Display of Popish Practices, Slanders · Slander 2 – Slander 3
The ſecond ſclaunder.
GOD hath not only predeſtinat Adam to damnation, but to the cauſes of damnation, whoſe fall he did not onelyonly foreſee, but would it with an eternall and ſecrete decree, and ordeyned that he ſhould fall, which that it mighte come to paſſe in his time, he appointed an Apple the cauſe of the fall.
The cenſure of the Sycophant.
SO they ſay that the ſecond Article is the Deuils doctrine, and they require of vsus Caluine, that we ſhewe them where it is written in the diuine bookes.
THE REFVTATION.
IN patchyng of thys ſclaunder, thou haſt kept thyne inclination, for thy ſelfe haſt forged that thou brableſt of Adam, predeſtinat to damnation. and of the Apple that God ſette before him. Theſe (I ſay) thou haſt impudentlye faygned, that it ſhall not néede to aunſwere any thing to them. And how reuerently and religiouſly Caluine vſed to thynke and write of the fall of Adam, maye appeare by theſe teſtimonies, whyche I hauehave written out worde for worde, partly of hys Inſtitutions of Chriſtian Religion, and partly of hys Booke of eternall Predeſtination. So dependeth the deſtruction of the reprobate (ſayeth he) of the Predeſtination of God, that the cauſe and matter be founde in themſelues, for the firſte man did fall, for that the Lord did ſo ſée it expedient. Why he ſo determined, we knowe not, yet it is aſſured that he determined no otherwayes, but bycauſe he ſawe it good that the glorye of hys owne name ſhoulde bée aduanced thereby. Where thou heareſt mention of the glory of GOD, thynke there to bée iuſtice, for it muſt bée iuſt that deſerueth prayſe, man therefore falleth (Gods prouidence ſo ordeyning) but he falleth through his owne faulte.
The Lorde hadde pronounced a little before, that all thyngs that hée made was very good, whence therefore commeth thys wickedneſſe to man, that he ſhoulde fall from hys GOD? leaſt it ſhoulde hée déemed to bée by creation, God by hys worde approoued whatſoeuer hadde procéeded from hym, therefore hys owne malice corrupted the pure nature whiche hée hadde receyued of the Lorde, and by hys fall, inforced all hys poſteritie to deſtruction wyth hym, wherefore, we ſhall rather ſée the apparante cauſe of damnation in the corrupte nature of man, than ſéeke out the ſecrete, and wholly incomprehenſible, in the predeſtination of God.
Nor let it gréeue vsus thus farre to ſubmitte oure iudgemente to the immeaſurable wiſedome of God, that it ſayleth in manye of hys ſecretes, for if thoſe thynges which is not permitted or lawfull to know, the ignorance is learned, the ſhew of knowledge, is a kind of madneſſe. Theſe (Sicophant) be Caluines words, which alone ſhall plentifullye ſuffice all gouerned wittes, to deface thy ſlaunder. But we will alſo adde theſe of abundance, that your impudencie may more and more appeare. There be (ſayeth he) thrée things to be noted. Firſte, the eternall predeſtination of God, to be firme and ratified, wherby he determined, what ſhould come to paſſe of all mankinde, & of eueryevery man before Adam fell. Then that Adam hymſelfe for the worthineſſe of his defection, is inthralled to death: and finally in his perſon being nowe deſperate and a caſtaway, that all his progeny was ſo damned, that whome afterwards God did fréely elect, he ſhoulde dignifie with the honor of Adoption. But alſo a little after in the ſame place, when (ſaith he) there is anye ſpéeche had of Predeſtination. I hauehave euer conſtantly taught, and thys day do teach, that there they muſt beginne, that all the reprobate whiche are caſt away and damned in Adam, are worthelie lefte in deathe, that they periſhe worthely, who are by nature the children of wrath, ſo that no man hauehave cauſe to complayne of Gods too muche ſeueritie, ſéeyng that all menne carrie the guiltineſſe ſhutte vp in themſelues. If we returne to the firſt man when he was created innocente, that he fell willingly, and thereby that it came to paſſe, that by his owne faulte, he broughte vppon hym and his deſtruction. Nowe albeit that Adam fell no otherwayes than God knowying, and ſo ordeyning, hée loſt both hymſelfe and hys poſteritie, yet that maketh nothyng eyther to the deminiſhing of hys faulte, or charging of God wyth the cryme, for thys is euer to bée conſydered, that hée depriued hym ſelfe of that innocencie whyche he receyued of GOD, hée voluntaryly vowed hymſelfe into the bondage of ſinne and Satan: willingly gaue himſelf headlong to deſtruction. One excuſe is pretended, that he could not auoyde that which was decreed of God. But volumtary tranſgreſſion ſuffiſeth inough, and too much, to guiltineſſe: For the ſecrete counſell of God is not the proper and naturall cauſe of ſinne, but the manifeſt will of man. The fooliſh complaint of Medea is of the olde Poet worthily derided, Vtinam ne in nemore pelio &c. She beyng taken ☜with the ſurious louelove of a ſtraunger and vnknowen man, betrayed hir countrey, when ſhe was in hir ſelf guiltie of infidelitie, and barbarous crueltie, when the ſcourge of inchaſtitie doth afllict hir: ſhe fooliſhly turneth hir ſelfe to cauſes a farre off, when man findeth within himſelf the cauſe of euill, what auayleth it to wander that he may ſéeke it in heauen? The faulte is manifeſt, in that, that he would ſinne: why doth he (ruſhing into the paſſages of heauen) drowne himſelfe in a Labarinth? Albeit that menne wandering by infinite fetches do indeuour to deceaue thē ſelues, they ſhall neuer ſo amaſe themſelues, but they ſhall receyue the ſenſe of ſinne grauen in their hartes: vngodlineſſe therefore laboureth in vaine to deliuer man, whome his owne conſcience condemneth. And for that God wittingly, and willingly did ſuffer man to fall, the cauſe may be ſecrete, but vniuſte it cannot be. This is Caluines ſentence of Adams fall, whiche why it ſhould diſpleaſe thée thou ſhouldeſt rather hauehave ſhewed, then to hauehave ſo impudently ſlaundred it: but there be twoo things whiche you vſe to pretende, to the whiche, I will anſwere apart. Firſt yée complaine, as you are men very religious, that by this meanes God becommeth the author of all ſinnes, ſith by the fall of Adam all hauehave ſuccéeded, whoſe offence is to be attributed vntounto him, if in déede Adam fell by his ineuitable decrée. Then you requyre the expreſſe worde of GOD, whereby that doctrine may be ratified. That which belonggeth to the firſte, thou haſt heard already, wherefore thys thy conſequence is naughte worth, God ordeyned thys, therefore he is in the fault. Caluine ſheweth a reaſon out of Auguſtine in theſe words. This (ſayth he) without controuerſie is to be holden, that God hath euer hated ſinne, for indéede this prayſe whereby he is glorifyed of Dauid, is incident to him, that he is a God that will no iniquitie, but rather in ordeyning the fall of man, he had a moſt excellent and iuſt end, from which the very name of ſinne is eſtraunged. Although I ſo affirme him to hauehave ordeyned it, as I graunt not that he was the proper author thereof, doeſt thou héere (Sycophant) Caluine excellently refuting that very blotte of blaſphemy, whiche falſely and maliciouſly you obiect againſt him? but yet theſe things ſatiſfye thée not. Be it ſo, for what may ſatiſfye ſuch enuie, ſuche madneſſe, and ſuch leawdeneſſe, as this is? But yet indéede theſe things do (whether thou wilt or no) ſufficiently ſhew what wickedneſſe it is, to dare obiect ye to any man, whych he hath playnely teſtifyed, that he hateth as a moſt wicked blaſphemie. But let vsus yet bring moe teſtimonies out of the ſame Booke,…ucharid. 2d Lauren. Cap. …00. leaſt I be (ſayeth he) too tedious. I veryly perceyue that to hauehave bin accompliſhed that Auguſtine teacheth. And theſe be the wordes of Auguſtine. Theſe be the greate workes of the Lorde, ſought out into all hys willes, and ſo wiſely ſoughte out, that when the Angelicall and humane creature hadde ſinned, that is, had done not that whyche he woulde, but that it ſelfe woulde, euen by the ſame wyll of the creature, whereby that was done whyche the Creator woulde not, he fulfilled that whyche he woulde, vſing well euen the wicked as the chiefe good, to their damnation, whome he had predeſtinate to payne, and to their ſaluation, whome he louingly predeſtinate to grace, for as much as apperteyneth to themſelues, they did that which God would not, but ſo muche as apperteyneth to the omnipotencie of GOD, they were by no meanes able to doe it, ſurely euen in that ſelfe thing whyche they dyd agaynſte the will of God, the wyll of God is done of them, for therefore the greate workes of the Lorde, ſoughte out into all his willes, that in a wonderfull and vnſpeakeable manner that be not done beſide his wyll, whyche alſo is done againſte his will, bycauſe it ſhoulde not be done if he did not ſuffer it, nor indéede dothe he ſuffer againſt his will, but willingly. But alſo the ſaide Auguſtine a little before ſayeth, it is not to be doubted,Ibid. c …. …. that God doth well in ſuffering to be done, whatſoeuer is euill done, for he ſuffereth not this, but by hys iuſt iudgement. Albet therefore thoſe things that be euill, in that they are euill, they are not good, yet that they be not only good, but euill, is good, for except this were good that they ſhoulde euen be euill, they ſhoulde by no meanes be ſuffered to be of the omnipotente good, to whome withoute doubte, as it is eaſie to doe what hée wyll, ſo is lyke eaſie, not to ſuffer that hée will not, excepte we beléeue this, the very begynning of oure fayth, whereby we profeſſe oure ſelues to beléeue in the Almightie God, is indangered.
After that Caluine hathe cyted theſe, and manye others, at the laſt hée addeth theſe, that he mighte croſſe thoſe ſclaunderers whyche you hauehave drawen out of Pighius his puddles. If I had euer affirmed (ſayeth he) that it came to paſſe by the inſtinct of the diuine ſpirit, that the fyrſte manne ſhoulde alienate hymſelfe from God, and not rather eueryevery where affyrme, inforced by the inſtigation of the Deuill, and the proper motion of his owne heart, it myght be, that Pighius ſhoulde worthely inſult agaynſte mée.
But now, when remouing the néereſt cauſe of the action from God, that I mighte togither remoue from him all faulte, that man alone maye be vnderunder the offence, hée ſlauderouſly and wickedly wreſteth vponupon me this ſaying: that the defection of man is one of Gods workes. And whereas by the ordinance, and foreknowledge of God, it was decréed what ſhoulde come to paſſe concerning man, yet is not God to be drawne into the felowſhip of ye faulte, as eyther author, or alower of the tranſgreſſion, ſith it is manifeſt, that it is a ſecrete, farre beyonde the vnderſtandyng of mans minde, leaſt we ſhame to confeſſe our ignorance. Yea let not any of the faithfull, ſorrow to be ignorant of that whiche the Lorde deuoureth with the brightneſſe of his improchable light. Furthermore, ſeing that Caluine hath ſo plainely, not ſo writen as reported out of Auguſtine, who thinkeſt thou will be ſo fooliſhe that he would not note thine impudencie, or ſo madde to perſuade himſelfe, that you are moued with any care of godlineſſe to auouche the glorie of God, whiche Auguſtine or Caluin would hauehave withſtoode? but leaſt wée ſéeme deſirous to oppreſſe you with the ſole authoritie of the name, if whatſoeuer is done by the ordināce of God, it be ſo done as if in déede it be wickedly done, therefore God is to be drawen within the cōpaſſe of the fault, ſay I pray thée (that I may paſſe innumerable exāples whereof we wil ſpeake anone) how wilt thou excuſe God in the moſt haynous wicked act of all others which euer (I ſay) not onelyonly were done, but euen imagined of men? the betraying, the condemnation, the ſlaunders, and finally I ſay the moſt cruell death of the ſonne of God. Now thou haſt to deale not with Auguſtine, and Caluine or ſome other of their cōpany, who are wiſe to the Churche of God,Act. 2.23. fooliſh in your ſight, but with Peter himſelfe. For he playnely and openly (as thou requireſt) ſayth, that Ieſus was takē & crucified of the Iewes, who was betrayed by the determined counſell and prouidence of God. But what did the whole Churche at Ieruſalem? In dede (ſaith he) Herode and Pontius Pilate came togyther agaynſte thyne holy ſonne Ieſus, whome thou haſt annoynted, that they mighte do thoſe things whyche thy hand, and thy coūcell had determined to be done. Theſe be the words of the holy Ghoſt, ſpeaking by Peter and the Apoſtles, not that they mighte turne the fault of the wicked men vppon God himſelfe, whiche wickedneſſe we ſo deteſt, that it hath neuer entred into our thought, but that they mighte ſet againſt the ſclaunder of the croſſe, that ſecrete councell, and incredible louelove of God the father towards his. But doe we ſpeake any other wayes, or be you ſo wiſe, that you ſhoulde thinke you can ſpeake more deuinely than the holy Ghoſt himſelfe hath ſpoken, or rather ſo ſhameleſſe, and euen ſo wicked, as that you dare accuſe that for blaſphemy in any, whoſe authour euen the ſpirit of God woulde aduance. We ſay in déede that Adam fell of his owne frée will, and by his owne fault, and yet not by chance, but euen as the determined counſell, the prouidēce, and hande of God had determined that it ſhould come to paſſe. Theſe ſelfe things affirmeth Eſay of Chriſte who in déede (he ſaith) was ſtricken and wounded of the Lorde for our iniquities, when the wicked, both Iewes and Romanes conſidered nothing leſſe. Theſe things doth Peter expreſſe, the vniuerſall aſſembly of the moſt holy Churche confirmeth. Nowe ſhewe thou how that offence is worſe than this, or graunte that we may vſe the ſpéech of the Apoſtles withoute ſuſpition of blaſphemy, or inuent newe outſcapes, that thou mayeſt goe on to be like thy ſelfe.
It remayneth that I aunſwere to the other whiche you vſe to ſéeke, that is, where it is written in the bookes of God, that Adam fell not without Gods decrée. In déede we maruell at thys newe Religion in an Academicall man, and whyche denyeth the word of God, howſoeuer it be taken, to be ſufficiente to deceyue the controuerſies of Religion. But leaſt we ſéeme to retire, firſt I aſke of thée where thou haſt expreſly redde that the Angels were created of God? Thou haſte I thinke no place more manifeſt then that of Iohn,…hn. 2.3. that all things are made the eternall worde of God, and without it to be made nothing of thoſe which be made. But why may not I by the lyke reaſon for confirmation of that mater whiche is in queſtion, bryng that ſaying of Paule,…ph. ….…2. that God dothe all things for his willes ſake? For thou muſte graunt of neceſſitie that God hath euer bene the ſame. Then, ſeyng the ſame Apoſtle doth aptly witneſſe,Rom. 9.21. that God lyke vntounto a Potter had ordeyned of one lumpe certen veſſels to honour and merciemercy, and certayne to reproche and wrathe, how wilte thou wreſte this ſaying, that thou maiſte not aſcende to the very workemanſhip of Adam? For the name of lumpe doth not agrée with mankinde created, but to be created much leſſe that by the name of a lumpe, ſhoulde be vnderſtoode mankinde corrupted. And I call that mankinde to be created, not onelyonly that whiche God had not yet in very déede created, but alſo he neyther conſidered or behelde as created, much leſſe as corrupted. For if ye Apoſtle ſhould hauehave ſtayde in the ſinne or corruptiō of Adam, as in the higheſt degrée of all cauſes of election and reprobation, that is, if he would this ſimilitude to be vnderſtoode of men created, and the ſame depraued, eyther in very déede or by the foreknowledge of God. Certes it coulde not hauehave bene ſayde that God did make the vaſſals of wrath, but that in miſerable ſtate thoſe whome he foreknew would be, or whiche already were the vaſſals of wrath. But ſo ſhould ye whole proportion of the ſimilitude be fruſtrate, whiche if it holde not in this poynt, ſay I pray thée wherefore Paule hath vſed it, and tell vsus wherefore he hath cried out ſo vehemently, O man, who art thou? for if it ſhoulde be ſo, why ſhould they complayne of that which belongeth to the veſſels of merciemercy? but if on the otherſide corruption be the higheſt degrée of cauſes, why ſhoulde alſo the Apoſtle take paynes here? For to make the vaſſals of wrath were all one, as to leaue them in corruption, who of theyr owne nature were borne ſo, there ſhoulde not be lefte to the reprobate any pretence of the leaſt complaynt. And if there hadde bene any reaſon of this Diuine iudgement to bée auouched, hée ought to hauehave gyuen this one, that God is not bounde to ſhewe mercy to any. Why ſhoulde the Apoſtle exclayme here, and bidde man reuerence the ſecretes of the Diuine maieſtie without, ſearching further? for albeit that which many alledge, that Paule doth not in that place diſpute why ſome ſhoulde be reiected, but why theſe more then they, ſith like are due to the lyke, although peraduenture it be not ſpoken ſufficiently to the purpoſe, yet it maketh wonderfully agaynſt you. For what ſhall …e due both to the one and other but iuſte condemnation, if (as you wil hauehave it) their foreſéene corruptiō did go before ye decrée of God? if thou thinkeſt this too darke, go to, let vsus ſet downe ſome familiar ſimilitude, that we may be at thy commaundement. If a creditour that hath two equally in debted to him, forgiue to the one the debt he oweth, whiche he requireth of ye other, who indéede wil not ſay he is mad, if he ſay he hath iniurie done him, bicauſe he is more hardly dealt with then the other? if any king of two equally impriſoned for one offence, doe ſhewe mercy to the one, and execute ye other, ſhall their therfore be in ye iudge any ſhew of iniquitie, bicauſe he doth puniſh him? yea if there were here any iniquitie, it ſhould not be in that that he puniſheth him, but in this rather that he ſhould not puniſh the other alſo equally wicked. Therefore if this had bene the determinate purpoſe of ye Apoſtle, he ſhould not hauehave auouched the iuſtice of God in the deſtructiō of the reprobate, but rather in the ſafegard of the elect, which things ſith they are ſo, thou ſéeſt ye whereſoeuer thou turneſt thée, thou cāſt not auoyde, but that thou art inforced to confeſſe, that God is compared to a potter, in whoſe ſight was the clay whereof he woulde make in tyme the vaſſals, both of honoure, and diſhonoure, bycauſe ſo it was his will, then the which there is nothing more iuſt. But ſaye, howe did he make them? verily in Adam, whoſe creation alſo the Apoſtle vndoubtedly conſidered, when he mentioned the Potter and the Clay. Furthermore, how are the vaſſals ordeyned in Adam, ſome to merciemercy and honour, and ſome to wrath and reproche? truely not withoute the voluntarie fall of Adam comming betwixt, for excepte by his owne will, albeit by the ordinance of God, yet withoute all faulte of God, Adam ſhould hauehave fallen, there hadde neither place bin left for mercy, nor for iudgement, and therefore the councell of God ſhoulde hauehave bin to no purpoſe. Confeſſe therefore by thys place of the Apoſtle, that it is God whiche hathe made the vaſſals of wrath and mercy, and therefore hathe iuſtly ordeyned the neceſſarie cauſes to that ende, excepte thou hadſt rather accuſe God of ignorance and raſhneſſe, or ymagine the Potter to depende vponupon the clay, and not the contrarie, that the Potter formeth the Clay, ſo as it pleaſeth him, that it may come to the appoynted end. Furthermore when Paule ſayth, that God hath included all vnderunder diſobediente,Rom. 11.32. Gen. 3.22. that he might hauehave merciemercy on all, that is to ſay, whiche ſhall beléeue (as the ſame Apoſtle expreſſeth in another place) and therefore which were elected. Thinkeſt thou not that he dothe aſcend euen to the very fountayne of diſobedience, that is, to the fall of Adam, when he ſhall come to that poynt that he cryeth, Oh the depth of Gods iudgementes? But theſe in déede ſéeme not to the ſufficiently manifeſt, for thou wouldeſt that a place ſhould be ſet downe, wherein God ſhould be ſayd manifeſtly, and in playne words, to hauehave willed and decréed, that Adam ſhoulde fall, but I aſke againe, where thou canſt finde in the Scriptures (ſo as thou requireſt) the drunkenneſſe of Noe and Lot expreſlye condemned, and alſo his inceſt, the lye of Iſaac in Gerar, the manſlaughter of Simeon and Leuy, the malice and whoredome of Iuda, the poligamy of Abraham, and many others, the euill and very wicked iudgemente of Dauid, whereby he puniſhed Myphiboſeth, the ſonne of a moſt louing man, with the loſſe of halfe his goodes, and enricheth Siba a wicked betrayer of his maiſter, as for a good acte, with great rewardes, theſe I ſaye, and innumerable the like, I aſke where thou canſt finde condemned in playne and proper wordes? ſurely I feare thou canſt finde it in no place, and wilte thou therefore thinke that theſe are not to be condemned? I thinke thou wilte not, except it be that thou déemeſt a man may diſpute of Poligamy on eyther part, that heare alſo thou maiſt retayne the cuſtome of Academians? Shall it be lawfull to adde or to de…ract any thing from the deuine doctrine? no indéede, but doctrine is to be diſtinguiſhed from examples, whiche be but as it were hangers on of the doctrine: In that higheſt Religion this is to be obſerued, that we whollie depende vppon the written word of God. But if we deſire to know what is ſet before vsus in examples, eyther to be allowed or reiected, certayne generall poſitions are to be compared with that, whereof the queſtion is, albeit the Scripture, in the very report of examples, doth not alwayes expreſſe it, for proofe ſake, albeit thoſe factes, whereof we hauehave ſpoken, are not manifeſtly condemned in the report of thē, yet bicauſe the word of God doth manifeſtly forbidde drunkenneſſe, inceſt, lyes, mankillings, whoredoms, deceyptes, wicked iudgementes, and finallye the hauing of many wiues, ſith the Lord hathe ſayd from the beginning of two, and they ſhall be one fleſh, we ſhall not doubt that they all are reprehēded as ſinnes, wherto euen the moſt excellente men were inthralled. But ſith thou canſt not denye theſe, how is it that when we come to that hiſtorie of Adam, wherein is deſcribed his fall, thou wilt not follow this order, but requireſt the expreſſe ſentence of God. For, thou wilte ſaye, bycauſe it is farre from the nature of God, to conſtitute that whiche is euil, ſo much the more that ſelfe thing whiche is the fountayne of all euill. But we hauehave already ſhewed before, that God dothe ordeyne iuſtly thoſe things whiche men do vniuſtly, that God (I ſay) dothe well vſe a ſinning inſtrument, for God conſidereth one thing, that is, his owne glory, for which he hath made euen the wicked, as Salomon ſayth, but the froward will of Sathan, and wicked men promiſeth it ſelfe another thing. So it commeth to paſſe, that in one ſelfe worke God is iuſt, Sathan wicked, and men vnrighteous. That thou mayeſt vnderſtande thys, ſette we before vsus thys ſelfe example of Adam. When God woulde make man for the manifeſting of the glory both of hys merciemercy and iuſtice, as the iſſue of the matter ſheweth, and the Apoſtle ſetteth before vsus, vnderunder the example of the Potter. He made Adam to hys owne ſimilitude, that is, holy and innocente, as the ſame Apoſtle expoundeth. But why did he that? truly bycauſe, that ſith he is good, nothing can be created of him that is wicked. But it is requiſite that they be depraued, both of whome he hath determined to ſhewe mercy, and alſo, whome for hys glories ſake he hath decréed iuſtly to condemne, then bycauſe albeit he coulde hauehave created that whyche was defyled, yet if he hadde created any defyled thyng, he coulde not iuſtly condemne hys owne worke. Therefore (I ſaye) it was néedefull that Adam ſhoulde be created holy and innocente, that he whyche of hys owne frée wyll, wythout anye faulte of God, became defyled, ſhoulde open the way to Gods eternall counſels, that is, to the manifeſting both of hys mercy and iuſtice. It was therefore requiſite that God ſhoulde open thys onelyonly way to hymſelfe, that is, ordeyne the fall of Adam, but to that ende whyche I ſayde, whyche ſéeing it is moſt iuſt and holie, it followeth, that his ordinance is alſo iuſt. But Sathan in the meane whyle vnwittinglie ſeruing the determination of God, what doth he indeauoure? truely béeyng inflamed wyth the hatred of God, and boyling wyth enuie, he laboureth ſo deface that excellente worke of God, But what dothe Adam, and Eue? truely they doe violently thruſt downe euen God hymſelfe as a lyer and enuious, from the throne of hys deytie. The Serpente therefore, and Adam and Eue are worthely puniſhed, who were ſo the inſtrumentes of God, that ſo muche as in them lay, they were not obediente to hym, but rather conſpired agaynſte hym, yet manifeſted the way to hys eternall and iuſt councell. The beginnyng of ſinne is to be ſoughte in the voluntarie mouing of the inſtrumentes, whereby it commeth to paſſe, that God hathe iuſtly decréede that whiche they vniuſtly dyd, as wée before alleadged out of Auguſtine. But yet thou wilte ſaye, they could not reſiſt the wyll, that is, the decrée of God. I graunte, but as they coulde not, ſ… alſo they woulde not, but they coulde not otherwayes wyll. I graunte, in reſpecte of the iſſue, and foreign efficacie, but yet the wyll of Adam was not forced, yea he aſſented vntounto ſinne, not onelyonly wyth wylling, but frée motion, when hys foreign hys ſtrength was not ſubiecte to the bondage of ſinne. But theſe thou wilte ſaye, doe not yet ſatiſfye mée, I graunte that to, but who arte thou, who acknowledgeſt no Iuſtice or Wiſedome in GOD, excepte whereof thou mayeſt perceyue the reaſon? why doeſt thou not rather enquire who thy ſelfe arte, and reuerence the goodneſſe of God in falne and corrupted Adam? Adam is falne willingly, that God decréeth is iuſt, if theſe two do not ſatiſfie thée, that thou place all the offence in Adam being falne, the Apoſtle pronounceth thée vnworthy with whome a man ſhould diſpute any more, bycauſe thou neyther knoweſt who God is, nor who thou art thy ſelfe. But goe to, at the laſt let vsus ſtrike ſayle. I hauehave ſhewed what rule we muſt follow in weying examples. I alſo hauehave ſhewed, that héere is no blaſphemy whiche thou mayeſt feare. It remayneth that I ſhewe out of what Chapters of Chriſtian doctrine it may euidently appeare to be true that we affirme, that is, that Adam fell neyther by chance, or God not knowing of it, or ydlely ſuffering it to be ſo, and much leſſe againſt his will. This therefore (I ſay) is confirmed by al thoſe places of Scripture, where is affirmed, that there is no raſhneſſe with God that is omnipotent: that God hathe not only made all things, but alſo dothe gouerne them: that God careth, and hath euer cared for men: that there is nothing ſecrete to God: that God is not changed, nor moued with repentance, albeit the Scripture doth ſometimes ſpeake ſo, that it may as it were maffle with vsus, all theſe (I ſay) thou muſt eyther refute as falſe, or confeſſe that whiche we affirme, and I hauehave repeated already a thouſande times, that is, that Adam hath falne, God not only foreknowing, but alſo iuſtly ordeyning and decréeing it, for if before the workemanſhip of mā he did deliberate wherfore he would make mā, he did raſhly and vnaduiſedly. If he decréed another thing then that which came to paſſe, he is eyther not almighty, whoſe councels Sathā hath infringed, or incōſtant, which changeth hys purpoſe. Beholde Sycophant, more manifeſt teſtimonies of Scripture as I thinke, than thou wouldeſt, and many moe than thou lookeſt for, but that is almoſt incredible, that thou, who ſo carefully be thynkeſt howe thou mayeſt ſupport the iuſtice of God, that is to ſay, ſtaggering, and in daunger to fall, didſt neuer conſider howe weake that is whereto thou leaneſt, albeit we ſhould graunt it thée. For I pray thée (if thou pleaſeſt to examine this deuine wiſedome by the rule of mans iudgemente) how ſhall God be without fault, if man ſo left by his determination, and proſtitute to the fraude of Sathan, that the workemaiſter did idlely from Heauen ſée him fall, who yet coulde hauehave vpholden him with hys only becke when he was falling, nor had any cauſe why he ſhould hate him? Thou ſéeſt (I thinke) into what dangerous downefalles they of neceſſity plunge themſelues, whoſoeuer like Giants had rather practiſe a way to heauen, than to reſt vponupon the ſimple word of God, by whych we vnderſtand that God is in Heauen, who doth whatſoeuer pleaſeth him, and dothe all things iuſtly, albeit oure fleſh determine otherwayes. For bycauſe he is God, hée can not be vniuſt, and he is in ſuch wiſe iuſt, as that hys iuſtice ſurpaſſeth all our vnderſtanding.
The thirde ſclauuder.
THE ſinnes that are committed, are done, not only by his ſufferance, but alſo by his will, for it is friuolous to aſsigne a difference betwixte the ſufferance and will of God, for as muche as perteyneth to him, whoſoeuer doth this, will pacifie God with ſmooth ſpeeches and flatterie.