An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

To make the matter more plain, the case supposed, that I be tempted with concupiscence, and lust another mans wife, in the which I long strive, and in the end▪ Satan objecteth to me this cogitation, follow thy purpose, for by that means, thou maest perchance be further humbled, and after thou maest taste more abundantly the mercy, and the grace of God. Should I therefore louse the bridle to my wicked affections? should I decline from the plain precept, and enter into the secrete providence of God? God forbid. for that besides the violating, or breaking of his commandment were horrible temptation of his godly majesty, and so in one fact, were committed double impiety. The sins I know of gods dearest children are grievous▪ and many, and wondrous is the providence of God, working in his saints, but never, or seldom it is, that such perilous cogitations prevail against them: for the spirit of God so ruleth in them, tha• commonly this sentence of Solomon is before their eyes: such as unreverently search out gods Majesty, shall be oppressed by the glory of the same. And so must it needs come to pass, as John Calvin affirmeth, that the pride of such must be punished, and that with an horrible punishment, the pride of those I say, shall punished, who not content with the will of God revealed (to the which they will not be obedient) delight to mount and fly above the skies, there to seek ⟨p. 166⟩the secrete will of God. With what faces can ye now lay to our charges, that we give occasion to men to flatter them selves in sin, or yet to think that in committing iniquity, they obey gods will? Ye allege perchance that the common people read not our writings, and therefore they can not understand our judgement in this case. I answer, the more impudent and blasphemous are you, who so defame us in the ears of the unlearned multitude, that to them ye make both us and our doctrine odious, before that ever it be known or examined. But yet for further discharge of our selves against your most unjust accusations, and for the better instruction of the simple, I will adduce an other testimony from the writing of the same faithful servant of Christ Jesus, John Calvin, and so put end to this your second calumny. In his commentary upon the acts of the Apostles the 2. chap.

To make the mater more plaine, the case supposed, that I be tempted with concupiscence, and lust a nother mans wife, in the which I long striue, and in the end fathan obiecteth to me this cogitation, follow thy purpose, for by that meanes, thow maest perchance be further humbled, ād after thow maest taste more aboundantly the mercie, and the grace of God. Should I therefor louse the bridle to my wicked affections? should I declyn from the plain precept, and enter into the secrete prouidence of God? God forbid. for that besides the violating, or breaking of his commandement were horrible temptation of his godlie maiestie, and so in one fact, were cōmitted dooble impietie. The sinnes I know of gods derest children are greuous and many, and wonderous is the prouidēce of God, working in his saintes, but neuer, or seldom it is, that such perilouse cogitations preuale against them: for the spirit of God so rewleth in them, tha commonly this sentence of Salomō is before their eies: such as vnreuerently search out gods Maiestie, shabe oppressed by the glorie of the same. And so must it nedes com to passe, as Iohn Caluin affirmeth, that the pryde of such must be punised, and that with an horrible punishement, the pryde of those I say, shalle punished, who not content with the will of God reueled (to the which they will not be obedien) delite to mounte and flie aboue the skyes, there to seke