Church baptise infants if we be not borne the children of wrath Giue therefore wicked Pelagius glorie to God and if thou canst acknowledge at the last the grace of God not whereby we were created that wée might be men for this we lostin Adā if thou only exceptest this bycause we sinne willingly but that whereby we are iustifyed that we might be iuste men For God is he which altogether worketh in vs the will and the déed And to what purpose shal it be to vndo with moe words the doubt which thou patchest séeing Augustine hath written so plainely and plenteously to Valentine of thys same matter de correptione gratia and after Augustine also both that worthy seruaunt of Christe Martyne Luther against Erasmus and also Caluine himselfe whether thou wilt or no a confident auoucher of the Christiā veritie against Pighius haue shewed Yet I wil speake in fewe wordes that maye satisfie thée if thou louest the truth The vse of admonitions is manifolde which thou séemest not sufficiently to haue vnderstoode The godlye are admonished that so oft as néede is they maye be reproued that the drowsinesse being shaken off they maye stirre vp themselues that being at the leaste vanquished with shame when they haue erred they may returne into the waye that when they knowe their weakenesse they may take better héede to themselues But thou saist we striue not about these For to these it is giuen to will and doe Let vs come therefore to the forrainers Of these there be two kindes For some albeit not yet called yet by Gods secrete election they belong to the kingdome of god Others are auowed to iuste destruction Thou indéede denyest this difference but we haue proued it out of the worde of God in his place experience it selfe approueth it to be true But albeit the sunne beames be all one and the same yet if softneth war and hardeneth clay So also it commeth to passe here For therefore are admonitions giuen forth to them that hée elect that when they knowe their owne miserable condition they maye runne to him of whome alone they may be healed I came not saith Christ that I might cal the iust but sinners to repentaunce Also I came that I mighte saue that whiche was loste Also come to me all yée that trauell and be heauye laden and I will ease you So sayth Paul by the lawe is the knowledge of sin and that whiche more is the increase of sinne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by accident not in anye wise that the sinner might be deuoured but that so much the more feruentlye he might aske that of the Lorde which also he maye obtaine For that which appertaineth to these there is the effectual working of the spirite ioyned with the outward preaching of the word Therefore as the Lorde sayth I haue giuen them preceptes Also he sayth in another place I will cause you to walke in my preceptes And I will giue them a newe spirite and I will take awaye their stonye harte out of their flesh and I will giue them a fleshie harte And that whiche apperteyneth to the others albeit the worde is not ordeyned to their amendement yet is it not preached to them in vaine Wherwith they both may be pricked for the presente with the testimonie of conscience and also be the more made without excuse against the day of iudgement For neither doth necessitie as I will shewe afterwardes take awaye wil or extenuate or make lesse the guiltinesse of the wicked So Moyles is sent to Pharao and the Egiptians to be hardened by their owne lewdenesse albeit necessarie yet voluntarie So Esaye is sente to harden the peoples harte to stoppe their eares and blinde their eyes by no fault in himselfe or in the worde but by their own proper faultes as those which not being inforced against their will but although necessarilye yet resist the trueth of their owne accorde And whence is this necessitie verily not from the creation but from the corruption in whiche albeit they be left yet haue they nothing wherefore to accuse god But bycause thou thinkest there is but one only vse of admonition that is that those whiche be admonished may returne into the waye thou therefore patchest a false conclusiō But this verie thing thou wilt saye is vniust as though in déede we be not all worthy that the Lorde shoulde punishe vs with whatsoeuer meanes From whomsoeuer he taketh a stony hart and giueth them a fleshye let them reuerence the mercy of GOD and whose stonye heartes he hardeneth and whome he more and more holdeth guyltie lette them being vanquished wyth hys iustice remayne silente The Sycophants second Argumente to the thirtenth and fourtenth slaunder If Caluine wil saye that the preceptes are therefore giuen that men may be made excuselesse we aunswere that that is in vaine For if thou shalt commaunde thy sonne to eate a rocke and he shall not do it he is no more excusable after the precept than before Likewise if God say to me steale not and I steale necessarily nor can any more absteine from stealing than I can eate a rocke I am no more excuselesse after the precept than before nor more inexcusable than afterwards THE REFVTATION Thou indéede opposest thy selfe against Gods trueth like a brasen rocke but the spirite of the Lorde shall also deuoure thée and that stone which is cut without hands shall crushe thée If we are borne the children of wrathe are we not I pray thée inexcusable before the precept I pray not for the world sayth Christ But doest thou by the name of World only vnderstande them which when they can beléeue the Gospell yet neuerthelesse will not If the blinde leade the blinde they fall both into the ditch but thinkest thou that none be borne blinde whē on the contrarie parte manne is nothing else but a moste palpable darkenesse The Apostle wytnesseth that manne is so inthralled to sinne that hée is not apte so muche as to thinke anye good but is he to thée excuseable excepte of himselfe he can not onely will but also worke But it may be thou wilte say that all in some sorte are borne blinde but God gineth this grace to all that they maye open their eies if they will. But who wil grant thée this where death raigneth there verily doth sinne raigne and death beareth sway enen vppon verye infants where is then that thine vniuersall grace As thoughe in déede men were not borne by their owne nature sufficiently inexcusable in Adam except also there approch a newe diuorse of grace Againe dost thou thinke that there is anye grace whiche indéede properly belongeth vnto life without Christe that can be deriued vnto men But how may they obtaine any grace by Christe which are not comprehended within the couenaunt nor euer heard any thing of Christe so sarre is it off that they haue embraced him by faith For Faith cōmeth by hearing And if thou denyest that there
from the nature of God thou séest Therefore also that kinde of Doctrine by thine argument whiche enforceth vs to these blasphemies is false Yet further I gesse thou haste one refuge in store that is that thou maiste say that God indéed created Adam and all men comprehended in him to eternall life but vppon condition if Adam should persist in hys innocencie which was set in his power and therefore that God séemeth not to haue chaunged his purpose I aun swere that it is true that thou saisfe of the condition but not in that whiche thou supposest Nor is it to he thought that God after the maner of meÌ„ depeÌ„deth doubtfull in hys counsells and in second causes as he pleaseth to determine this or that For what God should thys be whiche depenâ—eth vppon the rule of things created Therefore that whiche is saide of the condition is vtterly to be taken in the contrarie parte that is to saye that Adan was created with condition of the fall interiected but that vtterly whiche shoulde be performed albeit willinglye fréelye and readily yet necessarilye séeing that Gods decrée coulde not faile For the decrée of God dependeth not vppon the will of Adam but the contrarie Adams will of Gods decrée with whose efficacie notwithstanding the will was not enforced but by his owne voluntarie motion albeit Adam neyther knowing nor respecting the ende and therefore sinning was carried to the ende appoynted of God that is to this point that the waye mighte be opened bothe to the mercie and seuere â—ustice of god For in one and the same worke Adam of his owne accorde and therefore finning endenoured one thing and God wrought an other thing so indéede Adams and the Diuells drifts were frustrate bicause there is no counsell againste the Lorde But God iustely vsing a sinfull instrument wrought that he woulde bicause what soeuer he hath determined it is wholly requisit that if shoulde come to passe also euen as he had appointed If these thinges do not satisfie thée whiche reste vpon these stayed principles that God is euer iuste althoughe men conceiue not alwases how he can be iuste that God dependeth not of second causes but alwayes iustely dothe gouerne them euen then also when they doe wickedlye that God doeth nothyng at vnwares and with no certaine ende determined nor that he is ignoraunt of any thing nor to will or discerne anye thing whiche he cannot nor that he ydly beholdeth what shall come or what is but that he doeth all thinges as Salomon saith to his owne glorie and therefore to haue fore-decréede to doe that God cannot be chaunged but also that those things whiche are changed with all fixed and firme circumstaunces are of his immutable counsell chaunged If I saye those thinges doe not satisfie thée whiche reste vppon suche certaine principles and so agreable to the nature of God and so innumerable testimonies and examples of Scripture I say fréely that I now take no paines to satisfie thée and thy faction For he that doeth that shall verily doe in suche wise as if as hée saith he woulde doe it of purpose An other of the Slaunderers Argumentes IF all haue fallen in Adam it is necessarie that all shall stande in Adam and in that same estate as Adam REFVTATION ALL these things I graunt thée and that so as they make quite againste thée For séeing Adams posteritie shall stande in no other estate than Adam stoode in that is that hée mighte voluntarily throwe downe hymselfe headlong to destruction whence afterwardes the Lord woulde deliuer all these whome he had from euerlasting decréed to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée to giue vnto his sonne the selfe thing ensueth that wée wishe that the Elect haue nothing to complaine of this decrée of God séeing their estate is nowe by so muche better than if Adam had not sinned by howe muche it is more excellent to be saued by Christe the sonne of God than by Adam by Grace than by Nature And that the Reprobate also cannot complaine any thing of God as whiche albeit according to the decrée of God they are fallen in Adam yet fell they in him voluntarily and not by force and therefore are but deseruedly damned If this doth not satisfye thée and them I will crye with Paule O man who art thou that pleadest with God Another Argument of the Sclaunderers I will not the death of a Sinner REFVTATION SEE how rusticall thou art that is rude vnlearned for thou hast vtterly forgot of what thing there should be demaund We striue not good man of deathe and eternall damnation for we know that no man is damned but for his desert but of the purpose of damning whose cause albeit to vs it be vnknowen yet is it euer iust for whatsoeuer God will is iust and so God decréeth that he dothe decrée that he ministreth iust causes to the execution of his decrée Why therefore doest thou slide omitting the meane causes from the decrée of God to the execution of it that is from the purpose of damning to damnation as though in déede the Lord shoulde simply haue thus determined from euerlasting I will vowe this man to destruction and not whether I will giue ouer this man to destruction for his owne fault that my iustice may appeare I will speake yet more playnely Thou doest foolishly that doest cite the testimonie of death that is by the execution of the counsell where the counsell it selfe is in controuersie Yea the Prophet whose double testimonie thou abusest disputeth against the men of thy faction who complained that by the absolute power of God as they cal it they had incurred Gods vengeance as though God shuld deale with them tyrannously that is should rage against them whether by right or wrong But what sayeth the Lord by the Prophet verily he recalleth theÌ„ to that causes of destructioÌ„ remayning in theÌ„selues which also we do coÌ„tinually There is not sayth the Lord by the Prophet why ye shuld accuse me as I receiue the penitent so I punish none but the gracelesse rebellious for when your coÌ„scieÌ„ce shall accuse you why put you the fault in me That this is the Prophets meaning euery one that weyeth those places wil coÌ„fesse and surely al meÌ„ of stayed iudgemente when they heare these things shall try themselues will rather muse vpoÌ„ ameÌ„dment of life a renued mind to be obteyned of the Lord than vpÌ„o the sifting of the councels of god Briefely therfore I say that the Prophet mounteth not to that eternall decrée of God but sheweth the true vse of that doctrine which also we for as much as lyeth in vs do indeauoure to imprint that is that we ought to searche the decrée of God concerning oure selues not in those his vnreuealed secretes but in his word which is appoynted for vs to coÌ„sider But thou wilt vrge the word I will not as though in déed the word Caphees with the Hebrues
nown beyng accomplished Finally Iohn is the best interpretor of Peter for of him are alledged the soules of them that are stayne for the worde of God to trie that they are werie of this long delay howe long O Lorde whiche arte holy and true doest thou not iudge and reuenge our bloud agaynst those whiche dwell in the earth but what answeare haue they Euen the same whiche Peter mentioneth that is that they muste reste yet a litle whyle that is to say but euen so long til the full number of their felowe seruaunts and brethren be accomplished These therefore are they thou Sycophant of whome the Lorde will haue none to perishe and all whome he calleth to repentaunce in his time but the reste whome he hath created agaynst the day of euill for his owne glorie as Salomon sayth whome it is better to beléeue then thée there is no doubte but for their owne offence he will haue to perishe as the Scripture plainely witnesseth of the sonnes of Helie and the reprobate Iewes Here therefore thou dashest agaynst the same rocke where agaynst earwhyle thou madest shipwracke For that which onely is spoken of the chyloren thou also wilte haue to belong to the dogges whiche albeit if I shoulde graunt thée yet here also muste thou shewe how some perishe agaynst the will of God for an idle sufferaunce of iudgement agreeth not An other of the Sycophantes Argumentes IF God created the greatest parte of the worlde to perdition it foloweth that his wrath is more then his mercie And yet the Scriptures witnesse that hee is slowe to wrathe and swifte to mercie so that his wrathe is onely extended to the thirde or fourth generation when his mercie reacheth vnto thousandes REFVTATION THERE bée almoste in thys Argumente more faultes then sillables That whiche thou brablest of the greatest parte of the Worlde is all thyne owne as I sayde before albeit it maye appeare by the authoritie of Christe and the continuall obseruation of all worldes euen to the blynde themselues howe fewe doe enter at the strayte gate in respect◠of them whiche go the broade way whiche leadeth to destruction yet wée vse not willingly to wéerie oure selues in these speculations whether there bée moe vassalles of wrathe and reproche then of mercye and honour Agayne as I haue often sayde wée maye not saye that GOD hathe simplye created some to perdition but to declare his owne glory in the iuste condemnation of some Also the sequell whiche thou adioynest holdeth not for albeit that GOD shoulde saue but one man wée say the greatnesse of his loue which he hath manifested in the secrete and incomprehensible misterie of hys eternal sonne is suche that by infinite degrées it shoulde excéede all his seueritie to the wicked howe great soeuer it be thought For who in heauen or earth may comprehende what is the breadth the length and profunditie of hys loue towardes vs miserable sinners For how greate these are that eternall worde whiche in the beginnyng was God with God to be so abaced that he became man subiect to all the infirmities of our fleshe sinne onely excepted that wée agayne might be made the chyldren of god That eternal worde to be conceyued to be borne and to drawe the common breach with vs The almightie to be afflicted the space almost of foure and thirtie yeares with all troubles and afflictions with hunger thirste watchings with horrours bothe of bodie and minde with infinite slaunders the lyfe it selfe to be slayne with moste sharpe and cruell torments and to be shutte vp in a sepulchre For so we may speake by the example of Paul not that we should confound the natures but vnite them beyng seuerall But what seyng that nowe in suche falsehoode of the worlde the continuall loue of Christe towardes hys Churche dothe not nor euer shall cease if but one I say and onely pryuate man shoulde be made partaker of this wonderfull and inexplicable benefite what mater yet can be vrged of thys loue of God with his seueritie agaynst all other men and the very rebellious Angels But thou a craftie fellow haddest rather discerns the state of wrath and mercie by the number of the damned and saued then by the nature of them But why shouldest thou not doe this who arte not ashamed to wryte that that Paule whiche confesseth himselfe to knowe nothing but Iesus Christe crucifyed and who hath sette forth vnto the worlde so mightely all the riches of the Gospell that he hath deliuered to the world the rudiments of Religion and that he had a certayne more perfecte and more secrete doctrine which he hath taught to certayne his more perfecte Schollers I imagine nothing herein or sclander as thou doest Thine annotations vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians are extant wherein thou speakest so playnely and so apparantly that thou canst not denye this blasphemie therefore I maruell not that the mercie of God in Christ crucifyed is so estéemed as nothing of thée that thou darest compare with his seueritie who hadst rather beléeue thy selfe than the Apostle and openly transformest the Christian religion into Iewishe or Anabaptisticall babling And that whiche apperteyneth to the twofold testimonie of Moses thou also too impudently wrestest the eyther of them for what if I should except that God did there manifest what a one he woulde shew himselfe to his Church Truely I shoulde say as it is as appeareth euen in this one example Let vs compare the fact of Saule with the offence of Dauid Saule contrary to the commaundemente of God whiche séemed a gréeuous thing did not by and by sley Agag the King that was taken captiue and kéepeth the fatter Cattell by oblation eyther for the Lordes Sacrifices or for himselfe by couetousnesse And what did Dauid that worthy Prophet who had so often experienced the louing kindnesse of God he defloureth anothers wife fostereth sinne hée procureth a most worthy and valiante man to be slayne by most filthy surpassing treacherie and so muche the rather that he might yéeld to his cruell desire he wittingly and willingly hazzerdeth the whole host to most euident perill the Arke of couenant and the name of God hymselfe to the scoffings of the enimies but Saule is immediately reiected nor can the Lord be intreated by any the teares of Samuell and Dauid is streighte receyued to mercie but why so in déede the foreknowledge of sinnes will héere do thée no good but to this thou must come of necessitie that God pityeth and hardneth whome it pleaseth him Yet Saule hathe not what to complayne for who hathe first giuen to the Lord and it shall be restored him Nor is it iniurie to Saule though Dauid fynde grace But yet who can not sée in Saule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wonderfull seueritie of God as Paule speaketh but in Dauid that expresse nature of God whiche hymselfe described in Moses when he saith that he is readie to mercie and slowe to
his people Finally for that the Scripture manifestly calleth the wicked a rodde a hammer a sawe an axe which in the hande of God is appoynted and hurled not so in any wise as if mē were disburthened of blame or as if men had digenerated into logges and blockes but that we may know the prouidēce of God not to be idle in any case Otherways why shoulde God call Nabucadnezer his seruaunte and for that cause also haue scourged him bycause he called the subuertion of Ierusalem his work But what when the kings harte is sayde to be in the hande of the Lorde that he inclyneth it whether soeuer he will is it not manifestly proued that we saye that God doth stirre vp euen the wicked affections not in the they are euill but in much as he hath determined to vse them well But that also appeareth by the example of Dauid whom the Lorde is manifestly sayde to set him on to number the people If this be blasphemie go too euen rise against the spirite of God himselfe and lay to his charge the sinne of blasphemie But thou wilt saye in an other place the same thing is attributed to the Diuell therefore the name of the Diuell is to be attributed in the other place vnderstoode where it is not expressed But the wordes of the text are on this manner And the wrath of the Lorde was againe kindled against Israel and he moued Dauid against them in that he sayd go and number Israel and Iuda But who séeth not that the name of the Lorde is to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so that to be confirmed which Salomon hath written afterwards that the kings hart is turned whether soeuer the Lorde will. That in no wise as if he did instil another lewdenesse but bicause he stirreth vp that which he found eyther to the punishing of sinnes or to execute other of his counsels as a certain wel learned man hath excellently sayde But albeit the same motion is in an other place attributed to Satan is there therefore no part of the Lordes séeing it is sufficientlye manifest the Satan is the executioner of the Lordes wrath For what is sayd of Saul The spirite of the Lord departed frō Saule there entred into him an euil Spirit sent of the lord But say wherfore are these wordes of the Lord added To the end to signifie an idle sufferāce not rather the in this matter we may knowe Satan to haue bin gods instrument exercising his iust iudgemēt Neyther only the as Caluin hath wel truely written by the God cōmaunding he stirreth vp the mindes to these desires which in respect of Satā the wicked are euil but bicause he effectually draweth thē For it is not writtē the the lord sayd to the lying spirite I suffer thée to deceiue Achab if thou cāst but thou shalt perswade ouercome Go therfore do so Nor Paul writeth the the Lorde dyd giue a certaine power to deceiue but to giue strong delusion that they maye beleue lyes And the thou shouldest not thinke that we haue first taught thus out of the word of GOD heare what Augustine hath written of these things Iulianus the Pelagiā as appeareth out of Augustine against him in his fifth booke third Chapter dyd thinke this same thing the thou thinkest that is when the Lord is sayde to blynde or to harden or to giue ouer into a reprobate sense that it signifyeth nothing but that the Lorde leaueth and suffereth But Augustine sheweth that god doth not only leaue but also declare his wrath power Iulianus saith the these spéeches are beyond al credite Augustine will that they be appertinent Iulianus sayth they were burdned before with their dosires what néede was it that they shoulde be giuen ouer to them But Augustine saith doest thou thinke one thyng to haue lustes and to be giuen ouer to them For they are giuen ouer to their lustes not that they may haue them but also that they may vtterly be possessed of them Therfore saith he euē as God worketh in the bodies of the wicked by afflicting them so also he worketh in their mindes by sending them headlong into sinne And in that place Augustine handleth the historie of Semei The Lorde saith Dauid cōmaunded that he shoulde curse me God saith Augustine iustly inclined his will which was dehraued by the own fault that he might rayle vpon Dauid And there is adioyned a cause the Lord shal render me good things for this curse The same Augustine saith in an other place whē saith he God willeth that that thing be done which may not be done but whē men be willing he togither inclineth their harts that they be willing not only worketh in the hartes by assisting but euen by iudgyng that they may performe the thing which purposed no such thing which his hand counsell hath decreed The same saith in an other place the Scripture if it be diligently considered sheweth not only the good willes of mē which himself hath made of euil directeth those which he hath made good into good actions and eternal life but also that those which concerne the creature of the worlde are so in the power of God that he causeth the same to be inclined when he wil whether he will either to do good to some or to inflict punishmēt to certaine And immediatly who saith he wold not trēble at these iudgements wherwith God euen worketh in the hartes of the wicked whatsoeuer he wil yet rendring to them according to their deseruings Againe he saith it is sufficiētly euident by the testimonies of scripture that God worketh in the hartes of the wicked to the inclining their willes whether socuer he wil whether it be to good according to his mercie or to euil according to their deseruings that by his iudgemët sometimes secrete sometimes apparant alwaies iust For it ought to be fixed in your hearts that there is no iniquitie wyth god Hearest thou now Sclauderer how God worketh iustly euen in the he arts of the wicked or that I maye speake more properly by the hartes of the wicked but when after Augustine Caluine hath moste plētifully expressed of what lewdenesse was these distinctions omitted which are graunted vppon the manifeste word of God to insert the false and counterfayt sequeles of thine own braine whereof thou makest them the Authoures of whome they are so wisely and diligently refelled But tyme requireth that we heare thyne Argumentes The Sclaunderers Argumentes to the eleauenth Sclaunder Caluine attributeth to God that whiche belongeth to the Deuil as the Scriptures witnesse euery-where THE REFVTATION But thou playste the Sclaunderer whiche is of the Diuell when thou falsely accusest Caluine of that blasphemy which he hath refuted as carefully and diligently as any in the worlde God being moued with iust anger againste the Israelites pricketh Dauid by the ministerie of Sathan that by the numbering
crueltie till he might haue mercie vppon him and louing him might declare to him whiche was plunging headlong into eternall destructioÌ„ that his will whereby he separate him from his mothers womb So the Lorde albeit an elect and choyce Kyng and Prophet to himselfe did yet stirre vp Dauid by Sathan to number the people Albeit the Lorde dothe hate all iniquitie yet he hateth not all those in whome is iniquitie and also whose iniquitie he vseth well how oft howsoeuer and whensoeuer he pleaseth otherwise whome should he loue at all therefore whethersoeuer thou turnest thée Sclanderer they are false and foolish whatsoeuer thou blaterest against vs or rather against the word of God. The twelfth Sclaunder The wicked in theyr wickednesse doe rather Gods worke than their owne The Sclaunderers Arguments to the twelfth Sclaunder IF it be so God is angrie with good for if wickednesse bee the worke of God then wickednesse is good for the workes of God are good And if vngodlynesse be good then godlynesse is euill for it is contrarie to vngodlynesse Therfore when the holy Scriptures say thou shalt hate euill and loue good they comâ—â— auÌ„d vsto loue iniquitie hate godlynesse And further they say that this article tasteth I can not tell what Lybertinisme and they maruell that thou art so offended with Libertines THE REFVTATION I set this saying of Augustine agaynst all thy Sclaunders in that the wicked sinne sayth he it is theyr owne in that they doe thys or that in saying it is of the power of God deuiding the darkenesse as it pleaseth him Séeff thou Sclaunderer wyth howe little force they lye in the dust whatsoeuer thou hast bent agaynst us For all these thyngs are false which thou attributest to vs and here also thou fightest agaynste thyne owne shadowe But go too lette us heare Caluine hymselfe speakyng that euen children maye iudge of thyne impudencie These verilie bée Caluines wordes Those that are but meanelie exercised in Scripture wyll not call into controuersie but that continuallie God dothe gouerne the handes of menne nowe holdeth them bounde nowe bendeth them hyther and thyther to the executing of that whych he hathe determined Yea almost it is receyued in the common iudgement of all menne that whatsoeuer men goe aboute the issue lyeth in the hande of God but bycause in so thicke darkenesse of mans mynde that knowledge is maruellous slender and inconstant the Scripture erecteth to us hygher sighte whereout we shall beholde God so gouerning all the workes of men that hâ—eacute e maye applye them to that ende whyche he hath determined And the summe tendeth to this purpose albeit men like wilde beastes run ryot restreined with no boundes that yet they are gouerned with the secrete bridle that they can not so much as moue theyr finger but to the executing of Gods worke more than theyr owne This last saying of Caluine thou Sclaunderer hast snatched that thou myghtest persuade menne that Caluine hathe foredone euen all difference of good and euill or maketh God the authoure of wickednesse But how impudently thou gatherest these appeareth by these thynges whyche Caluine hathe adioyned to the forgoyng but thou bycause thou hast made Shipwracke of all shame long agoe hast secretely ouerpassed for sayeth Caluine the faythfull whyche yéelde unto hym a willing obedyence are to be thought hys hande no otherwayes than the Angels wherefore I chiefely make mention héere of them who determine nothing lesse than to haue any thyng allyed to the councell of God or agréeable to his will. And indéede the wicked do gladde themselues as the maysters of theyr owne desires but the matter wyll at the last make proofe that by them although wicked and vnwilling that is accomplished whiche was ordeyned from aboue Further God sometymes vseth the wicked to punish the sinnes of men as if they were whyppes and other sometimes as if hée shoulde drawe them by the necke hée causeth them to bée instrumentes of hys louing kindnesse To gather into one summe the examples of the firste member should be a matter of immeasurable laboure only to touch a few shall be the best After that God exciting the King of Assur to warre called him the rodde of his wrath and declared him to be armed not with any other but with the staffe of his displeasure Afterwards he inueygheth againste his pride bycause he dyd not acknowledge hymselfe to be driuen of another as if it were an axe or saw By thys meanes they are called the Lordes Sanctifyed and hyred Souldyoures and to bestowe theyr laboure in hys affayres whome otherwise their owne ambition crueltie and couetousnesse enforceth and the Lord witnesseth hymselfe agayne wyth an hisse or sounde of a Trumpet to call them to warre And that the way to Gods bountifulnesse is prepared by the wicked actes of men euen one place of Hoses dothe sufficiently declare The conspiracie of Iosephes bréethren when they solde him was more than lewde wicked and cruell But Ioseph transferreth to God the cause of this selling but in another respect It is not you sayeth he but the Lorde that sente me before that I myghie nourishe you It appeareth therefore when they dyd wickedlye that yet God wroughte by them that they myghte fynde lyfe in deathe As muche as was in them they had slayne theyr brother thence dothe lyfe shyne vnto them The same is to be séene in Sathan the Prince of all wickednesse and head of all wicked men God sendeth hym to deceyue Achab wyth thys commaundemente that he be a lying spirit in the mouth of all hys Prophetes so the lying spirite is the minister of Gods wrath to blinde the wicked which woulde not obey the truth But contrarilie Paule least he shoulde ware proude in the strength of reuelations hée sayeth there was gyuen to hym a pricke of the fleshe the messenger of Sathan to beate hym wyth buffets Here Sathans poyson is a Preseruatiue to cure pride I praye thée what manner of Phisition is Sathan whiche hathe learned nothing but to kill and destroye But God which once commanded light to shine out of darkenesse doth so ofte as hée séeth it good maruellouslye bring health euen from the infernalles themselues and so chaungeth darkenesse into lighte But that whiche Satan worketh the Scripture in an other respecte doth affirme to be the worke of God that is forasmuche as God holding him Captiue in the obedience of his prouidence enforceth him whether he séeth it good that he maye applye his trauell uppon his owne businesse Thus farre Caluine whose wordes if thou haste redde ouer it maye be that thou wilte be ashamed of these sclaunders But surely we shal neuer make end of marueling that there could be so great impudencie in anye that he should lay to Caluines charge Lybertinisme The thirtenth Sclaunder We sinne of necessitie by the sense of God when wee sinne of oure owne or at aduenture The fourtenth Sclaunder Those things which men commit by their owne wicked
hath changed his will and hath indéede repented him of his purpose Or is it bycause he cannot sane them then hée cannot bée almightie But what manner of godhead is this whiche is neither alwaies like himselfe nor can do whatsoeuer hée will. Finally sée howe the latter may agrée with the first Thou saidste that God was readie to forgine and slowe to wrath But if his counsell hadde béene ratified in déede what maner of counsel doest thou say it was in respect of men there should haue bin no place left to this his nature Nature and Will therefore doe contend in god For hys nature is to vse mercie and wrath whiche his will shoulde not haue suffered him to doe For what place had there bin either for wrath or mercie if he had crowned al men with eternall life in Adam The truth therefore is thus Albeit that the Lorde doth aduance his glorie in manifesting both his mercie and wrath yet so he created man to the end that in that lining creature especially he might manifest both the one and the other He therefore created him iuste for howe shoulde he doe otherwise which is altogither good nor otherwaies he coulde haue iustely condemned euill if he had bin the Authour of euill but with that condition that shortely of his owne will for he was endued with will and therefore by his owne faulte hée mighte decline from his creator and mighte carrie headlong into the same ruinous downefall all those whiche were included in him But wherfore was this That hée might shewe forth in sauing certaine miserable men his mercie and condemning some his wrath and therefore make manifest that his nature in man But go to let vs go on to beholde your Idoll Thou saiste that this God willeth that all men be saued And againe thou séeste into what downfalles thou arte carried bycause thou submittest the word of God to reason whē on the cōtrary thou oughtest to sette reason in obedience to the worde of God And lette vs sée howe finelye this thy reason is knitte in argument God should not be like himselfe except euen as in the beginning he would so also be should sane all after Adams sinne But thou auouchest that whiche we shewe to be false of necessitie euen by the iudgement of reason Thou therefore labourest to auoide that inconuenience whiche is no where God shoulde be cruel except he woulde that all shoulde be saued But I say that he cannot séeme cruell no not to verye reason albeit hée should haue saned not so muche as one of Adams posteritie séeing they haue all deserued that they should perishe Therefore God is neither inconstant nor cruell albeit he sane not all Yea if he shoulde sane all he shoulde dissent from himselfe as he which necessarily that is his nature so requiring hathe decréed from the beginning for his own glories sake to manifest in man not onely his mercie but also wrath and therefore not to saue all but certaine Finally if I should graunt thée this noble Warrior I shall wrappe thée in those snares wherwith thou wast incombred a little before For verily if he will that all be saned and saueth them not in that time wherein they are to be saned it is thēce bicause he hath changed his mind or else that he cannot But that thy guide Maistresse doeth teach that neither of both doth agrée with the nature of god And if these be assigned to what purpose is this preposterous end least God should séeme cruell if he wil not that some one be saned séeing the goodnesse of God ought rather to be admired maruelled at which wil that so much as one of Adams posteritie should be saned But it shal be labourworth to sée what testimonies of Scripture thou abusest to strengthen this erroure Firste therefore thou bringest that place of Paule in whiche it is said that God willeth that all men be saned This was an olde obiection of the Pelagians least thou mayst thinke thy selfe to haue deuised it firste as if indéede All signifie the same as Euerie and is not rather to be taken for All that all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respect of persons might be taken away as the same saith in an other place That in Christe there is neither man nor woman neither Iewe nor Gentile neither bonde nor frée The LORDE commaunded hys Apostles to preache the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all creatures whiche I thinke thou wilte not denye that it is to be taken for all menne Dydde not therefore the Apostles either their office or haue they preached the Gospell to all men The Lord is said in Mathew to haue healed and cured all diseases and infirmities in Galiley but in déede thinkest thou that there was no sicke folkes besides and not rather to be signified that euerie kinde of disease was cured of Christe Whereas therefore this place and other lyke are cited of certaine muche vnlike to thée it tendeth not thether that they woulde set downe that the kingdome of GOD belongeth to euerie one but to this ende rather that whosoeuer are toyled in the temptation of particular election maye knowe that there is an vniuersall callyng that is that all menne and guiltie of howe greate sinnes soeuer and in whatsoeuer age are called of GOD leaste béeing feared wyth the conscience of theyr owne synnes they shoulde despayre or séeke the declaration of their election in the highest degrée that is in the purpose of God wythout CHRISTE and the voice of the Gospell sounding in the Churche For vtterlye after a a contrarie maner muste we vse this most sure doctrine of eternall election that is euen so as we may come from the effectes apart to that firste cause of oure saluation where at length haning found a strong and grounded remedie we rest togither as in an Hauen againste all tempestes Otherwise if that were the indgement of most◠learned men whose learning thou vnderstandest not that they would haue a man while he is troubled in the temptation of his election to take this saying of Paule and other like places in such forte as if the Lord would sane euerie one they should rather set down an argument wherby euerie one might strength himselfe in all sinne and wickednesse for so in déede he should thinke that it shall be in his power to repent when he will bycause God wil sane euerie one and in déede they cannot pacifie their consciences in whome this doctrine is grauen as with the finger of God that some be elected from euerlasting therfore also some reiected But contrariwise when they teache that such generall propositions are to be set against thoughtes especially of sinnes paste and our vnworthinesse whiche may feare our consciences who may not sée that they take them in no other sense than that men maye perswade themselues that all are electe of God so that they embrace in faith the promises offered Betwixte vs therfore and certaine others who teach
wrath I may therefore agrée with thée for once if I shoulde excepte that the Lord in that place doth only speake to hys elect as he who rather sheweth himselfe worthelie and of good right terrible and inexorable to the rest But least thou exclayme that I doe wrangle I confesse that the Lorde dothe vse an incredible fauoure and lenitie euen towardes the verye vassals of wrath ordeyned to destruction Whence is it that he should not destroy Cayne by and by Whence is it that he shoulde protracte the floude so many yeares Whence is it that he shoulde blesse Esau with the plentifulnesse of the earth That Ismaell shoulde growe to a greate kindred That hée shoulde suffer the Cananites and the Amalachites so long That he shoulde not take away Saule by and by but suffer hym so long to enioy the benifyte of thys life and also the renoune and benefites of the Kyngdome of Israell Finally that wée prosecute not antiquities whence is it that he so nourisheth and so fauourably susteyneth so manye wicked Turkes suche tyrannie of Antichriste and finallie thy selfe wyth so manye false Prophetes who ceasse not to seduce whomesoeuer they may from Gods truth Greate yea greate and incomprehensible is thys goodnesse of GOD towardes hys enimies whyche woulde God they coulde once acknowledge whosoeuer are electe among them and bée not knowen that they myghte at the last returne to hym who truely sheweth hymselfe fauourable and slowe to wrath euen to hys aduersaries In expoundyng the other of the same Moses or rather testimonie of the Lorde thou offendest in lyke sorte for the vse of thys Doctrine solely apperteyneth to the Churche to whome alone the lawe is properly assigned and the Gospell Preached And there bée diuers dispositions of menne and there is a twofolde nature in the very men regenerate therefore is there added threatnings with the promises that the fleshe of them and whatsoeuer is seruile may be restreyned but the spirite and whatsoeuer is frée and at libertie in these confyrmed Nor bée these threatnings onely vayne scarecrowes sayeth the Lorde eftsoones stayeth not in the wordes but sharpely correcteth euen hys owne chyldren and tameth in theyr sight the aduersaries wyth terrible wrath yet in the meane tyme I graunte that hys mercye dothe excell but I affirme it especially in his Churche But sée howe sottishe thou arte who abusest these testimonies to the ende thou mayest auoyde that eternall and secrete mysterie of the deuine decrée Why doest thou not rather abyde in the nexte causes of destruction and persist in the Apostles pathes for so should it come to passe that thou shouldest rather reuerence the louing kyndnesse of GOD towardes hys enimies then thou shouldest not yéelde hym whyche is lawfull to euery potter no man withstanding it when as yet a certayne proportion of the clay and potter may be intended and of God and things created whatsoeuer yet these be there holdeth no comparison except so much as God adopteth men vnto himselfe of mercie for that we maye ascend vnto Adam what proportion is there of the similitude and the thing it selfe yet I graunt that Gods benefites towards men be innumerable especially if they be considered in Adam but thou art wonderfully deceyued when thou déemest that therefore God hath spoyled himselfe of his deytie that it shoulde not be lawfull for him without the note of crueltie to create how many men it pleased him in whose iust condemnation for albeit hée hathe ordeyned whome he woulde to destruction yet he boweth none to death but the deseruers of it to manifest his vpright iustice and his hatred against sinne Do trées and plantes at this day conspire against the Lord as thou doest that they are deuoured of men Do all liuing creatures expostulate with God bycause they are appoynted to the slaughter and set forth to the gréedinesse of men no I trowe for so saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the creature doth sigh and grone not as though it did expostulate with God but bycause it doth frette against the enimies of God and in déede so it is for if the earth it selfe if heauen and the starres and the beginnings of all things if almost the infinite kindes of beastes fishes and soules if stones and rockes coulds speake although their estate may séeme miserable to mans reason yet would they not only not expostulate with God as fierce and cruell but they will voluntarily haue bin thankefull to him that they were accompted worthy to serue his glory but thou Sycophant art found who would accuse God of cruelty except he hadde ordeyned all to eternall life albeit thou makest not mention of all in this place yet it must be so for if there should but one be ordeyned to eternall punishment if thou mightest be iudge God shall not escape the note of crueltie For albeit he is more cruell that damneth many then that damneth one yet he therefore ceasseth not to be cruell that damneth but one by thy iudgemente who eyther wilt not or canst not discerne the iust purpose of damnation from damnation it selfe But that we may omitte all those things whyche thou sayest the people can not conceyue I saye that thou in wresting thys testimonie of Moses arte lyke to them who maruell why moe Drunkardes than Phisitians doe come to olde age and thynke not in the meane tyme that it is chance that there bée by many degrées moe Drunkards than Phisitians So albeit as thou falselie déemest God shoulde saue the issue of euery faithfull man to the thousanth degrée not one onely excepted and shoulde destroy the Infidels children onely to the fourth Generation yet for all that shoulde there bée moe that shoulde bée damned bycause there haue bin euer more in the Worlde that dyd hate GOD than dyd loue hym But thou arte both deceyued in that that thou déemest that the Lorde hath béere sette the consideration of hys nature eyther in the multitude of those that are to be saued or damned also in that that thou takest those things in suche wise as if the Lorde hadde bounde hymselfe to saue some mans posteritie to a certayne number without exception both whyche continuall experience dothe teache to bée most false What then is the Lorde vntrue no in déede but in these wordes he onely sheweth howe muche he is more frequente in well doing than béeyng kéeping and mindefull of iniuries in persecuting his aduersaries but so that finallye he doth well to them of whome he is beloued and hateth them of whome he is hated and maketh it frée to hymselfe to haue mercy on whome he wyll and whome hée will to harden as he hathe manifestly shewed and proued in effect in the historie of Helie the Priest that I may omitte Ismaell and Isaac Iacob and Esau and innumerable others Sée how wisely and to the purpose thou disputest against the truth The second sclaunder GOD hath not only predestinat Adam to damnation but to the causes of damnation