An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

If any ask the cause why are some so amiably, and others so strangely entreated, I answer, no other cause can be assigned, but that it pleased gods infinite wisdom and goodness to make that plain, and evident difference, betwixt those that once be received in his household (be it by external profession only) and those that remain in blindness, that the one he commonly doth visit, but the other he doth as it were neglect, and destroy. for what other cause can we assign, that God so lovingly did often call to repentance the people of Israel so often offending from the days of Moses unto the coming of Christ Jesus, that he sent unto them Prophets to exhort, to rebuke, and to declare the estate of things to come: and in this mean season, the space of two thousand years, permitted the Gentiles to walk in their own ways? And now after the rejection of the Jews, what cause can we assign, that among us Gentiles, God useth to stir up, now one country, now an other to receive the trueth, to detest and abhor our former superstition, Idolatry, and wickedness, and of so long continuance, hath left both the Jews, & turks drowned still in their blindness, & damnable errors? we shall find none other cause, I suppose, then did the Apostle see when that he said,¹ to God are known all his works, even from the beginning, and that he will reveal his secretes to such as please him. ye do not hear in all this revelation of John, that Babylon is exhorted to repentance that the blasphemous beast is rebuked, ether of his tyranny, ether of his blasphemy, with any promise made to him, that if he will convert, he shall be received to mercy and favour. No the sentence irrevocable is pronounced by the Angel, that he shall come to destruction.

If any aske the cause why are som so amiably, and others so strangely intreated, I answer, no other cause can be assigned, but that it pleased gods infinit wisdome and goodnes to make that plaine, and euident difference, betwext those that once be receaued in his houshold (be it by externall profession onely) and those that remaine in blindenes, that the one he commonly doth visit, but the other he doth as it were neglect, and destroy. for what other cause can we assigne, that God so louingly did often call to repentāce the people of Israel so often offending from the daies of Moises vnto ye comming of Christ Iesus, that he sent vnto them Prophetes to exhort, to rebuke, and to declare the estate of things to come: and in this mean ceason, the space of two thousand yeres, permitted the Gentiles to walke in their own waies? And now after the reiection of the Iewes, what cause can we assigne, that among vs Gentiles, God vseth to stirre vp, now one countrie, now an other to receaue the trueth, to detest and abhorre our former superstition, Idolatrie, and wickednes, and of so long cō tinuāce, hath left bothe ye Iewes, & turkes drowned still in their blindnes, & damnable errors? we shall find none other cause, I suppose, then did the Apostle se when that he said,