An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

But this is the one thing of which I did wonder in reading this your description, that ye omit these properties, which God attributeth to himself. You do continually repeat that God is slow to wrath, ready to forgive, that he willeth all men to be saved, that he will be entreated of all men, that he willeth the death of no creature. Which properties in God we confess, and which sentences we acknowledge to be most true, if they be rightly understand. But why do ye not likewise teach your scholars, that God is zealous, that he is a consuming fire, that he punisheth the iniquity of the fathers, upon the sons, unto the third, and fourth generation: and that his justice can not suffer sin to escape punishment, no not even in his most dearest children. Ye have accused us, that we deceive the people, teaching them a careless, and libertine life. And therefore here again, I require the indifferent reader, to consider which of our doctrines giveth most liberty: whether you that affirm, that your true God will be entreated of all, or we that constantly maintain, that God heareth no sinners, or that such as delight in iniquity, are so odious in his presence, that although they cry, and howl in their calamities, yet will he not hear them. But ⟨p. 389⟩now let us examine your scriptures apart. God is slow to wrath (say you) true it is, but yet he recompenseth the slowness of punishment, with the severity of his judgements, which hath been, and shall be executed against such as heap to them selves gods wrath, by abusing his long sufferings. He is ready to forgive: we acknowledge this to be the voice of our God. But we fear not to affirm, that the remission of sins, is the free gift of God, given to his Church by Christ Jesus, like as are faith, and life ever lasting which are not common to all men in general, but particularly do appertain to gods children. He will be entreated of all (say you) so that he biddeth all men every where repent, and offereth faith to all men.

But this is the one thing of which I did wonder in reading this your description, yt ye omitte these properties, which God attributeth to himself. You do continually repete that God is slow to wrath, ready to forgiue, that he willeth all mē to be saued, that he wilbe intreated of all men, that he willeth the death of no creature. Which properties in God we confesse, and wc sentences we acknowledge to be most true, if they be rightely vnderstand. But why do ye not likewise teach your scholers, that God is zelous, that he is a consuming fire, that he punisheth the iniquitie of the fathers, vpon the sonnes, vnto the third, and fourth generation: and that his iustice can not suffer sinne to eskape punishment, no not euen in his most derest children. Ye haue accused vs, that we deceaue the people, teaching them a careles, and libertine life. And therfore here againe, I require the indifferent reader, to consider which of our doctrines giueth most libertie: whether you that affirme, that your true God wilbe intreated of all, or we that constantly mainteine, that God heareth no sinners, or that such as delite in iniquitie, are so odious in his presence, that althogh they crie, and howle in their calamities, yet will he not heare thē. But