the lesse frowardlye continue in theyr madnesse for they are possessed of the Deuill whyche dothe not suffer them to sée those thinges whyche are layde before their eyes Then is to be noted that there followe of thys article thrée execrable euils The fyrste euill is this that thys graunted there shall be no difference betwixt God and the Deuill as also in very déede the God which they immagine vnto vs is an Idoll worse than the Deuils themselues Another that men shall any more be moned with no conscience to shunne euill but as beastes hauing no difference of things shall followe their owne appetite The third that no man shall now dare to iudge of any thing but all things must be allowed whoredomes murthers theftes and the greatest offences of all shall be taken for laudable exploytes That this article may better be dealt withall I must treate in order of these thrée whiche I sayde woulde followe and then their foundation being ouerthrowen which they abuse must be refuted HOVV the prouidence of God whereby he doth all things is to be considered howe the Libertines speaking of it confounde all things which is the first consequence of the abouesaide Article Chap. xiiij WEdenie not but all things are done by the will of God and so muche the more when we declare why he is called Almightie we attribute vnto him an effectuall power in all creatures and teach that hauing once created the vniuersall world he also doth so gouerne the same and hath euer his hand ready in the worke that he may kéepe all things in their estate and dispose them according to his wil. That I may more easily expresse what this meaneth I say that we must consider that God doth worke thrée manner of wayes in the vniuersall goernement For first there is an vniuersall working whereby he directeth all creatures according to the state and propertie whiche he hathe giuen to euery of them when hée created them This gouernance is nothing else than that which we call the order of nature For whilest the infidels due acknowledge nothing in the disposition of the worlde but that they sée with their eyes and therefore constitute nature as it were a Goddesse whiche should rule and gouerne all things this glory is to be giuen to the will of God that it alone guydeth and ruleth all things Wherefore when wée see the Sunne the Moone and Starres performe their course let vs thinke that they obey God that they execute his
rather to do agayne the worke of god Nor doe I onely say that that may be gathered of their former speach laste we should contende in disputing whether that were there meanyng or no but I say that self thing which themselues confesse And so much the rather they especially determine that thing with thēselues that they may bedasle consciences to the ende that men voyde of al care might accomplish whatsoeuer came in place and whatsoeuer they desired as if God had giuen his lawe in vayne whereby good might be discerned from euill But I aske this one thing of them whether we haue not in the lawe the declaration of the Diuine will but by that God hath pronounced that whoredome thefte murther and as it foloweth couetousnesse hatred enuie ambition and others of lyke forte doe displease him Nowe if they may be sayde to be acceptable to him is he not teproued of a lie Moses witnesseth that the lawe was giuen that we might learne to serue God to sticke to him and to obey hys will leaste wée prouoke his wrath agaynst vs with our sinnes These miserable men doe indeuour this that they may finde out in vs the like thoughts And least we should conceiue any thing they binde vp our eyes with this swathing bande that is that all things are done by the will of God therfore that nothing doth displease him as if God were mutable and agréed not with himselfe or a dissembler affirming that he hateth detesteth that which yet he lusteth and aloweth For this saith Paul the wrath of God commeth vpon the vnbeleuers Ye make sadde the Spirite of God saith Isay You haue bene burthenouse to me saith the Lorde in an other place Also the Lorde is vehemently angry with and his displeasure is inflamed against Israell I know in déede that God is not subiect to mens affections but all these speaches do signifie that he disaloweth and condemneth euill and that therefore sinne is the cause of enmities twixt vs and him and that wée can not so long as we do euill agrée with him that rather we may looke for correction and reuengement seyng he is a iust indge who cā suffer no iniquity We almost read in the whole Scripture nothing else but these exhortations Feare the Lord take héede thou offend him not takehéede auoyde euill But these madde men do exclayme the cōtrarie that it is foolish to feare least we offend him sith we do nothing eyther good or euill but he worketh all things in vs Paul saith that the very Gentiles wāting both Scriptures and doctrine haue the lawe written in their hartes that is a conscience wherewith they eyther defende or accuse thēselues before god These euill disposed men endeuor to deface it denying that there is any thing wherof we may be accused seyng all things are done of god How should they shame to peruerte the Scriptures when they dare doc so much that they feare not to deface that persuasi◠naturally infixed printed in our mindes of God if for the excusing of our selues we would alleadge ignoraunce God sendeth vs to our conscience which can abundātly teffifie against vs But these madde men hauing suppressed this testimonie say that God ought first to accuse himself if he wil intend any accusation against vs seing he worketh all things in vs Moses calleth that a roote bringyng forth gall Wormewood when with starterings we endeuour to suppresse al rentorse of conscience so deceaue our selues that we should thinke wickednesse to be sport An in very déede what poyson rā be more deadly pestilent in al the world Also he calleth that to ioyne dronkennesse to thirst and by good right for our natural affection is an inordinate appetite and as it were a thirst to do wickedly When therfore we blesse our selues as he saith in that place and persuado our selues that we shall haue peace so long as we liue loosely wickedly that is euen so as as if one vehemently inflamed with thirste shoulde make himselfe drunke with wine least he should any more be moued with any sence when he ought rather to haue brydled and repressed I is thirste with sobrietie and abstinencie An excellent place truly for our instruction that we may vnderstande what poyson lurketh vnder the honie whiche these vnluckie men deliuer vnto vs Yet notwithstandyng they continually apply themselues to thys outscape that there is vtterly nothing done besides the will of god But I answere that for that belongeth to the workes that we doe Gods will is to be considered of vs in suche forte as himselfe declareth the same As for example when he commaundeth euery thing to be kept to his proper owuer that losse and iniurie be not done to any there bys will is euident What therefore may please him further ought not to bée searched for we knowe that if wée doe that we shall obey his will but if not we shall not be accepted of hym If any therefore should steale and say then that he hath done nothyng besides the will of God he lyeth impudently seyng he hath transgressed the commaundement of God in the whiche he was gyuen to vnderstande of it Some one will aske whether any thing can be done agaynst the will of God I graunt their can not But we muste vtterly take héede that we inquire not of his prouidence which is vnknowne to vs sithe wée knowe what he requireth of vs what he aloweth or what be condemneth Salomon affirmeth not without cause that it will come to passe that hée shall be confounded of the glory that searcheth the maiestie And of truthe it is for euer necessarie that it fall out so and that this way the arrogancie of the proude be punished That we haue by experience in these who when they will clyme aboue the cloudes that they may searche out the will of God when they are not contented with the reuelation whiche is set bowne thereof in the Scriptures they runne headlong into so absurde and beastly dotages as is horrible bothe to be spoken and hearde OF the thirde onsequence which the Libertines drawe out of this proposition God doth all things that is that it is not lawfull to reproue any thing Chap. xvi AFter they haue so let louse the raynes to al as they suffer euery one to liue as he liste by this cullor that they suffer themselues to be gouerned of God from the same ground they gather that it is wickedly done if he be iudged for any matter But they cā haue no sitter doctrine whereby they may make way to their abominations For they haue gained much whē they haue closed or rather shut vp that eyes of their auditors that no man dare any more iudge whether their sayings and doings be good or euill But if we graunt them this whereto is this sentence of God whereby he curseth all those that call euill good Sée how God denounceth all things to vs
cursed and infortunate if we holde that be good whiche he â—udgeth euill These on the other side suffer nothing at all to be condemned If they were aboue God himselfe that they might remitte the punishmeÌ„t which he threatneth it might be there were some place of pause but who would be condemned of God that he might be absolued of Quintinus when they will sette this article abroache they vse these wordes A Christian ought to vse all things to his commoditie For as I haue sayde from the beginning they neuer speake simply and plainely as they may apparantly expresse that they haue conceyued in minde but do intangle the matter with croked shiftes I willingly in déede yéelde vnto them that that a Christian ought as he saith to take euery thyng to profite but in that sence that the Seripture teacheth that is that in aduersitie hée may call to remembraunce that whiche Paule sayth that the faythfull are afflicted for this cause that they maye be conformed to the Image of Christe and so lette afflictions bée a helpe to them to obtayne saluation and let that consolation sustayne them If he sée hys brother slide or goe astray let it be to hym in stéede of a glasse to the ende that knowyng the infirmitie of mans nature he maye walke in the more feare But if it be so that hymselfe fall lette hym thereby be admonished of his owne imbecillitie that he may distrust his owne strength and be made more humble and lay aside all arrogancie and lette it be to hym as a spurre whereby he may be furthered to call vpon God with more feruente inuocations Sée howe Christians turne all things to their commoditte not that they may delight themselues in their sinnes or shutte their eyes least they may behold that whych is euill but rather that being heauie and sorowfull bycause they may sée that God is offended both of themselues and others they may be prepared to repentance humilitie and the feare of God and that they maye be carefull that they maye take héede to themselues in time to come After this sort Dauid gathered commoditie by the fault that he had committed not in any respect iustifying himselfe but when he heard his condemnation more and more confirming hymselfe in the goodnesse of God foreséeing least afterwards he myght slyde agayne into such calamitie Euen in like sort dothe Paule admenish vs to conuert those sinnes whiche the children of Israell committed against God to our commoditie that is that whilest we consider the punishments whiche followed we may be taught by their example See nowe wherefore the Scripture doth cite as well the sinnes of the faithful as of the contemnes of God not that it might make vs blinde whereby we shall be able to determine or vtter nothing for certaynetie and shall doubt whether that which is euill be good but that when the knowledge of euill is perceyued we mighte shunne the same as it playnely setteth downe what we should iudge of euery worke But they alleadge that it is â—â—ritten lette vs not fudge for the Lord vseth these wordes â—udge not but wherefore that he may reprehend their rashnesse who vsurp the authoritie of God in iudging of things they know not The same argumente is handled of Paule in the fourtéenth to the Romanes where he reproueth them that condemne their bréethreÌ„ for matters indifferent we haue sayeth he all one iudge to him we must giue accomptes it apperteyneth to him to determine of suche matters let vs not therefore inforce oure neyghboures prostrate vnder our opinion In déede it is an excellente and most profitable doctrine to as there is one spirituall lawgiuer that is God so that he is the best Iudge of our minds But in the meane time the testimonie is not therefore of lesse force whiche already he hath broughte when therefore we iudge whoredome thefte blasphemie dronkennesse and ambition to be gréeuaus sinnes we giue no iudgemente of our selues but we approoue that whiche God hath giuen But of the contrary these shamelesse dogges feygning that they will not iudge doe make themselues higher iudges than god I pray thée if after the supreme Iudge haue gyuen sentence some priuate man should say the matter is to be left in doubt as if nothyng shoulde bée certayne and the matter by iudgement condemned not to be taken as euill shoulde not hée as a factious man or author of sedition be déemed muche worthy of greate punishmente bycause hée would subuert all order of right But these filthy dogges vnder this pretence that they saye we must not iudge endeauour to make frustrate the supreme iudgementes of the highest God whyche he hathe published to all the worlde and that whatsoeuer he hath pronounced is but deceyuing We sée therefore that as we maye not presume so farre as to iudge accordyng to the lust of oure owne heart so all things are to be approued and as it were ratifyed with our assente whyche God hathe iudged therefore as auouche hym to be a good and righteous Iudge we shall condemne with him wicked workes and as he aduiseth we shall iudge a good or cuill trée by his frutes Afterwardes they alleadge this sentence Hipocrite firste plucke the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalte thou sée to remoue the mote out of thy brothers eye But what wyll they conclude thereof Thys aunswere belongeth to Hypocrytes who onely note other mens faultes and conceale their owne as when hée sayde to them whyche accused the Adultresse hée that amongst you is withoute sinne lette him cast the firste stone at hir He dothe not therefore forbidde to punishe offenders but onely adnionisheth that when we reprehend others we beginne at oure selues when we correcte them that haue offended lette vs be withoute those faultes whyche we correct in them that wée may shewe oure selues to bée moued with the true zeale of iustice to hate euil as well in our selues as in them withoute all respecte of persons But betwixte these two there is maruellons great difference to iudge nothing by Hipocrisie and vtterly to iudge nothyng The Lorde commaundeth that we iudge according to truth that we be not more seueare agaynste oure neyghboures than againste oure selues but these dogges with this cullor will haue all iudgemente be it neuer so consonante to reason to bée excluded and abolished Albeit if an Hypoerite flattering himselfe shall reprehende another it followeth not that hée whyche hathe offended shall therefore bée excused for euill is euer to bée damned But this is the faulte of an Hypocrite that hée measureth not hymselfe by the same rule and easilie forgyuing hymselfe hée vseth the extremitie of lawe against others But as I said in the beginning the ribalds do not indeauour to obteine this in vayne for they shuld opeÌ„ to theÌ„selues a notable ingresse if they might persuade the world that nothing at all were to be improued But it is best to note Sathans subtiltie in this place and whereto
it tendeth for ouer and aboue that oure neyghboures faultes and the scourges wherewith God punisheth them ought sufficiently to warne vs that we prouoke not his anger against ourselues There is also another thing required of vs that is that oure mindes ought to be stricken with griefe bycause God is offenbed and bycause the soule of the finner runneth to destruction With such a zeale of Gods glory we shoulde be inflamed that when it is imperilled we should be oppressed with the anguish of sorowes where with oure heart may be sore afflicted We oughte so to loue our neyghboures with a ready affection of minde that when we sée the perill hang ouer them and especially their soules we maye be moued with compassion Sathan indéede by these Losels would make men amazed that whatsoeuer confusion we shall sée we shall be touched with no care nor be affected in any sort If we sée the name of God to be torne with blasphemies his holy precepts violated soules destroyed and all finne and wickednesse florishe as in déede these scoffers whatsoeuer befall doe laugh are touched with no care least collor mighte kill them excepte when somewhat is done that lesse pleaseth them for then forgetfull of all these pleasant speculations of not iudging they become farre more sharp and rigorous than others And they also secretely mocke them of whome they are nourished and ldoe thrust out their tongs behinde theyr backes For al their delighte and studye is in this that they may iocandly take their pleasure in quietnesse and securitie for they haue heard this sentence of Salomon that the bones are withered with a sorowfull spirite So least lost with leanenesse they haue founde this way of pleasant and peaceable delighting that is al carefulnesse expelled in approouing all those things wherewith it is of necessitie that Gods children be moued and troubled in mind least they should haue any more cause of sorrow Lo how delighting themselues in euill things equally as in good they turne all things to their commoditie But Paule sayeth that thys is a heape of iniquitie when one doth not onely committe iniquitie but assenteth therevnto with delight Therefore if there be credite to be giuen to Paule lette vs holde these for the most wicked of all men which are not therewith satisfyed in that they sléepe in theyr owne sinnes they breake out into that wickednesse that they gladde themselues in others sinnes Doe not these things yet content thée and wilte thou vrge me to other of Caluines Bookes heare therefore what he hathe taughte a good whyle agoe of the same matters in the. 2. Chapter and. 69. Section of Christiā Institutions Farre other is the manner sayth he of the diuine action which that it may more certaynely appeare to vs let the calamitie done to holy Iob by the Chaldees be for an example The Chaldees when they had stayne hys pasters they dispoyle his flocke as enimies Nowe their wicked acte is euident Nor ceasseth Sathan in that worke from whome the historie telleth all that did come But Iob himselfe reknowledgeth the Lordes worke in it who he sayeth tooke from him those thinges that were taken away by the Chaldes Now may we referre the selfesame worke to God to Sathan to man the author but eyther we shall excuse Sathan by Gods company or pronounce God the author of euil easily if we firste consider the ende of working and then the manner The Lordes determination is to exercise the patience of his seruaunte by calamitie Sathan laboureth to driue him to desperation The Chaldees by another mans goodes besydes right and equitie sée to gette aduantage Such diuersitie in the purposes dothe mightely distinguishe the worke there is no lesse difference in the manner God yéeldeth hys seruaunte to bée afdicted to Sathan hée yéeldeth hym the Chaldees whome he chose to be hys ministers to execute it and gyueth them to be inforced Sathan otherwayes prouoketh the wicked mindes of the Chaldees wyth their poysoned dartes to the accomplishment of that wicked acte They furiousely rushe to imustice and wrappe and defyle all their members with wickednesse Sathan therefore is properly sayde to worke in the reprobate in whome he exerciseth his kingdome that is the kingdome of sinne God is sayde also to worke after this manner bycause Sathan hymselfe séeyng hée is but an instrumente of hys wrath he inforceth hym thys way and that way as he will and at his becke to execute hys iust iudgementes I let passe héere the vniuersall mouing of God whence all creatures as they are susteyned so they receyue efficacie to doe any thing I speake onely of that speciall doyng whych appeareth in euery déede To ascribe therefore one déede to God to Sathan and to mā we sée is not absurde but the varietie in the end and manner causeth that the inblame◠able iustice of God doth shine forth and the wickednesse of Deuill man to his owne confusiō doth bewray it selfe What more lette vs heare also what he wrighteth in hys Booke of the eternall Predestination of God agaynste Pighius whose impudencie thou hast sette thy selfe to followe Pighius vrgeth that if mans Apostacie be Gods worke it is false that the Scripture sayeth that all thynges are good whyche God hathe made but I can safely testifye and boldly pronounce that thys false imagination did neuer enter into my thought I therefore affirme euery where that the nature of man was fyrste made innocente least the wickednesse whyche by hys defection hée hathe drawen to hymselfe myghte bée ascribed to God that deathe whereto hée inthralled hymselfe whyche before was partaker of lyfe dyd so come by hys owne faulte least God shoulde be thonghte the author The same in the same Booke whatsoeuer menne sinne they would impute it to hym but if any woulde escape I saye hée is more streyghtely cheyned wyth the bondes of conscience than that hée maye delyuer hymselfe from iust damnation Lette Adam make excuse as he wyll that he was deceyued by the enticementes of the wife whyche God gaue him yet the deadly poyson of infidelitie within the secrete most pestilent aduisor ambition the diuelishe breathing of presumption will be founde within They are therefore much lesse to be excused who endeauoure to drawe the cause of their euils out of the déepe secretes of God whiche bewrayeth it selfe out of their owne depraued hearte Lette euery one acknowledge his owne sinne condemne himselfe and confessing from his heart his owne giltinesse let him seriousely intreate his iudge If any murmure the exception is ready O Israell thy destruction commeth of thy selfe The same in the selfesame Booke speaking to the sclanderer They charge vs saith he with a filthy and shamefull slaunder who pretend that God is the author of sinne if his wil be the cause of all things that are done for that whiche man wickedly committeth set on eyther by ambition or by couetousenesse or by lust or by whatsoeuer other wicked affect seing God worketh by
his hand according to his iustice although secret iudgemente the name of sinne can haue no place in him infidelitie crueltie pride intemperance enuie blinde selfeloue anye wicked affection causeth sinne in man In G O D thou shalte finde no suche thing And a little after suche is sayeth hée the manner of Gods working in the sinnes of men that when it commeth to him with his purenesse he vtterly abandoneth all blemish But what do not these suffice thée in the manifesting of Caluines minde and prouing thy falsies Lette vs therefore adde those things whiche hée wrote vppon that place where Peter vpbraydeth the Iewes that by the haude of wicked men they crucifyed Iesus who was deliuered by the foreknowledge and determinate counsell of God bycause sayeth he Peter séemeth to signifie that the wicked did obey God hence followeth one of two absurdities eyther that God is the author of euil or that men in doing whatsoeuer wickednes do not sinne I answere that men after a sorte to execute the same thing which God with himself hath determined and yet do nothing lesse than obey God for obedience riseth of a voluntarie affectioÌ„ and we knowe that the wicked haue a farre other intent Again no maÌ„ obeyeth God but he that knoweth his will obedience therfore depeÌ„deth of the knowledge of the diuine will. Further in his lawe God hath manifested his will to vs wherefore they finally obey God who measure their workes by the rule of his law and then willingly submit themselues to hys gouernemente We sée no suche thing in all the wicked whome skilnesse God inforceth hither or thither Nowe therefore by this pretence will say they be excusable bycause they giue place to God séeing we are to séeke the will of God in his lawe and they as much as in them is indeuour to rebell against god As much as apperteineth to the other I denie that God is the author of euill bycause in this spéech there is a certain testimonie of a wicked affect for an euill acte is estéemed of the end whereto euery one teÌ„deth WheÌ„ meÌ„ coÌ„mit either theft or murder they therefore sinne bycause they are théeues or murtherers In their theft of murther their wicked purpose is to be weyed God who vseth their iniquitie is to be placed in an higher degrée For he inteÌ„deth a farre other matter bycause he wil correct one and exercise the patieÌ„ce of an other and so he neuer declineth froÌ„ his nature that is froÌ„ perfect equitie So in so much as Christ was deliuered by the haÌ„ds of wicked men and in that he was crucified it is done by the appoyntment and ordinance of god But the betraying which of it self is wicked and the murther which conteyneth in it such haynous offence ought not to be déemed as Gods worke What wilt thou more the day truely sufficeth me not to recite such testimonies But if I shold haue alleaged but euen one of these testimonies I thinke there is none to whome your great and incredible impudencie might not sufficiently appeare But yet I will set downe others in their place and least you complayne that I rather obscure a darke matter then make it manifest I will briefly shewe what our iudgement is of Gods ordinaunce and action euen in those things which not as they are of God but in respecte of theyr beyng done of the instruments deserue the name of sinne and also what wée teach out of the worde of God of the difference of sufferance and will and then I will answere thine arguments a parte I haue thought good to manifest these things with briefe and playne distinctions aphorismes or articles that thou mightest not complayne of darknesse 1 God effectually doth or bringeth to passe all thyngs accordyng to the determination of his will. 2 God verily executeth this counsell in certaine moments of time but yet the same is eternall and going before all things not onely in time seing it is before al time but also in order For otherwayes the will of God should not be the chief rule of the counsell of God but rather the foreséene or foreknowne qualitiess of things inforcing God to take this or that counsell shoulde prescrive an order to the will of God. 3 This Counsell cannot be seperate from the will of God but we shall despoyle him of his deitie 4. This counsell is not onely set in the moderation and direction of effects as Pallas with the Poet is sayned to turne away the darte of Pandarus from the breast of Menelaus to the inferiour partes fenced with a studded gerble but hath a workyng and effectuall force in al things which Paule hath declared by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doe effectually 5. This force and power of working is attributed to God working for it is not sayde to be of god Therefore by this worde there is not shewed any naturall facultie giuen to certaine things of God the creator to do this or that but the very power of God which he hath in himself to do all things 6. The vniuersall note in the saying of Paule cannot be restrayned with any exception be it neuer so litle but God in that parte shall be taken to be idle by the assertion of Epicurus But if we say that any thing is done against his will he shal be spoyled of his infinite powre 7 The conclusioÌ„ therfore staÌ„deth that God as it pleased him decreeth from euerlasting all things to be and so also performeth the same in his time by his owne power of workyng cuen as he will. 8 Yet there foloweth none of these blasphemies that is that God is either the author of sinne or is delighted with sinne or also that he willeth iniquitie or that Satan or men in doing euill obay God or in that they doe euill doe that which God will and therfore be without faulte But all suche blaspemies be moste farre not onely from our tongues but from our thoughts That these consequences â—uayle not it may be shewed thus 9 God executeth the determinations of his will by second causes meane instruments not as bouÌ„de to them as the Stoyckes imagined but makyng mouyng and directyng them fréely and mightily euen as he liste 10 Of these instruments there be twoo superior fortes For some be lyuyng creatures that is whiche by an inwarde and their owne motion are mooued Others without lyfe who onely are mooued by an externall force But the lyuing are in a twofolde difference For some be indued with reason and iudgement others be voyde of reason and are moued by a blinde force of nature 11 The lyuelesse and so also they that haue lyfe but without reason are not sayde to doe eyther well or euill by cause they are inforced rather then doe but they whiche vse those instruments are sayde to doe well or euill 12 The liuing indued with reason and iudgement are eyther Angels or men and they againe of twoo sortes For in déede the Angels he
wilt thou denie I say not only the detecminatiō or wil but also the powre hand of God to come in betwixt in the afflictions of Saintes yea in respect of the persecutors theselues At the least heare what Paul saith of the most bitter death of the sonne of God He spared not saith he his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all And wilt thou acknowledge here no decree no will of the most good God our most louing Father Further let vs now come to that sorte of wicked with whom the Lorde albeit vsing the handes and helpe of the vngodly doth yet iustly correct his children here also we shall shew that the decrée the wil the counsell and finally the action of God doth come in betwixt Finally what examples of outrage crueltie vngoblinesse did not the Chaldees she we in Hierusalem and all Iudes who is he that lifte vp his hande that stroke Iudah who his ensigne being displaied gathered together the Gentiles vnto warre that with an hisse stirred vp the people a far off whiche brought strong and mightie waters against Iuda Let vs heare the Lord him selfe answering by Isai O Assur the radde of my furie the staffe of my wrath in their hand I will fende him to a disseinbling people I will cōmaund him against the people of my indignatiō that he rob them as a pray that take spoyles and giue him to be trode vpon as the duste in the stréetes But what saith the Lord in Ieremie I will stād saith he and will take all the nations of the North Nabucadnerer my seruant King of Babilon and I wil bring them vpon this lande against the inhabitans thereof and against al these nations by the borders thereof and I will spoyle them And in Erechiell Wo be to the blouddy citie saith hée for I will make the burning great I will he ape on much woode in kindlyng the fire in consuming the flesh in casting in spice that the very bones may be burnte What more Thus saith the Lorde God beholde I will pollme my Sanctuarie euen the pryde of your power the pleasure of you and your hartes desice But I pray thée good felow dothe he nothing but enely forsake or suffer idlely something to be done or doth he only moderate the issue of things who himselfe inciteth the enimies appointeth armies leadeth the hoaste and bryngeth euen into the citie and commaundeth that none be spared kindleth the fire and by al meanes doth nourish it and finally doth prostitute the very Temple to the rauine and auarice of all the vngodly If thou deniest thys worke of God the worke I say of God not idlely lookyng on but effectually workyng the same thyng by Nabucadnerer I will yet rather beléeue the Lorde than the false Prophete For the Lorde reasonyng thus of the selfe thyng that is of the destruction of the Citie After sayth hée that the Lorde hath finished all hys worke in mounte Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude harte of the kyng of Assur Therefore when thou flyest to the Sanctuarie of hys idle and fruytelesse sufferaunce what other thyng doest thou shewe but that thou arte voyde euen of common reason For truely it is euen as muche as if thou shouldest saye that GOD beyng idle dothe worke agaynst hys will except it be so that thou darest accuse the Prophetes yea euen the Lorde hymselfe of blasphemye and in déede of ignoraunce But what dyd Dauid when hée was exasperated with the cursings of Symer Thus sayde Dauid he curseth mée bycause the Lorde hath commaunded him to curse me So when the tenne Tribesfel away not onely from Roboam but also from the Lorde himselfe for whiche defection they afterwardes suffered moste sharpe punishments dothe not the Scripture playnely witnesse that it was the Lordes doyng that the kyng shoulde not harken to the people Truly I do not imagine any thing here sith the holy Ghost in the reporte of hys Historie vseth the wordes cause or occasion than the whiche I sée not what coulde be sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more effectuall Wherefore also the Lord himselfe dealing of this defectiō and speakyng to the armie of Roboam by Semahia the Prophete Goe not vp saith he neyther fight ye agaynst your brethren the thyldren of Israell let euerye man returne to his owne home for this thyng is my doyng But also go to when the Lord threatned that he would reuenge the adultery of Dauid with the punishment of a like and therefore the greater mischiefe that is with incest what sayth he I will take saith he thy wiues in thy sight and will giue them to thy beste beloued who shall sléepe with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne Beholds goodfelow the very wordes of the Lorde Goe therefore and accuse God of blasphemie For why shouldest thou not dare to do that seing blushlesse and shamlesse face thou darest reprehend his seruants affirming these same things as wicked and blasphemers But thou wilt say these haue néede of some interpretation But of that we shall sée hereafter Now let vs come to the thirde forte of euils by which the Lorde punisheth the wicked eyther by the good or else doth it amongst themselues lyke as I should stryke with a hammer so one shoulde mangle and flea an other But here agayne we affirme not that truytlesse and forged sufferance or leauyng whiche you dreame but that the counsell decrée will and finally the action of God did in déed come in betwéene and that most iuste and holy bothe also when euill instrumentes worke wickedly whiche God doth most iustly graunt them and executeth by them What then wilt thou denie that the good are stirred vp of God to the destruction of the wicked I thinke not But what is to be thought of euils committed among themselues then also when one do iniurie the other appeareth euen by that place of Esai where the Lord calleth the Medes and Perstans whom he would stirre vp against the Babilonians his holy ones and the instruments of hys wrath But also in an other place where there is mention of those kings whiche sette themselues against Iosua This was done of the Lorde sayth the holy Ghost who had hardened their hartes that they shoulde withstande Israell with battell and that they might giue them ouer to the slaughter nor that any pitie should he shewed them but they shoulde vtterly be destroyed as the Lorde had commaunded Moses But of hardening we shall sée in his place Now answere what it is to deceyue a false Prophete I know what thou wilt answere that is the same whiche thou arte wonte to brable of leauyng of whiche mater lette vs heare if thou wilt Augustines words disputyng against one Iulianus and playnely refutyng that your separation of sufferance frō will. What is it saith Augustine to Iulian that thou sayste when they are sayde to be giuen ouer to their
woulde not obey God who sayeth that he willeth not sinne God hath suffered to stande out spirites of error which may teach that God willeth sinne that those whiche woulde not obey the truth may obey lyes THE REFVTATION I say again that thou art a doltheade which takest a most sharpe vpbreading and rebuke for sufferance And I sende thée againe to the Grammer schole that thou maist learne there what is the force of the figure called Ironia and howe manye sortes there be accompted of it And that whyche thou ceasest not to tryfle of the spirite of errour who can take it in good parte If a Prophete beyng deceyued speake the worde I the Lorde haue seduced that Prophete sayeth the Lorde in Ezechiel And in an other place what sayth the Lorde to the lying spirite Thou shalte perswade sayth he and ouercome goe out therefore and do so And what witnesseth Paul For that sayth he that they haue not receyued the loue of the trueth to the ende they mighte be saued therefore GOD wyll sende them strong delusions that they maye belieue lyes I praye thée good man aduise againe and againe with thy selfe diligentlye he that sendeth from him the executioner with certaine commauncementes that he punishe with iuste correction men that be conuicte malefactours and condemned may he be sayd only to forsake them and not hymself rather willing and determyning to make strong the executioners hande to their iust punishment Al these if thou knowest not albeit of their owne nature be sinnes whiche God hateth reuengeth yet for as much as they are decréed of God they are nothing else but punishmentes of sinne If thou belienest not Augustine who handeleth that Argument plentifullye and plainely against Iulianus yet at the leaste belieue Paule who manifestlye witnesseth this thing in thrée places of his Epistle to the Romanes And whereas indirectly charging vs thou sayste there be spirites of errour which starting vp shoulde teache that God willeth iniquitie we passe not muche bycause that thyne impudencye maye be condemned throughe Gods goodnesse with oure liues and writings And sée howe of the contrarie thou canst excuse thy selfe of most manifeste slaunder which thinkest that sinnes are permitted of God in that they are sinnes Neyther when I say this I returne euil speaches but for a false slannder I render a true accusation The Sycophantes fifth Argumente to the thirde Slaunder Further they bring a place out of Zacharie where GOD saith he is angry with the quiet nations bycause that when he was lightlie angry with the Israelites they helped euil that is did more grieuously afflicte the Israclite thā Gods displeasure coulde beare therefore God suffering not willing it A like example they alleage out of the Prophete Obed who reprehendeth the Idumeans bycause they did more grieuously afflicte the Iewes the thā Lordes wrathe required REFVTATION THIS verilye I impute to the Scriuener bicause he wrote Israelits for Idumeans in the latter prophesie which thou cytest For I suppose this thy Obed to be he whome the Hebrewes cal Obadia and the Latines Abdias But truely I cannot excuse this that thou recitest out of this Prophete those things which then shalt finde in hym in no place Therfore for as much as helogeth to this place thou art taken tardye with an open lye For I read in Abdias that the Idumeans shoulde be grieuously punished bicause they most cruelly raged against their kinsemen alredy vexed by them by all maner of meanes but that which thou wrytest is no where extant in him The place therefore of Zacharie remayneth in the expounding of whiche sée with what snares thou hast entangled thy seft from whence thou canste not ridde thy selfe For I aske as it were from what poynt thou wylt beginne thys thy secréete sufferaunce from wil Verilye from whence those nations went beyonde those boundes whych were set them of God Let vs suppose that they were more moderate yet hitherto it wil folow that God willing so the Iewes were oppressed of them Thus far therfore they sinned not if we rest our selucs in thine intentions For thou denyest that wil of god in any sins by any meanes to come in betwixt But who wil graunt thée this that vngodly wicked men sin not in afflicting Gods people without this exception be added if they passe the boūds which are set thē of god Art thou so ignorāt what obedience is Truely great is the force of truth whyche enforceth thée against thy will eyther to deale playnely with vs or to dissent frō thy self But least thou be ignorāt good mā Satā or any wicked mā can not moue his foote no not euen his finger to hurt eyther good or euil whether he know that Lords decrée or not but he shall sin grieuously For an euill trée doeth alwayes bring forth euill fruits yea though the best Phisition do plant dresse it and vseth his poysons to certaine remedies But of thys matter let this be an example Let there be a wicked Citizen iudged an enimy to the countrey and for that cause be bānished he méeteth with another as wicked or more hurtfull who not knowing the edicte of proscription he kyileth the man in robberie with that kinde of death wherewith he shoulde haue died if the common wealth had had him in their power Doeth this man séeme to haue obeyed the common wealth who ki led the man that was vnder proscription or rather worthy to be punished as a théefe For how can he séeme to haue obeyed that knewe not the edict of proscription The same also is to be iudged of the Chaldeis and other enemies of the people of God who albeit they afflicted that Iews with deserued punishments did execute Gods iudgements yet they can not séeme to haue obeyed god euen whose name they did not reuerence much lesse did thinke to obey hys commaundements This only is the difference that the common wealth dyd not appoint that spoyler to kil him but the Lord called the Chaldeis albeit they knewe it not to execute his iudgements as himselfe test if yeth in infinite places and chiefely in the. 23. of Ezechiel which place I thinke can not be read without trembling Therefore the Chaldeis did not properly the Lordes worke but by thē not knowing it and thinking no such thing the Lord executed hys iust work neuerthelesse did afterwards most iustly punish thē as the Prophets had witnessed For so the Lord in Esai when he sayde oh Assur the rodde of my furye and the staffe of them in my displeasure I wil send him to a dissembling nation I wil commaund him againste the people of mine indignation that he robbe them as a praye and take spoiles and lay him to be troden vppon as the duste in the streates And then hee addeth but Assur himselfe thinkes not so nor will his hearte conceiue it bicause it will be in his harte to roote out and destroy many nations And
approued in all the worlde In déede I graunte it one thing to bid or commaund but another thing to permitte that this or that be done but I say that common sense doth shew to euery one that wil is ioyned with an inseparable bonde both with commaundement and with sufferaunce albeit sometimes men ouercome with necessitie or importunitie do commaunde or suffer to be done that whiche otherwayes they woulde not But for as murhe as thou requirest similitudes go too let vs declare these with examples dilated Those that performe their businesse by others it is of necessitie that they giue them authoritie to doe whatsoeuer apperteyneth to the accomplishmente of that businesse as the procuratour maye deale by commaundement But who besids thée alone did euer thinkâ— to saye that this sufferaunce was contrarie to will séeing that this whole sufferance procéedeth of méere wyll and so much the more of choyce But the maner of working is no other which the lord vseth in that doing of those things whiche are done euerye daye For firste he hathe giuen to euerye not onlye sorte but also scuerall that vniuersall power and facultie whyche thou mayest sée manifolde Then he applyeth this same power euery moment to singular particular actions eueÌ„ as by his eternall and inchangeable counsel he doth not onely foreknow and gouerne but also willeth and decreeth all things And he vseth as we said before both good and also cuill instruments whiche destruction began not from the creation but corruption but so he vseth them that if there be anys vice in the instruments this contagion come not so farre as vnto him For he rightly decréeth willeth and permitteth not onely those things which the voluntarie instruments will and doe iustly but also those whiche wicked instruments wil do wickedly as we haue plentifullye made plaine before But all these not otherwise than by the willing sufferaunce of God doe that whiche they do For what thing in heauen or in earth hathe of it selfe either this power or vse of this power whether he vse it rightly or no Therefore I professe that I cannot sée what common sense can shewe thée that sufferaunce can be separated from will or that God can suffer any thing againste his will. Yet I confesse that there is otherwise greate oddes betwixte God and men vsing the helpe and procuration of men For that we say nothing of the lewd counsells of men that which for the moste parte men do being enforced with necessity â—â—â—â—cause they cannot accomplishe their owne nor other mens matters God doeth it with moste frée will séeing otherwise he is of hymselfe Omnipotent and in himselfe altogither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient Men oft times either by feare or force or by some other meane constrained rather than prouoked do permit many things whiche they woulde not vndone But God alone decréeing with moste frée will permitteth that whiche he doeth permit Bycause Apollo in the Poets sweareth rashly by the law of an oth after a sorte he is constrained to graunte the Chariot to Phaeton perishing Yet he willing graunteth the Chariot bycause the regarde of an othe preuailed more with him than the certaine perill of his sonne Iupiter complaineth in Homer with teares bicause he coulde not when he would denuer his Saâ—pedo from present death Herode swearing rashely when he hearde the heade of Iohn Baptiste to be required and being heauie aduised with himselfe whether he had rather the maide being reiected fall into the crime of periurie or kill moste cruelly the moste innocent man not shewing cause why and at the laste not so muche I thinke for conscience which was none as moued wyth vaine glorie and ambition leaste he shoulde séeme to haue sworne vnaduisedly or in performing an othe inconstant doth not only suffer but commaundeth the heade of Iohn being cut off to be giuen the maide in hir hands as Mark very wel noteth A sicke man fearing his life giueth himselfe to the Chirurgion to be cutte yet not againste hys will yet not altogither with frée will. The same we maye thinke of the Merchaunte who in a greate tempest doth not onely suffer his marchandize to be caste ouer boorde but also he with his owne handes doeth caste them ouer Beholde thou many eramples of sufferaunce in al which yet Wil cannot be secluded from Sufferance Be it farre from vs yet to conceiue any like things of God bycause neither rashenesse nor ignoraunce nor repentaunce take place in him nor is he enthralled to any necessitie For as Augustine sayeth wel and learnedly the life of God and the foreknowledge of God we putte not vnder necessitie if we say it is of necessitie that God liue euer and know all thinges as his power is not lessened séeing he is saide not to can dye or be deceiued For thus he cannot this thing that indéede he were rather if he coulde of lesse power Yet he is rightlye called Omnipotent who cannot dye nor be deceiued For he is called Omnipotent by dwing what he will and not in suffering what he will not Therefore that I maye dispatche at once a waye to Anticyra with that thy common sense and there if thou causte hauing drunke a gallon of Helleborus learne at the laste to be wise and so to dispute of common sense that we may vnterstand thée to be indued with some sense For where thou sayest that Christe was wonte to teache diuine matters according to common sense who will euer graunte it thée excepte he be voice of all Christian religion Christe vseth I graunte familiar kinds of speaking but where didst thou euer knowe that diuine matters did agrée with oure common sense and therefore that they coulde be taught according to oure common sense Paule cryeth that the naturall man perceiueth not those things that are of God the same witnesseth that To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisedome of the fleshe is enmitie againsts God the same professeth that he teacheth that doctrine which should of the Gentiles be takeÌ„ for foolishnesse The same cryeth O Man who arte thou and O the déepth of Gods iudgementes and Christe praising Peters confession Flesh and bloude sayeth he haue not reuealed that to thée But thou on the contrary vrgest vs to coÌ„mon sense as the supreame iudge of Gods mysteries Shew vs therfore moste pregnant fellowe why the Lorde protracted the calling of the Gentiles so long howe the worde coulde become fleshe howe Christe is borne of a Virgin how he can féede vs in earth with his quickening fleshe whiche is in Heauen howe the Lorde wil whiche thou haste foolishly denyed that many should be borne to miserie that he might be glorified in them as by the example of him that was borne blinde and by Christes owne wordes we haue taughte why the calling of manye shoulde be deferred to the laste tyme of theyr lyfe Howe may it be that the greatest parte of menne shoulde heare nothyng at all of CHRIST
layde open your impudency I will not repeate againe nowe that I haue sayde a thousand times Yet it shall be labour worth to sée what occasion thou tookest to patch this flaunder Caluin wrot in his booke of eternall Predestination against Pyghius and Siculus out of whose puddles you haue drawn your vncleane filthynesse Augustines sentence sayth he must be kept when God will any thing to be done that muste not be done but by mē willing that he togither inclineth their hartes that they become willing and worketh in their hartes not onelye by helping but also in iudging that they who had no such purpose may fulfil that counsel which his hand hath determyned And by and by here truely it may easily be gathered howe vaine and inconstant that defence of diuine tustice is That those things whiche be euill are not done by his will but only by his sufferance Truely for as much as they are euil which are done of men with an euill minde as I will set down more plainely anone I graunt they do in no case please god But whereas they fayne that he suffereth those thinges being idle whyche the Scripture pronounceth to be done not only with his will but he being authour is too fryuolous a shifte Thus farre Caluine whom indéede thou thoughtst to hold entāgled in thy snares whē thou readest these things but how foolishely I will shew anone For I will gratifye thée and alleage another like place out of Caluines booke againste the Lybertynes Chap. 14. The Lord sayth he is highly displeased when we suppose that any thing procéedeth from any other place and do not beholde him that we may acknowledge him not only as the chiefe cause of al but also as authour determining by his counsel al things by this or that mean. So therfore let vs cōclude as wel prosperity as aduersitie Raines Windes Hayles Frost fairenesse abundāce famine warre peace be the workes of God the creatures which be inferiour causes be only instrumēts whyche he hath in vse to execute his will and therefore that he vseth them as he pleaseth turneth them whyche waye soeuer he will and bringeth them to that poynte that it may altogyther be performed that he hath determyned These be Caluins words whiche if thou takese as if he sayd that God were the authour of wicked acts or willeth sinne thou certainely excéedest all impudency séeing Caluine in those places confuteth that same blasphemie And byeause manye that they maye disolue the Argument of the Lybertines do rushe out into another error not muche lesse to be reproued as those whiche determyne an idle sufferaunce of God in most matters for the action therefore before all things he hath thoughte this error to be refuted He teacheth therefore that God executeth his worke no lesse by euil instruments than by goodtand therefore séeing he alwayes worketh as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al sufficient of himselfe not as an idle beholder nor only the geuernour of the verye ende but to come in betwixt as the very authour the author I say not of the worke whiche euill instruments do wickedlye for thys thou hast added of thine owne store Sycophant but of that worke whyche God doth most fustly by them then also when they doe moste wickedlye Caluine doeth not teache that wicked actes are committed God eyther being willing or the author of them but he teacheth that whiche is moste true albeit the euil instrument sinne by cause he worketh with a depraued will yet God doth nothing lesse than sinne when he worketh well by an euill instrumente and that he is the authour of this hys moste holy worke So by Satan and the wicked he continually exerciseth and confirmeth his Churche So so ofte as he pleaseth he reuengeth the wicked by the hands of the wicked So he chastized his people by the Assyrians So he woulde by Absolom punish the adulterie of Dauid when Dauid himselfe was saued So by Iosephs bréethren he prepared a place of refuge for hys Church If thou denyest these I call thée to the testimonie of the Scriptures which indéede almost infinite we haue cited in the depelling of the thirde sclaunder that I may omitte those things whiche we haue so often described word for word out of Augustine and Caluine vppon the same matter Doest thou now Deuill acknowledge thyne owne impudencie The Sycophants Arguments to the fifth and sixth Sclaunder AGAINST the fifth and sixth they say both many other things and especially these if God willeth sinne and is the authour of sinne God himselfe is to be punished for sinne must needes be punished in the authour of it If God willeth sinne the Deuill willeth not sinne for the Deuill is contrarie to God in all thinges if God willeth sinne he loueth sinne and if he loue sinne he hateth righteousnesse If God willeth sinne he is worse than manye menne for many menne will not sinne but howe muche so euer any one commeth nearer to the nature of GOD so muche the lesse hee wylleth sinne VVhy then sayeth Paule The good that I woulde doe I doe not but the euill that I woulde not that I doe VVhy willeth not Paule that whyche God willeth or why willeth Paule that which God willeth not Finally they aske what Scripture doth witnesse that wicked actes are committed to God not onely being willing but the authour thereof THE AVNSVVERE WHat shoulde I Sycophante contende with moe wordes agaynst thée thou art out of thy wittes when thou thinkest vs so foolishe as that wée shoulde euer thynke that GOD willeth or loueth Sinne or that euils are cominitted to GOD as the Authoure But what soeuer in thys place thou hast sottishlie wrested agaynste vs who knoweth not that they are drawen from hym whome thou dost striue against Therefore thou art not only shamelesse and a lewde man but also vnthankefull which dissemblest by whom thou hast profyted The seauenth Slaunder Whatsoeuer men do when they sinne they doe it by the wyll of GOD for bycause the wyll of God oft tymes striueth with hys commaundement THE AVNSVVERE ALbeit Satan and Infidels can not execute be it neuer so little eyther against the godly or vngodlye excepte God decrée it will it and permitte it Yet it followeth not that the sinne which they do they should do it by the wil of god For albeit God willeth that same thing which Satan Insidels will yet he willeth not after the same forte and in that respect as Satan and Infidels will. For God wylleth iustly and worketh by them iustly that which these both will and do wickedly by cause they are so enforced of God that yet they do theyr owne partes that is with counsell and will depraued There is therefore greate dissention where there séemeth to be greatest agréement and of the contrarie greate agréemente where there séemeth to be much discorde Of the which matter I thinke good to adde that excellent place of Augustine that thy slaunder may be the better séene
much therefore as this slaughter springeth from this beginning that is from God iustly inforcing the will of the théefe albeit it be euill and directing the hand and weapon of the théefe yet is neyther the inforcement euil nor the worke euill but it is counted of God iust and holye which punisheth the théefe with iust torments For God did neyther inforce the théef nor gaue him wickednesse but the will of the théefe whiche was euill alreadie hée well and iustly stirred to a good and holye worke But for as muche as this slaughter procéedeth from an other beginning that is of the will of the théefe which is so inforced not as a stone or blocke but as a wil which also it selfe is so vrged that it worketh and is so mourd that it moueth it selfe with an inward motion and that his owne thus farre I say both thys motion springing from an euil beginning is euill and endeth into an euil action that is manslaughter whiche it is so farre off that it shoulde please God that contrarilye he can not but punishe it But goe too let vs put this example also wherby this diuersitie of beginnings maye be vnderstoods Let vs suppose that thou arte a crooked Asse whom I as a Muletor shall inforce into the milne with whippes For as muche as this action procéedeth from me as from a beginning it cannot be reprehended if it be reasonable but for as much as it procéedeth from thée it is in it selfe a great fault For indéed I am to thée the cause of going but all the haultyng is of thy selfe whose begynning was in thy selfe albeit I hadde not stirred thée forwarde Wilte thou that I speake more playnely that thou mayste not complayne of darkenesse Thou arte made by nature to slaunder those things whiche thou doest not so muche as vnderstande or dissemblest that thou vnderstandest Yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poyson is not so much nature as the deprauation of nature Therfore is not his efficient but rather deficient cause to be sought for whiche indéede séeing we all féele to cleaue faste in our entrailes there is no cause why we shoulde accuse GOD in very déede as author of these things and of sinnes But for that bycause man is corrupt therefore the LORDE by hys power wherewith he gouerneth without exception and enforceth to foreordayned endes hath abasterdized from himselfe that whiche apperteyneth to hym No indéede He therfore vseth euē sinning instruments and bringeth them to an ende determyned of himselfe And that indéede so that hée doeth not sinne anye thing neyther in mouing nor directing the instrument For the action is of himselfe but the defecte is of the instrumente whiche also selfe thing by an inwarde mouing doth inforce it selfe and when it is corrupt it hath depraued motions Séeing therfore God hath made choyse especiallie of al others in these partes of thée alone by the deprauation of nature enuious and a slaunderer by whom partly hée might exercise his owne people and partly punish those who hauing despised the offered trueth of the Gospell do folowe lyes and slaunders so ofte as he séeth good hée sēsibly stirreth vp in this thy depraued nature those motions vsing both the ministery of Satan of others also thyne own lewdnes which motions afterwards by litle litle breake out into those blasphemies those contumelyes in refelling wherof we now take paynes But when in the yeares paste we reproued these things and when also we reproue them nowe what do we else but that we daylye more and more pricke thée forewarde that thou mayst procéede to siaunder and to forge blasphemies Yet be it farre away that when we say thou arte moued and inforced of God we shoulde ascribe to God any of thy sins Be it also far awai that there may worthily be layd vpon vs any blame bicause being prouoked with our wrytings Thou becomest euerye daye worse and worse for that our diligence is exercised with thy lewde speaking for that by this meane the hipocrisie of manye is dayly manifested for that by thy slaunders is stirred vp in vs a desire to knowe the truth and defend it for that the iust iudgement of God against those who haue preferred trueth before falsehoode or abused the knowledge of the Gospell is so set before vs to be séene as in a most cleare glasse in this thy strength of lying and error we acknowledge that we are bound to God for this which moueth and directeth thy lewdenesse to these vses And whereas thy deceytes are nowe espich of many whose simplicity other ways thou mightest haue deceyued for that thyne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtfulnesse is nowe hated of many for that nowe those sauage purposes whiche thou haddest taken to oppresse the truth are nowe apparaunt to all when without respect thou wouldest that heretikes shoulde be borne withall for that in some forte all men doe knowe what is thyne impudencie in peruepting the worde of God godly men also doe acknowledge that they are bounde to God for this and with a thankefull minde they acknowledge that our diligence was somewhat in that mater so far it is off that we shoulde sustaine any blame for that being offended with our writings thou rushest headlong in worse and that by thine owne faulte for there is no fault in vs for that many weake ones are offended by thée bycause the course of Gospel is hindered of thée for that thou blasphemest the name of GOD for that without cause the credite of the faithful seruaunts of God is hindered finally for that thou procurest to thy self others whō thou drawest to the destruction these finally al men ascribe to Satan with whose furies thou art driuē and to thy lewdenesse and impudencie But sée nowe Sycophant as I thinke an example sufficiently manyfest and apparaunte whereby thou mayste vnderstand that God doth so prompte the will and affections to the very wicked that al these motions for as much as they are ministred of him are both iust and honest as they appertayne to a iust and good worke For the cause of sin is in our selues but at what time and against whom it ought to breake out it is in the power of God which instilleth not a new malice but according to his infinite wisedome when and howe it pleaseth him he moueth gouerneth bendeth guydeth and finally ordereth to the aduauncement of the glory of his owne name that whiche is bred in men euen the wicked not knowing of it so much the rather determining a quite contrary counsel with themselues This is our iudgement of the preuidence of God in this argument which we handle which it remayneth that we confirme with the authoritie of the word of God and the fathers Here to we saye it appertayneth that the Lord is so often sayde in Scriptures to haue hardened burthened and helde the hartes of Pharao Sehon the Cananytes and the Egyptians and the rather turned them into the hatred of
from him who of all men shall hée moste miserable Doest thou not heare howe Paules teaching was accepted at Athens Doest thou not heare Paule crying out that the natural man conceiueth not those things which are of God What sayst thou to these goodman For indéede so the matter standeth The Lorde communicated the benefite of the Gospell with all people whome therefore the Prophet calleth vpon to aduance the glorie of god For neither wil the Lord be praised of euery one but only of the Saints as it is written O ye righteous reioyce in the Lorde it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull And in an other place God said to the vngodly man why doest thou make mention of myne ordinaunces and takest my lawes in thy mouth It is therefore necessarie that that thankesgiuing whiche is acceptable and pleasaunte to God procéede from sayth séeing that without sayth nothing can please god And fayth cōprehendeth God not such as we conceyue him by our common sense for as Iohn sayth darkenesse doth not cōprehend the light but such as he hath set forth himselfe to be beholden and loked vpon in his worde in whose hartes the day starre hath shined But séeing now by almoste infinite testimonies of both testaments wée haue so manifestlye proued that not all things vniuersally but euen euery thing is gouerned by the prouidence and eternall decrée of God euen so muche that God willeth iustlye and accomplisheth also those things iustlye whiche both Satan and men wil iniustly and performe vniustly and that no infection of the mouings or actions may reache vnto the first cause but bicause it procéedeth from the depraued beginnings of the instruments there also it remayneth finally séeing we haue manifestly shewed that there is vtterly nothing done which redoundeth not to the glorie of God in so much that euen by our lye the truth of God is aduaunced what remayneth but the thou packe hence with thy moste foolishe and false argument And that which thou pratest of a bearde and one hauing a bearde doth it not manifestly proue what mind thou broughtest to handle these secretes of God For what hath a beard or one bearded to do with the kingdom of God Yea who wil not thinke that these so foolish things are rather vttered of a childe being an infante than of a bearded man But in déede thou diddest miserably feare least thou shouldest loose the pleasant scoffe Yet I wil aunswere thée in few words least thou complain the we deride those Arguments which we can not scriously confute A beard is of a méere naturall motion sinne of a voluntarie motion and therfore corrupt bycause that wil is corrupte iudgement corrupt vnderstanding corrupt appetyte corrupt and finally whole man enbondaged to sinne Yet that thing causeth not as we haue shewed by the testimonie of Scripture alreadie set downe that the Lorde should abandon himself from the soueraigntie of his effectuall prouidence wherby it is that he no lesse iustlye rightly inclyneth bendeth and directeth euen the euil wils whether soeuer it pleaseth him than if they were not corrupte But sée thou of what iudgemente it is to compare things so dissonant as if they were vtterly like that is that which is méere naturall which is voluntarie The Sycophants seuenth Argument to the eleuenth Sclaunder If Caluin shal say that this is the secret iudgement of God and to vs vnknowen we answere that in deede there be certaine secrets of God which we knowe not but that which belongeth to iustice that is knowen to vs and manifested in the Gospel according to which reuealed Gospel as Paul teacheth not after that secret iudgement of Caluin wil God iudge the world and so it shal follow from al as wel godly as vngodly for as wel the godly as vngodly shal see that it is iust that those that haue not obeyed the trueth not secrete such as is Caluines but reuealed such as is the Gospels may bee punished those which haue obeyed may receiue reward THE REFVTATION There wants somewhat in this thy writing but it is his fault to whom thou cōmittedst thy booke to be writtē For otherwise in déede with greate trustinesse all thinges are printed out of that very coppie whiche thou sentest to Paris to be printed there by stealth But to the matter Why I pray thée makest thou mention of these things For do we saye that there is another rule of good and euill of iuste and vniuste than the lawe of God Do wée shewe another waye of saluation than the Gospell of the sonne of God so as it remaineth written Or do we saye it shall come to passe that God shall iudge the world by any other prescription than by his worde Or rather are not we the men which not only haue auouched the auctoritie of the worde of God for oure vttermoste against the Papistes but also against thy selfe thrée yeres ago when thou biddest that newe reuelations be looked for bycause the word of God such as is deliuered vs by the Prophets Apostles suffiseth not to decide the controuersies of the Churches But arte not thou the verye man whiche in thy Commentaries vppon the first Epistle to the Corinthians affyrmest that Paule hath but onely taughte vs the rudimentes of religion and that he had an other more perfect doctrine whiche he cōmmunicated with certaine his perfect Schollers Howe is it therefore that being so suddainely chaunged thou risest againste vs as if we rested not in the onely words of God Is it that thou maist shewe that thou haste repented But truelye we be the same men we were nor haue we learned at anye time to reste anye where but in the onely worde of god God shall iudge the worlde by the Gospell that is whosoeuer he shall finde embracing Christe by faith whiche indéede will appere by their fruits be wil forgiue declare them Coheires with Christe the reste being worthily condemned he shall giue ouer to be tormented in eternall flames By this will of the heauenly father I say Christe shall iudge the quicke and the deade But what madnesse is this to gather of that that al the counsels or iudgements or all the iustice and will of God are manifest to vs that is whatsoeuer he doeth is manifest vnto vs and whatsoeuer he hathe decréed of euerie one and in euerie one from euerlasting But arte not thou verie he whiche canste expresse vnto vs the reasons of all Gods counsells or also of his iustice whiche he hathe vsed both to wardes the gooly and also towardes the vngodlye from since the foundations of the worlde were laide and also hereafter shall vse doest not thou I saye knowe all these secreats of Gods eternall prouidence Yea thou wilte say I grant that there are certaine secreates of God whiche we know not but al his iustice I saye is manifest to vs But a little before thou denyedst that any wil of God was vnknowen But doe not the secreates of God
faile excepte God hymselfe shoulde be chaunged In déede the seconde causes séeing they are diuers they oft times hinder themselues which we sée doth come in vse in the passages of Heauen that some be hindered of others But the will of God can be hindred by no force But once he allowed the Iewish Ceremonies afterwardes he willed them to be abandoned Howe then is not the prouidence of GOD changeable I aunswere that there is in GOD altogither one and the selfe same will but that he foresawe from euerlasting what was conuenient for diuers times Augustine sayeth to Marcellinus That the husbandman doeth at one tyme sowe and at another time mowe at an other time dung his land yet that the trade of Husbandrie is not therefore chaungeable Vinditianus saith he a certain Phisition gaue to a sicke man a potion and recouered him He after many yeres being fallen againe into the same diseaseâ— the Phisition not knowyng of it tooke the same potionâ—â— But when he selte himselfe worse he came to the phisition he shewed him the matter and began to complaine of the potion Then Vinditianus it is no maruell saith he for I gaue thée not that Here when others maruelled and thought that he had vsed to adde some magical force there is saith he no such thing he is of another age hath other humors than who I dyd firste giue him that potion But for that cause shall the Phisicke be inconstant So vtterly God albeit he foreséeth all thinges yet he hath not decréed that all thinges shall be done at one time Now let vs come to the matter it selfe if the prouidence of God be certaine may it suffer any chaunce Here first I wil vse two distinctions and then I wil answere There is one simple necessitie an other by supposition For whoÌ„ we say that there is a God that God is wise and iâ—ste we vnderstande that that is simply and absolutely necessarie Other thinges he necessarie by supposition as that which is taught in Schooles that whiche is in somuch as it is is necessarie Christe and the Prophets preach that Ierusalem shal be destroyed therefore it shall be destroyed of necessitie not bycause that necessitie is in the nature of the Cittie but bycause Christe and the Prophets haue foretolde it which coulde not be deceiued There must be heresies saith Paule And Christ saith It is necessarie that offence come For these causes being set that is the corrupt wits of menne and the diuels hatred against mankind the end being sét also that the elect shall be tryed by supposition it is necessarie that these things come Also things may be considered two wayes either as they are secreat in the causes as they stande oute in acte so they haue the reason of necessity For they are no more indeterminate as to write or not to write is casuall But if thou write alreadie it is no more casuall but of necessitie Therfore we say the knowlege of senses is certaine bycause the very things can not be are themselues otherwise But also things maye be coÌ„sidered as they are secret in their causes And for that the causes are somtimes of power somtimes not of power to bring forth effects therfore there is no necessary working force in theÌ„ But if the things theÌ„selues be referred to God there is a far other reasoÌ„ For he calleth those things whiche are not as thoughe they were For bycause he coÌ„passeth al time hath neither beginning nor ending also all things whiche shall be hereafter by time indeterminable are yet present to him Hereto also coÌ„meth the will of god For bare knowlege hath no place in him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working And by this means I say that things theÌ„selues haue the maner of necessitie August vpon Genes to the Let. in the 6. booke 15. Chap. There be many means by which man other things might be made of God those means had some possibilitie not necessitie This also is of the wil of God whose will is the necessitie of thinges And albeit such things being referred to God are of necessitie yet we are to oftéeme theÌ„ of the interior proper cause to terme theÌ„ Casualls For it is of necessitie the such as is the efficient cause such be also the effect If thou demauÌ„dest why these two kindes of causes be in the nature of things some limited necessarie some infinite and casual there can be answered no other thing than that God hathe enioyned these orders to al things And God produceth limiteth and boundeth all things yet not that hée might confound dispecse the nature of things Boetius in his Topicks sayth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destinie is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of drawing and yéelding consequentlye GOD indéede draweth all thynges but so hée after a sorte yeeldeth that he disordereth nâ—thing So albeit that thinges of their owne nature remayne indifferent vnto bothe parts yet of GOD they are more inclined into the one The will of Saule was by hys nature no more enclined to goe that to tarrye But when GOD woulde send him to Samuell he beganne to encline his will into the one parte Therefore GOD setteth before his vnderstanding the will of his father and bringeth to passe that that mighte vrge and effectuallye enforce his minde that all other desires of flouth and ydlenesse if anye were whiche mighte deceiue him shoulde faile Therefore it came to passe that the will of Saule shoulde obey the prouidence of god Yet in the meane time the nature of the thing is not violated but that the will of Saule was equallye frée to bothe partes Hence it appeareth what néede we haue of the grace of god For oure will as it is depraued in all respectes it tourneth all into the worse parte Also there be manye thinges whiche woulde dull and make blinde oure vnderstanding that will shoulde not easilye encline GOD therefore setteth before oure vnderstanding that whiche is good then be kindleth oure confidence and stirreth vppe the dulnesse that we maye will effectuallye But thou wilte say wherefore is any thing called Casuall séeing it is already decréed of God into the one parte and so is made of necessitie I aunswere euerye thing by his owne proper beginning is casuall but the prouidence whyche bryngeth necessitie is a forraine cause from whiche the name shoulde not be gyuen to thinges I knowe there be many that determine those thynges whiche cannot thereto be brought of God by mans strength that our wil can either choose or refuse that there the prouideÌ„ce of God doth stay neyther procéedeth further and when God fore sawe what euery one would choose and what refuse that his foreknowledge is nothing hindered But these do not sufficiently accorde with Diuine Scriptures For they teach that God doth not so prouide for things that he may leaue them but as we haue sayde that he maye bring them to their determinate endes
predestinat to life from euerlasting whome he pleased yet he saueth them not except iustifyed in Christ otherwise he should be vniust So also he predestinate to death froÌ„ euerlasting whome he would yet he dothe not abandon them to desruction except corrupt in Adam to whiche corruption also come the other frutes of contumacie and corruption For God ordeyned to destruction but to iust destruction and therefore albeit he ordeyned not to destruction for corruption and that frutes thereof but bycause he so saw it good whose will albeit secret yet it is alwayes iust yet he damneth not except for corruption and the frutes of corruption for that he hathe submitted these causes to the execution of his eternall purpose What is therefore thine ignorance what madnesse Sclaunderer when thou mingless damnation with the purpose of reiecting and in some place settest damnation before the purpose of reiecting that is the end before the beginning and art thou not ashamed to dispute of things vnknowen and whiche thou vnderstandest not Finallie whereas thou sayest it is gathered out of our doctrine that God inforceth men to sinne what doth it bewray but that thine incredible impudencie That men sinne of necessitie vntill they be deliuered from the bondage of sinne we fréelie professe out of the word of god But necessitie signifyeth none other thing to thée than enforcement So shall it be that bycause all dye of necessitie thou mayst also say that all are enforced to dye when yet Christ willingly offered hymselfe selfe to death and manye Martyrs at this day doe willingly dye for Chryste What more The Deuill also in thée shall not willingly be wicked nor willingly shall sinne but enforced and by constreynt He that speaketh thus Sclaunderer may he séeme to haue but euen a very little of that common sense to whose order and rule thou desirest that we trie the wisedome of God and yet darest thou dispute of the nature of the true and false God but how aptly thou doest it go too let vs consider The nature of the false God by the false supposition of the Sclaunderer I False God is flowe to mercie and swift to wrath whiche created the greatest part of the world to destruction and predestinat them not only to damnation but to the cause of damnation therefore he hath decréede from euerlasting and he will and causeth that they sinne of necessitie so that no theftes nor adulteries nor murthers are committed except by his wil and enforcement for he ministreth vnto them wicked and vnhonest affertions not only by sufferance but effectually and he hardneth them so that wheÌ„ they liue wickedly they do Gods worke rather than their owne and they can not otherwise do He causeth Sathan to be a lyer so that not now Sathan but Caluine God is father of lyes as he which often carieth one thing in his mind and another thing in his mouth The nature of the true God after the opinion of the Sclaunderer BUt that God whom nature and reason and Scriptures teach is flat contrarie to him for he is readye to forgiue and slow to wrath whiche created man from whome all men procéeded to his â—wne likenesse like to himselfe that he might place him in Paradise and enrich him with eternall life This God wil that all men bee saued nor that any perish therfore he sent his sonne into the earthe whose righteousnesse hathe superabounded wheresoeuer sinne hathe abounded the brighteneâ—â—e of whose righteousnesse dothe lighten all men that come into this world and cryeth Come to me all yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you This ministreth good and honest affections and deliuereth men from the necessitie of sinne into the whiche they hadde cast themselues headlong by disobedience and he healeth euery griefe and disease amongst the people in so much that he nâ—uer denyed to any maÌ„ a benefite that asked if But this God is come to destroy the workes of that Caluinian God and cast him out at the dores But these two Gods as they are betwéene themselues by nature contrarie so also they beget children contrarie among themselues that is he vnmercifull proude sauage disdeynefull blouâ—ie sclaunderers counterfayte bearing one thing in theyr heart another in their mind impatient malicious seditious contentious ambitious couetous louers of pleasures more than of God finallie full of all lewde and vnhonest affections whiche their father dothe minister to them But the other God begetteth mercifull men modest milde wel willing doers of good workes lothing crueltie playne speaking the truth from the abundance of the heart patient louing quiet peacemakers lothing chidings and contentions despisers of honoure liberall louing God more than pleasures finallie full of all honest affections whyche theyr Father dothe minister to them THE REFVTATION WHO is thy God and the God of thy faction we shal sée héereafter For first I will resell your Sclanders and then I will sette before you in his coulours youre I doll We haue not said in any place that God is slow to forgiue and swift to wrath whiche continuallie sée the contrarie both in our selues and also in the most bitter enimies of the Church as we haue taught largely in the refutation of the third and also of the tenth Argumente to the first Sclaunder That God hath created the greatest part of the world to perdition how it is to be taken and what is your falsehode in that matter we haue expounded in the suppressing of the same first Sclander Whereas thou addest that God hathe predestinate whome hée woulde not only to damnation but to the causes of damnation We in déede with Paule acknowledge it to hée true whiche maketh mention of vessels made to destruction but that he in déede is iust bycause he ordeyned by the same decrée iust causes leading to destruction Yea also if God should not haue created one man to saluation who art thou that therefore thou shouldest call him cruell séeing all are borne in Adam the children of wrath And whereas thou adioynest that God by our doctrine hath decréed from euerlasting both the will and the déede that finne might be committed of necessitie it is a forgerie as almost in euerie side of lease we haue shewed except thou addest that sinnes in that they are sinnes procéede not from God but from SathaÌ„ and the lewde will of man as the very naturall causes of sinne and for as much as they are eyther the punishmentes of sinne or exercises of the rightuous they are iustly and holyly ordesned of god It is like that thou addest that offences are committed by the will and inforcemente of God séeyng we testifie euery where that iniquitie can not please God which he punisheth with iust tormentes but that the motions also of the wicked are gouerned by the iuse Prouidence of God the forgerie therefore of ministring wicked affections is whollie thine owne as we haue prooued in his place For God also iustlie moueth the hearts of the wicked that
by wickedly resisting the will of God they may doe the iust will of God whereby if commeth to passe that God albeit he execute his worke by them yet he iustly punishe them as disobediente and Rebels God maketh not Sathan a lyer nor is he the father of lyes but he iustly vseth euen as it pleaseth him the Deuil albeit a lyer and father of lyes both to exercise his and to scourge the wicked And he that hath sayde that God beareth one thing in hearte and another in mouth let him be accurssed Yet we denye that the Lorde dothe make knowen all his councels but so farre onely as it is méete as hathe appeared in the ciuill warre taken in hande againste the Beniamites But also we distinguishe those things whiche the Lord saith for tryall reprouing and threatning sake of those things whych he simply commaundeth to be done all which bycause thou vnderstandest not therefore thou patchest false consequents togither and doest verily snare thy selfe whyle thou wouldest intangle vs. But go to nowe let vs beholde thine Idoll and firste what maner of God I pray thée hadst thou determined to paynt out vnto vs forsooth such a one as nature and reason do teach But we owe all idolatrie to this thy nature and reason as Paule witnesseth and that disputing not of euerie one but of the wysest of all men The same cryeth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the wisedome of the fleshe is nothing else but the hatered of God that they are passing wicked whyche are not conceyued in the couenant that the worlde hath not knowen God by wisedome that the Gospell is a stumbling blocke to the Iewes to the Gentiles foolishnesse that the naturall man perceyueth not those things whyche are of God that we are not apte so muche as to thinke anye good Christe euerye where damneth oure blindâ—â—esse beating into vs regeneration and the denyall of oure selues Finallie euen they with whome God talked most familiarlie doe crye that the heygth and profoundnesse of God is infinite and that hys wayes are past findyng out What shall we more The Philosophers do fréely confesse themselues when they come to God to hée blynde But thou contrarilie requirest no other maysters to obteyne the knowledge of God than nature and reason whyche verilie when thou doest thou doest euen sâ— as if thou shouldest commit the iudgemente of couloures to none other but to blynde men Thou addest yet in the thyrde place the holy Scriptures whereof forsooth nature and reason shoulde bée holpen as also long agoe thy Pelagius sayde But I aske howe if can be that thou shouldest couple lyghte wyth darkenesse as if wée shoulde not rather become fooles than bée able to tast the wisedome of god For Christ sayth These thyngs thou hast hydde from the wise and reuealed them to babes And reasoning of the Scribes and Pharises who were gréeued wyth thys same disease If yée were blynde saith hée that is if you dyd perceyue youre selues to bée blynde in déede you shoulde sée Doest thou sée Sclaunderer what bée the principles of thy Diuinitie But goe too lette vs heare in what Schole thou hast learned and wyth what couloures of darkenesse thou canst paynte out the lighte Thou sayest therefore that God is swift to forgiue and slows to wrath In déede thou gessest truely séeyng thou hast drawen these out of the worde of God and reason maye easilie séeme to admitte it bycause hée séemeth not to terrifye hir But it wyll also appeare by and by that thou peruertest thys truth of God when wée come to the dispensation of hys mercie Thou addest therefore that God created the man from whome all menne sprong after hys owne similitude lyke to hymselfe that hée myghte place hym in Paradise and enriche hym wyth an happye lyfe That thou alleadgest of the creation of Man I graunte and nature and reason myghte after a sorte dyrecte thée for it willinglye suffereth it selfe to bée praysed and aduaunced But in the ende of man I dissente from thée when especiallye thou considerest not Adam as some singular vndeuided thyng but as the shewe of man bycause all menne shoulde bée comprchended in hym And that I maye lette passe that foolishe dreame of Paradise whyche the vanitie of nature and thy mynde hathe taughte thée and we haue refuted in hys place but whence indéede didst thou learne so to iudge of Gods purpose to make man for thou shalte fynde no suche thyng in the sacred Scriptures but thou shalte synde this that God created all things for hys owne glorye euen the wicked agaynste the daye of euill Therefore thy reason and thyne vnderstandyng hathe taughte thée thys lye for sayest thou otherwyse God shoulde bée cruell and worse than any Wolfe if he shoulde haue created anye to myserie What if I shoulde denye that he were cruell whyche for iust causes determineth any thyng albeit it be harde and bitter so that the sharpenesse excéede not the rule of iustice Wilte thou denye thys I thynke not What it I shoulde adde that the wyll of God is the rule of iustice not the contraric thou wilte condescende to it I thynke Howe is it therefore that when the holy Scriptures doe witnesse that God created all thynges for his owne glorie euen the wicked againste the day of euill thou contrarilie supposest that God created all in Adam to the ende that he mighte enriche them with an happy life was it for that thou knowest not with what causes God being moued should worthilie ordeyne them to miserie that are not yet borne forsooth reason dothe tel thée this but most foolishly for thou takest that which is most sottish and vtterly repugnant to the very nature of God that is that God knoweth no reason of his counsels so oft as men can not comprehend it But how much better shouldest thou haue done if thou hadst caused nature and reason to kéepe themselues within their bonds and to haue drawen their reynes so ofte as they durst kicke against the holy Ghost But farther also let vs sée how that vayne reason of man doth dispatch it selfe for not euen that same whyche a little before enforceth vs to iudge otherwise of the ende of man than the worde of God may suffer iudge if to be most foolish that that should not be lawfull to God the Creator in creating whatsoeuer things whiche all men graunt to the Potter in making his vessels for trulie God dothe farre more excéede his Angels than the Potter his Clay But I also demaunde this of thée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most reasonable creature doth God séeme to thée always like himselfe omnipoÌ„teÌ„t I thinke he doth how is it then the thou admittest that ordinance which once being set he can neither be always like himselfe nor almighty For if he created all men with that purpose that he mighte sane all why dothe he not sane them is it bycause hée wyll not nowe sane those whome he made in the beginning Then he