and an other I will pray to God to open his Eies that he if gods good pleasure be may se the light that so brightly shyneth Other places for this present I omitte For of these precedents I suppose it be euident that in the eternall counsel of God there was a difference of mankynd euen before the creation which by his own voice is most plainely declared to vs in tyme. Now to that obiection which Pighius that pestilent and peruers Papist and you all after him doth make To witt that God did predestinate according to the workes and faith which he foresawe to be in man I might obiecte to the contrary that if Predestination procedeth from gods purpose and will as the Apoâ—â—le affirmeth it doth that theÌ„ the purpose and will of God being eternall can not be moued by our workes or faith which be temporall And that if the purpose of God be stable and sure that then can not our workes being vnsure be the cause thereof But to auoid prolixitie and tediousnes I will by plaine scriptures proue that of fre grace did God electe that of mere mercie doeth he call and of his onelie goodnes without all respect had to our dignitie as to be any cause first mouing him doeth he perfourme the worke of our saluatioÌ„ And for the proofe of the same let vs take Abraham and his posteritie for example Plaine it is that he and his sede were preferred to all the nations of the earth the benediction was established to spring frome them the promes of the land of Canaan was made vnto them and so were they extolled to the honour aÌ„d dignitie of gods peculiar people But let vs consider what either faith or obedience God found in them which might haue moued him thus to preferre them to other naâ—ions Let vs heare Moises The Lord they God saieth he hath chosen the that thow shoul dest be a peculiare people to him aboue all the peoples which are vpon the face of the earth God hath not so vehemently loued you and chosen you because you are mo in nombre then other nations seing ye are fewar then all other people but because he hath loued you and wold kepe the othe which he made to your fathers And after it foloweth Say not in thy heart my power my streÌ„gth aÌ„d my hand haue prepared this aboundance to me and think not in thy heart it is for my iustice that the Lord hath broght me into this land Of these places it is plaine that Moises leaueth no cause neither of gods election neither yet of perfourmance of his promes in maÌ„ but establisheth it altogether vpon gods fre loue and good pleasure The same did Iosua in that his last and most vehement exhortation to his people a litle before his death in which plainely he affirmeth that Abraham and his father were idolaters before they were called by God w c place Ezechiel the Prophete most euidently declareth rebuking the vnthaÌ„kfull defection of the Iewes from God who of mercy had giueÌ„ theÌ„ life honour and dignitie they of all others being the most vnworthy For the saieth Thus saieth the Lord God to IerusaleÌ„ Thy habitatioÌ„ aÌ„d they kiÌ„red is of CanaaÌ„ thy father was an amorrhean and thy mother an Hittite and in thy natiuitie wheÌ„ thow wast born thy nauill was not cutt thow was noâ— washed wiâ—h water to soften the thow was not salted with salt neither yet was thow swadled in clowtes By the which the Prophete signifieth that all was imperfect all was filthie all was corrupt and stinking as touching their nature he procedeth none â—ie pitied the to do any of these vnto the for to haue compassioÌ„ vpon the but thou wast cast oute in the open field to the contempt of thy person in the day that thow wast borne And when I passed by the I saw the polluted in thine own blood aÌ„d I said vnto y e wheÌ„ thou wast in thy blood y t is in thy filthie sinnes y u shalt liue And this he repeteth to the eÌ„d y t he may beat it more deply in their myndes I saieth the Lord said vnto the beiÌ„g in thy bloode thou shalt liue and so he procedeth declaring how that God did multiply them did giue vnto them beautie streÌ„gth honour and dignitie These thre places do plainely witnes what perfection God did find in this people whom thus he did preferre to all others And what obedience did they render vnto him after the vocation of Abraham the hole Histories do witnes for perfection and obedience was not found in Abraham him self yea neither in Moises nor in Aaron but contrarie wise the inobedience of all we find noted to the same end y t Moises hath before spokeÌ„ to witt that none shall boast that either iustice proceding or folowing was the cause why God did choose and elect that people For how shall God choose for that which the holie Gost plainely denieth to be in any man discending of the corrupt sede of Adam For Isaiah plainely doeth affirme that all our iustice is as a clothe most polluted and spotted If our iustice be polluted as the Prophete affirmeth it to be and God did predestinate vs for our iustice what foloweth but that God did predestinate vs for that which was filthy and imperfecte But God forbid y t such cogitations shoulde take place in our heartes God did choose vs in his eternall purpose for his owne glorie to be manifested in vs aÌ„d that he did in Christ Iesus in whoÌ„ onely is oure full perfection as before we haue said But let vs yet heare som testimonies of the new testament sainct Paul to his disciple Timothie saieth Be not ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord neither be thow ashamed of me who am his prisoner but be thow partaker of the afflictions of the EuaÌ„gile according to the power of God who hath made vs safe and hath called vs with an holie vocation not according to our workes but according to his purpose and fre grace which was giuen to vs by Christe Iesus before all tymes but now is made patent by the appering of our Sauiour Iesus Christe Here plaine it is that neither are we called neither yet saued by workes much les can we be predestinate for them or in respect of them Trew it is that God hath prepared good workes thaâ— we should walk in them but like trew it is that first must the tree be good before it bring furth good fruite and good can neuer the tree be except that the hand of the gardiner haue planted it To vse herein the plaine wordes of saint Paule he witnesseth that we are elected in Christ to the end that we should be holie aÌ„d without blemishe Now seing that good workes spring furth of election how can any man be so foolish as to affirme that they are the cause of the same Can the streame of water flowing from the fountaine be the cause of the
were with we be burdened to wit that God is the author of sinne ether that he deliteth or willeth iniquitie ether that sathan or men doing wickedly do obey God ether in so far as they do euil that they do the thing that God will and therefor are blameles Let such blasphemies be far not onely from our mowâ—hes but also from our cogitations aÌ„d thoghtes That none of these blaspemies necessarely may be concluded of ouredoctryn may thus be proued God putâ—eth in execution the counselles of his will by second causes and mid instrumentes not as bouÌ„d vnto them as the Stoâ—kes did affirme but frely and poteÌ„tly making mouing and directing them as it pleaseth his wisdom Of those instrumeÌ„tes there are two principall kindes The one hath lief and mouing the other be without lief which raâ—her be moued by the force of others then moue theÌ„ selues There be two sortes of those that haue lief the one be iâ—dued with reason and iudgement the other be without reason and are onely caried by the blynd force of nature Those that be without lief and those also that haue lief but lack reason can nether be said to do well nor euil but those that vse them as instrumentes may be said ether to do well or euil Those that haue lief endued with reason are ether Angelles or meÌ„ The angelles be of two sortes som good som bad but as for men all by nature are euil But by grace they are so seperated that som are vtterly euil som partly good to witt in so far as the Spirit of God hath sanctified them Such as in any action are moued by their own inward motion iustly may be said to work and therefor in that kynd of instrumentes falleth the differeÌ„ce of good and of euill workes nether yet properly in that respect may they be called instrumentes but the causes efficieÌ„t An euill action I call that which hath not the reueled will of God for the assurance and eÌ„d and by the coÌ„trarie the work is good when the worker looketh to obey gods expresse commandement These same althogh they be causes in so far as they work by their own proper motioÌ„ yet are they in an other respect called instrumentes in so far as they are moued by an other As when the hangman by the commandement of the magistrate killeth a man or when by instigation of the deuil meÌ„ hurt others or wheÌ„ at the commandement of any we do ether good or euill to any maÌ„ In this kynd of actions it is euident that one work is attributed to two to the one as to him that worketh by an instrument and to the other as to the worker by motion or commandement such workers are instrumentes not simply as the haÌ„mer or axe is in the hand of the smithe or hewer but they are such instrumentes as also moue by their own inward motion And for this double respect a double worke appereth som tymes to be done In somuch that the one may be lawdable and the other wicked As if the magistrate shall committ an offender worthie of death to the executor of iustice This worke is praise worthie of all good men But if the lictor inflaÌ„bed rather with enuie auarice or any other wicked affection then looking to the commandemeÌ„t of the iudge shall kill the same offender most certen it is that before God he can not auoid the cryme of murther Now let us applie these thiÌ„ges to God whose efficacie before we haue proued to worke in all thinges without exceptioÌ„ aÌ„d so that by those thiÌ„ges which he hath made as by instrumenâ—es he executeth in tyme what so euer he hath decreed frome eternitie What so euer God worketh is good seing from him who is infinitlie good no euil thing can procede but he worketh aâ—l thinges therefor all thinges be good inso far as they ar done by God And that difference of good and euil hath onely place in the instrumentes aÌ„d in those of whom we haue spoken in the 14. proposition For if those instrumentes be good and if their actions look to the reueled will of God they do well and God also doth well by theÌ„ wherefor that work is alwaies good as when the good angelles execute that which God coÌ„mandeth and holie men do follow God calling them Euil instrumentes euill I say not by creation but by corruption in so far as they work alwais they do euill and therefor iustly do they incurre the wrath of God But in so far as God worketh by theÌ„ they ether by ignorance orels against their purposes serue to the good work of God But God him self by what so euer instrumentes he worketh worketh at all tymes well And so he worketh by those instrumeÌ„tes that not onely he permitteth and suffereth them to work nether doth he onely moderate the eueÌ„t or chance but also he raiseth them vp he moueth he directeth and that which is most of all he also createth to the end that by them he shall work that which he hath appointed Which thinges God doth righteously and without any iniustice For wheÌ„ the wicked man sinneth ether against him self ether against any wicked person God without any sinne doth aÌ„d bringeth to passe that the wicked man shall take vengeance vpon him self or that euill men shall take veÌ„geance vpon other wicked men who haue deserued punishement And this one and other work of God is most iust and by such exemples of his iudgementes God erecteth and comforteth his afflicted How oft that euill men hurt good men the wicked meÌ„ sinne aÌ„d in the end they suffer iust punishement and yet by them neuertheles doth God chasten instruct and confirme his own and by the manifest ennemies of his Church doth God make glorious his Church Yet can it not be said that those euill instrumentes do obey God For albeit that God worketh his work by them yet they so far as in them lieth and as coÌ„cerning their own counsell and will do not the work of God but their own work for the which meritably they are punished Albeit what so euer God worketh by the wicked is good yet what so euer the wicked men work is euel Nether is the consequent good God worketh all thinges Ergo he worketh sinne for the name of sinne is not but in the vicious aÌ„d faultie qualitie which is altogither in the instrument that worketh By reason of this corrupted qualitie the work which in the self is one som maner of way is double and may be diuided Insomuth that the one that is the iust work of God derectly fighteth and repugneth against the vniust work of man God neuertheles far other waies worketh by his good instrumeÌ„tes theÌ„ he doth by his euil instrumeÌ„tes for besides that by his good instrumeÌ„tes he worketh his work the good instrumentes also do their work by that strength and efficacie which the Lord ministereth vnto them And God also worketh his work by them and in them he worketh to will and
but how litle this knowledge serued for their saluation the Apostle doth witnes And therfore I say that your Master is more then impudeÌ„t v t dare preferre nature and reason to gods scriptures And further his venom in so saing is more daÌ„gerous then if plainely he had affirmed that nature reasone alone had bene sufficient to haue instructed man in al thinges apperteining to saluation For so declaring him self the simple should haue auoyded that error as a pestileÌ„ce most pernicious But now in ioining together those thinges which God hath so manifestly deuided as he hath deuided light from darcknes he doth nothing els but as a traiterous murtherer mixe and mingle poison with swete lyquore For in ioining nature and reason with gods scriptures in the manifestatioÌ„ of God to mans saluation he doth plainely witnes that the naturall man may boldly pronounce that those workes be none of gods wherof reason can not see a iust cause why so they should be wroght For the fall of Adam say you and the induration of Pharao the deceauing of Achab and such others were none of gods workes But they came by his permission and why so Because the naturall man can not see how such workes can agree with gods goodnes and iustice And thus ye deny him to be the true God who doth not laye before the blindnes of yo r reason all his workes that they by her iudgement may be iustified or condemned O blasphemous mouthes dare ye denie him to be the true God of whom Moses Iob Dauid and Paule affirme that his secretes do apperteine to him self that he will not make accompte to man of all his workes That his counsels are incomprehensible his iudgementes a greate depth and his wayes vnsearchable Thus much for that which ye omitte of yo r masters wordes in his description which I now admonish lest after ye should trouble the simple with these your vanities which from time to time ye foster and spred abrode Now to the second which I will but onely touch to put you in minde that in doctrine ye are not constant for before ye haue affirmed that we did all staÌ„d in Adam before that we did fall For none say you falleth but he that standeth If we did all stand then were we all predestinate to life And after As we were all created in one man that is in Adam so were we all created in one estate that is after the image of God Of which places it is plaine that ye vnderstand that in Adam we were created to gods image in Adam we were elected and in Adam we were placed in paradise which you call the blessed life But here you change your tune and say He hath made man like to his owne image in Christe Iesu in whom is no damnation What should be the cause of this your sodein recantation and alteration of your senteÌ„ce I can not well coniecture except it be this That because experience doth conuict you that by Adam we are all wounded to death that therfor you wolde al should receaue life by Christe Iesus And that doth your master affirme in bold and euident wordes saing This God will all men to be saued and that none shall perish and therfor hath he sent his SoÌ„ne into the earth whose iustice should superabound where so euer sinne hath abounded This doth your master boldly affirme because he wrote to his practised souldiours y t which ye do in darcke wordes persuade But how vaine be both your persuasions shall shortly appere by examining the scriptures by you both alledged He groundeth his error vpon the wordes of Paule plainely falsified and of Iohn the Euangelist whom he applieth not rightly If you thinke me bolde that thus do accuse your master great angell of falsifying gods scriptures heare my profe and then iudge He saith whersoeuer sinne hath abounded there hath grace super abounded Which wordes the Apostle doth not speake but saith where sinne hath abounded there hath grace more abounded which proposition is most true as it is most comfortable For in Adam Dauid Peter and in all other gods elect children did and doth sinne abound as the Apostle proueth all to haue sinned and to haue nede of gods glorie But in them did grace more abound by the which they were deliuered from the multitude of sinnes But as your proposition is not expressed by the Apostle so it is most fals which is most easie to be proued For in Cain Pharao Iudas Pilate Annas Caiphas Herode and many other did sinne abound but in them did grace neuer so abound that they were absolued from that damnation which is pronounced against all vnfaithfull in these wordes Who so euer shall not beleue shal be condemned And therfor I say that your masters vniuersall proposition is most fals and he not onely a falsisier of the plaine scriptures but also a mainteiner of all impietie of all idolatrie and wicked religion For if it shal be admitted that where so euer sinne hath abounded there shall grace more abound then shall there be no differeÌ„ce betwene the condition of those that beleue in Christe and those that be despisers of his Euangile offered Let the indiffereÌ„t reader iudge whether that you or we do now more smel of a careles and a libertines life But this after The wordes of the Euangelist are plainely wrested For he affirmeth not that euery man is illuminated to saluation nether yet that Christe is offered as ye wold shift to euery man But speaking of the excelleÌ„cie of Christ Iesus in whom was life and by whom all thinges were created he saith this was the true light which doth illuminate all men that come into this world In which wordes he speaketh nothing of mannes redemption nether yet of any light which man receaueth necessarie for the same But onely of that light which was giâ—eÌ„ to man in his creatioÌ„ a part whereof how small so euer it be doth yet remaine in man â–ª and that not by his own power but by the free gift of God in whom we liue are moued and haue our being And that the Euange list speaketh nothing of the light of our redemption is euident by his owne wordes For before and after he doth witnes that the light did shine in darckenes but darckenes did not appreheÌ„d it that is receaue aknowledge it That he came amongest his owne but his owne did not receaue him that such as did receaue him were nether borne of blood of the will of the flesh nether yet of the will of man but of God By which wordes it is manifest that the Euangelist most euidently declareth that the light of saluation is not coÌ„mon vnto all but y t it is propre to those onely y t are borne of God He doth further teach that all reason and naturall vnderstanding which man hath by his first birth is so choked so blinded and extinguished that man must nedes be borne againe
wil which onely is the most perfect rule of all iustice and equitie did bring all these thinges to passe by such meanes as he had appointed and by his Prophetes fore spoken But here you storme crying in your accustomed furie What is this els but stoicall necessitie to make Gods wil the only cause of all thyngs be they good or bad How dull and ignorant you are if ye can not make differeÌ„ce betwext Gods will and that necessitie which the Stoikes mainteaned I haue before touched and how maliciously ye impute vnto vs wordes and sentences whereof ye be neuer able to conuict vs shall shortly God willing be declared But by this I perceaue where the shoe doeth wring you If Gods wil his counsel his prouidence and decre beare rule in the actions of maÌ„nes lief then foresee you and feare that your free will shall be broght into bondage and so can ye not com first to the perfection of Angels and in processe of tyme to the iustice of Christe by the meanes of your free will Whether I wrongously suspect you and so haue erred in my iudgement your own wordes shall after witnes For seing that we haue planely proued v t most vniustly and moste maliciously ye accuse and traduce vs of the vane opinion of the Stoikes I will procede to that which ye call our first error after that I haue for the better instructioÌ„ of the simple reader declared what we vnderstand by Prescience Prouidence and praedestination which termes do so offend you that ye can not heare them named When we attribute prescience to God we vnderstaÌ„d that all things haue euer bene and perpetually abyde present before his eyes so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is bypast nothing to com but all thinges are present and so are they present that they are not as conceaued imaginations or formes and figures whereof other innumerable thinges procede as Plato teacheth that of the form and exemple of one man many thousandes of men are fashioned But we say that all things be so present before God that he doeth contemplat and beholde them in their veritie and perfection And therefor it is that the Prophetes often tymes speak of things being yet after to com with such certentie as that they were alreadie done And this praescience of God do we affirm to be extended to the vniuersall compasse and circuite of the world yea and vnto euery particuler creature of the same Gods prouidence we call that souerane empire and supreme dominioÌ„ which God alwayes kepeth in the gouernement of all thinges in heauen and earth conteiâ—ed And these two that is Prescience and prouidence we so attribute to God that with the Apostle we fear not to affirme that in him we haue our being â—â—uing and lief We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his owne power but that his foot steppes ar directed by the eternall That the sortes and lottes which appere most subiect to fortune go so furth by his prouidence That a Sparro falleth not vpon the ground without our heauenlie father And this we giue not to God only praescience by an ydle sight and a prouidence by a general mouing of his creatures As not only som Philosophers but also mo then is to be wished in our daies do but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge and prouidence as is extended to euery one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tend and incline to the end to which they are appointed by his What comforte do the sonnes of God receaue in earnest meditations hereof this tyme will not suffer to intreate But at one word to finish alas to what miserie were we exponed if we should be persuaded that sathan and the wicked might or could do any thing otherwiese then God hath appointed Let the godlye consider Predestination whereof now this question is we call the eternall and immutable decre of God by the which he hath once determined with him self what he will haue to be done with euerie man For he hath not created all as after shal be proued to be of one condition Or if we will haue the definition of Predestination more large we say that it is the most wise and most iust purpose of God by the which before all tyme he constantly hath decreed to cal those whom he hath loued in Christ to the knowledge of him self and of his sonne Christ Iesus that they may be assured of their adoption by the iustification of faith which working in them by charitie maketh their workes to shyne before men to the glorie of their father so that they made conforme to the image of the sonne of God may finally receaue that glorie which is prepared for the vessels of mercie These latter partes to wit of vocation iustification of faith â–ª and of the effect of the same haue I added for such as thiÌ„k that we imagin it sufficient that we be predestinate how wickedly so euer we liue We constantly affirme the plane contrarie To wit that none liuing wickedly can haue the assurance that he is predestinate to lief euerlasting Yea althogh man and Angell wolde beare record with him yet will his own conscience condemne him vnto such tyme as vnfeanedly he turne from his wicked conuersation These termes I thoght good in the beginning to explane to the end that the reader may the better vnderstand our meaning in the same and that we be not after often coÌ„pelled to repete theÌ„ againe Now to that W c ye call the first error THE ADVERSARIE God hathe not created all men to be saued by any manner of meannes but before the foundation of the world he hath chosen a certen to saluation which is but a small flocke and the rest which be innumerable he hath reprobate and ordeined to condemnation Because so it pleaseth him ANSWER They are not onely reputed liers aÌ„d called fals witnesses that boldly and planelie affirme a lie in plane and expresse wordes but such also as in reciting the myndes of other men change their meaning by altering their wordes by adding more then they spake or by dyminishing that which might explane the thinges that remained obscure or more fully might expres the minde of the speakers And in all these thre vices are you criminall in this your first accusation or witnessing laid against vs. For our wordes ye haue altogether altered to them ye haue added and from the ye haue diminished that which ye think may aggrauate and make odious our cause And therefore I say ye are detestable liers and malicious accusers For probation hereof I appele to our writings be they in latyn freÌ„che ItaliaÌ„ or english in so many toÌ„gues this mater is writteÌ„ if that any of you be able to briÌ„g furth our propositioÌ„s in any of theÌ„ in this your forme aÌ„d coÌ„teining your whole wordes I offer to make satisfactioÌ„ vnto you
originall spring I think no man will so holde nor affirme euen so it is in this mater for faith and a godlie life that ensueth our vocation are the fruites proceding from oure election but are not to the causes of the same And therefor the Apostle to beat downe all pryde asketh what hast thow ◠mā which thow hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued it why gloriest thow as thogh thow hadst not receaued it The Apostle in that place speaketh not of one or two graces but what so euer is necessarie to saluation that he affirmeth to be receaued and that of fre grace as he yet more plainely doeth witnes sayeng Of grace are ye saued by faith and that not of your selues it is y e gift of God ād not of works lest any should glorie Now if man hath nothing but that which he receaueth of grace of fre gift of fauour and mercie what odious pryde and horrible vnthankfulnes is this that man shall imagine that for his faith and for his workes God did electe and predestinate him to that dignitie euen as if two or thre beggers chosen from the nomber of many were of the liberall mercie of a Prince promoted to honour should after brag and boast that their good seruice was the cause that the Prīce did choose them Shuld not euerie wise man mocke their vanitie yea might not the Prince iustly depriue them for their arrogant vnthankfulnes Might not the Prince haue left them in their wretched estate And what then shoulde haue become of their seruice Is it not euē so with mā lost in Adam whose fall in gods prescience and purpose was before his creation of which masse or lompe God of his owne fre grace did choose ād predestinate vessels of his mercie prepared vnto glorie that they should be holie as before is said shall these thē that finde mercie to worke good wordes boast as thogh workes were the cause thereof God forbyd For if the posteritie of Abraham did not obteine the inheritāce of the land of Canaan for any iustice that was in them yea if God did not choose them neither to the temporall nor eternal felicitie but of loue and fre grace onely as Moises doth witnes how shall we thinke that the Eternall inheritāce or gods election to the ioy and life euerlasting dependeth vpon any qualite within vs. Wonder it is that the Apostle sainct Paul intreating this mater of gods fre election was ignorant of this cause if it be sufficient For by that meanes in few wordes he might haue put silence to many dogges which then as men do now barked against this doctrine For if he had said God hath chosen afore all tymes to the participatiō of life a certein nomber because he foresaw that they should be faithfull obedient to his commandemēts and holie in cōuersation and vpon the other parte he hath reiected and reprobate others because he foresaw that they should be vnfaithfull disobediēt and vnclean of life this I say if those causes had been sufficient had ben a sensible maner of doctrine But the Apostle alledgeth no such reason but first beateth doune the pryde of man as before we haue touched and there after brusteth furth in this exclamation O the hieght of the riches of the wisdō and knowledge of God how incōprehensible are his iudgements and how vnsear cheable are his wayes This exclamatiō I say had bene vaine if either workes or faith foresene had bene the cause of gods electiō S. Augustin doeth mock the sharpe sight of mē that in his daies begā to se more depely then did y e holie Gost speaking in y e Apostle And we fear not to affirme that the men w c this day do attribute electiō or predestination to any vertue or qualitie within man do holde defend to their greate dāger that which none inducd with the Spirite of God hath left to vs written within the holie scriptures either yet that any of the chosē shal cōfes in their greatest gloric Let the hole Scriptures be red and diligently marcked and no sentence rightly vnderstand shal be founde that affirmeth God to haue chosen vs in respect of our workes or because he fore sawe that we should be faithfull holie and just But to the contrarie many places shall we finde yea euē so many as intreat of that mater that plainely affirme that we that we are frely chosen accordīg to the purpose of his good will ād that in Christ Iesus And what shall be the confession of the hole bodie assembled when they shall receaue the promissed glorie is expressed in these wordes of the 24 elders who casting their crownes before him that sitteth vpon the throne do say Worthy art thow o Lord ād our God to take honour and glorie and power For thow hast created all things and by thy will they are and were created And after they fall before the lambe ād sing a new song saying Worthie art thow to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thow wast killed and hast redemed vs to God by thy bloode and hast made vs to our God kings ād priestes ād we shall reigne vpon the earth No mention is here made of any worthines of man the creation is geuē to God and that all thinges are in that perfecte state which thē the chosen shall possesse is attributed to his will The death of the lambe is assigned to be the cause of the redemption yea of that great dignitie to which they are promoted I am fully persuaded that if any cause of gods electiō and of the fruite proceding of the same were or could be in mā that the holie Gost who is authour of all iustice wold not haue defrauded man of any thing which of right did appertein vnto him But seing that in no place the holie Gost doeth attribute any parte of mannes saluation to his owne merites or worthines I fear not to affirme that this pestilēt opinion is the instigation of sathan laboring by all meanes to obscure the glorie of Christ Iesus and to retein man in bōdage whom he infected with that first venom which he made hī to drink Saing ye shal be as gods Thus far with such plain simplicite as it pleased God to minister vnto me for the tyme haue proued y t gods electiō is Eternal y t it is stable y t he hath made a difference betwext one sort of mē and an other w c differēce althogh it came to know ledge of mā in time yet was it in gods purpose ād counsel before all tyme no les thē his creatiō was And last y t gods electiō depēdeth neither vpō o r workes nor vpō our faith but procedeth frō his Eternal wisdō mercie ād goodnes ād therefor is it īmutable ād cōstāt Now shortly will I go throughe if God permi me y e reasons of yo r booke Nothing vpō y e one parte y e imperfectiōs of y
his vessell plaÌ„te a tre to be barren or kil any of his subiects we send you as befor to ask couÌ„sel at the plaine scriptures whether â—in God there is not a greater knowledge greater power aÌ„d a iustice more perfect althogh it be incoÌ„preheÌ„sible to o r dulseÌ„ses theÌ„ y t their is in y e potter husboÌ„d maÌ„ or Magistrate How that God wil not the death of the sinner but rather that he may conuerte and liue we shall shortlie God wiliÌ„g after speak And therefor omitting that which indigestly you heape togither I procede to that which foloweth THE ADVERSARIE Where ye replie w t that it lieth not in maÌ„nes will or ronning but in the mercie of God I answer by the same senteÌ„ce y t we may both will aÌ„d roÌ„ne which is coÌ„trarie to your hole purpose aÌ„d doctrine aÌ„d yet saieth the Apostle our saluatioÌ„ depeÌ„deth of the mercie of God for it is his fre gift The GeÌ„tiles w c for their wickednes wer reiect of God in vaine should they either wil or ronne w tout God exteÌ„ded his mercie towardes theÌ„ as he doeth now preseÌ„tly Lyke as on the other side the Iewes which for their sinnes be now abiect in vaine should they either wil or roÌ„ne without it pleased God to extend his mercie ouer theÌ„ as he shal do after that the fulnes of the GeÌ„tiles become in as witnesseth Paul â–ª for there we must vnder staÌ„d that wheÌ„ it pleased God to offer vs his mercie yet without we both will and ronne we shall not obtein the reward notwithstanding neither for our willing or ronning are we worthie to receaue saluation for it is the fre gift of God which he giueth to vs onely for his own mercies saik God offered saluation to Ierusalem not for the deseruing but of his mâ—rcie yet obteined they not saluation because they wold neither will nor ronne As Christ saieth how often wold I haue gathered thy children as the hendoeth her chekens and thow woldest not so the scribes and the Phariseis made the counsell of God towardes them of none effect for they dispised it Gods will was to saue them but they wold neither will nor ronne but kepe still their old passeâ— so they perished Wherefor vnto our saluation is required chiefly the mercie of God as the onely sufficient and the efficient cause thereof wherby we being vnworthie and his ennemies be reconciled and receaued vnto the feloship of the saintes Secondly is required that we both will and ronne not as the cause but rather as the effect anâ— frute of our reconciliaâ—ion declaring our selues to be thankfull for the benefits which we haue frely without our merits receaued otherwies the kingdoâ— shal be â—aken from vs againe and geuen to such as shall boâ—h will and ronne bringing furth the fruts thereof ANSWER Your ancient father Pelagius coniured ennemie to the fre grace of God did bragge and boast as you do that in man there was a will and a ronning But the probation of bothe is one that is to say your affirmation must suffice for auctoritie You boldly write that of those wordes of the Apostle neither it is of him that willeth neithâ—r yet of him that ronneth but of God hauing mercie it is plaine that we bothe will and ronne But how is this proued your long discourse in which it semeth that ye haue forgotten your self proueth no part of your purpose for the question is not what either the Iew or y e geÌ„till doeth ImeaÌ„ after they haue receaued the grace of God For theÌ„ we confesse that they haue yet not of theÌ„ selues a will aÌ„d studie to walk in godlines but the question is whether this wil aÌ„d studie which now by grace they haue receaued was anie cause of their election the contrarie whereof we haue before proued We do not imagine the faithfull meÌ„bres of Christes bodie to be stockes or stones insensible without will or studie of godlines â–ª but we affirme that it is God that worketh in vs the good will and the good thoght for of our selues we are not sufficient to think one good thoght We further affirme that except with all humilitie the fre grace offered with thankes giuing be receaued that they serue nothing to the saluation of the coÌ„temners But therewith we adde that it is God onely who taketh away the stonie and stubborne heart and giueth to vs a fleshie heart In which he by the power of his holie Spirit writeth his law maketh vs to walk in his wayes draweth vs to his Sonne Christ Iesus giueth vs into his protection I mean as faith assureth vs in our conscience aÌ„d so we acknowledge God alone by Christ Iesus his sonne to be the beginning the middes and the end of our sanctification godlie lief and saluation I for my part do yet againe praise God that his veritie is of that strength that somtymes it will compell the verie ennemies to bear testimonie to it And I pray God to retein you in that mynd that vnfeanedly you may beleue aÌ„d coÌ„fes that what vertues or good motions that euer be in you be the onely effects or fruites as ye call them of your reconciliation and neither cause of your election nor yet of your iustification That Ierusalem and the scribes refused grace and therefor iustly were condemned we consent with you but that euer it was the eternall couÌ„sell aÌ„d will of God to giue them life euerlasting that we constantly deny Our reasons we haue before alledged and after will haue occasion to repete som againe And therefor we procede Thus ye write THE ADVERSARIE Here with great vehemencie ye alledge these wordes of Paule who hath ben able to resist his wil of which saying ye inferre that God without any cause knowen to vs hath reprobated and damned many against which wil no man can resist These wordes did Paule write because he did foresee that of his former sainges som deuelish disposed persons wold take occasion to burden God with vnrighteousnes as ye do making him the author of euill for ye say that God hath a secrete will whereby he willeth the most parte of the world to be condemned which will because it can not be resisted therefor of mere necessitie by the immutable decre of God so many do perish further ye this affirming God to be the cause of damnation onely because it so hath pleased him ye cause many other to burst owt and say Sithe his will and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self and not to vs if any sinne be committed and surely for my parte were it not I abhorre your horrible doctrine wherwith ye cruelly affirme gods ordinaÌ„ce to be the cause of damnation I wold not medle further in this mater but with reuereÌ„ce behold the workes of God forasmuch as I se thankes be to God no work of God wheriÌ„ his mercie doeth not clerely shyne But if your saying were true
then were his workes full of crueltie miserie damnation and destruction Now as touching this saying who is able to resist his will we must learne what is gods will If you ask the Lord he will answer you it is not my will that any man sinne neither is it my will that the sinner die but rather that he amend and liue but if he will not amend but continew in sinne him wil I punishe and him may I also punishe hauing power aboue all men as the potter ouer the clay Wherefor when any man suffereth iustly for his trespasse he oght not to accuse God and say who can resist his will â–ª as God wold absolutely the destruction of his creatures as ye teach God will all men to repent and amend and also that theâ— who will not repent and amend be punished this his will is iust and full of mercie against which will is no man able to resist for either must they repent and amend orels they must suffer As the potter wold gladly make of his clay a good vessell but if it will not frame he breaketh it and casteth it away and as the king wold all his subiects to be obedient vnto his lawes yet the vnworthiest slaue in his dominion hath power to break the kinges lawes Notwithstanding wheÌ„ he suffereth for his offence the kinges will is fulfilled eueÌ„ so thogh God both wille hand coÌ„man deth vs to obserue his law yet haue we power to offend against the former parte of his will otherwies we should all obserue â—he will of God and be saued and so should there be no reprobate But when for our disobedience we be punished the will of God is fulfilled which will is both good and iust and therefor oght no man to accuse it aÌ„d say who is able to resist his wil. No more theÌ„ clay when it framed not to be a good vessell doeth accuse the potter of breaking it ANSWER Ye be not able to proue that in any vehemencie we alledge those wordes of the Apostle in other sentence theÌ„ he wrote theÌ„ for all praise aÌ„d glorie be vnto God the mercifull giuer we haue not so litle profited in the schoole of Christ Iesus that we wold wrest the wordes of the holie Gost to a coÌ„trarie sense We are not ignorant that the Apostle pronouÌ„ceth these wordes in the person of carnall meÌ„ who hearing that God hath mercie vpon those that he wil and that also he maketh hard hearted such as he will do storm and furiously crye wherefor theÌ„ doeth he coÌ„plein who is able to resist his wil. These wordes I say do we not vrge to proue our doctrine for where we affirme that the onely will of God is the perfect reule of all thiÌ„ges which be done aÌ„d are to be done in heaueÌ„ and in earth we build our doctrine vpon euideÌ„t testimonies of the scriptures aÌ„d vpon the cheif principalles of our religioÌ„ and faith Dauid and Isaiah do both aggre that our God who dwelleth in heauen doeth what so euer he will in heaueÌ„ and in earthe that he formeth light and doeth creat darknes that is giueth aswel prosperitie as aduersitie Daniel affirmeth that the supreme God distributeth kingdomes as best semeth to his wisdom and Salomon doeth witnes that against the Lord there is no counsell can preuale The necessarie principalles of o r faith do teach vs that as in God there falleth no ignorance so in him there is no impotencie He doeth not as it were in suspeÌ„se aÌ„d doubt behold the eueÌ„t aÌ„d chaÌ„ce of thiÌ„ges ronning after to seke remedie but that in wisdom hath he disposed all thiÌ„ges willing nothing which he may not and doeth not bring to passe in time according to his eternall purpose and working nothing which is not most iust howbeit the causes thereof be hidde frome vs. Of these and many mo scriptures and necessarie principalles of our faith do we grounde our doctrine and not vpon that one place spoken in the rebuke of the stubborn and rebellious disputers with God ye burden vs that we accuse and make God to be the author of euill aÌ„d the cause of damnation That we cause many brest owt and say since his will and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self aÌ„d not to vs if any sinne be committed And last ye affirme that if our sainges be true that then are gods works full of crueltie miserie damnatioÌ„ and destructioÌ„ and so of two thinges ye accuse vs and the thirde ye affirme ineuitably to folow of our doctrine if it be true Here after I will not greatlie labour to confute thy argumeÌ„tes which is a thing most easie euen to any godlie man how beit he had neuer sene arte nor studied the same But seing that thow and thy most pestileÌ„t sect be not content maliciously to sclander those that in such a case be most innoceÌ„t but that also with most impudent mowthes ye vomite furth your horrible blasphemies against gods maiestie I will most earnestlie and most vnfeanedlie require of all reulers Princes Magistrates and gouernors who in the fear of God do ruele aboue their subiects that as they will answer in the presence of the Lord Iesus for the administration of iustice committed to their charge that indifferently they iudge betwext you and vs. To witt that if we can euidently be coÌ„uicted of those crymes which ye most maliciously and most vniustly lay to our charge that then iudgement without mercie be executed against vs. But and if ye fail in your probation and also if ye can not proue crueltie to be in gods workes supposing that our doctrin remaine as that it is trew aÌ„d stable that then such order may be takeÌ„ for repressing of your vennemous tongues that neither ye be permitted thus openly to blaspheme gods Maiestie neither thus maliciously to sclander innocentes and to offend y e eares of all godlie hearers And to the end that meÌ„ shall not think that being at this time accused we beginne to deuise new defenses or excuses of our selues I will faithfully and simply bring furth of the workes as som what I haue done before of that singulare instrument of Christ Iesus in the glone of his Gospell Iohn Caluin such sentences as shall make plaine to all men what our opinion is of God of the fall of man of the woÌ„derous work of our redemption and of the most iust reiection and damnation of the reprobat Thus saieth he dependeth the perdition of the reprobate vpoÌ„ the predestination of God that the cause and the mater is altogither found in them the first man fell because the eternall iudged it expedient why he iudged it we know not yet certeÌ„ it is that he so iudged it not but that he saw the glory of his name thereby to be illustrate when that thow doest heare the mention of gods glorie there also remembre thow iustice to be for of necessitie it is that iust must y t
not haue sinne but now haue they nothing to cloke their sinne for they haue sene and hated not onelie me but also my father No man wil be so fond as to affirme that the Iewes before Christs preaching and miracles were cleane without sinne but the coÌ„tempt of grace did so augment and increase their sinne that it became inexcusable euen so say I that Pharao did harden his owne heart frome time to time becomming more vnthankfull vnto God and more cruell to his people And y e fouÌ„teine of this induration and hardnes I confesse to haue bene borne with him and that to raige against gods people he neded no impulsion of gods parte but rather a brydle to impede his fury But yet the question is not resolued as before I haue noted for still we ask why was not that fountein shutte vp why was not the naturall venim purged and his heart mollified searche where you list ye shall fynd none other reason nor cause for the which the subsequent induration of Pharao did principallie procede but y t God in his eternall counsell for causes knowen to his wisedom alone had most iustly denyed to communicate his graces effectually with him but had raysed him vp to haue his power shewed forth in him And so God did hardeÌ„ Pharaos hearte not by permission onely but willingly withdrew his Spirit froÌ„ him as before is said Wonder it is that amongest the ancient doctors ye will seke patrocinie or defense in this mater seing it is a statute amoÌ„gest you that ye will beleue nor admit the wordes nor authoritie of no writer in any mater of con trouersie but all things you will haue decided by the plaine scripture And truly I am not contrary to your mynd in that case so that you vnderstand that ye will not admitt the authoritie of man against gods plaine trueth nether yet that you will beleue maÌ„ any furtherthen that he prouethe his sentence by gods euideÌ„t scriptures If you had produced any doctor who had confirmed his interpretation by the plaine worde of God of reason I oght to haue answered ether by the same or by some other doctor of equall authoritie orels to haue improued his interpretatioÌ„ by the plaine scriptures but seing that ye produce none ye leaue me at greater libertie and yet I will shewe you the mynd of one doctor coÌ„parable to any that euer wrote before him ether in the latin or in the greke Churche I meane of Augustine who writing against Iulian the appostate and against Manacheus who did affirme the self same thing that you do to witte that God was a passiue God that is he did suffer all euill and that against his will but he did work none Against him I say he thus writeth wilt thou say saieth Augustine to Iulian that the wicked that be giuen ouer to their owne desires are to be vnderstand onely left by gods suffering but not compelled to sinnes by power as thogh that the Apostle had not ioyned the suffering and power of God to gether where that he saieth if God willing to shewe wrath and to declare his power fuffered in great patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction w t of these two saiest thou is written And also if the prophet do erre and shall speak I the lord haue deceaued him is this suffering or is it power And after adducing the same w c we before haue alledged of Achas he addeth did God these things ignorantly or doth he any thing iudgeing or doing rashly or vniustly God forbid it is not without cause that it is said Thy iudgemeÌ„tes are a great deapth it is not vaine that the Apostle crieth out Oh the hieght aâ—d depenes of gods iudgementes And after in the same place expounding these wordes lead vs not into temptation after that he hath affirmed that God giueth ouer some for iust causes to their owne lustes and blyndnes as he gaue ouer Roboam to beleue the fals and foolishe counsell of the young men he saith all these things doth God worke by wonderous and vnspeakable meanes who knoweth howe to worke his iust iudgementes not onelie in the bodies but also in the heartes of men he who maketh not the willes euill but yet he vseth them as he will seing that he can will nothing vniustly Thus far haue I alleged vnto you the mâ—nd of one doctor in this our controuersie â–ª when â—e shall bring forth the mynd of any so well grounded vpon scriptures as he dothe this his sentence â–ª I promyse to answer if I can I am not ignorant that diuers of the doctors yea and Augustine him self in some places may seme to fauor your opinion at the first sight But if their wordes in one place be compared with their plaine mynd and with the scope of their disputation in other places it shall plainely appere that none that liue this day do more plainely speak against your error then some of them haue written The places of Iob manifestly and in plaine wordes fight against you for it is said in the one place thou hast excluded their heart from wisedome and therfore this mater shall not be to their praise and in the other God hath taken wisdom from the Estrich and hath not giuen vnderstanding vnto her dare you affirme that in these wordes there is nothing but a bare permission of gods parte is there no difference betwext away taking and suffering to be taken away if any difference be betwext these two maner of speakings God giueth wisdome and God taketh away wisdome then is your interpretation foolishe and absurd nether yet is there any phrase of scripture vnderstand it as you please that can make God to call back that sentence which he hath pronounced to witt that he hath raysed vp Pharao to be an example to all generations folowing what shall be the ende of those that obstinatly resist God Who albeit he tempt no man to sinne by the power of his spirit yet as before I haue proued he iustly giueth them ouer to the inordinat lustes of their own corruption yea he giueth them ouer into the hands power of sathan to be pricked and stirred forward to all iniquitie that their damnation may be iust and also that his vengeaÌ„ce iustly deserued may the more sodenly falle vpon them The mynd of saint Iames is onely to bring men to the right examination and triall of them selues lest that by flattery they beginne to seke y e originall cause of their sinne in an other then in them selues And yet doth that nothing impede but that God in his maner which alwayes is iust doth hardeÌ„ the heartes of those whome before he had reprobated We confesse that no greater plague can chance vnto man â–ª then that he be left to his own lewde mynd â–ª for theÌ„ of him can procede no good nor permanent frute But as the earth lacking rayne dewe and moisture must nedes be barren and so
1. 1. cor 3 Netherâ—â— faith nâ—ther electioÌ„ grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ man nor vpon his constaÌ„cie To â—he 4 Christes power is of greater vertue to saue his elect then Adams â—mpotencie was to bring damnation vpon alâ— To the 5. 6 The aduersarie is conuicted by his own reasoâ—s The place of Moises coÌ„cerning Cain To the 7 1. Cor. 10 To the 8 Genese 9 To the 9 10 11. 12 13. 1 Cor. 10 To the 14. 15 16. Nom. 23 why Balaam blessed Israel could not curs them To the 17 18. A propâ—sition 1 Sam. 13 â— King 16 Gen. 49 why Saul was electedâ—â— the king doÌ„ which was appointed to an â—ther tribs To the 18. 19. 20. 2. Sam. 7 To the 21 3 Kâ—g 11 To the 22. 23. Ezâ—â— 18. The 33 sectio To the 1 To the 1. 2. 3. 4 To the 5 To the â— Tâ— the 7 To the â— The 2. argumeÌ„t The 34. section Luc 18. Iohn 5. Esai 49 Iere. 13 â— Câ—r 11 Mat. 24 2 The. 2 Ephes â–ª 5 To the â— 2 3. To the 4. â— To the 7 To the 8 To the 9 To the 10 The elect of God can not forsake Christe The 35. secâ—â—on The 36. section Eccle. 3 â–ª Oh that you could looke vpon that alwayes Prouer 28 Esaie 5. Rom. 12 Prou. 3 Iob 37 Sap. 9 To the 1. 2. 3. 4 Euâ— 9. 2 King 16. Genâ— 45 To the 5 â—phes 3. Rom. 11 Colo. 1. Tiâ—â— 2 Tit. 1. 1. Pet. 1. To the 6. 7. 8. Rom. 12 Iob. 37â— The saings of Castalio against Iohn Calâ—in The 37. section Psal 119 Pro. 30. Esa 8. Rom. 12 Iob 37 To the â— To the 2 To the 3. 4. 5. Esay â— Mat. 25 To 〈◊〉 Isa. 38. To y â— 5 The aduersariâ—s iudge of gods maiestie according to their blind reasâ—n The 1 â–ª argument 38. Section Iere. 17. Eze. 36. Iob â—9 Iâ—b 17. Iâ—sue 22 Esa. 5. To y e 1. 2. Eze. 14 3. Reg. 22. Act. 2. Act. 4. To the â— To the 4. 5. 6 7. Iere â–ª 47. Ezeâ— 36 Psal. 95 To the 8. 9 10 Lib. 3. contra lul ca. 5 Iâ—b 39 Iâ—b 17 To the 10 To the 11. 12. 13 14. 15 Isa. 5 Isa. 3 Isa. 7 Isa. 10 Isa. 45 Am os Iere. 25 Ezec. â—4 Iob 1 To the 13 Act. 13 To the 16 The cause and endes of things that be wroght Who obey God who obey not God The will of the CaldeaÌ„s against Iob. Of Dauids trooble Absalâ—â— Semei and Achitophel Of the diuersitie inthe worke of the death of Christe The 3. Argument The 39 section To y e 1 To y e 3 TO tâ—e 4. The â— arguâ—ent The 40. section Iob. 17 To the 1. 2 To y e 3. 4. 2. Re. â— The 5 argument The 〈◊〉 section Roma 1 To y e 1. 2. To the 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 Isa. 6 The place of Dauid Iob. 1. To y e 11. 12 13 IudgemeÌ„tes of God in which maÌ„s reason can not be satisfied Heb. 11. To y e 12. The 6. Argument The 42 section Luk â— 15. Iere 32. Iere. 51. Esai 21 To the 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2. Reg. 24. 2. pa. 21 To the 4. To y e 5 answer Isa. 14 The aduersaries argument Answer Zae. â—â— 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 8. To Y e 6. 2. Peâ— 2â— Isa. 40. Isa. 47. â—lle â—1 To the 7. 8. 9 Ironiaâ— Rom. 9 To the 9 To the IO Isa. 45 Isâ— 47 Ezra 1 Dan. 2 Isa. 45 Iâ—r 51 Theâ—â— argumenâ—â— â–ª The 43. section Leui. 13 Iere. 15 To the â— Iohn 12 Answer Exo. 5. â— Act. 7 Answer Iâ—re â— Luke Maâ— 21 1. Co. 1â— Apo. 10 3. King 18 4. Kin. 1 To the 2. 3. 4. lere 25 To y e â— 6. 7. 8. To the 8. The 44. section To y e 1 To y e 2. What is 〈◊〉 To y e 3 To y e 4. 5. The 45. section The secrete doctrine of Anâ—baptistes In the â— sectioÌ„ 1. argument In the 9 sectioÌ„ 1. argument Answer To y e 2 Answer Psal. 17. Psal. 5. Psal. 75. Psal. 18. Act. 17. Answer To the 3 Answer Answer Answer 1. Reg. 2 Deu. 2 â—â—e 18 Deu. 30 Esa. 54 Iohn 6 Iocl Act. Psal. Isa. â—6 Isa. 6â— Gala. 3 1. Thes. 5â— Psal. 21 Isa 31 Isa. 56 Iere. 1 Iere. 6 Iere. 15 2. Ti. 4 The wicked be not taught of God God will not the death of a sinner explaned 1. Iohn 1 1. Iohn 3 2. Pet. 3 To the. 6 The 46. section Historia Sleâ—dani libro 5. The hypocrisiâ— of the Anabaptistas MuÌ„cers faâ—s oraâ—tie â—ration The Anâ—bâ—ptisâ—s greate â—ercie Here 〈◊〉 the trâ—wtâ— of Anabaptistâ—s How Gâ—d reâ—eieth thinges The coÌ„fort of the Anaba â—n aduersitie Historia Sleidanâ— libro deciâ—â— The doctrine of Anabaptistes 〈◊〉 Anabatistes â—rept in This was a 〈…〉 A sufficient assuranâ—e for anabab Anabaptistes are as make as waspes The â—bstinacie of Anabaptistes The simplicitie of the Anabaptistes Let Germanie adueâ—â— for their Prâ—phâ—â— speaketh An equall vocation of the â–ª Aâ—abaptist and Papist The 47. section The 48. section
The first argument of them which abuse gods holie predestination is easely soluted their argument is this where so euer there is election ther is also reprobation of the same sorte But God elected som men afore the foundations of the world Ergo he reprobated som other men afore the world The first part of this argument is false That wher so euer there is election there is also reprobatioÌ„ of the same sorte for gods election afore the world hath no respect vnto his coÌ„trarie reprobation afore the world Yea there is no such word nor phrase in the hole scripture but gods election afore the world is generall to all men as his calling is generall without respect of persons This is all redie sufficiently proued yet som of you do grant gods calling to be generall but not his election And in this ye accuse God of hypocrisie you wold make him a dissembler lyke vnto your selues which often times with your mouth do offer and promes that which ye mind neuer to perfourme But God is faithfull which is willing to perfourme all that he promiseth euen to them that refuseth him And thogh they attein not the promes because of their vnbeleue yet all the tyme of their calling be they in the generall election as those whom the king called to the mariage Notwitstanding they came not yet were they chosen to be partakers of the mariage and the seruant to whom the master forgaue all his debtes was chosen notwithstanding he atteined not that wherunto he was chosen but became a reprobate abusing the goodnes of his master God is no hypocrite which calleth men owtwardly and forgeueth debtes onely with the mowth but eueÌ„ from the hearte willing to giue salâ—ation to all them to whom he offereth it And the cause why such do perish is their obstinatnes to gods grace and as the Lord saieth their stifneck which hath an yron vaine and their browes of brasse which dispyse the goodnes of God they became cast awayes Becaus as saint Iohn saieth they loue darknes better then light And as Esdras saieth thei kept not that which was soweÌ„ in them whereof we may gather that they becom reprobates because they rather refuse the grace offered and grafted in them then that they are refâ—sed NotwithstaÌ„ding both may be conueniently spoken for because they haue forsaken me I will also forsake them saieth the Lord. And agane saieth the holie Gost. Cometh not this vnto the because thow hast forsaken the Lord thy God further that this is vntrew where so euer there is election ther is also reprobation of the same kynd it may be easelie proued by the inconuenieÌ„ce which cometh therof Christ is the elect and chosen of God As then Behold this may seruant vpon whoÌ„ I lean my elect in whom my soule is pacified And in an other place Thow art my witnes saieth the lord and my seruant whom I haue chosen and wile you say therefor that there be mo Christes which be reprobate for ether this saying where so euer there is election there is also reprobation of the same kynd is false orels there must be mo Christes That were much lyke to the saing of a Iew which when he had talked with a faithfull man verie much concerning the temporall and worldlie dominion and honour of Messias the christian proued by the prophecie of Daniel aÌ„d also by the prophecie of Isaiah that Messias should be euill entreated euen of the Iewes and put to death as an offender Here the Iew being driuen to a narrow shift rather then he wold applie and confesse the trueth he rather confessed that there should com two Messias of whom the one should be dispysed and the other magnified And if ye be so mynded that rather then ye will departe from your error ye had leuer confesse mo Christes of which som be chosen and the others reprobate Surelie then I think it is no faithful mans duetie to reason with you ANSWERE Easie it is in dede to solute those argumeÌ„tes w c in our names ye falsly forge either by adding such patches as in our writings caÌ„ neuer be fouÌ„d orels by so peruerting our mindes yea and the minde of the holie Gost that if possible it were ye wold obscure the brightnes of the son aÌ„d take frome creatures the benefitt of the same to the end that in your darknes ye might still remaine And therefor â— can not but complain of your deuilish malice which causeth you to peruerte aÌ„d writhe wordes well spokeÌ„ and reasons godly and substancially made Shew if ye can in any of our writings that we affirm that where so euer there is election there is also reprobation of the same sorte Shew that clause I say of the same sorte and I will confesse that ye haue red more then I haue done of that mater which neuertheles I hardly can beleue But to the end that the simple reader may vnderstaÌ„d how we do reason of election and reprobation by the contrarie effectes I will adduce not our reasons lately inuented but twentie yeres ago committed vnto writing by that notable instrument of God Iohn Caluin who thus speaketh wonder it is saieth he that Chrisostom did not call to mynd that it is the election of God w c maketh difference betwext men We feare not to grante that which S. Paule in greate coÌ„stancie doeth affirm To witt that all together are wicked and giuen to malice but with him we adde That by the mercie of God it cometh to passe thaâ— we abyde not in wickednes Therefor seiÌ„g that naturally we all labor w t a like sicknes These onely receiue health and amend to whom it hath pleased the Lord to put to his curing hand others whom by his iust iudgement he passeth by do languishe in their corruptioÌ„ till they be consumed Neither yet from any where els doeth it com that som continue to the end and others fall in to the curse which was begonne for because that persuerance it self is the gift of God which is not commonly giuen to al but he frely giueth it to whom it pleaseth him If the cause of the difference be soght why som constantly continue and why others fall away by instabilitie none other cause may be assigned but that the eternall God susteineth and streÌ„gthneth the one sort by his own power that they perishe not and vnto the others he giueth not the strength that they may be documeÌ„tes and witnes of maÌ„s incoÌ„staÌ„cie c. Thus vse we to reason by y e diuersitie w c we sein meÌ„ y t one sort are elect and others are reprobate and not as ye ymagin vs to do We say that nature hath made vs equall as concerning corruption and yet we se great diuersitie amoÌ„gest men We ask what is y e cause of this If ye answere education w c som Philosophers do that will be prouen fals as before I haue declared if ye say mans fre will
we procede demanding who giueth the good will if ye alledge man him self the scripture proueth you liers saing it is God that worketh the will and the perfourmance if God be granted as he can not be denied to be the onely author of all goodnes then ask we why giueth he the good will to the one and not to the other If ye answer becaus the one receaueth grace and the other doeth refuse it ye haue said nothing to the purpose for we still demaÌ„d if God may not if so it pleased his eternall wisdom frame and forme the will of the one to as great obedience as the will of the other fret and fume as ye list this ye caÌ„ not denie except that ye will be blasphemous deniers of his omnipotent power Now of this manifest diuersitie which we se in mankinde we conclude that God hath aswell his elect whom of mercie he calleth by faith iustifieth and by his holie Spirit sanctifieth and in knowledge of him self and of his Sonne Iesus preserueth to the end and so in the end shall he glorifie them as also that he hath his reprobate whom for iust causes he leaueth to them selues to laÌ„gwish in their corruption to passe from iniquitie to iniquitie till that they com to perdition as they that are prepared vessels of wraith If this ye be not able to conuince I send you to fight with your own shadow for our reasons do stand as I haue shortly rehearsed which you be neuer able to moue Trew it is that Iohn Caluin thus writeth Inter electos reprobos mutua est relatio That is betwext the elect and the reprobrate saieth he there is a mutuall relation that is the one hath a contrarie respect to the other so that the election of the which the Apostle speaketh caÌ„ not staÌ„d except we should grante that God hath set apart one sort of men whom it pleased him from an other sorte You heare no meÌ„tion in these wordes of your patch Ther is reprobation of the same sorte which I know either ye orels your Master Castalio forged Becaus ye wold not forgett your merie tale of your Iew ye boldly denie that gods election hath respect to his contrarie reprobation But when ye should come to the plaine demoÌ„stration thereof ye are compelled to flie to this shift There is no such word or phrase in the scripture if such a reason should be made before a reasonable man I think it iustly might be reiected for if this be a good reason Election hath no respect to his contrarie reprobation because the wordes nor phrase are not in the scripture then is this reason good also Lot sinned not committing incest with his daughters for in the hole scriptures there is neither such worde nor phrase that in plaine wordes affirmeth that Lot sinned commiting incest with his daughters Consider the vanitie of your reasons and be ashamed Ye can not denie but this word Election is redde in the scriptures And so oft I say can ye not denie except that willingly ye will corrupt the mind of the holie Gost but that it hath respect to his contrarie reprobation as by the phrases which ye impudently denie to be in the scripâ—ures is most euident As when Paul saieth hath God then reiected or refused his people God forbyd God hath not refused his people whom he knew before And so alledgeing the like to haue bene in the daies of Helias he saieth euen so in this tyme there were a residue or a few nomber left according to the electioÌ„ of grace that is according to the fre election and not accordiÌ„g vnto workes And after he saieth that which Israel seketh it hath not atteined vnto but the election hath atteined vnto it but the rest were blinded whether that this phrase doeth not plainely proue that election in this place hath respect to his contrary reprobation let the indifferent reader iudge The election saieth saint Paule hath atteined vnderstanding the illumination which God did promise but the rest were bliÌ„ded If ye will not suffer that this blinded rest whom God iustly had reiected shall be called reprobat studie ye for a more geÌ„tle worde for we must vse such as the holie Gost hath taught vs. But yet one phrase or two mo I shall haue mercie saieth God to Moses vpon whom I will haue mercie And Paul feareth not to adde his contrarie saing and whom he will he maketh hard hearted And agane what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen hath suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath made redie to damnation and that he might declare the riches of his glorie on the vessels of mercie which he had prepared vnto glorie If mercy lief the vessels of mercie and glorie haue contrarie respect to seueritie to destruction to the vessels of wraith and of dishonor then can it not be denied but that election from the which all these former graces flow to the elect hath contrarie respect to reprobation I omitte the rest of the phrases which be common in scripture and make plaine difference betwext the elect and reprobat because before I haue noted diuerse and after must be compelled to repete the same How sufficieÌ„tly ye haue proued your generall speciall and most speciall election let the readers iudge by that which is answered to your eight vnreasonable reason aÌ„d to your 13. vanitie That impudent blasphemie which maliciously ye lay to our charge shall God without spedie repentance sodenly reuenge vpon your own heades blasphemous mouth I write to thee whose corrupt maners frâ—indly aÌ„d secretly I haue rebuked but whose malice I now know Canst thow not be vnthankfull vnto man except that also thow powre furth thy vennom against gods Maiestie Impudent lier which of vs hath promised vnto the or vnto any of thy pestilent sect that which he hath not perfourmed Examin thy conscience and denie if thow canst but more hath bene perfourmed vnto the then euer was promised yea euen when thow diddest deserue to haue bene abhorred of all honest men and yet without fear or shame doest thow accuse vs that we should accuse God of hypocrisie and that we wold make him a dissembler like vnto our selues The Lord for his great Names saik either purge thy heart or sodenlie represse that vennome in the and in that pestileÌ„â— sect to his own glorie and to the coÌ„fort of his Church Repent repent I say orels shortly shal thow fele what it is to contristate and make â—orowfull the Spirit of God be the instruments in whom he worketh neuer so weak If of euerie Parable aÌ„d similitude ye will coÌ„clude as largely as ye do here to wit y t because in a Parable it is said that a kinge called many to the mariage Ergò God elected all by his generall election Then it shall folow that all lords and masters shall alow and praise their stewardes and seruants that deceaue