An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

I am assured that thy own conscience doeth convict thee of a malicious lie, in thus writing. for thou canst not be ignorant, what the city of Geneva hath of late years sustained, for rooting out those pestilent persons, who laboured to destroy the Lords vineyard planted in the same. And what was the cause that so they were conjured against the liberty of Christs Evangel. The hatred wilt thou and they say, which they did bear against strangers. I answer, but no more strangers were then in Geneva then were before, when the chief captains of that faction were most earnest professors of the Evangel (in mouth I mean). And in very deed, if they would have laboured, to have expelled the strangers, they had been enemies to their own commodity. for by the multitude of strangers, their common wealth doth flourish. and none did receive such benefit of strangers, as those that required Christs doctrine to be overthrown.

I am assured yt thy owne conscience doeth conuict thee of a malicious lie, in thus writing. for thou canst not be ignorant, what the citie of Geneua hathe of late yeres susteined, for rooting out those pestilent persons, who labored to destroy the Lords vineyard planted in the same. And what was ye cause yt so they were coniured against the libertie of Christes Euangil. The hatered wilt thou and they say, which they did beare against strangears. I answer, but no mostrangears were then in Geneua then were before, when ye chief captaines of that faction were most earnest professors of the Euangile (in mouth I meane). And in verie dede, if they wolde haue labored, to haue expelled the strangears, they had bene enemies to their owne comoditie. for by the multitude of strāgears, their comon welth doth florish. and none did receaue such benefite of strāgears, as those that required Christes doctrine to be ouerthrowen.

They were papists (thou wilt say) and therefore hated the religion. I answer in their defence,¹ that in mouth and external profession they were not, but always they protested, that they would never revolt to papistry again. But in few wo•ds, I will open the cause of their conspiracy. They were corrupt in manners, filthy of life, perverters of justice, and such finally, as by whom, the blessed word of God, was slandered and evil spoken by. The preachers called for reformation of manners. They boldly and sharply rebuked, even those that were in highest authority. One of the chiefest of that band was excommunicated, and so did remain mo years then one. The consistory called for justice to be executed, and for penalties