error And albeit your great and perfect angell Castalio preteÌ„d great knowledge in that tongue yet in that as in many other places a childe may espie his negligence Trewe it is that in the hebrew this word Adam is in that place But if we shall vnderstand that word wheresoeuer it is founde in the scripture for the person of Adam our first father we shall make a mad translatioÌ„ and a sense more mad Suche as haue but mean vnderstanding in that tongue do know that that worde is ofteÌ„ common for any man as in the prophetes is most euident The veritie of the text is this they haue transgressed the couenante as the couenante of a man they haue rebelled against me c. God compleineth vpon Ephraim and Iuda that they had no further respect reuerence nor regard to that most excellent couenante and league whiche God had made with them to wit that he wold be their God and they should be his people for God had preferred them to all nations of the earth and had set them a part from others to serue and honor him in holynes of lief and to offer vnto him rather spiritual theÌ„ carnall sacrifice But they serued him at their pleasure yea and in that land which they had receaued of gods most liberal benediction they did decline to Idolatrie for that he meaneth where that he saieth there haue they rebelled that is where that they most oght to be obedient This I doubt not shall euerie man who diligently marketh the scope of the prophete perceaue to be his verie meaning Otherwies and more sharply I might haue answered your ignorance who can se no difference betwext Adam once sinning and yet shortly after by grace called to a new and more sure league with God whiche with all gladnes and thankfulnes he did receaue and the manifest contemners of God which do nothing els but delyte in sinne forme the whiche albeit that ten thousand tymes they be called yet contemning all societie with God their pleasure is to remaine in vanitie and so finally in death This difference I say ye oght to haue obserued and then I doute not but that ye wold haue exempted Adam from the rancke of suche as contempteously crie it is but labor lost to serue God If diligently ye shall consider what is writen in Iob and in Malachie the third cha ye shall easely vnderstaÌ„d that the prophete there deuideth y e hole multitude in these two sortes of men to wit in those that be proud obstinate conteÌ„ners and in them y t feared the Lord whoÌ„ he calleth his peculiare people whom he promised to spare as a man spareth his son that serueth him And one of this last sorte vnderstand we Adam to haue bene all his daies after his fall and recoÌ„ciliation by grace The lord purge your heartes if his good pleasure be from y t venom which so oft moueth you to spew furth your own shame sometymes crying that we be led with the spirit of Balaam and now affirming â–ª that we be careles libertynes To w c blasphemies because I can nether answere without y e sorow grief of heart nether without som offence of godlie eares I will remit iudgement to him to whoÌ„ as he hath frome the beginning opened thinges that for a tyme lay hid in darknes so I dout not but that he will yea and that shortly reuele vnto the world with what spirites both you and we be led when more occasioÌ„ shall be offered I purpose if so it please the mercie of my God to assist me to notifie with what spirites you and your sect haue bene led here to fore What soeuer ye gather of the wordes of the Apostle it is altogither out of y e purpose for in none of all those places doth he define determin what Adam and Dauid were whan they had sinned but plainely he declareth what tryall oght euerie maÌ„ to take of him self â–ª wheÌ„ Christ Iesus is preached vnto him affirming that if any haue not the spirit of Christ Iesus that he is not of his but y e spirit of Christ remaineth not in vnclean and prophane persons say you but yet I affirme that Adam and Dauid oght not to be noÌ„bred in that band for althogh they sinned and that most horribly yet did they not abyde in that estate And albeit they were not led with the spirit of Christ wheÌ„ they sinned yet they were both led drawen and gouerned by his omnipotent spirit when they repented And so can ye neuer be able to proue them to be reprobates no not euen when they sinned except that ye be able to proue that they finally perished in sinne for this principall do I still hold that true faith and true repentance which the reprobate â—â—uer haue be the frutes of Election The place of the Apostle written in the 13. chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians is neither well marked nor rightly applied by you neither yet will it suffer any suche conclusion as ye gather of it The mynd of the Apostle is this After the departing of Paule from Corinthus where after many stormes susteined he had established the forme of a Churche did enter in fals Prophetes whose chief studie was to eleuate the auctorite of Paule and so to deface his hole labor affirming that he was not worthie to be called an Apostle for he was neuer in the companie of Christ others were of greater estimatioÌ„ and faour then he was And as a multitude is euer more redie to receaue poyson theÌ„ holsom medicine agreate noÌ„ber began to giue eare vnto them and so began litle to esteme what so euer Paul had labored amongest them Against which vnthankfulnes â–ª the Apostle very sharpley writeth as in bothe his epistles doth appere And amongest other his argumentes which he vseth to proue that he was an Apostle nothing inferior to the greatest he adduceth theÌ„ selues for a testimonie saing Trie your selues if ye be in the faith proue your selues know ye not your selues that Iesus Christ is in you except y t ye be reprobates By these wordes most sharp and most vehement he laboreth to conuict their conscience that he was an Apostle and that the prooffe of his Apostleship as in an other place he doth affirme was declared in them as he should say your fals Apostles affâ—rme that I am not worthie of the name of an Apostle but if the office of an Apostle be to preach Christ Iesus and if the true signe that decerneth the true Apostle from the fals be that Christ so potently worketh by his ministerie that Christ Iesus taketh possession in the heartes of the hearers by the true preaching of his word then be iudges your selues whether I be an Apostle or not Call your coÌ„science to examination in what estate I did find you were ye not drowned in all sortes of iniquite did ye not walk in darkenes without any true light of God
place and said vnto the people that he had ridden vpon a blinde asse and that the father had put vpon him the sinnes of all the multitude so that they were all made cleane and purged from their sinnes and that this was the deliuerance promised by him with the which they oght to be content Among other things that Luthere caused to be printed in that time speaking of those that were besieged in Monstere he said thus Oh what shall I say or how shall I bewaile this vnhappie people y e thing it self doth declare that they be possessed with many deuilles but we oght to giue praise to the merciful goodnes of God for althogh that Germanie hath deserued for the contemning of the Gospel hatred of Gods Name and shedding of innocent blood to be grieuously punished by the hād of God yet notwithstanding he hath brideled y e force and violence of Sathan hither to not suffering him to rage at his pleasure but hath mercifully warned vs ād by this foolish tragidie of Mōstere called vs to amendement of life for except that God did brydle hym and drawe hym backe I dout not but that most subtile and craftie spirit wold haue hādeled this mater farre otherwise But now when as God hathe thus restreyned hym he is not able to do so muche as he wolde and as he desireth but so farre as God permitteth him he fretteth rageth For the deuil which desireth to destroy the Christian faith goeth not this way to worke to giue libertie for men to haue many wiues at once for he knoweth well that men do abhorre it it is so open detestable and filthie a thing in all mennes eyes The Politick and ciuil gouernement may this way be troubled but to inuade the kingdome of Christe withall there must be other maner of weapons and enginnes vsed for he that wil go about to flatter y e people by fraude and deceat he must not be desirous to reigne not to declare him self a tyrāne for all y e world reproueth that and seeth to what end such enterprises do tend but he must come by some priuie meanes as by holie speakings his garmēts homelie and not lyke vnto others a graue countenāce his head hanging toward the ground in abstinēce not touching money not eating flesh refusing mariage esteming ciuile gouernment and bearing of autoritie to be a prophane thing to refuse to beare rule and to professe hym self to be of a singulare and lowlie spirite this I say is y e readie way or meanes which may deceaue euen the verie wise and all by simulation and subtilitie to aspire to the highest reigne vpon earth But to vsurpe autoritie w t vnshamefast extremitie and for filthie desire to take as manie wiues as he list this is not the craft of any practised deuil but of some rude and late sprong vp spirit or at least if he be of any experience yet God hathe now so tyed hym in chaynes that he can no more subtely deceaue which thing the Lord doeth to the end that we should reuerence his Maiestie and that we should be first stirred vp to repentance be fore he let lose the bridle of some more expert deuil which surely shall assault and besiege vs much more sharply and with greater furie For if this litle master deuil can stirre vp suche a troulbe what shall y e great doctor deuil of bothe y e lawes dowhen he shall come and practise all his power against vs Wherfore this homelie deuil that is of so small experience is not of vs greatly to be feared And I do also think that all the inhabitantes of Monster do not allow their toying folie but that diuerse of them do greatly sorow wihch not without many sighes and teares do look for deliuerance at gods hand as it hath bene sene afore in the seditions of the bowres And I wolde to God there were no deuil in the worlde of geater craft then this deuil of Monstere is prouided that God take not his worde from vs. For I suppose there be but verie few that wil giue credence to this so grosse and vnlearned a master But in dede when God is angrie or displeased there is no error so folish vnlikely or out of order which Satan shal not persuade some to beleue as we se to be broght to passe in y e doctrine of Mahomet For thogh all their teaching is fond yet not withstāding the light of Gods worde being quenched it toke strength hathe spred furth it self so large and mightie as we se it this day and the like had come to passe in Germanie if God had not put doune the enterprise and counsel of Muncere For with the least sparke that is Satan can make a great flamb if God do suffer him and a better way to quench it withall there is not then with the worde of God for when the weapons of the ennemie are all together spiritual he can not be ouercome with a multitude of horses or any enginnes of warre But our Princes and Bishoppes worke otherwise for they hinder the doctrine of the Gospell which is the onely way wherby y e myndes and heartes of men may be healed And in the mean tyme they violently tormēt them to plucke the bodie from the deuil leauing to him the principal part of man w c is his heart and soule vsing the mater as the Iewes did which thoght to extinguish and put doune Christe by the punishment of the crosse But now as touching the common brute and writings that go of Monster I haue no doubt but that it is so as it is reported and that which they them selues haue written of late maketh me fully to beleue it in which they paint out liuely their owne furie and madnes first of al they teach of the faith verie foolish and absurde things and of Christ as thogh he tooke not flesh of the virgine Marie and yet they confesse him to be of the sede of Dauid But they vtter not their myndes fully and without doubt Satan doeth nourish some monstre which may easily be perceaued by this which they say the sede or the flesh of Marie can not deliuer vs. But in vaine is their trauaile for the Scripture witnesseth Christe to be borne of y e virgine Marie Which saying in all langages is referred to the frute which being conceaued and fashioned of the flesh and blood of his mother is borne into the worlde Also they shewe furth their ignorance in that they condemne the first baptisme as a profane thing esteming it not as the institution of God but of man But if it be so that all maner of things oght to be cōdemned and put away that ether the wicked haue or do giue then do I meruell that they cast not away the gold and the siluer with the other goods that they took from the wicked and deuise some other meanes to liue by for as these things be the creatures and worke of
whether ye will be worde or writiÌ„g y â— I haue hieghly offended in calliÌ„g you detestable liers But if ye be neuer able to shew any such wordes vsed by vs as plane it is ye be not theÌ„ yo r master Castalio aÌ„d you bothe are far from y t perfectioÌ„ to speake no more bitterly w t ye preteÌ„d For ye are manifest liers aÌ„d whose soÌ„nes they are called you can not be ignoraÌ„t accusing meÌ„ of that they neuer meÌ„t For thus formeth Castalio his first fals accusacion against Master Caluin God hath created to perdition the most part of the world by the naked bare and pure pleasure of his own wil. And this same ye affirme in mo wordes more impudently patched â–ª so bothe you and he do adde to our wordes of your own malicious mynd These sentences God hath created the most parte of the world which is an innumerable multitude to perdicion onely becaus it so pleased him you steall from our wordes and suppresse that which euer we ioyne wheÌ„ we make mention of gods predestination to witt that he hath created all thiÌ„ges for his own glorie That albeit the cause of gods will be incoÌ„prehensible secret and hid froÌ„ vs wheÌ„ of y â— same masse he ordeyned som vesselles to honor aÌ„d soÌ„ to destructioÌ„ yet it is moste iust most holie aÌ„d most to be reuerenced Now to y â— further declaratioÌ„ aswel of o r mynd as of your shameles malice I shall recite som sÌ„eteÌ„ces of master CaluiÌ„ as doth that godlie and learned maÌ„ Theodorus Beze against the craftie surmyse of your master Castalio I say faieth Iohn Caluin with Augustin that of God they were created whom without doute he fore knew to go to perdition and that was so done becaus so he wold Why he wold it apperteineth not to vs to inquire who caÌ„ not comprehend it neither yet is it conuenient that the will of God shall discend and come downe to be decided by vs. Of the which so oft as mention is made vnder the name of it is the supreme and most hie rule of iustice nominated And further we affirme that which the scripture clearly sheweth to wit that God did once by his eternall and immutable counsel appoint whom somty me he should take to saluation and also whom he should condemne to destruction We affirm those whom he iudgeth worthie of participation of saluation to be adoptate and chosen of his free mercie for no respect of their own dignitie but whom he giueth to condemnation to the same he shuteth vp the entres to life by his incomprehensible iudgement But yet by that iudgemeÌ„t that neither can not may be reproued And in another worke If we be not ashamed saieth he of the Gospell it behoueth vs to confes that which therin is manifestly taught that is that God of his aeternall good pleasure whose cause dependeth vpon none other hath destinate to saluation whom it pleased him the rest being reiected And whom he hath honored with his free adoption those he illuminateth by his Spirit that they may receaue the life offered in Christ Others by their own will so remaning vnfaithfull that being destitute of the light of faith they continue in darknes Also that which sainct Augustine writeth So is the will of God the hieghest rule of iustice that what so euer he will in so far as he willeth it it is to be holden iust Therefor when the questioÌ„ is why did God so It is to be answered Because so he wold But if thow procede asking why he wold thow sekest a thiÌ„g greater and more hie then Gods wil which can not be founde And after saieth he We must euer returne to the pleasure of his will the cause whereof is hidde within him self But to make this mater more euident I will adduce one or two places mo and so put end to this your forged accusacion for this tyme. In his book which he wriâ—â—th of the eternal predestination of God thus he saieth Albeit that God before the derection of Adam had determined for causes hid to vs what he was to do yet in scriptures we read nothing to be condemned or him except sinne And so it resteth that he had iust causes but hid from vs in reiecting a part of men for he hateth nor damneth nothing in man but that which is contrarie to his iustice Also writing vpon Isaie the 23. chap. vpon these wordes The Lord of hoostes hath decreed to prophane the pryde of all the noble ones c â–ª he saieth let vs learn of this place that the prouidence of God is to be considered of vs that to him we may giue the glorie and praise of his omnipotecie for the wisdom and the iustice of God are to be ioyned with his power Therefore as the scriptures teach vs that God by his wisdom doth this or that so do they teach vs a certen end why he doth this or that for the imagination of the absolute power of God which the scholemen haue inuented is an execrable blasphemie for it is as much as they should say that God were a tyrant that appointed things to be done not according to equitie but according to his inordinat appetite With such blasphemies be the scholes replenished neither yet differ they from the Ethnicks who did affirme that God iested or did sporte in the maters of men But we are taught in the schole of Christe that the iustice of God shyneth in his workes what so euer they be y t the mouthes of all men may be stopped and glorie may be geuen to him alone And therefor the Prophet rehearseth iust causes of this destruction meaning of the destruction of Tyrus that we shall not thinke that God doth any thing without reason Those of Tyre were ambitious proude auaricious lecherous dissolute What is he so simple which may not now consider and vnderstand what was your malice and deuiâ—ish intenion â–ª in patching vp this your first accusation not the zeale of gods glorie as you falsly pretend but the hatred which ye haue conceaued against them who haue soght your saluation For if ye had ment any thing simply ye should not haue added that which ye be neuer able to shew in our writinges neither yet can ye laufully proue that we haue spoken the same in reasoning with any of you We so taught by the scriptures with reuereÌ„ce do affirme that God for iust causes albeit vnknoweÌ„ aÌ„d hid to vs hath reiected a parte of men But you making no mention of any cause affirme that we holde that he hath created the most part of the world which is innumerable to no other end but to perdiction in which shameles lie your malice paâ—â—eth measure For neither do we rashly define the nomber of the one nor of the other howbeit the scripture in dyuers places affirmeth Christes â—â—ocke to be the little flocke the nomber to be few that findeth the way that leadeth to life
affirme that gods election in Christ Iesus is so certen ād his eternall purpose to saue his churche is so cōstant that against the faith of gods elect shall not the Portes and gates of hell preuale in the end that neither can lief nor death thinges present nor to com seperat and disseuer vs from the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus That this foundation is stable the Lord knoweth his own and therefor shall euerie one that incalleth the name of the Lord depart from iniquirie for we are not called to vncleannes but vnto sanctification and holynes by the power of that Spirit who raysed from death Iesus the great Pastor of our soules which holie spirit frely by faith which also is the gift of God doeth so reule and reign in our heartes that albeit the flesh lusteth against the spirit yet are we assured of victorie by the onely power of him who hath ouercom the world This is our doctrine faith and professiō But you affirme as after plainely ye write that none is so elected in Christ to lief euerlasting but that he may fall becom a reprobate and finally be condemned and cōtrary waies y t none is so reprobate in gods eternall purpose but that he may becom elect ād so be saued That in God there is neither election nor reprobation but according to mannes disposition so that when men haue good motiōs and be godly disposed God doeth elect thē and write their names in the book of lief but when they chāge and turne to iniquitie he doeth reprobate them and blotteth out their names out of the book of lief Let now all creatures iudge betwext vs and you whether of the two play fast and loose and surmounte iuglers in cūning Frome the third kind of election which ye call most especiall how you be able to proue that the seuentie disciples did so depart from Christe that there was no difference betwext them and the trudging of Iudas as ye terme his horrible treason be iudges your self In the sixt of Iohn we read that many of his disciples left him and fallīg frō him did go with him no more But whether these were the hole seuentie whom he sent to preach or others who for a time did folow him it is not expressed neither yet doeth the text say that all his disciples fell from him but many departed further it appereth to me verie rashe iudgemēt to pronoūce that none that departed from Christe at any tyme in his lief before his death vpon the crosse did at any tyme after return vnto hī but that all such did remain in damnation with Iudas For I fynd that all his Apostles did flie and leaue him and yet we know they were called againe And so also do we fynd were two of the disciples to whom Christ appering betwext Ierusalem and Emaus did first instruct them and after reueled him self vnto thē This I note to giue you occasion to be more circunspect in so weghtie maters Towardes the end of this parte thus ye write of those whome you say haue subiected them selues altogither to the gouernement of their Lord and capteyn they daily obtein such victorie of their ennemies that their war fare is now becom easie and in the hope they haue to subdue by the aid and counsell of their Lord all their ennemies there ioy and comfort is so greate that they esteme all earthlie pleasure which should draw thē back but vaine These wordes augment in me that suspition which before I noted to witt that ye haue a further fetch in this mater then your rude scholers vnderstand at the first to witt that euerie one of you shall becom Christes so perfect ād cleā that in you euen in this lief shall rest no ennemie to be ouercome except death onely and that this is the opiniō of your greatest Angelles I am able to proue by sufficient testimonie I mean by their own hand writinges But how far S. Paul was from that perfection yea euen when he was redie to be offerred in sacrifice for the testimonie of Christe Iesus he eshamed not to confesse thus writing to the Philippians after that he had affirmed that all iustice which before he looked for in the law was becom to him as domage and doung to the end that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his own iustice which was of the law but that which was by the faith of Christ Iesus he addeth Not as thogh I had already atteined to the mark vnderstanding to that iustice which he hoped for either that I am alredy perfect but I folowe if I may comprehend that for whoe 's sake I am comprehended of Christe Iesus Brethren I think not with my self to haue atteined to the mark but one thing I do forgetting that that is behind I endeuore my self to that which is before here the Apostle who had foghten somwhat lōger thē some who now can bragge of an easie battell confessed he was not yet perfect neither yet that he had atteined to that estate that is to the resurrectiō of the dead to the which he daily did contend The other poyson which in these your former wordes I espie and therefor of conscience must admonish my brethren is That ye be proud contemners of the fre graces of God offered to man in Christe Iesus for with the Pelagians and Papistes ye are become teachers of fre will and defenders of your own iustice for how coldly ye speak of Christ Iesus and his power these your wordes may witnes They are in hope say you to subdue their ennemies by the aid counsell of their Lord are you becom so strong and your warfare so easie that the coūsell of your captein is sufficient for you to conquire your ennemies you sodenly did repent that ye had confessed that the aid of your Lord was necessarie for you and therefor to mitigate and extenuate that immediatly ye adde by the coūsell of their Lord. Is this I pray you vnfeanedly to cōfesse that without Christ ye may do nothing that of your selues ye be not able to think one good thoght That it is he that beginneth and to the end performeth the work of our saluation God of his greate mercie and for Christe Iesus his sonnes saik preserue his Church from your pestilent vēnom What ye mean by the historie of Gedeō in the which say you well and duelly vnderstanded be your thre kindes of Election plainelie set furth because ye your self do not expresse I will not deuyne The copie which came to my handes was in that place imperfecte for after the former wordes it had onely written Confyr to the world And because I will not take vpon me to alter any thing in your wordes I leaue them to be corrected by your selues ād your mynd further to be explaned in that point if so it shall seme good vnto you Ye procede saying THE ADVERSARIE
his vessell plaÌ„te a tre to be barren or kil any of his subiects we send you as befor to ask couÌ„sel at the plaine scriptures whether â—in God there is not a greater knowledge greater power aÌ„d a iustice more perfect althogh it be incoÌ„preheÌ„sible to o r dulseÌ„ses theÌ„ y t their is in y e potter husboÌ„d maÌ„ or Magistrate How that God wil not the death of the sinner but rather that he may conuerte and liue we shall shortlie God wiliÌ„g after speak And therefor omitting that which indigestly you heape togither I procede to that which foloweth THE ADVERSARIE Where ye replie w t that it lieth not in maÌ„nes will or ronning but in the mercie of God I answer by the same senteÌ„ce y t we may both will aÌ„d roÌ„ne which is coÌ„trarie to your hole purpose aÌ„d doctrine aÌ„d yet saieth the Apostle our saluatioÌ„ depeÌ„deth of the mercie of God for it is his fre gift The GeÌ„tiles w c for their wickednes wer reiect of God in vaine should they either wil or ronne w tout God exteÌ„ded his mercie towardes theÌ„ as he doeth now preseÌ„tly Lyke as on the other side the Iewes which for their sinnes be now abiect in vaine should they either wil or roÌ„ne without it pleased God to extend his mercie ouer theÌ„ as he shal do after that the fulnes of the GeÌ„tiles become in as witnesseth Paul â–ª for there we must vnder staÌ„d that wheÌ„ it pleased God to offer vs his mercie yet without we both will and ronne we shall not obtein the reward notwithstanding neither for our willing or ronning are we worthie to receaue saluation for it is the fre gift of God which he giueth to vs onely for his own mercies saik God offered saluation to Ierusalem not for the deseruing but of his mâ—rcie yet obteined they not saluation because they wold neither will nor ronne As Christ saieth how often wold I haue gathered thy children as the hendoeth her chekens and thow woldest not so the scribes and the Phariseis made the counsell of God towardes them of none effect for they dispised it Gods will was to saue them but they wold neither will nor ronne but kepe still their old passeâ— so they perished Wherefor vnto our saluation is required chiefly the mercie of God as the onely sufficient and the efficient cause thereof wherby we being vnworthie and his ennemies be reconciled and receaued vnto the feloship of the saintes Secondly is required that we both will and ronne not as the cause but rather as the effect anâ— frute of our reconciliaâ—ion declaring our selues to be thankfull for the benefits which we haue frely without our merits receaued otherwies the kingdoâ— shal be â—aken from vs againe and geuen to such as shall boâ—h will and ronne bringing furth the fruts thereof ANSWER Your ancient father Pelagius coniured ennemie to the fre grace of God did bragge and boast as you do that in man there was a will and a ronning But the probation of bothe is one that is to say your affirmation must suffice for auctoritie You boldly write that of those wordes of the Apostle neither it is of him that willeth neithâ—r yet of him that ronneth but of God hauing mercie it is plaine that we bothe will and ronne But how is this proued your long discourse in which it semeth that ye haue forgotten your self proueth no part of your purpose for the question is not what either the Iew or y e geÌ„till doeth ImeaÌ„ after they haue receaued the grace of God For theÌ„ we confesse that they haue yet not of theÌ„ selues a will aÌ„d studie to walk in godlines but the question is whether this wil aÌ„d studie which now by grace they haue receaued was anie cause of their election the contrarie whereof we haue before proued We do not imagine the faithfull meÌ„bres of Christes bodie to be stockes or stones insensible without will or studie of godlines â–ª but we affirme that it is God that worketh in vs the good will and the good thoght for of our selues we are not sufficient to think one good thoght We further affirme that except with all humilitie the fre grace offered with thankes giuing be receaued that they serue nothing to the saluation of the coÌ„temners But therewith we adde that it is God onely who taketh away the stonie and stubborne heart and giueth to vs a fleshie heart In which he by the power of his holie Spirit writeth his law maketh vs to walk in his wayes draweth vs to his Sonne Christ Iesus giueth vs into his protection I mean as faith assureth vs in our conscience aÌ„d so we acknowledge God alone by Christ Iesus his sonne to be the beginning the middes and the end of our sanctification godlie lief and saluation I for my part do yet againe praise God that his veritie is of that strength that somtymes it will compell the verie ennemies to bear testimonie to it And I pray God to retein you in that mynd that vnfeanedly you may beleue aÌ„d coÌ„fes that what vertues or good motions that euer be in you be the onely effects or fruites as ye call them of your reconciliation and neither cause of your election nor yet of your iustification That Ierusalem and the scribes refused grace and therefor iustly were condemned we consent with you but that euer it was the eternall couÌ„sell aÌ„d will of God to giue them life euerlasting that we constantly deny Our reasons we haue before alledged and after will haue occasion to repete som againe And therefor we procede Thus ye write THE ADVERSARIE Here with great vehemencie ye alledge these wordes of Paule who hath ben able to resist his wil of which saying ye inferre that God without any cause knowen to vs hath reprobated and damned many against which wil no man can resist These wordes did Paule write because he did foresee that of his former sainges som deuelish disposed persons wold take occasion to burden God with vnrighteousnes as ye do making him the author of euill for ye say that God hath a secrete will whereby he willeth the most parte of the world to be condemned which will because it can not be resisted therefor of mere necessitie by the immutable decre of God so many do perish further ye this affirming God to be the cause of damnation onely because it so hath pleased him ye cause many other to burst owt and say Sithe his will and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self and not to vs if any sinne be committed and surely for my parte were it not I abhorre your horrible doctrine wherwith ye cruelly affirme gods ordinaÌ„ce to be the cause of damnation I wold not medle further in this mater but with reuereÌ„ce behold the workes of God forasmuch as I se thankes be to God no work of God wheriÌ„ his mercie doeth not clerely shyne But if your saying were true
Christ Iesus is so manifest and the power of his trueth so inuincible that he will reigne in the midest of his ennemies The deuilles them selues must acknowledge and openly confesse that he is Lord and the onely Son of the liuing father and the aduersaries of his trueth euen when they fight most outrageously against the same are coÌ„pelled to giue testimonie to it as you do here in diuers places as wheÌ„ ye say it foloweth not y t because we must walke in y e way that leadeth to life that therefor for walking in the way of saluation we are chosen and as you write accepted But because I say that your inconstancie doeth streight carie you to denial of this I caÌ„ the les credit that this be a trew confession proceding from an vnfeined heart but rather that it is the mightie power of the veritie which will ye nill ye compelleth your mowthes to giue witnessing vpon her part against your selues God grant I may be deceaued in this my iudgement for him I take to record that I am no otherwies ennemie to any of you then in so far as ye declare your selues manifest ennemies to y e fre grace of God aÌ„d to the glorie of y e eternal SoÌ„ne of y e eternal father of Christ Iesus our Lord aÌ„d onely Sauiour Becaus there is nothing in this your last part w c I haue not before at large declared in diuerse places I wil onely note those thiÌ„ges in the w c we do not aggre with you First we vse not to call predestinatioÌ„ the fre gift of God but we call it the eternall and immutable couÌ„sell of God in which he hath purposed to choose to lief euerlasting such as pleased his wisdom in Christ Iesus his Son Secondly we say that ye are neuer able to proue by the parable of the talentes that any reprobate was chosen in Christ to life euerlasting Thirdly that we fynd neither contract neither condition betwext the louing Father and the prodigall son in his admission to his former dignitie neither do we so vnderstand the parable as that the said son newly receaued to mercie wold after of stubbornes vnthaÌ„kfully depart from his father But rather we think that as he had felt what miserie he susteined by folowing his own counselles he wold in tymes comming with all diligence attend the counselles of his father Your mynd is dark to vs and your writing obscure where that ye say before we haue faith or by hearing of the worde can haue faith no spirituall commandement is giuen vnto vs. and also the wordes of saint Paule appere not to be well applied for there he entreateth no thing of election but onely affirmeth that in the dispensation of that ministerie committed to his charge he knew him self giltie in nothing c. but because these be of small importance I onely put you in remembrance of them Last your similitude betwext your PhisitioÌ„ offering medicin and prescribing diet to the patient who may receaue and kepe it at his pleasure and so recouer healthe and preserue his life orels reiect and break it and so procure his own destruction and betwext Christ Iesus who say you being our Phisition offereth healthfull phisike vnto vs all and therewith prescribeth our diett which if we do not obserue the phisike shall not auale vs c. This similitude in one respect doeth altogither mislyke vs. For it taketh from our soueraign Lord his chief glorie and honor for in no wies can we abyde that his mightie power and operation by his holie spirit shal be compared to the power of any creature We say not we teach not nor beleue not that Christ Iesus doeth onely offer medicin and prescribe a diet as a common Phisition leauing the vsing and obseruation of it to our will and power But we affirme that in the heartes of his elect he worketh faith he openeth their eies he cureth their leprosie he remoueth and ouercometh their inobedience yea by violence he pulleth theÌ„ furth of the bondage of Sathan and so sanctifieth them by the power of his holie Spirit that they abyde in his veritie according as he hath praied for them and so continue they vessels of his glorie for euer And herein we disseÌ„t froÌ„ you as afterward more plainely shal appere in discussing of this which you thus terme THE ADVERSARIE The second error of the careles by necessitie The elect thogh they sinne greuously â–ª yet are they neuer owt of the fauâ—r and electioÌ„ of God neither caÌ„ they by any meanes finally perishe So that Adam when he transgressed and Dauid committing adulterie and homicide were fauored euen then and beloued of God aÌ„d neuer owt of election nether could they be Againe the reprobate as Saul and Iudas were neuer in the fauor and election of God neither could they nor none other reprobate attein vnto saluation ANSWER The trueth of this proposition doeth nothing excuse your malice and hatered for albeit there be no senteÌ„ce in it conteined w e beiÌ„g rightly vnderstaÌ„d is not aggreable to gods worde yet of what purpose and mynd ye haue gathered these sentences leauing those that should explaine the same it easely may appere by that vennom which ye spew furth against vs to make vs odious to all the world as here foloweth THE ADVERSARIE The confutation of the second error Here you se how they deuide all men into two sortes one elected or chosen which by no meanes can perishe and the other reiected or reprobate before the world so that by no meanes can they be saued What can the deuill wishe his membres to teach more for the aduancement of his Kingdom then this What can be inuented to prouoke men to liue a careles and libertyne life more then if they be persuaded that neither well doing auaileth or pleaseth God nor euill doing doeth hinder vnto saluatioÌ„ this is asmuch as if one should counsell the pacient to refuse all healthfull Phisick and good diet and so wilfully to be the occasion of his own death for if they be say they of the elect sorte thogh they do commit theft fornicatioÌ„ adulterie murther or any other sinne yet be they still so beloued and fauored of God that they can not finally perish And if they be of the reprobate sorte say they neither repetance amendement of life absteining frome euill neither fasting praier Almes nor other good dede can auale for they be so hated of God before the world that by no meanes they can obtein his fauor but of mere necessitie do what they can they must perish seing it is so saieth the naturall maÌ„ let vs set the cock on hoope aÌ„d let the world slyde let vs eate and drinke for to morow shall we die so the people sit downe to eat and drink and then ryse vp to play why masters haue ye no conscience thus to cause the people of God to sinne se ye not how ye be led with the same
former election when Israel was yong I loued him and called my sonne owt of the land of Egypt forasmuch as Israel was the sonne of God and that also beloued insomuch that the lordled them with cordes of friendship and bondes of loue they must nedes be â—he elect of God yea because they prouoked the lord through their abominations they are cast away â–ª and the lord rewardeâ—h them according to their desertes ANSWER If I should labor to the end of this your most confused worke to reduce euerie scripture by you wrested and abused to the true meaning and vnderstanding of the holie Gost as hitherto I haue done in the most parte of them which ye haue alledged my trauale should be great aÌ„d the work should excede a iust measure Therefor seing that sufficiently by the plaine scriptures of God I haue confirmed the doctrin which we teach beleue and maintein aÌ„d by the same trueth of gods worde I haue confuted your error from hencefurth I inteÌ„d onely to toâ—che the proposition which ye maintein and by confuting the same briefly ether by scripture orels by exemple to shew in what sorte ye wrongfully apply the scâ—iptures to maintein your error offring yet to satisfie to my power such as charitably shall ask of me by word or writing further explanation of any scripture by you alledged by me at this tyme not fully resolued The chief propositioÌ„ which ye maiÌ„tein to y e end of this your book is that the elect may fall froÌ„ their election To the which I answer that if ye vnderstand that those whom God the father hath elected in his eternall counsel to lief euerlasting in Christ Iesus may so fall from their election that finally they perish if this I say be your vnderstanding then I feare not to affirme that proposition to be vtterlie fals erroneous and daÌ„nable as it that doeth expressedly repugne to gods plaine scriptures for Christ Iesus doeth affirme that so many as his father hath giuen to him shal come vnto him And to such as do come he promiseth life euerlasting which he hath in him self for the saluatioÌ„ of his flock whereof none shal perish for furth of his hands can none be pulled away But because this before is largely intreated I come shortly to the scriptures which ye abuse First ye proue that those which be elected be sanctified by the spirit and through beleuing of the trueth which we confesse to be most true Thereafter ye alledge that such as be sanctified may after dishonor the spirit of grace tredde doune the blood of the testament so drawe to damnation I answer the cause of your error is that ye make no difference betwext the sanctification and liuely faith which is proper onelie to the sonnes of God which once begonne is perpetuall and that sanctification and faith which is common to the reprobate and therefore it is but temporall If this distinctioÌ„ displeaseth you quarel with y e holie Gost and not with vs for of his plaine workes wordes euideÌ„t haue we receaued it for all Israel were sanctified to be y e kinglie priesthode all were circuÌ„cised yea did drink of y t spirituall drink and yet were they not all inwardly saÌ„ctified vnto saluatioÌ„ life euerlasting The hole tribe of Leuie were saÌ„ctified to y â— seruice of y e Lord in his tabernacle but how many of theÌ„ did stil remaine prophane persoÌ„s y â— scripture coÌ„cealeth not EueÌ„ so all y t great multitude whoÌ„ Christ fed in y e wildernes yea all those y t adhered for a time to his doctrine were after som maner sanctified that is seperated deuided froÌ„ y e rest of y e world But that sanctification was but temporall like as also was their faith we do not denie but that the reprobate haue som maner of faith aÌ„d som sort of sanctification for a time that is that they are compelled eueÌ„ by the impire of the Spirit of God to confesse and acknowledge that all thinges spokeÌ„ in gods sciptures are true And y t therefor their conscience in afeare and terror do seke som meanes to please God for the auoiding of his veÌ„geaÌ„ce For as this is nother the true faith iustifying neither yet the perfect sanctification of the Spirit of God which reneweth y e elect in the inwarde man so doth nether of both long coÌ„â—inue for they returning to their natural prophanation and darknes do leaue the waye of light and life and drawe them selues to death and damnation But hereof without the contumelie of the SoÌ„ne of God and without abnegation of his plaine veritie ye can not conclude that the elect membres of his bodie can be rest out of his hands that those for whom soleÌ„nely he hath prayed that they shoulde be sanctified in the veritie and that they should be one with him as he is one with his father may come to finall prophanation and so to perditioÌ„ we feare not to affirm that to be a thing no les impossible then that it is that Christ Iesus shall cease to be head of his Churche and the sauiour of his bodie In the wordes of the Apostle writeÌ„ in the second chapter to the Ephesians ye seme not to vnderstand his meaning where he saieth ye were soÌ„times without Christ â—for saye you we are sure that without Christ there is no election In which wordes thow that writest plaiest with the simple ignorant reader the vile sophister confounding by the inglishe word without that whiche in latine is moste euidently distincted Doth Paule say Eratis aliquando extra ChristuÌ„ or saieth he not Eratis sine Christo To make the mater sensible to you my deare brethren be you neuer so simple where he saieth without Christ there is no election that proposition is â—rue if it be vnderstand that man was neuer elected to lief euerlasting but in Christ Iesus onlie But if he will affirme that none are elected in Christ Iesus without Christ that is to say before that they come to the true and perfect knowledge of gods mercies in Christ that proposition is most fals and doth repugne as plainely ye may se to the mynde and wordes of the Apostle for he affirmeth that we were elected in Christ Iesus before the fundation of y e world was laid yea wheÌ„ we were dead by sinne ignorant of him strangers from the testament of his promes which S. Paule calleth to be without Christ without God in this world without the league of the testament And by these wordes doth the Apostle magnifie the superaboundaÌ„t mercies of God shewed to the world in Christ Iesus By the which he receaued not onely the Iewes who long had continued in league with God but also the Gentiles to the participation of his glorie albeit that from the daies of AbrahaÌ„ they had liued as dispised reiected of God Let the reader now iudge how strongly ye conclude To the place of the Aâ—postle touching the
before was secrete in gods eternall counsell is by the promes and worde of grace notified vnto maÌ„ so that tollerably it may be spoken man is assured of his election by the promes which he willingly embraseth but to be sure in the election by the promes is not the phrase of the holie Gost further of this we shal examine in your seconde reason which is this Election hath no promes without faith trew faith is gods worke by his grace and is also mannes worke partely by consenting thereto wherefor Paul calleth the righteous â—oynt workers with god because they worke to gether with him Now say you if maâ— for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith then is he out of the promes whereby he was made sure of his election yet Gods election remaineth sure and stable in Christ Iesus The first membre of your reason is darcke and obscure and the manner of speaking so strange that in the scriptures I am assured it is neuer to be founde In one of two senses is election taken in the scriptures The former for the elect them selues as when Paul saieth the electioÌ„ did obteine it that is the elect of God obteined mercie And in the same sense is Paule called the vessell of election that is an elect vessel and if in this sense ye affirme y t electioÌ„ that is to say the elect haue no promes without faith albeit I wil not greatly contend in that behalf yet by manifest scriptures I may proue the contrarie for the posteritie of Abraham by gods fre election had this promes that he shoulde be their God And sainct Paul affirmeth that the children of the faithfull were holie and yet all coulde not haue faith when the promes was made for then had AbrahaÌ„ no sede at all but of this I say I will not contend Otherwies election is taken in the scriptures for the eternall counsell of God by the which he hath appointed life euerlasting to such as he hath giuen to his Sonne before all worldes as Paul saith For yer the children were borne when they had neither donne good nether bad that the purpose of God which is by his election that is not by workes but by him that calleth might stand sure it was said vnto her the elder shal serue the yonger c. And after euen so at this time is there a remnant left through the election of grace and so furth in diuers other places and in this sense if ye vnderstaÌ„d that election hath no promes without faith I answere that gods free election in Christ Iesu nedeth nether promes nor faith as touching the parte of God for he in his election respecteth nether of bothe but his own good pleasure in Christ his sonne so I wold haue wished greater plaines in the first part of your reason then there is but I perceaue the ground of your error by that which followeth Trew faith say you is gods worke by grace and it is also partlie mans worke by consenting thereto which secoÌ„d part of this secoÌ„de membre is vtterly fals for faith is no parte of mannes work no more then the childe begotten of the father and conceaued of the mother is the worke of the self but faith is altogether y e worke of God for as he begetteth vs by the worde of veritie and by the power of his â—olie spirit maketh our heartes to conceaue and retein the sede of life so by his power are we kept by faith to saluatioÌ„ w c is prepared to this end y t it shal be manifested in y e last time therefor saith y e Apostle through grace are ye saued by faith y t not of your selues ye must compel the holie Gost to recaÌ„t w c I thinke he wil not do for your threatning before ye be able to proue y t faith is any part of mannes work The wordes of the Apostle you shame fully abuse for in that place he intreateth onely how God vseth the ministers of his worde and blessed Euangil to be helpers with God in so far as they are the embassaders of reconciliation as in an other place he calleth them he meaneth nothing nether what man doeth in the worke of his own saluation by his own faith or by his owne workes And therefor althogh ye as a blinde man go forwarde to your own perdition saying now if man for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith then is he out of the promes c. yet must we pull you backe and say that because faithe is no part of mannes worke therefore doth nether his faith nor his election depend vpon the inconstancie of his own nature but God of his soueraign bountie ouercomming what imperfectioÌ„s soeuer be in his choseÌ„ childreÌ„ hath grouÌ„ded their electioÌ„ in him self in Christ Iesus his Sone an other error I se in this your reason w c because I haue sufficiently confuted I wil here touch it onely Ye make faith the eÌ„brasing of y e promes our obedience to be causes of gods election wheÌ„ in verie dede they be but the effectes of our electioÌ„ for nether faith nor obedieÌ„ce make vs to be gods elect but because we were elected in Christ Iesus therefore are we called made faith full obedient and sanctified by his fre grace To admonish you yet of one thing so to put end to yo r vnresonable reasons WoÌ„der it is y t ye will attribute to electioÌ„ that w c ye denie to y e elect you affirme y t electioÌ„ is sure in Christ but not y e elect say you be like ye imagin electioÌ„ to be a certen speculatioÌ„ or imaganation without any certen substaÌ„ce to the w c it must be referred but S. Paul teacheth vs y â— coÌ„trarie saing he hath cho seÌ„vs in Christ he saith not y t electioÌ„ was in Christ but we were elected in Christ Iesus before y t fundacioÌ„s of the worlde were laid This geÌ„tly I put you in mind to grouÌ„d your reasons more substaÌ„cially if y t by them ye enteÌ„d to proue any thing A short answer I might giue you to all your examples to witt that we speake not of election to offiâ—es or to possession temporall but of election to life euerlasting from the which ye are neuer able to proue any to haue bene finally secluded that in Christ Iesus was thereto elected before the fundacion of the worlde was laied But yet to gratifie you some what I wil passe through your examples and coÌ„municat with you my iudgement God grant you heartes to vnderstand It is a thing most certen that albeit Adam and all men in him might and did fall from God by sinne yet can not the elect of God who be elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus so fall from their election that finally they perishe the reason is that as Christ Iesus the brightnes of the glorie of his father
reprobate we remit to gods iudgement Albeit that Balaam had bene indued with greater graces then in scriptures we read that he had yet doth it not thereof follow that he had receaued y e spirit of sanctification by true faith which is giuen to y e elect onely for we fynd the power giuen to some to expell deuilles whom Christ affirmeth that he neuer knew And therefor willeth he his disciples not to reioyse in that that spirites were subiect vnto them but that their names were written in the booke of lief But yet I wonder where ye haue found that Balaam was so filled with the spirit of God the spirit of trueth the spirit of power and the spirit of grace as ye write that whom soeuer he blessed was blessed and whom he cursed he was cursed I fynd no such thing witnessed of him by y â— holie Gost. Trew it is that Balack gaue vnto him that praise and coÌ„mendation that he was assured that whoÌ„ he blessed should be happie whoÌ„ he cursed should be cursed But whether that it was the purpose of y e holie Gost to teach and assure vs therby that in very dede such graces were in him I greatly doubt yea I doubt nothiÌ„g to affirm the contrarie to witt that he nether had power spirit nor grace of God to blesse those whom God hath curssed nerher yet to curse those whom God hath blessed for so doth he him self confes And for that end is the historie written If ye vnderstand that the benediction remained vpon Iacob becaus that Balaam did so pronounce and speak you are more blynd then Balaam was for he assigneth an nother cause saying how shall I cursse where God hath not cursed or how shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested God is not as man that he shoulde lie nether as the sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it and hathe he spoken and shall he not accoÌ„plish it Behold I haue receaued commandement to blesse for hehath blessed and I can not alter it He seeth none iniquitie in Iacob nor seeth no transgression in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the ioyfull showte of a king is amongest them In these wordes I say Balaam assigneth the cause why he was compelled to blesse Israel because saith he God hath blessed them And why also he could not change his blessing because in God there is no mutabilitie nor chaÌ„ge like as there is in maÌ„ And therefor as h ehad once blessed that people by his plaine word and promes spoken and reueled to AbrahaÌ„ so shoulde he most constantly perfourme it If malice did not blynd you you should clerely se that the holie Gost meaneth nothing les then to teach that Balam was blessed of God and therefor was not at that tyme a reprobate But that Israel was so elected sosanctified and blessed of God that their very ennemis and suche as were hyred to curse them were compelled to giue testimonie against them selues that gods people was blessed But this doeth no more make Balaam to be gods elect then did that confession which the wicked spirites gaue to Christ confessing him to be the Sonne of the liuing God change their nature If you be able to proue that hole Israel so fell froÌ„ gods fauor that to none of Abrahams posteritie did he perfourm the promes made to him and to his sede then haue ye proued somwhat of your purpose to witt that God may make a promes that with an oth yet perfourm no part of it But if it be manifest that notwithstanding their grudging their rebellion their carnall lustes their idolatrie and abominations gods promes remained so sure that the same was perfourmed after many teÌ„ptations in full perfection Consider what may be coÌ„cluded against you in applying examples by similitude equalitie I wold wish in you greater wisdom then to compare Balaam one particulare person a fals prophete accursed of God and so perishing amongest the vngodlie and hole israell gods elect and chosen people so blessed of God y t not onely they were preserued in all stormes but also of them according to the flesh came that blessed sede the messias promised To Saul and to his kingdom I haue before answered to witt that one thing it is to be appointed to a temporall office and an other to be elected in Christ Iesus to lief euerlasting But yet I will adde somwhat more which is this Propoâ—ition directlie fighting against yours Saul nor his house was neuer chosen in gods eternall counsel to be kings and Reulars ouer Israel for euer If ye cry then did the holie Gost speaking in Samuel lie for he affirmed that God had prepared the reigne and kingdom of Saul vpon Israel for euer I answer Samuel speaketh not in that place what God had determined in his eternall counsel but what he him self thoght that God had determined and appointed And therefore ye may not conclude that the holie Gost doth lie except the kingdom of Saul was once appointed to haue remained ouer Israel for euer Nay so can ye not conclude But ye may say y t except that so it was y e prophet was deceaued And so no doubt he was for a ceason and did speake those wordes according to the apprehension iudgement which he had conceaued by reason of his vnction and lawfull election to his office If it appere hard to you that y e prophetes be deceaued in any thing consider I praie you what chanced vnto him after did he not at the sight of Eliab pronounce with an affirmation that before the eternall he was his anointed did the holie Gost lie because that Eliab was refused and Dauid chosen or was not rather Samuel ignorant and in an error the same might I proue by Nathan others who being gods true prophetes were yet for a ceason left in error did both speak and giue counsel otherwies than God had determined in his eternal counsel But now shortlie to proue my proposition I say that gods eternall purpose and counsel concerning the chief rewler and gouernor ouer Israel was long before pronounced by Iacob in his last testament who did appoint the crown and Sceptre royall to an other tribe then to Beniamin for thus he saieth Thou Iudah thy bretheren shall praise thee thine hand shal be in the the necke of thine ennemies thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe vnto thee c. The Sceptre shall not depart froÌ„ Iudah nether the law giuer from betwext his fete vntil Shiloh come and the people shal be gathered to him c. here I say it is plaine that many yeres before the election of Saul was the Kinglie dignitie appointed to Iuda which sentence was neuer after retracted And therefor my proposition affirming y t Saul was neuer elected in y e eternall counsel of God to reign for euer ouer Israel staÌ„deth sure and sufficientlie proued If