An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 4
THE ADVERSARIE.
God hath geuē to all his sensible creatures a naturall inclination to louelove their birthes,The fourth section. then doth God also louelove his birthe as he saith, shall I cause other to beare and shall not I also beare? Lykewise shall God make other to louelove their birthes, ād he not louelove his own birthe? Man is the birthe and child of God created to his own image ād similitude (as the Prophet saith hauehave we not alone father?Zach. 3. Hath not one God made vsus? And Paul saith:Act. 17. we are the generation of God. Wherfore God loueth his own birthe, that is man. Then did he not reprobate, and cast away man afore he was. For that were a profe, that he hated and abhorred his own birthe aboue all other. Now there is no wild beast, much les any man which wold bring furthe their birth to destruction. How much les then becometh it the goodnes of God to make ād bring furth like to his own image and similitude vntounto perpetual… confusion?
ANSWER.
How bolde, how shameles, and how blasphemous thou declarest thy self (I speak to thee ād they cōpagnions that collected these blasphemies) It shall shortly appere after that I hauehave by gods grace with simple perspicuitie declared the trueth.
Trew it is that to the naturall man nothing appereth more absurde, nor more repugnāt to good reason (as men term it) then that all shall depend vponupon gods will and appointment for so think they, that God can not auoid the suspition of iniustice, yea say they he can not be purged nor made fre from malice and crueltie. But such as entryng within them self do but in a parte consider what is their own condition, what is there ignorance, and how far they are inferiour to y• angels in iustice ād knowledge, to his holie angels (I say) that be most obedient and continually stand before his face, and yet neuertheles do couer their faces, and of very reuerence neither darre nor will rashly behold the brightnes of his glorie. If further we shall cōsider yt as in God, his wisdom, his power, his goodnes and merciemercy are infinite, so are his iudgemēts and iustice (in the self most righteous) incomprehensible to the dulnes of our wittes. For as his wisdom and power far surmounte all that we can imagin, so are his iudgements and iustice a great depe (as Dauid affirmeth, and in the booke of Iob, is planely described) able to swallowe vp and vtterly to cofounde all our senses. Alas, shall I, whose corporall eie is so feble and weak, that directly it can not behold the son which is a visible creature, but that it shall be blīded ād dasylled: shall I, I say, direct the eie of my mynde (corrupted by sinne) to measure and cō prehēde the brightnes of his iustice, who dwelleth in the light inaccessible? If man coulde impose or prescribe to God a law ād measure of wisdō, power, merciemercy, ād goodnes, so yt none of thē should otherwise be in his eternall God heade, the mā could vnderstād & approue: the some apperance might they hauehave to bring his iustice (which is no les infinite and incomprehensible then the others) vnderunder the censure and examination of their iudgement and reason. But what bolde and foolish presumption is this? that man, who knoweth not fully what lie…h within his own heart, shall without all reuerence enter to iudge the secrete mysteries, the full knowledge whereof doeth onelyonly abyde in the eternall God head. That impudently he shall pronounce: this can not be iust, becaus we do neither se nor vnderstand the cause of the iustice. God graunt vsus greater humilitie, more reuerence and fear (which righteously is called the beginning of wisdom) then that so rashly and proudly we shall presume to damne that which we vnderstand not. Lest that doing the contrarie, that malediction pronoūced by … saiah fall vpō vsus, where he saieth:Isaiah. 45 Wo be to him that reasoneth with his maker, the vessel of claie with the potter. Doth the clay say to the potter, what makest thow? and thy work hath no handes, wo be to him that saieth to his father, what shalt thow beget?
This I thoght expedient briefly to admonishe the godlie reader, before I did enter in to plane battell with the aduersarie. Beseching further such as do not erre in this article of set purpose and malice but rather of ignorance and simplicitie, not to be offended, as thogh I did stomack against them, if at any tyme I shall handle the impudent writer or collector of this booke (whose nature is better knowen vntounto me then vntounto many of them) according to his malicious frowardnes: But now shortly to the mater. The proposition and conclusion of this writer are bothe one: to witte, God hath not reiected nor reproba…ed anie man. His reasons and argumentes (as the reader may perceaue) are: for that were against the nature of God, we he thus proueth, God causeth others to beare ād therefor he beareth. And so bringing his argumēt frō this similitude:The sayeng of a blaspphemous mouthe. God maket… beastes louelove their birthes: therefor …eloueth his birthes: but al men are the birthes o… God. For God is the father of Adame, of whō are al mē borne. Therefor he loueth all mē. If he loueth, thē did he roprobate none, for that shoulde declare, that he hated and abhorred, and were more cruell then a wilde, beast. These be thy argumēts, (blasphemous mouth) In answerīg whereto if I shall seme to excede modestie, let the godlie cōsider, that thy horrible blasphemies are intolerable. And first I call the heauen and earthe, the insensible creatures, and the iudgement of reasonable men to witnes with me, how beastly be thy cogitations of the eternall God head: when thou saiest. God must louelove his birthes, becaus he hath giuen a naturall inclination to all beastes to louelove their birthes. If thy reason be good, then must God forget some of his birthes in their youth, and reiecte all care of thē. For that same nature giueth God to som fowles, as ye book of Iob doth witnes in these wordes (speaking of the Estrich) which leaueth his egges in the earth and maketh them hote in the dust,Iob. 39. ād forgetteth that the foote might scatter them or that the wilde beast might breake them. He sheweth him self cruell vntounto his young ones as they were not his and is withoute feare as if he traualed in vain. For God hath depriued him of wisdome and hath geuen him no parte of vnderstanding. If thy reason I say be good, God must louelove his birth, because he causeth all other beastes louelove their birthes. Then I say, it must also folow, God shall forgett, and hardly intreat som, for such nature and inclination hath he giuen to som of his creatures as is plainely proued.What the aduersary will saye. I do mean (thow wilt say) of louelove onelyonly: but the scripture (which either ignorantly, orels maliciously thow corruptest) declareth the contrarie for thow wilt make God to beare, because he causeth others to beare. That scripture I say thow doest peruerte, as thow doest all the rest. For what the Prophete of God applieth to the miraculous restauration of the church whiche then was most afflicted, that thow doest alledge to make God hauehave like asrections with brute beastes. And that neither thou nor any other shall hauehave occasion to reporte, that I accuse the wrongfully.Isaia. 66. I will recite the hole wordes of the Prophete, who thus speaketh: Before she hath traueled of child birth she hath borne, and before that doloure come, she broght furth a man, who hath heard the like? or who hath sene the like vntounto this? was ye earth builded (he meaneth set in order) in one day? was there euer a nation borne at once, and yet Zion hath traualed of child birth, and at once hath she broght furth hir children, he addeth the cause of this supernaturall multiplication and felicitie, Saying: shall I bring to a strait? and shall I not cause to bear? saveth the eternall? shall I cause to beare ād shall) make restraīte saith thy God, They are more then blynd which do not se, that God in these wordes hath neither respect to the naturall inclination of beastes, neither yet to any common louelove that he beareth to his creatures. But to that incomprehensible and vnchangeable louelove which he beareth to his churche: the multiplication, the ioy and felicitie whereof, he will at once bring furth in such sort that his elect shall neuer remember to their grief that they susteined any passion or paine: Let the indifferent reader compare this interpretation with the plane wordes of the Prophete: and so let thy self iudge, how irreuerently thow doest abuse the moste confortable wordes of the holie Gost, to establish thy error. But let it be, that thow didst mean of louelove, and of no affection els, Art thow becume so bolde, and impudent, that thow darrest subiect God, to the law, lymites and boundes of nature? To speake the mater more planely. I ask of the first if thow wilt denie the louelove of God to be perfecte except that he do for all maner of men that whiche beastes naturally do for their birthes. Secondarely if thow filthie earth darest burden God in his presence with crueltie) as now thow doest in thy blind raige, if he hath not created and made all men of equall estate condition and dignitie. Thirdly if thow shalt stand in iudgement, and lay iniustice to his charge, if he shew merciemercy to whō he will, and also indurate ād make hard who he will. For all these thre,The workes of God can not be subiect to our reason will I planely proue, that God doeth, first yt he doth not for his dearest children to our iudgement, that which beastes naturally do for their birthes, I trust thy self will easely confes. For the Tygar, the bear, the Lyon and others do so tender their whelpes, that euen against the strength of man (were he neuer so valiant) will they fight for defence of their young ones, but we do se that God comonly doth so permit his dearest children to the cruel appetites of the most wicked men, that for a season he appereth to hauehave forgotten them, and to hauehave turned his face and countenance frome them. And shall we therefor think, that gods louelove is not perfect or that his power is diminished or his good will towardes his childrē chāged?The reasō of Anabaptistes. God forbid. But this say you doth not offend vsus, but that God should reprobat any man whom he created to his own image and similitude that we cā not beare, for it repugneth to his louelove and iustice. Well of your first reason which you drawe frome nature,Answer. I suppose we hauehave obteined that God is not bound in all things to folow the natural louelove of his creatures.The aduersarie falsly and vnreuerētly alledgeth this word birth. For he doeth often suffer, (and I trust ye will not say that he is enforced so to do) his dearest children most cruelly to be handled, which no beast willingly will do. Now let vsus wey your seconde reason. man sayeth your book is, the birthe, and child of God created to his own image and similitud (as the Prophet saieth) wherefor God loueth his own birth (that is mā) Then did he not reprobate and cast away man afore he was: for that were a proof that he hated and abhorred. Omitting your ignorance by the whiche ye applie generally to all men those promesses which the Prophete Malachie spake to the people of God.Answer. Let it be granted vntounto you that as all men were created in Adam,Malac. 2. so God som maner of way is their father: what will or can ye thereof conclude. That God loueth all say you. If you vnderstand and affirme that equally God loueth all because all were created by him, the common experience ād the diuersitie of gods giftes shall reproue your vaniti… for vntounto one man we see greater giftes giuen then vntounto other, som we se verteouse and others giuen to nothing but to iniquitie. If you say, he loueth them in that he offereth vntounto thē his grace which when they refuse, then beginneth he to hate them, you hauehave proued nothing of your intent, and further the plain scripture confuteth this your error. and first I say that before ye can proue your conclusion to be good, ye must proue that all men stode, do stand, and be born in the same perfection that Adame was created in. For it doth not folow, that God still loueth all men, because he loued Adam (created to his own image and similitude.) The reason is. Adam did fall from that image, became rebellious inobediēt, and slaue to the deuill. And in the same damnation wrapped all his posteritie.What we hauehave in Adam. So that now from Adam we can clame nothing, but sinne, wrath, death, and hatred, as the apostle affirmeth, that of nature we were all the sonnes of wraeth. If ye alledge that the apostle speaketh in that place, of man as he is corrupted in Adame, and so iustly depriued from gods fauor, then I demand of you (if man doth yet stād in Adame) which if ye confesse, the holie spirit shall conuict you of alie. For by the mouth of the Apostle he affirmed that by one mā sinne entred in to the world ād by the meanes of sinne death came vponupon all men, so that in the first man Adame (who fell frome his puritie, hauehave we neither louelove, iustice, nor life, but ye cōtraries, to wit hatred, sinne, ād dea…h. But God as he had chosen his elect before all beginning in Christe Iesus his Sonne, so hath he placed these giftes in the second Adam alone▪ that of his fulnes we may all receaue euen grace for grace. And thus ye may easely perceaue, how vane be your arguments which you iudged most strong. Your first, drawen from nature and naturall inclination, proueth nothing, becaus that God who is alwaies fre, can not be subiect to the lawes of nature. Albeit that for our weaknes he some tymes vseth similitudes taken from nature. Your second is like vaine, seing that neither Adam him self did stand in his perfection, neither is any of his corrupted sede as he is the sō of Adam borne in that cōdition ād dignitie: But cōtrarie wise, we must refuse fleshe, and blood, nature and our first Adā, if euer we shall be partakers of life. This onelyonly were sufficient to confute, bothe your vnreasonable reasons. But that, here after ye shall hauehave no accasion to complain of obscurite, neither yet that we relent in any parte, I will first simply propose what we teach and beleue, and there after by gods grace euidently proue the same.Error of Anabaptistes. You make the louelove of God common to all men and that do we constantly deny, and say that before all beginning God hath loued his elect in Christ Iesus his Sonne and that frome the same eternitie he hath reprobate others:The affirmations of the trew Christiās whom for most iust causes in the tyme appointed to his iudgement he shall adiuge to tormentes and fier inextinguible. Here you stomak, and storme, here ye crie blasphemie, and here you say, that we affirme that, which can not be proued by gods scriptures. How sure is the probation of the former part, let the indifferent reader iudge by that which is all ready spoken. Let vsus now come to the second. And that ye shall not think that I shall more depend vponupon argumentes and reason then vponupon scripture,Gen. 3. I will begin with scripture, and let argumentes and reason serue onelyonly in stede of hande maides, which shall not command but obey scripture pronounced by the voyce of God. After that by rebellion man was spoiled of all graces, and that the contrarie vices had taken place and possession in the heartes of bothe these miserable creatures, of Adam I mean, and of the woman. God pronoūced this sentēce agaīst the serpēt. Because thow hast done this, cursed art thow amōgst all the beastes of the earth. I shall establish enemitie betwext the ād that womā, betwext thy sede, and her sede. That sede shall break downe thy head and thow shalt break doune his hele. As I suppose no man wilbe so impudent, as to deny that this is the voice of God, pronouncing and promising, that he will stablish and put a battel, where none was appering to be: for sathan before had obteined such victorie, and so had vanquished bothe the woman and Adam, that they could neuer hauehave resisted that seruitude by them selues. And therefor doth he disclose the bowelles of his merciemercy, and doth communicat with them that counsell which was secrete with him selfe before all begining.Question. And if ye demande, How can it be proued, that this was his eternall counsell? I answer because,Answer. that he in whom there is no changeing nor variablenes, hath now pronounced it: and whether this reason be sufficient or not in answering to your obiection we shall after consider. Now resteth it onelyonly to be obserued, whether it was the will of God or not to make a difference betwext man and man. Plaine it is that before his face as touching the first birth, there standeth but one lompe, or masse (as saint Paul termeth it) and yet from the same are two sedes appointed to spring, which are the two churches: The elect conteined vnderunder the sede of the woman, and the reprobate or malignant church comprehended vnderunder the name of the serpentes sede.The churche of Christe and the serpente…i sede. To the one is promised victorie, to the other is denounced by the irreuocable sentence of God the▪ broosing of the head, which is destruction and confusion. I think ye will not say, that he was constreined ther to by any force exterior as we speake, seing he is the eternall which changeth not, euer abiding Lord ouer all creatures, who may and doth performe what so euer he will in heauen and in earth. Then of necessitie it must folowe, that this battell is appointed by his will. And that do the wordes plainely beare. For he saieth not I know that there shall be a battell, or I will suffer and permitt [as you vse to interprete such places] a battel to be, but he plainely saieth, I will put and stablish the battel and enemitie, declaring thereby, that as he was the force, strengthe, and the conductor to the sede of the woman so wolde he most assuredly giuegive victorie to the same. Which thing S. Augustine diligently did note, and godly admonished.De bono perseuerāt Affirming, that our condition in Christe Iesus is now better and more sure, then before was the condition of Adam in his own fre will. For that, that he had non other strength, but that which might be and was ouercome. But we hauehave the strength that is inuincible because it is the power of the eternall. This one place I say doeth most euidently proue, that God willingly maketh a difference betwext man and man, appointing to the one sorte victorie,Reply of the aduersary. and lief, to the other subiection and death. But yet ye reply this can not be proued to be the eternall coū sell of God. for it is pronoūced in respect of the faith workes and obedience of the one, and in respect of the infidelitie vicious liuing and inobedience of the other. Your obiection (which here I now intreat that after I be the les troubled) hath two membres, the former will I now touche, abiding better oportunitie for the other. Where ye alledge, that this can not be proued to hauehave bene the eternall counsell of God, becaus it was pronounced in tyme, your reason appereth (and is) more then foolish. For what is he that agaīst he plain scripture of God will affirme this reason. The kingdome of heauen s…albe giuen in the end of the world to the elect of God, therefor it was not prepared to them before the beginning. Doth not (I say) the plaine voice of Christ condemne this vaine reason: Or if I should say: the death of Christ was four thousand yeares after the beginning, therefore the lambe was not killed from the begīning. Were not this most folish▪ and contrarie to the plane scriptures? But is not the contrarie reason most sure▪ most true and strōg? God in tyme hath p…onounced, and his sentence being once pronounced, most cōstātly doth he execute the same: Therefor it was his e…ernall and immurable counsell. As our election was purposed and decreed in gods eternall counsell before the beginning of all tymes, ād yet from aege to aege was the same reueled to his chosen children. Did therefor the Apost…e or rather the bo…ie Gost lie (who doth a…irme, yt we were elected) as before is proued in Christ Iesus before all tyme? Euen so is it in this mater, the sentence by the which the battell came furth first to the knowledge of man was temporall. But the stabilitie and continuance of it plainely proueth, that is was and is the eternall purpose and counsell of God. But yet more depely to dis…ēde in to the mater.Question Was it the eternall purpose and coū sell of God to create the worlde and so to make man to his own image and similitude? I suppose that euerie reasonable man will confesse that so it was. Then do I aske if God was ignorant what shoulde become on all mankynd before that any creation was? so to affirme is to deny his eternall knowledge, wisdom, and God head: he did know ād forsee his end▪ and yet he did creat him, then if it was not his eternall counsell that to his glorie this differēce and diuersitie should be in mākynd which then was but one lompe or masse, why did he not giuegive vntounto hym such strength, as could not be ouercome? It shall nothing releue nor help you, to shift with the Papistes, alledging, that God gaue him free will and aboundāt graces by the which he might hauehave resisted and ganestand all assaultes and tentations if he wold, that we deny not But yet we aske why did not God giuegive vntounto him the will to resiste, or why did he not so bridle sathan, that he might not hauehave tempted him? I trust ye will not with the Manicheis affirme, that there was a power greater then the power of the good God, and that this wicked power did for a tyme ouercom the power and destroy the counsell of the good God who was creator and louer of mankinde. For that were plainely to deny the omnipo…encie of our God. If you say (as after ye write) that God did one…y permitt and suffer his fall, ye hauehave said nothing to the purpose: for still I demande, whe…her he did suffer it willingly or vnwillingly. If ye sa… willing…y, then are ye caugh in the snare which ye wold auoyde. If ye say it was against his purpose ād will, thē fall ye in to t…at horrible blasphemie of the manicheis, denying gods omnipotent power, And if yet ye wold escape, imagining God to loke and beholde the end of the mater, and yet neither willing the one nor the other, then fall ye into the blasphemie of Epicurus who althogh in plaine wordes he durst not deny God yet did he affirme, that he regarded not the workes of men, but did idly occupie the heauens. But how far this repugneth to our faith, who beleue God to be omnipotent, not onelyonly becaus he may do all thinges, but also because that it is he that created light and darknes, good and euill, and finally that worketh all in all thinges according to the purpose of his good pleasure: let such as be but meanly exercised in the scriptures iudge, and so (I say) that mans fall and the difference that came to our knowledge by the same, was no les determined in the eternall counsell of God then was his creation. And that in this sentence is yet most euidently to be espied. For if God had not purposed in him self to establish this battel and so to make a difference perpetuall,Gods purpose was from the beginning to make a difference in mankinde. why did he not holy restore man agane to honour to puretie, and innocencie? Why did he not stay the fountaine of sinne in our first father? why did he suffer his first corruption by propagation to come to his posteritie? was it because he lacked power? or was it not rather as the Apostle doeth teach vsus, that he wrapped all in vnbeleif, that he might hauehave merciemercy vponupon all? tha he might she … merciemercy to whō he wold, and harden also whom he wold? If these thinges do displease you, remember first that they are the voices of the holie Gost, and secondarely call to your mynd the condition of mankynd, to witt that bothe you and we (compared with that soueraigne maiestie) be but wormes here creping on the earth, and therefor can we not clim vp to the …e…uē ▪ and so reason or ple…d wt the almightie. Call to minde I say that question of the Apostle, calling man to the cōsideration of him self in the same ma…er, Saing, O man …hat art thow that thow maest answer in cōtrarie to God? that is, contend or plead with him? This sentence I sa… ought to humble vsus, and make vsus rather to tremble at the remembrance of his iudgementes then rashly, and with proude stomockes to damne that, which we are not able to apprehend. But let vsus yet prosecute this mater further, to the end that we may se if that this hath bene and is the constant will of God, and that plainely declared by his word that this former difference be kept in all aeges.
No other difference was made then this generall,The se…de diff…ē ce. till the dayes of Abraham, and then a more speciall and expreise differēce was made, for that which before was common to the womans sede, was then by the expressed voice of God appoīted to Abrahā ād vntounto his sede: in these wordes: In thy sede shall all the natiōs of the earth be blessed, I will blesse the ād multiplie thee, such as blesse ye, shall I blesse, ād such as curse the shall I curse. In wc wordes is no les the battell, then the benediction established. For as al nations were pronounced to be blessed in his sede (which as the Apostle doeth interprete was Christe) so is it pronounced, that there shalbe some that shall curse, and therefor shall be accursed of God. Yea it is plainely spoken that foure hundreth yeares should his sede ād posteritie be euill intreated in a strange cuntrey, neuertheles the p…ople whom they shall serue shall I iudge (saieth the lord). So hauehave we agane the difference plainely confirmed by the voice of God. But yet God procedeth one degre further, and in Abrahams sede he maketh difference. For in Isaac (saieth he) shall thy sede be called, by the which voice he did seclude bothe Ismael, and the rest of his carnall sonnes from that honour: affirming that from none of them should the benediction come, but onelyonly from Isaak which was the sonne of promes (and not of nature onelyonly). But that difference was most euidently declared in Isaakes two sonnes, being yet in their mothers boson▪ before they had done either good or bad, as the Apostle affirmeth. It was said by the voice of God, the elder shall serue the younger. By which voice of God reueled, did Isaak ād Rebecca plainely vnderstand, what was the cause of the battell which the mother felt in her bosom ād wombe: to witt, that because from her wombe were two peoples and nations to procede, which could not be of equall honour and dignitie.This is the cause why all the prophetes almost do de clare gods wrath against Esan and Edome. For the one had he determined in his eternall counsell to elect for his peculiar people, the other to reiect, and to leaue them in the common corruption as the other nations: as the sequel in processe of tyme did euidently declare. For the Edomites discending of Esau were cut of from the bodie of the church and became manifest enemies to the posteritie of Iacob becaus that their father was subiect to Iacob and pronounced to be his seruant, Such as vnderstand this place of corporall seruice and worldlie riches or dignitie onelyonly, do nothing els but shew their own ignorāce corrupting the meaning of the holie Gost.Psea. 137 For sainct Paul in the 9. chapter to the Romains after that he hath affirmed that the promes and … lection of God were sure (albeit that many of the carnall sede had refused Christe preached,Esaie. 34.) he bringeth in this former sentence,Ier. 49. to remoue all sclāder: Saing,Obad. 1. All are not sonnes, because they are the sede of Abraham, that is those that be ye sōnes of the fleshe, are not therefor the sōnes of God: but those that be the sonnes of promes are accompted for sede. And so to proue that which before he had affirmed, to witt, hat all were not Israelites that came of Israel, he added these wordes. Not onelyonly this, but also whē Rebecca had cōceiued of one, our father Isaak, while the children were not borne, while they had neither done good nor cuill (that the purpose of God shoulde by de according to electiō, not of workes, but of the caller) it was said to her: The elder shall serue the younger. Such as be not more then blind, may easely perceiue, that the Apole looketh to an other end, then to worldlie dignitie. For his purpose was not in that place to dispute and reason who should be riche in this world and who should be poore, who should be lordes temporall, and who shoul… be seruants, but his purpose and m…nd was to declare t… whom did that benediction promised vntounto Abraham appertein, and to whom it did not apperteine. So that the holie Gost speaking by sainct Paule is a commentarie of the wordes spokē to Rebecca. And I doubt not, but so she did vnderstād them.Rom. 9. To witt, that yt promes which appered to hauehave ben common with all the sede of Isaak (of whom it was spoken) In Isaak shall thy sede be called, was now restreined and made proper to one head, and to the people discending of him, that is to Iacob, who after obteined the name of Israel. So that bothe the peoples neither were reputed, neither yet in very dede were the Church ād chosen people of God, but the one was chosen and the other was refused. The one by grace, and of the caller was honored with the name and priuiledge of his churche, The other was cast owt as strangers, vponupon the one remained the benediction, of the which the other was depriued. In this maner, I say did bothe Isaak, Rebecca, yea Iacob, and Esau in proces of tyme vnderstand this oracle of God. But yet becaus this former place of the Apostle is by many euill vnderstand,How S. Paul applieth the wordes of Moises. and by som maliciously wrested from the simple meaning of the holie Gost: in as few and plain wordes as I can, I purpose to declare how aptly and properly the Apostle vseth the testimonie and wordes of Moises. Christ beīg preached to the iewes who were reputed the chosen people of God, to whom,Gene. 25. and for whose comfort and deliuerance the Messiah was especially promised: The most part of the iewes remained vnfaithfull, refused the Sauiour, who was sent, blasphemed him, and cruelly did persecute him and his mēbres. This could not be withoute a greate offēse ād sclāder to many thousandes bothe of the Iewes and gentiles. The Iewes puffed vp with pride because they were the peculiare people, because to them were giuen the law, promesses, ād oracles, did brag and boast, that God could not reiect thē, except …hat he should be found a lier. For to Abraham and to his sede had he made a promes. And the gētiles might be troubled with the like cogitations: for they might think, if God shall refuse his own people which so many yeares, he tenderly had norished, what stabilitie can we loke for, thogh we should receyue this Christ preached. Against bothe these sortes of men most valiāt…y fighteth the Apostle, and most aptly alledgeth the scriptures to the confutatipn of the one and comfort of the other. First against the Iew he reasoneth, that albeit they be Israelites after the flesh, yet it may be, yt they be not the verey israelites of God, neither yet is God endeb…ed vntounto thē, thogh they be discended of Abraham. The reason is, that God made no promes to the hole sede of Abraham, but to a parte of it, to Isaak.Promes inade to Isaak. And if they should say: but we are of Isaak, he granting that, doeth neuertheles proue, that God doeth not choose ye hole sede of Isaak, but in the mothers wōbe (as said is) by his own decre, he made the differēce. And if further they should replie, ô but we are of Iacob, he then commeth to the proof of his first proposition, affirming, that albeit they were of Iacob, yet did it not thereof folow that they were all the elect people of God. for what prerogatiue (wold he say) can Iacob, hauehave aboue his father Isaak, or what can Isaak hauehave aboue Abraham? Abraham who many yeres faithfully obeyed God, could not obtein that all his posteritie (no not Ismael for whom he prayed) should be reconed to be his sede: Neither could Isaak obtein the same: but God appointed and did chose whom it pleased him. And shall Iacob hauehave greater prerogatiue thē had they bothe? shall he that of grace was preferred to his brother, when neither the one had done good, neither the other had done euill, giuegive that priuiledge to all his posteritie, that without exception they shalbe the chosen people of God? No (will the Apostle conclude) but God no… after the reuelation of his dear Sonne Christ Iesus doeth make the same difference in the posteritie of …acob, that somtymes he made in the sede of Abraham ād Isaak. That is: he chooseth whom it pleaseth him, ād reiecteth also such as in whom he hath no pleasure, ād that not onelyonly amongest the Iewes,Vessels of merciemercy prepared vntounto glorie. but also amongest the gentiles and that to make the riches of his glorie knowē towardes ye vessels of merciemercy which he had prepared vntounto glorie: whō he hath called, euen vsus not onelyonly of the Iewes but also of the gentiles (as the Prophet Osee saieth) ād so to the ēd of ye chapter he establisheth the faith of the gentiles, and cōforteth them affirming, that their vocation and election was fore spoken by Moises and the Prophetes, and therefore that it was not a thing that came by chāce, but was appoīted in the eternall coūsel of God, and therefor in his cōclusion, he assureth them, that such as beleue in Christ Iesus, shall neuer be confounded. This simply, but truelie (I doute not) hauehave I explaned the mynde of the Apostie in the former place, which is:Gods election dependeth not vponupon man. That gods election dependeth not vponupon man vponupon his will, purpose, pleasure, or …gnitie, but as it is fre proceding from grace, so is it stable in god… immutable counsel, and is reueled to gods elect, at such tyme as he knoweth most expedient. But because that of this we must after speak more, now we recurne to our former purpose. From the beginning we heare, that God maketh a differēce: first by that generall diuision, seperating and setting aparte the sede of the woman from the serpents sede. After calling Abraham (neglecting as it were, the rest of the whole world) in Abrahames sede he maketh plaine difference, secluding Ismael, that he should not be heir with Isaak: But most especially in the wombe of Rebecca, making the difference betwext the two children and their posteri…ie. Which difference did continue euen to the dayes of Christe Iesus, in such …irmitie, and stablenes, that neither could the sinnes of the Pa…riarches, the subtill cruel…ie of Pharao, the inobediēce and grudgeing of the people, their apostasie and defection from God by manifest idolatrie, nor finally their long bondage and captiuitie, alter or change this immutable counsell of God: that the elder should serue the yonger, that the Messiah should cō of the tribe of Iuda, & that of the loynes of Dauid should spring furth one to fit vponupon his seat for euer. And this difference which God by his own voice did stablish before the cōming of his dear Sōne Christ Iesus did the same Christ Iesus oure master (appering in flesh) ratifie and confirme. For he plainely affirmeth, that he was not sent but to the lost snepe of Israel and that it was not good to take the bread of the children and giuegive it to dogges. By which two sentences he maketh an expresse difference bet…ext the shepe and …he goates, and betwext the children and the dogges. He feareth not to say to the faces of those that boasted them selues to be the sonnes of Abraham, ye are not of God for, if ye were of God,Iohn. 8. ye should louelove me, but ye are of your father the deuill ād his desires ye will obey. As this sentēce is fearfull, so may it appere verey bold. For they might hauehave obcted as they did: are we not his creatures, created to his own image, are we not the sede of Abraham? Do we not beare the figure of circoncision? are we not collected in Hierusalem, and do we not frequēt the temple? yes verely, but none of all these thinges made them to be of God, in such sorte as Christ denied them to be of him. For all these thinges may the reprobat hauehave commō with the electe. But Christ denied them to be of God, that is, to be the sonnes and wessels of his merciemercy elected in his eternall counsel, borne of him by the spirit of regeneration, by the which their stubborn blindnes being remoued, ād they made obedient, durst be bolde to call him Father. In this sense Christ denieth them to be of God. If any think that their wickednes and willfull refusall of grace offered was the cause that they were not of God, as I neither excuse their manifest rebellion, neither yet deny it to be a most iust cause of their condemnation, so vtterly deny I that their perse… sinnes were the onelyonly or the chefe caus of their reprobation. For Christ him self feareth not to assigne an other cause: Saing, Therefor ye do not heare, because ye are not of God.Why the Iewes beleued not in Christe. If they had heard, that is, receaued ād beleued Christ Iesus ād his doctrine, their sinnes had ben purged and their blindnes remoued. But him could they not receaue. And why because they are not of God. But to the obiectiō, that the fore knowledge of good workes, or of rebellion to come, should be the cause why God doth electe, or reiecte, we shal… (God willing) af…er ans…ere. Now onelyonly I mynde to folow that which I hauehave purposed, which is that Christ Iesus him self maketh a plaine and manifest difference betwext one sorte of men and an other. How often doth he affirme that, his shepe do heare his voice, that he knoweth …hem, and that they know him, yt it hath pleased the Father to giuegive the kingdome to the litle flock. That many are called ād few chosen. That som there be whom Christ Iesus neuer knew, no not enen when they wroght greatest miracles. In all these and many places mo it is euidēt,Christe maketh a diff…rē rence of one sort from an other. that Christ maketh difference betwext one and an other. but one place most notable all others I will shortly touche, and put end to this mater. Christ Iesus in that his most solemne and most cō fortable praier (after other things) sa…eth, I hauehave manifested they name to the men whom thow hast geuen to me of the world. They were thyne, and thou hast giuē them vntounto me, and they hauehave kept thy worde. And shortly after: I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them whom tho… hast giuen vntounto me: Because they are thyne.Iohn. 17. If in the hole scriptures there were no mo places to proue that in the Eternall counsel of God there is a difference of one sorte of mē from an other, this onelyonly one were sufficient. For first he maketh mention of men giuen vntounto him by the Father, who were (as he before affirmed) chosen owt of the world, and why were they giuē vntounto Christe? he answereth, because they were the fathers. And how they apperteined to God more then others, is before said. He further declareth what he had done vuto them,What Christ did for his. what they also had done. And what he did and wold do to the end for them, he had opened vntounto them the name (that is the merciemercy goodnes, constant trueth and perfect iustice) of his heauenlie father, which doctrine they had receaued and kept, as they that were the grounde appointed to bring furrh frui… in aboundance. He did pray for thē, that they should be sanctified and confirmed in the veritie. The vertue of wc praier is perpetuall and at al tymes obteineth merciemercy in the presence of his fathers throne for his electe. And lest that any doubte shoulde remaine as that these graces were common to all the worlde, in plain and expresse wordes he affirmeth,Christe praied not for the world that he prayed not for the world but for those [saieth he] whom thow hast geuen vntounto me. If any deny a plane difference here to be made betwext one sorte of mē and an other, I will pray to God to open his Eies, that he (if gods good pleasure be) may se the light that so brightly shyneth. Other places for this present I omitte: For of these precedents I suppose it be euident, that in the eternall counsel of God there was a difference of mankynd euen before the creation, which by his own voice is most plainely declared to vsus in tyme. Now to that obiection which Pighius that pestilent and peruers Papist (and you all after him) doth make. To witt, that God did predestinate according to the workes, and faith which he foresawe to be in man.An answere to the papistical and pestilent obiection of Pighius ād others his like. I might obiecte to the contrary that if Predestination procedeth from gods purpose and will (as the Apo…le affirmeth it doth) that thē the purpose and will of God being eternall, can not be moued by our workes, or faith which be temporall. And that if the purpose of God be stable and sure, that then can not our workes being vnsure, be the cause thereof. But to auoid prolixitie and tediousnes, I will by plaine scriptures proue, that of fre grace did God electe, that of mere merciemercy doeth he call and of his onelie goodnes without all respect had to our dignitie (as to be any cause first mouing him) doeth he perfourme the worke of our saluatiō. And for the proofe of the same, let vsus take Abraham and his posteritie for example. Plaine it is, that he and his sede were preferred to all the nations of the earth, the benediction was established to spring frome them, the promes of the land of Canaan was made vntounto them, and so were they extolled to the honour ād dignitie of gods peculiar people. But let vsus consider what either faith or obedience God found in them which might hauehave moued him thus to preferre them to other na…ions. Let vsus heare Moises. The Lord they God (saieth he) hath chosen the,Deut. 7. that thow shoul dest be a peculiare people to him aboue all the peoples which are vponupon the face of the earth: God hath not so vehemently loued you and chosen you because you are mo in nombre then other nations (seing ye are fewar then all other people) but because he hath loued you, and wold kepe the othe which he made to your fathers. And after it foloweth: Say not in thy heart, my power, my strēgth, ād my hand hauehave prepared this aboundance to me, and think not in thy heart,Deut. 9. it is for my iustice, that the Lord hath broght me into this land. Of these places it is plaine, that Moises leaueth no cause neither of gods election, neither yet of perfourmance of his promes in mā, but establisheth it altogether vponupon gods fre louelove and good pleasure. The same did Iosua in that his last and most vehement exhortation to his people a litle before his death,Iosue. 24. in which plainely he affirmeth, that Abraham and his father were idolaters before they were called by God, wc place Ezechiel the Prophete most euidently declareth rebuking the vnthākfull defection of the Iewes from God, who of mercy had giuē thē life, honour, and dignitie, they of all others being the most vnworthy. For the saieth: Thus saieth the Lord God to Ierusalē:Ezec. 16 Thy habitatiō ād they kīred is of Canaā thy father was an amorrhean, and thy mother an Hittite. and in thy natiuitie whē thow wast born thy nauill was not cutt, thow was no… washed wi…h water, to soften the, thow was not salted with salt, neither yet was thow swadled in clowtes. By the which the Prophete signifieth that all was imperfect, all was filthie all was corrupt and stinking as touching their nature. he procedeth: none …ie pitied the to do, any of these vntounto the, for to hauehave compassiō vponupon the: but thou wast cast oute in the open field to the contempt of thy person in the day that thow wast borne. And when I passed by the I saw the polluted in thine own blood, ād I said vntounto ye whē thou wast in thy blood (yt is in thy filthie sinnes yu shalt liue. And this he repeteth, to the ēd, yt he may beat it more deply in their myndes. I saieth the Lord) said vntounto the beīg in thy bloode thou shalt liue, and so he procedeth, declaring, how that God did multiply them, did giuegive vntounto them beautie strēgth honour and dignitie. These thre places do plainely witnes what perfection God did find in this people whom thus he did preferre to all others. And what obedience did they render vntounto him after the vocation of Abraham, the hole Histories do witnes. for perfection and obedience was not found in Abraham him self, yea neither in Moises nor in Aaron, but contrarie wise, the inobedience of all we find noted, to the same end yt Moises hath before spokē, to witt, that none shall boast that either iustice proceding or folowing was the cause why God did choose and elect that people. For how shall God choose for that, which the holie Gost plainely denieth to be in any man discending of the corrupt sede of Adam. For Isaiah plainely doeth affirme, that all our iustice, is as a clothe most polluted and spotted: If our iustice be polluted as the Prophete, affirmeth it to be, and God did predestinate vsus for our iustice, what foloweth,God did not for our workes predestinate vsus. but that God did predestinate vsus for that, which was filthy and imperfecte: But God forbid yt such cogitations shoulde take place in our heartes. God did choose vsus in his eternall purpose for his owne glorie, to be manifested in vsus, ād that he did in Christ Iesus in whō onelyonly is oure full perfection (as before we hauehave said). But let vsus yet heare som testimonies of the new testament. sainct Paul to his disciple Timothie saieth.2. Ti. 1. Be not ashamed of the testimonie of our Lord, neither be thow ashamed of me who am his prisoner but be thow partaker of the afflictions of the Euāgile, according to the power of God, who hath made vsus safe and hath called vsus with an holie vocation, not according to our workes but according to his purpose and fre grace, which was giuen to vsus by Christe Iesus, before all tymes, but now is made patent by the appering of our Sauiour Iesus Christe. Here plaine it is, that neither are we called, neither yet saued by workes, much les can we be predestinate for them, or in respect of them. Trew it is, that God hath prepared good workes tha… we should walk in them: but like trew it is, that first must the tree be good, before it bring furth good fruite: and good can neuer the tree be, except that the hand of the gardiner hauehave planted it. To vse herein the plaine wordes of saint Paule, he witnesseth that we are elected in Christ, to the end that we should be holie ād without blemishe. Now seing that good workes spring furth of election how can any man be so foolish as to affirme, that they are the cause of the same. Can the streame of water flowing from the fountaine, be the cause of the originall spring?Question. I think no man will so holde nor affirme: euen so it is in this mater: for faith, and a godlie life that ensueth our vocation, are the fruites proceding from oure election but are not to the causes of the same. And therefor the Apostle, to beat downe all pryde, asketh what hast thow … mā which thow hast not receaued?1. Cor. 4. And if thou hast receiued it, why gloriest thow, as thogh thow hadst not receaued it? The Apostle in that place speaketh not of one or two graces, but what so euer is necessarie to saluation, that he affirmeth to be receaued, and that of fre grace, as he yet more plainely doeth witnes sayeng. Of grace are ye saued, by faith, and that, not of your selues, it is ye gift of God, ād not of works, lest any should glorie. Now if man hath nothing but that which he receaueth of grace, of fre gift, of fauour, and merciemercy, what odious pryde, and horrible vnthankfulnes is this, that man shall imagine, that for his faith and for his workes God did electe and predestinate him to that dignitie? euen as if two or thre beggers chosen from the nomber of many were of the liberall merciemercy of a Prince promoted to honour, should after brag and boast, that their good seruice was the cause that the Prīce did choose them, Shuld not euerie wise man mocke their vanitie, yea might not the Prince iustly depriue them for their arrogant vnthankfulnes? Might not the Prince hauehave left them in their wretched estate? And what then shoulde hauehave become of their seruice? Is it not euē so with mā lost in Adam? (whose fall in gods prescience and purpose was before his creation) of which masse or lompe God of his owne fre grace did choose ād predestinate vessels of his merciemercy prepared vntounto glorie, that they should be holie (as before is said) shall these thē that finde merciemercy to worke good wordes, boast, as thogh workes were the cause thereof? God forbyd. For if the posteritie of Abraham did not obteine the inheritā ce of the land of Canaan for any iustice that was in them? yea if God did not choose them neither to the temporall nor eternal felicitie, but of louelove and fre grace onelyonly, as Moises doth witnes, how shall we thinke, that the Eternall inheritāce, or gods election to the ioy and life euerlasting, dependeth vponupon any qualite within vsus. Wonder it is, that the Apostle sainct Paul intreating this mater of gods fre election, was ignorant of this cause, if it be sufficient. For by that meanes in few wordes he might hauehave put silence to many dogges which then(as men do now) barked against this doctrine. For if he had said: God hath chosen afore all tymes to the participatiō of life a certein nomber, because he foresaw that they should be faithfull obedient to his commandemēts and holie in cōuersation: and vponupon the other parte he hath reiected and reprobate others, because he foresaw that they should be vnfaithfull, disobediēt, and vnclean of life, this I say (if those causes had been sufficient) had ben a sensible maner of doctrine: But the Apostle alledgeth no such reason but first beateth doune the pryde of man (as before we hauehave touched) and there after brusteth furth in this exclamation. O the hieght of the riches of the wisdō and knowledge of God, how incōprehensible are his iudgements, and how vnsear cheable are his wayes? This exclamatiō (I say) had bene vaine, if either workes or faith foresene had bene the cause of gods electiō. S. Augustin doeth mock the sharpe sight of mē, that in his daies begā to se more depely then did ye holie Gost, speaking in ye Apostle. And we fear not to affirme, that the men wc this day do attribute electiō or predestination to any vertue, or qualitie within man, do holde & defend (to their greate dāger) that which none inducd with the Spirite of God hath left to vsus written within the holie scriptures, either yet that any of the chosē shal cōfes in their greatest gloric. Let the hole Scriptures be red and diligently marcked, and no sentence (rightly vnderstand) shalbe founde, that affirmeth God to hauehave chosen vsus in respect of our workes, or because he fore sawe, that we should be faithfull, holie and just. But to the contrarie many places shall we finde (yea euē so many as intreat of that mater) that plainely affirme, that we that we are frely chosen accordīg to the purpose of his good will, ād that in Christ Iesus. And what shall be the confession of the hole bodie assembled when they shall receaue the promissed glorie, is expressed in these wordes of the 24 elders,Apoca. 4. & 5. who casting their crownes before him that sitteth vponupon the throne, do say. Worthy art thow (o Lord ād our God) to take honour and glorie and power. For thow hast created all things, and by thy will they are and were created. And after they fall before the lambe ād sing a new song saying: Worthie art thow to take the book, and to open the seales thereof: for thow wast killed, and hast redemed vsus to God by thy bloode, and hast made vsus to our God kings ād priestes ād we shall reigne vponupon the earth. No mention is here made of any worthines of man: the creation is geuē to God, and that all thinges are in that perfecte state which thē the chosen shall possesse, is attributed to his will. The death of the lambe is assigned to be the cause of the redemption, yea of that great dignitie to which they are promoted. I am fully persuaded, that if any cause of gods electiō, and of the fruite proceding of the same, were or could be in mā, that the holie Gost, who is authour of all iustice, wold not hauehave defrauded man of any thing which of right did appertein vntounto him. But seing that in no place the holie Gost doeth attribute any parte of mannes saluation to his owne merites or worthines, I fear not to affirme, that this pestilēt opinion is the instigation of sathan, laboring by all meanes to obscure the glorie of Christ Iesus and to retein man in bōdage, whom he infected with that first venom which he made hī to drink, Saing, ye shalbe as gods. Thus far with such plain simplicite (as it pleased God to minister vntounto me for the tyme) hauehave proued,A brief rehearsal what is before sufficiently proued. yt gods electiō is Eternal, yt it is stable, yt he hath made a difference, betwext one sort of mē, and an other, wc differēce althogh it came to know ledge of mā in time, yet was it in gods purpose ād counsel before all tyme no les thē his creatiō was. And last yt gods electiō depēdeth neither vpō or workes nor vpō our faith, but procedeth frō his Eternal wisdō, merciemercy, ād goodnes: ād therefor is it īmutable ād cōstāt. Now shortly will I go throughe (if God permi me) ye reasons of yor booke, Nothing vpō ye one parte, ye imperfectiōs of ye same, ād vpō ye other, yor ignorāce, orels malice in corruptīg ye scriptures.