vs to himselfe or any for him let vs learne to knowe him and them Let vs marke our losse and take heede of the change though they that heare this Counsell shall bee accompted of the Papistes 〈◊〉 Schismatikes and I wot not what for leauing the Idole of Rome it maketh no matter the gaine and vantage is so passing great as it will easily satisfie and recompence all A great losse think say you to parte from the Churche of Rome an inestimable gaine say and thinke we more 〈◊〉 to win Jesus Christ which will not bee in stifely cleauing to the other Christ and Antichist light and darkenesse the temple of God Idoles haue no agreement The things that were vantage vnto Saint Paul the same counted hee losse for Christes sake But let vs see what the losses bee that by parting from Poperie men haue They are saieth this reasoner sixe in nomber whereof let vs see particularly the first losse is men leese the benefite of the sacrifice of the Masse a great matter and often repeated by you without sounde of the goodnesse thereof but with vs a happie losse sure beyng of all blasphemies and idolatries the most abhominable But sayth this discourser here our Sauiour Christ appointed his bodie to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quicke and dead c. I heare you say so sir but I aske you where what our sauiour Christe appointed is faithfully recorded vnto vs by the foure Euangelists the faithfull witnesses of all that Christ 〈◊〉 did and taught neuer a worde of your Massing sacrifice there No yes I pray you Do this in remembrance of mee Do this that is sacrifice this for do is to sacrifice so doth the Heathen 〈◊〉 Uirgile vse the worde and so may we by the Poet expounde Christes meaning to bee gentle stuffe and a Clarkelye proofe to corrupt the sacred scriptures with prophane gloses If you haue any better proofe for your massing sacrifice out of the Euangelists whiche tell vs faithfully what was appointed by our Sauiour Christ let vs heare of it Else hearken to S. Paul who receiued of the Lorde that which he also deliuered vnto the Church and is a faithful and trustie expounder of the three Euangelistes Now he in his exposition of these wordes not onely ouerthroweth your counterfaite sacrifice but your newe deuised transubstantiation also who repeating this doe in remembrance of mee expoundeth the same of eating and drinking not of Sacrificing and saith for as often as yee shall 〈◊〉 this bread and drinke this cup yee shewe the Lordes death till hee come c. Marke these wordes well So that where yee say this was appointed by our Sauiour to offer vp his body dayly c. We say you say vntruly and are founde a false witnesse bearer but yee runne to the fathers finding nothing in the Euangelistes or Scriptures to make for you but as in time and place wee reuerence the fathers so agayne tell wee you that wee are not bounde to follow the errors of the fathers but what if the fathers call the Supper of the Lorde sometime a Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say or by a figure what if they say it is a Sacrifice because there is offered to God thankes giuing of which it taketh also the name and because the remembrance of that one Sacrifice of Christ once offered is therein celebrated by the Church according to S. Paules exposition as often as ye shal eate this 〈◊〉 and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till hee come c. What maketh this for your Massing propiciatorie sacrifice or the offering of Christes bodie for obtaining of grace auoiding of all euils for the remission of sinnes both of quicke and dead or dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the cōmoditie of y e whole world quick dead as you speake whiche commeth all to one Why may not we reconcile the fathers with the scriptures Giue vs leaue I pray you heerein y wis your owne Maister sayth that which is offered and consecrated of the Priest is called 〈◊〉 and oblation because it is a remembrance and representation of the true sacrifice and holy oblation made on the 〈◊〉 of the Crosse. And againe because in the Sacramēt there is a remēbrance of that which was once done c. In this sense denie wee not the Supper of the Lorde to bee called a sacrifice because praise and thanksgiuing are there offered vnto the Lorde and wee are not without this kinde of sacrifice in the celebration of the Lordes Supper as I saide before And if by haunting our Churche assemblies you had been aswel acquainted with our booke of common Praier as nowe blinded with malice ye are readie to cauill and slaunder yee might haue founde wee reiect not the worde of sacrifice of prayse and thanksgiuing in the action of the Lorde his Supper Nay that wee offer not only that but our selues also c. to bee a reasonable holy and liuely sacrifice vnto the Lorde according to the doctrine of the Apostle beside the sacrifice of almes c. That yee neede neyther say we haue no sacrifice because wee haue not your abhominable Idoll of the Masse nor that they depriue them selues of participation of the sacrifice of Christes body and blood that haunt our Churche assemblies Euery one of vs by the working of God his spirite in vs and by faith applyeth to 〈◊〉 Christe and his sacrifice with the fruit of his death and passion more effectually and more faithfully thā any mortal man besides can apply y e same vnto vs. We aduaunce 〈◊〉 our faith therein with the participation that is by the often vse and 〈◊〉 of this holy Sacrament with the worde preached withall Wee trust not your Popish application in his Masse who commonly sacrificeth for money as indeede all your religion is for gaine No penny no pater noster they say with you If the Churche of God shoulde receiue no commoditie of Christes sacrifice or of his death and passion till your priest applyed the same it woulde neuer bee Keepe this your application therefore with the commoditie thereof to your selues we wil hearkē to y e holy ghost a better scholemaister then you who by the Apostle thus speaketh amongst other thinges The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christe The bread whiche wee breake is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christe Seeing therefore brethren that by the blood of Iesus wee bee bold to enter into the holy place by the newe and liuing way whiche hee hath prepared for vs through the vayle whiche is his fleshe and seeing wee haue an High priest which is ouer the house of God Let vs draw neere with a true hearte in assurance of faith sprinckled in our heartes from an euill conscience For
yet furder cōcerning naughtie men andtheir pretended naughtie consciences as they speake not to be flattered or borne w t in dealing naughtily the doctrine and practise of our Sauiour Christ is notable for vs to followe as is expressed in the Euangelistes For our Sauiour Christ themaccuseth and taketh vp the Scribes and Pharisees very short who woulde seeme to make conscience of the traditions of the Elders defendeth or excuseth his disciples in breaking thereof and regardeth not the offence taken at his doctrine and doing therein by the Pharisees reade the place and marke the whole Nowe for the Conscience of the faithfull we holde with the holy Ghost that it is purged by the blood of Christe from dead workes to serue the liuing God and the hearts are purified by fayth c. And that phrase of the holy Apostle myconscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost and the like woulde diligently bee obserued of Christians not to seuer in them selues the testimonie of conscience from that heauenly testimonte of Gods spirite as in deede not a conscience but a good conscience is required of vs by God Herevppon say I to these men and to their like and to all such euill consciences of Infidelles and other as they bryng vs in that wherevpon so euer they gounde their pretended Consciences and what course soeuer they bee entred into for religion and spiritual exercises in gods seruice that as this doctrine of the scriptures is sound true and safe so theirs is hollowe vntrue and the thing is not godly nor good Great is the iudgement of God amonge them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Therefore to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Ye did run wel saith s. Paul to the Galat. who did let you that you did not obey the truth It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe I haue trust in you through the Lord that you wilbe none otherwise minded but hee that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be c. I woulde to God the very first wordes of this Apostolike sentence might bee verified in all that call themselues Romane Catholikes and continued still in vs and that with the Apostle in the last sentence wee might trust well of them as wee are assured the midle part may too truly bee applyed vnto M. howlets persuasion such like Where they holde both M. Howlet and his Authour this generall doctrine howe good soeuer the action in it selfe be or how true soeuer y t thing y t is affirmed be as for example in case of religion c that which is done affirmed by a Iew an Infidell or such like yet if it be otherwise thought of in his sight or if it be agaiust his vnderstanding iudgement and conscience as they speake the doer affirmer inforcer thereto shalbe damned for committing a deadly haynous and greeuous sinne ` This as it is deducted seemeth to me a strang Paradoxe in diuinitie groūded gentle Reader possible on some mans diuelish wisdome reason but surely vpon a very false and dangerous Catholike principle of Popery sauouring altogether of y e stinking puddle of that diuelish religion yea of the Diuell of Hel himselfe the father and authour of that religion which thus I represent vnto thee out of the writings of the greatest doctours of that side And yet sauing that they haue opened this filthie caue or styrred the 〈◊〉 for the diuelishe wickednesse filthinesse thereof would I haue spared thy Christian eares but that necessitie and the indignitie of the matter to vtter their shame and villanie wherwith they staine both heauen earth enforceth seeing the matter is thus farre brought to speake thereof There be two cases of conscience or conclusions of their Popishe writers the one of an erroneous or naughtie conscience and the bond thereof the other of perplexitie wherinto men as into a straight are driuen by this doctrine and religiō whilest of necessitie they must do euill cannot choose whereupon M. Howlet and his Authour grounde their Paradoxe or strange opinion of which the one dependeth on the other And both vpon that sentence of Gratian in his golden decree All that is done against conscience buildeth to hell fire which being well expounded might stande though but by the Popish doctrine for som to abstain from euill be it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious is or may be against conscience in them or against their erroneous lying conscience this position is theirs and vtterly false Therefore for some say they to abstaine from euill bee it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious buildeth to hel fire Againe the lawe of nature may bee dispensed with if two euils so presse as of necessitie y t one must bee chosen for such cases their perplexitie maketh c. Popery can intangle and snare mens consciences it can trouble disquiet yea prouide a slaughter house for them relieue and quiet them it cannot Though it be not so hard to enter this perplexed Labyrinth or Maze as to get out of it againe when one is once entred so deepe are the quiddities I tel you and the questions greatly doubtful the examples also many and straunge that in this case are brought to holde men occupied with all yet get out or helpe other therein as I may by Gods goodnesse I will enter by the Angelicall doctour D. Thomas whose doctrine and Commentaries haue the allowance of the highest and greatest of that side as a truth falling from heauen confirmed also by heauenly visions as approued aboue Upon the Epistle to the Romanes and the fourteenth Chapter whiche place M. Howlet and his fellowe woulde seeme to grounde vppon and to whose writinges herein wee are sent the willinglier doe I propounde him thus writteth D. Thomas vnder questions propounding after his manner his subtile doctrine by obiecting answering and resoluing It may be doubted sayth hee whether if a man haue an erronious or naughtie conscience that he beleeue that y t which is mortall sinne is necessarie to saluation whether such a conscience binde him So as if he doe against the same he commit damnable sinne He resolueth not onely vpon the Epistle to the Romanes but also in his Summe or common Places and elswhere that an erroneous or lying conscience in thinges of themselues simply euill bindeth a man so that hee that doth against it highly displeaseth God or as they speake sinneth mortally or deadly or to vse our mens wordes it is to the doer and enforcer a damnable sinne or horrible mortall sinne the one and the other shalbe damned therefore Herevpon riseth y t second doubt or question of perplexitie in this case whereinto
with victorie the ambitious with honor the couetous with monie c. scripture diuines to agree with this hellike doctrine God forbidde Wee haue better Schoole maisters then so thankes bee to God Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lyghts c. euen to this father of glory must we pray for this gyft of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of our vnderstanding may bee lightened that wee may knowe what the hope is of his calling c. It is a seconde grace and gyfte that I may so speake aboue and beyonde nature and the lyght thereof or eche mans vnderstandyng Your Saint Thomas if you woulde haue consulted but with him would haue tolde you as muche Searche the Scriptures Are yee not therefore deceyued because ye knowe not the Scriptures c. sayth our Sauiour Christ heare him As all poyntes of Diuinitie and Religion woulde bee grounded on Gods booke and the Scriptures not vpon the Philosophers and Rhetorique so especially when there is question of conscience or of doing or not doing thereafter in matters of religion shoulde wee haue recourse vnto that heauenlye 〈◊〉 but yee say The Scripture and Diuines agree to this sentence of the Philosopher when they say That we shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie our of conscience Make this sentence playner and expound it not by the first least both fall out to be very false very pernitious the better of the two make of it what you can is very perplexed darke and doubtfull at least as you set it downe and followe it This may be propounded in lecture among you by him that is your publike reader in the cases of conscience but wee haue seene to muche of your Schoole diuinitie and diuelishe doctrine in conscience to haunte your Romishe lectures or receiue that is therein taught and professed Our senses are better acquainted with the phrases of the Scriptures If this latter sentence be all one with the other and first cited out of Aristotle thē might you haue spared your Philosophers Rhetoricall sentence and rested vpon this whiche yee pretende to take out of the Scripture and Diuines The heauenly Scripture hath no neede of mans wisedome to bee vnderstood sayth one but 〈◊〉 y t reuelation of y t spirit but first I tel you I find not y t words ye set vs downe in those Scriptures whiche yee quote vs in the margin yee tell vs of beeing iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience yee sende vs to 2. Cor. 1. and to 1. Iohn 3. The Apostle in the place ye poynt vs speaketh more particularly of the testimony of a good conscience onely and of his owne that hee had in this worlde his wordes bee these Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenes not by fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the worlde c. Marke here that Saint Paul had his conuersation in the worlde not directed by his owne vnderstanding As your Philosophical sentence pretendeth not by fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God in simplicitie and godly purenes The testimonie of suche a conscience is a goodly matter and to bee reioyced in in deede let it bee if you will a 〈◊〉 feast c. And this is the oddes here betweene a heathen and a Christian life yet doth not the Apostle in this place saye generally that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience neither yet of him selfe sayth hee so muche speaking of the testimonie of his own conscience Though I deuy not but y t faithful being receiued 〈◊〉 by gods mercy ingraffed into Christ by faith shall haue matter of 〈◊〉 in a good conscience in wel doing euen at the last day But you carry it further The Apostle in another place speaking of his fidelitie in his Ministerie and of a better conscience still then you seeme hereto note sheweth yet a higher Iudge rather and more sharper of sight who will iudge him more thoroughly then according to his owne vnderstanding and conscience Nay as one that durste not iustifie him selfe though his conscience charged him with nothing in his function hee reiecteth that iudgement from himselfe and from all men also as vnfitte and vnsufficient vnto the Lorde himselfe who at his comming will lighten thinges that are hidde in darkenesse and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest The other place yee cite to shewe wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to our conscience is out of Saint Iohns Epistle where thus it is written I must ghesse because yee neyther set downe the wordes nor the verse For thereby that is by louing in deede and truth wee knowe that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our heartes For if our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse towarde GOD. Here the Apostle speaketh of that boldnesse and enterance with confidence that the faithfull here haue towardes God by Christ Iesus and by fayth in him of the benefite thereof whiche as by a certaine marke is expressed by true and vnfaygned loue and of the lacke of this full perswasion againe what a losse it is here is nothing spoken of our being iudged at the last day according to our conscience And this is all I finde of this matter in the places of Scripture here alleadged For the Diuines that ye talke of because yee quote vs Augustin alone for all sende vs to two places 〈◊〉 him and the matter is not great what is there saide I referre it to the learned Readers iudgment that is disposed to examine the places You report heere bring in Austin for proofe that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Where Austin speaketh not of the iudgement of the last day in neither of both the Chapters Consult therefore with them from whome ye tooke these places that they may appoint you fitter for the purpose or you better followe the simplicitie and sinceritie of the sacred Scriptures If yee say Austin name conscience or speake a worde thereof in both the Chapters I graunt you 〈◊〉 you must remember with all that euery thing may not be gathered of euery worde The two places much agree the first yee recite hath relatiō to the latter hee saith not that whiche you speake heere Againe speaking very briefly as for a conclusion of his first booke of Christian doctrine Of this sentence of S. Paul The end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hearte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained hee sheweth wherefore the Apostle put in that
clause of a good conscience which hee putteth for hope saith Austin Learne you also saith M. Howlet to adde this worde good to conscience ioyne it with faith and keepe that bonde or knot that the Apostle maketh in this sentence And so if you can apply it to your selfe yee shall not onely haue great matter of reioycing but her Maiestie and the lawes also I doubt not to beare with your conscience and to tender the same as reason and equitie woulde and besides because the same shalbe found to agree with Gods word to be grounded thereon wee shalbee as readie to auowe and allow therof as we now are to 〈◊〉 the same for y t it is so directly contrary to the worde and therefore neither for you to flatter your selues in nor meete for the State to allowe or beare withall Wee doubt nothing but that the testimonie of a good vpright conscience is of great waight and force and to be respected and hearkened vnto So that we remember still 〈◊〉 a pure heart therewith and an vnfained faith which must euer haue the light of Gods worde goe before or accompanie the fame in the faithfull that vnder the colour of conscience other persuation or the rule of reason deceiue vs not The 〈◊〉 of all is I would haue you know conscience a right and distinguish wel betweene a good and a naughtie conscience by the Scriptures For the accord or agreement betweene your two sentences one and the first taken out of Aristotles Rhethorike that is onely good vnto euery man which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good The other as is supposed out of diuinitie that wee shall be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Make them you agree as you can I cannot see the agreement betweene them Vnderstanding is one thing and the testimonie of our cōscience is another thing good to euery man nowe and 〈◊〉 at the last day bee two Finally the two sentences as in wordes so in substance and meaning seeme vtterly to disagree I woulde therefore whereas you say the scriptures and diuines agree vnto the Philosophers saying you woulde or coulde haue made the Philosophers saying agree with the scriptures rather whiche though yee shall trauell as yee doe by enticing speache of mans wisedome to performe Yet all is but in vaine the thing will neuer come about Let Philosophie goe therefore and the Philosopher in testing the fountaine rule of good 〈◊〉 vs Christians Let Gods word and law or the holy Scriptures bee our rule there in alone according to that there is one rule and measure for one thing let reason in 〈◊〉 with your S. Thomas if ye will be the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions let y t spirit of god be y t beginning of all good in vs that be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other Augustin a Diuine whome yee 〈◊〉 in this matter saith very well against your first sentence of Philosophie in this sentence of his Faith openeth the way to vnderstanding and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it And againe as is alleadged in your owne decrees All the life of the vnfaithfull is sinne neither can it bee good that is doone without God for where there lacketh the knowledge of the enternall vnchangeable truth there is false vertue euen in the best behauiour and manners And concerning the phrases maner of speaking of Philosophers and diuines howe different they ought to bee thus saith Austin Philosophers speake with wordes at will and in matters very harde to vnderstande feare not the offence of religious eares but we that are Christians and 〈◊〉 haue a lawe to speake after a certaine rule least libertie of speech or wordes breede wicked opinion of those things which are signified thereby And thus muche concerning your two sentences and the agreement thereof wherevpon all the rest that followeth here of this matter seemeth to be grounded Of your propositions thus taken from Philosophers Diuines yee say it followeth that whatsoeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the apostle damnable because wee decerne it to be euill and yet doe it But that which the Apostle heere saith for all your whatsoeuer false glose must bee vnderstood in those things which are lawfull saith your owne D. Thomas in y t very next sentence verse before y t last vpon these wordes which are y t groūd of that that followeth Blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth That moderation shoulde yee haue kept but yee doe not for yee say bee the action in it selfe neuer so good and the man that doth it neuer so bad as seemeth for you name vs a Gentile or Heathen man and to confesse there is messias yet because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience therefore to him shall it be accounted a damnable sinne at the last day Heereby it appeareth yee holde that at the last day the testimonie of a 〈◊〉 iudgement and naughtie conscience euen of an Heathen shalbe admitted to cleere him from euill and to condemne him for doing good or that any man shalbe damned at the day for acknowledging there is a Messias against his wicked iudgement and conscience at least will there not bee other matters sufficient and I nowe thinke you to condemne such men for but that such cases and causes as these vnwonted and vnmentioned in the Scriptures shoulde after they bee by your heades deuised and moued then also be alleadged This is prophane and vaine babbling and brawling which breedeth questions rather then godlye edifiyng which is by faith which thing the holy Apostle S. Paule so carefully warneth his schollers Timothie and Titus in many places to take heede of to auoide they may beseeme your scholding disputes your subttle schooles and readinges they beseeme not her maiesties eares they agree not with the diuinitie schooles of the holy Ghoste Did your testimonies of Scriptures and Diuines you set vs downe teathe you this or whence had you it shall wee be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience be it good bee it bad must wee bee iudged by that onely Shall it bee now good and then good and so alwayes good to the Gentile to denie the Messias because his vnderstanding iudgemēt and conscience telleth it him to bee good c. This is a maruellous and strange Paradoxe the foundation building thereon are muche alike Is there no difference nor oddes Before I further examine the matter you tell vs Let mee a litle consider howe you handle the holy Scripture with your foule handes or our euill fauoured clawes and how vntowardly you alleadge your testimonies still because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it Yee quote vs for it Rom. 14. though yee name no verse yet your words seeme to sende vs to the last verse of the Chapter which hangeth on the wordes before are a reason
telleth expressely Yee may bee compelled to perfourme that ye haue promised and holde that yee haue once receiued And bringeth good testimonies against you out of Augustine You I say that haue been baptized into the fayth of Christ not of Rome nor the Popish church and hardely any one of you founde within this Realme or among you English Romanistes that being of age now leaue this Realme that haue not in the time of the profession of the Gospel here gone to Church and done other actes of our religion at one time or other in blessed king Edwards dayes now or both Againe yee know that your D. Thomas his manner in his summe commonly is after he hath obiected agaynst the truth to set on the contra ry side that he taketh to be the truth in this question after he hath out of other men obiected That Infidelles are by no meanes to be compelled to the fayth he addeth as it were of his own But of the cōtrarie side is y t which is sayd in the. 14. of Luke Goe out into the wayes and hedges compell them to come in that my house may bee filled But men enter into the house of God that is into the holy church by fayth Therefore some saith he are to be com pelled to the fayth This haue I set downe that you may see what vātage you haue by sending vs to your S. Thomas and your other doctours for indeed sir to shew you might here haue spared wel enough in your margin Omnes doct I could further alleadge to the contrary your subtil Doctor Iohn Scot who had great followers He holdeth herein that it were godly and well done If Infidels were compelled of their Princes with threats feare to faith religiō Euen against your D. Thomas that you here set vs downe You knowe or may knowe howe common a thing it is in your religion not in this Article onely to finde the Scotists against the Thomists Doctor against Doctor c. But I had rather vnfoulde my selfe and the reader out of these contradictions and braules of your Popishe wryters then sticke therein Her Maiestie besides that she simply and vtterly taketh not vpon her by force and violence to compell to fayth as though shee coulde giue and imprint the same in mens heartes though shee set forth maynteine and binde all her subiectes to outwarde meanes and exercises of religion as I haue sayde thereby shewing what shee wisheth and driueth vnto which shee also vseth her self neither sitteth shee in the conscience of any which is proper to your Pope his lawes and your religion besides that her Maiestie is free herein I say Shee moreouer vseth her selfe in this case so godly so wisely so vprightly and so moderately towards you that deserue so ill as if any faulte may iustly bee founde it is in this that some of you are not straightlier lookt vnto and more roundlier proceeded withall But her Maiestie is wise ynough Zizebutus a prince is commended in one of the councelles and in your owne Decrees and counted very religious in compelling to Christianitie This is that in summe I woulde say vnto you for answere in this matter For as much as there is no societie of people so barbarous lyghtly that liue without some outwarde exercise of Religion and God hath beautified and commended Ciuill Magistrates in kingdomes Common wealthes and Cities vnder the tytle of Gods and hath ordayned them as his Ministers for our good that we may receiue prayse frō autortie in doyng well and in doing otherwise stande in feare as who beareth not the swoorde in vayne for hee is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Againe forasmuch as this Image of God is in nothing more seene namely in publike persons those of Autoritie then in procuring promoting aduancing dayly of Gods honour and seruice by their power and by giuing shewing good exāple to others for which cause principally they are aduanced as on a mountain placed in Royall chaire that therefore I say those Christian Kings Queens whō God hath called to this honor to be Foster Fathers and Nurses to his Churche and people doe well and very acceptable seruice to GOD and are highly highly to bee commended and heartily and continually to bee prayed for of all for that the aduersarie on the other side is mightie and suttle not onely for ranging them selues to Gods holy and true Religion taken out of the sacred Scriptures and the outward exercises of the same but for inducing also by the wisedome and power giuen them of GOD all people and personnes subiect to them vnto the like by making good and wholsome lawes by encouragement and by feare according as the qualitie and circumstance of place tyme and person require without all tyranny and vsurpation of the roome and place of the most high God of heauen ouer mens consciences on the one side and yet without all loosenesse on the other side in omitting such oportunitie and meanes as God offereth for the benefite of the holye people the Saintes of the moste High I speake of these and of suche as are by office called to publique and high charge among them in Churche cōmon wealth euen christian Kings Queens c. Of whō thus it is prophecied The kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all powers shall serue and obey him This seemeth to bee spoken of Christ his kingdome and the time of the Gospel c. Nowe this consecrating of her selfe and her authoritie wholly to GOD and his seruice to the benefite of his Church is it and it alone which her Maiestie in this case of many yeeres hath stil doth to Gods glory her singular cōmendation put in executiō amōg vs her people growing I hope dayly from good to better And this is that also which no honest faithfull good man can iustly bee offended withall This haue I if not ouerthrowne in your opinion perhappes your bulwarkes yet sufficiently for this matter cleared the trueth I trust her Maiestie also and the state against your vniust quarrels and slanders 13 Nowe proceede I with your wordes Besides this say you as no wise Noble man after many Ages of quiet possession would suffer another to recouer his Barronie without shewinge of verie good euidence So wee in reason are not to bee blamed if wee 〈◊〉 helde the possession of the Catholike Churche in Englande for these thousand yeres by our aduer saries confession do stande with them yet and require some euidence before we consent to giue vp the same Hereto they haue shewed vs none but onely woordes and forgerie they entred into possession without tryall of the tytle they thrust vs out before sentence or proofe wee crye out of the
natural Mothers borne soueraigne Princes wisedome bearing and abiding her gentle correction with a rod for your demerites and insolencies Is not this to take the rod out of her hand nay the 〈◊〉 and authoritie quite from her to ease your selues if ye can To be playne if the Popes vnholinesse be your father If you be his children Seeke your mother where ye can finde her her Maiestie is none of your Mother yee are not her natural subiects and children If ye bee her Maiesties children subiects renounce with her that vnholly father y t most diuelishly seeketh her Maiesties ouerthrow y e destructiō of this noble realme and all the faithfull subiectes therein Commit your selues vnto God her Maiesties holy gouernment Sticke not to sweare obediēce to your mother against Pope Turke and all forraine power whatsoeuer If you sticke at this wil needs cleaue to this Antichrist your father following the Pope and his becke her Maiestie is so farre off from being your mother or accounting you her naturall subiectes and children that Shee and the State here denounce you with him her their woorst enemies ye wot what they he in plaine English and hath she not good cause if his doings yours be considered yours euery body of the meanest sort heare knoweth his though first done in a corner yet hath been published to all the world I thinke you will call it worse then a bill of diuorcement frō mother Church here I meane your Popes excommunicatiō great curse with such like stuffe may not her Maiestie iustly cōplaine w t that heauēly Prophet gods holy anointed king Dauid and in resepect of your Popes bellowing Bulles say Many yong Buls haue compassed me mighty Bulles of Bashan haue closed me about They gape vpon mee with their mouthes as a ramping and roaring Lion c. Your greatest hope is in this father in his deuilishe bulles and in your blooddy stepmother the Popish Church and Sea of Rome who are liuely described by S. Iohn in his Reuelatiō God we dout not shall disapoint you of your hope as heretofore and her Maiestie by her lawful authoritie shall I trust frō time to time be able to represse all vnlawfull seditious rebellious attēpts God of his goodnes indue her Royal minde and more more with goodly wisedome and courage accordingly and long preserue her Maiestie against her enemies y e shee may be an old mother in Israel Practises of prelates other popelings haue long enough been knowē they are no changelings such consciences they haue The subiects yee speake of must either renoūce God yee say or susteine intollerable molestations A harde Dilemma or straight that you are brought into But you know M. Howlet the solution of y t argument by finding out a meane betweene those two extremities Wherefore mende your iudgement and that you pretend and call conscience as right religion woulde and all is holpen rather you renounce God and being obstinate will buie it with troubles then by any godly meanes be remooued from that Diuelishe persuasion All her Matesties trauell hath been and is with mildnesse and gentlenesse to bring her Subects to God by such meanes as hee hath appointed in his worde To this ende labour the Preachers To this end tend her Maiesties wholesome lawes whereof yee so plaine as seconde meanes and helpes which haue beene a great while executed with great fauour towarde those of your side And yet this is the thankes yee giue as they had beene most extreemely laide vpon you which is false It is possible her Maiestie seeth her lenitie abused as in deede hope to escape punishment is a traine and baite alluring to doe amisse And being too much prouoked she is inforced to change her course and in a maner her nature and against violent and disorderly dealings to oppose iust violence and punishment by the sworde wherwith God hath armed her royall Maiestie You talke of conscience as though yee indured for it You doe her Maiestie and the honourable estate great wrong it is false yee say Tell vs where and howe you grounde your conscience that try all may bee taken whether it bee conscience in deede or but a pretence and words All haue not conscience that say so your conscience is not well and rightly grounded if you haue any heerein There is yee know a good conscience and a bad Ignorance the mother of your superstitious deuotion 〈◊〉 and obstinacie are the greatest enimies that conscience hath and quite ouerthrow y e same A good conscience is that keepeth vs in God with him which must be alwaies directed by God his holy worde The Apostle ioyneth Faith and a good conscience together which he saith Some haue put away and as concerning faith haue made ship wracke Wordes make not a good conscience there bee more circumstances required in it then so Is not this conscience you speake of it that set them a worke in the North against her Maiestie when it was Is it not it that doth the like in Irelande haled in by those of the Popes Seminaries Iesuites and such like Summa Summarum Is not this the Popes conscience expressed in his bull that hee sent hither to discharge English subiectes of their bounden duetie towardes our liege Lady most dread soueraigne Noble Queene Elizabeth our most lawfull naturall and godly Prince whom God God I saie long preserue from such helllike consciences Uerily this is the conscience you must all bee ruled by when it pleaseth your vnholie father Naughtie fruites of a noghtie conscience Your conscience M. Howlet and your fellowes too was better 〈◊〉 you liuid here as duetiful subiects to her Maiestie before your reconciliation to the Pope You haue made an euill change for the worse if you can consider it well After this preamble M. Howlet you begin to disclose and laie downe at large to her Maiestie your griefes and grieuous afflictions in particular whereof the first is that the Catholike religion as ye terme it that is whiche wee here call the Popish religion hath great wrong in that it and the professors thereof are no more fauoured What fauour woulde you haue ye clayme that of dutie that yee neuer deserued it woulde goe harde with you Catholikes if you had that you deserue but you are before hande so as if there were a great deale more seueritie vsed then nowe is towarde those of your side yet were it hardly quit with you as beneficiall as you wold seeme to be to Gospellers amōg other afore time But God forbid the Church of God should followe you in crueltie and sucking of blood You loue to reuenge to quite as you speake else where It is the diuinity you haue learned out of your Philosophers and out of Aristotles Rhetorique Againe your other proceedings by your owne confession here procure rather disfauour thē fauour in being so beneficiall to them that you accompt
your pleasures without good warrant or ground and so may be reduced to cōformitie prescribed by superiours Your owne S. Thomas in his summe saith Q. 79. art 13. that conscience is no speciall facultie or power of the soule because it may bee laide away which the other cannot but bee that as it wil be A corrupt conscience such as yours is may and ought to bee laide away The reasons in your treatise as in place we finde deale little or nothing to proue the contrary to this I tell you or deale as you doe very hollowly being grounded altogether vpon supposition which not grounded on Gods truth in matters of Religion is a rotten post for conscience to leane vpon Trye your consciences in religion by right iudgemēt and good vnderstanding taken out of Gods booke runne not vpon false suppositions and we shalbe soone at an ende I still maruell M. Howlet how you can exempt your cōsciences from 〈◊〉 and so from her 〈◊〉 that before condemned these sentences as errours That the consciences of the faithfull are exempted from the power of all men that Chistians are fre and exempted from all Princes lawes as touching their consciences c. For you admit this exposition of the former sentence in saying that Caluin and Luther holde therein one doctrine whereof I haue spokē in his place The matter is that your Secondary faith and alleageance sworne vnto her Highnesse as to the sub stitute of God thus yee speake is at the Popes pleasure broken and nowe discharged of that faith by his warrant and the same bestowed vpon him and such as hee wyll appoint without good warrant from God or her Maiestie In the meane while we will take as graunted by you this Maxime or supposition That conscience dependeth of iudgement vnderstanding and not of affect will albeit in your case this wholy raignethin you therefore seemeth not be conscience But because pretended conscience is the grounde of these mens whole matter and the only shift of excuse that both M Howlet and his authour haue to cloke their disobedience withal let mee be bold with thee gentle Reader somewhat at large to vnfolde some parte of their Popish 〈◊〉 in this case of conscience which that I may the better doe I will first set downe some of both their wordes agreeing in this point together Then examining in generall the popish doctrine whereon they grounde themselues without all Scripture yea contrary to Scripture common reason and hon estie also as the same is deliuered vnto vs in their bookes by the principall 〈◊〉 of their religion I will shewe howe godlesly and howe hollowly they may be found to speake write and thinke in the whole enough in my opinion to bring their religion into vtter 〈◊〉 detestation and hatred for broching vs such abhominable abhominations Afterwarde God willing returning to M. Howlets wordes againe and comparing them with the doctrine of the Scripture will I so much as I shall thinke needefull answere the same particularly Thus writeth M. Howlet of this matter heere at large 12 Now because as the Philosopher saith that is onely good vnto euery man which ech mans vnderstanding tel leth him to be good vnto the which the Scripture and 〈◊〉 agree when they say that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience 〈◊〉 followeth that what soeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the Apostle damnable Because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it So that howe good soeuer the action in it selfe were as for example if a Gentile shoulde for feare say or sweare that there were a Messias yet vnto the doer it should be a damnable sinne because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience and therefore to him it shall bee so accounted at the last day Which thing hath made all good men from time to time to stande very scrupulously in defence of their conscience and not to commit any thinge against the sentence and approbation of the same All Princes also Potentates of the woorlde haue abstained from the beginning for the very same consideration from enforcing men to Actes against their consciences especially in religion as the histories both before Christe and since doo declare And amongest the very Turkes at this day no man is compelled to doe any act of their religion except he renonuce first his owne And in the Indies and other farre partes of the worlde where infinite Infidels are vnder the gouernemente of Christian Princes it was neuer yet practised nor euer thought lawfull by the Catholike Churche that suche men shoulde bee inforced to any one acte of our religion And the reason is for that if the doing of such actes shoulde 〈◊〉 sinne vnto the doers because they doe them against their conscience then muste needes the inforcement of suche Actes be muche more greeuous and damnable sinne to the inforcers Mary notwithstanding this when a man hath receiued once the Christian Catholike religion and will by new deuises and singularitie corrupte the same by running out and makinge dissention in Christe his bodie as all Heretikes doe then for the conseruation of vnitie in the Church and sor restraint of this mans furye and pride the Churche hath alwayes from the beginning allowed that the Ciuill Magistrate shoulde recalle suche a fellowe by temporall punishment to the vnitie of the whole bodie againe as all the holy Fathers write to bee most necessarie especially suche as hadde most to doe with suche men as Cyprian Ierome Optatus Augustine Leo Gregorie and Bernarde And Saint Austin in diuers places recalleth backe againe his opinion whiche hee sometimes helde to the contrary So that wee keeping still our olde religion and hauing not gone out from the Protestantes but they from vs wee cannot bee enforced by any iustice to doe any acte of their religion HEnce yee gather y t because ye alleadge your conscience in this cause of yours Therfore neither may ye do there against vnder paine of damnatiō neither be enforced to doe otherwise then you doe vnder like paine to the enforcers and because yee sawe you shoulde be excepted vpon two wayes yee prouide answere for the same first If it bee alleadged against you as is by vs very truly alleadged that the thing yee are called vnto is godly honest and good and seemely to bee yeelded vnto and therefore no reason you shoulde in this case bee left to your pretended conscience to followe that whiche is euill but that you shoulde giue ouer and take a newe course Yee affirme howe good soeuer the action in it selfe bee whervnto yee are called yet the yeelding is damnable sinne to the doer because it seemeth naught in his iudgement and conscience and therefore to him it shall bee so accounted at the last day So he must bee left to his
pretended consicence in very bad thinges Heereto yee bring so had yee neede yet all will not serue the examples of all Princes and Potentates of the worlde before Christe and since and of the very Turkes themselues and other Infidels To shewe that her Maiestie and the State deale more cruelly by Lawe heere with you then any other State bee they neuer so barbarous doe with their people and that this will bee damnable vnto them You are in great and high matters you had neede remember your selfe and you neede to haue beene beter acquainted with Kinges and Princes Estates their affaires then may be thought you be or els haue let this far fet stuff alone This geare beseemeth you your spirit wel M. Howlet and that to with her Maiestie her selfe doth it not Next if any testimonies and examples of practise bee alleadged against you of temporall punishment you turne them all ouer in saying such proceeding was against Heretikes onely which make dissention in Christ his bodie And although you prooue not the Papists to be out of that number but that they may iustly bee counted Heretikes as they bee in deede and therefore by your owne doctrine of the Princes and States that iustly so take them to be recalled and inforced by temporall punishment or restrained at the least yet to helpe your selfe as you may as though popery were the true and right Christian religion ye suppose that you haue no whit swarued from the truth but that we whom yee call Protestants haue gone from you set vp a newe religion as though we what shoulde I say wee her Maiestie the state professed or called you to any other than to Iesus Christe onely true and most auncient religion comprised and expressed in the holy scriptures or from that The end of all 〈◊〉 y t you must still doe as ye now do in abstayning from the Churche assemblies c. And by no iustice be inforced to the contrary For that if your 〈◊〉 conscience be persuaded herein ye may not doe against that though it be euill Nowe thus writeth M. Howlets authour heereof in the latter ende of the nienth reason of his treatise Neither sufficeth it to say Those suppositions are false that there are not such thinges committed against God at the Protestantes Churches and seruices for howsoeuer that bee whereof I dispute not nowe yet I being in my hearte of another religion must needs thinke not onely them but also all other religions what soeuer to commit same as I knowe they also thinke of mine 〈◊〉 how good and holy soeuer they were yea if they were angels yet shoulde I be condemned for going amongst them for that in my sight iudgement conscience by which only I must bee iudged they must needes seeme enimies to God being of the contrary religion By this it may appeare howe greeuously they sinne dayly in England and cause other to sinne with them whiche compell men by terrour to doe actes of religion against their consciences As to take othes receiue Sacraments goe to Churches the like which being done as I haue saide with repugnant consciences is horrible mortall sinne as hath byn alreadie prooued and consequently damnable both to the doers and inforcers ther of And again in the same ix reason speaking of the consciences of Infidels and Heretikes amongest many thinges hee thus writeth generally of all sortes of men If there bee no man either so foolish or impious in the world but must needes think that one only religion amongest Christians is true and all other false And if euery man which hath any religion and is resolued therin must needs presuppose this onely truth to bee in his own religion then it followeth necessarily that hee must likewise persuade him selfe that all other religions besides his owne are false and erronious and consequently all assemblies Conuenticles and publike Actes of the same to bee wicked damnable dishonourable to God contumelious to Christe and therefore to his conscience which thinketh so detestable And in another place before his reasons agreeing yet more fully plaine ly with M. How let Surely as I am now minded I woulde not for tenne thousand worldes compel a Iew to sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie For albeit the thinge bee neuer so true yet shoulde hee bee damned for swearing against his conscience and for compelling him to commit so haynous and greeuous a sinne c. I may heere charge these men that they speake of conscience very doubtfully and diuersly yea wickedly and dangerously in that they make no better distinction betweene truth and falshood good and bad a right and a wrong conscience or erronious as these men speake the resolution of God in men for their doinges and mens false persuasions reasons and resolution to common lower mens fansies and imaginations Conscience as the very worde importeth is a knowlege in vs with an addition or to speake plainer if I can it is an inward sense or feeling of god his iudgement cōcurring w t our knowledge Whereof ariseth this the testimonie of conscience or our conscience bearing vs witnesse c. Of which cōscience what force it hath to take away all excuse from men before God the Apostle disputeth Rom 2. If yee like not this I say yee shall finde that some of your owne writers take conscience doublie or two wayes sometime for that part or power of the minde that is alwayes contrary to vice and euill or alwayes accompaning that parte and then it is euer right Sometime is conscience taken for an applying of our knowledge to some action and so is it not a qualitie but an action And thus is it not alwayes good or right say they But for the purpose and matter wee haue in hand and for our instruction and guiding Besides that the very woorde and the Etymologie or discription thereof teacheth vs that conscience differeth from opinion immagination fancie vaine conceipt c. As beeing a more high and heauenly gift especiall when it is directed by God his holy worde and Spirite Wee haue further to marke the generall doctrine of the holy Ghoste set vs downe in the scriptures in vsing to our benefit or abusing to our hurt euen Gods good creatures and the note hee giueth of the force of conscience therin vnto the pure al things are pure but vnto them that are defiled vnbeleeuing is nothing pure But euen their mindes and consciences are defiled saith the Apostle and in particular he saith further That in the latter times some shall departe from the fayth and shall giue heede vnto spirites of errours and doctrines of diuelles which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hot iron or be past feeling as hee saith elswhere And in an other place yet some hauing put away good conscience as concerning fayth haue made Shipwracke And
men are brought of sinning damnably euery way in following their erronious conscience or in doing against the same and by implication at length the Magistrates and ciuill Authoritie Kinges and Princes themselues are wrapped in like perplexitie and damnation for dealing with such by enforcement to doe against their wicked and diuelishe conscience These are the perplexed questions and resolutions in the case of conscience whereinto these prophane questionists and schoolemen tumble such mens consciences as beleeue and followe them without euer being hable well to help them out againe They make of the sacred scriptures A tennis ball to tosse and to play withal they greatly disgrace obscure the same in troubling the pure fountaines therof And hauing entangled troubled snared mens consciēces w t their quidities by abusinge gods gifts they highly please and pleasure the Deuill and highlye displease and dishonour Gods maiestie leauing a testimony and example to all posteritie of Gods heauy iudgement against all such as with vnwashen handes as they speake that is vnreuerently handle the holy word of the eternall God But let vs prosecute their question answer whether an erronious conscience in thinges simply and of themselues euill doe binde a man so as if hee doo against the same he commit damnable sinne be it in commaundinge to doo euill or forbidding to doo good all is one D. Thomas his answer you heare is alwayes one and like him selfe affirmatiue and yea The reaso why is rendered in his summe because will followe the direction of reason and vnderstanding or conscience as hee speaketh for hee maketh conscience the prescriptiō of reason be it right or wrong which reasō whē it doth erre propoūdeth to the will good for bad and bad for good or telleth vnder a shewe that that which is good is naught and that whiche is naught is good so will accepteth alloweth followeth the same and thereafter is the wyl good or bad for the goodnes badnes of the wil dependeth on the obiect y t is on y t which is propounded vnto it of reasō whereupō he concludeth that wee must say that euery wyll is simplye or vtterly euil alwayes which disagreeth from reason be reason right bee it wronge be that it propundeth true bee it false And all this is grounded forsooth by D. Thomas vppon Aristole who sayeth that simply to speake hee is incontinent that foloweth not right reason but accedentally or after a maner he that followeth not false reason Here is false and lying reason vnder title of good truth prescribing euill and falshod and contrarilye vnder title of euill falshod forbidding good and truth Heere is wyl following false reasō accordingly in accepting or refusing that y t is thus offered Heere is lastly man hymselfe bounde vnder payne of damnation neyther to wyll nor to doo against y t which is by this false reasō or conscience thus prescribed What vsually nowe followeth but execution or action doing therafter we may here iustlier cry out I trow with the holy Ghost and Gods worde than M. Howlet and his Catholikes doe of his pretended Riot woe bee vnto you that say euil is good and good is euill Woe be to that conscience wo be vnto that man that thus is guided yea that is boūd vnder paineof damnatiō not to do against the euill that false reason propoundeth him vnder the shew of good but to reiect that good that it propoūdeth him vnder the shewe of euill Or which is all one not to leaue in this case that which is euill not to accept that which is good Such blind leaders of the blinde must needes at the length fall both into the ditche But for better explanation of this whole matter let vs see some of their examples giuen vs in this case of an erronious or lying conscience that bindeth There wante not I warrant you in these mens examples taken from mens doings according to this erronious conscience against both the Tables of Gods commaundements the first and the seconde M. Howlet and his fellowe gaue vs two examples against the first Table of a Iewe and an Infidel in denying the Trinitie the Messias or Sauiour of the world Looke vppon their wordes afore set downe and there may you finde the same Adde to them another example set down in their Popishe decrees in the margin in great letters 〈◊〉 is called the marrowe of the glose The Iewes had sinned mortally or deadly if they had not crucified Christ whiche riseth vppon this question whether the Iewes were bound in conscience to crucifie Christ yea or no a deepe and worthy question among these men And because D. Thomas is so great a man in their bookes to make euen with them ioyne to this one example more of him agaynst the first Table in his Summe in the place before alleaged If to beleeue in Christ bee propounded to a man as an euill thing by false reason the man that will beleeue in Christ doth naughtily or the will accepting to beleeue in Christ is naught because the thing is euill in the apprehension of Reason albeit simply and in deed it be good clarkely resolued and like an Angelicall Doctour Nowe if you will haue a Corollarium or a conclusion for a Surplusage in this first Table Take the questions that vpon this errour of fayth and conscience in matters of the first Table are mooued and determined in other subtill schoole wryters as namely this is one in y e Maister of the Sentences and repeated in the golden decree and allowed If the diuell transfiguring him selfe into an Angell of light be beleeued to bee good when he faigneth him selfe to bee good it is no dangerous errour and if the diuell shoulde then demaunde of some simple body whether hee woulde bee partaker of his blessednes and hee shoulde answere that hee woulde passe into the diuels fellowship whether shoulde hee being thus deceiued be saide to haue consented into the fellowshippe of diuelish damnation and not rather into the fellowship of eternall brightnesse It is true that this man sinneth not sayth the glose wherevpon going yet further it is demaunded by Fryer Holcot whether one worshipping the diuill transfigured into the shape of Christe being deceiued by inuinsible errour or ignorance as hee speaketh bee excused from Idolatrie Answering hee sayth I sayde that not onely hee is excused from sinne but he meriteth as much as hee should merite if he shoulde worshippe Christe if he did that lay in him to discerne whether hee were Christe or no proofe and reason why one among the rest is beecause the prescription of Conscience when it is erroneous byndeth as muche as when it is true But Iohn vnder whose name this case is put hath the prescriptiō of conscience though erronious that that which appeareth vnto him is to bee worshipped as God ergo if hee worship not he sinneth mortally In summe Iohns worshipping of the deuill
rendered Yee cite the wordes falsely corrupt the sense Which that it may the better be perceiued I will set downe both your wordes and also the Apostles Thus you Whatsoeuer we doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the Apostle damnable because we decerne it to bee 〈◊〉 and yet doe it The Apostle thus He that doubteth if hee eate is condemned because he 〈◊〉 not of faith And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The Apostle speaketh particularly and of a certaine matter whiche restraineth his note of vniuersalitie You generally without any restraint or obseruation of the circumstance of the text and matter treated of hee of a faythfull man and of fayth You giue vs an example of a Heathen man and talke at randome of our owne iudgement and conscience he speaketh of eating which is an outwarde action and of it selfe as they speake indifferent You in a far otherkind of things of their own nature good or euill We acknowledge in sum the holy Apostles words and sense we find not yours in the text ye sende vs too And it is an ill commentary that corrupteth the text The Apostle saith because not of faith Nowe because you haue set downe in steade thereof iudgement and conscience you foyst also into the text the woorde decerne Because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it If you say you followe the Author of this your discourse with whom yet in citing this texte yee altogether agree not though yee both corrupt the same foully As of him I speake in his place so let me here tell you what opinion soeuer greater then reason you haue of your Maister wee are not bounde I tell you to followe neither him nor you in corrupting of the holy Scriptures yee both put in the worde decerne of your owne and yee put our iudgement conscience or knowledge for fayth which it seemeth ye take out of your Schoole mens Commentaries But I woulde you woulde not change the wordes of holy scripture into your Scholasticall wryters expositions and termes and set vs the same down for scripture stil Yf your parenthesis here according to the Apostle were thus according to our D. Thomas or Schoole Doctors c. or according to our notes taken at the Lecture in cases of conscience then might it paraduenture stande right but the Apostle and your D. Thomas or Schoole doctors c. not being one you take to muche vpon you and wee can giue you no such licentious libertie to vse the ones name for the other I see 〈◊〉 you driue It is a principle with you that Byrdes of one feather must flie and holde together Errour agreeth very well commonly with errour and falshood Your common translation of the Byble like as your Scholemen must bee kept and followed inuiolably not to be checkt nor corrected by the 〈◊〉 or Greeke text vnder paine of the Popes great curse hence belike you and your fellowe woulde seeme to take your woorde decerne But sir there is falshood in fellowshippe though your eyes M Howlet coulde not possibly discerne neyther by day nor by night euery letter sillable and therfore might easily be deceiued in taking one word for another y t were somewhat like yet y e Autor of your treatise mee thinketh might haue lookt better to y e matter if it had bin but for deceiuing of you herein many other y t follow him Where both of you haue it decerne euen your common translation if ye looke well on it hath discerne Now Gramarians y t shew y t etymology of words wil tel you y t discerne decerne be two wordes different in signification discerne is to put difference beetweene thinges decerne is a higher woorde of iudgement and authoritie whereof wee call A decree c. And your Pope decernimus statuimus c. They that leaue both your woorde of decerning or iudging deuised by your selues and discerning which the worde of your vulgar latine Translation in this last verse of the 14. chapter to the Romanes and translate it by the woorde of doubting as both in Latine and Englishe is done haue both better and 〈◊〉 rendred it and expressed by a fit woorde the meaning of the holy Ghost also Cauell not here at nor barke not at our translation for leauiug heere your vulgar and common translation he leaueth himselfe in another place and translateth this very worde as our men doe heere But dogges will barke euen at the Moone You must bee content to 〈◊〉 your owne lawe and to giue vs leaue to deale with you truly in that wherein you vntruely take to your selues libertie against vs you so prie into our translations and translating of the Scriptures that the least fault must be espied yea where there is none fault must bee imagined and deuised and we roundly taken vp and compared to a boy in a Grammer Schoole that shoulde bee brecht so yee speake and further and worse to whereof in his place Leaue your decerning iudging and discerning leaue for shame your corrupting of the holy Scriptures in woorde and sense leaue your caueling and carping at our translations of the Byble vse in all a better and more vpright conscience then hitherto For the matter of an action good in it selfe and the example yee bring vs in deuised of a Gentile that shoulde for feare say or sweare that there were a Messias it is altogether impertinent and besids the Apostles purpose who as I sayde treateth not in that place of things simply good or euyll or of bearing with a thing euill in it selfe and of the owne nature muche lesse with impietie or superstition he speaketh but of outwarde thinges hee speaketh not of Gentiles or Infidels nor yet of obstinate Christians that walke stubburnely vtterly condemning the profession of the Gospell but of a brother a faithfull man and one that hath receiued and embraced the profession of the Gospell and is weake through ignorance of some one point partaining to Christian libertie in the outwarde vse of Gods creatures wherin he is not yet thorowly instructed of bearing with such a one by those whom God hath called to more plentifull knowledge of his heauenly truth speaketh hee Againe the maner and the end of bearing must be considered which is not to nourish errour or to obstinate harden the weake in their opinion and doing but rather to drawe them by all meanes we may from errour and to aduance them more and more in the knowledge of the truth The Apostle calleth it beefore in this chapter edification when he biddeth vs followe the thinges which concerne peace and wherwith one may edifie another or as he speaketh in y e beginning of y e next chap. Let euery mā please his neighbour in that which is good to edificatiō Lastly the matters y e Apostle here speaketh of particularly would bee cōsidered which are not al outward things but such as God himselfe was
authour of in his Lawe As distinction of meates and dayes which while the Iewes being wonne to the Gospel did in those dayes retaine though they did it ignorantly not knowing the libertie of the Gospel yet till they might be fully perswaded therin by fayth which is grounded on doctrine and the word they were vounde to keepe by the commandement of God himselfe These circumstances considered it will not be harde to spy out M. Howlets and his fellowes ill dealing in this place to haue the true sense meaning which if it be not wrapped and obscured with subtill quidities taken out of schoole questions will playnely enough fall out of it felfe thus that the faythfull for his particular regarde being in doubt or lacking the ful persuasion of Faith whiche is giuen by measure and hath his time of growing and encreasing can not without danger nor shoulde not attempt to doe that wherin he is not by the word of God and faith yet throughly resolued when he may without danger of offending abstaine from the outwarde action not stiffely standing nor flatering himself in his opinion but moderating his doing by the gifte and measure of faith which he hath readie vpon further instruction and knowledge to growe forwarde and to profite A thing verily in his kinde much to be commended and greatly to be borne with is this respect of conscience not to rushe into the doing of euery thing without all sense or remorce of conscience not to attempt things or presume to doe the same except the minde be thorowly persuaded that God is therewith pleased which it cannot bee but by faith and faith is grounded on the woorde of God Christ shall not breake a brused reade nor quenche the smoking flaxe saith the holy Ghost I would we all considered this point better then we commonly doe both in our selues and in those with whom wee dayly and vsually liue But what maketh all this doctrine of the Apostle eyther for Gentiles and Dogs that neuer were in the church or for papistes and other obstinate and wilful heretikes that breake out of Christes true church doe flatter themselues in there follyes vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure saith the Apostle but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled c. What maketh it against her Maiestie and her vpright and equall lawes to stay the execution thereof against superstitious sedicious persons bursting foorth into violent actes and attempts against her Maiesties royall person and the state and her most peaceable and quiet gouernement to followe that man of sinne the Pope of Rome it maketh greatly Against you M. Howlet and your felowes that abuse so great lenitie much to the cleering of her Maiestie and the state in meeting with your obstinacy maketh it greatly M. How let telles vs here of an Insidell that should say there were a Messias c. And his fellow in his discourse of a Iewe too sweare that there were a blessed Trinitie against their cōsciences What a sinne it were to the doer and to the inforcer But this is none of their case nor her Maiestie or her lawes in dealing with thē They haue had now aboue these twentie yeeres the preaching of the Gospel And I trust if not they that too vnchristianly and vnnaturallye of late haue withdrawne themselues from God prince to betake themselues to the Pope yet those that liue vnder her Maiesties gouernment and in her dominions shall more and more which God also graunt haue the same dayly to informe and direct their consciences aright in all godlinesse and honestie Such is her highnes godly and tender care ouer vs al. She like our good Prince forceth nones consciences but very mildely proceedeth by order and lawe as she needes must to restraine the fury and pride onely of such as make dissention in Christ his bodie corrupt his sincere religion and growe perillousto her royall estate and the realmes If this touch you M. Howlet or your fellow hot catholikes thanke your selues you teach here that it is lawful to restraine by temporal punishment such felowes and her Maiestie taketh it so to Not as allowed by the church which is your popish opinion but as geuen of God and warranted by his word For heerein also I tell you we differ from you that you make the ciuill magistrates authoritie to hang of the churches allowance as you here insinuate so to bring princes vnder the popes check Wee goe higher and say that the autoritie is immediately geuen them of God and from him ouer euery soule within their gouernment and so dependeth on the ordinance of the eternal God and his woord We say your church challengeth too muche and haleth things too fast to it Magistrates waxe euery day more godly wise than other and will not be easily abused as afore time Yee speake of recalling home by temporall punishment such as you accoūt heretikes to y e vnity of Christ his body agayn Your doctrine herein your violent practise scarcely agree when you get the temporall swoorde on your side Is that to recall them home By fire and fagot to con sume them to asshes which is your manner These are two diuers endes ye know learned vnlearned young olde men women no sort and degree spared If her maiestie and her lawes repute you papistes for heretikes as iustly yee may be reputed what haue ye to say for your selues A bare deniall onelye retaining still poperie and heresie in opinion and broching the same still among vs will hardly serue your turne if you be put to it Be more equall milde towardes other vnlesse yee looke to haue the same measure measured to you that yee meat to others and that with a great deale more vprightnes and better conscience But I am in doubt your Catholike Church will neuer leaue the trickes of a Stepmother or a strumpet rather Ye know y e story of y e two womens pleading before king Salomō for a childe eyther alleadging her selfe to be the mother but whē the liuing child should haue beene killed and deuided at the Kinges commandement the true mothers heart was mooued with compassion and could by no meanes yeelde or abide to haue the childe killed but the other that pretended onely and was not indeede the mother was very forwarde to haue it killed and deuided I will saye no more but I woulde you hot Catholikes and your popish church had but halfe that compassion and tendernes of hearte and respect to mens liues that the profession and the professors of the Gospell haue But it is not in you there is a contrary nature and a contrary dealing in the wolfe and in the shepherd the sheep Your handes haue been too lōg imbrued in the. blood of Gods saintes it is the proper marke of your bloodte Antichristian church It is that ye glorie in God amend you if it be his blessed will or else cut you
Turne you turne you from your euill waies Oh mark this word well For why will you die O yee house of Israell Though your sinnes wereas crimsin they shalbe made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shalbe as wooll This is a true saying by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners So God loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the worlde that hee should condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued Hee that beleeueth in him c. reade forwarde to the 22. verse These and such like be the very first wordes that are spoken and they shall dayly heare to their comfort that resort to our Churches But still marke the condition of leauing our owne defections from God of repentance and turning from our owne wicked wayes c. Turne therefore from Popery and hearken to this doctrine and tell vs truely and in deed whether religion is more true and more comfortable vnto you This which is Christes and therefore ours we wish and will no other Or the Popes deliuered in this treatise that condemneth you as you heare And yet if all bee well marked for all this comfortable doctrine of y e gospel that is of God his mercy grace vnto sinners that by the way I may answere y t Popish cauill Preach we not carnall libertie wee set not open any windowe to sinne we make not men slouthfull and negligent in godly life and good workes c. as the Papists sclaunder this doctrine In opening this plentifull fountaine of God his grace to troubled and weake consciences we stop not vpp nor let not the brookes riuers course that issue thence of godlinesse and good life nay wee further aduance the same greatly I woulde the Papistes and Poperie did the like but that will they neuer doe we are faine to be occupied in scowring clensing where they haue troubled with their filthie mudde that our doctrine and religiō may herein the better be knowne This foundation doe we lay therof This order with the holy Apostle in summe doe wee keepe The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we shoulde denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who gaue himself for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zelous of good workes So then the cleere manifestation of God his healthfull grace or the preaching of the Gospell of the grace of God which is the worde of life is so farre of from ouerthrowing godly life and good workes that it is the fountaine thereof it establysheth and setleth the same and like a good Schoole maister is occupied in faithfully teaching all 〈◊〉 towardes God and man God make vs good and meete schollers This we beleeue and this we professe this we dayly professe this we dayly propounde and teache in receiuing and following this course we are not deceiued we erre not nay we are sure we goe the right way we please God and subscribe to the docrine of the holy Ghoste rayle the aduersarie as much as he list against our doctrine and profession But I cannot let this Censurer passe thus that not onely cruelly handeleth his companions but her Maiestie the State the Lawes and Magistrates here If this saith he bee true as it is if God bee not vntrue where warranted tell vs bare affirmation suffiseth not then in what a miserable case standeth many a man in England at this day which take othes receiue Sacraments goe to Churche and commit many a like act directly against their owne consciences and against their owne knowledge you shoulde say against fantasticall opinion c. Nay what a case doe they stande in which know such thinges to 〈◊〉 directly against othēr mens consciences and yet do cōpel them to doe it As to receiue against their will to sweare agaist their will and the like c. First we tell you Sir for the Scriptures yee cited before for this purpose that yee corrupt the same and that which yee say is false and ill applyed Next wee say in iust defence of her Maiestie our dread Soueraigne and the State that yee 〈◊〉 them for there is no such enforcement by your owne confessiō but that it might be borne the going to church is simplie a willing free actiō in those of your religiō y t doe it here you say they receiue against their wil swere against their wil y e like Fol. 21. You say cōtrary y t it is not against their wil but a willing fre actiō absolutely simply speak thus stil ye answer for her maiestie the state condemn that you here say so you cōclude of it Wher things done by outward violence compulsion are simplie inuoluntary actions And yet if it were otherwise her maiestie the state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cause all the packe of of you false Catholikes as much as in them lyeth to 〈◊〉 by the doctrine of the Gospell instructed and to be priuately also conferred withall for the remoouing of you from your foolish that I say not deuilish opinions They knowe what euer you brag of conscience that if you will not hearken and geue ouer to the Gospell and word of God it is but wilfull obstinacie and peeuish standing in your conceiued opinions It is senselesnes and not consciēce They know see that your proceedinges and busie stirres needes some sharper seueritie than hither vnto seeing you haue so greatly abused her maiesties former lenitie and clemencie According to dutie therefore to God in their calling doe they proceede Lastly they haue for their warrant the example of godly Emperours Kings and States both before Christ since set down in histories their lawes This am I forced often to tell you and your fellowes that so much and often maliciously repeate this intollerable and wicked 〈◊〉 For the other point of your allegation of Scriptures finde vs the wordes in the fourteenth chapter to the Romanes you set vs downe which ye shall neuer be able to doe looke euen vpon your owne translation Or else confesse when you are taken with the manner that you are a corrupter of the Scripture Is a mans corrupte or erroneous conscience or knowledge and fayth all one think you such knowledge if ye so will call it is one thing c onscience is another and faith differing from both a third thing Errour and falshod in knowledge bastard and corrupt the same be enemies to faith no friends to conscience
all Church Ministerie and functions are heere exercised by meere lay men and yet in the meane while her Maiestie accounteth iustly it to be her office and duetie and to appertaine to a kingly authoritie according to the high dignitie of her royall throne and princely estate calling to moderate by al meanes to assist according to Gods holy worde and to see the same faithfully executed by euery particular in their degree which who so 〈◊〉 or deny her Maiestie prouoke Gods heauie wrath and displeasure and she we them selues vnwoorthy to liue much lesse to enioy so great blessinges vnder so gracious a Soueraigne She taketh only y t which is by Gods word due to Princes and Ciuill Magistrates shee will suffer no one besides her selfe to be the chiefe Gouernour in her dominions vnder God Christ and the worde call yee him Prince or Prelate shee requireth her subiectes first and principally to be Gods faithfull seruauntes in duely and reuerently keeping the exercises of true Christian religion euery one in their calling expressed in the two Cables of Gods holy commaundementes which by her authoritie giuen of God shee mainteyueth and like a godly Prynce purposeth still so to doe Next vnfaynedlye to acknowledge the Soueraigntie giuen to her Maiestie from God for all outwarde and Ciuill pollicie in her dominions This iustly may shee chalenge and more she requireth not and who is there that iustly can refuse or denie her Maiesty this Out of Gods booke rere religion confirme faith edifie conscience growe and profite dayly in godly knowledge and practise thereof In summe walke in single vprightnesse of heart with God and man and where this is the more seene there are the parties the better liked and commended by her Maiestie the State y t both God may bee the truelyer serued her Maiestie obeyed and others by good example in life and conuersation edified This is that I say briefly that the profession of religion here at this day in her Matestie the State and her people is no newe profession nor any other but such as is common with the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and all Gods faythful people that haue liued in any age and is warranted by Gods holy worde written Nowe if in bending and contendyng hereto her Maiestie the State and people euery one in their place haue not thorowly and fully attayned to their purpose in reformation and practise hitherto yet is not the profession and purpose to be blamed yea their will and affection is much to be commended and they to be encouraged and stirred vp to growe dayly from good to better in these cold naughty daies while other seeing in so waightie and necessarie a matter many and great abuses sit still and either maintaine or winke thereat Prayer in this great worke is of all and aboue all to be adioyned and such helpe of Godly knowledge wisedome counsell and other giftes as God bestoweth on any woulde bee brought forth to the aduauncement of this heauenly worke euery one keeping his boundes and calling The foule and filthie dung hill of Poperie and superstition is not so soone voy ded our sinnes are the onely or the greatest impediment and let of the full finishing of this worke if there bee any thing wanting it is our heartie repentance and vnfayned turning to GOD with thankfull heartes expressed in wordes and deedes for the graces 〈◊〉 vpon vs. In the meane while where the profession I haue spokē of is and the worke taken in hande and entred as wee see here among vs I say there are none but very obstinate and wilfull men that will refuse to come to the publike Churche assemblies to heare the worde of God preached the Sacraments of Christe and publike prayers c. comfortablie administred which that I may in other wordes somewhat formally for our aduersaries pleasure expresse thus now I frame my reason None supposed to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne her godly wholsome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the Church of God and their Christian brethrē and common honesty among men No such I say can or ought to refuse to come to church exercises vsed here amōg vs at this day But all persons of what state or condition soeuer they be liuing in Englande are supposed to be such that is to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne and her godly and wholesome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the churche of God and their christian brethren and common honestie among men Wherefore no persons of what state and condition soeuer they ve liuing in Englande can or ought to refuse to come to Churche exercises vsed here amongst vs at this day The conclusion or the sequell of this argument and reason being so well grounded the aduersaries cannot nor will not I thinke denie me if they will let them turne mee to the proofe of the goodnesse thereof or of the fourme of any argument I haue made them The grounde of the first part of mine argument and the reason is because amongst other godly thinges as publike prayers prouision for the poore c. Here is professed and set foorth principally in Church assemblies the Ministerie or Preaching of Gods holy worde Gospel professed the obedient hearing and receyuing thereof with the administration of Christes Sacraments according to the rule of Gods booke which be notes exercises of Gods true and faithfull congregation whereunto euery true christian ought to associate and ioyne himselfe The seconde or middle part of my reason there is none I take it would be thought so wicked as to make question or doubt of Though the 〈◊〉 and flender dealing of our aduersarie in particularly seeking to find out faultes in our church exercise in his seuenth reason bee a sufficient cleering therof to him and his worde with those y t list aduisedly and with indifferency to weigh y e same when they see he 〈◊〉 chargeth it and 〈◊〉 it vntouched for ought he 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 we shall see God willing when 〈◊〉 come thither yet because I haue not to regarde the aduersarie only but some other also and among the rest suche especially as are sunple rude somwhat ignorant Therefore will I bee bold a little to wade here in the proofe of the particular partes of that peece of mine argument wherein may seeme any 〈◊〉 or to shew the head of the fountaine spring whēce the whole is deriued Marke well the argument namely the first part of it for some furder better proofe whereof I note this that followeth None that are supposed to haue Gods feare before their eyes will refuse to come to Churche heere Why so For
It wil make you sweate and your shoulders ake too before you will be able to remoue these two blockes If you possible stumble at them and breake your shinnes thanke your selfe of your hurt who are more busie with them then you neede be Obedience yea and protestation of obedience to her Maiestie and her wholesome lawes in this behalfe aggrawateth the sinne rather then diminisheth it you say although I thinke there bee none that hath so little regarde to his Soules health as to goe to Church ouelie for obedience sake and not of a religious minde also He that thinketh it is naught to speake against the Pope at Paules Crosse which is your example though you call it rayling thinketh therein amisse and therefore being commanded if occasion serue therto shall do well to obey and doe it redressing his former foolish thinking which too absurdly still you make conscience when it is indeede but a fancie and a dreame tel vs it is Pilats case as much as lōg as you wil we wil 〈◊〉 bid you prooue it Your pope is not Christ fir nor the clearing or condemning of him the like doing to Pilats with Christ there is great oddes in the case Of pretended conscience c. I think I haue said enough and of the foolish and wicked band of a naughtie and erroneous conscience whereof you talke Prooue stil I bid you or hold your peace that haunting our churches is naught though you suppose it that is imagin and dreame so We that by experience finde and knowe the contrary can not graunt it you Obedience to her maiestie and protestation thereof in haunting holie church assemblies here authorised by law maketh the sinne greater Disobedience to her maiestie her godly lawes herein disloyalty rebelliō treason c. not onely diminish the subiectes faulte towardes their prince but is a vertue with you it is a confession of your popish catholike faith Obediēce to your pope to a prelate in a naughtie thing to your church euē against cōscience excuseth I haue giuē exāples a tast before this is your religiō cōscience After this fighting as you do stil w t your own shadow you make an obiection of your owne and answere it at pleasure And because you like not to single the matter it is your own word you huddle you shuffle double iūbling vp thinges full euell fauouredly together For reckoning how manie thinges are conteined in going to Church you bring us forth some that we acknowledge but diuers and very manie of your owne deuising which we iustlie reiect and 〈◊〉 as our answere before doth sufficiently declare Single things therfore I pray you seuer distinguish betweene good and bad one and the other better then you here doe or else keepe your annexes as you call them to sporte your selfe withall defend your obstinacie by word by writinges by imprisonment or as you will make al the world know your sturres and gaze vpon you to please your selues therein as much as lyketh you yet shall it be obstinacie stil say and doe what you can the more the matter commeth into trial the lesse credit and vauntage hath it of your side The conscience of the Catholike that thinketh he doth naught in haunting our Church assemblies is diuelish and dangerous as we haue seene the explanation of the church as you call it that is of the popish route and antichristian stuagogue is like to y t imagined conscience you labour hard to bring the church assemblies here into discredit You tel vs of the holding vp of a finger onely How vnlawfull it were in this case you adde such is your modestie a similitude of lifting vp but of a straw to the diuell in token of obedience which you say is as much as if one did word by word deny his creed But I weene not there is a differēce in the greatnes betweene sinne and sinne all sinnes are not equall Afterward of courtesie and grace you make vs foure qualificatiōs as you term thē which may make going to church lawful by the iudgement of your diuines meere particular knowne temporall busines How gingerly and nicely you walke in the matter These conditions added to going to church make it al one you say as not to go to church at al. You so prophane it as it is no better in your opinion then 〈◊〉 of the market or some like worldly busines which exercise is good enough for those of your religiō if you leaue but such a going to church as is al one with not going at al then may I shortly answer you as good neuer a whit as neuer the better In that which followeth in this third conclusion of Naaman the Sirian you so handle the matter as I know not whether you make his fact sinne or no if he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what needed he to seeke pardon at God his hande purchasing the same frō the prophet to be obtained by his praier If he sinned what tolleration could the prophet giue him therin For our case there is no difficultie therefore I omit it without further discussion your expositiō of y e whole In the fourth and last conclusion that you gather supposing lalfhood still you shewe your self very precise against our God his seruice for you say a man may not yeeld in any one little point therein which you would further ground vpon an other conclusion also If all be not lawfull then no part of it is lawful which groūd of yours how you can proue better then y t rest if you be put therto I wote not but I think hardly enough Neuerthelesse I now put you not vnto that labour you haue enough to doe alreadie and more then will euer be well done or cleared we must admit supposition for any thing you haue yet sayd I see not why our exercises in 〈◊〉 may not be thought lawful cōmēdable godly also For the general doctrine you here deliuer vs that God accepteth no particion no mayme in our seruice but eyther al or none must be his that we must walke with an vpright heart before him in roundnes of conscience without limitation dissimulatiō or haulting sticking precisely 〈◊〉 his holy law and commandements it is most true and as a heauenlye trueth so wee receiue it But the whole is verye badlye applied to your popish diuels seruice The textes of scripture that you cite talke of the sinceritie of God his seruice of his law and of his commandements c. Holde you there keepe to his holy word and we shall agree but you doe not you will not you may not you can not your false suppositiō deceiueth you there is a way saith the wife man that seemeth right to a man but the yssues therof are the wayes of death O y t the word of y t Lord in religion in life in gods matters in ours euery where euery way might be a lātern to our feet to be cōtinually caried