to come from god Secondly that we put our trust and confidcÌ„ce in God alone Thirdly that we reste and repose our selues wholy in God the fountaine and author of all goodnesse These foundations being layd then I say it is not only good but also néedeful that we reioyce in our good déedes not with vauÌ„ting Thraso or the glorious hipocrite but in the approbation and comfort of our good Conscience Neyther may the wounded Conscience which is as it were a taste of eternal deth dispaire of saluation because of their heynous sinnes and offences for they haue the merites and death of christ for their refuge and sanctuary For oure heauenly father most tenderly and dearely louing vs hath giuen his onely sonne to the death of the Crosse for vs to obtein saluation he hath giuen him vnto vs by whome he is pleased and reconciled to man the remembraunce of our sins striken out so that we certeinly perswade our self therof and hauing this fayth doe wholy yeld our selues vnto him Hereof speaketh y Apostle if any man sin we haue an adudcase with the father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiatioÌ„ of our sinnes not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole world and that saying is very coÌ„fortable What time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance And again As truely as I liue sayth the lord I would not the death of a sinner but that he should conuert and liue These and such like sentences doe comfort vs against desperation into the which Caine Saule and Iudas by diffidence fel and with an oth God doth assure vs of his loue mercy which whosoeuer dispaireth of he accuseth god of periury being most heynous impiety and donieth Christes sacrifyce to be auaileable to put away our sinnes For our louing God doth principally request this at our hands that we distrusting our selues should trust and commit our selues only to him whose loue and charity toward vs hath appeared aboundantly that he hath geuen his only sonne for wicked and sinfull men for hys enemies whereby he might receiue vs again into his loue gracious sauoure with this fayth and confidence a sinful man may stay himself and assure vnto him moste firme consolations and defence when 〈◊〉 wrastleth with the pauâ—rs and agonyes of sinne death and desperation where vnto often times a man is drawen and tormented as it were of an hangman by his own vnquiet Conscience or by the malicious and guileful temptatioÌ„s of his mortal and capitall enemy the Deuill And these thinges I thought good to commit to writing touching the good and euell Conscience wherein we see that as there is nothing more horrible and peruicidus then the euel Conscience doubting mistrusting and despairing in all things so there is nothing better nor more comfortable then a good Conscience which maketh a man liue euen a blessed life vpon earth and procureth vnto him sincere and perfite pleasure Seing then the commodity of a good ConscicÌ„ce is so great and that no man can haue it vnlesse he liue in his vocation and doe his duety vprightly It standeth euery man vpon to endeuour and bende all his power and streÌ„gth euen vnto the vttermost to satistie and aunswere the same which that I may speake bréefely is to abandon vice and embrace vertue so shal we be partakers of such an inestimable ioy and treasure So shall no good man deuise or practise any fraude or guyle he shall not offer any iniury to his neighbour and so to conclude shal vice be banished and vertues as Religion piety Iustice peace concord and such other like shal spring and florish againe God the author and giuer of all good giftes graunt vs al this excellent treasure that in all our actions we may weigh and consider our Conscience being a dayly and â—omestical Iudge wherby we shal be stayed from committing those thinges whiche offend his high maiestie that so liuing holyly and sincerely in this world we may in the other world come to perfite blisse and immortality FINIS Senecca lib. 10. epist. 11. Cur actions and deeds alwayes vicâ—â—â—d The Conscience in steede of a thousande witnesses â—â—lans conscience is a scoolemester vuto him The veâ—ntion to a corrupt Conscâ—ence Chrisost in psal 50. Bernhardus The desperate ende of 〈◊〉 wilfully agaynst their Conscience Pantalion chron rerum memorabilium Iho. Foxius et alii Herat. lib. 1. epist. Act. 24. Ambrosius in epist ad Constant Seneca epist. 96. After what forte there are two partes of manners Souls Reason Will. Brute beâ—s haue â—â—ythâ—â— ReasoÌ„ ner Wyll but sense Appetite The effecte of Reason The offâ—â—â— why will is â—ysobydiâ—t â—o Reason The Consience in respect of Indgement is placed iâ—â— the minde but in respect of affections motions it is in the hart The opetation of the Conscience The â—â—eâ—â—odot this â—â—â—ca and â—â—â— deuâ—â—â—â—â—ruf a to scrip expressing Conscience Rom. 2. The â—efynition of the Conscience Thre thigs in the minde to be obserued Ondirstaâ—â— ding conâ—emplatyre Aristo li. 1. ethick Sinterisis est habitus innatus coÌ„ seruans principia moralia et practica sicut Sinesis conseruat principia specu labilia Iudgement or decermâ—nation Examples plainely expressing this matter Oedipus The ground of Ezechias his consciâ—net Dauid 1. Sa. 24. Riuiuâ— lib. 1. de conscientia hausit ex Augustino Riuius lib. de consc dissentit ab omnibus aijt enim conscientiam ponere complectioneÌ„ in Syllogismo practico Causes why diuers men be of dâ—uerse CoÌ„sciences The things which Conscience chife in respecteth Defynytyons of the good Conscience Of bewty and strength Of Nobility The abuse of power auttoryty True glory Iob. 19. Plato primo de repub Sophocles Oedipus Erinnius The difinion of an eâ—uel Conscience 〈…〉 Tiberius Caligula Nero. Richard the third Polidorus virg angli hist lib. 25. Adam Eue. Iosephâ—s bretheren Iudas Pro. 17. An vnquiet Conâ—tience hasheneth old age sycknesse An euell Conscience â—â—ayde of â—â—ery blaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 The horcor of an euell Conscience All yartes shal be â—eâ—cd and tormented in Apell An exhortationte beware of an euell Conscience The Soâ—ace and comforâ— of a good Conscience Cato The part of a iudge The part of a Counseller and Captayne The office of good Lawyers Papinianus Sir Iames Hales Spotlers oâ— the church In whome the property of church goods doth teste Backbiters and sclaunderers of the ministetye The office and duty of Patronâ— toward their wards Of the mariages of wardes Of byâ—ts scllers Agaynst rash and bayn swearing The Godles sleights and â—iftes of many to illude the it othes Anniball Cleomenes A popishe Prelates feaude 〈…〉 Ottho Phringen sis Of the Gâ—â— bouites Ambroci us in offi Lauaterus in Ios 9. P. Martir in 2. Sam. 21. The perittry of the 〈◊〉 August dei viu ita te dei lib. cap. 22. Camillus Iustinius liber 38. The late tragical delinges in â—â—aunce The law dem to supplyantes to such as yeld them selues in war. Pausanias in Acha. Conquestes ought to haue modetation as a companion Mimus Ageselaus The property of the Lyon. SigismuÌ„d S. Augustine Antigonus Hier. in 17. Ezeh The king of denmark his pollicy Peter Arrogon A. Commodus Carolus septimus Gal rex Nothing is protitable rule vnlest it be honest Aristidea Themistocles F. Camillus â—â—râ—otes vertues The proper and especial notes and signes of Papistes Periury aâ— deyuâ—us ofâ—â—â—uce The definion of an oth Of synners iudutate past grace Examples of Princes and people punished for their periury Carthage Philip. Engenius Pope of Rome and Lewis king of Hungaria Whether is be enough for men to rest vppon their Conscience The true ground and foundation of a good Conscience Doubtfulnes of the conscience â—angerous Policarpus Chrisost God inâ—â—â—â—â—ted 〈◊〉 by degrees Numa Pompilius Two 〈◊〉 tyons the first agaynst bayn confideÌ„ce in one own ryghteousenesse Agaynst sorrow and dispayre of an affâ—eted Conscience The coucinsion
know sayth he that my redeemer liueth and that I shall rise agayne at the last day and shal be compassed agayn wish my skinne and shall see god in my flesh Ioseph that Godly and chaste young man being chayned in she stockes what solace had hee in the déepe dungeon but his sincere mind and vnspotted Conscience And euen so it was with Eliazarus with Paule and with all the Apostles in their distresse for Eliazarus sayth O lord I am piteously tormented in my body but I willingly suffer all these thinges for thy names sake Paule being certified by Agabus of the afflictions which he should suffer at Ierusalem I â—â— he am ready not only to be bound but also to suffer death for the name of the Lord Iesus The Apostles likewise being scorged for preaching the Gospel Went away with Ioy that they were found worthy to beare infamy for the name of the Lord Iesus The principal cause of these thinges was doubtlesse a good conscience which writeth sorrowe into ioy calamity to felicity and to conclude death into lyfe it selfe OF THE EVELL AND CORrupt Conscience AS THERE IS IN GOD that supreme and nigh maiest is of God a wisedome descerning betwene good euil things and also a will wishing goodnesse with a deuine delectation pleasure contrariwise nylling that which is naught and with great indignation and anger reiecting and punishing the same Euen so hath he created the lyfe of man that there shoulde be certaine lawes as it were notices or admonitions of the mind commaunding thinges honest and forbidding the contrary besides these he hath appointed magistrats that they should defend the good and punishe the euill And to this ende were thinges thus ordered and disposed in the creation that men might learne that there is both a God being a wise and iust Iudge and there withall that manne should knowe and perceyde himselfe to be the ymage of God whome he ought to imitate and followe For God is neyther knowne of heauen nor of earth of plants neyther yet of beastes although they obey him in theire kinde but Aungelles and men onely hath he so created that he might he obeyed knowne worshipped of them and that they being fashioned lyke vnto God might not pyne away and dye wyth impietie and vexation of minde but hauing their hartes agréeable to right reason and iudgement might reioyce in good actions as well before as after the facte But in this corrupt and wounded nature mans hart burneth as it were wyth flames méere contrary to right iudgement and at the first trembleth not to runne into mischiefe Nowe for that it concerneth Gods iustice to punishe and route out obstinate and rebellious natures therefore hath he conioyned the dolor and anguishe of the Conscience following wicked and mischeuous deedes that might as it were an hangman punishe and execute offenders And although this sorrowe he somewhat dull nowe and then in persons yet at the last God doth so kindle it in the wicked that they tremble and quake and are oppressed as it were with the noyse of the thunder as it is sayde in the Psalme In thy anger thou shalt vexe and trouble them Whereof Plato wryteth excellently in this wise When an euill man draweth towarde his ende he is sodainely striken with a foure and care of such thinges as he once thought not of before and those talke of Deuils of Hell and of paynes which the wicked suffer there where of he made a scoffe and stale iest doe then miserablye encoumber his minde wherby he faleth into an examination of his former life And recording his vile and filthy actes hee is quyet neyther waking not sleeping often times he sturteth in his sleepe as it were a fearefull childe out of his dreame and so lyuing awhyle he droupeth away in euill hope Sophocles wryteth that Oedipus beyng olde and blynde was ledde to Athens by his daughter Antigona Who dying there was buried in the Temple of Erinnyus By the which fable he signifieth the vnquiet Conscience at the hower of death of all such as haue ledde an vnhonest lyfe For Erinnyus by interpretatioÌ„ are nothing else then contentious perturbations of the minde by reason of an euill Conscience which alwayes wayte vpon vnhonest actes and déeds And they are sayd to be mindestill for that condigne punishment for sinfull actes are neuer forgotten whiche although they be for a time prolonged yet this is the very property and effect of Eriunius that when mischiefe and payne is least looked for then it falleth moste gréeuously Thus much I thought good to note touching the occasions of doloures and gréefe in the euell conscience now lette vs consider the difinition of the same An euell Conscience is a heauy and vexing motion of the hart conioyned with perfect knowlege of a detestable fact For assuredly furies doe alwayes pursue and chase the wicked not with burning torches and fire brandes as inter Iudes and playes sette out but with horâ—â—res of Conscience and anguish of minde wayting alwayes vpon mischieuous men euen as the shade we foloweth the body not suffering them to beeath and as it were to pause one â—â—â—iuente from trembling and feare And for this cause onely Seneca commendeth that saying of the â—pienre The gilty man may happily hide himselfe sometime but he hath no assured confidence to escape Whiche thinges as they are true so are they confirmed with Histories throughâ—ute all tymes and ages Tacitus reporteth that Tiberius vexâ—d with such tormentâ—a 〈◊〉 vnto the Senatâ— in this wise What should I write vnto you my Lordes or how should I write or rather what shoulde I not wryte I at this instant All the Gods of heauen at ons rather distroy the then to pine awaye dayly thus as I doe Such plagues and tormentes had Tiberiâ—s inwardly by his monstrous â—dings Neyther is that â—odnâ— the purpose which a certayne man vtâ—ered If the wicket of Titaunts minds might be vnlocked â—â—midsi shoÌ„ld 〈◊〉 see their mangled woundâ— for as it fareth with the body by reason of â— stripes and blowes euen so it the minde at â—oil resite and torne with cruelty filthy lust fâ—â—udo malice and such like For 〈◊〉 Tiberius had â—o wante of anyâ— worldly thinges â—â— that might serue to solace and comford 〈◊〉 afflicted mind yet was he hot able by any of meanes to ease or consâ—ate the tormentes â—â— and paynes of his Conscience Suetonitis wryteth of Caligula who seemed neyther to care for God nor man yet at the least roumbling and glauneing of thundering and lightning he would winke and couer hys face when with greater terror heauen and earth seemed both to shake to burne with fâ—â—e he woulde runne into corners and hyde himselfe The same Author also noteth home Nero after he had murdered his naturall mother was so greeuouslye veâ—ed in conscience that he could not be coÌ„forted neyther with ioyfull showâ—es and acclamations of the
surnamed the Delair more discretely handled the matter who in that tottering time of his country abstayned for a season from fight with Hannibale nothing accoumpting of the peoples obloquies who called him a timerous man and a towarde being in déede a right valiaunt man and a stoute warriour but contented himselfe with the â—mer consideration of his own counsailes of whome Ennius writeth thus Vnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem Non ponebatenim rumores ante Salutem And assuredly if Fabius had not so done the state of Rome had then vtterly ben subuerted And therefore hee rested vpon his owu Conscience and not vpon populare rumoures liked rather that men should spèake euell of his wise regimente then with their fauourable acclamations to cast away himselfe and indanger his country The Sages of the Lawe beinge called togiue out their opinions and spéeth nyther touching the righte iudgement of cases or of factes and déedes done maye not séeke to speake pleasantly but sincerely they ought not to disprayse thinges commendable nor commend thinges blameable no not if hée be allured to the one with hope of great fauour and gayne or drawen from the other with greate terrors and daungers Suche a Lawyer was Papinianus of the Emperoure Antonius his counsayle who being desired afterward with terrible threats commaunded to defend the Emperours tyranous facte in murdering his yong brother Geta euen in his mothers lappe was willing rather to abide death theÌ„ to speake thinges contrarie to the law of nature and of al nations answering Antonius franckly O Emperoure it is more easie to commit paricide then to defend it Suche another Lawyer was sir Iames Hales knight one of the iustices of the common place who being called by men of great power might to subscribe vnto a deuice for that dissenheriting of the then Lady Mary Lady Elizabeth would in no wise neither by curteous nor seuere spéeches be broughte vnto it And afterwarde in the dayes of bloude when all his fellowes changed their coates he at a quarter sessions holden in Kente followed the lawe and gaue charge vpon the statutes of King Henry the eyght and Edward the sixt in derogation of the primacy of the Church of Rome For whiche cause his former fidelity forgotten he was committed to pryson and there so terrifyed by the bloudy Priestes that he also at the last would shew himselfe a conformable man whereby he was brought into the Quéenes presence and receiued wordes of grace and comfort but alack whiles he obteyned this he loseth gods grace and his guiding spirit and the Diuell that capitall and auncient enimy of man leadeth him vnto a shallowe brooke within halfe a mile of his own dwelling where he hauing no doubte a gauled Conscience for the shipwracke of his fayth lay downe groueling and with muche laboure drowned him selfe His laste fal and punishment succéeding the same doeth pythily enough perswade men to auoyde such declinations from Iustice and to contend with al their powers and might to imitate the former notable and worthy déede of his in pronouncing what law and equitie required euen to those that then were mighty and malicious enemies of the same Those that be in authority and vse the same to hale and pull from the ministerye landes and possessions giuen and left to the Church by the liberality of our forefathers cannot but haue an vnquiet Conscience which albeit for a time it seeme to sleepe yet it will wake at the laste and to their great vexation will sette before their eyes their rapine and spoyle in degree nothing behinde detestable Sacrilege Their Conscience will one day tell them that whereof now they cannot be ignorant that these thinges were geuen of old toward the conseruing of religion and to the needeful vses of the Church to mainteyne Pastors Preachers Doctors and interpreters of Gods law to bréede and bring vp yong Plantes that may in time become fruitefull trees in Gods orcharde as well in preching pure doctrine as in confounding heresis And to conuerte suche thinges to satisfie priuate auarice rape greedines vanity what other thing can it be then moste horrible impiety and wickednes It auayleth them very litle to say that those goods haue béene abused or that in the beginning they were dedicate to idolatrous vses it is an old and good saying propter abusum res non tollenda that thinges necessary and profâ—table are not to be taken away for the abuse sake only And if we haue thought it hereto fore vnlawful vngodly to abuse the goods of the Church in pompe and pleasure as in déede they haue béene which all good men lament let vs think it more intollerable impius to make those things priuat which before were publique and to transferre them from deuine to prophane vses Touching the exchange of the possessors Luther that worthy man was wont fynely to say that these goods were sometime geuen to Asses and Swine meaning rude monkes and Godlesse Epicures and now at the last they returne to like persons agayne surely he spake rightly for excepte a fewe such goods haue ben a pray to hunters foulers and such like But God such is his righteous and iust dealings although secrete suffereth not these breakers of deade mens wils and testamentes to haue theirs performed For commonly suche fathers doe deliuer like children who being Coggers foysters and at the last banckeroute inioy not commonly in the third dissente goods so racked and drawn together As for their dedication to prophane vses it is no new obiection And the aunswere shapen of olde maye yet serue to wit that idolatry ceassing those goods ought to bee imployed to the vse of Christes church euen as Constantine the Emperour tooke the ecclesiasticall gooddes of the Donatistes and bestowed them vpon the Catholick church wherof when the Donatistes complained as of great wrong and iniury offred by the catholiques S. August afterward defended the fact and aunswered them That those goods in déede were the churches and might well by the superiour maiestrate bee taken from those that were no members of the same and restored to the right owners to wit the Church onely These possessions and donacions then do appertaine neither to the Prince nor to the Priest nor to the people perticulerly but to the whole church and their property cannot by any meanes be chaunged Ioseph bought all the substaunce of the Egiptions to the house of Pharao but the landes and fieldes of the Priestes he touched not Gen. 47. The reason is giuen in another place That amongs other priuileges of the clergy their goods should neuer be allienated from them for that their groundes are a perpetuall possession Num. 25. Therefore the blessed martir Laurence led by y holy ghost would not deliuer Decius the Emperoure the treasure of the Church These gréedye worldlinges when the matter will not support then turne to the persons and they saye that ministers are
idle and liue without laboure that they are couetous and ambicious therfore the lesse portions will serue them and thereby their mindes will not be so busied about worldly affaires and therewithall they ought to be contente for humility and pouerty say they is the preachers profession and such doth our sauioure pronounce blessed and happy What idlencsse and wante of laboure honest ministers liue in God knoweth but it may truely be sayd of moste of them that their study which Epicures call idlenesse consumeth the strength of the body and weareth the very soule as all that put the same in vre can testify And as for the Auarice and couetousenesse of the Preachers let that fault touch some but it cannot bée verifyed of the moste part For dayly experience in the country abrode letteth them see ministers widdowes and orphaynes to haue scarce sufficient to pay their creditors and to hire them a cotage to hide them in from storms and tempestes be it that a few of the clergy in place of honor prouide better But not onely the poore country minister but also the doctor in the Cathedrall Churches haue lefte those whome God willed them to care for in no better estate then I haue sayde power and hability not seruing them any better Is this theÌ„ that great gréedinesse which so much greeueth these contemners of Gods worde and of his ministers Now in that they will haue ministers and preachers to follow with Friers wilfull pouerty besides that they do violence to the holy scripture which speaking of a Christian and Godly life generally these good men forsoth maye not abide that those precepts should be extended to their bellies but to the pore ministers only they also folow Iulian the Apostate who taking from pore Christians their goods and liuinges told them that it was theire profession if a man tooke their coates to giue him their cloakes also with suche prety conceites doe these Hypocrites sporte them selues and spoyle the pore ministery of their dew and lawfull liuelehode But some forsooth can not abyde suche extremity they will haue the teÌ„poralities only as they cal them that is they wil haue the Royaltie the ministers shall haue necessaries And would god they would leaue Christes church but to serue euen necessities but according to the commoÌ„ proueth They giue a flee and take a Cammell they leaue a louse and take an horse It were good for them to haue in remembraunce the old saying It is a destruction for a man to denour that which is sanctified and after the vowes to inquire Pro. 20. Of the which you may réede further in Moyses and Mala Leuit. 22. Mala. 11. Those that haue the Tutell or wardship of yong Gentlemen oughte to vse their landes and liuinges and chiefely their Pupils in good education as they may with a sincere Conscience giue a reckening thereof another day both before God and man But nowe a dayes the number is greate of those that more respect their owne gayne then the good guyding of their pupilles so that simple and weake infancy wanteth not her vnderminers Demostenes complaneth muche of his Tutors that they suppressed his parentes goods guilefully and respected nothing his good education Such a Tutor was Richard duke of Gloucester of whose life and death I haue spoken somwhat therefore wil be the shorter in this matter It is much to be lamented that wardes in England are as commenly bought and solde as are brute beastes and Cattell and vngodly mariages often times made betweene eyther infantes or such as be of teÌ„der yeares who before they come to theire mature time of discertion are led by other mens eyes and hartes to that will they nill they which liketh not them but their Guerdons Tutors Whereby it fauleth out most commonly that those that are linked together in such wise with formal matrimomes and ceremoinall rather then materiall doe not loue but mortally hate and detest ech other whome neuer liking loue of lawful matrimony but greedy gain forcibly coupled and comoyned Dayly deuorces and often murders iusuing suche supposed mariages in this our country sheweth forthy incommodity of the same but especially is most lamentable that our law is nere repugnaunt to the dinne law which in semblable cases permitteth to ech party frée election but there is good hope that such as be in authority wil also reform this thing so farre out of all good forme Their diuers and sundry good prouisions in all other matters biddeth vs lóoke for the liâ—e in this which God graunt To descend to lesse matters let men in bying and selling respect their Conscience and not follow peruerse custome let them thinck that there is no good gayne where playne dealing hath no place And to omit those that sell not their wares according to their valure but for as muche as they can doe we thinck that those men respect theire Conscience that mingle their wares and corrupt the same For example y Wâ—ther selling wine with-water for pure wine cousloring els mingle his wines cannot haue herein a good and honeste meaning Anacharsis sayd truely the Market to be a set place for Fraude and Rapine meaning that men in buying and selling had no respecte of a good Conscience It were needeful in contractes for men not onely speak to nothing sauing truth but also that they coÌ„ceile not from the byer any faultes of such thinges as they sell We must no doubt decline from al things that agree not with the internal iudgemeÌ„t of the conscience therefore Vâ—pâ—an in the Digestes writeth grauely That euen the lawe of nature commaundeth vs not to increase our substance with other mens losses But those men are much worse who in their othes vse against al right iudgement a kinde of peruerse subtilty and wilynesse not onely abusing their Conscience but scorming Gods holy name Such fraude was practised by one of those ten captiues whom after the fiew foughten at Canmas Anniball sent to Rome for the exchange of Prisoners taking their oath only for their returne who wheÌ„ they had taken their loue of Anniball and departed the Campe one of them by and by retourneth back saying that hée had forgotten somthing behind him and supposing by that sleight his oth to bée satisfied hée spéedeth him self in his iorney and ouertaketh his fellowes before night Now when these ten could not draw to any Conclusion in the Senate house they al retourned to Anniball sauing that one who thought that by such guilful meanes he had discharged himself Which thing when the Senate had knoledge of they caused him to be apprchended and sent vnto Anniball Cicero sayth that this was an illusion and no good interpretation of his oth for fraud and Guile doth bynde and not disolue penurye It was then nothing else but a péeuish wilinesse peruersly imitating Prudence and Wisedome Anniball himselfe at what time hée had taken truce with the Romaynes for forty dayes
of Suppliants written amongst the alwes of Heralds they adiorned vnto them many Princes and people in amitie friendshippe But peraduenture some will aunswere that the french Catholiques did not breake any law of armes in vsing pollicie against their enmmies for saint Augustine in hys questions vpon Iosua sayth When warre is iust lawfull he swerueth not from iustice that pursueth his enimies either by strength or pollicy And euen so Antigonus when one asked him howe he shoulde deale with hys enimies answered Eyther with fraude or dinte of sworde eyther openly or secretly And Virgil. Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat Saint Hierome alleageth that verse as seculer but liketh very well therof so farre forth as no fayth troth geuē be byolate But I thinke the word Dolus in the verse to be taken of honest and lawfull pollicies in war And that all subtill cauilátions fraudes and periuries are excepted For the word no doubt signifieth Prudens Stratagema The king of Denmarck vsing fraud and periury agaynst his subiectes is much discommended for that when hee coulde not bring in by maine might certaine pernicious outlawes and pirates hée brought it to passe by pollicy for he pretending open war agaynst forreyn enimies sommoned his men os war to come and serue him and among the rest sent also vnto those theeues both graunting them pardon for all theire offences committed agaynst him and also promised them for their seruice large and liberall wages And when they were commen he straight way put them to death Such pollicyes hauing periury anexed vnto them ought to be detested of al good men and chiefly of Princes whome verity and constancy in words of promises haue alwayes singulerly commended The french Stratagemes are not much vnlike the danish dealings sauing the their pertury was more heynous in Fraunce for that the aduerse part were already come in and had layd down their arniour and weapon and had on their part giuen out infallible and euident signes of their loue and fidelity to their Prince The cruell deede of Peter Arrogon is much detested who slew eyght thousande french men in Cicil for that they had surprised that I le in his abscnce and yet he excercised his cruelty vpon forreyners and straungers but these vpon their own nation and nere kinsnien They seemed to haue set before their eyes the dissimulation of Antonius Cōmodus whose maners they haue exactly expressed For when he was wearyed with filthy pleasures where 〈◊〉 he was exceedingly geuen lest he mighte séem◠to spend tune in dooing nothing hee deuysed with him selfe how he might murder the Nobles of his Empire especially he caused one Iulianus to be slayn suddenly and horribly in his bedde and yet in the sight of men he woulde kisse and embrace him calling him his sweete hart and welbeloued father Or hapely they looked nerer home and bchelde the pollicies of some of their Auncestors We reade of Charles the vy king of Fraunce that after long and greeuous troubles in that country he entered into league and affinity with the duke of Burgondy and promised most constantly to bury all auncient quarrels and grudges ther vpon they both receiued at the priestes handes the host consecrated as the manner was in those dayes in confyrmation of their othes and promyses yet notwithstanding when as the sayd king hadde inuited the duke to come to Montrell pretending to entertayne him most frendely and to exhibit vnto him spectacles and triumphes he suffered the duke to be murdered vppon the bridge there as they werein communication together Some may aunswere that how these men kept their fayth they wil not examin but by these doinges there followed tranquility and quietnesse vnto those Regions and country I answere let it be so accounted for y presēt time but if we cōsider the consequence of such truce breakings immayne cruelties we shall finde in the ende vtter subuersion to haue ensewed greate houses and families therefore Surely all good men imbrace that saying There is nothing profitable vnlesse it be also honest And therefore Aristides did openly in the audience of the people reiecte the polliticke counsell of Themistocles concerning the burning of the Lacedemonians Nauy because being profitable it was not thoughte honest Furius Camillus receiued not the children of the Lords of Phalice betrayed to him by their Schoolemaster but stripped him naked and deliuered him to be whipped home wyth roddes by the same Chyldren Kingly vertues in times past haue bene reported to be these Iustice gentlenesse and clemencie but crueltie and outrage haue bene misliked Scipio hath in all ages bene praysed who was wonte to say that he had rather saue one citezen then sley a thousand enimies which sentence the Emperour Antonius surnamed Pius did often repeate Contrariwise it was a shamefull byworde vsed against yong Tiberius to be called Clay tempered with bloud It is no sufficient allegation to say that kings haue absolute power of lyfe and death ouer their subiectes There cannot be alleaged anye greater authoritie then that the Dictators hadde at Rome in whome was the soueraigne power of peace and warre and of lyfe and death and that without appeale Yet might they not execute a Citisen hys cause vnheard and without condemnation by order of law Onely murderers and théeues doe take awaye mens lyues without order of law without hearing the partie pleade his cause and to speake for hymselfe but what neede many wordes It is cléerer then the noone day that cruelty periurie and filthie adulterie are the verie proper noates and badges of Papistes in these our dayes It is much to be lamented that the noble and famous Nacion of Fraūce shold learn of Pope and Turck vnto whom they linck themselues in legue to care for no promise fayth or oth and I pray God in the ende they be not scourged by Antichrist whom they trust and distrust God with whome whiles they seeke to concerue peace and concorde they cānot chuse but be at discord and open warre with god The old Poets doe feine that the proud Giauntes waged battaile agaynste heauen whereby they ment vndoubtedly those that despise laws and breake their oaths most blasphemously abusing Gods name And those that easily commit such offences the Deuel doth wholy possesse their harts by litle and litle and bréedeth in thē a deadly hatred against God wherby they ronne into foule and heynous facts and so at the laste fall into tragicall paynes both in this world and in the world to come Which the Poets ment also to expresse in Iupiter his conquests ouer the sayd Giauntes called Philegians who were caried quick to Hel with a floud sent out by Neptune of whom Uirgil writeth thus Phlegiasque miserrimus omnes Admonet et magna testater voce per vmbras Discite insticiā moniti et nō temnere diuos How gréeuously and odiously men doe prophane Gods
name by periury it will playnely appeare by the difinition of the same An oath is an asueration of a thing possible and lawfull made with the inuocation of Gods name wherein we pray God to caste downe vpō vs his malidiction vengeance if in swearing we say vntruth or wittingly willingly break our oth In bare and naked promises wherein we promise to doe truely it is sayd Let your communication bee yea yea and nay nay but of oathes there are seuere preceptes Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thine oath to God Wherevnto he aodeth a fearefull Communication For the lord wil not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vayne There is no doubt but Gods maiestie and name is wonderfully abused when men ronne into wilfull periury For in that we cal vpon him to be our witnes and Iudge Our wilfull periury denieth him to be a true witnes argueth him of falsehode procureth his plagues and bindeth vs by our owne mouthes to abide the same There can then no greater contumely be done agaynst God nor no more gréeuous crime committed by man then wilfully to make a mock and by word of Gods name where vnto if men adde wilful murder and shedding of innocent bloude they must néedes fill vp euen to the brimme the measure of iniquitie Such men are vngraciouslye ledde and drawne to punishment and vengeance so that among such transgressors you shall skarce finde one that hath in this worlde escape the reuenging hande of almightie God as we may plainly sée by Caine Saule Richarde king of Englande the thirde of that name and infinite other examples Hereof the Poets haue written thus 〈◊〉 Ah miser si quis primum periuria celat Sera tamen tacitas pena venit pedibus The former examples are speciall but when we beholde things more publike and generall we sée a more sorowfull Tragedie For we may reade of them est noble and floorishing Famelies of Princes to haue beue vtterlye rooted vp for wicked murders and periurie And so God doth shewe himselfe to be a defender and conseruer of iustice and pull it ike order and that his pleasure is that the inteynall mocions of mannes mynde shoulde conforme themselues to the working of Gods spirit and also that the external members should be kept within the compasse of good lawes and regiment Which whosoeuer haue broken they haue alwayes bene accounted factious seditious periured and men noted otherwise with vile reproches and infames Such men were the Carthaginenses reputed who vnconstant and slypping in in all their wordes and promises sought still by guylefull and craftie interpretations to illude their othes who at the last being vtterly subdued and their citie sticke and stone consumed euen to the grounde with fyre doe bidde vs beholde the ende of leuitie and periurie Philyp of Macedonia was wont to playe with his fayth as children doe with stickes which was the cause as the wise Ethnickes thought of the suddayne and straunge ruine of all his posterity for within twelue yeares after his son Alexander in the floure of his time died either with poysō or with immoderate drink whose mother wife and two sonnes were murdered of his Nobles neither was ther found anye Patrons of so royall a famely And in our fathers dayes Lewis king of Hungaria induced by Eugenius bishop of Rome brake the league which hee hadde made with Amaruthes the great Turcke and drew that Tirant to bend all his power agaynst Christendome being at that time otherwise busied in the east in which warre Lewis the king with the greater part of his army miserably perished the smart whereof not onely Hungaria feeteth but all Christendome lamēteth at this day And to omit those thinges that histories recorde many examples as well priuate as publique daily experience in mans life do verify the same whereof it came to passe that the old writers appoynted certayne Gods to be reuengers of periury and Homecide For they beholding such dayly examples not without greate admiration iudged that those thinges came not to passe by chaunce and at aduēture but that some diuine power was especially appoynted to be the punisher of Periury wilful murther And hitherto I thought in some priuate callings and condicions of mans life to poynt out as it were with the finger the ioy and solace of a pure and sinerre Conscience and the endlesse vexation and sorrow of the contrary now I will discend to certein questions which men commonly moue about mans Conscience It is demaunded commonly whether an erring Conscience deeth condemne man That is to say whether mans will sweruing and discenting from reason dceriued condemneth a man we must obserue that it is the part of Reason to giue light vnto Will wandring in darrknesse and grosse ignorannce and therefore Wil discenting from Reason disceiued must néedes offend and doe wickedly Hée doth euill I say not in his own nature but because the Conscience so iudgeth of it self albeit it be perfite and good And therfore the diuines playnly affirm that Will discenting from Conscience and Reason whether she be sincere or corrupt in what kind of action soeuer she be busied whether they be good euell or indifferent shée offendeth and committeth sinne And from hence is derided the solucion of that question Whether the Conscience erring excuseth That is whether the Wil consenting with Reason swaruing from truthe offendeth for if Will discenting from Reason deceaued transgresse surely it must néedes folow that the same consenting with Reason doth not offend For of thinges contrary there follow contrary sequelles as not onely Cicero but the Logitians generally and experience prooueth We must herein obserue that as a séemely and comly body is so called when there is right shape and composition of all the reste of the members of mans body and it is the named euell fauoured if in any one hmme or ioint there be nay thing vncomly crooked or lawe euen so that is only accounted good which is absolute and consumate in al partes and so it is named euell when any litle thing wanteth to the perferfection thereof or to speake playnly and briefely Euell proceedeth of special vices and defects but goodnesse of that which is on euery side without fault or blemishe So y in this matter it is enough if either the Will be corrupted or Reason which is the guide and ruler of Will. But this thing wil be playn by the apposityon of an example Those that did both curse the Apostles of Christ committed thē to prysō minding to execute them with most paynfull deathes thought that they offered a most acceptable sacrifice to God euen as Christ himselfe beareth witnesse The time shall come sayth he that whosoeuer killeth you shal thinck he doth GOD good seruice These mens reasons and vnderstanding was merueylously shadowed with darcknes and error and yet their will and intelligence did concurre together And Paule himselfe when
he persecuted the Church of Christ and cast his seruaunts into bondes had a Will obedient to Reason wandring in great darcknes And yet that Apostle afterward confesseth that albeit he did that ignorauntly through vnbeliefe yet that hee gréeuously offended God albeit through repentaunce he afterward obteyned Gods mercy For God doth easily and soone forgiue simply ignorance repenting the fault and where mallice and wilfull will wanteth the faulte is reputed lesse in Gods sight I will not haue any man mistake me as though I thought that any kinde of ignoraunce should eyther excuse a man or be accounted tollerable in Gods sight For without doubt all kinds of ignoraunce are blame worthy Else the law in Moyses shold seeme to bee in vayne appoynting a sacrifice to be offered vnto God for ignorance Nu. 15. but my meaning is that ignorantia facti as they terme it wanting negligence and security may seeme to haue some probable excuse And touching Paules error it had a show of probability and likelihoode It was written by Moyses that if any Prophete did arise teaching thinges contrary to the lawe he should out of hand be stoned to death that Iesus was such a one Paule herd by the reports almost of all men and that hee was for that cause by the Priests Scribes Pharisies Seniours and by consent of all the people apprehended accused founde gylty condemned and finally crucified for he neuer herd nor sawe personally Christ neyther any of his Apostles teaching or worcking of myracles Paules error therefore did arise as wel in respect of the matter as of the person Wherein his minde and Reason drowned in ignoraunce haddâ— an agréeable wil whereby as hee offended yet that came not to passe by wilfull ignoraunce but by a zealous study of the law couered with simplicity as him selfe to Timothy witnesseth The scolasticall diuines doe also moue another question whether the Conscience bindeth That is whether a man ought to doe al thinges that his Conscience mooueth him vnto Moreouer if it happen Conscience and the superiour maiestrate to prescribe things mere coÌ„trary they ask which of them a man ought to obey and followe Wherein this is commonly theire iudgement that the Conscience is alwayes to be moderated and directed by Gods word wherevnto if it bee agreeable and consouant yet it bindeth a man no more then it was before bound by the eternall word of god And therefore such Conscience is alwayes to be followed and obeyed But if it doe prescribe any thing meere contrary vnto the same word then it is to be corrected and amended For if the least Scruple remaine in the minde whether a man doe according to the mocion of his Conscience or against it bee sinneth gréeuously For in dooing the one a man sinneth agaynste Gods law and in dooing the otheÌ„r thou also offendest For although the deede in it selfe be good in Gods sight yet man doth it doubtingly whether it be good or no which doubt and staggaring of the mind is offensiue condemneth a man Hereof the Apostle pronounceth him blessed that doth not coÌ„demn himselfe in that he aloweth Ro. 14. In which sentence he telleth vs y sâ—ée may not dee any thing which leaueth behind it a doubt or remorse of Conscience for hée that doubteth and yet goeth through wyth the matter doe most playnely centrinne God. And moreouer whiles that hée doth a good thing doubting with in him selfe whether it be so or nay he giueth iuste occasion for all men to iudge that hée would also not stick to doe mischiefe if eccasion serur So it commeth to passe that the thing which is not euell in it selfe is yet by doubting euel to him shat doth it and his own Conscience accusing him will pronounce sentence agaynst him For this cause it is rightly said that if Reason erring and deceiued doeth prescribe and appoynt any thing as Gods hestes and yet not so in déede that then if the Will doe neglectt Reasons commaundement it is as great an offeÌ„ce as if a man should withstand the commaundement of God. And touching that other question whiche encombreth many men whether we ought to follow our Conscience or the magistrate commaunding thinges contrary in which question if master For had at large put down that which hee briefly and finely touched and shadowed as it were in his preface before his titles of common places or if mayster Mullins would vouchsafe to commit that to writing which hee discoursed herein profoundly and learnedly at Paules Crosse then I should not want any thing that might serue to the full dissolucion of this question my opinion is thys If the Prince or magistrate doe command any thing repuguaunt to Gods Lawe our Consciences witnessing the same then let vs remember that the Apostles and other the faythfull seruauntes of Christ in the primatiue church would rather abide painfull imprisonment and susteine most sorrowfull death then in any one iotte obey their wicked ordinances The blessed martir and Bishop Policarpus aunswered the Romayne Proconsull Wee are taught to obey princes and Potentates in those thinges that be not contrary to sincere Religion And Chrisostome sayd diuinely to Gaynas It is not lawfull for the Emperour being the defendour of true Godlines to attempte any thing against the same The Prince or other supreme Magistrate is appoynted the kéeper of both the tables but he may not precéede to decrée any thing withoute the compasse of the Scripture For Will worshippinges are not acceptable to God because they are not agréeable to his eternall wil neyther can they assure mens Conscience that they are accepted of god Wherefore such authority was not geuen to Moyses himselfe that he might of himselfe deuise and ordeâ—â— Religion but God did expresly and perticulerly by name appoynt these thinges which he would haue proposed to his people to be kept of them Neyther did be instrua Moyses in a moment but taking him vp into the mountaine vnto him by the space of fourty dayes gaue him instructions and afterward lest any simple or doubt should remayne he solemnely authorised his ministery by miracles and wonders in the eyes of all the Israelites Neither had the Apostles power at their pleasure to fashion and forme what Religion they would but Christ firste taughte them by mouth and afterwardes added sacraments of true Religion and confirmed the same with signes and wonders and finally gaue them commission to teach and preach those thinges which they had heard seene and receaued of him And so both the Testaments haue bene geuen not by humaine but by diuine tradition and power confirmed moreouer with many nighty signes and wonders For it is the pleasure of almighty God that his ministers shall certeynly knowe his wil which cannot bée if men might in any resped inuent new religions Which the Ethnicks in elder time knew right well for Numa Pompilius setting by a religion perswaded the people of Rome that in the