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…

Now I come to the place of John, wherein thou thinkest it is said, that the light of the justice of Christ doth lighten all that cometh into this world. But who will grant thee this? For by the name of light, there, I grant that Christ is signified: but in respect of creation, not redemption. For John describeth the excellency of the eternal word, by whose power and goodness seeing all things are created, and men themselves especially being ⟨p. 262⟩endued with the light of understanding do line, yet because this light hath shined to the blind, the blind have not acknowledged the light. This when John had said in the beginning of the Chapter, afterwards inserting mention of John Baptist, he urgeth the same in two verses of the same chapter, that is, the ninth and tenth. Then from the beginning of the eleventh verse he cometh to the coming of Christ.

Now I come to the place of Iohn, wherein thou thinkest it is sayd, that the light of the iustice of Christ doth lighten all that commeth into this world. But who wyll graunt thée this? For by the name of light, ther, I graūt that Christe is signifyed: but in respect of creation, not redēptiō. For Iohn describeth the excellency of the eternall worde, by whose power and goodnesse séeing all things are created, and men themselues especially beyng ⟨p. 262⟩indued with the light of vnderstāding do line, yet bycause this light hath shined to the blinde, the blinde haue not acknowledged the light. This when Iohn had sayde in ye beginning of the Chapter, afterwardes interserting mention of Iohn Baptist, he vrgeth the same in two verses of the same chapter, that is, the ninth and tenth. Then from the beginning of the eleuenth verse he commeth to the comming of Christ.

That this is the natural meaning of this place, I hope they will grant me, whosoever have diligently weighed those things that be spoken there. For over and above that this is the order of speech, say I pray thee, by what means at the last wilt thou prone, that they are all lightened of Christ that come into the world? Is it because they are all made partakers of the grace of Christ? But John addeth, that Christ was not received of his, but of a certain, who because they were borne of God, did therefore believe. Furthermore, thou canst not deny, that the benefit of Christ is received only by faith. But faith cometh by grace, and not by nature, nor is it given to all men. All therefore are not lightened of Christ, that is, made partakers of the grace of the Gospel. But wilt thou flee to that universal preaching of the Gospel, and wilt say, that the light of Christ is offered to all, albeit very many will refuse it being offered? But even this could never be said of every man. For tell me, before the coming of Christ, how many years passed, in which (as Paul sayeth,) God suffered the Gentiles to walk in their own ways? where was then the light of Christ that was to come among the Gentiles? Yet I grant, that they all had so much light in the mean time, as is sufficient to make them without excuse, seeing their conscience was to them for a law, and by the sight of visible