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
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
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
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
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
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
canst not denie except thou wilt adde somewhat to thine vnmeasurable impudencie that in teaching these things we haue as it were persisted in the steps of Paul. But we shall sée more of this when we shall deale with thée hande to hande Now I shall discharge my dutie if I shall euidently lay open to all Readers thine intollerable impudencie in deuising these detestable Slaunders Therfore that I may returne thither whence I haue digressed I will further auouch two places out of Caluine agaynst thy slaunders For thus he sayth Albeit before the fal of Adam God for secrete causes had determined what he would do yet do we reade in Scripture that he condēneth nothing but sinne So it remaineth that he had iust causes to reiect some but vnknowen to vs and he hateth or condemneth in man nothing but that which is not agreable with his iustice Agayne he sayth Let vs learne that we ought so to consider the Prouidence of God that we may geue glory and prayse to his omnipotencie For the wisdome and iustice of God is euer to be ioyned with his power Like as therfore the Scriptures do teach that the Lord in his iustice wisedome doth this or that so teache they a certayne ende for which he doth this or that For that fayned deuise of the absolute power of God whiche the Scholemen inferre is an execrable blasphemie For it is as much as if they should say that god were some tyrant determining what he list without equitie Their Scholes are full of suche blasphemies neither are they vnlike the Ethnicks who helde that God did dally in mens matters But we are taught in the schole of Christ that the righteousnesse of God doth shine in his workes of what sorte soeuer they be that all mouthes may be stopped and glorie giuen to him alone Doste thou Sycophant at the last acknowledge howe muche thine impudencie was in these patched Articles Thou hast further added other slaunders For first for that which Caluine hath said that some mē are reiected for iuste cause but to vs vnknowne thou making no mētion of any cause sayst that we teach that the greatest part of men are created to damnation But yet we will not striue of the number for we knowe by the Scriptures and the continuall experience of all ages that the most do enter by the brode gate which leadeth to destruction yet notwithstanding doste not thou surcease to be a slaunderer who in accusing doest adde somewhat of thine owne Then wherein thy wickednes doth most appeare thou so writest these things as if we should say that the ende of the creation of Reprobates is their eternall damnation which slaunder I thus refell with the very words of Caluine It ought to be knowen sayth he among all men that Salomon sayth that God hath created all things for him selfe euen the wicked agaynst the day of euill Beholde séeing the disposition of all things is in the hande of God séeing the determination of life and death remayneth in him and so at his will and pleasure ordeineth that among men some euen from their mothers wombe should be vndoubtedly giuen ouer vnto death who should glorifie his name in their destruction Therefore that we may briefly conclude Caluine thinketh not that the Reprobate are therefore simply created that they shoulde perish but that perishing in their owne defaulte they might aduaunce the Iustice of god And further that their perdition so dependeth of the Predestination of God that the whole matter and cause of their damnation be founde in them selues and albeit it is incomprehensible to humaine senses yet that it is the iust determination of God. Why therefore doest thou wickedly and maliciously leaue vntouched all that whiche is spoken of the fault of them that perishe and the glory of God But go too let vs heare with what sounde Arguments thyselfe canst oppugne thine owne slaunder The Sicophantes Arguments agaynst the first Article THEY say that the first Article is both agaynst Nature and against Scripture Of Nature they say thus Euery liuing creature naturally loueth his issue but this nature is of God whereon it followeth that God should loue his issue For neither woulde he make that liuing creatures should loue their issue except he loued his owne And this they proue thus The Lorde hath said Should I cause others to bring forth children and shall not my selfe bring forth As though he should say That whiche I cause others to doe I my selfe doe the same But I cause others to bring forth children therefore I also doe bring foorth Hence they bring an argument of similitude God causeth liuing creatures to loue their issue therefore he loueth his owne But all men are the issue of God for God is the father of Adam of whom all men are borne Therefore he loueth all men REFVTATION FIRST of all I say thou dost vnwisely in this place to dispute eyther of the loue or hatred of God towardes men For neither is it demaunded héere whether he hath hated any but whether he hath reiected any Which two béeing diuerse thou notwithstanding haste déemed one I will speake more playnely that thou mayste not complayne of obscuritie We say that there is an assured order of causes ordeyned of the Lorde notwithstanding he at once beholdeth all things as present yet hath he willed some causes in order to succéede and some to goe before which order of causes also the Philosophers haue acknowledged and haue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succession by turne We affirme therefore that the hatred of God in reiecting of men in the order of causes hath not procéeded from the eternall decrée of God as that whiche of right we place in the highest degrée of all causes but rather to succéede So it is that albeit whomsoeuer the Lord from euerlasting doth predestinate to destruction afterwarde in his tyme he hateth yet to Predestinate to destruction is not to hate but to giue them ouer to his hatred But therewithall when the Lorde appoynteth vnto death whome he listeth he also ordereth the causes of hys iuste hatred to come that the whole matter of his hatred remayne in the menne them selues decréed to destruction and therefore hys Iustice to shyne in them to be prosecuted with hatred and lastely to be damned But thou arte deceyued in that whiche déemest that God dothe firste hate anye man before he assigne him vnto death Whiche is as foolishe as if thou shouldest say that he firste beginneth to hate before he haue determined whome he wyll hate Therefore I coulde at one worde conclude wyth thée that we thus farre agrée that we bothe confesse that God hateth and condemneth nothing in men but guyltinesse and sinne but that we disagrée in this that thou supposest the hatred of God to be the cause why he decreeth some to destruction and we say that that hatred is not the cause of the sacred decrée but the effect Neyther dothe it
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.
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
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
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
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
howe the Lord séeing he can saue all enen onelye with a becke yet saueth few and why of two equall in themselues he rather saneth this than that Finally that we maye persiste in the propounded example there be infinite of that sorte I pray◠thée that by thy common sense thou wilte foredoe this dubble knotte whiche Augustine fasteneth Great sayth he are the workes of the Lorde that in a wonderfull and inspeakeable maner that be not done besides his wil whiche is done againste his wil bicause it should not be done if he did not suffer it nor indéede doeth he suffer againste his will but willingly Also if we suffer those that be vnder oure aucthoritie to committe euills before oure eyes we shall be guiltie with them But howe innumerable doth he suffer to be done before his eies which if he wold not he woulde by no meanes suffer and yet he is iust and good That remaineth which thou reportest of Similitudes as if in déede Christe did adde them for plainnesse sake as we vse in teaching But I graunt indéede that they are taken of familiar experience but so farre it is off that I agrée vnto thée that they are alleadged for perspicuitie that contrarily trusting to the testimonie of the holy Ghost I affirme that it was done by the iuste iudgement of an angry God that Christs mighte set downe his misteries to a faithlesse adulterous natiō riddle wise For there is greate oddes betwene similitudes whiche in declaring a thing are wonte to be vsed of Maisters and those whiche they call Parables whiche thou maiste call more rightly Allegories or Kiddles thā Similitudes But why should we not credite the holy Ghost rather than thée The fourth Slaunder All the wicked actes that man committeth are the good and iuste workes of God. THE ANSVVERE WHat is it to playe the Diuel if this be not The wordes of Caluine which thou hast wrested are these We muste sayeth he sée howe the will ōf GOD is cause of all things that are done in the world and yet GOD is not the Authour of euills I will not saye with Augustine whiche yet I reuerence as spoken truelye of him that in Sin or euill there is nothing posititious For it is a sharpe saying whiche woulde not content manye But I make choice of an other beginning Those things whiche are wickedly and vniustly done of men the same are the right and iuste workes of god If this séeme to some at the firste sighte a Paradox lette them not at the leaste be so highe minded but a little bée content with me to enquire out of the word of God what is to be thought These sayeth Caluine Then he sheweth by the Scriptures how God by his coūsel gouerneth those thinges whiche séeme moste casuall what is the Stoicall necessitie and how far casualtie is not abandoned Then he descendeth to those actions wherein the counsells and endeuoures of men come in betwixt and teacheth that God worketh so as that that be performed which was or dained from abone euen by the wicked themselues albeit vnwitting and againste their will. Summarily Caluine teacheth that God worketh wel euen by euill instrumēts so ofte as pleaseth him nor therefore that himselfe is allyed to anye faulte or that the euill instruments do not sin If he speak either wickedly or vnaptly or too obscurely that speaketh so let that holy Ghost be blamed of all these faults For that Lorde letteth not in Isai to call that miserable destructiō of Ierusalem ful of al calamities so much the more of offēces his work but vtterly in a cōtrary respect So Peter doubteth not to saye that Christe was betrayed by the determinate counsel and foreknowlege of God. The Churche at Ierusalem accordeth with Peter and speaketh yet more sharpely if there be in these kindes of speaking any sharpenesse at all For it speaketh of Herode and Pontius Pilate no otherwise than of the Executioners of the counsells of god Also Paule saith plainly that God spared not his sonne Dauid sayeth that Ioseph was sent before of the Lorde into Egipt The same calleth his aduersaries the Hand Sworde of the Lorde The Lord himselfe calleth Nabuchadnezer his seruant But is this with the Libertines to make God the Authour of sinne or to intermixe the wicked actes of the vngodlye with the sacred workes of God But of these it is spoken plainelye in the depelling of the former slaunder The Sycophants arguments to the fourth Slaunder Against the fourth against that of the Prophet Isai they crie out VVe be to them that call good euil and euill good If sinne be good and the iuste worke of God it foloweth that righteousnesse is the euil and vniust work of God for righteoousnesse is euery way contrary to sinne If sinne be iuste it foloweth that iniustice be iuste For sinne is iniustice If son be the worke of God it foloweth that God doth committe sin and if he committe sin he is the seruaunt of sin by Christes sentence If sinne be the worke of God and Christe came to abolishe sinne he came to abolishe the worke of god But if he came to abolish the workes of the Diuel as Peter witnesseth whiche be the workes of the Diuel if sinne be the iuste worke of God God hateth and punisheth his own iust work therefore he is vniuste But if it be obiected to them that sinne is not sinne to God they wil answere to whome therefore is it sin or why doeth he himselfe hate it or why is it sinne but bycause it is contrary to the lawe not of men but of God If sinne be the worke of God God committeth sinne and if God committeth sinne he sinneth as hee that doeth righteousnesse is righteous But if God sinne why doeth he forbid others to sinne why doeth he not rather commaunde them to sinne that men maye folowe him The child ought to folowe hys father Be ye holy saith hee for I am holyes Therefore by the same reason it shal be saide Committe sin for I committe sinne THE REFVTATION TRuelye thou couldest not cite anye place more to the purpose than this of I sai that it maye wholye agrée with thée and thy faction For what else is it to call God euill thā to do that you do that is to peruert those things which be we godly written with most filthie slaunders Sée therfore howe gently and simply I will deale with thée whatsoeuer thou collectest by these argumentes I consēt to thée that it is true but it maye be I graunte thée more than in déede thou wouldest that is that thou arte brainelesse starke mad that thou sholdest holde such a conflict in so hote contentiō against thine own shadow I wil only in few words answere to that obiection which y vnworthily layst to our charge For we do not say that sinne against God is not sin but when we distinguish betweene the works of God and of Sathan or
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
haue euer bin an infinite number of such in the world the truth it selfe whiche euerie one séeth wil sufficiently conuince thée And to what purpose is this that is that al confesse that by their own nature they are inexcusable albeit they are borne concluded vnder the necessitie of sinne For necessitie doth not take awaye will as whiche albeit necessarie yet not enforced but of it selfe and willingly shoulde not be drawne vnwilling but might be carried witting and willing vnto wickednesse But yet thou wilte saye there is no manne so wretched that he would desire euil Yes in déede there is in him the very miserable scruitude of man not fréed from the yoke of sinne so that neither his vnderstanding can do that which is of God and therfore perceiue that which is good nor his will alowe nor his sense desire but that whole man deceiued with a shew of euil runneth headlong into euill draweth destructiō to himselfe And to this cuil there cōmeth another also whiche also what it is thou knowest not For he which before the precept was inexcusable alreadie after the commandement is muche more inexcusable than before Paule is witnesse of that thing whiche witnesseth that that lighte with how little socuer men be indued is therefore left to them that they might be made without excuse For séeing that in dwelling lewdnesse doeth by and by oppresse put out this lighte who séeth not that by this means the offence is doubled But if also the cleare exposition of the lawe of God do approche then indéede concupiscence waxeth strong and the raines let at libertie is enforced vnto mischiefe But what if also the preaching of the Gospell then indéede concupiscence breaketh out into plaine madnesse as the examples of all times and ages do proue that is to say in them in whose harts the Lord doth not kindle the light of his Spirite But thou wilte say it is vniuste to commaunde that whiche thou knowest cannot be performed as if some father shoulde commannde his sonne to eate a rocke But thou speakest maruellous wisely Men were neuer created so that they coulde deuoure mountaines It shal therfore be vniust to require of them that they shoulde deuoure a mountaine But this necessitie of sinning this imperfection whiche causeth that wée are not apte so muche as to thinke that whiche is good doeth it procéede from that firste creation yea from the deprauednesse But whence came this deprauation but bycause willingly fell from his creator whence the necessitie of sinning came vpon all men If all men be worthily helde guiltie of this downfall saith Caluine let thē not thinke themselues excused by the necessitie in whych they haue a moste euident cause of their dampnation Also in another place What shoulde man do saieth he whē the mollifying of hearte is denyed him whiche was most necessarie to obedience Yea what doth he séeke outscapes when he can impute the hardenesse of hearte to none but to himselfe Finally that I maye make ende with thée in some time heare if thou canste heare anye thing howe brieflie to the purpose that Caluine decideth al this controuersie by whose side thou fightest against the truth It is not lawfull to pretend an excuse saith he bycause there wāteth power and as banckerout debtors we were neuer able to paye For it is not méete that we shoulde measure the glorie of God after our own power Of what sorte soeuer we be he remaineth for euer like himselfe a friend to righteousnes displeased with iniquitie Whatsoeuer he exacteth of vs bicause he cannot demaunde but that whiche is iuste by the bonde of nature there abideth a necessitte of Obeying And whereas we cannot obey that is our own faulte For if we are helde captiue of our own concupiscence wherein sinne raigneth least we should be loosed into the obedience of our father there is no cause why we shoulde alleage necessitie for our defence whose euill is euen amongest oure selues and to be imputed to oure selues The Sycophants third Argument to the thirtenth and fourtenth slaunder If Caluines saying bee true man is withoute excuse before the commaundement whereby it foloweth that there is no no neede of the commaundement to the causing of this inexcusablenesse For if the resected bee wicked before hee bee wicked that is before he bee that is to witte from euerlasting and therefore sinneth necessarily nowe he is inexcusable and damned before the precept and that against all lawes both of God and man For al lawes con demne a man after the offence and for the offence at this Caluins God hath candemned and reiected the wicked before they were muche more before they were wicked or had sinned and bycause hee hath damned them before sinne hee causeth them to sinne that is that hee maye seeme to haue condemned them iustly THE REFVTATION God suppresse thée Sathan who heapest togither so manye lies without all shame We haue plentifully proued that men are inexcusable before the precept that is before the knowledge of the precept as those whiche are borne the childrē of wrath Where thou gatherest hence that there is no néede of the precept to make this inexcusablenesse it is foolish and ridiculous Why maye not an euill estate be made worse And thou arte wonderfullye deceiued if thou thinkest that we iudge al men to be alike inexcusable when the Lorde testifyeth that there be manye which shall be punished with a greater iudgement and beaten with moe stripes Whereas thou sayste that the reiected are wicked before they be that is from euerlasting it is not our doctrine but the Apostles who witnesseth that Esau was hated that is was ordained to batred as we haue shewed in his place before be was born and hadde done anye euill and that God as a Potter maketh vessells of dishonoure Therefore this doctrine is true if in déed thou considerest reprobation in the purpose of God but if thou considerest it in that it commeth forth alreadie into acte as they speake or in that the Lord beginneth nowe to execute his determination in effecte or foreknoweth the execution thereof it is false that thou saiste For God in effecte reiecteth none but those that are corrupted in Adam and with whome therefore hée is worthily displeased Whereas thou saiste that the reprobates sinne of necessitie it is not truly said of thée For the purpose of necessitie is not the cause of that necessitie but Adams sinne which issued forth vppon all men Whereas thou saiste that the reprobates are damned before the precepte it is false in euerie respecte for there is no man damned excepte for sinne And where there is no lawe there is no transgression But the lawe giuen to Adam and transgressed of him made all men inthralled to the wrath of God and therefore to iust damnation Whereas thou sayst that God damneth men before offence out of our doctrine it is altogither forged and dothe bewray thy grose ignorance The Lorde
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
Come to me all yée that laboure Thou thinkest that it belongeth to all men as if Christe had inuited euerye one to him But I except many things Firste I saye that Christe speaketh as a Minister And this is the office of a Minister that bycause he knoweth not the secreate councells of God he teache indifferentlye those that are committed to his charge and bid them to the Lord and so much the more so muche as in him lyeth to wil that they may be saned But if thou gatherest thereof that all belong to the Lords flocke or that especiall grace to be giuen in like sorte to all thou arte wonderfullye deceiued For the Lorde will that the Gospell be preached to manye blinde to manye deafe and to manye proude people that they may more and more be blinded made deafe hardened nor yet is God therefore an Hipocrite as we haue proued in his place Then if this voice of Christe appertaine to euery one without exception to what end did Christ collecting that solemne Sermon which like an eternall Bishop he offered a little before the sacrifice of his fleshe manifestly shewe that he prayeth not for the worlde but onely for them whome the father had giuen him Doth he vnderstand by the name of the world those which when they can beléeue will not No I trow séeing that there commeth to the sonne whatsoeuer the father hath giuen him whereof it followeth that they indéede can not beléeue whome the father hath not giuen to his sonne and those whiche come to the sonne not to bée therefore giuen to the sonne bycause they beléeue but cōtrarilie that they therefore beléeue bycause they are gyuen to the sonne in whome verilie they were elected before the foundations of the world were layde and finally that those whiche are giuen to the sonne can not but beléeue whiche impossibilitie is not in their nature but dependeth of the vertue giuen from aboue For the power of the Spirite of God is effectuall in them whome the Lord draweth that not onely the power of beléeuing but the very effect of power also that is faithe might be ministred Whiche things séeing they are so how is it that thou wilt haue that note not so much vniuersall as infinite to apperteyne to euerie one and that Christe should differ from himselfe for if the world as thou comprehendest also those to whome the Gospell is eyther not preached or preached in vayne in these wordes be called of Chryste howe is it that in another place hée sayeth that hée prayeth not for the World But whereto is it to prosecute these with so many wordes Chryste dothe not simplye call all to hym selfe but the wéerie and loaden that is those whiche mourne vnder the burthen of sinnes and as it were are ouerloaden or as Dauid speaketh whyche are of an humble and contrite heart Prone that all men are suche or coufesse that thys spéeche of Christe maketh nothing to the strengthening of thine error But go to let vs come to the reste That whiche thou sayste that God doeth minister good and honest affections wée thinke by experience that it is most true as they whiche finde sufficiently by proofe that we are not apte of oure selues so muche as to thinke that which is good but thys we saye is proper to the children of God for they onely are moued with the Spirite of god That whiche procéedeth from the rest we saye that it is sinne before God albeit to mans iudgemente it haue a shewe of goodnesse Finally that whiche thou addest that God doth deliuer from the necessitie of sinning into the whiche they hadde by their disobedience thrown downe themselues that I saye I do so allowe that it cannot content me And first in déede that which thou saist of the necessitie of sinning I can not sufficientlye maruell that thou haste ouershotte thy selfe which so often hast reproued vs for that cause bycause we say that men do sinne albeit willinglie yet of necessitie But this indéede is the power of the trueth that it euen constraine lyers oftentimes to disagrée with themselues But there be two things which I demaund here For I would haue thée expresse how God doeth deliuer vs from this necessitie of sinning that is to witte by his sonne and that onlye by grace And I do not rashely déeme leaste albeit it may be that thou diddest neuer inquire neyther what Pelagius helde nor especially what Augustine hath aunswered to the Pelagians yet the same furies enforce thée wherewith once Pelagius being driuen did miserably trouble the West parts Then that whiche thou addest of the disobedience of men doeth not in déede satisfie me bycause we haue alreadie resolued manye argumentes of whiche it maye easily be gathered that originall sinne or sinne by propagation thou dost vtterly holde for a fable or in deede dost extenuate make lesse that that which belongeth to propagatiō thou rather thinkest it to be attributed to imitation The Apostle verily when he dealeth of these thyngs that is of the first originall of our bondage he attributeth it to the disobedience of one man whiche thou séemest to referre to the rebellion of euery man as if in déede euery one did cast himselfe into the fetters of this necessitie by imitation and long practise and that we are not rather borne bondslaues euen from our conception Therefore I admitte not this excepte thou expounde thy minde in this matter more plainely Finallye that which thou adioynest that God neuer denyed to anye a benefite praying to him we acknowledge for true but with a double coniunction annexed For they all doe not aske but onely those which are touched with knowledge of theyr lacke and many also aske they wotte not what or they aske not of faythe and therefore they receyue not Bycause therefore none asketh or if hée aske he asketh not arighte excepte he whiche is moued of the spirite of God and therefore which is the sonne of God therfore I affirme that this benefite of GOD belongeth not to euerye one as thou wouldest but onelye to all the electe of GOD also whose peculiar badge this is that they alone do rightlycal vpon the father and therfore are only heard Lastly that whiche thou haste patched of the Caluinian GOD to what ende should I refute it wyth moe wordes excepte I doe againe that which is done alreadye But this yet giueth me a passage to consider somewhat more nerely of those thy children of the Gods I confesse my self to be one of them whom the Lord hath instructed in the true and moste holye doctrine of his Gospell by hys faithfull seruaunt Iohn Caluine I will neuer blushe indéede to confesse my self to be his scholler one amongst manye thousandes of men whome he hath gayned to Christ And indéede why shoulde it repente vs séeing by thys teacher especially through the grace of GOD we haue learned not onely to abhorre and reprehende but also to