An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 45
THE ADVERSARIE.
The properties of the true God,The 45. section. God his merciemercy exceadeth all his workes he hath made man like to h… own image in Christe Iesus, in whom is no dam…ation, he is sl…we vntounto wrathe and readie to foregiue, he wilbe intreated of all so that …e biddeth all men euerie where to rep…nt, and …ffereth faith to all men he is omnipotent and may do, and leaue vndone, what so euer shalbe his good pleasure, …ether is it his pleasure & wil, t…at eiher Phara…, Semei, or any other do sinne and come to destruction, for he willeth the deathe of no creature, but willeth all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth, he hath but one will which is euer onelyonly good, reueled in his word to them that feare him and kepe his commandementes, nether hath he any secret will contray to this, but will performe what so euer goeth out… of his mouth…, he tempte…th no man to sinne he is the fu…her of lig…t, and cometh to destroye the workes of the careles libertynes God, for be abhorreth all wickednes, ād al wicked d…s.
ANSWERE.
In this description of your God (whom you do terme the true God) I do wōder of three thinges. First that in this your description ye dissent from your greate angel Castalio. Secondely how it is that ye hauehave forgotten your selues: And last why ye omitte these properties, which the scriptures do no lesse attribute to God, then any that you alledge. Your master, and chief champion Castalio (now left for your comfort) in the description of his God thus writeth. But that God whom both nature, and reason, and the scriptures do teach, is ready to merciemercy, and slow to wrath, who hath created man, of whom all men are borne, to his owne image, lyke to him selfe, that he shoulde place him in Paradise, and giuegive to him the blessed life. This God will that all men be saued, and that none perish, and therfore he hath sent his Sonne into the earth, that iustice might superabound, wher so euer sinne hath abounded, the light of whose iustice, doth illuminate eueryevery mā, that cometh in to this worlde. Wonder it is I say that ye who so…cōstantly hauehave folowed your master in all this your worke, hauehave dissented frō him, or at least omitted his wordes, in these two poītes, wc in this case be prīcipall. For, first by his description he will that nature, and reason, shal no les teach you and your faction, God, then shall the scriptures. So yt he, whose workes you be not able to cōprehend by nature, and reason, shall not be to you the true God. And secondarily, that except he wil all to be saued: and yt the light of his sonnes iustice do so illuminate all men cōming into this world, that where so euer sinne hath abounded, there must iustice superabound, yt to you lykewise he be no God. These be two chief pointes in this cōtrouersie.
For we cōstantly affirme, that ye brightnes of our God doth so blind nature, and reason (as now they be corrupted) that the naturall mā cā neuer atteine to those thinges, wc apperteine to God, to the knowledge of his will, nether yet to his true honor. For we know that ye world hath not knowen God, by wisedom, but thinking themselues most wise, hauehave becomen most vaine, in so much that they hauehave worshipped the creatures, more then the Creator. And thus beleue we that nature, and reason, are not onelyonly vnable to leade vsus to the true knowledge of God, by the which we may atteine to life euerlasti…g, but also we affirme, that they hauehave bene maistresses of all errors, and idolatrie. And therfor say we that nature, and reason, do leade men from ye true God, but are neuer able to teach vsus, nether to expresse to vsus the eternall, the trew, and euerliuing God the father of our Lord Iesus Christe. Further we doubte not to embrase, to beleue, to reuerēce and to honor ye maiestie of our God, who hath made diuision, betwext one sort of men, and an other, as plainely before we hauehave proued. These being two chief pointes, in this controuersie, greate wonder it is, yt of thē ye make no expresse mention (as Castalio doth) in this your descriptiō. Is it because you are ashamed that such darkenes, and such grosse ignorance should be in your greate angell of light? Iust cause no doubte hauehave both you, and he to be ashamed of your foolish imaginatiōs. But yet I feare an other thing more, which is this. That sodenly you will not committe the greate, and secrete mysteries of your profession to your rude scholers. For it might perchance offend them, if at the first ye should affirme (as in your writinges I can shew) that saint Paul taught a more perfect way to his scholers in secrete,The secrete doctrine of An… baptistes thē that wc he committed to writing, that Christ is not the eternall Sonne of the eternal God, that the Godhead of the holy Gost is but mannes imaginations, that Christes kingdome shall so florish, that wicked men shal vtterly be suppressed euen in this life, that Christes iustice aualeth nothing▪ except man hauehave a personall, & perfect iustice within him self, that man may fulfill and obey gods holy Law, and that Christe hath no prerogatiue aboue his brethern, except this, that he is called the first begotten: I omitte thinges much more absurd, because I will not offend the eares of the godly. These thinges I say you do not sodēl… open to your scholers, but in the beginning with pleasant persuasiōs of good life, of mortification, of ye power of the spirite (wc rightly placed is a doctrine most necessarie) ye inflābe their heartes with a a vaine cōfidence, of their owne power, strēgth, ād iustice. And therafter ye dissuade them frō all exercises, wc may put them in minde of sinne, and imperfectiō, which remaineth in mā. For nether will ye yt they frequēt the publike preaching of ye word, neither yet ye administration of Christes sacramentes. For such thinges to yor perfect mē are nothing necessarie. But to be short, in the end ye brīg thē to ye plaine contēpt of gods free graces offered, & giuē to his elect in Christ Iesus. For in ye end these be yor blasphemous voices openly affirmed, in your priuie assēblies: what is our ioye? but yt we fele no sinne abidi…g in vsus: what is our cōfort, but that we be able to fulfil the law? and what is our reioising? but that we hauehave a iustice perfect in our selues. And thus seking to establish your own iustice, nether cā you, nor your scholers be subiect to ye iustice of God. But (omittig this) I returne to your deceitfull craft, ye dare not in expres wordes affirme the vaine description of your masters God, but yet couertly ye say as much (as after shall appere): in which thing, as ye declare your selues ingrate and vnthāckfull, that will not support your reuerend master in this his battell, wt your open patrocini… and plaine defense, so do ye shew yor selues most vnworthye of credit amongest gods children. For who can credit those teachers, that in ye beginning and for their foundation, & principalles ioyne together darkenes, and light, lies, and veritie, yea that begin with a manifest vntrueth (as doth your Master Castalio) affirming, that nature, and reason, do teach ye true God vntounto vsus, wc is a manifest lie, as before we hauehave proued. If ye say, he addeth also that the scriptures do teach God vntounto vsus: I answer that the more is his impudencie, and more dangerous is his venom. For what impudencie is it, to preferre corrupt nature, and blind reason to gods scriptures, in such manifestation of God, as our saluation requireth? Did Moses, Isai, or Christe Iesus wil the ignorant to search nature, or to consult with reason who should be the Messias promised? or did they not alwayes send such as lacked light to the word which was reueled, to the law, and to the Prophetes, ād to the scriptures, which did beare record of Christ Iesus, who is the onelyonly way, by the which men come to the true knowledge of the Father? True it is that the Gentiles by contemplation of the creatures, atteined to that knowledge, that there was a God: but how litle this knowledge serued for their saluation the Apostle doth witnes. And therfore I say that your Master is more then impudēt, vt dare preferre nature, and reason, to gods scriptures. And further his venom (in so saing) is more dāgerous, then if plainely he had affirmed, that nature, & reasone alone had bene sufficient to hauehave instructed man in al thinges apperteining to saluation. For so declaring him self the simple should hauehave auoyded that error, as a pestilēce most pernicious. But now in ioining together those thinges which God hath so manifestly deuided, as he hath deuided light from darcknes, he doth nothing els, but as a traiterous murtherer mixe, and mingle poison, with swete lyquore. For in ioining nature, and reason, with gods scriptures, in the manifestatiō of God to mans saluation, he doth plainely witnes, that the naturall man may boldly pronounce that those workes be none of gods, wherof reason can not see a iust cause, why so they should be wroght. For the fall of Adam say you, and, the induration of Pharao, the deceauing of Achab, and such others, were none of gods workes. But they came by his permission and why so? Because the naturall man can not see how such workes can agree, with gods goodnes, and iustice. And thus ye deny him to be the true God, who doth not laye before the blindnes of yor reason all his workes, that they by her iudgement, may be iustified, or condemned. O blasphemous mouthes, dare ye denie him to be the true God, of whom Moses, Iob, Dauid and Paule affirme: that his secretes do apperteine to him self? that he will not make accompte to man of all his workes. That his counsels are incomprehensible, his iudgementes a greate depth, and his wayes vnsearchable. Thus much for that which ye omitte of yor masters wordes in his description, which I now admonish, lest after ye should trouble the simple, with these your vanities, which from time, to time, ye foster, and spred abrode. Now to the second, which I will but onelyonly touch, to put you in minde, that in doctrine, ye are not constant: for before ye hauehave affirmed,In the …. sectiō, 1. argument. that we did all stād in Adam, before that we did fall. For none (say you) falleth, but he that standeth: If we did all stand, then were we all predestinate to life. And after: As we were all created in one man, that is in Adam,In the 9 sectiō 1. argument. so were we all created in one estate, that is after the image of God. Of which places it is plaine, that ye vnderstand, that in Adam we were created to gods image, in Adam we were elected, and in Adam we were placed in paradise, which you call the blessed life. But here you change your tune, and say: He hath made man like to his owne image in Christe Iesu, in whom is no damnation. What should be the cause of this your sodein recantation, and alteration of your sentēce, I can not well coniecture, except it be this: That because experience doth conuict you, that by Adam we are all wounded to death, that therfor you wolde al should receaue life by Christe Iesus. And that doth your master affirme in bold, and euident wordes, saing: This God will all men to be saued, and that none shall perish: and therfor hath he sent his Sōne, into the earth whose iustice should superabound, where so euer sinne hath abounded. This doth your master boldly affirme (because he wrote to his practised souldiours) yt which ye do in darcke wordes persuade. But how vaine be both your persuasions, shall shortly appere, by examining the scriptures by you both alledged. He groundeth his error vponupon the wordes of Paule plainely falsified, and of Iohn the Euangelist, whom he applieth not rightly. If you thinke me bolde that thus do accuse your master, & great angell, of falsifying gods scriptures, heare my profe, and then iudge. He saith whersoeuer sinne hath abounded there hath grace super abounded. Which wordes the Apostle doth not speake, but saith: where sinne hath abounded: there hath grace more abounded, which proposition is most true, as it is most comfortable. For in Adam, Dauid, Peter, and in all other gods elect children did, and doth sinne abound, as the Apostle proueth all to hauehave sinned, and to hauehave nede of gods glorie. But in them did grace more abound, by the which they were deliuered from the multitude of sinnes. But as your proposition is not expressed by the Apostle, so it is most fals, which is most easie to be proued. For in Cain, Pharao, Iudas, Pilate, Annas, Caiphas, Herode, and many other did sinne abound, but in them did grace neuer so abound, that they were absolued from that damnation, which is pronounced against all vnfaithfull, in these wordes: Who so euer shall not beleue, shalbe condemned. And therfor I say, that your masters vniuersall proposition is most fals, and he not onelyonly a falsisier of the plaine scriptures, but also a mainteiner of all impietie, of all idolatrie, and wicked religion. For if it shalbe admitted that where so euer sinne hath abounded there shall grace more abound: then shall there be no differē ce betwene the condition of those that beleue in Christe, and those that be despisers of his Euangile offered. Let the indifferēt reader iudge, whether that you, or we do now more smel of a careles, and a libertines life. But this after.
The wordes of the Euangelist are plainely wrested. For he affirmeth not, that eueryevery man is illuminated to saluation, nether yet that Christe is offered (as ye wold shift) to eueryevery man. But speaking of the excellēcie of Christ Iesus, in whom was life, and by whom all thinges were created, he saith: this was the true light, which doth illuminate all men, that come into this world. In which wordes he speaketh nothing of mannes redemption nether yet of any light, which man receaueth necessarie for the same: But onelyonly of that light which was gi…ē to man in his creatiō, a part whereof (how small so euer it be) doth yet remaine in man▪ and that not by his own power, but by the free gift of God, in whom we liue, are moued, and hauehave our being. And that the Euange list speaketh nothing of the light of our redemption, is euident by his owne wordes. For, before, and after he doth witnes, that the light did shine in darckenes, but darckenes did not apprehēd it, that is receaue, & aknowledge it: That he came amongest his owne, but his owne did not receaue him, that such as did receaue him were nether borne of blood, of the will of the flesh, nether yet of the will of man, but of God. By which wordes it is manifest, that the Euangelist most euidently declareth, that the light of saluation is not cōmon vntounto all, but yt it is propre to those onelyonly, yt are borne of God. He doth further teach, that all reason, and naturall vnderstanding which man hath by his first birth, is so choked, so blinded, and extinguished, that man must nedes be borne againe, before he can see the kingdome of God, that Christ Iesus must nedes illuminate those, that be borne blinde, orels (without remedy) they shall perish in their blindnes. And thus I say the one text your master doth falsely, and the other most violētly wrest. But now to yor wordes. God is slowe, (say you) to wrath, and ready to forgiue. He will be intreated of all,Answer so that he biddeth all mē euerie where to repent, and offereth faith vntounto all men. To ye 2I will not question with you at this time, why in this description of your true God, ye make no mention of the Sonne, which is the eternall word, and wisedom, of the eternall father, nether of the holye Gost, who proceding from the father, is equall with the eternall Sonne. But this is the one thing of which I did wonder in reading this your description, yt ye omitte these properties, which God attributeth to himself. You do continually repete that God is slow to wrath, ready to forgiue, that he willeth all mē to be saued, that he wilbe intreated of all men, that he willeth the death of no creature. Which properties in God we confesse, and wc sentences we acknowledge to be most true, if they be rightely vnderstand. But why do ye not likewise teach your scholers, that God is zelous, that he is a consuming fire, that he punisheth the iniquitie of the fathers, vponupon the sonnes, vntounto the third, and fourth generation: and that his iustice can not suffer sinne to eskape punishment, no not euen in his most derest children. Ye hauehave accused vsus, that we deceaue the people, teaching them a careles, and libertine life. And therfore here againe, I require the indifferent reader, to consider which of our doctrines giueth most libertie: whether you that affirme, that your true God wilbe intreated of all, or we that constantly mainteine, that God heareth no sinners, or that such as delite in iniquitie, are so odious in his presence, that althogh they crie, and howle in their calamities, yet will he not heare thē. But now let vsus examine your scriptures apart. God is slowe to wrath (say you) true it is, but yet he recompēseth the flownes of punishment, with the seueritie of his iudgementes, which hath bene, and shalbe executed against such as heape to them selues gods wrath, by abusing his long sufferinges. He is readye to forgiue: we acknowledge this to be the voice of our God. But we feare not to affirme, that the remissi…n of sinnes, is the free gift of God, giuen to his Church by Christe Iesus, like as are faith, and life euer lasting which are not commō to al men in generall, but particularly do apperteine to gods children. He will be intreated of all (say you) so that he biddeth all men eueryevery where repent, and offereth faith to all men.
Your first proposition is vtterly fals,Answer neither yet is there any such sentence conteined in the hole scriptures.Psal. 17. True it is that God is mercifull gentle liberall, protector, Refuge, and Life to all. But to wc all? To such as hate iniquitie, louelove vertue, lament for their sinnes past, call vponupon his Name in veritie, and do vnfainedly seke for his helpe, in the day of their trouble Of all these no doubte, he will be intreated, how wicked, and vnthanckfull so euer they hauehave ben before. But by the contrarie he will destroy all that speake lies.Psal. 5. He hateth all that worke iniquitie: nether will he shew him self mercifull to such as maliciously do offend.Psal. 75. But all the sinners of ye earth shall drinck the dregges of that cuppe which the eternall holdeth in his hande. For he will destroy all those that traiterously decline frō him.Psal. 18. They shal crie, but he will not heare He shall answere vntounto thē, let your louers, whom ye hauehave preferred to me… deliuer you. Such as withdraw their eares frō ye crie of the poore, shal crye, but shal not be heard, yea albeit the blood thirst…e wil multiplie praiers and streatch forth their hādes, yet will not God heare thē. For his coūtenance is bēt agaīst all yt cōmitte wickednes. And thus I say you… shall neuer be able to proue yt God wilbe intreated of al, except you can confute the holy Gost, and make him, to recāt these, and innumerable other places. As mercy is promised to his children (for they onelyonly call in veritie, they onelyonly hate sinne, and folow vertue) So is seuere iudgement pronounced against the wicked of ye world. None of these sentences: God biddeth all men eueryevery where to repēt, and offereth faith to all men, are founde in that sense, and meaning that ye do vnderstād thē, in the hole scriptures. True it is that Isai the Prophet, and Christe Iesus him self with his Apostles do call vponupon all to come to repētance: But that generalitie, is restrained by their own wordes, to those that thirst, that hunger, that mourne, that are laden with sinne, as before we hauehave taught. That place of the Actes ye ether vnderstand not,Act. 17. or els willingly ye abuse it. For Paule saith not that God offereth faith to al, but saith: that he hath perfourmed to al, yt promes wc he made to man, wc was to send a Sauiour for mās redemption, by whome also he wil iudge the world. Consider the text, and you shall vnderstand the meaning of the Apostle to be such. you procede.
He is omnip…tent, and may do, and leaue vndone, What so euer shall be his good pleasure.
The omnipotēcie of God,Answer & fredō of his wil we most constantly mainteine, but we cā not admitte yt our God be variable, vnconstant, subiect to ignorance: nether yet yt his godly wil depēd vponupon ye wil, and disposition of mā. For that were not to leaue gods will at fredome but to bring it vnderunder ye bondage of his creatures. Further, these wordes, God may do, and leaue vndone, what so euer shalbe his pleasure, do smell somwhat of one of your articles offered vntounto vsus in this churche, wherein some of your sect do affirme, yt God may be fully purposed this day to do one thing, and yt to morow he may repent, and be purposed to do the contrarie. Which cogitations of of God are most blasphemous, & wicked. For if his coū sels be mutable, and inconstant, then ceaseth he to be ye God, who nether is, nor can be changed. If you had said because yt God is omnipotēt, therfor he may do, and leaue vndone, what so euer his good pleasure is, you had said well, vnderstanding, yt the purpose of God is infinite, yt therfor of his good will, he so mollifieth ye heartes of some men, yt of most cruell, and enraged ennemies, against his trueth, and poore seruantes, he maketh them and yt sodeinly preachers of his Gospell, and protectors to his Church. But when ye say, he may do what so euer is his good pleasure, ye offer occasion to the captious to suspecte yt you wold affirme, yt gods good wil, & pleasure may change, and yt is to deny his Godhead. But I will burden you no further, then ye shall plainely confesse, I onelyonly put you in minde,To the 3 that ye holy Gost vseth no such phrase. You procede saing.Answer Nether is it his pleasure, ād will, that ether phara…, Semei, or any other should sinne, and come to destruction.
Before we hauehave confessed yt iniquitie, and sinne is so odious before God, yt in it can his goodnes neuer delyte, nether yet can he hauehave pleasure in the destruction of any creature, hauing respect to ye punishment onelyonly. But seing yt gods glorie must nedes shyne in all his creatures, yea euen in ye perpetuall damnation of sathan, & torment of the reprobate, why shal not he wil, and take pleasure, yt so it come to passe. Albeit your phrenetique braines can not comprehend ye brightnes therof, yet wil he one day declare yt al his workes are wroght in iustice, wisedom, and equitie. I thinke you will not deny, but that pharao, Semei, Iudas and others, came to destruction, like as in the end shall all reprobate do. Then do I aske, if God at no time, for no purpose, respect, nor end did so will, how then came their destruction to passe? By sinne, say you, that we denie not. but yet the questiō is not answered. For continually we demand, if in God there was not power, ether to hauehave impeded their sinne, or yet after their sinne to hauehave called them to repentance, if it had so pleased his eternal wisedom, and goodnes Consider your foly, and giuegive glorie to God, who doth what so euer he will in heauen and in earth. But now to that which foloweth.
For he will the death of no creature but will all men to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of the trueth.
How violētly you wrest the wordes of the Prophet,Answer and of the Apostle shall shortly appere, after I hauehave reasoned a litle with you, how these your propositions do agree with that which goeth before. Ye hauehave affirmed that God is ready to merciemercy, and slow to wrath, in which wordes you …hew: and cofesse, that in the God head there is readines to …hew mercy, and also that there is a iustice, wc must execute wrath vpō the disobedient. And so in the nature of ye God head ye cofesse mercy ad iustice. But here you say that God will the death of no creature, but that he will all men to be saued. which last wordes being vnderstand as ye do vrge them, must destroy the former nature of God, & take awaye his iustice. For if he absolutely will the death of no creature, then will he no punishment to folowe sinne. And if he will no punishmēt, then willeth he his iustice to cease, and so cōsequently must one of the properties of his godlie nature cease. Studie for an answere, to make your former wordes, and latter wordes better agree, orels ye wilbe compelled to cōfesse, that God for som respect willeth both death and damnation to come vponupon some creatures. Further if God willeth all men to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of the trueth, and yet many do per…sh in ignorāce, and shalbe condemned as Christ Iesus doth pronounce: then must it ether folow that gods will is mutable, and so he vnconstant, and not at all times like to him self, or els that he is not omnipotent. For if God at the first creation of man, wold all men to be saued (as ye alledge) then wold I know, when this will was changed. After that man had offended, say you. Then yet hauehave I obteined, that in gods will there was mutabilitie. For after sinne he wold, and by his sentence pronounced, that Adam, and his posteritie should suffer the corporall death, yea and that the sede of the serpent should hauehave the head broken downe, by the which is ment the spirituall death, which nether of both (as you affirme) did God will before. If you reply gods will towardes the saluation of all mankind, did remaine the same after sinne, which was before: for a generall promes of deliuerance was made, by the womans sede that was promised.
I hauehave before plainely proued,Answer that difference most manifest betwext y• two sedes was made in that promes. But admitting that the promes had bene generall, & so that the will of God this day remaineth the same which ye alledge it to be: to witt, that he willeth ye death of no sinner, but that he willeth al men to be saued. Can you deny, but that a separation, and diuision of the shepe, from the goates, of the elect from the reprobate, shalbe made at the glorious commīg of ye Lord Iesus? Shall not these most ioyfull wordes be said vntounto thē yt shall stand vponupon the right hand: Come ye the blessed of my father, possesse the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning? And shall not this most fearefull sentence be pronounced, and executed against the other? Depart ye cursed, go to the fire prepared for the deuill, and for his angels? Shall the Sonne of God in pronouncing sentēce, do any thing that day repugning to the will of his heauenly Father? I think you will not so affirme. Then if gods will in the day of iudgement shalbe that many shalbe adiudged to tormēt perpetual, and his will in the creation of man was, and this day yet remaineth, that all men shalbe saued, then of necessitie it doth folow that gods will shall change. If you say that death, and damnation cometh not by gods will, but by the sinne, and vnbelief of man, you hauehave releued your self nothing. for if death be one thing, and life be an other, damnation one thing, and saluation an other. Thē if God this day will all men to be saued, and so to hauehave life, and yet that day he shall will many to be damned to torment perpetuall (what causes so euer you alledge) I shall obteine one of two, to witte, that ether gods will is, and may be mutable, orels that there is a power superior to his maiestie, and godly will. For if willingly he shall damne those, whom before he wold, and had determined to saue, then is his will, and determination changed. And if he shall damne those vnwillingly, whō willingly he wold hauehave saued, then is he not omnipotent. Consider now vponupon whom falleth the snowe, and who do cast them selues in greatest absurdities. Now it resteth to declare how violently ye wrest the wordes of the Prophet, & of the Apostle. The Prophete speaking in the personne of God, saith, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he conuert, and liue. And the Apostle affirmeth that God will all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth. Hereupon ye conclude, God will the death of no creature, this is your first violence, which you do to the text. For the Prophet saith not: I will the death of no creature, but saith▪ I will not the death of a sinner. Ye are not ignorant… suppose, what difference there is betwext an vniuer sa… negatiue, & an indefinite, or particulare. Where ye saye God willeth the death of no creature, ye speake generally, and vniuersally excepting none. But so doth not the Prophet, for he saith not, I will the death of no creature, nether yet I will the death of no sinner, but simply saith: I will not the death of a sinner. I wonder that ye consider not, that as there is difference betwext creatures, and creature, so that also there is difference betwe… sinners, and sinner. Some creatures are appointed … death, for the vse, and sustentation of mā. And dare yo… say, that this is done against gods will? we be taught the contrarie by his owne mouth. If you correcting your generalitie shall say, that you meane onelyonly that God will the death of no man. And I feare not yet to ioyne with you, and against you to affirme: that God hath willed, doth will, and shall will the death of some men. The holy Gost speaking of the sonnes of Heli the high Priest,1. Reg. 2 saith: But they did not heare the voice of their Father, because the Lord wold kil them. And Moises saith, Sihon king of Hesbon wold not suffer vsus to passe through his cuntrie,Deu. 2 for the Lord thy God did harden his minde, and strengthen his heart, yt he shoule giuegive him into thy handes. How often doth Moses, & Iosua declare vntounto the people, that God wolde kill, roote oute and destroye those wicked nations from besore the face of his people? And were all those kinges, whom Iosua did kill, killed against gods will? The holy Gost affirmeth the contrarie: For it is written, the Lord did trouble them before Israel, and he did strike them with a great slaughter. And while that they did flee before the Israelites, and were in the descense of Bethoron, the Lord cast downe vponupon them from heauen greate stones, and many more perished by the haile stones, thē were slaine with the swerd of the children of Israel. If the destruction, slaughter, & death of these wicked men, and of the greate host of Senacherib was not the will of God, I can not tell how man shalbe assured of his will. For the plaine word did before promise, that the Lord should destroye them, and the fact doth witnes the constācie, and perfourmance of his will. and the same thing doth God this day, & shall do to the ende of the world, when he shall adiudge the reprobate, (as before is said) to the death perpetuall: and that not against his will, but willingly, for the manifestation of his iust iudgementes, and declaration of his owne glorie. And therefore I say that your prosition (saying, God willeth the death of no creature) is manifestly fals, as it that repugneth to gods iustice,…e. 18 and to his euidēt scriptures. The minde of the Prophetes was to stirre such as had declined from God, to returne vntounto him by true repentance. And because their iniquities were so many, & offenses so greate, that iustly they might hauehave despaired of remission, merciemercy, and grace: therefor doth the Prophet for the better assurance of those that should repent, affirme, that God deliteth not, nether willeth the death of the wicked. But of which wicked? of him no doub…e that truely shoulde repent, in his death did not, nor neuer shal God delyte. But he deliteth to be knowē a God, that sheweth mercye grace, and fauor to such, as vnfeinedly call for the same, how greuous so euer their former offenses hauehave bene. But such as continue obstinate in their impietie, hauehave no portion of these promises. For them will God kill, them will he destroye, and them will he thrust by ye power of his word in to the firewhich neuer shalbe quenched. The Apostle in these wordes: God willeth all mē to be saued, & to come to the knowledge of the trueth speaketh not of eueryevery man, and of eueryevery particulare persone. But of all men in generall, that is to say, of men of all estates, all conditions, all realmes, and all ages. For as in Christe Iesus there is nether Iew, nor Gentile, nether man, nor woman, free man… nor seruant, but all are one in him, so can no estate, no condition of man, no realme, nor no age be proued so wicked, and so corrupt, but out of the like hath God called some to the participation of his light, and to saluation, and life by Christe Iesus. and that this is the very naturall meaning of the holy Gost, the tex…e it selfe doth witnes. For the Apostle immediatly before willeth praiers, and supplications to be made for all men, for Kinges, and for all that were placed in authoritie. And because that the Church was chiefely oppressed by such, this doubte might hauehave risen: Are we then bound to pray for those that are expresse, and coniured ennemies against God? You are, saith the Apostle: for that is good, and acceptable before God our Sauior, who will all men to be saued. That is, God willeth you to pray for your persecuters, that their eyes may be opened, and they conuerted to the liuing God: who no doubt will saue some of all estates, of all conditiōs and vocatiōs of men. For the natiōs are giuen to Christe Iesus by inheritance: Kinges shalbe the feders of the Church: Quenes shalbe nurses: And in his holy temple, shall all sing praise. If this interpretation (which we doubt not to be the verie meaning of the holy Gost, cā not satisfie you. Then will I aske of you. If God will men otherwise to be saued then by Christe Iesus? or as the Apostle speaketh, by comming to the knowledge of the veritie? Plaine it is, that by the wordes of the Apostle ye cā conclude none otherwise. For as he saith God will all men to be saued, so doth he adde, and willeth all men to come to the knowledge of the veritie. Which word (willeth) albeit it be not expressedly repeted in the second mēbre, yet of necessitie, it must be vnderstand, as those that be but meanly sene in the greke, or latine tongue do euidently see. Then if I shall sufficiently proue, that God willeth not all men, to come to the knowledge of the veritie, in such sort, as the Apostle meaneth, shall it not infallablye folow, that God will not all men to be saued, in such sense as you vnderstand. That God willeth not all men to come to the knowledge of that veritie, by the which man is verely made free from the bōdage of sathan, is euidēt, not onelyonly by those whom we do see walke in darknes, and ignorance, but also by the manifest srriptures of God. who called Abraham, making to him, and to his sede the promes, of saluation, saying: I will be thy God, and the God of thy sede after thee which promes he kept secrete many ages from the rest of the world. Whē he did notifie his law vntounto Israel, and when Moses did repete the same, he said: Behold I hauehave laid before you this day life,Deu. 30 and death, benediction, and execration, chose therefore life, that thou, and thy sede may liue. If God wold that all men, and all nations indifferētly should come to the same knowledge, why were not the lawes, statutes, and iudgemētes of God made manifest to others, as they were to Israel? And if you answer that so they were. the holy Gost shall cōuict you of a li…. For he affirmeth, that God had not done so to all nations, and that his iudgemētes he had not reueled, nor made knowen vntounto them. But if that plaine diuision made by God him selfe betwext Iew, and Gētile, 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 vntounto others in parables, that hauing eyes they should not see. And yt most plainely in that his solemned th… ̄ckes giuing, he saith: I praise the ô father for yu hast hidde these thinges from the prudent, and from the wise, but yu hast reueled them to litle ones. If God wold hauehave had the true knowledge of him selfe, and of his Sonne Christ Iesus common to all, why should Christ him selfe affirme yt to some it was giuen, & to others it was not giuen? to some it was reue…ed, & frō others it was hidde? And therefore seing it is plaine yt God will not giuegive 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 onelyonly meanes to atteine to saluation, and to life, is to know, and embrace God to be our mer…ifull father in Christe Iesus, to wc knowledge who so euer doth not atteine (I meane of those yt come to ye yeares & age of discretion) can hauehave no assurāce to be saued. This were sufficient to cōuict you, euen in your owne cōscience. For albeit malice will not suffer you to giuegive place to ye plaine veritie, yet shall the weight therof so oppresse your pride that when you do open your mouth against it, ye… shall ye be witnesses euen against yor selues. But yet for the cause of my simple brethere… 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 ye end… shall remaine two armies, bandes, or companies of men, whom God in his eternall counsell hath so deuided, that betwext thē there cōtinueth a batt…ll, wc neuer shalbe 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 wc, both ye one sort, & ye other, are most manifestly expressed. The one of these Armies, is called the Church of God the elect Spouse of Christe Iesus, ye 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, cōditions, and endes of these two companies, doth the scripture pronounce generall sentences, and vniuersall propositions, which not withstāding 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 onelyonly 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 other… that the mater may be more euident. The Prophet Isai (which place also our Master alledgeth) speaking of gods elect childrē,Esa. 54 saith:Iohn 6 They shall all be taught of God, and they shall know me frō the least to the greatest.Iocl. I shall powre forth of my spirite,Act. 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.Psal. All men shall come out of Saba.Isa. …6 All thy people shable iust. I shall comfort all that mourne.Isa. 6… You be all the Sonnes of God ye be all the Sonnes of light. These, and many mo places,Gala. 3 which be vniuersally spoken, must be restreyned to gods children onelyonly, who be elected in Christe Iesus.1. Thes. 5… 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 giuegive neuer vntounto 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 onelyonly, be rightly spoken, or pronounced of the reprobate.Psal. 21 Of the other sort, it is said: All that see me hauehave mocked me, they put furth their tōgues, 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, euē 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 vnthākfull people, who of verye malice did deny, and crucifie their Lord, and Messias, that was promised▪ Isai, and Ieremie, speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem, and of the causes of the same,Isa: 31 say: I shall consume you all at once, and ye shall all be ashamed, by a people that shall not profit you,Isa. 56 They hauehave all folowed their owne waies. EueryEvery man gapeth for bribes. Why will ye contend with me, ye hauehave all declined from me.Iere. 1 From the least to the most,Iere. 6 euerie one is bent vponupon auarice they are all traitours, they are all (I say) traitours, eueryevery brother deceaueth another. All men contemne me, all men hold me in execration.Iere. 15 If these, and other lyke places shalbe vnderstand so vniuersaly, as they appere to be spoken, then must we be compelled to say, that no true fearer of God remayned in Ierusalem, when the Prophetes did preach, but that all were blood thirstie, all auaricious, all idolaters, and all dumme dogges: the contrarie wherof is euidently declared. For Isai had the children whom the Lord had giuen vntounto him, who albeit they were holden as monsters amonge men yet, did they patientlye abide the Lord. Ieremie had Baruch his faithfull, scribe not withstāding his weakenes, and infirmitie. Abedmelech feared the Lord, was fauourable to the Prophete, and therefore saued he his soule for a praye, and was deliuered from that day of vengeance. And therefore these vniuersall sentences must also be restreyned, and kept within their own boundes,2. Ti. 4 like as these: All hauehave left me, all seke the thinges, that apperteine vntounto them selues, and not those thinges that be of God. Which sentēces (except they be restreined) we shall condemne the dearest children of God, who in Paules daies did valiātly fight against the prince of this world. These examples of the one sorte, & of the other I hauehave adduced, to lette the simple vnderstand, that such generall sentences of necessitie, must be so restreined, that difference may be kept betwext the elect, and the reprobate. For els we shall do nothing in explaning scriptures, but confound light, with darcknes. For if the wordes of our Master Christe Iesus saying:The wicked be not taught of God. All shalbe taught of God, shalbe so generally vnderstād, that no exception be admitted, then of necessitie it is, that all men, and eueryevery persone shall come to the true knowledge of Christe Iesus▪ for of that knowledge doth he speake in that place. But the contrarie thereof is moste euident, euen by Christe Iesus his owne wordes,God will not the death of a sinner explaned, who putteth a plaine difference betwext them, that be giuen to him by his father, and betwext them, that be not giuen. But now let vsus briefly consider, what sinners, they are whose death God will not, but rather hat they conuert & lyue. Sainct Ihon in his Epistle saith: If we say,1. Iohn. 1 we hauehave no sinne we deceaue our selues, & the veritie is not in vsus. If we cōfesse our sinnes,1. Iohn 3 he is faithfull & iust, to remitte to vsus our sinnes, and to clense vsus from all vnrighteousnes &c. And after: Who soeuer commiteth sinne transgresseth also y• law, for sinne is the transgression of the law. And ye know yt he is reueled to take away our sinnes, and in him is no sinne. As many as byde in him (yt is in Chriiste Iesus) sin not: who soeuer sinneth hath not sene him nether hath knowē him &c. He yt cōmitteth sinne is of the deuill, for the deuil sinneth frō ye beginning &c. who soeuer is borne of God committeh not sinne, for his sede abideth in him nether can he sinne, because he is borne of God. Of wc wordes it is euidēt, yt there be two sortes of sinners, the one be they who mourne, lamēt, and bewaile their owne wretchednes, and miserie vnfainedly before God, cōfessing not onelyonly that their hole nature is sinfull, and corrupt, but also yt dailie they so offend ye Maiestie of their God, yt most iustly they deserue the tormentes of hell, if Christes iustice, & Christes mediation (wc by faith they embrase) should not deliuer them from the wrath to come. To these is not sinne imputed. for ye blood of Christe purgeth them from all sinne, his aduocation, and intercession, maketh to thē an enterance to the throne of their fathers grace. To thē is giuen the spirit of sanctification, wc from time, to time, as it reueleth their sinnes so doth it mortifie, & purge the same. Not that euer in this life gods elect hath bene, are, or shalbe so cleane purged from sinne, yt the flesh lusteth not against the spirit, as some times affirmed the Pellagians, & those that then were called Cathari, that is cleane purged, and now also do the Anabaptistes renew the same most pestilent error: by the which Christ Iesus his iustice, his office, and perpetuall mediation, is vtterly destroyed: in such sort I saye are not gods childrē purged in this life, that nether they fele sinne, nether yet the motiōs, & entisemētes of the same. But they are so purged y• sinne raigneth not in their mortall bodies. for the sede of God, which is the vertue power, efficacie, and operation of his holie spirite suffereth them not to delyte in sinne: but as they are first called from darcknes to light & frō the bondage of sathan, to the libertie of gods children, so when they sinne (as there is none that sinneth not) they are called againe by true repentance to their former societie and felowship with Christe Iesus. The death of such sinners did God neuer will, nether yet can he will. for from all eternitie they were his elect childrē, whom he gaue to his deare Sonne, to be his enheritāce, whom the Sonne receaued into his protection, and sauegard, to whome he hath manifested, and to the ende, shall manifest him selfe, and the louing kindes of his heauenlie father: In whose heartes he writeth the law of God, and maketh them to walke in his commandementes, … uer thirsting to a further, and more perfect iustice then they find within them selues by reason of their corruption. The death I say of those sinners God will not, but he will that they repent, and liue. The Apostle saint Peter saith:2. Pet. 3 The Lord that hath promised, is not slow, but he is long suffering toward vsus, while that he will none to perish, but will receaue all to repentāce. The Apostle here meaneth not, yt al, without exception, shalbe receaued to life by true repentance, but yt the cause why God so long deferreth (as it were) ye extreme iudgement, is, y• the electnomber of gods children may be complete, (as answere was giuen to those y• cried vnderunder the aulter to be reuenged vponupon the tyrannes that dwell on the earth) of these his elect children, God will none to perish, as before is said. But there is an nother sort of sinners farre different from these. For nether are they displeased wt thē selues, nether yet hate they iniquitie, but against gods expresse cōmandementes furiously they runne wt Cain to murther the innocent, with Pharao to oppresse the people of God, with Iudas to betray the knowen, and professed veritie: and finally so delyte they in all filthines, & impietie, that they can not repent. The eyes of such be blinded, their heartes are hardened, they are giuen ouer in to a reprobate minde. And for thē doth not Christe Iesus pray, and therefore they can do nothing but headlonges runne from euill to worse, as the deuill (to whose tyranny they are committed) doth driue them, till finally they come to perdition: which ende was appointed vntounto them not against gods will, but by his will …mmutable in his eternall counsell. For no lesse will he, that the seueritie of his iudgementes be sene in the vessels of wrath, thē that the riches of his grace be praised in the vessels of merciemercy. Storme, and rage, spew furth your venom, and blaspheme till ye prouoke gods vengeance at once to be powred forth vponupon your owne heades, this sentence will he neuer retracte: He will hauehave merciemercy, vponupon whom he will hauehave mercy, and whom he will,To the. 6 he maketh hard hearted. That God in him selfe hath but one will, which is holy, iust, and permanent, that in him there is no contraritie: that he is faithfull; and doth perfourme what soeuer he doth promise. What we vnderstand by gods secrete will, and how he tempteh no man, I hauehave before sufficiently declared. And therefore, I will not truble the reader with the repetitiō of the same. Now let vsus heare what is your iudgement of vsus, and how ye extolle your selues.