affections to his will reueled but also our reason appeare it neuer so probable With the which if we stand not satisfied but quarreling with God will or dare in a blynd fury ask to what purpose commandeth and speaketh he one thing meaneth the contrary That deuelishe presumption shall fall down from the clouds and break downe for euer the frantick heads of such vile slaues of proud lucifer And therefor be ye warned for vengeance is prepared for all such vnreuerent reasoners in gods perfect but yet profound iudgementes as ye declare your selues to be in this which foleweth If God say you in respect of his reueled will wold not that Adam should falle but in respecte of his secrete will he wold Adam should fallâ— then did God will two contraries which is impossible Answere Impossible we confesse it to be that contrarietie should be in that will which in it self is simple and one But how shall you be able to proue that God in reueling his will to Adam had none other purpose nor will but onely that Adam should not falle because say you he said thou shalt not eate I answer so said he to AbrahaÌ„ thou shalt take aÌ„d offer thy sonne in sacrifice And yet we knowe that the contrarie had he determined O crye you God abhorreth a double heart which speaketh one thing and thinketh an other and yet ye abhorre nes to charge God with that which he can not abide in his creatures that is that he should speak one thing as that AdaÌ„ should not offeÌ„d will the cotrarie as that AdaÌ„ should offend Answer God if his good pleasure be towch your heartes with such vnfeined repeÌ„tance that you may vnderstand howe horrible be these blasphemies which thus in your furious blindnes you spew forth against gods supreme Maiestie for before I haue said they are not spoken against vs. for no such doctrine do we teach nor affirme as that of which you gather these blasphemies aÌ„d albeit we did yet it were as easie for vs to dissolue aÌ„d vnlouse such deuelish knottes as by instructioÌ„ of your father you knit to trippe y e soules of the simple as it is for y e fote of the valiant strong maÌ„ to burst a sondre the spiders webbes which y e venemous spider maketh to catch the impoteÌ„t flies and feble gnattes And now left y â— you should glorie as thogh yo r reasons yet stoode sure Let vs trie aÌ„d examine euery membre aparte God abhorreth say you a dooble heart which speaketh one thing and thinketh an other I answer That as God is a spirit and hath neither heart nor bodie like as man hath so must not his words cogitations and thoghtes be compared to ours for as we be corrupte liers and vaine so where we do speak one thing and think an other we do meane deceate fraud and destruction to our brother to whome we promise trueth fidelitie conseruation to our power But God according to the puritie and perfection of his godlie nature in speaking to his creatures and in creating of them must not absolutely haue respect to theÌ„ but also to his owne glory for what reason is it that God of nothiÌ„g shall make that câ—eature by whome his glory shall not be manyfested and therefor in speaking to Adam and in giuing a lawe to him God had respecte to his eternall counsell purpose as before we haue spoken and hereafter shall rehears But still crye you that yet we burden God w t that which he caÌ„not abyde in his creatures that is that he should speak one thiÌ„g as that Adam should not haue fallen and that he ment the contrarie for answer I ask of you if ye will binde God to that lawe which he hath imposed to his creatures And if ye will leaue none other libertie to God his soueraigne maiestie then his lawe hath permitted to men subiecte to the same and if ye dare promise to your selues that authoritie ouer God girde your loines and play the stroÌ„g champions prepare your seates appoint your iudges cite and adiourne him to appeare at a fixed day to rendre a reason a make an accoÌ„pte before you of his vniuersall regiment in which no doubt ye shall finde many things more repugnant to your reason then this You think I mock you in that I wil you to cite and call God to an accoÌ„pt in very dede I do for as your blasphemie pride is vtterlie to be abhorred so is your vanitie more worthie to be mocked then your simplicitie in that case to be instructed for what was he euer yet amongest the most ignorant ethnicks so foolishe or so presumpteous but that he did confesse that the workes and wonders of the supreme God were exempted from all lawe and censure of mans iudgement But in your presence God shall haue no libertie to command or forbid any thing to any of his creatures but that he must nedes absolutely will the same and for no cause or respecte may he will the contrarie but that he shall haue a dooble heart he shal be a disseÌ„bler cursed be your blasphemie that causeth me thus to write and in him there shal be coÌ„trarietie this is the reuerence which ye beare to gods infinite wisdome in all his workes to the ground whereof ye can not atteine by your corrupt reason that you burst forth in scoffing mocking and blasphemie But yet to come more nye to the mater I denie that iustly you can conclude any contrarietie to be in God albeit that to Adam he said thou shall not eate and yet in his eternall counsell he had determined that Adam shoulde eate neither yet I say caÌ„ you be able to proue that he spoke one thing willed the contrarie because he pronounced this sentence in what so euer day thow shalt eate of this tree thou shalt dye the death but rather we maye most assuredly conclude that both the precept the penaltie threatned to ensue the violation of it was a plaine and manifest declaration what before was concluded in gods eternall counsell as also that they were the meanes by the which the secret will and good purpose of God toke effecte amongest men was notified vnto the world for if God had not before appointed the falle and the remedie for the same he had not imposed vpon him a lawe the transgression whereof should bring death but should haue suffered him to liue without such feare and bondage as we shall do when victorie shal be giuen ouer death which is the sting of sinne ouer sinne also which had his power by the lawe And therefor I say that gods commandement forbidding Adam to eate and the punishment of death denounced if he did eate were nothing contrary to his secret will but were the very wayes appointed by his infinite wisdome by the which he had determined that his secrete will concerning the mysterie of maÌ„s redemption should be notified put in execution
all traitours they are all I say traitours euery brother deceaueth another All men contemne me all men hold me in execration If these and other lyke places shal be vnderstand so vniuersaly as they appere to be spoken then must we be compelled to say that no true fearer of God remayned in Ierusalem when the Prophetes did preach but that all were blood thirstie all auaricious all idolaters and all dumme dogges the contrarie wherof is euidently declared For Isai had the children whom the Lord had giuen vnto him who albeit they were holden as monsters amonge men yet did they patientlye abide the Lord. Ieremie had Baruch his faithfull scribe not withstaÌ„ding his weakenes and infirmitie Abedmelech feared the Lord was fauourable to the Prophete and therefore saued he his soule for a praye and was deliuered from that day of vengeance And therefore these vniuersall sentences must also be restreyned and kept within their own boundes like as these All haue left me all seke the thinges that apperteine vnto them selues and not those thinges that be of God Which senteÌ„ces except they be restreined we shall condemne the dearest children of God who in Paules daies did valiaÌ„tly fight against the prince of this world These examples of the one sorte of the other I haue adduced to lette the simple vnderstand that such generall sentences of necessitie must be so restreined that difference may be kept betwext the elect and the reprobate For els we shall do nothing in explaning scriptures but confound light with darcknes For if the wordes of our Master Christe Iesus saying All shal be taught of God shal be so generally vnderstaÌ„d that no exception be admitted then of necessitie it is that all men and euery persone shall come to the true knowledge of Christe Iesus â–ª for of that knowledge doth he speake in that place But the contrarie thereof is moste euident euen by Christe Iesus his owne wordes who putteth a plaine difference betwext them that be giuen to him by his father and betwext them that be not giuen But now let vs briefly consider what sinners they are whose death God will not but rather hat they conuert lyue Sainct Ihon in his Epistle saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the veritie is not in vs. If we coÌ„fesse our sinnes he is faithfull iust to remitte to vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes c. And after Who soeuer commiteth sinne transgresseth also y â— law for sinne is the transgression of the law And ye know y t he is reueled to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne As many as byde in him y t is in Chriiste Iesus sin not who soeuer sinneth hath not sene him nether hath knoweÌ„ him c. He y t coÌ„mitteth sinne is of the deuill for the deuil sinneth froÌ„ y e beginning c. who soeuer is borne of God committeh not sinne for his sede abideth in him nether can he sinne because he is borne of God Of w c wordes it is euideÌ„t y t there be two sortes of sinners the one be they who mourne lameÌ„t and bewaile their owne wretchednes and miserie vnfainedly before God coÌ„fessing not onely that their hole nature is sinfull and corrupt but also y t dailie they so offend y e Maiestie of their God y t most iustly they deserue the tormentes of hell if Christes iustice Christes mediation w c by faith they embrase should not deliuer them from the wrath to come To these is not sinne imputed for y e blood of Christe purgeth them from all sinne his aduocation and intercession maketh to theÌ„ an enterance to the throne of their fathers grace To theÌ„ is giuen the spirit of sanctification w c from time to time as it reueleth their sinnes so doth it mortifie purge the same Not that euer in this life gods elect hath bene are or shal be so cleane purged from sinne y t the flesh lusteth not against the spirit as some times affirmed the Pellagians those that then were called Cathari that is cleane purged and now also do the Anabaptistes renew the same most pestilent error by the which Christ Iesus his iustice his office and perpetuall mediation is vtterly destroyed in such sort I saye are not gods childreÌ„ purged in this life that nether they fele sinne nether yet the motioÌ„s entisemeÌ„tes of the same But they are so purged y â— sinne raigneth not in their mortall bodies for the sede of God which is the vertue power efficacie and operation of his holie spirite suffereth them not to delyte in sinne but as they are first called from darcknes to light froÌ„ the bondage of sathan to the libertie of gods children so when they sinne as there is none that sinneth not they are called againe by true repentance to their former societie and felowship with Christe Iesus The death of such sinners did God neuer will nether yet can he will for from all eternitie they were his elect childreÌ„ whom he gaue to his deare Sonne to be his enheritaÌ„ce whom the Sonne receaued into his protection and sauegard to whome he hath manifested and to the ende shall manifest him selfe and the louing kindes of his heauenlie father In whose heartes he writeth the law of God and maketh them to walke in his commandementes â—uer thirsting to a further and more perfect iustice then they find within them selues by reason of their corruption The death I say of those sinners God will not but he will that they repent and liue The Apostle saint Peter saith The Lord that hath promised is not slow but he is long suffering toward vs while that he will none to perish but will receaue all to repentaÌ„ce The Apostle here meaneth not y t al without exception shal be receaued to life by true repentance but y t the cause why God so long deferreth as it were y e extreme iudgement is y â— the electnomber of gods children may be complete as answere was giuen to those y â— cried vnder the aulter to be reuenged vpon the tyrannes that dwell on the earth of these his elect children God will none to perish as before is said But there is an nother sort of sinners farre different from these For nether are they displeased w t theÌ„ selues nether yet hate they iniquitie but against gods expresse coÌ„mandementes furiously they runne w t Cain to murther the innocent with Pharao to oppresse the people of God with Iudas to betray the knowen and professed veritie and finally so delyte they in all filthines impietie that they can not repent The eyes of such be blinded their heartes are hardened they are giuen ouer in to a reprobate minde And for theÌ„ doth not Christe Iesus pray and therefore they can do nothing but headlonges runne from euill to worse as the deuill to whose tyranny they are committed doth driue them till finally they come
condemne but with reuerence we do referre iudgemēt to him who is the vniuersall creator whose goodnes and wisdom is such that he can do nothing but wisely and whose iustice is so perfect that his workes are exēpted frō the iudgement of all creatures But the second part affirmyng that if God condemne mo then he shall saue that then his wraith is greater then his mercie is so irreuerēt so bold and blasphemous y t scarsly coulde I haue thoght y t y e deuill him self could haue imagined a more manifest blasphemie Who hath giuen the balance into thy hādes I speak to the most blasphemous writer to pōder ād wey gods mercie and wraith after thy corrupt iudgement if thow claimest the helpe of these former scriptures they proue no more that which thow pretendest then if thow shouldest affirm that God shall saue the deuill because his mercie is aboue all his creatures We do not deny but y t y e most wicked men are participant of gods mercie in temporall felicitie yea and y t farre aboue his chosen childrē that he maketh his son to shyne vpō the good ād bad that with long suffering he calleth them to repentance and delaieth their most iust cōdemnation But what wilt thow hereof cōclude that God hath ordeined mo to saluatiō thē to perdition orels is his wraith greater thē his mercie Blasphemous mouth who hath taught the to appoint a law to God The day shall come if spedelie thow repent not y t thow shalt fele what punishmēt is due to such as go aboute to bring the eternal God and his incōprehensible iudgemēts vnder y e thraldō of their corrupt reason But leauing thee I return to those whō gladly I wold īstruct ād to thē I say that the wordes of Dauid and of Isaiah do speake of that rich and inestimable mercie which God laieth vp in store for his chosen children to whom althogh God somtymes shew him self seuere and angry yet indureth that but for a short space but his mercie is euerlastīg ād his goodnes infinit by the which he marieth his chosen children to him self for euer and whether that these wordes be onely spoken to the elect orels that they be generally spoken to all let the holie Gost decyde the controuersie After that Dauid hath affirmed that God is liberall mercifull patiēt and of great gentilnes and also that he is good to all and that his mercie is ouer all his workes that the eies of all creatures look vpon him and that he is iust in all his workes by which sentences he praiseth the goodnes the mercie and the prouidence of God in the regiment gouernement of his vniuersall creation which goodnes ād mercie do so abounde that the innumerable iniquities of mākind and his detestable ingratitude cā not vtterly hinder the same from the creatures After these cōmon mercies I say whereof the reprobate are oftē partakers he openeth the treasure of his riche mercies which are kept in Christ Iesus for his elect Saing the Lord is nigh to all that vpon him to all that call vpon him in veritie he doeth the will of those that fear him and he heareth their crie and saueth thē The Lord kepeth all those that loue hī but he destroieth all the wicked such as willingly delite not in blīdnes may clerely se that the holie Gost maketh a plaine differēce betwext the graces and mercies which be cōmō to all and that soueraign mercie which is immutably reserued to the chosen children and further that the Lord himself shall destroy the wicked albeit his mercie be ouer all his workes And so that mercie by the which God pronoūceth to gather his Church is euerlastīg ād is not cōdmō to y e reprobate but is onely proper to y e flocke of Christ Iesus The wordes of God spoken vnto Moises do no more serue your purpose then do the other For God in his law expressedly doeth witnes to whom it is that he will shew mercie to thousandes to witt to those that loue him and kepe his commandements and vpon whom will he prosecute the iniquitie vnto the third and fourth generatiō vpō those saieth he y t hate me If here of ye cōclude y t his mercie towardes all is greater then his wraith ye conclude amis For ye confound those whom God hath separated and deuided he promiseth mercie to the thousand generation of those that loue him and threatneth to punishe the iniquitie of the fathers to the third and fourthe generation vpon those that hate him Hereof iustly ye can no further cōclude but that the mercie of God is greater towardes those that loue him thē his wraith against those that hate him And so far will we confes with you but if you abide in your error concluding as you plainely do in this your booke that the wrathe of God must be greater then his mercie except that he saue mo then shall be cōdemned as som of your sectes hath lately affirmed we fear not to affirme that your blasphemie is intollerable Or if you think as some alledge vpon Origene that becaus gods mercie is infinit and extendeth vnto all his workes that therefor the reprobate can not but once obtein mercie The plain scripture cōuicteth you For it affirmeth that the wraith of God abydeth vpō the vnfaithfull that their fyre shall not be quenched and that their worme shall not die If ye shall vnderstand that the elect hath nothing which they receaue not of mercie and that the punishment of the reprobate is most iustly deserued you shall not mesure gods mercie and his wraith by the multitude nor by the nombre but ye oght to consider that where none is worthie of gods mercies by their own merits yet hath it continued from the beginning and shal cōtinue vnto the end euer extending the self to gods children being in miserie and so this mercie must far surmount all wraith and iudgement for where the wraith of God once kindled against sinne oght to haue consumed and deuoured all mercie preualeth and delyuereth those that iustly might haue bene condemned And in this sense say we that gods mercie far surmounteth his iudgementes which interpretation if you admit not we will send you to reason with God and to impugne the same if you be able by manifest scriptures Now to the rest THE ADVERSARIE Of all sortes and Sectes of men I haue iudged them to be most abhorred which are called Athei that is to say such as denie that there is any God But now me think these carelesse men are much more to be abhorred my reason is because they be more iniurious to God then the Athey for he is les iniurious to a man that beleueth that he is not then they he which calleth him a cruel mā a tyrant and an vniust person so are they les iniurious to God which beleue that he is not then they which say he is vnmercifull cruell and an oppressor
shal be illuminated and you shall se first that becaus the creator is infinitly good that therefor it behoueth the creatures in their original creation to be good And so I doute not was the deuil created good but in the veritie he stood not And secoÌ„darely that because the iust iudgemeÌ„ts of God were no les to shyne in the damnation of the reprobat then his infinite mercie was to be praised in the vessels of honor it behoued the one and the other to be innocent and good in their creation For if the original had bene euill God iustly could not haue after daÌ„ned that which he had made no better but so we must confesse that it was good that yet willingly corrupting the self maÌ„ made away to the most iust executioÌ„ of gods eternal couÌ„sell And last that the eternall purpose of God might in tyme be notified vnto maÌ„ w c was that God wold bestow greater liberalitie shew greater loue aÌ„d mercie in the redeÌ„ption of maÌ„ iustly damned then that he did in his creation Of nothing he did creat him for his corporall substaÌ„ce was made of the dust which somtymes was not to his own image and similitude to him he gaue the dominion of all creatures these were documents of a true loue But if they be compared with that loue which in Christ Iesus we receiue and that of fre grace they are no thing For what is the dominion of earthlie creatures in respect that we shall reigne with Christ Iesus for euer what were the pleasures and fruites of Paradise in comparison of those heaueÌ„lie ioyes which sainct Paul affirmeth can not enter in to the heart of man If man had stand perpetually in Adam neither had the loue of God so wonderously bene notified vnto vs neither yet had place ben graÌ„ted to his fre grace aÌ„d mercie w c we receiue in Christ Iesus For mercy properly hath respect to miserie But y e cheif comfort of gods children is that as they fell in Adam so are they new transferred in an other that is in Christ Iesus to whom they are giuen and who as before we haue proued hath so receaued them from the hand of his Father that he shall giue lief euerlasting to so many as the Father hath giuen him If ye I say can not admitt these reasons why it behoued maÌ„ to be created good and yet after to fall in to sin and merserie accuse your selues storm not against God for he will not be subiect to your reason iudgements your horrible blasphemies against God and your dispitefull raling against vs at this tyme I will omitt and how impudently ye leap from the purpose of gods reprobation to the execution of his iudgement shal be spoken in weying this your reason which thus foloweth THE ADVERSARIE The scripture witnesseth that we did fall in Adam for damnation came of one sinne vnto condemnation then did we all stand afore in Adam for none falleth but he that standeth If we did all stand then were we all predestinate to lief for as our fall here is to damnation and death so is our standing vnto saluation and lief And to confirme this we haue many testimonies in the word which proue vs to be elected chosen and predestinat to lief afore the fall but none that proue any man to be abiected cast away damned and reprobate afore sinne by which death entred into the world Paul to the Ephesians saieth God did choose vs in Christe before the foundations of the world were laid and ordeined vs before through him to be heires vnto him self and were tâ—erunto predestinat I pray you shew me any testimonie of the scripture which so manifestly proueth that God hath reprobate any before the foundations of the world God hath no respect of persons For he calleth the world from the rising vp of the son vnto the going downe of the same he made bothe small and great and careth for bothe a like for they be all the work of his handes And Esdras saieth it was not gods will that man should com to nought but he prepared lief for them The holie Gost saieth that God hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing for he created all things that they might haue their being yea all the people of the earth hath he made that they should haue helthe and their should be no destruction in them and that the kingdom of hell should not be vpon earth what can be more plainely and more directly spoken against this error In an other place saieth the holie Gost God created man to be vndestroyed and agane God ordeined man that he should order the world according to equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true hearte doeth God ordein man to rule the world according to righteousnes whom he reprobated Do men gather grapes as Christ saieth of thornes and figges of thistles euen so euerie good tree bringeth furthe good fruites But a corrupt tree bringeth furth euill fruite a good tree can not bring furth badd fruit neither can a badd tre bring furth good fruite Matth. 7. Either make the tre good and the fruite good orels the tre euill and his fruite euill Either grant man at his creation to be righteous and good and then I think ye will abhorre to say that God afore the foundations of the world did reprobate his good and righteous creature orels grant him at his creation to be an euill and vnrighteous creature Could then righteous iudgement com of such an vnrighteous tree further if man at his creation was an euill things then was he not the creature of God For God sawe al that he had made and they were verie good if man at his creation or afore was reprobate and ordeined vnto death then was man giltie afore the transgressioÌ„ for God damned none but such as be gyltie If he was giltie afore his transgression then was he a sinner being yet innocent and iust afore he euer consenteth or committed sinne And so consequently of this error I may inferre many no such absurdities as should offend any faithfull mannes eares ANSWER As no man of hole iudgement did euer denie that in Adam we did fall so I think you aÌ„d your sect set a part there hath ben none that euer did affirme that in Adam we were predestinat to lief euerlasting True it is y t we stood in Adam created in his loynes but I suppose that ye will not hold that the children had greater priuiledge then had the father Adam did not so stand but that he was subiect to the law the transgression where of made him dettour to death To speake the mater more plainely Adam did so stand that he might and did fall as the euent declared aÌ„d were his children so elect in him that they could not fall so ye appere to conclude For thus ye reason if we did all stand then were we
should innocently suffer the death of the crosse But how litle doeth this releue the wilfull sinne of Pilate shall after be declared EueÌ„ such libertie and power as ye had to write these former and subsequeÌ„t blasphemies had Ananias of his land and money receiued for the same For as you being infected with heresie malice and enuie did willingly write and vtter your veÌ„nom so he being auaricious and a dissembling hypocrite did of a fre consenting heart reserue a portion to him self offering a parte to the Churche of God with protestatioÌ„ that it was the hole some thinking therebie to haue obteined the commendation and praise which hypocrites deserue not But what was gods purpose counsell and will in that behalf is euident to witt that we shall abhorre and auoid hypocrisie that we shall not abuse the simplicitie of our brethren neither yet make protestation of that thing before men affirming that to be trew which our own conscience knoweth to be fals But now to the rest THE ADVERSARIE Here I think it is good to answere to their obiectioÌ„s which they collect of Peters denying of his master If these thinges which God foreseeth to com to passe say they may be left vndone then notwithstanding that Christ did foresee that Peter should denie him Peter might yet haue not denied him I answer that notwithstanding Christ did foresee that Peter should denie him yet was not Peter compelled thereto but might haue not denied Christ well say they then should Christ haue ben a lier for he said that Peter should denie him I answer that notwithstanding that Christ so said â–ª yet might Peter haue not denied himâ— aÌ„d Christ notwithstanding should haue ben no lier the like example haue we in the first book of Samuel Dauid asked counsel at the Lord if Saul wold come to Keyla and the Lord said he will com downe then said Dauid will the men of keyla delyuer me and the men that are with me into the hands of Saul And the Lord said they will betray you Then Dauid with his men departed from key la which when Saul heard he left of from his interprise and com not to Keyla Here we se that neither gods foreknowledge which is also conforme to his saing neither yet his prophecyeing did take libertie frome Saul from the men of keyla neither from Dauid and his mâ— nother did Saul come to keyla neither the men of keyla betraied Dauid as the Lord had spoken And Dauid had libertie with his men to auoid the danger notwithstanding God had spoken it should come to passe so all they had libertie yea euen after God had pronounced what shoulde be done In so much that their doings were plaine contrarie to the prophecie of God And yet was God true for he did foresee that if Dauid did not departe frome keyla vsing such libertie as God had giuen him he with his men should be betrayed into the hands of Saule and I pray you might not Peter like wise vsing his libertie auoyd the bushopps howse and so neuer bene tempted to denie Christe Yes I am sure as well as Dauid auoided Keyla ANSWER If you be able to proue that Dauid stoode in also hote a contention against God as Peter did against his master Christ Iesus that Dauid affirmed the expressed contrarie to that which God had pronounced and that God had appointed the certen time aswell when Saule should come as when the men of keyla should betrey him then might ye haue had som coulor to haue compared and matched the deniall of Peter with the flieÌ„g of Dauid But if Peters deniall was with a dooble affirmation pronounced by the mowth of Christe Iesus and if the sentence of God bothe touching the comming of Saule and touching the vnthankfulnes of the men of keyla was conditionall ye be more theâ— bold that take vpoâ— you to ioyn togither things so diuerse Christes wordes to Peter were neither spoken nor ment vnder any condition but were pronounced as foloweth Verelie verelie I say vnto the that the cock shal not crowe till thow shall denie me thrise Which wordes leaue neither libertie fredome nor power to Peter to prouide for him self that this senteÌ„ce should not be true but the wordes and answers spoken to Dauid were according to his questions which were first if that brute of Saules coÌ„ming was true aÌ„d if the men of keyla to whom he had shewen such thankfulnes of late before should becom so ingrate that they should betrey him into the haÌ„des of Sauleâ— And God did answere that Saule should come downe and that the citezens of keyla should betray him But I trust ye will not be so impudent as to denie but that both these affirmations were spoken conditionally to assure Dauid of his doubâ—es and to giue him aduertisment that neither he shoulde abyde the hasard of Saules comming neither yet coâ—mit him self and his meÌ„ of warre to the fidelitie of those that were in keyla Be iudges now your selues how far different be the wordes spokeÌ„ to Peter and the wordes spoken to Dauid Ye procede THE ADVERSARIE But now to returne to our purpose if I shall grante that all thinges of mere necessitie must come to passe according to the prescience and fore knowledge of God then had Adam afore the traâ—sgâ—â—ssion no fre will but of mere necessitie did he offend forasmuch as God did foresee his fall Then had Christ no fre will for God did foresee all that Christ was to do then is God bound him self aÌ„d hath no libertie to do nor leaue vndone that which he doeth forasmuch as he foreseeth all his own workes This belike you will make a goodlie wise God God saue vs frome such dangerous aÌ„d horrible errors and giue vs stedfast and perfect faith to beleue not onely that he is but also that he is an omnipotent God Which frely after his own good pleasure doeth and may do or leaue vndone what so euer pleaseth him ANSWER Before I answer to the absurdities which of our doctrine ye collect I must in few wordes put you in minde that verie foolishely ye ioyn the fre will of Adame with the free will of Christe Iesus and with the libertie of God for Adams will was neuer so free but that it might as that it did coÌ„ to thraldom which weaknes you be neuer able to proue at any tyme to haue bene in Christes will further the will of Adam was alwaies vnder the impire and threatning of a law to which subiectioÌ„ I thiâ—k ye wil not bring God But now to your absurdities If say you I shall grante that all thinges of mere necessitie must com to passe according to the prescience and foreknowledge of God then had Adam afore his transgression no fre will your illation or consequence is fals for the fore knowledge and prescience of God did neither take away fre will from Adam neither yet did
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
to perfourme but by the euil as by sathan and wicked meÌ„ in so far as they are not regenerat as oft as God doth execute the iust counselles and decreis of his eternall will he declareth his own strength and efficacie in his work by them which they do ether ignoraÌ„tly orels against their purpose And yet in so far as they worke God worketh not in theÌ„ but he louseth the bridle to sathan to whom by his iust iudgement he giueth them ouer to be moued and possessed forwarde to all iniquitie that they may be caried to perdition euen by the instigation of the deuil and by their own propre will Thus haue you briefly the som of our doctrin in this mater which if ye be able by manifest scriptures or yet by good argumeÌ„tes from the same deduced to improue theÌ„ caÌ„ we not refuse to make satisfactioÌ„ as the Church of Christ Iesus shall require of vs. But if that vniustly ye haue accused vs and haue further imputed crueltie vpon God by reason that his iudgemeÌ„tes most iust in them selues are to your senses incompreheÌ„sible theÌ„ can we not of conscience cease to require of you a greater modestie aÌ„d also of the lawfull Magistrate an ordre to be takeÌ„ that your malice aÌ„d vennon may be repressed assuring them that if by tymes your interprises be not impeded that they shall shortly fele what confusion ye haue of long fostered in your breastes your poison is more pestilent theÌ„ that of the papistrie was in the beginning God for his mercies saik preserue his Churche and purge your heartes to his glorie Towching the secrete will of God which so oft ye lay to our charge we shall after speak as also how God will that all repent and that all be saued Before I haue declared that this difference must we make betwext God and man be he neuer so poteÌ„t that God hath such power ouer his creatures that he reuleth them at his pleasure and is not a simple law giuer which onely can deuise good lawes and giue commandement that they may be kept but can not thogh he wold frame the heartes of his subiectes to obedience Such imperfection I say can we not admitt in our God who doth aÌ„d hath done what so euer he will in heauen and in earth And so your similitude of the king commaÌ„ding and of the poorest sclaue offending halteth aÌ„d is imperfect for God hath greater power ouer all creatures yea euen ouer the king him self theÌ„ the king hath ouer his sclaue for the sclaue when he hath offended by som meanes he may escaip the kinges handes and so the punishemeÌ„t of his lawes But so can not the king the handes of God Consider the inequalitie betwext God and maÌ„ I say and then I trust your iudgemeÌ„t shall ether be reformed or els ye coÌ„streined to deuise more solide reasoÌ„s I haue not learned in the scriptures to call the corruption of our nature by the which we rebell against gods commandement power but rather impotentie and thraldome But ceasing to contend or striue for termes I wonder what ye meaÌ„ by your conditional which thus ye forme otherwies that is if we had no power to offend against gods will we should all obserue the will of God and be saued and so do you conclude there should be no reprobation I will not commonly scoffe at you as your foolishnes deserueth but here I must say that this your reason is no better then if I shuld affirme that there is no difference betwext fowles of the ayr and the rest of the creatures of the earth because that if all creatures had winges and lyke agilitie that then all creatures shuld flie aswell as the fowles and so should there in that case be no difference Your reason hath no greater strengthe for it standeth onely vpon conditionalles whereof ye iustly can conclude nothing Proue if ye can that it was and is the immutable couÌ„sel of God that all should be saued aÌ„d theÌ„ ye may proue that there shal be none reprobate But now we followe as ye procede THE ADVERSARIE As for the sentence of Paule God willing to shew his wrathe to make his power knowen suffered with long pacience the vesselles of wrath ordeined to damnation c. it is direct contrarie to your error not withstanding ye abuse it to maintein the same For seing as Paul saieth God suffered them with greate pacieÌ„ce he is sorie for them if he be sorie theÌ„ hath he no pleasure in their destructioÌ„ aÌ„d that wherein he hath no pleasure he willeth it not and that w c he willeth not he doth not ordein it Wherefor seing God suffered theÌ„ with greate pacieÌ„ce to fall he hath not ordeined theÌ„ to fall y n dispisest saieth S. Paule y e riches of gods goodnes aÌ„d patieÌ„ce aÌ„dloÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce not knowing that y e kindnes of God leadeth the to repeÌ„taÌ„ce behold here the cause why God suffered with long pacience is that we should repent and amend If they had ben absolutely ordeined to damnation afore the foundation of the world â–ª then God knew they should neuer repent and amend to what purpose then suffered he them with loÌ„g pacience Notwith standing this is plaine ynowgh â–ª aÌ„d conform to the word â–ª yet ye dispising what so euer is contrarie to your mynd ye stik fast to the literall sense of thâ—se wordes ordeined to damnation which wordes be spoken after the common maner of speaking as they be called after the common phrase of speach ordeined to damnatioÌ„ whose end is damnation we vse to say of a man that is cast to be hanged this man was born to be hanged not with standing it was not his mothers mynd to beare him to be haÌ„ged Such phrases haue we verey many in the scriptures as Exod. 11 Pharao harkened not vnto you that many wonders may be done in the land of Egipt forasmuch as the wonders done in Egipt were greuous to Pharao he did not disobey the intent that mo wonders which were plagues should com vpon him but this was the issue of his obstinat inobedienco Exod. the XIX who so euer giueth his sede vnto Moloch let him be slayn because he hath geuen of his sede vnto Moloch to defyle my Sanctuarie and to pollute my holie Name The Israelites did not sacrifice their children to Moloch to defyle the lordes sanctuarie and to dishonor the Name of God but to worship Moloch notwithstanding that was the issue and end of their sacrifice vnto Moloch that the Lordes sanctuarie was defiled and his Name dishonored Thereby Ieroboam made the two golden claues wherby he made Israel sinne to anger the Lord God of Israel The cause why Ieroboam made the two golden claues and his intention was not to anger God but he thoght that if the people should go vp aÌ„d do sacrifice in the howse of the Lorde at IerusaleÌ„ there heartes shulde return to Roboam king of Iuda wherefor he made
question was the brother commanded to kill the brother yea the father not to spare the sonne I think verely that if iudgement shoulde be referred vnto you y t that then shoulde Moises and the tribe of Leui be iudged wolues sent to dâ—uore innocent shepe But because we knowe what God hath allowed we y e les feare y e iudgemeÌ„t of man If ye claime any priuiledge bâ— the coÌ„ming of the Lord Iesus him self wil answer that he is not come to break nor destroy the Law of his heaueÌ„lie father Where further ye ask if Abel did kill Cayn or Dauid Saul or he which is born of the spirit did kill him which is borne of the flesh I answer if your question be of Abel Dauid and Isaak in their proper persons that none of them did kill any of these fore named But if thereof ye inferre no more is it lawâ—ul for any of gods elect to kill any man for his conscience sake I answer that if vnder the name of conscience ye include what soeuer semeth good in your owne eyes that then ye affirme a great absurditie manifestly repugning aswel to gods lawe as to the examples of those whom God hath hieghly praised in his holie Scriptures But because coÌ„tinually ye claime to your conscience to remoue from you that vaine couerture I ask if the murtherer adulterer or any other malefactor shoulde be exempted from punishmeÌ„t of y e law althogh he alledge that he did all thiÌ„g of coÌ„scieÌ„ce I trust ye wil coÌ„fesse that he oght to be mocked y t wil claime the patrocinie of coÌ„science when that he doth plainely offend against gods wil reueled And why will ye not grant asmuch in this mater which now standeth in contrauersie because say you externall crimes haue no affinitie with maters of religion for y e conscience of euerie man is not a like persuaded in y e seruice and honoring of God nether yet in such coÌ„trouersies as gods worde hath not plainely decided but I ask if that be a iust excuse why pernicious errors shall be obstinatly defended ether yet that gods established religion shall be contempteously dispised To make y e mater more plaine Israel and Iudah were not bothe of one minde in the honoring of God after y t the tenne Tribes departed froÌ„ the housholde of Dauid yea Iuda in the self was often corrupted with pestilent idolatrie in somuch that the fathers did offer their children to Moloch which I am assured they did not without some zeale w c they thoght tobe good coÌ„science But not withstanding those controuersies diuers opinioÌ„s and forged consciences at their own appetites Helias did kill the priestes of Baal wasâ— he borne I pray you of y e flesh or was he not rather regenerated by gods holie spirit Ioâ—ias did kill all y e priestes of the hie places did burne meÌ„s bones vpoÌ„ their altars and was he I besech you brother to Cayn or rather fellow heire of the Kingdom promised with Abel But that he was gods most faithful King after Dauid I trust ye wil not denie except that ye wil say as before boldly ye haue affirmed of other that God reuenged blood with blood in that he suffered him to fal in battel But y e Spirit of God speaking in the prophet Ieremie is more mylde of iudgement for he absolueth him and doeth affirme that he was taken away forâ— the sinnes of the people CoÌ„sider these things and conuict vs if ye can by scriptures We say the man is not persecuted for his conscience that declining from God blaspheming his Maiestie and coÌ„temning his religion obstinatly defendeth erroneous fals doctrine This maÌ„ I say lawfully â—onuicted if he suffer the death pronounced by a lawful Magistrate is not persecuted as in y â— name of Seruetus ye furiously complein but he suâ—â—ereth punishement according to gods coÌ„mandement pronounced in Deutronomie the XIII chapiter To put end to these your calumnies for this time two things I wolde require of you First that thus foolishly ye abuse not the name of conscience which you say constreineth you to write to the ende that ye might awake vs out of our dreames Conscience for assurance of the self in weldoing must haue a testimonie of gods plaine wil reueled which ye shal not fynd to be your assurance that so odiously ye may accuse vs of those crimes whereof ye be neuer able to conuict vs. The second is that by plaine scriptures and sollid reasons ye studie to confute our doctrine and not by raging wordes spoken as it were by men in a frennesie you shal neuer be able to proue ether that our doctrine is poysoned ether yet that we drawe the people to a secure ydle and careles lief Blessed be God y e father of our Lord Iesus Christ who of his mere mercie hath caused our doctrine somwhat to fructifie our good hope is that with vs and his afflicted Church he wil continue his father lie fauor in such sorte that from tyme to tyme he wil leaue documentes to y â— aeges following y t his heaueÌ„ly doctrine is not sent in vaine To him be glorie foreuer Now to y t that followeth in your booke THE ADVERSARIE â–ª Now to that which ye say that Adam and Dauid euen in committing of Idolatrie homicide all kind of wickednes they be stâ—l in gods fauor mark â–ª I pray you how the saying of the prophet Zacharie is verified in you In this saith he ye griâ—â—e the Lord that ye say They thaâ— dâ— euil are good in the sight of God and such please him can there be any thing more manifesâ—ly spâ—ken against your error â–ª and truelye it semeth to me that ye wold intyce the people by this doâ—trine to sinne for if the elect lose not the faâ—or of God by sinne nether the repobate forasmuch aâ— yâ— say neuer were nor can be in hâ— faâ—or â–ª so that they can not lose that which they haue not â–ª who nedeth to feare then to lose the fauor of God by sinne It is no matter then what we do â–ª but conâ—rarie to your doctrine we be taught by the holâ—e Gost in the worde that God hateth all workes of iniquitie and he that committeth sinne is oâ— the deuil And doeth God fauor them that be membres of the deuil Paul saeth no unclean person hathe any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and God theÌ„ was AdaÌ„ wheÌ„ he transgressed not of the Kingdome of god for he was an unclean person defiled with sinne If he was nâ—t of the kingdomâ— of God theÌ„ was he of the kingdoÌ„ of the deuil so was he out of the election euen as Adam did sayth the Lord so haue they broken my couenant and set me at naught If Adam in breking the Lordes couenant setting God at naught was stil beloued of God then may we say with the wicked as it is written It is but lost labor to
so shall thy nauel be hole and thy bones strong â–ª And Iâ— but is not we that can fynde out the almightie for in power equitie and righteousnes he is hiegher then can be expressed Let men therefor feare him for there shall no man se him that is wise in his own conceat we must not â—eke out the sâ—cretes of God for we shall not preuaile but bring our selues to consufion If we go about to establishe our opinions by gods secret will we must nedes fâ—ll in horrible darcknes and errors for who can know what the will of God is we must submitt our selues with all humilitie to the word and there with great reuerence search out such things as are written for our comfort and edification which we can not duelie vnderstand without the spirit of God to teache vs as it is written oh Lord who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstanding and meaning except thâ—w giue him wisdom and send thy holy Gost from aboue But if we prepare our selues with râ—uerence to read the word of God to the intent to vnderstand it to our consolation and with humilitie submâ—t our selues to do it God will open to vs so much as is ether necessarie or profitable for vs. ANSWER What confirmation our doctrine hath by the inuincible and most euident testimonies of gods holie scriptures I will not now dispute onely I must coÌ„pleine that maliciously and most impudently ye wrest our wordes and peruert our myndes And for the probatioÌ„ thereof I say that ye are neuer able to shew in any of our writings the wordes and sentences which in this place ye affirme vs to say ye be neuer able I say to proue that we haue written or taught that God by his reueled will will all men to be saued and yet by his secrete will he willeth many to be damned That by his reuâ—led will he willeth no wickednes but by his secret will he will Pharao to be hard hearted Semei to curse Dauid the Patriarkes to sell their brother Ioseph that by his reueled will he wolde not that Adam shoulde fâ—ll but by his secret will he willeth Adam to fall These propositions I say you be neuer able to shew in our writinges nether yet to proue that our doctrine did or doth tend to that end for we constantly affirme that God reueled vnto vs his most holie and most iust wil in his plaine and holie scriptures which do assure vs that a separation shal be made betwext the goates and the lambes that the one shal receaue the kingdom propared vnto them before all beginning and that the other shal be adiudged to the fyre which neuer shal be quenched That God stirred and raised vp Pharao that his power might be declared in him that these wordes God plainely spoke to Moises I know that Pharao shal not permitte the people to depart therefore haue I hardened his heart that I may multiplie my woÌ„ders vpon him that Dauid did represse the furie of Abisai and of his seruantes who wolde haue killed Semei saying suffre him to curse for the Lord hath commanded him the Lord perchance shal behold my affliction and shal reward me with good for his cursing this day That Ioseph said to his bretheren be you not moued with sorow y â— ye haue solde me for the Lord hath sent me for conseruation of a great multitude it is not therefore you that haue sent me hither but God who hath made me father to Pharao and Lord ouer his hole house None of all these I say do we cast vpon gods secrete will as ye falsly accuse vs but we do constantly affirme that his will is so plainely reueled in these maters that such as shall denie any of them to haue bene gods wil can not escape abnegation of his eternall veritie And further we say that the fall of man is plainely reueled vnto vs not onely by experience but euen by that same law which was imposed to him shortly after his creation the transgression whereof made Adam and all his posteritie criminall and giltie to gods iustice that nether against gods wil reueled nether yet against his secrete wil. for by his will reueled can no man further conclude but this that in what day soeuer AdaÌ„ should eate of the frute forbiddeÌ„ that he should die the death But Adam against gods command ement did eat and therefor did he iustly vnderly the sentence of death And thus do we referre to gods will manifestly reueled what soeuer ye imagin that we ascribe to his secret will Nether yet nede you to maruell if ye list to take such paines as to read our writiÌ„ges where that we finde the doctryne that we teach your surmised lie we cast vpon your selues seing that Moises the prophetes Christ Iesus and his Apostles in all writings do affirme the same But yet lest that ye should think that we attribute nothing to gods secret wil I will in few wordes confesse what we teach maintein and beleue in that case And that the rather because you gather agreate absurditie not of our doctryne but of that which ye falsely imput vpon vs in this maner for asmuch you say as the secrete will of God is knowen to none but to him self alone Who hath reueled it to you how can you say this is gods secret will if it was gods secret will that Adam should fall and you knew it â–ª then it is both secret and vnsecret both reueled and vnreueled both knowen and vnknowen What greate absurditie is this To the which I answere according to your impudeÌ„t foolishnes that because you fight with your owne shadowe these yo r dartes do hurt vs nothing for we do not affirme that we do knowe the fall of man by gods secret will but by his will manifestly reueled vnto vs by his holie scriptures Or more plainly to answer yo r reasons which you think inuincible we say that that wil which was secret in God before all time was reueled to man in time by his owne word and that from time to to time the same became more manifest as sainct Paul witnesseth in these wordes To me the least of all saintes is giuen this fauor or grace that I should preach amoÌ„gest the GeÌ„tiles the vnsearchable riches of Christe That I should bring forth to light before all meÌ„ what is y e coÌ„munion of the mysterie w c was hid from all ages in God who hath made all things by Christ Iesus that the manifest wisdome of God may nowe be notified to principates and powers in heauenlie things by the Church according to the fore appointment of the ages which he hath made in Christ Iesus our lorde so that we are now bold to say that albeit no creature did knowe before all time what ordre God should kepe in the creation and disposition of all thinges in time yet may we nowe I say be bolde to affirme that the secrete was hidde in the
will suffer those thinges any longer but rather persuade him self assuredly that as God did once destroye the Cananites so will he now also these For thogh all these thinges which I haue recited before were tollerable thinck you that they shall escape vnpunished for defending and mainteining that most execrable impietie of the popish preachers Who is ignorant how greate iniquitie is in the bying selling of Masses I will say nothing of the rest Surely as Christ draue out the byers sellers out of the church so shall he now also roote out the priestes with their patrones and companions be strong therfor and to gratiâ—ie God slay all this vnprofitable multitude To make peace with them I can see no waye honest safe or sure inough for they will nether leaue of their purpose nether restore vs to libertie nether permitte the true worshipping of God and it were better for vs to die â–ª then to alowe their iniquitie and to suffer our selues to be spoiled of the doctrine of y e Gospell I promise you assuredly that God shall prosper vs â–ª and that the victorie shal be ours For he him self promised me to my face euen he I say that can not deceaue nor lie commanded me to beginne this worke on this maner by punishing the Magistrates and in dedâ— the power of God herein appereth most excellent when a greate multitude of ennemies is slayne by a smal haÌ„d To lette many other thinges passe ye know what Gedeon broght to passe with a fâ—aw what Ionathas did accompanied with one poore seruant onely what Dauid did when he fought alone against that monster Golias of huge stature who for his height was euen terrible to loke on There is no doubte but this day in like maner shal be notable and had in remembrance of all posterities for the like spectacle For althogh we seme not to be well fournished with weapons nor fensed as it apperteineth yet shall we haue the victorie And this workemanship of heauen and earth shall rather be changed then that we shal be forsaken of God for so in times past was the nature of the sea changed that the Israelites might escape danger when of Pharao they were pursewed let not the iudgement of your owne reason moue you nether let any apperance of shadow of danger trouble you but valiantly inuade the wicked and vngodly ennemie neuer let their engâ—â—es of wâ—rre make you afraid for I will receiue in the lâ—ppe of my garment al y e gunstones Behold se you not hâ—w mercifull God is vnto vs â–ª Loke vp I besech you and marke wel the signe and testimonie of his perpetuall loue toward vs Lift vp your eyes and see me the bowe of heauen by the which image shewed vs from aboue God signifieth to vs most manifestly that he will assist vs in this battell for as much as we haue the same bow painted in our enseigne he sheweth also by the very same death and destruction to our tyrannes Therfor fall vpon your ennemies with a lustie courage hauing an assured hope that God will helpe you For God will not that ye should make peace with the wicked aduersaries WheÌ„ he had made an eÌ„d of exhorting his souldiours who neuertheles for the most part trembled for the greatenes of the present daÌ„ger But all thinges were done in a hurley burley without any certen rule or order Moreouer there were some of a desperate audacitie readie to put to their handes to euery mischeuous acte these of their owne nature enclining to worke meschief were theÌ„ more sette on fire by his oration but chieflly they were moued by the rainebow which stode in the element as it is said before and that toke they for a most sure signe of victorie And this also helped them that they were a great number about eight thousand men and that the place was fitte for to defend them So these men that were so boldened with a lowde voice admonished all men to take their weapoÌ„s and to go furth against the ennemie with a good courage and they had also a song wherein they asked the assistance of gods holy spiritte But before this a certen yong man of noble birth was sent vnto them whom Muncer contrary to the law of armes and to the custom of any nation slew wherwith the Princes were so prouoked that they blew their trompettes to batell and sette their men in araye At that time there was there Philippe Prince of Hesse who althogh he was the yongest of all yet rode he to and fro exhorting the souldiours to be strong which exhortation being ended they inuaded their enemies beginning first to shote of their ordinance And then the miserable men as all amased or â–ª besides them selues nether defended theÌ„ selues nor yet fled to saue their liues but song still that song to the holy Gost to helpe them And the most part of them put such confidence in Mâ—cers faire promises that they looked for helpe from heauen WheÌ„ they had shot of their ordinance and began to assaute their holdes and that many of them were on euery side slayne then were they put to flight and went to Francusium but some of them weÌ„t to the other side of the hil where they kept out for a while a few horsemen and slew one or two of them But when they were al for the most part fledde the horsemen scattered and dispersed wandred to fro without order so that whither so euer boures fled they were pursewed But some of their meÌ„ as I said before being slaine the residue all kindled with fury desire of reueÌ„ge were more violeÌ„t and were slayn to the nuÌ„ber of 5000 â–ª streight waye FrancusiuÌ„ was takeÌ„â—y batell and 300 in it which were beheaded Muncer fledde into the towne and hid him self in a house not farre froÌ„ the gate Into the which it happened that a certen geÌ„til man entered whose seruant going vp into the vpper parte of the house of purpose to vewe the dwelling he found a certaine man lying vpon a bedde of whom he demanded what he was and whether he were one of the rebelles which fled out of the tumult That he denied saing That euen then he was sicke of an agew It happened that besides the bedde there laye a purse which the other snatched vp hoping to gette â—ome pray in it After he had opened it he found therin a letter wherin Albert Mansfeld admonished Muncer to leaue of his entreprise and not to stirre the people to seditioÌ„ when he had redde these leters he asked if they were written to him but when he denied it he forced him so that he confessed him self to be Muncer and intreated him Then being taken he was broght to George y e Duke of Saxon and to the Lantgraue who asked him why he had so deceiued poore men he answered that he had done nothing but his duetie and that the Magistrates who wold not abidâ— y e doctrine of the