Display of Popish Practices, Slanders · Slander 3 · Argument 6 – Argument 7
The Sycophants ſixth Argument to the thirde ſlaunder.
They bring alſo the example of this prodigall ſonne, which I hauehave alreadie touched, who if thou ſayste the father being willing, went a ryoting, it wil be moſt abſurde the wente then againſt his will. And ſo they ſaye that offenders are the prodigall ſonnes of God, and ſinning by Gods ſuffraunce not by his will.
THE REFVTATION.
Bycauſe in the expoſition of parables there is leſte ſome place to coniectures, therefore frantique and curious wittes, doe new here in pride more liberally vaunt, than in parables. But I rather thinke, that the ende of parables, is to be conſidered, and the ſeueral parte to bée ſo curiouſly examined, excepte it be ſo that the very interpretation ſtande vppon the declaration of them, bycauſe elſe it can not be auoyded, but we ſhall runne into moſte filthy imaginations. Further I graunte, that the Lord in this ſimilitude, doth repreſent vntounto vsus his clemencie vnderunder the forme of ſome moſt louing father, and alſo, that in the perſon of the prodigal ſon are ſinners ſet out whiche for a while, hauehave as it were withdrawen themſelues from the ſight of god, that they might delight themſelues in ſin, whom yet afterwardes long tamed with iuſt afflictions, and returning themſelues to good life, the moſte louing father receyueth to grace. The other part of the parable I touch not, bicauſe it belongeth not to our purpoſe. Alſo let vsus ſée to howe great purpoſe thou reaſoneſt out of this place. Thou denieſt that the ſonne went a ryoting with the fathers will. I graunt the ſonnes ryote was not approued of the father, nor that the father dyd reſpect that, that he ſhoulde ryote, when he let hym goe. But thou indéede arte a maruellous peremptorie man, which in minde conceineſt nothing elſe of God thā that which is incident to man, bycauſe God in this ſimilitude hath ſet out himſelfe to vsus vnderunder the ſimilitude of a mortal father. As if indéede God ſhould therefore ſignifye yt he vſeth not to deale other ways in any matter with his, than men be wonte, and doth not rather in this place ſet downe to vsus this lone thing, that is his immeaſurable goodneſſe euen towardes them, who hauehave prouoked him to anger with many ſinnes. When thou miſſedſt theſe bondes, I ſaye thou arte farre from the matter. But let vsus forgiue thée his faulte. If anye aduiſe to bring an inſolent ſonne, and whom by no meanes he can hold vnderunder, being let go from him, into ſome greatedaunger, from the whiche yet he may deliuer him ſo oft as he pleaſeth, & caſteth hym out thyther, bycauſe he knoweth no better waye to recall hym to amendemente, who will thinke it to be abſurde, if one ſaye that the ſonne runne into that perill with hys fathers wyll? or rather who wyll not prayſe the father to be verie wiſe, rather than reprehende him as fierce and cruell? For he ſet to himſelfe in this counſel for the end, not the peril of the ſonne but rather his ſafegrade and amendemente. But all the electe children muſt thinke this ſame thing of the heauenly father, albeit yet in this matter the eſtate of al be not alike. For bycauſe that all things without exception, do fal to the commoditie of them that louelove the Lorde, therefore it can not be doubted but GOD, ſo ofte as he wythdraweth, as it were from his electe, the grace, wherby they were vpholden, in ſo muche, that they fal euen into moſt filthy ſinnes, doeth permitte it willing, and by his determined counſell: in no wiſe, ſo yet, as if he allowed theyr ſinnes, but alſo by this meanes he wil hauehave thē admoniſhed of theyr imbecilitie, or to arrogate nothing to themſelues, or to be more watchfull againſte the enemy than euer toofore, or if they hauehave already gone aſtray, to amēd, or alſo, that they ſhoulde be a warning to the poſteritye. ☞Therefore he woulde certayne blemiſhes ſhoulde bée in Abraham, in Moſes, and in Aaron. Therefore he permitted Dauid not but willing to fall into moſt great offences: whiche counſel of GOD, when afterwardes he hadde acknowledged,Pſal. 51.6. againſte thée (ſayth he) I hauehave ſinned, and done euill in thy ſight, that thou mayſte be iuſtified and cleare when thou arte iudged. For by how much the more vnworthy Dauid was, whom the Lord ſhould forgiue, by ſo much the more did the faith and conſtancie of God ſhyne out in kéeping his promiſes, when he dyd forgiue Dauid. Alſo the ſame in another place acknowledging how muche he had profited in that triall. Before I was troubled,Pſal 1119. and 71. I wente wrong, but nowe I kéepe thy word. Againe, it was good for me that I was in trouble, that I might learne thy commaundementes. So out of doubt he would prepare Peter to modeſty, by that thréefolde denying, & alſo Paule to be buffeted of the Angel of Satan leaſt he ſhoulde waxe inſolent. Awaye therefore with thy forſaking, or inuoluntarie ſufferaunce, as if the father did neuer ſo little tyme accompt the prodigall ſon forſaken. When of the contrarie he was then moſt careful for his ſonne, when he ſéemed moſt angry.
The Sycophants ſeauenth Argument to the thirde Slaunder.
They alſo bring that ſaying of Chriſt. And you wil not go away: Truely he woulde not that they ſhould go awaye, but he ſuffered them.
THE REFVTATION.
Yea, ſo farre it is of that he ſhoulde in this ſpéech bid them go away, or giuegive them leaue to go away, whyche if be had done, out of doubte he had done it willingly: that contrarilye, with theſe wordes he kepte them ſtill wyth hym, when he had ſet before them the faythleſſe falling awaye of others, and recalling ſecréetly to their remembraunce ſo many benefites as they had receyued of him. But thine ignorance muſt néedes be incréedible, that vnderſtandeſt not ſuch kindes of ſpeaking that be ſo common.