Creatoure doe tende Lette this bée for example GOD the father tendering the saluation of hys Electe assuredlye decréede that CHRIST for a certaine season shoulde dye This I saye so oughte to be that I affyrme it coulde not be before his houre hadde come as say the Euangelistes nor after the prefixed time was come that it coulde otherwise be whyche appertaineth to the successe In the meane time when Christe was freshe in yeares and was of excellent constitution in bodye if you respecte in parte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strengthe of Nature it was suche that he mighte haue liued manye yeares also suche was the nature of humane wyil whyche woulde haue wonderfully abhorred moste cruell death lincked with the wrathe of GOD the father and also woulde haue prayed pardon Therefore if by it selfe thou shouldest consider the power of Nature then will we saye that Christe coulde not haue dyed also if thou shouldest consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the force of Will in him that he mighte haue wished not to dye But Nature by naturall motion and will of hys owne accorde consented to the decrée of GOD that is to deathe of necessitie Therefore there is not why thou shouldest obiect to vs the Stoicall assertion whyche taketh from God a liberty to decrée and to determine seconde causes that is it bringeth GOD spoyled of his Diuinitie vnder gouernemente and to willing counsels or deliberations leaueth no place Nor is it preiudiciall to vs that I maye speake these by the waye that there séemeth force to be offered nowe and then to the seconde causes as when the Sunne stayes his course and the Sea is deuided For we saide that GOD is not bounde to seconde causes but that he may bende them whereto it pleaseth hym Nor is it to be doubted but nature willinglye would gyue place when the Creator commandeth There is more difficultie in the corrupte will of the Diuelles and all those who are not regenerate whiche it is sure doth sometimes oppose it selfe vtterly that is wittingly and willingly againste the decrâ—es of god But here is altogither apparant the in comprehensible and inâ—â— plicable condition of the counsells of God that like as the will of the deuill and his members in that it vtterlye opposeth it selfe againste God yet ignorauntlye serueth the workes of God no lesse than with willing force it should yéelde to obey him Tell me therefore that we maye amongest manye choose one singular example when Sathan endeuoured to destroy Ioseph by his brethren by whome God hadde decréed to saue the Isralites what did he truely the selfe thing that he had decréed againste whome he did oppose himselfe that is that Ioseph hauing gotten auctoritie in Egipt might prepare refuge for the Church of god Ioseph therefore respectyng Gods decrée and comforting his amayed brethren said You did not send me hether but god Therefore where I saide that the seconde causes do readily endeuour themselues to the will of God as appertaineth to the corrupt will of the wicked is thus to be vnderstoode that wée maye rather consider the issue than the forme oft hat will. But these it maye be are too far fetcht whiche yet I thought good to sette downe in moe wordes that in parte I might displaye the wickednesse and in parte the foolishnesse of him who yet shamed not to obiecte vnto vs those things which of what forte they shoulde be he verily neuer séemeth to haue vnderstoode I come to the matter We shew that all things come to passe by the eternall immutable decrée of God for that with him is neyther ignoraunce nor imbeciiltie nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 negligence nor anye alteration of counsell We also shewe this that those things that are chaunged are not changed but by the eternall and immutable couÌ„sell of god But this thyrde we haue approued which dependeth of the aforesayd that this collection is most sure this thing is so come to passe therefore it was the councel of God that it should so come to passe Of these it is easily gathered what is to be thoughte of the ende of the fyrst made man truely that which the issue sheweth he was created good but with this condicion that in certayne time of his owne accorde and by no faulte of the Creator this goodnesse béeing lost hée mighte ignorauntly prepare the way both to them that are to be saued in mercy by whose saluation God hath decréede from euerlasting to manifest his glory and also to those that should iustly be damned in whose iust destruction lykcwyse he determined from euerlasting to shew forth the inmeasurablenesse of his iustice and seueritie Adam therefore was created good so that if thou consyderest this straight of nature by it selfe that is the integritie and innocencie then he might and ought to bée saued and also his posteritie that hee was to bring forth lyke to himselfe But if thou consyderest Gods decrée that is wherefore he created him good thou shalt fynd hée neyther could remayne good which appertayneth to the successe nor that his posteritye could be borne in anye other estate then in that whereto as inthraled God from euerlasting had determined they shoulde be borne Thou demaundest whence I haue these I aunswere that I collect them of the successe or as they say of the latter nor that thou canste denye those thinges I haue spoken but that eyther thou shouldest make God varyable and inconstant or weake and ignoraunt or that appertayneth to the ordinance of causes vnoccupyed I adde also rash and vnskilfull For what before he made man did he not forsée with himselfe wherefore he would make him or at the least foreséeing the faultes defermyne what he woulde do vnto men Who I pray thée could indifferently suffer these thinges to be spoken of God whiche are not to be founde in men except suche as are destitute of all witte and reason But if he hadde with himselfe foresette anend I aske of thée what it was Thou wilte saye to blesse al men Now therefore good fellowe shewe howe the counsells of God are not vncertaine and infirme Howe God is not variable and inconstante howe not altogither weake if by no meanes he now performe that which he had determined concerning the blessed life of all men For neither causte thou saye by that thine inuention that euen those whome he saueth are not saued by thy forged decrée séeing they are saued by Grace not by nature And there is no doubt that very manye are giuen ouer to eternall forments séeing without Christ there is no saluation and Faith commeth of hearing But by his owne faulte thou wilte say I graunte it but what doth that helpe thée For if that were decréede with God to saue Adam and all his posteritie surely either God will not or he can not performe that he had decréede if he will not then he hathe changed his purpose if he cannot then is he not omnipofent But how farre off both be
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
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
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
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