Church baptise infants if we be not borne the children of wrath Giue therefore wicked Pelagius glorie to God and if thou canst acknowledge at the last the grace of God not whereby we were created that wée might be men for this we lostin Adā if thou only exceptest this bycause we sinne willingly but that whereby we are iustifyed that we might be iuste men For God is he which altogether worketh in vs the will and the déed And to what purpose shal it be to vndo with moe words the doubt which thou patchest séeing Augustine hath written so plainely and plenteously to Valentine of thys same matter de correptione gratia and after Augustine also both that worthy seruaunt of Christe Martyne Luther against Erasmus and also Caluine himselfe whether thou wilt or no a confident auoucher of the Christiā veritie against Pighius haue shewed Yet I wil speake in fewe wordes that maye satisfie thée if thou louest the truth The vse of admonitions is manifolde which thou séemest not sufficiently to haue vnderstoode The godlye are admonished that so oft as néede is they maye be reproued that the drowsinesse being shaken off they maye stirre vp themselues that being at the leaste vanquished with shame when they haue erred they may returne into the waye that when they knowe their weakenesse they may take better héede to themselues But thou saist we striue not about these For to these it is giuen to will and doe Let vs come therefore to the forrainers Of these there be two kindes For some albeit not yet called yet by Gods secrete election they belong to the kingdome of god Others are auowed to iuste destruction Thou indéede denyest this difference but we haue proued it out of the worde of God in his place experience it selfe approueth it to be true But albeit the sunne beames be all one and the same yet if softneth war and hardeneth clay So also it commeth to passe here For therefore are admonitions giuen forth to them that hée elect that when they knowe their owne miserable condition they maye runne to him of whome alone they may be healed I came not saith Christ that I might cal the iust but sinners to repentaunce Also I came that I mighte saue that whiche was loste Also come to me all yée that trauell and be heauye laden and I will ease you So sayth Paul by the lawe is the knowledge of sin and that whiche more is the increase of sinne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by accident not in anye wise that the sinner might be deuoured but that so much the more feruentlye he might aske that of the Lorde which also he maye obtaine For that which appertaineth to these there is the effectual working of the spirite ioyned with the outward preaching of the word Therefore as the Lorde sayth I haue giuen them preceptes Also he sayth in another place I will cause you to walke in my preceptes And I will giue them a newe spirite and I will take awaye their stonye harte out of their flesh and I will giue them a fleshie harte And that whiche apperteyneth to the others albeit the worde is not ordeyned to their amendement yet is it not preached to them in vaine Wherwith they both may be pricked for the presente with the testimonie of conscience and also be the more made without excuse against the day of iudgement For neither doth necessitie as I will shewe afterwardes take awaye wil or extenuate or make lesse the guiltinesse of the wicked So Moyles is sent to Pharao and the Egiptians to be hardened by their owne lewdenesse albeit necessarie yet voluntarie So Esaye is sente to harden the peoples harte to stoppe their eares and blinde their eyes by no fault in himselfe or in the worde but by their own proper faultes as those which not being inforced against their will but although necessarilye yet resist the trueth of their owne accorde And whence is this necessitie verily not from the creation but from the corruption in whiche albeit they be left yet haue they nothing wherefore to accuse god But bycause thou thinkest there is but one only vse of admonition that is that those whiche be admonished may returne into the waye thou therefore patchest a false conclusiō But this verie thing thou wilt saye is vniust as though in déede we be not all worthy that the Lorde shoulde punishe vs with whatsoeuer meanes From whomsoeuer he taketh a stony hart and giueth them a fleshye let them reuerence the mercy of GOD and whose stonye heartes he hardeneth and whome he more and more holdeth guyltie lette them being vanquished wyth hys iustice remayne silente The Sycophants second Argumente to the thirtenth and fourtenth slaunder If Caluine wil saye that the preceptes are therefore giuen that men may be made excuselesse we aunswere that that is in vaine For if thou shalt commaunde thy sonne to eate a rocke and he shall not do it he is no more excusable after the precept than before Likewise if God say to me steale not and I steale necessarily nor can any more absteine from stealing than I can eate a rocke I am no more excuselesse after the precept than before nor more inexcusable than afterwards THE REFVTATION Thou indéede opposest thy selfe against Gods trueth like a brasen rocke but the spirite of the Lorde shall also deuoure thée and that stone which is cut without hands shall crushe thée If we are borne the children of wrathe are we not I pray thée inexcusable before the precept I pray not for the world sayth Christ But doest thou by the name of World only vnderstande them which when they can beléeue the Gospell yet neuerthelesse will not If the blinde leade the blinde they fall both into the ditch but thinkest thou that none be borne blinde whē on the contrarie parte manne is nothing else but a moste palpable darkenesse The Apostle wytnesseth that manne is so inthralled to sinne that hée is not apte so muche as to thinke anye good but is he to thée excuseable excepte of himselfe he can not onely will but also worke But it may be thou wilte say that all in some sorte are borne blinde but God gineth this grace to all that they maye open their eies if they will. But who wil grant thée this where death raigneth there verily doth sinne raigne and death beareth sway enen vppon verye infants where is then that thine vniuersall grace As thoughe in déede men were not borne by their owne nature sufficiently inexcusable in Adam except also there approch a newe diuorse of grace Againe dost thou thinke that there is anye grace whiche indéede properly belongeth vnto life without Christe that can be deriued vnto men But how may they obtaine any grace by Christe which are not comprehended within the couenaunt nor euer heard any thing of Christe so sarre is it off that they haue embraced him by faith For Faith cōmeth by hearing And if thou denyest that there
An euident Display of Popish Practises or patched Pelagianisme Wherein is mightelie cleared the soueraigne truth of Gods eternall Predestination the stayd ground worke of oure most assured safetie by Christ Written in Latin by that Reuerend Father Mayster Theodore Beza and now lately Englished by VV. H. Preacher of the Gospell PROVERB 22. His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cordes of his owne sinne ECCLES 10.12 The words of the mouth of a wise man haue grace but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe AT LONDON Imprinted by Ralph Newberie and Henry Bynnyman ANNO. 1578. To the right reuerende father in Christ Iohn by the prouidence of God Bishop of London VV. H. wisheth increase of that grace which hath promises of this life and the life to come AS Satan the old antient enimie to al truth hath not or doth not surcease to be himselfe wandring without werinesse seking by al meanes that he may at the least in some sort make full the warrantise of that horrible iudgement against himself and his where the smoke of tormeÌ„t ascendeth for euer in brusing the heele of that blessed seede endeuouring to dismember that bodie of his appointed limmes which being knitte togither in the vnitie of one spirite throughe the bonde of peace doth grow vp into the fulnesse of one heade Christ Iesus standing out in his long continued course of rebellion especially ayming at this marke to darken or bedimme the day light of Gods glorie whose maiestie he can not beare that himselfe might see aduaunced in the palpable darkenesse of oure depraued being wherof no time or age since the worlds creatioÌ„ amongst what or what sort soeuer but haue bene experienced at the ful as is easily seene if the case be considered by discent in al the wayes of the worde of life by whiche the most mightie and eternall maiestie of our God hath directed and brought downe his beloued people vnto this gray headed estate of these miserable dayes wherein we be And as he hath through all ages tofore seriously laboured to haue and holde captiue in the bonde of intellerable seruitude and spirituall slauerie in the palpable darkenesse of Egipt the whole multitude of men holding it the readiest waye to winne his hoped intente to bring vpon them the great floud of forgetfulnesse of Gods benefites and in the countenaunce of an Angell of light to steppe in betwixt the surpassing brightnesse of Gods glorie and the true acknowledgemente of our naturall being an euident experience of that sorowfull separation betwixte God and man so in these drossie dayes of inaccomptable euils he now hath encouraged himselfe with a bigger force added to his malice the long experience of his wicked wayes and to worke out his purpose according to the time hys fiercenesse is augmented by many thousand degrees as who bestirreth himselfe most when he is nearest the end As the tymes of gold of siluer of brasse and of iron wherof Daniell speaketh did each succeede and exceede others not in succession of time but abundaunce of iniquitie and fierce wrath against the people of the highest til the stone cut out of the mountain without haÌ„ds should aduaÌ„ce the name of his ielousie in their standing and irrecouerable ouerthrow So founde this lothsome Leuiathan none easier accesse to breake in vpon the Lordes familie with all outrage as shamelesse sinfull man yea of that purple strumper and Babilonicall whore of Rome And for his more hope of successe he hath of olde enforced all his endeuours to this purpose that the name of the highest might not be knowne amongst his people and to stoppe the passages and ramme vp the wayes of the worde of life And in this case in the faire outshewes of manye vntruthes he hath promised beaurie but payeth bandes pretendeth truth but inhaunteth falsehood and in steade of the welsprings of the water of life in the person of his dearest friend hee rendereth nothing but the foule stincking and impoysoned waters with the wormewoode of false doctrine and lyes issewing from the welspring of iniquitie the seate of the seauen headed beaste noted with the name of blasphemie an habitation of Diuels an holde of all foule spirites a cage of euery vncleane and hateful bird whose wickednesse to claime their wiillingnesse to yeelde who haue receiued the marke of the beaste that hath powâ—ed out to all nations the wine of the wrath of hir fornication the high presumed title of vndoubted iniquitie hath brought vpon the worlde the greate haruest of sinne But eternally blessed bee the name of our God who kepeth his promise for ouer maketh lighte to shine out of darkenesse and to the great comforte of his chosen hath confounded the counsel of Achitophel and brought our hope out of bondage But eftsones the Romish Marchauntes on their ministers behalfe bestirre themselues bicause their marte is staid and their filthy dregges not warranted to so common sale as tofore they were And least the whole glorie of our deliueraunce not so muche from ciuil seruitude as that spiritual bondage wherein Satan helde Captiue the whole multitude of men might be ascribed to the Lorde our God on the behalfe of his he aduanceth man against the almighty and pleadeth the downefal of Adam too but eyther in part or the death of Christ but in sufficient so adding one iniquitie aboue the rest denyeth the Almightie in his being or concludeth him in the alteration of tyme to ascribe to man the mightinesse of his owne deliueraunce and set him freely in the hande of his owne counsel with will auouched without impeachment And these practises of Satan as they are vniuersall and stande out against the Lorde in the furtheraunce of his Gospel which is by election and auouched in time and place when it may do mischiefe so hath myne ownâ— experience approued true that our warfare is not againste fleshe and bloud but spirituall craftinesse in heauenly things In which my manye conflictes with Satans craftie ones aboute the freedome of the will of man wherein they laboured the ouerthrow of Gods election the soueraigne staye of our assured safetie by Christ the Lord the almightie vouchsafed me the feeling of the felowship of his And as the Diuels drifte and Popes purpose to deface the truth vnder the hande of his smeared Catholiques in the dispersed questions at Hâ—luelia was easilye ouerturned by the prouident goodnesse of our God in the happy trauell of the reuerend Father M. Bullenger of Zuriâ—ke and the opprobrious slaunders and broched contumelyes of Fontidenius and Cardillus against the truth the glorious Gospel the glad tydings in the bloud of Christ were stopped of their course and abridged of their hoped intent by the praiseworthye indeauour and published trauâ—ll of Iohanes Fabritius so were the blasphemous mouthes of certain Sycophants against the Lord in the person of that reuoumed father in al the world M. Caluin sone stopped by the reuerende
at the least to muse to dispute to couet and to chaufe yea but thou wilte say I speake onely of those things which belong to god Therfore thou oughtst to haue defined what those things were And albeit thou shouldst change thy self into euery shape thou shalte neuer finde any thyng attributed to liuyng creatures whiche may in lyke sense be auouched of god Yet I confesse that the Scripture such is the goodnesse of God dothe oftentymes lyke a nourse as it were maffle with vs but yet so that it obserueth a certayne choyse Wherfore in lyke case thou oughtest to haue boūded thy similitude with his limites I also graunt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that naturall affections in the nature of things and especially in men are great arguments of Gods goodnesse But yet who will graunt thée except he be madde that God loueth those whome he dothe loue none otherwayes than men loue one another Sée euen of thyne owne examples how false and foolish this is whiche of vs would haue chyldren borne to him like Toades Snakes or spiders But al these if it be lawful to speake as thou doest the Lorde doth dayly bryng foorth neyther is there any creature whiche for hys wonderfull goodnesse he preserueth not But what wilt thou haue a lame a blinde or a foole borne to thée yet the Lorde dothe euery day set suche spectacles before vs And what when he exciteth some in whome he may manifest hys power as Moses speaketh or when he formeth certayne vassals to dishonour as Paule wryteth yea also a greater thyng when he correcteth those hys beloued and déerest chyldren I say not for their sinnes but hée will the iuste bée oppressed of the vniuste to be executed and in the ende moste cruelly slayne for hys owne glorie for so euerywhere speaketh the Scripture and experience confirmeth it wilte thou make one this loue of God with the decrées of mans nature Therevpon the Disciples aske when they sée the blynde man who hath sinned he or his parents that hée shoulde be borne blynde Iesus answered that neyther hée nor his parents sinned that is that he was borne blynd neyther for his own sins nor for hys parentes but that the workes of God might be manifested in him What sayest thou to this goodman heare that your outscape of foreséene sinnes hath failed thée and some Phisition might be déemed a cruell Father whiche I say not should wounde his sonne but also that I may speake as you doe shoulde suffer his Sonne to be wounded that by the curyng thereof he mighte gette a name Thou seest beast thou seest howe beastly thyne imaginations of GOD bée when thou doest consider eyther the loue or hatred of God accordyng to the prescripte of nature created In lyke case Dauid when he fell into these cogitations that hée mighte decerne of the hatred and loue of GOD after the manner of men I am become sayth he a beast before thée that is till he wente into the Sanctuarie of the Lorde Thou shouldest haue sought out the nature of GOD before that thou diddest dispute of his loue and hatered There bée manifested to vs lyuyng in this worlde twoo wayes to knowe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that may be known of god One the contemplation of thyngs created dothe shewe vs whiche Paule disputyng with the Romaynes and Athenienses of the firste principles of Christian religion doth manifest The other God hath shewed vs in his worde None of bothe I confesse is to be neglected but howe muche more certayne this is than the other Dauid proueth by his owne example and if not of our selues yet by continuall obseruation of all ages it may plentifully be perceyued For who euer taught more vnméete thyngs of GOD than those wyse Egyptians of whome afterwardes was Gréece taught or whence but from the same dyd spryng Idolatrie lette be perused the speaches of Apollonius with the Bracchamans Gymnosophistes and we shall sée what humayne Diuinitie is Yea howe doteth that diuine Plato and howe often erreth hée from those firste principles which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common knowlege Truly the very last wordes of Socrates whē he died we owe a cock to Esculapius do sufficiētly bewray how sound knowledge Socrates had of diuine thyngs excepte he then beganne to doate on his deathes bedde and also that Plato would leane the selfe dotage of hys Mayster in writing or else that then he left not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissemblyng But without doubte that saying of Paule is true they are become vaine in their owne reasonings their foolish harte is ful of darkenesse when they thought themselues wyse they became fooles Also that the worlde in the wisedome of God did not knowe god When Paule wrote these things he did not vndoubtedly blame nature dayly shewing vs as Dauid sayth the wonderfull workes of God but accused our blindnesse whiche may be holpen of one onely God and that by the hearyng of his worde Bycause thou doest not consider this thou rightly reapest this rewarde of thy foolishnesse that bycause thou endeuourest by the rules of this nature to conclude the nature of God thou offerest thy selfe to be laughed at of very chyldren But thou wilt say I afterwards shewe thée Scripture I graunt that in déede but yet so that thou cōclude it with those thy principles by the contemplation of visible things when it ought to be contrary that is to alowe those principles whiche the order of nature yéeldeth so farre as they consent with the authority of Scripture whereof we shall heare hereafter Let this therefore be the very summe of the answere that God doth loue his issue but in his owne order which he hath manifested vnto vs in his holy woorde so farre as was néedefull for vs. I come to the other like sottish writing I wil vse no harder speach All men thou sayest are the issue of God bycause God is the father of Adam of whome all men are borne therefore God loueth all men First I answere that thou dost against the rule of Scripture which doest confusedly attribute to God the name of Father and that summarilye in respect of all men that is whiche also communicatest that whiche is onely proper to one Churche in Christe with straungers That place in déede of Malachie is very vnfitly applied of many to the generall procreation of all men when it is rather referred to one publique father of Israell whether Abraham or Iacob as appéereth by a lyke place of Moses But least I séeme to contende for wordes albeit the controuersie is not in vayne the Lord created all men in Adam and let him be in this poynt the vniuersall father of all If this be reason good inough to proue that God should loue al men how is it that contrarywise the Apostle sheweth al in Adam to be the Sonnes of wrath and death and therefore of hatered wilt thou answere that the Apostle beholdeth all men as they are corrupted
in no place Yea if thou wilt stande vppon the verye wordes I rather reade that he was created to haue dominion ouer euerye liuing creature Therefore the foundation of thine argumentation is fallen as that whiche resteth not vppon the aucthoritie of Scripture but vppon thine owne fantasticall dreame God sent a sleepe vppon Adam didde he respecte that when hée made him he made him a coate of skinne but didde hée therfore creat him Séest thou how sottishly thou sholdest conclude But thou wilt say that this Paradise is a figure of eternall life But tell me from whence also haste thou that bicause the Lorde and after hym Paule and Iohn by the name of Paradise vnderstand celestiall glorie Indéede a strong Argument as thoughe the Gretians vnderstoode not by this worde al pleasant orchards and that it is vsuall in Scripture with these like earthlye shews to shadowe eternall felicitie Ierusalem in infinite places doeth shadowe the Churche is therefore euerye inhabitant of that Cittie a member of the Churche Againe if that Paradise were eternal life then shall also the Diuell Deathe and Sinne bée in eternall life and that Paradise béeyng ouer-tourned by the floud also eternall life shall vtterlye perishe Sée whether childishe shiftes doe headlong enforce thée wyth whyche thou doest féede thy selfe in suche wise as the Camelion is reported to lyue wyth the aire But leaste thou maiste complaine that I rather dally oute thine argumentes than solute them I wil shewe thée what wée are to thinke by the worde of God of thys Argument that is of the ende of the firste created man. Quadruple wise we learne to vnderstande the counsels of God one is by reuelation in the Prophets whose examples are euery where extant in Scripture Another is by peculiar reuelation of the spirite as we reade of Simeon and also of all faithfull to whose spirite the spirite of God beareth witnesse what be their giftes by Christ For that is it which we call Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assured perswasion which cause by the example of Paule that we are so sure that we are fréely electe of GOD in Christe as if we had bin present in his eternall counsell The thirde is by our obseruing the sequele of naturall causes as ofte times the naturall and wise men and suche as are skilfull in humane things do foretell manye things But this coniecture in many things is deceitful and vncertaine bicause that God oftentymes ordereth the meane causes according to his secreate will. But the fourth is the moste sure meane and wythoute al exception the most sure bicause it iudgeth as they say of the latter I therefore say there are two things which not only the worde of GOD but also common reason doth shewe vs One is that God is neuer chaunged and therefore that that thing commeth to passe by the eternal and immutable decrée of Gods counsell that thinges are often altered For God not onely decréeth those thinges whiche are of stayed nature of which forte there be very fewe but also those thinges that for the moste parte are chaunged euery houre but not without assigned rules of alteration by him For example sake the Lorde blessed the earthe which he made whiche after Adams sinne he cursed But is God changed no indéede but in the beginning only for a time he blessed that which being fulfilled he had determined to curse the same for the sin of man If any aske me whence I haue them I wil answere that I haue it from the successe For séeing God is not chaunged and that it came so to passe as I saide of necessitie it is we confesse that it was so determined with God from the beginning Also the Lorde gaue the ceremonies of the lawe to hys Churche by Moses who notwithstanding by the Apostle pronounceth afterwardes if you be circumcised Christe prosyteth you nothing But dothe the Lorde chaunge his purpose that he shoulde allowe that whiche before he disallowed no indéede For he ordained the ceremonies but for a time that is to the preaching of Christe at whose comming it was requisite that they should vanish away as darkenesse in the day spring Also he assigned Saule King ouer Israell but for a time whiche albeit he did not manifest at the beginning yet he sufficiently hathe proued it when he receiued him And togither when he decréed that he woulde reiect hym he determined the cause iustely and he would take from him his kingdome for his owne faulte all which are certainly collected by the successe And the other is this whiche common reason doth shewe vs that nothing is done which God knoweth not or against his will or he being idle for neither ignoraunce nor imbecilitie is agréeable with the nature of God nor an idle foreknowledge may be attributed to him specially in the gouernment of so excellent a worke that is to saye of Man but that for the moste part the wicked assertion of Epicures wil be confirmed That God careth not for men For it wil bée that he being ydle that is dooyng nothing he suffered Adam to be circumuented of Sathan and at laste as one awaked out of sléepe endeuoureth to giue remedy The Scripture saith muche otherwise whiche affyrmeth that al things are gonerned of God euen those that séeme moste casuall It testifyeth that the verye Sparrowes do not fall to the earthe without the heauenly fathers will and that all the haires of oure heade be numbred Sathan indéede cannot touche Iob except God sée it so good and for that cause permitte it Sathan yea the Diuells truely coulde not rage againste the swyne excepte leaue be asked of Christe whyche hée graunted not againste hys will but willinglye It resteth then wée saye that all thinges are done if God will and therefore as we sée anye thyng come to passe let vs saye that it came to passe not withoute the iust eternall and immutable decrée of GOD But if anye manne will exclame here that we enforce the Stoycall necessitie Indéede I grante with Augustine or rather with the truth it selfe that the wil of GOD is the necessitie of things but this Stoicall I deny Nor doe we binde GOD to the seconde causes as Homer bringeth in his Iupiter complayning that when he woulde resiste destinye he coulde not We I saye acknowledge no suche destiny but wée saye that there is a sure and immutable successe of all thinges whiche the Lorde hathe fréelye wisely iustlye from euerlasting determined Yet we saye that the seconde causes are not enforced of Gods decrée except when he pleaseth to bridle his ennimies but they are willingly carried to the ende determined of God. Finallye both méere naturall and voluntarie motions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of frée choice wée not onelye not take awaye but accompte them as principall amongest seconde causes that is whiche as we saide euen nowe are of theyr owne accorde enclined to that ende whereto the counsells of the moste wise frée and iuste GOD the
from the nature of God thou séest Therefore also that kinde of Doctrine by thine argument whiche enforceth vs to these blasphemies is false Yet further I gesse thou haste one refuge in store that is that thou maiste say that God indéed created Adam and all men comprehended in him to eternall life but vppon condition if Adam should persist in hys innocencie which was set in his power and therefore that God séemeth not to haue chaunged his purpose I aun swere that it is true that thou saisfe of the condition but not in that whiche thou supposest Nor is it to he thought that God after the maner of meÌ„ depeÌ„deth doubtfull in hys counsells and in second causes as he pleaseth to determine this or that For what God should thys be whiche depenâ—eth vppon the rule of things created Therefore that whiche is saide of the condition is vtterly to be taken in the contrarie parte that is to saye that Adan was created with condition of the fall interiected but that vtterly whiche shoulde be performed albeit willinglye fréelye and readily yet necessarilye séeing that Gods decrée coulde not faile For the decrée of God dependeth not vppon the will of Adam but the contrarie Adams will of Gods decrée with whose efficacie notwithstanding the will was not enforced but by his owne voluntarie motion albeit Adam neyther knowing nor respecting the ende and therefore sinning was carried to the ende appoynted of God that is to this point that the waye mighte be opened bothe to the mercie and seuere â—ustice of god For in one and the same worke Adam of his owne accorde and therefore finning endenoured one thing and God wrought an other thing so indéede Adams and the Diuells drifts were frustrate bicause there is no counsell againste the Lorde But God iustely vsing a sinfull instrument wrought that he woulde bicause what soeuer he hath determined it is wholly requisit that if shoulde come to passe also euen as he had appointed If these thinges do not satisfie thée whiche reste vpon these stayed principles that God is euer iuste althoughe men conceiue not alwases how he can be iuste that God dependeth not of second causes but alwayes iustely dothe gouerne them euen then also when they doe wickedlye that God doeth nothyng at vnwares and with no certaine ende determined nor that he is ignoraunt of any thing nor to will or discerne anye thing whiche he cannot nor that he ydly beholdeth what shall come or what is but that he doeth all thinges as Salomon saith to his owne glorie and therefore to haue fore-decréede to doe that God cannot be chaunged but also that those things whiche are changed with all fixed and firme circumstaunces are of his immutable counsell chaunged If I saye those thinges doe not satisfie thée whiche reste vppon suche certaine principles and so agreable to the nature of God and so innumerable testimonies and examples of Scripture I say fréely that I now take no paines to satisfie thée and thy faction For he that doeth that shall verily doe in suche wise as if as hée saith he woulde doe it of purpose An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes IF all haue fallen in Adam it is necessarie that all shall stande in Adam and in that same estate as Adam REFVTATION ALL these things I graunt thée and that so as they make quite againste thée For séeing Adams posteritie shall stande in no other estate than Adam stoode in that is that hée mighte voluntarily throwe downe hymselfe headlong to destruction whence afterwardes the Lord woulde deliuer all these whome he had from euerlasting decréed to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée wishe that the Elect haue nothing to complaine of this decrée of God séeing their estate is nowe by so muche better than if Adam had not sinned by howe muche it is more excellent to be saued by Christe the sonne of God than by Adam by Grace than by Nature And that the Reprobate also cannot complaine any thing of God as whiche albeit according to the decrée of God they are fallen in Adam yet fell they in him voluntarily and not by force and therefore are but deseruedly damned If this doth not satisfye thée and them I will crye with Paule O man who art thou that pleadest with God Another Argument of the Sclaunderers I will not the death of a Sinner REFVTATION SEE how rusticall thou art that is rude vnlearned for thou hast vtterly forgot of what thing there should be demaund We striue not good man of deathe and eternall damnation for we know that no man is damned but for his desert but of the purpose of damning whose cause albeit to vs it be vnknowen yet is it euer iust for whatsoeuer God will is iust and so God decréeth that he dothe decrée that he ministreth iust causes to the execution of his decrée Why therefore doest thou slide omitting the meane causes from the decrée of God to the execution of it that is from the purpose of damning to damnation as though in déede the Lord shoulde simply haue thus determined from euerlasting I will vowe this man to destruction and not whether I will giue ouer this man to destruction for his owne fault that my iustice may appeare I will speake yet more playnely Thou doest foolishly that doest cite the testimonie of death that is by the execution of the counsell where the counsell it selfe is in controuersie Yea the Prophet whose double testimonie thou abusest disputeth against the men of thy faction who complained that by the absolute power of God as they cal it they had incurred Gods vengeance as though God shuld deale with them tyrannously that is should rage against them whether by right or wrong But what sayeth the Lord by the Prophet verily he recalleth theÌ„ to that causes of destructioÌ„ remayning in theÌ„selues which also we do coÌ„tinually There is not sayth the Lord by the Prophet why ye shuld accuse me as I receiue the penitent so I punish none but the gracelesse rebellious for when your coÌ„scieÌ„ce shall accuse you why put you the fault in me That this is the Prophets meaning euery one that weyeth those places wil coÌ„fesse and surely al meÌ„ of stayed iudgemente when they heare these things shall try themselues will rather muse vpoÌ„ ameÌ„dment of life a renued mind to be obteyned of the Lord than vpÌ„o the sifting of the councels of god Briefely therfore I say that the Prophet mounteth not to that eternall decrée of God but sheweth the true vse of that doctrine which also we for as much as lyeth in vs do indeauoure to imprint that is that we ought to searche the decrée of God concerning oure selues not in those his vnreuealed secretes but in his word which is appoynted for vs to coÌ„sider But thou wilt vrge the word I will not as though in déed the word Caphees with the Hebrues
wrath I may therefore agrée with thée for once if I shoulde excepte that the Lord in that place doth only speake to hys elect as he who rather sheweth himselfe worthelie and of good right terrible and inexorable to the rest But least thou exclayme that I doe wrangle I confesse that the Lorde dothe vse an incredible fauoure and lenitie euen towardes the verye vassals of wrath ordeyned to destruction Whence is it that he should not destroy Cayne by and by Whence is it that he shoulde protracte the floude so many yeares Whence is it that he shoulde blesse Esau with the plentifulnesse of the earth That Ismaell shoulde growe to a greate kindred That hée shoulde suffer the Cananites and the Amalachites so long That he shoulde not take away Saule by and by but suffer hym so long to enioy the benifyte of thys life and also the renoune and benefites of the Kyngdome of Israell Finally that wée prosecute not antiquities whence is it that he so nourisheth and so fauourably susteyneth so manye wicked Turkes suche tyrannie of Antichriste and finallie thy selfe wyth so manye false Prophetes who ceasse not to seduce whomesoeuer they may from Gods truth Greate yea greate and incomprehensible is thys goodnesse of GOD towardes hys enimies whyche woulde God they coulde once acknowledge whosoeuer are electe among them and bée not knowen that they myghte at the last returne to hym who truely sheweth hymselfe fauourable and slowe to wrath euen to hys aduersaries In expoundyng the other of the same Moses or rather testimonie of the Lorde thou offendest in lyke sorte for the vse of thys Doctrine solely apperteyneth to the Churche to whome alone the lawe is properly assigned and the Gospell Preached And there bée diuers dispositions of menne and there is a twofolde nature in the very men regenerate therefore is there added threatnings with the promises that the fleshe of them and whatsoeuer is seruile may be restreyned but the spirite and whatsoeuer is frée and at libertie in these confyrmed Nor bée these threatnings onely vayne scarecrowes sayeth the Lorde eftsoones stayeth not in the wordes but sharpely correcteth euen hys owne chyldren and tameth in theyr sight the aduersaries wyth terrible wrath yet in the meane tyme I graunte that hys mercye dothe excell but I affirme it especially in his Churche But sée howe sottishe thou arte who abusest these testimonies to the ende thou mayest auoyde that eternall and secrete mysterie of the deuine decrée Why doest thou not rather abyde in the nexte causes of destruction and persist in the Apostles pathes for so should it come to passe that thou shouldest rather reuerence the louing kyndnesse of GOD towardes hys enimies then thou shouldest not yéelde hym whyche is lawfull to euery potter no man withstanding it when as yet a certayne proportion of the clay and potter may be intended and of God and things created whatsoeuer yet these be there holdeth no comparison except so much as God adopteth men vnto himselfe of mercie for that we maye ascend vnto Adam what proportion is there of the similitude and the thing it selfe yet I graunt that Gods benefites towards men be innumerable especially if they be considered in Adam but thou art wonderfully deceyued when thou déemest that therefore God hath spoyled himselfe of his deytie that it shoulde not be lawfull for him without the note of crueltie to create how many men it pleased him in whose iust condemnation for albeit hée hathe ordeyned whome he woulde to destruction yet he boweth none to death but the deseruers of it to manifest his vpright iustice and his hatred against sinne Do trées and plantes at this day conspire against the Lord as thou doest that they are deuoured of men Do all liuing creatures expostulate with God bycause they are appoynted to the slaughter and set forth to the gréedinesse of men no I trowe for so saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the creature doth sigh and grone not as though it did expostulate with God but bycause it doth frette against the enimies of God and in déede so it is for if the earth it selfe if heauen and the starres and the beginnings of all things if almost the infinite kindes of beastes fishes and soules if stones and rockes coulds speake although their estate may séeme miserable to mans reason yet would they not only not expostulate with God as fierce and cruell but they will voluntarily haue bin thankefull to him that they were accompted worthy to serue his glory but thou Sycophant art found who would accuse God of cruelty except he hadde ordeyned all to eternall life albeit thou makest not mention of all in this place yet it must be so for if there should but one be ordeyned to eternall punishment if thou mightest be iudge God shall not escape the note of crueltie For albeit he is more cruell that damneth many then that damneth one yet he therefore ceasseth not to be cruell that damneth but one by thy iudgemente who eyther wilt not or canst not discerne the iust purpose of damnation from damnation it selfe But that we may omitte all those things whyche thou sayest the people can not conceyue I saye that thou in wresting thys testimonie of Moses arte lyke to them who maruell why moe Drunkardes than Phisitians doe come to olde age and thynke not in the meane tyme that it is chance that there bée by many degrées moe Drunkards than Phisitians So albeit as thou falselie déemest God shoulde saue the issue of euery faithfull man to the thousanth degrée not one onely excepted and shoulde destroy the Infidels children onely to the fourth Generation yet for all that shoulde there bée moe that shoulde bée damned bycause there haue bin euer more in the Worlde that dyd hate GOD than dyd loue hym But thou arte both deceyued in that that thou déemest that the Lorde hath béere sette the consideration of hys nature eyther in the multitude of those that are to be saued or damned also in that that thou takest those things in suche wise as if the Lorde hadde bounde hymselfe to saue some mans posteritie to a certayne number without exception both whyche continuall experience dothe teache to bée most false What then is the Lorde vntrue no in déede but in these wordes he onely sheweth howe muche he is more frequente in well doing than béeyng kéeping and mindefull of iniuries in persecuting his aduersaries but so that finallye he doth well to them of whome he is beloued and hateth them of whome he is hated and maketh it frée to hymselfe to haue mercy on whome he wyll and whome hée will to harden as he hathe manifestly shewed and proued in effect in the historie of Helie the Priest that I may omitte Ismaell and Isaac Iacob and Esau and innumerable others Sée how wisely and to the purpose thou disputest against the truth The second sclaunder GOD hath not only predestinat Adam to damnation but to the causes of damnation
whose fall he did not onely foresee but would it with an eternall and secrete decree and ordeyned that he should fall which that it mighte come to passe in his time he appointed an Apple the cause of the fall The censure of the Sycophant SO they say that the second Article is the Deuils doctrine and they require of vs Caluine that we shewe them where it is written in the diuine bookes THE REFVTATION IN patchyng of thys sclaunder thou hast kept thyne inclination for thy selfe hast forged that thou brablest of Adam predestinat to damnation and of the Apple that God sette before him These I say thou hast impudentlye faygned that it shall not néede to aunswere any thing to them And how reuerently and religiously Caluine vsed to thynke and write of the fall of Adam maye appeare by these testimonies whyche I haue written out worde for worde partly of hys Institutions of Christian Religion and partly of hys Booke of eternall Predestination So dependeth the destruction of the reprobate sayeth he of the Predestination of God that the cause and matter be founde in themselues for the firste man did fall for that the Lord did so sée it expedient Why he so determined we knowe not yet it is assured that he determined no otherwayes but bycause he sawe it good that the glorye of hys owne name shoulde bée aduanced thereby Where thou hearest mention of the glory of GOD thynke there to bée iustice for it must bée iust that deserueth prayse man therefore falleth Gods prouidence so ordeyning but he falleth through his owne faulte The Lorde hadde pronounced a little before that all thyngs that hée made was very good whence therefore commeth thys wickednesse to man that he shoulde fall from hys GOD least it shoulde hée déemed to bée by creation God by hys worde approoued whatsoeuer hadde procéeded from hym therefore hys owne malice corrupted the pure nature whiche hée hadde receyued of the Lorde and by hys fall inforced all hys posteritie to destruction wyth hym wherefore we shall rather sée the apparante cause of damnation in the corrupte nature of man than séeke out the secrete and wholly incomprehensible in the predestination of God. Nor let it gréeue vs thus farre to submitte oure iudgemente to the immeasurable wisedome of God that it sayleth in manye of hys secretes for if those thynges which is not permitted or lawfull to know the ignorance is learned the shew of knowledge is a kind of madnesse These Sicophant be Caluines words which alone shall plentifullye suffice all gouerned wittes to deface thy slaunder But we will also adde these of abundance that your impudencie may more and more appeare There be sayeth he thrée things to be noted Firste the eternall predestination of God to be firme and ratified wherby he determined what should come to passe of all mankinde of euery man before Adam fell Then that Adam hymselfe for the worthinesse of his defection is inthralled to death and finally in his person being nowe desperate and a castaway that all his progeny was so damned that whome afterwards God did fréely elect he shoulde dignifie with the honor of Adoption But also a little after in the same place when saith he there is anye spéeche had of Predestination I haue euer constantly taught and thys day do teach that there they must beginne that all the reprobate whiche are cast away and damned in Adam are worthelie lefte in deathe that they perishe worthely who are by nature the children of wrath so that no man haue cause to complayne of Gods too muche seueritie séeyng that all menne carrie the guiltinesse shutte vp in themselues If we returne to the first man when he was created innocente that he fell willingly and thereby that it came to passe that by his owne faulte he broughte vppon hym and his destruction Nowe albeit that Adam fell no otherwayes than God knowying and so ordeyning hée lost both hymselfe and hys posteritie yet that maketh nothyng eyther to the deminishing of hys faulte or charging of God wyth the cryme for thys is euer to bée consydered that hée depriued hym selfe of that innocencie whyche he receyued of GOD hée voluntaryly vowed hymselfe into the bondage of sinne and Satan willingly gaue himself headlong to destruction One excuse is pretended that he could not auoyde that which was decreed of god But volumtary transgression suffiseth inough and too much to guiltinesse For the secrete counsell of God is not the proper and naturall cause of sinne but the manifest will of man The foolish complaint of Medea is of the olde Poet worthily derided Vtinam ne in nemore pelio c. She beyng taken with the surious loue of a straunger and vnknowen man betrayed hir countrey when she was in hir self guiltie of infidelitie and barbarous crueltie when the scourge of inchastitie doth afllict hir she foolishly turneth hir selfe to causes a farre off when man findeth within himself the cause of euill what auayleth it to wander that he may séeke it in heauen The faulte is manifest in that that he would sinne why doth he rushing into the passages of heauen drowne himselfe in a Labarinth Albeit that menne wandering by infinite fetches do indeuour to deceaue thēselues they shall neuer so amase themselues but they shall receyue the sense of sinne grauen in their hartes vngodlinesse therefore laboureth in vaine to deliuer man whome his owne conscience condemneth And for that God wittingly and willingly did suffer man to fall the cause may be secrete but vniuste it cannot be This is Caluines sentence of Adams fall whiche why it should displease thée thou shouldest rather haue shewed then to haue so impudently slaundred it but there be twoo things whiche you vse to pretende to the whiche I will answere apart First yée complaine as you are men very religious that by this meanes God becommeth the author of all sinnes sith by the fall of Adam all haue succéeded whose offence is to be attributed vnto him if in déede Adam fell by his ineuitable decrée Then you requyre the expresse worde of GOD whereby that doctrine may be ratified That which belonggeth to the firste thou hast heard already wherefore thys thy consequence is naughte worth God ordeyned thys therefore he is in the fault Caluine sheweth a reason out of Augustine in these words This sayth he without controuersie is to be holden that God hath euer hated sinne for indéede this prayse whereby he is glorifyed of Dauid is incident to him that he is a God that will no iniquitie but rather in ordeyning the fall of man he had a most excellent and iust end from which the very name of sinne is estraunged Although I so affirme him to haue ordeyned it as I graunt not that he was the proper author thereof doest thou héere Sycophant Caluine excellently refuting that very blotte of blasphemy whiche falsely and maliciously you obiect against him but yet these things satisfye thée not Be it
it tendeth for ouer and aboue that oure neyghboures faultes and the scourges wherewith God punisheth them ought sufficiently to warne vs that we prouoke not his anger against ourselues There is also another thing required of vs that is that oure mindes ought to be stricken with griefe bycause God is offenbed and bycause the soule of the finner runneth to destruction With such a zeale of Gods glory we shoulde be inflamed that when it is imperilled we should be oppressed with the anguish of sorowes where with oure heart may be sore afflicted We oughte so to loue our neyghboures with a ready affection of minde that when we sée the perill hang ouer them and especially their soules we maye be moued with compassion Sathan indéede by these Losels would make men amazed that whatsoeuer confusion we shall sée we shall be touched with no care nor be affected in any sort If we sée the name of God to be torne with blasphemies his holy precepts violated soules destroyed and all finne and wickednesse florishe as in déede these scoffers whatsoeuer befall doe laugh are touched with no care least collor mighte kill them excepte when somewhat is done that lesse pleaseth them for then forgetfull of all these pleasant speculations of not iudging they become farre more sharp and rigorous than others And they also secretely mocke them of whome they are nourished and ldoe thrust out their tongs behinde theyr backes For al their delighte and studye is in this that they may iocandly take their pleasure in quietnesse and securitie for they haue heard this sentence of Salomon that the bones are withered with a sorowfull spirite So least lost with leanenesse they haue founde this way of pleasant and peaceable delighting that is al carefulnesse expelled in approouing all those things wherewith it is of necessitie that Gods children be moued and troubled in mind least they should haue any more cause of sorrow Lo how delighting themselues in euill things equally as in good they turne all things to their commoditie But Paule sayeth that thys is a heape of iniquitie when one doth not onely committe iniquitie but assenteth therevnto with delight Therefore if there be credite to be giuen to Paule lette vs holde these for the most wicked of all men which are not therewith satisfyed in that they sléepe in theyr owne sinnes they breake out into that wickednesse that they gladde themselues in others sinnes Doe not these things yet content thée and wilte thou vrge me to other of Caluines Bookes heare therefore what he hathe taughte a good whyle agoe of the same matters in the. 2. Chapter and. 69. Section of Christiā Institutions Farre other is the manner sayth he of the diuine action which that it may more certaynely appeare to vs let the calamitie done to holy Iob by the Chaldees be for an example The Chaldees when they had stayne hys pasters they dispoyle his flocke as enimies Nowe their wicked acte is euident Nor ceasseth Sathan in that worke from whome the historie telleth all that did come But Iob himselfe reknowledgeth the Lordes worke in it who he sayeth tooke from him those thinges that were taken away by the Chaldes Now may we referre the selfesame worke to God to Sathan to man the author but eyther we shall excuse Sathan by Gods company or pronounce God the author of euil easily if we firste consider the ende of working and then the manner The Lordes determination is to exercise the patience of his seruaunte by calamitie Sathan laboureth to driue him to desperation The Chaldees by another mans goodes besydes right and equitie sée to gette aduantage Such diuersitie in the purposes dothe mightely distinguishe the worke there is no lesse difference in the manner God yéeldeth hys seruaunte to bée afdicted to Sathan hée yéeldeth hym the Chaldees whome he chose to be hys ministers to execute it and gyueth them to be inforced Sathan otherwayes prouoketh the wicked mindes of the Chaldees wyth their poysoned dartes to the accomplishment of that wicked acte They furiousely rushe to imustice and wrappe and defyle all their members with wickednesse Sathan therefore is properly sayde to worke in the reprobate in whome he exerciseth his kingdome that is the kingdome of sinne God is sayde also to worke after this manner bycause Sathan hymselfe séeyng hée is but an instrumente of hys wrath he inforceth hym thys way and that way as he will and at his becke to execute hys iust iudgementes I let passe héere the vniuersall mouing of God whence all creatures as they are susteyned so they receyue efficacie to doe any thing I speake onely of that speciall doyng whych appeareth in euery déede To ascribe therefore one déede to God to Sathan and to mā we sée is not absurde but the varietie in the end and manner causeth that the inblame◠able iustice of God doth shine forth and the wickednesse of Deuill man to his owne confusiō doth bewray it selfe What more lette vs heare also what he wrighteth in hys Booke of the eternall Predestination of God agaynste Pighius whose impudencie thou hast sette thy selfe to followe Pighius vrgeth that if mans Apostacie be Gods worke it is false that the Scripture sayeth that all thynges are good whyche God hathe made but I can safely testifye and boldly pronounce that thys false imagination did neuer enter into my thought I therefore affirme euery where that the nature of man was fyrste made innocente least the wickednesse whyche by hys defection hée hathe drawen to hymselfe myghte bée ascribed to God that deathe whereto hée inthralled hymselfe whyche before was partaker of lyfe dyd so come by hys owne faulte least God shoulde be thonghte the author The same in the same Booke whatsoeuer menne sinne they would impute it to hym but if any woulde escape I saye hée is more streyghtely cheyned wyth the bondes of conscience than that hée maye delyuer hymselfe from iust damnation Lette Adam make excuse as he wyll that he was deceyued by the enticementes of the wife whyche God gaue him yet the deadly poyson of infidelitie within the secrete most pestilent aduisor ambition the diuelishe breathing of presumption will be founde within They are therefore much lesse to be excused who endeauoure to drawe the cause of their euils out of the déepe secretes of God whiche bewrayeth it selfe out of their owne depraued hearte Lette euery one acknowledge his owne sinne condemne himselfe and confessing from his heart his owne giltinesse let him seriousely intreate his iudge If any murmure the exception is ready O Israell thy destruction commeth of thy selfe The same in the selfesame Booke speaking to the sclanderer They charge vs saith he with a filthy and shamefull slaunder who pretend that God is the author of sinne if his wil be the cause of all things that are done for that whiche man wickedly committeth set on eyther by ambition or by couetousenesse or by lust or by whatsoeuer other wicked affect seing God worketh by
predestinat to life from euerlasting whome he pleased yet he saueth them not except iustifyed in Christ otherwise he should be vniust So also he predestinate to death froÌ„ euerlasting whome he would yet he dothe not abandon them to desruction except corrupt in Adam to whiche corruption also come the other frutes of contumacie and corruption For God ordeyned to destruction but to iust destruction and therefore albeit he ordeyned not to destruction for corruption and that frutes thereof but bycause he so saw it good whose will albeit secret yet it is alwayes iust yet he damneth not except for corruption and the frutes of corruption for that he hathe submitted these causes to the execution of his eternall purpose What is therefore thine ignorance what madnesse Sclaunderer when thou mingless damnation with the purpose of reiecting and in some place settest damnation before the purpose of reiecting that is the end before the beginning and art thou not ashamed to dispute of things vnknowen and whiche thou vnderstandest not Finallie whereas thou sayest it is gathered out of our doctrine that God inforceth men to sinne what doth it bewray but that thine incredible impudencie That men sinne of necessitie vntill they be deliuered from the bondage of sinne we fréelie professe out of the word of god But necessitie signifyeth none other thing to thée than enforcement So shall it be that bycause all dye of necessitie thou mayst also say that all are enforced to dye when yet Christ willingly offered hymselfe selfe to death and manye Martyrs at this day doe willingly dye for Chryste What more The Deuill also in thée shall not willingly be wicked nor willingly shall sinne but enforced and by constreynt He that speaketh thus Sclaunderer may he séeme to haue but euen a very little of that common sense to whose order and rule thou desirest that we trie the wisedome of God and yet darest thou dispute of the nature of the true and false God but how aptly thou doest it go too let vs consider The nature of the false God by the false supposition of the Sclaunderer I False God is flowe to mercie and swift to wrath whiche created the greatest part of the world to destruction and predestinat them not only to damnation but to the cause of damnation therefore he hath decréede from euerlasting and he will and causeth that they sinne of necessitie so that no theftes nor adulteries nor murthers are committed except by his wil and enforcement for he ministreth vnto them wicked and vnhonest affertions not only by sufferance but effectually and he hardneth them so that wheÌ„ they liue wickedly they do Gods worke rather than their owne and they can not otherwise do He causeth Sathan to be a lyer so that not now Sathan but Caluine God is father of lyes as he which often carieth one thing in his mind and another thing in his mouth The nature of the true God after the opinion of the Sclaunderer BUt that God whom nature and reason and Scriptures teach is flat contrarie to him for he is readye to forgiue and slow to wrath whiche created man from whome all men procéeded to his â—wne likenesse like to himselfe that he might place him in Paradise and enrich him with eternall life This God wil that all men bee saued nor that any perish therfore he sent his sonne into the earthe whose righteousnesse hathe superabounded wheresoeuer sinne hathe abounded the brighteneâ—â—e of whose righteousnesse dothe lighten all men that come into this world and cryeth Come to me all yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you This ministreth good and honest affections and deliuereth men from the necessitie of sinne into the whiche they hadde cast themselues headlong by disobedience and he healeth euery griefe and disease amongst the people in so much that he nâ—uer denyed to any maÌ„ a benefite that asked if But this God is come to destroy the workes of that Caluinian God and cast him out at the dores But these two Gods as they are betwéene themselues by nature contrarie so also they beget children contrarie among themselues that is he vnmercifull proude sauage disdeynefull blouâ—ie sclaunderers counterfayte bearing one thing in theyr heart another in their mind impatient malicious seditious contentious ambitious couetous louers of pleasures more than of God finallie full of all lewde and vnhonest affections whiche their father dothe minister to them But the other God begetteth mercifull men modest milde wel willing doers of good workes lothing crueltie playne speaking the truth from the abundance of the heart patient louing quiet peacemakers lothing chidings and contentions despisers of honoure liberall louing God more than pleasures finallie full of all honest affections whyche theyr Father dothe minister to them THE REFVTATION WHO is thy God and the God of thy faction we shal sée héereafter For first I will resell your Sclanders and then I will sette before you in his coulours youre I doll We haue not said in any place that God is slow to forgiue and swift to wrath whiche continuallie sée the contrarie both in our selues and also in the most bitter enimies of the Church as we haue taught largely in the refutation of the third and also of the tenth Argumente to the first Sclaunder That God hath created the greatest part of the world to perdition how it is to be taken and what is your falsehode in that matter we haue expounded in the suppressing of the same first Sclander Whereas thou addest that God hathe predestinate whome hée woulde not only to damnation but to the causes of damnation We in déede with Paule acknowledge it to hée true whiche maketh mention of vessels made to destruction but that he in déede is iust bycause he ordeyned by the same decrée iust causes leading to destruction Yea also if God should not haue created one man to saluation who art thou that therefore thou shouldest call him cruell séeing all are borne in Adam the children of wrath And whereas thou adioynest that God by our doctrine hath decréed from euerlasting both the will and the déede that finne might be committed of necessitie it is a forgerie as almost in euerie side of lease we haue shewed except thou addest that sinnes in that they are sinnes procéede not from God but from SathaÌ„ and the lewde will of man as the very naturall causes of sinne and for as much as they are eyther the punishmentes of sinne or exercises of the rightuous they are iustly and holyly ordesned of god It is like that thou addest that offences are committed by the will and inforcemente of God séeyng we testifie euery where that iniquitie can not please God which he punisheth with iust tormentes but that the motions also of the wicked are gouerned by the iuse Prouidence of God the forgerie therefore of ministring wicked affections is whollie thine owne as we haue prooued in his place For God also iustlie moueth the hearts of the wicked that