An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

for in the hole scriptures there is neither such word nor phrase, that in plain words affirmeth: that Lot sinned committing incest with his daughters. Consider the vanity of your reasons and be ashamed. Ye can not deny, but this word Election is read in the scriptures: And so oft I say can ye not deny except that willingly ye will corrupt the mind of the holy Ghost, but that it hath respect to his contrary reprobation, as by the phrases which ye impudently deny to be in the scriptures is most evident. As when Paul sayeth: hath God then rejected or refused his people? God forbid.¹ God hath not refused his people whom he knew before. And so alleging the like to have been in the days of Elijah, he sayeth: even so in this time there were a residue or a few number left according to the election of grace, that is according to the free election, and not according unto works. And after he sayeth that which Israel seeketh, it hath not attained unto: but the election hath attained unto it: but the rest were blinded, whether that this phrase doeth not plainly prove that election in this place hath respect to his contrary, reprobation, let the indifferent reader judge. The election (sayeth saint Paul) hath attained (understanding the illumination which God did promise) but the rest were blinded. If ye will not suffer that this blinded rest: whom God justly had rejected, shall be called reprobate, study ye for a more gentle word. for we must use such as the holy Ghost hath taught us. But yet one phrase or two more: I shall have mercy, sayeth ⟨p. 112⟩God to Moses, upon whom I will have mercy. And Paul feareth not to add his contrary saying: and whom he will he maketh hard hearted. And again what if God willing to show his wrath and to make his power known hath suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath made ready to damnation: and that he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had prepared unto glory. If mercy, lief, the vessels of mercy, and glory have contrary, respect to severity, to destruction, to the vessels of wraith, and of dishonour, then can it not be denied but that election, (from the which all these former graces flow to the elect) hath contrary respect to reprobation.

for in the hole scriptures there is neither such worde nor phrase, that in plaine wordes affirmeth: that Lot sinned commiting incest with his daughters. Consider the vanitie of your reasons and be ashamed. Ye can not denie, but this word Election is redde in the scriptures: And so oft I say can ye not denie except that willingly ye will corrupt the mind of the holie Gost, but that it hath respect to his contrarie reprobation, as by the phrases which ye impudently denie to be in the scripures is most euident. As when Paul saieth: hath God then reiected or refused his people? God forbyd.