not the meere iudgement of other see into the Glasse of the Word by thy owne sight without other mens Spectacles and hold what thou iudgest truth only in loue of the Truth beware of by-respects hold so constantly the Truth as one neuer to be remoued but euery errour be willing both to see and to be reclaymed from though thou happenest to erre by frailtie yet become not an Hereticke by obstinacie Thirdly Witnesse the Truth for the Truths sake informe other louingly desire that they may see the Truth but neuer vrge them beyond their iudgement neither take it grieuously if thy words doe not preuaile but waite with patience Beware of rash iudgement neither condemne nor contemne other that are not as thy selfe Thinke not to make thy gifts anothers guide nor thy measure of grace their rule for to euery man is allotted his portion Fourthly Whomsoeuer thou doest see to doe amisse iudge it not to bee of wilfulnesse but either of ignorance and so offer to informe them or of infirmitie and so pitie them them and pray for them Be charitable so shal not his sinne hurt thee and much shall thy Charitie aduantage thy selfe in the end and adde this withall Bee slow to anger let neuer another mans distempered passion bring thee to disorderlines in affectiō Fiftly Loue not to bee in Controuersies it argueth Pride and a spirit of contention but if thou beest drawne vnto them and called therevnto vndertake the right and chuse the Truth How a man ought to carrie himselfe in handling of Controuersies FIrst Neuer come to it with a preiudicate opinion but with a mind to find out the truth not of contention Secondly Take words doubtfull in the better sense as the cause and circumstances will beare euident Truth imbrace willingly manifest errours deny plainly likelihood of falshood eschew friendly likelihood of Truth bend them the best way peruert nothing wilfully acknowledge thy ignorance and error when thou seest it and yeeld the victory for the Truth sake to an Aduersary and seeke not to wrest it from him by wicked Sophistry Thirdly Be sure in answering that thou hast the Authors meaning eyther by which or to which thou doest make answere Alledge no testimonie rashly and especially beware of this euill in quoting Scripture Wresting of Scripture is a great abuse of the Word and if thou bee in errour and doest by the Scriptures presume to maintayne it thou wouldest haue the Truth to vphold falshood and wickedly doest make the Holy Ghost a maintayner of a lye Fourthly Follow the matter strictly auoid idle excursiōs passe by weak nesse take heed of hasty passions in defending a cause abuse no mans person How a man ought to carry himselfe in things indifferent and what to doe inscrupulositie and doubtfulnesse of Conscience IN things indifferent make no question for conscience sake so it bee that neither holinesse merit nor necessitie bee put therein nor vsed for any part of Gods worship but for decency order and edification If thou be in a doubt and thy conscience as thou thinkest doth trouble thee about the vse of a thing indifferent I. Quaere Whether this doubt ariseth simply of a tender conscience from iudgement conuinced or that it be but a nicenesse of dislike comming from a desire not to bee troubled with them or for that thou hast not vsed them or because some cannot away with them or from a godly iealousie and suspition only for from hence will scruples arise so also from a continued custome likewise from ignorance and the want of certayne knowledge and a setled perswasion of the lawfulnesse of a thing If the Note well ground be not a iudgement inlightened and conuinced it is not trouble of conscience but a dislike working discontentednesse vpon some of these former grounds which thou maist easily remoue by setling thy iudgement vpon the Word and sound reason II. Quaere Whether this doubting ariseth through thy own default by looking out reasons to encrease thy dislike and neglecting to search for arguments to giue thee satisfaction If thus thou hast offended as many doe take as great paynes in Gods sight to resolue thy selfe as thou hast done to bring thy selfe into doubting else dealest thou but partially III. Quaere If it bee trouble of conscience indeed and yet the thing bee not plainely forbidden nor so commanded why where a speciall warrant to a particular is wanting a generall rule or a generall commandement to obey may not giue thy conscience satisfaction IV. Quaere Why a man should bee more scrupulous to seeke to haue warrant plainly for euery thing hee doth in Ecclesiasticall causes euen about things indifferent more then about matters politike in ciuill affaires Men in these things know not the ground nor end of many things which they doe yeeld vnto vpon a generall command to obey authoritie knowing them not to bee directly against Gods will and yet euery particular obedience in ciuill matters must be first of conscience secondly as seruing the Lord so must euery Seruant his Master which cannot bee without knowledge and perswasion that wee doe well euen in that particular which wee obey in which men vsually for conscience sake inquire not into but doe rest themselues with a generall commandement of obeying lawfull authoritie so it be not against a plaine cōmandement of God What therefore doth let but that a man may so satisfie himselfe in matters Ecclesiasticall The curious searching so particularly into euery thing to haue full satisfaction hath so wrought in these dayes vpon mens wits to bring distinctions that the more men seeke in doubts for resolution the further are they from it Oh dayes full of distractions what counsell shall I here take and giue How to settle a mans conscience to preuent scrupulositie and perplexitie I. KEepe all mayne truths in the Word which are most plainly set downe and are by the Law of nature ingrauen in euery man II. Beleeue euery Collection truly and necessarily gathered by an immediate consequence from the Text. III. Follow euident examples fit for thee either as a Christian or as thy speciall calling requireth IV. Auoid that which is plainely forbidden or followeth necessarily by an immediate consequence V. Entertayne true Antiquitie and follow the generall practice of the Church of God in all ages where they haue not erred from the euident Truth of God VI. If thou suffer let it bee for knowne Truth and against knowne wickednesse for which thou hast examples in the Word or examples of holy Martyrs in storie suffering for the same or the like But beware of farre-fetched consequents or for suffering for new deuices and for things formerly vnto all ages vnknowne seeme they neuer so holy and iust vnto man If yet thou doest iudge a thing commanded a sinne and not to be obeyed for thy helpe herein consider How a thing vnlawfully commanded may bee lawfully obeyed I. QVaere Whether that which is wrongfully or sinfully commanded may not yet
tryalls shall be and whether this present distraction of all the face of Christendome be the houre of temptation to try them that dwell vpon the Earth it is to me vncertayne but certaine it is that the Church God will preserue and make her renowned and this will he doe shortly for the Enemie is vnder the Vials of Gods wrath as it is apparant in Chap. 16. and what did this Messenger from Heauen the mighty Comet foreshew but these Warres and good successe thereby to the Church For the Comets now for the yeares since Luthers time haue euer with troubles yet foretold good prosperity to the Gospell The date of the increase of Romes glory was out long since and now is the time of the Churches increase daily till the ruine of Rome which as it is fore-told in this Prophesie of Saint Iohn so shall it come to passe in all probable coniectures is very neere at hand This may we vndoubtedly look for The deuises of that man of sin the Machauilian policy of the Viperous generatiō of Iesuits nor all the power of Papists shall preuent it for the Word of the LORD hath spoken it and Heauen and Earth shall perish before one Iota of the Truth shall fayle Herein let vs incourage our selues against the crowing of our Aduersaries who see not destruction before them as in this Prophesie of S. Iohn is plainly foreshewed THE HONOVR OF ENGLAND OF this Church Spouse of Christ thus set out in the seuen-fold estate thereof the Lord of his mercie hath made vs of this Nation a most liuely member and aboue other Countries hath maruellously ennobled this Iland and famous Kingdome of great Brittaine First though wee liue farre off in these Northerne parts from Iudea yet very shortly after our Sauiours Ascension the Gospell of God was brought vnto vs and by whom was it not by Ioseph of Aramathea the onely rich and noble Counsellor that did the first honour to our Lord Iesus after his death in begging of his body and burying it in his own Sepulchre where before neuer any was laid This man was the Ambassadour as Stories witnesse from Christ to vs here hee also vouchsafed to liue and here among vs peaceably to end his dayes Greatly did the Lord honour vs in giuing to vs the first King that euer was Christian named Lucius who submitted his Crowne and Scepter vnto Christ Was not Constantine called the Great the first Christian Emperour and did not he arise from hence was he not here borne and here proclaymed Emperour who slew the Heathen Tyrants and destroyed the greatest Enemies of the Gospell The first famous Scholler publick Professour of Diuinity opposing Antichrist was it not our learned and famous Iohn Wickliffe By whose Writings spred into Bohemia by occasion of a Marriage betweene one of our Kings here and that Kings Daughter sprung vp the renowned Martyrs Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage The first King like valiant Iehu marching as it were against the Iesabel of Rome that absolutely shooke off the Popes Supremacie that vsurped Power and Luciferian Pride of that man of sin and trod it vtterly vnder his feete was Henry the Eighth and yet for all that dyed he in peace The first King that was but a child and yet set vp the true Worship of God and banished Popery out of his Kingdome was our King Edward the Sixt that noble Prince a very Iosiah full of the loue and zeale of his God The first Princesse at whose rising the power of the Popedome began to abate which suffered Persecution for the Gospell which so constantly defended it as being to death semper eadem at home and abroad was it not the euerlastingly renowned the late Queene our Dread Souereigne Elizabeth Was not She a Succour to the Saints and a Terror to all her Enemies round about The first King and so Learned as hath not the like beene in the Christian World publishing by his learned Pen vnto all the Princes in Christendome that the Pope is Antichrist is now our Dread Souereigne LORD and King who hath helped to poure out the fourth Viall of Gods wrath vpon the Sunne that is vpon the Supremacie of that Antichristian state The Throne of that Beast shaketh and Romes ruine is not farre too maugre the rage and furie of all her Supporters Shall I heere speake of our wonderfull preseruations Strangely did God saue his poore flocke heere from the bloudy Wolues in the time of the ten Persecutions vnto the dayes of Dioclesian But then lest it should want this honour also this Nation was renowned with Martyrs What shall I speake of our late Deliuerances so admirable and vnheard off The Attempts were many and sundry against our late Queene and Souereigne How did Pope and Papal power seeke to inuade her Kingdome How did Rebels arise to molest her How did Traytors seeke her bloud and many wayes sought her death yet behold the protecting hand of God Shee dyed in peace neither did the Enemies hand preuayle against her And can the Gunpowder Treason that matchlesse villanie and more then Hellish intended cruelty be euer of vs forgotten At one blast they mercilesly intended to destroy and that suddenly King Prince and State Church and Common-wealth yet see the mercie of our God wee are preserued and in the snare which they made for others was their owne feet taken Let vs looke about see whether other Princes and States haue obtayned the like protection or rather haue they not suffered violence at the hands of these Miscreants and beene murthered of them It was an honour to our Nation that wee stood out so long at first against the Iurisdiction of the See of Rome for it was no small time ere shee could obtrude her vaine Ceremonies vpon vs when other Countries were infected and had begun to drinke of her cup. And it is to vs no lesse honour that wee haue so shaken off her yoke as we are become an Assaile and place of safegard to such as daily forsake her so opposite vnto her and so vexing her as she through the paine thereof sticks not to blaspheme the holy Doctrine and Worship of our God euen God and his Tabernacle as Iohn speaketh which also maketh her to striue by all meanes possible aboue all the Nations to regaine vs to her which neuer shall be or by more then Machiauilian policies to vndermine vs and to bring vs to destruction Because God hath made vs in powring out the Vials of his wrath vpon the Earth Sea Riuers and Sunne of that State not the least Instruments and it may bee will also giue vs or those that belong vnto vs that high honour to bring her to confusion and to burne that Whorish Citie with fire great likelihoods there is of this but the certaintie I leaue to God who knoweth all things And may we not hold it an honour to our Nation that wee should bring forth men so Renowned as among our
ment of the Conuersion of that people and of their happy condition vnder Christ seeing the Prophets foretell it the Apostle prooueth it and Christ himselfe beareth witnesse herevnto Luke 2. 32. 34. OLde Father Simeon in his praysing God telleth how Christ was prepared to bee saluation before the face of all people in Verse 30. 31. then this generall speech of all people hee diuides into two heads first to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles and then to be the glorie of his people Israel In thus placing one before the other hee fore-shewed how Christ should shine as light to the Gentiles whose eyes should bee opened by his spirit to take him for their Sauiour and then the fulnesse of them being come in hee should bee a glory to Israel make them renowned glorious Which glory as yet they haue not attayned vnto for hitherto hee hath bin to them a stumbling block a stone of offence and not glory And it is further obseruable that this holy man telleth the blessed Virgin that Christ shall bee set for the fall that is the reiection of that Nation as it is taken in Rom. 11. 15. and rising againe that is the receiuing to grace of many in Israel The fall we see the rising of them againe wee must see in time for God is true in the one as well as in the other Acts 1. 6. HEre the Apostles vpon the very day of Christs Ascension asked our Sauiour whither hee would then restore the Kingdome of Israel They did exspect an outward restoring of state and glory to their Nation Our Sauiour doth not finde fault with the opinion as an error neyther denyeth hee the thing but implyeth rather that such a thing should be only the times and seasons saith hee was not for them to know which his Father had put in his owne power 2. Cor. 3. 16. THe Apostle as he taught the Romanes so heere hee speaketh of their miserable estate blindnesse of mind and how as yet the vaile was ouer their heart thus he speakes of the Nation and whole people of the Iewes whom he calleth the Children of Israel of the blindnesse of their minde and of the vaile ouer their heart his wordes are to bee vnderstood And hauing thus spoken of their miserable condition he turneth his speech to the hope of their Conuersion and saith Neuerthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord that is that Nation or the heart of that people the veile shall be taken away This shewes that the Apostle did looke for their Conuersion though hee could not set downe the time which is as Christ said kept secret with the Father Acts 1. 6. Being by these Scriptures and former Reasons perswaded of the Conuersion of these Ancient people of God so much for the honour of Christ and our good let vs vse such meanes as may further the same euen also in compassion to their poore soules and our mutuall solace together Meanes to be vsed for their Conuersion First To pray with all earnest affection of spirit that God would in his mercy take away the veile that lyeth ouer their hearts to open their eyes to behold and see with vs their true Messiah and Dauid their King our Lord Iesus Christ that so their might bee one Shepheard and one Sheepfold euen so Amen Secondly To send able instruments among them to reason with them to write vnto them that so if it were possible wee might saue their soules some of them in our time at the least as the Apostle endeuoured in his time as we haue heard Rom. 11. 14. Thirdly To labour to remoue the mayne let which hindereth chiefly their Conuersion that Beast false Prophet that Romane Antichrist with his vsurped Dominion For the Iewes detest Idolatry and are very cunning in the Law and Prophets where they see it forbidden and spoken against and knew that their Fore-fathers were grieuously punished for it and therefore they cannot imagine that such Christians can bee Gods people that liue in such grosse Idolatry which is a continuall stumbling block before their eyes to keepe them from Christ Let vs therefore seeke the ouerthrow of that Romish Religion as for our owne soules safetie the peace of Christendome so also for the blessed Conuersion of this miserable people who can neuer bee regayned to the Truth and brought to the profession of Christ till Papistry be destroyed Fourthly Let vs frame our liues aright to all holinesse and righteousnesse that so they may see our good workes and glorifie God in the day of Visitation which shall not onely prouoke them but shall redound to the amplification and improuement of our owne both temporall and eternall happinesse which the Lord grant so bee it Amen PEACE TO THE PVRE IN HEART OR Good aduice to walke wisely to preserue VNITIE among our selues that our vnited Forces may be stronger against the common Enemie REceiue wholsome instruction thou that readest If thou bee desirous to walke in a straite way yet let it not be framed after thine own wil but look it be the right way chalked out by Gods Word The Golden Meane is a sweet measure when a man will bee neither foolishly superstitious nor lewdly presumptuous the two rockes of offence the one on the right hand the other on the left menacing destruction It is good to walke with an euen foot and it is grace to endeuour to be what wee ought to bee though wee cannot attaine to bee what wee should be Bee no Atheisticall Securitan acknowledge God in all thy wayes nor yet a Wil-worshipper mans corrupt will is at oddes with God if it prescribe any thing in Religion as matter of worship the same turneth to wickednesse Be no fantasticall Anabaptist the true Spirit informeth the minde out of the Word nor an Arminian the new coyned Opinionist nor a Palagian an olde Hereticall Dogmatist No blasphemous Arian nor Lullianisticall Rosacrucian Be no Schismaticall Brownist nor the fond and foolish Allegorizing Familist nor any new Nouelist to arrogate any thing to thy selfe aboue others to be an author of new Deuices thereby to draw Diciples after thee Beware of Heresie and Schisme hate also hypocrisie and prophanenesse Heresie razeth the foundation Schisme cuts off Communion Hypocrisie is a painted shew without substance neuer affording inward comfort and prophanenesse stayneth the glory of Christian profession Bee no Pseudo-catholike doting vpon the deedes and doings of that man of sinne Allow antiquity but bee not deceiued with the pretence thereof The old way is the good way when it can be shewed by the Word Traditions of men besides the Truth often make Traytours to God Custome not against conscience is good but it may not bee a Law to any in an ill path Examples of men worthy imitation are not to be neglected but their Errours and crooked treadings are not to bee opposed to diuine Precepts God must in matters of Religion beare sway man is only to further
what in his worship he willeth to be done and that obey readily In the truth a man must bee constant not a Time-seruer a Protestant in earnest not a Laodicean Conformitant nor yet a preposterous Reformitant but bee discreetly zealous yet so as discretion may guide but not blunt the edge of zeale as it doth in too many In a word hold the ancient Catholike Orthodoxall Veritie and Truth agreeing with the Word and contentiously gain-say not laudable Customes of the Church not against the Word In such things bee not ready to take offence and also be very loth iustly to giue offence and thus shalt thou shew thy peaceable disposition To further thy godly inclinablenesse hereto consider well of these so friendly giuen Christian Aduertisements and wholsome Counsels of Peace Reade good friend aduisedly I beseech thee post not on apace though thou hast a quicke apprehension to vnderstand yet take time to settle affection Some good things are soone knowne but in heart for the most part lightly intertayned whence it is that many do onely talke of that often which not once they euer made vse of But my purpose of setting downe these things is to bring them into practice and therefore so reade thou deliberatly as thy will may bee to performe them conscionably Amen How a man ought to carry himselfe in a Christian State wisely peaceably and yet religiously FIrst vphold the manifest good therein Secondly the manifest euils labour in thy place by the best meanes to haue them amended peaceably Thirdly Beare with lighter faults for a time till fit occasion bee offered to haue them amended Fourthly Likelihoods of euill make them not apparent euill by ill interpretation where neyther the State intendeth it nor so maintaynes it Fiftly doubtfull things take in the better part it is euer Charity Sixtly iudiciously discerne betweene the abuse of a thing and that which may bee well vsed lest in abhorring the abuse thou also doe vtterly condemne the thing it selfe and the vse thereof Seuenthly let the corruption of the person and his lawfull place bee distinguished and where person and place are not so lawfull and in the proposed end not against thee wisely labour to make them for thee and make that good of them thou canst and wholly condemne not that Ministery which a godly man may make for good Eighthly patterne not a Monarchy to an Oligarchie nor to any other State Aristocratie or Democratie let not the well being of a forreine State make thee vnthankfull for the present good thou doest enioy and to loath thine owne being lest malcontentednesse breake into contention so thou lose that good thou hast and procure the increase of euill which thou doest dislike Ninthly in thy zeale for Religion against corruptions let the Booke of God well vnderstood be thy warrant and in thy hatred against wrongs in the Common-wealth let the knowledge of the Law and the equitie thereof mooue thee to speake this is Religion this is reason Lest beginning of an ignorant vncertaintie thou mayst lose the fruite of thy labours and be condemned as a busie medler and contentious in a needlesse matter Tenthly refuse not to obey Authoritie in any thing wherein there is not to thee manifestly knowne a sinne to be commited against God let fantasies passe be more loath to offend iustly a lawfull Magistrate then to please the humour of any priuate person Where thou canst not yeeld there humbly craue pardon where thou mayest not be tolerated be contented with thy crosses of afflictions for safetie of conscience and beare what thou canst not auoyde with a patient minde The Kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost for whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ hee is acceptable to God and approoued of men Rom. 14. 17. 18. How to auoide scrupulositie of Conscience and contention in seeking for reformation FIrst Omit no euident and certaine commandement imposed of God If there bee nothing but probabilitie of sinning in obeying the precepts of men set not Opinion before Iudgement Secondly Let ancient probability of Truth bee preferred before new coniectures of Errour against it Thirdly Marke and hold a difference betweene these things the equitie of Law and the execution betweene established Truth generally and personall errours of some betweene soundnesse of Doctrine and erroneous application betweene substance and circumstance the manner and the matter betweene the very being of a thing and the well being thereof betweene necessitie and conueniencie betweene a Commandement and a Commandement to thee betweene lawfulnesse and expediencie and betweene that which is giuen absolutely or in some respect Fourthly Vse the present good which thou mayst enioy to the vtmost and an experienced good before thou doest trouble thy selfe to seeke for a supposed better good vntryed which thou enioyest not Dislike not euer things present as men discontented commonly doe prayse not things past foolishly to disgrace what now is in being and desire not a change hoping for better vainly These bee euer the humours of men the diseases in all States breed them and light occasions make the vnwise and inconsiderate soone to expresse them Fiftly Endeuour for things which are of necessitie wish also the well being of the same for conueniency but for this contend not forcibly against publike peace lest in seeking for the benè thou doest vtterly lose the benefit of the necessary esse Sixtly Doe not trouble thy selfe eyther to take part with or to bee against that thing the holding or denying whereof maketh nothing for or against Religion to further saluation or damnation Seuenthly In a common cause make one but out of thy owne iudgement conuinced of the Truth and within the compasse of thy calling and not for companie sake to make vp a number or for that thou wilt be doing because other are so or for affection to the parties not being certainly perswaded of the lawfulnesse of the action Eighthly Neuer presume to reforme other before thou hast well ordered thy selfe See at home then looke abroad redresse that which is faultie and in thy power to amend before thou doest meddle with that which is beyond thy reach Be not faire in publike and foule in priuate hate hypocrisie and auoide vaine glorie How to auoyde Popery Schisme and vncharitable contentions among one another FIrst Receiue no opinion in Religion but what the Word euidently doth warrant beware of apprehensions out of thine owne wit but let the Word first giue thee sight and so entertayne it as thou art enlightened As thou mayest not of policie for feare of trouble by thy wit get thee distinctions to lose sinceritie where the Word is plaine so mayest thou not of scrupulositie imagine sin to trouble thy conscience and to vexe thee with feare of transgression where there is no Law the one doth breed Atheisme the other is the Mother of Superstition Secondly Let thy owne knowledge ground thy opinions in thee and
neuerthelesse be without sinne obeyed as Ioab obeyed Dauid in numbring the people Then be not thou to blame but doe what thou oughtest albeit others doe what they should not II. Quaere How thou dost reckon it euill if simply then finde a prohibition else Where no Law is there is no transgression if accidentally that is in the abuse that may be remoued or in respect of thy ignorance of the lawfulnesse making thee to doubt and so fearing to offend vse all diligence for resolution And if it bee not a knowne sinne to thee certainely but only by probabilities Quaere Whether probabilities of sinning may giue thee a sufficient discharge for not obeying a plaine Precept and to neglect necessary dueties otherwise both to God and Man If yet thou doest thinke thou shalt not doe well albeit the Gospell may be freely preached thereby to yeeld so much to the euill disposition so supposed of men thinke how Saint Paul valued the libertie of preaching the Gospell who since the Ascension of Christ after that the ceremoniall Law was abolished when hee had preached against it and against Circumcision yet did checke himselfe publikely and with a place of Scripture for speaking as hee did against a Simonicall a false in respect of his entrance a persecuting and murdering high Priest hee obserued legall Rites he circumcised Timothy and did not finde fault with things not altogether to bee approued so long as they were not made a part of Gods worship and all this hee did to procure free libertie to preach the Gospell And for yeelding somewhat to mens euill dispositions I say but thus Quaere How it could stand with Moses faithfulnesse to grant a bill of diuorcement contrarie to the Law of marriage contrarie to the first institution from the beginning for the very hardnesse of the peoples hearts and to preuent a greater mischiefe If this haply trouble thee in doing what thou mayest and oughtest that thou shalt offend many whom thou wouldst not offend then cōsider How we ought to carry our selues in offences taken I. QVaere Whether it bee an offence iustly giuen by thee or taken without iust reason of them thou not offending and they displeased the fault is their owne and thou art not chargeable therewith II. Quaere Whether they be offended in respect of what themselues know or but lead by affection disliking from other mens dislike Intreat the former to let thee abound for such things in thine owne sense and shew them that herein thou mayest brotherly disagree for the later informe his iudgement if he will yeeld to reason if not then III. Quaere Whether thou art bound to nourish vp such a one in his folly and to respect his partiall affection being more carryed away with an ouerweening of some mens persons then any thing at all with the right vnderstanding of the cause If they be men of iudgement and will contend with thee bee not troubled with what wit can inuent to say but what is truly spoken from the Word not by farre Conclusions but by a neare consequence and plaine euidence of holy Writ If thou canst answere the substance of that which is obiected let their vaine conceits or subtilties passe neither thinke that thou art ouercome or art bound to yeeld vnto them as one conuinced in iudgement because thou canst not see euery deceiueable reply to giue thereto an vnanswerable reason to take it away If ignorance make a conuiction and sophistrie be the meanes then should men be easily carryed about with euery winde of doctrine There is no Heretique but hath his arguments nor any Sect but hath conceited reasons and Satan by his sophistrie helpeth both the more to beguile others and euen so to deceiue their owne selues IV. Quaere What authoritie may doe in things externall for outward rule in the circumstances of things and then Whether Authoritie commanding doth not take away the offence which might otherwise bee giuen in a voluntarie act V. Quaere Whether a man should stand more vpon auoiding dislikes in priuate persons then offence to publike authoritie Whether this be not an humouring of men to encrease discontentednesse rather then to endeauour to preserue wherein thou mayest the publike peace and wellfare of a Christian State or Whether it were not better to crosse some mens affections without sinne to God then that otherwise thou shouldest stay the passage of the Gospell neglect most certayne duties let people perish open a gap to the enemie lose thy libertie no whit better the Church It were better wherein thou lawfully mayest after the Apostles practice that thou diddest become all things to all men to winne but some Doest thou not behold the times wee haue among vs the Pseudo-Catholikes are they not craftie Foxes diuision they seeke to hold on foote they know a Kingdome diuided against it selfe cannot stand By vnion they strengthen themselues by dis-vnion we grow weake If we support one another in loue their enemitie can doe vs no harme They are subtile our innocency is not enough but we had need to be as wise as Serpents and let vs labour to be of one mind that we may ioyntly turne our forces against them Therefore let vs all as the Apostle exhorteth studie to be quiet and to follow those things which concerne our peace with God within our selues and one with another And to attayne to this let vs keepe patience within vs and bee charitable abroad towards others Let vs attempt nothing rashly but first know things as they be rightly We may be yea wee must be zealous yet in sound iudgement without distempered passion and not without compassion to the transgressor In doing any thing that our course may bee good and approued let vs make euer the Word our warrant the circuit of our calling our bounds and limits the Spirit of God our Director our conscience our Comforter godly wise our Counsellors the glorie of God our end truth and honestie the matter for which we contend the Enemies watchings caueats to vs to preuent miscarriage and to cause vs to walk more warily and all our life to be such as may witnesse our readinesse for death hauing euer a holy remembrance of our end and wee shall neuer doe amisse Euen so Amen FINIS