dissentest from thy selfe carrye flintie heartes to harden declareth not not to mollifie but to make something of harde harder Séeing this hardenesse is from the birth in vs and is enlarged vppon vs not by creation but by coruption and therefore God worthily detesteth it and euen by his insâ—e iudgement dubleth it howe is it that you feare to graunte that the hardening was the iust worke of God the punisher and auenger Verily thou canste not denye that the spirite of GOD doeth not speake otherwise For in howe many places is GOD saide to harden to blinde to shutte vppe the eares to make grosse the haâ—te to holde the hearte to tourne the harte to giue ouer into a reprobate sense to sende a strong delusion and manye like Howe often do they come in reading But of sufferaunce in these thinges there is not indéede the least mention in the sacred Bookes as muche indéede as I can call to mentorte except in one onely place where it is saide that the Lord in times paste suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes But neither this-place nor any like if it be so that thou findest anye doe any whit relieue thée séeing that in Sufferaunce is necessarilye included Will much lesse that these shoulde be repugnant betwéene themselues as we haue shewed in his place But it is labor-worth to shewe the selfe wordes of Caluine that here also thy lewdnesse may be manifested These therefore be Caluines wordes The heart of Pharao is hardened of God saith Moses In vaine here doe they flie to sufferaunce as if God maye be saide to haue done that be onely hathe suffered to be done For Moses plainly affyrmeth that that hardnesse was the worke of God These saith Caluine But thou moste lewde Sycophant writest that the whole rebellion of Pharao was by Caluines sentence ascribed to god As thoughe indéede thys thy lye cannot be conuinced by that same sclaunder which thou adioynedst by and by The ninth Sclaunder The will of God is the chiefe cause of the hardening of men THE AVNSVVERE WHome he will he hardneth sayeth the Apostle But if also thou séekest some higher thing than the will of God thou maiste in deede wander without God we rest in this bound with the Apostle Further he that saith that the will of God is the chiefe or the highest cause of the hardening of men can he ascribe to God the whole rebellion of Pharao For if it be the onelye cause why is it called the Chief If behoueth a lyar to be mind full Sycophant The Sycophants Argumentes to the eight and ninth Sclaunder In the eigth and ninth articles they aske what Moses meant when he writeth And Pharao hardened his hearte But is it so to be interpreted Pharao hardned his hearte that is God hardned Pharaos hearte That shall be much more violent than if thou shouldest say God hardened Pharaos hearte that is hee suffered Pharao in the naturall hardenesse of hys hearte bycause Pharao refused to obey hym Then they aske of that Thys daye if you will heare hys voyce harden not youre heartes But if they haue so expounded it GOD will not harden youre heartes it will be moste absurde for he should commaunde menne that whiche is Gods For if it be the Lordes to harden heartes it cannot be enioyned to menne that they shoulde either harden or not harden the heartes no more than that they shoulde adde or take awaye from their stature one cubite THE REFVTATION Indéede this is the piller and foundation of thy goodlye disputation againste Predestination whiche thou hast inserted in thy Annotations of the ninth Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes whiche howe firme it is lette us sée I praye thée therefore Good man who euer besides thée alone made blinde by the iuste indgement of God was so senselesse and madde that when the highest cause is assigned he woulde suppose the inferiors to be moued or not rather to be established Make to your selues a new hearte and a newe spirite saith the lord Wilt thou gather thereof that it is not the Lord that should giue a new harte and create a cleane spirite whiche shoulde take awaye the stony hearte and giue a heart of fleshe If thou doe these things saith Paule writing to Timothie thou shalte saue thy selfe Wilte thou gather of this that wée are not saued of God by Christe Fathers of families are saide to féede their families and he that liueth by his laboure is said to nourish himselfe also breade and meate are saide to nourish vs Doeth not therefore God féed vs yea al these as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things sette in theyr order doe very wel accorde For being coÌ„uerted of God we conuert being urged of God we do God blessing vs wée liue by our endeuor Séest thou therefore Asse that they are foolish and ridiculous whatsoeuer thou hast imagined that thou mightest discountenance the truth for neyther as he sayth is there any councell againste the Lord and so vseth the iust iudge to besotte them whiche doe not stay themselues in his worde Induration therefore is the iust worke of God who hardneth whome he pleaseth and yet not otherwise than iustly hated séeing they bée corrupt Induration is also the worke of Sathan by whome in déede the Lord worketh in the heartes of infidels as it is written The Spirite of the Lorde departed from Saule and an euill spirit sente from the Lorde dyd trouble him It is also the worke of the false Prophetes whome themselues also the Lorde seduceth by Sathan that one may inforce another into iust condemnation as it is written If a Prophet deceyued speake the worde I the Lorde haue deceyued that Prophet as also it appeared in the Magicall Egiptians and in Sedechia the false Prophet Finallie the hardning is also their work which are hardned bycause by their natiue wickednesse they being enforced by the lust of Sathan the false Prophets and their owne they do harden themselues therefore by an indoubted and inseparable coniunction they cleaue togither which thou absurdly déemedst to be contrarie in themselues But I will adde héereto the wordes of Caluine himselfe that thy lewdenesse maye the better appeare It doth not hinder sayth he that is spoken in another place that Pharao did harden his owne heart bycause we neyther ymagine that the heartes of men are enforced with outward means that they should be forcibly driuen nor do we transferre the cause of hardning vpon God as if of their owne accorde and by their proper malice being barbarous and hard harted they dyd not stirre vp themselues to wickednesse but that whych men doe wickedly the Scripture teacheth that it is not otherwise done but when God doth iustly decrée it to be as is reported in another place that all excepte the inhabitants of Gybeon opposed themselues against Israell that it was of the Lorde whiche made obstinate theyr hearts These sayth Caluine in that very place whyche thou
much therefore as this slaughter springeth from this beginning that is from God iustly inforcing the will of the théefe albeit it be euill and directing the hand and weapon of the théefe yet is neyther the inforcement euil nor the worke euill but it is counted of God iust and holye which punisheth the théefe with iust torments For God did neyther inforce the théef nor gaue him wickednesse but the will of the théefe whiche was euill alreadie hée well and iustly stirred to a good and holye worke But for as muche as this slaughter procéedeth from an other beginning that is of the will of the théefe which is so inforced not as a stone or blocke but as a wil which also it selfe is so vrged that it worketh and is so mourd that it moueth it selfe with an inward motion and that his owne thus farre I say both thys motion springing from an euil beginning is euill and endeth into an euil action that is manslaughter whiche it is so farre off that it shoulde please God that contrarilye he can not but punishe it But goe too let vs put this example also wherby this diuersitie of beginnings maye be vnderstoods Let vs suppose that thou arte a crooked Asse whom I as a Muletor shall inforce into the milne with whippes For as muche as this action procéedeth from me as from a beginning it cannot be reprehended if it be reasonable but for as much as it procéedeth from thée it is in it selfe a great fault For indéed I am to thée the cause of going but all the haultyng is of thy selfe whose begynning was in thy selfe albeit I hadde not stirred thée forwarde Wilte thou that I speake more playnely that thou mayste not complayne of darkenesse Thou arte made by nature to slaunder those things whiche thou doest not so muche as vnderstande or dissemblest that thou vnderstandest Yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poyson is not so much nature as the deprauation of nature Therfore is not his efficient but rather deficient cause to be sought for whiche indéede séeing we all féele to cleaue faste in our entrailes there is no cause why we shoulde accuse GOD in very déede as author of these things and of sinnes But for that bycause man is corrupt therefore the LORDE by hys power wherewith he gouerneth without exception and enforceth to foreordayned endes hath abasterdized from himselfe that whiche apperteyneth to hym No indéede He therfore vseth euē sinning instruments and bringeth them to an ende determyned of himselfe And that indéede so that hée doeth not sinne anye thing neyther in mouing nor directing the instrument For the action is of himselfe but the defecte is of the instrumente whiche also selfe thing by an inwarde mouing doth inforce it selfe and when it is corrupt it hath depraued motions Séeing therfore God hath made choyse especiallie of al others in these partes of thée alone by the deprauation of nature enuious and a slaunderer by whom partly hée might exercise his owne people and partly punish those who hauing despised the offered trueth of the Gospell do folowe lyes and slaunders so ofte as he séeth good hée sēsibly stirreth vp in this thy depraued nature those motions vsing both the ministery of Satan of others also thyne own lewdnes which motions afterwards by litle litle breake out into those blasphemies those contumelyes in refelling wherof we now take paynes But when in the yeares paste we reproued these things and when also we reproue them nowe what do we else but that we daylye more and more pricke thée forewarde that thou mayst procéede to siaunder and to forge blasphemies Yet be it farre away that when we say thou arte moued and inforced of God we shoulde ascribe to God any of thy sins Be it also far awai that there may worthily be layd vpon vs any blame bicause being prouoked with our wrytings Thou becomest euerye daye worse and worse for that our diligence is exercised with thy lewde speaking for that by this meane the hipocrisie of manye is dayly manifested for that by thy slaunders is stirred vp in vs a desire to knowe the truth and defend it for that the iust iudgement of God against those who haue preferred trueth before falsehoode or abused the knowledge of the Gospell is so set before vs to be séene as in a most cleare glasse in this thy strength of lying and error we acknowledge that we are bound to God for this which moueth and directeth thy lewdenesse to these vses And whereas thy deceytes are nowe espich of many whose simplicity other ways thou mightest haue deceyued for that thyne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtfulnesse is nowe hated of many for that nowe those sauage purposes whiche thou haddest taken to oppresse the truth are nowe apparaunt to all when without respect thou wouldest that heretikes shoulde be borne withall for that in some forte all men doe knowe what is thyne impudencie in peruepting the worde of God godly men also doe acknowledge that they are bounde to God for this and with a thankefull minde they acknowledge that our diligence was somewhat in that mater so far it is off that we shoulde sustaine any blame for that being offended with our writings thou rushest headlong in worse and that by thine owne faulte for there is no fault in vs for that many weake ones are offended by thée bycause the course of Gospel is hindered of thée for that thou blasphemest the name of GOD for that without cause the credite of the faithful seruaunts of God is hindered finally for that thou procurest to thy self others whō thou drawest to the destruction these finally al men ascribe to Satan with whose furies thou art driuē and to thy lewdenesse and impudencie But sée nowe Sycophant as I thinke an example sufficiently manyfest and apparaunte whereby thou mayste vnderstand that God doth so prompte the will and affections to the very wicked that al these motions for as much as they are ministred of him are both iust and honest as they appertayne to a iust and good worke For the cause of sin is in our selues but at what time and against whom it ought to breake out it is in the power of God which instilleth not a new malice but according to his infinite wisedome when and howe it pleaseth him he moueth gouerneth bendeth guydeth and finally ordereth to the aduauncement of the glory of his owne name that whiche is bred in men euen the wicked not knowing of it so much the rather determining a quite contrary counsel with themselues This is our iudgement of the preuidence of God in this argument which we handle which it remayneth that we confirme with the authoritie of the word of God and the fathers Here to we saye it appertayneth that the Lord is so often sayde in Scriptures to haue hardened burthened and helde the hartes of Pharao Sehon the Cananytes and the Egyptians and the rather turned them into the hatred of
Babilonyans and finally the wicked councels and most sauage crueltie of all the vngodly against the Church 38 It appeareth by many and manifest testimonies of Scripture that God also punisheth sinnes with sinnes and that by his in no case idle but truely effectuall and mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuerthelesse iust permission for it is he that giueth kings in his wrath Nehe. 9.37 Iob. 34.30 He it is that causeth to erre Isai 63.17 by cause he mingleth among them the spirit of error Isai 19.14 He it is whiche hardneth and turneth the harts whiche blindeth the eyes which maketh drunken with the wine of giddinesse Exod. 4.21 and. 7.3 and. 9.12 and. 10.1 and. 11.10 and 14.4 Deut. 2.29 Ios 11.20.1 Samuel 2.25.2 Chron. 22.7 Psalme 105.25 he it is that reueÌ„geth the coÌ„tempt of himselfe giuing ouer into a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 and sending strong delusion that they mighte beléeue lyes 2. thess. 2.11 He it is which seduceth Prophets Erechixl 14.9 and finally he it is that sendeth euill spirites with commanndement to hurt and power giuen to deceyue as 1. Kings 22.22 and. 23.2 Chron. 18.21.22 Iob. 1.12 and. 2.6 Goe no we Sycophant and crye out if thou list tyll thou be hoarse agayne that we make God the authoure of sinne but goe to let vs heare with howe mightie argumentes thou canst assaulte vs. The Sycophantes first Argumente to the thirde Sclaunder AGAINST the thirde of the difference of will and sufferance they saye thys Caluine sayeth that he is a Prophete of GOD and wee saye he is a Prophete of the Deuill But it is of necessitie that one sorte doe lye for if hee be a Prophete of God wee lye but if he be the Deuils Prophete he lyeth who sayeth hee is a Prophete of god But if both be GOD willing it that is if GOD will that Caluine saye that hee is a Prophet of GOD and that wee shoulde saye hee is a Prophet of the Deuill he will contraries which is impossible for if God wyll a lye he will not the truth or if he will the truth he will not a lye wherevpon it followeth that if he will that one sorte say the truth he will not that the other do lye but out of doubte one sort do lye therefore they lye God suffering and not willing it There is therefore in God a difference betweene sufferance and will. REFVTATION FIrste of all filthy Sicophant by this argumente whiche thou takest it may appeare to euery one with what mind thou vndertookest to deale in this cause that is swelling with that enuie and leawdenesse which bereft thée of all iudgements a good while agoe but thou wouldest not lose this pleasant saying nor indéede hast thou lost thy laboure sith I thinke there was yet no man found that could reade these thy wrightings withoute extreame laughter But Calnine séemeth to me for this cause to be muche bounde to thée bycause thou doest sclaunder him so openly for indéede to be sclaundered of so obscure a man such as eucry one that knoweth thée doth long agoe confesse thée to be is to be praysed and in déede with that kinde of prayse whiche of all others is most commendable séeing it is voyde of all suspition of flatterie but these rayling trifles we may leaue to thée for more forceable is that renoune which all Churches giue to the faithful Prophet of God albeit least of all requiring it than that it may be defaced with the scoffe of a blabish rayler and greater is the dignitie that thou with thine maist burst with enuie of this faithfull seruant of God in ChristiaÌ„ Churches then that it may be obscured with any thy fomings But goe to let vs ioyne togither thyne argumente is suche God can not will contraries a lye and truth are contrarie therefore he can not will both but he suffereth a lye and willeth truth Then is therefore difference betwéene will and sufferance Heare nowe good man what I aunswere I say there is a manifest ambiâ—uitie in the name of will for sometimes will is spoken of those things whiche we simply allowe in themselues sometimes it extendeth further and also belongeth to those things whiche we in no wise approue in themselues yet we embrace them for others and in déede so much as that we perswade and for our power execute them As for example there is none except a bloudsucker who simply loueth warre séeing it bringeth with it innumerable euils There shall be also some Prince an enimie to the Countrey who so ofte as he can not other wayes defende hys people he had not rather take in hand lawful warre than resigne the people to the enimies lust Therefore a good and gentle Prince simplye will not warre if thou considerest warre in it selfe yet he will for iust causes goe to warre nor doth he â—dlys suffer his people to vndertake that but of his owne accorde and willinglie he goeth to warre euen with the danger of his owne life But who maye thinke that the Magistrate excepte he be altogither cruell is delighted with the griefe of any Citizen much lesse with his death yet the same albeit sorrowing and in no wise allowyng the slaughter in that it is slaughter should in no case idle or against his will but with his will and seriouse endeanour make inquisition vpon an offensiue Citizen and deliuer him being conuict into the hands of the formentor with commaundement giuen to execute him with this or that forture But warre and peace to saue and kill are contrarie yet who is so sottishe that would therefore denie that the Prince can not will both at one and the selfe instant but say by what meane thou wilte alleadge that in déede bycause warre is not contrarie to peace in so much as the Prince willeth it yea it doth assist peace nor to kill a Citizen is contrarie to the health of Citizens for as much as a good Prince killeth an euill Citizen sith hée killeth him iustly that he mighte defende the good But séest thou at last good maÌ„ that those things in themselues do very well agrée whiche thou callest contraries But if thou arte conséreyned to acknowledge this difference in the very actions of men thou whiche fearest not to measure all the workes of God by common reason wilte not héere suffer thyne owne rule to holde But goe to lette vs trie these by the rule and prescripte of the very worde of god We acknowledge that whiche Dauid sayde to be true for euer Thou arte a God whyche will not iniquitie and hold him that thinketh otherwayes for a wicked and blasphemous man But that whiche thou doest collect that is that when we saye without all exception that nothing is thought spoken or done wherein the will of God doth not come betwixt and that we euen endeuoure that that God is the author of all wickednesse and mischiefe but we saye this that this is nothing else but too manifest a sclaunder For we affirme that
wilt thou denie I say not only the detecminatiō or wil but also the powre hand of God to come in betwixt in the afflictions of Saintes yea in respect of the persecutors theselues At the least heare what Paul saith of the most bitter death of the sonne of God He spared not saith he his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all And wilt thou acknowledge here no decree no will of the most good God our most louing Father Further let vs now come to that sorte of wicked with whom the Lorde albeit vsing the handes and helpe of the vngodly doth yet iustly correct his children here also we shall shew that the decrée the wil the counsell and finally the action of God doth come in betwixt Finally what examples of outrage crueltie vngoblinesse did not the Chaldees she we in Hierusalem and all Iudes who is he that lifte vp his hande that stroke Iudah who his ensigne being displaied gathered together the Gentiles vnto warre that with an hisse stirred vp the people a far off whiche brought strong and mightie waters against Iuda Let vs heare the Lord him selfe answering by Isai O Assur the radde of my furie the staffe of my wrath in their hand I will fende him to a disseinbling people I will cōmaund him against the people of my indignatiō that he rob them as a pray that take spoyles and giue him to be trode vpon as the duste in the stréetes But what saith the Lord in Ieremie I will stād saith he and will take all the nations of the North Nabucadnerer my seruant King of Babilon and I wil bring them vpon this lande against the inhabitans thereof and against al these nations by the borders thereof and I will spoyle them And in Erechiell Wo be to the blouddy citie saith hée for I will make the burning great I will he ape on much woode in kindlyng the fire in consuming the flesh in casting in spice that the very bones may be burnte What more Thus saith the Lorde God beholde I will pollme my Sanctuarie euen the pryde of your power the pleasure of you and your hartes desice But I pray thée good felow dothe he nothing but enely forsake or suffer idlely something to be done or doth he only moderate the issue of things who himselfe inciteth the enimies appointeth armies leadeth the hoaste and bryngeth euen into the citie and commaundeth that none be spared kindleth the fire and by al meanes doth nourish it and finally doth prostitute the very Temple to the rauine and auarice of all the vngodly If thou deniest thys worke of God the worke I say of God not idlely lookyng on but effectually workyng the same thyng by Nabucadnerer I will yet rather beléeue the Lorde than the false Prophete For the Lorde reasonyng thus of the selfe thyng that is of the destruction of the Citie After sayth hée that the Lorde hath finished all hys worke in mounte Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude harte of the kyng of Assur Therefore when thou flyest to the Sanctuarie of hys idle and fruytelesse sufferaunce what other thyng doest thou shewe but that thou arte voyde euen of common reason For truely it is euen as muche as if thou shouldest saye that GOD beyng idle dothe worke agaynst hys will except it be so that thou darest accuse the Prophetes yea euen the Lorde hymselfe of blasphemye and in déede of ignoraunce But what dyd Dauid when hée was exasperated with the cursings of Symer Thus sayde Dauid he curseth mée bycause the Lorde hath commaunded him to curse me So when the tenne Tribesfel away not onely from Roboam but also from the Lorde himselfe for whiche defection they afterwardes suffered moste sharpe punishments dothe not the Scripture playnely witnesse that it was the Lordes doyng that the kyng shoulde not harken to the people Truly I do not imagine any thing here sith the holy Ghost in the reporte of hys Historie vseth the wordes cause or occasion than the whiche I sée not what coulde be sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more effectuall Wherefore also the Lord himselfe dealing of this defectiō and speakyng to the armie of Roboam by Semahia the Prophete Goe not vp saith he neyther fight ye agaynst your brethren the thyldren of Israell let euerye man returne to his owne home for this thyng is my doyng But also go to when the Lord threatned that he would reuenge the adultery of Dauid with the punishment of a like and therefore the greater mischiefe that is with incest what sayth he I will take saith he thy wiues in thy sight and will giue them to thy beste beloued who shall sléepe with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne Beholds goodfelow the very wordes of the Lorde Goe therefore and accuse God of blasphemie For why shouldest thou not dare to do that seing blushlesse and shamlesse face thou darest reprehend his seruants affirming these same things as wicked and blasphemers But thou wilt say these haue néede of some interpretation But of that we shall sée hereafter Now let vs come to the thirde forte of euils by which the Lorde punisheth the wicked eyther by the good or else doth it amongst themselues lyke as I should stryke with a hammer so one shoulde mangle and flea an other But here agayne we affirme not that truytlesse and forged sufferance or leauyng whiche you dreame but that the counsell decrée will and finally the action of God did in déed come in betwéene and that most iuste and holy bothe also when euill instrumentes worke wickedly whiche God doth most iustly graunt them and executeth by them What then wilt thou denie that the good are stirred vp of God to the destruction of the wicked I thinke not But what is to be thought of euils committed among themselues then also when one do iniurie the other appeareth euen by that place of Esai where the Lord calleth the Medes and Perstans whom he would stirre vp against the Babilonians his holy ones and the instruments of hys wrath But also in an other place where there is mention of those kings whiche sette themselues against Iosua This was done of the Lorde sayth the holy Ghost who had hardened their hartes that they shoulde withstande Israell with battell and that they might giue them ouer to the slaughter nor that any pitie should he shewed them but they shoulde vtterly be destroyed as the Lorde had commaunded Moses But of hardening we shall sée in his place Now answere what it is to deceyue a false Prophete I know what thou wilt answere that is the same whiche thou arte wonte to brable of leauyng of whiche mater lette vs heare if thou wilt Augustines words disputyng against one Iulianus and playnely refutyng that your separation of sufferance frō will. What is it saith Augustine to Iulian that thou sayste when they are sayde to be giuen ouer to their
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
that all these are spoken of that wyll whyche dothe most condemne thée For he that sclaundereth an innocente agaynste hys conscience he transgresseth the whole Lawe of God and is a Deuill But that whyche apperteyneth to the matter I shame to repeate that whyche I haue so often vrged that GOD is alwayes lyke hymselfe and in one sorte wylleth those thynges whyche bée contrarie by nature We haue cyted moe testimonies out of the Scriptures than that thou canst indure the multitude of them and more playne than that thou canst obscure them The Sycophants ninth Argument to the seauenth Sclaunder ALSO that saying of Christe How often would I haue gathered thy children togyther and thou wouldest not Verilye Christ speaketh of his manifest wil as which he had made manifest by so many meanes But if hee had another contrary to that his whole life was mere Hipocrisie that which is moste horrible to thinke THE REFVTATION Indéede this saying is to be vnderstoode of the manifest will of Christe Yea I euen giue thée a further thing than thou maiste desire For I say that in the place Christe speaketh not only of his but also of the ministerie of al the Prophets which had she wed the word of the Lord in IerusaleÌ„ séeing all the Prophets were Christes instrumentes that is of that alone Prophet which the Lorde promised to the Israelits by Moses But it is a matter â—f some waight to knowe wherefore the Lorde shoulde manifest his will by his Ministers For we here consider Christe as executing the office of a Minister both by the mouth of his Prophets and also by himselfe when he was a Minister of Circumcision Paule saith that he shewed to the Ephesians all the counsell of god Therefore Paule knew al the counsell of god For neither speaketh he as a distraught man or as thy Sybilles those things whiche he vnderstood not but those thinges whiche he knewe euen from God and embraced by faith But when the same would shew forth the worde of God in Asia and Bythinia he was forbidde by the holy Ghoste Some counsell therefore of Gods. Paule knewe not whiche if he hadde knowne before he woulde not haue assayed to go into Bythinia Adde moreouer that he being rapte vp into the thirde heauen he sayeth boldely that he sawe secreates which it was not lawfull to vtter Howe doe these two agrée in themselues that he kept nothing secrete who yet hadde learned by reuelation those things which it was not lawfull to teache except bycause there be manye thinges secreate wyth GOD the knowledge whereof to the perfecting of godlinesse is not yet ripe or profitable But is ther here any repugnance betwéene Paule and the spirite of God Yea in the shew of discord is greatest agréement For that whiche Paule willeth well with a better will the Lord willeth not albeit the reason thereof be secret the reason of Paules wil manifest And seeing eche of these wills is good for both God prouideth for his own glory as he knoweth it is conuenient and Paule is carefull for the glorye of God as the office of Apostleshippe requireth they maye differ but be contrarie they cannot For that whiche is good in that it is good maye differ from some good thing to be contrarie to some good thing it cannot So he omitted nothing whiche might be profitable for the profite and saluation of the godlye but he made manifest the whole counsell of God yet he declared not those things whiche Moses witnesseth remaine secreate with God. What then whence is that shewe of oddes verily euen from thence that albeit the Lorde manifest the doctrine of saluation to his Ministers by whom hée maye instructe hys Churche yet hée maketh not manifest to them what hée hathe determined of anye one Hée sendeth them then that they should preach the glad tydinges of saluation to some one whole Countrey but he reserueth to himselfe in his secreate counselles in whome he will haue the preaching of the Gospell to bée effectuall and at what time and agayne whome hée hathe decréed by the same preaching to blynde and harden What is therefore the office of Ministers verily to call all indifferently to saluation to doe good to all to allure all with wordes and benefites For they leaue the secreate iudgementes of God till he make them manifeste Hence is that appearaunce of odds betwéene God and his ministers seeing they eftsoones laboure to gather togiâ—her those whome they knewe not to appertaine Here be those dayly mournings and complaints of Ministers whiche sée those resiste who oughte leaste of whiche kinde also is this complaint of Christe whiche thou bringest But yet in the shew of discorde we haue shewed before that there is no contrariety But yet if thou please to attribute this saying of Christe as to God not as to the Minister of GOD in what sorte it is certaine that albeit he be frée from all sin yet some ignorance hath place in him knowest thou not that the Lord that he maye allure his children with his louing kindenesse doeth sometimes massle as children with vs He complaineth that he is deceiued of his Vineyard wherein in stéede of swéete Grapes he founde wilde Grapes But wilâ—e thou gather hence that the Lord can be deceiued He saith elsewhere taking aduisement of sending his sonne to the husbandmen after that his seruants were staine it may be they wil reuerence my sonne Wilt thou gather hence that as men are wont he was doubtfull in mind that contrarie to his expectation it fel out that his son was slaine séeing it is said elsewhere to haue deliuered his son to the Iewes to be crucified and that be spared not his son Therefore séeing that out of this place also thou gatherest that God dissenteth from himselfe or that the people of Ierusalem coulde infringe the counsell and will of God as thou fearest not to saye in another place or that they perished against the wil of God what else doest thou bewroye but thy wonderfull ignorance The Sycophants tenth Argument to the seauenth Slaunder Finallye they saye If God commaundeth an other thing than he willeth that there is not two willes but a lye For he that saith he willeth that whiche he willeth not he lyeth and in worde onelye to commaunde is not to will but to lie THE REFVTATION Bycause here also thou alleagest a matter that neuer came into our minds I consider no other thing but that thou perseuerest in thy madesse The eigth Sclaunder The hardning of Pharao moreouer his frowardnesse of minde and rebellion was the worke of God and that by the testimonie of Moses who ascribeth to God the whole rebellion of Pharao THE AVNSVVERE IN another place thou definest that to harden declareth nothing else but not to mollific That definition I say to be foolishe and ridiculous For séeing we al as thou thy selfe arte constrained to graunte albeit a little after thou
darest sclaunder as ascribing to God all the rebellion of Pharao Art thou not ashamed to sée this cléerenesse thou Sycophant The tenth Slaunder Sathan is a lyer by the power of God. THE AVNSVVERE These be Caluines words whiche after thy manner thou hast cited maymed that thou mayst persuade that it pleaseth Caluine that God be the authour of lyes and so muche the more to commaund lying Thus contrariwise saith Caluine God himself doth now vse the wicked to punish the sinnes of men as it were whippes and sometimes as if he should draw them by the necke he causeth them to be ministers of his louing kindnesse These saith Caluine who after he hath with playne testimonies proued each member at the last he addeth the same is to be séene in Sathan the Captaine of all the vngodly and Prince of all wickednesse God sendeth him to deceiue Achab with this commandemēt that he be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets So the spirit of errour is the minister of the wrath of God to blind that wicked which would not obey the truth That therfore thou sayest Sycophāt is true but thou shouldest haue added that lying is not manded of God for as much as it is lying for thus farre God doth not command or allow lying but forbiddeth punisheth it but in that it is the iust punishment of them whiche haue preferred lying before truth as Paule expresseth The Sycophants Argument to the tenth Slaunder AGAINST the tenth Article they reason thus If Sathan be a lyer by the power of God then it is a iust thing to be a lyer and Sathan is iust for if it be iust to commaund lying to obey with lying is iust for the rightuousnesse of obedience is esteemed by the rightuousnesse of the commaundement and as to obey a wicked precept is wicked so to obey a iust precept is iust THE REFVTATION THERE is neyther lie nor sinne cōmanded of God in the it is sinne but as it is the punishment of sinne And it is a iust thing before God to punish sinnes with sinnes as we haue plētifully shewed in his place Then that the obedience may be said to be iust it is not ynough that the precept be iust but that is also required that that whiche is iustly commanded be iustly executed Therefore Sathan euen then doth not obey yea he resisteth God by a direct contrarie when he doth that which God cōmandeth for agréement in that kind is the chiefest disagréement bycause God iustly willeth commandeth the punishmēt of sinne but Sathā doth so execute this not the he may punish sinne but that as much as in him lieth he may cōmit sinne The second Argument of the Sycophant to the tenth Sclaunder IF Caluine shall saye that Sathan is not obediently a lyer that is that hee may obey GOD we will aunswere by Caluines iudgemente that this also is done by the power of God that he should not in obedience be a lyer and not to be an obedient Sathan bycause he is not an obedyent lyer bycause the Lorde commaunded him not to be an obedyent lyer THE REFVTATION ALBEIT thou windest thy selfe like an Eele into euerie part yet thou art takē captiue for though I grant thée that Sathan is not by the commaundement of God alyer of obedience yet it shall not followe in respecte of this precept that there is any iniustice in God or obedience in Sathan for God hath iustly inflicted vppon Sathan this frowardnesse not as it is frowardnesse but as the Lord depriuing him of the gift of obedience he iustly willeth that the filthye spirite be euery daye worse than himselfe vntil when the measure is full he may adiudge him to eternall torments And dothe the Lorde séeme to thée eyther ydle or againste his will and not rather willing and iustly decréeing to execute the parts of a Iudge euen againste Sathan himselfe but Sathan hymselfe when the Lord hath iustly commaunded him punishing his sinnes with sinnes is not obediently a lyer yet in that he doth not obey he obeyeth not as he which murmureth against God and against his will procureth to himselfs condemnation The eleuenth Sclaunder God giueth will to them that worke wickednesse yea he ministreth wicked and vnhonest affections not onely by sufferance but effectually and that for hys owne glorie THE AVNSVVER GOd forbidde that anye of vs should eyther haue spoken or written as thou wrytest that euill will or any wicked or vnhonest affections are eyther giuen suffered or wroughte of God séeing that our verye thought doth abhorre from such blasphemies This indéed we doubt not to affirme that God doth quicken and inforce euen those that be wicked and do wickedly but so as the whole lewdenesse of the mouing and déede remaine in themselues nor that anye the leaste pollution doth reach so farre as vnto god For we say that which is most true that God is so the first mouer of all things as that he hath not only giuen the common influence to all things which now also he doth further but also as he hath from euerlasting decréed all things so also the seconde causes as it pleaseth him to bende and gouerne them that he may styrre direct and bring them to euery determyned end nor that any thing be it neuer so little can be sequestered from his effectuall and gouerning prouidence For euen a Sparowe sayth Christ falleth not to the grounde without the will of my father nor was there euer any man in his right wits that thought God to be like some mayster buylder who shoulde leaue his ship which he had made to be gouerned of others or when a certaine force of nature was giuen to al things that he gotte himselfe to heauen that euery part of the worlde might be caried according to their will and inclynation or that the world is gouerned only by the generall influence All these opinions we haue learned out of the worde of God to holde abhominable and in this place we thinke not with moe wordes to refute them But also we say that That God is so the first mouer of al things that yet euery thing be moued by his beginnings which if they be pure pure motions ensue but if they be vncleane vncleane motions do follow Seing therfore in these which are indéede not only with desire but with vnderstanding and will the motions procéede from the beginning it is no maruell if by the meane of diuerse beginnings we estéeme the motions and actions themselues diuersly Of which distinction let this be an example The Lorde by the hande of a théefe will punishe another théefe for so he hath often vsed to ioine the wicked with the wicked as maye appeare by the example of the Madianites He therefore exciteth the wicked will of one théefe to kill another nor being satisfied with that he euen guydeth his hande and weapon that he may be slaine whom he hath decréed to iuste slaughter For as