But alas to such blasphemy did never the devil draw man kind as now of late days, in the which no small number are become so bold, so impudent, and so ⟨p. 8⟩irreverent, that openly they fear not to affirm, God to be unjust, if that he in his eternal counsel hath elected more one sort of men than an other to life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord: which thing of late days, is more plainly come to our knowledge than before we could have suspected, and that by the sight of a book most detestable & blasphemous, containing (as it is entitled, The confutation of the errors of the careless by necessity) with that odious name do they burden all those that either do teach, ether yet believe the doctrine of gods eternal predestination▪ which book written in the english tongue doeth contain as well the lies and the blasphemies imagined by Sebastian Castalio, and laid to the charge of that most faithful servant of God, John Calvin as also the vane reasons of Pighius, Sadoletus & Georgius Siculus, pestilent Papists, & expressed enemies of gods free mercies.1 The despiteful railing of with book, & the manifest blasphemies in the same contained, together with the earnest requests of some godly brethren, moved me, to prepare an answer to the same: others I doubt not might have done it with greater dexterity, but with reverence & fear do I lay the talent committed to my charge, upon the table of the Lord to bring to his church such advantage as his godly wisdom hath appointed. But lest that some should think, that my labours might better have been bestowed in some other exercise, I thought expedient to admonish ⟨p. 9⟩all brethren, & charitably to require of them, not to esteem the matter to be of small weight & importance▪ for seeing that gods free grace is openly impugned & disdainfully refused, I judge it the duty of every man that looketh for life everlasting, to give his confession to Christ Jesus, whose glory is by these blasphemers to the uttermost of their power suppressed. Some do think, that because the reason of man can not attain to the understanding, how God shall be just making in his counsel this diversity of mankind, that therefore better it were, to keep silence in all such mysteries, then to trouble the brains and minds of men with curious disputations.
But alas to such blasphemie did neuer the deuil draw mā kynd as now of late daies, in the which no small nōbre are become so bolde, so impudent, and so ⟨p. 8⟩irreuerent, that opēly they feare not to affirme, God to be vniust, if that he in his eternal coūsel hath elected more one sort of mē thē an other to life euerlasting in Christe Iesus our Lord: which thing of late daies, is more planely come to oure knowledge thē before we could haue suspected, and that by the sight of a book moste detestable & blasphemous, cōteinyng (as it is intiteled, The cōfutation of the errors of the careles by necessitie) with that odious name do they burden all those that either do teach, ether yet beleue the doctrine of gods eternall predestination▪ which booke writtē in the english tōgue doeth cōtein as well the lies and the blasphemies imagined by Sebastian Castalio, and laid to the charge of that moste faithfull seruāt of God, Iohn Caluine as also the vane reasōs of Pighius, Sadoletus & Georgius Siculus, pestilēt Papistes, & expressed ennemies of gods free mercies.1 The dispitefull railīg of wt booke, & the manifest blasphemies in the same cōteined, togither with the earnest req̄sts of som godlie brethren, moued me, to prepare an answere to the same: others I dowbt not might haue done it with greater dexteritie, but with reuerēce & feare do I lay the talēt cōmitted to my charge, vpō ye table of the Lord to brīg to his church such aduātage as his godli wisdō hath appointed. But lest that some shoulde thīk, that my labors might better haue bene bestowed in some other exercise, I thoght expediēt to admonish ⟨p. 9⟩all brethrē, & charitably to requyre of thē, not to esteme the mater to be of small weight & importāce▪ for seing that gods fre grace is opēly impugned & disdainfully refused, I iudge it the duetie of euerie man that loketh for life euerlasting, to giue his confession to Christe Iesus, whose glorie is by these blasphemers to ye vttermoste of their power suppressed. Some do thinke, that because the reason of man can not atteine to the vnderstanding, how God shall be iust making in his counsel this diuersitie of mankīd, that therefore better it were, to kepe silēce in al such mysteries, then to trouble the braynes and myndes of men with curious disputatiōs.
- 1The cause of the writing of this work.The cause of the writing of this worke.
