steadfastly to cleaue and stick to the trueth whose force effect they se alwaies to haue bene one frome the begīning The giuers of these offēses shall no doubt sustein the wo pronounced against them by Christe Iesus But yet must the childrē of God vnderstand that of necessitie it is that such offēses come that the elect may first be tryed and after be partakers of that blessing pronoūced by our master in those wor des Blessed is he that is not offended in me The cause of these my former wordes is that as Satā euer frome the beginnīg hath declared him self ennemie to the fre grace and vndeserued loue of God so hath he now in these last and moste corrupted daies most furiously raged agaīst that doctrine which attributeth all praise and glorie of oure redemption to the eternall loue and vndeserued grace of God alone By what meanes sathā first drew mākynd frome the obediēce of God the scripture doeth witnesse To wit by powring into their hartes that poison that God did not loue thē and by affirming that by transgressiō of gods cōmandemēt they might attein to felicitie and ioy so that he caused them to seke life where God had prounced death to be This same practise hath sathan euer frome the beginning vsed to infect the Church with al kynd of heresie as the writings of Moises of the Prophetes of the Apostles of the godlie in the primatiue Church do playnelie witnes But alas to such blasphemie did neuer the deuil draw mākynd as now of late daies in the which no small nōbre are become so bolde so impudent and so irreuerent that opēly they feare not to affirme God to be vniust if that he in his eternal coūsel hath elected more one sort of mē thē an other to life euerlasting in Christe Iesus our Lord which thing of late daies is more planely come to oure knowledge thē before we could haue suspected and that by the sight of a book moste detestable blasphemous cōteinyng as it is intiteled The cōfutation of the errors of the careles by necessitie with that odious name do they burden all those that either do teach ether yet beleue the doctrine of gods eternall predestination ▪ which booke writtē in the english tōgue doeth cōtein as well the lies and the blasphemies imagined by Sebastian Castalio and laid to the charge of that moste faithfull seruāt of God Iohn Caluine as also the vane reasōs of Pighius Sadoletus Georgius Siculus pestilēt Papistes expressed ennemies of gods free mercies The dispitefull railīg of w t booke the manifest blasphemies in the same cōteined togither with the earnest req̄sts of som godlie brethren moued me to prepare an answere to the same others I dowbt not might haue done it with greater dexteritie but with reuerēce feare do I lay the talēt cōmitted to my charge vpō y e table of the Lord to brīg to his church such aduātage as his godli wisdō hath appointed But lest that some shoulde thīk that my labors might better haue bene bestowed in some other exercise I thoght expediēt to admonish all brethrē charitably to requyre of thē not to esteme the mater to be of small weight importāce ▪ for seing that gods fre grace is opēly impugned disdainfully refused I iudge it the duetie of euerie man that loketh for life euerlasting to giue his confession to Christe Iesus whose glorie is by these blasphemers to y e vttermoste of their power suppressed Some do thinke that because the reason of man can not atteine to the vnderstanding how God shall be iust making in his counsel this diuersitie of mankīd that therefore better it were to kepe silēce in al such mysteries then to trouble the braynes and myndes of men with curious disputatiōs I willingly confesse that al curiositie oght to be auoided and that with great sobrietie we oght to contemplate beholde that incomprehensible mysterie of our redēption But yet I say that the doctrine of gods eternal predestinatiō is so necessarie to the Church of God that without the same can faith neither be truely taught nether surely established mā cā neuer be broght to true humilitie knowledge of him self nether yet cā he be rauished in admiration of gods eternal goodnes and so moued to praise him as apperteineth And therefor we feare not to affirme that so necessarie as it is that true faith be established in o r har tes y t we be broght to vnfined humilitie y t we be moued to praise hī for his fre graces receaued so necessary also is y e doctrin of gods eternall predestination For first there is no way more proper to buyld and establish faith thē whē we heare and vndoubtedly do beleue that our election which the Spirit of God doth seale in our hartes cōsisteth not in our selues but in the eternal and immutable good pleasure of God And that in such firmitie that it cā not be ouerthrowen nether by the raging stormes of the world nor by the assaultes of sathan nether yet by the wauering and weaknes of our own fleshe Then onely is our saluation in assurance whē we fynd the cause of the same in the bosom and counsell of God For so do we by faith apprehend life and peace manifested in Christe Iesus that by the directiō and guyding of the same faith we looke farther to wit out of what fountaine life doth procede In Christe Iesus now presētly do we fynd libertie ād life he is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes and sanctification and redēption and in the promes of his Gospel is foūded the stabilitie of our saluation But yet we haue a ioy which far surmounteth this For albeit that we should heare that the mercies the graces of God were offered vnto all men and albeit also that we should fele that our heartes were somwhat moued to beleue yet onles the very cause of our faith be knowen oure ioye and comfort cā not be full For if we shall think that we beleue ād haue embrased Christe Iesus preached because our wittes be better then the wittes of others and because that we haue a better inclination and are of nature more tractable then be the cōmon sorte of men sathan I say can easely ouer throw all comfort buylded vpon so weak a ground for as the heart of man is vain and inscrutable so may it be that those that this day be tractable and obedient hauing also som zeale toward godlines yea and also bothe sense and feling of gods mercie such I say may shortly here after become stubborn in some cases disobedient in maters of greate importance tempted with lustes and finally they may be left so barren that rather they shal tremble at the sight of gods iudgemētes thē that they can reioyse in the free adoptiō of his children And therefor I say that except our comfort be
AN ANSWER TO A GREAT NOMBER of blasphemous cauillations written by an Anabaptist and aduersarie to Gods eternal Predestination AND CONFVTED By Iohn Knox minister of Gods worde in Scotland Wherein the Author so discouereth the craft and falshode of that sect that the godly knowing that error may be confirmed in the trueth by the euident Worde of God PROV XXX ¶ There is a generatioÌ„ that are pure in their owne coÌ„ceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Printed by Iohn Crespin M.D.LX. To the Reader FOr the vnderstanding of the nombres the readers shall obserue that as the writer in his pestilent booke hath deuided the hole into certeÌ„ argumeÌ„tes so lykewise haue I deuided myne answers into certen Sections And because that many things in his railing reasons are either vnworthie of any answere or els not necessarie to be answered so oft as he repeteth the same I thoght good to signe those thinges in euerie seuerall section which I thoght in the same moste necessarie to be answered And this I haue done as well in his reasoÌ„s as in myne answers so that the figure of 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. which be marked in the mergeÌ„t of his reasons are answered where the lyke nombre is fouÌ„d in myne answers This I thoght good to admonish the reader The Preface AMongest the manifold blessinges where with God hath blessed his chosen childreÌ„ whom before all begining of times he hath predestinate to life in Christ Iesus it is not the least most deare brethreÌ„ that he hath giuen vnto vs plaine aduertisment how diuerse vnto dyuerse persons shal be the effect and operation of his word so oft as it is offered vnto the worlde To wit that as he him self was appointed by his heauenlie Father aÌ„d forespokeÌ„ by the Prophetes to be the Stone of offeÌ„se the stombling block and a snare to the two houses of Israel and yet that he shoulde be to others the Sanctuarie of honor the Rocke of refuge author of libertie so should his word I say truely preached be to some foolishnes and the sauor of death and yet vnto others that it shoulde be the swete odore of life the wisedo me and power of God and that to saluation to all those that beleue I purpose not at this present to intreat nor to reason how and why it is that gods eternall worde which in it self is alwayes one worketh so diuersly in the heartes of those to whoÌ„ it is offered but my onelie purpose is in few wordes to admonish vs to whom it hath pleased God of his owne fre mercy more playnely to reuele the mysteries of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ theÌ„ he hath done to many ages be fore vs not to esteme this a small and common blessing of God that we haue not onely his trueth but also the effect and operation of the same coÌ„firmed to vs by experience of all ages Great infinite is that benefit of God and rightly can it neuer be weighed when so euer he doth offer his trueth vnto the world But such is either the dulnes of man orels his extreme ingratitude that he will not acknowledge the face of theveritie shyne it neuer so bryght The ingratitude of the Iewes is hereof vnto vs a sufficieÌ„t witnes For albeit that loÌ„g they did looke for the Messias and Sauior promised yet neuertheles when he came with wonderous signes workes super naturall they did not onely not know him but also refusing and vtterly denying him they did hang him bewext two theues vpoÌ„ a crosse The cause hereof in some parte we know to be the carnal libertie which coÌ„tinually they did thirst after and their preconceaued opinioÌ„ of worldlie glorie which because Christe Iesus appeared not to satisfie according to their fantasie and expectation therfore did they conteÌ„pteously refuse him aÌ„d with him all gods mercies offered vnto them Which fearfull example deare brethereÌ„ is to be obserued of vs. For by nature it is euident that we be no better then they were And as touching the league societie with God which prerogatiue long made theÌ„ blessed we be farre inferior vnto theÌ„ For in coÌ„parisoÌ„ of that league made with AbrahaÌ„ the tyme is shorte that the GeÌ„tiles haue bene auowed for gods people beloued spouse of Christe Iesus â–ª yea Paule feareth not to call theÌ„ the very natural braÌ„ches and vs the braÌ„ches of a wilde oliue And therfore if their coÌ„teÌ„pt was so punished that blindnes yet remaineth vpoÌ„ theÌ„ what oght we to feare They not considering the office of Christe the cause of his coÌ„ming were offended with his presence and doctrine And doeth any maÌ„ thiÌ„ck that we be free froÌ„ the same dangers Few shal be found that in mouth praise not veriâ—ie euery maÌ„ appereth to delyte in libertie but such coÌ„panyons do follow boâ—â— the one and the other in this life so that both are despised and called in doubt wheÌ„ they be of fered moste plainly to the world To speake this mater somewhat more planely it is a thiÌ„g as I suppose by many coÌ„fessed that after darknes light hath appeared but alas the vices that haue abounded in all estates and conditioÌ„s of persons the terrible crueltie which hath bene vsed against the saintes of God and the horrible blasphemies which haue bene daily are vomited furth against Christe Iesus and his eternall veritie hath giuen and iustly may giue occasion to the imprudent beholder of such confusion to preferre the darcknes of superstition which be fore did reigne to the light of saluation which God of his greate mercie hath now of late yeres offered againe to the vnthankfull world For what naturall man can think that the iustice of faith planelye and truely preached should be the occasion of sinne That grace and mercie offered shoulde inflaÌ„be the heartes of meÌ„ with rage and crueltie And that gods glorie declared shoulde cause meÌ„ impudeÌ„tly to spew furth their vennom and blasphemies against him who hath created theÌ„ The naturall man I say can not perceaue how these incoÌ„ueniences shoulde follow gods worde therfor do many disdein it a greaâ—e noÌ„ber deny it and few as it becoÌ„meth with reuereÌ„ce do imbrace it But such as with graue iudgemeÌ„t shal consider what was the common trade of liuing when Christe Iesus him self did by preaching and working call men to repentaÌ„ce what was the intreatement of his dearest seruaÌ„ts whoÌ„ he sent furth to preach the glad tydinges of his death and resurrectioÌ„ and what horrible sectes followed and daily did spriÌ„g after the publication of that ioyfull attonement made betwene God and man by Christe Iesu by his death resurrectioÌ„ and asceÌ„sioÌ„ such I say as diligeÌ„tly do obserue these former pointes shall not onely haue mater sufficient to glorifie God for his graces offered be the liues of meÌ„ neuer so corrupted and the confusion that thereof insueth neuer so fearful but also they shall haue iust occasion more
shal be illuminated and you shall se first that becaus the creator is infinitly good that therefor it behoueth the creatures in their original creation to be good And so I doute not was the deuil created good but in the veritie he stood not And secoÌ„darely that because the iust iudgemeÌ„ts of God were no les to shyne in the damnation of the reprobat then his infinite mercie was to be praised in the vessels of honor it behoued the one and the other to be innocent and good in their creation For if the original had bene euill God iustly could not haue after daÌ„ned that which he had made no better but so we must confesse that it was good that yet willingly corrupting the self maÌ„ made away to the most iust executioÌ„ of gods eternal couÌ„sell And last that the eternall purpose of God might in tyme be notified vnto maÌ„ w c was that God wold bestow greater liberalitie shew greater loue aÌ„d mercie in the redeÌ„ption of maÌ„ iustly damned then that he did in his creation Of nothing he did creat him for his corporall substaÌ„ce was made of the dust which somtymes was not to his own image and similitude to him he gaue the dominion of all creatures these were documents of a true loue But if they be compared with that loue which in Christ Iesus we receiue and that of fre grace they are no thing For what is the dominion of earthlie creatures in respect that we shall reigne with Christ Iesus for euer what were the pleasures and fruites of Paradise in comparison of those heaueÌ„lie ioyes which sainct Paul affirmeth can not enter in to the heart of man If man had stand perpetually in Adam neither had the loue of God so wonderously bene notified vnto vs neither yet had place ben graÌ„ted to his fre grace aÌ„d mercie w c we receiue in Christ Iesus For mercy properly hath respect to miserie But y e cheif comfort of gods children is that as they fell in Adam so are they new transferred in an other that is in Christ Iesus to whom they are giuen and who as before we haue proued hath so receaued them from the hand of his Father that he shall giue lief euerlasting to so many as the Father hath giuen him If ye I say can not admitt these reasons why it behoued maÌ„ to be created good and yet after to fall in to sin and merserie accuse your selues storm not against God for he will not be subiect to your reason iudgements your horrible blasphemies against God and your dispitefull raling against vs at this tyme I will omitt and how impudently ye leap from the purpose of gods reprobation to the execution of his iudgement shal be spoken in weying this your reason which thus foloweth THE ADVERSARIE The scripture witnesseth that we did fall in Adam for damnation came of one sinne vnto condemnation then did we all stand afore in Adam for none falleth but he that standeth If we did all stand then were we all predestinate to lief for as our fall here is to damnation and death so is our standing vnto saluation and lief And to confirme this we haue many testimonies in the word which proue vs to be elected chosen and predestinat to lief afore the fall but none that proue any man to be abiected cast away damned and reprobate afore sinne by which death entred into the world Paul to the Ephesians saieth God did choose vs in Christe before the foundations of the world were laid and ordeined vs before through him to be heires vnto him self and were tâ—erunto predestinat I pray you shew me any testimonie of the scripture which so manifestly proueth that God hath reprobate any before the foundations of the world God hath no respect of persons For he calleth the world from the rising vp of the son vnto the going downe of the same he made bothe small and great and careth for bothe a like for they be all the work of his handes And Esdras saieth it was not gods will that man should com to nought but he prepared lief for them The holie Gost saieth that God hath not made death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing for he created all things that they might haue their being yea all the people of the earth hath he made that they should haue helthe and their should be no destruction in them and that the kingdom of hell should not be vpon earth what can be more plainely and more directly spoken against this error In an other place saieth the holie Gost God created man to be vndestroyed and agane God ordeined man that he should order the world according to equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true hearte doeth God ordein man to rule the world according to righteousnes whom he reprobated Do men gather grapes as Christ saieth of thornes and figges of thistles euen so euerie good tree bringeth furthe good fruites But a corrupt tree bringeth furth euill fruite a good tree can not bring furth badd fruit neither can a badd tre bring furth good fruite Matth. 7. Either make the tre good and the fruite good orels the tre euill and his fruite euill Either grant man at his creation to be righteous and good and then I think ye will abhorre to say that God afore the foundations of the world did reprobate his good and righteous creature orels grant him at his creation to be an euill and vnrighteous creature Could then righteous iudgement com of such an vnrighteous tree further if man at his creation was an euill things then was he not the creature of God For God sawe al that he had made and they were verie good if man at his creation or afore was reprobate and ordeined vnto death then was man giltie afore the transgressioÌ„ for God damned none but such as be gyltie If he was giltie afore his transgression then was he a sinner being yet innocent and iust afore he euer consenteth or committed sinne And so consequently of this error I may inferre many no such absurdities as should offend any faithfull mannes eares ANSWER As no man of hole iudgement did euer denie that in Adam we did fall so I think you aÌ„d your sect set a part there hath ben none that euer did affirme that in Adam we were predestinat to lief euerlasting True it is y t we stood in Adam created in his loynes but I suppose that ye will not hold that the children had greater priuiledge then had the father Adam did not so stand but that he was subiect to the law the transgression where of made him dettour to death To speake the mater more plainely Adam did so stand that he might and did fall as the euent declared aÌ„d were his children so elect in him that they could not fall so ye appere to conclude For thus ye reason if we did all stand then were we
burdē God with iniustice in defending his own innocētie At which reasons Elihu offended after that the other three were put to silēce takīg vpō him to reproue Iob affirmeth that the wisdom the power the iustice and the iudgementes of God were incomprehensible that God could do nothing vniustly how that euer it appered to mannes iudgement and amongest other thinges he saieth wilt thou say vnto a king thou art wicked or vnto princes ye are vngodlie How muche les to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes and regardeth not the riche more then the poore For they be all the worke of his handes They shall dye sodenly and the people shal be trobled at midnight and they shall passe furth and take away the mightie withoute hand for his eies are vpon the wayes of man and he seeth al his goings Thus haue I noted partly y t none shall think that these wordes may seme to fauor your error and partly that your vntruethe in wrasting such places may more manifestly appere Ignorance of the tongues may be some caus in you but in some of you I can manifestly proue that malice blindeth knowledge and compelleth you to speake and write against your vnderstanding God touche your heartes with true repentance and giue you his holie spirit with greater reuerence to intreat his scriptures But now to the scriptures that ye alledge God say you hath no respect of persōs Ergo wil ye cōclude he hath no election Your conclusion is fals and my reason is becaus that gods fre election depēdeth not vpon the persones of men but vpon his own promes and good will ▪ But to make this mater more sensible I wil make an argumēt directly against yours God respecteth not the persons of men But yet amongest men is found great diuersitie bothe in vertue ād in vice Therefor there must be som cause from whence this diuersitie procedeth Of the first part I know ye doute not and the secōd parte is confirmed by common experience and by euidēt scriptures for how diuerse be the inclinatiōs of mē none cā be ignorāt except such as do not obserue the same Such as attribute the caus of such diuersitie to the sterres and to the influence of the Planetes are more then vaine education and vp bringing doeth somwhat bow nature in that case but neither of bothe is the cause of such diuersitie for how many haue bene norished in vertue togither and yet haue after fallen to moste horrible vices and in the same perished And contrarie wies how many haue bene wickedly broght vp and yet by grace atteined to an holie conuersation If the cause of this diuersitie I say shal be inquired and soght it shall not be found in nature for thereby were and are we all borne the sonnes of wraith if in education and vp bringing we se how oftē that faileth The cause thereof thē must be of necessitie without man To make the mater yet more plaine by an exēple Paule preached Christ Iesus to be the onely Sauior of the world both amongest the Iewes and gentiles to som his preaching was the sauour of lief and to others it was the sauour of death from whence commeth this diuersitie from the obedience will and faith of the one say you and frome the stubborne inobedience and infidelitie of the other you say somewhat but not all for true it is that faith and an obedient will is that which we call Causam propinquam that is the next cause to our apprehension but what is the cause that the will of one is obedient and the will of the other stubborne that the one doeth beleue and the other doeth blaspheme How so euerye do shift the holie Gost in many places plainely affirmeth the cause not to be in nature nor yet to procede of man nor of his fre will but to be the fre grace of the caller as Christ Iesus doeth witnes None can com vnto me excepte my Father draw him No mā can se the kingdom of God except he be borne againe and that neither of blood neither of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God who toucheth and openeth the heartes of so many as he hath ordeined to lief to aduerte and beleue the thinges that be truely preached As those that be the shepe of Christe Iesus who heare his voice and know the same These and many places mo do most plainely declare what is the cause that some beleue and others beleue not to witt that som are born of God and som are left in nature som are shepe som are goates the heartes of som are touched and opened by the finger and Spirit of God as it was said to Peter flesh and bloode hath not reueled this vnto the but my Father which is in the heauen and the heartes of others left in their own blindnes and hardnes If ye demand how is it then that God respecteth not the person of man I answer if ye did vnderstād a right what is mēt by acceptation of persons or what it is to respect persons ye should not doute in this behalf Acceptatiō of persons is when an vnworthie person is preferred to a worthie either by corrupt affection of those that do preferre him either yet for some qualitie or externall beautie that appereth in man As if to the office of a king or of a bushope should one be elected that neither hath godlynes knowledge wisdom nor yet the spirit of gouernement because he is riche noble of bloode fare and lustie and the persons hauing giftes much more excellent should be contemned this is called acceptation of persons As Samuel seing Eliab and considering his beautie and stature doeth boldly pronounce in his own heart assuredly before the Lord this is his anoīted Such acceptation of persons is not with God for neither looketh he to blood riches nobilitie vertue strength nor beautie temporall in his eternall election but onely to his own good will and eternall purpose by the which he hath elected vs in Christe Iesus If ye shall consider the same place depely ye shall find that none within the hole scriptures of God more confuteth your error then it doeth For as God respecteth not the person of mā so respecteth he nothing that is or can be within man as the chief cause of his election For what can God forese consider or know to be in man that good is which floweth not from his fre mercie and goodnes as it is written we are not sufficient of our selues to think any thing that good is but all our sufficiencie is of God who worketh in vs bothe to will and performe Then if all vertue what so euer be in vs be the work of God can the work folowing be the cause of gods eternall purpose If the cause and the effectes proceding of the same be things diuerse then are our vertues and fruites not
no difference betwext those two dictions or wordes The Lord of his mercie preserue his Churche frō so bolde so deceatfull teachers If altogither thou haddest bene ignorant with sorow of heart I could haue lamēted thy foolishenes but pererauing y e of set purpose and malice willingly to corrupt gods plaine scriptures that thow may blynd the more easely the eies of the simple with grief ād dolor I say that better it had bene for the neuer to haue bene born thē thus obstinatly to fight agaīst gods plaine trueth And that in such furie that where from the scriptures thou canst haue none assurance for thy error yet so thow darest wrest them y t they may seme to serue thy purpose Where so euer thou cāst wrest any place that it may be translated by this englishe To there thow ashamest not to affirm y t it is the self same phrase with this of S. Paule vesselles of wrathe prepared or ordeined to destruction This is sufficient to shew to the learned yea euen to such as do but vnderstand the firstprinciples of their grammer thy infidelitie ād craftie deceat in this mater But because such as vnderstand nothing in the latin tongue can not hastely espie thy craft I will trauale to make it so sensible as I can If I should say I am appointed to death to fele the punyshement of sinne and so to make sinne to cease will thow therefor say that this particle To in the former place where I say I am appointed to death and in the second place where I say to sele the punishement of sinne and to make sinne to cease are all one phrase and oght a like to be resolued I suppose thow wilt not for in the first place it cā be none other wies resolued but thus I am appointed to death that is I must nedes die but in the secōd place two causes of death be assigned for where I say to fele the punishemen◠of sinne I vnderstand that one cause of death is that I and all mē may fele how horrible is sinne before God and in this last I vnderstād that death so putteth an ēd to sinne that after it may not trooble the elect of God The phrase of S. Paule is much more different from all that thow adducest then be these phrases before alledged one differen◠frome an other for where he saieth vesselles of wrath ordeined to destruction he signifieth the final end of the vessels of wrath to be ordeined and before determined in gods eternall counsell And in all these places to prouoke the Lord to anger to defyle my Sanctuarie to kyndle gods wrath against Israel to make Israel sinne and such like are their actions signified to be the causes of gods anger gods wrath and why he reputed his Sanctuarie polluted Thus thy frowardnes causeth me to trooble the simple reader The place of leremie tho v maliciously doest peruerte for it cā be in nowies so trāslated But what tōgue so euer thow doest follow thow must say wo be to me O my mother that thus hast born me a man that am a brawler and a man of contention in the hole land The place of Paule 1. Cor. 11. serueth nothing for thy purpose for albeit there be a preposition ad which truely may be translated To yet that speach is far differente from the former speach of the Apostle for where he saieth Eat at home that ye come not togither to condemnation he doth admonish them of the danger which they know not w c was that such inordinat and riatouse banqueting ioyned with the cōtēpt of the poore without repentance must bring condemnation if thow list replie alledge that thow stickest not somuch to the termes as to the mater ▪ for in all these former speaches man pretēded one thing but an other thing ensued What cāst thow thereof conclude but that gods purpose sentence and mynd is not subiect to mannes purpose and intention True it is that nether Pharao did resist Moises of purpose to be plagued nether did Ieroboam erect the calues that Israel should be destroied but yet becaus God had so before pronounced ineuitably plagues and destruction did follow their inobedience If hereof ye will conclude as ye seme to do that those whose end is condemnatiō receaue not that by y e will of God because ye cōclude that which neither ye haue proued neither yet go about in this place to proue I will not trouble my self with answering for this present But whē ye shal go about to proue that God will all men to be saued as ye affirme I hope by gods grace to answer sufficiently For as we doubt not but gods iudgemētes are holie and most iust so we know that the conscience of the wicked shall fele in them selues and no where elles the causes of their condemnation Neither yet did any of vs euer hold beleue or affirme that any reprobate shall haue that libertie in the hell to quarell with God of the secrete causes of his condemnatiō for the bookes shall be opened and the secretes of all heartes shall be reueled To the suffering pacience and sorowing of God I haue before answered in the beginning of this your last confused gradation and so I will not trouble the reader with the repetition of the same The wordes of Ieremie which ye alledge can haue no such sentence as ye do gather for he doeth not speak of any passion that was in God as touching his eternall Godhead but onely doeth appeall to the conscience of the people how oft God had not onely rebuked but also from time to time corrected them euer calling them to repētance and suspēding their last punishment how beit that they continually from euil fell backward vnto worse And so at length was God werie oftener to repent that is to say at once he wold powre furth his iust vēgeāce which before so oft he had threatned Let the first chapter of Isaiah be commentarie to this place and I trust the sentence shall be plaine For there he affirmeth that in that people there was no hole part that is all order and policie was almost confounded Ierusalem was in a maner left desolate by the manifest plagues which had apprehended it but yet there was no trew conuersion vnto God And here he saieth thow hast left me saieth the Lord and I haue therefor lifted vp myn hād vpon the and haue scattered the. I am werie in repenting that is that I haue spared the so long I shall scatter them with the fan euen vnto the gates of the earth that is to the vttermost parte I haue made my people desolate and I haue destroyed them neuertheles they haue not turned frō their waies I trust y t euerie reasonable man will cōsider y t those wordes be rather spoken to admonish the people how God by all meanes had prouoked them to repentance then to declare vnto vs what nature or
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
not haue sinne but now haue they nothing to cloke their sinne for they haue sene and hated not onelie me but also my father No man wil be so fond as to affirme that the Iewes before Christs preaching and miracles were cleane without sinne but the coÌ„tempt of grace did so augment and increase their sinne that it became inexcusable euen so say I that Pharao did harden his owne heart frome time to time becomming more vnthankfull vnto God and more cruell to his people And y e fouÌ„teine of this induration and hardnes I confesse to haue bene borne with him and that to raige against gods people he neded no impulsion of gods parte but rather a brydle to impede his fury But yet the question is not resolued as before I haue noted for still we ask why was not that fountein shutte vp why was not the naturall venim purged and his heart mollified searche where you list ye shall fynd none other reason nor cause for the which the subsequent induration of Pharao did principallie procede but y t God in his eternall counsell for causes knowen to his wisedom alone had most iustly denyed to communicate his graces effectually with him but had raysed him vp to haue his power shewed forth in him And so God did hardeÌ„ Pharaos hearte not by permission onely but willingly withdrew his Spirit froÌ„ him as before is said Wonder it is that amongest the ancient doctors ye will seke patrocinie or defense in this mater seing it is a statute amoÌ„gest you that ye will beleue nor admit the wordes nor authoritie of no writer in any mater of con trouersie but all things you will haue decided by the plaine scripture And truly I am not contrary to your mynd in that case so that you vnderstand that ye will not admitt the authoritie of man against gods plaine trueth nether yet that you will beleue maÌ„ any furtherthen that he prouethe his sentence by gods euideÌ„t scriptures If you had produced any doctor who had confirmed his interpretation by the plaine worde of God of reason I oght to haue answered ether by the same or by some other doctor of equall authoritie orels to haue improued his interpretatioÌ„ by the plaine scriptures but seing that ye produce none ye leaue me at greater libertie and yet I will shewe you the mynd of one doctor coÌ„parable to any that euer wrote before him ether in the latin or in the greke Churche I meane of Augustine who writing against Iulian the appostate and against Manacheus who did affirme the self same thing that you do to witte that God was a passiue God that is he did suffer all euill and that against his will but he did work none Against him I say he thus writeth wilt thou say saieth Augustine to Iulian that the wicked that be giuen ouer to their owne desires are to be vnderstand onely left by gods suffering but not compelled to sinnes by power as thogh that the Apostle had not ioyned the suffering and power of God to gether where that he saieth if God willing to shewe wrath and to declare his power fuffered in great patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction w t of these two saiest thou is written And also if the prophet do erre and shall speak I the lord haue deceaued him is this suffering or is it power And after adducing the same w c we before haue alledged of Achas he addeth did God these things ignorantly or doth he any thing iudgeing or doing rashly or vniustly God forbid it is not without cause that it is said Thy iudgemeÌ„tes are a great deapth it is not vaine that the Apostle crieth out Oh the hieght aâ—d depenes of gods iudgementes And after in the same place expounding these wordes lead vs not into temptation after that he hath affirmed that God giueth ouer some for iust causes to their owne lustes and blyndnes as he gaue ouer Roboam to beleue the fals and foolishe counsell of the young men he saith all these things doth God worke by wonderous and vnspeakable meanes who knoweth howe to worke his iust iudgementes not onelie in the bodies but also in the heartes of men he who maketh not the willes euill but yet he vseth them as he will seing that he can will nothing vniustly Thus far haue I alleged vnto you the mâ—nd of one doctor in this our controuersie â–ª when â—e shall bring forth the mynd of any so well grounded vpon scriptures as he dothe this his sentence â–ª I promyse to answer if I can I am not ignorant that diuers of the doctors yea and Augustine him self in some places may seme to fauor your opinion at the first sight But if their wordes in one place be compared with their plaine mynd and with the scope of their disputation in other places it shall plainely appere that none that liue this day do more plainely speak against your error then some of them haue written The places of Iob manifestly and in plaine wordes fight against you for it is said in the one place thou hast excluded their heart from wisedome and therfore this mater shall not be to their praise and in the other God hath taken wisdom from the Estrich and hath not giuen vnderstanding vnto her dare you affirme that in these wordes there is nothing but a bare permission of gods parte is there no difference betwext away taking and suffering to be taken away if any difference be betwext these two maner of speakings God giueth wisdome and God taketh away wisdome then is your interpretation foolishe and absurd nether yet is there any phrase of scripture vnderstand it as you please that can make God to call back that sentence which he hath pronounced to witt that he hath raysed vp Pharao to be an example to all generations folowing what shall be the ende of those that obstinatly resist God Who albeit he tempt no man to sinne by the power of his spirit yet as before I haue proued he iustly giueth them ouer to the inordinat lustes of their own corruption yea he giueth them ouer into the hands power of sathan to be pricked and stirred forward to all iniquitie that their damnation may be iust and also that his vengeaÌ„ce iustly deserued may the more sodenly falle vpon them The mynd of saint Iames is onely to bring men to the right examination and triall of them selues lest that by flattery they beginne to seke y e originall cause of their sinne in an other then in them selues And yet doth that nothing impede but that God in his maner which alwayes is iust doth hardeÌ„ the heartes of those whome before he had reprobated We confesse that no greater plague can chance vnto man â–ª then that he be left to his own lewde mynd â–ª for theÌ„ of him can procede no good nor permanent frute But as the earth lacking rayne dewe and moisture must nedes be barren and so
him all feare indewing him with an heroicall and bold spirite as God him selfe saith I girded the thogh thou hast not knowen me and giuing to him so fortunate succes that all was subiecte to his empire And therefor albeit tenne thousand times ye will aske What nedeth God to mouâ— the wicked to do wickedly which being giuen ouer of God imagineth nothing but wickednes his master the deuill slâ—peth neuer Yet will I answere that as to destroye Babylon in so farre as it was gods worke it was no wicked dede but his most iust iudgement So albeit Cyrus had neuer bene so much enraged against Chaldea ether by his owne pride ether yet by sathan that nether of both could haue broght any thing to passe except that the Lord had decreed to perfourme his worke in Babylon as he him selfe did threaten saying Behold I come vnto the o â— thou destroying mountaine saith the Lord which destroyest all the earth I will stretche oute myn hand vpon thee and rolle the downe from the rockes and will make the a burnt mountaine They shall not take of the a stone for a corner nor a stone for fundations but thou shalt be destroyed for euer saith the Lord c. If you see nothing in these and other such threateninges of God but a permission onely I can not cease to say that you are more then blinde But now to that which folo weth in these wordes THE ADVERSARIE To that which ye alledge of the Prophet Isai harden the heartes of this people c. for the better vnderstanding of thaâ— place we must note that which is written in the chapter going afore howe the Lord had chosen this people and planted them as a vineyarde and called all Israel to be iudge betwext him and his vâ—neyard what more could haue bene donne for it then he had donne and yet when he looked for frute of equitie and rightâ—ousnes to there was wrong and mysâ—rie where vpon followed their induraâ—sâ— for they were hardened of the lord that is as afoâ— is sade God gaue them ouer to their own heartes lustâ—s Further where he saieth to the Prophet hardâ— their heartes we must alwaies consider that their heartes were alredye hardened which their wickednes did plainely declare yet hath he coÌ„manded the Prophet to do his office not to make their heartes hard for that belongeth â—nelie to Godâ— who giuing them â—uer to their heartes lustes hath alredy haâ—dnede them but the office of a Propheâ—e was toâ— shew them the hardnes of their harâ—es so when he saiethe harden their heartes it iâ— as muche as shew and declare vnto them the hardnes of their heartes The like phrase of speaâ—che haue we in Leâ—it 13. If the priest see that the scab is growne abrâ—de in the skiâ—me the priest shall make him vncleane how should the priest make him vncleane who is alredye vncleane and whose fleshe he durst not touche but by declaring him to be vncleane So how should the Prophet harden their heartes whose heartes were hardened alredy and whose heartes he could not touche but by declaring â—hem to be hard hearâ—ed So saieth the Lord to Ieremie driue this people away that they may go oute of my sight sâ—m to death som to the swerd some to hunger some to captiuâ—tâ—e this was not the office of the Prophet which the Caldes executed but the Prophet was here commanded to shew that for their wickednes they should be driuen away some to death some to the swerd some to hunger and some to captiuitie So Ieremie tooke the cuppe out of the lordes hand and made all people drinke thereof â—nto whom the Lord sent him where there be mâ— nations recâ—ned then euer Ieremiâ— did see with his corpâ—rall eyes this place therefore must be vnderstand as the others conforme to the office of the Propheâ— which was to shewe them that for their wickednes they should drink of the cuppâ— of the â—ordes wrathe which appereth more plainely by that which followeth where he sayeth if they will not receaus the cuppe of thy hand and drâ—nck it that is if they will not take warning by the c. This interpretation is conforme to the phrase of the scripture nether is it contrary to any part of the word but if any man hath a better vnderstanding lett him vse is tâ— the glory of God Of these thinges alredy spoken â—t is sufficiently proued that God hath reprobat and cast away no man before the foundation of the world but as he hath creaâ—ed man like vnto his own image so he will the deathe of none but that all should be saued nether is he â—he author or mouer to any euill which with long pacience suffereth wickednes to drawe men to repentance nether willeth he any thing contrary to that which is expressed in his word for at God is constant and immutable of this his holy will he haâ—he vttered and declared vnto man to knowe the rest reserued he vnto him seâ—f for as much as no man is able to câ—preheÌ„d the prâ—funditie and depth thereof therefor oght no man to go about to proue or improue any thing by that which is vnknowen to him wherefor they which affirme and teache that â—od haâ—h ordeâ—ned men a fore the fundation of the world to be damned so that by no meanes they can be saued for suche is his secrâ—te will not with standing be declareth the coÌ„trary in hâ—s word they must nedes haue an euill opinion of God and therefore oght all men of duetie to abhoâ—re their deuilishe doctrine And because I haue said that they haue an euill opinion of God I haue added here a discription of â—hose careles libertines â—â—d conforme to their doctrine in all pointes and a discription of the true God wherby it may appere euen vnto the simple howe abhominable their doctrine and opinion in this mater is ANSWER What soeuer shal be redde in the hole scriptures you shall neuer be able to proue that in these wordes of Isaie Go and harden the heartes of this people is nothing els meant but that the Prophete was onely commanded to declare vnto them their blindnes and hardnes of heart for wher soeuer mention is made of the difference betwext the elect and the reprobate this vertue is attributed to the word that it doth illuminate the eyes and mollifie the heartes of the one by the power of the holy Gost and by the contrarie that it doth excecate and more harden the other by reason of their corrupt nature to the which they are iustly left The Euangelist saint Iohn making mention that the Iewes did not beleue in Christ Iesus albeit that they had sene his wonderous workes addeth this cause therefore saithâ— he they could not beleue because Isaiah had said He hath blinded their eyes hardened their heartes that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand in their heartes and be conuerted that I may heale them Here