An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

O (say you) but so do the words of the text sound, for they say: I am greatly angry against the careless heathen. For I was but a little angry against Zion, but they have helped forward the affliction. I answer, that if ye were not more malicious then ignorant, ye might easily perceive, that those words were spoken, not to prove that any thing was done against Israel, and Judah, which God had not appointed, and commanded, but to instruct the Prophet, that the will, and counsel of God, in punishing of his people, was far other, then was the will, & counsel of those that did destroy them: and that their long bondage should have an other end then either they them selves, or their enemies did understand. That nothing was done against that people, which the Lord had not appointed, yea and commanded, the same Prophet doeth affirm, saying: my words & my statutes (he meaneth ⟨p. 359⟩the threatenings, & punishments) which I have commanded my servants the Prophets, have they not, apprehended y or fathers: in so much that they have converted, and said: Even as the Lord of Hosts hath determined, & appointed to do unto us, according to or ways, and according to or imaginations, so hath he done to us. Except that you will belie the holy Ghost, you must confess, that God had commanded, God had appointed, & determined so to punish his people. Yea Amos the Prophet feareth not to say: Shall there be evil in a city (that is any punishment or plague) and the Lord hath not done it? Why is he then offended (say you) against the proud, and careless heathen? I answer. Because they neither had respect to gods will, counsel; nor commandment, but to their own private commodity, and to the satisfying of their cruel appetites. For they did not destroy Jerusalem, willing, or minding to punish the offences of the people committed against God: Neither yet did they carry them to Babylon of purpose that God might be glorified in their deliverance. No, they had determined the plain contrary. To wit, that Jerusalem should remain desolate for ever: That Judah should be y• inheritance of strange nations, and so should gods promise be false, and vain. And in very deed the Jews them selves, in the extremity of their trouble, yea, and when the temple began to be reedified, were not free from these temptations, and therefore doeth God assure his Prophets, that his love was great towards Sion:

O (say you) but so do the wordes of the text soūd, for they say: I am greatly angrie against the careles heathē. For I was but a litle angrie against Sion, but they haue helped forwarde the afflictiō. I answer, yt if ye were not more malicious then ignorant, ye might easily perceaue, yt those wordes were spokē, not to proue yt any thing was dōne against Israel, and Iudah, wc God had not appoīted, ād commanded, but to instruct the Prophete, yt the will, and cousell of God, in punishing of his people, was farre other, then was the wil, & connsell of those yt did destroy them: and yt their lōg bondage should haue an other end then either they thē selues, or their ennemies did vnderstād. That nothīg was dōne against yt people, wc the Lord had not appointed, yea and commanded, the same Prophete doeth affirme, saying: my wordes & my statutes (he meaneth