Display of Popish Practices, Slanders · Slander 3 · Argument 5
The Sycophantes fifth Argumente to the thirde Slaunder.
Further they bring a place out of Zacharie, where GOD ſaith he is angry with the quiet nations, bycauſe that when he was lightlie angry with the Iſraelites, they helped euil, that is, did more grieuouſly afflicte the Iſraclite, thā Gods diſpleaſure coulde beare, therefore God ſuffering, not willing it. A like example they alleage out of the Prophete Obed, who reprehendeth the Idumeans, bycauſe they did more grieuouſly afflicte the Iewes, the thā Lordes wrathe required.
REFVTATION.
THIS verilye I impute to the Scriuener, bicauſe he wrote Iſraelits for Idumeans in the latter propheſie which thou cyteſt. For I ſuppoſe this thy Obed, to be he whome the Hebrewes cal Obadia, and the Latines Abdias. But truely I cannot excuſe this, that thou reciteſt out of this Prophete, thoſe things which then ſhalt finde in hym in no place, Therfore for as much as helogeth to this place, thou art taken tardye with an open lye. For I read in Abdias, that the Idumeans ſhoulde be grieuouſly puniſhed, bicauſe they moſt cruelly raged againſt their kinſemen alredy vexed by them by all maner of meanes: but that which thou wryteſt, is no where extant in him. The place therefore of Zacharie remayneth, in the expounding of whiche, ſée with what ſnares thou haſt entangled thy ſeft, from whence thou canſte not ridde thy ſelfe. For I aſke as it were from what poynt thou wylt beginne thys thy ſecréete ſufferaunce from wil? Verilye from whence thoſe nations went beyonde thoſe boundes whych were ſet them of God? Let vsus ſuppoſe that they were more moderate, yet hitherto it wil folow, that (God willing ſo) the Iewes were oppreſſed of them. Thus far therfore they ſinned not, if we reſt our ſelucs in thine intentions. For thou denyeſt yt wil of god in any ſins, by any meanes to come in betwixt. But who wil graunt thée this, yt vngodly & wicked men ſin not in afflicting Gods people, without this exception be added, if they paſſe the boūds which are ſet thē of god? Art thou ſo ignorāt what obedience is? Truely great is the force of truth, whyche enforceth thée againſt thy will, eyther to deale playnely wt vsus, or to diſſent frō thy ſelf. But, leaſt thou be ignorāt, good mā, Satā or any wicked mā can not moue his foote, no, not euen his finger, to hurt eyther good or euil, whether he know yt Lords decrée or not, but he ſhall ſin grieuouſly For an euill trée doeth alwayes bring forth euill fruits: yea, though the beſt Phiſition do plant & dreſſe it, and vſeth his poyſons to certaine remedies. But of thys matter let this be an example. Let there be a wicked Citizen iudged an enimy to the countrey, and for that cauſe be bāniſhed: he méeteth with another as wicked, or more hurtfull, who not knowing the edicte of proſcription, he kyileth the man in robberie, with that kinde of death, wherewith he ſhoulde hauehave died, if the common wealth had had him in their power. Doeth this man ſéeme to hauehave obeyed the common wealth, who ki led the man that was vnderunder proſcription, or rather worthy to be puniſhed as a théefe? For how can he ſéeme to hauehave obeyed, that knewe not the edict of proſcription? The ſame alſo is to be iudged of the Chaldeis and other enemies, of the people of God, who albeit they afflicted yt Iews with deſerued puniſhments, & did execute Gods iudgements, yet they can not ſéeme to hauehave obeyed god, euen whoſe name they did not reuerence, much leſſe did thinke to obey hys commaundements.
This only is the difference, that the common wealth dyd not appoint that ſpoyler to kil him: but the Lord called the Chaldeis, albeit they knewe it not, to execute his iudgements, as himſelfe teſt if yeth in infinite places, and chiefely in the. 23. of Ezechiel, which place I thinke can not be read without trembling. Therefore the Chaldeis did not properly the Lordes worke, but by thē not knowing it, and thinking no ſuch thing, the Lord executed hys iuſt work, & neuertheleſſe did afterwards moſt iuſtly puniſh thē, as the Prophets had witneſſed. For ſo the Lord in Eſai,… 10.5.6.7 …. when he ſayde, oh Aſſur, the rodde of my furye, and the ſtaffe of them in my diſpleaſure, I wil ſend him to a diſſembling nation, & I wil commaund him againſte the people of mine indignation, that he robbe them as a praye, and take ſpoiles, and lay him to be troden vppon as the duſte in the ſtreates. And then hee addeth: but Aſſur himſelfe thinkes not ſo, nor will his hearte conceiue it, bicauſe it will be in his harte, to roote out and deſtroy many nations. And ſtraightway he ſayeth: But it will come to paſſe, when the Lord hath perfected his work in mount Sion and Ieruſalem, I will viſite the proude hearte of the King of Aſſur, and the glorie of his high lookes. whiche afterwardes the ſame prophete proſecuteth more largely in the thirtéenth Chapiter. But lette vsus alſo ſuppoſe the wicked themſelues to vnderſtande, that it is the commandement of God, yet, that they, in the execution of Gods commaundement, can do nothing elſe but ſinne. For example. The Magiſtrate giueth ouer euerye offender lawfully conuict and condemned to the Executioner. The Executioner, who otherwiſe is an enimie, afflicteth yt man with yt ſame kind of torment yt was appointed him, but moued with hatred or couetouſneſſe, not ſetting béefore him the Iudges commandement, but this one thing, that he maye ſatiſfie his minde. Wilte thou thinke hym innocent before the Lorde, who ſéeth the thoughtes of the hart, & not rather guilty of murther, yea, euē of ſacriledge, who abuſeth yt ſacred iudgemēt of yt Magiſtrate, to ſatiſfy his owne luſte? Suche was Sathans faulte, when not by the bare ſufferaunce of God, as thou wilte, but by expreſſe commaundement, he was ſent to ver Iob, and alſo to deceiue Achab. And it is very like, that the Idumeans did no otherwiſe, whiche are reprehended of Obadia, ſéeing it is probable, that they were not ignorant of thoſe things which the Prophets hadde preached againſte the Iewes. Therefore, that we may ſtrike ſaile at the laſte, indéede thou thinkeſt righte, that thou thinkeſt, that the wicked are enforced by the will of God, againſte thoſe, whome God by them will puniſhe: But here thou arte deceiued two waies, and that with a deadly error. Firſte, in that thou thinkeſt they do not ſinne, except it be ſo, that they excéede meaſure, whiche we hauehave proued to be falſe. Againe, bycauſe thou thinkeſt they can goe beyonde the boundes and limits which God hath ſet them: which erroure lincked with wonderfull blaſphemie, it remaineth, that I reproue. I ſay therefore, that the Lorde, ſo oft as he decréeth anye thing (and he firſte decréeth with what puniſhementes he maye corect the ſinnes of men) is wont alſo to determine all things (as it were) with ratified and ſet limits, of places, of times, and of perſons. Alſo I ſaye, that all thinges are ſo firme and ratified, which God hath decréed, that ſéeing he is neuer chaunged, the iſſue alſo muſte néedes followe of all thinges, whyche hée hath appointed, and altogither ſuche as he hath appointed. But I diſpute not here of ſecōd cauſes, leaſt thou ſhouldeſt accuſe me after thy maner, as a defēder of Stoical deſtiny. I diſpute of thoſe gouerned endes, whyche GOD hathe decréed and determined.
Thoſe endes in déede thou thinkeſt cannot be remoued without vnſpeakeable wickedneſſe: I thinke thou arte taken conuict of double blaſphemie,☞ when thou ſaieſt this. For I graunte, that if they might be auoyded, that hée whyche doeth this, were guiltie of ſacriledge, and hée ſéemeth guiltie of offending the diuine Maieſtie: but that GOD permitteth anye thing to be done againſte that he hathe decréed, I denye, bycauſe hée ſhoulde diſagrée from himſelfe. Againe this I deny, that it is not in anye mans power, to paſſe thoſe endes whyche God hath ſette and determined. He that ſhall deny theſe, I ſay, is guiltie of ſacriledge, is blaſphemous, wicked, and a madde manne. For what maner of God ſhal we eſtéeme him, whoſe ſentence is not firme, and ratified, and whoſe decrée and will ſhoulde depende vppon ſeconde cauſes. For, whereas thou ſuppoſeſt, that thou canſte eſcape theſe inconueniences, when thou ſayeſt, that the endes, which GOD hathe preſcribed, cannot be paſſed, excepte hée ſuffering, but not willing it, that is, leaſte his wil ſéeme inconſtant, doth euidently prone thy fooliſhneſſe. For if he ſuffer againſte his will, it followeth, that ſome thing is dono, whiche God woulde not ſhoulde be done. Where then is his omnipotencie? For, if thou doeſt except, that he woulde not it ſhoulde be done, but that he did not lette it, and therefore his omnipotencie not to be imperiled, whiche coulde, but woulde not oppoſe it ſelfe: neither in déede ſhall this helpe thée,From one danger to a greate… but from Silla thou runneſt headlong to Charibdis. For ſo it ſhoulde come to paſſe, that to ſuffer ſhoulde ſignifye all one thing, as not to hinder: as if one ſuffer a ſtreame to runne headlong downe a hill, whiche he can ſtay. But if God doe not let any thing, therefore he letteth it not, bycauſe that either he woulde it ſhould be done, or of the contrarie, that he would it ſhould not be done, or finally, that he careth not whether that thing be done or not. Chooſe whiche of theſe pleaſeth thée beſte. If thou ſaye, that GOD will hauehave that done, whiche hée ſuffereth, thou makeſt with vsus, or rather with the LORDE hymſelfe, who teſtifyeth that euen the Sparrowes, fall not to the grounde wythoute the Heauenlye fathers will: nor therefore is there daunger, leaſte thou make GOD the Authour of Sinne, as wée hauehave plentifullye made plaine before. But if thou thinkeſt, that he ſuffereth ſomething, bycauſe hée woulde not it ſhoulde be done, who will not thinke thée without common ſenſe? for he woulde rather forbid that, than ſuffer it. And truely common reaſon telleth, as the onelye will of God ſufficeth, that anye thyng be done, ſo alſo, that anye thing be not done, it ſufficeth, bycauſe GOD will not that it be done.
There remaineth a thirde, that he ſuffer ſomething to come to paſſe, whiche he willeth it be either done or not done, as that be careth not whether it be done or no. But who knoweth not that this doctrine is Epicurious? Furthermore, who I praye thée, beſides thée alone, knoweth not, that ye omnipotencie of God ſtandeth not only in this, that be can do what he liſte, but in this alſo, that all the power and ſtrength of all inferioure cauſes dependeth of him? But whence is this ſtrength, but from a willing God? For neither can it be wreaſted from the beginning, neither procéede nor iſſue, as out of the hands of an ydle God, that inferior cauſes ſhoulde be enforced, not by his, but by their owne determination. For I denye not, but that the inſtruments are in déede enforced, which are endeued wyth will, according to their owne liking, but bycauſe it is carried to the ende ordained of God. For bycauſe (as Auguſtine hathe excellently and truely written) the will of God is the neceſſitie of things, nor that Stoycall, which thou falſely obiecteſt againſt vsus, but which taketh not awaye the voluntarie mouing of will, as the ſame writer hath plainely manifeſted in his bookes, entituled of the Cittie of God. Therefore when thou ſayſte that God nilling,Of the Citie of God the. 3. book the S. Chapiter, the ninth and tenth yerſes. but ſuffering, the limits maye be paſſed which he hath ſet, thou either ſpoileſt him of his omnipotēcie, or makeſt him light and inconſtant, and finally, contrarie to himſelfe. But this thy blaſphemy, euen all dumb creatures do reprehēd with open mouth, which hauehave continued ſo many thouſād yeres in their eſtate: & they plainly confeſſe, that they cannot paſſe the breadth of a line, except he will and commaundeth. The ſtrength of I ſtraell will not deceiue, (ſaith Samuell) nor will be remoued with repentaunce, ſéeing he is not a man, that hée can repent. And Paule ſaith, it is not poſſible, that the word of God ſhould fall away. But it muſt néedes fall awaye in ſome parte, if any thing, yea, euen the leaſte, be done beſide his wil, yea, euē of thoſe which he doth not ſimply allow. But what doe I bring theſe witneſſes? for Balaam himſelfe that hireling Prophet doth reproue thée, GOD is no man that he ſhoulde lye,Num. 23.9. (ſaith he) nor the Sonne of man, that he ſhoulde repent. Doth he ſay, and not do? or ſpeak, and not make good? yea, euen Sathan himſelfe, that lying and vncleane ſpirite, doth reproue thée, in whom, when there wanteth not a thouſand waies to do miſchief, and is ſo great wickedneſſe, as we cānot poſſibly thinke, yet he is ſo ſtraightly bridled, that he cannot euen hiſſe againe, excepte the Lord with his voice excite him: and is ſo ſtraightlye fettered, that he cannot moue ſo muche as his finger, but by the Lordes aſſignement. He, euen hée, I ſaye, doeth confute thée, and, albeit againſte his will, yet he confeſſeth againſte the teſtimonie of his owne conſcience, that thou arte enforced of him, that thou mighteſt breake out into theſe blaſphemies. For he acknowlegeth, that, excepte power bée obtayned of the Lord, he cannot hurt any, be it neuer ſo little: and then when it is granted him of the Lorde, to hurte (for the Lorde giueth hym this power of his owne good will, either, that he may puniſh the wicked, or allure, recall, trie, and correct his own, as we hauehave ſhewed before) ſo ofte he féeleth himſelfe conſtrained to remaine within the determined boundes,Iob. 1.12. &. 2.5.6 1. Kin. 22.22 Apoc. 6.4.8., & 7.2.3, and. 9.4. as appeareth by the ſtorie of Iob, Achab, and other teſtimonies. Therefore, that I maye at the laſt come to the verye place of Zacharie, that the enimies of the Iewes, did more grieunouſly afflict them, than the wrath of Gods diſpleaſure coulde beare, yet they coulde not paſſe the decrée of God, no not the breadth of a naile. For Gods decrée dependeth further than his diſpleaſure. And it is ſhewed in theſe wordes of the Prophet, that there is no cauſe why the people ſhoulde meaſure the wrath of God, by the multitude of calamities which they ſuffered. For that the Lorde ſent them a greate parte thereof, not as being angry, he woulde deſtroy them, but contrarily, as thoughe a louing father ſhoulde correct them, that they might retourne themſelues to good life. The Lorde therefore after his maner, as it were ſome moſte louing father maffling with his children, teſtifieth, that he is angrye with their frowardneſſe and crueltie, to whom he hadde giuen his children to be corrected, but not deſtroyed, that is, that the Executioners dealte more cruellye with them, than his diſpleaſure could beare. But all theſe are no otherwiſe to be expoūded by foreign humane affectiō than when we reade, that God hath bin angry, or repented, of which matter we will ſpeake anone. For whereas thou trifleſt elſewhere, that many things are done againſt the determination of God, as if the iſſue of Gods counſel depended of a condition adiected, and that indéede ſuch as is ſette in oure power, all this the Churche of Baſill oute of the worde of God hath worthily curſed long agoe, for ſacrilegious blaſphemie. And the rather, bycauſe we are entred into this ſpeech, I thinke good to annexe thy words out of that vncleane quaternion of thine annotations vponupon the Epiſtle of Paule to the Romanes, whiche being by good right condemned of the Churche at Baſill, yet thy lykes hauehave not ceaſed to ſperple throughout all Churches. I hinke therefore good, I ſay, to recite them, and refell them, bycauſe they belong to this place. Thou ſay eſt, it is eaſie to ſhew, that many things are done againſt the determination which is toyned with condition. The ☞Potter hath determined the chalke to be a veſſell for the kitchin, but that veſſell is cleft in the fornace, contrary to the determination. God had determined to bring all the Iſraelites that he brought out of Egipt, into the lande of Canaan, as Moſes himſelfe ſheweth: and therfore were al baptized into Moſes in the cloude: but bycauſe they would not aſſaulte the Cananites againſte the determination, they periſhed in the wooddes: and as the Scribes fordidde the counſell of God, in themſelues Luke. 7. God had vowed King Ezechias to death: but by prayers and godlineſſe Ezechias obtained fiftéene yeres cōtrarie to the determination. Sire hundreth ſuch may be brought. Doeſt thou acknowledge thy wordes, thou monſter of men, than the whiche, Sathan coulde not vomite anye more filthie thing againſt Heauen? For, who is our God, if his counſell depende vppon vsus? if anye thing can come to paſſe (as thou ſayeſt in the ſame place) againſte his will and determination? if he be changed like men? if men may violate his determination? if hée ſhame not to make fruſtrate to morrowe, that whiche he determined to day? I humbly beſéeche you, you noble Senatours of the moſte famous Citie, & alſo you moſte excellent & well learned Gouernors of ye Uniuerſitie at Baſil, how long wil you ſufferin your boſome, this ſhame, this filth, this monſtrous beaſt? But to the matter: thou depraueſt ſhamefully & filthily thrée teſtimonies, that thou maiſt ſtrengthen thy blaſphemie. For indéede it is true, that thoſe Iſraelites were not forbidden to goe into the lande of Canaan, but for their owne faulte: but whence doeſt thou vnderſtande, that the Lord did euer otherwiſe determine of them? from thence, bycauſe they were all baptiſed in the cloude, as if indéede the Lorde hadde ordained to life all thoſe that are borne of Abraham, after the fleſhe, and circumciſed, or all thoſe whiche are baptiſed in the Church of Chriſte. And that which the Lorde ſayeth to Moſes,Number 8.14. ye ſhall not doubtleſſe come into the lande, for which I lifted vp my hand, (ye is, I ſware) ye I would place you in it: this I ſay, if thou takeſt to make for thée, thou art much deceiued: & by thoſe which we wrote a little before, yu maiſt eaſily be refelled. For what anſwereth ye L. to Moſes, praying for ye peopls health? I hauehave forgiuen this people (ſaith he) according to Yet by and by it followeth, that excepte two, none aboue twenty yeares olde, ſhoulde enter into Canaan. What then? verily, yet the LORDE ſayeth, he ſpared the people, to whome he had threatned deſtruction: nor is this to be taken of euerye perſon. The LORDE therefore hadde ſworne to the people, that he woulde place them in Canaan: which alſo he didde, albeit they went not in, whiche hadde rebelled: and in déede hée partly puniſhed ſo the Re belles, as yet he ſhewed merciemercy to their poſteritie, and abode by his promiſe: but partly he ſo ſhewed himſelfe mercifull to theſe, as hée iuſtlye puniſhed thoſe, and neuertheleſſe cleared his own faithfulneſſe, as is ſhewed in the. 20. Chapter of Ezechiel. In the meane time, there is lefte no place to the chaunging of his determination, or for repentaunce. For whereas it is ſometimes ſaide, that the LORDE hathe repented: If thou vnderſtandeſt not, that it is ſpoken by figure, in déed thou knoweſt not the firſte groundes of Chriſtian religion: if thou impudentlye denieſt it, thou arte more worthy for thy blaſphemye to be ſuppreſſed of a Magiſtrate, than that thou ſhouldeſt be enformed of any one.
In the other place, whiche thou citeſt oute of Luke, thou bewrayeſt thy manifeſt & intollerable malice. From whom did euer this blaſphemie procéede beſides thée, that he ſhoulde ſaye, that men might infringe the counſell of God? And thou thy ſelfe in déede, when in Latine thou diddeſt rather peruert than conuerte, waſte ſomewhat more ſhamefaſte, for ſo thou haſte interpreted. When this was hearde, the people and publicans being waſhed with the waſing of Iohn, praiſed God. But the Phariſies and Lawyers, (ſo muche as in them didde lye) dydde foredoe the counſell of God. But ſaye, when thou wouldeſt adde that exception, as much as in thē did lye, did thy conſcience tel thée, that this ſentēce could not ſtand withoute this exceptiō? How is it therfore, that that omitted, thou dareſt now is impudentlye wreſte this teſtimonie, that thou mayſt ratifye ſo horrible a blaſphemie? But further good Lord, what ſacrilegious impudencie is this, to dare ſo openlye tranſferre the moſte ſacred worde of God, to whoſe onelyonly authoritie the truth amongſt men leaneth? And indéede I leaue thy waſhing to ſuch a fine and daintie man as thy ſelfe. For we are not the menne whiche deſpiſe baptiſme: but who taught thée to expound foreign againſt themſelues as much as in them was. It ſhoulde rather hauehave bene layde foreign as much as was in them. And ſéeing that foreign hath manye ſignifications, why haſt thou choſen that which was of al others leaſt appertyyning? was it not bycauſe thou haſte determined as muche as was in thée, to depraue thys place and manye others? For who can not ſée that thoſe were ſet agaynſt the Publicanes, imbracing the doctrine of God by direct contrarie, thoſe who deſpiſed the ſame, and abandoned it from them? For the worde foreign doth oftimes declare thys: as I chn. 12.48. and 1. Theſſa. 4.8. in the whiche place thou thy ſelfe vſeſt the worde of retecting. Seeſt thou therefore, moſte ſhameleſſe man, that this teſtimonie doth nothing leſſe than confirme thy blaſphemie? But I aſſure thée, this wil come to paſſe, that if thou repenteſt not with ſpéede, and bringeſt a more religious minde to the dealing in holye writings, the verye ſtones will rather riſe againſt thée, than that thou ſhouldeſt eſcape with this ſacrilegious impudēcie vnpuniſhed. That remayneth whiche thou alleageſt of Ezechias, of which ſorte of examples thou auoucheſt there mighte be many broughte. It ſéemeth good to rcproue thine ignoraunce with the wordes of Caluine himſelfe: bycauſe (though thou burſt with enuye) of this matter there can be nothing ſpoken neyther more briefly nor more truely, nor more plainly. Thus therfore hée ſaith in that goldē worke, whoſe true title is yt inſtitutiō of Chriſtiā religiō, in yt chapter of predeſtinatiō & the prouidēce of God, yt 53. & 54. ſection. As when we heare yt God is angry, we may not thinke yt there is in him any diſquietneſſe, but rather thinke that this ſpéeche is taken from our ſenſe, bycauſe God ſéemeth to beare the countenance of one that is moned, & angry, ſo oft as he executeth iudgement: ſo may we not conceiue any other thing by the name of repentance, than the alteration of his works: bycauſe men are wont, in changing their workes, to ſhewe that they diſpleaſed them. Bycauſe therfore eueryevery chaunge amongſt men, is the correction of that whiche diſpleaſeth, and correction procéedeth of repentaunce, therefore by the name of repentaunce is ſignifyed that whiche God changeth in his workes. In the mean time, neyther his counſell nor wyl was infringed, nor his affection changed: but that which from euerlaſting he had forſaken, approued and decréed, he proſecuteth with a ſtanding courſe, howſoeuer any ſoden chaunge may appeare to the eyes of men. Nor whyle the ſacred hiſtorie reporteth the deſtruction forgiuen to the Niniuites which before was publiſhed, & the prorogation of Ezechias his life, whē death was denounced, ſheweth what Gods decrées were abrogate. They whych ſo thinke, are deceiued in threatnings: which albeit they ſimplye affirme, yet neuertheleſſe it is to be vnderſtand, that they conceyue in them a ſecrete condition. Why dyd the Lorde ſende Ionas to the Niniuits, who ſhoulde foreſhe we their deſtruction? Why dyd he foretel of death to Ezechias by Eſay? For he coulde hauehave deſtroyed both thoſe and them, without warning of deſtruction. He therfore weyed another thing, than forknowing their deſtruction, they might beholde it comming euen hard at hand. Verilye he woulde not they ſhoulde be deſtroyed, but amended, leaſt they ſhoulde be deſtroyed. Wheras therefore he prophecieth that Nineuy ſhoulde be deſtroyed after fortye dayes, it is therefore done, leaſte it ſhoulde periſh. Whereas the hope of longer life is cut off to Ezechias, it is therefore done, that he might obtayne by requeſt a longer life. Who ſéeth not now yt the Lord by ſuch like threatnings woulde awake them to repentaunce, whom he feareth, that they might eſcape the iudgement whiche their ſinnes had deſerued? If that be ſo, the nature of things inforceth vsus thither, that in a ſimple denuntiation we vnderſtande a ſecrete condition, which alſo we cō firme by like examples. The Lorde reprouing the king Abimelec, bycauſe he had takē from Abraham his wife,Gen. 20. vſeth theſe wordes: Beholde thou ſhalte dye, for the woman whom thou haſte taken, for ſhe is the mans wife. And after that he had made excuſe, he ſayeth thus: Reſtore the man hys wife, for he is a Prophete, and he ſhall pray for thée that thou mayſte liue. But if not, knowe that thou ſhalte dye the deathe, and all that thou haſte. Séeſt thou that by the firſt denunciation he might ſtrike hys minde the more vehementlye, to the ende he mighte make him carefull to reſtore: but by the other he plainely manifeſteth his will? When the like reaſon is of other places, infer not vponupon them, that anye thing of the former counſel of the Lorde is diſanulled: bicauſe he hath made fruſtrat yt he pronoūced. The lord rather maketh way to his eternal ordinance, whē in denouncing puniſhmēt, he moueth thē to repentance whō he wil ſpare, than change any thing in wil, no nor in word, excepte bycauſe he ſetteth not downe by ſillables yt which is manifeſt he meaneth. If in téed yt be to ſtand true which yt prophet Eſay ſayth, The lord of hoſtes hath determined, & who can diſanul it? his hand is ſtretched out and who ſhal turne it away? Theſe ſaith Caluine, which if they cannot ſatiſfie thée, yet they are ſuche as I truſte will ſatiſfie all gouerned wittes. Nor doth it make for thee, which he mentioneth of a ſecrete condition, ſéeing thou, not as he wyll hauehave the condition annexed to the den…cing of hys decrée, but to the decrée it ſelf: and that bicauſe thoſe things whiche the Lorde hath decréed are doubtfull and vncertayne, or as if the will of the Lorde whiche is placed in men, be turned nowe on this parte, nowe on that, according to the variable ende of the condition, Whych opinion is verilye ſo abſurde, and ſo farre eſtraunged from the nature of God, that it can neuer ſéeme to hauehave pleaſed any man except him that is ſtarke madds.