THAT which is reported of Balaam, that is, that he blessed Israel whom he was hired to curse, the same I can affirm of thee, who defendest our cause which thou hast undertook to withstand. For what is it to send that spirit of error •or dost thou think that this showeth no other thing, than to account as one forsaken? Or he that sendeth one for some certain cause, either sendeth him against his will, or ⟨p. 136⟩condemneth nothing? but to what man that is not mad shalt thou ever persuade this? But we will speak of this in the refutation of the next Argument. And that which thou triflest of the leaving of the prodigal son, is nothing. For what, dost thou think, that the son was forsaken of his father, regarding nothing, or against his will? If none of both be true, surely he forsook him willingly, nor did he cast away all care of him, but would at the last that he should (as they say) smell of his expenses, and then he thought most of him, when he seemed to have forsaken him, of the which thing we will speak, in the depelling of the the sixth Argument. Therefore this doeth not make against us, but against thee, which separatest sufferance from will. But thou bewrayest thy shameful ignorance in the explication of this place of Ezekiel. For to give precepts that be not good, doth not show to live so as thou mayst run into evil precepts: but the Lord calleth evil precepts, tributes, burdens, laws, & finally, whatsoever the conquering Chaldees were to lay upon the captives: As if the Lord should say, ye would not obey my most holy and just commandments, but for this your infidelity I will severely punish you, for I will give you to be ruled of others, who shall enjoin you, whatsoever most iniust, hard, and filthy things, & shall enforce you to perform them. This exposition, if not out of the Latin interpreters, yet truly thou mightest have learned of the Hebrews, except thou art wont to contemn and despise all writers. But doth not this your tradition declare that idle forsaking? Verily thou shalt never make any believe this, which hath never so superficially seen the Prophets: and this is no less foolish and doltish, than if thou shouldest say that men that be malefactors, convict & contemned, are not of a willing magistrate delivered to the hangman, but only forsaken.
THAT which is reported of Balaam, yt is, yt he blessed Israel whō he was hired to curse, the same I can affirme of thée, who defēdest our cause which thou hast vndertoke to withstand. For what is it to sende yt spirite of error •or dost thou thinke yt this sheweth no other thing, thā to accompt as one forsaken? Or he yt sendeth one for some certain cause, either sendeth him against his wil, or ⟨p. 136⟩condemneth nothing? but to what man yt is not mad shalt thou euer perswade this? But we wil speake of this in ye refutation of the next Argument. And that whiche thou triflest of the leauing of the prodigall sonne, is nothing. For what, dost thou thinke, that the sonne was forsaken of his father, regarding nothing, or againste his will? If none of both be true, surely he forsooke him willingly, nor dyd he cast awaye all care of hym, but would at the laste that he shoulde (as they saye) smell of his expences, and then he thought most of him, when he séemed to haue forsaken him, of the which thing we wyll speake, in the depelling of the the sixte Argumente. Therefore this doeth not make against vs, but against thée, which separatest sufferaunce from wil. But thou bewraiest thy shameful ignoraunce in the explication of this place of Ezechiel. For to giue precepts that be not good, doth not shewe to lyue so as thou mayst runne into euill preceptes: but the Lorde calleth euil preceptes, trybutes, burthens, lawes, & finally, whatsoeuer the conquering Chaldeis were to lay vpon the captiues: As if the Lorde should say, ye would not obey my most holy and iust commaundementes, but for this your infidelitie I wil seuerely punish you, for I wyl giue you to be ruled of others, who shall enioyne you, whatsoeuer most iniust, harde, and fylthy thyngs, & shall inforce you to performe them. This exposition, if not out of the Latyn interpreters, yet truely thou mightest haue learned of the Hebrewes, except thou art wonte to contemne and despise all writers. But dothe not this your tradition declare that idle forsaking? Verily thou shalte neuer make any beléeue this, which hath neuer so superficially séene the Prophetes: and this is no lesse foolishe and doltish, than if thou shouldest saye yt men that be malefactours, conuict & contemned, are not of a willing magistrate deliuered to the hangman, but only forsaken.
