speaking of this point of Diuinitie which is most necessarie to bee vnderstoode of euerie one euen from the highest to the lowest would speake or write so subtilly or obscurely And who tolde him these lusts striue not against the lawe as it commaundeth the meanes that is to say as it commaundeth to resist and not to yeeld to them Doubtlesse that lust which rebelleth against this commaundement Thou shalt not lust will neuer yeeld when it is resisted for euerie thing naturally seeketh the preseruation of it selfe But the resisting of lust is the destruction of it therefore it will not yeeld to it And as reason teacheth this so saint Paule by experience found it to be true when hee saide Sinne tooke occasion by the commaundement Rom. 7.23 and wrought in mee all maner of concupiscence So that this concupiscence is by resisting made more stubburne and is so farre from yeelding that it fighteth more fiercely against the lawe And hereof is that combat and battell which the godly haue betweene the flesh and the spirite The wicked are not acquainted with it because they willingly yeelde to their lusts But the godly because they resist the same Doe see another lawe in their members rebelling against the lawe of their minde Rom. 7.23 Thus we see that this distinction whereby master Bellarmine striueth against trueth is neither according to the meaning of the Apostle nor hath any colour of trueth But here by the way I must note how grossely and how absurdly maister Bellarmine in the place next before alledged affirmeth that he is not a sinner that attaineth not to the ende of the commaundement His reason is because it lieth not in his power no more thā he is too blame that being commaunded to subdue the enemies can not do it But master Bellarmine should consider where is the cause of this want in vs and through whose fault it is that wee can not obey this commaundement thou shalt not lust If it bee in man as in trueth it is because hee fell from that estate of innocencie wherein hee was created then is there no reason but that sinne should bee imputed vnto vs for not performing that commaundement thou shalt not lust And by this also it appeareth that master Bellarmine his similitude is nothing like because that the subduing of the enemie was not in their power But not to lust wickedly was in mans power once which because through his owne fault hee lost the not fulfilling of that commaundement may iustly bee layde to his charge for sinne Thirdly I thus proue concupiscence to be sinne Not to loue the Lorde our God with all our heart Luke 10.27 with all our soule with all our strength and with all our thought is sinne But to lust is to faile in this loue August de perfect iustitiae cont celest For if the heart consent not yet at the least the thought by this concupiscence is hindered from this perfection of loue therefore concupiscence is sinne Againe De August gratiae li. 4. Cap. 2. Li. 2. Dist 3◠Originall sinne is sinne properly so called as maister Bellarmine confesseth But Concupiscence is originall sinne as the maister of Sentences affirmeth therefore concupiscence is sinne properly so called Againe whatsoeuer maketh vs hated of God is sinne Andrad Orthod Explic. lib. 3. But concupiscence maketh vs hated of God Bellar. de Amiss gratiae lib. 5. cap. 13 therefore concupiscence is sinne And thus much briefly to proue concupiscence not onely to be called but indeed to be sinne But what need I stand so much herevpon If the church of Rome ment that the light of the truth should shine vnto men she would neuer cast these mists before their eyes thus to contend about tearmes and wordes For themselues doe ascribe vnto concupiscence both the nature and the effects of sinne when they say it De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 13 ◠is vice it is truly euill b Can 14. it is vnlawful condemned and hated of God that Andrad saith sin only can worke For all this M. Bellarmine affirmeth of concupiscence c Cap. 13. Orthod explic li. 3. and many such like things which whether they may be affirmed of any thing but sinne let maister Bellarmine and his fauourites well consider But I for my part doe thinke I may truely conclude and boldly affirme seeing the Apostle so often calleth it sinne without any expounding of himselfe to speake vnproperty seeing it rebelleth agaynst the lawe of the minde and maketh such a want in the loue of God that in this and such like respects concupiscence is sinne properly so called whatsoeuer the Councell of Trent decree to the contrarie Sess 5. can 5 Of the works of Infidels or such as are not regenerate CHAP. 22. THE PROTESTANTS WE thē being thus infected with the filth of original sin and by our concupiscence which can not whilest here we liue be rooted out of vs being intised to sin and hindred in al good what can come from them Ephe. 4.18 that haue their cogitations darkned throgh the ignorance that is in thē but that they walke after the lusts of the flesh Ephe. 2.1.3 in fulfilling the will of the flesh And so are in deed no better than dead in sinnes and trespasses 5 by their owne nature the children of wrath 4 So that from such no good can proceede in thought word or deed and in such no good can be vntil God of his abundant mercie 1. Pet. 1.3 haue begotten them again vnto a liuelie hope of immortall seede ◠23 by the worde of God hauing by his holy spirite renued the light of their mind and reformed the frowardnesse of their heart Vntill then I say what excellent vertues so euer they seeme to haue yet is there nothing in thē acceptable to God bicause they haue not that fountaine of regeneration frō whence onely can spring that which god accepteth for good Neither haue they faith without which nothing can please God Heb. 11.6 THE PAPISTS BVt the papists Andrad orthod explic li. 3. as they wil in no wise that concupiscence is of it selfe sinne no not in the vnregenerate but only in respect that it is destitute of originall righteousnesse so doe they seeke by all meanes to cloake and couer the corruption and sinfulnesse of our wretched nature Hereof commeth it that they shame not to teach that the workes of infidels and godlesse persons Andrad ibidem such as wee account Turkes or Iewes maie bee without spot of sinne and woorthie of notable prayse As though a filthie spring coulde sende foorth pleasant waters Iam. 3.11 Math. 7.18 or an euill tree could beare good fruit Iohn 15.4 or a branch that is not of the vine tree coulde haue a kindlie grape All which the scriptures denie Doe men gather grapes of thornes Mat. 7.16 or figs of thistles Luke 6.45 No doubtlesse For An euill man
see Master Bellarmine hath forgotten that which in an other place hee telleth vs that a man sinneth aswell in not doing that hee should as in dooing that hee shoulde not And therefore Master Bellarmine saieth falsly that in not doing such works as occasion is offered they should not sinne I might therefore conclude with that golden sentence alleadged out of saint Augustine by the master of sentences Lib. 2. dist 41 The whole life of Infidels is sinne and there is nothing good without the chiefe good Where is want of knowledge of the eternall trueth euen in the best manners is but counterfait vertue but that I think it very necessary to shew how violently master Bellarmine seeketh to wrest from the true sence that euident testimony of our Sauiour Christ Luc. 6.43 matth 7.18 That an euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit which because it is applied to sundry purposes as himselfe confesseth it is plaine that it is a generall sentence both in the one place and the other applied as occasion serueth And for the meaning of it to the ende it shoulde not seeme to prooue that for the which it is alleadged in this question Master Bellarmine hath three answeres to that place De gratia lib a◠b◠t. lib. 5 cap. 10. First that as a good tree doeth not alwayes bring foorth good fruit so an euill tree doth not alwayes bring foorth euill fruit but commonly or for the most part so it is Which answere of his doth flatly deny that which Christ affirmeth Christ saith An euill tree can not bring foorth good fruit yes saith Master Bellarmine by your leaue but it may sometime Euery tree is knowen by the fruit saith Christ not so saith master Bellarmine for sometimes the fruit may be good although the tree be euill Is not this a sawcie mate so impudently and openly to controll the Author of all trueth His second answer if we will trust his owne report is a plaine solution of the argument And it is this that this euil tree is the euil wil of man De actis cum fol. Manich. lib. 2. cap. 4. Which answer he would faine father vpon saint Augustine but in the place alledged there is no such matter I remember that S. Augustine in another place doth say De gratia Christi ca. 18 that this euill tree is a man of an euill will but not the euill will it selfe Well thus master Bellarmine granteth this place to bee true that an euill tree that is lust or a man that worketh according to lust cannot bring foorth good fruit But first master Bellarmine hath falsified S. Augustine as I haue saide Secondly he expoundeth this place otherwise than saint Ierome and Theoph. doe for they vnderstand it euen as we doe that an euill man whilest he is euill can not bring foorth good fruit but being conuerted hee may Yea the wordes themselues are very plaine that our Sauior Christ meant it not of the euil wil that is in man but of the man himselfe in that he addeth Luc. 6.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth euill Yet then this place alleadged proueth substantially that Infidelles or heathen men whilest they continue so can not do any workes that shall be perfectly good or voide of sinne His third and last answere to this place is this The euill tree saith he is an euil man and the good fruit is a meritorious worke And after this meaning he thus answereth the place An euill man cannot do a meritorious worke Is not this a notable abusing of Gods word after his owne pleasure to wrest and wring it what one word induceth him to dreame here of meritorious workes Nay the words confute him mightily for it is said An euil tree bringeth forth euill fruit Euill Matth. 7.17 I say not onely not meritorious And the tree is knowen by the fruit The fruit then must be bad that must shew a bad tree And therefore this answere of M. Bellar. is as are the rest too foolish De gra Christi cap. 18. 19 Cont. I◠lianum Pelag. li. 4. cap. 3. But S. Augustine expoundeth it so if you wil trust M. Bellar. but examine the places by him alleadged and there is no such thing in them So smal a matter it is for M. Bellar. to abuse his readers at his pleasure by falsifying the fathers And now the latter of these places which he falsly hath alleadged for the confirmation of his vntrue assertion I truely apply to the confuting of this their vngodly doctrine vsing only the words of S. Augustine If a heathen man who liueth not by faith doeth cloath the naked deliuer the distressed cure the wounded bestow his riches vpon honest friendship will not by tormentes be brought to beare false witnes I demād of thee saith S. Augustine to Iulian the Pelagian whether he do these good works wel or euil For if they being good yet he doth them euill thou canst not deny but that he sinneth that doth any thing euill But because thou wilt not say that he sinneth in doing this thou wilt doubtles say that both he doth good things and he doth them well Now marke S. Augustines conclusion vpon these wordes If it bee so an euill tree may bring forth good fruits which thing the truth it selfe saith it cannot be Thus much out of S. Augustine not only to shew how falsely he is alleadged for proofe of M. Bellarm. senceles assertion but also to let it be seene how he iumpeth with vs in this doctrine that the Godlesse cannot doe the worke that shall be without sinne Therefore to conclude this question as Saint Augustine did to the Pelagians so doe I saie to our aduersaries Aug ibidem How can it bee that you should not seeme either to be mery or mad in these disputations who praise the fruite of barren trees Whose fruites are either none or if they be euill they are not to be praised Of Baptisme whether it doe extinguish and kil in vs originall sinne or not CHAP. 23 THE PROTESTANTS WEe confesse that in Baptisme is sealed vp and assured vnto vs the couenant that God made with vs for the forgiuenesse of our sins Whereby we are also taught that if we be Gods children we be ingrafted into Christ and planted in him to the mortification of the olde man Ephes 4.22 the whole body of sinne that hauing put on the new man 24 which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may increase more and more in all spirituall graces striuing alwayes to attaine to that perfection which in this life wee cannot haue though we faine would obtaine the same THE PAPISTS BVt our aduersaries will haue sin in Baptisme Concil Trid. Sess 5. not pardoned onely but abolished also and taken away so as nothing that is
out of the treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill It is then most certaine that where the spirite of regeneration is not to sanctifie the heart as in the infidels it is not wee can looke for no workes but such as proceede from that bitter roote of sinne which must needes bee euill and vnsauourie before God It may iustly be wondered at why they who take vpon them the name of holy catholicke church such as account themselues the members thereof doe so stifly and stubbornely maintaine so bad a cause and defend yea commend the actions of such godlesse men For not only the particular writers among them excuse from sinne the actions of Infidels Sess 6. can 57. but also the councell of Trent doth hold them all accursed that dare say they are truly sinne But their feare is least if the nature of man be set forth in her owne colours and duely considered of the doctrine of merite by workes will seeme more absurd But if the workes of gracelesse and godlesse men may be thought to be voide of sinne how much the rather maie we thinke that the works of the faithfull may be so perfect that they may merite at Gods handes And in truth no man can denie but that there is no comparison betweene the workes of the godlie and the vngodly Therefore that they may prepare a way for their doctrine of merites they would first make vs beleeue that euen in the wicked there may be good workes And least men should condemne the corruption of this our nature being not renued by the spirit of God as it iustlie deserueth and so sincerely confesse that we haue in vs no good but that it commeth wholy from God the councell of Trent doth not any thing mislike those opinions that commend the works euen of infidels yea attributing some merit vnto them as doe some of the scholemen but onlie accurseth them that accompt them to be sinne Sleiden comment li. 23. An. 1552. And a Franciscan frier reading vpon the second chapter of the epistle to the Romanes did most blasphemouslie teach in the hearing of manie of them that were at the councel and in the time of the councell that They who had no knowledge of Christ and yet liued honestly were saued Which his vnchristian doctrine was so farre from being condemned by that Antichristian councell that the diuines that were sent from the protestantes to that councel made their complaint to the emperours Ambassadours that he was heard with great liking And indeed the councel did not accurse that doctrine or him that taught it No the councel did not determine but as Andradius telleth vs Orthodoxarum explicat li. 3. hath left it free for euery man to thinke as they wil of the workes of them that are not regenerate this only that councel will not permit vs to thinke that they are sinne because they are not of faith That therefore that the scripture teacheth vs wee maie not once thinke of but all other absurd opinions of men are very tollerable Is not this strange dealing that the spirit of truth only must not speake and the lying spirits of foolish men may saie what they will But let vs see what reasons they alleadge to induce them to this persuasion I wil saie nothing of that which maister Bellarmine nothing like a graue deuine which should with all diligence and praier search out and with all humility submit himselfe to the trueth but rather like a foolish wrangling sophister whose care were onely to contend to make good that which he saith most impudently affirmeth enquiring what knowlege of moral vertues men may haue by the powers of nature Gods general help De gram libero aâ— bit li. 5. cap. 1. Of two opinions he preferreth one and why So much the more gladly saith he we doe embrace and defend it howe much the more our aduersaries mislike it I see now it is no great maruel though these pretended catholickes doe manifestly and wilfully gainsaie and withstand manie thinges most consonant to the infallible word of God For I perceiue that if we like of it it is cause good inough for them to mislike of it Only this will I saie that because this persuasion is foolish and dangerous Iam. 2.1 Saint Iames giueth a good caueat to all that are of such an humour My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons But to like or mislike in respect of the man is to haue it in respect of persons But hee hauing thus professed that generall reason whereby he is setled in his persuasion commeth afterwardes in the same booke to other particular reasons His first reason is this Cap. 9. God is saide manie times to rewarde the workes of the Infidels but God will not reward that which is sinne The first argument to proue that all the infidels works are not sinne therefore not all the workes of Infidels are sinne If I should examine the particular proofes that hee bringeth of his first proposition the weakenesse thereof will soone appeare For he must proue that the workes of infidels are rewarded of God For proofe whereof his first example is of the midwiues Exod. 1.21.17 that came to the women of Israel in their trauel in Aegipt of whom the Scripture giueth testimony that they feared God hath in that verie place and before also Why then doth he reckon them amongst infidels Then also the rewarde which he saith was promised to them the best learned in the Hebrew tongue apply not to the Midwiues but to the Israelites of the increase of their families Ezech. 27.18 19. The second example is out of Ezechiel where God promiseth to giue Nabuchad-nezar and his army as their wages Aegipt for their seruice which they did against Tyre Which seruice against Tyre if maister Bellarm can commend in Nabuchad-nezar as a good worke wherein hee had only regarde vnto his owne cruell and proud affection he will hardlie finde anie euill His third and last place out of Daniel Daniel 4.24 wherein Daniel giueth councel to Nabuchad-nezar to redeeme his sinnes by being good to the poore it is not very pertinent to the purpose and I shal God willing haue more fit place afterwards to speake of it Although therefore it doth easily appeare that his maior is not proued by him yet I will confesse that God is saide to rewarde such men in respect that he giueth good successe to them and prospereth them to set forth by them his owne glorie Alluding vnto the wages that seruantes haue for their worke Who although they bee not alwaies of the best yet good reason they should haue their wages for their worke The minor is that God will not rewarde sinne I grant in that respect that it is sinne hee will not But in euerie action there are to be considered manie things First the deede as in this that Nabuchad-nezar did
doe well Gen. 4.7 shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sinne lieth at the dore And when he telleth vs that in this iudgement God shal be the rewarder he armeth vs against hipocrisie seeing that he who cannot be corrupted with bribes nor deceiued with ignoraunce of the cause shal examine the worke And yet for the comfort of the Godly we must also know that hee accepteth of their worke not according to the imperfection of the worke it selfe but according to the spirit of regeneration which hee hath wrought in them that worke it And so because the fruit commeth from a good tree he accounteth the better of it Therefore if he crowne in vs our merites he crowneth nothing but his owne giftes as saith saint Augustine Thus then we see Li. 50. Homiliarum Homil 14. there is not any necessity in this argument God rewardeth the good worke with glory and immortality therefore the worke hath merited that rewarde And this is the answere also to his thirde argument out of these wordes of saint Matthew Matth. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you c. For I was an hungred and yee gaue me meat c. We confesse that God rewardeth good workes and that is all that canne be proued out of these wordes But this reward is not giuen in respect of the worke but chiefly in regarde of Gods promise And the rather also it is accepted because of that spirit of regeneration from whence the worke commeth But in the place alleadged by him out of the reuelation he dealeth not sincerely For thus doth hee cite it These are they that came out of great tribulation Apoc. 7.14 therfore they are in the presence of the throne of God 15 But saint Iohn hath thus set it downe These are they that came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes and haue made their long robes white in the bloud of the Lamb. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God Not because they came out of tribulation but because they did wash their robes in the bloud of the Lamb That is in the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord as saith saint Augustine Deceitfullie therefore did maister Bellarmine leaue out the true cause of their being in the presence of God In apoc Hom. 6. that he might for fortifying of his errour set downe that which was no cause of their being with God for the true cause Seeking rather by Sophistry to beguile than with sound learning to teach His fourth sort of places are such as speak of the iustice of Gods iudgement and out of them he maketh this argument God in iustice rewardeth good works therefore good workes are meritorious Maister Bellarmine doth as many euill Captaines doe that deceiue the Prince who when they haue not men enough of their owne against the muster will borrow some souldiars of some other to make out their number but when they encounter the enemie their borrowed souldiars are not there to fight for them or to doe any seruice they were but borrowed to make a shew in the muster Euen so falleth it out with maister Bellarmine He maketh a shew of many proofes But of al these which are brought in heere there is not one that proueth directly that God in iustice rewardeth good workes He proueth by them especially that Gods iudgement is iust which we deny not but say with Ieremie O Lord are not thine eies vpon the truth Ier. 5.3 And therefore these testimonies are to that effect that were the testimonies alleadged in his second argument ◠Thess 1.4.5.6 and are there answered The effect of that he saith in the two first places is this It is a token of Gods righteous iudgement ◠Tim. 4.7 ◠that he dealeth well with the Godlie To this end also is that out of saint Paul to Timothy I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Henceforth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord that righteous iudge shall giue me at that day We neuer denied either God to be a righteous iudge or his iudgements to be iust What then will our aduersaries inferre Must he therfore iudge according to the worthines of our worke Iob. 9.3 Psal 130.3 God forbid For if God woulde dispute with man hee were not able to answere one thing for a thousand And if the Lord should straightly marke our iniquities who should be able to abide it And therefore now there is no way for vs but to make our humble suit vnto God as doth Dauid Psal 143.1 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified And yet he is iust yea and so iust that he will not suffer sinne vnpunished But rather then he should not be satisfied for the same to the vttermost he gaue his sonne to satisfie for the same euen to make recompence for vs. So that our sinne the punishment whereof our selues could not beare is punished to the vttermost in Iesus Christ And by this satisfaction which Christ hath made for vs we may stand without feare before Gods iudgement seat and plead not guilty Because that he in whom God is well pleased hath paid our debt And seeing that Christ hath once made satisfaction for our sins it were against Gods iustice to punish vs for the same And thus we see how Gods iustice in iudgment is an vnspeakeable comforte to our consciences assuring vs that God looketh not vpon vs in his iudgment as we are in our selues but as wee are belonging to his sonne Christ Neither yet doth he weigh the merite of our workes but how they are made acceptable through Christ who hath merited by his death passiō eternal life for al them that beleeue in him He looketh not I saie what we haue done but what Christ hath done And it is iust he should so doe for he was content to take him to be our suerty And this is also for the vnderstanding of the fourth place alleadged by maister Bellarmine Heb. 6.10 For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your worke In which place Gods righteousnes is taken for his truth and faithfulnes in keeping promise that he is as good as his word and will rewarde euery good worke that is done for his sake but not for the merit of the worke but for his owne mercy That which is alleadged out of Saint Iames answereth it selfe Iames. 1.12 if M. Bellarmine had not stopped S. Iames his breath too sone Blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life saith S. Iames. But it followeth which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And of this master Bellarmine saith nothing And yet saint Iames saith plainly that that which they receiue it is
fault I trust is not generall but in some places it is so Well of them I will onely say thus much that they are in such sort dealt withall as themselues are much confirmed in popish heresies they that beare good will to the trueth much discouraged and harty and sincere obedience not to the gospell only but to her Maiestie also is much hindered Atheists As for that godlesse and gracelesse sorte who dare saie not in their heart only but euen with their mouthes also not priuately but also in their meetings and assemblies to their perpetual shame that there is no God although they bee nothing so daungerous as are the Papistes who deceiue vnder a colour of religion and therefore more craftilie such as haue not a loue to the trueth yet are they of all other creatures most to bee detested as beeing more vnthankefull than the beastes themselues and to be counted more vile than the dung of the earth which wee treade vnder our feete seeing they are so iniurious to that good God that hath made them such excellent creatures and doe so by their impiety blemish and defile the excellency of their creation Psal 145.15 For if The eies of all doe waite vppon God who giueth them meate in due season Of all I say euen the beastes and not men only then doe they after their manner confesse that there is a God that feedeth them Psal 147.9 as hee doeth also The beastes and young Rauens that crie And in that all things keepe their course whereunto God appointed them it argueth that they yeelde a soueraignetie to that deuine power that hath created and appointed them to that ende And shall any man indued with reason nay such as call themselues Christians and some of them perchance such as haue receiued of Gods hand more aboundant graces than many other shall such I saie as haue so many causes to knowe and confesse him dare set themselues against him that made them and deny his power Act. 17.28 In him they liue and moue and haue their being and will they not confesse him The creation the preseruation and the administration which hee vseth ouer all thinges doeth prooue him to bee God Yea which waie can we turne our eies but that we must beholde his power Psal 19.1 The heauens declare the glorie of God And the earth also is full of his greatnesse They that goe downe into the sea in shippes Psal 107.23.24 and occupy by great waters They see the workes of the Lorde and his wonders in the deepe In the Scriptures what haue wee but the goodnesse of God the might of God the wisedome of God the iustice of God To shewe that wee cannot bee without him and from him wee cannot hide our selues Much lesse shall that wicked crew stand before him but that his hande shall finde them out And although that accursed company will no doubt deny the Scriptures and count them but as fabulous yet Gods actes and deedes therein contained as also the storie of all times doeth sufficiently testifie vnto the worlde that God is wise mightie good and iust The very heathen men therefore founde him out by his workes and could not but confesse that there must be a God although not seeking to knowe him by his worde they became vaine in their imaginations and conceites of this God But that there is a God they did all see it Shall the Scriptures beare witnesse and his workes testifie of him yea shall the very heathens finde argumentes enough to conuince them and make them confesse him and shall such as are borne and brought vp amongst Christians bee as blinde as beetels in so cleare light and so bring a staine to their profession their country their bloud God forbid that in any christian common wealth there shoulde bee any founde so wicked and witlesse as once to thinke so irreligiously But to speake it and that not in secret but in the hearing of others or to defend it as an opinion that they would haue to be beleeued is so detestable a sinne before God as if it bee suffered will be the vtter ruine of this land Take away the assured persuasion of God out of the heartes of the people and how shal obedience be perfourmed to Magistrates honour to parents seruice to maisters or duty to all superiours for the Lordes sake Let their prophane opinion preuaile and neither shal the godly haue any incouragement to serue in feare neither the wicked any bridle to restraine them from euil These corruptions therefore of a common wealth these enemies to al honest and Christian life ought not to bee suffered to liue amongst men much lesse to enioy any estimation or credit by christian Magistrats Neither can this persuasion once enter into the hearte of any vnlesse they be such as because they woulde liue dissolutelie in all lust and pleasure as the prophet Amos saith Amos. 6.3 Soph. 1.7 Ioel. 2.11 Do put far away the euil day euē that day of the Lord wherof Sophony speaketh and of which day the prophet Ioel saith The day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it And therfore that they might sinne without al feare of God they would faine perswade themselues that there is no God Or els such as being drunken in their prosperity and aduanced perchaunce far aboue their worth doe thinke as did the wicked men of whom Malachy speaketh Mal. 2.17 that if there were a God of iustice it coulde not bee so well with them and so in their excesse of pride they deny God say who is Lord And although I trust that none amongst vs are com to the depth of that impiety yet because it is too true that many will haue such prophane talke and delight too much therin that some of them such as seeme not little in their own eies if sharpe punishments be not inflicted for such irreligious and wicked speeches themselues will more more be hardened in their euil and others more incouraged to like of their vngodlines Therfore these biles sores of a common wealth are of all christians to be shunned as vnworthy to liue among Gods people of al godly magistrats such are to be restrained not by lawes only but by the sharpest punishments And if magistrates would not doe their duty therin which God forbid yet let al true christians take heede they touch no such pitch Eccle. 13.1 1. Cor. 15.33 Iud. 52. least they be defiled with it nor giue eare to such talke least it corrupt their good manners Yea let them put away such spottes from their feastes for the company is the worse that they are in what account so euer they make of themselues Withal diligence therefore inquiry would be made for detecting and strait order taken for the punishing of such For as al sinnes procure Gods wrath especially if they be borne withal and God in his wrath sendeth his plagues