An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

Hereupon were made, by the rebels fires of joy, Defiance was sent, the day was appointed, that the siege should begin, and victuals should be cut of, esperance nor comfort rested none to us, but God and the messengers of his word, which then sounded the tr•pet most boldly and most clearly, promising even in our greatest desperation, the same glorious deliverance, which shortly ⟨p. 200⟩after followed. for God by his power, did mitigate that rage, and converted the hearts of our ancient alliance, to remember their duties toward God, and his servants, and so to enter with the city of Geneva into a new society and league. Now to return to thee malicious slanderer, if we were such as thou doest accuse us, to wit, that we put no difference betwixt vice and virtue,¹ that we suffer the people in a dissolute life, that we respect the persons of the rich, and heal their sores, with unprofitable plasters, that we only desire, that all men frequent our congregation: and that we esteem that to be the surest sign of their election. If these I say, were true, to what purpose, did all the preachers endanger their lives (and that continually by the space of three years) for obtaining of discipline? why should many godly strangers have rather chosen to have left that common wealth in the which they were, with quietness permitted to live, as best seemed to them, rather then that they would abide the sight of iniquities that daily did increase? And why did the godly with in that city so hazard liberty and life, that rather they had determined to die in defence of a just cause, then that ever any manifest enemy to God, and virtue should be admitted to bear rule in that common wealth? If we had been of that opinion, which most villainously thou layest to our charge, nether virtue pleaseth God, nether yet that vice displeaseth him, had we not been most foolish, and most miserable of all other creatures? Plain it is that our power to mann•iudgement was nothing comparable to the power of or adversaries: place of refuge was none left to the godly their assembled. And yet let the enemies them selves witness again▪ us, if in the least one jot, their request was granted. yea let the place of execution w•tnes, if when we look for nothing, but for the extremity to be attempted, more favour were showed to the offenders apprehende then if no such trouble had been feared, or apperin.