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
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
spirit that Balaam was led withall when he counselled to giue occasion of sinne to the people I know ye wil answer that I mean not so Mean what ye list and do what ye can yet this is the issue and frute of your doctrine and who so euer is thus corrupt by you without he repent he shall die the death but God shall require his bloode of your haÌ„ds Marke well your disciples how many of them endeuore theÌ„ selues to bring furth the frutes of repentance how many of theÌ„ seke for power to crucifie the flesh with the lusts and coÌ„cupiscence thereof How many of theÌ„ caÌ„ we perceaue by their conuersatioÌ„ that they haue cast of the old maÌ„ aÌ„d put on the new maÌ„ walking sincerely in their vocation aÌ„d the true feare of God but if they accustom to frequent your congregations as the papistes do the masse theÌ„ be they faithfull brethren I hold my peace of that ye vse to haue respect of persons preferring the welthie which if they be liberal thoghe they be drowned in many vices you vse to help vp such sores with this saying There is none during this life that caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be in the election be he neuer so vertuous nor any owt of the electioÌ„ be he neuer so vnrighteous after this maner ye do heall theÌ„ vp so that they nede not to indeuor them selues to bring furth the frutes of liuelie faith for the surest tokeÌ„ of their electioÌ„ they think to be that they be of your congregation but Christ saieth in that shall al meÌ„ know that ye are my disciples if you do what so euer I coÌ„maÌ„d you aÌ„d againe ye shal know theÌ„ by their frutes for a good maÌ„ owt of y e treasure of his heart bringeth furth good things yet ye say no maÌ„ caÌ„ be knoweÌ„ to be either in the election or owt of the election during this life and for proofe hereof ye alledge the saying of Paul â–ª the deuil doeth transforme him self into an Angel of light to which I breifly answer that God doeth neuer traÌ„sforme hiÌ„ self into an Angell of darknes wherefor so long as ye walk in darknes ye be not of God But thus ye take the most shameful meÌ„ by the had flatteriÌ„g theÌ„ so that they caÌ„ not return froÌ„ their wickednes whereby it appereth that ye be not sent froÌ„ God for ye by your doctrine giue occasioÌ„ to the people to sinne And the Lord saieth if they had bene in my couÌ„sell they had turned my people frome their euill waies aÌ„d wicked imaginations but such lippes such letuce such disciples such masters of your chief Apollos be persecutors on whoÌ„ the bloode of Seruetus crieth a veÌ„geaÌ„ce so doeth the blood of others mo whom I coulde name but forasmuch as God hath partly alredie reuenged their bloode and serued som of their persecuters with the same measure where with they measured to others I will make no mention of them at this tyme. And to declare their wickednes not to haue proceded of ignorance and humane infirmitie but of indured malice they haue for a perpetuall memorie of their crueltie sett furth bookes affirming it to be lawfull to persecute and put to death such as dissent from them in controuersies of religioÌ„ whome they cal blasphemers of God notwithstanding they afore they came to autoritie they were of an other iudgement and did bothe say and write that no man oght to be persecuted for his conscience saik but now they are not onely becom persecuters but also they haue giuen as far as lieth in them the sword into the handes of bloodie tyrantes Be these I pray you the shepe whom Christ sent furth in the middest of wolues can the shepe persecute the wolf doth Abel kil Caynâ—doeth Dauid thogh he might kill Saul shortly doeth he which is born of the spirit kill him which is born after the fleshe Mark how ye be fallen in to most abhominable tyranny and yet ye se it not Thus I am constreined euen of conscience to write That if it shal please God to awaik you owt of your dreaÌ„ that ye may perceaue how me error haeth drowned you in mo errors and hath broght you to a sleping securitie that when ye walk eueÌ„ after the lustes of your heartes thirsting after bloode and persecuting poore men for their conscience saik ye be blynded and se not your selues but say tushe we be predestinat what so euer we do we are certeÌ„ we caÌ„ not fall owt of gods fauor A wake therefor and looke what daÌ„ger ye be in and how by your poisoned doctrine ye infect the people of God and draw them to a secure ydle and careles life ANSWER The crimes laid to our charge in this mater be haynous For first we are accused that we prouoke men to a careles aÌ„d libertine life So that by vs the people do nothiÌ„g â—uteate and drink and ryse vp to play That we haue no conscience but being led with the spirit of Balaam giue occasion of sinne to the people That none other frute doeth ensue our doctrine â—ut libertie to sinne for our disciples are cruel murtheâ—ers subiect to all iniquitie respecting persones and flattering sinners And last y t by our poisoned docttrine we infect the people and bring theÌ„ to a secure ydle and careles life Because I wil omit no notable part of your booke to ouerslippe without some reasonable answer I wil folowe youre ordre althogh it be confused If you be able by plaine scriptures to proue a thirde sort of meÌ„ which nether be elect nether yet reprobat then shal we learne of you other wise to deuide But if God by his first voice pronounced in this mater made mencioÌ„ but of two sedes and if Christ Iesus wheÌ„ he shal come shall set one army on the right hand and an other vpon the left hand without mencion made of anie third sort of men we can not repent nor yet call back the trueth of our doctrine albeit that ye in despite and furie cry what can the deuil wishe his membres to teach more for the aduancement of his kingdome then this what can be inuented more to prouoke men to liue a careles and libertine life more then if they be persuaded that nether wel doing auaileth or pleaseth God nor euil doing hindreth vnto saluacion and so forthe ye procede in youre first accusacion Before I haue required and yet againe do require of Gods faithful lieutenants in earth I meane of lawful Magistrates who rule in gods feare whome ye vtterly studie to abolish and depriue of them I saie I haue required iustice to be ministred betwext vs and you without respect of persones Let the heauen and earth if men wil not yea let God and his holie Angelles in whose presence we walke beare recorde and witnes how vniustely and maciously ye accuse vs that we prouoke the people to a careles libertine life If euer it can be proued by our doctrine or
most foolish and most miserabl of all other creatures Plaine it is y t our power to maÌ„nâ—iudgemeÌ„t was nothing coÌ„parable to y e power of o r aduesaries place of refuge was none left to y e godlie their aseÌ„bled And yet let y e ennemies theÌ„ selues witnes again â–ª vs if in the least one iote their request was granted ye let the place of execution wâ—tnes if when we lokâ— for nothing but for the extremitie to be attempted more fauor were shewed to the offenders apprehendeâ— then if no suche trouble had bene feared or apperin If thou repliest that greater offences are ouer sene such as fauor our doctrine I answer all those in mouth did fauor y e same EuaÌ„gil which we professe The cause of the strife did onely arise for the puritie of life which oght inseperably to be ioyned with y â— externall proffession I coulde recite mo theÌ„ one of those that semed to be then pillers in Geneua as touching riches worlde lie estimation and liberalitie towards the poor being also of y e noÌ„bre of the straÌ„gears who for suspicion of offences were remaine to this daie some exiled som condeÌ„ned to perpetuall preson for whose deliuerance and receauing to the Church againe there hath bene offered greater sommes then perchance might intise an anabaptist to go the masse I wil not say to be a Papist and yet haue they obteined nothing Now briefly to recite that which I haue laid against thy first accusatioÌ„ if y u be nether able to proue by o r doctrine nor writings nether by our owne liues and coÌ„uersations nether yet by the lacke of iustice in that citie in which this doctrine is taught receaued and mainteined with what face canst thou affirme that we teach the people a careles and libertine life Hathe euer any man more strongly and more earnestly confuted those pestilent opinions of the libertines then hath that maÌ„ whome most ye accuse for this doctrine Let his notable worke writen against the libertines twelue yeres ago be a testimonie against your manâ—fest malice Thus haue I in answering to your first accusation answered some what to other crimes conteined in all the foure Now in answering to your second I wil labor to touche and put ende to that which resteth in the other Ye accuse vs that we haue no conscience to deceaue the people of God for thus ye demand why masters I know this phrase of olde haue ye no coÌ„science thus to cause the people of God to sinne Se ye not that ye be led with the same spirit that Balaam was led with all how he counselled to giue occasion of sinne to the people of God and so aftre that ye haue taken all excuse as ye think from vs ye boldely pronounce your sentence that the blood of such as perish shal be required of our handes I heare the accusation verey vehemently intended â–ª but when I seke for the probation of euery part I find none but accusation followeth accusation for still ye accuse vs that we are flatterers of sinners that we take wicked men by the hand that we heale them with this saing there is none during this worlde y t can be knowen to be in the election be he neuer so vertuous nor any out of the election be he neuer so vnrighteous after this maner say you do we heale them vp so that they nede not to endeuor them selues to bring furth the frutes of liuelie faith These I say be your accusations the probation whereof ye delay so long that after ye neuer remember it And so must your auctorite stand in force bothe to accuse and be admitted for witnes But we must except against you for two causes most resonable first because ye are our accusers and our partie aduersarie Secondarely becaus ye are venemous liers persons defamed and blasphemers of God That ye are vennemous and malicious liers I haue in diuers places before sufficeÌ„tly proued how ye falsifie and peruerte the plaine Scriptures how ye adde to our wordes and diminish from them at your pleasure and finally how that ye inuent and lay crymes to our charge wihich ye be neuer able to proue as here in this place ye shame not to affirm that we heale vp the sores of those that be drowned in vices with such wordes as ye write We haue had offenders in dede amongest vs I mean in the coÌ„gregations which ye accuse of diuerse sortes and diuerse estates Let any coÌ„uict vs y t ether in exhorting admonishing or in executing iudgemeÌ„t we haâ—e vsed any such persuasion or wordes to y e offenders But if the offender was to be admonished or exhorted if we haue not in gods name exhorted theÌ„ to walk as it became y e sonnes of light and if iudgemeÌ„t was to be executed against theÌ„ if we haue not vsed the ruele of gods word iudgeing of the tree not after the secrete election of God but according to the manifest frutes pronoucing that membre vnworthie to abyde in the bodie whose corruption was able to infect the rest of the meÌ„bres If this ordre I say be so streitlie kept amongest vs that neuer sitheÌ„ce the daies of y e Apostles was it more vprightly kept in any congregation with what faces can ye say so that we take wicked men by the hand that we teach them that they nede not to briÌ„g furthe the frute of a liuely faith ye alledge that Christ affirmed that a good man from the good treasure of his heart bringeth furth good things And so do we and do no lesse affirme then ye do althogh in an other vnderstanding as I before haue declared that we must obserue the commandement of Christ if we will be knowen to appertein to him We think it no assured nor certen signe of election to be ioyned with this or that coÌ„gregation We kuow that satan was once ioyned with y e Angelles Iudas with Christ Iesus and many fals brethren with the company of the best reformed churches and chiefest Apostles but woÌ„der it is that ye burden vs with y t in this one case w c is your plaine doctrine which with toothe and nale ye defend Do ye not plainely write that no man is so elected in Christ Iesus but that he may fall vtterly become a reprobate and none is so reprobated but by repeÌ„tance he may be elected The plaine contrarie whereof we teache and mainteine O say you ye mean of the signes that they are neuer certen I answer that in verie dede somtymes the elect as touching mannes iudgement is lyke in estate with the reprobate And againe that sometimes the reprobate do beautifully shyne in the eyes of men for a space as exemples be euident But yet I am sure that you be neuer able to proue that we affirme that in this life no difference may be knowen betwext the two The end of our doctrine teÌ„deth to this but chiefly to proue y t from election cometh faith from
serue the Lord what profit haue we for keping his commandements â–ª Therefore may weâ— say that the proude are happie aâ—d that they which deale with vngodlines are set vp Such a spâ—rit haue ye carâ—les libertins as your doctrine wel declareth did not God threaten Adam that in what daye so euer he shoulde eat of the frute he shoulde dye the death not onely corporall but also eternall They which forsake the commandements of God forsake God him self as the Prophetes saye th they are not the Lords for they haue vnfaithfully forsaken him Wherefore Adam when he forsoke God was not the Lords but the seruant of death and sinne to whom soeuer ye commit your selues as seruants to obeye saieth Paul his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or obedience vnto righteousnes And againe if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his and nâ—ther AdaÌ„ nor Dauid were led by the spirit of Christ when they sinned for the spirit of Christ dwelleth not insuch as forsake him obey the deuil except Christ saith the Apostel dwel in you ye are cast away then AdaÌ„ Dauid were cast à waies that is reprobates wheÌ„ they sinned for nether were they in Christ nor Christ in theÌ„ in whoÌ„ the electioÌ„ of God was is but to what purpose shoulde I thus conteÌ„d with you that AdaÌ„ did fâ—lle out of the electioÌ„ seing in this ye agre not your selues for your coÌ„gregatioÌ„ which is aâ— Genâ—ua in the confession of their faith say that of the lost sonnes of AdaÌ„ God elected som to life and the rest he refused Eâ—her improue their beâ—efe or els confâ—sse with them that all the children of Adam were lost by traÌ„sgression If they were lost â–ª then were they out of the eleâ—tion with their father â–ª Adam from thâ— transgression vnto the promâ—s was made Therefore saieth Paul damnatioâ— came of one sinne vnto condemnatioÌ„ in an other place like as by Adam all dye euen so by Christ â–ª shal all be made aliue Here doeth the Apostles witnes plaâ—nely â–ª that we all by Adam do dye S. Iohn saieth hâ— that beleueth not is alredie condemnedand the wrath of God abideth on him Then were Adam and Dauid and all such workers of iâ—â—quitie for that tym that they siâ—â—ed alredie condemned being void of faith And coulde they be in the â—â—ate of condâ—mnation election both together â–ª Harken what followeth and â–ª the wrath of God abideth on 〈◊〉 as Adam from the traâ—sgression vâ—to thâ— promes felt the force of the wrath of God Thus we 〈◊〉 thaâ— Adam and Dauid and all other 〈◊〉 they sinned â—hey be out of the louâ— and fauâ—r and election of God vnto they repenâ— and be bâ—rnâ— a nâ—w for otherwisâ— can they neuer enter intâ— the kingdome of heauen Again S Iohn saith ye knowe that no manslâ—yâ— are hath etâ—rnâ—l lieâ— abiding in him Dauid was a man killâ—r wherefore he had not eterâ—al lief abiding in him Buâ— during the timâ— of his wickedâ—es he was the childe of death as the Prophet Nathan shewâ—d him Dauid gâ—uing iudgement against him self â–ª without faith it can not bâ— that any man shouldâ— please God Adam and Dauid when they sinned they were without faith then pleasâ—d they not God If they pleased him not they displeased him so that they were fallen from the loue and fâ—uor of God ANSWER Albeit that I perceaue y t ether ignoraÌ„ce doeth so impede you orels that malice doeth so blynd you y t nether ye wil nor can vnderstand y t which in y e self is most sensible plaine I wil neuer theles yet once againe repete that w c before I haue said to the eÌ„d that we may giue testimonie aswâ—ll to those y t now liue as vnto y e posteritie to com what doctrine it is w c ye so furiously impugne If ignorance be the cause why thus ye rage against vs ye may be taught if ye list to bestowe your eares to heare your eyes to read heartes to vnderstand for o â— doctrine is not as som of you do complein darke nor obscure except y t it be to those to whom y e Apostle affirmed y t his EuaÌ„gill was hid But if that malice w c ye haue coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st the eternal trueth of God doth so blynd you that ye wil not se y e bright son in y e midday there resteth no more to vs but to desire of God ether to remoue this your deuelish malice I write as knoweth God euen froÌ„ y e grief of heart orels so to stay brydle it y â— it trooble not his afflicted Church Ye accuse vs as y t we made no differeÌ„ce betwext vice vertue sinne and iustice nether yet betwext AdaÌ„ and Dauid as they were elected in Christ Iesus before y e fouÌ„dacions of the worlde were laid and betwext Adam transgressing and Dauid committing adulterie and murtheâ— Ye further seme to charge vs as we should affirme that God hated not sinne nether yet that he respected vice If our short plaine and vnfeined coÌ„fessioÌ„ be able to satisfie you in these thre dowtes I haue good hope y t after this ye shall haue no occasion to suspect vs in such causes first before God before his holie Angelles in heaueÌ„ before his coÌ„gregatioÌ„ in earthe we protest acknowledge y t sinne vice and all kind of iniquitiâ— is and euer hath bene so odious in y e presence of God y t he neuer suffered y e same vnpunished in any of his elect childreÌ„ That for y e same not onelie death but also coÌ„moÌ„ calamities hath appreheÌ„ded all man kynd eueÌ„ sitheÌ„ce the first trasgression That vertue iustice and ciuil honestie besydes the iustice of the regenerat children hath so pleased God â–ª that for loue of the same he hath mainteined and to this day doth maintein coÌ„mon welthes albeit that many grieuous crymes be commited in the same As God we say and affirme loueth equitie iustice chastitie trueth mercie and teÌ„peraÌ„ce so doth he in som sort hieghly reward the same and hateth vnrighteousnes filthie life deceat excesse crueltie and riaâ—ous liuing which often he punisheth euen in manneâ— eyes And this difference we say God maketh euen amongest those that be not regenerate nether were euer called to y e true knowledge of saluation And this much briefly for the first secoÌ„d and 3. This difference we make betwext Adam and Dauid elected in Christ Iesus and Adam and Dauid transgressing gods holie commaÌ„demeÌ„t and wil reueled â–ª Adam and Dauâ—d elected in Christ Iesus before the foundations of the worlde were laid were so loued in the same Lord Iesus their head that when they had most horribly fallen and offended yet did God seke Adam call vpon him gently reason with him and at length conuicting his conscience of his offence did make vnto him that most ioyfull promes of recoÌ„ciliation of the same loue we say
whoÌ„ he knew to be predestinate so that they coulde not fall In the congregation of Pergamus were two most detestable sectes that is Balaamites and Nicholattains whom the Lord did hate then were they not beloued and so consequently were they not elect after your opinion yet willeth he them to be conuerted and to receaue a new name written in whiâ—e stone In the coÌ„gregation of Thiatyra was the fals prophetesse Iesabell to whom he gaue space to repent â–ª and as Peter saieth the long suffering of the Lord is saluation then might she haue repented not withstanding she did not repent then was she reprobate likwise vnto them which committed fornication with her that is idolaâ—rie is repentance granted The congregation of Sardis thogh in name she did liue yet in dede she was dead And that of her which was yet a liue was in danger of death wherefore he willeth her to call to remembrance what she had heard and what grace she had receaued and to repent her of her imperfect workes and watch lest the Lord shoulde like a thief come vpon her Vnwares If the congregation of Sardis was elect then in vaine doth the Lord threaten her after your opinion and if she was reprobate what auaileth it to watche and repente The congregation of Philadelphia he commandeth to holde fast that which she hath that no man take away her crowne as Peter saith Beware lest ye with â–ª other men be also plucked away through the errâ—r of the wicked fall from your owne 〈◊〉 what shoulde they feare the losse of that which as you say they can not lose The congregation of Laodicia which was nâ—â—her hote nor colde but wretchâ—ed miserable and poore and blynd and naked if ye say it was elect yet the Lord threatned it that he wolde spew it out of his mouth if you say that they were reprobate yet might they bene saued grâ—we â—eruent and repent And where they were poore they might haue boght of Christ tried gold in the fier to make them rich and where they were naked they might be clothed with whyte raymâ—nt â—f rightâ—â—â—snes to couer their filthie nakednes Moreouer they might haue gotten the salue of true knâ—wledge by the spirit of God to anâ—â—t their blynd eyes bâ—re we se how that there is none of these coÌ„gregatioÌ„s so elect but they might fall therefore haue nede of exhortations to be consiant vnto the 〈◊〉 Leâ—t perchance as Paul the elect vessel of God feareth him self they shoulde become cast aways reprobates againe there be none so reprobate but they be here coÌ„forted space of repeÌ„tance granted theÌ„ to turne froÌ„ their wickednes liue So wolde I exhort you to repent and turne from your errors and to seke for this salue of true knowledge to anoint your blind ignorant eyes â–ª that ye might porcâ—â—ue how ye be partakers of all the fâ—ltes which were found among the seuen congregations by that ye are infected with this poysoned error of mere necessiâ—â—e and stoicall destinie more then they God grant that ye may be also partakers of the mercie and grace offred to the said congregations first ye participate with the congregation of Ephesus in that there is of you which call them selues Apostles are liers with the coÌ„gregation of Smirna in that there be among you which call them selues Iewes 〈◊〉 spirituall Israelites and are of the congregation of Sathan with the congregation of Pergamus in that Sathan dwelleth among you and ye are become persecuters of Antipas that is of the faithfull and in that ye mainteine the doctryn of Balaam giuing the people occasion of sinne with the congregation of Thiatira in that ye haue the spirit of the prophetesse Iesabell teaching a careles and libertiâ— life with the congregation of Sardis in that ye haue a name that ye liue and yet are dead and in that your workes are not perfect for ye teache that by no meanes can they be perfect in this worldâ— with the coÌ„gregation of Philadelphia in that as is afore said ye are become the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of sathaÌ„ where as ye wold be estemed faithfull lewes of Christes coÌ„gregatioÌ„ with the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of Laodiciâ— in that ye are wretched miserable blynd naked and nether hote nor colde for ye thogh ye exhort your disciples to do wel yet to pull all earnest feruentnes from them ye say they can neuer atâ—eine to any perfectioÌ„ during this world Take hede therefore that Christ spew you not out of his mouth Behold I staÌ„d saieth the Lord at the doore knocke if any maÌ„ heare my voice opeÌ„ the doore I wil come in to him wil suppe with him he with me Open the doore in time refuse him not which calieth by his voice And so you shal be certein of your election but if you shut your doore and refuse him which calleth and if you do not obey his voice then are ye cast awayes without ye repent in time Thus it becometh vs all to talke reuerenâ—â—y of gods election so far onely as we fele by experiâ—nce the spirit of God worke in vs So that when we fele the spirit of God increase in vs. we may be assured that we are in his fauor but when we be led away froÌ„ one vice to an other as Dauid was in abusing Bear seba killing Vrias letvs not presume then to be beloued of him which hated all workes of iniquitie ANSWER When I did first read this your blasphemous rayling I did wonder to what purpose ye wolde rehearse the aduertisementes admonitions and exhortations giuen to the seuen Churches in Asia vnto all other churches in their names and conditions seing that nothing in the same can serue your purpose yea altogether the holie Gost through y t hole worke doth manifestly fight against your pestilent errors and therefore I say at the first sight I did wonder to what purpose ye wolde trauail where ye were assured tolose your labor But when I came to your coÌ„clusion which ye make in maner of exhortation to vs I did perceaue that easie it is to fynd a staf as the prouerbe saith to beat the dogge which maÌ„ wolde haue killed But to the matter Ye boldely affirme how so euer ye be able to proue that the Apostle vseth no such maner of doctrine as we teach c. If ye vnderstand that because he teacheth not in those seuen epistles or letters in expresse and plaine wordes that from the beginning som be elected to life euerlasting others be reprobate that therefore he teacheth it in no place ye are not ignoraÌ„t of y e answer and therefore I omitt it But I aske if you do not think that the Apostle doth dedicat this his hole worke to those seuen congregations so doeth him self witnes as in the first chapter is euident then what so euer is conteined in this hole vision apperteineth to the instruction exhortation admonition comfort and before
and that I should take his wife in mariage Two dayes before Ester they ranne into the temples and rang all the belles at once Within few dayes after Knipperdoling prophesied y t those which were set aloft should be broght downe and the other should be exalted from a vile and base estate After that he commanded that all the temples should be cast downe affirming with muche grauitie that commandement to haue come from God Immediatly the thing was obeied and that commandement celestial as he termed it with all diligeâ—ce put in executioÌ„ About the same time the fore named Iohn Leiden toke the sworde that serued for the heading of the offenders and gaue it to Knipperdoling and made him hangman for so said he it was determined of God that he which was one of the chiefe Ruelars before and of the counsel should now be in the lowest place and be made hangman Knipperdoling was nothing offended with the mater but toke the office thankfully vpon him Now when the bishoppe had certaine monethes borne all y e charge of the siege him selfe alone Hermannus the Archbishop of Collen and Iohn Duke of Cleue sent him for ayde money and gunnes with a certeine companie of horsemen and footemen The Archbishop of Collen him selfe came also to the campe to sit in counsel with them and not long after the citie was besieged in sondrie places And when there was no hope to winne it by force they made 7. rampers about the citie to kepe it from victuales furnishing them with footemen and horsemen which should remaine there all winter The bishop of Monster for the maintenannce of the siege and warre against the towne required ayde of the Princes about the Rhine as the next neighbours and to whome the mater also did be long for which cause they gathered them selues together at a citie Called Confluence the 13 of December 1534. After this vnprofitable beseging of the citie Iohn Leiden fell into a slepe and dreamed the space of thre daies and when he awaked he spake neuer a worde but onely required paper to be brought vnto him in which he wrote 12. mennes names among whome were certeine of noble birth which 12 should rule as chiefe heades as it was among the Israelites this he said was the will of the heanenlie father When as by these twelue there was a way made for him to be king he put forthe certeine articles vnto the preachers and wil led them that if they could they should confute them by Gods worde or els he wolde publish them vnto the multitude and so of them they shoudle be alowed and established The somme of them was this that a man was not bounde to one wife onely and it was lawful for any man to haue as many wiues as he wolde But when the preachers withstode this sentence he called theÌ„ into the coâ—sell house and with theÌ„ the 12 reulers And wheÌ„ they were all come thither he put of his cloke and threw it on the ground and with it the new testament by those as it were signes he testified and sware that article which he had put forthe was reueled to him from heanen and therfore with terrible wordes he threatened them as that God wold not be merciful vnto them vnlesse they wold alow them At the length they agreed and the preachers for thre daies togethers preached onely of matrimonie Streight waye Iohn Leiden maried 3. wiues whereof one was she of whome we spake before the wife of the greate prophet Iohn Mathew With this example others did folow so that it was counted laudable to marie oâ—ten But diuers of the citizens that liked not their doings asigne being giueÌ„ through the Citie they called all the louers of the Gospel into the market place Then toke they the prophet and Knipperdoling with all the preachers which thing when the commonn people heard of they armed them selues and reskewed those that were taken killing with great torment to the number of fiftie persones for they tied them to trees and postes and so shot them through For the greate prophet cried that all those that wold do acceptable seruice to God should throw the first dart others were killed after another maner The 24. of Iune there arose a new prophet which by his occupation waâ— a goldsmith This prophet called the people into the market place aÌ„d there he said vnto them that it was the commandement and will of the heauenly father that Iohn Leide should be the Emperour of the whole earth and that he going forthe with a mighty armie should kill all the Princes and kinges of the earth shewing mercie onely to the common people that is to saye all those that loue righteousnes and that he should posses the seate of his father Dauid vntil the father should require the kingdoÌ„ of him For said he the wicked being put downe the godly shal here reigne in this life And when he had published these things openly by and by Iohn Leiden fell vpon his knees and holding vp his haÌ„des vnto heauen said It was manie daies ago my brethern that I did know of this but I wolde not declare it and now God hath vttered it vnto an other that ye might the better credite it This man obteining the kingdome by this craft immediatly he put out of office the forenamed 12. And after the maner of kings he chose vnto him noble men and commanded that there should be 2. crowâ—es of fine gold made for him a scepter a skabbard and chaine of golde with other such lyke ornameÌ„tes Furthermore he appointed certeine dayes in the which he wold openly heare all mennes maters that had any thing to put forthe vnto him So often as he came abrode he was accompanied with his officers and noblemen of his court next vnto him folowed 2. yong meÌ„ on horse backe and he on the right hand bare a crown and the bible the other on the left hand a drawen sworde The pompe of his chiefe wife for he had mo at that time was after the same maner In the market place there was an high throne made for him couered with cloth of gold The actions and complaintes that were brought before him for the most part were of mariages and diuorcementes which then were most frequent and after such a maner that not a few which had before liued togethers a long time were then diuorsed It came to passe that on a certeine day as the people were in the market place verie thicke and thronging together to heare Behold Knipperdoling leaped vp and creping vpon the heades of the people with his handes and fete for they stode so thicke he breathed in the mouth of euerie one of theÌ„ saying to one after another The father hathe sanctified thee receaue the holy spirit An other daye he leading the dance before the king said thus was I wont to do with my harlot but now the father hathe commanded that I should do the same before