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…

Yet I will also undo this doubt, because I see nothing of it self so plain, and without all difficulty, which may not greedily of you be taken, to the end you may both encumber your selves and others. First of all these things are so united in themselves by mutual relation, that is the acti•• of those that persecute the Saints, and the sufferance of the afflicted Saints by them, that he which saith God will this, but doth only suffer that, may worthily seem void even of common reason. But least I seem to contend with thee with reasons drawn only from common sense, (which compass of contention thy self yet seemest to have prefixed us) go to, let us hear the Spirit of God himself speaking, whose authority I wish thou couldest once prefer before thy fruitless and childish inventions. Job being given into the hand of Satan not for any sin of his, but for a most excellent example both for his and our confirmation sake, the Lord (saith he) hath given,¹ and the Lord hath taken away. What wouldest thou answer here, good man? agreeth the word of taking away with Job, from whom the thing was taken, or rather with him who taketh the thing? For Job neither crieth out that he hath wrong done him, or excuseth the thieves, but acknowledgeth and reverenceth the suste will of God in giving and taking away: I say, he acknowledgeth the will of God. Who may not see that Job by the word of taking away, aswell as giving, hath intended not only the will and purpose of giving and taking away, but even the very self giving and taking away? For the Lord both in giving and taking away, useth whatsoever instruments be ⟨p. 126⟩pleaseth, and that in nowise enforced but willingly. Therefore in the like argument, as we have showed before, calleth his adversaries albest wicked men, yet the sword and hand of God. And further wilt thou deny, I say not only the determination or will, but also the power & hand of God to come in betwixt in the afflictions of Saints, yea in respect of the persecutors themselves? At the least, hear what Paul saith of the most bitter death of the son of God He spared not,² saith he, his own Son, but gave him for us all. And wilt thou acknowledge, here no decree, no will of the most good God our most loving Father: