An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 23
THE ADVERSARIE.
Here with great vehemencie ye alledge these wordes of Paule,The 23▪ section. who hath ben able to resist his wil, of which saying, ye inferre that God without any cause knowen to vsus hath reprobated, and damned many, against which wil, no man can resist. These wordes did Paule write because he did foresee, that of his former sainges som deuelish disposed persons wold take occasion to burden God with vnrighteousnes, as ye do, making him the author of euill: for ye say that God hath a secrete will whereby he willeth the most parte of the world to be condemned, which will, because it can not be resisted, therefor of mere necessitie by the immutable decre of God, so many do perish. further ye this affirming God to be the cause of damnation onelyonly, because it so hath pleased him, ye cause many other to burst owt and say: Sithe his will and pleasure no man is able to resist: let him lay it on him self. and not to vsus, if any sinne be committed, and surely for my parte were it not I abhorre your horrible doctrine, wherwith ye cruelly affirme gods ordināce to be the cause of damnation. I wold not medle further in this mater, but with reuerēce behold the workes of God. forasmuch as I se thankes be to God no work of God, wherī his merciemercy doeth not clerely shyne. But if your saying were true then were his workes full of crueltie, miserie, damnation and destruction, Now as touching this saying, who is able to resist his will, we must learne what is gods will, If you ask the Lord he will answer you, it is not my will that any man sinne, neither is it my will that the sinner die, but rather that he amend and liue, but if he will not amend but continew in sinne, him wil I punishe, and him may I also punishe hauing power aboue all men, as the potter ouer the clay. Wherefor when any man suffereth iustly for his trespasse, he oght not to accuse God and say who can resist his will▪ as God wold absolutely the destruction of his creatures, as ye teach. God will all men to repent and amend, and also that the… who will not repent and amend, be punished. this his will is iust and full of merciemercy. against which will is no man able to resist. for either must they repent and amend orels they must suffer. As the potter wold gladly make of his clay a good vessell, but if it will not frame he breaketh it and casteth it away, and as the king wold all his subiects to be obedient vntounto his lawes: yet the vnworthiest slaue in his dominion hath power to break the kinges lawes. Notwithstanding whē he suffereth for his offence the kinges will is fulfilled, euē so thogh God both wille hand cōman deth vsus to obserue his law, yet hauehave we power to offend against the former parte of his will, otherwies we should all obserue …he will of God, and be saued, and so should there be no reprobate. But when for our disobedience, we be punished, the will of God is fulfilled, which will is both good and iust, and therefor oght no man to accuse it ād say who is able to resist his wil. No more thē clay, when it framed not to be a good vessell, doeth accuse the potter of breaking it.
ANSWER.
Ye be not able to proue, that in any vehemencie we alledge those wordes of the Apostle in other sentence, thē he wrote thē, for all praise ād glorie be vntounto God the mercifull giuer, we hauehave not so litle profited in the schoole of Christ Iesus, that we wold wrest the wordes of the holie Gost to a cōtrarie sense. We are not ignorant that the Apostle pronoūceth these wordes in the person of carnall mē, who hearing that God hath merciemercy vponupon those that he wil, and that also he maketh hard hearted such as he will, do storm and furiously crye, wherefor thē doeth he cōplein, who is able to resist his wil. These wordes I say do we not vrge to proue our doctrine. for where we affirme, that the onelyonly will of God, is the perfect reule of all thīges, which be done, ād are to be done in heauē and in earth, we build our doctrine vponupon euidēt testimonies of the scriptures, ād vponupon the cheif principalles of our religiō and faith. Dauid and Isaiah do both aggre, that our God who dwelleth in heauen doeth what so euer he will in heauē and in earthe, that he formeth light and doeth creat darknes, that is, giueth aswel prosperitie as aduersitie. Daniel affirmeth that the supreme God distributeth kingdomes as best semeth to his wisdom, and Salomon doeth witnes that against the Lord there is no counsell can preuale. The necessarie principalles of or faith do teach vsus, that as in God there falleth no ignorance, so in him there is no impotencie. He doeth not as it were in suspēse ād doubt, behold the euēt ād chāce of thīges, ronning after to seke remedie: but that in wisdom hath he disposed all thīges: willing nothing which he may not, and doeth not bring to passe in time, according to his eternall purpose: and working, nothing which is not most iust, howbeit the causes thereof be hidde frome vsus. Of these and many mo scriptures and necessarie principalles of our faith do we grounde our doctrine, and not vponupon that one place, spoken in the rebuke of the stubborn and rebellious disputers with God. ye burden vsus that we accuse and make God to be the author of euill, ād the cause of damnation. That we cause many brest owt and say, since his will and pleasure no man is able to resist, let him lay it on him self ād not to vsus, if any sinne be committed. And last ye affirme that if our sainges be true, that then are gods works full of crueltie, miserie, damnatiō, and destructiō, and so of two thinges, ye accuse vsus, and the thirde ye affirme ineuitably to folow of our doctrine if it be true.
Here after I will not greatlie labour to confute thy argumētes which is a thing most easie euen to any godlie man,Answer. how beit he had neuer sene arte nor studied the same. But seing that thow and thy most pestilēt sect, be not content maliciously to sclander those that in such a case be most innocēt, but that also with most impudent mowthes ye vomite furth your horrible blasphemies against gods maiestie, I will most earnestlie and most vnfeanedlie require of all reulers, Princes, Magistrates, and gouernors who in the fear of God do ruele, aboue their subiects, that as they will answer in the presence of the Lord Iesus, for the administration of iustice committed to their charge, that indifferently they iudge betwext you and vsus. To witt that if we can euidently be cōuicted, of those crymes which ye most maliciously, and most vniustly lay to our charge, that then iudgement without merciemercy be executed against vsus. But and if ye fail in your probation, and also if ye can not proue crueltie to be in gods workes, supposing that our doctrin remaine (as that it is) trew ād stable, that then such order may be takē, for repressing of your vennemous tongues, that neither ye be permitted thus openly to blaspheme gods Maiestie, neither thus maliciously to sclander innocentes, and to offend ye eares of all godlie hearers. And to the end that mē shall not think, that being at this time accused, we beginne to deuise new defenses or excuses of our selues, I will faithfully and simply bring furth of the workes (as som what I hauehave done before) of that singulare instrument of Christ Iesus in the glone of his Gospell, Iohn Caluin such sentences as shall make plaine to all men, what our opinion is of God, of the fall of man, of the wōderous work of our redemption, and of the most iust reiection and damnation of the reprobat.
Thus saieth he, dependeth the perdition of the reprobate,Libr. de aeterna Dei praede stinatione vpō the predestination of God, that the cause and the mater is altogither found in them, the first man fell, because the eternall iudged it expedient, why he iudged it, we know not, yet certē it is that he so iudged it not, but that he saw the glory of his name thereby, to be illustrate. when that thow doest heare the mention of gods glorie, there also remembre thow iustice to be: for of necessitie it is, that iust must yt be, which deserueth praise. Mā therefor falleth (gods prouidence so ordeining) but yet he falleth by his own fault. for God of short time before had pronoūced that all, which he had made were verey good. frome, whēce thē came such wickednes to mā, yt he so traterously declyned frō his God? Lest that it might hauehave bene, through that, that it proceded frome the creation, God approued by his own commendation, wha… so euer he had made. Therefor did man corrupt by his own malice, that pure and clean nature, which from God he had receaued. ād by his fall he drew his hole posteritie to perditiō. Therefor let vsus rather behold the euident cause of damnatiō in the corrupt nature of mankind: then that we shall pretend to searche it being his and vtterly incomprehēsible in the predestination of God. neither yet let vsus be ashamed, so far to subiect the capacitie of our vnderstanding to the incomprehensible wisdom of God, that in manie of his mysteries we acknowledge and confesse our selues to be ignorant. for learned and blessed is the ignorante of those thinges, which to vnderstād and know is neither lawfull neither yet possible in this life. The apperance of knowledge in such thīges, is a kynd of madnes. These be the wordes of this most godlie writer. frome whose iudgement none of vsus doeth dissent in this mater. For frō him we must confesse, except that we wold in concealing the trueth declare our selues to be vnthankfull, that we all hauehave receaued comfort, light and erudition, as from gods good instrument. who yet thus further procedeth There be thre thinges (saeth he) in this mater to be considered, first that the eternall predestination of God by the which he had decreed what should becom of all mākynd, (yea and of euerie man) euen befor that Adam fell, was sure and appointed: Secondly, that Adame for his defection was iustly adiudged to death, and last that in the personne of him that then was lost, was damned his hole posteritie. ād yet neuertheles God did frely choose of the same such as vponupon whom it pleased him to bestow the …onor of adoption, and yet after in the same place he saieth when we speak of predestination, I hauehave constantly taught and this day do teach, that frome thence we oght to begin, that iustly are all reprobat left in death, who were dead and damned in Adame, that iustly they perishe who by nature are the sonnes of wrath. And therefor that none hath cause to complein of gods rigorous seueritie, seing that all do bear the cause of damnation within them selues. for if we shall com to the first man we shall find that willingly he fell, and so by his one faule, he broght perdition to all his posteritie. And albeit that Adam fell not, but that God both knew and ordeined thesame, yet serueth that nothing, nether to extenuat and excuse his crime, nether yet to wrap God in societie of the same: for alwaes must we looke to this, that he spoiled him self of the righteousnes which he receaued from God, that willingly he made him selfe seruant to sinne and to sathan, that without compulsion he cast him self headlong in to destruction and death. yet resteth one excuse, to witt that he could not auoid nor flie that which was decreed by God: but his voluntarie transgression is sufficient to his condemnation, nether yet is the secrete counselle of God the proper and naturall cause of sinne, but the fre and plaine will of man. And there for seing that man findeth in him self the cause of his miserie, what shall it profitt him to seke it in the heauen. And after albeit that men by long compassing about, purpose to delude them selues, yet can they neuer make them selues so brutishe and dull but they shall fele the sense of sinne grauen in their heartes. Therefor in vaine is it, that vngodlines goeth about to absolue man, whom his own conscience damneth. In so far as God willing and knowing permitted man to fall, the▪ cause may be secrete and hid, but vniust it can not be. And yet he further writeth, this saieth he is to be holden without all controuersie, that sinne was euer hatefull to God, for most rightely doth this commendation, wherewith of Dauid he is commended aggre to him: that he is a God that wold not iniquitie, but rather in ordeining the fall of mā, his ēd and purpose was good and most right,The purpose of god in mannes fall. frome the which the name of sinne abhorreth. howbeit I say that so he hath ordeined the fall of man that I vtterly denie him to be the author of sinne. Let the indifferent reader iudge with equitie: if iustly we be accused of that blasphemie, which so openlie we abhorre. but yet in the same book he bringeh furth a testimonie of Augustine who thus writeth, These be the great workes of God (saieth Augustine) broght to passe in all his willes,Enchi. ad Lauren. cap. 1 and so wisely broght to passe that whill the nature of Angell and man had sinned, that is, had done not that which he that is God wold, but that which the self (meaning the creature) wold: yet not the les by the same will of the creature, by the which that was done, which the creator wold not, did he fulfill that which he wold, he being infinitely good, vsing well those thīges that were euil, to the damnation of them, whom he iustly had appointed to paine, and to the saluation of those whom mercifully he had predestinate to grace. In so far as to them perteined they did the thing which God wo…d not: but as apperteining to gods omnipotencie they might by no meanes hauehave done that, for euen in that, that they did against the will of God, the will of God was done in them, and therefor great are the workes of the Lord (broght to passe in all his willes) that by a wōderous and vnspeakable maner, that thing should not be done without his will, that yet is don agaīst his will. fo… it should not be done if he did not suffer it. And of a trueth he suffered it not vnwilingly, but willingly. And a litil before saint Augustin saieth, it is not to be doubted, but that God doeth well, permitting those thinges to be done which are euil. for he suffered not this, but in his iust iudgement. Albeit therefor that these thinges which be euill in so far as they ar euill, are not good, yet neuertheles it is good, that not onelyonly good thinges, but also that euill thinges be. for if that this were not good that euil thinges should be, by no meanes should they be permited to be by the omnipotēt good, to whom no doubt, it is a like easie not to suffer the thing which he will not to be, as to do that thing which he will: except we beleue this, the beginning of our faith is indangered, by the which we professe our selues to beleue in God the father almighti… &c.
And in the end to answer to these calumnies which ye hauehave taken furth of Pighius that papist, Iohn Caluin concludeth, if euer I had said that it came to passe by the instruction or motion of the spirit of God, that the first man did alienat him self frome God, and not that rather I hauehave in al places defended, that man was pricked thereto by instigation of the deuill and by the motion of his own heart, thē meritably might Pighius and his cōplices hauehave railed agaīst me. But seing that I remouing frō God the verey cause of the actiō, do also remoue from him all crime, so that man onelyonly is subiect aswell to the crime as to the punishment: wickedly and maliciously is this laid to my charge that I should say that mannes defection and fall is one of gods workes. But yet lest yt one thing should appere to lacke of our full doctrine, I will recite his wordes, which he writeth against the libertines in the 14 chapter of that worke, we do not deny (saieth he) but that all thinges are done by the will of God. In so much that whē we declare wherefor he is called omnipotent, we geue to him an effectuall power in all his creatures, and we teach that as once he created the vniuersall world, so also that he gouerneth the same. And that his hād is alwaies at the work, that he might kepe all thinges in their estate, and dispose them after his will. And to the end that I may expre…e the same more easely, I say, that God is to be considered thre maner of waies to work in the administration or his creature.Thre maner wayes doeth God work in his creatures. first there is an vniuersall operation by the which he directeth all creatures according to the conditiō and proprietie which he gaue to euerie one, when he formed them and this gouernemēt is nothing els but that which we call the order of nature. for albeit the vnfaithfull know nothing in the disposition of the world, but that which they se with their eies. And therefor they make nature as she were a goddesse to hauehave impire and dominion ouer all: yet is this praise to be giuen to the will of God… that it onelyonly doeth moderat ād gouern all thinges. Wherefor when we se the son, the moon, and the sterres fulfill their course, Let vsus vnderstand that they obey God, that they execu…e his commandement, yea and that they are guided by the hand of God. And also when we se the course of earthlie thīges, all thinges are to be ascribed to God. The creatures are to be estemed but as instruments in his hād which he applieth to the work, euen as pleaseth him. The scripture doeth often make mention of this vniuersall prouidence, that we may learn in all his workes to giuegive glorie vntounto God. But chiefly in vsus doeth God commēd this his power, that we shall know it in our selues, to the end that we may be purged of arrogancie, which sodanly vseth to arise in vsus, how son we forgett our selues to be in his hādes. Hereunto apperteineth that, which Paul said to those of Athenes: It is he in whom we liue, are moued, and hauehave our being. By the which he wold admonish vsus, that except God vp hold vsus by his hand that vnable it is for vsus to stand the least moment of time. for euen as the soule dispersing her strēgthe throughe the hole bodie, moueth the mēbres, so are we qwickened of God, form whome onelyonly we obtein what so euer strength or power we hauehave. But this vniuersall operation of God impedeth not, but that eueryevery …reature in heauen and in earth retein their own nature and qualitie, and also do folow their own inclination. The second maner by the which God worketh in his creatures is that he appointeth them in obedience of his goodnes, iustice, and iudgement, somtymes to help his seruantes somtymes to punishe the wicked, and somtimes to examin the pacience of his seruantes, or to correct and chasten them with a fatherly affect…on: as when he will giuegive vsus aboundance of frutes he giueth rain in his time, he sendeth heat by the son, and bright and clear daies, as also he vseth all other naturall meanes as instruments of his liberalitie. But when he pulleth back his hand, the heauen is made like brasse, the ea…th is yron, and so it is he that sendeth thonder, frost, hale: and also it is he that is the cause of sterilitie and barennes. Therefor what so euer the Ethnicks and ignorant did attribute to fortune, we assigne to the prouidēce of God. Not onelyonly to that vniuersall operation, of the which we hauehave before spoken: but to his especiall ordinance by the which he gouerneth all, as he knoweth it to be most expediēt and profitable: and this he teacheth when by his Ptophetes he saieth that he created darknes ād light, that he sendeth death and lief, that neither good nor euill can chāce but frō his hād. In so much that he saieth that he doeth gouern ād direct the lottes: Yea if that any mā by chāce and not of set purpose be slain, he auoweth him self to be the cause of his death, and that so he had appointed that we shall iudge nothing to com of fortune, but that all cometh by the determination of his counsell. And further it displeaseth him whē we esteme any thing to procede from any other. so that we do not behold him, and know him not onelyonly the principall cause of all thinges, but also as the author appointing all thinges to the one part or the other by his counsell.
Thus let vsus then conclude that prosperitie and aduersitie, rayn, wyndes, hale, frost, fare wether, aboundance, hunger, warre, or peace, to be the workes of God, and that the creatures which be the inferior causes, are onelie instrume…tes which he hath in redines to execute his will, which he so vseth at his pleasure, that he leadeth and moueth them to bring to passe what so euer he hath appointed. Moreouer it is to be noted that not onlie he thus vseth his insensible creatures, that by them he worketh his will, but also men them selues, yea and also deuilles, insomuch that sathan and wicked men are executers of gods will: as he vsed the Egyp…ians, to punishe his people, and a litle after, he raised vp the Assyrians and other such to reuenge the sinnes of his people we se that he vsed the deuil in tormenting Saul, and in deceauing Achab. which thinges when the libertines doheare, rashely and without iudgement beholding no further they conclude, That now the creatures do no more work, and so horribly do they confound all things nether do they onelie mingle and mixt the heauens with the earth, but also they ioyn God with the deuil. ād that chanceth vntounto them becaus they do not obserue two most necessarie exceptions. The former is that Sathan and the wicked are not so the instrumentes of God, but that they also do theire own partes. Nether must we imagin that God so worketh by wicked men, as by a stock or a stone, but as by a creature participant of reason, &c. When we say thē that God worketh by creatures, this impedeth not but that the wicked work also vpō theire part. which thing the scripture most euidently declareth, for as it pronounceth that God will whissill, ād blow as it were the trūpet to call ād bring furth to battell the vnfaithfull, so ceaseth it not to make mētiō of theire own coūsell, ād ascribeth to thē both a will ād a work, which they did execute vnderunder the decre of God. The other exception of the which these vnhappie libertines take no head, is, that there is a greate differēce betwext thework of God, ād thework of the wicked whē that God vseth him in stede of ā instrumēt. The wicked mā is prouoked to iniquitie ether by auarice, ābitiō, enuie, or crueltie nether yet looketh he to any other end or purpose, and therefor the worke taketh the qualitie from the roote, from the which it springeth, that is frome the wicked affectiō of the mynd, and the mischeuous end which he looketh vntounto: and therefor iustly is it iudged euill. but God altogither hath a contrarie respect: to witt, that he may exercise his iustice, to the conseruation of the good to vse his fauor and gentilnes towardes the faithfull, and that he may punish such as hauehave deserued. Consider how we must make difference betwext God and man, that vponupon the one parte we shall behold his iustice, his goodnes, and his iudgements: and vponupon the other part we shall consider in the self same work the malice and enuie of the deuill and of the wicked. Let vsus take a bright and clear glasse in the which we may behold these thīges. When the message of the losse of all his goodes came to Iob,An exā ple takē by Iob. the sodan death of his sonnes, and so manie calamities, which all at once fell vpō him. He doeth acknowledge that he was visited by God saing: The Lord gaue all these thinges, and it is he that hath taken them away, and no doubt so it was. But in the mean time, do we not know, that the deuil procured all these thinges? and did not he vnderstād by narration of his seruants that escaped, that the chaldeis had driuen away his bestiall and flockes? Did he commēd those brigandes and spoilers? or oght we to excuse the deuill? becaus that all these calamities proceded from God. Not so, for bothe we and he do, and did vnderstand that there was a great difference betwext their purposes: And therefor he (yet damning the euill) said the Name of the Lord be blessed. The same may we say of Dauid: but at this tyme it sufficeth, that God so worketh by his creatures, and so doeth vse them to his prouidēce, that the instrument, by the which he worketh, ceaseth not to be euill. And albeit that he conuert the malice of the deuill and of wicked men to good, yet they therefor are neither excusable, neither yet clean from sinne: and their workes are wicked, and to be damned. for all workes take their qualitie of the purpose and the will of the author. Who so euer maketh no distinction betwext these thinges, maketh an horrible confusion. And such be the libertines, who as before is said, do not onelyonly ioyn the deuill, in societie with God, but also, do transforme him in to God: iudgeing his workes worthie of praise, vnderunder this coulor, that he doeth nothing, but that which is appointed by God: But contrarie wies we oght to obserue, that the creatures do wo…k their own workes in this earthe: which workes according as they were directed to this or that end, so are they to be iudged either good or euill: and yet God gouerneth and doeth moderat all things, and guideth them also to a right end. He turneth the euill into good: or at least God working by the goodnes of his nature, draweth as it were by violence som good, furth of that which in the self is euill. So doeth he vse the deuil that he doeth not mixe him self with him, neither to be in felowshipe with him, neither yet with his wicked fact, neither that his iustice shal put away the nature of the deuil. for as the son sending furth his beames,A similitude of the son. and heat to the carion, and so ingendreth in it som corruption, draweth to it self neither corruptiō neither yet any filthines: neither yet doeth the son by his puretie ād birghtnes, so purge the cariō, but that it remaineth stincking and corrupt: so doeth God so work by the wicked, that the iustice, which is in hī doeth not iustifie thē, neither yet is he defyled by their wickednes and corruptiō. The third kinde of gods operation cō sisteth in the gouernāce of the faithful, in whom he liueth ād reigneth by his spirit. In so far as we are corrupt by original sinne, we be lyke to the drie and barren grounde, which produceth no good frute. for our iudgement is corrupt, our will rebellious, euer redie to euill: and finally our hole nature is nothing elles but a lompe of sinne. And therefor not onelyonly can we not applie our selues to any good action, but we are not able,20 Cor. 3▪ Philip. 2 nor sufficien… to conceaue one good thoght (as Paul doeth witnes) but if we be able to an… thing of necessitie that must procede frō God. It is he therefor that worketh in vsus both to wil and to performe: he doeth illuminate vsus, and lead vsus to the knowledge of him self, he draweth vsus to him self, and by softening our heartes, he formeth new heartes in vsus. further it is he who moueth in vsus a desire of prayīg, he giueth power and strength to resist all the tentations of sathan, and maketh that we do walk in his commandements. But yet we must consider, that of nature, we hauehave both will, and election: but because they are both depraued, by sinne, the Lord reformeth thē, ād of euill maketh them good. That we therefor be apt to discerne, that we hauehave a will, that we do this or that, this is a naturall gift: but that we can chouse, desyre, or do nothing but that which is euil, that cometh of the corruption of sinne: that we thirst to do good, that we hauehave som power to execute the same, this procedeth from the supernaturall grace, by the which we are regenerat,Except we be regenerat by supernaturall grace we cā neither thīk will, nor do any thing that good is. and newly born to a better and more godlie life. Behold then what God worketh in his children: first putting away their peruerse nature, he cōducteth ād guy deth thē by his holie spirit, in obedience of his wil. But these dronken or rather furious libertines crying, that al things are wroght by God, do make him author of euil. And further euen as the nature of the euill were changed, when it is cloked vnderunder the couerture of gods name, they affirme it to be good. in the which they do greater iniurie, and cōtume lie vntounto God,The libertines. then that they should transfer his power and iustice to an other. For seīg there is nothing more proper vntounto God, thē is his goodnes: it behoueth first y• he should vtterly denie him self, before that he can work euill: which thing, these blynd libertines attribute vntounto him. And assuredly the God of these men is an Idole, which oght to be more execrable, then all the idoles of the Gentiles. And so furth to the end of that chapter he proueth that God committeth no sinne in none of the wicked of the earthe &c. Thus far hauehave I recited the mynd and most part of the wordes of that godlie writer, written by him now twelue yeres ago, agaīst the libertines. By the which the indifferent reader may iudge whether that iustly you accuse him and vsus, that we make God author of sinne. In the name of God, and of his deare Son Christ Iesus (whose glorie ye studie vtterly to suppresse) I require as before of all those that be placed in auctoritie by his worde,An earnest request that the magistrate wol de trie the accusation of the aduersarie. whose handes he hath armed with the sword of iustice, that earnestly as they will answer before his fearefull throne of iudgement, they take triall in this mater, that if we be found either in life, either yet in doctrine, as we be accused, that God may be glorified in our iust punishments: but if we can not be cōuicted (as we fear neither triall nor iudgement) that then our accusers may acknowledge their offence.
The second thing which is laid to our charge,The secō de accusation. is that we cause many other to brest owt and say. Sithe his wil and pleasure no man is able to resist, let him lay it on him self ād not vponupon vsus, if any sinne be committed.
If the blasphemies of the vngodlie should be laid to our charge,Answer … the 2. acc… sation. becaus that we teach a doctrin most true, and most comfortable to the childrē of God: then can not the Apostle saint Paul be excused, for the same blasphemies were vomited first against him,What h…rrible bl…sphemies were also vomited against S. Paules doctrine. ād the doctrine which he taught: Som crying, let vsus do euill, that good may com of it: others, let vsus abyde in sinne, that grace may abound: & sō furiously roring (as ye do) did dispitefully cry, wherefor doeth he cōplean, who cā resist his will? But was the doctrine therefor damnable? or was the Apostle criminal, for teaching the same? I suppose ye will be more fauorable in this cause, then so rashly to condemne him, whom God hath absolued. If then our doctrine can not be impugned by the plaine scriptures of God, why should we sustein the blame of other mennes blasphemies? Howbeit in verie dede the blasphemies of none come so plainely to our eares,How impudēt bla… ph…mers the adue… saries be▪ as yours do▪ for the verey Papistes, and the insolent of the world are yet ashamed, so impudentlie to lie vpō vsus. Who althogh they will not folow the puretie of the doctrine taught by vsus, yet either are they put to silence, by the power of …he holie Spirit, orels they in…ent som coulorable lies, and do abstein from such open blasphemies, as you cast owt against God, and vsus.
We lay to your charge (say you) none other thing then ye your selues do conf…sse,The reply of the Aduersarie for ye affirme that God worketh all things according to his will and pleasure.
We answer that maliciously and deuilishly ye wrest our wordes contrarie to our mynd.Answer to the replie of the aduersarie. for alwayes we make a most plaine difference betwext the will of God, and the will of the wicked, and betwext the purpose counsell and end of God and betwext the purpose and end of man. as in all this hole processe before intreated the indifferent reader may well consider.
If ye continue in your blyndnes and furiously cry: But ye af…irme that without his will and against it, nothing is done, therefor that men think, that euen when they sinne, they obey gods will. I answer by the wordes of the same writer whō before I hauehave alledged: Touching the workes which we committ, the will of God is to be considered, as he him self hath declared it: for in vaine hath he not giuen his law, by the which he hath discerned good from euill. As for exemple when he commandeth no man to be hurt, no man to be iniuried, but that equitie and iustice be indifferently kept to all, that no man steal, defraude his brother, that none committ adulterie, fornicatiō or filthynes, but that euerie man kepe his own vessell in sanctification and honor. Here is the will of God euident and plaine. What further pleaseth him, in these cases oght no mā to inquire. for we know, that if we do these, and other thinges that be cōmanded, and do abstein from all things that be forbidden,Aboue that which we are cō manded by God we oght not to enquyre. that then we obey the will of God. And if we do not that, we can not be acceptable to him. If that any man shall steall, or committ adulterie, and shall say that he hath done nothing against the will of God, he lieth most impudētly. for in so far as he hath transgressed the commandement of God, by the which he was taught what was gods will, he hath done against his will. Let all men now iudge, if that we giuegive occasion to man, to flatter him self in sinne, and to think, that when they committe iniquitie against the expresse commandement of God, that then they obey his holie will. If any demand, whether that any thing can be done against gods will: that is, if God may not, if he wold stay and impede the sinne of man: before I hauehave answered by the mowth of Augustine, and now again by Iohn Caluine that nothing is, nor can be done, which he may not impede, if so it please his wisdom, yea vtterlye we must eschew, that we inquire not of his prouidence,Whē the question is of our duetie no man may be inquisitiue of gods secrete prouidence. which is hid frome vsus, when that the question is of our duetie. His word declareth vntounto vsus what he approueth, and what he condemneth, with that we oght to stand content, and by the same, oght we to reule our liues, leauing the secretes to God, as by Moises we are taught. To make the mater more plaine, the case supposed, that I be tempted with concupiscence, and lust a nother mans wife, in the which I long striue, and in the end▪ fathan obiecteth to me this cogitation, follow thy purpose, for by that meanes, thow maest perchance be further humbled, ād after thow maest taste more aboundantly the merciemercy, and the grace of God. Should I therefor louse the bridle to my wicked affections? should I declyn from the plain precept, and enter into the secrete prouidence of God? God forbid. for that besides the violating, or breaking of his commandement were horrible temptation of his godlie maiestie, and so in one fact, were cōmitted dooble impietie. The sinnes I know of gods derest children are greuous▪ and many, and wonderous is the prouidēce of God, working in his saintes, but neuer, or seldom it is, that such perilouse cogitations preuale against them: for the spirit of God so rewleth in them, tha… commonly this sentence of Salomō is before their eies: such as vnreuerently search out gods Maiestie, sha…be oppressed by the glorie of the same. And so must it nedes com to passe, as Iohn Caluin affirmeth, that the pryde of such must be punis…ed, and that with an horrible punishement, the pryde of those I say, shalle punished, who not content with the will of God reueled (to the which they will not be obedien…) delite to mounte and flie aboue the skyes, there to seke the secrete will of God. With what faces can ye now lay to our charges, that we giuegive occasion to men to flatter them selues in sinne, or yet to think that in committing iniquitie, they obey gods will? Ye alledge perchance that the common people read not our writings, and therefor they can not vnderstand our iudgement in this case. I answer, the more impudent and blasphemous are you, who so defame vsus in the eares of the vnlearned multitude, that to them ye make both vsus and our doctrine odious, before that euer it be knowen or examined. But yet for further discharge of our selues against your most vniust accusations, and for the better instruction of the simple, I will adduce an other testimonie from the writing of the same faithfull seruant of Christ Iesus, Iohn Caluin, and so put end to this your second calumnie. In his commentarie vpō the actes of the Apostles the 2. chap. writing vpō these wordes of Peter, affirming that by the determinat counsell and prescience o… God, was Iesu… betraied and crucified, by the handes of wicked men, because (saieth he) Peter appereth to mean, that wicked men obeyed God, whereof of two absurdities, one must nedes folow: to wit, that either God is the author of euill, or that men committing all kynd of iniquitie do not sinne, becaus they seme to obey God. I a…s…er, that wicked men do not obey God how so euer it be that they put in execution those things, which God hath with him self appointed. for obedience procedeth frome a voluntarie affection, which earnestly thirs…eth to please God, bu… we know yt the wicked hauehave a far other purpose. moreouer no man obeieth God, but such as hath his will knowen. Obedience then dependeth vponupon the knowledge of gods will. And so as the will of God is reueled in his law, so likewise it is euident, that who so euer transgresseth against his will reueled, hath his conscience to witnes against him, that neither he doeth the will of God. neither yet that he obeyeth him. To the second …e sayeth, I constantly denie that God is author of eui…l: for in this word euill there is the notation and proprie…ie of a wicked affection, which neuer falleth nor can fall in God. The euill work oght to be iudged by the purpose and ēd, to the which euerie man tēdeth in his actiō. When men committ theft, or murther, therefor… they sinne, because they are theues and murtherers. In the theft ād murther, there is wicked counsell, which neuer tendeth to please God, but to saciate their inordinate appetites. But God who vseth their malice, is to be placed in glorie aboue them. for he looketh to an other end: for the one he wil punishe, and the patiēce of the other he wil exercise. And so he neuer declineth, nor boweth frō his own nature, yt is frome a most perfect righteousnes. So that Christ was betrayed ād crucified, by ye hāds of ye wicked, it was done by ye ordināce of God. But the treason ād the slaughter, wc by them selues were most odious and wicked, oght not to be iudged nor accompted the work of God. Let men whose myndes, the deuil hath not inflambed in hatred ād malice against God, against his simple trueth, and against the professors of the same, now iudge whether that we affirme God to be author of sinne, or if we giuegive any iust occasion that man should glorie in wickednes, either yet that they shall burden God wt the same. And I appele to thy own cōscience (thow vnthankfull vntounto men and open traitor to the veritie, which once thow professed) whether that thow oftener then once hast heard with thine eares, and that in open audience of many: That if any should take boldnes to sinne in hope of merciemercy, that the cuppe, which they should drink, should be most bitter.
Now to that which ye affirme,The affirmation of Anabaptistes. and we most constātly denie. You affirme that if our sayinges be true, that then are the workes of God, full of crueltie, miserie, damnation and destruction.
As before I hauehave noted somwhat,Answer. which maliciously ye sclander vsus, so will I plainely and simply in short and seuera…l propositions, set furth the some of that doctrine, which we teach and professe, and that you so blasphemously oppugne, to the end, that Ruelers and godlie magistrates, and you your selues also may clerely se, what we beleue and affirm. which being considred and compared with gods scriptures, if your affirmation be found true, then refuse we not punishement worthie for blasphemers. But if ye of malice against gods trueth spewing furth the corruptiō of your stinking stomockes infected with pryde, and with contempt of g…ace, hauehave affirmed that, which ye be not able to proue: our earnest request is, as befor that your vennom may be repre…sed betymes.
These propositiōs following hauehave I trāslated furth of the work writte by that learned ād godlie man Theodorus Besa.Theodore Eeza is propositiōs against Castalio. against the calūnies of your capteyn Castalio.
The first proposition, God effectually worketh and bringeth to passe all thinges, according to the counsell of his own will.
This counsell doeth God execute in certen momē tes of tyme: neuertheles the counsell it self is eternall, ād passeth before all thinges, not onelyonly in tyme (as it that is before all tyme) but also …n ordre. for otherwies the will of God should not be the principall and first reule of gods counsell, but rather the qualities of things foresene, and foreknowen, and mouing God to take this counsell, or that, should prescribe a reule to …he will of God.
This coūsell ma… not be sepera…ed from the will of God, oneles of neces…itie we spoi…e God of his God head.
This counsell is not put in moderation and in direction of chance, or fortune, but it hath an effectuall and working strength in all thinges, as Paul speaketh.
This strēgth ād efficacie is attributed to God working, but it is not sa…d to be of God. therefore by this worde efficacie, or streng…h is not declared any nature and power giuen by God the creator to the thinges that be created, that they should do this or ha…, but thereby is vnderstand the power of God, which he hath in him self to do all thinges.
This vniuersall particle, all in the wordes of Paul, can by no maner of excep…ion, be restreinend but that God in that part, shall be iudged ydle, as Epicurus did falsly affirme. And if we shall say that any thing is done, which God may notimpede, the shall he be spo…ed of his infinit powere. So that the cōclusiō is sithec… that God him selfe, euen as it hath pleased him, to determyn all thinges to com from eternitie, euen so he workth by his own power, that the same thinges come to pa…e in their tyme, as he willeth. Of these thīgs not withstāding none of those blaspemies doth followe, were with we be burdened: to wit, that God is the author of sinne ether that he deliteth or willeth iniquitie: ether that sathan or men doing wickedly, do obey God: ether in so far as they do euil, that they do the thing that God will, and therefor are blameles. Let such blasphemies be far not onelyonly from our mow…hes, but also from our cogitations ād thoghtes.
That none of these blaspemies necessarely may be concluded of ouredoctryn, may thus be proued.
God put…eth in execution the counselles of his will by second causes and mid instrumentes, not as boūd vntounto them, as the Sto…kes did affirme but, frely and potētly making, mouing, and directing them, as it pleaseth his wisdom.
Of those instrumētes there are two principall kindes. The one hath lief and mouing, the other be without lief, which ra…her be moued, by the force of others, then moue thē selues. There be two sortes of those that hauehave lief, the one be i…dued with reason and iudgement, the other be without reason and are onelyonly caried by the blynd force of nature.
Those that be without lief, and those also that hauehave lief, but lack reason can nether be said to do well nor euil, but those that vse them as instrumentes may be said ether to do well or euil.
Those that hauehave lief endued with reason are ether Angelles or mē. The angelles be of two sortes, som good som bad. but as for men all by nature are euil: But by grace they are so seperated, that som are vtterly euil, som partly good: to witt, in so far as the Spirit of God hath sanctified them.
Such as in any action are moued by their own inward motion, iustly may be said to work, and therefor in that kynd of instrumentes falleth the differēce of good and of euill workes, nether yet properly, in that respect may they be called instrumentes, but the causes efficiēt.
An euill action I call that which hath not the reueled will of God for the assurance and ēd, and by the cōtrarie, the work is good, when the worker looketh to obey gods expresse commandement.
These same althogh they be causes, in so far as they work by their own proper motiō, yet are they in an other respect called instrumentes, in so far as they are moued by an other. As when the hangman by the commandement of the magistrate killeth a man, or when by instigation of the deuil, mē hurt others, or whē at the commandement of any, we do ether good or euill to any mā.
In this kynd of actions, it is euident, that one work is attributed to two, to the one, as to him that worketh by an instrument, and to the other as to the worker by motion or commandement: such workers are instrumentes not simply as the hāmer or axe is in the hand of the smithe or hewer, but they are such instrumentes, as also moue by their own inward motion.
And for this double respect, a double worke appereth som tymes to be done: In somuch that the one may be lawdable, and the other wicked. As if the magistrate shall committ an offender worthie of death to the executor of iustice. This worke is praise worthie of all good men. But if the lictor inflābed rather with enuie, auarice, or any other wicked affection, then looking to the commandemēt of the iudge, shall kill the same offender, most certen it is, that before God he can not auoid the cryme of murther.
Now let us applie these thīges to God, whose efficacie before we hauehave proued to worke in all thinges without exceptiō, ād so that by those thīges, which he hath made as by instrumen…es, he executeth in tyme what so euer he hath decreed frome eternitie.
What so euer God worketh is good: seing from him who is infinitlie good, no euil thing can procede: but he worketh a…l thinges, therefor all thinges be good, inso far as they ar done by God. And that difference of good and euil hath onelyonly place in the instrumentes, ād in those of whom we hauehave spoken in the 14. proposition.
For if those instrumentes be good, and if their actions look to the reueled will of God, they do well, and God also doth well by thē. wherefor that work is alwaies good. as when the good angelles execute that which God cō mandeth, and holie men do follow God calling them.
Euil instrumentes (euill I say) not by creation but by corruption, in so far as they work alwais, they do euill, and therefor iustly do they incurre the wrath of God. But in so far as God worketh by thē, they ether by ignorance, orels against their purposes serue to the good work of God. But God him self, by what so euer instrumentes he worketh, worketh at all tymes well.
And so he worketh by those instrumētes that not onelyonly he permitteth and suffereth them to work, nether doth he onelyonly moderate the euēt or chance: but also he raiseth them vp, he moueth, he directeth, and that which is most of all, he also createth, to the end that by them he shall work that, which he hath appointed. Which thinges God doth righteously and without any iniustice.
For whē the wicked man sinneth, ether against him self ether against any wicked person, God without any sinne, doth, ād bringeth to passe, that the wicked man shall take vengeance vponupon him self, or that euill men shall take vē geance vponupon other wicked men, who hauehave deserued punishement. And this one and other work of God is most iust, and by such exemples of his iudgementes, God erecteth and comforteth his afflicted.
How oft that euill men hurt good men, the wicked mē sinne, ād in the end they suffer iust punishement: and yet by them, neuertheles doth God chasten, instruct and confirme his own: and by the manifest ennemies of his Church doth God make glorious his Church.
Yet can it not be said, that those euill instrumentes do obey God. For albeit that God worketh his work by them, yet they so far as in them lieth, and as cō cerning their own counsell and will, do not the work of God, but their own work: for the which meritably they are punished. Albeit what so euer God worketh by the wicked is good, yet what so euer the wicked men work is euel.
Nether is the consequent good, God worketh all thinges, Ergo he worketh sinne, for the name of sinne is not but in the vicious ād faultie qualitie, which is altogither in the instrument that worketh.
By reason of this corrupted qualitie, the work which in the self is one, som maner of way is double, and may be diuided: Insomuth that the one, that is the iust work of God, derectly fighteth and repugneth against the vniust work of man.
God neuertheles far other waies worketh by his good instrumētes, thē he doth by his euil instrumētes. for besides that by his good instrumētes he worketh his work, the good instrumentes also do their work, by that strength and efficacie, which the Lord ministereth vntounto them. And God also worketh his work by them, and in them he worketh to will and to perfourme. but by the euil as by sathan and wicked mē, in so far as they are not regenerat as oft as God doth execute the iust counselles and decreis of his eternall will, he declareth his own strength, and efficacie, in his work by them, which they do ether ignorātly, orels against their purpose. And yet in so far as they worke, God worketh not in thē, but he louseth the bridle to sathan: to whom by his iust iudgement he giueth them ouer, to be moued and possessed forwarde to all iniquitie, that they may be caried to perdition, euen by the instigation of the deuil and by their own propre will.
Thus hauehave you briefly the som of our doctrin in this mater, which if ye be able by manifest scriptures, or yet by good argumētes from the same deduced, to improue: thē cā we not refuse to make satisfactiō, as the Church of Christ Iesus shall require of vsus. But if that vniustly ye hauehave accused vsus, and hauehave further imputed crueltie vponupon God, by reason that his iudgemētes most iust in them selues, are to your senses incomprehēsible, thē can we not of conscience cease to require of you a greater modestie, ād also of the lawfull Magistrate an ordre to be takē that your malice ād vennon may be repressed: assuring them, that if by tymes your interprises be not impeded that they shall shortly fele what confusion, ye hauehave of long fostered in your breastes. your poison is more pestilent, thē that of the papistrie was in the beginning. God for his mercies saik preserue his Churche, and purge your heartes to his glorie.
Towching the secrete will of God,Answer to the. 7. & 8. which so oft ye lay to our charge we shall after speak, as also how God will that all repent, and that all be saued. Before I hauehave declared that this difference must we make betwext God and man, be he neuer so potēt, that God hath such power ouer his creatures, that he reuleth them at his pleasure: and is not a simple law giuer, which onelyonly can deuise good lawes and giuegive commandement, that they may be kept, but can not, thogh he wold, frame the heartes of his subiectes to obedience. Such imperfection (I say) can we not admitt in our God, who doth ād hath done what so euer he will in heauen and in earth.Psalm. 135 And so your similitude of the king commāding, and of the poorest sclaue offending, halteth ād is imperfect. for God hath greater power ouer all creatures, yea euen ouer the king him self, thē the king hath ouer his sclaue. for the sclaue, when he hath offended, by som meanes he may escaip the kinges handes, and so the punishemēt of his lawes: But so can not the king, the handes of God. Consider the inequalitie betwext God and mā, I say, and then I trust your iudgemēt shall ether be reformed, or els ye cōstreined to deuise more solide reasōs.
I hauehave not learned in the scriptures to call the corruption of our nature, by the which we rebell against gods commandement power, but rather impotentie, and thraldome. But ceasing to contend or striue for termes, I wonder, what ye meā, by your conditional, which thus ye forme: otherwies that is, if we had no power to offend against gods will we should all obserue the will of God, and be saued: and so do you conclude, there should be no reprobation, I will not commonly scoffe at you (as your foolishnes deserueth) but here I must say, that this your reason is no better then if I shuld affirme that there is no difference betwext fowles of the ayr, and the rest of the creatures of the earth, because that if all creatures had winges, and lyke agilitie, that then all creatures shuld flie aswell as the fowles, and so should there in that case be no difference. Your reason hath no greater strengthe: for it standeth onelyonly vponupon conditionalles whereof ye iustly can conclude nothing. Proue if ye can, that it was, and is the immutable coūsel of God that all should be saued ād thē ye may proue that there shalbe none reprobate. But now we followe, as ye procede.