in Christe M. Theodor Beza of Vezel whiche his sayd worke whē I had pervsed to my great comfort and enablement against the foe I beganne eftsoones to pittie the wante of suche a worthy worke to mine owne countriemen to whome the Lorde hath not giuen the vnderstanding of tongues though manye and mightie blessings in his heauenlye truth And least I might be found to haue buried my poore talent in the erth whē it might do good or deuoyd of that Simpathie which the people haue that inioy the Lord I employed mine endeuour by all the spare time that I had from other necessarie affaires to acquainte this the said renoumed worthy worke with our mother tong and that especially for two sortes of people the one are those of the Lords secret ones who yet wander in the way of ignorance and eftsones take part with the wicked cause for lacke of helpes in that they finde no meane to withstande the batteries of Satan in the enemie The other are those whom god hath alredy sealed in the felowship of his truth by the testimonie of a good conscience and assured zeale to serue the Lorde in Sion and yet want enablement to stande for the Lorde But amongst these especially for the helpe of them whose place of present being doeth require at their hands their better enablement to further the Lords poore ones in the way of life whome they haue wonne without warrantise whose diligence in time to come God graunt may be so much as their vnderstanding small whom inchaunting Circe the worlde hath bewitched and broughte into a compasse beyond themselues and made them retchlesse in loue of the Lord and as fallen vnder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sonke down in selfeloue haue thrust themselues into the Lords sanctuarie the dyreful downefall and destruction of many soules as it is written Vbi non est visio dissipabitur populus where there is no preaching the people perishe or without walking in the warranted waye haue lefte to call to the Lorde for labourers and made stones breade and in their blind liking haue with Vzza stept to the vpholding of the Lords Arke in the time of staggering but to their owne decay whose condemnation sleepeth not whereof some in deede haue Vrim but not Thummim some Thummim but not Vrim and many none of both whose song will be with Lysimachus if repentāce be not a remedie with speede That this my poore trauell mighte be set in warrantize against Zoylus and the carping foe to passe forth for the accomplishment of that good that is hoped for I eftsones most humbly recommend it to your Honors protection whose zeale for the Lords family I haue eftsons experiēced to my great comfort in the time of my being within your iurisdiction in Lincolneshire The Lorde increase in you his manye and mightie blessings multiply vpon you the measure of his grace that as he hath chosen you into the forefront of his haruest and giuē vnto you amongst others the chiefest and especiall charge to see his fielde furnished with labourers so he continually make ful the measures of his own mercies in your hart that the end of al and singular our attempts may be lyned by the word of life to the aduancemāt of the name of our eternal God by the faythfull furtherance of the free passage of his word amōg his people that such as yet wander in the wildernesse of most palpable blindnes or sense lesse obstinacie for wāt of workemē wel armed with appurtināces incident to such soucraign embassage on the lords behalfe might be brought home to the vnitie of one simplicitie in Christian profession that Gods glorie maye bee aduaunced his Church vniuersally profited and your Lordship with others in such place discharged to stand boldely before the maiestie of the Almightie in the day of Christ VVhich thing as for many benefites receiued I am most bounde so I most humbly and hartilye craue at the handes of our eternall father by Christe to whose merciful assistaunce and mightie prouidence remayning to performe vnto you al the duties that I may I do most humbly committe you Your Lordships most bounden in the Lord VVilliam Hopkinson ¶ THE PREFACE OF the Slaunders against the Doctrine of Iohn Caluin or rather of euery faithfull Congregation of the secrete Prouidence of God. THY Doctrine Iohn Caluine a man muche renowmed in all the worlde hath many fauourers but therewithall the same in like sort hath many aduersaries But I who wishe there may be one doctrine as there is one trueth and all to consente therevnto if it maye bee haue thoughte conuenient to admonishe thee familiarly of those things whiche are vsually bruyted agaynst thy doctrine that if they be false thou wouldest refute them and sende thy refutation to vs that we maye the rather withstande them and do it with suche proofes as the people maye vnderstande And there be many things wherein many dissent from thee but for the present leauing the rest to some other conuenient time I will deale with thee of the argument of Destinie or Predestination bicause both this Article moueth much controuersie in the Church which we wish may be suppressed and also the Aduersaries reasons in this Argument seeme to be suche as can not be refelled by those Bookes whiche hitherto thou haste published There are caried here and there of this matter certayne Articles gathered out of thy bookes whiche I will heere tumultuously set downe and then I will shewe those things which vsually are alleaged agaynst euery of them that thou mayste the rather see where vnto to answere THE ANSVVERE ALBEIT we haue euer endeuored to set forth that doctrine whiche is not oures but Iesus Christes in such sorte that we might winne many to the delight and loue thereof yet arte thou Sycophant much deceyued if thou thinkest that wée stande vpon the multitude eyther of foes or fauourers For neither are we so much vnskilfull of the state of men or vnmindefull of the very wordes of Christe that wée should forget that there haue bene euer moe founde who haue withstoode the truth than defended it Thou truely as I perceyue bethinkyng thy selfe of some wise preface haste chosen that one whiche did moste accorde with thy nature and inclination for so almoste it falleth amongst men especially of guiltie consciences that they déeme others by their owne disposition Therefore bycause thou shrowding thy selfe as it were vnder the shadowe of thy pretended modestie dost of olde ayme at this marke that the moste may thinke thée some body haste in déede déemed that we are grieued with the same infirmitie and therfore that thou couldst not worke vs a greater dispite than if with a certaine sottishe kinde of chattering thou mightest pretend to haue done this as bewayling our miserie carefull for the defence of our cause thou shouldest friendly familiarly write vnto vs But in déede we maruel that any man so practised in deceit could so forget him self
whereby any thing is so done that no regarde be had whether it be iuste or vniuste that is done We therefore doe in déede confesse with Paule that al things are done by purpose of the Deuine will that whome he will before they be borne or euer they haue done eyther good or euill he eyther loueth or hateth and therefore in his time eyther pitieth or hardeneth but we adde this that this notwithstanding there is no iniustice with God that he whiche dothe so decrée these things dothe notwithstandying that whiche is altogither rightuous And this we proue by many reasons Firste bycause that the will of God is the soueraigne rule of Iustice neyther is it a good consequent that that is vniust bycause mans reason seeth no cause of such Iustice For what doth not the sunne shyne bicause the blinde is still in darkenesse Againe we say they deale foolishly who holde that any thing is good in it selfe before God will haue it so seyng that contrarily it is requisite that God will anything to be iuste before it can be so For the will of God dependeth not of the qualitie of things but the contrary the qualitie of things by order of causes doth folowe the will of god Thirdly wée adde also that in suche decrée whereby God from the beginnyng determined whatsoeuer vassals of his wrath he woulde that the execution of his purpose muste be distinguished from the purpose it selfe that is the purpose of reiectyng from damnation Wée vnderstande no other cause of the purpose than the very will of GOD whiche can not bée but altogyther moste iuste albeit the blynde wysedome of the fleshe thynketh otherwise But the causes of execution that is damnation the Lorde hath plentyfully and playnely shewed vs euen the voluntary corruption of Adam deriued vnto vs and the fruyctes of that corruption But here agayne mans reason inforceth it selfe Whence sayth it be the causes of this damnation haue they so come to passe agaynst the will of GOD no forsoothe for then hée shoulde not bée Almightie Therefore with hys will for he dothe not suffer vnwillingly and that is the opinion of Epicures to ordayne a carelesse foreknowledge of GOD whiche is easily ouerthrowen by infinite testimonies of Scripture But if hée haue decreed these things to be so and I coulde not resiste hys will am not I blamelesse of that faulte whiche altogither resteth in hym And this is that greate doubte whiche no man vnderstandeth saue those who out of hys worde haue learned to thynke reuerently of god Therefore Paule when he commeth to thys poynte denieth not that it was the will of God whiche the wicked coulde not resiste but their collection of this approued principle hée vtterly denieth bycause GOD can not bée vniuste and hée recalleth vs to the consideration of mannes estate that wée mighte reuerence so highe a mysterie not that wée shoulde reproue it But in déede you are wyser than the Apostle for thou takest these thyngs not to haue come to passe by the will of GOD but if it bée so then is it maruell that the Apostle dyd not remember it that he mighte haue answered the very selfe thing Neyther doest thou consider all this whyle whether thys rashnesse dothe headlong inforce thée truely to this poynt that thou mayst more more incomber thy selfe whylest thou thinkest that thou canst cōprehende the infinite wisedome of god For that we may yéelde thée that thou séekest that the causes of damnation doe chaunce without any determination of God sée how many and wicked absurdities may follow For firste if they chaunce agaynst his will thou deniest the Omnipotencie of God who coulde not withstande that whiche he woulde But if in déede thou sayst he wincketh at it howe muche doest thou differ from Epicurisme It remayneth then that he permitteth it willingly and there is one and the same difficultie For if thou sayest that eyther our sinnes foreknowen or already committed haue giuen occasion to this will thou sayest nothyng For we séeke the Originall of these sinnes that is the causes of corruption from whiche thou canste no more seclude the determination of God than when there is question of the fruictes of corruption seing that here also the same inconueniences doe accomber thée and thou arte taken in the same Labyrinth Furthermore sée howe well thou defendest Gods Iustice For truely that whiche he hath suffered albeit he hath not determined it for we will giue thée so muche yet he coulde haue letted it euen with a becke Why therfore did he not suppresse Sathan in tyme why dyd he not thorowly establish Adam and Eue or if thou list not looke backe vnto them why did he not commanund the fountayne of sinne to stay in Adam that it should not issue out vpon his posteritie was it bicause the sinnes of his posteritie deserued it But they shoulde haue had no sinne if corruption had not bene inlarged But why dothe he dayly gyue Sathan suche libertie whiche he can restrayne truly where soeuer thou turnest thée humane reason sheweth vs this that he is equally in fault who when he can preuent one from fallyng to destruction yet doth it not with him that throweth him downe headlong Therefore although that thy solution should be of force humaine reason should not surcease to déeme God vniust But thou wilt say These things are curious They are in déede and therefore we thinke it sacriledge for any vnreuerently to attempt these high mysteries of god But we say that that is curious and wicked too to demaunde howe God shoulde be without fault if he ordayne the causes of damnation Whiche question thou haste vndertooke to dissolue but we thinke with the Apostle that it is altogether impossible with humaine senses to be expressed which is curious which is passing wicked which séeketh the secret mysteries of God without his worde Is it thou which séekest a reason of the Diuine wisedome and therefore willingly and of purpose runnest headlong into daunger or I who when we come to Gods will béeing mindefull of mans imbecilitie do secretly reuerence the maiestie of god Therfore that I may briefly say this let this be the furthest reach of mans iudgement although the cause of his decrée is vnsercheable whereby God hath determined from euerlasting to create many in whose iust damnation he might manyfest the glorie of his iustice and for that cause whosoeuer are appoynted vnto death cannot but perishe in their tyme yet that God because he damneth none but the corrupt and guyltie is therefore without all blame of their damnation as he who rightly decerneth those things whiche men doe vniustly and therefore iustly punisheth But if humayne reason can not endure it yet it doth not followe that it is otherwise Rather let whatsoeuer is fleshe giue place for so I had rather than speake as thou doest that we may wholly repose our selues in the worde of god But thou wilt say Where is the worde of God Surely thou
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
preiudice vs that Paule alleaging the wordes of Malachie I haue hated Esau séemeth to take hatred for the eternall decrée of reiecting For I say this worde I haue hated in that place declareth nothing but I haue decréeed to hate séeing Paule in that place disputeth of the decrée of God and not of the execution of the sayde decrée Neyther doth there want sufficient testimonie of Scripture to approue this exposition by God hath chosen vs sayth Paule Ephesi 1. a. 3. before the foundations of the worlde were layde that is he determined to Electe For in déede thou muste néedes confesse that GOD in tyme doth execute those things whiche before all tymes he ordeyned So. 2. Timoth 1. c. 9. there is giuen sayth he vnto vs the grace of God in Christe Iesus before all tyme that is God decréed to giue vs his grace in Christe Iesu before all tyme whiche albeit in very déede he dothe not giue vs before that effectually he call vs to him selfe So he is called the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the world Apocalips 13. b. 8. that is to say for as muche as he was preordayned before the worlde was made whiche was perfourmed in the laste tymes as Peter him selfe expoundeth 1. Peter 1. d. 20. But why doth the Scripture speake so Truely that whatsoeuer the Lorde hath decréed shall be we may vnderstande to be so sure as we are sure that that is done whiche we sée done But yet that it is so as we say that is that Gods decrée procéedeth in the order of causes both loue and hatred it euidently appeareth in this that otherwise thou arte constrayned to appoynte the causes of the diuine decrée in men them selues Whereon it wyll followe that eyther God hath not determined what he would doe to men before he made them and carelessé behelde them perishing or if he had determined yet afterwardes the nature of man béeing chaunged he also would chaunge his purpose Bothe the one and the other howe farre it is from the wysest workemaster and endued that I maye so say with the surest and moste constante nature there is none but may sée Then if these things shoulde be so that is if GOD for the foreknowen corruption shoulde hate any of hys workes before he had ordeyned them to destruction wherefore was it néedefull for Paule to crye oute O man who arte thou whiche pleadest agaynst god c. O the deapth of the rychesse bothe of the wysedome and knowledge of God howe vnsearcheable are hys iudgementes and his wayes paste finding out Wherefore I saye shoulde God be set out to vs as a Potter whiche fourmeth what Vesselles he wyll to honour or dishonour For the solution that thou bringest is readie that it is no meruayle if God appoynt some to destruction and that causelesse they complayne of hys wyll séeing that their owne sinnes doe as it were enforce him to doe it But God forbyd that we shoulde vse anye aunswere so absurde foolishe and estraunged from the nature of god Let vs rather saye that it is the Lorde which hath done whatsoeuer he woulde and hath done all thinges rightly séeing hys wyll is the very rule of iustice Furthermore wherevnto tende all thine Argumentes Not to this ende that thou mayste shewe that God loueth all men But if this be true what remayneth that eythèr none shall be damned or else that those shoulde perishe whome God loueth For if thou doste except that God dothe hate them in the ende for their sinne and whom he loued from the beginning thou shalt runne headlong into an other great downefall For truely if hée did loue he would also saue Why therefore doth he not saue Truly bicause their sins haue caused that he should destroy those whoÌ„ before he would shold be saued O merueylous god such as in déed thou imaginest which dayly hourely should be chaunged whose determination men when it pleaseth theÌ„ may fordo the whole ende of whose counsels depende not of the eternall immutable decrée but of the second causes But truely if we should followe thine opinion the will of man shall be not the seconde but the firste and chiefe cause of Gods decrée as in lyke maner Augustine sayth right well Iudgement shoulde not be in the Potter but in the Claye Sée whereto these rustical cogitations inforce thée that it shal truely fall to thée whiche is written That it shall come to passe that they be confounded of the maiestie who béeing not contented with the manyfest worde of God doe curiouslye searche hys secretes But leaste wée séeme to dallye goe too let vs consider thyne Argumentes Thus therefore thou contendest This doctrine is agaynst the nature of GOD therefore it is false and wyckâ—d I denye the assumption whiche thou so confyrmest God causeth to bring foorth young therefore he bringeth foorth So also by a lyke God causeth liuing Creatures to loue their issue therefore he loueth his But all men are the issue of God because God is the Father of Adam of whome all menne are borne therefore God loueth all menne These be thyne Arguments Nowe heare agayne what I shall answere Fyrste of all I saye that the place of the Prophete of the issue of GOD is eyther wrested of thée maliciouslye or impudentlye For the Prophete dealeth not there of the vniuersall creation of all menne but of the onely renewing of his Churche that is of the frée adoption of the Electe in Christe What impudencie therefore is it to applie that to creation which is spoken of adoption and to enforce that to all men that onely appertayneth to the Elect that thou mayst communicate the peculiar grace of the Elect with the Reprobates and Bastards But thou wilt say Who is father of the reste Verely euen he whome Christe hath named when speaking to those counterfaits bastardly children You are sayth he of your father the diuell Nor is there cause why therefore thou shouldest exclaime that I am a Manichée For I refer this increase of children of the Deuill not in respect of creation but in respect of their depraued nature whiche God so ordayned that he be not Author thereof but rather the Diuel and the will of man which willingly hath depraued it selfe Thou wilt say therefore in respect of creation he in lyke case is their father I graunt it thou wilt adde therefore he loueth But that I vtterly denie and I will by and by proue it to be false But nowe onely I demaunde how aptly thou haste recited the testimony of the Prophete Then what madnesse this is to estéeme that what soeuer God hath giuen to liuing creatures is in God himselfe In déede it is very wonderful that thou prouest nothing that the rude multitude aloweth not except thou also faynest that God hath head armes hands a wombe too It is maruell but that thou déemest he doth in déede here sée desire meate and digeste as some haue tryfled of the Starres or
An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes TO create to perdition is not of loue but of hatred therefore he created none to perdition REFVTATION AS this Argument dothe depende of the aforewritten so it is of necessitie that the first béeing infringed this also doe sayle Thou haste collected euill that all are beloued of God bicause that all were created in Adam But we contrarywise approue that God by his incomprehensible but yet iuste decrée hath Predestinate whom soeuer it pleased him to hys hatred and therefore to destruction neyther that that is discrepant from the nature of God whiche ought not to be measured by the common sense of men And then we shewe that that God is not moued with the hatered of any that he should vowe him to destruction but that he hath hated him whome he hath Predestinate to destruction and that truely the cause of this hatered and destruction is manifest to vs that is voluntary corruption in Adam whiche isluyng vpon all his posteritie yéeldeth also like fruictes to the tree and that to satisfie all stayed wits that albeit they know not the cause of the sacred decrée yet both bycause it is diuine and also bycause destruction is so descerned that togither the iuste causes of perdition be determined abidyng in men themselues also they confesse it to be iuste Wherfore also we haue proued that that we vse not to speake so as that we say that any one is simply created of God to destruction but therfore that by his due damnation God might shew forth his iustice But that the daÌ„nation of the Reprobate is iuste bicause their perdition doth so depende vpon the Predestination of God that yet the whole cause matter of their destruction be found in themselues These whosoeuer vnderstaÌ„deth at the least shal sée this that it is moste absurde that thou sayste that it is of hatered to create to perdition For that I say againe before the Lorde would create men we speake of the order of causes he neyther hateth or loueth but whome he createth he hath decreed from euerlasting eyther to loue in Christe or to hate in Adam Therefore to create to perdition is not of hatred but of him who hath decréed to hate to hate I saye for iust cause whiche he so annexed to the decrée of hatred that all the fault be in him whome he hateth Further if no man be therefore created that God in his due destruction might be glorified then God eyther hath determined to saue all or boroweth the causes of his counsell of the foreknowen will of men and that so that whom he knew would refuse grace offered for that cause he should vowe them to destruction and in déede shoulde suffer them to runne headlong séeing they will so But oh good Lorde howe many things be héere affirmed not alone foolishly but also wickedly For if God hath decréed to saue all as in déede he determined if he loue all howe is it that he doth not saue all Is it bicause he can not If that be so he is not omnipotent Or is it that he will not Then the Lorde altereth his counsell and when he sayth he repenteth we muste not nowe vnderstande that to be spoken of God not by translation and improperlie but properlie and in déede But and if he require the cause of hys purpose of the men them selues what workeman is he that dependeth of his worke yea what wise man euer thinketh to say that God determining to make men first considered of what forte they woulde be that thence he might consult then to haue considered wherfore he would create them Then what shall become of them to whom grace is neuer offered of which sorte we haue foreshewed that there be many Wilte thou say that all these are saued for as muche as they haue not that foreknoweÌ„ cause of refusing grace Sée for as muche as thou haste once declined from the right pathe into what absurdities thou runnest But this is the right way that God hath created all for hys owne glorie euen the wicked for the day of euill In this doctrine is no circumstance of wordes no absurditie if thou doste determine that whiche is moste true that the will of God albeit it sometimes séeme otherwise to vs yet alwayes is the soueraigne rule of iustice Agayne I pray thée how is it that thou takest such paines to defend the reprobate rather I pray thée let vs giue them ouer leaue them to the eternall Indge to be damned Let vs rather be occupied in giuing thankes to God and setting forth of his glorie who when hée also might haue predestinate vs to destruction yet rather gaue vs to his sonne by whome béeing apprehended by Faith we are fréelye saued And this benefite of God doeth wonderfullye shine forth towardes vs by the contrary destruction of reprobates and hitherto the reprobates are set to be considered of vs not that we shoulde defende theyr cause but learne in feare and trembling to reuerence the Lorde An other of the Slaunderers Arguments To creat is a worke of loue and not of hatred Therefore God created all men in loue and not in hatred REFVTATION AGAINE thou beatest againste the same rocke whiche knowest not howe to set hatred vnder the decrée that so that betwixte the decrée and hatred be interiected the cause of hatred whose gusâ—tinesse remaineth in menne themselues as I haue already saide a thousand times Againe albeit wée willing lye confesse the goodnesse of God to haue appeared in the very worke of creation nor that God hath properly hated his own worke but his corruption yet who will graunt thée that thou wouldest enfore by this argument that God bicause that for his singular goodnesse he created the reprobate therfore he did not predestinate them to his deserued hatred But I will helpe thée here For not onely in the creation of the reprobate but also in all their life a certaine vnspeakle kindenesse of God doeth often shine insomuch that if thou beholdest the presente state of thinges and ascendest no further the Lorde maye rather seeme to fauoure the wicked than the righteous which cogitation muche moued Dauid and deceyned the Epicures But what sayeth the LOKDE of all Reprobates in the person of Pharao saying Therefore sayeth hée haue I raised thée vppe that is haue broughte thée foorthe that in thée I might declare my power that is to saye in working mightily on thée Nor yet am I ignorant that there is not wanting those which otherwise expounde the word of Exciting whyche aunswereth to the Hebrue worde but the Apostles saying doeth sufficientlye declare that it is to be expounded so that it oughte to ascende to the very creation Againe what way so euer thou doest expounde it truelye it shall expresse the Lordes benefites vppon Pharao whome notwythstanding he hadde from euerlasting decréede to destroy and that bycause he woulde For why otherwise shoulde Paule ascende to the will and shoulde not rather
in no place Yea if thou wilt stande vppon the verye wordes I rather reade that he was created to haue dominion ouer euerye liuing creature Therefore the foundation of thine argumentation is fallen as that whiche resteth not vppon the aucthoritie of Scripture but vppon thine owne fantasticall dreame God sent a sleepe vppon Adam didde he respecte that when hée made him he made him a coate of skinne but didde hée therfore creat him Séest thou how sottishly thou sholdest conclude But thou wilt say that this Paradise is a figure of eternall life But tell me from whence also haste thou that bicause the Lorde and after hym Paule and Iohn by the name of Paradise vnderstand celestiall glorie Indéede a strong Argument as thoughe the Gretians vnderstoode not by this worde al pleasant orchards and that it is vsuall in Scripture with these like earthlye shews to shadowe eternall felicitie Ierusalem in infinite places doeth shadowe the Churche is therefore euerye inhabitant of that Cittie a member of the Churche Againe if that Paradise were eternal life then shall also the Diuell Deathe and Sinne bée in eternall life and that Paradise béeyng ouer-tourned by the floud also eternall life shall vtterlye perishe Sée whether childishe shiftes doe headlong enforce thée wyth whyche thou doest féede thy selfe in suche wise as the Camelion is reported to lyue wyth the aire But leaste thou maiste complaine that I rather dally oute thine argumentes than solute them I wil shewe thée what wée are to thinke by the worde of God of thys Argument that is of the ende of the firste created man. Quadruple wise we learne to vnderstande the counsels of God one is by reuelation in the Prophets whose examples are euery where extant in Scripture Another is by peculiar reuelation of the spirite as we reade of Simeon and also of all faithfull to whose spirite the spirite of God beareth witnesse what be their giftes by Christ For that is it which we call Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assured perswasion which cause by the example of Paule that we are so sure that we are fréely electe of GOD in Christe as if we had bin present in his eternall counsell The thirde is by our obseruing the sequele of naturall causes as ofte times the naturall and wise men and suche as are skilfull in humane things do foretell manye things But this coniecture in many things is deceitful and vncertaine bicause that God oftentymes ordereth the meane causes according to his secreate will. But the fourth is the moste sure meane and wythoute al exception the most sure bicause it iudgeth as they say of the latter I therefore say there are two things which not only the worde of GOD but also common reason doth shewe vs One is that God is neuer chaunged and therefore that that thing commeth to passe by the eternal and immutable decrée of Gods counsell that thinges are often altered For God not onely decréeth those thinges whiche are of stayed nature of which forte there be very fewe but also those thinges that for the moste parte are chaunged euery houre but not without assigned rules of alteration by him For example sake the Lorde blessed the earthe which he made whiche after Adams sinne he cursed But is God changed no indéede but in the beginning only for a time he blessed that which being fulfilled he had determined to curse the same for the sin of man If any aske me whence I haue them I wil answere that I haue it from the successe For séeing God is not chaunged and that it came so to passe as I saide of necessitie it is we confesse that it was so determined with God from the beginning Also the Lorde gaue the ceremonies of the lawe to hys Churche by Moses who notwithstanding by the Apostle pronounceth afterwardes if you be circumcised Christe prosyteth you nothing But dothe the Lorde chaunge his purpose that he shoulde allowe that whiche before he disallowed no indéede For he ordained the ceremonies but for a time that is to the preaching of Christe at whose comming it was requisite that they should vanish away as darkenesse in the day spring Also he assigned Saule King ouer Israell but for a time whiche albeit he did not manifest at the beginning yet he sufficiently hathe proued it when he receiued him And togither when he decréed that he woulde reiect hym he determined the cause iustely and he would take from him his kingdome for his owne faulte all which are certainly collected by the successe And the other is this whiche common reason doth shewe vs that nothing is done which God knoweth not or against his will or he being idle for neither ignoraunce nor imbecilitie is agréeable with the nature of God nor an idle foreknowledge may be attributed to him specially in the gouernment of so excellent a worke that is to saye of Man but that for the moste part the wicked assertion of Epicures wil be confirmed That God careth not for men For it wil bée that he being ydle that is dooyng nothing he suffered Adam to be circumuented of Sathan and at laste as one awaked out of sléepe endeuoureth to giue remedy The Scripture saith muche otherwise whiche affyrmeth that al things are gonerned of God euen those that séeme moste casuall It testifyeth that the verye Sparrowes do not fall to the earthe without the heauenly fathers will and that all the haires of oure heade be numbred Sathan indéede cannot touche Iob except God sée it so good and for that cause permitte it Sathan yea the Diuells truely coulde not rage againste the swyne excepte leaue be asked of Christe whyche hée graunted not againste hys will but willinglye It resteth then wée saye that all thinges are done if God will and therefore as we sée anye thyng come to passe let vs saye that it came to passe not withoute the iust eternall and immutable decrée of GOD But if anye manne will exclame here that we enforce the Stoycall necessitie Indéede I grante with Augustine or rather with the truth it selfe that the wil of GOD is the necessitie of things but this Stoicall I deny Nor doe we binde GOD to the seconde causes as Homer bringeth in his Iupiter complayning that when he woulde resiste destinye he coulde not We I saye acknowledge no suche destiny but wée saye that there is a sure and immutable successe of all thinges whiche the Lorde hathe fréelye wisely iustlye from euerlasting determined Yet we saye that the seconde causes are not enforced of Gods decrée except when he pleaseth to bridle his ennimies but they are willingly carried to the ende determined of God. Finallye both méere naturall and voluntarie motions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of frée choice wée not onelye not take awaye but accompte them as principall amongest seconde causes that is whiche as we saide euen nowe are of theyr owne accorde enclined to that ende whereto the counsells of the moste wise frée and iuste GOD the
from the nature of God thou séest Therefore also that kinde of Doctrine by thine argument whiche enforceth vs to these blasphemies is false Yet further I gesse thou haste one refuge in store that is that thou maiste say that God indéed created Adam and all men comprehended in him to eternall life but vppon condition if Adam should persist in hys innocencie which was set in his power and therefore that God séemeth not to haue chaunged his purpose I aun swere that it is true that thou saisfe of the condition but not in that whiche thou supposest Nor is it to he thought that God after the maner of meÌ„ depeÌ„deth doubtfull in hys counsells and in second causes as he pleaseth to determine this or that For what God should thys be whiche depenâ—eth vppon the rule of things created Therefore that whiche is saide of the condition is vtterly to be taken in the contrarie parte that is to saye that Adan was created with condition of the fall interiected but that vtterly whiche shoulde be performed albeit willinglye fréelye and readily yet necessarilye séeing that Gods decrée coulde not faile For the decrée of God dependeth not vppon the will of Adam but the contrarie Adams will of Gods decrée with whose efficacie notwithstanding the will was not enforced but by his owne voluntarie motion albeit Adam neyther knowing nor respecting the ende and therefore sinning was carried to the ende appoynted of God that is to this point that the waye mighte be opened bothe to the mercie and seuere â—ustice of god For in one and the same worke Adam of his owne accorde and therefore finning endenoured one thing and God wrought an other thing so indéede Adams and the Diuells drifts were frustrate bicause there is no counsell againste the Lorde But God iustely vsing a sinfull instrument wrought that he woulde bicause what soeuer he hath determined it is wholly requisit that if shoulde come to passe also euen as he had appointed If these thinges do not satisfie thée whiche reste vpon these stayed principles that God is euer iuste althoughe men conceiue not alwases how he can be iuste that God dependeth not of second causes but alwayes iustely dothe gouerne them euen then also when they doe wickedlye that God doeth nothyng at vnwares and with no certaine ende determined nor that he is ignoraunt of any thing nor to will or discerne anye thing whiche he cannot nor that he ydly beholdeth what shall come or what is but that he doeth all thinges as Salomon saith to his owne glorie and therefore to haue fore-decréede to doe that God cannot be chaunged but also that those things whiche are changed with all fixed and firme circumstaunces are of his immutable counsell chaunged If I saye those thinges doe not satisfie thée whiche reste vppon suche certaine principles and so agreable to the nature of God and so innumerable testimonies and examples of Scripture I say fréely that I now take no paines to satisfie thée and thy faction For he that doeth that shall verily doe in suche wise as if as hée saith he woulde doe it of purpose An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes IF all haue fallen in Adam it is necessarie that all shall stande in Adam and in that same estate as Adam REFVTATION ALL these things I graunt thée and that so as they make quite againste thée For séeing Adams posteritie shall stande in no other estate than Adam stoode in that is that hée mighte voluntarily throwe downe hymselfe headlong to destruction whence afterwardes the Lord woulde deliuer all these whome he had from euerlasting decréed to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée wishe that the Elect haue nothing to complaine of this decrée of God séeing their estate is nowe by so muche better than if Adam had not sinned by howe muche it is more excellent to be saued by Christe the sonne of God than by Adam by Grace than by Nature And that the Reprobate also cannot complaine any thing of God as whiche albeit according to the decrée of God they are fallen in Adam yet fell they in him voluntarily and not by force and therefore are but deseruedly damned If this doth not satisfye thée and them I will crye with Paule O man who art thou that pleadest with God Another Argument of the Sclaunderers I will not the death of a Sinner REFVTATION SEE how rusticall thou art that is rude vnlearned for thou hast vtterly forgot of what thing there should be demaund We striue not good man of deathe and eternall damnation for we know that no man is damned but for his desert but of the purpose of damning whose cause albeit to vs it be vnknowen yet is it euer iust for whatsoeuer God will is iust and so God decréeth that he dothe decrée that he ministreth iust causes to the execution of his decrée Why therefore doest thou slide omitting the meane causes from the decrée of God to the execution of it that is from the purpose of damning to damnation as though in déede the Lord shoulde simply haue thus determined from euerlasting I will vowe this man to destruction and not whether I will giue ouer this man to destruction for his owne fault that my iustice may appeare I will speake yet more playnely Thou doest foolishly that doest cite the testimonie of death that is by the execution of the counsell where the counsell it selfe is in controuersie Yea the Prophet whose double testimonie thou abusest disputeth against the men of thy faction who complained that by the absolute power of God as they cal it they had incurred Gods vengeance as though God shuld deale with them tyrannously that is should rage against them whether by right or wrong But what sayeth the Lord by the Prophet verily he recalleth theÌ„ to that causes of destructioÌ„ remayning in theÌ„selues which also we do coÌ„tinually There is not sayth the Lord by the Prophet why ye shuld accuse me as I receiue the penitent so I punish none but the gracelesse rebellious for when your coÌ„scieÌ„ce shall accuse you why put you the fault in me That this is the Prophets meaning euery one that weyeth those places wil coÌ„fesse and surely al meÌ„ of stayed iudgemente when they heare these things shall try themselues will rather muse vpoÌ„ ameÌ„dment of life a renued mind to be obteyned of the Lord than vpÌ„o the sifting of the councels of god Briefely therfore I say that the Prophet mounteth not to that eternall decrée of God but sheweth the true vse of that doctrine which also we for as much as lyeth in vs do indeauoure to imprint that is that we ought to searche the decrée of God concerning oure selues not in those his vnreuealed secretes but in his word which is appoynted for vs to coÌ„sider But thou wilt vrge the word I will not as though in déed the word Caphees with the Hebrues
shuld simply signifie to wil or rather doth not signifie to allow to haue acceptable for which the Greciās say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be well affected And know thou that God wil manye things whiche yet he approoueth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his meane as for example whē he doth exercise his or correct them by the hand of the wicked doest thou thinke that it pleaseth him well that the wicked do albeit they are excited by him as he sayth euery where by hys Prophetes and so much that therefore Nabuchadnezer was called the seruant of the Lord Truely if thou thinkest so thou arte in a great errour séeing these selfe same offences he afterwards so seuerally punished in the Chaldees what then forsooth God simply alloweth not those things y is in the they oppresse his people but in y by thys meanes his patiēce is cōfirmed those that sinned are recalled to amendment hys iustice is manifested in punishing the wicked the wicked fill full there measure finally whereas these iudgements set forth his glory here the Lord approueth the vse and most iuste end of these things And the destruction of reprobates is also of this kinde not that God is simply delited therewith but for his owne glory for which cause he testifieth by Salomon that he created the wicked agaynst the day of euill Therefore I haue often saide that we vse not to speake so as to say that God created any men for their destructions sake but that by the iuste destruction of some he might manifest his owne glorie verily then the which end nothing more iust or requisite can be imagined Therefore this appertayneth nothing to the purpose of the present cōtrouersie whether God for his owne glory haue predestinate some that is the wicked to destruction which thou deniest I with Moses Salomon affirme neither canst thou gather any thing else out of those places of Ezechiel then the which we say that God is so louing that when he dealeth with men after their deserte he is not delighted with their destruction but alone prouideth for the glory of his owne name like as iust and fauourable iudges regard not the torment of offenders as though that only were their purpose to shed mens bloud but bicause the law equitie requireth that by the punishment of offenders the wicked may be feared the good may be defended from the iniuries of euil men therfore they haue hated not the men but offences in the men and by the prescript of lawes do punish them This I say is the meaning of the worde I will not against those who accused God as some cruell tirant who should rage against men without any regarde of good or euil when contrarily he neuer punisheth any but offenders that so as he is not delighted with their tormēts but with his own iustice Otherwaies if thou simply takest the word of nilling thou must in déede shew how God being vnwilling to damne y wicked therfore willing to saue them so many notwithstanding are punished with ouermuch torments by sentence of the same vnwillyng God. Finally thou shouldest haue noted to whom this Sermō of Ezechiel was applied truly not to a wicked people and obstinate but to the people of God amongst whome seing he had many elect it is no maruell that he vsed that speach to them whome conteyned within his couenant he indeuoured to recall vnto himselfe But thou to thy o◠other follies whereof I haue spoken hast also added this that thou wouldest appropriat to all mankinde that only belongeth to the Churche of God. An other Argument of the Sycophantes GOD will haue none to perish but all to come to the knowledge of the truth REFVTATION THOV arte the same thou waste wonte to be and indéede thou doest that which Heretiques be wont when with euil consciēce they patch togither the péeces of Scripture that they may vrge them vpon the simple and vnskilfull Peter in that place whiche thou wrestest after thy maner strengthning the elect agaynst certaine scoffers who as to many at this day did deride whatsoeuer was spoken of the supreme iudgement Beloued saith he be not ignorant in this one poynt that a thousande yeares with the Lorde are as one day and one day as a thousande yeares that is as I take it that the Lord after the maner of men is not bounde to any moments of time which is to strictly obserued of some Then he addeth the Lorde that promised is not slacke as many accompt this slacknesse but he is lōg suffering to vs warde notwilling that any should perishe but that all thould come to repentance And it is euen as much as if Peter shoulde haue sayde There be many of you who thinke the Lorde deferreth his other coming beyonde equitie who in déede doe thinke farre otherwayes of God then cōuenient For first let vs weigh who he is that hath promised to come that he might vtterly deliuer his In very déede he is god But may he then deferre his promise euen one moment whose worde is moste sure and who hath prefixed appointed seasons to his promise Then sée how some by impatience do sinisterly estéeme this sufferance For they thinke that the Lorde dothe after a sorte dispise his Churche or that he dothe not estéeme it so muche as is requisite when of the contrarie parte the Lorde woulde not deferre that his comming except he shoulde vse great patience and lenitie towardes vs For he onely deferreth his comming till he shal haue gathered his people whereof he will not that one shoulde perishe but rather that by true repentance they shoulde all be saued It is proued by many reasons that this is the simple plaine and apparant meanyng of the wordes of Peter To this ende he indeuoreth that he may confirme the faithfull against Epicures whence it is that he alleageth those things whiche solely belong to the faythfull that in déede he mighte recall them to the promises Finally Peter is wholly conuersant in this that he may teache the delay of the iudgement to come to indure more patiently whiche in déede do not agrée with the frowarde and obstinate who woulde pray the Lorde to protracte that iudgement as long as mighte be as appeareth by this speache of the Diuels why dyddest thou come to torment vs before the time so farre is it of that the Lordes tariance shoulde séeme too long to them Therfore seyng he calleth them beloued whome he speaketh to and adioyneth himselfe vnto them as who sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towardes vs not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towardes you who is suche a dullard that seeth not that this speache belongeth onely to the Churche alone I say to the elect Therefore in an other place it is sayde that the Lorde in that iudgement shall firste gather togither all his elect out of all the world that is to say the number of them
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
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
wilt thou denie I say not only the detecminatiō or wil but also the powre hand of God to come in betwixt in the afflictions of Saintes yea in respect of the persecutors theselues At the least heare what Paul saith of the most bitter death of the sonne of God He spared not saith he his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all And wilt thou acknowledge here no decree no will of the most good God our most louing Father Further let vs now come to that sorte of wicked with whom the Lorde albeit vsing the handes and helpe of the vngodly doth yet iustly correct his children here also we shall shew that the decrée the wil the counsell and finally the action of God doth come in betwixt Finally what examples of outrage crueltie vngoblinesse did not the Chaldees she we in Hierusalem and all Iudes who is he that lifte vp his hande that stroke Iudah who his ensigne being displaied gathered together the Gentiles vnto warre that with an hisse stirred vp the people a far off whiche brought strong and mightie waters against Iuda Let vs heare the Lord him selfe answering by Isai O Assur the radde of my furie the staffe of my wrath in their hand I will fende him to a disseinbling people I will cōmaund him against the people of my indignatiō that he rob them as a pray that take spoyles and giue him to be trode vpon as the duste in the stréetes But what saith the Lord in Ieremie I will stād saith he and will take all the nations of the North Nabucadnerer my seruant King of Babilon and I wil bring them vpon this lande against the inhabitans thereof and against al these nations by the borders thereof and I will spoyle them And in Erechiell Wo be to the blouddy citie saith hée for I will make the burning great I will he ape on much woode in kindlyng the fire in consuming the flesh in casting in spice that the very bones may be burnte What more Thus saith the Lorde God beholde I will pollme my Sanctuarie euen the pryde of your power the pleasure of you and your hartes desice But I pray thée good felow dothe he nothing but enely forsake or suffer idlely something to be done or doth he only moderate the issue of things who himselfe inciteth the enimies appointeth armies leadeth the hoaste and bryngeth euen into the citie and commaundeth that none be spared kindleth the fire and by al meanes doth nourish it and finally doth prostitute the very Temple to the rauine and auarice of all the vngodly If thou deniest thys worke of God the worke I say of God not idlely lookyng on but effectually workyng the same thyng by Nabucadnerer I will yet rather beléeue the Lorde than the false Prophete For the Lorde reasonyng thus of the selfe thyng that is of the destruction of the Citie After sayth hée that the Lorde hath finished all hys worke in mounte Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude harte of the kyng of Assur Therefore when thou flyest to the Sanctuarie of hys idle and fruytelesse sufferaunce what other thyng doest thou shewe but that thou arte voyde euen of common reason For truely it is euen as muche as if thou shouldest saye that GOD beyng idle dothe worke agaynst hys will except it be so that thou darest accuse the Prophetes yea euen the Lorde hymselfe of blasphemye and in déede of ignoraunce But what dyd Dauid when hée was exasperated with the cursings of Symer Thus sayde Dauid he curseth mée bycause the Lorde hath commaunded him to curse me So when the tenne Tribesfel away not onely from Roboam but also from the Lorde himselfe for whiche defection they afterwardes suffered moste sharpe punishments dothe not the Scripture playnely witnesse that it was the Lordes doyng that the kyng shoulde not harken to the people Truly I do not imagine any thing here sith the holy Ghost in the reporte of hys Historie vseth the wordes cause or occasion than the whiche I sée not what coulde be sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more effectuall Wherefore also the Lord himselfe dealing of this defectiō and speakyng to the armie of Roboam by Semahia the Prophete Goe not vp saith he neyther fight ye agaynst your brethren the thyldren of Israell let euerye man returne to his owne home for this thyng is my doyng But also go to when the Lord threatned that he would reuenge the adultery of Dauid with the punishment of a like and therefore the greater mischiefe that is with incest what sayth he I will take saith he thy wiues in thy sight and will giue them to thy beste beloued who shall sléepe with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne Beholds goodfelow the very wordes of the Lorde Goe therefore and accuse God of blasphemie For why shouldest thou not dare to do that seing blushlesse and shamlesse face thou darest reprehend his seruants affirming these same things as wicked and blasphemers But thou wilt say these haue néede of some interpretation But of that we shall sée hereafter Now let vs come to the thirde forte of euils by which the Lorde punisheth the wicked eyther by the good or else doth it amongst themselues lyke as I should stryke with a hammer so one shoulde mangle and flea an other But here agayne we affirme not that truytlesse and forged sufferance or leauyng whiche you dreame but that the counsell decrée will and finally the action of God did in déed come in betwéene and that most iuste and holy bothe also when euill instrumentes worke wickedly whiche God doth most iustly graunt them and executeth by them What then wilt thou denie that the good are stirred vp of God to the destruction of the wicked I thinke not But what is to be thought of euils committed among themselues then also when one do iniurie the other appeareth euen by that place of Esai where the Lord calleth the Medes and Perstans whom he would stirre vp against the Babilonians his holy ones and the instruments of hys wrath But also in an other place where there is mention of those kings whiche sette themselues against Iosua This was done of the Lorde sayth the holy Ghost who had hardened their hartes that they shoulde withstande Israell with battell and that they might giue them ouer to the slaughter nor that any pitie should he shewed them but they shoulde vtterly be destroyed as the Lorde had commaunded Moses But of hardening we shall sée in his place Now answere what it is to deceyue a false Prophete I know what thou wilt answere that is the same whiche thou arte wonte to brable of leauyng of whiche mater lette vs heare if thou wilt Augustines words disputyng against one Iulianus and playnely refutyng that your separation of sufferance frō will. What is it saith Augustine to Iulian that thou sayste when they are sayde to be giuen ouer to their
it make for thee which he mentioneth of a secrete condition séeing thou not as he wyll haue the condition annexed to the denâ—â—â—cing of hys decrée but to the decrée it self and that bicause those things whiche the Lorde hath decréed are doubtfull and vncertayne or as if the will of the Lorde whiche is placed in men be turned nowe on this parte nowe on that according to the variable ende of the condition Whych opinion is verilye so absurde and so farre estraunged from the nature of God that it can neuer séeme to haue pleased any man except him that is starke madds The Sycophants sixth Argument to the thirde slaunder They bring also the example of this prodigall sonne which I haue alreadie touched who if thou sayste the father being willing went a ryoting it wil be most absurde the wente then against his will. And so they saye that offenders are the prodigall sonnes of God and sinning by Gods suffraunce not by his will. THE REFVTATION Bycause in the exposition of parables there is leste some place to coniectures therefore frantique and curious wittes doe new here in pride more liberally vaunt than in parables But I rather thinke that the ende of parables is to be considered and the seueral parte to bée so curiously examined excepte it be so that the very interpretation stande vppon the declaration of them bycause else it can not be auoyded but we shall runne into moste filthy imaginations Further I graunte that the Lord in this similitude doth represent vnto vs his clemencie vnder the forme of some most louing father and also that in the person of the prodigal son are sinners set out whiche for a while haue as it were withdrawen themselues from the sight of god that they might delight themselues in sin whom yet afterwardes long tamed with iust afflictions and returning themselues to good life the moste louing father receyueth to grace The other part of the parable I touch not bicause it belongeth not to our purpose Also let vs sée to howe great purpose thou reasonest out of this place Thou deniest that the sonne went a ryoting with the fathers will. I graunt the sonnes ryote was not approued of the father nor that the father dyd respect that that he shoulde ryote when he let hym goe But thou indéede arte a maruellous peremptorie man which in minde conceinest nothing else of God thaÌ„ that which is incident to man bycause God in this similitude hath set out himselfe to vs vnder the similitude of a mortal father As if indéede God should therefore signifye that he vseth not to deale other ways in any matter with his than men be wonte and doth not rather in this place set downe to vs this lone thing that is his immeasurable goodnesse euen towardes them who haue prouoked him to anger with many sinnes When thou missedst these bondes I saye thou arte farre from the matter But let vs forgiue thée his faulte If anye aduise to bring an insolent sonne and whom by no meanes he can hold vnder being let go from him into some greatedaunger from the whiche yet he may deliuer him so oft as he pleaseth casteth hym out thyther bycause he knoweth no better waye to recall hym to amendemente who will thinke it to be absurde if one saye that the sonne runne into that perill with hys fathers wyll or rather who wyll not prayse the father to be verie wise rather than reprehende him as fierce and cruell For he set to himselfe in this counsel for the end not the peril of the sonne but rather his safegrade and amendemente But all the electe children must thinke this same thing of the heauenly father albeit yet in this matter the estate of al be not alike For bycause that all things without exception do fal to the commoditie of them that loue the Lorde therefore it can not be doubted but GOD so ofte as he wythdraweth as it were from his electe the grace wherby they were vpholden in so muche that they fal euen into most filthy sinnes doeth permitte it willing and by his determined counsell in no wise so yet as if he allowed theyr sinnes but also by this meanes he wil haue theÌ„ admonished of theyr imbecilitie or to arrogate nothing to themselues or to be more watchfull againste the enemy than euer toofore or if they haue already gone astray to ameÌ„d or also that they shoulde be a warning to the posteritye Therefore he woulde certayne blemishes shoulde bée in Abraham in Moses and in Aaron Therefore he permitted Dauid not but willing to fall into most great offences whiche counsel of GOD when afterwardes he hadde acknowledged againste thée sayth he I haue sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou mayste be iustified and cleare when thou arte iudged For by how much the more vnworthy Dauid was whom the Lord should forgiue by so much the more did the faith and constancie of God shyne out in kéeping his promises when he dyd forgiue Dauid Also the same in another place acknowledging how muche he had profited in that triall Before I was troubled I wente wrong but nowe I kéepe thy word Againe it was good for me that I was in trouble that I might learne thy commaundementes So out of doubt he would prepare Peter to modesty by that thréefolde denying also Paule to be buffeted of the Angel of Satan least he shoulde waxe insolent Awaye therefore with thy forsaking or inuoluntarie sufferaunce as if the father did neuer so little tyme accompt the prodigall son forsaken When of the contrarie he was then most careful for his sonne when he séemed most angry The Sycophants seauenth Argument to the thirde Slaunder They also bring that saying of Christ And you wil not go away Truely he woulde not that they should go awaye but he suffered them THE REFVTATION Yea so farre it is of that he shoulde in this spéech bid them go away or giue them leaue to go away whyche if be had done out of doubte he had done it willingly that contrarilye with these wordes he kepte them still wyth hym when he had set before them the faythlesse falling awaye of others and recalling secréetly to their remembraunce so many benefites as they had receyued of him But thine ignorance must néedes be incréedible that vnderstandest not such kindes of speaking that be so common The Sycophants eight Argument to the thirde slaunder Finally they bring common sense which saith that there is difference betwixte will and sufferaunce according to which common sense Christe was wont to teache diuine matters and which if thou doste for doe all Christes similitudes shall faile of which we iudge by common sense REFVTATION Thou wouldst neuer out of aldoubte haue spoken so except the Lorde had taken from thée all common sense and that indéede by iust iudgement as by cause thou fightest against his prouidence the worker of all and eucrye thing by thine owne example it mighte be
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
his people Finally for that the Scripture manifestly calleth the wicked a rodde a hammer a sawe an axe which in the hande of God is appoynted and hurled not so in any wise as if mē were disburthened of blame or as if men had digenerated into logges and blockes but that we may know the prouidēce of God not to be idle in any case Otherways why shoulde God call Nabucadnezer his seruaunte and for that cause also haue scourged him bycause he called the subuertion of Ierusalem his work But what when the kings harte is sayde to be in the hande of the Lorde that he inclyneth it whether soeuer he will is it not manifestly proued that we saye that God doth stirre vp euen the wicked affections not in the they are euill but in much as he hath determined to vse them well But that also appeareth by the example of Dauid whom the Lorde is manifestly sayde to set him on to number the people If this be blasphemie go too euen rise against the spirite of God himselfe and lay to his charge the sinne of blasphemie But thou wilt saye in an other place the same thing is attributed to the Diuell therefore the name of the Diuell is to be attributed in the other place vnderstoode where it is not expressed But the wordes of the text are on this manner And the wrath of the Lorde was againe kindled against Israel and he moued Dauid against them in that he sayd go and number Israel and Iuda But who séeth not that the name of the Lorde is to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so that to be confirmed which Salomon hath written afterwards that the kings hart is turned whether soeuer the Lorde will. That in no wise as if he did instil another lewdenesse but bicause he stirreth vp that which he found eyther to the punishing of sinnes or to execute other of his counsels as a certain wel learned man hath excellently sayde But albeit the same motion is in an other place attributed to Satan is there therefore no part of the Lordes séeing it is sufficientlye manifest the Satan is the executioner of the Lordes wrath For what is sayd of Saul The spirite of the Lord departed frō Saule there entred into him an euil Spirit sent of the lord But say wherfore are these wordes of the Lord added To the end to signifie an idle sufferāce not rather the in this matter we may knowe Satan to haue bin gods instrument exercising his iust iudgemēt Neyther only the as Caluin hath wel truely written by the God cōmaunding he stirreth vp the mindes to these desires which in respect of Satā the wicked are euil but bicause he effectually draweth thē For it is not writtē the the lord sayd to the lying spirite I suffer thée to deceiue Achab if thou cāst but thou shalt perswade ouercome Go therfore do so Nor Paul writeth the the Lorde dyd giue a certaine power to deceiue but to giue strong delusion that they maye beleue lyes And the thou shouldest not thinke that we haue first taught thus out of the word of GOD heare what Augustine hath written of these things Iulianus the Pelagiā as appeareth out of Augustine against him in his fifth booke third Chapter dyd thinke this same thing the thou thinkest that is when the Lord is sayde to blynde or to harden or to giue ouer into a reprobate sense that it signifyeth nothing but that the Lorde leaueth and suffereth But Augustine sheweth that god doth not only leaue but also declare his wrath power Iulianus saith the these spéeches are beyond al credite Augustine will that they be appertinent Iulianus sayth they were burdned before with their dosires what néede was it that they shoulde be giuen ouer to them But Augustine saith doest thou thinke one thyng to haue lustes and to be giuen ouer to them For they are giuen ouer to their lustes not that they may haue them but also that they may vtterly be possessed of them Therfore saith he euē as God worketh in the bodies of the wicked by afflicting them so also he worketh in their mindes by sending them headlong into sinne And in that place Augustine handleth the historie of Semei The Lorde saith Dauid cōmaunded that he shoulde curse me God saith Augustine iustly inclined his will which was dehraued by the own fault that he might rayle vpon Dauid And there is adioyned a cause the Lord shal render me good things for this curse The same Augustine saith in an other place whē saith he God willeth that that thing be done which may not be done but whē men be willing he togither inclineth their harts that they be willing not only worketh in the hartes by assisting but euen by iudgyng that they may performe the thing which purposed no such thing which his hand counsell hath decreed The same saith in an other place the Scripture if it be diligently considered sheweth not only the good willes of mē which himself hath made of euil directeth those which he hath made good into good actions and eternal life but also that those which concerne the creature of the worlde are so in the power of God that he causeth the same to be inclined when he wil whether he will either to do good to some or to inflict punishmēt to certaine And immediatly who saith he wold not trēble at these iudgements wherwith God euen worketh in the hartes of the wicked whatsoeuer he wil yet rendring to them according to their deseruings Againe he saith it is sufficiētly euident by the testimonies of scripture that God worketh in the hartes of the wicked to the inclining their willes whether socuer he wil whether it be to good according to his mercie or to euil according to their deseruings that by his iudgemët sometimes secrete sometimes apparant alwaies iust For it ought to be fixed in your hearts that there is no iniquitie wyth god Hearest thou now Sclauderer how God worketh iustly euen in the he arts of the wicked or that I maye speake more properly by the hartes of the wicked but when after Augustine Caluine hath moste plētifully expressed of what lewdenesse was these distinctions omitted which are graunted vppon the manifeste word of God to insert the false and counterfayt sequeles of thine own braine whereof thou makest them the Authoures of whome they are so wisely and diligently refelled But tyme requireth that we heare thyne Argumentes The Sclaunderers Argumentes to the eleauenth Sclaunder Caluine attributeth to God that whiche belongeth to the Deuil as the Scriptures witnesse euery-where THE REFVTATION But thou playste the Sclaunderer whiche is of the Diuell when thou falsely accusest Caluine of that blasphemy which he hath refuted as carefully and diligently as any in the worlde God being moued with iust anger againste the Israelites pricketh Dauid by the ministerie of Sathan that by the numbering