IF thou haddest added that which Calvin in that place handleth in good earnest against that self heresy, which thou no less impudently than wickedly, layest to our charge, then at yt last it should have appeared to have bin truly said which thou slanderously reprovest. For we say not simply, that the will of God doeth come in betwixt in these things which be evil, but we add two things. One is, that the will of God doth so come in between even in these things, yet as in no case he allow, or do work in them, in that they be evil but as they be yt punishments of other evils, or else by them the Lord executeth his, in deed sometimes secret, but yet always just judgements. The other, that yt Lord so oft as pleaseth him, doth so use, even evil instruments, to yt performing of his just works, that the instruments in yt mean time, do in no case obey the will of God, but in deed do resist it by direct contrary. Of both we have said already very many things. Yet I will in few words repeat some of them, that at the last I may satisfy thee. When the Lord would punish the adultery of David, behold saith he, I will stir up against thee evil out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives in thy sight, and I will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall sleep ⟨p. 166⟩with thy wines in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it in secrete, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun it self. But say Sycophant he that doeth these (and the Lord doth all these justly, nor is the author of incest,1 but he justly punisheth adultery and murder) doth he seem to thee not to put in his will between? When thou shalt cease to spoil, sayeth the Lord, thou shalt be spoiled. And doth not the Lord seem to them to have given over willingly spoilers into the hands of other spoilers? If thou darest deny this, the Lord himself shall refel in the same Prophet Isaiah, speaking to the Medes and Persians,2 by whom he had determined to spoil the Babylonians, the spoilers of yt Jews. I have given commandment to my holy ones, and have called the mighty to my wrath. But what? when the Lord said to Satan, Behold, whatsoever things Job hath, are in thy power, did he decree nothing: and a little after did Job spake blasphemy, when having despised the robbery of Satan and the Chaldees, he said, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away?
IF thou haddest added that which Caluin in that place handleth in good earnest agaynste that selfe heresie, whiche thou no lesse impudently than wickedly, layest to our charge, thē at yt last it should haue appeared to haue bin truly said which thou sclaunderously reprouest. For we say not simply, that the wil of God doeth come in betwixt in these things which be euil, but we adde two things. One is, that the will of God doth so come in betwéen euen in these things, yet as in no case he allow, or do work in thē, in that they be euil but as they be yt punishments of other euils, or else by thē the Lord executeth his, in déed sometimes secret, but yet always iust iudgemēts. The other, that yt Lord so oft as pleaseth him, doth so vse, euen euill instrumēts, to yt performing of his iust works, yt the instruments in yt mean time, do in no case obey the wil of God, but in déed do resiste it by direct contrarie. Of both we haue sayd already verye many things. Yet I will in fewe wordes repeate some of them, that at the laste I may satisfie thée. When the Lorde would punish the adultrey of Dauid, beholde sayth he, I will stirre vp againste thée euill out of thine owne house, and I will take thy wiues in thy sight, and I will giue them to thy neyghbour, and he shall sléepe ⟨p. 166⟩with thy wines in the sight of this sunne. For thou didst it in secrete, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sunne it selfe. But saye Sycophant hée that doeth these (and the Lorde doth all these iustly, nor is the authour of incest,1 but he iustly punisheth adultrey and murther) doth he séeme to thée not to put in his wyll betwéene? When thou shalte cease to spoyle, sayeth the Lord, thou shalt be spoyled. And doth not the Lord séeme to them to haue giuen ouer willinglye spoylers into the handes of other spoylers? If thou darest denye thys, the Lorde himselfe shall refell in the same Prophete Esaye, speaking to the Medes and Persians,2 by whome he had determined to spoyle the Babilonians, the spoylers of yt Iewes. I haue giuen commandement to my holy ones, and haue called the mightie to my wrathe. But what? when the Lorde sayde to Satan, Beholde, whatsoeuer things Iob hath, are in thy power, did he decrée nothyng: and a little after did Iob spake blasphemie, when hauing dispised the roberie of Satan and the Chaldeis, hee sayde, The Lorde gaue, and the Lord hath taken away?
- 1Isal. 33.1.
- 2Isai. 13.3.
