An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

If thou repliest, that greater offences are over seen ⟨p. 201⟩such as favour our doctrine. I answer all those in mouth, did favour the same Evangel, which we profess. The cause of the strife did only arise, for the purity of life which ought inseparably to be joined with y• external profession. I could recite mo than one of those, that seemed to be then pillars in Geneva, as touching riches, world lie estimation, and liberality towards the poor, being also of the number of the strangers, who for suspicion of offences were, & remain to this day, some exiled some condemned to perpetual prison. for whose deliverance, and receiving to the Church again, there hath been offered greater sums, then perchance might entice an anabaptist to go the mass (I will not say to be a Papist) and yet have they obtained nothing.

If thou repliest, that greater offences are ouer sene ⟨p. 201⟩such as fauor our doctrine. I answer all those in mouth, did fauor ye same Euāgil, which we professe. The cause of the strife did onely arise, for the puritie of life which oght inseperably to be ioyned with y• externall proffession. I coulde recite mo thē one of those, that semed to be then pillers in Geneua, as touching riches, worlde lie estimation, and liberalitie towards the poor, being also of ye nōbre of the strāgears, who for suspicion of offences were, & remaine to this daie, some exiled som condēned to perpetuall preson. for whose deliuerance, and receauing to the Church againe, there hath bene offered greater sommes, then perchance might intise an anabaptist to go the masse (I wil not say to be a Papist) and yet haue they obteined nothing.

Now briefly to recite that which I have laid against thy first accusation, if thou be nether able to prove by or doctrine, nor writings, nether by our own lives, and conversations, nether yet by the lack of justice, in that city in which this doctrine is taught, received and maintained, with what face canst thou affirm, that we teach the people a careless, and libertine life? Hath ever any man more strongly, and more earnestly confuted those pestilent opinions of the libertines, then hath that man whom most ye accuse for this doctrine? Let his notable work written against the libertines, twelve years ago, be a testimony against your manifest malice.