and what moved him, the holy Ghost doeth ⟨p. 128⟩witness, to wit his avariciousness. The scribes, Pharisees, Priests and Seniors and people, led, some of malice and envy, some to gratify their rulers, and altogether of set purpose to crucify Christ, do consent with Judas. Pilate albeit he long refused and by divers means studied to deliver Christ, yet in the end for fear of displeasure, as •well of the priests and people, as of the Emperor, he willingly without all compulsion of gods part, pronounced an unjust sentence of death against Christ Jesus which his soldiers also most willingly did execute. This I say we see that the creatures and their wills without all compulsion do serve gods counsel and purpose. Here I know that ye think that either I write against my self or else that I conclude a great absurdity. for if I say that God did nothing but foresee these things and so permitted them (as after you speak) to follow their own train, that he worketh no more, but as a simple beholder of a tragedy, then do I agree with you and if I do say (as in very deed I do understand and affirm) that the eternal counsel and purpose of God did so rule in all these things, that rather they did serve to gods purpose and most just will, then fulfil their most wicked wills: then will you cry blasphemy, and say that I deliver the devil, Adam, and all the wicked from sin, of the which I make God to be author. To the first I have answered before, that as I separate not gods foreknowledge from his counsel, so do I affirm that he worketh all in all things according to the purpose of the same his good will: and yet that he useth no violence, neither in compelling his creatures, neither constraining their wills by any external force, neither yet taking their wills from them: but in all wisdom and justice, using them as he knoweth most expedient for the manifestation of his glory, without any violence I say done to their wills.1 For violence is done to the will of a creature, when it willeth one thing, and yet by force, by tyranny or by a greater power it is compelled to do the things which it would not: as if a pudique and honest matron or chaste virgin should be deprehended alone by ⟨p. 129⟩a wicked and filthy man, who with violence and force (though the will of the woman did plainly repine) did deflower and corrupt her.
and what moued him, the holie Gost doeth ⟨p. 128⟩witnes, to witt his auariciousnes. The scribes, Phariseis, Priestes and Seniors and people, led, som of malice and enuie, some to gratifie their ruelers, and altogether of set purpose to crucifie Christ, do consent with Iudas. Pilate albeit he long refused and by diuers meanes studied to delyuer Christ, yet in the end for fear of displeasure, as •well of the priestes and people, as of the Emperor, he willingly without all compulsion of gods part, pronounced an vniust sentence of deathe against Christ Iesus which his soldiours also most willīgly did execute. This I say we se that the creatures and their willes without all compulsion do serue gods counsell and purpose. Here I know that ye thīk that either I write against my self orels that I conclude a great absurditie. for if I say that God did nothing but foresee these thinges and so permitted them (as after you speak) to folow their own train, that he worketh no more, but as a simple beholder of a tragedie, then do I aggre with you and if I do say (as in verey dede I do vnderstand and affirme) that the eternall counsell and purpose of God did so reule in all these thinges, that rather they did serue to gods purpose and most iust will, then fulfill their most wicked willes: then will you cry blasphemie, and say that I deliuer the deuill, Adam, and all the wicked frome sinne, of the which I make God to be author. To the first I haue answered before, that as I seperate not gods foreknowledge from his counsell, so do I affirme that he worketh all in all thinges according to the purpose of the same his good will: and yet that he vseth no violence, neither in compelling his creatures, neither constreining their willes by any externall force, neither yet taking their willes from them: but in all wisdom and iustice, vsing them as he knoweth most expedient for the manifestation of his glorie, without any violence I say done to their willes.1 For violence is done to the will of a creature, when it willeth one thing, and yet by force, by tyranny or by a greater power it is compelled to do the thinges which it wold not: as if a pudique ād honest matron or chaste virgine should be deprehended alone by ⟨p. 129⟩a wicked and filthie man, who with violence and force (thoghe the will of the woman did plainely repine) did deflowre and corrupte her.
- 1When violence is dō to the will of a creature.When violence is dō to the will of a creature.
