An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 36
THE ADVERSARIE.
The authors of this wicked opinion,The 36. section. when they could not sufficiently confirme their errors, by the auctoiite of gods word, they inuented a new shift to approue it by gods secrete will. for say they: Thogh God by his reueled will, will all men to be saued, yet by hi… secrete will, he willeth many to be damned, by his reueled will, he will no wick…dnes, but by his secrete will he will Pharao to be hard hearted, S…m… to curs Dauid the patriarkes to sell their brother Ioseph &c. by his reueled will he wold … that, Adam should full, but by his s…cret will be willeth Adam to ful I maruel much where ye hauehave founde out this maner of doctrine for n…ther, Moses and the prophetes. nether Christ and his Apostles vse any such maner of doctrine. further what profit do yeto the pe…ple wi…h this d…trine? Sure I am that … cause many to conceaue an euill opiniō of God hereby. But now for asmuch, as the secrete will of God, …k…owe… to none but …o him self alone, who hath r…eled it to you? how can ye s…y this is god… secrete will? …f it was gods sec…e… will …hat Ad… should fall and you … it then it is both secrete and …, both reueled and unreueled, both knowen, & unknowen. what greate absurditie is this? can a mā call that which he knoweth vnknowen? or that which is secret reueled. so may a mā say,Eccle. 3▪ hearing is not hearing, light …s no light. By this strā ge doctrine, you wolde be counted wyse but you are so much from the right way,Oh that you could looke vponupon that alwayes. that you are become foolish, you can not content your self with such thinges as it hath pleased God to reuele in his word for our comfort, but will nedes knowe gods secret will. Search not saith Sirach out the ground of things as are to mightie for the but looke what God hath commanded the, and looke vponupon that alwaies, and be not curious in many of his workes, for it is not nedefull for the to se with thine eyes thinges that are secret. the medling with such thinges hath beguyled many a man and tangled their wits in vanitie.Prouer, 28 And in the Prou…rbe…: Eyke as it is not good to eate to much honie, euen so he that will searche out hiegh thinges, it shalbe to heauie for him. wo be vntounto them (saith the Lord) that are wyse in their own sight,Esaie 5. and think them selues to hauehave vnderstanding. for he that presumeth to know the secret will of God, and thereby will confirme his error, he can not be reformed by gods reueled will,Rom. 12 which is the worde. Be not wise saieth Paul, in your own opinions. And the holie Gost: be not wise in your own conceat; but f…are the Lord and depart from euill,Prou. 3 so shall thy nauel be hole and thy bones strong▪ And I… but is not we that can fynde out the almightie.Iob 37 for in power, equitie, and righteousnes he is hiegher, then can be expressed. Let men therefor feare him. for there shall no man se him that is wise in his own conceat, we must not …eke out the, s…cretes of God, for we shall not preuaile, but bring our selues to consufion. If we go about to establishe our opinions by gods secret will, we must nedes f…ll in horrible darcknes and errors. for who can know what the will of God is, we must submitt our selues with all humilitie to the word, and there with great reuerence search out such things as are written for our comfort and edification. which we can not duelie vnderstand without the spirit of God to teache vsus, as it is written, oh Lord who can hauehave knowledge of thy vnderstanding and meaning, except th…w giuegive him wisdom, and send thy holy Gost from aboue?Sap. 9 But if we prepare our selues with r…uerence to read the word of God to the intent to vnderstand it to our consolation, and with humilitie subm…t our selues to do it, God will open to vsus so much as is ether necessarie or profitable for vsus.
ANSWER.
What confirmation our doctrine hath by the inuincible,To the 1. 2. 3. 4 and most euident testimonies of gods holie scriptures, I will not now dispute: onelyonly I must cōpleine, that maliciously, and most impudently ye wrest our wordes, and peruert our myndes. And for the probatiō thereof I say that ye are neuer able to shew in any of our writings the wordes and sentences, which in this place ye affirme vsus to say. ye be neuer able (I say) to proue that we hauehave written or taught: that God by his reueled will, will all men to be saued, and yet by his secrete will, he willeth many to be damned. That by his reu…led will he willeth no wickednes, but by his secret will, he will Pharao to be hard hearted, Semei to curse Dauid, the Patriarkes to sell their brother Ioseph, that by his reueled will, he wolde not that Adam shoulde f…ll, but by his secret will he willeth Adam to fall.
These propositions I say, you be neuer able to shew in our writinges, nether yet to proue that our doctrine did or doth tend to that end. for we constantly affirme that God reueled vntounto vsus his most holie and most iust wil in his plaine and holie scriptures, which do assure vsus, that a separation shalbe made betwext the goates, and the lambes, that the one shal receaue the kingdom propared vntounto them before all beginning, and that the other shalbe adiudged to the fyre which neuer shalbe quenched. That God stirred and raised vp Pharao, that his power might be declared in him, that these wordes God plainely spoke to Moises: I know that Pharao shal not permitte the people to depart, therefore hauehave I hardened his heart,Eu…. 9. that I may multiplie my wōders vponupon him: that Dauid did represse the furie of Abisai, and of his seruantes who wolde hauehave killed Semei,2 King. 16. saying: suffre him to curse, for the Lord hath commanded him the Lord perchance shal behold my affliction, and shal reward me with good for his cursing this day. That Ioseph said to his bretheren,Gen…. 45 be you not moued with sorow, y• ye hauehave solde me, for the Lord hath sent me for conseruation of a great multitude, it is not therefore you that hauehave sent me hither, but God, who hath made me father to Pharao, and Lord ouer his hole house. None of all these I say do we cast vponupon gods secrete will, as ye falsly accuse vsus: but we do constantly affirme that his will, is so plainely reueled in these maters that such as shall denie any of them to hauehave bene gods wil, can not escape abnegation of his eternall veritie. And further we say that the fall of man, is plainely reueled vntounto vsus, not onelyonly by experience, but euen by that same law which was imposed to him shortly after his creation, the transgression whereof made Adam and all his posteritie criminall and giltie to gods iustice: & that nether against gods wil reueled, nether yet against his secrete wil. for by his will reueled can no man further conclude, but this, that in what day soeuer Adā should eate of the frute forbiddē, that he should die the death. But Adam against gods command ement did eat: and therefor did he iustly vnderly the sentence of death. And thus do we referre to gods will manifestly reueled, what soeuer ye imagin, that we ascribe to his secret will. Nether yet nede you to maruell, if ye list to take such paines, as to read our writīges, where that we finde the doctryne that we teach (your surmised lie, we cast vponupon your selues) seing that Moises, the prophetes, Christ Iesus, and his Apostles in all writings do affirme the same. But yet lest that ye should think that we attribute nothing to gods secret wil,To the 5 I will in few wordes confesse what we teach maintein and beleue, in that case. And that the rather because you gather agreate absurditie, not of our doctryne, but of that which ye falsely imput vponupon vsus, in this maner. for asmuch (you say) as the secrete will of God is knowen to none but to him self alone, Who hath reueled it to you? how can you say this is gods secret will? if it was gods secret will that Adam should fall and you knew it▪ then it is both secret and vnsecret, both reueled and vnreueled, both knowen and vnknowen. What greate absurditie is this?
To the which I answere according to your impudēt foolishnes, that because you fight with your owne shadowe, these yor dartes do hurt vsus nothing, for we do not affirme, that we do knowe the fall of man by gods secret will, but by his will manifestly reueled vntounto vsus by his holie scriptures. Or more plainly to answer yor reasons, which you think inuincible: we say, that that wil which was secret in God before all time, was reueled to man in time by his owne word, and that from time to to time the same became more manifest, as sainct Paul witnesseth in these wordes:…phes. 3. To me the least of all saintes is giuen this fauor (or grace) that I should preach amōgest the Gētiles the vnsearchable riches of Christe, That I should bring forth to light before all mē, what is ye cōmunion of the mysterie wc was hid from all ages in God, who hath made all things by Christ Iesus, that the manifest wisdome of God may nowe be notified to principates, and powers in heauenlie things by the Church, according to the fore appointment of the ages which he hath made in Christ Iesus our lorde. so that we are now bold to say, that albeit no creature did knowe before all time what ordre God should kepe in the creation and disposition of all thinges in time: yet may we nowe I say be bolde to affirme that the secrete was hidde in the eternall connsell of God. That first he wold create the heauen the earth, the masse being rude, hauing darknes vponupon the great depthe, thereafter that he wold make light putting diuision betwene the light & the darknes, and so forth as Moises hath declared the ordre obserued in the creatiō. And as those things were somtime secret, but now are manifest, reueled and knowen so likewies was the falle of mā, and the redemption which commeth by Christ Iesus somtime secrete in the eternall counsell of God, but nowe is most manifestly preached and declared by Christ Iesus, and by his holie Apostles. for nowe we know that God so loued the world, that his onelie beloued Sonne hath he giuen, that so many as do beleue in him, shall hauehave the life euerlasting. Which life was euen before all times in Christ Iesus, euen as we were elected in him before the foundations of the world were laid. And therefor I doubt not to affirme, but that the fall of mā and the remedie for ye same, was not onelie forsene but also before determined, and the frute which of the same should ensue cōcluded and appointed in gods eternall counsell before that euer Adam was created. the reason and probation hereof we hauehave before declared to be the issue of all things, as we are taugh by gods manifest word, yea by most euident experience. for who nedeth nowe to doubt, that it was gods eternall counsell, that man should fall from that perfecte image in which he was created and so become subiect to the death, to the end that the faithfull might receaue perfection, iustice and life in Christ Iesus alone, seing that scripture so manifestly affirmeth that we were elected in Christ Iesus before the foundations of the worlde were laid that God hath wrapped all nations in disobediēce that he might hauehave merciemercy vponupon all,Rom. 11 vponupon all I say which refuse not the remedie, frō all begining prepared, which is Christe Iesus, as ye Apostle witnesseth, saying: in him & by him, areal things created, & he is before al things,Colo. 1. & al things consist or abide by him, and he is the head of the bodie of the Churche, who is the beginning, the first begotten of the dead, that in all things he may hold the preeminēce. for it hath pleased the father that all fulnes should dwell in him▪ and to reconcile, by him al things to him self. This counsell I say was not temporal, as taken and deuised after the fall of man, but it was eternall, as the same Apostle witnesseth in these words:Ti…. 2 God hath called vsus by an holie vocation, not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace, which was giuen to vsus by Iesus Christ before eternall times, but is nowe made manifest by the appering of our sauiour Iesus Christ. But mark well that the Apostle saieth that grace was giuen to the faithfull by Christ Iesus from the eternitie of times which thus to Titus he doth confirme saying,Tit. 1. Paule the seruant of God, and an Apostl… of Iesus Christ according to the faith of gods electe, and the knowledge of the veritie, which is according to godlines in the hope of eternall life, which he hath promised, which is God that cā not lie, before the world began, and hath opened his worde at ye tyme appointed through preaching &c. And the same saieth Peter speaking of our redemption by Christes pretious blood,1. Pet. 1. who certeinly was preordinate, sayeth he, before that ye world was made, but was manifested in the last times. Hauing these I say most euidēt scriptures to assure our conscience that redemption, remission of our sinnes, grace, and recōciliation, were appointed for vsus, yea and were giuen vntounto vsus before all times, what nede we to doubt, what was the counsell of God in mans creation, or what was his secret will in giuing to him the commādement of not eating the frute, and therefor you do not onelyonly folishly, but also iniuriously in thus raling vponupon vsus, what strange and monsterous doctrine is this? to say things be secrete, and vnsecret, knowen, and vnknowene, reueled and vnreueled, as man should say hearing? is not hearing and light is not light. No such absurditie cā iustly be gathered vpō our doctrine, for simply we say yt thīgs somtimes kepte secrete in ye counsell of God, and vnknowen to the sonnes of mē, were after disclosed. and made manifest to the world, in so much, that light expelled darcknes from the heartes of the sonnes of light, and knowledge remoued ignorance from those, that were appointed to life. If these things do not satisfie you, yet my good hope is, that ye godlie reader shall perceaue, that most vniustly you accuse vsus, as if in our doctrine were plaine contradiction. And yet as touching the secrete will of God we moreouer affirme, that our eternal election, in Christ Iesus, our temporall falling in Adam, our restitution to life, by the promes made, are not secret, but manifestly reueled. But why that so it pleased his infinite wisdome, and goodnes to dispose, and before ordeine the mysterie of our saluation: that first we should beare the image of the earthlie and carnall Adam, before that we should beare the image of the heauenlie and spirituall: that first we shuld be all wrapped in sinne, and by reason thereof in miserie & death, before that we should be perfecte iust, and come to felicitie, and life euerlasting, ād finally why yt it pleased his Maiestie to choose some: ād of this same masse to reiecte others, we say is not reueled, neither yet shalbe reueled before yt Christ Iesus appere in his glorie, whē the bookes shalbe opened and all secretes shalbe disclosed. To speake the mater so simply as I can, that ye hauehave no occasion to complein of obscuritie, I say that gods will in these subsequētes and in many others his wōderous workes is secret. first why did not God more, sodēly creat ye world? why gaue he to Adam no greater strenght? why did he permitt him to falle? why he did not prouide mannes redemption by some other meanes, thē by the cruell and ignominious death of his owne sonne? why did he choose the sede of Abraham to be his people, refusing and reiecting as it were the rest of the world? And finally why that God wold that his dear sonne should die in Ierusalem, called his owne Citie, by reason of the temple and sacrifices appointed? why (I say) that God by the figures of the law, and by his Prophetes had before spoken, that the Messias should suffer in that citie, ād that the builders, who then onelyonly in earthe were reputed & knowen to be the Church of God, should reiect and refuse the chief corner stone Christ Iesus? In these and others the wonderous workes of God (which so far excede the reach of our vnderstanding,To the 6. 7. 8. that more able they are to quenche and swallow vp all light which remaineth in vsus, then is ye great depth of the sea to deuoure our frayle bodies) do we hold the secrete will of God for a ruele of all equitie, perfection and sufficiencie, teaching and affirming that if any man of vaine curiositie or of deuelish pride, presume to define or determine vponupon these or others his inscrutable secretes, the causes whereof (other then his secret, but most iust will) is not, neither shalbe reueled, till the full glory of the sonnes of God be manyfested, when the wisdome, goodnes, iustice and merciemercy of God shall so euidently appere to the full contentation of his electe, & to the most iust conuicting of the consciēces of the very reprobate, to whome shall be left no place of excuse, but in their owne consciences they shall receaue the iust sentence of their most iust condemnation. and so shall they in tormentes glorifie the most iust & most seuere iudgement of God, and his vnspeakable hatered against sinne conceaued. We teach and affirme (I say) that if any man in this life trauale to searche out other causes of these foresaid works of God (then his secrete will) that the same man hedlongs casteth him selfe in to horrible cōfusion, which he can not eskape without spedie repentance. And against such men are al the scriptures by you alledged, spoken and written, and not against vsus, who as we affirme nothing which gods worde doeth not plainely teache vsus, so do we cease curiously to inquire any cause of his workes, other thē it hath pleased his godlie wisedome, and merciemercy to reuele vntounto vsus by his holie spirit plainely speaking in his holie scriptures. And therefor to you it shalbe most profitable to trye and examine this mater with greater indifferēcie, then hitherto you hauehave done, and to ponder, and wey whether it be ye or we that be wise in our owne conceate, sight or opinion, or that go about to finde out the almightie,Rom. 12 that is to subiecte his Maiestie,Iob. 37… and wisdome to the iudgemēt of our corrupt reason, You (I say) who vponupon his words plainely spoken by the holie Gost, and vpō his works which he neither fearerh nor eshameth to attribute and clame to him selfe, dare make these blasphemous conclusiōs: Then is he more cruel then a wolf, then is he a dissembler, The saings of Castalio against Iohn. Cal…in.then beareth he hōny in his mouthe & gaule in his breast, then is he author of sinne, & him self thē is he vniust & cōtrarious to him self, or we yt cōmīg but onelyonly to the sight of gods incōprehensible iudgements, with all trēblīg & reuerēce fall done before his Maiestie & wt the Apostle do crye, Oh ye depnes of ye riches & wisdome and knowledge of God, howe inscrutable are his iudgementes and vnsearcheable are his waies, who hath knowen ye minde of the Lord or who hath bene of his counsell, or who hath giuen vntounto him first, that he should recompence him? for of him, and by him and in him are all things. to him be glorie for euer, Amen. Be you your selues iudges I say whether you or we do search out thinges that be aboue the reache of our capacities, and by that meanes studie to bring God as it were in bōdage to our reasons. but now that which foloweth in these wordes.