affirme that gods election in Christ Iesus is so certen ād his eternall purpose to saue his churche is so cōstant that against the faith of gods elect shall not the Portes and gates of hell preuale in the end that neither can lief nor death thinges present nor to com seperat and disseuer vs from the loue of God which is in Christe Iesus That this foundation is stable the Lord knoweth his own and therefor shall euerie one that incalleth the name of the Lord depart from iniquirie for we are not called to vncleannes but vnto sanctification and holynes by the power of that Spirit who raysed from death Iesus the great Pastor of our soules which holie spirit frely by faith which also is the gift of God doeth so reule and reign in our heartes that albeit the flesh lusteth against the spirit yet are we assured of victorie by the onely power of him who hath ouercom the world This is our doctrine faith and professiō But you affirme as after plainely ye write that none is so elected in Christ to lief euerlasting but that he may fall becom a reprobate and finally be condemned and cōtrary waies y t none is so reprobate in gods eternall purpose but that he may becom elect ād so be saued That in God there is neither election nor reprobation but according to mannes disposition so that when men haue good motiōs and be godly disposed God doeth elect thē and write their names in the book of lief but when they chāge and turne to iniquitie he doeth reprobate them and blotteth out their names out of the book of lief Let now all creatures iudge betwext vs and you whether of the two play fast and loose and surmounte iuglers in cūning Frome the third kind of election which ye call most especiall how you be able to proue that the seuentie disciples did so depart from Christe that there was no difference betwext them and the trudging of Iudas as ye terme his horrible treason be iudges your self In the sixt of Iohn we read that many of his disciples left him and fallīg frō him did go with him no more But whether these were the hole seuentie whom he sent to preach or others who for a time did folow him it is not expressed neither yet doeth the text say that all his disciples fell from him but many departed further it appereth to me verie rashe iudgemēt to pronoūce that none that departed from Christe at any tyme in his lief before his death vpon the crosse did at any tyme after return vnto hī but that all such did remain in damnation with Iudas For I fynd that all his Apostles did flie and leaue him and yet we know they were called againe And so also do we fynd were two of the disciples to whom Christ appering betwext Ierusalem and Emaus did first instruct them and after reueled him self vnto thē This I note to giue you occasion to be more circunspect in so weghtie maters Towardes the end of this parte thus ye write of those whome you say haue subiected them selues altogither to the gouernement of their Lord and capteyn they daily obtein such victorie of their ennemies that their war fare is now becom easie and in the hope they haue to subdue by the aid and counsell of their Lord all their ennemies there ioy and comfort is so greate that they esteme all earthlie pleasure which should draw thē back but vaine These wordes augment in me that suspition which before I noted to witt that ye haue a further fetch in this mater then your rude scholers vnderstand at the first to witt that euerie one of you shall becom Christes so perfect ād cleā that in you euen in this lief shall rest no ennemie to be ouercome except death onely and that this is the opiniō of your greatest Angelles I am able to proue by sufficient testimonie I mean by their own hand writinges But how far S. Paul was from that perfection yea euen when he was redie to be offerred in sacrifice for the testimonie of Christe Iesus he eshamed not to confesse thus writing to the Philippians after that he had affirmed that all iustice which before he looked for in the law was becom to him as domage and doung to the end that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his own iustice which was of the law but that which was by the faith of Christ Iesus he addeth Not as thogh I had already atteined to the mark vnderstanding to that iustice which he hoped for either that I am alredy perfect but I folowe if I may comprehend that for whoe 's sake I am comprehended of Christe Iesus Brethren I think not with my self to haue atteined to the mark but one thing I do forgetting that that is behind I endeuore my self to that which is before here the Apostle who had foghten somwhat lōger thē some who now can bragge of an easie battell confessed he was not yet perfect neither yet that he had atteined to that estate that is to the resurrectiō of the dead to the which he daily did contend The other poyson which in these your former wordes I espie and therefor of conscience must admonish my brethren is That ye be proud contemners of the fre graces of God offered to man in Christe Iesus for with the Pelagians and Papistes ye are become teachers of fre will and defenders of your own iustice for how coldly ye speak of Christ Iesus and his power these your wordes may witnes They are in hope say you to subdue their ennemies by the aid counsell of their Lord are you becom so strong and your warfare so easie that the coūsell of your captein is sufficient for you to conquire your ennemies you sodenly did repent that ye had confessed that the aid of your Lord was necessarie for you and therefor to mitigate and extenuate that immediatly ye adde by the coūsell of their Lord. Is this I pray you vnfeanedly to cōfesse that without Christ ye may do nothing that of your selues ye be not able to think one good thoght That it is he that beginneth and to the end performeth the work of our saluation God of his greate mercie and for Christe Iesus his sonnes saik preserue his Church from your pestilent vēnom What ye mean by the historie of Gedeō in the which say you well and duelly vnderstanded be your thre kindes of Election plainelie set furth because ye your self do not expresse I will not deuyne The copie which came to my handes was in that place imperfecte for after the former wordes it had onely written Confyr to the world And because I will not take vpon me to alter any thing in your wordes I leaue them to be corrected by your selues ād your mynd further to be explaned in that point if so it shall seme good vnto you Ye procede saying THE ADVERSARIE
most foolish and most miserabl of all other creatures Plaine it is y t our power to maÌ„nâ—iudgemeÌ„t was nothing coÌ„parable to y e power of o r aduesaries place of refuge was none left to y e godlie their aseÌ„bled And yet let y e ennemies theÌ„ selues witnes again â–ª vs if in the least one iote their request was granted ye let the place of execution wâ—tnes if when we lokâ— for nothing but for the extremitie to be attempted more fauor were shewed to the offenders apprehendeâ— then if no suche trouble had bene feared or apperin If thou repliest that greater offences are ouer sene such as fauor our doctrine I answer all those in mouth did fauor y e same EuaÌ„gil which we professe The cause of the strife did onely arise for the puritie of life which oght inseperably to be ioyned with y â— externall proffession I coulde recite mo theÌ„ one of those that semed to be then pillers in Geneua as touching riches worlde lie estimation and liberalitie towards the poor being also of y e noÌ„bre of the straÌ„gears who for suspicion of offences were remaine to this daie some exiled som condeÌ„ned to perpetuall preson for whose deliuerance and receauing to the Church againe there hath bene offered greater sommes then perchance might intise an anabaptist to go the masse I wil not say to be a Papist and yet haue they obteined nothing Now briefly to recite that which I haue laid against thy first accusatioÌ„ if y u be nether able to proue by o r doctrine nor writings nether by our owne liues and coÌ„uersations nether yet by the lacke of iustice in that citie in which this doctrine is taught receaued and mainteined with what face canst thou affirme that we teach the people a careles and libertine life Hathe euer any man more strongly and more earnestly confuted those pestilent opinions of the libertines then hath that maÌ„ whome most ye accuse for this doctrine Let his notable worke writen against the libertines twelue yeres ago be a testimonie against your manâ—fest malice Thus haue I in answering to your first accusation answered some what to other crimes conteined in all the foure Now in answering to your second I wil labor to touche and put ende to that which resteth in the other Ye accuse vs that we haue no conscience to deceaue the people of God for thus ye demand why masters I know this phrase of olde haue ye no coÌ„science thus to cause the people of God to sinne Se ye not that ye be led with the same spirit that Balaam was led with all how he counselled to giue occasion of sinne to the people of God and so aftre that ye haue taken all excuse as ye think from vs ye boldely pronounce your sentence that the blood of such as perish shal be required of our handes I heare the accusation verey vehemently intended â–ª but when I seke for the probation of euery part I find none but accusation followeth accusation for still ye accuse vs that we are flatterers of sinners that we take wicked men by the hand that we heale them with this saing there is none during this worlde y t can be knowen to be in the election be he neuer so vertuous nor any out of the election be he neuer so vnrighteous after this maner say you do we heale them vp so that they nede not to endeuor them selues to bring furth the frutes of liuelie faith These I say be your accusations the probation whereof ye delay so long that after ye neuer remember it And so must your auctorite stand in force bothe to accuse and be admitted for witnes But we must except against you for two causes most resonable first because ye are our accusers and our partie aduersarie Secondarely becaus ye are venemous liers persons defamed and blasphemers of God That ye are vennemous and malicious liers I haue in diuers places before sufficeÌ„tly proued how ye falsifie and peruerte the plaine Scriptures how ye adde to our wordes and diminish from them at your pleasure and finally how that ye inuent and lay crymes to our charge wihich ye be neuer able to proue as here in this place ye shame not to affirm that we heale vp the sores of those that be drowned in vices with such wordes as ye write We haue had offenders in dede amongest vs I mean in the coÌ„gregations which ye accuse of diuerse sortes and diuerse estates Let any coÌ„uict vs y t ether in exhorting admonishing or in executing iudgemeÌ„t we haâ—e vsed any such persuasion or wordes to y e offenders But if the offender was to be admonished or exhorted if we haue not in gods name exhorted theÌ„ to walk as it became y e sonnes of light and if iudgemeÌ„t was to be executed against theÌ„ if we haue not vsed the ruele of gods word iudgeing of the tree not after the secrete election of God but according to the manifest frutes pronoucing that membre vnworthie to abyde in the bodie whose corruption was able to infect the rest of the meÌ„bres If this ordre I say be so streitlie kept amongest vs that neuer sitheÌ„ce the daies of y e Apostles was it more vprightly kept in any congregation with what faces can ye say so that we take wicked men by the hand that we teach them that they nede not to briÌ„g furthe the frute of a liuely faith ye alledge that Christ affirmed that a good man from the good treasure of his heart bringeth furth good things And so do we and do no lesse affirme then ye do althogh in an other vnderstanding as I before haue declared that we must obserue the commandement of Christ if we will be knowen to appertein to him We think it no assured nor certen signe of election to be ioyned with this or that coÌ„gregation We kuow that satan was once ioyned with y e Angelles Iudas with Christ Iesus and many fals brethren with the company of the best reformed churches and chiefest Apostles but woÌ„der it is that ye burden vs with y t in this one case w c is your plaine doctrine which with toothe and nale ye defend Do ye not plainely write that no man is so elected in Christ Iesus but that he may fall vtterly become a reprobate and none is so reprobated but by repeÌ„tance he may be elected The plaine contrarie whereof we teache and mainteine O say you ye mean of the signes that they are neuer certen I answer that in verie dede somtymes the elect as touching mannes iudgement is lyke in estate with the reprobate And againe that sometimes the reprobate do beautifully shyne in the eyes of men for a space as exemples be euident But yet I am sure that you be neuer able to proue that we affirme that in this life no difference may be knowen betwext the two The end of our doctrine teÌ„deth to this but chiefly to proue y t from election cometh faith from
Princes and the people coÌ„spired to this day against God against his sonne Christe Iesus aÌ„d against his eternal veritie They mainteine impietie superstition and idololatrie they cruelly murther the Saintes of God and so do they reioyse in all kinde of tyrannie y t Gods iust iudgementes can not long delaye punishment And therfore leauing you Anabaptistes into the handes of him whose power ye can not escape I am compelled in feaw wordes to admonish you aswell the people as the princes y t spedely ye retourne to the liuing God whose veritie so long ye haue oppugned whose religion ye gainstand and true messingers ye persecute or els persuade your selues that vengeance is prepared He will not entreate you as he hath done his afflicted Church and deare childreÌ„ that is he will not call you to repentance by a fatherlye correction the end wherof shal turne to your coÌ„fort Not so not so but as ye haue still rebelled and dishonored him so will he powre forthe contempt vpon you in the which ye shal perish bothe tâ—mporally and for euer And by whom doeth it most appere that temporally ye shal be punished of vs whome ye banish whome ye spoile and robbe whome cruelly â–ª ye persecute and whose blood ye dayly shed There is no dout but as the victorie w c ouercometh the worlde is our faith so it behoueth vs to posses our soules in our pacience we nether priuely nor openly denie the power of the ciuile magistrate we do not claime the coÌ„munaltie of all things in this life the pluralitie of wiues we do abhorre we wold not destroye gods ordinances and Pollicie by him established in common welthes but we hate detest all such confusion Onely we desire the people and the Rulers to be subiect vnto God and vnto his holy will plainly reueled in his most sacred worde And therfore of vs I saye ye are and maye be without all feare But what ye may loke for if the Anabaptistes shal atteine to their purpose the confusion and tyrannie vsed by those of whome we haue spoken is â–ª and may be a glasse wherein ye may se your iudgement end most fearfull vnlesse that vnfeinedly ye repent Flatter not your selues that ye be able at all times to preuaile in battel by stregth because that in nomber ye be manie or because those Prices of Germanie preuailed against that most miserable most wicked sort of enraged Anabaptistes Consider consider depely in your hearts that when God will punish no multitude can resist At that time God gaue victorie to the Princes and did suppres the furie of those wicked men not because the Princes were iust and had deserued suche a benefite at gods hand No the most part were wicked as their factes since haue plainely declared But God had respect to his owne glorie and honour He did admonish his elect by their examples to beware of such poison and did also by such confusion call you to repentance Of late yeres before was the EuaÌ„gile of Christ Iesus reuiued in Germanie the haruest of the Lord was not come to ripenes therfor for his owne names sake he wold not suffer that pestileÌ„ce so sodainly to preuaile But now seing that of so long coÌ„tinuance from wickednes ye procede to open contempt of God and of his true religion shall he suffer you to rage without punishment No his iustice can not And what instrumentes can God I say finde in this life more apte to punish you then those that hate and detest all lawfull powers and do thirst nothing more then such confusion as before ye haue heard God will not vse his saintes and chosen children to punish you For with them is alawaies mercie yea eueÌ„ althogh God haue pronounced a curse and maledictioÌ„ as in the Historie of Iosua is plaine But as ye haue pronouÌ„ced wrong and cruel iudgement without mercie so will he punish you by suche as in whome there is no mercie Tremble therfor and coÌ„uert vnto God if that ye think to escape vâ—ngeance confusion and shame bothe temporal and for euer Now to the conclusion of your boke Thus ye finish THE ADVERSARIE â–ª Iudge now gentill reader vprightly and here I commit thee to God beseching him to opeÌ„ the eies of thy minde that thou maiest know the trueth in this and in all other matters necesâ—arie to thy saluation ANSWER As you will all men to reade and to iudge with indifferencie euen so do we requiring of God not onely y t so the eyes of meÌ„ maye be lightened that clearely they may se things apperteining to saluation but also that by the mightie operatioÌ„ of gods holie spirit they may be coÌ„firmed and so sanctified in his eternall veritie that to the end they may continue in the simplicitie of his holy worde and further that all men may se to what confusion your doctrine teÌ„deth the ground wherof is your owne vaine imagination and the end as before we haue said not onely the destruction of all gods ordinances necessarie for this present lyfe but also the treading vnder foote of the bright glorie of Christe Iesus For the more that ye extoll fre will and the vertues of man the more do ye obscure the iustice of faith which onely is acceptable in the presence of God and the lesse do ye attribute to Christe Iesus his death and passion Yea some of you are not ashamed in your enuenomed docâ—rine wherein secretly ye traine your scholars to affirme That we that now liue after Christes death haue no other benefite ether by him or by his death but onely an exaÌ„ple to suffer as he did O sede of the serpeÌ„t thy father Pelagius was neuer so impudent nether yet did euer the deuil finde anie of his instrumeÌ„tes before thee so bolde as that against the holy scriptures of God he durst affirme that horrible blasphemie Darest thou denie but that the death of Christe Iesus shall to the consumation of all thinges haue the same efficacie that it hathe had froÌ„ the beginning Did not Christe suffer for our sinnes not for our exâ—ple onelyâ— but because we were not able to satisfie the iustice of God which we had al offended that therefor the punishment of our offenses was laid vpon him Haue we any more power now then had his disciples to whome he said without me ye can do nothing Doeth not he remaine a soueraigne Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Is it not he who by one sacrifice made perfect for euer such as ether haue bene are or shal be sanctified of that polluted sede of Adam Finally is it not he alone who giueth libertie saluation and lyfe to his bodye which is the Church not in one age but from the beginning to the end Satan him self is compelled thus farre to coâ—fesse and therefor be thou shamed o thou blasphemous mouth What other monsters ye norish and fede in the stincking denne of your enuenomed heartes time wil reuele And if
the cause of gods election but are the effect and fruit which of the same procede and spring as the Apostle doeth witnes saing God hath chosen vs that we should be holie aÌ„d without blame And Christ Iesus saieth you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and haue appointed you to go and to bring furth fruite This I am compelled oft to repete becaus in it most shamefully ye erre arrogating to your seluses that which is proper to gods onely mercie and fre grace If you vnderstand this former place of scripture which affirmeth that God hath no respect of persons as your book doeth witnes to witt that God careth a like for all that he no more loueth the one theÌ„ the other except that it be for their obedience the hole scripture of God doeth witnes against you Was the loue of God no greater to Abraham and to his posteritie then it was to the rest of the nations Moises and Dauid do witnesse the contrarie Saying he hath not done so to any nation and his iudgemeÌ„ts he hath not shewed to them onely the hath he chosen of all nations and people that be vpon the face of the earth that thow shouldest be vnto him a peculiar people And what was the cause of this their dignitie and prerogatiue before we haue declared to witt no vertue no obedience no good qualitie that was in them but onely his fre loue fre grace and vndeserued mercie as he hiÌ„ self doeth plainely affirme I will haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie and saint Paule it is neither of the willer neither yet of the runner but of God that sheweth mercie to such as pleaseth him And thus I say you can not iustly nor rihtly conclude that God hath neither chosen nor reprobated any man becaus he hath no respect of persons for as before I haue said his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man neither yet vpon any thing that is within maÌ„ but is purposed in him self and established in Christ Iesus in whom we are elected becaus that in our selues there neither was neither yet could be any worthines which could merite or deserue such honour and dignitie And so God respecteth not the persons of men their vertues nor qualities in their election but finding them all equall in creation and corruption maketh difference betwext them according to his eternall purpose respecting Christ Iesus and not their merites How that euer the prowde and vngodlie storme at this I nothing doute but the children of God do thereof receaue moste singular consolation as that it is the chefest cause why that without all trembling and feare they stoupe before his Maiestie and giuing thankes for these inestimable benefits do craue of his mercie such a puretie of lief as becometh his children To your scriptures which ye alledge from the book of wisdom and frome Esdras his fourth booke I will shortly answere That albeit ye will ten thousand tymes deck aÌ„d decore them with the title of the holie Gost I wil not the more creditt them Not that I deny but that in them there be thinges conteined profitable to edification but if that therefore ye will vpon any place written within them conclude a doctrine contrarie to the rest of the canonicall scriptures I will answer with the ancient writers that they were not written that vpon them should our faith be established Lett theÌ„ serue if so please you to exhortation but for confirmation of any doctrine shall they neuer serue vnto me Neither yet this do I say that I do think any of these places rightly vnderstand to make any thing for your purpose but that I will by gods grace giue euer that reuerence vnto the veritie of God that the voices of men shall not with me be coÌ„parable vnto it It may be greatlie suspected what som men now a daies do meaÌ„ to ascribe that to y â— holie Gost which the authors them selues did onely ascribe to their own diligence and trauelle and were also compelled to ask perdon of the readers that they could not atteine no not euen to the proprietie of the toÌ„gue in the which they did write Vseth the holie Gost I pray you whose power lowseth the tongues of the dombe in that maner to be suppliaÌ„t vnto meÌ„ and for his imperfection to begge pardon at their handes Consider and impute nothing vpon the holie Gost which becometh not the Maiestie of God but lest that ye should complain that yet your scriptures are not resolued I will giue you a generall answer to all which is this That neither the booke of wisdom neither yet Ecclesiasticus neither yet Esdras in these places that be alledged do intreat any thing of election or reprobation but the writers in all those places which ye alledge do studie to amend the corrupt maners of their aeges and to impose sileÌ„ce to the wicked tongues of many of whom som accused God as author of sinne which entred in by malice of the deuill who did corrupt the good creature of God created to his own image to reule in equitie and iustice who doeth not se but that this writer who so euer he was reteineth him self within the reache of mannes vnderstanding laboring to conuict their coÌ„science which maliciously imputed vnto God that which he did not worke in them But that they of their own fre will did follow aÌ„d obey iniquitie and that therefor they should suffer their iust condemnation And that this my interpretation of their myndes is true let their own wordes witnes for thus it is writeÌ„ They haue said with them selues not righteously iudgeiÌ„g our lief is troblesom aÌ„d short neither is there any remedie against the death of maÌ„ neither hath he bene knoweÌ„ that hath returned from the helles we were bâ—rn without purpose and we shal be as we neuer had ben â—or the spirit is but a smoke in our nosethrels c. in proâ—es of tyme our name shall com to obliuion neither yet shal any man remember our workes Therefor let vs vse the present prosperitie Let vs oppresse the poore man being iust let vs not spare the widowe neither yet lett vs reâ—erence the loÌ„g aeged aÌ„d white heares of the ancient but let the strength of our power be the law of iustice and so far furth he accuseth their open tyranny and then concludeth these thinges they thoght and did erre for they were blinded by their own malice neither haue they knoweÌ„ the mysteries of God I wonder that ye marked not this place neither haue they hoped for the reward of holynes for God created maÌ„ to immortâ—litie here I note your falshode for ye write God created man to be vndestroyed and made him to his own similitude Now let the indifferent reader iudge whether you or I do nerer attein to the mynd of the wryter you I say that do affirme that he denieth that God hath either elected or reprobated any man or I
that deny that to be any parte of his mynd but say he reproueth mannes malicious blasphemy and manifest impietie The argument which ye gather of the nynthe chapter of the same book and wold seme to confirm by the wordes of Christe spoken in the seuenth of Mathew hath no greater force then the former for the writer defineth not what God had determined in his secrete and eternall counsell but what he hath expressedly coÌ„mitted to mannes charge by his law and by his holie Spirit speaking in his Prophetes and that him self doeth plainly witnesse For after that he hath asked wisdom righteously to iudge the people committed to his charge he thus speaketh what man is he that knoweth the counsell of God or that can comprehend in his mynd what God wold The cogitations of mortall men are fearefull and our opinions deceauable c. scarsly by coÌ„iecture can we attein to the thiÌ„gs that be in earth and w t trauale fynd we those things w t be amoÌ„gest our haÌ„des But who shal searche oute those thiÌ„gs y t be in the heaueÌ„s and who knoweth they couÌ„sell except that thow shall giue wisdom and from the hiest places shall send thy holie Spirit for so the wayes of those that dwell vpon earth haue bene directed and they haue learned those things that haue pleased the. Cry now as pleaseth you that because man was made lord ouer creatures in earth for that is the veritie of the text to reule the world in holynes That therefor there was no man reprobated and he writer will answer for him self and will affirme that he searcheth not what God hath determined in his eternall counsell and what shall become of euerie man for that confesseth he to be incomprehensible but he declareth what God commandeth in his law and what he hath expressed by his holie Prophetes To the which if man be found inobedient resteth no excusation seing that gods will is manifestly declared as Moises saieth in these wordes The secretes appertein to the Eternall our God but those things that be reueled appertein to vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the wordes of this law Your argumentes which ye think most strong gathered of these wordes in the 7. aÌ„d 12. of Mathew are most weak and vaine For as we do not denie that man was created iust so do we coÌ„stantly affirme that in iustice he stood not but became altogether vniust and therefor God did not condemne man before he was giltie as you falsly gather of our doctrine Wonder it is that ye se not degrees and iust causes which com betwext the purpose of reprobation and the iust condemnation of man This is your argument God purposed to reiect man before he was created Ergò he did damne him before he was criminall or glitie Your consequent is fals far no part of gods iudgements was put in execution before man did sinne for grace was offered to AdaÌ„ after his fall Cayn was admonished aÌ„d rebuked of his crueltie his posterities aÌ„d sede had raged in their furie and finally all flesh had corrupted their waies befor that gods vengeance and most iust iudgement were poured furth and put in execution against the rebellious and vnthankfull world If you be able to proue that the sentence of death was executed vpon Adam before he offended or that Cayn was accursed by gods mouth before he had murthered then hath your argumeÌ„t som apperance but if the iust causes of condemnation be found in man and so founde in man that God in vowies can thereof be accused then oght you to be ashamed to burden vs with that which ye your selues most folishly collecte And further ye shall vnderstand that as the Apostle putteth certen degrees and causes which are sensible vnto vs betwext the eternall election of gods childreÌ„ aÌ„d their glorification euen so put we the contrarie degrees and causes betwext the reprobation and the iust condemnation of the wicked for as those whom God hath chosen before all tymes in time he calleth aÌ„d that of purpose to Christe Iesus his soÌ„ne aÌ„d whoÌ„ thus he calleth he iustifieth and that more and more vntill that flesh and the corrupt affectioÌ„s thereof being mortified they attein to their glorie So by the contrarie be the reprobate either left all together in blindnes neuer called to the light and knowledge of gods fre mercie or if they be called they either do condeÌ„ne it orels sodanly fall from the same and so abiding in their corruption do still heap sinne vpon sinne till at the last their measure being full God executeth this most iust iudgements against their continuall rebellion Inferre now as many absurdities as please you vpon our doctrine you procede THE ADVERSARIE You say that God reprobated and ordeined man to damnation the most parte of the world afore the foundatioÌ„s of the world were laid and yet in the creation God made all meÌ„ after his own image good and righteous as the scripture witnesseth for as we were all created in one man that is Adam So were we all created in one estate that is after the image of God to lief then if your opinion be true the ordinaÌ„ce of God in his election afore the world is not coÌ„forme to his ordinance in the creation And the hâ—lie Gost saieth If I buyld vp agane that which I haue cast doune before I declare my self to be a transgressor if God created man to his own image vnto lief whom before the creatioÌ„ he had reprobat aÌ„d cast away declareth he not thereby him self to be inconstant and a traÌ„sgressour Ye can not escaip here with your bare solutioÌ„ where ye say afore the world God hath not ordeined all but som vnto damnation for in our creation all were ordeined vnto lief for so much as we were all created after the image of God of the ordinance of God in our electioÌ„ afore the world The Apostle writeth thus we be blessed saieth he with al maner of spirituall blessinges in heauenlie thinges by Christe according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the world were laid that we should walk in theÌ„ Here do we learn that gods ordinance in his electioÌ„ afore the world and also his ordinance in the creation is alwaies one For as we are chosen in Christe Iesu so we are created in Christe Iesu and as we are chosen to be holie and without blame so are we created vnto good workes Wherefor gods ordinaÌ„ce in his holie electioÌ„ and his mightie creatioÌ„ is one aÌ„d of like streÌ„gth and surenes further seing we be as the Apostle saieth bothe elect and created in Christe Iesu. and forasmuche as there is no damnation to them that are in Christe Iesu then is there no damnation either in the election or creation ANSWERE Because that aswell your forged lies as the vanitie of your reasons haue ben declared I will not trooble the reader with repetition of the
blynd libertines attribute vnto him And assuredly the God of these men is an Idole which oght to be more execrable then all the idoles of the Gentiles And so furth to the end of that chapter he proueth that God committeth no sinne in none of the wicked of the earthe c. Thus far haue I recited the mynd and most part of the wordes of that godlie writer written by him now twelue yeres ago agaiÌ„st the libertines By the which the indifferent reader may iudge whether that iustly you accuse him and vs that we make God author of sinne In the name of God and of his deare Son Christ Iesus whose glorie ye studie vtterly to suppresse I require as before of all those that be placed in auctoritie by his worde whose handes he hath armed with the sword of iustice that earnestly as they will answer before his fearefull throne of iudgement they take triall in this mater that if we be found either in life either yet in doctrine as we be accused that God may be glorified in our iust punishments but if we can not be coÌ„uicted as we fear neither triall nor iudgement that then our accusers may acknowledge their offence The second thing which is laid to our charge is that we cause many other to brest owt and say Sithe his wil and pleasure no man is able to resist let him lay it on him self aÌ„d not vpon vs if any sinne be committed If the blasphemies of the vngodlie should be laid to our charge becaus that we teach a doctrin most true and most comfortable to the childreÌ„ of God then can not the Apostle saint Paul be excused for the same blasphemies were vomited first against him aÌ„d the doctrine which he taught Som crying let vs do euill that good may com of it others let vs abyde in sinne that grace may abound soÌ„ furiously roring as ye do did dispitefully cry wherefor doeth he coÌ„plean who caÌ„ resist his will But was the doctrine therefor damnable or was the Apostle criminal for teaching the same I suppose ye will be more fauorable in this cause then so rashly to condemne him whom God hath absolued If then our doctrine can not be impugned by the plaine scriptures of God why should we sustein the blame of other mennes blasphemies Howbeit in verie dede the blasphemies of none come so plainely to our eares as yours do â–ª for the verey Papistes and the insolent of the world are yet ashamed so impudentlie to lie vpoÌ„ vs. Who althogh they will not folow the puretie of the doctrine taught by vs yet either are they put to silence by the power of â—he holie Spirit orels they inâ—ent som coulorable lies and do abstein from such open blasphemies as you cast owt against God and vs. We lay to your charge say you none other thing then ye your selues do confâ—sse for ye affirme that God worketh all things according to his will and pleasure We answer that maliciously and deuilishly ye wrest our wordes contrarie to our mynd for alwayes we make a most plaine difference betwext the will of God and the will of the wicked and betwext the purpose counsell and end of God and betwext the purpose and end of man as in all this hole processe before intreated the indifferent reader may well consider If ye continue in your blyndnes and furiously cry But ye afâ—irme that without his will and against it nothing is done therefor that men think that euen when they sinne they obey gods will I answer by the wordes of the same writer whoÌ„ before I haue alledged Touching the workes which we committ the will of God is to be considered as he him self hath declared it for in vaine hath he not giuen his law by the which he hath discerned good from euill As for exemple when he commandeth no man to be hurt no man to be iniuried but that equitie and iustice be indifferently kept to all that no man steal defraude his brother that none committ adulterie fornicatioÌ„ or filthynes but that euerie man kepe his own vessell in sanctification and honor Here is the will of God euident and plaine What further pleaseth him in these cases oght no maÌ„ to inquire for we know that if we do these and other thinges that be coÌ„manded and do abstein from all things that be forbidden that then we obey the will of God And if we do not that we can not be acceptable to him If that any man shall steall or committ adulterie and shall say that he hath done nothing against the will of God he lieth most impudeÌ„tly for in so far as he hath transgressed the commandement of God by the which he was taught what was gods will he hath done against his will Let all men now iudge if that we giue occasion to man to flatter him self in sinne and to think that when they committe iniquitie against the expresse commandement of God that then they obey his holie will If any demand whether that any thing can be done against gods will that is if God may not if he wold stay and impede the sinne of man before I haue answered by the mowth of Augustine and now again by Iohn Caluine that nothing is nor can be done which he may not impede if so it please his wisdom yea vtterlye we must eschew that we inquire not of his prouidence which is hid frome vs when that the question is of our duetie His word declareth vnto vs what he approueth and what he condemneth with that we oght to stand content and by the same oght we to reule our liues leauing the secretes to God as by Moises we are taught To make the mater more plaine the case supposed that I be tempted with concupiscence and lust a nother mans wife in the which I long striue and in the end â–ª fathan obiecteth to me this cogitation follow thy purpose for by that meanes thow maest perchance be further humbled aÌ„d after thow maest taste more aboundantly the mercie and the grace of God Should I therefor louse the bridle to my wicked affections should I declyn from the plain precept and enter into the secrete prouidence of God God forbid for that besides the violating or breaking of his commandement were horrible temptation of his godlie maiestie and so in one fact were coÌ„mitted dooble impietie The sinnes I know of gods derest children are greuous â–ª and many and wonderous is the prouideÌ„ce of God working in his saintes but neuer or seldom it is that such perilouse cogitations preuale against them for the spirit of God so rewleth in them thaâ— commonly this sentence of SalomoÌ„ is before their eies such as vnreuerently search out gods Maiestie shaâ—be oppressed by the glorie of the same And so must it nedes com to passe as Iohn Caluin affirmeth that the pryde of such must be punisâ—ed and that with an horrible punishement the pryde of
same the godlie may be ware For this present I say first that Seruetus whom you iustifie did maintein and by worde and writing dispersed abrode wicked and most deuilishe opinions of God which might not onely make his Godhead to be dispised but also called in doubt and question He iudged those things nothing necessarie to saluation w c Christ hathe commanded and ordeined And last that impugning the true religioÌ„ he did most obstinatly maintein his diabolical erros did resist the plaine trueth to y e death His erroneous opinioÌ„s of God of his eternal Godhead were these Whosoeuer beleueth any trinitiâ— in the essence of God hath not y e perfect God but goddes imagined and elusion of deuils That Christ is the Sonne of God onely in so far as he is be gotten of God in the wombe of the virgin and that not onely by the power of the holy Spirit but because that God begat him of his owne substance That y e worde of God descending from the heauen is now the flesh of Christ so y t the flesh of Christ is from the heauen â–ª further that y â— bodie of Christ is the bodie of the Godhead the flesh of God godlie and heauenlie as it that is begotten of the substance of God That the soule of Christ is God and that the flesh of Christ is God and that aswel the flesh as the soule were in the verie substance of the Godhead from all eternitie That God is the father of the holie Gost. That Christ hauing the participation of the Godhead or of God and participacion of man may not be called a creature but one that doth participat with creatures As the worde descended into the flesh of Christ so did the holie Gost descend in to the soules of the Apostles That Christ so long as he was conuersant in the flesh receaued not the new spirit which he was to receaue after his resurrection That in all men from the beginning is ingrafted the spirit of the Godhead euen by the breath of God yet may the spirit by the which we be illuminated That the substanciall Godhead is in all creatures That the soule of man althogh it be not God it is made God by the spirit which is God him self That the soule is made mortall by sinne euen as the flesh is mortal not that the soule returneth to nothiÌ„g as nether doth the flesh but that it dyeth wheÌ„ that it is depriued of liuelie actions And that it is holden in hel languishing as that it should neuer after liue but these that be regenerated haue another soule then that they had before because of the substance which is renewed for the godhead which is ioyned That a like it is to baptise an infant as to baptise aâ— asse or a stone That there is no mortale sinne committed before the age of twentie yeares These I haue thoght sufficient to produce at this present to let the reader vnderstand that it is not without cause that I say that Seruetus whom ye iustifie is a blasphemer I haue omitted things more horrible grieuous to auoid the offence of godlie readers which sodaÌ„ly I am not minded to manifest except y t I shal vnderstaÌ„d that your vennemous tongues be not stayed by these I appeale to the coÌ„scieÌ„ce of Castalio him self if in euerie one of these former propositions which concerne y e Godhead there be not conteined horrible blasphemie For what is more blasphemous then to affirme that such as beleue in the Godhead three distinct persons haue no true God but the illusion of the deuilles That Christ Iesus is not the eternal son of the eternal father that there is no distinction betwext the father and the Sonne but in imagination onely That Christ hath no participation of mans nature but that his flesh is from heauen yea that it is the flesh of the Godhead That in Stockes stones and all creatures is the substantiall Godhead If these I saâ—e be not blasphemies worthie of ten thousand deathes especially being obstinatly mainteined against all holsom admonition let all those that feare God iudge yea euen you your selues how furious that euer ye be iudge in the mater eueÌ„ as ye wil answer before the throne of y e Lord Iesus That coÌ„tempteously he spake of baptising of the childreÌ„ of y e publyke preaching of the Euangill and of the administration of the Lordes supper that haue you common w t him for this is your glorie and persuasion to all your scolers that these things be nothing necessarie to saluation yea most streitly ye inhibit all of your sect to frequent any coÌ„gregatioÌ„ but your own And whether this be blasphemie of your parte or not to affirme those thiÌ„gs nothiÌ„g necessarie which Christ Iesus hath established and commanded to be vsed in remembrance of him to his againe comming I am content that iudgement be referred euen to those that be most indifferent betwext vs and you To supersede the rest of your blasphemies I return to your booke because that after I purpose to speake of your holie conuersation and of the great perfection y t is founde in you Ye accuse vs that we haue written bookes in a perpetuall memorie of our crueltie affirming it to be lawful to put to death such as dissent from vs in religion Notwith standing that some of vs were of an other mynd before they came to auctoritie â–ª and further that we haue giuen the sworde in to the haÌ„des of bloodie tyrannes Trew it is that bookes are written bothe by you by vs. for your master Bellius affirmeth that lawfull it is not to the ciuil magistrat to vse the sworde against heretikes To whome that godlie learned maÌ„ Theodorus Beza hath answered In which if you or your master thinke not your selues fully answered ye may put pen to the paper when you list looking to receaue answer with conuenient expidicion Iohn Caluin hath besides committed to writing the examination of Seruetus and the cause of his miserable death which bookes albeit to you they be a perpetual memorie of crueltie yet I haue good hope that to our posteritie they shal be profitable as now to vs be the godlie labors of those that before vs haue foghten the same battel against the obstinate heretikes And further seing bothe you and we must abyde the sentence of one iudge we can not greatlye feare the preiudice of your faction Where ye aske if these be y e shepe which Christ sent furth in the middes of wolues And if the shepe can per secute the wolues and I demand for answer whether Moses was a shepe or a wolf wether that fearefull slaughter executed vpon idolaters without respect of persons was not as great a persecution as the burning of Seruetus and Ioan of kent To me it appereth greater for to them was granted no place of repentance no admonition was giuen vnto them but with out further delay or
reprobate we remit to gods iudgement Albeit that Balaam had bene indued with greater graces then in scriptures we read that he had yet doth it not thereof follow that he had receaued y e spirit of sanctification by true faith which is giuen to y e elect onely for we fynd the power giuen to some to expell deuilles whom Christ affirmeth that he neuer knew And therefor willeth he his disciples not to reioyse in that that spirites were subiect vnto them but that their names were written in the booke of lief But yet I wonder where ye haue found that Balaam was so filled with the spirit of God the spirit of trueth the spirit of power and the spirit of grace as ye write that whom soeuer he blessed was blessed and whom he cursed he was cursed I fynd no such thing witnessed of him by y â— holie Gost. Trew it is that Balack gaue vnto him that praise and coÌ„mendation that he was assured that whoÌ„ he blessed should be happie whoÌ„ he cursed should be cursed But whether that it was the purpose of y e holie Gost to teach and assure vs therby that in very dede such graces were in him I greatly doubt yea I doubt nothiÌ„g to affirm the contrarie to witt that he nether had power spirit nor grace of God to blesse those whom God hath curssed nerher yet to curse those whom God hath blessed for so doth he him self confes And for that end is the historie written If ye vnderstand that the benediction remained vpon Iacob becaus that Balaam did so pronounce and speak you are more blynd then Balaam was for he assigneth an nother cause saying how shall I cursse where God hath not cursed or how shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested God is not as man that he shoulde lie nether as the sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it and hathe he spoken and shall he not accoÌ„plish it Behold I haue receaued commandement to blesse for hehath blessed and I can not alter it He seeth none iniquitie in Iacob nor seeth no transgression in Israel the Lord his God is with him and the ioyfull showte of a king is amongest them In these wordes I say Balaam assigneth the cause why he was compelled to blesse Israel because saith he God hath blessed them And why also he could not change his blessing because in God there is no mutabilitie nor chaÌ„ge like as there is in maÌ„ And therefor as h ehad once blessed that people by his plaine word and promes spoken and reueled to AbrahaÌ„ so shoulde he most constantly perfourme it If malice did not blynd you you should clerely se that the holie Gost meaneth nothing les then to teach that Balam was blessed of God and therefor was not at that tyme a reprobate But that Israel was so elected sosanctified and blessed of God that their very ennemis and suche as were hyred to curse them were compelled to giue testimonie against them selues that gods people was blessed But this doeth no more make Balaam to be gods elect then did that confession which the wicked spirites gaue to Christ confessing him to be the Sonne of the liuing God change their nature If you be able to proue that hole Israel so fell froÌ„ gods fauor that to none of Abrahams posteritie did he perfourm the promes made to him and to his sede then haue ye proued somwhat of your purpose to witt that God may make a promes that with an oth yet perfourm no part of it But if it be manifest that notwithstanding their grudging their rebellion their carnall lustes their idolatrie and abominations gods promes remained so sure that the same was perfourmed after many teÌ„ptations in full perfection Consider what may be coÌ„cluded against you in applying examples by similitude equalitie I wold wish in you greater wisdom then to compare Balaam one particulare person a fals prophete accursed of God and so perishing amongest the vngodlie and hole israell gods elect and chosen people so blessed of God y t not onely they were preserued in all stormes but also of them according to the flesh came that blessed sede the messias promised To Saul and to his kingdom I haue before answered to witt that one thing it is to be appointed to a temporall office and an other to be elected in Christ Iesus to lief euerlasting But yet I will adde somwhat more which is this Propoâ—ition directlie fighting against yours Saul nor his house was neuer chosen in gods eternall counsel to be kings and Reulars ouer Israel for euer If ye cry then did the holie Gost speaking in Samuel lie for he affirmed that God had prepared the reigne and kingdom of Saul vpon Israel for euer I answer Samuel speaketh not in that place what God had determined in his eternall counsel but what he him self thoght that God had determined and appointed And therefore ye may not conclude that the holie Gost doth lie except the kingdom of Saul was once appointed to haue remained ouer Israel for euer Nay so can ye not conclude But ye may say y t except that so it was y e prophet was deceaued And so no doubt he was for a ceason and did speake those wordes according to the apprehension iudgement which he had conceaued by reason of his vnction and lawfull election to his office If it appere hard to you that y e prophetes be deceaued in any thing consider I praie you what chanced vnto him after did he not at the sight of Eliab pronounce with an affirmation that before the eternall he was his anointed did the holie Gost lie because that Eliab was refused and Dauid chosen or was not rather Samuel ignorant and in an error the same might I proue by Nathan others who being gods true prophetes were yet for a ceason left in error did both speak and giue counsel otherwies than God had determined in his eternal counsel But now shortlie to proue my proposition I say that gods eternall purpose and counsel concerning the chief rewler and gouernor ouer Israel was long before pronounced by Iacob in his last testament who did appoint the crown and Sceptre royall to an other tribe then to Beniamin for thus he saieth Thou Iudah thy bretheren shall praise thee thine hand shal be in the the necke of thine ennemies thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe vnto thee c. The Sceptre shall not depart froÌ„ Iudah nether the law giuer from betwext his fete vntil Shiloh come and the people shal be gathered to him c. here I say it is plaine that many yeres before the election of Saul was the Kinglie dignitie appointed to Iuda which sentence was neuer after retracted And therefor my proposition affirming y t Saul was neuer elected in y e eternall counsel of God to reign for euer ouer Israel staÌ„deth sure and sufficientlie proued If
most feareful end and I suppose that none wil be so peruerse of iudgement as to denie that none other was appointed to be the salt of y e earth and the light of the worlde except those twelue I verilie beleue that Paule is nothing inferior to any of the chiefest Apostles in that case And so yet I affirme that nether were those wordes spokeÌ„ of all the twelue nether yet of theÌ„ onely If this can not satisfie your curiositie labor you to proue that Iudas was elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus before the fundacions of the world were laid I haue before proued that the elect can not finally refuse nor deny Christ Iesus their head and therefor I will not trouble the reader with the repetition The place of Ezechiell serueth nothing your purpose for there doth he onely intreat of such righteous men as in the beginning of the same chapter vsed this prouerbe The fathers haue eaten soure grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge signifying thereby as before we haue declared that they were iust and innoceÌ„t and that yet they did suffer punishement for the offenses of their fathers Against whom y e Prophet speaketh most sharpely affirming that the soule which did sinne shoulde die in this praising gods iustice that he wolde suffer sinne vnpunished in none of his creatures supposing that some for a time had a shew of righteousnes The prophet doeth further accuse and conuict their consciences for they knew them selues criminall in all crimes which the prophet there recited And therefore to prouoke them to repentaÌ„ce w t this exhortacion Cast away from you saieth he all your transgressioÌ„s whereby ye haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why wil you die ô house of Israel for I desire not the death of him y t dieth saith the Lord God Cause therefore one another to returne and liue ye Of this coâ—clusioÌ„ I say it easely may appere of what sort of righteous men y e Prophet speaketh not of such as being ingrafted in Christes bodie by the true sanctification of his spirit do daylie studie to mortifie their affections but of such as hauing an outward appearance or shew of holines did notwithstaÌ„ding lowse y e bridle to all impietie In very dede God can not remeÌ„bre y e iustice of any such w c is not but their sinnes must craue iust vengeance y t the rather because by theÌ„ y e name of God is blasphemed Now to y e rest of y t w c foloweth in yo r book THE ADVERSARIE This say you with many other manifest testimonies of the Scriptures ye â—osse and turne vpside dounâ— seking shiftes to maintein your errors where by you declare your self to be of the nombre of them of whom it is written in the same place which do say tush the way of the Lord is not indifferent ye will not that the Lord iudge according to this way set furth in his word but of necessitie by an immutable 〈◊〉 saue a certeÌ„ of necessâ—tie to coÌ„deÌ„ne all the rest ye must not so read gods word studying rather to teache the holy Gost then to learne your duetie of him seking meanes rather to coÌ„firme your preconceaued error then to auoid it what trueâ—â— can he learne at the word of God which worshippeth the idoll of his own phantasie and hath alredie forsaken the mynd of the trueth RemeÌ„bre that the first lessâ—Ì„ of wisdom is to be willing to learne wisdom â–ª Cast away therefor the â—doles of your heartes which made you stâ—mble in your wayes submit your selues to the word as humble and meke laÌ„bes for the lambe onelie was found worthie to open the seales of the book Trust not your error to be the-better because it hath many fauorers specially of theÌ„ which haue the name of learning for such haue bene alwaies in all ages ennemies to the trueth inuenters of sectes errors such like as Iannes and â—ambres resisted Moises so do they the trueth as the learned scribes Phariseâ—s blasphemâ—d the word of God and persecuted Christ the trueth it selfe so do they yet in hu membres And euen as the pharesies said do any of the reulers or of the phareseis beleue in him this comoÌ„ people which know not the law is cursed so say they nowdo any of our learned doctors teach so these vnlearned felowes are cursed for they caÌ„ not vnderstaÌ„d gods word they vnderstaÌ„d onely the english toÌ„gue yet wil they medle with 〈◊〉 as thogh the gifte 〈◊〉 the giftes of prophecying were so bouÌ„d together that God coulde not minister the one without the other but this is no newâ— thing for this was laid to Christ his Apostles charge â–ª that they were vnlearned â–ª But the holie Gost willeâ— vs not to iudge so marke saith Paul your calling how that not many wyse meÌ„ after the fleshe not many migthie not many of hieght degre are called but God haâ—h chosen the weake things of the worlde the vile things of the worlde thinges which are despised of 〈◊〉 reputacioÌ„ to confound the mightie to bring to naught things of reputacioÌ„ how caÌ„ such great meÌ„ beleue seing they seke tobe praised one of an other and to be preferred for their knowledge in the tongues for the multitude of their bookes which they writ such learned meÌ„ are more mete to be in Herodes hall theÌ„ in Christes stable the dore is to lowe â—hey 〈◊〉 stout they may not stowpe so lowe for the disgracing of their grauiâ—ie onely poore shepherds which are accustomed to stables are fouÌ„d mete to haue Christ reueled to them not that I dispâ—se learning or learned men for I knowe that learning is the good gift of God yeâ— as S Paul saith knowledge maketh a man to swel and many in our tyme as in all ages paste do abuse this good gift of God yet not all God forbid for som I know I prayse God to whom it hath pleased God to reuele the trueth of this mater which in perfect knowledge of the soÌ„gâ—es are to be compared with any of your Rabbes Be not deceaued therefore with vaine 〈◊〉 of learning or of worldlie wisdome ifye seke Christ seke him where he is in the poore stable and not in Annas and Caiphas pallasses wiâ—hout ye will se and heare Christ accused to such a banket peraduenture Christ may be called of the learned If you wil haue Christ ye must not go to seke him in â—he vniuersities where you may be praised for your sharp wittes and eloquent tongues but you must go forth vnto him out of the tentes and suffer rebuke with him â–ª knowe ye not that the learned phareseis and lawers coueted to talke somtime with Christ not to learne but to dispute and trap him in his sayinges and so did the learned Philosophers of Grecia with Paul Awake therefore in time be no longer deceaued with heâ—r auctoritie examyn your selues examyn
so shall thy nauel be hole and thy bones strong â–ª And Iâ— but is not we that can fynde out the almightie for in power equitie and righteousnes he is hiegher then can be expressed Let men therefor feare him for there shall no man se him that is wise in his own conceat we must not â—eke out the sâ—cretes of God for we shall not preuaile but bring our selues to consufion If we go about to establishe our opinions by gods secret will we must nedes fâ—ll in horrible darcknes and errors for who can know what the will of God is we must submitt our selues with all humilitie to the word and there with great reuerence search out such things as are written for our comfort and edification which we can not duelie vnderstand without the spirit of God to teache vs as it is written oh Lord who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstanding and meaning except thâ—w giue him wisdom and send thy holy Gost from aboue But if we prepare our selues with râ—uerence to read the word of God to the intent to vnderstand it to our consolation and with humilitie submâ—t our selues to do it God will open to vs so much as is ether necessarie or profitable for vs. ANSWER What confirmation our doctrine hath by the inuincible and most euident testimonies of gods holie scriptures I will not now dispute onely I must coÌ„pleine that maliciously and most impudently ye wrest our wordes and peruert our myndes And for the probatioÌ„ thereof I say that ye are neuer able to shew in any of our writings the wordes and sentences which in this place ye affirme vs to say ye be neuer able I say to proue that we haue written or taught that God by his reueled will will all men to be saued and yet by his secrete will he willeth many to be damned That by his reuâ—led will he willeth no wickednes but by his secret will he will Pharao to be hard hearted Semei to curse Dauid the Patriarkes to sell their brother Ioseph that by his reueled will he wolde not that Adam shoulde fâ—ll but by his secret will he willeth Adam to fall These propositions I say you be neuer able to shew in our writinges nether yet to proue that our doctrine did or doth tend to that end for we constantly affirme that God reueled vnto vs his most holie and most iust wil in his plaine and holie scriptures which do assure vs that a separation shal be made betwext the goates and the lambes that the one shal receaue the kingdom propared vnto them before all beginning and that the other shal be adiudged to the fyre which neuer shal be quenched That God stirred and raised vp Pharao that his power might be declared in him that these wordes God plainely spoke to Moises I know that Pharao shal not permitte the people to depart therefore haue I hardened his heart that I may multiplie my woÌ„ders vpon him that Dauid did represse the furie of Abisai and of his seruantes who wolde haue killed Semei saying suffre him to curse for the Lord hath commanded him the Lord perchance shal behold my affliction and shal reward me with good for his cursing this day That Ioseph said to his bretheren be you not moued with sorow y â— ye haue solde me for the Lord hath sent me for conseruation of a great multitude it is not therefore you that haue sent me hither but God who hath made me father to Pharao and Lord ouer his hole house None of all these I say do we cast vpon gods secrete will as ye falsly accuse vs but we do constantly affirme that his will is so plainely reueled in these maters that such as shall denie any of them to haue bene gods wil can not escape abnegation of his eternall veritie And further we say that the fall of man is plainely reueled vnto vs not onely by experience but euen by that same law which was imposed to him shortly after his creation the transgression whereof made Adam and all his posteritie criminall and giltie to gods iustice that nether against gods wil reueled nether yet against his secrete wil. for by his will reueled can no man further conclude but this that in what day soeuer AdaÌ„ should eate of the frute forbiddeÌ„ that he should die the death But Adam against gods command ement did eat and therefor did he iustly vnderly the sentence of death And thus do we referre to gods will manifestly reueled what soeuer ye imagin that we ascribe to his secret will Nether yet nede you to maruell if ye list to take such paines as to read our writiÌ„ges where that we finde the doctryne that we teach your surmised lie we cast vpon your selues seing that Moises the prophetes Christ Iesus and his Apostles in all writings do affirme the same But yet lest that ye should think that we attribute nothing to gods secret wil I will in few wordes confesse what we teach maintein and beleue in that case And that the rather because you gather agreate absurditie not of our doctryne but of that which ye falsely imput vpon vs in this maner for asmuch you say as the secrete will of God is knowen to none but to him self alone Who hath reueled it to you how can you say this is gods secret will if it was gods secret will that Adam should fall and you knew it â–ª then it is both secret and vnsecret both reueled and vnreueled both knowen and vnknowen What greate absurditie is this To the which I answere according to your impudeÌ„t foolishnes that because you fight with your owne shadowe these yo r dartes do hurt vs nothing for we do not affirme that we do knowe the fall of man by gods secret will but by his will manifestly reueled vnto vs by his holie scriptures Or more plainly to answer yo r reasons which you think inuincible we say that that wil which was secret in God before all time was reueled to man in time by his owne word and that from time to to time the same became more manifest as sainct Paul witnesseth in these wordes To me the least of all saintes is giuen this fauor or grace that I should preach amoÌ„gest the GeÌ„tiles the vnsearchable riches of Christe That I should bring forth to light before all meÌ„ what is y e coÌ„munion of the mysterie w c was hid from all ages in God who hath made all things by Christ Iesus that the manifest wisdome of God may nowe be notified to principates and powers in heauenlie things by the Church according to the fore appointment of the ages which he hath made in Christ Iesus our lorde so that we are now bold to say that albeit no creature did knowe before all time what ordre God should kepe in the creation and disposition of all thinges in time yet may we nowe I say be bolde to affirme that the secrete was hidde in the
not haue sinne but now haue they nothing to cloke their sinne for they haue sene and hated not onelie me but also my father No man wil be so fond as to affirme that the Iewes before Christs preaching and miracles were cleane without sinne but the coÌ„tempt of grace did so augment and increase their sinne that it became inexcusable euen so say I that Pharao did harden his owne heart frome time to time becomming more vnthankfull vnto God and more cruell to his people And y e fouÌ„teine of this induration and hardnes I confesse to haue bene borne with him and that to raige against gods people he neded no impulsion of gods parte but rather a brydle to impede his fury But yet the question is not resolued as before I haue noted for still we ask why was not that fountein shutte vp why was not the naturall venim purged and his heart mollified searche where you list ye shall fynd none other reason nor cause for the which the subsequent induration of Pharao did principallie procede but y t God in his eternall counsell for causes knowen to his wisedom alone had most iustly denyed to communicate his graces effectually with him but had raysed him vp to haue his power shewed forth in him And so God did hardeÌ„ Pharaos hearte not by permission onely but willingly withdrew his Spirit froÌ„ him as before is said Wonder it is that amongest the ancient doctors ye will seke patrocinie or defense in this mater seing it is a statute amoÌ„gest you that ye will beleue nor admit the wordes nor authoritie of no writer in any mater of con trouersie but all things you will haue decided by the plaine scripture And truly I am not contrary to your mynd in that case so that you vnderstand that ye will not admitt the authoritie of man against gods plaine trueth nether yet that you will beleue maÌ„ any furtherthen that he prouethe his sentence by gods euideÌ„t scriptures If you had produced any doctor who had confirmed his interpretation by the plaine worde of God of reason I oght to haue answered ether by the same or by some other doctor of equall authoritie orels to haue improued his interpretatioÌ„ by the plaine scriptures but seing that ye produce none ye leaue me at greater libertie and yet I will shewe you the mynd of one doctor coÌ„parable to any that euer wrote before him ether in the latin or in the greke Churche I meane of Augustine who writing against Iulian the appostate and against Manacheus who did affirme the self same thing that you do to witte that God was a passiue God that is he did suffer all euill and that against his will but he did work none Against him I say he thus writeth wilt thou say saieth Augustine to Iulian that the wicked that be giuen ouer to their owne desires are to be vnderstand onely left by gods suffering but not compelled to sinnes by power as thogh that the Apostle had not ioyned the suffering and power of God to gether where that he saieth if God willing to shewe wrath and to declare his power fuffered in great patience the vesselles of wrath prepared to destruction w t of these two saiest thou is written And also if the prophet do erre and shall speak I the lord haue deceaued him is this suffering or is it power And after adducing the same w c we before haue alledged of Achas he addeth did God these things ignorantly or doth he any thing iudgeing or doing rashly or vniustly God forbid it is not without cause that it is said Thy iudgemeÌ„tes are a great deapth it is not vaine that the Apostle crieth out Oh the hieght aâ—d depenes of gods iudgementes And after in the same place expounding these wordes lead vs not into temptation after that he hath affirmed that God giueth ouer some for iust causes to their owne lustes and blyndnes as he gaue ouer Roboam to beleue the fals and foolishe counsell of the young men he saith all these things doth God worke by wonderous and vnspeakable meanes who knoweth howe to worke his iust iudgementes not onelie in the bodies but also in the heartes of men he who maketh not the willes euill but yet he vseth them as he will seing that he can will nothing vniustly Thus far haue I alleged vnto you the mâ—nd of one doctor in this our controuersie â–ª when â—e shall bring forth the mynd of any so well grounded vpon scriptures as he dothe this his sentence â–ª I promyse to answer if I can I am not ignorant that diuers of the doctors yea and Augustine him self in some places may seme to fauor your opinion at the first sight But if their wordes in one place be compared with their plaine mynd and with the scope of their disputation in other places it shall plainely appere that none that liue this day do more plainely speak against your error then some of them haue written The places of Iob manifestly and in plaine wordes fight against you for it is said in the one place thou hast excluded their heart from wisedome and therfore this mater shall not be to their praise and in the other God hath taken wisdom from the Estrich and hath not giuen vnderstanding vnto her dare you affirme that in these wordes there is nothing but a bare permission of gods parte is there no difference betwext away taking and suffering to be taken away if any difference be betwext these two maner of speakings God giueth wisdome and God taketh away wisdome then is your interpretation foolishe and absurd nether yet is there any phrase of scripture vnderstand it as you please that can make God to call back that sentence which he hath pronounced to witt that he hath raysed vp Pharao to be an example to all generations folowing what shall be the ende of those that obstinatly resist God Who albeit he tempt no man to sinne by the power of his spirit yet as before I haue proued he iustly giueth them ouer to the inordinat lustes of their own corruption yea he giueth them ouer into the hands power of sathan to be pricked and stirred forward to all iniquitie that their damnation may be iust and also that his vengeaÌ„ce iustly deserued may the more sodenly falle vpon them The mynd of saint Iames is onely to bring men to the right examination and triall of them selues lest that by flattery they beginne to seke y e originall cause of their sinne in an other then in them selues And yet doth that nothing impede but that God in his maner which alwayes is iust doth hardeÌ„ the heartes of those whome before he had reprobated We confesse that no greater plague can chance vnto man â–ª then that he be left to his own lewde mynd â–ª for theÌ„ of him can procede no good nor permanent frute But as the earth lacking rayne dewe and moisture must nedes be barren and so
And in an other place the beastes of the field shall preach my glorye the dragons and the birdes of eastriches and Achan also was coÌ„maÌ„ded to giue glory vnto God The earth shal be compelled saieth Habacuc to knowledge the glory of God Zacharie also the Prophet saieth for his glory hath he sent vnto the nations which haue spoyled you finally shall not sathan and the reprobate in their iust condemnation giue glory vnto God and do ye think that all these creatures iudge God to be worthie of glory in such sort as they acknowledge his power his wisedome his iustice froÌ„ their hole heart submitte them selues to his holy will I trust you do not for we knowe that sathan is a spirit confirmed in malice and rebellious against God yet is he coÌ„pelled euen in tormentes to giue glory vnto God in so farre as in his iust daÌ„nation he declareth gods power and iust iudgementes And therefor I say that you restreine the glory of God with in to streit narrowe limites when y t you will that it shall extend no forther then to suche as from their heart iudge God worthie of glory y e w c perteineth to his chosen children onely and can neuer be giueÌ„ by the reprobate for such glory must procede froÌ„ faith w c is not coÌ„mone vnto all but is the speciall gift giueÌ„ to gods elect yet neuertheles by other meanes God declareth his glory euen in the vesselles of his wrath as is before declared Of the example of Nabuchadnezer ye can make but a particular coÌ„clusion in this for me Nabuchadnezer after he had felt the iust punishement of his pride and arrogaÌ„cie gaue glory vnto God Ergo some man after punishmeÌ„t giueth glory vnto God If you make your coÌ„clusion extend any further it is fals for if you say that all men after punishment giue glory vnto God w t the same confession that he gaue many examples may be showen to the coÌ„tary if you saye that none other giueth glory vnto God except such as so be punished that will be proued likewies fals And if you say y t gods glory doth shine in none except in those that acknowledge confesse God to be mercifull and iust that is most vaine of all and thus I say your conclusion must be but particulare The reasons the coÌ„clusion which you make vpon these wordes of Dauid Praise God all you natioÌ„s are so foolish on the one parre and so filthie and execrablevpon the other that amongest all nations ye oght not onely to he mocked but also to be had in horror and detestation first you say If God must be praised amongest all nations then must gods workes be such as all nations may knowe them and praisâ— them I answer euen so they are and such amongest all natioÌ„s as haue y e eyes of their myndes illuminated by gods holie spiriâ— do see iust caus why y t they oght to praise gods wisedome euen in all his workes But you procede saying there is no nation which at any tyme shall acknowledge God to be iust for that be punisheâ—â— maâ— for that whervnto he him self did prouoke him and so after the example of the priestes of the Philistines ye ask this questioÌ„ If God should punishe man because he hath a beard should any glory redound 〈◊〉 God there of seing he hath giuen vs beardes his self And so you skoffe iest at vs saying y t we be very religiouse because we say that none oght to speak so vnreuerently of gods workes God is witnes that I write notwithouâ— some grief of heart nether yet y t I affirme this which I am to speak for priuie hatered w c I bear against the persone of any man But in gods presence I say that rather then such horrible blasphemies should haue bene fostered in my heart deuised in my braine written by my pen and pronounced by my mouth and tongue that rather I wold my carcasse should haue suffered most cruell and vile death yea and further I say that better it had bene for you neuer to haue bene borne then thus blasphemously to expose gods great Maiestie to opprobrie aÌ„d mockage for I appele to the iudgement of the heauen and the earth and of all creatures in the same conteined if euer that Iulian the appostate spake more disdainfully of God then here you write But for the instruction of the simple reader to answere you more reasonably theÌ„ your vnreuerent skoffing deserueth I say first that the mynde of Dauid was not to teach vs what euerie nation and euery particulare man amongest the Gentiles shall do but what was the duetie of euerie nation euery people and euerie man to do when gods mercies should be offered vnto them And therfor if you conclude all natioÌ„s do praise God in such sorte as Dauid meaneth because that the holie Gost by his mouth commaÌ„deth all nations to praife God you make no better an argument then if ye should affirme that euery man loueth God with all his heart with all his mynd with all his strength because that God so commandeth This is one portion of your ignorance The second foloweth gods workes say you must be such as all nations may knowe them and praise them I answer if you vnderstand that al that praise God vnfeinedly from their heartes must haue some knowledge of his mercies goodnes iust iudgemeÌ„tes and woÌ„derous workes we distent not from you But if you say as by your proces is euident that you do that except all nations perceaue and vnderstand the very grounde of gods iustice that God amongest them shall haue no glory then as we lament your foolishnes so we detest your error â–ª for albeit that the â—aturall man can neuer atteine to the knowledge of those things which God purposeth yet shal not God be defrauded of his golry no not in the most carnal and wretched man Christe Iesus was sent into the world and came to that people which was called his own and his glory did so shine to the eyes of some that they did acknowledge it to be the glory of the onely SoÌ„ne of God â–ª But did the princes of the priestes and the hole nation of the Iewes see the same glory and so confesse him as did the electe SaiÌ„t Paul witnesseth the coÌ„trarie saying if they had knowen they had not crucified the king of glory Paul was appointed a preacher to the Gentiles amongest whome he most faithfully and moste boldely did open the treasures of gods great mercies and of the glory of his Sonne Christ Iesus but did euery citie realme nation or man to whome these treasures were opened so receaue vnderstand and imbrace them that for the same they glorified God the contrarie is euident But was God therfore defrauded of his glory euen in y e midest of a wicked generatioÌ„ God forbid for as the eyes of some were lightned and so did glorifie the word of the Lord so
those that did trouble her By which and many mo promises and threatninges God doeth not meane that any thing was done in Ierusalem which he had not appointed But by the one he did somwhat comfort the troubled heartes of his afflicted people and by the other he did shew the cause why he wold punish those cruell murtherers whose seruice before he did vse in punishing his people And this doeth God most plainely witnes in these wordes I was wrath saith y e Lord with my people I haue polluted myn inheritance and giuen them into thy hand he speaketh vnto Babylon thou didest shewe theÌ„ no mercie but didest lay thy very heauie yoke vpon the ancieÌ„t and thou saidest I shal be a Ladie for euer so y t thou didest not set thy mynd to these thinges neither didest thou remeÌ„bre the latter end thereof Therfor now heare thou that art giueÌ„ to pleasures and dwellest careles She saith in her heart â–ª I am aÌ„d none els I shall not sitt as a widdow neither shall know the losse of children Here of I say it is plaine y t the punishmeÌ„t of gods people as before I haue proued is his owne appointement and will But because the punishers loke to another end therfor are they criminall before gods iustice In adducing both these exaÌ„ples that is of Israel punishing Iuda and of the Babylonians destroying IerusaleÌ„ I finde you in another most grosse error besides this w c I haue confuted For you seme to affirme that if y â— Israelites and BabyloniaÌ„s had kept a measure aÌ„d had not exceded the boundes w c God had appointed and coÌ„manded they had not sinned For say you he willed the one but permitted the other TheÌ„ in so farre as they did his will they sinned not but in so far as they exceded his wil and did more w c he wold not but onely did suffre it they sinned This is your profound diuinitie aÌ„d godlie meditatioÌ„s of God of his iustice iudgemeÌ„tes aÌ„d workes incomprehensible to maÌ„s reason Are you able to proue that Nabuchadnezer came to IerusaleÌ„ or that therin he spilt or his captaines and cruell souldioures one droppe of blood which God in his eternall couÌ„sell had not appointed and willed The testimonies of all Prophetes rebuke your vanitie Ezechiel saith Thus saith the Lorde Beholde I come against thee and will draw my swerd oute of his sheath and cut of frome thee both the righteous and the wicked Seing then y t I will cut of frome y â— bothe y e righteous and wicked therfor shall my swerd go oute of his sheath against all fleshe from the South meaning throw all the laÌ„d to y e north that al slesh may know that I the Lorde haue draweÌ„ my swerd oute of his sheath and it shall not return any more Mark and consider how God attributeth all to him self as after yet the Prophet more plainely speaketh sayiÌ„g And he hath giuen it to be fourbished that he may handle it this swerde is sharp aÌ„d is fourbished y t he may giue it into y e haÌ„d of the slayer c. And I wil powre oute myne indignatioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the in the fyre of my wrath and deliuer y e into the hand of beastly meÌ„ and skilful to destroy Thou shalt be in y e fyre to be deuoured thy blood shal be in y e middes of the laÌ„d aÌ„d thou shalt be no more remeÌ„bred for I the Lorde haue spokeÌ„ it If these be the wordes of him y t onely suffereth and willeth not thinges to be done let y e indifferent reader iudge Why they did sinne notwithstaÌ„ding y t God in his couÌ„sell had willed and appointed this seuere punishment against his people I haue before declared To witte because y t neither knew they gods will couÌ„sell nor coÌ„mandement neither yet had they any respect to obey God or to fulfill his will That Nabuchadnezar was ignoraÌ„t of gods will aÌ„d couÌ„sell is euideÌ„t by y t w c is writteÌ„ in y e same Prophet in y e place aboue expressed For after he was come forth of his couÌ„trie aÌ„d was w t his armye farre proceded in his iourney he was vncerten whether he should go against Rabbath y â— stroÌ„g Citie of y e sonnes of Ammon or against IerusaleÌ„ and so coÌ„mitting the mater to his sorcerers aÌ„d diuines y e lottes being cast he taketh his iourneye agaiÌ„st Iuda aÌ„d IerusaleÌ„ Wherof it is plaine y t he neither knew nor vnderstode by y e motioÌ„ of gods holy spirite his holy wil neither yet coÌ„mandemeÌ„t And in destroieng the Citie and punishing the people who will say y t he or his seruaÌ„tes hated sinne Pride Crueltie Idololatrie and abommations w t y e w c he and his hole realmes were replenished And y e same do I say of y e Israelites who did not onely sinne because they exceded measure in punishing Iuda but because y t against gods law expresse coÌ„mandement they made vniust warre against their brethern They nether loked neither yet oght they to haue loked to gods secrete couÌ„sell but to his plaine law w c coÌ„manded theÌ„ to loue their brethern not to murther not to spoile not to couet c. Against the w c because they did offend eueÌ„ in y e first motioÌ„ purpose of their warrâ— in gods presence they were murtherers theues oppressours couetous persons before y t euer they set their foote forth of their houses And so euen y t w c he in his eternall counsel willed theÌ„ to do did no les displease hiÌ„ as touchiÌ„g their wicked mindes theÌ„ did y t w c you affirme he suffered For euery transgression of his law is before his iustice odious and sinfull If this can not correct your iudgement yet I am assured y t it shall declare your vanitie who dare coÌ„clude y t if the Israelites BabyloniaÌ„s had kept measure in punishiÌ„g Iudah y t theÌ„ they had not sinned But the contrarie I affirmâ— and say y t the first thoght and purpose mouiÌ„g theÌ„ to make warre was sinne before God Touching y e permission of the father towardes his prodigal sonne touchiÌ„g y e â— sonne w c promised to go aÌ„d to labor in his fathers vineyarde weÌ„t not I haue before answered y t similitudes oght not further to be stretched theÌ„ y e minde of the holie Gost is to teach in the same And in these places it is euideÌ„t y t Christe teacheth not how God is coÌ„pelled to suffer many thinges w c he wil not nether yet was it his miÌ„de in those similitudes to teach vs what differeÌ„ce there is betwene gods wil his permissioÌ„ but in y â— one he teacheth y t in God there is mercie towardes the sinner yea towardes such a sinner as vnthaÌ„ckfully and inobedieÌ„tly hath departed from God and y t there be some proude childreÌ„ who by reasoÌ„ of their coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce in their fathers house become disdanâ—ful y t others shoulde de be
and when Moses did repete the same he said Behold I haue laid before you this day life and death benediction and execration chose therefore life that thou and thy sede may liue If God wold that all men and all nations indiffereÌ„tly should come to the same knowledge why were not the lawes statutes and iudgemeÌ„tes of God made manifest to others as they were to Israel And if you answer that so they were the holy Gost shall coÌ„uict you of a liâ— For he affirmeth that God had not done so to all nations and that his iudgemeÌ„tes he had not reueled nor made knowen vnto them But if that plaine diuision made by God him selfe betwext Iew and GeÌ„tile during the time of the law doth not fully satisfie you Heare yet the sentence of our Master Christ Iesus who saith to his disciples To you it is giuen to vnderstand the secretes of the kingdom but vnto others in parables that hauing eyes they should not see And y t most plainely in that his solemned thâ—Ì„ckes giuing he saith I praise the ô father for y u hast hidde these thinges from the prudent and from the wise but y u hast reueled them to litle ones If God wold haue had the true knowledge of him selfe and of his Sonne Christ Iesus common to all why should Christ him selfe affirme y t to some it was giuen to others it was not giuen to some it was reueâ—ed froÌ„ others it was hidde And therefore seing it is plaine y t God will not giue his true knowledge to all yea to some he doth neuer offer it ye shall neuer be able to proue that God will all men to be saued For the onely meanes to atteine to saluation and to life is to know and embrace God to be our merâ—ifull father in Christe Iesus to w c knowledge who so euer doth not atteine I meane of those y t come to y e yeares age of discretion can haue no assuraÌ„ce to be saued This were sufficient to coÌ„uict you euen in your owne coÌ„science For albeit malice will not suffer you to giue place to y e plaine veritie yet shall the weight therof so oppresse your pride that when you do open your mouth against it yeâ— shall ye be witnesses euen against yo r selues But yet for the cause of my simple brethereâ— I will adde two thinges first how all such places as ether make a general promes of saluation to all or yet that do pronounce gods wrath against all must be vnderstand Secondarely what sinners they are wose death God will not For the first I say that who so euer doth denie that from the beginning there hath bene this day are and to y e endâ— shall remaine two armies bandes or companies of men whom God in his eternall counsell hath so deuided that betwext theÌ„ there coÌ„tinueth a battâ—ll w c neuer shal be reconciled vntill the Lord Iesus put a finall ende to the miseries of his Church who doth not vnderstand the trueth of this I say doth nether know God nether his Sonne Christ Iesus nether yet do such beleue his word in w c both y e one sort y e other are most manifestly expressed The one of these Armies is called the Church of God the elect Spouse of Christe Iesus y e shepe appointed to slaughter the kingly priesthode the sonnes of God and the people redemed by ancient writtets it is termed the citie of God The other is called the sinagoge of satan the church malignant cruell deceat full and bloodthirstie wolues Progenie of vipers sonnes of the deuill workers of iniquitie and such as worship the beast and his image And according to the diuers natures coÌ„ditions and endes of these two companies doth the scripture pronounce generall sentences and vniuersall propositions which not withstaÌ„ding must be restreined to those of whom the holy Gost meaneth For nether iustly may those sentences spoken of gods elect be referred to the reprobate nether yet such as be spoken of the reprobate sorte be rightly applied to the elect except it be for terrifying of their conscience and that onely for a ceason as Christ Iesus called Peter sathanas and Nathan called Dauid the Sonne of death I will adduce examples of the one sort and of the otherâ— that the mater may be more euident The Prophet Isai which place also our Master alledgeth speaking of gods elect childreÌ„ saith They shall all be taught of God and they shall know me froÌ„ the least to the greatest I shall powre forth of my spirite on all flesh All flesh shall see the saluation of God The Lord raiseth vp all that fall All the inhabitantes of the earth shall learne iustice All men shall come out of Saba All thy people shable iust I shall comfort all that mourne You be all the Sonnes of God ye be all the Sonnes of light These and many mo places which be vniuersally spoken must be restreyned to gods children onely who be elected in Christe Iesus For those that be with out his body are nether taught of God nether yet know they God in such sort as the Prophet there meaneth Into them is neuer powred the spirite of sanctification They giue neuer vnto God true honor and glorie They nether learne iustice nether yet are they iust They are not the sonnnes of God by adoption nether yet the sonnes of light whose workes shine before men to the praise of our heauenly father But remaine ignorant prophane idolaters filthie persones replenished with darckenes as the sonnes of the deuill And therefore can not these former sentences which apperteine to gods children onely be rightly spoken or pronounced of the reprobate Of the other sort it is said All that see me haue mocked me they put furth their toÌ„gues they shake their heades These wordes spake Dauid in the persone of Christe and yet God forbid that we should think that all without exception did so mocke and iest at Christe no not euen in his greatest extremitie For some we reade stode beside his crosse with sorowfull heartes Some returned giuing open confession that he was the Sonne of God And the thefe began to be a preacher eueÌ„ when others did most dispitefully rayle And therefore where it is said all that saw me did mocke me that generalitie must be restreined to those enraged dogges the Priestes Scribes wicked souldiours and most vnthaÌ„kfull people who of verye malice did deny and crucifie their Lord and Messias that was promised â–ª Isai and Ieremie speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the causes of the same say I shall consume you all at once and ye shall all be ashamed by a people that shall not profit you They haue all folowed their owne waies Euery man gapeth for bribes Why will ye contend with me ye haue all declined from me From the least to the most euerie one is bent vpon auarice they are