â—e shoulde affyrme mayntayn and â—pholde that God dyd forsee the â—orkes of them both and that in â—especte of them he dyd chuse the 〈◊〉 and refuse the other Rho. 1. we should 〈◊〉 greate iniurye and wronge vnâ—o Paul as though he had not sene that which is so plain and manifest vnto vs. And verily it is a token that be had not seen it syth that he dothe expressely write that when they had yet done neyther good nor euyll the one was chosen vnto saluation and the other vtterly cast a way there by to proue that the dyuine Predestination of God is not grounded in mens workes deseruinges Predestination is not grounded on mens workes and deseruinges Agayn when he had made this obiection whether there was any vnrighteousnesse with God he might for a most plain and sure defence of the iustice and righteousnesse of God haue aunswered and sayed that God did rewarde Esau according to his wickednesse whiche he did forsee should be in hym but he flieth to a contrary solution affirming boldely that the wicked are stirred vp that the power oâ— God may be shewed on theÌ„ and his glory and name declared through out al the hole world And at lengthe bringeth fourth this cause thaâ— God hath mercy on whom he wil Ex. xxxiii and whom he wyll he maketh hard harted Ye see how he doth attrybute both to the only pleasure and wyll of God Therefore if we can assign none other cause why God doth shew mercy on hys electe but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure we shal also be fain to confesse that he doth reproue the other only because that it is his plesure so to do For when it is sayed that God doth shew mercy on whom he wil and whom he wyll againe he maketh harde harted men are admonyshed and warned thereby that they oughte to seke for none other cause of his diuine Predestination but onely hys blessed wil and pleasure DYDIMVS Verely ObiectioÌ„ Wher the cause of predestination oughte to be sought thys is a very strauÌ„ge doctrine and which can sarcelye sinke in to my heade For why shuld god be angry with his creatures bi whoÌ„ he was neuer offended before For it is the property of a tiraunt not of a righteous iudge to appoint and ordaine vnto destruction whom he wyll Therfore men might haue a iust occasioÌ„ to complaine of God if by his bare arbiterment and wil and without their own merite deseruing they shoulde be predestinated vnto euerlasting deathe Aunswer PHI. In dede suche obiections are made coÌ„monly for to subuert the doctrine of predestination and for to make it to be hated and abhorred of all men but we oughte not therefore to be affrayed to speake of it as far fourth as the worde of God and the scriptures wyl leade vs and shew a light vnto vs. First and foremost then wheÌ„ any suche obiections be made or when any suche vayne thoughtes do aryse in oure heartes we musse consyder and weyghe wyth oure selues that the holye and blessed wyll of God The wyl of God is the most perfecte is the moste consummate and perfecte rule of iustyce and equitye and that therefore what so euer he wyll we muste compte it most iust and righteous onely because that he doth wyll it rule of iustyce Therefore when it is asked sayth Saynte Augustyne why God dyd this thinge or that thinge Contra madi Li. 1. Ca. 3. We muste aunswer that he dyd it because that it was hys wyll so to do If thou goost any farther askynge whye it was hys wyll so to do Thou doest aske a thing which is bothe greater and higher than the wyll of God which thinge can not be founde oute Let this suffise vs least seckynge rasshelye that thin ge whyche is not we do not fynd out that same thing which is Let this I say suffise vs if at least we intende to reason and talke with reuerence of the secretes of the lord our god Which though he caÌ„ sufficientely wythouste vs defende hym selfe wyth hys iustyce against the malepartenesse of the vngodlye whyche are not affrayed to sklaunder God openly and to blaspheme hys holye and blessed name when takynge awaye all maner of excuses from their owne conseyences hee shall proue them giltye and condempne theym yet leaste they shoulde tryumphe to muche hee doothe minister vnto vs bothe armoure and weapones agaynste theym in hys holye woorde Therfore when any of them shall aske vs whye God hathe from the begynnynge ordayned some vnto deathe which beynge not yet borne nor gotten coulde not deserue the iudgement and condempnation of deathe For an aunswere we wyll aske them agayn wherein they thynke that God is bounde vnto manne and what they thyncke hee oweth vnto hym if hee wyll consyder hym in hys owne nature As we be all infected wyth synne God can not byt hath vs not of a tyrannous cruelty but of a most iuste and ryghteous equytye Nowe if all men be of their owne nature subiecte to the iudgement and condempnatyon of Deathe what wronge canne it bee sayd that God dothe vnto them whom he dothe Predestinate vnto death Let all the chyldren of Adam come fourthe and reasonne wyth theyr maker whye they are by his deuine prouidence made subiect vnto euerlastynge miserye What shall they be able to saye I praye you when on the contrary he shal call theym to the knowledge of them selues and byd them to beholde and looke vpon theyr owne fylthye and corrupted nature If they be all taken oute of one infected lompe it is no maruayle that they be subiecte vnto dampnation Of oure owne nature we be al subiecte to deathe Let them not therfore accuse God of iniquity and vnrighteousnesse because that by his eternall iudgement they are ordained vnto death which of their own nature they be subiect vnto DYDIMVS ObiectioÌ„ And this corruption which ye alledge to be the cause of theyr damnation doth come of the fall of Adam But I haue hearde some of you say that Adam dyd fal by the deuine Predestination and ordenaunce of almightye God Is not God therefore vnrighteous to punishe them for the same corruption that they be fallen into by his owne Predestination ordenauÌ„ce PHILALETHES Aunswer As touchinge the fall of Adam whereby we are all made subiecte to euerlastynge death and condempnation Of the fall of Adam I wyll speake of it no farther that I am able to bringe Gods worde for my warraunte If God did foresee that the fall of Adam shoulde be to hys glory and that by it not onlye hys mercy but also his iustice should be knowen and declared through oute all the hole world we canne lay no vnryghteousnesse to hys charge though by his deuine Predestination and ordenaunce Adam did fal For The true ende of al creatures all manner of creatures both in heauen and in earth are made to this end that their
soueraine creator maye be glorified by them But to prescribe howe God shoulde be glorifyed by his creatures it were to much vngodlinesse DYDIMVS Is it to be though that God coulde be glorified none other way but by the fall of the moste excellent creature that he had here in the earthe Question PHILALETHES That oughte we to refer to his incomprehensyble and vnsearchable wisdome Aunswer in comparison of which all the wysdome of the world is but mere folishnesse So nowe at thys present many are not a fraid to aske whether god might not haue redeamed the world by some other waye and meane then by the death and passion of his only begotten sonne oure souioure Iesu Christe And so styll wil we enter into the vnsearchable and incomprehensible iudgements of almightye God and know the causes of his blessed will whyche thyng is impossible to man But go to let it be graunted by waye of reasoninge that Adam dyd by the deuine Predestination and ordenaunce of God fall into the same miserye and wretchednesse is God to be blamed therfore or can therfore any vnrighteousnesse be layde to hys charge What shall eyther Adam or all hys posteritye be able to say when we shall thus answer wyth Saint Paule Rom. ix O thou man what art thou that dysputest with God Dothe the potte saye vnto hym whyche hathe made hym why hast thou made me after this sort Obiectiō DYDIMVS This is not to defend the iustice of GOD but to seeke a startinge hole as they bee wont to do that want a iuste aunswer For what other thinge semeth to be sayd ther but that God is of suche a power that he can not be letted to do what so euer he wil PHI. Aunswer It is not so neighbour Dydimus For no stronger reason can bee broughte for the defence of Goddes iustice and for to stoppe mennes mouthes then when we are bydden to thincke weigh and consider with our selues what God is For sithe that he is the iudge of the worlde how could he commit and vnrighteousnesse or how coulde any iniquity be found in hym It is the nature and propertye of GOD to doe Iudgemente The nature of God is to do iudgement therefore he dothe naturallye loue Iustyce and equytye and abhoreth vnryghteousness and iniquitye Therefore the Apostell dyd flye to no Startynge holes as thought hee hadde bene caughte in a trappe or had wanted a iuste aunswere But he dyd shewe that the causes of Goddes iustyce are incomprehensible and that they can not be measured by mannes reason nor yet comprehended by the base Capacytye of anye humayne wytte The holy Apostle doth confesse ther that the iudgementes of God are so vnsearchable and so depe that all mēs wits that will rashlye breake into them muste neades be ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp But howe vnreasonable a thinge were it to haue the workes of God to be brought vnder that lawe that assone as we can not show the causes of them we might boldly accuse and blame them Let the Manicheans Celestins with all other We ought not to be ouer beasy in seking of the causes of predestination that calumniate backbite and sclaunder the deuine Predestination of God come fourthe I say with Sainte Paule that we must not seke the causes of it because that they be incomprehensible and do farre exceade oure vnderstandinge Will we haue the power of God to be so limited and to be so kept within bondes that he shal be able to do no more than our with is able to comprehende I saye with S. Augustine Aug. in 106. epi that God dyd create some whome he knewe perfectly before should go to damnation and that he did it because that it was his pleasure so to doe But we must not aske the cause why he woule haue it so For we can not comprehende it Moreouer A most worthye lesson geuen by the holye father it is not reason that the blessed wyll of God should of vs be called into controuersy For when so euer mentyon is made of it vnder the name of it a most perfecte rule of equitye is named Whye is then anye question moued of vnrighteousnesse and iniquity where a moste perfect iustice doth plainlye appeare Let vs not be ashamed therefore after the example of Paule to stop the mouthes of the vngodly how we ought to stop the mouthes of the vngodly and when so euer they do barcke against the deuine Predestination of our heauenly father to repeate euery fore and say What are ye O wretched and miserable men that do accuse God or lay any thing to his charge Doing it therfore because that he doth not submit the wonderous greatnesse of his workes to the rude capacity of your wytte As thoughe they wer vniust therefore because that they be vnknowen vnto the flesh or because that the wisedome of the flesh can not comprehend the causes of them If we do proceade any farther it shal auaile nothing for we shall neuer be able to satisfye theyr malepartnesse and again God neadeth none other defence than he did vse by his holy spirite who spake by the mouthe of the blessed Apostle Sainte Paule And truelye When we cease to speake wel Obiectiō then do wee cease to speake wel when we wil speake otherwise than god dothe teache vs by his holye spirite and worde ALBION I was once in company wher I hard a man speake euē these words why shuld god blame men for those thinges that they be faln into of necessity by his deuine predestination and ordenance for what should they do Shoulde they striue against his decre appoyntment But it wer in vain so to do sith that they could not preuaile againste them Therefore they are wrōgfully punished for those thinges whereof the predestinatyon of god is the chief and principal cause PHI. Such vaine obiections Aunswer do the wicked vngodly make for to excuse their vngodlynes abhominable liuinge withall But all is not worth a good blew pease For Predestination is the executinge of the iustice of God sith that predestination is nothing els but a disposing ordering and executinge of the deuine iustice of god which though it be hidden frō vs vnknowne to mans wisdome yet it remaineth alwayes blamelesse it can not be said but they whyche are predestinated vnto euerlasting death and dampnation are iustlye deseruingly and most righteouslye ordained vnto it so that they haue no iust occasion to complain of any iniury or wrong that is done vnto them And thoughe it were so that we shuld graunt that Adam did fal by the deuine Predestination ordenance of almighty god yet could they laye no blame to God for it syth that he hath made al hys creatures for to be glorifyed by them But wherfore the fall of Adam serueth as I saide before to prescrybe vnto God how he shoulde be glorified by his creatures it wer to muche vngodlinesse
prepared agaynste vs. All the wylde beastes that we see are armed to oure destruction If we wyll shutte vppe oure selues in a closed garden where all thynges seeme pleasaunt to the eye ther may a venimouse serpent lye lurking in the grasse amonge the violets floures Oure houses beyng continually subiect to casuality of fire do in the dai time threatē vs with pouerti in the night time with destruction death I do here let passe poisonninge and robbinge with other innumerable parilles daungers that do cōpasse vs about both at home and abroade What shall we do thē in this sea of parils and daungers Are we not euen as thoughe we had alwaies a naked swerd hanginge ouer our neckes DIDY Obiectiō These things do happē very seldome Againe they do not chaūce vnto all mē nor al together at once Aunswer PHI. Syth that we are warned by the examples of other men that they may also chance vnto vs that our life ought no more to be accepted than the life of thē to whō they do hapen daily hourly we cānot chuse but fear least they do also chaunce vnto vs. And what can be more miserable than such continuall feare and dreade ALBI. Indede brother Philalethes if we had none other refuge but to our selues it were better to be oute of this life than in it PHI. When the godlye than be once broughte to a perfctee knowledge and vnderstandinge of the diuine prouidence of almighty god our heauenly father they be not only deliuered frō this extreme feare anguishe but also from all vngodly solicitude care For why They dare boldely cōmit them selues vnto the Lorde whom they see to rule gouern all things after such a sorte by his almighty power vnsercheable wisdom that nothing can happen wythout his appoyntmēt They know that the lorde hath geuen charge to hys angels ouer them so that nether fyre nor water Psal xcl nor any other creature can come nere them for to harm or hurt them without gods permissiō leue For so saith the Psalmist he shal deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter from the noisome pestilence He shal defend thee vnder his winges and thou shalt be safe vnder his fethers his faithfulnes truth shal be thi shield and buckler Thou shalt not be afraid for anye terror by night nor for the arow the flieth by day Hereof cometh the reioysing of the saints as when they say Psal Cxviii Psa xxvii and .lvi. The lord is my helper I shall not fear what flesh can do vnto me The lord is my defendor whereof shuld I be afraid Thoughe a hole camp do stand against me or thoughe I walcke in the myddest of the shadow of death yet wil I not cease to hope wel Wherof then dothe it come that they be neuer wythoute hope and comfort but only because that they se learn by gods worde that the deuill and all hys wycked limmes are by the almighty power and deuine prouidēce of almightye God so kepte and brideled in that they can not as much as moue one fynger for to do them harme but as farre fourthe as God dothe eyther suffer or commaund them For as it lieth in the power of the Lord to arme their fury to turne it whych way he lusteth Iere. x. so dothe it lye in hym to appoynte certayne boundes and limites vnto theym which thei may not passe Esay vii For this cause Rasim the king of Israell which semed to be ii fire brōdes for to destroy and consume the hole land of Iuda are of the Prophet called smokynge brondes whyche can no more but shew a litle smoke Eze. xxix Lykewyse Pharao when he dyd seeme to be moste dreadfull by reason of hys great strengthe and power he is lykened vnto a Whale and hys souldiours vnto fyshes And therefore the Lord saith plainly that he wil with an anglinge rod ketche both the captayne and the army draw them which waye he wyll AL. Now do I fele and perceyue The ignoraunce of the dyuine prouidence of god is the cause of all myserye that they that are ignoraunt of the deuine prouidence of almighty god are in extreme misery and that in the knowledge right vnderstāding of it doth consiste and lie the greatest beatitude and felicitye that we can haue in this world PHI. This doctryne beyng wel vnderstāded must neades moue vs also The profit that ryseth of the doctrine of the diuine prouidence of God to be alwaies thanckful For if we receiue anye benefite at mennes hands we shal thus consider with our selues Verely it is God that hathe inclyned these mens harts vnto vs and that hathe moued them to do vs good Wherof an earnest thāckes geuing vnto god must neades follow Yea we shal also reuerence and thancke those by whome God hath done vs good as worthy instruments ministers of his goodnes towards vs. If we receiue any profite of the insensible creatures we shall doe the like as in the plenty aboundance of frutes I meane of corne and of other like thinges which the earth doth bring forth for the sustenance and vse of men For we shal think that it is God that heareth heauen that heauen may hear the earthe that the earth may hear her frutes that is to say we shal thincke none other but that it is God onlye that poureth the swete shours down frō heauen that the earth may be fruteful and so bring forth in due time season al manner of frutes the serue for the vse and sustenance of mē In other things we shal acknowledge that it is the blessing of god only that doth prosper vs in all that we go aboute Who consideringe all these things can be vnthākful DY Surely I cannot chuse but alowe youre sayinges How be it ther is yet one thing that doth somewhat trouble my conscience ALBI. I meruayle what the same coulde be For me thincke that oure brother Philalethes hath spoken already largely inough of predestination and of the deuine prouidence of almighty god euen as much as is sufficient for the edifying and comfort of al faithfull beleuers but the vaine curiosity of men canne neuer be contented nor yet satisfied DY This that I intēd to set forthe brother Albion cometh not of a vain curiosity but of a feruent desire that I haue to be instructed in the truth Therfore I beseche you to pardone me if I be bolde to moue questions in thinges that be doutful vnto me PHI. Say on boldly what is it that troubleth you DY Obiectiō We do read the god did repent because that he had made man also that he had anoynted Saul to be king ouer Israel Gen. vi .i. Sa. xv Iere. xv And in many places the prophets do testifye vnto vs the God wil repent of the plages that he hath apoynted to bring vpon his people if after that
be deceiued can not finally pearish But the elect cā not finally be deceiued The wordes of the scriptures are plaine which be these Ma. xxiiii there shal arise false Christes and false Prophets and shal shew greate sygnes and wonders so that if it were possible they shoulde deceiue the verye electe And in the reuelation Re. xvii we learne that they only can be deceyued whose names are not wrytten in the boke of life It is easye then to perceiue that the elect canne not pearish For their names are wrytten in the boke of life afore the foūdations of the world were laid They to whome life euerlastyng is both promised and geuen of him that can not lie afore all worldes can in no wyse pearyshe But vnto the elect life euerlastynge is bothe promysed and geuen of hym that that can not lie ii Ti. i. afore all worldes he hath saued vs saithe s Paule and called vs wyth an holy calling not accordinge to oure owne workes Tit. i. but accordynge to hys owne purpose and grace whyche was geuen to vs through Iesu Christ before the worlde was Again we are vnder the hope of eternal lyfe whyche God that can not lye hath promysed before the world began The elect then can in no wise pearyshe Augusti de correptione et gratia Not all that be called are chosen How thei that are chosen AS manye as are chosen they are also called but not as many as are called consequently are chosen They therfore are chosen which as it hath ben oftē said are called according to the purpose which also are predestinated and foreknowen If any of them do perishe God is deceiued but none of them pearysheth For God is not deceiued If any of them do perish God is ouercomd with mans syn or vice It anye whōe god hath chosen vnto God lyfe euerlastyng can pearish then is God ouer comde by mans sin Wherfore Iudas was chosen But none of them pearysheth for God can be ouercommed wyth nothing They are chosen to raigne with Christe not as Iudas was chosen to the woorke that he was mete for For he was chosen of him that can vse wel euyl men that by his dampnable worke that venerable work that he was come for might be fulfilled When therfore we do hear haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuil we ought to vnderstande that they were chosen throughe grace and that he was chosen throughe iudgement He dyd therefore chuse them that they mighte obtayn his kyngdom but hym he dyd chuse for to shed hys bloude and for to bringe him to hys passion ¶ Other certaine argumentes whereby it is proued that the reprobate can not be saued THey for whome Christ doth not vouchsafe to pray Ihō xvii The worlde is here takē for the reprobate and wyeked world linges them God wyll not vouchsafe to saue but Christe dothe not vouchsafe to praye for the reprobate I sayth he do pray for them I pray not for the worlde but for theym whome thou haste geuen me For they are thine God therefore wyl not vouchsafe to saue the reprobate They to whom it is not geuen to beleue in Christ can not be saued it is not geuen vnto the reprobate to beleue in Christ the wordes are playne Iohn vi therfore sayde I vnto you that no man can come vnto me Iohn xii excepte it be geuen vnto hym of my father Againe Therefore coulde they not beleue because that Esaias said he hathe blyneded theyr eyes and hardened theyr hart that they should not se with theyr eyes nor vnderstand with theyr hearte and shoulde be conuerted and I should heale them The reprobate then can not be saued The chosen only shal finallye abide and remayne in the Churche of Christe For i. Iohn ii if they had bene of vs truelye they shoulde haue abyden wyth vs The reprobate are not chosen for they wer not of vs. Therefore the reprobate shall not abyde and remayne finallye in the church of God But they that shall not finally remain in the church of God can not be saued He that was of God ordayned vnto euerlastynge punyshmente coulde not bee saued Act. i. But Iudas was such a one he hath saythe Peter gone astraye Act. iiii that he myghte go into hys owne place Agayne they gathered them selues together to do what so euer thine hande and thy counsayle had determyned before to be done Read psalme xlix Therefore Iudas coulde not be saued They from whom the misteries and secreates of the kyngdome of heauen by the wil of God are hidden can not be saued but the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are by the will of god hydden from the reprobate Christe hym selfe saying Mat. xi I geue the thanckes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and from men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes It is so O father because thi good pleasure was such Therfore the reprobate can not be saued They that be not from the beginning of the worlde wrytten in the boke of life therefore do worshyp the beast can not be saued but the reprobate are not wrytten in the boke of life from the beginning of the world and therfore do worship the beast whose names saithe he Re. xvii are not wrytten in the boke of life It followeth then that the reprobate can not be saued They that are made to this end that they shoulde pearyshe can not be saued but the false Prophets Pro. xvi other reprobate are made to thys end that they should pearish God saith the wise man hath created al thinges for him self and the vngodly against the euil day i. Pet. ii or agaynste the day of punishment Againe he is the stone to stumble at and the rock of offence euen to them which stumble at the word being disobedient vnto the whiche thinge they were euen ordeined Therfore the false prophets and other reprobate can not be saued They that sinne against the holy ghost can not be saued Mat. xii Mar. but the scribes and Pharises and other reprobate do sin haue synned and shall sin against the holy ghost Therefore they can not be saued August de predestinati sanctorum li. Capi. viii WHen the gospel is preached some beleue and some do not beleue But they that beleue whiles the Preacher preacheth outwardly do heare and learne of the father inwardlye Whereas they that beleue not doe heare outwardlye but they do neither heare nor learne inwardlye That is to saye Ihon. vi to them it is geuen that they beleue but to theese it is not geuen For no man saithe he commeth vnto me excepte the father that hath sent me doth drawe hym Whych thing is spoken more plainely afterwardes Iesus saith the Euangelist knew from the begynnynge who they were that dyd not beleue and who shoulde betray hym