for auoiding of offence But thē I aske Caluin vvhat hee meaneth vvhen he sayeth that they ought to keepe the lavve ether hee meaneth by those vvordes an obligation in conscience vnder payne of sinne and then it follovveth vvhich Caluin vvill not graunte that lavves bynde in conscience or else he meaneth only a congruitie or decencie and then it follovveth still that lavves are brought in contempte For if once a man bee persuaded that it is only conuenient but not necessarie to keepe the lavve hee needeth to make no scruple to transgresse the lavve bicause the transgression is no sinne but only an incongruitie And so if this doctrine bee true men vvill not care a stravve for the Princes lavves Rebelliouse subiectes mutinous souldiours stubborne children crooked seruauntes may bee disobediente by authoritie bicause no lavve nor commaundement can bynde them in conscience to loyall obedience And then lavves lose their force authoritie is not to bee esteemed rebellion and mutini◠are allovved the gappe is open to all malefactours all outrages are lavvfull bicause vvhere noe lavve bindeth noe sinne can bee committed noe man is subiecte euery man is lavvlesse as free as the kinge subiecte to noe lavve nor authoritie of God or man Vvhat securitie hath a Prince amongest such lavvless subiects hovv can he chuse but feare reuolte and rebellion of those vvho are persuaded by religion that noe lavve can bynde them in conscience to order and obedience Is this religion like to bee of God vvhich is so opposit to humaine authoritie vvhich is of God yea vvhich also despoileth God of all authoritie to commaund his creatures If our noble Prince and graue Counsaylours in Ingland considered vvel this doctrine then certes the first Parlament they called should be to banishe this lavvless and licentiouse religion vvhich bringeth lavves in contēpte Princes in daunger and openeth the gapp to all outrages of malefactours The fourth chapter shevveth hovv according to their doctrine noe Prince can relye on his subiects no subiects on their Prince nor on fellovv-subiects and consequently all Societie and ciuil conuersation is taken avvay MAn as I haue already vppon another occasion declared is of nature bente and enclined vnto companye and conuersation in some Societie or other vvhere if he be a Superiour he ruleth if he bee an inferiour he is ruled and learneth to cōply vvith his fellovve subiects And of these three parts consisteth ciuil conuersation For if the Prince rule not as he should doe or the inferiour obey not his superiour or comply not vvith his fellovv subiecte as he ought to doe gouernment degenerateth into tyrannie obedience turneth to rebellion and conuersation to ciuill dissension These three partes are mainteined by one thinge vvhich is truste or cōfidence in one another for seing that the Prince can not do all alone bicause he must expecte aide and assistaunce of his subiects hee shall neuer rule vvell vnlesse hee maye rely vppon the fidelitie and correspondence of his subiects And if the subiect put not a confidence in his Superiour as in one that tendreth the cōmon good of all and particuler of euery one he vvill neuer obey vvillīgly nor rely on him securely but shall euer liue in feare distrust of him And if one subiecte trust not another euerie one shall liue in suspicion of another and so mens vvords vvilbe taken but for vvinde promises cōtractes and bargaines vvill not hold assuredly frendship breaketh familiaritie decaieth and conuersation is ruined For vvho vvill make bargaines or strike a league of frendship or familiaritie vvith thē on vvhose secrecie fidelitie other correspondence he hath not any probable assuraunce bicause he putteth no trust nor confidence in them rather hathe he cause to fly all company and like a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hater of men to liue in vvoods vvilderness then in tovvnes cities and societies Novv if the reformers doctrine vvhich teacheth that lavves bynde not in conscience may goe for currāt the three partes of ciuil conuersation are taken avvay so Societies must breake vp and euerie one must liue alone like an Anachorite or Heremite bicause in company is noe securitie vvhere according to this doctrine nether the Prince can rely on his subiects nor they on him nor one subiect on another And to begin vvith the Prince vvhat confidence can he put in his subiects vvho are persuaded in religion that nether his lavves can bynde them to obedience nor the lavve of God or nature hinder them from rebellion mutinie or other outrages hath he not iuste cause thus to discourse vvvith him selfe This people is persuaded by religion that no lavv byndeth them in conscience consequently they make no scrouple nor cōscience of Rebellion for vvhere noe lavv byndeth in cōscience there no consciēce is to be made I must therfore stāde continually on my garde rely vppō no subiets fidelitie And how shall I stāde on my garde vvhē euen my garde according to Caluins opinion is bound by no lavve to be true and faithfull vnto mee And so he shall liue alvvayes in feare of his subiects And on the otherside vvhat confidence can the subiects haue in their Prince For if noe lavv bynde him in cōscience he hauing all in his ovvne hands may vse vvhat extorsion and tyrannie hee pleaseth For vvhat should vvithold him from it feare of god God can not iustly punish vvhere noe lavves bynde in conscience and so he is not be feared conscience Vvher no lavve byndes conscience needes to make noe scruple Vvhy then is not all lavvfull for the Prince vvhich he liketh And so the subiecte shall euer haue his Superiour in suspicion And vvhat good fellovvship amitie or conuersation can ther bee amōgest the subiectes vvho must needs by this doctrine liue in a continuall feare and distruste of one another bicause no man is bound to keep touche and correspondence vvith another For if lavves bynd not promises and contractes not only in lending and borrovving buying and selling but also in marying are not of force to bynd our consciences bicause they are but particuler lavves or if they are more forcible in bynding then lavves then according to Caluin Christe is noe perfecte Redeemer bicause he hath not freed vs from the bondage of promises and bargaines vvhich not vvith standing are noe lavves of Princes but particuler lavves of particuler men made betvvixte man and man for more assured conuersation And so the vvife may iustly fear least her husband vvhen hee is vveary of her or liketh better of another may shake her of diuorse him selfe from her For vvhy maye hee not If lavves of Princes bynde not in conscience then the contracte of matrimonie vvhich is but a particuler lavv can take noe hold of cōscience and so by the libertie vvhich Caluin giueth him vvhich is to be free in cōscience frō all lavves hee may leaue his vvife vvhen and as ofte as hee vvill and as often may hee take another And if
conclusions First that nether Princes nor Iudges haue authoritie to condemne vs to any paine as is before proued bicause vvhere noe lavve byndes noe prince can iustly punishe the transgression And so humaine feare is taken avvay Secondly this doctrine abolisheth all filial feare for vvher no lavve byndes in conscience noe sinne can be committed and so vvee need not to feare theftes and murders for feare of offending God bicause vvhere noe sinne is no offence is to be feared Reuerentiall feare also they abandone bicause as is before proued in denying lavves to bynde they take avvay all authoritie euen from God and vvhere noe authoritie is no reuerence is devve As for seruile feare they condemne it in expresse termes And Luthers vvordes vvee haue harde allready let vs heare also Caluin speake l. 3. Inct. c. 24 § 6.7.8 Hee affirmethe that a sinner can not bee iuste vnlesse hee beleeue assuredly that hee is elect praedestinate and vndoubtedly to be saued vvhence follovveth that noe man must feare hell yea that noe man can feare hell and retaine his faithe For if hee bee by faithe cocke-sure of Saluation hee can not feare hell and damnation bicause hee is as assured of escaping hell as of attaining heauen and noe man can feare that euil vvhich hee is assured to escape As for example noe man feareth least the heauens falle vppon him Or if Caluin feare hell hee looseth his faithe bicause hee is not assured to escape hell and to attaine to heauen And bicause Caluin savve vvell enoughe that feare of hell is taken avvay by this his doctrine § 2. hee checketh sainct Gregorie the great saying that he teacheth pestilently vvhen hee sayeth in a certain homelie that vve knovve only our calling but are vncertain of our election Hom. 38. in Mat. euang vvherby sayeth Caluin he moueth all men to feare and trembling bicause vve knovve vvhat vve bee to day but vvhat vve shal be vve knovve not Luther also as hee holdes the same opinion of assurednes of saluation so he biddes vs to take heed least vvee feare hell or iudgemeÌ„t bicause that vvere to loose our faithe These are his vvords Vvherfore if thou be a sinner as verily vve all are in to 2. Col. â—d Gal. do not propose vnto thy selfe Christe as a ludge in a rayn-bovve for then thou vvilte be a frayed and dispaire but apprehend the definition of Christe that hee is noe exactour of the lavve but a propitiaiour So that Luther thinkes that Christe vvill exacte noe lavve at the handes of a faithfull man and therfore he needeth not to feare hell in vvhich transgressours of the lavve are punished Vvherfore as they take avvay all hope of revvard so they take avvay all feare and especially the feare of hell vvhich is the greatest bridle that is to restraine men from sinne But first I vvill aske theÌ„ vvhy scripture setteth forthe heauen and hell vvith suches names and titles if it bee a sinne to hope for the one or to feare the other Truly if it bee sinne theÌ„ hathe God in setting forthe heauen and hell so liuely layed baytes to catche vs and to allure vs to sinne And vvhy then dothe scripture in so many places commaund vs to hope and to feare And hovve are those tvvoe thinges vnlavvfull vvhich are so necessarie in all common vvelthes Vvhy maye the plovvghman trauell all the daye in hope of his vvage the husbandman sovve his seed in hope of a haruest the souldiour follovve the vvarres in hope of a spoile and yet a Christian man maye not fullfill the commaundementes in hope of a revvard in heauen For if it bee lavvfull to hope for heauen vvhy it is not lavvfull also to giue almes in hope of heauen as Dauid inclined his harte to keepe the lavve for revvard and retributioÌ„ Psal 118. They ansvver that vve must serue God purely for his loue glorie but not for revvard True that must bee the principall ende but yet theÌ„ce it follovveth not but that vvee may also serue for revvard as for a secondarie ende and motiue But say they he that serueth for revvard vvould not serue god if revvard vvere not vvhich argueth an euil mynde I ansvvere that allmen are not so affectcted And if hope of heauen bee of that force as to moue theÌ„ to keepe the lavve vvhy may it not also bee sufficient to moue them to lay aside that euill affection vvhich is also against the lavve In like manner if I may lavvfully feare deathe and other euilles of the body vvhy may I not feare hell vvhich is the greatest punishement that is bothe of soule and body and if I may fearre hell vvhy maye I not absteine from sinne or fullfill the lavve for fearre of hell They saye the reason is bicause he that fullfilleth the lavve for feare of hell vvould sinne vvith all his harte if hell vvere not bee it so yet this arguethe feare to bee good rather then euil bicause it is a cause vvhy vvee absteine at least from the out vvard acte of sinne and if the mynde bee euill disposed that proceedeth not from the fear of hell but froÌ„ an euill disposition Yea if feare of hell bee sufficient to keep vs from the acte of sinne it is sufficient also to restraine vs from the euill desire of the mynde bicause against that also hell is prepared And in this is a plaine differeÌ„ce betvvixte feare of hell and temporall punishments bicause Princes by teÌ„porall paines punishe only the outvvarde acte of vvhich only they can iudge and therfore the theefe may absteine from thefte for feare of hanging and yet haue an invvarde desire to steale but God punisheth in hell not only the outvvard acte but also the invvard affection and desire of sinne and therfore if feare of hell keep a man from thefte it vvill restraine him also from the desire And consequently feare of hell can not bee ill but rather good vvhich is no cause of ill but rather a cause vvhy vvee absteine from euill and althoughe some peraduenture yea and vvithout peraduenture vvould sinne and neglegcte the commaundemeÌ„tes if hope of heauen and fear of hell vvere not yet that is noe argument that ther in they sinne if they haue noe presentil affectioÌ„ or consent to sinne For so many vvould sinne if they should liue longer or if they had this or that occasion or if God gaue them not this and that grace and yet that they vvould sinne is noe sinne if they haue noe present affection or desire to sinne Yea this is an argument that hope of heauen and feare of hell are verye laudable and good bicause they are bridles to restraine men from sinning Vvherfore to dravve neare a conclusion vvhich is that our Reformers in taking avvay hope of heauen and feare of hell open the gappe to all vice I reporte mee vnto the indifferente reader hovve the Churche is like to flourishe in vertue vvithout hope of heauen and feare of hell seing that as
can not fullfill any lavve of God as all Lutheranes and Caluinistes are is persuaded also that hee can auoid noe sinne and consequently if any sinne moue or allure him ether by profit or pleasure vvhich it implyeth hee can not being so persuaded endeuour to vvithstande the temptation bicause that vvere to shevve him selfe able to resiste sinne and to fullfill the commaunde mentes and consequently to condemne Ihon Caluins doctrine And althoughe in so doing hee openeth the gappe to all manner of iniquitie yet therin hee shevveth him selfe a true Caluiniste vvhoe being persuaded by religion and conscience that hee hathe nether force nor vvill to resiste any sinne or to fullfill any commaundemeÌ„t must not yea can not vvithout offence of conscience and hazard of faithe go about to fullfill any lavve for so thoughe not in vvordes yet in facte and deed hee should deny his religion The eight Chapter shevveth hovve in affirming that Christ hathe freed vs from all lavves they loose the bridle to all vice THe reformers as is recounted partely in the third booke and second chapter partely in the fifte chapter of the same booke are of opinion that Christe vvas noe lavvgiuer but rather that he came to free vs from all lavves vvhich doctrine althoughe I haue in the former places alleaged yet to ease the reader it shall not bee amisse here also to set dovvne the samedoctrine in other their ovvn vvords in cap. 4. Gal. Luther in a comment of his on holy scriptur often tymes inculcateth that by Christ vvee are so freed from all lavves that none of them can bynd vs or touch vs in conscience These are his vvords Discat igitur pius legem Christum duo contraria esse prorsus incompatibilia praesente Christo lex mullo modo dominari debet sed cedere debet è conscientia relinquere cubilâ— quòd angustius est quam vt duos capere possit soli Christo Let therfore the godly man learn to knovv that Christ and the lavv are tvvoe contraries altogether incompatible Christe being present the lavv must in no vvise rule but must depart from conscience and leaue the bedd vvhich is to narrovv for tvvoe to Christe alone Vvhere you see that hee makes Christe and all lavves euen his ovvn lavves so contrarie that if Christ stand noe lavv can stande nor haue any force ouer conscience in c. 2. Gal. And in another place of the same comment thus hee defineth quatenus est Christianus est supra omnem legem as hee is a Christian or in that hee is a Christian he is aboue all lavve And yet again in another vvorke of his l. de libertaâ—â— Christiana hee speaketh more boldly and plainly nullo opere nulla lege homini Christiano opus est cum per fidem sit liber ab omnilege for a Christian no lavv nor vvorke is needfull seing that by faith he is free from all lavve Supra l. 2. Inst c. 2. §. â— 14 The same opinion holdeth Ihon Caluin as in the former and many other places is plainely to be seen By vvhich doctrine althoughe they vvill seem to make Christe a more perfect redeemer as before is noted yet in deed they make him a fauourer and patrone of all vice and vvickednes For if vve be freed from all obligation of lavves then do they noe more bynde vs then lavves abrogated if they bynde not in conscience then noe man is bound in conscience to obserue them If he be not bound in coÌ„science to obserue them then he sinneth not in transgressing them no more then in doing contrarie to a lavv vvhich is abrogated bicause euery sinne is against the obligation of one lavve or other yea then he transgresseth not bicause vvhere is noe obligation ther can be no transgression If it be no sinne to transgresse lavves as Luther and Caluin say that to a Christian such transgressions are not imputed as sinnes then need not any Christian make any scrouple of any action by vvhat lavv soeuer it be forbidden and so hee may as freely steale as giue almes and as boldly hee may follovv his lust and sensualitie as liue chastly and moderate his appetites for vvhere noe lavv byndethe in conscience all is lavvfull that liketh and so the gappe is open to all manner of vice The ninth Chapter proueth that in affirming God to be the autour of sinne the Reformers open the gappe to all vice I Haue already related the blasphemies of our nevv Christians against the goodnes of God and I haue demonstrated that they are senseles absurd and impious in making God the autour of our sinnes vvhose mercie pardoneth and vvhose iustice punishethe sinnes but can not vvorke or commit the least sinne vvithout preiudice of his goodnesse and deitie also vvhich is goodnes it selfe So that novve I vvill suppose for my premises that they are of that opinion and I vvill deducefor my intended conclusion that this doctrine looseth the bridle vnto all iniquitie For if a man be once persuaded as all Caluinistes are that God is the autour and vvorker of his sinnes vvhat is ther remaining to restrayne and vvith-hold him from sinne he may and vvill easily discourse thus vvith him selfe vvhen soeuer the deuil vrgeth or the flesh allurethe or the vvorld intiseth him to sinne This acte to vvhich I ame tempted and vvhich commonly is called a sinne is the vvorke of God as vvell as myne and more his then myne bicause as my oracle that is Ihon Caluin telleth me he vvorketh it in me and vrgeth me vnto it Vvhy then should I ether be a frayed or ashamed to do that vvhich God not only dothe vvith me but also so forcibly moueth mee vnto it that as M. Caluin telleth me I can not possibly resiste him Ame I better then he or can any sinne be so vglye as not to beseeme me vvhich beseemeth him vvho is goodnes it selfe But peraduenture God dispenseth vvith him selfe but not vvith me and therfore vvill not haue me to sinne Vvill he not Vvhy then dothe he vrge and egge me to sinne vvhere I ame vrged certes I ame vvilled and vvilled by him by vvhom I ame vrged Yea if sinne be the vvorke of God as it is vnless Caluin lye then is it the effect of his vvill for as Dauid sayeth hee dothe all by his vvill and as diuines say his povver is his vvill and so I in sining shall do his pleasure and conforme my selfe to his vvill Let vs sinne then freely vvee do but Gods vvill and let vs not make scruple of that of vvhich hee is the vviller and vvorker let vs not blushe at the turpitude of sinne of vvhich God him selfe is not ashamed nether lette vs feare offence vvhere vve doe our masters vvill and pleasure rather let vs persuade our selues that all sinnes are lavvfull and pleasing to God bicause they are the vvorkes of his vvill and consequently according to his vvill But fye rather vppon this impious and licentious
povver dares vvarraunt vs to goe harmeles And this the heathen Philosophers could see yea could not but see in so much that Cicero sayeth Orat. prâ— Milonâ— magna vis est conscientiae in vtraÌ„que partem vt neque timeant qui nihil commiserunt panam semper ante oculos versari putent qui peccauerunt great force hath conscience in both partes that is in good and euil life in so much that they feare not vvho haue committed no fault and they vvho haue offended haue allvvayes the punishemeÌ„t before their eyes l. 2. de legâ—â— And in an other place he proueth by experience hovve necessarie coÌ„science is to restraine vs from sinne For sayeth he take avvay conscience and vvhat vvill he do in the darke that feareth nothing but the vvitnesse or Iudge Vvhat vvill he do in the desert vvhen he meeteth vvith a maÌ„ loden vvith gold and vveaker then him selfe Truly if coÌ„science bee taken avvay vve vvill neuer make scruple of secret sinnes no nor of publike transgressions if ether by povver or bribe vve can escape the penalties of the lavve If conscience bee once banished the vvorld bargaines vvill seeldom holde and promises vvill as seeldom bee kepte chastitie vvil allvvaies bee in dauÌ„ger ritch and treasurs vvill not bee secure Princes liues vvill bee subâ—et to hazard false dealing vvilbe rife in buying and selling thâ—eues cooseners cutpurses and conicatches haue good leaue and libertie to exercise their artes and the gappe vvill ly open vnto all vice Hovve perniciouse then vnto vertue and hovv fauourable vnto vice is our Reformers doctrine vvhich as I shall euideÌ„tlye proue and therfore breefly bicause euidently despoilethe the vvorlde of conscience more necessarye to mans life then the sonne it selfe They say as is allready related that to a faithfull man and true Christian God imputeth no sinne vvhy then should a Christian make conscience of sinne vvhich if it bee not imputed ether is no sinne at all or else not to bee caâ—ed for They auouch that since Adams fall man neuer had free vvill and libertie and seing that vvher noe libertie is no sinne can bee for no man deserueth euil for that vvhich he could not auoid it follovvethe that vvhosoeuer is persuaded as all must be by theyr opinion that hee hath no free-vvill must make nether conscience nor scruple of any sinne They affirme also that by Christe vvee are freed from all obligation of lavves in so much that noe lavve can bynde or touch our conscience vvee need not then make scrouple of anye transgression or sinne vvhich in that it is sinne is against the obligatioÌ„ of one lavve or other bicause vvhere no lavve byndeth there is no obligatioÌ„ vvhere noe obligation is noe breach or transgression can bee founde and vvhere no transgressioÌ„ there is no sinne vvhere noe sinne is no conscience of sinne is to be made It is an article also of fay the amongest them or at least a thing necessary to bee beleeued that the commaundementes are ampossible vvho then vvilbee so madde as to make conscience for not full filling the lavve vvhich is impossible to bee full-filled as vvell truly maye the prisonner make a conscience that hee goeth not to the Church or sernson on an holy daye vvhen he is faste chained to a blocke in prison and the dores are faste locked bolted Bicause it is as impossible if Caluin lye not to keepe the commaundements as for that prisonner to go to the Churche They are of opinion that God is the autour of all our sinnes as vvell yea more then vvee or selues bicause hee is the principall cause vvee are only his instrumeÌ„ts vvhich if it bee true noe man needeth to bee soe scrupulous as to make bones of that of vvhich God him selfe maketh no conscience And if conscience bee takeÌ„ a vvaye the lavve vvitnesse Iudge and Executioner is taken a vvaye so good leaue is giuen to playe vvhat euill parts vvee vvill if ether vvee can by secrecie auoid the magistrats eye or by violence and force resiste his povver for then conscience being taken a vvaye nothing is remaining to keep vs in avve The tvvelueth Chapter shevveth hovv they open the gapp to pride I Haue allready declared hovv the Reformers by many pointes of their doctrine opeÌ„ the gapp to all vice in generall novv it shall not be amiss to shevv hovv they fauourize some vices especially and in particuler And first I vvill beginne vvith pride bicause that vvas the first sinne and the first cause of all sinnes â—â—â—li 10. bicause the deuil sinned before man and his first sinne vvas svvelling pride by vvhich hee coueted to bee as great and as highe in perfection as the highest Yea many are of opinion that Adams first sinne also vvas pride vvhich moued him to eate of the forbidden frute maugre the commaundement of God imagining that soe for so the deuill had promised hee should become like vnto God in knovving good and euil And this is the cause vvhy proud men especially are called the children of the deuil bicause by pride they especially ressemble him Vvherfore that doctrine vvhich stirreth vp a proude coÌ„ceipte in vs caÌ„ not bee of God bicause it moueth to pride vvhich is of the deuil and therfore if I shall proue that our reformers doctrine puffeth vp vvith pride all those vvhich follovve it I shall proue it not to bee of God but of the deuil For althoughe pride be a common disease of all heretikes for vvhoe so preferreth his ovvne iudgement before the vvholle Church as all heretikes doe in that they are heretikes must needes condemne him selfe of an extraordinarie pride yet some heretikes by some pointes of their doctrine haue giuen more especiall cause of this sinne of pride The Gnostikes vvere of opinion that as gold thoughe cast into the mire neuer looseth his natiue colour and perfectioÌ„ so a iust man such as they counted them selues Ex Iren. l. 10 c. 1. can neuer bee soyled neuer loose his perfection in vvhat actions soeuer hee intermedleth him selfe thoughe in adulteries and fornications Vvhich doctrine moued them to suche a conceit of theÌ„ selues that they thought them selues to knovve al thinges and to be so perfecte that noe sinne could contaminate them Ex Anth l. c. de poenit c. â— The like vvas the pride of the NouatiaÌ„s vvho therfore called them selues pure and cleane And to omit the pride of Arius Nestorius chap. 5. Luther and Caluin vvhich in the first booke I haue set dovvne let vs see hovv their doctrine puffeth meÌ„ vp vvith pride They are of opinion as is allready related that vvee are iust by no other iustice then Christes ovvn iustice vvhich doctrine vvhoe soever embraceth he must needs be persvvaded that he is as iuste as Christe him selfe bicause in his opinion they haue bothe one and the same iustice vvhich persuasioÌ„ is enough to stirre vs vp to LuciferiaÌ„ pride as is allready in another place
of sinne and the bondage of the deuill Ser. 197. Domin l. post Trinitatem For as saint Austine sayeth Christ novv hath tyed the deuill in a chaine so that he can no farther tempte vs then vve can resist barke he may tempte he may sollicite vs he may but byte he can none but those vvhich vvill vvillfully cast them selues vvith in his reach Vvho novv is so vngratefull as not to acknovvledge this benefit Vvho vvill arrogate vnto him selfe the name of a Christian vvho vvill not also acknovvledge Christ for his redeemer Dare novve the reformers deny Christe the title of a redeemer they dare not Yet by their doctrine they make him a most absurd redeemer and so more dishonoure him then if they had denyed him this title alltogether For they saye that there is noe iustice but Christes iustice noe good vvorkes but his vvorkes noe merit but his merit noe satisfaction but his consequently that Christes passion vvas our iustice our merite our satisfaction Out of vv ch doctrine they inferre first that nether there is any inhereÌ„t iustice or sanctitie in maÌ„ nether is there any necessarie bicause Christes iustice is ours by imputation l. 〈◊〉 Inst c. 11. §. 2. Luth. in 2. Gal fol. 29â— and that is sufficient So sayeth Caluin and to him subscribeth Luther as shall appeare by their vvordes vvhich shal be related and refuted in this selfe same booke as also in diuers chapters of the seuenth booke Secondly they gather out of the same doctrine that good vvorkes are not necessary bicause Christes vvorkes are ours and they are sufficient vvhich doctrine I shall laye open in the same booke and first chapter Thirdly hence they inferre also that noe lavves ether humaine or diuine can bynd vs in conscience bicause Christes passion vvas the ransome vvhich freed vs from all lavves Fourthly that vvee are bound to noe satisfaction bicause Christes satisfaction vvas sufficient Fiftly that noe sinnes nor euill vvorkes can hurte vs bicause Christes iustice being ours noe sinne can make vs sinners vvhich doctrine shal be set dovvne in the same booke Sixtly that noe hell nor iudgemeÌ„t remayneth for vs bicause Christes iustice being ours sinnes can nether bee imputed to vs in this life nor punished in the next And in these pointes they saye that Christian libertie consisteth So that Christe according to these doctours opinions hath redeemed vs from the slauery of sinne bicause his iustice being ours noe sinne can hurte vs hee hathe deliuered vs from the yoke of the lavve bicause noe lavve can bynd vs hee hathe deliuered vs from hell and the deuill bicause hovvsoeuer vve liue if vvee beleeue that Christes iustice is ours and our satisfaction and payment the deuil hathe noe povver to punish vs in his Hellish prison bicause Christe hathe suffred the payne devve to our sinnes before hand Vvherin the discreet reader may easily perceue vvhat an absurd Redeemer they make Christe to bee For if Christe hathe redeemed vs from the slauery of sinne bicause noe sinne can hurte vs then dothe hee open vs the gappe to all manner of sinnes and outrages For vvhoe vvill care for sinne that is persuaded that Christes passion is so imputed to him that noe sinne can hurte him If Christe hath redeemed vs from the yoke of the lavve bicause noe lavve novve can bynde vs in conscience then dothe he giue vs the occasion to transgresse freely and contemne bodely all maÌ„ner of lavves and ordinaÌ„cies If Christe hathe deliuered vs from hell bicause hee hathe payed the punishemeÌ„t deâ—e to sinne and requireth noe other satisfactioÌ„ at our handes then doth hee in a manner egge vs forvvard to all vice from vvhich noe man vvill absteyne if fear of hell do not bridle his vnruly appetites and keepe him in avve And so Christes passion vvhich vvas a sacrifice to abolishe sinne is a cause of all sinne and Christe vvhoe came to redeeme the vvorld from sinne filleth the vvorld vvith sinne and so is an absurd redeemer so to redeeme vs from sinne that hee inuiteth vs and eggeth vs forvvardes vnto sinne So they make Christ not vnlike to that father vvhoe seing the excessiue expences of his prodigall sonne dothe not commaunde him to vse more thriftines but payes before hand to all disers cookes Inkeepers and merchauntes all that possibly hee can loose at dise or lauish out in apparell or consume in banquetting vvherin hee doth nothing else but inuite his sonne to all vnthriftines vvhoe needes neuer to care hovve hee spendeth vvhen all his debtes are payed before hand For so the ghospellers saye that Christ perceiuing that vve could not keepe the lavve freed vs froÌ„ all lavves and seing that vve could not auoyd sinne imputed his ovvne iustice so vnto vs that noe sinne can hurte vs and knovving that vvee vvere not able to satisfie for sinne hee abode the pain him selfe and vvould haue none required at our hands And in so doing vvhat else hathe hee doone but opened the vvide gate to all licentious libertie vice iniquitie Hovve farre more reasonable is the opinion of the Catholike Churche vvhich affirmeth that Christes passion vvas not our formall iustification nor satisfaction but only the meritorious cause of our redemption and saluation vvhich deserued for vs at Gods handes grace by vv ch together vvith our cooperation vve may be saued and redeemed For as vve fell by our ovvne vvilles into captiuitie so Christ thought it good that by our ovvne vvilles together vvith his grace for vvithout grace vvee may fall but vve can not rise again vve should rise vp again and vvinde our selues out of the seruitude of sinne and the tyranie of the deuill So that Christ hath redemed vs from the seruitude of the lavve not that the lavve by ndeth vs not but bicause Christ hathe taken avvay the heavinesse of the lavve and by his grace vvhich he giueth vs hathe giuen vs force easilie to fulfill it vvhich othervvise vvould haue tyraÌ„nised ouer vs in coÌ„maunding more theÌ„ vve should haue beene able to haue performed Christ also hathe redeemed vs from captiuitie bondage of sinne not bicause noe sinne can be imputed vnto vs but bicause his passion hathe deserued grace for vs by vvhich vvee maye dispose our selues to iustification vvhich is a resurrectioÌ„ from sinne to nevvnesse of life and by vvhich vvee may auoid sinne vvhensoeuer vve are moued there vnto Christ also hathe freed vs from the tyrannie of the deuill and captiuitie of Hell bicause he hathe procured vs grace by vvhich vvhen the deuill by him selfe or the vvorld or the fleshe prouoketh vs vve may resist maugre all the force of hell Christ also hathe satisfyed for our sinnes not bicause his passion vvithout any cooperation on our part doth suffice for so as is proued the gate vvere opened vnto all iniquitie but bicause his passion had obteyned grace for vs vvith out vvhich vve could not satisfie for the least veniall sinne and by vvhich if vve cooperate vvith it in
discoursed vppon those vvords my God my god vvhy hast thou for sakeÌ„ me he sayeth that this vvas the greatest agonie that Christ euer suffered and the reason saythe he vvas bicause he vvas conuented before his fathers tribunall as culpable and as one that had God his enemie and as a man all ready condemned vvher vvith he vvas so scarred and affrighted that it had beene enoughe to haue svvallovved vp all other men an hundred tymes So that complaining that he vvas abandoned of his father he speaketh not of faintness nor in ieste for sayeth he the vehemencie of the greefe vvrested out of him this complaint for as he vvas presented as a pledge for vs so vvould he susteine verily the Iudgement of God in our name And bicause in these speeches he seemed to auouch that Christ dispaired as one forlorne forsaken of his father he sayeth that yet his fayth remained firme Is it so Caluin and did Christ as he vvas man so feare the iudgment-seate that he dispaired Then ether that dispaire vvas deliberate or sodaine and indeliberate If deliberate then certes did Christe sinne most danmably for vvhat greater sinne is ther then to dispaire of Gods mercie For he that dispaireth ether he thinks not God able to saue him or not vvilling in the one he dothe iniurie to gods omnipotencie in the other he mispriceth his mercie If indeliberate then vvas Christe inconsiderate and caryed a vvay vvith Passion like a beast or vureasonable man vvhich althoughe Caluin sticketh not to graunte for he sayeth that the vehemencie of his agonie vvrested out of him feare and dispaire ere he vvas avvare yet do all the fathers and diuines in this pointe stand against him affirming that neuer any passion in Christ preuented reason and consideration Yea they conceiue of Christ as of one that vvas so vigilante ouer his passioÌ„s that neuer any arose vvithout contideration and commaundement For vvhen he vvould shevv zeale he commaunded a passion of anger to arise yet in that moderation as it might shevv him to be zealouse and yet nether testie nor furiouse Likevvise vvhen it pleased him to afflicte his harte vvith feare and sorovve he commaunded those passions to arise in that vehemencie vvhich vvas expedient to iuffer for vs or to shevv him selfe a man and yet vvith that moderation that they neuer exceeded the golden meane of vertue and he that could commaunde the vvindes and tempests to cease could coÌ„maunde his passions dovvne againe And so vvhen in the garden he feared death that feare vvas praeuented and commaunded by reason and so vvas deliberate and yet noe sinne bicause it is naturall to feare death and if vvith all the Superiour parte of the mynde bee resolute and vvill not for that feare traÌ„sgresse gods lavve or offende conscience it increaseth the merit of martyrdome or suffraunce of death bicause it augmenteth the difficultye Vvherfore diuines calle Christes passions propassions bicause he allvvayes praeuented them and commaunded them to arise and therfore the Euangelist sayeth not that Christ vvas perturbed or troubled vvithe his passions as vve are but that he troubled him selfe Augu. tract â—9 in 10. In like manner vvhen Christ cryed on the crossemy God my God vvhy hast thou forsaken mee that complainte proceeded from the sensual parte of his soule vvhich feared death and the panges therof and vvas not a complaint indeliberately vvrested out by vehemencie of greef as Caluin auoucheth but vvas deliberate and yet noe sinne bicause if the Superiour patte be resolute it is noe sinne thoughe the inferiour parte fear deathe as contrarie to nature Nether vvas that complainte a desperation of Saluation for Christ as before is declared vvas sure of that but it vvas a complainte of the sensuall parte vvhich complained that it receiued noe succour from the diuinitie but vvas left as it vvere to it selfe to suffer feare greef and paine for our Redemption and yet in that complaint as I sayed vvas no sinne bicause death is a thinge to be feared and the flesh and sensuall parte naturally feareah it only then this feare is a sinne vvhen it makes vs offend our conscience or to transgress the lavv of God vvhich effect it could not haue in Christe bicause the Superiour parte of his soule vvas alvvayes resolued to dye for mans redemption Novv vvheras Caluin sayeth that Christe dispaired yet retained faithe I can not see hovve those tvvoe things can stande together in his opinion For if faithe bee an assuraunce of present and future iustice yea of Election and SaluatioÌ„ See the seueÌ„th booke and third chap. as Caluine sayeth it is then if Christ dispayred of Saluation he lost his faith bicause he lost that assuraunce so by Caluins doctrine vvas an infidelle Nether vvill Caluins shifte be sufficient to holde these tvvoe to vvit assuraunce and desperation together for to say as he sayethe that this desperation in Christe vvas indeliberate and so might stande vvith faithe is to vphold one absurditie by another for it is most absurde to ascribe vnto Christe any inconsiderate or indeliberate actions better vvere it for Caluin to saye as diuines commonly saye that there vvas noe faythe in Christe bicause faythe vvhich is an obscure knovvledge can not stand vvith the cleare vision of God vvhich Christe had and vv ch gaue him a greater assuraunce of Saluation then faithe can do Thus thou seest gentle reader hovve vnlikely it is vvhich Caluin sayethe that Christe doubted and dispaired of saluation vvho vvas the sonne of God blessed in soule from the first moment of his conception and so assured of the blisse and glorie both of soule and bodye But bicause Caluin vvill haue it soe let him still stande to it that Christ vvas arraigned as guiltie at his fathers tribunall and that hee so feared the Iudges sentence that he doubted yea dispaired of saluation But vvhat shall he gaine by this doctrine he shall declare him selfe to be as he is a sacrilegiouse companion vvho robbeth Christ of his glorie in vttering such iniuriouse and opprobriouse speeches and shall deserue to bee hissed out of the Church and schoole of Christe for preaching that doctrine from vvhich Christiane eares abhorre and shall demonstrate him selfe not to bee a sincere Christian vvho speakes so contemptibly of Christ vvhome he professeth to honour and to vvhome he sayeth but hovve truly vvho sees not that he giueth all homage and glorie The eleuenth Chapter shevveth hovve Caluin bringeth Christe to Hell and the torments therof and so makes him a companion of the damned THe sinner vvhen he his once habituated in sinne makes noe scruple or sinne and vvhen he is plunged in the depthe of sinne he contemneth and is so farre from seeking meanes to gett out of this filthy sinke thâ—t hauing once soyled him selfe he cares not to vvallovve him selfe in filthe and to adde filthines to filthines and abomination to abomination vvithout stoppe or stay ende or measure So it happeneth to Ihon Caluin vvho hauing
doctrine God forbiddeth sinne by his lavve and therfore vvould not haue it done and hee punisheth sinne most seuerily and therfore is no autour of it and hee is goodnesse it selfe and deuoide of aâ—â— mallice and therfore caÌ„ not vvorke sinne vvhich is deuoid of all goodnes and nothing but mallice The tenthe Chapter by many pointes of their doctrine proueth that they take avvay all vice and vertue from mens actioÌ„s and so giue them leaue to sinne and to do vvhat they vvill IT is a thinge so manifest that vertue and vice honestie dishonestie is to be found in the actions of man that there vvas neuer any people so barbarous or vitiouse vvhich hath not commended many of mens actions and hathe not dispraised many others and blushed at them euen in them selues as not beseeming mans nature vvhich as it is reasonable so it should be ruled by reason Vvherfore to certaine actioÌ„s honours and revvardes haue beene proposed and to others seuere punishmentes and chastisments The vvisest of the GeÌ„tils vvhose reason by sinne superstitioÌ„ vvas least obscured vvere of opinioÌ„ that some actions vvere sinnes and offences of God that others vvere gratefull and pleasing vnto him For they knevv that God the autour of nature as hee had ordained all thinges to their end and giuen them faculties to exercise those actioÌ„s vvhich should bring them to their end so hee hathe ordained man vnto his end vvhich is to liue vertuously and by vertuous life so to serue God here that he maye enioye him herafter and therfore hee hathe endevved him vvith reason by vvhich hee may knovv vertue from vice and good from euill and a vvill also to execute that vvhich reason shal coÌ„maund so that vvhen hee liueth according to reason hee follovvethe his nature and Gods ordinaunce and exercise the those actions vvhich beseem his reasonable nature and are pleasing vnto God and vvhen he sollovveth sensualitie and leaueth reason theÌ„ dothe hee that vvhich is not beseeming his nature then dothe hee breake Gods ordinaunce and svverue from the end to vvhich he is ordained and consequentlye sinneth offendeth God l. 1. Eth. c. 8. Vvherfore Aristotle sayeth that vvise and vertuouse men vvhich liue according to reason are most deare vnto God Ex Clement Alex orat hortator ad gentes in Phaedone Plato affirmeth that God is the reuenger of sinne and dishonestie and in another place he distinguisheth three kindes states of men The first of those that liue vertuously and they sayeth he are sent to the happy Ilancls vvhich vvee vvould calle heauen the second state is of them vvho commit lesser faultes vvhich vvee vvould calle veniall sinnes such sayeth hee are purged for a tyme the same doe Catholikes saye of theÌ„ that dy out of mortall sinne yet are defiled so vvith veniall sinnes that they need some purging in Purgatorie and then vvith the first sorte are admitted to the happy IlaÌ„ds The last are they vvhich commit enormous and hainous crimes and such sayeth Plato are tormented perpetually bicause their paines do them noe good vvhich is as much to saye as Catholikes say of theÌ„ vvhoe for greater offences of vvhich they repent not before deathe are condemned to a praemunire and perpetuall imprisonment in hell By vvhich it may appeare that not only Christianes but also paganes and those that vvante the light of fayeth haue yet by light of reason espyed vice in some of our actions and vertue in other some and haue deemed those vvorthy punishment these vvorthy some revvard And yet if vvee giue credit to our nevve Christianes vvee must acknovvledge noe more vertue or vice in the actioÌ„s of men theÌ„ in the operations of brutish and vnreasonable creaturs For first if it be true vvhich Luther and Caluin teache vs that noe lavves caÌ„ bynde a Christian then doth it follovve that a Christiane can not sinne and consequently that ther can bee noe vice in any of his actioÌ„s For vvher noe lavve byndeth there is noe lavve vvhere no lavve is there is noe transgression of lavve vvhere is no transgression noe sinne can bee bicause euery sinne is a transgression of one lavve or other Rom. 7. Vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvithout lavve sinne is dead and of noemallice 8. 10. s. And S. Ihon sayeth that vvhosoeuer sinneth committeth iniquitie and that sinne is iniquitie that is transgression for so the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich hee vseth importeth therfore the Grecianes commonly calle sinne by the selfe same name And althoughe some actions vvhich are of them selues cuill are not sinnes bicause the lavveforbiddeth them but therfore are by the lavve forbidden bicause of them selues they are sinnes yet certaine it is that there is noe sinne but it is forbidden ether by the lavv of God or of nature or of man and therfore vvell might sainct Austine saye l. 2. de pee mer. c. 16. that noe sinne should be if noe lavve did forbid it Rom. 2. And althoughe sainct Paule sayeth that the gentils sinned vvithout a lavve and therfore shal be punished vvithout a lavve yet hee excludeth only a vvritten lavve such as the Ievves had and vvithout that sayethe hee the geÌ„tils doe sinne but yet not vvithout all lavve for at least they transgressed the lavve of nature othervvise they could not haue sinned bicause euery sinne is against one lavve or other and so if noe lavv bynd vs in conscience noe sinne at all can bee found in our actions be they neuer so crossing and contratie to reason Secondly they denye free-vvill and consequently they take avvay all vice and vertue For if vvhen I do that action vvhich is counted a sinne I haue noe free-vvill then I can do no othervvise if I can do noe othervvise I ame not to bee blamed for that vvhich I could not auoyed but rather to bee pityed that I ame so constrained And if vvhen I pray to God or giue almes to the poore I can do no othervvise as I can not if I haue noe free-vvill I ame not pravse vvorthe bicause noe God a mercie to him that dothe vvell vnavvares or vvether hee vvill or noe Vvherfore vvee commend those moste vvhich doe vvell freely and of their ovvne choise vvhere vvee see men by feare or coÌ„pulsion are driueÌ„ to vvell doing vvee coÌ„mend them the lesse by hovv much greater vvas the constrainte vvhich is a signe that free choise more or lesse is necessary to the making of a vertuouse action Thirdly they say that God imputeth no sinne vnto a faithfull man vvhence it follovveth that there is noe sinne in their actions or that God is deceiued or is noe right esteemer of thinges but this they vvill not saye and therfore must auouch that there is noe sinne in Christians actions Fourthly although herin they speake not vvith that consequence vvhich might haue beene expected of men of reason they affirme that all our actions euen those that go for best are of them selues
mortall sinnes vvhich deserue no better revvard thē eternall damnation vvhich if it be true thence must needs follovve that there is not any vertue in our actions bicause vvhere vice is vertue can not bee and so vertue vvhich proceedeth not but ex integra causa from an intier cause is cleane taken avvay Fiftely they affirme that God is the autour of all our sinnes and seing that his vvill is his power by vvhich he causeth all thinges sinne is according to his vvill yea they affirme that he moueth vs eggeth vs to sinne vvhich is a signe that hee vvill haue vs sinne If sinne then hee according to God his vvill it can not offend him but rather please him bicause the vve are pleased vvhen thinges do fall out according to our vvill and desire and seing that vvhere noe offence is there can bee noe sinne it follovvethe that if God bee the authour of sinne then sinne is noe sinne at all Out of these opinions I gather that nether sinne nor vertue is remaining in mens actions and consequently if this doctrine bee true noe man needeth to feare sinne or to care for vertue bicause this vvord vertue is but a vvorde vvhich hath no thinge ansvvereable vnto it and this name sinne is but a bullibagge or bugbeare deuised and inuented to scarre fooles vvith all bicause according to the nevv religion there is noe more sinne in the actions of men then of brutishe beastes The eleuenthe Chapter shevveth hovv they take avvay all conscience and so also open the gappe to all vice SO carefull is our heauenly father least vve should commit any sinne that he hathe prouided not one or tvvoe but many and sundry meanes to restayne vs from it as being the only thing vvhich displeaseth him and preiudiceth vs. He hath engrauen in our hartes a lavve of nature and reason vvhich dictateth vnto vs vvhat is good and vvhat is euil and cōmaundeth vs to embrace the one and to auoide the other Rom. 2. by reason of vvhich lavv the Gentils as saint Paule sayeth could not plead ignoraunce for an excuse for their sinnes bicause they had a lavve vvritten in their hartes by vvhich they might haue squared their actions and directed their liues according vnto reason and vvith in the boundes of nature To this lavve before Christs cōming he added a vvritten lavv for our better direction in the vvaye of vertue not only naturall but also supernaturall And vvhen the fullnes of tyme that is the tyme of Christe and the nevve lavv vvas come hee gaue vs another lavve more perfecte then the olde vvhich therfore leadeth vs to greater perfection And bicause lavves are mute vv ch can not speake nor interprete them selues and if they bee not put in execution they are easily contemned he hathe appointed interpretours suche as are our Pastours and Doctours to expound this lavve vnto vs and Magistrates also to see it put in exceutiō and to punish the transgressours But least that vvee should take our libertie in sinning vvhen vve can auoide the rigour of the lavve and the eye of the Magistrate he hathe lodged in our bosoms a seuere Iudge and monitour called conscience vvhich keepeth vs in avve and makes vs feare to sinne euen then vvhen secrecie promiseth securitie ◠2. in c. 2. Ro. Vvherfore Origen calleth conscience a correctour and correcting spirit bicause it punisheth and amendeth our faults and disorders yea hee calles it also a Pedagogue and Schoolmaster bicause it instructeth vs and teacheth vs our duties and keepes vs in no lesse avve then dothe the Schoolmaster his Schollers ex Th. ◠p. q. 71.4.18 S. Damascen calles conscience the eye of the soule bicause it layes all our actions open vnto the vevve of the soule ruleth our vvholle life as the eye doth the body This cōscience like a lavve telleth vs vvhat in euery particuler circumstaūce is lavvfull vvhat vnlavvfull like a vvitnesse it accuseth vs and brings in euidence against vs like a Iudge it condemneth vs as guiltie vvhē vve haue cōmitted a faulte and declareth vs innocent of the facte vvhen vve haue not doone it and like an executioner or minister of iustice it tormenteth vs and layeth vppon vs our devv paine and punishment That conscience is a lavve vve easily perceue and daily experience in our selues For vvhen naturall reason and our Synderesis telles vs that vice is to be eschevved that fornication is a vice conscience concludeth ergo thou mayst not commit it and if not vvithstāding cōsciences prohibition vve do commit the same vve do against conscience and transgresse the lavve of consciēce vvhich alvvayes in particuler doth dictate vnto vs vvhat is to bee embraced and vvhat is to be eschevved Vvhen the lasciuious man is moued vnto luste conscience like a lavve forbiddeth him and vvhen the theefe is tempted vnto thefte conscience sayeth he must not comit it bicause he must not do that to another vvhich he vvould not haue doone to him selfe And if a freind leaue a ievvell vvith his freend to vvhich none but they tvvoe are priuie conscience vvill vrge him to restitution and commaund him to restore that to vvhich the Princes lavve can not compelle him bicause it meddles nor vvith secrers And so conscience is a lavve and so rigorous a lavve that it admitteth noe excuse noe cloake nor dispensation It is a vvitnesse also vvhich accuseth vs euen of our secret sinnes and vvorkes of darkenes and proues vs guiltie before the diuine tribunal And vvhether thou be in bedde or at borde at home or abroad in company or alone it still cryeth against thee guiltie And if thou seekest by sylence to put this vvitness to silence or by stopping the eares of thy soule not to giue eare vnto him he vvill allvvayes busse in thy eares that vvhich thou vvouldst not heare and vvill so plainly conuicte thee that thou canst not deny the faulte Gen. 3. Vvhen Adam and Eue had eaten of the forbidden frute before God accused them or tooke notice of the matter their ovvn conscience accused them and so plainly convicted thē that they vvent and hidde their heads in a bushe for shame Gen. 4. Cain also their vntovvard sonne had no soener made oblatiō of his niggardly sacrifice but conscience accused him and brought in such euidence against him that he chaunged contenaunce like a guiltie person and hounge dovvn his head like a sheep-biter And he had noe soener butchered his innocēt brother Abel Gen. 4. but Abells blood cryed vengeaunce against him And thinke you that conscience held his peace noe noe this vvitnesse cryed out so shrilly against him that he cryed peccaui and acknovvledge his faulte to be so great that Gods mercie vvas not able to forgiue it Likevvise the brethern of Ioseph after that they had most traiterously sold him and vvith a bloody coat had couered all the matter and cleared them selues also before their father yet still especially vvhen any aduersitie crossed
and vvishing for saint Austines her sonnes conuersion vvho then vvas a Manichee Filius tantarum lachrimarum perire non potest I may say of your Highnes to vvit that the sonne of suche a Mother and Prince of such a Princess and Inheritour of suche vertues such examples such teares such vvis hes can neuer perish that is can not but bee a Catholique This her zeale tovvardes religion these her desires vvishes these her prayers and teares and aboue all her Glorious Martyrdome vvill euer bee before your Graces eyes to moue your harte if not to admitte vvholy the Catholike religion at least to permitte it at least not to persequute it vvhich she loued her selfe so vvell and vvished to your Highnes so hartilie And truly moste Gracious Liege such is our repose in your goodnes that if ther vvere noe other motiues then your Glorious mothers example your Catholike subiectes miserie and your ovvne innate clemencie vve vvould not at all despaire of a graunt of our petition but seing that the thing vve request concerneth not only our good but your graces honour also and the true felicitie of your Kingdome vvee hope confidently not to suffer a repulse in that in vvhich your Highnes also hath a parte and for vvhich not only vvee are humble suppliauntes but your selfe also to your selfe and for your selfe are an Intercessour And first he graunt of our petition shal be most honourable for your moste ExcelleÌ„t Maiestie King Lucius vvas the first king Christian of our Countrie and the first king that laboured in the coÌ„uersion of it vvith Pope Eleutherius by vvhose Counsail and preachers vvhich he sent he extirpated idolatrie and planted Christian Religion and for this glorious facte his name and fame is and euer shal be moste renovvmed both in heauen and earth King Ethelbert vvas the secoÌ„d king vvho by the meanes of Pope Gregorie by Popes alvvayes countries haue been conuerted and tvvelue Monkes of sainct Benedictes Order the second tyme restored this Countrie again vnto the same Christiane and Catholike Religion the vvhich by the inuasioÌ„ of the Saxons vvas againe become Idolatricall and Pagane and he is noe lesse glorious before God and men for so honourable an enterprise But if your Highnes shal be the third King vvho shalle againe reduce this couÌ„trie to the same ancient Religion you shal be as much more glorious and your name as much more renovvmed Th 2.2.4.10.4.6 as heresie is vvorse then Paganisme and more hardly extinguished Vvilliam the Conquerour from vvhome your Maiestie is vvorthilie descended is reckened amongest the Vvorthies of the vvorlde and vvritten in the liste and catalogue of the moste Vvarlike Kinges for that famouse conquest vvhich he made of your litle vvorlde But if your Highnes shall get the conqueste of heresie your honour shal be as farre more greater then his as the conquest of mens soules and myndes is more glorious then subdevving of bodyes In such a CoÌ„quest the vvarre is Christes the victorie is his and yours the crovvne yours only not in earth only but in heauen also You haue the occasion offered ô mightie Prince by vvhich you may make your name and fame immortall let not such an opportunitie passe if you can atchieue so glorious a Conquest as you can if you vvill bicause the body of your Realme vvill follovv the vvill of their head you shall be more Glorious then all the Kinges of England before you If it please your Maiestie to set before your eyes those Glorious ChampioÌ„s of the Churche Constantine Theodosius Pepine Charles all surnamed Great more glorious for their victories ouer heresie and idolatrie then for conquestes of Countries more renovvmed for propagating the ancient Catholique Religion for it vvas not Lutheranisme nor Caluinisme vvhich they promoted then for enlarging their dominions you vvill easilie perceâ—e that it is muche greater honour for your Highnes to consorte vvith them rather then vvith Constantius and ValeÌ„s those Ariane Emperours enemies to that Church vvhich they defended enriched and Leo Isauricus Constantinus Copronymus those infamous Image breakers And if you please to call to mynde the Catalogue of the noble Kinges of EnglaÌ„d Lucius Ethelbert Egbert osvvald osvvine Alfred and many others before the Conquest vvith Vvilliam the Conquerour and so many Henries Edvvardes and Richardes after the Conquest all your Noble predecessours so mightie in force so ritch in treasure so noble of byrth so fortunate in vvarres so couragious in fyght so glorious in victories so vvise in Gouernment so iuste in punishing so mercitall in pardoning so vpright in life so zealous in Religion vvho builte so many goodly Monasteries erected so stately Churches founded so learned Colleges enacted so holsome lavves and vvise statutes and got so many and so straunge victories in Fraunce and other Countries euen vnto Palestine your Princelie vvisdome vvill easilie see that greater vvilbee your honour to ioyney our selfe to these vvorthies then to stande so nakedly accompanyed vvith three only of your Predecessours vvho haue protected the nevv Religion and ruined vvhat they haue builded vvherof the first vvas not vvholly for the nevv Religion bicause by Parlament he enacted six Catholike Articles and at his death founded a Masse for his soule the second vvas so younge that he vvas rather ouerruled theÌ„ ruled the laste vvas but a vvoeman and though they vvanted not Guiftes of nature vvhich might beseem princely authoritie yet for persequuting the Catholike faythe and follovving other pathes then their predecessours had troden theyr names are not eternized vvith that immortall fame vvhich their predecessours haue purchased by their Religious Actes SecoÌ„dly Redoubted Prince the Catholike Religion vvilbe greater securitie for you temporall State Forâ— your Highnes dare relye vppon them vvho by Religion Cal. l. 3. Inst c. 19 §. 14. l 4. â— to § 5.23 27. may disobey youâ— Lavves and Ordinaunces as I haue in my sixte booke demonstrated much morâ— may you put your truste and confidence in your Catholike subiectes vvhom conscience and religion byndeth to obedience For they are taught by Religion that Authoritie is of God 1. Pet. 2. Rons 13. and that in conscience they are subiect vnto it and bouÌ„d to obey kinges though othervvise difficile and harde to please not only for feare but for conscience also And this obedience they giue not only to Christian but also to Pagane Kinges such as all vvere vvhen sainct Peter and sainct Paule commaunded vs to obey them Eâ— Eus Vvee are taught sayed sainct Policarpe to the Proconsul to giue to higher povvers that honour vvhich is devve to them and not hurtfull to vs. Apol. c. 3. 〈◊〉 S. apulaÌ„ Vvee sayed Tertulian to the Ethnikes pray for the Emperour and reuerence him nexte to God and more then vve doe your Goddes To be breefe as I should bee vvith a King if the matter did not enforce me to be longer then I should be giue vs sayeth sainct Austine such Iudges such magistrates
Christe is the authour of this lavve vvhich surpasseth all lavves greater is his honour renovme then euer vvas the honour of Plato Licurgus Romulus yea Moyses or any other Vvherfore the prophet Esaie recounting other titles of honour devve vnto Christ Isay 13. amongest others calleth him a lavv-maker Dominus iudex noster dominus legifer noster dominus Rex noster The lord is our Iudge The lord is our lavv-maker the lord is our King If he be our Lavve-maker he may make lavves to bynde vs if he be our iudge he may pronounce sentence against the transgressours and if he be our King he may punish vs yea if he had called him only our King it had been a sufficient argument to proue him a lavv-maker bicause the principall meanes for a king to rule his subiects are his lavves and ordinaunces Micheas speaking of the promulgation of Christs lavv at Hierusalem in Penthecoste sayeth c 4. That a lavve shall proceed from Sion the vvord of God from Hierusalem c. 2. c. 4 â— The same Prophecie hath Esaie in the same vvords and addeth that IlaÌ„des shall expecte his lavve By vvhich it is playne that Christ is a lavv-maker vvhoe hathe perscribed lavves and therfore vvhen he gaue his Apostles authoritie to baptise and preach Mat. vfâ— hee bad them also to teache the Gentiles to keepe all those thinges vvhich hee had commaunded See the first chap of this booke And yet our ghospellers vvho bragge that they giue all to Christe despoyle him of this honourable title and auouch that hee vvas a redeemer only but noe lavve-make Luther sayeth plainly that it is the office of the lavve to commaund 〈◊〉 â— Gael Fol. â—18 threaten and terrifie but the office of Christ is only to imbrace sinners vvho haue traÌ„sgressed the lavve Ibidem Yea sayeth he If vve make Christ an exactour of the lavve vve confound Christ and the lavve and make him the minister of sinne â—ol 〈◊〉 Vvherfore thus he concludes vvith this exhortation Quare Chrestum recte definias non vt Sophistae lustitiary qui faciunt eum nouum legislatorem qui abrogata veteri lege nouam tulerit illis Christus est exactor tyrannus Vvherfore define thou Christe ae right not as the Sophists doe and the Iustitiaries so he calleth Catholikes bicause they affirme inherent iustice and auouche that good vvorkes are necessary vvho make him a nevv lavve-maker that hath abrogated the old lavv and enacted a nevv to them Christ is an exactour and a tyraunt Hovv theÌ„ I pray thee vvouldst thou haue vs to define Christ Ibidem hee sayeth that as it is the arte of Christians not to care for lavves nor to imagin that they bynd in coÌ„scieÌ„ce so is it an hard arte vvhich I sayeth hee my selfe can hardly learne to define Christ after this manner â—â—idem But yet this great Logician at lenght giueth vs this definition of Christ Christus autem definitiue non est legislator sed propitiator saluator But Christe definitiuely is not a lavv-maker but ae propitiatour and Sauiour By vvhich doctrine it is playne that Luther is of opinion that Christ came not to terrifie vs or to exacte any lavve at our haÌ„des but only to embrace the transgressours so that they beleeue only that hee is their Redeemer from the lavve vvhich doctrine hovve it openeth the gapp to vice I shal hereafter declare See the seueÌ„tâ— booke here I only note that Luther despoyleth Christe of the title of a Lavvmaker and auoucheth that hee nether made lavve nor exacteth any lavve at our haÌ„ds vvhich hovve iniuriouse it is to Christ may appeare by the comendation vvhich I have giuen to Christ and his lavve Caluin putteth this difference betvvixte the old and the nevv lavve l â— Inst c. 11. §. 17.19 that the old promised grace and glorie vvith this condition if vve keepe the coÌ„maundements but the nevv lavve promiseth these things absolutely vvithout that condition So that Caluin thinkes that glory and saluation is promised by Christ vvhether vvee obserue the lavve or noe and coÌ„sequently he thinkes that no lavv byndeth vs vnder payne of damnation Vvhence it follovveth that Christe nether exacteth nether prescribeth any lavve vnder payne of damnation and so is no lavve maker And the same Caluin after that he had discoursed of Christian libertie vvhich hee sayeth consisteth in a freedom from all lavves l. 3. Inst c. 1â— 3.10 concludeth thus vve conclude that they are exeÌ„pted he speaketh of the faythfull from all lavves Vvhence it must needs follovv that Christe is noe Lavvmaker for vvhere there is no obligation there is noe lavve as shal be proued herafter vvhere noe lavve there is noe Lavv-maker and therfore if Christe exacteth noe lavve at our handes and byndes vs to none he can by noe right haue the name of a Lavv-giuer or Lavv-maker Let the Prophet Esaie therfore looke hovv he calleth Christ our Lavv-maker c. 33. legifer yea let Christ him self correcte and amend that saying of his Mandatum nouum do vobis vt diligatis inuitem I giue you a nevv lavv and commaundement that you loue one another A nevv lavv sayeth sainct Austine Christe giueth vs l â— cont ep par c. 2. bicause although it be old as being coÌ„maunded in the old lavve yet it is nevv ether bicause Christ hathe annexed nevv grace vnto it vvhich in the old lavv it had not or bicause by this grace annexed it makes vs nevv creatures vvho before vvere olde by sinne l. c. const Apost c. 12. or else sayeth S. ClemeÌ„t it is a nevve lavv bicause Christ hathe renevved it Let him also remember his office better vvhich as Luther and Caluin say is not to prescribe or exacte lavves but to imbrace the transgressours He forgot therfore his office vvhen hee bad vs Keept the commaundementes if vve vvill enter into life Mat. 5. vvhy hee corrected the olde lavve commaunding vs not only not to kill but not to be angry not only to loue our freends but our enemies also See See vvhat open iniurie against the playne texte of Scripture yea and against all reason also these men are not a frayed to offer vnto Christ in taking from him the title and office of a Lavvmaker for if he could make no lavv he vvas inferiour to the meanest Prince in the vvorld vvho established a common vvelth his Churche but hathe no authoritie to coÌ„maund his subiects vvho instituted Sacramentes yet could make noe lavv to bynd vs vnto theÌ„ and therfore vvhen he threatneth damnation to them that vvill not receiue his baptisme 10 â— and protesteth that vve shall haue noe life vnlesse vve eate his fleshe drinke his blood to â— vve may boldly contemne such peremptorie commaundementes bicause if Christ bee noe Lavv-maker he could make noe lavv and vvhere noe lavve is there is noe obligation and vvhere is noe obligatioÌ„ all meÌ„ are as
the true God Novv therfore if all heretikes bee in some forte Idolatours then certainly the heretikes of this tyme are especially idolatours For they as is allready proued saye that God is the autour of sinne and their doctrine implieth that hee is of a bad nature vnreasonable cruel vvherfore seing that there is noe suche God they confesse and adore not a true God but an idol of their ovvne conceipte and fiction and so are idolatours vvho pull the true God vvhich is a good God not cruel nor vnreasonable nor no autour of sinne out of his throne and place therin a false God and an idol of their imagination THE SIXTE BOOKE CONTEYNETH A SVRuey of their doctrine concerning princes authoritie and their lavves in vv ch it is proued that the doctrine of the reformers despoileth princes of authoritie and bringeth their lavves in contempte The first Chapter shevveth hovv in that they say that noe Prince can bynd a man in conscience to obey his lavve and commaundemeÌ„t they despoile princes of authoritie and superioritie and giue the subiects good leaue to rebell and reuolte WEE see by experience Eccl. 13. and holy scripture teacheth that like of nature doe easilie forte them selues together Sheepe do flocke to one fold deere meet together in one parke bees in one svvarme and fovvles of one fether doe flye together and fishes of one squame do svvime together And the reason may bee bicause like of nature are like in conditions and so do more easily symbolize and aggree together and one alone hathe no helpe but of him selfe and therfore for mutuall ayde and comforte they accompanye them selues vvith others But amongest all liuing creatures man especially is ciuile and compaignable and therfore is called animal sociabile a sociable creature For first man is apte to language by vvhich he desireth to expresse his mynd to others and therfore if he vvill haue any vse of his tongue and facultie of speaking he must liue in company Secondly man especially is disciplinable desirouse to learne of others and by discoursing and deuising to knovv vvhat other men thinke and conceue For as he is vvilling to imparte his ovvne conceites so is he desirous to be pertaker of the knovvledge and cogitation of others vvhich his desire he can not satisfie vnless he repaire to company Thirdly maÌ„ only emoÌ„gest all liuing creatures is apte to frendship that is to loue and to be beloued and bicause loue comes by sight and sure frendship is not gotten but by much familiaritie and longe experience he can not attaine to this also but in coÌ„pany and societie Lastly maÌ„ only is borne naked vvher as other liuing creatures garmeÌ„tes doe grovv vvith theÌ„ destitute of all vveapons of defeÌ„ce vvher as the bull hath his horne the bucke his head the horse his hoofe the bore his tuske and euery one hathe one vveapon or other to defend and offend Vvherfore seing that man is soe destitute that being alone be vvanteth many coÌ„modities hee must fly to societie vvher one helpeth another and bicause euery countrie beareth not all thinges one countrie must trasique vvith another hence proceedeth societie Vvherfore noe soener vvere men created but they assembled them selues together first in families then in tovvnes and cities and after vvards as their number increased in common vveales and Kingdomes And although the Poets fayne that Orpheus vvas the first vvho vvith his melodious tunes called men together yet certain it is that euen from the beginning men liued in societie induced thervnto by no other Orpheus then Nature and God the autour of nature Novv as the naturall body of maÌ„ as it is framed by God nature of diuers members vnited together so it hath from God and Nature authoritie to defend it selfe against all that shall vniustly seeke to molest or iniurie the same so the ciuil body of a societie of men be it a coÌ„mon vvelthe or King dome receiueth from God and nature authoritie and povver to conserue it selfe in societie and to vvithstand all foreinets vvho shall iniuriously inuade it For if nature did not giue men authoritie to defend present them selues in societie in vaine yea not in vaine only but also perniciously and to mans great preiudice had God nature enclined him to liue in companie Vvherfore all societies lavvfully assembled haue from God and nature povver and authoritie to rule and defende them selues and bicause the confused multitude is vnfit to gouerne bicause it is bellua multorum capitum a beaste of many heads vvauering inconstaunte and mutinouse yea hard it is for the multitude to meete alvvayes together to determine vppoÌ„ state-matters vvhen they are met they can as hardly aggree iâ— vvas necessarie that this multitude should haue authoritie to chuse some head oâ— heades by vvhich this ciuill body might bee directed Rom. 13. Vicâ—relec de potest ciuili ruled and defended Hencâ— it is that diuines yea scriptures affirme that all lavvfull authoritie vvhich Princes and superiours haue ouer others is oâ— God bicause it proceedeth from the peoples election vvhoe as they vvere by God and nature inclined to liue in societie so they receiued authoritie to rule and defend them selues vvhich bicause they could not do by them selues they receiued also authoritie from God and nature to appointe rulers and gouernours so all lavvfull gouernours are appointed by God by meanes of election and therfore they vvho resiste them resiste gods ordinaunce Rom 〈◊〉 And althoughe novv for the moste parte Princes come to autohritie by succession yet the origin also of this proceedeth froÌ„ election bicause the people to auoyed incoÌ„ueniences vvhich might happen if after the deathe of their Prince they should be to seeke for another vvere content vvhen they did chuse the first Prince that all his lavvfull heires should after him succed in the same authority Novv if the Prince haue not authoritie to commauÌ„d and bynde his subiectes also in conscience to obey his coÌ„maundement then in vaine is he head and Prince of the people bicause if he commaund and yet the subiectes may chuse vvhether they vvill obey or not then noe order can be established and as good noe head at all as such a head Vvherfore holy Scripture telleth vs that Princes may commaund and subiectes in conscience must obey Mat. 22. and giue to Caesar vvhat is devvoo Caesar Rom 13. Sainct Paule sayeth that euerie soule must be subiect to higher povvers he giues the reason bicause sayeth he ther is noe povver but of God and therfor they vvho resiste povver resiste Gods ordinaunce and purchase to them selues damnation Ibideâ—â— Yea sayeth he of necessitie be you subiecte not only for displeasure but also for conscience And after vvards he bidds vs to pay tributes and subsidies vnto Princes bicause they are the ministers of God appointed by him Saint Peter also bidds vs to be subiect to euery humaine creature for God â— Pet. 2. that is
authoritie yet he sayeth he vvill obey them freely and frankely but not of any obligatioÌ„ And aftervvards explicating those vvords honour the Kinge he sayeth that if the Pope as a temporall Prince should commaund any to vvear a friars hood to shaue his crovvne or to faste certaine dayes as Luther did before his apostasie that he should obey him but yet of free choyse as a temporall Prince vvhich yet I doubte vvhether Luther vvould doe but sayeth he if he commaund the in the name of God vnder paine of excommunication and mortall sinne Tum dicas bona verba sitis mihi propitius domine Papa equidem quod maÌ„datis nultus fecero TheÌ„ saye Be good in your office be good vnto vs Sir Pope vvhat you commaund I vvill not doe And hee giues you a reason in the nexte vvords To higher povvers it behoueth vs to be subiect so longe as they binde not our consciences So that Luther is of opinion that thoughe vve must for order sake obey Princes and magistrates yet vvee are free in conscience and can not in conscience vnder paine of sinne be bounde by any temporal or Ecclesiasticall authoritie l. 3. c. 19. § 14. Caluin subscribeth to him in all pointes touching this matter for he hauing made a longe discourse about Christian libertie concludethe in this manner Vve conclude that they are exempted from all povver of men l. â— c. 10 § 5. And least that this saying might seem to haue escaped him vnaduisedly in the nexte booke he repeateth it again diuerse tymes Our consciences haue not to doe vvith men but God onlye And againe § â— Paule in no vvise suffreth faithfull consciences to be brought into bondage of men Yet Caluin in the same places fearing to displease Princes exhorteth vs to doe as they shall commaund vs not of any obligation bicause Christe sayeth he hathe freed vs from all the lavves of men but of free choice and libertie not for conscience but for common peace In vvhich vvordes he is cleane opposit to sainct Paule Rom 1â— vvhoe sayeth that of necessitie vve must be subiect not only for fear of displeasure but for conscience Out of this doctrine I inferre as a moste euident conclusion that in vaine Princes haue authoritie ouer their subiectes for if the subiecte maye chuse vvhether hee vvill obey or no then the prince may commaund and hee maye ansvvere that as hee is not bound to obeye bicause by Christian libertie he his freed from all mens lavves so hee vvill not at this tyme obeye and so in vayne shall the Prince commaunde Secondly I conclude out of Luthers and Caluins premises that there are noe Princes nor Superiours ouer Christians and consequently that all Christian Princes are vsurpers bicause they chaleÌ„ge Superioritie authoritie ouer ChristiaÌ„s vvhich in deed they haue not and vvill needes bee Princes and superiours vvho are but priuate men For if they can not so commaund vs as to bynd vs to obedience then are vve not subiecte to them and consequently they are noe Superiours and althoughe vvee maye obey them of free choise yet that makes theÌ„ not our Superiours bicause so vvee maye obey our equall and inferiour if vvee vvill yet bicause hee caÌ„not bynde vs in coÌ„science to obey he hathe not authoritie ouer vs and vvee in that vvee are free are not subiecte vnto him Vvhich that it may the more plainly appeare vve must note that a Superiour and a subiecte are correlatiues as are the father and the sonne the maister and the seruaunte bicause as the father is the sonnes father and the maister the seruauntes maister so a Superiour is the subiectes superiour And as noe sonne no father noe seruaunte noe maister so noe subiecte noe Superiour bicause correlatiues are of that nature that one inferreth another and one can not bee vvithout another Vvherfore if all Christians be set at such libertie that they are not bound in conscience to obey any Princes lavves then are they not subiecte vnto them but as free as hee that hathe noe Master and seing that vvhere is noe subiect there can not bee any Superiour it follovvethe that if Princes can not bynde vs to obey them vvee are no subiectes they noe superiours Is not this geÌ„tle reader to contemne and deny all authoritie and Superioritie And consequently is not this to open the gappe and gate vnto all mutinie and rebellion For vvhen the subiectes are taught that by Christe and Christian faithe they are freed in coÌ„science from men and mens authoritie if the Prince commaund they may deny obedience if hee exacte tributes taxes and subsidies they may Chuse vvhether they vvill pay a peny and if they like not his gouernmeÌ„t they may by rebellioÌ„ free theÌ„ selues from him to vvhome in conscience and before God they are not subiecte bicause they are free men vvho in that they are free can acknovvledge no Master Vvho vvill novv blame the subiectes in Fraunce Flanders and Germanie for making rebellion They did but according to their doctrine and in refusing to obey men they did but vse that freedom vvhich Christe hathe giuen them vvhich is to be subiect to none Yea vvho novve can doe othervvise then to commend rebelles for rebellion and discommend all loyall subiects Bicause in disobeing and rebelling they shevv them selues to bee free men and acknovvledge Christe their Redeemer and in obeying they make them selues subiecte to men they vse not their libertie and they do iniurie to Christe as thoughe hee had not redeemed theÌ„ from all seruitude of men If Princes considered vvell this doctrine they vvould be so farre from fauouring these nevve Christians that they vvould banish them their countries For vvhat assuraunce hathe a Prince of subiectes so persvvaded or hovve can he but allvayes stand in feare of their rebellion vvho by their religion are vvarraÌ„ted that they can not sinne in rebellion bicause they are not bound in conscience to obey any humaine authoritie The second chapter shevveth hovv by their precedent doctrine Iudges and tribunall seates are brought in contempte AS the Morall vertue Iustice vvas euer highly esteemed as the strength of all common vvelthes so Iudges vvho are the ministers of iustice vvhose office is to condemne the nocent and absolue the innocente vvere euer had in such reuerence that their sentence vvas counted an oracle and their seate and tribunall vvhere they vsed to pronounce sentence vvas respected as a sacred place Vvherfore in Scripture it selfe Iudges are called Gods bicause like litle Gods Psal â—1 vnder God they giue senteÌ„ce as his vnder Iudges and if the sentence be iuste then vvhat they adiudge in earth God ratifieth in heauen This honourable conceite of Iudges and Tribunalls the doctrine of our reformers alleaged diminisheth very much yea it bringeth them into plaine coÌ„tempte and condemneth them all of Tyrannie and open iniustice For if Princes haue no authoritie as by the doctrine of these nouellauntes I haue proued that they haue not then
can they giue none vnto their Iudges and consequently nether the Prince nor the Iudge hathe authoritie to giue sentence or to punishe any malefactours bicause if they haue no authoritie they are but priuate men For although priuate men may vim vi repellere repelle force by force and stande in their ovvne defence that is vvarde a blovve vvhen it is offered and strike rather then be stricken yea kille rather then be killed bicause this is but to defende them selues and to repelle iniurie yet after that the iniurie is receued and quite paste they can not them selues requite the euill receiued vvith a like euill bicause that vvere not to defende but to reuenge them selues vvhich God hathe reserued to him selfe to them to vvhome hee hathe giuen authoritie and vvill not in any vvise that priuate mē bee their ovvne Iudges and reuengers bicause that vvere to open the gappe to all outrages much lesse vvill hee permit them to punishe them vvhoe haue doone iniuries vnto others vvherfore if Princes haue noe authoritie to commaund as in the last chapter by this nevv doctrine I haue proued that they haue not thē are they priuate men so can nether reuēge their ovvne nor others iniuries and consequently vniustly they condemne malefactours to prison to death and other paines and penalties And truly if it be true vvhich Luther and Caluin and their follovvers also affirme that noe man can bynde vs in cōscience by lavve and commaundement yea if it bee good doctrine vvhich is their doctrine as in the nexte booke shal be related Chap. ◠that by Christ and Christian faythe vvee are freed from all obligation of diuine lavves also then the malefactour hathe great scope giuē him to auoyd the Iudges sentēce although the offence be manifest For suppose the Iudge condemne him for transgression of the Princes lavve he may confesse the faulte and cōtemne the sentence And first he may saye that his sentence can not bynde him in conscience to accepte of it bicause by Christe hee is made a free man subiecte in conscience nether to man nor mans lavve nor sentence Secondly he maye confess that he hathe doone contrarie to the kinges lavve and yet plead not guiltie alleaging that the Princes lavve can not bynde him in conscience bicause hee is exempted by Christe from all humaine lavves and commaundements And then hee maye saye that vvhere noe lavve byndes in consciēce there is noe obligation vvhere noe obligation there is noe sinne and soe hee maye confesse the facte and yet plead not guiltie bicause hee sinned not and he may also refuse the punishement by sentence decred bicause vvhere noe sinne is there noe payne is due Or if the Iudge condemne him for breakinge Gods lavve in stealing murdering or such like hee maye confesse like vvise the facte and yet denye the faulte bicause hee is so free that God his lavve also can not bynde him and seing that vvhere noe obligation is there can bee noe faulte bicause euerye sinne is against some bonde or obligation hee maye claime absolution from the payne by the title of innocencie bicause vvhere no sinne is there no paine can bee devve Yea althoughe hee confesse that hee haue sinned vvhich yet hee neede not in transgressing Gods lavve yet hee may escape the sentence by appeale For hee may saye I confesse the faulte for vvhich I ame condemned but I refuse to stande to your sentence I appeale to God let him punishe mee if hee vvill vvhich I knovve not hovve hee can do iustly if I bee free from his lavves in conscience but of your sentence I vvill not accepte and if you vrge mee vvith conscience and alleage that I ame bounde in conscience to stande to your arbitrement bicause you are appointed to do iustice I chalenge Christian freedom by vvhich I ame so free that in conscience I ame not bound to mans lavve nor sentence And if this vvill not serue to free him from the sentence as I see noe reasou vvhy it should not serue then hee may defende him selfe by other opinions of the nevve reformers Hee maye saye that by Luthers and Caluins opinions vvhich are the Patriarches of the reformed Churche See the next booke chap. 6. hee is taught that hee hathe noe free vvill nor choise in anye action vv ch hee doeth vvhether it be good or badde and that therfore the iudge is vnreasonable cruel and barbarous in condemning him for thefte murder or adoultrie vvhich vvas not in his povver to auoyed And as iustly might he condemne him for not flyinge at the Kinges commaundement as for not absteining from murder vvhen ether by anger or desire of mony hee vvas moued thervnto Hee might alleage also for his defence that God moued him vnto those offences vvhich he committed and so forcibly also that hee could not resiste him In the fifte booke chap. 1. for this is Caluins opinion as before is declared yea hee might saye and haue Caluin also for his authour that God vvas the authour and principall agent of the thefte or murder for vvhich hee is cōdemned and that therfore by good consequence hee can not iustly be condemned for that in vvhich God hathe more patte then he hathe and to vvhich he moued him so forcibly that hee could not resiste Vvhat is this then gentle reader but to condemne all Iudges and tribunall seates to stoppe the Iudges mouthe from pronounncing any sentence and to loose the bridle vnto all malefactours vvho may commit vvhat outrage they vvill bicause there is no tribunall vvhich can iustly condemne them and no sentence can be pronounced against them vvhich they may not avoid by Luthers and Caluins doctrine The third Chapter shevveth hovv the former doctrine bringeth all Princes lavvet in contempte A Kingdome is commonly called a body not naturall but ciuil and political vvhose head is the King vvhose eyes are the Kinges counsaylers vvhose body and members are the people and vvhose soule is the lavve For as the natural body of man so soone as the soule hathe lefte it looseth all vitall operation becommeth gaste vgly and deformed devoide of colour and beautie and subiecte to dissolution of all the members by putrefaction So the body of a Kingdome destitute of lavve hathe noe reasonable action or motion bicause it vvantes the rule of the lavve vvhich squareth out all suche operations it loosethe all beautie bicause it vvanteth lavve to set dovvne an vniforme order vvhich is the beautie of all common vvelthes and it tendeth to a dissolution of all the partes and members bicause it is destitute of lavve vvhich is the soule and sinevve vvhich vniteth and knitteth these diuerse partes together Vvherfore Plato sayed that if men vvete lavvlesse and destitute of lavves l. 9 deleg they vvould litle differ from brute beastes and the reason is bicause as I haue sayed vvithout lavves there vvould bee noe reasonable operations nor order amongest men by vvhich especially a societie of men differeth
from a heard of beastes And bicause the olde and ancient sages knevv vvell hovv much it imported to haue lavves in a common vvelthe they deuised meanes to moue the people to a great and highe coÌ„ceite of lavves that they might the more vvillingly embrace them and more diligently put them in execution Zoroastes vvho prescribed lavves to the Bactrianes and Persians made Oromasis the autour of them Trismegistus vvho gaue lavves to the Aegiptians sayed that a God enacted them Minos of vvhoÌ„ the people of Crete receiued their lavves tolde them that Iupiter vvas the inuentour of them Charondas to bring the Carthaginians to a reuerent conceit of his lavves auouched that hee vvas taught them by Saturnus Licurgus vvho ruled the Lacedemonians fathered his lavves vvher vvith hee ruled them vppon Appollo Solon vvho deuised lavves for the Athenians affirmed that they proceeded from Mineruas brayne Plato vvho set dovvne lavves for the Sicilians and Magnesians protested that Iupiter and Appollo had inspired him Moyses vvho promulgated the lavv vnto the Ievves told them that God vvas the autour of them as in deed hee vvas and shevved them a table in vvhich an Angells hand had vvritten them And christe Iesus the authour of the nevve lavve protested that he vvas sent by his father and that the lavve and doctrine vvhich hee preaching vvas not his but his fathers vvhoe sent him And truly good reason had they to imprinte in their subiectes myndes a reuerent conceite of lavves bicause nothing is more soueraine nothing more necessarie in a common vvelth then lavve Lavves are certaine conclusions of the aeâ—ernall lavve of God and nature they are like sinnevves vvhich bynde knitte the subiectes together they are the life and soule of this ciuil body they are rules squares of humaine actions they are bridles and curbes of humaine appetites they are dumme Magistrates vv ch looke to good orders they teach the subiectes their dutie keepe them in avve and order maintein peace vphold iustice reuenge iniuries defend the innocent chastice the nocent praeserue good subiectes from receiuing euil and hinder the bad from offering euil vvithout the vv ch noe discipline can be kepte no good order obserued noe peace established no iustice mainteined Novve let vs see vvhat esteeme the reformers make of lavves and vvhat good counsaile their doctrine affordeth vs to excite and stirre vs vp to the obseruation of lavves l. 4 Inst 〈◊〉 §. 5. Caluin pronounceth thus the lavves of men vvhether they be made by the Magistrate or by the Church although they be necessary to be kepte yet therfore doe they not by them selues bynde in conscience §. 2â— And for an example he affirmeth that the Apostles nether did nor could make any lavve in their first Councel Act. 15. but only promulgaâ—ed the libertie that Christe had giuen and added not as a lavve that bynds but as an admonition §. 27. that of charitie to their vveake brethren they should absteyne from thinges offered to Idols from strangled and from blood And after vvards againe hee repeateth that although it be necessary for gouernment to haue lavves humain and Ecclesiasticall in the Church §. â—â— yet they must not be thought to bynde vs in conscience So that Caluin is of opinion that althoughe the lavves of the Church and of Princes and magistrates ought to be kept for order sake or for feare of offence and scandale yet they binde vs not in coÌ„science And hee giues the reason l. 5. c. â—◠〈◊〉 10. bicause sayeth he If vve once graunte that men can bynde our consciences by their vvill and lavv Christe loseth the thaÌ„ke of his so great liberalitie to vvit in redeeming vs from the bondage of the lavve and our consciences their profit The same is Luthers opinion as is related before in the first Chapter of this booke I vvill not stand novve to refute this paradox partely bicause I haue proued all ready in the place last mentioned that vve are bound in conscience to obey all lavvfull superiours and consequently that their lavves do bynde our coÌ„sciences partelye bicause the absurde sequele of this doctrine vvhich by and by shall appeare sufficiently confuteth it nether vvill I repeate vvhich I haue allready declared to vvit that obligation of lavves is nothing repugnant to Christian libertie bicause vvee are not therfore sayed to bee freed from the yoke of the lavve bicause the lavve bindeth vs not but bicause vvee haue receiued grace from Christe to fullfill the lavve and so it can no more tyrannize ouer vs in commaunding more then vvee are able to performe I vvill therfore dravve to vvards my conclusion vvhich is that the alleaged doctrine of Caluin bringeth all lavves in contempte and looseth the bridle to all malefactours And first of all I must tell Ihon Caluin that in denying lavves to bynde in conscience hee taketh a vvay all lavves bicause it is the essence of a lavv to be able to bynde the subiecte and in this only it differeth from counsale exhortation and admonition Secondly Caluin by this doctrine abrogateth all promises and contractes euen of matrimonie vvhich are particuler lavves And therfore if to saye that lavves bynde in conscience bee to despoile Christe of the honour of a redeemer and man of Christian libertie then is it also iniurious to Christe and mans libertie to be bound in conscience to keepe promises and to obserue contractes euen vvith vviues Thirdly the commauÌ„dement also of parentes and maisters are particuler lavves and consequently vvee are not bound in conscience to obey our masters or pareÌ„tos and so one of the tenne commaundementes must bee blotted out bicause if vvee bee not bound to obeye our parentes vvhich is one of the cheefeste honours vvhich vve can giue them vvee are not bound to honour our parentes Yea by this doctrine it follovveth that the tenne commaundementes bynde vs not in conscience vvhich thoughe our aduersaries vvill not sticke to graunte as vvee shall see in the nexte booke yet vvhoe seethe not vvith vvhat absurditie Lastly at the least vvhich yet is not the least absurditie this doctrine bringeth all lavves in contempte for as the vvilde and vnbroken colte litle careth if you should tye him vvith heares or threedes bicause hee knovveth that suche baÌ„des are not of force to hold him so vvhen men are once persuaded that lavves of Princes bynde them not in conscience they vvill make litle scrouple to traÌ„sgresse them and so lavves are brought into contempte And although feare of the penaltie or punishement vvhich the lavv layeth on them may make them sometymes to keepe them for feare of punishement Yet vvhen they can escape the ministers of iustice eyes or handes or auoid by subtile shifte or open force the payne of the lavve they vvill make noe scruple of transgressing the lavve for vvhy should they make conscience of that vvhich toucheth not conscience But Caluin vvill saye that they ought not vvithstanding to keepe lavves for order sake and
his vvife complaine that hee keepeth not promise vvith her he may ansvver her easilie that if he bee not bounde in conscience to keepe Gods lavve hee is not bounde to keepe the lavve of matrimonie vvhich is but a particuler lavve And if shee replve that god also commaundeth vs to keepe this particuler lavve and contracte hee may tell her that hee confesseth it to bee true but Caluin hathe assured him that Christe hathe freed him in conscience from all obligation of all lavves vvhether they bee humaine or diuine and soe hee is not bound to keepe the lavve of matrimonie and therfore chalenging his libertie he may leaue his vvife as lavvfully and as freely as if he had neuer made her promise bicause noe lavve much more noe promise is able to bynde in conscience In like manner let merchauntes vvho vse to lend mony or to sell of truste and credit looke better about them theÌ„ hether to they haue doone For if noe lavves binde in conscience then contractes also bynde not and so their debters may chalenge the libertie vvhich Caluin hathe giuen them vvhich is not to bee bound in conscience to pay them a penye Vvee must henceforthe also take heed not only of knovven theeues and murderers but of them also that go for honest men yea euen of our necrest and dearest freinds for vvhat should vvith-hold them from doing vs a mischeefe if noe lavv nether of God nor man nor nature bynd them in conscience And so the pareÌ„tes may distruste their children and the children their parentes bicause according to Caluins opinion the one is not bound to the other nether by the lavve of God nor nature The husband must liue allvvayes in iealousie of his vvife and shee of him bicause the lavve of matrimonie according to this opinion bynds not one partie in conscience to keepe touch vvith the other And so by this doctrine noe man in any thing can truste on rely or another but all must liue in feare iealousie and suspicion of others and so they must forsake societies and flye to mountaines and truste rather to beasts vvhome nature vvithholdeth from iniuries then vnto men vvhome according to Caluins doctrine noe lavve and consequently noe conscience stayeth or vvith holdeth from Mischeef By this let the reader take a scantling of this doctrine and tell me vvhether it be like to be of God vvhich is so opposit to all societie vvhich his of God THE SEVENTH BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of the nevv doctrine concerning manners in vvhich it is declared hovv by diuers of their opinions they open the gappe vnto all vice The first Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers take avvay hope of heauen and feare of hell and consequently open the gapp to all vice TVVOE thinges ther are vv ch as firme and constaunte pillers do vphold and susteine all coÌ„mon vvelthes from falling and praeserue vvell ordered societies froÌ„ dissoluing to vvit hope of revvard and feare of punishment Hope like a spurre pricketh forvvard feare like a bridle restraineth hope eggeth onvvard vnto vertue feare pulleth backe from vice hope incites vs to obserue the lavv feare makes vs feare to traÌ„sgresse the lavve Vvherfore Solon the graue lavv-giuer vvas vvont to saye that payne and revvard are the things vvhich keepe all Societies in avve And vvell in deed might he saye so for take avvay hope of revvard and men vvilbe slouthfull and sluggish in the excercise of vertue and laudable actions and take avvay feare of punishment the euil disposed vvilbe as for vvard in attempting of theftes murders treasons treacheries and vvhatsoeuer villanies These tvvoe things so necessarie in a coÌ„mon vvelth Christe vvould not haue to bee vvanting in his Church vvhich is the best ordered common vvealth that euer vvas on earth and therfore he proposeth vnto vs a heauen to hope for and an hell to feare the one to stirre vs vp to all vertuous actioÌ„s the other to deterre vs from all vvicked attempts For although vertue as the Philosopher sayeth be so amiable and so beseeming maÌ„s reasonable nature that if ther vvere noe heaueÌ„ nor noe other revvard of vertue but vertue yet vvee should imbrace it for it selfe and liue chastly for the loue of chastitie iustly for the loue of iustice and temperately for the loue of temperancie and although vice be a thing so detestable filthie Th. 1.2 ◠〈◊〉 art 2. abominable and repugnant to the reasonable parte of man that if ther vver noe hell nor punishment for it yet vve should detest it for it selfe and fly it for the dishonestie vvhich it implyeth yet on the one side bicause vertue is repugnaunte to sensualitie and placed amidde many difficulties like a rose amongest thornes man vvould neuer longe liue vertuously if there vvere no other revvard for vertuous actions then vertues honestie and on the other side vice is so pleasing to sensualitie and so sutable to our corrupt nature that if ther vvere no other punishment to deterre men from it then the dishonestie vvhich is ioyned vvith it fevv or none vvould flye and eschevve it Vvherfore God hathe proposed a heauen to allure vs to vertue and a helle to deterre and scarre vs from vice Mat. 2â— Come sayeth Christe to the good vvhose revvard is heauen yee blessed of my father enioye the Kingdome praepared for you from the beginning of the vvorld Ibidem And in terrible vvords he thundreth out the sentence against the reprobate vvhose punishement is the fier of hell departe from me yee accursed into euerlasting fier vvhich is praepared for the deuil and his angells And that this heauen and the hope of it may the more forcibly moue to good life and obseruation of the commaundementes the holy Scripture settes it forth vvith all the gloriouse titles in the vvorld and euen vvith the names of those things vvhich men moste desire If you desire life heauen is called aeternall life Io. 6 1â— Apoc 4. Sap â—â— Apoc. 22. If you couet reste heauen is a repose after labour If light be gratefull heauen is a perpetual light shining in the faces of the Saincts Luc. 12. If mariadge like you Psal 25. heauen is a perpetual mariadge If pleasure please you heauen is a riuer of pleasure If banquetting be thy desire heauen is a Supper and a great supper Liic 14. vvhere vvith Angells vvee shall by fruition and clear vision satiate our selues in feeding vppon the diuinitie If home be gratefull vnto the heauen is thy countrie Psal 13â— froÌ„ vvheÌ„ce accordiÌ„g to thy soule thou fetchest thy race origin and vvhether thou trauelest so longe as in this vvorld thou liuest vv ch is but a vvaye or Inne noe home nor maÌ„sioÌ„ place If a Paradise vhose name importeth a place of all honest pleasure felicitie delighteth heaueÌ„ is called so Luâ— 2â— vvas by christ him selfe promised to the good theef by no other name Breefly if thou desire a revvard of all thy paines and trauells
Mat. 2â— heauen is the common vvage of all Gods seruauntes a gole to runne at 1. Cor. 9. a crovvne to fight for In like manner to make vs to refrain from sinne for feare of hell Vide Bel. 〈◊〉 l. 4. de Christo c. 10. Auihorem Resolut Angl l. 1. p. 1. holy Scripture giues hell very terrible names and paints it forthe in terrible formes It is called in Greeke and Latin by names vvhich signifie a lovve deepe place vnder the ground in Hebrevve by a name vvhich signifieth a great goulfe The Prophet Malachie calles it a fornace c. 11 14. for the kindling of vvhich the vvicked must be the stravv and fevvel Apoc. 14.21 S. Ihon calles it the lake of Gods ire bicause the anger of God is as it vvere all gathered to that place and there especially is manifested in those exceeding torments yea he termes it also a standing poole replenished vvith fier and Brimston Christe him selfe giues it the name of outvvard Darkeness vvhere shal be vveeping and gnashing of teath Mat. 22. Iob saieth that in that place is noe order but sempiternall horrour 〈…〉 And vvhy dothe scripture so liuely set forthe these tvvo things heauen and hell but bicause God the autour of scripture vvould haue vs hope for the one and feare the other knovving that nothinge beareth greater svvay in the rule and good discipline of a coÌ„mon vvelthe then hope of revvard and feare of punishement For if the hope of temporall honours fame ritches giueth such courage to the harts of men that they vvill ronne thoroughe fier and vvater for the attaining of the same hovve shall the hope of heaueÌ„ and the immortall crovvnes vvhich there are layed vp for vs in store incite vs and egge vs for vvard vnto all laudable actions If Mutius could haue the courage to holde his hande in the fier for hope of temporall renovvne and glorie for such fortitude vvhat fiers and vvaters heat and cold shall not a Christian armed vvith hope of heauen bee able to endure couragiously Shall the souldiour ronne thoroughe the pikes and passe by the cannon mouthe for hope of a spoile or victorie and shall not Christians deuoure all difficulties for hope of heauen And looke hovv much hope eggeth for vvard to laudable actioÌ„s soe much and no less dothe feare restrayne vs from euil and is no lesse necessarie to bridle the licentiouse then hope to animate the vertuouse Vvherefore the ancients so esteemed feare that the citie of Spartha made it a God and dedicated a Temple vnto it as to the preseruer of their common vvelthe But bicause there are diuers kindes of feare it shal be necessarie to distinguish them that vvee may see vvhich is that feare vvhich is so commendable First therfore there is a vvordly and humain feare vvhich is conceued for some temporall euil or humaine respecte and this sometymes is good and sometimes also bad As for example if for feare of the princes displeasure or torment or deathe vvhich hee threatenethe vvee offende God in transgressing his lavv or doing against our conscience this feare is euil and no lesse euil then the sinne of vvhich it is the cause Mat. 2â— c. â—0 This feare made sainct Peter to deny his master vvhich also our Sauiour forbiddeth saying feare not them vvho kill the body that is offend not God for feare of them that can only kill the body but rather feare God vvho can cast bothe body and soule into the fier of hell But if for feare of the magistrate vvee absteine from sinne this feare is not euil and therfore S. Paule bidds vs feare the magistrate Rom. 15. bicause sayethe hee not vvithout cause he caryeth the svvord bicause he is the minister of God Th. 2. â— q. 1â— The second feare is called a reuerentiall feare vvhich proceedeth from a highe conceite of the diuine maiestie Psal 12. and remaineth as Dauid sayeth and that for euer also euen in the blessed For althoughe they be assured that they shall neuer suffer any euil and therfore feare no euil at Gods hands yet vvhen they behold the soueraigne Maiestie of God vvho punisheth the damned and could annihilatethe blessed if hee vvould they conceue a great reuerence vvhich is called reuerentiall feare much like as childreÌ„ vvho are assured that their father vvill not touch them yet conceue a reuerentiall feare at the very sight of him especially if they see him sharpe and seuere vvith his seruauntes The third feare is called filial or childrens feare vvhich maketh vs afrayed to sinne not for feare of punishment but for feare of offending and this feare they haue vvhoe thoughe they vvere sure neuer to suffer punishment nether in this life nor the nexte yet vvould not commit a sinne bicause it is an offence of God vvhich feare is called filial bicause good children are afrayed to do any thing vvhich shall offend their parentes thoughe they vvere sure they should not be punished Of vvhich feare saint Austin discoursing saieth in Psal 113. that othervvise dothe the adulteresse feare her husband othervvise the chaste Spouse she feareth least he come and punish but the other feareth least hee be offended and forsake her The fourthe is called seruile feare vvhich maketh vs to absteine from sinne for feare of hell and damnation vvhich is called seruile bicause it is proper to seruauntes to do their dutie for feare of punishment and this feare in expresse termes the reformers condemne as I shall relate the other feares their doctrine disallovveth But least I may seeme to charge them vvith more then they say I vvill make them speake in their ovvne vvordes their opinion of hope and feare l. â— Inst c. 15. § â— And first of Hope Caluin sayeth plainly that God is not delighted vvith that obedience vvhich the hope of revvard in heauen beateth out of vs in Antid sess 6. Can. â—â— for God sayeth hee louethe a chearfull giuer and forbiddeth any thing to be giuen as it vvere of heauinesse or necessitie So that according to Caluin it is sinne to giue almes or to fulfill the commaundements for hope of revvard in heauen But Caluins reason is as bad as his doctrine For hee proueâ—h it to bee vnlavvfull to bee obedient to God for hope of revvard bicause that is to giue God his devve vvith heauines and yet vvee see that hope is so farre froÌ„ making vs to do thinges heauilie and vvith an euil vvill that it encourageth vs and pricketh vs forvvard vvith a vvilling mynde as is all ready proued experience maye vvitnesse And as for feare of hell â— â— aepud Roff ser 3. pâ—â—nitent Luther coÌ„demnes it euen vnto hell saying that it maketh a man an hypocrite and a greater sinner And as coÌ„cerning the other kindes of feare their doctrine in a manner abolisheth them all They affirme as is before mentioned that noe lavves bynde in conscience vvhence follovve these
them their conscience accused them Gen. 42.44 and made them to confesse that iustly their disignements vvere crossed for the vnkind parte vvhich they had played vvith their brother So that the old prouerb herin is verified conscientia mille testes conscieÌ„ce is a thousand vvitnesses Nether is coÌ„science a lavv and vvitnesse only it is a ludge also vvhich condemneth vs if vve be guiltie and absolueth vs also if vve be innocent and guiltles Cain you see hangeth dovvn his head like a condemned man and confesseth the sentence Iuste only his errour vvas that he appealed not from the tribunal of conscience to the highe Iudge God him selfe vvhoe vvould haue shevved mercie if he had not dispayred of mercie CoÌ„science condemned Manasâ—es Dauid Marie Magdalen and all those paenitent sinners vvhich scripture hathe recorded Psal 50. Luc. 7. and that vvith suche euidence that they confessed theÌ„ selues guiltie and the sentence iust And vvee see by experience that vvheÌ„ vvee seeke to excuse and flatter out selues conscience vvill not be flattred but like an incorrupt Iudge pronouÌ„ceth sentence against vs euen they vvhen before Princes tribunals vvee bee freed and absolued Conscience hauing pronounced sentence like a Iudge executeth the sentence and punisheth vs like an executioner and minister of Iustice causing in our myndes vvher the sinne vvas contriued and conceiued a certain remorse and vvorme of conscience vvhose gnavving tormenteth vs. So that vvhen the soule hathe conceiued sinne and borne it also and brought it to light by external action farre othervvise dothe this impious impe torment her then doth the litle infante the vvoman great vvith childe For the vvoman conceueth vvith pleasure and though she beare vvith payne yet after that she is deliuered brought to bedd she reioiceth and vvithe so ioifull a harte that she forgetteth her paines in bearing But the soule thoughe in coÌ„ceiuing sinne she finde some pleasure yet not vvithout some murmuring and grudging of conscience and vvhen she is deliuered of this bastardly Impe then beginnes her torment Mat. 27. Iudas vvas so invvardly vexed and tormented after he had conceiued and contriued his treason against his louing and Innocent Master that for an ease he vvent and houÌ„ge him selfe counting that a lesse punishment then the torment of conscience And true it is vvhich the scripture sayethe Semper praesumit saeua Sap. 17. perturbata conscientia a troubled conscience allvvayes imagineth cruel and terrible thinges True it is also vvhich Saint Austine affirmeth l. 1. conf c. 12. that euery incordinate mynde is a paine vnto it selfe And true it is vv ch Iuuenal the Poet sayth Prima est haec vltio quod se Iudice nemo nocens absoluitur The guilties first torment is this That neuer he absolued is Satyr 13. If hee him selfe pronounce sentence Vvhich is decreed by conscience But to go no farther experience vvill vvitnes that conscience vvill neuer let a sinner be quiet till by penaunce he hath ridde him selfe of his sinne but vvaking it tormenteth him vvith remorse sleeping vvith fearfull dreames and vvhersoeuer he goeth it putteth hell before his eyes and the seuere Iudgement of God the abomination of the sinne and the greatnes of the offence For as the drounken man drinkes at the first vvith pleasure but vvhen he is drounke his head akes his stomake is oppressed and all his body is distempered so although in the committing of the sinne vve take some pleasure yet vvhen the sinne is committed vve feele the smarte And as the adulterer theefe or murderer after that the facte is coÌ„mitted hathe allvvayes the seuere lavves and punishementes before his eyes and feareth the rumour of the people and censure of the Iudge thinketh euery man that looketh on him ready to arrest him and vvhere meÌ„ are not is a frayed of trees bushes and shadovves so a man vvhose conscience condemnes him of sinne feares his ovvne shadovve the darkenes of the night imagineth that in euery thunder clappe God leueleth at him that euery old hovvse by vvhich he passeth or into vvhich he entereth staieth to make a fall on him surmiseth that in euery bush one lyeth in vvayte to kill him Sir Thom. More in his life King Richarde the third may beare vvitnesse of the torments vvher vvith conscience vseth to afflicte all transgressours for hee after that hee had most vnkindly and traiterouhy butchered his innoceÌ„t Nephevves vvhome he should haue protected vvas alvvayes so troubled in mynd that after that facte hee looked like a madman some tymes laying his hande on his dagger some tymes starting some tymes soodainly looking backe as if hee vvould vvarde some deadly blovve vvhich allvvayes seemed prepared for him Besides all this sinne allvvayes breedeth a vvorme in conscience vvhich is fedd by sinne and neuer leaueth griping and gnavving till sinne vvhich is this vvormes food by penaunce is taken avvay that so the gnavving vvorme may dy for vvante of food and conscieÌ„ce receue ease and be freed from such a torment Novve contraryvvise if conscience finde vs guiltlesse she absolueth vs like a Iudge by sentence and cleareth vs euen then vvhen men condemne vs and declaring invvardly our innocencie before God and our ovvne soule recreateth the mynde and feasteth it vvith a banquet of contentment according vnto that saying Securamens iuge conuiuium Prou. 15. a mynde vvithout care is a continuall banquet This Peace follovveth a good conscience vv ch like a good iudg declareth vs before God not guiltie â— Io. â— So saint Ihon sayeth that if our harte that is our conscience reprehend vs not 2. Cor. 1. vve haue a great confidence in God And sainct Paul sayeth that our glorie is the testimonie of our conscience For althoughe men thinke euil of vs and condemne vs as guiltie yet if conscience cleare vs that is our contentment of mynd and glorye before God l. coÌ„e SecuÌ„d Man c. 1. Vvherfore sainct Austine biddeth the to thinke vvhat thou vvilt of Austine only sayeth hee let not my conscience accuse me before God By vvhich good offices of conscience it appeareth most manifestly vvhat a svvay conscience beareth in the rule and ordering of mans life and actions The Prince and magistrate ruleth only the outvvard man punisheth only our externall actioÌ„s bicause of them only he is able ro iudge but conscience gouerneth bothe the outvvard and in vvard man iudgethe of our invvard actions condemneth them and correcteth theÌ„ most seuerely as is allaeady declared So that he that take the avvay conscience out of the vvorld openeth a vvider gapp to all vice and disorder then if hee should put all Princes and magistrates out of office and take the svvorde from them bicause these being taken avvay yet conscience being left vvee should haue some guide staye of our morall life but if coÌ„scieÌ„ce be abaÌ„doned then haue vve noe ruler nor gouernour of our invvard man yea nor of the outvvard man vvhen ether secrecie promiseth securitie or