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…

THE ANSWER.

THE AVNSVVER.

God forbid that any of us should either have spoken or written as thou writest, that evil will, or any wicked or unhonest affections, are either given, suffered or wrought of God, seeing that our very thought doth abhor from such blasphemies. This indeed we doubt not to affirm, that God doth quicken and enforce even those that be wicked, and do wickedly, but so, as the whole lewdness of the moving and deed remain in themselves, nor that any the least pollution doth reach so far as unto God. For we say that which is most true, that God is so the first mover of all things, as that he hath not only given the common influence to all things, which now also he doth further, but also as he hath from everlasting decreed all things, so also the second causes, as it pleaseth him, to bend and govern them, that he may stir, direct and bring them to every determined end, nor that any thing (be it never so little) can be sequestered from his effectual and governing providence. For even a Sparrow, saith Christ, falleth not to the ground, without the will of my father: nor was there ever any man in his right wits, that thought God to be like some master builder who should leave his ship which he had made, to be governed of others, or when a certain force of nature was given to all things that he got himself to heaven, that every part of the world might be carried according to their will and inclination, or that the world is governed only by the general influence. All these opinions we have learned out of the word of God to hold abominable: and in this place we think not with moe words to refute them.

GOd forbidde that anye of vs should eyther haue spoken or written as thou wrytest, that euill will, or any wicked or vnhonest affections, are eyther giuen, suffered or wroughte of God, séeing that our verye thought doth abhorre from such blasphemies. This indéed we doubt not to affirme, that God doth quicken and inforce euen those that be wicked, and do wickedly, but so, as the whole lewdenesse of the mouing and déede remaine in themselues, nor that anye the leaste pollution doth reach so farre as vnto God. For we say that which is most true, that God is so the first mouer of all things, as that he hath not only giuen the common influence to all things, which now also he doth further, but also as he hath from euerlasting decréed all things, so also the seconde causes, as it pleaseth him, to bende and gouerne them, that he may styrre, direct and bring them to euery determyned end, nor that any thing (be it neuer so little) can be sequestered from his effectuall and gouerning prouidence. For euen a Sparowe, sayth Christ, falleth not to the grounde, without the will of my father: nor was there euer any man in his right wits, that thought God to be like some mayster buylder who shoulde leaue his ship which he had made, to be gouerned of others, or when a certaine force of nature was giuen to al things that he gotte himselfe to heauen, that euery part of the worlde might be caried according to their will and inclynation, or that the world is gouerned only by the generall influence. All these opinions we haue learned out of the worde of God to holde abhominable: and in this place we thinke not with moe wordes to refute them.