from him who of all men shall hée moste miserable Doest thou not heare howe Paules teaching was accepted at Athens Doest thou not heare Paule crying out that the natural man conceiueth not those things which are of God What sayst thou to these goodman For indéede so the matter standeth The Lorde communicated the benefite of the Gospell with all people whome therefore the Prophet calleth vpon to aduance the glorie of god For neither wil the Lord be praised of euery one but only of the Saints as it is written O ye righteous reioyce in the Lorde it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull And in an other place God said to the vngodly man why doest thou make mention of myne ordinaunces and takest my lawes in thy mouth It is therefore necessarie that that thankesgiuing whiche is acceptable and pleasaunte to God procéede from sayth séeing that without sayth nothing can please god And fayth cōprehendeth God not such as we conceyue him by our common sense for as Iohn sayth darkenesse doth not cōprehend the light but such as he hath set forth himselfe to be beholden and loked vpon in his worde in whose hartes the day starre hath shined But séeing now by almoste infinite testimonies of both testaments wée haue so manifestlye proued that not all things vniuersally but euen euery thing is gouerned by the prouidence and eternall decrée of God euen so muche that God willeth iustlye and accomplisheth also those things iustlye whiche both Satan and men wil iniustly and performe vniustly and that no infection of the mouings or actions may reache vnto the first cause but bicause it procéedeth from the depraued beginnings of the instruments there also it remayneth finally séeing we haue manifestly shewed that there is vtterly nothing done which redoundeth not to the glorie of God in so much that euen by our lye the truth of God is aduaunced what remayneth but the thou packe hence with thy moste foolishe and false argument And that which thou pratest of a bearde and one hauing a bearde doth it not manifestly proue what mind thou broughtest to handle these secretes of God For what hath a beard or one bearded to do with the kingdom of God Yea who wil not thinke that these so foolish things are rather vttered of a childe being an infante than of a bearded man But in déede thou diddest miserably feare least thou shouldest loose the pleasant scoffe Yet I wil aunswere thée in few words least thou complain the we deride those Arguments which we can not scriously confute A beard is of a méere naturall motion sinne of a voluntarie motion and therfore corrupt bycause that wil is corrupte iudgement corrupt vnderstanding corrupt appetyte corrupt and finally whole man enbondaged to sinne Yet that thing causeth not as we haue shewed by the testimonie of Scripture alreadie set downe that the Lorde should abandon himself from the soueraigntie of his effectuall prouidence wherby it is that he no lesse iustlye rightly inclyneth bendeth and directeth euen the euil wils whether soeuer it pleaseth him than if they were not corrupte But sée thou of what iudgemente it is to compare things so dissonant as if they were vtterly like that is that which is méere naturall which is voluntarie The Sycophants seuenth Argument to the eleuenth Sclaunder If Caluin shal say that this is the secret iudgement of God and to vs vnknowen we answere that in deede there be certaine secrets of God which we knowe not but that which belongeth to iustice that is knowen to vs and manifested in the Gospel according to which reuealed Gospel as Paul teacheth not after that secret iudgement of Caluin wil God iudge the world and so it shal follow from al as wel godly as vngodly for as wel the godly as vngodly shal see that it is iust that those that haue not obeyed the trueth not secrete such as is Caluines but reuealed such as is the Gospels may bee punished those which haue obeyed may receiue reward THE REFVTATION There wants somewhat in this thy writing but it is his fault to whom thou cōmittedst thy booke to be writtē For otherwise in déede with greate trustinesse all thinges are printed out of that very coppie whiche thou sentest to Paris to be printed there by stealth But to the matter Why I pray thée makest thou mention of these things For do we saye that there is another rule of good and euill of iuste and vniuste than the lawe of God Do wée shewe another waye of saluation than the Gospell of the sonne of God so as it remaineth written Or do we saye it shall come to passe that God shall iudge the world by any other prescription than by his worde Or rather are not we the men which not only haue auouched the auctoritie of the worde of God for oure vttermoste against the Papistes but also against thy selfe thrée yeres ago when thou biddest that newe reuelations be looked for bycause the word of God such as is deliuered vs by the Prophets Apostles suffiseth not to decide the controuersies of the Churches But arte not thou the verye man whiche in thy Commentaries vppon the first Epistle to the Corinthians affyrmest that Paule hath but onely taughte vs the rudimentes of religion and that he had an other more perfect doctrine whiche he cōmmunicated with certaine his perfect Schollers Howe is it therefore that being so suddainely chaunged thou risest againste vs as if we rested not in the onely words of God Is it that thou maist shewe that thou haste repented But truelye we be the same men we were nor haue we learned at anye time to reste anye where but in the onely worde of god God shall iudge the worlde by the Gospell that is whosoeuer he shall finde embracing Christe by faith whiche indéede will appere by their fruits be wil forgiue declare them Coheires with Christe the reste being worthily condemned he shall giue ouer to be tormented in eternall flames By this will of the heauenly father I say Christe shall iudge the quicke and the deade But what madnesse is this to gather of that that al the counsels or iudgements or all the iustice and will of God are manifest to vs that is whatsoeuer he doeth is manifest vnto vs and whatsoeuer he hathe decréed of euerie one and in euerie one from euerlasting But arte not thou verie he whiche canste expresse vnto vs the reasons of all Gods counsells or also of his iustice whiche he hathe vsed both to wardes the gooly and also towardes the vngodlye from since the foundations of the worlde were laide and also hereafter shall vse doest not thou I saye knowe all these secreats of Gods eternall prouidence Yea thou wilte say I grant that there are certaine secreates of God whiche we know not but al his iustice I saye is manifest to vs But a little before thou denyedst that any wil of God was vnknowen But doe not the secreates of God
in Christe M. Theodor Beza of Vezel whiche his sayd worke whē I had pervsed to my great comfort and enablement against the foe I beganne eftsoones to pittie the wante of suche a worthy worke to mine owne countriemen to whome the Lorde hath not giuen the vnderstanding of tongues though manye and mightie blessings in his heauenlye truth And least I might be found to haue buried my poore talent in the erth whē it might do good or deuoyd of that Simpathie which the people haue that inioy the Lord I employed mine endeuour by all the spare time that I had from other necessarie affaires to acquainte this the said renoumed worthy worke with our mother tong and that especially for two sortes of people the one are those of the Lords secret ones who yet wander in the way of ignorance and eftsones take part with the wicked cause for lacke of helpes in that they finde no meane to withstande the batteries of Satan in the enemie The other are those whom god hath alredy sealed in the felowship of his truth by the testimonie of a good conscience and assured zeale to serue the Lorde in Sion and yet want enablement to stande for the Lorde But amongst these especially for the helpe of them whose place of present being doeth require at their hands their better enablement to further the Lords poore ones in the way of life whome they haue wonne without warrantise whose diligence in time to come God graunt may be so much as their vnderstanding small whom inchaunting Circe the worlde hath bewitched and broughte into a compasse beyond themselues and made them retchlesse in loue of the Lord and as fallen vnder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sonke down in selfeloue haue thrust themselues into the Lords sanctuarie the dyreful downefall and destruction of many soules as it is written Vbi non est visio dissipabitur populus where there is no preaching the people perishe or without walking in the warranted waye haue lefte to call to the Lorde for labourers and made stones breade and in their blind liking haue with Vzza stept to the vpholding of the Lords Arke in the time of staggering but to their owne decay whose condemnation sleepeth not whereof some in deede haue Vrim but not Thummim some Thummim but not Vrim and many none of both whose song will be with Lysimachus if repentāce be not a remedie with speede That this my poore trauell mighte be set in warrantize against Zoylus and the carping foe to passe forth for the accomplishment of that good that is hoped for I eftsones most humbly recommend it to your Honors protection whose zeale for the Lords family I haue eftsons experiēced to my great comfort in the time of my being within your iurisdiction in Lincolneshire The Lorde increase in you his manye and mightie blessings multiply vpon you the measure of his grace that as he hath chosen you into the forefront of his haruest and giuē vnto you amongst others the chiefest and especiall charge to see his fielde furnished with labourers so he continually make ful the measures of his own mercies in your hart that the end of al and singular our attempts may be lyned by the word of life to the aduancemāt of the name of our eternal God by the faythfull furtherance of the free passage of his word amōg his people that such as yet wander in the wildernesse of most palpable blindnes or sense lesse obstinacie for wāt of workemē wel armed with appurtināces incident to such soucraign embassage on the lords behalfe might be brought home to the vnitie of one simplicitie in Christian profession that Gods glorie maye bee aduaunced his Church vniuersally profited and your Lordship with others in such place discharged to stand boldely before the maiestie of the Almightie in the day of Christ VVhich thing as for many benefites receiued I am most bounde so I most humbly and hartilye craue at the handes of our eternall father by Christe to whose merciful assistaunce and mightie prouidence remayning to performe vnto you al the duties that I may I do most humbly committe you Your Lordships most bounden in the Lord VVilliam Hopkinson ¶ THE PREFACE OF the Slaunders against the Doctrine of Iohn Caluin or rather of euery faithfull Congregation of the secrete Prouidence of God. THY Doctrine Iohn Caluine a man muche renowmed in all the worlde hath many fauourers but therewithall the same in like sort hath many aduersaries But I who wishe there may be one doctrine as there is one trueth and all to consente therevnto if it maye bee haue thoughte conuenient to admonishe thee familiarly of those things whiche are vsually bruyted agaynst thy doctrine that if they be false thou wouldest refute them and sende thy refutation to vs that we maye the rather withstande them and do it with suche proofes as the people maye vnderstande And there be many things wherein many dissent from thee but for the present leauing the rest to some other conuenient time I will deale with thee of the argument of Destinie or Predestination bicause both this Article moueth much controuersie in the Church which we wish may be suppressed and also the Aduersaries reasons in this Argument seeme to be suche as can not be refelled by those Bookes whiche hitherto thou haste published There are caried here and there of this matter certayne Articles gathered out of thy bookes whiche I will heere tumultuously set downe and then I will shewe those things which vsually are alleaged agaynst euery of them that thou mayste the rather see where vnto to answere THE ANSVVERE ALBEIT we haue euer endeuored to set forth that doctrine whiche is not oures but Iesus Christes in such sorte that we might winne many to the delight and loue thereof yet arte thou Sycophant much deceyued if thou thinkest that wée stande vpon the multitude eyther of foes or fauourers For neither are we so much vnskilfull of the state of men or vnmindefull of the very wordes of Christe that wée should forget that there haue bene euer moe founde who haue withstoode the truth than defended it Thou truely as I perceyue bethinkyng thy selfe of some wise preface haste chosen that one whiche did moste accorde with thy nature and inclination for so almoste it falleth amongst men especially of guiltie consciences that they déeme others by their owne disposition Therefore bycause thou shrowding thy selfe as it were vnder the shadowe of thy pretended modestie dost of olde ayme at this marke that the moste may thinke thée some body haste in déede déemed that we are grieued with the same infirmitie and therfore that thou couldst not worke vs a greater dispite than if with a certaine sottishe kinde of chattering thou mightest pretend to haue done this as bewayling our miserie carefull for the defence of our cause thou shouldest friendly familiarly write vnto vs But in déede we maruel that any man so practised in deceit could so forget him self
owne lustes they are to be taken leaft by the Diuine patience and not inforced to sinnes by power As if the same Apostle hath not set downe these two at once bothe Patience and Power where he sayth what and if God woulde to shewe his wrath and make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of his wrath prepared to destruction Yet what sayest thou of those that this that is written And if a Prophete be deceyued when he hath spoken a thyng I the Lorde haue deceyued that Prophetetis it patience or power whiche soeuer thou choosest or grauntest eche yet thou seest that it is the sinne of him that prophesieth false things and the punishment of sinne Or wilt thou also say here where the Lorde saith I haue deceyued that Prophet it is to be vnderstoode I haue lefte him that being seduced for his cesertes he might erre Doe as thou wilte yet in that sort he is punished for sinne that in false prophecying he sinned But beholde that which the Prophet Micheas sawe The Lord setting vppon his throne and all his hoste stoode aboute him on his right hand and on his lefte And the Lord said who shall deceiue Achad King of Israell that he may goe vp and fall in Ramothe Galaad And one saide this and on other saide that And there stoode forth a spirite in the sighte of the Lorde and saide I will deceiue him And the Lorde said to him In what And he said I wil go forth be a lying spirite in the mouth of all his Prophetes And he saide thou shalte seduce him and shalte preuaile goe oute and doe so What wilt thou say to these Verily the kyng himselfe sinned in beléeuing false Prophets Ouer and aboue these it was the punishment of sinne God being Iudge and God sending an euil spirite that we might the more apparantly vnderstande howe it is saide in the Psalme that the Lord sente the wrath of his indignation by euill Angels But in erring any whitte in iudging or doing any thing rashely or vniustly God forbid But it is not saide to him in vaine Thy iudgements are as many déepes The Apostle crieth not in vaine O she déepenesse The same Augustine in the same place sayeth who can be so madde as when he hath hearde what is reported in the Psalme Giue me not ouer O Lorde to my sinfull desire that hée saye that manne hathe prayed thus that GOD be not patient towardes hym if GOD giue not that euills be done except in afording his patient goodnesse when they are done What is also that whiche we say dailye Leade vs not into tĕptation excepte that we be not giuen ouer to oure lustes For euerye one is tempted drawne and inticed of his owne concupiscence May it be that we aske of GOD that his goodnesse be not patient towardes vs We therefore praye not for his mercie but rather proucke his wrath What wise man woulde euer thinke these nay what madde manne woulde euer speake this God therfore giueth euer into the sufferāces of reproch that those things may be done which are not conuenient but hée iustlye gyueth ouer and those thinges become sinne and the punishementes of sinne paste and the desertes of punishementes to come As he gaue Achab into the lye of the false Prophets as he gaue ouer Roboam to false counsell He doeth these thinges by maruellous and vnspeakeable meanes whiche knoweth how to execute his iuste indgements not only in mens bodies but in their heartes whiche maketh not euill purposes but vseth them as he pleaseth séeing he cannot will anye thing vniustlye These saith Augustine agaynsie youre ercoure But goeto lette vs strike saile at the laste By these therefore whiche wée haue made plaine in so many wordes and confirmed by so many testimonies of Scriptures we say it sufficientlye appeareth that the name of Wil doth euen appertaine to those things which although either of their owne nature or for the euill purpose of instruments are euill yet in a certaine respect are good that is for asmuche as God by them doth trie oute or correct the good and punishe the euill Therfore God is not contrarie to himselfe so ofte as he wil and wil not one the selfe same work séeing it may he done in a diuers respecte nor willeth he resistances so oft as he séemeth to will contraries because it may he that those which of their owne nature are repugnant in themselues may yet in some respect agrée betwene themselues And I will shew thée that in that same supposition which thy selfe haste propounded vs That Caluin is a faithful true Prophet of God it appereth by al those argumēts wherby that worthines of mē can be approued to mē Therfore God wil acceptable to him that Caluine be taken for such as he is that is for a most excellent instrument of the Church and those that do slaunder any man there is no doubt but they do an iniurious worke against god For he hath sayde he that receyueth you receyueth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Bycause also Christe is set for a downefall to many who therefore loue darkenesse more than lighte and therefore as worthie that they should perish therefore God beyng angrie with the worlde hath raysed vp thée a false Prophete and other thy likes cuerywhere to whome he hath giuen the strength of errour that those who haue refused the truth might thorough you beléeue lies Therefore as he once commaunded Semei so now you dogges that you cease not to barke at and bite a man who of all that liue this day hath best deserued of the Church of god Yet neither do you so much as in you lieth obey the wil of God but rather fighting against God and your owne conscience do most wickedly shamefully slaunder the moste holy seruaunt of God for hitherto you do yours and the worke of that spirite who hath wholy possessed you long agoe But God neuerthelesse doth performe a most iuste worke by these your barkings that whiche you do most wickedly and that he least will and alloweth of al others in asmuch as it issueth from you this selfe thing he moste iustly willeth alloweth but vtterly in another respect that is forasmuch as he by this mean trieth out his Church and daily more and more kéepeth his seruants with buffets in modestie and humilitie or strēgthneth him to perseueraunce reuengeth the vnthankefull worlde and finally bringeth thée with thine to his iust iudgemēt except it be that you had rather at the laste repent But if thou compare these things with that whiche we haue saide to be namely acceptable to God that suche as his seruaunte is such he be taken of good men thou shalt find that these things be no more repugnant betwéene themselues than when the Lord willeth and commaundeth at one and the same time the South winde to gather the clouds which should be dispersed
often vniuersallye taken for whatsoeuer tryall in whiche sense it is saide that Abraham was tempted of god when his faith was tryed So we are tempted as well by prosperous as aduerse thinges bycause by this occasion the affections come to light which before laye hid But here is obsecued the interior affection whiche maye well be called the Diuels Bellowes to stirre oure concupiscence For it were an absurde thing to desire of God that hée woulde make vs frée from all the documentes of Faith. Therefore al euill motions which solicite vs to sinning are comprehended vnder the name of Temptation And forasmuche as it cannot be but we shall suffer suche prickings in oure minds bycause in the whole course of oure life we haue a standing warfare with the fleshe we yet aske of the Lorde that he do not prostrate vs or suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with Temptation And to the end that Christe might better expresse that we depende inclinable to continuall casualties and falles except God sustain vs wyth his hande he hath vsed this kinde of speaking Leade vs not into temptation or as others expound it Carrie vs not It is in déede verye certaine that euerye one is tempted of his owne concupiscence as Iames teacheth but bycause God doth not onely yéelde vs to Sathans luste that he maye kindle the fire of concupiscence but he vseth that instrument of his wrath so ofte as he will enforce menne headlong into destruction also he leadeth in his maner into temptation In this sense is the euill spirite from God said to haue taken Saule to that end sound many places of Scripture And yet we shall not therefore call God the Authoure of euills bicause in giuing men ouer into a reprobate sense he doth not exercise a confused tyrannye but executeth his iust iudgemeÌ„ts although secret Doest thou acknowlege Slaunderer that smooth succinct briefenes of Caluin I thinke not who vsest to despise al mens writings in respect of thine Indéede if thou haddestred these thou wast too wicked wheÌ„ thou wouldest wrest these argumeÌ„ts vpon Caluin but if thou haddest not red theÌ„ which I had rather thinke what is this thine impudeÌ„cie to lay to hys charge so greate a blasphemie whose opinion what it is thou knowest not The Sclaunderers fifth Argument to the eleauenth Sclaunder That which thou addest that God doeth it for his owne glorie they say it is ridiculous For glorie vseth not to be giuè of a lye As Nabuchadneser hauing experienced the iustice and power of God in that that himselfe for his pride had bin changed into a brutish nature gaue glorie to him that is perceiuing and iudging him to be iuste THE REFVTATION There procéedeth no lie from God not euen then when he seÌ„deth lying spirites with strong delusion For in a lye as in other vices crimes there is a note of wicked affection which by no means can fall vpon god And whereas a lying spirite meÌ„ lyars by nature do lie al this is to be attributed to their own beginnings not by creatioÌ„ but depraued by their own voluÌ„tarie corcuptioÌ„ But in respect of God it ought to be déemed iust iudgement which in respect of Satan men is a lie But if thou deniest that God by the lies of men doth gather a great Haruest of Glorie first of al I can by thine own example confirme that which thou deniest For how much thinkest thou thy lies haue profited our Churches whilest we diligently compare theÌ„ with Gods truth Truly excepte thou haddest vtterly an other purpose we shold confesse our selues much bound to thée thy faction for this cause bicause you haue giuen vs occasion of sâ—arching those things more diligently of the knowledge wherof we verily take incredible coÌ„moditie But so stand togither the increases of the Churche with Gods glorie that in déed they cannot in any wise be known apart By the lye of Satan Adam is vanquished By this facte what â—â—â—fit came to vs what glorie to God verily much more than by the creation of the worlde The wrath of GOD is made manifest against all men for that they withholde the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse This wrath is nothing else but the iust iudgement of god â—ut doest â—hou thinke that the glorie of God is not enlarged whâ—n he aduaunceth his iustice But what when he taketh away the wisedome of the wise when he reuealeth his wisedom to babes that is hid from the wise What else remaineth to these wretches but lying and yet it cannot be denyed but that selfe matter doth mightily commend the iustice and wisedome of god Therefore thou wilte saye doest thou praise lying to vs No in no wise but I reuereÌ„ce the indeterminable wisedom of God which bringeth euen those things to a profitable ende that is to his glorie in whiche he punisheth reproche done againste himselfe and he draweth euen out of mens offences matter to aduaunce his owne glorie If this content thée not and thou procéedest to cauill if Gods trueth by my lie abound to his glorie why am I anye more condemned as a Sinner or rather why shoulde we not do euil that good might come thereon If I say thou procéedest thus to cauill I will except this one thing with Paule that thou arte one of them whose condemnation is iuste But in that which thou bringest of Nabuchadnezer what else doest thou but bewray thy childishnesse When Nabuchadnezer had receiued the punishmeâ—t of his pride he gaue to God the praise of iustice What other thing canst thou gather of that but that Gods glorie is aduaunced by his iuste iudgementes But nowe when amongest his moste iuste iudgementes are numbred strong delusion blinding hardening séeste thou not that thou arte taken in the same nettes whiche thou haste made to thy selfe The Sclaunderers sixth Argument to the eleauenth Sclaunder GOD will haue himselfe praysed of all nations All yee nations prayse yee the Lorde It is therefore requisite that hee doe those thinges whiche all nations maye knowe and praise But no nation wil euer acknowledge it to be iust that man be punished for that whiche God hathe giuen him For we aske if God should punishe vs bycause we haue a beard shoulde hee not doe vs wrong seeing hee hathe giuen vs a bearde nor is a bearde in oure power who euer hauing a bearde coulde praise him THE REFVTATION Thou in déede as I thinke wouldest yéelde ouer thy selfe to all nations not so muche to be derided as to be helde execrable when thou wrotest these things For how ridiculous yea howe prophane is this consequence when God will be praised of all nations that there is no argument of praise lefte except of those thinges whiche maye be approued by the common iudgement of all nations But Paule saith that he preacheth the Gospell whiche to the Iewes is a stumbling blocke and to the Gentiles is helde for foolishnesse Whome shalt thou easily persooade that saluation is to be looked for
haue euer bin an infinite number of such in the world the truth it selfe whiche euerie one séeth wil sufficiently conuince thée And to what purpose is this that is that al confesse that by their own nature they are inexcusable albeit they are borne concluded vnder the necessitie of sinne For necessitie doth not take awaye will as whiche albeit necessarie yet not enforced but of it selfe and willingly shoulde not be drawne vnwilling but might be carried witting and willing vnto wickednesse But yet thou wilte saye there is no manne so wretched that he would desire euil Yes in déede there is in him the very miserable scruitude of man not fréed from the yoke of sinne so that neither his vnderstanding can do that which is of God and therfore perceiue that which is good nor his will alowe nor his sense desire but that whole man deceiued with a shew of euil runneth headlong into euill draweth destructiō to himselfe And to this cuil there cōmeth another also whiche also what it is thou knowest not For he which before the precept was inexcusable alreadie after the commandement is muche more inexcusable than before Paule is witnesse of that thing whiche witnesseth that that lighte with how little socuer men be indued is therefore left to them that they might be made without excuse For séeing that in dwelling lewdnesse doeth by and by oppresse put out this lighte who séeth not that by this means the offence is doubled But if also the cleare exposition of the lawe of God do approche then indéede concupiscence waxeth strong and the raines let at libertie is enforced vnto mischiefe But what if also the preaching of the Gospell then indéede concupiscence breaketh out into plaine madnesse as the examples of all times and ages do proue that is to say in them in whose harts the Lord doth not kindle the light of his Spirite But thou wilte say it is vniuste to commaunde that whiche thou knowest cannot be performed as if some father shoulde commannde his sonne to eate a rocke But thou speakest maruellous wisely Men were neuer created so that they coulde deuoure mountaines It shal therfore be vniust to require of them that they shoulde deuoure a mountaine But this necessitie of sinning this imperfection whiche causeth that wée are not apte so muche as to thinke that whiche is good doeth it procéede from that firste creation yea from the deprauednesse But whence came this deprauation but bycause willingly fell from his creator whence the necessitie of sinning came vpon all men If all men be worthily helde guiltie of this downfall saith Caluine let thē not thinke themselues excused by the necessitie in whych they haue a moste euident cause of their dampnation Also in another place What shoulde man do saieth he whē the mollifying of hearte is denyed him whiche was most necessarie to obedience Yea what doth he séeke outscapes when he can impute the hardenesse of hearte to none but to himselfe Finally that I maye make ende with thée in some time heare if thou canste heare anye thing howe brieflie to the purpose that Caluine decideth al this controuersie by whose side thou fightest against the truth It is not lawfull to pretend an excuse saith he bycause there wāteth power and as banckerout debtors we were neuer able to paye For it is not méete that we shoulde measure the glorie of God after our own power Of what sorte soeuer we be he remaineth for euer like himselfe a friend to righteousnes displeased with iniquitie Whatsoeuer he exacteth of vs bicause he cannot demaunde but that whiche is iuste by the bonde of nature there abideth a necessitte of Obeying And whereas we cannot obey that is our own faulte For if we are helde captiue of our own concupiscence wherein sinne raigneth least we should be loosed into the obedience of our father there is no cause why we shoulde alleage necessitie for our defence whose euill is euen amongest oure selues and to be imputed to oure selues The Sycophants third Argument to the thirtenth and fourtenth slaunder If Caluines saying bee true man is withoute excuse before the commaundement whereby it foloweth that there is no no neede of the commaundement to the causing of this inexcusablenesse For if the resected bee wicked before hee bee wicked that is before he bee that is to witte from euerlasting and therefore sinneth necessarily nowe he is inexcusable and damned before the precept and that against all lawes both of God and man For al lawes con demne a man after the offence and for the offence at this Caluins God hath candemned and reiected the wicked before they were muche more before they were wicked or had sinned and bycause hee hath damned them before sinne hee causeth them to sinne that is that hee maye seeme to haue condemned them iustly THE REFVTATION God suppresse thée Sathan who heapest togither so manye lies without all shame We haue plentifully proued that men are inexcusable before the precept that is before the knowledge of the precept as those whiche are borne the childrē of wrath Where thou gatherest hence that there is no néede of the precept to make this inexcusablenesse it is foolish and ridiculous Why maye not an euill estate be made worse And thou arte wonderfullye deceiued if thou thinkest that we iudge al men to be alike inexcusable when the Lorde testifyeth that there be manye which shall be punished with a greater iudgement and beaten with moe stripes Whereas thou sayste that the reiected are wicked before they be that is from euerlasting it is not our doctrine but the Apostles who witnesseth that Esau was hated that is was ordained to batred as we haue shewed in his place before be was born and hadde done anye euill and that God as a Potter maketh vessells of dishonoure Therefore this doctrine is true if in déed thou considerest reprobation in the purpose of God but if thou considerest it in that it commeth forth alreadie into acte as they speake or in that the Lord beginneth nowe to execute his determination in effecte or foreknoweth the execution thereof it is false that thou saiste For God in effecte reiecteth none but those that are corrupted in Adam and with whome therefore hée is worthily displeased Whereas thou saiste that the reprobates sinne of necessitie it is not truly said of thée For the purpose of necessitie is not the cause of that necessitie but Adams sinne which issued forth vppon all men Whereas thou saiste that the reprobates are damned before the precepte it is false in euerie respecte for there is no man damned excepte for sinne And where there is no lawe there is no transgression But the lawe giuen to Adam and transgressed of him made all men inthralled to the wrath of God and therefore to iust damnation Whereas thou sayst that God damneth men before offence out of our doctrine it is altogither forged and dothe bewray thy grose ignorance The Lorde