vol. 1, p. 12

impious and his impietie'. The places of scripture therfore which he produceth, are to be
understoode, that thoe the electe or predestinated some tymes, throw human frailty, and
the common adversarys deceite, sinnes deadly, as holy David and Sainct Peter did
and consequently incurrs gods wrathe and indignation, as longe as they remaine
in sinne, yet throwe gods greate mercie and grace, they arrise againe from sinne, and
are reconciled by sorowe, repentaunce, and such other meance left by Christ, unto him,
whome they soe ungratfully offended. And soe it is verified, that whom God once loves he
loves to the end, be reson he leaves him not finaly in sinne.

In the seconde parte of the Treatise and specially pag. 82. and consequently he
seemes to perswade, that a man onst being iustified by fayth may undouptedly perswade
himselfe, that he cannot thence forwarde miscarry, or louse that fayth, which onste
he has receaved, and consequently that he may be certaine of finall perseverance in Gods
favoure, and of life everlasting, notwithstanding how greeveusly soever he offendes God.
Heerein he followes his erroneus master Calvins opinion who houldes that fayth onst
had is never lost, and that it is proper to the elect only, and consequently that noe
reprobat never had fayth, and that he whoe has fayth may be certaine of salvation
which principles are soe manifestly contrary to holy scripture as nothing can be more,
for holy Paule in his 1. chap. of his first epistill to Timotheus 19 verse says 'Having fayth and good conscience,
which some having put away, as concerninge fayth have made shipwracke, of whome is
Hymneus and Alexander', and in the 4 chap. he says: 'Nowe the spirite speaketh evidently
that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth gevinge heede unto
spirites of error, and doctrine of devilles'. These places are soe plaine and evident that
noe man of any understanding, if he be not blinded and wholy forsaken of gods grace, as
poore Calvine and his followers seemes to be, can deny, for if some has made shipwracke of
there fayth, they made it of the fayth which onst they had; and if some departes from the
fayth, shurly they departe fromt he fayth they had, for noe man departs, but with that, which
he has, therefore none can unfallebly perswade himselfe that thoe onst he had the true fayth,
but he may, throwe his oune fraility, the devills deceite and gods permission, some tymes fall
from it, for if he could not, the holy Ghost speaking by the Apostle, would be a lyer; and allsoe
it would followe thence, that there never were any heresies, for those are called heretiques
who fell from the fayth onst had, for if they never had any fayth then they should be rather
called Infidelles then heretiques, but according holly scripture heresies must be, and this
Calvine himselfe acknowlegeth, for Symon Magus, Nicolas, Hymneus, and Alexander of whom
the scripture mackes mention, onst had the fayth, as the same scripture testifieth, and yet
they fell from it wittnessing the Apostle above cited.

That a man having fayth can firmly beleeve, and perswade himselfe that his sinnes are
forgeven him by Christes merite, is noe lesse against scripture, for the holy Ghost ecclesiast. 9
says, 'a man knowes not whether he be worthy of hatred or love, but all are kept uncertaine
to a future tyme', and ecclesi: 15. of the sinne forgevin, be not withoute feare, and holy
Paule 1 Cor. 4 says of himselfe 'I am nothing guiltie to me selfe, yet am I not thereby
iustified, but that iudgeth me is the Lorde'. Yo see how the Apostle says that he finds not his
conscie[n]ce guilty of any, yet he affirmes that heerein he is not iustified, which certainly he
would not say, if he undouptedly and firmly beleeved, that all those, whoe has fayth, are
questionless iustified in Christe, and that there sinnes are forgevin them, and neverthelesse
the Apostle firmly beleeved himselfe to have the fayth of Jesus Christe, neither would
Calvin or any els dare deny this: therefor thoe a man firmly beleeves himselfe to have
the true fayth of Christe, yet he cannot undouptedly perswade himselfe, that thereby he is
iustified, or that his sinnes are questionless forgevin him, otherwise the Apostle might thus beleeve
of himselfe which he dos not. Hence Deare Sr yo may evidently see, how heresie blindeth
a man, and how those, whoe forsaking the unanemous consent of the catholique church
and the holy fathers thruistes to there oune proper particular spirite, are led away by the
spirite of error, and reades the holy scriptures only to impunge the thruith, wher in if
they feind any apparant place or texte convenient to there perverse intentione, they
soe

impious and his impietie. The places of Scripture therfor which he provideth, are to be understoode, that thoe the electe or predestinated [some?] [himes?] throw human frailty, and the common adversarys deceive, [Sinnes?] Deadly, as holy [David?] and Saint Peter did and consequently [m--?] Gods wrath; and imagination as long as they remaine in Sinne, yet throw Gods greate mercie and grace they arrise again from Sinne and are reconciled by sorow; repentance and such other meance left by Christ unto Him whome they soe ungratfully offended. And soe it is verified, that whom God once loves he loves to the end, [be?] reason he leaves him not finaly in Sinne.

In the seconde part of the Treatise and specially pag.82 and consequently he seems to persuade, that a man [once?] being [ --ified] by fayth may [undeniably?] persuade himself, that he cannot thence forwarde miscarry or louse that fayth which [once?] he had receaved, and consequently that he may be certain of finall perseverance in Gods favoure, and of life everlasting not withstanding how greeveusly soever he offendes God. Heerein [Herein?] he follows his erroneus master Calvins opinion who houldes that fayth once had is never lost, and that it is proper to the elect only; and consequently that noe reprobat never has fayth, and that he whoe has fayth may be certaine of salvation which principles are soe manifestly contrary to holy Scripture as nothing can be more for holy Paul's in his 1 chap of his [first epistle?] to Timothius 19 verse says Having fayth and good conscience which some having put away, as concerning fayth have made shipwracks of whome he Hymneus and Alexander and in the 4 chap. he says: Now the spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter tymes some shall departe from the fayth [genuine?] held unto [Spiritos?] of error and doctrine of devilles. These places are soe plaine and evident that noe man of any understanding, if he be not blinded and wholy forsake of gods grace, as there fayth, they made it of the fayth a [hick?] [illegible] they had and if [illegible] [illegible] fayth, shurly; they departe fromt he fayth they had for noe man departs, but with [illegible] which he has, therefore none can unfallebly persuade himself that thoe once he had the true fayth but he may throw his own frailty the devills deceive and gods permission some tymes fall from it for if he could not the holy Ghost speaking by the Apostle would be a lyer; and allsoe it would follow thence that there never were any heresies, for those are called [heretique?] who fell from the fayth once had, for if they never had any fayth then they should be called Infidelles then heretiques, but according holly Scripture heresies must be and this Calvine himself acknolegeth for Symon Magus, Nicolas, Hymneus, and Alexander whom the scripture macks mention once had the fayth, as the same scripture testifieth, and they fell from it wittnessing the Apostle above cited.

That a man having fayth can firmly beleeve and persuade himself that his sinnes are forgeven him by Christes merite is noe less against scripture for the holy Ghost ecclesiast says, a man knows not whether he be worthy of hatred or love but all are kept uncertain to a future tyme. and ecclesi: 15 of the sinns forgeven be not withoute feare and Paule 1 Cor. 4 says of himself I am nothing guiltie to me selfe yet am I not thereby unified but that [illegible] me is the Lorde. [Illegible] how the Apostle says that he finds not his conscience guilty of any, yet he affirms that [herein?] he is not [justified?] which certainly he would not say if he undoubtedly and firmly beleeved, that all those, whoe has fayth are questionless [justified? unified?] in Christ and that there sinns are forgevin them and nevertheless the Apostle firly beleeved himself to have the fayth of Jesus Christe neither would Calvin or any els dare deny this therefor thoe a man firmly beleeves himself to have the true fayth of Christ, yet he cannot undoubtedly persuade himself that thereby he is [justified?] or that his sinnes are questionless forgevin him, otherwise the Apostle might thus beleeve of himself which he dos not. Hence [Deare?] [illegible] may evidently see, how heresie blindeth a man, and how those who forsaking the unanemous consent of the catholique church and the holy fathers, [illegible] to there own proper particular spirite are led away by the spirite of error and reades the holy scriptures only to impunge the [thruith?][truth?] wher in they find any apparant place or texte convement [convenient?] to there perverse intentions they
soe