in Christe M. Theodor Beza of Vezel whiche his sayd worke whē I had pervsed to my great comfort and enablement against the foe I beganne eftsoones to pittie the wante of suche a worthy worke to mine owne countriemen to whome the Lorde hath not giuen the vnderstanding of tongues though manye and mightie blessings in his heauenlye truth And least I might be found to haue buried my poore talent in the erth whē it might do good or deuoyd of that Simpathie which the people haue that inioy the Lord I employed mine endeuour by all the spare time that I had from other necessarie affaires to acquainte this the said renoumed worthy worke with our mother tong and that especially for two sortes of people the one are those of the Lords secret ones who yet wander in the way of ignorance and eftsones take part with the wicked cause for lacke of helpes in that they finde no meane to withstande the batteries of Satan in the enemie The other are those whom god hath alredy sealed in the felowship of his truth by the testimonie of a good conscience and assured zeale to serue the Lorde in Sion and yet want enablement to stande for the Lorde But amongst these especially for the helpe of them whose place of present being doeth require at their hands their better enablement to further the Lords poore ones in the way of life whome they haue wonne without warrantise whose diligence in time to come God graunt may be so much as their vnderstanding small whom inchaunting Circe the worlde hath bewitched and broughte into a compasse beyond themselues and made them retchlesse in loue of the Lord and as fallen vnder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sonke down in selfeloue haue thrust themselues into the Lords sanctuarie the dyreful downefall and destruction of many soules as it is written Vbi non est visio dissipabitur populus where there is no preaching the people perishe or without walking in the warranted waye haue lefte to call to the Lorde for labourers and made stones breade and in their blind liking haue with Vzza stept to the vpholding of the Lords Arke in the time of staggering but to their owne decay whose condemnation sleepeth not whereof some in deede haue Vrim but not Thummim some Thummim but not Vrim and many none of both whose song will be with Lysimachus if repentāce be not a remedie with speede That this my poore trauell mighte be set in warrantize against Zoylus and the carping foe to passe forth for the accomplishment of that good that is hoped for I eftsones most humbly recommend it to your Honors protection whose zeale for the Lords family I haue eftsons experiēced to my great comfort in the time of my being within your iurisdiction in Lincolneshire The Lorde increase in you his manye and mightie blessings multiply vpon you the measure of his grace that as he hath chosen you into the forefront of his haruest and giuē vnto you amongst others the chiefest and especiall charge to see his fielde furnished with labourers so he continually make ful the measures of his own mercies in your hart that the end of al and singular our attempts may be lyned by the word of life to the aduancemāt of the name of our eternal God by the faythfull furtherance of the free passage of his word amōg his people that such as yet wander in the wildernesse of most palpable blindnes or sense lesse obstinacie for wāt of workemē wel armed with appurtināces incident to such soucraign embassage on the lords behalfe might be brought home to the vnitie of one simplicitie in Christian profession that Gods glorie maye bee aduaunced his Church vniuersally profited and your Lordship with others in such place discharged to stand boldely before the maiestie of the Almightie in the day of Christ VVhich thing as for many benefites receiued I am most bounde so I most humbly and hartilye craue at the handes of our eternall father by Christe to whose merciful assistaunce and mightie prouidence remayning to performe vnto you al the duties that I may I do most humbly committe you Your Lordships most bounden in the Lord VVilliam Hopkinson ¶ THE PREFACE OF the Slaunders against the Doctrine of Iohn Caluin or rather of euery faithfull Congregation of the secrete Prouidence of God. THY Doctrine Iohn Caluine a man muche renowmed in all the worlde hath many fauourers but therewithall the same in like sort hath many aduersaries But I who wishe there may be one doctrine as there is one trueth and all to consente therevnto if it maye bee haue thoughte conuenient to admonishe thee familiarly of those things whiche are vsually bruyted agaynst thy doctrine that if they be false thou wouldest refute them and sende thy refutation to vs that we maye the rather withstande them and do it with suche proofes as the people maye vnderstande And there be many things wherein many dissent from thee but for the present leauing the rest to some other conuenient time I will deale with thee of the argument of Destinie or Predestination bicause both this Article moueth much controuersie in the Church which we wish may be suppressed and also the Aduersaries reasons in this Argument seeme to be suche as can not be refelled by those Bookes whiche hitherto thou haste published There are caried here and there of this matter certayne Articles gathered out of thy bookes whiche I will heere tumultuously set downe and then I will shewe those things which vsually are alleaged agaynst euery of them that thou mayste the rather see where vnto to answere THE ANSVVERE ALBEIT we haue euer endeuored to set forth that doctrine whiche is not oures but Iesus Christes in such sorte that we might winne many to the delight and loue thereof yet arte thou Sycophant much deceyued if thou thinkest that wée stande vpon the multitude eyther of foes or fauourers For neither are we so much vnskilfull of the state of men or vnmindefull of the very wordes of Christe that wée should forget that there haue bene euer moe founde who haue withstoode the truth than defended it Thou truely as I perceyue bethinkyng thy selfe of some wise preface haste chosen that one whiche did moste accorde with thy nature and inclination for so almoste it falleth amongst men especially of guiltie consciences that they déeme others by their owne disposition Therefore bycause thou shrowding thy selfe as it were vnder the shadowe of thy pretended modestie dost of olde ayme at this marke that the moste may thinke thée some body haste in déede déemed that we are grieued with the same infirmitie and therfore that thou couldst not worke vs a greater dispite than if with a certaine sottishe kinde of chattering thou mightest pretend to haue done this as bewayling our miserie carefull for the defence of our cause thou shouldest friendly familiarly write vnto vs But in déede we maruel that any man so practised in deceit could so forget him self
it tendeth for ouer and aboue that oure neyghboures faultes and the scourges wherewith God punisheth them ought sufficiently to warne vs that we prouoke not his anger against ourselues There is also another thing required of vs that is that oure mindes ought to be stricken with griefe bycause God is offenbed and bycause the soule of the finner runneth to destruction With such a zeale of Gods glory we shoulde be inflamed that when it is imperilled we should be oppressed with the anguish of sorowes where with oure heart may be sore afflicted We oughte so to loue our neyghboures with a ready affection of minde that when we sée the perill hang ouer them and especially their soules we maye be moued with compassion Sathan indéede by these Losels would make men amazed that whatsoeuer confusion we shall sée we shall be touched with no care nor be affected in any sort If we sée the name of God to be torne with blasphemies his holy precepts violated soules destroyed and all finne and wickednesse florishe as in déede these scoffers whatsoeuer befall doe laugh are touched with no care least collor mighte kill them excepte when somewhat is done that lesse pleaseth them for then forgetfull of all these pleasant speculations of not iudging they become farre more sharp and rigorous than others And they also secretely mocke them of whome they are nourished and ldoe thrust out their tongs behinde theyr backes For al their delighte and studye is in this that they may iocandly take their pleasure in quietnesse and securitie for they haue heard this sentence of Salomon that the bones are withered with a sorowfull spirite So least lost with leanenesse they haue founde this way of pleasant and peaceable delighting that is al carefulnesse expelled in approouing all those things wherewith it is of necessitie that Gods children be moued and troubled in mind least they should haue any more cause of sorrow Lo how delighting themselues in euill things equally as in good they turne all things to their commoditie But Paule sayeth that thys is a heape of iniquitie when one doth not onely committe iniquitie but assenteth therevnto with delight Therefore if there be credite to be giuen to Paule lette vs holde these for the most wicked of all men which are not therewith satisfyed in that they sléepe in theyr owne sinnes they breake out into that wickednesse that they gladde themselues in others sinnes Doe not these things yet content thée and wilte thou vrge me to other of Caluines Bookes heare therefore what he hathe taughte a good whyle agoe of the same matters in the. 2. Chapter and. 69. Section of Christiā Institutions Farre other is the manner sayth he of the diuine action which that it may more certaynely appeare to vs let the calamitie done to holy Iob by the Chaldees be for an example The Chaldees when they had stayne hys pasters they dispoyle his flocke as enimies Nowe their wicked acte is euident Nor ceasseth Sathan in that worke from whome the historie telleth all that did come But Iob himselfe reknowledgeth the Lordes worke in it who he sayeth tooke from him those thinges that were taken away by the Chaldes Now may we referre the selfesame worke to God to Sathan to man the author but eyther we shall excuse Sathan by Gods company or pronounce God the author of euil easily if we firste consider the ende of working and then the manner The Lordes determination is to exercise the patience of his seruaunte by calamitie Sathan laboureth to driue him to desperation The Chaldees by another mans goodes besydes right and equitie sée to gette aduantage Such diuersitie in the purposes dothe mightely distinguishe the worke there is no lesse difference in the manner God yéeldeth hys seruaunte to bée afdicted to Sathan hée yéeldeth hym the Chaldees whome he chose to be hys ministers to execute it and gyueth them to be inforced Sathan otherwayes prouoketh the wicked mindes of the Chaldees wyth their poysoned dartes to the accomplishment of that wicked acte They furiousely rushe to imustice and wrappe and defyle all their members with wickednesse Sathan therefore is properly sayde to worke in the reprobate in whome he exerciseth his kingdome that is the kingdome of sinne God is sayde also to worke after this manner bycause Sathan hymselfe séeyng hée is but an instrumente of hys wrath he inforceth hym thys way and that way as he will and at his becke to execute hys iust iudgementes I let passe héere the vniuersall mouing of God whence all creatures as they are susteyned so they receyue efficacie to doe any thing I speake onely of that speciall doyng whych appeareth in euery déede To ascribe therefore one déede to God to Sathan and to mā we sée is not absurde but the varietie in the end and manner causeth that the inblame◠able iustice of God doth shine forth and the wickednesse of Deuill man to his owne confusiō doth bewray it selfe What more lette vs heare also what he wrighteth in hys Booke of the eternall Predestination of God agaynste Pighius whose impudencie thou hast sette thy selfe to followe Pighius vrgeth that if mans Apostacie be Gods worke it is false that the Scripture sayeth that all thynges are good whyche God hathe made but I can safely testifye and boldly pronounce that thys false imagination did neuer enter into my thought I therefore affirme euery where that the nature of man was fyrste made innocente least the wickednesse whyche by hys defection hée hathe drawen to hymselfe myghte bée ascribed to God that deathe whereto hée inthralled hymselfe whyche before was partaker of lyfe dyd so come by hys owne faulte least God shoulde be thonghte the author The same in the same Booke whatsoeuer menne sinne they would impute it to hym but if any woulde escape I saye hée is more streyghtely cheyned wyth the bondes of conscience than that hée maye delyuer hymselfe from iust damnation Lette Adam make excuse as he wyll that he was deceyued by the enticementes of the wife whyche God gaue him yet the deadly poyson of infidelitie within the secrete most pestilent aduisor ambition the diuelishe breathing of presumption will be founde within They are therefore much lesse to be excused who endeauoure to drawe the cause of their euils out of the déepe secretes of God whiche bewrayeth it selfe out of their owne depraued hearte Lette euery one acknowledge his owne sinne condemne himselfe and confessing from his heart his owne giltinesse let him seriousely intreate his iudge If any murmure the exception is ready O Israell thy destruction commeth of thy selfe The same in the selfesame Booke speaking to the sclanderer They charge vs saith he with a filthy and shamefull slaunder who pretend that God is the author of sinne if his wil be the cause of all things that are done for that whiche man wickedly committeth set on eyther by ambition or by couetousenesse or by lust or by whatsoeuer other wicked affect seing God worketh by
some good and some euill but men verily by nature are all euill but are so diffeuered by grace that many be altogither euill but many in some sort good that is for so much as Gods Spirite hath sanctified them 13 What things be of this kinde when they are in any action moued by that interior and their owne motion they are worthily sayde to do and therfore at the laste the difference of good or euill doing falleth into this kinde of instrument Nor in this respecte can they well be called instruments but rather efficient causes 14 And I call that an euill déede whiche hath not the reuealed will of God for his warrant contrarily a good which respecteth the same 15 The same albeit they are causes for asmuch as they worke by the interior and their owne mouing yet in an other respect they are called instruments that is as often for asmuch as they are moued of an other as wheÌ„ the hangmaÌ„ at the coÌ„manudement of the Magistrate killeth a man or as when by the inforcemeÌ„t of Satan some hurteth others or when in the name or at the commauÌ„dement of any one we do good or euill to any 16 In this kynde of workes euery one séeth one and the same worke to be attributed to two that is to one in dóede as inforcing and workyng by another as by an instrument and to another but to the agent himselfe for so he is an instrument as in déede he worketh by his interior and owne motion but not simply as the hammer or are in the hande of the Carpenter 17 Yea for this double respect there séemeth also to be yéelded a double worke and in déede so much as one is coÌ„mendable the other vitious as if the Magistrate deliuer the offender to the hangman euery man will worthily coÌ„mend that worke but if the hangman beyng rather moued with hatred or couetousnesse or any other wicked desire then with the iudges commaundement do put him to death truly before God he can not escape the fault of murther 18 Now therefore let vs apply these thinges to God himselfe whose power of working we proued before to come in betwéene in all things that are made without all exception and that so that by those things which he hath made as by instruments he executeth in his time whatsoeuer he hath decréed from euerlasting 19 What soeuer God doth it is good sith that no euill can procéede from the soueraigne goodnesse but he doth all things All things therefore are good for asmuch as they be done of God and that difference of good and euill hath onely place in the instruments in déede in those of whom we spake in the fouretenth proposition 20 For if these instrumeÌ„ts be good and respect the manifested will of God they do well and God doth well by them whence it is that that worke is euery way good as when the good Angels doe execute that whiche God commaundeth and holy men do folow when God calleth 21 But the euill instruments euill I say not by creation but by corruption for so much verily as they do they doe alwayes euill therefore they worthily incurre the wrath of God for asmuch as God worketh by them they serue the good will of God eyther agaynst their will or by ignorance For by what soeuer instrumeÌ„ts God worketh he doth alwayes well 22 And so God worketh by those instruments as he doth not only suffer them to worke nor only moderateth the effect but also he exciteth inforceth moueth ruleth furthermore which of al is the greatest euen createth them that by them he may accomplish that he hath determined all which God doth iustly and without all iniustice 23 For as oft as an euill man sinneth eyther agaynst himselfe or some other lyke euill God bringeth to passe without all sinne that either the wicked shal reuenge himselfe or that the wicked shall afflict the lyke with deserued punishments whiche both is the most iuste worke of God and by these examples of his iudgemeÌ„ts God doth recreat and comfort his 24 But so oft as the wicked annoy the good they in déede sinne at the last are worthily punished yet neuerthelesse the Lorde by them correcteth teacheth and confirmeth his and in déede by the very enimies of the Churche he maketh his Church glorious 25 Yet these euil instruments can not be sayd to obey God bicause albeit God doth execute his worke by them yet they so much as in them is that appertayneth there counsell and will they do not the worke of God but their owne worke for which they are worthily punished For albeit it is good whiche God worketh by the wicked yet whatsoever she euill do is euill 26 Nor auayleth the consequence God doth al things therefore he committeth sinnes For the name of sinne agreeth not but with a depraued qualitie whiche wholy is in the doyng instrument 27 But by reason of this depraued qualitie the worke which by it selfe is but one is after a sorte made two and double and that so much that one resisteth the other that is the iuste worke of God the vniust worke of man by direct contrary 28 Yet God worketh other waies by good instruments than by euill For ouer and aboue that he doth his owne worke by good instruments the good instruments also doe his worke with that strength and efficacie which God giueth them the Lorde finally doth his owne worke by theÌ„ in them he also worketh to will and doe So ofte as the Lorde executeth the iust counsels and deerâ—es of hys eternall will by the wicked as by Satan or men in that they are not negenerate he aduaunceth his owne strength and efficacie in his worke by them either not knowing or against their willes but yet in so muche as they doe his worke the Lorde worketh not in them but letteth loose the raynes of Satan whereto also he giueth the wicked to be stirred and inforced by his iuste iudgement that they may be caried by his and their owne luste 29 Therefore we repell not the name of sufferance or leaue nor was it euer in our mindes to say that God worketh in the wicked But bicause the difference of will and sufferaunce whiche Augustine no doubte tooke from the Gréekes the Sophisters drawne from Augustine and finally thou from them haue depraued bicause I say this difference is vsurped of you to appresse the truth therefore we vtterly repell it 30 For you set will agaynst sufferance wherevpon it foloweth that God suffereth those things which he doth suffer ether against his wil or in déede idlely not regarding theÌ„ But we that contrary least we either robbe God of his infinite inmesurable power or think with the Epicures we say that is the truth that God doth nothing but willingly either by instruments or permitteth to instruments that they may do yet so that whatsoeuer he do he do it mosteiustly and most iustly suffreth what soeuer he suffereth
wilt thou denie I say not only the detecminatiō or wil but also the powre hand of God to come in betwixt in the afflictions of Saintes yea in respect of the persecutors theselues At the least heare what Paul saith of the most bitter death of the sonne of God He spared not saith he his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all And wilt thou acknowledge here no decree no will of the most good God our most louing Father Further let vs now come to that sorte of wicked with whom the Lorde albeit vsing the handes and helpe of the vngodly doth yet iustly correct his children here also we shall shew that the decrée the wil the counsell and finally the action of God doth come in betwixt Finally what examples of outrage crueltie vngoblinesse did not the Chaldees she we in Hierusalem and all Iudes who is he that lifte vp his hande that stroke Iudah who his ensigne being displaied gathered together the Gentiles vnto warre that with an hisse stirred vp the people a far off whiche brought strong and mightie waters against Iuda Let vs heare the Lord him selfe answering by Isai O Assur the radde of my furie the staffe of my wrath in their hand I will fende him to a disseinbling people I will cōmaund him against the people of my indignatiō that he rob them as a pray that take spoyles and giue him to be trode vpon as the duste in the stréetes But what saith the Lord in Ieremie I will stād saith he and will take all the nations of the North Nabucadnerer my seruant King of Babilon and I wil bring them vpon this lande against the inhabitans thereof and against al these nations by the borders thereof and I will spoyle them And in Erechiell Wo be to the blouddy citie saith hée for I will make the burning great I will he ape on much woode in kindlyng the fire in consuming the flesh in casting in spice that the very bones may be burnte What more Thus saith the Lorde God beholde I will pollme my Sanctuarie euen the pryde of your power the pleasure of you and your hartes desice But I pray thée good felow dothe he nothing but enely forsake or suffer idlely something to be done or doth he only moderate the issue of things who himselfe inciteth the enimies appointeth armies leadeth the hoaste and bryngeth euen into the citie and commaundeth that none be spared kindleth the fire and by al meanes doth nourish it and finally doth prostitute the very Temple to the rauine and auarice of all the vngodly If thou deniest thys worke of God the worke I say of God not idlely lookyng on but effectually workyng the same thyng by Nabucadnerer I will yet rather beléeue the Lorde than the false Prophete For the Lorde reasonyng thus of the selfe thyng that is of the destruction of the Citie After sayth hée that the Lorde hath finished all hys worke in mounte Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude harte of the kyng of Assur Therefore when thou flyest to the Sanctuarie of hys idle and fruytelesse sufferaunce what other thyng doest thou shewe but that thou arte voyde euen of common reason For truely it is euen as muche as if thou shouldest saye that GOD beyng idle dothe worke agaynst hys will except it be so that thou darest accuse the Prophetes yea euen the Lorde hymselfe of blasphemye and in déede of ignoraunce But what dyd Dauid when hée was exasperated with the cursings of Symer Thus sayde Dauid he curseth mée bycause the Lorde hath commaunded him to curse me So when the tenne Tribesfel away not onely from Roboam but also from the Lorde himselfe for whiche defection they afterwardes suffered moste sharpe punishments dothe not the Scripture playnely witnesse that it was the Lordes doyng that the kyng shoulde not harken to the people Truly I do not imagine any thing here sith the holy Ghost in the reporte of hys Historie vseth the wordes cause or occasion than the whiche I sée not what coulde be sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more effectuall Wherefore also the Lord himselfe dealing of this defectiō and speakyng to the armie of Roboam by Semahia the Prophete Goe not vp saith he neyther fight ye agaynst your brethren the thyldren of Israell let euerye man returne to his owne home for this thyng is my doyng But also go to when the Lord threatned that he would reuenge the adultery of Dauid with the punishment of a like and therefore the greater mischiefe that is with incest what sayth he I will take saith he thy wiues in thy sight and will giue them to thy beste beloued who shall sléepe with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne Beholds goodfelow the very wordes of the Lorde Goe therefore and accuse God of blasphemie For why shouldest thou not dare to do that seing blushlesse and shamlesse face thou darest reprehend his seruants affirming these same things as wicked and blasphemers But thou wilt say these haue néede of some interpretation But of that we shall sée hereafter Now let vs come to the thirde forte of euils by which the Lorde punisheth the wicked eyther by the good or else doth it amongst themselues lyke as I should stryke with a hammer so one shoulde mangle and flea an other But here agayne we affirme not that truytlesse and forged sufferance or leauyng whiche you dreame but that the counsell decrée will and finally the action of God did in déed come in betwéene and that most iuste and holy bothe also when euill instrumentes worke wickedly whiche God doth most iustly graunt them and executeth by them What then wilt thou denie that the good are stirred vp of God to the destruction of the wicked I thinke not But what is to be thought of euils committed among themselues then also when one do iniurie the other appeareth euen by that place of Esai where the Lord calleth the Medes and Perstans whom he would stirre vp against the Babilonians his holy ones and the instruments of hys wrath But also in an other place where there is mention of those kings whiche sette themselues against Iosua This was done of the Lorde sayth the holy Ghost who had hardened their hartes that they shoulde withstande Israell with battell and that they might giue them ouer to the slaughter nor that any pitie should he shewed them but they shoulde vtterly be destroyed as the Lorde had commaunded Moses But of hardening we shall sée in his place Now answere what it is to deceyue a false Prophete I know what thou wilt answere that is the same whiche thou arte wonte to brable of leauyng of whiche mater lette vs heare if thou wilt Augustines words disputyng against one Iulianus and playnely refutyng that your separation of sufferance frō will. What is it saith Augustine to Iulian that thou sayste when they are sayde to be giuen ouer to their
the wicked we vse to say this in respect of God working the workes are good iust which works if we consider the euill instruments as they also work are euil and vniust therfore are of God punished with iuste punishments This is not our distinction séeing the Lorde in Esay doth manifestly confirme the same and Peter also with the whole Churche at Ierusalē as we haue taught a little before So also Augustine when he saith the father deliuered his sonne the Lords own body Iudas the Lord why is God in thys actiō iust man guilty except bicause in one thing which they did that cause not one for which they did it But if also thou please to reade that which the same Augustine hathe after his manner deuoutlye and wittilye written of these matters in his Enchiridion to Laurentius in the. 100. Chapter thou shalt vnderstād many which ought to haue bin vnderstood of thée before thou shouldest reprehend our doings Therefore this distinction thou must either grant or refute not that Chimaera whiche thou imaginedst to thy selfe séeing that appertaineth nothing to vs and this heresie of the Libertines is of none more vehementlye and plentifully confuted than of Calum himselfe whom thou chargest with that suche is thy shame The fifth Slaunder No adulterye thefte or murder is committed but the wil of God commeth in betwixt Instit Chap. 14 Distinct 44. THE AVNSVVER IF thou haddest added that which Caluin in that place handleth in good earnest agaynste that selfe heresie whiche thou no lesse impudently than wickedly layest to our charge thē at that last it should haue appeared to haue bin truly said which thou sclaunderously reprouest For we say not simply that the wil of God doeth come in betwixt in these things which be euil but we adde two things One is that the will of God doth so come in betwéen euen in these things yet as in no case he allow or do work in thē in that they be euil but as they be that punishments of other euils or else by thē the Lord executeth his in déed sometimes secret but yet always iust iudgemēts The other that that Lord so oft as pleaseth him doth so vse euen euill instrumēts to that performing of his iust works that the instruments in that mean time do in no case obey the wil of God but in déed do resiste it by direct contrarie Of both we haue sayd already verye many things Yet I will in fewe wordes repeate some of them that at the laste I may satisfie thée When the Lorde would punish the adultrey of Dauid beholde sayth he I will stirre vp againste thée euill out of thine owne house and I will take thy wiues in thy sight and I will giue them to thy neyghbour and he shall sléepe with thy wines in the sight of this sunne For thou didst it in secrete but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sunne it selfe But saye Sycophant hée that doeth these and the Lorde doth all these iustly nor is the authour of incest but he iustly punisheth adultrey and murther doth he séeme to thée not to put in his wyll betwéene When thou shalte cease to spoyle sayeth the Lord thou shalt be spoyled And doth not the Lord séeme to them to haue giuen ouer willinglye spoylers into the handes of other spoylers If thou darest denye thys the Lorde himselfe shall refell in the same Prophete Esaye speaking to the Medes and Persians by whome he had determined to spoyle the Babilonians the spoylers of that Iewes I haue giuen commandement to my holy ones and haue called the mightie to my wrathe But what when the Lorde sayde to Satan Beholde whatsoeuer things Iob hath are in thy power did he decrée nothyng and a little after did Iob spake blasphemie when hauing dispised the roberie of Satan and the Chaldeis hee sayde The Lorde gaue and the Lord hath taken away And when the Lord sayth that it will come to passe that be that stryketh with the sworde shall perishe with the sworde doth he not séeme to thée to speake of those iudgements which he willingly executeth by the handes of others yea euen whē one spoyler spoyleth another Therfore the will of God and that iusse and holy commeth in betwixt both then also when men do euill and therefore haue iust punishmente But I thinke it good to cyte the verye wordes of Caluine not named as thou hast done but whole that I may set out to all men to be séene thy singular malice impudencie In those things which are already come to passe many do estéeme the prouidence of God wickedly most vnworthily All things that are done haue respect to the order of the diuine prouidence Therfore neyther theftes nor adulteries nor murthers are committed but the will of God commeth in betwixte Why do they therefore saye the théefe shall be punished whych hath despoyled him whom the Lorde wil chastice by pouertie Why shal the murderer be punished which killed him whose life the Lorde had ended If all these obey the will of God why shall they be punished Thus farre Caluine hath spoken in the person of the Lybertynes in which matter thou bewrayest such lewdnesse as hath not bene hearde of whyche attributest to Caluine himselfe which being spoken in the person of the Lybertines in the same place he afterwards refuteth in these wordes For he addeth these but indéede I denye that they obey the will of god For we saye not that he whyche is caried with an euill minde doth yéelde his ministerie to God commanding séeing he only obeyeth his wicked affection He obeyeth God who being informed of his will endeuoureth to that ende whereto he is called of the same And whence are we instructed but out of his worde Therfore in the accomplishment of matters that his wil is to be soughte of vs which he declareth in his word That only God requireth of vs which he commādeth If we committe any thing against the commandement it is not obedience but disobedience and transgression Caluin addeth further other obiections of the Libertynes whych in an other place I will set againste thyne arguments But now naughty felow art thou not ashamed of thy selfe bycause thou obiectest to Caluine those very thying which he hath dissolued Thou dealest euen in such sort as the Epicures are wōt which will enforce Dauid on their side bycause it is written in him There is no God. The sixth Slaunder The Scripture manifestly witnesseth that wicked actes are assigned to God not only willing but the authour thereof THE AVNSVVER WIit thou Diuel neuer leaue to Slaunder No one man within all memorie hathe beaten downe eyther more vehemently or more Godly thys blasphemie of the Lybertines than Caluin and wil it not shame thée so ofte to vrge the same lye in other wordes Howe often haue I aunswered alreadye wyth howe manye Testimonies taken out of Caluine himself haue I
dissentest from thy selfe carrye flintie heartes to harden declareth not not to mollifie but to make something of harde harder Séeing this hardenesse is from the birth in vs and is enlarged vppon vs not by creation but by coruption and therefore God worthily detesteth it and euen by his insâ—e iudgement dubleth it howe is it that you feare to graunte that the hardening was the iust worke of God the punisher and auenger Verily thou canste not denye that the spirite of GOD doeth not speake otherwise For in howe many places is GOD saide to harden to blinde to shutte vppe the eares to make grosse the haâ—te to holde the hearte to tourne the harte to giue ouer into a reprobate sense to sende a strong delusion and manye like Howe often do they come in reading But of sufferaunce in these thinges there is not indéede the least mention in the sacred Bookes as muche indéede as I can call to mentorte except in one onely place where it is saide that the Lord in times paste suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes But neither this-place nor any like if it be so that thou findest anye doe any whit relieue thée séeing that in Sufferaunce is necessarilye included Will much lesse that these shoulde be repugnant betwéene themselues as we haue shewed in his place But it is labor-worth to shewe the selfe wordes of Caluine that here also thy lewdnesse may be manifested These therefore be Caluines wordes The heart of Pharao is hardened of God saith Moses In vaine here doe they flie to sufferaunce as if God maye be saide to haue done that be onely hathe suffered to be done For Moses plainly affyrmeth that that hardnesse was the worke of God These saith Caluine But thou moste lewde Sycophant writest that the whole rebellion of Pharao was by Caluines sentence ascribed to god As thoughe indéede thys thy lye cannot be conuinced by that same sclaunder which thou adioynedst by and by The ninth Sclaunder The will of God is the chiefe cause of the hardening of men THE AVNSVVERE WHome he will he hardneth sayeth the Apostle But if also thou séekest some higher thing than the will of God thou maiste in deede wander without God we rest in this bound with the Apostle Further he that saith that the will of God is the chiefe or the highest cause of the hardening of men can he ascribe to God the whole rebellion of Pharao For if it be the onelye cause why is it called the Chief If behoueth a lyar to be mind full Sycophant The Sycophants Argumentes to the eight and ninth Sclaunder In the eigth and ninth articles they aske what Moses meant when he writeth And Pharao hardened his hearte But is it so to be interpreted Pharao hardned his hearte that is God hardned Pharaos hearte That shall be much more violent than if thou shouldest say God hardened Pharaos hearte that is hee suffered Pharao in the naturall hardenesse of hys hearte bycause Pharao refused to obey hym Then they aske of that Thys daye if you will heare hys voyce harden not youre heartes But if they haue so expounded it GOD will not harden youre heartes it will be moste absurde for he should commaunde menne that whiche is Gods For if it be the Lordes to harden heartes it cannot be enioyned to menne that they shoulde either harden or not harden the heartes no more than that they shoulde adde or take awaye from their stature one cubite THE REFVTATION Indéede this is the piller and foundation of thy goodlye disputation againste Predestination whiche thou hast inserted in thy Annotations of the ninth Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes whiche howe firme it is lette us sée I praye thée therefore Good man who euer besides thée alone made blinde by the iuste indgement of God was so senselesse and madde that when the highest cause is assigned he woulde suppose the inferiors to be moued or not rather to be established Make to your selues a new hearte and a newe spirite saith the lord Wilt thou gather thereof that it is not the Lord that should giue a new harte and create a cleane spirite whiche shoulde take awaye the stony hearte and giue a heart of fleshe If thou doe these things saith Paule writing to Timothie thou shalte saue thy selfe Wilte thou gather of this that wée are not saued of God by Christe Fathers of families are saide to féede their families and he that liueth by his laboure is said to nourish himselfe also breade and meate are saide to nourish vs Doeth not therefore God féed vs yea al these as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things sette in theyr order doe very wel accorde For being coÌ„uerted of God we conuert being urged of God we do God blessing vs wée liue by our endeuor Séest thou therefore Asse that they are foolish and ridiculous whatsoeuer thou hast imagined that thou mightest discountenance the truth for neyther as he sayth is there any councell againste the Lord and so vseth the iust iudge to besotte them whiche doe not stay themselues in his worde Induration therefore is the iust worke of God who hardneth whome he pleaseth and yet not otherwise than iustly hated séeing they bée corrupt Induration is also the worke of Sathan by whome in déede the Lord worketh in the heartes of infidels as it is written The Spirite of the Lorde departed from Saule and an euill spirit sente from the Lorde dyd trouble him It is also the worke of the false Prophetes whome themselues also the Lorde seduceth by Sathan that one may inforce another into iust condemnation as it is written If a Prophet deceyued speake the worde I the Lorde haue deceyued that Prophet as also it appeared in the Magicall Egiptians and in Sedechia the false Prophet Finallie the hardning is also their work which are hardned bycause by their natiue wickednesse they being enforced by the lust of Sathan the false Prophets and their owne they do harden themselues therefore by an indoubted and inseparable coniunction they cleaue togither which thou absurdly déemedst to be contrarie in themselues But I will adde héereto the wordes of Caluine himselfe that thy lewdenesse maye the better appeare It doth not hinder sayth he that is spoken in another place that Pharao did harden his owne heart bycause we neyther ymagine that the heartes of men are enforced with outward means that they should be forcibly driuen nor do we transferre the cause of hardning vpon God as if of their owne accorde and by their proper malice being barbarous and hard harted they dyd not stirre vp themselues to wickednesse but that whych men doe wickedly the Scripture teacheth that it is not otherwise done but when God doth iustly decrée it to be as is reported in another place that all excepte the inhabitants of Gybeon opposed themselues against Israell that it was of the Lorde whiche made obstinate theyr hearts These sayth Caluine in that very place whyche thou
saye hée hathe pitie on whome he pleaseth and those that deserue this or whome hée foreknewe woulde deserue those he suffereth to bée hardened So also GOD from euerlastyng predestinated Esau to hys hatred but yet hée blessed hym in the plentye of the Earthe and deawe of Heauen I smaell the sonne of the bonde maide is no heyre wyth the sonne of the Frée woman but yet hée increased to a mightye nation There is therefore extante greate signes of Gods blessings euen to the verye Reprobate but thereon it doth not folow that thou séekest that God had not predestinate theÌ„ to his hatred Yea thys foloweth that Christe sayeth That the goodnesse of God is infinite that dothe good to hys ennimyes and the reprobate shall bée so muche the more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inexcusable by howe muche they haue receyned the more benefites of god Paule therefore worthilye recalleth vs to beholde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the long suffering of God to the very vessels of wrath but yet hée therefore denyeth not that they are the vessells of wrath made to destruction An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes There is no Beaste so sauage muche lesse is Manne whiâ— the woulde bryng foorthe hys issue to miserye howe muche lesse GOD Shoulde hee not be worse than the VVoolfe So reasoneth Christe if you althoughe euil can yet giue good giftes to youre children howe muche more GOD And so reason thine aduersaries If Caluin notwythstanding that hee is euill yet woulde not beget hys sonne to miserye howe muche lesse GOD These and the like they speake of Nature REFVTATION I maruell thou canste speake thus and sith thou arts so miserable for what is more miserable than bothe this sottishnesse and iniquitye that thou doste not perceiue thy misery The Lorde cryeth to the woman I wyll augment thy sorrowe and thy trauell Hée cryeth to the the manne In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade till thou retourne againe into the earth with forrowe shalte thou eate the fruites of the earth and it shall yéelde thée Thornes and Brembles he cryeth to the Earthe it selfe accursed be the Earthe for thy sake And vnder this burtheÌ„ traueleth and groneth the vniuersall state of all thynges sayeth the Apostle Iob complayneth that man is borne vnto miserie and the fewe dayes hée lyueth are filled wyth iniquitye The wise Preacher witnesseth that there is nothying vnder Heauen more vayne or myserable than man Dauid in infinite places complaineth the same The Philosopher béeyng swallowed in thys deuice brake into thys blasphemye that they exclame that nature is a stepdame to man and that it is beste not to bée borne The common sense sayeth that whyche in déede Plinie hathe written that there is nothying more myserable than Manne that hée begynneth hys lyfe in affliction But thou arte founde alone whyche deniest that Manne is borne to miserye But yet thou wilte saye thou doest mée wrong who simply denye not that menne are borne to miserie but so begotten or created of god But I praye thée what loue is this for wilt thou measure the nature of God by mans capacitie when wyth hys only becke he can sanctifie men who otherwise should hée borne miserable yet rather willeth to bée borne in calamitie or indéede to speake after your maner permitteth But happly thou wilte except that God being angry wyth the sinnes of menne doeth this worthilye wyth which sinne being after a sort enforced he abandoneth the affection of a â—at her to some and he loueth not all when he renounceth some But so faure is it off that thou shouldest acquit thy selfe myth thys aunswere that thou speakest more and more againste thy selfe For firste whence bee these sinnes but from corruption And the alone corruption of Adam why suffereth god to be deriued vppon all his posteritie Thou canst here insert no foreknowledge of sin which hath inforced God sith it is of necessitie that thou set the cause before his effectes I will speake more plainely that the people his effectes I will speake more plainely that the people may vnderstand me If GOD will haue no man to be borne to myserie why doth he theÌ„ permitte them to be borne in corruption sith of necessitie miserie foloweth corruption Shamelesse impudent wilt thou not here at the laste giue all glorie to God wilte thou not curse that blasphemie that God is worse than a Woulfe if he will that man be created to miserie wilte thou not once thinke it good to reste silent in that secrets iustice of the incomprehensible god Will neuer this firmest triple reason bring vnder this thy beastlenesse That God sith he is iust can do nothing vniustly in his works albeit he doth manyethings whiche to vs may séeme vniust for that we cannot comprehende the causes of them That God simplie createth none to miserie but so togither ordayneth the causes of this miserie that he that is borne miserable shoulde worthilye bee borne miserable That God in the purpose of reiecting respecteth not the destruction of reprobates as the lasteende but his owne glorie whych shyneth in their iust reprobation So plainely speaketh the spirite of God and thou caytife wilt murmure against God and wilt neuer vnderstande what impietie it is to bynde GOD to the lawes of this nature nor to confesse in God anye other light of wisedome and iustice than whose brightnesse thou mayst endure But I will yet go further with thée wilt thou deny that blindenesse is a miserie I thinke not except thou béest blinder than the blinde themselues But when as thou and the rude disciples supposed the borne blind man of whom I spake before to haue bin borne to that miserie eyther for his parentes sinnes or for hys owne what aunswereth the Lorde to them and thée Neither this saith he hath sinned neyther his parences that is the Lorde neyther considered hys â—or hys parentes sinnes when he woulde haue hym borne blinde and therfore miserable but therfore he was borne blind that the workes of God might be manifest in hym God nowe and accuse the LORD hymselfe as blasphemous But what doest thou thinke Iob himselfe an vpright and simple man so cruellye vexed of Sathan that without trembling we can not reade those things that are mentioned of hym him I saye not then in déede to haue bene miserable when he brake out into moste dolerous complaintes or that he fell by chaunce into these miseries or that God was angrye with his sinnes or that wyth a certayne ydled sufferaunce or wynkyng hée shoulde gyue hys seruaunte into the hande of Sathan Thou canste saye nothing of these but the sexte of the Historie reselleth thée and Iob hymselfe so muche when praysing God he sayeth the Lord gaue and the Lorde hath taken away But if the Lorde also be then moste iuste by the selfe confession of his owne seruants when he for a time humbleth them with some miseries to his own glorie wilt thou abridge him theprayse of iustice when
from the nature of God thou séest Therefore also that kinde of Doctrine by thine argument whiche enforceth vs to these blasphemies is false Yet further I gesse thou haste one refuge in store that is that thou maiste say that God indéed created Adam and all men comprehended in him to eternall life but vppon condition if Adam should persist in hys innocencie which was set in his power and therefore that God séemeth not to haue chaunged his purpose I aun swere that it is true that thou saisfe of the condition but not in that whiche thou supposest Nor is it to he thought that God after the maner of meÌ„ depeÌ„deth doubtfull in hys counsells and in second causes as he pleaseth to determine this or that For what God should thys be whiche depenâ—eth vppon the rule of things created Therefore that whiche is saide of the condition is vtterly to be taken in the contrarie parte that is to saye that Adan was created with condition of the fall interiected but that vtterly whiche shoulde be performed albeit willinglye fréelye and readily yet necessarilye séeing that Gods decrée coulde not faile For the decrée of God dependeth not vppon the will of Adam but the contrarie Adams will of Gods decrée with whose efficacie notwithstanding the will was not enforced but by his owne voluntarie motion albeit Adam neyther knowing nor respecting the ende and therefore sinning was carried to the ende appoynted of God that is to this point that the waye mighte be opened bothe to the mercie and seuere â—ustice of god For in one and the same worke Adam of his owne accorde and therefore finning endenoured one thing and God wrought an other thing so indéede Adams and the Diuells drifts were frustrate bicause there is no counsell againste the Lorde But God iustely vsing a sinfull instrument wrought that he woulde bicause what soeuer he hath determined it is wholly requisit that if shoulde come to passe also euen as he had appointed If these thinges do not satisfie thée whiche reste vpon these stayed principles that God is euer iuste althoughe men conceiue not alwases how he can be iuste that God dependeth not of second causes but alwayes iustely dothe gouerne them euen then also when they doe wickedlye that God doeth nothyng at vnwares and with no certaine ende determined nor that he is ignoraunt of any thing nor to will or discerne anye thing whiche he cannot nor that he ydly beholdeth what shall come or what is but that he doeth all thinges as Salomon saith to his owne glorie and therefore to haue fore-decréede to doe that God cannot be chaunged but also that those things whiche are changed with all fixed and firme circumstaunces are of his immutable counsell chaunged If I saye those thinges doe not satisfie thée whiche reste vppon suche certaine principles and so agreable to the nature of God and so innumerable testimonies and examples of Scripture I say fréely that I now take no paines to satisfie thée and thy faction For he that doeth that shall verily doe in suche wise as if as hée saith he woulde doe it of purpose An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes IF all haue fallen in Adam it is necessarie that all shall stande in Adam and in that same estate as Adam REFVTATION ALL these things I graunt thée and that so as they make quite againste thée For séeing Adams posteritie shall stande in no other estate than Adam stoode in that is that hée mighte voluntarily throwe downe hymselfe headlong to destruction whence afterwardes the Lord woulde deliuer all these whome he had from euerlasting decréed to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée wishe that the Elect haue nothing to complaine of this decrée of God séeing their estate is nowe by so muche better than if Adam had not sinned by howe muche it is more excellent to be saued by Christe the sonne of God than by Adam by Grace than by Nature And that the Reprobate also cannot complaine any thing of God as whiche albeit according to the decrée of God they are fallen in Adam yet fell they in him voluntarily and not by force and therefore are but deseruedly damned If this doth not satisfye thée and them I will crye with Paule O man who art thou that pleadest with God Another Argument of the Sclaunderers I will not the death of a Sinner REFVTATION SEE how rusticall thou art that is rude vnlearned for thou hast vtterly forgot of what thing there should be demaund We striue not good man of deathe and eternall damnation for we know that no man is damned but for his desert but of the purpose of damning whose cause albeit to vs it be vnknowen yet is it euer iust for whatsoeuer God will is iust and so God decréeth that he dothe decrée that he ministreth iust causes to the execution of his decrée Why therefore doest thou slide omitting the meane causes from the decrée of God to the execution of it that is from the purpose of damning to damnation as though in déede the Lord shoulde simply haue thus determined from euerlasting I will vowe this man to destruction and not whether I will giue ouer this man to destruction for his owne fault that my iustice may appeare I will speake yet more playnely Thou doest foolishly that doest cite the testimonie of death that is by the execution of the counsell where the counsell it selfe is in controuersie Yea the Prophet whose double testimonie thou abusest disputeth against the men of thy faction who complained that by the absolute power of God as they cal it they had incurred Gods vengeance as though God shuld deale with them tyrannously that is should rage against them whether by right or wrong But what sayeth the Lord by the Prophet verily he recalleth theÌ„ to that causes of destructioÌ„ remayning in theÌ„selues which also we do coÌ„tinually There is not sayth the Lord by the Prophet why ye shuld accuse me as I receiue the penitent so I punish none but the gracelesse rebellious for when your coÌ„scieÌ„ce shall accuse you why put you the fault in me That this is the Prophets meaning euery one that weyeth those places wil coÌ„fesse and surely al meÌ„ of stayed iudgemente when they heare these things shall try themselues will rather muse vpoÌ„ ameÌ„dment of life a renued mind to be obteyned of the Lord than vpÌ„o the sifting of the councels of god Briefely therfore I say that the Prophet mounteth not to that eternall decrée of God but sheweth the true vse of that doctrine which also we for as much as lyeth in vs do indeauoure to imprint that is that we ought to searche the decrée of God concerning oure selues not in those his vnreuealed secretes but in his word which is appoynted for vs to coÌ„sider But thou wilt vrge the word I will not as though in déed the word Caphees with the Hebrues
so for what may satisfye such enuie suche madnesse and such leawdenesse as this is But yet indéede these things do whether thou wilt or no sufficiently shew what wickednesse it is to dare obiect the to any man whych he hath playnely testifyed that he hateth as a most wicked blasphemie But let vs yet bring moe testimonies out of the same Booke least I be sayeth he too tedious I veryly perceyue that to haue bin accomplished that Augustine teacheth And these be the wordes of Augustine These be the greate workes of the Lorde sought out into all hys willes and so wisely soughte out that when the Angelicall and humane creature hadde sinned that is had done not that whyche he woulde but that it selfe woulde euen by the same wyll of the creature whereby that was done whyche the Creator woulde not he fulfilled that whyche he woulde vsing well euen the wicked as the chiefe good to their damnation whome he had predestinate to payne and to their saluation whome he louingly predestinate to grace for as much as apperteyneth to themselues they did that which God would not but so muche as apperteyneth to the omnipotencie of GOD they were by no meanes able to doe it surely euen in that selfe thing whyche they dyd agaynste the will of God the wyll of God is done of them for therefore the greate workes of the Lorde soughte out into all his willes that in a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manner that be not done beside his wyll whyche also is done againste his will bycause it shoulde not be done if he did not suffer it nor indéede dothe he suffer against his will but willingly But also the saide Augustine a little before sayeth it is not to be doubted that God doth well in suffering to be done whatsoeuer is euill done for he suffereth not this but by hys iust iudgement Albet therefore those things that be euill in that they are euill they are not good yet that they be not only good but euill is good for except this were good that they shoulde euen be euill they shoulde by no meanes be suffered to be of the omnipotente good to whome withoute doubte as it is easie to doe what hée wyll so is lyke easie not to suffer that hée will not excepte we beléeue this the very begynning of oure fayth whereby we professe oure selues to beléeue in the Almightie God is indangered After that Caluine hathe cyted these and manye others at the last hée addeth these that he mighte crosse those sclaunderers whyche you haue drawen out of Pighius his puddles If I had euer affirmed sayeth he that it came to passe by the instinct of the diuine spirit that the fyrste manne shoulde alienate hymselfe from God and not rather euery where affyrme inforced by the instigation of the Deuill and the proper motion of his owne heart it myght be that Pighius shoulde worthely insult agaynste mée But now when remouing the néerest cause of the action from God that I mighte togither remoue from him all faulte that man alone maye be vnder the offence hée slauderously and wickedly wresteth vpon me this saying that the defection of man is one of Gods workes And whereas by the ordinance and foreknowledge of God it was decréed what shoulde come to passe concerning man yet is not God to be drawne into the felowship of the faulte as eyther author or alower of the transgression sith it is manifest that it is a secrete farre beyonde the vnderstandyng of mans minde least we shame to confesse our ignorance Yea let not any of the faithfull sorrow to be ignorant of that whiche the Lorde deuoureth with the brightnesse of his improchable light Furthermore seing that Caluine hath so plainely not so writen as reported out of Augustine who thinkest thou will be so foolishe that he would not note thine impudencie or so madde to persuade himselfe that you are moued with any care of godlinesse to auouche the glorie of God whiche Augustine or Caluin would haue withstoode but least wée séeme desirous to oppresse you with the sole authoritie of the name if whatsoeuer is done by the ordināce of God it be so done as if in déede it be wickedly done therefore God is to be drawen within the cōpasse of the fault say I pray thée that I may passe innumerable exāples whereof we wil speake anone how wilt thou excuse God in the most haynous wicked act of all others which euer I say not onely were done but euen imagined of men the betraying the condemnation the slaunders and finally I say the most cruell death of the sonne of god Now thou hast to deale not with Augustine and Caluine or some other of their cōpany who are wise to the Churche of God foolish in your sight but with Peter himselfe For he playnely and openly as thou requirest sayth that Iesus was takē crucified of the Iewes who was betrayed by the determined counsell and prouidence of god But what did the whole Churche at Ierusalem In dede saith he Herode and Pontius Pilate came togyther agaynste thyne holy sonne Iesus whome thou hast annoynted that they mighte do those things whyche thy hand and thy coūcell had determined to be done These be the words of the holy Ghost speaking by Peter and the Apostles not that they mighte turne the fault of the wicked men vppon God himselfe whiche wickednesse we so detest that it hath neuer entred into our thought but that they mighte set against the sclaunder of the crosse that secrete councell and incredible loue of God the father towards his But doe we speake any other wayes or be you so wise that you shoulde thinke you can speake more deuinely than the holy Ghost himselfe hath spoken or rather so shamelesse and euen so wicked as that you dare accuse that for blasphemy in any whose authour euen the spirit of God woulde aduance We say in déede that Adam fell of his owne frée will and by his owne fault and yet not by chance but euen as the determined counsell the prouidēce and hande of God had determined that it should come to passe These selfe things affirmeth Esay of Christe who in déede he saith was stricken and wounded of the Lorde for our iniquities when the wicked both Iewes and Romanes considered nothing lesse These things doth Peter expresse the vniuersall assembly of the most holy Churche confirmeth Nowe shewe thou how that offence is worse than this or graunte that we may vse the spéech of the Apostles withoute suspition of blasphemy or inuent newe outscapes that thou mayest goe on to be like thy selfe It remayneth that I aunswere to the other whiche you vse to séeke that is where it is written in the bookes of God that Adam fell not without Gods decrée In déede we maruell at thys newe Religion in an Academicall man and whyche denyeth the word of God howsoeuer it be taken to be sufficiente to deceyue the controuersies of Religion But least
cursed and infortunate if we holde that be good whiche he â—udgeth euill These on the other side suffer nothing at all to be condemned If they were aboue God himselfe that they might remitte the punishmeÌ„t which he threatneth it might be there were some place of pause but who would be condemned of God that he might be absolued of Quintinus when they will sette this article abroache they vse these wordes A Christian ought to vse all things to his commoditie For as I haue sayde from the beginning they neuer speake simply and plainely as they may apparantly expresse that they haue conceyued in minde but do intangle the matter with croked shiftes I willingly in déede yéelde vnto them that that a Christian ought as he saith to take euery thyng to profite but in that sence that the Seripture teacheth that is that in aduersitie hée may call to remembraunce that whiche Paule sayth that the faythfull are afflicted for this cause that they maye be conformed to the Image of Christe and so lette afflictions bée a helpe to them to obtayne saluation and let that consolation sustayne them If he sée hys brother slide or goe astray let it be to hym in stéede of a glasse to the ende that knowyng the infirmitie of mans nature he maye walke in the more feare But if it be so that hymselfe fall lette hym thereby be admonished of his owne imbecillitie that he may distrust his owne strength and be made more humble and lay aside all arrogancie and lette it be to hym as a spurre whereby he may be furthered to call vpon God with more feruente inuocations Sée howe Christians turne all things to their commoditte not that they may delight themselues in their sinnes or shutte their eyes least they may behold that whych is euill but rather that being heauie and sorowfull bycause they may sée that God is offended both of themselues and others they may be prepared to repentance humilitie and the feare of God and that they maye be carefull that they maye take héede to themselues in time to come After this sort Dauid gathered commoditie by the fault that he had committed not in any respect iustifying himselfe but when he heard his condemnation more and more confirming hymselfe in the goodnesse of God foreséeing least afterwards he myght slyde agayne into such calamitie Euen in like sort dothe Paule admenish vs to conuert those sinnes whiche the children of Israell committed against God to our commoditie that is that whilest we consider the punishments whiche followed we may be taught by their example See nowe wherefore the Scripture doth cite as well the sinnes of the faithful as of the contemnes of God not that it might make vs blinde whereby we shall be able to determine or vtter nothing for certaynetie and shall doubt whether that which is euill be good but that when the knowledge of euill is perceyued we mighte shunne the same as it playnely setteth downe what we should iudge of euery worke But they alleadge that it is â—â—ritten lette vs not fudge for the Lord vseth these wordes â—udge not but wherefore that he may reprehend their rashnesse who vsurp the authoritie of God in iudging of things they know not The same argumente is handled of Paule in the fourtéenth to the Romanes where he reproueth them that condemne their bréethreÌ„ for matters indifferent we haue sayeth he all one iudge to him we must giue accomptes it apperteyneth to him to determine of suche matters let vs not therefore inforce oure neyghboures prostrate vnder our opinion In déede it is an excellente and most profitable doctrine to as there is one spirituall lawgiuer that is God so that he is the best Iudge of our minds But in the meane time the testimonie is not therefore of lesse force whiche already he hath broughte when therefore we iudge whoredome thefte blasphemie dronkennesse and ambition to be gréeuaus sinnes we giue no iudgemente of our selues but we approoue that whiche God hath giuen But of the contrary these shamelesse dogges feygning that they will not iudge doe make themselues higher iudges than god I pray thée if after the supreme Iudge haue gyuen sentence some priuate man should say the matter is to be left in doubt as if nothyng shoulde bée certayne and the matter by iudgement condemned not to be taken as euill shoulde not hée as a factious man or author of sedition be déemed muche worthy of greate punishmente bycause hée would subuert all order of right But these filthy dogges vnder this pretence that they saye we must not iudge endeauour to make frustrate the supreme iudgementes of the highest God whyche he hathe published to all the worlde and that whatsoeuer he hath pronounced is but deceyuing We sée therefore that as we maye not presume so farre as to iudge accordyng to the lust of oure owne heart so all things are to be approued and as it were ratifyed with our assente whyche God hathe iudged therefore as auouche hym to be a good and righteous Iudge we shall condemne with him wicked workes and as he aduiseth we shall iudge a good or cuill trée by his frutes Afterwardes they alleadge this sentence Hipocrite firste plucke the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalte thou sée to remoue the mote out of thy brothers eye But what wyll they conclude thereof Thys aunswere belongeth to Hypocrytes who onely note other mens faultes and conceale their owne as when hée sayde to them whyche accused the Adultresse hée that amongst you is withoute sinne lette him cast the firste stone at hir He dothe not therefore forbidde to punishe offenders but onely adnionisheth that when we reprehend others we beginne at oure selues when we correcte them that haue offended lette vs be withoute those faultes whyche we correct in them that wée may shewe oure selues to bée moued with the true zeale of iustice to hate euil as well in our selues as in them withoute all respecte of persons But betwixte these two there is maruellons great difference to iudge nothing by Hipocrisie and vtterly to iudge nothyng The Lorde commaundeth that we iudge according to truth that we be not more seueare agaynste oure neyghboures than againste oure selues but these dogges with this cullor will haue all iudgemente be it neuer so consonante to reason to bée excluded and abolished Albeit if an Hypoerite flattering himselfe shall reprehende another it followeth not that hée whyche hathe offended shall therefore bée excused for euill is euer to bée damned But this is the faulte of an Hypocrite that hée measureth not hymselfe by the same rule and easilie forgyuing hymselfe hée vseth the extremitie of lawe against others But as I said in the beginning the ribalds do not indeauour to obteine this in vayne for they shuld opeÌ„ to theÌ„selues a notable ingresse if they might persuade the world that nothing at all were to be improued But it is best to note Sathans subtiltie in this place and whereto
31 And he worketh in respect of his owne worke but he suffereth in respect of that worke which that euil instrumets doe willingly in so muche as they be actiue not passiue instrumēts that we may retaine that words accustomed in scooles Yet he iustly suffreth that these doe vniustly bicause that sinnes in so much as God suffreth them are no sinnes but punishments of sinnes For it is a iust thing before God that sinnes be punished euen with sinnes But these self actiós for asmuche as they procéede from Satan and wicked men stirred vp of Satan and their owne concupiscence in this respect they are sinnes which the Lord iustly punisheth in his due time for the Lorde neuer suffreth sinnes as they are sinnes yea he euer disaloweth and forbiddeth them 32 Nor is this consequence aught worth God will all things therfore he aloweth all things For he willeth many things and therefore suffreth not bicause he doth simply alowe them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a sorte For he aloweth them in that he suffreth them bycause that hetherto they be no sinnes as we sayde alreadie but he disaloweth and reuengeth as he cōsidereth the wicked instruments whose déedes they bée 33 These be Augustines wordes in his Enchiridion to Laurentius the. 100. chapter Great are the workes of the Lorde sought out into all his willes as in a wonderfull and vnspeakeable manour that is not done besides his will which is done against his will bycause it should not haue bene done if he had not suffred it nor in déede doth he suffer agaynst his will but willingly The same in his fifth Booke agaynst Iulianus the thirde Chapter where of set purpose he hath disputed against them which determine an idle foreknowledge or sufferaunce and at the laste breaketh out into these wordes truely sayeth hée if we suffer them ouer whome we haue authoritie to commit offences before our eyes we shalve guiltie with them But how innumerable things doth he suffer to be done before his eyes which verily if he would not he would by no meanes suffer and yet is he iuste and good 34 The whole Scripture cōmon reason doth shew that nothing is done without the wil of God no not of those which séeme most casuall as Genes 27.20 it is sayde God brought the pray to Iacobs handes by by And in Exod. 21.13 So oft as man slaughter is committed at vnwares the Lord saith Moses hath brought to passe that he should fall into thy handes The like is sayde of the euent of lottes in the Prouerb 16.33 of all the counsels of men in the. 4. of Daniel 32. of the falling of Sparowes in the. 10. of Mathew 29. and finally of all things without exceptiō in the first to the Ephesians 11. 35 But it plainely appeareth almost by euery page of Scripture that in déede the most effectual wil of God doth some betwixte euen then also when he worketh by the wicked So he is sayde to haue sent Ioseph into Egipt Gen. 45.8 So he stirred vp Pharao to manifest bys power in him Exod. 4.21 So he gaue the wiues of Dauid to his sonne Absalon 2. Sam. 12.11 So he stirred vp the minde of Dauid to the number of the people 2. Sam. 24.1 So he commaunded Simey to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 1.10 So Dauid called his enimies the sworde and hande of the Lorde Psalm 17. vers 1◠and 14. So the Lorde calleth the Modes and Persians his sanctified and instrument of his wrath Isay 10.5 and. 13.6 So the falling away of the tenne Tribes he calleth his worke 2. of Numbers 11.4 So sayth Iob the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away Iob. 1.21 So the King of the Babylonians is compared to an axe and a sawe that is bycause by hym thinking no such thing the Lord executeth his worke Isay 10.15 So the Godly are afflicted by the will and predestination of God Rom. 8.29.1 Peter 3.17 and. 4.19 So there is no euill in the Citie whiche the Lorde hath not done Amos. 3.6 and Ieremias in hys lamentations 3.37 who is it sayeth he which saith it is done and God hath not commaunded it therefore out of the mouth of the Lord procéede not good and euill 36 But go to let be chosen for example the worke of all others most excellente and togither the most wicked in déede the most excellente if we beholde the infinite iustice and mercie of the father or the immesurable obedience and loue of the sonne but the most wicked if we consider the instruments themselues as Sathan Iudas the Iewes Pilate and Herod And this worke is the death of the sonne of God full of crueltie and ignomie If wée shoulde in this facte denye that the eternall councell of God did come betwixt we shall be conuinced with infinite testimonies of Scripture It is ratifyed that wée were elected in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde no otherwise than in hym that shoulde dye Ephes 1.4.1 Pet. 1.20 for which cause also he is sayde to be the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the worlde Apoc. 13.18 that is not only by the foreknowledge but especially by the determinate councell of God in so muche verily that Herode and Pilate albeit they thoughte no such thing yet therefore did accord that they might execute those things whiche the hande and councell of the Lord had determined to be done Artes. 4.28 therefore he coulde not be taken but in his time Iohn 7.30 and. 8.29 and. 12.27 For he was deliuered by the determined councell of God and decree going before Actes 2.25 and hee was wounded of God for our iniquities Isai 53.5 for God is he who hathe not spared hys owne sonne but gaue him for vs all Rom. 8.32 Therefore if but only this example were extant of the eternall and least ydle Prouidence of God at any time it shoulde in déede abundantly suffice to conuince all those who falsely crye out that we make God the author-of sinne when we saye that nothyng is done but by the iust will of God. 37 For neyther therefore doe we excuse but most vehemently accuse Sathan who working in the children of disobedience Ephes 2.2 both also when the Lord by Sathan himselfe and by Sathans bondslaues 2. Timo. 2.26 doth most effectually and iustly performe his will. Therefore euery where we acknowledge and reuerence the goodnesse and iudgements of God albeit we oftentymes sée not the reason of them And we all condemne the very instrumentes which be euill and their sinister and wicked actions that is all the shiftes and slightes of Sathan the enuie and brother quelling of Iosephs bréethren the wickednesse and obstinacie of Pharao the horrible incest and fathermurthering mind of Absolon also the rashnesse of Dauid the leudenesse of Semey the falsehode and malice of Dauids enimies the sacrilegious falling away of Ieroboam and the tenne tribes the thefte of the Chaldees the insatiable auarice incredible gréedinesse intollerable arrogancie of the
woulde not obey God who sayeth that he willeth not sinne God hath suffered to stande out spirites of error which may teach that God willeth sinne that those whiche woulde not obey the truth may obey lyes THE REFVTATION I say again that thou art a doltheade which takest a most sharpe vpbreading and rebuke for sufferance And I sende thée againe to the Grammer schole that thou maist learne there what is the force of the figure called Ironia and howe manye sortes there be accompted of it And that whyche thou ceasest not to tryfle of the spirite of errour who can take it in good parte If a Prophete beyng deceyued speake the worde I the Lorde haue seduced that Prophete sayeth the Lorde in Ezechiel And in an other place what sayth the Lorde to the lying spirite Thou shalte perswade sayth he and ouercome goe out therefore and do so And what witnesseth Paul For that sayth he that they haue not receyued the loue of the trueth to the ende they mighte be saued therefore GOD wyll sende them strong delusions that they maye belieue lyes I praye thée good man aduise againe and againe with thy selfe diligentlye he that sendeth from him the executioner with certaine commauncementes that he punishe with iuste correction men that be conuicte malefactours and condemned may he be sayd only to forsake them and not hymself rather willing and determyning to make strong the executioners hande to their iust punishment Al these if thou knowest not albeit of their owne nature be sinnes whiche God hateth reuengeth yet for as much as they are decréed of God they are nothing else but punishmentes of sinne If thou belienest not Augustine who handeleth that Argument plentifullye and plainely against Iulianus yet at the leaste belieue Paule who manifestlye witnesseth this thing in thrée places of his Epistle to the Romanes And whereas indirectly charging vs thou sayste there be spirites of errour which starting vp shoulde teache that God willeth iniquitie we passe not muche bycause that thyne impudencye maye be condemned throughe Gods goodnesse with oure liues and writings And sée howe of the contrarie thou canst excuse thy selfe of most manifeste slaunder which thinkest that sinnes are permitted of God in that they are sinnes Neyther when I say this I returne euil speaches but for a false slannder I render a true accusation The Sycophantes fifth Argumente to the thirde Slaunder Further they bring a place out of Zacharie where GOD saith he is angry with the quiet nations bycause that when he was lightlie angry with the Israelites they helped euil that is did more grieuously afflicte the Israclite thā Gods displeasure coulde beare therefore God suffering not willing it A like example they alleage out of the Prophete Obed who reprehendeth the Idumeans bycause they did more grieuously afflicte the Iewes the thā Lordes wrathe required REFVTATION THIS verilye I impute to the Scriuener bicause he wrote Israelits for Idumeans in the latter prophesie which thou cytest For I suppose this thy Obed to be he whome the Hebrewes cal Obadia and the Latines Abdias But truely I cannot excuse this that thou recitest out of this Prophete those things which then shalt finde in hym in no place Therfore for as much as helogeth to this place thou art taken tardye with an open lye For I read in Abdias that the Idumeans shoulde be grieuously punished bicause they most cruelly raged against their kinsemen alredy vexed by them by all maner of meanes but that which thou wrytest is no where extant in him The place therefore of Zacharie remayneth in the expounding of whiche sée with what snares thou hast entangled thy seft from whence thou canste not ridde thy selfe For I aske as it were from what poynt thou wylt beginne thys thy secréete sufferaunce from wil Verilye from whence those nations went beyonde those boundes whych were set them of God Let vs suppose that they were more moderate yet hitherto it wil folow that God willing so the Iewes were oppressed of them Thus far therfore they sinned not if we rest our selucs in thine intentions For thou denyest that wil of god in any sins by any meanes to come in betwixt But who wil graunt thée this that vngodly wicked men sin not in afflicting Gods people without this exception be added if they passe the boūds which are set thē of god Art thou so ignorāt what obedience is Truely great is the force of truth whyche enforceth thée against thy will eyther to deale playnely with vs or to dissent frō thy self But least thou be ignorāt good mā Satā or any wicked mā can not moue his foote no not euen his finger to hurt eyther good or euil whether he know that Lords decrée or not but he shall sin grieuously For an euill trée doeth alwayes bring forth euill fruits yea though the best Phisition do plant dresse it and vseth his poysons to certaine remedies But of thys matter let this be an example Let there be a wicked Citizen iudged an enimy to the countrey and for that cause be bānished he méeteth with another as wicked or more hurtfull who not knowing the edicte of proscription he kyileth the man in robberie with that kinde of death wherewith he shoulde haue died if the common wealth had had him in their power Doeth this man séeme to haue obeyed the common wealth who ki led the man that was vnder proscription or rather worthy to be punished as a théefe For how can he séeme to haue obeyed that knewe not the edict of proscription The same also is to be iudged of the Chaldeis and other enemies of the people of God who albeit they afflicted that Iews with deserued punishments did execute Gods iudgements yet they can not séeme to haue obeyed god euen whose name they did not reuerence much lesse did thinke to obey hys commaundements This only is the difference that the common wealth dyd not appoint that spoyler to kil him but the Lord called the Chaldeis albeit they knewe it not to execute his iudgements as himselfe test if yeth in infinite places and chiefely in the. 23. of Ezechiel which place I thinke can not be read without trembling Therefore the Chaldeis did not properly the Lordes worke but by thē not knowing it and thinking no such thing the Lord executed hys iust work neuerthelesse did afterwards most iustly punish thē as the Prophets had witnessed For so the Lord in Esai when he sayde oh Assur the rodde of my furye and the staffe of them in my displeasure I wil send him to a dissembling nation I wil commaund him againste the people of mine indignation that he robbe them as a praye and take spoiles and lay him to be troden vppon as the duste in the streates And then hee addeth but Assur himselfe thinkes not so nor will his hearte conceiue it bicause it will be in his harte to roote out and destroy many nations And
straightway he sayeth But it will come to passe when the Lord hath perfected his work in mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the proude hearte of the King of Assur and the glorie of his high lookes whiche afterwardes the same prophete prosecuteth more largely in the thirtéenth Chapiter But lette vs also suppose the wicked themselues to vnderstande that it is the commandement of God yet that they in the execution of Gods commaundement can do nothing else but sinne For example The Magistrate giueth ouer euerye offender lawfully conuict and condemned to the Executioner The Executioner who otherwise is an enimie afflicteth that man with that same kind of torment that was appointed him but moued with hatred or couetousnesse not setting béefore him the Iudges commandement but this one thing that he maye satisfie his minde Wilte thou thinke hym innocent before the Lorde who séeth the thoughtes of the hart not rather guilty of murther yea euē of sacriledge who abuseth that sacred iudgemēt of that Magistrate to satisfy his owne luste Suche was Sathans faulte when not by the bare sufferaunce of God as thou wilte but by expresse commaundement he was sent to ver Iob and also to deceiue Achab. And it is very like that the Idumeans did no otherwise whiche are reprehended of Obadia séeing it is probable that they were not ignorant of those things which the Prophets hadde preached againste the Iewes Therefore that we may strike saile at the laste indéede thou thinkest righte that thou thinkest that the wicked are enforced by the will of God againste those whome God by them will punishe But here thou arte deceiued two waies and that with a deadly error Firste in that thou thinkest they do not sinne except it be so that they excéede measure whiche we haue proued to be false Againe bycause thou thinkest they can goe beyonde the boundes and limits which God hath set them which erroure lincked with wonderfull blasphemie it remaineth that I reproue I say therefore that the Lorde so oft as he decréeth anye thing and he firste decréeth with what punishementes he maye corect the sinnes of men is wont also to determine all things as it were with ratified and set limits of places of times and of persons Also I saye that all thinges are so firme and ratified which God hath decréed that séeing he is neuer chaunged the issue also muste néedes followe of all thinges whyche hée hath appointed and altogither suche as he hath appointed But I dispute not here of secōd causes least thou shouldest accuse me after thy maner as a defēder of Stoical destiny I dispute of those gouerned endes whyche GOD hathe decréed and determined Those endes in déede thou thinkest cannot be remoued without vnspeakeable wickednesse I thinke thou arte taken conuict of double blasphemie when thou saiest this For I graunte that if they might be auoyded that hée whyche doeth this were guiltie of sacriledge and hée séemeth guiltie of offending the diuine Maiestie but that GOD permitteth anye thing to be done againste that he hathe decréed I denye bycause hée shoulde disagrée from himselfe Againe this I deny that it is not in anye mans power to passe those endes whyche God hath sette and determined He that shall deny these I say is guiltie of sacriledge is blasphemous wicked and a madde manne For what maner of God shal we estéeme him whose sentence is not firme and ratified and whose decrée and will shoulde depende vppon seconde causes For whereas thou supposest that thou canste escape these inconueniences when thou sayest that the endes which GOD hathe prescribed cannot be passed excepte hée suffering but not willing it that is leaste his wil séeme inconstant doth euidently prone thy foolishnesse For if he suffer againste his will it followeth that some thing is dono whiche God woulde not shoulde be done Where then is his omnipotencie For if thou doest except that he woulde not it shoulde be done but that he did not lette it and therefore his omnipotencie not to be imperiled whiche coulde but woulde not oppose it selfe neither in déede shall this helpe thée but from Silla thou runnest headlong to Charibdis For so it shoulde come to passe that to suffer shoulde signifye all one thing as not to hinder as if one suffer a streame to runne headlong downe a hill whiche he can stay But if God doe not let any thing therefore he letteth it not bycause that either he woulde it should be done or of the contrarie that he would it should not be done or finally that he careth not whether that thing be done or not Choose whiche of these pleaseth thée beste If thou saye that GOD will haue that done whiche hée suffereth thou makest with vs or rather with the LORDE hymselfe who testifyeth that euen the Sparrowes fall not to the grounde wythoute the Heauenlye fathers will nor therefore is there daunger leaste thou make GOD the Authour of Sinne as wée haue plentifullye made plaine before But if thou thinkest that he suffereth something bycause hée woulde not it shoulde be done who will not thinke thée without common sense for he woulde rather forbid that than suffer it And truely common reason telleth as the onelye will of God sufficeth that anye thyng be done so also that anye thing be not done it sufficeth bycause GOD will not that it be done There remaineth a thirde that he suffer something to come to passe whiche he willeth it be either done or not done as that be careth not whether it be done or no. But who knoweth not that this doctrine is Epicurious Furthermore who I praye thée besides thée alone knoweth not that the omnipotencie of God standeth not only in this that be can do what he liste but in this also that all the power and strength of all inferioure causes dependeth of him But whence is this strength but from a willing God For neither can it be wreasted from the beginning neither procéede nor issue as out of the hands of an ydle God that inferior causes shoulde be enforced not by his but by their owne determination For I denye not but that the instruments are in déede enforced which are endeued wyth will according to their owne liking but bycause it is carried to the ende ordained of god For bycause as Augustine hathe excellently and truely written the will of God is the necessitie of things nor that Stoycall which thou falsely obiectest against vs but which taketh not awaye the voluntarie mouing of will as the same writer hath plainely manifested in his bookes entituled of the Cittie of god Therefore when thou sayste that God nilling but suffering the limits maye be passed which he hath set thou either spoilest him of his omnipotēcie or makest him light and inconstant and finally contrarie to himselfe But this thy blasphemy euen all dumb creatures do reprehēd with open mouth which haue continued so many thousād yeres in their estate they plainly confesse that
howe the Lord séeing he can saue all enen onelye with a becke yet saueth few and why of two equall in themselues he rather saneth this than that Finally that we maye persiste in the propounded example there be infinite of that sorte I pray◠thée that by thy common sense thou wilte foredoe this dubble knotte whiche Augustine fasteneth Great sayth he are the workes of the Lorde that in a wonderfull and inspeakeable maner that be not done besides his wil whiche is done againste his wil bicause it should not be done if he did not suffer it nor indéede doeth he suffer againste his will but willingly Also if we suffer those that be vnder oure aucthoritie to committe euills before oure eyes we shall be guiltie with them But howe innumerable doth he suffer to be done before his eies which if he wold not he woulde by no meanes suffer and yet he is iust and good That remaineth which thou reportest of Similitudes as if in déede Christe did adde them for plainnesse sake as we vse in teaching But I graunt indéede that they are taken of familiar experience but so farre it is off that I agrée vnto thée that they are alleadged for perspicuitie that contrarily trusting to the testimonie of the holy Ghost I affirme that it was done by the iuste iudgement of an angry God that Christs mighte set downe his misteries to a faithlesse adulterous natiō riddle wise For there is greate oddes betwene similitudes whiche in declaring a thing are wonte to be vsed of Maisters and those whiche they call Parables whiche thou maiste call more rightly Allegories or Kiddles thā Similitudes But why should we not credite the holy Ghost rather than thée The fourth Slaunder All the wicked actes that man committeth are the good and iuste workes of God. THE ANSVVERE WHat is it to playe the Diuel if this be not The wordes of Caluine which thou hast wrested are these We muste sayeth he sée howe the will ōf GOD is cause of all things that are done in the world and yet GOD is not the Authour of euills I will not saye with Augustine whiche yet I reuerence as spoken truelye of him that in Sin or euill there is nothing posititious For it is a sharpe saying whiche woulde not content manye But I make choice of an other beginning Those things whiche are wickedly and vniustly done of men the same are the right and iuste workes of god If this séeme to some at the firste sighte a Paradox lette them not at the leaste be so highe minded but a little bée content with me to enquire out of the word of God what is to be thought These sayeth Caluine Then he sheweth by the Scriptures how God by his coūsel gouerneth those thinges whiche séeme moste casuall what is the Stoicall necessitie and how far casualtie is not abandoned Then he descendeth to those actions wherein the counsells and endeuoures of men come in betwixt and teacheth that God worketh so as that that be performed which was or dained from abone euen by the wicked themselues albeit vnwitting and againste their will. Summarily Caluine teacheth that God worketh wel euen by euill instrumēts so ofte as pleaseth him nor therefore that himselfe is allyed to anye faulte or that the euill instruments do not sin If he speak either wickedly or vnaptly or too obscurely that speaketh so let that holy Ghost be blamed of all these faults For that Lorde letteth not in Isai to call that miserable destructiō of Ierusalem ful of al calamities so much the more of offēces his work but vtterly in a cōtrary respect So Peter doubteth not to saye that Christe was betrayed by the determinate counsel and foreknowlege of God. The Churche at Ierusalem accordeth with Peter and speaketh yet more sharpely if there be in these kindes of speaking any sharpenesse at all For it speaketh of Herode and Pontius Pilate no otherwise than of the Executioners of the counsells of god Also Paule saith plainly that God spared not his sonne Dauid sayeth that Ioseph was sent before of the Lorde into Egipt The same calleth his aduersaries the Hand Sworde of the Lorde The Lord himselfe calleth Nabuchadnezer his seruant But is this with the Libertines to make God the Authour of sinne or to intermixe the wicked actes of the vngodlye with the sacred workes of God But of these it is spoken plainelye in the depelling of the former slaunder The Sycophants arguments to the fourth Slaunder Against the fourth against that of the Prophet Isai they crie out VVe be to them that call good euil and euill good If sinne be good and the iuste worke of God it foloweth that righteousnesse is the euil and vniust work of God for righteoousnesse is euery way contrary to sinne If sinne be iuste it foloweth that iniustice be iuste For sinne is iniustice If son be the worke of God it foloweth that God doth committe sin and if he committe sin he is the seruaunt of sin by Christes sentence If sinne be the worke of God and Christe came to abolishe sinne he came to abolishe the worke of god But if he came to abolish the workes of the Diuel as Peter witnesseth whiche be the workes of the Diuel if sinne be the iuste worke of God God hateth and punisheth his own iust work therefore he is vniuste But if it be obiected to them that sinne is not sinne to God they wil answere to whome therefore is it sin or why doeth he himselfe hate it or why is it sinne but bycause it is contrary to the lawe not of men but of God If sinne be the worke of God God committeth sinne and if God committeth sinne he sinneth as hee that doeth righteousnesse is righteous But if God sinne why doeth he forbid others to sinne why doeth he not rather commaunde them to sinne that men maye folowe him The child ought to folowe hys father Be ye holy saith hee for I am holyes Therefore by the same reason it shal be saide Committe sin for I committe sinne THE REFVTATION TRuelye thou couldest not cite anye place more to the purpose than this of I sai that it maye wholye agrée with thée and thy faction For what else is it to call God euill thā to do that you do that is to peruert those things which be we godly written with most filthie slaunders Sée therfore howe gently and simply I will deale with thée whatsoeuer thou collectest by these argumentes I consēt to thée that it is true but it maye be I graunte thée more than in déede thou wouldest that is that thou arte brainelesse starke mad that thou sholdest holde such a conflict in so hote contentiō against thine own shadow I wil only in few words answere to that obiection which y vnworthily layst to our charge For we do not say that sinne against God is not sin but when we distinguish betweene the works of God and of Sathan or
his people Finally for that the Scripture manifestly calleth the wicked a rodde a hammer a sawe an axe which in the hande of God is appoynted and hurled not so in any wise as if mē were disburthened of blame or as if men had digenerated into logges and blockes but that we may know the prouidēce of God not to be idle in any case Otherways why shoulde God call Nabucadnezer his seruaunte and for that cause also haue scourged him bycause he called the subuertion of Ierusalem his work But what when the kings harte is sayde to be in the hande of the Lorde that he inclyneth it whether soeuer he will is it not manifestly proued that we saye that God doth stirre vp euen the wicked affections not in the they are euill but in much as he hath determined to vse them well But that also appeareth by the example of Dauid whom the Lorde is manifestly sayde to set him on to number the people If this be blasphemie go too euen rise against the spirite of God himselfe and lay to his charge the sinne of blasphemie But thou wilt saye in an other place the same thing is attributed to the Diuell therefore the name of the Diuell is to be attributed in the other place vnderstoode where it is not expressed But the wordes of the text are on this manner And the wrath of the Lorde was againe kindled against Israel and he moued Dauid against them in that he sayd go and number Israel and Iuda But who séeth not that the name of the Lorde is to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so that to be confirmed which Salomon hath written afterwards that the kings hart is turned whether soeuer the Lorde will. That in no wise as if he did instil another lewdenesse but bicause he stirreth vp that which he found eyther to the punishing of sinnes or to execute other of his counsels as a certain wel learned man hath excellently sayde But albeit the same motion is in an other place attributed to Satan is there therefore no part of the Lordes séeing it is sufficientlye manifest the Satan is the executioner of the Lordes wrath For what is sayd of Saul The spirite of the Lord departed frō Saule there entred into him an euil Spirit sent of the lord But say wherfore are these wordes of the Lord added To the end to signifie an idle sufferāce not rather the in this matter we may knowe Satan to haue bin gods instrument exercising his iust iudgemēt Neyther only the as Caluin hath wel truely written by the God cōmaunding he stirreth vp the mindes to these desires which in respect of Satā the wicked are euil but bicause he effectually draweth thē For it is not writtē the the lord sayd to the lying spirite I suffer thée to deceiue Achab if thou cāst but thou shalt perswade ouercome Go therfore do so Nor Paul writeth the the Lorde dyd giue a certaine power to deceiue but to giue strong delusion that they maye beleue lyes And the thou shouldest not thinke that we haue first taught thus out of the word of GOD heare what Augustine hath written of these things Iulianus the Pelagiā as appeareth out of Augustine against him in his fifth booke third Chapter dyd thinke this same thing the thou thinkest that is when the Lord is sayde to blynde or to harden or to giue ouer into a reprobate sense that it signifyeth nothing but that the Lorde leaueth and suffereth But Augustine sheweth that god doth not only leaue but also declare his wrath power Iulianus saith the these spéeches are beyond al credite Augustine will that they be appertinent Iulianus sayth they were burdned before with their dosires what néede was it that they shoulde be giuen ouer to them But Augustine saith doest thou thinke one thyng to haue lustes and to be giuen ouer to them For they are giuen ouer to their lustes not that they may haue them but also that they may vtterly be possessed of them Therfore saith he euē as God worketh in the bodies of the wicked by afflicting them so also he worketh in their mindes by sending them headlong into sinne And in that place Augustine handleth the historie of Semei The Lorde saith Dauid cōmaunded that he shoulde curse me God saith Augustine iustly inclined his will which was dehraued by the own fault that he might rayle vpon Dauid And there is adioyned a cause the Lord shal render me good things for this curse The same Augustine saith in an other place whē saith he God willeth that that thing be done which may not be done but whē men be willing he togither inclineth their harts that they be willing not only worketh in the hartes by assisting but euen by iudgyng that they may performe the thing which purposed no such thing which his hand counsell hath decreed The same saith in an other place the Scripture if it be diligently considered sheweth not only the good willes of mē which himself hath made of euil directeth those which he hath made good into good actions and eternal life but also that those which concerne the creature of the worlde are so in the power of God that he causeth the same to be inclined when he wil whether he will either to do good to some or to inflict punishmēt to certaine And immediatly who saith he wold not trēble at these iudgements wherwith God euen worketh in the hartes of the wicked whatsoeuer he wil yet rendring to them according to their deseruings Againe he saith it is sufficiētly euident by the testimonies of scripture that God worketh in the hartes of the wicked to the inclining their willes whether socuer he wil whether it be to good according to his mercie or to euil according to their deseruings that by his iudgemët sometimes secrete sometimes apparant alwaies iust For it ought to be fixed in your hearts that there is no iniquitie wyth god Hearest thou now Sclauderer how God worketh iustly euen in the he arts of the wicked or that I maye speake more properly by the hartes of the wicked but when after Augustine Caluine hath moste plētifully expressed of what lewdenesse was these distinctions omitted which are graunted vppon the manifeste word of God to insert the false and counterfayt sequeles of thine own braine whereof thou makest them the Authoures of whome they are so wisely and diligently refelled But tyme requireth that we heare thyne Argumentes The Sclaunderers Argumentes to the eleauenth Sclaunder Caluine attributeth to God that whiche belongeth to the Deuil as the Scriptures witnesse euery-where THE REFVTATION But thou playste the Sclaunderer whiche is of the Diuell when thou falsely accusest Caluine of that blasphemy which he hath refuted as carefully and diligently as any in the worlde God being moued with iust anger againste the Israelites pricketh Dauid by the ministerie of Sathan that by the numbering
Church baptise infants if we be not borne the children of wrath Giue therefore wicked Pelagius glorie to God and if thou canst acknowledge at the last the grace of God not whereby we were created that wée might be men for this we lostin Adā if thou only exceptest this bycause we sinne willingly but that whereby we are iustifyed that we might be iuste men For God is he which altogether worketh in vs the will and the déed And to what purpose shal it be to vndo with moe words the doubt which thou patchest séeing Augustine hath written so plainely and plenteously to Valentine of thys same matter de correptione gratia and after Augustine also both that worthy seruaunt of Christe Martyne Luther against Erasmus and also Caluine himselfe whether thou wilt or no a confident auoucher of the Christiā veritie against Pighius haue shewed Yet I wil speake in fewe wordes that maye satisfie thée if thou louest the truth The vse of admonitions is manifolde which thou séemest not sufficiently to haue vnderstoode The godlye are admonished that so oft as néede is they maye be reproued that the drowsinesse being shaken off they maye stirre vp themselues that being at the leaste vanquished with shame when they haue erred they may returne into the waye that when they knowe their weakenesse they may take better héede to themselues But thou saist we striue not about these For to these it is giuen to will and doe Let vs come therefore to the forrainers Of these there be two kindes For some albeit not yet called yet by Gods secrete election they belong to the kingdome of god Others are auowed to iuste destruction Thou indéede denyest this difference but we haue proued it out of the worde of God in his place experience it selfe approueth it to be true But albeit the sunne beames be all one and the same yet if softneth war and hardeneth clay So also it commeth to passe here For therefore are admonitions giuen forth to them that hée elect that when they knowe their owne miserable condition they maye runne to him of whome alone they may be healed I came not saith Christ that I might cal the iust but sinners to repentaunce Also I came that I mighte saue that whiche was loste Also come to me all yée that trauell and be heauye laden and I will ease you So sayth Paul by the lawe is the knowledge of sin and that whiche more is the increase of sinne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by accident not in anye wise that the sinner might be deuoured but that so much the more feruentlye he might aske that of the Lorde which also he maye obtaine For that which appertaineth to these there is the effectual working of the spirite ioyned with the outward preaching of the word Therefore as the Lorde sayth I haue giuen them preceptes Also he sayth in another place I will cause you to walke in my preceptes And I will giue them a newe spirite and I will take awaye their stonye harte out of their flesh and I will giue them a fleshie harte And that whiche apperteyneth to the others albeit the worde is not ordeyned to their amendement yet is it not preached to them in vaine Wherwith they both may be pricked for the presente with the testimonie of conscience and also be the more made without excuse against the day of iudgement For neither doth necessitie as I will shewe afterwardes take awaye wil or extenuate or make lesse the guiltinesse of the wicked So Moyles is sent to Pharao and the Egiptians to be hardened by their owne lewdenesse albeit necessarie yet voluntarie So Esaye is sente to harden the peoples harte to stoppe their eares and blinde their eyes by no fault in himselfe or in the worde but by their own proper faultes as those which not being inforced against their will but although necessarilye yet resist the trueth of their owne accorde And whence is this necessitie verily not from the creation but from the corruption in whiche albeit they be left yet haue they nothing wherefore to accuse god But bycause thou thinkest there is but one only vse of admonition that is that those whiche be admonished may returne into the waye thou therefore patchest a false conclusiō But this verie thing thou wilt saye is vniust as though in déede we be not all worthy that the Lorde shoulde punishe vs with whatsoeuer meanes From whomsoeuer he taketh a stony hart and giueth them a fleshye let them reuerence the mercy of GOD and whose stonye heartes he hardeneth and whome he more and more holdeth guyltie lette them being vanquished wyth hys iustice remayne silente The Sycophants second Argumente to the thirtenth and fourtenth slaunder If Caluine wil saye that the preceptes are therefore giuen that men may be made excuselesse we aunswere that that is in vaine For if thou shalt commaunde thy sonne to eate a rocke and he shall not do it he is no more excusable after the precept than before Likewise if God say to me steale not and I steale necessarily nor can any more absteine from stealing than I can eate a rocke I am no more excuselesse after the precept than before nor more inexcusable than afterwards THE REFVTATION Thou indéede opposest thy selfe against Gods trueth like a brasen rocke but the spirite of the Lorde shall also deuoure thée and that stone which is cut without hands shall crushe thée If we are borne the children of wrathe are we not I pray thée inexcusable before the precept I pray not for the world sayth Christ But doest thou by the name of World only vnderstande them which when they can beléeue the Gospell yet neuerthelesse will not If the blinde leade the blinde they fall both into the ditch but thinkest thou that none be borne blinde whē on the contrarie parte manne is nothing else but a moste palpable darkenesse The Apostle wytnesseth that manne is so inthralled to sinne that hée is not apte so muche as to thinke anye good but is he to thée excuseable excepte of himselfe he can not onely will but also worke But it may be thou wilte say that all in some sorte are borne blinde but God gineth this grace to all that they maye open their eies if they will. But who wil grant thée this where death raigneth there verily doth sinne raigne and death beareth sway enen vppon verye infants where is then that thine vniuersall grace As thoughe in déede men were not borne by their owne nature sufficiently inexcusable in Adam except also there approch a newe diuorse of grace Againe dost thou thinke that there is anye grace whiche indéede properly belongeth vnto life without Christe that can be deriued vnto men But how may they obtaine any grace by Christe which are not comprehended within the couenaunt nor euer heard any thing of Christe so sarre is it off that they haue embraced him by faith For Faith cōmeth by hearing And if thou denyest that there