An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

The words of the Apostle,¹ you shame fully abuse: for in that place he entreateth only, how God useth the ministers of his word, and blessed Evangel to be helpers with God, in so far as they are the ambassadors of reconciliation, as in an other place he calleth them, he meaneth nothing nether what man doeth in the work of his own salvation by his own faith, or by his own works. And therefore although ye (as a blind man) go forward to your own perdition saying, now if man for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith, then is he out of the promise &c. yet must we pull you back and say that because faith is no part of mans work, therefore doth nether his faith nor his election depend upon the inconstancy of his own nature,² but God of his sovereign bounty overcoming what imperfections soever be in his chosen children hath grounded their election in him self & in Christ Jesus his Sone. an other error I see in this your reason, which because I have sufficiently confuted, I will here touch it only. Ye make faith the embracing of the promise, & our obedience, to be causes of gods election, when in very deed they be but the effects of our election. for nether faith nor obedience make us to be gods elect, but because we were elected in Christ Jesus, therefore are we called, made faith full, obedient and sanctified by his free grace.

The wordes of the Apostle,¹ you shame fully abuse: for in that place he intreateth onely, how God vseth the ministers of his worde, and blessed Euangil to be helpers with God, in so far as they are the embassaders of reconciliation, as in an other place he calleth them, he meaneth nothing nether what man doeth in the worke of his own saluation by his own faith, or by his owne workes. And therefor althogh ye (as a blinde man) go forwarde to your own perdition saying, now if man for his part according to his nature be inconstant in his faith, then is he out of the promes &c. yet must we pull you backe and say that because faithe is no part of mannes worke, therefore doth nether his faith nor his election depend vpon the inconstancie of his own nature,² but God of his soueraign bountie ouercomming what imperfectiōs soeuer be in his chosē childrē hath groūded their electiō in him self & in Christ Iesus his Sone. an other error I se in this your reason, wc because I haue sufficiently confuted, I wil here touch it onely. Ye make faith the ēbrasing of ye promes, & our obedience, to be causes of gods election, whē in verie dede they be but the effectes of our electiō. for nether faith nor obediēce make vs to be gods elect, but because we were elected in Christ Iesus, therefore are we called, made faith full, obedient and sanctified by his fre grace.