An evident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianism Wherein is mightily cleared the…An euident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianisme Wherein is mightelie cleared the…

But why shouldest thou not do this, who art not ashamed to write that that Paul which confesseth ⟨p. 61⟩himself to know nothing but Jesus Christ crucified, and who hath set forth unto the world so mightily, all the riches of the Gospel, that he hath delivered to the world the rudiments of Religion, and that he had a certain, more perfect, and more secrete doctrine which he hath taught to certain his more perfect Scholars, I imagine nothing herein, or slander as thou doest? Thine annotations upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians are extant, wherein thou speakest so plainly and so apparently, that thou canst not deny this blasphemy, therefore I marvel not that the mercy of God in Christ crucified is so esteemed as nothing of thee, that thou darest compare with his severity, who hadst rather believe thy self than the Apostle, and openly transformest the Christian religion into Jewish or Anabaptisticall babbling. And that which appertaineth to the twofold ¹testimony of Moses, thou also too impudently wrestest the either of them: for what if I should except, that God did there manifest what a one he would show himself to his Church? Truly I should say as it is, as appeareth even in this one example. Let us compare the fact of Saul, with the offence of David. Saul contrary to the commandment of God, which seemed a grievous thing, did not by and by slay Agag the King that was taken captive, and keepeth the fatter Cattle by oblation, ²either for the Lords Sacrifices, or for himself by covetousness. And what did David that worthy Prophet, who had so often experienced the loving kindness of God? he defloureth another's wife, fostereth sin, he procureth a most worthy and valiant man to be slain, by most filthy surpassing treachery, and so much the rather, that he might yield to his cruel desire, he wittingly and willingly hazardeth the whole host to most evident peril, the Ark of covenant, and the name of God himself ⟨p. 62⟩to the scoffings of the enemies, but Saul is immediately rejected, nor can the Lord be entreated by any the tears of Samuel, and David is straight received to mercy, but why so? in deed the foreknowledge of sins will here do thee no good, but to this thou must come of necessity, that God pitieth, and hardeneth whom it pleaseth him.