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 Lord by the hand of a thief will punish another thief: for so he hath often used to join the wicked with the wicked: as may appear by the example of the Midianites. He therefore exciteth the wicked will of one thief to kill another: nor being satisfied with that,¹ he even guideth his hand and weapon, that he may be slain whom he hath decreed to just slaughter. For as much therefore as this slaughter springeth from this beginning, that is, from God justly enforcing the will of the thief, albeit it be evil, and directing the hand and weapon of the thief, yet is neither the enforcement evil, nor the work evil, but it is counted of God just and holy, which punisheth the thief with just torments. For God did neither enforce the thief, nor gave him wickedness, but the will of the thief which was evil already, he well and justly stirred to a good and holy work. But for as much as this slaughter proceedeth from an other beginning, that is, of the will of the thief which is so enforced, not as a stone or block, but as a will, which also it self is so urged, that it worketh, and is so moved, that it moveth it self, with an inward motion, and that his own: thus far I say, both this motion springing from an evil beginning, is evil, and endeth into an evil action, that is manslaughter: which it ⟨p. 203⟩is so far off that it should please God, that contrarily he can not but punish it. But go too, let us put this example also, whereby this diversity of beginnings may be understood. Let us suppose that thou art a crooked Ass, whom I as a Muleteer shall enforce into the mill with whips. For as much as this action proceedeth from me as from a beginning, it cannot be reprehended, if it be reasonable: but for as much as it proceedeth from thee, it is in it self a great fault. For indeed I am to thee the cause of going, but all the halting is of thy self, whose beginning was in thy self, albeit I had not stirred thee forward. Wilt thou that I speak more plainly, that thou mayst not complain of darkness? Thou art made by nature to slander those things, which thou doest not so much as understand, or dissemblest that thou understandest. Yet this [Greek or Hebrew] poison, is not so much nature, as the depravation of nature. Therefore is not his efficient, but rather deficient cause to be sought for:

The Lorde by the hande of a théefe will punishe another théefe: for so he hath often vsed to ioine ye wicked with the wicked: as maye appeare by the example of the Madianites. He therefore exciteth the wicked will of one théefe to kill another: nor being satisfied with that,