An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

These things I say you do not suddenly open to your scholars, but in the beginning with pleasant persuasions of good life, of mortification, of the power of the spirit (which rightly placed is a doctrine most necessary) ye inflame their hearts with a a vain confidence, of their own power, strength, and justice. And thereafter ye dissuade them from all exercises, which may put them in mind of sin, and imperfection, which remaineth in man. For nether will ye that they frequent the public preaching of the word, neither yet the administration of Christs sacraments. For such things to your perfect men are nothing necessary. But to be short, in the end ye bring them to the plain contempt of gods free graces offered, & given to his elect in Christ Jesus. For in the end these be your blasphemous voices openly affirmed, in your privy assemblies: what is our joy? but that we feel no sin abiding in us: what is our comfort, but that we be able to fulfil the law? and what is our rejoicing? but that we have a justice perfect in our selves. And thus seeking to establish your own justice, nether can you, nor your scholars be subject to the justice of God. But (omitting this) I return to your deceitful craft, ye dare not in express words affirm the ⟨p. 384⟩vain description of your masters God, but yet covertly ye say as much (as after shall appear): in which thing, as ye declare your selves ingrate and unthankful, that will not support your reverend master in this his battle, with your open patrocini• and plain defence, so do ye show your selves most unworthy of credit amongest gods children. For who can credit those teachers, that in the beginning and for their foundation, & principals join together darkness, and light, lies, and verity, yea that begin with a manifest untruth (as doth your Master Castalio) affirming, that nature, and reason, do teach the true God unto us, which is a manifest lie, as before we have proved. If ye say, he addeth also that the scriptures do teach God unto us: I answer that the more is his impudency, and more dangerous is his venom. For what impudency is it, to prefer corrupt nature, and blind reason to gods scriptures, in such manifestation of God, as our salvation requireth? Did Moses, Isai, or Christ Jesus will the ignorant to search nature, or to consult with reason who should be the Messiah promised?

These thinges I say you do not sodēl• open to your scholers, but in the beginning with pleasant persuasiōs of good life, of mortification, of ye power of the spirite (wc rightly placed is a doctrine most necessarie) ye inflābe their heartes with a a vaine cōfidence, of their owne power, strēgth, ād iustice. And therafter ye dissuade them frō all exercises, wc may put them in minde of sinne, and imperfectiō, which remaineth in mā. For nether will ye yt they frequēt the publike preaching of ye word, neither yet ye administration of Christes sacramentes. For such thinges to yor perfect mē are nothing necessarie. But to be short, in the end ye brīg thē to ye plaine contēpt of gods free graces offered, & giuē to his elect in Christ Iesus. For in ye end these be yor blasphemous voices openly affirmed, in your priuie assēblies: what is our ioye? but yt we fele no sinne abidig in vs: what is our cōfort, but that we be able to fulfil the law? and what is our reioising? but that we haue a iustice perfect in our selues. And thus seking to establish your own iustice, nether cā you, nor your scholers be subiect to ye iustice of God. But (omittig this) I returne to your deceitfull craft, ye dare not in expres wordes affirme the