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…

I think thou wilt not, except it be that thou deemest a man may dispute of Polygamy on either part, that hear also thou mayest retain the custom of Academians? Shall it be lawful to add or to detract any thing from the divine doctrine? no indeed, but doctrine is to be distinguished from examples, which be but as it were hangers on of the doctrine: In that highest Religion this is to be observed, that we wholly depend upon the written word of God. But if we desire to know what is set before us in examples, either to be allowed or rejected, certain general positions are to be compared with that, whereof the question is, albeit the Scripture, in the very report of examples, doth not always express it, for proof sake, albeit those facts, whereof we have spoken, are not manifestly condemned in the report of them, yet because the word of God doth manifestly forbid drunkenness, incest, lies, mankillings, whoredoms, deceits, wicked judgements, and finally the having of many wives, sith the Lord hath said from the beginning of two, and they shall be one flesh, we shall not doubt that they all are reprehended as sins, whereto ⟨p. 78⟩even the most excellent men were enthralled. But sith thou canst not deny these, how is it that when we come to that history of Adam, wherein is described his fall, thou wilt not follow this order, but requirest the express sentence of God. For, thou wilt say, because it is far from the nature of God, to constitute that which is evil, so much the more that self thing which is the fountain of all evil. But we have already showed before, that God doth ordain justly those things which men do unjustly, that God (I say) doth well use a sinning instrument, for God considereth one thing, that is, his own glory, for which he hath made even the wicked, as Solomon saith, but the froward will of Satan, and wicked men promiseth it self another thing. So it cometh to pass, that in one self work God is just, Satan wicked, and men unrighteous. That thou mayest understand this, set we before us this self example of Adam. When God would make man for the manifesting of the glory both of his mercy and justice, as the issue of the matter showeth, and the Apostle setteth before us, under the example of the Potter. He made Adam to his own similitude, that is, holy and innocent, as the same Apostle expoundeth.

I thinke thou wilte not, except it be that thou déemest a man may dispute of Poligamy on eyther part, that heare also thou maist retayne the custome of Academians? Shall it be lawfull to adde or to deract any thing from the deuine doctrine? no indéede, but doctrine is to be distinguished from examples, whiche be but as it were hangers on of the doctrine: In that highest Religion this is to be obserued, that we whollie depende vppon the written word of God. But if we desire to know what is set before vs in examples, eyther to be allowed or reiected, certayne generall positions are to be compared with that, whereof the question is, albeit the Scripture, in the very report of examples, doth not alwayes expresse it, for proofe sake, albeit those factes, whereof we haue spoken, are not manifestly condemned in the report of thē, yet bicause the word of God doth manifestly forbidde drunkennesse, incest, lyes, mankillings, whoredoms, deceyptes, wicked iudgementes, and finallye the hauing of many wiues, sith the Lord hathe sayd from the beginning of two, and they shall be one flesh, we shall not doubt that they all are reprehēded as sinnes, wherto