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…

In deed thou guessest truly, seeing thou ⟨p. 255⟩hast drawn these out of the word of God, and reason may easily seem to admit it, because he seemeth not to terrify her. But it will also appear by and by, that thou pervertest this truth of God, when we come to the dispensation of his mercy. Thou addest therefore, that God created the man, from whom all men sprung, after his own similitude, like to himself, that he might place him in Paradise, and enrich him with an happy life. That thou allegest of the creation of Man, I grant, and nature and reason might after a sort direct thee, for it willingly suffereth it self to be praised and advanced. But in the end of man I dissent from thee, when especially thou considerest not Adam, as some singular undivided thing, but as the show of man, because all men should be comprehended in him. And that I may let pass that foolish dream of Paradise, which the vanity of nature and thy mind hath taught thee, and we have refuted in his place, but whence indeed didst thou learn, so to judge of Gods purpose to make man? for thou shalt find no such thing in the sacred Scriptures, but thou shalt send this, that God created all things for his own glory, even the wicked, against the day of evil. Therefore thy reason and thine understanding hath taught thee this lye, for sayest thou, otherwise God should be cruel, and worse than any Wolfe, if he should have created any to misery. What if I should deny that he were cruel, which for just causes determineth any thing, albeit it be hard and bitter, so that the sharpness exceed not the rule of justice? Wilt thou deny this? I think not. ⟨p. 256⟩What it I should add that the will of God is the rule of justice, not the contrary? thou wilt condescend to it I think. Howe is it therefore that when the holy Scriptures do witness, that God created all things for his own glory, even the wicked against the day of evil, thou contrarily supposest, that God created all in Adam, to the end that he might enrich them with an happy life?

In déede thou gessest truely, séeyng thou ⟨p. 255⟩hast drawen these out of the worde of God, and reason maye easilie séeme to admitte it, bycause hée séemeth not to terrifye hir. But it wyll also appeare by and by, that thou peruertest thys truth of God, when wée come to the dispensation of hys mercie. Thou addest therefore, that God created the man, from whome all menne sprong, after hys owne similitude, lyke to hymselfe, that hée myghte place hym in Paradise, and enriche hym wyth an happye lyfe. That thou alleadgest of the creation of Man, I graunte, and nature and reason myghte after a sorte dyrecte thée, for it willinglye suffereth it selfe to bée praysed and aduaunced. But in the ende of man I dissente from thée, when especiallye thou considerest not Adam, as some singular vndeuided thyng, but as the shewe of man, bycause all menne shoulde bée comprchended in hym. And that I maye lette passe that foolishe dreame of Paradise, whyche the vanitie of nature and thy mynde hathe taughte thée, and we haue refuted in hys place, but whence indéede didst thou learne, so to iudge of Gods purpose to make man? for thou shalte fynde no suche thyng in the sacred Scriptures, but thou shalte synde this, that God created all things for hys owne glorye, euen the wicked, agaynste the daye of euill. Therefore thy reason and thyne vnderstandyng hathe taughte thée thys lye, for sayest thou, otherwyse God shoulde bée cruell, and worse than any Wolfe, if he shoulde haue created anye to myserie. What if I shoulde denye that he were cruell, whyche for iust causes determineth any thyng, albeit it be harde and bitter, so that the sharpenesse excéede not the rule of iustice? Wilte thou denye thys? I thynke not.