A09918:184
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…
An evident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianism Wherein is mightily cleared the sovereign truth of Gods eternal predestination, the staid groundwork of our most assured safety by Christ. Written in Latin by that reverend father, master Theodore Beza, and now lately Englished by VV.H. preacher of the Gospel.An euident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianisme Wherein is mightelie cleared the soueraigne truth of Gods eternall predestination, the stayd groundworke of oure most assured safetie by Christ. Written in Latin by that reuerend father, mayster Theodore Beza, and now lately Englished by VV.H. preacher of the Gospell.
London: printed by Ralph Newberie, 1578
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But if it be so that himself fall, let him thereby be admonished ⟨p. 101⟩of his own imbecility, that he may distrust his own strength, and be made more humble, and lay aside all arrogance, and let it be to him as a spur, whereby he may be furthered to call upon God with more fervent invocations. See how Christians turn all things to their commodity, not that they may delight themselves in their sins, or shut their eyes, least they may behold that which is evil, but rather that being heavy and sorrowful, because they may see that God is offended both of themselves and others, they may be prepared to repentance, humility, and the fear of God, and that they may be careful that they may take heed to themselves in time to come. After this sort David gathered commodity by the fault that he had committed, not in any respect justifying himself, but when he heard his condemnation more and more, confirming himself in the goodness of God, foreseeing least afterwards he might slide again into such calamity. Even in like sort doth Paul admonish us, to convert those sins which the children of Israel committed against God, to our commodity, that is, that whilst we consider the punishments which followed, we may be taught by their example. See now wherefore the Scripture doth cite as well the sins of the faithful, as of the contemns of God, not that it might make us blind, whereby we shall be able to determine, or utter nothing for certainty, and shall doubt, whether that which is evil be good, but that when the knowledge of evil is perceived, we might shun the same, as it plainly setteth down what we should judge of every work. But they allege that it is written, let us not fudge, for the Lord useth these words, •udge not,1 but wherefore? that he may reprehend their rashness, who usurp the authority of God, in judging of things they know not. The same argument is handled of Paul, in ⟨p. 102⟩the fourteenth to the Romans, where he reproveth them that condemn their brethren for matters indifferent: we have (sayeth he) all one judge, to him we must give accounts, it appertaineth to him to determine of such matters, let us not therefore enforce our neighbours prostrate under our opinion.
But if it be so that hymselfe fall, lette hym thereby be admonished