CONCLUSION
Sect. 167.—I SHALL here draw
this book to a conclusion: prepared if it were necessary to pursue this Discussion still
farther. Though I consider that I have now abundantly satisfied the godly man, who wishes
to believe the truth without making resistance. For if we believe it to be true, that God
fore-knows and fore-ordains all things; that He can be neither deceived nor hindered in
His Prescience and Predestination; and that nothing can take place but according to His
Will, (which reason herself is compelled to confess;) then, even according to the
testimony of reason herself, there can be no "Free-will"—in man,—in
angel,—or in any creature!
Hence:—If we believe that Satan is the prince of this world, ever ensnaring and
fighting against the kingdom of Christ with all his powers; and that he does not let go
his captives without being forced by the Divine Power of the Spirit; it is manifest, that
there can be no such thing as—"Free-will!"
Again:—If we believe that original sin has so destroyed us, that even in the godly
who are led by the Spirit, it causes the utmost molestation by striving against that which
is good; it is manifest, that there can be nothing left in a man devoid of the Spirit,
which can turn itself towards good, but which must turn towards evil!
Again:—If the Jews, who followed after righteousness with all their powers, ran
rather into unrighteousness, while the Gentiles who followed after unrighteousness
attained unto a free righteousness which they never hoped for; it is equally manifest,
from their very works, and from experience, that man, without grace, can do nothing but
will evil!
Finally:—If we believe that Christ redeemed men by His blood, we are compelled to
confess, that the whole man was lost: otherwise, we shall make Christ superfluous, or a
Redeemer of the grossest part of man only,—which is blasphemy and sacrilege!
Sect. 168.—AND now, my friend
Erasmus, I entreat you for Christ's sake to perform what you promised. You promised 'that
you would willingly yield to him, who should teach you better than you knew.' Lay aside
all respect of persons. You, I confess, are great and adorned with many, and those the
most noble, gifts of God; (to say nothing of the rest,) with talent, with erudition, and
with eloquence to a miracle. Whereas I, have nothing and am nothing, excepting that, I
glory in being almost a Christian!
In this, moreover, I give you great praise, and proclaim it—you alone in
pre-eminent distinction from all others, have entered upon the thing itself; that is, the
grand turning point of the cause; and, have not wearied me with those irrelevant points
about popery, purgatory, indulgences, and other like baubles, rather than causes,
with which all have hitherto tried to hunt me down,—though in vain! You, and you
alone saw, what was the grand hinge upon which the whole turned, and therefore you
attacked the vital part at once; for which, from my heart, I thank you. For in this kind
of discussion I willingly engage, as far as time and leisure permit me. Had those who have
heretofore attacked me done the same, and would those still do the same, who are now
boasting of new spirits, and new revelations, we should have less sedition and
sectarianism, and more peace and concord.—But thus has God, by the instrumentality of
Satan, avenged our ingratitude!
But however, if you cannot manage this cause otherwise than you have
managed it in this Diatribe, do, I pray you, remain content with your own proper gift.
Study, adorn, and promote literature and languages, as you have hitherto done, to great
advantage, and with much credit. In which capacity, you have rendered me also a certain
service: so much so, that I confess myself to be much indebted to you: and in that
character, I certainly venerate, and honestly respect you. But as to this our
cause:—to this, God has neither willed, nor given it you, to be equal: though I
entreat you not to consider this as spoken in arrogance. No! I pray that the Lord may, day
by day, make you as much superior to me in these matters, as you are superior to me in all
others. And it is no new thing for God to instruct a Moses by a Jethro, or to teach a Paul
by an Ananias. And as to what you say,—"You have greatly mist the mark after
all, if you are ignorant of Christ."—You yourself, if I mistake not, know what
that is. But all will not therefore err, because you or I may err. God is glorified in His
saints in a wonderful way! So that, we may consider those saints who are the farthest from
sanctity. Nor is it an unlikely thing, that you, as being man, should not rightly
understand, nor with sufficient diligence weigh, the Scriptures, or the sayings of the
Fathers: under which guides, you imagine you cannot miss the mark. And that such is the
case, is quite manifest from this:—your saying that you do not assert but collect.
No man would write thus, who was fully acquainted with and well understood his
subject. On the contrary I, in this book of mine, have collected thing, but
have asserted, and still do assert: and I wish none to become judges, but
all to yield assent.—And may the Lord, whose cause this is illuminate you, and make
you a vessel to honour and to glory.—Amen!
FINIS.
