An Answer to certain slanders and blasphemies
¶ An Answer to certain slanders and blasphemies, wherewith certain evil disposed persons have gone about to bring the doctrine of God's everlasting Predestination into hatred.
Dearly beloved brethren, we must not be amazed if the article of the everlasting predestination of God, be so assaulted and fought against by Satan's maintainers, seeing it is the foundation of our salvation, and also serves for the better magnifying of the free goodness of God towards us. On the other side, those Dogs which bark against it thinking to have a good and favorable cause are therein more hardy: as in very truth there is nothing more contrary to man's understanding, than to place the cause of our salvation in the good will of God, in saying, that it belongs to him alone to choose us: without finding of anything in us wherefore he should choose us: and after he has chosen us, to give us faith through which we should be justified. But what? Inasmuch as he is not bound to the person, it is good reason that he be left in his mere liberty to give grace unto whom he will, and to leave the rest in his perdition. But I defer myself to treat more largely of this matter, because you may have large discourse thereof in those Books which are imprinted: which ought too content you.
Concerning the writing which was scattered about, to abolish this article of our faith, in very truth it deserves no answer: being on the one side so full of ignorance & beastliness, that everyone ought easily to judge thereof: & on the other side so full of impudence, that it is a wonder how these troublecoasts & shameless deceivers, abusing so villainously the holy Scriptures should be hearkened unto: notwithstanding because I have understood that there are yet some simple & weak ones that are troubled therewith, I therefore thought good to take the pain to show them that will show themselves teachable: how they ought to resolve themselves, to the end they might be no more deceived by these deceivers.
In the first place, he that hath made that writing, were it Sebastian Chastalio or some such like: to show that God hath created all the world to be saved, he allegeth that he laboureth to draw unto him all that went astray: the which I confess in respect of the doctrine of faith and repentance, the which he propoundeth to all in general: be it to draw his elect unto him, or to make other inexcusable. God then calleth every one to repentance and promiseth all those that return unto him, to receive them to mercy. But this meaneth not that he toucheth to the quick by his holy spirit, all those to whom he speaketh: as it is said by Isaiah in the 53rd chapter. His arm is not revealed to all those that hear. To which agrees the sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ None can come unto me, except my father draw him. And the holy scripture shows throughout, that conversion is a special gift of God. And indeed the place of Ezekiel, whereof this troublecoast maketh his buckler, very well confirmeth my saying. For the Prophet having said, that God wills not the death of a sinner, addeth, but rather will that he return and live. Whereby he signifies that God biddeth and exhorteth all which are gone astray to return to the right way. But not that indeed he leadeth them all to himself by the power of his spirit. The which he promiseth not, but to a certain number, which appeareth as well in the 31st chapter of Jeremiah, as in the 37th of Ezekiel and in the 11th and throughout the whole scripture.
The second reason of this writing is, that all men are created to the image of GOD, the which he saith not to have been abolished but only subjected to evil. As though it behooved man at adventure to believe his simple saying. But contrariwise the Scripture shows, that albeit there remain yet some trace of the image of God in us, yet that the whole is disfigured, so as reason is blind, and the heart perverse: wherefore by nature we are wholly accursed. We see therefore at the least, that by the will and decree of God, we have been all subject to everlasting damnation through the fall of one man. Concerning that which this troublecoast addeth, that if we believe, we are delivered through Christ by the power of the gospel, & of the holy ghost: that serves for nothing, but to confirm our doctrine. For it behooveth that we always come thither, that none believe, unless those which are ordained to salvation Acts 13. & all the scripture is full thereof. Wherefore this is as much, as if he should say, that the elect of God are delivered from that common damnation through faith.
The third article contains a horrible blasphemy that if God have created men to damn them, his will and the Devil's is all one. They that speak so, show plainly enough that they are altogether mockers of God, and despisers of all religion. It pleased God that Job should be robbed and spoiled: to be short, all that is there attributed to the Devil, and to those thieves and robbers, it is said plainly, that it came not to pass but by the good pleasure of GOD. Must we therefore conclude that God's will and the Devil's are all one? But they that know that the judgments of God are bottomless, and shall have once known their own weakness, will adore them with all reverence and humility and know well to put a difference, although that GOD willeth the same thing that the devil doth, yet that this is indeed in diverse respects. And so, that he deserveth always to be acknowledged righteous, although that his counsel be incomprehensible unto us.
Afterwards to abolish the Election of GOD, seeming as though he would confess it, he answereth that God hath not created nor predestinated any man not to believe, seeing he calleth every one. Wherein he showed that he never yet learned the ABC of Christians, seeing he knows not how to distinguish between the outward preaching, which is done by the mouth of men, & the secret calling of God whereby he toucheth the hearts within. Now when it is commanded in the last of Mark, to preach the Gospel to all, this imports not that God therefore worketh in all by the power of his spirit: and when it is said in the second Chapter of the first to Timothy, that God would all men to be saved, the solution is added by and by, that come to the knowledge of his truth. Wherefore then is it, that he himself would not at that present time, that the gospel should be preached to all? so far off is it that he hath enlightened all the world in the faith. It is marvelous that this shameless forehead, is not ashamed to allege for himself the 10th to the Romans, where the text expressly sets forth that all believe not the Gospel, because that Isaiah saith, that the arm of the Lord is not revealed to all. Also the 6th chapter of S. John where Jesus Christ expressly pronounces, that all that are given him of his father come unto him. And touching that, that he saith, that all shall be taught of God: it is a special promise made to the Church: as also the Lord Jesus Christ was a faithful expositor thereof, saying: He therefore that has heard and learned of my father, shall come unto me. Whereby he shows, that all are not inwardly called. According as a little after also he confirms the same.
Therefore I have said unto you, that none can come unto me, unless it be given him from God my father. Notwithstanding this Rustick imagines he has well escaped, having spoken a word of predestination, without making any semblance of the text so expressly set forth, where it is said, that God will have mercy, upon whom he will have mercy, & that our salvation is of the same mercy: & not of the willer nor of the runner, and that before the two twins were born, when they had neither done good nor evil: to the end the purpose of his election might stand sure, he had chosen the one, & rejected the other. Also when we believe that this proceeds of that, that God has chosen us: Thereupon it follows, that the rest of the world remains blind. But because it would be too long to allege all, consider those places which are gathered in a little book that our brother master Beza has made thereof, and you shall be fully satisfied therein.
To show that the hardening of Pharaoh proceeded not of God, he alleges that which is said in the third and fourth of Exodus: "I have commanded thee, to let my people depart and thou wouldest not." But it follows not thereupon, that God had not ordained Pharaoh to be glorified in his obstinacy & hardness, as he protests, Exodus 9. chapter. And Saint Paul alleges it in this sense in the 9th chapter to the Romans. This therefore is sottishly concluded of this impudent fellow, that our will is the first and chief cause of evil. I confess indeed, that it is the near cause, and the true root of our condemnation. But to the end a man may grant him, he alleges the authority of Amerbachius, who is a lawyer, and as skillful a Divine, as a Apothecary is a good butcher.
Concerning Melancthon, if this Rustic rested not himself upon him, as he protests, but upon the Gospel, how proves he by the Gospel, that God hath not ordained of his creatures? Touching that he imputes unto us, that we put a fatal necessity as the Stoics do, it is a very villainous slander: For the Stoics, they made god himself subject to such necessities, making a net of obscure causes, wherein God was entangled. But we set the Lord and master in full liberty, attributing the sovereign Empire to his providence, to dispose of all things. Concerning that this Clown babbles of Free will, it is sufficiently rejected throughout the whole Scripture. For Freedom and bondage are contraries. Now, that we are the servants, yea the slaves of sin, there needs not that we allege one place alone, seeing the whole Scripture is full thereof.
Notwithstanding, to give some color to his error, he alleges that Jerusalem would not receive the grace of God, yea as though this proved Free will, to choose good or evil. You shall find throughout all my books, how I have taught, that we must not seek the cause of our perdition anywhere else but in ourselves, and in our perverse will. But it follows not, that it is in us to change our will, which is altogether given to evil.
You shall also find that I have taught that which this trouble coast sets down here to put out the whole light: to wit, that our will is the cause or means to come to salvation. Wherefore it needs not to allege that Abraham believed God, & that it was imputed unto him for righteousness.
In very truth, it must needs be that a man must accept the grace of God. But the question is of knowing what is the first cause. And this is the power of the Holy Ghost, through which we are drawn to the obedience of God, according as he has chosen and adopted us for his children before the foundation of the world. Now, in this behalf, this vile dog shows sufficiently enough, that he makes no account of the holy scripture, which, as much as lies in him, he would abolish or tread under his feet. For in going about to declare how Abraham was saved by his will, he says that this was of that will which God had put in man creating him after his own image. Whereby he utterly abolishes the whole grace of the Holy Ghost: and goes beyond not only the Papists, but also some of the Pagans, in this impiety.
For the Papists keep such a measure in magnifying their Free will, that they confess, being corrupted and depraved, we can do nothing, if God through his Spirit & supernatural grace, do not help, drive, and direct us. But concerning the holy scripture, it shows us that we shall always be rebels against God until he shall have changed & renewed us. And lo why Moses said to the people, Deuteronomy 29, that God had not yet given them an understanding heart, and seeing eyes. And therefore, to the end he might be obeyed, he says, that he would give them a new heart, taking away that stony heart. Jeremiah in the 31: Ezekiel in the 11 and 37: & St. Paul in the 2nd to the Philippians that God gives both to will and to perform. And in the first of St. John it is said, that they which believe, are not of the will of flesh nor blood: but renewed of God. And St. Luke speaking of the woman, shows well, how all are drawn unto faith: to wit, that God opens the heart, to the end his word may be understood.
Now it is certain that these things are not spoken of the common order of nature. And yet this villain dares to allege that which St. Paul says in the 3rd Chap. to Titus, that God has saved us not according to our works, but according to his mercy: to infer upon that, that we have Free will, but not so constant. Now when St. Paul speaks in the 3rd to the Romans of the will of man, such as it is by nature, he deciphers plainly enough that there is nothing but perversity and malice: as also in the 8th chap. he says, that all our thoughts are enmities to God.
Mark then how this agrees with that which this trouble coast chatters, saying that God renews us, after that we have consented to his calling. And he is not ashamed to allege to the same purpose the 5th to the Ephesians, where he speaks thereof as of the fables of Merlin: but contrariwise he says in the same epistle: When you were dead in your sins, and the captives of Satan, and that you were the children of wrath as others, God has quickened you, etc. And in the first chap. he shows well that faith and regeneration proceeded from no other thing, then Free election. And indeed, it must needs be that God accomplishes in us that which he has spoken by his prophet Isaiah, in the 66th chap. "I appeared unto them, which sought me not." And lo why John Baptist, reproving the rudeness and hardness of his disciples, says in the 3rd chap. of St. John. "No man can receive anything unless it be given him from heaven." And which is worst, this troubler is not ashamed also to bring this place, that God gives both to will and to perform, to make us believe that the grace of God follows our good will: howsoever it be that St. Paul in that place, without leaving anything to men, would attribute the whole praise of our salvation to God: as he says in the first chap. that he who has begun the good work of salvation, will finish it. Wherein it must be, that he makes the grace of God to come after the tail of Free will.
Now afterwards, this troublecoast takes great pain to prove that there is a will in man, as though any man had ever denied it. But he should show that that will is free to choose good and evil. Now how proves he it? By the 7th chap. to the Romans, that this place cannot be wrested. But herein men may easily judge how his mind is froward & perverse, seeing that S. Paul declares there, although his will labored and strived to good, inasmuch as it was regenerated by the spirit of God, yet oftentimes he went but hopping upon one foot. He alleges a little after the 7th of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, where he speaks of a man's will, that has a daughter to marry. Here is good stuff to found Free will. Concerning the 30th of Deuteronomy, where it is said: "I set before you this day life & death, choose you," S. Paul in the 10th to the Romans gives a sufficient solution: that is, that Moses presupposes that God puts his word in the heart. And lo why it is said, that this ought to be laid to the gospel. Concerning that of Ecclesiasticus, which notwithstanding is Apocrypha, there he speaks but of the outward doctrine, but the inward grace is a thing apart and by itself. That which is so ill favoredly jumbled together by this troublecoast, that under the shadow that Jesus Christ calls all those that are heavy laden, he concludes that grace is given equally to all. But he makes no reckoning that Jesus Christ after he had preached more excellently than all creatures, says by and by, that his father must draw them to believe in him.
In the end, going about to solve that place of S. Paul where it is said, that if a potter makes vessels of earth as he sees good, this shows that God disposes of his creatures: I pray you mark well, the goodly solutions that he gives: that God ravishes by miracles, or diseases both one and other as seems good unto him. As if S. Paul spoke not expressly there, that God according to his unchangeable purpose, either chose or rejected men, before they were born, or before they had done either good or evil: to show that it is neither of the willer nor of the runner, but of his mercy, that his elect are saved. Such premises are worthy such a conclusion as he makes, let us draw near unto God, and consent unto him, and he will draw near unto us. As though the first approaching were not, that he should seek us out, whilst that we are far from him. It is true that God oftentimes uses this speech, "Return unto me, and I will come unto you," but this is to show what is our duty and not what our power is.
Praise be unto God.
FINIS.
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