I answer (as before) that your argument is nought worth. For you conclude more then ye be able to prove of your two former propositions: which be those. God created man a very good thing. True it is, and God reprobated man and shall also condemn him whom he created good, I grant also. Therefore he damned the good thing which he ⟨p. 76⟩created, or that thing which is very good, I deny the conclusion. For before damnation there cometh a change in man, so that he of very good, became extreme evil, and so gods just judgements found nothing but that which is evil to condemn. You form your reason, as that God had so created man good, that he by no means after could be made evil, which last part is false, and so you are deceived. If ye cannot see just causes why God should make that thing very good which after should become extreme evil, accuse your own blindness, and desire of God to repress in you that presumption and pride, which against the eternal Son of God you have conceived,1 and so your eyes shall be illuminated and you shall see first that because the creator is infinitely good, that therefore it behoveth the creatures in their original creation to be good. And so I doubt not was the devil created good, but in the verity, he stood not. And secondarily that because the just judgements of God were no less to shine in the damnation of the reprobate: then his infinite mercy was to be praised in the vessels of honour, it behoved the one and the other to be innocent and good in their creation. For if the original had been evil, God justly could not have after damned that which he had made no better. but so we must confess that it was good that (yet willingly corrupting the self) man made away to the most just execution of gods eternal counsel. And last that the eternal purpose of God might in time be notified unto man, which was that God would bestow greater liberality, show greater love and mercy in the redemption of man justly damned then that he did in his creation. Of nothing he did create him (for his corporal substance was made of the dust (which sometimes was not) to his own image and similitude, to him he gave the dominion of all creatures, these were documents of a true love. But if they be compared with that love, which in Christ Jesus we receive and that of free grace, they are no thing.
I answer (as before) that your argument is nought worthe. For you conclude more then ye be able to proue of your two former propositiōs: which be those. God created man a verie good thing. Trew it is, and God reprobated mā and shall also condēne him whō he created good, I grant also. Therefor he damned the good thing which he ⟨p. 76⟩created, or that thing which is verie good, I deny the conclusion. For before demnation there cometh a change in man, so that he of verie good, became extreme euill, and so gods iust iudgements found nothing but that which is euill to condemne. You forme your reason, as that God had so created mā good, that he by no meanes after could be made euill, which last part is fals, and so you are deceaued. If ye cānot se iust causes why God should make that thing verie good which after should becom exttreme euill, accuse your own blindnes, and desire of God to repres in you that presumption and pryde, which against the eternall Sonne of God you haue conceaued,1 and so your eyes shalbe illuminated and you shall se first that becaus the creator is infinitly good, that therefor it behoueth the creatures in their original creation to be good. And so I doute not was the deuil created good, but in the veritie, he stood not. And secōdarely that because the iust iudgemēts of God were no les to shyne in the damnation of the reprobat: then his infinite mercie was to be praised in the vessels of honor, it behoued the one and the other to be innocent and good in their creation. For if the original had bene euill, God iustly could not haue after dāned that which he had made no better. but so we must confesse that it was good that (yet willingly corrupting the self) mā made away to the most iust executiō of gods eternal coūsell. And last that the eternall purpose of God might in tyme be notified vnto mā, wc was that God wold bestow greater liberalitie, shew greater loue ād mercie in the redēption of mā iustly damned then that he did in his creation. Of nothing he did creat him (for his corporall substāce was made of the dust (which somtymes was not) to his own image and similitude, to him he gaue the dominion of all creatures, these were documents of a true loue. But if they be compared with that loue, which in Christ Iesus we receiue and that of fre grace, they are no thing.
- 1Why God treated man good whom he ordained nevertheless to fall.Why God treated mā good whō he ordeyned neuertheles to fall.
