wrangglyng with humayne argumentes, but charge them by the Lord Iesus the autor of this doctrine, and the witnesse of thy monicion, yea and the reuē∣get of vngodlynes, excepte they will repent beyng warned. By this manner of sadde earnest charge geuyng, thou shalt doo more good, than with disputing. Mynde not in any wise to stryue with wordes after the maner of Sophisters, nor couet with humayne reasones to affirme the thinge that oughte to be per∣ceaued by faythe. For that matter doeth not onely auayle nothyng to the fur∣theraunce of godlynes, but also it weakeneth the strength of faythe, and at length subuerteth the myndes of the hearers, that euerye thinge is called in to question, and with philosophicall reasones the thyng now set vp now throwen ••••••ne, whereof it is not lawfull to doubte, and so ariseth question vpon que∣stion, that there is nether ende nor measure of questionyng.
The texte▪
Study to shew thy selfe laudable vnto god, a workeman that neadeth not to be ashamed, destributyng the word of truth iustly. As for vngostly vanites of voyces passe thou ouer them, for they wylencreace vnto greater vngodlynes, and their wordes shall frete euen is both the disease of a Cancre: of whose nomber is Dimeneus and Philetus (which as ••••••••nyng the truth) haue erred, saying: that the resurteccion is past already, and doe ••••••roy the fayth of some. But the sure ground of god standeth styl and hath this sca••e: the Lord knoweth them that are hys. And let euery man that calleth on the name of christ depart from iniquitie. Notwithstandyng in a great house are not onely vesselles of gold and of s••••uer: but also of wood and of yerth: some for honoure, and some for dis∣honour. If a man therfore purge hym selfe from suche men he shalbe a vessel sanctified vnto honouer, mete for the vses of the Lorde, and prepared vnto all good workes.
See that thou rather let suche maner of wranglynges passe, and studye to shewe thy selfe a ghospellyke workeman, not a disputour, but a woorkeman, laudable not vnto men but vnto God, and behaue thy selfe so in the ghopels affayres, as he that hath chosen thee, nede not to be ashamed of thee. And that shalte thou doe, in case thou wylte thwyte of vayne fonde disputacions, and teache faith to be the summe total of the ghospels doctrine: and yf thou brushe awaye the brambles of doubtefull questions, and deuyde and dystribute the worde of God wyth vprighte iudgemente, propoundyng onely those thynges, that properlye belong to the matier of saluation and of Godlynes. Moreouer reiecte boldely vayue brablyng of wordes, whiche yf they be once receyued, ve∣nome appeareth by lytle and lytle, and they shall growe alwayes to wicked∣nes more and more, and at length the mater shall come to that ende, that mans opinions and dysputacions beynge come in vre, the strength of the ghospels doctrine is ouerwhelmed, obscured and growen out of vse. For the talke of suche men, in case it once occupie the eares and myndes of the symple, it wyll alwayes crepe further and further, none otherwyse than a Canker in a bodye ceasseth not to occupie the nere partes by lytell and lytle, tyll it haue marred all. So that a myschiefe is muche more to be loked to incontinent at the begin∣nyng, and to be cut of rather than chearished, afore it take roote. Suppose that I am afrayed of these matters wyth oute cause, excepte that wee haue all readye seene in Hymeneus and Philetus the thyng that I am afrayed of. For they, while they treate of the matter of fayth with humaiue disputacions, haue ••••ted so ferre wyde frome the truth of the ghospell, that they haue denyed the chiefe poynte and foundacion of the ghospell, saying, that the resurrection is already fynished in Christe, and none other resurreccion to be loked for on our