A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…

M. Seeing that these gifts be so noble & so excellent, it abasheth me that God sometime distributeth them to the unfaithful & reprobate, rather than to the faithful & elect. For albeit that in the time of Balaam, Saul, Cayphe, & Judas, many of the faithful and chosen were endowed with these gifts, yet notwithstanding the greatest number of them had them not at all, but had only those gifts which are proper and common to all the elect and faithful.

M. SEing that these gifts be so noble & so excellēt, it abasheth me that God somtime distributeth them to ye vnfaithful & reprobate, rather than to the faithfull & elect. For albeit that in the time of Balaam, Saule, Cayphe, & Iudas, many of the faithfull and chosen were endowed with these gifts, yet notwithstanding the greatest nūber of thē had thē not at al, but had only those gifts which are proper and cōmon to al the elect and faithful.

P. It is true: but thou must note that God will have it so, chiefly for two causes.

P. It is true: but thou muste note that God will haue it so, chiefly for two causes.

M. which is the first?

M. whiche is the first?

Math. Which is the other reason?

Math. Whiche is the other reason?

P. It is that God will show how passing excellent ⟨p. 240⟩a worker he is, which can use all instruments both good and bad, yea the very devils to make them serve to his glory, and to the edification and salvation of his Church when it pleaseth him. But seeing that he may well do by his elect that which he doth by these wicked instruments, why doth he not rather this honour to his children than to his enemies.

P. It is that God will shewe howe passyng excellent ⟨p. 240⟩a woorker he is, whiche can vse al instrumentes bothe good and bad, yea the very diuels to make them serue to his glorie, and to the edification and saluation of his Churche when it pleaseth him. But seeing that he may well do by his elect that whiche he dothe by these wicked instruments, why dothe he not rather this honour to his children than to his enimies.

P. He doth no dishonour to his children, but doth them great honour, when he constraineth the very wicked to serve them will they nill they.

P. He dothe no dishonour to his children, but doth them great honor, when he constrayneth the very wicked to serue them will they nill they.

M. There is a point well worth the note.

M. There is a point wel worth the note.

P. On the other side he honoureth the enemies the more, but putteth them to greater confusion, and maketh them more inexcusable, in so much as thorough their own fault, they have abused his gifts.

P. On the other side he honoureth the enimies the more, but putteth them to greater confusion, and maketh them more inexcusable, in so muche as thorough their owne fault, they haue abused his giftes.

Of the gifts of God which are most excellent and most to be desired.

Of the giftes of God which are moste excellent and most to be desired.

M. For so much as I can understand by thee, thou esteemest the first gifts whereof thou spakest, to be much more excellent and necessary to every one in his particular, than the others ⟨p. 241⟩whereof thou spakest in the second place.

M. FOr so muche as I can vnderstande by thée, thou estéemest the first giftes whereof thou spakest, to bée muche more excellente and necessarye to euery one in his particular, than the others ⟨p. 241⟩wherof thou spakest in the seconde place.

P. Thou mayest well think, that the gifts which God hath chiefly prepared for his elect, are the most principal, and those whom he most esteemeth, and of the which also he willeth that we have most care, & namely for two causes.

P. Thou mayest well thinke, that the gifts which God hath chiefly prepared for his elect, are the most principall, and those whome he most estéemeth, and of the which also he willeth that we haue most care, & namely for two causes.

M. Show me the first.

M. Shewe me the firste.

P. It is, that these gifts make us more like to God than the others do. For we are reformed in deed to his Image by them:

P. It is, that these giftes make vs more like to God than the others do. For we are refourmed in déede to his Image by them:

Mat. Show me something more plainly what thy meaning is.

Mat. Shewe me something more plainely what thy meaning is.

P. Albeit that all virtues are in God in all excellency and full perfection, yet notwithstanding the chief virtue that he will have acknowledged in him, and by the which he will chiefly be glorified, and that also which maketh him to us most amiable, and which is most convenient and necessary for us, and which doth best declare unto us his true nature, it is his goodness.

P. Albeit that all vertues are in God in all excellencie and full perfection, yet notwithstanding the chéefe vertue that he will haue acknowledged in hym, and by the which he will chiefly be glorified, and that also whiche maketh him to vs most amiable, and whiche is most conuenient and necessarie for vs, and whiche doth best declare vnto vs his true nature, it is his goodnesse.