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…

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 ⟨p. 263⟩things they ought to have been recalled from Idolatry. But we ask of the light of the Gospel, where with thou sayest that all men, that is, every man, is lightened at the least outwardly. But I affirm, that before the coming of Christ, the greatest part of the world was not lightened with the beams of this light, neither inwardly nor outwardly. But after coming to Christ, I grant in deed that the light of the Gospel was dispersed into all lands: but art thou so sottish, that thou thinkest that this benefit belongeth to every man, and not rather to certain, that is, to the elect of all people? look now at the least what is the countenance of the world, and see how many there be in the universal compass of the earth which die before they hear never so little report of the Gospel.

That this is the natural meaning of this place, I hope they will graunt me, whosoeuer haue diligently weyghed those things that be spoken there. For ouer and abone that this is the order of speach, say I praye thée, by what meanes at the last wilt thou prone, that they are al lightned of Christ that come into the worlde? Is it bycause they are all made partakers of the grace of Christ? But Iohn addeth, that Christ was not receiued of his, but of a certaine, who bycause they were borne of God, did therfore beléeue. Furthermore, thou canst not deny, that the benefite of Christ is receiued only by faith. But faith cō meth by grace, and not by nature, nor is it giuen to all men. All therefore are not lightened of Christ, that is, made partakers of the grace of the Gospell. But wilte thou flée to that vniuersall preaching of the Gospel, and wilt say, that the light of Christ is offered to all, albeit very manye will refuse it being offered? But euen this could neuer be saide of euery man. For tel me, before the comming of Christ, howe many yeares passed, in which (as Paule sayeth,) God suffered the Gentyles to walke in their own wayes? where was then the light of Christ that was to come among the Gentiles? Yet I graunt, that they all had so muche light in the meane time, as is sufficient to make them without excuse, séeing their conscience was to them for a law, and by the sight of visible