we procede demanding who giueth the good will if ye alledge man him self the scripture proueth you liers saing it is God that worketh the will and the perfourmance if God be granted as he can not be denied to be the onely author of all goodnes then ask we why giueth he the good will to the one and not to the other If ye answer becaus the one receaueth grace and the other doeth refuse it ye haue said nothing to the purpose for we still demaÌ„d if God may not if so it pleased his eternall wisdom frame and forme the will of the one to as great obedience as the will of the other fret and fume as ye list this ye caÌ„ not denie except that ye will be blasphemous deniers of his omnipotent power Now of this manifest diuersitie which we se in mankinde we conclude that God hath aswell his elect whom of mercie he calleth by faith iustifieth and by his holie Spirit sanctifieth and in knowledge of him self and of his Sonne Iesus preserueth to the end and so in the end shall he glorifie them as also that he hath his reprobate whom for iust causes he leaueth to them selues to laÌ„gwish in their corruption to passe from iniquitie to iniquitie till that they com to perdition as they that are prepared vessels of wraith If this ye be not able to conuince I send you to fight with your own shadow for our reasons do stand as I haue shortly rehearsed which you be neuer able to moue Trew it is that Iohn Caluin thus writeth Inter electos reprobos mutua est relatio That is betwext the elect and the reprobrate saieth he there is a mutuall relation that is the one hath a contrarie respect to the other so that the election of the which the Apostle speaketh caÌ„ not staÌ„d except we should grante that God hath set apart one sort of men whom it pleased him from an other sorte You heare no meÌ„tion in these wordes of your patch Ther is reprobation of the same sorte which I know either ye orels your Master Castalio forged Becaus ye wold not forgett your merie tale of your Iew ye boldly denie that gods election hath respect to his contrarie reprobation But when ye should come to the plaine demoÌ„stration thereof ye are compelled to flie to this shift There is no such word or phrase in the scripture if such a reason should be made before a reasonable man I think it iustly might be reiected for if this be a good reason Election hath no respect to his contrarie reprobation because the wordes nor phrase are not in the scripture then is this reason good also Lot sinned not committing incest with his daughters for in the hole scriptures there is neither such worde nor phrase that in plaine wordes affirmeth that Lot sinned commiting incest with his daughters Consider the vanitie of your reasons and be ashamed Ye can not denie but this word Election is redde in the scriptures And so oft I say can ye not denie except that willingly ye will corrupt the mind of the holie Gost but that it hath respect to his contrarie reprobation as by the phrases which ye impudently denie to be in the scripâ—ures is most euident As when Paul saieth hath God then reiected or refused his people God forbyd God hath not refused his people whom he knew before And so alledgeing the like to haue bene in the daies of Helias he saieth euen so in this tyme there were a residue or a few nomber left according to the electioÌ„ of grace that is according to the fre election and not accordiÌ„g vnto workes And after he saieth that which Israel seketh it hath not atteined vnto but the election hath atteined vnto it but the rest were blinded whether that this phrase doeth not plainely proue that election in this place hath respect to his contrary reprobation let the indifferent reader iudge The election saieth saint Paule hath atteined vnderstanding the illumination which God did promise but the rest were bliÌ„ded If ye will not suffer that this blinded rest whom God iustly had reiected shall be called reprobat studie ye for a more geÌ„tle worde for we must vse such as the holie Gost hath taught vs. But yet one phrase or two mo I shall haue mercie saieth God to Moses vpon whom I will haue mercie And Paul feareth not to adde his contrarie saing and whom he will he maketh hard hearted And agane what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen hath suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath made redie to damnation and that he might declare the riches of his glorie on the vessels of mercie which he had prepared vnto glorie If mercy lief the vessels of mercie and glorie haue contrarie respect to seueritie to destruction to the vessels of wraith and of dishonor then can it not be denied but that election from the which all these former graces flow to the elect hath contrarie respect to reprobation I omitte the rest of the phrases which be common in scripture and make plaine difference betwext the elect and reprobat because before I haue noted diuerse and after must be compelled to repete the same How sufficieÌ„tly ye haue proued your generall speciall and most speciall election let the readers iudge by that which is answered to your eight vnreasonable reason aÌ„d to your 13. vanitie That impudent blasphemie which maliciously ye lay to our charge shall God without spedie repentance sodenly reuenge vpon your own heades blasphemous mouth I write to thee whose corrupt maners frâ—indly aÌ„d secretly I haue rebuked but whose malice I now know Canst thow not be vnthankfull vnto man except that also thow powre furth thy vennom against gods Maiestie Impudent lier which of vs hath promised vnto the or vnto any of thy pestilent sect that which he hath not perfourmed Examin thy conscience and denie if thow canst but more hath bene perfourmed vnto the then euer was promised yea euen when thow diddest deserue to haue bene abhorred of all honest men and yet without fear or shame doest thow accuse vs that we should accuse God of hypocrisie and that we wold make him a dissembler like vnto our selues The Lord for his great Names saik either purge thy heart or sodenlie represse that vennome in the and in that pestileÌ„â— sect to his own glorie and to the coÌ„fort of his Church Repent repent I say orels shortly shal thow fele what it is to contristate and make â—orowfull the Spirit of God be the instruments in whom he worketh neuer so weak If of euerie Parable aÌ„d similitude ye will coÌ„clude as largely as ye do here to wit y t because in a Parable it is said that a kinge called many to the mariage Ergò God elected all by his generall election Then it shall folow that all lords and masters shall alow and praise their stewardes and seruants that deceaue
them for so is affirmed in a parable that one lord did to his steward If we shall rather beleue Christ Iesus then you then we shall thus conclude Many are called but few chosen wonder it is that ye can not se the difference betwext these wordes The king called many and God chose all I am ashamed of your ignorance Of gods coÌ„stant fidelitie of his promises of the causes why y e reprobate are more aÌ„d more blynded we haue before somwhat spoken and after will haue occasion to repete the same When ye wold be sene most craftie and subtill then appereth most your ignoraÌ„ce and vanitie To proue an absurditie in our doctrine thus ye reason If where so euer election be there is also reprobation of the same kynd this last patch I say is your malicious addition but let it stand for a testimonie of your vntrueth if then say you Christ be the elect and chosen of God as the scriptures affirme him to be then must it nedes folowe that there be mo Christes of whome â—ome must be reprobate and thereupon ye bring in your foolishe tale of your Iew. First I answer you according to your merie disposition which I perceaue did titill you in writing this part That if ye can make no difference betwext election and elect then I wold ye were commited agane to som quick and sharpe Pedagoge who with sharp roddes wold let you fele what difference there is betwext Agentem Patientem Assuredly your vnreuereÌ„t iesting in these secrete mysteries of our redemption and these scoffing tantes in malice casten out against the eternall Sonne of God and his vndoubted veritie deserue none other answer but yet partly to let your ignorance appere and partly for the instructioÌ„ of the simple I will prepare my self to answer with greater modestie then your malice deserueth I haue said before that this patch vpon the which ye gather your absurditie is none of our doctrine for we haue neither written nor yet taught that where so euer is election there must also reprobation be of the same kynd but simply we say that election hath respect to his contrarie reprobation But to grant you somwhat and not to hold you so streit let it be that so we had written what should rightly thereof folowe that there must be mo Christes of whoÌ„ som must be reprobate say you becaus that Christ is called the elect of God I answer in this your argument ye vse two fallaces that is fals and deceatfull apperances of a trueth which are but manifest lies The former you change the termes putting elect and reprobate in the minor and in the conclusion where we put election and reprobation in the Maior which is not lawfull in a good argument for where we say as ye affirme where so euer is Election there must also reprobation be ye infer Christ is the elect of God Ergo there must be mo Christes of whom som must be reprobate Who seeth not here the changing of the termes Let your argument procede in order and coâ—clude what ye list Where so euer is electioÌ„ there must also be reprobation And add if ye list of the same kynd but Christ is election thus must you procede if that ye kepe the forme of a good argument Proue your Minor and conclude what ye please Thus doeth your vaine and foolishe sophistrie compell me to trouble the simple with the termes of the artes which most vnwillingly I do The seconde fallaâ— and deceat lieth in the ambiguitie and doubtfull vnderstanding of this patch which ye craftelie forge of the same kynd for if we had so spoken or written yet is our vnderstanding far other then you imagine That is we applie not these wordes of the same kynd to the particularitie of persons and of euerie especiall man that is elect but to the hole masse as by saint Paule we are taught To make the mater more sensible I will lay my self for exeÌ„pell for I will not nor dare not so â—rreuereÌ„tly iest w t the maiestie of my God and of his dear son Christ Iesus as ye do You reason against vs as that we did vnderstand your addition of the same kynd of euerie particulare person a part as thus I Iohn knoxe do constantly beleue that as of mercie and fre grace it hath pleased the goodnes of my God in tyme to call me to his knowledge aÌ„d so to remoue my blyndnes and vnbeliefe that in a part I se his fatherlie loue towardes me in Christ Iesus his Sonne so do I most certenlie beleue that in the same Christ Iesus of fre grace he did elect and choose me to lief euerlasting before the fouÌ„dation of the world was laid Ergo by your vnderstanding I must also beleue that there is another Iohn knoxe of the same kynd hauing the same substance with the same qualiteis proprieties and conditions that I haue that was reprobated and so must be damned Who seeth not here your vanitie yea your most malicious cauilation who labor to impute vpon vs that which did neuer enter into our heartes We with all reuereÌ„ce and feare beleue and teach that God of one masse that is of Adam hath prepared som vessels of mercie honour and glorie and som he hath prepared to wrathe and destruction To the vessels of his mercie in his eternall counsell before all tymes he did appoint a head to reule and giue lief to his elect that is Christ Iesus our Lord whom he wold in tyme to be made like vnto his brethren in all thinges sinne except Who in respect of his humaine nature is called his seruante the iust sede of Dauid and the elect in whom his soule is well compleased Because as I haue said he is appointed onely head to giue lief to the bodie without whom there is neither electioÌ„ saluatioÌ„ nor lief to man nor to Angell And so in respect of his humanitie froÌ„ the w c he in no wies can be seperated he is called y e elect CoÌ„clude now if you caÌ„ there must be mo Christes of whoÌ„ soÌ„ must be reprobate I will make a more sure and more trew conclusion then you do which is this God of one masse hath elected some men to lief in Christ Iesus Ergò there was left of the saâ—me masse an other sort vnder an other head the deuil who is the father of lies and of all such as continue in blasphemie against God Gather now what absurdities ye caâ— THE ADVERSARIE An other argument gather they furth of gods prescience but I will first borow an argument of them concerning the prescience of God And then God willing I shall answere to theirs Paul saieth Those which God knew before he also ordeined them before that they should be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of his Sonne that he might be the first begotten Sonne among many bretheren but God knew all men before Ergo be ordeined all men before that they should
earth and that also he hath reueled vnto vs so much as is profitable for vs to knowe ether yet necessarie for our saluacion for the which we praise his eternal goodnes and infinit wisdom do affirme further as before we haue said that such as staÌ„d not content with that which is reueled but arrogaÌ„tly list to mouÌ„t vp to search the secretes of gods counsel shal be beateÌ„ downe againe by the brightnes of his glorie to eternal confusion in a iust recompence of their presumpteous boldnes And thus much with you we wil willingly coÌ„fesse but where vpon certen questions you make such conclusions as pleaseth you we cannot but accuse in yon that vnreuerent yea deuelish boldenes and pride which in all men we condemne But let vs heare your own wordes Can you proue thereby that God hath two willes or is that which is not reueled contrarie to that which is reueled then shoulde there be coÌ„trarietie in God which is false if God in respect of his reueled will wold not that Adam should fall but in respect of his secret will he wolde Adam shoulde fall Then did God will two contraries which is impossible These be your wordes and seuerall reasons most blasphemously spoken not against vs but against gods eternall wisdome against vs I say ye cannot speak them for no such doctrine haue we euer taught for we most constantly affirme that the secret wil of God and his will reueled is alwaies one which is the manifestation and declaratioÌ„ of his own glorie althogh it seme diuers in y e instrumentes as before I haue most manifestly decâ—ared and thus most iustly might I send you to debate your cause with him whose iustice wisdom cannot be subiect to the vanitie of your reason But yet because no small part of this coÌ„trouersie betwext you vs consisteth in this that you can admit no will in God the reason and cause whereof ye cannot see perceaue nor vnderstand and affirming the contrarie say that of gods secret will can nether man nor Angell perceaue assigne or vnderstand any other reason or cause but his holie will onelie and therefore with all reuerence do they stoupe and couering their eyes crie iust and righteous art thou oh Lord in all thy workes holie holie holie Lord God of armies The vniuersall earth is replenished with the glorie of his Maiestie Because I say a great part of our controuersie standeth in this point I wil go through your questions and seuerally answer to euerie one first you aske if God haue two willes by reason that he hath a secret will and a reueled wil. I answere that as God in his eternal God head is simple and one so is his will in respecte of him selfe from all beginning simple and one which is the declaration of his owne glorie But because the instrumentes in which gods glorie is and must be for euer manifested and knowen be diuers therefor hath gods will w c in him selfe is one diuers considerations effectes endes in respect of the diuers instrumentes for example God will the vessels of his mercies to be extolled to the glorie of the kingdome with Christ Iesus but he will the vesselles of wrath to be adiudged to the fire inquenchable prepared for the deuill all his Angelles Who doth not see but in respecte of these diuers instrumeÌ„ts the will of God hath diuers respectes and diuers endes and iustly may be called two willes or a dooble will for it is one will to saue and an other will to condemne as touching the instrumentes creatures saued or condemned But in respecte of God the wil is one and simple which is as before is said the manifestation of his glorie which no lesse shyneth in the iust punishmeÌ„t of the one sort then in the mercifull deliuerance of the other And this much for the first SecoÌ„dly ye ask if y t w c is not reueled be coÌ„trary to that w c is reueled To the w c I answere as before that in respecte of God there is no coÌ„trarietie betwext y e will reueled and the will vnreueled But yet may the creatures to whome God doeth notifie his will by commandement rebuke or exhortation apprehend vnderstand one thing and yet it may be that God in his eternall counsell hath determined the expresse contrarie if this to you at the first sight seme strange yet my good hope is that examples in the scriptures proposed shall make the mater sensible ynough to the godlie and sobre reader What do we think that Dauid did apprehend of that most sharp and vehement rebuke giuen vnto him by Nathan theÌ„ Prophete in the name of God No dowt that he was the sonne of death that God wold break the league and couenant with him as he had done to Saule his predicessor But was it therfor the eternall purpose of God that so it should be The end and issue declareth the contrarie Ezechias receaued the very sentence of present death from the mouthe of the Prophet Isaiah who no doute came not with message at all aduenture but at the expresse commandement of God for so he affirmeth sayinge Thus saieth the lord put ordre to thy house for thou shalt die and shalt not liue But was not therefor the coÌ„trarie to witt that he should afterward liue fiftene yeres determined in the immutable couÌ„sell of God The same might I declare by many other exhortations commandementes but with one I wil staÌ„d contented which shall adde light to the former Abraham was commanded by God to take his sonne Isaak whome he loued his onelie sonne in whome the promes stode and to go to the mounteine which God wold appoint there to offer him in sacrifice What will of God did Abraham apprehend in this commandement during the iourney of thre dayes God him selfe beareth recorde that Abraham did so vnderstand gods will that his owne haÌ„d was stretched out to kill his sonne yea that in his heart he had killed him for so saith the Angell because thou hast donne this and hast not spared thy onelie sonne I shall blesse the. but whether had God in his eternall counsell deâ—ermined that AbrahaÌ„ should kill his sonne as Abraham did vnderstand by his will reueled who so euer dare so affirme maketh God subiecte to mutabilitie and denieth him to be God whose wisdome knowledge purpose and couÌ„selles be stable and appointed from all eternitie if with reuereÌ„ce the causes hereof be searched inquired y e holie Gost will answer y t good it was to Dauid thus to be humbled that profitable it was not onely to Ezechias but also to the hole Church of God after him to coÌ„me to the knowledge of his infirmitie and of the agonye battel which he susteined fighting as it were agaiÌ„st gods iudge meÌ„tes That by Abrahams great obedieÌ„ce be we all instructed to obey God in all things which he coÌ„maÌ„deth and to subiecte not onely our lustes and
preaching of his Law and by rebuking of their manifest impietie And so he did God working all to his glory according to his eternall purpose And this because your interpretation is not sufficieÌ„tly confirmed by any phrase of the scripture which ye haue alledged aÌ„d also because it repugneth to the scriptures which before I haue adduced we can not admitte it Against your complexion or Epilogue which is nothing but a superfluous repetition of those thinges which sufficiently ye haue not proued althogh you so bragge we say that as God by his eternal word and power infinite hath created al thinges so hath he by his wisedom incomprehensible so disposed all thingesâ— y t as nothing was created for the self so was nothing the appointer of the self to serue God as his glory required But he in his eternal counsel appointed the end to euery creature to the which they shal once atteine by such meanes as he most iustly hath appointed And therfor seing his glorie doth no lesse require his iust iudgemeÌ„tes then his superabouÌ„dant mercie to be knowen he hath in his eternal counsel elected some and reiected others eueÌ„ before y e foundatioÌ„s of y e world And albeit he created man after his own image yet did God neuer determine y t mankind should staÌ„d in Adam but his iust couÌ„sell and purpose was that all men should fall in Adam that the elect might know the price of their saluation Christe Iesus in whoÌ„ they were elected before y t in Adam actualy they did fall or were created And so God willing to make his glorie to shine in al hath prepared some vessels of mercie and some of wrath to y e one he hath frely giueÌ„ life euerlastiÌ„g in Christ Iesus his sonne The other he hath for iust causes so reiected that albeit with long pacience he suffereth their manifest rebellion yet in the finall iudgement he shall commaÌ„d them to go to the fire that neuer shal be quenched And this will and counsel of God is neither secret nor hidde from his Church but is in his word most manifestly reueled aÌ„d therfor of it we feare not to affirme that euen in the first promise and euer since hath God made a plaine distinction betwext the elect and the reprobate so that the purpose and counsell which before was hidde in God was in time manifested vnto man Which will and counsell of God becaus it is constant and immutable like as God him selfe is must of necessitie take effect and therfor I boldly affirme that neither can any whom God in his eternal purpose hath reprobated become the elect and so be saued neither yet can any of Christes elect nombre to life euerlasting be reprobated and so come to finall perdition We further saye that albeit gods will in the selfe be one to witte the manifestation of his own glorie yet as touching his creatures it hath diuers respectes for God will the saluation of some and he also will the iust â—ondemnation of others And the contrarie of this doth God neuer declare in his word but rather doth most plainely reuele it And therfore this his godlie will is not called secrete as that it is not expressed in his word but because that in his word there is no cause assigned gods good will onely excepted why he hath chosen some and reiected others And this knowledge is so necessarie to a Christian that without the same ca the heart of man neuer be sufficieÌ„tly subiected vnto God nether can he rendre vnto him due praise and honor except that he acknowledge and confesse y t God him selfe hath made differeÌ„ce betwext him others To your odious termes dispitefull railing I briefely say at this time THE LORD shall iudge To my knowledge there resteth no notable scripture which ye haue alledged or rather abused for confirmatioÌ„ of your error which is not sufficieÌ„tly answered two places excepted The one is of Ezechiel affirmig that God will not the death of a sinner the other conteineth the wordes of Paul saying God will all men to be saued which places because you recite them here in the description of him whom you call the true God I thoght it expedient to delay til this opportunitie to y e end that hâ—uing to fight as it were face to face with the deuil him self I might haue some coÌ„fort of my God in entreating some place of his holie scriptures Thus you procede with a mouth most execrable and blasphemous THE ADVERSARIE The properties of the God of the careles by necessitie Their gods wrath excedâ—th all his workes for he hath reprobate the most part of the world afore the foundation of the world be is slowe vnto mercy and ready to wrâ—the for he will not be intreated to saue any of them whom he bath reprobate afore but of necessitie do what they can they must be damned neâ—ther is he omnipâ—tont which may do and leaue vndone â–ª what pleaseth him for he is bound â—y â—is â—wn absolut ordinance and infallible foresight to do onely all things as they be donne and becaus 〈◊〉 so pleased him to she we his power strength he styrred up Pharao many mo to do wickedly â—e giueth wicked commandement and euill thoghtes to Semei and many other And therafter plagued them for their labor onely because they were wicked instruments to work his will for he made them naughtie vesselles 〈◊〉 commit all abomination neither could they choose but work wickedly being â—is vesseles of wrath he hathe two willes â—ne contrary to an other for he saieth one thing and thinkeâ—h another he is worse theâ— the deuill for not onely tempteth â—e to do euill but compelletâ— by immutable fore ordinance and secret wil without which no thing can be doâ—â—e he is the prince of darknes for frome him comâ— euill thoghtes which are darknes ANSWER Because that now I haue to do not onely with a blasphemer but eueÌ„ as it were with a deuill incarnate my first and chief defence is to say the Lord putte sileÌ„ce to the â— Sathan The Lord confound thy dispiteful counselles by the which thou studiest to peruert the righteous way of the eternall God But now of thee ô blasphemous mouth I aske if thou be able to forge to the and to thy pestilent factiâ— an other God then that God who most iustly did drowne and destroy by water all liuing creatures in earth except so many as were preserued in the arke with Noah who also did destroye by fire from heauen Sodom and Gomorra with the cities â—diacent and the hole inhabitantes of the same Lot and his two daughters onely reseruedâ— who further by the space of four thousand yeres did suffre all nations to walk in their owne wayes reueling onely his good will and the light of his word to the sede of Abraham to those that descended of Iacob I meane Canst thow I say forge to thy self another God then this eternall maiestie of our
stabilitie of faith Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 14. 6 1. Cor. 1. 30 Ro 1. 26 The vnmouable ground of faith Rom. 8. 29 Ephes. 1. 14 2. Thes. 2. 13 2. Pet. 1. 2. 20 Rom. 11. 29 Rome 8 Ham. Ishmael Esau Abshalom Achitophel Iudas The Niniuites Manasses Paul Magdelene The thiefe What humilitie is Ephes. 2. 8 1. Cor. 1. 30 1. Iohn 4. 10 Ephes. 1. 22 The first section Cap. 14. SectioÌ„ 40 Libr. ad bonifa 2. Cap. 6. 40. Retract lib. 1. cap. 2. Stoiâ—â—â— necessitie Cap. 1. 2 â–ª 3. 4. 5. 〈…〉 Why the Anabap. mystlyketh the doctryn of predestination PrescieÌ„ce Prouidence Ioan. 10. Prouerb 20. Prouâ—r 16. Matth. 10 â–ª 29. PredestinatioÌ„ The second sectioÌ„ Liers are the deuilles sonnes Institut Cap. 14. Sect. 5. De aeterna Dei praedestinatioÌ„ Inâ—titu Cap. 14. Sect. 14. Caluin vpon Isaiah The schoeles of Papistes full of blasphemies Inst. cap. 14. sect 17. The third section Two chiefe propositioÌ„s Ephes. 1. Isâ—i 44. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 54 The constancie of Gods promâ—s Isaia 46. Psal. 2â— Isal. 138. Iob. 10. Isaia 46. Iohn 6. Ioan. 17. Rom. 6. 1. Ioan. 4. The fourth section Zach. 3. Act. 17. Isaiah 45 The sayeng of a blaspphemous mouthe Iob. 39. What the aduersary will saye Isaia 66. The workes of God can not be subiect to our reason The reasoÌ„ of Anabaptistes Answer The aduersarie falsly and vnreuereÌ„tly alledgeth this word birth Answer Malac. 2. What we haue in Adam Error of Anabaptistes The affirmations of the trew ChristiaÌ„s Gen. 3. Question Answer The churche of Christe and the serpenteâ—i sede De bono perseueraÌ„t Reply of the aduersary Question Gods purpose was from the beginning to make a difference in mankinde The seâ—â—â—â—de diffâ—â—eÌ„ce This is the cause why all the prophetes almost do de clare gods wrath against Esan and Edome Psea 137 Esaie 34. Ier. 49. Obad. 1. Rom. 9. How S. Paul applieth the wordes of Moises Gene. 25. Promes inade to Isaak Vessels of mercie prepared vnto glorie Gods election dependeth not vpon man Iohn 8. Why the Iewes beleued not in Christe Christe maketh a diffâ—reÌ„rence of one sort from an other Iohn 17. What Christ did for his Christe praied not for the world An answere to the papistical and pestilent obiection of Pighius aÌ„d others his like Deut. 7. Deut. 9. Iosue 24. Ezec. 16 God did not for our workes predestinate vs. 2. Ti. 1. Question 1. Cor. 4. Apoca. 4. 5. A brief rehearsal what is before sufficiently proued The fyft section Isaia 45. Isaia 30. Matt. 7. Psal. 144 Esaia 54 Psal. 29. Isaiah 49 Isaiah 30 Isâ—ia 49 Matt. 7. Luc. 11. The blasphemy of Anabaptistes 〈◊〉 3. Psal. 145 Note the plain difference Exod. 20. Howgods mercy is greater then his wrath The six te sectioÌ„ To the 1. To the 2. 3. 4. 5. Deut. 19. To the 6. The seuenth section To the 1. â— 3. Blindnes and hardnes of hart are effectes reprobation Why God treated maÌ„ good whoÌ„ he ordeyned neuertheles to fall The eight section Ephes. 1. Psal. 49. Iob. 34. 4. Esdr. 8 Sapient 2 Sapien. 9 Matth. 12 The ground of the Anabaptistes error An argument 〈◊〉 prouâ—th that in Adam we could not stand Answer to the scriptures shamefully abused by the aduersaries Matt. 11. The aduersarie wrasteth the scripture in Iob. Iob. 34. Act. 10. An argument directly against the aduersaries argument Influence of the sterres EducatioÌ„ The cause is not in nature of our faethfull obedieÌ„ce What is the cause that some beleue and some remayn vnfaithfull How God respecteth not persoÌ„s 1. Sa. 16. That God hath not respect of persons most euidently coÌ„futeth the error of the aduersaries of gods predestination The cause and effect are diuerse Dâ—ut 7. Rm. 9. Neither was nor is in vs any thing whereby we should deserue to be elected The bookes called Apocryphes Reuâ—reÌ„ce vnto gods holie worde Reade the prologue of Ecclesiasticus and the end of the last chap. of the second booke of Machab. Sap. 2. Deut. 2. Lyke as there be degrees betwext election and glorification euen so there be degrees betwext reprobatioÌ„ and coÌ„demnation The nynte section Galat. 2. Ephes. 1. Ephes. 1. To the. 2. All be not Saintes nor blessed with spiritual benediction Oure regeneration to good workes is by the grace of God The teÌ„th section To 〈…〉 Iob. 36. Castalio is translation The eleueÌ„th section To the 1. To the 2. The iust causes of reprobatioÌ„ are hid in gods eternall counsel but the causes of death and damnatioÌ„ are euideÌ„t in the scriptures The iudgementes of God are a deuoring depth The twelth section The thirteÌ„th section Esaia 50 Esaia 48 To the 1. Ephe. 1. To the 2. Iohn 1. To the 3. Rom. 1. To the 4. Isaiah 55. Iohn 6. To the 5. An argument against the aduersaries forged diuision of gods election To the 6. Matth. 16 Rom. 8. To the 7. Iohn 6. The fre wil meÌ„ iudge rashly To the 8. The perfecdtioÌ„ that the aduersaries pretend in this lyfe Philip. 3. How stroÌ„g the aduersaries wolde seme to be To the 9. The fourteÌ„th section Isaia 48 Esdr. 9. Iâ—rem 2. Esaia 42. 43. The scriptures affirme that there be many fals Christes fals Prophetes But Iesus Christe is our onely Sauior without whome there is no saluation To the 1. Institu 2. Cap. â—ec 78. De eterna Dei proedestinatione To the. 2. Rom. 〈◊〉 To the 3. To the 4. Luk. 16 To the 5. The fiftenth section The 2. argument Rom. 8. Reade the scriptures better be ashamed of your argument Rom. 9. The difference of gode fore knowledge Matth. 7. The six tenthe section Ezech. 18 Reade the first sectioÌ„ The 17. Section O prowde lucifer that darest compare thy knowledledge to the prescieÌ„ce of God To the 1. Galat. 1. 1 Tim. 1 God worketh both in his elect and in the reprobate but in diuâ—rse maner To the â— Read the praier of the Apostles Act. 4. What power Ananias had of his land Act. 5. The eightene section 1. Re. 23. Whence haue ye your assurance To the 1. 2. 3. Matt. 26. Iohn 13. The nynteÌ„th section To the 1. Difference betwext the libertie of Chriâ—tes will and the fredoÌ„ of Adams will Gods prescience is not to be seperated from his will Rom. 9. Prouer. 16. When violence is doÌ„ to the will of a creature The grud geing of the reprobat Rom. 9. Why creatures offeÌ„d wheâ— they most serue gods couÌ„sâ—l Luk. 22. Gods will is fre althogh it chaÌ„ge not as occasion is offered by mens doings The 20 Section Rom. 9. Malach. â— To the 1. Themynd of the Apostle in the 9. câ—apit to the Romains concerning Iacob and Esaw To the â— Esaw som maner of way serued Iacob in the fleshe Gen. 27. 2. Reg. 8. Gen. 28. The place of the Prophete Malachie Why the Apostle maketh neither meâ—tion of Abraham nor of Isaak but of Iacob and of Iacob being in his mothers wombe The grace of
euidently declared in Isaakes two sonnes being yet in their mothers boson â–ª before they had done either good or bad as the Apostle affirmeth It was said by the voice of God the elder shall serue the younger By which voice of God reueled did Isaak aÌ„d Rebecca plainely vnderstand what was the cause of the battell which the mother felt in her bosom aÌ„d wombe to witt that because from her wombe were two peoples and nations to procede which could not be of equall honour and dignitie For the one had he determined in his eternall counsell to elect for his peculiar people the other to reiect and to leaue them in the common corruption as the other nations as the sequel in processe of tyme did euidently declare For the Edomites discending of Esau were cut of from the bodie of the church and became manifest enemies to the posteritie of Iacob becaus that their father was subiect to Iacob and pronounced to be his seruant Such as vnderstand this place of corporall seruice and worldlie riches or dignitie onely do nothing els but shew their own ignoraÌ„ce corrupting the meaning of the holie Gost. For sainct Paul in the 9. chapter to the Romains after that he hath affirmed that the promes and â—lection of God were sure albeit that many of the carnall sede had refused Christe preached he bringeth in this former sentence to remoue all sclaÌ„der Saing All are not sonnes because they are the sede of Abraham that is those that be y e soÌ„nes of the fleshe are not therefor the soÌ„nes of God but those that be the sonnes of promes are accompted for sede And so to proue that which before he had affirmed to witt hat all were not Israelites that came of Israel he added these wordes Not onely this but also wheÌ„ Rebecca had coÌ„ceiued of one our father Isaak while the children were not borne while they had neither done good nor cuill that the purpose of God shoulde by de according to electioÌ„ not of workes but of the caller it was said to her The elder shall serue the younger Such as be not more then blind may easely perceiue that the Apole looketh to an other end then to worldlie dignitie For his purpose was not in that place to dispute and reason who should be riche in this world and who should be poore who should be lordes temporall and who shoulâ— be seruants but his purpose and mâ—nd was to declare tâ— whom did that benediction promised vnto Abraham appertein and to whom it did not apperteine So that the holie Gost speaking by sainct Paule is a commentarie of the wordes spokeÌ„ to Rebecca And I doubt not but so she did vnderstaÌ„d them To witt that y t promes which appered to haue ben common with all the sede of Isaak of whom it was spoken In Isaak shall thy sede be called was now restreined and made proper to one head and to the people discending of him that is to Iacob who after obteined the name of Israel So that bothe the peoples neither were reputed neither yet in very dede were the Church aÌ„d chosen people of God but the one was chosen and the other was refused The one by grace and of the caller was honored with the name and priuiledge of his churche The other was cast owt as strangers vpon the one remained the benediction of the which the other was depriued In this maner I say did bothe Isaak Rebecca yea Iacob and Esau in proces of tyme vnderstand this oracle of God But yet becaus this former place of the Apostle is by many euill vnderstand and by som maliciously wrested from the simple meaning of the holie Gost in as few and plain wordes as I can I purpose to declare how aptly and properly the Apostle vseth the testimonie and wordes of Moises Christ beiÌ„g preached to the iewes who were reputed the chosen people of God to whom and for whose comfort and deliuerance the Messiah was especially promised The most part of the iewes remained vnfaithfull refused the Sauiour who was sent blasphemed him and cruelly did persecute him and his meÌ„bres This could not be withoute a greate offeÌ„se aÌ„d sclaÌ„der to many thousandes bothe of the Iewes and gentiles The Iewes puffed vp with pride because they were the peculiare people because to them were giuen the law promesses aÌ„d oracles did brag and boast that God could not reiect theÌ„ except â—hat he should be found a lier For to Abraham and to his sede had he made a promes And the geÌ„tiles might be troubled with the like cogitations for they might think if God shall refuse his own people which so many yeares he tenderly had norished what stabilitie can we loke for thogh we should receyue this Christ preached Against bothe these sortes of men most valiaÌ„tâ—y fighteth the Apostle and most aptly alledgeth the scriptures to the confutatipn of the one and comfort of the other First against the Iew he reasoneth that albeit they be Israelites after the flesh yet it may be y t they be not the verey israelites of God neither yet is God endebâ—ed vnto theÌ„ thogh they be discended of Abraham The reason is that God made no promes to the hole sede of Abraham but to a parte of it to Isaak And if they should say but we are of Isaak he granting that doeth neuertheles proue that God doeth not choose y e hole sede of Isaak but in the mothers woÌ„be as said is by his own decre he made the differeÌ„ce And if further they should replie ô but we are of Iacob he then commeth to the proof of his first proposition affirming that albeit they were of Iacob yet did it not thereof folow that they were all the elect people of God for what prerogatiue wold he say can Iacob haue aboue his father Isaak or what can Isaak haue aboue Abraham Abraham who many yeres faithfully obeyed God could not obtein that all his posteritie no not Ismael for whom he prayed should be reconed to be his sede Neither could Isaak obtein the same but God appointed and did chose whom it pleased him And shall Iacob haue greater prerogatiue theÌ„ had they bothe shall he that of grace was preferred to his brother when neither the one had done good neither the other had done euill giue that priuiledge to all his posteritie that without exception they shal be the chosen people of God No will the Apostle conclude but God noâ— after the reuelation of his dear Sonne Christ Iesus doeth make the same difference in the posteritie of â—acob that somtymes he made in the sede of Abraham aÌ„d Isaak That is he chooseth whom it pleaseth him aÌ„d reiecteth also such as in whom he hath no pleasure aÌ„d that not onely amongest the Iewes but also amongest the gentiles and that to make the riches of his glorie knoweÌ„ towardes y e vessels of mercie which he had prepared vnto glorie whoÌ„ he hath called euen
originall spring I think no man will so holde nor affirme euen so it is in this mater for faith and a godlie life that ensueth our vocation are the fruites proceding from oure election but are not to the causes of the same And therefor the Apostle to beat downe all pryde asketh what hast thow ◠mā which thow hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued it why gloriest thow as thogh thow hadst not receaued it The Apostle in that place speaketh not of one or two graces but what so euer is necessarie to saluation that he affirmeth to be receaued and that of fre grace as he yet more plainely doeth witnes sayeng Of grace are ye saued by faith and that not of your selues it is y e gift of God ād not of works lest any should glorie Now if man hath nothing but that which he receaueth of grace of fre gift of fauour and mercie what odious pryde and horrible vnthankfulnes is this that man shall imagine that for his faith and for his workes God did electe and predestinate him to that dignitie euen as if two or thre beggers chosen from the nomber of many were of the liberall mercie of a Prince promoted to honour should after brag and boast that their good seruice was the cause that the Prīce did choose them Shuld not euerie wise man mocke their vanitie yea might not the Prince iustly depriue them for their arrogant vnthankfulnes Might not the Prince haue left them in their wretched estate And what then shoulde haue become of their seruice Is it not euē so with mā lost in Adam whose fall in gods prescience and purpose was before his creation of which masse or lompe God of his owne fre grace did choose ād predestinate vessels of his mercie prepared vnto glorie that they should be holie as before is said shall these thē that finde mercie to worke good wordes boast as thogh workes were the cause thereof God forbyd For if the posteritie of Abraham did not obteine the inheritāce of the land of Canaan for any iustice that was in them yea if God did not choose them neither to the temporall nor eternal felicitie but of loue and fre grace onely as Moises doth witnes how shall we thinke that the Eternall inheritāce or gods election to the ioy and life euerlasting dependeth vpon any qualite within vs. Wonder it is that the Apostle sainct Paul intreating this mater of gods fre election was ignorant of this cause if it be sufficient For by that meanes in few wordes he might haue put silence to many dogges which then as men do now barked against this doctrine For if he had said God hath chosen afore all tymes to the participatiō of life a certein nomber because he foresaw that they should be faithfull obedient to his commandemēts and holie in cōuersation and vpon the other parte he hath reiected and reprobate others because he foresaw that they should be vnfaithfull disobediēt and vnclean of life this I say if those causes had been sufficient had ben a sensible maner of doctrine But the Apostle alledgeth no such reason but first beateth doune the pryde of man as before we haue touched and there after brusteth furth in this exclamation O the hieght of the riches of the wisdō and knowledge of God how incōprehensible are his iudgements and how vnsear cheable are his wayes This exclamatiō I say had bene vaine if either workes or faith foresene had bene the cause of gods electiō S. Augustin doeth mock the sharpe sight of mē that in his daies begā to se more depely then did y e holie Gost speaking in y e Apostle And we fear not to affirme that the men w c this day do attribute electiō or predestination to any vertue or qualitie within man do holde defend to their greate dāger that which none inducd with the Spirite of God hath left to vs written within the holie scriptures either yet that any of the chosē shal cōfes in their greatest gloric Let the hole Scriptures be red and diligently marcked and no sentence rightly vnderstand shal be founde that affirmeth God to haue chosen vs in respect of our workes or because he fore sawe that we should be faithfull holie and just But to the contrarie many places shall we finde yea euē so many as intreat of that mater that plainely affirme that we that we are frely chosen accordīg to the purpose of his good will ād that in Christ Iesus And what shall be the confession of the hole bodie assembled when they shall receaue the promissed glorie is expressed in these wordes of the 24 elders who casting their crownes before him that sitteth vpon the throne do say Worthy art thow o Lord ād our God to take honour and glorie and power For thow hast created all things and by thy will they are and were created And after they fall before the lambe ād sing a new song saying Worthie art thow to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thow wast killed and hast redemed vs to God by thy bloode and hast made vs to our God kings ād priestes ād we shall reigne vpon the earth No mention is here made of any worthines of man the creation is geuē to God and that all thinges are in that perfecte state which thē the chosen shall possesse is attributed to his will The death of the lambe is assigned to be the cause of the redemption yea of that great dignitie to which they are promoted I am fully persuaded that if any cause of gods electiō and of the fruite proceding of the same were or could be in mā that the holie Gost who is authour of all iustice wold not haue defrauded man of any thing which of right did appertein vnto him But seing that in no place the holie Gost doeth attribute any parte of mannes saluation to his owne merites or worthines I fear not to affirme that this pestilēt opinion is the instigation of sathan laboring by all meanes to obscure the glorie of Christ Iesus and to retein man in bōdage whom he infected with that first venom which he made hī to drink Saing ye shal be as gods Thus far with such plain simplicite as it pleased God to minister vnto me for the tyme haue proued y t gods electiō is Eternal y t it is stable y t he hath made a difference betwext one sort of mē and an other w c differēce althogh it came to know ledge of mā in time yet was it in gods purpose ād counsel before all tyme no les thē his creatiō was And last y t gods electiō depēdeth neither vpō o r workes nor vpō our faith but procedeth frō his Eternal wisdō mercie ād goodnes ād therefor is it īmutable ād cōstāt Now shortly will I go throughe if God permi me y e reasons of yo r booke Nothing vpō y e one parte y e imperfectiōs of y
this to do with the eternall election of God by the which he hath elected som to lief euerlastiÌ„g whom our Apostle calleth vessels of mercie and hath left others in their own corruption and perpetuall condemnation And so I say because that Ieremie intreateth one thing that is a temporall punishment and the mutatioÌ„ which shortly should folowe in Ierusalem aâ—d the Apostle intreath an other as before is said the one can be no exposition to the other but rather the Apostle hath respect or at least alludeth to the saing of Isaiah which thus speaketh Wo to be to him that striueth with his maker the vessel of clay with the Potter of clay Shall the clay say to his potter what makest thow In which wordes as before we haue more largely spoken the Prophete and the Apostle folowing his phrase represseth the pryde of man who compared to God is much more inferior to his maiestie theÌ„ clay compared to the Potter For God hath created and made man when he was not which thing the Potter did not to the clay of which he maketh the diuersitie of pottes and therefor of right hath God more power ouer man then hath the potter ouer clay This I doubt not to be the mynd of the holie Gost in bothe the places In which similitude is further to be considered that as the Potter doeth no iniurie to the clay what forme soeuer he giueth it for the matter and substance of it he doeth not change so doeth not God wrong to the verey reprobate whom he prepareth to be vessels of wrath for that are they of nature Where that ye say that it is not the meaning of this place that God without all iust causes doeth make anie man to destruction none of vs doeth hold the contrarie for we affirme that the causes of reprobation are most iust but yet we say that they are incomprehensible to man That ye giue to God no greater power nor none other will then to your good artificer consider with your self how vndiscretely ye matche his eternal God heade whose power is infinite and whose determined will no creature can resist with creatures that be but impotent vnwise aâ—d ofteÌ„ dissapointed of their purpose and will Trew it is that no artificer willingly wold lose his clay aÌ„d labore but is compelled to break those that be faultie But this procedeth partly frome his ignoraÌ„ce who did not before know and se the fault which was in the mater and partly of his impotencie who can not at his will otherwies remedie the faultie vessell but onely by breaking the same But dare ye or will ye impute vpon God those imperfections so ve seme to do for this ye write So God created no man to lose him but onely loseth them that wold not be good whom he created to be good as the lord saieth I planted the a noble vyne The cheif end of mannes creation we haue before declared to be the glorie of God which if you can not se shâ—ne in the iust condemnation of the reprobate accuse your bliÌ„dnes That God created the reprobate to the day of destruction Salomon affirmeth as often before is said But that he was created to be good that will not the wordes of the Prophete w c ye adduce proue for in y t place there is no meâ—tioâ— made of creatioâ— but of plaÌ„tatioÌ„ w c is a thâ—g far differeÌ„t frome creatioÌ„ The substance w c was before is plaÌ„ted y t by manuring aÌ„d trauale of the plaÌ„ter it may be better but creatioÌ„ importeth the being of the substaÌ„ce w c before was not And so the Prophete in this place w c ye alledge to proue that God created all men to be good meaneth no such thiÌ„g but onely rebuketh the Israelites who loÌ„g after their creatioÌ„ were plaâ—ted by the haÌ„d of God aâ—d were coÌ„tinualy watered by his Prophetes aÌ„d yet did they briâ—g furth no better frute How that God wold all meÌ„ were good aÌ„d also that al me should be saued we shal God williÌ„g after speak How that God remaining good for euer ma his creature fel frome his original goodnes I haue before spokeÌ„ aâ—d therefor will not now trooble the reader w t the repetitioâ— of the same In the differece w c ye make betwext the vessels w c y e potter makâ—th some to serue y e table and some y e kitchiâ—g or priuie of w c he breaketh none but such as be faultie ye vtterly dissagre froÌ„ the miÌ„d aÌ„d plaine wordes of the holie Gost. for S. Paul calleth not the vesselles of honor priÌ„ces or prophetes and Apostles and the vessels of dishonour the laborers aÌ„d inferior sort of meÌ„ but the one he calleth y e vessels of mercie aÌ„d the other he calleth y e vessels of wrath The one he feareth not to affirme to be prepared aÌ„d ordeined to destructioÌ„ y t the seuere iudgemeÌ„t of God agaiÌ„st sinne may appere in theÌ„ the other to be prepared to glorie y t the riches of his mercie may be praised for euer This plaine simplicitie will not the Apostle recaÌ„t neither yet thereof God assisting vs wil we be ashamed how so euer ye raige aÌ„d blaspheme the veritie And this I say that your differeÌ„ce betwext honest aÌ„d vnhonest vessels aÌ„d betwext those that shal be brokeÌ„ aÌ„d not be broken is altogether besides the purpose of the Apostle And so of Conyas son of loaciÌ„ ye caÌ„ proue no more but y t God wold depriue hiÌ„ frome his kingdome aÌ„d frome y t seat of Dauid in w c vnworthelie he did reigne If he was the reprobate theÌ„ althogh he was kiÌ„g yet was he the vessell of dishonor for these wordes althogh he were y e signet in my right haÌ„d are not spokeÌ„ to declare y t in verey dede he was the signet in the haÌ„d of God but are spokeÌ„ agaiÌ„st the foolish presuÌ„ptioÌ„ of hiâ— aâ—d of the Iewes w c liuig most wickedly did yet neuertheles brag aÌ„d boast that God could not leaue the seat of Dauid voide but y t one of his sede must for euer sit on it And this is euideÌ„t if the text be wel marked for where he saieth althogh he were the signet he sufficietly declareth y t so he was not aÌ„d so I say y t those wordes proue nothiÌ„g of yo r purpose for first must ye proue y t because he was a king therefor he was a vessell of honor in such seÌ„se as S. Paul speaketh And secoÌ„darely ye must proue y t he was elected to the lief euerlasting because it is said that albeit he were a signet in y e right haÌ„d of God yet should he be plucked of wâ—e by plaine scriptures to do will be more then hard for you how so euer that ye brag that ye will proue all your purpose by scriptures Where ye seÌ„d vs to ask of y e potter of y e husbaÌ„d maÌ„ aÌ„d of y e Magistrate if any of theÌ„ wold williÌ„gly break
And in an other place the beastes of the field shall preach my glorye the dragons and the birdes of eastriches and Achan also was coÌ„maÌ„ded to giue glory vnto God The earth shal be compelled saieth Habacuc to knowledge the glory of God Zacharie also the Prophet saieth for his glory hath he sent vnto the nations which haue spoyled you finally shall not sathan and the reprobate in their iust condemnation giue glory vnto God and do ye think that all these creatures iudge God to be worthie of glory in such sort as they acknowledge his power his wisedome his iustice froÌ„ their hole heart submitte them selues to his holy will I trust you do not for we knowe that sathan is a spirit confirmed in malice and rebellious against God yet is he coÌ„pelled euen in tormentes to giue glory vnto God in so farre as in his iust daÌ„nation he declareth gods power and iust iudgementes And therefor I say that you restreine the glory of God with in to streit narrowe limites when y t you will that it shall extend no forther then to suche as from their heart iudge God worthie of glory y e w c perteineth to his chosen children onely and can neuer be giueÌ„ by the reprobate for such glory must procede froÌ„ faith w c is not coÌ„mone vnto all but is the speciall gift giueÌ„ to gods elect yet neuertheles by other meanes God declareth his glory euen in the vesselles of his wrath as is before declared Of the example of Nabuchadnezer ye can make but a particular coÌ„clusion in this for me Nabuchadnezer after he had felt the iust punishement of his pride and arrogaÌ„cie gaue glory vnto God Ergo some man after punishmeÌ„t giueth glory vnto God If you make your coÌ„clusion extend any further it is fals for if you say that all men after punishment giue glory vnto God w t the same confession that he gaue many examples may be showen to the coÌ„tary if you saye that none other giueth glory vnto God except such as so be punished that will be proued likewies fals And if you say y t gods glory doth shine in none except in those that acknowledge confesse God to be mercifull and iust that is most vaine of all and thus I say your conclusion must be but particulare The reasons the coÌ„clusion which you make vpon these wordes of Dauid Praise God all you natioÌ„s are so foolish on the one parre and so filthie and execrablevpon the other that amongest all nations ye oght not onely to he mocked but also to be had in horror and detestation first you say If God must be praised amongest all nations then must gods workes be such as all nations may knowe them and praisâ— them I answer euen so they are and such amongest all natioÌ„s as haue y e eyes of their myndes illuminated by gods holie spiriâ— do see iust caus why y t they oght to praise gods wisedome euen in all his workes But you procede saying there is no nation which at any tyme shall acknowledge God to be iust for that be punisheâ—â— maâ— for that whervnto he him self did prouoke him and so after the example of the priestes of the Philistines ye ask this questioÌ„ If God should punishe man because he hath a beard should any glory redound 〈◊〉 God there of seing he hath giuen vs beardes his self And so you skoffe iest at vs saying y t we be very religiouse because we say that none oght to speak so vnreuerently of gods workes God is witnes that I write notwithouâ— some grief of heart nether yet y t I affirme this which I am to speak for priuie hatered w c I bear against the persone of any man But in gods presence I say that rather then such horrible blasphemies should haue bene fostered in my heart deuised in my braine written by my pen and pronounced by my mouth and tongue that rather I wold my carcasse should haue suffered most cruell and vile death yea and further I say that better it had bene for you neuer to haue bene borne then thus blasphemously to expose gods great Maiestie to opprobrie aÌ„d mockage for I appele to the iudgement of the heauen and the earth and of all creatures in the same conteined if euer that Iulian the appostate spake more disdainfully of God then here you write But for the instruction of the simple reader to answere you more reasonably theÌ„ your vnreuerent skoffing deserueth I say first that the mynde of Dauid was not to teach vs what euerie nation and euery particulare man amongest the Gentiles shall do but what was the duetie of euerie nation euery people and euerie man to do when gods mercies should be offered vnto them And therfor if you conclude all natioÌ„s do praise God in such sorte as Dauid meaneth because that the holie Gost by his mouth commaÌ„deth all nations to praife God you make no better an argument then if ye should affirme that euery man loueth God with all his heart with all his mynd with all his strength because that God so commandeth This is one portion of your ignorance The second foloweth gods workes say you must be such as all nations may knowe them and praise them I answer if you vnderstand that al that praise God vnfeinedly from their heartes must haue some knowledge of his mercies goodnes iust iudgemeÌ„tes and woÌ„derous workes we distent not from you But if you say as by your proces is euident that you do that except all nations perceaue and vnderstand the very grounde of gods iustice that God amongest them shall haue no glory then as we lament your foolishnes so we detest your error â–ª for albeit that the â—aturall man can neuer atteine to the knowledge of those things which God purposeth yet shal not God be defrauded of his golry no not in the most carnal and wretched man Christe Iesus was sent into the world and came to that people which was called his own and his glory did so shine to the eyes of some that they did acknowledge it to be the glory of the onely SoÌ„ne of God â–ª But did the princes of the priestes and the hole nation of the Iewes see the same glory and so confesse him as did the electe SaiÌ„t Paul witnesseth the coÌ„trarie saying if they had knowen they had not crucified the king of glory Paul was appointed a preacher to the Gentiles amongest whome he most faithfully and moste boldely did open the treasures of gods great mercies and of the glory of his Sonne Christ Iesus but did euery citie realme nation or man to whome these treasures were opened so receaue vnderstand and imbrace them that for the same they glorified God the contrarie is euident But was God therfore defrauded of his glory euen in y e midest of a wicked generatioÌ„ God forbid for as the eyes of some were lightned and so did glorifie the word of the Lord so