An Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations by an Anabaptist, Section 32
THE ADVERSARIE.
Often times ye vse this saying,The 32 section. Gods election was afore the fundācion of the worlde without any condicion: wherefore they which are elect, they be elect without any condicion by the immutable decree of Gods goodnes, so that they can neuer fall out of the said election: other wise gods election were not certeyne: to the which I answer that Gods h…lie election is without any condicion, sure and certe…ne in Christ Iesu, without whome there is ne…her election nor saluacion. further man is made sure in the election by the promes of God in Christ Iesu, of which promes, when he is made partak…r, he entereth in couenant with God, but when he breaketh the couenant, he for sake…h …he promes, & when he …orsaketh the promes, he refuseth Christ, in refusing Christ, he falle…h out of the …lection: not withstanding the election abideth sure in Christ: election ha…h no promes without faith, true faith is gods worke by his grace, and is also partly mans work, by consenting thereto. wherfor Paul calleth the righteous ioint workers with God, because they worke together with him: now if man for his parte according to his nature be inconstant in his saith, then is he out of promes, wherby he was made sure of his election, yet gods election remaineth sure and stable in Christ Iesu, Adam and all men in him before the transgression might fall from God by sinne, not withstanding the election. why may not thē the most righteouse of vsus all fall now by sinne from the election? is our election surer now after transgression, then it was afore transgression? The holy Gost saieth, yet Cain went away in his wrath from wisdom, but a man can not go awaye from that which he nether hathe nore can hauehave. further God gaue him warning afore, whiche was sufficiēt, to withdrawe him frō his euill intētion. To Cain said the Lord. why art thow wrothe▪ & why is thy countenāce abated? If thow do well, shall there not be a promotion? And if thou doest not well, lyeth not thy sinne in the dores? vntounto thee also perteineth the lust thereof, and thow shalt hauehave dominion ouer it. If Cain was a reprobate afore the fundacion of the world, then had he no dominion ouer his lustes, to choose the good, & leaue the bad, for then might he ha…e liued: yet God saieth, Thow shalt hauehave dominion ouer it. wherfore it is plaine that Cain was no reprobate, when the lord spake these wordes to him. further if god gaue not Cain dominiō and power to subdue his lust, who was then the author of his sinne▪ whether is the sworde whiche killethe, hauing no power ouer it self, more to be blamed, or he whiche hath it in his hand? if God gaue not Cain power to ouercome his lust, and grace wherby he might be saued, who is the cause of his damnation? God is faithful (saieth Paul) which shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength, but shall in the middest of temptation make away that ye may be able to beare. likwiese did God with Cain in his temptatiō warning that if he did well, he shoulde be rewarded: if he did euill, he should be punished: for there …ncoraging to do well, and that he should not saint, God shewed him how he should hauehave dominion ouer his lust to rule it. This notwithstanding he went away in wrathe from wisdom and forseke the counsell of God whiche mercifully called him to li…f. After the stoode, Ham was blessed of God as his father Noah and his brethren Sem and Iaphet, and with the same blessing where with they were blessed: yet fell he from righteousnes, reioysing in euill. And then …o became he accursed and not afore: but all reprobates be vnderunder the wra…h and curse of God. So Ham when he was blessed of God. he was not reprobate. for then should he hauehave bene both blessed and cursed▪ loued and hated all at once. The Israelites which were deliuered from the oppression of the Egyptians, were chosen and called of God to go and possess… the land of Canaan VnderUnder the conduct of Mo…ses, yet nether Moses for his offence, nether any of them because of their inobedience obt…ined that whereunto they were ordeined and chosen of God, ex…ept two persons Iosua and Caleb. Morouer the same Israelites were in gods holie election and called of God from their sinnes, and chosen in Christ to lief and health as Paule witnesseth,1, …or. 10 saing, oure fathers were all vnderunder the cloode and all passed throughe the sea, and were all baptised vnderunder Moises in the cloode, and in the sea, and did all eat of one spirituall meat and did all drink of one maner of spirituall drink, and they drank of that spirituall Rocke that follwed them, which Rock was Christ, behold how Paule so often rehearsed this word, all, to declare their choosing and calling to be generall, yet there after (saieth he) in many of them had God no delite. for by sinne they fell from Christe and out of their election and so perished. And there doth also Paule teach vsus how those thinges chanced them, for examples, to put vsus in remembrance that we do not likwise by sinne fall from that wherunto we are chosen and called of God. Let him therefor which thinketh he standeth, take head lest he fall. But you say, that he which standeth may well stomble, but he can not fall, wherfor your doctryne being contrarie to the sayng of the holie Gost must be fals, as for them which ye say were reprobates before the world in Vaine should they take hede of any fall seing afore they were, they had so sore a falle that they could neuer ryse againe, and so depe a fall euen to damnation that they can fall no further. Balaam was filled with the spirit of God, the spirit of tr…uth, the spirit of power and the sprit of grace so largely that whom so euer he blessed, he was blessed, and whom so euer he curssed he was cursed, but the blessing of the vngodly reprobate is verie cursing, so that whom so euer they curse, God blesseth and who so euer they blesse God curseth. wherfor Balaam during the tyme that he him self was so blessed of God, he was no reprobate, but the chosen, of God and might hauehave continued in the grace and fauor of God. And thereto was exhorted of God, saying, go not thow with them, nether curse the people, for they are blessed. where that it is to be noted t…at this people was blessed and not withstanding by idolatrie and carnall lustes they fell frome the fauor of God. And in stede of blessing gods curse fell on them, as it appereth in Numeri. Likewise Balaam through couetousnes, louiug filthie rewarde and continuyng in sinne, he fell from righteousnes and forsook the trueth, and perished with the cursed vngodlie. Saul and his house was elect and chosen of God to be king and rewlers ouer Israel, and that for euer as Samuel witness…th saying at this tyme wold the lord hauehave established thy kingdom vponupon Israel, but …ow thy kingdom shall not continue. Here you se how Saul the elect anointed of God doth fall from that wherunto God had chosen and ordeined him. And therafter in the fifetenth chapter, because thow hast cast away the word of the lord, therefor hath the lord cast away the also from being king, wherof we learn that Saule… fall was not by the fore ordinance of God, seing he ordeyned the contrarie, but through his inobedience to gods word, whervnto he might hauehave obeyed if he wold. Salomon receaued grace and wisedome of God aboue all other, which was a lyuelie figure of Christ, of whom God saieth so: Salomon I hauehave chosen to be my sonne and I will be his father, I will establish his kingdome for euer, yet did he fall from this grace, and wroght wickednes in the sight of the Lord, lusting after strange fleshe and committing idolatrie, and where as God choose him to be his sonne, he turned his heart from God, and followed Ascaoth the god of the Sidons, and Melcom the abomination of the Amonites, he buylded an hie place for Chamos the abomination of Moab, and vntounto Moloch the abomination of the children of Ammon, and lykewies for all his …owtlandish wyues, which were a greate nombre that brent …ncense, and …ffered vntounto their goddes, Here hauehave we a notable example of Salomon the elect sonne of God, whose k…ndom God had promised to establish for euer. Yet the became he childe of the deuil turnyng his heart from God, And giuing him self ouer to the lustes of the flesh, and most vile abominable idolatrie. Ieroboam was chosen of God and anointed by the prophete Ahia, king ouer the 10 tribes of Israell, to whō God made a couenant that he wold be with him, and buyld him a sure house that should continue euen as he had promised afore to his seruant Dauid a man after gods own heart. Yet did Ieroboam, not withstanding the election and fore ordinance of God fall from the fauor of God, set vp two golden calues, one in Bethel and the other in Dan, and made Israle sinne against God to his own and their vtter subuersion. Iudas was elect of God to be the salt of the earth not vnsauerie for that serueth for no thing but he became vnsauerie salt throgh his own wickednes, Christ chose him to be the the light of the world, wh…oh should so shyne before all men that they might glorifie by him God the father, but he cause he loued darknes better then light his candelstik was remoued and his light quenched. Christ chose him to be one of the twelue, whiche shuld sit on the twelue se…tes iudgeing the twelue tribes of Israel. but because he made not his election and calling sure by good workes as Peter speaketh his name was wiped out of the book of lief. Christ loseth none of them whom the father gaue him except Iudas, whiche by transgress…on (as Peter saieth) did fall & was found vnworthie of his election. Here might the terrible and greuous fall of Ioas with diuers others be alledged, which for prolixitie I passe ouer, All these aboue reheresed and many m…, receaued the grace of God in vaine, And therefor did God cast them away whom afore he had chosen euen as he did Ierusalem, of whom it is so written, I will cast of this … Ierusalem which I hauehave chosen, and the house, of whiche I said, my Name shall be there, for thogh God of has mere merciemercy hath chosen vsus in Christ Iesu, to be heires of eternall lief, yet if we refuse him, he will refuse vsus, & if we denie him, he wil denie vsus And so as the Prophets saieth, our own wickednes shall reprouevs,2. King. 23 and our turning away shall condemne vsus: and therefor saieth the lord by his prophete Ezechiel, if the righteous turn away from his righteousnes, and do iniquitie, all the righteousnes that he hath done:Ierem. 2 Ezec. 18 shall not be thoght vponupon, but in the faut that he hath offended withall, and in he sinne that he hath done, he shall die.
ANSWER.
The same proposition whiche before I hauehave proued most fals and deceauable,To the 1 ye yet labor by multiplying of examples, nothing apperteining to that purpose, to defend and mainteine.
Your proposition is that albeit the election is sure and made without all condition in Christ Iesus, yet is there none so elected in him to lief euerlasting, but that he may fall to perdition, and becom a reprobate. And for the probation hereof before ye enter to your exemples, yet vse two reasones. The former, without Christe (say you) there is nether electiō, nor saluation: and this we confesse and most stedfastly do beleue, adding that election and saluation are so sure in him, that so many as be elected in him to lief euerlasting, shal by grace attein to y• same. Ye procede in yor raison, further man is made sure in the election by the promes of God in Christ Iesu, of which promes whē he is made par…aker, he entreth in couenāt with God▪ but whē he breaketh the couenant, he forsaketh the promes, and when he forsaketh the promes, be refuseth Christ, in refusing Christ, he falleth out of the election, notwithstanding the Election abydeth sure in Christ. This is your first reason. To the wc I shortly & plainely answere, yt because ye suppose an impossibilitie to be possible, therefor ye conclude a greate absurditie. for ye suppose, that the membres of Christes bodie elected in him to life euerlasting, may so forsake ye promes, so refuse Christ their head, and so breake the couenant, that to ye end of their liues they contemne and despyse it, which is a thing impossible, as before I hauehave proued, and therefor your conclusion auaileth nothing. when ye shal proue yt Christes shepe, committed to his charge by his heauenly father, can becom wolues or dogges to bark against their pastor, and that so they continue to the ende, I wil study to answer you other wise: but vntounto such time as you learne to proue your purpos more substācially, I must say that because there is no membre of your reason which hath a sure ground, that therefor I will not greatly study to confute the same: for man is not made sure in the election by any promes of God, but ye electiō which before was secrete in gods eternall counsell, is by the promes and worde of grace notified vntounto mā, so that tollerably it may be spoken, man is assured of his election by the promes, which he willingly embraseth, but to be sure in the election by the promes, is not the phrase of the holie Gost: further of this we shal examine in your seconde reason which is this,
Election hath no promes without faith: trew faith is gods worke by his grace,To the 2 & 3. and is also mannes worke partely by consenting thereto: wherefor Paul calleth the righteous …oynt workers with god because they worke to gether with him. Now say you, if ma… for his part, according to his nature, be inconstant in his faith, then is he out of the promes whereby he was made sure of his election, yet Gods election remaineth sure and stable in Christ Iesus.
The first membre of your reason is darcke, and obscure, and the manner of speaking so strange, that in the scriptures I am assured it is neuer to be founde. In one of two senses is election taken in the scriptures.Answere. The former:Election is in one of two sortes taken in the scriptures. for the elect them selues, as when Paul saieth the electiō did obteine it, that is, the elect of God obteined merciemercy. And in the same sense is Paule called the vessell of election, that is, an elect vessel: and if in this sense ye affirme yt electiō, that is to say the elect hauehave no promes without faith,Rom. 9. albeit I wil not greatly contend in that behalf, yet by manifest scriptures I may proue the contrarie. for the posteritie of Abraham by gods fre election had this promes, that he shoulde be their God. And sainct Paul affirmeth that the children of the faithfull were holie and yet all coulde not hauehave faith when the promes was made, for then had Abrahā no sede at all, but of this I say I will not contend. Otherwies election is taken in the scriptures, for the eternall counsell of God, by the which he hath appointed life euerlasting, to such as he hath giuen to his Sonne before all worldes,Rom. 9. & 11 as Paul saith: For yer the children were borne, when they had neither donne good nether bad, that the purpose of God, which is by his election, that is not by workes but by him that calleth might stand sure, it was said vntounto her the elder shal serue the yonger, &c. And after, euen so at this time is there a remnant left through the election of grace and so furth in diuers other places. and in this sense, if ye vnderstād that election hath no promes without faith I answere, that gods free election in Christ Iesu nedeth nether promes nor faith, as touching the parte of God. for he in his election respecteth nether of bothe, but his own good pleasure in Christ his sonne, & so I wold hauehave wished greater plaines in the first part of your reason then there is. but I perceaue the ground of your error by that which followeth: Trew faith (say you) is gods worke by grace, and it is also partlie mans worke by consenting thereto,faith is altog… ther …he work of God and no part of mans worke 1. Petr. 1. which secōd part of this secōde membre is vtterly fals. for faith is no parte of mannes work no more then the childe begotten of the father and conceaued of the mother is the worke of the self. but faith is altogether ye worke of God. for as he begetteth vsus by the worde of veritie, and by the power of his …olie spirit maketh our heartes to conceaue and retein the sede of life: so by his power are we kept by faith to saluatiō, wc is prepared to this end, yt it shalbe manifested in ye last time & therefor (saith ye Apostle) through grace are ye saued by faith & yt not of your selues. ye must compel the holie Gost to recāt, wc I thinke he wil not do for your threatning, before ye be able to proue yt faith is any part of mannes work.
The wordes of the Apostle,1. cor. 3 you shame fully abuse: for in that place he intreateth onelyonly, how God vseth the ministers of his worde, and blessed Euangil to be helpers with God, in so far as they are the embassaders of reconciliation, as in an other place he calleth them, he meaneth nothing nether what man doeth in the worke of his own saluation by his own faith, or by his owne workes. And therefor althogh ye (as a blinde man) go forwarde to your own perdition saying, now if man for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith, then is he out of the promes &c. yet must we pull you backe and say that because faithe is no part of mannes worke, therefore doth nether his faith nor his election depend vponupon the inconstancie of his own nature,Nether… faith n… ther electiō groū ded vpō man nor vponupon his constācie but God of his soueraign bountie ouercomming what imperfectiōs soeuer be in his chosē childrē hath groūded their electiō in him self & in Christ Iesus his Sone. an other error I se in this your reason, wc because I hauehave sufficiently confuted, I wil here touch it onelyonly. Ye make faith the ēbrasing of ye promes, & our obedience, to be causes of gods election, whē in verie dede they be but the effectes of our electiō. for nether faith nor obediēce make vsus to be gods elect, but because we were elected in Christ Iesus, therefore are we called, made faith full, obedient and sanctified by his fre grace.
To admonish you yet of one thing & so to put end to yor vnresonable reasons: Wōder it is yt ye will attribute to electiō that wc ye denie to ye elect. you affirme yt electiō is sure in Christ, but not ye elect say you, be like ye imagin electiō to be a certen speculatiō or imaganation without any certen substāce, to the wc it must be referred. but S. Paul teacheth vsus y• cōtrarie saing, he hath cho sēvs in Christ, he saith not yt electiō was in Christ, but we were elected in Christ Iesus before yt fundaciōs of the worlde were laid. This gētly I put you in mind to groūd your reasons more substācially, if yt by them ye entēd to proue any thing. A short answer I might giuegive you to all your examples, to witt that, we speake not of election to offi…es, or to possession temporall, but of election to life euerlasting, from the which ye are neuer able to proue any to hauehave bene finally secluded, that in Christ Iesus was thereto elected before the fundacion of the worlde was laied. But yet to gratifie you some what, I wil passe through your examples, and cōmunicat with you my iudgement: God grant you heartes to vnderstand.
It is a thing most certen that albeit Adam and all men in him might and did fall from God by sinne,To …he 4 Christes power is of greater vertue to saue his elect then Adams …mpotencie was to bring damnation vponupon al…. yet can not the elect of God who be elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus, so fall from their election that finally they perishe. the reason is, that as Christ Iesus, the brightnes of the glorie of his father, & the expressed image of his substance, is greater then euer was Adam, so is his power of greater vertue to saue the elect then Adams impotencie was to bring damnation vponupon all.
Where ye ask if our election be surer now after the transgression then afore the transgression. I answere the assurance and firmitie of our election was alwaies, and at all times one. For when we stode in Adam (as ye alledge) yet were we elected in Christ▪ and when we fel in Adam, then did our election burst for the and appere.
Ye be neuer able to proue that Cain was elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus:To the 5. & 6 for God loked not to Cain, nor yet to his sacrifice, as that he did to Abel. And why?The aduersarie is conuicted by his own reaso…s. because, as the Apostle affirmeth, the one offered in faith and the other without faith. Remembre, I pray you, your former reason: there is none (say you) elected without faith, but Cain was without faith euen before he did kil or hate his brother, therefor by your owne reason, he was not in ye election, no not euen before he hated. I do not approue this argument: but yet your former reason standing true, it is inuincible. Moises saieth not that God promised dominion to Cain ouer his lustes,The place of Moises cōcerning but saieth, vntounto thee shal his appetites or lustes be, & thow shall beare dominion ouer him: which is not spoken of sinne, but of Abel, who as he was the yōger, so was he appoīted to be subiect to Cain,Cain. and to serue him, and therefor most vniustly did he hate him. It is the same phrase that before was spoken of the woman concerning her subiection to man. Such as hauehave but mean knowledge in the hebrew text, know well that bothe these articles be of the masculin gendre, & the substātiue which signifieth sinne in that place, is of ye feminin gēdre & therefor wil not yt proprietie of the tongue suffer, yt dominion promised, be referred to sinne. where blasphemously ye aske if god gaue Cain no power to subdue his lust, who was thē ye author of his sinne? I answer Cain him self: for he was not lyke to a dead and vnsensible sworde, as ye adduce the similitude, but he was a reasonable instrumēt infected by the venom of Satā, from the whiche he not being purged could do nothing but serue the deuil and his owne lustes, against gods expressed will and commandement. I hauehave before, proued taht God is the cause of no mās damnation but sinne in which they are fallen, is the very cause which all reprobates do find in them selues.
Touching the fidelitie of God who suffereth none of his to be tempted aboue their strength,To the 7 it is onelyonly true of Gods elect,1. Cor. 10 to whom it is plaine that Paul there speaketh. for albeit that amonges the Corinthians there were many reprobates, yet doth Paul addresse his style as it were to the elect Church of God, calling them his beloued, willing them to flie from idolatrie, and speaking to them, as vntounto men indued with wisdome &c. And therefore must ye first proue, that Cain had as great testimonie of God that he was his elect, as the Corinthians had of Paule yt they were beloued and elected in Christ, before that ye can make this place to serue for him. for albeit he did aduertise him what was his duetie to do, yet doth it not thereof follow, that he gaue him power to obey his will reueled, nether yet power to resist all tentation. To Pharao he did no les make manifest his will then that he did to Cain, and yet of him he did before pronounce that he should not heare nor obey the voice of Moises, I do not denie but that he stubbornly foresooke the counsell of God, whiche mercifully called him. But why did he, and do all reprobate forsaik it, we hauehave oft before declared, to witt: because the sede of God abideth not in them.
What was the benediction giuen after the floode vntounto Noah and to his sonnes,To the 8 Genese 9 the holie Gost doth not conceale, to witt multiplication, preseruation, and the restitutiō of all thinges, as touching the order of nature, like as they were before that vastation, (by reason of the waters which had so long continued). In that place is no mention made of election to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus, and therefor your connexion, that Ham was not reprobat, when he was blessed of God, is foolishe. for albeit that none can be both blessed and cursed, loued and hated all at once, in that degre of louelove or of hatered wc God frely beareth in Christ to his elect, and most iustlie hateth the reprobate, for the causes knowen to his visdom, yet in an other sort, it is no repugnancie to say that God both blesseth, and loueth in bestowing tempoall benedictions, vponupon such as in his eternall counsell he hath reiected, and therefor hateth. As it is no repugnancie to say that God bothe blesseth and loueth his elect children, euen when most seruerely he doth chasten and punishe them.
To all yt which ye adduce of the Israelites,To the 9 10 11. 12 & 13. my former answers may suffice, for you be neuer able to proue, that any of thē, which was chosen to lief euerlasting did fall into death eternall. It nothing hurt y• saluation of Moises albeit his bodie fell in the wildernes.1 Cor. 10 That place of Paule proueth not that all the Israelites, which was called from Egypt, were within gods holie election to lief euerlasting in Christ Iesus, but doth proue yt they were all externally called and yt they did all cōmunicat with those externall signes and sacremēts, wc did signifie, & represent spirituall thinges, but he doth not affirm yt all did receaue ye spiritual and inward graces of the holie Gost. The mynd of the Apostle is plaine ynough in yt place to such as willingly list not blynd them selues. For he exhorteth the Corinthians not to think it sufficient that they did commuicat with the sacramentes of Christ Iesus, except that a godlie lief & vnfeined obediē ce to gods will reueled should be ioyned with the same: for otherwise the same should happen vntounto them, that happened to the Israelites. And therefor he saieth let him that standeth take hede, lest he fall, which is nothīg contrarie to our doctryne nether yet is our doctrine in any iote repugnant to ye holie Gost. for we did neuer denie but yt many who before mē had a faire glister of holynes, yea which thoght thē selues sure in their own fantasie hath taken horrible falles, bothe of one sort & of ye other. And vntounto all mē we cry no les then you do, that they tēpt them selues, & yt they take hede lest by slothfulnes they fall. but yt any yt standeth in Christ Iesus, and in the eternall counsale of God can so fall that finally he perishe, that we cōstantly denie. Behold how smothly God conducteth our tossed bote through the raiging waues of your furious argumentes.To the 14. 15 & 16.
The fall of the reprobate we remit to gods iudgement Albeit that Balaam had bene indued with greater graces, then in scriptures, we read that he had, yet doth it not thereof follow, that he had receaued ye spirit of sanctification by true faith, which is giuen to ye elect onelyonly. for we fynd the power giuen to some to expell deuilles, whom Christ affirmeth, that he neuer knew. And therefor willeth he his disciples, not to reioyse in that that spirites were subiect vntounto them, but that their names were written in the booke of lief. But yet I wonder where ye hauehave found that Balaam was so filled with the spirit of God, the spirit of trueth, the spirit of power and the spirit of grace (as ye write) that whom) soeuer he blessed, was blessed, and whom he cursed, he was cursed. I fynd no such thing witnessed of him by y• holie Gost. Trew it is that Balack gaue vntounto him that praise and cōmendation that he was assured, that whō he blessed should be happie, & whō he cursed should be cursed But whether that it was the purpose of ye holie Gost to teach and assure vsus therby that in very dede such graces were in him,Nom. 23 I greatly doubt. yea I doubt nothīg to affirm the contrarie, to witt that he nether had power spirit, nor grace of God to blesse those whom God hath curssed, nerher yet to curse those whom God hath blessed. for so doth he him self confes. And for that end is the historie written. If ye vnderstand that the benediction remained vponupon Iacob becaus that Balaam did so pronounce and speak, you are more blynd then Balaam was. for he assigneth an nother cause, saying, how shall I cursse where God hath not cursed, or how shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested. God is not as man that he shoulde lie, nether as the sonne of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? and hathe he spoken, and shall he not accōplish it? Behold, I hauehave receaued commandement to blesse: for hehath blessed, and I can not alter it. He seeth none iniquitie in Iacob, nor seeth no transgression in Israel: the Lord his God, is with him, and the ioyfull showte of a king is amongest them.
In these wordes,why Balaam blessed Israel & could not curs them. I say, Balaam assigneth the cause why he was compelled to blesse Israel, because, saith he, God hath blessed them. And why also he could not change his blessing, because in God there is no mutabilitie, nor chāge, like as there is in mā. And therefor as hehad once blessed that people, by his plaine word and promes spoken, and reueled to Abrahā, so shoulde he most constantly perfourme it. If malice did not blynd you, you should clerely se, that the holie Gost meaneth nothing les then to teach that Balam was blessed of God, and therefor was not at that tyme a reprobate: But that Israel was so elected, sosanctified, and blessed of God, that their very ennemis, and suche as were hyred to curse them, were compelled to giuegive testimonie against them selues, that gods people was blessed. But this doeth no more make Balaam to be gods elect, then did that confession, which the wicked spirites gaue to Christ, (confessing him to be the Sonne of the liuing God) change their nature.
If you be able to proue that hole Israel so fell frō gods fauor, that to none of Abrahams posteritie did he perfourm the promes made to him, and to his sede, then hauehave ye proued somwhat of your purpose, to witt, that God may make a promes, & that with an oth, & yet perfourm no part of it. But if it be manifest that notwithstanding their grudging, their rebellion, their carnall lustes, their idolatrie, and abominations, gods promes remained so sure, that the same was perfourmed (after many tēptations) in full perfection: Consider what may be cōcluded against you, in applying examples by similitude, & equalitie. I wold wish in you greater wisdom, then to compare Balaam one particulare person, a fals prophete accursed of God, and so perishing amongest the vngodlie, and hole israell gods elect and chosen people, so blessed of God, yt not onelyonly they were preserued in all stormes,To the 17 & 18. but also of them, according to the flesh, came that blessed sede, the messias promised.
To Saul and to his kingdom I hauehave before answered, to witt, that one thing it is to be appointed to a temporall office, and an other to be elected in Christ Iesus to lief euerlasting. But yet I will adde somwhat more, which is this Propo…ition directlie fighting against yours:A prop… sition Saul nor his house was neuer chosen in gods eternall counsel to be kings and Reulars ouer Israel for euer. If ye cry, then did the holie Gost, speaking in Samuel, lie. for he affirmed, that God had prepared the reigne and kingdom of Saul vponupon Israel for euer, I answer Samuel speaketh not in that place, what God had determined in his eternall counsel,1 Sam. 13 but what he him self thoght that God had determined and appointed. And therefore ye may not conclude that the holie Gost doth lie, except the kingdom of Saul was once appointed to hauehave remained ouer Israel for euer. Nay, so can ye not conclude. But ye may say, yt except that so it was, ye prophet was deceaued. And so no doubt he was for a ceason, and did speake those wordes according to the apprehension & iudgement which he had conceaued by reason of his vnction and lawfull election to his office. If it appere hard to you, that ye prophetes be deceaued in any thing, consider I praie you what chanced vntounto him after. did he not at the sight of Eliab pronounce with an affirmation, that before the eternall,…. King. 16 he was his anointed? did the holie Gost lie because that Eliab was refused, and Dauid chosen, or was not rather Samuel ignorant and in an error? the same might I proue by Nathan, & others, who being gods true prophetes were yet for a ceason left in error & did both speak and giuegive counsel otherwies than God had determined in his eternal counsel. But now shortlie to proue my proposition, I say, that gods eternall purpose and counsel concerning the chief rewler and gouernor ouer Israel was long before pronounced, by Iacob in his last testament,Gen. 49 who did appoint the crown, and Sceptre royall to an other tribe then to Beniamin. for thus he saieth, Thou Iudah thy bretheren shall praise thee: thine hand shalbe in the the necke of thine ennemies: thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe vntounto thee, &c. The Sceptre shall not depart frō Iudah, nether the law giuer from betwext his fete vntil Shiloh come and the people shalbe gathered to him, &c. here I say it is plaine that many yeres before the election of Saul was the Kinglie dignitie appointed to Iuda, which sentence was neuer after retracted. And therefor my proposition affirming yt Saul was neuer elected in ye eternall counsel of God to reign for euer ouer Israel, stādeth sure and sufficientlie proued. If any ask to what purpose was Saul then elected king? I answer, because so it pleased gods wisdom to tempt his people,why Saul was elected… the king dō which was appointed to an …ther tribs. to tempt the tribe of Iudah, yea and all the faithfull, that then were a liue, to tempt them I say, whether they wolde still depend vponupon gods promes, & look for their felicitie, euen by the same meanes, that God had foresopken: how so euer thinges appered to the contrarie for a ceason. The hole people no doubt, yea and Samuel him self, were partlie criminall in that point, that they looked for saluation, and for delyuerance from all their ennemies by the hā des of any other, then by one of the tribe of Iuda: considering that the former prophecie was so plaine. But yt error he did first correct in his prophet, shewing vntounto him iust causes why Saul was vnworthie of that great honor, and after he did correct the same in the people mouing their hartes to elect Dauid, whom the prophet had before anointed. And so did God retein y• firmitie of his counsel, and did perfourme the same, when all things appered, Plainelie to repugne to his promes, yea when men had receaued an other to be their king, then God by his former promes had appointed.To the 18. 19. & 20. We nether denie the supernaturall wisdom and manifold graces giuen to Salomon, nether yet his most horrible fall, to be a document, and a memoriall for euer, of his abominable idolatries, and most vnthankfull defection from God. which onelie one example we affirme oght to admonish eueryevery man most carefully to examin him felf, with what simplicitie he walketh before gods Maiestie. But whether that Salomon so became the sonne of ye deuil, that after he did neuer returne to God but yt finally he did perish, we dare not be bolde to pronoūce sentēce. And yt because to vsus it appereth, yt God did make vntounto him a promes of merciemercy, his greuous offence not withstanding.2. Sam. 7 for this did God speak by Nathan of him: when thy daies shalbe fulfilled, thou shalt slepe with thy fathers, and I will sett vp thy sede after the which shal procede out of thy body, and wil stablish his kingdome, he shall buyld an house for my name, & I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer: I will be his father and he shalbe my sonne: and if he sinne, I wil chasten him with the rodde of men, and with the plagues of the children of men. But my mercy shal not departe away from him, as I toke it frō Saul, whome I hauehave put away before thee, &c. howsoeuer ye list to vnderstand this fre mercy promised to abide after in iquitie committed, you cānot denie, but that a plaine difference is made betwext Salomō, & Saul. And if ye think, that nothing spoken in that place, did appertein to Salomō, who was born before that Dauid had finished his daies & did slepe with his fathers, but that all is performed in Christ, who many yeares after did spring of him ye do not rightly mark the wordes of God nether yet ye mynd of the holie Gost, he saith not, that the childe who shoulde builde a house to the name of God, and whose kingdome he wolde establish, shoulde be borne after his death, but that God shoulde raise one who shoulde sprīg of his own loynes, whom he wolde so honor after his death, that he wolde become his father, whom he wolde so intreate: that albeit he shoulde offend, yet shoulde he not be reiected frō regiment in Israel, as Saul was, and so was the kingdome established not onelie to Dauid, but also to his posteritie after him. The perfection no doubt was reserued to Christ Iesus, but so was the veritie in him, that the figure passed before in Salomō. Moreouer somwhat is spokē in this promes, which in no wise can be referred to Christ Iesus. for how shal any be able to proue that ye iust sede of Dauid in whose mouth was no deceat founde, did in any sort wickedly in his owne person, so that he had nede of mercy, & to be corrected with the rodde of the children. This I note, to giuegive you occasion to take hede what sentence ye pronounce in things so farre remoued frō the reache of your vnderstanding.To the 21 In the historie of Ieroboam, ye do not obserue that whatsoeuer is promised vntounto him, except the first … of the tenne tribes, is cōdicionall. for thus saith the Prophet vntounto him.3 K…g, 11 And if thou harken vntounto al that I command thee, and wilt walk in my waies, & do right in my sight as did Dauid my seruant, then wil I be, with thee, and build thee asure house, as I buylt vntounto Dauid & wil giuegive Israel vntounto thee, &c. I pray you what can ye hereof conclude? That Ieroboam say you not withstanding gods election and fre ordinance did fall from the fauor of God. But how be you able to proue, that he was elected and before ordeined to stand in gods fauor for euer? These saings, if thou walke before me in righteousnes, if thou kepe my preceptes, and such others, will not proue it. I can euidently proue that Ieroboam, and all the kings in Israel after him were giuen to the people in gods anger, and were taken away in his hote displeasure, for so doth the Prophet Oseas witnes. Now if you can proue, that such reulers, as be giuen in gods wrath, and taken awaie in his iust furie, were elected and before ordeined to stand in his fauor for euer, aduise wt your counsellers, and produce your witnes against the next time.To the 22. 23. That Iudas was neuer elected to life euerlasting, I hauehave before declared and therfore at this present I onelyonly say, that no more did Christ mean of Iudas that he shoulde be the salt of the earth, the light of the worlde, nether that he shoulde sit vpō any seat to iudge any tribe in Israel, then that he ment of Peter, yt he was the deuil, that he shoulde betraie him, or that better it it had bene for him neuer to hauehave bene borne. for as Christ in pronoūcing ye wordes, you twelue hauehave I chosē but one of you is the deuil, one of you shal betraie me in expresse wordes he did nether appoint ye person of Iudas to that fact, nether yet did exempt and make fre any of the rest, from suspition of that cryme, in expres wordes (I say) So like wise in saing, ye are the salt of ye earth and you shall sitt vponupon twelue seates, &c. he nether ment of the hole nomber of the twelue, nether yet of thē onelyonly. for as for Iudas, I doubte not to affirme, but yt according, as it was written in the book of Psalmes, That his habitacion shoulde be desolate, & that an other should receaue ye honor of his bushoprike: yt so euē in ye tyme, whē he stood in the ministerie most sure to mānes iudgemēt, that yet in gods eternall coūsel, he was appointed to that treason, and most feareful end. and I suppose that none wil be so peruerse of iudgement, as to denie, that none other was appointed to be the salt of ye earth, and the light of the worlde, except those twelue. I verilie beleue that Paule is nothing inferior to any of the chiefest Apostles in that case. And so yet I affirme, that nether were those wordes spokē of all the twelue, nether yet of thē onelyonly. If this can not satisfie your curiositie, labor you to proue that Iudas was elected to life euerlasting in Christ Iesus before the fundacions of the world were laid. I hauehave before proued that the elect can not finally refuse nor deny Christ Iesus their head, and therefor I will not trouble the reader with the repetition.
The place of EzechiellEz… 18. serueth nothing your purpose. for there doth he onelyonly intreat of such righteous men, as in the beginning of the same chapter vsed this prouerbe: The fathers hauehave eaten soure grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge, signifying thereby (as before we hauehave declared) that they were iust and innocēt and that yet they did suffer punishement, for the offenses of their fathers. Against whom ye Prophet speaketh most sharpely affirming that the soule which did sinne shoulde die: in this praising gods iustice, that he wolde suffer sinne vnpunished in none of his creatures, supposing that some for a time, had a shew of righteousnes. The prophet doeth further accuse, and conuict their consciences, for they knew them selues criminall in all crimes, which the prophet there recited. And therefore to prouoke them to repentāce wt this exhortacion: Cast away from you (saieth he) all your transgressiōs whereby ye hauehave transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, for why wil you die ô house of Israel, for I desire not the death of him yt dieth (saith the Lord God) Cause therefore one another to returne, and liue ye.
Of this co…clusiō (I say) it easely may appere of what sort of righteous men ye Prophet speaketh: not of such as being ingrafted in Christes bodie, by the true sanctification of his spirit, do daylie studie to mortifie their affections: but of such as hauing an outward appearance or shew of holines, did notwithstāding lowse ye bridle to all impietie. In very dede God can not remēbre ye iustice of any such (wc is not) but their sinnes must craue iust vengeance, & yt the rather because by thē ye name of God is blasphemed. Now to ye rest of yt wc foloweth in yor book.