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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.
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