An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

because that wicked men are instruments, by whom gods eternal counsel is brought to pass. Was the exaltation of Joseph to honour, the preservation of Egypt, and of other nations from famine, yea and the feeding of Jacob and his family, an evil work? because that, Josephs brethren of malice and envy did sell him to the Ishmaelites, and they for lucre did silly him again to Potiphar, whose wife of malice did most unjustly accuse him, & so being in prison at length he was brought to the knowledge of Pharaoh, and so was promoted for his revelation, and wisdom to honour and dignity. O say you it is not this that we do lay to your charge, but you affirm that God was author of the malice, and of the wicked thoughts of Josephs brethren. You do belie us most maliciously. for we constantly deny that God ether poured in them any malice, o• did move by his holy Spirit any wicked thought into them. for those we say they had of nature, in so far as it is corrupted. But we say that God used their wicked thoughts and malice to his glory, and to the full comfort of him whose destruction they sought, and that he did not idly permitting them, but effectually working by such instruments and means as his wisdom had before appointed. Rage now as you list. for albeit to you this saying is vain that God worketh all things for his own glory, yet will not God have his glory measured by the vanity of your brain. We glorify God say you, when we judge him worthy to be glorified. Answer if you understand that then only, and at none other time else do men glorify God, but when they confess him worthy of glory, you are ignorant, foolish, and manifest liars. for your argument is no better, then if I should say: man sleepeth in the night season, therefore no man may or can sleep at ⟨p. 341⟩any other time. If your master Castalio had considered that an argument made, a specie ad genus, negative is vain and foolish, he had not heaped together so many sophistical reasons: by the which you and others are abused. To make this matter some what more plain: If the glory of God consist in the manifestation of his mercy, of his trueth, of his power, of his wisdom and of his most just judgements, then do all creatures glorify, God, whether they judge him worthy or unworthy of the same.

because that wicked men are instrumentes, by whome gods eternal counsell is broght to passe. Was the exaltatiō of Iosephe to honor, the preseruation of Egypte, and of other nations from famine, yea and the feding of Iacob and his familie, an euill work? because that, Iosephes brethren of malice and enuie did sell him to the Ismaelites, and they for lucre did seli him againe to Putiphare, whose wyfe of malice did moste vniustly accuse him, & so being in prison at length he was broght to the knowledge of Phirao, and so was promoted for his reuelation, and wisedome to honor and dignitie. O say you it is not this that we do lay to your charge, but you affirme that God was author of the malice, and of the wicked thoghtes of Iosephes brethren. You do belie vs most maliciously. for we constantly denye that God ether powred in them any malice, o did moue by his holie Spirit any wicked thoght into them. for those we say they had of nature, in so farre as it is corruted. But we say that God vsed their wicked thoghtes and malice to his glory, and to the full comfort of him whose destruction they soght, and that he did not ydly permitting them, but effectually working by such instrumentes and meanes as his wisedome had before appoīted. Rage now as you list. for albeit to you this saing is vaine yt God worketh all thinges for his owne glory, yet will not God haue his glory measured by ye vanitie of your braine. We glrifie God say you, when we iudge him wrthie to be gloriied. Answer if you vnderstād that then onely, and at none other time elles do mē glorify God, but when they confesse him worthie of glory, you are ignorant, foolishe, and manifest liers. for your argument is no better, then if I should say: man slepeth in the night season, therfor no man may or can slepe at