thinges so euer he doth no man the is in his right wittes wil deny but it is good namely either to punishe the bad or to benefite the good Now let vs alledge examples That Ioseph came by Gods prouidence intoo Egipte and was aduaunced there vntoo great preheminence that hee might bee the preseruer of the Churche both hee himselfe sayeth it and the matter it selfe declares it And what instrumentes did the lorde vse too the compassinge of the matter Euen Sathan who stirred his brethren againste their most innocent brother the very wicked inteÌ„t of the same brethren the couetousnesse of the merchantmen and the lust of a moste mischeuous woman All these sinned most gréeuously in asmuche as they were the beginners of their owne doings But God vsing wel those moste vngracious instrumentes which thought vppon no such thinge defended his seruauntes from the famine settled them in a fruiteful soile nurtured his faithfull seruaunt Ioseph and finallye aduaunced him too the highest degrée of honour Is it not a moste rightfull worke of gods iustice that naughty persons shoulde fordoo themselues So punished he the Madianits vsinge thervntoo the spirit of discorde and the vngracious wilfulnes of the murtherers themselues so as they made assaulte one vpon another doubtles with a wicked minde but yet by the rightful iustice of god It was good that Dauid shoulde bee chastised euen after his sinne was acknowledged and forgiuen It was good also that Achitophilles trecherie Absolons trayterous minde shoulde bee discouered and sorely punished To the performance of these matters y lord vseth the outrage of sathaÌ„ Achitophells own falshartednes and Absolons owne traiterous ambition horrible lecherie and vnnaturalnes by which euill instruments the lord executed many thinges excéeding well For hee shewed howe muche hée mislyketh whooredome and craftinesse hée chastised Dauid fatherly hee punished Achitophell by his owne handes and finally he made Absolon to cast away himself The scripture beareth witnesse y our being tryed and consequently our chastisement is of the good wyll of our heauenly father that thereby he maye be glorified and his power made perfect in our weakenes And except we bee of that minde what comfort is there for the godly in so great myseries For in the triall of Iob after this maner there is vsed the spitefulnesse of Sathan and the couetousnes and excessiue crueltie of the robbers Sathan therfore dyd sinne in heaping so manye myseries vpon the seruaunt of god and the robbers did wickedly in stealinge awaye another mannes goodes But the Lorde did excéeding well in triynge his seruant and in shewinge the all sathans attemptes againste the churche are in vaine Finallye you will not denye but that the excellentest of all Gods workes was the re-emption of maÌ„kinde For the father deâ—uered his owne sonne for our sinnes â—y his foredetermined purpose and by â—he foreappointment of his eternall orâ—inance according as Peter the church â—f Ierusalem saye and the father is hée â—hat hath not spared his owne sonne for â—ur sakes And what maner of instrumeÌ„â—es hath he put too the performinge of so great a matter Surely the woorst that â—oulde be for no good maÌ„ could haue fouÌ„d â—n his hart too pursew a giltles person â—nd much lesse to betraye him condemne him crucifice him Namely euen the malice of Sathan who was entered into the harte of Iudas the cursed couetousnes and treason of Iudas himselfe the moste desperate enuye and vnrecouerable malice of the Iewes and finally Pilates nicenesse and vntowarde dealinge So is there none of these whiche sinned not moste heynouslye and all of them were payde afterwarde wyth most sore punishement at Gods hand for the same And yet in the meane whyle by thys selfesame worke he saued vs from sinne and death Que. But hereby there seemeth not any other thing to be gathered thaÌ„ that the purposes of euill persones are turned by God to a contrary ende An. Yes hereby also it is coÌ„cluded that God mooueth euen the euill wel effectually to bring his owne worke to pasâ—e by them But you must beare in minde that whiche I haue sayde namely y god dooth in suche wiâ—e mooue euill persons well too bringe his owne good worke about not as a hammer or a hatchet in aworkemans hand which are tooles that can do nothinge at all of themselues but in suche wise as the euill persons doo also mooue themselues ill too will amisse and to do amisse bicause that they themselues are the woorkinge causes of their owne euill dooinges Nowe also this muste bee added that God truely worketh in the good and by the good and that hée woorkes by the euill but not in the euill Quest VVhat difference then is there in these little woordes Ans Vndoubtedly greate For God vseth both the one and the other as instruments as ofte as he listeth and therfore he is rightly sayde too woorke his worke as well by the one as by y other But God worketh in those only whom he breatheth vppon with his holy spirit and whom he ruleth with his holy spirit eyther strengthening them in goodnes namely the Angells and the men that bee regenerated or else indewing them with new goodnesse as when he sanctiâ—teth his seruantes first of all But as for the rest he worketh not in them by doâ—ing any thing within them himself but giueth them vp to be moued and misruled partly by their own lustes and partly by the deuill howbeit in such wise as theyr lewdnesse can neyther will nor worke any thing but that which he â—ath most rightfully ordeined Question VVhat thinke you then of the name of permission or sufferance Answere If by the name of Sufferance there bee ment that difference which I spake of euen nowe namely that God woorketh not in the euyll persones but leaueth them vp to Sathan and to their owne lustes I myslyke it no whit But if Sufferance bee matched agaynâ—â— willingnes I reiect it first as false anâ— secondly as vtterly against reason That it is false it is manifest by this that iâ— god suffer anything to bee done againâ—â— his will then surely is he not God that is to say Almighty But if he be said to suffer a thinge as though he were recheâ— lesse how farre are wée of from the opinion of Epicure It remayneth then that looke what he suffereth to bee doone he suffereth it willyngly Willyngenesse therefore is not to bée matched agaynst Sufferance Agayne if it bee false it must néedes also be against reason And I say that this absurditie may appeare sufficiently too any héedefull person by this that the Aucthors of the distiction wherby Sufferance is matched agaynst willingnesse doo by that meane not only not attein to that which they would that is to wit that god should not be accounted the author of euill which thinge wee acknowledge with al our harts but also bryng the flatte contrary
vtterly impossible that he shold not bée good Ergo willingnesse and necessity are not repugnant For whereas it was of necessity y of two repugnant thynges Adam must choose but the one although none of them both was within the compasse of his owne wyll yet surely the one of them was set downe in the euerlasting ordynance of God which ordynance was bothe out of Adams will and aboue his will yet compelled not his will but rather forasmuch as his will could not take bothe of them it willingly and of it owne accord inclined finally too that part which the ordinance of god had foreset Quest But surely that necessity which is entered in together with lust into mans hart in such wise as he cannot but sinne according as thou hast declared afore seemeth too take away happening An. Although I shoulde graunt it too be so yet cannot men bee exempted from blame first because this necessitye of sinning wherwith mankinde is now ouerwhelmed cometh not of the Creat◠▪ but of the willing inclination of mans naturall will vnto euill as I saide afore And who wil think it strange y he shoulde be burned whiche hath willingly cast himselfe into the fyre Againe althoughe it bee not of hap but of necessitie that man is now caried vntoo euill consideringe that sith he is corrupted by sin hee is as the Apostle saieth become the bondslaue of sin and so remaineth til he bee set free by y sonne of god yet notwithstanding that which he dooth he dooth it willinglye and vnconstreined For like as he cannot but doo euill so also hee delighteth not in any other than euill albeit that the euill lurkinge sometime vnder the coloure of good do make him take it for good And therefore not euen this necessitie whiche was brought in by willinge fall taketh awaye the willinge moouing of the will. Which thing being graūted it foloweth that man is verely the cause of sin inasmuch as although he sin of necessity yet he sinneth willingly And yet say I not that happeninge is taken away by this necessity nother For although that in mā which is hild bound vnder necessity of sinning and is not yet regenerated there remaineth nowe no deliberating whether he may choose the trew good or the euil as there was in mans nature afore his fall yet notwithstaning there remaineth a deliberating betwene euill and euill For where the case standeth not vppon choise of this or that there is no deliberating or debating Now then euen the headiest and hastiest men that be doo deliberate but neither can they vnderstand anye thinge nor thinge any thing and therfore much lesse deliberate of any thing but eyther with straying from y good or else plainly ageinst their conscience ergo al their deliberating is busied aboute the choosing betweene twoo euilles or mo And their preferringe of the one or the other commeth altogether by hap as in respect of their owne voluntary will which happening y vnchangeable ordenaunce of God dooth no more take away now in men corrupted than it tooke it awaye in olde tyme in mankind vncorrupted Qu. The sum then of the thinges which thou hast spokē concerning prouidence is this that nothing in the whole world cometh too passe agaynste Gods will or without his knoweledge that is to say ▪ rashly casually but altogether in such wise as God himself hath ordained them from euerlasting disposing all the mean causes most mightely and effectually so as they be caried on to their appoynted end of necessity as in respect of his ordinance and yet that he is not an authour or allower of any euil bicause he dealeth alwaies most rightfuly with what instrumentes so euer he execute his woorke An. So it is Quest This is yet againe the thing that troubleth mee For although I see that God worketh rightefully by the euill sorte yet not withstandinge if all and euery thing be done by gods eternall or dinaunce so as nothinge at all may bee excluded then it remaineth that the euill doinges of the euill persones euen in respect that they be euill are not exempted from Gods ordinaunce whiche thing me thinks cannot be said without wickednesse An. Neeedes must he be sore troubled to no purpose which laboreth to comprehend gods wisdom within the bounds of his owne reason For I pray you if you woulde go aboute too conteine the whole Ocean in a drinkinge Cup what should you else doo but onely lose your labour bée counted a foole for so doinge And yet more tollerable thoughe not too bée talkt of is the proporcioninge betwéene the maine sea and the least cup that can bée than betwéene gods wisdom and the foolishnesse of mans most corrupt wit. Neuerthelesse I suppose y this whiche thou obiectest may also be fitlye answered vntoo Therfore I graūt thée euē this also that the euill workes of euill men euen in that they bée euill in respecte of themselues are not done againste gods will or without his knoweledge for were it so then should eyther Godlesnesse or else Epicurishenes folowe of necessitie But I saye further that if thou haue an eye too Gods ordinaunce the verye euill it selfe hath a respecte of goodnesse althoughe it bee euill in it selfe so as this Paradox of Austins is verye trewe namelye that it is good also that there should bée euilles too the ende that God should not suffer euilles to bée and truly in not sufferinge hée is not vnwillinge but willing Quest VVhat then Shall wee saye that God willeth iniquitie An. God forbid for it is the horriblest of all blasphemies to saye so But staye thy self awhile I beséech thee that I may expound that whiche I haue sayd so truely and godlilye as it cannot bee denyde but god must also bée auouched not to bée the Iudge of the world The name of Will is taken sometime in the largest signification for that whiche god ordaineth or appointeth In whiche signification wee must vtterly say either y god willeth all thinges y is to say y nothinge commeth to passe which God will not haue done or that God is not almightye if neuer so smal a thing com to passe which he wold not haue don or else y god regardeth not all thinges if any thing come too passe he cares not how And somtime by the name of Will there is ment onely that which liketh him bicause it is good of it owne nature and after this manner the faith full onely are saide too obey God and too execute his will béecause y in this sence God is saide too wyll that is too saye too allowe and except onelye that whiche is good and not too wyll iniquitie Which will of his is vttered fully vnto vs in his lawe but his other will is not so but in part For who knoweth what shal befall but this one daye And nothing shall béefall but that which God hath from euerlastinge both willed and ordeyned too befall Quest
philosophers namelyâ— that in all mankind there is but onely one soule Besides this these wise men are not euen yet agreed vpon the immortality of the soule And what quarelyng is there amonge them about the affections And if we come downe to the mutuall dewties betwene man and man how many things not onley fondly but also wickedly and shamefully haue the best coÌ„mended lawmakers of al nations ordeined which of them did eueÌ„ bethink him of the trew remedy against the headines of affections and no maruell seing they knew neither y causes nor the effects of that deadly disease You sée therfore y euen very reason it self so longe as it continueth but naturall is starke blind in the matters of greatest weight And how many things be there wherin it not only is blind but also stark mad for besides y eche of theÌ„ defendeth those fewe errors which I haue reckened out of a great sorte mo so wilfully as they caÌ„not abide to be taught righter things That the world should be created of nothinge that the woord should become fleshe that any man shoulde bee borne of a virgyn that we should bee counted rightuous for another mannes rightuousnesse that the dead bodies shoulde rise againe and many other such things reason not onlye admitteth them not but also lotheth and skorneth them yea and if ye presse ouer far vpon hir at length like a bedlem shée trampleth all the whole heaueÌ„ly wisdome vnder hir féete except she be made spirituall by the grace of god Yea and euen then also shée ceaseth not too wrestle against the knoweÌ„ wisdome so farfoorth as shée is not chaunged And therfore I trowe ye sée the thinge too bee trew which I spake Quest But you diuines also be ye neuer so spiritual agree not throughly among your selues in all thinges An. That cometh not to passe through faulte of the scriptures wherein the pointes of trew religion are set forth plainlye and manifestly ynough but wée may blame the selfsame reason for it whiche is both blinde and also stubborne Neyther sayd I that wée bée regenerated throughlye but onely in part for were wée regenerated thurrowlye wee shoulde all of vs agrée fully too the truth in all poynctes And therefore I denye not but there remayne the remnantes of that ignorant and stubborne nature but they shalbée done awaye by little and little Quest VVell then let vs graunt that what soeuer pure knoweledge or right iudgement or iuste desire there is in vs the same procedeth of the mere grace of the heauenlye father in his sonne but wylte thou not graunt that this rightuousnes which sticketh in vs is rightuousnes therefore also exceptable too God Ans I graunt it is rightuousnesse For a good trée bringeth foorth good fruyte howbeit but by way of comparison that is to witte if it be compared wyth suche fruites as are rotten in déede But if the verye beste woorkes euen of the holyest men shoulde bée tryed by the rule of Gods wyll that is to saye by the lawe I saye they bée sinnes and albeit they bée not suche as fyght full but agaynste the lawe suche as aduoutrye stealinge lyinge and suche lyke bée yet are they synnes because they shrynke from that degrée of goodnesse whiche the lawe dooth iustlye exacte at mannes hand And therefore as I haue saide afore wée must rest our selues vpon the onlye obedience of Christ imputed to vs by fayth as the only rightuousnes that is absolutly perfect and full in all pointes Quest Nay rather by what right should god exact any thing at mens haÌ„des whoÌ„ he knoweth to be vnable to make payment euen by nature whereof he himselfe is the aucthor Ans That we be not able to make payment it is not of nature which both would and could yelde vnto hir creator after whose image shée was made the thinge that both he required and she owed in asmuch as she was created to the same purpose but it sprange of the willinge corruption of the same nature whiche bringeth too passe that no man eyther wyll or â—an acknowledge that dette and muche lesse pay it Nay rather all of vs do nothinge else but increase that det But too speake euen after the manner of men doothe anye man cease to bee a detter which throughe his owne faulte is not able too paye Furthermore where the creator maye of verye good right and dewtie require at our handes that whiche hâ—â— doth yea and peraduenture somewhat more too if hee take the same in so good worth at our handes that beléeue in hys sonne Christ whom he hath geuen vnto vs most liberally and fréelye that of hys lyke liberalitie he géeues vs fayth also whereby to take the giftes y hee offereth vs who would not rather honour the fathers so infinite goodnesse than stande in contention with him Quest To God therefore the souereine good be glory praise euerlasting Neuertheles giue me leaue to ask you thus muche At leastwise this rightuousnesse that cleaueth vnto vs so farfoorth as it hath regard of rightuousnes must nedes please God who delighteth in rightuousnesse Ans I perceiue the wylinesse not of you as I thinke but of Sathan For inasmuche as he cannot bereue Christe quyte and cleane of the glory of our saluation therefore he goeth about at leastwyse to nippe of some péece of it whiche thynge woulde surely come to passe if he coulde make men beléeue that thynge whiche the filthye Sophisters beare folk in hande namelye that Christes rightuousnesse dooth but simplye that whiche is wantinge in our rightuousnesse Thus therefore standeth the case God beareth suche a loue towardes rightuousnes that whatsoeuer hath any spark of rightuousnesse and cleannesse at all hee alloweth it after a sorte but that is of his owne infinite goodnes and not for anye desert of suche maner of rightuousnesse whiche is but shadowish So allowed he the repentaunce of the Niniuites and of Achab although it were no trew repentaunce but a certaine shrinkinge of themselues vnder the mightye hand of god For he is so excéedinge good that he doth good euen too them that be most vnworthie and much more too suche as bée by any meanes touched with the feelinge of his maiestie Then delighteth he muche more in the woorkes of them that bee regenerated althoughe they bée vnperfect But first I saye that these woorkes of the regenerated doo please hym not for anye woorthynesse of them but of the méere grace of the father who pardoneth that whiche is missinge of rightuousnesse and accepth that whyche proceedeth of hys owne spirite Agayne I deny that our iustification and so consequently that life euerlasting shall bee giuen too these workes after one manner that is to wit as the cause of them please they God neuer so much through his mere grace For this is a sure ground that the rightuous shall liue by faith and euerlasting life is the gift of God. Question But if they please they
too passe For who is more in faulte then he whiche a greate way of foreseeyng a mischéef that is too come and being able too disappoint the same with his only becke not onely disappointeth it not but also suffereth it that is to say giueth leaue to execute the mischiefe for not euen they that bee of that opinion doo deny but that Sathan and much rather wicked men haue not any power to doo any mischeef but by appointment in case as if a man hauing a cruell Lion shet vp in a cage myght with ease kepe him in from hurting folk and yet not only wold not but also wold let him loose and suffer him to runne vpon this man or that man Perchaunce thou wilt say that so mennes sinnes deserue I graunt it Yet notwithstanding it remayneth still that Goddes willingnesse matcheth with hys sufferaunce lyke as when a Magistrate delyuereth an offender into the executioners hand appoynting him the manner of hys punyshement and therefore that there is no reason to say that sufferance striueth against willingnes Quest VVhat then doo euill persons performe Gods will. Ans If you take will in his generall singnification that is to wyt for that thinge whyche God hath willingly determined too haue come too passe and refer the woord Doo not too the intent and purpose of the wicked but too the very falling out of the matter then surely God executeth his will that is to saye the thinge that he hath determined from euerlastinge euen by the wicked also according too this saying who shal resist gods will But if that by the name of Will yee meene the thinge that of it selfe is acceptable vntoo God and will haue the woord Doo too importe a ryght affection of obeying then truely I aunswer that the wicked sorte not onely doo not Gods will but also are caryed wholly to the contrary part Quest Surely I haue not any thing too alledge ageynst it Notwithstanding I come backe ageyne too that which you haue aunswered namely that God created all thynges good at the beginnyng From whence then commes their faultinesse For if it entered without Gods appoyntment then is your saying impeached namely that nothynge at all is exempted from goddes Prouidence no not euen from hys working prouidence But if Goddes appoyntment forewent it I speake it not of purpose too blaspheme hym howe is he not the author of all euill Ans The cause of the faultinesse of the Angelles and of the firste man was the willing inclination of their owne willes vnto euill For god had created them but chaungeably good for too bee of it selfe vnchaungeably good is peculiar onely vnto God alone Que. Then both the Angels that neuer fell nor neuer shall fall and also all they that shal bee gathered vp into euerlastinge life should be Gods. Ans I deny the consequence For that the blessed Angelles neuer fell nor neuer shall fall and that there shall not bée any ende of their euerlasting blessednesse it commeth not of their vnchaungeable nature for y is peculiar vnto God alone but bycause they bee continuallye vnderpropped wyth the power of the vnchangeable god whiche power if it shold forsake them as forsake them it might if god would then doubtlesse might they not onlye bee chaunged but also vtterly banishe awaye be brought to nothing And therefore I haue sayde that the cause of faultinesse is the willinge inclination of the will which was made good in déede howbeit yet able too bée chaunged vnto euill For the saide wyll was chaungeable by Gods ordinaunce who created it so bicause that otherwise looke howe many vnchaÌ„geable natures he had made so manye Gods had he made And chaunged it was at Gods forsaking of it for too whom is hee bounde but yet by chaunging it self of it owne accorde so as the cause of faultinesse maye séeme to bée imputed rather to forsakinge than to inforâ—inge Quest But if this chauÌ„ge happened not without gods foredeterminatioÌ„ verelye it may seeme that al this inconuenience is to be fathered vpon him Ans That foloweth not forasmuche as gods determination tooke not awaye the will of y first man so also neyther hys aduisement or choosing but only ordered it For he was chaÌ„ged by falling vtterlye of his owne accorde which thing is to bée vnderstoode muche more of the falling of the Angels whose faultines krept vpon them froÌ„ at home and perhappes y was the cause that mooued God to haue pitye vpon men whiche fell by the stepping in of the diuell and not too haue pitie of the diuell and his Angelles Quest But otherwise it could not come to passe than god had ordeined should come to passe An. I graunt both For neither were it reason that the said euerlasting ordinaÌ„ce wherein I shewed a little erst that all things and euery thing without exception are comprehended should be shet out from the changinge of the chéefe péece of worke And too â—â—uouch y such maner of ordinaunce were changeable it were a poinct of wickednes Let both oâ— theÌ„ therfore be most trew Yet doth it not therevppon folow eyther that theÌ„ faulte is in God who as I sayd doth alwayes well yea euen then also when his instrumentes offend or that man is without fault as who hath not offended but willingly For this necessitye where throughe the thing that god had ordeined must néedes come to passe hath not takeÌ„ awaye either will or happening but rather hath ordered and disposed them consideringe that amonge the causes of mennes doinges euen the chéefest cause is will. Quest Your meaninge then is that the necessity of chosig that which god hath ordeined from the beginninge repugneth not against will. But happening is saide to be that whiche maye either fall out or not fal out An. Yea and I say more plainly y willingnesse or happeninge are not taken away by necessity but by compulsion As for example It was of necessity y christe should die in the age time and place fore ordeined from euerlastinge for else the Prophetes might haue lyed And yet if yée haue an eye too the naturall disposition of Christes flesh by it selfe without the foredetermination of God there is no doubte but by nature hée might haue liued longer and therfore that in that respect hée dyed by happe Christes bones might haue bin broken if ye looke vpon the nature of bones by themselues but if yée looke vntoo Gods ordinaunce they coulde no more bee broken than it is possible that God shoulde alter his determination And therefore the vnchaungeable necessitie of Goddes ordinaunce dooth not take awaye the happeninge of the seconde causes but dispose it Also it was of necessitye that Christ dyed by the ordinance of his father yet he dyed willingly yea and God forbid that euer wee should dye vnwillingly who notwithstanding must of necessitie dy once And what more God himselfe is most fréely yea most willingly good and yet is it
lykewise in asmuche as the cause it selfe requireth that whereas some bee chosen vntoo life the refidewe must bee vnderstode too be appoynted vntoo death Furthermore seinge that the vessels of glory bee said too bee predestinated too glory the ouersetting of flatte contraries doth vtterly require that wee should conster the vessels of wrath to bee such as are predestinated vntoo death Quest But here it is noted that when the Apostle intreateth of the vessels of glory he vseth a woord that importeth doing when he speaketh of the vessels of wrath he vseth a woord that importteth suffering Ans I graunt that if it be demaunded of the middle causes whereby the vessells of wrath are caried too the wrath that is appointed for them they themselues are the onlycause of theyr owne damnation But truly this distruction is toyish For Luke iutreating of y elect vseth a participle of the passiue voyce saying as many as were ordayned to euerlasting life What was that of themselues and not rather of the mere grace of god Besides this it is nothing to the matter For we intreat not of saluation or damnation but of the ordinaunce too Saluation or dampnation which disposeth ordereth the very causes of executing theÌ„ therefore in no wise hangeth vpon them for that is altogether aboue the skies as the old prouerb sayeth To be short whither is it harder to say y some bee predestinated to dampnatioÌ„ than to saye y they bee registred to daÌ„pnatioÌ„ long agoe as sainct Iude speaketh or to say y they be appointed to wrath as Paule speaketh Lastly I said not y the dampnation of the reprobates is the ende y god purposed vpon in his fore ordinance but his owne glorye Neither also did I simply saye y the Reprobates were appoincted to daÌ„pnation but I saide they were ordeined too Iust damnatioÌ„ shewing therby that although no man be dampned but such as the lord hath ordayned to damnation for otherwise the aforesaide blasphemies that I spake of wold folow of necessity yet are none damned but such as are founde too haue in themselues iust causes of dampnatioÌ„ What falsnes theÌ„ or what roughnes hath my foresaid sayinge in it Quest You seme to be disproued by this saying God will haue almen saued and by such other like vniuersall sentences An. Then say thou that some bee dampned whither God will or no or else confesse that the saide text must bee taken otherwise which thinge the promises also doo shew namely which thâ—â—ge euen the scholemeÌ„ themselues haue espied y therby must be ment not the particulars of all kinds but all kindes of particulars 〈…〉 speake more plainly so as it may be not an vniuersall but an indefinite proposition which ought to be interpreted thus rather that is to wit that god will haue anye maner of men too bee saued which self kinde of spéeche Mathew vseth when he sayeth that the Lorde healed all sykenesses and diseases that is to say al sorts or kindes of diseases accordinge as bothe Latinmen and Englishemen doo nowe and then speake For I praye you dare anye man saye that God will haue all men saued yea euen thoughe they continewe in vnbeléefe too the verye laste gaspe Truelye no. For if it bée the fathers wyll that hée whiche beléeueth in the Sonne shoulde not perishe it foloweth that it is his will also that whiche beléeueth not in the Sonne shoulde perishe And therefore those two thinges namely Too bee saued and too come to the knowledge of the truthe must bee yoked together so as it maye bee vnderstoode that God will haue those onely too be saued whom he vouchsaueth to com to the knowledge of the truth But faith which is this trewe knowledge lyghteth neyther vppon all men nor yet vppon the ronner or willer as the Apostle witnesseth but commeth of Gods mercye and lighteth vpon them only which as Luke sayeth are ordeined to euerlastinge life and whose harts as the same Luke writeth God openeth so as they take heede to his word Then must we vnderstand that gods predestination extendeth to all sortes of men that is too wit both Iewes and Gentiles priuate persons and magistrates men and women olde men and yongmen slaues and gentlemeÌ„ suche as bee giltye of manye sinnes and suche as be giltye offeawer sinnes For these only suchâ— other like are the circumstances y are included in y foresaid sentence Quest VVill you then make electioÌ„ to bee particular Ans And I woulde fayne knowe if the man bee in hys right wyttes that imagineth Election too bee vniuersall For trulye he that taketh all maketh no choyce and hee that chooseth a thinge out froÌ„ two other things or mo must needes bee saide too refuse or forsake the things that he chooseth not Quest But surely the calling and promis are vniuersall Ans Understande them too bee indefinite yea and that in respecte of certaine circumstances of whiche I haue spoken and thou shalt thinke the rightlyer And so altogether are those things also too bee taken whiche diuerse lerned men of our time haue written about this controuersie Or else see how very reason of necessity confuteth that vniuersall callinge For if yee meane it of the calling by the preaching of the woorde it is not trewe that all men are or euer were yea or euer shal bee called so seuerallye hereafter For howe manye haue died doo dye and shall die before they haue hard aught at all of this woorde But if ye take it to bee ment of the other calling whiche hath a muche larger scope namely of the beeholding of nature wherby is vnderstoode that whiche may be knowen of god not euen this nother is so vniuersally trew as that it comprehendeth euery seuerall person For how many haue died dayly doo dye in such age as is vtterly vnfit for that contemplation There can not nor may not any calling and muchlesse any election bee warranted too bee vniuersall but onely too bee indefinite and that must also be only with an exclusion of these certein circumstances aforesaid Quest But what if wee say that all men are called vniuersally to saluation vnder condition that they beleue therfore that saluation is offered vniuersally as in respect of God which calleth and that the fault why this calling is not vniuersally of effect is not in God but in the stubbornnes of the vnbeleuers which refuse the good turne that is offred them Ans This doubtlesse is trew in some respect For no doubt but the stubbornnes of the vnbeleeuers is the thinge that disappointeth the application and efficacy of the promises that bee offered No dout also but calling hath a larger scope than election But yet your supposalls are neither truly ynough nor fitly enough spoken For first wee haue shewed that not euen the outward calling whither yee looke to that which is naturall or to that which is doone by the
woord of the Gospell pertayneth too euery seuerall persone Wherfore as touching those that wee speake of there is found in them no stubbornnesse against the Gospell but onely originall corruption whiche notwithstanding is euen of it self alone sufficient to damne the reprobates Besides this although the condition of beléeuing bee annexed yet doth not the ordinance hang vpon that but rather that hangeth vppon the ordinaunce as which goeth in order before all other inferior causes Else see howe false and vnreasonable thinges insew For it will folowe that God in deuising with himselfe did firste set before him his whole woork as already finished and that accordinge as he saw his woorke should bée disposed of itselfe and not by him that made it he should therupon take occasion too determine that is too say too appoynt eyther too saluation or damnation Or if yee like better that god himselfe was vncerteine how the performing or not performinge of the condition woulde fall out Then must it bée concluded that Gods ordinance hangeth in suspence and that the determination of the case as Austin trimly sayeth is not in the power of the potter but of the clay And herevpon wil be grounded another false opinioÌ„ namely that faith hath not his beginnyng of God but of the will of man if it bee so that Gods foresight gaue him cause too determin vpon his choise Neither is it too the purpose to obiect that faith is not foresene forasmuch as it is a gift of god that commeth in by the waye but that corruption and vnbeleefe are foresene which are naturall in man after his fall For the reason of the contraries requireth in any case that loke in what degrée faith is placed in the ordinance of Election euen in the same degree must faithlesnesse or vnbeeleefe bee placed in the ordinance of reprobation Therefore if ye make faith foreknowen too bee the cause of the ordinance of election which is vtterlye a poynte of a Pelagian and therefore repealed by Austin you must needes deeme the same also of vnbeleefe in the contrarye ordynance of reprobation And on the othersyde if yee submit faith vnto the sayd ordinance as you needes must for wee be chosen to the intent to beleue and not bicause wee wold or should beleue you must nedes also in the contrary member submit vnbeleefe to the ordinance of reprobation Quest VVill you then make the ordinance of reprobation to be the cause of vnbeleeue as wel as you make the ordinance of election too bee the cause of faith Answer No. For the ordinance of election is in déede the efficient cause of faith But corruption or vnbeleefe with the fruites therof are in such wise put vnder the ordinance of reprobation as that the will of man is the first efficient cause of them and yet notwithstanding they be subiect too the ordinance bycause that although it bee not throughe the ordynance yet is it not besydes the ordynance nor without the ordynance that those thinges happen whereof the fayling cause and not the efficient cause is grrounded in God as I sayde afore For like as they onely beléeue in whom God createth fayth euen so through Gods forsaking of mannes wil sinne is krepte into mankynde and there abydeth yelding ill fruit in as manye as God listeth too leaue vp too their owne lustes that they may bee the cause of theyr own damnation whervntoo they are also inregestred and appoyncted from euerlastinge Furthermore that I may retyre vntoo the other question whatsoeuer is sayde of the forenamed condition whiche is annexed too the ordinaunce as who should saye that the ordinance depended vppon the condition it is vnfitly spoken .. For the ordinance of sauinge the elect sort is another thinge than the verye glorifiynge of the elect and the ordinance of dampning the Reprobates is another thinge than the verye damninge of them in somuche as the ordinaunce it selfe must needes bee distinguished from the execution of it The execution than of the ordinaunce of election that is too wyt the saluation of the chosen dependeth vppon faythe that taketh holde of Christe and the execution of the ordinaunce of Reprobation that is too wyt the dampnation of the castawaies dependeth vppon synne â—nd there fruites thereof accordinge tâ—o this saying of the Prophet thy destruction O Israell commeth of thy selfe And of this ordinance of choosinge some men too bee saued by grace and of refusing othersome too bee dampned through their owne sinnes we know none other cause but this one namely that the Lord who is both incomparablye mercyfull and incomparablye rightfull will bee glorifyed in that wise He that holdes not himselfe contented with this for asmuche as hee seeketh some hygher thynge and some rightfuller thinge than Goddes will hee is worthely reprooued by the Apostle for a â—rabler Quest Ergo God hateth some not for their sinnes sake but because he listeth so too doo An. This is a slaunderous obiectioÌ„ For it is certeine that God hateth no maÌ„ but for sinne for otherwise he had hated hys owne work But it is one thing to hate and another thing to ordeine one to iuste hatred For the cause of the hatred is manifest namely euen sinne but why God appoynteth whoÌ„ he listeth vntoo iust hatred thoughe the cause bee hid from vs sauinge too the ende hee may bee glorified yet cannot it not be vnrightuous toÌ„sideringe that the will of God is the only rule of rightfulnes For if wee speake of this soueraigne will of God which ordereth disposeth the causes of all thinges wée must not say that a thinge ought too be rightful before God should wil it but contrarywise that God must firste wyll the thynge beefore it can bee ryghtfull whiche who so considereth not shall reason but confusedly of this matter Quest But yet for all this God seemeth too bee a regarder of persons if he yelde not alike vnto all that haue done alyke For in this poincte all men are like that they bee corrupted by nature spred into them from Adam An. Nay trulye it foloweth not of necessitye that whosoeuer yeeldeth not alyke vnto like shoulde bee an accepter of persons but he onlye whiche yeldeth not alyke vnto lyke because hee is parciallye mooued by some circumstaunces that accompany the person it self as if two men were offenders alike the iudge shoulde acquit the one of them bicause he is rich or his kinsman or his countrieman For these be the persons that may not bee regarded of him that will iudge vncorruptlye But I pray you let vs put the case y two men bee indetted vnto you both in like somme and both vppon like conditions Nowe if of your liberalitie you forgiue the one his dette and exact the other mans dette accordinge too extremity of law shall there bee any excepting of persons in this behalfe What if some souereigne hauing a cupple that offend alike doo of his meere grace parden
the one mans offence and punishe the other according to his desertes shall there be any parciality in the matter Nay truly if there be any fault in such dealing it is not towardes him that is punished but towards him that is borne withall that is but a gentle fault Muchlesse therefore can any parciality or regard of persons be deemed to be in y case which we haue now in hand considering how God acquiteth not the elect but by the imputation of christs satisfaction if any thing may be called in question as scarce indifferent in this behalf mē may seme to cauill rather vpon the mercy towardes the elect thā vpō the rightfull rigor towards the castawaies Finally to what ende is all this For in order of causes gods ornance gooeth before the very creation of mankind onlesse thou wilt make god so vnwise a workman as too create mankind before he had determined with him self to what end he wold make him And what could he sée in them that as yet had no being whereby he might be moued to determine this or that concerning them Therfore this discourse also perteineth not to the ordinance but to the execucion of the ordinance wherin notwithstāding as I sayd euen now there can no parcialitie or accepting of persons be found Quest Dost thou not then by the terme lump which the apostle Paul vseth vnderstand the created corrupted mankinde whereout of God ordineth some to honour and some to dishonour An. There is no doute but God taketh both the sorts out of the same lump ordeining them to contrary endes Yet doo I say and plainely auouche that Paule in the same similitude mounteth vp to the said souerain ordinance whervnto euen the very creation of mankind is submitted in order of causes therefore much lesse doth the Apostle put the foreséene corruption of mankinde before it For firste by the terme Lump there is manyfestlye betokened a substance as yet vnshapen and onely prepared too woorke vppon afterwarde Agayne in likening God too a Potter and mankinde too a lumpe of Clay wherof vessells are too be made afterwarde out of all doubte the Apostle betokeneth the firste creation of men Furthermore hee shoulde speake vnproperly too say that vesselles of wrath are made of that lumpe For if that lumpe betokened men corrupted then were they vessels of dishonour already and the potter should not be saide too make them other than such as they had made them selues already Finially so shoulde the cause as well of the ordinaunce of Reprobation as of the execution of the same ordinance that is too wit of the damnation of the Reprobate bee manyfest for men should see it were corruption But why then shuld the Apostle mount vp too that secret wil of God which is rather too bee honored than searched if he had so ready an aunswere at hande specially which might earye alikelyhood of truth with it euen in the reason of man Quest Truly thou compellest mee to agree vnto thee euen in this poynt also But yet this is another thing that troubleth mee If this ordinaunce be of necessity vnchaungeable as it is indeed to what purpose doo men disquiet themselues for whether they doo well they must neuerthelesse perishe if they be or deyned toodamnation or whither they doo ill they shal be saued if they bee ordeined too life Question Certeinly it is a fond obiection too surmize that thing which neuer shall nor can come to passe For from whence coms Repentaunce and the fruites therof Truly euen from regeneration thorough the spirite of Christ taken hold on by faith But trew faith is geuen to the chozen sort onely Ergo onely the elect doo repent and geue themselues too good workes The rest haue not so much as the will too thinke any thing aright and much lesse too doo it considering that too will aright and too doo aright commeth of Gods grace which is peculiar only to the chozen And therfore as fonde also is the saying of them which holde opinion that they shal be saued if they bee chosen what kynd of life so euer they giue them selues vnto For as many as bee chosen are the children of God but if they bee Gods children then also as the Apostle sayeth they beeled by Gods spirit And therfore the elect truely cannot perishe for then should gods ordinance faile or else at least wise God should bee changeable but like as they cannot perishe so also are they in their seasonable time indewed with faith and ingreffed in christ in whom finally they be iustified sanctified and glorified Que. But yet must they needes perishe that are ordeined too damnation Answere I graunt but yet it is bycause they bée sinners For euermore betwene the ordynance and the execution of the ordinance there steppeth in sinne which wil stoppe the mouthes of any men bée they neuer so captious For what is more rightfull than that God should punishe sinne And too whom is he bounde too shewe mercye Therefore I am not wont too maruell that anye man perissheth but rather I maruell that Gods goodnesse can bee so great as that all doo not perishe Question Bicause thou hast so often distinguished the middle causes frō the ordynance that disposeth them I would also haue them rehersed on eyther part Answere Forasmuch as God as it may bée perceiued by the falling out of thinges had determined from euerlasting to setforth his glory cheefly in mākind which glorye consisteth partly in extendinge mercye and partly in extending hatred ageinst sinne he created man sound both within and without indued him with right vnderstanding and will but yet he made him chaungeable For he hymself beyng singularly good coulde not create and will any euyll and yet except euyll had entred into the world there had bin no roome neither for mercy nor for iustice Man therefore being changeable brought himselfe and all that should bee borne of him in bondage of sinne and of Gods wrath willingly altogether by missehap as in respect of the beginning that sticked in man himselfe that is too say in respect of his owne wil albeit that it were of necessitie if yee consider Gods ordinance and the sequele of the matter From thensforth the Lorde accordinge as he had determined frō euerlastinge bringing forth now som and then some doth so leade them forth too their appointed endes too bee glorifyed in them on either side that of them in whom he wil haue his glory to appéere by their saluation some he remoueth out of hande too eternall life as freely comprised within his couenant and othersome whome it pleaseth him too haue too continewe longer in this life he calleth by the effectuall woorde of the Gospell sometime earlyer and somtime later at what time he listeth and greffeth them into Christ in whom he iustifieth them sanctifieth thē and finallye rewardeth thē with eternall life And as for y residew whiche are appointed