vol. 1, p. 13

they soe much urge it, and painte it with such faiere coloures of pleasant
woords and dexterous subteile argumentes that they cause the poore simple people to beleeve
there untruith, to be unfallible verily; and thoe there be evident texts of scripture
contrarie to what they say, yet they are soe carried away with theire oune blinde
malice, that they cannot see it, or will not understande it; as for example, in the present
matter: the author of yr treatise following his masters steppes produceth that text
of the 8. chap. to the Rom. 'The same spirite beareth witnesse to our spirite
that we are the sonnes of God, if we be sonnes, then are we alsoe heyres, the heyres
of God, and ioint heires of Christe'; hince they endevoure to prowe, that those who
has faith onst, can never miscary, why? because the spirite beareth wittnes to our
spirite; but good sirs, dos the spirite beare wittness that ye never sinne or miscarry?
noe truly, but he beareth wittness, that all 'those, whoe are led by the spiritte of God
are the sonnes of God', as the texte sayeth in the same chap. but shurly those, whoe
sinnes are not led by Gods spirite, and consequently are not while they sinne, the sonnes
of God. This place which is obscure and being wel examened conduceth nothing to there
purpouse, they produce, that being onst the children of God by fayth, they cannever
miscarry, but are certified of salvation; and they doe not consider or will not
understand such other places of holy scripture, which affirmes the contrary,
and are soe cleere and evident, that evry childe may understande, as that above cited
of the 4. chap. of the 1. epist. to Timot. 'nowe the spirite speaketh evidently, that
in latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth', which woordes are soe cleere
as thy neede noe explicatione, for if they departe from the fayth, how can they
persevere continualy in the fayth onst had, or can they togethere persever in
in fayth and parte with it allsoe? see what contradiction followes out of
Calvins and his adherents opinion; and let this suffice for a man of understan-
[d]ing to conceave, the error and [blemones?] and malice of those people to whom
may be applied that saying of christe Matth. 15. 'They be the blinde leaders of the
blinde.' But shurly 'if the blynde leades the bleynde both shall fall into the ditch.'
Many other places might be soe notede which for brevitys sake I omitte, as
that pag. 144. where he insinuates that the iust sinnes, but not willingly,
heere the poore fellowe seemes to measure all others by himself, for thoe he, throwe his
oune bad and doggly inclination, could not, or rather would not refraine his sensuall
appetites from sinne; thinks he that others, whoe intendes to serwe god
sincerly cannot abstaine from sinne? be his leave we doe not beleeve him, but
rather we beleeve the unanemous consent of the whoele church, and our
dayly proper experience, whereby we evidently feind, that we can, by gods
grace, abstaine from sinne, when we please, otherwis we had noe proper will contra-
ry to holly Paule 1. Cor. 7. saying: 'having noe neede, but hath power over his
owen will'; and Gen. 4. God speaking to Cain says 'if you had don well would you not receave
but if you doe ille presently in the doore the sinne is present: yet his appetite is
under you, and you will dominire over it'. If we dominire over sinne, we may at
our will abstaine from sinne. This you may testify yr selfe by proper
experience, for shurily you may abstaine from taking away yr neighbours goods,
thoe you had good commodity to take it a way: for if of necessity wee sinned, god whoe
is most iust and merciefull would uniustly punish us therfore, as he would be uniust
for punishing us for eating drinking or sleeping. Hence appeereth the absurditie of
that which the author says pag. 141. where he insinuats that holy Paule against [his] will
fell unto sinne, which he prowes by certaine textes of the sayed Apostel there cited, but
he is farre deceaved, because he declines from the holy churchs interpretation, for
the Apostle in them places understandes by the name of sinne and evill, the proness
or inclination, or sensuall appetite which evry man commonly fileth in himself,
which proness or appetite is not a sinne, because it induceth, and inticeth a man to sinne by pleasin[g]
allurement; and of this proness holy Paule complaineth and praieth earnestly it should be tak[en]
away from him, but he was answered, that Gods grace should suffice him, which would preser[ve]
him from consenting to those inclinations, or fullfilling theire desires, and consequently from s[inne.]