Ihon. vi And he sayde Therefore I haue tolde you that no manne can come vnto me excepte it be geuen hym of the father Therefore to be drawne of the father vnto Christe What it is to be drawen of the father or what it is to heare and learn of the father and to hear and learne of the father to come vnto Christe It is none other thynge but to receyue of the father a gyfte wherby we may beleue in Christ For he that saithe no manne commeth vnto me excepte it be geuen hym of the father doth not discern them that heare the Gospell from them that heare not but them that beleue from them that beleue not Therefore bothe the begon faythe and the perfect faith is the gyfte of God No man excepte he wil be against the moste manifest scriptures wil dout but that this gift is geuē to some and to some it is not geuen But whye it is not geuen vnto all men it oughte not to moue any faithful man which beleueth that we are all borne of one man vnto condemnation beynge without doubte moste iuste so that nothinge can rightfullye be layde to Goddes charge though none were deliuered from it Wherby it dothe appeare that it is a greate grace of God that very manye are delyuered seynge and acknowledgynge in theym that are not delyuered what was due vnto theym that they that glorye should not glorye in their owne merites which they see to bee like vnto the merites of the dampned but that they should glory in the Lord. ¶ August ad Sixtum Rho. presbilcrum Episto Cv. IN this that they doe imagine and thinke that they shuld make God an accept our of persōs God is no acceptour of persons if they dyd beleue that wythoute anye merytes goynge before he sheweth mercye on whome he wil and calleth whom he dothe vouchsafe to call and maketh religious whome he lyst they do smallye regarde and consyder that due punishment is rendred vnto him that is dampned and vndue grace or grace that is not due geuē to him that is deliuered so that neither the one can iustlye complayns that he vndeseruinglye is damned God is not vniuste nor the other glory or boaste that he is deseruingly and for his worthinesse deliuered yea rather that ther can be no partiality or acception of persons where one lompe of damnation and offence dothe wrappe in all men so that he which is deliuered may learne by him that is not deliuered What punyshmente he hym selfe dothe deserue excepte he were holpen by grace If thys help commeth by grace truelye it is not to be taken for a recompence of me rites or deseruynges but for a gratuite and fre gifte of the goodnesse of God But it is vniustelye done saye they that in an euyll cause wher all thynges be in lyke one should be punished and thother deliuered Is it not therefore meete that both shoulde be punyshed Who would denye any suche thynge No man I trowe Let vs then geue thanks vnto oure sauioure When we see that thynge not to be rendred vnto vs whych we know be the damnation of the lyke to haue bene due vnto vs. For if bothe were delyuered it shoulde not be knowen what is by the iustice of God due vnto synne If no manne were delyuered it shuld also be vnknowen what grace doth freelye geue But in thys moste harde question let vs rather vse the words of the apostle What and if God would to shewe hys wrathe Rom. ix and to make hys power knowen suffer wyth longe patience the vessels of wrathe prepared to destruction that he myght declare the richesse of hys glorye vpon the vesselles of mercy which he hathe prepared vnto glory c. To the o Lorde God whose iudgements be vnsearcheable be all prayse glorye and honour world withoute ende Amen Imprynted at London by Ihon Tisdale dwelling in knighte Riders streate neare to the Quenes Wardroppe
through the enuy of the deuil cam death into the world whereby any man may easelye gather that the wyse man doth speake there of Adam being in the most perfect estate of his fyrst creation in the which if he had continued and abiden stil obeying the commaundement that the lord hys God had geuen hym neyther death nor hell could haue had anye power vppon hym he shoulde haue bene immortal he shoulde haue lyued for euer no destructyon at all shoulde haue come neare hym or touched him God then had created hym to be vndestroyed if he had not through disobedience broken his commaundement For it is wrytten in the booke of Iesus the son of Syrach Eccle. xv otherwise called Ecclesiastions that Lorde gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes sayinge if thou wilt obserue the commaundementes and kepe acceptable faithfulnesse for euer they shal preserue thee By this then it dothe plainly appeare that by breakinge of the law that was geuen him he did bring both him self and all his posterity into vtter perdition DIdy Question Mighte not the Lord throughe hys almighty power haue letted hym from doing so PHILALETHES No manne dothe denye Answer to it but that God myghte haue preserued him from fallinge because that he is almighty DI. And whye did he it not PHILALETHES Because that he would not But why he would not we leaue that vnto him as we said before For we muste not be wyser than it behoueth Howe be it thys matter hathe bene sufficientlye discussed before therfore we wil come againe to our argumente Ye haue hearde alredy that man was created to be vndestroyed if he had not throughe dysobedience broken the cōmaundement of god and that by his transgression and fall he dyd bringe bothe him selfe and all that came of him in to vtter destruction so that by reason of it all the whole lompe of mankinde is subiect vnto damnation and vnto death euerlastinge When we saye then that God did of this lompe of dānation chuse some euen afore the foundacions of the world wer layed for to be the vessels of his mercy and for to be felowe heyers with his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenlye kingdome and that again he did ordain and appointe som for to be the vessels of his wrath and the examples of hys iustice we do in nothynge varye from the scryptures that ye haue aleaged laste For those places are to bee vnderstanded of manne beynge as God created hym fyrst and we speake of man beyng made through his owne folye We were all in Adams loynes when he fell transgression and fall the child of perdition in whose loynes we wer all when he fell wherby it foloweth that we al are naturally the chylden of wrath Therfore when he doth rayse and styrre vp some for to be the vessels of his wrathe as we haue sayed many times before alredy he doth thē no wrong nothing can be layed to his charge for it For he doth but as they do deserue and though he shuld withoute any exception dampne vs all he should do vs but ryght Question DIDY But syth that it was not the wyll of God as Esdras sayeth that man shoulde come to naught why did he suffer hym to fall after thys sorte I canne not yet well vnderstande thys PHILALETHES Aunswer Thys place muste be vnderstanded as the other that we expounded euen nowe It was not the wyll of God that man should come to nought if he had contynued and abyden styll in the same estate that he was created and put in at the first But syth that man hath contrarye to the wyll and cōmaundemente of almightye God broughte him selfe throughe hys disobedience rebellion to naught I meane to endlesse myserye and calamitye God oure heauenlye father for to declare hys mercy did chuse some from amonge his sede for to enheryte eternall felicitye and life euerlastynge And some agayne for to declare and sette fourthe hys iustyce he dyd appoynte and ordayne to be euerlastingelye dampned in hell fyer EVTRAPELVS And what absurditye were it I praye you to saye that almyghtye God our heauenlye father doth as a mightye potter make of one lompe of claye whych of hys owne nature is alredye subiecte vnto euerlasting damnation some vessels to honoure and some to dyshonoure Doth not the blessed Apostle sainte Paule wryte Rom. ix that God willing to shew his wrathe and to make hys power to be knowen dothe brynge forth the vessels of wrath whyche are ordained to damnation that so he may declare the richesse of hys glory on the vessels of mercy whiche he hath prepared vnto glory DyDIMVS Ye had made me almoste to forget a thinge whyche I thought to haue asked our brother Philalethes EVTRAPE What shoulde that bee DyDIMVS He said euen now that Adam did contrary to Gods wil bring him selfe to naughte by his owne disobedyence and rebellion But howe can this be For is it not wrytten that no man is able to resist gods wyll Rom. ix Obiectiō Sith then that it was not the wyll of God that he should be broughte to nought how could he contrarye to Goddes will bringe him selfe to naught Aunswer PHILA Ye shall vnderstand neighbour Dydimus that the holy scripture doth speake of Gods holy wil two manner of wayes Fyrst and foremost The will of God is two manner of way considered in the scriptures it doth ascribe vnto him I meane vnto God an absolute wil. And this will of God is hidden from vs and can in no wise be resisted For what so euer God doth once determine accordynge to that absolute wil of his it shal neuer be altered Again al the whole world shall neuer be able to wythstand it And therfore we saye that God is almighty because that he is able to do whatsoeuer he wyll Secondly the scripture doth speke of the deuine and blessed wil of god as it is declared and setforthe vnto vs in Gods holy word whereby we do learne what God will haue vs to do and what he will haue vs to leaue vndone We do al contrarye to this wil of our heauenly father when we do breake his holye lawe and commaundements Syth then that God by geuing our fyrst parent Adam a law and commaundement did declare vnto him what he woulde haue hym to doe and what he woulde haue him to leaue vndone when he did through hys disobedyence breake the lawe and commaundemente of God he dyd contrarye to Gods wil brynge hym selfe to naught and to vtter destructyon in the whych God leaueth them whome he hathe apoynted and ordayned to be the vessels of hys wrathe and the examples of his deuine iustice for to be glorified by their damnation DYDIMVS Obiectiō If God doth apoynte and ordayne some to be the vessels of hys wrathe and examples of hys iustice for to be glorified by theyr dampnation whye dothe then the blessed Apostle sainte Paule saye i. Tim. ii that God wyl haue
of his heauenly kingdom of what estate condition or degre soeuer they be whether thei be kinges or subiects poore or ryche Iewes or gentiles Dy. But thys troubleth me sore that the Apostle saith that god hath closed vp al vnder vnbeliefe that he mighte haue mercy on al. Who wold not gather by these words that God wil haue al men to be saued PHI. The holy Apostle doth sufficiently expounde him self in another place Gala. iii. when he saith that the scripture did shut vp al vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesu Christ shuld be geuen vnto them that beleue Here do we learn plainly what they be vnto whō this promise doth perteine EV. It appeareth that it perteineth vnto al them that take holde vpon it by faith vnto none other But only thei that be ordeined vnto life euerlasting can take a sure hold by faithe vppon the promises of God as it hath bene already sufficiently proued by manye and sondrye places of the scriptures Therfore this promise dothe pertaine vnto them onlye And on all them that be ordained vnto lyfe euerlastynge and so take holde by faythe vppon the swete promyses that be offered vnto vs in the scryptures God wyll be merciful wythout dout PHILALETHES More ouer we must consider that ther in that place the blessed Apostle S. Paule dothe speake of the Iewes and of the gentiles declaringe and prouinge vnto them that they had no cause to boaste one agaynste an other For by the scriptures and word of God they wer conuinced found to be vnder synne and vnbeliefe But leaste they shoulde dispaire he dothe adde by and by that God wyll haue mercye on theym all not that he did speake of the hole body eyther of the Iewes or of the gentiles but of al them that shuld beleue of them both I meane from among the Iewes and the gentils DIDY Obiectiō It cannot be denied but that the fyrst part of the sentence or saiyng of Paule doth pertayne to the hole bodye bothe of the Iewes and of the gentiles For it is mooste playne and euydent that they were al synners and shut vp al vnder vnbelief Why shuld not the last part pertayne to the hole bodye of them both also PHILALETHES Because Aunswer that the promises of gods mercy do pertain only vnto those that take hold vpon them by faith But none do flye vnto the mercy of god and take hold vpon it by faith sauyng only those that god doothe lyghten and illumynate wyth hys holy spyryt But none dothe he illumynate and lyghten but those only whome he hathe ordained vnto lyfe euerlastyng As for the place An Aunswer to the place which is aleaged oute of Eze. iii xxxiii that he haue aleaged oute of the prophet Ezechiel it doth only declare that God is readye to pardon and forgeue any synner and to delyuer hym from the death that he hath deserued through hys synne trespace if he wyll repente and turne But what synners canne repente and turne vnfaynedlye excepte it be geuen them of God Ye knowe what Sainte Iames sayeth Iames. i. how that euery good gyfte cometh from aboue desendinge from the father of lyghts but to repent and turne agayne vnfaynedly vnto God and to take sure holde vpon hys mercy throughe faythe is a speciall good gyfte therefore it comethe of God and dothe descende from the father of lyghtes But thys specyall good gyfte dothe the Lord geue onely vnto hys electe and chosen I meane vnto them whome he hathe ordayned and appoynted vnto saluation from the begynninge euen afore the foundacions of the worlde were layed EVTRAPELVS we haue a notable example of the same in the two theues that hong with Christ They both receaued the lyke doctrine dyd see the like signes and tokens wherby they myghte haue knowen Luc. xxiii that Christ was the true Messias the only begottē sōne of god Yet one of thē only did repent and turne the other blaspheminge styl with thē that did put our sauiour Iesu Christ to death What other cause can we bringe of this but only that the one was chosen and the other was not ALBION I doo perceaue by youre sayinges that the promyses of God do then take effecte when they be receaued taken hold vpon by faith but where no faythe is there they be of no valewe Obiectiō Rom. iii. Why then doth Saynt Paul saye that the vnbelief of men can not make the promyses of god to be of nō effect Aunswer PHI. What say ye brother Albion cā the blindnes of any man make that the lyght of the sun shal be no light AL. the light of the sun shal be lighte thoughe all men were blinde PHI. Yet ye wil not saye that a blynde man can receiue any profit by the lighte of the sunne AL. There is a good cause why sith that he lacketh hys eies sighte PHI. And yet notwythstanding they that haue their eies sight do receiue profit of it I mene they haue the fruition of the lyghte of the sun and enioy the commodities of it AL. That is moste true PHI. So iudge ye of the promises of God they that haue faith take hold vpon them by it they receyue an vnspeakable profit of them and by them but they that haue no faith but contemne despise them can haue no profit by them that is to saye the promises of god are vnto thē of no effect whiche commeth not of the nature properti of gods promises but of mens vnfaithfulnes and vnbelief ALBION Nowe do I perceyue that they onely do enioye the benefit of Goddes promises that take holde vpon them by faith but this true faith is onely geuen vnto thē that are chosen ordained vnto life euerlasting wherby we may well conclude that the promises of God do only pertain vnto thē This thē shal be the sum of al A shorte sum of whiche hath ben sayed before that hath ben saied before how that god hath frō the begynninge ordayned and appointe some for to be felow heyers with his son Iesu christ of his heauenly kingdome and some againe for to be euerlastingly dampned in hell fyre and that whome he hathe ordayned before to enioy and possesse euerlastyng life them he hath chosen in hys sonne Iesu Christe afore the foundacions of the world were layde and that of hys free mercy and goodnesse and without any respect at al of theyr owne deseruinges or merites for to sette forth the glory of hys grace and to declare his mercye through out all the hole world But whom he hath appoynted to be the vessels of hys wrath them he hath accordynge to his righteous and vnsearcheable iudgements stirred vp for to be the examples of his iustice and for to be glorifyed by their dampnation wherin he dothe them no manner of wronge sithe that he rewardeth them accordinge to their naturall corruption whiche they haue of their first
A FRVTEFVL treatise of Predestination and of the deuyne prouidence of god as far forth as the holy scriptures and word of god shal lead vs and an answer made to all the vain and blasphemous obiections that the Epicures and Anabaptistes of our time canne make ¶ Set forth Dialoge wise by Ihon Veron To the most Godlye vertuous and mighty Princesse Elizabeth by the grace of God Quene of England Fraunce and Irelande defendor of the faith and supreme gouernor of this realme aswell in causes Ecclesiastical as temporal her humble subiect Ihon Veron wysheth grace long life and encrease of honour from God the father through hys sonne Iesu Christe our Lord. SOm peraduēter mooste myghtie princes wil meruail and wonder that I beyng but a pore strāger dwellinge here wythin your graces dominion dare be so bold to dedicate any maner of booke vnto your maiestye beynge so seriously occupied in the waighty affayres of the common weale and also so earnestlye geuen that to the greate comforte of all youre louinge subiectes that heare of it to the study of deuine letters and diligent reading of the godlye and learned workes of the auncyente fathers of the primitiue churche But they shall I truste cease from meruailing when they shall both call to remembraunce thys saying of Paul there is neyther Iewe nor Grecian ther is nether bond nor free Gala. iii. there is nether man nor womanne For ye are all one in CHRIST IESUS and also when they shall sette before theyr eyes the exceadynge greate Clemency and Princelye goodnesse that your grace is most richly endued withall Whyche onlye at thys presente haue so comforted mee that puttinge all vaine feare a syde I dare nowe wyth all due submyssyon and subiecte lyke reuerence offer thys my rude laboure vnto youre soueraygne Maiestye not doubtinge but that youre Grace wyll accordynge to youre wonte and accustomed bountuousnesse accept this my good wil that I beare both to your person and also to the faithfull congregation of Gods people For whose sake I haue at thys time enterprised and taken in hand to wryte and setforthe thys small treatyse of Predestination and of the deuine prouidence of God to this end that I might enarm and fence the true churche of God againste the pestiferous sect of the fre wil men of oure time Why the free wyll men are enemies vnto the doctine of Predestination which are for non other cause enemies vnto the most comfortable doctrine of Predestination which is plainlye inough if men wil haue eyes to see setforth vnto vs in the infallible worde of God and sacred scriptures conteined in the canonicall bokes of the old and new Testament but because that they wyll haue part of our saluation to be attributed vnto oure selues to the merites of oure owne workes and not the hole glorye thereof to be geuen vnto Christ and vnto the merites only of his death passion and bloudshedding Suche hathe bene alwayes the subtyl and crafty wilynesse of that most ancient serpente who deceyued in times past oure fyrste Parentes Adam and Eue for to make vs before the deuine maiestye of God rancke sacriledges I mene traitors robbers of Gods glory For whatsoeuer of our saluation we doe adscribe eyther vnto our selues or vnto our owne merites and deseruyngs the same we do most sacrilegiously plucke take away frō the gratuite and mere mercye of god from the merits of the death passion bludsheding of his son Iesu christ our lord sauior I do here let passe that by thimpugnyng of this doctrin sathan the deuil goeth about as much as in him lieth to ouerthrow the infalliblenesse By what meanes we are certifed of oure election and certainty of our election wherof we be certified by the preaching of Gods word by thinward workyng of the holy ghoste and also by iustification which we do obtain frely by faith in the only begotten son of god For take away the right vnderstāding of the matter of predestination the assurance of our saluatiō which springeth of the fre electiō of god wherby we are chosen in Christ Iesu afore the foūdacions of the world wer laid is clean ouerthrowne Ephe. i. the whole doctrine of iustification by faith as builded vp on a sandy grounde is moste easy to be blowne downe by the daungerous blaste of the wicked temptation of the spirit of mistrust misbeleue or of wauering doubtfulnes I know most gracius princes that I shal haue many ennemies for wrytīg of this work but I wil desire thē all in the bowels of our sauioure Iesu Christ that they will vouchsafe to read the whole tretise through with patiēce sobriety and iudgemēt and then I do not dout but that their āger will be pacified their mindes satisfied if at least thei be so reasonable that eyther the scriptures or the authorities of the ancient fathers can in any wise satisfy them And as for those Obiectiō that do obiect that this doctrin of predestinatiō doth hinder the preaching of gods word causeth that it cānot profit Aunswer August de bono perseuerantia cap. xiiii I wil answer them by s Augustine who wryteth on this manner As though this doctrin had hindred the Apostle s Paule to do his duetye who so often times did commend vnto vs and teache the doctrine of Predestination yet neuer ceased to preache the worde of god Againe As he that hath receiued the gift cā better exhort preache so he that hathe receiued the gyfte doth hear the preacher more obediently and with greater reuerence And a little after we do therfore exhort preache but they onli which haue eares to hear do hear vs quietly or obediently to theyr owne comforte and in those that haue them not thys sentence is fulfilled that hearing with their eares they do not hear for they hear wyth the sēce of the body but not with the consent of the hart Now that some haue eares to hear some haue not it is because that it is geuen of the father to some of them to come vnto the sonne and to thother not geuen Rom. xi Who knewe the meaninge of God or who was a counsell with him What mā art thou that doste aunswer God Rom. ix Muste that be denyed whych is plaine because that can not be knowne whych is hidden and secreat And in a other place I pray you saith this holy father if som vnder the shadow of predestination Augu. de bono per se ca. xv geue them selues to slouthful negligence and as they are bent to flater their own flesh so followe their owne lustes must we therfore iudge that this which is wrytten of the foreknowledge of god is fals Now surely this is very hansome and to the purpose that we shal not speake that whiche by the scripture is lawful to speake But we feare wyll some say least he shuld be offēded which is not able to
â—e shoulde affyrme mayntayn and â—pholde that God dyd forsee the â—orkes of them both and that in â—especte of them he dyd chuse the 〈◊〉 and refuse the other Rho. 1. we should 〈◊〉 greate iniurye and wronge vnâ—o Paul as though he had not sene that which is so plain and manifest vnto vs. And verily it is a token that be had not seen it syth that he dothe expressely write that when they had yet done neyther good nor euyll the one was chosen vnto saluation and the other vtterly cast a way there by to proue that the dyuine Predestination of God is not grounded in mens workes deseruinges Predestination is not grounded on mens workes and deseruinges Agayn when he had made this obiection whether there was any vnrighteousnesse with God he might for a most plain and sure defence of the iustice and righteousnesse of God haue aunswered and sayed that God did rewarde Esau according to his wickednesse whiche he did forsee should be in hym but he flieth to a contrary solution affirming boldely that the wicked are stirred vp that the power oâ— God may be shewed on theÌ„ and his glory and name declared through out al the hole world And at lengthe bringeth fourth this cause thaâ— God hath mercy on whom he wil Ex. xxxiii and whom he wyll he maketh hard harted Ye see how he doth attrybute both to the only pleasure and wyll of God Therefore if we can assign none other cause why God doth shew mercy on hys electe but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure we shal also be fain to confesse that he doth reproue the other only because that it is his plesure so to do For when it is sayed that God doth shew mercy on whom he wil and whom he wyll againe he maketh harde harted men are admonyshed and warned thereby that they oughte to seke for none other cause of his diuine Predestination but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure DYDIMVS Verely ObiectioÌ„ Wher the cause of predestination oughte to be sought thys is a very strauÌ„ge doctrine and which can sarcelye sinke in to my heade For why shuld god be angry with his creatures bi whoÌ„ he was neuer offended before For it is the property of a tiraunt not of a righteous iudge to appoint and ordaine vnto destruction whom he wyll Therfore men might haue a iust occasioÌ„ to complaine of God if by his bare arbiterment and wil and without their own merite deseruing they shoulde be predestinated vnto euerlasting deathe Aunswer PHI. In dede suche obiections are made coÌ„monly for to subuert the doctrine of predestination and for to make it to be hated and abhorred of all men but we oughte not therefore to be affrayed to speake of it as far fourth as the worde of God and the scriptures wyl leade vs and shew a light vnto vs. First and foremost then wheÌ„ any suche obiections be made or when any suche vayne thoughtes do aryse in oure heartes we musse consyder and weyghe wyth oure selues that the holye and blessed wyll of God The wyl of God is the most perfecte is the moste consummate and perfecte rule of iustyce and equitye and that therefore what so euer he wyll we muste compte it most iust and righteous onely because that he doth wyll it rule of iustyce Therefore when it is asked sayth Saynte Augustyne why God dyd this thinge or that thinge Contra madi Li. 1. Ca. 3. We muste aunswer that he dyd it because that it was hys wyll so to do If thou goost any farther askynge whye it was hys wyll so to do Thou doest aske a thing which is bothe greater and higher than the wyll of God which thinge can not be founde oute Let this suffise vs least seckynge rasshelye that thin ge whyche is not we do not fynd out that same thing which is Let this I say suffise vs if at least we intende to reason and talke with reuerence of the secretes of the lord our god Which though he caÌ„ sufficientely wythouste vs defende hym selfe wyth hys iustyce against the malepartenesse of the vngodlye whyche are not affrayed to sklaunder God openly and to blaspheme hys holye and blessed name when takynge awaye all maner of excuses from their owne conseyences hee shall proue them giltye and condempne theym yet leaste they shoulde tryumphe to muche hee doothe minister vnto vs bothe armoure and weapones agaynste theym in hys holye woorde Therfore when any of them shall aske vs whye God hathe from the begynnynge ordayned some vnto deathe which beynge not yet borne nor gotten coulde not deserue the iudgement and condempnation of deathe For an aunswere we wyll aske them agayn wherein they thynke that God is bounde vnto manne and what they thyncke hee oweth vnto hym if hee wyll consyder hym in hys owne nature As we be all infected wyth synne God can not byt hath vs not of a tyrannous cruelty but of a most iuste and ryghteous equytye Nowe if all men be of their owne nature subiecte to the iudgement and condempnatyon of Deathe what wronge canne it bee sayd that God dothe vnto them whom he dothe Predestinate vnto death Let all the chyldren of Adam come fourthe and reasonne wyth theyr maker whye they are by his deuine prouidence made subiect vnto euerlastynge miserye What shall they be able to saye I praye you when on the contrary he shal call theym to the knowledge of them selues and byd them to beholde and looke vpon theyr owne fylthye and corrupted nature If they be all taken oute of one infected lompe it is no maruayle that they be subiecte vnto dampnation Of oure owne nature we be al subiecte to deathe Let them not therfore accuse God of iniquity and vnrighteousnesse because that by his eternall iudgement they are ordained vnto death which of their own nature they be subiect vnto DYDIMVS ObiectioÌ„ And this corruption which ye alledge to be the cause of theyr damnation doth come of the fall of Adam But I haue hearde some of you say that Adam dyd fal by the deuine Predestination and ordenaunce of almightye God Is not God therefore vnrighteous to punishe them for the same corruption that they be fallen into by his owne Predestination ordenauÌ„ce PHILALETHES Aunswer As touchinge the fall of Adam whereby we are all made subiecte to euerlastynge death and condempnation Of the fall of Adam I wyll speake of it no farther that I am able to bringe Gods worde for my warraunte If God did foresee that the fall of Adam shoulde be to hys glory and that by it not onlye hys mercy but also his iustice should be knowen and declared through oute all the hole world we canne lay no vnryghteousnesse to hys charge though by his deuine Predestination and ordenaunce Adam did fal For The true ende of al creatures all manner of creatures both in heauen and in earth are made to this end that their
he doth deliuer some ObiectioÌ„ froÌ„ euerlasting death condemnation making them felow heirs with his sonne Iesu Christ of his heauenly kingdoÌ„e and that be suffreth other to pearishe in their owne naturall corruption then is he as our brother Albion said before a partiall God and an acceptour of persons which thing the scriptures do deny vtterly Therfore I may conclude that either the worde of God dothe disagre wyth it selfe or that in the election of God there is some respect of merits deseruings PHI. First foremoste when the scripture doth testifi that ther is no respecte of persones with God Answer this worde persone is not taken in that signification that ye wene Howe thys worde person ought to be vnderstanded For it signifieth not the manne hym self but is taken for those thinges that being sene with the eies do eyther get vnto a man fauour grace and dignity or elsse purchase vnto him contempt shame and hatred suche as be commonly richesse myghte noblenesse of byrth great offices in the common weale and other like Such as do bring contempt shame and hatred are pouertye bashnesse of byrthe beggerlinesse and other like thinges which the world doth commonlye abhorre When Peter then and Paule also affirme that there is no respect of persons wyth God their meaning is Act. x. Rom. ii Gala. i. that God in chusing of men hath no respecte to the richesse and birth or to the nation and countrye or to anye other thing that the world hath in admiration but that he chuseth as well the pore as the rich and as wel the gentil as the Iew. Where vnto the blessed Apostle S. Iames dothe agre when he saithe Iames. i. that in iudgement God hath no respect vnto richesse Likewise Saint Paule doth wryte Ephe. vi that what good so euer a man doth he shall receiue it again of the Lord whether he be bounde or free Therefore there shall be no repugnaunce nor yet contrarietye in the scriptures though we saye that God doth of his mere goodnes and mercye and accordinge to hys good wyl and pleasure chuse some vnto life euerlasting refusing and reiecting the other Howe be it the matter mighte be answeared more plainly thus They be wont to ask how it cometh to passe that of two that haue deserued in like or rather that haue deserued nothinge yet God in his election doth passe ouer the one chuse the other vnto him self This ought dilygentely to be noted I do ask them again whether they think that ther is ani thing in him which is chosen that dyd moue God to chuse him or not If they coÌ„fesse that ther was or is nothing in him worthy the election of god which thing thei must nedes grauÌ„t and confesse then it shal folow that God had no respect vnto the man but that he did take occasion in hys own merci for to do good vnto him That therfore God doth chuse one man and refuseth or reproueth an other it cometh not of any respect that he hath vnto the person or vnto the man but of his mere goodnesse and mercy which truely it is lawful for him for to shew and declare where and whensoeuer it pleaseth his deuine maiesty Therfore some do falsly and wyckedlye accuse god of vnrighteous dealing and of iniquity because that in hys Predestination he doth not behaue hym self a lyke towardes all men DYDIMVS Wherfore I beseche you If he doth fynde al men gilty ObiectioÌ„ let hym punysh them all in like if he finedeth them vngilty let hym with hold the rigour of hys iustice from them al. Aunswer PHILALETHES What meaneth this neighboure Dydimus Ye deale wyth God as though ye would that he shuld put away mercy all together or if hee sheweth any that he should cleane put awaye iudgemente equitye and iustice from hym selfe What is it I pray you that ye do require If all men be giltye saye ye lefte theym all suffer lyke punishment We confesse that we bee all gyltye We be al of oure owne nature the chyldren of damnation and do of oure owne nature deserue euerlastynge Deathe and dampnation but we saye that the mercye of GOD dothe succoure and delyuer some euen whome it pleaseth hym DYDIMVS Whye then Let his mercye succoure and deliuer all ObiectioÌ„ PHILALETHES But we answer again that it is mete and conuenient Answer and right also that in punishyng some he dothe declare him selfe to bee a righteous iudge If ye can not abide this what other thinge do ye but go aboute to spoyle God of hys mercy or if ye graunt that he may be merciful to graunt him that he shal do it on that condition that he shall forsake vtterly his iustice and equity Therfore the sayinges of s Augustine are moste worthye to be marked Sith saithe he that in the fyrste manne all the hole lompe of mankinde Epi. cvi did fall into condemnation the vessels that are made of it vnto honoure are not the vessels of theyr owne ryghteousnesse but of the mercy of god And that some are made vessels vnto dishonour it ought not to be imputed vnto anye vnrighteousnesse or iniquitye but vnto iudgement Again that God doth recompence due punishmente vnto them De predo gratia whome he doth reproue and geueth vndeserued grace vnto them whome he dothe chuse he is deliuered from all blame by the similitude of a creditoure similitude in whose power it lyeth to forgeue some the hole debt and to make the other to paye to the vttermooste farthinge Therfore God may geue his grace to whome he wyll because that he is merciful De bone perseue Cae. xii and not geue it vnto al men because that he is a righteous iudge In geuinge that vnto some whych they do not deserue he doth shew his fre mercye and grace and not geuing it vnto all men he doth declare what we all do deserue ALBION I praye you brother Philalethes declare a lyttle more plainly vnto vs the similitude of the creaditour and of hys debtoures PHILALETHES If a man hath many debtours that do al owe vnâ—o him the lyke summe of monye doth it not lie in his power to forgeue some of them the hole debte to cal vpon the other for that whiche they owe vnto him euen for the vttermost farthing Who can laye any thing to his charge if he wil do so ALBION No man I trowe shall be able to blame hym for it PHI. Then mark this brother Albion we are al debtours vnto god For we haue all deserued euerlasting condemnation That then he doth of his fre mercy and goodnesse forgeue some and some againe he doth deale extremely withal according to his righteous iudgement who shall be so bolde to blame him for it ALBION This similitude maketh the matter verye plaine and deliuereth the deuine predestination of almightye GOD from all manner of blame that menne can laye vnto it