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…

But I have now to do with Pelagius. Therefore I send thee to Augustine's school: for this disputation would be too tedious. But if we sin not necessarily, then in deed it is in our power not to sin, and therefore not to will to sin. But Paul crieth out, that he is not able so much as to think that which is good. And in another place considering himself without grace, I, saith he, am carnal, sold under sin. Yea, he complaineth with great mournings, that he is not fully set at liberty. But where is the deliverance, if there went no servitude before? where is the new man, if the old man went not before? But it may be, thou wilt find some outscape from Pelagius to the Papistical Sophisters, half Pelagians, and wilt grant, that there is some servitude of sin: but only that that which hath hurt nature, and cleaveth only in the inferior parts. And what saith David: There is not any that doth understand, no not one. And what saith Paul? Those that boasted themselves to be wise, became fools [Greek or Hebrew] the natural man perceiveth not ⟨p. 241⟩those things which are of God. [Greek or Hebrew] the wisdom of the flesh is enmity before God. And in another place, he saith, that god, and the father of glory, give you the spirit of wisdom, and lighten the eyes of your minds. Also, be ye renewed (saith he) in the spirit of your minds. Also, when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What sayest thou to these, good man: If there be no necessity of sinning,¹ how entered sin into the world, verily by imitation, and not by propagation. But if it be so, how reigned death upon them which sinned not after the similitude of Adam: and why doth the Church baptise infants, if we be not borne the children of wrath? Give therefore, wicked Pelagius, glory to God, and if thou canst, acknowledge at the last the grace of God, not whereby we were created, that we might be men, (for this we lost in Adam, if thou only exceptest this because we sin willingly:) but that whereby we are justified, that we might be just men. For God is he which altogether worketh in us the will and the deed.

But I haue nowe to do with Pelagius. Therfore I sende thée to Augustines schole: for this disputation would be too tedious. But if we sinne not necessarilie, thē in déede it is in our power not to sin, and therefore not to will to sinne. But Paule crieth out, that he is not able so much as to thinke that which is good. And in another place considering himselfe without grace, I, saith he, am carnall, solde vnder sin. Yea, he complayneth with great mournings, that he is not fully set at libertie. But where is the deliueraunce, if there wente no seruitude before? where is the newe man, if the olde man went not before? But it may be, thou wilt finde some outscape from Pelagius to the Papisticall Sophysters, halfe Pelagians, and wilt graunte, that there is some seruitude of sinne: but only that that whiche hath hurt nature, and cleaueth only in the inferior parts. And what saith Dauid: There is not any that doth vnderstande, no not one. And what sayth Paule? Those that boasted themselues to be wise, became fooles the naturall man peceiueth not