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
bonde of causes and of a certaine intricate order which is contemned in nature but we determine God the arbiter and moderator of all things who in his eternall wisedome hath before all worlde 's decreed that hée would doe and now in his power accōplisheth that he decreed wherevpon we affirme that not onely heauen and earth and insensible creatures but also the purposes and myndes of men to be so gouerned by his prouidence that they are brought to that ende whiche is determined of the same And then he addeth by what meanes if thou shouldest consider the seconde causes by themselues any thyng may come bothe at aduenture and vnlooked for Whiche disputations if thou vnderstandest not thou oughtest to blame thy selfe who at the least knowest not by Cicero and Plutarche what was the controuersie of Chrysippus and Diodorus But what of these verily that all may sée howe muche credite is to be gyuen to that accuser whiche so shamefully lyeth in the very begynnyng saying that euery and the very worste in that part of their speache are wonte to pretende some shewe of honestie For that whiche concerneth the matter it selfe wée will further examine in his place At laste thou addest that wherein veryly thou haste excéeded thy selfe and in déede thou séemest to haue well obserued this principle of Rothorique that those thyngs whiche wée would moste firmely shoulde bée kepte in minde with the auditours may bée spoken in the laste place There are caried aboute thou sayest of this argument certaine Articles gathered out of thy bookes which I will tumultuously sette downe And is it so a greate chaunter of the truthe that thou shouldest take suche paynes to make tumultes in the Churche of GOD Is it so I say waste thou not well in thy wittes that thou shouldest forgette to aske of these rogues that carrie aboute these Slaunders whether they woulde firste with sufficient witnesses proue these thyngs they caried to be true For tell mée what wouldest thou answere if I shoulde onely say that all these are false whiche are obiected against Caluine Truely thou wouldest eyther suddenly confesse thy selfe a false accuser whiche thou clokest as well as thou canste or truely thou wouldest be constrayned thy selfe to accuse thyne owne foolishnesse whiche wilt thynke that thou oughtest to inquyre whether the accusation were iuste or vniuste then whether it were true or false And in déede as thou shalte shortly vnderstand the moste parte of these Articles as thou callest them is suche stuffe that bare deniall is sufficient But goe too that great care to reconcile the Churche hath euen nourisht thée And those that knowe thée say thou arte a simple man so that often tymes thou knowest not whether thou speake with or agaynst thy selfe therefore in déede it shall not bée amisse that wée beare with thy infirmitie of nature Moreouer thou beyng so good a manne and so muche our friende thou couldest not choose but bée muche chaffed when thou heardest those Churches wherein thou haste bene nourished and those menne whose liberalitie hath long done thée good to be charged with such impietie Therfore thou diddest that is too muche proper to fumishe men sodaynly to sette thy self to shuffle in our cause and when thou hadst no sufficient defence thou wouldest certifie vs of the whole mater So it is that the greatest matter escaped thée that is to approue how true the accusation was It were pitie but thou shouldest be pardoned of this too But I pray thée what meanest thou by this to deale Tus multuously in so waighty a cause Beware in déede that some suspect thée not as men be no fooles now to doe nothing in this matter in very good sooth and in earnest But no doubte as thou arte craftie inough thou haste an answere readie publishe it therefore that whilest thou indeuourest to pleasure thy friends thou lose the credite both of wisedome and honestie The title of the Slaunders ARTICLES gathered out of the Latine and Frenche bookes of Iohn Caluine vpon Predestination ANSVVERE THOV oughtst neither to vse this Title Slaunders impudently and malitiously ascribed to Iohn Caluine of certayne ignorant and malitious men The first Article that is the firste Slaunder GOD in the bare and alone determination of his vvill hath created the greatest parte of the vvorlde to perdition REFVTATION HOW false this slaunder is it shal appeare by the very selfe writing of Caluine For thus he saith I say saith he with Augustine that the Lorde created some whome he vndoubtedly foreknew should be damned and that it was so bycause he would so But wherefore he would so it appertayneth not to vs to enquire who are not able to comprehende it nor is it lawfull that the deuine will should be called in question of vs whereof so ofte as any mention is made the very soueraigne rule of Iustice is vnder that title named Againe bycause saith he the scripture doth playnely shew it we say that the Lorde in his eternal and vnchangeable counsel hath once determined whom in their time he would receyue vnto life whome also he would giue ouer vnto death Those to whome he vouchsafeth eternall life we say to be adopted by his frée mercie in no respect of their owne worthinesse Whom he giueth ouer vnto death those truly in his iuste and irreprehensible but that also incomprehensible iustice he abridgeth the way of lyfe Againe if we sayth he are not ashamed of the gospel it is requisite that we acknowlege whatsoeuer is therein manifestly set downe that God in his eternal decrée whose cause dependeth vpō none other refusing others hath ordayned whom he saw good to eternall life and whom by his frée adoption he vouchsaueth to lighten with his holy spirite that they may receyue eternall life offred in Christ that others beyng of themselues vnbeleuing destitute of the eyes of faith may remaine in darknesse Againe as Augustine writeth so farforth saith he the wil of God is the very soueraigne rule of Iustice that whatsoeuer he will euē in that he wil it is to be holden rightuous Therefore when soeuer it is demaunded why the Lorde hath done so it is to be answered bicause he wil but if thou procéedest in asking why he wil so thou séekest some greater or higher thing than the will of God which cannot be found Also we must euer returne saith he to the alone determination of his wil the cause wherof is secrete in himselfe Againe the Apostle sought not starting hooles as if he were taken tardie but shewed that the consideration of Gods Diuine iustice is more soueraigne than that it may either be measured after any humayne sorte or be comprehended with the weakenesse of mans witte These sayth Caluine and many others euery where of lyke sorte whereof I say it may be easily gathered that it is Slander ously spoken of thée whatsoeuer thou speakest of the bare determination of god For they call that a bare determination
custome of Academians Shall it be lawfull to adde or to deâ—ract any thing from the deuine doctrine no indéede but doctrine is to be distinguished from examples whiche be but as it were hangers on of the doctrine In that highest Religion this is to be obserued that we whollie depende vppon the written word of god But if we desire to know what is set before vs in examples eyther to be allowed or reiected certayne generall positions are to be compared with that whereof the question is albeit the Scripture in the very report of examples doth not alwayes expresse it for proofe sake albeit those factes whereof we haue spoken are not manifestly condemned in the report of theÌ„ yet bicause the word of God doth manifestly forbidde drunkennesse incest lyes mankillings whoredoms deceyptes wicked iudgementes and finallye the hauing of many wiues sith the Lord hathe sayd from the beginning of two and they shall be one flesh we shall not doubt that they all are repreheÌ„ded as sinnes wherto euen the most excellente men were inthralled But sith thou canst not denye these how is it that when we come to that historie of Adam wherein is described his fall thou wilt not follow this order but requirest the expresse sentence of god For thou wilte saye bycause it is farre from the nature of God to constitute that whiche is euil so much the more that selfe thing whiche is the fountayne of all euill But we haue already shewed before that God dothe ordeyne iustly those things whiche men do vniustly that God I say dothe well vse a sinning instrument for God considereth one thing that is his owne glory for which he hath made euen the wicked as Salomon sayth but the froward will of Sathan and wicked men promiseth it selfe another thing So it commeth to passe that in one selfe worke God is iust Sathan wicked and men vnrighteous That thou mayest vnderstande thys sette we before vs thys selfe example of Adam When God woulde make man for the manifesting of the glory both of hys mercie and iustice as the issue of the matter sheweth and the Apostle setteth before vs vnder the example of the Potter He made Adam to hys owne similitude that is holy and innocente as the same Apostle expoundeth But why did he that truly bycause that sith he is good nothing can be created of him that is wicked But it is requisite that they be depraued both of whome he hath determined to shewe mercy and also whome for hys glories sake he hath decréed iustly to condemne then bycause albeit he coulde haue created that whyche was defyled yet if he hadde created any defyled thyng he coulde not iustly condemne hys owne worke Therefore I saye it was néedefull that Adam shoulde be created holy and innocente that he whyche of hys owne frée wyll wythout anye faulte of God became defyled shoulde open the way to Gods eternall counsels that is to the manifesting both of hys mercy and iustice It was therefore requisite that God shoulde open thys onely way to hymselfe that is ordeyne the fall of Adam but to that ende whyche I sayde whyche séeing it is most iust and holie it followeth that his ordinance is also iust But Sathan in the meane whyle vnwittinglie seruing the determination of God what doth he indeauoure truely béeyng inflamed wyth the hatred of God and boyling wyth enuie he laboureth so deface that excellente worke of God But what dothe Adam and Eue truely they doe violently thrust downe euen God hymselfe as a lyer and enuious from the throne of hys deytie The Serpente therefore and Adam and Eue are worthely punished who were so the instrumentes of God that so muche as in them lay they were not obediente to hym but rather conspired agaynste hym yet manifested the way to hys eternall and iust councell The beginnyng of sinne is to be soughte in the voluntarie mouing of the instrumentes whereby it commeth to passe that God hathe iustly decréede that whiche they vniustly dyd as wée before alleadged out of Augustine But yet thou wilte saye they could not resist the wyll that is the decrée of god I graunte but as they coulde not sâ— also they woulde not but they coulde not otherwayes wyll I graunte in respecte of the issue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 efficacie but yet the wyll of Adam was not forced yea he assented vnto sinne not onely wyth wylling but frée motion when hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hys strength was not subiecte to the bondage of sinne But these thou wilte saye doe not yet satisfye mée I graunte that to but who arte thou who acknowledgest no Iustice or Wisedome in GOD excepte whereof thou mayest perceyue the reason why doest thou not rather enquire who thy selfe arte and reuerence the goodnesse of God in falne and corrupted Adam Adam is falne willingly that God decréeth is iust if these two do not satisfie thée that thou place all the offence in Adam being falne the Apostle pronounceth thée vnworthy with whome a man should dispute any more bycause thou neyther knowest who God is nor who thou art thy selfe But goe to at the last let vs strike sayle I haue shewed what rule we must follow in weying examples I also haue shewed that héere is no blasphemy whiche thou mayest feare It remayneth that I shewe out of what Chapters of Christian doctrine it may euidently appeare to be true that we affirme that is that Adam fell neyther by chance or God not knowing of it or ydlely suffering it to be so and much lesse against his will. This therefore I say is confirmed by al those places of Scripture where is affirmed that there is no rashnesse with God that is omnipotent that God hathe not only made all things but also dothe gouerne them that God careth and hath euer cared for men that there is nothing secrete to God that God is not changed nor moued with repentance albeit the Scripture doth sometimes speake so that it may as it were maffle with vs all these I say thou must eyther refute as false or confesse that whiche we affirme and I haue repeated already a thousande times that is that Adam hath falne God not only foreknowing but also iustly ordeyning and decréeing it for if before the workemanship of maÌ„ he did deliberate wherfore he would make maÌ„ he did rashly and vnaduisedly If he decréed another thing then that which came to passe he is eyther not almighty whose councels SathaÌ„ hath infringed or incoÌ„stant which changeth hys purpose Beholde Sycophant more manifest testimonies of Scripture as I thinke than thou wouldest and many moe than thou lookest for but that is almost incredible that thou who so carefully be thynkest howe thou mayest support the iustice of God that is to say staggering and in daunger to fall didst neuer consider howe weake that is whereto thou leanest albeit we should graunt it thée For I pray thée if thou pleasest to examine this deuine wisedome by the rule of
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