their heart is farre from mee Ath. That is meant when a man doth speake with his mouth and meaneth not with his heart but these haue a good meaning in their minde Zelot It is meant when a man approcheth with his mouth and hath still a wicked heart and an euill conscience for those do remooue a man so farre from God that no blind intent can make him neere vnto him God looketh for great things in the heartes of those which call vpon him Ath. I thinke God accepteth the prayer of the honest poore man as well as of any other and will heare him as soone as hee will heare the prayer of those which knowe most and are the best learned Zelot God is no accepter of persons hee heareth the poore as well as the riche the vnlearned as well as the learned so that their prayers bee made aright But if yee speake of those honest men which are so called yet are voide of all knowledge of Gods woorde and of religion it is an easie matter for to prooue that their prayers are not good Ath. Can yee haue anye better prayer then the Lordes prayer when they praye that can ye require more Zelot There can be no better prayer then the Lordes prayer and he which prayeth that right must needes bee saued But let mee aske you this question what if a man pray the Lordes prayer with his mouth and regardeth it not in his heart shal his praier be good Ath. His prayer cannot be good he doth but mocke God Zelot Then tell me this a man prayeth thus hallowed be thy name in worde he seemeth to desire that the name of God may be sanctified and honoured he goeth his way and blasphemeth the name of GOD or heareth it blasphemed and neuer careth rayleth vpon his worde dishonoureth him doe yee not thinke that hee made a sweete preyer In the like maner he saith thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen he goeth away and is so farre from desiring to do the will of God that hee neuer careth for to knowe it Whereby it is euident that he little ment with his heart that which he said with his tongue Moreouer hee would seeme in woordes to craue of God that hee and others might doe the will of God in earth as the Angels doe in heauen and yet tell him when hee breaketh the will of God and his aunswere is I am not so precise I am not so curious I will not bee so holy you are full of the spirite and then hee will euen reproche that which he seemed for to pray for And these are the prayers of those poore honest men which you thinke God heareth as well as the prayers of any other I might goe thorough all the petitions and finde the like It is exceeding great pitie that men want instruction for a great multitude doe trust to their pratling prayers when as they doe not either vnderstand what they lay or els meane the contrary Ath. If a man labour all the wéeke truely and honestly and vppon the Sabboth day come to the Churche and make his prayers shall wée say God regarded not his prayer because hée doeth not vnderstande what he prayeth his intent is good hee doth his good will hee hath a wife and children to prouide for hee must followe the worlde and let preaching goe or else hee shall begge and so longe as hee doth hurte no man but dealeth vprightly I thinke God doeth require no more at his handes Such as haue naught else for to doe let them séeke for knowledge Zelot Yee are like vnto a hedge which is full of bryers and pricking thornes a man cannot lay holde on yee vnlesse yee bring his hedging gloues and his bill Yee haue many thinges to shroude your selfe vnder and to keepe the truth from touching of ye as the Lorde in his worde hath set foorth the whole armour for a Christian souldier so likewise Satan doth by suggestion teache men to arme themselues against the Lorde But ye must be stript of your armour at the least ye must be shewed that it is no armour of proofe Ye say that if a man labour trulye honestly all the weeke those labour so which do it not alone for necessitie but because God requireth that men should painfully trauell and which haue the woord of God as a lanterne for to guide their steppes for what soeuer a man doth if it bee not in obedience of God in his worde it is sinne To pray vpon the Sabboth for fashion sake is very detestable because we are in continuall danger and in continuall neede and want helpe continually from the Lorde vppon whome our saluation doeth dayly depende we are commaunded to pray continually or to haue our heartes watching thereunto To pray without vnderstanding is not praying but mumming You speake as though it were a thing which God doth allowe that men should seeke more after the world them after God so make the world their God And because they haue wife and children to prouide for therfore they cannot seeke to know God As though we were not commanded to seeke first the kingdome of God that is to seeke that chiefly and more then the worlde and then GOD hath promised that all these things shall be cast vpon vs. Howe shall any man be excused when God maketh this promise vnto all as he doth perfourme it vnto as many as doe trust him I haue been young saith the Prophet and nowe am old yet did I neuer see the righteous forsakē and his feede begging their bread When ye say hee must follow the worlde and let preaching goe ye were euen as good say hee must follow the Deuill and let God go And if an ignorant man coulde come so farre as to deale vp rightly and to hurt no man neither in woorde nor neede which notwithstanding they come nothing neere yet this woulde not serue the turne for there is a God who will be knowne and woorshipped in that religion which he teacheth Haue ye so fleshly eyes that ye can looke no higher Doe ye thinke God requireth no more but an honest and ciuill conuersation towardes men God requireth euen of the poore labouring man that he should if he will be blessed meditate in his Law or his doctrine day and night Psalme 1. Likewise when he saith that the man is blessed which feareth the Lord to the ende we might know which that man is he addeth immediatly he hath great delight in his commaundements But the most part of your honest men nowe a dayes delight so much in the word of God and meditate so much in it that they care not a button though they neuer heare it they loue it and set as much by it as they doe by an old shoe And are not so forwarde as you doe allowe to seeke for the knowledge of God when they haue naught els for to doe for you thinke yee graunt a liberall allowance to God
against preaching of Gods woorde that it maketh men neuer the better and ye would haue them leaue talking and fall to doing I confesse there be a number which are counterfeite professors which liue not according to the Gospell and most commonly they be such as haue but a little smacke of the Gospel and yet thinke they know much because they want the meanes hauing the worde either seldome or loosely preached But I will confute your vanitie another waye in this point tell me are not these your sayinges where the woorde is sincerely preached if any seeke to frame their liues after the same when they doe eyther by woorde reprooue your euill wayes or by deede refuse your lewde maners These men are full of the Spirite these are precise fellowes these are holie Saintes these thinke them selues Gods fellowes these thinke them selues better then all other men Ath. We say so in deede there is good cause why Zelot Then I pray ye tell me howe these two thinges can hang together when ye saie there is no amendement of life and yet yee complaine that they be ouer full of the spirit ouer precise and such like May not euery man see that ye pronounce thinges directly contrarie the one to the other that there is no amendment and yet in effect ye say they amende ouer fast Ath. Wee doe not saye that any doe amende ouer fast Zelot When ye say they are ouer holy and what shoulde men be so curious and full of the spirite what is this but to say that they amende ouer fast Is not this to amend when men by due instruction out of Gods woorde come to repentaunce of their former vices and haue a care to keepe them selues from the spottes of the rotten fleshe and filthie worlde Do not you and such as you are after a sort blaspheme when yee reproche men with the spirite Is it a shame for a man nowe a dayes for to haue anye thing to doe with the spirite of God While a man doeth walke after the fleshe in the lustes of vncleannesse he is an honest man But so soone as hee is indued with any grace ye wonder at him as crowes do at an owle yee are readie to floute and mocke him out of his skinne And as if the spirite of GOD were a spirite of dishonour and shame yee mocke men with him Wee may wonder at the longe patience of GOD which hath thus many yeeres suffered himselfe to be dishonoured his spirite reuiled his woorde despised and hath not been reuenged but no doubt the longer hee hath â—aried the heauier will the stroke be Ath. Men are men what shoulde they make themselues more holy then they be Zelot If ye meane one way ye say right for it is a naughtie vice for men to seeme to be holy when they are not or to seeme to be more holy then they be but if yee meane another way as I thinke ye doe that because men are sinfull by nature why shoulde they seeke for to be better then doe ye speake verie wickedly For God calleth men to repentance to turne from their euill wayes God guideth his seruants at all times with his spirite therfore S. paule sayth Rom. 8. There Is no condemnation nowe to those whiche are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe in the same chapter As many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God Hee sayth that if wee liue after the fleshe we shall dye in other places he doth shewe whiche are the workes of the spirite and whiche are the workes of the fleshe And you like blasphemous wretches allowe those whiche walke after the flesh and condemne those which are led by the spirite Ath. Are none indued with Gods Spirite but such as runne to heare preaching Zelot Whosoeuer hath the spirite of God can not but delight in the woorde of God whiche the same spirite hath vttered The Lorde saith hee which is of God heareth Gods worde The happie man is hee as wee haue in the 1. Psalme whiche hath his delight in the lawe of the Lorde and which doeth meditate in the same day and night We haue in the psalme 112. Blessed is the man which feareth the Lorde hee hath great delight in his commaundements Moreouer the spirite of GOD doeth not guide men without the woorde And therefore it is saide Psalme 119. Thy woorde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes S Peter sayth I. Epist 1. Hee hath beegotten vs againe not of mortall but of immortall seede which he affirmeth to bee the worde of God that indureth for euer Likewise S. Iames saith cap. 1. of his owne good will begat hee vs by the woord of trueth Seeing therfore that the holy Ghost doth guide men by the worde it followeth that all those which set light by the woorde are led not with the spirite of God but with the spirite of the Diuell I might alleadge a number of testimonies of Scripture to prooue that such as you which make so small accompt of the sacred woorde of God as there be a number yea the greatest number whiche doe not set so muche by it as they doe by an olde shoe are despicers of God worse then brute beastes Ath. Cannot men be lead by Gods spirit and serue God vnlesse they knowe the Scriptures GOD forbidde that all those shoulde bee awry which are not learned is it not enough for plaine countrie men plow men taylours and suche other for to haue their ten commaundementes the Lordes prayer and the beliefe I thinke these may suffice vs what shoulde wee meddle further I knowe men whiche are no scripture men whiche serue GOD as well as the best of them all Will yee condemne such Zelot I sayde before that men can not be lead by Gods spirite and refuse to knowe the Scriptures Neyther can they truelie serue him vntill suche time as they knowe howe for to serue him for GOD teacheth howe he will be serued and hee teacheth onlie in his worde his will is that we shal learne to know him by his worde And therefore he hath appointed the Ministerie of the woorde to continue for euer in his Church that by it men may be built vp in Christe as yee may reade Ephe. 4. For this cause S. Paule exhorteth Tymothie to bee instant in teaching in season out of season he trauelled himselfe night and daie he maketh a verie ferâ—eâ—â— prayer to God continuallie for the Collossians that they might bee fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Collos ver 9. For this cause hee exhorteth the Christians to bee children in malice but not to bee children in vnderstanding The holy Ghost doth sharpely reprooue the Hebrewes as wee may see in the latter end of the 5. chap. of that Epistle because they were yet children to be taught when for the time they shoulde haue been teachers Againe there is
The worde of God is certaine and sure because God cannot lie but howe shall I â—â—â—we which is their â—â— sense of it â— shall I beleeue euerie man which doth interprer the worde shall I not the better beleeue 〈…〉 if he say it is not my interpretation but S. Ierome he saith so S. Augustine hee sayth so I promise yée he shall haue the greater credite with me for they were other maner of men then hée Zelot I cannot but â—â—ruell to see howe grosse and dull your head is for to learne the trueth and how readily you can bring out such matters as this ye speake not of your owne head I woulde there were no greater learned men then you blinded in this matter But let mee shewe yee your grosse errour Yee say the word is certaine and sure but the interpretation thereof yee make doubtfull but what are we the better that the worde of God is sure and certaine vnlesse it be sure certaine vnto vs which cannot bee except the interpretation be so It is as good for you to say the word is doubtfull as for to say the sense is doubtfull Nowe when as yee hang the sense vppon men can ye denie but that still it is in doubt This must needes arise in the minde those Doctors said so but they might erre and therefore I am not certaine that this is the sense If this shall bee admitted in the Church what shall become of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full certaintie of fayth which the woorde of GOD doeth require to be in vs it is grounded vpon the word of God for it cannot stande otherwise Moreouer faith is sure what God meaneth or else it is no faith therefore such as woulde hang mens saith vppon the authoritye of men where they must needes still be in doubt and when they are at the furthest they come but vnto this it is 〈…〉 like for to be true because such notable men speake it doe not know a right what faith is for that yee say he shall haue the more credite with you if he say It is not my saying but the saying of Augustine therein ye were euen as good say that your fayth is built vpon men and not vpon God For if ye doe beleeue because some great learned or Godlie man telleth yee the matter this is no true beleefe for wee must bee fully perswaded that God him selfe doeth tell vs or els wee be neuer the neere Ath. Howe shall I know when GOD speaketh â—â— which God speaketh you come and preach one way another commeth and hee doeth proache another way yee preache one contrary to another you say God speaketh hee saith God speaketh whiche shall wee beleeue Is not â—ee to â—eâ— best beléeued which can shew that those greate doctors are on his side Zelot See what a grounde you leaue vnto you know not when GOD speaketh not what God speaketh and therefore yee will haue some of the olde Doctors for to tell are yee sure hee telleth yee right if ye be it is because hee sheweth ye the worde of God why he telleth yee so the credite must bee giuen vnto the word and not to the man But you saie yee can not tell when one doeth alleadge the worde in the true meaning howe then can ye tell when one alleadgeth the doctor in the true meaning he which will falsifie the word of God in the Bible he will not sticke for to falsifie the meaning of the Doctor you may search the scriptures to see whether the testimonies alleadged be so as the men of Berea did when Paule preached Act. 17. 11. You cannot neither are yee commaunded for to searche the doctors And vnlesse yee see the manifest 〈…〉 of gods worde ye are not bounde for to beleeue but if it be plainlie shewed that God hath spoken then yee are bounde vnder the 〈…〉 of damnation for to giue credite vnto it Christe sayth My sheepe heare my voyce a straunger they will not heare Iohn 10. Also S. Iohn saith brethren beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they be of God 1. Iohn 4. he therefore which saith I cannot tell when the voyce of Christ is vttered it is all one as if he should say I am none of the sheepe of Christ because as he saith Euery one of his sheepe do knowe his voyce He that saith I know not which Preacher doth preach truth and which falshood he may euen as well say I am none of those to whome the holy Ghost speaketh and sayth Try the spirites whether they be of God it is a generall precept giuen vnto all Christians Ath. Ye shall neuer make mee beleeue that euerye man is for to iudge whether the Preacher speake true or false Zelot I know not what I shall be able for to make you beleeue but I am sure I can plainely shewe what yee ought to beleeue First marke this the worde came not from man neither can a man teache it ye vnlesse God reueale it by his spirite if it were the wisedome of the worlde or of the flesh then the spirit of the world which is in man and knoweth the secretes of man could teache it but because it is the mysterie of GOD none can make yee learne it but the holy Ghoste which searcheth euen the deepe things of God as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 2. 10 S. Iohn in his first Epistle Chap. the seconde hauing told them that there were euen then many Antichrists he comforteth them with this You saith he haue receiued an annointing from the holy one know all things Like as therefore none of those can learne whoÌ„ God doth not inlighten with his spirite so on the coÌ„trary part all those which are taught within by the spirit doe feele when the doctrine which the same spirit hath taught is vttered he knoweth his owne and he sealeth it vp in their hearts and consciences which being instructed by him must needes consent thereto fully For this cause there is great difference betweene such as set all vpon the authorities of men and such as preach as S. Paul saith he did with the plaine euidence of the spirit and of power 1. Cor. 2. 4. he addeth the reason in the next verse that their faith should not coÌ„sist in the wisedome of men but in the power of God If faith may not hang vpon the wisdome of men and therefore the intising speech which mans wisedome teacheth is to be auoided in setting foorth the Gospell then can it not stand vpon the authorities of men Ath. Is it not lawfull in any respect for to alleadge them Zelot Yes no doubt there are circumstances which may make it sometime very needfull I speake only against this that they are alleaged when as we may alledge the same things out of the worde it selfe And when they are alleadged for men to builde their faith vpon or to make men thinke that there can be no certaintie in the interpretation of the worde
me nor that I may not agree with them and although I be not able to become perfect yet with al the might I can I straine and breath to come as nigh perfection as I can my desire is good to reach it and although I find that I come many degrees short yet I approche nearer and nearer This is true repentance this is that which S. Paule setteth forth in himselfe Rom. 7. Philip. 3. With this I know God is pleased without this there caÌ„not be any seruice done to God Ath. I like not when men will spye a mote in another mans eye Zelot Our Sauiour Christe doeth not forbid to espie a mote in an other mans eye for we are commaunded to admonish one an other what soeuer it bee wherein we doe amisse but such as you which can not abyde to be admonished doe euer alleadge that saying of Christe as though hee had spoken it vnto this ende that one should not admonish an other It is a â—oule hypocrisie for a man to be curious in reproouing small faultes in other and make no conscience of great and foule vices in him selfe Euerie man ought to looke vnto himselfe and euery man is bound by the woorde of God and charitie to looke vnto others and to conuert them from their sinnes if they can To conuert a sinner from going astray and to saue a soule from death As S. Iames speaketh Chap. 5. vers 20. And so to couer a multitude of sinnes is a blessed thing and ought to moue men with diligence to vse charitable admonition Ath. If they woulde doe it in charitie I could like of it but men haue no loue they doe it because they are precise and captious Zelot Let a man see yee commit any foule crime and reproue yee your aunswere is by and by yee may not iudge when as the matter is plaine and doth iudge it selfe Now when a man doth admonishe you according as God commaundeth yee are bolde with the same mouth which saide ye ought not to iudge for to iudge him affirming that he doth it of a captious and quarrelling minde the thing being so exceeding good of it selfe who made you able for to see into the heart of a man and to find that he doth it not well You are those of whom the Prophet speaketh Woe be vnto those which call good euill and euill good If he be a man spotted with vices himselfe doth reprooue another not caring for to amende ye may boldly say he doth it of an euill minde for can he be charitable vnto other men to seeke their conuersion and not to bee charitable vnto himselfe to seeke his owne saluation Or can he hate vngodlinesse in other and not hate it in himselfe Ath. Well the best of vs all may bee amended wée haue all infirmittes what would yée haue more then this at the last for to call for mercy If a man be sorie and aske God forgiuenes is hée not euen as well as they which are the most precise the mercie of GOD must saue all and what would yée haue a man care for more then to bée saued I praye God I may haue time to repent in the ende Zelot Here is good stuffe here is sound diuinitie I may well terme this reason euen the porter of hell for it openeth euen the widest gate that a thousande may goe in on a ranke This is true that the best of vs all may be amended and that we haue all infirmities but yee doe wickedly applye it for when yee should reason thus the best may be ameded the most holy are spotted and therefore as Saint Paule doth teach they must indeuour for to proceede forwarde for the woorde of God willeth men to striue and contend euen against all vncleanesse and neuer to cease but to come as nigh perfection as is possible But you reason quite contrary that because the best are sinners therefore men are to make small account to amende Ye should think thus the most godly haue neede to sorrowe and mourne and proceede in repentaunce therefore howe much neede haue suche as are grosse sinners For our Sauiour Christ doth shew Iohn 8. That whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne Nowe so long as a man is the seruaunt of sinne so long is hee not the seruant of God for no man can serue two so contrary masters Saint Iohn sayeth he that committeth sinne is of the Diuell Where learned yee this that a man may continue in his vices all his life and at the last call for mercy God commaundeth men to repent speedely and not to put of from day to day Hee threatneth exceeding sharpely in the first Chapter of the Prouerbs that when hee hath called and cryed vnto men for to returne from their euill waies and they haue refused that at the last they shall call and not be hearde hee will laugh when their destruction commeth vppon them they shall seeke him but not finde him Doe you thinke that when God hath called and wee refuse that we shall not call and he refuse Ath. The scripture sayth that what time soeuer a sinner doth repente him of his sinne God will forgiue him Zelot If the scripture speake any thing to the comfort of the sorowfull heart the Deuill doth teache the impenitent for to abuse it to their hardening It is most true that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent his sinnes are all forgiuen but is it in a mans choise for to repent when hee will can hee take a newe heart when it doth please him can he haue the newe birth and a ryght spirite when he will It is God which doth create a man a new or maketh him a new creature in Christ when it pleaseth him A man needeth not for to care for any thing but to be saued but that is not so easie a matter as men thinke Striue for to enter in at the straight gate sayth Christ for manye shall striue and shall not enter The waie is narowe and the gate is straight whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there bee which find it and if this be true whiche you say that a man may liue in sinne all his life and at the last be saued euen for vtteling a fewe wordes Then the way is broad and easie who cannot finde it who almost doeth not walke in it But alas it is a broken staffe whiche men doe leane vnto God is verie mercifull but not to those which despise his Gospell for vengeance belongeth vnto such it is vnpossible sayth the holy Ghost Hebr. 2. that suche shoulde escape And although ye haue neuer so long time to repent if God doe not worke it in yee you shall die in that blindnesse and hardnesse of heart in whiche yee haue liued wee must seeke in our life time to bee begotten by the worde for the scripture saith God doth beget his children by that Ath. Shall not man hope for to repent at the last Zelot Marke what repentance
is and try whether yee can repent nowe it ye cannot what moueth yee to thinke that yee shalt be able then Ath. I hope I doe repent now and shal doe at the ende Zelot Repentance is a returning home vnto God from all euill vices and corrupte desires which are in the flesh and in the heart To be renued by repentaunce cannot be but where a man is renued in knowledge for that is one part of the image of GOD which must be restored in vs Reade in the 4. Chapter to the Ephe. from the 17. verse forwarde If a man continue in darkenesse he doth not repent He which committeth his foule sinns still although it bee but in the desire of his heart hath not repented He which doth not feele sorrowe and griefe and hath not a broken and contrite heart and a sorowfull spirite hath not repented hee which doth not eschue euill and doe good hath not repented All these are taught by the worde for that is it by whiche wee must clense our wayes and therefore yee may boldly say that he which learneth not out of Gods woorde to repent cannot repent for although if it were possible hee coulde repent for all other sinnes yet this one sinne to set light by the instruction of the Gospell will make still worse then they of Sodome as our Sauiour doth tell vs Math. 11. Ath. Will you condemne those whiche call for mercy at their ende whiche neuer repented before Zelot Wee may not pronounce vppon any one man because GOD onely seeth what is in man But yet wee may boldely goe so farre as the worde of God doeth leade vs and by it wee may see what GOD requireth and what God doeth condemne We may see that the common and generall repentaunce which all professe at their ende is not so muche as a shadowe of true repentaunce repentance cannot be in a man especially vppon a sodaine but he must needes feele a wonderfull chaunge in hym selfe he must needes bee able for to say I haue repented I knowe and feele that I am a newe man and therefore because I knowe most certainely that there is repentaunce in mee I knowe most certainely that I shall be saued for GOD promiseth saluation vnto euerye one whiche doeth repent In the common repentance men feele no such thing But are stil as they may be well enough in doubt of saluation Ath. Shall not all such as call vppon God be heard surely I dare not but thinke they shall Zelot I am sure because the Lorde doth speake it That whosoeuer doth call vppon him shall bee saued But yet yee must put this in that then they must pray in fayth as for the prayers of a wicked man which doth not repent and therefore hath not the true faith they are no prayers before GOD although hee crie lowde or call neuer so often for vnto such the Lorde speaketh in the first Chapter of the Prophete Isaiath When yee stretch forth your handes I will turne away mine eyes from yee Also if yee multiplie your prayer I will not heare Likewise the holy Ghost saieth by Solomon in the Prouerbes that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination And in the same booke it is said He that turneth away his eare from hearing the lawe euen his prayer shall bee abhominable and therefore in the latter ende of the fourth Chapter of Ecclesiastes he aduiseth men when they come into the house of GOD to take heed to their feâ—ete and to bee readier to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles For saith he they knowe not that they do euill Nowe ye shall finde many mâ—n â—rye in their miseries and make great confession of their vngodly life but yet without true repentaunce as it is manifest for so soone as the prosper againe yee shall see them returne to their olde by as if they had truely repented then shoulde it euer continue with them manie that liue in malice so soone as they be daungerously sicke will be readie to aske forgiuenesse and to forgiue all the worlde They knowe it booteth not to beare malice anie longer but so long as they be able to craulle out of their bedde and to stande vppon their legges yee shall see their olde withered malice as it seemed spring a fresh againe which is a strong proofe that they neuer truely repented howsoeuer they thought they did And euen so is it in all other sinnes they seeme vnto men for to repent they aske GOD forgiuenesse but yet the hearte abideth still the same that it was before God there is no chaunge in them before God they haue not put of the sinnefull bodie of the fleshe there is no chaunge in them before God howesoeuer they seeme to be chaunged before men This counterfet repentance maketh men bolde all their life to despise the holy worde of God which shoulde instruct and guide them it causeth them at their ende not to feare the wrath of God noâ— the vengeance to come because they thinke GOD is satisfied with this repentaunce and also because they knowe not their sinnes they suppose that they are but ouer the shoes when as they are drowned in the goulfe of vncleannesse ouer heade and â—ares Ath. God helpe vs if it bée thus how shall poore men doe then Zelot Men must applie them selues all their life to seeke for the knoweledge of GOD to increase in saith and repentaunce that when they come to their ende they may haue a testimonie of conscience that they haue feared God Likewise when yee come to a sicke man and aske howe hee doeth if he can but say as it pleaseth GOD yee aunswere that is enough neighbour holde yee there If he say I haue offended GOD and I praye GOD haue mercie vppon mee there needeth no more as you thinke Yee shoulde teache them the Lawe that they may see howe they haue offended God yee shoulde shewe them the fearefull curse and horrible â—â—â—â—geaâ—â—â—â— due vnto sinne that so they may 〈…〉 ken with remoâ—â—e and sorrowe yee shoulde shewe them also the glad tidings of the Gospell and what Christe offereth vnto the penitent sinner yee shoulde teache them what holines GOD requireth at their hande howe they may come vnto it what promise they haue made vnto GOD of it in baptisme Yee shoulde instruct them in all the principall pointes of the fayth That so they may haue the renewing faith which shal iustifie and saue them Ath. What difference can you shewe betweene those whiche are taught as you woulde haue them and such as haue knowledge they can no more but repent call for mercie and beleeue And this doe they aswell as the other Zelot You thinke there is no difference but there is this difference that the one part doeth beleeue and repent in deede and the other but in woord as our Sauiour Christ Matth. 15. alleadgeth the saying of God by his Prophete This people drawe neere mee with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but
that they can sport them selues euen in doing those thinges which are their bane and all because they trust to this beliefe whiche you bragge of For as on the one side true faith true repentance and conuersion vnto God doe salue all the sores and sicknesses of the soule euen so the common dead faith counterfet repentaÌ„ce may be called the diuels plaister by which he doth a litle in the toppe for a time salue the deepe and deadly wouÌ„ds but they rancle within and bring vtter destruction It is great pitie that the woorde of God is not laide open in all places that the people might come to the vnderstanding of Christ and his power in translating them out of the power of darkenesse into his kingdome of light which is wrought with great and diligent teaching because men are made of a dull metall and hard to conceiue spiritual and heauenly things Ath. Well I must leaue yee now yee haue delt very hardly with me it were good that you Puritanes shoulde consider your selues become better subiects to y e Prince Zelot I am like to haue a very good farewell at your handes for all my trauell in teaching yee But I looked for none other rewarde from yee the blacke Moore can not change his hewe nor the Cat of the mountaine her spottes I must suffer your reproch for if they haue called the good man of the house Beelzebub howe much more those which be of his houshold Those which consider not them selues are worse then madd men I told ye before that I doe not allowe that vice For your slaunderous accusation I scorne and defie it I may boldely take the Lorde as a witnesse vnto my conscience that I doe honour and obey the prince and that I doo condemne hate and accurse all disobedience vnto the higher powers But this hath euer bin the readie way which the diuell hath vsed for too bring those which feare God into hatred by his instrumentes to charge them for too be enemies vnto Princes Christ was accused of treason and condemned as an enemie to Caesar Saint Paul diuers times was thought to bee a man which did trouble the state And whosoeuer shall reade the auncient stories of the Churche shall finde that this continued still from time to time Ath. Are not there many which couÌ„t theÌ„selues very holy yet breake the Quéenes lawes Zelot What if it should fall out as it doth fall out some times that godly Princes command some thing which is contrary vnto Gods word should we obey God or men It is a very grosse thing to thinke that a man for obeying God doeth disobey his Prince I would know this also whether the breach of euery particular lawe doeth make a man by and by an euill subiect to his Prince if it shoulde I thinke true subiectes might soone be numbred Likewise I would know this whether a man whiche is disobedient vnto God and despiseth his lawes can for conscience sake be obedient vnto his prince Hauing bin found vnfaithfull too God shall he be iudged faithfull to men And where as such as you crye out against those whiche professe the Gospell that they breake the Queens lawes are not the Queenes frieÌ„ds I answere ye thus I will aduenture all that I haue that let proofe be made and those which haue this most in their moâ—thes the Queenes lawes the Queenes lawes as thogh they were altogether made of obedience shalbe found to breake two for their one whom they accuse If ye did crie out in this matter moued with a good coÌ„science then would ye be carefull for to keepe the lawes yourselues and if ye haue care of princes laws theÌ„ would ye haue care of Gods lawes Ath. Wherein can yée accuse me Zelot I meane not to accuse you but to speake that which I know by a nuÌ„ber they breake her maiesties lawes in their apparell in their meate in their woordes beeing blasphemers and raylers in quarrelling fighting in dicing and carding bowilng and in manie such like And because ye speake often of this who are the Queenes friendes I saye none but suche as feare God for the wicked vngodly do prouoke God vnto anger against the realme and doe procure the destruction of it God heareth the prayers of such as feare and loue his lawes when they cry vnto him for their Prince therfore there can be no more vtter enemies vnto Princes then such as are wicked against God Nowe this is a verie preposterous thinge that you which are rebels against God shoulde beare men in hande that yee bee the friendes of the prince that suche as are godlie they must be counted enemies Ath. I can say no more but god blesse and saue her Zelot Amen I pray God for his mercye sake grauÌ„t that we may be thankful for those exceeding great blessings which he hath by her heaped vpon vs both for bodie soule and the Lord giue vs louing and obedient hearts towards her And also I beseeche God to keepe her out of the hand of her enemies to gouerne her with his blessed spirite that she may exalt magnifie his glorious Gospell more and more and repaire the ruines of his Church so glorifie him in this worlde that in the world to come she may be glorified for euer Amen FINIS