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…

Thou indeed opposest thy self against Gods trueth like a brazen rock, but the spirit of the Lord shall also devour thee, and that stone which is cut without hands shall crush thee. If we are borne the children of wrath, are we not, I pray thee, inexcusable before the precept? I pray not for the world, (saith Christ.) But doest thou by the name of World, only understand them which when they can believe the Gospel, yet nevertheless will not? If the blind lead the blind, they fall both into the ditch: but thinkest thou that none be borne blind, when on the contrary part man is nothing else but a most palpable darkness? The Apostle witnesseth, that man is so enthralled to sin, that he is not apt, so much as to think any good: but is he to thee excusable, except of himself he can not only will, but also work? But it may be thou wilt say, that all in some sort are borne blind, but God gineth ⟨p. 245⟩this grace to all, that they may open their eyes if they will. But who will grant thee this? where death reigneth, there verily doth sin reign: and death beareth sway even upon very infants: where is then that thine universal grace? As though in deed men were not borne by their own nature sufficiently inexcusable in Adam, except also there approach a new divorce of grace. Again, dost thou think that there is any grace, which indeed properly belongeth unto life without Christ, that can be derived unto men? But how may they obtain any grace by Christ, which are not comprehended within the covenant, nor ever heard any thing of Christ, so far is it off, that they have embraced him by faith? For Faith cometh by hearing. And if thou denyest, that there have ever bin an infinite number of such in the world, the truth it self, which every one seeth, will sufficiently convince thee. And to what purpose is this? that is, that all confess, that by their own nature they are inexcusable, albeit they are borne concluded under the necessity of sin. For necessity doth not take away will, as which albeit necessary, yet not enforced, but of it self and willingly should not be drawn unwilling, but might be carried witting, and willing, unto wickedness. But yet thou wilt say, there is no man so wretched, that he would desire evil.