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
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
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
to passe of necessitie for as God doeth foresee that men will do 〈◊〉 so doeth he also foresee that they may leaue the euill vndone and as God foreseeth that men will not do well so he foreseeth that they be not compelled thereto but might do well if they list As for example Christ could and might haue obteined more then twelue legions of Angels and yet God did know that he should not obtein them also God did know that Christ should not pray for twelue legions of Angels and yet he might haue praied as he saieth him self Of this it is manifest that notwithstanding the for knowledge of God things may com to passe otherwiese then they do Wherefor it foloweth that Gods foreknowledge causeth no necessitie Pilate had power to crucifie Christ or to let him go which Christ denied not but rather affirmed it saing he had that power srome aboue aÌ„d althogh Pilate did not delyuer Christ notwithstanding he might haue done it Ananias solde his possession and yet he might haue not sold it he broght a parte of the price thereof to the Apostles which he might haue reteined to him as Peter witnesseth that the price therof was in his own power Many such other exemples may I bring furth whereby it should appere manifest that notwithstanding the fore knowledge of God things be done which might not be done and things be not done which might be done ANSWERE Albeit that ye be so blinded that ye can put no difference betwext the foreknowledge will and power of God which all are perfect in him self as is his eternall God head and the foreknowledge will and power of man or creatures which he imperfect and weak by reason of maÌ„nes corruption yet I doubt nâ—t but that all reasonable men shall sodanly espie your vanitie who dare be so bold as to affirme that because your knowledge was not the cause that Paul was a persecutor that therefor the foreknowledge of God his eternal purpose couÌ„sell and will w c we neuer seperate did no more in that mater then did your bare knowledge by the same reason ye may conclude â— t God wroght no more w t Paule in preaching to the Gentiles theÌ„ did your knowledge for y e reasoÌ„ is a lik stroÌ„g But he him self will not be so vnâ—hankfull but will confesse that from his mothers wombe he set him a parte and called him by his grace to the end that he might reuele his Sonne Christ Iesus by him for the which he vnfeanedly thanked the goodnes of God who made him strong in Christ Iesus to be faithfull in that office and ministerie I am not ignoraÌ„t that other waies doeth God worke in the heartes of his elect the work of their saluation and other waies in the reprobaâ—e for in the heartes of his elect effectually and by the power of his spirit doeth he so worke in them the motions that be aggreable to his holie commandments that they striue and contend against their natural corruption but iustly leauing the reprobate to them selues and to sathaÌ„ their father they willingly folow without all violence or compulsion of gods parte iniquitie and sinne and so finally the way of perdition to the which â—hey naturally are inclyned But yet if any will affirme that therefor gods fore knowledge doeth but Idly behold that they will do and that in his eternall purpose counsell and will he will one thing aÌ„d they will an other so that their will preuale against his he shall not escap the cryme of horrible blasphemy as before I haue said aÌ„d here after also must more largely entreat Of your knowledge what shall com in Iulie aÌ„d of your libertie to write I onely answer this that albeit God did not compell you to write for there to your wicked will was beÌ„t yet becaus he foreknew and also hath fore spoken that of necessitie it was that heresies should com that the elect might be tried it was not altogither against his will that ye should manifest your self aÌ„d that we should patiently suffer your vniust accusations Your wrastling and wrangling with the wordes of our master Christ Iesus to Peter is so far from the purpose of the holie Gost that I am partly ashamed in your behalf Doeth Christ in that place absolutely affirme that either he might pray for xii legions of Angells either yet that his Father wold or might giue them to him then to deliuer him or doeth he not rather by this interrogation Beleuest thow not that I may pray my Father rebuke the bold and foolish interprise of Peter who rashly pretended to defende by his sworde him whome the Father had giueÌ„ into the haÌ„des of his ennemies of determined purpose to die for our sinnes and so did he coÌ„clude contrarie to your mynd to witt that impossible it was that either he should pray for any Angels to delyuer him at that tyme either â—et that his Father should send any for that purpose for becaus it was other waies determined in his eternall and immutable counsell as 〈◊〉 plaine wordes he witnesseth saing But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled in which it is fore spoken that so it behoueth to be In the wordes of Pilate and in Christes answer ye shew the like ignorance as before for there vpon ye conclude what Pilate might haue done and yet did not the same where as the purpose of Christe Iesus was to reproue the proode arrogancie of the vaine man who did vsurpe to him self authoritie rendring vnto God neither honor nor glorie but boasting him self of his power he thoght all thinges lawfull which it pleased him to do Against which pride and vniust vnthaÌ„kfulnes Christ absolutely denieth that he should haue had any power ouer him except it had bene giueÌ„ to him frome aboue By which wordes and sentence he did put him in minde that he should make accomptes what iudgement he pronounced not to the Emperor onely but to the soueraigne God who as he hath appointed and established autoriteis so shall he seuerely require of their haÌ„ds an accompt if vnder his name they vse tirannie or pronounce fals iudgemeÌ„t This I doubt not is y e true aÌ„d simple meaniÌ„g of y e text aÌ„d not as ye ignoraÌ„tly orels maliciously collect y t Christ affirmed that Pilate had power not to adiudge him to be crucified but to deliuer hiÌ„ The holie Gost affirmeth y e direct coÌ„trarie saiÌ„g of a trueth in this citie haue coÌ„uened against thy holie SoÌ„ne whome thow hast anointed Herode aÌ„d PoÌ„tius Pilate with the gentiles and the people of Israel to do what so euer thy hand and counsell haue before decreed to be done Now let the indifferent reader iudge which of our collections and conclusions is most strongly proued Ye affirme that Pilate had power not to crucifie Christ and I say that he was appointed in the immutable counsell of God to be one of the wicked instrumentes by whome the Sonne of God
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