doth the Euangelist attribute to the Prophet not onely that he declared their blindnes but that God by him did in verydede iustly blind their eyes and harden their heartes But this shall more plainly appere in examining the reasons and scriptures which ye alledge for proofe of your interpretation First say you their heartes â—ere alredy hardened which their wickednes did plainely declare yet hath he commanded the Prophet to do his office not to make their heartes hard for that belâ—ngeth onely to God who giuing them ouer to their heartes lustes he alredy hardened them And so ye conclude that the Prophet did onely declare vnto them the hardenes of their heartes We do not deny but that their heartes were hardened before and that iustly for their iniquities sake they were giuen ouer to their heartes lustes But whether they were so hardened before the preaching of the Prophet that after they could be not harder I greately doubte Yea I nothing doubte to affirme but that euen as the claye by the heate of the Sunne becometh more hard and more hard or as the branch cutte of the natural stock doth more more wither vntill that no kinde of sappe nor moisture doth remaine euen so I say do the reprobate from time to time become more obstinate more blinde more hard and more cruell and that by the word w c doth plainely rebuke their iniquitie and euidenly declare whose children their are ExaÌ„ples in scripture hereof are manifest Some lenitie and geÌ„tlenes appered in Pharao toward the people of Israel before that Moses at gods commandement required their libertie But that will and word of God commanding him to let his people go and serue God in the wildernes did so quicklye worke in the heart of that reprobate that the greater hardnes of his heart was sodenlye felt by the Israelites to their greate grief and grudging disconfort In the people of Israel in their elders Priestes and counsell appered some face of iustice when Stephan was accused before that he pronounced these wordes ye stiffenecked and vncircumcised in heart and eares you haue euer resisted the holy Gost eueÌ„ as your fathers haue resisted so do you whom of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted and they haue slayn them whiche shewed before of the coÌ„ming of y t iust whom ye haue now betraied murthered Before this sentence I say there appered some face of iustice but what ensued the holy Gost doth witnes saying wheÌ„ they heard these thinges their heartes brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their tethe And after also that he gaue a more plaine confession of Christe Iesus of his exaltation glory power and Maiestie they cried out w t a great voyce they stopped their eares they as wolues enraged russhed vpon him w t one consent and so without all ordre of iustice did stone him to death If ye coÌ„fesse not y t the word of God proceding froÌ„ the mouth of Stephen did not more harden them who no doubte were hardened before you deny a trueth that is more then euideÌ„t Diuers places more I might adduce for the same purpose but hauing respect to breuitie I stand content with thâ—se two which I doubte nothing are sufficient to proue that men that be alredy hardened yet by the comming of the plaine word which rebuketh their iniquitie they become more hard As the owle being blind euen when she appereth to see best in the night season but yet in y e day time she is more blinded bacause that the weaknes of her eyes can not abide the bright beames of the sunne And eueÌ„ so it is w t the reprobate they are alwaies blind and hard heared but wheÌ„ the light of God doth most plainely shine before theÌ„ or when they are called froÌ„ iniquititie to vertue then becometh the word of glad tidinges to theÌ„ a verie sauor of death by the w c they are both more blinded and more hardened And so in your first reason we dissent froÌ„ you in y t that you seme to affirme that because y e reprobate are once hardened therefore they caÌ„ be no more hardened Your second reason is that because it beloÌ„geth to God onely to make hard their heartes thâ—t therefor there resteth nothing to the Prophetes but to shew vnto them the hardnes of their hartes I am glad that once ye will coÌ„fesse y t it is nothing repugning to gods good nature for iust causes to harden the heart and to make blind y e eyes of the reprobate But y t therfore nothing resteth to y e Prophetes or Apostles but onely to declare vnto meÌ„ their hardnes I caÌ„ not admitte For we do find y t God doth so coÌ„municate his power w t his true messingers and embassadours that what soeuer they lowse in earth he doth lowse in y e heaueÌ„ what soeuer they bynd in earth he bindeth in heaueÌ„ whose sinnes they remitte they are remitted whose sinnes they reteine they are reteined The Lord him selfe saith vnto Ieremie Behold I haue put my wordes in thy mouth and I haue ordeined thee aboue nations and kindomes that thou maiest roote out destroy scatter and that y u maist also build vp and plant And vnto Paul it was said And now I shall deliuer the from the natioÌ„s to y e which I send thee that thou maist open the eyes of those that be blind that they may conuert from darknes vnto light and from the power of fathan vnto God These wordes do witnes that the effectuall power of God doth work with the word which he putteth in the mouthes of his true messingers in so much that ether it doth edifie lighten or mollifie to saluation or els it doth destroy darken and hardeÌ„ For the word of God is of y e nature of Christe Iesus he is not onely come to illuminate and to raise vp but also to make blind and to beate downe as he him selfe doth witnes saying I am come to iudgement into this world y t those that see not shall see that those that see shal be blind And Simeon saith Behold this is he y t is put in resurrection in ruine of many in Israel In so much that vpon whoÌ„ that stone of offense falleth it shall burste him to powder And therefore we can not admitte that the ministerie of his blessed word preached or published by his faithfull messingers be nothing els but a simple declaration what men be No we know that it is the power of God to saluatioÌ„ of all those y â— beleue that the message of reconciliation is put in their mouthes that the word w c they preach hath such efficacie strength that it deuideth asunder y â— ioyntes sinewes y e bones froÌ„ the marye that y e weapons of their warrefare are not carnall but are power in God to the beating downe of all stroÌ„g holdes by the which the true messingers beat down all counselles
that deny that to be any parte of his mynd but say he reproueth mannes malicious blasphemy and manifest impietie The argument which ye gather of the nynthe chapter of the same book and wold seme to confirm by the wordes of Christe spoken in the seuenth of Mathew hath no greater force then the former for the writer defineth not what God had determined in his secrete and eternall counsell but what he hath expressedly coÌ„mitted to mannes charge by his law and by his holie Spirit speaking in his Prophetes and that him self doeth plainly witnesse For after that he hath asked wisdom righteously to iudge the people committed to his charge he thus speaketh what man is he that knoweth the counsell of God or that can comprehend in his mynd what God wold The cogitations of mortall men are fearefull and our opinions deceauable c. scarsly by coÌ„iecture can we attein to the thiÌ„gs that be in earth and w t trauale fynd we those things w t be amoÌ„gest our haÌ„des But who shal searche oute those thiÌ„gs y t be in the heaueÌ„s and who knoweth they couÌ„sell except that thow shall giue wisdom and from the hiest places shall send thy holie Spirit for so the wayes of those that dwell vpon earth haue bene directed and they haue learned those things that haue pleased the. Cry now as pleaseth you that because man was made lord ouer creatures in earth for that is the veritie of the text to reule the world in holynes That therefor there was no man reprobated and he writer will answer for him self and will affirme that he searcheth not what God hath determined in his eternall counsell and what shall become of euerie man for that confesseth he to be incomprehensible but he declareth what God commandeth in his law and what he hath expressed by his holie Prophetes To the which if man be found inobedient resteth no excusation seing that gods will is manifestly declared as Moises saieth in these wordes The secretes appertein to the Eternall our God but those things that be reueled appertein to vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the wordes of this law Your argumentes which ye think most strong gathered of these wordes in the 7. aÌ„d 12. of Mathew are most weak and vaine For as we do not denie that man was created iust so do we coÌ„stantly affirme that in iustice he stood not but became altogether vniust and therefor God did not condemne man before he was giltie as you falsly gather of our doctrine Wonder it is that ye se not degrees and iust causes which com betwext the purpose of reprobation and the iust condemnation of man This is your argument God purposed to reiect man before he was created Ergò he did damne him before he was criminall or glitie Your consequent is fals far no part of gods iudgements was put in execution before man did sinne for grace was offered to AdaÌ„ after his fall Cayn was admonished aÌ„d rebuked of his crueltie his posterities aÌ„d sede had raged in their furie and finally all flesh had corrupted their waies befor that gods vengeance and most iust iudgement were poured furth and put in execution against the rebellious and vnthankfull world If you be able to proue that the sentence of death was executed vpon Adam before he offended or that Cayn was accursed by gods mouth before he had murthered then hath your argumeÌ„t som apperance but if the iust causes of condemnation be found in man and so founde in man that God in vowies can thereof be accused then oght you to be ashamed to burden vs with that which ye your selues most folishly collecte And further ye shall vnderstand that as the Apostle putteth certen degrees and causes which are sensible vnto vs betwext the eternall election of gods childreÌ„ aÌ„d their glorification euen so put we the contrarie degrees and causes betwext the reprobation and the iust condemnation of the wicked for as those whom God hath chosen before all tymes in time he calleth aÌ„d that of purpose to Christe Iesus his soÌ„ne aÌ„d whoÌ„ thus he calleth he iustifieth and that more and more vntill that flesh and the corrupt affectioÌ„s thereof being mortified they attein to their glorie So by the contrarie be the reprobate either left all together in blindnes neuer called to the light and knowledge of gods fre mercie or if they be called they either do condeÌ„ne it orels sodanly fall from the same and so abiding in their corruption do still heap sinne vpon sinne till at the last their measure being full God executeth this most iust iudgements against their continuall rebellion Inferre now as many absurdities as please you vpon our doctrine you procede THE ADVERSARIE You say that God reprobated and ordeined man to damnation the most parte of the world afore the foundatioÌ„s of the world were laid and yet in the creation God made all meÌ„ after his own image good and righteous as the scripture witnesseth for as we were all created in one man that is Adam So were we all created in one estate that is after the image of God to lief then if your opinion be true the ordinaÌ„ce of God in his election afore the world is not coÌ„forme to his ordinance in the creation And the hâ—lie Gost saieth If I buyld vp agane that which I haue cast doune before I declare my self to be a transgressor if God created man to his own image vnto lief whom before the creatioÌ„ he had reprobat aÌ„d cast away declareth he not thereby him self to be inconstant and a traÌ„sgressour Ye can not escaip here with your bare solutioÌ„ where ye say afore the world God hath not ordeined all but som vnto damnation for in our creation all were ordeined vnto lief for so much as we were all created after the image of God of the ordinance of God in our electioÌ„ afore the world The Apostle writeth thus we be blessed saieth he with al maner of spirituall blessinges in heauenlie thinges by Christe according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that we should walk in theÌ„ Here do we learn that gods ordinance in his electioÌ„ afore the world and also his ordinance in the creation is alwaies one For as we are chosen in Christe Iesu so we are created in Christe Iesu and as we are chosen to be holie and without blame so are we created vnto good workes Wherefor gods ordinaÌ„ce in his holie electioÌ„ and his mightie creatioÌ„ is one aÌ„d of like streÌ„gth and surenes further seing we be as the Apostle saieth bothe elect and created in Christe Iesu. and forasmuche as there is no damnation to them that are in Christe Iesu then is there no damnation either in the election or creation ANSWERE Because that aswell your forged lies as the vanitie of your reasons haue ben declared I will not trooble the reader with repetition of the
then were his workes full of crueltie miserie damnation and destruction Now as touching this saying who is able to resist his will we must learne what is gods will If you ask the Lord he will answer you it is not my will that any man sinne neither is it my will that the sinner die but rather that he amend and liue but if he will not amend but continew in sinne him wil I punishe and him may I also punishe hauing power aboue all men as the potter ouer the clay Wherefor when any man suffereth iustly for his trespasse he oght not to accuse God and say who can resist his will â–ª as God wold absolutely the destruction of his creatures as ye teach God will all men to repent and amend and also that theâ— who will not repent and amend be punished this his will is iust and full of mercie against which will is no man able to resist for either must they repent and amend orels they must suffer As the potter wold gladly make of his clay a good vessell but if it will not frame he breaketh it and casteth it away and as the king wold all his subiects to be obedient vnto his lawes yet the vnworthiest slaue in his dominion hath power to break the kinges lawes Notwithstanding wheÌ„ he suffereth for his offence the kinges will is fulfilled eueÌ„ so thogh God both wille hand coÌ„man deth vs to obserue his law yet haue we power to offend against the former parte of his will otherwies we should all obserue â—he will of God and be saued and so should there be no reprobate But when for our disobedience we be punished the will of God is fulfilled which will is both good and iust and therefor oght no man to accuse it aÌ„d say who is able to resist his wil. No more theÌ„ clay when it framed not to be a good vessell doeth accuse the potter of breaking it ANSWER Ye be not able to proue that in any vehemencie we alledge those wordes of the Apostle in other sentence theÌ„ he wrote theÌ„ for all praise aÌ„d glorie be vnto God the mercifull giuer we haue not so litle profited in the schoole of Christ Iesus that we wold wrest the wordes of the holie Gost to a coÌ„trarie sense We are not ignorant that the Apostle pronouÌ„ceth these wordes in the person of carnall meÌ„ who hearing that God hath mercie vpon those that he wil and that also he maketh hard hearted such as he will do storm and furiously crye wherefor theÌ„ doeth he coÌ„plein who is able to resist his wil. These wordes I say do we not vrge to proue our doctrine for where we affirme that the onely will of God is the perfect reule of all thiÌ„ges which be done aÌ„d are to be done in heaueÌ„ and in earth we build our doctrine vpon euideÌ„t testimonies of the scriptures aÌ„d vpon the cheif principalles of our religioÌ„ and faith Dauid and Isaiah do both aggre that our God who dwelleth in heauen doeth what so euer he will in heaueÌ„ and in earthe that he formeth light and doeth creat darknes that is giueth aswel prosperitie as aduersitie Daniel affirmeth that the supreme God distributeth kingdomes as best semeth to his wisdom and Salomon doeth witnes that against the Lord there is no counsell can preuale The necessarie principalles of o r faith do teach vs that as in God there falleth no ignorance so in him there is no impotencie He doeth not as it were in suspeÌ„se aÌ„d doubt behold the eueÌ„t aÌ„d chaÌ„ce of thiÌ„ges ronning after to seke remedie but that in wisdom hath he disposed all thiÌ„ges willing nothing which he may not and doeth not bring to passe in time according to his eternall purpose and working nothing which is not most iust howbeit the causes thereof be hidde frome vs. Of these and many mo scriptures and necessarie principalles of our faith do we grounde our doctrine and not vpon that one place spoken in the rebuke of the stubborn and rebellious disputers with God ye burden vs that we accuse and make God to be the author of euill aÌ„d the cause of damnation That we cause many brest owt and say since his will and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self aÌ„d not to vs if any sinne be committed And last ye affirme that if our sainges be true that then are gods works full of crueltie miserie damnatioÌ„ and destructioÌ„ and so of two thinges ye accuse vs and the thirde ye affirme ineuitably to folow of our doctrine if it be true Here after I will not greatlie labour to confute thy argumeÌ„tes which is a thing most easie euen to any godlie man how beit he had neuer sene arte nor studied the same But seing that thow and thy most pestileÌ„t sect be not content maliciously to sclander those that in such a case be most innoceÌ„t but that also with most impudent mowthes ye vomite furth your horrible blasphemies against gods maiestie I will most earnestlie and most vnfeanedlie require of all reulers Princes Magistrates and gouernors who in the fear of God do ruele aboue their subiects that as they will answer in the presence of the Lord Iesus for the administration of iustice committed to their charge that indifferently they iudge betwext you and vs. To witt that if we can euidently be coÌ„uicted of those crymes which ye most maliciously and most vniustly lay to our charge that then iudgement without mercie be executed against vs. But and if ye fail in your probation and also if ye can not proue crueltie to be in gods workes supposing that our doctrin remaine as that it is trew aÌ„d stable that then such order may be takeÌ„ for repressing of your vennemous tongues that neither ye be permitted thus openly to blaspheme gods Maiestie neither thus maliciously to sclander innocentes and to offend y e eares of all godlie hearers And to the end that meÌ„ shall not think that being at this time accused we beginne to deuise new defenses or excuses of our selues I will faithfully and simply bring furth of the workes as som what I haue done before of that singulare instrument of Christ Iesus in the glone of his Gospell Iohn Caluin such sentences as shall make plaine to all men what our opinion is of God of the fall of man of the woÌ„derous work of our redemption and of the most iust reiection and damnation of the reprobat Thus saieth he dependeth the perdition of the reprobate vpoÌ„ the predestination of God that the cause and the mater is altogither found in them the first man fell because the eternall iudged it expedient why he iudged it we know not yet certeÌ„ it is that he so iudged it not but that he saw the glory of his name thereby to be illustrate when that thow doest heare the mention of gods glorie there also remembre thow iustice to be for of necessitie it is that iust must y t
Iohn Caluin concludeth if euer I had said that it came to passe by the instruction or motion of the spirit of God that the first man did alienat him self frome God and not that rather I haue in al places defended that man was pricked thereto by instigation of the deuill and by the motion of his own heart theÌ„ meritably might Pighius and his coÌ„plices haue railed agaiÌ„st me But seing that I remouing froÌ„ God the verey cause of the actioÌ„ do also remoue from him all crime so that man onely is subiect aswell to the crime as to the punishment wickedly and maliciously is this laid to my charge that I should say that mannes defection and fall is one of gods workes But yet lest y t one thing should appere to lacke of our full doctrine I will recite his wordes which he writeth against the libertines in the 14 chapter of that worke we do not deny saieth he but that all thinges are done by the will of God In so much that wheÌ„ we declare wherefor he is called omnipotent we geue to him an effectuall power in all his creatures and we teach that as once he created the vniuersall world so also that he gouerneth the same And that his haÌ„d is alwaies at the work that he might kepe all thinges in their estate and dispose them after his will And to the end that I may expreâ—â—e the same more easely I say that God is to be considered thre maner of waies to work in the administration or his creature first there is an vniuersall operation by the which he directeth all creatures according to the conditioÌ„ and proprietie which he gaue to euerie one when he formed them and this gouernemeÌ„t is nothing els but that which we call the order of nature for albeit the vnfaithfull know nothing in the disposition of the world but that which they se with their eies And therefor they make nature as she were a goddesse to haue impire and dominion ouer all yet is this praise to be giuen to the will of Godâ— that it onely doeth moderat aÌ„d gouern all thinges Wherefor when we se the son the moon and the sterres fulfill their course Let vs vnderstand that they obey God that they execuâ—e his commandement yea and that they are guided by the hand of God And also when we se the course of earthlie thiÌ„ges all thinges are to be ascribed to God The creatures are to be estemed but as instruments in his haÌ„d which he applieth to the work euen as pleaseth him The scripture doeth often make mention of this vniuersall prouidence that we may learn in all his workes to giue glorie vnto God But chiefly in vs doeth God commeÌ„d this his power that we shall know it in our selues to the end that we may be purged of arrogancie which sodanly vseth to arise in vs how son we forgett our selues to be in his haÌ„des Hereunto apperteineth that which Paul said to those of Athenes It is he in whom we liue are moued and haue our being By the which he wold admonish vs that except God vp hold vs by his hand that vnable it is for vs to stand the least moment of time for euen as the soule dispersing her streÌ„gthe throughe the hole bodie moueth the meÌ„bres so are we qwickened of God form whome onely we obtein what so euer strength or power we haue But this vniuersall operation of God impedeth not but that euery â—reature in heauen and in earth retein their own nature and qualitie and also do folow their own inclination The second maner by the which God worketh in his creatures is that he appointeth them in obedience of his goodnes iustice and iudgement somtymes to help his seruantes somtymes to punishe the wicked and somtimes to examin the pacience of his seruantes or to correct and chasten them with a fatherly affectâ—on as when he will giue vs aboundance of frutes he giueth rain in his time he sendeth heat by the son and bright and clear daies as also he vseth all other naturall meanes as instruments of his liberalitie But when he pulleth back his hand the heauen is made like brasse the eaâ—th is yron and so it is he that sendeth thonder frost hale and also it is he that is the cause of sterilitie and barennes Therefor what so euer the Ethnicks and ignorant did attribute to fortune we assigne to the prouideÌ„ce of God Not onely to that vniuersall operation of the which we haue before spoken but to his especiall ordinance by the which he gouerneth all as he knoweth it to be most expedieÌ„t and profitable and this he teacheth when by his Ptophetes he saieth that he created darknes aÌ„d light that he sendeth death and lief that neither good nor euill can chaÌ„ce but froÌ„ his haÌ„d In so much that he saieth that he doeth gouern aÌ„d direct the lottes Yea if that any maÌ„ by chaÌ„ce and not of set purpose be slain he auoweth him self to be the cause of his death and that so he had appointed that we shall iudge nothing to com of fortune but that all cometh by the determination of his counsell And further it displeaseth him wheÌ„ we esteme any thing to procede from any other so that we do not behold him and know him not onely the principall cause of all thinges but also as the author appointing all thinges to the one part or the other by his counsell Thus let vs then conclude that prosperitie and aduersitie rayn wyndes hale frost fare wether aboundance hunger warre or peace to be the workes of God and that the creatures which be the inferior causes are onelie instrumeâ—tes which he hath in redines to execute his will which he so vseth at his pleasure that he leadeth and moueth them to bring to passe what so euer he hath appointed Moreouer it is to be noted that not onlie he thus vseth his insensible creatures that by them he worketh his will but also men them selues yea and also deuilles insomuch that sathan and wicked men are executers of gods will as he vsed the Egypâ—ians to punishe his people and a litle after he raised vp the Assyrians and other such to reuenge the sinnes of his people we se that he vsed the deuil in tormenting Saul and in deceauing Achab. which thinges when the libertines doheare rashely and without iudgement beholding no further they conclude That now the creatures do no more work and so horribly do they confound all things nether do they onelie mingle and mixt the heauens with the earth but also they ioyn God with the deuil aÌ„d that chanceth vnto them becaus they do not obserue two most necessarie exceptions The former is that Sathan and the wicked are not so the instrumentes of God but that they also do theire own partes Nether must we imagin that God so worketh by wicked men as by a stock or a stone but as by a creature participant of reason c. When we say
spirit that Balaam was led withall when he counselled to giue occasion of sinne to the people I know ye wil answer that I mean not so Mean what ye list and do what ye can yet this is the issue and frute of your doctrine and who so euer is thus corrupt by you without he repent he shall die the death but God shall require his bloode of your haÌ„ds Marke well your disciples how many of them endeuore theÌ„ selues to bring furth the frutes of repentance how many of theÌ„ seke for power to crucifie the flesh with the lusts and coÌ„cupiscence thereof How many of theÌ„ caÌ„ we perceaue by their conuersatioÌ„ that they haue cast of the old maÌ„ aÌ„d put on the new maÌ„ walking sincerely in their vocation aÌ„d the true feare of God but if they accustom to frequent your congregations as the papistes do the masse theÌ„ be they faithfull brethren I hold my peace of that ye vse to haue respect of persons preferring the welthie which if they be liberal thoghe they be drowned in many vices you vse to help vp such sores with this saying There is none during this life that caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be in the election be he neuer so vertuous nor any owt of the electioÌ„ be he neuer so vnrighteous after this maner ye do heall theÌ„ vp so that they nede not to indeuor them selues to bring furth the frutes of liuelie faith for the surest tokeÌ„ of their electioÌ„ they think to be that they be of your congregation but Christ saieth in that shall al meÌ„ know that ye are my disciples if you do what so euer I coÌ„maÌ„d you aÌ„d againe ye shal know theÌ„ by their frutes for a good maÌ„ owt of y e treasure of his heart bringeth furth good things yet ye say no maÌ„ caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be either in the election or owt of the election during this life and for proofe hereof ye alledge the saying of Paul â–ª the deuil doeth transforme him self into an Angel of light to which I breifly answer that God doeth neuer traÌ„sforme hiÌ„ self into an Angell of darknes wherefor so long as ye walk in darknes ye be not of God But thus ye take the most shameful meÌ„ by the had flatteriÌ„g theÌ„ so that they caÌ„ not return froÌ„ their wickednes whereby it appereth that ye be not sent froÌ„ God for ye by your doctrine giue occasioÌ„ to the people to sinne And the Lord saieth if they had bene in my couÌ„sell they had turned my people frome their euill waies aÌ„d wicked imaginations but such lippes such letuce such disciples such masters of your chief Apollos be persecutors on whoÌ„ the bloode of Seruetus crieth a veÌ„geaÌ„ce so doeth the blood of others mo whom I coulde name but forasmuch as God hath partly alredie reuenged their bloode and serued som of their persecuters with the same measure where with they measured to others I will make no mention of them at this tyme. And to declare their wickednes not to haue proceded of ignorance and humane infirmitie but of indured malice they haue for a perpetuall memorie of their crueltie sett furth bookes affirming it to be lawfull to persecute and put to death such as dissent from them in controuersies of religioÌ„ whome they cal blasphemers of God notwithstanding they afore they came to autoritie they were of an other iudgement and did bothe say and write that no man oght to be persecuted for his conscience saik but now they are not onely becom persecuters but also they haue giuen as far as lieth in them the sword into the handes of bloodie tyrantes Be these I pray you the shepe whom Christ sent furth in the middest of wolues can the shepe persecute the wolf doth Abel kil Caynâ—doeth Dauid thogh he might kill Saul shortly doeth he which is born of the spirit kill him which is born after the fleshe Mark how ye be fallen in to most abhominable tyranny and yet ye se it not Thus I am constreined euen of conscience to write That if it shal please God to awaik you owt of your dreaÌ„ that ye may perceaue how me error haeth drowned you in mo errors and hath broght you to a sleping securitie that when ye walk eueÌ„ after the lustes of your heartes thirsting after bloode and persecuting poore men for their conscience saik ye be blynded and se not your selues but say tushe we be predestinat what so euer we do we are certeÌ„ we caÌ„ not fall owt of gods fauor A wake therefor and looke what daÌ„ger ye be in and how by your poisoned doctrine ye infect the people of God and draw them to a secure ydle and careles life ANSWER The crimes laid to our charge in this mater be haynous For first we are accused that we prouoke men to a careles aÌ„d libertine life So that by vs the people do nothiÌ„g â—uteate and drink and ryse vp to play That we haue no conscience but being led with the spirit of Balaam giue occasion of sinne to the people That none other frute doeth ensue our doctrine â—ut libertie to sinne for our disciples are cruel murtheâ—ers subiect to all iniquitie respecting persones and flattering sinners And last y t by our poisoned docttrine we infect the people and bring theÌ„ to a secure ydle and careles life Because I wil omit no notable part of your booke to ouerslippe without some reasonable answer I wil folowe youre ordre althogh it be confused If you be able by plaine scriptures to proue a thirde sort of meÌ„ which nether be elect nether yet reprobat then shal we learne of you other wise to deuide But if God by his first voice pronounced in this mater made mencioÌ„ but of two sedes and if Christ Iesus wheÌ„ he shal come shall set one army on the right hand and an other vpon the left hand without mencion made of anie third sort of men we can not repent nor yet call back the trueth of our doctrine albeit that ye in despite and furie cry what can the deuil wishe his membres to teach more for the aduancement of his kingdome then this what can be inuented more to prouoke men to liue a careles and libertine life more then if they be persuaded that nether wel doing auaileth or pleaseth God nor euil doing hindreth vnto saluacion and so forthe ye procede in youre first accusacion Before I haue required and yet againe do require of Gods faithful lieutenants in earth I meane of lawful Magistrates who rule in gods feare whome ye vtterly studie to abolish and depriue of them I saie I haue required iustice to be ministred betwext vs and you without respect of persones Let the heauen and earth if men wil not yea let God and his holie Angelles in whose presence we walke beare recorde and witnes how vniustely and maciously ye accuse vs that we prouoke the people to a careles libertine life If euer it can be proued by our doctrine or
will not refuse them nether yet will I dispyse them so that I will vtterly destroy them or make my couenante with them to be of none effect for I am the lord their God for then I shall remembre myne old couenant which I made with theÌ„ when I led them furth of the land of Egypt in the presence of the Gentiles that I might be their God I the eternall And in the same prophete in many places mo the same is most euident for thus he writeth foreseing their captiuitie Yet now heare ô Iacob my seruaÌ„t and Israel whoÌ„ I haue chosen thus saieth the Lord that made the and formed the from the wombe he will help thee feare not ô Iacob my seruant aduerte that yet he doth acknowledge Iacob to be his seruant euen in his greatest miserie and thow righteous whom I haue chosen for I shall powre owt waters vpon the thirstie floodes vpon the drie grounde I shall powre furth my spirit vpon thy sede and my blessing vpon thy buddes And in the same Chapter after that he hath reproued the vanitie of idolaters he saieth Remembre these ô Iacob and Israel for thou art my seruant I haue formed thee to this purpose that thou shouldest be my seruant ô Israel forget me not c. For my names saike will I differ my wrath and for my praise will I refrein it frome the that I cut the not of c. Lift vp your eyes to the heauens and beholde the earth beneth for the heauens shall vanish away like smoke and the earth shall wax olde like a garment and they that dwell therein shall perish in like maner but my saluation shal be for euer he meaneth the deliuerance which he had promised to that people and my righteousnes shal not be abolished c. For a litle whyle haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion shal I gather thee c. And the sonnes of strangers shall buyld vp thy walles and their kinges shall serue thee for in my wrath I smote thee but in my mercie I had compassion on thee c. For Zions sake I wil not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I wil not rest vntill the righteousnes thereof breake furth as the light and the saluacion thereof as a burning lamp c. And their sede shal be knowen amongest the Gentiles and their buddes among the people All that se them shall know them that they are the sede which the Lord hath blessed These and many places mo do manifestly witnesse that God did neuer before the comming of Christ Iesus in the flesh vtterly reiect and refuse that people as that they did not appertein vnto him but that he did auowe them to be his chosen his peculiar people and his inheritance euen wheÌ„ they were in greatest miserie Yea further God had continually of the sede of Abraham during the tyme of the Law and the prophetes som nombre openly to glorifie his name in the eyes of the world And therefore consider with your self how iustly ye gather vpon these wordes of the prophet God shal yet againe choose Israel that therefore God had vtterly reiected all Israel yea euen from the life euerlasting for except that so ye conclude ye haue proued nothing of your purpose for the controuersie standeth not betwext vs and you whether that God doth somtymes choose and promote a man or a people to honor and dignitie in this life thereafter iustly depriue him or them from the same for this did we neuer denie But the hole controuersie consisteth in this point whether that such as God in his eternall counsel hath elected in Christ Iesus to life euerlasting can after be reprobated and so finally perish and that shal ye neuer be able to proue That the simple reader may the better vnderstand the meaning of y â— prophete this I adde The people in the captiuitie of Babylon were so oppressed and so destitute of all hope euer to be restored to any dignitie or libertie againe That to them it appered a like possible to raise the dead carkases of such as were buried in their graues as to deliuer them from the handes of the proud and puâ—sant Babylonians And therefore doth not onlie Isaiah who long afore saw their bondage the redemption from the same but also Ieremiah Ezechiel who did se it with their eyes with great boldnes coÌ„staÌ„cie affirme that they shoulde be deliuered from that boÌ„dage y t they shoulde be maried w t God so shoulde be chosen againe as o r Prophet here speaketh w c is not to be referred to y â— part of God but to the apprehension of the people who thoght them selues vtterly forsaken and reiected of God Against this temtatioÌ„ y e prophet saith God shall choose Israel againe that is shal restore them to y e former dignitie yea to a greater And y t shoulde he do in such sort y t they should know y t he was God merciful coÌ„stant and immutable of his promes And so the renouatioÌ„ of the league in such sort that the worlde might se that God fauored Israel is called the new election new mariage not that God had euer in him self decreed and purposed that the Messias and blessed sede shoulde descend of any other nation but of the sede of AbrahaÌ„ and house of Dauid but that the people in the tyme of their affliction had receaued such a wounde by reason of their grieuous plagues and former offences that they thoght y t God had vtterly reiected them let y e prophetes be redde with indifferent iudgement And this I dowbte not shall appere most true Now to the rest of your scriptures ADVERSARIE Christ commandeth Iohn to preache vnâ—o the seuen Congregations Among whome were bothe elect reprobaâ—e to whom he vsâ—th no such maner of doctrine as ye teach â—haâ— the elect coulde not fall from their election but warneth them to take hede that they lose nâ—t that which they had gâ—ten but labore to increase threatning them with destruction if â—hey forsake â—he grace whereof they were made parâ—akers nether discouraged be the most wicked of them as ye do saying that by the preordinance of God they of necessitie must perish but willeth them to repent and amend and they shoulde liue yes knew he bothe who were elect and who were reprobate â–ª To the congregation of Ephesus he saith that she was fallen from her first loue and without she remembred fromâ— whence she was fallen repented and did her first workes the Lord wold shortly come and remoue her candilstick out of her place The congregation of Smirna he commandeth so be faithfull vnto the death and so shoulde she receaue the crowne of life If Christ had bene of your opinion he had not vsed such maner of doctrine In vaine shoulde he exhorte the reprobate to be faithfull whom he had cast away and superfluous were it to exhort the elect
our frayle bodies do we hold the secrete will of God for a ruele of all equitie perfection and sufficiencie teaching and affirming that if any man of vaine curiositie or of deuelish pride presume to define or determine vpon these or others his inscrutable secretes the causes whereof other then his secret but most iust will is not neither shal be reueled till the full glory of the sonnes of God be manyfested when the wisdome goodnes iustice and mercie of God shall so euidently appere to the full contentation of his electe to the most iust conuicting of the conscieÌ„ces of the very reprobate to whome shall be left no place of excuse but in their owne consciences they shall receaue the iust sentence of their most iust condemnation and so shall they in tormentes glorifie the most iust most seuere iudgement of God and his vnspeakable hatered against sinne conceaued We teach and affirme I say that if any man in this life trauale to searche out other causes of these foresaid works of God then his secrete will that the same man hedlongs casteth him selfe in to horrible coÌ„fusion which he can not eskape without spedie repentance And against such men are al the scriptures by you alledged spoken and written and not against vs who as we affirme nothing which gods worde doeth not plainely teache vs so do we cease curiously to inquire any cause of his workes other theÌ„ it hath pleased his godlie wisedome and mercie to reuele vnto vs by his holie spirit plainely speaking in his holie scriptures And therefor to you it shal be most profitable to trye and examine this mater with greater indiffereÌ„cie then hitherto you haue done and to ponder and wey whether it be ye or we that be wise in our owne conceate sight or opinion or that go about to finde out the almightie that is to subiecte his Maiestie and wisdome to the iudgemeÌ„t of our corrupt reason You I say who vpon his words plainely spoken by the holie Gost and vpoÌ„ his works which he neither fearerh nor eshameth to attribute and clame to him selfe dare make these blasphemous conclusioÌ„s Then is he more cruel then a wolf then is he a dissembler then beareth he hoÌ„ny in his mouthe gaule in his breast then is he author of sinne him self theÌ„ is he vniust coÌ„trarious to him self or we y t coÌ„miÌ„g but onely to the sight of gods incoÌ„prehensible iudgements with all treÌ„bliÌ„g reuereÌ„ce fall done before his Maiestie w t the Apostle do crye Oh y e depnes of y e riches wisdome and knowledge of God howe inscrutable are his iudgementes and vnsearcheable are his waies who hath knowen y e minde of the Lord or who hath bene of his counsell or who hath giuen vnto him first that he should recompence him for of him and by him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Be you your selues iudges I say whether you or we do search out thinges that be aboue the reache of our capacities and by that meanes studie to bring God as it were in boÌ„dage to our reasons but now that which foloweth in these wordes ADVERSARIE Thy worde sayeth Dauid is a lanterne to my fete and a light vnto my steppes when thy worde goeth forth it giueth light and vnderstanding euen Vnto babes all the wordes of the Lord are pure and cleane it is a shilde to them that put their trust in it And the Prophet Esaya if any maÌ„ lacke light â—et him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie we must not leaue the word and seke to establish our phantasies ether by reason or gods secret will for we are commanded that we turne not from the word nether to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest sayeâ—h thâ— holye Gost haue vnderstanding in all that thou takest in hand This is sufficient for vs and this we oght for to do But we knowe say you euen by the worde that God hath a secret will whereby he worketh all that pleaseth him verie well and can you proue thereby that God hath two willes God hath reueled so much of his will as is profitable for vs to vs to knowe the rest which is nether necessarie nor mete for vs to know he hath not reueled Is it therefore an other will or is that which is not reueled contrarie to that which is reueled then shal there be contrarietiâ— in God which is fals if God in respect of his reueled will wold not that Adam shoulde fall but in respect of his secret will he wold Adam should fall then did God will two contraries which is impossible was there euer any such monsterous doctrine taught God abhorreth a double heart which speaketh one thing and thinketh and other and yet abhorre you not to charge God with that which he cannot abide in his creatures that is that he should speak one thing as that Adam should not haue fallen and think and will the contrarâ—e that Adam should haue fallen ANSWER The wil of God plainely reueled in his holie scriptures we do not onely followe as a bright lanterne shining before vs for the directing of our pathes walking in the darknes of this mortalitie but also we affirme it to be of such sufficiencie that if an Angell froÌ„ the heauen with wonders signes and miracles wolde declare to vs a will repugning to that which is alredie reueled persuading vs vpon that to ground our faith or by that to rule the actions of our liues we wold hold him accursed and in no wise to be heard and therefore yet once againe I caÌ„ not cease to exhort you if by late reuelations ye I mean some of your faction hath receaued any newe knowledge of gods will by the which you persuade others that man in this life shal be pure and clean with out sinne that God shall expell it not onely in the resurrection but euen while we walk compassed with this corruptible flesh euen as the bright sunne chaseth away the darck cloudes that the children of God shal so beare dominion ouer the wicked in this earth that all the proud tyrannes and oppressors shall be come slaues to the godlie and that shal be their hell and punishment as the earthlie reigning of the others shal be their heauen and ioye promised Examin I say your selues if that any of you be infected with these and others mo grosse and foolish fantasies which by gods reueled will you be neuer able to proue But as for vs we haue proued and offer to proue at all times by the reueled will of God what so euer we teach affirme or beleue of gods eternal electioÌ„ or of his most iust reprobatioÌ„ for we coÌ„fesse euen the self same thing which you alledge vs to say which is that by the word of God we knowe that God hath a secret will whereby he worketh all that pleaseth him in heauen and in
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
was necessarie y e Citie being now takē for the auoiding of tumultes and other dangers to build two Castles in the Citie with strong holdes ▪ al which thinges he desired to be considered To these thīgs answer was made y t y e Bishoppe had taken the greater parte of the spoile with all the ordinance and goods of the citizens which wholie apparteined to the commō welthe of the Empire therefore that it was reason the value should be counted and communicated with the charges what other things were necessarie besides should also be considered After it was determined that the Bishoprike of Monstere should be vnder the Empire after the ancient custome and that al the nobilitie should be restored and the citizens also which had departed to other places so they were not Anabaptistes that the Bishoppe should set forthe the religion according to the decre of the Empire that in the beginning of the next spring the embassadours of the Princes should go to Monstere to know the state of the citizens and to kepe them in sauegard to pull doune all the forteresses which the Anabaptistes had erected and that the Bishop also should pul doune the Castles which he had builded in the citie that he should without delay put to death the king with knipperdoling Crechting y e prisoners without reteining them any lōger As for that which we said was determined of religion the duke of Saxone the Lātegraue Wirtemberg and Anhold testified openly that they wold not cōsent to it the citezins also professed the same nether wold they haue the old forteresses of the towne distroied but they consented to the pulling downe of the new The king and his two felow captiues were caried hither thither to the Princes to be gased and laughed at by which occasiō the preachers of the Lantgraue talked and disputed with the king chiefly of these pointes of the the kingdome of Christe of Magistrates of iustificatiō of Baptisme of y e supper of the Lord of the incarnation of Christe of Mariage and they preuailed so muche by the testimonie of the Scriptures that althogh they did not altogither conuert him yet they so bowed and confounded him notwithstanding his repugnance and defending his opiniōs that at the last he granted to the most part of al which neuertheles is thoght that he did but to saue his life for when they came to him the seconde tyme he promised so he might be pardoned to bring to passe that all the Anabaptistes which were in great nombre through all Holand Braband England and Friseland should kepe silence and in all thinges obey the Magistrates Those same men also disputed w t the kinges felowes bothe by communication and writing of mortificatiō of the Baptisme of infantes of the communion of their goods and of the kingdome of Christe When they were come to Telgate the Bishoppe asked the king by what auctoritie he arrogated to him self such libertie ouer his Citie people who asked him againe who gaue hī auctoritie power in y t Citie and whē the Bishopp answered that he obteined that iurisdiction by the consent of the congregation and people euen so saith he was I called thereunto of God Thē were they caried backe againe to Monstere the twentie of Ianuary where eche of them were put in a seuerall prison The same day came the Bishop thither with the archbishop of Collē and the embassadours of the Duke of Cleaue with him two daies after they were exhorted by godlie admonitions to conuert from their errors And in dede the king aknowledged his sinne and made his recourse to Christe by praier the other two wold not confesse that they had offended at all but obstinatly defended their fals opiniōs the next day after the king was brought forth into an high place and bound to a poste where were present two executioners with fyrie tongues to torment them with all the king at the thre first pyntches of the tongues held his peace afterward crying to God incessantly for mercie When he had bene torne on this maner for the space of an houre and more he was thrust through the breast with a sharp sword and died The same punishment also had his felowes which being all dead they were eche of them bound in yron cofers and hōg vp in the toppe of the towre of the Citie the king in the middest higher then his fellowe◠by the stature of a man This fearefull tragedie in which gods most iust iudgemētes are declared doth teach vnto vs two things The former what may the innocēt and the godlie looke for if ye may bring your enterprises to passe and secondarely what doeth the worlde the rulers now in earth for the most part deserue As touching you how so euer for a time ye cloke your crueltie what simplicitie so euer ye declare in your externall gesture what so euer ye speake of charitie and loue and how so euer ye seme to be zealous ouer the trueth yet shall you in the end produce no other frute then these yours fathers haue done before you If y t I liste to note particular exāples I might shew in your sect and amongest you to haue bene so horrible enormities as more horrible were neuer from the beginning but lest I might seme to take any pleasure in accusing particular persōs I wil not at this presēt write al that I know Onely I say that the Church of God may looke for no other thing at your hand but for confusion of all gods ordinances and for more cruel persecution then euer yet it did susteine since the daies of the Apostles for what your fathers began in Monster in their purpose you do performe and finish and to that end do you write your bookes some calling all the Scriptures of God in doubt some affirming that there is a more perfect knowledge then that which is cōteined or expressed in the worde some plainely denying the God heade of Christ Iesus and of the holy Gost some claiming liberbertie that no man should be troubled for his conscience cloking vnder that title all blasphemie and diabolicall doctrine And you now last in accusing vs of these most odious crimes whereof we be most innocent ye and your brethern I say in teaching this your pestilent doctrine and accusing vs who gainstand your deuilish errors do plainely declare what ye haue already intended if God by his great power bridle not your furie And assuredly the world and the Rulers of the earth for the most part most iustly deserue so to be entreated As for y e Church of God it must be subiect to the crosse euen vntill the comming of the Lord Iesus from the heauens But the world I say and the Princes of the earth which is the◠seconde point which we haue to marke in this former historie most iustly deserue to be punished with suche confusion as ye intend For the one and the other I meane the