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 go to, now let us behold thine Idol, and first what manner of God (I pray thee) hadst thou determined to paint out unto us? forsooth such a one, as nature and reason do teach. But we owe all idolatry to this thy nature and reason, as Paul witnesseth, and that disputing not of every one, but of the wisest of all men. The same crieth out [Greek or Hebrew], that the wisdom of the flesh is nothing else but the hatred of God: that they are passing wicked, which are not conceived in the covenant: that the world hath not known God ⟨p. 254⟩by wisdom: that the Gospel is a stumbling block to the Jews, to the Gentiles foolishness: that the natural man perceiveth not those things which are of God: that we are not apt so much as to think any good: Christ every where damneth our blindness, beating into us regeneration, and the denial of our selves. Finally, even they with whom God talked most familiarly, do cry, that the height and profoundness of God is infinite, and that his ways are past finding out. What shall we more? The Philosophers do freely confess themselves when they come to God, to he blind. But thou contrarily requirest no other masters to obtain the knowledge of God, than nature and reason, which verily when thou doest, thou doest even s•, as if thou shouldest commit the judgement of colours to none other, but to blind men. Thou addest yet in the third place, the holy Scriptures, whereof forsooth nature and reason should be holpen, as also long ago thy Pelagius said. But I ask how if can be, that thou shouldest couple light with darkness, as if we should not rather become fools, than be able to taste the wisdom of God. For Christ saith, These things thou hast hid from the wise, and revealed them to babes. And reasoning of the Scribes and Pharisees, who were grieved with this same disease, If ye were blind (saith he) that is, if you did perceive your selves to be blind in deed, you should see. Doest thou see (Slanderer) what be the principles of thy Divinity? But go too, let us hear in what School thou hast learned, and with what colours of darkness thou canst paint out the light. Thou sayest therefore that God is swift to forgive, and slows to wrath.

But go to, nowe let vs beholde thine Idoll, and firste what maner of God (I pray thée) hadst thou determined to paynt out vnto vs? forsooth such a one, as nature and reason do teach. But we owe all idolatrie to this thy nature and reason, as Paule witnesseth, and that disputing not of euerie one, but of the wysest of all men. The same cryeth out , that the wisedome of the fleshe is nothing else but the hatered of God: that they are passing wicked, whyche are not conceyued in the couenant: that the worlde hath not knowen God