it proceded that God did send the Prophete NathaÌ„ to Dauid the offender that by the fiction of an other person he letteth him se the horror of his sinne that he did first terrifie and beate downe his conscience and after most tenderly did erect and lift it vp from the pitt of desperation All these graces say we proceded frome gods immutable loue which did remaine coÌ„stant both towardes the one and towardes the other euen in the tyme of their greatest vnthank fulnes And that because they nether were beloued nor elected in them selues but in Christ Iesus their head who nether did transgresse nor offend in any iote against the wil of his heauenlie father But Adam and Dauid transgressing and horribly falling from God were so hated in them selues and for their sinnes that first behoued the innocent Sonne of God by his death to make a satisfaction â–ª for their sinnes â–ª as also for the sinnes of all gods children And secondarely we say preache write and maintein that the sinne was so odious before God that his iustice could do none other but inflict vpon Adam and his posteritieâ— The penaltie of death corporall the punishemeÌ„tes and plagues which daily we do se apprehend gods children that vpon Dauid he did execute his iust iudgement which in these wordes he pronounced Now therefor y e sworde shall neuer departe from thyne house because thow hast despysed me and taken the wife of vriah the Hittite to be thy wife Thus saieth the lord behold I wil raise vp euill against the oute of thyne own house and I shall take thy wiues before thyne eyes and giue them vnto thy neighbour and he shall lye with thy wyues in the sight of sunne for y u didest it secretely but I shall do this thing before all Israel and before y â— sunne This sentence I say most iustly pronounced was after most sharply and yet most iustly for sinne commited put in â–ª execution And so do we affirm that none of gods children be they neuer so deare shall escaip punishement if contempteously they transgresse I suppose y t this our confession nothing doth offend you except in this one thing y t we affirme that God still loued AdaÌ„ and Dauid after their sinne before y t his holie Sprit wroght in their heartes any true repentance And yet I wonder why this should offend you seing y t we assigne the cause not to be them selues nether any vertue with in them selues but Christ Iesus in whom they were elected and chosen The signes of gods loue we haue euideÌ„tly proued and y â— end and issue did witnes y t gods loue was not mutable If you require scriptures for the probatioÌ„ of y e same Behold they are redie if wheÌ„ we were enemies we were recoÌ„ciled vnto God by the death of his sone much more we being recoÌ„ciled shal be saued by his life And a little before in the same chapter WheÌ„ we were sinners Christ died for vs c. And y e Apostle Iohn herein appereth the loue of God towardes vs y â— his onelie begotten sonne hath he sent in to the world that we may liue by hym herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs. And hath sent his Sonne in the mercieseat â–ª for our sinnes These are verey plaine and we think that no reasonable man wil denie to Adam and to Dauid that which the holie Gost maketh common to all gods elect children to witt to be beloued of God â–ª euen when they were ennemies dead in sinne drowned in idolatrie and polluted with all filthines as witnesseth the Apostle in these wordes And you when ye were dead by sinne in the which ye somtymes walked according to this worlde accordiÌ„g to y â— prince to whom power is the ayre which is the spirit now working in the rebellious children amongest whom we all had somtymes conuersation in the lustâ—s of our flesh doing those thinges which pleased the fleshe and the mynd and were of nature the sonnes of wrathe like as others But God who is riche in mercie for his own great loue by the which he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes marke and if ye be offended complein vpon the holie Gost hath qwickened vs togither with Christ by grace ye are saued and hath raised vs vp togither with him and to gither with him hath caused vs to sit amongest y â— heauenlie by Christ Iesus to shew in y e ages to com his most rich grace in his liberalitie by Christ Iesus God open your eyes that you may se the light and mollifie your heartes that ye may magnifie with gods children his superaboundant loue and mercie bestowed euen vpon the most vnworthie If ye think y t this loue hath onelie place before that man offend you se the holie Gost plainely repugneth to your senteÌ„ce for he speaketh to them that had bene polluted defiled with all sinnes If yet ye replie but that was during the tyme of their ignoraÌ„ce and not after they were illuminated by grace ye haue said nothiÌ„g against our confession for we affirme that God loueth sinners being wrapped in death and damnatioÌ„ by sinne and y t we haue plainely proued But yet for your satisfactioÌ„ and instructioÌ„ for I take to record the Lord Iesus y â— I wold bestow my own life to ioyne you fully to Christ Iesue I will procede a litle further with you â–ª Do ye think that the sinne of Dauid touching the nature and qualitie of y e sinne it self was more horrible and odious be fore God then were all the sinnes committed in Ephesus by those to whom the Apostle writeth yea then the â—innes which were done amongest y e hole GeÌ„tiles I trust ye will not think it and we clerely see that God loued y â— elect in Ephesus and amongest the Gentiles when they were drouned in all kynd of iniquitie If still ye replie Dauid was vnthankfull who after so many benefites receaued so traterously declined frome God followiÌ„g his own appetites and of purposed couÌ„sell murthering his innocent seruant and y â— with great ignominie of God This nether do nether yet euer did we denie but yet as y â— question is other so is not our coÌ„feâ—â—ion proued fals Albeit Dauid was vnthankfull yea and after AdaÌ„ most vnthankfull of any of gods children to his daies for herein standeth the doubt whether y â— the vnthankfulnes of gods childreÌ„ after they haue once receaued mercie grace and large benefites from gods hands doth so alienat the mynd of God from them that he beareth to them no maner of loue till they turn to him by repentance The contrarie hereof we hold and affirme not fearing to auowe that repentance as it is ioyned with faith which is the fre gift of God so is it the effect of gods coÌ„stant loue toward them and no cause of the same And for the more ample declaration
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
and an other I will pray to God to open his Eies that he if gods good pleasure be may se the light that so brightly shyneth Other places for this present I omitte For of these precedents I suppose it be euident that in the eternall counsel of God there was a difference of mankynd euen before the creation which by his own voice is most plainely declared to vs in tyme. Now to that obiection which Pighius that pestilent and peruers Papist and you all after him doth make To witt that God did predestinate according to the workes and faith which he foresawe to be in man I might obiecte to the contrary that if Predestination procedeth from gods purpose and will as the Apoâ—â—le affirmeth it doth that theÌ„ the purpose and will of God being eternall can not be moued by our workes or faith which be temporall And that if the purpose of God be stable and sure that then can not our workes being vnsure be the cause thereof But to auoid prolixitie and tediousnes I will by plaine scriptures proue that of fre grace did God electe that of mere mercie doeth he call and of his onelie goodnes without all respect had to our dignitie as to be any cause first mouing him doeth he perfourme the worke of our saluatioÌ„ And for the proofe of the same let vs take Abraham and his posteritie for example Plaine it is that he and his sede were preferred to all the nations of the earth the benediction was established to spring frome them the promes of the land of Canaan was made vnto them and so were they extolled to the honour aÌ„d dignitie of gods peculiar people But let vs consider what either faith or obedience God found in them which might haue moued him thus to preferre them to other naâ—ions Let vs heare Moises The Lord they God saieth he hath chosen the that thow shoul dest be a peculiare people to him aboue all the peoples which are vpon the face of the earth God hath not so vehemently loued you and chosen you because you are mo in nombre then other nations seing ye are fewar then all other people but because he hath loued you and wold kepe the othe which he made to your fathers And after it foloweth Say not in thy heart my power my streÌ„gth aÌ„d my hand haue prepared this aboundance to me and think not in thy heart it is for my iustice that the Lord hath broght me into this land Of these places it is plaine that Moises leaueth no cause neither of gods election neither yet of perfourmance of his promes in maÌ„ but establisheth it altogether vpon gods fre loue and good pleasure The same did Iosua in that his last and most vehement exhortation to his people a litle before his death in which plainely he affirmeth that Abraham and his father were idolaters before they were called by God w c place Ezechiel the Prophete most euidently declareth rebuking the vnthaÌ„kfull defection of the Iewes from God who of mercy had giueÌ„ theÌ„ life honour and dignitie they of all others being the most vnworthy For the saieth Thus saieth the Lord God to IerusaleÌ„ Thy habitatioÌ„ aÌ„d they kiÌ„red is of CanaaÌ„ thy father was an amorrhean and thy mother an Hittite and in thy natiuitie wheÌ„ thow wast born thy nauill was not cutt thow was noâ— washed wiâ—h water to soften the thow was not salted with salt neither yet was thow swadled in clowtes By the which the Prophete signifieth that all was imperfect all was filthie all was corrupt and stinking as touching their nature he procedeth none â—ie pitied the to do any of these vnto the for to haue compassioÌ„ vpon the but thou wast cast oute in the open field to the contempt of thy person in the day that thow wast borne And when I passed by the I saw the polluted in thine own blood aÌ„d I said vnto y e wheÌ„ thou wast in thy blood y t is in thy filthie sinnes y u shalt liue And this he repeteth to the eÌ„d y t he may beat it more deply in their myndes I saieth the Lord said vnto the beiÌ„g in thy bloode thou shalt liue and so he procedeth declaring how that God did multiply them did giue vnto them beautie streÌ„gth honour and dignitie These thre places do plainely witnes what perfection God did find in this people whom thus he did preferre to all others And what obedience did they render vnto him after the vocation of Abraham the hole Histories do witnes for perfection and obedience was not found in Abraham him self yea neither in Moises nor in Aaron but contrarie wise the inobedience of all we find noted to the same end y t Moises hath before spokeÌ„ to witt that none shall boast that either iustice proceding or folowing was the cause why God did choose and elect that people For how shall God choose for that which the holie Gost plainely denieth to be in any man discending of the corrupt sede of Adam For Isaiah plainely doeth affirme that all our iustice is as a clothe most polluted and spotted If our iustice be polluted as the Prophete affirmeth it to be and God did predestinate vs for our iustice what foloweth but that God did predestinate vs for that which was filthy and imperfecte But God forbid y t such cogitations shoulde take place in our heartes God did choose vs in his eternall purpose for his owne glorie to be manifested in vs aÌ„d that he did in Christ Iesus in whoÌ„ onely is oure full perfection as before we haue said But let vs yet heare som testimonies of the new testament sainct Paul to his disciple Timothie saieth Be not ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord neither be thow ashamed of me who am his prisoner but be thow partaker of the afflictions of the EuaÌ„gile according to the power of God who hath made vs safe and hath called vs with an holie vocation not according to our workes but according to his purpose and fre grace which was giuen to vs by Christe Iesus before all tymes but now is made patent by the appering of our Sauiour Iesus Christe Here plaine it is that neither are we called neither yet saued by workes much les can we be predestinate for them or in respect of them Trew it is that God hath prepared good workes thaâ— we should walk in them but like trew it is that first must the tree be good before it bring furth good fruite and good can neuer the tree be except that the hand of the gardiner haue planted it To vse herein the plaine wordes of saint Paule he witnesseth that we are elected in Christ to the end that we should be holie aÌ„d without blemishe Now seing that good workes spring furth of election how can any man be so foolish as to affirme that they are the cause of the same Can the streame of water flowing from the fountaine be the cause of the
originall spring I think no man will so holde nor affirme euen so it is in this mater for faith and a godlie life that ensueth our vocation are the fruites proceding from oure election but are not to the causes of the same And therefor the Apostle to beat downe all pryde asketh what hast thow ◠mā which thow hast not receaued And if thou hast receiued it why gloriest thow as thogh thow hadst not receaued it The Apostle in that place speaketh not of one or two graces but what so euer is necessarie to saluation that he affirmeth to be receaued and that of fre grace as he yet more plainely doeth witnes sayeng Of grace are ye saued by faith and that not of your selues it is y e gift of God ād not of works lest any should glorie Now if man hath nothing but that which he receaueth of grace of fre gift of fauour and mercie what odious pryde and horrible vnthankfulnes is this that man shall imagine that for his faith and for his workes God did electe and predestinate him to that dignitie euen as if two or thre beggers chosen from the nomber of many were of the liberall mercie of a Prince promoted to honour should after brag and boast that their good seruice was the cause that the Prīce did choose them Shuld not euerie wise man mocke their vanitie yea might not the Prince iustly depriue them for their arrogant vnthankfulnes Might not the Prince haue left them in their wretched estate And what then shoulde haue become of their seruice Is it not euē so with mā lost in Adam whose fall in gods prescience and purpose was before his creation of which masse or lompe God of his owne fre grace did choose ād predestinate vessels of his mercie prepared vnto glorie that they should be holie as before is said shall these thē that finde mercie to worke good wordes boast as thogh workes were the cause thereof God forbyd For if the posteritie of Abraham did not obteine the inheritāce of the land of Canaan for any iustice that was in them yea if God did not choose them neither to the temporall nor eternal felicitie but of loue and fre grace onely as Moises doth witnes how shall we thinke that the Eternall inheritāce or gods election to the ioy and life euerlasting dependeth vpon any qualite within vs. Wonder it is that the Apostle sainct Paul intreating this mater of gods fre election was ignorant of this cause if it be sufficient For by that meanes in few wordes he might haue put silence to many dogges which then as men do now barked against this doctrine For if he had said God hath chosen afore all tymes to the participatiō of life a certein nomber because he foresaw that they should be faithfull obedient to his commandemēts and holie in cōuersation and vpon the other parte he hath reiected and reprobate others because he foresaw that they should be vnfaithfull disobediēt and vnclean of life this I say if those causes had been sufficient had ben a sensible maner of doctrine But the Apostle alledgeth no such reason but first beateth doune the pryde of man as before we haue touched and there after brusteth furth in this exclamation O the hieght of the riches of the wisdō and knowledge of God how incōprehensible are his iudgements and how vnsear cheable are his wayes This exclamatiō I say had bene vaine if either workes or faith foresene had bene the cause of gods electiō S. Augustin doeth mock the sharpe sight of mē that in his daies begā to se more depely then did y e holie Gost speaking in y e Apostle And we fear not to affirme that the men w c this day do attribute electiō or predestination to any vertue or qualitie within man do holde defend to their greate dāger that which none inducd with the Spirite of God hath left to vs written within the holie scriptures either yet that any of the chosē shal cōfes in their greatest gloric Let the hole Scriptures be red and diligently marcked and no sentence rightly vnderstand shal be founde that affirmeth God to haue chosen vs in respect of our workes or because he fore sawe that we should be faithfull holie and just But to the contrarie many places shall we finde yea euē so many as intreat of that mater that plainely affirme that we that we are frely chosen accordīg to the purpose of his good will ād that in Christ Iesus And what shall be the confession of the hole bodie assembled when they shall receaue the promissed glorie is expressed in these wordes of the 24 elders who casting their crownes before him that sitteth vpon the throne do say Worthy art thow o Lord ād our God to take honour and glorie and power For thow hast created all things and by thy will they are and were created And after they fall before the lambe ād sing a new song saying Worthie art thow to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thow wast killed and hast redemed vs to God by thy bloode and hast made vs to our God kings ād priestes ād we shall reigne vpon the earth No mention is here made of any worthines of man the creation is geuē to God and that all thinges are in that perfecte state which thē the chosen shall possesse is attributed to his will The death of the lambe is assigned to be the cause of the redemption yea of that great dignitie to which they are promoted I am fully persuaded that if any cause of gods electiō and of the fruite proceding of the same were or could be in mā that the holie Gost who is authour of all iustice wold not haue defrauded man of any thing which of right did appertein vnto him But seing that in no place the holie Gost doeth attribute any parte of mannes saluation to his owne merites or worthines I fear not to affirme that this pestilēt opinion is the instigation of sathan laboring by all meanes to obscure the glorie of Christ Iesus and to retein man in bōdage whom he infected with that first venom which he made hī to drink Saing ye shal be as gods Thus far with such plain simplicite as it pleased God to minister vnto me for the tyme haue proued y t gods electiō is Eternal y t it is stable y t he hath made a difference betwext one sort of mē and an other w c differēce althogh it came to know ledge of mā in time yet was it in gods purpose ād counsel before all tyme no les thē his creatiō was And last y t gods electiō depēdeth neither vpō o r workes nor vpō our faith but procedeth frō his Eternal wisdō mercie ād goodnes ād therefor is it īmutable ād cōstāt Now shortly will I go throughe if God permi me y e reasons of yo r booke Nothing vpō y e one parte y e imperfectiōs of y
wil which onely is the most perfect rule of all iustice and equitie did bring all these thinges to passe by such meanes as he had appointed and by his Prophetes fore spoken But here you storme crying in your accustomed furie What is this els but stoicall necessitie to make Gods wil the only cause of all thyngs be they good or bad How dull and ignorant you are if ye can not make differeÌ„ce betwext Gods will and that necessitie which the Stoikes mainteaned I haue before touched and how maliciously ye impute vnto vs wordes and sentences whereof ye be neuer able to conuict vs shall shortly God willing be declared But by this I perceaue where the shoe doeth wring you If Gods wil his counsel his prouidence and decre beare rule in the actions of maÌ„nes lief then foresee you and feare that your free will shall be broght into bondage and so can ye not com first to the perfection of Angels and in processe of tyme to the iustice of Christe by the meanes of your free will Whether I wrongously suspect you and so haue erred in my iudgement your own wordes shall after witnes For seing that we haue planely proued v t most vniustly and moste maliciously ye accuse and traduce vs of the vane opinion of the Stoikes I will procede to that which ye call our first error after that I haue for the better instructioÌ„ of the simple reader declared what we vnderstand by Prescience Prouidence and praedestination which termes do so offend you that ye can not heare them named When we attribute prescience to God we vnderstaÌ„d that all things haue euer bene and perpetually abyde present before his eyes so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is bypast nothing to com but all thinges are present and so are they present that they are not as conceaued imaginations or formes and figures whereof other innumerable thinges procede as Plato teacheth that of the form and exemple of one man many thousandes of men are fashioned But we say that all things be so present before God that he doeth contemplat and beholde them in their veritie and perfection And therefor it is that the Prophetes often tymes speak of things being yet after to com with such certentie as that they were alreadie done And this praescience of God do we affirm to be extended to the vniuersall compasse and circuite of the world yea and vnto euery particuler creature of the same Gods prouidence we call that souerane empire and supreme dominioÌ„ which God alwayes kepeth in the gouernement of all thinges in heauen and earth conteiâ—ed And these two that is Prescience and prouidence we so attribute to God that with the Apostle we fear not to affirme that in him we haue our being â—â—uing and lief We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his owne power but that his foot steppes ar directed by the eternall That the sortes and lottes which appere most subiect to fortune go so furth by his prouidence That a Sparro falleth not vpon the ground without our heauenlie father And this we giue not to God only praescience by an ydle sight and a prouidence by a general mouing of his creatures As not only som Philosophers but also mo then is to be wished in our daies do but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge and prouidence as is extended to euery one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tend and incline to the end to which they are appointed by his What comforte do the sonnes of God receaue in earnest meditations hereof this tyme will not suffer to intreate But at one word to finish alas to what miserie were we exponed if we should be persuaded that sathan and the wicked might or could do any thing otherwiese then God hath appointed Let the godlye consider Predestination whereof now this question is we call the eternall and immutable decre of God by the which he hath once determined with him self what he will haue to be done with euerie man For he hath not created all as after shal be proued to be of one condition Or if we will haue the definition of Predestination more large we say that it is the most wise and most iust purpose of God by the which before all tyme he constantly hath decreed to cal those whom he hath loued in Christ to the knowledge of him self and of his sonne Christ Iesus that they may be assured of their adoption by the iustification of faith which working in them by charitie maketh their workes to shyne before men to the glorie of their father so that they made conforme to the image of the sonne of God may finally receaue that glorie which is prepared for the vessels of mercie These latter partes to wit of vocation iustification of faith â–ª and of the effect of the same haue I added for such as thiÌ„k that we imagin it sufficient that we be predestinate how wickedly so euer we liue We constantly affirme the plane contrarie To wit that none liuing wickedly can haue the assurance that he is predestinate to lief euerlasting Yea althogh man and Angell wolde beare record with him yet will his own conscience condemne him vnto such tyme as vnfeanedly he turne from his wicked conuersation These termes I thoght good in the beginning to explane to the end that the reader may the better vnderstand our meaning in the same and that we be not after often coÌ„pelled to repete theÌ„ againe Now to that W c ye call the first error THE ADVERSARIE God hathe not created all men to be saued by any manner of meannes but before the foundation of the world he hath chosen a certen to saluation which is but a small flocke and the rest which be innumerable he hath reprobate and ordeined to condemnation Because so it pleaseth him ANSWER They are not onely reputed liers aÌ„d called fals witnesses that boldly and planelie affirme a lie in plane and expresse wordes but such also as in reciting the myndes of other men change their meaning by altering their wordes by adding more then they spake or by dyminishing that which might explane the thinges that remained obscure or more fully might expres the minde of the speakers And in all these thre vices are you criminall in this your first accusation or witnessing laid against vs. For our wordes ye haue altogether altered to them ye haue added and from the ye haue diminished that which ye think may aggrauate and make odious our cause And therefore I say ye are detestable liers and malicious accusers For probation hereof I appele to our writings be they in latyn freÌ„che ItaliaÌ„ or english in so many toÌ„gues this mater is writteÌ„ if that any of you be able to briÌ„g furth our propositioÌ„s in any of theÌ„ in this your forme aÌ„d coÌ„teining your whole wordes I offer to make satisfactioÌ„ vnto you
condemne but with reuerence we do referre iudgemēt to him who is the vniuersall creator whose goodnes and wisdom is such that he can do nothing but wisely and whose iustice is so perfect that his workes are exēpted frō the iudgement of all creatures But the second part affirmyng that if God condemne mo then he shall saue that then his wraith is greater then his mercie is so irreuerēt so bold and blasphemous y t scarsly coulde I haue thoght y t y e deuill him self could haue imagined a more manifest blasphemie Who hath giuen the balance into thy hādes I speak to the most blasphemous writer to pōder ād wey gods mercie and wraith after thy corrupt iudgement if thow claimest the helpe of these former scriptures they proue no more that which thow pretendest then if thow shouldest affirm that God shall saue the deuill because his mercie is aboue all his creatures We do not deny but y t y e most wicked men are participant of gods mercie in temporall felicitie yea and y t farre aboue his chosen childrē that he maketh his son to shyne vpō the good ād bad that with long suffering he calleth them to repentance and delaieth their most iust cōdemnation But what wilt thow hereof cōclude that God hath ordeined mo to saluatiō thē to perdition orels is his wraith greater thē his mercie Blasphemous mouth who hath taught the to appoint a law to God The day shall come if spedelie thow repent not y t thow shalt fele what punishmēt is due to such as go aboute to bring the eternal God and his incōprehensible iudgemēts vnder y e thraldō of their corrupt reason But leauing thee I return to those whō gladly I wold īstruct ād to thē I say that the wordes of Dauid and of Isaiah do speake of that rich and inestimable mercie which God laieth vp in store for his chosen children to whom althogh God somtymes shew him self seuere and angry yet indureth that but for a short space but his mercie is euerlastīg ād his goodnes infinit by the which he marieth his chosen children to him self for euer and whether that these wordes be onely spoken to the elect orels that they be generally spoken to all let the holie Gost decyde the controuersie After that Dauid hath affirmed that God is liberall mercifull patiēt and of great gentilnes and also that he is good to all and that his mercie is ouer all his workes that the eies of all creatures look vpon him and that he is iust in all his workes by which sentences he praiseth the goodnes the mercie and the prouidence of God in the regiment gouernement of his vniuersall creation which goodnes ād mercie do so abounde that the innumerable iniquities of mākind and his detestable ingratitude cā not vtterly hinder the same from the creatures After these cōmon mercies I say whereof the reprobate are oftē partakers he openeth the treasure of his riche mercies which are kept in Christ Iesus for his elect Saing the Lord is nigh to all that vpon him to all that call vpon him in veritie he doeth the will of those that fear him and he heareth their crie and saueth thē The Lord kepeth all those that loue hī but he destroieth all the wicked such as willingly delite not in blīdnes may clerely se that the holie Gost maketh a plaine differēce betwext the graces and mercies which be cōmō to all and that soueraign mercie which is immutably reserued to the chosen children and further that the Lord himself shall destroy the wicked albeit his mercie be ouer all his workes And so that mercie by the which God pronoūceth to gather his Church is euerlastīg ād is not cōdmō to y e reprobate but is onely proper to y e flocke of Christ Iesus The wordes of God spoken vnto Moises do no more serue your purpose then do the other For God in his law expressedly doeth witnes to whom it is that he will shew mercie to thousandes to witt to those that loue him and kepe his commandements and vpon whom will he prosecute the iniquitie vnto the third and fourth generatiō vpō those saieth he y t hate me If here of ye cōclude y t his mercie towardes all is greater then his wraith ye conclude amis For ye confound those whom God hath separated and deuided he promiseth mercie to the thousand generation of those that loue him and threatneth to punishe the iniquitie of the fathers to the third and fourthe generation vpon those that hate him Hereof iustly ye can no further cōclude but that the mercie of God is greater towardes those that loue him thē his wraith against those that hate him And so far will we confes with you but if you abide in your error concluding as you plainely do in this your booke that the wrathe of God must be greater then his mercie except that he saue mo then shall be cōdemned as som of your sectes hath lately affirmed we fear not to affirme that your blasphemie is intollerable Or if you think as some alledge vpon Origene that becaus gods mercie is infinit and extendeth vnto all his workes that therefor the reprobate can not but once obtein mercie The plain scripture cōuicteth you For it affirmeth that the wraith of God abydeth vpō the vnfaithfull that their fyre shall not be quenched and that their worme shall not die If ye shall vnderstand that the elect hath nothing which they receaue not of mercie and that the punishment of the reprobate is most iustly deserued you shall not mesure gods mercie and his wraith by the multitude nor by the nombre but ye oght to consider that where none is worthie of gods mercies by their own merits yet hath it continued from the beginning and shal cōtinue vnto the end euer extending the self to gods children being in miserie and so this mercie must far surmount all wraith and iudgement for where the wraith of God once kindled against sinne oght to haue consumed and deuoured all mercie preualeth and delyuereth those that iustly might haue bene condemned And in this sense say we that gods mercie far surmounteth his iudgementes which interpretation if you admit not we will send you to reason with God and to impugne the same if you be able by manifest scriptures Now to the rest THE ADVERSARIE Of all sortes and Sectes of men I haue iudged them to be most abhorred which are called Athei that is to say such as denie that there is any God But now me think these carelesse men are much more to be abhorred my reason is because they be more iniurious to God then the Athey for he is les iniurious to a man that beleueth that he is not then they he which calleth him a cruel mā a tyrant and an vniust person so are they les iniurious to God which beleue that he is not then they which say he is vnmercifull cruell and an oppressor
And in what estate did I leaue you Trie and examin your selues in what estate ye do yet stand you can not be vnsensible you can not be so ignorant but ye must know whether that Christ dwelleth in you or no. If you will acknowledge and coÌ„â—es that Christ dwelleth in you then must ye nedes confes that I am an Apostle For by my labors and preaching did you receaue Christ Iesus And if to deface my labors and to defraud me of that honor which God of his mercie hath giueÌ„ vnto me ye list deny that ether ye receaued Christ Iesus ether yet that he remaineth in you then do ye confes your selues reprobates Paule doth not absolutely define that they were reprobates but putteth in to their choise whether they wold confes that Christ Iesus did remaine in them by faith which they had receaued by the preaching of Paule and so wold admitt him to be an Apostle or to grante that they had nothing to do with Christ and so to confes them selues reprobates Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether that ether faithfully ye cyte the text ether that righteously ye conclude vpon the same The Apostle saieth not except that Christ dwell in you yow are reprobates but saieth as before I haue alledged do ye not know your selues that Christ Iesus is in you except that in som what ye be reprobates And albeit that the wordes were such as ye recite how can you therof conclude Dauid and Adam were reprobates when they sinned seing that Paule in that place maketh mencion of no other sinne except of the denial of Christ to remain in them of their ingratitude towardes him whom God had appointed preacher vnto them and of giuing eare credite to fals Apostles sclaÌ„derers of Christes true messingers â–ª how iustly I might turn Paules wordes vpoÌ„ your heades you easely may espie but all such reasoning I do from my heart abhorre If ye can be able to proue that Adam refused the grace offered or that Dauid did storme against Nathan ether affirming or suspecting him to be a fals prophete then had your argument som probabilitie for onely of such and to suche speaketh the Apostle in that place Thus doth â—ther your ignorance or malice wresting the scriptures against their natiue sense compell me to trouble the reader muche more then I wold if any sinceritie were found in you We do constantly affirme that by the sinne of one man did death enter in to the world for Adam did not onely lose him self but also did with him self wrap all his posteritie in sin death and damnation so that Adam and all his sonnes were in him lost But thereof it doth not follow as ye affirme that therefor they were out of the election from the transgression vnto the promes for as before we haue plainely proued they were elected in Christ Iesus before the foundacioÌ„s of y â— world were laied in whom they did stand elected and beloued euen wheÌ„ they fell in AdaÌ„ at which time y e electioÌ„ which from all eternitie was kept in the counsell of God began to be notified and manifested to mannes knowledge The fall and sinne of man was the way and meanes by the which gods election did appere but was not the cause why that it was destroied And so if with reuereÌ„ce ye coulde consider the mysterie of our redemption in Christ Iesus ye shoulde plainely se that it behoued all to die in Adam that the elect might receaue life in Christ Iesus alone The wordes of Christ Iesus our master rehearsed by the Euangelist S. Iohn ye do shamefully abuse for in that place he intreateth not whether a sinner duriÌ„g the time of his blindnes and sinne is appointed to damnation or not nether yet whether such as before haue had knowledge as Adam and Dauid had be altogether void of faith by reason of sinne after committed None of these two poiâ—tes I say doth our Master in that place intreat But vnto Nichodemus he plainely declareth that the cause of life is faith and the cause of condemnation is incredulitie and vnbe leif Not that Christ Iesus affirmeth that euerie man that is vnfaithfull at any tyme is or shal be condemned for God hath wrapped all vnder vnbelief y t he may haue mercie vpoÌ„ all as S. Paul confesseth him self to haue bene a persecuter and vnfaithfull But the true meaning of Christ is y t such as dispyse y e light offered remaine invnbelief to y e eÌ„d haue their condemnation alredie appointed as contrary wise who so euer with full obedience do steadfastly beleue the same shall haue the life euerlasting not withstanding the manifest tran sgressions of the law The rest of this part is be fore answered and thereforâ— I will not with repeticion trouble the reader for ye be neuer able to proue that Adame and Dauid were so out of the loue of God that he did not loue them in Christ his Sonne in whom they were elected Dauid was no suche mankiller as was Cayn of whom Saint Iohn speaketh who delited in blood to the end Nether did NathaÌ„ shew nor Dauid pronounce any suche iudgemeÌ„t against him self as ye imagin but being conuicted in in his own conscience how horribly he had offended he did heare not withstanding that ioyfull sentence The Lord hath taken a way thy sinne thow shalt not die c. Which sentence no doubt proceded frome that immutable loue w c was reserued to him in Christ Iesus euen when he was fardest declined from God It will be hard for you to proue by euident scriptures that Dauid was altogither void of faith but granting that he as concerning his own sense and feling was vtterly dead yet doth it not thereof follow that so he displeased God that he fell from the loue and fauor of God as touching his electioÌ„ for the Apostle vpon whose wordes ye seme to grounde your reason meaneth not that the lack of faith in all persons at all tymes and in all respectes doth so displease God that he hateth them and reiecteth them to death euerlasting For childreÌ„ for a tyme lacke faith and yet Crist pronounceth that their Angelles do se the face of his father and that the kingdoÌ„ of heauen apperteineth to such Thomas was vnfaithfull euen after Christes resurrectioÌ„ And yet did he not so displease his maister as before we heaue touched but that he did sekeâ— him and did remoue his incredulitie And Christ Iesus did rebuke the vnbelief of his disciples and the hardnes of their heartes but yet did he not vtterly dispyse them But now to the rest ADVERSARIE But if the scripures will not satisâ—ie you then must you be beaten with your own râ—d for if I grante you that all men did not fall out of gods holie election unto coÌ„dennation by Adams traÌ„sgressâ—on it followeth therupon that the coÌ„ming of Christ his procious death and passioâ— is superfluous vaine and of none effecte So by your
him that if he will conuert he shall be receaued to mercie and fauor No the sentence irreuocable is pronounced by the Angel that he shall come to destruction But Ephesus Smyrna Theatira and the rest of the congregations which before had professed Christ Iesus â–ª and yet were become not manifest ennemies but were falleÌ„ som in decay of life some in corruption of manners and som in heresies were exhorted to returne to repent and to be feruent to continue with sharp threatning if they did the coÌ„trarie And why this because that God before had planted among them his trueth which yet vtterly they had not refused and therefore doth he honor them as his domesticall seruantes but in vaine say you for if they be of the elect they cannot perish if they be of the reprobate sorte they can not be saued This is of you vnreuerently reasoned wil ye not suffer God to order his houshold as best pleaseth his wisdom This order hath he appointed that the trompet of his worde to exhort to rebuke to encourage to offer mercie to the penitent and to threaten death to such as do declyne shall clerely sound in his Church so long as he doth acknowledge it to be his Not that by the word preached he that was reprobate in gods eternall counsel may be the elect and so changed but that the worde preached and often repeted maketh a difference betwext the elect and the reprobate euen before man Albeit to you it appere superfluous that God shall fede his children by his own word which because the reprobate do refuse therefore do they beare a testimonie of their own iust condemnation in their owne conscience Albeit I say this appeare superfluous yet God hath commanded and established the same as a thing most necessarie and expedient for the establishing of his children and for the manifestation of his owne glorie I woÌ„der that ye wil not affirme that superfluous it is for a man to till and manure the ground to prepare for victuales to eat and drinke to do such other things as be necessarie for the conseruation of the life corporall seing that God hath appointed the daies of man which he cannot excede and also that our heauenlie father wil prouide for his childreÌ„ seing he prouideth far the birdes of the ayre Assuredly the one ye may coÌ„clude aswel as the other But herein I saie appereth your foolish blyndnes first that ye make no difference betwext the houshold seruantes those that be without and secondarely that ye vnderstand not the vse the profit and the effect of gods word preached Is not y e kingdom of heauen compared to a nett casten into the sea gathering together all sortes of fishes whereof albeit that the seperation can not perfectly be made till the nett be drawen to the drie laÌ„d vpon the last day yet daily by the worde by exhortacion by rebuking threatning do many things com to light which before lay hid how many do followe Christ for a time and fall back from him albeit that to the end he cryeth that they shoulde continue S. Paul affirmeth that he did write his sharpe epistle to the Corinthians for a trial of them if they wolde in all things be obedient if they as true shepe wolde heare the voice of their true pastor acknowledge follow it which he witnesseth that they did And there for he saith now do I reioyce not that ye did sorow but that ye did sorowe to repentance By the which was not onely the Apostle comforted as he him self doth confes but also were they newly confirmed that the Spirit of God was not vtterly extinguished before And so albeit ye can se no frute nor necessitie of gods worde preached except that the nature of the reprobate be changed yet do gods children fele in experience how comfortable it is to haue their dull spirites stirred vp by frequent exhortacions yea how necessarie it is that their dulnes and vnthankfulnes be sharply rebuked The third thing in which I perceaue you horribly to erre in all this youre long discourse of the seuen Churches is that where so euer there is precept or commandement giuen to repent and to continue in faith or to liue a godlie life or where so euer mention is made that space and time is granted to repent there streight waies ye conclude then may men kepe the commandementes then may they repent and so be saued althogh before they were reprobate For this ye affirme of Iesabel she might say you haue repented and haue bene saued and likwise vnto them that committed fornication with her is repentance granted But how vaine is this conclusion God commandeth that which is righteous Ergo man may do all that is commanded God giueth place of repentance to all men Ergo all men do or may repent How vaine I say be these conclusions such as be not infected with the pestilent opinion of their own power fre will and iustice may easely espie when ye haue proued that God commandeth nothing which man may not do by his own power fre will and strength and that repentance so procedeth from man that in him self it lieth ether to repent or not to repent then may ye sing this song which so oâ—t ye repete God commandeth God giueth space of repentance God offereth mercie to all Ergo of their own power they may repent But and if we be not sufficient of our own selues to think one good thoght if repentance be the fre gift of God and if to receaue mercie procedeth of his own fre gift also then harp so long as ye list vpon that one string I will answer that except ye make it better aggre with gods scriptures I must nedes say that he is worthie to be mocked that continually harpeth vpon a discording string As we do not contemne your exhortacion if we coulde be persuaded that it did procede from the spirit of lenitie so can we not acknowledge our selues to be infected with the poysoned error of mere necessitiâ— and Stoicall destinie nether yet that we teache a careles and libertine life nether that we giue occasion of sinne to the people finally that we can not confes that we teache and mainteine idolatrie as most vniustly ye accuse vs without any further probation for that any such crymes reigne and are permitted amongest vs without punishement ye be neuer able to proue We do not denie but that among vs haue bene men infected with all crimes which ye lay to our charge for som of you were once of our nombre so far as man coulde iudge but as you haue made your selues manifest so haue others also But yet it semeth far repugnant to equitie and charitie that the treason of Iudas should be laid to the charge of the faithfull Apostles If I list to take my pleasure in examining your liues and applying the offences of those churches to your faction I doubt not